cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PatchMatch: a randomized correspondence algorithm for structural image editing

This paper presents interactive image editing tools using a new randomized algorithm for quickly finding approximate nearest-neighbor matches between image patches. Previous research in graphics and vision has leveraged such nearest-neighbor searches to provide a variety of high-level digital image editing tools. However, the cost of computing a field of such matches for an entire image has eluded previous efforts to provide interactive performance. Our algorithm offers substantial performance improvements over the previous state of the art (20-100x), enabling its use in interactive editing tools. The key insights driving the algorithm are that some good patch matches can be found via random sampling, and that natural coherence in the imagery allows us to propagate such matches quickly to surrounding areas. We offer theoretical analysis of the convergence properties of the algorithm, as well as empirical and practical evidence for its high quality and performance. This one simple algorithm forms the basis for a variety of tools -- image retargeting, completion and reshuffling -- that can be used together in the context of a high-level image editing application. Finally, we propose additional intuitive constraints on the synthesis process that offer the user a level of control unavailable in previous methods.
DNA Adsorption and Cationic Bilayer Deposition on Self-Assembled Monolayers

A cationic bilayer adsorbed to a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of alkylthiols could be a useful substrate for DNA immobilization and patterning. Therefore, we studied the layer formation of a self-assembled system consisting of a base layer of a negatively charged SAM chemisorbed on gold, a middle layer of an electrostatically adsorbed cationic bilayer, and a top layer of double-stranded DNA that electrostatically adsorbs to the cationic bilayer. The formation of DNA, lipid, and alkylthiol layers was monitored by surface plasmon spectroscopy. Cationic lipids readily formed layers with thickness between 32 and 33 A on self-assembled alkylthiols possessing terminal carboxylic acid groups within 24 h and at pH > 2. Fluorescence bleaching experiments indicated that these layers were homogeneous and relatively immobile. For comparison, we found that cationic lipids do not form layers on alkylthiols possessing a terminal alcohol group, while zwitterionic lipids formed bilayers on these surfaces and on the carb...
Modification of insulin resistance by diazoxide in obese Zucker rats

Hyperinsulinism, insulin resistance, and decreased number of insulin receptors are characteristic of obesity in both humans and experimental animals. To assess the role of insulin in developing obesity, diazoxide (DZ), an inhibitor of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, was administered for 8 weeks to 7-week-old female Zucker rats in two concentrations, 50 mg/kg.day (LD-DZ), and 100 mg/kg.day (HD-DZ). The obese and lean rats were divided into three subgroups: diazoxide (DZ), pair-fed (PF), and control (C) groups (n = 6 rats/subgroup-genotype). Diazoxide-treated obese and lean animals showed significantly lower postabsorptive plasma insulin concentrations (P < 0.005) than their respective obese and lean PF and C subgroups. HD-DZ obese rats consumed more calories (P < 0.001), yet gained less weight (P < 0.05) than PF and C rats. The plasma glucose concentrations in the postabsorptive state and during glucose tolerance tests in HD-DZ obese rats were significantly lower than those in PF and C rats (P < 0.01...
Occlusive Hepatic Venous Catheterization in the Study of the Normal Liver, Cirrhosis of the Liver and Noncirrhotic Portal Hypertension

The technic of occlusive venous catheterization has been applied to the liver. The pressure, measured in a small occluded hepatic vein and termed the wedged hepatic venous pressure, correlates well with the portal venous pressure in cats. An elevation of the wedged pressure in man, in the presence of a normal central venous pressure, is diagnostic of cirrhosis. This has proved to be of clinical value in the differentiation of intrahepatic from extrahepatic portal hypertension. The higher wedged hepatic venous pressures in cirrhosis are correlated with the presence of varices or jaundice, but not with the presence of ascites.
Paying workers or paying lawyers: Employee termination practices in the United States and Canada

This article explores one multinational corporation’s employee termination practices in the United States and Canada. There are fairly insignificant differences in employees’ legal protections in the two countries and the company claims a uniform corporate employee termination process cross-nationally. However, there are major structural and procedural differences in the employee termination process. The differences, including the way attorneys are utilized, the use of quasi-legal personnel to comply with regulatory requirements, and the substance of the severance package are explored. In the United States money is directed toward legal professionals –“paying lawyers” while in Canada expenses associated with employee termination go to severance packages –“paying workers.”
Vitamin B1 and liver extract in the treatment of non-specific chronic diarrhea and colitis

1. Chronic diarrheas of unknown etiology may respond almost specifically to the administration of Vitamin B1. Most cases will improve on oral therapy alone but some may require treatment by injection. 2. A number of patients suffering from constipation predominately of the atonic type, occasional short bouts of diarrhea, mucus in the stools and varying degrees of abdominal distress, gas and general exhaustion (mucous colitis) respond favorably to treatment with Vitamin B1. The majority of these cases require treatment parenterally but some will show improvement on oral therapy alone. 3. The majority of patients with idiopathic ulcerative colitis will develop a remission during the first month of therapy with concentrated liver extract administered parenterally. This is borne out by the improvement which occurred in 18 of 19 cases so treated. The improvement is not only symptomatic but the characteristic ulcerations of the bowel tend to heal. 4. The32 patients with chronic diarrhea and colitis which were treated with Vitamin B1 and with liver extract were ordinarily not cured, as exacerbations usually occurred after the treatment was stopped. 5. The effectiveness of liver extract in the treatment of ulcerative colitis is apparently not due to Vitamin B1 or to Vitamin B2 but to some as yet unidentified substance contained in the extract. It seems probable that this substance improves the resistance of the colon to infection.
Long-term effects of Bisphenol AF (BPAF) on hormonal balance and genes of hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis and liver of zebrafish (Danio rerio), and the impact on offspring

Bisphenol AF (BPAF) is one of the analogues of bisphenol A (BPA) and is widely used as a raw material in the plastics industry. The potential toxicity to fish from exposure to BPAF in the aquatic environment is largely unknown. In this study, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to BPAF at 5, 25 and 125 μg L(-1), from 4 hour-post-fertilization (hpf) to 120 day-post-fertilization (dpf), representing the period from embryo to adult. The levels of plasma hormones were measured and the expression of selected representative genes along the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis and liver were examined. The concentration of 17β-estradiol (E2) was significantly increased in male and female fish and a significant decrease of testosterone (T) was observed in male fish. The mRNA expression of genes along the HPG axis and in liver tissues in F0 generation fish demonstrated that the steroid hormonal balances of zebrafish were modulated through the alteration of steroidgenesis. The significant decrease of egg fertilization among offspring indicates the possibility of sperm deterioration of parent following exposure to BPAF. The higher occurrence of malformation and lower survival rate in the offspring from the exposure group suggested a possibility of maternal transfer of BPAF, which could be responsible for the increased prevalence of adverse health signs in the offspring. The hatching delay in 5 μg L(-1) BPAF indicated that parental exposure to environmentally relevant concentration of BPAF would result in delayed hatching of the offspring. A potential consequence of adverse effects in the offspring by BPAF deserves further investigation.
Incidence of peptic ulcer as determined by radiologic examinations in the pediatric age group

The incidence of peptic ulcer in infants and children, determined by radiologicexaminations, is difficult to evaluate because of contradictory reports in the radiologic and pediatric literature. There are a number of reports which suggest that gastric and duodenal ulceration in children is a common lesion found in a high percentage of gastrointestinal tract examinations. In order to evaluate this incidence more accurately, a poll of the number of cases of peptic ulcer diagnosed by radiologic examination was obtained from pediatric hospitals in different parts of the United States and Canada. The response from twenty-nine hospitals indicated that the average number of cases of peptic ulcer seen in each hospital per year was 1.9. The number of peptic ulcers involving the stomach and duodenum in children seen at the Texas Children's Hospital was then determined and compared with the over-all number from the survey; the results were essentially the same. Consequently, it is believed that in spite of an occasional report emphasizing the common occurrence of peptic ulcer in the pediatric age group, radiologic identification of this lesion remains rare.
A randomized, clinical trial comparing the efficacy of continuous nebulized albuterol (15 mg) versus continuous nebulized albuterol (15 mg) plus ipratropium bromide (2 mg) for the treatment of acute asthma.

Multiple studies have examined adding nebulized ipratropium bromide to intermittent albuterol for the treatment of acute asthma. Although continuous nebulized treatments in themselves offer benefits; few data exist regarding the efficacy of adding ipratropium bromide to a continuous nebulized system. To compare continuous nebulized albuterol alone (A) vs. albuterol and ipratropium bromide (AI) in adult Emergency Department (ED) patients with acute asthma, a prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was conducted on a convenience sample of patients (IRB approved). The setting was an urban ED. Consenting patients > 18 years of age with peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR) < 70% predicted, between October 15 and December 28, 1999, were randomized to albuterol (7.5 mg/h) + ipratropium bromide (1.0 mg/h), or albuterol alone via continuous nebulization using the Hope Nebulizer (BB mean improvement in PEFR at 120 min compared to baseline (time 0) (A) = 116.5 L/min (95% CI 84.5-148.5), (AI) = 126.4 L/min (95% CI 95.4-157.4). There was no statistically significant difference in admission rates between groups: 5/30 (A) and 8/32 (AI) (p = 0.62). There were no significant differences in mean improvement of PEFR at either 60 or 120 min between ED patients with acute asthma receiving continuous albuterol alone vs. those receiving albuterol in combination with ipratropium bromide.
Unexpected lethal pulmonary hypertension in a 5-year-old girl successfully treated for biliary atresia

There appears to be a relationship between portal and pulmonary hypertension. A 5-year-old girl treated for biliary atresia developed this combination unexpectedly and died of pulmonary hypertension. Established pulmonary hypertension has a poor prognosis, which underscores the importance of early diagnosis by regular screening.
The Stoichiometric Production of IL-2 and IFN-γ mRNA Defines Memory T Cells That Can Self-Renew After Adoptive Transfer in Humans

Adoptive immunotherapy using ex vivo-expanded tumor-reactive lymphocytes can mediate durable cancer regression in selected melanoma patients. Analyses of these trials have associated the in vivo engraftment ability of the transferred cells with their antitumor efficacy. Thus, there is intensive clinical interest in the prospective isolation of tumor-specific T cells that can reliably persist after transfer. Animal studies have suggested that central memory CD8(+) T cells (T(CM)) have divergent capabilities including effector differentiation to target antigen and stem cell-like self-renewal that enable long-term survival after adoptive transfer. We sought to isolate human melanoma-specific T(CM) to define their in vivo fate and function after autologous therapeutic transfer to metastatic patients. To facilitate the high-throughput identification of these rare cells from patients, we report that T(CM) have a defined stoichiometric production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) mRNA after antigen stimulation. Melanoma-specific T cells screened for high relative IL-2 production had a T(CM) phenotype and superior in vitro proliferative capacity compared to cells with low IL-2 production. To investigate in vivo effector function and self-renewal capability, we allowed melanoma-specific T(CM) to undergo in vitro expansion and differentiation into lytic effector clones and then adoptively transferred them back into their hosts. These clones targeted skin melanocytes in all five patients and persisted long term and reacquired parental T(CM) attributes in four patients after transfer. These findings demonstrate the favorable engraftment fitness for human T(CM)-derived clones, but further efforts to improve their antitumor efficacy are still necessary.
Dynamic response of naphthalene biodegradation in a continuous flow soil slurry reactor.

Periodic perturbations were used to evaluate the system stability and robustness of naphthalene biodegradation in a continuous flow stirred tank reactor (CSTR) containing a soil slurry. The experimental design involved perturbing the test system using a sinusoidal input either of naphthalene or non-naphthalene organic carbon at different frequencies during steady state operation of the reactors. The response of the test system was determined by using time series off-gas analysis for naphthalene liquid phase concentration and degradation, total viable cell counts, and gene probe analysis of naphthalene degradative genotype, and by batch mineralization assays. Naphthalene biodegradation rates were very high throughout the experimental run (95 to >99% removed) resulting in very low or undetectable levels of naphthalene in the off-gas and reactor effluent. Attempts to reduce the rate of naphthalene biotransformation by either reducing the reactor temperature from 20°C to 10°C or the dissolved oxygen level (>1 mg/L) were unsuccessful. Significant naphthalene biodegradation was observed at 4°C. While variable, the microbial community as measured by population densities was not significantly affected by temperature changes. In terms of naphthalene biotransformation, the system was able to adapt readily to all perturbations in the reactor.
The Feasibility of Studying the Health Implications of Surface Beryllium Contamination: A Review of Eight Industries

It has been suggested that beryllium can enter through either intact skin or breaks in the skin to initiate sensitization. Therefore, it is essential that all possible pathways of exposure be considered when assessing a work site for potential exposure to beryllium. A meta-analysis was done on the data from eight different industries that use beryllium or beryllium alloys, which were surveyed by Occupational Safety and Health Administration contractors, with reports being issued. During those visits, measurements were made to characterize worker exposure to skin and surface contamination levels of beryllium. Surface contamination evaluation followed the well-established protocol for lead surface contamination measurements using NIOSH Method 9100 and hand contamination using NIOSH Method 9102. It was found that both the arithmetic and geometric means of the surface samples were significantly higher in work areas as compared to administrative areas. Skin samples were also higher for individuals in production areas than for those in non-production areas. If skin contamination is a route of sensitization, these results would mean that past studies of beryllium exposure and subsequent disease might have been confounded by the lack of skin exposure data.
Consumer cost effectiveness of CO 2 mitigation policies in restructured electricity markets

We examine the cost of carbon dioxide mitigation to consumers in restructured USA markets under two policy instruments, a carbon price and a renewable portfolio standard (RPS). To estimate the effect of policies on market clearing prices, we constructed hourly economic dispatch models of the generators in PJM and in ERCOT. We find that the cost effectiveness of policies for consumers is strongly dependent on the price of natural gas and on the characteristics of the generators in the dispatch stack. If gas prices are low (~$4/MMBTU), a technology-agnostic, rational consumer seeking to minimize costs would prefer a carbon price over an RPS in both regions. Expensive gas (~$7/MMBTU) requires a high carbon price to induce fuel switching and this leads to wealth transfers from consumers to low carbon producers. The RPS may be more cost effective for consumers because the added energy supply lowers market clearing prices and reduces CO2 emissions. We find that both policies have consequences in capacity markets and that the RPS can be more cost effective than a carbon price under certain circumstances: continued excess supply of capacity, retention of nuclear generators, and high natural gas prices.
Alkyl free radicals from the β-scission of fatty acid alkoxyl radicals as detected by spin trapping in a lipoxygenase system

Abstract 2-Methyl-2-nitrosopropane (tNB)-radical adducts from incubation mixtures of fatty acids and soybean lipoxygenase in borate buffer (pH 9.0) were measured by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). In addition to the previously reported six-line signal of secondary carbon-centered radicals (RĊHR′), a weak signal submerged in the baseline was detected after the peroxidation phase was finished. We propose that this radical is a decomposition product formed via β-scission of fatty acid alkoxyl radicals. EPR spectra of tNB-radical adducts formed in mixtures of either linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, or 15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid with lipoxygenase exhibited hyperfine structure characteristic of tNB/·CH2CH2R with hyperfine coupling constants: aN = 17.1 G; aβH = 11.2 G (2H); and aγH = 0.6 G (2H). In the case of linolenic acid, this radical adduct showed hyperfine structure characteristic of tNB/·CH2CHCHR′ with hyperfine coupling constants: aN = 17.1 G; aβH = 10.9 G (2H); aγH = 1.1 G; and aδH = 0.5 G. In accord with the decomposition scheme of hydroperoxides derived from unsaturated fatty acids, the radical adducts tNB/·CH2CH2R and tNB/·CH2 CHz.dbnd;CH z.sbnd;R′ were assigned as the pentyl and 2-pentenyl radicals, respectively.
Subharmonic structure in superconducting tunnel junctions

Abstract A structure is sometimes apparent in the current-voltage characteristic in tunnel junctions at voltages equal to submultiples of the superconducting energy gaps. The origin of this subharmonic structure has never been satisfactorily established. We report here briefly on three new experiments which clearly identify the Josephson effect as the cause of the subharmonic structure.
Correction of density changes caused by methodological errors in CADIA

Quantitative evaluation of radiographic changes by computer-assisted densitometric image analysis (CADIA) requires exact knowledge about method errors. In the present study, density change errors were determined from pairs of films with "no change". From this distribution of error values, a series of threshold values for correction of changes due to method errors was selected. The threshold values were then applied to results from analysis of densitometric changes in sites with "known loss" or "no change" of the alveolar bone among films from cynomolgus monkeys. The density errors formed non-normal distributions with no difference in magnitudes between the absolute values expressing density decreases and density increases in the same areas. Calculation of sensitivity, specificity, type 1 and type 2 errors showed that these variables were clearly influenced by selection of different threshold values for correction of the density change errors. It is therefore recommended that threshold values be determined for each analytical system initially as well as following any equipment or computer program modification. Before selecting the threshold value for a specific radiographic analysis, the desired level of sensitivity and specificity should be evaluated.
What Meaneth This? Pentecostals and Theological Inquiry

This article investigates what it means to maintain a Pentecostal theology by asking whether Pentecostals have any theological distinctives to offer, and, if so, how they may be identified. The first part begins with two recent approaches that seek to articulate what is theologically distinctive for Pentecostals through an appeal to spiritual experience. Following a critique of those approaches, the author proposes a constructive framework within which theological distinctives may emerge. The article concludes by applying the framework to the doctrine of scripture as a test case in order to determine what may be theologically distinct in the Pentecostal confession about that doctrine.
Neuroendocrine control of insect ecdysis by eclosion hormone

Abstract The peptides eclosion hormone (EH) and ecdysis-triggering hormone (ETH) trigger ecdysis behaviors and other physiological changes which occur at the end of the molt. EH is synthesized in a discrete set of cerebral neurosecretory cells, and is released into the central nervous system and into the hemolymph in response to the declining ecdysteroid titers. The onset of behavioral sensitivity to EH action is similarly controlled by ecdysteroids. EH is released from the ventral nerve cord for larval and pupal ecdyses, and from the corpora cardiaca for adult ecdysis. This transition is mediated by the restructuring of the EH cells during adult development, so that they elaborate an axon which extends to the CC for storage and release of EH just prior to adult ecdysis. ETH is released from the Inka cells, a component of the segmentally paired epitracheal glands, and acts directly on the central nervous system (CNS) to trigger preecdysis and ecdysis behavior. Although EH is best understood in lepidopteran insects, accumulating evidence suggests that EH is present in all insects and may provide a general hormonal mechanism to regulate ecdysis.
Glyburide Enhances the Responsiveness of the β-Cell to Glucose but Does not Correct the Abnormal Patterns of Insulin Secretion in Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

Eleven patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus were studied before and after 6-10 weeks of glyburide therapy. Patients were studied during a 24-h period on a mixed diet comprising 30 Cal/kg divided into three meals. The following day a hyperglycemic clamp study was performed, with glucose levels clamped at 300 mg/dL (16.7 mmol/L) for a 3-h period. Insulin secretion rates were calculated by deconvolution of peripheral C-peptide concentrations using individual C-peptide clearance kinetics derived after bolus injection of biosynthetic human C-peptide. After 6-10 weeks on glyburide, the identical studies were repeated. In response to glyburide, the fasting plasma glucose level decreased from 12.3+−1.2 to 6.8+−0.9 mmol/L. Although the mean glucose over the 24 h of the meal study decreased from 12.7+−1.4 to 10.8+−1.2 mmol/L, postprandial hyperglycemia persisted on therapy, and after breakfast, glucose levels exceeded 10 mmol/L and did not return to fasting levels for the remainder of the day. Fasti...
Illumination preference and visual orientation of wild-reared mice, Peromyscus leucopus

A two-phase study was conducted with Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis. In the field, frequency of captures was examined relative to nocturnal cloud cover and moon visibility. No relationships were apparent. In the laboratory, preferences of wild-reared mice for opposing visual cues under contrasting levels of illuminance were studied. Mice preferred an illumination equivalent to that striking a field on a clear, moonlit night (0.020 foot-candle) to the average of that striking the forest floor on a cloudy, moonlit night (0.005 foot-candle). At the lower intensity, mice showed no preference between two identical boxes placed vertically or horizontally. At the higher level of illuminance, there was a preference for the horizontal box, suggesting a tendency to orient toward horizontal objects over vertical ones at certain light levels. Higher natural nocturnal illuminance is not avoided (and may actually be preferred) by P. leucopus. Vision may be an important sensory modality in orientation and navigation under these conditions.
The Importance of Synthesis: A Suggestion for International Research Efforts

In a scientific discipline, it is common to deal with a system that consists of many elements or subsystems. Most of us engage in the study of system components and their elements by dividing and subdividing them, leading to the trend of infinite specialization. However, at a certain point during the course of the development of a scientific discipline, a grand synthesis enables the distillation and coalescence of disparate results into a coherent understanding of the system as a whole. Synthesis also allows us to test and validate hypotheses, understand key processes, and better design future research efforts. Indeed, when a discipline succeeds in synthesis, it can make distinct, often epoch-making progress, leading the discipline to higher levels of understanding of the system being studied. The concept of plate tectonics is an outstanding example of synthesis in the geosciences [Stewart, 1990].
Crystal structures of a Formin Homology-2 domain reveal a tethered dimer architecture

Formin proteins participate in a wide range of cytoskeletal processes in all eukaryotes. The defining feature of formins is a highly conserved approximately 400 residue region, the Formin Homology-2 (FH2) domain, which has recently been found to nucleate actin filaments. Here we report crystal structures of the S. cerevesiae Bni1p FH2 domain. The mostly alpha-helical FH2 domain forms a unique "tethered dimer" in which two elongated actin binding heads are tied together at either end by an unusual lasso and linker structure. Biochemical and crystallographic observations indicate that the dimer is stable but flexible, with flexibility between the two halves of the dimer conferred by the linker segments. Although each half of the dimer is competent to interact with filament ends, the intact dimer is required for actin nucleation and processive capping. The tethered dimer architecture may allow formins to stair-step on the barbed end of an elongating nascent filament.
Coupled theory of mixtures for clayey soils

Abstract In this work, elasto-plastic coupled equations are formulated in order to describe the time-dependent deformation of saturated cohesive soils (two-phase state). Formulation of these equations is based on the principle of virtual work and the theory of mixtures for inelastic porous media. The theory of mixtures for a linear elastic porous skeleton was first developed by Biot (Theory of elasticity and consolidation for a porous anisotropic solid, Journal of Applied Physics, 1955, 26, 188–185). An extension of Biot's theory into a nonlinear inelastic media was performed by Prevost (Mechanics of continuous porous media, International Journal of Engineering Science, 1980, 18, 787–800). The saturated soil is considered as a mixture of two deformable media, the solid grains and the water. Each medium is regarded as a continuum and follows its own motion. The flow of pore-water through the voids is assumed to follow Darcy's law. The coupled equations are developed for large deformations with finite strains in an updated Lagrangian reference frame. The coupled behavior of the two-phase materials (soil-water state) is implemented in a finite element program. A modified Cam-clay model is adopted and implemented in the finite element program in order to describe the plastic behavior of clayey soils. Penetration of a piezocone penetrometer in soil is numerically simulated and implemented into a finite element program. The piezocone penetrometer is assumed to be infinitely stiff. The continuous penetration of the cone is simulated by applying an incremental vertical movement of the cone tip boundary. Results of the finite element numerical simulation are compared with experimental measurements conducted at Louisiana State University using the calibration chamber. The numerical simulation is carried out for two cases. In the first case, the interface friction between the soil and the piezocone penetrometer is neglected. In the second case, interface friction is assumed between the soil and the piezocone. The results of the numerical simulations are compared with experimental laboratory measurements.
Accuracy Components in Person Perception Scores and the Scoring System as an Artifact in Investigations of the Generality of Judging Ability

Cronbach (1955) has proposed that accuracy of person perception scores be divided into several components as follows: Total. Elevation, Differential Elevation, Stereotype Accuracy, and Differential...
Study by Synchrotron Radiation of the Structure of a Working Catalyst at High Temperatures and Pressures

A relation among activity, composition, and structure was determined for a working catalyst by means of a stainless-steel reactor cell of novel design that permitted operation at temperatures and pressures similar to those in industrial reactors. Molybdenum K-edge x-ray absorption spectra were used to probe the structural environment of molybdenum in CoMoS/[unknown]-alumina catalysts while hydro-desulfurization of benzothiophene was proceeding at high temperature and pressure. For catalyst samples with different contents of cobalt, radial structure functions obtained from extended x-ray absorption fine structure data presented the same features as those obtained from the spectra of MoS2/[unknown]-alumina reference samples. Moreover, Mo-S and Mo-Mo coordination numbers were maximum for the sample with an atomic ratio of Co to (Co + Mo) of 0.33; this sample was also the most active catalyst tested.
Anatomy and computational modeling of networks underlying cognitive-emotional interaction

The classical dichotomy between cognition and emotion equated the first with rationality or logic and the second with irrational behaviors. The idea that cognition and emotion are separable, antagonistic forces competing for dominance of mind has been hard to displace despite abundant evidence to the contrary. For instance, it is now known that a pathological absence of emotion leads to profound impairment of decision making. Behavioral observations of this kind are corroborated at the mechanistic level: neuroanatomical studies reveal that brain areas typically described as underlying either cognitive or emotional processes are linked in ways that imply complex interactions that do not resemble a simple mutual antagonism. Instead, physiological studies and network simulations suggest that top-down signals from prefrontal cortex realize ``cognitive control'' in part by either suppressing or promoting emotional responses controlled by the amygdala, in a way that facilitates adaptation to changing task demands. Behavioral, anatomical, and physiological data suggest that emotion and cognition are equal partners in enabling a continuum or matrix of flexible behaviors that are subserved by multiple brain regions acting in concert. Here we focus on neuroanatomical data that highlight circuitry that structures cognitive-emotional interactions by directly or indirectly linking prefrontal areas with the amygdala. We also present an initial computational circuit model, based on anatomical, physiological and behavioral data to explicitly frame the learning and performance mechanisms by which cognition and emotion interact to achieve flexible behavior.
Performance trajectory of students in the engineering disciplines

The purpose of this study is to examine differences in student performance among engineering disciplines, as measured by term GPA's. Results indicate that: 1) Women outperform men in most engineering disciplines; 2) Student performance starts low at the freshman level, drops slightly at the sophomore level, and then increases over the junior and senior levels (without controlling for mortality); 3) Significant differences in GPA's remain between majors after controlling for relative SAT score, academic class level, race, and gender; 4) After controlling for major, relative SAT score, academic class level, and race, the gender gap in performance grows even larger.
A novel interface for on‐line coupling of liquid capillary chromatography with matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization detection

A novel interface has been developed which should allow the direct on-line coupling of liquid capillary chromatography with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry detection. The interface employs continuous analyte/matrix co-crystallization onto a porous frit installed at a capillary end which is used as the target for MALDI. After separation, the analyte effluent is premixed with the MALDI matrix solution and introduced into the interface. The analyte/matrix mixture is co-crystallized onto the frit surface in the vacuum environment of the mass spectrometer. Continuous matrix/analyte crystallization and interface regeneration is accomplished by a combination of solvent flushing and laser ablation. The memory effect is negligible over a dynamic range of ca. 200. Several applications, including analysis of small peptides and combination with gel permeation chromatography (GPC), have indicated that the on-line MALDI interface does not sacrifice chromatographic or mass spectral resolution, and have demonstrated the possibility of a reliable LC-MALDI system. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of adverse geological condition on TBM operation in Ghomroud tunnel conveyance project

Abstract With the planned length of 36 km, Ghomroud tunnel is one of the longest tunnels under construction in central Iran. About half or 18 km of this tunnel was excavated by a double shield TBM. Several adverse geological conditions encountered, consisting of ground squeezing and face collapse, hindering TBM performance, and caused several TBM stoppages and jamming. This paper presents the impact of ground conditions on machine performance based on the information obtained from field observations and geotechnical site investigations. As built geological conditions are described while the method and results of tunnel convergence measurements and their impacts on tunneling operation is examined. Based on the detail study of the available geological information and tunnel convergence measurements, it was evident that the existence of weak structures in rock mass resulted in high rate of the convergence, which was the dominant factor in the TBM jamming. Since it was not possible to make observation and measurements of geological parameters when working in a lined tunnel built by a shielded machine, an attempt was made to correlate TBM operational parameters and ground convergence. The preliminary result of the analysis has indicated a good correlation among machine’s operational parameters and tunnel convergence. If the system is fully developed, these parameters can be used as an indicator of the potential for high rates of convergence. An early warning on ground convergence is essential for taking precautionary measures to avoid TBM from getting jammed by squeezing ground.
Invisible and at risk: STDs among young adult sexual minority women in the United States.

Context Sexual minority women are not adequately assessed by national STD surveillance systems, and research regarding STD burden in nationally representative samples of such women is rare. Moreover, few studies have assessed STD risk exclusively among young adult women. Methods Wave 4 (2007–2008) data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health on 7,296 females aged 24–32 were used to examine the relationship between sexual orientation and receipt of an STD diagnosis in the past year. Multivariate logistic regression analyses used two measures of sexual orientation: sexual identity and gender of sex partners. Results Eighty percent of women considered themselves straight; 16% mostly straight; and 4% bisexual, mostly gay or gay. Eighty-five percent had had only male partners, while 7% had had one female partner, and 8% two or more female partners. In unadjusted models, women who identified themselves as mostly straight were more likely than straight women to have had an STD (odds ratio, 1.4); mostly gay or gay women were at lower risk (0.4). Women who had had two or more female partners had a higher STD risk than did women who had had only male partners (1.7). Adjusting for social and demographic characteristics did not substantially alter these results; however, the associations between sexual identity, gender of sex partners and STD diagnosis were eliminated after adjustment for sexual behaviors (e.g., having had anal sex). Conclusions Sexual identity, gender of sex partners and sexual behaviors should be taken into account in assessments of women's STD risk.
Observations on the Bionomics of Culicoides tristriatulus Hoffman with Notes on C. alaskensis Wirth and other Species at Valdez, Alaska, Summer 1949 (Diptera, Heleidae).

To the genus Culicoides (Diptera, Heleidae) belong those small haematophagous gnats which are commonly referred to as “punkies,” “no-see-ums,” “sand-flies,” and in some areas of the Arctic “mooseflies.” Hill (1947) discusses the existing knowledge concerning the bionomics of this genus, the paucity of which is in marked contrast to the vast amount of accumulated information pertaining to other blood-sucking pests.
Development of neural processes mediating rhyme judgments: Phonological and orthographic interactions.

Development of neural processes underlying integration of phonological and orthographic information were assessed by measuring event-related brain potentials (ERPs), judgment accuracies and reaction times (RTs) in 20 children (9–10 years) and 20 adults performing visual rhyme judgments. Half the trials were phonologically and orthographically congruent across the prime-target pairs (e.g., thrown–own, cake–own), and half were incongruent (e.g., gown–own, cone–own). For both children and adults, behavioral performance was most affected when different phonological representations had to be encoded from similar orthographic representations (e.g., gown–own), and the amplitudes of the N350 reflected effects of both rhyme and phonological/orthographic congruency. Latencies of the N350 were shorter over the left hemisphere only in adults, and phonological/orthographic incongruence produced greater delays in children's processing. Therefore, it appears that neural systems mediating rhyming judgments develop early; however, adults exhibit increased efficiency for left-hemisphere processing and are less affected by interference from incongruent phonological and orthographic codes. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 43: 128–145, 2003.
Efforts of Bifurcation and Liberation: Deconstructing the Story of a Turn-of-the-Century Lesbian, Part Two.

This manuscript takes as its centerpiece fragments of the author's personal story of growing up as a closeted lesbian in school, in the Fortune 500, and in the community and of a number of years attempting to integrate her lesbian identity into her professional persona – outside of the closet. This manuscript makes an attempt at a “duality search” based on the work of Boje (2001), deconstructing the story as it examines the bifurcation between personal and public and, in this case more exactly, professional and sexual orientation identities. The tension between closeted outsider and the prevailing expectations for promising “insiders” in organizational settings is viewed in this manuscript through two related frames. The first draws from the concept of the Borderlands as articulated by Gloria Anzaldua (1987), and Adrienne Rich's (1979) work and perspective on lying. The second peers into the story through the lens of Benita Luckmann's (1978) concept of the modern emergence of separate, small worlds.
The APA and the Rise of Pediatric Generalist Network Research

Abstract The Academic Pediatric Association (APA, formerly the Ambulatory Pediatric Association) first encouraged multi-institutional collaborative research among its members over 30 years ago. Individual APA members subsequently went on to figure prominently in establishing formal research networks. These enduring collaborations have been established to conduct investigations in a variety of generalist contexts. At present, 4 generalist networks—Pediatric Research in Office Settings (PROS), the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN), the COntinuity Research NETwork (CORNET), and Pediatric Research in Inpatient Settings (PRIS)—have a track record of extensive achievement in generating new knowledge aimed at improving the health and health care of children. This review details the history, accomplishments, and future directions of these networks and summarizes the common themes, strengths, challenges, and opportunities inherent in pediatric generalist network research.
A Layer Stripping Fast Algorithm for the Two-Dimensional Direct Current Inverse Resistivity Problem

The inverse problem of reconstructing the resistivity of the earth, varying both laterally and with depth, from direct current measurements is considered. The problem is formulated as a multidimensional inverse scattering problem and solved using a layer stripping algorithm. This algorithm recursively reconstructs the resistivity and electrical potential on horizontal planes of increasing depth by downward continuation. This is the first exact solution to the inverse resistivity problem for resistivity varying laterally as well as with depth. The algorithm is an extension of an algorithm proposed by Levy for resistivity varying in one dimension.
Transformable Oxidation of Tantalum in Electrochemical Mechanical Polishing (ECMP)

A new methodology has been developed to investigate the oxidation state and processing of tantalum (Ta) during an electrochemical mechanical polishing (ECMP) process. Polishing experiments under different mechanical forces were conducted at constant potential. Faraday’s law was used to calculate the material removal rate (MRR), which was compared with measurements using an atomic force microscope (AFM). It was found that there were multiple valences of Ta and unknown types of its oxides formed during ECMP. The Preston equation was tailored to the current polishing conditions, showing that the MRR was a linear function of a mechanical force. It was found that, during ECMP, metastable oxides of Ta were formed. With higher mechanical force, more Ta suboxides were formed, while with lower mechanical force, more Ta pentoxide appeared. Such a mechano-oxidation process, from suboxides to the pentoxide, was illustrated using a physical model where the transition from suboxides to the pentoxide dominated. The present research demonstrates an effective ex situ method to study the in situ oxidation process of Ta. The present approach can be applied to other materials as well, and used to help researchers to understand and optimize the ECMP process.
A criterion for the non-existence of invariant circles

Les orbites periodiques de Birkhoff dans le probleme de la boule de billard. Le principe minimax. Generalisation des resultats de Birkhoff pour des applications tordues monotones conservant l'aire de l'anneau. Conditions necessaires et suffisantes pour l'existence de cercles invariants. Definition directe de ΔWω. Les orbites minimax des frequences irrationnelles. Infimum limite et supremum limite des sous-ensembles. Proprietes de semi-continuite. Proprietes d'ordre. Orbites minimax. Comparaison des orbites minimax. Convergence en mesure. Convergence des ensembles. Semi-continuite superieure de M'f,ω. La barriere d'energie de Peierls
Extracellular accumulation of aromatic compounds by a photosynthetic bacterium

Abstract Several aromatic phenolic compounds (including p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid) and related yellow pigments accumulate in illuminated anaerobic cultures of the purple bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum after exhaustion of the nitrogen source from a synthetic medium containing excess DL -malate and limiting quantities of ammonium sulfate. The present observations, together with recent reports in the literature, suggest that accumulation of aromatic compounds related to the “shikimic pathway” may be a common consequence of nitrogen deficiency under conditions where the carbon precursors continue to be generated.
High-Voltage Laue X-ray Photography of Large Single Crystals

The perfection of relatively large single crystals can be tested by Laue transmission x-ray diffraction photographs by using much higher voltages for the x-ray generation than are used in conventional diffraction experiments. The technique can be used for determining the orientation spread of subcrystal units and for studying the loss of primary extinction due to occluded chemical impurities. An advantage of this method is its possible application to crystals inside polycrystalline or glass containers.
Formal Three‐Electron Reduction by an f‐Element Complex: Formation of [{(C5Me5)(C8H8)U}2(C8H8)] from Cyclooctatetraene and [(C5Me5)3U]

Das Zusammenwirken von sterischer Hinderung und Reduktion durch das UIII-Zentrum macht den Komplex [(C5Me5)3U] zu einem formalen Dreielektronen-Reduktionsmittel in seiner Reaktion mit C8H8. Es entsteht 1 [Gl. (1)], das einen verbruckenden, nichtplanaren C8H82−-Liganden enthalt.
Small Conductance Calcium Activated Potassium Channels and Cardiac Arrhythmia

The mechanisms of arrhythmia in heart failure (HF) is attributed in part to the reduced repolarization reserve resulted from an upregulation of late Na+ current and the downregulation of multiple major K currents (Ito, IKS, IKr and IK1). In addition, IKATP is defective in HF, further reducing the ability of failing cells to shorten action potential duration (APD) during metabolic stress. While studying rabbit hearts with HF, Dr. Masahiro Ogawa made an unexpected observation that there is acute but reversible APD shortening after fibrillation-defibrillation episodes in failing (but not normal) rabbit ventricles. In addition, there are multiple spontaneous ventricular fibrillation (SVF) episodes after defibrillation shocks in rabbit hearts with most severe APD shortening. Recurrent SVF in HF might be due to increased diastolic Ca2+-membrane potential coupling gain due to downregulation of IK1, as reported by Dr. Mitsunori Maruyama. However, the acute APD shortening may also play a role in SVF by promoting late phase 3 early afterdepolarization (EAD) and triggered activity, leading to SVF. Chua et al. subsequently documented that upregulation of the apamin-sensitive potassium current (IKAS), a current conducted through the small conductance Ca2+ activated K+ channels, is responsible for postshock APD shortening. These findings suggest that IKAS upregulation increases repolarization reserve of HF but may also be proarrhythmic by excessive shortening of APD. IKAS may be a novel target for antiarrhythmic therapy for ventricular arrhythmias.
Congenital Leukemia: An Unusual Cause of Fetal Distress

An emergent cesarean delivery was performed on a 28-year-old nullipara following a non-reactive nonstress test, reports of absent fetal movement, and the ultrasonic observation of hydramnios and fe...