cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uniaxial crushing of sandwich plates under air blast: Influence of mass distribution

Abstract Motivated by recent efforts to mitigate blast loading using energy-absorbing materials, this paper uses analytical and computational modeling to investigate the influence of mass distribution on the uniaxial crushing of cellular sandwich plates under air blast loading. In the analytical model, the cellular core is represented using a rigid, perfectly-plastic, locking idealization, as in previous studies, and the front and back faces are modeled as rigid, with pressure loading applied to the front face and the back-face unrestrained. This model is also applicable to the crushing of cellular media in “blast pendulum” experiments. Fluid–structure interaction effects are treated using a recent result that accounts for nonlinear compressibility effects for intense air blasts. Predictions of the analytical model show excellent agreement with explicit finite element computations, and the model is used to investigate the response of the system for all possible distributions of mass between the front and back faces and the cellular core. Increasing the mass fraction in the front face is found to increase the impulse required for complete crushing of the cellular core but also to produce undesirable increases in back-face accelerations. Optimal mass distributions for mitigating shock transmission through the sandwich plate are investigated by maximizing the impulse capacity while limiting the back-face accelerations to a specified level.
Growth of a photosynthetic bacterium anaerobically in darkness, supported by "oxidant-dependent" sugar fermentation.

Rhodopseudomonas capsulata can obtain energy for growth from light (anaerobically) and can also grow heterotrophically in darkness using alternative energy conversion modes, namely, aerobic respiration or an unusual type of anaerobic catabolism of sugars. Dark anaerobic growth with fructose as sole carbon and energy source is dependent on the presence of an “accessory” oxidant such as trimethylamine-N-oxide, is accompanied by production of lactate and other classical fermentation products, and yields cells with a high content of photosynthetic pigments and polyhydroxybutyrate.
Sesquiterpenoid glycosides and an acetogenin glucoside from Lessingia glandulifera

Abstract An extract of Lessingia glandulifera yielded, besides five known compounds, a new acetogenin glucoside (heptane 2- O -β- d -glucopyranoside) and nine new sesquiterpene glycosides: 11- O -α- d -arabinopyranosyl-4-hydroxyisobulnesol (=lessingioside) and the 11- O -α- d -arabinopyranosyl and 11- O -α- d -(3′,4′- O -diacetyl)-arabinopyranosyl derivatives of the isomeric alcohols, isobulnesol, α- and β-eudesmols, and elemol.
Global behavior of solutions of a periodically forced Sigmoid Beverton–Holt model

Our aim in this paper is to investigate the boundedness, the extreme stability, and the periodicity of positive solutions of the periodically forced Sigmoid Beverton–Holt model: where {a n } is a positive periodic sequence with period p and δ>0. In the special case when δ=1, the above equation reduces to the well-known periodic Pielou logistic equation which is known to be equivalent to the periodically forced Beverton–Holt model.
Thin shock-layer theory revisited

During the hypersonics activities of the 1960s, thin shock-layer theory was developed as a rst-order correction to Newtonian theory, in the hope of gaining insight into eAEcient lift at very high speeds. The wings are limited to conical geometry, but can have arbitrary transverse camber. Good predictions were made of the forces generated by delta and caret wings, but no optimization studies were carried out. This paper collects together some old results, including some that were not widely published, establishes a parameter that measures hypersonic lifting eAEciency, and presents a wing design that achieves a very high value of that parameter.
Plasmid DNA-entrapped nanoparticles engineered from microemulsion precursors: In vitro and in vivo evaluation

Nonviral gene therapy has been a rapidly growing field. However, delivery systems that can provide protection for pDNA and potential targeting are still desired. A novel pDNA−nanoparticle delivery system was developed by entrapping hydrophobized pDNA inside nanoparticles engineered from oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsion precursors. Plasmid DNA was hydrophobized by complexing with cationic surfactants DOTAP and DDAB. Warm O/W microemulsions were prepared at 50−55 °C with emulsifying wax, Brij 78, Tween 20, and Tween 80. Nanoparticles were engineered by simply cooling the O/W microemulsions containing the hydrophobized pDNA in the oil phase to room temperature while stirring. The nanoparticles were characterized by particle sizing, zeta-potential, and TEM. Nanoparticles were challenged with serum nucleases to assess pDNA stability. In addition, the nanoparticles were coincubated with simulated biological media to assess their stability. In vitro hepatocyte transfection studies were completed with uncoated na...
Use of psychotropic medications in special education students with serious emotional disturbance.

ABSTRACT The three-year usage of psychotropic medication was investigated for the first time in elementary school students classified by the special education category serious emotional disturbance...
Residual Baculovirus in Insect Cell-Derived Influenza Virus-Like Particle Preparations Enhances Immunogenicity

Influenza virus-like particles are currently evaluated in clinical trials as vaccine candidates for influenza viruses. Most commonly they are produced in baculovirus- or mammalian- expression systems. Here we used different vaccination schemes in order to systematically compare virus-like particle preparations generated in the two systems. Our work shows significant differences in immunogenicity between the two, and indicates superior and broader immune responses induced by the baculovirus-derived constructs. We demonstrate that these differences critically influence protection and survival in a mouse model of influenza virus infection. Finally, we show that the enhanced immunogenicity of the baculovirus-derived virus-like particles is caused by contamination with residual baculovirus which activates the innate immune response at the site of inoculation.
Randomized competitive algorithms for the list update problem

We prove upper and lower bounds on the competitiveness of randomized algorithms for the list update problem of Sleator and Tarjan. We give a simple and elegant randomized algorithm that is more competitive than the best previous randomized algorithm due to Irani. Our algorithm uses randomness only during an initialization phase, and from then on runs completely deterministically. It is the first randomized competitive algorithm with this property to beat the deterministic lower bound. We generalize our approach to a model in which access costs are fixed but update costs are scaled by an arbitrary constantd. We prove lower bounds for deterministic list update algorithms and for randomized algorithms against oblivious and adaptive on-line adversaries. In particular, we show that for this problem adaptive on-line and adaptive off-line adversaries are equally powerful.
Sustained Silent Reading: Exploring the Value of Literature Discussion with Three Non-Engaged Readers

Abstract Silent Sustained Reading (SSR) or some related form of silent, independent reading practice has been incorporated into the daily reading routines of many classrooms and schools across the nation. However, we, like other educators have discovered that simply providing all students the time to self‐select their own books and read silently did not guarantee that they would actually engage in silent reading. In fact, many schools have discontinued using SSR because some students are not engaged in reading during SSR time. This study used a multiple‐baseline across‐subjects research design to investigate the impact of literary discussions on the engagement of three fourth‐grade non‐engaged readers during SSR. While additional studies are required to produce generalizable findings, teachers should be aware that non‐engaged readers benefit from participation in short, teacher or adult‐led literary discussions during SSR time.
Laser And Flash Lamp Fluorescence NO2 Monitors: A Comparison

The design and performance of laser and flash lamp fluorescence NO2 monitors are compared with respect to sensitivity, size, specificity, reliability and economy. A detectability of ppb for a one minute integration time in ambient air was achieved for both units. The sensitivity of the laser prototype can be increased to achieve 0.1 ppb detectability. A variety of tests, including use of smog chambers, has shown that our NO2 fluorescence monitors are free of interferences; namely, they are specific for NO2. Results obtained in monitoring ambient NO2 levels at our location (El Segundo, California) with the prototype instruments are presented and discussed.© (1978) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Vibrational Spectroscopy of Small Br-·(H2O)n and I-·(H2O)n Clusters: Infrared Characterization of the Ionic Hydrogen Bond

We report the mid-infrared (3200-3800 cm-1) vibrational predissociation spectra of the Br-·Wn and I-·Wn (W = H2O; 1 ≤ n ≤ 6) clusters, as well as several mixed solvent cases, I-·W·M [M = Ar, CH3I, (CH3I)2], involving the iodide monohydrate. While the spectra of the pure monomers and dimers are quite dependent on the halogen, the envelopes become similar by the trimers, with the larger clusters displaying a very wide, unresolved band reminiscent of the bulk water spectrum. There is a general blue shift of the band maxima with increasing solvation in both systems, an effect consistent with the strengthening of the inter-water hydrogen-bonding network at the expense of the ionic hydrogen bonds.
The response of low-income elderly to tenant incentive programs

Abstract In 1985, the City of San Francisco initiated a tenant-incentive demonstration project in public housing to stimulate energy-conservation behavior among its tenants. The goals of the incentive demonstration project were to demonstrate energy savings and to measure the effectiveness of financial incentives in public housing. We found that elderly tenants believed they were already using a minimal amount of energy, and several barriers prevented other tenants from reducing their heating use. Accordingly, we did not expect many elderly tenants in public housing to use less energy in response to an incentive program. Individual and social conditions prevented these tenants from responding to energy-conservation programs. Our preliminary analysis of energy use before and after the incentive program indicates increased gas consumption in both the control and experimental buildings.
Material dependence of property modification in ion-assisted evaporation of iron, nickel and cobalt

Abstract In this work the use of concurrent argon ion bombardment to modify film properties in evaporated iron, cobalt and nickel was studied. A strong energy dependence is seen for many properties in the range 63–250 eV. In addition, material-dependent differences are seen in the behavior of resistivity, magnetic properties and microstructure. The property behavior is correlated with aspects of film microstructure such as film texture and apparent grain size. The differences observed are explained in terms of differences in crystalline structure which influence property changes induced by concurrent ion bombardment.
Electromagnetic Biosensing of Respiratory Rate

Continuous monitoring of respiratory rate is crucial in forecasting health crises and other major physiological instabilities. Current respiratory monitoring methods limit the mobility of the patient or require constant battery replacement. Wireless, wearable technology can collect continuous physiological data without immobilizing or inconveniencing patients, and human energy harvesting can be used to power these wearable sensors. In this paper, we explore this zero-net energy biosensor concept through simultaneous sensing and harvesting of respiratory effort. An off-the-shelf dc brushed motor is modified into a chest belt, and tested on a mechanical chest simulator as well as on 20 human subjects, using a spirometer as a reference. The electromagnetic biosensor is used to successfully harvest 7-70 μW from human subjects. On the mechanical chest, respiratory rate is detected with a mean absolute error of 0.00027 breaths/min with a standard deviation of 0.00019 breaths/min. For human subjects, respiratory rate is detected with a mean difference of 0.36 breaths/min with a standard deviation of 2.83 breaths/min (sitting), 0.23 breaths/min with a standard deviation of 2.64 breaths/min (standing), and 0.48 breaths/min with a standard deviation of 3.06 breaths/min (walking).
The impact of anticipation of job loss on psychological distress and worksite blood pressure

The impact of occupational stressful life events on psychological distress and blood pressure was examined among employees of a major New York City brokerage firm undergoing massive layoffs. One hundred thirty-nine employees of the firm, who had participated in a blood pressure screening in 1986, were rescreened during the period of layoffs within their company in 1989. About two-thirds of the 139 employees reported being “somewhat” or “very” anxious or upset in 1989 during the period of layoffs, and psychological distress was significantly elevated among those employees reporting possible or definite layoff or job change and/or difficulty in obtaining a comparable job. However, we found no increase in overall blood pressure level, and no effect of anticipation of job loss on 1989 blood pressure when controlling for 1986 blood pressure level, age, body mass index, work hours, and other demographic variables. On the other hand, employment in a department sold to another employer on the day of screening, as well as employment in a clerical job title, were both associated with significant increases in diastolic blood pressure of about 5 mm Hg.
Laser spark ignition of a jet diffusion flame

Abstract In this work we report preliminary results on the laser ignition of a jet diffusion flame with jet flow rates ranging from 35 ( Re =1086) to 103 cm 3 /s ( Re =3197). The laser spark energy of about 4 mJ was used for all the tests. The relative amounts of fuel and air concentrations at the laser focus have been estimated using a variant of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. The ignition and the flame blow out times were measured using the time-resolved OH emission. Ignition times in the range from 3 to about 10 ms were observed depending on the experimental conditions and they increased towards the rich as well as the lean sides. The early time and late-time OH emissions indicate that chemical reactions during the initial stage of the blast wave expansion are not immediately responsible for the ignition. The ultimate fate of an ignition depends on the reactions at later times which determines whether the gas could undergo a transition from hot plasma to a propagating flame.
Changing Resistant Consultees: Functional Assessment Leading to Strategic Intervention

Some consultees resist implementing, or implementing with integrity, effective academic or behavioral interventions that their consultants believe are needed to resolve specific student problems. In order to address consultee resistance, it is recommended that consultants complete functional assessments to determine the underlying reasons for the resistance so that the results can be linked to strategic or intensive consultative intervention(s). Seven “high hit” reasons to explain consultee resistance are discussed: (a) a lack of knowledge or skills, (b) the need for consultative modifications, (c) difficulties with the transfer of training, (d) difficulties with the transfer due to “conditions of emotionality,” (e) the lack of consultee motivation or consultant accountability, (f) inconsistency, and (g) the presence of “special situations.” These are linked with possible consultative interventions that are focused on eliminating a consultee's resistance, resulting in the implementation of an effective in...
Blind Dogfight in Spectrum: Combating Primary User Emulation Attacks in Cognitive Radio Systems with Unknown Channel Statistics

Primary user emulation (PUE) attack is a serious threat to cognitive radio systems. A passive anti-PUE approach, similar to the random frequency hopping in traditional anti-jamming schemes, is proposed. The defenders randomly choose channels to sense and avoid the PUE attack while the strategy of the attacker is arbitrary. Channel statistics like availability probabilities are assumed unknown to both the attacker and defenders. The environment of each defender, including the attacker, channels and other defenders, is unknown to the defender and is then modeled as an adversarial multi-armed bandit. The technique of adversarial bandit problem is applied in the defenders' strategies to alleviate the problem of unknown environment. Lower bounds of performance for defenders, subject to several typical attack strategies, are derived for single defender case. Numerical simulations demonstrated the performance of the proposed attack avoidance scheme for both the single defender and multiple defender cases.
On the Invariance of the Conservative Ideals of Positive Operators

Abstract We extend several results concerning the properties of the conservative and the dissipative ideals of positive operators in Riesz spaces which we have obtained earlier. The main result of the paper consists in a theorem which offers a set of conditions less restrictive than the ones known so far for the invariance of the conservative ideals; the theorem enables us to show that certain properties of the conservative and the dissipative ideals are valid in more general settings than the known ones. While proving the main theorem, we obtain a new proof of an earlier result. We also discuss several examples which motivate the study carried over in the paper.
Eupatoriochromene and encecalin, plant growth regulators from yellow starthistle ( Centaurea solstitialis L. )

Two chromenes, eupatoriochromene (1) and encecalin (2), have been isolated from yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis L.). Both chromenes retard seed germination and reduce radicle and hypocotyl growth of weed and crop plant seedlings. In addition,1 increases adventitious root formation of mung bean cuttings.
Embedding prolene for the development of fiducial markers

A simple, inexpensive method is described for embedding Prolene with tissue samples to provide landmarks for fiducial points to align serial sections in tissue reconstructions. Prolene is a monofilament suture material that can be easily sectioned with diamond knives to provide circular markers in each section. The sections are photographed, the negatives are projected through an enlarger and the contours, Prolene circles, and scratches from the diamond knife are traced onto paper. These landmarks establish a framework for assigning fiducial points that are necessary for the correct alignment of the contours. No special equipment is needed for embedding the Prolene and the method is adaptable for both automated and nonautomated computer systems. An example of this method for tissue alignment is given using embryonic limb tissue to determine the spatial organization of developing blood vessels as demonstrated by computer reconstruction.
Transcript expression levels of full-length alpha-synuclein and its three alternatively spliced variants in Parkinson's disease brain regions and in a transgenic mouse model of alpha-synuclein overexpression

Alternative splicing is a complex post-transcriptional process that can be regulated by cis-acting elements located within genomic non-coding regions. Recent studies have identified that polymorphic variations in non-coding regions of the α-synuclein gene (SNCA) locus are associated with an increased risk for developing Parkinson's disease (PD). The underlying mechanism(s) for this susceptibility may involve changes in α-synuclein mRNA expression and alternative splicing. As a first step towards understanding the biology of α-synuclein splice variants in PD, we characterized the levels of the full-length SNCA-140 mRNA transcript and SNCA-126, -112, and -98 alternatively spliced variants in different neuronal regions from PD patients or transgenic mice overexpressing human α-synuclein (ASO). In human post-mortem tissue, α-synuclein spliced transcripts were expressed in a region-specific manner in the cortex, substantia nigra, and cerebellum. We observed increased nigral SNCA-140 and SNCA-126 transcript levels in PD patients when compared to neurologically unaffected cases. Human α-synuclein splicing changes were also found to occur in a region-specific manner in ASO mice. Here, SNCA-126, -112, and -98 transcript levels did not increase proportionally with SNCA-140 levels, or parallel the region-specific mouse transcript ratios seen in wild-type (WT) littermates. While most transcripts were elevated in ASO mice when compared to WT mice, the most prominent increase was found in the ventral midbrain of 15-month-old ASO mice. These results demonstrate region-specific human α-synuclein transcript level abnormalities in PD patients and in a transgenic mouse model of α-synucleinopathy. This study is relevant to understanding the normal, adaptive, or pathological role(s) of α-synuclein splice variants.
Standard‐Setting Issues and Academic Research Related to the Accounting for Financial Asset Transfers

A large number and cross‐section of firms undertake financial asset transfers. The Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board have been grappling with the appropriate accounting for financial asset transfers, especially with respect to derecognition—that is, when the assets should be removed from the transferor's balance sheet. This paper discusses the financial reporting issues surrounding financial asset transfers and summarizes the related academic research. It also discusses potentially useful future research that could provide insights for standard‐setters and suggests some impediments to that research.
Role of macrophage-derived nitric oxide in endotoxin lethality in mice

Endotoxic lipopolysaccharides (LPS) mediate lethality in mice by a complex inflammatory process involving the production of multiple mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO). The present study had two objectives: (i) to determine the extent to which TNF-α contributes to the induction of NO production by mouse macrophages activated with LPS in vitro; and (ii) to assess the contribution of macrophage-derived NO to the pathogenesis of endotoxin shock in mice. The studies reported here show that the synthetic adenyl carbocyclic nucleoside 9-[(1S,3R)-cis-cyclopentan-3-ol]adenine (cPA) inhibited TNF-α, but not NO, production by thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal macrophages that were activated with either LPS alone, LPS + interferon-γ (IFN-γ) or IFN-γ + TNF-α. The expression of cytoplasmic TNF-α in LPS + IFN-γ-activated cells was similarly inhibited by cPA, whereas the appearance of inducible NO synthase was unaffected by the compound. Of significance, pretreatment of mice with...
Evolutionary sequences for Nova V1974 Cygni using new nuclear reaction rates and opacities

Accepted 1997 November 12. Received 1997 September 26; in original form 1997 January 24 ABSTRA C T The outburst of Nova V1974 Cyg 1992 is arguably the best observed of this century, with realistic estimates now available for the amount of mass ejected, the composition of the ejecta and the total energy budget. These data strongly support the conclusion that this was indeed a ‘neon’ nova that occurred on an oxygen, neon, magnesium white dwarf. In addition, X-ray studies of its outburst imply that the mass of the white dwarf is about 1.25 M(. We, therefore, report on the results of new calculations of thermonuclear runaways on 1.25-M( oxygen, neon, magnesium white dwarfs, using our one-dimensional, fully implicit, hydrodynamic stellar evolution code that includes a large nuclear reaction network. We have updated the nuclear reaction network, with the inclusion of new and improved experimental and theoretical determinations of the nuclear reaction rates. We have also incorporated the OPAL carbon rich tables and have investigated the effects of changes in convective efficiency on the evolution. Our results show that the changes in the reaction rates and opacities that we have introduced produce important changes with respect to our previous studies. For example, relevant to nucleosynthesis considerations, a smaller amount of 26 Al is produced, while the abundances of 31 P and 32 S increase by factors of more than two. This change is attributed to the increased proton-capture reaction rates for some of the intermediate mass nuclei near 26 Al and beyond, such that nuclear fusion to higher mass nuclei is enhanced. The characteristics of our models are then compared to observations of the outburst of V1974 Cyg 1992 and we find that the predicted amount of mass ejected is at least a factor of 10 less than observed. The low values for the amount of ejected mass are a consequence of the fact that the OPAL opacities are larger than those we previously used, which results in less mass being accreted on to the white dwarf. This is a general problem with respect to the comparison of observations and theory for ONeMg novae and we suggest a possible resolution of this discrepancy.
Rapid fabrication of nanostructured surfaces using nanocoining.

A new process for creating high quality ordered arrays of nanofeatures called nanocoining is presented. A diamond die with a structured area of nanofeatures (1600 features in a 20 μm × 20 μm area) is used to physically transfer features to a mold surface. The die is attached to an actuator capable of producing an elliptical tool-path, the dimensions of which are process dependent and enable the die to match velocity with the moving mold during contact to avoid dragging the nanostructured area along the mold surface (smear). Nanocoining process parameters are discussed which enable indents to be indexed precisely to completely cover target areas. Techniques for die alignment and depth control are also required to create large areas (339 mm2) of nanofeatures in short times (∼20 min). Nanocoining experiments were performed at 1 kHz (1000 indents or 1.6 million features per second) on a flat electroless nickel sample. UV curable replicates were then created from the nickel mold and both the mold and replicate were examined in an SEM and AFM.
Resonant MEMS magnetometer with capacitive read-out

Here we demonstrate a Lorentz force driven, resonant SOI MEMS magnetometer operating at atmospheric pressure with a sensitivity of 31.4 mVrms/T, a minimum detectable field of 1.01 µT/√Hz and a 3 dB bandwidth of 90 Hz. The noise floor is currently dominated by the detection electronics however the MEMS device alone has a Brownian noise floor of 155 nT/√Hz. The resonant magnetometer is modulated at its natural frequency of 8468 Hz and has a quality factor (Q) of 48.8. The premise of this magnetometer is to create an electronic compass with the same fabrication technology used for existing MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes in order to create a single chip inertial-measurement-unit (IMU).
Pseudomorphic SCH blue-green diode lasers

Summary form only given. The use of the quaternary (Zn,Mg)(S,Se) in a diode laser operating at 77 K has been reported. Such a quaternary compound can maintain lattice compatibility to GaAs with increased bandgap for the implementation of separate confinement heterostructure (SCH) quantum-well lasers. In the present work, the authors describe efforts to employ the quaternary in pseudomorphic SCH diode configurations. These preliminary devices (without heat sinking or coated facets) have been operated at room temperature under pulsed conditions ( approximately 1 mu s, 10/sup -3/ duty cycle) for periods exceeding 1/2 h before failure. A group at Phillips laboratories has recently obtained nearly 400 K operation with 10 to 50 ns pulses in a similar structure. >
RECIPIENT GENE DUPLICATION DURING GENERALIZED TRANSDUCTION

An Hfr13 ΔproA-lac deletion recipient, -ΔproA-lac-F-purE+-, has been utilized in a study of the origins of duplications formed during chromosome fragment integration. Among the Pro-Lac+ transductants, some have duplications spanning the F locus. These transductants are, or segregate, strains with F' episomes carrying genes of the duplication. Some of the duplications include purE+, a gene which is not coinherited with lac+ during bacteriophage P1-mediated transduction. Thus recipient genes have been duplicated during recombinant formation. Crossing-over models including replication steps provide a basis for explaining the duplication process.
Retinal vasculitis in two pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a case report

We report two pediatric female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who presented with decreased vision. Both patients were found to have retinal vasculitis and occlusive disease. The first patient also presented with vitreous hemorrhage and later non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy. She was treated with panretinal photocoagulation and steroid therapy and later in her disease course was treated with rituximab and cyclophosphamide. Her vision remained decreased. The second patient was treated with rituximab and monthly cyclophosphamide infusions early in her disease course, and her vision improved dramatically. The difference in the presentations and outcomes of these two pediatric patients with SLE highlights the spectrum of severity of SLE retinopathy. We suggest that early recognition of disease and early intervention with B-cell depletion therapy in addition to a traditional cytotoxic agent should be considered in pediatric patients with SLE and occlusive retinopathy.
Stability of Mullite Protective Coatings for Silicon‐Based Ceramics

Silicon-based ceramics are prone to severe oxidation and volatilization problems in the presence of water vapor. To address these issues, mullite has been investigated in recent years as a possible protective coating material. To analyze the stability of such coatings, a multi-species diffusion model for ionic species is developed. Onsager reciprocity is assumed for the mobility coefficients and the resulting moving boundary problem is solved numerically. The formulation also accounts for substantial Si volatilization away from the outer surface of the coating. This model is used to analyze an initial transient leading to the formation of an internal silica layer, a second transient period that follows this silica formation, and a steady-state regime that can only be attained if Si diffusion is sufficiently fast.
Molecular evolution of the vertebrate immune system

Adaptive immunity is unique to the vertebrates, and the molecules involved (including immunoglobulins, T cell receptors and the major histocompatibility complex molecules) seem to have diversified very rapidly early in vertebrate history. Reconstruction of gene phylogenies has yielded insights into the evolutionary origin of a number of molecular systems, including the complement system and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). These analyses have indicated that the C5 component of complement arose by gene duplication prior to the divergence of C3 and C4, which suggests that the alternative complement pathway was the first to evolve. In the case of the MHC, phylogenetic analysis supports the hypothesis that MHC class II molecules evolved before class I molecules. The fact that the MHC-linked proteasome components that specifically produce peptides for presentation by class I MHC appear to have originated before the separation of jawed and jawless vertebrates suggests that the MHC itself may have been present at this time. Immune system gene families have evolved by gene duplication, interlocus recombination and (in some cases) positive Darwinian selection favoring diversity at the amino acid level.
Average results on the order of a modulo p

Abstract Let a > 1 be an integer. Denote by l a ( p ) the multiplicative order of a modulo primes p. We prove that if x log ⁡ x log ⁡ log ⁡ x = o ( y ) , then 1 y ∑ a ≤ y ∑ p ≤ x 1 l a ( p ) = log ⁡ x + C log ⁡ log ⁡ x + O ( 1 ) + O ( x y log ⁡ log ⁡ x ) , which is an improvement over a theorem by Felix [Fe] . Additionally, we also prove two other related average results.
An investigation of oxygen transfer rates to flowing films of various electrolyte solutions

In this work the mass transfer coefficient for the absorption of oxygen was measured for solutions of K2SO4, (NH4)2SO4, Na2SO4, MgSO4, MnSO4, Al2(SO4)3, NaCl, AlC13 under conditions of nearly horizontal, thin, essentially laminar, flowing films. The results showed a systematically ordered dependence of the mass transfer coefficient on the hydration where the values of the mass transfer coefficient decrease with the decreasing entropy. This effect becomes progressively more pronounced with increasing charge of the cations. Finally, although the entropy of hydration has a strong influence on the changes in the coefficient, it does not have a common linear relationship for the investigated ions. On a mesure, dans le present travail, le coefficient de transfert de masse pour l'absorption d'oxygene dans le cas de solutions de K2SO4, (NH4)2SO4, Na2SO4, MgSO4, Al2 (SO4)3, NaCl et AlCl3, lorsque les films d'ecoulement etaient pratiquement horizontaux, minces et essentiellement laminaires. Les resultats ont indique une dependance systematiquement reguliere du coefficient de transfert de masse sur l'entropie de l'hydratation, lorsque les valeurs de celui-ci decroissaient avec l'entropie; cet effet est devenu progressivement plus prononce lorsque la charge des cations augmentait. Enfin, bien que l'entropie de l'hydratation ait eu une forte influence sur les changements subis par le coefficient, elle n'a pas eu une relation lineaire et commune dans le cas des ions etudies.
“When You're Involved, It's Just Different” Making Sense of Domestic Violence

This article explores how people make sense of domestic violence. The authors argue that it is easier to make sense of other people's problems than your own. If people are trying to understand a social problem with which they are personally involved, they are likely to engage in interpretive work that connects their own experiences with the problem and with a possible troubled identity. However, the person not involved in the social problem does not have the additional troubled identity construction occurring. This process of evaluating claims and constructing different narratives of the self and the social problem helps explain the differences between victims' and nonvictims' understandings of social issues.
Treatment of Clinically Resistant Cytomegalovirus Retinitis With Combined Intravitreal Injections of Ganciclovir and Foscarnet

Purpose To determine the efficacy of combined ganciclovir and foscarnet intravitreal injections in controlling clinically resistant cytomegalovirus retinitis in a 3 7-year-old man with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who refused systemic therapy. Method The patient refused systemic therapy and was treated with intravitreal injections of ganciclovir and foscarnet, which were then combined when the retinitis became resistant to either drug alone. Results The retinitis was initially controlled with bilateral intravitreal ganciclovir injections. After reactivation of retinitis in the left eye, intravitreal foscarnet was effective until recurrent retinitis threatened the center of the fovea. The retinitis continued to progress until combined intravitreal injections of ganciclovir and foscarnet were administered. Conclusion Combined intravitreal injections of ganciclovir and foscarnet may be effective in treating cytomegalovirus retinitis when the infection is clinically resistant to either intravitreal drug alone. Intravitreal injections can be effective in controlling cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients who are intolerant of or refuse systemic therapy.
The secret "spice": an undetectable toxic cause of seizure

Neurologists and emergency department physicians are frequently involved in the comprehensive evaluation of a first generalized seizure. An important aspect of this evaluation is a detailed history which can identify a provoked seizure secondary to drug toxicity and hence avoid unnecessary treatment with antiepileptic drugs. "Spice" is an umbrella term for a variety of synthetic cannabinoid products whose inhalation has been associated with an increasing number of toxic side effects resulting in emergency department visits. These side effects (including psychosis, tachyarrhythmia, and seizures) are not typically seen with marijuana (Cannabis sativa) use. We report 2 patients with no prior history of neurological disease that experienced their first generalized tonic-clonic seizure after smoking Spice. The mechanism behind the possible proconvulsant effect of synthetic cannabinoids is not known, but it may be due to their effects at the cannabinoid receptor CB1. Although the US Drug Enforcement Administration placed 5 synthetic cannabinoids into schedule 1 for a 12-month period beginning March 2011, new Spice products containing different synthetic cannabinoids continue to emerge. Because synthetic cannabinoids are not detectable on commercial drug screens it is important that neurologists and emergency department physicians consider Spice inhalation in their differential diagnosis of a first generalized seizure.
Chinese melon (Momordica charantia L.) seed: composition and potential use

Chinese melon (Momordica charantia L.), also known as bitter gourd, is a tropical crop, grown throughout Asian countries for use as food and medicinals. In 1993, four cultivars of Chinese melon were grown in Mississippi and the seeds were collected. Oil contents of the seeds ranged from 41 to 45% and the oils contained 63–68% eleostearic acid and 22–27% stearic acid. Industrially important tung oil, a “fast-drying oil” used in paints and varnishes, contains 90% eleostearic and 2–3% stearic acid. The ratio of stearic to eleostearic in Chinese melon seed oil is ten times greater than that in tung oil. The higher ratio should reduce the rate of drying and crosslinking and could be advantageous in the paint industry. The defatted meals contained 52–61% protein and would be a good source of methionine.
The Proposition Bank: An Annotated Corpus of Semantic Roles

The Proposition Bank project takes a practical approach to semantic representation, adding a layer of predicate-argument information, or semantic role labels, to the syntactic structures of the Penn Treebank. The resulting resource can be thought of as shallow, in that it does not represent coreference, quantification, and many other higher-order phenomena, but also broad, in that it covers every instance of every verb in the corpus and allows representative statistics to be calculated.We discuss the criteria used to define the sets of semantic roles used in the annotation process and to analyze the frequency of syntactic/semantic alternations in the corpus. We describe an automatic system for semantic role tagging trained on the corpus and discuss the effect on its performance of various types of information, including a comparison of full syntactic parsing with a flat representation and the contribution of the empty ''trace'' categories of the treebank.
THE PERSISTENCE OF QUAKING ASPEN (POPULUS TREMULOIDES) IN THE GRAND MESA AREA, COLORADO

Human activities have caused the decline of numerous species and ecosys- tems. To promote ecosystem resilience, recent management efforts aim to maintain eco- system patterns and processes within their historical range of variability. There has been substantial concern that quaking aspen, the most widely distributed tree in North America and the most important deciduous tree in the subalpine forests of the Rocky Mountains, has declined significantly in the western landscape during the 20th century. This reported decline has been attributed to conifer encroachment associated with fire exclusion, as well as other causes. To assess long-term changes in the extent of quaking aspen in a 175 000- ha study area in western Colorado, we used a Geographic Information System to compare an 1898 map of vegetation and fires to a modern map of present forest cover types. Based on this comparison, a larger portion of the current landscape is dominated by quaking aspen relative to the late 19th century, a period of extensive burning in this area. During the 20th century, aspen was persistent over most of its extent, even in the absence of fire. Fires of the late 19th century also increased aspen cover in stands that were previously dominated by spruce and fir. The trend toward increased aspen was greater at lower elevations. The total area where spruce and fir have replaced aspen is small in comparison to the area where aspen has increased or has persisted. The successional replacement of aspen by conifers is more pronounced at higher elevations and where the predisturbance vegetation was dom- inated by conifers. The net effect of severe disturbances during and after the late 19th century has also increased aspen cover relative to the period that preceded these distur- bances. Thus, where the successional replacement of aspen by conifers is occurring today, such a trend may be within the range of historical variation. Long intervals between large, severe natural disturbances in ecosystems can result in a broad range of natural ecological conditions, including dominance by particular species.
Advising Graduate Students Doing Community-Engaged Dissertation Research: The Advisor-Advisee Relationship

A critical dimension in the development of emerging community-engaged scholars is the advisor-advisee relationship during the student’s doctoral degree program. A qualitative study of four doctoral students interested in doing community-engaged dissertation research, and their advisors, identified five charac teristics of such relationships: (1) background and experience matter; (2) faculty advisors and advisees are co-learners; (3) the advisor-advisee relationship can approach a synergistic state; (4) faculty advisors often serve as interpreters and interveners; and (5) community-engaged dissertation studies often lack “struc tural” support. The findings suggest two practical steps for fac ulty advisors to take when mentoring doctoral students who are doing community-engaged dissertation studies: (1) be sensitive to, and learn from, the community experience of one’s advisees, and (2) intentionally model mutuality and reciprocity.
MIG-10/lamellipodin and AGE-1/PI3K promote axon guidance and outgrowth in response to slit and netrin.

Summary Background: The cytoplasmic C. elegans protein MIG10 affects cell migrations and is related to mammalian proteins that bind phospholipids and Ena/VASP actin regulators. In cultured cells, mammalian MIG-10 promotes lamellipodial growth and Ena/VASP proteins in
The Seafloor: A Key Factor in Lidar Bottom Detection

The environmental factors that determine the ability of airborne lidar bathymetry (ALB) to detect the seafloor are not well understood; however, water clarity is often considered the single factor for detection. A comparison of data from two different ALB systems (LADS-MKII and SHOALS-3000) of a small area offshore Gerrish Island, Maine, USA shows a striking correlation (95% overlap) in areas of no bottom detection that is independent of the tide status, the date of collection and the orientation of the survey flight. The laser measurements from the two ALB systems are compared to acoustic measurements of depth, seafloor slope, and backscatter from a Kongsberg EM3002 echosounder. The comparison shows that in water depths deeper than 7 m, there is a close correlation between the ALB detection patterns and bottom features. The study results indicate that lack of bottom detection by ALB does not necessarily indicate that water depths deeper than the surrounding areas have lidar strong bottom detection. No bottom detection in the study area actually reflects a change in bottom characteristics.
Radiation through an inhomogeneous reentry plasma layer

The radiation from a TE excited slot antenna in a ground plane covered with an inhomogeneous plasma sheath is considered. The profile closely approximates that encountered in reentry situations and recently simulated in a laboratory plasma.
Estimating structured high-dimensional covariance and precision matrices: Optimal rates and adaptive estimation

This is an expository paper that reviews recent developments on optimal estimation of structured high-dimensional covariance and precision matrices. Minimax rates of convergence for estimating several classes of structured covariance and precision matrices, including bandable, Toeplitz, and sparse covariance matrices as well as sparse precision matrices, are given under the spectral norm loss. Data-driven adaptive procedures for estimating various classes of matrices are presented. Some key technical tools including large deviation results and minimax lower bound arguments that are used in the theoretical analyses are discussed. In addition, estimation under other losses and a few related problems such as Gaussian graphical models, sparse principal component analysis, and hypothesis testing on the covariance structure are considered. Some open problems on estimating high-dimensional covariance and precision matrices and their functionals are also discussed.
Confocal Mosaicing Microscopy in Skin Excisions: Feasibility of Cancer Margin Screening at the Bedside to Guide Mohs Surgery

Nonmelanoma skin cancers occur most commonly on ­cosmetically sensitive areas such as on the face and head-and-neck. For the surgical treatment of these cancers, complete resection of diseased tissue is guided by microscopic pathology, with the objective of preserving perilesional healthy tissue. The current method for screening the margins of staged excisions for the presence of residual tumor is frozen histopathology. Histopathology-guided Mohs surgery for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is effective [1] with 5-year cure rate of about 99% [2]. However, the preparation of histopathology is laborious and time consuming. Up to 20–45 min may be needed for preparation of frozen sections of an excision [3] and a Mohs procedure requires typically from two to several excisions. Thus, the preparation of Mohs histopathology may require up to hours. As an emerging mode of cellular imaging that is being translated for clinical utility, confocal microscopy potentially offers a means for real-time detection of skin cancers at the bedside, either directly on patients in vivo [4] or directly in surgically excised tissue ex vivo [3–5]. Nuclear and cellular morphology is imaged in noninvasive thin optical sections with high resolution. The optical sectioning of 1–5 μm and resolution of 0.1–1.0 μm is comparable to that for physically microtomed sections in histopathology. Thus, confocal imaging may serve as an adjunct to pathology for guiding Mohs surgery in a more efficient manner, while saving labor, time and cost.