cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the influence of at-risk alcohol use on factors associated with smoking cessation: Combining laboratory and ecological momentary assessment

Abstract Objective Most smokers want to quit but most cessation attempts end in failure. Alcohol consumption is associated with smoking behavior and relapse. We examined the associations between severity of drinking and psychological processes during a cessation attempt in the laboratory and during a quit attempt. Methods Smokers ( N = 209) enrolled in a smoking cessation study were followed from 2 weeks pre-quit through 4 weeks post-quit. Participants scoring 0–7 and 8–15 on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were classified as low-risk and high-risk drinkers, respectively. Participants attended one pre-quit laboratory session before which they were required to abstain from smoking and another pre-quit session before which they smoked normally. Craving was assessed in the laboratory with the Questionnaire for Smoking Urges (QSU). A subsample of the participants also completed a 1-week ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study starting on the quit day. During EMA, craving for cigarettes was assessed, and attentional bias was assessed using a smoking Stroop task ( n = 119). Results High (vs. low) risk participants reported greater abstinence-induced increases in craving in the laboratory, and also exhibited greater attentional bias on the smoking Stroop task during EMA. Conclusions High-risk drinkers exhibited a stronger increase in desire to smoke in abstinence and greater attentional bias to smoking cues early in a quit attempt, both of which may motivate continued smoking behaviors. High-risk drinkers may require more intensive or different smoking cessation interventions.
Survival of patients with oligometastatic pancreatic ductal adenomacarcinoma treated with combined modality treatment including surgical resection: A pilot study.

e15690Background: Limited data exists on the role of surgery in the management of oligometastatic PDAC. This study evaluated the overall survival in a highly selected group of patients with oligome...
Launching Successful Beginnings for Early Career Faculty Researchers

Junior faculty follow a research path replete with challenges as they strive to create knowledge in their area of interest while balancing new responsibilities. Unlike graduate school, where students focus inward on personal development, junior faculty must add responsibilities in ways that hold them accountable as members of a university. This special article deals with three themes of interest to new junior faulty launching research programs: personal development, collaboration and team development within university settings, and funding advice. Strategies in these areas provide guidance on navigating early careers and finding success in the academic setting.
A unique model for SDH-deficient GIST: an endocrine-related cancer

We describe a unique patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and cell culture model of succinate dehydrogenase-deficient gastrointestinal stromal tumor (SDH-deficient GIST), a rare mesenchymal tumor that can occur in association with paragangliomas in hereditary and non-hereditary syndromes. This model is potentially important for what it might reveal specifically pertinent to this rare tumor type and, more broadly, to other types of SDH-deficient tumors. The primary tumor and xenografts show a very high proliferative fraction, and distinctive morphology characterized by tiny cells with marked autophagic activity. It is likely that these characteristics resulted from the combination of the germline SDHB mutation and a somatic KRAS G12D mutation. The most broadly relevant findings to date concern oxygen and oxidative stress. In paragangliomas harboring SDHx mutations, both hypoxic signaling and oxidative stress are putative drivers of tumor growth. However, there are no models for SDH-deficient paragangliomas. This related model is the first from a SDHB-mutated human tumor that can be experimentally manipulated to study mechanisms of oxygen effects and novel treatment strategies. Our data suggest that tumor growth and survival require a balance between protective effects of hypoxic signaling vs deleterious effects of oxidative stress. While reduced oxygen concentration promotes tumor cell survival, a further survival benefit is achieved with antioxidants. This suggests potential use of drugs that increase oxidative stress as novel therapies. In addition, autophagy, which has not been reported as a major finding in any type of SDH-deficient tumor, is a potential target of agents that might trigger autophagic cell death.
Retinal and Cortical Oscillatory Responses to Patterned and Unpatterned Visual Stimulation in Man

Visual information is processed throughout the nervous system via functional subsystems serving as detectors of luminance change, contrast, color, motion, edges and shapes. Stimulus-related responses are generated at uni- and multicellular level in concomitance with functional activation at discrete stations of the visual system and can be recorded under proper experimental conditions in in vitro models as well as in vertebrates and in man. Noninvasive recordings in humans are restricted to retinal and scalp levels; sequential and parallel functions can nevertheless be investigated by properly manipulating the physical properties of the stimulus, analysing the scalp distribution of evoked responses, or interfering with neurotransmitter-receptor systems to identify component-specific drug effects; putative generators and driving mechanisms of several distinct, though partially overlapping components of retinal and cortical evoked responses have been identified (e.g.: Jeffreys and Axford, 1972; Parker and Saltzen, 1977; Zemon et al., 1980; Celesia et al., 1980; Bodis-Wollner et al., 1986; Regan, 1982,1983,1989, Maier et al., 1987; Ossenblok and Spekrejise, 1991; Sannita, 1991; Arakawa et al. 1993; Sannita et al., 1988a,1993b). Oscillatory responses time-locked to the stimulus can be recorded at retinal and scalp level in animal and man after stimulation with unpatterned stimuli (flash). Evidence will also be given in this paper that cortical oscillatory responses reflecting visual functions can be evoked in man by patterned stimulation.
Fast Planning for 3D Any-Pose-Reorienting Using Pivoting

In this paper, we consider reorienting 3D objects on a table using a two-finger pinch gripper. Given the 3D mesh model of the object, our algorithm solves for the gripper motions that are required to transit between arbitrary object poses, grasping positions and gripper poses. The two motion primitives we used, pivoting and compliant rolling, enable us to decompose the planning problem and solve it more efficiently. Our algorithm can work with approximated (simplified) mesh models while being robust to approximation errors, thereby allowing us to efficiently handle object shapes with originally thousands of facets. We show the effectiveness of the proposed method by testing on objects with non-trivial geometry in both simulations and experiments. Results show that our algorithm can solve a larger range of reorienting problems with less number of making and breaking contacts when compared to traditional pick-and-place based methods, especially when the gripper workspace is highly constrained.
Management of computed tomography scan detected hemothorax in blunt chest trauma: What computed tomography scan measurements say?

Management of computed tomography scan detected hemothorax in blunt chest trauma: What computed tomography scan measurements say?
The airplane passenger: Protection of self in an encapsulated group

Data from participant observation and unstructured interviews demonstrate that being a passenger on commercial airplanes leads to membership in an “encapsulated group.” Encapsulated groups are collectivities of individuals who voluntarily or involuntarily share physical but not necessarily social closeness for the purpose of attaining some goal or reaching some destination. Encapsulated groups flow through “people pipelines,” a network of social and physical channels for processing human beings in contemporary urban society, especially in bureaucratic organizations. The role of airplane passenger is analyzed to demonstrate how individuals defend self-integrity in the encapsulated group. The passenger enactment process and the encapsulated group are shown to manifest several characteristics of total institutions (Goffman, 1961a).
One-dimensional ion-beam figuring solution from Brookhaven National Laboratory

We demonstrate a novel One-Dimensional Ion-Beam Figuring (1D-IBF) solution from Brookhaven National Laboratory. Three improvements are introduced to the new 1D-IBF system. First, the misalignment of the coordinate systems between the metrology and the 1D-IBF hardware is minimized by integrating both the sample mirror and the Beam Removal Function (BRF) mirror into a single mirror holder. The measured BRF center is then used as a reference to calibrate the coordinate correspondence. Second, a Constrained Linear Least-Squares (CLLS) algorithm with a coarse-to-fine scheme is proposed to keep the non-negativity of the dwell time as well as ensure it smoothly duplicate the required removal amount. Third, a dwell time slicing strategy is used to smooth the implementation of the dwell time in the real 1D-IBF fabrication process. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed 1D-IBF solution reduces the residual profile errors to sub-nanometer Root Mean Square (RMS) for both flat and spherical mirrors.
Prevalence and significance of sarcopenia in multiple myeloma patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Sarcopenia, defined as loss of muscle mass, can occur with aging. We conducted a single-center retrospective analysis to evaluate the impact of muscle quality in multiple myeloma (MM), a hematologic cancer of older adults, undergoing autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (autoHCT). Healthy muscle was quantified by measuring the percent of high-density muscle within the L3 psoas muscle using a novel computed tomography method in 142 eligible patients. Early post-transplant complications were assessed in the first 100 days after transplant. Sarcopenia, defined as ≤80% high-density muscle, was found in 72 (51%) patients. Sarcopenic obesity, defined as sarcopenia and a BMI ≥ 30, was found in 32 (23%) patients. One or more early complications occurred in 22 (16%) patients. Cardiovascular events accounted for 36% of all complications. Patients with sarcopenia had more cardiac complications (12.5%) than patients without (2.9%, p = 0.03). Multivariate analysis revealed increased BMI at transplant, but not sarcopenia, was associated with worse OS (hazard ratio: 1.11, 95% confidence interval: 1.02–1.22, p = 0.02). Our analysis suggests that sarcopenia is prevalent in MM and associated with increased early post-transplant cardiovascular complications in MM. Obesity, regardless of sarcopenia, is associated with worse survival in MM. Our study generates hypothesis-generating data to risk-stratify patients being considered for autoHCT.
Once in the Door, Grit May Matter More: An Evaluation of Grit in Medical Students.

INTRODUCTION Health professions educators seek understanding of the process of learner performance and achievement. Grit, defined as passion and perseverance for long-term goals, has been implicated in this process. Research suggests that effort counts twice in achievement: skill times effort equals skill and, subsequently, skill times effort equals achievement. Research also suggests that an individual's interest influences job performance and satisfaction. Grit, composed of Perseverance of Effort and Consistency of Interest, has been shown to positively correlate with performance and achievement in various disciplines. Limited research reveals Grit negatively correlates with resident attrition and physician burnout. This study evaluates relationships between Grit and medical student performance measures. We gather validity evidence for Grit scale use among medical students and, subsequently, use this data to evaluate for differences in Grit score by gender and assess whether there is a relationship between Grit and standardized exam scores. We hypothesize that Grit will not vary with gender and that it will be positively associated with standardized examination scores. METHODS Enrolled students receive the 12-item Grit survey. An exploratory factor analysis evaluates validity evidence of Grit. Descriptive statistical analysis, Pearson correlation, and moderation analysis evaluate if Grit score differs by gender and if there are relationships with standardized exams. RESULTS The survey response rate is 59% (412/698) and exploratory factor analysis replicates the two-factor structure of Grit found in other fields-Perseverance of Effort and Consistency of Interest. Average Grit scores do not significantly differ by gender. Grit weakly correlates with United States Medical Licensing Exam Step 1 (r = 0.10, = 0.36) and United States Medical Licensing Exam Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (r = 0.12, P=0.29). Grit weakly and negatively correlates with Medical College Admission Test score (r = - 0.18, P<0.05). Grit is not a significant moderator of the relationship between Medical College Admission score and Step exams scores. CONCLUSION Exploratory factor analysis results provide preliminary validity evidence for Grit scale use in medical students. Grit does not significantly moderate the Medical College Admission Test-Step score relationship. Grit correlates negatively with Medical College Admission Test scores. Though the correlations in this study were not significant, the results showed that Grit may tend to positively correlate with Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge examinations. Given that these three exams are taken at different levels of training, the stepwise progression towards positive correlation may suggest that the theory "effort counts twice" applies to medical training.
Exploration of Sn70Li30 alloy as possible material for flowing liquid metal plasma facing components

Abstract As an advanced alternative to solid materials, Liquid Metals (LM) may offer more resilient and feasible Plasma Facing Components (PFCs). Particularly, regarding the unavoidable material erosion/degradation produced by particle/heat fluxes in future fusion devices where much longer duty cycles are expected. Furthermore, configurations that propose a flowing LM surface can add the advantage of a continuously fresh and clean layer facing the plasma. Although lithium is the most widely tested option, tin-lithium (SnLi) alloys have been proposed to attempt to combine the positive characteristics of both pure elements and ameliorate the specific issues of lithium. In this work, the potential use of Sn70Li30 alloy in such flowing concepts has been explored by addressing several preliminary and mandatory aspects for its utilization. Key issues such as wettability and compatibility of the alloy with relevant substrates have been studied in a multidisciplinary approach. The data obtained from deposited liquid tin-lithium droplets indicates approximate wetting temperatures of 360 °C, 390 °C and 405 °C for the fresh alloy on 316 stainless steel, molybdenum, and tungsten, respectively. However, the alloy contamination appeared to strongly affect the wetting characteristics of materials, increasing their wetting temperature by ~130 °C in the worst observed cases. Interestingly, in some instances, the instability of the liquid alloy surface was observed in the form of sudden gaseous ejection. The deposited droplets were posteriorly characterized in terms of absolute composition and depth profile by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS-ToF). Additionally, the nature and composition of the boundaries between the substrates and alloy microparticles was investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS), and 3D Laser microscopy. The overall results of this post-mortem characterization revealed that first signs of corrosion induced by both alloy elements (lithium-chromium association and iron-tin intermetallic mixing) were present on 316 stainless steel after short exposures (≤3 h) at temperatures lower than 550 °C. Conversely, molybdenum and tungsten showed good compatibility with the alloy in equivalent conditions. The global implications of these results are finally addressed, focusing on the future perspectives and the more viable scenarios for the eventual utilization of these alloys in flowing liquid metal configurations.
Exogenous Ages, Microbiota and Their Role in Chronic Diseases

This is a short presentation that explores several areas: 1) definition of Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs) in general and their pathogenic mechanisms of action; 2) definition of exogenous (mostly dietary) AGEs and their effects in vitro and in vivo in several experimental models in mice; 3) exploring the potential role of dietary AGEs in human health and disease by looking at clinical trials involving patients with diabetes mellitus and other chronic conditions; 4) development of the “AGE hypothesis” as an important pathogenic risk factor for chronic non-transmissible human diseases; 5) Overall review of different sources of AGEs in the body; 5) review evidence that AGEs may form within the gastrointestinal lumen under some conditions and therefore contribute to the body AGE pool; 6) review of the potential interactions between exogenous AGEs and the microbiota; 7) detailed description of our current understanding of the metabolism of exogenous AGEs ; and finally 8) listing potential future directions for research in the field.
Association of race and health care system with disease stage and survival in veterans with larynx cancer.

BACKGROUND Black patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) historically have inferior outcomes in comparison with White patients. The authors investigated these racial disparities within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), an equal-access system, and within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, which is representative of the US hybrid-payer system. METHODS Patients with invasive (T1 or greater) LSCC were included from SEER (2004-2015) and the VHA (2000-2017). The primary outcomes of overall survival (OS) and larynx cancer-specific survival (LCS) were evaluated in Cox and Fine-Gray models. RESULTS In the SEER cohort (7122 patients: 82.6% White and 17.4% Black), Black patients were more likely to present with advanced disease and had inferior OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.37; 95% CI, 1.26-1.50; P < .0001) in a multivariable analysis. Black LCS was worse in a univariable analysis (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.27-1.58; P < .0001), but this effect was attenuated by 83% when the authors controlled for the TNM category and was found to be insignificant in a multivariable analysis (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.93-1.18; P = .42). In the VHA cohort (9248 patients: 79.7% White and 20.3% Black), the 2 racial cohorts presented with similar tumor characteristics and similar OS (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.89-1.02; P = .14). Black LCS was similar in univariable (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.00-1.22; P = .05) and multivariable analyses (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.92-1.14; P = .67). CONCLUSIONS Black patients with LSCC had a tumor burden at diagnosis and survival outcomes comparable to those of White patients within the VHA; this was counter to what was observed in the SEER analysis and prior national trends. This study's findings point toward the notable role of health care access in contributing to racial health disparities in the realm of larynx cancer.
Calorie deprivation impairs the self-control of eating, but not of other behaviors.

Sustained weight loss is difficult to achieve, and weight regain is common due to biological and psychological changes caused by calorie deprivation. These changes are thought to undermine weight l...
Machine learning combining CT findings and clinical parameters improves prediction of length of stay and ICU admission in torso trauma

To develop machine learning (ML) models capable of predicting ICU admission and extended length of stay (LOS) after torso (chest, abdomen, or pelvis) trauma, by using clinical and/or imaging data. This was a retrospective study of 840 adult patients admitted to a level 1 trauma center after injury to the torso over the course of 1 year. Clinical parameters included age, sex, vital signs, clinical scores, and laboratory values. Imaging data consisted of any injury present on CT. The two outcomes of interest were ICU admission and extended LOS, defined as more than the median LOS in the dataset. We developed and tested artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector machine (SVM) models, and predictive performance was evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). The AUCs of SVM and ANN models to predict ICU admission were up to 0.87 ± 0.03 and 0.78 ± 0.02, respectively. The AUCs of SVM and ANN models to predict extended LOS were up to 0.80 ± 0.04 and 0.81 ± 0.05, respectively. Predictions based on imaging alone or imaging with clinical parameters were consistently more accurate than those based solely on clinical parameters. The best performing models incorporated imaging findings and outperformed those with clinical findings alone. ML models have the potential to help predict outcomes in trauma by integrating clinical and imaging findings, although further research may be needed to optimize their performance. • Artificial neural network and support vector machine–based models were used to predict the intensive care unit admission and extended length of stay after trauma to the torso. • Our input data consisted of clinical parameters and CT imaging findings derived from radiology reports, and we found that combining the two significantly enhanced the prediction of both outcomes with either model. • The highest accuracy (83%) and highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.87) were obtained for artificial neural networks and support vector machines, respectively, by combining clinical and imaging features in the prediction of intensive care unit admission.
Reattachment to work in the morning and day-level leader outcomes

Abstract Successfully reattaching to work (i.e., mentally reconnecting) after a nonwork period can set the tone for the workday. This study examines anticipated task focus and activated positive affect as mechanisms linking leaders’ reattachment to work in the morning to leader experiences and behaviors throughout the workday. Based on daily-survey data from 416 leaders (2646 total morning/evening survey completions), we conducted multilevel structural equation modeling to test our hypotheses. Results indicate that day-level reattachment to work in the morning was associated with anticipated task focus and activated positive affect, which in turn were both associated with leader workplace vitality and transformational leadership behavior. Hypotheses regarding leader task accomplishment were not supported. Supplementary analyses indicated that reattachment was indirectly related to perceived task accomplishment through a two-stage mediation – i.e., via anticipated task focus in the morning and actual task focus throughout the workday. Findings point to the important role of reattachment to work in leader experiences and behaviors throughout the workday. Results also indicate the relevance of reattachment to work as an experience and potential strategy that helps leaders successfully move from nonwork to work domains creating positive outcomes for themselves and their followers throughout the workday.
Covid-19 and African E-Learning Systems: Structural and Institutional Strategies for Resilience and Antifragility

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) in their various devices, applications and processes have unarguably become diffused in all human systems. However, the global lockdown that followed the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 created unprecedentedly new demands and near-absolute dependence on ICTs for all aspects of life’s processes. One of these was the wholescale transition of learning from face-to-face classrooms to online platforms. This qualitative research examines how three African countries (Nigeria, Seychelles and South Africa) managed the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on their education systems. The results illustrate the significant impact of socio-cultural and institutional factors on the decisions and actions of stakeholders in the education sector. While the countries encountered technological challenges, the research demonstrates that the more fundamental determinants of responses were socio-cultural (as captured by capacity and attitudes to online education) and institutional and policy framework. The outcome of the research is expected to contribute to the formulation of policies and system-wide preparedness and strategies for resilience and antifragility in case of future disasters.
Association of Vaccination With the Persistence of Post-COVID Symptoms

Background: Patients who have had COVID-19 often report persistent symptoms after resolution of their acute illness. Recent reports suggest that vaccination may be associated with improvement in post-acute symptoms. We used data from a prospective cohort to assess differences in post-acute sequelae of COVID (PASC) among vaccinated vs. unvaccinated patients. Methods: We used data from a cohort of COVID-19 patients enrolled into a prospective registry established at a tertiary care health system in New York City. Participants underwent a baseline evaluation before COVID-19 vaccines were available and were followed six months later. We compared unadjusted and propensity score-adjusted baseline to 6-month change for several PASC-related symptoms and measures: anosmia, respiratory (cough, dyspnea, phlegm, wheezing), depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; COVID-19-related and other trauma), quality of life domains, body mass index, and blood pressure. Findings: The study included 453 COVID-19 patients with PASC, of which 324 (72%) were vaccinated between the baseline and six-month visit. Unadjusted analyses did not show significant differences in the baseline to six-month change in anosmia, respiratory symptoms, depression, anxiety, PTSD, quality of life, body mass index, or blood pressure (p>0.05 for all comparisons). Similar results were found in propensity-adjusted comparisons and in secondary analyses based on the number of vaccine doses received. Interpretation: Our findings suggest that COVID vaccination is not associated with improvement in PASC. Additional studies are needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying PASC and to develop effective treatments. Funding Information: None. Declaration of Interests: Dr. Wisnivesky received consulting honorarium from Atea, Sanofi, and Banook and grants from Sanofi, Arnold Consulting, and Regeneron. Dr. Aberg reports grants from Atea, Emergent Biosolutions, Frontier Technologies, Gilead Sciences, Glaxo Smith Kline, Janssen, Merck, Pfizer, Regeneron, and Viiv Healthcare and consulting honorarium from Glaxo Smith Kline, and Merck. Other authors report no conflicts of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and all participants signed informed consent.
Improved Prediction of Older Adult Discharge After Trauma Using a Novel Machine Learning Paradigm

ABSTRACT Background The ability to reliably predict outcomes after trauma in older adults (age ≥ 65 y) is critical for clinical decision making. Using novel machine-learning techniques, we sought to design a nonlinear, competing risks paradigm for prediction of older adult discharge disposition following injury. Materials and methods The National Trauma Databank (NTDB) was used to identify patients 65+ y between 2007 and 2014. Training was performed on an enriched cohort of diverse patients. Factors included age, comorbidities, length of stay, and physiologic parameters to predict in-hospital mortality and discharge disposition (home versus skilled nursing/long-term care facility). Length of stay and discharge status were analyzed via competing risks survival analysis with Bayesian additive regression trees and a multinomial mixed model. Results The resulting sample size was 47,037 patients. Admission GCS and age were important in predicting mortality and discharge disposition. As GCS decreased, patients were more likely to die (risk ratio increased by average of 1.4 per 2-point drop in GCS, P Conclusions Predicting older adult discharge disposition after trauma is improved using machine learning over traditional regression analysis. We confirmed that a nonlinear, competing risks paradigm enhances prediction on any given hospital day post injury.
Investing in Lending Technology: IT Spending in Banking

This paper investigates lending technologies in the banking sector after the arrival of the information age, by examining investment in information technologies (IT) by U.S. commercial banks. Given the distinctive nature of banks’ dealings with information as they engage in lending activities, we link banks’ IT spending in various categories to different aspects of their lending technologies. Investment in communication IT is shown to be associated more with improving banks’ ability of soft information production and transmission, while investment in software IT helps enhance banks’ hard information processing capacity. By exploiting polices that affect geographic regions differentially, we show that banks respond to an increased demand for small business credit (mortgage refinance) by increasing their spending on communication (software) IT spending. We also find an asymmetric impact of technological development on labor employment in the banking sector.
Understanding Phenomenal Consciousness

Focusing on sensory experience and perception qualities to present a dualistic view of the mind (called Qualitative Event Realism), this book doesn't conform to the dominant materialist views. Its theory is relevant to the development of a science of consciousness now being pursued, not only by philosophers, but by researchers in psychology and the neurosciences.
5 Microbial Systematics Based on Electrophoretic Whole-Cell Protein Patterns

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the microbial systematics based on electrophoretic whole-cell protein patterns. It can be estimated that some one to two thousand genes in the prokaryote genome are expressed as proteins at one time in the microbial cell. This estimate is partly based on the number of proteins separated by two dimensional polyacrylamide electrophoresis (2D PAGE) from Escherichia coli. This is currently the highest-resolution technique for the separation of proteins utilizing separation by isoelectric point and then by molecular size to give a pattern of protein spots distributed over a gel. It is apparent that electrophoretic methods for the description of all the proteins in the cell used comparatively would have wide application in microbial taxonomy, identification and typing.
Efficient Nonlinear Programming Algorithms for Chemical Process Control and Operations

Optimization is applied in numerous areas of chemical engineering including the development of process models from experimental data, design of process flowsheets and equipment, planning and scheduling of chemical process operations, and the analysis of chemical processes under uncertainty and adverse conditions. These off-line tasks require the solution of nonlinear programs (NLPs) with detailed, large-scale process models. Recently, these tasks have been complemented by time-critical, on-line optimization problems with differential-algebraic equation (DAE) process models that describe process behavior over a wide range of operating conditions, and must be solved sufficiently quickly. This paper describes recent advances in this area especially with dynamic models. We outline large-scale NLP formulations and algorithms as well as NLP sensitivity for on-line applications, and illustrate these advances on a commercial-scale low density polyethylene (LDPE) process.
The Glass Ceiling in Law Firms: A Form of Sex-Based Discrimination

At a certain level, women lawyers collide with a "glass ceiling," an invisible, artificial barrier which prevents women from being promoted to management and leadership positions within a business or firm. The glass ceiling 'represents a subtle form of sex discrimination - unwritten, generally unspoken, but very pervasive.' Its presence is reflected in trends and statistics which consistently reveal women's underrepresentation in executive and management positions.This article focuses on whether the glass ceiling formed as a result of sex discrimination, blatant or subtle, or whether it formed as a result of women lawyers' differing qualifications or career choices. It explores many aspects of law firm culture, including business development, mentoring, and the demands and pressures associated with becoming a partner. Moreover, it addresses family issues and the effects of family life on succeeding in a law firm environment. Finally, it discusses the effects of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sex stereotyping, and the devaluation of women in law firm partnership.
In Different Tongues: Making Room for Cultural Differences in the Negotiated Rulemaking Process

This article explores the ethical impact of cultural recognition within the regulatory negotiation (reg-neg) process as it is currently being used by federal agencies in the United States. The authors use a blend of theory and practice to explore the ethical necessity, feasibility, and practicality of including cultural guidelines within the reg-neg process. Using the findings from extensive prior research on negotiated rulemaking at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a foundation, we illustrate the lessons learned from years of regulatory negotiations conducted by the pioneer of reg-neg. We then show how these lessons have been brought under an umbrella of ``cultural recognition'' within the consensus-based regulatory negotiation being used to improve relations between American Indian nations and the U.S. government. We discuss the ethical and practical implications of incorporating cultural sensitivity into the reg-neg process.
Internal-grating Electronographic Spectrographs for the Far-ultraviolet and X-Ray Wavelength Ranges

Publisher Summary This chapter presents internal-grating electronographic spectrographs for the far-ultraviolet and x-ray wavelength ranges. The instruments represent an extension of the internal-optic concept to include the case where the optical system consists of a single concave grating. A normal-incidence electronographic spectrograph is developed that uses a concave grating internal to the device, with the entrance slit, and front-surface photocathode on the Rowland circle. The plane of the grating and Rowland circle is tilted relative to the axis of the imaging device, so that the emitted photoelectrons can be accelerated along the tube axis and pass over the grating, then being recorded on electronographic film. It is found that the quantum yields of photoemissive surfaces are improved at these shorter wavelengths by the use of large angles of incidence. It is observed that the image tube has a large demagnification ratio, and hence provides a gain in sensitivity in proportion to the ratio of the image areas on the photocathode and on the electronographic emulsion.
A 2.8 MV, 600 kA pulsed power driver constructed at the University of Missouri-Columbia

Summary form only given. The University of Missouri has completed construction of a new facility for pulsed power experimentation. The pulsed driver is driven by a Marx bank consisting of 32, 100 kV, 3.1 muF capacitors. The Marx bank can store 450 kJ and is switched into any combination of one or up to four, parallel, 7 nF intermediate storage capacitors. The intermediate storage capacitors are switched with a high voltage spark gap switch into a resistive load. The driver is capable of delivering 2.8 MV at 600 kA to a 4 ohm load. Simulations indicate that the driver is capable of producing 1 MA through a load with lower impedance. Initial uses for the facility include experimentation on switch jitter and arc spectroscopy on a spark gap switch. The test results are also used in the characterization of the machine. Simulations of the driver capabilities are presented along with details of the initial results.
The composition conjecture for Abel equation

Abstract The composition conjecture for the Abel differential equation states that if all solutions in a neighborhood of the origin are periodic then the indefinite integrals of its coefficients are compositions of a periodic function. Several research articles were published in the last 20 years to prove the conjecture or a weaker version of it. The problem is related to the classical center problem of polynomial two-dimensional systems. The conjecture opens important relations with classical analysis and algebra. We give a widely accessible exposition of this conjecture and verify the conjecture for certain classes of coefficients.
Involvement of urinary proteins in the rat strain difference in sensitivity to ethylene glycol-induced renal toxicity

Ethylene glycol (EG) exposure is a common model for kidney stones, because animals accumulate calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) in kidneys. Wistar rats are more sensitive to EG than Fischer 344 (F344) rats, with greater COM deposition in kidneys. The mechanisms by which COM accumulates differently among strains are poorly understood. Urinary proteins inhibit COM adhesion to renal cells, which could alter COM deposition in kidneys. We hypothesize that COM accumulates more in Wistar rat kidneys because of lower levels of inhibitory proteins in urine. Wistar and F344 rats were treated with 0.75% EG in drinking water for 8 wk. Twenty-four-hour urine was collected every 2 wk for analysis of urinary proteins. Similar studies were conducted for 2 wk using 2% hydroxyproline (HP) as an alternative oxalate source. Total urinary protein was higher in F344 than Wistar rats at all times. Tamm-Horsfall protein was not different between strains. Osteopontin (OPN) levels in Wistar urine and kidney tissue were higher and were further increased by EG treatment. This increase in OPN occurred before renal COM accumulation. Untreated F344 rats showed greater CD45 and ED-1 staining in kidneys than untreated Wistars; in contrast, EG treatment increased CD45 and ED-1 staining in Wistars more than in F344 rats, indicating macrophage infiltration. This increase occurred in parallel with the increase in OPN and before COM accumulation. Like EG, HP induced markedly greater oxalate concentrations in the plasma and urine of Wistar rats compared with F344 rats. These results suggest that OPN upregulation and macrophage infiltration do not completely protect against COM accumulation and may be a response to crystal retention. Because the two oxalate precursors, EG and HP, produced similar elevations of oxalate, the strain difference in COM accumulation may result more so from metabolic differences between strains than from differences in urinary proteins or inflammatory responses.
Evidence for an active adenylate kinase in turtle heart mitochondria.

Abstract 1. 1. State 3 respiration in the presence and absence of exogenous Mg 2+ is initiated by ADP in heart mitochondria of the turtle, Chrysemys picta . 2. 2. Mg 2+ quantitatively enhances ATP production in control and cyanide-inhibited systems. 3. 3. This Mg 2+ effect is explained by the presence of an active adenylate kinase. 4. 4. this enzyme is resistant to high concentrations of NaF.
Partially reduced heteropolyanions for the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene and acetic acid at atmospheric pressure

Niobium- and pyridine-exchanged salts of phosphomolybdic (NbPMo12Pyr) and phosphovanadomolybdic acids, NbPMo12Pyr and NbPMo11VPyr, respectively, were investigated as precursors to materials that catalyze the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene and acetic acid at atmospheric pressure. The effects of feed composition, steam flow, temperature, and precursor composition on catalytic activity and selectivity are presented for both ethane and ethylene oxidation. The productivity of ethylene and acetic acid from ethane using the catalytic materials formed from these precursors exceeds those reported in the literature for Mo–V–Nb–Ox systems under atmospheric or elevated pressure. Also, the production of acetic acid from ethylene is greater than that observed from Mo–V–Nb–Ox systems. Water is found to aid in desorption of acetic acid, thereby limiting deep oxidation to carbon oxides. Addition of vanadium reduces catalytic activity and selectivity to both ethylene and acetic acid, whereas niobium is essential for the formation of acetic acid from ethane. Other metals, such as titanium, tantalum, zirconium, antimony, iron, and gallium, do not provide the same beneficial effect as niobium. A balance of niobium and protonated pyridine in the catalyst precursor is required to produce an active catalyst by thermal treatment in nonoxidizing environments. Molybdenum and niobium are also necessary for the creation of the active site for ethane activation, and niobium is directly involved in the transformation of ethylene to acetic acid. A reaction scheme is proposed for the production of acetic acid from ethane over the catalytic materials.
Asymptotically Isometric Copies ofc0in Banach Spaces

Abstract If Γ is an uncountable set, then any equivalent renorming of c 0 (Γ) contains an asymptotically isometric copy of c 0 . If Y is an infinite dimensional closed subspace of ( c 0 ‖ · ‖ ∞ ), then Y contains an asymptotically isometric copy of c 0 . If X and Y are two infinite dimensional Banach spaces and if X contains an asymptotically isometric copy of c 0 , then the injective tensor product of X and Y , X ⊗ e Y , contains a complemented asymptotically isometric copy of c 0 . Similarly, if X contains an asymptotically isometric copy of c 0 , then the Lebesgue–Bochner space L p ([0, 1], X ) contains a complemented asymptotically isometric copy of c 0 .
Highly Potent Chimeric Inhibitors Targeting Two Steps of HIV Cell Entry

Blocking HIV-1 cell entry has long been a major goal of anti-HIV drug development. Here, we report a successful design of two highly potent chimeric HIV entry inhibitors composed of one CCR5-targeting RANTES (regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted) variant (5P12-RANTES or 5P14-RANTES (Gaertner, H., Cerini, F., Escola, J. M., Kuenzi, G., Melotti, A., Offord, R., Rossitto-Borlat, I., Nedellec, R., Salkowitz, J., Gorochov, G., Mosier, D., and Hartley, O. (2008) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 105, 17706–17711)) linked to a gp41 fusion inhibitor, C37. Chimeric inhibitors 5P12-linker-C37 and 5P14-linker-C37 showed extremely high antiviral potency in single cycle and replication-competent viral assays against R5-tropic viruses, with IC50 values as low as 0.004 nm. This inhibition was somewhat strain-dependent and was up to 100-fold better than the RANTES variant alone or in combination with unlinked C37. The chimeric inhibitors also fully retained the antiviral activity of C37 against X4-tropic viruses, and this inhibition can be further enhanced significantly if the target cell co-expresses CCR5 receptor. On human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, the inhibitors showed very strong inhibition against R5-tropic Ba-L strain and X4-tropic IIIB strain, with IC50 values as low as 0.015 and 0.44 nm, which are 45- and 16-fold better than the parent inhibitors, respectively. A clear delivery mechanism requiring a covalent linkage between the two segments of the chimera was observed and characterized. Furthermore, the two chimeric inhibitors are fully recombinant and are easily produced at low cost. These attributes make them excellent candidates for anti-HIV microbicides. The results of this study also suggest a potent approach for optimizing existing HIV entry inhibitors or designing new inhibitors.
Advanced control strategies for HVAC&R systems—An overview: Part II: Soft and fusion control

A chronological overview of the advanced control strategies for HVACR soft-computing or control techniques, such as neural networks, fuzzy logic, genetic algorithms; and the fusion or hybrid of hard and soft control techniques. Part I focused on hardcontrol strategies; Part II focuses on soft and fusion control and some future directions in HVA&R research. This overview is not intended to be an exhaustive survey on this topic, and any omissions of other works is purely unintentional.
Limitations of laser transmission measurements due to correlated atmospheric effects

An evaluation is made of results of recent experimental work concerning the effects that atmospherically induced fluctuations and temporal correlations have on the accuracy of atmospheric laser transmission experiments. These experiments directly measured the limitations of signal averaging as a means to the reduction of the standard deviation of laser signals which are backscattered from either a specular or a diffusely reflecting target, by means of both heterodyne and direct detection systems. These limitations are shown to agree with a theory in which the observed, atmospherically induced temporal correlation is taken into account.
Moore's paradox

G. E. Moore famously noted that saying ‘I went to the movies, but I don't believe it’ is absurd, while saying ‘I went to the movies, but he doesn't believe it’ is not in the least absurd. The problem is to explain this fact without supposing that the semantic contribution of ‘believes’ changes across first-person and third-person uses, and without making the absurdity out to be merely pragmatic. We offer a new solution to the paradox. Our solution is that the truth conditions of any moorean utterance contradict its accuracy conditions. Thus we diagnose a contradiction in how the moorean utterance represents things as being; so we can do justice to the intuition that a Moore-paradoxical utterance is in some way senseless, even if we know what proposition it expresses.
Update in the evaluation of the azoospermic male

Approximately 1% of all men in the general population suffer from azoospermia, and azoospermic men constitute approximately 10 to 15% of all infertile men. Thus, this group of patients represents a significant population in the field of male infertility. A thorough medical history, physical examination and hormonal profile are essential in the evaluation of azoospermic males. Imaging studies, a genetic workup and a testicular biopsy (with cryopreservation) may augment the workup and evaluation. Men with nonobstructive azoospermia should be offered genetic counseling before their spermatozoa are used for assisted reproductive techniques. This article provides a contemporary review of the evaluation of the azoospermic male.
Recent developments in oximetry and perfusion-based mapping techniques and their role in the surgical treatment of neocortical epilepsy

Abstract Detailed understanding of neurovascular coupling during epilepsy is critical for the interpretation of various perfusion-based imaging techniques, such as positron emission tomography, single-photon-emission computed tomography, and functional magnetic resonance imaging, which are used to guide surgical therapy. We used high-resolution intrinsic signal- and voltage-sensitive dye imaging, as well as oxygen-sensitive electrodes, to map the precise spatiotemporal relationship between excitatory and inhibitory neuronal activity, cerebral blood volume, and oximetry during epilepsy. We observed a rapid focal decrease in tissue oxygenation and an increase in deoxygenated hemoglobin in association with both interictal and ictal events. This “epileptic dip” in oxygenation lasts several seconds following both interictal and ictal events, implying that for a period, cerebral blood flow is inadequate to meet metabolic demand. We also observed a rapid focal increase in cerebral blood volume that soon spread to adjacent nonepileptic gyri. Likewise, a diffuse decrease in deoxygenated hemoglobin, related to the blood oxygen level-dependent signal recorded with functional magnetic resonance imaging, spread to adjacent gyri and was poorly localized.