cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uranium-series Crystal Ages

As the collected papers in this volume aptly demonstrate, chemical and textural records contained within crystals have become increasingly useful tools for understanding the evolution of magmatic systems. An essential component of studies of the dynamics of magmatic systems is the ability to place the thermal, physical, and compositional evolution of magmas in a temporal context. Studies of the kinetics of crystal growth and reaction, and of diffusive re-equilibration of crystals and melts, can provide information about the duration of magmatic processes such as magma ascent (Rutherford 2008), crystal growth (Hammer 2008), and residence of crystals in melts other than the ones in which they crystallized (Costa 2008). However, the only method of extracting information from young crystals about the absolute age of magmatic processes is isotopic dating. The timescales of many sub-volcanic magmatic processes such as magma transport, differentiation, crystallization, and storage within the crust, appear to be commensurate with the half-lives of uranium-series (U-series) nuclides, and therefore this isotopic system offers the greatest potential to quantify timescales and rates of magmatic processes. We focus here on crystal dating using the decay products of 238U and 235U, including 238U-230Th-226Ra-210Pb disequilibria, 235U-231Pa disequilibria, and U-Pb dating of young crystals. In this chapter, we review the principles of U-series dating of crystals, the types of information that have been gained so far from U-series dating, and the potential for combining U-series crystal ages with other crystal-scale and magma-scale information to unravel the dynamics of magmatic systems. ### Principles of U-series dating U-Pb dating is based on the accumulation of 206Pb and 207Pb over time due to decay of 238U and 235U, respectively, and is conceptually similar to most isotopic dating techniques. U-Pb dating of zircon, both by TIMS and in …
Squid Readout And Ultra-Low Magnetic Fields For Gravity Probe-B (Gp-B)

The superconducting readout system to be used for resolving 0.001 arcsec changes in the gyroscope spin direction in the Relativity Gyroscope (GP-B) experiment is described. This system couples the London magnetic moment flux of the spinning gyro to a low noise superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) detector. Resolution limits and noise performance of the detection system are discussed, and improvements obtained and expected with advanced SQUIDs are presented. Also described is the novel use of superconducting magnetic shielding techniques to obtain a 250 dB attenuation of the earth's magnetic field at the location of the gyroscopes. In this approach, expanded superconducting foil shields are coupled with fixed cylindrical superconducting shields and special geometric considerations to obtain the extremely high attenuation factor required. With these shielding techniques, it appears that the 0.5-Gauss earth field (which appears to the gyroscopes as an ac field at the satellite roll rate) can be reduced to the 10 to the -13th G level required by the experiment. Recent results concerning improvements in the performance of the superconducting foil techniques obtained with the use of a new computer-controlled cooling system are presented.
Actor level emotion magnitude prediction in text and speech

The digital universe is expanding at very high rates. New ways of retrieving and enriching text and audio content are required. In this work, a methodology for actor level emotion magnitude prediction in text and speech is proposed. A model is trained to predict emotion magnitudes per actor at any point in a story using previous emotion magnitudes plus current text and speech features which act on the actor's emotional state. The methodology compares linear and non-linear regression techniques to determine the optimal model that fits the data. Results of the analysis show that non-linear regression models based on Support Vector Regression (SVR) using a Radial Basis Function (RBF) kernel provide the most accurate prediction model. An analysis of the contribution of the features for emotion magnitude prediction is performed.
Electric Dipole Moments of Elementary Particles, Nuclei, Atoms, and Molecules

The significance of particle and nuclear electric dipole moments is explained in the broader context of elementary particle physics and the charge–parity ( C P ) violation problem. The present status and future prospects of various experimental searches for electric dipole moments are surveyed.
Morphology and surface structure of Mantispa sayi (Neuroptera: Mantispidae) eggs

Mantispa sayi Banks, like other members of the Mantispinae, oviposits small eggs on short stalks. The egg morphology indicates a conservative use of maternal resources. The chorion is a thin and flexible shell overlain by an open meshlike pattern of ridges. Openings into the egg appear to be restricted to the single micropylar region, where 8-14 pore-like features can be seen on the scalloped edges of the micropylar prominence. Morphological differences in the surface structure of the eggs of the New World species M. sayi and M. interrupta Say, and the South African species M. capeneri (Handschin)are subtle.
Dynamics of parton cascades in highly relativistic nuclear collisions

Abstract We present a QCD based relativistic kinetic model for high energy nuclear colisions, which is inspired by the parton picture of hadronic interactions. The nuclear dynamics is traced back to the microscopic level of quark and gluon interactions in the framework of perturbative QCD. The time evolution of the nuclear system is described in real time by a relativistic transport equation for the parton distributions that is solved by Monte Carlo methods.
Acoustic detection of gas bubbles in saturated sands at high spatial and temporal resolution

Small gas bubbles embedded near the surface of submerged sand affect physical, chemical, and biological processes, and so their detection and characterization is important. So far, a noninvasive method for the detection of such bubbles has not been available. We developed a portable acoustic detection technique that offers high spatial and temporal resolution. The measuring system consists of a hand-held ultrasonic transmitterreceiver that we operated with transducers generating 1 MHz and 2.27 MHz pulses. Bubble detection was based on changes in amplitude and travel time of backscatter data collected from bubbles that were either manually injected into sediment or created by sedimentary microalgal photosynthesis. Laboratory experiments showed that individual bubbles of 6 mm diameter can be detected as deep as 60 mm beneath the sediment-water interface. Vertical and horizontal resolutions of 0.4–1 mm and 8–13 mm were achieved, depending on the transducer used. Measurements in a coastal bay demonstrated that our technique discriminates between sands with and without bubbles and locates embedded gas. We found that gas accumulations develop in the upper 10 mm of shallow sandy sediment in shallow water during daytime, revealing that the combination of photosynthetic oxygen production and porewater transport in permeable sands can lead to bubble generation below the photosynthetically active layer.
Higher Education, College Degree Major, and Police Occupational Attitudes

Existing police research has produced mixed results regarding the benefits of college education on the outlooks of officers. In addressing many of the well-documented methodological concerns of prior research, the current study augments the existing police education-occupational attitudes literature by examining the impact of varying levels of education (i.e. high school, some college, and bachelor’s degree and higher) on officers’ job satisfaction, views of top management, and role orientation(s). In addition, among those with a bachelor’s degree, the relevance of degree major on officers’ occupational outlooks is assessed. Our results address and inform advocacy efforts to make college education a bona fide occupational qualification.
Identification and characterization of a novel myosin Ic isoform that localizes to the nucleus.

In vertebrates, two myosin Ic isoforms that localize to the cytoplasm and to the nucleus have been characterized. The isoform that predominantly localizes to the nucleus is called nuclear myosin I (NMI). NMI has been identified as a key factor involved in nuclear processes such as transcription by RNA polymerases I and II and intranuclear transport processes. We report here the identification of a previously uncharacterized third MYOIC gene product that is called isoform A. Similar to NMI, this isoform contains a unique N-terminal peptide sequence, localizes to the nucleus and colocalizes with RNA polymerase II. However, unlike NMI, upon exposure to inhibitors of RNA polymerase II transcription the newly identified isoform translocates to nuclear speckles. Furthermore, in contrast to NMI, this new isoform is absent from nucleoli and does not colocalize with RNA polymerase I. Our results suggest an unexpected diversity among nuclear myosin Ic isoforms in respect to their intranuclear localization and interaction with nuclear binding partners that could provide new insights into the regulation of myosin-dependent nuclear processes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transistorized phase discriminators

This paper discusses half-wave and full-wave phase discriminators which use transistors and diodes to produce phase-sensitive d-c output capable of driving a magnetic amplifier or energizing relays, heating coils, and hydraulic valves. An analysis of the operating characteristics of the transistor in discriminator circuitry is also included, together with a discussion of power considerations and limitations.
AN ANALYSIS OF KINEMATIC VERTICAL MOTIONS

Abstract Several techniques exist for computing vertical motions. In this paper, radiosonde wind observations are used to compute vertical motions by the kinematic method. The presence of cumulative bias errors necessitates adjustment techniques. Simple tests of two techniques indicate that, for the period of this study, a divergence adjustment that is a function of pressure yields the best adjusted vertical motion fields. Further analysis shows that the adjusted estimates correlate well with observed synoptic features. Finally, comparison with estimates by the numerical method indicates that adjusted kinematic vertical motion fields are comparable.
Modeling and Optimization of Assisted Circulation

Many methods of mechanical assistance to aid the failing heart have been, and are being, extensively investigated. The hemodynamic goals of the different methods being studied vary depending upon the specific patient problems, however, they all fit into three general categories: decreasing the work of the failing myocardium by reducing the load on the left ventricle; increasing blood flow through the coronary circulation, and consequently increasing the oxygen supply to the hypoxic tissue; and increasing cardiac output, and thus increasing the blood supply to the peripheral organs.
Narrative Identity and Meaning Making Across the Adult Lifespan: An Introduction

In a quiet but consistent way, a new subdiscipline of personality psychology—narrative identity research—has emerged. Its organizing concern is how individuals employ narratives to develop and sustain a sense of personal unity and purpose from diverse experiences across the lifespan (McAdams, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2001). Partly obscured by its interweavings with clinical, developmental, and cognitive psychology, as well as links to social psychology (e.g., Baumeister, Wotman, & Stillwell, 1993; Gergen, 1992; Sarbin, 1986), and the related social sciences of sociology and anthropology, it has sometimes seemed too diffuse or chameleonlike to identify. Finding allies in philosophy (Ricoeur, 1984), psychoanalysis (Schafer, 1981; Spence, 1982), narrative therapy (White & Epston, 1990) and literature (e.g., Lau, 2002; Bruner & Weisser, 1991), it may have appeared too humanities-oriented to be considered a part of scientific inquiry. With its roots in the personological perspective of Henry Murray (1938), it may have been written off by some as too grand in design and similar to Murray’s noble, but daunting, efforts to capture all of the complexity of human personality. Now, however, it is clear that there is a body of midcareer and younger empirical researchers who place narrative identity at the center of personality. In the language of McAdams’s (1995) framework of personality, this group draws on Level 1 ‘‘Trait’’ measures,
Evidence for a Terpene-Based Food Chain in the Gulf of Alaska

A mixture of 14C-terpenes was prepared from conifer seedlings and introduced into fresh seawater samples taken near Seward, Alaska. Initial rates of oxidation by the indigenous bacteria were linear and faster than the rates of toluene oxidation. Turnover times were 4 to 19 days. Autoradiographic measurements with 3H-terpenes indicated that at least 10% of the 0.6 × 109 to 2.7 × 109 bacteria per liter present could catabolize terpenes. The rate of terpene oxidation, 24 μg of terpenes per g of cells per h with 3 μg of terpenes added per liter, was a constant function of bacterial biomass. The specific affinity of the process was estimated to be between 8.1 and 81 liters/g of cells per h, indicating a high state of induction and the probable presence of terpenes. Terpene-oxidizing bacteria were grown on [14C]alanine and added to fresh seawater samples. Transfer of the bacterial radioactivity into larger particles at a rate of 146 pg/liter per h from the 2.3 × 109 organisms added indicated that any terpenes present would participate in the food chain.
Apollo 16 regolith breccias and soils: recorders of exotic component addition to the Descartes region of the moon

Using the subdivision of Apollo 16 regolith breccias into ancient (about 4 Gyr) and younger samples (McKay et al., 1986), with the present-day soils as a third sample, a petrologic and chemical determination of regolith evolution and exotic component addition at the A-16 site was performed. The modal petrologies and mineral and chemical compositions of the regolith breccias in the region are presented. It is shown that the early regolith was composed of fragments of plutonic rocks, impact melt rocks, and minerals and impact glasses. It is found that KREEP lithologies and impact melts formed early in lunar history. The mare components, mainly orange high-TiO2 glass and green low-TiO2 glass, were added to the site after formation of the ancient breccias and prior to the formation of young breccias. The major change in the regolith since the formation of the young breccias is an increase in maturity represented by the formation of fused soil particles with prolonged exposure to micrometeorite impacts.
Symmetric positive systems in corner domains

Consider the symmetric positive system of n equations in m + 2 variables, A∂u∂x + B∂u∂y + ∑i=1m Ci∂u∂zi + Du = ƒ in the corner domain x > 0, y > 0, − ∞ < zi < ∞, with homogeneous data on x = 0 and y = 0. The n × n matrices A, B, Ci are symmetric and D is sufficiently positive. On the boundary surfaces the matrix coefficients A, B, Ci satisfy certain “torsion” conditions. For ƒ with square integrable first-order derivatives, the strong solution with first-order strong derivatives is derived for the boundary value problem. For less restricted ƒ, the partially differentiable strong solution is established, provided more severe torsion conditions are satisfied on the boundaries. Also, the partially differentiable strong solution is obtained for the case that the torsion conditions are satisfied on one side of the boundary only.
The Adolescent Perspective on Participation in Treatment Decision Making: A Pilot Study

Few research studies have obtained data directly from the adolescent with cancer regarding decision making. The developmental stage of these patients focuses on developing independence, yet the health care decisions required for cancer treatment preclude independent decision making. The purpose of this pilot, or exploratory, study was to determine whether the research question is appropriate and whether participants between 13 and 15 years of age were capable of providing rigorous data. The results suggest that treatment decision making was not a concern for these patients and that they were capable and appropriate study participants. Semistructured interviews were performed with 3 adolescents diagnosed with cancer within the previous 3 to 6 months. These data were qualitatively analyzed using Colaizzi's technique, which identified themes perceived as critical by these participants. Independent behavior, such as decision making, is not relevant at this health care juncture. However, support, information, and education are desired. These should be routinely available using means appropriate for adolescents. Infusing information and education into the health care plan from time of diagnosis may allow the adolescent to become knowledgeable about the disease process. This may enable him or her to participate in health care treatment decisions, when appropriate.
A MRI-compatible system for whisker stimulation.

We describe here a system for whisker stimulation designed for functional studies in high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) environments. This system, which incorporates real-time optical monitoring of the vibration stimulus, can generate well-controlled and reproducible whisker deflections with amplitudes up to 2 mm and frequencies up to 75 Hz, suitable for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of animals. Whiskers on either or both sides of the head can be stimulated selectively during fMRI experiments without removing the subject from the magnet. With a user-friendly graphical interface of a computer, a user can conveniently control both the whisker vibration and gating of the MR imager, and synchronize the stimulation with the fMRI acquisition to ensure precise timing of the stimulus presentation. This whisker stimulation system should facilitate a wide variety of fMRI investigations of the neural systems mediating sensory information from the whiskers.
Flu BM2 structure and function.

Flu viruses package essential functions into a small integral membrane protein known as M2. Such small membrane proteins represent major challenges for structural biology. A new study presented in this issue details the structure and functions of the influenza B M2 protein through the use of functional domain–specific solution NMR spectroscopy.
The Relation Among Fit Indexes, Power, and Sample Size in Structural Equation Modeling

The relation among fit indexes, power, and sample size in structural equation modeling is examined. The noncentrality parameter is required to compute power. The 2 existing methods of computing power have estimated the noncentrality parameter by specifying an alternative hypothesis or alternative fit. These methods cannot be implemented easily and reliably. In this study, 4 fit indexes (RMSEA, CFI, McDonald's Fit Index, and Steiger's gamma) were used to compute the noncentrality parameter and sample size to achieve certain level of power. The resulting power and sample size varied as a function of (a) choice of fit index, (b) number of variables/degrees of freedom, (c) relation among the variables, and (d) value of the fit index. However, if the level of misspecification were held constant, then the resulting power and sample size would be identical.
Aspirin plus dipyridamole was more effective than aspirin alone for preventing vascular events after minor cerebral ischemia

Source Citation Halkes PH, van Gijn J, Kappelle LJ, Koudstaal PJ, Algra A. Aspirin plus dipyridamole versus aspirin alone after cerebral ischaemia of arterial origin (ESPRIT): randomised controlled...
Hydrothermal and Structural Chemistry of the Zinc(II)- and Cadmium(II)-1,2,4-Triazolate Systems

Hydrothermal reactions of 1,2,4-triazole with zinc and cadmium salts have yielded 10 structurally unique materials of the M(II)/trz/Xn- system, with M(II) = Zn and Cd and Xn- = F-, Cl-, Br-, I-, OH-, NO3-, and SO42- (trz = 1,2,4-triazolate). Of the zinc-containing phases, [Zn(trz)2] (1), [Zn2(trz)3(OH)]·3H2O (3·3H2O), and [Zn2(trz)(SO4)(OH)] (4) are three-dimensional, while [Zn(trz)Br] (2) is two-dimensional. All six cadmium phases, [Cd3(trz)3F2(H2O)]·2.75H2O (5·2.75H2O), [Cd2(trz)2Cl2(H2O)] (6), [Cd3(trz)3Br3] (7), [Cd2(trz)3I] (8), [Cd3(trz)5(NO3)(H2O)]·H2O (9·H2O), and [Cd8(trz)4(OH)2(SO4)5(H2O)] (10), are three-dimensional. In all cases, the anionic components Xn- participate in the framework connectivity as bridging ligands. The structural diversity of these materials is reflected in the variety of coordination polyhedra displayed by the metal sites: tetrahedral; trigonal bipyramidal; octahedral. Structures 3, 5, and 7−9 exhibit two distinct polyhedral building blocks. The materials are also charact...
Innovations in the Radiotherapy of Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Background: This review was performed to describe recent innovations in the radiation therapy of lung cancer. Methods: The literature was reviewed regarding recent research in the therapy of lung cancer. Emphasis was placed on newer radiation therapy (RT) techniques. Results: Advances in physics and computer technology have improved radiation delivery systems. New strategies have been used, such as altered fractionation patterns, three-dimensional treatment planning, intensity-modulated RT (IMRT), tomotherapy, stereotactic RT, and heavy ion RT. New technologies will make it possible to administer higher doses more precisely, which should result in better disease control, with less toxicity. Conclusion: Further research will improve the outcome of patients with lung cancer by providing more effective tools for the RT of this disease.
Nonlinear dynamic finite element analysis of thick transversely flexible sandwich panel on elastic foundation with account of damage progression in time. Part 2. 3D analysis and time integration

A plate theory for a thick transversely compressible sandwich plate with composite laminated face sheets is constructed using the simplified assumptions earlier described in Part 1. An algorithm, which takes account of damage progression in dynamic problems, is incorporated into the computational scheme based on the geometrically nonlinear formulation and applied to failure analysis of a sandwich plate under ground impact.
Lifting the Veil on Punishment

When the state punishes a person, it treats him as it ordinarily should not. It takes away his property, throws him in prison, or otherwise interferes with his liberty. Theories of punishment try to explain why such harsh treatment is nonetheless morally permissible, if not morally obligatory. Such theories often seem to take for granted that the state in question is an upright one. It punishes only acts, not thoughts, and only acts involving intentional harm-causing or -risking to others. It distributes wealth and power among its citizens more or less fairly, and it never punishes the innocent, at least not intentionally. Alas, our world is not so ideal. Among other things, the states in which we live fail, one might reasonably believe, to distribute wealth and power fairly among their citizens. Nor are the criminal justice systems they superintend flawless, not least of which because they
Nuclear photon scattering

Abstract The theory of nuclear photon scattering, which was first presented by Placzek and Fano for electric dipole transitions and extended by Arenhovel to electric quadrupoles, is here derived in a general fashion for all electric and magnetic multipoles. The results are written in terms of dynamical quantities (“nuclear polarizabilities”, expressed by the same nuclear current and magnetization reduced matrix elements that also enter into the theory of photo- and electro-excitation), and of kinematical factors expressed by Racah coefficients. All photon and nuclear polarization effects are included in our results. Electric and magnetic dipoles are considered in detail as special cases. The long wavelength limit is contained in our formulae only implicitly and can be obtained in the form of a Thomson (scattering by the nuclear charge as a whole) and a Rayleigh limit (internal excitations) after separating out the relative-coordinate terms from the A 2 part of the amplitude and combining them with the ( j · A ) 2 part, as shown by us in a previous publication for electric dipoles.
Synthesis and NMR Characterization of Cobalt(III) Complexes with 1,8-diamino-3,6-dithiaoctane, 2,2-Bipyridine, and 1,10-phenanthroline

The complexes [Co(eee)(bipy)]Cl3 and [Co(eee)(phen)]Cl3 (eee, 1,8-diamino-3,6-dithiaoctane) were synthesized and characterized by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. The presence of the bidentate aromatic ligands 2,2-bipyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline caused the 1H resonances to be spread into a wider spectral width than previously observed for [Co(eee)(NO2)2]Cl and [Co(eee)Cl2]Cl. Separate multiplets were observed for the four protons in the terminal ethylene linkage. It was possible to positively assign each multiplet and to determine the relative spatial orientations of the corresponding protons.
Two-Zone SMB/Chromatography for Center-Cut Separation from Ternary Mixtures: Linear Isotherm Systems

A center-cut two-zone simulated moving bed (SMB)/chromatography system and a recycled cascade with two four-zone SMBs were designed to purify only the intermediate retained component in ternary mixtures. The operating conditions, productivity, and minimum ratio of total flow rate of desorbent to feed flow rate (Dtotal/F) were determined with the local equilibrium model, and purity and recovery were simulated by Aspen Chromatography. Compared to complete ternary separation, the separation constraints of the center-cut two-zone SMB/chromatography were less restrictive, and it showed higher purity of the intermediate retained component. For example, the purity was increased by 3.3% in the center-cut two-zone system for Dtotal/F = 4.0. Compared to complete ternary separation, the recycled cascade with two four-zone SMBs reduced the desorbent usage by recycling a dilute, unwanted product. For example, the minimum Dtotal/F value was decreased from 2.9 in the standard cascade to 1.0 in the recycled cascade. The ...
Geographic Description of Genetic Diversity and Relationships in the USDA Rice World Collection

Knowledge of genetic diversity and relationships among global germplasms of rice collected by the USDA since 1866 is critical for utilization, conservation, and management of the collection. A core subset developed from this collection, including 1794 accessions obtained from 112 countries in 14 geographic regions, was genotyped with one indel and 71 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Total alleles were 1005, averaging 14 alleles per locus. A great majority of genetic variance was due to within instead of among geographic regions and within instead of among countries. The regions and countries were highly and signifi cantly differentiated using these markers. Germplasm accessions obtained from the southern Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa were highly diversifi ed, while those from North America and western and eastern Europe had the lowest diversity. Different measurements of genetic diversity, including average number of alleles per locus, polymorphism information content (PIC), Nei index, and average number of private alleles per locus uniformly reached this conclusion. Three main clusters were revealed by both analyses of principal coordinates and Nei genetic similarities for the 14 regions. Seventy-eight countries, from which fi ve or more accessions were collected in the core subset, were differentiated into fi ve main clusters. Germplasm accessions obtained from Myanmar, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Nepal were highly diversifi ed, while those from France, Spain, Romania, Italy, and the United States were poorly diversifi ed. This study proves that the USDA global collection effectively supports the U.S. rice industry with vast genetic diversity responsive to biotic and abiotic stresses.
An algorithm for machine detection and tracking of moving objects in television images

An important area of application of computer vision is the detection of object motion. We are currently developing a computer vision system to automatically detect and track human motion across the international border between the United States and Mexico. Because of the wide range of environmental conditions, this application represents a stringent test of computer vision algorithms for motion detection and object identification. The desired output of this vision system is both accurate statistical data as to the frequency of illegal border crossings and accurate, real-time locations for individuals. Fundamental requirements are that the system work in real time under varying environmental conditions with minimally expensive hardware. Such a system would have applications to a wide range of multiple object tracking problems.
Dissipative quantum transport in nanoscale transistors

We review our efforts on using numerical simulations to study essential physics of dissipative quantum transport in nanoscale field-effect transistors (FETs). Three types of nanoscale transistors are modeled as examples, (i) graphene nanoribbon (GNR) FETs with a quasi-one-dimensional (1D) channel, (ii) graphene FETs with a two-dimensional channel, and (iii) tunneling FETs with a strained GNR channel. In a quasi-1D channel, inelastic phonon scattering can increase the ballisticity at high drain biases considerably and partly offset the negative effect due to elastic scattering. Interplay between dissipative scattering processes and quantum phenomena, such as Klein tunneling in a graphene FET and band-to-band tunneling in a tunneling FET, play an important role on device characteristics. Coupling between far-from-equilibrium phonons and electrons and transport in the strong electron-phonon coupling regime remain as issues for further study.
Skin wound healing in the SKH-1 female mouse following inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibition.

Summary Background The inducible isoform of the nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) enzyme (iNOS) is upregulated by inflammatory mediators and/or other pathological stresses, generating high, sustained levels of NO. Cumulative data suggest a role for NO in the regulation of skin wound healing, although it is not clear to what extent NO generated by iNOS, and possibly endothelial NOS (eNOS), contribute to that healing process. Because of the current lack of understanding regarding the contribution of iNOS in wound healing, as well as the lack of wound healing data available for SC-842, an iNOS inhibitor, this in vivo study was conducted to investigate the possible role of SC-842 in interfering with wound healing. Objectives This study evaluated whether inhibition of iNOS affects incisional skin wound healing. Methods Using a cutaneous full-thickness, sutured, incisional wound model in hairless SKH-1 mice, the role of iNOS in the wound healing process was evaluated by comparing in vivo effects of the iNOS inhibitor, SC-842, at various doses that result in selective inhibition of iNOS as well as nonselective NOS inhibition (as evidenced by elevated blood pressure resulting in inhibition of eNOS and/or neuronal NOS). Dexamethasone was used as a positive control. Results There were no differences in wound healing at day 28 postwounding, as evaluated by tensile strength and histology, between SC-842- and vehicle-treated animals. A decrease in tensile strength was noted at day 14 postwounding in wounds from the mid- and high-dose-treated animals as compared with vehicle-treated animals, but this difference was slight and was not associated with histological differences from vehicle-treated controls. Conclusions These data indicate that iNOS inhibition does not adversely affect the healing of incisional wounds in SKH-1 mice as assessed over 28 days by wound tensile strength and histology.
Recommendations From the STAIR V Meeting on Acute Stroke Trials, Technology and Outcomes

The STAIR meetings bring together stroke neurologists and other physicians, industry representatives and regulators to discuss issues related to the development of new stroke therapies. The first four STAIR meetings generated publications with recommendations for the preclinical evaluation of stroke therapies, phase II and phase III trial design, enhancing trial implementation and completion, novel approaches to measuring outcome and regulatory considerations.1–4 The impact of these recommendations from the prior STAIR meetings has been substantial, especially those related to preclinical assessment of purported stroke therapies.5 A fifth STAIR meeting was held on March 24 to 25, 2006 in Arlington, Virginia, and over 150 attendees discussed 3 main topics: considerations for measuring outcomes in acute stroke therapy trials, how to incorporate new technologies such as telemedicine and electronic databases into clinical trials, and how to best approach the development of multimodality approaches for acute stroke therapy. This report will summarize the discussions related to these 3 topics. The recently reported SAINT-I trial has generated discussion regarding using the “shift analysis” to assess treatment efficacy in outcomes such as the modified Rankin Scale (mRS).6 This represented a novel approach because mRS data have previously been analyzed by dichotomization of the 7-point scale—for example, outcome of a Rankin score of 2 or less (slight or less disability) versus 3 or more (moderate handicap, severe handicap or death). It is well-known (at least among statisticians) that using such a dichotomization or categorization of data is likely to lose information—and thus make it harder to detect treatment differences (ie, lower statistical power to detect efficacy improvements). As such, the approaches used by the SAINT investigators likely produced a statistically more “powerful” measure of the treatment effect, allowing the hypotheses to be addressed with fewer subjects and over a shorter period of time than …
Experimental examination of the room temperature hydrodynamics and electrochemical current‐voltage behaviour of the Bi‐terminated vibrating wire electrode

An experimental study was made of the room temperature hydrodynamics and current-voltage (I-V) behaviour of a bi-terminated transverse oscillating resonant electrode using an adaptation of the electromagnetically-driven vibrating wire technique recently developed for precise viscosity measurements of cryogenic fluids. For argon, nitrogen, as well as dilute electrolytes, the shapes of the in-phase and quadrature resonance lines agreed with lines obtained by computer simulation. Although such peaks exhibited shorter heights than predicted (probably due to dispersion or some energy loss to the end terminations), observed peak areas agreed with theory. Use of either 50-μm diameter platinum or tungsten wires as working electrodes in three-electrode voltammetry yielded quite well-defined I-V curves for reduction of dilute ferricyanide and iodate as test systems, with Fe(CN)6−3 exhibiting near-Nernstian reversibility at the tungsten wire. Well-shaped I-V curves were also obtained for lead (II) reduction on oxide-free platinum. Resonant platinum wires clad with lead films produced by controlled potential deposition yielded, as expected, an advantageous negative shift in potential for H+ reduction. Because the mechanical properties of soft or low tensile strength metals deny their direct use as resonant electrodes, clad wires, on the other hand, should enable electrochemical, corrosion, and surface studies of such materials to be accomplished under rather precisely controlled conditions.
Are textureless scenes recoverable

It is widely accepted that textureless surfaces cannot be recovered using passive sensing techniques. The problem is approached by viewing image formation as a fully three-dimensional mapping. It is shown that the lens encodes structural information of the scene within a compact three-dimensional space behind it. After analyzing the information content of this space and by using its properties we derive necessary and sufficient conditions for the recovery of textureless scenes. Based on these conditions, a simple procedure for recovering textureless scenes is described. We experimentally demonstrate the recovery of three textureless surfaces, namely, a line, a plane, and a paraboloid. Since textureless surfaces represent the worst case recovery scenario, all the results and the recovery procedure are naturally applicable to scenes with texture.
Role of the neurologist in the evaluation and treatment of patients with trigeminal neuralgia

The neurologist, although not usually the first healthcare provider to evaluate a patient with trigeminal neuralgia (TN), is often involved in confirming the diagnosis and managing the patient's pain with medications. The neurologist has several other important roles for patients with TN: assessing and reducing the individual's pain, patient and family education, and encouraging referral to a neurosurgeon for pain-reducing procedures when appropriate. In general, surgical procedures for TN should be considered when the patient does not attain pain relief after adequate trials of two or three medications, or when pain relief is attained but the patient requires medication dosing at levels that result in significant drug toxicity. There is emerging evidence that surgical procedures for TN are more effective if performed earlier in the course of the patient's pain.
Stratigraphic record of Pleistocene faulting and basin evolution in the Borrego Badlands, San Jacinto fault zone, Southern California

Sedimentary rocks in the Borrego Badlands, Southern California, contain a record of Pleistocene crustal deformation during initiation and evolution of the San Jacinto fault zone. We used detailed geologic, stratigraphic, and paleomagnetic analysis to determine the age and geometry of the deposits and reconstruct the history of fault-controlled sedimentation in this area. The base of the ~300 to 500 m thick Ocotillo Formation is a paraconformity to abrupt conformable contact that records a brief hiatus followed by rapid progradation of coarse alluvial sediment over lacustrine facies of the Borrego Formation at 1.05 ± 0.03 Ma. This coincides with regional-scale progradation of Ocotillo Formation sand and gravel, and appears to record initiation of strike-slip faults in the southwestern Salton Trough at ca. 1.1 Ma. Thickness trends, clast compositions, paleocurrents, and distribution of paleosols provide evidence for initiation of the East Coyote Mountain fault at ca. 1.05 Ma, followed by onset of NNE-ward basin tilting obliquely toward the Santa Rosa segment of the Clark fault at ca. 1.0 Ma. Stratigraphic omission of the Ocotillo Formation and progressively older units southwest of the Coyote Creek fault beneath the Fonts Point Sandstone provides evidence that tilting to the northnortheast was related in part to growth of the San Felipe anticline during deposition of the Ocotillo Formation. Map and stratigraphic data suggest that the Coyote Creek fault in the western Borrego Badlands postdates Ocotillo deposition, and thus appears to have propagated southeast into the study area at ca. 0.6 Ma. The Fonts Point Sandstone is a thin, sheetlike alluvial deposit that records the end of deposition and onset of transpressive deformation in the Borrego Badlands. The base of the Fonts Point Sandstone changes from a conformable contact in a narrow belt southeast of the Inspiration Point fault, where it is dated at 0.6 ± 0.02 Ma, to an angular unconformity on the folded Ocotillo Formation northwest of the fault. The pattern of stratal truncation records initiation of the Inspiration Point fault at ca. 0.6 Ma. This coincides with a major structural reorganization in the San Jacinto fault zone that initiated the modern phase of north-south shortening and erosion in the southwestern Salton Trough.
Logic and MRF Circuitry for Labeling Occluding and Thinline Visual Contours

This paper presents representation and logic for labeling contrast edges and ridges in visual scenes in terms of both surface occlusion (border ownership) and thinline objects. In natural scenes, thinline objects include sticks and wires, while in human graphical communication thin-lines include connectors, dividers, and other abstract devices. Our analysis is directed at both natural and graphical domains. The basic problem is to formulate the logic of the interactions among local image events, specifically contrast edges, ridges, junctions, and alignment relations, such as to encode the natural constraints among these events in visual scenes. In a sparse heterogeneous Markov Random Field framework, we define a set of interpretation nodes and energy/potential functions among them. The minimum energy configuration found by Loopy Belief Propagation is shown to correspond to preferred human interpretation across a wide range of prototypical examples including important illusory contour figures such as the Kanizsa Triangle, as well as more difficult examples. In practical terms, the approach delivers correct interpretations of inherently ambiguous hand-drawn box-and-connector diagrams at low computational cost.
Elementary Teachers’ Beliefs About, Perceived Competencies for, and Reported Use of Scientific Inquiry to Promote Student Learning About and for the Environment

This exploratory study investigated elementary teachers’ beliefs about, perceived competencies for, and reported use of scientific inquiry to promote students’ learning about environmental issues and for environmental decision making and action. Data were collected through a questionnaire administered to a simple random sample of elementary teachers in and around a Midwestern university community (n = 121, r = 52%). Respondents did not differentiate between inquiry practices that promote student learning about and for the environment. While respondents believed that they should engage in these practices, they were less confident in their ability to do so, and reported spending little time engaging in these practices. Results also suggest, however, that methods courses and professional development can support elementary teachers’ use of inquiry-based teaching about and for the environment.
A new scheduling method for manufacturing systems

Abstract In this paper, we present a new method for scheduling jobs with due dates on sequential and parallel machines. The jobs have different levels of importance (weights) and various processing times, and some of the jobs must follow certain sequences on the machines. The objective is to minimize the total weighted tardiness of the schedule. The new approach is based on Lagrange relaxation and it is a near-optimal approach. For the problem tested, the result is within 1% of the optima with reasonable CPU time. Furthermore, the method provides job interaction information which can be used to reconfigure the schedule to accommodate dynamic changes, and also to schedule new jobs. These capabilities have enormous value for researchers and practitioners alike, and would result in considerable direct and indirect savings.
Court-Appointed Experts and Judicial Reluctance: A Proposal to Amend Rule 706 of the Federal Rules of Evidence

The trial of Robert E. Chambers, Jr., for the murder of eighteenyear-old Jennifer Levin in Central Park in 1986, drew national attention to a deficiency in our system of expert testimony. The testimonies of the key experts on both sides conflicted on a central factual question. The jury was confronted with an evidentiary stalemate.1 Evidence cancelling out evidence is merely one of the increasingly visible problems with partisan expert testimony. At the same time, expert testimony has become increasingly valuable in several categories of litigation. It is desirable, then, that the problems associated with expert testimony be solved not by decreasing its use but by deemphasizing or supplementing its partisan aspects. This Current Topic argues that increased reliance on court-appointed experts is a useful means of remedying the shortcomings of the current system.
Using an Ensemble of One-Class SVM Classifiers to Harden Payload-based Anomaly Detection Systems

Unsupervised or unlabeled learning approaches for network anomaly detection have been recently proposed. In particular, recent work on unlabeled anomaly detection focused on high speed classification based on simple payload statistics. For example, PAYL, an anomaly IDS, measures the occurrence frequency in the payload of n-grams. A simple model of normal traffic is then constructed according to this description of the packets' content. It has been demonstrated that anomaly detectors based on payload statistics can be "evaded" by mimicry attacks using byte substitution and padding techniques. In this paper we propose a new approach to construct high speed payload-based anomaly IDS intended to be accurate and hard to evade. We propose a new technique to extract the features from the payload. We use a feature clustering algorithm originally proposed for text classification problems to reduce the dimensionality of the feature space. Accuracy and hardness of evasion are obtained by constructing our anomaly-based IDS using an ensemble of one-class SVM classifiers that work on different feature spaces.
Inflammatory microcrystals stimulate interleukin-6 production and secretion by human monocytes and synoviocytes

Crystal-related joint diseases are often associated with systemic inflammatory manifestations, including increased levels of acute-phase proteins, leukocytosis, and fever. Recently, interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been identified as a pluripotent mediator of inflammatory and immunologic responses and the major hepatocyte-stimulating factor. In this study, we demonstrated that monosodium urate (MSU) and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystals, and to a lesser extent, hydroxyapatite crystals, increased IL-6 production by synoviocytes and monocytes in vitro. Immunoprecipitation experiments showed that MSU and CPPD crystals, but not hydroxyapatite crystals, were able to increase the release of newly synthesized IL-6. Crystal-induced IL-6 stimulated acute-phase protein synthesis, immunoglobulin production, and hybridoma cell proliferation, which was neutralized by a specific antibody to IL-6. High levels of IL-6 were found in synovial fluid from patients with gout and pseudogout. These results demonstrate that MSU and CPPD crystals can induce IL-6 production in synoviocytes and monocytes, and that synovial fluid from patients with gout and pseudogout contains high levels of IL-6. Crystal-induced IL-6 is likely to be an important mediator of inflammatory responses in acute gout and pseudogout.
A toolkit for developing multi-user, distributed virtual environments

The design and operation of the Virtual Reality Distributed Environment and Construction Kit (VR-DECK) toolkit developed at IBM Research is reviewed. It provides a designer with a development environment while supporting distributed computing, multi-user capability, and a variety of I/O devices. Virtual worlds are built as collections of modules which communicate via events. Extensive run-time support in the form of extensive C++ class libraries insulates the application designer from the low-level system details such as networking, inter-module data transport, event queuing and matching, and I/O device communication. A library of pre-defined modules is provided for commonly used functions and devices. An X Window System graphical user interface is provided for aggregating modules into applications. The system enables a developer to focus on the design of the application rather than on systems and integration issues. >