cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tracking Multiple Items Through Occlusion: Clues to Visual Objecthood

In three experiments, subjects attempted to track multiple items as they moved independently and unpredictably about a display. Performance was not impaired when the items were briefly (but completely) occluded at various times during their motion, suggesting that occlusion is taken into account when computing enduring perceptual objecthood. Unimpaired performance required the presence of accretion and deletion cues along fixed contours at the occluding boundaries. Performance was impaired when items were present on the visual field at the same times and to the same degrees as in the occlusion conditions, but disappeared and reappeared in ways which did not implicate the presence of occluding surfaces (e.g., by imploding and exploding into and out of existence instead of accreting and deleting along a fixed contour). Unimpaired performance did not require visible occluders (i.e., Michotte’s tunnel effect) or globally consistent occluder positions. We discuss implications of these results for theories of objecthood in visual attention. ≈ 1999 Academic Press
Information for proteomics: ESI-MS titration by sodium ions gives the number of carboxylate groups in peptides

Abstract We studied the electrospray ionization (ESI) of various peptides containing amino acids with acidic side chains to test whether the pattern of molecular ion peaks provides information on the number of acidic side chains. When we increased the concentration of sodium salt in the ESI solution containing a peptide, a characteristic pattern arose, and it represents the various sodium salts of carboxylic acid and an additional sodium ion to add charge to the species. Both C-terminal and side chain carboxylic acid groups readily form sodium carboxylates. After reaching full substitution of all acidic hydrogens for sodium ions, further increases in the concentration of sodium cations do not lead to the attachment of additional sodium atoms. This effect allows counting of acid residues in a peptide. This information is easily acquired and may be an appropriate supplement to exact mass measurements and partial sequence data that are currently used in proteomic database searches.
Do Reinforcement and Induction Increase Prosocial Behavior? Results of a Teacher-Based Intervention in Preschools

Abstract Teachers were trained to use reinforcement and induction to increase prosocial behavior in a sample of 98 children in Head Start-affiliated preschools, using a peer coaching model. There was one control group and three intervention groups: reinforcement-only, induction-only, and reinforcement-and-induction. Results indicated that the intervention groups showed a significant increase in total classroom prosocial behavior compared to the control group. The induction-only group increased dramatically in affection. The reinforcement-only group increased more in helping, sharing, and cooperation than in affection and comforting. Teacher behaviors in the classroom did not reflect conclusively that they were using the intervention strategies, possibly due to inadequate measurement.
Regulation of dog urothelial cell arachidonic acid release and prostaglandin E2 synthesis

The effects of various agonists on prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis and arachidonic acid release were evaluated to identify factors which regulate urothelial cell responsiveness. Techniques for harvesting and culturing urothelial cells from the canine bladder were developed. Although serum had little effect on growth, it was required for arachidonic acid, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) or A23187 to elicit increases in PGE2 production. Fetal calf serum (FCS), bovine calf serum (BCS) and heated BCS (each at 1%) were equally effective in supporting prostaglandin production. The optimum concentration range for the effect of FCS was 0.3-1.0% with 7.0% being less effective. The lack of agonist responsiveness observed with no serum could be reversed by adding serum at days 2 or 6 of a total of 9 days in culture. Subculturing cells dramatically reduced responsiveness to all stimulators tested. Bradykinin-stimulated release of arachidonic acid was maximal within 15 min, while the TPA release continued throughout the 120-min study. TPA response was inhibited by cycloheximide and actinomycin D. Neither agent altered the response to arachidonic acid. Combinations of arachidonic acid with TPA were neither additive nor synergistic. Responses to arachidonic acid, TPA and A23187 were optimum when the cells were near confluency. NaF, epidermal growth factor and mezerein also stimulated PGE2 synthesis. Tumor-promoting, but not the non-tumor-promoting phorbol esters (4 alpha-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate), increased PGE2 synthesis. Thus, the arachidonic acid cascade in dog urothelial cells is a hormonal responsive system which provides a method for evaluating transmembrane signaling.
Evaluating the Benefits of Communication Coprocessors

Communication coprocessors (CCPs) have become commonplace in modern MPPs and networks of workstations. These coprocessors provide dedicated hardware support for fast communication. In this paper we study how to exploit the capabilities of CCPs for executing user-level message handlers. We show, in the context of Active Messages and Split-C, that we can move message-handling code to the coprocessor, thus freeing the main processor for computational work. We address the important issues that arise, such as synchronization, and the limited computational power and flexibility of CCPs. We have implemented coprocessor versions of both Active Messages and Split-C. These implementations, developed on the Meiko CS-2, provide us with an excellent experimental platform to evaluate the benefits of a communication coprocessor architecture. Our experimental results show that the coprocessor version of Split-C is more responsive than the version which executes all message handlers on the main processor. This is despite the fact that some communication primitives are slower since the coprocessor on the Meiko CS-2 computes much slower. Overall, the performance on large Split-C applications is better because the coprocessor reacts faster and offloads the main processor, which does not need to poll or process interrupts.
Maturational constraints in language one and language two: A second look at the research on critical periods

Abstract Research on first language acquisition in young children and second language learning in older children and adults has examined the possible role played by maturational constraints (related to the notion of a critical period for language acquisition). The following article reviews findings from investigations that studied the special circumstances of delayed first language learning and the effect of age on second language learning. Findings suggest that: (a) the observed phenomenon of a critical period in language development merits further study, and (b) the ability to attain native-speaker grammatical competence may actually begin to diminish earlier than puberty. The discussion of the current research presents bilingual educators with a new framework from which to reconsider a number of pedagogical issues and recent controversies regarding school language policy.
A kinetic study of mass transfer in reversed-phase liquid chromatography on a C18-silica gel

The characteristic features of mass-transfer kinetics in a reversed-phase (RP) column packed with a C18-silica were studied. The relevant information on phase equilibrium thermodynamics and mass-transfer kinetics was obtained by frontal analysis and the pulse method, respectively. The equilibrium isotherm was accounted for by the simple Langmuir model. The ratio of the axial dispersion coefficient to the mobile-phase flow velocity increased almost linearly with increasing solute concentration. Similarly, the mass-transfer rate coefficient (km) showed a linear dependence on the solute concentration. The positive concentration dependence of km resulted from that of the surface diffusion coefficient, which was interpreted with the chemical potential driving force model. The contribution of axial dispersion to band broadening was predominant in the RP column packed with the medium-size packing material used (particle diameter, 12 μm) whereas that of the kinetics of adsorption/desorption was negligibly small. ...
Thermostability reinforcement through a combination of thermostability-related mutations of N-carbamyl-D-amino acid amidohydrolase.

For the improvement of N-carbamyl-D-amino acid amidohydrolase (DCase), which can be used for the industrial production of D-amino acids, the stability of DCase from Agrobacterium sp. KNK712 was improved through various combinations of thermostability-related mutations. The thermostable temperature (defined as the temperature on heat treatment for 10 min that caused a decrease in the DCase activity of 50%) of the enzyme which had three amino acids, H57Y, P203E, and V236A, replaced was increased by about 19°C. The mutant DCase, designated as 455M, was purified and its enzymatic properties were studied. The enzyme had highly increased stability against not only temperature but also pH, the optimal temperature of the enzyme being about 75°C. The substrate specificity of the enzyme for various N-carbamyl-D-amino acids was changed little in comparison with that of the native enzyme. Enzymochemical parameters were also measured.
Enabling Smart Grid with ETSI M2M standards

There are global initiatives underway to establish a communications framework for Smart Grid systems. These efforts are led by governments, standardization bodies, and industry consortiums. This paper analyzes several challenges that are associated with communicating in Smart Grid systems and assesses the suitability of using the European Telecommunications Standards Institute's machine to machine architectures and protocols (ETSI M2M) to communicate in Smart Grid systems. The paper concludes with a presentation of an ETSI M2M compliant prototyping system that demonstrates solutions to some of the communications challenges that are found in Smart Grid systems.
μ+ → e+γ and related rare decays

Abstract The connection of rare decays to supersymmetric grand unification is highlighted, and a brief review of the status of rare decay experiments is given. The status of the MEGA experiment, a search for μ + → e + γ , is reported. Some ideas for a new experimental arrangement that has the potential to reach a sensitivity of 10 −14 are presented.
Convergent functional genomics of psychiatric disorders

Genetic and gene expression studies, in humans and animal models of psychiatric and other medical disorders, are becoming increasingly integrated. Particularly for genomics, the convergence and integration of data across species, experimental modalities and technical platforms is providing a fit-to-disease way of extracting reproducible and biologically important signal, in contrast to the fit-to-cohort effect and limited reproducibility of human genetic analyses alone. With the advent of whole-genome sequencing and the realization that a major portion of the non-coding genome may contain regulatory variants, Convergent Functional Genomics (CFG) approaches are going to be essential to identify disease-relevant signal from the tremendous polymorphic variation present in the general population. Such work in psychiatry can provide an example of how to address other genetically complex disorders, and in turn will benefit by incorporating concepts from other areas, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Secreted CXCL12 (SDF-1) forms dimers under physiological conditions

Chemokine CXCL12 (CXC chemokine ligand 12) signalling through CXCR (CXC chemokine receptor) 4 and CXCR7 has essential functions in development and underlies diseases including cancer, atherosclerosis and autoimmunity. Chemokines may form homodimers that regulate receptor binding and signalling, but previous studies with synthetic CXCL12 have produced conflicting evidence for homodimerization. We used bioluminescence imaging with GL (Gaussia luciferase) fusions to investigate dimerization of CXCL12 secreted from mammalian cells. Using column chromatography and GL complementation, we established that CXCL12 was secreted from mammalian cells as both monomers and dimers. Secreted CXCL12 also formed homodimers in the extracellular space. Monomeric CXCL12 preferentially activated CXCR4 signalling through Gαi and Akt, whereas dimeric CXCL12 more effectively promoted recruitment of β-arrestin 2 to CXCR4 and chemotaxis of CXCR4-expressing breast cancer cells. We also showed that CXCR7 preferentially sequestered monomeric CXCL12 from the extracellular space and had minimal effects on dimeric CXCL12 in cell-based assays and an orthotopic tumour xenograft model of human breast cancer. These studies establish that CXCL12 secreted from mammalian cells forms homodimers under physiological conditions. Since monomeric and dimeric CXCL12 have distinct effects on cell signalling and function, our results have important implications for ongoing efforts to target CXCL12 pathways for therapy.
Convective Turing patterns

Turing patterns involve regions of different chemical compositions which lead to density gradients that, in liquids, are potentially unstable hydrodynamically. Nonlinear hydrodynamics coupled with a model of Turing pattern formation show that convection modifies and coexists with some Turing patterns and excludes others, and thereby plays a significant role in pattern selection.
Recycled oceanic crust in the Hawaiian Plume: evidence from temporal geochemical variations within the Koolau Shield

The subaerial surface of Koolau volcano is composed of lavas that define the distinctive endmember composition for Hawaiian shield lavas, known as the Koolau component, now designated as the Makapuu-stage. The geochemical characteristics of lavas recovered by the Koolau Scientific Drilling Project (KSDP) show that this distinctive composition forms a 80 ka; therefore it was not caused by an abrupt event, such as a landslide. Among all Koolau shield lavas, there are correlations between radiogenic isotopic ratios of Sr, Nd and Pb and compositional characteristics, such as SiO2 content (adjusted to be in equilibrium with Fo90 olivine), Sr/Nb, La/Nb and Th/La. These long-term compositional and isotopic trends show that as the shield aged, there was an increasing role for an ancient recycled marine sediment component (<3% of the source) accompanied by up to 20% SiO2-rich dacitic melt. This melt was generated by partial melting of garnet pyroxenite, probably kilometers in size, that formed from recycled basaltic oceanic crust. In detail, time series analyses of depth profiles of Al2O3/CaO, Sr/Nb, La/Nb and Th/La in the KSDP drill core show correlations among these ratios indicating that recycled oceanic crust contributed episodically, ~29 ka period, to the magma source during the prolonged transition from Kalihi- to Makapuu-stage lava compositions. The long-term geochemical trends show that recycled oceanic crust was increasingly important as the Koolau shield moved away from the plume and encountered lower temperature.
The validity of a simplified model for mask roughness induced LER under off-axis illumination with dense and isolated lines

As the total line-edge roughness (LER) budget nears the single nanometer regime for future nodes, the employment of extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) must take into account every LER contribution, including that due to the resist, the mask, and mask surface roughness. While much effort has gone into predicting resist LER and mask LER allowances, contributions due to mask roughness induced LER have just recently garnered attention. As the LER contribution due to mask surface roughness can very easily be on the order of several nanometers for out of focus conditions, it is important to have a means to predict it with ease as a function of NA, illumination type, defocus, feature size, and mask roughness properties. Recently, a new simplified model has been proposed for faster modeling and prediction of mask roughness induced LER based on those parameters. We extend that work and verify the validity of this simplified model across the gamut: from conventional disk-type illumination to off-axis illumination configurations, from dense lines and spaces to isolated ones, down to the 16-nm half pitch, and all through focus.
Exoelectrogenic capacity of host microbiota predicts lymphocyte recruitment to the gut

Electrotaxis, directional cell movement in response to an electric potential, has been demonstrated in a wide range of cell types including lymphocytes. Exoelectrogens, microorganisms capable of generating electrical currents, have been identified in microbial fuel cells. However, no studies have investigated exoelectrogenic microbes in fresh feces or the effects of an exoelectrogenic microbiota on the host organism. Here we show that commensal gut microbial populations differ in their capacity for electrical current production by exoelectrogens and that those differences are predictive of increased lymphocyte trafficking to the gut in vivo, despite the lack of increased production of canonical lymphocyte-specific chemokines. Additionally, we demonstrate that the difference in current production between mice purchased from different commercial sources correlates reproducibly with the presence or absence of segmented filamentous bacteria, and while our data do not support a direct role for segmented filamentous bacteria in ex vivo current production, an exoelectrogenic microbiota can be transferred in vivo via mucosa-associated bacteria present in the ileum. Moreover, we detect upregulation of microbial genes associated with extracellular electron transfer in feces of mice colonized with exoelectrogenic microbiota containing segmented filamentous bacteria. While still correlative, these results suggest a novel means by which the gut microbiota modulates the recruitment of cells of the immune system to the gut.
N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate Receptor Responses Are Differentially Modulated by Noncompetitive Receptor Antagonists and Ethanol in Inbred Long‐Sleep and Short‐Sleep Mice: Behavior and Electrophysiology

Background: Short-sleep (SS) mice exhibit higher locomotor activity than do long-sleep (LS) mice when injected with low doses of ethanol or the noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist MK-801 (dizocilpine). SS mice also have higher densities of brain NMDARs. However, two strains of LS X SS recombinant inbred (RI) mice also show differential activation to ethanol and MK-801, but have similar numbers of NMDARs. Here we used inbred LS (ILS) and SS (ISS) mice to investigate further the relationship between NMDARs and sensitivity to the stimulant effects of low doses of ethanol. Methods: Open field activity and spontaneous alternations were measured after saline or drug injection. [3H]MK-801 binding parameters were determined in hippocampus, cortex, striatum, and nucleus accumbens. Extracellular field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) were recorded in the CA1 region of hippocampal slices. Results: Systemic injection of either ethanol or MK-801 increased locomotor activity to a greater extent in ISS mice than in ILS mice. The competitive NMDAR antagonist 2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl-propyl-1–1phosphonic acid (±CPP) depressed activity of ILS, but not ISS, mice. No strain differences were observed in spontaneous alternations or in the number or affinity of NMDARs in the brain regions examined. Likewise, the magnitudes of hippocampal NMDAR-mediated fEPSPs were similar in ILS and ISS mice and were inhibited to the same extent by a competitive NMDAR antagonist. However, both ethanol and the NMDAR NR2B receptor antagonist ifenprodil inhibited the late component of hippocampal NMDAR fEPSPs to a greater extent in ISS, than in ILS, mice. Conclusions: Differential ethanol- and MK-801-induced behavioral activation in ILS and ISS mice was not associated with differences in NMDAR number. Nonetheless, pharmacological differences in hippocampal NMDAR responsiveness suggest that ISS mice express NMDARs that have a greater sensitivity to noncompetitive, but not competitive, NMDAR antagonists. These differences, which may reflect differences in NMDAR subunit composition, could underlie the differential responsiveness to low doses of ethanol in ILS and ISS mice.
Focal changes of sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (RosaiDorfman disease) associated with nodular lymphocyte predominant hodgkin's disease

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML/Rosai-Dorfman disease) has, on rare occasions been identified as an isolated phenomenon in lymph nodes affected by malignant lymphomas. The Registry includes four cases of SHML in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and one with multiple myeloma. SHML has more recently been recorded as a focal finding in lymph nodes involved by Hodgkin's disease of the mixed cellularity type. We report two patients presenting with lymphadenopathy caused by involvement by nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin's disease with focal changes of SHML, an association not previously recorded in the literature. Responsiveness of the histiocytic cells of SHML to B-cell derived cytokines is postulated as a mechanism for this phenomenon, an hypothesis previously raised in regard to the association of focal Langerhans cell histiocytosis with Hodgkin's disease and with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
Cytological changes in gap junctions during liver regeneration

We have used freeze-fracture replicas and thin sections to examine the ultrastructural changes in gap junctions in the regenerating liver of weanling rats at the times of gap junction disappearance (24–28 hr postoperative) and reappearance (36–44 hr postoperative). At 24 hr most hepatocytes have a normal complement of gap junctions, but by 26 hr only about 25% have normal junctions, while 65% have none, and 9–10% have small “remnants.” We find no convincing evidence that gap junctions are removed from the cell surface by internalization to form “annular” gap junctions, although we can induce this process in normal rat liver made anoxic or ischemic. By 36 hr after hepatectomy numerous small aggregates of gap junctional particles reappear, often associated with tight junctional strands. “Formation plaques” can be found but are rare.
Impedance Spectroscopy of the Electro-oxidation of Methanol on Polished Polycrystalline Platinum

The electro-oxidation of methanol on smooth polycrystalline platinum in the presence of a sulfuric acid solution was investigated using impedance spectroscopy. The impedance response of both the electro-oxidation of methanol and the adsorption of hydrogen were measured directly at potentials where these processes are active. The time dependence of the impedance of the adsorption of hydrogen in the presence of methanol was used as an in situ probe of the formation of methanol adsorption products. Monitoring the formation of methanol adsorption products by this method yielded kinetic information for the electro-oxidation of methanol at low potentials that previously has been difficult to obtain. The fitting of the impedance of the electro-oxidation of methanol to an appropriate model provided the values of impedance parameters whose potential dependence reveal information about the kinetics of the reaction, changes in the coverage of the adsorbed intermediate, and the effect of coadsorbed oxygen containing ...
Supervisory Crises and Dreams from Supervisees

In recent years, psychoanalysts have begun to examine the specific structure of the supervisory situation and its techniques. The present chapter is an attempt to explore a particular dimension of supervision that is seldom examined in a specific fashion—the supervisory crisis. Because of the wide scope of this important topic, the present contribution will focus on a single aspect of this situation: The use of dreams spontaneously reported by supervisees to their supervisors as a means of conceptualizing and dealing with supervisory crisis situations.
Memory deficits, postconcussive complaints, and posttraumatic stress disorder in a volunteer sample of veterans.

PURPOSE To better understand how memory impairment is related to postconcussive complaints and to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and whether these relationships remain after controlling for premorbid cognitive ability. METHOD We examined memory impairment, premorbid cognitive ability, postconcussive complaints, and symptoms of PTSD in 205 veterans, 135 of who gave a self-reported history of concussion and exposure to a traumatic life event. We limited our sample to those who gave good effort on cognitive testing according to a symptom validity measure. RESULTS Although memory impairment was not associated with a history of concussion, it was associated with severity of postconcussive complaints. That association was no longer significant after controlling for premorbid IQ. A similar analysis yielded slightly different findings for PTSD. Memory impairment was associated with PTSD diagnosis, although it was not associated with severity of PTSD symptoms after controlling for premorbid ability. CONCLUSIONS These data are consistent with multifactorial models of the etiology of postconcussion disorder and PTSD such as the "burden of adversity hypothesis" described by Brenner, Vanderploeg, and Terrio (2009). In such models, symptom severity and course of recovery are determined not only by trauma severity but (also) premorbid risk factors and postonset complications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).
Identification and quantification of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxy-adenosine in DNA by liquid chromatography/ mass spectrometry.

Recent studies suggested that 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine may play a role in diseases with defective nucleotide-excision repair. This compound is one of the major lesions, which is formed in DNA by hydroxyl radical attack on the sugar moiety of 2'-deoxyadenosine. It is likely to be repaired by nucleotide-excision repair rather than by base-excision repair because of a covalent bond between the sugar and base moieties. We studied the measurement of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine in DNA by liquid chromatography/isotope-dilution mass spectrometry. A methodology was developed for the analysis of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine by liquid chromatography in DNA hydrolyzed to nucleosides by a combination of four enzymes, i.e., DNase I, phosphodiesterases I and II, and alkaline phosphatase. Detection by mass spectrometry was performed using atmospheric pressure ionization-electrospray process in the positive ionization mode. Results showed that liquid chromatography/isotope-dilution mass spectrometry is well suited for identification and quantification of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine in DNA. Both (5'R)- and (5'S)-diastereomers of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine were detected. The level of sensitivity of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring amounted to 2 fmol of this compound on the column. The yield of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine was measured in DNA in aqueous solution exposed to ionizing radiation at doses from 2.5 to 80 Gray. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was also used to measure this compound in DNA. Both techniques yielded similar results. The yield of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine was comparable to the yields of some of the other major modified bases in DNA, which were measured using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The measurement of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry may contribute to the understanding of its biological properties and its role in diseases with defective nucleotide-excision repair.
Grain Formation Modulated by Molecular Hydrogen Evaporation in the Interstellar Medium

A mechanism for grain growth and formation in the interstellar medium is proposed. In this mechanism, hydrogen molecules act as moderators. The process begins when they physisorb to the surface of the grain. Then, when a collision with a heavy atom occurs, the bonding energy is carried away by the evaporation of hydrogen molecules. Estimates are made of the number of hydrogen molecules bound to the surface of a grain that would be sufficient to facilitate this mechanism at 13 K for amorphous carbon and 8 K for a silicate grain.
Investing American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds to Advance Capability, Reliability, and Performance in NASA Wind Tunnels

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Aeronautics Test Program (ATP) is implementing five significant ground-based test facility projects across the nation with funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The projects were selected as the best candidates within the constraints of the ARRA and the strategic plan of ATP. They are a combination of much-needed large scale maintenance, reliability, and system upgrades plus creating new test beds for upcoming research programs. The projects are: 1.) Re-activation of a large compressor to provide a second source for compressed air and vacuum to the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel at the Ames Research Center (ARC) 2.) Addition of high-altitude ice crystal generation at the Glenn Research Center Propulsion Systems Laboratory Test Cell 3, 3.) New refrigeration system and tunnel heat exchanger for the Icing Research Tunnel at the Glenn Research Center, 4.) Technical viability improvements for the National Transonic Facility at the Langley Research Center, and 5.) Modifications to conduct Environmentally Responsible Aviation and Rotorcraft research at the 14 x 22 Subsonic Tunnel at Langley Research Center. The selection rationale, problem statement, and technical solution summary for each project is given here. The benefits and challenges of the ARRA funded projects are discussed. Indirectly, this opportunity provides the advantages of developing experience in NASA's workforce in large projects and maintaining corporate knowledge in that very unique capability. It is envisioned that improved facilities will attract a larger user base and capabilities that are needed for current and future research efforts will offer revenue growth and future operations stability. Several of the chosen projects will maximize wind tunnel reliability and maintainability by using newer, proven technologies in place of older and obsolete equipment and processes. The projects will meet NASA's goal of integrating more efficient, environmentally safer, and less energy consuming hardware and processes into existing tunnel systems. These include Environmental Protection Agency-approved refrigerants, energy efficient motors, and faster, flexible tunnel data systems.
Mott transition in the d =∞ Hubbard model at zero temperature

Using a combination of perturbation theory and quantum Monte Carlo, we elucidate the behavior of the single-particle Green's function and the local spin-spin correlation function near the Mott transition in the infinite dimensional Hubbard model at half filling. The model has three fixed points: the Fermi liquid phase qualitatively described by the Brinkman-Rice picture, the insulating phase resembling Hubbard's solution, and an unstable Mott point which connects the two.
Submatrices of non-tree-realizable distance matrices

Abstract We deal with distance matrices of real (this means, not necessarily integer) numbers. It is known that a distance matrix D of order n is tree-realizable if and only if all its principal submatrices of order 4 are tree-realizable. We discuss bounds for the number, denoted Qi(D), of non-tree-realizable principal submatrices of order i ⩾ 4 of a non-tree-realizable distance matrix D of order n⩾i, and we construct some distance matrices which meet extremal conditions on Qi(D). Our starting point is a proof that a non-tree-realizable distance matrix of order 5 has at least two non-tree-realizable principal submatrices of order 4. Optimal realizations (by graphs with circuits) of distance matrices which are not tree-realizable are not yet as well known as optimal realizations which are trees. Using as starting point the optimal realization of the (arbitrary) distance matrix of order 4, we investigate optimal realizations of non-tree-realizable distance matrices with the minimum number of non-tree-realizable principal submatrices of order 4.
In Vivo Imaging of Myelin in the Vertebrate Central Nervous System Using Third Harmonic Generation Microscopy

Loss of myelin in the central nervous system (CNS) leads to debilitating neurological deficits. High-resolution optical imaging of myelin in the CNS of animal models is limited by a lack of in vivo myelin labeling strategies. We demonstrated that third harmonic generation (THG) microscopy—a coherent, nonlinear, dye-free imaging modality—provides micrometer resolution imaging of myelin in the mouse CNS. In fixed tissue, we found that THG signals arose from white matter tracts and were colocalized with two-photon excited fluorescence (2PEF) from a myelin-specific dye. In vivo, we used simultaneous THG and 2PEF imaging of the mouse spinal cord to resolve myelin sheaths surrounding individual fluorescently-labeled axons, and followed myelin disruption after spinal cord injury. Finally, we suggest optical mechanisms that underlie the myelin specificity of THG. These results establish THG microscopy as an ideal tool for the study of myelin loss and recovery.
Weighted CDS in Unit Disk Graph

It was open for many years whether MinW-CDS in unit disk graphs has a polynomial-time constant-approximation or not. Ambuhl et al. [2] discovered the first one. Their solution consists of two stages. At the first stage, they construct a dominating set which is a 72-approximation for the minimum-weight dominating set problem in unit disk graphs as follows.
Load transfer after cemented total shoulder arthroplasty.

Background Glenoid loosening is the primary reason for failure after a total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), but the failure mechanism is not yet known. This study determined how the load transfer and stress distribution are affected by the introduction of a glenoid implant. Methods We developed a finite-element model of a scapula with and without a virtually implanted modern glenoid prosthesis design. Two load magnitudes were considered: normal and high. Loading locations were simulated at the center and at 4 eccentric positions on the glenoid. A metal-backed implant was also simulated to understand the effect of fixation stiffness. Results In the intact glenoid, for both center and eccentric loading, the majority of stress was distributed in the cancellous bone, whereas after a reconstruction, stresses in that region were lower. Metal-backed implants further decreased the joint load carried by the bone. Stresses in the cement layer increased during eccentric and high-magnitude loading. Conclusion This study provided a basic understanding of the load-sharing phenomenon after a TSA that could explain glenoid loosening failure. Our results suggest that with reconstruction of the glenoid with a contemporary implant, the load transfer pattern is significantly altered, with eccentric and high-magnitude loads increasing stresses in the cement indicating potential for failure. The use of a metal-backed implant reduces the load carried by the bone, which may be detrimental to long-term TSA survival.
Building software engineering teams that work: The impact of dominance on group conflict and Performance outcomes

This project is designed to build on theories of team composition and proposes an innovative way of assigning students to teams. Currently, professors are using a variety of team assignment techniques to form software engineering teams. This research believes that a contributing factor to the undesired outcomes (i.e., low performing teams and high levels of conflict) of software engineering teams is that the teams were not formed using ldquorelevant and salientrdquo criteria. To address the relevance issue, we test the impact of problem solving preferences (a sub-set of the MBTI scale) on group conflict and performance. We then test the extent to which the numerical dominance (i.e., salience) of problem solving styles influences conflict and performance. It was found that dominance of problem solving styles is related to negative team outcomes. We conclude by discussing ways in which instructors and team members may minimize negative team outcomes when there is no choice other than forming a team with one dominant problem solving preference.
Proximate basis of variation in carotenoid pigmentation in male house finches

In the wild, male House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) vary in plumage color from pale yellow to bright red. I investigated the proximate basis of this variation in plumage brightness, as well as the basis for variation in the extent of ventral carotenoid pigmentation. Regardless of their age or coloration in the wild, captive males converged on a similar appearance after completing prebasic molt on a standardized diet, with significantly less variance in coloration than is found among wild males. Captive males that were fed a diet deficient in carotenoid pigments grew pale yellow feathers; males fed a diet supplemented with -carotene grew pale orange feathers; and males fed a diet supplemented with can- thaxanthin grew bright red feathers. Stored carotenoids did not appear to be an important source of feather pigments. Red males captured from the wild just prior to fall molt and fed a carotenoid-deficient diet did not grow more colorful feathers than males that had been held in captivity on a carotenoid-deficient diet for six to nine months prior to fall molt. In a wild House Finch population in southeastern Michigan, the mean plumage coloration of yearling males was significantly drabber than the mean coloration of older males, although both groups displayed approximately the same range of coloration. Wild males tended to become brighter between their first and second springs, but thereafter, males tended to display a similar plumage coloration between years. The extent of ventral carotenoid pigmentation (color-patch size) also was partly dependent on carotenoid intake. Captive males whose diet was supplemented with canthaxanthin produced significantly larger patches after captive molt than before captive molt, and canthaxanthin-supplemented males also expressed sig- nificantly larger patches than males in the carotenoid-deficient or -carotene-supplemented groups. Among wild males, there was a significant positive correlation between patch size and plumage brightness. Received 17 September 1990, accepted 24 July 1991.
Teaching Clinical (and Nonclinical) Psychology Through Applications to the Legal System Violence Risk Assessment and the Insanity Defense

The prediction of dangerousness and the insanity defense are two areas where psychologists provide research-based expertise to the courts. Teachers of psychology can use these topics to capture the...
A Proactively Maintained Quality of Service Infrastructure for Wireless Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

The infrastructureless nature of mobile ad hoc networks poses an extreme challenge for the design of conventional and Quality of Service (QoS) routing protocols. To the best of our knowledge, current QoS routing protocols have primarily been designed to meet QoS metric(s) without concentrating on the robustness of the proposed routing solution. This paper proposes a QoS virtual backbone (QoS-VBB) that can be used for robust QoS routing and monitoring. The proposed QoS-VBB nodes are mainly selected based on individual node stability and available bandwidth for each node. This QoS-VBB has proactive maintenance capability which makes it suitable for dynamic network MANETs' environs. In addition to its preemptive behavior, the proposed QoS-VBB demonstrates several salient features. The analytical studies for the proposed algorithm are presented.
Vicarious Shame and Guilt

Participants recalled instances when they felt vicariously ashamed or guilty for another’s wrongdoing and rated their appraisals of the event and resulting motivations. The study tested aspects of social association that uniquely predict vicarious shame and guilt. Results suggest that the experience of vicarious shame and vicarious guilt are distinguishable. Vicarious guilt was predicted by one’s perceived interdependence with the wrongdoer (e.g. high interpersonal interaction), an appraisal of control over the event, and a motivation to repair the other person’s wrongdoing. Vicarious shame was predicted by the relevance of the event to a shared social identity with the wrongdoer, an appraisal of self-image threat, and a motivation to distance from the event. Implications for intergroup behavior and emotion are discussed.
Transient Simulation to Analyze Flash Memory Erase Improvements Due to Germanium Content in the Substrate

We present a detailed and accurate physics-based transient simulation for modeling Flash memory erase characteristics when the substrate contains different percentages of germanium (Ge). Typical cells are erased by moving electrons from the floating gate to the drain, source, or substrate. This paper addresses substrate erase modeling using a simulation based on the solution to Poisson's equation with Ge percentage as an independent variable. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the derivation of an accurate erase simulation and show the improvements that can be achieved by using silicon-germanium (SiGe) substrate material versus silicon (Si) only. Several papers have been published on MOSFETs with SiGe substrates, but none has been published on the use of SiGe substrates in Flash memory.
Survival with permanent midbrain dysfunction after surgical treatment of traumatic subdural hematoma: The clinical picture of a duret hemorrhage?

Two patients with severe head trauma, each deeply comatose when initially seen, survived after evacuation of subdural hematoma, administration of corticosteroids and mannitol, and mechanical hyperventilation. Each lived despite persistent bilateral third nerve plasies and pyramidal signs, with relatively well preserved cognitive function. The clinical picture in each case is compatible with the residua of Duret hemorrhages. Useful survival after serious craniocerebral trauma is possible despite midbrain dysfunction.
Lifetime Risks of Cardiovascular Disease

Background The lifetime risks of cardiovascular disease have not been reported across the age spectrum in black adults and white adults. Methods We conducted a meta-analysis at the individual level using data from 18 cohort studies involving a total of 257,384 black men and women and white men and women whose risk factors for cardiovascular disease were measured at the ages of 45, 55, 65, and 75 years. Blood pressure, cholesterol level, smoking status, and diabetes status were used to stratify participants according to risk factors into five mutually exclusive categories. The remaining lifetime risks of cardiovascular events were estimated for participants in each category at each age, with death free of cardiovascular disease treated as a competing event. Results We observed marked differences in the lifetime risks of cardiovascular disease across risk-factor strata. Among participants who were 55 years of age, those with an optimal risk-factor profile (total cholesterol level, <180 mg per deciliter [4.7...
Silicon as an emissive optical medium

One of the great challenges in photonics has been to modify silicon to enhance light emission properties. In this review article we survey recent studies which have generated light from silicon in a variety of ways including introduction of emissive centers, anodization, fabrication of quantum-confined structures and by utilizing non-linear effects. Each method offers insight into silicon as an emissive medium, but no one method has proven effective enough a light source to compete with established technologies based on III-V and II-VI compound semiconductors, and in particular no one method of inducing light emission in silicon has made possible an electrically-pumped silicon laser.
Experience with the Norwood procedure without circulatory arrest.

Abstract Objective: We evaluated a new cardiopulmonary bypass technique that allowed complete avoidance of circulatory arrest and deep hypothermia in the Norwood procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Methods: A total of 10 patients were included in this study. The arterial line of the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit was divided in two in a Y shape; one branch was used for cerebral perfusion through the innominate artery and the other for lower body perfusion through the cannula inserted into the descending thoracic aorta. Moderate hypothermia (29°C-31°C rectal temperature) and high pump flow (150-180 mL · kg –1 · min –1 ) were used. A valveless conduit between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery was used in 6 patients as an alternative pulmonary blood source to a conventional Blalock-Taussig shunt (n = 4). Results: Circulatory arrest was completely avoided throughout the operation in all cases, and no complications from the new cardiopulmonary bypass technique were seen. Early deaths occurred in 3 cases. Neurologic deficits were not seen among the survivors, and the postoperative course was stable and uneventful, including satisfactory renal function. Conclusions: The Norwood procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome was successfully accomplished with complete avoidance of circulatory arrest by means of cerebral perfusion through the innominate artery combined with cannulation of the descending aorta. A conduit between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery seems an excellent alternative pulmonary blood source, although right ventricular function needs to be carefully monitored. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2001;122:879-82
Socioeconomic status, psychosocial processes, and perceived health: an interpersonal perspective.

Background: Psychosocial variables, including stress, emotions, and social factors, may contribute to the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and health. Concepts and methods from interpersonal theory (1) could provide a useful framework for research concerning the roles of psychosocial factors in socioeconomic health disparities. Purpose: We examined the association between SES and psychosocial processes captured by the interpersonal circumplex and tested the degree to which circumplex ratings explained the association between SES and perceived health. Methods: San Diego community residents (N = 304; 51% male; 34% Latino; 50% White; 20% Black; 6.8% Asian/Asian American; 2.9% another ethnicity) completed a circumplex-based assessment of several social contexts (home, work, and community), the SF–12 measure of perceived health, and questions concerning demographic characteristics. Results: Multilevel models revealed that individuals with lower SES described their social worlds as more hostile and less friendly compared with their higher SES counterparts. Furthermore, lower SES was associated with perceptions of exposure to more dominant or controlling behavior from others, compared with higher SES. Appraisals of hostility versus friendliness, in particular, helped explain the inverse association between SES and some aspects of perceived health. Conclusions: Applications of interpersonal theory may be useful in efforts to understand the roles of psychosocial factors in SES-related health disparities.