cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Promotion of Hydrogenation of Organic Molecules by Incorporating Iron into Platinum Nanoparticle Catalysts: Displacement of Inactive Reaction Intermediates

We characterize the surface chemical states of reactants and catalysts under reaction conditions to elucidate the composition effect of platinum–iron bimetallic nanoparticles on catalytic hydrogenation of organic molecules. The catalytic hydrogenation of ethylene is drastically accelerated on the surface of 2 nm PtFe bimetallic nanoparticles as compared to pure Pt. Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy indicates that incorporation of Fe into Pt nanoparticle catalysts weakens the adsorption of ethylidyne, an inactive spectator species, on the catalyst surface. Similarly, the turnover frequency of cyclohexene hydrogenation is also significantly enhanced by incorporating Fe into Pt nanoparticle catalysts. Ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS) reveals the surface composition and oxidation states of the PtFe nanoparticles under reaction conditions. The oxidation state distribution of Fe responded to the gas atmosphere and the probing depth, whereas the Pt remained largely...
Specific heat of single-crystal YNi2B2C and TmNi2B2C superconductors

Abstract We have measured the specific heat of single crystals of superconducting YNi 2 B 2 C and TmNi 2 B 2 C. Analysis of YNi 2 B 2 C data in zero and 5 T magnetic fields indicates modestly strong electron-phonon coupling and a superconducting energy gap Δ ( O ) = 29 K . Superconductivity coexists with antiferromagnetic order below 1.5 K in TmNi 2 B 2 C. An interpretation of very low temperature specific heat indicates substantial magnetic anisotropy, with ferromagnetic planes weakly coupled antiferromagnetically to each other. Two-dimensional ferromagnetic spin waves produce a large linear-in-temperature contribution to the specific heat. We find no compelling evidence for an unconventional pairing mechanism in these systems.
Microfabricated surface ion trap on a high-finesse optical mirror

A novel approach to optics integration in ion traps is demonstrated based on a surface electrode ion trap that is microfabricated on top of a dielectric mirror. Additional optical losses due to fabrication are found to be as low as 80 ppm for light at 422 nm. The integrated mirror is used to demonstrate light collection from, and imaging of, a single Sr88+ ion trapped 169±4 μm above the mirror.
Study on fatigue and energy-dissipation properties of nanolayered Cu/Nb thin films

Energy dissipation and fatigue properties of nano-layered thin films are less well studied than bulk properties. Existing experimental methods for studying energy dissipation properties, typically using magnetic interaction as a driving force at different frequencies and a laser-based deformation measurement system, are difficult to apply to two-dimensional materials. We propose a novel experimental method to perform dynamic testing on thin-film materials by driving a cantilever specimen at its fixed end with a bimorph piezoelectric actuator and monitoring the displacements of the specimen and the actuator with a fibre-optic system. Upon vibration, the specimen is greatly affected by its inertia, and behaves as a cantilever beam under base excitation in translation. At resonance, this method resembles the vibrating reed method conventionally used in the viscoelasticity community. The loss tangent is obtained from both the width of a resonance peak and a free-decay process. As for fatigue measurement, we implement a control algorithm into LabView to maintain maximum displacement of the specimen during the course of the experiment. The fatigue S-N curves are obtained.
The effects of personal and competitive self-efficacy and differential outcome feedback on subsequent self-efficacy and performance

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among self-efficacy, expectations, performance, and competitive outcome, on a physical endurance task. The study identifies two types of self-efficacy: personal, i.e., expectations based on an internally derived standard of performance, and competitive, i.e., expectations based on a externally derived standard of performance. It was predicted that personal, but not competitive, self-efficacy would affect performance on the experimental task. On the other hand, competitive outcome feedback would significantly influence competitive, but not personal, self-efficacy. Seventy-two subjects possessing high or low personal self-efficacy for their ability on a leg-endurance task were randomly assigned to competitive self-efficacy and competitive outcome conditions. The subjects competed twice against a confederate in a manipulated contest of leg endurance such that the outcome paralleled the outcome condition to which they were assigned. Performance and competitive self-efficacy were measured following each trial. The results indicated that, as predicted, personal self-efficacy but not competitive self-efficacy was predictive of subsequent performance. In addition, competitive outcome feedback affected competitive self-efficacy. It was concluded that disparate types of self-efficacy, performance, and outcome information affect each other differentially.
A 9.1-HOUR CANDIDATE ORBITAL PERIOD FOR X1556-605

V-band photometry of the low-mass X-ray binary X1556-605 obtained in May 1988 is presented in an attempt to determine the orbital period of the system. The source is seen to be variable by up to 0.6 magnitude on a time scale of hours. Combining the data with those obtained one month later by Schmidtke (1990), Fourier techniques and a recently improved version of the standard period-folding analysis are used to find a probable period of 0.3807 + or - 0.0003 day, with a semiamplitude of about 0.1 magnitude. Both methods indicate that the formal significance of this period detection is greater than 99.9 percent. While independent confirmation is advised before accepting this to be the definite orbital period of the system, a period of this length would not be inconsistent with the X-ray properties of X1556-605 and would, in addition, suggest that the mass-donating companion may be beginning to evolve away from the main sequence.
On-line monitoring, modeling, and model validation of semibatch emulsion polymerization in an automated reactor control facility

The modeling of the semibatch emulsion polymerization of styrene and its validation against data obtained from a reactor facility is presented. The model, which describes the growth of a monodisperse polystyrene seed as neat monomer is fed to the reactor, incorporates recent findings in radical diffusion and kinetics. The current controversy surrounding radical absorption into particles is handled by considering absorption via propagation, diffusion, and collision in the model. Simulation results including weight fraction polymer inside the particles and particle diameter are compared to data obtained from a custom-designed and built automated reactor control facility capable of on-line density and on-line particle diameter measurements. Good agreement between simulation results and experimental data are obtained for any of the three absorption mechanisms considered by varying only one adjustable parameter located in the absorption rate coefficient relation. A sensitivity analysis of the model to this adjustable parameter, using the program ODESSA, is also presented and shown to be an important tool in the validation procedure. Lastly, an analysis of the dynamics of the process shows the variety of phenomena that can be obtained in a semibatch reactor including regions that exhibit pseudosteady states, autoacceleration of the rate, and limiting conversion. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1553–1571, 1998
International Ultraviolet Explorer observations of the peculiar variable spectrum of the eclipsing binary R Arae

The eclipsing binary system R Arae = HD 149730 is a relatively bright southern system with an orbital period of about 4.4 days. It is a single-lined spectroscopic binary. The spectral class of the primary component is B9 Vp. The system was included in a study of mass flow and evolution in close binary systems using the International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite (IUE). Four spectra in the wavelength range from 1150 to 1900 A were obtained with the far-ultraviolet SWP camera, and six spectra in the range from 1900 to 3200 range were obtained with the mid-ultraviolet LWR camera. The close binary R Arae exhibits very unusual ultraviolet spectra. It appears that no other close binary system, observed with any of the orbiting satellites, shows outside-eclipse ultraviolet continuum flux variations of this nature.
Team-teaching a current events-based biology course for nonmajors.

Rice University has created a team-taught interactive biology course for nonmajors with a focus on cutting edge biology in the news—advances in biotechnology, medicine, and science policy, along with the biological principles and methodology upon which these advances are based. The challenges inherent to teaching current topics were minimized by team-teaching the course, providing knowledgeable and enthusiastic lecturers for every topic while distributing the effort required to update material. Postdoctoral associates and advanced graduate students served as lecturers, providing an opportunity for them to develop their teaching skills and learn to communicate effectively with nonscientists on newsworthy topics related to their research. Laboratory tours, in-class demonstrations, and mock-ups helped lecturers convey surprisingly advanced ideas with students who lacked a strong theoretical or practical science background. A faculty member and co-coordinator administer the class, organize class activities, and mentor the speakers on teaching techniques and lecture design. Course design, lecture topics, hands-on activities, and approaches to successfully solve the difficulties inherent to team teaching are discussed. Course evaluations reflect student involvement in, and enjoyment of, the class.
Speculative lock elision: enabling highly concurrent multithreaded execution

Serialization of threads due to critical sections is a fundamental bottleneck to achieving high performance in multithreaded programs. Dynamically, such serialization may be unnecessary because these critical sections could have safely executed concurrently without locks. Current processors cannot fully exploit such parallelism because they do not have mechanisms to dynamically detect such false inter-thread dependences. We propose Speculative Lock Elision (SLE), a novel micro-architectural technique to remove dynamically unnecessary lock-induced serialization and enable highly concurrent multithreaded execution. The key insight is that locks do not always have to be acquired for a correct execution. Synchronization instructions are predicted as being unnecessary and elided. This allows multiple threads to concurrently execute critical sections protected by the same lock. Misspeculation due to inter-thread data conflicts is detected using existing cache mechanisms and rollback is used for recovery. Successful speculative elision is validated and committed without acquiring the lock. SLE can be implemented entirely in microarchitecture without instruction set support and without system-level modifications, is transparent to programmers, and requires only trivial additional hardware support. SLE can provide programmers a fast path to writing correct high-performance multithreaded programs.
Uplifted Turbidite Basins on the Seaward Wall of the Peru Trench

Hemipelagic sediment layers inter-bedded with silt turbidite units were recovered from an elongate basin seaward of the axis of the Peru Trench. The basin is elevated 700 m above the shallowest depth of the present trench axis between lat 7°20′ and 8°30′ S. Micro-faunal content, mineralogy, and topography point to a source for this turbidite on the continental shelf to the northeast of the basin. A radiocarbon date of 5,100 B.P. was obtained for the youngest turbidite in the core, which dates the beginning of uplift in the basin. Although the nature of vertical motion is difficult to determine, the data suggest that there has been a combination of uplift of the seaward wall of the trench and subsidence of the trench axis. These rapid vertical movements may be a consequence of rupturing and decoupling of the Nazca plate into two segments that are being subducted at differential rates or different angles. If the seaward wall is under compressional stress as we suggest, we have an apparent contradiction with earthquake first motions, which indicate extensional stress on the seaward wall of this and other trenches.
Noninvasive Three-Dimensional Cardiac Activation Imaging From Body Surface Potential Maps: A Computational and Experimental Study on a Rabbit Model

Three-dimensional (3-D) cardiac activation imaging (3-DCAI) is a recently developed technique that aims at imaging the activation sequence throughout the the ventricular myocardium. 3-DCAI entails the modeling and estimation of the cardiac equivalent current density (ECD) distribution from which the activation time at any myocardial site is determined as the time point with the peak amplitude of local ECD estimates. In this paper, we report, for the first time, an in vivo validation study assessing the feasibility of 3-DCAI in comparison with the 3-D intracardiac mapping, for a group of four healthy rabbits undergoing the ventricular pacing from various locations. During the experiments, the body surface potentials and the intramural bipolar electrical recordings were simultaneously measured in a closed-chest condition. The ventricular activation sequence noninvasively imaged from the body surface measurements by using 3-DCAI was generally in agreement with that obtained from the invasive intramural recordings. The quantitative comparison between them showed a root mean square (rms) error of 7.42 plusmn0.61 ms, a relative error (RE) of 0.24 plusmn0.03, and a localization error (LE) of 5.47 plusmn1.57 mm. The experimental results were also consistent with our computer simulations conducted in well-controlled and realistic conditions. The present study suggest that 3-DCAI can noninvasively capture some important features of ventricular excitation (e.g., the activation origin and the activation sequence), and has the potential of becoming a useful imaging tool aiding cardiovascular research and clinical diagnosis of cardiac diseases.
Proteolytic Cleavage of the p65-RelA Subunit of NF-κB during Poliovirus Infection

Activation of NF-kappaB during viral infection is one of the critical elements in innate immune response. Several virus-specific factors, such as double-stranded RNA, can trigger host defense mechanisms by inducing NF-kappaB-mediated expression of cytokines and interferons. Early stages of poliovirus infection are also associated with degradation of IkappaB alpha and translocation of NF-kappaB into the nucleus. However, at later stages of poliovirus replication the p65-RelA component of the NF-kappaB complex undergoes a specific cleavage that coincides with the onset of intensive poliovirus protein synthesis and the appearance of the activity of poliovirus protease 3C. Indeed, the p65-RelA amino acid sequence contains the recognition site for 3C, and recombinant protein 3C was shown to be capable of proteolytic cleavage of p65-RelA, generating truncated product similar to that observed during poliovirus infection. Cleavage of p65-RelA occurs during replication of ECHO-1 and rhinovirus 14, suggesting that inactivation of NF-kappaB function by proteolytic cleavage of p65-RelA is the common mechanism by which picornaviruses suppress the innate immune response.
Political Parties and Terrorist Groups and Religious Fundamentalism and Political Extremism

Political Parties and Terrorist Groups. By Leonard Weinberg and Ami Pedahzur. New York and London: Routledge, 2003. 179p. $125. Religious Fundamentalism and Political Extremism. Edited by Leonard Weinberg and Ami Pedahzur. London and Portland, OR: Frank Cass, 2004. 178p. $115 cloth, $37.79 paper. Two decades ago, Christopher Hitchens denounced the use of the label “terrorist” as a Medusa's head, which unveiled would “turn all discussion into stone…. Whisk, whisk … and there goes history, there goes inquiry, there goes proportion” (“Wanton Acts of Usage,” Harper's, September 1986, p. 68). Perhaps most social concepts, embedded as they are in wider communities of shared meaning beyond the arena of scholarly discourse, prove susceptible to rhetorical corruption as they become weapons of political denigration. The degradation of the concept of terrorism, however, seems especially severe. Add religious fundamentalism into the discourse, and our expectations sink even further.
Legionella pneumonia and use of the Legionella urinary antigen test.

Keywords: community-acquired and nosocomial; diagnostic decision making; evidence based medicine; pneumonia
A Low-Leakage High-Speed Monotonic Static CMOS 64b Adder in a Dual Gate Oxide 65-nm CMOS Technology

In this paper, we investigate the use of monotonic static CMOS logic within a high performance carry look-ahead adder (CLA) in the context of a 65nm technology with significant leakage. The goal is a good compromise between speed, power, and noise immunity. We compare the monotonic static CMOS 64b CLA with domino and static CMOS adders with respect to speed and power consumption, using a predictive dual gate oxide 65nm technology with significant gate leakage. The comparison shows that monotonic-static CMOS is a potentially useful alternative in such applications. Compared to domino and static CMOS, it can provide advantages in evaluation speed and static power for a set of nominal gates sizes.
Clinical assessment of the ulnar nerve at the elbow: reliability of instability testing and the association of hypermobility with clinical symptoms

Background: Ulnar nerve hypermobility has been reported to be present in 2% to 47% of asymptomatic individuals. To our knowledge, the physical examination technique for diagnosing ulnar nerve hypermobility has not been standardized. This study was designed to quantify the interobserver reliability of the physical examination for ulnar nerve hypermobility and to determine whether ulnar nerve hypermobility is associated with clinical symptoms. Methods: Four hundred elbows in 200 volunteer participants were examined. Each participant was queried regarding symptoms attributable to the ulnar nerve. Three examiners, unaware of reported symptoms, independently performed a standardized examination of both elbows to assess ulnar nerve hypermobility. Ulnar nerves were categorized as stable or as hypermobile, which was further subclassified as perchable, perching, or dislocating. Provocative maneuvers, consisting of the Tinel test and flexion compression testing, were performed, and structural measurements were recorded. Kappa values quantified the examination’s interobserver reliability. Unpaired t tests, chi-square tests, Wilcoxon tests, and Fisher exact tests were utilized to compare data between those with hypermobile nerves and those with stable nerves. Results: Ulnar nerve hypermobility was identified in 37% (148) of the 400 elbows. Hypermobility was bilateral in 30% (fifty-nine) of the 200 subjects. For the three examiners, weighted kappa values on the right and left sides were 0.70 and 0.74, respectively. Elbows with nerve hypermobility did not experience a higher prevalence of subjective symptoms (snapping, pain, and tingling) than did elbows with stable nerves. Provocative physical examination testing for ulnar nerve irritability, however, showed consistent trends toward heightened irritability in hypermobile nerves (p = 0.04 to 0.16). Demographic data and anatomic measurements were similar between the subjects with stable nerves and those with hypermobile nerves. Conclusions: Ulnar nerve hypermobility occurs in over one-third of the adult population. Utilizing a standardized physical examination, a diagnosis of ulnar nerve hypermobility can be established with substantial interobserver reliability. In the general population, ulnar nerve hypermobility does not appear to be associated with an increased symptomatology attributable to the ulnar nerve. Clinical Relevance: The results of this study demonstrate the reliability of clinically diagnosing ulnar nerve hypermobility and the lack of association of ulnar nerve hypermobility with symptoms.
Complex permittivity of sodium chloride solutions at microwave frequencies

The complex permittivity of aqueous solutions at 20 °C has been measured at concentrations between 0.001 and 5 mol/L and over a frequency range 0.13–20 GHz. The results were combined with literature values to derive empirical equations to predict the dielectric behavior of sodium chloride solutions between 0 and 5 mol/L and 5°C–35 °C. Bioelectromagnetics 28:264–274, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Strained-Si devices and circuits for low-power applications

Static and dynamic power for strained-Si devices are analyzed and compared with conventional bulk-Si technology. Optimum device design points are suggested by controlling physical/structural device parameters. Strained-Si CMOS circuits are studied, showing substantially-reduced power consumption due to the unique advantageous features of strained-Si devices. The trade-off between power and performance in strained-Si devices/circuits is discussed. Further, analysis and low-power design points are applied and extended to strained Si on SOI substrate (SSOI) CMOS technology.
Retrofitting concurrency for Android applications through refactoring

Running compute-intensive or blocking I/O operations in the UI event thread of smartphone apps can severely degrade responsiveness. Despite the fact that Android supports writing concurrent code via AsyncTask, we know little about how developers use AsyncTask to improve responsiveness. To understand how AsyncTask is used/underused/misused in practice, we rst conduct a formative study using a corpus of top 104 most popular open-source Android apps comprising 1.34M SLOC. Our study shows that even though half of the apps use AsyncTask, there are hundreds of places where they missed opportunities to encapsulate long-running operations in AsyncTask. Second, 46% of the usages are manually refactored. However, the refactored code contains concurrency bugs (such as data races) and performance bugs (concurrent code still executes sequentially). Inspired by these ndings, we designed, developed, and evaluated Asynchronizer, an automated refactoring tool that enables developers to extract long-running operations into AsyncTask. Asynchronizer uses a points-to static analysis to determine the safety of the transformation. Our empirical evaluation shows that Asynchronizer is (i) highly applicable, (ii) accurate, (iii) safer than manual refactoring (iv) it saves development eort, (v) its results have been accepted by the open-source developers. This shows that Asynchronizer is useful.
Evidence for a Wind-Driven Intensification of the Kuroshio Current Extension from the 1970s to the 1980s

The spatial and temporal characteristics of oceanic thermal variations in the mixed layer and main thermocline of the midlatitude North Pacific are distinctive, suggesting different physical origins. Within the main thermocline (400-m depth), the variability is dominated by a westward-intensified pattern of decadal scale, indicative of enhanced eastward geostrophic flow along the southern flank of the Kuroshio Current extension during the 1980s relative to the 1970s. The authors argue that the decadal-scale change in the strength of the Kuroshio extension was a result of the dynamical adjustment of the oceanic circulation to a decadal variation in wind stress curl according to Sverdrup theory. Four-times daily wind stress fields from the National Center for Atmospheric Research‐National Centers for Environmental Prediction reanalysis project are used to compute the decadal change in Sverdrup transport associated with the 1976/77 climate transition. It is shown that the decadal changes in Sverdrup transport inferred from the wind stress curl field and in observed geostrophic flow inferred from the upper-ocean thermal field are consistent both in terms of spatial pattern and magnitude. The decadal change in depth-averaged geostrophic transport along the Kuroshio extension (referenced to 1 km) is 11.6 Sv, similar to the Sverdrup transport change (11.5‐13.9 Sv). The decadal-scale thermocline variation along the western boundary between 308 and 408N exhibits a lag of approximately 4‐5 yr relative to the decadal variation in the basin-wide wind stress curl pattern. This delay may be indicative of the transient adjustment of the gyre-scale circulation to a change in wind stress curl via long baroclinic Rossby waves.
‘Some Stated Employment of Your Mind’: Reading, Writing, and Religion in the Life of Susanna Wesley

Susanna Wesley (1669–1742) was raised a Dissenter, converted to Anglicanism as an adolescent, and arguably spent the last three years of her life as a Methodist. Moreover, these three modes of English Protestantism were neatly embodied respectively in three generations of clergymen to whom she was closely related: her father, the Presbyterian divine Samuel Annesley; her husband, Samuel Wesley, rector of Epworth; and her sons John and Charles, leaders of the Methodist revival. Yet she was not dominated either by the men closest to her or the patriarchically inclined religious traditions they served.
Rapid Stimulatory Effect of Activin-A on Messenger RNA Encoding the Follicle-Stimulating Hormone β-Subunit in Rat Pituitary Cell Cultures

Activin, a dimer of the β-subunits of inhibin, stimulates FSH secretion by cultured rat pituitary cells. Both the cell content of FSH and total FSH (secreted plus intracellular) are increased by activin, suggesting an effect on FSH biosynthesis. To test this idea directly, we examined the effect of purified human activin-A of recombinant DNA origin (rhactivin-A) on steady state levels of mRNAs for the gonadotropin subunits in pituitary cell cultures prepared from adult male rats. A preliminary study of the time course of rhactivin-A action indicated that the first significant effect on FSH secretion was observed at 6 h, with maximal stimulation occurring at 24–72 h. A small (20–30%), but significant, increase in LH secretion was also observed by 24 h. For RNA analysis, pituitary cell cultures were treated for 2–72 h with a maximally effective concentration (50 ng/ml) of rhactivin-A. FSH secretion in rhactivin-A-treated cultures was elevated by 2- to 2.5-fold. Intracellular FSH increased gradually from 24–...
Photothrombosis ischemia stimulates a sustained astrocytic Ca2+ signaling in vivo

Although there is significant information concerning the consequences of cerebral ischemia on neuronal function, relatively little is known about functional responses of astrocytes, the predominant glial-cell type in the central nervous system. In this study, we asked whether focal ischemia would impact astrocytic Ca(2+) signaling, a characteristic form of excitability in this cell type. In vivo Ca(2+) imaging of cortical astrocytes was performed using two-photon (2-P) microscopy during the acute phase of photothrombosis-induced ischemia initiated by green light illumination of circulating Rose Bengal. Although whisker evoked potentials were reduced by over 90% within minutes of photothrombosis, astrocytes in the ischemic core remained structurally intact for a few hours. In vivo Ca(2+) imaging showed that an increase in transient Ca(2+) signals in astrocytes within 20 min of ischemia. These Ca(2+) signals were synchronized and propagated as waves amongst the glial network. Pharmacological manipulations demonstrated that these Ca(2+) signals were dependent on activation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) and metabotropic gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABA(B)R) but not by P2 purinergic receptor or A1 adenosine receptor. Selective inhibition of Ca(2+) in astrocytes with BAPTA significantly reduced the infarct volume, demonstrating that the enhanced astrocytic Ca(2+) signal contributes to neuronal damage presumably through Ca(2+)-dependent release of glial glutamate. Because astrocytes offer multiple functions in close communication with neurons and vasculature, the ischemia-induced increase in astrocytic Ca(2+) signaling may represent an initial attempt for these cells to communicate with neurons or provide feed back regulation to the vasculature.
Changes in the middle region of Sup35 profoundly alter the nature of epigenetic inheritance for the yeast prion [PSI+]

The yeast prion [PSI+] provides an epigenetic mechanism for the inheritance of new phenotypes through self-perpetuating changes in protein conformation. [PSI+] is a nonfunctional, ordered aggregate of the translation termination factor Sup35p that influences new Sup35 proteins to adopt the same state. The N-terminal region of Sup35p plays a central role in prion induction and propagation. The C-terminal region provides translation termination activity. The function of the highly charged, conformationally flexible middle region (M) is unknown. An M deletion mutant was capable of existing in either the prion or the nonprion state, but in either case it was mostly insoluble. Substituting a charged synthetic polypeptide for M restored solubility, but the prions formed by this variant were mitotically very unstable. Substituting charged flexible regions from two other proteins for M created variants that acquired prion states (defined as self-perpetuating changes in function transferred to them from wild-type [PSI+] elements), but had profoundly different properties. One was soluble in both the prion and the nonprion form, mitotically stable but meiotically unstable, and cured by guanidine HCl but not by alterations in heat shock protein 104 (Hsp104p). The other could only maintain the prion state in the presence of wild-type protein, producing Mendelian segregation patterns. The unique character of these M variants, all carrying the same N-terminal prion-determining region, demonstrate the importance of M for [PSI+] and suggest that a much wider range of epigenetic phenomena might be based on self-perpetuating, prion-like changes in protein conformation than suggested by our current methods for defining prion states.
Blastomycotic hand infections

We report two cases of disseminated blastomycotic infections with involvement of the hand occurring in the absence of identifiable risk factors.
Camerate and Disparid Crinoids from the Late Kinderhookian Meadville Shale, Cuyahoga Formation of Ohio

Crinoids were first reported from the Cuyahoga Formation in northeastern Ohio by James Hall in 1863. However, these crinoids have not been re-examined in detail since the late nineteenth century. With the restudy of classical and more recent collections, ten (nine camerate and one disparid) species-level taxa are recognized from the late Kinderhookian Meadville Shale Member, Cuyahoga Formation, including the camerates Amphoracrinus viminalis (Hall, 1863); Aorocrinus helice Hall, 1863; Aorocrinus meyeri n. sp.; Aryballocrinus martini n. sp.; Cusacrinus daphne (Hall, 1863); Platycrinites s.l. contritus (Hall, 1863); Platycrinites s.l. graphicus (Hall, 1863); Platycrinites s.l. lodensis (Hall and Whitfield, 1875); and Platycrinites s.l. burkei n. sp. In addition, Halysiocrinus sp. is the first disparid reported from this fauna. Platycrinites s.l. bedfordensis (Hall and Whitfield, 1875) is designated a nomen dubium. Growth is evaluated for Aorocrinus helice and Cusacrinus daphne, which had contrasting development. The growth of the Aorocrinus helice calyx was largely not allometric but that of the primaxil plate was, suggesting the arms may have grown allometrically. In contrast, much of the calyx of Cusacrinus daphne displayed allometric growth.
Lecture, narrated slides, or first person view? Impact of presentation on learning outcomes

We are experimentally conducting a fine-grain comparative analysis of two different methods of producing pre-recorded lectures versus a traditional live lecture. The two different pre-recorded lecture production methods do not require assistance from university staff members and therefore represent a low-cost approach. The first method is generating narrated slides using PowerPoint during a live lecture and the second method is the recording of a live lecture from the instructor's point of view using a head mounted camera such as Google's Glass. We present some of our preliminary results of this comparative analysis, which indicate that little interactions exist overall between the implemented modus of presenting instructional materials and the observed student learning gains within the study configuration. Thus, as a preliminary indicator within our study confines, instructors are enabled to select the most convenient fashion of lecture presentation. We are presently expanding our set of experiments (different cohorts, different specific subject matter, etc.) to obtain broader conclusions.
The Impact of Generational Status on Instructors' Reported Technology Usage

Although the majority of colleges and universities are equipped with the latest instructional technologies, an appreciable integration of technology has not been observed in instructional practices (Flavin, 2013; Garrison & Akyol, 2009; Salinas, 2008). The purpose of this research is to understand the impact that generational differences can have on developmental education faculty members’ self-reported familiarity, use, and challenges with instructional technology as measured by the Developmental Education Technology Survey (DETS; Skidmore, Saxon, Zientek, & Edmonson, 2012). The DETS was developed to examine the level of technology integration in developmental education programs across Texas higher education institutions. Responses from 753 developmental education faculty members from 68 institutions (69% institutional response rate) are the focus of this study. Findings suggest that generational classification serves as a statistically significant predictor of familiarity with instructional technology. A statistically significantly larger proportion of the faculty of the Silent generation also identified their own skill level as a challenge compared to other generations. Developing an understanding of faculty members’ proclivity to use instructional technology through the lens of generational classification can lead to more targeted professional development, which can help faculty members move towards using instructional technology as a resource to improve teaching and learning.
Diagnosis and effects of urine contamination in cooled-extended stallion semen.

Urospermia is known to affect semen quality in many mammals, including stallions. Determinations of semen pH and creatinine and urea concentrations have been used to diagnose urine contamination in raw stallion semen. Unfortunately, practitioners suspecting urine contamination in cooled-shipped samples have no proven means to confirm the presence of urine. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to assess the effects of urine contamination on sperm motility of extended fresh and cooled-stored stallion semen, (2) to evaluate the usefulness of semen color, odor, pH, and creatinine and urea concentrations for urospermia diagnosis, and (3) to evaluate the accuracy of a commercial blood urea nitrogen test strip in diagnosing urine contamination in extended-cooled stallion semen. Thirty-seven ejaculates were obtained from 11 stallions with no history of urospermia before division into 5 mL aliquots, and contamination with stallion urine. Each resulting sample was assessed for sperm motility, color, odor, pH, creatinine, and urea nitrogen concentration using both a semiquantitative test strip (Azostix), and a quantitative automated analyzer before and after cooling for 24 hour. Sperm motility parameters, pH, and creatinine and urea concentrations were analyzed using mixed models. Urine contamination decreased total and progressive motility in all samples before and after cooling (P < 0.05). Mean control total motility was 80% at 0 hour and 67% at 24 hours, whereas urine-contaminated samples ranged from 30% to 71% at 0 hour and 27% to 61% at 24 hours. Control mean urea (29 mg/dL) and creatinine (0.6 mg/dL) concentrations were significantly different (P < 0.05) from all urine-contaminated samples (158 mg/dL and 11.6 mg/dL, respectively) at 0 hour. Similarly, control mean urea (8 mg/dL) and creatinine (0.9 mg/dL) concentrations were significantly different than all urine-contaminated samples at 24 hours. Odor assessment presented moderate sensitivity (65%) and high specificity (100%), while color assessment presented low sensitivity (47%) and moderate specificity (79%) for urine in extended semen. Azostix strips were highly sensitive (95%) and specific (97%). Assessment of color, odor, and pH are not reliable methods to diagnose urine in experimentally contaminated cooled-stored stallion semen. Sperm motility parameters (in raw and cooled semen) are significantly reduced by the presence of urine in a concentration dependent. The results of the present study indicated that determination of urea and creatinine concentrations can be used to diagnose urospermia and that Azostix can be used as a point care method for diagnosing urine contamination in extended cooled stallion semen.
Epidemiology of pediatric traumatic spinal cord injury in a population-based cohort, 1998-2012

BACKGROUND: Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) that occurs in children and adolescents who are still developing represents a different challenge than SCI in adults. However, information on the epidemiology and incidence of SCI in a population-based cohort is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology of pediatric SCI in a population-based cohort in the United States and to assess trend in incidence over a 15-year period (1998-2012). METHODS: Children and adolescents (0-21 years) with SCI were identified through the South Carolina SCI Surveillance Registry using hospital discharge records from 1998 to 2012. Overall age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated for each year, and incidence rates were stratified by age, gender, and race. RESULTS: The overall age-adjusted incidence rate was 26.9 per million population, and there was a trend (P =.0583) toward decreasing incidence of pediatric SCI. When stratified by race, there was a significant decrease in incidence among Whites(P =.0052) but not among non-Whites. Younger participants were more likely to be female, to be injured through sports, and to be more likely to have concomitant traumatic brain injury. Since 1998, the proportion of older pediatric patients (16-22 years) with SCI has increased, as has the proportion of non-White patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although there was an overall trend toward decreasing incidence in this population-based cohort, when stratified by race, this trend only occurred in the White population. Language: en
Estimation of Random Variables

This chapter contains sections titled: Estimation of Variables Linear MMSE Estimation Nonlinear MMSE Estimation Properties of Estimators of Random Variables Bayes Estimation Estimation of Nonrandom Parameters Summary This chapter contains sections titled: Problems References
Density functional theory calculations of the turbostratically disordered compound [(SnSe)1+y]m(VSe2)n

Among composite materials that layer constituent substances of nanoscale thicknesses, ${[(\mathrm{SnSe})}_{1+y}{\mathrm{]}}_{m}({\mathrm{VSe}}_{2}){}_{n}$ emerges as an example where the constituents retain incommensurate lattice structures. Perpendicular to the stacking direction, the system exhibits random translations and random rotations on average, i.e., turbostratic disorder, with local regions showing twelvefold diffraction patterns. Earlier theoretical work on these structures showed that combining density functional theory with an empirical treatment of the van der Waals interaction gave structural parameters in good agreement with experiment, but no attempt was made to examine the relative orientations. Here we approximate the extended system with one extended constituent and one finite constituent, which allows the treatment of all relative orientations on equal footing. The calculations show how the twelvefold periodicity follows from how the ions of the SnSe layer lock in with favored positions relative to the ${\mathrm{VSe}}_{2}$ layer, and the associated energy scale supports arguments for the overall turbostratic disorder. The success of this approximation in describing the structural parameters of the extended ${[(\mathrm{SnSe})}_{1+y}{\mathrm{]}}_{m}({\mathrm{VSe}}_{2}){}_{n}$ system encourages its use for other properties and for other similar systems with other chemistries.
Eosinophilia-Associated Coronary Artery Vasospasm in Patients with Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease

Background Some patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) and eosinophilia report angina-type chest pain that occurs at rest and responds to corticosteroid therapy. The frequency of eosinophilia-associated coronary artery vasospasm in patients with AERD, a disease characterized by blood and respiratory tissue eosinophilia, however, is unknown. Objective The objective of this study was to understand the cause of the chest pain described above and determine the most appropriate treatment for it. Methods A chart review of 153 patients with AERD who are followed at Brigham and Women's Hospital was performed. Patients who reported any type of chest pain were assessed for the presence of cardiac risk factors, eosinophilia, and response of chest pain to a variety of treatments. Two patients with AERD and eosinophilia who had recurrent chest pain due to suspected vasospasm are described in detail, and 8 other cases are also summarized. Results Of the 153 patients reviewed, 10 had a history of chest pain concerning for ischemia. Of the 10 patients with chest pain, 8 had undergone aspirin desensitization and initiated high-dose aspirin therapy; of these, 6 reported an increase in the frequency or severity of chest pain while on high-dose aspirin with improvement after aspirin discontinuation or dose reduction. Many patients had traditional cardiac risk factors, but none had any evidence of coronary atherosclerosis; almost all had significant eosinophilia. Their chest pain did not improve with typical antianginal treatments but did respond to corticosteroid therapy. Conclusions Although uncommon, patients with AERD can develop eosinophilia-associated coronary artery vasospasm, which is occasionally worsened by high-dose aspirin. Patients with AERD who present with symptoms of ischemic chest pain should be screened for eosinophilia, as early treatment with corticosteroids can be life-saving.
Comparison of Carbon Dioxide in Mid-troposphere and Near-surface

Recently, direct observational radiance evidence at two ground- based stations in Southern Great Plains and the North Slope of Alaska confirmed that the theoretical predictions of the atmospheric greenhouse effect due to anthropogenic emissions and provided empirical evidence of how the rising CO2 levels affected the surface energy balance. Therefore, it is important to retrieve CO2 concentration with high precision globally and further to analyze its sources and sinks. This research focuses on the comparison between near-surface and midtropospheric CO2 difference characteristics. First, the CO2 products from AIRS(Atmospheric Infrared Sounder)and GOSAT(Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite) were compared globally during 2010 to 2013. Time series result showed that the mid- tropospheric CO2 concentrations in each month from AIRS were all higher than the near- surface CO2 retrieved from GOSAT, which maybe because of the well- mixed of CO2 in mid- troposphere.And the spatial distribution of four year average CO2 was different between AIRS and GOSAT. As for AIRS, the high value region was between 30°N to 90°N, which affected by large amount of land and high human activity.However, the high value region for GOSAT CO2 occurred in tropical and subtropical area, such as Africa and Eastern China with a large population, which is not revealed by AIRS mid- troposphere CO2. The result demonstrates the significance of satellite sensitive to near-surface CO2 like GOSAT, which can provide important information in near- surface to make up the lack of ground- based stations. Moreover, the differences of CO2 between ocean and land, North Hemisphere(NH) and South Hemisphere(SH) were analyzed. The seasonal features of mean CO2 in ocean and land were similar, while CO2 value of land were higher than that of ocean due to human activity. In addition, different characteristics of CO2 in NH and SH was related to the opposite seasonal patterns in both hemispheres. And higher CO2 value occurred in NH because of the burn of fossil fuel. With the degradation of AIRS, Cr IS(Cross- track Infrared Sounder) instrument on Suomi NPP(National Polar- orbiting Partnership) was launched in 2011, and promises to provide high quality data like AIRS. Therefore, the CO2 column average and vertical profile products that generated from CSPP(Community Satellite Processing Package) NUCAPS(NOAA/NESDIS/STAR NOAA Unique Cr IS/ATMS Processing System) were analyzed for the first time and found consistent conclusions with the comparison between AIRS and GOSAT CO2.
Kinetics and regulation of granulocyte precursors during a granulopoietic stress.

Studies were performed in splenectomized dogs to investigate the proliferative kinetics of the committed granulocyte-macrophage stem cells (CFU-c) and to evaluate the role of colony-stimulating factor (CSF) in the regulation of granulocytopoiesis. Eight to ten hours following intraperitoneal infusion of starch-saline, the peritoneal cavity was lavaged to remove leukocytes. Three successive lavages (I, II, and III) were done in each dog. The CFU-c concentration in the marrow cells of 4 dogs and in the blood cells of 2, obtained before, during, and after lavages, was assayed in soft-agar medium. The CSF activity of lavage fluids was measured by their ability to stimulate canine marrow cells to form granulocyte-macrophage colonies in soft-agar medium. Each lavage removed 14.6–17.5 × 10 9 cells (more than 75% segmented forms and less than 20% monocytes), and the neutrophils removed were equivalent to 97%-108% of their total blood granulocyte pool. Lavaging caused rapid entry of neutrophils from the marrow into the blood and increased granulocytopoiesis in the marrow from the time of lavage II, as reflected by an increased percentage of granulocytes in the multiplicative compartment. Decreases occurred in the percentage normoblasts in the marrow commencing from the time of lavage II and in absolute reticulocyte count in blood after completion of the lavages. Marrow CFU-c decreased to a minimum (30%-57% of control value in 3 of 4 studies) at lavage I or II. CFU-c recovery with overshoot occurred in 3 of 4 studies by the time of lavage III or a day later. The pattern of blood CFU-c changes was similar to that of the marrow. CSF in lavages I, II, and III was ~5, 2, and 1.8 times the control level, respectively. These results suggest that during an acute need for granulocytes the marrow CFU-c differentiate under the apparent influence of CSF to form granulocytes, and pluripotent hemopoietic stem cells differentiate along the granulocytic line with a concomitant reduction in the erythrocytic line.