cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy for completion thyroidectomy

Abstract Objective Minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT) is among the most common alternatives to conventional open thyroidectomy. Previous reports have shown it to be safe and effective in patients without neck surgery history. However, this contraindication has been called into question in more recent small series. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MIVAT in patients with prior neck surgery. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the data of 178 patients who underwent completion thyroidectomy in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Loma Linda University Medical Center between July 2004 and July 2017. Patients were divided into MIVAT group and Conventional group based on method of surgery, and analysis with two sample tests of proportions was carried out as appropriate. Results Patients in MIVAT group had significantly shorter operative time (74.1 ± 26.4 min vs. 99.0 ± 49.3 min, p Conclusion MIVAT is feasible for re-operative patients with equivalent or superior outcomes to those of conventional thyroidectomy, and no significant difference in the incidences of common postoperative complications.
Home- and Community-Based Provider Preparation for Pennsylvania's Managed Long-term Services and Supports.

As Pennsylvania implements its managed long-term services and supports program, we explore how home- and community-based providers are preparing for and perceiving the transition through an online ...
Partial Specifications for Program Repair

In this paper we argue for using many partial test suites instead of one full test suite during program repair. This may provide a pool of simpler, yet correct patches, addressing both the overfitting and poor repair quality problem. To support this idea, we present some insight obtained running APR partial test suites on the well studied triangle program.
Separation of Stratiform and Convective Rain Types Using Data from an S-Band Polarimetric Radar: A Case Study Comparing Two Different Methods

Data from an S-band polarimetric radar located at a mid-latitude, coastal location are used to compare two different methods for identifying stratiform and convective rain regions. The first method entails the retrievals of two (main) parameters of the rain drop size distributions using the radar reflectivity and the differential reflectivity. The second technique is a well-known texture-based method which utilizes the radar reflectivity and its spatial variability. A widespread event with embedded line convection was used as a test case. The two methods were compared using 500 m by 500 m pixel resolution gridded data constructed from the radar volume scans. Only 12% of the pixels showed disagreement between the two methods.
Geologic CO2 Storage Optimization under Geomechanical Risk Using Coupled-Physics Models

Abstract Numerical simulation of fluid flow, transport, and trapping mechanisms have been used to optimize CO2 storage in geologic formations by improving trapping efficiency through injection strategies. Flow models, however, do not capture the geomechanical deformation that can occur during CO2 injection, including reservoir expansion, ground surface uplift, and induced seismicity. The geomechanical risks of CO2 injection have drawn more attention in recent years and coupled flow and geomechanical simulation models are increasingly used to study the geomechanical effects during CO2 injection, to ensure environmentally sound and safe operations. We present an optimization framework for geologic CO2 storage under geomechanical risks, where coupled flow-geomechanics simulations are used to quantify the risks of injection-induced ground surface deformation and rock failure in reservoir and caprock layers. A multi-objective optimization problem is formulated and solved to maximize CO2 storage while minimizing the two forms of geomechanical risks. The optimization decision variables include the locations of injection wells. Multiple numerical experiments with increasing complexity are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed framework. The results reveal optimal decisions that are different from those obtained from flow-only simulation that disregard the geomechanical risks associated with CO2 injection. When geomechanical risks are considered, the wells may not necessarily be concentrated in areas with the highest storage capacity because that may lead to rock failure and/or unacceptable levels of ground surface uplift. Overall, the observations from this study reveal important differences in optimization results and conclusions when geomechanical risks of geologic CO2 storage are considered.
Chitosan/acetylated starch composite films incorporated with essential oils: Physiochemical and antimicrobial properties

Abstract Due to increasing environmental concerns regarding plastic waste, the development of edible and biodegradable films from natural polymers and food additives is gaining more attention. In this study, chitosan/acetylated starch composite films containing cinnamon and clove essential oils were fabricated via a solution-casting technique. The effects of essential oil concentration on the physical, mechanical, barrier, microstructural, and antimicrobial properties of the films were evaluated. Films incorporated with the essential oils were darker, redder and yellower than control films without essential oils. The moisture content and water solubility of the films decreased by 22.7% and 21.6%, respectively, with the incorporation of 2.50% of essential oils. The incorporation of 2.00% of essential oils decreased the tensile strength and elongation at break of the films by 25.6% and 40.4%, respectively. All the films incorporated with essential oils displayed enhanced light, water vapor, and oxygen barrier characteristics. As the essential oil concentration increased to 2.50%, the film opacity increased by 795.8%, while the water vapor permeability and peroxide value decreased by 35.5% and 52.6%, respectively. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy results demonstrated well-dispersed essential oils in the polymer matrix. The films incorporated with essential oils exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against spoilage bacteria and the pathogen, Escherichia coli O157:H7, on beef. In conclusion, the films incorporated with essential oils displayed excellent barrier and antimicrobial properties and have a good potential to be used for edible food packaging applications.
18F-FDG Positron Emission Tomography in Myocardial Viability Assessment: A Practical and Time Efficient Protocol

We assessed image quality using a practical and time-efficient protocol for intravenous glucose loading and insulin injection prior to administration of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) for PET myocardial viability evaluation in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Metabolic preparation period (MPP) or optimal cardiac 18F-FDG uptake was determined from the time of intravenous infusion of 12.5 or 25 gram of 50% dextrose to the time of 18F-FDG injection. Cardiac 18F-FDG image quality was evaluated according to a 5-point scoring system (5=excellent to 1=non-diagnostic) by two independent observers. In cases of disagreement, consensus was achieved in a joint reading. Fifteen patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, who underwent oral glucose loading and i.v. insulin administration, served as reference for MPP comparisons. Results: 59 consecutive patients (age: 63±10yrs, men n = 48 and women n = 11) underwent rest 99mTc-tetrofosmin SPECT/CT and 18F-FDG PET/CT for the evaluation of myocardial viability. FDG image quality was scored as excellent in 42%, very good in 36%, good in 17%, fair in 3%, and non-diagnostic in 2%. Comparing diabetic and non-diabetic patients, the quality scores were excellent in 29% vs. 76% , very good in 41% vs. 18%, good in 24% vs. 6%, fair in 4% vs. 0% , and non-diagnostic in 2% vs. 0%. The mean (±SD) quality score was 4.12±0.95 and overall it was better in non-diabetic than in diabetic patients (4.71±0.59 vs 3.88±0.96; p<0.0001). Notably, the average MPP was significantly less with i.v. glucose loading when compared to oral glucose loading (51±15 vs. 132±29 min; p<0.0001), paralleled by higher insulin doses (6.3 ± 2.2 vs. 2.0 ± 1.69 U; p<0.001). Conclusion: Using a practical and time efficient protocol for i.v. glucose loading and insulin administration prior to 18F-FDG injection reduces the MPP by 61% as compared to oral glucose challenge that affords good-to-excellent image quality in 95% of ischemic cardiomyopathy patients.
Assessment of a rolling isolation system using reduced order structural models

This paper examines the performances of lightly- and heavily-damped rolling isolation systems (RISs) located within earthquake-excited structures. Six steel structures of varying height and stiffness are selected so as to represent a range of potential RIS installations. Computation models of representative frames from each of the six structures are reduced through dynamic condensation and assembled with models for biaxial isotropic hysteretic behavior within each floor. A novel reduced order modeling approach is presented in this paper. The method combines a dynamic condensation of a linear-elastic frame with the inelastic-push over curve for a detailed elastic–plastic frame model and a novel bi-axial hysteretic model for the net inter-story inelastic behavior. The reduced inelastic model combines stiffness and mass matrices from the reduced linear model with the bi-axial inelastic floor model, and is subsequently fit to push-over curves from the detailed hysteretic model. The resulting reduced order model has three coordinates per floor and provides a much simpler model for simulating the floor responses of inelastic structures. The resulting inelastic structural models are isotropic in plan and uniform along the height. Suites of recorded ground motions representative of near-fault and far-field hazards are scaled and inputted into these hysteretic reduced models. The bidirectional floor responses at varying heights are then applied to experimentally-validated models of lightly- and heavily-damped RISs. Empirical cumulative distribution functions of peak isolator responses (relative displacement and total acceleration) for the two systems are compared, from which installation guidelines are presented.
Toward the fully capable AI space mission planner

The necessity of expending numerous ground-side manhours to write extremely concise command codes for deep-space probes in-flight, which carry limited on-board processing capabilities, is encouraging the development of AI modules to perform the same task. An experimental automated sequence planner, Deviser, has proven successful enough, when used on a mainframe computer, to continue with the next generation of the concept, PLAN-IT, an expert scheduler for spacecraft observation targets. The new system will provide the ground-based user with interactive graphic displays for choosing targets and generates an expected time-line. An updated Deviser, using the new modules, will be tested after the Voyager Uranus encounter, and PLAN-IT will be employed to formulate Spacelab activity schedules.
Kinetics of Homoacetic Fermentation of Lactate by Clostridium formicoaceticum.

Clostridium formicoaceticum homofermentatively converted lactate to acetate at mesophilic temperatures (30 to 42°C) and at pHs between 6.6 and 9.6. The production of acetate was found to be growth associated. Approximately 0.96 g of acetic acid and 0.066 g of cells were formed from each gram of lactic acid consumed at 37°C. The concentration of the substrate (lactate) had little or no effect on the growth rate; however, the fermentation was inhibited by acetic acid. The bacterium grew at an optimal pH of 7.6 and an optimal temperature of 37°C. Small amounts of bicarbonate were stimulatory to bacterial growth. Bacterial growth was enhanced, however, by the use of higher concentrations of bicarbonate in the media, only because higher buffer capacities were obtained and proper medium pH could be maintained for growth. Based on its ability to convert lactate to acetate, this homoacetic bacterium may be important in the anaerobic methanogenic process when lactate is a major intermediary metabolite.
Governmental corruption in Africa: Sierra Leone as a case study

This paper examines the definition and context of official corruption in the emerging African nation of Sierra Leone. Historical, legal and sociological studies of the development of Sierra Leone and corruption within that nation are reviewed, as well as the content of official ljudicial inquiries into administrative corruption. These investigations and studies are supplemented with data from the primary author's experiences as a prosecutor and judge in Sierra Leone. Predisposing factors which facilitate corruption are identified and a variety of policies aimed at reform are discussed.
No Longer Independent: The Dynamics of Care Arrangements for Frail Elderly Parents

Abstract Data from the Parent Health Supplement of the 1991 interview wave of the Panel Studies of Income Dynamics were used to examine the changes in care arrangements for elderly parents (N = 1,028). Following the onset of their dependency, more than 60% of elderly parents experienced at least one form of institutionalization (hospital or nursing home). A majority of those who remained in the community also experienced changes in living/care arrangements, often moving in with someone or having someone move in with them. The findings confirm those of previous studies that health-related need factors and race are significant determinants of institutionalization immediately following the onset of dependency. But availability of caregivers and other enabling factors are also significant determinants of care settings used following hospitalization.
The abundances of cosmic ray particles with Z ≥ 3

Cosmic ray particle abundance in upper atmosphere during minimum solar activity estimated by nuclear photographic emulsions on balloon flight
Moisture Conditions for Laboratory Rearing of Cotton Fleahoppers1 from Overwintered Eggs Laid on Woolly Croton Plants

Abstract. The cotton fleahopper, Pseudatomoscelis seriatus (Reuter), is an economic pest of Texas cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., that feeds on and causes abortion of early-stage squares. Cotton fleahopper eggs are laid in late fall and overwinter on woolly croton, Croton capitatus Michx. Cotton fleahoppers terminate diapause in early spring in response to minimum required temperature and moisture conditions. A laboratory study quantified the effects of different amounts of moisture (soaking durations of field-collected dead woolly croton plants) on the emergence of cotton fleahopper nymphs from diapaused eggs. Five moisture treatments evaluated were: 1) 24-hour initial soaking and no further moistening of the substrate for the remainder of emergence duration (T1); 2) 2-hour initial soaking followed by daily mist spraying of the substrate (T2); 3) 2-hour initial soaking followed by 30-minute soaking for the next 7 days and thereafter mist spraying daily (T3); 4) 2-hour initial soaking followed by 30-minute...
Land, slave labor and law : Engaging ancient Israel' s economy

Engaging ancient Israel's economy is important for explicating economic processes in the social and legal composition of the society. Using biblical and extra-biblical texts, archaeological data, a...
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Role of Initial Condition of the Dynamics of Rayleigh-Taylor Mixing

Experiments and direct numerical simulations have been performed to examine the effects of initial conditions on the dynamics of a Rayleigh-Taylor mixing layer. Experiments were performed on a water channel facility to quantify the interfacial and velocity perturbations initially present at the two-fluid interface in a small Atwood number mixing layer. The measurements have been parameterized for implementation in numerical simulations of the experiment, and two- and three-dimensional direct numerical simulations (DNS) of the experiment have been performed. It is shown that simulations implemented with initial velocity perturbations are required to match experimentally-measured statistics. Data acquired from both the experiment and numerical simulations are used to elucidate the role of initial conditions on the evolution of integral-scale, turbulence, and mixing statistics. Early-time turbulence and mixing statistics will be shown to be strongly dependent upon the early-time transition of the initial perturbation from a weakly- to a strongly-nonlinear flow.
Military antenna design using simple and competent genetic algorithms

Over the past decade, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Antenna Technology Branch at Hanscom AFB has employed the simple genetic algorithm (SGA) as an optimization tool for a wide variety of antenna applications. Over roughly the same period, researchers at the Illinois Genetic Algorithm Laboratory (IlliGAL) at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign have developed GA design theory and advanced GA techniques called competent genetic algorithms-GAs that solve hard problems quickly, reliably, and accurately. Recently, under the guidance and direction of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), the two laboratories have formed a collaboration, the common goal of which is to apply simple, competent, and hybrid GA techniques to challenging antenna problems. This paper is composed of two parts. The first part of this paper summarizes previous research conducted by AFRL at Hanscom for which SGAs were implemented to obtain acceptable solutions to several antenna problems. This research covers diverse areas of interest, including array pattern synthesis, antenna test-bed design, gain enhancement, electrically small single bent wire elements, and wideband antenna elements. The second part of this paper starts by briefly reviewing the design theory and design principles necessary for the invention and implementation of fast, scalable genetic algorithms. A particular procedure, the hierarchical Bayesian optimization algorithm (hBOA) is then briefly outlined, and the remainder of the paper describes collaborative efforts of AFRL and IlliGAL to solve more difficult antenna problems. In particular, recent results of using hBOA to optimize a novel, wideband overlapped subarray system to achieve -35 dB sidelobes over a 20% bandwidth. The problem was sufficiently difficult that acceptable solutions were not obtained using SGAs. The case study demonstrates the utility of using more advanced GA techniques to obtain acceptable solution quality as problem difficulty increases.
Influence of static magnetic fields on chirally autocatalytic radical-pair reactions

Abstract In this note we discuss the conditions under which a static magnetic field can affect the enantiomeric excess produced by a chirally autocatalytic chemical reaction. These conditions may be attainable in a recently discovered family of reactions. A necessary condition is the magnetic field's ability to alter the rate of one or more key elementary steps in the kinetic reaction mechanism. No fundamental symmetry principle is violated. We demonstrate the possible quantitative aspects of this effect with a kinetic model.
Fertility and hormonal responses to temporary relief of heat stress in lactating dairy cows

The influence of temporary cooling on pregnancy rate and ovarian secretion of cortisol, estradiol and progesterone in Holstein cows was evaluated during the months of June to September. Cows were randomly assigned to one of five treatment groups: 1) evaporative cooling, 8 d; 2) evaporative cooling, 16 d; 3) refrigerated air conditioning, 8 d; 4) refrigerated air conditioning, 16 d and 5) controls maintained outdoors with access to shade. Estrus was synchronized by giving two injections of prostaglandin (25 mg). Cows in the cooled groups were placed in box stalls at the time of the second prostaglandin injection, allowing them to be cooled for approximately 3 d prior to breeding. Blood samples were taken on days 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 postbreeding and serum was analyzed for estradiol, cortisol, progesterone and a pregnancy-specific protein. Pregnancy rates as determined by palpation per rectum at 40 to 60 d post breeding were not different between cows in cooled treatments, regardless of duration or type of cooling. Pregnancy rate was higher (P<0.05) in cooled as compared to control cows. Serum progesterone concentrations were higher on Day 15 in cooled cows as compared to control cows. No differences in serum estradiol or cortisol concentrations were observed between cooled and control cows. Pregnancy-specific protein determinations indicated that 50% of both cooled and control cows conceived. Results indicate that temporary cooling increased pregnancy rates by increasing embryonic survival rates.
Sensory Attributes and Instrumental Analysis Relationships for Strained Processed Carrot Flavor

Regression models relating sensory attributes and composition of tin genotypes of processed strained carrots were developed. Fresh carrot-flavor, aroma, and aftertaste were associated with high total sugar to terpinolene ratios. Sweet taste and sweet aftertaste were associated with high levels of total sugar and high total sugar to terpinolene ratios. Cooked flavor and cooked aftertaste were associated with high terpinolene content. Selection of genotypes with high total sugar to terpinolene ratios should improve strained processed carrot sensory quality.
Using Wind To Power a Groundwater Circulation Well—Preliminary Results

In areas of the country where the U.S. Department of Energy has classified the available wind resources as Class 3 or greater, the use of wind turbines to provide power to relatively small remediation systems such as groundwater circulation wells may be technically and economically feasible. Groundwater circulation wells are a good candidate technology to couple with renewable energy, because the remediation system removes contamination from the subject aquifer with no net loss of the groundwater resource, while the wind turbine does not create potentially harmful air emissions. Wind data collected in the vicinity of the former Nebraska Ordnance Plant Superfund site were used to select a wind turbine system to provide a portion of the energy necessary to power a groundwater circulation well located in an area of high trichloroethylene groundwater contamination. Because utility power was already installed at the remediation system, a 10 kW grid inter-tie wind turbine system supplements the utility system without requiring batteries for energy storage. The historical data from the site indicate that the quantity of energy purchased correlates poorly with the quantity of groundwater treated. Preliminary data from the wind turbine system indicate that the wind turbine provides more energy than the remediation system treatment components and the well submersible pump require on a monthly average. The preliminary results indicate that the coupling of wind turbines and groundwater circulation wells may be an attractive alternative in terms of the system operation time, cost savings, and contaminant mass removal. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Betulachrysoquinone hemiketal: A p-benzoquinone hemiketal macrocyclic compound produced by Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Abstract Betulachrysoquinone hemiketal was isolated from pre-extracted wood of Betula lutea Michx. inoculated with Phanerochaete chrysosporium Burds. Acid-catalysed hydrolysis of betulachrysoquinone hemiketal produced betulachrysoquinone which was shown to be 2-hydroxy-6-(13′-hydroxytetradecanyl)- p -benzoquinone.
Effects of membrane rheology on leuko-polymersome adhesion to inflammatory ligands

A strategy for treating inflammatory disease is to create micro-particles with the adhesive properties of leukocytes. The underlying rheology of deformable adhesive microspheres would be an important factor in the adhesive performance of such particles. In this work the effect of particle deformability on the selectin-mediated rolling of polymer vesicles (polymersomes) is evaluated. The rheology of the polymersome membrane was modulated by cross-linking unsaturated side-chains within the hydrophobic core of the membrane. Increased membrane rigidity resulted in decreased rates of particle recruitment rather than decreased average rolling velocities. Reflective interference contrast microscopy of rolling vesicles confirmed that neither flaccid nor rigid vesicles sustained close contacts with the substrate during rolling adhesion. A variable-shear rate parallel-plate flow chamber was employed to evaluate individual vesicles rolling on substrates under different flow conditions. Analysis of the trajectories of single flaccid vesicles revealed several distinct populations of rolling vesicles; however, some of these populations disappear when the vesicle membranes are made rigid. This work shows that membrane mechanics affects the capture, but not the rolling dynamics, of adherent leuko-polymersomes.
Image-based photo hulls for fast and photo-realistic new view synthesis

We present an efficient image-based rendering algorithm that generates views of a scene's photo hull. The photo hull is the largest 3D shape that is photo-consistent with photographs taken of the scene from multiple viewpoints. Our algorithm, image-based photo hulls (IBPH), like the image-based visual hulls (IBVH) algorithm from Matusik et al. on which it is based, takes advantage of epipolar geometry to efficiently reconstruct the geometry and visibility of a scene. Our IBPH algorithm differs from IBVH in that it utilizes the color information of the images to identify scene geometry. These additional color constraints result in more accurately reconstructed geometry, which often projects to better synthesized virtual views of the scene. We demonstrate our algorithm running in a realtime 3D telepresence application using video data acquired from multiple viewpoints.
Compaction and permeability effects with virus filtration membranes

Abstract Virus filtration can provide a robust, size-based viral clearance mechanism in the production of biotherapeutics. Successful application of virus filtration requires membranes with both high capacity and high hydraulic permeability. Normal flow filtration experiments were performed with Viresolve 180, DV20, DV50 and Omega 300 membranes using different flow orientations. The normalized flux for the Viresolve 180 membranes declined by nearly 50% in the skin-side up orientation due to fouling by trace levels of submicron-sized particles. These particles could be removed using a small pore size filter placed directly in-line. The flux through the Viresolve membrane with the skin-side down was insensitive to particle fouling since the large pore substructure acts as a depth pre-filter. However, membrane compaction with the skin-side down resulted in a 10–20% reduction in permeability. In contrast, the flux through the DV20 and DV50 membranes increased during filtration due to the time-dependent wetting of the membrane pores. Less dramatic increases in flux were observed with the Omega 300 membrane. Particulate fouling had little effect on the performance of the DV20, DV50 and Omega 300 membranes. These results provide important insights into the hydraulic characteristics of these virus filtration membranes.
Noise characteristics of an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer

Abstract Noise amplitude spectra for the signal from an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) were measured and compared with those obtained with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). For the ICP-MS, white noise was dominant in background spectra. An audio-frequency noise peak at 200–350 Hz was observed and behaved much like the one noted earlier in ICP-AES. Unlike in ICP-AES, however, the frequency at which this noise peak occurs is dependent upon the sampling depth in the plasma.
The nature of trapping and luminescence centers due to thallium in glass

Abstract The radiation-induced absorption bands of thallium-doped aluminoborate glass and fused silica are attributed mainly to centers like Tl° (atom) and Tl 2+ ions. The Tl + ions in glass trap both electrons and holes. The afterglow and thermoluminescence emissions observed in aluminoborate glass are attributed to recombination luminescence. Holes recombining with Tl° centers and electrons recombining with Tl 2+ centers result in emission characteristic of Tl + ions.
Flexural creep deformation and recovery in dental composites.

Objectives: Three different popular composite resin systems for dental restorative applications are microfilled, minifilled and midifilled types in which deformation under stress and recovery after stress removal may be strongly influenced by filler parameters and resin formulation. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate these differences in selected composite resins. Materials: Three composites, Clearfil (midifill), Charisma (minifill) and Durafill (microfill), were evaluated. Elastic, viscoelastic and viscous deformation of the composites under a constant stress and the subsequent recovery on removal of stress were measured. Dynamical mechanical properties of these materials were also characterized. Results: The mean values (and SD) of elastic, viscoelastic and viscous components of overall deformation (mm), respectively, under a constant stress of 45(5) KPa were as follows: Clearfil, 0.17(0.03), 0.06(0.02), 0.03(0.05); Charisma, 0.34(0.1), 0.09(0.04), 0.14(0.03); Durafill, 0.68(0.06), 0.14(0.03), 0.23(0.03) The results show that there are significant differences (P<0.0001) between the different composite resins in the elastic, viscoelastic and viscous segments of deformation. The microfilled system deformed significantly more than the minifilled, and the minifilled system more than the midifilled. Storage modulus values evaluated by dynamic mechanical analysis were also significantly different (P<0.0001). The observed differences were readily explained by the differences in the type and volume fraction of the filler content in the composites. Conclusions: Differences in time dependent deformation and recovery as well as dynamic mechanical properties of dental composites were strongly influenced by filler parameter differences. The clinical performance of restorations may be strongly influenced by the observed differences.
A new currency for mutualism? Fungal endophytes alter antioxidant activity in hosts responding to drought

Fungal endophytes have significant effects on host performance including but not limited to changes in reproductive output, as well as, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. The ultimate mechanisms for resistance to herbivory have been documented in a number of fungal-plant symbiota and involve the production of alkaloids by the fungus. Alkaloids have thus been defined as a currency responsible for increased host resistance to herbivory. We provide support for the hypothesis that another currency may be responsible for increased host tolerance to abiotic stress resulting from endophyte colonization; namely antioxidants. We report comparatively higher activity of antioxidants in endophyte colonized hosts resulting from abiotic stress and propose antioxidants are another currency via which mutualistic interactions between fungal endophytes and their hosts can occur. We recognize fungal endophyte interactions are diverse and complex and include antagonisms, commensalisms, and mutualisms.
Setting federal salaries in the space age.

IN THE AGE OF BIG SCIENCE, after 1940, not only did the federal government provide the money for projects in the private sector, notably at universities; it also took on important new responsibilities in such areas as atomic energy, medical research, defense projects, and space exploration. Yet the government faced several difficulties in competing for and employing scientists and engineers. Chief among these, and the subject of considerable criticism in the post-World War II era, was the low federal salary scale, which had long deterred many ambitious scientists and engineers because they were able to earn more in industry than in the Civil Service. But federal salaries were set, not by particular agencies that employed technical personnel, such as the National Air and Space Administration (NASA), or even by the Civil Service Commission (CSC), which controlled many other aspects of federal employment, but by the U.S. Congress. Congressional control over pay created an impasse, for members of Congress would not vote to give federal employees salaries higher than their own. Congress also generally preferred to keep the government as small as possible-especially to keep the total federal work force at a minimum. This view was restated quite forcefully in the mid 1 950s in a series of reports on the structure and function of the federal government by the so-called Second Hoover Commission, which recommended contracting out as much work as possible in order to keep the standing payroll and long-term commitments low.' As a result, for over two decades the federal government sidestepped-and in the process exacerbated-the problem of inadequate remuneration for its scientists and engineers, by contracting out many of its large research and development projects to the military-industrial complex. This ingenious practice, which had started with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and other "government corporations" in the 1920s and 1 930s, pleased all parties, because it got the job done without requiring further reforms. The CSC even acquiesced to the exemption of whole agencies from its personnel rules, as it did for the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) in 1946, because at that time it was preoccupied with retesting and reclassifying the entire federal service. The members of the CSC also knew that Congress would not give the raises necessary to attract scientific personnel. Military agencies, especially the Air Force, were delighted with the
Construction of multi-Regge amplitudes by the Van Hove--Durand method

The Van Hove--Durand method of deriving Regge amplitudes by summing Feynman tree diagrams is extended to the multi-Regge domain. Using previously developed vertex functions for particles of arbitrary spins, single-, double-, and triple-Regge amplitudes incorporating signature are obtained. Criteria necessary to arrive at unique Regge-pole terms are found. It is also shown how external spins can be included.
Citasa: The Early Years

The article highlights the history of the section on Communication and Information Technologies of the American Sociological Association (CITASA), focusing on the early years. In that early period in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the emphasiswas on helping sociologists adjust to the new potential of microcomputers for research and teaching. A tension emerged because new users of computing held different priorities than did those who were developers, specialists, or cyberspace researchers.
Effect of two experimental sets on sleep structure.

The effect of four perceptual sets--First Night in a sleep laboratory, Second Night in a sleep laboratory, Shock Avoidance Night, Reward Night--on the distribution of sleep was examined with 12Ss. Both the shock avoidance and the reward conditions gave results similar to those characteristically found in the First Night Effect, i.e., increases in Stage 0, Stage 1, the latency to Stage 4, the number of Awakenings, and the number of Stage Changes coupled with a decrease in Stage 1-REM. The observed effects, however, were minimal and were interpreted as giving evidence for the sturdiness of the sleep process.
Distributions of delay times and transmission times in Bohm's causal interpretation of quantum mechanics

In Bohm's causal or trajectory interpretation of quantum mechanics, it is straightforward to determine, from a sufficiently large number of calculated particle trajectories, probability distributions for time delays caused by a potential barrier, or for transmission times through a barrier. We show that these distributions can be calculated directly and more efficiently from probability currents, without the calculation of Bohm trajectories as an intermediate step. The ideas are illustrated for Gaussian wave packets incident on a square potential barrier and used to explain why average causal delay times differ from the average delay times calculated in other approaches.
Rebound, its nature and effect on engineering works

Summary Rebound of rock masses, defined as the expansive recovery of surficial crustal material, either instantaneously, time-dependently, or both, initiated by the removal or relaxation of superincumbent loads, is found in most geological terrains. The applied loads resulting from past or present geological processes are removed or relaxed by (1) natural processes such as valley erosion (long term) or (2) artificial processes such as excavations (short term). Rebound features are most pronounced if the time period of load removal is short compared to the relaxation time of the material, assuming that relaxation time is a material property. Some factors that affect rebound and its intensity are: Initial fabric, lithology, crack density, anisotropy, density and moisture content. Magnitudes of deviatoric stresses (stress differences, stress ratios) operating at the time of load removal, their orientation with respect to the free surface and their rate of unloading. Initial strength and time-dependent strength. Environmental conditions, such as moisture, temperature and other weathering agents. The near-surface stress distribution and time-dependent strain release measured within different geological terrains suggest that the redistribution and/or release of stored-strain energy within rock masses may be a major factor contributing to rebound. Strains, stored in the rocks as a result of past and present geological loads, can be released by excavation processes. As new surfaces are formed, the rock mass changes volume, creating physical property changes that include increased void space and higher permeabilities, thus allowing more rapid access for chemical agents that accelerate the weathering process. Rebound is a rate-dependent process that is manifested differently in various geological terrains. Long-term stability is dependent on changing fracture density and the rate at which strength decreases within near-surface rock material. The strength reduction may be, among other things, a function of the internal decay of cohesion due to the development or propagation of fractures. The time-dependent processes of rebound and the ambient stress fields are important in the development of criteria for the long-term design of engineering installations that are placed within or on disturbed rock masses.
Trends in Female Authorships, Editorial Board Memberships, and Editorships in Educational Psychology Journals from 2003 to 2008

Robinson, McKay, Katayama, and Fan (Contemporary Educational Psychology, 23, 331–343, 1998) reported that women were underrepresented in terms of authorships, editorial board memberships, and editorships in the field of educational psychology based on membership trends. More recently, Evans, Hsieh, and Robinson (Educational Psychology Review, 17, 263–271, 2005) reported that women had made gains as editors but had not kept pace with organizational membership in terms of authorships and editorial board memberships. Our goal in this paper was to further examine women’s participation in educational psychology journals by extending the datasets of Robinson et al. and Evans et al. The number of female authors per article, particularly those from non-US institutions, has continued to increase. However, consistent with Evans et al., although females are continuing to make numerical gains in both authorships—both primary and secondary—and editorial board memberships, their involvement has not kept pace in relation to membership trends.
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and acute lymphocytic leukemia after BCR-ABL kinase mutation-related imatinib failure

Resistance to imatinib mesylate is an emerging problem in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), often associated with point mutations in the Bcr-Abl kinase domain. Outcome of patients with such mutations after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (Allo-SCT) is unknown. Ten imatinib-resistant patients with Bcr-Abl kinase mutations received a transplant: 9 had CML (3 in chronic phase, 4 in accelerated phase, and 2 in blast phase) and 1 had Philadelphia-positive acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Patients harbored 9 different protein kinase mutations (T315I mutation, n = 2). Preparative regimens were ablative (n = 7) and nonablative (n = 3). All patients engrafted; there were no treatment-related deaths. Disease response was complete molecular (CMR; n = 7), major molecular (n = 2), and no response (n = 1). Three patients (mutations Q252H, E255K, and T315I) died of relapse after Allo-SCT. Seven patients are alive (6 in CMR) for a median of 19 months. Allo-SCT remains an important salvage option for patients who develop resistance to imatinib through Bcr-Abl mutations.
Actin microfilament aggregation induced by withaferin A is mediated by annexin II

The actin cytoskeleton supports diverse cellular processes such as endocytosis, oriented growth, adhesion and migration1. The dynamic nature of the cytoskeleton, however, has made it difficult to define the roles of the many accessory molecules that modulate actin organization, especially the multifunctional adapter protein annexin II (refs. 2,3). We now report that the compound withaferin A (1) can alter cytoskeletal architecture in a previously unknown manner by covalently binding annexin II and stimulating its basal F-actin cross-linking activity. Drug-mediated disruption of F-actin organization is dependent on annexin II expression by cells and markedly limits their migratory and invasive capabilities at subcytotoxic concentrations. Given the extensive ethnobotanical history of withaferin-containing plant preparations in the treatment of cancer and inflammatory and neurological disorders, we suggest that annexin II represents a feasible, previously unexploited target for therapeutic intervention by small-molecule drugs4.
Hydrogen Detection Using Polarization Diversity via a Subwavelength Fiber Aperture

A photonic hydrogen gas sensor is fabricated by etching a subwavelength aperture into an optically thick palladium film deposited on the facet of an optical fiber. Upon adsorption of hydrogen onto the palladium surface, the complex refractive index of the film will change, altering the transmission through the aperture. Due to the plasmonic resonances and enhanced transmission of the C aperture, its response to hydrogen is several times larger than that of a plain film or a nonresonant aperture. Furthermore, the asymmetry of the aperture produces a different hydrogen response for the two polarizations. This leads to different sensitivities to hydrogen. By measuring the polarization-dependent loss (PDL), we can accurately quantify the hydrogen concentration since common-mode noise is eliminated.
Esophageal dysmotility in children breast-fed by mothers with silicone breast implants. Long-term follow-up and response to treatment.

Our aims were to determine the long-term clinical and manometric follow-up of 11 children with previously documented esophageal dysmotility, who had been breast-fed by mothers with silicone breast implants, their response to prokinetic agents, and to analyze changes in macrophage activation. Seven of 11 children had subjective clinical improvement. Weight/height ratios remained the same or improved in 9/11. Biopsies at follow-up endoscopy were either normal or demonstrated mild esophagitis in 8/10. LES and UES pressures and percent propagation were not significantly different at follow-up, while wave amplitude significantly increased. Following intravenous metoclopramide, LES pressure, percent propagation, and wave amplitude significantly increased while UES pressure was unchanged. Urinary neopterin significantly decreased at follow-up, while urinary nitrates were unchanged. Esophageal dysmotility is chronic in this group of children, suggesting persistent autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Prokinetic agents may be useful in long-term management. The decreasing urinary neopterin levels suggest that, ultimately, there may be improvement in esophageal motility.
The mathematical formulation of a generalized Hooke's law for blood vessels

It is well known that the stress-strain relationship of blood vessels is highly nonlinear. To linearize the relationship, the Hencky strain tensor is generalized to a logarithmic-exponential (log-exp) strain tensor to absorb the nonlinearity. A quadratic nominal strain potential is proposed to derive the second Piola-Kirchhoff stresses by differentiating the potential with respect to the log-exp strains. The resulting constitutive equation is a generalized Hooke's law. Ten material constants are needed for the three-dimensional orthotropic model. The nondimensional constant used in the log-exp strain definition is interpreted as a nonlinearity parameter. The other nine constants are the elastic moduli with respect to the log-exp strains. In this paper, the proposed linear stress-strain relation is shown to represent the pseudoelastic Fung model very well.
Use of over the counter oral relief aids or dietary supplements for the ring-opening polymerization of lactide

Over the counter oral relief aids or dietary supplements, namely calcium carbonate, calcium hydroxyapatite, magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, Tums® and Pepto-Bismol® have been investigated in the melt ring-opening polymerization of lactide and a direct comparison with that involving tin(II) octanoate has been made. Of these, Pepto-Bismol® is shown to be the most active and comparable to tin octanoate. The active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol® is bismuth subsalicylate and when this is employed as the initiator similar results are obtained in melt polymerizations which suggests it could be employed as an alternative to the commercially used tin(II) octanoate.
The forced and intrinsic low-frequency modes in the North Pacific

Abstract Conditional maximum covariance analysis is applied to investigate the coherent patterns between the tropical and North Pacific SST and the North Pacific 500-hPa geopotential height anomalies. Two leading modes are identified. One is an intrinsic midlatitude mode, the North Pacific (NP) mode, for which SST anomalies are mainly confined to the extratropical North Pacific. The other is a tropical ocean–atmosphere coupled mode, the ENSO mode, in which an ENSO-like SST pattern dominates the Tropics but extratropical SST anomalies are relatively weak. The NP and ENSO modes exhibit distinct spatial and temporal characteristics. For the NP mode, atmospheric variation leads to changes in SST, while for the ENSO mode the opposite is true. The NP mode displays a persistence barrier during August–September whereas the ENSO mode has a March–April persistence barrier. The upper-tropospheric jet stream associated with the NP and ENSO mode intensifies, respectively, over the central North Pacific and the subtrop...