cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Random Field Phenomena at Magnetic Surfaces and Interfaces

A new class of problems in disordered magnetism concerns interfacial or surface disorder coupled to structurally uniform adjacent layers. One example may be exchange anisotropy in ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic sandwiches whose hallmark is a field-offset in the hysteresis loop. The phenomenon can arise from interfacial random fields causing the antiferromagnet to break up into Imry-Ma domains. A possibly related phenomenon is that of magnetically dead layers in systems like Fe on GaAs. In this case, spin-glass disorder and a domain structure it induces may create the appearance of a dead layer.
Male factor infertility

Of the 10–20 % of infertile couples, 20 % are purely male factor and 30 % are combined male and female factors. Risk factors include trauma or torsion of the testes, erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, varicocele, and exposure to toxins including chemotherapy, tobacco, and alcohol abuse. Couples should be evaluated after 9–12 months if unprotected intercourse has failed to result in conception.
Computare Errare Est: Quantum Error Correction

We show how to diagnose and rehabilitate bit-flip errors in a classical error correcting model. We compare logical vs. physical bits, define codewords and introduce a classical error correcting model. Quantum codes must take into account the no-cloning theorem, the collapse hypothesis, and the possibility of continuous errors. We present encoding, syndrome measurement, and recovery circuits for single qubit bit-flip and phase shift errors. We review the Shor code and the role that stabilizers play in its implementation. We illustrate the use of the stabilizer formalism in the analysis of quantum error-correcting codes (QECC). We discuss the threshold theorem and its role in allowing for fault-tolerant quantum computing.
Driving chemical interactions at graphene-germanium van der Waals interfaces via thermal annealing

Despite its extraordinary charge carrier mobility, the lack of an electronic bandgap in graphene limits its utilization in electronic devices. To overcome this issue, researchers have attempted to chemically modify the pristine graphene lattice in order to engineer its electronic bandstructure. While significant progress has been achieved, aggressive chemistries are often employed which are difficult to pattern and control. In an effort to overcome this issue, here we utilize the well-defined van der Waals interface between crystalline Ge(110) and epitaxial graphene to template covalent chemistry. In particular, by annealing atomically pristine graphene-germanium interfaces synthesized by chemical vapor deposition under ultra-high vacuum conditions, chemical bonding is driven between the germanium surface and the graphene lattice. The resulting bonds act as charge scattering centers that are identified by scanning tunneling microscopy. The generation of atomic-scale defects is independently confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, revealing significant densities within the graphene lattice. The resulting chemically modified graphene has the potential to impact next-generation nanoelectronic applications.Despite its extraordinary charge carrier mobility, the lack of an electronic bandgap in graphene limits its utilization in electronic devices. To overcome this issue, researchers have attempted to chemically modify the pristine graphene lattice in order to engineer its electronic bandstructure. While significant progress has been achieved, aggressive chemistries are often employed which are difficult to pattern and control. In an effort to overcome this issue, here we utilize the well-defined van der Waals interface between crystalline Ge(110) and epitaxial graphene to template covalent chemistry. In particular, by annealing atomically pristine graphene-germanium interfaces synthesized by chemical vapor deposition under ultra-high vacuum conditions, chemical bonding is driven between the germanium surface and the graphene lattice. The resulting bonds act as charge scattering centers that are identified by scanning tunneling microscopy. The generation of atomic-scale defects is independently confirmed by R...
Identifying Local Arterial Stiffness to Assess the Risk of Rupture of Ascending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms

It was recently submitted that the rupture risk of an ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm (ATAA) is strongly correlated with the aortic stiffness. To validate this assumption, we propose a non-invasive inverse method to identify the patient-specific local extensional stiffness of aortic walls based on gated CT scans. Using these images, the local strain distribution is reconstructed throughout the cardiac cycle. Subsequently, obtained strains are related to tensions, through local equilibrium equations, to estimate the local extensional stiffness at every position. We apply the approach on 11 patients who underwent a gated CT scan before surgical ATAA repair and whose ATAA tissue was tested after the surgical procedure to estimate the rupture risk criterion. We find a very good correlation between the rupture risk criterion and the local extensional stiffness. Finally it is shown that patients can be separated in two groups: a group of stiff and brittle ATAA with a rupture risk criterion above 0.9, and a group of relatively compliant ATAA with a rupture risk below 0.9. Although these results need to be repeated on larger cohorts to impact the clinical practice, they support the paradigm that local aortic stiffness is an important determinant of ATAA rupture risk.
When blue is a disyllabic word: Perceptual epenthesis in the mental lexicon of second language learners

Word-initial obstruent-liquid clusters, frequent in English (e.g., blue), are prohibited in Korean. Korean learners of English perceptually repair illicit word-initial consonant sequences with an epenthetic vowel [ʊ]. Thus they might perceive blue as b[ʊ]lue, and, at least initially, also represent it lexically as a disyllabic word. We ask whether the sound sequences permitted in one's L1 influence the way L2 words are represented in the mental lexicon. If they do, we predict that in a lexical decision task, Korean learners will accept nonwords containing epenthetic vowels ([bʊˈluː] for blue) as real English words more often than English listeners. These predictions were confirmed: we observed high error rates on test nonwords ([bʊˈluː]) by the Korean participants only, accompanied by few errors on control nonwords ([bɪˈluː]), suggesting that learners’ lexical representations for familiar L2 words can be activated by nonwords that obey their L1 phonotactic grammar.
A Phenomenological Investigation of Therapists’ Experiences When Working with Suicide

ABSTRACTSuicide is a growing cause of death in the United States. Research shows that therapists who treat people who are struggling with suicidal ideation (SI) experience anxiety. The purpose of t...
Ambiguity and Familiarity Effects on Analyst-Manager Interactions

This study investigates the effects of fundamentals ambiguity and guidance credibility on analyst forecast revisions and manager guidance truthfulness. We manipulate earnings probability precision and managers' (ex ante) guidance credibility in an experiment with an embedded sender-receiver game. We collect forecast revision decisions and managers' guidance choices and find that analysts display ambiguity aversion by (rationally) randomizing across action choices when earnings probabilities are ambiguous and no credible supplemental information is available. However, when credible supplemental information is available (guidance), analyst participants tend to use it. Our privately informed manager-participants are more truthful when guidance can be traced to them.
Global Patterns of Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Dispersal and Functional Feeding Traits in Aridland Rock Pools

Rock pools are important desert ecosystems that provide rare sources of surface water in arid regions. Hydroperiod is one of the primary limiting factors on aquatic macroinvertebrates living in rock pools. Resident macroinvertebrates must complete their life cycles before drying, and may employ active or passive dispersal strategies to survive drying. Quantifying dispersal and functional feeding traits across rock pool macroinvertebrate communities in multiple regions could provide insight into how rock pool ecosystems will respond to shorter hydroperiods predicted by climate change models. Here, we analyze taxonomic data (26 species lists) obtained from 24 published studies of rock pools to assess the dispersal and feeding strategies of macroinvertebrates, and how ecosystem functions may change with shorter hydroperiods. On average across all data sets, taxa were equally comprised of active dispersers and passive dispersers. Most active disperser taxa were predators (60%) and gatherers (33%). In contrast, passive disperser taxa were generally filterers (39%), gatherers (29%), and scrapers (21%). Climate change scenarios may result in shorter rock pool hydroperiods in many regions, which could reduce habitat availability for passive dispersers with weak overland dispersal abilities. If passive disperser populations decrease, their associated ecosystem functions, such as fine organic matter processing, could be disrupted. These results provide a foundation for future work investigating changes in rock pool ecosystem function due to altered hydroperiods.
Hardware Assisted Chaos Based IoT Authentication

Low-cost IoT (Internet of Things) devices are crucial for building the next generation pervasive and ubiquitous networks. However, each of these devices can also become a target entry point for hackers. The existing encryption and authentication schemes based on AES and DES require high computation platform, which may not exist in all IoT devices. In this paper, PUF (Physical Unclonable Function) is proposed to be embedded in hardware to provide device identification. The authentication process is secured by chaotic communication. The main advantages of applying chaos theory in securing IoT devices are the cost effectiveness and efficiency as it only needs low power signal to control chaotic dynamics. The simulation results also demonstrated the performance of the proposed method in terms of cost and security. The cost analysis showed that the hardware overhead is greatly reduced. Thus, it can be applied in simple IoT devices.
Carrier Lifetime Dependence on Ion Implantation in Silicon

The generation of subpicosecond electrical pulses has recently been demonstrated using fast photoconductive switches driven by short laser pulses [1]. In these measurements electrical pulses on the order of 0.6 psec were obtained by shorting a charged transmission line fabricated on an ion-implanted silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) wafer. The major factors determining the shape and duration of these electrical pulses were the laser pulsewidths, the circuit characteristics of the photoconductive gaps and the transmission line, and the carrier lifetime of the semiconductor [2]. Since laser pulses shorter than 100 fsec are routinely obtained from colliding-pulse-modelocked dye lasers, the laser pulsewidth can be made negligible compared to the generated electrical pulse. In addition, the limiting factors on the time response due to the circuit reactance may be eliminated if the capacitance of the generation site is reduced to negligible amounts. Under these conditions the duration of the electrical pulse would be mainly determined by the carrier lifetime in the ion-implanted SOS. However, no systematic measurements of this lifetime are available.
Structural Determinants of Black MSM HIV Testing Coverage (2011–2016)

Over 30 years into the US HIV/AIDS epidemic, Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) continue to carry the highest burden of both HIV and AIDS cases. There is then, an urgent need to expand access to HIV prevention and treatment for all gay and bisexual men, underscoring the importance of the federal initiative ‘Ending the Epidemic: A Plan for America’. This research examines structural factors associated with BMSM HIV testing coverage over time (2011–2016) in 85 US Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). We calculated MSA-specific annual measures of BMSM HIV testing coverage (2011–2016). Variables suggested by the Theory of Community Action (i.e., need, resource availability, institutional opposition and organized support) were analyzed as possible predictors of coverage using multilevel modeling. Relationships between BMSM HIV testing and the following covariates were positive: rates of BMSM living with HIV (b = 0.28), percent of Black residents employed (b = 0.19), Black heterosexual testing rate (b = 0.46), health expenditures per capita (b = 0.16), ACT UP organization presence in 1992 (b = 0.19), and syringe service presence (b = 0.12). Hard drug arrest rates at baseline (b = − 0.21) and change since baseline (b = − 0.10) were inversely associated with the outcome. Need, resources availability, organized support and institutional opposition are important determinants of place associated with BMSM HIV testing coverage. Efforts to reduce HIV incidence and lessen AIDS-related disparities among BMSM in the US require improved and innovative HIV prevention approaches directed toward BMSM including a fuller understanding of structural factors that may influence place variation in BMSM testing patterns and risk behavior in places of high need.
Genomic characterization of the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis associated transcriptome and regulome

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), a sideways curvature of the spine, is the most common pediatric musculoskeletal disorder, affecting ~3% of the population worldwide. However, its genetic bases and tissues of origin remain largely unknown. Several genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have implicated nucleotide variants in non-coding sequences that control genes with important roles in cartilage, muscle, bone, connective tissue and intervertebral disks (IVDs) as drivers of AIS susceptibility. Here, we set out to define the expression of AIS-associated genes and active regulatory elements by performing RNA-seq and chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing against H3 lysine 27 acetylation in these tissues in mouse and human. Our study highlights genetic pathways involving AIS-associated loci that regulate chondrogenesis, IVD development and connective tissue maintenance and homeostasis. In addition, we identify thousands of putative AIS-associated regulatory elements which may orchestrate tissue-specific expression in musculoskeletal tissues of the spine. Quantification of enhancer activity of several candidate regulatory elements from our study identifies three functional enhancers carrying AIS-associated GWAS SNPs at the ADGRG6 and BNC2 loci. Our findings provide a novel genome-wide catalog of AIS-relevant genes and regulatory elements and aid in the identification of novel targets for AIS causality and treatment.
System formulation of the nonlinear relaxing wave equation for high-order finite-difference approaches

Finite difference solutions of the wave equation can describe the propagation of waves in heterogeneous media. High-order finite-difference approaches have been used extensively for long-range propagation for seismological applications. For ultrasound imaging, therapy, and neuromodulation, the description of ultrasound propagation must also include attenuation, dispersion, and nonlinearity. Describing these physical phenomena with high-order, stencils has been a persistent challenge. Here we develop a formulation of the nonlinear, attenuating, dispersing, wave equation in system form that is ideally suited for a wide variety of high-order finite-difference stencils. Relaxation functions are modeled in the wave equation by stretching the velocity and pressure variables into a new relaxed coordinate system that describes attenuation, dispersion, and perfectly matched layers using a single formalism. The final system of equations, composed only of first-order derivatives, allows for the implementation of sophisticated stencils. Then, a high-order finite-difference solution of these equations is presented. Solutions of wave propagation are demonstrated for ultrasound imaging applications for deep human abdominal imaging and compared to experimental measurements showing that the numerical method accurately captures the speckle statistics, aberration strength, reverberation strength, and coherence properties. Applications are demonstrated for transcranial neuromodulation, array design, super-resolution, and machine learning.
'ISIS Brides' and State Failure to Screen for Human Trafficking in Violation of International Law and Transnational Anti-Trafficking Regimes

This article examines state policies and practices that predominate in response to ISIS returnees and argues that these have failed to appropriately screen for human trafficking. Without such screening, such policies and practices may be excessively punitive, and without recognition of the link between human trafficking and terrorism and appropriate assessment of returnees, States’ risk being in violation of their obligations under international law. This article explores how States should assess whether an ISIS returnee is a victim of human trafficking in compliance with their international legal obligations.
Machine learning based rate optimization under geologic uncertainty

Abstract We propose a novel approach for rate optimization during a waterflood under geologic uncertainty in reservoir properties such as permeability and porosity. The traditional approach typically involves several runs of the forward simulator. This may not scale well when the optimization is to be performed at the full field-level and over multiple geologic realizations. A machine-learning (ML) based approach which is quick and scalable for rate optimization over multiple geologic realizations is proposed instead. The training data for the model is generated by running the forward simulator with randomly assigned well rates using multiple geologic realizations. A reduced order representation of the permeability heterogeneity in each of the realizations is derived using a grid connectivity transformation (GCT). This step involves finding basis functions corresponding to the different modal frequencies of the grid connectivity represented by the grid Laplacian. The projection of the heterogeneous property field along these basis functions gives the basis coefficients that form the reduced order representation. Subsequently, for each training datapoint, streamlines are traced and the minimum time of flight (TOF) representing the tracer breakthrough time at each producer is recorded. The basis coefficients and well rates are fed to a machine learning model as input and the minimum TOF at the producers forms the output of the model. This trained model can then be used along with an optimizer for computing the optimal injection rates to maximize the injection sweep efficiency. This corresponds to minimizing the variance in the minimum TOF within each well group. Different architectures of neural network are tested using 5-fold cross validation to decide the best ML model to compute the streamline time of flight. The trained model is used to perform well rate optimization over multiple realizations of geology by using a risk tolerance penalty. The optimal well rates thus obtained are compared with two cases: a) equal well rates assigned to all injectors and producers and b) well rates obtained by optimizing over a single realization without considering the uncertainty in geology. The optimal well rates are seen to offer better oil recovery and sweep efficiency than both cases. The workflow is tested for a 50x50 two-dimensional (2D) heterogenous permeability field and for the SPE benchmark Brugge field, and is seen to result in significant improvement in oil recovery and sweep efficiency. A single forward run of the trained ML model is faster than the conventional simulator by about 3 orders of magnitude, making the approach suitable for large scale field application accounting for geologic uncertainty. The parsimonious representation of geologic heterogeneity and the use of ML for forward modeling makes the approach highly scalable and well-suited for full field applications.
Rural Teachers’ Cultural and Epistemic Shifts in STEM Teaching and Learning

This article focuses on the ways in which integrated curriculum can improve STEM teaching and learning within rural spaces. Using a design-based research approach, this study focuses on rural teachers' experiences of professional learning and development training as they learn to engage computing and maker technologies in their elementary classrooms as tools for teaching students about difficult histories of immigration, migration, and forced relocation across the United States.
Teamwork for Operating Room Procedures

CEVL bases teamwork builds in the operating room by providing OR members with clear instruction on the flow of surgery plan, their roles, and how they may work together. These instructions include, among others, pictures and interactivity on the instruments awaiting on the “Mayo stand” and a clear and logical order for surgery beginning with a customized time out and ending with the sign out for this surgery. The method to become ready for infrequent surgeries is by preparing by huddle followed by CEV-ules which create the surgery manifest. A survey instrument is used to collate opinions of others. Other members of the OR team may create their own CEV-ules such as anesthesiologists for regional nerve block, radiology technicians for in-OR radiographs, and surgical pathologists for specimen handling. Device manufacturers may participate in CEV-ule creation to provide clarity to the OR staff on how a device is to be implanted.
Testing thresholds for high-dimensional sparse random geometric graphs.

In the random geometric graph model $\mathsf{Geo}_d(n,p)$, we identify each of our $n$ vertices with an independently and uniformly sampled vector from the $d$-dimensional unit sphere, and we connect pairs of vertices whose vectors are ``sufficiently close'', such that the marginal probability of an edge is $p$. We investigate the problem of testing for this latent geometry, or in other words, distinguishing an Erd\H{o}s-R\'enyi graph $\mathsf{G}(n, p)$ from a random geometric graph $\mathsf{Geo}_d(n, p)$. It is not too difficult to show that if $d\to \infty$ while $n$ is held fixed, the two distributions become indistinguishable; we wish to understand how fast $d$ must grow as a function of $n$ for indistinguishability to occur. When $p = \frac{\alpha}{n}$ for constant $\alpha$, we prove that if $d \ge \mathrm{polylog} n$, the total variation distance between the two distributions is close to $0$; this improves upon the best previous bound of Brennan, Bresler, and Nagaraj (2020), which required $d \gg n^{3/2}$, and further our result is nearly tight, resolving a conjecture of Bubeck, Ding, Eldan, \& R\'{a}cz (2016) up to logarithmic factors. We also obtain improved upper bounds on the statistical indistinguishability thresholds in $d$ for the full range of $p$ satisfying $\frac{1}{n}\le p\le \frac{1}{2}$, improving upon the previous bounds by polynomial factors. Our analysis uses the Belief Propagation algorithm to characterize the distributions of (subsets of) the random vectors {\em conditioned on producing a particular graph}. In this sense, our analysis is connected to the ``cavity method'' from statistical physics. To analyze this process, we rely on novel sharp estimates for the area of the intersection of a random sphere cap with an arbitrary subset of the sphere, which we prove using optimal transport maps and entropy-transport inequalities on the unit sphere.
Look Before You 'Lock': Standards, Tipping, and the Future of Patent Misuse After Princo

In network industries, consumers do not always prefer a single standard. Setting aside antitrust principles, the Federal Circuit implicitly assumed in its Princo decision that consumers preferred a single standard in the CD-R industry when it held that a patent suppression agreement did not constitute patent misuse. But some network industries can - and do - converge toward multiple standards, and antitrust analyses can be informative in this context. As this paper shows, patent suppression agreements may still “leverage” existing patents in ways that unlawfully expand their scope. This Article argues that courts must consider consumers’ demand-side preferences when they analyze patent misuse claims in network industries, and it proposes a quid-pro-quo rule that incentivizes demand-side analyses by the private sector. This rule would render suppression agreements per se legal in exchange for a commitment to release suppressed technologies into the public domain after a short time-frame, but would also support thorough patent misuse scrutiny in cases where firms refuse to make such a commitment. This rule could move us toward better empirical understandings of consumers’ preferences in network industries, preserve judicial economy in the patent misuse area, and better ensure that superior standards prevail in the marketplace.
The Inequitable Conduct Gyre Widens

The last several years have seen a general trend in the direction of expansion of the doctrine of inequitable conduct. This paper identifies several discrete dimensions of that expansion, including judicial reaffirmation of an expansive materiality standard, a lengthening list of categories of potentially material information, and reinvigoration of the practitioner's duty to investigate whether potentially material information exists in some circumstances. The resulting combination has the potential to significantly increase the burdens of compliance with the duty of candor, as well as the risks associated with inequitable conduct charges - risks that would only be amplified if additional disclosure requirements recently proposed by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office are implemented. Also noted are several, less significant, recent judicial limitations on the inequitable conduct defense.
Lethal Action of Ribonuclease for Thermophilic Bacilli

Thompson, T. L. (University of Nebraska, Lincoln), and J. M. Shively. Lethal action of ribonuclease for thermophilic bacilli. J. Bacteriol 91:673–676. 1966.—Exposure of a thermophilic bacillus, NU 47, to 0.2 μg/ml of pancreatic ribonuclease resulted in a drastic reduction of viable cells. The observed lethality is thought to be associated specifically with the ribonuclease, since heat treatment did not diminish activity and the addition of ribonucleic acid to the cells completely eliminated the action of the enzyme. Cells from 2-hr cultures, buffered between pH 6.0 and 7.0, were most sensitive. The lethal action was most pronounced when cells were exposed to the enzyme at temperatures between 25 and 45 C. A greater proportion of cells survived at higher temperatures. The release of ultraviolet-absorbing materials into the medium after exposure to enzyme could not be detected.
A Single Exponential Bound on the Complexity of Computing Gröbner Bases of Zero Dimensional Ideals

Let R = ℚ[x 1, x 2 , …, x n ] denote the ring of polynomials in n variables over the rational numbers ℚ. Let f 1, f 2,…, f r ∈ R, r ≥ n with deg(f i ) = d i and let d = max(d i ).
Roles of Sleep‐Wake and Dark‐Light Cycles in the Control of Endocrine, Metabolic, Cardiovascular, and Cognitive Function

The sections in this article are: 1 Mechanisms Underlying Diurnal Rhythmicity 2 Diurnal Rhythms in Physiology and Behavior in Normal Conditions 2.1 Endocrine, Metabolic, and Cardiovascular Function 2.2 Diurnal Rhythms in Subjective Fatigue, Mood, and Cognitive Performance 3 Effects of Sleep Curtailment 4 Effects of Environmental Light 5 Conditions of Misalignment Between Circadian Rhythmicity and the Rest-Activity Cycle 5.1 Jet Lag 5.2 Shift Work 6 Conclusions
Application and Evaluation of Double-Layer Grid Spatial Structures for the Engineering Education of Architects

AbstractUp until the Renaissance, architects had been considered master-builders. However, the complexity of modern construction required more specialization in trades and caused fragmentation of the responsibilities of individuals involved in design and construction. Nowadays, architects are mainly responsible for the issues related to aesthetics, form, and functionality. In addition, they act as integrators and collaborate with a number of professionals involved in the construction process. One important aspect of building design is its structure, which can have significant impacts on the form and functionality of the final design outcome. Therefore, architects must be aware of structural concepts, and particularly, how form and structural behavior are related to each other. This paper presents a collaborative effort by a team of engineers, computer scientists, architects, and educational experts to develop a web-based system called Structure and Form Analysis System (SAFAS) for use by undergraduate arc...
There is No Place for Hostile Reviews

Los estudiantes de Tercer Ciclo en Psicologia Cientifica reciben mucha informacion de como redactar articulos para publicar; sin embargo, no reciben informacion sobre como revisar los articulos de otros para su posterior publicacion en revistas. Esto es un error. Muchas profesionales aportan criticas hostiles que a veces parecen ser mas bien un ataque personal que una critica constructiva del articulo en revision. Este articulo plantea que las revisiones de tipo hostil no tienen lugar en este campo y no hacen mas que socavar a la Psicologia y sus respectivas profesiones. Palabras Clave: Articulos de revision. Revisores hostiles. Psicologia. Estudio teorico.
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE: A SOURCE OR SALVE FOR THE RACIAL ACHIEVEMENT GAP?†

Racial disparities in school discipline are believed to contribute to the persistent achievement gap between black and white students. In this article, I estimate the relationship between school discipline and achievement within a structural model, taking into account the spillover effects of disruptive behavior. I find that discipline has an overall positive influence on student performance and that the racial gap in discipline stemming from cross-school variation in discipline policies is consistent with achievement maximization. Integrating schools can close both the discipline and achievement gaps; however, overall achievement is reduced since schools are less able to target their discipline policies.
Study of the immune responses to nucleated cells. I. In vitro functional evaluation of the immune effectors responsible for complement-dependent cellular cytotoxicity.

Abstract A modification of the 51 Cr cytotoxic test has made it possible to assess under the same conditions not only cytotoxic serum antibodies, and cell-mediated immunity, but also cells releasing cytotoxic antibody. The measurement of these antibody-releasing cells was carried out with nucleated target cells, both normal and leukemic, across θ or H-2 antigenic differences. This test was found to be specific. The release of 51 Cr from the labeled target cells was proportional to the ratio of immune cells to target cells, and for a given ratio to the incubation time, 60 min usually being the optimum time at ratios of 50–100 to 1. The test was not affected by treatment of the effector cells with an anti-θ serum; however, pretreatment of these cells with an anti-IgM serum, even without complement, inhibited the test with cells taken during primary responses. Both cytotoxic IgM and IgG antibodies were detected by the assay directly without the addition of enhancing serum; discrimination between these two γ-globulins can be made by suppressing the cytotoxicity due to either Ig class consequent to the addition of the appropriate specific anti-globulin serum during the incubation.
Spectral Response of a Bilinear Oscillator

An approximate analytical procedure is presented to estimate the response power spectral density of a randomly excited spring/mass/damper system having a bilinear spring. The approximate expression for the response spectrum is developed by representing the nonlinear oscillator as a linear system having a natural frequency that depends on the envelope of the random response. This approximate representation of the system leads to estimates of the response spectrum that agree extremely well with those obtained by direct numerical simulation of the governing equation.
Hesiod and the Fabricated Woman: Poetry and Visual Art in the Theogony

The narrative of Hesiod’s transformation from shepherd to poet at the opening of the Theogony shares thematic and linguistic parallels with the narrative of Pandora’s creation at the midpoint of the same poem. When juxtaposed, these two scenes suggest comparison between verbal and visual art, respectively. This paper will argue that the Theogony stands ultimately as a precursor to later Greek poetry that not only compares verbal and visual artistry but privileges the verbal over and against the visual.
Comparison of 1/f noise in complementary NPN and PNP polysilicon emitter bipolar transistors

1/f noise was investigated in a complementary polysilicon emitter bipolar process. Noise measurements were carried out for variable base bias resistance (RS) to analyze how the contribution of each noise source changes as RS is varied. Two noise measurement setups were used to identify different noise sources in the transistors: noise from the base current (SIB), collector current (SIC), and internal resistances (SVr). The coherence for transistors measured in both measurement setups were close to unity, implying a single dominant noise source. SIB had the dominant contribution at lower bias currents. In this case, RS was relatively larger than the input resistance of the transistor. Higher current measurements with a smaller RS showed a dominant contribution from SVr. SIB was modeled as a combination of the minority carrier diffusion fluctuations in the monosilicon and polysilicon emitter, and tunneling fluctuations through the interfacial oxide. A combination of the number and diffusion fluctuations of the minority carriers in the base was used to model SIC. It was concluded that mainly originates from the fluctuations in the internal emitter resistance, which was ascribed to the tunneling fluctuations of the majority carriers through the interfacial oxide.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Relationship Between Religiosity and Internet Pornography Use

Internet pornography (IP) consumption has increased, resulting in functioning and psychological problems. Thus, understanding what variables affect IP uses is needed. One of the variables may be religion. College students (N = 223) completed questions on IP use and religion. About 64 % ever viewed IP and 26 % currently viewed IP, at a rate of 74 min per week. IP use interfered with their relationship with God and spirituality. Religious individuals were less likely to ever or currently view IP. Intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity and alignment of spiritual values were associated with ever use. Results suggest that religiosity matters in IP use and further research is needed.
Clinical applications of a gas chromatographic method for the combined determination of testosterone and epitestosterone glucuronide in urine.

A combination of thin layer and gas chromatographic methods for measuring urinary testosterone and epitestosterone glucuronide was employed using C–1, 2–3Htestosterone as a tracer. Values for combined testosterone and epitestosterone glucuronide in 24-hr urine specimens were: 65–348 μg for normal males aged 19–29; 45–178 μg for normal males aged 30–40; and 2–10 jug for normal females aged 10–53 years. Significant increases in urinary values were found in 13 of 15 subjects with “Stein-Leventhai” syndrome and in 5 of 9 patients with “idiopathic” hirsutism. A correlation between elevated urinary testosterone and epitestosterone levels and clinical manifestations of androgenicity were observed in subjects with the adrenogenital syndrome, Cushing's syndrome, virilizing ovarian neoplasm and acromegaly. Two subjects with anorchia excreted values similar to those of normal adult females.
Method for quantification of chemicals in a pollution plume using a moving membrane-based sensor exemplified by mass spectrometry.

Quantification of a chemical concentration in a pollution plume using a moving membrane-based sensor can be problematic. In many cases, the sensor passes through the plume faster than the time nece...
Detecting Discrimination: Analyzing Racial Disparities in Public Contracting☆

Abstract In City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson Co. (1989), the Supreme Court established strict scrutiny as the standard applicable to affirmative action programs which set aside quotas of public contracts for minority-owned businesses, and Aderand v. Pena (1995) extended the strict scrutiny standard to federal programs. Although the requirements of these decisions clearly require multivariate statistical analysis, most “disparity studies” have used a univariate comparison between the expected and the observed shares of contracts going to minority-owned firms. We examine four statistical methods—ordinary least square multiple regression, logit and tobit models, and a multivariate procedure for comparing expected and observed outcomes. Because no data are presently available at the level of specificity required by Croson, we constructed synthetic data sets to represent typical variations among large U.S. cities. Applying the statistical methods to each data set allows evaluation of the extent to which each method is able to both remove spurious and detect valid estimates of racial disparity when relevant control variables are added. Findings: (a) All four models removed apparent disparities which, although significant in univariate analysis, were known to be spurious. (b) Tobit and logit models, whose underlying assumptions better fit the nature of public contracting data, provided more accurate and more sensitive estimates than OLS regression. (c) Comparison of expected and observed outcomes within categories of control variables yielded results very similar to logit and tobit models and, because of the nature of the comparison specified in Croson, produced slightly more sensitive probability estimates.
The Role of Information Technology in Fulfilling the Promise of Corporate Social Responsibility

Young people today want to work at a meaningful job and make a difference in the world. Information technology (IT) is an effective enabler for all sorts of business strategies, so it comes as no surprise that IT is useful for implementing a firm's corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative as well. The computer professional of the twenty-first century has the tools, training, and talent to be involved in strategic decision making that will have a lasting impact on society. Computer technology can be used to increase profits; but it can also be used to enhance the workplace, create adaptations for disabled employees, create educational opportunities that bridge the digital divide, improve business ethics, and help society.
The physical activity patterns of children with autism

Although motor deficits are gaining attention in autism research much less attention has been paid to the physical activity patterns in this group of children. The participants in this study were a group of children with autism spectrum disorder (N = 72) between the ages of 9-18 years. This cross-sectional study explored the physical activity patterns of seventy-two children with autism spectrum disorder as they aged. Results indicated significant differences between the mean time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity and the mean time spent in sedentary activity. Older children with autism spectrum disorder are significantly more physically inactive, compared to younger children. Physical activity programs and interventions need to address this deficit, in physical activity. Children with autism have a similar trend in physical activity patterns compared to their peers without autism; associated benefits and future research will be discussed.
Management of the pediatric spontaneous pneumothorax: is primary surgery the treatment of choice?

Abstract Background Surgery as the primary management strategy for pediatric primary spontaneous pneumothorax is controversial. This study aims to evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of management approaches for pediatric spontaneous pneumothorax. Methods Outcomes of pediatric patients undergoing initial nonoperative treatment versus video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery with blebectomy and mechanical pleurodesis were compared via a retrospective review. Results We identified 96 patients with 108 pneumothoraces. Of 98 pneumothoraces with initial nonoperative management, 37% had surgery during their initial hospitalization for persistent air leak. Of those discharged home without video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, 40% recurred. Initial nonoperative management resulted in more total hospital days (median: 11 vs 5 days, P Conclusions Fewer than 40% of primary spontaneous pneumothorax patients are definitively treated with nonoperative management. A prospective study is needed to determine whether primary surgery with blebectomy/mechanical pleurodesis is a more effective treatment strategy.
Collaboration, For Better or For Worse

In this overview of three Smithsonian Institution seminars on collaboration excerpted in issues of Knowledge, the seminar organizer draws on highlights of the discussions and additional sources to describe the practice and purpose of collaboration in general, as well as in a number of specific, different fields of inquiry. Looking at conditions that affect not only the opportunities for collaboration but also its likelihood of success, the author posits possible relationships among collaboration, interdisciplinarity, and specialization. Collaborative work never seems to be valued more highly than individual effort, yet it is apparently unavoidable in the world of learning, and is growing in guantity and scope.
The transition from magmatic to high-temperature solid-state deformation: implications from the Mount Stuart batholith, Washington

Criteria for syntectonic emplacement of plutons are commonly ambiguous. The strongest single criterion is probably the preservation of a continuous transition from submagmatic to high-temperature solidstate deformation. This transition is not commonly documented. An exception is the Mount Stuart batholith, which displays a variety of syntectonic structures within its sheared northeastern margin, including the following: (1) S-C fabrics that range from submagmatic to high-temperature solid-state;(2) solid-state foliation and lineation defined by amphibolite-facies assemblages that overprint and are parallel to magmatic foliation and lineation; (3) folds of magmatic and solid-state foliation that have hinge lines parallel to magmatic and solid-state lineation and to equivalent structures in wall rocks; (4) dikes that were folded and boudinaged over a wide range of rheological states with boudin necks locally filled by tonalite; (5) pegmatite dikes and mineralized joints that are sub-perpendicular to magmatic and solid-state lineation; and (6) submagmatic and high-temperature solidstate ductile shear zones. We suggest that many plutons emplaced during regional deformation do not preserve evidence for syntectonic deformation because of the transitory nature of the submagmatic state and the obscuring effects of postemplacement deformation. Syntectonic features are most likely preserved in plutons cooled at slow to moderate rates, or in plutons deformed at high strain rates during emplacement. The optimum conditions for preservation may occur in plutons emplaced along fault zones in the mid-crust, such as the Mount Stuart batholith, and in intrusions at deeper levels that were rapidly exhumed and/or intruded during the waning stages of regional deformation.
Fluorodeoxyglucose PET imaging in the evaluation of gallbladder carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma

Our goal was to evaluate fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in staging patients with biliary tract cancers. Fifty consecutive patients who underwent FDG-PET for suspected cholangiocarcinoma (n = 36) or gallbladder carcinoma (n = 14) were reviewed. Patients with cholangiocarcinoma were divided into two groups: group 1 had nodular type (mass > 1 cm) (n = 22) and group 2 had inflltrating type (n = 14) cholangiocarcinoma. Thirty-one of 36 patients evaluated for cholangiocarcinoma had cholangiocarcinoma and five did not. Sensitivity was 85% for nodular morphology but only 18% for inflltrating morphology. Sensitivity for metastases was 65% but false negative for carcinomatosis in three of three patients. One false positive result occurred in a patient with primary sclerosing cholangitis who had acute cholangitis. Seven (58%) of 12 patients had FDG uptake along the tract of a biliary stent. FDG-PET led to a change in surgical management in 30% (11 of 36) of patients evaluated for cholangiocarcinoma because of detection of unsuspected metastases. Eleven of 14 patients with gallbladder carcinoma were newly diagnosed by cholecystectomy or another type of exploratory procedure, whereas three patients were undergoing follow-up. Nine had residual gallbladder carcinoma at the time of PET. Sensitivity for gallbladder carcinoma was 78%. Sensitivity for extrahepatic metastases was 50% in eight patients; six of them had carcinomatosis. These data suggest that PET is accurate in predicting the presence of nodular cholangiocarcinoma (mass > 1cm) but was not helpful for the inflltrating type. PET was also helpful for detecting residual gallbladder carcinoma following cholecystectomy, but was not helpful in patients with carcinomatosis. Although FDG-PET led to a change in management in 30% of patients with cholangiocarcinoma, it must be interpreted with caution in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis and with stents in place, as well as in those with known granulomatous disease.
Bidirectional transcription of trinucleotide repeats: roles for excision repair.

Genomic instability at repetitive DNA regions in cells of the nervous system leads to a number of neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases, including those with an expanded trinucleotide repeat (TNR) tract at or nearby an expressed gene. Expansion causes disease when a particular base sequence is repeated beyond the normal range, interfering with the expression or properties of a gene product. Disease severity and onset depend on the number of repeats. As the length of the repeat tract grows, so does the size of the successive expansions and the likelihood of another unstable event. In fragile X syndrome, for example, CGG repeat instability and pathogenesis are not typically observed below tracts of roughly 50 repeats, but occur frequently at or above 55 repeats, and are virtually certain above 100–300 repeats. Recent evidence points to bidirectional transcription as a new aspect of TNR instability and pathophysiology. Bidirectional transcription of TNR genes produces novel proteins and/or regulatory RNAs that influence both toxicity and epigenetic changes in TNR promoters. Bidirectional transcription of the TNR tract appears to influence aspects of its stability, gene processing, splicing, gene silencing, and chemical modification of DNAs. Paradoxically, however, some of the same effects are observed on both the expanded TNR gene and on its normal gene counterpart. In this review, we discuss the possible normal and abnormal effects of bidirectional transcription on trinucleotide repeat instability, the role of DNA repair in causing, preventing, or maintaining methylation, and chromatin environment of TNR genes.