cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of immune activity profiles of microsatellite instable colon tumors to microsatellite stable tumors having high ColoType CMS1-score.

26Background: Microsatellite instable (MSI) metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) tumors have been found to be responsive to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Most MSI tumors are in consensus molecular su...
Die Diagonalpunkte mit ihren Tangenten

Die Punkte, in denen die Diagonalen des umschriebenen Rechtecks die Ellipse treffen, mogen „Diagonalpunkte“ heisen (Abb. 75).Der Ellipsenbogen EA ist die affine Figur zum Kreisbogen BA. Dem Quadrat OACB entspricht das Rechteck OADE. Dem Schnittpunkt P 1 der Diagonale OC mit dem Kreise entspricht der Diagonalpunkt P auf der Diagonale OD. Die Tangente in P 1 an den Kreis ist parallel zur Geraden AB, somit die Tangente in P parallel zur Diagonale AE. Ferner ist OC = OF. Aus diesen Uberlegungen folgt die folgende einfache Konstruktion der Diagonalpunkte mit ihren Tangenten (Abb. 76). Mache AC =AO und OF=OC=OF 1.
Pumping for the masses: evolution of groundwater management in metropolitan Los Angeles

Groundwater supports many aspects of human life. In cities, groundwater can provide a cost-effective source of water for drinking and industrial uses, while groundwater basins provide storage. The role of groundwater in a city’s water supply tends to change over time. In the Los Angeles metropolitan area, groundwater is critical. Over decades, users in the region’s many basins allocated annual pumping rights to groundwater among users through adjudications. These rights were determined through collective processes over decades, which contributed to the complex array of public and private organizations involved in water management. The rights also continue to evolve. We analyzed changes in the distribution of groundwater rights over time for adjudicated basins in Southern Los Angeles County. Results indicate that groundwater rights are increasingly: (1) controlled or regulated by public institutions and municipalities, and (2) consolidated among larger users. Yet, both the percentage of total supplies provided by groundwater, as well as the distribution of groundwater rights, varies widely among cities and communities throughout Los Angeles. As metropolitan Los Angeles faces reduced water imports and emphasizes local water reliance, access to pumping rights and storage capacity in groundwater basins will become even more vital. We discuss implications of our results for future urban water management.
Low temperature sintering of Ba(Zr0.8 − xCexY0.2)O3 − δ using lithium fluoride additive

Abstract Lithium fluoride (LiF) was selected as a liquid phase sintering additive to lower the sintering temperature. The effects of LiF on the sinterability, microstructure, and electrochemical properties of Ba(Zr0.8 − xCexY0.2)O3 − δ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4) (BZCYs) ceramics were investigated. Using LiF as an additive, high density BZCYs ceramics can be obtained at sintering temperatures 200–300 °C lower than the usual 1700 °C with much shorter soaking time. Nuclear reaction investigations showed no lithium and a small amount of fluorine reside in the sample which indicates the non-concomitant evaporation of lithium and fluorine during the sintering process. Scanning electron microscopic investigations showed the bimodal structure of BZCYs ceramics and grain growth as Ce content increases. In a water saturated hydrogen containing atmosphere, BZCYs ceramics have higher conductivity when LiF is used in the sintering process. LiF-added BZCYs electrolyte-supported fuel cells with platinum electrodes were tested at temperatures from 500 to 850 °C. Results show that LiF is an excellent sintering additive for lowering the sintering temperature of BZCYs.
Problems from the Calculus of Variations: Finite Time Horizon

In this chapter we extend the results of the previous chapter to problems with a potentially infinite time horizon. The control problem will be defined on a bounded domain, and, as in the last chapter, the process is stopped and an exit cost is paid when the domain is exited. In contrast to the last chapter, there is no a priori fixed time interval. Instead, the process can be stopped at any time prior to exiting the domain, at which time a stopping cost is incurred. The problem of control until the domain is exited (without the possibility of controlled stopping) can be obtained as a special case, simply by choosing a stopping cost that is sufficiently large.
Where's the 'r' in Debit?

The common abbreviation for the accounting term “debit” is a puzzling one—“Dr.” Today, particularly with our depersonalized treatment of the accounting or bookkeeping “debit,” there is no obvious clue as to why there is an “r” in “debit” at all. An investigation of the history and evolution of the “debit” in bookkeeping reveals the reason for the abbreviation—a reason almost totally lost without historical perspective. Whereas the accounting “debit” is now viewed as a “technical” term, devoid of any value considerations, referring simply to the left side of a journal entry or ledger account, this was not always the case. Originally, “debits” did have a “bad” side. They were used to record the debts of the merchant or businessman. Debits were debtors. And the abbreviation for “debtor” is “Dr.”
A Review of “Auto motives; Understanding car use behaviours”

In its first decades, the transportation planning field was not especially concerned with understanding travel behavior. As long as their forecasting models could predict what people in the aggrega...
Effect of surface temperature on microparticle-surface adhesion

The effect of surface temperature on the adhesion properties of the bond between a substrate and a single micro-particle is investigated in a non-contact/non-invasive manner by monitoring the rolling/rocking motion dynamics of acoustically excited single microparticles. In the current work, a set of experiments were performed to observe the change in the rocking resonance frequency of the particles with the change of surface temperature. At various substrate surface temperature levels, the work-of-adhesion values of the surface-particle bond are evaluated from the resonance frequencies of the rocking motion of a set of microparticles driven by an orthogonal ultrasonic surface acoustic wave field. The dependence of adhesion bonds of a microparticle and the substrate on the surface temperature has been clearly demonstrated by the performed experiments. It was also observed and noted that the relative humidity plays a vital role in the rolling behavior of particles.
Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia

Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia is an indolent B-cell malignancy defined by a lymphoplasmacytic infiltration in the bone marrow or in other organs including lymph nodes, liver, and spleen, as well as a monoclonal immunoglobulin M protein (IgM) in the serum. The infiltration of the bone marrow and extramedullary sites by malignant B lymphocytes, as well as elevated IgM levels, typically leads to symptoms associated with this disease. While Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia typically follows an indolent course, the disease remains incurable with current therapy. Due to the heterogeneous clinical presentation, the presence of multiple comorbidities and competing causes of death, the decision to treat patients as well as the choice of treatment can be complex as many patients do not require treatment initially. When patients do require therapy, it is important to select therapies that do not limit future treatment options. To provide a simple risk-adapted approach to managing patients with Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia, a rational approach to this disease is presented.
A Comparison of Solar Wind Parameters from Experiments on the IMP 8 and Wind Spacecraft

This paper compares solar wind speeds and densities derived from the MIT and LANL experiments on the IMP 8 spacecraft and from the MIT experiments on IMP 8 and the Wind spacecraft. The solar wind speeds determined by all three instruments agree within a few percent. In contrast, we find that the densities from the LANL IMP 8 experiment show a velocity dependence not seen in the comparison of densities from the two MIT experiments. The densities measured by the MIT IMP 8 experiment appear to be ∼7% higher than the densities determined from the Wind solar wind experiment. The reason for that discrepancy is still under investigation.
FTY720 inhibited proinflammatory cytokine release and osteoclastogenesis induced by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans.

Background Periodontitis is a bacteria-driven inflammatory bone loss disease. Previous studies showed that the oral pathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans) stimulated the generation of sphingosine 1 phosphate (S1P). In addition, S1P signaling regulated the migration of osteoclast precursors and affected osteoclastogenesis. Furthermore, treatment with FTY720 (also called fingolimod, a modulator of multiple S1P receptors) alleviated osteoporosis and suppressed arthritis in animals. This study determined the effect of FTY720 on proinflammatory cytokine production and osteoclastogenesis in murine bone marrow cells with or without A. actinomycetemcomitans stimulation.
Challenging the Status Quo: The Influence of Proprietary Learning Institutions on the Shifting Landscape of Higher Education

Social, historical and economic forces are challenging the viability of traditional models of higher education; postsecondary institutions must examine alternative strategies and approaches in order to effectively adapt to the demands of a knowledge economy. Proprietary models provide insight to assist colleges and universities striving to address changes necessary to achieve (and sustain) success in meeting the growing needs of lifelong learners via: (1) opening access to a broader community of students; and (2) cutting costs through increased efficiency in structure and operation. Implementation of sound educational practices aligned with efficient processes and cost-effective structures is essential for colleges and universities striving to meet the needs of an increasing number of students.
The Decision Seminar: A New Approach to Urban Problem Solving

Over the past 30 years, urban policies in such areas as public health, housing, economic development, and education have consistently been undercut by unexpected opposition. This is partially attributable to the ambiguity inherent in politics, but it also derives from the inability of policymakers to examme systematically the political process and its implications for successful policy development. We suggest the decision seminar, a problem-solving tool developed by Harold Lasswell, as a means for clarifying the ambiguity of the political process and allowing policymakers to understand better community undercurrents ofsupport for and opposition to any policy proposal. Based on our examination of several successful decision seminars, we suggest conditions and practices necessary to maximize the effectiveness of a decision seminar.
The Systematic Beliefs of the Mass Public: Estimating Policy Preferences with Survey Data

This paper develops and estimates a model that relates individuals' policy preferences to three basic terms: (1) a common orientation that affects positions on all items in an issue domain and that explicitly represents the constraint concept; (2) a question-specific term that represents the influence of impacts and interests associated with the explicit policy in question; and (3) party identifications. Each of these components is hypothesized to vary among individuals, based on their social, economic, and demographic characteristics. This model is estimated with the domestic policy items included in the first American National Panel Study (1956-60) using the LISREL statistical method. The results indicate the existence of a large and stable common orientation that strongly influences positions on the jobs, education aid, and health care items, but that is only weakly related to the power and housing item. The model also finds small yet significant policy-specific and partisan effects. The composition an...
Visible Reflectance Spectroscopy on a Buoy-Mounted Aerosol Sampler: Development of a Sensor for Quantifying the Deposition of Mineral Dust to the Oceans

Iron deficiency has been shown to limit the growth of phytoplankton in the high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll regions of the Equatorial Pacific, Southern Ocean, and Subarctic North Pacific, and is a potentially limiting nutrient for nitrogen-fixing phytoplankton, which represent an important component of primary production in oceans. The major source of iron to the open ocean is the atmospheric transport and deposition of iron-bearing soil dust from the arid regions of North Africa, central Asia and Australia. A buoy-mounted aerosol sampler deployed on the Bermuda Testbed Mooring collected a time series of samples allowing quantification of the deposition of African aerosol iron to the Sargasso Sea. We are developing a sensor using visible reflectance spectroscopy (VRS) that can be integrated with this sampler to make real-time measurements of the concentration of iron in aerosol dust over the oceans. In VRS, a white light source illuminates the sample and the spectrum of the reflected light is recorded. Analyses of the spectra include calculating percent color and the first derivative of the spectrum. As the amount of iron in the sample increases, the percentage of red increases. The first derivatives of the spectra contain peaks which can identify iron minerals (e.g., hematite & goethite). The ability to couple aerosol dust analysis with in-water iron measurements will increase our understanding of how iron enters the oceans and what role it plays in the marine biosphere
The immunospecificity of altered initial arrest patterns of circulating cancer cells in tumor‐bearing mice

The early arrest patterns of a methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma were determined after injection of 125IUdR-labelled cells into the systemic circulation of mice bearing transplanted lymphosarcomas, and of normal animals. Similar experiments were performed using radiolabelled lymphosarcoma cells and normal or fibrosarcoma-bearing mice. The results showed that shifts in normal distribution patterns previously observed in tumor-bearing animals injected with cells of the same type as that borne by the animal, were not detectable when cells of a different tumor type were injected. Peritoneal exudate cell migration inhibition assays showed little immunologic cross-reactivity between the two tumors and, together with the results of the distribution studies, indicated that alterations of early arrest patterns in mice sensitized to their tumor is an immunologically specific phenomenon. L'Immunospecificite De L'Alteration de L'arrět Initial Des Cellules Tumorales Circulantes Chez Des Souris Cancereuses Les caracteristiques de l'arrět initial des cellules d'un fibrosarcome induit par le methylcholanthrene ont ete determinees apres injection de cellules marquees a l'IUdR125 dans la circulation generale de souris porteuses de lymphosarcomes transplantes et d'animaux normaux. Des experiences semblables ont ete effectuees avec des cellules de lymphosarcome radiomarquees et des souris normales ou porteuses de fibrosarcomes. Les resultats montrent que les modifications de la distribution normale deja observees chez les animaux cancereux auxquels on avait injecte des cellules du měme type que la tumeur qu'ils portaient ne sont pas decelables lorsque l'on injecte des cellules d'un type de tumeur different. Les tests d'inhibition de la migration des cellules d'exsudat peritoneal n'ont mis en evidence qu'une faible immunoreactivite croisee entre les deux tumeurs; ces tests, ainsi que l'etude de la distribution, montrent que les alterations de l'arrět initial chez les souris sensibilisees a leur tumeur constituent un phenomane immunologiquement specifique.
Conditions for the physical realizability of polarization matrices characterizing passive systems

Abstract We derive conditions for the physical realizability of polarization matrices characterizing passive systems or scattering media. By physically realizable, we mean that 0  g  1 where g ≡ (output intensity/input intensity). Using the singular-value decomposition of an arbitrary 2 × 2 complex-valued matrix, we prove that a Jones matrix T J is physically realizable if 0  det T J + T J  1. Consequently singular Jones matrices (i.e. det T J = 0) completely extinguish the output intensity irrespective of the input intensity because g ≡ 0. Corresponding results are obtained for Mueller-Jones matrices (the 4 × 4 real-valued matrices which are the four-dimensional representations of the two-dimensional 2 × 2 complex-valued Jones matrices). We also study the problem for general Mueller matrices; however because of their phenomenological character they do not admit of such criteria as do the Jones and Mueller-Jones matrices. This is because g now depends upon the matrix elements of the Mueller matrix and...
Seismic Evaluation of Large Server Computer Structure

This paper discusses the analysis and verification of a finite element model which simulates the robustness of a high end computer server structure during a severe seismic event. The server consists of the frame which is the structure that components are installed into, such as processor units, input-output units and power components. The finite element modeling of this server frame is presented here not only to inform on creating an accurate model for simulation purposes, but also to provide guidelines as to the critical factors in setting up a large assembly finite element model (FEM) and to establish the optimum methodology for modeling this complex assembly with the available analysis software tools. For verification, the simulated modal data is compared to both modal data measured from an instrumented impact hammer, and to measured swept sine data. The simulated results compare favorably with the measured data, and it has been determined that location and integrity of the welded connections are critical for an accurate vibration response of the finite element model. The analysis frame model was subjected to loads and environmental conditions similar to those endured under horizontal table vibration tests and seismic events. The results of the experimental testing and simulations were compared and proved to be in a good correlation. Based on this verified finite element model, any additional redesign of the frame structure and its stiffening members can proceed very efficiently. This design study builds toward the objective of constructing a verified model of the server frame and components which will lead to a guideline for implementing stiffener designs on high-end server systems.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
A Nd isotopic study of the Hamersley and Michipicoten banded iron formations: the source of REE and Fe in Archean oceans

A detailed Nd isotopic study of the large and well-dated Hamersley and Michipicoten banded iron formations (BIFs) has been conducted. The Hamersley BIFs (Lake Superior type) are located in the Pilbara craton of Western Australia and the Michipicoten BIFs (Algoma type) are located in the northeastern corner of Lake Superior in Ontario, Canada. Their initial epsilon(Nd) values are variable and in the range of 0 to +4. The Fe/Nd ratio in present-day hydrothermal waters and BIFs are both 100,000, suggesting that the source of much of the Fe in BIFs (and Archean seawater) was hydrothermal water circulating through Archean midocean ridge systems.
Expression of Gα13 (Q226L) Induces P19 Stem Cells to Primitive Endoderm via MEKK1, 2, or 4

Galpha13 mediates the ability of the morphogen retinoic acid to promote primitive endoderm formation from mouse P19 embryonal carcinoma stem cells, a process that includes the obligate activation of Jun N-terminal kinase. Expression of the constitutively activated (Q226L) GTPase-deficient form of Galpha13 mimics retinoic acid and was used to investigate the signaling upstream of primitive endoderm formation. Jun N-terminal kinase 1 activity, MEK1,2, MKK4, and MEKK1 were constitutively activated in clones stably transfected to express Q226L Galpha13. Dominant negative forms of MEKK1 and MEKK4 were expressed stably in the clones harboring Q226L Galpha13. Expression of dominant negative versions of either MEKK1 or MEKK4 effectively blocks both the activation of Jun N-terminal kinase as well as the formation of primitive endoderm. Depletion of MEKK1, -2, or -4 by antisense oligodeoxynucleotides suppressed signaling from Q226L Galpha13 to JNK1 and primitive endoderm formation. We demonstrate that the signal linkage map from Galpha13 activation to primitive endoderm formation in these stem cells requires activation at three levels of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade: MEKK1, -2, or -4 for MAP kinase kinase kinase; MKK4 and/or MEK1 for MAP kinase kinase; and JNK1 for MAP kinase.
Ha-Ras stimulates uptake and phosphorylation of ethanolamine: inhibition by wortmannin

Transformation of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts by Ha-Ras resulted in large increases in the phosphorylation of both [14C]ethanolamine (Etn) and [14C]choline (Cho) when these precursors were added to the medium. Wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (P13K), preferentially decreased phosphorylation of externally added Etn in the Ha-Ras transformed, but not in the untransformed, fibroblasts. However, wortmannin had no effect on the phosphorylation of Etn formed endogenously by phorbol ester-stimulated hydrolysis of phosphatidylethanolamine. Data suggest that interaction of mutated Ras with PI3K leads to specific stimulation of Etn uptake, followed by nearly quantitative phosphorylation of Etn by a Ras-activated Cho/Etn kinase.
Mutual Potential of Homogeneous Polyhedra

The mutual gravitational potential between a pair of homogeneous polyhedra is expressed using an infinite series. The nested volume integrals are evaluated analytically and result in simple tensor expressions containing no special functions. However, complexity increases as O(6 n ), where n is the term degree. An alternate formulation due to Liebenthal is also presented.
Evidence for spinodal decomposition in the system PbSPbTe

Abstract The system PbSPbTe exhibits a solvus with a critical temperature of 804°C. Controlled exsolution experiments have been conducted at temperatures below T c at various compositions within and without the chemical spinodal curve. Replica electron micrographs provide evidence for a spinodal decomposition mechanism in this ionic system.
Pup-killing in mice: the effects of gonadectomy and testosterone administration.

Abstract The administration of testosterone to intact and to gonadectomized adult female mice induced pup-killing whereas such treatment failed to induce killing in intact males and in males gonadectomized in adulthood. Testosterone treatment was effective in inducing killing when given to adult, neonatally gonadectomized, males. Also, gonadectomy of males performed prior to experience with young reduced the number of animals that subsequently killed. Gonadectomy performed after animals had killed pups did not eliminate killing behavior. Finally, practically all females that exhibited pup-killing in response to the administration of testosterone also displayed intraspecific aggression than killed pups.
Feature extraction and health monitoring using image correlation for survivability of leadfree packaging under shock and vibration

In this paper, the feature extraction for health monitoring based on optical measurements of transient-strain from digital image correlation (DIC) in conjunction with ultra high-speed imaging has been investigated. Full-field measurement of transient strain have been made in various board assemblies subjected to shock in various orientations. Feature-extraction for health monitoring of leadfree area array architectures based on statistical pattern recognition has been presented. Previous researchers have measured the transient-dynamics of board assemblies with high-speed imaging in conjunction with high-speed image analysis for measurement of relative displacement, angle, velocity, and acceleration [Lall 2006, Che 2006], high-speed data-acquisition systems with discrete strain gages [Lall 2004, 2005, Liang 2005] and with accelerometers for measurement of transient acceleration [Dunford 2004, Goyal 2000, Seah 2005]. Degradation in confidence value gives a leading indication of component failure. Package architectures examined include-flex ball-grid arrays, tape-array ball-grid arrays, and metal lead-frame packages. Statistical pattern recognition techniques including, mahalanobis- distance approach, wavelet packet energy decomposition, and time-frequency (TFA) techniques have been investigated for system identification, condition monitoring, and fault detection and diagnosis in electronic systems. Explicit finite element models have been developed and various kinds of failure modes have been simulated such as solder ball cracking, package fall off and solder ball failure. Models developed include, smeared property models, Timoshenko-beam models, and explicit sub-models. Explicit finite-element models have been correlated with experimental data. The presented approach does not depend on continuity and therefore does not need daisy-chained devices for detection of failure.
Illusion and Anticlericalism in a Scene from Le Conte De Floire Et Blanchefleur

The scene with the illusionist Barbarin in MS A of Robert d’Orbigny’s Le Conte de Floire et Blanchefleur has a hitherto unrecognized carnevalesque vision of nuns mounted on monk’s shoulders and brandishing cutlasses, perhaps in mock combat.
Assessment of ‘peaks over threshold’ methods for estimating extreme value distribution tails

Abstract In the past twenty years a vast new body of extreme value theory was developed, referred to as ‘peaks over threshold modeling.’ This theory allows the use in the analysis of all data exceeding a sufficiently high threshold, a feature that may result in improved extreme value estimates. The application of the theory depends upon the performance of methods for estimating the distribution parameters corresponding to any given set of extreme data. We present a comparative assessment of the performance of three such methods. The assessment is based on Monte Carlo simulations from populations with four distributions: Gumbel, Weibull, generalized Pareto, and normal. The simulation results showed that the de Haan and the Conditional Mean Exceedance (CME) methods performed consistently better than the Pickands method (NIST implementation). For the distributions, parameter values, and mean recurrence intervals assumed in this work, the CME method outperformed the de Haan method only when the percent estimation errors were about one percent or smaller, a case unlikely to be encountered in wind engineering practice.
Connection Selection Scheme for Multi-hop Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

In this paper we introduce a connection selection scheme for multi-hop heterogeneous networks that enables a mobile terminal to select the best connection subject to the user requirements. Typical integration solutions have focused on network selection schemes for single-hop networks with multi-interface mobile terminals, while this paper provides a connection selection scheme for multi-hop networks with multi-interface mobile terminals. We also propose a pro-active handoff scheme that initiates the handoff procedure before the existing connection terminates based on the quality of an end-to-end path.
Creating a pocket universe: “Shippers,” fan fiction, and the X‐Files online

Ethnographic investigation of the online community of X‐Files fans known as “Shippers”; reveals a resistive posture manifested in their websites, discussions, and fan fiction. The mostly female Shippers hypothesize an unfolding romantic relationship between the series’ protagonists and thereby oppose male‐oriented conventions and commercial imperatives. In touting the equal partnership of Agents Mulder and Scully, and in wanting to see that equality as the basis for a romance, Shippers conflate the public and private and challenge artificial gender dichotomies. However, the study finds that their activities do not fully compensate for marginalization of their sensibilities in the given text.
Structure and support effects on the selective oxidation of dimethyl ether to formaldehyde catalyzed by MoOx domains

Abstract The selective oxidation of dimethyl ether (CH 3 OCH 3 ) to formaldehyde (HCHO) was carried out on MoO x species with a wide range of MoO x surface density and structure supported on MgO, Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , and SnO 2 . Raman and X-ray absorption spectroscopies were used to probe the structure of these MoO x domains, as they evolved from monomeric species into two-dimensional polymolybdate domains and MoO 3 clusters with increasing MoO x surface density. Primary HCHO synthesis rates (per Mo atom) initially increased with increasing MoO x surface density (1.5–7 Mo/nm 2 ) on all supports, indicating that MoO x domain surfaces become more active as two-dimensional monolayers form via oligomerization of monomer species. The incipient formation of MoO 3 clusters at higher surface densities led to inaccessible MoO x species and to lower HCHO synthesis rates (per Mo). Areal rates reached constant values as polymolybdate monolayers formed. These areal rates depend on the identity of the support; they were highest on SnO 2 , lowest on Al 2 O 3 , and undetectable on MgO, indicating that the surface properties of polymolybdate structures are strongly influenced by their atomic attachment to a specific support. The catalytic behavior of MoO x domains reflects their ability to delocalize electron density during the formation of transition states required for rate-determining CH bond activation steps within redox cycles involved in HCHO synthesis from dimethyl ether. These conclusions are consistent with the observed parallel increase in the rates of HCHO synthesis and of incipient stoichiometric reduction of MoO x domains by H 2 as the domain size increases and as the supports become less insulating and more reducible, and as the energy required for ligand-to-metal electronic transitions in the UV–visible spectrum decreases. HCHO selectivities increased with increasing MoO x domain size; they were highest on Al 2 O 3 and lowest on SnO 2 supports. The Lewis acidity of the support cations appears to influence HCHO binding energy. HCHO reactions leading to CO x and methyl formate via primary and secondary pathways are favored on weaker Lewis acids (with stronger conjugate bases). The MoO–support linkages prevalent at low surface densities also favor primary and secondary pathways to CO x and methyl formate. When reported on a CH 3 OH-free basis, because of the pathways available for CH 3 OH oxidation to HCHO and for CH 3 OCH 3 CH 3 OH interconversion, primary HCHO selectivities reached values greater than 95% on Al 2 O 3 -supported polymolybdate monolayers.
A combined soft computing-mechanics approach to inversely predict damage in bridges

Abstract This study aims to facilitate damage detection in concrete bridge girders without the need for visual inspection while minimizing field measurements. Beams with different material parameters and cracking patterns are modeled using mechanics-based ABAQUS finite element analysis software program in order to obtain stiffness values at specified nodes. The resulting database is then used to train an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model to inversely predict the most probable cracking pattern. The aim is to use ANN approach to solve an inverse problem where a unique analytical solution is not attainable. Accordingly, simple span beams with 3, 5, 7 and 9 stiffness nodes and a single crack were modeled in this work. To confirm that the ANN approach can characterize the logic within the databases, networks with geometric material and cracking parameters as inputs and stiffness values as outputs were created. These networks provided excellent prediction accuracy measures (R2 values > 99%). For the inverse problem, the noted trend shows that better prediction accuracy measures are achieved when more stiffness nodes are utilized in the ANN modeling process. It was observed that decreasing the number of required outputs immensely improves the quality of predictions provided by the ANN.
New approaches for interpreting projected bone densitometry data

Bone densitometry using dual-photon absorptiometry (DPA) or dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) has become a standard method for assessing bone mineral content in the spine and other skeletal regions. A projected areal density, referred to as bone mineral density (BMD,g/cm2), is normally calculated to assess regional bone density and strength. We demonstrate that this measure can be misleading when used to compare bones of different sizes due to inherent biases caused by bone thickness differences. For example, assuming that volumetric bone density remains constant and bony linear dimensions are proportional to height, a 20% increase in height would result in a 20% increase in both the thickness and the BMD of any bone. We describe new analysis methods to reduce the confounding effect of bone size, and we introduce a parameter, bone mineral apparent density (BMAD, g/cm3), that better reflects bone apparent density. Using this parameter, we calculate a quantity that serves as an index of bone strength (IBS, g2/cm4) for whole vertebral bodies. These analyses were applied to lumbar spine (L2-4) DXA measurements in a population of women 17-40 years old and appear to offer advantages to conventional techniques.
An integrated assessment of archaeobotanical recovery methods in the Neotropical rainforest of northern Belize: flotation and dry screening

This report presents results of a study examining the ancient use of plants at four Late Classic (CE 600-900) Maya rural farmsteads in northwestern Belize. Our research specifically targeted residential middens for macrobotanical recovery. Samples yielded the remains of more than a dozen plant families, representing some genera that do not currently grow in the area. These plants were used in the Late Classic, countering the idea that ancient botanical remains do not survive in Neotropical archaeological contexts. We also evaluated two macrobotanical sample processing methods vis-a-vis one another: flotation and dry screening. Our results indicate that flotation recovered 58% more seeds than dry screening, while dry screening yielded almost twice as much charcoal and other wood as flotation. The divergent quantities in the types of material recovered suggest a comprehensive macrobotanical recovery program should include the use of both processing methods.
Synthesis and evaluation of new 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline analogs as antiglioma agents

Novel tetrahydroisoquinoline (THI) analogs were designed, synthesized, and their antiglioma activity was evaluated. The results showed that 6,8-dimethoxy-1-(2′-methoxybiphenyl-4-ylmethyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline hydrochloride (25) demonstrated improved potency, and selectivity on C6 rat glioma vs cultured rat astrocytes (EC50 0.63 μM vs. 10.85 μM) compared to our recent lead molecule EDL-155 (EC50 1.5 μM vs. 27.4 μM). The isomers of 25 were isolated using a semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method, and their in vitro biological evaluation revealed that (+) 25 was the most active, and it was nearly 21 fold more potent than (−) 25, suggesting the antiglioma profile is influenced by stereochemical factors.
Effect of Ligand−Metal Interactions on the Growth of Transition-Metal and Alloy Nanoparticles

The growth of cobalt, iron, and platinum and their alloy nanoparticles was investigated with oleic acid and trioctylphosphine oxide as ligands. Both the ligand type and concentration are important in determining the final product of the reactions. With a high concentration of oleic acid, thermal decomposition of dicobalt octacarbonyl and iron pentacarbonyl precursors yields only molecular cluster complex species with oxidized metal centers. However, reduction of platinum acetylacetonate under identical conditions yields nanometer-sized particles. In the presence of a high concentration of trioctylphosphine oxide, only the cobalt system was observed to form a cluster−complex species, while both the iron and platinum systems form nanometer-sized particles. This oxidation process, which forms cluster complexes, provides a digestive ripening mechanism that competes with the Ostwald ripening process, thus affecting the particle size and composition of both the pure metal and alloy nanoparticles.
Of Minds and Maps

The history of neurology can be viewed as the history of creating maps. In the 19th century, phrenologists tried to explain personality traits by developing a topography of cranial bumps. This now-debunked idea paved the way for an important neurologic tenet—the localization and specification of brain function. Paul Broca and Carl Wernicke used this principle and began mapping out the mind over a century and a half ago, showing that the unique human ability of language is grounded in specific physical structures of the brain. This began a kind of “Copernican” revolution in the study of brain and mind. We could finally begin to view the mind as a manifestation of the inner physical machinations of the brain and not some mysterious Cartesian “ghost in the machine.” As a neurology resident I remember being told the classic aphorism “God must be a cartographer, for the brain is full of maps” by a gray-haired pensive neuropathologist. He was not making a theological proclamation but a scientific point. Retinotopic maps guide the visual cortex, tonotopic maps are found in Herschel’s gyrus of the auditory cortex, and somatotopic homunculi inhabit our motor and sensory cortices. Confronted with the intimidating task of slicing and dicing this three-pound enigma in the neuropathology laboratory, it was reassuring to have map and atlas in hand. Like the ancient ritual of trepanation, we would cut out bone flaps to remove the glistening matter. Under the harsh fluorescent laboratory lights, the oozing brain fluid seemed luminous. Many …
Suppression of Tumor Growth and Metastasis of Murine Renal Adenocarcinoma by Syngeneic Fibroblasts Genetically Engineered to Secrete the JE/MCP-1 Cytokine

The murine monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, JE/MCP-1, like its human counterpart monocyte chemotactic and activating factor (MCAF), attracts monocytes-macrophages to tumor tissues. In previous s...
Entrepreneurial Firms and Downstream Alliance Partnerships: Impact of Portfolio Depth and Scope on Technology Innovation and Commercialization Success

To achieve technology innovation and commercialization (TIC) success under complex, protracted, and uncertain product development cycles, entrepreneurial firms engage in downstream alliance partnerships with mainstream industry players. In this study, we examine two specific characteristics of the entrepreneurial firm's downstream alliance portfolio (depth and scope) and their impact on TIC success. Employing a sample of 728 biotech firms and their partnerships with pharmaceutical companies, we find that while portfolio depth and scope separately have positive impact on success, the relationship between portfolio scope and success is additionally moderated by portfolio depth. Further, insights from post hoc interviews also suggest that though it is challenging for entrepreneurial firms to incorporate both depth and scope in alliance partnerships, those that optimally combine both can achieve higher TIC success.
Augmenting a Fredholm Operator of Zero Index to Achieve Invertibility for Elliptic Boundary Value Problems

Abstract An elliptic partial differential operator satisfies the Garding inequality, which leads to a Fredholm operator when the boundary conditions are also properly posed. In many applications, this Fredholm operator has zero index. Therefore n orthogonality (or, compatibility) conditions must be satisfied by the data, and the solutions have n degrees of freedom-they are nonunique. In order to fix those n degrees of freedom for the uniqueness of the solution, n accessory linear conditions are usually prescribed. This leads to an augmented system. In this paper, we formulate a simple operator-theoretic theorem to enable us to characterize when the augmented linear system is uniquely solvable. We apply this theorem to the Neumann problem as well as to the traction boundary value problem in elastostatics based upon a simple layer potential boundary integral approach. Criteria of unique solvability are established for several types of accessory conditions for such boundary value problems.
Punishment, Restitution, and the Marvelous Method of Directing the Intention

David Boonin, The Problem of Punishment (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2008). There are two reasons why David Boonin's recent book, The Problem of Punishment,1 offers me a unique oppor...
Cloning and characterization of the human and Caenorhabditis elegans homologs of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae MSH5 gene.

InSaccharomyces cerevisiaetheMSH5gene encoding a MutS homolog was identified as a gene required for meiotic crossing over. To understand the role ofMSH5in higher eukaryotes, we have identified both the human and theCaenorhabditis elegans MSH5genes. The human andC. elegansMSH5 predicted amino acid sequences share, respectively, 25.3 and 22.0% identity with theS. cerevisiaeMSH5 amino acid sequence. The humanMSH5gene consists of 25 exons and spans at least 12 kb of genomic DNA, while theC. elegansgene comprises 17 exons distributed over at least 5.8 kb. Radiation hybrid mapping studies indicate that the human gene is located at 6p22.3–p21.3. Northern blot analysis demonstrates that human MSH5 is expressed to some extent in all tissues, but that particularly high levels of expression occur in testis, thymus, and other tissues of the immune system. Two-hybrid interaction analysis demonstrates that the human MSH4 and MSH5 proteins interact as observed forS. cerevisiaeMSH4 and MSH5.
Drug addiction in pregnancy and pregnancy outcome: a call for global solutions.

I read with interest the recent article by Visscher et al. (2003), which attempts (successfully) to estimate the association between low neonatal birth weight and the maternal use of cigarettes, al...
Evaluating the implementation of performance improvement training: The E3 process for success

The E3 process for success provides a basic framework for evaluating the implementation of a training program implemented as a broad-based performance improvement strategy. The regularity of conducting the evaluation helps to determine challenges and opportunities for modification, integration, and continuous application for the desired change.
Investigation of Radiation Trapping in an Atomic Vapor Using the Hanle Effect

We investigate, theoretically and experimentally, the effects of radiation trapping on the Hanle effect in a Rubidium atomic vapor.
Impact of invasion of Acer platanoides on canopy structure and understory seedling growth in a hardwood forest in North America

Invasion by exotic plant species is known to affect native communities and ecosystems, but the mechanisms of the impacts are much less understood. In a field study, we examined the effects of a tree invader, Acer platanoides (Norway maple, NM), on canopy structure and seedling growth in the understory of a North American deciduous forest. The experimental site contains a monospecific patch of A. platanoides and a mixed patch of A. platanoides with its native congener, A. rubrum (red maple, RM). In the study, we examined canopy characteristics of three types of trees in the forests, i.e., RM trees in the mixed forest, NM trees in the mixed forest, and NM trees in its monospecific patch. Height growth and biomass production of RM and NM seedlings under intact canopies and newly created gaps of the three types of trees were followed for two growing seasons. We found that removal of half of the canopy from focal trees increased canopy openness and light transmission to the forest floor, but to a greater extent under NM trees than under RM trees. Seedlings of these two Acer species varied greatly in biomass production under canopies of the same type of trees and in their responses to canopy opening. For example, seedlings of the exotic NM grown under the native RM trees in the mixed forests increased biomass production by 102.4% compared to NM seedlings grown under conspecific trees. The native RM seedlings grown under NM trees, however, reduced biomass production by 23.5% compared to those grown under conspecific trees. It was also observed that RM was much more responsive in biomass production to canopy opening than NM. For instance, total seedling biomass increased by 632.2% in RM, but by only 134.6% in NM in response to the newly created gaps. In addition, we found that NM seedlings allocated a greater portion of biomass below-ground as canopy openness increased, whereas the same trend was not observed in RM seedlings. Our results thus demonstrated that invasion of NM significantly altered canopy structure and community dynamics in the hardwood forest. Because the exotic NM seedlings are able to grow well under the native RM trees, but not vice versa, NM will likely expand its distribution in the forests and make it an ever increasingly serious tree invader in its non-native habitats, including North America.
Exclusive Double-Charmonium Production from e + e Annihilation into a Virtual Photon

We calculate the exclusive cross sections for e + e − annihilation into two charmonium states through a virtual photon. Purely electromagnetic contributions are surprisingly large, changing the cross sections by as much as 21%. The predicted cross section for J/ +�c is about an order of magnitude smaller than a recent measurement by the BELLE Collaboration, although part of the discrepancy can be attributed to large relativistic corrections. The cross sections for S-wave + P-wave, P-wave + P-wave, and S-wave + D-wave charmonium states are also calculated. It may
Rethinking the library for the international student community

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on a study conducted about international students’ use of academic libraries at three campuses: a medium‐sized private institution, a state university, and a small private school. In light of a growing number of international students on US campuses, the paper has questions about why they do or do not visit the library, their use of media, and their preferred information and communication resources. The study offers suggestions for ways to make the library more central to the students' experiences.Design/methodology/approach – The investigators collected data from a review of relevant literature, an analysis of academic library web sites that offer information for international students, a poll of listservs, surveys of students, and focus groups. The information was analyzed for themes or trends that could influence the provision of services.Findings – International students are an underserved population who use the library primarily as a place for study. A...
Interference colors of nematic liquid crystal films at different applied voltages and surface anchoring conditions

This paper presents the calculated and experimental interference colors of liquid crystal (LC) films due to the optical retardation of two orthogonal electromagnetic components at different surface anchoring conditions and applied voltages. We simulate the deformation of LC director using finite element method and convert the calculated colors into sRGB parameters. A gold micro-structure is fabricated and used to control the optical retardation. Polarizing micrographs were collected and compared with the calculated colors.