cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanically induced chemical oscillations and motion in responsive gels

Mechanochemical transduction plays a vital role in biological processes. There have, however, been few studies on exploiting mechanical stimuli to trigger chemical signals in non-biological systems. Using computational modeling, we investigate how an applied mechanical pressure can be harnessed to initiate traveling chemical waves in polymer gels undergoing the Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction. We uncover a rich dynamic behavior, isolating systems where the applied pressure induces chemical oscillations in an initially non-oscillatory system. We also pinpoint a scenario where the compression induces both oscillations and the autonomous rotation of the entire sample. Determining factors that control mechanochemical transduction in BZ gels is necessary for establishing guidelines to create self-adjusting or adaptive materials that not only “sense” a localized impact, but also transmit a global chemical signal in response to the local mechanical perturbation. Such materials can potentially be used to fabricate touch-sensitive sensors and membranes, as well as self-reinforcing materials.
Methylation in eucaryotes influences the repair of G/T and A/C DNA basepair mismatches

Although methylation of DNA at some sites regulates gene expression, 5mC at many sites does not appear to have any effect. We present evidence that hemimethylation at many different sites can act as a discrimination signal in mismatch repair. Deamination of 5mC in a symmetrically methylated doublet CpG yields the mismatched base pair T/G in a hemi-methylated doublet pair. Because both bases in the mismatched pair are normal constituents of DNA, identifying the incorrect base is problematic. The only apparent distinction of the two is the methylation on the strand opposite the deamination event. Using available methylases we have produced hemi-methylated SV40 DNAs that are mismatched at a single T/G or A/C basepair in a sequence that mimics the lesion resulting from the deamination of a 5mCpG. Methylation at the adjacent cytosine results in the replacement of the T much more frequently than when no methylation is present in the heteroduplex. Cytosine methylation at sites farther removed from the mismatch is equally effective in replacing the incorrect T at the mismatch. Although methylation in vertebrates is almost exclusively on cytosine in the doublet CpG, methylation of cytosines in other doublets, as well as methylation of adenosine, also act as strand discrimination signals. Perhaps some of the excess methylation in vertebrate DNAs may serve to direct mismatch repair.
The effects of aging on speech perception in noise: comparison between normal-hearing and cochlear-implant listeners.

BACKGROUND Speech understanding in noise is comparatively more problematic for older listeners with and without hearing loss, and age-related changes in temporal resolution might be associated with reduced speech recognition in complex noise. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aging on temporal processing and speech perception in noise for normal-hearing (NH) and cochlear-implant (CI) listeners. RESEARCH DESIGN All participants completed three experimental procedures: (1) amplitude modulation (AM) detection thresholds, (2) sentence recognition in quiet, and (3) speech recognition in steady or modulating noise. STUDY SAMPLE Four listener groups participated in the study: 11 younger (≤ 30 yr old, YNH) listeners and 12 older (> 60 yr old, ONH) listeners with NH and 7 younger ( 60 yr old, OCI) CI users. CI listeners have been wearing their device either monaurally or binaurally at least 1 yr. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS For speech recognition testing, there were eight listening conditions in noise (4 modulation frequencies × 2 signal-to-noise ratios) and one in quiet for each listener. For modulation detection testing, a broadband noise with a duration of 500 msec served as the stimuli at three temporal modulation frequencies of 2, 4, and 8 Hz, which were used to modulate the noise in the speech recognition experiment. We measured AM detection thresholds using a two-interval, two-alternative, forced-choice adaptive procedure. We conducted a series of analysis of variance tests to examine the effect of aging on each test result and measured the correlation coefficient between speech recognition in noise and modulation detection thresholds. RESULTS Although older NH and CI listeners performed similar to the younger listeners with the same hearing status for sentence recognition in quiet, there was a significant aging effect on speech recognition in noise. Regardless of modulation frequency and signal-to-noise ratio, speech recognition scores of the older listeners were poorer than those of the younger listeners when hearing status was matched. We also found a significant effect of aging on AM detection at each modulating frequency and a strong correlation between speech recognition in modulating noise and AM detection thresholds at 2 and 4 Hz. CONCLUSIONS Regardless of differences in hearing status, the degree and pattern of aging effect on auditory processing of the NH listener groups were similar to those of the CI listener groups. This result suggests that age-related declines in speech understanding are likely multifactorial, including peripheral and central factors. Although the age cutoff of the current older age group was 10 yr less than in previous studies (Dubno et al, 2002; Lin et al, 2011), we still found the age-related differences on two auditory tasks. This study extends the knowledge of age-related auditory perception difficulties to CI listeners.
Infinite dimensional algebraic geometry: algebraic structures on {$p$}-adic groups and their homogeneous spaces

Let $k$ denote the algebraic closure of the finite field, $\mathbb F_p,$ let $\mathcal O$ denote the Witt vectors of $k$ and let $K$ denote the fraction field of this ring. In the first part of this paper we construct an algebraic theory of ind-schemes that allows us to represent finite $K$ schemes as infinite dimensional $k$-schemes and we apply this to semisimple groups. In the second part we construct spaces of lattices of fixed discriminant in the vector space $K^n.$ We determine the structure of these schemes. We devote particular attention to lattices of fixed discriminant in the lattice, $p^{-r}\mathcal O^n,$ computing the Zariski tangent space to a lattice in this scheme and determining the singular points.
Cryo-TEM studies of worm-like micellar solutions

Solutions of worm-like micelles display a rich rheological behavior that makes them useful as, for example, drag-reducing agents or viscosity enhancers. The properties of these solutions depend on the morphology and interactions between the micelles, both of which can be tuned by changing solution conditions. Although there has been extensive theoretical study of these solutions, there are often conflicting explanations, or no explanation, of an observed trend. Application of cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) for the direct visualization of the micelles can help correlate microstructure to rheology. Of particular interest is the cause of a maximum in viscosity as a function of increasing surfactant or salt concentration. Several studies support the theory of a transition from linear to branched micelles, while other studies report no change in microstructure or no connection between structure evolution and changes in viscosity. More systematic and thorough studies that combine cryo-TEM with other experimental techniques are needed.
Resection of the primary tumor improves survival in metastatic breast cancer by reducing overall tumor burden

Background Although many retrospective studies suggest that resection of the primary tumor improves survival in metastatic breast cancer, animal studies suggest that resection induces metastasis. Moreover, there has been no critical evaluation of how well animal studies actually model metastatic breast cancer. We used our newly established orthotopic cancer implantation under direct vision model to evaluate the hypothesis that primary tumor resection improves survival in metastatic breast cancer by reducing overall tumor burden and improving immune responsiveness. Methods Murine mammary adenocarcinoma 4T1-luc2 cells that can be visualized by bioluminescence were implanted orthotopically into BALB/c mice under direct vision. Resection of the primary tumors at days 6, 10, and 28 were compared to sham resection of the contralateral normal mammary gland and observation alone. Tumor burden was quantified by bioluminescence. Tumor-draining lymph nodes were identified by intradermal injection of lymphazurin, and primary tumors, lymph nodes, and lungs were examined pathologically. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed. Splenocyte myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and CD4 or CD8 single positive T lymphocytes were quantified by flow cytometry. Results Tumors invaded locally, metastasized to regional lymph nodes, and then metastasized to distant organs, with subsequent mortality. Surgical stress increased tumor burden only transiently without affecting survival. When primary tumor resection decreased overall tumor burden substantially, further growth of metastatic lesions did not increase the overall tumor burden compared to observation, and survival was improved, which was not the case when resection did not significantly reduce the overall tumor burden. Decreasing overall tumor burden through resection of the primary tumor resulted in decreased splenic MDSC numbers and increased CD4 and CD8 cells, suggesting the potential for an improved immunologic response to cancer. Conclusion Decreasing overall tumor burden through resection of the primary breast tumor decreased MDSCs, increased CD4 and CD8 cells, and improved survival.
Texture recognition of medical images with the ICM method

Abstract The Integrated Cortical Model (ICM) is based upon several models of the mammalian visual cortex and produces pulse images over several iterations. These pulse images tend to isolate segments, edges, and textures that are inherent in the input image. To create a texture recognition engine the pulse spectrum of individual pixels are collected and used to develop a recognition library. Recognition is performed by comparing pulse spectra of unclassified regions of images with the known regions. Because signatures are smaller than images, signature-based computation is quite efficient and parasites can be recognized quickly. The precision of this method depends on the representative of signatures and classification. Our experiment results support the theoretical findings and show perspectives of practical applications of ICM-based method. The advantage of ICM method is using signatures to represent objects. ICM can extract the internal features of objects and represent them with signatures. Signature classification is critical for the precision of recognition.
Integrating heterogeneous information services using JNDI

The capability to announce and discover resources is a foundation for heterogeneous computing systems. Independent projects have adopted custom implementations of information services, which are not interoperable and induce substantial maintenance costs. In this paper, we propose an alternative methodology. We suggest that it is possible to reuse existing naming service deployments and combine them into complex, scalable, hierarchical, distributed federations, by using appropriate client-side integration middleware that unifies service access and hides heterogeneity behind a common API. We investigate a JNDI-based approach, and describe in detail two newly implemented JNDI service providers, which enable unified access to 1) Jini lookup services, and 2) harness distributed naming services. We claim that these two technologies, along with others already accessible through JNDI such as e.g. DNS and LDAP, offer features suitable for use in hierarchical heterogeneous information systems.
A hybrid approach for multiresolution modeling of large-scale scientific data

Simulations of complex scientific phenomena involve the execution of massively parallel computer programs. These simulation programs generate large-scale multidimensional data sets over the spatio-temporal region. Analyzing such massive data sets is an essential step in helping scientists glean new information. To this end, efficient and effective data models are needed. In this paper, we present a hybrid approach for constructing data models from large-scale multidimensional scientific data sets. Our models not only provide descriptive information about the data but also allow users to subsequently examine the data by querying the data models. Our approach combines a multiresolution-topological model of the data with a multivariate-physical model of the data to generate one hierarchical data model that efficiently captures both the spatio-temporal and the physical aspects of the data. In particular, this hybrid approach consists of three phases. In the first phase, we build a multiresolution model that encapsulates the data set's spatial information (i.e., topology and spatial connectivity). In the second phase, we build a multivariate model from the physical dimensions of the data set. Physical dimensions refer to those dimensions that are neither spatial (x, y, z) nor temporal (time). The exclusion of the spatial-temporal dimensions from the clustering phase is important since "similar" characteristics could be located (spatially) far from each other. Finally, in the third phase, we connect the multivariate-physical model to the multiresolution-topological model by utilizing ideas from information retrieval. The third phase is essential since the multivariate-physical model does not contain any topological information (without which the model does not have accurate spatial context information). Experimental evaluations on two large-scale multidimensional scientific data sets illustrate the value of our hybrid approach.
Integrated Pest Management in Latin America

The ability of global agricultural systems to supply sufficient food for our rapidly-growing human population is becoming constrained by physical and economic limits to traditional means of agricultural expansion. Pests consume or ruin a staggering proportion of crops and, in general, have not been satisfactorily controlled through the ‘broadcast’ application of pesticides.
Islamic Law And Crime: The Case Of Saudi Arabia

The penal policy in Saudi Arabia (governed by Islamic Law) is based largely on deterrence and retribution in concept and is characterized by certainty and speed in practice while in the United States the penal philosophy (governed by positive law) is based mainly on offender rehabilitation and the administration of justice is rather slow and uncertain. Recent crime rates differ markedly between the two countries in favor of Saudi Arabia whether in crimes of violence or property. A combination of factors seems to contribute to the very low rates of crime in Saudi Arabia including the firm and deterrent effect of Islamic criminal law, the general effect of religion and religiosity, the influence of Quaranic teachings, and the Islamic educational system.
Behavioral changes of young rats force-fed methyl mercury chloride.

SummaryA single dose of methyl mercury chloride was force-fed at 2.0 mg/100 g body weight to 15- and 21-day-old and at 2.5 mg/100 g to 60-day-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. Control rats received the carrier for the mercury compound. T-maze and open-field performances of the rats treated with the 2.0 mg/100 g body weight were not altered when compared to control rats. However, statistically significant differences were found in the T-maze test in number of days to reach criterion between the two groups of 60-day-old rats. Furthermore, statistical differences were found between the two groups in several parameters measured in the open field which indicate alteration in the emotionality of the treated rats. Histological examination of the brain at the end of the behavioral tests revealed no lesions attributable to the mercury treatment. Thus, our data indicated that certain subtle changes due to mercury poisoning can more readily be detected with behavioral tests than by histopathological examination.
The K-π+π-d and K-π+π-n final states in K-d interactions at 3.4 GeV/c

The two reactions K−d → K−π+π−d and K−d → K−π+π−nps were studied in the 30 in. MURA bubble chamber. The cross-sections were (130±30) and (1530±180)µb respectively. The final state K−π+π−d was found to be dominated by K*(890) production, while the final state K−π+π−n proceeded substantially through the production of the double resonances K*0(890) Δ−(1236). The coherent reaction agrees fairly well with a multiperipheral model. The decay density matrix elements are presented in both the Gottfried-Jackson and helicity frames.
Seasonal changes in planktonic bacterial assemblages of two Ohio streams

1. Monthly water samples were collected from two Ohio streams (Bixon and Mahoning) for 14 months to assess the extent of seasonal changes in the bacterial assemblage and in a population within the assemblage. At the assemblage level, abundances of total bacteria and colony forming units (CFUs) were measured. Populations of Burkholderia (Pseudomonas) cepacia were quantified by colony hybridization using a species-specific rDNA probe. 2. Total bacterial numbers were highest in early winter and were lowest during summer and when the streams were covered with ice. Changes in the number of CFUs were more variable than changes in total number, but did not exhibit a clear seasonal pattern. 3. B. cepacia was not detected during summer, but up to 8000 ml–1 were present in November. Seasonal changes in assemblage-level measurements were dissimilar to population-level changes in B. cepacia abundance. 4. The temporal changes observed in this study suggest that populations of stream bacteria, such as B. cepacia, exhibit seasonal blooms that are undetected by assemblage level measurements.
POOF: Part-Based One-vs.-One Features for Fine-Grained Categorization, Face Verification, and Attribute Estimation

From a set of images in a particular domain, labeled with part locations and class, we present a method to automatically learn a large and diverse set of highly discriminative intermediate features that we call Part-based One-vs.-One Features (POOFs). Each of these features specializes in discrimination between two particular classes based on the appearance at a particular part. We demonstrate the particular usefulness of these features for fine-grained visual categorization with new state-of-the-art results on bird species identification using the Caltech UCSD Birds (CUB) dataset and parity with the best existing results in face verification on the Labeled Faces in the Wild (LFW) dataset. Finally, we demonstrate the particular advantage of POOFs when training data is scarce.
Preterm Infants' T Cell Responses to Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine

BACKGROUND: The antigen-specific T cell responses of preterm infants to immunization are not well understood. The aim of the present study was to compare the T cell responses of preterm infants after inactivated poliovirus vaccination with those of term infants. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 2-month-old preterm (gestational age, 33 weeks) and term (gestational age, 37 weeks) infants to receive 3 doses of diphtheria-tetanus toxoids-acellular pertussis-hepatitis B virus-inactivated poliovirus vaccine. Whole blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were stimulated with poliovirus vaccine, and memory T cell activation was analyzed by flow cytometry and lymphoproliferation, respectively. Levels of poliovirus neutralizing antibodies were measured in serum. RESULTS: We enrolled 33 preterm and 50 term infants. Preterm infants had fewer circulating CD4(+)CD45RO(+) memory (P = .005) and CD4(+)CD69(+)IFN-gamma(+) cells activated by staphylococcus enterotoxin B at 2 (P = .015) and 7 (P = .05) months of age. After immunization, preterm and term infants had comparable frequencies of poliovirus-specific CD4(+)CD45RO(+)CD69(+)IFN-gamma(+) memory T cells (P = .79). PBMCs from preterm infants had diminished poliovirus-specific lymphoproliferation (P<.001). Although all infants developed seroprotective poliovirus antibody titers, serotype 1 titers were lower among preterm infants (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Preterm infants develop poliovirus-specific T cell responses that are comparable to those of term infants. However, they demonstrate nonspecific and poliovirus-specific functional T cell limitations, suggesting that investigations into whether T cell differences remain as preterm infants mature are warranted.
Knowledge, attitude and practice of epilepsy in Uttarakhand, India.

Objectives: This study was conducted to find out knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of epilepsy among 12 th -class students in Uttarakhand state. Secondly data of Uttarakhand was compared with KAP study from other parts of the country. Materials and Methods: All 12 th - class students studying in six schools of randomly selected 36 villages in Chakrata block of Dehradun district of Uttarakhand state were provided a printed questionnaire having answer as yes or no. This questionnaire used was used previously by various authors and validated for KAP analysis. These filled questionnaires were collected by village health workers and medical officer. Results: This study conducted on 219, 12 th -class students revealed that epilepsy was heard by 98%, 74.9% thought epilepsy a mental disease and 4.8% believed that it is contagious. Negative attitude showed as nearly 2/3 rd students stated that epilepsy is hindrance in marriage and occupation. Nearly 41% would use onion or shoe for terminating seizure attack. Ayurvedic treatment was preferred over allopathic drugs. Conclusions: Study on 12 th -class students of Uttarakhand revealed poor knowledge, attitude and practice for epilepsy and needs special education program to dispel these misconceptions.
A comparison of Gaussian process regression, random forests and support vector regression for burn severity assessment in diseased forests

Remote sensing has been widely adopted to map post-fire burn severity over large forested areas. Statistical regression based on linear or simple non-linear assumptions is typically used to link post-fire forest reflectance with the degree of burn severity. However, this linkage becomes complicated if forests experienced severe mortality caused by pre-fire disease or insect outbreaks, which is likely to occur more frequently as a result of rapid climate change. In an effort to improve the understanding of the relationship between forest reflectance and fire-disease disturbances, this study explored the efficacy of three machine learning techniques, that is, Gaussian process regression (GPR), random forests (RF) and support vector regression (SVR), within a geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) framework to assess burn severity in a forest subject to pre-fire disease epidemics. MASTER [MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)/ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection...
The role of axillary ultrasound in the detection of metastases from primary breast cancers.

Abstract Background The value of diagnostic axillary ultrasound (AUS) in the preoperative evaluation of lymph nodes for breast cancer patients has yet to be completely clarified. Methods Results of AUS were reviewed for all patients with invasive cancers who were clinically node negative (cN0) and had subsequent axillary lymphadenectomy. Patients with positive ultrasound-guided node core biopsies bypassed sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and had axillary lymph node dissection, whereas those with sonographically normal nodes or benign/nondiagnostic biopsy results had SLNB. Results Of 128 cN0 patients with invasive cancer, 23 (18%) had abnormal axillary AUS. Of 18 core biopsies, 12 (67%) were malignant. SLNB was positive in 19 of 110 (17%) patients. ALND was performed in 32 (25%) patients. For determining axillary metastases, AUS sensitivity was 16 of 31 (52%), specificity was 90 of 97 (93%), the positive predictive value was 16 of 23 (69%), and the negative predictive value was 90 of 105 (86%). Conclusions AUS examination was a valuable method for evaluating the axilla in newly diagnosed cN0 breast cancer patients.
Verb retrieval in brain-damaged subjects: 1. Analysis of stimulus, lexical, and conceptual factors.

Verb retrieval for action naming was assessed in 53 brain-damaged subjects by administering a standardized test with 100 items. The goal of the study was to gain further insight into the nature of verb processing impairments by investigating the influence of several kinds of stimulus, lexical, and conceptual factors on the subjects' performance at the level of group tendencies and also at the level of individual differences. (1) Stimulus factors: visual complexity, familiarity, image agreement, and one vs. two pictures (which corresponds to ongoing vs. completed actions); (2) lexical factors: name agreement, verb frequency, and whether the root of the target verb has a homophonous noun; (3) conceptual factors: whether the action is done with the hand or the body, whether the action involves one or two core participants, whether the undergoer of the action has a change of internal state, whether the undergoer has a change of spatial location, and whether the actor makes use of an instrument in carrying out the action. The subjects were divided into an impaired group (n = 19) and an unimpaired group (n = 34) on the basis of their overall performance on the test. For both groups of subjects, verb retrieval was significantly affected by the following factors: familiarity, image agreement, name agreement, homophonous noun, and undergoer change of location. These results indicate that, at the level of group analysis, some factors have a stronger influence on verb retrieval for action naming than others. Moreover, the finding that the two groups exhibited the same general pattern of factor sensitivity suggests that although the processing efficiency of the mechanisms that subserve verb retrieval is degraded in the impaired group, the basic functional properties of these mechanisms may not be qualitatively very different from those of the unimpaired group. Further analyses were conducted at the level of individual subjects and revealed a considerable amount of variation with regard to factor sensitivity. Many patterns of associations and dissociations of factors were found across the subjects, which suggests that the task of retrieving verbs for naming actions is quite complex and that different subjects can be influenced by different properties of both the stimuli and the target verbs.
Disparities in service utilization and expenditures for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Abstract Background The factors that affect access to services for individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) have not received much attention. Methods This study examined service utilization and expenditures provided by regional centers to individuals with DD living at home and in residential settings in California in 2004–2005. Logistic regressions of secondary data were used to predict the receipt of services, and ordinary least squares regressions were used to examine the predictors of service expenditures. Results Of the 175,595 individuals assessed with DD, 21% did not receive any purchased services from regional centers in 2004–2005. Controlling for client needs, individuals aged 3–21 years were less likely than other age groups to receive services. All racial and ethnic minority groups were less likely to receive any services than were whites. The supply of intermediate care facilities for habilitation and residential care reduced the likelihood of receiving regional center services. Of those who received services, younger individuals and all racial and ethnic minority groups had significantly lower expenditures. Provider supply, area population characteristics, and regional centers also predicted variation in service use and expenditures. Conclusion The disparities by age, race/ethnicity, and geographic area require further study, and specific approaches are needed to ensure equity in access to services.
Use of radiofrequency hepatic parenchymal transection device in hepatic hemangioma resection: early experience and lessons learned

Background. Control of intraoperative hemorrhage represents a significant challenge in hepatic surgery, particularly during resection of large, hypervascular hepatic hemangiomata (HH). Various devices to minimize blood loss from hepatic parenchymal transection are currently under investigation. Herein, we present our experience with a radiofrequency (RF)-powered multiarray for resection of HH. Patients and methods. From September 2005 to January 2006, we conducted a retrospective review of our hepatobiliary database to identify patients with symptomatic giant cavernous HH undergoing resection with a RF multiarray device. The purpose of this review was to assess the technical aspects of using RF energy to assist in the resection of HH. Results. The extent of operation varied depending on the size and location of the tumor. Two patients underwent two atypical subsectionectomies and two underwent trisectionectomies. The Habib™ sealer provided a safe and effective method for hepatic parenchymal transaction. No patients required blood transfusion, and no injuries to major biliary or vascular strictures were observed at 1 year follow-up. A seroma developed in one patient 6 months postoperatively, but was drained percutaneously. Conclusions. Hepatic parenchymal transection with the Habib sealer device is a feasible approach to resect HH. Further study is needed to objectively compare the efficacy of RF-assisted parenchymal transection with that of traditional parenchymal transection techniques.
Genetic analysis of prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA-binding proteins in Escherichia coli

This report describes an Escherichia coli genetic system that permits bacterial genetic methods to be applied to the study of essentially any prokaryotic or eukaryotic site-specific DNA binding protein. It consists of two parts. The first part is a set of tools that facilitate construction of customized E.coli strains bearing single copy lacZYA reporters that are repressed by a specific target protein. The second part is a pair of regulatable protein expression vectors that permit in vivo production of the target protein at levels appropriate for genetic experiments. When expressed in a properly designed reporter strain, the target protein represses the lac genes, resulting in an E.coli phenotype that can be quantitatively measured or exploited in large scale genetic screens or selections. As a result, large plasmid-based libraries of protein genes or pools of mutagenized variants of a given gene may be examined in relatively simple genetic experiments. The strain construction technique is also useful for generating E.coli strains bearing reporters for other types of genetic systems, including repression-based and activation-based systems in which chimeric proteins are used to examine interactions between foreign protein domains.
Very high temperature, moderate pressure metamorphism in the New Russia gneiss complex, northeastern Adirondack Highlands, metamorphic aureole to the Marcy anorthosite

The New Russia gneiss complex in the northeastern Adirondack Highlands of New York includes meta-anorthosite gneiss and anatectic gneiss derived from metagabbro, mangerite, and charnockite. Metamor...
Diagnostic Performance of Whole-Body MRI as a Tool for Cancer Screening in Children With Genetic Cancer-Predisposing Conditions.

OBJECTIVE. Children with cancer-predisposing conditions are at increased risk to develop and die of cancer. Limited data exist on the utility of whole-body MRI as a cancer screening tool in children. In this study, we examined the diagnostic performance of whole-body MRI as a mechanism of tumor surveillance for children at increased genetic risk for cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Twenty-four children (six boys and 18 girls) with a mean age of 11.2 years (range, 2.1–18.2 years) underwent 50 unenhanced whole-body MRI examinations over a 5-year period. Scans were retrospectively reviewed and assessed for image quality; sequences performed; and the presence of osseous, soft-tissue, or solid organ abnormalities. Findings suggestive of a malignancy were stratified by risk as low ( 80%). MRI findings were correlated with medical records, biopsy results, or additional follow-up imaging; biopsy and follow-up were considered as the reference standards. RESULTS....
Industrial applications of artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been used extensively within Texas Instruments to improve manufacturing productivity and quality. Some examples of these internal applications, as well as external customer programs, are used to illustrate AI's potential for the factory of the future. Attention is given to case studies involving diagnostic expert systems, knowledge-based planning and simulation, and scheduling. AI-based training and maintenance is also considered. >
Similarity rule for sidewall boundary-layer effects in airfoil testing

The simplified form of the similarity rule for sidewall boundary layer effects presented envisions the generation of changes in both airfoil thickness and freestream Mach number by the sidewall boundary layer. Within the small-disturbance approximation, this approach encompasses the methods of both Barnwell (1980) and Sewall (1982), and can accordingly be applied at speeds ranging from the lowest to transonic Mach numbers.
Interaction, “Interaction”, ‘Interaction’

Doing exact scientific research is like driving in a big city; maneuvering among streets that have more than one lane. Scientists must be at ease in any of three lanes: the event/thing, the construct, and the language. This is because whatever qualifies as an ontological category may have three “faces.” One deals with the actual physical-biological event/thing. Another deals with the mental constructs used to think about the event/thing. The third deals with the words used to communicate thoughts about thoughts and about the event/thing. Not every word has two other faces, nor is every conceivable event/thing referred to by a concept that is designated by a word.
Regional Differences in Cuticular Permeability in the Desert Cicada Diceroprocta Apache: Implications for Evaporative Cooling

The cuticular permeability of the desert cicada Diceroprocta apache was measured in vivo from three regions of the dorsal surface: (1) the midline of the thorax (= dorsal thorax), a region that contains large pores (7–8 μm in diameter) located in a central tract; (2) the lateral thorax, a region in which large pores are absent, and (3) the midline of the abdomen, a region in which large pores are uniformly distributed over the surface. Transcuticular water flux rates were similar for all three areas at 27.0°C; however, at 41.5°C rates increased sharply for the dorsal thorax and abdomen, with tracings showing numerous irregular peaks that represent cycles of water extrusion. Transcuticular water flux for the lateral thorax, in contrast, was relatively unaffected by the temperature increase and the tracings remained relatively flat. Death of the animal at the higher temperature resulted in a significant decrease in water loss rates and a loss of the cycling pattern in both the dorsal thorax and abdomen, whereas water loss through the lateral thorax did not change. The active extrusion of water begins at 39.2-39.3°Cin both male and female cicadas. Our findings confirm that the large pores are the routes by which water reaches the surface and that the temperature at which this active extrusion of water begins corresponds to the point where cicadas must seek milder microclimates to prevent body temperature from reaching lethal levels.
Efficacy and tolerability of ClO2-generating gloves.

The transmission of pathogenic microorganisms by the hands of workers continues to be a problem in the medical field and the food industry. Compliance with hand hygiene is often poor, and gloves may be contaminated after being donned and may transmit microorganisms. A novel, patented technology allows materials to be impregnated with microspheres that, when activated by light or moisture, generate ClO 2 at sustained rates to produce a disinfecting microatmosphere. Gloves that were seeded with bacteria and then exposed to light were able to reduce the numbers of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella serotype Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes by 1-3 logs within 20 min, both on the gloves and on the hands of wearers. The gloves look and feel like their standard counterparts and were well tolerated in the Draize test. This technology holds promise for reducing cross-contamination and the transmission of pathogens in the medical and food handling environments.
The Overall Problem in Man

Reproductive failure occurs in all forms of life, plant and animal. I have been asked to make a few introductory or general remarks about the problem in man. Whatever I have to say is based upon 35 years’ experience in obstetric and gynecologic pathology, seasoned by interest in the early embryology of the human and interspersed with a nine-year interval as clinical obstetrician. These remarks are in no sense an exhaustive review of reproductive anatomy, physiology and pathology, even as applied to the human, let alone to mammals in general. Comments will be confined to my observations on the early or potentially abortive phases of human development and a pathologic evaluation of a thousand consecutive human abortions, most of them spontaneous.
Has SARS Infected the Property Market? Evidence from Hong Kong

This paper uses the 2003 Hong Kong Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic as a natural experiment to investigate how housing markets react to extreme events. A panel data set of large-scale housing complexes (estates) is used to exploit the cross-sectional variation in the spread of SARS to estimate the effect of the disease on real estate prices and sales. SARS risk is measured by: (1) the estate-level SARS infection rate, (2) news reports, and (3) government announcements of infections. The average price declines by 1-3 percent if an estate is directly affected by SARS, and by 1.6 percent for all estates as a result of the outbreak of the disease. A back-of-the-envelope calculation of the expected price fall under the rational asset-pricing model implies that the economic value of life consistent with the SARS-related price movement was less than $1 million. This low figure contrasts with the predictions of overreaction from psychological and behavioral economics theories. An analysis of transaction volume suggests that the absence of price overreaction is likely to be related to housing market characteristics, including transaction costs, credit constraints and loss aversion.
Spatial analysis of volatile organic compounds in South Philadelphia using passive samplers.

ABSTRACTSelect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured in the vicinity of a petroleum refinery and related operations in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, using passive air sampling and laboratory analysis methods. Two-week, time-integrated samplers were deployed at 17 sites, which were aggregated into five site groups of varying distances from the refinery. Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene isomers (BTEX) and styrene concentrations were higher near the refinery’s fenceline than for groups at the refinery’s south edge, mid-distance, and farther removed locations. The near fenceline group was significantly higher than the refinery’s north edge group for benzene and toluene but not for ethylbenzene or xylene isomers; styrene was lower at the near fenceline group versus the north edge group. For BTEX and styrene, the magnitude of estimated differences generally increased when proceeding through groups ever farther away from the petroleum refining. Perchloroethylene results were not sugg...
Identifying worsening surgical site infection performance: control charts versus risk-adjusted rate outlier status.

Control charts are used in industry to monitor performance and are being used increasingly in hospitals as a quality improvement tool. The authors’ objective was to determine if control charts using surgical site infection (SSI) rates predict changes in outlier status for risk-adjusted SSI rates using data from a surgical registry, the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. Control charts of monthly SSI rates for 100 hospitals were analyzed for indicators of a performance change in 2009 (vs 2008) using standard rules. Hospitals also were classified as having better, worse, or no change in outlier status for risk-adjusted SSI rates in 2009 (vs 2008). There was moderate agreement between these methods (weighted κ = 0.401). Control charts predicted nonworsening performance well (specificity = 92.9%) and identified changes in SSI performance sooner; however, they failed to identify 31.2% of hospitals with worsened outlier status. This study demonstrates that these quality ...
Deciding to Be Human? Benjamin and Schmitt on Political Theology and Animality

Carl Schmitt introduced the notion of a personalistic sovereign authority. Walter Benjamin was both influenced by, and a critic of, Schmitt’s project. The nature of Benjamin’s critique, however, still requires elucidation as commentators have not exhausted the implications of the melancholic prince in his Trauerspiel book. Contrary to Schmitt’s sovereign as a personal unit, Benjamin’s melancholic prince is not only indecisive and incapable of excluding the state of exception, but is also at the verge of becoming an animal. Based on Benjamin’s critique, I propose to rethink sovereignty authority from the perspective of successive movements of re-personalization and de-personalization
Treatment via Television: The Relation Between Watching Dr. Phil and Viewers’ Intentions to Seek Mental Health Treatment

Many people with a mental disorder fail to obtain professional treatment for a diagnosable mental disorder, and some turn to media outlets for diagnosis and treatment recommendations; however, little is known about outcomes associated with exposure to media mental health professionals. We reasoned that exposure to Dr. Phil would be associated with greater intentions to seek mental health treatment for oneself and for one's child and that this relationship would be serially mediated by higher levels of parasocial relationship with Dr. Phil and greater efficacy beliefs in treating the mental illness of oneself and one's child. As predicted, frequent viewing of Dr. Phil was associated with higher levels of parasocial relationship with Dr. Phil, which in turn was itself associated with greater efficacy beliefs in treating a mental illness of oneself and of one's child, which was ultimately related to greater intentions to seek treatment for oneself or for one's child. The findings suggest that the relationship that develops between media mental health professionals and their audience can encourage intentions to seek mental health treatment.
Preparation,quality control and clinical application of Naokang oral fluid

Objective:To develop the preparation procedure and quality control of Naokang oral fluid.Methods:The preparation procedure and quality control standard of Naokang oral fluid was established.Results:The preparation method was simple,and the studies showed that spots on TLC could be well separated.There was remarkable difference compared with routine treatment in the efficient rate.Conclusions:The quality control was reliable and the product has good clinical effect.
Application of PLC in the Control System of Coal Conveying and Distributing Process

AB Control Logix 1756 series PLC products are adopted to realize the logic control for conveying and distributing coal process. And the system stability was enhanced by building up ring Ethernet, hot-spare redundancy main controllers and double cable double network ControlNet which belongs to control level in AB PLC structure system. It is high available to supervise and monitor the electric indicators to get the system state on conveying and distributing coal process control system by iFix SCADA software .
Development of combustion response functions in a subscale high-pressure transverse combustor

Combustion response functions describe the magnitude and time lag behavior of a flame in response to unsteady pressure and velocity. By understanding the feedback between unsteady flowfields and heat release, the growth and decay of combustion instability can be better predicted. An automated data isolation and reduction method has been developed to generate meaningful graphical combustion response functions from a combination of pressure amplitude and various image analysis metrics. It was developed and tested using pressure measurements and high-speed imaging of combustion light taken from a single element at the midspan of an unstable high-pressure subscale transverse combustor. The code was used to isolate time slices of near stationary pressure amplitude and to process the corresponding images into combustion response approximated by aggregate intensity, intensity weighted spatial center, Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD), and Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD). Overall, the generated combustion response functions generally agreed with expected behavior of an element located at a first width (1W) velocity antinode and second width (2W) pressure antinode. Results from both POD and DMD successfully isolated the prominent spatial and temporal light emission behavior.