cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endovascular revascularization of renal artery stenosis: Technical and clinical results

Abstract Purpose: The natural history of renal artery stenosis is progression with subsequent deterioration of kidney function and development of renovascular hypertension. Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty is effective in the treatment of nonostial lesions but less effective for ostial stenoses. Because of the poor technical success experienced with percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty, stenting of ostial stenoses is becoming the standard of endovascular care. In this retrospective study we analyzed the technical and clinical outcomes after renal artery stenting in 73 consecutive patients. Patients and Methods: From July 1992 to January 1999, 88 Palmaz stents were deployed in 85 renal artery stenoses in 73 patients, with a mean age of 67.9 ± 9.4 years. Twelve patients (16%) underwent bilateral stent placement. Atheromatous lesions were the most prevalent (99%: 82% ostial, 16% nonostial). Most stents were implanted for suboptimal balloon dilation (52%) or dissection (24%). Mean percent stenosis was 86% ± 12%. Renal insufficiency (creatinine level ≥ 1.5 mg/dL) was present in 50 (68%) patients, and uncontrolled hypertension (systolic ≥ 160 mm Hg or diastolic ≥ 90 mm Hg with more than two medications) was present in 57 (78%). Results: Primary technical success was achieved in 89%. At the initial procedure, three additional stents were placed for residual stenoses, and urokinase was used to treat one intraprocedural stent thrombosis, resulting in an assisted primary technical success rate of 94%. Major complications occurred in 9.1% of stents placed: access artery thrombosis (n = 4), renal artery extravasation (n = 1), renal artery thrombosis (n = 1), and hematoma requiring operation (n = 2). Long-term clinical data were available on 69 (95%) patients at 20 ± 17 months. Overall, a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic pressures ( P P P = NS). Angiography was performed on 22 patients at 11.3 ± 10.3 months for persistent or worsening renal function or hypertension or for other reasons; 10 patients had significant restenoses in 14 renal arteries. Conclusion: Our retrospective analysis demonstrates that endovascular stenting of renal artery stenosis in patients with poorly controlled hypertension or deteriorating renal function is a safe and effective alternative treatment to surgical management. (J Vasc Surg 2001;33:1041-9.)
The urban distribution of headquarters and branch plants in manufacturing: mechanisms of metropolitan dominance

The proposition that ties between home offices and branch plants constitute a form of metropolitan dominance is evaluated by examining the dependence of these two forms of manufacturing organization on selected characteristics of the 110 largest SMSAs. The predictor variables in the analysis are measures of industry composition, population size, and regional location, factors which past research has shown to be indicators of rank in an urban hierarchy of dominance. The data generally support the hypothesis in revealing that headquarters locate in large, diversified urban areas, whereas branch plant employment is highest in small, economically specialized places. Both headquarters and branch plant activity proved to be associated with the percent of the SMSA labor force employed in manufacturing, however. The suggestion drawn from earlier studies, that specialization in metropolitan financial-commercial functions should be related to the headquarters’ presence, receives only mixed and ambiguous support in this investigation.
Gene expression profile of trisomy 21 placentas: a potential approach for designing noninvasive techniques of prenatal diagnosis.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of the DNA microarray technology for the study of the differences in gene expression between placentas of pregnancies with trisomy 21 fetuses and placentas of fetuses with a normal karyotype. Study Design: Complementary DNA samples from 7 second-trimester placentas of fetuses with trisomy 21 was compared with 7 matched and 7 nonmatched complementary DNA samples from normal karyotype placentas as control samples. For gene expression comparison, a microarray that contained 8976 expressed sequence tags was used. Four experiments were performed: (1) the study samples were compared with matched control samples; (2) the study samples were compared with nonmatched control samples; (3) the study samples were compared with themselves; and (4) the matched and nonmatched control samples were compared. Gene overexpression and underexpression were defined as sample signal differences of >1.7 over each other. Gene overexpression and underexpression were confirmed by Northern blotting studies. Results: Seven expressed sequence tags of 8976 tags that were examined have met the selection criteria. Overexpression of 2 expressed sequence tags in placentas with trisomy 21 was confirmed by Northern blotting studies. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the feasibility of the microarray technique in the study of the differences of gene expression in trisomic placentas compared with placentas with a normal karyotype. This technique may contribute to the identification of additional maternal serum biochemical markers in aneuploid pregnancies. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:457-62.)
Effects of deuterium on malic dehydrogenase.

Abstract Four samples of DPNH containing deuterium in different positions were compared with the protium compound in a bacterial malic dehydrogenase system, tested in both H2O and D2O. In H2O, there was a primary isotope effect on the maximum velocity of about 2 ( V H V D ) with α-DPND, and a somewhat smaller effect on the Michaelis constant. There was negligible influence on either Vmax or Km with β-DPND. In D2O, however, the effects on KM were greater than those on Vmax, and there was also evidence of a stronger secondary isotope effect. The solvent effects of D2O on Vmax were nearly the same for all coenzymes, although the effects on the Michaelis constants were more pronounced for those with secondary deuterium substitution.
Latest results in fiber tracking from the DØ upgrade

The D0 collaboration is upgrading its existing detector to provide enhanced functionality for physics is the Fermilab Main Injector Era, when the luminosity of the Tevatron Collider will evolve to levels in excess of 1032 cm-2 sec-1 in combination with reduction of the beam crossing interval to 132 nsec. The D0 upgrade retains the strengths of the existing detector which include hermetic coverage in fine-grained liquid argon calorimetry and muom detection using magnetized iron toroids and combines there with a new magnetic central tracking system based upon scintillating fiber and silicon strip technologies in a 2 Tesla solenoidal field. This paper summarizes briefly the elements of the upgrade and the central fiber tracker and presents recent measurements of performance of fiber tracking technology using the cosmic ray test facility at Fermilab.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
High resolution absorption cross sections in the transmission window region of the Schumann-Runge bands and Herzberg continuum of O2

Results are presented on measurements, conducted in the wavelength region 180-195 nm, and at different pressures of oxygen (between 2.5-760 torr) in order to separate the pressure-dependent absorption from the main cross sections, of the absorption cross sections of the Schumann-Runge bands in the window region between the rotational lines of S-R bands of O2. The present cross sections supersede the earlier published cross sections (Yoshino et al., 1983). The combined cross sections are presented graphically; they are available at wavenumber intervals of about 0.1/cm from the National Space Science Data Center. The Herzberg continuum cross sections are derived after subtracting calculated contributions from the Schumann-Runge bands. These are significantly smaller than any previous measurements.
Minimal sparse observability of complex networks: application to MPSoC sensor placement and run-time thermal estimation & tracking

This paper addresses the fundamental and practically useful question of identifying a minimum set of sensors and their locations through which a large complex dynamical network system and its time-dependent states can be observed. The paper defines the minimal sparse observability problem (MSOP) and provides analytical tools with necessary and sufficient conditions to make an arbitrary complex dynamic network system completely observable. The mathematical tools are then used to develop effective algorithms to find the sparsest measurement vector that provides the ability to estimate the internal states of a complex dynamic network system from experimentally accessible outputs. The developed algorithms are further used in the design of a sparse Kalman filter (SKF) to estimate the time-dependent internal states of a linear time-invariant (LTI) dynamical network system. The approach is applied to illustrate the minimum sensor in-situ run-time thermal estimation and robust hotspot tracking for dynamic thermal management (DTM) of high performance processors and MPSoCs.
Large-eddy simulation of a supersonic inlet-isolator

The isolator is an important flow section in a dual-mode scramjet engine that provides stable compressed flow to the combustor. However, if the combustor-induced backpressure exceeds a limiting value, the compression structure inside the isolator could be disgorged, leading to inlet unstart. Numerical tools that can predict unstart would be valuable in the design of robust scramjet engines. Here, the predictive capability of the large-eddy-simulation methodology is assessed by validating against experimental studies of isolator unstart. A conservative finitedifference-based large-eddy-simulation approach incorporating immersed-boundary methodology has been developed for this purpose. Using a variety of numerical schemes, subfilter models, and computational grids, it is demonstrated that large-eddy simulation is able to predict fully started flow quite accurately. Further simulations of unstart configurations indicate that large-eddy simulation is able to capture the large-scale features of the unstart process remarkably well, exhibiting unsteady flow structures nearly identical to the experiment. Quantitatively, large-eddy simulation overpredicts boundary-layer separation that leads to faster shock propagation as compared to experiments.
Morphological instability of GaAs (7 1 1)A: A transition between (1 0 0) and (5 1 1) terraces

Abstract We report on the use of reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) study that indicates that the GaAs (7 1 1)A is right at the transition between vicinal GaAs (1 0 0) and vicinal GaAs (5 1 1)A surfaces and that a variation of the As overpressure switches the surface morphology between the two vicinal surfaces. The steps on the vicinal (1 0 0) surface have a width of 1.5 nm creating a staircase surface with excellent possibilities for growth of quantum wells. As-rich conditions can be described by vicinal (5 1 1)A surfaces with a width of 3.5 nm. This surface could find applications as a template for quantum wire growth. The observation suggests that the transition between these two morphologies is understandable based on the increase in surface energy of a vicinal (1 0 0) surface as the step separation approaches the dimer reconstructed separation.
An improved slender-body theory for Stokes flow

The present study examines the flow past slender bodies possessing finite centre-line curvature in a viscous, incompressible fluid without any appreciable inertia effects. We consider slender bodies having arbitrary centre-line configurations, circular transverse cross-sections, and longitudinal cross-sections which are approximately elliptic close to the body ends (i.e. prolate-spheroidal body ends). The no-slip boundary condition on the body surface is satisfied, using a convenient stepwise procedure, to higher orders in the slenderness parameter (e) than has previously been possible. In fact, the boundary condition is satisfied up to an error term of O(e2) by distributing appropriate stokeslets, potential doublets, rotlets, sources, stresslets and quadrupoles on the body centre-line. The methods used here produce an integral equation valid along the entire body length, including the ends, whose solution determines the stokeslet strength or equivalently the force per unit length up to a term of O(e2). The O(e2) correction to the stokeslet strength is also found. The theory is used to examine the motion of a partial torus and a helix of finite length. For helical bodies comparisons are made between the present theory and the resistive-force theory using the force coefficients of Gray & Hancock and Lighthill. For the motion considered the Gray & Hancock force coefficients generally underestimate the force per unit length, whereas Lighthill's coefficients provide good agreement except in the vicinity of the body ends.
SEQUESTRATION OF ORGANIC CATIONS BY ACIDIFIED HEPATIC ENDOCYTIC VESICLES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR BILIARY-EXCRETION

A number of cationic amine drugs that are taken up by liver and excreted into bile may accumulate in acidified intracellular organelles such as lysosomes and endosomes. These studies were undertaken to assess directly the uptake and accumulation of three types of model organic cationic amines by endocytic vesicles, and the role of vesicle acidification in this process. Uptake of tubocurarine (TC), vecuronium and tributylmethylammonium (TBuMA) by purified rat liver multivesicular bodies (MVB) (prelysosomal endocytic vesicles) was dependent upon MgATP, time and drug concentration. After 60 min, 52 to 81% of MVB cation content was dependent upon vesicle acidification (due to an electrogenic proton pump), but not upon an interior positive vesicle membrane potential. Nineteen to 42% of MVB cation content appeared due to binding to MVB membranes or to internal lipoproteins. Vesicle-to-medium ATP-dependent apparent concentration ratios for these three cations were 3.3 to 51. MVB uptake of these cations resembled uptake of methylamine, a tertiary amine known to distribute across organellar membranes according to pH gradients. By contrast, MVB uptake of the lipophilic quaternary amine methyldeptropine was not dependent upon MgATP or on development of MVB pH or membrane potential gradients. In further studies, TC, vecuronium and TBuMA were rapidly taken up by the isolated perfused rat liver and excreted in bile. Exposure to 250 mciroM primaquin (which partially alkalinized acidic endosomes and lysosomes) reduced accumulation of [3H]vecuronium in a lysosomal fraction by 23%, decreased perfusate disappearance of TC and TBuMA, but not of vecuronium, and decreased biliary appearance of all three cations. These studies suggest that acidified intracellular organelles sequester certain organic cationic drugs, possibly via a drug/proton antiporter, and/or diffusion followed by intravesicular protonation and trapping of tertiary amines. However, attempts at partial displacement of these drugs, accomplished through partial vesicle alkalization by primaquin, decreased excretion of TC, vecuronium and TBuMA, perhaps reflecting the small functional size of the displaceable organellar drug compartment and/or competition between primaquin and the organic cations for membrane transport processes.
The effect of clade-specific sequence polymorphisms on HIV-1 protease activity and inhibitor resistance pathways.

The majority of HIV-1 infections around the world result from non-B clade HIV-1 strains. The CRF01_AE (AE) strain is seen principally in Southeast Asia. AE protease differs by ∼10% in amino acid sequence from clade B protease and carries several naturally occurring polymorphisms that are associated with drug resistance in clade B. AE protease has been observed to develop resistance through a nonactive-site N88S mutation in response to nelfinavir (NFV) therapy, whereas clade B protease develops both the active-site mutation D30N and the nonactive-site mutation N88D. Structural and biochemical studies were carried out with wild-type and NFV-resistant clade B and AE protease variants. The relationship between clade-specific sequence variations and pathways to inhibitor resistance was also assessed. AE protease has a lower catalytic turnover rate than clade B protease, and it also has weaker affinity for both NFV and darunavir (DRV). This weaker affinity may lead to the nonactive-site N88S variant in AE, which exhibits significantly decreased affinity for both NFV and DRV. The D30N/N88D mutations in clade B resulted in a significant loss of affinity for NFV and, to a lesser extent, for DRV. A comparison of crystal structures of AE protease shows significant structural rearrangement in the flap hinge region compared with those of clade B protease and suggests insights into the alternative pathways to NFV resistance. In combination, our studies show that sequence polymorphisms within clades can alter protease activity and inhibitor binding and are capable of altering the pathway to inhibitor resistance.
Spatially encoded, single-shot ultrafast spectroscopies

We analyze the time-resolution constraints for two single-shot, time-resolved femtosecond spectroscopic techniques, an excite–probe method, and a transient-grating method. For pulse lengths of tens of femtoseconds, the former technique is shown to provide pulse-length-limited resolution for samples as much as hundreds of micrometers thick. The latter technique is shown to provide nearly pulse-length-limited resolution under a variety of conditions, independent of the sample thickness.
A modular version of Jensen's formula

A well-known result of classical function theory, Jensen's formula, expresses the integral around a circle of the log modulus of a meromorphic function in terms of the log modulus of the zeros and poles of that function lying inside the circle. Explicitly, if F is a meromorphic function on the unit disc {ω e ℂ: |ω| F (0) = 1, then, for 0 r where ord ω F is the order of F at ω. The purpose of this note is to observe that a formula analogous to (1) holds when F is replaced by a modular function for SL 2 (ℤ) and the integral by a suitable double integral over a fundamental domain. We shall derive this modular variant of Jensen's formula from the usual version by applying the Rankin-Selberg method and the first Kronecker limit formula. The argument admits some extension to Fuchsian groups other than SL 2 (ℤ), and to modular forms of weight other than zero; this point will be discussed later.
Terminal-pair reliability of three-type computer communication networks

The terminal-pair reliabilities, between the root and a leaf, of the two-center binary tree, the X-tree, and the ring-tree are computed; the beheaded binary tree is used as a benchmark. A building block is identified in the two-center binary tree from which a decomposition method is formulated. Another building block is identified for the X-tree and ring-tree from which a truss-transformation method is obtained. Computation has been carried out using algorithms based on the analysis. Although the ring-tree is the most reliable at all practical ranges of link and mode reliabilities, the X-tree and two-center binary tree are also good candidates because link reliability over 0.95 is quite common, and node reliability can be kept very high. The X-tree in particular is quite desirable due to its lower connectivity at each node and hence a lower implementation complexity. Three computational methods are presented. The simplicity of the two-center binary-tree algorithm blends with the hierarchical structure of the network itself because the states directly show that the level of computation can be summarized by some reliability subcomponents. >
Contractile State of the Heart Characterized by Force-Velocity Relations in Variably Afterloaded and Isovolumic Beats

Relations between tension and the velocity of shortening in the intact left ventricle of the dog were examined in a manner analogous to that employed in isolated muscle, i.e., by serial, reproducible variations in the afterload alone, from a constant end diastolic volume. Sudden increases or decreases in the aortic pressure during diastole were produced, and ejection rate was measured with an electromagnetic flowmeter; LV wall tension and the shortening velocities of the myocardial fibers and the contractile elements were then calculated. By analyzing isovolume points early in ejection, effects resulting from two other determinants of shortening velocity, duration of active state and instantaneous muscle length, were minimized. Shifts in the basic force-velocity relation with alterations in Vmax, obtained by extrapolation, and maximum tension were clearly demonstrated. Norepinephrine and paired electrical stimulation caused a shift in this relation to the right, with increases in velocity at any tension, ...
Applying the continuous improvement process to engineering design in the laboratory

One of the contemporary issues in the evolution of engineering curricula concerns Total Quality Management (TQM). In many cases TQM topics are discussed in design seminars, and students are asked to apply and interpret the TQM principles in the context of their design projects. A difficulty emerges when students are asked to apply the principle of continuous improvement. Most students and student teams complete a typical design course when they demonstrate a first prototype, and they seldom engage in further design iterations using a systematic continuous improvement methodology. This paper describes a laboratory integration of engineering design and continuous improvement based on statistical measures of ensemble product performance. An intensive week-long full-time laboratory addresses the iterative design and implementation of a modest electronic instrumentation circuit, seeking improvements in topology and parameter selections which result in improved performance variances.
Racial differences in maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin and unconjugated oestriol levels

We assayed maternal serum samples from 134 black and 268 white women from 16 to 18 weeks of gestation for intact human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and unconjugated oestriol (uE3). Serum from women with high (> or = 2.5 MOMs) or low (risk for Down syndrome > or = 1/365) maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) levels were excluded. After correcting for maternal weight, we found that median hCG levels were 16 per cent higher in black women but uE3 levels were not significantly different. These results confirm three other studies for hCG and one study for uE3. Corrections are recommended for both maternal serum hCG and AFP before calculating the risk for Down syndrome in black women.
On the intermolecular potential in solid N 2 . II. Libronic frequencies

The librational frequencies of solid α-nitrogen are calculated using an RPA formalism and a potential expressed as a multipolar expansion. As was previously suggested, inclusion of higher-than-quadrupolar terms in the hard-core potential is required for agreement with experiment. The relative values of the “nonelectric” quadrupole-quadrupole interactions determine the precise frequencies. The Gruneisen parameters - ∂(ln Ω)/∂(ln V) can be explained by postulating a volume-independent hexadecapole-monopole potential. Such an assumption is partially justified by libron-phonon interactions, which are shown to play a significant role in determining the effective multipolar potentials.
Fusion in sensor networks with communication constraints

In this paper, we address the problem of optimizing the detection performance of sensor networks under communication constraints on the common access channel. Our work helps understanding tradeoffs between sensor network para-meters like number of sensors, degree of quantization at each local sensor, and SNR. Traditionally, this problem is tack-led using asymptotic assumptions on the number of sensors, an approach that leads to the abstraction of important details such as the structure of the fusion center. We adopt a non-asymptotic approach and optimize both, the sensing and the fusion sides with respect to the probability of detection error. We show that the optimal fusion rule has an interesting structure similar to themajority-voting rule. In addition, we study the convergence with respect to the number of sensors of the performance of the fusion rule. We show that convergence is SNR dependent and that, in low-SNR environments, asymptotics may require a large number of sensors.
Does Sector Matter? An Analysis of Planners’ Attitudes Regarding Politics and Competing Interests in the Planning Process

Both communicative planning theory and competing values models of public administration suggest attitudinal differences should exist between planners employed by private firms and those employed by...
Phase dependent output in a time varying neural net

The design of a neural net that reasonably simulates the time-dependent behavior of a synaptic connection on which learning can be based is outlined. The results for the three-layer network show that the output frequency of this network can be controlled not only by the amplitude, but also by the frequency and the phase dependence of the signal. This should prove useful in modeling rhythmic and other time-dependent neural net properties. >
A systematic approach to building high performance software-based CRC generators

A framework for designing a family of novel fast CRC generation algorithms is presented. Our algorithms can ideally read arbitrarily large amounts of data at a time, while optimizing their memory requirement to meet the constraints of specific computer architectures. In addition, our algorithms can be implemented in software using commodity processors instead of specialized parallel circuits. We use this framework to design two efficient algorithms that run in the popular Intel IA32 processor architecture. First, a 'slicing-by-4' algorithm doubles the performance of existing software-based, table-driven CRC implementations based on the Sarwate (August 1988) algorithm while using a 4K cache footprint. Second, a 'slicing-by-8' algorithm triples the performance of existing software-based CRC implementations while using an 8K cache footprint.
Bifurcated states of the error-field-induced magnetic islands

We find that the formation of the magnetic islands due to error fields shows bifurcation when neoclassical effects are included. The bifurcation, which follows from including bootstrap current terms in a description of island growth in the presence of error fields, provides a path to avoid the island-width pole in the classical description. The theory offers possible theoretical explanations for the recent DIII-D and JT-60 experimental observations concerning confinement deterioration with increasing error field.
ΔFosB in the Nucleus Accumbens Regulates Food-Reinforced Instrumental Behavior and Motivation

Alterations in motivation have been implicated in the pathophysiology of several psychiatric disorders, including substance abuse and depression. Repeated exposure to drugs of abuse or stress is known to persistently induce the transcription factor deltaFosB in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and dorsal striatum, effects hypothesized to contribute to neuroadaptations in dopamine-regulated signaling. Little is known, however, about the specific involvement of deltaFosB in dysregulation of appetitively motivated behaviors. We show here that inducible overexpression of deltaFosB in NAc and dorsal striatum of bitransgenic mice, or specifically in the NAc core of rats by use of viral-mediated gene transfer, enhanced food-reinforced instrumental performance and progressive ratio responding. Very similar behavioral effects were found after previous repeated exposure to cocaine, amphetamine, MDMA [(+)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine], or nicotine in rats. These results reveal the powerful regulation of motivational processes by deltaFosB, and provide evidence that drug-induced alterations in gene expression via induction of deltaFosB within the NAc core may play a critical role in the impact of motivational influences on instrumental behavior.
Hypophysiotropic neurons of the paraventricular nucleus respond in spatially, temporally, and phenotypically differentiated manners to acute vs. repeated restraint stress: rapid publication.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) responses to stress are initiated by parvicellular neurosecretory neurons in the medial parvicellular (mp) part of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH), which express corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), among other neuropeptides. We have used an approach guided by patterns of stress-induced Fos expression to explore the manner in which anatomically and phenotypically defined components of the mpPVH respond to acute vs. repeated restraint stress. Hormonal indices of HPA activation in animals exposed to the last of 14 daily repeated restraint sessions were significantly lower than those in rats receiving a single restraint episode. Although this habituation was paralleled by global decrements in activation patterns across all PVH compartments, clear spatial-temporal differences in recruitment profiles were noted between dorsal and ventral aspects of the mpPVH. Thus, acute restraint provoked a biphasic Fos induction, which occurred first within the mpPVH and in an adjoining population of somatostatinergic cells in the periventricular region and only later within other aspects of the PVH. By contrast, Fos responses of habituated animals were monophasic and focused decisively within a discrete ventral aspect of the mpPVH. The ventral population was identified as comprising neurons that express CRF and/or enkephalin and, to a lesser extent, growth hormone-releasing factor. These results indicate a lack of homogeneity among stress-responsive parvicellular neurosecretory neurons and suggest that distinct complements of CRF cells may be preferentially involved in initiating HPA responses to acute stress and sustaining them in the repeated condition.
Why do Eared Grebes Leave Hypersaline Lakes in Autumn

Abstract Jehl (1988) observed that the departure of Eared Grebes Podiceps nigricollis from Mono Lake, California, a major fall staging area, did not occur in relation to time of year or weather but was initiated after the density of brine shrimp (Artemia monica)-the major prey-fell below a predictable threshold. Although Caudell and Conover (2006) found no such relationship at Great Salt Lake, the other major staging area, reevaluation of their data indicates that the threshold concept applies there as well. Substantial differences in the staging ecology of Eared Grebes at the two lakes remain to be demonstrated.
Use of Banking Formulae in Engineering Economics

The primary types of banking transactions discussed in Chapter 2 form the basis for most engineering economic analyses. These principles are generally applied in two ways:
Arizona's County Grand Jury: the Empty Promise of Independence

This Note examines the independence of the county grand jury in Arizona. After reviewing the grand jury's historical roots in England, colonial and post-colonial America, and in Arizona, this Note describes the Arizona statutes governing the county grand jury system. It then explains some of the practical problems which defeat legislative and judicial attempts to protect the grand jury's independence. Finally, after discussing judicial reaction to some of these problems, this Note offers for consideration some institutional reforms aimed at closing the gap between the rhetoric of and what actually is the case regarding grand jury independence. Excluded from this Note is any examination of the grand jury's investigatory role, and any examination of Arizona's state grand jury.
The Influence of Additives and Impurities on Crystallization Kinetics

Expressions describing the influence of additives and impurities on the kinetics of mineralization and demineralization have been derived from an interfacial tension point of view. In aqueous solution, the Lifshitz-van der Waals interfacial tension component changes very little, but the Lewis base (or electron-donicity) surface tension parameter varies markedly as a function of additive and impurity concentrations. The inhibiting effects of simple cations on crystal growth in solution may result from the increase in interfacial tension accompanying their adsorption on the surfaces. In the case of polymers or macromolecules, the kinetics of crystallization will not only depend upon the substrata but also the surface properties of the additives. Nucleation of calcium phosphate phases was observed only on surfaces having low solid/solution interfacial tension and relatively high electron-donicity of the solid surfaces. Such properties were found for human serum albumin immobilized on polymer solid surfaces of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene) (FEP), and following radiofrequency glow discharge (RFGD) treatment which mimicked the adsorption of impurity OH− ions on the surfaces.
A new look at the transformation electromagnetics approach for some real-world applications.

In this paper, we present an alternative approach to addressing the problem of designing a number of practical microwave devices such as blankets serving as absorbers for radar targets, flat lenses...
Spatially resolved resistance of NiO nanostructures under humid environment

The spatially resolved electrical response of polycrystalline NiO films composed of 40 nm crystallites was investigated under different relative humidity levels (RH). The topological and electrical properties (surface potential and resistance) were characterized with sub 25nm resolution using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and conductive scanning probe microscopy under argon atmosphere at 0%, 50%, and 80% relative humidity. The dimensionality of surface features obtained through autocorrelation analysis of topological maps increased linearly with increased relative humidity, as water was adsorbed onto the film surface. Surface potential decreased from about 280mV to about 100 mV and resistance decreased from about 5 GΩ to about 3 GΩ, in a nonlinear fashion when relative humidity was increased from 0% to 80%. Spatially resolved surface potential and resistance of the NiO films was found to be heterogeneous throughout the film, with distinct domains that grew in size from about 60 nm to 175 nm at 0% and 80% RH levels, respectively. The heterogeneous character of the topological, surface potential, and resistance properties of the polycrystalline NiO film observed under dry conditions decreased with increased relative humidity, yielding nearly homogeneous surface properties at 80% RH, suggesting that the nanoscale potential and resistance properties converge with the mesoscale properties as water is adsorbed onto the NiO film.
Social and Technical Determinants of Perceived Contract Performance: Rules, Autonomy, and Ethics

ABSTRACTContracting for services represents one mechanism employed to improve the performance of government agencies. While research examining contract performance sheds substantial light on the circumstances under which contracting achieves intended goals, it has rarely considered how the technical and human factors of the contracting process jointly affect contract performance. As a result, relatively little is known about how human factors affect contract performance under shifting technical contingencies. This gap is addressed by exploring how autonomy over contract management and perceived ethical behavior (social factors) are contingent upon changes in contract rules training (a technical factor). The study finds that contract managers who have had more rules training tend to believe that they have less autonomy and view the behaviors of others as unethical. Findings also indicate that more training in contracting rules may inhibit perceived contract performance when mediated by autonomy and percept...
The marchitecture: a cognitive architecture for a robot baby

The Marchitecture is a cognitive architecture for autonomous development of representations. The goals of The Marchitecture are domain independence, operating in the absence of knowledge engineering, learning an ontology of parameterized relational concepts, and elegance of design. To this end, The Marchitecture integrates classification, parsing, reasoning, and explanation. The Marchitecture assumes an ample amount of raw data to develop its representations, and it is therefore appropriate for long lived agents.
Loops, Trees, and Cut Sets

Now that we are experts on the general subject of connected networks and connected sets of branches, we focus our attention upon two particular types of connected sets of branches, loops and trees. In addition, in this Chapter we consider cut sets, which are sets of branches very closely associated with the concept of connectedness.
Inhibitory effects of FK506 in combination with CsA on human lymphocyte alloproliferative responses

FK506 (FK) is a novel immunosuppressive drug isolated from Streptomyces tsukubaensis. Its in vitro effect on lymphocyte proliferation is several hundred-fold greater than that of Cyclosporine A (CsA). Studies were conducted on the inhibitory effect of combinations of FK and CsA on lymphocyte proliferation in vitro. The secondary proliferative response (PLT) of alloreactive T cells was significantly inhibited by a combination of 0.06 ng/ml of FK and 1 ng/ml of CsA. At these low concentrations, these drugs were ineffective. The synergistic effect between FK and CsA was also demonstrated through sequential exposure of alloreactive lymphocytes to FK followed by CsA. Pretreatment of IL2-expanded alloreactive cells with FK yielded cell cultures whose PLT activity was considerably more sensitive to low doses of CsA than control cells or CsA-pretreated cells. These findings provide evidence for a synergism between the immunosuppressive effects of FK and CsA. The combination of low-dose FK plus CsA immunosuppression may benefit organ transplant outcome.
The cyber-doom effect: The impact of fear appeals in the US cyber security debate

In the US cyber security debate, observers have noted there is a tendency for policymakers, military leaders, and media, among others, to use frightening ‘cyber-doom scenarios’ when making the case for action on cyber security (Dunn Cavelty, 2008, p. 2). Some have conjectured that these fictional cyber-doom scenarios, which exemplify ‘fear appeals’ in communication research, have the potential to undermine productive debate aimed at addressing genuine cyber security challenges (Valeriano and Ryan, 2015, pp. 7, 196). Yet, few have directly investigated the impacts of such rhetoric. Here, we assess the impact of cyber-doom scenarios by contextualising them within existing scholarship on the impact of fear appeals, a well-studied phenomenon in communication science. First, we review qualitative and quantitative research on fear appeals and their effects. Next, we report results of an empirical study that takes advantage of a nationally televised docudrama depicting a hypothetical cyber-doom scenario. Through content analysis of real-time responses to this docudrama on the social media platform Twitter, we assess the effects of this particular cyber-doom scenario on a large audience. Our findings suggest that the use of such extreme fear appeals in the absence of clearly communicated and efficacious information about how to respond to the threat is counterproductive, as they can lead to a sense of fatalism and demotivation to act. Thus, concerns that the use of cyber-doom scenarios could impair efforts to motivate appropriate policy responses to genuine cyber security threats are warranted.
Neuronal Hormones and the Sympathetic/Parasympathetic Regulation of the Heart

The primary purpose of the heart is to contract and pump blood to the entire body and all peripheral organs. Heart rate and cardiac output are tightly regulated so the heart can adjust to meet the needs of the organism under any given circumstance. This regulation is provided by the autonomic nervous system, including hormones and other secreted factors. In this chapter, we discuss the physiological mechanisms by which cardiac function is controlled and modulated by the autonomic (sympathetic & parasympathetic) nervous system, by the endocrine organs (mainly pituitary and adrenal glands), and, finally, by its own intrinsic endocrine system (cardiac hormones). Particular emphasis is given to molecular receptor signaling mechanisms underlying these processes.
Inhibition of Clostridium botulinum 62A by Saturated n-Aliphatic Acids, n-Alkyl Formates, Acetates, Propionates and Butyrates.

Saturated aliphatic acids (C1 to C20) and n-alkyl formate, acetate, propionate and butyrate esters (C1 to C20) were evaluated to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) necessary to inhibit the growth of Clostridium botulinum 62A in a bacteriological medium. The C1 to C7 and C16 to C20 acids and esters were relatively inactive (MIC > 200 μg/ml). The C8 to C15 acids exhibited some antibotulinal acitivity (MIC = 100 μg/ml), whereas C8 to C15 esters were substantially more inhibitory. The n-alkyl formates, acetates and propionates having C13 to C14 groups gave the highest inhibition, with MIC's of 3.1, 6.3 and 6.3 μg/ml, respectively. The maximum inhibition for the butyrates (MIC = 12.4 μg/ml) was associated with C11 to C12 alkyl groups. A mathematical relationship between activity and alkyl group chain length was derived.
What is the Future of the Survey Course

I want to kick off this discussion with three quotes and a statistic. The first quote is as follows: “The chief purpose [of historical education] is not to fill [someone's] head with a mass of material which he may perhaps put forward again when a college examiner demands its production.” The second—a line from a front page story in The New York Times—reads, “College freshmen throughout the nation reveal a striking ignorance of even the most elementary aspects of United States history.” And the third: We have descended into what some consider the dark age of declining enrollments, professional unemployment, and a growing rejection of history by many students who seem to agree with Henry Ford that history is “bunk.” If we are going to have any real impact on individuals or society, we must do something besides just cover the material. Finally, the statistic: in eight years alone, the number of students majoring in history dropped 40 percent.
Mechanics of Post-Fusion Exocytotic Vesicle

Exocytosis is an important cellular process controlled by metabolic signaling. It involves vesicle fusion to the plasma membrane, followed by the opening of a fusion pore, and the subsequent release of the vesicular lumen content into the extracellular space. While most modeling efforts focus on the events leading to membrane fusion, how the vesicular membrane remodels after fusing to plasma membrane remains unclear. This latter event dictates the nature and the efficiency of exocytotic vesicular secretions, and is thus critical for exocytotic function. We provide a generic membrane mechanical model to systematically study the fate of post-fusion vesicles. We show that while membrane stiffness favors full-collapse vesicle fusion into the plasma membrane, the intravesicular pressure swells the vesicle and causes the fusion pore to shrink. Dimensions of the vesicle and its associated fusion pore further modulate this mechanical antagonism. We systematically define the mechanical conditions that account for the full spectrum of the observed vesicular secretion modes. Our model therefore can serve as a unified theoretical framework that sheds light on the elaborate control mechanism of exocytosis.
A historical perspective and evolution of the treatment of male urinary incontinence.

Aims To describe the historical changes from antiquity until present in the presentation and treatment of male urinary incontinence. Methods A literature review of PubMed articles in English pertaining to male incontinence was performed. Results Male urinary incontinence was first mentioned in Egyptian manuscripts in 1500 B.C. In 1564, Ambroise Pare designed portable urinals for incontinent males. Wilhem Hildanus created the first condom catheter with pig bladder in the 1600s and was also credited with fashioning the first penile clamp. Lorenz Heister introduced a perineal bulbar urethral compression belt in 1747 which would provide the blueprint for air-inflated bulbar urethral compression devices such as the one designed by S.A. Vincent in 1960. Robert Gersuny performed the first periurethral paraffin injection bulking therapy in the late 19th century. In 1929, Frederic Foley introduced the modern catheter, and also credited with conception of the first artificial sphincter. From 1970 to 1973, Joseph Kaufman surgically created bulbar compression for post-prostatectomy incontinence, but not before designing the first male sling with John Berry in 1958. In 1973, F. Brantley Scott introduced the first multi-component artificial inflatable sphincter. Improvements upon periurethral bulking therapy occurred rapidly in the late 20th century with Teflon, collagen, autologous adipose, tissue and cross-linked silicone gels. Since 2007, stem cell injection therapy has emerged as a new therapeutic option for incontinence; however, results are mixed and remains experimental. Conclusion Treatment for male urinary incontinence has evolved from noninvasive devices to various surgical procedures. Artificial sphincters remain the gold-standard therapy for male urinary incontinence.
Stress Reduction in a High Stress Population: A Service-Learning Project

Psychology students delivered stress and coping workshops to homeless adolescent mothers as part of a college service-learning project. In this vulnerable and underserved population, stress reduction is critical. Service-learning was used as an avenue to enhance student learning and growth while helping meet this need in our community. The psychology students developed deeper learning, professional skills, and social awareness. The adolescent mothers developed stress reduction skills that they were able to successfully implement. Challenges and recommendations for the implementation of similar service-learning projects are discussed.
Membrane Behavior of Unsaturated Sodium Bentonite

AbstractChemical containment barriers comprising sodium bentonite (Na-bentonite) have been shown to exhibit semipermeable membrane behavior under saturated conditions. Since membrane behavior resul...