cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phosphorus distribution, C:N:P ratios, and δ13Coc in arctic, temperate, and tropical coastal sediments: tools for characterizing bulk sedimentary organic matter

Abstract Onshore-offshore trends in phosphorus (P), organic carbon (OC), and total nitrogen (TN) concentration, P distribution, elemental organic C:N:P ratios, and stable carbon isotopic composition of OC (δ13Coc) of surficial sediments, are presented from three river-dominated coastal regimes: the Mackenzie River/Beaufort shelf in the Canadian Arctic; the Mississippi Delta and Louisiana shelf in the temperate Gulf of Mexico; and the tropical Amazon shelf. These parameters, measured in surficial sediments from the three sites, are used to assess changes in the importance of terrestrial and marine organic matter sources to sediments as a function of distance from the locus of riverine discharge. Trends in elemental ratio data from the Arctic transect, and a portion of the Gulf of Mexico transects, can be explained in terms of a two-end-member mixture of terrestrial and marine phytodetritus. In the arctic transect, covariation of organic C:P ratios with δ13Coc is consistent with a two-end-member mixture of terrestrial and marine organic matter. A similar relationship between C:P ratios and δ13Coc is not evident in Gulf of Mexico or Amazon shelf sediments. At these sites the two-end-member model fails to explain the data adequately. The most striking feature of the onshore-offshore trends in elemental OC:OP and OC:TN ratios is the occurrence of low ratios in sediments from deep-water stations in the Gulf of Mexico and all stations on the Amazon shelf, resulting from P and N enrichments exceeding the Redfield Ratio for marine plankton. Three explanations are discussed to account for these low ratios: (1) the dominance of refractory OP- and ON-compounds in the residuum of degraded organic matter; (2) differential sorption of OP- and N-compounds, regardless of lability, on the surfaces of the fine-grained sediments characteristic of these sites; and (3) a dominance of bacterial biomass, or components derived from bacterial biomass. Elemental ratios and δ13Coc signatures indicate that differential sorption may be most important in the deep-water Gulf of Mexico sites. In contrast, elemental ratios and δ13Coc on the Amazon shelf are most consistent with a sedimentary organic matter pool dominated by bacterial biomass, or derivative substances.
The spatial profile of density in electron beam generated plasmas

Abstract In electron beam generated plasmas, plasma generation is confined to the beam volume and is largely independent of reactor geometry. When the beam is magnetically confined, these plasmas exhibit excellent uniformity along the axis of beam propagation but have highly non-uniform charged particle density profiles normal to the beam axis. The structure of this spatial profile is driven by plasma chemistry and diffusion. This article explores the spatial variation of plasma density in different gas backgrounds as a means to separate the role of diffusion from electron/ion recombination in these systems. Small relative concentrations of molecular gas (H2/CH4) added to noble gas backgrounds are found to dramatically affect the spatial plasma density profile due to the effect of electron/ion recombination. Diffusion in different noble gases is treated in detail, with attention paid to the role of ion mass and electron temperature. Changes in ion mass affect the spatial plasma density profile by altering the ion mass term of the ambipolar diffusion coefficient. In addition spatial variation in electron temperature also strongly influences the ambipolar diffusion coefficient by changing the electron/neutral collision frequency.
Clonality and Lymphoproliferative Lesions

It is much easier for the hematologist or oncologist to arrive at a diagnosis explaining lymphocytosis, lymphadenopathy, or abnormal lymphocytic infiltrations of bone marrow or skin if the cells involved can be shown to originate from a clone. Attempts to define the clonality of cells in lymphoproliferative lesions have usually followed one of three standard approaches: the determination that only a single immunoglobulin light chain, either kappa or lambda, is expressed; the demonstration of a specific cytogenetic abnormality; or the expression of only a single allele for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase within the tumor of a female patient who is heterozygous for . . .
Photoperiod history, melatonin, and reproductive responses of male syrian hamsters

The action of melatonin (MEL) in mediating photoperiodic history (PPH) effects among male Syrian hamsters was investigated. In Exp. 1, pineal intact males in LD 14:10 received daily injections of MEL (15 micrograms) or ethanol:saline vehicle (SAL) 1 h before lights off for 8 wk to generate two groups experiencing identical photoperiods but distinctly different MEL histories. Following the cessation of injections, males were transferred to either LD 12:12 or LD 8:16 for 8 wk to evaluate whether their reproductive response to the new photoperiod would be more influenced by prior PPH or prior MEL history; MEL history was the significant variable. LD 12:12 caused gradual recrudescence in hamsters that were gonadally regressed following MEL injections. In contrast, LD 12:12 caused gonadal regression in hamsters that had large testes following SAL injections. Exp. 2 evaluated whether PPH influences might be mediated by aftereffects on the period (tau) of the circadian pacemaker regulating many behavioral and physiological rhythms. Pineal intact hamsters were exposed to long or short T cycles consisting of an 8 h photoperiod, repeated every 24.67 h (long T) or 23.33 h (short T) to mimic the aftereffects generated by short or long photoperiods. After 5 wk in these T-cycle conditions, all males were transferred to LD 12:12 for 11 wk. The reproductive response to LD 12:12 was modestly influenced by T-cycle history, even though each T-cycle generated different patterns of entrainment to LD 12:12. These findings support the hypothesis that the response of the reproductive system of male hamsters to an intermediate-duration photoperiod depends upon the duration of nocturnal melatonin secretion associated with hamsters' previous PPH.
Substance Abuse and Homelessness ☆: Direct or Indirect Effects?

Abstract PURPOSE: To investigate whether substance abuse is a direct factor in the explanation of homelessness or one that operates indirectly through disaffiliation and human capital processes to place individuals at greater risk of the condition. METHODS: Analyses were conducted using data on substance abuse and homeless experiences from a random probability sample of 481 homeless persons and those at risk of homelessness in Cook County, Illinois. Covariance structure models were used to assess substance abuse, human capital, and disaffiliation as potential precursors of homelessness, with particular attention paid to the direct and indirect role of substance abuse in the loss of domicile. RESULTS: Analysis of several nested models of homelessness links substance abuse only indirectly to loss of domicile, primarily through its impact on social and institutional affiliations. Contrary to expectations, substance abuse did not impact homelessness indirectly by diminishing the accumulation of human capital. CONCLUSIONS: The role of disaffiliation as a proximate cause of homelessness was confirmed. This locates the phenomenon within the context of society itself, as a direct result of a breakdown in the social bonds necessary for human community. Substance abuse plays a critical role in this breakdown, negatively influencing social as well as institutional relationships.
The Lack of Predictive Value of Prostate Specific Antigen Density in the Detection of Prostate Cancer in Patients with Normal Rectal Examinations and Intermediate Prostate Specific Antigen Levels

AbstractPurpose: The management of patients with a normal digital rectal examination and a prostate specific antigen (PSA) level of 4.0 to 10.0 ng./ml. remains controversial. To improve the specificity of cancer detection in this group, PSA density has been recommended with biopsies based on a PSA density of 0.15 or more. To evaluate PSA density as a discriminator of prostate cancer we enrolled patients in a prospective study.Materials and Methods: A prospective evaluation was done of 44 consecutive patients with a palpably normal digital rectal examination and a serum PSA level of 4.0 to 10.0 ng./ml. enrolled during a 13-month period. All patients underwent transrectal ultrasound with sextant biopsies regardless of calculated PSA density.Results: Overall, 8 of 44 men (18 percent) had prostate cancer. There was no significant difference in the mean PSA density between the patients with positive and negative biopsies (mean 0.12 and 0.15, respectively, p = 0.258). Also, there was no significant association ...
Massive feto-maternal hemorrhage as a cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity

11 cases of massive feto-maternal hemorrhage (FMH) detected at the Leuven Blood Transfusion Center are described. Based on these case reports, a review is given of the various theoretical and practical problems related to this complication, e.g. the relative frequency of perinatal mortality and morbidity due to massive FMH, the causes and pathogenesis, the symptoms and diagnosis, the clinical varieties, and the pathophysiology as seen in the fetus and newborn. Finally, the indications for looking for large FMHs are described, and the therapeutic implications when this complication is discovered.
To screen or not to screen: is that really the question?

Few diagnostic tests or screening procedures have engendered as much controversy as the HIV test. From its inception, unique social issues have complicated deliberations about HIV testing. In this ...
Innovation for a Reduction of the Yaw Moment on a Floating Platform With a Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine

Three designs of a floating spar platform for a vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) are considered, including two novel designs. The novel designs convert the rotary motion of the platform to a translational motion (namely, heave), to reduce the maximum yaw stiffness requirements of the mooring system. In typical operational conditions of a VAWT, the mooring system needs to be stiff to prevent the yaw rotation of the platform, allowing power to be taken off from the rotary electromagnetic generator. The first design considered is a simple spar platform with mooring lines in a spread-mooring configuration. The second design, a novel design, incorporates a lead-screw to couple the rotational motion to a translational motion. This design can take advantage of the hydrostatic restoring force present in heave to reduce the mooring stiffness. The third design, also a novel design, uses a spar-torus combination platform and a lead-screw to counteract the torque on the stator of the generator. Numerical models in the time domain are developed to simulate the dynamics of these three platforms in regular waves and constant-wind conditions and the results are reported. It was found that the stiffness requirements of the second design can be reduced by 25% without changing the transient dynamics. If the wave climate is energetic enough, the third design can not only reduce the yaw stiffness requirements but also increase the mean power produced. Advantages and disadvantages of each design due to the relative complexity of each system, as well as the mooring, generator, and platform dynamics are discussed.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Quotative be like in American English: Ephemeral or here to stay?

This article investigates quotative use in American English in apparent and real time. The use of quotative be like, go and say in a corpus of conversation in American English dating 2004 / 2005 is compared with use in a similar corpus dating 1995 / 1996 (Barbieri 2007). Findings show that in present-day American English be like is the favorite choice for all speakers below age 40, and is extremely popular among young teenagers. The real time comparison reveals that speakers who in the mid-1990s were in their teens to mid-20s have not only maintained, but considerably increased use of be like over time; women aged 27–40 have also maintained use of be like over time. Such findings provide evidence of generational change, as well as of “lifespan change” (Sankoff 2005). Overall, the present findings indicate that be like is a true case of change in progress — a change still led by women; however they do not point to one particular type of change, suggesting that generational and communal change may operate simultaneously in the advancement of change.
An RNA polymerase II-coupled function for histone H3K36 methylation in checkpoint activation and DSB repair

Histone modifications are major determinants of DNA double-strand break (DSB) response and repair. Here we elucidate a DSB repair function for transcription-coupled Set2 methylation at H3 lysine 36 (H3K36me). Cells devoid of Set2/H3K36me are hypersensitive to DNA-damaging agents and site-specific DSBs, fail to properly activate the DNA-damage checkpoint, and show genetic interactions with DSB-sensing and repair machinery. Set2/H3K36me3 is enriched at DSBs, and loss of Set2 results in altered chromatin architecture and inappropriate resection during G1 near break sites. Surprisingly, Set2 and RNA polymerase II are programmed for destruction after DSBs in a temporal manner--resulting in H3K36me3 to H3K36me2 transition that may be linked to DSB repair. Finally, we show a requirement of Set2 in DSB repair in transcription units--thus underscoring the importance of transcription-dependent H3K36me in DSB repair.
Development of a Stable Retrovirus Vector Capable of Long-Term Expression of γ-Globin mRNA in Mouse Erythrocytes

Gene therapy for patients with hemoglobin disorders such has been hampered by the inability of retrovirus vectors to transfer globin genes and the locus control region (LCR) into hematopoietic stem cells without rearrangement. In addition, the expression from intact globin gene vectors has been variable in red blood cells as a result of position effects and retrovirus silencing. We hypothesized that by substituting the globin gene promoter for the promoter of another gene expressed in red blood cells, we could generate stable retrovirus vectors that would express globin at sufficient levels to treat hemoglobinopathies. Transgenic mice containing the human ankyrin (Ank) gene promoter fused to the human gamma-globin gene showed position-independent, copy number-dependent expression of a linked gamma-globin mRNA. We generated a "double-copy" Ank/A gamma-globin retrovirus vector that transferred two copies of the Ank/A gamma-globin gene into target cells. Stable gene transfer was observed in primary primary mouse progenitor cells and long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells. Expression of Ank/A gamma-globin mRNA in mature red blood cells was approximately 8% of the level of mouse alpha-globin mRNA. We conclude that this novel retrovirus vector may be valuable for treating a variety of hemoglobinopathies by gene therapy if the level of expression can be further increased.
Smolder ignition of polyurethane foam: effect of oxygen concentration

Experiments have been conducted to study the ignition of both forward and opposed smolder of a high void fraction, flexible, polyurethane foam in a forced oxidizer flow. Tests are conducted in a small scale, vertically oriented, combustion chamber with supporting instrumentation. An electrically heated Nichrome wire heater placed between two porous ceramic disks, one of which is in complete contact with the foam surface, is used to supply the necessary power to ignite and sustain a smolder reaction. The gaseous oxidizer, metered via mass flow controllers, is forced through the foam and heater. A constant power is applied to the igniter for a given period of time and the resulting smolder is monitored to determine if smolder is sustained without the assistance of the heater, in which case smolder ignition is considered achieved. Reaction zone temperature and smolder propagation velocities are obtained from the temperature histories of thermocouples embedded at predetermined positions in the foam with junctions placed along the fuel centerline. Tests are conducted with oxygen mass fractions ranging from 0.109 to 1.0 at a velocity of 0.1 mm/s during the ignition period, and 0.7 or 3.0 mm/s during the self-sustained propagation period. The results show a well-defined smolder ignition regime primarily determined by two parameters: igniter heat flux, and the time the igniter is powered. These two parameters determine a minimum igniter/foam temperature, and a minimum depth of smolder propagation (char), which are conditions required for ignition to occur. The former is needed to establish a strong smolder reaction, and the latter to reduce heat losses from the incipient smolder reaction to the surrounding environment. The ignition regime is shifted to shorter times for a given igniter heat flux with increasing oxygen mass fraction. A model based on concepts similar to those developed to describe the ignition of solid fuels has been developed that describes well the experimental ignition results.
Brief announcement: fair maximal independent sets in trees

Finding a maximal independent set (MIS) is a classic problem in graph theory that has been widely study in the context of distributed algorithms. Standard distributed MIS solutions focus on time complexity. Here we focus on a novel attribute, fairness, where we consider an MIS algorithm fair if all nodes have similar probabilities of joining the set. In many contexts, fairness is important because a node's election to the MIS can have an impact on the resources it consumes. This paper addresses fairness by providing a provably fair and efficient distributed MIS algorithm for unrooted trees. The algorithm runs in O(logn) time and guarantees a correct MIS such that each node enters the set with probability at least 1/4 - e, for arbitrarily small e.
Dewey, situationism, and moral education

According to a number of authors, character is dead. On their view, the evidence is in, and all of our attempts to inculcate character in our students have not only failed, but are in fact destined to fail for various reasons. They base their conclusions in part on a number of experimental results that have been obtained since the 1920s, collectively known as situationism. If these authors are right, then the current emphasis on character education in the United States (and elsewhere) is woefully misplaced. On the contrary, however, Matthew Pamental argues in this essay that situationism's evidence is being misinterpreted. A Deweyan sociocultural approach to the nature and ideals of character both explains the evidence and reveals how character can be reconstructed and revived.
Modeling the Dependence of Tropical Storm Counts in the North Atlantic Basin on Climate Indices

Abstract The authors analyze and model time series of annual counts of tropical storms lasting more than 2 days in the North Atlantic basin and U.S. landfalling tropical storms over the period 1878–2008 in relation to different climate indices. The climate indices considered are the tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST), tropical mean SST, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and the Southern Oscillation index (SOI). Given the uncertainties associated with a possible tropical storm undercount in the presatellite era, two different time series of counts for the North Atlantic basin are employed: one is the original (uncorrected) tropical storm record maintained by the National Hurricane Center and the other one is with a correction for the estimated undercount associated with a changing observation network. Two different SST time series are considered: the Met Office’s HadISSTv1 and NOAA’s Extended Reconstructed SST. Given the nature of the data (counts), a Poisson regression model is adopted. T...
Root Canal Treatment in a Population-Based Adult Sample: Status of Teeth After Endodontic Treatment

The purpose of this study was to quantify treatment outcomes of endodontically treated teeth, in a representative, population-based adult sample. The “Florida Dental Care Study” was a prospective, longitudinal, cohort study of 873 subjects who had at least one tooth at baseline and who were 45 yr or older. An in-person interview and clinical examination were conducted at baseline, 24 months, and 48 months after baseline, with 6-monthly telephone interviews between those times. Dental record information was abstracted afterward. Seventy-five teeth had conventional root-canal therapy (RCT) performed and met the inclusion criteria of 1-yr of follow-up or extraction. The mean duration of follow-up after RCT was 24.8 months. The mean (SD) attachment loss (AL) on teeth receiving RCT was only 3.3 (1.4) mm. Permanent restorations were placed in 79% of teeth a mean of 4.4 months after the RCT. However, 12% of teeth did not have any restorative treatment after RCT. After RCT had been completed, 81% of teeth were retained and 19% were ultimately extracted. Taken as a whole, this community-based study of a representative sample of adults suggests a higher failure rate than reported from studies in highly controlled environments or insured populations. It also suggests that the length of time to initial restoration of RCT-treated teeth is less than optimal. RCT was almost never performed on teeth with advanced periodontal attachment loss.
Epidemiologic Approaches to Injury and Violence

This volume of Epidemiologic Reviews features 13 articles covering a variety of injury problems and research topics. In this commentary, the authors highlight the remarkable achievements in injury control and the important role the Haddon Matrix has played in understanding injury causation and developing preventive strategies; comment on the individual articles included in this volume in the broad categories of research methods, childhood injury, motor-vehicle-related injury, alcohol-related injury, intentional injury, and occupational injury; and outline research gaps and future directions in injury epidemiology and prevention.
Mean flow generation by topographic Rossby waves

This paper makes use of the ease of modelling topographic Rossby waves in a laboratory context to investigate the ability of these waves to generate strong zonal mean flows when the geostrophic (f/H) contours are closed. A zonally travelling wave is forced in a narrow latitude band of a ‘polar beta plane’. Stronger signals occur when the motion of the driving is retrograde and at the phase speed of the gravest free modes. An important zonal westward mean flow occurs in the free interior while a compensating eastward jet is found at forced latitudes. The dependence of the mean flow strength upon the wave steepness indicates that genuine rectification processes are indeed taking place when the fluid is stirred by purely oscillating devices.This general tendency for topographic Rossby waves to transfer energy to zonal components is first analysed theoretically by investigating a side-band instability mechanism within an unforced fluid. Among the products of the interactions between a primary wave of wavenumber k and its side bands of wavenumber k ± δk, the zonal flow is prominent. Wave steepnesses of order (|δk|/|k|)½ only are required for zonal energy to grow whereas non-zonal components of scale longer or shorter than the primary wave need huge steepnesses [of order (|δk|/|k|−3/2] for amplification. This supplements the earlier notion that ‘nearly zonal’ waves may be generated by weak resonant interaction.For gentle driving certain classical aspects of Rossby wave propagation can be checked against the experiments. The linear theory provides also a convenient framework to discuss the meridional structure of the wave-induced Reynolds stress. For more energetic driving, a test of the potential vorticity mixing theory can be carried out and sheds further light upon the rectification mechanisms.
A Brief History of the Late Ottoman Empire – By M. Şükrü Hanioğlu

This brief volume covers the years from 1798 to the imperial collapse in 1918. Moving both chronologically and thematically, the author masterfully highlights long‐term trends and processes in late...
Rare event simulation for rough energy landscapes

A rough energy landscape can be modeled by a potential function superimposed by another fast oscillating function. Modeling motion in such a rough energy landscape by a small noise stochastic differential equation with fast oscillating coefficients, we construct asymptotically optimal importance sampling schemes for the study of rare events. Standard Monte Carlo methods perform poorly for these kind of problems in the small noise limit, even without the added difficulties of the fast oscillating function. We study the situation in which the fast oscillating parameter goes to zero faster than the intensity of the noise. We identify an asymptotically optimal estimator in the sense of variance minimization using the subsolution approach. Examples and simulation results are provided.
WO-2, a stable aneuploid derivative of Candida albicans strain WO-1, can switch from white to opaque and form hyphae

Candida albicans strain WO-2 was isolated as a spontaneous derivative of the white-opaque switching strain WO-1. The electrophoretic karyotype of WO-2 lacks two bands which are found in the parent. These bands correspond to one homologue of chromosome 7 and to a translocation product containing parts of chromosomes 6 and 5. Probing a blot of the karyotype demonstrated that the genetic material in these bands had been lost, yielding an aneuploid strain. UV-irradiation experiments showed that auxotrophs due to mutation in genes located in this region predominated, supporting the conclusion that WO-2 is partially haploid. WO-2 contained about 10% of its genome in the haploid state, and it grew with a doubling time of about twice that of its parent. However, it was able to undergo both the yeast-to-hyphal transition and the white-opaque transition. Hence, these processes do not require perfect diploidy.
Utilizing human factors in the design of critical user interface systems

One way to make a product stand out in today's competitive, cost conscious market, be it commercial or military, is to make it operate intuitively the way a human thinks and functions. Human factors and industrial design can accomplish this by enhancing the man-machine interface of a product. This becomes important when technical features are similar to a competitor's. Furthermore, the military requires human factors and safety evaluations in its contracts. This is not only out of concern for initial costs of a product or system, but also the costs of training personnel and maintenance later. These costs can be reduced with products that are human engineered, thus easier to learn and use. This paper discusses how human factors and industrial design influence the design process in the system engineering approach. A military product is used to illustrate how some of these methods were used to create a control panel on FMC's Electronic Fighting Vehicle System for use by the U.S. Army.
Determination of acceptability of flavored oat bran frankfurters by older adults.

The US population is aging rapidly and, within the next 25 years, 20–25% will be over age 60. This creates a vast new market for age-specific products and increases the responsibility of food scientists and nutritionists to provide appropriate foods for older adults. Many older individuals are energy deficient and need to be encouraged to consume more food in order to maintain body weight and health, but need to decrease the calories from fat in their diets. Many of diese older individuals are not inclined to eat foods that they enjoy for fear that these foodsmay be detrimental to their health (de Castro, 1993), or they have lost their gustational abilities to the degree that these foods are no longer enjoyable. This research looks at a possible solution to both problems by replacing fat in a favorite food of older adults and adjusting the flavor levels of this product. Frankfurters were made from mechanically deboned poultry meat in which standard commercial formulation was compared to three flavoring tr...
Distribution of vasopressin in the forebrain of spotted hyenas

The extreme virilization of the female spotted hyena raises interesting questions with respect to sexual differentiation of the brain and behavior. Females are larger and more aggressive than adult, non-natal males and dominate them in social encounters; their external genitalia also are highly masculinized. In many vertebrates, the arginine vasopressin (VP) innervation of the forebrain, particularly that of the lateral septum, is associated with social behaviors such as aggression and dominance. Here, we used immunohistochemistry to examine the distribution of VP cells and fibers in the forebrains of adult spotted hyenas. We find the expected densely staining VP immunoreactive (VP-ir) neurons in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei, as well as an unusually extensive distribution of magnocelluar VP-ir neurons in accessory regions. A small number of VP-ir cell bodies are present in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis; however, there are extensive VP-ir fiber networks in presumed projection areas of these nuclei, for example, the subparaventricular zone and lateral septum, respectively. No significant sex differences were detected in the density of VP-ir fibers in any area examined. In the lateral septum, however, marked variability was observed. Intact females exhibited a dense fiber network, as did two of the four males examined; the two other males had almost no VP-ir septal fibers. This contrasts with findings in many other vertebrate species, in which VP innervation of the lateral septum is consistently greater in males than in females. J. Comp.
The network workbench: network simulation software for academic investigation of Internet concepts

Abstract Simulation offers significant advantages as a basis for academic projects in computer networking. Because many unimportant details can be abstracted away, and also because simulations can be completely repeatable, it is possible to address the same concepts more quickly than is possible with actual networks. At the same time, students who program a protocol for a network simulator come to understand the protocol much better than if they learn only from reading and lectures. This paper reports on a new network simulator, the Network Workbench, which is intended for use in the academic environment. It is based on discrete event simulation and structured around a five-layer stack abstracted from the Internet protocols (TCP/IP family). While the Workbench is less powerful than some tools used for investigation of larger networks or more complex protocols, it has compensating advantages. Its use can be learned quickly and it is sufficiently powerful, comprehensive, and extensible to allow investigation of a considerable range of problems. The Workbench, which is available to the academic community under no-cost license, includes a set of protocol programming exercises for introductory networking courses and it also has proved usable for more advanced student research projects. This paper describes the philosophy behind the Workbench, gives a brief outline of its history, explains its internal structure, and describes its use in computer network teaching and research.
Proper forcing, cardinal arithmetic, and uncountable linear orders

In this paper I will communicate some new consequences of the Proper Forcing Axiom. First, the Bounded Proper Forcing Axiom implies that there is a well ordering of ℝ which is Σ1-definable in (H(ω2), ϵ). Second, the Proper Forcing Axiom implies that the class of uncountable linear orders has a five element basis. The elements are X, ω1, , C, C * where X is any suborder of the reals of size ω1 and C is any Countryman line. Third, the Proper Forcing Axiom implies the Singular Cardinals Hypothesis at k unless stationary subsets of reflect. The techniques are expected to be applicable to other open problems concerning the theory ofH(ω2).
Combined substance abuse and psychiatric disorders in homeless and domiciled patients.

AbstractAlthough homelessness in patients with combined addictive and psychiatric illness is a common problem, little has been reported about the epidemiology of homelessness in this patient population. The authors, in a study of 100 dually diagnosed patients admitted to a large metropolitan psychiatric ho!;pital, found that a large portion of patients (N = 46) were homeless at the time of admission. Alcohol and crack/cocaine were the most frequently used drugs. Interestingly, there were no significant differences on most parameters between those who were homeless and those who were not. The authors observed that among the disadvantaged, inner-city dually diagnosed, many move in and out of the homeless state, seriously compromising their chances for recovery. Self-help treatment programs were more commonly used by homeless than domiciled patients. The homeless population may therefore be amenable to treatment in 12-step groups, as are domiciled patients.
A New Metric to Measure Gene Product Similarity

The widespread use of microarray technology and sequencing of genomes has made it increasingly possible to study the cellular sub-systems of organisms. Computational techniques applied to sequence data annotated with ontologies such as the gene ontology (GO) aid in understanding regulatory networks of genes. An important related problem is the estimation of the similarity between gene products based on their annotations. We present an approach to compute gene product similarity that takes into account both the hierarchical nature of GO and the co-occurrence of GO terms in annotations. It also accounts for differences in the cardinality of annotations and differences in the frequency of usage of GO terms. We demonstrate the validity of the metric by computing the similarity between gene products in several different contexts. These include the analysis of similarity within a specific signaling pathway, between proteins constituting a sequence family and the comparative evaluation of different clusterings of microarray data.
Improvements and extensions of high direct voltage measurements at NRC, Canada

Improvements to the measurement capabilities for high direct voltage at NRC are outlined. Measurements to establish the relative performance of dividers are reported. Initial tests using a null method to compare two measuring systems are described.
Perinatal Brain Iron Deficiency Increases the Vulnerability of Rat Hippocampus to Hypoxic Ischemic Insult

Fetal brain iron deficiency occurs in human pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus or intrauterine growth retardation. Because neurocognitive deficits are more common in the offspring of these pregnancies, we tested the hypothesis that perinatal brain iron deficiency predisposes the neonatal hippocampus, a structure important for memory processing, to injury. Brain iron concentration was reduced by 45% in 45 neonatal rats by maternal dietary iron restriction during gestation. Right-sided neuronal injury in four hippocampal subareas was induced by hypoxic-ischemic insult (ipsilateral carotid artery ligation and subsequent hypoxia on postnatal d 7) and was quantified histochemically on d 8 by cytochrome c oxidase activity (n = 30), and on d 14 by Nissl staining (n = 15). Acute right-sided cytochrome c oxidase activity loss occurred in CA1 (P = 0.02), CA3c (P < 0.001) and dentate gyrus (P < 0.001) in the iron-deficient group, whereas only CA1 (P = 0. 003) was affected in the iron-sufficient group. Long-term right-sided Nissl substance loss occurred in CA1 (P = 0.001), CA3a,b (P < 0.001) and dentate gyrus (P = 0.008) in the iron-deficient group, but only in CA1 (P = 0.004) in the iron-sufficient group. No increase in right-sided free-iron staining was present in either group. Perinatal iron deficiency predisposes the neonatal hippocampus to a greater acute loss of neuronal metabolic activity after an hypoxic-ischemic event, suggesting compromised cellular energetics. The subsequently greater loss of hippocampal neuronal integrity suggests poorer recoverability after injury in the perinatal iron-deficient brain.
HDP-FSG Integration in Multilevel Interconnect Devices

HDP-FSG has been integrated as an inter-metal dielectric in a multilevel interconnect scheme. Process regimes for obtaining stable HDP-FSG films were identified. Gap-fill of high aspect ratio structures was achieved for 0.18µm technology node. HDP-FSG film stability, homogeneity, and impurity content were evaluated. In addition to the development of the HDP-FSG process, integration of the interconnect module was investigated and optimized. Analysis of the AI/FSG interface integrity was tested for gap-fill and corrosion with SEM and for fluorine diffusion with SIMS. CMP rate of the FSG was determined and compared to HDP-USG. Al metallization integration approaches in conjunction with FSG were identified.
The ideal free antelope: foraging dispersions

The theory of ideal free distributions seeks to predict the dispersions of organisms given heterogeneous resource landscapes and density dependent fitness. Behavioral ecologists usually test this theory by examining outcomes, particularly whether the equilibrium fraction of animals in each alternative site equals the fraction of resource there (proportional settlement). Population ecologists instead focus on the relevant process: how does dispersion relate to resource distributions and is it density dependent? Isodar analysis is a process-focused method that assesses the relative roles of quantitative and qualitative factors in shaping density dependent settlement. Here, we apply isodar analysis to the dispersions of wild Thomson’s gazelles foraging on natural swards in Kenya. Frequent and detailed mapping of resource levels allowed us to delineate rich and poor regions, and to record the densities of foraging females in each region throughout an annual cycle. Whereas quantitative differences attracted more foragers into the rich region at low-ambient densities, the poor region became increasingly favored at higher densities, implying the competing influence of a qualitative factor. Additional regressions suggested that this factor involved predation risk through the following scenario. Intakes were found to increase with proximity to ruminating conspecifics. The latter favored poor regions perhaps for improved predator detection. High wet season food abundance both increased gazelle densities and decreased the costs of foraging in the poor region next to vigilant ruminators. Low dry season food levels resulted in lower gazelle densities, and higher costs of foraging in the poor region despite shared vigilance burdens.
Magnetic Anomalies, Bathymetry and the Tectonic Evolution of the South Pacific since the Late Cretaceous

Summary Bathymetric and magnetic anomaly data indicate that the South Pacific Ocean floor between New Zealand and Antarctica formed since late Cretaceous time by sea-floor spreading at the Pacific-Antarctic Rise and the southern portion of the East Pacific Rise. Following the initial breaking apart of the Campbell plateau from Antarctica, the Pacific plate moved away from the Antarctic plate at a fast rate of about 90 mm/yr. Between approximately 60 and 40 My ago, (anomalies 25 and 13) after spreading within the Tasman Sea had stopped, and during which Australia began to drift away from Antarctica, the direction of relative plate motion in the South Pacific changed and the average rate decreased to 40 mm/yr. During the re-alignment inany of the minor transform faults disappeared and the two that form the Eltanin fracture zone system changed in direction, offset and spacing in a predictable way. The pole of rotation moved nearer to the region. The topography of the sea-floor created during this interval was rough, presumably because of the slow rate of spreading. Since this time, the pole of rotation has been moving farther away and the spreading rate has been increasing. The present relative velocity of the plates ranges from about 60 mm/yr in the south-west to about 100 mm/yr in the north-east. Using reconstructions of Australia and Antarctica and preliminary evidence of the sea-floor spreading history of the Tasman Sea, we reconstructed the surrounding continental fragments at various times since the late Cretaceous. Bending of the ' New Zealand Geosyncline ' appears to have occurred entirely after about 40 My ago, and at the same time the southern portion of the Tasman Sea floor probably formed by slow spreading near the present Macquarie Rise, between the Pacific and Indian plates. Relative motion between East and West Antarctica of about 500 km seems to be required between about 80 and 40 My ago.
The normal difference in bilateral indirect blood pressure recordings in normotensive individuals.

Abstract If there is a significant dichotomy between bilateral blood pressure determinations in both arms, it is often taken as a sign of some type of underlying pathology. We wished to evaluate what the normal variation might be for significant differences between blood pressures in both arms. Significant difference was arbitrarily chosen as a systolic blood pressure value greater than 10 mm Hg. Bilateral indirect blood pressure determinations were obtained in 100 subjects with no known history of hypertension in the sitting position. The blood pressure was obtained by 2 observers, one who recorded the systolic and diastolic blood pressure as announced by the person taking the blood pressures who was blinded to the actual values taken. The coefficient of variation in obtaining the blood pressures in each arm was determined in 5 of the 100 subjects. The age, sex, and handedness of each individual were recorded as demographic variables. The average left and right systolic blood pressures were 112.1 ± 16.5 and 112.7 ± 16.3 mm Hg, respectively. The average left and right diastolic pressures were 64.4 ± 11.6 and 63.5 ± 9.9 mm Hg, respectively. There was no significant difference between left minus right systolic or diastolic differences (Student's paired t -test). There were no significant differences in systolic or diastolic blood pressure between gender or between right and left handed individuals (non-paired t -test). The average coefficients of variation for right and left arm systolic blood pressures were 5.41% and 5.81%, respectively. Fifteen subjects had differences in systolic blood pressure between both arms exceeding 10 mm Hg (7% to 22%, 95% confidence interval). Differences of more than 10 mm Hg in indirect bilateral blood pressure recordings are frequent in normotensive individuals and probably do not per se indicate any abnormal pathology. In the right clinical situation, differences that are noted should probably be repeated and should be added to the total clinical picture when used to determine whether a pathologic condition is present. (Am J Emerg Med 2001;19:43-45. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company)
A Behavioral Scientist Looks at Obscenity

Throughout history, in pictures and in words, man has recorded his preoccupation with the sexual side of his nature. From carvings in the ancient Hindu temples of Kahjurah to the murals uncovered in the ruins of Pompeii, from bawdy Boccaccio to the erotic violence in de Sade, man’s sexuality asserts itself. Confronted with this vivid evidence of irrepressible sexual energy, virtually every age and every culture has chosen to impose its own limits regulating human sexual behavior and its visual or written portrayal through ritual and religion, and most recently by law.
Utility of a real‐time appropriate use criteria decision support application for percutaneous coronary interventions in non‐acute coronary syndrome

Objectives The aim of this study was to test the feasibility and value of a real-time online appropriate use criteria (AUC) application for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients without acute coronary syndrome. Background High rates of non-appropriate elective PCI in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) CathPCI Registry have created interest in integrating decision support tools into routine clinical care to improve the frequency of appropriate PCIs. Methods Patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography and subsequent PCI for non-ACS indications at a single center were scored using a real-time AUC application pre-procedure. Blinded angiographic review was performed subsequently for each case. Rates of appropriate, inappropriate, uncertain and not rated PCIs were tabulated according to specific clinical scenarios using information available both before and after the angiographic audit. Results Of 308 PCIs in 272 patients, 196 (63.6%) were deemed appropriate, 79 (25.6%) uncertain, and two (0.6%) inappropriate; 31 (10.1%) scenarios could not be rated. With angiographic audit, inappropriate PCIs increased to 9.7%. There was a significant improvement in the rate of appropriate PCI using the real-time AUC application compared with retrospective data collection for NCDR reporting (64% vs. 53%, P = 0.01). Conclusions Use of a real-time AUC application together with angiographic audit may improve the accuracy of reporting PCI appropriateness. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Electron Micrographs of Motor End-Plates.

SummaryThe Z membranes of the underlying muscle fiber appear to penetrate the end-plate and extend for some distance into the sole-plate sarcoplasm. Here they were observed to be in close association, if not an direct contact with, the nerve elements. Such an arrangement represents a closer association of the nerve and contractile muscle elements at the motor end-plate than is generally thought to be present.
Interleukin-15 receptor α on hepatic stellate cells regulates hepatic fibrogenesis in mice

Background & Aims Interleukin-15 (IL-15) and its high affinity receptor interleukin-15 receptor alpha (IL-15Rα) are widely expressed in immune cells and hepatic resident cells. IL-15 signaling has important functions in homeostasis of natural killer (NK), natural killer T (NKT) and cytotoxic T (CD8 + T) cells, and in liver regeneration. We hypothesized that IL-15 has a protective role in liver fibrosis progression by maintaining NK cell homeostasis. Methods Fibrosis was induced using two mechanistically distinct models. Congenic bone marrow transplantation was used to evaluate the contribution of IL-15 signaling from various compartments to NK, CD8 + T and NKT cell homeostasis and fibrogenesis. The gene expression profile of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) from IL-15Rα knockout ( IL-15Rα KO) mice and wild-type mice were captured using microarray analysis and validated in isolated HSC. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to assess repressors of collagen transcription. Results IL-15Rα KO mice exhibited more fibrosis in both models. IL-15 signaling from specific types of hepatic cells had divergent roles in maintaining liver NK, CD8 + T and NKT cells, with a direct and protective role on radio-resistant non-parenchymal cells beyond the control of NK homeostasis. HSCs isolated from IL-15Rα KO mice demonstrated upregulation of collagen production. Finally, IL-15Rα KO HSC with or without transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) stimulation exhibited increased expression of fibrosis markers and decreased collagen transcription repressors expression. Conclusions IL-15Rα signaling has a direct anti-fibrotic effect independent of preserving NK homeostasis. These findings establish a rationale to further explore the anti-fibrotic potential of enhancing IL-15 signaling in HSCs. Lay summary We investigated how a cellular protein, Interleukin-15 (IL-15), decreases the amount of scar tissue that is formed upon liver injury. We found that IL-15 and its receptor decrease the amount of scar tissue that is created by specialized liver cells (called stellate cells) and increase the number of a specific subgroup of immune cells (natural killer cells) that are known to eliminate stellate cells. Transcript profiling accession number GSE45612, GSE 68001 and GSE 25097.