cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some cumulative logit models for panel-data analysis: an application to a dynamic analysis of personal efficacy

This paper introduces novel cumulative logit models for the panel-data analysis of transitions among ordered states of a polytomous dependent variable. The models differ from conventional cumulative logit models in that they can distinguish between covariate effects on the odds of having an upward transition and covariate effects on the odds of having a downward transition in the ordered states of the dependent variable.
Diseases of the Aorta

Diseases of the aorta can affect any segment of the aorta or its branch vessels, may exhibit diverse and at times nonspecific protean manifestations, and might be chronic and indolent but also have the potential to present with acutely lethal consequences. Accordingly, it is imperative that both internists and cardiologists are familiar with principles of emergent management of aortopathies as well as of screening for these conditions, since detection and prophylactic treatment of diseases of the aorta will generally improve patient outcomes. Aortic aneurysms represent dilatation of all three layers of the vessel wall and may cause mass effects or progress toward dissection and/or rupture. Acute aortic dissections require prompt diagnosis and expert medical and interventional management. Endovascular techniques have become an adjunct to traditional open surgical repairs and may be utilized for select patient populations and scenarios, though comparative and long-term outcomes of the endovascular approach remain under investigation. Genetic and molecular techniques are elucidating novel pathophysiologic bases underlying diseases of the aorta and may reveal future therapeutic targets that can prevent or reverse aortopathy.
Statistical Analysis of Proper Motion Surveys

Proper motion surveys offer a great deal of data bearing on important astronomical problems such as stellar kinematics and the luminosity function in the solar neighborhood. Major obstacles to the full use of proper motions have long been posed by: (1) incompleteness of proper motion surveys, (2) proper motion bias in kinematic studies, and (3) the indirect approaches and kinematical assumptions needed in traditional luminosity studies.
Electronic Concepts: An Introduction

1. Electronic systems: a century of progress 2. The semiconductor junction diode: the basis of modern electronics 3. The bipolar junction transistor: an active electronic device 4. The metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor: another active device 5. Negative feedback and operational amplifiers 6. Electronic power supplies Appendix A. Fabrication of integrated circuits Appendix B. The design process.
m -Terphenyl derivative of titanium(III): Cp2TiR (Cp=C5H5; R =2,6-(4-MeC6H4)2C6H3)

The title compound, Cp2TiR (Cp=C5H5; R=2,6-(4-MeC6H4)2C6H3), 1, was prepared by reaction of RLi with [Cp2TiCl]2. Compound 1 was characterized by elemental analysis, EPR, and single crystal X-ray crystallography. The title compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c with the following unit cell dimensions: a=11.1466(7) A, b=16.4429(11) A, c=13.0786(8) A; b=106.2040(10)°;V=2301.9(3) A3. The EPR spectrum of 1 displays two signals, a high field signal at g=1.979 and a lower field signal at g=1.959. Significantly, 1 is a sterically encumbered m-terphenyl-stabilized trivalent titanocene paramagnetic complex and may be a practical one-electron reducing reagent.
Bombardment-induced compositional change with alloys, oxides, oxysalts, and halides

Abstract Compositional changes in bombarded alloys are now recognized to arise mainly from bombardment-induced segregation, “BIS” and to only a limited extent from preferential sputtering, i.e. from differences in mass, chemical binding, or volatility. The significant relation is α A (2) α B (2) = (α A (2′) α B (2′) ) K b , where α is the atom fraction, A and B are the components of the alloy, 2 designates atom layer one , 2′ designates atom layer two and K b is the BIS ratio. A very similar relation holds for equilibrium segregation except that K b is replaced with K eq , equivalent to exp ( ΔG seg / kT ). It is shown that K b and K eq are always in the same sense except for NiPt, that K b lies in the interval 1.25 ⩽ K b ⩽ 5.4 for 14 out of 16 different systems and that for ambient temperature the inequality K b ⪡ K eq holds. Most aspects of the relation between K b and K eq can be understood if BIS is caused by chemically guided final steps in some ballistic trajectories. Such a mechanism also accounts for what is otherwise a paradox, namely that the driving force for segregation is so small, ranging from 0.06 eV for CuPd to 0.52 eV for AuNi. The latter values are similar to heats of mixing, proposed by Cheng et al. to govern ion-beam mixing and to differences of heats of formation, proposed by the present author to govern chemical changes in oxides and oxysalts.
Thermal Modeling of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter 's Solar Panel and Instruments During Aerobraking

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) launched on August 12, 2005 and started aerobraking at Mars in March 2006. During the spacecraft s design phase, thermal models of the solar panels and instruments were developed to determine which components would be the most limiting thermally during aerobraking. Having determined the most limiting components, thermal limits in terms of heat rate were established. Advanced thermal modeling techniques were developed utilizing Thermal Desktop and Patran Thermal. Heat transfer coefficients were calculated using a Direct Simulation Monte Carlo technique. Analysis established that the solar panels were the most limiting components during the aerobraking phase of the mission.
Magnetic mirror confinement of high-energy, high-density plasma

ABSTRACT This paper summarizes results obtained from and work in progress on those experiments which have contributed significantly toward the confinement in single-cell magnetic mirror systems of plasmas close to thermonuclear conditions. Because the mirror confinement of such high-energy, high-density plasmas has been studied most extensively in the 2XIIB experiment, discussion of 2XIIB results forms a major portion of this paper. In these experiments, injection of low-energy plasma has been shown to suppress microinstabilities to sufficiently low levels that high-beta (β ≈ 1) plasmas could be achieved and sustained by cross-field injection of beams of neutral particles. Plasma confinement was found to improve with ion energy, electron temperature, and plasma size. Based on these results, a larger Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF) was designed to pursue confinement scaling to higher energies and larger plasma dimensions. MFTF design parameters and construction status are briefly reviewed.
Effect of the beige mutation on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice.

A single endotracheal administration of bleomycin causes pulmonary fibrosis in several animal species. In view of the functional deficits in neutrophil function as a result of the beige mouse (bg/bg) mutation, its effect on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis was examined to evaluate the role of the neutrophil in such a response. Neutrophils from beige mice showed a selective defect in the ability to degranulate in response to cytochalasin B and formyl-methionylleucyl-phenylalanine, without impairing their ability to produce superoxide anion and H2O2 in response to the same stimuli as well as phorbol myristate acetate. Despite this functional deficit, beige mice responded more intensely to bleomycin than did their heterozygote controls at both 2 wk and 1 month after drug instillation, as assessed by both lung collagen synthesis and deposition. This suggests that the inability to mobilize hydrolytic enzymes has no effect on the ability to mount a fibrogenic response, and it would even be detrimental by en...
Muscarinic Receptor Pharmacology and Circuitry for the Modulation of Cognition

The muscarinic cholinergic system constitutes an important part of the neuronal circuitry that modulates normal cognition. Muscarinic receptor antagonists are well known to produce or exacerbate impairments in attention, learning, and memory. Conversely, both direct-acting muscarinic receptor agonists and indirect-acting muscarinic cholinergic agonists, such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, have shown cognition-enhancing properties, including improvements in normal cognitive function, reversal of cognitive deficits induced by muscarinic receptor antagonists, and attenuation of cognitive deficits in psychiatric and neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. However, until recently, the lack of small molecule ligands that antagonize or activate specific muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) subtypes with high selectivity has been a major obstacle in defining the relative contributions of individual mAChRs to different aspects of cognitive function and for the development of novel therapeutic agents. These limitations may be potentially overcome by the recent discovery of novel mAChR subtype-selective compounds, notably allosteric agonists and positive allosteric modulators, which exhibit greater selectivity for individual mAChR subtypes than previous mAChR orthosteric agonists. In preclinical studies, these novel ligands have shown promising efficacy in several models for the enhancement of cognition. In this chapter, we will review the muscarinic cholinergic circuitry and pharmacology of mAChR agonists and antagonists relevant to the modulation of different aspects of cognition in animals and clinical populations.
Gene expression changes and fatigue during IMRT in patients with head and neck cancer

This study assessed changes in gene expression and their association with fatigue in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients receiving Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT). Consented patients were investigated pre- and 1-month post-IMRT. Fatigue was assessed by Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20. RNA was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and analyzed on Illumina Whole Genome BeadChips microarray. Forty non-metastatic HNC patients were enrolled; 70% received chemoIMRT. 1076 genes demonstrated expression changes from pre- to post-IMRT that were significantly correlated with changes in fatigue; 323 (30%) were up-regulated and 753 (70%) were down-regulated from pre- to post-IMRT. Gene enrichment analysis was performed using MetaCore/Cytoscape (FDR 0.01). Among top 200 genes, the top two biological pathways in up-regulated genes were related to IL6 regulation and Legionellosis in innate immune response. The top two biological pathways in down-regulated genes were related to thymic T cell selection and IL12 regulation in acquired immune response. Among top 200 up-regulated genes, the top network of transcription factors/receptors, such as RAGE, AP-1, and CREB1, was significantly over-represented for genes involved in body’s response to treatment-related stimuli. The second most significant network, including TLR, NFkB and its family, was significantly over-represented for genes involved in body’s immune and defense system. These findings suggest that fatigue is associated with expression changes in genes related to inflammation and immune response. Future large studies are needed to verify these findings.
Postdeployment experiences of military mental health providers.

ABSTRACTThe deployment experiences of military mental health providers (MMHP) since September 2001 have been largely unexamined. MMHP are an integral part to the military health system and play a key role in maintaining a fit fighting force. MMHP deploy and are expected to help others manage their deployment experiences while being faced with their own emotional challenges during deployment and while transitioning home. This study examines two questions: First, how do MMHP experience reintegration to their families and jobs after being deployed, and second, how do MMHP assess and cope with their own postdeployment issues. In this study, 27 mental health professionals including social workers, psychiatrist, and psychologist were interviewed to examine their deployment and postdeployment experiences. Results indicated 81% of MMHP recognized some level of dysfunction in their lives, at home, at work, or at both, upon their return from deployment. The ability for MMHP to manage their own reintegration issues ...
Association Between Stressful Life Events and Depression; Intersection of Race and Gender

Although stressful life events (SLEs) and depression are associated, we do not know if the intersection of race and gender modifies the magnitude of this link. Using a nationally representative sample of adults in the USA, we tested if the association between SLE and major depressive episode (MDE) depends on the intersection of race and gender. Data came from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), 2003, a cross-sectional survey that enrolled 5899 adults including 5008 Blacks (African-Americans or Caribbean Blacks), and 891 Non-Hispanic Whites. Logistic regression was used for data analysis. Stressful life events (past 30 days) was the independent variable, 12-month MDE was the dependent variable, and age, educational level, marital status, employment, and region of country were controls. In the pooled sample, SLE was associated with MDE above and beyond all covariates, without the SLE × race interaction term being significant. Among men, the SLE × race interaction was significant, suggesting a stronger association between SLE and MDE among White men compared to Black men. Such interaction between SLE × race could not be found among women. The association between SLE and depression may be stronger for White men than Black men; however, this link does not differ between White and Black women. More research is needed to better understand the mechanism behind race by gender variation in the stress–depression link.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE OUTCOME OF DIVORCE AND PATERNITY MEDIATIONS

Divorce mediation, an alternative to litigation when resolving disputes raised by the dissolution of a marriage or the separation of unmarried parents, has gained popularity over the past few decades. Yet, research is needed to better understand what processes make family mediation successful and for whom family mediation is successful. To study predictors of reaching agreement in family mediation, we gathered data from divorce and paternity cases at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law Viola J. Taliaferro Family and Children Mediation Clinic. Numerous factors, including history of intimate partner violence, father's reported concerns about participating in mediation, higher levels of father's income, number of mediation sessions, and attorney representation, were associated with lower rates of agreement. Associations between significant predictors are presented, as well as the combined impact of attorney representation and a history of relationship violence, which together significantly predicted lower agreement rates. The implications of these findings for understanding family mediation processes are considered.
Extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma.

A well documented case of extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma arising in a finger of a 16-year-old man was studied by light microscopy, immunohisto-chemistry and electron microscopy. The differential diagnoses of similar “round cell neoplasms” are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the distinction between extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma and peripheral neuroepithelioma.
Using journal clubs to cultivate a community of practice at the graduate level

This paper discusses the benefits of a community of practice (CoP) approach to graduate education in engineering and examines guidelines for implementation. Community of practice theory and applications to practice are presented. Journal clubs, groups of faculty and students who meet regularly to discuss literature, are identified as one specific tool to improve engineering graduate education by building a community. Although the benefits of a journal club are implicit, few empirical studies validate these claims or tie them to theory. Therefore, we undertook an observational study of a long-standing journal club at a large university in the eastern USA. The findings demonstrate that principles of community found in the theory are present in the journal club. Thick description of specific interactions further defines the benefits of (1) knowledge accumulation, (2) problem solving and creativity, and (3) collaboration and peer-learning. Additionally, specific guidelines are given for the practical implemen...
Dislocation damping in a shock stress field

Abstract Besides the usual damping effect and the relativity effect which tend to limit the velocity of dis locations in a solid under conventional loading, an edge dislocation in a solid subject to shock loading will encounter an additional velocity limiting mechanism. This new dynamic effect is caused by the differential effects of local stress field of an edge dislocation on the particle velocities in the shock zone of material above and below the slip plane on which the edge dislocation lies.
DNA Microarrays in Dermatology and Skin Biology

Because of its accessibility, skin has been among the first organs analyzed using DNA microarrays. Skin cancers, melanomas, and basal and squamous cell carcinomas have been intensely investigated because they are very frequent and can be fatal. Psoriasis, one of the most common human inflammatory diseases, has been studied comprehensively using DNA microarrays. In addition, epidermal keratinocytes have been the target of many studies because they respond to a rich variety of inflammatory and immunomodulating cytokines, hormones, vitamins, ultraviolet (UV) light, toxins, and physical injury. Because of the ethical considerations, the effects of harmful or dangerous agents on skin have been studied using artificial skin substitutes. Transcriptional mechanisms that regulate epidermal differentiation and cornification have begun to yield their mysteries, and very exciting recent studies identified the genes specifically expressed in epidermal stem cells. Thus, skin has everything: stem cells, differentiation,...
Exchange-rate management and monetary-policy mismanagement: A study of Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States after Plaza

Abstract The focus of this paper is the effect of the Plaza Agreement in September, 1985 on domestic monetary policies in Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States. Monetary policy became much more expansionary in three of the four countries, the exception being Germany. Efforts by Japan and the United Kingdom to limit dollar depreciation spread U.S. expansion to these other two countries, inducing a classic cycle in interest rates, economic activity, and inflation. Analysis of daily exchange rates and interest rates suggests that market participants did not understand the expansionary implications of the Plaza agreement and subsequent policy actions.
Optimal distance estimation for the spectral efficiency of an hybrid cellular DS/SFH CDMA system

An hybrid direct-sequence/slow frequency hopping code-division multiple-access (DS/SFH-CDMA) system operating in Rayleigh fading is described and its spectral efficiency is estimated in terms of the theoretically achievable average channel capacity (in the sense of information theory) per user. The analysis covers the operation over a broadcast cellular time-varying link and leads to a simple novel closed-form expression for the optimal distance from the base station based on the maximization of the achieved spectral efficiency.
DEADWEIGHT LOSS IN HIGHWAY TOLL COLLECTION

This paper examines the deadweight loss from collecting tolls on congested highways. Although this problem has been recognized in the literature, no attempt has been made to systematically examine the problem. Four economic models for commuter behavior associated with waiting at a toll booth were developed and analyzed. These models include (1) no tolls and no waiting, (2) tolls with no waiting, (3) waiting with no tolls, and (4) waiting with tolls. The results indicate that under quite reasonable circumstances, it may be optimal to not collect tolls if their collection requires that free-flowing traffic be stopped. In cases where traffic forms a queue because of a bottleneck, tolls may provide small welfare gains, but if toll collection creates waste in the form of administrative costs or rent-seeking behavior, the optimal solution may again be to not charge tolls.
Dual Function Surfactants for Carbon Dioxide Based Microencapsulation

The successful incorporation of dyes into sterically stabilized aqueous polystyrene colloids has recently been reported using a new microencapsulation technique in which liquid carbon dioxide is used to facilitate mass transport into the polymer particles. The sterically stabilized particles retain their original size and shape after impregnation with dye. However, electrostatically stabilized polystyrene latexes made by surfactant-free emulsion polymerization lose stability when exposed to liquid carbon dioxide due to pH and ionic strength changes caused by carbonic acid formation in the aqueous phase. When colloidal stability is lost, particles coalesce due to the plasticization induced by carbon dioxide. To solve this problem, a series of surfactants that simultaneously provide colloidal stability and enhance mass transport during microencapsulation have been identified. These “dual function” surfactants are active at both the CO2/water and polymer/water interfaces. By adsorption onto the particle surf...
Exogenous lipoid pneumonia caused by facial application of petrolatum

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia is a well-described entity in the literature. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case that occurred secondary to external application of petrolatum to the face for erythrodermic psoriasis.
trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid is superior to ethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid for sequestering Mg2+ in 31P NMR experiments involving ATP spectra at neutral and acidic pH☆

The use of ethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EDTA) to sequester Mg2+ from samples containing ATP at acidic or neutral pH prior to 31P NMR spectroscopic analysis leads to significant broadening of the gamma- and beta-phosphorus resonances of ATP as compared to ATP alone. It was found that the use of trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (CDTA) reduces the broadening of the ATP resonances. At pH 7.0, 30 mM EDTA in the presence of 5 mM ATP and 7 mM Mg2+ leads to a threefold increase in the peak width of the gamma phosphorus of ATP as compared to 5 mM ATP alone. When 30 mM CDTA is used in the place of EDTA, the peak width decreased to about 80% of the peak width of ATP alone. When the experiment is repeated at pH 8.5, both EDTA and CDTA lead to narrow peak widths with no significant difference between the two spectra. At pH 6.0, the use of EDTA leads to a spectrum that is very noisy, with a 10-fold increase in the peak width as compared to ATP in the absence of Mg2+ at this pH, whereas the increase with CDTA is only 50%. These results do not reflect the difference in chelating strength between EDTA and CDTA: The free Mg2+ concentration in the presence of each chelator, as calculated by the computer program given in the Appendix, was nearly equal at each pH. The results, however, reflect a difference in the lability of the metal-ligand bond between EDTA and CDTA.
Analysis of a multitemporal hyperspectral dataset over a common target scene

As hyperspectral sensors become more available, an understanding of the impact of "natural change" on exploitation of that imagery is required. During the summer of 2005, the RIT Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Laboratory, in conjunction with the Laboratory for Imaging Algorithms and Systems, undertook a collection campaign of a common target scene with a Vis / NIR hyperspectral sensor. The Modular Imaging Spectrometer Instrument (MISI) has 70 channels from 0.4μm to 1.0μm and was flown over the RIT campus on six different dates between May and September along a common flightline. Flights were spaced by as little as 3 days and as long as a month. Twice, multiple flightlines were collected on a single day, separated by minutes and hours. Several experiments were run during individual flights, but the goal here is to describe and understand the temporal aspects of the data. Results from classifying each image are presented to show how local weather history, slightly different collection geometries, and real scene change affect the results. Similarly, common regions of interest in the imagery are defined and comparisons are made of the statistical variations in the regions across the season. Additionally, signature prediction forward in time using the method of Covariance Equalization is examined as to its applicability to this dataset.
Self-accelerating massive gravity: Covariant perturbation theory

We undertake a complete and covariant treatment for the quadratic Lagrangian of all of the degrees of freedom of massive gravity with a fixed flat fiducial metric for arbitrary massive gravity parameters around any isotropic self-accelerating background solution. Generically, three out of four St\"uckelberg degrees of freedom propagate in addition to the usual two tensor degrees of freedom of general relativity. The complete kinetic structure typically is only revealed at an order in the graviton mass that is equivalent to retaining curvature terms in a locally flat expansion. These results resolve several apparent discrepancies in the literature where zero degrees of freedom propagate in either special cases or approximate treatments as well as decoupling limit analyses which attempt to count longitudinal degrees of freedom.
Nanodelivery of parthenolide using functionalized nanographene enhances its anticancer activity

Advances in anticancer chemotherapy have been hindered by the lack of biocompatibility of new prospective drugs. One significant challenge concerns water insolubility, which compromises the bioavailability of the drugs leading to increased dosage and higher systemic toxicity. To overcome these problems, nanodelivery has been established as a promising approach for increasing the efficacy and lowering the required dosage of chemotherapeutics. The naturally derived compound, parthenolide (PTL), is known for its anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity, but its poor water solubility limits its clinical value. In the present study, we have used carboxyl-functionalized nanographene (fGn) delivery to overcome the extreme hydrophobicity of this drug. A water-soluble PTL analog, dimethylaminoparthenolide (DMAPT), was also examined for comparison with the anticancer efficacy of our PTL–fGn complex. Delivery by fGn was found to increase the anticancer/apoptotic effects of PTL (but not DMAPT) when delivered to the human pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1. The IC50 value for PTL decreased from 39 μM to 9.5 μM when delivered as a mixture with fGn. The IC50 of DMAPT did not decrease when delivered as DMAPT–fGn and was significantly higher than that for PTL–fGn. There were significant increases in ROS formation and in mitochondrial membrane disruption in Panc-1 cells after PTL–fGn treatment as compared to PTL treatment, alone. Increases in toxicity were also seen with apoptosis detection assays using flow cytometry, ethidium bromide/acridine orange/DAPI staining, and TUNEL. Thus, fGn delivery was successfully used to overcome the poor water solubility of PTL, providing a strategy for improving the effectiveness of this anticancer agent.
The Effect of Computer-Based Multimedia Instruction with Chinese Character Recognition

The purpose of this study was to examine second language learners’ learning achievement and attitudes toward two different types of dual coding designs (text group: image plus on‐screen text versus narration group: image plus narration) in Chinese character acquisition. A total of 66 college students who did not have prior knowledge of the Chinese language were randomly assigned to either the text group or narration group. The findings showed that there was no interaction between the treatments (text group versus narration group) and test occasions (immediate and delayed post‐tests), and there was no significant difference between two groups in the immediate post‐test and in the delayed post‐test. However, there was a significant difference between the test occasions. Furthermore, the results revealed that there was no significant difference between two groups in both the tutorial design factor and the cognitive load factor. Overall, participants in both groups achieved high scores in the post‐tests and s...
DELIBERATE HYPOTENSION FOR SPINAL FUSION: PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED STUDY WITH EVOKED POTENTIAL MONITORING

Twenty-four patients requiring spinal fusion with Harrington rod instrumentation were studied prospectively to determine the effects of moderate hypotension on blood loss, operating conditions, operating time and spinal cord function. Hypotension reduced blood loss and improved operating conditions but did not shorten operating time. Five patients had alterations in somatosensory cortical evoked potentials after straightening of the spine that prompted us to reverse hypotension (when present) and haemodilution, and then to do wake-up tests. All wake-up tests were normal and all evoked potential alterations resolved during operation. Hypotension seems unlikely to increase the risk of neurological damage if spinal cord function is monitored. Our findings suggest that patients subjected to spinal fusion need not be awakened during operation for testing of cord function provided somatosensory evoked potentials are monitored and remain stable.
Automatic Determination of Transmission Powerflow Mechanizability Using Graph Theory

A methodology has been developed to automatically generate planetary geartrain topologies based on criteria such as the number of desired speed ratios and the number of torque transmitting mechanisms [1]. This paper describes an algorithm and computer code for automatically determining the mechanizability of the candidate geartrains. The mathematical description of each topology is interpreted as a graph, a collection of vertices and connecting edges, which can then be tested for planarity using graph-processing algorithms. A planar graph implies mechanizability. Using another algorithm based on graph theory, the computer code also detects and eliminates duplicate designs that may be hard to detect via visual inspection. The computer program significantly reduces the time needed to manually process design data sets by eliminating those design candidates that are infeasible.Copyright © 2007 by GMGTO, Inc.
Evaluating Democracy The 1946 U.S. Education Mission to Germany

Following World War II, a group of American educators was assigned the task of evaluating the U.S. military government’s program for reconstructing Germany’s educational system. Although issuing a ...
IFN‐γ and IL‐4 differentially shape metabolic responses and neuroprotective phenotype of astrocytes

Astrocytes can either exacerbate or ameliorate secondary degeneration at sites of injury in the CNS but the contextual basis for eliciting these opposing phenotypes is poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that the two major cytokines produced by Th1 and Th2 cells, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and interleukin-4 (IL-4), respectively, contribute differentially to shaping a neuroprotective response in astrocytes. While IFN-γ protects the ability of oxidatively stressed murine astrocytes to clear extracellular glutamate in culture, IL-4 has no effect at any concentration that was tested (10–100 ng/mL). The enhanced release of neuroprotective thiols and lactate by astrocytes in response to T cell stimulation is mimicked by both IL-4 and IFN-γ. When co-administered, IL-4 abrogated the protective effect of low IFN-γ on the glutamate clearance function of oxidatively stressed astrocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Astrocyte-conditioned media obtained from cells cultured in the presence of IL-4 (10 or 100 ng/mL) or IFN-γ (10 ng/mL) decreased by ∼2-fold, neuronal apoptosis induced by oxidative stress in vitro. However, unlike IL-4, IFN-γ at high concentrations (100 ng/mL) was not neuroprotective. Our studies with IFN-γ and IL-4 suggest that a balanced Th1 and Th2 cytokine response might be needed for protecting two key astrocytic functions, glutamate clearance and thiol secretion and might be pertinent to neuroprotective approaches that are aimed at inhibition of an initial pro-inflammatory response to injury or its sustained boosting.
Time course of frequency effects in spoken-word recognition: evidence from eye movements.

In two experiments, eye movements were monitored as participants followed spoken instructions to click on and move pictures with a computer mouse. In Experiment 1, a referent picture (e.g., the picture of a bench) was presented along with three pictures, two of which had names that shared the same initial phonemes as the name of the referent (e.g., bed and bell). Participants were more likely to fixate the picture with the higher frequency name (bed) than the picture with the lower frequency name (bell). In Experiment 2, referent pictures were presented with three unrelated distractors. Fixation latencies to referents with high-frequency names were shorter than those to referents with low-frequency names. The proportion of fixations to the referents and distractors were analyzed in 33-ms time slices to provide fine-grained information about the time course of frequency effects. These analyses established that frequency affects the earliest moments of lexical access and rule out a late-acting, decision-bias locus for frequency. Simulations using models in which frequency operates on resting-activation levels, on connection strengths, and as a postactivation decision bias provided further constraints on the locus of frequency effects.
Resource sharing using UICDS™ framework for incident management

Purpose – Pertinent information sharing across various government agencies, as well as non‐governmental and private organizations, is essential to assess the incident situation, identify the needed resources for emergency response and generate response plans. However, each agency may have incident management systems of its choice with valuable information in its own format, posing difficulty in effective information sharing. Application‐to‐application sharing cross agency boundaries will significantly reduce human efforts and delay in emergency response. Information sharing from disparate systems and organizations, however, requires solving of the interoperability issue. The purpose of this paper is to present the UICDS™‐based resource sharing framework as a step toward addressing the afore‐mentioned challenges.Design/methodology/approach – A prototype middleware system is developed using a standards‐based information sharing infrastructure called UICDS™ (Unified Incident Command and Decision Support™), a...
High strain-rate crack growth in rate-dependent plastic solids

Abstract At high crack velocities in metallic materials nearly all plastic strain accumulates at very high strain-rates, typically in the range 10 3 s −1 to 10 5 s −1 . At these rates, dislocation motion is limited by dynamic lattice effects and the plastic strain-rate increases approximately linearly with stress. The problem for a crack growing at high velocity is posed for steady-state, small scale yielding in elastic/rate-dependent plastic solids. A general expression is derived for the near-tip stress intensity factor in terms of the remote intensity factor, or equivalently for the near-tip energy release-rate in terms of the overall release-rate. An approximate calculation of the plastic strain-rates provides this relation in analytical form. Imposition of the condition that the near-tip energy release-rate be maintained at a critical value provides a propagation equation for the growing crack. A single, nondimensional combination of material constants emerges as the controlling parameter. Implications for dynamic crack propagation are discussed.
Invited review: Application of omics tools to understanding probiotic functionality

The human gut microbiota comprises autochthonous species that colonize and reside at high levels permanently and allochthonous species that originate from another source and are transient residents of the human gut. The interactions between bacteria and the human host can be classified as a continuum from symbiosis and commensalism (mutualism) to pathogenesis. Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Recent advances in omics tools and sequencing techniques have furthered our understanding of probiotic functionality and the specific interactions between probiotics and their human hosts. Although it is known that not all probiotics use the same mechanisms to confer benefits on hosts, some specific mechanisms of action have been revealed through omic investigations. These include competitive exclusion, bacteriocin-mediated protection against intestinal pathogens, intimate interactions with mucin and the intestinal epithelium, and modulation of the immune system. The ability to examine fully sequenced and annotated genomes has greatly accelerated the application of genetic approaches to elucidate many important functional roles of probiotic microbes.
Drop mixing in a microchannel for lab-on-a-chip platforms.

We present theory, simulations, and experiments for discrete drop mixing in microchannels. The drops are placed sequentially in a channel and then moved at a set velocity to achieve mixing. The mixing occurs in three different regimes (diffusion-dominated, dispersion-dominated, and convection-dominated) depending on the Peclet number (Pe) and the drop dimensions. Introducing the modified Peclet number (Pe*), we show asymptotic curves that can be used to predict the mixing time and the required distance for mixing for any of the three regimes. Simulations of the mixing experiments using COMSOL agree with the theoretical limits. In our experimental work, we used a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel with a membrane air bypass valve to remove the air between drops. This approach enables precise control of the mixing and merging site. Experimental, simulation, and theoretical results all agree and show that mixing can occur in fractions of a second to hours, depending on the parameters used.
Expression of functional cytochrome P4501A1 in human embryonic hepatic tissues during organogenesis

Abstract Investigations with chemical inhibitors and with inhibitory antibodies specific for cytochrome P4501A-catalyzed ethoxyresorufin (ethoxyphenoxazone) O-deethylation and 2-acetylaminofluorene ( N -2-fluorenylacetamide) ring hydroxylation indicated that cytochrome(s) P450 of the 1A subfamily was functionally expressed in human embryonic hepatic tissues at very early stages (days 50–60) of gestation. Lack of detectable capacity of hepatic microsomal enzymes to catalyze either N-hydroxylation of 2-acetylaminofluorene or O-demethylation of methoxyresorufin indicated that functional cytochrome P4501A2 is expressed minimally or negligibly in human embryonic hepatic tissues. By contrast, profound inhibition of the: ring hydroxylation of 2-acetylaminofluorene and of the O-deethylation of ethoxyresorufln by 7,8-benzoflavone as well as by anti-cytochrome P4501A1 antibodies indicated the presence of significant levels of functional cytochrome P4501A1 in hepatic microsomes of human embryos. Using the reverse transcriptase-linked polymerase chain reaction with specific oligonucleotide primers, we also detected significant expression of cytochrome P4501A1 mRNA in human embryonic livers. Polymerase chain reaction amplification, cloning and sequencing of the corresponding cDNA provided evidence that the cytochrome P4501A1 mRNA expressed in human embryonic tissues was identical to that expressed in adult human tissues. The results of the study have important implications in terms of the embryotoxic effects of chemicals that are known to be substrates, inhibitors or inducers of cytochrome P4501A1 and to which pregnant women are exposed.
Humidifier Fever, Contaminated HVAC and Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

Heating, cooling and ventilation systems have been modified over the years for comfort and energy gains. The designs of these systems allow for accumulation of microorganisms which are aerosolized into the environment served by the system. Such contaminations may results in several febrile illnesses which may have a toxic or immunologic basis. Humidifier fever is related to toxic effects of inhaled endotoxin according to the evidence, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis is related to an immune response to organic dust or microorganism bioaerosols.
Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for child and adolescent depression

The evidence-base of psychosocial treatment outcome studies for depressed youth conducted since 1998 is examined. All studies for depressed children meet Nathan and Gorman's (2002) criteria for Type 2 studies whereas the adolescent protocols meet criteria for both Type 1 and Type 2 studies. Based on the Task Force on the Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures guidelines, the cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) based specific programs of Penn Prevention Program, Self-Control Therapy, and Coping with Depression-Adolescent are probably efficacious. Interpersonal Therapy-Adolescent, which falls under the theoretical category of interpersonal therapy (IPT), also is a probably efficacious treatment. CBT provided through the modalities of child group only and child group plus parent components are well-established intervention approaches for depressed children. For adolescents, two modalities are well-established (CBT adolescent only group, IPT individual), and three are probably efficacious (CBT adolescent group plus parent component, CBT individual, CBT individual plus parent/family component). From the broad theoretical level, CBT has well-established efficacy and behavior therapy meets criteria for a probably efficacious intervention for childhood depression. For adolescent depression, both CBT and IPT have well-established efficacy. Future research directions and best practices are offered.
The effect of systemic corticosteroids on rabbit articular cartilage.

Rabbits were treated for up to 9 weeks with daily doses of cortisone. Cartilage from the distal femur was studied biochemically at regular intervals, and no change in the content of DNA but a significant and progressive decline in the concentration of hexosamine were noted. In vitro incorporation of 35SO4 and 3H-glycine was depressed markedly. Because the test animals lost 25% of their body weight, a separate group of starved controls were studied and the changes noted were similar to those seen with corticoid treatment but were not as marked.
Vibration-Rotation Tunneling Spectra of the Water Pentamer: Structure and Dynamics

Far-infrared laser vibration-rotation tunneling spectroscopy was used to measure an intermolecular vibration (81.19198 wave numbers) of the isolated water (D 2 O) pentamer. Rotational analysis supports the chiral, slightly puckered ring structure predicted by theory. The experimentally deduced interoxygen separations for the water clusters up to the pentamer showed exponential convergence toward the corresponding distance in bulk phase water.
Branching Ratio and Pressure Dependent Rate Constants of Multichannel Unimolecular Decomposition of Gas-Phase α-HMX: An Ab Initio Dynamics Study†

The dynamics of the initial thermal decomposition step of gas-phase α-HMX is investigated using the master equation method. Both the NO2 fission and HONO elimination channels were considered. The structures, energies, and Hessian information along the minimum energy paths (MEP) of these two channels were calculated at the B3LYP/cc-pVDZ level of theory. Thermal rate constants at the high-pressure limit were calculated using the canonical variational transition state theory (CVT), microcanonical variational transition state theory (μVT). The pressure-dependent multichannel rate constants and the branching ratio were calculated using the master equation method. Quantum tunneling effects in the HONO elimination are included in the dynamical calculations and found to be important at low temperatures. At the high-pressure limit, the NO2 fission channel is found to be dominant in the temperature range (500−1500 K). Both channels exhibit strong pressure dependence at high temperatures. Both reach the high-pressur...
A multibody dynamic approach for colliding particles

The dynamics of systems of moving particles in engineering applications is rapidly gaining interest as the incentive to control and optimize granular flow systems increases. Increasing availability of computing power has rendered the in silico study of large assemblies of discrete particles in near-realistic systems feasible. Generally, the governing equations for systems of non-adhesive discrete particles are derived from Newton's equation of motion with the basic assumption that the normal and tangential forces arising between two impacting particles can be independently derived from the virtual overlap of the particles and the tangential displacement of the initial contact points. In this study, the problem is placed in a rigorous multibody dynamics setting and a detailed comparison is made with the classical theory. An attempt has been made to treat particles and walls in a unified way.
Treatment of Brucella-susceptible mice with IL-12 increases primary and secondary immunity.

Abstract Brucella spp. cause disease in humans and livestock and are potential biowarfare agents. Defining the protective immune response is necessary to design vaccines. This has largely been done with mice, brucella-susceptible BALB/c and resistant C57BL strains. Since interferon-γ is key to brucella resistance, contrary to expectations, we found that ex vivo splenocytes from naive BALB/c mice produced IL-12 and interferon-γ in cultures with brucellae at levels comparable to those of splenocytes from the more resistant C57BL/10 mice. Moreover, both IL-12 and interferon-γ were produced in the first week following infection of BALB/c mice. However, by the third week of infection we found decreased IL-12Rβ2 expression by BABL/c splenocytes, corresponding to their inability to produce interferon-γ in Brucella recall responses at this time as reported previously. Administering recombinant IL-12 to these mice ameliorated the interferon-γ hiatus, resulted in a 1000-fold reduction in CFU during primary infection and increased survival following secondary challenge.
Tribological properties of diamond films grown by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Uniform and continuous diamond films have been deposited on Si, Mo, and many other substrates by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition. We have developed processes to enhance the adhesion of diamond films to metal substrates for tribological applications. The tribological properties of the diamond films are found to be significantly different depending on their morphology, grain size, and roughness. However, under all cases tested using a ring‐on‐block tribotester, it is found that for diamond films with a small grain size of 1–3 μm, the coefficient of friction of the diamond films sliding against a steel ring under lubrication of a jet of mineral oil is about 0.04.