cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Later-life leisure: beginning a new agenda.

Abstract Two issues have dominated research on leisure activity and aging in the past two decades: (1) What is the relationship of aging to participation in nonwork activities? and (2) What is the relationship of such participation to satisfaction in later life? A general consensus has developed that supports a nonlinear reduction in activity engagement in later years and a significant correlation between activity participation and life satisfaction. Further questions are proposed that provide the basis for continued research on leisure as an index of resources, the types of activity that contribute most to satisfaction, motivational orientations, and leisure as a context for the development of personal and social identities. A mailed survey was conducted of 380 adults in a Midwest city. The kinds of activities that make an independent contribution to later life were found to differ from one adult life period to another and are a context for the expression of leisure‐based identities. Further agendas for ...
Use of Phonological Information in a Word-Finding Treatment for Children.

Two children with word-finding deficits characterized largely by semantic substitutions participated in a treatment involving phonological information about target words. The treatment was motivate...
Unconventional Word Segmentation in Emerging Bilingual Students’ Writing: A Longitudinal Analysis

This study explores cross-language and longitudinal patterns in unconventional word segmentation in 25 emerging bilingual students' (Spanish/English) writing from first through third grade. Spanish and English writing samples were collected annually and analyzed for two basic types of unconventional word segmentation: hyposegmentation, in which at least two graphic words are written without conventional spaces, and hypersegmentation, in which blank spaces are deposited within one graphic word. In addition to exploring instances of unconventional segmentation, this article investigates similarities in and differences between such patterns in Spanish and English. In both languages, hyposegmentation was more common, illustrating that children tend to leave fewer blank spaces in their writing than typical writing conventions require. Furthermore, students had more instances of hypersegmentation in their Spanish writing. Findings illustrate the importance of understanding writing development from a bilingual perspective and indicate that teachers in the primary grades must explicitly teach word boundaries and assist children in learning the conventional concept of words and word boundaries.
Longitudinal Transition Maneuvers in an Automated Highway System

The control structure for automated vehicles in an Automated Highway System is based on the idea of multiple-surface sliding control. The upper surface determines a desired net torque while the lower surface determines the required throttle angle or brake pressure needed to achieve the desired torque. This paper presents an upper surface control law for performing longitudinal transition maneuvers. The maneuvers use desired velocity trajectories which are based on maintaining safety and comfort throughout the maneuver. The control law chosen is a sliding controller due to the nonlinearities in the dynamics and the uncertainties in the parameters. Adaptive techniques were also implemented to help improve the velocity tracking. The controller was implemented on experimental vehicles and tested at highway speeds.
Vav: A potential link between tyrosine kinases and Ras‐like GTPases in hematopoietic cell signaling

The vav proto-oncogene encodes a 95 kDa protein which is expressed exclusively in hematopoietic cells. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence has revealed the presence of a src-homology 2 (SH2) domain, 2 SH3 domains, a cysteine-rich region with similarity to protein kinase C, and a region highly similar to proteins with guanine nucleotide exchange activity on ras-like GTPases. Recent work has shown that vav is tyrosine phosphorylated in response to stimulation of surface membrane receptors in a variety of hematopoietic cell lines. Vav may play a role in hematopoietic cell signaling by coupling tyrosine kinase pathways to ras-like GTPases through the regulation of guanine nucleotide exchange.
Inspection, Condition Assessment, and Management Decisions for Commercial Roof Systems

Regular inspections are common for roof systems. In this paper, we consider the relationships among inspection condition assessment, leaks, and costs for roof systems. We analyze a visual inspection method and consider the use of inspection data, leaks, age, and costs as inputs to roof replacement decision making and argue that using all sources of information is beneficial.
Moment arms of the ankle throughout the range of motion in three planes.

Background:The moment, a force applied at a distance, is responsible for movement and balance. A key component of the moment is the moment arm. The moment arms of nine muscles surrounding the ankle complex during motion in three planes, were studied.Materials and Methods:Five cadaveric feet were mounted in a testing device that created moments in the sagittal, coronal and transverse planes. Axial and tendon loads were applied as the foot was passively moved in these planes. Tendon excursions and bone kinematics were monitored. The moment arm was calculated using the tendon excursion method and averaged across all specimens.Results:The largest average moment arm during plantarflexion/dorsiflexion, was the Achilles (mean, 53.1; SD, 5.1 mm). During internal/external rotation the largest moment arm was the peroneus brevis (mean, 20.5; SD, 6.4 mm). During inversion/eversion, the largest moment arm was the peroneus longus (31 mm; SD, 2.3 mm).Conclusion:This study quantified the functional moment arms of nine te...
Mitigating risk of random resources within a two-settlement electricity market

Based on a two-settlement electricity market model built within a stochastic programming framework, this paper proposes a market-clearing mechanism that allows flexible random participants - such as variable renewable energy resources and price-sensitive load-serving entities - to mitigate their risks of facing economic losses in the market. More precisely, the mechanism extends to flexible random participants the risk-mitigating capabilities that reserve capacity offers enable for firm generators (i.e., conventional generators). The proposed mechanism is based on the premise that flexible random participants should be remunerated for the partial control capabilities they may have over their resources in spite of their randomness.
Definition and Functions of Health Unified Command and Emergency Operations Centers for Large-scale Bioevent Disasters Within the Existing ICS

The incident command system provides an organizational structure at the agency, discipline, or jurisdiction level for effectively coordinating response and recovery efforts during most conventional disasters. This structure does not have the capacity or capability to manage the complexities of a large-scale health-related disaster, especially a pandemic, in which unprecedented decisions at every level (eg, surveillance, triage protocols, surge capacity, isolation, quarantine, health care staffing, deployment) are necessary to investigate, control, and prevent transmission of disease. Emerging concepts supporting a unified decision-making, coordination, and resource management system through a health-specific emergency operations center are addressed and the potential structure, function, roles, and responsibilities are described, including comparisons across countries with similar incident command systems. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2007;1:135–141)
Communicating Health as an Impossibility: Sex Work, HIV/AIDS, and the Dance of Hope and Hopelessness

Sex workers are stigmatized, denied access to civil society platforms and health resources, and considered at high risk of contracting HIV and AIDS. Most top-down health campaigns that attempt to persuade them to use condoms on their jobs do not consider the significant contextual factors that shape their lives. This study is based on the premise that health campaigns in subaltern sex worker spaces need to accommodate participants' voices. Set in a sex worker community in Kalighat, Kolkata, India, this ethnographic project documents how sex workers within a dialectic of hope and hopelessness contextualize health as an impossibility in the present.
Information Technology and the Data Jungle

This stroll down memory lane highlights the changes brought about by technology that enable economists to process more data faster than could have been imagined when Marcuss began her career in 1968. The challenges of the “data jungle” remain, however. There must be an ongoing effort to know precisely what each economic-statistic measures, why it matters, and to whom. NABE has been, and will continue to be, in the forefront of this effort.
Treating inhibited sexual desire: A marital therapy approach

Abstract The treatment of inhibited sexual desire (ISD) has traditionally focused on individual dysfunction. In this paper, ISD is defined as a relational phenomenon which may best be treated in the marital context. The function of the symptom of ISD as it relates to the central marital issues of power, intimacy, and boundaries is also addressed. A structural family therapy treatment strategy for ISD cases is outlined and illustrated in a case example.
Activation energy of conduction of aqueous solutions in capillaries

Abstract Evidence is presented which may support the suggestion made by Derjaguin and others that a long-range ordering of the structure of water and other liquids may exist near interfaces. Data are presented on the conductance of dilute aqueous solutions of HCl in capillaries of diameter as small as a few microns, and on the variation of this conductance with change in temperature. Activation energies of conduction calculated from these data show a value for solutions held in small capillaries which is different from that obtained for the same solutions in the bulk by a factor of as much as 100%.
A new species of Krameria (Krameriaceae) from Bahia, Brazil

Krameria bahiana B. B. Simpson is described from Bahia, Brazil. The species occures in restinga vegetation on relic dunes near the city of Salvador and on mesas in the interior of the state.
Investigation of the reorientational dynamics of the bis (maleonitriledithiolato) nickel anion radical using electron spin resonance lineshapes

Abstract Electron spin resonance spectra of the bis(maleonitriledithiolato) nickel anion radical, Ni(mnt)2−, have been calculated and compared with the experimental results of Huang and Kivelson in n-butyl alcohol. The calculated spectra show that the well-defined principal line found experimentally (for all motional rates) is produced when the reorientational motion of Ni (mnt)2− is described by axially symmetric Brownian rotational diffusion. The long in-plane axis is the symmetry axis of the rotational diffusion tensor; the rotational diffusion constant for the reorientation about the symmetry axis is approximately three times larger than the rotational diffusion constant for the reorientation about the two axes perpendicular to the symmetry axis. This motional model also produces calculated widths of the principal line which are in agreement with the experimental widths when the reorientational modulation of the anisotropic Zeeman interaction makes the dominant contribution to the widths. There is a lack of agreement between the experimental and calculated widths in the fast motional region near the minimum experimental width. The lack of agreement is discussed in terms of the spin rotation and nonsecular Zeeman contributions as well as the temperature dependence of the g factors of Ni(mnt)2−. ESR spectra and principal linewidths calculated using computer programs with and without the nonsecular Zeeman (electron spin flip) terms have been compared for motional rates in the fast and intermediate motional regions.
Instrument-induced measurement errors during strabismus surgery.

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical setting where errors in measurements of muscle position during strabismus surgery made by the Scott curved ruler or by calipers become important and to characterize the magnitude of those errors. Methods: Geometric analysis was used to determine the measurement error between true arc lengths of 3.0 to 20.0 mm versus Scott curved ruler measurements and caliper measurements for axial lengths ranging from 18 to 30 mm. Results: For measurements less than 9.0 mm, neither the Scott curved ruler nor calipers had any clinically important measurement error for any axial length. For axial lengths substantially smaller than 21 mm or larger than 24 mm, the Scott curved ruler, although more accurate than calipers, caused clinically important measurement errors with arc length measurements as small as 12 mm in very small eyes and 14 mm in large eyes. For axial lengths of 30 mm or more, both calipers and the Scott curved ruler had similar accuracy for measuring long arc lengths. Conclusions: Both the Scott curved ruler and calipers are accurate in measuring arc lengths 9.0 mm or less. For longer arc length measurements, accuracy becomes dependent on axial length. The Scott curved ruler, although substantially more accurate than calipers for most common axial lengths, can introduce clinically important measurement errors when measuring arc lengths as small as 12 mm. Axial length should be considered when measuring muscle position during strabismus surgery. (J AAPOS 1999;3:18-25)
Linear stability of a draining film squeezed between two approaching droplets

In the present paper we analyze the effect of infinitesimal non-axisymmetric perturbations in determining the critical gap thickness at which a draining, finite radius thin-film becomes unstable. The film is part of the suspending fluid trapped between two approaching deformable drops under the action of a flow field. We carry out a linear stability analysis in the context of a quasi-static approximation where the rate of growth of the disturbances is assumed to be much faster than the rate of film drainage. An analytical solution is derived for the model in the special case of a uniformly thick film, for two types of perturbation: fixed-end and free-end. It is shown, for this special case, when the hydrodynamic force pushing the drops together from the external flow is constant, that the four most unstable disturbances are of the free-end kind, associated with the lowest frequency modes of azimuthal variation in the film thickness. Higher modes are stabilized by surface tension. Our analysis also shows that adopting the unretarded form of the van der Waals disjoining pressure yields results similar to the analysis when electromagnetic retardation effects are included in the calculation. A second case is analyzed where the film is also of uniform thickness but its lateral extent and the gap thickness are both time-dependent. This case was included to extend the predictions to glancing drop-collisions where the external hydrodynamic force is time-dependent. We find that there is a maximum capillary number below which the film becomes unstable, and that there is range of angles in the trajectory where the film becomes unstable, but that outside this range the film is stable.
The Black Businessman in the Postwar South: North Carolina, 1865–1880

This article uses the R. G. Dun and Company credit ratings to analyze North Carolina black businessmen and their firms in the fifteen years following the Civil War. When combined with data in local histories and in the federal census, the credit ratings reveal how the postbellum black business community, especially the mulatto population, was significantly shaped by antebellum emancipation. Blacks who shared the advantage of prewar freedom employed their superior financial resources and business experience to dominate their local economies after the war. Further, both as individuals and collectively, blacks used their newly acquired political power to foster economic opportunities in ways hitherto unrecognized by both political and business history scholars.
Differential effects of concanavalin A on T helper dependent and independent antibody responses.

Abstract The in vivo immunosuppressive effects of Concanavalin A (Con A) on the thymus (T) helper dependent response to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) and the T helper independent response to E. coli lipopolysaccharide 055: B5 have been investigated. Maximum suppression was observed in BALB/c mice treated with 3 successive ip injections of 100 μg each of Con A administered on Days −1, 0, and +1 relative to the day of immunization (Day 0) with SRBC (splenic PFC on Day 4 reduced from 74,000 down to 1400). As little as 10 μg × 3 of Con A was capable of depressing both the PFC and serologic response while 2.5 μg × 3 was ineffective. A single ip injection of 300 μg of Con A administered simultaneously at the time of immunization with SRBC reduced splenic PFC from 74,000 down to 9990 and serum antibody titers by 3–4 log 2 units. Significant depression was noted if mice were treated 1, 2, or 3 days prior to but not following immunization. Immunosuppression was noted in mice which had been treated and immunized ip or iv or treated iv and immunized ip. Heat inactivation reduced if not abolished the immunosuppressive properties of Con A. Mice immunized with varying doses of a bacterial vaccine of E. coli 055: B5 (15–1500 × 10 6 killed organisms) and treated with Con A on days −1, 0, and +1 had no significant depression of splenic PFC when compared to nontreated controls. Mice treated with Con A and simultaneously immunized with both SRBC and E. coli had a 37-fold reduction in the PFC response to SRBC but only a 2-fold reduction in the response to E. coli . This differential immunosuppressive effect on T helper dependent and independent responses is consistent with the recently reported in vitro specificity which Con A has for theta antigen bearing lymphocytes.
Nitrogen utilization efficiencies in mediterranean-climate shrubs of California and Chile.

Comparative studies of nitrogen utilization efficiencies (g assimilation mg-1 leaf nitrogen expended) for dominant chaparral shrubs of California and matorral shrubs of central Chile indicate varying relationships of these efficiencies to total shrub productivity and community dominance. In California where nitrogen is limiting for shrub growth, increasing nitrogen utilization efficiency is correlated with increased productivity, and species with the highest values are dominant on polar (north-facing) slopes. In Chile where soil nutrients are not strongly limiting, increased nitrogen utilization efficiency beyond a low threshold has little or no effect on productivity. This may be an important aspect of the relative ecological success of deciduous shrubs in Chile. High nitrogen utilization efficiency in Chile is associated with broad ecological amplitude rather than increased competitive ability through higher productivity.
Differentiation of ganglionic cells in Hydra.

The differentiation of ganglionic cells in Hydra has been studied at the level of the electron microscope. These cells originate solely from interstitial cells and not from pre-existing nerve cells. In addition, the evidence suggests that ganglionic cells do not represent a stage in the development of other nerve cells, i.e., neurosensory and neurosecretory cells. Some of the major cytoplasmic changes in fine structure during differentiation include the formation of neurites, development of Golgi complexes, the appearance of microtubules throughout the neurites, the presence of numerous ribosomes, most of which eventually disappear during development. It is believed that the three types of neurites described may reflect different forms of basically one type of neurite.
Optimizing platelet transfusion therapy

Platelet transfusions are widely used. Prophylactic transfusions are employed in severely thrombocytopenic patients without evidence of bleeding, but no randomized trial data prove the safety or efficacy of this approach. Randomized trials have demonstrated the equivalence of transfusion triggers of 10,000 and 20,000/microl for prophylactic transfusions. The former threshold is potentially safer for the patient, conservative of donor resources and leads to lower costs, with perhaps a slightly greater risk of minor hemorrhage. Randomized trials have demonstrated the equivalence of pheresis or whole blood-derived platelet transfusions. The former present a lower risk for infectious agents, and the latter are less expensive and a more efficient use of limited donor resources. Randomized trials prove that leukoreduced and ABO identical platelet transfusions reduce the risks of HLA alloimmunization and platelet transfusion refractoriness (both leukoreduction and ABO matching), transfusion reactions (leukoreduction) and CMV transmission (leukoreduction). Leukoreduction and ABO matching of platelet transfusions also have been associated in preliminary observational studies with reduced morbidity and mortality in surgical patients and reduced infections in patients with leukemia. These results require further investigation. Future challenges include (1) determining the best approach to bacterial contamination of platelets, whether by detection methods or pathogen inactivation and (2) determining the threshold for prophylactic platelet transfusions in thrombocytopenic patients undergoing surgery or invasive procedures.
Ultrathin silicone/polycarbonate membranes for gas separation processes

Abstract Uniform, defect-free silicone/polycarbonate membranes as thin as 0.015 μ have been formed by spreading solutions of the copolymer on water surfaces. The membranes were readily applied to support materials. Composite membranes formed from several laminations of ultrathin membrane on a support were readily handleable and may provide the basis for practical gas separation processes. Two such processes are (1) the production of 30% oxygen-enriched air, which would require less energy than blending air with oxygen from a modern low-temperature air separation plant, and (2) the on-board generation of nitrogen-enriched air for inerting aircraft fuel tank vapor spaces and vent line.
Mechanisms and regulation of polyamine and putrescine biosynthesis in male genital glands and other tissues of mammals

Abstract The experimental results presented in this paper are largely concerned with enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine in the rat ventral prostate gland. The occurrence and possible functions of polyamines in male accessory genital glands and their secretions are first reviewed. Evidence is presented that the decarboxylation of l -ornithine by a specific soluble, pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzyme is the principal pathway for the biosynthesis of putrescine in the prostate. Biochemical reactions involved in the formation and utilization of l -ornithine in this gland are discussed in relation to the provision of this amino acid for polyamine synthesis. Spermidine is synthesized in the ventral prostate by a soluble, putrescine-activated S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase system which forms CO2, spermidine, and thiomethyladenosine in stoichiometric amounts. This enzyme system has been partially purified, and many of its properties are described. Although decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine (prepared with an enzyme from E. coli) serves well as a propylamine donor for spermidine synthesis by the prostatic enzyme system, the latter could not be fractionated into a distinct S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and a separate “propylamine transferase” as previously described in micro-organisms by C. W. Tabor. It is proposed that spermidine synthesis in the prostate gland may not involve free decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine as an intermediate. Spermine synthesis from spermidine and S-adenosyl-methionine (or its decarboxylated derivative) was demonstrated with soluble prostatic extracts; the mechanism(s) of spermine biosynthesis are discussed. Enzymes degrading putrescine, spermidine, and spermine could not be demonstrated in rat ventral prostate. Large and rapid increases in the activity of both ornithine decarboxylase and the putrescine-dependent S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylating system occur during the early phases of prostatic growth induced by testosterone in orchiectomized rats. The role of polyamines in the androgen-dependent functional differentiation of the prostate is considered.
Outcomes and temporal trends among high-risk patients after lung transplantation in the United States.

Introduction Although several studies have evaluated risk factors for death after lung transplantation (LTx), few studies have focused on the highest-risk recipients. We undertook this study to evaluate the effect of high lung allocation scores (LAS), ventilator support, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support on outcomes after LTx. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all LTx recipients in the United Network for Organ Sharing database. Primary stratification was by recipient acuity at the time of LTx. The 3 strata consisted of (1) recipients in the highest LAS quartile (LAS ≥ 48.4), (2) those requiring ventilator support, and (3) those requiring ECMO support. The primary outcome was 1-year mortality. Sub-group analysis focused on temporal trends. Results From May 2005 to June 2011, 9,267 adults underwent LTx. Before LTx, 1,874 (20.2%) were in the highest LAS quartile, 526 (5.7%) required ventilator support, and 122 (1.3%) required ECMO support. Unadjusted analysis showed decreased 1-year survival associated with ventilator (67.7%) and ECMO support (57.6%) compared with the highest LAS quartile (81.0%; p p p p = 0.06). Conclusions High-acuity LTx recipients, particularly those bridged with ventilator or ECMO support, have increased short-term mortality after LTx. However, since the introduction of the LAS, high-risk patients have demonstrated improving outcomes, particularly at high-volume centers.
ERRATUM: "SDSS J1254+0846: A Binary Quasar Caught in the Act of Merging" (2010, ApJ, 710, 1578)

Author Joan M. Wrobel, who contributed substantially to the paper (primarily the section on radio observations and their implications) was inadvertently left off the author list in the original version.
Antibiotic resistance genes in multidrug-resistant Enterococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. recovered from the indoor air of a large-scale swine-feeding operation.

Aims: In this study, multidrug-resistant bacteria previously recovered from the indoor air of a large-scale swine-feeding operation were tested for the presence of five macrolide, lincosamide and streptogramin (MLS) resistance genes and five tetracycline (tet) resistance genes. Methods and Results: Enterococcus spp. (n ¼ 16) and Streptococcus spp. (n ¼ 16) were analysed using DNA‐DNA hybridization, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and oligoprobing of PCR products. All isolates carried multiple MLS resistance genes, while 50% of the Enterococcus spp. and 44% of the Streptococcus spp. also carried multiple tet resistance genes. All Enterococcus spp. carried erm(A) and erm(B), 69% carried erm(F), 44% carried mef(A), 75% carried tet(M), 69% carried tet(L) and 19% carried tet(K). All Streptococcus spp. carried erm(B), 94% carried erm(F), 75% carried erm(A), 38% carried mef(A), 50% carried tet(M), 81% carried tet(L) and 13% carried tet(K). Conclusions: Multidrug resistance among airborne bacteria recovered from a swine operation is encoded by multiple MLS and tet resistance genes. These are the first data regarding resistance gene carriage among airborne bacteria from swine-feeding operations. Significance and Impact of the Study: The high prevalence of multiple resistance genes reported here suggests that airborne Gram-positive bacteria from swine operations may be important contributors to environmental reservoirs of resistance genes.
SU-GG-T-388: Design and Implementation of a Computing Framework for An Image Guided Adaptive Radiotherapy Research Program

Purpose: to develop a research computing framework for a large research program in IGART. The goals are to maximize reuse of code developed by cooperating research projects, to seamlessly integrate new types of research data with the database of a commercial treatment planning system (TPS), to allow for automated processing of large quantities of data, and to provide a robust software infrastructure for in‐house clinical implementation of research results. Method and Materials: The language of implementation is C++. The goal of reusability is achieved by dividing the framework into two software layers: Data Abstraction Layer (DAL), and Data Interface Layer (DIL). DAL consists of classes representing abstract data types. Research algorithms operate on DAL objects. The DIL consists of data readers implemented as classes inherited from the DAL parent. The DAL object factories retrieve data by reading data configuration files which specify the type, the format, and the physical location of data to be retrieved. An object factory instances a required DIL reader which is presented to the user as a DAL class. By this design one ensures that data processing algorithms are independent of data formats. The goal of integration with the TPS is achieved by creating a file based research database which parallels the TPS database. A data configuration file represents a database entry. The goal of automation is met by introducing a Database Interface Object (DIO) which aggregates object factories. A scripting interface allows users to retrieve data, call “user hook” function where data processing takes place, create DAL classes which are filled by the processed data, and write results into the database in user‐specified format. Results: We used object oriented design patterns to develop a robust research computing framework for IGART research. This work supported by NIH grant P01CA11602.
A knowledge-based weighting approach to ligand-based virtual screening.

On the basis of the recently introduced reduced graph concept of ErG (extending reduced graphs), a straightforward weighting approach to include additional (e.g., structural or SAR) knowledge into ...
Dynamic Modeling of Inventories Subject to Obsolescence

A class of models for optimizing inventory costs is presented which takes account of stochastic obsolescence of an inventory item. Obsolescence is defined as a demand state, in such a fashion as to permit appraisal, ex ante, of the probability of arrival of obsolescence at future times, under the assumption that there are many possible states of demand. Response to obsolescence is introduced by means of a Bayesian procedure. In the most complete model this is done by modification of the state probability vector of a Markov process. Optimization is accomplished by means of a dynamic program.
Fast Nuclear Spin Relaxation in Hyperpolarized Solid 129 Xe

We report extensive new measurements of the longitudinal relaxation time T 1 of 1 2 9 Xe nuclear spins in solid xenon. For temperatures T 0.05 T, we found T 1 on the order of hours, in goodagreement with previous measurements and with the predicted phonon-scattering limit for the spin-rotation interaction. For T > 120 K, our new data show that T 1 can be much shorter than the phonon scattering limit. For B = 0.06 T, a field often used to accumulate hyperpolarized xenon, T 1 is ∼6 s near the Xe melting point T m = 161.4 K. From T = 50 K to T m , the new data are in excellent agreement with the theoretical prediction that the relaxation is due to (i) modulation of the spin-rotation interaction by phonons, and (ii) modulation of the dipole-dipole interaction by vacancy diffusion.
Positive recency effect in a delayed free recall

The present experiment employed a procedure that was a mixture of Brown-Peterson and free-recall paradigms. Before and after the presentation of each to-be-recalled word, there was a 20-second period of counting-backward activity. At the end of each 10-word list, subjects were asked to free recall the words in that list. After four such lists, they were asked to free recall all the words from the four lists. It was found that not only did the initial recall show a pronounced positive recency effect, but so did the final recall. The results suggest that the observation of a recency effect in a free-recall experiment might not reflect the output of short-term memory.
Provably-correct robot control with LTLMoP, OMPL and ROS

This paper illustrates the Linear Temporal Logic MissiOn Planning (LTLMoP) toolkit. LTLMoP is an open source software package that transforms high-level specifications for robot behavior, captured using a structured English grammar, into a robot controller that guarantees the robot will complete its task, if the task is feasible. If the task cannot be guaranteed, LTLMoP provides feedback to the user as to what the problem is. Due to its modular nature, users can control a variety of different robots using LTLMoP, both simulated and physical, with the same specification. It shows an example robot waiter scenario, with LTLMoP controlling both a PR2 in simulation (using Gazebo), showcasing the interface between LTLMoP and the Robot Operating System (ROS)2, as well as an Aldebaran Nao humanoid in the lab.
Discerning invasion history in an ephemerally connected system: landscape genetics of Procambarus clarkii in Ash Meadows, Nevada

The delimitation of dispersal routes used by individuals moving between populations has the potential to direct management efforts aimed at limiting the spread of invasive species. Red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) have successfully invaded aquatic ecosystems across much of the globe, causing loss of biodiversity and habitat destruction. Our research focuses on a Mojave Desert spring system in Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, where a combination of anthropogenic habitat degradation and the establishment of invasive species have caused extinctions, extirpations, and severe population declines of endangered fishes. To infer the invasion history of hydrologically isolated springs, we tested alternative hypotheses of P. clarkii dispersal routes and colonization events throughout Ash Meadows using a landscape genetics approach that combined analysis of microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA genotypes with geographic information system (GIS) mapping. Modeled historic outflows, in conjunction with waterway mapping based on aerial imagery and LiDAR data, show variable drainage routes across the flat topography of Ash Meadows. Estimates of gene flow between P. clarkii populations revealed the drainages utilized by crayfish to move from central to peripheral springs. Additionally, analyses of mtDNA haplotype diversity and distribution suggest isolated springs were colonized by few individuals, and subsequent emigration has been rare. These results will inform ecological restoration in Ash Meadows by directing the placement of barriers to prevent reinvasion of distal springs after eradication of P. clarkii populations. Finally, this research provides a case study for elucidating the functional connectivity of ephemerally connected landscapes, using the integration of genetic and GIS techniques.
The Later Prehistory of Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, and its Surroundings: An Overview

Publicly-funded archaeological investigations, in the form of work relief programs in the 1930s and compliance excavations in the 1970s and 1990s, generated the data presented in this overview of Late Prehistoric sites in the vicinity of Meyersdale, Pennsylvania. A consideration of information on community patterns, subsistence, and chronology suggested that the adoption and cultivation of maize inspired social and cultural changes that led to the development of village life and participation in the Monongahela culture by the native inhabitants of the Meyersdale area. The rise of village life both anticipated and paralleled regional trends occurring throughout northeastern North America.
Chemical vapor deposition of ruthenium-phosphorus alloy thin films: Using phosphine as the phosphorus source

Abstract The use of PH3 as the P source in the growth of amorphous ruthenium–phosphorus (Ru(P)) alloy films by dual-source chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with Ru3(CO)12 to produce thin (~ 3 nm) Cu diffusion barriers is examined. Comparisons are made to films grown using P(CH3)3. Carbon contamination of 10 at.% carbon or less was observed in PH3-produced Ru(P) films, compared to greater than 30 atomic % carbon in films using P(CH3)3, and lower resistivity was also observed. PH3 was found to be much more reactive than previously-used P precursors, requiring the use of very low PH3 partial pressures (~ 0.13 mPa) and a sequenced addition process that allowed accumulated P to diffuse into the Ru(P) film during growth. X-ray reflectivity and atomic force microscopy indicate that films of good continuity and smoothness can be grown by CVD in the 3 nm thickness range. X-ray diffraction shows the amorphous phase to be stable for annealing at 400 °C for 3 h. Electric field stress tests to failure for Cu/Ru(P)/SiO2/Si stacks indicate that low-carbon Ru(P) barrier films function at least as well as their higher-carbon counterparts as Cu barriers and better than Ta/TaN stacks of similar thickness grown for comparison purposes.
Surface dynamics of plasma polymers studied by the Wilhelmy force measurement

Surface dynamic change during the Wilhelmy force measurement was investigated for microscope cover glasses coated by trimethylsilane (TMS) and TMS + oxygen plasma polymers. The intrinsic hysteresis which is caused by the surface configuration change on water immersion can be detected by the deviation of shape of the force loop. The deviation of the second immersion line from the first immersion line and also of the initial slope of the second immersion (in the transient stage where the change of meniscus takes place) can be taken as a measure of the existence and the extent of the surface dynamic changes due to water immersion. These parameters are dependent on the speed of immersion or emersion employed in the force measurement and can be enhanced by halting the motion at the end of immersion or emersion.
Gliding characteristics between flexor tendons and surrounding tissues in the carpal tunnel: A biomechanical cadaver study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the gliding characteristics of flexor tendons within the carpal tunnel with varied wrist positions and tendon motion styles, which may help us to understand the relationship between carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and repetitive hand motion. Eight fresh human cadaveric wrists and hands were used. The peak (PGR) and mean (MGR) gliding resistance of the middle finger flexor digitorum superficialis tendon were measured with the wrist in 0, 30, and 60 degrees of flexion and extension. While moving all three fingers together, the PGR at 60 degrees flexion was significantly higher than that at 0, 30, or 60 degrees extension. While moving the middle finger alone, the PGR at 60 and 30 degrees flexion was significantly higher than the PGR at 60 degrees extension. The PGR moving the middle finger FDS alone was significantly greater than that for all three digits moving together in 0, 30, and 60 degrees flexion. Differential finger motion with wrist flexion elevated the tendon gliding resistance in the carpal tunnel, which may be relevant in considering the possible role of wrist position and activity in the etiology of CTS.
Characterization of CD4-induced epitopes on the HIV type 1 gp120 envelope glycoprotein recognized by neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies.

The entry of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) into target cells typically requires the sequential binding of the viral exterior envelope glycoprotein, gp120, to CD4 and a chemokine receptor. CD4 binding exposes gp120 epitopes recognized by CD4-induced (CD4i) antibodies, which can block virus binding to the chemokine receptor. We identified three new CD4i antibodies from an HIV-1-infected individual and localized their epitopes. These epitopes include a highly conserved gp120 β-strand encompassing residues 419-424, which is also important for binding to the CCR5 chemokine receptor. All of the CD4i antibodies inhibited the binding of gp120-CD4 complexes to CCR5. CD4i antibodies and CD4 reciprocally induced each other's binding, suggesting that these ligands recognize a similar gp120 conformation. The CD4i antibodies neutralized laboratory-adapted HIV-1 isolates; primary isolates were more resistant to neutralization by these antibodies. Thus, all known CD4i antibodies recognize a common, conserved gp120...
Clinical characteristics of diabetic vs nondiabetic patients who "rule-in" for acute myocardial infarction.

Objective To compare the clinical characteristics of diabetic vs nondiabetic patients who present to the ED with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods This was a prospective, observational study at a suburban, university hospital ED of patients presenting to the ED during study hours between December 1993 and October 1996 with typical and atypical symptoms consistent with cardiac ischemia. Diabetic and nondiabetic patients with AMI were compared. Demographic, historical, and clinical data were recorded by trained research assistants using a standardized, closed-question, data collection instrument. Final discharge diagnosis of AMI was assigned by WHO criteria. Continuous variables were analyzed by t-tests. Clinical variables were analyzed by chi-square tests. All tests were two-tailed with alpha preset at 0.05. Results There were 216 patients with AMI during the study period; 51 of these patients (24%) were diabetic. For diabetic vs nondiabetic patients with AMI, there was no significant difference in age (64.0 +/- 13 vs 60.0 +/- 14 years, p = 0.13), female gender (37% vs 26%, p = 0.13), and time to presentation from symptom onset (192 +/- 238 vs 251 +/- 456 minutes, p = 0.41). Hypertension was the only cardiac risk factor significantly more prevalent in diabetic vs nondiabetic patients with AMI (77% vs 50%, OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.24 to 1.91, p = 0.001), though elevated cholesterol (48% vs 33%, OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.02 to 2.12, p = 0.06) tended to be more prevalent in the diabetic group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of the frequency of chest pain (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 0.95 to 1.14, p = 0.30), associated symptoms, and diagnostic ECGs (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.76 to 1.79, p = 0.53). Conclusion Diabetic patients with AMI may have similar symptoms upon presentation as do nondiabetic patients with AMI. Of the cardiac risk factors, hypertension is more prevalent in diabetic vs nondiabetic patients with AMI.
Altered synthesis of prostaglandins in platelet and aorta from spontaneously diabetic Wistar rats

Abstract Formation of prostaglandins from [14C]arachidonic acid was investigated in aorta and platelets of spontaneously diabetic Wistar rats (BB rat) and compared to those of normoglycemic controls from the same colony. The formation of thromboxane B2 (stable product of thromboxane A2) was significantly higher in diabetic platelets. The formation of 6-keto-PGF1α (stable product of prostacyclin) was significantly reduced in aorta of diabetic animals. The increased formation of thromboxanes in platelets and decreased formation of prostacyclin in aorta of diabetic rats might lead to increased platelet deposition in aorta, thereby enhancing subsequent events concerned with atherogenesis.
Sydenham’s chorea, and its complications affecting the nervous system

The well-known symptoms of rheumatic fever and Sydenham's chorea are briefly discussed. Then the associated psychiatric and neurological disorders are considered, especially the obsessive-compulsive and the attention deficit hyperactivity disorders; all linked to previous haemolytic streptococcal infections. Dystonic syndromes, and acute disseminated encephalopathies, also show such links; and may be part of the clinical spectrum of the post-infectious streptococcal illnesses. The causes of Sydenham's chorea are considered, especially an immune reactivity against the basal ganglia, supported by the finding of antibodies reactive against the neurons of the caudate nucleus. The resulting imbalance between dopaminergic and cholinergic systems may cause the involuntary choreiform movements, and account for the beneficial effects of certain drugs. The differential diagnosis of Sydenham's chorea is discussed, and the role of tests such as special imaging techniques. The possible treatments include prophylaxis with penicillin and the use of drugs like sodium valproate, carbamazapine and haloperidol. Immune therapy occupies a special role in selected patients, There is still a need for research into the links between these conditions.
Nano-scale treatment for a macro-scale disease: nanoparticle-delivered siRNA silences CCR2 and treats myocarditis

This editorial refers to ‘Silencing of CCR2 in myocarditis’[†][1], by F. Leuschner et al. , on page 1478. Myocarditis is a significant cause of sudden death, acute heart failure, and chronic dilated cardiomyopathy.1 The cellular and molecular pathogenesis of chronic dilated cardiomyopathy that sometimes follows acute myocarditis has been explored in animal models but is not well understood in human disease. Clinical myocarditis research has largely focused on modifying the mediators of acute myocarditis based on the theory that lowering acute inflammation may prevent long-term left ventricular remodelling. However, the primary mediators of fibrosis and chronic cardiomyopathy can differ from those involved in the acute immunological reaction that initially leads to cardiac inflammation. Although T cells are important in the pathogenesis of acute myocarditis, CD11b+ monocytes/macrophages are the most common cardiac inflammatory cell in myocarditis patients and in viral and experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) mouse models.2–6 Strategies aimed at blocking CD11b+ cells and the profibrotic pathways they can mediate may impact the long-term cardiac damage from myocarditis. One attractive target is the receptor for monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), also named chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2).7 Leuschner and colleagues collected … [1]: #fn-2
Automating server tracking for data centers

Asset management in state of the art data centers is still a manual process. An automated system to track the location of servers and create a real-time inventory would not only improve operations management but also reduce operational costs. This demo shows a novel application of location aware wireless networks, RFID technology and visualization software integrated in end-to-end system to track servers in a data center.
The Republican City State in Florence: An Inquiry into Its Origin and Survival (1280–1434)

DESPOTISM, like feudalism, tended to obscure the difference between public and private rights. The origins of the typical North Italian despot can frequently be traced back to a remote feudal lord of the contado who, while submitting to the authority of the commune in theory, was, in fact, able to retain certain of his most important signorial prerogatives over men and property. Additions were made to his patrimony through advantageous marriage alliances and grants of land from communes, popes, and emperors. His influence over men and his control over property increased until he was able to capture the leadership of one of the contending urban factions, and within a relatively short period of time he was granted plenitudo potestatis.' Families such as the Alberti, Pazzi, Ubaldini, and Uberti were the Florentine equivalents of the Monaldeschi and Filippeschi of Orvieto and the Malatesta of Rimini,2 and they were all willing candidates for rule. However, while the communal institutions of many of the other North Italian towns fell into the hands of great feudatories, this did not happen in Florence. Surviving documents suggest that the frustration of the attempt of the Uberti family to establish control toward the end of the twelfth century was related to the struggle between the firmly entrenched patriciate and the newly arrived inhabitants of the city.3 One of the enduring results of this conflict was the strengthening of the magistracy of the podesta for the purpose of checking