cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SHOCK COMPRESSION OF SNOW AND ICE

Shock wave data have been obtained in snow and ice at stresses up to 450 MPa and temperatures as low as 249 K. The experiments were conducted using a 200 mn diameter, single-stage gas gun. Data were taken in the form of Lagrangian shock profiles measured by carbon piezoresistive foils at several locations in each target. All samples were constructed by assembling successive layers with the gauges placed between the layers. Construction was completed in a cold room, and the samples were aged a minimum of four days at the design test temperature. After removal from the cold room for mounting on the gun, the targets were cooled with cold, dry nitrogen gas flowing through circumferential cooling coils and the temperature was monitored by thermocouple. Snow targets tested to date have all been constructed by recompacting finely crushed ice to the desired density (about 400 kg/m3) in layers in the sample holder. We plan to conduct test on naturally precipitated snow in the winter of 1985-86. Initial results on snow for peak stresses near 10 MPa show that snow loads nearly along a Rayleigh line to densities within a few percent of those reached by quasistatic compression at similar peak stresses. The loading wave is, however, quite dispersive. Release is very stiff compared to loading, but it is much softer that release in dense ice. Preliminary analysis of ice shocked to about 450 MPa at 249 K indicates that the elastic wave (about 3700 m/s) may be as large as 400 MPa. If Poisson's ratio is equal to its zero-pressure value, the shear stress for a uniaxial strain wave of that amplitude is about 210 MPa or about 7.5 percent of c44. This is only slightly larger than the 6 percent value at 263 K derived by Gaffney (1) from Larsen's data (2). The small difference between experiments conducted above and below the minimum melting point of the ice phase diagram (251 K) supports the contention that melting is not involved at the elastic limit, even at 263 K. Rather, yielding at the Hugoniot elastic limit (HEL) is probably related to fundamental loss of strength by the lattice. Above the HEL, further deformation is accompanied first by conversion to a hydrostatic state and later by partial transition to some high pressure phase.
Toward multiplexing the application of solvent accessibility probes for the investigation of RNA three-dimensional structures by electrospray ionization-Fourier transform mass spectrometry.

Multiple solvent accessibility probes can be applied simultaneously to investigate the three-dimensional structure of complex RNA substrates when electrospray ionization–Fourier transform mass spectrometry (ESI–FTMS) is employed in place of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). We show that classic chemical probes, such as dimethylsulfate, kethoxal, and 1-cyclohexyl-3-(2-morpholinoethyl)carbodiimide metho-p-toluenesulfonate, can be combined in probing mixtures designed to assess the full spectrum of base pairing and steric protection for the most abundant ribonucleotides included in RNA. After probe-independent hydrolysis of the alkylated substrate, the mixture of oligonucleotide products is mass mapped by ESI–FTMS analysis, which enables the unambiguous identification of probed bases from the unique mass signatures provided by the different chemical modifiers. In this bottom-up approach, any theoretical limit to the size of the possible target RNA will be determined by the effectiveness of the hydrolysis procedure rather than by the performance of the detection technique. Control experiments performed on the stem–loop 4 of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 have shown no adverse interactions between the reagents combined in the probing cocktails. No significant discrepancies between the alkylation patterns offered by the cocktails and the individual reagents could be detected, indicating that multiplexing the probe application does not necessarily lead to structural distortion but provides valid data on base accessibility and protection. To demonstrate the ruggedness of this approach, optimized cocktails were finally employed to assess the stability of the folded structure of mouse mammary tumor virus pseudoknot in the presence of different amounts of Mg2+. Multiplexing the probe application constitutes an essential step toward high-throughput applications, which will take advantage of a strategy that maximizes the information attainable from a single experiment, while minimizing time and sample consumption over PAGE-based methods.
Causes of Epilepsy: Contributions of the Rochester Epidemiology Project

The contributions of the Rochester (Minnesota) Epidemiology Project and Mayo Clinic studies in the evaluation of the causes of epilepsy are summarized. The development of the unique population-based medical records-linkage resource is chronicled, and the measures of occurrence and association used in epidemiologic study designs to assess the causes of epilepsy are presented. The historical cohort design is optimal for the study of the relationship between common central nervous system insults and seizures, and case-control studies are best used for analysis of relatively rare seizure disorders. The major findings about the etiologic roles of traumatic brain injuries, central nervous system infections, cerebrovascular disease, brain tumors, neurodegenerative diseases, developmental disabilities, perinatal insults, and familial factors are discussed. The role of genetic factors in epilepsy has been controversial, perhaps because of the numerous causes of seizures and their episodic nature. Both potential environmental and genetic causes will continue to be assessed.
An analysis of theoretical systems of differentiating nervous tissue.

Theoretical systems of neuroblasts differentiating according to various postulates are studied. The analysis determines the most likely patterns of connections implied by the differentiating systems. The exact expressions for the various parameters characterizing the resulting neural networks are approximated by simple analytic expressions which hold for systems having large numbers of neurons. The study is presented as a suggested approach to the more general problem of differentiating nervous systems.
Influence of base-pairing in the leader region on in vitro translation of Rous sarcoma virus RNA

Abstract The capacity of the leader region of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) RNA to act as a regulator of viral protein synthesis was tested in vitro. When DNA/RNA hybrids of sufficient length (> 90–100 nucleotides) are created within the leader, synthesis of Pr76 gag is inhibited. The inhibition is dependent upon the length of the hybrid rather than its position with the exception that encumberance of the 5'-terminal 33 nucleotides does block translation. These findings demonstrate that physical alteration of the non-coding leader structure directly affects downstream initiation of protein synthesis. It is thus likely that biochemical or physiologic changes in vivo which alter the structure of the leader may affect regulation of viral protein synthesis.
Potential role of stem cells for neuropathic pain disorders

Chronic neuropathic pain is a debilitating disease process associated with several medical disorders. Different from pain caused by inflammation, neuropathic pain is a diffuse pain disorder often found to be recalcitrant to the limited medical treatments available. Intractable nerve pain may benefit from other therapies capable of longer-lasting pain coverage or greater efficacy. A growing number of reports have emerged suggesting a role for stem cells as a cellular delivery source with neuroprotective agents opposing the effects of nerve damage. Here, the authors review the current experimental therapies examining the use of stem cells for the treatment of neuropathic pain disorders.
Polarization dependence of molecular adsorption on ferroelectrics

The structural details of ferroelectric surfaces influence the effect of ferroelectric polarization on surface chemistry, and it is important to understand and control defect functionality as well as identify adsorption sites in ferroelectric materials. Ferroelectric domain polarization has been found to have a significant effect on surface properties and interactions. Here, both the structure and the presence of local electric fields are examined simultaneously. The surface structure and ferroelectric domain orientation are controlled while molecular adsorption effects are quantified. We use scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to determine the surface and electronic effects of polarization–gas interactions on a model ferroelectric surface, BaTiO3 (001).
A proteinase from human erythrocyte membranes.

Abstract An enzyme has been isolated from human erythrocyte membranes with proteolytic activity for casein, hemoglobin, stroma proteins and certain synthetic substrates. This enzyme may be extracted from membranes by a number of 1 M salt solutions and stored at 4° or frozen for several weeks. A standard assay procedure using Azocoll is defined for this proteinase. Activation is shown to occur when the proteinase is treated with KCNS. Initial purification by column chromatography gives a protein fraction with most of the proteolytic activity in 20% of the total extracted protein. This protein fraction contains 3–5 species by disc electrophoresis, one or two of which have proteolytic activity. Experiments with the ultracentrifuge indicate that the proteolytic activity is a part of, or is bound to, one or more lipoprotein species.
Suffixes of addressable data graphs

The notion of a self-insertion of a data graph yields a simple and natural definition of a suffix of a data graph. For addressable data graphs, addressing schemes yield a useful alternative definition of suffix, which also suggests a generalized version of suffix. Examples of addressable data graphs and their suffixes include: trees and their subtrees, and arrays with their (possibly lower dimensional) subarrays. Thus a suffix can be viewed as a highly structured type of substructure of a data graph. Necessary and sufficient conditions for a suffix of an addressable data graph to be addressable are derived. It is further shown that suffix data graphs, even when not addressable, often enjoy a slightly weaker property termed quasi-addressability; in fact suffixes of so-called deep-rooted data graphs are always quasi-addressable.
On the Linear Separability of Diagnostic Models

As new approaches and algorithms are developed for system diagnosis, it is important to reflect on existing approaches to determine their strengths and weaknesses. Of concern is identifying potential reasons for false pulls during maintenance. Within the aerospace community, one approach to system diagnosis - based on the D-matrix derived from test dependency modeling - is used widely, yet little has been done to perform any theoretical assessment of the merits of the approach. Past assessments have been limited, largely, to empirical analysis and case studies. In this paper, we provide a theoretical assessment of the representation power of the D-matrix and suggest algorithms and model types for which the D-matrix is appropriate. Finally, we relate the processing of the D-matrix with several diagnostic approaches and suggest how to extend the power of the D-matrix to take advantage of the power of those approaches.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Evaluation of Integrin αvβ3-Targeted PAMAM Dendrimers

Ligand size and valency strongly influence the receptor uptake and clearance of tumor angiogenesis imaging agents. The structures of successful imaging agents exhibit a high degree of variability, encompassing small monovalent arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)-containing peptides, multivalent RGD-oligomers, and a monoclonal antibody against integrin alpha-v-beta-3 (alpha-v-beta-3). We have pursued a nanoscale approach to imaging of angiogenesis using rationally designed polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers covalently adorned with RGD-cyclopeptides. An orthogonal oxime-ligation strategy was applied to chemoselectively effect conjugation of the PAMAM dendrimers with RGD-cyclopeptides for targeting alpha vbeta 3. Fluorescent dyes for optical imaging and chelates for gadolinium-based magnetic resonance (MR) imaging were subsequently appended to create robust multimodal macromolecular imaging agents. Fluorescence microscopy revealed selective binding of the resulting RGD peptide-bearing dendrimer with empty chelates to alpha-v-beta-3-expressing cells, but somewhat reduced selectivity was observed following Gd(III) complexation. The expected incomplete saturation of chelates with Gd(III) ions permitted radiometal complexation, and an in vivo tissue distribution of the resulting agent in M21 melanoma tumor-bearing mice showed mostly renal and reticuloendothelial accumulation, with the tumor:blood ratio peaking (3.30+/-0.03) at 2 h postinjection.
Original Articles: Prostate Cancer: Deoxyribonucleic Acid Ploidy Analysis as a Predictor of Recurrence Following Radical Prostatectomy for Stage T2 Disease

ABSTRACTDeoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) ploidy image analysis was used postoperatively to predict recurrence of 112 clinically localized adenocarcinomas of the prostate. All men underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy between 1978 and 1991. Patients with positive lymph nodes or positive seminal vesicles were excluded because progression is nearly inevitable in these men. The minimum followup for men without progression was 5 years (range 5 to 15). Patients were considered to have clinically evident disease progression based on local recurrence (8%), distant metastases (4%) and/or an isolated elevation of serum prostate specific antigen (87%). Of the tumors 43% were diploid and 57% were nondiploid. In a multivariate analysis comparing grade, ploidy, capsular penetration and surgical margins, Gleason sum was the best predictor of progression (p <0.0001). Nevertheless, a subset of patients remained with well to moderately differentiated Gleason grade tumors (Gleason sum 6 or less) who failed. DNA ploidy was a...
Cultural Aspects in Social Anxiety and Social Anxiety Disorder

The defining feature of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is the fear of negative evaluation by others. Therefore, SAD is directly linked to social standards and role expectations, which are culture dependent. Recognizing the intricate interplay between culture and social anxiety, some research has focused on psychopathologic manifestations of SAD across cultures [1], while in other studies the focus has been on comparing disorder-typical symptoms across cultures [2]. It should be noted that most of the studies on cultural differences in SAD have examined Eastern (especially Japanese, Korean, and Chinese) and Western (US American and European) samples. The following is a review of the evidence pertaining to the validity of the DSM-IV-TR criteria for social anxiety disorder (SAD) as it relates to culture, race, and ethnicity. We use the term “race” when we refer to broad differentiations based on physiognomy (e.g., White), “ethnicity” when we refer to “common descent” and affiliation with a historically continuous community (e.g., Latino), and “culture” when we refer to social groups with specific or homogenous attributes. We particularly concentrate on culture as a source for the nosological revisions to explore whether certain cognitive/ behavioral elements (e.g., interpretations of illness; patterned reactions to stressors) affect the development or expression of psychiatric syndromes. The search methods for the current review entailed a thorough computer search using the Pubmed and PsychInfo databases for articles published since the publication of the DSM-IV in 1994. Specifically, key words relevant to SAD (i.e., “social phobia” or “social anxiety disorder”) were combined with the terms “culture”, “ethnic*”, and “race”. This approach yielded 602 articles, which were evaluated for relevance to the present topic. Finally, bibliographies of key articles were inspected, as well as references from 1965–1994 (as appropriate), to augment the final reference list. In this review, we first discuss cultural differences in rates of SAD, in the form that SAD takes (emphasizing the well-researched case of TKS), and in treatment response. The final section examines key factors that generate SAD and affect its presentation, and discusses how these key mechanism may be influenced by culture. We end with a discussion of the implications of the review.
Joint acute toxicity of esfenvalerate and diazinon to larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas).

California (USA) agriculture employs pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides to control insects in orchards and other crops. Diazinon and esfenvalerate were selected for this study because of their application overlaps. Toxicological and biochemical responses of larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed singly and in combinations to esfenvalerate and diazinon were determined. Exposures were 96-h static renewal tests that used standard U.S. Environmental Protection Agency acute toxicity test methods. After pesticide exposures, larvae were evaluated for carboxylesterase and acetylcholinesterase activity, and histopathological effects. Carboxylesterase activity was examined because of its potential influence on the toxicity of both organophosphates and pyrethroids. In vivo studies demonstrated that diazinon significantly inhibited carboxylesterase activity at nominal water concentrations as low as 50 μg/L. However, esfenvalerate did not affect carboxylesterase activity at any concentration tested. Liver glycogen depletion was the only histopathological effect observed; this effect was demonstrated with the individual pesticides and pesticide combinations (i.e., mixtures). The combinations of diazinon and esfenvalerate causing acute toxicity to fathead minnow larvae appeared to be greater than additive (i.e., synergistic) in all three tests.
Quantitative determination of conformational order in biomembranes: From aqueous monolayers to living cells

Two regions of the IR spectrum of phospholipid molecules have been utilized to monitor acyl chain conformational order in model biomembranes of increasing complexity from one component systems to living cells. The rocking modes of CD2 groups synthetically incorporated into the acyl chains provide a measure of % gauche roamer formation as a function of chain position from the interfacial region to the bilayer center. In addition, the CH2 wagging vibrations in disordered phases provide a means of identifying the particular two- and three-bond conformational states that dominate the disordering process, while the band progressions that result from the wagging of coupled CH2 oscillators in ordered states monitor the fraction of all-trans conformations.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Implementing the TLS Protocol on a Bare PC

A bare PC is an ordinary computer that runs applications without an operating system (OS). It thus provides immunity from attacks that target specific OS vulnerabilities while eliminating the OS overhead in a conventional system. We describe a novel implementation of TLS that runs on a bare PC. The TLS implementation differs from a conventional TLS implementation in that it is included within a bare PC application that manages its own CPU tasks, directly interfaces to the hardware, and communicates with network protocols without using a standard socket interface. Furthermore, the unique software architecture of a bare PC enables the TLS, TCP, and application protocols to be intertwined, thereby reducing the communication overhead compared to that of a conventional system. As an example, we give details of the internal architecture of a bare PC TLS Web server. We then illustrate intertwining of the TLS, TCP, and HTTP protocols. In particular, we show how a state transition model that represents events and actions in the TLS Web server is used to develop the intertwined protocol code. We also discuss the testing methodology, note some challenges with respect to implementing TLS on a bare PC, and outline the measures taken to address them.
The End of the Federal Tobacco Program: Economic Impacts of the Deregulation of U.S. Tobacco Production

In 2004, Congress ended the sixty-six-year-old federal tobacco program, effectively deregulating production and prices. With deregulation came a buyout package, with cigarette manufacturers agreeing to pay more than $3 billion in present value to quota owners and farmers. While the dollar values of compensation payments are known, the effects of the historic legislation on tobacco markets are uncertain. We examine these effects and their welfare consequences. We also consider the appropriateness of the buyout payments under alternative views of economic damages due to the quota system's demise.
Watershed modeling applications with a modular physically-based and spatially-distributed watershed educational toolbox

Introductory hydrology courses traditionally focus on process-based hydrology (i.e. precipitation, evaporation, runoff, etc.) that is ultimately unified through watershed modeling. Although physically-based and spatially-distributed hydrologic models are arguably valuable learning tools, they typically have steep learning curves and high computational costs. To overcome these common drawbacks in hydrology education, we developed the user-friendly, open-access Modular Distributed Watershed Educational Toolbox (MOD-WET). MOD-WET is a compilation of highly modular functions designed for process-based applications, which are integrated into a physically-based and spatially-distributed watershed model. When students use the toolbox to study individual processes, they become familiar with the fundamental components forming the hydrologic model. Student feedback indicates that this approach makes a holistic understanding of the water cycle more accessible to students. Hydrograph sensitivity to watershed characteristics (size, slope, roughness, etc.) is demonstrated. The capability of MOD-WET to model warm and cold land processes is also illustrated for a snow-covered basin. We present an educational physically-based, distributed watershed model (MOD-WET).Process-based hydrologic concepts can be studied with the modular toolbox functions.Hydrograph sensitivity to basin size, shape, slope, and roughness is illustrated.The performance of MOD-WET is demonstrated in snow-dominated watershed applications.MOD-WET makes a holistic comprehension of the water cycle accessible to students.
A Bayesian sequential processor approach to spectroscopic portal system decisions

The development of faster more reliable techniques to detect radioactive contraband in a portal type scenario is an extremely important problem especially in this era of constant terrorist threats. Towards this goal the development of a model-based, Bayesian sequential data processor for the detection problem is discussed. In the sequential processor each datum (detector energy deposit and pulse arrival time) is used to update the posterior probability distribution over the space of model parameters. The nature of the sequential processor approach is that a detection is produced as soon as it is statistically justified by the data rather than waiting for a fixed counting interval before any analysis is performed. In this paper the Bayesian model-based approach, physics and signal processing models and decision functions are discussed along with the first results of our research.
Effects of varying irradiance on feeding in larval weakfish (Cynoscion regalis)

Weakfish larvae, Cynoscion regalis (Bloch and Schneider), were used in laboratory experiments, during May and June 1991–1993, to examine the effects of varying irradiance levels on capture and ingestion of Zooplankton prey (rotifers). Treatments consisted of six different irradiance levels: no light, 5, 11, 15, 20, and 500 × 1012 quanta·cm−2·s−1. These levels are typical of the irradiance range found in a 10-m water column during the late-spring, weakfish spawning season in Delaware Bay. Early-stage larvae (8 days post-hatching) did not feed in total darkness, and there was no difference in the incidence of feeding among the other treatment groups. Similarly, late-stage larvae (13 days post-hatching) showed no significant difference between the incidence of feeding in darkness and at 5 × 1012 quanta·cm−2 s−1, though feeding within these two intensities was significantly lower than feeding in the other light levels. Results of a subsequent experiment indicated that the ability to feed in total darkness may depend on the abundance of available prey. Scanning electron microscope analysis of preserved weakfish larvae showed that neuromasts were not fully developed until larvae had reached at least 12 days post-hatching, and that younger larvae had only lateral line pores along the body trunk. There were no neuromasts evident on the head region, regardless of age. Thus, neuromasts may be involved in the capture of prey in darkness.
Nicotine Stimulates Nerve Growth Factor in Lung Fibroblasts through an NFκB-Dependent Mechanism

Rationale Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is classically found in asthma, and persistent AHR is associated with poor asthma control. Although airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells play a critical pathophysiologic role in AHR, the paracrine contributions of surrounding cells such as fibroblasts to the contractile phenotype of ASM cells have not been examined fully. This study addresses the hypothesis that nicotine promotes a contractile ASM cell phenotype by stimulating fibroblasts to increase nerve growth factor (NGF) secretion into the environment. Methods Primary lung fibroblasts isolated from wild type and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) deficient mice were treated with nicotine (50 µg/ml) in vitro for 72 hours. NGF levels were measured in culture media and in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from asthmatic, smoking and non-smoking subjects by ELISA. The role of the NFκB pathway in nicotine-induced NGF expression was investigated by measuring NFκB nuclear translocation, transcriptional activity, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, and si-p65 NFκB knockdown. The ability of nicotine to stimulate a fibroblast-mediated, contractile ASM cell phenotype was confirmed by examining expression of contractile proteins in ASM cells cultured with fibroblast-conditioned media or BAL fluid. Results NGF levels were elevated in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of nicotine-exposed mice, current smokers, and asthmatic children. Nicotine increased NGF secretion in lung fibroblasts in vitro in a dose-dependent manner and stimulated NFκB nuclear translocation, p65 binding to the NGF promoter, and NFκB transcriptional activity. These responses were attenuated in α7 nAChR deficient fibroblasts and in wild type fibroblasts following NFκB inhibition. Nicotine-treated, fibroblast-conditioned media increased expression of contractile proteins in ASM cells. Conclusion Nicotine stimulates NGF release by lung fibroblasts through α7 nAChR and NFκB dependent pathways. These novel findings suggest that the nicotine-α7 nAChR-NFκB- NGF axis may provide novel therapeutic targets to attenuate tobacco smoke-induced AHR.
High-efficiency MoRu-Be multilayer-coated gratings operating near normal incidence in the 11.1–12.0-nm wavelength range

MoRu–Be multilayer coatings were applied to two diffraction gratings for the purpose of enhancing their normal-incidence efficiency in the 11.1–12.0-nm wavelength range. The grating substrates were replicas of a holographic master grating that had a blazed groove profile with 2400 grooves/mm and a 2-m radius of curvature. The relatively low average microroughness (0.8 nm) of the grating surfaces contributed to the relatively high groove efficiency of the grating substrates and the reflectance of the MoRu–Be multilayer coatings. The peak efficiency, measured with synchrotron radiation, was 10.4% in the second diffraction order at a wavelength of 11.37 nm.
Tumor reactive T cells get a boost

Stimulating engineered T cells with a powerful immunogen enhances their ability to kill tumor cells.
Quantifying crop water stress factors from soil water measurements in a limited irrigation experiment

Abstract A correct simulation of crop responses to water stress is essential for a system model. In this study, we investigated three methods of quantifying water deficit stresses based on soil water measurements and their effects on simulating grain yield, biomass and canopy cover of corn ( Zea Mays L.). Experimental data were collected for six irrigation treatments designed to replace 40 to 100% of potential crop evapotranspiration (ETc) losses during the growing season, from 2008 to 2011 near Greeley, Colorado in a sandy loam soil (Limited Irrigation Research Farm, LIRF). Water available for plant uptake (PAW, plant available water) and the maximum PAW (MAW) in the soil were calculated for a constant 1 m soil profile from 45 days after planting till maturity. Water deficit stress factors were calculated as ratios of (1) PAW to alfalfa reference crop evapotranspiration (ETr) (WSF1), (2) PAW to MAW (WSF2), and (3) WSF2 to ETr (WSF3). Average WSF1, WSF2 and WSF3 over the growing season were related to end of the season grain yield, biomass, and fraction canopy cover measurements. These stress factors were implemented in the RZWQM2 cropping system model and the calibrated results compared with those obtained from using current stress factors in CERES-maize module in RZWQM2. The best simulation of the measured grain yields, biomass and LAI was obtained using WSF3. The modified model was also tested for simulating dryland and limited irrigation studies at Akron, CO, and irrigated corn in a sandy loam soil at Zaragoza, Spain and in a sandy soil at Gainesville, Florida, USA. In general, WSF3 gave slightly better simulations of grain yields, biomass and LAI than WSF2, WSF1 and the original stress factor.
A Self-Evaluation Instrument for Work Performance and Support Needs

Involvement of students and adult employees into the decisions that affect their education and employment can improve their transition into supported employment. One means for increasing involvement into these decisions is to gain their input into performance evaluations and support needs. The Job Observation and Behavior Scale: Opportunity for Self-Determination is an assessment designed to obtain such input from the perspective of students preparing for, and employees participating in, supported employment. This article presents the role of the scale in obtaining student and employee input into their own work performance and support needs; it summarizes the development and technical properties of the instrument; and it describes how this instrument can promote the self-determination of students and adult employees with disabilities.
Reduced data re-order complexity properties of polynomial transform 2D convolution and Fourier transform methods

This paper presents new results concerning the matrix data re-order requirements of polynomial-transform-based 2D convolution and 2D Fourier Transform methods which can be employed in digital processing of images and other 2D problems. The results indicate that several power-of-2 length-modified ring polynomial transform methods developed by Nussbaumer allow the total avoidance of the row-column matrix transpose commonly encountered in other algorithmic approaches, while also providing a number of other computational advantages. It is demonstrated that this property can be the source of significantly improved throughput on a number of existing data processing structures. An execution time comparison with an efficient Fast Fourier Transform algorithm base is made assuming the use of general register architecture and array processor units. It is also assumed that one makes use of recently developed efficient matrix transpose methods by Eklundh and Ari to support 2D FFT data re-order requirements. These comparisons demonstrate a two to four times throughput improvement for the use of the polynomial transform method in place of the 2D FFT approach to circularly convolve or generate 2D Fourier transforms for large 2D fields in the range 1024 × 1024 to 8192 × 8192.
More than hello: Reconstituting sociolinguistic subjectivities in introductions among American Stuttering English speakers

Abstract For speakers of stuttering varieties, introducing oneself to new people is an interactionally problematic act because of the popular belief amongst these speakers that one is prone to stutter on one’s own name and thereby potentially positioned as incompetent interactants by supposedly ‘fluent’ speakers. However, American Stuttering English (ASE) speakers in their collectives have re-interpreted introductions for their own communal aims and tacitly rejected language ideologies that devalue their speech. Through an analysis of these processes, the article expands on recent interactional research on the significance of introductions in social life, which has primarily focused on sequence organization and turn design. This article encourages a complementary ethnographic and anthropological orientation to introductions that takes into account language ideologies of social organization, power and inequality as constituted within this cultural activity.
Social strain and executive function across the lifespan: The dark (and light) sides of social engagement

We investigated how the association between social strain and cognitive efficiency varies with task demands across adulthood, from latencies on simpler speeded tasks to tests involving executive function. Participants (N = 3280) were drawn from the MIDUS survey, a large, diverse national sample of adults who completed cognitive tests including speeded task-switching (Tun & Lachman, 2008, Developmental Psychology, 44, 1421). After controlling for demographic and health variables, we found that higher levels of reported social strain were associated with slower processing speed, particularly for the complex task-switching test relative to simpler speeded tests. Effects of strain were greatest for those with the lowest general cognitive ability. Moreover, those with very high levels of social strain but low levels of social support gave the poorest task-switching performance. These findings provide further evidence for the complex relationship between the social environment and cognition across adulthood, particularly the association between efficiency of executive functions and negative social interactions.
Benign triton tumor of the trigeminal nerve.

Summary: Benign triton tumors (neuromuscular hamartomas) are rare neoplasms composed of well-differentiated striated muscle fibers admixed with peripheral nerve fibers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the third case reported in the world literature of a benign triton tumor involving cranial nerve V (trigeminal nerve) and the first in the radiology literature. The previous reports of this lesion have focused on its unusual pathology and not on the imaging findings. In light of the imaging appearance of this lesion, we consider that the imaging findings may suggest this uncommon diagnosis.
International Capital Flows, Financial Stability and Growth

The explosion and dramatic reversal of capital fl ows to emerging markets in the 1990s have ignited a heated debate, with many arguing that globalization has gone too far and that international capital markets have become extremely erratic. In contrast, others have emphasized that globalization allows capital to move to its most attractive destination, fuelling higher growth. This paper re-examines the characteristics of international capital fl ows since 1970 and summarizes the fi ndings of research of the 1990s on the behaviour of international investors as well as the short- and long-run effects of globalization on fi nancial markets and growth. JEL classifi cation: F30 (International Finance: General); F32 (Current Account Adjustment; Short-Term Capital Movements); F33 (International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions); F34 (International Lending and Debt Problems) , F36 (Financial Aspects of Economic Integration); G12 (Asset Pricing); G15 (International Financial Markets).
Small punch tests to estimate the mechanical properties of steels for steam power plant: I. Mechanical strength

Abstract Small punch test techniques have been used to evaluate the mechanical properties of components from miniature-sized specimens. Correlations between mechanical characteristics determined from small punch tests and uniaxial tensile tests have been obtained on low alloy steels. Analytical formulations, with an appropriate description of the uniaxial stress–strain behavior, have been used to model the elastic bending, plastic bending and membrane stretching regimes of small punch load–deflection curves. These equations have been applied to austenitic 12Cr–1Mo steel in the temperature range 25–600°C, and have been verified on ferritic 1Cr–0.5Mo steel at ambient temperature. These formulations have also been used to estimate the uniaxial tensile stress–strain behavior of ferritic 2.25Cr–1Mo and AISI 403 steels from experimental small punch load–deflection curves.
Open access World Wide Web resources on urogenital infections

Background. Urinary tract infections are the most common infections seen in hospitalized patients and the second most common, after respiratory tract infections, seen in the general population. The World Wide Web can now assist healthcare professionals in finding up-to-date information on different medical conditions. Methods. We sought to identify websites that contain information on urogenital infections by using popular search engines, such as Google and Yahoo. We also reviewed the sites of major institutions, and international healthcare associations. Only those sites that were written in English, were open access, and developed by a government, academic institution or a national or international healthcare professionals association were included. Results. We selected 114 sites that provide healthcare professionals with useful information on urogenital infections based on the criteria described above. Conclusions. There are several free websites that contain worthy information on urogenital infections. The compilation of a list of Internet resources on these common types of infections may be useful to practitioners and medical students.
Getting the Most Out of Professional Associations

In this commentary, three public health professionals working in diverse career settings share their perspectives on how to get the most out of professional associations. This article demonstrates how you can benefit from active involvement in your membership in professional associations and attending professional conferences. Methods to participate actively in your association include volunteering for one-time opportunities or standing committees, mentoring, and reviewing publications and manuscripts. Being active in professional organizations, such as the Society for Public Health Education, offers personal career development skill-building and opportunities for leadership and mentoring across all career stages. Experiences on how participation in professional organizations helped shape the authors' careers are shared.
Automated Determination of Acid Phosphatase

A procedure is presented for the automated determination of acid phosphatase activity in biological materials from either plant or animal origin. The Technicon N-7 flow diagram has been simplified, and the reagents for the measurement of enzymatically produced phenolic substances have been modified without loss of range or sensitivity. Both phenylphosphate and α-naphthylphosphate, introduced by Babson et al. (2, 3) for serum acid phosphatase, may be used as substrates. The Emerson reaction (alkaline aminoantipyrine and ferricyanide) with α-naphthol forms a more stable and reproducible color than the coupled product with tetrazotized o -dianisidine (Babson). Supporting data for these modifications are included.
A Simple Method to Evolve Daily Ground Temperatures from Surface Air Temperatures in Snow-Dominated Regions

A simple model is developed to evolve daily ground temperatures from surface air temperatures (SATs) in snow-dominated areas. Ground surface temperatures (GSTs) are calculated by propagating the daily SAT through the snowpack, and attenuating the signal amplitude. Subsequent subsurface heat transfer is then modeled using the analytical solution of the one-dimensional heat conduction equation. The thermal impacts of nonconductive heat transfer processes and seasonal freeze thaw are implicitly represented by the timedependent apparent thermal diffusivity of the subsurface. The model is tested in four snow-dominated regions: Barrow, Council, Ivotuk (all in Alaska) and Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed (in Idaho). The model captures the seasonal evolution of the ground temperature at all sites. The model demonstrates the feasibility of simulating subsurface temperatures using only air temperature and snow depth.
Comparison of gait characteristics between older rolling walker users and older potential walker users

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there are differences in gait parameters between true walker users and potential walker users during ambulation. Subjects consisted of 18 rolling walker (RW) users (true user group, TUG) and 15 RW non-users (potential user group, PUG). The older adults in the PUG had a history of at least one fall in the last 12 months or a non-surgery hospitalization in the last 3 months. All subjects traversed the GAITRitewalkway using a RW appropriately adjusted for the subject's height until three successful trials were obtained. The PUG performed three additional trials walking on the GAITRite walkway without RW assistance. Walking with a RW, the PUG users demonstrated decreased cadence, speed, swing time, step and stride length, and increased double support and stance time compared to walking without a RW. When comparing the TUG and PUG, both walking with a RW, the TUG subjects demonstrated decreased cadence, speed, swing time, step length and stride length, and increased double support and stance time. These results revealed that using a RW for ambulation might result in the user developing a gait pattern with a slower speed, smaller steps, increased stance time, and decreased swing time. The results seemed to indicate that this altered gait pattern may become more apparent the longer an individual uses a RW for ambulation assistance.
Voltage-clock scaling for low energy consumption in real-time embedded systems

Low power and energy consumption will always be an essential requirement in many real-time embedded applications. Voltage scaling is a relatively novel approach to reducing energy consumption. The idea is that a processor can be run either at high or at low voltage: at high voltage, the clock rate is high but so is the power consumption; at low voltage the clock rate is lower, but the power consumption drops by a greater factor. This immediately suggests a powerful approach to lowering energy consumption in real-time systems. In this paper we introduce static and dynamic algorithms to control processor voltage to reduce energy consumption. We demonstrate by simulation that our algorithms can significantly reduce total energy consumption.
A fast inverse consistent deformable image registration method based on symmetric optical flow computation

Deformable image registration is widely used in various radiation therapy applications including daily treatment planning adaptation to map planned tissue or dose to changing anatomy. In this work, a simple and efficient inverse consistency deformable registration method is proposed with aims of higher registration accuracy and faster convergence speed. Instead of registering image I to a second image J, the two images are symmetrically deformed toward one another in multiple passes, until both deformed images are matched and correct registration is therefore achieved. In each pass, a delta motion field is computed by minimizing a symmetric optical flow system cost function using modified optical flow algorithms. The images are then further deformed with the delta motion field in the positive and negative directions respectively, and then used for the next pass. The magnitude of the delta motion field is forced to be less than 0.4 voxel for every pass in order to guarantee smoothness and invertibility for the two overall motion fields that are accumulating the delta motion fields in both positive and negative directions, respectively. The final motion fields to register the original images I and J, in either direction, are calculated by inverting one overall motion field and combining the inversion result with the other overall motion field. The final motion fields are inversely consistent and this is ensured by the symmetric way that registration is carried out. The proposed method is demonstrated with phantom images, artificially deformed patient images and 4D-CT images. Our results suggest that the proposed method is able to improve the overall accuracy (reducing registration error by 30% or more, compared to the original and inversely inconsistent optical flow algorithms), reduce the inverse consistency error (by 95% or more) and increase the convergence rate (by 100% or more). The overall computation speed may slightly decrease, or increase in most cases because the new method converges faster. Compared to previously reported inverse consistency algorithms, the proposed method is simpler, easier to implement and more efficient.
Mechanosensory function for facial ornamentation in the whiskered auklet, a crevice-dwelling seabird

Sexual selection has been the prevalent explanation for the evolution of birds’ elaborate feather ornaments. An overlooked possibility is that feather appendages arose due to a naturally selected sensory function involving sensitivity to pressure or touch to facilitate obstacle avoidance either in flight or on land. Here, we show experimentally that elongated facial feather adornments of whiskered auklets (Aethia pygmaea), a sexually monomorphic crevice-dwelling seabird, have a mechanosensory use for orientation in darkness underground. While navigating inside a lightproof maze simulating the structure and conditions of breeding crevices, whiskered auklets (n = 99) showed a 275% increase in frequency of head bumps in the absence of their protruding feather crest and facial plumes. A weak positive relationship (R = 0.36, P = 0.04) between natural crest length and the frequency of head bumps in the absence of the crest suggested that individuals with longer ornaments depend more on these traits for navigation in the wild. We hypothesize that protruding feathers evolved through a combination of natural selection for sensory function and sexual selection as known for other auklets. More widely, birds inhabiting cluttered environments would benefit from elongated facial plumage that mechanically detects obstacles. Key words: Aethia, feather ornaments, mechanosensory function, sexual selection, whiskered auklet. [Behav Ecol]
When should a mare go for assisted reproduction

The use of assisted reproductive techniques (ART) has helped owners to produce offspring from valuable mares that were considered infertile using standard breeding techniques. Before referring a mare for an ART, the practitioner should be able to identify the underlying cause of subfertility of the mare. The objective of this review is to provide information regarding embryo transfer, oocyte transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, the three most common ART used in equine practice. Knowing the complexity as well as the risks of these techniques, enables practitioners to refer a subfertile mare to the least complex and most appropriate and successful ART that can overcome specific causes of infertility.