cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of copper in neurodegenerative disease.

Copper is an essential trace metal which plays a fundamental role in the biochemistry of the human nervous system. Menkes disease and Wilson disease are inherited disorders of copper metabolism and the dramatic neurodegenerative phenotypes of these two diseases underscore the essential nature of copper in nervous system development as well as the toxicity of this metal when neuronal copper homeostasis is perturbed. Ceruloplasmin contains 95% of the copper found in human plasma and inherited loss of this essential ferroxidase is associated with progressive neurodegeneration of the retina and basal ganglia. Gain-of-function mutations in the cytosolic copper enzyme superoxide dismutase result in the motor neuron degeneration of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and current evidence suggests a direct pathogenic role for copper in this process. Recent studies have also implicated copper in the pathogenesis of neuronal injury in Alzheimer's disease and the prion-mediated encephalopathies, suggesting that further elucidation of the mechanisms of copper trafficking and metabolism within the nervous system will be of direct relevance to our understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment of neurodegenerative disease.
Application of Helical Viscometry to Study Commercial Mozzarella Cheese Melting Properties

Abstract Mozzarella cheese from two cheese plants (A and B) was collected biweekly for 10 wk. Five vats of cheese were sampled from a day's production. Cheeses were vacuum packaged and held at 4°C for 12 d. On d 12, cheeses were analyzed for composition (fat, total solids, calcium, salt) and apparent viscosity (a measure of cheese melting properties) by helical viscometry. Two cheeses from each plant also were held vacuum packaged at 4°C for 1 mo and analyzed weekly for apparent viscosity. During the survey period, plant A reported severe starter problems attributed to bacteriophage; plant B reported no problems in manufacture. Plant A experienced greater vat-to-vat and week-to-week variation in cheese composition and apparent viscosity than plant B. Cheese composition had a profound impact on Mozzarella melting properties. Cheeses stored at 4°C for 1 mo showed large initial differences in apparent viscosity but a common pattern of progressive decrease in apparent viscosity over time. Mozzarella functionality developed in two distinct but interrelated phases. The first phase occurred during manufacture when basic curd structure was established. A second phase occurred during storage when functionality and curd structure were altered. Helical viscometry offers new opportunities for the study of Mozzarella melting properties.
A test for phylogenetic constraints on behavioral adaptation in a spider system

A population of a desert spider species (Agelenopsis aperta) that is located in an unusually favorable thermal and feeding environment (AZ riparian), fails to exhibit territorial, foraging and antipredatory behaviors that are appropriate to its environment. Study of the behavior of this spider species is extended to another population that occupies a similar environment but where there is not potential gene flow from individuals occupying more arid habitats (TX riparian). The two populations are shown to experience similar prey availabilities and predation pressures when compared to a third more arid population (NM desert grassland). Analyses of the relevant behavior patterns demonstrate that the TX riparian population is well-adjusted to the ameliorated conditions. Thus, phylogenetic constraints do not appear to underlie the observed maladaptive behavior of the AZ riparian population and credibility is given to potential gene flow influences.
Inhibition of Tat-mediated transactivation and HIV-1 replication by human anti-hCyclinT1 intrabodies.

Human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1) replication requires the interaction of Tat protein with the human cyclinT1 (hCyclinT1) subunit of the positive transcription elongation factor (P-TEFb) complex, which then cooperatively binds to transactivation response element (TAR) RNA to transactivate HIV transcription. In this report, a non-immune human single-chain antibody (sFv) phage display library was used to isolate anti-hCyclinT1 sFvs that could disrupt hCyclinT1-Tat interactions. The N-terminal 272 residues of hCyclinT1, including the entire cyclin domains and the Tat.TAR recognition motif (TRM), that fully support Tat transactivation was used for panning, and of the five unique anti-hCyclinT1 sFvs that were obtained, three bound to the cyclin box domains and two bound to TRM. All sFvs could be expressed as intrabodies at high levels in transiently transfected 293T and in stable Jurkat and SupT1 transfectants and could specifically co-immunoprecipitate co-expressed hCyclinT1 in 293T cells with varying efficacy without disrupting hCyclinT1-Cdk9 interactions. In addition, two sFv clones (3R6-1 and 2R6-21) that mapped to the cyclin box domains markedly inhibited Tat-mediated transactivation in several transiently transfected cell lines without inhibiting basal transcription or inducing apoptosis. When HIV-1 challenge studies were performed on stable 3R6-1-expressing Jurkat T cells, near complete inhibition of viral replication was obtained at a low challenge dose, and 74-88% inhibition to HIV-1 replication was achieved at a high infection dose in SupT1 cells. These results provide proof-in-principle that anti-hCyclinT1 intrabodies can be designed to block HIV-1 replication without causing cellular toxicity, and as a result, they may be useful agents for "intracellular immunization"-based gene therapy strategies for HIV-1 infection/AIDS.
Free diffusion coefficient of ionic calcium in cytoplasm

The free diffusion coefficient of ionic Ca was measured in isolated samples of Myxicola axoplasm by following the migration of 45Ca. When precautions were taken to minimize the sequestration and chelation of 45Ca (i.e., using inhibitors, energy deprivation, and saturation of Ca chelation sites), a diffusion coefficient of 5.3 x 10(-6) cm2 s-1 was measured. The diffusion coefficient was not appreciably changed by lowering free calcium from 100 microM to approximately 10 microM or by increasing the diffusion time from ten to twenty minutes. In untreated cytoplasm taken directly from the giant axon of Myxicola, the migration of Ca was more complex and could not be described by a single diffusion coefficient. This result is interpreted to suggest that bulk movement of Ca-buffers may occur in untreated Myxicola axoplasm, a system that contains few microtubules.
Specific MicroRNAs Are Preferentially Expressed by Skin Stem Cells To Balance Self-Renewal and Early Lineage Commitment

Increasing evidence suggests that microRNAs may play important roles in regulating self-renewal and differentiation in mammalian stem cells (SCs). Here, we explore this issue in skin. We first characterize microRNA expression profiles of skin SCs versus their committed proliferative progenies and identify a microRNA subset associating with "stemness." Of these, miR-125b is dramatically downregulated in early SC progeny. We engineer an inducible mice system and show that when miR-125b is sustained in SC progenies, tissue balance is reversibly skewed toward stemness at the expense of epidermal, oil-gland, and HF differentiation. Using gain- and loss-of-function in vitro, we further implicate miR-125b as a repressor of SC differentiation. In vivo, transcripts repressed upon miR-125b induction are enriched >700% for predicted miR-125b targets normally downregulated upon SC-lineage commitment. We verify some of these miR-125b targets, and show that Blimp1 and VDR in particular can account for many tissue imbalances we see when miR-125b is deregulated.
Hemoglobinuria and Acute Kidney Injury Requiring Hemodialysis Following Intravenous Immunoglobulin Infusion

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), a product initially developed for patients with immunodeficiencies, now has multiple other indications and increasing off-label use. IVIG generally is well tolerated, with few adverse effects. Antibody-mediated (Coombs-positive) hemolysis is known to occur after IVIG infusion, but often is subclinical and previously has not been reported to lead to acute kidney injury (AKI). The predominantly known mechanism of AKI after IVIG infusion has been osmotic nephrosis, primarily associated with sucrose-containing formulations. We present a case of a bone marrow transplant recipient who was treated with a sucrose-free IVIG product and subsequently developed Coombs-positive hemolysis leading to AKI requiring hemodialysis, who ultimately died secondary to infectious complications. The severity of this case emphasizes the importance of identifying populations who may be at increased risk of pigment-mediated kidney injury before consideration of IVIG therapy.
Trustworthy keyword search for compliance storage

Intense regulatory focus on secure retention of electronic records has led to a need to ensure that records are trustworthy, i.e., able to provide irrefutable proof and accurate details of past events. In this paper, we analyze the requirements for a trustworthy index to support keyword-based search queries. We argue that trustworthy index entries must be durable--the index must be updated when new documents arrive, and not periodically deleted and rebuilt. To this end, we propose a scheme for efficiently updating an inverted index, based on judicious merging of the posting lists of terms. Through extensive simulations and experiments with two real world data sets and workloads, we demonstrate that the scheme achieves online update speed while maintaining good query performance. We also present and evaluate jump indexes, a novel trustworthy and efficient index for join operations on posting lists for multi-keyword queries. Jump indexes support insert, lookup and range queries in time logarithmic in the number of indexed documents.
Transient Adsorption and Desorption in Micrometer Scale Features

In an ideal atomic layer deposition ~ALD! process, the deposition of solid material on the substrate is accomplished one atomic or molecular layer at a time, in a self-limiting fashion; this property is responsible for the recent interest in ALD. To accomplish this, a representative ALD process consists of repeating a sequence of reactant flows and reactor purges. In the first step of a cycle, a gaseous species ~A! is directed into the reactor, and ~ideally! one monolayer adsorbs onto the surface. After purging the reactor, a second gaseous reactant ~B! is directed through the reactor. A self-limiting chemical reaction forms the next layer of deposited film. By repeating this cycle of reactant flows and purges, a film of ideally uniform and controlled thickness is deposited. 1-4 Although ALD has the potential to deposit films of uniform thickness, to keep average rates at reasonably high levels, high switching frequencies of reactants and purges are desired. A pulse frequency that is too high may lead to nonuniform film deposition on the feature scale, on the wafer scale, or both. As a start toward understanding species transport in features during ALD, we model the adsorption of species A and the desorption that occurs during the following purge in one cycle of a ALD process. We use a Boltzmann equation-based transport model with no adjustable parameters. The chemical reaction model used for the adsorption and desorption rates are those found in typical mechanistic representations of simple reversible Langmuir adsorption. We consider the case in which the flux of reactive species from the source volume to the wafer surface is constant with time, either at zero or at some selected value. Essentially, we idealize the transients at the reactor scale, and focus on modeling feature scale processes in response to these idealized steps in concentration above the wafer surface. More general boundary conditions at the interface between the wafer surface and the reactor volume are possible, but the results presented below provide considerable insight. We also assume that the process is isothermal in time and space.
Conspicuous consumption versus utilitarian ideals: How different levels of power shape consumer behavior

Abstract The present work examines how experiencing high versus low power creates qualitatively distinct psychological motives that produce unique consumption patterns. Based on accumulating evidence that states of power increase focus on one’s own internal desires, we propose that high power will lead to a greater preference for products that are viewed as offering utility (e.g., performance, quality) to the individual. In contrast, extending past research showing that powerlessness fosters a compensatory motive to restore power; we demonstrate that the powerless prefer visible or conspicuous consumption that signals status to others. Regardless of whether high and low power were measured, episodically primed, or structurally manipulated, and regardless of how consumption patterns were measured (e.g., purchasing intentions, consumer attitudes, or creation of one’s own advertising slogan), five experiments support a parsimonious model for how different levels of power impact consumer behavior. Given the pervasiveness of everyday fluctuations in power, and the governing role of consumption in everyday life, these findings have potentially broad implications, from tailored advertising to different market segments to understanding the rise in consumer debt.
Mechanisms that Foster Relational Motivation

This study, attempts to explain reasons why people would adopt relationally-autonomous reasons (RARs) for their goals, which are based on the needs, desires, and commitments of the self within a close relationship. In particular it examines if closeness, support, accountability, shared values and direct involvement from others serve as mechanisms that drive RARs. We hypothesize that these relationship components are all uniquely associated with RARs during goal pursuit. Participants (n = 150) were college students who completed an online questionnaire. Accountability, shared values, and direct involvement all uniquely predicted relational motivation, whereas closeness and support did not. Implications for motivation theory are discussed.
Facility management: How a virtual model enabled a breakthrough for a high‐tech company

In 1999, Hewlett‐Packard Company (HP) began the reinvention of the entire company to provide an infrastructure which would respond to the demands of an ever‐changing industry. This paper presents an indepth case study of the successful partnership between HP’s US Field Sales Office Facility Maintenance support team and Trammell Crow Corporate Services. The initial goal was to achieve a more efficient method of managing facility operations and maintenance. HP created the programme focus, touch points, processes and strategies. What happened was a complete reinvention of the methods that HP uses to accomplish facility support. While traditional maintenance models will always have their place in industry, this case study provides evidence that there are incredible benefits available for those industries that have the courage to change in radical ways.
Prospective, interdisciplinary follow-up of children with prenatally diagnosed giant omphalocele: short-term neurodevelopmental outcome

Abstract Purpose The objective of this study is to determine the short-term neurodevelopmental outcome in infants with giant omphalocele (GO). Materials and Methods Between January 2002 and December 2007, 31 consecutive infants with GO received prenatal and postnatal care at our institution. Overall survival was 81% (25/31). Twenty (80%) of the survivors were enrolled in a prospective interdisciplinary follow-up program. Fifteen were at least 6 months of age and received detailed neurodevelopmental evaluation using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II (BSID-II [before 2006, n=3]) or BSID-III (after 2006, n=12). Scores were grouped as average, mildly delayed, and severely delayed by SD intervals (115-85, 71-84, Results Median age at evaluation was 12 months (range, 6-26 months). Average, mildly delayed, and severely delayed scores for cognitive and language skills were found in 6 (40%), 2 (13%), and 6 (40%), respectively. One child had mixed scores (severely delayed for cognitive and mildly delayed for language skills). Motor scores were normal, mildly delayed, and severely delayed in 6 (40%), 2 (13%), and 7 (47%), respectively. The neuromuscular examination was abnormal in 8 patients (62%). Five (33%) scored within the average range, whereas 6 (40%) demonstrated severe delays for cognitive, language, and motor outcome. Of the 6 children with severe delays, 2 (13% of total) have autism, 4 required tracheostomy, and 1 was diagnosed with Williams syndrome. Conclusions The presence of GO is associated with deficits in developmental achievements in most of the affected infants ranging from mild to profound delays. These findings underscore the importance of early and standardized neurodevelopmental evaluation throughout childhood for all survivors with GO. Larger studies are warranted for risk factor stratification.
Physical evaluation of prototype high-performance anti-scatter grids: potential for improved digital radiographic image quality.

Grid evaluation for a screen-film x-ray system has typically included independent measurement of the opposing contrast improvement factor and Bucky factor. Neither of these metrics, however, is appropriate when assessing grid performance in a digital imaging environment. For digital radiographic systems, the benefit of an anti-scatter grid is well characterized by the quantum signal-to-noise ratio improvement factor (KSNR) provided by the grid. The purpose of this work was to measure KSNR of prototype grids designed for use with digital radiographic systems. The prototype grids had 5 mm tall lead septa, fiber interspace material, line rate N = 25 and 36 cm−1 and ratio r = 15 and 21, respectively. The primary and scatter transmission properties of the grids were measured, and KSNR was evaluated over a phantom thickness range of 10–50 cm. To provide a comparison, the KSNR of similarly constructed N44r15 and N80r15 grids is also reported. KSNR of the prototype grids ranged from 1.4 for the 10 cm phantom to 2.4 for the 50 cm phantom. For the thickest phantom, the SNR improvement factor of the prototype grids was 18–83% higher than that of the N44r15 and N80r15 grids, respectively.
Squaring the Circle: The Domestic Sources of International Cooperation

Most theorists of international affairs would argue that international cooperation is a good thing. Private-regarding behavior creates efficiency, but some public goods are needed for optimal results, be they in producing peace or prosperity. It is in the logic of markets and of decentralized systems such as international relations to undersupply those public goods. Arms races, beggar-thy-neighbor economic policies, environmental degradation-these are but some examples of actions that take place in the absence of mechanisms to enforce cooperative agreements. Regimes that can punish defectors are able to do better: a good security regime avoids arms races; a good trade regime avoids tariffs; a good monetary regime avoids aggressive devaluations and instability; a good regulatory regime prevents particularistic mercantilism. All these arrangements require international cooperation. How do we get international cooperation? In two ways: first, through a convergence of policy objectives-agreement on the substance of what is sought in trade, security, or other issues; second, by credible commitment to institutions that manage policy disputes. Put in the negative, nations conflict when they cannot agree on policy or when they are unable to sustain commitment to agreements that they may make. For nations to cooperate on a trade or monetary regime, they must agree to the regime (convergence of policy preference) and they must agree that they will not cheat and will adhere to the regime and to a process of resolving disputes that may occur (credibility of commitment).
Understanding China's long-haul outbound travel market: An overlapped segmentation approach

Abstract This study replicates and augments a segmentation approach with overlapped schemes by examining the Chinese outbound travel market. A total of 1600 past and potential long-haul Chinese outbound tourists in three Chinese cities were surveyed and segmented into three groups with overlapped segment members: Entertainment/Adventure Seekers, Life-seeing Experience/Culture Explorers, and Relaxation/Knowledge Seekers. The canonical correlation analysis along with the assignment scheme assigns respondents to canonical variates forming product bundles and implied market segments. The findings provide important insight on destination marketing toward Chinese outbound tourists. Further, evidence suggests new and emerging markets are better served using an overlapped segmentation approach.
The development and implementation of an interdisciplinary on-line academic course using a life course perspective.

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Pediatric Pulmonary Center (UW PPC) provides interdisciplinary leadership training for graduate students and postgraduate professionals. The training includes a three-credit on-line course entitled Interdisciplinary Care of Children with Special Health Care Needs. This paper describes the course, the content and organization of which was guided by the life course perspective (LCP). The UW PPC team used the LCP to guide course organization, content development, and evaluation approaches. UW PPC trainees took responsibility for content areas, performed literature reviews and reviews of resources, and suggested student activities. Course content was focused on the child with special health care needs (CSHCN) embedded in contextual environments of family, community, culture, and larger social and public policy arenas. The content included three case-study videos that followed a child with cystic fibrosis from birth to age 18. Key concepts of the LCP were woven in throughout the videos and other course materials. Emphasis was on representing development of the individual during critical/sensitive periods and on social determinants of health. At semester’s end, qualitative and quantitative student evaluation results were very positive for all areas of the course. The final course paper, organized similarly to course modules, synthesized all aspects of the course. A successful paper included LCP concepts woven throughout to show integration of course content. The LCP provided a useful framework for course organization and content, and served as a lens through which students came to understand the care needs of CSHCN and their families. A course such as this can serve the important goal of educating future maternal child health professionals in using the LCP to understand how multiple determinants of health interact across the life span to produce health outcomes in this population.
Nonuniformization results for the projective hierarchy

Let X and Y be uncountable Polish spaces. We show in ZF that there is a coanalytic subset P of X x Y with countable sections which cannot be expressed as the union of countably many partial coanalytic, or even PCA = I 2, graphs. If X = Y = co>, P may be taken to be 17 . Assuming stronger set theoretic axioms, we identify the least pointclass such that any such coanalytic P can be expressed as the union of countably many graphs in this pointclass. This last result is extended (under suitable hypotheses) to all levels of the projective hierarchy. Introduction. Let X and Y be uncountable Polish spaces. It is a well-known result of Novikov and Kondo that any Il (i.e., coanalytic) subset P of X x Y can be uniformized by a HI relation P' c P. That is, Vx E X []y E Y P(x, y) +-+ 3 a unique y P'(x, y)]. Although uniformization fails for 2I (analytic) sets, Lusin (see [Lu, p. 247]) and Novikov [No] did obtain the result that every analytic (Borel) set P c X x Y with countable sections can be written as a countable union of analytic (Borel) graphs, i.e., P = U ) GQ where Gn E 2I (A ') is a graph (throughout this paper, "graph" will denote a partial graph, i.e., Vx 3 at most one y Gn(x, y)). Similarly, assuming Aln determinacy, each P E 2+ 1 can be written as a countable union of 2:+ graphs. On the other hand, if P is HI, then P can be expressed as the union of w,), Borel sets Ba, a < w1. If, in addition, each section of P is countable, then each set Ba has countable sections and can therefore be expressed as the union of countably many Al graphs. Thus, each HI set P with countable sections can be expressed as the union of w, Borel graphs. A natural question then, raised by Mauldin, is the following. Question. Can every HI set P c X x Y with countable sections be written as the countable union of HI graphs, P = tJn Gn? We show, by working in ZF, that the answer is no in a strong way-our Theorem 1. We are grateful to W. H. Woodin for pointing out to us that our original result (which ruled out coverings by I1 graphs) could be extended to include graphs Received May 7, 1990; revised August 15, 1990. 1Research supported by National Science Foundation Grant DMS-90-07808. 2Research supported by National Science Foundation Grant DMS-88-03361. 1980 Mathematics Subject Classification (1985 Revision). Primary 04A15, 03E60; Secondary 28A05.
Dual spin probe NMR relaxation studies of ionic structure in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride-AlCl3 molten salts

Abstract Room temperature molten salts consisting of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (MEICl), AlCl 3 and NaCl are of interest as electrochemical agents. Results of 27 Al and 13 C NMR dual spin probe (DSP) relaxation studies of these ionic ligands support the existence of interactions between MEI + and AlCl 4 − . The dual spin probe method is used to determine liquid state quadrupole coupling constants of 0.821 and 2.10 MHz for the neutral (MEIClAlCl 3 ) and neutral buffered (Na + 0.22 MEI + 0.78 AlCl 4 − ) melts.
Electronic structure, bonding and chemisorption in metallic hydrides

Abstract Problems that can arise during the cycling steps for a hydride storage system usually involve events at surfaces. Chemisorption and reaction processes can be affected by small amounts of contaminants that may act as catalytic poisons. The nature of the poisoning process can vary greatly for the different metals and alloys that form hydrides. A unifying concept is offered, which satisfactorily correlates many of the properties of transition metal, rare earth and actinide hydrides.
Lymphocyte transformation in vitro to RIII mouse milk antigen among woman with breast disease

Abstract The cell-mediated immune responses of 110 women with benign or malignant breast disease were tested in in vitro lymphocyte transformation assay with an antigen preparation made from RIII mouse milk containing mammary tumor virus. About 50% of patients responded positively to the milk preparation. In contrast, 25% of normal women or women with other gynecological malignancies responded positively to the antigen ( P = 0.015). The data demonstrate a similar response pattern among women with malignant or benign breast disease. In addition, a subpopulation of normal women with positive response to this antigen is clearly defined.
Algebra I teachers' perceptions of teaching students with learning disabilities

Although numerous studies have focused on teachers' perceptions of inclusion, there is a scarcity of subject-specific research on their perceptions of a specific disability. In this study, 63 Algebra I teachers in 27 school districts in Alabama were surveyed to uncover their perceptions of teaching students with learning disabilities (LD) and factors that might affect these perceptions. The results indicated that Algebra I teachers do not have an overall favorable perception of teaching students with LD in inclusive classrooms. Collaboration with a special education teacher and the number of students with LD in the general education classroom were found to significantly contribute to Algebra I teachers' perceptions of teaching students with LD.
Fatigue crack growth in cast gamma titanium aluminides

The fatigue crack propagation behavior of a class of quarternary and quinternary TiAl-based alloys are discussed in this paper. Crack-tip deformation mechanisms are elucidated by transmission electron microscopy and fracture modes under cyclic (fatigue) loading are determined by scanning electron microscopy examination. Resistance to fatigue crack growth in these alloys is related to the density and distribution of slip in the plastic zone directly ahead of the crack-tip during fatigue crack growth.
Optimization of composite flywheel design

Abstract Composite flywheels are effective energy storage devices. The multi-rimmed flywheel configuration is first chosen for this study because of its superior operating characteristics and versatility. Then the Kevlar-49/epoxy system is adopted as the basic composite material, which is sandwiched between thin layers of rubber. A general stress analysis procedure is developed for the multi-rimmed structure and a computer routine is established to investigate the effects of various material and geometric parameters on the internal stress levels. A maximum stress criterion is used for failure of the composite flywheel. The basic goal of optimization is to achieve a stress distribution such that each ring in the multi-ringed structure will fail at approximately the same angular speed. The parameters varied in the optimization process include the thickness, Poisson's ratio, Young's modulus and density of the inter-ring material, the density and thickness of the composite material, and the thickness of the flywheel in the axial direction. The optimization process demonstrated that this procedure can be applied in general when other failure criteria or performance characteristics (such as maximum kinetic energy, kinetic energy per weight and kinetic energy per volume) are preferred.
Detectability Of Structural Failures In Offshore Platforms By Ambient Vibration Monitoring

Historically, undewater visual examination by divers has been employed to monitor the structural integrity of fixed offshore platforms. Alternative approaches for inspection are being sought to lessen the cost and hazard of diver operations, especially in deep and hostile waters. An approach being applied in the North Sea makes use of ambient vibration monitoring with above-water accelerometers to identify the lower global modes of platform vibration. Changes in the natural frequencies and mode shapes are indicators of possible below-water structural breakage. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has sponsored studies at The Aerospace Corporation to examine the feasibility of this approach. As part of the study, the producing Shell Platform SP-62C in the Gulf of Mexico was instrumented at 17 locations between decks and at the boat landing level for detection of its ambient vibrations during normal producing operation of the platform. Some vertical and angular accelerations were measured, in addition to lateral accelerations. The platform is an eight-leg diagonally braced jacket construction consisting of eight ungrouted main piles and eight grouted skirt piles, and stands in a 327-ft (100-m) water depth. The interpretation of the random vibration data via spectral analysis already has been reported, and includes a favorable comparison of the modal parameters derived with subsequent results from forced shaking of this platform. The overall conclusion from this field experiment was that the data acquisition and analysis aspects of the ambient monitoring method are practical, with use of readily available hardware and software.
Effect of phosphate group addition on the properties of denture base resins

Statement of problem Acrylic resins are prone to microbial adherence, especially by Candida albicans . Surface-charged resins alter the ionic interaction between the denture resin and Candida hyphae, and these resins are being developed as a means to reduce microbial colonization on the denture surface. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the physical and mechanical properties of phosphate-containing polymethyl methacrylate resins for their suitability as a denture material. Material and methods Using PMMA with cross-linker (Lucitone 199) as a control, 4 experimental groups containing various levels of phosphate with and without cross-linker were generated. The properties examined were impact strength, fracture toughness, wettability (contact angle), and resin bonding ability to denture teeth. Impact strength was tested in the Izod configuration (n=16), and fracture toughness (n=13) was measured using the single-edge notched bend test. Wettability was determined by calculating the contact angle of water on the material surface (n=12), while ISO 1567 was used for bonding ability (n=12). The data were analyzed by 1- and 2-way ANOVA (α=.05). Results A trend of increased hydrophilicity, as indicated by lower contact angle, was observed with increased concentrations of phosphate. With regard to the other properties, no significant differences were found when compared with the control acrylic resin. Conclusions No adverse physical effect due to the addition of a phosphate-containing monomer was found in the acrylic denture resins. Additional mechanical and physical properties, biocompatibility, and clinical efficacy studies are needed to confirm the in vivo anti- Candida activity of these novel resins. (J Prosthet Dent 2008;100:302-308)
Modified Bessel functions and their applications in probability and statistics

Abstract Modified Bessel functions are often of use in the probabilistic and statistical analysis of spherical distributions and we give here the main properties of these functions. In particular, they appear in Bayes estimators with respect to uniform distributions on spheres; we derive a constructive result about the approximation of a Bayes estimator by a mixture of these primitive estimators.
Magnetic domain imaging in thin epitaxial films by spin-polarized scanning electron microscopy

Abstract The formation of magnetic domains in epitaxially grown Co and Fe films is investigated by spin-polarized scanning electron microscopy. Classical theories predict single domain behavior in very thin films. However, ultrathin Co/Au(111) and Fe/Cu(100) films show out-of-plane domains of micron size, whereas Co/Cu(100) films grow in a single domain state. We will discuss these results and also show how surface anisotropies in these films can be deduced by following the switching of the magnetization direction from out-of-plane to in-plane.
Relative cold resistance of potassium cotransport and pump systems in ground squirrel and guinea pig kidney cultures

1. 1. Ground squirrel cells, when exposed to cold (5°C) temperature, maintain potassium ion (K+) concentrations at steady levels. We studied the basis for this property of ground squirrel cells by measuring uptake of the K+ analog, 86Rb+, in the presence of bumetanide or ouabain, which block the Na,K2Cl cotransport or the NaK pump systems, respectively. 2. 2. The presence of the cotransport system in ground squirrel kidney cells was verified by bumetanide inhibition, inhibition by NO3− substitution for Cl−, and enhancement by hypertonic conditions. 3. 3. In the ground squirrel cells, Rb+ influxes were not drastically reduced at low temperature (influx at 6°C occurred at 12% of the rate of 37°C) and the three components of K+ influx (pump, cotransport, and leak) were all operative in the cold. 4. 4. The cotransport mode of K+ influx into guinea pig (non-hibernator) kidney cells abolished in the cold.
The Segregation Behavior of Phosphorus in Ti and Ti+Nb Stabilized Interstitial-Free Steels

The phenomenon of cold work embrittlement (CWE) in the P-added high strength interstitial-free steels has been associated with the segregation of P to the ferrite grain boundaries. This segregation by P is believed to decrease the cohesive strength of the grain boundaries by weakening their bonding. Hence, the resistance of the steel to brittle fracture, i.e., intergranular fracture, is greatly decreased. The goal of the present study was to investigate the segregation behavior of P during the different stages of processing (prior to and after coiling, and after cold rolling and annealing) in Ti and Ti+Nb stabilized interstitial-free steels. It was found that a considerable amount of segregation of P to the ferrite grain boundaries occurred during the coiling process in Ti-stabilized interstitial-free steels. However, with the addition of Nb in the Ti+Nb-stabilized interstitial-free steels, the segregation of P was decreased in the as-coiled condition. The P content on the ferrite grain boundaries in the final cold rolled and annealed condition was found to depend on two factors; (1) the segregation of P in the as-coiled condition, and (2) availability of Ti to form phosphides during the annealing process. It was confirmed in this study that the addition of P decreases the CWE resistance of the steel. Furthermore, it appears that the CWE resistance of the Ti+Nb-stabilized interstitial-free steels is improved by the presence of solute Nb on the ferrite grain boundaries.
Language Intervention within Naturalistic Environments

As language intervention becomes more naturalistic and interactive, it is important that organization and systematicity be maintained within therapy. Speech-language pathologists must be clear in the goals and objectives that are established, and in the methods that are used to facilitate the emergence of these language behaviors. Yet naturalistic therapy depends to a large extent upon the spontaneously occurring events, utterances, and communicative situations that arise in the context of play, daily routines, and instructional activities. This article discusses general principles of intervention that impose organization within naturalistic interactions. The general structure of the intervention process will be presented, including strategies for controlling for activity and response complexity, techniques for facilitating a communicative response, and methods for providing natural consequences. Goals and objectives that can be used to quantify the results of intervention are also discussed.
Seed dispersal and predation by Proechimys semispinosus and Sciurus granatensis in gaps and understorey in central Panama

Seed dispersal and predation by spiny rats (Proechimys semispinosus) and red-tailed squirrels (Sciurus granatensis) were studied in five forest gaps and adjacent forest understorey on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, during June and July 2003 and January 2004. Live trapping on grids was used to estimate the abundances of rats in both habitats and was conducted during 10 nights at the beginning of each field season. We captured 70 individual spiny rats (53 in forest gaps and 17 in understorey). To address the removal and dispersal of seeds, semi-permeable wire-mesh exclosures were set at randomly selected stations within the trapping grids. These exclosures allowed the entry of spiny rats, squirrels, and other small rodents but excluded larger granivorous mammals. Seeds were marked with pieces of string that were dusted with fluorescent powder and tracked at night with an ultraviolet light. A total of 304 seeds was removed (159 in forest gaps and 145 in understorey). Spiny rats removed more seeds from gaps, and squirrels removed more seeds from understorey. Both species dispersed more seeds during the rainy season than during the dry season. Squirrels dispersed seeds farther than did spiny rats. Due to their foraging behaviour and association with gaps, spiny rats may disperse seeds from forest understorey into gaps.
Diet and food availability: implications for foraging and dispersal of Prince of Wales northern flying squirrels across managed landscapes

Where dispersal is energetically expensive, feeding and food availability can influence dispersal success. The endemic Prince of Wales northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus griseifrons) inhabits a landscape mosaic of old-growth, 2nd-growth, and clear-cut stands, with the latter 2 representing energetically expensive habitats. We estimated the diet of flying squirrels using stable isotope and fecal analyses, determined whether food availability varies among forest stands, and assessed the likelihood of foraging across a managed landscape given the distribution of foods on Prince of Wales Island (POW), Alaska. Both stable isotope and fecal analyses revealed that conifer seeds, lichens, and fungi were the main dietary items consumed and assimilated by flying squirrels. Similarly, soil macroinvertebrates were consumed by squirrels, whereas berries were not. Nonetheless, although examination of stable isotope data suggested that squirrels assimilated few nutrients from truffles, this food source was among the most frequent diet items in feces, probably because flying squirrels assimilate elements other than nitrogen from fungi. Our surveys showed that conifer seeds, truffles, and lichens were more prevalent in old-growth than 2nd-growth and clear-cut habitats. Thus, our results indicate that diet and availability of food items on POW may influence foraging success and dispersal movements of G. sabrinus across fragmented landscapes because of limited availability of food resources in the managed habitats. DOI: 10.1644/09-MAMM-A-014R.1.
Facile synthesis of monoazidotitanium isopropoxides.

The monoazidotitanium trisisopropoxide {(N3)Ti(OiPr)3}4 (2) was obtained by the reaction of (N3)2Ti(OiPr)2 (1) with Ti(OiPr)4. Colorless 2 possesses an interesting tetrameric structure featuring bridging azide and isoproxide ligands and five- and six-coordinate titanium centers. It can be sublimed in vacuo at ca. 130 °C but decomposes rapidly above 180 °C. Controlled hydrolysis afforded the related yellow oxo cluster (iPrO)8Ti4(μ-OiPr)2(μ4-O)(μ-N3)4 (3).
Online access to weather satellite imagery through the World Wide Web

Both Global Area Coverage (GAC, 4 km) and High Resolution Picture Transmission (HRPT, 1 km) data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) are made available to Internet users through an online data access system. Created as a "testbed" data system for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASAs) future Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS), this testbed provides an opportunity to test both the technical requirements of an online data system and the different ways in which the user community would employ such a system. Initiated in December, 1991 the basic data system experienced 5 major evolutionary changes in response to user requests. Features added with these changes were online browse, user subsetting, dynamic image processing/navigation, a stand-alone data storage system and movement from an X-windows GUI interface to a WWW interface. Over its lifetime the system has had as many as 2,500 registered users. Recent additions include a realtime 7-day, northwestern U.S. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) composite, a GAC SST composite, a daily image of Colorado and an NDVI image for North America.
Magnitude of crustal extension across the northern Basin and Range province: constraints from paleomagnetism

Abstract The magnitude of crustal extension across the northern Basin and Range province is a matter of longstanding controversy; estimates range from 10 to 300%. Recently published estimates of extension across the southern Basin and Range province (36°N) are in the range of 80–100%. Thus, the larger values suggested for the northern part of the province (40°N) seem to require substantial counterclockwise rotation of the Sierra Nevada during Tertiary extension. Paleomagnetic data from the range, however, limit rotation to 4 ± 10° at the 95% confidence level. These limits, combined with estimates of extension near the Garlock fault, allow severe constraints to be placed on the magnitude of extension across more northerly parts of the province. We conclude that the maximum extension at 40°N is about 50% and that values of 39 ± 12% (188 ± 43 km) are likely.
Predicting asthma control deterioration in children

Pediatric asthma affects 7.1 million American children incurring an annual total direct healthcare cost around 9.3 billion dollars. Asthma control in children is suboptimal, leading to frequent asthma exacerbations, excess costs, and decreased quality of life. Successful prediction of risk for asthma control deterioration at the individual patient level would enhance self-management and enable early interventions to reduce asthma exacerbations. We developed and tested the first set of models for predicting a child’s asthma control deterioration one week prior to occurrence.
The role of TGF-β Signaling in Myocardial Infarction and Cardiac Remodeling

Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-beta is markedly induced and rapidly activated in the infarcted myocardium. However, understanding of the exact role of TGF-beta signaling in the infarcted and remodeling heart has been hampered by the complex and unusual biology of TGF-beta activation and by the diversity of its effects eliciting multiple, and often opposing cellular responses. Experimental studies suggest that TGF-beta signaling may be crucial for repression of inflammatory gene synthesis in healing infarcts mediating resolution of the inflammatory infiltrate. In addition, TGF-beta may play an important role in modulating fibroblast phenotype and gene expression, promoting extracellular matrix deposition in the infarct by upregulating collagen and fibronectin synthesis and by decreasing matrix degradation through induction of protease inhibitors. TGF-beta is also a key mediator in the pathogenesis of hypertrophic and dilative ventricular remodeling by stimulating cardiomyocyte growth and by inducing interstitial fibrosis. In this review we summarize the current knowledge on the role of TGF-beta in infarct healing and cardiac remodeling.
Falcon: on-line monitoring and steering of large-scale parallel programs

Falcon is a system for on-line monitoring and steering of large-scale parallel programs. The purpose of such program steering is to improve the application's performance or to affect its execution behavior. This paper presents the framework of the Falcon system and its implementation, and then evaluates the performance of the system. A complex sample application, a molecular dynamics simulation program (MD), is used to motivate the research as well as to measure the performance of the Falcon system. >
Cortico-cortical evoked potentials for sites of early versus late seizure spread in stereoelectroencephalography.

Summary Cortico-cortical evoked potentials offer the possibility of understanding connectivity within seizure networks to improve diagnosis and more accurately identify candidates for seizure surgery. We sought to determine if cortico-cortical evoked potentials and post-stimulation oscillatory changes differ for sites of EARLY versus LATE ictal spread. 37 patients undergoing stereoelectroencephalography were tested using a cortico-cortical evoked potential paradigm. All electrodes were classified according to the speed of ictal spread. EARLY spread sites were matched to a LATE spread site equidistant from the onset zone. Root-mean-square was used to quantify evoked responses and post-stimulation gamma band power and coherence were extracted and compared. Sites of EARLY spread exhibited significantly greater evoked responses after stimulation across all patients ( t (36)=2.973, p =0.004). Stimulation elicited enhanced gamma band activity at EARLY spread sites ( t (36)=2.61, p =0.03, FDR corrected); this gamma band oscillation was highly coherent with the onset zone. Cortico-cortical evoked potentials and post-stimulation changes in gamma band activity differ between sites of EARLY versus LATE ictal spread. The oscillatory changes can help visualize connectivity within the seizure network.