cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing the conservation risk of Sphaerodactylus notatus, the U.S. herpetofaunal species most vulnerable to sea level rise

While climate change and sea level rise threaten species across the globe, species in low-lying coastal regions, such as South Florida, are projected to face particularly severe threats. One such species is the Florida reef gecko (Sphaerodactylus notatus), the only gecko native to the eastern U.S., and a highly understudied species that persists in heavily fragmented habitats of only three coastal Florida counties. To assess the conservation status of this species, we conducted surveys throughout South Florida to determine potential extirpations from historic localities and to delimit S. notatus’ current distribution. We also estimated the level of threat S. notatus faces from sea level rise relative to other species by analyzing sea level risk of all herpetofauna in the U.S. We detected geckos in only 41% of sites with appropriate habitat, and in only 65% of historic localities. Geckos were only present within 1.2 km from the coast, and the minimum 2.2 m of sea level rise already expected based on current carbon emissions will place 85% of suitable S. notatus habitat under water. Our findings were used to update the conservation risk of S. notatus according to IUCN and Florida guidelines for listing threatened and endangered species, and suggest this species now fits the criteria to warrant listing. In comparison to all other U.S. herpetofaunal species, we found that S. notatus is the most at risk from sea level rise due its fidelity to low-lying coastal habitats.
Microstructural Injury to Corpus Callosum and Intrahemispheric White Matter Tracts Correlate With Attention and Processing Speed Decline After Brain Radiation.

Purpose The corpus callosum (CC) and intrahemispheric white matter tracts (IHWM) subserve critical aspects of attention and processing speed. We analyzed imaging biomarkers of microstructural injury within these regions and association with attention and processing speed performance before and after radiation therapy in primary brain tumor patients. Methods and Materials In a prospective clinical trial, 44 primary brain tumor patients underwent cognitive testing and magnetic resonance imaging/diffusion-weighted imaging at baseline (pre-radiation therapy) and 3-, 6-, and 12-months post-radiation therapy. CC (subregions, total) and IHWM tracts (left/right without CC, total) were autosegmented; tumor, tumor bed, and edema were censored. Biomarkers included volume changes (cm3), mean diffusivity ([MD]; higher values indicate white matter injury), fractional anisotropy ([FA]; lower values indicate white matter injury). Reliable-change indices measured changes in attention (Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale [WAIS-IV] digits-forward; Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Trail Making [D-KEFS-TM] visual-scanning), and processing speed (WAIS-IV coding; D-KEFS-TM number-sequencing, letter-sequencing), accounting for practice effects. Linear mixed-effects models evaluated associations between mean radiation dose and biomarkers (volume, MD, FA) and imaging biomarkers and neurocognitive performance. Statistics were corrected for multiple comparisons. Results Processing speed declined at 6 months following radiation therapy (number sequencing, letter sequencing; P Conclusions The CC demonstrated radiation dose-dependent atrophy and WM injury. Microstructural injury within the CC and IHWM was associated with attention and processing speed decline after radiation therapy. These areas represent possible avoidance regions for preservation of attention and processing speed.
The Affordable Care Act at 10 Years: Evaluating the Evidence and Navigating an Uncertain Future.

Abstract The year 2020 marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Perhaps the greatest overhaul of the US health care system in the past 50 y, the ACA sought to expand access to care, improve quality, and reduce health care costs. Over the past decade, there have been a number of challenges and changes to the law, which remains in evolution. While the ACA's policies were not intended to specifically target surgical care, surgical patients, surgeons, and the health systems within which they function have all been greatly affected. This article aims to provide a brief overview of the impact of the ACA on surgical patients in reference to its tripartite aim of improving access, improving quality, and reducing costs.
Racial Incivility in Everyday Life: A Conceptual Framework for Linking Process, Person, and Context:

Psychologists use the term racial microaggressions to describe subtle forms of everyday racial incivility and discrimination reported by members of historically underrepresented groups. Growing evi...
Association between residential green space during childhood and adult earnings: A longitudinal study of environmental determinants of the American Dream across ten United States cities

Background: Growing up in poverty is associated with poor health, and the American Dream of upward mobility is becoming an illusion for many low-income children. But nearby green space can support ...
Central Retinal Vein Occlusion in a 46-Year-Old Man with COVID-19: Case Report and Review of the Literature

A 46-year-old man with a history of well-controlled hypertension presented with a central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in his right eye, which was complicated by cystoid macular edema. When the patient noted new visual symptoms, he was also experiencing muscle aches and easy fatiguability. A standard hypercoagulability panel failed to identify an etiology for his CRVO. However, the patient underwent COVID-19 antibody testing, which returned positive. The patient received a series of aflibercept injections for his macular edema, and his vision improved. Further study is warranted to determine if there is any association between mild infection with COVID-19 and the development of CRVO.
Chronic exposure to air pollution and cognitive decline in older adults

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Growing epidemiologic evidence suggests chronic exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) increases risk of dementia in older adults. Despite this, studies of cognitive impair...
Effect of Carbon Configuration on Mechanical, Friction and Wear Behavior of Nitrogen-Doped Diamond-Like Carbon Films for Magnetic Storage Applications

A high temperature mechanical and tribological study was performed to investigate the dependence of friction, wear and mechanical properties of ultra-thin nitrogen-doped diamond-like carbon (NDLC) films on their sp2/sp3 carbon configurations. Two NDLC films with the same thickness of 3 nm, almost the same nitrogen content, and different sp2/sp3 carbon ratios of 53% and 49% were deposited on FeCo/glass substrates. Heating to 300 °C led to partial reduction in sp3 carbon content of NDLCs, ending up with a softer layer. NDLC with 49% sp2/sp3 carbon ratio showed better mechanical properties at 300 °C and 25 °C before and after heat treatments, indicating that the lower the sp2/sp3 carbon ratio, the better the mechanical properties. The same NDLC also showed lower coefficient of friction because of lower sp2 carbon content. Wear tests revealed that NDLC with 49% sp2/sp3 carbon ratio also had better wear resistance at 300 °C because of improved mechanical properties. However, both NDLCs were not delaminated during wear tests at 300 °C and the average wear depths were less than 1 nm, which also indicated robustness and durability of the NDLC films.
Transfer of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium between beef tissue surfaces

Beef tissue surfaces were inoculated with either Listeria monocytogenes or Salmonella typhimurium and placed in contact with uninoculated tissue surfaces. The transfer of bacteria from one surface to another was determined under conditions designed to simulate contamination during meat processing. Bacterial transfer decreased when the initial inoculum was allowed to adsorb to the base tissue prior to contact with the second tissue. The type of base tissue was a factor (P<0.05), with a greater transfer from fat with contact times of less than 1 min and a greater transfer from lean with longer contact times.
A Universal Micro-Sensor Interface chip with network communication bus and highly programmable sensor readout

This paper presents a Universal Micro-Sensor Interface (UMSI) circuit designed for low-power microsystems that support multiple sensors and actuators. The interface chip contains all necessary reference, readout, control, and communication circuitry to interface a range of capacitive, resistive, voltage, or digital output devices to system control hardware. For online configuration of many parameters including readout gain and offset, this versatile chip is highly programmable through a sensor bus. The chip also incorporates a temperature sensor for compensation, an SPI interface, general purpose digital I/O, and an interrupt control unit for switch-type sensors. Fabricated in a foundry 3M 2P 0.5/spl mu/m CMOS process, the die occupies 2.22mm /spl times/ 2.22mm and draws 6.7 /spl mu/A to 4 mA, (depending on configuration) from a 3V supply. Preliminary test results show the chip to be functional within design specifications.
Ubiquitous web services for e-government social services

Introduction The Semantic Web is defined as an extension of the existing Web, in which information is given a well-defined meaning (Berners-Lee, Hendler, & Lassila 2001). The ultimate goal of the envisioned Semantic Web is to transform the Web into a medium through which data and applications can be automatically understood and processed. The development of technologies for supporting the Semantic Web has been the priority of various research communities (e.g., database, artificial intelligence). A major component in enabling the Semantic Web is the concept of Web services (Alonso et al. 2003; McIlraith, Son, & Zeng 2001; Medjahed et al. 2003). A Web service is a set of related functionalities that can be programmatically accessed through the Web. Examples of Web services span several application domains including e-government (e.g., welfare social service) and B2B E-commerce (e.g., stock trading). Web services are gradually taking root because of the convergence of business and government efforts to make the Web the place of choice for all types of activities. The maturity of XMLbased Web service technologies such as SOAP, UDDI, and WSDL is a prominent factor contributing to the large adoption of Web services in the near future (Curbera et al. 2002). Web services have spurred an intense activity in industry and academia to address challenging research issues such as the automatic composition, optimized querying, and customized presentation of Web services. Service composition includes the automatic selection and interoperation of individual Web services to provide value-added and personalized composite services. Optimized service query offers complex and optimized query facilities for combining accesses to diverse service providers. The customized service presentation presents interfaces based on the service input/output data and service semantics. The diversity of these issues calls for the design and development of a comprehensive Web Service Management System (WSMS), where Web services would be treated as first-class objects that can be manipulated as if they were pieces of data. A WSMS includes the architectural components that introduce more convenience, flexibility, and effectiveness in managing Web
The Diffuse Interstellar Bands and Interstellar Dust

As far as we now know, interstellar dust and the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) are not directly related; there is no really good correlation between any DIB and a specific feature of interstellar extinction. I argue that it is not useful to consider the λ2175 “bump”, by far the strongest feature in the interstellar extinction law (in terms of equivalent width in frequency units), a bona fide DIB. The bump is probably not formed by the same processes that cause the DIBs; it is so strong that it is almost surely produced by carbon in some form (probably graphitic), likely by a different physical process (a plasma resonance rather than a bulk resonance). However, the bump’s broadening, which might well be produced by coatings on graphitic grains. suggests that there are rather efficient interactions between grains and the material that produces the coatings. The systematics of the interstellar extinction law among various lines of sight also strongly suggests rapid interactions among grains of various sizes, since apparently the small grains coagulate into large ones in dense-gas environments.
Efficient stability tests: unifying theory and further results using the delta operator

The delta operator has shown great promise in unifying efficient stability tests of given system characteristic polynomials. In this paper some of these results are first briefly reviewed which then set the stage for presenting further results in this subject. Specifically, we present efficient tests in the singular case and results of a sensitivity analysis. The limits of such tests in the singular case are shown to be those of the continuous-time ones. The sensitivity analysis not only proves the improved numerical property of the delta-operator based tests over the traditional shift-operator based ones, it also shows that the sensitivities of the delta operator based tests converge to those of the continuous-time ones as the sampling period approaches zero.
Leaving mass incarceration

F or nearly 30 years, a vast body of literature has examined the “get-tough” era, or what some have referred to as mass incarceration (Jacobson, 2005) or a punitive policy experiment (Raphael and Stoll, 2009). In examining the policies that have defined this era (e.g., War on Drugs, minimum mandatory sentencing, habitual offender statutes, three strikes, and truth-in-sentencing), the literature has been both incisive and comprehensive in its coverage. Various trends have been documented, effectiveness has been analyzed and disputed, explanations have been proposed and debated, and social implications have been identified and interpreted. As the ability to sustain “get-tough” measures has now been constrained [by fiscal crisis], a different political tone and policy focus is emerging. Much of the penal research has shifted as well, turning to issues of offender reentry or to new insights about the trajectory of mass incarceration. Lynch’s (2011, this issue) work clearly falls into the latter category by challenging the prior literature and its conventional argument about the locus and direction of penal change. Her work has relevance then for understanding not only mass incarceration in particular but also reform policy in general, including offender reentry. Lynch (2011) identifies four legal factors as the “engine that propelled mass incarceration.” These factors include legislative and other statutory changes to penal codes, federal case law related to litigation on overcrowding, postsentencing law and policy related to parole, and the day-to-day sentencing and punishment practices of local courtrooms. However, rather than adopting an aggregated or nationalized view of the scope and impact of these factors, Lynch offers a more nuanced take based on local social and political contexts. She maintains that, although the capacity or opportunity for mass incarceration might have been established at the macrolevel, the realization of mass incarceration was contingent on local or regional responses to state or federal initiatives.
Utilization of zonisamide in patients with chronic pain or epilepsy refractory to other treatments: a retrospective, open label, uncontrolled study in a VA hospital.

Objectives: Zonisamide (1,2-benzisoxazole-3-methanesulfonamide) is a novel antiseizure medication approved for use in the United States as adjunct therapy in the treatment of partial seizures in ad...
A critical appraisal of hysteroscopic tubal fulguration for sterilization.

Abstract Twenty-seven women who requested sterilization and agreed to the use of an investigational method had hysteroscopic tubal fulguration in the outpatient clinic under local anesthesia. Until tubal closure could be verified three to five months posthysteroscopy, all patients were instructed to use an additional contraceptive method. Follow-up was available in 23 patients. Using general anesthesia, repeat hysteroscopy and laparoscopy was performed in 16 patients. In 69% of these 16 patients, sinus tracts and uterine defects were found. Coupled with a high patency rate, these findings are of such magnitude that further modification of technique and/or instrumentation are necessary before this new method of transuterine sterilization can be used clinically.
The Influence of Technological Literacy on Students' Writing.

Many forms of technological communication exist in non-linear environments and there is potential for new approaches to learning and teaching which may more closely approximate naturalistic and aut...
N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist applied to the spinal cord hindlimb enlargement reduces the amplitude of flexion reflex in the turtle.

Abstract APV ( d (−)-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate), an NMDA ( N- methyl- d -aspartate ) antagonist, was applied in situ onto segments of the hindlimb enlargement of the turtle spinal cord. APV reduced the response amplitude of the flexion reflex. In contrast, APV did not alter the responsiveness of the rostral scratch reflex. Afferents for the flexion reflex enter the spinal cord via the dorsal roots of the middle segment of the hindlimb enlargement; afferents for the rostral scratch reflex enter the spinal cord via dorsal roots located anterior to the hindlimb enlargement. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that sensory interneuron NMDA receptors, synaptically activated either directly or indirectly by nearby cutaneous afferent axons, play a role in the spinal cord processing of cutaneous information.
Correlation of Electroluminescence With Open-Circuit Voltage From Thin-Film CdTe Solar Cells

Electroluminescence (EL) measurements of several CdTe solar cells, a GaAs solar cell, and an AlGaAs LED were performed. The mean integrated EL intensity, normalized to exposure time and injection-current density, correlates well with the difference between ideal open-circuit voltage and measured open-circuit voltage, nearly independently of cell details or uniformity. This trend holds for devices of different absorber materials but does not hold for devices which exhibit poor superposition between light and dark current–voltage ( J–V ) curves.
Disposition and biotransformation of 14C-etodolac in man.

1. Four human subjects were given a capsule containing 200 mg of 14C-etodolac. At the peak (two hours after dosing), most of the radioactivity in serum was due to etodolac; subsequently, metabolites gradually appeared. The elimination half-life of etodolac from serum averaged six hours. Etodolac was >99% bound to human serum proteins.2. An average of 73% of the dose was excreted in the urine and 14% in faeces within seven days, with 61% appearing in the urine during the first 24 h.3. Microbial transformation of etodolac was employed to biosynthesize sufficient amounts of two urinary metabolites to facilitate structure elucidation.4. Five metabolites, representing 65% of the radioactivity in urine collected 0–24 h after dosing (61% of the dose was excreted in urine within 24 h), were isolated and characterized by t.l.c., g.c., h.p.l.c., n.m.r (1H and 13C) and m.s. Most of the identified urinary components were conjugates of etodolac and three hydroxylated metabolites (6-hydroxyetodolac, 7-hydroxyetodolac a...
The wind-disk interaction in X-ray burst sources

The interaction between a radiatively driven wind from the surface of a neutron star and an accretion disk surrounding the star is considered. A bow shock forms if the wind is supersonic when it reaches the inner edge of the disk. The resultant heating of the wind material can enhance the X-ray luminosity of the source, but this effect is important only if the wind is very strong. If the terminal velocity of the wind is at least about 0.99c and the integrated kinetic energy flux of the wind is at least about 30 times the Eddington limit, then super-Eddington X-ray luminosities will be generated. The conditions that are required for the formation of such a wind are briefly discussed. Also developed are estimates for the spectral shape, color temperature, and X-ray luminosity resulting from the wind-disk interaction, and it is shown that these results are consistent with the observed properties of type I cosmic X-ray bursts.
Integrated signaling networks in plant responses to sedentary endoparasitic nematodes: a perspective

Sedentary plant endoparasitic nematodes can cause detrimental yield losses in crop plants making the study of detailed cellular, molecular, and whole plant responses to them a subject of importance. In response to invading nematodes and nematode-secreted effectors, plant susceptibility/resistance is mainly determined by the coordination of different signaling pathways including specific plant resistance genes or proteins, plant hormone synthesis and signaling pathways, as well as reactive oxygen signals that are generated in response to nematode attack. Crosstalk between various nematode resistance-related elements can be seen as an integrated signaling network regulated by transcription factors and small RNAs at the transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and/or translational levels. Ultimately, the outcome of this highly controlled signaling network determines the host plant susceptibility/resistance to nematodes.
Mitogenic Phospholipase D Activity Is Restricted to Caveolin-Enriched Membrane Microdomains

Phospholipase D (PLD) activity is elevated in response to the oncogenic stimulus of several signaling oncogenes. PLD activity is also elevated in response to peptide growth factors, indicating that PLD likely plays an important role in mitogenic signaling. Many proteins that mediate mitogenic signaling are localized in caveolin-enriched membrane microdomains (CEMMs). We report here that the elevated PLD activity in NIH 3T3 cells transformed by activated oncogenic forms of Src, Ras, and Raf is largely restricted to the CEMMs. Likewise, the PLD activity stimulated by epidermal growth factor is also restricted to the CEMMs. Although both PLD1 and PLD2 were found in CEMMs, neither was particularly enriched in the CEMMs of the transformed relative to the parental cells, indicating that it is the specific activity of PLD that is increased in the CEMMs. An apparent PLD substrate specificity in transformed cells for phosphatidylcholine lacking arachidonate acyl groups is also explained by the localization of activity in the CEMMs where [(3)H]arachidonate-labeled PC was excluded. These data indicate that mitogenic signals through PLD are initiated in CEMMs where many signaling molecules colocalize.
Solute and Water Absorption by the Human Small Intestine

Intestinal absorption of solute and water in the human small intestine was studied in normal subjects and in patients with nontropical sprue by transintestinal intubation and perfusion technique. Solutions perfused included distilled water Ringers solution and 1% glucose-Ringers solution. In normal subjects absorption of sodium chloride and potassium occurred proximally and secretion distally when Ringers was perfused. When 1% glucose was substituted for sodium and chloride in the Ringers solution absorption rates in normal subjects were greatly augmented especially in the proximal small gut where glucose absorption is greatest. In sprue patients glucose sodium and chloride all tended to be transported in equimolar proportions only in the distal region of the gut whereas in normal subjects these elements tended to be transported in equimolar proportions across all regions of the small intestine. This is the first documentation of such a linkage in transport under physiological conditions in humans.
Core polarization contributions to hyperfine effects of paramagnetic centers in ionic crystals

Abstract The theory for exchange core polarization in hyperfine interactions is formulated using the moment perturbation method for the case when the original basis functions are not orthogonal. Such a situation is typical of a wide variety of paramagnetic systems in the solid state, such as color centers and iron group ions in ionic crystals. The procedure consists of collecting terms proportional to μ N in the total energy, including both one- and two-electron operators in the total Hamiltonian. After some manipulation, the core polarization contribution is shown to have the same form as for the orthogonal case with the valence orbital orthogonalized to the unperturbed core wavefunctions. We have applied our analysis to an example, namely the F-center in LiF. A positive contribution from the core polarization was found for both the isotropic and anisotropic hyperfine constants of the nearest neighbor Li + ions adding to the direct effects from overlap in both cases.
The etiology and genetics of wormian bones.

The relationship between the length of the basi-occiput and the presence of wormian bones is studied in 116 Negro, 113 White, and 50 Southwestern American Indian adult male crania. Among all three races, there is a statistically significant difference between those individuals who possess wormian bones and those who do not. Furthermore, the basi-occiput length in the Negro, regardless of sutural bones, differs significantly from that in the White, but differences between the White and the American Indian were not present. It is suggested that wormian bones are not under direct genetic control, but instead represent secondary sutural characteristics which are brought about by stress.
Effect of non-homogeneity on the transverse vibrational frequency of uniform beams

Abstract The object of this investigation has been to investigate the effect of non-homogeneity, caused by thermal gradients, on the transverse vibrational frequency of uniform beams. The particular types of thermal gradients considered are the (1) constant, (2) linear, and (3) trigonometric. For the determination of the eigenfrequencies, upper and lower bounding techniques have been utilized in an effort to effectively bracket the eigenvalues. These bounding techniques include the Rayleigh-Ritz method for upper bounds and the Method of Second Projection for lower bounds. This study is of interest, not only because the results are of immediate use to designers, but also because it is possible to compare the results obtained from simpler approximate engineering methods to the more refined results obtained by the Rayleigh-Ritz and Second Projection Methods. In addition to this, since the methods presented here are quite general, they can be easily applied to a variety of other vibrational problems.
CMOS current mode winner-take-all circuit with distributed hysteresis

An analogue-VLSI winner-take-all circuit is enhanced through the addition of hysteretic feedback that emphasises the spatial locality of competing signals using a resistive network. This circuit has applications to tasks in areas such as image processing, in which inputs are not stationary with respect to the circuit array.
Corporate Social Responsibility Within the U.S. Lodging Industry: an Exploratory Study:

This exploratory study examines corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the lodging industry by measuring the contributions to communities made by lodging properties throughout the United States. This work is significant for two reasons: (a) It attempts to develop a theoretical foundation for CSR within the U.S. lodging industry; (b) it signifies one of the first attempts to quantify one component of CSR, corporate giving, within the U.S. lodging industry. A random sample of lodging properties in the United States was surveyed, and they were asked to report their various contributions to community. Although a limited response prevented generalizability, based on 421 responding properties, regression analysis suggested that the industry made various contributions worth more than $815 million or 3.6% of total industry profits in 2005. The results also showed that a number of structural variables affected the quantified social component of CSR among lodging properties as well as the existence of CSR written...
Effects of prostaglandin inhibitors, 7-oxa-13-prostynoic acid and eicosa-5,8,11,14-tetraynoic acid, upon luteinization of rhesus monkey granulosa cells in culture

Abstract In order to determine whether or not prostaglandins are an intermediate in luteinizing hormone (LH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) action upon monkey granulosa cell luteinization an inhibitor of prostaglandin action 7-oxa-13-prostynoic acid, and an inhibitor of prostaglandin biosynthesis, eicosa-5,8,11,14-tetrynoic and have been added to cultures of monkey granulosa cells obtained from normal preovulatory monkeys and monkeys treated with pregnant mares serum gonadotropin (PMSG). At a dose of 10 or 50 μ g/ml 7-oxa-13-prostynoic acid had no effect on spontaneous luteinization of cultures of granulosa cells harvested from preovulatory monkeys. If 10 or 50 μ g/ml of the prostynoic acid was mixed with 0.1 μ g/ml hCG or 0.01 μ g/ml LH, it inhibited the stimulatory action of the gonadotropins upon morphological luteinization and progestin secretion in cultures of granulosa cells obtained from PMSG treated monkeys. A dose of 50 μ g/ml of 7-oxa-13-prostynoic acid also inhibited the stimulatory effect of prostaglandin E 2 (Pg E 2 ) upon the cultures. A dose of 5 μ g was without effect on the hCG or Pg E 2 effect. 50 μ g/ml of the prostynoic acid when mixed with either 0.1 μ g/ml hCG or 1 μ g/ml Pg E 2 produced necrotic changes in the cultures detectable after 8–10 days of culture. When added alone the prostynoic acid had no necrotic effects on the cultures. 100 μ g/ml but not 1, or 10 μ g/ml eicosa, 5,8,11,14-tetraynoic acid inhibited the response of cultures of granulosa cells obtained from PMSG treated monkeys to 0.1 μ g/ml hCG. It is concluded that prostaglandins may be an intermediate in the action of LH or hCG upon granulosa cell luteinization. Caution must be used in interpretation of data using prostaglandin inhibitors since they can exert necrotic effects in the presence of prostaglandins or hCG.
A subcable test facility

A subcable test facility was prepared to study ac losses and stabiilty of subsize cables under the pulsing magnetic field of a 40-kJ split-pair coil. A G-10 cryostat fabricated for the system has an inner diameter of 31 cm and is 170 cm deep. An 80-kW power supply for the coil has a pulsing mode of triangular operation. Another 500-kW power supply, rated for dc operation at 400 V and 1250 A, can have pulsing modes of triangular, trapezoidal, or ( B + \dot{B} ) superimposed. AC losses of a superconducting composite strand with CuNi outer sheath were measured. Coupling losses among the strands were not significant because of the outer sheath.
The Effects of Race and Other Socioeconomic Factors on Health Service Use Among American Military Veterans

This study examined the extent to which racial disparities in service utilization exist in veterans (VA) and non-VA health care systems. An observational study design was used with a nationally representative sample of veterans. Logistic regression models were constructed using sociodemographic characteristics, health insurance and benefits, and health status as predictors of health service use in both VA and non-VA health care systems. A population weighted sample of 19,270 veterans from the 2001 National Survey of Veterans was used, which included 17,004 (88.24 %) White, 1,864 (9.15 %) African American, 414 (2.15 %) Native American/Alaskan Native, and 87 (0.45 %) Asian American/Pacific Islander veterans. Results showed that use of the VA health care system was not associated with race, but was associated with VA disability compensation, lack of private health insurance, and greater health care need. Contrarily, in non-VA healthcare systems, veterans who were racial minorities, less educated, and without private health insurance were less likely to use services. Together, these findings demonstrate the socioeconomic context in which health disparities exist and suggest the influence of health insurance on racial disparities in service utilization.
Risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis in the elderly.

To determine the importance of traditional risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) in the elderly, the authors studied 64 consecutive patients with angiographically nor mal or near-normal coronary arteries and 64 patients with CAD. All pa tients were ≥ sixty years old. The risk factors studied were male sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hy percholesterolemia, cigarette smok ing, sedentary life-style, and family history. The prevalence of these risk factors in the two groups of patients was compared. The results suggest that in persons ≥ 60 years old, male sex and cigarette smoking continue to remain risk factors for CAD. Since most of the patients with diabetes and hypertension were on medical man agement for their condition, the au thors' findings also suggest that diabetes mellitus, even under treat ment, remains an important risk fac tor for CAD in the elderly but controlled hypertension does not. Other traditional risk factors (hyper cholesterolemia, sedentary life-style, and family history...
Chemical Propulsion: Greater than 60 Years of Leadership and Innovation at NASA Glenn Research Center

AbstractThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC) was built during World War II with the primary objective of catching up with the Germans in jet engine t...
Comments on 'A MOS implementation of totally self-checking checker for the 1-out-of-3 code'

Shows that the transistor count of the MOS totally self-checking (TSC) 1-out-of-3 code checker given can be reduced from 17 to 13. Similarly, the transistor count of the 2-out-of-3 code checker can be reduced from 11 to 7. >
Giant Formation Rates of Ultracold Molecules via Feshbach-Optimized Photoassociation

Ultracold molecules offer a broad variety of applications, ranging from metrology to quantum computing. However, forming "real" ultracold molecules, i.e., in deeply bound levels, is a very difficult proposition. Here, we show how photoassociation in the vicinity of a Feshbach resonance enhances molecular formation rates by several orders of magnitude. We illustrate this effect in heteronuclear systems, and find giant rate coefficients even in deeply bound levels. We also give a simple analytical expression for the photoassociation rate and discuss future applications of the Feshbach-optimized photoassociation technique.
Effect of thermal aging on CuNb microcomposites

Abstract The microcomposite studied in this program is a ductile two-phase mixture consisting of a copper matrix with high aspect ratio filaments of niobium dispersed uniformly throughout. The filaments were developed through extensive deformation at room temperature. This material is of interest for applications that require high strength and high thermal conductivity at elevated temperatures. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the strength as a function of time at elevated temperatures and to determine the thermal stability of these deformation-processed composites. The material used for this study was Cu-15 vol.% Nb prepared by conventional casting methods and cold rolled to 0.51 mm sheet. Tensile specimens were fabricated and exposed at five different temperatures (150, 315, 480, 650 and 927°C) for various lengths of time. The effect of thermal aging on room temperature tensile properties was evaluated.
Mechanism of the neurotoxicity of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP)+, the toxic bioactivation product of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)

It is widely believed that the nigrostriatal toxicity of MPTP is due to its oxidation by brain monoamine oxidase first to MPDP+, and eventually to MPP+. Following uptake by the synaptic dopamine reuptake system, it is concentrated in the matrix of striatal mitochondria by an energy-dependent carrier, energized by the electrical gradient of the membrane. At the very high intramitochondrial concentrations thus reached, MPP+ combines with NADH dehydrogenase at a point distal to its iron-sulfur clusters but prior to the Q10 combining site. This leads to cessation of oxidative phosphorylation, ATP depletion, and cell death. Other pyridine derivatives act similarly on NADH dehydrogenase but they are not acutely toxic unless concentrated by the MPP+ carrier.
Reconstructing a disease: What essential features of the retinoic acid receptor fusion oncoproteins generate acute promyelocytic leukemia?

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is associated with rearrangement of the retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) gene leading to the formation of chimeric receptor proteins. In this issue of Cancer Cell , studies by Kwok et al. and Sternsdorf et al. indicate that the ability of the RARα oncoproteins to dimerize/multimerize is an essential feature required for the development of disease. Homodimerization allows RARα to bind to corepressors with increased affinity and the ability to bind to novel DNA sequences. However, artificial RARα dimers were weak oncogenes in vivo, indicating that the fusion partners confer additional properties to RARα to efficiently generate disease.
Parallel and cascade microprocessor implementations for digital signal processing

Microprocessors have achieved great popularity because they are inexpensive, convenient, and flexible. A microprocessor with an architecture chosen to efficiently perform digital signal processing algorithms would retain these advantages when used to implement digital signal processing. One such architecture is the Research Signal Processor (RSP), which was designed by A. Peled to gain these advantages. In order for such a microprocessor to be a cost effective signal processing solution, however, it is necessary that it be capable of implementing a wide range of digital signal processing applications, so that the cost of developing an economical LSI version can be borne by many applications. In addition to efficiently implementing single microprocessor applications, then, it is also important to have the capability of connecting into systems that can efficiently implement large applications. In this paper, it is demonstrated that many digital signal processing tasks can be decomposed into subtasks that permit simple parallel and cascade multiple microprocessor implementations. In some cases, several implementations of the same and competing algorithms will be presented and contrasted. The I/O functions required to support these structures are discussed, and the RSP I/O capability which was chosen to meet these requirements is described. The effect of the microprocessor I/O capability on the total system cost will also be discussed.
The Regional Contribution of Glycosaminoglycans to Temporomandibular Joint Disc Compressive Properties

Understanding structure-function relationships in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc is a critical first step toward creating functional tissue replacements for the large population of patients suffering from TMJ disc disorders. While many of these relationships have been identified for the collagenous fraction of the disc, this same understanding is lacking for the next most abundant extracellular matrix component, sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Though GAGs are known to play a major role in maintaining compressive integrity in GAG-rich tissues such as articular cartilage, their role in fibrocartilaginous tissues in which GAGs are much less abundant is not clearly defined. Therefore, this study investigates the contribution of GAGs to the regional viscoelastic compressive properties of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc. Chondroitinase ABC (C-ABC) was used to deplete GAGs in five different disc regions, and the time course for >95% GAG removal was defined. The compressive properties of GAG depleted regional specimens were then compared to non-treated controls using an unconfined compression stress-relaxation test. Additionally, treated and non-treated specimens were assayed biochemically and histologically to confirm GAG removal. Compared to untreated controls, the only regions affected by GAG removal in terms of biomechanical properties were in the intermediate zone, the most GAG-rich portion of the disc. Without GAGs, all intermediate zone regions showed decreased tissue viscosity, and the intermediate zone lateral region also showed a 12.5% decrease in modulus of relaxation. However, in the anterior and posterior band regions, no change in compressive properties was observed following GAG depletion, though these regions showed the highest compressive properties overall. Although GAGs are not the major extracellular matrix molecule of the TMJ disc, they are responsible for some of the viscoelastic compressive properties of the tissue. Furthermore, the mechanical role of sulfated GAGs in the disc varies regionally in the tissue, and GAG abundance does not always correlate with higher compressive properties. Overall, this study found that sulfated GAGs are important to TMJ disc mechanics in the intermediate zone, an important finding for establishing design characteristics for future tissue engineering efforts.
1H NMR sequential assignments and secondary structure analysis of human fibrinogen gamma-chain C-terminal residues 385-411.

The human fibrinogen gamma-chain, C-terminal fragment, residues 385-411, i.e., KIIPFNRLTIGEGQQHHLGGAKQAGDV, contains two biologically important functional domains: (1) fibrinogen gamma-chain polymerization center and (2) platelet receptor recognition domain. This peptide was isolated from cyanogen bromide degraded human fibrinogen and was investigated by 1H NMR (500 MHz) spectroscopy. Sequence-specific assignments of NMR resonances were obtained for backbone and side-chain protons via analysis of 2D NMR COSY, double quantum filtered COSY, HOHAHA, and NOESY spectra. The N-terminal segment from residues 385-403 seems to adopt a relatively fixed solution conformation. Strong sequential alpha CH-NH NOESY connectivities and a continuous run of NH-NH NOESY connectivities and several long-lived backbone NH protons strongly suggest the presence of multiple-turn or helix-like structure for residues 390 to about 402. The conformation of residues 403-411 seems to be much less constrained as evidenced by the presence of weaker and sequential alpha CH-NH NOEs, the absence of sequential NH-NH NOEs, and the lack of longer lived amides. Chemical shifts of resonances from backbone and side-chain protons of the C-terminal dodecapeptide, residues 400-411, differ significantly from those of the parent chain, suggesting that some preferred C-terminal conformation does exist.
The Impact of Alternative Government Policies under Varying Exchange Systems: Comment

In a recent paper, Professor Anne 0. Krueger has offered enlightening discussion of optimal mixes of monetary and fiscal policies to achieve domestic and foreign balance.' The model which she constructs is used effectively to analyze the two policies under both fixed and fluctuating rates. One of the major conclusions reached under fixed exchange rates appears, however, to be unwarranted. Miss Krueger states:
Impurities in the [18O]water target and their effect on the yield of an aromatic displacement reaction with [18F]fluoride

Abstract Fluorine-18 in the form of fluoride ion has widespread utility in PET radiochemistry. This paper explores the effect of possible metal ion contamination of the water on the yield of the displacement of a nitro group off of dinotrobenzene by fluoride has been investigated as a model reaction for fluoride displacement. The metal ions were found to have a profound effect if they were at the level of the carbonate added to the synthetic procedure. The yields from the reaction are best fit by a model in which the metal ions complex the carbonate ion and thus reduce the pH which in turn reduces the efficiency of the reaction. The formation of [18F]fluoroacetate in the target was explored as a mode for making the fluoride in the target unreactive. It was found that essentially no fluoracetate was formed under our irradiation conditions. The sources of carrier fluoride were examined. It was found that carrier fluoride was introduced during the transfer of water into and out of the target and not during the irradiation.
The World is not Enough: Trust in Cognitive Agents

Researchers have assumed a dichotomy between human-human trust (HHT) and human-automation trust (HAT). With the advent of cognitive agents, entities that are neither machine nor human, it is important to revisit this theory. Some claim that HHT and HAT are the same concept and propose that people respond socially to more human automation. Others say that HHT and HAT are fundamentally different and propose models that indicate differences in initial perception, automation monitoring performance, and judgments that lead to differences in trust. In this study, we varied humanness on a cognitive spectrum and investigated trust and performance with these different types of cognitive agents. Results showed that increasing the humanness of the automation increased trust calibration and appropriate compliance with an automated aid leading to better overall performance and trust, especially during unreliable conditions. Automated aids that exhibit human characteristics may be more resilient to human disuse in the ...
Growth classes in the adult roman snail (Helix pomatia L.)

a method of dividing adult Helix pomatia into growth classes, which are probably also age classes, is described. Differences in behaviour of individuals previously thought to be associated with their status in a population are probably differences between individuals of different age.
Synergistic Effect of Pb2+ and Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Bisphosphate on C2 Domain–Membrane Interactions

Ca2+-responsive C2 domains are peripheral membrane modules that target their host proteins to anionic membranes upon binding Ca2+ ions. Several C2 domain-containing proteins, such as protein kinase C isoenzymes (PKCs), have been identified as molecular targets of Pb2+, a known environmental toxin. We demonstrated previously that the C2 domain from PKCα (C2α) binds Pb2+ with high affinity and undergoes membrane insertion in the Pb2+-complexed form. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) on the C2α–Pb2+ interactions. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments, we show that Pb2+ and PIP2 synergistically enhance each other’s affinity for C2α. Moreover, the affinity of C2α for PIP2 increases upon progressive saturation of the metal-binding sites. Combining the NMR data with the results of protein-to-membrane Forster resonance energy transfer and vesicle sedimentation experiments, we demonstrate that PIP2 can influence two aspects of C2α–Pb...
Effects of Self-Recording and Contingent Credit on Balancing Participation Across Students

This study compared the effects of students’ (a) receiving participation credit with and without self-recording their participation and (b) self-recording participation with and without receiving credit for participation on the percentage of students functioning at four participation levels: non-participation, credit-level participation, frequent participation (slightly above credit-level), and dominant participation (2.5+ times above credit-level). Participants came from three sections of a relatively large discussion course (initially 55 students per section). Credit (with and without self-recording participation) decreased the percentage of both non-participants and dominant participants and increased the percentage of credit-level participants, thus creating greater balance in participation across students in each class. In contrast, self-recording versus non-self-recording (with and without credit) did not significantly differentiate the percentages of either non-participants or frequent participants but did differentiate the percentages of credit-level and dominant participants under the recording conditions.