cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Grid dispersion and stability criteria of some common finite-difference and finite-element methods for acoustic and elastic wave propagation

Numerical methods based on Finite Difference and Finite Element approximations of the acoustic and elastic wave equation are becoming increasingly popular for the generation of synthetic seismograms. Various numerical schemes based on Finite Difference and Finite Element Methods (FDM and FEM) are reported in the geophysical literature. We compare here the grid dispersion properties and stability conditions of the FDM and FEM that have become the most popular for wave propagation in the time domain. For FDM we use the classical results to compute grid dispersion curves, and for FEM we derive a novel approach based on a generalized eigenvalue formulation to analyze the dispersive behavior of FEM for acoustic and elastic wave propagation modeling that overcomes the difficulties due to irregular node spacing within the element and the use of high order polynomials.
Induction of apoptosis in luteinized granulosa cells by the MAP kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD98059.

Our objective is to test the hypothesis that inhibition of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase kinase (MEK) with PD98059 in human luteinized granulosa cells will block epidermal growth (EGF)-stimulated MAP kinase activity and induce apoptosis. Luteinized granulosa cells from human in vitro fertilization aspirates were cultured and treated with the following: (1) vehicle; (2) PD98059; (3) EGF; (4) PD98059 + EGF. Treatment with PD98059 suppressed MAP kinase activity, inhibited MAP kinase phosphorylation by Western blot analysis, blocked nuclear translocation of phosphorylated MAP kinase by confocal microscopy, and increased percentages of subdiploid apoptotic nuclei by flow cytometry. Our data are the first evidence that a relationship may exist between the MAP kinase pathway and control of apoptosis in human luteinized granulosa cells. These results support the hypothesis that suppression of the MAP kinase pathway may lead to apoptosis in these cells.
CLU blocks HDACI-mediated killing of neuroblastoma

Clusterin is a ubiquitously expressed glycoprotein with multiple binding partners including IL-6, Ku70, and Bax. Clusterin blocks apoptosis by binding to activated Bax and sequestering it in the cytoplasm, thereby preventing Bax from entering mitochondria, releasing cytochrome c, and triggering apoptosis. Because increased clusterin expression correlates with aggressive behavior in tumors, clusterin inhibition might be beneficial in cancer treatment. Our recent findings indicated that, in neuroblastoma cells, cytoplasmic Bax also binds to Ku70; when Ku70 is acetylated, Bax is released and can initiate cell death. Therefore, increasing Ku70 acetylation, such as by using histone deacetylase inhibitors, may be therapeutically useful in promoting cell death in neuroblastoma tumors. Since clusterin, Bax, and Ku70 form a complex, it seemed likely that clusterin would mediate its anti-apoptotic effects by inhibiting Ku70 acetylation and blocking Bax release. Our results, however, demonstrate that while clusterin level does indeed determine the sensitivity of neuroblastoma cells to histone deacetylase inhibitor-induced cell death, it does so without affecting histone deacetylase-inhibitor-induced Ku70 acetylation. Our results suggest that in neuroblastoma, clusterin exerts its anti-apoptotic effects downstream of Ku70 acetylation, likely by directly blocking Bax activation.
Some Stochastic Properties of a Compound-Renewal Damage Model

The compound-renewal process is investigated as a model of cumulative damage. The component is assumed to function until the cumulative wear exceeds some critical threshold, in general a random variable, at which time the component is assumed useless. It is this first passage time until breakdown which is of prime interest. Rather than focusing the attention on a certain selected compound-renewal process governed by mathematically convenient distributions, a class of compound-renewal processes involving the nonparametric, physically appealing assumption of a monotone failure rate is studied. Since the assumptions are nonparametric, the results for the most part manifest themselves in the form of useful bounds.
Specular Reflections: Rimbaud (Lacan, Kristeva) and “Le Stade Du Miroir” in “Enfance”

Rimbaud’s “Enfance” depicts the passage during childhood from a marvelous state of selfless absorption in the world through a process of individuation that parallels the theory of “le stade du miroir” proposed by Lacan and later developed by Kristeva. In part one, the child is a feminized object of feminine attention, bathing in a semiotic flux of prelinguistic images and sounds. This fragmented immersion in the Lacanian imaginary is disrupted by the child’s recognition of a reflected self-image that is complete and apart, initiating the process of differentiation. The passage into the symbolic is signaled by the death of the mother and entry into the masculine world of “differance,” dominated by the “general,” who commands the patriarchy in the name of the father. Next, a series of objective anaphoras emphasizing the otherness of things signifies the child’s accession to language. A second anaphoric series repeatedly asserts a fully self-conscious “Je” against the backdrop of an ever-receding objective world. This presages the demise of childhood, implied by the subject’s withdrawal into the tomb. The poem concludes with a sense of bitterness and ambivalence, as the paranoid subject vacillates between rejection of the castrating social imperative of the symbolic and a desire for the linguistic mastery it affords.
Determining the prevalence of McArdle disease from gene frequency by analysis of next-generation sequencing data

McArdle disease is one of the most common glycogen storage disorders. Although the exact prevalence is not known, it has been estimated to be 1 in 100,000 patients in the United States. More than 100 mutations in PYGM have been associated with this disorder. McArdle disease has significant clinical variability: Some patients present with severe muscle pain and weakness; others have only mild, exercise-related symptoms. Next-generation sequencing data allow estimation of disease prevalence with minimal ascertainment bias. We analyzed gene frequencies in two cohorts of patients based on exome sequencing results. We categorized variants into three groups: a curated set of published mutations, variants of uncertain significance, and likely benign variants. An initial estimate based on the frequency of six common mutations predicts a disease prevalence of 1/7,650 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1/5,362–1/11,108), which greatly deviates from published estimates. A second method using the two most common mutations predicts a prevalence of 1/42,355 (95% CI 1/24,536–1/76,310) in Caucasians. These results suggest that the currently accepted prevalence of McArdle disease is an underestimate and that some of the currently considered pathogenic variants are likely benign. Genet Med 17 12, 1002–1006.
Effects of Irreversibility and Economics on the Performance of a Heat Engine

In this paper, optimization of the power output of an internally irreversible heat engine is considered for finite capacitance rates of the external fluid streams. The method of Lagrange multipliers is used to solve for working fluid temperatures which yield maximum power. Analytical expressions for the maximum power and the cycle efficiency at miximum power are obtained. The effects of irreversibility and economics on the performance of a heat engine are investigated. A relationship between the maximum power point and economically optimum design is identified. It is demonstrated that, with certain reasonable economic assumptions, the maximum power point of a heat engine corresponds to a point of minimum life-cycle costs.
A reaction route network for hydrogen combustion

Abstract The 20 elementary reactions comprising the mechanism of hydrogen oxidation in the gas phase have been assembled into a so-called a reaction route (RR) network, i.e., a road map showing explicitly how a stoichiometric mixture of reactants (2H2+O2) is transformed into products (2H2O) via various sequences of elementary reactions such that the intermediate species are canceled resulting in the overall reaction (OR). The RR network is thermodynamically and kinetically balanced in that the nodes satisfy the quasi-steady state mass balance conditions while the affinities of the reactions in any cycle add up to zero. The network also possesses two unusual topological features that have not been observed so far. First, the nodes and cycles in the RR network may be balanced only assuming that the network is infinite. Second, for every “entry” in the network, there exists two and only two “exits”.
India, the next China? Analysis of the unique firm resources claimed by Indian apparel export firms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the unique resources that Indian apparel exporting firms claim to have and the key resources that help provide competitive advantage to these firms. Design/methodology/approach – A web-based content analysis of texts available on “About Us” or related sections of the Indian export firms was conducted. Text data were coded and interpreted. Findings – Physical resources seemed to be one of the most critical resources for their competitive advantages for the study samples. The ability to provide affordable and competitive prices for their products and experience in exporting were recognized as important firm resource described by the study samples. Research limitations/implications – The study results supported the resource-based theory of the firm by showing additional key firm resources, such as ability to maintain domestic operations and to provide competitive prices that Indian apparel exporters claimed to have. Generalizability of the results is cautione...
A physiologic flow phantom for the evaluation of 4D flow MRI in the left ventricle

Background 4D PCMR has the potential to help in understanding the direct relationship between fluid and structure interaction within the cardiovascular system, to allow for 3D visualization of blood flow patterns in the heart, and to make direct wall shear stress measurements. However, the wide dynamic range of velocities in the left ventricle (LV, range of 0-200 cm/s) can create difficulties when optimizing acquisition protocols, especially when attempting to measure complex flow features during filling and diastasis. Additionally, there is no reference standard method to validate velocity flow and wall shear stress measurements. Here we describe our experience with a custom-built MRI compatible physiologic left heart flow phantom which can be used to optimize acquisition parameters, and can be used in the lab to make velocity measurements with particle image velocimetry (PIV).
Example-Based Human Motion Denoising

With the proliferation of motion capture data, interest in removing noise and outliers from motion capture data has increased. In this paper, we introduce an efficient human motion denoising technique for the simultaneous removal of noise and outliers from input human motion data. The key idea of our approach is to learn a series of filter bases from precaptured motion data and use them along with robust statistics techniques to filter noisy motion data. Mathematically, we formulate the motion denoising process in a nonlinear optimization framework. The objective function measures the distance between the noisy input and the filtered motion in addition to how well the filtered motion preserves spatial-temporal patterns embedded in captured human motion data. Optimizing the objective function produces an optimal filtered motion that keeps spatial-temporal patterns in captured motion data. We also extend the algorithm to fill in the missing values in input motion data. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our system by experimenting with both real and simulated motion data. We also show the superior performance of our algorithm by comparing it with three baseline algorithms and to those in state-of-art motion capture data processing software such as Vicon Blade.
OPT: Transformation of nursing process for contemporary practice

Over time, clinical, educational, and social forces have influenced the development of three generations of traditional nursing process. The first generation was concerned with problems and process. Analysis of second-generation models revealed interest in understanding the nature of diagnosis and diagnostic reasoning. We have proposed a third generation model that underscores the importance of critical, metacognitive, and thinking skills that support outcome specification and testing in clinical reasoning. Clinicians, educators, managers, and administrators are invited to consider the OPT model as an alternative to traditional nursing process. The OPT model may be one of many transitional reasoning models needed for contemporary nursing practice.
Architecture and dynamics of the autophagic phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase complex

The class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase complex I (PI3KC3-C1) that functions in early autophagy consists of the lipid kinase VPS34, the scaffolding protein VPS15, the tumor suppressor BECN1, and the autophagy-specific subunit ATG14. The structure of the ATG14-containing PI3KC3-C1 was determined by single-particle EM, revealing a V-shaped architecture. All of the ordered domains of VPS34, VPS15, and BECN1 were mapped by MBP tagging. The dynamics of the complex were defined using hydrogen-deuterium exchange, revealing a novel 20-residue ordered region C-terminal to the VPS34 C2 domain. VPS15 organizes the complex and serves as a bridge between VPS34 and the ATG14:BECN1 subcomplex. Dynamic transitions occur in which the lipid kinase domain is ejected from the complex and VPS15 pivots at the base of the V. The N-terminus of BECN1, the target for signaling inputs, resides near the pivot point. These observations provide a framework for understanding the allosteric regulation of lipid kinase activity.
Randomized, Multicenter, Open-Label Study of Pegfilgrastim Compared With Daily Filgrastim After Chemotherapy for Lymphoma

Purpose: The primary objective was to assess the duration of grade 4 neutropenia (neutrophil count < 0.5 × 109/L) after one cycle of chemotherapy with etoposide, methylprednisolone, cisplatin, and cytarabine in patients randomly assigned to receive one dose of pegfilgrastim or daily filgrastim after chemotherapy. Febrile neutropenia, neutrophil profiles, time to neutrophil recovery, pharmacokinetics, and safety were also assessed. Patients and Methods: An open-label, randomized, phase II study was designed to compare the effects of a single subcutaneous injection of pegfilgrastim (sustained-duration filgrastim) 100 μg/kg per chemotherapy cycle (n = 33) with daily subcutaneous injections of filgrastim 5 μg/kg (n = 33) in patients receiving salvage chemotherapy for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin’s or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Results: The incidence of grade 4 neutropenia in the pegfilgrastim and filgrastim groups was 69% and 68%, respectively. In addition, the mean duration of grade 4 neutropenia was similar ...
Dietary Saponin, a Factor Which May Reduce Liver and Serum Cholesterol Levels

ABSTRACT SERUM or liver cholesterol levels have been reported to be reduced by feeding high percentages of lipotropic agents (Okey et al., 1954; Gadea, 1952) by excluding dietary fat (Swell et al., 1955) or by the feeding of phytosterols (Peterson et al., 1952; Alfin-Slater et al., 1954). Some investigators have noted a slight to moderate decrease (Barber et al., 1955; Best et al., 1954; Joyner et al., 1954) and others have found no effect (Friedman et al., 1955; Wilkinson et al., 1955) in the plasma cholesterol after ingestion of sitosterols. It has been suggested (Friedman et al., 1956) that the latter may even initiate atherosclerosis. It is well known that saponins complex cholesterol (Schoenheimer et al., 1934) and it has been shown that the saponin initiated hemolysis of blood was inhibited by cholesterol in vitro (Sole, 1954). Cholesterol has also been used as a means of purifying saponin; for example, alfalfa . . .
Development of analytical methods for the detection of metaraminol in the horse.

Aramine | (metaraminol bitartrate) has been found in the possession of horse trainers and veterinarians who have been investigated for possible inappropriate drug administration to racing horses. Metaraminol (3-hydroxyphenylisopropanolamine) is a sympathomimetic amine that directly and indirectly affects adrenergic receptors, with alpha effects being predominant. Because it has the potential to affect the performance of a racing horse, its use is prohibited. In the present study, methods for the detection of metaraminol were developed. Metaraminol was found to be extracted with poor recovery (< 50%) from aqueous
Novel Hippocampal Interneuronal Subtypes Identified Using Transgenic Mice That Express Green Fluorescent Protein in GABAergic Interneurons

The chief inhibitory neurons of the mammalian brain, GABAergic neurons, are comprised of a myriad of diverse neuronal subtypes. To facilitate the study of these neurons, transgenic mice were generated that express enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in subpopulations of GABAergic neurons. In one of the resulting transgenic lines, called GIN (GFP-expressing Inhibitory Neurons), EGFP was found to be expressed in a subpopulation of somatostatin-containing GABAergic interneurons in the hippocampus and neocortex. In both live and fixed brain preparations from these mice, detailed microanatomical features of EGFP-expressing interneurons were readily observed. In stratum oriens of the hippocampus, EGFP-expressing interneurons were comprised almost exclusively of oriens/alveus interneurons with lacunosum-moleculare axon arborization (O-LM cells). In the neocortex, the somata of EGFP-expressing interneurons were largely restricted to layers II-IV and upper layer V. In hippocampal area CA1, two previously uncharacterized subtypes of interneurons were identified using the GIN mice: stratum pyramidale interneurons with lacunosum-moleculare axon arborization (P-LM cells) and stratum radiatum interneurons with lacunosum-moleculare axon arborization (R-LM cells). These newly identified interneuronal subtypes appeared to be closely related to O-LM cell, as they selectively innervate stratum lacunosum-moleculare. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings revealed that these cells were fast-spiking and showed virtually no spike frequency accommodation. The microanatomical features of these cells suggest that they function primarily as "input-biasing" neurons, in that synaptic volleys in stratum radiatum would lead to their activation, which in turn would result in selective suppression of excitatory input from the entorhinal cortex onto CA1 pyramidal cells.
Viscosity of interfacial water.

The effective shear viscosity and frequency-dependent dynamic oscillatory shear spectra of water containing monovalent or divalent ions (ionic strength 25 mM), confined between mica crystals at 1--2 water molecules thickness, oscillated with twist angle with the period expected for the pseudohexagonal surface lattice. The effective viscosity varied by orders of magnitude as the twist angle was changed. Confinement appeared to imprint lateral spatial correlation on the ultrathin liquid, the more so the better the confining lattices were aligned, but the oft-proposed ``ice structure'' was not observed dynamically.
Vasopressin-elicited water and urea permeabilities are altered in IMCD in hypercalcemic rats.

To investigate how hypercalcemia blunts renal concentrating ability, alterations in basal and arginine vasopressin (AVP)-elicited osmotic water (P f) and urea (P urea) permeabilities were measured ...
The package bandwidth limitation of high speed broadband products

This report investigated the electrical performance of two different bonding techniques such as wire bonding and flip chip bonding, and the performance of two different package families such as Quad Flat-Pack No Lead (QFN) and Plastic Ball Grid Array (PBGA). These two package families have played important roles on the leading edge high performance broadband products used for the blooming networking and computing market. These interconnect models were created in a commercial available. Three Dimensional Electromagnetic solver and the equivalent circuits were exported into SPICE for both time domain and frequency domain circuits analysis. The bandwidth of the Selected package families depends on not only the die size and lead count, but also the package lead pitch. The uniqueness of this study is that the bandwidth of the selected package families has been investigated as a function of their attributes. Several points have been observed. (1) The bandwidth decreases with the increasing lead count in all the packages. (2) The QFN works quite well in low lead count, but its performance rolls off drastically as the lead count increases. (3) The performance of a flip chip PBGA is better than that of a wire bond PBGA, and the flip chip PBGA has more available "Best Pin" than what the wire bond PBGA has. This bandwidth limitation generated in this report can be used as a reference for product group to select a suitable package or for development group to rationalize the technology direction. The analysis techniques used here can be applied to a specific design.
Ecology and behaviour of domestic sheep (Ovis aries): a review

Behaviour of sheep is complex and poorly understood. It is only within the past 20 years that a concerted effort has been made to elucidate those aspects of behaviour which have most relevance to sheep raising under open-range conditions. The present report attempts to summarize and review published work on the behaviour and ecology of sheep. The whole question of the significance of behaviour and the extent to which it is possible to shape it is a field which is open for study. This paper is an attempt to summarize the work on sheep behaviour and on those aspects of physiology which impinge. Consideration is given to the evolution of Bovids, scope of domestication and world distribution of sheep since these aspects have a major influence on the sheep with which we deal today. Animal requirements for food, water, shelter, protection from predators, and control of disease and parasites have been largely met by man and the forces for selection which operated among the progenitors of domestic sheep have been largely negated. Despite this, genetic selection still goes on. Behavioural adaptation to a wide variety of environmental and nutritional regimes is a common feature among free-ranging sheep. Reproductive success, a matter of considerable commercial concern is often poor. Lamb survival is of critical importance. Factors involved in neonatal mortality are reviewed in detail. Finally, the now extensive literature on sheep behaviour, physiology and management is collated in a bibliography with over 150 literature citations.
AcademyHealth 25th Annual Research Meeting chair address: From a science of recommendation to a science of implementation.

The founders of AcademyHealth played a decisive role in advancing the health services field. Some, like Dr. Barbara McNeil, accomplished it through education and training of generations of health services researchers. Others, like Dr. Ron Andersen, achieved it through the development of theoretical models that resulted in a paradigm shift in how we conceptualize health services utilization. Still others, like Dr. Sam Shapiro, transformed the substantive nature of what we call health services research by linking structure and process to outcomes and asking questions such as, “What effect does being in a high performing organization have on the outcomes of care?”
Deceit, diversity, or mobilization?: Intra-ethnic diversity and changing patterns in Florida's Hispanic Vote

Abstract What explains President Bush's increased vote in the State of Florida in the 2004 election? A common perception is that implementation of electronic voting machines and a surge in GOP registration increased Bush's vote margins relative to the 2000 election. In this paper we offer an alternative explanation: massive Puerto Rican immigration combined with successful Republican mobilization of this group explains about 14% of the increase in Bush's margin of victory—approximately 50,000 votes. Scholars’ failure to account for intra-ethnic diversity, by employing a “panethnic” approach that treats Latinos as having identical political preferences, leads scholars to overlook the important role of Hispanic subconstituencies in the 2004 election.
Simulated knot tying

Applications such as suturing in medical simulations require the modeling of knot tying in physically realistic rope. The paper describes the design and implementation of such a system. Our model uses a spline of linear springs, adaptive subdivision and a dynamics simulation. Collisions are discrete event simulated and follow the impulse model. Although some care must be taken to maintain stable knots, we demonstrate our simple model is sufficient for this task. In particular, we do not use friction or explicit constraints to maintain the knot. As examples, we tie an overhand knot and a reef knot.
Correlates with comfort and function after total shoulder arthroplasty for degenerative joint disease.

Although most patients are improved after shoulder arthroplasty, the degree of improvement is variable. The factors contributing to this variability are not well understood. In particular, little information is available regarding the preoperative characteristics of the patient that may influence the quality of the result. This study correlated patient demographics, preoperative health status, and preoperative shoulder function with 3 outcome metrics: comfort, physical role function, and shoulder-specific function. One hundred thirty-four shoulders having total shoulder arthroplasty for degenerative glenohumeral joint disease had an average follow-up of 3.4 +/- 1.8 years. The SF-36 Comfort score improved from 39 to 61 (P < .0001). The SF-36 Physical Role Function score improved from 30 to 52 (P < .0001). The average number of Simple Shoulder Test functions performable (out of 12) improved from 4 to 9 (P < .0001). The strongest correlates with postoperative comfort included preoperative physical function (P < .0001), general health (P < .0001), and social function (P < .001). The strongest correlates with postoperative physical role function included preoperative physical function (P < .0001) and general health (P < .001). The strongest correlates with postoperative shoulder function included male gender (P < .0001), and preoperative physical function (P < .0001), social function (P < .0001), mental health (P < .0001) and shoulder function (P < .0001). These data indicate that the overall well-being of the patient before surgery is strongly correlated with the quality of the outcome from total shoulder arthroplasty for degenerative glenohumeral joint disease.
Fields of Iterated Quantum Reference Frames based on Gauge Transformations of Rational String States

This work is based on a description of quantum reference frames that seems more basic than others in the literature. Here a frame is based on a set of real and of complex numbers and a space time as a 4-tuple of the real numbers. There are many isomorphic frames as there are many isomorphic sets of real numbers. Each frame is suitable for construction of all physical theories as mathematical structures over the real and complex numbers. The organization of the frames into a field of frames is based on the representations of real and complex numbers as Cauchy operators defined on complex rational states of finite qubit strings. The structure of the field is based on noting that the construction of real and complex numbers as Cauchy operators in a frame can be iterated to create new frames coming from a frame. Gauge transformations on the rational string states greatly expand the number of quantum frames as, for each gauge U, there is one frame coming from the original frame. Forward and backward iteration of the construction yields a two way infinite frame field with satisfying properties. There is no background space time and there are no real or complex numbers for the field as a whole. Instead these are relative concepts associated with each frame in the field. Extension to include qukit strings for different k bases, is described as is the problem of reconciling the frame field to the existence of just one frame with one background space time for the observable physical universe.
Modelling shared state in a shared action model

The I/O automation model of N.A. Lynch and M.R. Tuttle (1987) is extended to allow modeling of shared memory systems, as well as systems that include both shared memory and shared action communication. A full range of types of atomic accesses to shared memory is allowed, from basic reads and writes to read-modify-write. The extended model supports system description, verification, and analysis. As an example, E.W. Dijkstra's (1965) classical shared memory mutual exclusion algorithm is presented and proven correct. >
Nuclear factor-κB: a friend or a foe in cancer?

Nuclear transcription factor NF-kappaB, initially discovered as a factor in the nucleus of B cells that binds to the enhancer of the kappa light chain of immunoglobulin, has since been shown to be expressed ubiquitously in the cytoplasm of all cell types, conserved from Drosophila to man. It translocates to the nucleus only when activated, where it regulates the expression of over 200 genes that control the immune system, growth, and inflammation. The dysregulation of NF-kappaB can mediate a wide variety of diseases including cancer. Whether NF-kappaB activation is beneficial or harmful for cancer is controversial. The development of novel therapeutics targeting NF-kappaB requires full understanding of its role in pathology and physiology. The current review is an attempt to describe two sides of the NF-kappaB coin; viz, as a friend and as a foe.
Predicting Preferences for Sex Acts: Which Traits Matter Most, and Why?:

Several dispositional traits have been examined in mating contexts by evolutionary psychologists. Such traits include life history strategy, sociosexuality, and the Big Five. Recently, scholars have examined the validity and predictive utility of mating intelligence, a new construct designed to capture the cognitive processes that underlie mating psychology. The current research employed a battery of dispositional traits that include all these constructs in an effort to predict preferences for different kinds of sex acts. Sexual acts vary wildly, and the ability to predict this variability may well hold an important key to underlying sexual strategies. A sample of 607 young adults (144 males and 463 females) completed measures of each of these traits as well as a measure of preference for specific sex acts (along with providing information on their sexual orientation). The traits predicted variability in preference for sex acts - with mating intelligence being the most predictive (for instance, mating intelligence was positively related to preference for vaginal intercourse across the sexes). Sex differences emerged (e.g., males show a stronger preference for anal sex than do females). Discussion focuses on (a) sex differences in preference for sex acts along with (b) why the trait variables predicted preferences in sex acts.
Human spasmolytic polypeptide decreases proton permeation through gastric mucus in vivo and in vitro

Exogenously administered trefoil peptides are gastroprotective in rat injury models. We hypothesized that trefoil-associated gastroprotection occurred by decreasing the rate of proton permeation through mucus. Gastric surface cell intracellular pH and mucus gel thickness were measured by in vivo microscopy. Gastric mucosal blood flow was measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry. The effect of human spasmolytic peptide (hSP) on H+ diffusion through 5% purified porcine mucin was measured using an Ussing chamber. Buffering action of mucin was measured by titration. In vivo, gastric mucosal blood flow and mucus gel thickness were not affected by any of the treatments. Topical hSP, but not intravenous hSP, decreased initial acidification rate and elevated the intracellular pH of gastric surface cells during luminal acid challenge. In in vitro studies, hSP dose dependently decreased the diffusion coefficient of H+ through 5% porcine mucin solution. hSP had no significant effect on the buffering action of mucin solutions. These data support our hypothesis that hSP interacts with gastric mucin in a manner that inhibits proton permeation through the mucus gel layer.
Parameters of Legitimation and the Environmental Future of a Taipei Neighborhood

Based on ethnographic fieldwork with community activists, this article demonstrates how urban residents use local history to justify demands on the city government, making a past they never experienced relevant to their personal biographies in ways more potent than appeals to law or representative democracy. It argues that scholarship on collective memory benefits from explicitly examining how, and why, group members make history relevant to their individual selves, a process I call the personalization of history. This examination inevitably encompasses not only the rhetorical tropes and ritual practices of the those who personalize history but also the values and expectations of the society they address. In this case, the community activist group seeking to affect its locality chooses the tropes of personalization because emotionally laden biographical experience, more than structural relations, historical realities, or legal strictures, legitimates political action in its society.
Intuition and Adaptive Selling

Researchers and practitioners have always been interested in factors that provide richer explanations of variances in salespersons’ effectiveness and performance. In the extant research, most of the focus has been on issues such as motivation, personality, job involvement, commitment and job satisfaction. It is interesting to note that purely cognitive approaches have not addressed a fundamental aspect of what potentially makes one salesperson highly successful and another not so – gut feeling.
Thermodynamic properties of ammonia as an ideal gas

Thermodynamic functions for ammonia as an ideal gas at one atmosphere pressure have been evaluated. The contribution of the highly anharmonic out-of-plane vibrational mode, including its large coupling with rotation and its coupling with the other vibrational modes, is considered in detail. Tables of CP°/R , (H°-E0°)/RT , (E0°-G°)/RT , and S°/R have been calculated at closely spaced intervals from 50 to 5000 °K within an overall uncertainty of less than 0.1 percent at 1000 °K.
Multimedia model for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-PAHs in Lake Michigan.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination in the U.S. Great Lakes has long been of concern, but information regarding the current sources, distribution, and fate of PAH contamination is lacking, and very little information exists for the potentially more toxic nitro-derivatives of PAHs (NPAHs). This study uses fugacity, food web, and Monte Carlo models to examine 16 PAHs and five NPAHs in Lake Michigan, and to derive PAH and NPAH emission estimates. Good agreement was found between predicted and measured PAH concentrations in air, but concentrations in water and sediment were generally under-predicted, possibly due to incorrect parameter estimates for degradation rates, discharges to water, or inputs from tributaries. The food web model matched measurements of heavier PAHs (≥5 rings) in lake trout, but lighter PAHs (≤4 rings) were overpredicted, possibly due to overestimates of metabolic half-lives or gut/gill absorption efficiencies. Derived PAH emission rates peaked in the 1950s, and rates now...
Strong Interaction between Gold Particles in Light-assisted Templated Self-Assembly

We use kinetic Monte Carlo simulations to predict that templates with hexagonal symmetry promote the light-assisted assembly of regular 2D arrays of gold nanoparticles, despite optical binding effects.
3-D Printing as an Effective Educational Tool for MEMS Design and Fabrication

This paper presents a series of course modules developed as a high-impact and cost-effective learning tool for modeling and simulating the microfabrication process and design of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices using three-dimensional (3-D) printing. Microfabrication technology is an established fabrication technique for small and high-precision MEMS devices; these processes typically take place in a cleanroom with the use of expensive high-vacuum equipment. These course modules were developed to provide engineering educators a more affordable and effective method for teaching MEMS modeling in settings without a cleanroom, as is the case in many undergraduate institutions. Feedback from student evaluations as well as course grades all support the efficacy of these course modules. In these hands-on modules, by designing and building the MEMS prototypes, the students learn by experiencing the process of building a MEMS device from the specifications given. The results are also compared to similar assessments made in the course before the introduction of these course modules to verify success. The detailed description of the modules, the evaluation methodologies adopted, and reflections on the implementation are discussed.
Research on Design Selection Analysis and Anti-Corrosion Treatment of the Transmission Line Tower Foundation in Salt Lake Area

Not only concerned with the special geological conditions in salt lake area,such as strong corrosion of saline soil,weakness of foundation soil,high water table of groundwater and so on,but also based on the consideration of large tower foundation loads of the Second 750 kV Power Transmission and Transformation Project of Xinjiang power grid interconnected with northwest main power grid,design selection analysis and optimal solution research is conducted.The pad and chimney foundation with anti-corrosion protective cover of FRP is proposed and the key construction technology is summarized.The results show that application of the pad and chimney foundation with anti-corrosion protective cover of FRP in salt lake area can be popularized in transmission line tower foundation engineering.
68 – Biology of Nitric Oxide: Measurement, Modulation, and Models

Once thought to be merely an environmental pollution by-product of industrial processes, nitric oxide (NO) is now known to be a potent biologic mediator. The discovery that NO is produced by a number of mammalian cells and that it has roles in events such as vasodilatation, neurotransmission, and immune-mediated cytotoxicity has sparked an explosion of scientific studies. Nitric oxide is among the most important signaling and effector molecules in biologic systems. In the 1980s, pioneers in the field of NO research dissected out the basic concepts of the synthesis and biology of NO, and new discoveries regarding the myriad functions of NO continue to be made on a daily basis. Despite two decades of intensive study, the role of NO in many biologic functions and disease processes remains elusive. By utilizing the currently available tools fully and by developing new innovative techniques for the detection and manipulation of NO in biologic systems, it is possible to delineate the many biologic functions of NO and NOS. It is hoped that this knowledge will allow to develop new strategies and treatments for those diseases that involve either pathologic overproduction or underproduction of NO.
Lateral Spreading Mechanism of a Turbulent Spot and a Turbulent Wedge

We examine the spreading of turbulent spots and wedges into a surrounding laminar Blasius boundary layer. The spreading is not due to the lateral propagation of turbulent eddies but rather to a developing disturbance in the surrounding spanwise vorticity of the laminar boundary layer. We concentrate on the mechanisms for generating streamwise vorticity. In particular, inclined generally streamwise vortex tubes along the spot/wedge boundary tilt mean shear vortex lines either up or down. These lines subsequently tend to either lag back or lead forward. As the leading or lagging vortex lines continue to wrap around and reinforce the causative inclined tube, the lines arch up or down. The outboard portion of the resulting arch must acquire a vertical, ωy, component of vorticity which induces the rollup of a new inclined tube now outboard of the first. Close to the wall the arching mechanism is inhibited by the no through flow boundary condition while far from the wall the process is inhibited by the lack of sufficient mean spanwise vorticity.
Three Ideals of Modern Philosophy

Modern philosophy set for itself the three ideals of simplicity, certainty, and linear comprehensiveness. These operated as regulative ideals guiding inquiry and philosophical expositions, but were not themselves justified by means of arguments, and seldom articulated in an explicit way. The starting point for philosophical investigations was to be restricted to a number of simple ideas or concepts about which we could attain certainty. This certainty was thought to guarantee truth in what we say with or about these simple elements. It was thus a certainty accompanied by infallibility. On the basis of this foundation, more complex ideas or propositions were to be analyzed and understood, and a comprehensive system constructed in a linear form that progressed from the relatively simple and certain to the increasingly complex. Eventually, the most controversial issues debated by philosophers, those of metaphysics, would be resolved. What we describe as “philosophic understanding” was regarded as the result of such analysis and resolution on the basis of the simple and certain foundation. These three ideals can be regarded as being pursued, albeit in very different ways, in Descartes’s Meditations, Locke’s Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Hume’s Treatise on Human Nature, and Husserl’s Logical Investigations. In less explicit form they dominate many of the major philosophic writings from the 17th century into the present, with differences to be found principally in the consistency and thoroughness with which they were pursued.
Social Exclusion of Older Persons: The Role of Socio-Demographic Characteristics

Using a cross-sectional survey, we studied the influence of socio-demographic characteristics on social exclusion in a randomly selected 573 older persons aged 65 years and above. The variables of interest were measured using standardized rating scale. The results show that older persons reported poor social participation, normative integration, access to basic social rights and increased material deprivation resulting high level of social exclusion. Being older women, widowed, living alone and of tribal and dalit origins reported severe social exclusion. Being the members of forward caste significantly reduced social exclusion in older women (β = −.216; p .05). Education significantly reduced the severity of social exclusion for both older men and women (β = −.236; p < .001; β = −.189; p < .001) alongside the earning status (β = .155; p < .05; β = .150; p < .05). Hence, the study concludes that socio-demographic characteristics significantly shape social exclusion in older persons.
Post-collisional deposits in the Zagros foreland basin: Implications for diachronous underthrusting

Detailed sedimentology of the Neogene foreland basin deposits is investigated and classified into 11 lithofacies associations with respect to their paleo-sedimentary environments. The foreland deposits reveal a single coarsening-upward mega-sequence with continuous passage from back-bulge to forebulge, foredeep, and wedge-top sedimentary environments. The Gachsaran deposits form the base of the foreland strata and consist mainly of three different lithofacies associations including fluvial, marine, and sabkha deposits in the eastern Zagros in Fars, and are typically dominated with evaporites toward the west in the Dezful and Kirkuk embayments. The Mishan Formation has three different shallow-marine lithofacies associations in a vertical succession representing foredeep deposits in the eastern Zagros, which tapers toward the Dezful embayment and disappears in Iraq. The Agha Jari distal wedge-top deposits also contain three different lithofacies associations including delta deposits mostly in the Fars, tidal flat deposits in Dezful and Mesopotamia basin, and continental fluvial deposits across the entire Zagros. The uppermost synorogenic Bakhtiari Formation represents proximal wedge-top deposits and consists mainly of two main lithofacies associations including shallow marine and fluvial deposits, within which the fluvial succession is divided into three sub-lithofacies associations with respect to distance from the mountain front and hydraulic power of the river networks. Synthetizing sedimentary facies association with age constraints of the old foreland deposits near the Zagros suture in the High Zagros area suggests that a considerable part of the Arabian plate has been removed at the northern edge by underthrusting and erosion. Moreover, preservation of the young distal foreland deposits near the suture in the western Zagros implies that the magnitude and rate of removal of the proximal foreland deposits have been inconstant along-strike the belt and decreases toward the east.
Proposed Criteria Positions PSMA PET for the Future

See the associated articles on pages [469][1] and [479][2].Kairos (καιρoς)—an Ancient Greek word meaning the right, critical or opportune moment; a proper or opportune time for action.([1][3]) Prostate cancer is an oncologic disease that has been deprived of the benefits of molecular
The Pershing Myth: Trump, Islamophobic Tweets, And The Construction Of Public Memory.

One of the enduring narratives of the 2016 presidential election was the nostalgic journey President Trump took the American public on to construct his Islamophobic memory surrounding General Pershings actions during the American occupation of the Philippines. While the mobilization of memory by political actors is not new in Presidential elections, the mechanism utilized to impose and mobilize pubic memory was. This paper explores how the President Trumps tweets via the Twitter social media platform transform into mediated sites of contention in the nurturance of public nostalgia. As a public site that is visited by millions of people -the tweet not only memorializes events of the past but it mobilizes meaning, memory, and the societys sense of self, which has the ability to redirect and shape public memory. We argue that Trumps nostalgic colonial folklore via the tweet serves his ideological sentiments and larger political platforms in order to promote a vision of the past to provide his right-wing ideologies and movement supporters currency.
Cryptographic Side-Channel Signaling and Authentication via Fingerprint Embedding

Authentication via fingerprint embedding at the physical layer utilizes noise in the wireless channel to attain a certain degree of information theoretic security that traditional HMAC methods cannot provide. Fingerprint embedding refers to a key-aided process of superimposing a low-power tag to the primary message waveform for the purpose of authenticating the transmission. The tag is uniquely created from the message and key and successful authentication is achieved when the correct tag is detected by the receiver. This paper generalizes a framework for embedding physical layer fingerprints to create an authenticated side-channel for minimal cost. Side-channel information is conveyed to the receiver through the transmitter’s choice of tag from a secret codebook generated by the primary message and a shared secret key. In addition, a new linear coding scheme is introduced which enhances the ability to trade off the performance goals of authentication, side-channel rate, secrecy, and privacy.