cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract PO-147: Kidney iron overload in African American renal cancer patients with the ferroportin Q248H mutation

Iron plays a role in cellular replication, metabolism, and growth. Although iron is needed, the imbalance of iron in the body can result in adverse health effects, including cancer. Interestingly, cancer cells have frequently been observed to express increased levels or activity of proteins that are associated with iron metabolism. Ferroportin (FPN), the only known mammalian cell iron exporter, is essential for iron homeostasis. Germline mutations in FPN occur more frequently in African and African American populations. A glutamine to histidine amino acid substitution at position 248 (Q248H) is the first and most prevalent gain-of-function mutation observed in FPN, with an allele frequency range of 2.2% to 13.4% in African and African Americans. However, it is unknown whether FPN Q248H is involved in cancer-associated reprogramming of iron metabolism, especially in individuals of African descent where the FPN Q248H mutation is enriched. The Q248H mutation traditionally renders FPN resistant to degradation. As a result, iron release is increased and aberrant uptake of iron across epithelial barriers of tissues can occur to cause iron overload, a risk factor for cancer. We hypothesize that patients with FPN Q248H have improper regulation of iron and thus increased unbound iron that will result in subsequent systemic and kidney-specific iron overload. We leveraged the repository of kidney cancer patients and banked samples of the Urologic Oncology Branch at the NIH to determine the association of FPN Q248H with kidney cancer. In our study, Black males with kidney cancer that expressed FPN Q248H had earlier onset of cancer compared to those without the variant. There were higher iron levels (p Citation Format: Samira Brooks, Cathy Vocke, Deliang Zhang, Victor Gordeuk, Tracey Rouault, Marston Linehan. Kidney iron overload in African American renal cancer patients with the ferroportin Q248H mutation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-147.
Extracellular matrix graft for reconstruction over exposed structures: a pilot case series.

Objective: Soft tissue defects, especially those involving exposed vital structures, present a reconstructive challenge because poor vascularity of such defects typically makes immediate skin graft...
Evaluation of Light Physical Activity Measured by Accelerometry and Mobility Disability During a 6-Year Follow-up in Older Women.

Importance Almost 1 in 4 women older than 65 years is unable to walk 2 to 3 blocks, and mobility disability is a key factor associated with loss of independence. Lack of moderate to vigorous–intensity physical activity is associated with mobility disability, but whether lighter physical activity is associated with mobility disability is unknown. Objective To determine the association of light-intensity physical activity and incident mobility disability among older women. Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective cohort study included women enrolled in the Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health study, an ancillary study of the Women’s Health Initiative, between March 2012 and April 2014, with follow-up through March 31, 2018. The Women’s Health Initiative was a population-based, multisite study that recruited from 40 clinical sites across the US. Participants in the present analysis included 5735 of 7058 ambulatory, community-dwelling women aged 63 years and older who returned an accelerometer with usable data, were free of mobility disability, and had follow-up data on mobility status. Data were analyzed from August 2018 to May 2019. Exposures Light-intensity physical activity, defined as movement requiring energy expenditure between 1.6 and 2.9 metabolic equivalents, captured using an accelerometer over 7 days. Main Outcomes and Measures Incident mobility disability, defined as the first self-reported inability to walk 1 block or up a flight of stairs at annual follow-up, and persistent incident mobility disability, defined as incident mobility loss that persisted through the end of follow-up. Results A total of 5735 participants were included for primary analysis of all incident mobility disability (mean [SD] age, 78.5 [6.6] years [range, 63-97 years]; 2811 [49.0%] White participants). Compared with women in the lowest quartile of light-intensity physical activity, lower risk of incident mobility disability was observed in quartile 2 (multivariable hazard ratio [HR], 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90), quartile 3 (HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.51-0.71), and quartile 4 (HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.51-0.71) (P Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study, increased time spent in light-intensity physical activity was associated with reduced incident mobility disability. These findings support placing greater emphasis on promoting light-intensity physical activity for preserving mobility in later life.
700 Young African American Adults Endorse Greater Distress from Racism than COVID though COVID may have Greater Impact on Sleep

Introduction: Much attention has been given to stress-related symptoms including insomnia related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Exposure to racially targeted police violence and the disproportionate impact of COVID on their communities have been particularly salient stressors for African Americans. Aims for this presentation are to illuminate the emotional impact of COVID and racism on young adult African Americans and their relationship to sleep problems. Methods: An online survey was sent to participants in an ongoing study focusing on sleep and health along with new participants recruited through a snowball method. The survey included the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Impact of Event scale (IES), as well as items to assess experiences with COVID, exposure to racially targeted violence, and disparate community impact. Results: Respondents were African Americans age 18-35. 45% endorsed worsening sleep during the pandemic. 25% had ISI scores of probable insomnia and 61% had IES scores above the symptom threshold for clinical concern. Racism-related distress was endorsed at higher levels than worries related to COVID. There was a significant relationship of insomnia severity with the number of COVID related stressors and a trend level relationship with COVID worries. Sleep outcomes were not correlated with racism-related distress. Conclusion: While distress related to racism was endorsed more than COVID worries, our preliminary findings suggest COVID worries but not racism exposure negatively impact sleep health. This may be a consequence of habituation to the chronic stress of racism in contrast with the novel stress of COVID.
Lower Bounds on the Total Variation Distance Between Mixtures of Two Gaussians.

Mixtures of high dimensional Gaussian distributions have been studied extensively in statistics and learning theory. While the total variation distance appears naturally in the sample complexity of distribution learning, it is analytically difficult to obtain tight lower bounds for mixtures. Exploiting a connection between total variation distance and the characteristic function of the mixture, we provide fairly tight functional approximations. This enables us to derive new lower bounds on the total variation distance between pairs of two-component Gaussian mixtures that have a shared covariance matrix.
Crowdsourcing Homeland Security: The Texas Virtual BorderWatch and Participatory Citizenship

This paper investigates the development of a new logic of labor and surveillance: the application of Crowdsourcing, an approach of distributive, collaborative labor over web-based networks, to the defense of the U.S.-Mexico border. I explore this issue through the case of the Texas Virtual BorderWatch, a network of governmental web-based surveillance cameras mounted at the U.S.-Mexico Border that can be patrolled by anyone with an internet connection. Programs such as the Texas Virtual BorderWatch have proven to be neither particularly effective nor cost-efficient, yet they continue, leading the question of what other logics must justify the sustained funding of these types of programs? I argue that the crowdsourcing of border security represents a new trajectory in the approach to governance and surveillance under Neoliberalism, able to use the power of participatory platforms developed under Web 2.0 as tools to offload the responsibilities of surveillance and security from the state to the populace at little to no cost. Furthermore, the Texas Virtual BorderWatch creates participatory “citizen-soldiers” in the War on Terror, able to welcome the front lines of surveillance into the household, among the most private of spaces. Yet in each case, these practices serve as but one example of the type of decentralized, interactive experiments of reproducing power dynamics that are representative of the Neoliberal movement’s aim to politicize the cultural practices of everyday life.
MECHANISMS OF ONE-ELECTRON REDOX REACTIONS INVOLVING DESTRUCTION OF THE MO2+ STRUCTURE*

ABSTRACT Based on a discussion of mechanisms for analogous reactions and theoretical considerations it is predicted that important terms in the rate laws for the reactions; Np(V)+Ti(III) = Np(IV +Ti(IV) and Np(V)+Eu(II) = Np(IV)+Eu(III) should be —d Np(V)/dt = > 0.3[Np(V)][Ti(III)] and —d Np(V)/dt = ≫ 0.08] Np(V)] [Eu(II)] [H+], at 25°C in molar perchloric acid. A detailed mechanism is presented for the reduction of Np(V) by V(III). Comparison of specific rate constants measured and calculated in terms of the proposed mechanism is presented. The necessity of focussing attention on specific rate constants, rather than free energies of activation, when judging the degree of reliability to be assigned any purported mechanism for a redox process is demonstrated.
Problem-solving frameworks for sensible agents in an electronic market

The need for responsive, flexible agents is pervasive in the electronic commerce environment due to its complex, dynamic nature. Two critical aspects of agent capabilities are the ability to (1) classify agent behaviors according to autonomy level, and (2) adapt problem-solving roles to various situations during system operation. Sensible Agents, capable of Dynamic Adaptive Autonomy, have been developed to address these issues. A Sensible Agent’s “autonomy level” constitutes a description of the agent’s problem-solving role with respect to a particular goal. Problem-solving roles are defined along a spectrum of autonomy ranging from command-driven, to consensus, to locally autonomous/master. Dynamic Adaptive Autonomy allows Sensible Agents to change autonomy levels during system operation to meet the needs of a particular problem-solving situation. This paper provides an overview of the Sensible Agent Testbed and provides examples showing how this testbed can be used to simulate agent-based problem solving in electronic-commerce environments.
Mechanism of Synthesis of Deoxyribonucleic Acid in Vivo: THE HETEROGENEITY OF INCORPORATION OF 32P INTO THE DEOXYRIBONUCLEOTIDYL UNITS IN ESCHERICHIA COLI

Abstract Mechanisms of synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid in a thymine-requiring mutant strain (I) of Escherichia coli and its wild parent strain 15 were investigated by analysis of the incorporation of labeled phosphate (32P) into free nucleotides and nucleotidyl units of DNA and ribonucleic acid. After short incubations of strain I with 32P, the relative specific activity of the 5'-nucleotides of the DNA was: deoxythymidylate much greater than deoxyadenylate, which was approximately equal to deoxyguanylate, which was greater than deoxycytidylate. 3'-Deoxyribonucleotides from the same DNA showed only very slight heterogeneity. When 5-bromouracil and 32P were incorporated simultaneously into DNA of strain I, they appeared together in new long segments. A high 5'-phosphate to 3'-phosphate-labeling ratio found in natural DNA only for the case of deoxythymidine 3',5'-diphosphate units existed also in the bromodeoxyuridine 3',5'-diphosphate. The findings indicate that (a) the 32P-labeling heterogeneity among 5'-deoxyribonucleotides of E. coli DNA is determined exclusively by differences of specific activity values of proximal precursors of the DNA and (b) the precursors in vivo are activated 5'-deoxyribonucleotides, presumably the deoxyribonucleoside 5'-triphosphates. The pre-eminent labeling of 5'-deoxythymidylate or 5'-bromodeoxyuridylate of the DNA of strain I is attributable to acquisition of its phosphate directly from the rapidly renewed γ-phosphate of ATP, without isotope dilution inherent in passing through a large and more slowly renewed α-phosphate pool and 5'-ribonucleotides. An intermediate labeling of 5'-deoxythymidylate in the DNA of the wild strain 15, with no substantial change in the heterogeneity among the other 5'-deoxyribonucleotidyl units as compared with strain I, indicates that, in strain 15, 32P passes through the α-phosphate of diluting pools of 5'-uridylate to reach the 5'-deoxythymidylate even when this strain is grown in a medium with thymine.
Infinite dimensional Lie algebras and current algebra

The “current algebras” of elementary particle physics and quantum field theory are interpreted as infinite dimensional Lie algebras of a certain definite kind. The possibilities of algebraic structure and certain types of representations of these algebras by differential operators on manifolds are investigated, in a tentative way. The Sugawara model is used as a typical example. A general differential geometric method (involving jet spaces) for defining currents associated with classical field theories is presented. In connection with the abstract definition of current algebras as modules, a purely module-theoretic definition of a “differential operator” is presented and its properties are studied.
Androgen Receptor Biology in Triple Negative Breast Cancer: a Case for Classification as AR+ or Quadruple Negative Disease

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subtype that lacks estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) amplification. Due to the absence of these receptors, TNBC does not respond to traditional endocrine or HER2-targeted therapies that improve patient prognosis in other breast cancer subtypes. TNBC has a poor prognosis, and currently, there are no effective targeted therapies. Some TNBC tumors express androgen receptor (AR) and may benefit from AR-targeted therapies. Here, we review the literature on AR in TNBC and propose that TNBC be further sub-classified as either AR+ TNBC or quadruple negative breast cancer since targeting AR may represent a viable therapeutic option for a subset of TNBC.
Inversion of x-ray diffuse scattering to images using prepared objects

The inversion of far-field scattered intensity to a near-field wave field (image) is demonstrated using soft-x-ray scattering from a random cluster of gold balls. The only a priori information assumed about the scatterer is compact support (an isolated object), a condition enforced by using an atomic force microscope to assist in the preparation of the object. The object support function is obtained from the autocorrelation function of the object. X-ray images of 50-nm-diam gold balls are obtained by this method with 10-nm resolution. The method may be applied to other radiations and to nanostructures and macromolecules which cannot be crystallized. Other favorable types of prepared objects are considered.
Comment on “Phylogenetic MCMC Algorithms Are Misleading on Mixtures of Trees”

Mossel and Vigoda (Reports, 30 September 2005, p. 2207) show that nearest neighbor interchange transitions, commonly used in phylogenetic Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms, perform poorly on mixtures of dissimilar trees. However, the conditions leading to their results are artificial. Standard MCMC convergence diagnostics would detect the problem in real data, and correction of the model misspecification would solve it.
Changes in prepregnancy body mass index between pregnancies and risk of gestational and type 2 diabetes

Introduction We investigated whether changes in interpregnancy body mass index (BMI) influence the risk of gestational and type 2 diabetes among a cohort of women with two consecutive live, singleton births of 20–44 weeks gestation (n = 232,272).
Alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation of plant lignins and soil humic colloids.

Plant lignins and soil humic colloids were isolated using H2SO4, NaOH and 1,4-dioxane and their elemental composition, methoxyl contents and cation exchange capacities were determined. The isolated lignin and humic colloid samples were oxidized by the alkaline nitrobenzene technique and the degradation products characterized by the types and amounts of phenolic aldehydes produced.
Temporal trends of predation resistance in Paleozoic crinoid arm branching morphologies

The rise of durophagous predators during the Paleozoic represents an ecological constraint imposed on sessile marine fauna. In crinoids, it has been suggested that increasing predation pressure drove the spread of adaptations against predation. Damage to a crinoid's arms from nonlethal predation varies as a function of arm branching pattern. Here, using a metric for resilience to predation (“expected arm loss,” EAL), we test the hypothesis that the increase in predation led to more predation-resistant arm branching patterns (lower EAL) among Paleozoic crinoids. EAL was computed for 230 genera of Paleozoic crinoids and analyzed with respect to taxonomy and time. The results show significant variability among taxa. Camerates, especially monobathrids, display a pattern of increasingly convergent and predation-resistant arm morphologies from the Ordovician through the Devonian, with no significant change during the Mississippian. In contrast, the mean EAL among cladids follows no overall trend through the Paleozoic. Regenerating arms are known to be significantly more common in camerates than in other Paleozoic taxa; if regeneration is taken as a proxy for nonlethal interactions with durophagous predators, this indicates that nonlethal predation occurred more often among camerates throughout the Early and Middle Paleozoic. In addition, frequency of injury among camerates is inversely correlated with EAL and positively correlated with infestation by parasitic snails. From this we conclude that decreasing EAL signals a selective pressure in favor of resistance to grazing predation in camerates but not in other subclasses before the Mississippian, with an apparent relaxation in this constraint after the late Devonian extinctions.
Proving relative lower bounds for incremental algorithms

A general method that permits simple proofs of relative lower bounds for incremental update algorithms is presented. This method is applied to classify functions by relative lower bounds. We demonstrate our technique by bounding a number of incremental algorithms drawn from various domains. The method described expands upon work by Paull, Berman, and Cheng [PCB] and generalizes a result of Even and Gazit [EG]. Our results have interesting implications with respect to the optimality of an incremental algorithm previously developed by Ryder in [R, RP2]. Perhaps most importantly, the proof method and function classification suggest which types of problems are likely to yield good incremental algorithms (i.e., of lower complexity) and which cannot be improved by an incremental approach.
Zero-Mass Bosons in S -Matrix Theory

We describe the soft coupling of zero-mass bosons to other particles, by considering the limit of a theory with a massive boson. With the standard $S$-matrix assumptions of analyticity and crossing for four-body helicity amplitudes, we demonstrate generally that in the limit of zero mass, a vector boson (${1}^{\ensuremath{-}}$) couples to a conserved charge and a ${2}^{+}$ boson couples to the inertial mass. Bosons of other spin-parity combinations (with the exception of zero spin) have no zero-mass soft coupling. With this technique, we not only give a pedagogically interesting solution to gauge invariance and the kinematics of zero-mass particles, but suggest new applications to small-mass integral-spin systems. We speculate on the application of this technique to such problems as $\ensuremath{\rho}$ universality, the Adler-Weisberger relation, and the universality of leptonic couplings in a vector or axial-vector state.
Theory and Practice in Community Development

of the Cooperative Extension Service makes appropriate a review of certain relevant theoretical aspects of community structure and development and of current differences of opinion among professionals as to appropriate change strategies. The "Great Change" Let us begin with the changes which are occurring in American society, changes which presumably make community resource development an important and desirable kind of activity on which to spend the citizen's tax dollar. Many observers have noted an interrelated cluster of changes which have been associated largely with western society but which are coming to be recognized as characterizing other societies as well. On the practical level, these changes have been grouped together in such concepts as mod
CORR Insights®: Role of Interleukin-6 as an Early Marker of Fat Embolism Syndrome: A Clinical Study

Where Are We Now? In the paper, ‘‘Role of Interleukin-6 as an Early Marker of Fat Embolism Syndrome: A Clinical Study,’’ the authors find a clear association between a spike in serum IL-6 level 12 hours after admission for extremity fractures and the development of what they define as fat embolism syndrome (FES). Il-6 has been shown to be among a group of cytokines that are expressed after trauma and can be associated with the development of lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). IL-6 has been shown to correlate with the severity of injury and the development of FES in animal models [2]. To date the exact role of IL-6 in the pathogenesis of FES in humans has not been determined. To explore the role of IL-6 in the development of FES in humans, the authors selected a small group from a very large volume of admitted patients to study only young healthy subjects with apparently only skeletal injuries. They aimed to eliminate factors that would confuse the diagnosis of FES. They diagnosed FES in 14 of 48 patients using Gurd’s criteria, and found that the mean IL-6 peak at 12 hours in these patients was approximately double that of the patients who did not have FES develop. This difference was significant.
Low-profile heliostat design for solar central receiver systems

Heliostat designs intended to reduce costs and the effect of adverse wind loads on the devices were developed. Included was the low-profile heliostat consisting of a stiff frame with sectional focusing reflectors coupled together to turn as a unit. The entire frame is arranged to turn angularly about a center point. The ability of the heliostat to rotate about both the vertical and horizontal axes permits a central computer control system to continuously aim the sun's reflection onto a selected target. An engineering model of the basic device was built and is being tested. Control and mirror parameters, such as roughness and need for fine aiming, are being studied. The fabrication of these prototypes is in process. The model was also designed to test mirror focusing techniques, heliostat geometry, mechanical functioning, and tracking control. The model can be easily relocated to test mirror imaging on a tower from various directions. In addition to steering and aiming studies, the tests include the effects of temperature changes, wind gusting and weathering. The results of economic studies on this heliostat are also presented.
Modification of Aho and Ullman's correctness proof of Warshall's algorithm

Aho and Ullman's correctness proof of Warshall's algorithm (ref. 1, p. 48) is obscure and at one point incorrect. A modified version of this proof is presented.
Shaky foundations of hierarchical biological materials

Summary It is popular stance that successful growth – be it structural, economic or biological – requires a stable foundation. The hierarchical structure of native biological materials and tissues introduces variations in form and function across a multitude of scales. Yet, many synthetic scaffolds and substrates in which such materials are assembled, the foundation, are designed at a single scale. The result is an uncertain or shaky foundation for material assembly and tissue growth, where changes in the scaffold properties and architecture result in unpredictable behaviors in tissue development, and proven, reliable scaffolds for one tissue type may be completely unsuitable for another. This is in contrast to the behavior of foundations for civil engineering structures, which provide a decoupling of the foundation from the building design since different foundations can support equivalent functional structures. Current advancements in the design of biologically active foundations shed light on proven scaffolds and substrates, but cannot be used to design and predict success from the bottom-up. This is because while the phenomenological coupling between materials and substrates has been well investigated and has yielded methodologies for biomaterial synthesis, the underlying mechanisms of self-assembly and growth are not fully understood. A potential solution lies in the utilization of hierarchical material foundations, with molecular, fibrillar and other interactions designed across all length- and time-scales with engineered, predictive, and repeatable outcomes. The potential to realize such hierarchical multiscale scaffolds can be found in the exploitation of responsive, or mutable, polymer systems that exhibit precise control and variegated chemical functionalities for applications in diverse areas such as regenerative medicine, cancer treatment or drug delivery.
Cloning and analysis of telomere-associated sequences of Ginkgo biloba L.

Total genomic DNA was extracted from leaves of Ginkgo biloba L. by the method of hot CTAB. After determining quantification of DNA sample by microclorimetric spectrophotography, Arabidopsis-type telomere primer and Sau3A I cassette primer were used to isolate telomere-associated sequences from G. biloba L. by the method of cassette-ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using this method, two telomere-associated sequences, TAS1 and TAS2, were isolated. The authors preformed Southern hybridization of EcoR I -treated G. biloba genomic DNA with each clone. The hybridization pattern showed that the clones obtained were derived from G. biloba genomic DNA. There are the Arabidopsis-type TTTAGGG tandem repeats in telomeres of G. biloba.
Molecular dynamics studies of the protein-protein interactions in inhibitor of κB kinase-β.

Activation of the inhibitor of κB kinase subunit β (IKKβ) oligomer initiates a cascade that results in the translocation of transcription factors involved in mediating immune responses. Dimerizatio...
Decomposition kinetics of OMVPE precursors

Abstract The thermal decomposition of trimethylindium and phosphine was studied under flow conditions. Trimethylindium decomposes homogeneously in hydrogen with an activation energy of 35.9 kcal/mol. The pyrolysis is surface dependent when nitrogen is the carrier gas. Phosphine pyrolysis exhibits two regimes, with heterogeneous decomposition occuring below 800°C and homogeneous decomposition above this temperature. The activation energy in the homogeneous range is 69.2 kcal/mol. Indium phosphide has a large catalytic effect on phosphine pyrolysis. the adduct (CH 3 ) 3 In: PH 3 does not form in the gas phase at room temperature, but is stable at 77 K.
Signature analysis and defect detection in layered manufacturing of ceramic sensors and actuators

This paper presents the concept of a process signature for the use of online signature analysis and defect detection in the layered manufacturing (LM) of ceramic sensors and actuators. To achieve the high quality of parts built by the fused deposition of ceramics (FDC), an online process-monitoring system is implemented to detect the processing defects. Using a process signature extracted from the image of a layer captured by the monitoring system, an ideal image is created that is then compared to the original image to detect and identify the defects. Some results of signature analysis and defect detection for single-material and multi-material parts are also presented.
Conversion of Aniline to Azobenzene at Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes: a Possible Case of a Nanodimensional Reaction

Aniline is oxidized to nitrosobenzene as the initial product, which undergoes further oxidation to nitrobenzene. The nitrosobenzene formation is catalyzed by functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNT) followed by a coupling reaction between nitrosobenzene and aniline to produce azobenzene. This coupling requires close proximity of the reactants. It proceeds rapidly resulting in the UV-VIS absorption spectrum showing maxima at 327 nm and 425 nm. The nitrosobenzene yield in the presence of CNTs is controlled by the amount present in the medium. As the reaction is not catalyzed by unfunctionalized CNTs or graphitic particles, the uniqueness of the functionalized multiwalled CNTs in this catalysis suggests a nanodimensional reaction pathway.
Partial chemical characterization of the isolated γ-chain of human fibrogen☆

Abstract The S-sulfo-γ-chain of human fibrinogen has been isolated and characterized with respect to end terminal groups, molecular weight, and amino acid and carbohydrate composition. The molecular weight, as determined by the isotopic recovery of the N-terminal amino acid, tyrosine, was 47,000–50,000. The C-terminal sequence revealed by the action of carboxypeptidase A was -(Ser, Ala, Gly)-Asp-Val. Two glycopeptides isolated from a tryptic digest of S-sulfo-γ-chain were found to contain essentially all of the solubilized carbohydrate. A single site of attachment of the carbohydrate moiety (3 glucosamine and 7 hexose residues) to the peptide chain is postulated.
To hedge or not to hedge: the performance of simple strategies for hedging foreign exchange risk

Abstract This paper investigates the efficacy of simple strategies for hedging foreign exchange risk. The strategies are: to always hedge, to never hedge, to hedge when the forward rate is at a premium, to hedge only when the premium is large, and a strategy based upon relative purchasing power parity. We find a strategy which hedges based upon large premia generally outperforms the other strategies for the period 1989–1998. Moreover, we document that in every sample and time horizon period, an unhedged strategy performs better than a hedged strategy. We illustrate our results using a data set of five countries.
Inter-reader variability when applying the 2013 Fleischner guidelines for potential solitary subsolid lung nodules

BackgroundIn 2013, the Fleischner Society published recommendations for managing subsolid pulmonary nodules. Inter-reader variability has not yet been defined and has potential implications for the...
Self-limiting growth on dolomite: Experimental observations with in situ atomic force microscopy

In situ Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Lateral Force Microscopy (LFM) studies on dolomite (1014) were performed during exposure to supersaturated aqueous solutions (supersaturated in dolomite, calcite, aragonite, vaterite, huntite and magnesite) at pH = 9 at various Ca2+/Mg2+ aqueous ion activity ratios. At high saturation ratios, rapid growth of a single layer (∼3 A thick) of a carbonate followed by much slower growth of a second layer was observed. Growth of the second layer was highly inhibited, suggesting that the first layer was essentially self-limited, and inhibited further layer-by-layer growth. The growth of the first layer was observed over a wide range of Ca2+/Mg2+ ratios, suggesting that the dolomite surface is favorable to formation of a range of Ca-Mg carbonates. LFM data revealed contrast in the tip-surface frictional forces on the first grown layer, but this contrast was only observed in layers grown from middle to high Ca2+/Mg2+ solutions. Thus, LFM may have detected or responded to differences in the structure and/or composition between the first layer relative and the dolomite substrate. Dissolution of the first layer occurred from significantly supersaturated solutions relative to ordered stoichiometric dolomite permitting an estimate of the excess interfacial strain energy of up to 10 mJ/m2.
Electron mobility-lifetime product and D° defect density in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

Abstract The electron deep-trapping mobility lifetime product μτt and spin defect (D°) density Ns in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) were studied using transient photocharge and electron spin resonance measurements. Three series of specimens were prepared in two different reactor geometries, with and without argon dilution of silane, and for varying substrate temperatures. For several specimens the effects of light soaking were also measured. For two of the series μτt was roughly inversely proportional to the spin density, in agreement with the model that electrons are deep-trapped by D° defects; these series yielded μτtNs ≈ 109cm−1V−1. For a third series of specimens a more rapid decline of μτt with Ns was observed.
Neuropeptide Y inhibits pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation in bovine adrenal chromaffin cell membranes

Evidence is presented that the neuropeptide Y receptor is directly coupled to an inhibitory G protein existing in cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cell membranes. Pertussis toxin catalyzes the [32P]ADP-ribosylation of a 41 kDa plasma membrane protein. 5'-Guanylylimidodiphosphate inhibited the [32P]ADP labelling of this protein in a dose-dependent manner whereas GTP had no effect. Preincubation of the plasma membranes with high concentrations of neuropeptide Y followed by a brief exposure to a low concentration of 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate significantly inhibited ADP-ribosylation beyond that observed with 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate alone. These results suggest that the neuropeptide Y receptor in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells is directly coupled to a 41 kDa PTX substrate (presumably the alpha subunit of an inhibitory G protein).
The operation of magnetic amplifiers with various types of loads: Part II ¿ Controlling the angle of firing. The transfer characteristics of amplifiers with low-control impedance

THE companion paper (part I)1 has supplied expressions for output currents and for currents in the load in terms of the angle of firing ? taken as the independent variable. The treatment has been developed with reference to practical situations of magnetic amplifier circuitry, but substantially no need was felt for a close understanding of the phenomena taking place in the amplifier proper.
Stress intensity factors for anisotropic compact-tension specimens with inclined cracks

Abstract A boundary integral equation (BIE) technique has been applied for modeling compact-tension specimens of a Ni-based superalloy single crystal with an inclined crack. Based on a special Green's function, the BIE technique allows explicit calculations of the K I and K II stress intensity factors for the inclined crack from the boundary condition data. The stress intensity factor calculations have been made as a function of crack length, crack angle, and elastic anisotropy. These results were utilized to analyze the overload fracture behavior of MarM200 single crystals.
Structure of Icosahedral AlMnSi and AlMn as Determined by Extended X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS)

Results of Extended X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) studies of aperiodic alloys of AlMn and related alloys are summarized. By comparing the EXAFS of icosahedral AlMnSi and AlMn with that of α(AlMnSi), it was found that Mn icosahedra of edge length ti 5 A are the structure units in the icosahedral phase. The connection among these icosahedral units is different from the connection in the a phase. Comparing the Fe and Mn sites in icosahedral AlMnFeSi and decagonal AlMnFe, indicates that Fe and Mn occupy the same sites in the icosahedral phase but different sites in the decagonal phase. We discuss these results in terms of the randomly connected icosahedra model (RCI) proposed for the icosahedral phase.
CAVITY FORMATION IN WINTER BUDS OF PINUS BANKSIANA

The formation of a cavity between the rib meristem and the pith in winter buds of Pinus banksiana is described. Necrosis of cells at the juncture of the rib meristem and pith begins in November, and by mid-March the necrotic region enlarges, forming a cavity that separates the rib meristem from the pith. The cavity appears to be formed by autolysis, rather than a pulling apart of the cells. The function of the cavity remains speculative. THE CROWN, a structure observed in the vegetative buds of some gymnosperms (Picea, Pseudotsuga, Larix, Abies, Cedrus, Sequoia, Torreya, and Cephalotaxus) (Romberger, 1963), was described in detail by Lewis and Dowding (1924). It is composed of collenchyma-like cells, the walls of which stain positively throughout for pectic substances. The crown is several cell layers thick and extends across the pith at the base of the embryonic shoot. For an excellent review of the crown, the readers are referred to Venn (1965). The pith cells beneath the crown may break down in autumn to form a cavity. Neither the crown nor the cavity have previously been described in -the genus Pinus (Venn, 1965). This report, however, describes the formation of a cavity at the juncture of the pith and rib meristem in the winter buds of jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.).
Hierarchical search of two-digit numbers in a recognition memory task

Latency of S s′ responses was measured in a task involving recognition memory for short lists of two-digit numbers. Mean reaction time did not increase linearly with the number of two-digit numbers in a list, but was affected by the number of tens digits in the list, the number of ones digits in the list, and the relation of the probe item to the list items in a way that suggested that S s sometimes engaged in a hierarchical search of the contents of memory. It appeared that, at least on some trials, S s first compared the tens digit of the probe with the tens digits of the list, and went on to compare the ones digit of the probe with the ones digits of the list only if a tens digit was found to match. The same conclusion was reached in each of two experiments, one of which had a very high error rate, the other of which a moderately low error rate.
Interfacing proprietary hardware with the image-guided surgery toolkit (IGSTK): a case for the OpenIGTLink protocol

One of the key technical challenges in developing an extensible image-guided navigation system is that of interfacing with external proprietary hardware. The technical challenges arise from the constraints placed on the navigation system's hardware and software. Extending a navigation system's functionality by interfacing with an external hardware device may require modifications to internal hardware components. In some cases, it would also require porting the complete code to a different operating system that is compatible with the manufacturer supplied application programming interface libraries and drivers. In this paper we describe our experience extending a multi-platform navigation system, implemented using the image-guided surgery toolkit IGSTK, to support real-time acquisition of 2-D ultrasound (US) images acquired with the Terason portable US system. We describe the required hardware and software modifications imposed by the proposed extension and how the OpenIGTLink network communication protocol enabled us to minimize the changes to the system's hardware and software. The resulting navigation system retains its platform independence with the added capability for real-time image acquisition independent of the image source.
Laser-induced multiphoton dissociation branching ratios for H 2 + and D 2 +

The multiphoton dissociation branching ratios for ${{\text{H}}_{2}}^{+}$ and ${{\text{D}}_{2}}^{+}$ as a function of laser peak intensity and pulse length are investigated by solving the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation in the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, neglecting nuclear rotation. An 800 nm laser pulse with peak intensities from $8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{9}\text{ }\text{W}/{\text{cm}}^{2}$ to ${10}^{14}\text{ }\text{W}/{\text{cm}}^{2}$ and pulse lengths from 5 to 7.5 fs is used. We also investigate the viability of identifying zero-, one-, two-, and three-photon processes based only on the nuclear kinetic energy release spectrum, and check these identifications with a rigorous Floquet-like method.
GMM Repeat Sales Price Indices

Illiquid assets are widely spread within the economy but their indices are difficult to measure. This paper proposes a Generalized Method of Moment (GMM) repeat sales regression for estimating illiquid asset price indices. This method has estimators that are arithmetic averages of individual asset returns. This method is able to estimate custom-weighted indices, including equal- and value-weighted indices. It can incorporate hedonic variables to improve estimation accuracy, and it can work with a reweighting technique to mitigate a biased sample problem. Simulations based on artificial markets indicate that the method is more accurate than some alternatives in both efficient and sluggish markets, with and without temporal aggregation. As an application, we use this method to estimate a commercial property price index.
γ Radiolysis of Liquids at High Pressures. V. Reaction of the Hydrated Electron with Water

The γ radiolysis of deaerated aqueous solutions containing 10−2 or 10−3M glucose and 10−5 to 10−4M of H2O2 or NO3− has been studied at ∼20° in the applied pressure range 0 to 6.34 kbar. The behavior of H2O2 and NO3− solutions is essentially indistinguishable. In both the H2O2 and NO3− solutions, G(H2) increases with increase in pressure; at 6.34 kbar, G(H2) decreases with increase in H2O2 or NO3− concentration. However, the pressure dependence of G(H2) is not affected by a change in glucose concentration from 10−2 to 10−3M or by a change in atmospheric‐pressure pH from ∼7 to 9. The results are interpreted in terms of an effect of pressure on the competition between Reactions [4] and [5], eaq−+NO3−(or H2O2)→no H or H2, eaq−+H2O→H+OH−, with Reaction [5] followed by H+RH→H2+R. Such an interpretation gives a difference in activation volumes of Reactions [4] and [5] as ΔV4‡—ΔV5‡ ≈ 15.7 ml mole−1 and a specific rate k50 ≈ 25M−1·sec−1 at atmospheric pressure. Assumption that Reaction [4] is diffusion controlled ...
A thermodynamic analysis of the brittleness of polycrystalline Ni3Al alloy

Abstract A thermodynamics and kinetics analysis of moisture-induced embrittlement (MIE) in polycrystalline Ni3Al and Co3Ti alloys is presented in this work. This shows that both alloys are susceptible to MIE, but the propensity in Co3Ti alloys is weaker, and that the mobility of moisture-induced hydrogen atoms plays an important role in MIE. Based on this model, MIE will not occur at cryogenic temperatures; high strain rates and segregation of boron subdue MIE.
Positive Effects of Converting a Food and Bioprocessing Analysis Course to an Inquiry‐Guided Approach

Abstract: Food science laboratory courses are traditionally taught as a series of preplanned laboratories with known endpoints. In contrast, inquiry-guided (IG) laboratories allow students to ask questions, think through problems, design experiments, then adapt and learn in response to unexpected results. This study examined the effects of converting the course, “Analytical Techniques in Food and Bioprocessing Sciences” from a traditional approach (2008 to 2010 data) to an IG approach (2011 data) by assigning teams of 2–3 students a food and a set of 5 analyses to conduct over the course of the semester. Students were required to choose and justify the use of specific methods for each analysis, as well as to develop a supply list and a budget for the semester-long project. During the semester, students were required to post and discuss their weekly progress with the instructor, teaching assistants, and the rest of the class using an online discussion forum. At the end of the semester, students were required to present the results of their analysis in both oral and written formats. Overall course grades were significantly higher (P≤ 0.05) using IG in 2011 compared to 2010 and 2009, but not to 2008 grades. Numerical course evaluations for the instructor, overall course, and lab, as well as written course evaluations all significantly (P≤ 0.05) improved. This suggests that an IG approach may measurably improve student performance in terms of course grades and the ability to complete semester long projects. It may also increase student satisfaction with the course, as measured by numerical and written end of semester surveys.
Numerical simulation of quantum spin models

The general application of the projector Monte Carlo method to spin systems is discussed. The purpose of the paper is to present several variants of the method that improve its accuracy and convergence in specific problems and to give numerical examples of the improvements. More detailed application to specific spin models is left for subsequent publications.
The NRL Geospatial Hub for ocean sensor processing and collaboration

The Naval Research Lab Geospatial Hub, or GHub, provides a rapidly deployable, scalable platform for geospatial product collaboration. The GHub is not only a content management system with a web-based interface, but also hosts a variety of content-driven geo-services for tightly integrated, but loosely coupled tool interaction. The GHub presents a rich SOAP API to allow third party tools to build custom integration based on need. The content-driven presentation of data in GHub makes it an ideal element for common information space architectures. The design of the GHub data store is especially suited to heterogeneous data types, such as those found in sensing of the ocean environment. By building tool-level integration with GHub, an architecture inherits peer-to-peer data sharing, disconnection robust synchronization between GHub nodes, a high-performance tile-based map server, and built-in product versioning.
Biomedical Engineering Education: Enrollment, Courses, Degrees, and Employment

During the 1979-1980 academic year a two-page questionnaire on biomedical engineering education was sent to 251 engineering schools. 71 schools indicated that they had degree programs and an additional 35 indicated that they had official minor or option programs, 107 did not have a program, and 38 did not respond. For schools offering degrees in biomedical engineering, there were 2859 students enrolled in 37 B.S. programs, 830 students in 48 M.S. programs, and 469 students in 41 Ph.D. programs. Options or minors in biomedical engineering with a degree in another engineering discipline were available at the B.S. level at 41 schools, at the M.S. level at 42 schools, and at the Ph.D. level at 34 schools. Over the past two years, schools offered 109 courses in biomedical instrumentation, 74 in computers in medicine, 162 in physiological systems/modeling, 60 in biomechanics, 47 in biomaterials, 33 in hospital internship, 23 in clinical engineering, 9 in biomedical engineering lab, and 67 in other areas. During the academic year 1978-1979, schools awarded 464 B.S. degrees, 249 M.S. degrees, and 107 Ph.D. degrees in biomedical engineering. Of these graduates, 253 found jobs in industry, 23 in government, 35 in academia, and 66 in hospitals or clinics; 100 went to medical school, 96 to biomedical engineering graduate schools, and 57 to other graduate or professional schools.