cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxidation of α,β-un saturated aldehydes

Abstract A variety of methods for the conversion of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes to the corresponding acids have been explored. The best approach uses sodium chlorite and gives the desired transformation even in systems where steric hindrance and/or sensitive functionality are present.
Measuring oxygen diffusion coefficients with polarographic oxygen electrodes: I. Electrolyte solutions.

The oxygen diffusion coefficient in aqueous solutions is an important factor leading to a successful chemical engineering process design. Unfortunately, few data are available in the literature, largely because accurate measurements are difficult and tedious. Different methods of measuring the oxygen diffusion coefficient have been reported.’,’ The purpose of this work is to exploit a rapid method of measuring oxygen diffusion coefficients in electrolyte solutions with the commercially available membrane-covered oxygen electrode. The methodology is general and thus can be extended to gases other than oxygen. When an electrode of noble metal such as platinum or gold is made 0.6-0.8 V negative with respect to a suitable reference electrode, for example, the calomel or Ag/AgCl, in a neutral potassium chloride (KCl) electrolyte as the electrode solution, dissolved oxygen is reduced at the surface of the cathode. By separating the cathode, anode, and KCI solution from the test medium with a plastic membrane permeable to oxygen but not to most of the ions, the polarographic oxygen electrode has been successfully used to measure oxygen tensions in the gas, liquid, or semisolid. This electrode has the property that the current output is directly proportional to the oxygen partial pressure in the immediate vicinity of the membrane surface. With proper interpretation, however, the measurement can be used to characterize the transport properties of oxygen in the bulk medium surrounding the electrode. Takahashi and Fatt3 used a Clark-type polarographic oxygen electrode, replacing its plastic membrane with a tissue segment, to make a direct measurement of the oxygen diffusion coefficient in corneas removed from steer and rabbit eyes. Eliminating the membrane, they avoided a multilayered system (the electrode solution, membrane, and tissue) on the electrode; hence, the data given by this dynamic process could easily be used to solve for the oxygen diffusion coefficient. * To whom all correspondence should be addressed. The method, however, is not applicable to an aqueous system because the electrode solution is prone to leak. Two other methods measuring oxygen diffusion coefficients in the liquid were introduced by Lee.4 One used an oxygen microelectrode with the unsteadystate analysis similar to that of Takahashi and Fatt.3 The other was based on the fact that the response time of the bare cathode was inversely proportional to the value of the oxygen diffusion coefficient. However, these dynamic measurements are sensitive to external disturbances and are very difficult to perform. This article describes findings concerning a convenient method using the steady-state analysis for characterizing oxygen diffusion coefficients in aqueous solutions. Furthermore, it reports on the effect of the ionic strength on the diffusion coefficients in various electrolyte solutions.
Characteristics of an internally illuminated calibration sphere

Measurements of the spatial angular variability of an internally illuminated integrating sphere have been made in the interest of using such a sphere to calibrate instruments with large angular fields of view. Spatial uniformity across a 29.8-cm aperture was found to be 1.9% or better for full twelve-lamp illumination and 2.6% for one-lamp illumination. Angular uniformity from normal to ±40° was found to be 3% or better.
A NEW PEPEROMIA, COLLECTED BY THE SURINAME EXPEDITION 1948/1949

Herba parva delicata subcaespitosa repens, caule pergracili sat conferte piloso, pilis erectis; foliis alternis vel supremis oppositis elliptico-obovatis, apice rotundatis, basi acutis vel subobtusis, supra crispo-pubescentibus subtus glabris vel dissite pubescentibus ciliolatis palmatim 3-5-nerviis; petiolo pergracili; spicis terminalibus axillaribusve gracillimis; drupa obliquo-ovoidea, apice obliqua, stigmate subapicali. A very small, delicate, subcespitose, herbaceous plant, the stems scarcely 1 mm. in diameter when dry, pilose with spreading hairs, commonly densely so in young growth, branching, the sterile branches comparatively short and stolon-like, the fruiting branches ascending 3-5 cm. Leaves alternate, or the uppermost appearing opposite, the blades elliptic-obovate, the apex rounded, the base acute or obtusish, up to 7 mm. wide and 10 mm. long, but mostly about 3-4 X 5-7 mm., the upper surface crisp-pilose, the lower surface glabrous, or occasional leaves pilose, the margin ciliate, palmately 3- or 5-nerved, the nerves with very slender cross-connecting-anastomosing nervules as viewed by transmitted light, drying membranous and translucent, the blades with a pair of longitudinal brown stripes above and pale green beneath when growing; petiole filiform, mostly 3-5 mm. long, sparsely pilose glabrescent, flattened above and laterally ridged by the decurrent blade margins. Spikes terminal or axillary, very slender, closely flowered, up to 1.5 (or more?) cm. long, the peduncle 5-8 mm. long, thinly pilose glabrescent, the bracts round-peltate, the margin uneven or irregular. Fruit obliquely ovoid with oblique apex and subapical stigma.
Searching for analogues, how long must we wait?

A three-way relationship is derived between the size of a library ( M years) of historical atmospheric data, the distance between an arbitrarily picked state of the atmosphere and its nearest neighbor (or analogue), and the size of the spatial domain, as measured by the number of spatial degrees of freedom ( N ). It is found that it would take a library of order 10 30 years to find 2 observed flows that match to within current observational error over a large area such as the Northern Hemisphere. Obviously, with only 10–100 years of data, the probability of finding natural analogous is very small, unless one is satisfied with analogy over small areas or in just 2 of 3 degrees of freedom as represented, for instance, by 2 or 3 leading empirical orthogonal modes. We further propose the notion that analogues can be constructed by combining a number of observed flow patterns. We have found at least one application where linearly constructed analogues are conclusively better at specifying US surface weather from concurrent 700 mb geopotential height than natural analogues are. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0870.1994.t01-2-00006.x
A two-time-scale neural controller for the tracking control of rigid manipulators

In this paper, a two-time-scale neural controller applied to tile tracking control of rigid manipulators is introduced. Several fast learning rules and slow learning strategies are proposed. The stability properties of the closed loop system with the proposed two-time-scale neural controller are analyzed. The results show that the tracking error will be uniformly bounded and converge to a bounded region. If a sufficiently large leakage term is used in the fast learning rule, the ultimate bound of the tracking error depends only on the accuracy of the slow learning. Moreover, the feasibility of the proposed neural controller is demonstrated through the simulation of a two-link rigid robot manipulator. >
New Atomic Force Microscopy Based Astrocyte Cell Shape Index

A new three-dimensional cell shape index using the AFM height images of cells cultured on cell substrates was defined. The new cell shape index revealed quantitative cell spreading information of cells that is not included in the conventional cell shape index. The quantitative morphometry of rat cerebral cortical astrocytes cultured on four different kinds of cell substrates were investigated using the conventional and the new cell shape index, and the results were compared. The new cell shape index showed the quantitative astrocyte spreading and stellation behavior that agrees with the AFM height images of astrocytes.
Univalent transition metal complexes of arenes stabilized by a bulky terphenyl ligand: differences in the stability of Cr(I), Mn(I) or Fe(I) complexes.

Two univalent transition metal complexes, (µ-η6:η6-C7H8){MnAr*-3,5-Pri2}2 (1) and (η6-C6H6)FeAr*-3,5-Pri2 (2) (Ar*-3,5-Pri2 = C6H-2,6-(C6H2-2,4,6-Pri3)2-3,5-Pri2), that have η6 arene coordination were synthesized by reduction of the corresponding metal halides. The complexes are thermally stable in contrast to the corresponding Cr(I) complexes of benzene or toluene which decompose at room temperature.
Motion-compensated acoustic positioning in very shallow waters using spread-spectrum ultra-short baseline array processing

A motion-compensated ultra-short baseline acoustic positioning system operable in shallow water and port environment has been implemented at Florida Atlantic University. Multi-tones signal modulation and log-likelihood maximization enable this acoustic positioning system to operate in volumes of water of less than 10 cubic meters. The motion compensation system estimates the array position and orientation by merging inertial and differential GPS measurements using Kalman filtering techniques. Experiments show 0.67 and 2.67 degrees of error for the array tilt and heading estimates, and 0.74 meter for the array position estimate at a range of 23 meters.
Inconsistency and Lassitude: the Shield Emblems of the Notitia Dignitatum

It has usually been held that the shield emblems in the Notitia Dignitatum (Not. Dig.) were based upon an official pictorial register or pattern book, containing the unit emblems of the late Roman army. Thought to have been based upon an official source, as the text was, the shield emblems of the Not. Dig. are imagined to have been accurate in the original manuscript. It was only later, according to this view, that errors crept in during the transmission of the text and illustrations, so that the emblems now appear to be somewhat debased. For example, it is held that some of them no longer accompany the titles for which they were apparently intended. Shifts in the relationship between the emblems and titles have long been noted. But there are other, more fundamental, inconsistencies that have escaped the attention of scholars. These previously led me to raise doubts about the truth of the conventional view above and to entertain the possibility ‘that the artist's sources were so impoverished that he was reduced to relying upon his own powers of invention’. I should now like to explain in greater detail my reasons for rejecting the conventional view and advancing the alternative explanation that the shield emblems of the Not. Dig. were largely ad hoc fabrications. The consequences for our understanding of the Not. Dig. and of the art of the later Roman Empire are obviously considerable.
Correlation of Osteoradionecrosis and Dental Events With Dosimetric Parameters in Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Head-and-Neck Cancer

Purpose Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is a known complication of radiation therapy to the head and neck. However, the incidence of this complication with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and dental sequelae with this technique have not been fully elucidated. Methods and Materials From December 2000 to July 2007, 168 patients from our institution have been previously reported for IMRT of the oral cavity, nasopharynx, larynx/hypopharynx, sinus, and oropharynx. All patients underwent pretreatment dental evaluation, including panoramic radiographs, an aggressive fluoride regimen, and a mouthguard when indicated. The median maximum mandibular dose was 6,798 cGy, and the median mean mandibular dose was 3,845 cGy. Patient visits were retrospectively reviewed for the incidence of ORN, and dental records were reviewed for the development of dental events. Univariate analysis was then used to assess the effect of mandibular and parotid gland dosimetric parameters on dental endpoints. Results With a median clinic follow-up of 37.4 months (range, 0.8–89.6 months), 2 patients, both with oral cavity primaries, experienced ORN. Neither patient had preradiation dental extractions. The maximum mandibular dose and mean mandibular dose of the 2 patients were 7,183 and 6,828 cGy and 5812 and 5335 cGy, respectively. In all, 17% of the patients (n = 29) experienced a dental event. A mean parotid dose of >26 Gy was predictive of a subsequent dental caries, whereas a maximum mandibular dose >70 Gy and a mean mandibular dose >40 Gy were correlated with dental extractions after IMRT. Conclusions ORN is rare after head-and-neck IMRT, but is more common with oral cavity primaries. Our results suggest different mechanisms for radiation-induced caries versus extractions.
Combined glossopharyngeal and chorda tympani nerve transection elevates quinine detection thresholds in rats (Rattus norvegicus).

Using a conditioned shock avoidance procedure, behavioral quinine hydrochloride thresholds were measured before and after glossopharyngeal (GLX), chorda tympani (CTX), or combined glossopharyngeal and chorda tympani (GLX + CTX) transection, as well as after sham surgery. In Experiment 1, thresholds in the sham, CTX, and GLX rats (Rattus norvegicus) either improved (lowered) or remained the same after surgery. In Experiment 2, GLX + CTX caused a pronounced 1.5 lOgl0 unit increase in presurgically measured thresholds. Neither the glossopharyngeal nor the chorda tympani nerve is necessary for normal sensitivity to low quinine concentrations provided the other is intact. When both of these nerves are transected, however, the remaining afferent input is not sufficient to maintain normal detection performance. Quinine, an alkaloid that tastes bitter to humans, is strongly avoided by rats at millimolar concentrations. Estimates of the detection threshold for quinine hydrochloride measured behaviorally in rats are in the micromolar range (e.g., 1.2 X 10 -2 mM, Koh & Teitelbaum, 1961; 5.1 x 10 -3 mM, Thaw & Smith, 1994; 3 X 10 -3 mM, Shaber, Brent, & Rumsey, 1970). Quinine stimulates taste buds throughout the oral cavity, but electrophysiological studies in rats suggest that the posterior tongue taste buds convey the most specific quinine signal via the glossopharyngeal (GL) nerve (Boudreau, Do, Sivakumar, Oravec, & Rodriguez, 1987; Frank, 1991). The GL contains a large population of narrowly tuned fibers that are responsive to quinine but relatively unresponsive to sodium chloride, hydrochloric acid, and sucrose (Frank, 1991). In contrast, quinine-responsive fibers in the chorda tympani (CT) nerve are more broadly tuned, responding maximally to salts and acids (Frank, Contreras, & Hettinger, 1983; Ogawa, Sato, & Yamashita, 1968). Single units in the hamster superior laryngeal branch of the vagus nerve (SLV) respond relatively poorly to quinine and in a nonselective
Structural Factors Affecting Exchange Rate Volatility: A Cross-Section Study

The paper examines factors affecting exchange rate volatility, with an emphasis on structural features of the foreign exchange regime. It draws for the first time on detailed survey data collected by the IMF on foreign exchange market organization and regulations. Key findings are that decentralized dealer markets, regulations on the use of domestic currency by nonresidents, acceptance of Article VIII obligations, and limits on banks` foreign exchange positions are associated with lower exchange rate volatility. The paper also provides support for earlier results on the influence of macroeconomic conditions and the choice of exchange rate regime on volatility.
Efficacy and safety of nisoldipine coat core in the management of angina pectoris, systemic hypertension, and ischemic ventricular dysfunction.

Abstract The effects of the long-acting dihydropyridine calcium antagonist nisoldipine coat core (CC) have been investigated in > 3,500 patients with angina pectoris, hypertension, arid ischemic ventricular dysfunction. In patients with angina pectoris, nisoldipine CC improved total treadmill exercise duration (p = 0.027), delayed the onset of angina pectoris (p = 0.009), and increased time to exercise-induced ST-segment depression (p = 0.061). In general, nisoldipine 20–40 mg was effective, and the dose-response curve flattened thereafter. In patients with hypertension, 10–40 mg once daily as monotherapy reduced blood pressure (p 65 years of age. In the Doppler Flow and Echocardiography in Functional Cardiac Insufficiency: Assessment of Nisoldipine Therapy (DEFIANT-I) study of patients recovering from myocardial infarction, nisoldipine CC had a salutary effect on diastolic ventricular function, with a higher transmitral early filling velocity and shorter isovolumic relaxation time than in patients receiving placebo. Bicycle exercise capacity was greater (by 12 W; 95% confidence interval, 0.8–23.3) and exercise-induced ischemia occurred less frequently. The nisoldipine CC data pool (3,679 patients) showed that the drug was well tolerated with a low incidence of side effects. Angina pectoris, chest pain, and dyspnea, occurred less frequently with nisoldipine CC, and mortality was slightly lower in patients taking the drug (0.28% vs 0.37%). The absence or very low incidence of acute vasodilatory effects may indicate that complications associated with sharp peak and trough effects of drug (reflex sympathetic stimulation, catecholamine release, activation of the renin—angiotensin system) may be less frequent with long-acting calcium antagonists.
Biochemical Studies of Proacrosin and Acrosin from Hamster Cauda Epididymal Spermatozoa

Partially purified proacrosin, the zymogen form of acrosin was obtained from unwashed hamster cauda epididymal spermatozoa by acid extraction and Sephadex column chromatography. Hamster proacrosin (92 percent of the total acrosin actviry) and active acrosin (8 percent of the total activity) were eluted together with an apparent molecular weight of 70,000 ± 3000. However, the acrosin produced by complete "autoactivation" of the proacrosin preparation had an apparent molecular weight of 41,000 ± 3000. Hamster proacrosin "autoactivation" was a second order autocatalytie process typical of zymogen conversion to active enzyme. "Autoactivation" was most rapid at pH 8.0, accelerated by Ca?+ and inhibited by Zn2+. Our earlier studies have shown that rabbit sperm proacrosin had similar properties which suggests that the molecular nature of the two proacrosins is similar. The following properties of hamster acrosin were similar to those of rabbit acrosin: pH optima; Km values with respect to TAME and BAEE; K�'s for p-aminobenzamidine and soybean trypsin inhibitor; and stimulation by Ca2+. Hamster acrosin was also inhibited by the following inhibitors known to inhibit rabbit acrosin: lima bean and ovomucoid trypsin inhibitors; the synthetic trypsin inhibitors TLCK, NPGB and benzamidine; and Zn2+. TPCK and L-arginine did not inhibit hamster or rabbit acrosins. Two striking differences between the two acrosins were: 1) hamster acrosin did not hydrolyze the rabbit acrosin substrate BANA: 2) the Vmax BAEE/Vmax TAME ratios of hamster and rabbit acrosins were 0.2 and 2.0 respectively. The hydrolysis of the hamster egg zona pellucida by hamster sperm acrosin was demonstrated for the first time. ABSTRACT
Can FLT3 inhibitors overcome resistance in AML

The identification of FLT3 mutations across a range of the cytogenetic subgroups of AML has opened up the possibility of a targeted therapeutic approach with broad applicability. Four agents are currently in clinical trials, at least 3 of which have both sufficient activity against AML and sufficiently acceptable toxicity profiles to support continued efforts to refine their inclusion into therapeutic regimens for AML. Better understanding of the genetics of inherent and acquired resistance is needed to guide development of second-generation agents. Optimizing the integration of FLT3 inhibitor therapy with chemotherapy has the potential both to decrease toxicity and improve response.
Carbohydrate metabolism in brain during convulsions and its modification by phenobarbitone.

— Assays of citric acid cycle substrates and metabolites of the second stage of the glycolytic pathway have completed a series of studies of glucose metabolism in brains of mice rapidly frozen at intervals during electrically-induced, tonic-clonic convulsions. Citric acid cycle metabolism reached a new equilibrium at a significantly higher rate. However, oxidative metabolism did not keep up with the demand for energy supplies, as indicated by an increasing lactate level and an increasing lactate: pyruvate ratio. Administration of a sub-anaesthetic but anticonvulsant dose of phenobarbitone prior to convulsive electrical stirnulation was associated with as great an increase in anaerobic glycolysis as in mice given no drug prior to stimulation; but oxidative metabolism was not enhanced, as reflected by even greater lactate: pyruvate ratios in mice given phenobarbitone than in mice given no drug prior to convulsive stimulation.
Early degenerative joint disease simulating impingement syndrome: arthroscopic findings.

Abstract Eighteen patients who underwent shoulder arthroscopy for impingement syndrome were shown at operation to have coexisting glenohumeral degenerative joint disease (DJD) which was not apparent during preoperative clinical and radiographic evaluation. Because traditional ("open") techniques of anterior acromioplasty do not allow inspection of the glenohumeral joint, it is almost certain that this pathology would have been missed at operation if open acromioplasty had been performed. We conclude that arthroscopic subacromial decompression (ASD), by allowing easy inspection of the glenohumeral joint, offers a distinct advantage over traditional acromioplasty. Furthermore, arthroscopic evaluation of some of these patients' glenohumeral joints provided us with evidence supporting the existence of subluxation arthropathy. We have also developed a new clinical test, the "compression-rotation" test, which has been helpful in distinguishing patients with both impingement syndrome and early DJD syndrome from those with isolated impingement syndrome. Although patients in this study appeared to be doing well at short-term follow-up status post-ASD and glenohumeral debridement, no long-term results are yet available.
A system for automatically reading IATA flight coupons

We describe a prototype system for reading IATA flight coupons. The system exploits various characteristics of IATA coupons to determine reliably coupon types and field boundaries, and to minimize the amount of manual keying. In particular, we propose a method for extracting and recognizing fixed-pitch characters on noisy images with a complex background. The method does not require a complete drop-out of background, pre-printed text, or lines before recognition, and allows for recovering partially damaged characters (e.g., overlap with form content, handwritten annotations, etc.).
The Evaluation of Bilingual Education: From Necessity and Probability to Possibility

The author discusses topics related to the evaluation of bilingual education programs. He surveys the results of seven major bilingual education evaluations and presents their diverse findings. He argues that such research cannot answer the question of whether bilingual education necessarily or even probably works. To demonstrate the potentials and possibilities for bilingual education, he describes a "bilingual immersion" program in which both language-majority and language-minority students learn each others’ language while continuing to develop their own.
Proximal antecedents to violent events in adolescent dating relationships.

Dating violence affects 25–60% of adolescents. This study developed a typology of proximal antecedents to violent events in adolescent dating relationships. Descriptions of 307 dating violence events were extracted from transcribed interviews with 87 young adults who experienced dating violence as adolescents. Verbatim text preceding the description of each violent event was identified as a proximal antecedent. Cross-case analysis was used to develop a typology of five antecedent categories: “pulling away,” “demanding obedience,” “discovering involvement with a rival,” “defining the relationship,” “demonstrating disrespect.” Practitioners can use this typology to engage teens in discussions of factors that precede dating violence events.
Rupture of pectoralis major muscle. A case report and review of literature.

Surgical repair of the ruptured pectoralis major muscle is important to restore complete function and contour, especially in young athletes, although loss of strength is not complete in conservative treatment. We have presented a case of rupture of the pectoralis major muscle in a thirty-one-year-old dentist who regained complete function and contour three months following surgery.
Elasto-Plastic Torsion of Axisymmetric Bars

A numerical approach for solving the elasto-plastic torsion problem of axisymmetric bars is presented. The method uses finite elements and a minimum rate principle of plasticity to provide a complete stress history under the action of a quasi-static monotonically increasing angle of twist. The use of finite elements and a stress function formulation reduce the minimum rate principle to a quadratic programming problem. The developed method is shown to be quite general in application and to provide good comparisons with available solutions.
Anisotropic stress correlations in two-dimensional liquids

In this paper we demonstrate the presence of anisotropic stress correlations in the simulated two-dimensional liquids. Whereas the temporal correlation of macroscopic shear stress is known to contribute to viscosity via the Green-Kubo formula, the general question regarding angular dependence of the spatial correlation among atomic-level stresses in liquids without external shear has not been explored. We observed the apparent anisotropicity with well-defined symmetry which can be explained in terms of the elastic continuum theory by Eshelby. In addition, we found that the shear stress correlation is screened compared to the prediction by the elastic continuum theory, and the screening length depends on temperature and follows the power law, suggesting divergence around the glass transition temperature. The success of the Eshelby theory to explain the anisotropy of the stress correlations justifies the idea that the mismatch between the atom and its nearest neighbor cage produces the atomic-level stress as well as the long-range stress fields.
Genetic association of HLA DQB1 with CD4+CD25+ high T-cell apoptosis in type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) has a strong genetic component and the major locus lies in the HLA DQB1 region. We found earlier an increased apoptosis with decreased viability and function of the CD4+CD25+(high) T-cell subset (Treg) in human subjects with recent-onset T1D and in multiple autoantibody-positive, high at-risk individuals. Tregs normally inhibit or delay onset of T1D in animal models and increased Treg apoptosis could bring on or accelerate disease from effector T-cell-mediated destruction of insulin-producing beta cells. In this study, we test the hypothesis that HLA DQB1 genotypes are associated with increased CD4+CD25+(high) T-cell apoptosis. HLA DQ-based genetic risk status was significantly associated with CD4+CD25+(high) T-cell apoptosis, after adjustment for age, gender and phenotypic status (n=83, F=4.04 (d.f.=3), P=0.01). Unaffected, autoantibody-negative high risk HLA DQB1 control subjects showed increased CD4+CD25+(high) apoptosis levels compared with low risk HLA DQB1 control subjects (n=26, P=0.002), confirming that the association precedes disease. The association of specific HLA DQB1 genotypes with Treg apoptosis was also tested, showing significance for HLA DQB1*0302, DQB1*0201 and HLA DQB1*0602 alleles. Our study shows an association of HLA DQB1 genotypes with CD4+CD25+(high) T-cell apoptosis, which implicates CD4+CD25+(high) T-cell apoptosis as a new intermediate trait for T1D.
Microchamber System to Experiment Mechanotransduction in the Organ of Corti

The mammalian cochlea is an acoustic spectrum analyzer and pressure transducer with a remarkable operating range, both in frequency and amplitude (Fettiplace & Hackney, 2006). A young healthy human ear can capture sounds of 40 to 20,000 Hz in frequency and 20 μPa to 20 Pa (0 to 120 dB sound pressure level) in amplitude. In research on the cochlea, one of the most significant achievements in decades is the identification of the cochlear amplifier. Tiny acoustic vibrations are amplified in the organ of Corti (OC)—sensori-eptithelium in the cochlea. Mechano-transducer receptors in the OC, called the outer hair cells, have been identified as the cellular actuators that provide energy to boost small pressure waves. However, how the amplification is achieved is still unclear.© 2012 ASME
Deformation analysis on solid motor composite case

The deformation of composite case was analyzed by means of the orthotropic thin shell theory.The strain and displacement expressions of the cylinder and the closure under internal pressure were obtained.The results show that the hoop strain of cylinder under the maximum operation pressure is only related to safety factor of the case and elastic constants of the cylinder,but has no relation to the maximum operation pressure.The calculated expamples show that the calculated values agree well with the tested results.
Association of IL-1α-889C/T polymorphism with the risk of pediatric epilepsy

Objective:To explore the relationship between IL-1α-889C/T polymorphism and the susceptibility to pediatric epilepsy. Methods:IL-1α-889C/T polymorphism in 117 patients with pediatric epilepsy and 95 healthy individuals controls were analyzed with polymerase chain reaction restriction and fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results:Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that individuals carrying at least one -889 T variant allele (CT+TT genotypes) had a significant increased risk for pediatric epilepsy (adjusted OR = 2.91,95% CI:1.27～6.69) , compared with the wild-type genotype (-889CC) . Furthermore, individuals with epilepsy or febrile seizures family history had a significantly higher risk (adjusted OR=6.83, 95% CI:2.30～20.29), compared with those with both CC genotypes. Conclusion:These findings support the hypothesis that IL-1α-889C/T polymorphism may contribute to the risk of developing pediatric epilepsy.
Successful use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to treat severe respiratory failure in a pediatric patient with a scald injury

If ECMO is to be used effectively in pediatric patients, specifically in those with burns, the candidates must be chosen with care. Unlike the situation in neonates, when ECMO is being considered for use in a pediatric patient, no clear set of inclusion or exclusion criteria exists. Evaluation of a pediatric patient for ECMO support is largely based on an assessment of the patient's condition and a center's previous experience with pediatric ECMO. The data that are available through ELSO indicate that survival decreases as the number of days a patient receives mechanical ventilation before the initiation of ECMO increases. The effect of burns on patients' outcomes is unknown. Age, duration of mechanical ventilation, and excision with allografting or homografting of the burns should all be considered before the patient is offered ECMO support. The remaining prognostic signs--duration of ECMO support, frequency of complications, and blood product requirements--are available only after the ECMO course is under way or completed. The success of our center and others in using ECMO to treat respiratory failure associated with burns shows that some patients with burns may benefit from ECMO. Unfortunately, no specific set of criteria exists that would enable ECMO centers to differentiate good candidates from poor ones and thus be able to offer ECMO support with confidence in its benefit for the patient.
Transpubic-perineal urethral reconstruction in boys using a substitution graft.

AbstractA combined transpubic-perineal 1-stage approach was used for urethral replacement and proximal urethral repair in 6 boys: 4 were treated for a long proximal urethral stricture secondary to trauma and 2 with urethral atresia underwent replacement of the entire anterior urethra. All patients underwent a urethral substitution graft of either skin or bladder mucosa. Followup ranged from 2 to 8 years with all patients continent.
Discrete vacuoles in lymphocytes as a subtle clue to mantle cell lymphoma.

![Figure][1] A 65-year-old man undergoing workup for transverse myelitis was found to have lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. His complete blood count results were significant for anemia and mild thrombocytopenia. His white blood cell count was 6.1 × 109/L, with a normal absolute lymphocyte
SU-F-T-505: A Novel Approach for Sparing Critical Organs at Risk for Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiation Oncology Treatments

Purpose: A major goal of an effective radiation treatment plan is to deliver the maximum dose to the tumor while minimizing radiation exposure to the surrounding normal structures. For example, due to the radiation exposure to neighboring critical structures during prostate cancer treatment, a significant increase in cancer risk was observed for the bladder (77%) and the rectum (105%) over the following decade. Consequently, an effective treatment plan necessitates limiting the exposure to such organs which can best be achieved by physically displacing the organ at-risk. The goal of this study is to present a prototype for an organ re-positioner device designed and fabricated to physically move the rectum away from the path of radiation beam during external beam and brachytherapy treatments. This device affords patient comfort and provides a fully controlled motion to safely relocate the rectum during treatment. Methods: The NiTi shape memory alloy was designed and optimized for manufacturing a rectal re-positioner device through cooling and heating the core alloy for its shaping. This has been achieved through a prototyped custom designed electronic circuit in order to induce the reversible austenitic transformation and was tested rigorously to ensure the integrity of the actuated motion in displacement of the target anatomy. Results: The desirable NiTi shape-setting was configured for easy insertion and based on anatomical constraint. When the final prototype was evaluated, accuracy and precision of the maximum displacement and temperature changes revealed that the device could safely be used within the target anatomy. Conclusion: The organ re-positioner device is a promising tool that can be implemented in clinical setting. It provides a controlled and safe displacement of the delicate organ(s) at risk. The location of the organ being treated could also be identified using conventional onboard imaging devices or MV imaging available on-board most modern clinical accelerators.
Side Chain Influence on the Mechanical Properties and Water Uptake of Confined Comb‐Shaped Cationic Polymer Thin Films

Water uptake is measured for ≈100 nm and ≈60 μm thick quaternized comb-shaped poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (QA-PPO) polymers with 0, 6, 10, and 16 carbon alkyl side chains to probe the influence of thin film confinement. The thin film modulus is measured to probe the effect of side chain length on the thin film modulus and the ensuing water uptake. Increasing the alkyl side chain length results in increased modulus, decreased swelling strain, and decreased water uptake due to the lengthening of the n-alkyl side chains. Confinement effects on the comb-shaped QA-PPO water uptake are expressed through increased water uptake in the thin film compared to the bulk membrane. The thin films also exhibit a different water sorption mechanism consistent with two types of water compared to the bulk membranes that exhibit a single type of water sorption.
Virtual Agents in the Classroom: Experience Fielding a Co-presenter Agent in University Courses

The design of a conversational virtual agent that assists professors and students in giving in-class oral presentations is described, along with preliminary evaluation results. The life-sized agent is integrated with PowerPoint presentation software and can deliver presentations in conjunction with a human presenter using appropriate verbal and nonverbal behavior. Results from evaluation studies in two courses—business and professional speaking, and computer science research methods—indicate that the agent is widely accepted in the classroom by students, and can serve to increase engagement in presentations given both by professors and students.
7.19 Smart Materials and Health Monitoring of Composites

This chapter starts with a presentation of active materials available for performing the sensing and actuation of smart composite structures. Whereas smart structures have the attributes of adaptability, flexibility, and even “intelligence,” the active materials are the enabling factors that make smart composite structures possible. Examples of smart composite structures are presented and discussed. A review of major damage types to be encountered in high-performance structural composites is presented. The focus is placed on two major challenges for structural health monitoring of advanced composite: (1) impact detection and impact damage localization and quantification; (2) fatigue damage detection and evaluation of remaining useful operational life.
Galician Catholics into Soviet Orthodox: religion and postwar Ukraine†

While important work has been done on what it meant to become newly “Soviet” after 1917, or during the era of “High Stalinism,” it is less clear what it meant to become Soviet for the first time after World War II. For the residents of the new Soviet Baltics, each prewar state received its own republic. In the case of the existing Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic, territories that had not experienced Soviet power or the war on the same timeline were put into existing republics and thus existing Soviet structures. How did this process work? For Western Ukraine, one event in this process was the formation of the 1946 Initiative Committee, a joint project of the Central Committee and the newly formed Plenipotentiary for the Matters of the Russian Orthodox Church that presided over a forced conversion of Uniates to the Russian Orthodox Church. This paper examines how the mass religious conversion of Uniates was part of the process of making Galicians into Soviet Ukr...
PIP-ing Lipids on Membranes: PTEN Takes the Cake

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Malek et al. (2017) describe a novel HPLC-MS method permitting separation of PI(3,4)P2 and PI(4,5)P2, a technical issue hindering the phosphoinositide signaling field. They use this method to uncover a new target and critical role for PTEN in cancer.
The integrity of the game: exploring attitudes of professional male athlete criminality#

AbstractIt has been argued that sports act as a social institution in the United States, encompassing many network headlines and reports. Resulting from the popularization of sports entertainment has been an enhanced insight into the criminal behavior of professional athletes. This research sought to understand how the general public perceives alleged professional athlete criminality. Utilizing household mail surveys with residents in Pennsylvania, respondents rated the seriousness, wrongness, and punitiveness of alleged athlete criminality depicted in five different vignettes. Results indicated that the strongest predictor of attitudes between professional athletes and non-athletes was offense type; more specifically gambling, which this sample rated more serious and wrong for professional athletes compared to non-athletes. This indicated that alleged offenses that may be perceived as attacking the integrity of the sport may be viewed more harshly.
Mental imagery and fiction

Fictions evoke imagery, and their value consists partly in that achievement. This paper offers analysis of this neglected topic. Section 2 identifies relevant philosophical background. Section 3 offers a working definition of imagery. Section 4 identifies empirical work on visual imagery. Sections 5 and 6 criticize imagery essentialism, through the lens of genuine fictional narratives. This outcome, though, is not wholly critical. The expressed spirit of imagery essentialism is to encourage philosophers to ‘put the image back into the imagination’. The weakened conclusion is that while an image is not essential to imagining, it should be returned to our theories of imagination.
Frontiers of Theoretical Research on Shape Memory Alloys: A General Overview

In this concise review, general aspects of modeling shape memory alloys (SMAs) are recounted. Different approaches are discussed under four general categories, namely, (a) macro-phenomenological, (b) micromechanical, (c) molecular dynamics, and (d) first principles models. Macro-phenomenological theories, stemming from empirical formulations depicting continuum elastic, plastic, and phase transformation, are primarily of engineering interest, whereby the performance of SMA-made components is investigated. Micromechanical endeavors are generally geared towards understanding microstructural phenomena within continuum mechanics such as the accommodation of straining due to phase change as well as role of precipitates. By contrast, molecular dynamics, being a more recently emerging computational technique, concerns attributes of discrete lattice structures, and thus captures SMA deformation mechanism by means of empirically reconstructing interatomic bonding forces. Finally, ab initio theories utilize quantum mechanical framework to peek into atomistic foundation of deformation, and can pave the way for studying the role of solid-sate effects. With specific examples, this paper provides concise descriptions of each category along with their relative merits and emphases.
Longitudinal Patterns of Electronic Teen Dating Violence Among Middle School Students.

We investigated rates and developmental trends of electronic teen dating violence (TDV) perpetration and victimization overall and by gender. Data were collected from a single cohort of seventh-grade students from four schools using paper-and-pencil surveys administered at 6-month intervals (N = 795). Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and longitudinal growth models to estimate change over time in TDV. Overall, 32% of youth reported electronic TDV perpetration, and 51% reported electronic TDV victimization. Victimization was more prevalent for boys (42%) than for girls (31%) at baseline only (t = 2.55, p < .05). Perpetration did not differ at any wave. Perpetration and victimization each decreased significantly from the beginning of seventh grade to the end of eighth grade, β = −.129 (.058), p < .05, for perpetration, and β = −.138 (.048), p < .01, for victimization. Gender moderated the decrease in reported victimization, with simple slopes indicating girls showed almost no change in victimiz...
Embryologia Chemica Vera in Statu Nascendi

Five years ago the English edition of Spemann’s book, Embryonic Induction and Development, appeared. It marks, in a sense, the end of the “classical” period in experimental embryology. It surveys largely Spemann’s own experiments, and those of his collaborators; yet it is, at the same time, the most articulate expression of the contemporary approach to embryonic development. Theoretically the epigenetic concept of animal development which it upholds has become firmly entrenched in our minds. Methodologically a marked unity of purpose was accomplished by a self-imposed limitation. Problems, experiments and terminology were kept strictly within the range of the biological level. The interactions of living systems during development were analyzed, without taking recourse to the biochemical level, and in disregard of a semi-quantitative or mathematical treatment. (It is true that the chemical nature of inductors was discovered by experimental morphologists, and not by biochemists. Spemann posed the problem as early as 1925, and most of the pioneer work was done by Holtfreter. Yet it may be said that the main emphasis of these investigations was on the morphogenetic response rather than the nature of the mediators.) The requisite of the mind for causal explanation was satisfied by establishing causal relations within this realm of biological entities. This consistent attitude has given rise to many misgivings, misunderstandings, and controversies. Its accomplishments testify to its soundness.
An ensemble technique for stable learners with performance bounds

Ensemble techniques such as bagging and DECORATE exploit the "instability" of learners, such as decision trees, to create a diverse set of models. However, creating a diverse set of models for stable learners such as naive Bayes is difficult as they are relatively insensitive to training data changes. Furthermore, many popular ensemble techniques do not have a rigorous underlying theory and often provide no insight into how many models to build. We formally define stable learner as having a second order derivative of the posterior density function and propose an ensemble technique specifically for stable learners. Our ensemble technique, bootstrap model averaging, creates a number of bootstrap samples from the training data, builds a model from each and then sums the joint instance and class probability over all models built. We show that for stable learners our ensemble technique for infinite bootstrap samples approximates posterior model averaging (aka the optimal Bayes classifier (OBC)). For finite bootstrap samples we estimate the increase over the aBC error using Chebychev bounds. We empirically illustrate our approach's usefulness for several stable learners and verify our bound's correctness.
Far-Ultraviolet Emission from Elliptical Galaxies at z = 0.55.

We present far-UV images of the rich galaxy cluster ZwCl 1358.1+6245, taken with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). When combined with archival HST observations, our data provide a measurement of the UV-to-optical flux ratio in eight early-type galaxies at z = 0.33. Because the UV flux originates in a population of evolved, hot, horizontal-branch (HB) stars, this ratio is potentially one of the most sensitive tracers of age in old populations—it is expected to fade rapidly with look-back time. We find that the UV emission in these galaxies, at a look-back time of 3.9 Gyr, is significantly weaker than it is in the current epoch, yet it is similar to that in galaxies at a look-back time of 5.6 Gyr. Taken at face value, these measurements imply different formation epochs for the massive elliptical galaxies in these clusters, but an alternative explanation is a "floor" in the UV emission due to a dispersion in the parameters that govern HB morphology.
LARGE, TWO-CHAMBER CARDIAC THROMBUS IN A PREGNANT WOMAN

Right heart thrombus in the absence of atrial fibrillation, structural heart disease or catheters in-situ is rare and usually represents a thrombus-in-transit from the venous system to the pulmonary circulation. A 30 year old pregnant female with no medical history was admitted for pre-eclampsia,