cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The behavior of metals at elevated temperatures under impact with a bouncing ball

Abstract This paper describes an investigation into the behavior of metals under impact at elevated temperatures. In a series of tests, a hard spherical ball strikes the flat surface of a massive specimen, which in one instance was a commercially pure lead and in another an aluminum alloy. Tests were made at a number of temperatures at each of which the velocity of impact and the velocity of rebound were measured, as well as the size of the permanent indentation in the specimen surface, and the time of contact between ball and specimen. Through dimensional analysis, relations were derived which predict quite accurately the time of contact and the diameter of the permanent indentation for a given material. Following Tabor, energy was used to compute the dynamic yield pressure; and the present investigation offers a further understanding of this quantity. In addition the experimental results are in agreement with the work of both Raman and Davies, who showed that an extremely low impact velocity is needed for impact to be entirely elastic. Finally, present results indicate a possibility that impact tests can be used to measure the dynamic yield stress, but a more complete investigation of this question is reserved for a later paper.
Entropies of Statistical Mechanics and Disorder Versus the Entropy of Thermodynamics and Order

The prevailing beliefs in the scientific and engineering literature are that: (i) thermodynamics is explained and justified by statistical mechanics; (ii) entropy is a statistical measure of disorder; and (iii) for given values of energy, volume, and amounts of constituenis, the largest value of entropy corresponds to both a thermodynamic equilibrium state and the ultimate disorder. In this paper, we provide: (i) a summary of the beliefs as stated by some eminent scientists; (ii) experimental evidence that casts serious doubt about the validity of the beliefs; (iii) an outline of a nonstatistical unified quantum theory of mechanics and thermodynamics; (iv) an outline of an nonquantal, nonstatistical exposition of thermodynamics, valid for all systems (both macroscopic and microscopic), and for all states (both thermodynamic equilibrium and not thermodynamic equilibrium); (v) the definition and analytical expression of the entropy of thermodynamics; (vi) the interpretation of entropy as both a measure of the quantum-theoretic spatial shape of a molecule, and an indicator of order; and (vii) nonstatistical answers to the questions that motivated the introduction of statistical mechanics.
Relativistic effects in (p, π + ) pionic stripping

Abstract A relativistic stripping model for 12 C(p, π + ) 13 C in the plane wave impulse approximation is used to examine the validity of various nonrelativistic reductions and the sensitivity to the πNN coupling which is significant for single-nucleon nucleon wave functions with realistic spin-orbit splitting.
Optimized error diffusion for image display

Displaying natural images on an 8-bit computer monitor requires a substantial reduction ofphysically distinct colors. Simple minimum mean squared error quantization with 8 levels of red and green and 4 levels of blue yields poor image quality. A powerful means to improve the subjective quality of a quantized image is error diffusion. Error diffusion works by shaping the spectrum of the display error. Considering an image in raster ordering, this is done by adding a weighted sum of previous quantization errors to the current pixel before quantization. These weights form an error diffusion filter. We propose a method to find visually optimized error diffusion filters for monochrome and color image display applications. The design is based on the low-pass characteristic of the contrast sensitivity of the human visual system. The filter is chosen so that a cascade of the quantization system and the observer's visualmodulation transfer function yields a whitened error spectrum. The resulting images contain mostly high-frequency components of the display error, which are less noticeable to the viewer. This corresponds well with previously published results about the visibility of halftoning patterns. An informal comparison with other error diffusion algorithms shows less artificial contouring and increased image quality.
A new overgrowth syndrome with accelerated skeletal maturation, unusual facies, and camptodactyly

Two strikingly similar unrelated male children have the following pattern of anomalies: accelerated growth and osseous maturation, unusual craniofacial appearance, hoarse and low-pitched cry, and hypertonia with camptodactyly. The craniofacial abnormalities include large ears, broad forehead with hypertelorism, and long philtrum in relation to the relatively small mouth and mandible. The excessive growth is of prenatal onset and has continued at two to three times the normal rate with dysharmonic acceleration of skeletal maturation.
Strength predictions for bulk structures fabricated from nanoscale tungsten powders

In concept, nanoscale tungsten powders should enable the production of very hard, strong, and wear-resistant sintered tungsten alloys and compounds. However, data from the press-sinter processing of small tungsten powders generally do not provide the anticipated property gains. Accordingly, existing press-sinter data from a range of tungsten particle sizes are used to formulate a model relevant to nanoscale powders. The model includes both size-dependent and temperature-dependent aspects. Available data are used to train the model to allow calculations of the sintered strength for various powders and processing cycles. Model predictions for density, grain size, sintered hardness, and sintered strength are used to isolate new processing strategies customized to nanoscale powders. Preservation of the nanoscale microstructure requires considerable departure from standard powder handling practices and fabrication cycles.
The Impact of Wi-Fi Service in Restaurants on Customers' Likelihood of Return to a Restaurant

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of wireless internet (Wi-Fi) service on customers' likelihood of returning to a restaurant. Data was collected via an online structured questionnaire from randomly chosen 1000 restaurant customers in the U.S. The results showed that (1) Wi-Fi access has become an important amenity in restaurants and cafes in the United States; (2) Technology-savvy customers prefer restaurants or cafes with Wi-Fi service; (3) Customers prefer free Wi-Fi in restaurants over paid models; and (4) A multiple regression model supported that Wi-Fi service availability, Wi-Fi service quality, price of Wi-Fi service, perceived risk of using Wi-Fi service, and perceived value of Wi-Fi are predictors of likelihood of a customer's return to a restaurant. The research findings highlight the importance of internet amenities in restaurants. It shows that providing Wi-Fi service in a restaurant is a predictor of the likelihood of customers returning to a restaurant.
Comparison of Burnout Among Medical Residents Before and After the Implementation of Work Hours Limits

Objective The authors assess whether implementation of work hour limits is associated with a lower prevalence of medical resident burnout.
The temporal correlation method for modal identification of lightly damped structures

Abstract This work represents an extension and experimental verification of earlier work proposed for modal identification of distributed structures in the time domain. The Temporal Correlation Method has been shown to be a constrained version of the Eigensystem Realization Algorithm. Furthermore, in this method, the configuration space has half the dimension of the state space, so that the technique has obvious computational advantages. Also, advantage is taken of the temporal correlation and spatial orthogonality properties of lightly damped nearly self-adjoint distributed systems. Extensions of unmodeled (residual) modes on the identification are discussed, in which the identified modes are now shown to obey an inclusion principle. The method is verified experimentally by considering a one-dimensional cantilever beam and a two-dimensional grid structure.
Environmental Study of Poultry Confinement Buildings

Environmental measurements were made in three poultry confinement buildings in order to characterize gas and particulate contaminants. Levels of total and respirable dust averaged 4.4 and 0.24 mg/m3, respectively. Particle size distribution as measured by cascade impactors was similar in the three confinement houses with a mass median aerodynamic diameter of about 15 µm and a geometric standard deviation of about 2.2. Ammonia levels measured in the active areas of the buildings averaged about 25 ppm. Ammonia concentration was quite high, however, in an unused and unventilated portion of one of the buildings (). CO2 levels ranged from 0.05–0.1%. Levels of CO, H2S, NO2, NOx, CH4, mercaptan, formaldehyde, and hydrocarbons were all below the limit of detection for indicator tubes. Concentrations of airborne bacteria and fungi were on average about 1.5×105 and 1.0×104 colony-forming units/m3, respectively. Endotoxin analysis was also performed on the total and respirable dust samples. Endotoxih levels (express...
N2 broadening parameters of ozone at 9.6 μm

Abstract The N 2 broadening parameters for approx. 150 lines of ozone (mainly v 3 transitions) in the 9.6 μm region have been measured from spectra taken with 0.005 cm -1 resolution.
Glucocorticoid Effect upon Thymidine Kinase in the Developing Cerebellum

Glucocorticoids have been used in animal models and more recently in human studies as a means to accelerate neonatal lung maturation in order to prevent the respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants. Little attention has been paid to the possible effects of glucocorticoids upon developing organs other than lung. Recent studies of cortisol administration on DNA content in developing rat brain showed an early reduction as well as a permanent defecit in cerebellar DNA. In addition to confirming these findings, we have shown cortisol administration in the early neonatal period to have a profound effect on thymidine kinase, a salvage pathway enzyme for pyrimidine biosynthesis, in rat cerebellum during early development. Thymidine kinase normally peaks in activity in rat cerebellum at approximately 6 days of postnatal age and falls rapidly thereafter. With cortisol administration, enzyme activity is maximally suppressed at 6 days of age using both normal and undernourished controls. These findings suggest that neonatally administered glucocorticoids may have effects which are potentially detrimental to areas of the central nervous system which may be undergoing cell replication during the time the drug is administered. Thus the possible use of glucocorticoids for their salutary effects in the respiratory distress syndrome may necessitate consideration of any hazardous effects, however subtle, upon central nervous system development.
Auditors' internal control opinions: do they influence judgments about investments?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of internal control opinions on individuals' judgments about investments.Design/methodology/approach – The approach used is a behavioral experiment where risk assessments and judgments about investments are made for four internal control opinion scenarios.Findings – The results indicate that the type of internal control opinion made no difference for either risk assessments or investment decisions.Research limitations/implications – Participants are provided with data sets that do not contain all of the information they may acquire when they make actual investment decisions. Also, there is a lack of real consequences for making good or poor investment decisions.Practical implications – The type of internal control opinion has no effect on risk assessments or investing intentions. Thus, other considerations apparently dominate internal control opinions when making judgments about investments.Originality/value – This is the first paper to examine ...
Critical Flaw Size in Silicon Nitride Ball Bearings

Silicon nitride balls, used in hybrid ball bearings, are susceptible to failure from fatigue spalls emanating from preexisting partial cone cracks that can grow under rolling contact fatigue (RCF). We simulate the range of three-dimensional nonplanar surface flaw geometries subject to RCF to calculate mixed mode stress intensity factors to determine the critical flaw size (CFS) or the largest allowable flaw that does not grow under service conditions. The cost of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods for silicon nitride balls scales exponentially with decreasing CFS and increasing ball diameter and can become a significant fraction of the overall manufacturing cost. Stress intensity factor variability is analyzed for variations of the location and orientation of the load relative to the crack, the geometry of load, and full-slip traction. The modeling techniques utilized in the creation of a three-dimensional (3D) finite element analysis (FEA) model is discussed and the maximum tensile contact periphery...
Dynamics of Blood-Borne CD8 Memory T Cell Migration In Vivo

Memory T cells are distributed throughout the body following infection, but the migratory dynamics of the memory pool in vivo is unknown. The ability of circulating microbe-specific memory T cells to populate lymphoid and nonlymphoid tissues was examined using adoptive transfer and parabiosis systems. While migration of memory CD8 T cells to lymph nodes and peritoneal cavity required G(i)-coupled receptor signaling, migration to the spleen, bone marrow, lung, and liver was independent of this pathway. Following parabiosis, memory T cells rapidly equilibrated into the lymphoid tissues, lung, and liver of each parabiont, implying most memory cells were not obligately tissue resident. Equilibration of memory cell populations was delayed in the brain, peritoneal cavity, and intestinal lamina propria, indicating controlled gating for entry into these tissues. In addition, memory cell migration to the lamina propria required beta7 integrins. Thus, the blood-borne T cell pool serves to maintain the homeostasis of tissue-based memory populations.
Use of minors as bone marrow donors : Current attitude and management : A survey of 56 pediatric transplantation centers

Objective: To determine the current attitude about the use of minors as bone marrow donors in pediatric bone marrow transplantation (BMT) centers in North America. Study design: A questionnaire was mailed to 70 North American BMT centers. The questionnaire asked for opinions on a number of ethical and clinical issues pertaining to the use of minors as marrow donors. A case history was included and respondents were asked to check all appropriate answers listed in the survey. Results: Fifty-six (80%) of 70 centers responded. There was general consensus on many issues. Pediatricians endorse the validity of parental consent, even in potentially controversial situations. Most are prepared to extract marrow from young (about 6 months of age) infants and are willing to use the same donor more than once. There is general approval of performing BMT with experimental protocols, and the projected outcome of BMT does not affect the decision to use a minor as a marrow donor. There is less consensus regarding the optimal management of minors donating a large volume of bone marrow. Conclusion: This survey shows a fairly consistent attitude among pediatric BMT centers about the use of minors as marrow donors. The actual management of such donors was not evaluated in detail and requires further study.
Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes by Place of Birth in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Incidence of diabetes among US foreign-born individuals is not well studied. Data were from the Multi Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to examine diabetes risk by race/ethnicity, place of birth, and duration of residence among foreign-born. Foreign-born Latinos had a higher risk of incident diabetes compared to US-born Latinos (hazard ratio (HR) 1.79 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.00–3.21]). Latinos born in Mexico (HR, 2.26 [95 % CI, 1.18–4.33]) had higher risk of incident diabetes compared to US-born Latinos. Foreign-born living in the US ≥20 years had a higher adjusted risk of incident diabetes compared to those in the US for <20 years (HR, 1.60 [95 % CI, 1.05–2.55]). Incident diabetes may be higher among foreign-born compared to native born; incident diabetes may also be higher among those immigrants who have lived in the US for longer periods of time. Future studies should characterize individuals by race/ethnicity and place of birth to account for differences in biology and time spent in the US.
On training programs for design engineers in the use of finite element analysis

Abstract The increasing competitiveness in the industrial environment has been the motivation for deployment of a variety of Mechanical Computer Aided Engineering tools, including finite element procedures. To properly exploit these procedures during the design process requires close coupling of the MCAE tools to the design engineer, with a reasonable strategy placing the analysis responsibility on the design engineering staff. The design engineering function has, however, been primarily project directed, and the experience gained during design engineering does not lend itself well to effectively performing the analysis function. This paper addresses possible approaches that can be used to train design engineers in the use of finite element technology.
Utility of bone scintigraphy to determine the appropriate vertebral augmentation levels.

Purpose of the Report:Vertebral augmentation procedures have been used as an effective treatment for back pain due to vertebral compression fracture from different causes, including metastatic disease and osteoporosis. However, diagnosis and localization of the causative vertebral level(s) may be di
Terrestrial support of pelagic consumers: patterns and variability revealed by a multilake study

SUMMARY 1. Lake food webs can be supported by primary production from within the lake, organic matter imported from the catchment or some mixture of these two sources. Generalisations about food-web subsidies to lake ecosystems are often based on data from only a few ecosystems and therefore do not consider the potential variability of subsidies among diverse ecosystems in a landscape. 2. We measured the variation among lake ecosystems in terrestrial (allochthonous) utilisation by pelagic consumers and developed models to describe the variability. Stable isotope ratios of hydrogen and carbon were measured for Chaoborus spp. and crustacean zooplankton taxa in 40 lakes to quantify consumer allochthonous resource use (allochthony). 3. The median fraction of consumer allochthony estimated using a two-source Bayesian mixing model varied between 4 and 82% (mean among all lakes = 36%) for Chaoborus sp. among lakes and between 1 and 76% in a more limited sample of crustacean zooplankton consumers. The degree of allochthonous resource use increased linearly with the availability of allochthonous resources. 4. Terrestrial support of Chaoborus was correlated (using best fitting relationships) with covariates for lake organic matter sources including dissolved inorganic carbon, total phosphorus, chlorophyll a, colour and catchment area. However, the most parsimonious model was an inverse relationship between lake surface area and consumer allochthony, indicating that allochthonous subsidies are more important in smaller than larger systems. Given the preponderance of small waterbodies, allochthonous subsidies are important in a large number of lake ecosystems.
Aptamer affinity chromatography for rapid assay of adenosine in microdialysis samples collected in vivo.

An anti-adenosine aptamer was evaluated as a stationary phase in packed capillary liquid chromatography. Using an aqueous mobile phase containing 20 mM Mg2+, adenosine was strongly retained on the column. A gradient of increasing Ni2+ (to 18 mM), which is presumed to complex with nitrogen atoms in adenosine involved in binding to the aptamer, eluted adenosine in a narrow zone. Up to 6 microl of 1.2 microM adenosine could be injected onto the 150-microm I.D. x 7 cm long column without loss of adenosine. With UV absorbance detection, the detection limit was 30 nM or 120 fmol (4 microl injected). Samples could be repetitively injected with 4.6% relative standard deviation in peak area. Columns were stable to at least 200 injections. The adenosine assay, which required no sample preparation, was used on microdialysis samples collected from the somatosensory cortex of chloral hydrate anesthetized rats. Total analysis times were short enough that dialysate samples could be injected every 5 min. Basal dialysate concentrations of adenosine stabilized at 87+/-10 nM (n=5) with the probe operated at 0.6 microl/min.
Generalized anxiety disorder in older adults: examining the relation between clinician severity ratings and patient self-report measures.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most prevalent of the chronic anxiety disorders for older adults. Although a variety of self-report measures are beginning to be utilized to assess anxiety and related symptoms in older adults, there is a paucity of data regarding the convergence of self-report measures with clinician ratings of symptom severity. This situation is problematic in that interpretability of assessment data is limited, as is our broader understanding of the construct of GAD in an older adult population. To address these issues, we examined convergence across assessment modalities among 64 older adults who met diagnostic criteria for GAD. In addition to two Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV (ADIS-IV) interviews conducted by independent raters, participants completed four self-report measures (Penn State Worry Questionnaire [PSWQ], Worry Scale [WS], State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI], Beck Depression Inventory [BDI]) as part of a more extensive pretreatment assessment battery. Results revealed significant correlations between clinician-rated GAD severity and the BDI, STAI, and PSWQ. Regression analyses indicated that the BDI (r2 = .15) and the PSWQ (r2 = .07) were particularly useful predictors of clinician-rated GAD severity. A comorbid mood disorder, however, was identified as an important mediator of these relations. Specifically, presence of coexistent depression accounted for 17% of the variance in clinician severity ratings (CSR; P < .01), with individuals diagnosed with a comorbid mood disorder receiving higher clinician severity ratings. The only self-report measure that accounted for additional significant variance was the PSWQ (7%). The study highlights the need to address coexistent psychological conditions when examining convergence between assessment modalities, and expands upon the relatively neglected area of anxiety assessment in older individuals. Specifically, the BDI and the PSWQ are identified as particularly useful screening instruments that may be helpful in conceptualizing GAD severity within an older adult population.
Exact and approximate sum rules for inclusive breakup reactions

The sum rule formalism of Ichimura, Austern, and Vincent, constructed for inclusive breakup reactions based on the distorted-wave Born approximation, is compared critically with the exact sum rule formalism. This presents a possible explanation of why the former formalism overpredicts cross sections.
A New Approach to Proving the Correctness of Multiprocess Programs

A new, nonassertional approach to proving multiprocess program correctness is described by proving the correctness of a new algorithm to solve the mutual exclusion problem. The algorithm is an improved version of the bakery algorithm. It is specified and proved correct without being decomposed into indivisible, atomic operations. This allows two different implementations for a conventional, nondistributed system. Moreover, the approach provides a sufficiently general specification of the algorithm to allow nontrivial implementations for a distributed system as well.
Neglected bidentate sp2 N-donor carrier ligands with triazine nitrogen lone pairs: platinum complexes retromodeling cisplatin guanine nucleobase adducts.

Rapid rotation of guanine base derivatives about Pt−N7 bonds results in fluxional behavior of models of the key DNA intrastrand G−G cross-link leading to anticancer activity of Pt(II) drugs (G = deoxyguanosine). This behavior impedes the characterization of LPtG2 models (L = one bidentate or two cis-unidentate carrier ligands; G = guanine derivative not linked by a phosphodiester group). We have examined the formation of LPtG2 adducts with G = 5′- and 3′-GMP and L = sp2 N-donor bidentate carrier ligands [5,5′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine (5,5′-Me2bipy), 3-(4′-methylpyridin-2′-yl)-5,6-dimethyl-1,2,4-triazine) (MepyMe2t), and bis-3,3′-(5,6-dialkyl-1,2,4-triazine) (R4dt)]. NMR spectroscopy provided conclusive evidence that these LPt(5′-GMP)2 complexes exist as interconverting mixtures of head-to-tail (HT) and head-to-head (HH) conformers. For a given G, the rates of G base rotation about the Pt−N7 bonds of LPtG2 models decrease in the order Me4dt > Et4dt > MepyMe2t > 5,5′-Me2bipy. This order reveals that the pyr...
An interferon-γ activation sequence mediates the transcriptional regulation of the IgG Fc receptor type IC gene by interferon-γ

Expression of the IgG Fc receptor type I (Fc gamma RI) on myeloid cells is dramatically increased by treatment with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). We observed that Fc gamma RI transcript levels in monoblast-like U937 cells were elevated within 3 hr and peaked 12 hr after exposure to IFN-gamma. Treatment of U937 with IFN-gamma for 9 hr in the presence of cycloheximide led to super-induction of Fc gamma RI expression. Nuclear run-on analysis revealed that the rate of Fc gamma RI transcription was increased by IFN-gamma. Genomic sequence upstream of the Fc gamma RIC gene was cloned and subjected to primer extension analysis, which demonstrated a single transcription initiation site without a TATA box. Transient transfections of CAT reporter gene constructs containing various Fc gamma RIC promoter sequences into U937 cells revealed that a 20-bp region surrounding the transcription start site (-7 to +13) was capable of mediating transcription initiation and that an IFN-gamma responsive element (GIRE) was present within 74 bp upstream of the transcription initiation site. A 17-bp sequence between positions -51 and -35 conferred IFN-gamma responsiveness on a heterologous promoter. Double-stranded GIRE sequence, but not a scrambled sequence, was specifically bound by nuclear proteins from IFN-gamma treated U937 cells. Gel shift experiments further showed that the STAT1 alpha protein bound to the Fc gamma RIC GIRE in response to IFN-gamma treatment of U937 cells. The Fc gamma RIC GIRE is homologous to the IFN-gamma activation sequence (GAS) of the guanylate binding protein and to X box elements of class II MHC genes. Our results demonstrate that transcriptional regulation of the Fc gamma RIC gene by IFN-gamma involves the binding of STAT1 alpha to a 17-bp GAS homology in the proximal promoter.
A petrogenetic model of the relationships among achondritic meteorites

The basaltic achondrite, shergottite, nakhlite, and chassignite meteorites appear to define a petrological and geochemical sequence. Assuming that they developed from basaltic liquids produced by low pressure partial melting of plagioclase peridotites, their petrological and chemical distinctions can be understood in terms of the compositional differences between their source periodites. The source regions of basaltic achondrite magmas were alkali-poor, metal-bearing peridotites in which pigeonite and/or orthopyroxene was the only pyroxene. By simultaneously increasing the ratio of high-Ca pyroxene to low-Ca pyroxene, the alkali content of the feldspar, the oxidation state, and the overall volatile content of the basaltic achondrite source peridotite, peridotites capable of yielding the parent liquids of the shergottites can be produced. Further increases can produce peridotites capable of yielding the parent liquids of the nakhlites and chassignites. Addition of a volatile-rich component to the volatile-poor type of peridotite required for the source regions of the eucrites appears to be capable of producing the required series of peridotites. Alternatively, progressive volatile-loss from a volatile-rich material, possibly of roughly cosmic composition, could have produced this sequence of peridotites. A simple two-component model of planetary compositions is, to a first approximation, consistent with the petrology and chemistry of these igneous meteorite groups.
Very thin multicomponent resists prepared by Langmuir-Blodgett techniques

Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) techniques can be used to prepare very thin organic films, and we have investigated their use in lithographic applications. Resist films were prepared usmg novolac and poly(p-hydroxystyrene) resins and both near and deep UV sensitive photoactive compounds (PAC). LB resist films formed from mixtures of polymer and PAC behaved lithographically in a similar fashion to spin cast films. LB films as thin as 300 A were sufficient to protect 500 A of chromium during wet chemical etching. Initial attempts to use LB films as the top layer in a bilayer resist system indicated that silylation of the LB films may yield etch rate ratios of up to 10: 1 vs hard baked novolac. Investigation of the "sphere of influence" of PAC molecules by controlling their distribution throughout the film indicates that strong interactions may exist between consecutive LB layers of PAC. LB films may also be useful for modifying the surface concentration of PAC.
Supraventricular Arrhythmias in Patients With Cardiac Sarcoidosis: Prevalence, Predictors, and Clinical Implications

Background Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is known to be associated with congestive heart failure, conduction disorders, and tachyarrhythmias. Ventricular arrhythmias are the most feared cardiac manifestation because they often are unpredictable, may be the first manifestation of the disease, and may be fatal. The propensity for the development of supraventricular arrhythmias (SVAs) in patients with CS has not been described. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence as well as the predictors of SVA. Methods We retrospectively investigated 100 patients with biopsy specimen-proven systemic sarcoidosis and evidence of cardiac involvement (defined by cardiac biopsy specimen, PET scan, or cardiac MRI). The mean follow-up was 5.8 ± 3.6 years. ECG, Holter monitoring, implantable cardioverter defibrillator interrogations, or electrophysiology studies were used to document SVA. Echocardiographic data, demographics, and extracardiac involvement were recorded, and univariate and Poisson regressions were performed to compare characteristics of patients with and without documented SVA. Results The prevalence of SVA was 32%, and atrial fibrillation was the most common arrhythmia, comprising 18% of the total burden, followed by atrial tachycardias (7%), atrial flutter (5%), and other supraventricular tachycardias (2%). Of the patients with SVA, 96% were symptomatic. Left atrial enlargement (LAE) was more frequent in the group with SVA, with an incidence of 267.8 per 1,000 person-years, and it significantly increased the likelihood of SVA on multivariate analysis (risk ratio, 6.12; 95% CI, 2.19-17.11). Diastolic dysfunction, systemic hypertension, and right atrial enlargement were predictors of SVA on univariate analysis. Left ventricular hypertrophy, right ventricular dysfunction, tricuspid valve disease, pulmonary hypertension, and pulmonary sarcoidosis were not associated with SVA on univariate analysis. Conclusions The study systematically evaluated the frequency of SVA in a large number of patients with CS. SVA in patients with CS is frequent and associated with symptoms. LAE was clearly associated with the development of SVA in this patient population. The extent to which LAE predicts the occurrence of SVA in larger, more diverse CS populations should be evaluated prospectively.
Housing and American Privatism: The Origins and Evolution of Subsidized Home-Ownership Policy

In the late 1980s, congressional investigations revealed patterns of influence peddling, lack of oversight, and poorly targeted expenditures at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, criticizing both the content and administration of various federal housing initiatives. Some commentators have concluded that the dogged preference for a private-sector strategy and the privatization of public activities in the Reagan administration—goals pursued while the agency suffered dramatic budget cuts—are at the root of recent HUD embarrassment.
Advanced hybrid neural network automotive friction component model for powertrain system dynamic analysis. Part 1: Model development

AbstractAn accurate and easy-to-implement dynamic friction component model is necessary for powertrain system design and performance studies. A neural network approach developed by Cao et al. [1] for friction component modelling has illustrated some very promising results. However, this model has complex architecture that may lead to reduced training efficiency; also, owing to the lack of time information, the network cannot adapt to time step variations. Therefore, it cannot be easily integrated with powertrain system models, which in general require variable time steps for superior numerical integration performance. In this paper, a new first-principle-based hybrid network friction component model, the advanced hybrid neural network (AHNN), is derived for dynamic engagement analysis with variable time steps. With improvement over the previous work by Cao et al. [1], the time pattern information is added to the inputs and a simpler architecture is developed through more explicit utilization of the physic...
Registration of 'RWA 1758' Russian Wheat Aphid-Resistant Spring Barley

RWA 1758' (Reg. No. CV-336; PI 648913) is a spring, Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia Mordvilko) (RWA) -resistant two-rowed barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) developed by the USDA-ARS. RWA 1758 was selected and released on the basis of competitive agronomic performance and resistance to damage caused by RWA feeding. RWA 1758 derives from a BC 3 F 3:4 selection from the cross 'Baronesse'*4/STARS 9577B. It was tested under the experimental designation 01ST1758. STARS 9577B is a six-rowed spring RWA-resistant germplasm line developed and released by the USDA- ARS. STARS 9577B is resistant to the fi ve RWA biotypes known to be present in the United States. STARS 9577B was developed via selection from CIho 4165, a landrace originally collected in Afghanistan. The main component of the resistance is tolerance, conferred by two dominant genes with recessive epistasis.
Current Status and Future Prospects for Acute Myocardial Infarction Therapy

Considerable new evidence has accumulated in randomized trials of myocardial reperfusion. The trials of catheter-based reperfusion compared with fibrinolytics have shown an advantage for angioplasty and stenting over pharmacologic therapy, even accounting for delays in transporting patients from facilities with intervention capabilities. On the basis of the recent trials, it is recommended that a regional center for infarct intervention be set up akin to regional trauma centers in the United States. Now that we have entered the third decade of myocardial reperfusion therapy, we can expect iterative improvement in all aspects, and ultimately a fused approach of pharmacology and mechanical therapies-to achieve the optimal outcomes and continue to lower the toll of fatality and morbidity of acute myocardial infarction (MI).
In vitro lymphocyte cytotoxicity. II. Unstable lymphotoxins (beta-LT) secreted and inactivated by mitogen-stimulated human lymphocytes.

Abstract Supernatants from phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-activated human lymphocytes contain two major classes of cytotoxins (α-LT and β-LT). While α-LT appears to be stable, and the major component in 5-day culture supernatants, the majority of cytolytic activity at earlier intervals in these cultures is due to a “family” of highly unstable cytotoxins which are both secreted and destroyed at a rapid rate. The inactivation of the unstable LT molecules appears to be due to: (a) inherent instability o β-LT molecules, and (b) a lymphocyte-mediated inactivation mechanism(s) which involves serum.
Designing of Virtual Reality Environments for Mobile Robots Programming

In this paper are presented some of the main issues in designing and developing of mobile robots in virtual environments that can be used for completing various tasks. Due to high complexity of robotic systems, real experiments are demanding unsatisfying timeframes and high financial resources. Other problems scientists encounter in real tests are the difficulty of concurrent use, space restrictions or hardware malfunctions. Several related studies are treating these issues by proposing the usage of virtual reality (VR) as a solution for reducing costs and decreasing development time. We are focusing our study on designing and developing of a virtual mobile robot and integrating it within various virtual environments. Furthermore, we describe the technologies that can be used to accomplish our goals, listing their good and weak points, we integrate our work in an immersive VR environment like Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) and we present the study results.
Closed-form solution of an arbitrarily laminated, anisotropic, elliptic plate under uniform pressure

A closed-form solution for an arbitrarily laminated, anisotropic plate subjected to uniform loading is presented here for the first time. The theory used is the well-established theory of thin, heterogeneous, anisotropic plates due to Reissner and Stavsky. All components of the stretching, bending-stretching coupling, and bending stiffness matrices are included. The specific geometry considered is an elliptic plate clamped both flexurally and in-plane at its edge.
Abstract 4501: Diverse microtubule stabilizers cause differential expression of mitotic kinases leading to distinct centrosomal and mitotic defects.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Microtubule stabilizers are some of the most useful and successful drugs used to treat adult solid tumors. However, the molecular events responsible for their antimitotic actions are not yet fully understood. In this study we evaluated the mitotic defects and signaling events initiated by three structurally and biologically different microtubule stabilizers; taccalonolide AJ, laulimalide/fijianolide B and paclitaxel. These microtubule stabilizers cause the formation of aberrant, but morphologically distinct mitotic spindles leading to the hypothesis that they initiate distinct mitotic signaling events. Each microtubule stabilizer caused different patterns of expression of key mitotic signaling proteins. Taccalonolide AJ caused centrosome separation failure to a much greater extent than paclitaxel or laulimalide. Taccalonolide AJ is also unique in that it was the only stabilizer to cause centrosome disjunction failure. These observations were consistent with the different defects in expression and activation of Plk1 and Eg5 caused by each stabilizer. Localization studies revealed that TPX2 and Aurora A are associated with each spindle aster formed by each stabilizer, which suggests a common mechanism of aster formation. However, taccalonolide AJ was the only stabilizer evaluated that caused pericentrin accumulation on every spindle aster. Pericentrin's localization to every spindle aster could facilitate the maintenance and stability of the highly focused asters formed by taccalonolide AJ. Laulimalide and paclitaxel caused completely different patterns of expression and activation of these proteins, as well as phenotypically different spindle phenotypes. Elucidating how chemically distinct microtubule stabilizers disturb mitotic signaling could identify key proteins involved in controlling sensitivity and resistance to the antimitotic actions of these agents. Citation Format: Cristina C. Rohena, Jiangnan Peng, Tyler A. Johnson, Phillip Crews, Susan L. Mooberry. Diverse microtubule stabilizers cause differential expression of mitotic kinases leading to distinct centrosomal and mitotic defects. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4501. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4501
Activation of uteroglobin gene expression by progesterone is modulated by uterine-specific promoter-binding proteins.

In a previous study specific protein binding to the uteroglobin (UG) promoter was detected in gel retardation assays using progesterone-dominated rabbit uterine nuclear extract proteins. Those findings have now been extended to reveal the components within that specific shifted band. Southwestern blotting and photoaffinity cross-linking of protein-DNA complexes by UV irradiation demonstrate binding of two proteins with apparent molecular masses of 94 and 115 kDa to a 126-basepair UG gene fragment (UG126 −194/−68). To further investigate the tissue- and hormone-specific expression of the UG gene and to relate that specificity to promoter binding, RNA was prepared from rabbit uterus, kidney, and lung after 5 consecutive days of progesterone treatment. Northern blots of total RNA showed an absence of UG expression in kidney, while UG message was detected in uterus and lung. Protein binding to UG promoter DNA was absent in extracts from nuclei of kidney and HeLa cells, where the gene is not expressed, and fro...
Characterization of endocannabinoid-mediated induction of myeloid-derived suppressor cells involving mast cells and MCP-1

Endocannabinoids are lipid-signaling molecules found in the nervous system; however, their precise role in the periphery is unclear. In the current study, we observed that a single i.p. administration of AEA caused rapid induction of MDSCs. The MDSCs contained a mixture of granulocytic and monocytic subtypes and expressed Arg-1 and iNOS. The MDSCs suppressed T cell proliferation in vitro and used iNOS to mediate their effect. Moreover, adoptive transfer of MDSCs led to suppression of mBSA-induced DTH. Through the use of pharmacological inhibition, as well as genetic knockout mice, we found that the induction of MDSCs by AEA was CB1-dependent. The induction of MDSCs by AEA was reduced significantly in mast cell-deficient mice, while maintained in LPS-insensitive mice, showing that the induction of MDSCs by AEA was dependent, at least in part, on mast cells and independent of TLR4. Chemokine analysis of AEA- treated WT mice showed an early spike of MCP-1, which was decreased in Kit(W/W-sh) mice, showing a role of mast cells in the secretion of MCP-1 in response to AEA. Also, use of antibodies against MCP-1 or mice deficient in MCP-1 confirmed the role played by MCP-1. Interestingly, MCP-1 played a significant role in the induction of monocytic but not granulocytic MDSCs. Our studies demonstrate for the first time that endocannaboinids activate CB1 on mast cells to induce MCP-1, which facilitates recruitment of monocytic MDSCs.
Blickets and babies: The development of causal reasoning in toddlers and infants.

Previous research has suggested that preschoolers possess a cognitive system that allows them to construct an abstract, coherent representation of causal relations among events. Such a system lets children reason retrospectively when they observe ambiguous data in a rational manner (e.g., D. M. Sobel, J. B. Tenenbaum, & A. Gopnik, 2004). However, there is little evidence that demonstrates whether younger children possess similar inferential abilities. In Experiment 1, the authors extended previous findings with older children to examine 19- and 24-month-olds' causal inferences. Twenty-four-month-olds' inferences were similar to those of preschoolers, but younger children lacked the ability to make retrospective causal inferences, perhaps because of performance limitations. In Experiment 2, the authors designed an eye-tracking paradigm to test younger participants that eliminated various manual search demands. Eight-month-olds' anticipatory eye movements, in response to retrospective data, revealed inferences similar to those of 24-month-olds in Experiment 1 and preschoolers in previous research. These data are discussed in terms of associative reasoning and causal inference.
Highly stable in-line semiconductor fiber laser

This paper reports the fabrication of a novel narrowband in-line semiconductor fiber-amplifier with 5dB gain at 847nm and discusses the possibilities for implementing such an amplifier in the core of a highly stable SM-fiber laser.
Looking across industries to improve human reliability data for quantitative risk analyses

Although meticulous work is often done to determine failure probabilities of Safety Instrumented Systems for Quantitative Risk Assessments (QRAs), the work done to determine failure probabilities of humans performing specific tasks are often less rigorously performed. Yet, human reliability data is just as important to the quality and accuracy of the QRA as non-human failure probabilities. The problem lies in the lack of availability of statistically reliable human failure probabilities for various tasks within the process industries. This article will present and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of sources of such data. The various methods of data collection and analysis will be discussed and as will the quality and applications of each methods' data output. More specifically, emphasis will be placed on discussion of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Human Event Repository and Analysis program and the possible applicability and worth of the program to the process industries. This presentation is based on work done for the Center for Chemical Process Safety's Human Reliability Project. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2010
How Marketing Academics View A-Level Journals: Psychological Insights Into Differences Between Published and Striving Authors

Many colleges of business demand A-level journal publications from marketing faculty as a condition for professional advancement. Yet only around 10 percent of marketing academics ever publish in the “Big 4,” A-level journals (Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer Research, and Marketing Science). This motivates the questions explored in the present study: How do marketing academics view A-level journals and what distinguishes successful Big 4 journal authors from individuals striving to publish work in these journals? Results of a national survey of marketing faculty at colleges accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) show perceptual and motivational differences between published and striving-to-publish Big 4 journal authors, as well as different beliefs regarding success factors for publishing in A-level journals. The results, viewed through the theoretic lenses of the Motivation-Ability-Opportunity (MAO) model, construal level t...
USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNIQUES TO ENHANCE THE CAPABILITIES OF MODEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Decision Support Systems (DSSs) originally were proposed as interactive problem-solving vehicles through which models and analytical techniques could be made available to decision makers. Model management represents a line of research within the DSS field that focuses on the design and implementation of software environments to support the use of DSSs for this purpose. This paper describes the tasks that must be supported within these environments and illustrates how existing prototype Model Management Systems (MMSs) implementations provide this support. The use of artificial intelligence techniques in such implementations are reveiwed, and three scenarios are presented to show how future MMSs could be constructed using these techniques.