cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-temperature fracture toughness of SiC–Mo5(Si,Al)3C composites

Abstract The fracture toughness ( K 1C ) of melt-infiltrated SiC–Mo 5 (Si,Al) 3 C composites was measured from room temperature to 1400°C using the indentation strength method at 1 atm argon atmosphere. The fracture toughness was found to increase from 3.6 MPa·m 1/2 at room temperature to 7.7 MPa·m 1/2 at 1400°C. This increase was mainly attributed to the plastic deformation of the infiltrated Mo 5 (Si,Al) 3 C phases at high temperatures, which act as ductile toughening inclusions. The influence of annealing temperatures and atmospheres on K 1C was studied. The effect of indentation load on K 1C was also analyzed.
Transient ultrasonic wave field modeling in an elastic half-space using distributed point source method

Transient ultrasonic waves in an elastic half-space generated by an ultrasonic transducer of finite size are modeled by the Distributed Point Source Method (DPSM). DPSM which is a Green's function based semi-analytical mesh-free technique is modified to incorporate the transient loading from a finite size acoustic transducer. Fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the transient loading is computed and then DPSM is used to compute the ultrasonic field at different frequencies and then inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) is taken to get the transient response of an elastic half-space excited by a bounded acoustic beam. Numerical results are generated for elastic half-space excited with normal incidence of acoustic beam. Then the transient Rayleigh wave in the solid half-space is generated. The modeling is then extended to the transient response of an elastic half-space containing a crack, struck by a bounded acoustic beam. It is discussed in the paper what type of useful information that is hidden in the steady state solution can be obtained from the transient results.
MORMON CENTRAL‐HALL HOUSES IN THE AMERICAN WEST

ABSTRACT The Central-hall house was brought into the American West by Mormons, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This house type has two basic floor plans, the narrow “I” and the wider “Four over Four” types. The Central-hall plan has a rich folklore in Mormon Country. Although some “Gentiles” built this type, it was generally outmoded by the time the West was opening up. Gentile settlements were dominated by Victorian and other stylistic influences which the Mormons rejected for religious and cultural reasons. The Central-hall house, along with other cultural elements, is helpful in detecting areas of the West settled by the Mormons.
Laser beam interaction with the PdSiCu eutectic

Abstract The surface of a PdSiCu glass-forming alloy of nominal eutectic composition Pd 80 Si 14.8 Cu 5.2 has been subjected to laser beam irradiation, using a pulsed ruby laser and a stationary target, and using a continuous CO 2 laser and a moving target. In each case the major portion of the melted material solidified amorphously, but there was usually a thin region between the unmelted matrix and the glass which consisted of an increasingly fine eutectic having a spacing of some 20 – 30 A at the glassy border. The major constituents of the eutectic appear to be a phase based on Pd 5 Si and an extremely fine grained f.c.c. solid solution based on the Pd Cu α phase. The presence of an intermediate zone between the matrix and the glass is responsible for the occurrence of fine cracking which originates at the glass-eutectic interface and penetrates into the unmelted eutectic matrix. If the intermediate zone is reduced, or eliminated, through the reduction of the laser power input, the cracking is also reduced or eliminated. In turn, the thickness of the intermediate zone, as well as the molten pool geometry, is related to the laser power. The smaller the power, the flatter is the molten pool and the thinner is the width of the intermediate zone. The present investigation also suggests that one of the constituents of the ternary PdSiCu eutectic is a phase based on the binary Pd 5 Si, rather than on Pd 9 Si 2 as reported previously.
Genetic Analysis of Glutamate Receptors in Drosophila Reveals a Retrograde Signal Regulating Presynaptic Transmitter Release

Abstract Postsynaptic sensitivity to glutamate was genetically manipulated at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ) to test whether postsynaptic activity can regulate presynaptic function during development. We cloned the gene encoding a second muscle-specific glutamate receptor, DGluRIIB, which is closely related to the previously identified DGluRIIA and located adjacent to it in the genome. Mutations that eliminate DGluRIIA (but not DGluRIIB ) or transgenic constructs that increase DGluRIIA expression were generated. When DGluRIIA is missing, the response of the muscle to a single vesicle of transmitter is substantially decreased. However, the response of the muscle to nerve stimulation is normal because quantal content is significantly increased. Thus, a decrease in postsynaptic receptors leads to an increase in presynaptic transmitter release, indicating that postsynaptic activity controls a retrograde signal that regulates presynaptic function.
Validity issues in split‐mouth trials*

The main purpose of the split-mouth design is to remove all components related to differences between subjects from the treatment comparisons. By making within-patient comparisons, rather than between-patient comparisons, the error variance (noise) of the experiment can be reduced, thereby obtaining a more powerful statistical test. Unfortunately, comparisons made on a within-patient basis have potential disadvantages. Treatments may have effects on experimental units other than those which they were assigned to (carry-across effects). Such effects cannot be estimated from split-mouth data. Neither can treatment effects be estimated. The estimable parameter in a split-mouth design is the treatment effect plus the sum of all carry-across effects. Unless a priori knowledge indicates that no carry-across effects exist, reported estimates of treatment efficacy are potentially biased. In the design of split-mouth clinical trials, potential gain in precision should be carefully weighed against a potential decrease in validity.
Time to tackle unwarranted variations in practice.

US and UK data show that much of the variation in use of healthcare is accounted for by the willingness and ability of doctors to offer treatment rather than differences in illness or patient preference. Identifying and reducing such variation should be a priority for health providers, says John Wennberg
Advantages and Limitations of an Independent Research Proposal Review System

In this article the authors examine the high rate of manuscript rejection in the field of management research and offer suggestions on how to improve the quality of management research and the resulting manuscripts. They note that most work that has examined manuscript rejection has focused on the need for more extensive review systems; however, they suggest that inadequately planned research may be a more significant problem. They contend that new mechanisms need to be put in place that would provide researchers with feedback and advice while they are still in the developmental stage of their work. They outline how an independent review system could function to provide this service to researches and discuss some of the potential difficulties and benefits that may arise.
Change points with linear trend for the exponential distribution

A sequence of independent exponential random variables is hypothesized to have equal means, and we would like to test whether the means have been subjected to a linear trend change at an unknown point, for an unknown duration in the sequence. Two likelihood ratio-type statistics and Rao's efficient score statistics are derived. The distribution theory and related properties of the test statistics are discussed. Numerical critical points and powers of the test statistics are tabulated for certain selected values of the parameters. The tests are then applied to find linear trend changes in the set of Stanford heart transplant data and air traffic arrival data.
One Size Fits One: Pharmacogenetics in Gastroenterology

Individual variability in response and development of adverse effects to drugs is a major challenge in clinical practice. Pharmacogenomics refers to the aspect of personalized medicine where the patient's genetic information instructs the selection and dosage of therapy while also predicting its adverse effects profile. Sequencing of the entire human genome has given us the opportunity to study commonly used drugs as well as newer therapeutic agents in a new light, opening up opportunities for better drug efficacy and decreased adverse effects. This article highlights developments in pharmacogenomics, relates these to practice of gastroenterology, and outlines roadblocks in translation of this knowledge into clinical practice.
Nanoparticle diffraction gratings for DNA detection on photopatterned glass substrates

An ex situ nanoparticle DNA detection assay utilizing DNA-modified nanoparticles attached to DNA monolayer gratings on glass substrates is developed. The assay utilizes the simultaneous hybridization of a single stranded DNA (ssDNA) target molecule to both an amine-modified DNA oligonucleotide attached to an amine-reactive glass surface and a thiol-modified DNA oligonucleotide attached to a 13 nm gold nanoparticle. Surface plasmon resonance imaging measurements are used to characterize the two sequential hybridization adsorption processes employed in the assay, and fluorescence microscopy is used to characterize the formation of DNA monolayer gratings via the photopatterning of the amine-reactive glass slides. First order diffraction measurements utilizing incoherent collimated white light source and a 10 nm bandpass filter centered at 600 nm provided quantitative measurements of target ssDNA down to a concentration of 10 pM. Fourth order diffraction measurements employing a HeNe laser and avalanche photodiode were used to detect target ssDNA adsorption from 10 μl of a solution with a concentration as low as 10 fM, corresponding to 60000 target DNA molecules. This simple yet sensitive grating-based nanoparticle DNA detection assay should be directly applicable for genetic screening, mRNA expression assays, and microRNA profiling.
DNA Damage: Offing KAP to Stay Focused in the Dark

Summary To optimize night vision, nocturnal mammals exploit the light refractive properties of heterochromatin, adopting a unique nuclear structure that positions heterochromatin at the center of the nucleus focusing light on photoreceptors. This strategy comes at the expense of genome protection because DNA breaks cannot be repaired in dense heterochromatin.
Compiling separable recursions

In this paper we consider evaluating queries on relations defined by a combination of recursive rules. We first define separable recursions. We then give a specialized algorithm for evaluating selections on separable recursions. Like the Generalized Magic Sets and Generalized Counting algorithms, thus algorithm uses selection constants to avoid examining irrelevant portions of the database, however, on some simple recursions this algorithm is O(n), whereas Generalized Magic Sets is O(n2) and Generalized Counting is O(2n)
Enhancement mechanisms for optical forces in integrated optics

We investigate the extension of optical micromanipulation to integrated optics. In particular, we consider whether propagating light signals can cause mechanical reconfiguration of a device. While such forces are intrinsically weak, we predict theoretically that significant displacements can be achieved using various enhancement mechanisms. These include the use of high-index materials, high-Q (cavity quality factor) enhancement, and slow light in photonic crystals. Silicon optical waveguides have a considerable refractive index contrast with the surrounding air, with a ratio of roughly 3.45/1 at optical communications wavelengths. We show that the strong confinement of light to silicon magnifies optical forces arising from overlap in the guided modes of neighboring waveguides. Silica microsphere resonators are known to have extremely high cavity quality factors, in excess of 10 8 . We show that the quality factor of the resonator magnifies the optical force due to modal overlap between two neighboring spheres. Thirdly, we investigate slow-light enhancement of optical forces using photonic-crystal devices. We show that slow-light velocities give rise to larger forces for the same amount of signal power, enhancing optomechanical coupling effects. In addition to being of fundamental interest, our work suggests that optical manipulation may ultimately provide a route to all-optical conformational control and switching.
A Study of Discontinuing Maintenance Therapy in Human Immunodeficiency Virus–Infected Subjects with Disseminated Mycobacterium avium Complex: AIDS Clinical Trial Group 393 Study Team

The present nonrandomized prospective study evaluated whether antimycobacterial therapy for disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) could be withdrawn from human immunodeficiency virus-infected subjects who experienced immunologic recovery while receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Eligible subjects had received macrolide-based therapy for least 12 months, were asymptomatic for MAC, had received HAART for at least 16 weeks, and had CD4+ T cell counts >100 cells/microL. Forty-eight subjects were enrolled, with a median CD4+ T cell count of 240 cells/microL at the time of discontinuation of MAC therapy. Forty-seven subjects remained MAC free, whereas 1 subject developed localized MAC osteomyelitis. The median duration of follow-up while not receiving therapy was 77 weeks, and the incidence of MAC infection was 1.44/100 person-years (95% confidence interval, 0.04-8.01). Withdrawal of anti-MAC therapy appears to be safe in patients who have been treated with a macrolide-based regimen for at least 1 year and have an immunologic response on HAART.
MIMO ISI Channel Estimation Using Uncorrelated Golay Complementary Sets of Polyphase Sequences

In this paper, optimal training sequence design for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) intersymbol interference channels is addressed, and several novel low-complexity channel estimators are proposed, using uncorrelated Golay complementary sets of polyphase sequences. A polyphase sequence is a sequence of complex numbers, each of unit magnitude. The theoretical analysis and simulation show that, when the additive noise is Gaussian, the proposed best linear unbiased estimator achieves the minimum possible classical Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) if the channel coefficients are regarded as unknown deterministics. On the other hand, the proposed linear minimum mean-square error estimator attains the minimum possible Bayesian CRLB when the underlying channel coefficients are Gaussian and independent of the additive Gaussian noise. The proposed channel estimators not only achieve the best estimation performance but can also be implemented with low complexity via DSP or application-specified integrated circuit/field programmable gate array. This has been possible due to the special structures intrinsic to uncorrelated Golay complementary sets of polyphase sequences, which make the proposed channel estimators ready to use in the practical MIMO systems.
Nonhydrostatic and nonlinear contributions to the energy flux budget in nonlinear internal waves

[1] We use high-resolution two-dimensional simulations to model the generation and evolution of nonlinear internal waves formed as a result of the interaction of a first-mode internal wave field with idealized slopes. The derivation of the energy equation and the energy flux terms are presented. By employing an analysis of the distribution of the energy flux across the shelf break, we quantify the contributions to the energy flux budget from nonhydrostatic as well as nonlinear effects in comparison to the contribution from the baroclinic pressure anomaly term used widely for linear internal waves. Our results show that the contributions to the total energy flux from these additional terms are significant in these large nonlinear internal waves, consistent with recent field observations.
Why Do Firms Use Franchising as an Entrepreneurial Strategy?: A Meta-Analysis

Although uncovering the factors that lead firms to offer franchises has long been a central goal of franchising research, considerable ambiguity surrounds extant findings. In an effort to help resolve this ambiguity, we used meta-analysis to aggregate results from 44 studies containing 140 tests of ten hypotheses. The ten hypotheses reflect two theoretical perspectives—resource scarcity and agency theory. Overall, the findings offer support for several of the hypotheses grounded in agency theory, but not those grounded in resource scarcity. The results also highlight the need for future inquiry to include new theoretical approaches and richer data.
Turbulent rotating convection: an experimental study

We present experimental measurements of velocity and temperature fields in horizontal planes crossing a cylindrical Rayleigh–Benard convection cell in steady rotation about its vertical axis. The range of dimensionless rotation rates Ω is from zero to 5×104 for a Rayleigh number R = 3.2×108. The corresponding range of convective Rossby numbers is ∞ > Ro > 0.06. The patterns of velocity and temperature and the flow statistics characterize three basic flow regimes. For Ro [Gt ] 1, the flow is dominated by vortex sheets (plumes) typical of turbulent convection without rotation. The flow patterns for Ro ∼ 1 are cyclone-dominated, with anticyclonic vortices rare. As the Rossby number continues to decrease, the number of anticyclonic vortex structures begins to grow but the vorticity PDF in the vicinity of the top boundary layer still shows skewness favouring cyclonic vorticity. Velocity-averaging near the top of the cell suggests the existence of a global circulation pattern for Ro [Gt ] 1.
Advances in prenatal screening for Down syndrome: I. General principles and second trimester testing

Abstract Background: Down syndrome is one of the most important causes of mental retardation in the population. In the absence of prenatal screening and diagnosis, prevalence at birth in the United States would currently exceed 1:600. The purpose of prenatal screening is to identify those women at the increased risk for an affected pregnancy and to maximize the options available to these women. Tests available: Second trimester serum screening involves combining the maternal age-specific risk for an affected pregnancy with the risks associated with the concentrations of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP), unconjugated estriol (uE3), and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (triple testing). A forth analyte, inhibin-A (INH-A), is increasingly being utilized (quadruple testing). Optimal second trimester screening requires the integration of a number of clinical variables, the most important of which is an accurate assessment of gestational age. In addition to Down syndrome, the triple and quadruple tests preferentially identify fetal trisomy 18, Turner syndrome, triploidy, trisomy 16 mosaicism, fetal death, Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome, and steroid sulfatase deficiency. Some programs modify the Down syndrome risks generated through maternal serum screening tests with fetal biometric data obtained by ultrasound. Other second trimester tests have shown promise, including the analysis of maternal urine and fetal cells in the maternal circulation, but none are in routine clinical use. Conclusion: The second trimester triple and quadruple tests provide benchmarks for evaluating new screening protocols. The combination of fetal biometry, new test development as well as clarification of the role of co-factors that affect the concentrations of analytes in existing tests should lead to greater efficacy in second trimester screening for Down syndrome.
Blind Separation of Radio Signals in Fading Channels

We apply information maximization / maximum likelihood blind source separation [2, 6] to complex valued signals mixed with complex valued nonstationary matrices. This case arises in radio communications with baseband signals. We incorporate known source signal distributions in the adaptation, thus making the algorithms less "blind". This results in drastic reduction of the amount of data needed for successful convergence. Adaptation to rapidly changing signal mixing conditions, such as to fading in mobile communications, becomes now feasible as demonstrated by simulations.
Distribution of Ions and Water between Tissue Compartments in the Perfused Left Ventricle of the Rat Heart

Left ventricles from rat hearts were perfused through the coronary blood vessels for periods up to 90 minutes with solution containing radioactively labeled sulfate, sucrose, urea, glycerol, or chloride. Urea and glycerol equilibrate with all of tissue water. By contrast, 35SO4 and sucrose-14C equilibrate very rapidly with 40% of total water and slowly with an additional 20%; they are excluded from 40% of the tissue water. The two "cellular" compartments (C2, which equilibrates slowly with SO4 and sucrose, and C3, from which SO4 and sucrose are excluded) both lose water when hearts are perfused with a solution made hypertonic with NaCl. Chemical analyses for K, Na, and Cl, and measurements of the rate of equilibration of 36C1 show that C2 has low contents of Cl and Na. Experiments in which extracellular NaCl was replaced osmole for osmole by KCl according to the method of Boyle and Conway suggest that the boundaries of C2 and C3 may have different ionic permeabilities. These observations indicate that the...
Optimizing the power-added efficiency of a class B GaAs FET amplifier

A design routine is reported that optimizes the power-added efficiency of a class B microwave amplifier stage. The measured data required consists of device I-V data and one large-signal gain measurement at the microwave frequency of interest. The method is based on a simple circuit model from which the power-added efficiencies, resulting from a specific combination of the variables, can be calculated. Similar to the harmonic balanced method, this simulation iterates between time domain and frequency domain solutions until agreement is reached. Experimental results at 4.4 GHz are reported which support the procedure and which show efficiency increases of 15% when low impedance loading at even-harmonic frequencies are provided. >
Accurate and efficient computation of the wire kernel

Accurate and efficient evaluation of the wire kernel is fundamental to compute the electromagnetic field due to the electric current along a wire. The thin wire kernel where the current is assumed as line current flowing along the central axis of the wire causes unstable solution of integral equation. The general kernel, which is also referred as exact kernel, is an azimuthal integral representing the potential from uniform current flowing along the cylindrical surface. Its close form is a series of spherical Hankel functions [1]. To evaluate the close form wire kernel efficiently and avoid the floating point overflow problem, the spherical Hankel function is usually first represented as polynomials [2]. This approach will involve double-fold summation. In addition, since the logarithmic singularity is not explicitly extracted in Wangpsilas formula [1], the wire kernel converges very slowly for near fields. In this paper, for distant fields, a normalized Hankel function is introduced for Wangpsilas formula. The kernel can be evaluated efficiently without any floating point overflow problem. For near fields, a new closed form formula which converges fast is derived.
Optical collection efficiency function in single-molecule detection experiments

The optical collection efficiency function for an optical system such as that used in single-molecule detection experiments is studied. Closed analytical expressions based on a geometrical optics approximation are presented. Comparison is made with exact wave optics calculations.
The Majority of Infiltrating CD8 T Cells in the Central Nervous System of Susceptible SJL/J Mice Infected with Theiler's Virus Are Virus Specific and Fully Functional

Theiler9s virus infection of the central nervous system (CNS) induces an immune-mediated demyelinating disease in susceptible mouse strains, such as SJL/J, and serves as a relevant infectious model for human multiple sclerosis. It has been previously suggested that susceptible SJL/J mice do not mount an efficient cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response to the virus. In addition, genetic studies have shown that resistance to Theiler9s virus-induced demyelinating disease is linked to the H-2D major histocompatibility complex class I locus, suggesting that a compromised CTL response may contribute to the susceptibility of SJL/J mice. Here we show that SJL/J mice do, in fact, generate a CD8 + T-cell response in the CNS that is directed against one dominant (VP3 159-166 ) and two subdominant (VP1 11-20 and VP3 173-181 ) capsid protein epitopes. These virus-specific CD8 + T cells produce gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and lyse target cells in the presence of the epitope peptides, indicating that these CNS-infiltrating CD8 + T cells are fully functional effector cells. Intracellular IFN-γ staining analysis indicates that greater than 50% of CNS-infiltrating CD8 + T cells are specific for these viral epitopes at 7 days postinfection. Therefore, the susceptibility of SJL/J mice is not due to the lack of an early functional Theiler9s murine encephalomyelitis virus-specific CTL response. Interestingly, T-cell responses to all three epitopes are restricted by the H-2K s molecule, and this skewed class I restriction may be associated with susceptibility to demyelinating disease.
Scale analysis of atmospheric turbulence at 2 m

Various horizontal scales of the horizontal wind components are compared in stable and unstable air. In stable air the scales are small, and those along the wind are larger than the scales across the wind. In unstable air the scales are large and about the same in all directions. The speed of translation of turbulent patterns normally does not deviate much from the wind speed, with one curious exception. The ratio of the Lagrangian scale of lateral component to the Eulerian scale of lateral component averages about 5 in stable air with moderate winds, but is tentatively suggested to be considerably smaller in unstable air.
Determination of active and reactive powers in multiphase machines

A method for the determination and measurement of the real and reactive powers of multiphase electric machines is proposed using the Geometrical Algebra and the power invariant stationary reference frame transformations of the phase voltages and currents. Geometrical Algebra provides the expressions for the calculation of the powers. A four-wattmeter method to determine the active and reactive powers for the 5-phase induction motor by using the line-to-line voltages and line (or phase) currents is set forth in some details. Expressions for the calculation of the real and reactive power components for 7 and 9-phase machines are set forth. Furthermore, it is revealed that when there is an imbalance in the supply voltages or in the machine, the reactive power exists in three components, as ij, ik and jk bivectors which must be individually compensated to improve input power factor or reduce torque pulsations. Simulation and experimental results on a 5-hp, 4-pole, five phase induction machine fed with balanced and unbalanced input voltage converter source provide the justification for the proposed methodology.
Port reduction in parametrized component static condensation: approximation and a posteriori error estimation

SUMMARY We introduce a port (interface) approximation and a posteriori error bound framework for a general component-based static condensation method in the context of parameter-dependent linear elliptic partial differential equations. The key ingredients are as follows: (i) efficient empirical port approximation spaces—the dimensions of these spaces may be chosen small to reduce the computational cost associated with formation and solution of the static condensation system; and (ii) a computationally tractable a posteriori error bound realized through a non-conforming approximation and associated conditioner—the error in the global system approximation, or in a scalar output quantity, may be bounded relatively sharply with respect to the underlying finite element discretization. Our approximation and a posteriori error bound framework is of particular computational relevance for the static condensation reduced basis element (SCRBE) method. We provide several numerical examples within the SCRBE context, which serve to demonstrate the convergence rate of our port approximation procedure as well as the efficacy of our port reduction error bounds. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Determinants of Public Attitudes Toward the Welfare State

7This paper develops and tests a causal model of the determinants of public attitudes toward welfare state programs. It proposes that support of welfare state programs is a function of self-interest and the resultant identification with dominant social ideologies-zwrk ethic and social equality. Identification with these ideologies, in turn, affects endorsement of social rights and, hence, support of welfare state programs. Using data from the 1983 Detroit Area Study, the model is generally confirmed. The data also show, as expected, some important differences in the effects of the social ideologies on support of contributory vs. means-tested programs. The findings suggest that the social groups supporting the welfare state are the economically and socially vulnerable who identify with social democratic values. It has become a truism that the welfare state is in an era of crisis. In particular, the welfare state is said to suffer from a legitimacy crisis as evidenced by the recent decline in its growth rate and the fiscal crisis of the state (O'Connor 1973), the rise to power of conservative political elites with an anti-welfare ideology, and the declining credibility of the intellectual underpinning of the welfare state (Mishra 1984). Offe (1984, p. 157) asserts that both the Left and the Right agree that the present welfare state is no longer "the promising and permanently valid answer to the problems of the socio-political order of advanced capitalist economics." The intellectual attack on the welfare state is not necessarily reflected in mass attitudes, and studies of public opinion toward the welfare state portray a somewhat different picture. Trend data from polls over the last half century indicate a fairly strong and consistent support of the basic *Direct correspondence to Yeheskel Hasenfeld, School of Social Welfare, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024. ? 1989 The University of North Carolina Press
MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI INCREASE CHROMIUM UPTAKE BY SUNFLOWER PLANTS: INFLUENCE ON TISSUE MINERAL CONCENTRATION, GROWTH, AND GAS EXCHANGE

As a potential phytoremediation system for phytoextraction of chromium (Cr), we evaluated the influence of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices on leaf tissue elemental composition, growth and gas exchange of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Sunflower seedlings were either inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi (AM) or non-inoculated (Non-AM) and then exposed to two Cr species: {12 mmol of trivalent cation (Cr þ3 ) [Cr(III)] or 0.1 mmol of divalent dichromate anion (Cr2O7 � ) [Cr(VI)]}. Both Cr species depressed plant growth, decreased stomatal conductance (gs) and net photosynthesis (A).
Decision Support System for Selection of Project Delivery Method in Transit

A decision support system was developed to help transit agencies evaluate and choose the most appropriate project delivery method for their capital projects. The system considers the traditional design-bid-build, construction manager-at-risk, design-build, and design-build-operate-maintain delivery methods. A set of 24 pertinent issues that can affect the choice of project delivery method are identified and described. The described decision support system consists of two distinct tiers. The first tier is a qualitative assessment in which the decision maker evaluates the effectiveness of each delivery method for dealing with the relevant pertinent issues. This tier will help agencies determine if there is a dominant or obvious choice of project delivery method. If at the end of this stage a clear choice is not evident, the user will move to the second tier, where a weighted matrix is used to score competing alternatives. The system will also provide a structure for documenting the project delivery decision...
Sperm motion parameters after suppression of spermatogenesis with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist plus testosterone supplementation

Objective To evaluate whether the chronic administration of a GnRH antagonist supplemented with T enanthate affects sperm motion parameters. Design Prospective study. Setting Academic medical research environment. Patients/Participants Six normospermic men of reproductive age. Intervention A 20-week treatment included the administration of 10mg of GnRH antagonist every day and 25mg of T enanthate once a week. Main Outcome Measure Computerized sperm motion analysis on each participant every 2weeks for a period of 11months. Results Sperm concentration decreased after 4weeks of the GnRH antagonist administration, accompanied by a reduction of sperm motility from an initial mean value of 56% to 34% on treatment week 4 and 21% on treatment week 6. In contrast, sperm velocity, linearity, amplitude of the lateral head displacement, and beat cross-frequency values did not significantly change in spite of reduced overall sperm concentration and motility. Azoospermia was reached within 6 to 12weeks of the GnRH administration, and it was sustained during the treatment period. During recovery of spermatogenesis, sperm movement parameters returned to initial values earlier than sperm concentration and normal morphology. All participants recovered initial semen parameters 20weeks after the end of treatment. Conclusion The administration of a GnRH antagonist supplemented with T enanthate successfully induced reversible suppression of spermatogenesis. The sperm motion characteristics appeared to be the last parameters to decline and the first to return to initial values after the treatment.
Autonomous Onboard Point Source Detection by Small Exploration Spacecraft

Small spacecraft platforms are a promising low-cost approach to accelerate exploration of small bodies, addressing the space community's interest in origin science, planetary resources, and planetary defense. However, they can be challenging platforms for detecting and imaging low brightness targets. Difficulties include constrained bandwidth, which limits the volume of data that can be downlinked; attitude instability, which limits exposure time; small instrument apertures, which reduce sensitivity; and cosmic ray contamination, which creates illusory sources. Mission designers can address all these problems simultaneously by shifting image analysis across the communications gap. Spacecraft can use onboard data analysis to detect sources directly, or downlink parsimonious summary products for detection on the ground. One promising approach is to acquire stacks of short consecutive exposures, and then coregister and coadd them onboard. This work analyzes a coaddition algorithm that is designed to be robust against small spacecraft challenges. We evaluate factors affecting performance, such as attitude control and camera noise systematics, in regimes typical of small spacecraft missions. We motivate the algorithm design by considering its application to NEAScout, a mission representing a new generation of small (sub-50 kg) exploration spacecraft having very small instrument apertures and data rates below 1 kbyte s-1. Here, onboard analysis allows detection and rendezvous with far smaller and fainter objects, dramatically reducing the cost and complexity of primitive bodies exploration.
Pink Staining of Pernicious Anemia Megaloblasts by Alizarin Red S

The anthraquinone dye alizarin red S produced pink staining of the cytoplasm of proerythroblasts and megaloblasts in 8 patients with untreated pernicious anemia. This pink staining was not observed in erthyroid precursors from severely folatedeficient individuals, or from a variety of other types of anemic or normal controls. In the two instances of pernicious anemia where post-B12-treatment marrow samples were obtained, the pink staining was not found. In-vitro test-tube experiments with a wide variety of biologic substances showed that several intermediates in the Krebs carboxylic acid cycle, pentose-phosphate shunt pathway, NADPH, and methylmalonyl CoA produced pink to rose-colored solutions with alizarin. Although it was not possible to delineate the exact substance(s) responsible for the pink cytoplasmic staining, the marked elevations of cellular methylmalonyl CoA known to occur in B12 deficiency suggest that this substance may play an important role in the staining reaction.
Epoxy/Aluminum Adhesion as Measured by Contact Mechanics (JKR) in the Presence of an Organic Contaminant

The JKR contact mechanics approach is employed to analyze the effects of surface contaminants on adhesive bonding, as well as quantify the level of contamination at which adhesive strength decreases. The contact adhesive forces between two surfaces, one being a soft hemisphere and the other being a hard plate, can readily be determined by applying an external compressive load to join the two surfaces, subsequently applying a tensile load to assess the energy dissipation mechanisms involved in the debonding process. In the present work, we monitor the interactions between a diglycidyl epoxy elastomer and an aluminum oxide substrate in the presence of an organic contaminant. Furthermore, we present a method by which surface contamination can be quantified using a single number, referred to as the adhesion hysteresis parameter, H.
Extracellular cation concentrations and sugar transport under the influence of muscular contraction and insulin.

SummaryThere appears to be some relationship between a funtional Na+-K+ pump and basal sugar transport in skeletal muscle. Insulin seems able to stimulate sugar transport either in the presence or absence of Na+ and K+. Muscle activity, on the other hand, loses its stimulatory effect on such transport in the absence of either Na+ or K+.
Impact of a Ti adhesion layer on Pt/PZT/Pt capacitors

A five-factor, full-factorial experiment on process sensitivity of non-volatile polarization, Pnv for Pt/PZT/Pt capacitors shows the most dramatic factor is the use, or not, of a Ti adhesion layer for the bottom electrode. With the Ti layer, Pnv is generally lower and is sensitive to several factors and interactions involving the crystallization anneal, sol-gel synthesis, and Pt thickness and deposition temperature. A possible cause is Ti diffusion through the Pt as observed in Auger and XPS depth profiles of oxygen annealed Pt/Ti electrodes.
AN INFECTIOUS SOURCE OF CARDIOMYOPATHY AND SUDDEN DEATH: CHAGAS DISEASE

Delineating the etiology of cardiomyopathy is an important part of the workup upon initial diagnosis. We describe the case of a 30 year old previously healthy male presenting with VF arrest and dilated cardiomyopathy. A 30 year old Hispanic Male with no prior past medical history presented to our
Advances in Research of Cold Tolerance at Rice Seedling Stage

Chilling injury is a serious threat to rice production. It is of great significance to achieve a high and stable yield of rice by accelerating the research of cold tolerance and developing cold-tolerant rice varieties. This review mainly focused the research progress on identifying methods and evaluating indices for cold damage,QTL mapping and cloning of cold tolerance related genes and signal transduction under cold stress at seedling stage in rice and had an outlook on the research of cold tolerance and breeding of cold-toleranct varieties in rice.
Plasma protein binding of digitoxin and digoxin in several mammalian species.

The extents of protein binding of 3H-digitoxin and 3H-digoxin in plasma of different species were determined in vitro by the equilibrium dialysis technique and liquid scintillation counting. Independence of drug concentration and the percentage of drug that was protein bound was observed for both digitoxin (0.01 to 1.00 μg/ml) and digoxin (0.0025 to 1.00 μg/ml). The extents of binding of 3H-digitoxin (50 ng/ml) and 3H-digoxin (10 ng/ml) were measured in goat, sheep, ox, horse, pony, swine, dog, cat, human, monkey, rat, rabbit and opossum plasmas. Digitoxin was more than 80% bound in all species except opossum (72%). There was a significant difference in extent of digitoxin binding among species (F-test, p
Evaluating Social Theories

In the chapters to follow, I ask the reader to consider a broad theory of how society ought to be organized. Before explaining this theory and the arguments in its support, it may be helpful to discuss how theories of this kind ought to be evaluated.
Triple-Negative/Basal-Like Breast Carcinomas

“Triple-negative” breast cancers (TNBC) account for 15–20 % of breast cancers and are defined by the absence of hormone receptor protein expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and the absence of HER2 protein overexpression or gene amplification on IHC and in situ hybridization (ISH) studies, respectively. Histologically these tumors are characterized by a solid growth pattern with absent tubule formation, large pleomorphic nuclei, and a very brisk mitotic rate (i.e., a high combined histologic grade), limited or absent in situ component, zones of geographic necrosis, prominent lymphocytic infiltrate, central fibrotic focus or “acellular zone” and circumscribed or pushing (non-infiltrative) borders. Gene expression profiling studies have shown that, despite some heterogeneity, the majority of TNBC are basal-like carcinomas (BLC). Patients with BLC/TNBC are more likely to be of younger age, premenopausal, and of African American or West African ancestry and to be BRCA 1 or 2 mutation carriers. BLC/TNBC do not respond to endocrine or HER-2-targeted therapy and these tumors are associated with aggressive behavior, more frequent relapse and metastasis, and decreased overall survival. The development of tailored therapy for BLC/TNBC remains an area of active investigation.
He Ao Pohewa: The PHARMAC Prescription for Pharmacoeconomic Analysis in New Zealand and the Standards of Normal Science

In common with a number of other single payer health systems, New Zealand has, through the Pharmaceutical Management Agency (PHARMAC), established guidelines for formulary submissions by pharmaceutical manufacturers. A question that is important to health system decision makers is to whether or not guidelines for economic evaluations in countries like New Zealand are consistent with the standards of normal science. Do the guidelines require those making the submission to put their claims in the form of testable hypotheses that can support falsification and replication? Are post-listing evaluations of these claims ever carried out? The purpose of this review is to consider whether the 2012 PHARMAC guidelines meet these standards. The assessment argues that the guidelines do not meet the standards of normal science. Instead, from this perspective, they are best characterized as supporting the creation of he ao pohewa (an imaginary world). There is no requirement in the guidelines for claims to be expressed as testable propositions; as hypotheses for expected impact that can be evaluated and the outcomes reported as part of ongoing disease area and therapeutic class reviews. There is no commitment to the discovery of new facts though falsification and replication. Our review concludes with suggestions for a reworking of the guidelines to meet the standards of normal science. Type: Commentary
Psychopathy in juvenile offenders: Can temperament and attachment be considered as robust developmental precursors?

Attempts to predict adult psychopathy generally focus on aggressive and antisocial behavior exhibited in childhood and adolescence. Yet, children with conduct problems constitute a heterogeneous group, and many of the unique interpersonal and affective features associated with the construct of psychopathy only apply to a small subset of children displaying antisocial behavior. The current review seeks to derive an understanding of the specific precursors of the apparently amoral, affectionless, and self-centered orientation that psychopathic youngsters display towards other people. The focus is on the notions of temperament and attachment in early childhood, and their links to the emergence of moral emotions later in life. Based on a developmental perspective, the data currently available are examined, highlighting the insights gained from this body of work and outlining the conceptual and methodological challenges that still need to be addressed.
The Most Remarkable Insect) Ichnofabrics in Paleosols

The methodology for studying ichnofabrics in paleosols was developed in recent years. In contrast to analyses from subaquatic environments, in paleosols the original bedding (sedimentary structures) may be disrupted not only by ichnofabrics (features corresponding directly to the presence of trace fossils), but also by pedofabrics (features responding mostly to inorganic processes or not recognizable as bioturbation or discrete trace fossils). Tiering, cross-cutting relationships, simple and composite ichnofabrics in paleosols, bioturbation indexes, tiering diagrams, ichnofabric constituent diagrams, and pedofabric/ichnofabric ternary diagrams are reviewed employing simple hypothetical examples and more complex scenarios posed by classical localities of the Asencio and Sarmiento Formations, and the Quaternary of the Canary Islands. In paleosols, cross cutting relationships may be the result of environmental changes, but also of density of traces, or ecological relationships (cleptoparasitism, detritrivory) of the producers involved.
New Approaches in System-Level Diagnosis

The concept of system-level diagnosis for fault diagnosis in multi-processor systems was introduced more than two decades ago. This approach is based on mutual tests conducted by the system processors, rather than circuit- level testing done by an external tester. At first, the research of system-level diagnosis concentrated on the study of uniquely diagnosable systems, and various characterizations for synthesis of such systems under several models of test results interpretations and faults types were presented.