cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dental faculty well-being amid COVID-19 in fall 2020: A multi-site measure of burnout, loneliness, and resilience.

Purpose/objectives This study aimed to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental school faculty's self-reported burnout, loneliness, and resilience. Methods A 34-item questionnaire composed of three previously validated scales - adapted Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, the brief resilience scale, and a short loneliness scale - and demographic information was sent by email to dental school faculty in four dental schools across the US during the sixth and seventh months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Two-hundred sixteen (19.63%) of faculty invited to participate completed the survey. On a scale of five, with five indicating extreme burnout and one indicating no burnout, the average personal burnout was 2.7 (SD = 0.83), and work-related burnout (WRB) was 2.8 (SD = 0.83). Personal and WRB decreased with increasing age. WRB was significantly higher among full-time faculty, females, and those living alone. Faculty who lived alone experienced more loneliness than those who lived with others. Resilience was not a statistically significant difference across demographic groups. Regarding the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on their burnout, loneliness, and resilience on a scale ranging from "Never" (scored as 1) to "A great deal" (scored as 5), the average response for burnout was 3.3 (SD = 1.01), loneliness was 2.6 (SD = 1.10), and resilience was 2.8 (SD = 0.99). Conclusion(s) While self-reported burnout and resilience scores did not show a significant increase during the pandemic, the rates of burnout and loneliness remain higher than the public. Dental education has real challenges and opportunities to explore individual and organizational interventions to combat burnout and loneliness and enhance resilience among faculty.
Sanctified Violence in Homeric Society: Oath-Making Rituals in the Iliad

In Sanctified Violence in Homeric Society, Margo Kitts focuses on oath-making narratives found in the Iliad through which she articulates a theory of ritualized violence. She analyzes ritual paradigms, metaphors, fictions, and poetic registers as oath-making principles, which she then traces through Homeric references and texts from the ancient New East. Discussing ritual features that are common to acts of religious violence throughout the world, Kitts makes use of the theory of ritual performance as communication.
Non-Destructive Evaluation Measurement Technology for Polymer Processing Based on Fluorescence Spectroscopy

We are employing fluorescence spectroscopy as a tool to monitor polymer processing parameters which are important for understanding process behavior. The measurements involve the detection of fluorescence spectra from fluorescent dyes which have been doped into the processed polymer material. The character of the fluorescence, i.e. its intensity, polarization, and wavelength distribution, yields information about the state of the polymer matrix. We have concentrated on developing concepts and methods to measure molecular orientation, shear stress, shear rate, non-Newtonian viscosity, velocity, residence time distribution, flow instabilities, quality-of-mix of ingredients, and intersegmental mixing. Work on each of these measurement problems is ongoing and in various stages of development.1-2 In this paper, we describe some recent work on quality-of-mix and intersegmental mixing.
Caves and Karst of the Adirondacks

The Adirondack Mountains are the youngest mountain range in the northeastern US and are still doming, although they are made of the oldest rocks found in that region. The 1.1 Ga-old Grenville Marble hosts the dissolutional caves, which appear to be primarily post-glacial in origin, although the complexity of some caves (Crane Mountain), or large passage size (Burroughs Cave, Natural Bridge Cave, Natural Stone Bridge and Caves), suggest a pre-glacial origin. These large caves are all coupled to the current deranged hydrology, which makes them potential combination caves. Maze caves have formed (Big Loop Cave and X Cave), and follow the pattern for maze caves examined in the rest of New York: shallow, single level, in concert with the current deranged drainage pattern, and in a past or current high-discharge setting. These maze caves are not multi-level like those in similar lithologic settings, as in the stripe karst of Norway, as dip angles and hydraulic gradients are not as extreme. The meander cutoff cave situation present at Natural Bridge Cave mimics that found in flat-lying Paleozoic limestones of Kentucky. The development of meander cutoff caves and maze caves in glaciated 1.1 Ga-old marbles that are identical to patterns seen in undisturbed telogenetic limestones demonstrates how the overall hydrologic regime controls speleogenesis. As in other areas, scientific study of these caves has been minimal and many opportunities for research are present.
Fluid Injection Near the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the issues, mechanics, and practice of fluid injection near the waste isolation pilot plant (WIPP). The mechanics and practice of fluid injection have a direct bearing on the mechanical response and environmental impact on the surrounding areas. In a production-based operation, fluid injection is used to improve the depletion rate in both primary and secondary recovery phases. Solution mining is a specialized application of fluid injection in mineral extractions. Disposal-based operations include the brine that has been generated as a byproduct of oil and gas production. An optimum rate of fluid injection is determined by using characteristics such as pay zone thickness, horizontal and vertical permeability, oil viscosity, and well radius and pattern. The site-specific prediction of the environmental effects and rock deformation due to fluid injection is difficult. This requires a large database to interpret the natural anisotropy of WIPP-area rock characteristics. It is observed that the effect of fluid injection on the environment and WIPP is of low consequence.
17β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase of Rat Skin SUBSTRATE SPECIFICITY AND INHIBITORS

Abstract A 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity has been demonstrated in the microsomal preparations made from the skin of newborn rats. The enzyme prefers NAD to NADP as the coenzyme and utilizes 17β-estradiol as well as testosterone as substrates. The apparent Km values estimated for 17β-estradiol are 4.1 x 10-6 m, for estrone 1.0 x 10-5 m, and for testosterone 4.0 x 10-6 m. The enzyme can be stabilized by 10 to 20% by volume of glycerol when stored at -10° in 0.1 m phosphate buffer, pH 7.5. 17β-Estradiol and testosterone have been shown to inhibit each other in the enzymic dehydrogenation at C-17, and kinetic data are compatible with the explanation that these steroids probably compete with each other on the same enzyme site. A number of other steroids have been tested for their inhibitory effects on the conversion of [4-14C]17β-estradiol into [4-14C]estrone by the enzyme preparation. Of these, 4-androstene-3β,17β-diol, 5α-dihydrotestosterone, and 19-nortestosterone are effective inhibitors, whereas epitestosterone and 17α-hydroxy-progesterone are poor inhibitors, and androstene-3,17-dione, cortisone, and cortisol are not inhibitors. A common structural feature of the effective inhibitors is the presence of a 17β-hydroxyl group; the structure in ring A and the presence of the 19-methyl group do not seem to be critical for the inhibitory effect. The structural features of these inhibitors are quite different from those for steroid inhibitors of the 5α-reductase of testosterone and progesterone in the microsomes of human skin (Voigt, W., et al. (1970) J. Biol. Chem., 245, 5594), implying that the topographical features at the binding sites for steroids on the surface of the two enzymes are quite different.
The membrane systems of the mitochondrion. I. The S fraction of the outer membrane of beef heart mitochondria.

Beef heart mitochondria contain at least two membranes: an inner membrane with infoldings (cristae) of a tubular nature, and with distinctive tripartite subunits; and an outer membrane with repeating subunits of a different nature and size. The inner membrane, which can be isolated in a relatively pure form, contains the four complexes of the electron transfer chain as well as enzymes such as ATPase. The outer membrane, which has also been isolated in a relatively pure fraction, contains the ancillary mitochondrial enzyme systems that implement citric acid cycle oxidation, fatty acid oxidation, fatty acid elongation, and substrate level phosphorylation. The outer membrane can be isolated either as a composite fraction (F) or in two distinct and separate fractions, one a particulate membranous fraction (K), and the other a soluble nonmenbranous fraction (S). In the present series of three communications we have described the preparation and properties of the soluble membrane fraction (S), the particulate membrane fraction (K), and the composite outer membrane fraction (F). The S fraction contains the citric acid cycle enzymes of low molecular weight, e.g., isocitric dehydrogenase, malic dehydrogenase, condensing enzyme, fumarase, and aconitase. This fraction also contains significant amounts of the enzymes concerned in oxidation and elongation of fatty acids as well as of enzymes with transfer function such as myokinase. The S fraction has been designated as the detachable sector of the outer membrane.
Plane Wave Propagation in Two Dimensional Auxetic Periodic Structures

Cellular structures like hexagonal honeycombs have been of particular interest because of their unique dynamic behavior. These periodic structures can control wave propagation through exhibiting pass and stop bands over certain frequency ranges. Geometrical modifications of unit cells in these hexagonal honeycombs have been explored to achieve different properties such as a negative Poisson's ratio, which is also known as auxetic materials. It is found that a characteristic angle of the unit cell determines the value of the Poisson's ratio. In this study, we investigate different topologies of unit cells through the Timoshenko beam-based finite element method and the principles of Floquet-Bloch theorem. We find that the characteristic angle of the unit cell has a significant effect on the in-plane wave propagation behavior and its directionality.
SNTV in Afghanistan: Is There a Better Option?

Afghanistan is a country of turmoil, as it has been for the last five decades. This sets a precarious stage for political development, especially in the realm of creating a stable and efficient electoral system. Currently, Afghanistan is one of four countries that use the Single Non-Transferable Vote system. Issues of ethnic, linguistic, and geographic cleavages; war and instability in everyday life; lack of developed political culture; lack of education; and gender inequality are of importance in this case. The overall conclusion for Afghanistan is that SNTV adequately addresses only gender inequality and partly ethnic cleavages. A better choice might be a closed-list PR system that jump-starts party formation and interethnic conciliation, as well as presents adequate representation of all ethnicities. This article is available in Res Publica Journal of Undergraduate Research: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/respublica/vol15/iss1/ 12
Interactions Leading to Formation of Low Friction Films in Systems Containing Molybdenum Dialkyldithiocarbamate and Zinc Dialkyldithiophosphate Additives

The friction reducing capability of an additive system containing molybdenum dialkyldithiocarbamate (Mo(dtc)2) and zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (Zn(dtp)2), which is used in advanced low friction engine oils, is gradually depleted with mileage accumulation due to oil oxidation. In order to understand processes involved in this loss of friction reducing capability and to find a way to improve the retention of this capability, we have investigated chemical changes occurring in the Mo(dtc)2/Zn(dtp)2 additive system during oxidation in base oils of different composition and assessed the effects of these changes on friction reduction. It has been previously determined that under oxidative conditions Mo(dtc)2 and Zn(dtp)2 undergo ligand exchange reactions leading to formation of an equilibrium mixture of Mo and Zn dialkyldithiocarbamate and dialkyldithiophosphate products including molybdenum dialkyldithiophosphate, Mo(dtp)2, and zinc dialkyldithiocarbamate, Zn(dtc)2. All these products are known to be antioxidants which during oxidation react with peroxy radicals or hydroperoxides and at the same time undergo series of oxidative conversions producing secondary antioxidants. In our studies the Zn containing products were found to be stronger antioxidants than the corresponding Mo compounds. They effectively prevent chain oxidation and protect Mo compounds from being consumed. Zn(dtp)2 and its conversion products were found to preferentially react during oxidation with hydroperoxides (in oils containing aromatics) and Zn(dtc)2 with peroxy radicals (in paraffinic oils). Extensive base oil oxidation in the systems inhibited by Mo(dtc)2/Zn(dtp)2 begins only when Zn(dtp)2 is completely consumed. This was found to coincide with a complete loss of friction reducing capability despite the fact that Mo compounds are still present in the system. Evidence is presented that this loss of friction reducing efficiency occurs because the polar base oil oxidation products and polar base oil components interfere with friction reducing process involving Mo(dtc)2 and its ligand exchange products. Based on these results, the retention of friction reducing properties can be improved through the use of additional effective antioxidants which protect Mo(dtc)2 and its ligand exchange products from being consumed and prevent formation of polar oxidation products and also through the use of base oils which do not contain polar components or are not prone to form them upon oxidation.
Symbiotic growth of Acetobacter suboxydans and Saccharomyces carlsbergensis in a chemostat

The bacterium Acetobacter suboyxdans and the yeast Saccharomyces carlsbergensis have been grown together on a synthetic medium in a chemostat. Mannitol, the only carbon source fed to the fermenter, is oxidized by the bacteria to fructose. The yeast, which cannot attack mannitol, breaks down the fructose nearly completely. Eight steady states and five transitory periods after changes in flow rate have been analyzed to study the kinetics of the mixed culture. Separate cell concentrations were determined by a modified Coulter counter apparatus. Both sugars were monitored. Both bacteria and yeast may be modeled using Monod's equation, the latter with some deviations. The yeast is unable to grow beyond the washout point of the bacteria, even though its maximum growth rate is much higher. The yield of both organisms decreases with increasing dilution rate, as does their average cell size. After step changes in dilution rate, repeated oscillations of both sugar and cell concentrations usually occur before steady-state conditions are reattained. They are generally in phase, with no definite sign of a lag. Oscillations of yeast and fructose concentrations are more pronounced. Periods average about 6 hr and are not correlated with fermentation conditions or equipment variables. Repeated oscillations are not found after step-downs in pure cultures of A. suboxydans, leading to the conclusion that the instability in mixed cultures may be caused by a feedback mechanism from the yeast to the bacteria.
A High-Linearity, 30 GS/s Track-and-Hold Amplifier and Time Interleaved Sample-and-Hold in an InP-on-CMOS Process

A high-speed, track-and-hold amplifier and interleaved CMOS sample-and-hold circuit are implemented in an InP-on-CMOS fabrication process. Conventional 50- $\Omega $ interchip interconnects between III-V and CMOS circuits are eliminated with heterogeneous integration of III-V on CMOS, yielding higher performance circuits at lower power consumption. The track-and-hold amplifier is based on a double-switching feedback architecture using 250 nm InP HBTs and achieves an IIP3 of 19 dBm at a sampling rate of 30 GS/s. To the author's knowledge, this is the first published result of a high-speed track-and-hold amplifier in an InP BiCMOS process and the first implementation of a feedback linearized track-and-hold at a sampling rate above 2 GS/s. Additionally, a novel HBT buffer with feedback is demonstrated to offer high linearity and low power for driving time-interleaved CMOS sample-and-hold circuits. A 90 nm time-interleaved CMOS sample-and-hold circuit is demonstrated to achieve better than $-$ 53 dBc ${\rm HD}_3$ at a sampling rate of 5 GS/s while consuming roughly 24 mW per channel.
Long-term greenhouse gas measurements from aircraft

Abstract. In March 2009 the NOAA/ESRL/GMD Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Gases Group collaborated with the US Coast Guard (USCG) to establish the Alaska Coast Guard (ACG) sampling site, a unique addition to NOAA's atmospheric monitoring network. This collaboration takes advantage of USCG bi-weekly Arctic Domain Awareness (ADA) flights, conducted with Hercules C-130 aircraft from March to November each year. Flights typically last 8 h and cover a large area, traveling from Kodiak up to Barrow, Alaska, with altitude profiles near the coast and in the interior. NOAA instrumentation on each flight includes a flask sampling system, a continuous cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) carbon dioxide (CO2)/methane (CH4)/carbon monoxide (CO)/water vapor (H2O) analyzer, a continuous ozone analyzer, and an ambient temperature and humidity sensor. Air samples collected in flight are analyzed at NOAA/ESRL for the major greenhouse gases and a variety of halocarbons and hydrocarbons that influence climate, stratospheric ozone, and air quality. We describe the overall system for making accurate greenhouse gas measurements using a CRDS analyzer on an aircraft with minimal operator interaction and present an assessment of analyzer performance over a three-year period. Overall analytical uncertainty of CRDS measurements in 2011 is estimated to be 0.15 ppm, 1.4 ppb, and 5 ppb for CO2, CH4, and CO, respectively, considering short-term precision, calibration uncertainties, and water vapor correction uncertainty. The stability of the CRDS analyzer over a seven-month deployment period is better than 0.15 ppm, 2 ppb, and 4 ppb for CO2, CH4, and CO, respectively, based on differences of on-board reference tank measurements from a laboratory calibration performed prior to deployment. This stability is not affected by variation in pressure or temperature during flight. We conclude that the uncertainty reported for our measurements would not be significantly affected if the measurements were made without in-flight calibrations, provided ground calibrations and testing were performed regularly. Comparisons between in situ CRDS measurements and flask measurements are consistent with expected measurement uncertainties for CH4 and CO, but differences are larger than expected for CO2. Biases and standard deviations of comparisons with flask samples suggest that atmospheric variability, flask-to-flask variability, and possible flask sampling biases may be driving the observed flask versus in situ CO2 differences rather than the CRDS measurements.
Complement C3 Production in Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells Is Regulated by Interleukin 1β and Tumor Necrosis Factor α

Background: Sepsis and endotoxemia are associated with increased mucosal production of complement component C3; the enterocyte may be a source of C3 in these conditions. Objective: To test the hypothesis that interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) regulate the production of C3 in the enterocyte at the transcriptional level and that this regulation is potentiated by interferon gamma (IFN-γ). Methods: Cultured Caco-2 cells, a human intestinal epithelial cell line, were treated with various concentrations of human recombinant IL-1 β (0.005-1.25 ng/mL) or TNF-α (1-1000 U/mL) with or without the addition of IFN-γ (250 U/mL). C3 levels in the culture medium were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and cellular messenger RNA levels by Northern blot analysis. Results: Treatment of the Caco-2 cells with IL-1β or TNF-α resulted in a time- and dose-dependent increase in C3 production. The use of IFN-γ alone did not affect C3 production but potentiated the effect of IL-1β and TNF-α in a synergistic manner. C3 messenger RNA levels were increased following stimulation with either cytokine. Conclusions: C3 production in the enterocyte is regulated by IL-1β and TNF-α at the transcriptional level, and this response is potentiated by TNF-γ. The results suggest that C3 production in the intestinal mucosa may be regulated locally by cytokines in a paracrine or autocrine manner. Arch Surg. 1997;132:1289-1293
The Use of a Peer Supervision Group by Social Work Clinicians

We describe the origin and structure of a peer supervision group organized by social workers and ongoing for five years. Peer supervision was our response to a felt need for the social work practitioner to continue to develop professionally. The group has met a wide range of professional needs for social work practitioners. Group members were generally eager for the opportunity to discuss case material with one another. We foresee such peer group supervision as a viable mechanism for providing consultation and continuing education for experienced clinicians.
Hydroxyl radical concentration measurements in moist carbon monoxide oxidation in a chemical kinetic flow reactor

Abstract Measurements of hydroxyl radical concentration in dilute mixtures of carbon monoxide, water, and oxygen reacting in a bath of nitrogen at temperatures ranging from 989 to 1115 K and a pressure of 1 atm are reported. The measurements were made in a turbulent flow reactor using both laser absorption and laser-induced fluorescence techniques. Continuous measurements of OH concentration along the length of the reactor on the centerline were made with a movable 180 degree laser induced fluorescence probe. Line-of-sight absorption measurements, performed at three equally spaced axial locations, were used to calibrate the fluorescence data as well as to cross compare with the axially determined OH profiles. The measured OH concentrations, as well as measured stable species concentrations, are compared with predicted concentrations from a detailed chemical kinetic model. The agreement was found to be good, at worst ± 30%, yielding further validity to the proposed reaction mechanism.
Two dimensional extensible array configuration for EMCCD-based solid state x-ray detectors.

ABSTRACT We have designed and developed from the discrete component level a high resolutio n dynamic x- ray detector to be used for fluoroscopic and angiographic medical imaging. The heart of the detector is a 1024 x 1024 pixel electron multiplying charge coupled device (EMCCD) with a pixel size of 13 x 13 µm 2 (Model CCD201-20, e2v Technologies, Inc.), bonded to a fiber optic plate (FOP), and optically coupled to a 3 50 µm thick micro-columnar CsI(TI) scintillator via a fiber optic taper (FOT). Our aim is to design an array of these detectors that could be extended to any arbitrary X x Y size in two dimensions to provide a larger field of view (FOV). A physical configuration for a 3x3 array is presented that includes two major sub-systems. First is an optical front end that includes (i ) a phosphor to convert the x-ray photons into light photons, and (ii) a fused array of FOTs that focuses light photons from the phosphor onto an array of EMCCD's optically coupled using FOPs. Second is an electronic front end that includes (i) an FPGA board used for generating clocks and for data acquisition (ii) driver boards to drive and digitize the analog output from the EMCCDs, (iii) a power board, and (iv) headboards to hold the EMCCD's wh ile they are connected to their respective driver boar d using flex cables. This configuration provides a larger FOV as well as region-of- interest (ROI) high-resolution imaging as required by modern neurovascular procedures. Keywords: micro angiography, x-ray detectors, EMCCDs, detector arrays, fluoroscopy
The Procognitive and Synaptogenic Effects of Angiotensin IV–Derived Peptides Are Dependent on Activation of the Hepatocyte Growth Factor/c-Met System

A subset of angiotensin IV (AngIV)–related molecules are known to possess procognitive/antidementia properties and have been considered as templates for potential therapeutics. However, this potential has not been realized because of two factors: 1) a lack of blood-brain barrier–penetrant analogs, and 2) the absence of a validated mechanism of action. The pharmacokinetic barrier has recently been overcome with the synthesis of the orally active, blood-brain barrier–permeable analog N-hexanoic-tyrosine-isoleucine-(6) aminohexanoic amide (dihexa). Therefore, the goal of this study was to elucidate the mechanism that underlies dihexa’s procognitive activity. Here, we demonstrate that dihexa binds with high affinity to hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and both dihexa and its parent compound Norleucine 1-AngIV (Nle1-AngIV) induce c-Met phosphorylation in the presence of subthreshold concentrations of HGF and augment HGF-dependent cell scattering. Further, dihexa and Nle1-AngIV induce hippocampal spinogenesis and synaptogenesis similar to HGF itself. These actions were inhibited by an HGF antagonist and a short hairpin RNA directed at c-Met. Most importantly, the procognitive/antidementia capacity of orally delivered dihexa was blocked by an HGF antagonist delivered intracerebroventricularly as measured using the Morris water maze task of spatial learning.
Substitution’s Unsolved “Insolubilia”

Russell’s substitutional theory conferred philosophical advantages over the simple type theory it was to emulate. However, it faced propositional paradoxes, and in a 1906 paper “On ‘Insolubilia’ and Their Solution by Symbolic Logic”, he modified the theory to block these paradoxes while preserving Cantor’s results. My aim is to draw out several quandaries for the interpretation of the role of substitution in Russell’s logic. If he was aware of the substitutional ( p 0 a 0 ) paradox in 1906, why did he advertise “In­solubilia” as a solution to the Epimenides? If he was dissatisfied with the solution, as his correspondence suggests, why did he go on to publish it? Why did substitution reappear with orders in “Mathematical Logic as Based on the Theory of Types” if he had rejected a hierarchy of orders as intolerable? I offer the following as possible ex­planations: he construed the “logical Epimenides” as a version of the paradox; his dissatisfaction with the “Insolubilia” solution was philosophical, not technical; and substitution re-emerged because he hoped for a new philosophical gloss on orders. Whether or not my explanations are correct, these issues must be addressed in accounting for Russell’s reasons for ramification.
Expansion of the half retinal projection to the tectum in goldfish: An electrophysiological and Anatomical study

The topographical retino-tectal projection of goldfish was electrophysiologically mapped at various intervals after surgical removal of the nasal half of the retina and pigment epithelium. The remaining projection was initially restricted to the appropriate rostral half of the tectum, even if the nerve was crushed and allowed to regenerate. But later, after 137 days or more, it showed a progressive expansion onto the foreign caudal half of the tectum. The magnification factor, the number of micrometers of tectum per degree in the visual field, doubled in the rostro-caudal but not in the medio-lateral direction. Analysis of the sequence of the expansion showed that a few fibers originally projecting nearest the denervated area were the first to spread over it. Then, progressively more fibers moved caudally until a nearly uniform representation of the half retina was established on the tectum. Radioautography also demonstrated that retinal fiber terminals had invaded the caudal tectum. The retinae of these fish were also examined histologically. The density of ganglion cells had not increased, but they consistently showed the axonal reaction. This was not found to be associated with any initial surgical trauma, but rather with the movement of their fiber terminals within the tectum. Frozen sections through half retinal and normal eyes, were cut and photographed for comparison of ocular geometry. Operated eyes were normal except for a slight but consistent loss of ocular volume. Analysis of the optical geometry showed that recording with fish in air produced two effects: Myopia (10 degrees blur circle, or less) and enlargement of the visual field by 15 percent to 20 percent.
Significant Severity Reduction of Side-Impact Injuries by Using ITS Airbags: FE Simulation and Severity Analysis

The Inflatable Tubular Structure (ITS) airbag is a potentially life-saving device that has been implemented recently in some luxury vehicles. Its main objective is to provide head protection for the front seat occupants against upper side-interior car components. In a previous research conducted by the authors, a nonlinear Finite Element (FE) model for the ITS-airbag system was successfully developed and tested. In the current research, the developed ITS model is combined with a full-scale FE vehicle model and 50th percentile side-impact dummy (SID) model. The combined model is then used to conduct two series of side-impact simulations. The first series included side impacts with narrow objects, i.e. rigid poles, while the second series included side impacts with a Moving Deformable Barrier (MDB) as a wide and deformable object. The effect of the relative position between the dummy and the rigid pole was considered by conducting variety of simulations for two different rigid pole positions and three different dummy positions. The three dummy positions were considered in the side impacts with the MDB. For both impact series, the effect of the impact velocity was considered by conducting each impact scenario at three different velocities. The ITS model performance, in all FE simulations, was fairly similar to the actual ITS performance. The simulation results indicated a significant reduction in the Head Injury Criteria (HIC) of the dummy head due to the ITS-airbag deployment. The life-threatening severity for occupants is usually measured by the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) that ranges from 1 (minor) to 6 (fatal). The AIS indices are calculated in all side impacts. The results demonstrated a significant reduction/elimination in fatalities and severe injuries due to the ITS-airbag performance. The results clearly indicated the great benefits expected from this promising safety device.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Formation of nitrous oxide and dinitrogen by chemical decomposition of hydroxylamine in soils

Soil properties affecting formation of nitrous oxide (N2O) and dinitrogen (N2) by chemical decomposition of hydroxylamine (NH2OH) in soils were studied using 19 soils selected to obtain a wide range in properties. It was found that production of N2O by chemical decomposition of NH2OH in soils is more rapid than production of N2 and that, except with calcareous soils, N2O production greatly exceeds N2 production. Studies of the correlations between various soil properties and formation of N2O and N2 by decomposition of NH2OH showed that production of N2O was very highly correlated with exchangeable and oxidized Mn in the soils studied, and that production of N2 was very highly correlated with pH, CaCO3 equivalent, exchangeable Ca2+, and oxidized Mn. Production of N2 in neutral and acidic soils was highly correlated with both exchangeable and oxidized Mn, and production of N2 in calcareous soils was significantly correlated with oxidized Fe. The deductions from these correlations that Mn compounds are involved in the reactions leading to formation of N2O and N2 by chemical decomposition of NH2OH in soils, and that CaCO3 and Fe compounds are involved in the reactions leading to formation of N2 in calcareous soils, were supported by studies of N2O and N2 production through reactions of Mn and Fe compounds with NH2OH in the presence and absence of CaCO3. Production of N2O via chemical decomposition of NH2OH in soils greatly exceeds production of N2O through chemical decomposition of nitrite (i.e. via chemodenitrification), and the amount of N2 produced by decomposition of NH2OH in most soils exceeds the amount produced by decomposition of nitrite. Work reported indicates that, if N2O is formed in soils through nonbiological transformations of NH2OH produced by soil microorganisms, very little of this gas is generated by the reaction of NH2OH with nitrite frequently postulated as a mechanism of N2O production in soils (NH2OH + HNO2 → N2O + 2H2O).
Equivalence of various optimality criteria for estimating functions

Abstract Four optimality criteria for unbiased estimating functions are considered and their equivalence is established.
Level of consciousness after cadaveric kidney transplant under halothane anaesthesia.

Serum and urine bromide levels, serum morphine level, and postoperative awakening times were observed in 24 patients; 16 undergoing cadaveric kidney transplantation under halothane anaesthesia, eight without preanaes-thelic medication (Croup A) and eight with morphine preanaesthetic medication (Group B), and eight patients (control) with normal kidney/unction scheduled for colon resection (Group C). Bromide levels were higher in patients after kidney transplant than in the control group. Transplant patients who did not receive morphine awakened faster after anaesthesia than patients who received 10 mg of morphine 60 minutes before anaesthesia. Morphine levels at the end of anaesthesia were 145 p,g-100 ml-1 in Group B; significantly higher than those found in patients with normal kidney function (Group C) (5 ± 1.05). The majority of the patients undergoing kidney transplantation and receiving morphine for pre-medication were fully awake 24 hours following surgery despite serum bromide levels of 158μg.m-1. Control patients had higher awakening scores after surgery than patients in Group A, despite receiving 10 mg of morphine as preoperative medication. Serum bromide levels were far below 480μg.ml-1, the level required to produce clinical symptoms of bromism. The serum and urine bromide levels found in the patients after kidney transplant, even when higher than the control group, were not high enough to explain the prolonged sleepiness found in these patients. The morphine given as preoperative medication may be one of the factors responsible for this finding. Other factors, such as decreased protein binding, decreased albumin levels, abnormal blood brain barrier and brain function, and the degree of function of the transplanted kidney may account for the prolonged sleepiness found in patients receiving transplants.
Co-regulatory expression quantitative trait loci mapping: method and application to endometrial cancer

Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) studies have helped identify the genetic determinants of gene expression. Understanding the potential interacting mechanisms underlying such findings, however, is challenging. We describe a method to identify the trans-acting drivers of multiple gene co-expression, which reflects the action of regulatory molecules. This method-termed co-regulatory expression quantitative trait locus (creQTL) mapping-allows for evaluation of a more focused set of phenotypes within a clear biological context than conventional eQTL mapping. Applying this method to a study of endometrial cancer revealed regulatory mechanisms supported by the literature: a creQTL between a locus upstream of STARD13/DLC2 and a group of seven IFNβ-induced genes. This suggests that the Rho-GTPase encoded by STARD13 regulates IFNβ-induced genes and the DNA damage response. Because of the importance of IFNβ in cancer, our results suggest that creQTL may provide a finer picture of gene regulation and may reveal additional molecular targets for intervention. An open source R implementation of the method is available at http://sites.google.com/site/kenkompass/ .
Spectral domain diagnostics for testing model proximity and disparity in time series data

Abstract Diagnostics for testing the proximity and disparity of a model spectral density to the truth for time series data are formulated by considering a convenient measure of a spectral density’s departure from constancy. The method is illustrated through numerical experiments and several case studies.
Interactive effects of wildfire, forest management, and isolation on amphibian and parasite abundance

Projected increases in wildfire and other climate-driven disturbances will affect populations and communities worldwide, including host-parasite relationships. Research in temperate forests has shown that wildfire can negatively affect amphibians, but this research has occurred primarily outside of managed landscapes where interactions with human disturbances could result in additive or synergistic effects. Furthermore, parasites represent a large component of biodiversity and can affect host fitness and population dynamics, yet they are rarely included in studies of how vertebrate hosts respond to disturbance. To determine how wildfire affects amphibians and their parasites, and whether effects differ between protected and managed landscapes, we compared abundance of two amphibians and two nematodes relative to wildfire extent and severity around wetlands in neighboring protected and managed forests (Montana, USA). Population sizes of adult, male long-toed salamanders (Ambystoma macrodactylum) decreased with increased burn severity, with stronger negative effects on isolated populations and in managed forests. In contrast, breeding population sizes of Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) increased with burn extent in both protected and managed protected forests. Path analysis showed that the effects of wildfire on the two species of nematodes were consistent with differences in their life history and transmission strategies and the responses of their hosts. Burn severity indirectly reduced abundance of soil-transmitted Cosmocercoides variabilis through reductions in salamander abundance. Burn severity also directly reduced C. variabilis abundance, possibly though changes in soil conditions. For the aquatically transmitted nematode Gyrinicola batrachiensis, the positive effect of burn extent on density of Columbia spotted frog larvae indirectly increased parasite abundance. Our results show that effects of wildfire on amphibians depend upon burn extent and severity, isolation, and prior land use. Through subsequent effects on the parasites, our results also reveal how changes in disturbance regimes can affect communities across trophic levels.
Thermal Conductivity of Crystalline Nanoporous Silicon Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations

This study establishes that the effective thermal conductivity keff of crystalline nanoporous silicon is strongly affected not only by the porosity fv and the system’s length Lz but also by the pore interfacial area concentration Ai . The thermal conductivity of crystalline nanoporous silicon was predicted using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations. The Stillinger-Weber potential for silicon was used to simulate the interatomic interactions. Spherical pores organized in a simple cubic lattice were introduced in a crystalline silicon matrix by removing atoms within selected regions of the simulation cell. Effects of the (i) system length ranging from 13 to 130 nm, (ii) pore diameter varying between 1.74 and 5.86 nm, and (iii) porosity ranging from 8% to 38%, on thermal conductivity were investigated. A physics-based model was also developed by combining kinetic theory and the coherent potential approximation. The effective thermal conductivity was proportional to (1 –1.5 fv ) and inversely proportional to the sum (Ai /4 +1 /Lz ). This model was in excellent agreement with the thermal conductivity of nanoporous silicon predicted by MD simulations for spherical pores (present study) as well as for cylindrical pores and vacancy defects reported in the literature. These results will be useful in designing nanostructured materials with desired thermal conductivity by tuning their morphology.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Contributions of A. Roberto Frisancho to human population biology: an introduction.

Over the span of his career, A. Roberto Frisancho has been one of the prime architects of the development and expansion of human population biology. His research and scholarly publications have helped to move the field beyond simple descriptions of human variation to address the nature and evolutionary origins of human biological diversity. Frisancho's early work in the Peruvian Andes elegantly demonstrated the importance of developmental acclimatization for promoting adaptive responses to the multiple stressors of high-altitude environments. Since mid-1970s, he has played a major role in developing and expanding the use of anthropometric techniques for assessing physical growth and nutritional status. Frisancho's influential publications have helped to make the use of anthropometric methods commonplace in the fields of nutritional science and public health. Throughout his career, Frisancho's work has examined how environmental, genetic, and developmental factors interact to influence human health and nutritional status. His research has addressed topics ranging from the determinants of low-birth weight infants in teenage mothers to the origins of obesity and associated metabolic diseases in populations of the developing world. Both the breadth and impact of Frisancho's work have been truly remarkable. The field of human population biology owes much to the tremendous contributions of A. Roberto Frisancho. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Sodium supplementation in neonates with pierre robin sequence significantly improves weight gain if urinary sodium is low.

Objective: To investigate whether sodium supplementation increases weight gain in babies with grade 3 Pierre Robin sequence if their urinary sodium is low. Design: Retrospective review of all medical, dietitian, and nursing notes of babies admitted from 2000 to 2007, inclusive. Setting: Tertiary center for cleft care. Patients: A total of 33 babies requiring nasogastric and nasopharangeal intubation for Pierre Robin sequence were identified. Those for whom weights could not be measured accurately (n = 4) were excluded from further study. Interventions: Urinary sodium was low and weight gain poor in 21 of the remaining 29 babies (72%), and oral sodium supplementation was given to establish and maintain a normal urinary sodium (10 to 20 mmol/L). Main Outcome Measure: Mean daily weight gain. Results: The mean daily weight gain of the 18 babies with low urinary sodium admitted in the first few days of life improved from 20 to 34 g (p < .001) following oral sodium supplementation. This gave a mean difference...
Arecoline-induced elevations of regional cerebral metabolism in the conscious rat.

Abstract Local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) was measured, using the quantitative ([ 14 C]2-deoxy- d -glucose ([ 14 C]DG) method, at 3 min after administration to 3-month-old, awake Fischer rats of the muscarinic agonist arecoline (AREC) 0.05, 0.5, 5, 15 or 50 mg/kg or saline i.p. Animals were pretreated with methylatropine (a cholinergic antagonist which does not enter the brain and has no effect on cerebral metabolism) 4 mg/kg s.c. to prevent parasympathomimetic side-effects of AREC. Tremor produced by AREC was rated subjectively. Intensity of tremor was dose-related, peaked at 2–5 min after AREC, and abated within 30 min. Elevations in LCGU (measured after [ 14 C]DG injection during peak behavior) in extrapyramidal regions, which mediate tremor, were related to the intensity of tremor. The lowest dose of AREC selectively increased LCGU in the hippocampus and median raphe; higher doses produced more generalized metabolic enhancement. In the hippocampus and cortex, LCGU rose in layers in which cholinoceptive cells are located. Regions of the auditory pathway and superficial neocortical layers (I–II) were generally unaffected by AREC, but LCGU did not decrease in any region. The selective increase in LCGU produced by low doses of AREC in the hippocampus presumably is due to a specific action of AREC, and demonstrates the high sensitivity of this region to cholinomimetic stimulation.
Whole-watershed mercury balance at Sagehen Creek, Sierra Nevada, CA

Abstract Few data are available on mercury (Hg) dynamics at high-elevation mountain sites. In this project, a whole-watershed approach was used to quantify major fluxes and pools of Hg in Sagehen basin, a closed basin in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. Over a period spanning 9 months (January–September 2009), we estimated wet deposition inputs to the watershed at 3.8 μg m −2 . Dry deposition added additional Hg in the range of 0.30–2.45 μg m −2 during this time period, and was the dominant deposition process during summer time. Seasonal snowpack accounted for only half of the Hg deposited by wet deposition. We suggest that photo-induced reduction of Hg(II) in snow and subsequent volatilization was responsible for this loss. Thus, snowpacks in the Sierra Nevada mountains likely reduce the effective atmospheric mercury flux via wet deposition due to significant emission fluxes prior to snowmelt. As such, wet Hg deposition could be of lesser importance as a Hg source in snow-dominated systems. Finally, stream runoff collected at the outlet of the watershed could account for only 4% of total Hg wet deposition suggesting that a large fraction of mercury deposition was sequestered in the ecosystem, specifically in the soils.
The do's and don'ts of sales forecasting

Abstract If there is any one function managers most despise, it is the art of forecasting. By its very nature it concerns guessing the outcome of future events. No matter how sophisticated computer-driven techniques and programs become, the future seems as elusive as ever to managers. In this paper the basics of forecasting and the problems involved with the art of forecasting are examined. A guide of do's and don'ts for managers is presented in an effort to promote more effective forecasting.
Induction of collagenolytic and proteolytic activities by anti-inflammatory drugs in the skin and fibroblast.

Abstract The administration of cortisol, oxyphenylbutazone and indomethacin to rats results in a marked and abrupt loss of cutaneous collagen from these animals. This collagen loss was associated with the appearance of both collagenolytic and proteolytic activities in the extracellular, extrafibrillar compartment of the skin. Cycloheximide and 5,5-diphenylhydantoin pretreatment inhibited both the cutaneous collagen losses and the appearance of these enzyme activities in the skin. Kinetic studies have shown that within 4 hr after anti-inflammatory drug administration, peak concentrations of both collagenolytic and proteolytic activities were reached in the skin. These enzymatic activities were profoundly depressed by simultaneous administration of puromycin, cycloheximide and actinomycin-D. Monolayers of cultured strain-L fibroblasts neither contained nor released either proteolytic or collagenolytic activities. Within 4 hr after administration of cortisol, idomethacin or oxyphenylbutazone, both types of enzymatic activities appeared within these cell cultures.