cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Socioeconomic considerations of the commercial weathervane scallop fishery off Alaska using SWOT analysis

Abstract We conducted a socioeconomic assessment of the commercial weathervane scallop (Patinopecten caurinus) fishery off Alaska. The research was structured within the framework of an SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis, a strategy commonly used to analyze the internal (strengths, weaknesses) and external (opportunities, threats) components of an industry. Specifically, we focused on five categories: social, technological, economic, environmental, and regulatory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 participants who had detailed knowledge of the fishery, including industry members, fishery managers, biologists, and members of coastal communities who interact with the fishery. We addressed topics such as attitudes of the Alaskan public towards scallop dredging, impacts of the scallop industry on Alaskan coastal communities, market influences of U.S. east coast and imported scallops, changes in the management of the fishery, and a number of environmental considerations. Several unifying opinions emerged from this study, including a lack of awareness of the fishery in many Alaskan communities and fears about rising fuel costs and diminishing harvest levels. Whereas the data-poor status of the stock appears to be the fishery's biggest weakness, the greatest strengths come in the form of conservative management, industry self-regulation, and the small footprint of the fishery. Impending threats include stock decline, unknown long-term detrimental effects of dredging, and changes in the management and structure of the fishery with the sunset of the State of Alaska's limited entry permit program. Most participants consider the fishery to be managed sustainably, although lack of data on scallop recruitment and abundance is a large concern. This analysis provides relevant information to both fishery managers and scallop industry members to contribute to the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of the scallop fishery.
UV curable electrodeposition systems

This article reviews the development of a UV curable electrodeposition coating system. The tailor-made resins, which are used in the formulation, are described and basic properties of the coating system are shown. Some fundamental studies have been performed to analyze as well the homogeneity of the deposition as the efficiency of the UV curing.
Binge Drinking Among American College Women: A Comparison of Single-Sex and Coeducational Institutions

This study examines data from questionnaires to establish the prevalence and correlates of women's binge drinking, defined as four or more drinks per episode, at women's colleges (n = 508) and at coeducational colleges (n = 9,624). Results showed that women at women's colleges binged less frequently, had fewer alcohol-related problems, experienced fewer negative effects of others' drinking, and were less likely to drink and drive. The correlates of binge drinking were similar for the two groups of women. The differences appear to be related not to the quantity or amount of socializing but to its quality. The absence of fraternities and coeducational dormitories, the reduced likelihood of a party-centered lifestyle, and self-selection factors at women's colleges all may contribute to a healthier environment for women. Interventions designed to lower the risk of college binge drinking should further explore the peer-group contexts in which problem drinking is reduced.
The chemistry of hetero-allene and -allylic derivatives with rhodium and iridium II. Rhodium(I)- and iridium(i)-phosphine complexes of hetero-allylic ligands of the type [Ph2PC(x)NR]− (X = S, NR, O) and [Ph2P(W)C(S)NR]− (Q = S, O). Synthesis and 31P-NMR☆

Abstract Some known and new hetero-allylic derivatives [Ph 2 PC(X)NR] − (X = S, NR, O) and [Ph 2 P(Q)C(S)NR] − (Q = S, O) have been shown to react with rhodium(I)- and iridium(I)-phosphine compounds to give stable complexes M(PPh 3 ) 2 [Ph 2 PC(X)NR] (A) and M(PPh 3 )2[Ph 2 P(Q)C(X)NR] (B) (M = Rh, Ir) in which the ligands are bidentate. P, S(P) and O(P) are always coordinated and the coordination preference of the other atoms is: S > NR > O. A and B react with carbon monoxide to give M(PPh 3 )(CO)[Ph 2 PC(X)NR] and M(PPh 3 )(CO)[Ph 2 P(Q)C(S)NR], respectively, in which CO is preferentially found trans to the chelate donor atom with the lowest trans -influence. A correlation between and 2 J (P 1 P 2 cis of 0,946 was found; an even better correlation with r = 0.988 gave the equation: 2 J (P 1 P 2 ) cis = 0.43 − 0.072  1 J (RhP 1 ) − 1 J (RhP 2 )  − 30.8 Hz. A similar correlation was shown by a number of asymmetric cis -Pt 0 bis-phosphine (η 2 -ligand) complexes and trans - and cis -WLL′-(CO) 4 complexes reported in the literature.
Correlation and isotope effects for cation diffusion in magnetite

Abstract The simultaneous diffusion of 52Fe and 59Fe has been measured in Fe3O4 as a function of equilibrium oxygen partial pressure (10−9
Wound healing of tendon—I. Physical, mechanical and metabolic changes

Abstract The wound healing process of New Zealand rabbit extensor digitorum communis tendon was studied from the fifth through thirteenth post-surgical day by concurrent observation of physical, mechanical, and biochemical properties. Mechanical testing was by isometric thermic denaturation followed by biochemical assay of tendon and the physiological saline bathing medium for collagen protein and acid mucopolysaccharides. The changes observed in the physical properties showed an increased dry tendon weight and tendon cross-sectional area relative to intact tendon. Mechanical property changes results in a lower shrink temperature compared to intact tendon, increased tendon denaturation slope, and increased tension values with healing time. The changes in the biochemical parameters were increased concentration levels of soluble hydroxyproline, soluble protein, and insoluble hexosamine relative to intact tendon. Implications of the property changes to collagen structure are discussed.
Personalized Treatment of Lymphoma: Promise and Reality

Lymphoma comprises two groups of diseases: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Within both subsets are numerous variations with distinct biologic, molecular, and cytogenetic characteristics. The World Health Organization (WHO) classification of NHL, for example, now identifies several dozen broad entities and nearly 60 unique clinicopathologic subtypes. In addition to pathologic heterogeneity, there is clinical diversity within lymphomas, with some patients achieving cure, others having prolonged disease stabilization, and still others experiencing a rapidly fulminant decline and death. It is increasingly appreciated that both clinical and biological features strongly influence outcome. Practical implementation of a personalized approach to treatment is urgently needed, but efforts thus far have focused primarily on prognostication, with much less emphasis on determining therapeutic options. Nevertheless, better prognostic tools will facilitate the design of "risk-stratified" trials that will ultimately benefit patients. Thus far, the development of personalized treatment in lymphomas clusters into several broad approaches: refinement of clinical prognostic models for better risk stratification, use of high-throughput technology to identify biologic subtypes within pathologically similar diseases, "response-adapted" changes in therapy via imaging with [(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), and anti-idiotype vaccines. An important unmet need is the implementation of these tools into treatment choices for individual patients, and this is the focus of intense ongoing research.
Evaluating Health-Related Quality of Life Measures for Cross-National Research*

The interest in including health-related quality of life (HRQOL) as an outcome measure in therapeutic clinical trials has spread to countries throughout the world. Because clinical research within the pharmaceutical industry is increasingly international in scope, the demand for reliable, valid, and sensitive HRQOL measures that can be used in the same trial cross nationally has become acute. Criteria by which HRQOL measures are evaluated for inclusion in international clinical trials have yet to be precisely defined. Moreover, experts in the quality of life field do not always agree on whether an HRQOL measure is applicable for crossnational research. Thus, clear guidelines for identifying existing measures for use in international trials do not exist. This paper identifies guidelines by which existing HRQOL measures can be evaluated for cross-national clinical research. The paper includes a review of the HRQOL concept, a description of basic principles of psychometric measurement, and an examination of the clinical trial context in which these instruments are frequently employed.
Aortic root dynamics and surgery: from craft to science

Since the fifteenth century beginning with Leonardo da Vinci's studies, the precise structure and functional dynamics of the aortic root throughout the cardiac cycle continues to elude investigators. The last five decades of experimental work have contributed substantially to our current understanding of aortic root dynamics. In this article, we review and summarize the relevant structural analyses, using radiopaque markers and sonomicrometric crystals, concerning aortic root three-dimensional deformations and describe aortic root dynamics in detail throughout the cardiac cycle. We then compare data between different studies and discuss the mechanisms responsible for the modes of aortic root deformation, including the haemodynamics, anatomical and temporal determinants of those deformations. These modes of aortic root deformation are closely coupled to maximize ejection, optimize transvalvular ejection haemodynamics and—perhaps most importantly—reduce stress on the aortic valve cusps by optimal diastolic load sharing and minimizing transvalvular turbulence throughout the cardiac cycle. This more comprehensive understanding of aortic root mechanics and physiology will contribute to improved medical and surgical treatment methods, enhanced therapeutic decision making and better post-intervention care of patients. With a better understanding of aortic root physiology, future research on aortic valve repair and replacement should take into account the integrated structural and functional asymmetry of aortic root dynamics to minimize stress on the aortic cusps in order to prevent premature structural valve deterioration.
Use of dyes to increase phase contrast for biological holographic microscopy.

Holographic microscopy is an emerging biological technique that provides amplitude and quantitative phase imaging, though the contrast provided by many cell types and organelles is low, and until now no dyes were known that increased contrast. Here we show that the metallocorrole Ga(tpfc)(SO_3H)_2, which has a strong Soret band absorption, increases contrast in both amplitude and phase and facilitates tracking of Escherichia coli with minimal toxicity. The change in phase contrast may be calculated from the dye-absorbance spectrum using the Kramers–Kronig relations, and represents a general principle that may be applied to any dye or cell type. This enables the use of holographic microscopy for all applications in which specific labeling is desired.
Industry Structure and Value-Motivated Conglomeration

Agency problems are often cited to explain why managers diversify their firms even though diversification strategies are often claimed to destroy value. In theory, however, conglomeration can be beneficial and the popular press often discusses conglomeration decisions as being driven by industry conditions. We argue that value maximization theories of conglomeration imply that two industry factors (growth opportunities and industry concentration) are negatively related to predicted degrees of conglomeration and find empirical support in a panel of 50 industries across 20 years. Our study also documents that conglomerate structures are more valuable when industry conditions predict high levels of conglomeration. Although our evidence does not rule out the existence of agency-motivated conglomeration, we conclude that value-maximization plays an important role.
DOES GREATER AUTONOMY IMPROVE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE? EVIDENCE FROM A REGRESSION DISCONTINUITY ANALYSIS IN CHICAGO

School districts throughout the United States are increasingly providing greater autonomy to local public (non-charter) school principals. In 2005‐06, Chicago Public Schools initiated the Autonomous Management and Performance Schools program, granting academic, programmatic, and operational freedoms to select principals.Thispaperprovidesevidenceonhowschoolleaders used their new autonomy and its impact on school performance. Findings suggest that principals were more likely to exercise autonomy over the school budget and curricular/instructional strategies than over professional development and the school’s calendar/schedule. Utilizing regression discontinuity methods, I find that receipt of greater autonomy had no statistically significant impact on a school’s average math or reading achievement after two years of autonomy. I do find evidence that autonomy positively affected reading proficiency rates at the end of the second year of autonomy. These findings are particularly relevant for policy makers considering the provision of greater school-based autonomy in their local school districts.
HOLARCTIC PHYLOGEOGRAPHY AND SPECIES LIMITS OF THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS

Abstract We compared mitochondrial DNA sequences of Three-toed Woodpeckers (Picoides tridactylus) within and between Eurasia and North America. Samples from the two continents are each reciprocally monophyletic, and differ by approximately 4% sequence divergence, suggesting that a separate species exists on each continent. We recommend formal taxonomic action. Within continents, no phylogeographic structuring was found, suggesting that both species have recently expanded their ranges following the end of the last ice age. Filogeografia Holartica y Limites de la Especie Picoides tridactylus Resumen. Comparamos secuencias de ADN mitocondrial en Picoides tridactylus, dentro y entre Eurasia y America del Norte. Las muestras de cada uno de los dos continentes son reciprocamente monofileticas y difieren aproximadamente en un 4% de divergencia secuencial, sugiriendo que existe una especie distinta en cada continente. Recomendamos accion taxonomica formal. No encontramos estructura filogeografica dentro de los co...
Delamination of thin film strips

Delamination of residually stressed thin film strips is analyzed to expose the dependence on strip width and film/substrate elastic mismatch. Isotropic films and substrates are assumed. The residual stress in the film is tensile and assumed to originate from mismatch due to thermal expansion or epitaxial deposition. Full and partial delamination modes are explored. In full delamination, the interface crack extends across the entire width of the strip and releases all the elastic energy stored in the strip as the crack propagates along the interface. The energy release rate available to propagate the interface crack is a strong function of the strip width and the elastic modulus of the film relative to that of the substrate. The energy release rate associated with full delamination is determined as a function of the interface crack length from initiation to steady-state, revealing a progression of behavior depending in an essential way on the three dimensionality of the strip. The dependence of the energy release rate on the remaining ligament as the interface crack converges with the strip end has also been calculated, and the results provide an effective means for inferring interface toughness from crack arrest position. A partial delamination propagates along the strip leaving a narrow width of strip attached to the substrate. In this case, the entire elastic energy stored in the strip is not released because the strain component parallel to the strip is not relaxed. A special application is also considered, in which a residually stressed metal superlayer is deposited onto a polymer strip. The energy release rate for an interface crack propagating along the interface between the polymer and the substrate is determined in closed form.
Vasoprotective effects of resveratrol and SIRT1: attenuation of cigarette smoke-induced oxidative stress and proinflammatory phenotypic alterations

The dietary polyphenolic compound resveratrol, by activating the protein deacetylase enzyme silent information regulator 2/sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), prolongs life span in evolutionarily distant organisms and may mimic the cytoprotective effects of dietary restriction. The present study was designed to elucidate the effects of resveratrol on cigarette smoke-induced vascular oxidative stress and inflammation, which is a clinically highly relevant model of accelerated vascular aging. Cigarette smoke exposure of rats impaired the acetylcholine-induced relaxation of carotid arteries, which could be prevented by resveratrol treatment. Smoking and in vitro treatment with cigarette smoke extract (CSE) increased reactive oxygen species production in rat arteries and cultured coronary arterial endothelial cells (CAECs), respectively, which was attenuated by resveratrol treatment. The smoking-induced upregulation of inflammatory markers (ICAM-1, inducible nitric oxide synthase, IL-6, and TNF-α) in rat arteries was also abrogated by resveratrol treatment. Resveratrol also inhibited CSE-induced NF-κB activation and inflammatory gene expression in CAECs. In CAECs, the aforementioned protective effects of resveratrol were abolished by knockdown of SIRT1, whereas the overexpression of SIRT1 mimicked the effects of resveratrol. Resveratrol treatment of rats protected aortic endothelial cells against cigarette smoking-induced apoptotic cell death. Resveratrol also exerted antiapoptotic effects in CSE-treated CAECs, which could be abrogated by knockdown of SIRT1. Resveratrol treatment also attenuated CSE-induced DNA damage in CAECs (comet assay). Thus resveratrol and SIRT1 exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects, which protect the endothelial cells against the adverse effects of cigarette smoking-induced oxidative stress. The vasoprotective effects of resveratrol will likely contribute to its anti-aging action in mammals and may be especially beneficial in patho-physiological conditions associated with accelerated vascular aging.
Follicular Eruption in a Child With Alagille Syndrome

A 17 year-old boy with a history of Alagille syndrome presented with three-months duration of spontaneous eruption of multple non-pruritic, non-painful papules on the extremities. He also reported seeing “dark spots” at night. On physical examination, the patient was jaundiced and appeared smaller than his age. The skin examination revealed numerous 2–8 mm follicular, keratotic papules on the extensor surfaces of the patient’s arms and legs. H&E preparation of the skin biopsy revealed distention of the upper portion of the follicles with prominent keratotic plugging, as well as focal follicular perforation and acute inflammation. Laboratory examination revealed a vitamin A level of 11, carotene level of less than 2, and retinol binding protein of 2.1. The patient was diagnosed with phrynoderma and initiated on vitamin A therapy. After a two-months course of vitamin A therapy, his serum vitamin A increased to 67, and he had dramatic improvement of the follicular eruption. This is a fascinating case of phrynoderma in a child with biliary dysfunction. The presence of perforating folliculitis on histology is curious, as there are less than 10 documented cases of perforating folliculitis in phrynoderma. This case illustrates the intriguing clinical and pathological presentations of phrynoderma.
Investigation of the Role of Notch Signalling in the Microenvironment-Mediated Tumorigensis of Breast Cancer

Abstract Recently, a speculative model is proposed that tumor tissue is continuously regenerated by a small population of self-renewing cancer stem cells responsible for initiation, growth and propagation of tumor. Tumor cells reside in a “niche” and have constant interaction with the niche components including tumor vasculature, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and the components of the extracellular matrix. It is believed that the growth advantage acquired by tumor cells as well as the ability of cancer stem cells (CSCs) to maintain tumor propagation is partly the outcome of this interaction. Our study intends to better characterize this crosstalk by looking into the possibility of BM-MSC/endothelial cell-mediated activation of Notch pathway in breast cancer cells through production of certain cytokines aiming at proposing novel therapeutic approaches for targeting this disease. The CSCs were enriched by culturing breast cancer cells (BCC) in 3D media to obtain multicellular spheres for furt...
Chiari malformation type I with cervicothoracic syringomyelia masquerading as bibrachial amyotrophy: a case report

Clinical presentation of syringomyelia can mimic a variety of neuromuscular disorders. A misdiagnosis can result in progressive pressure on the spinal cord, causing the development of severe irreversible neurologic deficits. We report the very unusual case of a 50-year-old Latino man who developed severe distal muscle atrophy and bulbar dysfunction as a result of Chiari malformation type I with chronic cervicothoracic syringomyelia. Syringomyelia is a potentially serious neurologic condition with symptoms that can mimic other neuromuscular disorders. Severe untreated cases can result in irreversible spinal cord injury. Prompt diagnosis with magnetic resonance imaging is important in both establishing diagnosis and directing further surgical management.
Mechanism-Based Inactivation of Thioredoxin Reductase from Plasmodium falciparum by Mannich Bases. Implication for Cytotoxicity†

Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) is the homodimeric flavoenzyme that catalyzes reduction of thioredoxin disulfide (Trx). For Plasmodium falciparum, a causative agent of tropical malaria, TrxR is an essential protein which has been validated as a drug target. The high-throughput screening of 350000 compounds has identified Mannich bases as a new class of TrxR mechanism-based inhibitors. During catalysis, TrxR conducts reducing equivalents from the NADPH-reduced flavin to Trx via the two redox-active cysteine pairs, Cys88-Cys93 and Cys535'-Cys540', referred to as N-terminal and C-terminal cysteine pairs. The structures of unsaturated Mannich bases suggested that they could act as bisalkylating agents leading to a macrocycle that involves both C-terminal cysteines of TrxR. To confirm this hypothesis, different Mannich bases possessing one or two electrophilic centers were synthesized and first studied in detail using glutathione as a model thiol. Michael addition of glutathione to the double bond of an unsaturated Mannich base (3a) occurs readily at physiological pH. Elimination of the amino group, promoted by base-catalyzed enolization of the ketone, is followed by addition of a second nucleophile. The intermediate formed in this reaction is an alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone that can react rapidly with a second thiol. When studying TrxR as a target of Mannich bases, we took advantage of the fact that the charge-transfer complex formed between the thiolate of Cys88 and the flavin in the reduced enzyme can be observed spectroscopically. The data show that it is the C-terminal Cys 535'-Cys540' pair rather than the N-terminal Cys88-Cys93 pair that is modified by the inhibitor. Although alkylated TrxR is unable to turn over its natural substrate Trx, it can reduce low M(r) electron acceptors such as methyl methanethiolsulfonate by using its unmodified N-terminal thiols. On the basis of results with chemically distinct Mannich bases, a detailed mechanism for the inactivation of TrxR is proposed.
Contact phenomena in language maintenance and shift: The Pennsylvania German infinitive construction

The formation of the Pennsylvania German dependent infinitive construction varies across Pennsylvania German speech communities. The use of zu to mark infinitives which do not complement modals is receding in all communities and has been replaced variably by far or far…zu. Younger nonnative speakers have grasped the (far)…zu construction as template for producing discourse. Sectarians (Amish and Mennonites) mark dependent infinitives less frequently than nonsectarians, and Amish speakers often avoid the construction by the progressive aspect. The influence of English on these developments is indirect. The loss of zu, the use of (far)…zu, and the sectarian omission of far and zu represent generalizations of different rules. The contact seems to have promoted generalization, but has influenced each group to generalize differently
On preferences for being self-employed

Abstract The concept of procedural utility assumes that agents not only receive utility from outcomes but also attach an independent value to the procedures that lead to these outcomes. This paper analyzes whether the preferences that underlie procedural utility are homogeneous using the case of independence at the workplace. I exploit the event of German reunification to assign preferences for independence to respondents without using data on occupational choice or directly reported procedural preferences. I find that the self-employed report higher job satisfaction than the employed, even after controlling for income and hours worked. However, there is a significant amount of heterogeneity in this effect: while “independent types” experience a large increase in job satisfaction from being self-employed, the most “hierarchical types” could even experience a decrease.
Distributed Opportunistic Scheduling With Two-Level Channel Probing

Distributed opportunistic scheduling (DOS) is studied for wireless ad-hoc networks in which many links contend for the channel using random access before data transmissions. Simply put, DOS involves a process of joint channel probing and distributed scheduling for ad-hoc (peer-to-peer) communications. Since, in practice, link conditions are estimated with noisy observations, the transmission rate has to be backed off from the estimated rate to avoid transmission outages. Then, a natural question to ask is whether it is worthwhile for the link with successful contention to perform further channel probing to mitigate estimation errors, at the cost of additional probing. Thus motivated, this work investigates DOS with two-level channel probing by optimizing the tradeoff between the throughput gain from more accurate rate estimation and the resulting additional delay. Capitalizing on optimal stopping theory with incomplete information, we show that the optimal scheduling policy is threshold-based and is characterized by either one or two thresholds, depending on network settings. Necessary and sufficient conditions for both cases are rigorously established. In particular, our analysis reveals that performing second-level channel probing is optimal when the first-level estimated channel condition falls in between the two thresholds. Finally, numerical results are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed DOS with two-level channel probing.
Generalized Policy Iteration for continuous-time systems

In this paper we present a unified point of view over the Approximate Dynamic Programming (ADP) algorithms which have been developed in the last years for continuous-time (CT) systems. We introduce here, in a continuous-time formulation, the Generalized Policy Iteration (GPI), and show that in effect it represents a spectrum of algorithms which has at one end the exact Policy Iteration (PI) algorithm and at the other the Value Iteration (VI) algorithm. At the middle part of the spectrum we formulate for the first time the Optimistic Policy Iteration (OPI) algorithm for CT systems. We introduce the GPI starting from a new formulation for the PI algorithm which involves an iterative process to solve for the value function at the policy evaluation step. The GPI algorithm is implemented on an Actor/Critic structure. The results allow implementation of a family of adaptive controllers which converge online to the solution of the optimal control problem, without knowing or identifying the internal dynamics of the system. Simulation results are provided to verify the convergence to the optimal control solution.
Sinogram smoothing techniques for myocardial blood flow estimation from dose-reduced dynamic computed tomography

Dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) could provide an accurate and widely available technique for myocardial blood flow (MBF) estimation to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease. However, one of its primary limitations is the radiation dose imparted to the patient. We are exploring techniques to reduce the patient dose by either reducing the tube current or by reducing the number of temporal frames in the dynamic CT sequence. Both of these dose reduction techniques result in noisy data. In order to extract the MBF information from the noisy acquisitions, we have explored several data-domain smoothing techniques. In this work, we investigate two specific smoothing techniques: the sinogram restoration technique in both the spatial and temporal domains and the use of the Karhunen-Loeve (KL) transform to provide temporal smoothing in the sinogram domain. The KL transform smoothing technique has been previously applied to dynamic image sequences in positron emission tomography. We apply a quantitative two-compartment blood flow model to estimate MBF from the time-attenuation curves and determine which smoothing method provides the most accurate MBF estimates in a series of simulations of different dose levels, dynamic contrast-enhanced cardiac CT acquisitions. As measured by root mean square percentage error (% RMSE) in MBF estimates, sinogram smoothing generally provides the best MBF estimates except for the cases of the lowest simulated dose levels (tube current = 25 mAs, 2 or 3 s temporal spacing), where the KL transform method provides the best MBF estimates. The KL transform technique provides improved MBF estimates compared to conventional processing only at very low doses (<7 mSv). Results suggest that the proposed smoothing techniques could provide high fidelity MBF information and allow for substantial radiation dose savings.
Simulated Microstructural Evolution and Design of Porous Sintered Wicks

Porous structures formed by sintering of powders, which involves material-bonding under the application of heat, are commonly employed as capillary wicks in two-phase heat transport devices such as heat pipes. These sintered wicks are often fabricated in an ad hoc manner, and their microstructure is not optimized for fluid and thermal performance. Understanding the role of sintering kinetics—and the resulting microstructural evolution—on wick transport properties is important for fabrication of structures with optimal performance. A cellular automaton model is developed in this work for predicting microstructural evolution during sintering. The model, which determines mass transport during sintering based on curvature gradients in digital images, is first verified against benchmark cases, such as the evolution of a square shape into an areapreserving circle. The model is then employed to predict the sintering dynamics of a sideby-side, two-particle configuration conventionally used for the study of sintering. Results from previously published studies on sintering of cylindrical wires are used for validation. Randomly packed multiparticle configurations are then considered in two and three dimensions. Sintering kinetics are described by the relative change in overall surface area of the compact compared to the initial random packing. The effect of sintering parameters, particle size, and porosity on fundamental transport properties, viz., effective thermal conductivity and permeability, is analyzed. The effective thermal conductivity increases monotonically as either the sintering time or temperature is increased. Permeability is observed to increase with particle size and porosity. As sintering progresses, the slight increase observed in the permeability of the microstructure is attributed to a reduction in the surface area. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4026969]
Dual functions of α4β1 integrin in epicardial development initial migration and long-term attachment

The epicardium of the mammalian heart arises from progenitor cells outside the developing heart. The epicardial progenitor (EPP) cells migrate onto the heart through a cyst-mediated mechanism in which the progenitors are released from the tissue of origin as cysts; the cysts float in the fluid of the pericardial cavity and attach to the naked myocardial surface of the heart, and cells in the cysts then migrate out to form an epithelial sheet. In this paper, we show that the gene encoding the α4 subunit of α4β1 integrin (α4β1) is essential for this migratory process. We have generated a knockin mutation in mice replacing the α4 integrin gene with the lacZ reporter gene, placing lacZ under the control of the α4 integrin promoter. We show that in homozygous mutant embryos, the migration of EPP progenitor cells is impaired due to inefficient budding of the cysts and a failure of the cells in the cysts to migrate on the heart. This study provides direct genetic evidence for essential roles for α4β1 integrin–mediated cell adhesion in the migration of progenitor cells to form the epicardium, in addition to a previous finding that α4β1 is essential for maintaining the epicardium (Yang, J.T., H. Rayburn, and R.O. Hynes. 1995. Development. 121:549–560).
A 34-Year-Old Woman With Recurrent Right-Sided Chest Pain and Dyspnea

A 34-year-old woman presented with her third episode of acute-onset right-sided chest pain and dyspnea. She had two prior similar occurrences of right-sided sharp, pleuritic chest pain with radiation to the back and dyspnea. Chest radiographs during these presentations revealed a small apical right-sided pneumothorax that was managed conservatively with high-flow oxygen. All three presentations were associated with vigorous exercise and the first day of her menses. She denied cough, hemoptysis, fever, smoking history, airplane travel, scuba diving, or trauma during these presentations. The patient has been trying to conceive for the past year but has been unsuccessful because of uterine fibroids but no history of endometriosis.
Serum progesterone at the time of human chorionic gonadotrophin does not predict pregnancy in in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer

Controversy exists as to whether the serum concentration of progesterone on the day of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) administration following ovarian stimulation for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer can be used to predict the likelihood of success. This retrospective study was undertaken to answer this question by analysing a large population of IVF and embryo transfer cycles (n = 756). In addition to the concentration of progesterone on the day of HCG administration, all variables known to impact on IVF and embryo transfer success (such as patient age), indication for IVF and embryo transfer, number of oocytes retrieved and the number of embryos generated and transferred were examined. There was a significant increase in the number of oocytes retrieved with increasing progesterone concentration at the time of HCG administration. However, there was no correlation of progesterone concentration at HCG administration with pregnancy and implantation rates. It is concluded that previous reports associating a slight elevation of progesterone in gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist ovarian stimulation cycles for IVF and embryo transfer may be misleading because of a small sample size or the presence of confounding variables that affect IVF and embryo transfer success.
Ocean acidification impairs crab foraging behaviour.

Anthropogenic elevation of atmospheric CO2 is driving global-scale ocean acidification, which consequently influences calcification rates of many marine invertebrates and potentially alters their s...
“Good Guys” and Bad Guys: Media, Asians, and the Framing of a Criminal Event

(1996). “Good Guys” and Bad Guys: Media, Asians, and the Framing of a Criminal Event. Amerasia Journal: Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 25-46.
6 – Enzymes, Energetics, and Respiration

This chapter discusses enzymes, energy transfer, and the biochemistry of respiration. Respiration rates in whole trees, various organs, tissues, and the factors that influence respiration rates are also addressed. The course of assimilation and the kinds of substances produced in woody plants are regulated by many enzymes, which are classified on the basis of the reactions they catalyze. Most chemical reactions require the addition of enzymes that lower the energy of activation sufficiently for chemical reactions to occur at room temperatures. Isozymes, enzymes that exist in several molecular forms and act on the same substrate, are important in forest genetics and tree improvement research. Enzyme activity is influenced by temperature, pH, concentration of enzyme and substrate, as well as end products, tissue hydration, and hormonal growth regulators. Growth and development of woody plants depend on respiration for a continuous supply of carbon skeletons, energy for use in synthesis of new protoplasm, and maintenance of the structure of organelles during the dormant season and in seedlings kept in cold storage. Oxidation of glucose occurs in several steps, which fall into three general groups: glycolysis, by which glucose is converted to pyruvic acid, followed by the Krebs (tricarboxylic acid) cycle in which large amounts of ATP are formed, and the pentose shunt. Additionally, plants possess membrane-bound dehydrogenase activity that does not lead to proton pumping, and an alternative oxidase that reduces oxygen to water but does not cause ATP formation from proton extrusion. The possible functions of these alternative pathways in the plant's highly branched respiratory system are not known.
Modeling of a Supersonic Ejection, Pilot Protection System

Supersonic Ejection has always been dangerous for pilots to attempt due to the extreme aerodynamic forces acting on the body. Previous solutions to this problem have been too heavy and/or too dangerous for fighter aircraft applications. In response to a request by Boeing Defense, Space and Security, this paper proposes a system that uses the aircraft’s canopy as a ballistic shield to protect the pilot from the windblast in the initial stages of a supersonic ejection at Mach 1.4 and an altitude of 30,000 feet. Results show that the thrust needed for an ejection of this type is approximately 3,372 lbf for .75 seconds. The heaviest pilot will move 53 meters away from the aircraft, while the lightest pilot will only experience acceleration 6.6 times the acceleration due to gravity in the vertical direction. In the longitudinal direction (direction of flight), the lightest pilot will experience a deceleration of 26.2 times the acceleration due to gravity for an ejection at mach 1.4 and an altitude of 30,000 ft. While the maximum value for jerk found in this model falls within safe limits for the pilot, the simulation does not accurately model transient phenomena. This paper concludes that further research, modeling, and testing could produce a viable option for safe ejection from fighter aircraft at supersonic speeds primarily using existing components.© 2011 ASME
A Simulation Model Depicting the Production of Overwintering Hornworms on Tobacco

Diapause production of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.), on flue-cured tobacco in North Carolina is examined and quantified. The resultant simulation model uses an ovipositional preference matrix constructed from egg counts on various phenological states in experimental field plots in different areas. The model considers foliage consumption of the pest species and the effect of parasitization on host feeding. It requires host plant data inputs, provides damage information, and predicts potentially overwintering populations as related to existing cultural practices and hypothetical situations meaningful in developing long-term management strategies.
Joint optimisation of buffers and network population for closed finite queueing systems

The buffer allocation problem for closed finite queueing networks is a nonlinear integer programming problem which is -Hard. A queueing network decomposition methodology based upon a mean value analysis algorithm is coupled with a nonlinear sequential quadratic programming algorithm to compute the simultaneous optimal buffer allocations and network population via a branch-and-bound scheme for various network topologies. The joint optimisation problem is essentially multi-objective where the decision variable on the population will be treated as a constraint linking the buffer allocation and the throughput which is to be maximised. The fact that the optimisation problem is a concave programming problem assists in the search for an optimal solution. The material handling or transportation system for transferring the finite customer population between the nodes in the network is also examined. Extensive numerical results demonstrate the efficacy of the optimisation methodology.
Structure Determination, Refinement, and Validation

It can be a tremendous advantage to have the X-ray crystal structure of a protein that is targeted for drug discovery. Due to recent advances in methods, software and hardware, crystallographic structure determination no longer requires a specialist in the method, but rather it has become a technique that can be readily applied to many research problems. The high-throughput approaches developed and used by structural genomics projects can be adapted and used to aid drug discovery efforts. It should be emphasized, however, that one cannot blindly accept the results of automated approaches and that it is essential to carefully validate the model, which is the interpretation of the observed electron density. It is important to be sure that it correctly describes the structure.The investigator that wishes to make use of the extensive database of protein structures in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) also needs to be know how to evaluate structural models, understand how they are related to the experimental data and be able to utilize computer graphics programs to look at the electron density distribution together with the model.
Inadvertent Fracture of Gallstones During Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy

Abstract We report a case of inadvertent fragmentation of gallstones during extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for treatment of a renal stone.
Individual arousal-related performance zones effect on temporal and behavioral patterns in golf routines

Abstract Aim Consistency, both in duration and behavior, of pre-performance routines has been closely related to overall performance quality. However, recent findings highlight that psychological and physiological states may have important implications for routine consistency. To further clarify this relationship, the present study sought to examine changes in routine consistency with respect to optimal and non-optimal arousal states. Method The present case study observed the performance routines of three high-skilled golfers during three rounds of competitive golf. Measures of arousal (heart rate) and outcome performance were used to determine each golfer’s Individual Arousal-related Performance Zones (IAPZs) (Kamata, Hanin, & Tenenbaum, 2002). Subsequently, temporal and behavioral patterns (consistency and number of rehearsal swings and glances toward the target) for both the full swing and golf putt were assessed across poor, moderate, and optimal levels of the golfer’s IAPZ. Results Idiosyncratic differences in routine patterns, both behaviorally and temporally were evident. More importantly, the consistency of the routines for each golfer varied under different arousal-related performance zones. That is, the temporal and behavioral patterns of the golfers varied in idiosyncratic ways across the IAPZ levels. Conclusions These findings suggest that factors that influence a performer’s arousal level can lead to idiosyncratic variations in a performer’s routine. Observation of these routine changes can provide insight into the negative tendencies that an athlete can have when performing outside their optimal zone. With this knowledge, practitioners can be more effective in helping athletes monitor and regulate arousal, which will ultimately lead to enhanced performance.
Single-Molecule FRET Reveals Alternative Ligand and Osmolyte-Dependent α-Synuclein Folding

Intrinsically disordered proteins are involved in diverse cellular functions and linked to numerous diseases. Many of these proteins can interact with multiple binding partners and undergo binding-induced disorder-to-order transitions to fold into alternative ligand-specific functional folds. To test the origin of multiple functional folds, here we compared results of ligand-induced and osmolyte-forced folding of α-synuclein, a Parkinson's disease linked disordered protein that adopts multiple folded conformations upon interaction with its lipid/ lipid mimic binding partners. Employing a combination of single-molecule and ensemble spectroscopic techniques, we directly probed changes in the protein's structures using different folding perturbations. Results from our experiments reveal context-dependent modulation of α-synuclein folding landscapes, suggesting the folding code for the protein's native folds is partially encoded in the protein's primary sequence and completed only upon its interaction with binding partners. Our findings imply a broad role of ligand-interaction in the context of folding and functions of disordered proteins.
Sympathetic neural regulation of angiogenesis through Adrb2 in prostate cancer: A novel therapeutic target.

11524Background: The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of epithelial malignancies. Clinical studies have shown that elevated SNS activity is associated with i...
Perspectives on the conceptualization of the dissociative subtype of PTSD and implications for treatment

A dissociative subtype of PTSD was added to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to denote a distinct presentation of PTSD marked by symptoms of derealization and depersonalization. The subtype has brought renewed interest in the conceptualization of dissociation in PTSD, and raised questions about its treatment. We review the evidence for two models of PTSD-related dissociative symptoms and the treatment approaches that align with each. We find support for the contributions of biologically-based trait-level factors to dissociation, and suggest that empirically supported treatments for PTSD demonstrate efficacy for patients with the subtype.
Potential financial motivations for end-user programming

Research has identified multiple reasons why people do end-user programming but has yet to quantify one of the most basic: making more money. This is an important gap in the literature given the current widespread efforts to promote computational thinking skills, because this education campaign is often linked to the argument that end-user programming skills will contribute to workers' long-term career prospects. Therefore, this paper presents a study investigating how the earnings of workers varied as a function of whether they used spreadsheets/databases and/or did programming at work. Examining survey data from 2003 revealed a positive correlation of earnings against these variables, even after controlling for the occupations of workers. Overall, occupation-adjusted earnings were 14% higher for workers who used spreadsheets/databases and who also did programming, versus those who did neither. These results provoke numerous questions for future research regarding what financial benefits workers can expect to obtain in different settings through end-user programming.