cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Work in the metal industry and nasopharyngeal cancer mortality among formaldehyde-exposed workers

Abstract Objective To investigate further the possibility that the large nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) mortality excess among a cohort of formaldehyde-exposed workers may be related to occupational factors external to the study plant. Methods Subjects were 7345 workers employed at a plastics-producing plant (1941–1984) in Wallingford, Connecticut evaluated independently as part of a National Cancer Institute cohort study. Vital status for 98% of the cohort and cause of death for 95% of 2872 deaths were determined through 2003. Reconstructed worker exposures to formaldehyde were used to compute unlagged and lagged exposure measures. We computed standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) based on US and local county rates. In a nested case–control study we evaluated mortality risks from NPC and from all other pharyngeal cancers combined (AOPC) in relation to formaldehyde exposure while accounting for potential confounding or effect modification by smoking or external (non-Wallingford) employment. Job applications, Connecticut commercial city directories and a previous survey were used to assign subjects to three external job groups. Results We observed no new deaths from NPC and one additional AOPC death (pharynx unspecified) yielding, respectively, SMRs of 4.43 (7 deaths, 95% CI = 1.78–9.13) and 1.71 (16 deaths, 95% CI = 1.01–2.72). Five of seven NPC cases worked in silver smithing (including brass plating and other jobs related to silver or brass) or other metal work (including steel working and welding), and this type of work was relatively rare in the remaining study population (OR = 14.41, 95% CI = 1.08–82.1). For AOPC, we found a moderate increase in risk for other metal work (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = .31–5.1). Interaction models suggested that NPC and AOPC risks were not elevated in subjects exposed only to formaldehyde. Conclusions The results of our nested case–control study suggest that the large nasopharyngeal cancer mortality excess in the Wallingford cohort may not be due to formaldehyde exposure, but rather reflects the influence of external employment in the ferrous and non-ferrous metal industries of the local area that entailed possible exposures to several suspected risk factors for upper respiratory system cancer (e.g., sulfuric acid mists, mineral acid, metal dusts and heat). Our findings may also help to explain why the associations with formaldehyde and nasopharyngeal cancer reported in the 1994 update of the 10-plant NCI formaldehyde cohort study were unique to the Wallingford plant (Plant 1 in NCI study). Further updates of the NCI formaldehyde cohort study should include co-exposure data on silver smithing and other metal work for all study plants to help explain the unique findings for nasopharyngeal cancer in Plant 1 compared with the other nine plants.
Synthetic nano-fibrillar extracellular matrices with predesigned macroporous architectures.

Scaffolding plays a pivotal role in tissue engineering. To mimic the architecture of a natural extracellular matrix component-collagen, nona-fibrous matrices have been created with synthetic biodegradable polymers in our laboratory using a phase-separation technique. To improve the cell seeding, distribution, mass transport, and new tissue organization, three-dimensional macroporous architectures are built in the nano-fibrous matrices. Water-soluble porogen materials are first fabricated into three-dimensional negative replicas of the desired macroporous architectures. Polymer solutions are then cast over the porogen assemblies in a mold, and are thermally phase-separated to form nano-fibrous matrices. The porogen materials are leached out with water to finally form the synthetic nano-fibrous extracellular matrices with predesigned macroporous architectures. In this way, synthetic polymer matrices are created with architectural features at several levels, including the anatomical shape of the matrix, macroporous elements (100 microm to millimeters), interfiber distance (microns), and the diameter of the fibers (50-500 nm). These scaffolding materials circumvent the concerns of pathogen transmission and immuno-rejection associated with natural collagen. With the flexibility in the design of chemical structure, molecular weight, architecture, degradation rate, and mechanical properties, these novel synthetic matrices may serve as superior scaffolding for tissue engineering.
Modeling Credit Card Borrowing: A Comparison of Type I and Type II Tobit Approaches

This study focuses on credit cards as a borrowing medium using 1998 Survey of Consumer Finance data. The type II Tobit approach used here overcomes a shortcoming of the conventional type I Tobit model, which restricts the coefficients of the binary borrowing decision (the first step) and balance level decision (the second step) to have the same sign. By separately estimating the first and second steps as reduced-form functions in which the overall effects of supply and demand are incorporated, the type II Tobit procedure yields more consistent results with other studies and quantifies the marginal effect (elasticity) of a particular determinant for practical uses. More than 11,000 bank and nonbank holding companies issued credit cards in 1997. Among these firms, the top 50 issuers' market share is 90.4%, and the 10 largest credit card issuers hold 57.3% of total outstanding balances. Bank holding company revenue from interest on outstanding balances is $57.5 billion, which is 77.8% of the total revenue of $73.9 billion. Moreover, about 80% of 102 million U.S households own at least one credit card. Demand for credit cards consists of two components, one being the demand as a transaction medium and the other being the demand as a borrowing medium. Over 68% of bank-type credit card holders use their credit cards only as a transaction medium,1 which means that they pay off their balances in full each month (Cargill and Wendel 1996). However, other credit card holders use their cards as a source of short-term, lowamount borrowing or as an instrument for consumption smoothing. This study focuses on credit cards as a borrowing medium. Total household debts have been investigated in other studies relating household debt levels to credit or liquidity constraints. Using a two-step selection approach, Duca and Rosenthal (1993) examine the extent to which borrowing constraints restrict household access to debt and the manner in which lenders vary debt limits across borrowers. Crook (2001) investigates the determinants of credit constraints and the factors in the amount of household debt with a multistage model. However, it is necessary to separate the credit card debt from other household debts in the sense that every credit card user could borrow without incurring a transaction cost. Brito and Hartley (1995) provide a theoretical model in which the equilibrium interest rate can be very high and inflexible under the
Sunlight and the Deep Ocean

Those deep-ocean vent tubeworms (Random Samples, 30 Jan., [p. 663][1]) are indeed most remarkable, but to say that “they don't need sunlight” is a little like saying tapeworms don't need sunlight. The tubeworms do need oxygen, which is there courtesy of sunlight and chlorophyll at the ocean's
Changes in the Economic Value of Photovoltaic Generation at High Penetration Levels: A Pilot Case Study of California

We estimate the long-run economic value of photovoltaic (PV) generation with increasing penetration using a unique investment and dispatch model that captures long-run investment decisions while also incorporating detailed operational constraints and hourly time resolution over a full year. High time resolution and operational constraints can be important for estimating the economic value of variable generation resources like PV, as is the use of a modeling framework that accommodates new investment decisions. The model is herein applied to a case study that is loosely based on California in 2030. The marginal economic value of PV is decomposed into capacity value, energy value, day-ahead forecast error cost, and ancillary services. The value of PV is found to exceed the value of a flat block of power by $19/MWh at low penetration, largely due to the high capacity value of PV at low penetration. The value of PV is found to drop considerably (by more than $60/MWh) as the penetration increases toward 30% on an energy basis, first due primarily to a steep drop in the capacity value followed by a decrease in the energy value. Day-ahead forecast error and ancillary service costs, though not insignificant, do not change as dramatically with increasing penetration. In the near term, efforts to mitigate changes in the value of PV with increasing penetration may be most effective if focused on maintaining the capacity value of PV.
Rilpivirine: a new non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor

Rilpivirine is a new non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) that is approved for HIV-1 treatment-naive adult patients in combination with other antiretroviral agents. The recommended dose is a 25 mg tablet once daily taken orally with a meal. Due to cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme induction or gastric pH increase, rilpivirine cannot be coadministered with a number of other drugs (anticonvulsants, rifabutin, rifampicin, rifapentine, proton pump inhibitors, systemic dexamethasone and St John's wort). Rilpivirine should be used with caution when coadministered with a drug with a known risk for torsade de pointes. Rilpivirine has a better tolerability than a comparative NNRTI, efavirenz, in clinical trials, with fewer central nervous system adverse effects, rashes, lipid abnormalities and discontinuation rates. Virological failure occurs more commonly with higher baseline viral loads (>100,000 copies/mL) and lower baseline CD4 counts (<50 cells/mm(3)). Seventeen NNRTI mutations have been associated with decreased susceptibility to rilpivirine: K101E/P, E138A/G/K/Q/R, V179L, Y181C/I/V, H221Y, F227C, M230I/L, Y188L and the combination L100I + K103N. Resistance to rilpivirine largely excludes future use of the NNRTI class.
Sensing of liquid level at micron resolution using self-excited millimeter-sized PZT-cantilever

Abstract Composite resonant millimeter-sized piezoelectric cantilevers were fabricated and their mass change sensitivity was evaluated using liquid evaporation experiments. The cantilever sensor was immersed to 1 mm depth in two volatile fluids, and one non-volatile fluid. Deionized water and 50% ethanol–water solution showed a resonant frequency change of 19 ± 1 and 23 ± 1 Hz/min, respectively. The cantilever liquid level change sensitivity ( ϕ ) was determined as 0.26 ± 0.01 μm/Hz. Experimental measurement of liquid level change of deionized water at room temperature and humidity was found to be 5.0 ± 0.1 μm/min, and is in good agreement with first principles model prediction of 5.5 μm/min. We have modeled the added mass effects as proportional to displaced liquid mass. Such a model agrees with experimental results for immersion depths of less than 1 mm. The model provides a method for determining cantilever's spring constant and the added mass coefficient. The significance of the results we report is that millimeter-sized piezoelectric-actuated cantilevers have the sensitivity for measuring micron-level liquid level changes.
Thiol Oxidation Activates a Novel Redox-Regulated Coronary Vasodilator Mechanism Involving Inhibition of Ca2+ Influx

This study examines the mechanism of relaxation of isolated endothelium-removed bovine coronary arteries (BCAs) to the thiol oxidant diamide. BCAs precontracted with KCl or the thromboxane A(2) receptor agonist U46619 showed a concentration-dependent reversible relaxation on exposure to 10 micromol/L to 1 mmol/L diamide. This relaxation was enhanced by an inhibitor of glutathione reductase, and it was not altered by severe hypoxia, the presence of inhibitors of soluble guanylate cyclase, K(+) channels, tyrosine kinases, or probes that modulate levels of superoxide. The relaxation was almost eliminated when BCAs were precontracted with a phorbol ester that causes a contraction that is largely independent of extracellular Ca(2+). The initial transient contraction elicited by 5-hydroxytryptamine in Ca(2+)-free solution was not altered by the presence of 1 mmol/L diamide; however, a subsequent tonic contraction on addition of CaCl(2) was inhibited by diamide. Diamide also inhibited contractions caused by the addition of CaCl(2) to Ca(2+)-free Krebs' buffer containing Bay K8644 (an L-type Ca(2+) channel opener) or KCl. Relaxation to diamide was attenuated by L-type Ca(2+) channel blockers (nifedipine and diltiazem). Thus, thiol oxidation elicited by diamide appears to activate a novel redox-regulated vasodilator mechanism that seems to inhibit extracellular Ca(2+) influx.
Platform tolerant and capsule-pill RFID antenna designs: An overview of recent developments at UCLA

This paper addresses two important aspects in the area of RFID technology namely, development of platform tolerant tags and RFID tags and systems in medicine. Firstly, platform tolerant tag designs are discussed. A dual patch/fat folded-dipole type tags (for human monitoring) is described and measurements are performed to validate the performance of the tag in different environments including human body and metals. Then, a medicine monitoring system is briefly discussed which can prove vital for medical compliance. The concept of the tagging of each medicine pill with RFID tag is presented and its design is discussed including proper operability within the human body.
Chemical Plume Tracking Behavior in Animals and Mobile Robots

: The most important and challenging feat of navigation for many animals is locating important resources by tracking fluid-borne chemicals. As molecules of a source dissolve into flowing air or water they form a patchy turbulent plume which results in the intermittent stimulation required by many odor tracking animals. Most animals need two pieces of information to track a plume: (1) the presence of odor, and (2) the direction of the flow. In most cases, steering into the flow and moving upstream while in contact with odor should lead the tracker to the odor's source. How plume trackers sample for odor information and what rules they use to generate the behavior we observe have been addressed using computer simulations or mobile robots as models of the biological trackers. These approaches also result in the development of control algorithms for autonomous man-made plume tracking systems.
A Humanbecoming Mentoring Model

The purpose of this column is to set forth the humanbecoming mentoring model, which offers an alternative to the traditional perspective of mentoring. The model is built on the ontology of humanbecoming and contains assumptions, essences, and processes.
Risks of Endoscopic Ultrasound and Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and EUS-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) have become important tools in evaluation of patients with various clinical disorders, and are being increasingly utilized at many centers. EUS shares the risks and complications of other endoscopic procedures. This article addresses specific adverse effects and risks associated with EUS and EUS-FNA, mainly perforation, pancreatitis, bleeding, and infection. Measures to help minimize these risks will also be discussed.
Pathogenic Hantaviruses Andes Virus and Hantaan Virus Induce Adherens Junction Disassembly by Directing Vascular Endothelial Cadherin Internalization in Human Endothelial Cells

Hantaviruses infect endothelial cells and cause 2 vascular permeability-based diseases. Pathogenic hantaviruses enhance the permeability of endothelial cells in response to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). However, the mechanism by which hantaviruses hyperpermeabilize endothelial cells has not been defined. The paracellular permeability of endothelial cells is uniquely determined by the homophilic assembly of vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) within adherens junctions, which is regulated by VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR2) responses. Here, we investigated VEGFR2 phosphorylation and the internalization of VE-cadherin within endothelial cells infected by pathogenic Andes virus (ANDV) and Hantaan virus (HTNV) and nonpathogenic Tula virus (TULV) hantaviruses. We found that VEGF addition to ANDV- and HTNV-infected endothelial cells results in the hyperphosphorylation of VEGFR2, while TULV infection failed to increase VEGFR2 phosphorylation. Concomitant with the VEGFR2 hyperphosphorylation, VE-cadherin was internalized to intracellular vesicles within ANDV- or HTNV-, but not TULV-, infected endothelial cells. Addition of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) or sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) to ANDV- or HTNV-infected cells blocked VE-cadherin internalization in response to VEGF. These findings are consistent with the ability of Ang-1 and S1P to inhibit hantavirus-induced endothelial cell permeability. Our results suggest that pathogenic hantaviruses disrupt fluid barrier properties of endothelial cell adherens junctions by enhancing VEGFR2-VE-cadherin pathway responses which increase paracellular permeability. These results provide a pathway-specific mechanism for the enhanced permeability of hantavirus-infected endothelial cells and suggest that stabilizing VE-cadherin within adherens junctions is a primary target for regulating endothelial cell permeability during pathogenic hantavirus infection.
Locational relativity and domain constraints in spatial questions

Spatial queries in the form of natural language questions have typically been assumed to have unconstrained geographic answers. However, analysis of prototypical spatial questions reveals two important types of constraints that must be considered by spatial question answering systems. First, locational relativity constraints limit answers to a particular location or the user's implied location. Second, domain constraints specify non-geographic locations such as web pages or anatomical sites. In order to detect these constraints, we have conducted a crowd-sourced annotation effort for a set of over 1,200 questions gathered from a community question answering website. We utilize machine learning techniques trained on this data to automatically classify these two types of constraints. We report results nearing 90% accuracy at locational relativity detection and 76% accuracy at domain classification using this approach.
ER stress and hepatic lipid metabolism

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an important player in regulating protein synthesis and lipid metabolism. Perturbation of ER homeostasis, referred as “ER stress,” has been linked to numerous pathological conditions, such as inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic disorders. The liver plays a central role in regulating nutrient and lipid metabolism. Accumulating evidence implicates that ER stress disrupts lipid metabolism and induces hepatic lipotoxicity. Here, we review the major ER stress signaling pathways, how ER stress contributes to the dysregulation of hepatic lipid metabolism, and the potential causative mechanisms of ER stress in hepatic lipotoxicity. Understanding the role of ER stress in hepatic metabolism may lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets for metabolic diseases.
THE INFLUENCE OF FAT, ACID, AND SALT ON THE TEMPORAL PERCEPTION OF FIRMNESS, SALTINESS, AND SOURNESS OF CHEESE ANALOGS

Eight cheese analogs varying in fat (10 and 25%), sodium chloride (0.5 and 2.0%), and citric acid (0.1 and 1.2%) were evaluated utilizing a time-intensity (T-I) procedure. Raising the salt content increased all T-I parameters for saltiness and resulted in higher maximum intensity (MAX), longer total duration (DUR) and larger area under the T-I curve (AREA) for sourness and firmness. Raising the acid content increased all T-I parameters for sourness and MAX and AREA for firmness. A higher fat content resulted in softer but more sour cheese analog (by all T-I parameters). For samples with low levels of acid or salt, sourness and saltiness MAX was reached during the 20s mastication interval. In contrast, for samples with high levels of salt or acid, MAX was attained after 20 s, but before expectoration at 30 s. As fat content increased from 10 to 25%, the cheese analogs were broken down more readily, the firmness duration decreased from 24 to 18 s.
Aging with a disability

Due to advances in modern medicine, millions of adults aging with disabilities are living longer lives. This increased lifespan is associated with an accelerated aging process due to the increased demands posed by the combination of normal aging changes superimposed on living with a disability. As a result, individuals with disabilities present at an earlier age with challenges not commonly encountered until much later in life by their nondisabled counterparts. Although there are many diagnoses that lead to disability, common themes are emerging that connect many of them. Limited ambulation and wheelchair use is associated with a sedentary lifestyle. This predisposes to obesity, hypertension, diabetes, altered lipid profiles, and cardiovascular disease—often at a relatively young age. Common complaints expressed include pain, fatigue, and weakness. Pain is a major factor in the daily lives of people living with lower limb amputations, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and the late effects of polio. Overuse injuries of various organ systems are also common. These complaints have a profound impact on the functionality of individuals living with these diseases. In addition, limited financial resources, transportation, access to medical specialists, and aging caregivers provide additional barriers to be overcome by this fragile population. At the end of life, ethical and legal challenges arise that affect patients, their families, and their physicians. The goal of this issue is to provide clinicians with information on specific diagnoses and to lay a foundation on which future clinicians and researchers
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ON ELECTRON-PHONON INTERACTIONS IN STRUCTURES FOR ELECTRONIC AND OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES

As device dimensions in electronic and optoelectronic devices are reduced, the characteristics and interactions of dimensionally-confined longitudinal-optical (LO) and acoustic phonons deviate substantially from those of bulk semiconductors. Furthermore, as wurtzite materials are applied increasingly in electronic and optoelectronic devices it becomes more important to understand the phonon modes in such systems. This account emphasizes the properties of bulk optical phonons in wurtzite structures, the properties of LO-phonon modes and acoustic-phonon modes arising in polar-semiconductor quantum wells, superlattices, quantum wires and quantum dots, with a variety of cross sectional geometries and, lastly, the properties of optical phonons in wurtzite materials as predicted by the dielectric continuum model. Emphasis is placed on the dielectric continuum and elastic continuum models of bulk, confined and interface phonons. This article emphasizes device applications of confined phonons in GaAs-based systems and provides a brief discussion of carrier-LO-phonon interactions in bulk wurtzite structures. This account also includes discussions on the use of metal-semiconductor heterointerfaces to reduce scattering and on the role of phonons in Frohlich, deformation and piezoelectric interactions in electronic and optoelectronic structures; specific device applications high-lighted here include quantum cascade lasers, mesoscopic devices, thermoelectric devices and optically-pumped resonant intersubband lasers.
Mechanical stresses associated with airway reopening injury of pulmonary epithelial cells

Repetitive airway collapse and reopening subjects the pulmonary epithelium to large, dynamic, and potentially injurious mechanical stresses. A narrow fluid-occluded channel was used as an idealized model of a collapsed segment of an airway where the walls are held in opposition by a viscous fluid. For saline-occluded channels, bubble progression produced significantly increased numbers of injured cells when compared to the control. The addition of Infasurf (1 mg/mL) to the occlusion fluid reduced the number of injured cells to a level similar to the Control. Fluid dynamic simulations reveal that the hydrodynamic environment of the cells in the experimental model is complex and suggested that different components of the stress cycle associated with airway reopening - shear stress, the shear stress gradient, or the pressure gradient - may be injurious. From these simulations, we concluded that the most likely mechanically damaging element of stress cycle associated with bubble progression was the steep pressure gradient.
Positive Lightning Peak Currents Reported by the U.S. National Lightning Detection Network

We infer peak currents from radiation electric field peaks of 48 positive return strokes acquired in Gainesville, FL, USA, from 2007 to 2008. In doing so, we use the transmission line model, National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) -reported distances, and assumed return-stroke speed. From a similar analysis of negative subsequent strokes, it appears that the implied return-stroke speed in the NLDN field-to-current conversion equation is 1.8 × 108 m/s (the NLDN peak current estimation algorithm is calibrated for negative subsequent strokes). The NLDN uses the same field-to-current conversion procedure (and hence the same implied return-stroke speed) for positive return strokes. However, NLDN-reported peak currents for positive return strokes differ from peak currents predicted by the transmission line model with an assumed return-stroke speed of 1.8 × 108 m/s. The discrepancy between regression equations for negative and positive return strokes suggests that the NLDN procedure to compensate for field propagation effects and find the average range-normalized signal strength (RNSS) works differently for these two groups of strokes. We find that the difference can be explained by the bias toward NLDN sensor reports from larger distances for positive strokes combined with the higher relative sensor gain (the ratio of sensor's peak current estimate to the NLDN-reported peak current) at larger distances.
Virus-induced neuronal dysfunction and degeneration.

Abstract In general, virus infections of the brain are rather rare in the immune competent host. However, neurotropic viruses have developed mechanisms to exploit weaknesses in immunological defense mechanisms that eventually allow them to reach and infect CNS neurons. Once in the CNS, these viruses can induce significant neuronal dysfunction and degeneration of specific neuronal populations, sometimes leading to devastating, life-threatening consequences for the host. Here, we examine viruses with the ability to infect neurons and their resulting pathologies, their modes of entry to the CNS, and the cellular and molecular alterations that these viruses induce in neuronal cells. We also discuss the importance of various pathogenic events associated with viral infection of neurons and elaborate on the implications of recent findings suggesting that neuronal cells affected by viruses undergo a "dying back" pattern of degeneration. Finally, findings of virus-induced alterations in kinase activity are discussed in the context of recent evidence linking abnormalities in kinase signaling to the pathogenesis of major human neurodegenerative conditions.
Medication Safety of Five Oral Chemotherapies: A Proactive Risk Assessment

Purpose: Oral chemotherapies represent an emerging risk area in ambulatory oncology practice. To examine the hazards associated with five oral chemotherapies, we performed a proactive risk assessment. Methods: We convened interdisciplinary teams and conducted failure mode and effects analyses (FMEAs) for five oral chemotherapy agents: capecitabine, imatinib, temozolomide, 6-mercaptopurine, and an investigational agent. This involved the creation of process maps for each medication, identification of failure modes, selection of high-risk failure modes, and development of recommendations to mitigate these risks. We analyzed the number of steps and types of failure modes and compared this information across the study drugs. Results: Key vulnerabilities include patient education about drug handling and adverse effects, prescription writing, patient self-administration and medication adherence, and failure to monitor and manage toxicities. Many of these failure modes were common across the five oral chemotherapies, suggesting the presence of common targets for improvement. Streamlining the FMEA itself may promote the dissemination of this method. Conclusion: Each stage of the medication process poses risks to the safe use of oral chemotherapies. FMEAs may identify opportunities to improve medication safety and reduce the risk of patient harm.
Aluminum-assisted joining of beryllium to copper for fusion applications

Abstract Five different brazing techniques were evaluated in the process of joining beryllium to copper. Aluminum-based filler metals were used in conjunction with aluminum coatings on both beryllium and copper substrates. This innovative approach was born out of the necessity to inhibit the formation of oxides and intermetallics on the aluminum and beryllium surfaces both before and during the joining process. Several bonding techniques, diffusion barriers, and oxide inhibitors were employed to reduce the bonding problem to that of joining aluminum to aluminum. The volume of aluminum in the joint was found to be an important factor in reducing the segregation of secondary alloying elements at the beryllium interface. Plasma sprayed aluminum coatings were too porous to use in the as-sprayed condition and were further processed using a hot isostatic press (HIP) to accomplish full density. The use of plasma sprayed aluminum coatings, Al-12%Si filler metal (Alloy 718), and the HIP process produced excellent bonds between the aluminum coated beryllium and 1100-Al alloy plate which was explosively bonded to a copper alloy. Bond strengths were measured at 100% of the strength of the 1100-Al plate strength (90 MPa). The ductility of the aluminum bond was sufficient to produce extensive necking prior to fracture.
FORMING PRESSURE OF DRY-PRESSED REFRACTORIES. PART I1

Making use of a hydraulic press which presses standard fire brick, eight commercial mixtures were investigated to determine the effect of varying the forming pressure. To obtain pressures higher than those used commercially it was necessary to reduce the moisture content. The bulk density of uifired brick is shown to have increased directly with the pressure, as did the transverse strength. These changes, however, are lessened at the higher pressures. By comparing the green bulk density of brick formed on commercial, mechanically actuated presses, with those pressed hydraulically at known pressures it is concluded that industrial forming presses are operated at comparatively low pressures. Fireclay bodies do not attain a state of maximum compressibility within the limits of the study but continue to contract with additional pressure.
Hybrid coding for animated polygonal meshes: combining delta and octree

A new hybrid coding method for compressing 3D animated sequences of geometric data is presented. It is based on the most common representation of the geometric data: polygonal meshes for each discrete frame in the animation sequence. The method utilizes a delta coding and an octree-based method. It can achieve higher compression ratios than the octree-only method or the delta-only coding method. In this hybrid method, both the octree approach and the delta coding approach are applied to each single frame in the animation sequence in parallel. The approach that generates the smaller encoded file size is chosen to encode the current frame. Given the same quality requirement, the hybrid coding method is much better than either single approach in terms of compression ratio.
Chlorinated polyethylene modification of blends derived from waste plastics Part I: Mechanical behavior

Recycling of waste plastics as a blend of generic types is attractive since a difficult separations problem is avoided. However, blends of incompatible polymers are frequently very brittle and cannot be considered for many applications. Additives which modify the blend to give it ductility may provide a solution to this problem. Chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) made by a slurry process has been suggested for this application by Schramm and Blanchard. Further documentation of the effectiveness of this approach is given here. Addition of CPE to such a blend generally increases the elongation at break and the energy to break very dramatically with ordinarily some loss in strength and modulus. This approach works most effectively in blends of high polyethylene and poly(vinyl chloride) content. Three grades of CPE were studied here which revealed that the specific structure of the CPE molecule is a factor. The effectiveness of CPE for blend modification is believed to derive from the graded molecular structure acquired during chlorination.
A meta-analytic investigation of the processes underlying the similarity-attraction effect:

This research investigated two competing explanations of the similarity effect: Byrne’s (1971) reinforcement model and the information processing perspective. A meta-analysis of 240 laboratory-based similarity studies explored moderators important to the similarity effect, including set size, proportion of similarity, centrality of attitudes, and information salience. Results indicated effects for proportion of similarity, centrality of attitudes, and information salience, and were largely consistent with predictions of the information processing perspective. We discuss the implications of these findings for the two perspectives, for other models for the similarity effect, and for the role of affect and cognition in the experience of interpersonal attraction.
Rootstock as a fruit quality factor in citrus and deciduous tree crops

Abstract This mini‐review provides a definition of fruit quality, a comparison of rootstock effects and importance in deciduous and citrus crops, and a detailed examination of fruit quality in relation to citrus rootstocks. Fruit quality is defined in simple, complex, and specific terms recognising that it is eventually a matter of consumer preference. When fruit quality is measured as physical traits and chemical composition, little rootstock effect has been demonstrated among deciduous crops as compared to citrus rootstocks which have well‐known effects on more than 10 quality factors. This difference is explained by comparing the relative importance of rootstocks for precocity, yield, and tree size control, and through contrasts in annual phenological cycles, fruit respiratory behaviour, crop load and canopy management techniques, and the use of clonal rootstocks in citrus and deciduous fruit trees. Mechanisms of rootstock effect on fruit quality are discussed using apple, Malus domestica Borkh. (a cli...
Factors influencing acadian flycatcher nesting success in an intensively managed forest landscape

We examined factors affecting the nesting success of a migratory songbird, the Acadian flycatcher (Empidonax virescens), in loblolly pine plantations in the coastal plain of South Carolina, USA. From 1997–2000, we located and monitored 163 Acadian flycatcher nests in loblolly pine stands and corridors that were 18–27 years old. We used Mayfield logistic regression (Aebischer 1999, Hazler 2004) to model the effects of edge and stand-level vegetation structure on nest daily survival rate. There was no evidence of an effect of edge on nest survival, but nest survival was positively related to the height of the deciduous subcanopy and to the density of shrub cover. Although Acadian flycatchers are generally regarded as habitat specialists requiring mature hardwood forests, our data suggest that pine plantations can support breeding populations, provided that a substantial hardwood component is present. We believe that maintaining multiple vegetation strata and increasing the length of harvest rotations would improve the habitat value of pine plantations for Acadian flycatchers and presumably other species more typically associated with deciduous forests. Maintenance of a corridor network, as practiced by some industrial forest managers, is one means of providing more mature forest habitat, thereby fostering higher nesting success. Concern that these corridors might act as ecological traps seems to be unwarranted in our study area. Corridors thus appear to be a valuable management tool for promoting wildlife values within the context of an industrial forest landscape.
Message passing for Hybrid Bayesian Networks using Gaussian mixture reduction

Hybrid Bayesian Networks (HBNs), which contain both discrete and continuous variables, arise naturally in many application areas (e.g., artificial intelligence, data fusion, medical diagnosis, fraud detection, etc). This paper concerns inference in an important subclass of HBNs, the conditional Gaussian (CG) networks. Inference in CG networks can be NP-hard even for special-case structures, such as poly-trees, where inference in discrete Bayesian networks can be performed in polynomial time. This paper presents an extension to the Hybrid Message Passing inference algorithm for general CG networks (i.e., networks with loops and many discrete parents). The extended algorithm uses Gaussian mixture reduction to prevent an exponential increase in the number of Gaussian mixture components. Experimental results compare performance of the new algorithm with existing algorithms.
The Funereal Duskywing, Erynnis funeralis (Hesperiidae): Seasonal Range Expansion into Eastern North America

ABSTRACT. The accepted normal range of the funereal duskywing skipper, Erynnis funeralis (Hesperiidae), is generally considered to be the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, and western South America from Colombia to northern Argentina and Chile. According to various records, however, adult funeralis have been observed in a variety of locations throughout the eastern half of central North America, sometimes thousands of kilometers outside its accepted range. These individuals are usually conceptualized as non-reproductive strays, but different lines of evidence (e.g. the observations of both males and females, the fresh condition of most adults, the recurrence of observations in the same locations at similar times of year in different years) suggest that funeralis regularly establishes seasonal breeding populations in the eastern half of central North America. To test this hypothesis, I examined reports of observations of funeralis throughout this region for evidence of 1) regular as oppo...
Exploring the Pursuit of Doctoral Education by Nurses Seeking or Intending to Stay in Faculty Roles

The purpose of this study was to describe the factors influencing the pursuit and completion of doctoral education by nurses intending to seek or retain faculty roles. Traditionally, doctoral education evolved to focus on the preparation of nurses to conduct scientific research, primarily through the doctor of philosophy programs. Most recently, the doctor of nursing practice degree emerged and was designed for advanced practice nurses to be clinical leaders who translate research into practice and policy. Nurses who pursue doctoral education in order to assume or maintain faculty roles must choose between these degrees if they desire a doctorate within the discipline; however, factors influencing their decisions and the intended outcomes of their choice are not clear. During this study, 548 nurses (current students or recent graduates of doctoral programs) completed a comprehensive survey to generate critical evidence about the factors influencing the choices made. Principal findings are related to the issues of time, money, and program selection. These findings can be used to develop strategies to increase enrollment and, therefore, the number of doctorally prepared faculty who are specifically prepared to excel as nursing faculty.
Reliability assessment of structures using interval uncertainty analysis

A new method for reliability assessment of structures is developed which enhances the first order reliability method (FORM) for consideration of uncertainties using interval analysis. This method will hereafter be referred to as the interval first order reliability method (IFORM). IFORM benefits from the simplicity of both FORM and interval analysis by avoiding the requirement for the prior knowledge of joint probability density function for the input parameters. Using IFORM, first, uncertain input parameters are quantified by independent interval variables. Then, the first order reliability analysis is performed using input interval parameters leading to the determination of the bounds on the probability of failure (damage) for the entire structure. Several numerical examples that illustrate the capability and feasibility of this method are presented. The results are then compared with those using the FORM and Monte Carlos simulations, in which the advantage of IFORM over the traditional FORM is demonstrated.
A comparison of the sterols in resistant and susceptible house flies, Musca domestica.

The digitonin- or tomatine-precipitable sterols present in NAIDM susceptible, DDT-resistant, malathion-resistant, parathion- resistant and carbaryl-resistant house flies, Musca domestica L., have been studied by gas chromatography. Cholesterol is not the major constituent of the isolated sterols. The relative amounts of the several sterols isolated vary with the strain of house fly.
Simultaneous wide-field imaging of neuronal activity, hemodynamics and blood flow in awake, behaving mice.

We describe a system for wide-field optical imaging of neuronal GCaMP3 calcium activity, hemodynamic responses and cerebral blood flow using an EMCCD camera in awake animals. We demonstrate use of this system in obtaining resting state and stimulus-evoked data with high spatio-temporal resolution.
Study on the relationship between B -type natriuretic peptide level and heart function in gestational hypertension of pregnancy women

Objective To investigate the plasma B-type natriuretic peptide(BNP) levels and heart function rank corre lation to plasma BNP levels on gestational hypertension patients.Methods The plasma BNP levels were measured by enzyme-linked fluorescent assay in 195 cases gestational hypertension in pregnancy women from January 2011 to De cember 2012,including 93 cases of gestational hypertension,76 cases of mild preeclampsia,26 cases of severe preeclampsia.The relationship of serum BNP levels and the heart function in all patients was also detected.Results The plasma level of BNP of patients with gestational hypertension,pre-eclampsia and severe pre-eclampsia were(57.39±21.49),(1007.44±150.46),(2630.35±456.68) ng/L.It gradually increased and the difference was significant(P 0.01).There are 16 cases of severe preeclampsia complicated by heart failure.The plasma BNP level in cardiac function with grade Ⅳ,Ⅲ patients was(6789.50 ±981.51) ng/L,cardiac function in patients with grade Ⅱ was(4401.00±605.20) ng/L and cardiac function with grade Ⅰ was(1268.38±212.10) ng/L,the difference was significant(P 0.05).Conclusion The detection of plasma BNP levels as a predictor of early preeclampsia on the evaluation and assessment of the condition of preeclampsia cardiac function has a certain clinical value.
Singlet (Phosphino)phosphinidenes are Electrophilic

A room-temperature stable (phosphino)-phosphinidene reacts with carbon monoxide, stable singlet carbenes, including the poor π-accepting imidazol-2-ylidene, and phosphines giving rise to the corresponding phosphaketene, phosphinidene-carbene and phosphinidene-phosphine adducts, respectively. Whereas the electronic ground-state calculations indicate a PP multiple bond character in which the terminal phosphorus is negatively charged, the observed reactivity clearly indicates that (phosphino)phosphinidenes are electrophilic as expected for an electron-deficient species. This is further demonstrated by competition experiments as well as by the results of Fukui function calculations.
Screening of transition metal/oxide-impregnated ZSM-5 catalysts for deoxygenation of biomass oxygenates via direct methane intervention

Removal of oxygen from biomass (deoxygenation) is a significant challenge that needs to be overcome to effectively produce hydrocarbon-based biofuel. The present technology needs extraneous hydroge...
Hamiltonian systems on fibered manifolds

We offer a new geometric theory of Hamiltonian systems with an infinite number of degrees of freedom in which the Hamiltonian operators are nonlinear differential operators on fields. The Poisson bracket is carried into the vertical bracket by the mapping between functionals and Hamitonian operators which is established by a Hamiltonian structure.
Potential therapeutic action of nitrite in sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease is caused by a mutant form of hemoglobin that polymerizes under hypoxic conditions, increasing rigidity, fragility, calcium influx-mediated dehydration, and adhesivity of red blood cells. Increased red cell fragility results in hemolysis, which reduces nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, and induces platelet activation and inflammation leading to adhesion of circulating blood cells. Nitric Oxide inhibits adhesion and platelet activation. Nitrite has emerged as an attractive therapeutic agent that targets delivery of NO activity to areas of hypoxia through bioactivation by deoxygenated red blood cell hemoglobin. In this study, we demonstrate anti-platelet activity of nitrite at doses achievable through dietary interventions with comparison to similar doses with other NO donating agents. Unlike other NO donating agents, nitrite activity is shown to be potentiated in the presence of red blood cells in hypoxic conditions. We also show that nitrite reduces calcium associated loss of phospholipid asymmetry that is associated with increased red cell adhesion, and that red cell deformability is also improved. We show that nitrite inhibits red cell adhesion in a microfluidic flow-channel assay after endothelial cell activation. In further investigations, we show that leukocyte and platelet adhesion is blunted in nitrite-fed wild type mice compared to control after either lipopolysaccharide- or hemolysis-induced inflammation. Moreover, we demonstrate that nitrite treatment results in a reduction in adhesion of circulating blood cells and reduced red blood cell hemolysis in humanized transgenic sickle cell mice subjected to local hypoxia. These data suggest that nitrite is an effective anti-platelet and anti-adhesion agent that is activated by red blood cells, with enhanced potency under physiological hypoxia and in venous blood that may be useful therapeutically.