cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics of the reactions of the hydroxyl radical with dimethyl ether and diethyl ether

Absolute rate coefficients for the reactions of the hydroxyl radical with dimethyl ether (k1) and diethyl ether (k2) were measured over the temperature range 295–442 K. The rate coefficient data, in the units cm3 molecule−1 s−1, were fitted to the Arrhenius equations k1 (T) = (1.04 ± 0.10) × 10−11 exp[−(739 ± 67 cal mol−1)/RT] and k2(T) = (9.13 ± 0.35) × 10−12 exp[+(228 ± 27 kcal mol−1)/RT], respectively, in which the stated error limits are 2σ values. Our results are compared with those of previous studies of hydrogen-atom abstraction from saturated hydrocarbons by OH. Correlations between measured reaction-rate coefficients and CH bond-dissociation energies are discussed.
Formation of Crystallographic Etch Pits on Ice, and Its Application to the Study of Hailstones

Abstract The principle of formation of etch pits with crystal faces on ice crystals is explained as a natural consequence of evaporation (or any sort of dissolution) at concave surfaces of crystals. A new technique of ice etching using perforated metal foil is described. It is a useful way of determining grain orientations in hail stones.
Subcellular analysis of the molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase in rat skeletal muscle

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7) activity of rat gastrocnemius muscle homogenized in 1 M-NaCl and 0.5% Triton X-100 was separated by velocity sedimentation in sucrose gradients into three molecular forms with sedimentation coefficients of about 4S, 10S and 16S. The distribution of homogenate AChE activity among the three peaks was 53, 34 and 13% respectively. The different molecular forms were found to be heterogeneously distributed in subcellular fractions prepared from sucrose homogenates of muscle, as follows: Subfractions of the crude sarcolemmal fraction were prepared by discontinuous sucrose gradient centrifugation. AChE was recovered in the greatest yield and with the highest specific activity in a light density subfraction (0.6/0.8 M-sucrose interface). The AChE activity in this light density subfraction was mainly (81-88%) the 10S form of the enzyme. The velocity sedimentation profiles of the AChE activity in the more dense subfractions were markedly different in that 16S AChE was a major component.
A signature theorem for disk bundles and the eta invariant

Abstract We apply the Signature Theorem of Atiyah, Patodi and Singer [2] to disk bundles over compact Riemannian manifolds. We show that the signature of a disk bundle can be expressed as the integral of a characteristic class over the manifold and a limiting eta invariant of the bounding sphere bundle. The characteristic class can be explicitly described and is modelled after the Hirzebruch L -class. The limiting process is essential and we show by a counter example that in the absence of the limit, the eta invariant is not a topological invariant. If the base manifold is Hodge, we obtain an expression for the limiting eta invariant in terms of our characteristic class and the bigraded Betti numbers of the base.
Inhibition of Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Gene Transcription by Nitric Oxide and Antioxidants

Abstract Interferon (IFN)-γ facilitates cellular immune response, in part, by inducing the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) molecules. We demonstrate that IFN-γ induces the expression of HLA-DRA in vascular endothelial cells via mechanisms involving reactive oxygen species. IFN-γ-induced HLA-DRA expression was inhibited by nitric oxide (NO) and antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, and N-acetylcysteine. Nuclear run-on assays demonstrated that NO and antioxidants inhibited IFN-γ-induced HLA-DRA gene transcription. Transient transfection studies using a fully functional HLA-DRA promoter construct ([−300]DRα.CAT) showed that inhibition of endogenous NO synthase activity byN ω-monomethyl-l-arginine or addition of exogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) augmented basal and IFN-γ-stimulated [−300]DRα.CAT activity. However, H2O2 andN ω-monomethyl-l-arginine could induce HLA-DRA expression suggesting that H2O2is a necessary but not a sufficient mediator of IFN-γ-induced HLA-DRA expression. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and Western blotting demonstrated that NO and antioxidants had little or no effect on IFN-γ-induced IRF-1 activation or MHC-II transactivator (CIITA) expression but did inhibit IFN-γ-induced activation of STAT1α (p91) and Y box transcription factors, NF-YA and NF-YB. These results indicate that NO and antioxidants may attenuate vascular inflammation by antagonizing the effects of intracellular reactive oxygen species generation by IFN-γ, which is necessary for MHC-II gene transcription.
A comparative study of quality management in Taiwan's and China's electronics industry

Assesses differences in the economies of Taiwan and China to determine whether or not perceptions of quality management differences exist among managers of electronic firms in the two countries. Statistical results suggest that these two groups of managers not only differ in how they define quality, they also differ in their beliefs about the relationship between quality management and organizational outcomes, the extent to which quality management is practiced in the firm, and how the quality of their products compares with products produced by competitors in other countries.
Cross-national comparison of childhood obesity: the epidemic and the relationship between obesity and socioeconomic status

Background Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic. Recently WHO acknowledged an urgent need to examine child obesity across countries using a standardized international standard. Studies in adults find obesity and socioeconomic factors (SES) factors are correlated, but results are inconsistent for children. Using an international standard, we examined the prevalence of obesity and compared the associations between SES factors and obesity across countries. Methods Data for children aged 6‐18 from nationwide surveys in the US (NHANES III, 1988‐1994), China (1993), and Russia (1992) were used. We used the recently updated US NCHS body mass index (BMI = wt/ht 2 ) reference to define obesity (BMI >95th percentile) and overweight (85th<BMI,95th percentile). The WHO recommends an early version of the NCHS reference for international use. We conducted logistic analyses to examine the relationship between SES and obesity. Results The prevalence of obesity and overweight was 11.1% and 14.3%, respectively, in the US, 6.0% and 10.0% in Russia, and 3.6% and 3.4% in China. The relationship between obesity and SES varied across countries. Higher SES subjects were more likely to be obese in China and Russia, but in the US low-SES groups were at a higher risk. Obesity was more prevalent in urban areas in China but in rural areas in Russia. Conclusions Child obesity is becoming a public health problem worldwide, but the prevalence of obesity varies remarkably across countries with different socioeconomic development levels. Different SES groups are at different risks, and the relationship between obesity and SES varies across countries.
Self-assembly of three-dimensional photonic-crystals with air-core line defects

We have introduced line defects into a three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystal by combining the techniques of optical photolithography, self-assembly, and template replication. The template is a colloidal crystal film that is grown on a silicon or glass substrate patterned with photoresist lines, and the 3D photonic crystal with air-core line defects is obtained by infiltrating the colloidal crystal film with silica and removing the template by calcination. SEM and optical transmission spectra show that the resulting 3D PC structure has high structural integrity and crystalline quality. This approach can introduce defects at the desired places of 3D photonic crystals, which may be useful in making 3D photonic crystal-based air-core waveguides.
Collaborative Design: “Forming, Storming, and Norming”

ISSUE: A lack of collaboration with other design disciplines is a problem encountered by many interior design education programs across the country. GOAL: The goal was to broaden interior design student's exposure to two other design disciplines: architecture and landscape architecture. APPLICATION: Students and faculty can no longer afford to work in isolation as companies are increasingly seeking collaborative efforts to solve their problems. In response to this need, students from architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture were grouped in interdisciplinary teams in a collaborative design course. DESCRIPTION: The literature on the advantages and disadvantages of collaborative teamwork are reviewed. Given the advantages associated with teamwork, the development of the collaborative design course is described along with student reactions upon completion of the course. CONCLUSION: Student responses reiterated the advantages and disadvantages of working in teams. More importantly, students understood the importance of being exposed to collaborative design efforts.
Medical contraindications and issues for consideration in the use of once-a-month injectable contraceptives

A number of once-a-month injectable contraceptives have been studied over the last 30 years and at least three different formulations are currently in use worldwide. Each of these formulations contains an ester of the natural estrogen, estradiol, and a synthetic progestin. This is in contrast to the combined oral contraceptives which contain synthetic analogs of both estradiol and progesterone. This paper considers medical contraindications or precautions related to the use of once-a-month injectable formulations and suggests some considerations for their programmatic use, particularly in the developing world. Because once-a-month injectables contain both an estrogen and a progestin, the precautions related to their use are similar to those of combined oral contraceptives; however, since the estrogen component is a natural estrogen, administration is parenteral and the circulating levels reach peaks that are in the range of those of the normal preovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle, some of these precautions may be very conservative. Absolute contraindications to the use of monthly injectables are current or suspected pregnancy, and estrogen-responsive tumors of the breast or genital tract. Other factors have been termed precautions for use rather than absolute or relative contraindications. Primary precautions are conditions under which a woman should probably not use monthly injectables, but if she does, she should be monitored closely. These include current or individual history of cardiovascular disease, current liver disease or liver tumors, and over age 40 if a smoker. Secondary precautions to use are those which should be considered very carefully and balanced against the risks of not using the particular method. These include suspicion of breast or genital tract cancer until cancer is ruled out, unexplained abnormal vaginal bleeding, use of drugs which might affect metabolism and decrease effective levels of circulating steroids, breastfeeding, and having combinations of several risk factors for cardiovascular disease. These precautions are categorized as proposed, based on the fact that most women in the developing world face a risk from pregnancy that is probably far greater than the risks from any of the present formulations of steroidal contraceptives. A key consideration during programmatic use of monthly injectables is attention to compliance with follow-up schedules to minimize the risk of pregnancy. Because little information on monthly injectables is available that is directly related to these precautions, additional research studies will be required in order to reconsider whether some of the listed precautions are valid or others should be considered.
A new Late Holocene sea-level record from the Mississippi Delta: evidence for a climate/sea level connection?

Abstract A detailed relative sea-level (RSL) record was constructed for the time interval 600–1600 AD, using basal peat to track sea level and containing 16 sea-level index points that capture ∼60 cm of RSL rise. The study area is in the Mississippi Delta where the spring tidal range is ∼0.47 m, the impact of ocean currents on sea-surface topography is limited, and crustal motions are well constrained. Age control was obtained by AMS 14 C dating and most ages represent weighted means of two subsamples. Sample elevations were determined by combining differential GPS measurements with optical surveying. All index points were plotted as error boxes using 2 σ confidence intervals for the ages, plus all vertical errors involved in sampling and surveying, as well as the indicative range of the samples. A striking clustering of sea-level index points between ∼1000 and ∼1200 AD suggests a possible acceleration in the rate of RSL rise. Removal of the long-term trend (0.60 mm yr −1 ) allows for the possibility of a sea-level oscillation with a maximum amplitude of ∼55 cm. However, given the size of the error boxes the possibility that oscillations did not occur cannot be entirely ruled out. Comparison of the new RSL record with various proxy climate records suggests that sea level in this area may have responded to hemispheric temperature changes, including the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age. However, given the error margins associated with this reconstruction, it is stressed that this causal mechanism is tentative and requires corroboration by high-resolution sea-level reconstructions elsewhere.
Extrafollicular B cell activation by marginal zone dendritic cells drives T cell-dependent antibody responses.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are best known for their ability to activate naive T cells, and emerging evidence suggests that distinct DC subsets induce specialized T cell responses. However, little is known concerning the role of DC subsets in the initiation of B cell responses. We report that antigen (Ag) delivery to DC-inhibitory receptor 2 (DCIR2) found on marginal zone (MZ)–associated CD8α− DCs in mice leads to robust class-switched antibody (Ab) responses to a T cell–dependent (TD) Ag. DCIR2+ DCs induced rapid up-regulation of multiple B cell activation markers and changes in chemokine receptor expression, resulting in accumulation of Ag-specific B cells within extrafollicular splenic bridging channels as early as 24 h after immunization. Ag-specific B cells primed by DCIR2+ DCs were remarkably efficient at driving naive CD4 T cell proliferation, yet DCIR2-induced responses failed to form germinal centers or undergo affinity maturation of serum Ab unless toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 or TLR9 agonists were included at the time of immunization. These results demonstrate DCIR2+ DCs have a unique capacity to initiate extrafollicular B cell responses to TD Ag, and thus define a novel division of labor among splenic DC subsets for B cell activation during humoral immune responses.
Parallel morphological image processing with an opto-electronic VLSI array processor

A parallel morphological image processor (MIP) has been developed onto a full-custom optoelectronic VLSI design by combining a two-dimensional fine-grain parallel array architecture with on-chip focal-plane photodetectors and transmitters. The optical input/output (I/O) array processor performs morphological functions on the optodetected binary image with a programmable structuring element of any size. A language called MIPL is defined for parallel morphological image processing and fully supported by the MIP hardware. An 8*8 array processor prototype chip has been designed in 1.6-mm*1.6-mm silicon area using the MOSIS 2- mu m CMOS process. >
Study of unstable limit cycles in power system models

Unstable limit cycles (ULCs) provide a mechanism for nonlinear oscillatory phenomena in power systems. When ULC is located on the stability boundary, transient stability is determined by whether the post-fault initial condition is inside or outside the stable manifold of the ULC. Therefore, depending on its size, ULC can have a crippling effect on transient stability properties. In this paper, we present examples of ULCs in several power system models including a large system example.
Autologous bone marrow harvesting in outpatients

Abstract Study Objective: To assess the experience with autologous bone marrow harvesting in outpatients. Design: Retrospective analysis of outpatients who underwent autologous bone marrow harvesting from 1990 to 1992. Setting: University-affiliated surgical day hospital. Subjects: 235 outpatients who underwent 264 autologous bone marrow harvests. Patients are candidates for autologous bone marrow harvesting on an outpatient basis if they are Karnofsky performance status of 80–100 and ASA status I, II or III. Measurements and Main Results: The incidence of perioperative complications and hospital admission from the Surgical Day Hospital, the duration of the harvesting procedure and postanesthesia care unit (PACU) stay, details of the postoperative pain management, and costs and charges of the outpatient procedure compared with the same procedure performed on inpatients were assessed. Mean age was 37.7 years ± 10.5 SD; 47.7% patients were male and 52.3% were female. The disease processes included non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (30.3%), leukemia (24.3%), metastatic breast cancer (18.4%), Hodgkin's disease (17.3%), testicular carcinoma (6.5%), and other (1.6%). The patients were ASA status II (54.5%) or ASA III (45.5%) and received general endotracheal anesthesia. Each patient had 10.7 ml/kg ± 2.8 SD of marrow harvested over a period of 110.7 minutes ± 30.4 SD and total recovery room time of 233.7 minutes ± 85.5 SD. Of 264 harvests, only three (1.1%) required hospital admission. PACU complaints included transient hypotension and dizziness (5.3%), nausea (3.8%), vomiting (3.4%), and (1.9%) temperature elevation. 83.7% of patients were reached at home the following day and 4.1% complained of nausea and/or vomiting at home. 6.8% of patients experienced temperature elevation at home. Only 27.1% of patients took the acetaminophen with codeine that was prescribed. The remainder required no opioid at home. Outpatient charge/inpatient charge was 51.1%, and outpatient cost/inpatient was 74.4%. Conclusion: Autologous bone marrow harvesting is an acceptable ambulatory surgical procedure that results in a very low postanesthesia complication rate. Postoperative pain is easily controlled. The outpatient setting offers cost and time advantages to the patient.
Transmission Electron Microscopic Observations on Technegas and Pertechnegas

ABSTRACT We examined the features of technegas, pertechnegas, and related nonradioactive aerosols using transmission electron microscopy. Samples of technegas, pertechnegas and unlabeled saline aerosols were created and collected within the Technegas Generator. The samples were examined by transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). Technegas, pertechnegas, and the unlabeled saline aerosol particles have the same ultrastructure. Heating by the electron beam produces damage in some of these particles, revealing an opaque core material that is water soluble, and a thin surface layer. Disappearance of chlorine is noted by EELS during heating. We conclude that all of the examined aerosols have the same ultrastructure, regardless of the presence of small concentrations of oxygen during particle formation, and regardless of the presence of the technetium-99m label. We also note that some particles are susceptible to damage by heating; these consist of a thin surface layer and ...
Ionic memory - materials and device characteristics

Scalable elements that can be switched between widely-separated non-volatile resistance states at very low power are desirable for applications in next generation memory and logic. One promising approach involves the use of solid ion-conducting films. A mobile metal ion-containing glassy electrolyte film sandwiched between an oxidizable metal layer and an inert electrode constitutes a device which reversibly transitions between high and low resistance states. The resistance reduction occurs by the formation of a nanoscale conducting pathway created by reduction of the metal ions. A reverse bias dissolves the connection. In addition to possessing the speed, endurance, retention, and CMOS compatibility required of future switching elements, such devices have excellent scaling prospects due to their low operational energy and demonstrated physical scalability. This paper discusses the materials and mechanisms of ionic memory and presents the electrical characteristics of devices formed from Ag-Ge-S and Cu-Si-O electrolytes as examples of the technology.
Clinical implications of dose-dependent cytochrome P-450 drug–drug interactions with antidepressants

The magnitude of drug–drug interactions in vitro involving competitive inhibition of cytochrome (CYP) isozymes by newer antidepressants can theoretically be shown to be dependent upon several factors. These include the concentration of both the substrate and inhibitor, the affinity of the inhibitor for the inhibited isozyme, and an inhibition constant. The purpose of this study was to compare the results from three human drug interaction studies with theoretical considerations and the results from in vitro studies. Of special interest was the relationship between dose or concentration of an enzyme inhibitor and the change in the plasma concentration of a co-administered drug. Observed data were fit to equations using linear regression and nonlinear least squares regression analysis. All three human data sets demonstrated a linear dose or concentration dependency in the magnitude of the observed drug–drug interaction. The results draw attention to the dose dependent nature of drug–drug interactions. As the dose of antidepressant is under clinician control, guidelines are suggested to minimize the clinical impact of antidepressant drug interactions. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Heat Transfer Augmentation of a Co-Rotating Disk Assembly with Special Emphasis on the Lower Disk

Experiments were performed to map local heat transfer coefficients on an unobstructed co-rotating disk system simulating the internal component of a computer disk drive assembly. The disk diameter was twice as large as a hard drive, and the rotational speed up to 5000 rpm was studied. The effects of two parameters, on the heat transfer phenomena the Reynolds number from 6.587 × 10 4 to 3.096 × 10 5 and the non-dimensional disk-to-disk ratio (L/D) from 0.02 to 0.06, were observed. The disks were positioned horizontally, and heat transfer was measured for the top faces of both disks. Emphasis is given to the top face of the lower disk in this research, as less experimental data are available in the literature. A transient liquid crystal technique was employed for the measurements, and the results reveal an interesting pattern of the heat transfer rate in the gap for the upper surface of the lower disk. The overall heat transfer is much lower for the surface of the lower disk as compared to that of the top d...
Wake structure and wing kinematics: the flight of the lesser dog-faced fruit bat, Cynopterus brachyotis

We investigated the detailed kinematics and wake structure of lesser dog-faced fruit bats (Cynopterus brachyotis) flying in a wind tunnel. High speed recordings of the kinematics were conducted to obtain three-dimensional reconstructions of wing movements. Simultaneously, the flow structure in the spanwise plane perpendicular to the flow stream was visualized using time-resolved particle image velocimetry. The flight of four individuals was investigated to reveal patterns in kinematics and wake structure typical for lower and higher speeds. The wake structure identified as typical for both speed categories was a closed-loop ring vortex consisting of the tip vortex and the limited appearance of a counter-rotating vortex near the body, as well as a small distally located vortex system at the end of the upstroke that generated negative lift. We also investigated the degree of consistency within trials and looked at individual variation in flight parameters, and found distinct differences between individuals as well as within individuals.
Application of Capacitors for Power-Factor Improvement of Induction Motors

POWER-FACTOR improvement of induction-motor loads by means of shunt capacitors has been a common practice for many years. Recently, the practice of connecting the capacitors directly at the motor terminals has developed in order to permit switching of the capacitors and motor as a unit. This will not result in adverse motor operation if the number of capacitors is selected properly. There is very little written material regarding operating experience, although capacitor and motor manufacturers have accumulated some experience.1,2,3,4 This experience has shown that frequently too large a capacitor rating was used, resulting in overvoltage due to self-excitation when the motor starter was opened; in some cases the voltage rose to 200 per cent causing failure of motor insulation, indicating lamps, and other devices. In several instances, the motor coupling and shaft were damaged when too large a capacitor bank was used and the motor switched by a reduced-voltage autotransformer-type starter. In some cases, motors have been damaged from overload because allowance was not made in the overload setting for the reduction in line current due to the capacitors. In other cases, instruments and meters connected in the current-transformer secondary circuit have been damaged due to overvoltage.6
Interactive effects of land use and other factors on regional bird distributions

Aim We assessed the independent and interactive effects of land use and other factors on regional distributions of lake shore bird assemblages. Location Analyses were restricted to lakes of the northeastern United States (New England, New York, New Jersey). Methods Lake shore bird and habitat data were collected from a regional sample of 186 lakes between 1991 and 1995. Local and regional gradients in environmental attributes of the lakes and their watersheds, and in bird species composition, were characterized using detrended correspondence analysis. Bird assemblages were also characterized with respect to species diversity, total bird abundance, and absolute and proportional abundance for neotropical migrants, omnivores and tree foragers. The assemblage measures were compared with the environmental gradients and with the environmental variables from which those gradients were derived using correlations, linear regression and bivariate plots. Results Anthropogenic variables (e.g. human density) and nonanthropogenic variables (e.g. climate, forest composition, lake productivity) were highly confounded regionally, reflecting the influence of climate and geomorphology on land use and, in turn, the influence of land use on the environment. Moving south along the regional gradient to watersheds with more intensive land use, changes in bird assemblage structure were consistent with anthropogenic effects on the avifauna attributable to forest fragmentation: total bird abundance increased, fragmentation-tolerant species were encountered more frequently, the proportional abundance of omnivores increased and the proportional abundances of tree foragers and neotropical migrants decreased. Bird diversity, as assayed using rarefaction, peaked at an intermediate position along the regional gradient, as did the absolute abundances of tree foragers and migrants. Main conclusions We propose that some community attributes peaked at an intermediate position along the regional gradient as a result of the interactive effects of land use and other factors on this region's avifauna, with broad-scale anthropogenic factors constraining assemblages on the urbanized lakes, and climate or other nonanthropogenic factors constraining assemblages on the pristine lakes. Anthropogenic and nonanthropogenic factors of similar scale and magnitude thus acted in concert to shape regional bird distributions.
A connective ethnography of peer knowledge sharing and diffusion in a tween virtual world

Prior studies have shown how knowledge diffusion occurs in classrooms and structured small groups around assigned tasks yet have not begun to account for widespread knowledge sharing in more native, unstructured group settings found in online games and virtual worlds. In this paper, we describe and analyze how an insider gaming practice spread across a group of tween players ages 9-12 years in an after-school gaming club that simultaneously participated in a virtual world called Whyville.net. In order to understand how this practice proliferated, we followed the club members as they interacted with each other and members of the virtual world at large. Employing connective ethnography to trace the movements in learning and teaching this practice, we coordinated data records from videos, tracking data, field notes, and interviews. We found that club members took advantage of the different spaces, people, and times available to them across Whyville, the club, and even home and classroom spaces. By using an insider gaming practice, namely teleporting, rather than the more traditional individual person as our analytical lens, we were able to examine knowledge sharing and diffusion across the gaming spaces, including events in local small groups as well as encounters in the virtual world. In the discussion, we address methodological issues and design implications of our findings.
The Development of Primate Raiding: Implications for Management and Conservation

Ecosystems and habitats are fast becoming human dominated, which means that more species, including primates, are compelled to exploit new human resources to survive and compete. Primate “pests” pose major management and conservation challenges. I here present the results from a unique opportunity to document how well-known individuals and groups respond to the new opportunity to feed on human foods. Data are from a long-term study of a single population in Kenya at Kekopey, near Gilgil, Kenya. Some of the naive research baboons became raiders while others did not. I compare diet, activity budgets, and home range use of raiders and nonraiders both simultaneously, after the incursion of agriculture, and historically compared to the period before agriculture appeared. I present measures of the relative benefits (female reproduction) and costs (injuries, mortality, and survivorship) of incorporating human food into the diet and discuss why the baboons raid and their variations in raiding tendencies. Guarding and chasing are evaluated as control techniques. I also suggest conflict mitigation strategies by identifying the most likely options in different contexts. I end with a proposal for a rapid field assessment of human wildlife conflict involving primates.
The Effects of Employment Status and Daily Stressors on Time Spent on Daily Household Chores in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Purpose of the study: This study examines how employment status (worker vs. retiree) and life course infl uences (age, gender, and marital status) are associated with time spent on daily household chores. Second, this study assesses whether the associations between daily stressors and time spent on daily household chores differ as a function of employment status and life course infl uences. Design and methods: Men and women aged 55 – 74 from the National Study of Daily Experiences ( N = 268; 133 workers and 135 retirees), a part of the National Survey of Midlife in the United States (MIDUS), completed telephone interviews regarding their daily experiences across 8 consecutive evenings. Results: Working women spent more than double the amount of time on daily household chores than working men. Unmarried retirees spent the most time on daily household chores in comparison to their counterparts. There was a trend toward signifi cance for the association between home stressors from the previous day and time spent on daily household chores as a function of employment and marital status. Implications: These fi ndings highlight the importance of gender and marital status in the associations between employment status and time spent on daily household chores and the role that daily stressors, in particular home stressful events, have on daily household chore participation.
No Holes Barred: Invasion of the Intestinal Mucosa by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis

The infection biology of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis has recently crystallized, with added details surrounding intestinal invasion. The involvement of pathogen-derived effector proteins such as the major membrane protein, oxidoreductase, andfibronectin attachment proteins have been uncovered. Mutations constructed in this pathogen have also shed light on genes needed for invasion. The host cell types that are susceptible to invasion have been defined, along with their transcriptional response. Recent details have given a new appreciation for the dynamic interplay between the host and bacterium that occurs at the outset of infection. An initial look at the global expression pathways of the host has shown a circumvention of the cell communication pathway by M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis, which loosens the integrity of the tight junctions. We now know that M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis activates the epithelial layer and also actively recruits macrophages to the site of infection. These notablefindings are summarized along with added mechanistic details of the early infection model. We conclude by proposing critical next steps to further elucidate the process of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis invasion. M ycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis causes Johne’s disease in cattle, sheep, goats, and other ruminant hosts. This disease takes a significant economic toll on livestock producers worldwide. And although many variables need to be accounted for, including prevalence, a more defined annual burden on the U.S. dairy industry is estimated in the millions of dollars of unrealized revenue (1). Much of the biology of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and Johne’s disease has been reviewed elsewhere (2, 3). M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infects young livestock through the gastrointestinal tract by ingestion of milk or fecal material containing significant levels of viable bacteria. The bacteria are shed in the animal’s feces before clinical signs develop, making it difficult to remove the disease from infected herds. Sophisticated transmission studies have emerged with the development of molecular epidemiological tools showing that many different strains can circulate within a herd as well as between herds, but one dominant strain is consistently observed in those settings (4, 5). The disease course generally takes 2 to 5 years before clinical signs appear. Two hallmarks of advanced disease are the thick, inflexible intestinal sections observed from the strikingly inflamed epithelial cell layer (6, 7) and granuloma formation in the small intestine and regional lymph nodes (8). This is due to the massive influx of proinflammatory cells at the site of infection. Visible signs of advanced-stage disease include weight loss and decreased milk production, which factor into the economic toll on the dairy industry. However, the initial events of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis interaction with the intestinal mucosa of cattle are the focus of this communication.
Seasonal prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, including O157:H7 and non-O157 serotypes, and Salmonella in commercial beef processing plants.

The seasonal prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, non-O157 E. coli (STEC), and stx-harboring cells was monitored at three Midwestern fed-beef processing plants. Overall, E. coli O157:H7 was recovered from 5.9% of fecal samples, 60.6% of hide samples, and 26.7% of carcasses sampled before the preevisceration wash. This pathogen also was recovered from 1.2% (15 of 1,232) of carcasses sampled at chilling (postintervention) at approximate levels of ,3.0 cells per 100 cm 2 . In one case, the E. coli O157:H7 concentration dropped from ca. 1,100 cells per 320 cm 2 at the preevisceration stage to a level that was undetectable on ca. 2,500 cm 2 at the postintervention stage. The prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in feces peaked in the summer, whereas its prevalence on hide was high from the spring through the fall. Overall, Salmonella was recovered from 4.4, 71.0, and 12.7% of fecal, hide, and preevisceration carcass samples, respectively. Salmonella was recovered from one postintervention carcass (of 1,016 sampled). Salmonella prevalence peaked in feces in the summer and was highest on hide and preevisceration carcasses in the summer and the fall. Non-O157 STEC prevalence also appeared to vary by season, but the efe ciency in the recovery of isolates from stx-positive samples ranged from 37.5 to 83.8% and could have ine uenced these results. Cells harboring stx genes were detected by PCR in 34.3, 92.0, 96.6, and 16.2% of fecal, hide, preevisceration carcass, and postintervention carcass samples, respectively. The approximate level of non-O157 STEC and stx-harboring cells on postintervention carcasses was $3.0 cells per 100 cm 2 for only 8 of 199 carcasses (4.0%). Overall, the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and non-O157 STEC varied by season, was higher on hides than in feces, and decreased dramatically, along with pathogen levels, during processing and during the application of antimicrobial interventions. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the current interventions used by the industry and highlight the signie cance of hides as a major source of pathogens on beef carcasses.
Healthy Eating Index Is a Predictor of Early Childhood Caries

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a preventable form of dental caries that affects very young children, particularly among low-income families and certain racial/ethnic minorities. The current study examined the relationship of dietary quality, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), to the prevalence of ECC in 2- to 5-year-old children. Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) were used for the study. We used logistic regression to compute adjusted odds ratios (OR) for ECC and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Children with the best dietary practices (uppermost tertile of the HEI) were 44% less likely to exhibit severe ECC compared with children with the worst dietary practices (lowest tertile of the HEI). A healthy eating pattern geared for promotion of optimal child development and prevention of chronic disease in later life may also reduce the risk of early childhood caries, particularly severe early childhood caries.
Diamino benzo[b]thiophene derivatives as a novel class of active site directed thrombin inhibitors: 3. Enhancing activity by imposing conformational restriction in the C-4″ side chain1

Abstract The preparation and biological evaluation of a series of benzo[ b ]thiophene diamine thrombin inhibitors possessing conformationally restricted C-4″ linkers are reported. Compared to the parent compounds 1a/b , the unsaturated derivatives 3a/b exhibited a modest twofold increase in thrombin inhibitory activity, while he more lipophilic carbocyclic ring containing analogs 4a/b affected an eightfold enhancement in potency.
History of Progress and Challenges in Structural Biology

In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick published their work on the molecular structure of DNA double helix after observing the X-ray diffraction results done by Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins [1,2]. The simple base pairings, A-T and C-G, revolutionized virtually all biological science fields. Understanding the genome of organisms, especially humans, was believed to be the Holy Grail in understanding organism development and disease. This led to the race to publish the whole human genome. The human genome project was completed in 2003 [3,4]. It took about half a century from the discovery of DNA structure to the completion of the human genome. While we understand more about the DNA structure and the genome of several organisms, such as humans, fruit flies, laboratory mice, rice, etc, the understanding of protein structure is still limited.
Cooley-Tukey FFT Algorithms

In the following two chapters, we will concentrate on algorithms for computing FFT of size a composite number N. The main idea is to use the additive structure of the indexing set Z/N to define mappings of the input and output data vectors into 2-dimensional arrays. Algorithms are then designed, transforming 2-dimensional arrays which, when combined with these mappings, compute the N-point FFT. The stride permutations of chapter 2 play a major role.
Recovery of phorias following monocular occlusion

Fourteen nonstrabismic volunteers were monocularly patched for 2 and 24 hours in separate experiments. Horizontal and vertical phorias were measured at 6 m and 30 cm, at 30-second intervals, for at least 30 minutes, following removal of the patch. After 24 hours of monocular occlusion, the initial change from baseline at 6 m ranged from 9.5 prism diopters exo to 7 delta eso and 6.5 delta hyper to 3 delta hypo. At 30 cm, the initial change ranged from 7.5 delta exo to 4 delta eso and 1 delta hyper to 1 delta hypo. In all but three subjects, phorias returned to within 2 delta of baseline by 3 minutes, and in all subjects by 25 minutes. After 2 hours of monocular occlusion, the range of initial change from baseline was similar to 24 hours of occlusion, but all phorias returned to within 2 delta of baseline by 2.5 minutes. Therefore, we suggest that ocular alignment should not be routinely measured within 3 minutes of removing a patch. If patched for 24 hours, a few individuals will require up to 25 minutes for stabilization of their deviation. Further studies might address these effects in patients with subnormal fusion and stereopsis.
Job satisfaction of peer providers employed in mental health centers: A systematic review

ABSTRACTPeer providers are individuals who have lived experience with mental illness and recovery who are employed in mental health settings. Service delivery by peer providers employed in community mental health settings is increasing, with positive outcomes for consumers, organizations, and peer providers themselves. Strengths and weaknesses of this model have been identified in the literature, but little empirical research has been conducted to evaluate specific work-related outcomes for peer providers. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify research that evaluates job satisfaction outcomes for peer providers employed in mental health settings. Results indicate that peer providers are generally satisfied in their work settings and that several factors were significant predictors of job satisfaction. Findings indicate that peer providers are satisfied in their work environment and employers, employment factors, and collaborative approaches can impact job satisfaction. The role of social w...
The Economics of Conversion and Salvation: An Examination of Puritanism’s Halfway Covenant

AbstractWhy would Colonial America’s Puritan theologians introduce a product differentiation-related doctrinal change—the Halfway Covenant—that would lower the price of eternal salvation to many of its potential congregants (believers)? Following Hebert, Tollison, and Mixon, this study argues that the Halfway Covenant can be viewed, at least in part, as a market response by Puritan theologians to doctrinal competition—one that would increase Puritan church membership and attendance. Among the church’s competitors were Quakers and Baptists, and vocal critics within the church, such as Anne Hutchinson. Secondary competition to church doctrine was represented by so-called counter-magic, or good magic, particularly during episodes of witchcraft hysteria.
Lipid composition of human cerebrospinal fluid.

SummaryFreeze-dried chloroform-methanol extracted samples of human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were examined for various lipids by means of paper chromatography. Phosphatidyl ethanolamine and ethanolamine plasmalogen were characteristically high as compared with blood plasma. Sphingomyelin, phosphatidyl choline and a small amount of choline plasmalogen were also present. The neutral lipids were composed of triglycerides, cholesterol and cholesterol ester. A plasmalogen resembling cardiolipin was present in low concentration. The cerebrosides were not detected.
E-cigarette advertising exposure and implicit attitudes among young adult non-smokers

Abstract Background This study tested whether exposure to e-cigarette advertising affects the subliminal—spontaneous or automatic—attitudes towards e-cigarettes as a more pleasant or safer alternative to cigarettes among non-smoking young adults. Methods 187 young adult (mean age = 21.9; SD = 4.1) current non-smokers who had never used an e-cigarette were randomly assigned to one of the 3 conditions that involved viewing magazine advertisements. Two of the 3 conditions were experimental conditions where thematically different [harm-reduction (“Health”) vs. social enhancement (“Social”) focused] e-cigarette ads were interspersed among ads of everyday objects. The third condition was the control condition in which participants viewed ads of everyday objects only. Participants provided data on explicit (e.g., harm perceptions) and implicit [e.g., Implicit Association Test (IAT), Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP)] measures after viewing the ads. Results Relative to the Control condition, participants in the Social condition showed 2.8 times higher odds of being open to using an e-cigarette in the future. Participants in the Health condition showed significantly higher implicit attitudes towards e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to cigarettes than participants in the Control condition. E-cigarette stimuli elicited more positive spontaneous affective reactions among participants in the Social condition than participants in the Health condition. Conclusions E-cigarette ads may implicitly promote e-cigarettes as a reduced-harm cigarette alternative. Marketing of e-cigarette use as a way to enhance social life or self-image may encourage non-smoking young adults to try e-cigarettes. Findings may inform regulations on e-cigarette marketing.
Building a Large-scale Chinese Event Knowledge Base

This paper proposes a solution to the construction of a large-scale Chinese event knowledge base.The static knowledge bases and dynamic annotated corpus are integrated to describe complete event content.In a unified framework,5 different sub-databases are partitioned and developed independently.They can be combined as whole event knowledge base through the build-in Key wordsamong them designed in advance.A demonstration knowledge base to describe Chinese existence and ownership events were built under this framework.Its static knowledge base covers 72 situations and 1548 word senses,and the dynamic annotated corpus contains 100,000 event chunk annotated sentences for 598 event target verbs.The experimental results prove the feasibility of the proposed method.
Error probabilities of coherent optical heterodyne OOK signals in a noncoherent detection system degraded by laser phase noise

An error probability analysis is performed for noncoherent detection of optical heterodyne on-off keying (OOK) signals corrupted by laser phase noise and additive white Gaussian noise. An analytic expression for the probability density function of the random variable that models the effect of laser phase noise on system performance is derived based on a high-user-bit-rate assumption. The system performance obtained with the high-bit-rate expression is compared with the system performance obtained with currently used empirically derived expressions. OOK system performance is obtained for different linewidth-to-bit-rate ratios, signal-to-noise ratios, and normalized decision thresholds. The optimum threshold is found to depend on both the signal-to-noise ratio and the linewidth-to-bit-rate ratio. >
BBR: congestion-based congestion control

When bottleneck buffers are large, loss-based congestion control keeps them full, causing bufferbloat. When bottleneck buffers are small, loss-based congestion control misinterprets loss as a signa...