cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling coherence propagation in a homogenizing light pipe for speckle mitigation

A homogenizing light pipe provides an avenue of altering the spatial coherence properties of a laser source for the purpose of reducing speckle in an active imaging scenario. In this study, an efficient coherent mode decomposition was used to characterize the effect of a light pipe on the coherence properties of an input beam. The waveguide was found to reduce the global degree of coherence of the input beam in a manner which made the beam more suitable as an illuminator for speckle free imaging. The beam exiting the waveguide was found to contain a banded mutual coherence function due to the strong presence of symmetry within the setup. A formula for predicting the speckle contrast in the presence of these bands is proposed in the paper and appears to show great agreement with simulated results. The efficient propagation method and speckle contrast formula presented in the paper should be useful in designing an optimal active illumination source for reducing speckle.
The effects of electrocoagulation on phosphorus removal and particle settling capability in swine manure

Abstract Swine manure is conventionally used as a fertilizer because it contains necessary nutrients for plant growth. When the application rate is formulated based on plant nitrogen requirement, phosphorus will accumulate in the soil over the years and may cause eutrophication in surrounding water bodies. Phosphorus separation from liquid manure before the land application can contribute to better nutrient management, but an appreciable amount of phosphorus exists in the form of fine particles smaller than 45 µm and is therefore difficult to separate by natural sedimentation or other mechanical solid-liquid separation systems. This work evaluated low carbon steel-based electrocoagulation (EC) for phosphorus separation in liquid swine manure sampled from two swine barns, and assessed the mechanisms for improved particle and phosphorus settling ability after EC treatment. The results show that EC pretreatment followed by one-day natural precipitation removed 72.6–86.3% of phosphorus from liquid swine manure. Phosphorus removal kept increased until it reached a plateau (60 min and 140 min for the two types of swine manure). The settling property of EC treated swine manure improved and about 90% of particles was removed. Further analyses indicated that the particle density of the majority part of manure solids (particles with sizes between 25 µm and 45 µm) increased from 1.29 g/mL to 1.36 g/mL after EC, and that the background viscosity of liquid manure decreased from 1.99 g/m∗s to 1.64 g/m∗s. All of those manure property changes expedited particle and phosphorus settling. Overall, the EC method developed in this study successfully achieved the goal of improving phosphorus recovery and solid-liquid separation from swine manure, and has a potential to achieve better separation and to consume less energy after process optimization.
Association of ambient pollution with inhaler use among patients with COPD: a panel study

Background Studies have linked ambient air pollution to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) healthcare encounters. However, the association between air quality and rescue medication use is unknown. Objectives We assessed the role of air pollution exposure for increased short-acting beta-2-agonist (SABA) use in patients with COPD through use of remote monitoring technology. Methods Participants received a portable electronic inhaler sensor to record the date, time and location for SABA use over a 3-month period. Ambient air pollution data and meteorological data were collected from a centrally located federal monitoring station. Mixed-effects Poisson regression was used to examine the association of daily inhaler use with pollutant levels. Four criteria pollutants (PM 2.5 , PM 10 , O 3 and NO 2 ), two particulate matter species (elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon), estimated coarse fraction of PM 10 (PM 10–2.5 ) and four multipollutant air quality measures were each examined separately, adjusting for covariates that passed a false discovery rate (FDR) screening. Results We enrolled 35 patients with COPD (94.3% male and mean age: 66.5±8.5) with a mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ) % predicted of 44.9+17.2. Participants had a median of 92 observation days (range 52–109). Participants’ average SABA inhaler use ranged from 0.4 to 13.1 puffs/day (median 2.8). Controlling for supplemental oxygen use, long-acting anticholinergic use, modified Medical Research Council Dyspnoea Scale and influenza season, an IQR increase in PM 10 concentration (8.0 µg/m 3 ) was associated with a 6.6% increase in daily puffs (95% CI 3.5% to 9.9%; FDR 2 and EC concentration were also significantly associated with inhaler use (3.9% and 2.9% per IQR increase, respectively). Conclusions Exposure to increased ambient air pollution were associated with a significant increase in SABA use for patients with COPD residing in a low-pollution area.
The Internal Structure of the Syllable

Until relatively recently, phonologists tended to neglect the syllable or to leave it undefined. Generative phonologists often claimed that the syllable played no role in phonological organization. Recently, however, this position has changed. The syllable has begun to be reintegrated into phonological theory. (For discussion, see Clements and Keyser, 1983.) Two competing views of the syllable may be distinguished. In one view (e.g., Hooper, 1972), the syllable is seen as a linear string of phonemes. The syllable itself has no internal structure. Another position (e.g., Cairns and Feinstein, 1982; Fudge, 1969; Halle and Vergnaud, 1980; Hockett, 1967/1973; Selkirk, 1982; Vergnaud and Halle, 1979) is that the syllable has a hierarchical internal organization. That is, there exist units intermediate in size between the syllable and the phoneme. Hierarchical views of the syllable typically divide the syllable into two primary units. These are, to use the terminology of Vergnaud and Halle (1979), the onset and the rime.1 The onset is the initial consonant or consonant cluster of the syllable. For example, the onset of the word strip is /str/, the onset of trip is /tr/, and the onset of rip is /r/. In English, the onset is not obligatory: The syllable ip does not have an onset. The rime of the syllable is the vowel and any consonants that come after it.
Understanding Some of the Mysteries of Superfluid Helium

As early as 1928, the terms “He I” and “He II” were assigned to liquid helium in order to distinguish the thermal and state properties of the liquid above and below the lambda-point temperature, about 2.17 K. In the late 1930s, the discovery of the exceptional mass and thermal transport properties of He II earned the fluid the additional title of “superfluid.” Since then, these transport properties have excited and tantalized some of the world’s foremost experimental and theoretical physicists. Here, brief consideration is given to the early theoretical models of F. London, Tisza, and Landau who attempted to explain such superfluid phenomena as “zero viscosity,” the thermomechanical (fountain) effect, anomalously high thermal conductivity, and superfluid film flow. Superfluid critical velocities and dissipative processes are discussed in terms of Onsager/Feynman vortex line/ring production. Some details are given of narrow-channel isothermal and thermal flow, film-flow, and film thickness experiments conducted at Los Alamos in efforts to elucidate dissipation processes in these systems. Despite the considerable progress made in understanding superfluidity and the causes of its breakdown, much remains to be explored and explained.
Nanoscale Scanning Probe Thermometry of TaOe-based selector devices

Crosspoint memory arrays suffer from the sneak path problem, which may cause read failures and increase power consumption [1]. The high nonlinearity of threshold switching devices makes them an ideal candidate for selector device to suppress the leakage current in the one selector/one resistor architecture. However, the mechanism of threshold switching, in particular Negative Differential Resistance (NDR) behavior in oxide materials such as TaOx and NlrO; is still under debate. A leading hypothesis is Joule-heating-induced thermal runaway [2] producing NDR due to spontaneous current localization within the device region. So far, there is no experimental data on the size of the constriction and the temperature within it. We demonstrate the first use of scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) and scanning joule heating expansion microscopy (SJEM), two AFM-based high spatial resolution in-situ characterization methods to directly measure the temperature distribution up to the NDR region in TaOx-based selector devices. These experimental results are essential information for developing accurate numerical modeling of threshold switching devices.
Signals of Opportunity - Airborne Demonstrator (SoOP-AD): Instrument Overview, Performance During First Flights and Future Instrument Concept

The Signals of Opportunity Airborne Demonstrator (SoOp-AD) was developed as part of the NASA InstrumentIncubator Program (IIP) with the goal of maturing the use of SoOp from existing communication satellites in geostationaryorbit, operating within the heavily used P-band (under 500 MHz) spectrum for soil moisture observations. P-band offers the benefit of roughly five (5) times deeper soil penetration compared to conventional L-band methods. SoOp-AD operates in a bi-static radar configuration, and only requires reception of direct and scattered signals from the source satellite. In this paper we present an overview of the SoOp-AD instrument architecture, signal processing, internal calibration approach and preliminary results from flights over the Little Washita watershed in Oklahoma, USA. Finally, future steps towards a U-class ("cubesat") instrument concept based upon experience with the airborne demonstrator are presented.
Investigating the Construct Validity of Performance Comments: Creation of the Great Eight Narrative Dictionary

Performance narratives are qualitative text descriptions of an employee’s work performance. Despite containing rich information that can be leveraged by practitioners and researchers, few efforts have systematically examined performance narratives. This study investigated whether performance narratives can automatically and reliably be scored into meaningful performance dimensions. Using the Great Eight as a conceptual framework, a custom dictionary was developed and comments were scored via automated text mining. This dictionary, labeled the Great Eight Narrative Dictionary, was then validated against a set of convergent measures to establish construct validity evidence for the derived narrative scores. Inter-rater agreement in linking word phrases to performance dimensions was high, and the derived performance dimensions had acceptable internal consistency. Narrative scores also displayed evidence of construct validity, with an expected pattern of correlations with text scores from an alternative text mining dictionary and with developmental performance ratings made using traditional numerical formats. Collectively, findings support the use of the Great Eight Narrative Dictionary to score performance narratives, and the dictionary is provided openly to facilitate future use.
"Consent is sexy": A poster campaign using sex-positive images and messages to increase dyadic sexual communication.

Objective: “Consent is Sexy” (CIS) is a poster campaign incorporating sex-positive messages to promote consent and increase sexual communication among college students. We assess reactions to the c...
When Roving Bandits Settle Down: Club Theory and the Emergence of Government

How does a government arise from anarchy? In a classic article, Mancur Olson (1993) theorized that it could occur when a roving bandit decides to settle down. This stationary bandit comes to recognize an encompassing interest in its territory, improving its lot by providing governing and committing to stable rates of theft (taxation). The bandits highlighted by Olson (1993) are not individuals but rather groups organized to act collectively. I provide a club-theoretic (Buchanan 1965) analysis of bandits. I characterize the (actual or threats of) violence as a club good, i.e., one that is non-rival but from which out-group members can be excluded. I elaborate on the changes in the club’s group interest and in-group that will likely accompany the roving-to-stationary transition. To illustrate the salient points of the analysis, I provide a case study of the Visigoths: their emergence as a roving confederacy in the late fourth century, their migration and subsequent settlement, and the establishment of the Visigothic Kingdom.
High-Sensitivity X-Ray Optical Cross-Correlator for Next Generation Free-Electron Lasers

We designed a novel X-ray arrival time monitor that cross-correlates X-ray and 1550 nm optical pulses used in state-of-the-art femtosecond timing distribution systems. We exploit an interferometric detection scheme and etalon effects in thin-film Germanium to achieve unprecedented high sensitivity to soft X-rays. © 2019 The Author(s)
A Fast and Flexible Framework for Network-Assisted Genomic Association.

Summary We present an accessible, fast, and customizable network propagation system for pathway boosting and interpretation of genome-wide association studies. This system—NAGA (Network Assisted Genomic Association)—taps the NDEx biological network resource to gain access to thousands of protein networks and select those most relevant and performative for a specific association study. The method works efficiently, completing genome-wide analysis in under 5 minutes on a modern laptop computer. We show that NAGA recovers many known disease genes from analysis of schizophrenia genetic data, and it substantially boosts associations with previously unappreciated genes such as amyloid beta precursor. On this and seven other gene-disease association tasks, NAGA outperforms conventional approaches in recovery of known disease genes and replicability of results. Protein interactions associated with disease are visualized and annotated in Cytoscape, which, in addition to standard programmatic interfaces, allows for downstream analysis.
Neuroimaging Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease

Currently, over five million Americans suffer with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the absence of a cure, this number could increase to 13.8 million by 2050. A critical goal of biomedical research is to establish indicators of AD during the preclinical stage (i.e. biomarkers) allowing for early diagnosis and intervention. Numerous advances have been made in developing biomarkers for AD using neuroimaging approaches. These approaches offer tremendous versatility in terms of targeting distinct age-related and pathophysiological mechanisms such as structural decline (e.g. volumetry, cortical thinning), functional decline (e.g. fMRI activity, network correlations), connectivity decline (e.g. diffusion anisotropy), and pathological aggregates (e.g. amyloid and tau PET). In this review, we survey the state of the literature on neuroimaging approaches to developing novel biomarkers for the amnestic form of AD, with an emphasis on combining approaches into multimodal biomarkers. We also discuss emerging methods including imaging epigenetics, neuroinflammation, and synaptic integrity using PET tracers. Finally, we review the complementary information that neuroimaging biomarkers provide, which highlights the potential utility of composite biomarkers as suitable outcome measures for proof-of-concept clinical trials with experimental therapeutics.
Structural determinants of persulfide-sensing specificity in a dithiol-based transcriptional regulator

Abstract Cysteine thiol-based transcriptional regulators orchestrate coordinated regulation of redox homeostasis and other cellular processes by “sensing” or detecting a specific redox-active molecule, which in turn activates the transcription of a specific detoxification pathway. The extent to which these sensors are truly specific in cells for a singular class of reactive small molecule stressors, e.g., reactive oxygen or sulfur species, is largely unknown. Here we report novel structural and mechanistic insights into a thiol-based transcriptional repressor SqrR, that reacts exclusively with organic and inorganic oxidized sulfur species, e.g., persulfides, to yield a unique tetrasulfide bridge that allosterically inhibits DNA operator-promoter binding. Evaluation of five crystallographic structures of SqrR in various derivatized states, coupled with the results of a mass spectrometry-based kinetic profiling strategy, suggest that persulfide selectivity is determined by structural frustration of the disulfide form. This energetic roadblock effectively decreases the reactivity toward major oxidants to kinetically favor formation of the tetrasulfide product. These findings lead to the identification of an uncharacterized repressor from the increasingly antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogen, Acinetobacter baumannii, as a persulfide sensor, illustrating the predictive power of this work and potential applications to bacterial infectious disease.
Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide Decontamination of N95 Respirators in a Dedicated Animal Research Facility for Reuse During a Novel Coronavirus Pandemic

Introduction:During the COVID-19 pandemic, health care systems and safety providers have faced an unprecedented challenge of limited access to personal protective equipment (PPE) to conduct patient...
A Systematic Review of Psychosocial-Based Outcomes in Peer-Support Services

In determining whether peer support interventions are effective, an examination of the measures used to assess outcomes is essential. Prior reviews often do not account for validly and reliability...
A new method for preparing excellent electrical conductivity carbon nanofibers from coal extraction residual

Abstract This work developed a cost-effective and environmentally benign method for preparing high electrical conductivity carbon nanofibers (CNFs) from coal extraction residuals. The electrical conductivity of the CNFs prepared with PAN and 10.00 wt%, 30.00 wt%, and 50.00 wt% residual extracted tar (RET) increases by 70.89%, 164.31%, and 193.22% in comparison with conventional pure PAN-based CNF at the carbonization temperature of 1000 °C. The results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy have shown that the total resistance for 50.00 wt% and 30.00 wt% RET-based CNFs prepared at the reaction temperature of 1000 °C was 0.61 Ω and 0.73 Ω, respectively, which is lower than that of coal extracted tar (CET)-based CNF and PAN-based CNFs. Raman analysis indicates that the 50.00 wt% RET-based CNF shows the lowest relative intensity of −0.953 and the highest degree of the ordered carbon structure. According to SEM results, fewer defects were observed in the carbon structure of RET-based CNFs. The cross-linking structure in 50.00 wt% RET can contribute to the improvement of the electrical conductivity of CNFs, which is consistent with the observation of Raman results. The GC-MS analysis results reveal that the aromatic and phenolic concentration in RET is 37.91% and 176.69% higher compared with those in CET. Both aromatic and phenolic concentrations in CNF precursor favor the formation of CNFs with fewer defects and thus lead to a higher electrical conductivity in CNF. The GC-MS results present consistency with those of Raman, SEM, and electrochemical performance measurements.
Energy matters: Mitigating the impacts of future land expansion will require managing energy and extractive footprints

Abstract Understanding potential future patterns of human-induced land-use and land-cover change is critical to assessing and proactively managing the tradeoffs between development and the environment. Most global land-use change assessments, however, consider a narrow set of economic sectors, focusing primarily on agricultural and urban sectors. We present a global land-use change model that includes detailed energy and mining sectors (11 in total) in addition to agriculture and urban sectors. We find that energy and extractive sectors had a large expansion footprint (1.26 million km2) projected to 2050, which was nearly as large as the cropland expansion footprint (1.54 million km2) and larger than the urban expansion footprint (0.34 million km2). Moreover, energy and mining expansion account for nearly 80% of all projected expansion into the world's most intact natural lands, suggesting that these sectors play an outsized role in threats to biodiversity and environmental protection. Additionally, we find substantial shifts in the ranking of countries in relation to their vulnerability of land conversion when we accounted for energy and mining footprints alongside agricultural and urban footprints. Our results suggest that meeting resource demands, while maintaining social and environmental benefits provided by natural systems, will require reducing consumption and increasing efficiency in resource use alongside improved development siting and mitigation practices.
Spinally delivered ampakine CX717 increases phrenic motor output in adult rats.

Abstract Ampakines are synthetic molecules that allosterically modulate AMPA-type glutamate receptors. We tested the hypothesis that delivery of ampakines to the intrathecal space could stimulate neural drive to the diaphragm. Ampakine CX717 (20 mM, dissolved in 10% HPCD) or an HPCD vehicle solution were delivered via a catheter placed in the intrathecal space at the fourth cervical segment in urethane‐anesthetized, mechanically ventilated adult male Sprague‐Dawley rats. The electrical activity of the phrenic nerve was recorded for 60-minutes following drug application. Intrathecal application of CX717 produced a gradual and sustained increase in phrenic inspiratory burst amplitude (n = 10). In contrast, application of HPCD (n = 10) caused no sustained change in phrenic motor output. Phrenic burst rate, heart rate, and mean arterial pressure were similar between CX717 and HPCD treated rats. We conclude that intrathecally delivered ampakines can modulate phrenic motor output. This approach may have value for targeted induction of spinal neuroplasticity in the context of neurorehabiliation.
A Creep Buckling Hypothesis

Published work on creep buckling has implied that failure of columns after a critical time is caused by initial imperfections. Such analyses are relatively complex and ultimately leave the choice of selecting the proper value of the initial imperfection to the designer. Furthermore, recent test results on creep buckling of columns have indicated that there is a random and relatively unimportant effect of small initial imperfections on the critical time. To avoid the difficulties associated with initial imperfections, a formulation of the creep buckling phenomenon in terms of classical stability theory is presented. The theorj^ permits the extension of known solutions for plastic buckling of certain thin plates and shells to creep buckling problems.
A game theory model of cybersecurity investments with information asymmetry

In this paper, we develop a game theory model consisting of sellers and buyers with sellers competing non-cooperatively in order to maximize their expected profits by determining their optimal product transactions as well as cybersecurity investments. The buyers reflect their preferences through the demand price functions, which depend on the product demands and on the average level of security in the marketplace. We demonstrate that the governing equilibrium conditions of this model with security information asymmetry can be formulated as a variational inequality problem. We provide qualitative properties and propose an algorithmic scheme that is easy to implement. Three sets of numerical examples are presented which reveal the impacts of the addition of buyers and sellers and a variety of changes in demand price and investment cost functions on the equilibrium product transaction and security level patterns.
Commentary: Is Memory Something We Have or Something We Do?

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a commentary on a study related to memory. As Cohen observes, the focus in much of the published research on memory and aging has been to characterize the conditions that engender age deficits in performance. An assumption underlying is that memory is an endogenous trait, something one has. The chapter discusses Cohen's chapter as a starting point from to argue that memory is not only something we have, but that it is also something we do. Our memory systems have certain limits; at a younger age these tend to be limits of knowledge base, while at an older age these tend to be limits of processing capacity, but somehow we manage to live within these limits so as to function in everyday life. Cohen aptly notes the wide variety of methods used in the study of memory and aging, categorizing them into phenomenological, psychometric, and experimental approach. The Inhibition Hypothesis might also be useful in accounting for age differences in prospective memory. The diversity of methodologies applied to the study of adult age differences in—prospective memory and discourse memory. The startling fact about these two domains of functioning is that, in many ways, they appear to be fairly well preserved into later adulthood.
Cytarabine: cytocidal effect on normal and leukemic lymphocytes. Synergism with x rays and comparison with mechlorethamine.

Abstract To study the in vitro toxicity of cytarabine to nondividing lymphocytes from normal persons and from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the cells were incubated with the drug at 37°C for 3–7 days and the number of viable lymphocytes was counted before and after incubation. Cytarabine produced a cytocidal effect on normal and leukemic lymphocytes, and the leukemic lymphocytes were more sensitive than the normal cells. Both deoxycytidine and incubation at 27°C protected the cells from the cytotoxicity of the drug. The combination of cytarabine and X irradiation produced a synergistic cytocidal effect on normal lymphocytes. In contrast, mechlorethamine was usually less toxic to leukemic than to normal lymphocytes and produced an additive, not a synergistic effect with X irradiation.
La batalla por el Banco Central. Las negociaciones de México con los banqueros internacionales, 1920-1925

In order to give firm foundations to the process of accumulating national capital, the group led by Alvaro Obregon sought to recreate certain State institutions. This article explores their strategy, focusing on the conflict between representatives of the Mexican government and both national and foreign bankers over the control of money production, credit, public debt, and the government's international financing. The background for this drama, where the new Mexican political class struggles to es­tablish its control over the Nation's resources and financing, are the deep changes brought about by the First World War in the intemational economic system.
Dexamethasone suppresses IL-33-mediated mast cell activation (HYP3P.409)

Dexamethasone, a potent synthetic member of the glucocorticoid class of steroid drugs is known for its immunosuppressant and anti-inflammatory effects. The present research investigates the role of this anti-allergic drug in suppressing IL-33-mediated mast cell activation. IL-33 is a novel cytokine of IL-1 family, which promotes mast cells to produce inflammatory cytokines independently of IgE-FcϵRI signals. Initial studies have shown that micromolar quantities of dexamethasone suppress the production of TNF-α and IL-6 by IL-33-stimulated mast cells. While confirming these results by intracellular staining, it was observed that dexamethasone not only decreases the fraction of cytokine-positive cells but also causes a drop in cytokine production per cell. Although dexamethasone pretreatment resulted in a significant reduction in the IL-33 receptor subunit T1/ST2, this did not correlate with decreased cytokine production. These results demonstrate the ability of dexamethasone to suppress mast cell activation during innate immune responses, and support further work into the mechanisms by which this occurs.
Midlatitude cyclones in the southeastern United States: frequency and structure differences by cyclogenesis region

Midlatitude cyclones that affected the Southeast (SE) United States between 1998 and 2010 were classified into five types according to their region of origin: (1) Continental United States, (2) Canadian, (3) Gulf Low, (4) Hatteras Low, or (5) Stationary. A composite analysis was used to examine differences in the structure, evolution, and propagation of these cyclones during boreal winter, when the largest number of cyclones affect the SE United States. Most of the midlatitude cyclones that affect the SE in the wintertime formed within the continental United States (∼11 events/winter), followed by Gulf Lows (∼4 events/winter) and Canadian cyclones (∼4 events/winter). Hatteras Lows were relatively rare (∼1 events/winter), and Stationary events did not occur during winter. While Canadian and Continental US cyclones occurred year-round the frequency of Gulf Low events peaked in the boreal winter when the upper-level jet was strongest and located further south. Hatteras Lows peaked in the boreal fall and winter, and Stationary events occurred almost exclusively during the boreal summer. Overall, Gulf Low and Continental US cyclones were the only cyclones that brought wintertime precipitation to the SE United States. When integrated over the season, Continental US cyclones made the largest contribution to the wintertime precipitation in the SE United States. On a per-event basis, however, Gulf Lows were the biggest wintertime precipitation makers in the SE United States while Canadian cyclones and Hatteras Lows did not bring much precipitation to the SE United States. Gulf Lows were more common during El Nino than La Nina years and tended to occur back-to-back with either another Gulf Low or with a Hatteras Low.
A fifth-order finite difference scheme for hyperbolic equations on block-adaptive curvilinear grids

We present a new fifth-order accurate finite difference method for hyperbolic equations on block-adaptive curvilinear grids. The scheme employs the 5th order accurate monotonicity preserving limiter MP5 to construct high order accurate face fluxes. The fifth-order accuracy of the spatial derivatives is ensured by a flux correction step. The method is generalized to curvilinear grids with a free-stream preserving discretization. It is also extended to block-adaptive grids using carefully designed ghost cell interpolation algorithms. Only three layers of ghost cells are required, and the grid blocks can be as small as 6 × 6 × 6 cells. Dynamic grid refinement and coarsening are also fifth-order accurate. All interpolation algorithms employ a general limiter based on the principles of the MP5 limiter. The finite difference scheme is fully conservative on static uniform grids. Conservation is only maintained at the truncation error level at grid resolution changes and during grid adaptation, but our numerical tests indicate that the results are still very accurate. We demonstrate the capabilities of the new method on a number of numerical tests, including smooth but non-linear problems as well as simulations involving discontinuities.
Age-Related Correlates of Criminal Homicides Committed by Women: A Study of Baltimore

Abstract This is a study of women's homicide events. It examines the extent to which the age of the offender is related to the patterning of the number and race of offenders, the age, gender, race and number of victims and accomplices, the presence of a concurrent felony and the cause of death. The homicides committed by 294 women in Baltimore City from 1974 through 1986 are examined.2The findings indicate that the offender's age differentiates among women's homicides showing relatively the same patterns as are found in studies of men offenders. Most notably, the youthful offenders are disproportionately associated with multiple offender, concurrent felony homicides and the attendant features of such homicides. Other age-related patterns are described as well.
Inhibitors of ras farnesyltransferases

Farnesyltransferase catalyses the post-translational modification of proteins by a cholesterol precursor, farnesylpyrophosphate. One of the substrates of this enzyme is the product of the ras oncogene. Recently, inhibitors of farnesyltransferase have been identified through two different approaches: microbial screens for natural compounds, and substrate analogues. These inhibitors may be useful in blocking the action of Ras proteins, in further characterizing protein prenyltransferases, and in elucidating the regulation of cholesterol metabolism.
A signal processing architecture for high throughput sensor processing

DFT ESM EW FFT FIR FTR HTC HTP LSSD MS I MT I OCM SS I VHSIC VLSI Beamformer Complex Band S h i f t A S ing le M o n o l i t h i c S i l i c o n I n t e g r a t e d C i r c u i t Complex M u l t i p l y and Accumulate D i r e c t i o n a l Frequency Analys is and Recording D i g i t a l F o u r i e r Transform E l e c t r o n i c Support Measures E l e c t r o n i c Warfare Fast F o u r i e r Transform F i n i t e Impulse Response Funct ional Throughput Rate High Throughput C o n t r o l l e r High Throughput Processor Level S e n s i t i v e Scan Design Medium Scale I n t e g r a t i o n Moving Target I n d i c a t o r On-Chip Moni tor Small Scale I n t e g r a t i o n Very High Speed I n t e g r a t e d C i r c u i t Very Large Scale I n t e g r a t i o n Th is paper summarizes a s tudy performed t o d e r i v e sensor s i g n a l process ing requirements, and t o design a s i g n a l process ing a r c h i t e c t u r e capable o f per forming a l l o f t h e r e q u i r e d s i g n a l processing . General conclus ions a re t h a t t h e processing c lose t o t h e sensor r e q u i r e s very h igh throughput b u t i s w e l l s t ruc tu red , r e q u i r e s l i m i t e d f l e x i b i l i t y , and may be parameter programmed. A l l o f t h e systems a l s o r e q u i r e p rogramab le processors. The processor a r c h i t e c t u r e s vary apprec iab ly f rom system t o system. An a r c h i t e c t u r e w i t h h igh throughput f ron t -end processors fo l l owed by programmable processors meets a1 1 s i g n a l processing requirements and tends t o s i m p l i f y t h e s t ruc tu re . The f ron t -end processors b e n e f i t s i g n i f i c a n t l y from h ighthroughput VLSI ch ips designed f o r t h i s purpose. The Complex Mu1 t i p l y and Accumulate (CMAC) c h i p exempl i f i es such a design. I t i s capable o f per forming 100 m i l l i o n mu1 t i p 1 i e s per second, and i s designed t o e f f i c i e n t l y implement some o f t h e common s i g n a l process ing a lgor i thms. The a r c h i t e c t u r e a1 lows mu1 t i p l e CMACs t o be con f igu red i n t o an a r r a y capable o f over a b i l l i o n m u l t i p l i e s per second. Th is a r c h i t e c t u r e and c h i p a r e t o be i n i t i a l l y demonstrated aga ins t an a v i o n i c ant isubmarine war fa re requirement. I. Sensor Processing Requirements
Surface modification of AFM silicon probes for adhesion and wear reduction

Tip wear of silicon probes used for an atomic force microscope (AFM) is a critical issue. Wear can result in an increase of tip radius and adhesion between tip and sample, thus reducing the image resolution and introducing artifacts. In order to reduce adhesion, friction, and wear so as to reduce tip related artifacts, liquid lubricant (Z-TETRAOL), self-assembled monolayers (pentafluorophenyltriethoxysilane (PFPTES)), and fluorocarbon polymer (Fluorinert™) were applied on the silicon probe. A comprehensive investigation of adhesion, friction, and wear of the uncoated/coated tips in both ambient air and various humidity levels as well as the influence of the coatings on the image resolution was performed. Experiments showed that the coatings reduced the adhesion, friction, and wear of the silicon tip, improved the initial image resolution, and exhibited less deterioration as compared to that of uncoated tip in the long-term test.
Induction of a neurite-promoting factor in rat brain following injury or deafferentation.

Abstract Ablation of the entorhinal/occipital cortex in young adult rats caused a several-fold increase in the neurite-promoting activity in extracts of the tissue surrounding the wound and in areas that had been deafferented by the lesion. The time course of induction closely paralleled reactive axon sprouting in the deafferented hippocampus, with maximal levels of neurite-promoting activity reached between 9 and 15 days post-lesion. Aged animals, in which reactive sprouting is deficient, showed no increase in activity by 12 days after deafferentation of the hippocampus. The neurite-promoting activity of brain extracts was non-diffusible, heat-labile, and sensitive to proteolysis. All of the activity bound to diethylaminoethyl (cellulose) and was eluted at 200 mM NaCl. The apparent molecular weight (by gel filtration) of the activity in extracts of uninjured brain was 9–17 kilodaltons, whereas the extracts of injured brain also had peaks or shoulders at 30, 70 and ⩾200 kilodaltons. These data suggest that the brain neurite-promoting activity resides in one or more proteins. Both the injury-induced and basal activities were different from laminin, nerve growth factor, and polyornithine-bindable neurite-promoting factors. The injury-induced activity was sensitive to repeated freezing and thawing, but this inactivation was reversed by thiol reagents such as glutathione, thioglycerol, and mercaptoethanol. We report a neurite-promoting factor that is induced following brain injury or denervation, and may also be important for reactive axon sprouting after brain injury. The induction of this factor is abnormal in aged animals, as is the reactive sprouting response. The properties of the injury-induced activity distinguish it from the basal activity (found in uninjured brain) and from other characterized neurite-promoting factors.
Identification of a Novel Domain in the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Required for DNA Binding

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that binds DNA in the form of a heterodimer with the AHR nuclear translocator protein (ARNT). Both proteins possess basic helix-loop-helix motifs. ARNT binds to the side of the xenobiotic responsive element (XRE) that resembles an E-box (the sequence recognized by the majority of other basic helix-loop-helix proteins), whereas AHR binds to the side of the XRE that does not conform to the E-box sequence. The basic region of ARNT closely resembles those of other E-box-binding proteins, whereas the "nominal basic region" of AHR (amino acids 27 39), although required for XRE binding, deviates from this consensus. By extensive mutational analysis it is shown here that an additional block of amino acids of AHR (from tyrosine 9 to lysine 20) that contains a highly basic segment is required for XRE binding and transcriptional activation. Deletion of the first nine amino acids negates XRE binding. Substitution of either tyrosine 9 or arginine 14 with alanine eliminates XRE binding, whereas alanine substitutions at certain other sites within the block reduce but do not eliminate binding. The reported absence of the first nine amino acids in the purified protein may therefore be artifactual. These results suggest that the amino acids of AHR involved in binding to the XRE constitute a novel DNA-binding domain, comprising amino acids located within and amino-terminal to the nominal basic region.
Mineralization of Selenium-Containing Amino Acids in Two California Soils

Organic forms of Se as the selenoamino acids, selenomethionine (SeMet) and selenocystine (SeCys), are detected in plants grown on seleniferous soil, yet little is known about the speciation and distribution of Se upon decomposition of SeMet and SeCys in soil. To determine the mineralization rate of selenoamino acids in soil, three concentrations of SeMet, SeCys, methionine (Met), or cystine (Cys) were added to samples of a Panoche (fine-loamy, mixed [calcareous], thermic Typic Torriorthent) or a Panhill (fine-silty, mixed, thermic Typic Haplargid) soil and aerobically incubated at 22°C for up to 168 h. The amino acid concentrations were analyzed by high performance anion chromatography. Methionine additions closely followed first-order reaction kinetics and SeMet additions followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, with order dependent on SeMet concentration. The time required for 50% mineralization of SeMet additions in the Panhill and Panoche soils was 23.5 and 3.2 h (5 mg Se kg -1 ), 41.6 and 15.5 h (25 mg Se kg -1 ), and 47.1 and 36.0 h (50 mg Se kg -1 ), respectively. The majority of the SeMet and Met additions were recovered as volatile species (50-80%). In contrast to SeMet, SeCys was rapidly nonextractable (<6 h) from both soils, with little to no volatile Se detected and was initially recovered as phosphate-soluble selenite and selenide after 6 h of incubation. These results suggest that Se present in seleniferous plant tissue as SeMet will not accumulate in soil due to extensive volatilization. In contrast, additions of seleniferous plant residues rich in SeCys will result in organic Se mineralization to inorganic Se forms in soil.
Real-time monitoring of intracellular cAMP during acute ethanol exposure.

Background In previous studies, we have shown that ethanol (EtOH) enhances the activity of stimulatory G protein (Gs)-stimulated membrane-bound adenylyl cyclase (AC). The effect is AC isoform specific, and the type 7 AC (AC7) is most responsive to EtOH. In this study, we employed a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based cyclic AMP (cAMP) sensor, Epac1-camps, to examine real-time temporal dynamics of EtOH effects on cAMP concentrations. To our knowledge, this is the first report on real-time detection of the EtOH effect on intracellular cAMP. Methods Hela cells were transfected with Epac1-camps, dopamine (DA) receptor D1a, and 1 isoform of AC (AC7 or AC3). Fluorescent images were captured using a specific filter set for cyan fluorescent protein (CFP), yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), and FRET, respectively, and FRET intensity was calculated on a pixel-by-pixel basis to examine changes in cAMP. Results During 2-minute stimulation with DA, the cytoplasmic cAMP level quickly increased and then decreased to a plateau, where the cAMP level was higher than the level prior to stimulation with DA. EtOH concentration dependently increased cytoplasmic cAMP in cells transfected with AC7, while EtOH did not have effect on cells transfected with AC3. Similar trends were observed for cAMP at the plasma membrane and in the nucleus during 2-minute stimulation with DA. Unexpectedly, when cells expressing AC7 were stimulated with DA or other Gs-coupled receptor's ligand plus EtOH for 5 seconds, EtOH reduced cAMP concentration. Conclusions These results suggest that EtOH has 2 opposing effects on the cAMP-generating system in an AC isoform-specific manner, the enhancing effect on AC activity and the short-lived inhibitory effect. Thus, EtOH may have a different effect on cAMP depending on not only AC isoform but also the duration of exposure.
New Universality Class for Kinetic Gelation

Percolation is often used as a model for critical behavior of the sol-gel transition. A three-dimensional kinetic model for gelation, similar to that of Manneville and de Seze, is investigated with a Monte Carlo method. By looking at the ratios of the critical amplitudes of the "susceptibility" (weight-average degree of polymerization) below and above the percolation threshold, clear evidence is found that this model is neither in the universality class of standard percolation nor in that of classical (Flory-Stockmayer) theory.
The role of proctosigmoidoscopy in laparoscopic pelvic surgery

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the efficiency and safety of rigid sigmoidoscopy during operative laparoscopy in patients at high risk for rectosigmoid and large bowel disease or injury. Methods: We conducted a prospective study of 262 women treated for rectosigmoid endometriosis and adhesions at the Center for Special Pelvic Surgery in Atlanta, Georgia. All of the subjects underwent a rigid sigmoidoscopy during laparoscopy. At the end of surgery, proctosigmoidoscopy was performed for the evaluation of any intraluminal abnormality or rectosigmoid injury. The pelvis was then filled with isotonic fluid to observe laparoscopically any air leakage. Results: Sigmoidoscopy was indicated due to a lesion involving the rectum or sigmoid in 60.7%, the large bowel in 11.1%, and the posterior cul-de-sac in 28.2% of the cases. The primary indication for surgery was pelvic pain, endometriosis, or adhesions in 88.6%. During laparoscopy, endometriosis was found in 30.5%, adhesions in 20.2%, and both in 43.5%. Intentional or unintentional bowel perforation occurred in 44 (16.8%) patients. In four (1.5%) patients, the bowel injury was identified during sigmoidoscopy. All participants were treated by intracorporeal laparoscopic suturing. One incomplete repair was detected by sigmoidoscopy. In 1 (0.4%) case, a rectal polyp was detected. Conclusions: Bowel injury is recognized as one of the most serious complications of laparoscopy. Early recognition and prompt intraoperative management are essential to prevent a potentially catastrophic outcome. Sigmoidoscopy is a relatively easy procedure during laparoscopy and aids in the diagnosis of bowel perforation and in assessment of bowel wall invasion and any potential stricture caused by endometriosis. It is a safe procedure, even when performed immediately after extensive laparoscopic surgical treatment of rectosigmoid endometriosis and adhesions. Sigmoidoscopy may be used with discretion as a diagnostic and risk management tool during laparoscopic surgery of the rectosigmoid colon.
Compressibilities of Some Solidified Gases at Low Temperature

The compressibilities of several solidified gases have been measured by applying a one-sided compression directly to a cylindrical sample, and observing the resulting volume change. Pressure was conveyed to the samples at low temperature by means of long stainless steel compression and tension members. Preliminary extrusion experiments with these solidified gases assured that the pressure applied to the samples was always at least approximately hydrostatic. Compressibility data have been obtained at pressures up to 10 000 kg/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ for solid hydrogen and deuterium at 4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, and to 4000 kg/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ for solid neon at 4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, solid argon at 65\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, and solid krypton at 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. A single less accurate determination has also been made for solid nitrogen up to 3000 kg/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$.