cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Virtual Machine Resiliency Management System for the Cloud

This article presents a scalable parallel virtual machine (VM) resiliency management system for the cloud environment. It describes two complementary mechanisms for providing resiliency: automated VM restart when a physical server fails unpredictably, and automated evacuation of the VMs from a physical server that is about to fail or needs to be maintained. The solution is suitable for clouds with a large number of physical servers, VMs, disks, networking components, and management tools. This solution has been deployed in IBMs Cloud Managed Services enterprise cloud.
Ontogeny and Phylogeny of the Blood-Brain Barrier

Penetration of agents into the immature central nervous system (CNS) is a topic of fundamental significance, basically to neurobiologists as well as therapeutically and toxicologically to physicians. The orderly maturation of neuronal and glial systems demands a carefully regulated flow of nutrients and minerals across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood–cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier. Certain drugs and toxins that gain access to developing neural tissue can induce severe malfunctions. Since the rapidly growing CNS is vulnerable to alterations in the composition of brain interstitial fluid (ISF), it is pertinent to elucidate the respective roles played by numerous physiologic factors affecting rate and extent to which solutes penetrate neural tissue.
Fission and Fusion of Nuclei

By 1934 enough data had been accumulated on the disintegration of nuclei bombarded by neutrons to lead Fermi and his co-workers to try to produce elements of atomic number greater than 92 by bombarding uranium with neutrons. In their early experiments they found four beta-ray activities with different half-lives as a result of such bombardment. These beta-ray activities indicated that new elements were being formed, since normal uranium decays by alpha-particle emission with a long half-life. These new elements were assumed to be transuranic elements—that is, elements of atomic number greater than 92. Some chemical tests were tried to verify this hypothesis. Element 93, for example, was at that time thought to be a chemical homologue of manganese and should have similar chemical properties. In one chemical experiment a manganese salt was added to a solution of a uranium salt that had been bombarded with neutrons; the manganese was then precipitated out as managanese dioxide. Two of the beta-ray activities came down with the precipitate. Other chemical tests were tried which ruled out the possibility that these beta-ray activities could be due to any of the elements in the range of atomic numbers 86 to 92, inclusive. It was therefore concluded that element 93 has been produced. A chemist, Noddack, criticized this conclusion on the basis that many elements are precipitated with MnO2 and suggested the possibility that the bombarded nuclei were split into nuclei of elements of lower atomic number. This suggestion was apparently ignored, and other workers, particularly I. Curie and her co-workers and Hahn, Strassmann, and Meitner, entered this field in search of the transuranic elements. Uranium, thorium, and protactinium were bombarded with neutrons and many different beta-ray activities were discovered. These were carefully checked by both physical and chemical methods to determine the nature of the emitters, and until early in 1939 they were generally ascribed to radioactive substances of atomic number greater than 92. Several new radioactive series were suggested to account for these activities; each one started with uranium and by a series of beta-particle disintegrations led to elements of atomic numbers as high as 96 and 97. It must be pointed out that chemical analysis in this region of the periodic table is extremely difficult and becomes even more difficult because of the very small samples of newly formed radioactive material available.
Introduction to Status and Identity in the Imperial Andes: A Collection of Transhistorical Studies

The papers in this special issue arise from the Status and Identity in the Imperial Andes session held at the 2017 meeting of the Society for American Archaeology in Vancouver, Canada. That session focused on the role of status and power in shaping colonial interactions and identities throughout the Andes during the fifteenth to seventeenth century CE. The papers in this issue examine how Inka and colonial period individuals (indigenous, African, Iberian, mestizo, etc.) selectively incorporated or rejected Imperial goods, and how differing levels of access to these goods may have influenced social status, health, and relationships with imperial actors.
Rethinking the Cooling Out Hypothesis for the 21st Century: The Impact of Financial Aid on Students’ Educational Goals:

Background:Most community college students from low-income families have ambitious educational degree goals, but only a small fraction attains them. For many decades, sociologists have primarily at...
Dehumidification dry kiln construction plans

Small, complete dehumidification dry kilns under 5,000 board-foot capacity are not available for sale. Dehumidification drying equipment is available, but an enclosure must be built to house the equipment and dry the lumber. A dry kiln needs to be operated when it is filled with lumber and forces airflow through the tiers of lumber instead of around the ends or over the top of the stack(s). This construction plan is for an 800 board-foot capacity dry kiln structure that is designed to work with an EBAC LD800TM dehumidification unit. This size is suitable for the small woodworking shop or for portable sawmill owners.
Arts and Humanities Engagement: An Integrative Conceptual Framework for Psychological Research:

Psychologists are increasingly interested in studying the psychological effects of engaging with various forms of the arts and humanities because of their significance and ubiquity in human life. T...
Applying Steinmetz Circuit Design to Mitigate Voltage Unbalance Using Distributed Solar PV

Distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) systems can contribute to voltage unbalance in electric power distribution networks. However, PV inverter control can also be used to help mitigate voltage unbalance. Steinmetz proposed a circuit design method to achieve voltage balance by controlling the reactances of three-phase delta-connected constant-impedance loads. The approach is simple, open-loop, and decentralized. In this paper, we explore the application of Steinmetz circuit design to the control of distributed PV systems, specifically their reactive power injections, to mitigate voltage unbalance. Simulation results show that Steinmetz circuit design can completely eliminate voltage unbalance at a particular bus if a three-phase delta-connected PV system is present at that bus. When single-phase PV systems (connected line-to-line) are distributed along a feeder and connected to different phases, Steinmetz circuit design can significantly reduce voltage unbalance but may not achieve perfect balance.
Impact of Visual Scientific Data on Comprehension and Perception of Educational Animations for Biomedical Researchers

Due to the rapid evolution of biomedical research, it is crucial to effectively communicate new technological advances in topics such as organoid models in cancer therapeutics to help improve health outcomes. Visual communication, including animation, has been shown to improve cognition and understanding of complex biological processes. However, there is contradictory information about the amount of detail that should be used for effective communication when utilizing animation. Although it is known that the inclusion of detailed references increases the scientific community’s perceived credibility of the visualization, the effect of including visual scientific data is unknown. This research examines the impact of including visual scientific data in an educational animation by analyzing biomedical researchers’ perception of credibility and learning outcomes with respect to cancer organoid research.
Parent-Training with Kangaroo Care Impacts Infant Neurophysiological Development & Mother-Infant Neuroendocrine Activity

A randomized control trial was conducted to investigate the effects of skin-to-skin, chest-to-chest contact (kangaroo care, KC) in mother-infant dyads on patterns of infant brain activity and associated mother-infant neurohormone releases. 33 mother-infant dyads participated during pregnancy (29-38 weeks gestation), at neonatal and 3-month periods. Overall, analyses indicated that: 1) infants in the KC group showed left frontal brain activation patterns (asymmetry and coherence) associated with KC training; 2) KC produced moderate to large increases in oxytocin levels; and 3) KC yielded moderate decreases in cortisol reactivity. Findings suggest KC may garner favorable neuro-maturational and neurobiological outcomes for dyads.
SOCIOECONOMIC INFLUENCES ON OUTCOMES FOLLOWING CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE SURGERY

Social factors such as parental education and annual household income have emerged as risk factors for adverse child health outcomes. The extent to which social determinants of health affect outcomes for children with congenital heart disease (CHD) is not well studied. We examine the relationship
Chapter 7 – Predicates

Publisher Summary A predicate is an expression that asserts a fact about values. The expression can be true, meaning that the fact is correct; it can be false, meaning that the fact is incorrect; or it can be unknown, meaning that the Database Management System (DBMS) is unable to determine whether the fact is correct or incorrect. This chapter focuses on different types of SQL:1999 predicates, and introduces the concept of a subquery in the context of certain predicates. A subquery is a query expression that appears in the body of another expression, such as a SELECT statement, an UPDATE statement, or a DELETE statement. Subqueries are one method by which information from multiple tables can be related to one another. Among the most commonly used predicates are those that perform comparisons such as equal to, not equal to, less than, greater than, less than or equal, greater than or equal, between, and not between. The NULL predicate is used to determine whether the value of some expression is the NULL value. The IN predicate is used to perform subquery searching and matching. It permits the usage of a list of values in place of a subquery and evaluation of a subquery to produce an intermediate result, against which further processing can be performed. SQL's LIKE predicate uses simple wildcard matching to perform functions on character data, while SQL: 1999's new SIMILAR predicate gives the user even more powerful facilities. The chapter describes those predicates along with EXIST, UNIQUE, OVERLAP, quantified comparison, MATCH, DISTINCT, and type predicates. The chapter closes with a discussion on search conditions.
A Tale of Force: Examining Policy Proposals to Address the Issue of Police Violence

President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing recommended that police forces increase officer demographic diversity, raise educational requirements for new officers, and implement community policing strategies. The purpose of these recommendations was to reduce police violence and improve police-community relationships, particularly relationships with minority communities. After reviewing prior research on these proposals, we estimate cross-sectional models regressing police department use of force counts on indicators of community policing, officer education, and officer racial and gender diversity to examine the baseline plausibility of these recommendations. We find that police forces with more college-educated officers are less violent toward citizens, but that the race and sex compositions of law enforcement organizations are not associated with the level of police violence. Ironically, most indicators of community policing are associated with more police violence, only a higher proportion of community beat officers is associated with significantly lower levels of police violence.
Caregivers' perceptions of the relationship among weight, health status, and asthma in their children.

Asthma and obesity are the two most common childhood illnesses and are physiologically interrelated. Few studies have assessed parental perceptions and beliefs about this relationship to better tar...
Stability and change in party preferences: Evidence from Latin America

Abstract Why do voters shift partisan allegiances between elections and/or within electoral cycles? Drawing on panel survey data, this study is designed to enhance our understanding of shifting partisan preferences byexploring vote switching and split-ticket voting inthe Latin American context. Its main finding and contribution to the existing literature on stability and change in partisan preferences centers around the importance of candidate viability relative to party identification and other individual characteristics shaping vote choice.
Discovery of UPSTREAM OF FLOWERING LOCUS C (UFC) and FLOWERING LOCUS C EXPRESSOR (FLX) in Gladiolus ×hybridus, G. dalenii

Abstract Gladiolus is a geophytic floricultural crop, cultivated for cut flower and garden ornamental uses. Ornamental geophytes such as gladiolus, lily, tulip and daffodil are examples of floral crops that are currently being investigated to understand the flowering pathway. While the environmental and hormonal factors leading to flowering are established in Arabidopsis. However, the lack of genetic regulation is poorly understood. Thus, the importance of such an ornamental crop that relies on flowers (flowering) for economic purposes encourages researchers to discover the flowering genes to breed vigorous flowering cultivars. The understanding of the flowering mechanisms in the flowering pathway is also paramount. Herein we show the discovery of UPSTREAM OF FLOWERING LOCUS C (UFC) and FLOWERING LOCUS C EXPRESSOR (FLX) genes in Gladiolus ×hybridus and G. dalenii. The UFC gene is adjacent to FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) which is a floral repressor in many temperate species. FLX gene upregulates FRIGIDA (FRI) which upregulates FLC expression. The discovery of both genes is a step forward in finding the FLC gene in gladiolus, provided they are linked. Seventeen gladiolus genotypes, consisting of early flowering and commercial cultivars, have the UFC gene, consisting of four exons in two allelic forms. The UFC gene sequenced when translated into amino acid sequence and set in pair-alignment to other species, has up to 57% in amino acid identity to Musa acuminata. The UFC protein ranges in identity with pair-alignment to other species, reaching up to 57% in amino acid identity to Musa acuminata. The FLX gene in gladiolus has 3/5 (60%) exons in relative to Ananas comosus, i.e. lacking 2 exons and a partially complete gene sequence; the pair-alignment of the three exons shows up over all ~65% identity of FLX to Ananas comosus. The UFC protein consists of a conserved domain, DUF966, which is higher in identity and pair-alignment, with up to 86% identity in Elaeis guineensis. The discovered FLX gene in gladiolus has 3/5 (60%) exons, i.e. lacking 2 exons and a partially complete gene sequence; the pair-alignment of the 3 exons shows up to ~65% of identity of FLX to Ananas comosus. These discovered two genes in gladiolus provide insight to further our understanding of the flowering and vernalization response in ornamental geophytes. Summary Statement Two gladiolus flowering genes (UFC; FLX) were discovered which will aid research in understanding flowering and vernalization in geophytes
Possible Relationship between Vascular Permeability Factors, Endothelial Cells, and Peritumoral Brain Edema

Cerebral edema is a significant cause of the neurological morbidity associated with malignant brain tumors. Patients afflicted with intracranial neoplasms typically present with progressively worsening headaches, vomiting, blurred vision, double vision, and depressed level of consciousness. All of these clinical features are clearly related to elevated intracranial pressure (ICP), which may rapidly result in a patient’s demise if not treated promptly and effectively. The brain edema associated with cerebral tumors is an ultrafiltrate of plasma containing water, electrolytes, and plasma proteins, that emanates from the brain tumor microvasculature. Edema fluid typically infiltrates the white matter surrounding an intracerebral tumor in a diffuse manner, while relatively sparing the adjacent cortex. This excessive accumulation of cerebral interstitial tissue fluid contributes to the distortion of normal intracranial structures, and to elevation of the ICE As a result, cerebral edema is frequently as culpable for a brain tumor patient’s symptoms as the primary intracerebral neoplasm. It is now widely accepted that this excessive fluid accumulation results from a flaw in the integrity of the blood-brain barrier. The blood-brain barrier is both an anatomical and a physiological system which normally regulates the entry and egress of substances between the cerebral interstitial and intravascular compartments. The functional components of the blood-brain barrier occur primarily at the level of the vascular endothelial cell and, to a lesser extent, the basement membrane and astrocytic processes which invest the cerebral microvasculature.
Fuzzy Logic Approach for Impact Source Identification in Ceramic Plates.

Abstract : A great deal of interest has been shown in the literature in the development of new Non-Destructive Techniques (NDT). In particular, there is increasing interest in detecting, evaluating and locating cracks as well as the source of the impact causing these cracks. Fuzzy logic was shown to be useful in crack detection, and severity of crack in materials. In this paper Fuzzy logic has been used in NDT applications for identification of source of impact on the ceramic plates. Through the experimental techniques described in this paper we show that fuzzy logic can be used successfully for this purpose. The proposed methodology has been implemented as a Mamdani Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) using the Fuzzy Logic Toolbox in MATLAB.
Herald lesion of urinary bladder. A nonspecific but significant pathologic process.

Abstract Recurrent symptoms of acute or chronic cystitis may be due to an extravesical cancer or inflammatory process, clinically silent at the primary focus but encroaching on the bladder. The final stage is bladder perforation, evidenced by fecaluria or pneumaturia. Contributing most frequently to the genesis of a bladder herald lesion are perforating diverticulitis or cancer of the sigmoid colon or rectum; endometriosis or cancer of the cervix, uterus, or vagina; and subtrigonal prostatic cancer. The cystoscopic and microscopic appearance of the herald lesion in various stages is described, and case histories are presented.
The portrait in the Renaissance

This major work by one of the twentieth century's most eminent art historians is available again in paperback through Princeton University Press. Here John Pope-Hennessy takes as his subject two centuries of experiment in portraiture during the Renaissance. He shows how the Renaissance cult of individuality brought with it a demand that the features of the individual be perpetuated. This concept was first manifested in the portraits that fill the great Florentine fresco cycles and led, later in the fifteenth century, to the creation of the independent portrait by such artists as Botticelli, Antonio Pollaiuolo, Giovanni Bellini, and Antonello da Messina. The author goes on to describe the process by which Titian and the great artists of the High Renaissance transformed the portrait from a record of appearance into an analysis of character.This major work by one of the twentieth century's most eminent art historians is available again in paperback through Princeton University Press. Here John Pope-Hennessy takes as his subject two centuries of experiment in portraiture during the Renaissance. He shows how the Renaissance cult of individuality brought with it a demand that the features of the individual be perpetuated. This concept was first manifested in the portraits that fill the great Florentine fresco cycles and led, later in the fifteenth century, to the creation of the independent portrait by such artists as Botticelli, Antonio Pollaiuolo, Giovanni Bellini, and Antonello da Messina. The author goes on to describe the process by which Titian and the great artists of the High Renaissance transformed the portrait from a record of appearance into an analysis of character.
A hybrid approach for indexing and retrieval of archaeological textual information

This paper focuses on the problem of archaeological textual information retrieval, covering various field-related topics, and investigating different issues related to special characteristics of Arabic. The suggested hybrid retrieval approach employs various clustering and classification methods that enhances both retrieval and presentation, and infers further information from the results returned by a primary retrieval engine, which, in turn, uses Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) as a primary retrieval method. In addition, a stemmer for Arabic words was designed and implemented to facilitate the indexing process and to enhance the quality of retrieval. The performance of our module was measured by carrying out experiments using standard datasets, where the system showed promising results with many possibilities for future research and further development.
Improved performance by morphology control via fullerenes in PBDT-TBT-alkoBT based organic solar cells

In this work, we report improved performance by controlling morphology using different fullerene derivatives in poly{2-octyldodecyloxy-benzo[1,2-b;3,4-b]dithiophene-alt-5,6-bis(dodecyloxy)-4,7-di(thieno[3,2-b]thiophen-2-yl)-benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole} (PBDT-TBT-alkoBT) based organic solar cells. PC60BM and PC70BM fullerenes were used to investigate the characteristic changes in morphology and device performance. Fullerenes affect device efficiency by changing the active layer morphology. PC70BM with broader absorption than PC60BM resulted in reduced device performance which was elucidated by the intermixed granular morphology separating each larger grain in the PC70BM/polymer composite layer which created a higher density of traps. However after adding additive 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO), a fibrous morphology was observed due to the reduced solubility of the polymer and increased solubility of PC70BM in chloroform. The fibrous morphology improved charge transport leading to an increase in overall device performance. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), photo-induced charge extraction by linearly increasing voltage (photo-CELIV), and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) were used to investigate the nanoscale morphology of the active layer with different fullerene derivatives. For the PC60BM based active layer, AFM images revealed a dense fibrous morphology and more distinct fibrous morphology was observed by adding DIO. The PC70BM based active layer only exhibited an intermixed granular morphology instead of a fibrous morphology observed in the PC60BM based active layer. However, addition of DIO into the PC70BM based active layer led to fibrous morphology. When additive DIO was not used, a wider distribution of surface potential was observed for PC70BM than the PC60BM based active layer by KPFM measurements, indicating that polymer and fullerene domains are separated. When DIO was used, a narrower distribution of surface potential for both PC70BM and PC60BM based active layers was observed. Photo-CELIV experiments showed larger extracted charge carrier density and mobility in the PC70BM/DIO film.
Let Us Rec•og•nize Ourselves: A Review ofRec•og•nize: The Voices of Bisexual Men

If there is one thing that seems to hold constant in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community and society in general—at least in North America—it is the persistent invisibility ...
Periplasmic copper-zinc superoxide dismutase of Legionella pneumophila: Role in stationary-phase survival

Copper-zinc superoxide dismutases (CuZnSODs) are infrequently found in bacteria although widespread in eukaryotes. Legionella pneumophila, the causative organism of Legionnaires9 disease, is one of a small number of bacterial species that contain a CuZnSOD, residing in the periplasm, in addition to an iron SOD (FeSOD) in their cytoplasm. To investigate CuZnSOD function, we purified the enzyme from wild-type L. pneumophila, obtained amino acid sequence data from isolated peptides, cloned and sequenced the gene from a L. pneumophila library, and then constructed and characterized a CuZnSOD null mutant. In contrast to the cytoplasmic FeSOD, the CuZnSOD of L. pneumophila is not essential for viability. However, CuZnSOD is critical for survival during the stationary phase of growth. The CuZnSOD null mutant survived 10(4)- to 10(6)-fold less than wild-type L. pneumophila. In wild-type L. pneumophila, the specific activity of CuZnSOD increased during the transition from exponential to stationary-phase growth while the FeSOD activity was constant. These data support a role of periplasmic CuZnSOD in survival of L. pneumophila during stationary phase. Since L. pneumophila survives extensive periods of dormancy between growth within hosts. CuZnSOD may contribute to the ability of this bacterium to be a pathogen. In exponential phase, wild-type and CuZnSOD null strains grew with comparable doubling times. In cultured HL-60 and THP-1 macrophage-like cell lines and in primary cultures of human monocytes, multiplication of the CuZnSOD null mutant was comparable to that of wild type. This indicated that CuZnSOD is not essential for intracellular growth within macrophages or for killing of macrophages in those systems.
Predicting the mechanical outcome of femoral neck fractures fixed with cancellous screws: an in vivo study

Objective The goal of this project was to determine, by using a retrospective cohort analysis, the relative importance of fracture geometry, bone density, and quality of fracture reduction in predicting redisplacement of femoral neck fractures fixed with multiple cancellous screws in a patient population. Design A retrospective analysis of quantitative geometric and bone density data from forty-seven patients with femoral neck fractures fixed with cancellous screws was performed. Setting Radiographs retrieved after analysis of a statewide hospital database were digitized and analyzed quantitatively. Intervention Quantitative data from radiographs included estimates of femoral neck bone density, fracture surface orientation and location, degree of comminution, prefixation displacement, initial reduction position of the fractured component, and final displacement of the fracture after fixation. Main outcome measurements Angular rotation and inferior displacement of the fracture component after fixation. Results Femoral neck bone density can be correlated to femoral cortical thickness and can be used as a measure of bone density from plain x-rays. Significant relative risk of redisplacement of a femoral neck fracture is correlated with initial inferior offset of the fracture component and varus angulation. Relative risks of other variables, including valgus reduction, Garden Stage 3 and 4 position of the femoral head, low bone density, presence of inferior comminution, a more vertical fracture surface angle, and fracture position, were not significant. Conclusions When compared with other geometric and mechanical variables, nonanatomic reduction of a femoral neck fracture, with either inferior offset or varus angulation, is the strongest predictor of postfixation redisplacement of the fracture.
Fragile algae: axenic culture of field-collected samples of Heterosigma carterae

Twelve cultures of the naturally wall-less, unicellular chromophyte Heterosigma carerae originating from North America and Japan were analyzed. Several of these had been recovered from blooms that were toxic to fish. Algal cultures were concentrated by centrifugation onto a Percoll pad. The cells were selectively treated with a cascade of antibiotics, including ampicillin, kanamycin, neomycin, nitrofuratoin, penicllin-G, rifampin, and streptomycin. Each isolate was treated with a specific subset of the antibiotics to attain axenicity. Doubling times of the individual isolates varied from 1.8 to 2.9 d, and were not influenced by previous antibiotic treatment. The studies were conducted from 1991–1994 at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Cross-shelf circulation and phytoplankton distribution at the summertime New England shelfbreak front

Abstract We investigate aspects of the secondary (cross-shelf) circulation at the Middle Atlantic Bight shelfbreak front using high-resolution data collected on the New England Shelf in August 2002. The alongshore shelfbreak jet coincides with the front at the seaward edge of the cold pool (remnant winter shelf water) and there is a suggestion of a cross-stream convergence centered at the jet core. Despite indications of convergence we found no evidence of a surface subduction on the seaward side of the front. At depth 70 m near the shelfbreak there was a patch of chlorophyll, located within a local temperature–salinity maximum which, though significantly below the euphotic zone, appeared to be photo-acclimated and viable. The chlorophyll feature could be the result of a local subduction by a larger scale eddy circulation seaward of the front. Dye tracer experiments directly observed the convergence at the foot of the shelfbreak front and subsequent upwelling of bottom boundary layer water along the shoreward side of the shelfbreak front. But, we found no evidence that this upwelling influenced productivity at the front. Further, since there was no cross-shelf maximum in subsurface chlorophyll at the front, we conclude that this productivity is in general, sustained by a broadly distributed local vertical nutrient flux from an underlying nutrient reservoir.
Selective assembly of a high stability AAB collagen heterotrimer.

How collagen is able to obtain control of helix composition and register is poorly understood yet is critical for determining the structure and properties of the most abundant protein in the human body. In humans there are 28 known types of collagen that can form homotrimeric (AAA) or heterotrimeric (AAB and ABC) compositions. Additionally, because of a single amino acid offset between peptide chains in the triple helix, distinct heterotrimers of different registers can be formed. In this communication we describe an AAB collagen heterotrimer with controlled composition and register. This is the first report of a collagen heterotrimer whose thermal stability is greater than that of any of its component parts and therefore is the dominant species in solution. The design concept is simple: combination of peptides who follow the canonical (X-Y-Gly)n amino acid repeat in a 2:1 ratio in which the more abundant peptide has a charge 1/2 and opposite of the other should result in the formation of an AAB heterotri...
Dual-plane stereo particle image velocimetry measurements of velocity gradient tensor fields in turbulent shear flow. II. Experimental results

Results are presented from highly resolved dual-plane stereo particle image velocimetry (DSPIV) measurements for the structure, statistics, similarity, and scaling of all nine simultaneous components of the velocity gradient tensor fields ∂ui∕∂xj on the quasi-universal intermediate and small scales of turbulent shear flows. Measurements were obtained at three combinations of the outer-scale Reynolds number Reδ and the local mean shear rate S in the fully developed self-similar far field of a turbulent jet, and thus reflect the combined effects of the large-scale structure, spatial inhomogeneities, and anisotropies inherent in such a flow. Conditions addressed in this study correspond to local outer-scale Reynolds numbers Reδ=6,000 and 30,000 and local mean shear values Sδ∕uc=0 and 1.7, corresponding to Taylor-scale Reynolds numbers Reλ≈44 and 113 and shear rates Sk∕e=0 and 2.1. Gradient fields investigated here include the individual velocity gradient component fields, the strain rate component fields and...
Xylene substitutes in frozen sections.

BACKGROUND Toxic exposure to xylene may occur during routine histopathologic staining procedures. Safer xylene substitutes have been available for over a decade, however, a 1991 survey of 25 Mohs training programs revealed that only 56% were using xylene substitutes. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to compare xylene to xylene substitutes in the histologic preparation of frozen sections with respect to staining quality, clarity, cellular detail, and tissue distortion. METHODS Xylene and xylene substitutes were used as the final clearing agent in the routine histologic preparation of fresh frozen horizontal sections. The slides were evaluated by a dermatopathologist and a Mohs surgeon in a blinded manner. RESULTS No difference between xylene and the xylene substitutes were noted. CONCLUSION In light of the improved safety profile and efficacy of the xylene substitutes, they should replace xylene in the Molis laboratory.
SU‐GG‐T‐218: Measurements of X‐Ray Spectra Emergent From Low‐Energy Photon‐ Emitting Brachytherapy Sources

Purpose: To investigate changes in the emergent spectra of low‐energy photon‐emitting brachytherapy sources as a function of angle in the plane of the source long axis. Method and Materials: X‐ray spectrometry was performed utilizing a high‐purity germanium detector, having a 1 cm diameter aperture, located at a distance of 177 cm from the center of the source. The source, with the long axis parallel to the floor of the laboratory, was mounted on a rotating vertical post. Emergent spectra were measured at rotation intervals that varied from 5 degrees to 15 degrees for a total of forty spectra per source. The intensity ratio of Kβ to Kαx rays from the decay of the radionuclide, the intensity ratio of Ag Kαfluorescencex rays to the 35 keV emission line from I‐125 sources that contained silver, and the air‐kerma strength were all calculated from the measuredspectra as a function of source rotation angle. Results: The degree of anisotropy about the axis perpendicular to the mid‐point of the long axis of the source was characterized by calculating the ratio of the air‐kerma strength of the source positioned perpendicular to and parallel to the detector face. Values of this “air‐anisotropy ratio”, αS, varied from 0.05 for a Pd‐103 source with thick end caps to about 1 for an I‐125 source with a uniform encapsulation thickness. Sources with low values of αS showed a significant increase in the Kβ‐to‐Kα intensity ratio for emissions from the seed ends. Conclusion: Variations in the designs of brachytherapy sources significantly influence their emergent spectra.Measuring the spectra around these sources has lead to an understanding of the response of well‐ionization chambers, used in therapy clinics to verify source air‐kerma strength prior to treatment, relative to the NIST Wide‐Angle Free‐Air Chamber (WAFAC) primary standard.
Characterization and Analysis of a Power Transistor for Reverse Second Breakdown When Subjected to Neutron Fluence

It is shown, using extensive experimental data, that the dominant mode of reverse-biased second breakdown (RBSB) in a typical fast-switching radiation hardened power transistor is that of avalanche injection. This is an electronic mechanism rather than a thermal mechanism; therefore, the use of the second breakdown energy parameter, ESB, to characterize the RBSB performance is incorrect. The RBSB characteristics of a large sample of devices were measured over a wide range of conditions in sophisticated test circuits before and after neutron irradiation. The observed behavior is explained using computer models for current pinching and avalanche injection.
Bathymetry off central northwest Africa

Abstract A preliminary bathymetric chart of an area about 106 km2 extending from Cap Blanc, Mauritania, to the abyssal hills near 30°W, was constructed from about 8000 km of soundings tracks recorded by the USNS Gibbs in 1968 plus other earlier soundings. Major unnamed U-shaped submarine canyons attain widths of 85 km and a relief of 700 m where they cross the continental slope and upper continental rise between 20° and 25°N; narrow V-shaped canyons attain widths of 10 km and a relief of 300 m between 18° and 20°N. Comparison of bottom morphology with patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation suggests that wind transport of sediment derived from North Africa is a major process in shaping the Cape Verde Plateau.
Age-related changes and the attention network task: An examination of alerting, orienting, and executive function.

The effects of aging on alerting, orienting, and executive function were examined with the use of the Attention Network Task, which combines the Posner spatial cuing task and the Eriksen flanker task into a single procedure. We found that older adults showed significantly less alerting than young adults in response to a warning cue, although there were no age differences in orienting or executive function once processing speed was taken into account. We suggest that age differences in alerting may depend in part upon the presentation duration or persistence of the warning cue.
Stress-Induced Changes in Skin Barrier Function in Healthy Women

Despite clear exacerbation of several skin disorders by stress, the effect of psychologic or exertional stress on human skin has not been well studied. We investigated the effect of three different stressors, psychologic interview stress, sleep deprivation, and exercise, on several dermatologic measures: transepidermal water loss, recovery of skin barrier function after tape stripping, and stratum corneum water content (skin conductance). We simultaneously measured the effects of stress on plasma levels of several stress–response hormones and cytokines, natural killer cell activity, and absolute numbers of peripheral blood leukocytes. Twenty-five women participated in a laboratory psychologic interview stress, 11 women participated in one night of sleep deprivation, and 10 women participated in a 3 d exercise protocol. The interview stress caused a delay in the recovery of skin barrier function, as well as increases in plasma cortisol, norepinephrine, interleukin-1β and interleukin-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, and an increase in circulating natural killer cell activity and natural killer cell number. Sleep deprivation also decreased skin barrier function recovery and increased plasma interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and natural killer cell activity. The exercise stress did not affect skin barrier function recovery, but caused an increase in natural killer cell activity and circulating numbers of both cytolytic T lymphocytes and helper T cells. In addition, cytokine responses to the interview stress were inversely correlated with changes in barrier function recovery. These results suggest that acute psychosocial and sleep deprivation stress disrupts skin barrier function homeostasis in women, and that this disruption may be related to stress-induced changes in cytokine secretion.
Childhood overweight and maturational timing in the development of adult overweight and fatness: the Newton Girls Study and its follow-up.

Objective. Although several studies have suggested that early menarche is associated with the development of adult overweight, few have accounted for childhood overweight before menarche. Study Design. A 30-year follow-up of the original participants in the Newton Girls Study, a prospective study of development in a cohort of girls followed through menarche, provided data on premenarcheal relative weight and overweight (BMI >85th percentile), prospectively obtained age at menarche, self-reported adult BMI, overweight (BMI > 25), obesity (BMI > 30) and, for a subset of participants, percentage body fat by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Results. Of the 448 women who participated in the adult follow-up at a mean age of 42.1 years (SD: 0.76 years), 307 had childhood data with which to characterize premenarcheal and menarcheal weight status and age at menarche. After a follow-up of 30.1 years (SD: 1.4 years), reported BMI was 23.4 (4.8), 28% were overweight, and 9% were obese. In multivariate linear and logistic-regression analyses, almost all of the influence on adult weight status was a result of premenarcheal weight status (model R2 = 0.199). Inclusion of a variable to reflect menarcheal timing provided very little additional information (model R2 = 0.208). Girls who were overweight before menarche were 7.7 times more likely to be overweight as adults (95% confidence interval: 2.3, 25.8), whereas early menarche (at ≤12 years of age) did not elevate risk (odds ratio: 1.3, 95% confidence interval: 0.66, 2.43). A similar pattern of results was observed when percentage body fat in adulthood was evaluated. Conclusions. The apparent influence of early maturation on adult female overweight is largely a result of the influence of elevated relative weight on early maturation. Interventions to prevent and treat overweight should focus on girls before they begin puberty.
Study of Exotic Ions in Superfluid Helium and the Possible Fission of the Electron Wave Function

An electron in liquid helium forces open a cavity referred as an electron bubble. These objects have been studied in many past experiments. It has been discovered that under certain conditions other negatively charged objects can be produced but the nature of these “exotic ions” is not understood. We have made a series of experiments to measure the mobility of these objects, and have detected at least 18 ions with different mobility. We also find strong evidence that in addition to these objects there are ions present which have a continuous distribution of mobility. We then describe experiments in which we attempt to produce exotic ions by optically exciting an electron bubble to a higher energy quantum state. To within the sensitivity of the experiment, we have not been able to detect any exotic ions produced as a result of this process. We discuss three possible explanations for the exotic ions, namely impurities, negative helium ions, and fission of the electron wave function. Each of these explanations has difficulties but as far as we can see, of the three, fission is the only plausible explanation of the results which have been obtained.
Structuring Knowledge and Data Bases in Expert Systems for Integrated Structural Design

The integrated structural design includes preliminary design, structural analysis, and the final detailed design. A knowledge-based expert system for integrated structural design requires both symbolic processing of heuristics and experiential knowledge and numerical processing of algorithmic computations. In addition, such a coupled expert system must use existing data bases as well as a large variety of data created during a consultation with the system. Thus, considering their complex interaction, effective integration of symbolic processing, numerical processing, and data base management becomes a major concern in the development of expert systems for integrated structural design. This paper addresses this integration problem by presenting a prototype system, called FRAMEX, for design of a class of steel structures—regular multistory steel buildings. The basis of steel design is the recently developed Load and Resistance Factor Design Specification.
Effects of paraventricular nucleus injection of CCK-8 on plasma CCK-8 levels in rats.

The aim of the study was to determine whether paraventricular nucleus (PVN) injection of an anorexic 500-pmol dose of cholecystokinin (CCK)-8 could increase plasma CCK-8 levels sufficiently to suppress feeding by a peripheral mechanism. Rats received PVN injections of CCK-8 either alone or with 3H-labelled propionylated CCK-8 (3H-pCCK-8) and plasma samples were taken at various times from 3 to 120 min post-injection. Plasma CCK-8 levels were estimated from measurements of both total plasma CCK-like immunoreactivity (CCK-LI) and 3H-pCCK-8 activity. PVN injections of CCK-8 and 3H-pCCK-8 produced estimated peak increases in plasma CCK-8 of 15+/-11 and 22+/-3 pM, respectively. The i.v. infusion of CCK-8 doses (0.2 and 1 nmol/kg h) that bracketed the threshold dose for suppression of feeding, increased plasma CCK-LI from a basal level of 6+/-1 to 49+/-10 and 166+/-36 pM, respectively. The i.v. injections of 600 and 4800 pmol of CCK-8 did not suppress feeding. These results suggest that PVN injection of an anorexic 500-pmol dose of CCK-8 does not increase plasma CCK-8 levels sufficiently to suppress feeding by a peripheral mechanism.
Multiple forms of the G protein-related beta subunit in Daudi lymphoblastoid cells

Abstract We have explored the forms of the G protein-related beta subunit which are present in Daudi lymphoblastoid cells. Northern blotting with labeled beta-1 and beta-2 probes indicates that two messages of 3.3 kb and 1.7 kb are present for both beta-1 and beta-2, implying that multiple forms of the beta subunit are present. Antibodies were raised against two peptides of the beta subunit (residues 1–23 and 127–145). Both antibodies detected subunits at 35 kDa and 31 kDa, of which the 35-kDa form predominates in the membrane fraction and the 31-kDa one in the cell cytosol. Crosslinking of the membrane fraction with the cleavable crosslinker (DTSSP) caused a simultaneous diminution in the 31-kDa form while increasing the amount of the 35-kDa form — a pattern which was reversed upon the reduction of these crosslinks with DTT. Studies of the soluble form indicate that this is truly a soluble protein since centrifugation at 200 000 × g for 2 h did not diminish the levels of the protein in the soluble fraction. Sedimentation analysis indicates that the soluble beta-homologue is found in fractions which overlap with those which contain the mu chain of immunoglobulin at a position clearly distinct from the expected positions of free mu or free beta. Our results suggest that at least two forms of a subunit which is closely related to, or identical with, the beta subunit of G proteins are present in Daudi cells.
Democracy and Battlefield Military Effectiveness

Why do democracies win the wars they fight? The authors explore this question by examining whether the armies of democratic states fight with higher military effectiveness on the battlefield, testing two general propositions: that the higher legitimacy of democratic states spurs superior individual soldiering and that democratic militaries are likely to have higher organizational efficacy. The authors test their propositions on a comprehensive set of major battles from 1800 to 1982, using data compiled by the Historical Evaluation and Research Organization. The authors find that the armies of democratic states tend to fight with marginally better logistics, substantially better initiative, and superior leadership. They also find that all three of these advantages dwindle as wars lengthen and interpret the results as indicating that although soldiers are not more willing to die for democratic governments, the emphasis on individual initiative in democratic culture generates important advantages on the batt...