cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transient pressure behavior for unconventional gas wells with finite-conductivity fractures

Abstract Horizontal wells and hydraulic fracturing technologies are the only way that makes commercial production from the low and ultra-low permeability unconventional plays possible. The development of analytical and semi-analytical tools to analyze transient behavior of multi-fractured horizontal gas wells have been largely biased towards solving the simplified problem of one-dimensional (1D) Cartesian gas flow in matrix domain, which are only applicable to the production from infinite-conductivity fractures. This study presents a novel semi-analytical method for transient behavior analysis of horizontal gas wells producing from finite-conductivity fractures. Unlike the available transient analysis tools for finite-conductivity fractures which are developed based on empirical and approximate solution, the proposed solution is rigorously derived by solving the governing gas diffusivity equations written for gas flow in two contiguous regions of matrix and fracture simultaneously. Nonlinear, pressure-dependent gas properties remaining in pseudopressure-based diffusivity equations—namely viscosity and compressibility—are rigorously and straightforwardly captured in both fracture and matrix systems. The validity of proposed solution is verified against commercial numerical simulator (COMSOL Multiphysics®) for a series of synthetic cases considering constant and variable -rate production constraints. The case studies presented in this paper also showcase the applicability of proposed solution to the analysis of transient behavior of multi-fractured horizontal gas wells in shale plays under the following two state-of-the-art interpretations: 1) production from finite-conductivity hydraulic fractures in a single-porosity matrix; and 2) production from infinite-conductivity hydraulic fractures in a naturally-fractured matrix.
Gender and performance in public organizations: a research synthesis and research agenda

This study examines the variations among empirical findings of gender effects on the performance of public organizations; and identifies avenues for future efforts in the scholarship of gender and ...
Transitions and transcendence: transgender individuals’ identity negotiations and meaning construction in context

Abstract As humans experience life transitions, they are challenged with the task of maintaining a balance between self-continuity and redefinition. Meaning-making is a central human motivation that occurs simultaneously as individuals navigate life transitions. Transgender individuals are challenged to engage in a meaning-making process as they navigate their gender transitions that may include intrapersonal and interpersonal changes in sex category and gender identity. Through a minority stress lens, the authors discuss how stigma impacts the lives of transgender individuals. The intersectional nature of transgender individuals’ identities and the risks and benefits of disclosing their gender identity are then discussed. The chapter concludes with suggestions for school counselors and clinicians to provide supportive, affirmative practices for transgender individuals at different life stages through their transitions.
The Association of Surgical Timing and Injury Severity With Systemic Complications in Severely Injured Patients With Pelvic Ring Injuries.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the relationship between timing of definitive fixation, injury severity, and the development of systemic complications in severely injured patients with pelvic ring injuries. DESIGN Retrospective review. SETTINGS Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS One hundred eighteen severely injured [Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥ 16] adult patients with pelvic ring injuries undergoing definitive fixation, excluding patients treated with external fixation for hemodynamic instability. INTERVENTION Early fixation (≤36 hours) in 37 patients and delayed fixation (>36 hours) in 81 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS Systemic complications (acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis, sepsis, multi-organ failure, and death). RESULTS The delayed fixation group had a higher ISS and had more patients with chest injuries. There was no detectable difference in the number of patients with systemic complications between early versus delayed fixation groups [8 (22%) vs. 29 (35%), P = 0.1]. The only difference detected in specific complications was a higher incidence of pneumonia with delayed fixation [16 (20%) vs. 0 (0%), P = 0.004] with 11 of the 16 cases being associated with chest injury. Univariate analysis showed an association between complication and time to fixation, ISS, Glasgow Coma Scale, pH, base excess, and injuries to the head, chest, and abdomen. On multivariate analysis, only ISS remained significantly associated with the development of complications [Odds ratio 2.6 per 10 point increase, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4-4.4]. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that the severity of injury is most highly associated with systemic complications after definitive fixation of pelvic ring injuries. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
The Dog-Whistle Politics of Personal Responsibility, Credit, and the American Welfare State

Personal responsibility is a prominent theme in the politics of the American welfare state. We argue that in a context of easy access to credit, political rhetoric around personal responsibility is coded racial language that resonates with Americans who perceive themselves as no longer needing government support, shifting their support from public to private, credit-based funding of social goods. We support our argument empirically in two ways. First, state-level observational data shows that in states where voters hold stronger personal responsibility norms, easier borrowing conditions are associated with more conservative economic policies. In states with more liberal economic norms, changes in borrowing constraints do not influence policy liberalism. Second, we draw on an original survey to document that beliefs in personal responsibility are tied to racial resentment and interact with perceptions of easy credit access to strengthen support for private instead of public spending on education and unemployment insurance.
Effects of a Meridic Diet Supplemented with Cotton Leaf Tissue on Bollworm Fitness

Rearing bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), on synthetic diets for use in laboratory bioassays is a common practice around the world. Little is known about how insect diets currently utilized for bollworm rearing have been altered from their original nutrient composition and the implications this might have on insect fitness. Therefore, this study assessed notable shortcomings of a commonly used meridic diet by exposing bollworms to cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L) leaf tissue for short periods during early development to determine effect on larval and pupal survival and weights. Mean survival of larvae ranged from 60% when bollworms were exposed to Bt cotton leaves for 7 days to 100% on meridic diet. Mean pupation ranged from 58 to 97%, which closely mimicked survival of larvae at 7 days. Insect larvae reared on meridic diet through 7 days were fitter relative to those exposed to cotton leaf tissue, having greater larval weight and survival than other treatments. Conversely, pupal weight of bollworms exposed to meridic diet for the same 7-day period tended to lag behind those exposed to cotton leaf tissue. However, any fitness benefit gained from rearing larvae on leaf tissue might be offset by increased mortality before the pupal stage. The experiment demonstrated that larval and pupal fitness were impacted by supplementing meridic diet with leaf tissue, but additional research is needed to further investigate effects through multiple generations.
Impact of Breast Cancer Pretreatment Nodal Burden and Disease Subtype on Axillary Surgical Management.

Abstract Background The management of clinically node-positive breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has progressed with the potential to avoid the morbidity of axillary lymph node dissection in patients with complete response to therapy. This study addresses the impact of pretreatment nodal burden and tumor subtype on axillary pathologic complete response (AXpCR) in patients treated with NAC to better inform axillary surgical management. Methods A prospective database was reviewed to identify clinically node-positive patients who underwent NAC followed by axillary lymph node dissection. Patients were stratified in accordance with abnormal nodal burden on pretreatment axillary imaging defined as low (1-2 nodes) or high (≥3 nodes), and biologic subtype defined by hormone receptor (HR+, HR-) and HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) status. The primary outcome was AXpCR. Results AXpCR was 43% in the study population. There was no difference in AXpCR between low and high nodal burden groups (44% versus 42%, P = 0.87). Subtype correlated to AXpCR (P Conclusions Biologic subtype better correlated with rates of AXpCR than nodal burden alone with the highest rates of AXpCR in HER2+ patients. Consideration of tumor biology is more informative than nodal burden when evaluating options for axillary management after NAC.
A Preliminary Study on the Abundance, Seasonality, and Sampling Patterns of Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) in Central Missouri

Amblyomma americanum (Ixodida: Ixodidae) is Missouri's most common tick species and a carrier of bacterial pathogens. The objectives of this study were to analyze tick abundance and seasonality in two locations in central Missouri, to compare the effectiveness of dragging and dry ice trap sampling methods for collecting A. americanum in the field, and to analyze tick developmental stage collection pattern. We collected ticks from Knob Noster State Park, in Johnson County, Missouri and Mark Twain National Forest, in Boone County, Missouri. On eight dates from May to November, we collected ticks simultaneously at both locations, using dry ice traps and drag sampling. Of the 7,475 collected ticks, 99.7% were A. americanum. We found the most larvae in August and September, the most nymphs in June and July, and the most adults in June. Drag sampling collected more nymphs at Columbia than Knob Noster on one sampling date in the late summer. Abundance did not differ between locations at any other time point, regardless of developmental stage or sampling method. Compared to the drag method, significantly more nymphs and adults were identified using the dry ice trap sampling method. Additionally, we found that nymphs and adults were more likely to be found in the same areas of the sampling locations, but neither larvae and adults nor nymphs and larvae followed this relationship. Our findings demonstrate a strong seasonality of A. americanum in Missouri and support dry ice trapping as an effective sampling method for collecting all of its life stages.
What Are the Double Lines of the Fetal Cavum Septi Pellucidi on Ultrasound

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate the significance of the double line appearance of the septi pellucidi laminae (SPL) on fetal ultrasound. METHOD A total of 522 uncomplicated singleton pregnancies (15 to 39 weeks' gestational age) with fetal ultrasounds were enrolled. The presence of a single versus double line SP as well as measurement of the cavum septi pellucidi (CSP) was determined retrospectively. Ultrasound settings from the CSP images were recorded. Thickness of the SPL was measured in 20 ultrasound and 14 MRI cases; histology was reviewed from one neonate. Maternal BMI and gestational age were also recorded. RESULTS The presence of double line SPL is a normal sonographic finding, seen in 47% (188/403) of normal fetuses. Thickness of the SPL in 10 cases with double line averaged 1.4 mm and in 10 cases with single line averaged 0.8 mm; MRI measurements were within 0.1 mm of the corresponding ultrasound measurements. Double line cavum was more often seen with mid-dynamic contrast range settings (5, 6) rather than high range settings (7-10) (P value <.05). The double line was only visualized on ultrasound when the angle of insonation was at or near perpendicular to the laminae; it was never visualized on coronal ultrasound imaging or MRI imaging. CONCLUSION A double line septum pellucidum lamina is a normal finding seen in almost 50% of uncomplicated singleton pregnancies. It may be attributed to borders of cell layers within each lamina that form separate specular reflections on both sides; this can be accentuated by ultrasound settings and beam angulation.
The Authentication Equation: A Tool to Visualize the Convergence of Security and Usability of Text-Based Passwords

Password management is a ubiquitous struggle of the modern human. Despite usability playing a vital role in authentication, many password policies and requirements focus on security without sufficient consideration of human factors. In fact, security and usability needs are often in contention. Until an improved authentication method beyond character input is implemented on a large scale, developing new methodologies for balancing competing requirements is vital. This research project focused on building a data visualization tool to explore password usability and security metrics. The visualization tool integrates various measurements of passwords, enabling exploration of the intersection of their usability and security components. The tool is based on insight from previously gathered data from usability studies conducted at the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology. It also leverages web technologies to flexibly display data sets computed from sets of passwords. The tool is available at https://github.com/usnistgov/DataVis.
Out of the House of Bondage: “Wild Notions of Right and Wrong”

I'se Mrs. Tatom now and Hamp is Mr. Sam Ampsey Tatom. Charity Tatom, ex-slave The masters disclaimed their paternal responsibilities, but they did not cease, for many decades, to complain of the “great law of insubordination,” the diminution of deference, that ensued upon the disclaimer.… E. P. Thompson It often strikes me, as I think of the intense enjoyment of olden times, that perhaps just as the strongest force in physics is evolved from the greatest consumption of material, so it is ordained in human affairs that the most exquisite happiness shall be founded in the intense misery of others. A South Carolinian Virginia Newman's first “bought dress” was a “blue guinea with yaler spots.” Two years after emancipation, Nancy Johnson counted up her possessions – one bed quilt, two calico dresses, three cotton chemises, and one basket. Jane McLeod Wilborn took the first money she earned as a free woman and bought some calico cloth and quilts. She was “proud,” she said, to have her “own quilts an' pillows an' things.” These material comforts made her home a little nicer, and, more importantly, they were hers, the small but tangible fruits of her labor as a washerwoman. Another former slave, Mollie, celebrated her freedom to put her earnings on her “back.” Decades after the end of slavery, Newman, Johnson, Wilborn, and Mollie remembered these things as concrete evidence of freedom.
Do questions about lead exposure predict elevated lead levels

OBJECTIVE: To assess the usefulness of the lead poisoning questionnaire developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a screening tool for elevated lead levels. METHODS: This descriptive study used a five-question questionnaire at our hospital-based general pediatric clinic and in two local private practices. We obtained venous lead levels from 485 children aged 9 months to 6 years who were brought for health supervision visits. The questionnaire was completed by a primary caretaker of 330 patients (68%). Contingency tables were used to compare lead levels with the responses on the questionnaire. RESULTS: Lead levels of > or = 10 micrograms/dL were found in 23 (7%) of 330 who completed the questionnaire. Caretakers of children with elevated lead levels were more likely to answer yes to questions about chipping paint and home remodeling than those whose children had levels < 10 (P = .0001). These questions had sensitivities for detecting elevated lead levels of 70% and 74% with negative predictive values of 97% and 98%, respectively. Questions about known contacts with lead poisoning and job or industrial exposure to lead each had sensitivities of < 10%. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's definition of high risk for lead poisoning (one or more positive responses) was nearly 90% sensitive for detecting elevated lead levels with a negative predictive value of 99%. CONCLUSION: This risk assessment questionnaire is an effective screening method for elevated lead levels in our population. Questions about the home environment were more sensitive indicators of elevated lead levels than other standard high-risk questions.
In vivo development of voltage-dependent ionic currents in embryonic Xenopus spinal neurons

Initial evidence that electrical excitability is both an early aspect of neuronal differentiation and a developmentally regulated property was obtained from recordings of action potentials in vivo. Subsequently, the analysis of the underlying voltage-dependent currents during early stages of embryogenesis was facilitated by investigation of dissociated neurons and muscle cells differentiating in culture. Calcium and potassium currents play a major role in the differentiation of the action potential of Xenopus spinal neurons, and calcium influx triggers specific features of neuronal differentiation. However, the extent to which differentiation of currents in vitro parallels that in vivo is uncertain. We have undertaken a study of in vivo differentiation of these macroscopic currents in Xenopus embryos. Spinal cords were isolated from embryos at several early stages of neurogenesis. Neurons in these isolated spinal cords were accessible to patch-clamp electrodes. Neuronal currents were recorded within 1 hr to assure that the characteristics of the currents resulted from developmental events occurring in vivo prior to the experiment. Whole- cell voltage-clamp recordings from neurons in these acutely isolated and intact embryonic spinal cords demonstrate that both the delayed- rectifier and inactivating potassium current and a low-voltage- activated calcium current mature in a manner closely parallel to that observed in culture. The results validate those from the culture system and indicate that the spinal cord is another region of the CNS accessible to cellular analysis in an intact preparation.
How does glucose generate oxidative stress in peripheral nerve

Abstract Diabetes-associated oxidative stress is clearly manifest in peripheral nerve, dorsal root, and sympathetic ganglia of the peripheral nervous system and endothelial cells and is implicated in nerve blood flow and conduction deficits, impaired neurotrophic support, changes in signal transduction and metabolism, and morphological abnormalities characteristic of peripheral diabetic neuropathy (diabetic peripheral neuropathy). Hyperglycemia has a key role in oxidative stress in diabetic nerve, whereas the contribution of other factors, such as endoneurial hypoxia, transition metal imbalance, and hyperlipidemia, has not been rigorously proven. It has been suggested that oxidative stress, particularly mitochondrial superoxide production, is responsible for sorbitol pathway hyperactivity, nonenzymatic glycation/glycooxidation, and activation of protein kinase C. However, this concept is not supported by in vivo studies demonstrating the lack of any inhibition of the sorbitol pathway activity in peripheral nerve, retina, and lens by antioxidants, including potent superoxide scavengers. It has been also hypothesized that aldose reductase (AR) detoxifies lipid peroxidation products, and therefore, the enzyme inhibition in diabetes is detrimental rather than beneficial. However, the role for AR in lipid peroxidation product metabolism has never been demonstrated in vivo , and the effects of aldose reductase inhibitors and antioxidants on diabetic peripheral neuropathy are unidirectional, i.e., both classes of agents prevent and correct functional, metabolic, neuropathic, and morphological changes in diabetic nerve. Growing evidence indicates that AR has a key role in oxidative stress in the peripheral nerve and contributes to superoxide production by the vascular endothelium. The potential mechanism of this phenomenon are discussed.
Numerical integration of gravitational N-body systems with the use of explicit taylor series

The Newtonian equations of motion of N bodies are integrated by expanding the positions and velocities in Taylor series in the time. In the method presented here, the coefficients of the Taylor series (i.e., the time derivatives of the accelerations) are given analytically as explicit functions of the current positions and velocities. This method uses no past information and thus is tailored for variable time steps. We compare the efficiency of this explicit scheme with that of a differencing scheme (which also uses variable time steps) for a variety of solar-system configurations. When the time step changes rapidly, as in an elliptic orbit of high eccentricity, the longer time required to compute the explicit coefficients is more than compensated by the ability to take longer time steps.
A reversible effect of low carbon monoxide concentrations on the EPR spectra of the periplasmic hydrogenase from Desulfovibriovulgaris

Abstract The effect of low concentrations of CO (0.93 – 5.58 μM) on the EPR spectrum of the periplasmic non-heme iron hydrogenase from D. vulgaris has been investigated. The “g=2.06” EPR signal is maximally induced (0.94 spin/molecule) at 46.5 μM CO and partial induction of the EPR signal could be observed at 0.93 μM CO. This effect is reversed by removal of the CO or irradiation of the hydrogenase with white light.
Circadian rhythm of orotate phosphoribosyltransferase, pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylases and dihydrouracil dehydrogenase in mouse liver. Possible relevance to chemotherapy with 5-fluoropyrimidines.

In female mice (30–35 g) maintained in standardized conditions of 12 hr light (0600–1800 hr) alternating with 12 hr darkness (1800–0600 hr), food and water ad lib., there was a 24-hr cycle change (P < 0.0001, Cosinor analysis) in the activity of hepatic orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRTase; EC 2.4.2.10), uridine phosphorylase (UrdPase; EC 2.4.2.3), and dihydrouracil dehydrogenase (DHUDase; 1.3.1.2) but not thymidine phosphorylase (EC 2.4.2.4). The peaks of both OPRTase and UrdPase activities occurred in the activity span at around 18 and 15 hours after light onset (HALO) and the trough at 6 and 3 HALO, respectively, when samples were taken every 4 hr. Conversely, the peak of DHUDase occurred in the rest span at around 3 HALO and the trough at 15 HALO. The maximal enzyme activities (3146 ± 172, 561 ± 25, and 6.7 ± 0.7 pmol/min/mg protein) was 210, 400 and 560% higher than the minimal activities (1507 ± 172, 139 ± 25, and 1.2 ± 0.7 pmol/min/mg protein), for OPRTase UrdPase, and DHUDase, respectively. A circadian rhythm was also observed when the light-dark cycle was shifted (reverse cycle) so that the lights went on at 2200 hr and off at 1000 hr. Under the reverse cycle condition there was a corresponding shift in UrdPase and DHUDase activities with a period of 1 hr difference in the time of maximum and minimum enzyme activities. OPRTase, on the other hand, showed little change after 4 weeks of adaptation under the reverse light cycle. The circadian rhythm of these key enzymes of pyrimidine metabolism, the interrelationship of their activities, and their role in the regulation of uridine bioavailability could be of particular significance in modulating the therapeutic regimens with 5-fluorinated pyrimidines.
Perceptions of the Ethical Work Climate and Covenantal Relationships

Employees’ perception of the existence of a covenantal relationship between themselves and their employer indicates that they believe there is a mutual commitment to shared values and the welfare of the other party in the relationship. Research suggests that these types of employment relationships have positive benefits for both employees and employers. There has been little research, however, on the factors that determine whether such relationships will develop and thrive.
Factors determining human chorion laeve permeability in vitro.

Abstract An increased mean diffusion permeability across human chorion laeve in vitro was measured for meperidine (D = 5.26 × 10 −6 cm. 2 sec. −1 ) and diazepam (D = 4.51 × 10 −6 cm. 2 sec. −1 ). These values corresponded to large chloroform-buffer partition coefficients (49 and 29) measured for these two compounds. Diffusion permeability values of 3.98 and 2.18 × 10 −6 cm. 2 sec. −1 measured for urea and glucose corresponded to their relative insolubility in lipid, as indicated by chloroform-buffer partition coefficients of 0.05 and 0.004, respectively. An increase in placental permeability in vitro to the weak organic acid 5,5-dimethyl, 2,4-oxazalidinedione at lower pH's corresponded to an increase in the fat-soluble nonionized fraction of this compound. These data support the concept that this tissue is most permeable to compounds of relatively small molecular size and/or with a high level of lipid solubility. The large diffusion permeability values measured for meperidine and diazepam suggest that these compounds will diffuse rapidly between mother and fetus at a maximal rate limited only by uterine blood flow.
Conversion of Glucose to 2-Keto-l-Gulonate, an Intermediate in l-Ascorbate Synthesis, by a Recombinant Strain of Erwinia citreus.

Abstract A gene for 2,5-diketo-d-gluconate (25DKG) reductase, which encodes an enzyme composed of 277 amino acid residues catalyzing the reduction of 25DKG to 2-keto-l-gulonate (2KLG), was cloned from Corynebacterium sp. strain SHS752001 and expressed in Erwinia citreus SHS2003, a strain which oxidizes glucose to 25DKG. The recombinant microorganism converted glucose to 2KLG, a compound which can be readily converted to l-ascorbate (vitamin C). Improvements in the yield of 2KLG were obtained by changing fermentation conditions, using the pl promoter of bacteriophage lambda to express the reductase, and selecting a mutant of E. citreus which could use neither 25DKG nor 2KLG as a sole carbon source for growth. When a culture of the recombinant strain was fed with glucose to a total of 40 g/liter, 49.4% of the glucose was converted to 2KLG during a 72-h fermentation.
Household Income Volatility and Tax Policy: Helping More and Hurting Less, Testimony Before the U.S. Joint Economic Committee

This testimony makes three main points. First, income volatility, especially when it involves income declines, imposes significant hardships on American families. It heightens stress about finances and may increase household living expenses. These hardships are most pronounced for middle-and low-income families, whose incomes tend to be more volatile, and who tend to have less access to low-cost borrowing. Second, currently the income tax system simultaneously helps and hurts families trying to cope with these burdens. It helps in that it softens annual income fluctuations on an after-tax basis by timing tax payments so that a larger share of a family’s income is due in taxes in its higher-income years, and smaller share in its lower-income years. It hurts because over time it imposes higher average tax rates on households with relatively volatile incomes, than it does on others whose income is the same over time but more stable. Finally, it outlines two potential reforms to make the tax system help more and hurt less when a family’s income fluctuates. The first is a limited form of income averaging that would permit taxpayers to elect to carryback unused standard deductions and personal and dependent exemptions for one year, and to average their income over two years when calculating the Earned Income Tax Credit. The second, much broader proposal would involve converting the roughly $500 billion per year spent on tax incentives into uniform refundable tax credits. These reforms could be implemented on a revenue-neutral basis. Both would reduce the penalties that the tax system currently imposes on families with volatile incomes, and would provide relief when families need it most – when their income has fallen.
Emerging Concepts in Transitional Care of Congenital Genitourinary Reconstructions

Patients with congenital urogenital abnormalities represent a unique population with health care needs that often exceed the average urologic patient. Congenital uropathic patients, especially those with prior genitourinary reconstructions, display a range of bladder management strategies which must be meticulously managed by their urologist. The time encompassing the transition of care from the pediatric to the adult setting is a critical milestone that if left uncoordinated may result in the interruption of care and missed opportunities for disease prevention. During transition, the adult urologist should carefully assess the patient’s voiding habits, renal function and bladder function as well as new or worsening complaints. These complex patients require careful lifelong surveillance for evidence of almost inevitable changes in urinary function.
Binary quantization using Belief Propagation with decimation over factor graphs of LDGM codes

We propose a new algorithm for binary quantization based on the Belief Propagation algorithm with decimation over factor graphs of Low Density Generator Matrix (LDGM) codes. This algorithm, which we call Bias Propagation (BiP), can be considered as a special case of the Survey Propagation algorithm proposed for binary quantization by Wainwright et al. [8]. It achieves the same near-optimal rate-distortion performance with a substantially simpler framework and 10-100 times faster implementation. We thus challenge the widespread belief that binary quantization based on sparse linear codes cannot be solved by simple Belief Propagation algorithms. Finally, we give examples of suitably irregular LDGM codes that work with the BiP algorithm and show their performance.
Sensor networks and netcentric perspectives of civil government

Observations of weather and climate yield demonstrated societal benefits, and have been officially part of U.S. government activities since Jefferson. Observing sensor networks contribute to real-time warnings of extreme weather, and to long-term analysis of endemic disease. To learn more about netcentric technologies and their role in observing sensor networks, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) organized a seminar that examined System-of-Systems (SOS), Enterprise Architecture (EA) and Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) concepts, using two NOAA programs, the Global Earth Observation Integrated Data Environment (GEO-IDE) and the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), as examples. Further analysis of the seminar material shows the interrelationship of SOS and EA, with the enabling capability of IPv6 and the framework of a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), can help NOAA organize sensor systems-of-systems on a global scale in support of the Global Earth Observing System-of-Systems (GEOSS).
Predictions of the Transport and Dispersion of a Power Plant Plume for Hilly Terrain Computed With AEROMOD and Measured in a Wind Tunnel

Wind tunnel simulations and computations with AERMOD were used to investigate the impact of the emission from a proposed gas-turbine heat-recovery plant. The plant will be located near a university and has 80 m hills to the south and east. Seasonal meteorological conditions required by AERMOD were obtained from a regional airport 80 miles from the site. AERMOD was best suited for obtaining 3-hour, 24-hour, and yearly averaged worst conditions and for determining the drainage flow into a small river valley in the general vicinity of the plant. The wind tunnel was well suited for studying the impact of the plume on buildings and the hills surrounding the plant. In general the wind tunnel-measured impact was higher that predicted by AERMOD, but both data sets followed the same trends with higher concentration at sites near the plant when the wind speed increased and as the stack height was shortened. A one-to-one comparison of the predictions was not possible.© 2002 ASME
Studies on cytochrome P-450-dependent microsomal enzymes of testicular androgen and estrogen biosynthesis in a urodele amphibian, Necturus.

The microsomal fraction isolated from the testis of the urodele amphibian, Necturus maculosus, is very rich in cytochrome P-450 and three cytochrome P-450-dependent steroidogenic enzyme activities, 17α-hydroxylase, C-17, 20-lyase, and aromatase. In this study, we investigated aspects of these reactions using both spectral and enzyme techniques. In animals obtained at different points in the annual cycle, Necturus testis microsomal P-450 concentrations ranged from 0.6–1.8 nmol/mg protein. Substrates for the three enzymes generated type I difference spectra; progesterone and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone appeared to bind to one P-450 species while the aromatase substrates, androstenedione, 19-hydroxyandrostenedione, and testosterone, all bound to another P-450 species. Spectral binding constants (Ks,) for these interactions were determined. Michaelis constants (Km) and maximum velocities were determined for progesterone 17α-hydroxylation, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone side-chain cleavage, and for the aromatization of androstenedione, 19-hydroxyandrostenedione, and testosterone. Measured either by spectral or kinetic methods, progesterone, androstenedione, and 19-hydroxyandrostenedione were high affinity substrates (Ks or Km < 0.3 μM), while 17α-hydroxyprogesterone and testosterone were low affinity substrates (Ks, or Km = 0.6–4.8 μM). As evidence for the participation of cytochrome P-450 in these reactions, carbon monoxide was found to inhibit each of the enzyme activities studied. The activity of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, a component of cytochrome P-450-dependent reactions, was also high in Necturus testis microsomes.
A Parent‐Child Interactional Model for Assessing and Remediating Language Disabilities

The parent-child interactional approach is a three-phase program for the treatment of childhood language disabilities. The first phase of the program attempts to identify those child and adult behaviors in need of change. Once all target behaviors are specified, Phase II provides individually planned parent-centered therapy, whereby the parent is taught specific techniques to facilitate the child's language development through their everyday verbal interchanges. Once appropriate parent-child interactions are established, the program shifts to a child-centered approach, where the child's specific linguistic deficits receive attention.
Classification of empirically derived prototypes as a function of category experience.

In three experiments, subjects learned to classify dot patterns into three categories represented by either three, six, or nine exemplars. Following learning, subjects were tested on an additional set of patterns, which included patterns from the learning phase, the category objective prototypes, and new distortions of the objective prototypes. Also included in the test set were empirical prototypes and distortions of empirical prototypes. Empirical prototypes were derived by averaging feature values of category exemplars in the learning phase. The overall results revealed that empirical prototypes were classified more accurately than were objective prototypes. In addition, a pattern of convergence in error rates was observed for distortions of the objective and empirical prototypes as category set size increased, but this same pattern was not observed for the objective and empirical prototypes themselves. This lack of convergence for the prototypes is inconsistent with explanations of the category set size effect that rely on the central limit theorem.
Outsourcing and offshore outsourcing of information technology in major corporations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the views of top corporate financial executives on the success of implementation of systems outsourcing and offshore outsourcing, as well as the variables associated with success in these areas.Design/methodology/approach – An analysis of secondary data obtained from the Financial Executives International comprehensive survey‐based research on technology issues for financial executives. Regression analysis and other statistical methods are used.Findings – The study examined usage of outsourcing and offshore outsourcing from the top financial executive's perspective. Only 30 percent of the surveyed companies outsourced IT and only 25 percent engaged in offshore outsourcing IT. Size of the company did significantly influence usage. The major motivators behind the decision to pursue outsourcing were the views that IT is not a core competency and that significant cost reduction was possible. The experiences of the organizations surveyed reflect a general satis...
New Multiprocessor Front End Data Acquisition System at NSCL

A new data acquisition was designed and installed at NSCL to meet the the experimental demands for increased data acquisition rates and faster preprocessing. The system is based on the MC68010 microprocessor and the VME bus. This configuration will allow data acquisition rates well over a Megabyte/sec. Additionally, the powerful instruction set minimizes the difficulties of program development and the system is completely upwards compatible with the MC68020 with its 32 bit bus and faster cycle times.
Barbiturate-induced analgesia: permissive role of a GABAA agonist.

Abstract Three doses (0.025, 0.25 and 2.5 mg) of the short-acting barbiturate, pentothal, were injected intrathecally at the lumbar level of the spinal cord of female rats and did not produce analgesia in either the tail-flick latency to radiant heat (TFL) or vocalization-threshold-to-tail-shock (VTTS) tests. However, when the high dose of pentothal (2.5 mg) was given in combination with a nonanalgesia producing dose of the GABAA agonist muscimol (1 μg), a significant and prolonged analgesia was produced in both the VTTS and TFL tests, lasting up to one hour postinjection. Intrathecal injection of the intermediate dose of pentothal (0.25 mg) in combination with 1 μg muscimol also produced significant analgesia in the TFL but not the VTTS test. We suggest that barbiturates may act on spinal nociceptive pathways to reduce pain thresholds only when sufficient GABAergic activity is present.
Mapping the Structure of Tau Using Single Molecule FRET

Tau is a non-motor microtubule-associated protein which functions to maintain microtubule stability, primarily in the axons of neurons. The loss of this normal function, along with the aggregation and deposition of tau as neurofibrillary tangles, contributes to tau pathology in various neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, tau is reported to be an important regulator to motor proteins in microtubule-based transport. While interactions between tau and microtubules are of great interest, a detailed structural characterization is lacking. Tau is intrinsically disordered, lacking stable secondary and tertiary structure in solution, which makes it challenging to investigate its structural features by conventional techniques. Here we use single molecule Foster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) to probe the structure of tau bound to microtubules in order to establish a structural framework for the mechanism by which tau stabilizes microtubules. These measurements will not only provide insight into functional aspects of tau but also into the loss-of-function relevant to disease.
Endocytosis Is Required for Efficient Apical Constriction during Xenopus Gastrulation

Coordinated apical constriction (AC) in epithelial sheets drives tissue invagination [1, 2] and is required for diverse morphogenetic movements such as gastrulation [3], neurulation [4, 5], and organogenesis [6]. We showed previously that actomyosin contractility drives AC in Xenopus laevis bottle cells [7]; however, it remained unclear whether it does so in concert with other processes. Here we report that endocytosis-driven membrane remodeling is required for efficient AC. We found endosomes exclusively in bottle cells in the early gastrula. Disrupting endocytosis with dominant-negative dynamin or rab5 perturbed AC, with a significant decrease in constriction rate late in the process, suggesting that endocytosis operates downstream of actomyosin contractility to remove excess membrane. Additionally, disrupting endocytosis during neurulation inhibits AC in hingepoint cells, resulting in neural tube closure defects. Thus, membrane remodeling during AC could be a general mechanism to achieve efficient invagination in embryos.
Simulated evolution of protein-protein interaction networks with realistic topology.

We model the evolution of eukaryotic protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. In our model, PPI networks evolve by two known biological mechanisms: (1) Gene duplication, which is followed by rapid diversification of duplicate interactions. (2) Neofunctionalization, in which a mutation leads to a new interaction with some other protein. Since many interactions are due to simple surface compatibility, we hypothesize there is an increased likelihood of interacting with other proteins in the target protein’s neighborhood. We find good agreement of the model on 10 different network properties compared to high-confidence experimental PPI networks in yeast, fruit flies, and humans. Key findings are: (1) PPI networks evolve modular structures, with no need to invoke particular selection pressures. (2) Proteins in cells have on average about 6 degrees of separation, similar to some social networks, such as human-communication and actor networks. (3) Unlike social networks, which have a shrinking diameter (degree of maximum separation) over time, PPI networks are predicted to grow in diameter. (4) The model indicates that evolutionarily old proteins should have higher connectivities and be more centrally embedded in their networks. This suggests a way in which present-day proteomics data could provide insights into biological evolution.
UNILATERAL RENAL AGENESIS ASSOCIATED WITH A RECTO‐URETHRAL FISTULA: THE ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIMEN

SUMMARY 1. A description of a male specimen with left renal agenesis and a recto-urethral fistula is given. 2. The right kidney measured 13-1 cm. in length. The superior two-thirds of the kidney lay against the posterior abdominal wall, the inferior one-third in the iliac fossa. 3. The ureter was large throughout its length, the lumen decreased considerably in diameter until it was almost pinpoint in size as it entered the bladder. 4. The walls of the bladder were thick and the trigone incomplete. The ureteral extremity and orifice were absent on the left side as well as that half of the torus uretericus. 5. The suprarenal glands were present on both sides. 6. The rectum entered the membranous part of the urethra. 7. There was puckering of the anal skin with the rectum at a considerable distance from the anus. 8. There was puckering of the skin around the anal dimple which lay at a considerable distance from the rectum.
Influence of body mass index on the biomechanical properties of the human prolapsed anterior vaginal wall

We report the influence of body mass index (BMI) on the biomechanical properties of human prolapsed anterior vaginal wall (AVW) tissue samples. We hypothesize that women with AVW prolapse would have the same vaginal wall biomechanical properties regardless of their weight. Following Institutional Review Board approval, age-comparable postmenopausal women with symptomatic stage II–III AVW prolapse underwent excision of a short vaginal wall sample during transvaginal prolapse repair. Excised samples were subjected to uniaxial tensile testing using an Instron 5655 (Instron, Norwood, MA, USA) within 2 h of harvest to measure intrinsic biomechanical properties. Patients were divided into two groups (A: BMI 25) to compare tissue biomechanical properties after controlling for age and parity. From 2011 to 2013, 28 consecutive women were studied, 13 in group A and 15 in group B. Patients with BMI >25 developed higher tissue stresses, including higher tangent moduli, at selected strain levels than patients with BMI <25. Contrary to our hypothesis, this study observed a relationship between BMI and human AVW biomechanical properties, with more obese women having stiffer tissue properties.
Serum protein concentration changes in the turtle, Chrysemys picta.

Abstract 1. 1. Blood serum proteins of Chrysemys picta have four principal electrophoretic patterns. 2. 2. Chrysemys picta serum protein concentrations undergo seasonal fluctuation and thus appear to be periodic events. Exposure to high 28°C, or low 2°C, temperatures, rate of change of temperature, or feeding status of the animal does not result in significant alteration of serum protein levels.
Imaging properties of a leading-edge DUV laser generated photomask

In the recent past Deep Ultra Violet (DUV) Laser generated photomasks have gained widespread acceptance for critical and semi-critical applications in semi-conductor lithography. The advent of stable, highly capable, single-layer Chemically Amplified Resist (CAR) processes has made fabrication of this type of mask very robust in today's mask manufacturing environment. This platform affords mask makers benefits of the highly parallel architecture available in today's DUV Laser pattern generators - providing excellent cost and cycle time advantages when compared with alternative leading-edge processes using 50 KeV VSB e-beam systems. To date literature on this topic has focused mostly on characterization and optimization of DUV mask making processes. Meanwhile treatment of the resultant aerial image for critical litho applications has been largely ignored. In this paper details of the aerial image produced using DUV Laser generated photomasks will be detailed. Both 248nm and 193nm source printing with multiple types of illumination will be discussed. Details of a print test comparison performed on photomasks from two popular mask lithography platforms in use today; DUV, and 50 KeV VSB, will be documented. Finally, the most recent process improvements achieved in DUV Laser mask fabrication will be detailed. Special attention will be given to the impact of these enhancements on image quality.
Investigation of poling dynamics for multilayer polymer electro-optic materials

An analysis is presented of the charge dynamics involved in the poling of electro-optic polymer multi-layer materials. Specifically addressed are the electrical properties of the cladding layers in comparison to those of the active core layer which lead to the largest protection against premature dielectric breakdown during poling, the largest fraction of the applied DC poling field falling across the core during poling, and the largest fraction of the applied AC filed during modulation. Also presented is an in-depth analysis of the voltage-divider effect and the relative merits of conductive versus regular claddings for achieving efficient poling and minimal optical loss.