cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reactions of Thin Metal Films with Si or SiO 2 Substrates

The changes in vacuum-evaporated films of Ti, V and Mb on Si and SiO2 substrates after thermal anneals are investigated by backscattering and by x-ray spectrometry. Backscattering analysis provides the relative atomic composition as a function of depth with high sensitivity. Glancing angle x-ray spectrometry detects the chemical composition with high specificity. Combined, the two methods create a specific picture of the transformations induced in the films by the thermal treatment. Generally the reaction on a pure Si substrate produces a Si-rich silicide, and on a SiO2 substrate a metal-rich silicide in the form of an intermediate layer largely free of oxygen. The oxygen originally bound to the Si in the SiO2 is transferred to the remaining metal layer. Residual oxygen “in the metal film and metal oxides on the metal film influence the silicide formation.
Bone marrow from cadaver donors for transplantation

To determine the feasibility of obtaining bone marrow cells from cadaver donors for transplantation, marrow cells were prepared from 17 cadaver donors. After surgical removal of the iliac crest, as many as 2 X 10(9) cells were isolated. Cadaver marrow had a lower percentage of T cells (mean of 10%) than did marrow from living donors. The T cells were lysed by a monoclonal antibody and human complement to a point at which no sheep red blood cell-rosetting cells were detected. Low levels of T colonies, however, grew out from the monoclonal antibody-treated cells. Although cell loss inevitably occurs from purification, antibody treatment, freezing, and thawing, sufficient numbers can be recovered for transplantation. The yield of stem cells was 84% for CFU-C, 39% for CFU-E, 81% for BFU-E, and 48% for CFU-GEMM. We suggest that T cell-depleted marrow cells from cadaver donors could be used for transplantation. Improved immunosuppressive therapy may be required, however, to prevent graft rejection of allogeneic marrow that may have minor histocompatibility differences.
The Ohio State University ESCID Spinal Cord Contusion Model

Approximately half of the clinical cases of spinal cord injury are caused by a rapid contusive impact to the soft tissue of the spinal cord. Reproducible models of contusion injury are produced in rodents using a variety of approaches following the exposure of the intact dura with a dorsal laminectomy. In the contusion model developed at The Ohio State University (OSU), an impact to the spinal cord is mediated by the rapid and calibrated displacement of a vertical shaft, using a sensitive electromagnetic shaker controlled by interactive software. Key elements of the technology are the initiation of the impact from a fixed and measurable starting force or “touch” feature, investigator control of the slope, duration and amplitude of peak displacement, rapid retraction of the impactor after a single impact to prevent bounce effects, and the direct and real time measurement of displacement and force of impact upon the spinal compartment. To date, there has not been a comprehensive description of the development of this device and the methods used to obtain reproducible injuries to the spinal cord with this device. In this chapter, we will briefly describe the history of the design and the procedures that are used to calibrate, perform, and evaluate controlled contusion injuries using the OSU electromagnetic spinal cord injury device (ESCID). Final comments emphasize the advantages and limitations of the device and provide suggestions for future uses in advancing spinal cord injury research.
Effect of initial filament moisture content on the microstructure and mechanical performance of ULTEM® 9085 3D printed parts

Abstract This study investigates the moisture absorption characteristics of the ULTEM® 9085 filament and how the uptake concentration affects the quality of material extrusion manufactured 3-D parts. The filament was exposed to humidity conditions to achieve various moisture concentrations (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.16, 0.4 and 0.8 wt.%) and corresponding printed parts were evaluated for mechanical performance using tensile test dogbones. The rate of transport was modeled by Fickian diffusion and diffusion coefficients were obtained for various exposure conditions. Moduli, strain to failure and ultimate strength were evaluated in the XY (flat horizontal) and ZX(vertical) direction relative to the build plate orientation. Image analyses of cross-sections as well as their corresponding fracture surfaces were evaluated for consolidation, porosity distribution and failure behavior. Mechanical test data showed a significant decrease in tensile strength (>60%) and failure strain (>50%) over the range of filament moisture levels investigated. A decrease in failure strain of 41% was observed with moisture levels as low as 0.16%. This degradation was especially sensitive in parts printed in the vertical direction, which resulted in an ultimate failure strain of only 1%. The changes in mechanical performance are believed to be due to a combination of entrapped volatiles resulting in increased porosity at higher moisture levels as well as moisture induced pseudo-crosslinking at lower concentrations. Optical micrographs showed that specimens with 0.16% moisture or greater were filled with observable porosity and increased surface roughness. The rheological behavior of extruded material indicated plasticization as evidenced by melt flow index measurements and changes in the flow characteristics of moisture-exposed extrudate. DMA data show a distinct decrease in Tg with increased moisture content, which is consistent with plasticization. The absorption characteristics at room temperature lab conditions indicate that the material will reach an unacceptable level within one hour of room-temperature exposure. This investigation emphasized the need for awareness of the moisture sensitivities of ULTEM® 9085 when manufacturing high-quality material extrusion processed structures.
Multi-stage Optimal PMU Placement to Benefit System Voltage Stability

Phasor measurement units (PMUs) offer significant advantages over conventional measurements; they offer precise phasor measurements at a high refresh rate (50 sample/second). However, the PMUs are being deployed at a slow pace due to the high cost of installing PMUs. Therefore, the PMU locations need to be optimized, which is known as the optimal PMU placement (OPP) problem. For the OPP the minimum number of PMUs is installed to achieve the desired outcome. This outcome can be the complete observability of the system or other applications of the PMUs, such as bad data detection. This paper presents a multi-stage OPP using voltage stability criterion, where critical buses are prioritized for the OPP. The critical buses are determined using a voltage stability criterion, which is derived from the line stability factor. The proposed voltage stability creation can be integrated with other criteria for application-based OPP approaches. The proposed approach is tested on the IEEE 14-bus and the IEEE 30-bus test systems.
A dinuclear rhenium complex, {[(C18H24N2)Re(CO)3]2(μ‐C12H12N2)}(PF6)2·2CH2Cl2

A new ReI complex has been synthesized by reflux methods, viz. μ-ethyl­ene-1,2-di-4-pyridyl-κ2N:N′-bis­[fac-tri­carbonyl(4,4′-tert-butyl-2,2′-bi­pyridine)­rhenium(I)] hexa­fluoro­phos­phate di­chloro­methane disolvate, [Re(μ-C12H12N2)(C18H24N2)2(CO)6](PF6)2·2CH2Cl2. The compound is a centrosymmetric dinuclear complex. The self-assembled structure contains octahedral Re centers, connected by a 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)­ethyl­ene linking group.
GPU-accelerated dislocation dynamics using subcycling time-integration

Discrete dislocation dynamics (DDD) simulations are being increasingly employed to investigate metal plasticity at the mesoscale. However, in spite of its ability to access beyond the length and time limits of atomistic methods, the DDD model is still limited by its high computational cost, with ranges of achievable strains too low and strain rates too high by several orders of magnitude compared with typical experimental conditions. By combining the efficiency of the recently developed subcycling time-integrator with the highly parallel architecture of graphics processing unit (GPU) devices, we developed a DDD model that provides significant acceleration compared to existing implementations. Our GPU-accelerated implementation enables large-scale DDD simulations that can reach relevant levels of strain using a moderate amount of computational resources.
Anesthesia Practice: Review of Perioperative Management of H-Type Tracheoesophageal Fistula

Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is a rare congenital developmental anomaly, affecting 1 in 2500–3000 live births. The H-type TEF, consisting of a fistula between the trachea and a patent esophagus, is one of the rare anatomic subtypes, accounting for 4% of all TEFs. The presentation and perioperative management of neonates with H-type TEFs and all other TEFs are very similar to each other. Patients present with congenital heart disease and other defects and are prone to recurrent aspirations. A barium esophagogram or computed tomography of the chest is a common means to the diagnosis, and surgical repair is carried out through either a cervical approach or a right thoracotomy. During operation, anesthetic management is focused on preventing positive pressure ventilation through the fistula in an attempt to minimize gastric distension. For patients with H-type TEFs, because of the patent esophagus, symptoms are often less severe and nonspecific, resulting in subtle yet important differences in their diagnostic workup and management. This review will cover the finer details in the diagnosis and perioperative anesthetic management of TEF patients and clarify how H-type TEF distinguishes itself from the other anatomic subtypes.
A Comprehensive Approach to Validating the Uncanny Valley using the Anthropomorphic RoBOT (ABOT) Database

The uncanny valley hypothesis posits that people’s emotional responses to robots are increasingly positive as robots’ resemblance to humans increases. However, when robots closely, but imperfectly resemble humans, people’s responses turn negative, only to revert back once their appearance more closely resembles humans. These sharp emotional transitions (i.e., peaks and valleys in emotional response) from positive to negative, and then back to positive, are collectively referred to as the uncanny valley. In this project, we attempted to validate the uncanny valley with the largest set of real-world robots currently available in open source format (the ABOT Database). Participants saw static images of 251 robots which varied in their degree of human-likeness, and rated them on uncanniness. We found significant empirical support not only for the hypothesized uncanny valley but an additional valley. This unanticipated valley emerged when the robots’ appearance had low to moderate human-likeness. Unique combinations of appearance dimensions of human-like robots may be responsible for the presence of an additional valley for robots that only moderately resemble humans. These findings of uncanny valleys in the existing robots may have important implications for robot design.
The plot thickens: illustrated Victorian serial fiction from Dickens to Du Maurier: by Mary Elizabeth Leighton and Lisa Surridge, Athens, Ohio UP, 2019, 331 pp., $85.00 (hardcover), ISBN 978-0-8214-2334-9

A groundbreaking essay entitled “The Plot Thickens: Toward a Narratological Analysis of Illustrated Serial Fiction in the 1860s” appeared in 2008, offering a typology of the effects of serial illus...
Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes

The sudden deaths of prominent athletes in the USA and abroad have drawn intense attention in the media and bewildered the public to SCD in sports. In this chapter, the author discusses the effect of athletics on the ECG and cardiac echocardiographic parameters, the epidemiology of SCD in the athlete, athletic activity triggering SCD, heart disease in athletes dying suddenly in the USA as compared to those in Europe, the pre-screening of competitive athletes in the USA and Europe and recommendations for athletes partaking in competitive sports.
Leadership Perceptions of Social Media Use by Small- to Medium-Sized Nonprofits

This exploratory research focused on the social media use of small- to medium-sized nonprofit organizations. In-depth interviews with nonprofit leaders explored their perceptions of why nonprofit organizations and their leaders adopt and use social media, the strategies developed for doing so, and the barriers encountered in the adoption and utilization processes. Most of the leaders of small- to medium-sized organizations saw social media as a supplement to organizational activities, but had limited visions of how to use social media to engage with the constituencies and to advance organizational goals. Subscribe to JNEL
Projected Utility of Pharmacogenomic Testing Among Individuals Hospitalized With COVID-19: A Retrospective Multicenter Study in the United States.

Many academic institutions are collecting blood samples from patients seeking treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to build research biorepositories. It may be feasible to extract pharmacogenomic (PGx) information from biorepositories for clinical use. We sought to characterize the potential value of multigene PGx testing among individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 in the United States. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of electronic health records from consecutive individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 at a large, urban academic health system. We characterized medication orders, focusing on medications with actionable PGx guidance related to 14 commonly assayed genes (CYP2C19, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, CYP3A5, DPYD, G6PD, HLA-A, HLA-B, IFNL3, NUDT15, SLCO1B1, TPMT, UGT1A1, and VKORC1). A simulation analysis combined medication data with population phenotype frequencies to estimate how many treatment modifications would be enabled if multigene PGx results were available. Sixty-four unique medications with PGx guidance were ordered at least once in the cohort (n = 1,852, mean age 60.1 years). Nearly nine in 10 individuals (89.7%) had at least one order for a medication with PGx guidance and 427 patients (23.1%) had orders for 4 or more actionable medications. Using a simulation, we estimated that 17 treatment modifications per 100 patients would be enabled if PGx results were available. The genes CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 were responsible for the majority of treatment modifications, and the medications most often affected were ondansetron, oxycodone, and clopidogrel. PGx results would be relevant for nearly all individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and would provide the opportunity to improve clinical care.
Individual level prediction of emerging suicide events in the pharmacologic treatment of bipolar disorder

Abstract Background Patients with bipolar disorder have a high lifetime risk of suicide. Predicting, preventing and managing suicidal behavior are major goals in clinical practice. Changes in suicidal thoughts and behavior are common in the course of treatment of bipolar disorder. Methods Using a dataset from a randomized clinical trial of bipolar disorder treatment (N=98), we tested predictors of future suicidal behavior identified through a review of literature and applied marginal variable selection and machine learning methods. The performance of the models was assessed using the optimism-adjusted C statistic. Results Number of prior hospitalizations, number of prior suicide attempts, current employment status and Hamilton Depression Scale were identified as predictors and a simple logistic regression model was constructed. This model was compared with a model incorporating interactions with treatment group assignment, and more complex variable selection methods (LASSO and Survival Trees). The best performing models had average optimism-adjusted C-statistics of 0.67 (main effects only) and 0.69 (Survival Trees). Incorporating medication group did not improve prediction performance of the models. Conclusions These results suggest that models with a few predictors may yield a clinically meaningful way to stratify risk of emerging suicide events in patients who are undergoing pharmacologic treatment for bipolar disorder. Significance Statement This study aims to find out whether suicide events that occur during the pharmacological treatment of bipolar disorder, a severe psychiatric disorder that is highly associated with suicide behavior, can be predicted. Using existing methods, we developed and compared several predictive models. We showed that these models performed similarly to predictive models of other outcomes, such as treatment efficacy, in unipolar and bipolar depression. This suggests that suicide events during bipolar disorder may be a feasible target for individualized interventions in the future.
Beyond Cause: The Development of Clockwork Cognition:

Thinking of the world in mechanistic terms—how things work—is both cognitively natural and motivating for humans from the preschool years onward. Mechanisms have distinct structural properties that...
“Talking” as a Romantic Interaction: Is There Consensus?

Emerging adults (EAs) use many phrases to refer to their romantic interactions. In two studies (N1 = 110; N2 = 222), EAs’ knowledge and perceptions of “talking” were examined. In Study 1, a major...
White Apathy and Allyship in Uncivil Racial Social Media Comments

Given the pervasiveness of racist online comments, it is important to determine what factors motivate White audiences to take actions for racial justice. We utilize and expand on the defensive effe...
Progress status on Quanta Image Sensors

The Quanta Image Sensor (QIS) is a photon-counting image sensor conceptualized in 2004 by Fossum and reduced to practice over the past 8 years at Dartmouth using a CMOS image sensor platform, and now referred to as CIS-QIS. This CIS-QIS device is a photon-number resolving sensor that does not use avalanche multiplication, and has been demonstrated in megapixel format with small pixel pitch. This progress will be reported along with associated progress of the spin-out company Gigajot, and other collaborators. In just the past few years, SPAD devices have also been used to explore the QIS concept. Termed SPAD-QIS, the first megapixel SPAD-QIS was reported just in the past few weeks. A comparison of the advantages of CIS-QIS and SPAD-QIS will be presented. Both represent a paradigm shift in image acquisition and may become important for many quantum photonics applications.
Desire: A History of European Sexuality

A sweeping survey of sexuality in Europe from the Greeks to the present, Desire: A History of European Sexuality follows changing attitudes to two major concepts of sexual desire – desire as dangerous, polluting, and disorderly, and desire as creative, transcendent, even revolutionary – through the major turning points of European history. Chronological in structure, and wide ranging in scope, Desire addresses such topics as sex in ancient Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, sexual contact and culture clash in Spain and colonial Mesoamerica, new attitudes toward sexuality in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and sex in Bolshevik Russia and Nazi Germany. The book introduces the concept of "twilight moments" to describe activities seen as shameful or dishonorable, but which were tolerated when concealed by shadows, and integrates the history of heterosexuality with same-sex desire, as well as exploring the emotions of love and lust as well as the politics of sex and personal experiences. This new edition has been updated to include a new chapter on sex and imperialism and expanded discussions of Islam and trans issues. Drawing on a rich array of sources, including poetry, novels, pornography, and film, as well as court records, autobiographies, and personal letters, and written in a lively, engaging style, Desire remains an essential resource for scholars and students of the history of European sexuality, as well as women’s and gender history, social and cultural history and LGBTQ history.
Synthetic and structural studies of mono-acetylide and unsymmetric bis-acetylide complexes based on Co III -cyclam

Abstract Reported in this contribution are the synthesis and characterization of both mono-acetylide and unsymmetric bis-acetylide compounds based on CoIII(cyclam) (cyclam = 1,4,8,11,tetraazacycloctetradecane). Refluxing [Co(cyclam)Cl2]Cl with HC2R in the presence of organic amine resulted in the formation of trans-[Co(cyclam)(C2R)Cl]Cl (R = -4-C6H4NO2 (1a), -ferrocenyl (1b) and -4-C6H4SC2H4SiMe3 (1c)) in satisfactory yields. Subsequent reactions between LiC2Ph and trans-[Co(cyclam)(C2-4-C6H4NO2)Cl]Cl resulted in a mixture of trans-[Co(cyclam)(C2-4-C6H4NO2)(C2Ph)]Cl (2a) and trans-[Co(cyclam)(C2Ph)2]Cl (trace). Molecular structures of the new compounds were established using single crystal X-ray diffraction. Cyclic voltammetric study revealed that these compounds typically display three Co-based couples: an irreversible 1e− oxidation, and two 1e− reductions.
Socioeconomic Status, Definition

Socioeconomic status (SES) is defined as a measure of one's combined economic and social status and tends to be positively associated with better health. This entry focuses on the three common measures of socioeconomic status; education, income, and occupation. I include definitions, theoretical background, and empirical support for each of these SES indicators and their relationship with health. SES is generally thought to influence health through three avenues: (1) SES influences health through the ability to purchase health promoting resources and treatments; (2) socialization of early health habits and continuing socialization of health habits differs by SES; and (3) it has been posited that, rather than SES influencing health, health influences SES – less healthy individuals complete fewer years of school, miss more work, and earn lower incomes. Keywords: education; poverty; social selection; socialization; socioeconomic status
Chapter 16 - Extended Hamiltonian Systems

This chapter discusses Hamiltonian partial differential wave equations that are defined on unbounded spatial domains, a class of so-called “extended Hamiltonian systems.” The contrast in dynamics between Hamiltonian systems of extended type and those of compact type is striking. Compact Hamiltonian systems arising, for example, from finite dimensional Hamiltonian systems or Hamiltonian partial differential equations (PDE), governing an evolutionary process, defined on a bounded spatial domain, are systems governed by finite or infinite systems of ordinary differential equations (ODE) with a discrete set of frequencies. In contrast, extended Hamiltonian systems, arising from Hamiltonian PDEs, are systems involving continuous as well as discrete spectra of frequencies. Stable states are expected to be asymptotically stable; states initially nearby the unperturbed state remain close and even converge to it in an appropriate metric. Since the flow is in an infinite-dimensional space, this does not contradict the Hamiltonian character of the phase flow that in finite dimensional spaces preserves volume. Convergence to an asymptotic state occurs through a mechanism of radiating energy to infinity. It is also possible that some states of the system are long-lived metastable states.
99th Dahlem conference on infection, inflammation and chronic inflammatory disorders: viruses, autoimmunity and immunoregulation.

Based on studies in animal models, viral infections, in particular by enteroviruses, can accelerate or halt type 1 diabetes (T1D) development. Among factors that determine the outcome are the degree of viral replication in the target organ (viral titres), the tropism of the virus for β cells, and the precise time-point of infection in relation to the diabetogenic process. Mechanisms underlying these phenomena have been assessed in mouse studies and should now be verified for human T1D. For enhancement of diabetes development, up-regulation of interferon pathways, expression of class-I major histocompatibility complexes and Toll-like receptor-dependent immunity appear important. In contrast, prevention of T1D involves pathways that the immune system usually invokes to shut down anti-viral responses to limit immunopathology, and which can 'clean out' autoreactive memory effector T cells as a bystander phenomenon: up-regulation of inhibitory molecules and invigoration of regulatory T cell (T reg ) function. Importantly, these immunoregulatory processes also appear to foster and sustain persistent viral infections. Induction of immunoregulatory mechanisms, and in particular the phenotype and function of T regs , is of interest therapeutically and will be discussed.
Achieving Self-Managed Deployment: in a Distributed Environment

This paper proposes algorithms and mechanisms for achieving self-optimized deployment of computationally intensive scientific and engineering applications in highly dynamic and large-scale distributed environment. The primary focus is on the modeling of the application and underlying architecture into a common abstraction and on the incorporations of autonomic features to those abstractions to achieve self-optimized deployment. To represent the underlying heterogeneous infrastructure, a hierarchical (tree) model of distributed resources has been adopted that organizes distributed nodes in a utility aware way. To accomplish the self-optimization, a utility-function has been formulated that governs both the initial deployment of an application and its dynamic reconfiguration. In our approach, the deployment decisions are made solely based on locally available information and without costly global communication or synchronization. The self-management is therefore decentralized to provide better adaptability, scalability and robustness.
Battery-powered pulsed high density inductively coupled plasma source for pre-ionization in laboratory astrophysics experiments

An electrically floating radiofrequency (RF) pre-ionization plasma source has been developed to enable neutral gas breakdown at lower pressures and to access new experimental regimes in the Caltech laboratory astrophysics experiments. The source uses a customized 13.56 MHz class D RF power amplifier that is powered by AA batteries, allowing it to safely float at 3–6 kV with the electrodes of the high voltage pulsed power experiments. The amplifier, which is capable of 3 kW output power in pulsed (<1 ms) operation, couples electrical energy to the plasma through an antenna external to the 1.1 cm radius discharge tube. By comparing the predictions of a global equilibrium discharge model with the measured scalings of plasma density with RF power input and axial magnetic field strength, we demonstrate that inductive coupling (rather than capacitive coupling or wave damping) is the dominant energy transfer mechanism. Peak ion densities exceeding 5 × 1019 m−3 in argon gas at 30 mTorr have been achieved with and without a background field. Installation of the pre-ionization source on a magnetohydrodynamically driven jet experiment reduced the breakdown time and jitter and allowed for the creation of hotter, faster argon plasma jets than was previously possible.
DESCRIPTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MORTALITY IN NEW JERSEY DUE TO COMBINATIONS OF CODEINE AND GLUTETHIMIDE

A review of records of the Toxicology Laboratory of the New Jersey State Medical Examiner's Office yielded a total of 36 deaths attributable to overdose of "hits," an oral combination of codeine and glutethimide, during 1980-1981. During the same period, 126 deaths due to heroin overdose and 46 deaths due to methadone overdose occurred. The majority of hits cases (77.8%) occurred in the Newark vicinity. Demographic features of persons who died of the three agents are presented, and some explanations are advanced for the unexpectedly high mortality due to the oral narcotic combination.
Tracking of body mass index from childhood to adolescence: a 6-y follow-up study in China

Background: Although extensive descriptive research shows that childhood obesity predisposes a person to adult obesity little is understood about the dynamics of weight during childhood and the predictors of weight tracking. Objective: Our objective was to examine tracking patterns of body mass index (BMI) as well as their predictors between childhood and adolescence. Design: A cohort of 975 Chinese children aged 6-13 y was followed for 6 y (1991-1997). Tracking of BMI was defined as an individual maintaining a certain status (overweight or underweight) or relative position (relative BMI quartile) over time. Relative BMI related BMI to age- and sex-specific BMI cutoffs. Results: After 6 y ˜40% of the subjects had maintained their relative positions but 30% had moved into a lower or higher quartile. The BMIs of thin and fat children were more likely to track: 51% and 46% remained in the bottom and upper quartiles respectively. Nearly one-third of the underweight children remained underweight in 1997. Overweight children were 2.8 times as likely as all other children to become overweight adolescents; underweight children were 3.6 times as likely to remain underweight as adolescents. Parental obesity and underweight individuals initial BMIs dietary fat intake and family income helped predict tracking and changes in BMI. Conclusion: In a society undergoing enormous changes in diet and activity BMI tracking is still very important between childhood and adolescence in China. (authors)
MULTIPLE β -ADRENOCEPTORS ARE PRESENT IN ADULT BUT NOT FETAL SHEEP KIDNEYS

β 2- adrenergic induced renal vasodilatation is greater in fetal than adult sheep. To determine a mechanism involved in this age related response, we characterized the β adrenoceptor in fetal and adult renal cortical membranes (30,000 xg fraction containing both vascular and tubular membranes) using radioligand binding studies. Specific binding of the non-selective β adrenergic antagonist 125I-pindolol (defined by 1 uM (-)-propranolol) was 80%. Receptor density from Rosenthal plots (Bmax, fmol/mg protein), inhibition constant (Ki, M), and % distribution of receptor subtypes using the β2 adrenergic antagonist, ICI 118, 551, from competition experiments (M±SE) are: Ki for (-)-isoproterenol and the β2 agonist zinterol were similar in both fetus and adult. However, stereoselectivity was greater in adults than fetuses: similar Ki for (-)-propranolol but Ki for (+)-propranolol less in fetus (6E−8M) (n=3) than adult (1E-7M)(n=3), (p<.05 ANOVA). We conclude that β adreceptors in fetal kidneys are less differentiated than those in adults. The greater density of β2 receptors in fetal kidneys may explain in part the greater β2 vasodilatory response in fetal than adult kidneys.
Swing arm optical coordinate-measuring machine: high precision measuring ground aspheric surfaces using a laser triangulation probe

The swing arm optical coordinate-measuring machine (SOC), a profilometer with a distance measuring interferometric sensor for in situ measurement of the topography of aspheric surfaces, has shown a precision rivaling the full aperture interferometric test. To further increase optical manufacturing efficiency, we enhance the SOC with an optical laser triangulation sensor for measuring test surfaces in their ground state before polishing. The calibrated sensor has good linearity and is insensitive to the angular variations of the surfaces under testing. Sensor working parameters such as sensor tip location, projection beam angle, and measurement direction are calibrated and incorporated in the SOC data reduction software to relate the sensor readout with the test surface sag. Experimental results show that the SOC with the triangulation sensor can measure aspheric ground surfaces with an accuracy of 100 nm rms or better.
Work in progress — Using a visual programming language to bridge the cognitive gap between a novice's mental model and program code

Current research suggests that many students do not know how to program at the conclusion of their introductory course, which has been taught predominately with textual and auditory lecturing. By primarily appealing to programming novices who prefer to understand visually, an understanding method not currently accommodated through the standard lecture style used in most classes, we develop a method that encourages communication of programming solutions. This method builds upon previous research that suggests that most engineering students are visual learners and we contribute that using a flow-model visual programming language will address important and difficult topics to novices of programming. We performed a pilot study using a knowledge modeling tool instead of using an existing visual programming tool to test this method, and share the program understanding results using this theory.
Special Issue on Combinatorial Optimization in Data Mining

The human brain is among the most complex systems known to man. Neuroscientists seek to understand brain function through detailed analysis of neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission. Only in the last few years has it become feasible to capture simultaneous responses from large enough numbers of neurons to empirically test the theories of human brain function. Experimental neuroscience methods have resulted in massive amounts of data, but traditional data-processing and quantitative methods are not sophisticated enough to exploit this new flood of information. There is an increasing number of modern research efforts in data mining, systems analysis and optimization research to advance methods needed to process the large spatial and temporal data arising in quantitative neuroscience. In view of the importance of advances in data mining and optimization, the DIMACS Conference on Data Mining, Systems Analysis and Optimization in Neuroscience was held at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, on February 15–17, 2006. The workshop brought together world class researchers working on fundamental and quantitative neuroscience. This special issue of the Journal of Combinatorial Optimization contains six papers originated from the presentations accepted to the conference and expanded in the light of discussions taken place at the conference. Each of the six selected papers in this issue underwent a rigorous extra refereeing and revision, and had been accepted by the stringent refereeing process. The issue demonstrates the range of different types of neuroscience problems being addressed
Automatic Classification of Project Documents on the Basis of Text Content

AbstractOrganizing construction project documents based on semantic similarities offers several advantages over traditional metadata criteria, including facilitating document retrieval and enhancing knowledge reuse. In this study, the use of text classifiers for automatically classifying documents according to their corresponding group of semantically related documents is evaluated. Supporting documents of claims were used as representations of document discourses. The evaluation was performed under varying general conditions (such as dimensionality level and weighting method) to assess the effect of such conditions on performance, and varying classifier-specific parameters. The highest performance in terms of classification accuracy was achieved by a Rocchio classifier and a kNN classifier with the application of dimensionality reduction and using the tf-idf weighting method. A combined classifier approach was also evaluated in which the classification outcome is based on a majority vote strategy between...
Influenza Surveillance in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): 2012-2013 Influenza Season

Since 2009, VA Office of Public Health has monitored influenza and influenza-like-illness (ILI) activity using the VA's Healthcare Associated Infection and Influenza Surveillance System (HAIISS). Analysis of data from the 2012-2013 Influenza Season showed increases in outpatient visits, hospitalizations, telephone triage calls, total testing and positive influenza tests, indicating that the 2012-2013 season required more healthcare resource utilization. Additionally, more Veterans â‰¥ 65 years of age sought care compared to the last 2 seasons. Strain characterization demonstrated HA epitope differences compared to vaccine strains. Vaccine procedure data showed that influenza immunization among VA patients could be improved upon.
Functional genomic analysis reveals the utility of the I/LWEQ module as a predictor of protein:actin interaction.

The I/LWEQ module is a conserved sequence that we have identified as an actin-binding motif in the metazoan focal adhesion protein talin and the yeast protein Sla2p. Both of these proteins are associated with the actin cytoskeleton in cells. To better establish the value of the I/LWEQ module for prediction of actin-binding function, we have applied a functional genomics approach. Analysis of the 23 available I/LWEQ module sequences supports the division of I/LWEQ protein superfamily into four groups: (1) metazoan talin, (2) Dictyostelium discoideum talin homologs TalA/B, (3) metazoan Hip1p, and (4) yeast Sla2p. We show here that I/LWEQ modules from each major group bind to F-actin in vitro and that GFP-fusion proteins of the I/LWEQ modules of talin and Sla2p bind to F-actin in vivo. Therefore, the presence of an I/LWEQ module is strongly predictive of protein-actin interactions. The structural and functional conservation of the I/LWEQ module across the phylogenetic distance between cellular slime molds and mammals implies that the role of the I/LWEQ module is to connect diverse proteins involved in distinct cellular processes, including cell adhesion, cytoskeletal organization, and cell differentiation, to the actin cytoskeleton.
The three-dimensional numerical simulation of aluminized composite solid propellant combustion

A three-dimensional numerical framework is presented that examines the burning of aluminized solid propellants. The numerical solver accounts for heat conduction in the solid, combustion in the gas phase, and coupling of these by means of a level set method. The aluminium particles are treated as heat conducting solid spheres. The aluminium particle detachment process is modelled using level sets, but once the particle becomes free from the surface, its subsequent motion in the gas phase is governed by particle dynamics. Some preliminary calculations of the three-dimensional combustion field supported by a pack with embedded aluminium particles are presented.
Very long charge runs in systemic lupus erythematosus-associated autoantigens.

Abstract Systemic lupus erythematosus and other chronic systemic autoimmune diseases are associated with circulating autoantibodies reactive with a limited set of mostly nuclear proteins. Using rigorous statistical methods we have identified segments of highly significant charge concentration in the majority of the characteristic nuclear and cytoplasmic autoantigens. Extremely long runs of charged residues, including some sequences of greater than 20 consecutive charged residues (purely acidic or mixed basic and acidic), occur in about a third of these proteins, whereas equivalent runs are found in less than 3% of other mammalian proteins. The other sequences have less extreme charge clusters, the type and location of which are often conserved between several otherwise nonsimilar antigens. We propose that supercharged surfaces render the targeted host proteins strongly immunogenic and that antinuclear antibody profiles might result from chronic exposure to intracellular contents, possibly in conjunction with crossreactive viral products. The limited number of potential systemic autoantigens may partly be due to the rarity of requisite charge properties.
Mode of action of p-chlorophenylalanine on Pseudomonas species (11299a).

Abstract The action of p-chloro- dl -phenylalanine on Pseudomonas sp. (11299a) was investigated. This amino acid analog inhibited the growth of the organism on phenylalanine and tyrosine but not on asparagine. In order to determine its mode of action, experiments on phenylalanine hydroxylase levels and activity, amino acid transport, and protein synthesis in Pseudomonas sp. were carried out. The data strongly suggest that the growth inhibition is due to competitive inhibition of an induced aromatic amino acid transport system by p-chloro- dl -phenylalanine.
Reward Stability Determines the Contribution of Orbitofrontal Cortex to Adaptive Behavior

Animals respond to changing contingencies to maximize reward. The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is important for flexible responding when established contingencies change, but the underlying cognitive mechanisms are debated. We tested rats with sham or OFC lesions in radial maze tasks that varied the frequency of contingency changes and measured both perseverative and non-perseverative errors. When contingencies were changed rarely, rats with sham lesions learned quickly and performed better than rats with OFC lesions. Rats with sham lesions made fewer non-perseverative errors, rarely entering non-rewarded arms, and more win–stay responses by returning to recently rewarded arms compared with rats with OFC lesions. When contingencies were changed rapidly, however, rats with sham lesions learned slower, made more non-perseverative errors and fewer lose–shift responses, and returned more often to non-rewarded arms than rats with OFC lesions. The results support the view that the OFC integrates reward history and suggest that the availability of outcome expectancy signals can either improve or impair adaptive responding depending on reward stability.
NGC 4395: Evidence Against the Starburst Hypothesis for Seyfert 1 Nuclei and QSOsa

In a very provocative series of papers, Terlevich et al. (1992, and references therein) argue that the properties of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) can be explained by vigorous bursts of star formation in the high-metallicity nuclei of galaxies, especially those of early Hubble type. Specifically, Terlevich & Melnick show that the ultraviolet spectrum of a cluster of massive stars can resemble a power law of index ɑ = -1.5 (where f_v ∝ v^ɑ), as in classical AGNs. The ionizing continuum will therefore cause nearby gas to produce an emission-line spectrum similar to that of Type 2 Seyfert nuclei and low-ionization nuclear emission-line regions (LINERs). The starburst model is extended to include Seyfert 1 galaxies and radio-quiet QSOs by considering the effect of Type II (hydrogen-rich) supernovae evolving in a dense (n ≈ 10^7 cm-^3) circumstellar medium. These objects become strongly radiative while still expanding at velocities of several thousand km s^(-1). Empirical evidence for this hypothesis is provided by the observed spectra of some Type II supernovae, which do indeed superficially resemble those of Seyfert 1 nuclei Only one supernova per year suffices for an AGN with M_B ≈ -21 mag. A range of stellar masses and evolutionary phases is required, however, to explain the multiwavelength spectra of AGNs. For example, the high-excitation spectrum of the narrow-line region is produced by clouds of gas irradiated by hot, evolved Wolf-Rayet stars in the cluster. These stars could account for the smooth ultraviolet/optical continuum, and the associated red supergiants would produce the near-infrared Ca II absorption triplet often observed at least in Seyfert 2 nuclei. Heckman and Filippenko discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the starburst hypothesis for AGNs. Their general conclusion is that the scenario has severe problems for AGNs that have radio jets, show rapid X-ray variability, or emit a substantial fraction of their power at hard X-ray and gamma-ray energies. On the other hand, it might explain some Seyfert 2 nuclei and a subset of LINERs and perhaps those QSOs and Seyfert 1 nuclei lacking the above properties.
Tribological behavior and nature of tribofilms generated from fluorinated ZDDP in comparison to ZDDP under extreme pressure conditions—Part II: Morphology and nanoscale properties of tribofilms

Abstract Tribofilms generated using lubricants containing zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP) and fluorinated zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (F-ZDDP) were examined. Nanoindentation yielded reduced elastic modulus and hardness as a function of the penetration depth of the nano-indenter for different loading conditions. The mechanical strength of the tribofilm was evaluated by conducting scanning wear and nano-scratch tests. Results indicate that load used to create the tribofilms plays an important role in determining their hardness with the tribofilms formed at higher loads exhibiting higher hardness. Tribofilms formed from F-ZDDP were more resistant to scratch and wear compared to ZDDP tribofilms. FIB measurements indicate F-ZDDP tribofilms were thicker than ZDDP tribofilms.
Fully procedural graphics

The growing application of user-defined programs within graphics processing units (GPUs) has transformed the fixed-function display pipeline into a largely programmable pipeline. In this paper we propose that the elements fed through the pipeline be made entirely procedural. To enable this, we present a modification of the conventional graphics processor in which all procedures are executed in a common processor array and the rasterizer is augmented with a more general sampling controller. By executing both the geometric and shading elements of a procedural graphics model in a single processor we retain the data amplification that distinguishes procedural descriptions without a corresponding explosion of external bandwidth.
Aortic Valve Replacement for Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis: Risk Factors and Their Impact on 30-Month Mortality

Background Few studies have reported population-based outcomes for aortic valve replacement patients. Methods Patients with severe aortic valve stenosis who underwent aortic valve replacement with or without concomitant coronary artery bypass graft surgery from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2005, were included in the study. Statistical models were developed to identify significant risk factors for mortality, to compare survival for patients with and without selected risk factors, and to compare survival to an age- and sex-matched group from US life tables. Results There was total of 6,369 patients in the study. The in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates were 3.97% for aortic valve replacement and 5.69% for aortic valve replacement with concomitant coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Significant risk factors for 30-month mortality included concomitant coronary artery bypass graft surgery, advancing age, lower body surface area, emergency status, low ejection fraction, congestive heart failure, previous heart surgery, and several comorbidities. The 64.3% of patients with isolated aortic valve replacement who had neither congestive heart failure, ejection fraction less than 0.40, acute myocardial infarction less than 24 hours, nor hemodynamic instability had a risk-adjusted survival of 89.9% compared with the 90.0% survival rate of the age- and sex-matched general population ( p = 0.28). Conclusions For the large number of patients without high-risk conditions, the 30-month survival is essentially as high as that of an age- and sex-matched group of the US population.
Contextual Complexity and Violent Delinquency among Black and White Males

Most social scientists agree that Whites and African Americans exist in different economic, political, and social environments and assert that these “contextual” differences contribute substantially to group differencesin violence and other antisocial outcomes. This article extends these ideas into the empirical realm by using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and structural equation modeling to compare a model of violent delinquency among Black adolescents to one among White adolescents. The results from this comparative analysis illustrate how context leads to racial differences in violent delinquency.
RecA kicks Pol V into gear.

Although RecA filaments are required for genetic recombination, it now seems that they are not required for translesion synthesis and that they actually inhibit this process. This finding along with elegant biochemical studies of mutant proteins moves us closer to discerning the direct role of RecA protein in SOS mutagenesis.