cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Progressing Toward a Cohesive Pediatric 18F-FDG PET/MR Protocol: Is Administration of Gadolinium Chelates Necessary?

70 Objectives Clinical measures of Parkinson’s disease progression suggest a slow process with significant variability both between patients and also within the individual over the course of disease. A number of “objective” imaging and non-imaging measures have been proposed as putative progression biomarkers although there is limited validation data available. The Parkinson9s (PD) progression marker initiative (PPMI) is an international, multicenter, longitudinal study assessing biochemical, clinical, and imaging biomarkers of disease progression. Scintigraphic biomarkers are being evaluated as indicators of progression include dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging with 123-I ioflupane SPECT. This study evaluates subregion-dependent striatal changes in dopamine transporter (DAT) binding using 123-I Ioflupane SPECT in PD participants in the PPMI study. Methods Baseline (n= 241), 1 year, and 2 year 123-I Ioflupane SPECT scans were acquired from 22 centers. Data were reconstructed, attenuation corrected, and analyzed by the core lab using a volume of interest template for extraction of counts and calculation of specific binding ratios (SBRs) and percent SBRs changes over time in six striatal subregions. Results Ongoing serial evaluation shows SBR reduction at 1 yr in 80% of 241 PD subjects. Specific binding ratios demonstrate 11.6% and 7.4% reductions over one year in the ipsilateral and contralateral striatum, respectively. Differences in the rates of DAT signal change are evident in subregions of the striatum. The fastest rates of change annualized over two years were noted, in order, for ipsilateral striatum; posterior putamen (-9.2% +/-11.4), anterior putamen(-8.7% +/- 8.8), and caudate( -6.9% +/-8.9). In contrast, contralaterally, posterior putamen (-6.4% +/-15.4), demonstrated the slowest rate of change with the anterior putamen (-8.0% +/-10.3), and the caudate ( -7.5%+/-9.4). Conclusions These data have implications for the potential use of dopamine transporter imaging as a serial marker of change in longitudinal Parkinson9s studies. Specifically, areas with greatest signal change and lowest variability might be more sensitive for detecting slowing rates of change with a disease modifying therapy. In summary, this study shows consistently increasing signal loss over one and two years with regional differences demonstrated for DAT imaging and confirmation of previously noted between subject variability.
Preserving Avulsed Teeth for Replantation

Drs. Paul Krasner and Phillip Person evaluate an avulsed tooth storage system’s effectiveness in “Preserving Avulsed Teeth for Replantation” . This study describes the use of a tooth-preserving system containing Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution and a cushioning apparatus for the storage and transport of avulsed teeth before replantation.
Assessment of measurement properties of peak VO 2 in children with pulmonary arterial hypertension

The 6-minute walk test evaluates the effect of pharmacologic intervention in adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) but, for reasons of compliance or reliability, may not be appropriate for children at all ages. Thus, peak oxygen consumption (VO2, maximal exercise test) was used instead in a pediatric PAH trial (STARTS-1) to evaluate pharmacologic intervention with sildenafil. This was the first large placebo-controlled trial to use the peak VO2 endpoint in this population. Our working hypothesis was that, as with other populations, percentage changes in peak VO2 in pediatric patients with PAH are reliable and are associated with changes in other clinical endpoints. Using data from the subpopulation of 106 patients who were developmentally and physically able to perform exercise testing, all of whom were World Health Organization Functional Class (WHO FC) I, II, or III, reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman plot on screening and baseline data. Relationships between percentage change in peak VO2 from baseline to end of treatment and other endpoints were evaluated using correlation coefficients and regression analyses. The intraclass correlation was 0.79 between screening and baseline peak VO2, an agreement that was supported by the Bland-Altman plot. Percentage change in peak VO2 correlated well (r ≥0.40) and showed responsiveness to a physician global assessment of change and with change in WHO FC (for baseline classes I and III). Percentage change in peak VO2 did not correlate with change in the Family Cohesion of the Child Health Questionnaire (r = 0.04) or with a subject global assessment of change (r = 0.12). The latter may have been influenced by child and parental-proxy response and instrument administration. In pediatric PAH patients who are developmentally and physically able to perform exercise testing, peak VO2 measurements exhibited good reliability and improvements that were associated with improvements in certain other clinical endpoints, such as the WHO FC and a physician global assessment. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00159913.
Economic practices of Jesus movement groups

Abstract This paper examines in detail the multitude of ways used by Jesus Movement organizations to raise money to fund their many activities. The research was provoked by sharp differences between fund‐raising methods used by the two largest and well known JM organizations—the Children of God (now called The Family) and Christ Communal Organization (a pseudonym for a group called Shiloh). The COG mainly relied on various forms of public solicitation, while Shiloh depended on working for others and themselves in an effort to become self‐supporting. Seven other JM groups were examined to find out what patterns of support were most prevalent, and to examine possible relationships between sustenance activities and theological developments within the groups. A large number of experimental approaches were taken by JM groups trying to sustain themselves during their sometimes tumultuous histories, leading to a number of general conclusions.
Bayesian Inference on Network Traffic Using Link Count Data

Abstract We study Bayesian models and methods for analysing network traffic counts in problems of inference about the traffic intensity between directed pairs of origins and destinations in networks. This is a class of problems very recently discussed by Vardi in a 1996 JASA article and is of interest in both communication and transportation network studies. The current article develops the theoretical framework of variants of the origin-destination flow problem and introduces Bayesian approaches to analysis and inference. In the first, the so-called fixed routing problem, traffic or messages pass between nodes in a network, with each message originating at a specific source node, and ultimately moving through the network to a predetermined destination node. All nodes are candidate origin and destination points. The framework assumes no travel time complications, considering only the number of messages passing between pairs of nodes in a specified time interval. The route count, or route flow, problem is ...
A Satellite View of the Synoptic-Scale Organization of Cloud Properties in Midlatitude and Tropical Circulation Systems

Abstract The spatial and temporal variability of various cloud types and cloud optical thickness are investigated using daily global analyses produced by the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) for the 1983–90 period. The climatological patterns of the relative abundance of individual cloud types are closely related to prevalent circulation regimes. Composite charts at various time lags relative to selected cloudy episodes are used to describe the representative shape and propagation of the local cloud patterns. These satellite-based findings are consistent with published results obtained from analyses of geopotential height and wind data. The midlatitude baroclinic cyclones along the wintertime storm tracks over the North and South Atlantic, and the summertime synoptic-scale disturbances occurring over the tropical western Pacific, are selected for more in-depth investigation. The variations of different cloud types in the selected sites are examined in conjunction with the concurre...
Mixed-sclerosing-bone-dystrophy: report of a case and review of the literature

We present clinical, laboratory, radiologic, genetic, and pathologic findings in a 49-year-old man with mixed-sclerosing-bone-dystrophy (MSBD), review the six cases previously reported as "MSBD", and examine the nosology of this rare bone dysplasia. Our asymptomatic patient showed radiographic changes consistent with osteopoikilosis, osteopathia striata, and melorheostosis and had widespread osteosclerosis of the axial skeleton. Several previous reports of combined osteosclerotic disorders suggest the latter finding represents osteopetrosis, however, histologic examination of our patient's iliac crest excluded that diagnosis. Limited radiographic surveys of his eight children were unremarkable except for isolated bone islands in two sons. Literature review revealed that "MSBD" has actually been used generically to describe the association of a variety of osteosclerotic bone dysplasias when they occur together in a single patient.
The costs and benefits of Japan's nuclearization: An insight into the 1968/70 internal report

International speculation about the possibility of Japan’s nuclearization is not a new phenomenon. A report written as early as 1957 by the U.S. Department of State considered the possibility of Japan developing its own nuclear weapons under a succession of conservative governments. However, since the latter half of the 1990s, in particular, overseas speculation has drastically increased due to various factors, such as: North Korea’s ambiguous nuclear and missile development program since the early 1990s; the Japanese government’s initial opposition to the 1995 indefinite extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT); a number of scholarly works emphasizing a link between the end of the Cold War bipolar international political structure and the possibility of a nuclear-armed Japan; Japan’s plutonium recycling program and its growing plutonium surplus in the face of international criticism; Japan’s civilian H-2 rocket development, which has prompted speculation concerning its ultimate role; and finally China’s assertive military posture, which has led to speculations that Beijing might push Tokyo to take counter-measures, including the production of nuclear weapons. Internationally, Japan has long been criticized for its pursuit of a “dual-track” nuclear policy of both “nuclear approval” as well as “nuclear denial.” While depending upon U.S. Extended Deterrence (U.S. ED) as its ultimate national security guarantee (“nuclear approval”), Japan boasts its 1967 “Three NonNuclear Principles”—to not manufacture, possess, or allow the introduction of nuclear weapons in Japan—as an irrevocable national policy (“nuclear denial”). Moreover, Japan publicly advocates the establishment of a nuclear weapon-free world.
Transmission electron spin resonance as a probe of the metallic interface

Abstract Observation of coupled TESR in bilayers of dissimilar pure metals is reported. Positive entropy production and detailed balance are incorporated in general linear relations between non-equilibrium spin densities and currents at the interface. Spin transport coefficients for samples exhibiting both strong and weak coupling are deduced from the data by comparison with computer generated lineshapes.
Macroscopic modelling of the reaction bonding of aluminum oxide

Abstract The reaction-bonded aluminum oxide (RBAO) process is a novel method to produce monolithic alumina-based ceramics. In order to gain some insight into the process, a macroscopic model, which considers the interaction of oxygen diffusion and reaction within a porous body, has been developed. The model allows one to predict, to a first approximation, the effects of parameters, such as heat-treatment cycle, atmosphere, and scale — an important consideration for industrial applications. Thermogravimetric (TG) curves predicted by the model show reasonable agreement with experimental data and indicate that the process is controlled by a combination of reaction and diffusion.
3D Topological Quantum Memory with a Power-Law Energy Barrier

We discuss energy barriers and their relationship to self-correcting quantum memories. We introduce the solid code, a 3D version of Kitaev's surface code, and then combine several solid codes using a technique called welding. The resulting code is a [[O(L³),1,O(L(4/3))]] stabilizer code with an energy barrier of O(L(2/3)), which is an exponential improvement over the previous highest energy barrier in 3D. No-go results are avoided by breaking microscopic translation invariance.
Task-Related and Interpersonal Problem-Solving Training for Increasing School Success in High-Risk Young Adolescents:

The efficacy of task-related and interpersonal problem-solving training for enhancing junior high school performance in difficult-to-teach, low income minority pupils was examined. Forty-eight students from sixth-grade classrooms were targeted as high risk for secondary school failure. These students were randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 24) or a no intervention comparison (n = 24) group. Training was found to significantly improve report card grades and to reduce misbehavior that normally resulted in classroom removal. Attendance in school favored the intervention group but differences were not statistically significant. Implications for special education referral and for instructional needs of high-risk students are discussed.
Performance of digital image velocimetry processing techniques

Digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV)-processing techniques have become increasingly more sophisticated in recent years. However, much work is still done using standard traditional methods of analysis. This paper investigates several traditionally based techniques for cross-correlation image processing in terms of computational efficiency and measurement accuracy. Direct spatial domain correlation, standard fast Fourier transform (FFT) correlation, a dynamic FFT correlation technique, and a new hybrid correlation method are discussed and evaluated. In addition, a particle-tracking velocimetry scheme based on that of Cowen and Monismith (1997) is examined in the same context as the DPIV methods. A detailed examination of the behaviors of each correlation method reveals that direct spatial domain correlation is more accurate than FFT-based methods, with the standard FFT correlation showing the weakest performance. Using the more robust methods (dynamic FFT and hybrid correlation), accuracy can be improved significantly over the standard FFT method in many cases, while still remaining computationally efficient. The particle-tracking algorithm studied was found to yield comparable accuracy to the DPIV routines and can provide much higher spatial- resolution possibilities.
Agglomerate formation during coal combustion : a mechanistic model

Abstract During the plastic stage of coal pyrolysis, there is competition between centrifugal force, which favors the breakup of coal agglomerates, and adhesive force between coal particles. A theoretical model of agglomeration was developed to investigate the adhesive force between contiguous coal particles in an agglomerate. The adhesive force in the process of agglomeration of coal particles was found to be proportional to the duration of plasticity of the particles. It was also found that rapid heating reduces the tendency of coal particles to form agglomerates during the plastic stage of coal pyrolysis. Therefore, whether particles burn individually or as agglomerates can be influenced by the temperature history of the coal or coal-water fuel (CWF) particles and hence by burner design.
Dependence of global superconductivity on inter-island coupling in arrays of long SNS junctions

We present measurements of the superconducting transition temperature, Tc, for arrays of mesoscopic Nb islands patterned on Au films, for large island spacings d. We show that Tc ~ 1/d2, and explain this dependence in terms of the quasiclassical prediction that the Thouless energy, rather than the superconducting gap, governs the inter-island coupling at large spacings. We also find that the temperature dependence of the critical current, Ic(T), in our arrays is similar to that of single SNS junctions. However, our results deviate from the quasiclassical theory in that Tc is sensitive to island height, because the islands are mesoscopic.
Depth-dependent carbonate dissolution changes in the eastern North Atlantic during the last 170,000 years

Abstract Previous studies have shown that dissolution increased in the North Atlantic during glacial 13O Stages 2, 4 and 6. The relative intensity of the events is similar in cores between 3000–4600 m, with the Stage 4 event being the most intense. Canary Basin cores deeper than 4600 m show a different pattern of dissolution itensity. For example, Stage 6 dissolution was more intense than Stage 4. The divergent dissolution patterns at depths > 4600 m may indicate the presence of a discrete water mass at abyssal depths during some glacial episodes. An analysis of Stage 6 records in different parts of the Atlantic suggests that the water mass at that time may have been the Antarctic Bottom Water.
Population Trends in a Contested Pseudo-State: The Case of Nagorno-Karabakh

A U.S. population geographer specializing in the former Soviet Union surveys the results of an October 2005 census conducted in a contested pseudo-state known as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). Data from the enumeration provide the first credible information about recent population characteristics, including nationality composition and migration from the war-torn republic. The data make it possible to ascertain the crude magnitudes of population losses in the republic's constituent rayons as well as changes resulting from deaths and expulsion of ethnic Armenians and/or Azerbaijanis. Changes documented since the last (1989) Soviet census in the region indicate that the current republic's population differs quite dramatically from that of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of Azerbaijan, complicating efforts to broker a lasting peace agreement between the pseudostate's two neighbors. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: J11, O18, R23, 1 figure, 1 table, 36 references.
Modeling and Experimental Characterization of a Permanent Magnet Linear Alternator for Free-Piston Engine Applications

Sandia National Laboratories is developing a prototype 30kW free-piston internal-combustion-based linear generator for vehicular applications. This paper describes the development and experimental validation of a mathematical model for the permanent magnet linear alternator that will be used by the prototype. A magnetic-flux versus mover-position function is used to correlate individual coil fluxes to the motion of the mover. This function is derived from a finite element electromagnetic simulation of the linear alternator. The mathematical model of the alternator is compared to experiments with prototype hardware driving 0.5–2kW loads; excellent correspondence to measured voltage and current waveforms is found.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Timeless and timely issues in distance education planning

Abstract Distance education planners make complex decisions that result in substantial investments and have long‐term implications. This article provides a framework to categorize planning issues into four distinct program stages and three decision areas. The framework brings to the surface and highlights numerous areas of uncertainty and potential disagreement among decision makers and provides an organizing backdrop to improve the distance education planning process.
Estimates of the Effect of Flame Size on Radiation from Fires

Abstract The effect of flame size on the relative contributions of luminous (soot) radiation and nonluminous (molecular band) radiation is calculated for typical combustion conditions. It is found that for small flames nonluminous radiation is dominant while for larger flames both luminous and nonluminous radiation are important. Estimates of the fraction of the energy released by combustion which is emitted as radiation [Qdot]R/[Qdot]C are made. It is shown that [Qdot]R/[Qdot]C increases with increasing burner dimension d. For two particular types of fires, a simple power law dependence is obtained,
CONCURRENT VALIDITY OF THE RELATIONSHIP WITH FATHER INVENTORY

Szrmmary.-The present investigation examined the concurrent validity of the Relationship with Father Inventory, by administering this inventory and the Parental Bonding Instrument in counterbalanced order to 846 adults. As expected, mean scores across measures were similar to previously published data for adults; however, women reported more paternal protection during childhood and less coalition and emotional attachment to father in adulthood than men. Scores on Relationship with Father Inventory's Emotional Attachment and Coahtion with Father scales correlated significantly with scores on the Care and Protection scales of the Parental Bonding Instrument.
Decays of massive open strings

Abstract The asymptotic total decay rates for arbitrarily massive states on the leading Regge trajectory for open bosonic strings and SO(32) superstrings are calculated. In the bosonic case, the result corresponds to a local splitting probability per unit length only in d = 26: for fewer than 24 transverse directions the rate is smaller. This provides a new interpretation of the critical dimension. For superstrings there is a splitting probability per unit length, independent of compactification. Compactifying rather than truncating the bosonic string leads to a similar result.
High density limit theorems for nonlinear chemical reactions with diffusion

The solutionX of a nonlinear reaction-diffusion equation on then-dimensional unit cubeS is approximated by a space-time jump Markov processX v,N (law of large numbers (LLN)).X v,N is constructed on a gridS N onS ofN cells, wherev is proportional to the initial number of particles in each cell. The deviation ofX v,N fromX is computed by a central limit theorem (CLT). The assumptions on the parametersv, N are for the LLN: υ → ∞, asN → ∞, and for the CLT:\(\frac{N}{\upsilon } \to 0\), asN → ∞. The limitY =Y X in the CLT, which is a generalized Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process, is represented as the mild solution of a linear stochastic partial differential equation (SPDE) and its best possible state spaces are described. The problem of stationary solutions ofY X in dependence ofX is also investigated.
A minimum bias Latin hypercube design

Deterministic engineering design simulators can be too complex to be amenable to direct optimization. An indirect route involves data collection from the simulator and fitting of less complex surrogates: metamodels, which are more readily optimized. However, common statistical experiment plans are not appropriate for data collection from deterministic simulators due to their poor projection properties. Data collection plans based upon number-theoretic methods are also inappropriate because they tend to require large sample sizes in order to achieve their desirable properties. We develop a new class of data collection plan, the Minimum Bias Latin Hypercube Design (MBLHD), for sampling from deterministic process simulators. The class represents a compromise between empirical model bias reduction and dispersion of the points within the input variable space. We compare the MBLHD class to previously known classes by several model independent measures selected from three general families: discrepancies, maximin distance measures, and minimax distance measures. In each case, the MBLHD class is at least competitive with the other classes; and, in several cases the MBLHD class demonstrates superior performance. We also make a comparison of the empirical squared bias of fitted metamodels. We approximate a mechanistic model for water flow through a borehole, using both kriging and polynomial metamodels. Here again, the performance of the MBLHD class is encouraging.
Developing Beliefs About the Cost of Systems in a Conceptual Design Phase

In a conceptual design phase, engineers need to estimate, as accurately as possible, the cost of system developed from each concept (cost of concept). If engineers overestimate cost, engineers may be forced to unnecessarily cancel system development. On the other hand, if engineers underestimate cost, the final system may not be as profitable as initially expected. When engineers make a critical decision to select a concept, the dilemma is that there is typically no or limited information to accurately estimate cost of concept. This paper proposes a belief-based approach for estimating a cost of system in a conceptual design phase. In the proposed approach, engineers benchmark existing systems in the market that are similar to the new system. For these benchmarked systems, engineers estimate costs by subtracting profit margins from observed prices. Engineers develop a distribution of cost for the new system from these estimated costs.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Interval Estimation of Simple Difference under Independent Negative Binomial Sampling

When the sample size is not large or when the underlying disease is rare, to assure collection of an appropriate number of cases and to control the relative error of estimation, one may employ inverse sampling, in which one continues sampling subjects until one obtains exactly the desired number of cases. This paper focuses discussion on interval estimation of the simple difference between two proportions under independent inverse sampling. This paper develops three asymptotic interval estimators on the basis of the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE), the uniformly minimum variance unbiased estimator (UMVUE), and the asymptotic likelihood ratio test (ALRT). To compare the performance of these three estimators, this paper calculates the coverage probability and the expected length of the resulting confidence intervals on the basis of the exact distribution. This paper finds that when the underlying proportions of cases in both two comparison populations are small or moderate (≤0.20), all three asymptotic interval estimators developed here perform reasonably well even for the pre-determined number of cases as small as 5. When the pre-determined number of cases is moderate or large (≥50), all three estimators are essentially equivalent in all the situations considered here. Because application of the two interval estimators derived from the MLE and the UMVUE does not involve any numerical iterative procedure needed in the ALRT, for simplicity we may use these two estimators without losing efficiency.
Tactus: toolkit-level support for synchronized interactive multimedia

Tactus addresses problems of synchronizing and controlling various interactive continuous-time media. The Tactus system consists of two main parts. The first is a server that synchronizes the presentation of multiple media, including audio, video, graphics, and MIDI at a workstation. The second is a set of extensions to a graphical user interface toolkit to help compute and/or control temporal streams of information and deliver them to the Tactus Server. Temporal toolkit objects schedule computation events that generate media. Computation is scheduled in advance of real time to overcome system latency, and timestamps are used to allow accurate synchronization by the server in spite of computation and transmission delays. Tactus supports precomputing branches of media streams to minimize latency in interactive applications.
The moderating role of borderline personality in the relationships between deliberate self-harm and emotion-related factors

This study examined the associations between deliberate self-harm (DSH) and key emotion-related factors thought to underlie this behaviour (i.e. emotional dysregulation, avoidance and inexpressivity) among a non-clinical sample of individuals with clinically-relevant levels of borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms (high BPD) and those without significant BPD pathology (low BPD), and explored the moderating role of BPD status in these associations. Participants were 392 undergraduates who completed questionnaires assessing DSH, BPD symptoms, emotion dysregulation, experiential avoidance and emotional inexpressivity. Consistent with theories emphasizing the centrality of emotion dysregulation to DSH, overall emotion dysregulation and the particular dimension related to perceived difficulties modulating emotional arousal were associated with DSH status among both the high-BPD and low-BPD groups. However, other correlates of DSH differed as a function of BPD status, with emotional inexpressivity associated with DSH among the high-BPD group and non-judging of inner experience (negatively) associated with DSH among the low-BPD group. Experiential avoidance was associated with DSH frequency among self-harming individuals in the low-BPD group. The results provide support for the role of emotion-related factors (in particular, emotion dysregulation) in DSH among both high-BPD and low-BPD individuals, and highlight the need to control for BPD pathology when examining the correlates of DSH within non-clinical samples. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Integration of information assurance and security into the IT2005 model curriculum

In this paper we present the context of the work of the Curriculum Committee on IT2005, the IT curriculum volume described in the Overview Draft document of the Joint Task Force for Computing Curriculum 2004. We also provide a brief introduction to the history and work of the Information Assurance Education community. These two perspectives provide the foundation for the main thrust of the paper, which is a description of the Information Assurance and Security (IAS) component of the IT2005 document. Finally, we end the paper with an example of how IAS is being implemented at BYU as a "pervasive theme" that is woven throughout the curriculum and conclude with some observations about the first year's experience.
Let Him Hold You: Spiritual and Social Support in a Catholic Convent Infirmary

American Catholic nuns have been found to age more ‘successfully’ than their lay counterparts, living longer, healthier, and happier lives. Two of the key factors contributing to the nuns’ physical and mental wellbeing are the spiritual support they experience from the divine and the social support they provide for and receive from each other in the convent. I argue that by integrating the divine into their everyday interactions, the nuns engage in phenomenological meaning-making process through which mundane care interactions are rendered sacred. This communicative process, I argue, contributes to the nuns’ overall wellbeing by providing an enriched form of care and support, thereby enhancing their end-of-life experience.
IMMUNOLOGICALLY INDUCED ASPERMATOGENESIS IN GUINEA PIGS

The general background of the aspermatogenic syndrome and its immunological basis is summarized as well as recent additional findings on the question of specificity of tissue antigen and of injection route along with the immunochemical characterization of the aspermatogenic factor in the guinea pig. There was no significant difference in the germinal lesions induced by intramuscular and intracutaneous routes of injection of testicular antigen. 100 mg of antigen were less effective in sensitization than 10 mg and humoral antibody titers also decreased rather than increased at higher levels of antigenic stimulation. Acid-extracted brain was capable of inducing lesions similar to that from sensitization by testis. It is concluded that there may be an autoimmune factor common to these 2 tissues.
RELATIONSHIP AMONG HORMONAL TREATMENTS, SUPPRESSION OF SPERMATOGENESIS, AND TESTICULAR PROTECTION FROM CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED DAMAGE

To further elucidate the mechanism by which hormonal pretreatment protects the rat testis from damage by procarbazine, we investigated the relationship between the suppression of hormone levels and spermatogenesis and the recovery of spermatogenesis from stem spermatogonia. LBNF1 rats were implanted with capsules containing testosterone or testosterone plus estradiol. After hormone treatment, rats were injected with procarbazine, and recovery of spermatogenesis was assessed. Testosterone (2 cm) plus estradiol (0.5-cm) reduced serum LH levels causing intratesticular testosterone (ITT) to fall to 3% of control levels within 2 weeks, but testis weights and sperm head counts were not appreciably suppressed until 4 weeks. Two weeks' hormone pretreatment, only slightly enhanced spermatogenesis recovery, but 4 weeks markedly increased it. Testosterone (2 cm) alone produced slower suppression of spermatogenesis and less protection from procarbazine than did testosterone plus estradiol implants, despite equivalent...
Non-disturbance for fuzzy quantum measurements

We consider three criteria for describing non-disturbance between quantum measurements. While previous discussions of these criteria considered sharp measurements, we shall treat more general measurements that may be unsharp (or fuzzy). It has been shown that in the sharp case, the three criteria are equivalent to compatibility of the measurements. We shall show that only the third criterion is equivalent to compatibility for the general fuzzy case. Moreover, the first two criteria are not symmetric relative to the two measurements.
The energy efficiency of oil sands extraction: Energy return ratios from 1970 to 2010

Abstract It has been argued that the oil sands industry is not energy efficient: comparatively large energy inputs are required per unit of energy output from oil sands operations. Unfortunately, quantitative work to date in this area has suffered from poor data availability and uncertain methods. We apply a new methodology and new dataset to compute ERRs (energy return ratios) for the oil sands industry. We collected monthly oil sands energy consumption and output data from 1970 to 2010. Current oil sands operations have mine mouth NERs (net energy returns) of about 6 GJ output per GJ of energy consumed and point of use energy returns of about 3 GJ/GJ. Long-term trends show oil sands operations becoming significantly more efficient: point of use NER increased from about 1 GJ/GJ in 1970 to 3 GJ/GJ in 2010. These energy returns are lower than those observed in historical conventional oil operations, but low energy returns are not likely to hinder development of oil sands operations due to the large resource in place and the ability for largely self-fueled pathways to return significant amounts of energy to society for every unit of external energy supplied.
Comparison of CFD simulations to experiment for convective heat transfer in a gas-solid fixed bed

Abstract Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies can improve understanding of fixed bed fluid flow and heat transfer. Our long-term objective is to use the CFD results in the development of tractable reactor models that are based on a good understanding of the fluid flow phenomena. The CFD simulations of fluid flow and heat transfer require verification to increase confidence in their use for model development. Results of a quantitative comparison between CFD results and heat transfer experimental data are given here. Simulations are presented for a model geometry of 44 solid spheres in a tube with tube-to-particle diameter ratio equal to 2. Velocity vector profiles and temperature contours have been obtained with emphasis on the wall–particle region. Comparisons are made with measured temperature profiles in a typical experimental setup with the same geometry. Several correction factors were required to compensate for non-ideal experimental measurements, and for phenomena that were not included in the CFD model. After correction, excellent agreement could be obtained between simulation and experiment.
Petition and contemplation in Maimonides’ conception of prayer

Abstract Maimonides' statements on prayer pose considerable challenges to interpreters who seek to find his work a unified and coherent philosophy of religion. It is especially difficult to see how his advocacy of a silent meditation that follows intellectual comprehension of divine matters can be harmonized with his thoroughly ritualized approach to the daily supplicatory prayer of Jewish liturgy. Yet, it is the purpose of the following pages to outline an interpretation of Maimonides' philosophy of religion according to which supplicatory prayer and intellectual meditation are not disparate spiritual phenomena, but complementary dimensions of a distinctive form of ethical-intellectual worship.
Photoelectric Emission from Barium Oxide

The photoelectric emission from barium oxide has been investigated by measuring the total photoelectric yield and the distributions in kinetic energy of the emitted electrons using an improved magnetic velocity-analyzer tube. The energy distribution measurements revealed four "fast peaks" which are interpreted as being associated with direct transitions from energy levels located approximately 1.0, 1.4, 2.0, and 2.6 eV below the vacuum level. Confirmation of these transitions was obtained from plots of the spectral distribution of the total photoelectric yield. A "slow peak" was observed in the energy distributions at about 0.5 eV which is attributed to exciton-induced photoelectric emission. Evidence is presented indicating that this is a true peak and not the truncated tail of a distribution which peaks at still lower energies. Possible identifications of the energy levels involved in the direct transitions and the energy loss mechanism involved in the exciton-induced transitions are discussed.
John F. Kennedy, the Construction of Peace, and the Pitfalls of Androgynous Rhetoric

This essay examines paradoxical tensions in “The Strategy of Peace,” John F. Kennedy's (JFK) 1963 commencement address at American University. Building on recent explorations of gendered stylistics, the analysis initially shows how JFK's speech portrayed a number of characteristics typical of a feminine style. It then demonstrates that the address simultaneously featured characteristics typical of a masculine style. The subsequent androgynous style, the essay concludes, limited the potential success of what was likely JFK's most ambitious attempt at constructing detente with the Soviets in the course of the Cold War.
Serial Interferon Gamma Release Assay in Latent Tuberculosis Infection

The aim of this report is to present results of serial interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) determination (QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay) in a 57-year-old BCG-vaccinated female health care worker with a latent tuberculosis infection. Increased IFN-γ, IgA, and anti-thyroglobulin (anti-Tg) autoantibodies were recorded throughout a 13-month follow-up. After 13 months the subject was clinically healthy and free from any signs and symptoms of active tuberculosis. The increased levels of anti-Tg autoantibodies may have been a concurrent process that did not impair the patient’s immune status. Since false-positive IgA could be found in patients suffering from autoimmune thyroid diseases, it could be assumed increased IgA in this subject is a result of the positive interferences of goat anti-IgA antibodies. Although isoniazid prophylaxis was not used, tuberculosis did not develop during the follow-up period. Serial determination of IFN-γ is necessary due to occupational exposure to tubercle bacilli.
Organophosphorus chemistry. Part 1. The synthesis of alkyl methylphosphonic acids

Several alkyl hydrogen methylphosphonates of structure RO(HO)P(O)Me were synthesised by a three-stage route [R = i-Pr, n-Bu, i-Bu, s-Bu, pinacolyl Me3C-CH(Me)-, cyclopentyl and cyclohexyl]. Trimethyl phosphite was transesterified with alcohols in the presence of sodium catalyst to give the mixed phosphites (MeO)2POR in 6–64% yield. Treatment of these with methyl iodide gave alkyl methyl methylphosphonates RO(MeO)P(O)Me in 66–95% yield. Selective demethylation of these compounds by bromotrimethylsilane, followed by methanolysis of the phosphorus silyl esters RO(Me3SiO)P(O)Me, gave the hydrogen phosphonates in 60–97% yield.
Sources and consequences of phenotypic and genotypic plasticity in flowering plants

Plants possess a characteristic life cycle with an alternation of haploid and diploid generations, continual somatic organogenesis, and no germ line. There is a close interrelationship between phenotypic plasticity in response to a variable environment, mechanisms generating heritable changes, and cell fate determination during embryogenesis and somatic growth. Gain-of-function mutations may make a substantial contribution to diversity in angiosperm morphology and biochemistry.
Analysis of phase-conjugating arrays in multiple-interrogator environments

It has been shown that PCAs suffer from performance variability due to changes in the phase difference and incident angle of interrogating sources. This performance instability can be mitigated by increasing the number of elements in the array.
Roles for ghrelin in the regulation of appetite and body weight

Purpose of review Ghrelin, the only known circulating appetite stimulant, has garnered widespread scientific interest and is currently featured in more than 2.3 new publications per day. Antagonists and agonists of its receptor are vigorously being developed by pharmaceutical companies to treat obesity and wasting conditions respectively. Here, the authors summarize the current state of knowledge regarding ghrelin's roles in energy homeostasis. Recent findings Ghrelin is an acylated peptide produced primarily by the stomach and proximal small intestine. Circulating levels sharply increase before, and decrease after, meals. These and other findings implicate ghrelin in pre-meal hunger and meal initiation. Moreover, ghrelin satisfies established criteria for an adiposity-associated hormone involved in long-term body weight regulation. Blood levels correlate with energy stores and display compensatory changes in response to alterations of those stores. Ghrelin influences neuronal activity in brain areas critical to energy homeostasis. Excessive ghrelin signaling durably increases food intake and decreases energy expenditure, thereby promoting weight gain. Conversely, acute ghrelin blockade in adult animals reduces food intake and body weight, although the effects of lifelong genetic deletions are very subtle. Overproduction of ghrelin is etiologically implicated in Prader-Willi syndrome, whereas defective secretion may contribute to weight loss after gastric bypass surgery. Summary Ghrelin appears to participate in mealtime hunger and meal initiation, as well as in long-term energy balance. Whether these roles are sufficiently important that ghrelin blockade will prove to be an effective antiobesity modality is a pivotal question that should soon be answered as ghrelin receptor antagonists are developed. Ghrelin agonists hold promise in the treatment of wasting conditions, for which few medications currently exist.
Effects of terrain on borehole gravity data

The effect of terrain on gravity measurements in a borehole and on formation density derived from borehole gravity data is studied as a function of depth in the well, terrain elevation, terrain inclination, and radial distance to the terrain feature. The vertical attraction of gravity gT in a borehole resulting from a terrain element is small at the surface and reaches an absolute maximum at a depth of about one and one‐half times the radial distance to the terrain element, then decreases at greater depths. The effect of terrain on calculated formation density is proportional to the vertical derivative of gT and is maximum at the surface, passes through zero where |gT| is greatest, and reaches a second extremum of opposite sign to the first and of much lower magnitude. Accuracy criteria for borehole‐gravity terrain corrections show that elevation accuracy requirements are most stringent for a combination of nearby terrain features and near‐surface gravity stations. Sensitivity to terrain inclination is al...
Matrix‐mediated retention of in vitro osteogenic differentiation potential and in vivo bone‐forming capacity by human adult bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells during ex vivo expansion

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent an attractive cell source for tissue engineering applications, since they are readily isolated from adult bone marrow and have the ability to differentiate along multiple mesenchymal lineages, including osteogenic. Currently, utilization of MSCs for bone tissue engineering is limited because of the attenuation of their osteogenic differentiation potential and in vivo bone-forming capacity following ex vivo expansion on conventional tissue culture plastic (TCP). Previously, we demonstrated that a denatured type I collagen (DC) matrix promotes the maintenance of MSC in vitro osteogenic differentiation potential during ex vivo expansion in contrast to TCP. In this study, we further demonstrate that the maintenance of MSC osteogenic differentiation potential is primarily due to the ability of DC matrix to influence the retention of early passage osteogenic functions in late passage (LP) cells during ex vivo expansion, in contrast to solely enhancing attenuated LP cellular functions during osteogenic differentiation. Serum-associated factors played a significant role in influencing the retention of MSC osteogenic differentiation potential during expansion on the DC matrix. Significantly, the results show that although LP cells expanded ex vivo on TCP highly attentuate their in vivo bone-forming capacity, the expansion of MSCs on DC matrix preserves this ability as determined by histological, histomorphometric, and bone mineral density evaluations of MSC-seeded hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate scaffolds following an 8-week implantation period within a heterotopic muscle pouch model. These findings provide further insight into the importance of matrix-mediated effects on MSC function and selective factors important in this process.
Self-Directed Learning, Political Clarity, and the Critical Practice of Adult Education:

This paper argues that reframing the concept of self-direction as an inherently political idea comprises an important strategic opening in building a critical practice of adult education. Instead o...
Dynamic matrix control of diaphragm-type chlorine/caustic electrolysers

Abstract Dynamic matrix control (DMC) is now widely used in industrial control, and when properly applied results in significant savings due to improved efficiency and reduced off-spec product. The objective of this paper is to implement MIMO DMC on a simulated diaphragm-type chlorine/caustic electrolyser. A comparison between the MIMO DMC and traditional multi-loop SISO PID control strategy shows greatly improved controller performance and cell efficiency using DMC, which will result in reduced operating costs and increase cell diaphragm lifespan.