cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanical and thermal analysis of microvascular networks in structural composite panels

Aerospace-grade, quasi-isotropic composite laminate panels of IM7/977-2 carbon fiber/epoxy prepreg are cured in an autoclave with microvascular channels. The channels are created both with a stainless steel tube insert and a removable mandrel to create lined and unlined passages, respectively. The interlaminar fracture toughness is examined as a function of the channel diameter and orientation to the adjacent, unidirectional fiber plies in a double cantilever beam test. The channels allow for a heat exchange fluid to flow through the composites and facilitate thermal transport. Thermography is used to examine the steady state surface temperature profiles of the horizontally oriented panels operating with internal fluid flow and external natural convection. A two-dimensional, analytic model was developed for the surface temperature profiles to understand the thermal transport within the specimens. The framework for the design and operation of multi-channel systems is established and a case study for surface temperature control is examined.
Multilayered Heparin Hydrogel Microwells for Cultivation of Primary Hepatocytes

The biomaterial scaffolds for regenerative medicine need to be rationally designed to achieve the desired cell fate and function. This paper describes the development of hydrogel microstructures for cultivation of primary hepatocytes. Four different micropatterned surfaces are tested: 1) poly(ethyelene glycol) (PEG) microwells patterned on glass, 2) heparin hydrogel microwells patterned on glass, 3) PEG microwells patterned on heparin hydrogel-coated substrates, and 4) heparin hydrogel microwells patterned on heparin hydrogel-coated substrates. The latter surfaces are constructed by a combination of micromolding and microcontact printing techniques to create microwells with both walls and floor composed of heparin hydrogel. Individual microwell dimensions are 200 μm diameter and 20 μm in height. In all cases, the floor of the microwells is modified with collagen I to promote cell adhesion. Cultivation of hepatocytes followed by analysis of hepatic markers (urea production, albumin synthesis, and E-cadherin expression) reveals that the all-heparin gel microwells are most conducive to hepatic phenotype maintenance. For example, ELISA analysis shows 2.3 to 13.1 times higher levels of albumin production in all-heparin gel wells compared with other micropatterned surfaces. Importantly, hepatic phenotype expression can be further enhanced by culturing fibroblasts on the heparin gel walls of the microwells. In the future, multicomponent all-heparin gel microstructures may be employed in designing hepatic niche for liver-specific differentiation of stem cells.
Regional mortality differences in end-stage renal disease: How far can observational studies take us?

The survival of patients with ESRD living in various geographic regions is strikingly different. Efforts to determine the reasons behind this observation have been hampered by difficulties in adjusting for many characteristics that are inherently different in patient populations living on different continents. The mortality rate for the general population in a given region could be used to adjust for risk factors that would be otherwise difficult to quantify.
Coherent n2 scattering in periodic lattices.

The coherent scattering rate from n particles bound in a periodic lattice of N potential wells is considered. The quantum theory predicts a total coherent scattering rate proportional to ${\mathit{n}}^{2}$/N, whereas the conventional semiclassical approach predicts a rate proportional to n. These effects allow an experimental test of certain nonlocal assumptions inherent in quantum statistical mechanics and may be useful in analyzing the properties of crystalline materials.
Glycemic profile in infants who have undergone the arterial switch operation: hyperglycemia is not associated with adverse events.

Objective Tight glycemic control improves outcomes in critically ill adults. There are limited data regarding the effect of glycemic profiles in infants after cardiac operations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia on adverse events in infants undergoing the arterial switch operation. Methods From 2000 through 2005, 93 infants underwent the arterial switch operation (mean age, 2.5 ± 5.9 weeks; mean weight, 3.4 ± 0.8 kg). All serum glucose values during the first 24 postoperative hours were documented. The effect of time spent in specific glycemic bands on adverse events was determined. Results Twenty-three (25%; group 1) infants spent more than 50% of the time with glucose values between 80 and 110 mg/dL, and 13 (14%; group 2) spent more than 50% of the time with glucose values of greater than 200 mg/dL. A total of 71 adverse events was documented in 45 (48%) of 93 infants. Group 1 infants were more likely to have any adverse event ( P = .001) and renal insufficiency ( P P = .004). Conclusion Hyperglycemia does not appear to be detrimental in postoperative infants with congenital heart disease. Infants who spent the majority of the time with glucose values between 80 and 110 mg/dL were at increased risk for adverse events. The ideal glycemic profile in the postoperative cardiac infant has yet to be defined.
Blood Transfusion and its Effect on the Clinical Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Major Lower Extremity Amputation

Background Patients in need of lower extremity amputation are often debilitated and have coronary artery disease and underlying anemia. The transfusion of blood is a common practice in the perioperative management of these patients. However, blood transfusion has been reported to have a negative effect on the incidence of perioperative complications in other patient populations. We undertook this study to determine the effect of blood transfusion on the incidence of adverse postoperative events in patients undergoing major amputations. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of 300 consecutive patients undergoing either above-knee or below-knee amputation over a 5-year period at our institution. The demographic variables, medical comorbidities, need for blood transfusion, and clinical outcomes were recorded. The impact of blood transfusion on clinical outcome was analyzed. Results Of the 300 patients undergoing major amputation, 191 (64%) had one or more blood transfusions. The demographic variables and incidence of medical comorbidities were comparable between the two groups. Patients undergoing blood transfusion were 2.5 more likely to suffer from a postoperative cardiac arrhythmia, 12.8 times more likely to develop acute renal failure, 5.7 times more likely to have pneumonia, and 2.2 times more likely to have a urinary tract infection. Each of these adverse postoperative events was statistically more likely in the transfused group. The postoperative mortality was 13% for the transfused group and 6% for those not transfused, which was a nonsignificant difference. The intensive care unit stay and overall hospital stay were significantly longer in patients who had blood transfusions (difference of 2.1 and 5.4 days, respectively). Conclusion Blood transfusion in patients undergoing major lower extremity amputation is associated with an increased incidence of adverse postoperative events and prolonged intensive care unit and hospital stays. We therefore suggest a restricted approach to blood transfusion in patients requiring major amputation.
A Microfluidic Technique to Probe Cell Deformability

Here we detail the design, fabrication, and use of a microfluidic device to evaluate the deformability of a large number of individual cells in an efficient manner. Typically, data for ~102 cells can be acquired within a 1 hr experiment. An automated image analysis program enables efficient post-experiment analysis of image data, enabling processing to be complete within a few hours. Our device geometry is unique in that cells must deform through a series of micron-scale constrictions, thereby enabling the initial deformation and time-dependent relaxation of individual cells to be assayed. The applicability of this method to human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells is demonstrated. Driving cells to deform through micron-scale constrictions using pressure-driven flow, we observe that human promyelocytic (HL-60) cells momentarily occlude the first constriction for a median time of 9.3 msec before passaging more quickly through the subsequent constrictions with a median transit time of 4.0 msec per constriction. By contrast, all-trans retinoic acid-treated (neutrophil-type) HL-60 cells occlude the first constriction for only 4.3 msec before passaging through the subsequent constrictions with a median transit time of 3.3 msec. This method can provide insight into the viscoelastic nature of cells, and ultimately reveal the molecular origins of this behavior.
Effect of hyperglycemia on sorbitol and myo-inositol content of cultured rat conceptus: Failure of aldose reductase inhibitors to modify myo-inositol depletion and dysmorphogenesis

Growth retardation and dysmorphogenesis were seen in the rat conceptus following culture from day 9.5 to 11.5 of development in the presence of increased amounts of glucose. Sorbitol accumulated in the conceptus during the hyperglycemia whereas total protein, DNA, and free myo-inositol decreased. Similar glucose-related compositional changes were present in separated embryos and extra-embryonic membranes suggesting that all portions of the conceptus participate in the alterations. The aldose reductase inhibitors Sorbinil and Statil obtunded the rises in sorbitol but did not modify the increased incidence of malformations and the fall in DNA, protein and myo-inositol. Thus, the aldose reductase pathway may function in the early post-implantation rat conceptus but the resultant accumulation of sorbitol does not appear to contribute to the growth-retarding, dysmorphogenic, and myo-inositol-depleting effects of hyperglycemia.
Magnetic studies on the nitrate and bromide salts of the cation di-μ-hydroxobis [di( 1, 10-phenanthroline)chromium(III) ]4+

Abstract The magnetic susceptibilities of powdered samples of di-μ-hydroxobis [di(1,10-phenanthroline)chromium(III)](NO 3 ) 2 ·7H 2 O, and the analogous bromide octahydrate salt have been determined in the temperature range 5 to 283 °K. The dimers exhibit antiferromagnetic exchange interactions with the best fits to the Van Vleck expression for exchange coupled S = 3/2 ions including biquadratic exchange yielding, for the nitrate salt, g = 1.98 ± 0.03, 2J = −42.2 ± 0.5 cm − , and J = 0 cm − and for the bromide salt, g = 1.95 ± 0.03,2J = −29.2 ± 0.6 cm −1 , and j = 0.5 ± 0.1 cm −1 .
Protecting U.S. schoolchildren from pests and pesticides

Al fournier (Coordinator, IPM in Schools Program, Purdue University, Department of Entomology), Fred Whitford (Coordinator, Purdue Pesticide Programs, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service), Timothy J. Gibb (IPM Specialist, Purdue University, Department of Entomology) and Christian Y. Oseto (Professor of Entomology, Purdue University, Entomology Department).
A fast and accurate semi-Lagrangian particle level set method

In this paper, we present an efficient semi-Lagrangian based particle level set method for the accurate capturing of interfaces. This method retains the robust topological properties of the level set method with- out the adverse effects of numerical dissipation. Both the level set method and the particle level set method typically use high order accurate numerical discretizations in time and space, e.g. TVD Runge-Kutta and HJ-WENO schemes. We demonstrate that these computationally expensive schemes are not required. Instead, fast, low order accurate numerical schemes suffice. That is, the addition of particles to the level set method not only removes the difficulties associated with numerical diffusion, but also alleviates the need for computationally expensive high order accurate schemes. We use an efficient, first order accurate semi-Lagrangian advection scheme coupled with a first order accurate fast marching method to evolve the level set function. To accurately track the underlying flow characteristics, the particles are evolved with a second order accurate method. Since we avoid complex high order accurate numerical methods, extending the algorithm to arbitrary data structures becomes more feasible, and we show preliminary results obtained with an octree-based adaptive mesh.
Bethe-Goldstone Equations in Scattering Theory

The use of a continuum Bethe-Goldstone equation, recently proposed by Mittleman, to describe electron scattering by an alkali atom, is generalized by introducing the concept of continuum Bethe-Goldstone equations of successively higher order. In analogy to a method recently used for calculating mean-value properties of atomic stationary states, this makes possible the computation of net increments of a scattering amplitude or phase shift in successively higher orders, defined so that the sum of all net increments to order $N$ (for an $N$-particle system) is the exact amplitude or phase shift. Variational equations that might be used to solve a continuum Bethe-Goldstone equation of order $n$ are derived. Solution of a system of inhomogeneous linear equations is combined with integration of an integro-differential equation similar to a continuum Hartree-Fock equation. The formalism should be applicable to elastic scattering of an external particle by any many-fermion system.
Globalization of technology-based growth: the policy imperative

The United States became the dominant technology-based economy after World War II and held that position for decades by accumulating a huge base of superior technical, physical, organizational, and marketing assets. However, the world is witnessing the rapid globalization of technology-based competition, which is the result of major commitments by many nations to investment in technology and its effective utilization. The changing dynamics of such competition requires revisions to the centuries’ old law of comparative advantage and the Schumpeterian process of creative destruction. However, U.S. technology-based growth policies have at best stood still for most of this period. The R&D intensity of the U.S. economy is below its peak in the 1960s and its vaunted “high-tech sector” is too small and increasingly challenged to carry the remaining sectors, as was the case before globalization began in earnest. A major reason for inadequate adaptation is the “installed base effect,” which results from the accumulation of the above types of economic assets and in turn creates both complacency and resistance to the need for adaptation. Weak recoveries from the most recent recessions and the sluggish growth in real incomes are major indicators of structural problems that are not being addressed. Catch-up will require adoption of more comprehensive growth policies, implemented with considerably more resources and based on substantive policy analysis capabilities.
Perchlorate in groundwater: a synoptic survey of "pristine" sites in the coterminous United States.

Perchlorate is widely used as an oxidant in solid rocket propellants and energetic applications, and it has frequently been detected in groundwaters at concentrations relevant to human health. The possibility of naturally occurring perchlorate has only recently received significant attention. Relying primarily on domestic, agricultural, and recreational wells, we utilized a network of volunteers to help collect 326 groundwater samples from across the coterminous United States. Care was taken to avoid known, USEPA-documented sites of perchlorate use or release, as well as perchlorate contamination due to disinfection using hypochlorite. Using IC-ESI-MS and a Cl18O4− internal standard, we achieved a method detection limit (MDL) of 40 ng/L perchlorate and a minimum reporting level (MRL) of 120 ng/L. Of the 326 samples, 147 (45%) were below the MDL, while 42 (13%) were between the MDL and the MRL. Of the 137 samples that could be quantified, most (109) contained <1000 ng/L perchlorate; the remaining 28 sample...
Enhancing Children's Attitudes About the Humane Treatment of Animals: Generalization to Human-Directed Empathy

AbstractWe assessed the impact of a year-long, school-based humane education program on younger (first and second graders) and older (fourth and fifth graders) children's attitudes toward the treatment of animals. Generalization to human-directed empathy was also measured. Using a pretest-posttest design and ANCOVA, we found that the program enhanced the animal-related attitudes of children differentially, depending on grade level. For younger children, there was no significant difference between experimental (E) and control (C) group attitude means; however, qualitative analysis showed that greater enhancement of attitudes occurred for first grade E group children than for C group children at that grade level. No differences were present on the generalization measure of empathy. For older children, there was a significant difference between E and C group attitude means qualified by grade level—there was greater enhancement of humane attitudes for E group than for C group fourth graders but no difference ...
Voltammetric studies in phosphorous oxychloride solutions containing lithium tetrachloroborate

Abstract The solvent reduction/oxidation in 0.1, 0.5 and 1 molar LiBCl 4 −POCl 3 solutions was studied at pyrolytic graphite electrodes using the technique of cyclic voltammetry. The solvent reduction was found to occur at ∼ 2.25 V versus the lithium reference and resulted in the passivation of the pyrolytic graphite electrodes. The passivating film mainly consisted of polymeric phosphorous monoxide and lithium chloride. The cathodic potential limit in these solutions was, however, caused by the deposition of lithium metal. The anodic potential limit was caused by the formation of chlorine at ∼ 4.5 V versus the lithium reference due to the oxidation of the solvent. The chlorine formed in the anodic process was retained in the solution and could be reduced at less positive potentials (∼ 3 V versus the lithium reference).
Source imaging of QEEG as a method to detect awareness in a person in vegetative state.

Background: Assessment of awareness in patients with severe brain injury remains subjective, although patients with even limited awareness (e.g. minimal conscious state, MCS) have different prognoses and treatment than those in vegetative state (VS). Recently, task appropriate differential regional activation in VS has been reported using fMRI during mental imagery.Primary objective: Demonstration of conscious awareness in reproducible differential EEG source localization images in a VS patient reflecting requested mental imagery was performed.Methods: A VS patient (with re-test) and a normal control were requested to imagine singing and to mentally perform serial subtraction, while EEG was recorded. QEEG source localization was performed to identify regions of brain activation in response to tasks.Results: Replicable distinctive activation of brain areas appropriate for each task was seen in the VS patient and control. Frequency spectra shifted to beta, with significant source activation in regions inclu...
Exploring medical student education initiatives: does the management of urologic conditions improve with a formal urology clinical clerkship?

Recent studies suggest a consistent decline of formal urological education in medical schools. We sought to determine whether a standardized urology curriculum improves student clinical knowledge. A confidential questionnaire was distributed to two groups of clinical medical students following the completion of their third year: one with no urology rotation (non-GU) and another with a 2-week urology clinical clerkship (GU). The survey included questions pertaining to topics within general urology, and it also addressed their comfort with Foley catheter placement. Differences between cohorts were assessed by the Fisher exact test. In total, 131 GU students and 56 non-GU students completed surveys. More GU students felt comfortable placing a Foley catheter (p < 0.001). Additionally, more students in the non-GU group believed that patients aged 70–74 (p = 0.047), 75–79 (p < 0.001) and older than 80 years (p < 0.001) should receive routine PSA screening. More non-GU students attempted to use antibiotics in the evaluation of hematuria (microscopic: female p < 0.001, male p = 0.002; gross: female: p = 0.009, male: p = 0.009). GU students more often checked urine cytology in a 52-year-old man with microhematuria (p = 0.018). Non-GU students more often initiated a urology consult in patients with hematuria and LUTS, respectively (male patients: p = 0.034, p = 0.069; female patients: p = 0.025, p = 0.027). Students with a dedicated urology clerkship exhibited significant improvements in procedural patient care, PSA screening guidelines, hematuria management, as well as judicious antibiotic use. These results corroborate the importance of a dedicated urology curriculum within standard medical school education.
Triple DoS: DDoS defence and traceback

Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks occur when a host of compromised systems are used to target a single system. This single system can be either an actual machine or a network resource. These attacks are prevalent and hard to deal with because they are distributed. They come from many machines, making them hard to trace and even harder to counter. There are also a host of tools available which make it easier for an attacker to launch a DDoS attack. This ubiquity is increasing the level of difficulty related to defending against these attacks. This paper proposes a mechanism, DDDoS, or triple DoS, to deal with DDoS attacks on the internet layer. There are registration and authentication protocols to connect clients and servers so that an unregistered client cannot access the network and flood it with traffic. The triple DoS service will be activated only when a DDoS attack is detected (using clustering), and it will ensure that registered clients and servers can always communicate. It includes a tracing mechanism to allow the originator of the DDoS attack to be identified.
TRACKING VARIATIONS IN COCAINE DEATHS ACROSS U.S. CITIES

Both the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) data and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) vital statistics datasets have been criticized for inaccurate recording of cocaine deaths. This study compares the number of cocaine deaths per capita reported in these two datasets for the years 1981 through 1998 and for 24 U.S. cities. Both datasets identify significant differences in trends in cocaine deaths across U.S. cities. The DAWN dataset is limited to a select number of metropolitan areas, but appears to provide a more comprehensive count of cocaine deaths in those cities. Although the NCHS vital statistics undercount cocaine deaths in many cities, changes over time are well correlated with DAWN data. Therefore, NCHS vital statistics can be used to track variations in cocaine use overtime in regions not surveyed by DAWN.
Adhesion strength of sodium dodecyl sulfate-modified soy protein to fiberboard

Thermal and rheological properties of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-modified soy protein isolate (SPI) adhesives were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and rheometry. The ordered structure of native SPI was denatured as SDS concentration increased, and thermal stability of native SPI decreased at high SDS concentration. The enthalpy of SPI denaturation decreased significantly with increasing SDS concentration. Apparent viscosity of the SPI adhesives increased as SDS concentration increased. The SPI adhesives modified by high concentrations of SDS exhibited characteristics of a Newtonian-type flow. The SDS-modified SPI adhesives were applied to fiberboard, and effects of SDS concentration, press conditions, and assembly time on bond strength were investigated. Shear strength of the SPI adhesives increased with SDS concentration, reaching its maximum value at 3 wt% of SDS, and then decreased significantly. The shear strength increased as press time and/or press temperature increased. High...
Characteristics of Physical Activity Levels Among Trail Users in a U.S. National Sample

Background The Task Force on Community Preventive Services strongly recommends environmental interventions that include enhanced access to opportunities for physical activity, such as walking and cycling trails. Although accumulating evidence indicates that trails can be effective in increasing physical activity, little is known about trail users. Methods Cross-sectional analysis of a national sample of 3717 adults from the HealthStyles and ConsumerStyles surveys using logistic regression to determine physical activity patterns and sociodemographic correlates related to trail use, and to identify support regarding trail development policies. Results Almost 13% (12.7%) of the sample reported using trails at least once a month and 24.3% at least once a week. People who reported using trails at least once a week were twice as likely than people who reported rarely or never using trails to meet physical activity recommendations (odds ratio=2.3, 95% confidence interval=1.9–2.8). Nearly half (43.6%) of the non–trail users supported expanded public spaces for people to exercise, and 36.4% of the non–trail users reported that they would be willing to pay more taxes to build more parks and trails in their community. Conclusions Community trails facilitate physical activity, and almost half of frequent trail users report that access to trails and other green space is important in choosing a place to live. These results support the need for prospective research on whether newly built trails promote physical activity in previously inactive people.
Nucleic-acid binding by tetracycline·metal ion complexes

Abstract Tetracycline forms chelate complexes with cupric, nickelous, and cobaltous ions that bind DNA when analyzed in a filter-retention assay. Tetracycline complexes with other metal ions including zinc, ferrous, ferric, manganous, magnesium, and calcium ions do not produce this effect. The tetracycline·copper complex binds the homopolymers polyriboadenylate, polyribouridylate, polyriboinosinate, and polyribocytidylate. The binding of polyribocytidylate is least effective. The preaddition of calcium ions interferes with the ability of tetracycline to form a DNA-binding complex with cupric ions. Calcium ions do not block DNA binding by an already formed tetracycline·copper complex. Riboflavin interferes with the DNA-binding action of tetracycline in the filter-retention assay. This suggests a rationale for its reported antagonism of bacterial growth inhibition by tetracycline. Riboflavin does not block the DNA-binding activity of an already formed tetracycline·copper complex. None of the riboflavin·metal ion complexes tested are capable of binding DNA in the filter-retention assay.
Botulinum toxin and tetanus toxin recognize similar membrane determinants

The binding fragment of tetanus toxin (50,000 dalton carboxy-terminus of heavy chain) does not block neuromuscular transmission, but it does antagonize the ability of native tetanus toxin to block neuromuscular transmission. The binding fragment of tetanus toxin also antagonizes certain botulinum toxins, including types C and E. Antagonism is at the cell surface, suggesting that the various molecules compete for a similar membrane binding site. The data indicate that the binding site is specific for botulinum toxin rather than tetanus toxin.
Cp2TiCl-catalyzed radical chemistry: living styrene polymerizations from epoxides, aldehydes, halides, and peroxides

Abstract Four different Cp2TiCl-activated radical sources (1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether, benzaldehyde, (1-bromoethyl)benzene, and benzoyl peroxide) were investigated as initiators in the Cp2TiCl-catalyzed living radical polymerization of styrene (St). The effect of reaction variables was investigated over a wide range of values ([St]/[I]=50/1–400/1, [I]/[Cp2TiCl2]=1/0.5–1/4, [Cp2TiCl2]/[Zn]=1/0.5–1/3 and T=40–130 °C). A linear dependence of molecular weight on conversion was observed for each initiator, but larger initiator efficiencies and lower polydispersities were obtained upon increasing [Cp2TiCl2] and [Zn] and decreasing temperature. The optimum conditions are initiator dependent but broadly correspond to [St]/[I]/[Cp2TiCl2]/[Zn]=[50–200]/[1]/[2–3]/[4–6] at 70–90 °C. The most robust initiators are aldehydes followed by peroxides, epoxides, and finally halides.
Characterization of the Citrus genome through analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphisms.

Studies on the nature of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were undertaken to characterize the Citrus genome. This type of analysis has not been carried out with any other perennial crop. Citrus reticulata Blanco cv Clementine, C. xparadisi Macf. cv Duncan, and an F1 hybrid (LB 1–21) were used to determine what probe/enzyme combinations revealed polymorphisms in Southern analysis, and a backcross family (LB 1–21x‘Clementine’) of 65 randomly selected hybrid seedlings was used for some analyses. A majority (73%) of the clones examined from a PstI genomic library appeared to detect single-copy sequences based on RFLP banding patterns, while clones from a cDNA library revealed a lower percentage of single copy sequences. When hybridization stringencies were lowered, 21% of the genomic clones examined revealed greater copy numbers. PstI digestion of ‘Duncan’ DNA indicated abundant methylation, so the relatively high frequency of multiple-copy sequences observed at moderate stringency cannot be attributed to a lack of methylation of the Citrus DNA. The polymorphisms in banding patterns observed primarily resulted from insertions and/or deletions rather than from base substitutions, and a model is presented to account for the varying patterns obtained from individual probes with different restriction enzymes. Finally, a model for transposon activity in Citrus is proposed, based on observations made during the course of these studies.
Applications of GIS to Citriculture in South Texas

The South Texas citrus industry needs an inventory of soil properties within existing citrus (Citrus spp.) orchards, wants data at the county level showing soils that are suitable for citrus production, and would value any information related to the establishment of citrus orchards. This study discusses integration of citrus, soil survey geographic data (SSURGO), and U.S. Census spatial and tabular data with geographical information system (GIS) technology for citriculture. For this study, Hidalgo County Texas was evaluated because it is the major citrus producing county in South Texas. The spatial and tabular data and commercial GIS software were used to inventory selected soil chemical and physical properties within citrus groves, to identify orchards that may be affected by urban expansion, and to select potential sites for establishing new citrus orchards. Results indicated that citrus, SSURGO, and U.S. census spatial and tabular data integrated with GIS technology can be a powerful tool for citriculture. The information provided in this study should appeal to producers, extension agents, scientists, and government agencies within the U.S. and abroad.
QBE/OBE: A Language for Office and Business Automation

OBE's two-dimensional programming brings new flexibility to nonprogramming computer users. They can quickly learn to compose, edit, format, and distribute letters, reports, and graphs.
Effects of attention and confidence on the hypothesized ERP correlates of recollection and familiarity.

Dual-process theories suggest that recognition memory is determined by two separate processes: familiarity and recollection. Experiment 1 behaviorally replicated past studies using the remember/know procedure to indicate that the amount of attention devoted to study influences both recollection and familiarity, but recollection more strongly. Experiments 1 and 2 assessed the effects of attention on two ERP components that have been hypothesized to be related to familiarity (FN400 old/new effect, 300–500 ms, anterior) and recollection (parietal old/new effect, 400–800 ms, posterior). Parietal old/new effects were reduced by divided attention, but FN400 old/new effects were not. Parietal ERPs (400–800 ms) in experiment 2 increased with confidence in recognizing old items, but not new items. These results support the hypothesis that the parietal old/new effect is related to recollection.
Effect of Number of Graphic Symbols, Levels, and Listening Conditions on Symbol Identification and Latency in Persons with Aphasia

This study investigated the ability of persons with aphasia to complete a series of experimental tasks involving single symbol and subject-verb-object sentence identification on a speech-generating device (SGD) in the presence/absence of competing stimuli. In all, 10 persons with Broca's aphasia and 10 persons in the control group were compared on accuracy and response latency of symbol identification across three listening conditions. Persons with aphasia identified fewer symbols accurately and had longer response latencies than persons in the control group. Number of symbols on the screen and location level had a significant effect on accuracy and latency for both groups. Persons with aphasia perceived tasks to be more difficult than persons in the control group. Results indicate that effective use of SGDs by persons with aphasia may depend on several message organization factors including location and number of symbols per screen.
Temperature-Acclimated Brown Adipose Tissue Modulates Insulin Sensitivity in Humans

In rodents, brown adipose tissue (BAT) regulates cold- and diet-induced thermogenesis (CIT; DIT). Whether BAT recruitment is reversible and how it impacts on energy metabolism have not been investigated in humans. We examined the effects of temperature acclimation on BAT, energy balance, and substrate metabolism in a prospective crossover study of 4-month duration, consisting of four consecutive blocks of 1-month overnight temperature acclimation (24 °C [month 1] → 19 °C [month 2] → 24 °C [month 3] → 27 °C [month 4]) of five healthy men in a temperature-controlled research facility. Sequential monthly acclimation modulated BAT reversibly, boosting and suppressing its abundance and activity in mild cold and warm conditions (P < 0.05), respectively, independent of seasonal fluctuations (P < 0.01). BAT acclimation did not alter CIT but was accompanied by DIT (P < 0.05) and postprandial insulin sensitivity enhancement (P < 0.05), evident only after cold acclimation. Circulating and adipose tissue, but not skeletal muscle, expression levels of leptin and adiponectin displayed reciprocal changes concordant with cold-acclimated insulin sensitization. These results suggest regulatory links between BAT thermal plasticity and glucose metabolism in humans, opening avenues to harnessing BAT for metabolic benefits.
BLAT—The BLAST-Like Alignment Tool

Analyzing vertebrate genomes requires rapid mRNA/DNA and cross-species protein alignments. A new tool, BLAT, is more accurate and 500 times faster than popular existing tools for mRNA/DNA alignments and 50 times faster for protein alignments at sensitivity settings typically used when comparing vertebrate sequences. BLAT's speed stems from an index of all nonoverlapping K-mers in the genome. This index fits inside the RAM of inexpensive computers, and need only be computed once for each genome assembly. BLAT has several major stages. It uses the index to find regions in the genome likely to be homologous to the query sequence. It performs an alignment between homologous regions. It stitches together these aligned regions (often exons) into larger alignments (typically genes). Finally, BLAT revisits small internal exons possibly missed at the first stage and adjusts large gap boundaries that have canonical splice sites where feasible. This paper describes how BLAT was optimized. Effects on speed and sensitivity are explored for various K-mer sizes, mismatch schemes, and number of required index matches. BLAT is compared with other alignment programs on various test sets and then used in several genome-wide applications. http://genome.ucsc.edu hosts a web-based BLAT server for the human genome.
Design of 700V LIGBT with the suppressed substrate current in a 0.5um junction isolated technology

In this paper, a 700V lateral insulated gate bipolar transistor (LIGBT) design is proposed in a junction-isolated technology. Several key properties of LIGBT, such as hole injection leakage and breakdown-voltage, are investigated by using two-dimensional numerical simulator, MEDICI. To improve vertical junction isolation capability, an extra BLN (Buried-Layer N-type) layer is inserted in-between the BLP (Buried-Layer P-type) and the P-substrate, to enhance hole potential barrier and to block substrate leakage as well as to ensure high breakdown voltage (>700V). An optimized LIGBT with high breakdown-voltage, very low substrate-leakage (&#60;0.1uA/um), and low switching turn-off time, are presented and analyzed.
Ablation of Interleukin-12 Exacerbates Lyme Arthritis in SCID Mice

The administration of interleukin-12 (IL-12) antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi-infected C3H/HeN-scid mice increased the severity of acute Lyme arthritis. These results contrasted with the reduction of Lyme arthritis by IL-12 antibodies in immunocompetent animals. These data suggest that downregulation of innate immunity in SCID mice in the absence of B- and T-cell responses leads to an exacerbation of joint inflammation.
The glut of doctors in mid-nineteenth century France.

The history of the professions in the West since the French Revolution is a success story, a triumph, but not always an easy one. From the beginning of the nineteenth century in continental Europe the professions had a great attraction as careers presumably open to talent, but the demand for professional services developed more slowly than interest in professional careers and more slowly than the schools that supplied the market. Lenore O'Boyle has drawn attention to this discrepancy and the revolutionary potential of the frustrated careerists produced by it.
Antistreptococcal Activity of Lactoperoxidase

A study of the inhibition of the growth of Streptococcus cremoris 972 by the enzyme lactoperoxidase has shown, in agreement with previous investigations, that the inhibition requires a source of both peroxide and thiocyanate. The thiocyanate may play more than one role. It stabilizes the very dilute solutions of lactoperoxidase employed in these studies, and its oxidation products may be involved in the inhibition. Binding of the enzyme by the microorganism is suggested by the fact that when the organism was preincubated with the enzyme and then in a medium free from the enzyme, but containing peroxide and thiocyanate, the growth of the organism was inhibited. This inhibition has all the properties of the enzyme-containing system. Although no dialyzable factor could be demonstrated to cause the inhibition, the inhibitory state involving peroxide, the enzyme, and thiocyanate survived for at least 60 min before cells were added to the medium. When catalase was present in the medium prior to the addition of the cells, the inhibition was completely reversed. It was only partially reversed if catalase was added a few moments after the addition of the cells. The data have been interpreted as indicating that the inhibition takes place rapidly and requires the formation of a quaternary complex of the cells, thiocyanate, peroxide, and the enzyme lactoperoxidase.
Wire bonding characteristics of gold conductors for low temperature co-fired ceramic applications

Abstract Low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) with gold conductors has been used for high reliability applications, such as satellite communications. When the gold metallization is co-fired with the LTCC tape, inorganic adhesion additives in the gold conductor interact with the LTCC glass. This interaction is essential to provide adequate adhesion for the gold metallization. However, this interaction can also reduce the softening point of the LTCC glass. The reaction product can migrate to the surface of the gold conductor and affect the wire bondability of the gold conductor. Effort has been made to develop surface gold conductors with optimized interaction with LTCC. The new gold conductor shows significant reduction of inorganic particles on the surface and improvement of wire bondability. A systematic wire bonding study has been performed on gold conductors under various wire bonding conditions. It is demonstrated that the wire bonding window can be improved significantly by reducing the interaction between LTCC and gold metallization. This paper reports the results of the wire bonding study.
Detection of cracks in computer tomography images of logs

Computer Tomography (CT) is being increasingly employed for automated detection and localization of internal defects in logs prior to their sawing. Reliable detection and localization of cracks in CT images of logs is particularly important from the viewpoint of lumber production planning since the presence of cracks substantially reduces the value and also compromises the structural strength of the resulting lumber. A crack is hard to detect in a cross-sectional CT image of a log because it has geometric properties and grayscale values that are similar to those associated with the ring structure of the log. In this paper, a method for crack detection is presented, which exploits the fact that the line defining the crack makes a significant non-zero angle with the log ring structure. Sobel-like operators are used to extract both, the line defining the crack and the contours corresponding to the grayscale valleys between two neighboring rings. Fork detection and grouping methods are subsequently employed to localize the actual crack line using a RANSAC-based line fitting procedure. Experimental results show the advantages of the proposed technique for crack detection when compared to techniques that employ straightforward grayscale histogram-based thresholding.
Loop star basis functions and a robust preconditioner for EFIE scattering problems

An electric field integral equation (EFIE) formulation using the loop-star basis functions has been developed for modeling plane wave scattering from perfect conducting objects. A stability analysis at the DC limit shows that the use of the Rao-Wilton-Glisson (RWG) basis functions results in a singular matrix operator. However, the use of the loop-star basis functions results in a well-conditioned matrix. Moreover, a preconditioner constructed from a two-step process, based on near interactions and an incomplete factorization with a heuristic drop strategy, has been proposed in conjunction with the conjugate gradient method to solve the resulting matrix equation. The approach is shown to be effective for resolving both the low frequency instability and the bad conditioning of the EFIE method. The computational complexity of the proposed approach is shown to be O(N/sup 2/).
Injectable hyaluronan for the treatment of carpometacarpal osteoarthritis: open label pilot trial.

Objective: Carpometacarpal osteoarthritis (CMC OA) is highly prevalent in older adults, and is often unresponsive to medical treatment. Intra-articular Hylan G-F 20 has been shown to improve pain a...
Semantic False Memories In The Form Of Derived Relational Intrusions Following Training

Contemporary behavior analytic research is making headway in characterizing memory phenomena that typically have been characterized by cognitive models, and the current study extends this development by producing “false memories” in the form of functional equivalence responding. A match-to-sample training procedure was administered in order to encourage participants to treat groups of unrelated English words as being interchangeable. Following training, participants were presented with a list of words from within one of the groups for a free recall test and a recognition test. Results showed that participants were more likely to falsely recall and recognize words that had been assigned to the same group as the list words during prior training, relative to words not assigned to the same group and relative to words that co-occurred with list words. These results indicate that semantic relatedness can be experimentally manipulated in order to produce specific false memories.
Choosing “Flawed” aggregation rules: The benefit of social choice violations in a league that values competitive balance

Abstract Revealed demand for competitive balance in sports leagues is well-established across many settings. The present study considers the role of aggregation rules (e.g., those that use aggregate individual performances to establish a set of team scores) in sports and other competitive environments. We find that competitive balance and uncertainty of outcome are minimized for aggregation rules that preserve the social choice principles of transitivity and independence. A league that values competitive balance should therefore prefer aggregation rules that violate these social choice principles. Such a preference for ambiguity may not be costless, however, as it may entail important distributional implications for teams, managers, and coaches.
Short-Range Prediction of Tropospheric Ozone Concentrations and Exceedances for Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Abstract Previous research has been focused on improving forecasts of the daily maximum 1-h concentration of tropospheric ozone, which was based on criteria used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, in 2001, EPA began implementing standards based on daily maximum 8-h mean concentrations rather than the former 1-h period. This study uses principal components analysis and multiple-regression analysis to forecast daily maximum 8-h ozone concentrations in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, nonattainment zone. Although model performance for values at individual stations proved unsuccessful, likely because of the effects of local nonmeteorological conditions, a model for prediction of “exceedances” of the standards at three or more stations explains 46.2% of the variance in tropospheric ozone concentrations. Furthermore, a decision-making tree is proposed for short-range forecasting of whether an exceedance is expected. Results represent a first attempt to forecast 8-h peak tropospheric ozone co...
Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Diagnosis, Epidemiology, and Economics

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder characterized by intermittent upper-airway collapse, which impairs ventilation and disrupts sleep. Factors that contribute to upper-airway collapse include reduced upper-airway dilator muscle activity during sleep, specific upper-airway anatomical features, decreased end-expiratory lung volume, ventilatory control instability, sleep-state instability, and rostral fluid shifts in the recumbent position. The relative contributions of these factors vary between individuals with OSA, and this may have implications as to which treatments are efficacious for an individual. OSA is common in adults; males, older individuals, and the obese are at higher risk. There is uncertainty in how to measure severity of sleep-disordered breathing, what cut-off to use to demarcate abnormal, and how to define the clinical syndrome. Identifying patients at higher risk who should have a sleep study is relatively simple, involving assessment of several factors, such as snoring, witnessed apnea/self-reported gasping, hypertension, body mass index, and neck circumference. As would be expected from a disorder that causes morbidity, OSA is associated with substantial economic costs to society, including increased medical costs. A reduction in medical costs in a diverse adult patient population with OSA after therapy has not been convincingly demonstrated. Nevertheless, the results of cost-effectiveness analyses strongly support the cost-effectiveness of continuous positive airway pressure therapy in patients with moderate to severe OSA, relative to other standard medical therapies that society is willing to pay for.