cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isothermal δ / α′ Transformation and TTT Diagram in a Plutonium Gallium Alloy

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is used as an alternative approach to determining the time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram for the martensitic delta to alpha-prime transformation in a Pu-2.0 at% Ga alloy. Previous work sugests that the TTT diagram for a similar alloy exhibits an unusual double-C curve for isothermal holds of less than 100 minutes. Here, we extend this diagram to 18 hours, and confirm the double-C curve behavior. When the sample is cooled prior to the isothermal holds, the delta to alpha-prime transformation is observed as several overlapping exothermic peaks. These peaks are very reproducible, and they are believed to be the result of different kinds of delta to alpha-prime martensitic transformation. This may be due to the presence of different nucleation sites and/or different morphologies.
Language Acquisition, Language Contact and Nativized Varieties of English1

The importance of non-native English varieties can be expected to increase as the number of their speakers continues to grow. This survey attempts to place non-native institutionalized varieties of...
A single injection of interleukin-1 induces reversible aqueous-tear deficiency, lacrimal gland inflammation, and acinar and ductal cell proliferation

Emerging studies from our laboratory demonstrate that interleukin-1 (IL-1) family members play a major role in impairing lacrimal gland functions. Here we have extended our investigations to observe the effects of IL-1 on aqueous tear production, lacrimal gland secretion, lacrimal gland histology, and acinar and ductal cell proliferation. We demonstrate that a single injection of IL-1 into the lacrimal glands inhibited neurally- as well as agonist-induced protein secretion resulting in decreased tear output. Meanwhile, IL-1 injection induced a severe, but reversible (7-13 days), inflammatory response that led to destruction of lacrimal gland acinar epithelial cells. Finally, we demonstrate that as the inflammatory response subsided and lacrimal gland secretion and tear production returned to normal levels, there was increased proliferation of acinar and ductal epithelial cells. Our work uncovers novel effects of IL-1 on lacrimal gland functions and the potential regenerative capacity of the mouse lacrimal gland.
The effects of molecular structure on soot formation, I. Soot thresholds in premixed flames

Abstract Soot thresholds have been measured in atmospheric pressure, laminar premixed flames of 55 pure hydrocarbons. Soot threshold data as a function of fuel structure parameters are presented in four forms; threshold soot indices, TSIs; equivalence ratios assuming combustion to CO 2 and H 2 O, f c ; equivalence ratios assuming combustion to CO and H 2 O, ψ c ; and carbon to oxygen atom ratios (C/O) c . The relative TSI scale allows comparison with previous measurements and removes apparatus-dependent variations in the data. Data were obtained for more than 40 previously unstudied fuels, including 15 alkanes, 14 alkenes, 7 alkynes, and 15 aromatics. Comparison with similar data in the literature gave good agreement. Suggested TSI values are given for all fuels which have been reported.
Abstract CT102: Efficacy and toxicity management of 19-28z CAR T cell therapy in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are artificial receptors for antigen that redirect antigen specificity, activate T cells and further enhance T cell function through their costimulatory component. Three groups, including our own, have reported objective tumor responses when infusing autologous T cells genetically modified with CD19-targeted CARs into patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), other indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) and, most dramatically in patients with relapsed or refractory B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Here we report on 16 patients with relapsed or refractory B-ALL that we treated with autologous T cells expressing the 19-28z CAR specific to the CD19 antigen. The overall complete response rate was 88%, as assessed by morphological criteria and IgH deep sequencing. This allowed us to transition a majority of these patients to a standard of care allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-SCT). This therapy was as effective in high-risk patients with Ph+ disease as in those with relapsed disease following prior allo-SCT. Through systematic analysis of clinical data and serum cytokine levels over the first 21 days following T cell infusion, we have defined diagnostic criteria for a severe cytokine release syndrome (sCRS), with the goal of better identifying the subset of patients who will likely require therapeutic intervention with corticosteroids or interleukin-6 receptor blockade to curb the CRS. Additionally, we found that serum C-reactive protein (CRP), a readily available laboratory study, can serve as a reliable indicator for the severity of the CRS and a road map for patient management at centers now contemplating the use of CAR T cell therapy. Based on these remarkably robust clinical results and the toxicity management algorithm we present here, we will soon open a multi-center Phase II clinical trial to further evaluate the efficacy of 19-28z CAR T cells and prospectively validate our proposed CRS monitoring and intervention guidelines in patients who are treated with CAR therapy. Citation Format: Michel Sadelain, Renier Brentjens, Marco Davila, Isabelle Riviere, Xiuyan Wang, Shirley Bartido, Jae Park, Diana Bouhassira, Kevin Curran, Stephen Chung, Jolanta Stefanski, Oriana Borquez-Ojeda, Sergio Giralt. Efficacy and toxicity management of 19-28z CAR T cell therapy in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr CT102. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-CT102
Understanding attitudes toward energy security: Results of a cross-national survey

Energy security is embedded in a complex system encompassing factors that constitute the social environment in which individuals are immersed. Everything from education, to access to resources to policy and cultural values of particular places affects perceptions and experiences of energy security. This article examines the types of energy security challenges that nations face and characterizes the policy responses that are often used to address these challenges. Drawing from a survey of energy consumers in Brazil, China, Germany, India, Kazakhstan, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the United States, we conduct a cross-national comparison of energy security attitudes as well as analyze each country's energy resources, consumption characteristics and energy policies. Through multivariate regression analysis and case studies we find that socio-demographic and regional characteristics affect attitudes towards energy security. Specifically, we find a strong relationship between level of reliance on oil imports and level of concern for a variety of energy security characteristics including availability, affordability and equity. Our results reaffirm the importance of gender and age in shaping perceptions of security, but also extend existing literature by elucidating the impacts of country energy portfolios and policies in shaping climate and security perceptions. Level of development, reliance on oil, and strong energy efficiency policies all affect individuals’ sense of energy security. In sum, we find that energy security is a highly context-dependent condition that is best understood from a nuanced and multi-dimensional perspective.
Beyond adaptive critic- creative learning for intelligent mobile robots

Intelligent industrial and mobile robots may be considered proven technology in structured environments. Teach programming and supervised learning methods permit solutions to a variety of applications. However, we believe that to extend the operation of these machines to more unstructured environments requires a new learning method. Both unsupervised learning and reinforcement learning are potential candidates for these new tasks. The adaptive critic method has been shown to provide useful approximations or even optimal control policies to non-linear systems. The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of new learning methods that goes beyond the adaptive critic method for unstructured environments. The adaptive critic is a form of reinforcement learning. A critic element provides only high level grading corrections to a cognition module that controls the action module. In the proposed system the critic's grades are modeled and forecasted, so that an anticipated set of sub-grades are available to the cognition model. The forecasting grades are interpolated and are available on the time scale needed by the action model. The success of the system is highly dependent on the accuracy of the forecasted grades and adaptability of the action module. Examples from the guidance of a mobile robot are provided to illustrate the method for simple line following and for the more complex navigation and control in an unstructured environment. The theory presented that is beyond the adaptive critic may be called creative theory. Creative theory is a form of learning that models the highest level of human learning - imagination. The application of the creative theory appears to not only be to mobile robots but also to many other forms of human endeavor such as educational learning and business forecasting. Reinforcement learning such as the adaptive critic may be applied to known problems to aid in the discovery of their solutions. The significance of creative theory is that it permits the discovery of the unknown problems, ones that are not yet recognized but may be critical to survival or success.
Leptomeningeal metastasis from systemic cancer.

Purpose of ReviewLeptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is an uncommon, usually late, complication of cancer. This article discusses the clinical presentation, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of LM.Recent FindingsNeither gadolinium-enhanced MRI nor CSF cytology is adequately sensitive to diagnose all ca
Extracellular superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide, and central nervous system O2 toxicity.

Abstract Although reactive O2 species appear to participate in central nervous system (CNS) O2 toxicity, the exact roles of different reactive O2 species are undetermined. To study the contribution of extracellular superoxide anion (O2-) to CNS O2 toxicity we constructed transgenic mice overexpressing human extracellular superoxide dismutase (ECSOD; superoxide:superoxide oxidoreductase, EC 1.15.1.1) in the brain. Remarkably, when exposed to 6 atm (1 atm = 101.3 kPA) of hyperbaric oxygen for 25 min, transgenic mice demonstrated higher mortality (83%) than nontransgenic litter-mates (33%; P < 0.017). Pretreatment with diethyldithiocarbamate, which inhibits both ECSOD and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD) activity, increased resistance to CNS O2 toxicity, in terms of both survival (100% in transgenics and 93% in nontransgenics) and resistance to seizures (4-fold increase in seizure latency in both transgenic and nontransgenic mice; P < 0.05). Thus, O2- apparently protects against CNS O2 toxicity. We hypothesized that O2- decreased toxicity by inactivating nitric oxide (NO.). To test this, we inhibited NO. synthase (EC 1.14.23) with N omega-nitro-L-arginine to determine whether NO. contributes to enhanced CNS O2 toxicity in transgenic mice. N omega-nitro-L-arginine protected both transgenic and nontransgenic mice against CNS O2 toxicity (100% survival and a 4-fold delay in time to first seizure; P < 0.05), as well as abolishing the difference in sensitivity to CNS O2 toxicity between transgenic and nontransgenic mice. These results implicate NO. as an important mediator in CNS O2 toxicity and suggest that ECSOD increases CNS O2 toxicity by inhibiting O2(-)-mediated inactivation of NO.
Update on Immunotherapy in Melanoma

Immunotherapy is now recognized as a viable option for patients with metastatic melanoma. The field of immunotherapy now offers treatments with the potential for a long-term cure. As the field moves forward, studies will focus on improving the response rates with new immunotherapy agents or novel treatment combinations.
The (d, 3He) reaction on the N = 28 nuclei at 34 MeV

Abstract Deuterons accelerated to 34.4 MeV were used to investigate the (d, 3 He) reaction on 48 Ti and on the N = 28 nuclei 48 Ca, 50 Ti, 51 V, 52 Cr and 54 Fe. The angular distributions were compared with local zero-range DW calculations from which the transferred angular momenta and spectroscopic factors were deduced. The results are consistent with the simple shell model considering f 7 2 protons outside an inert 48 Ca core. Small deviations from this description are found for 54 Fe where evidence for both f 5 2 and p 3 2 admixtures are noted in the ground state. For the N = 28 nuclei it was found that the 1 d 3 2 proton shell is more tightly bound than the 2 s 1 2 proton shell.
The ZEPLIN II dark matter detector status

We describe the construction status of the ZEPLIN II detector, a 30-kg two-phase discriminating xenon detector to be installed in the Boulby Mine, UK, for the direct detection of WIMP dark matter. Both scintillation and ionization will be measured in order to discriminate the radioactive backgrounds. The ZEPLIN II detector will have very high radioactive-background rejection efficiency. The ZEPLIN program is a collaborative work of TAMU, UKDMC, CNR Torino, and UCLA.
Alteration of Bone Marrow-Thymus Cell Synergism in Hereditary Asplenic and Adult Splenectomized Mice

SummaryThe cooperation between bone marrow (B) and thymus (T) cells was markedly impaired in mice with congenital as-plenia. The deficiency of IgM producers could not be corrected by neonatal transplantation of spleen cells. The use of T and B cells from splenectomized donors results in a marked shift from 19S to 7S antibody forming cells.
Implementation and control of a reconfigurable 8-Tetrahedral robot

This work describes the implementation and control of an 8-Tetrahedron Walker. The hardware selection in building the robot will be covered. Both mechanical systems and the electronic control systems will be discussed. A TET robot has struts and nodes positioned in a way that allows the robot to move by extending and contracting the struts. The Hope College Controls team has built a working 8-TET robot and has done extensive modeling and gait development of other TET configurations.
Optical properties of carbon microcoils

Carbon microcoils (CMCs) have emerged as versatile material artifacts for a variety of applications due to their helical and spiral structures. Embedded in matrix, CMCs have already been demonstrated for their potential tactile/proximity sensor application. In this study, CMCs were prepared using a conventional chemical vapor deposition method, and then were functionalized with octadecylamine. Upon photoexcitation, the functionalized CMCs exhibited photoluminescence in the visible region, which has never been found before. Similar to carbon based nanoparticles, the photoluminescence of CMCs was attributed to electron-hole radiative recombination after surface passivation. The results suggested that this kind of fluorescent functionalized CMCs might be used as a promising class of optical agents for biological applications.
'Prisoners of their own feebleness': women, nerves and Western medicine--a historical overview

The medical conceptualization, diagnosis and treatment of nervous disorders has been greatly affected by gender ideologies. A survey of recent scholarship reveals that gender ideologies still largely inform the illness-labeling, medical diagnosis and management of woman's physiology and, in particular, her nerves. Historically the names of the specific 'diseases' have evolved from demonic possession, tarantism, hysteralgia, hystero-epilepsy, neurasthenia, hypochondriasis and nervousness to neurosis, but several key features remain static. The overriding common features of these ailments are the gender of their sufferers and the behavioral symptoms they exhibit. The etiologies first emphasized uterine causation then gradually shifted emphasis to focus on psychological factors. Both of these etiological explanations contributed to perceptions of women as more physiologically and emotionally vulnerable and unpredictable and justified advocating a gender-specific course of medical management and social sphere of influence. Historically and contemporarily, medical illness-labeling and therapeutics pertaining to women's nerves reflect the interplay between changing scientific information and culturally constructed gender relations. Claims and 'proofs' of women's predisposed susceptibility to nervous debility transcended medical and scientific knowledge to include assertions that reflected and perpetuated deeply-held beliefs about female and male physiology, their consequent natures, and the acceptable parameters of women's behavior and influence. Thus the metaphor of the prison can be employed to describe not only the debility produced among women from psycho-organic malaise, but also the limitations placed on women's life choices and acceptable modes of expression.
Molecular Determinants of Arg-Gly-Asp Ligand Specificity for β3 Integrins

The Arg-Tyr-Asp (RYD) and Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequences within the third complementarity-determining region of the heavy chain (H3) of murine recombinant Fab molecules OPG2 and AP7, respectively, are responsible for their specific binding to the platelet integrin αIIbβ3. In this study, we evaluated the influence of divalent cation composition and single amino acid substitutions at key positions within H3 on the selectivity of these Fab molecules for integrin αIIbβ3 versus the vitronectin receptor αVβ3. The parent Fab molecule OPG2 (H3 sequence, HPFYRYDGGN) binds selectively to αIIbβ3 and not at all to any other RGD-cognitive integrin, particularly αVβ3, under any divalent cation conditions. The binding of the AP7 Fab molecule (HPFYRGDGGN) to αIIbβ3 is not affected by the relative composition of calcium, magnesium or manganese. However, AP7 binding to αVβ3, either expressed by M21 cells or as the purified integrin, is supported by manganese and inhibited by calcium. If the flanking asparagine 108 residue within the AP7 H3 loop is replaced by alanine (HPFYRGDGGA), the resulting Fab molecule AP7.4 binds selectively to αVβ3 in a cation-dependent manner, but does not bind at all to αIIbβ3 under any conditions. AP7.4 binding to αVβ3 is supported by manganese, completely inhibited by calcium, and largely unaffected by magnesium. This behavior mimics that of the adhesive protein, osteopontin, another ligand that binds preferentially to αVβ3. Despite these differences in specificity for αIIbβ3 and αVβ3, AP7 and AP7.4 remain selective for the β3 integrins and do not bind to cell lines that express the RGD-cognitive integrins αVβ5 or α5β1. These results confirm that subtle changes in the amino acid composition immediately flanking the RGD or RYD motifs can have a profound effect on β3 integrin specificity, most likely because they influence the juxtaposition of the arginine and aspartate side chains within the extended RGD loop sequence.
Are Genes Units of Inheritance

Definitions of the term ‘gene’ typically superimpose molecular genetics onto Mendelism. What emerges are persistent attempts to regard the gene as a ‘unit’ of structure and/or function, language that creates multiple meanings for the term and fails to acknowledge the diversity of gene architecture. I argue that coherence at the molecular level requires abandonment of the classical unit concept and recognition that a gene is constructed from an assemblage of domains. Hence, a domain set (1) conforms more closely to empirical evidence for genetic organization of DNA regions capable of transcription and (2) has ontological properties lacking in the traditional unit definition.
A General Method of Measuring Interoperability and Describing Its Impact on Operational Effectiveness

A general method of measuring the interoperability of a heterogeneous set of systems, experiencing any type and number of interoperations, in the context of an operational process is given. Furthermore, for confrontational operations (friendly versus adversary), the method gives sufficient conditions for relating the interoperability measurement to operational effectiveness. Owing to the difficulty in creating a general method of interoperability measurement, developers of extant interoperability assessment methods have relied upon problem decomposition to produce methods of assessing the interoperability of specific types of systems experiencing distinct modes of interoperation. Unfortunately, this approach fractured the problem, effectively driving them further from the solution.Therefore, in this research, a holistic, fundamental, and flexible means of describing a general method of interoperability measurement was undertaken which models systems according to their interoperability-related features in ...
Design and modeling of a mixed mode magnetorheological (MR) fluid mount

Noise and vibration have always affected not only the operation of various devices but also people's comfort. These issues are highly present in currently emerging technologies like hydraulic launch assist vehicles. While the switching mechanisms in hydraulic hybrid vehicles enhance fuel efficiency, they cause complicated patterns of noise and vibration. This, combined with a wider range of frequencies excited by this mechanism requires advanced vibration isolators that can provide variable damping and stiffness. A solution to this problem can be provided by MR fluid based mounts. An MR fluid mount is capable of changing its stiffness and damping characteristics to accommodate various input excitation amplitudes and frequencies. This paper presents simulated results for a mixed mode magnetorheological (MR) fluid mount. If the MR mount is only working in one mode, either flow or squeeze mode, the range of isolation force provided by the damping and spring rate of the mount is constrained by the geometry of the respective mode. However, when the mount operates in both modes simultaneously, their effects are combined to accommodate a wider range of amplitudes and frequencies of excitation. The mathematical governing equations of the mount are derived to account for its operation with mixed flow modes. These equations implemented in MATLAB/Simulink (c) , with a specific set of parameters, predict the response of the mount for various excitations. The simulated results indicate that the combination of modes is beneficial for the mount performance in the low frequency range of operation.
Anti-γ-globulins in rheumatoid arthritis sera—III. The reactivity of anti-γ-globulin rheumatoid factors with heterologous γG-globulin

Abstract The binding constant for the interaction between anti-γ-globulin rheumatoid factors (RF) and heat-aggregated γG-globulin was measured by an equilibrium binding technique. The value obtained, 4 × 10 5 L / M was identical to that previously obtained by ultracentrifugal techniques for the interaction of RF with native 7S γG-globulin. Similar binding constants were also obtained, by ultracentrifugal techniques, for the interaction between RF and the 7S fractions of heated, urea treated, and rabbit γG-globulin.
Processing and properties of injection molded thermoplastic composites reinforced with melt processable glasses

This work was concerned with evaluating the properties of injection molded composites comprising polyetherimide (PEI) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) reinforced with various lower T g melt processable phosphate glasses. Composites were produced utilizing a variety of glass and resin combinations in order to ascertain the effects of factors such as glass concentration and viscosity of the components on the mechanical properties of the composite blends. Changes in the rheological and interfacial properties of the blends obtained by varying the resins and phosphate glasses used during processing resulted in a variety of reinforcing morphologies consisting of glass beads, ribbons, and an interpenetrating network structure. The large variations in the glass phase morphologies obtained during injection molding led to composites that displayed a wide range of properties. Generally, it was found that the use of resin/glass combinations that minimized the viscosity difference between the components resulted in composites displaying the best overall mechanical properties. The stiffness of the composites was found to increase with glass concentration with loadings up to 45 vol% glass, leading to moduli 3-4 times greater than those of the neat resins. While the addition of the phosphate glasses produced significant enhancements in the stiffness of the composite blends, the strength often fell to values 2-3 times lower than those of the neat resins.
Extremum control. III - Fully-discrete approximations to conservation laws

A rigorous approach is presented to the design and evaluation of oscillation-free, semidiscrete approximations to discontinuous solutions of conservation laws. This approach draws on properties of extrema in the exact solution in order to derive optimal conditions with such attributes as: (1) no effects on steady extrema; (2) the creation of a wavelength-dependent second-order error at moving extrema; (3) the possibility of extension to vector problems; and (4) the possibility of extension to multidimensions without loss of accuracy. The approach also provides a simple conceptual framework for reassessing the significance and effects of TVD and related conditions. 29 refs.
An overview of George Box's contributions to process monitoring and feedback adjustment

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the contributions of George Box in the area of process monitoring and control. We give a historical context and then describe his ideas and methods. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cytology and Fertility of Advanced Populations of Elymus lanceolatus (Scribn. & Smith) Gould × Elymus caninus (L.) L. Hybrids

Within the wheatgrasses and wildryes, amphiploids are frequently made as a means for introgressing desirable traits and restoring fertility in hybrids between diverse species. This study reports the cytology, fertility, and morphological characteristics of Elymus lanceolatus (Scribn. & Smith) Gould, E. caninus (L.) L., their F 1 hybrids, advanced generations (F 7 and F 8 ), and three generations of advanced amphiploid progenies (C 1 , C 2 , and C 3 ). Meiotic chromosome associations of E. lanceolatus and E. caninus are typical of allotetraploids. Chromosome pairing in the F 1 hybrids suggests a close relationship between the two parents. Bivalent associations most frequently observed in the F 7 and F 8 were 14 bivalents. After multiple generations of harvesting available seed each generation from 10 plants, an increase in meiotic regularity was observed in the advanced F generations. Aneuploidy in the amphiploids (C generation) was observed in the C 2 and C 3 generations with chromosome numbers ranging from 47 to 56. The C 1 generation had significantly fewer univalents per cell than the C 2 and C 3 generations. Combined across chromosome numbers, there was a significant decrease in the number of bivalents from 22.48 to 21.36 to 20.27 in each succeeding C generation, respectively. After seven generations of seed increase, pollen stainability increased from less than 1% in the F 1 hybrid to 87 and 85% in the F 7 and F 8 generations, respectively. Chromosome doubling significantly reduced pollen stainability in the C 1 , C 2 , and C 3 generations as compared to the parents and advanced F generations. Cluster analysis was able to separate the parents and the different hybrid populations.
A study of nonmesic hyperfragments withZ⩾3 using production analysis

Hyperfragments with charge (Z)⩾3, produced by K− capture in an emulsion stack, have been studied using production analysis as an aid in hyperfragment identification. On the basis of 96 nonmesic decays and 30 π− mesic decays, the overall nonmesic to π− mesic decay ratio was found to be 3.2±0.7. By separating the events according to production characteristics, the nonmesic to π− mesic ratios for the 3⩽Z⩽4 group (RL) and theZ⩾5 group (RH) were measured. The results are compared with theoretical calculations made by Dalitz for some selected hyperfragments. The reliability of kinematic analysis of hyper-fragment productions has also been considered and the charge production pion spectrum has been determined. In addition, hyperfragment decay products have been examined to study the Λ stimulation process.
The Creative College Student: An Unmet Challenge

(1969). The Creative College Student: An Unmet Challenge. The Journal of Higher Education: Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 165-166.
Extrapulmonary Manifestations of Sarcoidosis

Granulomatous infiltration in systemic sarcoidosis may cause dysfunction in almost any organ; however, decades of observations have helped define the more common manifestations of sarcoidosis in various organs. An understanding of the typical patterns of involvement is critical for early detection and treatment of disease. Sarcoidosis is characteristically responsive to corticosteroids, which remain the mainstay of therapy. Disease-modifying antiinflammatory drugs, including anti-TNF agents, play an increasing role in managing refractory disease; however, further studies are required to clarify the roles of these agents in the treatment of systemic sarcoidosis.
Flow Patterns and Dynamic Characteristics of a Lightly Loaded Hydrostatic Pocket of Variable Aspect Ratio and Supply Jet Strength

The flow in a hydrostatic pocket is numerically simulated using a dimensionless formulation of the Navier-Stokes equations. In essence, this paper continues the work of Braun et al. (1), (2) by extending it to the study of the effects of certain geometric (α and λ) and flow (R and F) parameters on stiffness and damping in the hydrostatic pocket. The numerical simulations evaluate parametrically the effects of the aspect ratio, the Reynolds number and the jet strength on the flow pattern, pressure magnitudes, runner equilibrium position, stiffness and damping. This synthesis analysis has direct pertinence to hydrostatic journal bearing parametric design, especially so for configurations when α << 1. Presented as a Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers paper at the ASME/STLE Tribology Conference in San Diego, California, October 19–21, 1992
Incidence of sudden cardiac arrest is higher in areas of low socioeconomic status : A prospective two year study in a large United States Community

Summary Background A potential effect of socioeconomic status on occurrence of sudden cardiac arrest in the community is likely, but has not been evaluated fully. Methods All cases of sudden cardiac arrest in Multnomah County Oregon (population 660,486; February 2002–January 2004) were identified prospectively and categorized by census tract based on the address of residence and specific geographic location of occurrence of cardiac arrest. Each census tract was assigned to quartiles of median income, poverty level, median home value, and educational attainment. Results Of 714 cases (annual incidence 54 per 100,000), 697 (98%) had residential addresses that matched a county census tract successfully. For each socioeconomic status measure, the incidence of cardiac arrest was 30–80% higher in the lowest compared to the highest socioeconomic status census tracts. Annual incidence in census tracts in the lowest compared to the highest quartiles of median home value was 60.5 versus 35.1 per 100,000 (RR 1.7, 95% CI 1.4–2.2). This gradient was exaggerated significantly for age Conclusions Low neighborhood socioeconomic status was associated with a significantly higher incidence of sudden cardiac arrest based on address of residence as well as location of cardiac arrest. For effective deployment of strategies for community-based prevention such as the automated external defibrillator, neighborhood socioeconomic status is likely to be an important consideration.
Comparative pharmacokinetics of quinidine and Its O-desmethyl metabolite in rabbits

The pharmacokinetics of quinidine and the O-desmethyl metabolite 6′-hydroxycinchonine were studied in rabbits. After intravenous bolus injections of equimolar doses, the blood concentration–time curves of each agent declined biexponentially, which was characteristic of a two-compartment open model. A significant difference between quinidine and 6′-hydroxycinchonine was observed for the following parameters: ±, and the intercompartmental distribution ratio, k12/k21. The results showed that the distribution of the metabolite was slower than quinidine and suggested that it also was less extensive. The Vdβ value for 6′-hydroxycinchonine was approximately one-half of the value observed for quinidine, and its k12/k21 ratio was about one-fourth of the quinidine value. The terminal half-lives for quinidine and the metabolite were 132.4 ± 27.1 and 65.4 ± 34.4 min, respectively. Total body clearance was similar for both compounds. The findings of this study could be explained by the greater polarity or greater water solubility of 6′-hydroxycinchonine. The limited data in humans coupled with the results of this investigation suggest that, although it is intrinsically active, the O-demethylated metabolite probably contributes little to the anti-arrhythmic effects seen after quinidine administration in humans.
Endoscopic control of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding with a tissue adhesive (MBR 4197)

The authors report a preliminary investigation of the efficacy of a tissue adhesive (MBR 4197) topically applied under endoscopic guidance to massively bleeding lesions of the upper gastrointestinal tract. No complications of this treatment were encountered. Bleeding was controlled in 5 of 6 patients and was judged to be lifesaving in 3. A controlled study of this method of topical therapy is recommended.
Characterization of frequent polymorphisms in intron 2 of CYP21: application to analysis of segregation of CYP21 alleles

The gene encoding adrenal steroid 21-hydroxylase, CYP21, is located in the MHC class III region. Most cases of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) are caused by mutations in this gene, and most mutations appear to arise from gene conversion-like events involving the transfer of deleterious sequences from the pseudogene, CYP21P, which is located within 30 kb of CYP21. Approximately 20-30% of mutations are caused by deletions of CYP21. The second intron of CYP21 is polymorphic, and several base substitutions that include nt395, nt453, and nt601 have been reported; however, the frequencies of these polymorphisms are unknown. Using a combination of cleavase fragment length polymorphism analysis and direct sequencing, we examined the sequence of intron 2 in seven wild-type CYP21 genes and determined the frequency of polymorphisms at nt395, nt453, and nt601 in 48 chromosomes from the parental generation of Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain families. The observed frequencies of bases at these positions were as follows: 395C, 0.17; 395T, 0.83; 453C, 0.71; 453T, 0.29; 601A, 0.1; and 601C, 0.9. Using a PCR/restriction digestion approach to examine these intragenic markers, we could follow the segregation of alleles in informative families with 21-hydroxylase deficiency and identify deletions of CYP21. We emphasize that this method should be used in conjunction with other molecular genetic techniques for diagnosis of CAH. In addition to their potential use in families with CAH, these markers may be of use in genetic studies of the MHC in humans.
Battery Energy Storage Systems

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are becoming more popular due to their positive attributes such as flexibility, lower cost, modularity, etc. This paper provides a mathematical approach to quantify its financial and operational impacts. Specifically, two test cases are investigated: intermittency mitigation of a solar farm using a BESS and optimal scheduling of microgrid with BESS. The former problem is formulated as a mixed integer linear programming problem while the latter is formulated as a linear programming problem. Both algorithms provided accurate solutions while achieving optimality. Finally, a financial model for the optimal operation of an advanced lead-acid BESS is investigated.
Ethylene Binding Receptors — Is There More Than One?

In the late 1970s, ethylene binding was reported in tobacco leaves [13, 20]. About the same time a report on compartmentation of ethylene in Phaseolus vulgarus cotyledons appeared [10]. Here, too, ethylene appears to be binding. Since then binding has been reported in a large number of plant tissues, and a report has appeared on non-physiological binding [1]. The usual parameters of binding have been determined in attempts to relate ethylene binding with physiological activity. Various criteria have been made for considering an isolated receptor as physiologically important. Trewavas and Jones [24] have presented the following: (1) it should show reversible, specific and saturable binding; (2) its binding dissociation constants should be at or lower than the biologically active concentrations; (3) the number of binding sites should be small; and (4) chemical modification of substrates should lead to equivalent modification in binding affinity and biological activity. For the most part, the data collected to date meet these criteria, and much of the data would suggest a single binding site. Ethylene is the only plant hormone for which binding can be measured in vivo, which adds another dimension to studies by allowing another parameter (diffusion from the site) to be measured.
Semantic integration to identify overlapping functional modules in protein interaction networks

The systematic analysis of protein-protein interactions can enable a better understanding of cellular organization, processes and functions. Functional modules can be identified from the protein interaction networks derived from experimental data sets. However, these analyses are challenging because of the presence of unreliable interactions and the complex connectivity of the network. The integration of protein-protein interactions with the data from other sources can be leveraged for improving the effectiveness of functional module detection algorithms. We have developed novel metrics, called semantic similarity and semantic interactivity, which use Gene Ontology (GO) annotations to measure the reliability of protein-protein interactions. The protein interaction networks can be converted into a weighted graph representation by assigning the reliability values to each interaction as a weight. We presented a flow-based modularization algorithm to efficiently identify overlapping modules in the weighted interaction networks. The experimental results show that the semantic similarity and semantic interactivity of interacting pairs were positively correlated with functional co-occurrence. The effectiveness of the algorithm for identifying modules was evaluated using functional categories from the MIPS database. We demonstrated that our algorithm had higher accuracy compared to other competing approaches. The integration of protein interaction networks with GO annotation data and the capability of detecting overlapping modules substantially improve the accuracy of module identification.
Big data interfaces and the problem of inclusion

A commentary on ‘Critical Questions for Big Data’ and the projection in the article of how ‘limited access to big data creates new digital divides’. Pressing questions are indeed proliferating arou...
from devil pacts to drug deals: commerce, unnatural accumulation, and moral community in “modern” Peru

“Resistance to the market” has been a trope commonly employed by anthropologists to explain local response to market expansion. Indeed, an extensive literature has documented the myriad forms of material and cultural resistance to the market undertaken by those who perceive it as a dangerous intrusion into their lives. In this article I argue that the use of this trope has contributed to the reproduction of a series of familiar but problematic dualisms in anthropology: modern/traditional, present/past, subject/object. Focusing on Chachapoyas—a region in the northern Peruvian Andes—I explore a series of changing social and political conditions, contingent in time and through space, that have encouraged radically different reactions to the realm of the market. In the 1930s local discourse concerning increasing market integration presented the market in terms verging on the mille-narian, as having the potential to usher in an era of social justice, harmony, and community cooperation. By the 1980s, however, discourse on the market had undergone a complete inversion. The market was depicted as a dangerous and alien presence that threatened to dissolve the primary bonds of a community-oriented way of life, which had retained its purity and harmony because of its distance from the realm of exchange. [tradition, modernity, market, moral community, control of space]
Effects of blood-glucose levels on wheel-running activity of food-deprived rats

The purpose of the two experiments was to determine whether or not changes in blood-glucose level affect wheel-running activity of food-deprived rats. Fructose, sucrose, adrenalin, insulin, and saline were injected into food-deprived rats, and their effects on wheel-running activity determined. Adrenalin and insulin decreased running activity, but fructose and sucrose did not. The results indicated that changes in blood-glucose level per se do not seem to be effective stimuli in the control of running activity of food-deprived rats.
Trophic trait plasticity in response to changes in resource availability and predation risk

Summary 1. Animals can mitigate the consequences of conflicting food-web constraints (e.g. resource availability vs. predation risk) through plasticity in the expression of functional traits. Because functional trait expression in turn determines a species’ impact on ecosystem functions, e.g. its trophic function, there is a growing need to develop a predictive theory that links trait plasticity to ecosystem functioning. But there is currently an incomplete empirical foundation on which to develop such theory. 2. To address this issue, we explored the link between plasticity in a suite of traits (e.g. head morphology, gut size, bite size) that determine the trophic function of a generalist grasshopper herbivore facing predation risk. We reared grasshoppers in the field under two single-forage environments where the plant resources had different physical and nutritional properties and in intermediate mixed-forage environments with or without risk of spider predation. 3. We found that in the single-forage environments, grasshoppers became more efficient at ingesting the resource they were reared on. 4. In mixed-resource environments, grasshoppers developed a phenotype that was not intermediate to the phenotypes in the two single-forage environments, regardless of predation risk. 5. We propose that the suite of phenotypic changes observed in our study represent two alternative feeding strategies that vary with the possibility of using behavioural resource selection in different environmental contexts. 6. Our results suggest that plasticity in trophic function may not emerge from a direct link between the primary traits that determine consumer consumption efficiency given the physical properties of its resources (as is customarily presumed) but rather indirectly from secondary traits that may remain latent until such time that they are drawn into play when the species faces a particular challenge. This means that fully understanding how functional traits influence a species’ role in an ecosystem requires consideration of a broader suite of traits than simply those assumed to constrain resource ingestion.
Enterprise Knowledge Agents: Agent-Based Discovery of Like-Minded Individuals

Agent-based computing environments provide the capability to establish an enterprise of autonomous agents that collaborate and share information on common interests. Discovery of new data can alert users to changes in the information environment of importance to them. The goal of this research is to define an agent environment that models an organization's tacit knowledge. This document proposes a process to find named entities in the content of documents and to derive context from a user community. The EKA system ingests RSS feeds of data sources that are representative of separate users, extracts entities from the text, and provides context on each entity using related tags. Knowledge representations of the news feeds are created, managed, and reasoned over by a collection of agents. Agents will respond to pre-registered topics and provide notifications when those topics have been identified. The purpose here is to illustrate that an agent can serve as a broker of knowledge and assist users in identifying like-minded individuals through an analysis of the data the user is working with and initiate collaboration.
Design of Source Identification Zones for Declaring an Odor Source in Turbulent Fluid-Advected Environments

A moth behavior-inspired strategy was tested in near shore ocean conditions via a REMUS underwater vehicle. The field experiments demonstrated the plume tracing distances over 100m and the source declaration accuracy relative to the nominal source location on the order of tens of meters. However, the source declaration still leaves significant room for improvement. This paper presents two approaches to declaring the odor source via an autonomous underwater vehicle. The main idea is to use last chemical detection points to construct a source identification zone in the order of time series or of the most recent up-flow direction. The performance of the proposed approaches is evaluated using a simulated turbulent fluid environment. The studies show that a success rate in declaring the odor source reaches over 98% and the average error of the declared source locations is less than 1 meter for 1000 test runs in an operation area with length scales of 100 meters. Source verification is developed using a fuzzy reasoning segmentation algorithm to recognize the odor source.
The effect of pellet volume and aspect ratio on fuel pellet exit velocities in a capillary discharge mass accelerator

In magnetic or inertial fusion reactors, hydrogen, its isotopes, and lithium are used as fusion fueling materials. Lithium is considered a fusion fuel and not an impurity in fusion reactors as it can be used to produce fusion energy and breed fusion products. Lithium hydride and lithium deuteride may serve as good ablating sleeves for plasma formation in an ablation-dominated electrothermal plasma source to propel fusion pellets. Previous studies have shown that pellet exit velocities greater than 3 km/s are possible using low-z propellant materials. In this work, a comprehensive study of solid lithium hydride and deuteride as a pellet propellant is conducted using the ETFLOW code. Relationships between propellants, source and barrel geometry, pellet volume and aspect ratio, and pellet velocity are determined for pellets ranging in volume from 1 to 100 mm3.