cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FABRICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MEMS DEFORMABLE MIRRORS FOR ADAPTIVE OPTICS

A bimorph deformable mirror (DM) for use in ophthalmologic adaptive optics is presented. The fabrication process and the results of characterization of the DM are described. Interferometric measurements of the DM surface shape and voltage-to-displacement characteristics are shown. The response of the DM to a step voltage input is measured using a commercial laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV). Experimental measurements of the DM are compared with both finite-element and analytical models. Analysis of the experimental measurements compared to the theoretical model will be used to design and fabricate an optimized DM for vision science.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Persistent reduction of conduction velocity and myelinated axon damage in vibrated rat tail nerves.

Prolonged hand-transmitted vibration exposure in the workplace has been recognized for almost a century to cause neurodegenerative and vasospastic disease. Persistence of the diseased state for years after cessation of tool use is of grave concern. To understand persistence of vibration injury, the present study examined recovery of nerve conduction velocity and structural damage of myelinated axons in a rat tail vibration model. Both 7 and 14 days of vibration (4 h/day) decreased conduction velocity. The decrease correlated directly with the increased percentage of disrupted myelinated axons. The total number of myelinated axons was unchanged. During 2 months of recovery, conduction velocity returned to control level after 7-day vibration but remained decreased after 14-day vibration. The rat tail model provides insight into understanding the persistence of neural deficits in hand–arm vibration syndrome. Muscle Nerve, 2009
The Duty to Obey the Law

Under what conditions, if any, do those the law addresses have a moral duty or obligation to obey it simply because it is the law? In this essay, I identify five general approaches to carrying out this task, and offer a somewhat detailed discussion of one or two examples of each approach. The approaches studied are: relational-role approaches that appeal to the fact that an agent occupies the role of member in the political community; attempts to ground the duty to obey the law in individual consent or fair play; natural duty approaches; instrumental approaches; and philosophical anarchism, an approach that denies that most subjects of contemporary states have a duty to obey the law simply in virtue of its status as such.
Managing Sexual Harassment Through Enacted Stereotypes: An Intergroup Perspective

This qualitative study applies an intergroup communication approach to examining the lived experiences of nurses who were sexually harassed by their patients. Twenty-eight interview transcripts were thematically analyzed; results illustrated how a combination of self-categorization and stereotyping functioned both constructively and destructively in harassment situations. Nurses consistently explained their communication behaviors and those of their patients in light of respective social identities. The intergroup lens proves to be a useful tool for examining the occurrence and perpetuation of sexual harassment in health care organizations. Theoretical implications and practical applications for scholars researching organizational communication, health communication, and intergroup communication, are discussed.
Distinct developmental expression of Drosophila retinoblastoma factors

Retinoblastoma (RB) tumor suppressor proteins are important regulators of the cell cycle and are implicated in a wide variety of human tumors. Genetic analysis of RB mutations in humans and in model systems indicates that individual RB proteins also have distinct functions in development. Specific target genes or mechanisms of action of individual RB proteins in developmental contexts are not well understood, however. To better understand the developmental activities of the two RB family members in Drosophila, we have characterized endogenous expression patterns of Rbf1 and Rbf2 proteins and transcripts in embryos and imaginal discs. These gene products are coexpressed at several stages of development, however, spatial and temporal differences are evident, including partly complementary patterns of expression in the embryonic central nervous system.
Correct identification of oxidized histidine residues using electron-transfer dissociation.

Oxidative modification to the side chain of histidine can noticeably change the collision-induced dissociation (CID) pathways of peptides containing this oxidized residue. In cases where an oxidized peptide consists two or more isomers differing only in the site of modification, oxidation to histidine usually causes the other oxidized sites to be mis-assigned in CID spectra. These spectral misassignments can sometimes be avoided by using multiple stages of MS/MS (MSn) or via specially optimized liquid chromatographic separation conditions. In this manuscript, we demonstrate that these misassignments can be more readily and easily avoided by using electron-transfer dissociation (ETD) to dissociate the oxidized peptides. Furthermore, we find that the relative insensitivity of ETD to side-chain chemistry allows the extent of oxidative modification to be determined readily for peptide isomers having more than one site of oxidation. The current results along with previous studies of oxidized peptides suggest that ETD is probably a better technique than CID for obtaining correct sequence and modification information for oxidized peptides. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adriamycin and fibrinolysis

Abstract Many patients receiving Adriamycin (Doxorubicin hydrochloride) were noted to manifest painful subungual hemorrhages which resolved after cessation of therapy. In addition, many Adriamycin patients were noted to demonstrate elevated levels of fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products when evaluated for unrelated hemostatic defects. An evaluation of coagulation changes in patients receiving weekly or every third week Adriamycin therapy has revealed this cytotoxic agent to activate the fibrinolytic system. In vitro studies of native and euglobulin fractions of plasma have shown Adriamycin to act directly in activation of plasminogen or plasminogen activator and to thus create a primary hyperfibrino(geno)lytic state at clinical doses. This finding may be of significance in both contributing to the antineoplastic effect of Adriamycin and to hemorrhage in selected patients receiving this drug.
Formulation of a hybrid calibration approach for a physically based distributed model with NEXRAD data input

Abstract This paper describes the background, formulation and results of an hourly input–output calibration approach proposed for the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) watershed model, presented for 24 representative storm events occurring during the period between 1994 and 2000 in the Blue River watershed (1233 km2 located in Oklahoma). This effort is the first follow up to the participation in the National Weather Service-Distributed Modeling Intercomparison Project (DMIP), an opportunity to apply, for the first time within the SWAT modeling framework, routines for hourly stream flow prediction based on gridded precipitation (NEXRAD) data input. Previous SWAT model simulations, uncalibrated and with moderate manual calibration (only the water balance over the calibration period), were provided for the entire set of watersheds and associated outlets for the comparison designed in the DMIP project. The extended goal of this follow up was to verify the model efficiency in simulating hourly hydrographs calibrating each storm event using the formulated approach. This included a combination of a manual and an automatic calibration approach (Shuffled Complex Evolution Method) and the use of input parameter values allowed to vary only within their physical extent. While the model provided reasonable water budget results with minimal calibration, event simulations with the revised calibration were significantly improved. The combination of NEXRAD precipitation data input, the soil water balance and runoff equations, along with the calibration strategy described in the paper, appear to adequately describe the storm events. The presented application and the formulated calibration method are initial steps toward the improvement of the simulation on an hourly basis of the SWAT model loading variables associated with the storm flow, such as sediment and pollutants, and the success of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) projects.
Absorption of High Energy Gamma-rays in the Vicinity of Pulsar NP 0532

THE purpose of this article is to point out that photon–photon absorption may remove high energy γ-rays from the vicinity of pulsar NP 0532 in the Crab Nebula. The pulsar was discovered at radio frequencies by Staelin and Reifenstein1, and recently Cocke, Disney and Taylor2 discovered strong optical pulses. Fritz et al.3 have found pulsed X-rays. The pulse durations at the three different frequencies are similar.
Theoretical investigations of the time-resolved photodissociation dynamics of IBr(-).

The role of laser pulse width as well as other quantum mechanical effects in the interpretation of the observed time-resolved photoelectron spectra (TRPES) of IBr(-) are investigated using conditions that are chosen to reproduce those used for the experimental study of Mabbs et al. [ J. Chem. Phys. 2005 , 122 , 174305 ]. In that study, it was shown that one could correlate shifts in the frequency of the maximum in signal as a function of time to differences between the potential energies of the electronic states that are accessed by the pump and probe lasers. While this classical picture is attractive, it is based on a single trajectory with an initial I-Br separation that is ∼0.3 A longer than the equilibrium value. In addition, it does not include the role of the pulse widths and other possible quantum effects. In the present work, the six lowest energy electronic states of IBr(-) were calculated at the MR-SO-CISD/aug-cc-pVDZ level of theory/basis set as a function of the I-Br distance. The TRPES of IBr(-) were calculated in three pulse regimes: an infinitesimally short pulse, an intermediate pulse that has a temporal full width at half-maximum (fwhm) of 300 fs, which was chosen to match the experimental value, and one that is 3 times longer than the experimental value. The resulting spectra are qualitatively different, and the sources of these differences are discussed. The intermediate pulse provides very good agreement with experiment with the introduction of no adjustable parameters. The origins of the features of the experimental signal are discussed in terms of this fully quantum mechanical picture.
Olfaction in parent stream selection by the alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus).

Abstract The ability of the alewife, Alosa pseudoharengus , to discriminate between water from its spawning pond and from neighbouring ponds was studied. Fish were tested in a two choice selection tank with various water combinations. Single fish were placed in the tank and their time spent at each end was recorded. A control period was statistically compared to the test period. The alewives strongly preferred home water. Selection did not occur when the nares were plugged with cotton, but upon removal of the cotton, selection for home water reapeared. Evidence presented here for ‘home stream’ selection on the basis of odour suggests that alewives may use this mechanism to return to their parent stream.
Transition metal ions induce cell growth in NRK cells synchronized in G1 by picolinic acid.

Abstract The G1 arrest induced in NRK cells by picolinic acid could be prevented by addition of Fe3+, Zn2+ or Co2+ to the tissue culture media. Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Sr2+ or Ba2+ were ineffective. Complete and synchronous reversal of the G1 block, however, was achieved by Fe3+ at lower concentration from that of Zn2+. Co2+ reversed the block but cells divided asynchronously. Thymidine incorporation, mitotic index and relative DNA content per cell, verified that G1 arrested cells proceeded through the cell cycle after addition of Fe3+ or Zn2+. These observations afford a valuable model system for elucidating the biochemical events that occur between addition of a defined proliferative signal and stimulation of DNA synthesis in G1 arrested cells.
Effects of Shock Wave Passage on Heat Transfer in a Transonic Turbine Cascade

Results from a new facility for measuring heat transfer in transonic turbine cascades are repotted. An air heater has been built into the blow-down wind tunnel to heat the main flow for a 20 second run time. This allows control of the direction and magnitude of the heat transfer into the blade throughout the tests. A Heat Flux Microsensor was inserted into the blade to measure simultaneous surface heat flux and temperature. Measurements were made on the suction surface of the blades toward the trailing edge. Because of the long run times (20 s), the adiabatic wall temperature could be determined directly from the measured surface temperature and heat flux. Simultaneous pressure measurements were made with a Kulite transducer at the same distance from the leading edge to document shock passage. A separate shock tube was used to generate a shock wave which was introduced into the test section in front of the cascade. This shock was carried over the blade by the main flow. The resulting changes in heat flux correlated strongly with the unsteady pressure changes. An overall increase of 1.5 W/cm2 in heat flux was recorded for a pressure increase of 7 kPa during the initial passage of the shock.Copyright © 1994 by ASME
CYTOLOGICAL STUDIES ON TWO FUNCTIONAL HEPATOMAS : Interrelations of Endoplasmic Reticulum, Golgi Apparatus, and Lysosomes.

The Reuber hepatoma H-35 and Morris hepatoma 5123 have been studied by electron microscopy and by cytochemical staining methods for a number of phosphatases. These studies emphasize the resemblances of the two tumors to rat liver, but they also indicate distinctive features in each of the three tissues. Secretory product accumulates within the cisternae of the Golgi apparatus that dilate to form the Golgi vacuoles. The vacuoles apparently separate, and secretory material undergoes further condensation within them. These "secretory vacuoles" possess acid phosphatase activity and may thus be considered lysosomes. The membranes of the Golgi apparatus are without acid phosphatase activity but show high levels of thiaminepyrophosphatase activity. The endoplasmic reticulum also hydrolyzes thiaminepyrophosphate but at a lower rate; it hydrolyzes the diphosphates of uridine, guanosine, and inosine rapidly. These observations and the electron microscopic images are consistent with the view that the cytomembranes are in a dynamic state of flux, movement, and transformation in the living cell, and that smooth surfaced derivatives of the endoplasmic reticulum become refashioned into the Golgi membranes as the Golgi membranes are being refashioned into those that delimit secretory vacuoles. The variations encountered in the two hepatomas are described. The electron microscope literature dealing with the relations of the Golgi apparatus to secretory granules, on the one hand, and the endoplasmic reticulum, on the other, is reviewed briefly.
Stress and energy analysis of toughness measurement for adhesive bonds

Abstract Fracture toughness of structural adhesives is an important design parameter characterized by the critical stress intensity factor K c or the fracture energy J c . Sandwich-type Double Cantilever Beam (SDCB) specimen is widely used for the measurements of toughness of adhesives. The energy analysis of SDCB, as presently modelled, accounts only for the cantilever part of the adherent which is assumed fixed at the crack tip. The contribution of the adhesive layer to the displacement at the points of load application and thus to the energy balance is ignored. Experiments, however, indicate a strong effect of thickness and elastic properties of the adhesive on the toughness measurement. A model is proposed to account for the adhesive layer. The model analyses adhesive-adherend interaction and expresses the energy release rate in terms of bond thickness, specimen dimension and adhesive-adherend properties. It is shown that the contribution of the adhesive layer to the measured quantity is significant.
Identifying and recruiting Mexican American partners and sustaining community partnerships.

In this article, how community partners were identified and recruited and how community partnerships have been sustained during a current program of study designed to eliminate health and use disparities are described. Hispanic elders use in-home community services less often than do Anglo elders. The critical social paradigm, community development theories, and participatory research methods have guided a partnership with Mexican American elders and their caregivers during five research studies. Although the process of partnering with communities evolves within specific contexts and cannot be precisely predicted, strategies can be transferred to research and transcultural nursing practice to improve preventive care and sustainability of healthful changes in vulnerable populations.
Disease and Predation: Sorting out Causes of a Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) Decline

Estimating survival and documenting causes and timing of mortality events in neonate bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) improves understanding of population ecology and factors influencing recruitment. During 2010–2012, we captured and radiocollared 74 neonates in the Black Hills, South Dakota, of which 95% (70) died before 52 weeks of age. Pneumonia (36%) was the leading cause of mortality followed by predation (30%). We used known fate analysis in Program MARK to estimate weekly survival rates and investigate the influence of intrinsic variables on 52-week survival. Model {S1 wk, 2–8 wks, .8 wks} had the lowest AICc (Akaike’s Information Criterion corrected for small sample size) value, indicating that age (3-stage ageinterval: 1 week, 2–8 weeks, and .8 weeks) best explained survival. Weekly survival estimates for 1 week, 2–8 weeks, and . 8 weeks were 0.81 (95% CI=0.70–0.88), 0.86 (95% CI=0.81–0.90), and 0.94 (95% CI=0.91–0.96), respectively. Overall probability of surviving 52 weeks was 0.02 (95% CI=0.01–0.07). Of 70 documented mortalities, 21% occurred during the first week, 55% during weeks 2–8, and 23% occurred .8 weeks of age. We found pneumonia and predation were temporally heterogeneous with lambs most susceptible to predation during the first 2–3 weeks of life, while the greatest risk from pneumonia occurred from weeks 4–8. Our results indicated pneumonia was the major factor limiting recruitment followed by predation. Mortality from predation may have been partly compensatory to pneumonia and its effects were less pronounced as alternative prey became available. Given the high rates of pneumonia-caused mortality we observed, and the apparent lack of pneumonia-causing pathogens in bighorn populations in the western Black Hills, management activities should be geared towards eliminating contact between diseased and healthy populations.
Forced axisymmetric motion of circular, viscoelastic plates

Abstract Williams' method for forced motion of elastic systems is applied to circular, viscoelastic plates where the effects of rotatory inertia, transverse shear and time-dependent boundary conditions are included. The viscoelastic material is assumed to have a constant Poisson's ratio. A particular problem is solved for a symmetrically loaded, completely free plate. The material used is vulcanized rubber where the viscoelastic behavior in shear is used in specifying the material parameters of a three-element solid.
Prebiotic Polynucleotides and Polypeptides

Work on the nonenzymatic replication of polynucleotides is discussed emphasizing sequence dependence and showing that alternating polynucleotides should replicate more easily than any others. Experimental work is described showing that polypeptides in which hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues alternate, adopt a beta structure in aqueous solution. The possible relevance of these observations for the evolution of the genetic code is given.
Mechanical model of neural tissue displacement during Lorentz effect imaging.

2ln b a . Using realistic parameters for a human median nerve in a 4T field, this calculated displacement is 0.013 m or less. The distribution of displacement is widespread throughout the tissue, and is not localized near the nerve. This displacement is orders of magnitude too small to be detected by conventional MRI methods. Magn Reson Med 61:59 – 64, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Surgery, chemotherapy and supervoltage radiotherapy for carcinoma of the ovary.

Abstract One hundred forty-three postoperative patients with adenocarcinoma of the ovary were treated between 1968 and 1974. Fourteen %were Stage I, 24.5% were Stage II, 51% were Stage III and 8% were Stage IV. They were divided into 3 treatment groups: (1) pelvic or abdominal-pelvic irradiation with no chemotherapy (23 patients); (2) triethylenethiophosphoramide (Thiotepa), 45 mg intraperitoneally followed by 2–3 courses of 0.3 mg/kg intravenously prior to abdominal-pelvic irradiation of 2700–3000 rad and a pelvic boost of 1500–2000 rad (60 patients); and (3) four weekly doses of concurrent combination of Actinomycin-D (500 mcg), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) (7.5 mg/kg), 5-fluorouracil (7.5 mg/kg), and vincristine sulfate (Oncovin) (0.017 mg/kg), given intravenously followed by abdominal-pelvic irradiation, as in the second group, by moving strip technique, and then by maintenance chemotherapy (2 or 4 drugs) for up to 1 year (60 patients). Despite the more intensive therapy of the third group, the 3-year survival rate did not differ from that in the second group (38% for all stages). The 3-year survival rates for Stages I–IV were 94%, 64%, 28% and 18% respectively. The patients also were analyzed by residual tumor at surgery, stage and histology and consistently showed no difference between the triethylenethiophosphoramide group and the 4-drug combination group.
Left ventricular analysis from cardiac images using deformable models

An image understanding system that applies flexible constraints in the form of a probabilistic deformable model to the problem of segmenting the left ventricle from cardiac image sequences is discussed. The parametric model is based on the elliptic Fourier decomposition of the boundary. The segmentation problem is solved as an optimization problem, where the best match between the boundary, as defined by the parameter or vector, and the image data is found. From the boundary determined, the motion and shape of the left ventricle can then be characterized to give a quantitative evaluation of cardiac function. The system is a model for the intelligent segmentation of natural objects whose diversity and irregularity of shape makes them poorly represented in terms of fixed features or form. This technique is being applied to radionuclide angiocardiography and two-dimensional echocardiography. >
Augur: Data-Parallel Probabilistic Modeling

Implementing inference procedures for each new probabilistic model is time-consuming and error-prone. Probabilistic programming addresses this problem by allowing a user to specify the model and then automatically generating the inference procedure. To make this practical it is important to generate high performance inference code. In turn, on modern architectures, high performance requires parallel execution. In this paper we present Augur, a probabilistic modeling language and compiler for Bayesian networks designed to make effective use of data-parallel architectures such as GPUs. We show that the compiler can generate data-parallel inference code scalable to thousands of GPU cores by making use of the conditional independence relationships in the Bayesian network.
Scalable graph clustering using stochastic flows: applications to community discovery

Algorithms based on simulating stochastic flows are a simple and natural solution for the problem of clustering graphs, but their widespread use has been hampered by their lack of scalability and fragmentation of output. In this article we present a multi-level algorithm for graph clustering using flows that delivers significant improvements in both quality and speed. The graph is first successively coarsened to a manageable size, and a small number of iterations of flow simulation is performed on the coarse graph. The graph is then successively refined, with flows from the previous graph used as initializations for brief flow simulations on each of the intermediate graphs. When we reach the final refined graph, the algorithm is run to convergence and the high-flow regions are clustered together, with regions without any flow forming the natural boundaries of the clusters. Extensive experimental results on several real and synthetic datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach when compared to state-of-the-art algorithms.
Simplicity and Complexity in Creoles and Pidgins: What’s the Metric?

This review article is a response to the way the editors of and contributors to Simplicity and Complexity in Creoles and Pidgins respond to McWhorter’s (2001) claim that creoles have the world’s simplest grammars. Although I agree with the contributors that creoles are not as simple as they may look to some, I express several concerns about the ways they (fail to) raise and/or address some fundamental issues regarding the subject matter. These include discussing what the notions simplicity and complexity really mean as they are applied to languages and whether linguistics has yet developed the necessary metric(s) for assessing complexity without biasing the issues in favor of or against particular types of languages. My arguments are intended to prompt linguists to think harder over how we can contribute to the scholarship on complexity as related to emergence, thinking of languages as emergent multi-modular phenomena, internally and externally interactive, always in the state of flux, and in search of (transient) equilibrium.
Violations of information structure: an electrophysiological study of answers to wh-questions.

This study investigates brain responses to violations of information structure in wh-question–answer pairs, with particular emphasis on violations of focus assignment in it-clefts (It was the queen that silenced the banker). Two types of ERP responses in answers to wh-questions were found. First, all words in the focus-marking (cleft) position elicited a large positivity (P3b) characteristic of sentence-final constituents, as did the final words of these sentences, which suggests that focused elements may trigger integration effects like those seen at sentence end. Second, the focusing of an inappropriate referent elicited a smaller, N400-like effect. The results show that comprehenders actively use structural focus cues and discourse-level restrictions during online sentence processing. These results, based on visual stimuli, were different from the brain response to auditory focus violations indicated by pitch-accent [Hruska, C., Steinhauer, K., Alter, K., & Steube, A. (2000). ERP effects of sentence accents and violations of the information structure. In Poster presented at the 13th annual CUNY conference on human sentence processing, San Diego, CA.], but similar to brain responses to newly introduced discourse referents [Bornkessel, I., Schlesewsky, M., & Friederici, A. (2003). Contextual information modulated initial processes of syntactic integration: the role of inter- versus intrasentential predictions. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 29, 871–882.].
Structural and Enzymatic Analysis of MshA from Corynebacterium glutamicum SUBSTRATE-ASSISTED CATALYSIS

The glycosyltransferase termed MshA catalyzes the transfer of N-acetylglucosamine from UDP-N-acetylglucosamine to 1-l-myo-inositol-1-phosphate in the first committed step of mycothiol biosynthesis. The structure of MshA from Corynebacterium glutamicum was determined both in the absence of substrates and in a complex with UDP and 1-l-myo-inositol-1-phosphate. MshA belongs to the GT-B structural family whose members have a two-domain structure with both domains exhibiting a Rossman-type fold. Binding of the donor sugar to the C-terminal domain produces a 97° rotational reorientation of the N-terminal domain relative to the C-terminal domain, clamping down on UDP and generating the binding site for 1-l-myo-inositol-1-phosphate. The structure highlights the residues important in binding of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine and 1-l-myo-inositol-1-phosphate. Molecular models of the ternary complex suggest a mechanism in which the β-phosphate of the substrate, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine, promotes the nucleophilic attack of the 3-hydroxyl group of 1-l-myo-inositol-1-phosphate while at the same time promoting the cleavage of the sugar nucleotide bond.
Intrusion detection: systems and models

Organizations more often than not lack comprehensive security policies and are not adequately prepared to protect their systems against intrusions. This paper puts forward a review of the state of the art and state of the applicability of intrusion detection systems and models. The paper also presents a classification of literature pertaining to intrusion detection.
Unconventional methods for forming nanopatterns

Nanostructured materials have become an increasingly important theme in research, in no small part due to the potential impacts this science holds for applications in technology, including such notable areas as sensors, medicine, and high-performance integrated circuits. Conventional methods, such as the top-down approaches of projection lithography and scanning beam lithography, have been the primary means for patterning materials at the nanoscale. This article provides an overview of unconventional methods - both top-down and bottom-up approaches - for generating nanoscale patterns in a variety of materials, including methods that can be applied to fragile molecular systems that are difficult to pattern using conventional lithographic techniques. The promise, recent progress, advantages, limitations, and challenges to future development associated with each of these unconventional lithographic techniques will be discussed with consideration given to their potential for use in large-scale manufacturing.
Sexual Orientation and Psychological Distress in Adolescence: Examining Interpersonal Stressors and Social Support Processes*

Adolescents with homosexual and bisexual orientations have higher levels of psychological distress than other adolescents. Drawing from previous studies, I hypothesize that this epidemiological pattern is due largely to the interpersonal problems that sexual minorities experience at home and at school. Analysis of longitudinal data based on a nationally representative sample showed that sexual minorities in fact experienced more problems with their parents and peers at school; these factors explained a moderate portion of the gap in distress level between sexual minorities and other adolescents. Adolescent friendships in general tend to develop within groups of individuals who share social backgrounds, but this pattern did not apply to sexual orientation; sexual minorities were not connected closely with each other at school. When they knew each other, however, their friendships reduced psychological distress and protected them from the psychological harm associated with interpersonal problems. I use thes...
Taxes vs. Fees: A Curious Confusion

Provides an analytical framework for categorizing varoius types of taxes and user charges and distinguishing between them, applying both economic and legal concepts.
Mutagenesis breeding for increased 3-deoxyanthocyanidin accumulation in leaves of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench: a source of natural food pigment.

Natural food colorants with functional properties are of increasing interest. Prior papers indicate the chemical suitability of sorghum leaf 3-deoxyanthocyanidins as natural food colorants. Via mutagenesis-assisted breeding, a sorghum variety that greatly overaccumulates 3-deoxyanthocyanidins of leaf tissue, named REDforGREEN (RG), has been isolated and characterized. Interestingly, RG not only caused increased 3-deoxyanthocyanidins but also caused increased tannins, chlorogenic acid, and total phenolics in the leaf tissue. Chemical composition of pigments was established through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) that identified luteolinidin (LUT) and apigeninidin (APG) as the main 3-deoxyanthocianidin species. Specifically, 3-deoxyanthocianidin levels were 1768 μ gg �1 LUT and 421 μ gg �1 APG in RG leaves compared with trace amounts in wild type, representing 1000-fold greater levels in the mutant leaves. Thus, RG represents a useful sorghum mutagenesis In Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (sorghum), the most common anthocyanidin types are the 3-deoxyanthocyanidins, primarily luteolinidin (LUT) and apigeninidin (AP), and their glycosylated derivatives, 7 known as 3-deoxyanthocyanins. The 3-deoxyanthocyanins are rare in nature and are of increased interest as natural food colorants due to their better stability to food-processing conditions than the more common anthocya- nins found in most food plants. 7,8 Despite their potential as natural food ingredients, commercially viable sources of the 3- deoxyanthocyanins have not been identified. High concen- trations of the 3-deoxyanthocyanins are reported in black sorghum bran; 9 however, the bran tissue is a limited component of the total plant biomass. In addition, the 3- deoxyanthocyanin pigments are relatively difficult to extract from bran tissue due to their strong association with cell wall material. Recent findings demonstrate that the more abundant plant tissues, leaves and sheaths, of sorghum may be more
Research on Accurate Measuring Method for Transformer No-load Field Test

No-load test is implemented in site hand-over to verify whether the no-load loss current of transformer nameplate nominal are accurate,and judge the quality of core winding of a transformer.Accuracy analysis for transformer no-load test is conducted with different supply source for testing test instrument.The errors is reduced and the accuracy of the test is improved using a high-resolution power analyzer as well as three phase variable frequency power supply,then,an effective means for site verifying the no-load loss current of the transformer nameplate nominal is given.
Patent ductus arteriosus in premature infants. Indications for surgery.

In order to establish more objective criteria for surgical intervention, the literature and our clinical experience with operative closure of patent ductus arteriosus in 11 premature infants was reviewed. A wide range of age at the time of operation underscored the spectrum of clinical presentation and the difficulty of interpreting the course of therapy. The presence of a typical continuous murmur established the diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus in patients with respiratory distress syndrome. Cardiac catheterization confirmed the diagnosis and provided quantitation of the left-to-right shunt flow through the ductus arteriosus in 6 patients but did not influence the decision to operate. Progress of the clinical course as determined by the heart size on chest roentgenogram and the presence of hypercarbia (PaCO2 > 60 mm. Hg) after respiratory assistance and medical decongestive measures were the two most helpful signs indicating the need for surgical intervention.
Othello: ‘A Pageant to Keep Us in False Gaze’

Othello is both Shakespeare’s first Jacobean tragedy and the first of six tragedies written in a concentrated burst between 1604 and 1608, perhaps even in succession. Like three other tragedies among those six — Macbeth, Coriolanus, and Antony and Cleopatra — its protagonist is an acclaimed warrior whose relationship with a woman (wife, mother, lover) is of crucial importance. In that respect, Othello marks a departure from Hamlet, Shakespeare’s last Elizabethan tragedy. Hamlet has never led men in battle, and the military funeral that Fortinbras orders for him at the end of the play acknowledges the warrior he might have become, not the warrior he was.
Religion, Marriage Markets, and Assortative Mating in the United States

As interfaith marriage has become more common, religion is thought to be less important for sorting partners. However, prior studies on religious assortative mating use samples of prevailing marriages, which miss how local marriage markets shape both partner selection and marriage timing. Drawing on search theory and data from 8,699 young adults (ages 18-31) in the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1997, the author examined the association between the concentration of co-religionists in local marriage markets and marriage timing and partner selection using event history methods. Religious concentration is associated with higher odds of transitioning to marriage and religious homogamy (conditional on marriage) for women and men at older ages (24-31) but not at younger ages (18-23). The association was also stronger for non-Hispanic Whites compared to other race-ethnic groups. The findings indicate that religion remains relevant in sorting partners for many young adults in today's marriage market.
Efficiency in nonequilibrium molecular dynamics Monte Carlo simulations

Hybrid algorithms combining nonequilibrium molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo (neMD/MC) offer a powerful avenue for improving the sampling efficiency of computer simulations of complex systems. These neMD/MC algorithms are also increasingly finding use in applications where conventional approaches are impractical, such as constant-pH simulations with explicit solvent. However, selecting an optimal nonequilibrium protocol for maximum efficiency often represents a non-trivial challenge. This work evaluates the efficiency of a broad class of neMD/MC algorithms and protocols within the theoretical framework of linear response theory. The approximations are validated against constant pH-MD simulations and shown to provide accurate predictions of neMD/MC performance. An assessment of a large set of protocols confirms (both theoretically and empirically) that a linear work protocol gives the best neMD/MC performance. Finally, a well-defined criterion for optimizing the time parameters of the protocol is proposed and demonstrated with an adaptive algorithm that improves the performance on-the-fly with minimal cost.
Alternative Review Screen Design for Electronic Voting Systems

Verifying a ballot for correctness in an election is a critical task for the voter. Previous work has shown that up to 30% of the ballot can be changed without being noticed by more than half of the voters. In response to this ballot weakness, this study evaluated the usability and viability of alternative ballot verification methods in an electronic voting medium. Three verification methods were tested: end-of-ballot, in-line confirmation, and dual confirmation. In-line and dual confirmation perform similarly to end-of-ballot confirmation in terms of effectiveness. The most efficient method is end-of-ballot review, and dual confirmation produced the longest time spent on the review screen. End-of-ballot confirmation produced the highest satisfaction ratings, though survey results indicated that dual confirmation may be the most appropriate method in terms of voting. Additional research in the field is the next step in exploring these confirmation methods.
An Integrated Cyber-Physical Immersive Virtual Reality Framework with Applications to Telerobotics

This paper presents an architecture to integrate a number of robotic platforms in interactive immersive virtual environments. The architecture, termed ArVETO (Aria Virtual Environment for Tele- Operation), is a client-server framework that communicates directly with a state-of-the-art game engine to utilize a virtual environment in support of tele-robotics and tele-presence. The strength of the proposed architecture is that it allows for the integration of heterogeneous robotic systems in an intelligent immersive environment for intuitive interaction between the robot and its operators. By utilizing an immersive virtual reality medium, an operator can more naturally interact with the robot; as buttons and joysticks can be replaced with hand gestures and interactions with the virtual environment. This provides a higher degree of immersion and interactivity for the operator when compared to more traditional control schemes.
Multiline anchors for floating offshore wind towers

Roughly 60% of potentially exploitable offshore wind power is located beyond the range of water depths suitable for fixed foundations, where floating offshore wind towers (FOWTs) moored to the seabed are required. Anchors comprise a critical component of the mooring system. A variety of anchor types are potentially suitable for this purpose, but all have limitations in regards to the types of seabed soils in which they may be deployed and the type of mooring systems (catenary, taut) for which they are suitable. Additionally, foundations for offshore wind make up a large portion of project cost; therefore, minimizing the costs of fabrication, transport and installation of anchors is a key aspect of overall project feasibility. In contrast to offshore oil-gas installations, offshore wind towers are deployed in arrays, which offer the possibility of reducing project costs by attaching more than one mooring line to a single anchor. In addition to direct cost savings, the multiline anchor concept permits a reduced scale of costly offshore geotechnical site investigations. This paper first examines different anchor types that are potentially suitable as anchors for FOWTs, largely within the context of their traditional usage in securing a single mooring line to the seabed. Then, the potential for adapting these anchors to multiline systems is assessed. Anchor types examined include: driven piles, dynamic piles, suction caissons, drag embedded anchors, vertically loaded anchors, pile driven plate anchors (PDPA), dynamically embedded plate anchors (DEPLA), and suction embedded plate anchors (SEPLA). Performance considerations for each anchor include: Soil profile constraints, vertical load capacity, horizontal load capacity, precision of positioning, installation cost, efficiency, performance under sustained loading, potential loss of embedment, as well as other anchor specific considerations.
Controlled drug loading and release enabled by nanopore thin film and layer-by-layer nanoassembly

Herein a new drug loading and release device based on nanopore thin film and layer-by-layer (LbL) nanoassembly is reported. The nanopore thin film is a layer of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO), which consists of periodically distributed honeycomb-shape nanopores. Using LbL nanoassembly process, the drug (gentamicin sulfate (GS) as the model) can be loaded into the nanopores and the stacked layers on the nanopore thin film surface. This procedure can be monitored optically. As a technical demonstration, the drug release from the device is achieved by immersing it into flowing DI water, which again can be monitored optically. The simple preparation process and bio-compatibility of the device render it as a potential implantable controlled drug release device.
Decision-Making and Neuroeconomics

This article tries to provide a link between the classical decision theory as developed in economics and statistics and the theory of decision theory as developed in the field of neuroscience. We first review these two different conceptual frameworks. In our review of the economic theory of choice we focus on the fundamental model of decision under risk, the distinction between cardinal and ordinal utility, and the theory of stochastic choice. In the review of the neuroscience theory, we focus on the random walk model of decision and its neural underpinnings. In the last part, an attempt to a first synthesis is provided.
The York Platelet Syndrome: A Third Case and New Findings

Abstract 2526 Studies published in 2003 described a mother and son with a mitochondrial myopathy and abnormal platelets containing giant electron opaque organelles and large, multilayered organelles resembling targets. The condition has remained a familial disorder until recently when a new patient, a four year old female, with the same myopathy and platelet ultrastructure was discovered. Now the disorder can be considered a syndrome named after the initial family, the York Platelet Syndrome (YPS). Whole mount preparations of unfixed, unstained YPS platelets revealed that the giant opaque organelles (OO) were as inherently electron dense as delta granules (dense bodies, DB) but several times larger. Analytical electron microscopy revealed both organelles were rich in phosphorous and calcium, suggesting they might have the same origin. However, measurements of serotonin and adenine nucleotides in YPS platelets revealed normal levels. Also, staining YPS platelets for acid phosphatase with cerium as the capture ion and using analytical electron microscopy to determine its location in whole mount preparations revealed the presence of cerium in the giant OO, but not in DB. The findings suggested the OO might be giant secretory organelles. However, exposure of YPS platelets to high dose thrombin caused complete secretion of α granules and DB, but OO and TO were not released through the open canalicular system or the surface membrane. Thus, OO and TO are not secretory organelles. Studies of YPS in the new patient have confirmed and extended these findings. Staining her cells with diaminobenzidine and H202 to detect platelet peroxidase has revealed enzyme reaction product in both OO and TO, as well as in channels of the dense tubular system. Thus, the giant OO and TO organelles contain proteins and elements usually separated into vesicles in the Golgi Complex and reassembled into alpha granules, dense bodies and lysosomes in megakaryocytes. Instead proteins and elements from the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) develop into giant OO and TO without passing through lamellae of the Golgi complex. Involvement of the SER and DTS in formation of the giant organelles is strongly supported by YPS platelets from the new patient. Large, flat sheets and coils of SER were a common finding in the new YPS patient platelets, and present, but less frequent in the original two YPS patients. The findings strongly support the concept that the YPS in a disorder of megakaryocyte endoplasmic reticulum allowing the formation OO and TO which continue to develop in the DTS of YPS circulating platelets. It is the first such disorder to be described in human megakaryocytes and platelets. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Introduction. Symposium: Obesity in developing countries: biological and ecological factors.

Over the past decade there has been an increasing concern about the impact of chronic, noncommunicable diseases on the health of developing world populations. Traditionally, major causes of illness and death in developing countries have been linked to infectious diseases and undernutrition, and these are still major public health problems in several regions of the world. But recent projections indicate that in 20 y noncommunicable diseases will account for over 60% of the disease burden and mortality in the developing world. Obesity is recognized as an underlying risk factor for many of these chronic conditions. As in developed societies, the risk for obesity in developing countries is also strongly influenced by diet and lifestyle, which are changing dramatically as a result of the economic and nutrition transition. This symposium discusses key aspects of the phenomenon of obesity in the developing world and provides some specific examples from countries facing increasing prevalence of that condition.