cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Family history (FH) of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer and behavioral risks: Analysis of an Internet-based risk assessment tool.

807Background: Certain behaviors are known modifiable risk factors for development of GI cancers. The relationship between family history (FH) of GI cancers and individuals’ behaviors is not well u...
Detecting suicidal thoughts: The power of ecological momentary assessment

BACKGROUND Researchers and clinicians have typically relied on retrospective reports to monitor suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Smartphone technology has made real-time monitoring of suicidal thoughts possible via mobile ecological momentary assessment (EMA). However, little is known about how information gleaned from EMA compares with that obtained by retrospective reports. The authors sought to compare suicidal ideation (SI) assessed over 1 week using EMA with a retrospective gold-standard interviewer-administered measure covering the same period. METHODS Fifty-one adults with major depressive disorder completed 1 week of EMA (6×/day) assessing SI. Following completion of EMA, participants completed an interviewer-administered Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI) retrospectively assessing the same week. RESULTS SI severity assessed through EMA was positively correlated with scores on the retrospective SSI. However, 58% of participants reporting ideation with EMA denied any past-week ideation on the SSI. Participants who endorsed SI during EMA but not on the SSI were no less likely to have a history of suicidal behavior than those who reported SI in both formats. CONCLUSION EMA captures instances of suicidal thinking that go undetected through retrospective report and thereby may help us to identify an at-risk subgroup otherwise missed.
Dynamic Flight Routing Using Internet of Things Framework

With increased demand of quicker travel, both for passengers and cargo, there has been major advancements in commercial airlines and number of flights have increased significantly over the last few years. Novel challenges have been introduced due to the rising number of flights in the areas of safety, route planning and maintenance. In addition, for commercial flights, the surge in the number of passengers have also exposed avenues for improving the quality of flight travel, from entering the airport premises to leaving the same at the destination. Although there are many areas of flight and airport operations that can benefit from leveraging technological advancements, choosing safe flight path and making dynamic modifications to it is the critical aspect that needs to be addressed. Comprehending available information to adhere to the provided route and also avoiding known areas of air turbulence, adds to the financial benefit of the commercial airline as well as the safety of the airplane and the passengers are ensured. In this paper, the various aspects of improving the flight routing by providing dynamic intelligent path options to ensure adherence to the provided flight path possible is studied; options for improving the flight safety and turbulence avoidance, which benefits both the passengers and the aircraft are also explored. In addition, keeping aircraft away from conflict zones or war zones, and also from areas of natural disaster, like erupting volcanic ash or forest fires is relevant. Although these issues have been studied before, most of the techniques depend heavily on infrastructure that is on the ground. The basic model requires constant communication with an air traffic control tower, that would provide updates and changes to the flight path as necessary. This leads to some of these methods being unusable on flights operating on oceanic routes and away from the communication zone of the devices placed on land masses. Therefore, in this paper an Internet of Things based framework is proposed to address and handle the above mentioned issues. The framework is structured on the communication model of information exchange among aircraft within the range, as well as taking advantage of ground infrastructure if there is a possible network link to the same. A number of algorithms are proposed for dynamic intelligent routing of flights as well as detection and avoidance of air turbulence. The implementations of the proposed algorithms show improvements ranging from 10% to 30% in the methods as compared to using the infrastructure based conventional techniques.
Directional locking effects for active matter particles coupled to a periodic substrate

Directional locking occurs when a particle moving over a periodic substrate becomes constrained to travel along certain substrate symmetry directions. Such locking effects arise for colloids and superconducting vortices moving over ordered substrates when the direction of the external drive is varied. Here we study the directional locking of run-and-tumble active matter particles interacting with a periodic array of obstacles. In the absence of an external biasing force, we find that the active particle motion locks to various symmetry directions of the substrate when the run time between tumbles is large. The number of possible locking directions depends on the array density and on the relative sizes of the particles and the obstacles. For a square array of large obstacles, the active particle only locks to the x, y, and 45^{∘} directions, while for smaller obstacles, the number of locking angles increases. Each locking angle satisfies θ=arctan(p/q), where p and q are integers, and the angle of motion can be measured using the ratio of the velocities or the velocity distributions in the x and y directions. When a biasing driving force is applied, the directional locking behavior is affected by the ratio of the self-propulsion force to the biasing force. For large biasing, the behavior resembles that found for directional locking in passive systems. For large obstacles under biased driving, a trapping behavior occurs that is nonmonotonic as a function of increasing run length or increasing self-propulsion force, and the trapping diminishes when the run length is sufficiently large.
A Use of Even Activation Functions in Neural Networks.

Despite broad interest in applying deep learning techniques to scientific discovery, learning interpretable formulas that accurately describe scientific data is very challenging because of the vast landscape of possible functions and the "black box" nature of deep neural networks. The key to success is to effectively integrate existing knowledge or hypotheses about the underlying structure of the data into the architecture of deep learning models to guide machine learning. Currently, such integration is commonly done through customization of the loss functions. Here we propose an alternative approach to integrate existing knowledge or hypotheses of data structure by constructing custom activation functions that reflect this structure. Specifically, we study a common case when the multivariate target function $f$ to be learned from the data is partially exchangeable, \emph{i.e.} $f(u,v,w)=f(v,u,w)$ for $u,v\in \mathbb{R}^d$. For instance, these conditions are satisfied for the classification of images that is invariant under left-right flipping. Through theoretical proof and experimental verification, we show that using an even activation function in one of the fully connected layers improves neural network performance. In our experimental 9-dimensional regression problems, replacing one of the non-symmetric activation functions with the designated "Seagull" activation function $\log(1+x^2)$ results in substantial improvement in network performance. Surprisingly, even activation functions are seldom used in neural networks. Our results suggest that customized activation functions have great potential in neural networks.
Multiple Sites for the Regulation of Neurite Outgrowth

It is my impression that the work of Wessells’s students on the culturing of dissociated parasympathetic neurons (Helfand et al., 1976) provided the inspiration and methods for much of the recent work on new nerve growth factors. This was certainly true in the case of my own research presented herein. Their paper describe a method for culturing dissociated parasympathetic neurons from the ciliary ganglion of chicken embryos using culture medium conditioned by prior exposure to a monolayer of embryonic heart cells and a substrate coated with polyornithine. These methods allowed one to study the development in culture of single, dissociated neurons that were of interest because they were (1) parasympathetic, (2) a pure population of motor neurons, and (3) neurons the developmental history of which in the embryo had already been described in detail.
Recruiting, retaining, and completing as a team

It has been said that students are their own best resource. This session will show how to engage students so that they will engage themselves. When students are teamed, they become responsible for one another and provide one another with incentive to succeed. This session is about student success via team building.
Detection of Exon 12 Mutations in the JAK2 Gene: Enhanced Analytical Sensitivity Using Clamped PCR and Nucleotide Sequencing

JAK2 V617F is the most frequently found somatic mutation in polycythemia vera (PV). Among the cases negative for V617F, a significant fraction have a mutation in exon 12 of the JAK2 gene. Several groups have reported that the exon 12 mutations are present in only a small fraction of the blood cells in some patients. We have developed an assay to detect these mutations with an analytical sensitivity of 0.1% by using a "PCR clamp" to inhibit amplification of the normal sequence and enhance amplification of DNA containing a mutation in the clamp target sequence. The products of this reaction were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis to detect deletions, which are the most frequent type of exon 12 mutations, or by nucleotide sequencing to detect all of the mutations. In a survey of 34 specimens from patients with PV or idiopathic erythrocytosis who did not have a JAK2 V617F mutation, we found four with a mutation in exon 12, 3 of 10 with PV, and 1 of 24 with idiopathic erythrocytosis. In two cases the mutation was present in a small fraction of the cells and difficult to detect without the use of the clamp. The use of an assay with increased analytical sensitivity enhances the ability to identify patients with mutations in exon 12 of the JAK2 gene.
Velocity-space diffusion in a perpendicularly propagating electrostatic wave

The motion of ions in the fields B = B_0 zhat and E = E_0 yhat cos(k_perp y - omega t) is considered. When omega >> Omega_i and v_perp > omega/k_perp, the equations of motion may be reduced to a set of difference equations. These equations exhibit stochastic behavior when E_0 exceeds a threshold. The diffusion coefficient above the threshold is determined. Far above the threshold, ion Landau damping is recovered. Extension of the method to include parallel propagation is outlined.
Fusion of disparate information through joint embeddings

Most pattern recognition tasks can be abstracted to a problem of utilizing comparisons between objects to perform the given inference task. Often these comparisons are in the form of a distance measure or dissimilarity. The design of appropriate comparison functions for particular inference tasks is an area of extensive research, and often rests on expert knowledge of the problem domain. If the data of interest come from two different sensors, or consist of very different types of data, a single dissimilarity may be inappropriate; instead, one might utilize several dissimilarities, each designed for a specific sensor or data stream. In this work we consider the problem of fusing information obtained from very different sensors or sources, encoded through the use of dissimilarity functions. Given n observations from source j, we have an n × n dissimilarity measure D j , and we wish to utilize all this information in our inference. We describe several methods of utilizing these dissimilarity matrices that are based on embedding the observations into a single space. These methods optimize either the fidelity (whether the distances in the embedded space match the original dissimilarities) or the commensurability (whether matched objects from different sensors are close in the embedded space) or both. We discuss the properties of these embeddings, apply the idea to a problem in network modeling, and point out some interesting areas of further research.
Crystal Structure of New 10-Layer Perovskite-Related Oxyhalide, Ba5Ru1.6W0.4Cl2O9

Abstract Crystals of Ba 5 Ru 1.6 W 0.4 Cl 2 O 9 were prepared in a BaCl 2 flux and investigated by X-ray diffraction methods. The structure of this new compound was solved and refined in the hexagonal symmetry space group P6 3 / mmc with a =5.817(2) A, c =24.839(2) A, and Z =2 to a final R of 0.0383. The structure of Ba 5 Ru 1.6 W 0.4 Cl 2 O 9 displays a 10-layer stacking sequence of mixed [BaO 3 ] and [BaCl] layers containing isolated (Ru/W) 2 O 9 units as face-shared octahedra. Isolated face-shared Ru 2 O 9 units are also found in Ba 5 Ru 2 Cl 2 O 9 which otherwise has a very different structure. Ba 5 Ru 1.6 W 0.4 Cl 2 O 9 appears to be the first example of Ru and W sharing the same crystallographic site.
Brush-border tyrosine phosphorylation stimulates ileal neutral NaCl absorption and brush-border Na(+)-H+ exchange

The drug genistein, a tyrosine (Tyr) kinase inhibitor, was used to define a role for Tyr phosphorylation in regulation of basal and stimulated neutral NaCl absorption in rabbit ileum. Brush-border vesicles contain Tyr-phosphorylated peptides. Genistein freeze-thawed into the vesicles caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of at least three peptides with M(r) 111,000, 83,000, and 80,000. Studied with the Ussing chamber-voltage clamp technique, genistein added to the ileal mucosal surface inhibited neutral NaCl absorption. Direct addition of genistein to brush-border vesicles made from ileal villus cells inhibited brush-border Na(+)-H+ exchange but not D-glucose-stimulated Na+ uptake. These effects were not duplicated by genistin, a drug with similar structure to genistein but lacking Tyr kinase inhibiting properties. Serosal but not mucosal epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulated NaCl absorption. Mucosal genistein but not genistin also altered second-messenger regulation of neutral NaCl absorption, i...
The Predictability of System Interactions at Early Phase of the Product Development Process

This paper presents the research work to investigate how well we can predict system interactions at early phase of the product development process using the matrix transformation technique presented by Dong and Whitney [1] at DETC 2001. The technique to predict design information flow patterns using requirements was applied to a case study at Johnson and Johnson Ortho-clinical Diagnosis. Several Design Structure Matrices (DSM) were created. The DSM’s were compared to the system interactions that engineers actually experienced during the design process, recorded in their own DSM. The observations from this case study provided insights to the predictability of various types of product development process, and demonstrated the value of the matrix transformation process.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Una relectura ecocrítica del canon criollista: Mariano Latorre y Horacio Quiroga

Este articulo toma dos cuentos representativos de destacados escritores criollistas, «El hombre muerto» de Horacio Quiroga y «La epopeya de Moni» de Mariano Latorre, y los relee a traves del lente politicamente cargado de la critica ecologica. Tras contextualizar el analisis explicando las etimologias de «ecologia» y «critica ecologica» y proponiendo una estrategia alternativa de lectura que se denomina «leer el lugar», el estudio se concentra en el cambiante y delicado rejuego en los cuentos entre lo humano y lo natural, descubriendo tanto marcadas similitudes como importantes diferencias. Por su permanente preocupacion y respeto por el contorno mayor de la tierra, ambos textos se caracterizan como proto-ecologicos. El articulo concluye considerando algunas limitaciones de la critica ecologica —moralizacion simplista, preocupacion exclusiva por el tema a coste de la forma, ceguera a lo jugueton de la literatura—, y proponiendo medios para superar tales limitaciones
Regulation of Fatty Acid Oxidation in Heart

The control of fatty acid oxidation in heart is reviewed with special emphasis on the energy-linked regulation of this process. Studies with perfused working hearts and isolated mitochondria have revealed an inverse relationship between the energy-dependent rate of fatty acid oxidation and the intramitochondrial ratio of [acetyl-CoA]:[free CoA] at sufficiently high concentrations of fatty acids. Studies with isolated enzymes demonstrated a strong inhibition of 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase by acetyl-CoA at low concentrations of free CoA. Together these observations prompted the proposal that the rate of fatty acid oxidation is tuned to the energy demand of heart via the regulation of 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase by the [acetyl-CoA]:[free CoA] ratio. Evidence in support of this regulatory model has been obtained with isolated rat heart mitochondria in which either the activity of 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase was decreased by use of mechanism-based inhibitors or the intramitochondrial ratio of [acetyl-CoA]:[free CoA] was adjusted with L-carnitine. Because intermediates of beta-oxidation normally do not accumulate in mitochondria, it remains unclear how the entry of fatty acyl-CoA into the beta-oxidation spiral is tuned to the activity of 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase. A control of fatty acid oxidation in heart via the regulation of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I by malonyl-CoA has not been established even though malonyl-CoA is present in this tissue and strongly inhibits myocardial carnitine palmitoyltransferase I.
Enforcement Leverage with Fixed Inspection Capacity

We develop a targeting enforcement mechanism in the context of fixed inspection capacity due to budget constraint. A fixed number of firms are selected for inspection and those with the highest emissions are targeted with higher inspection probability. This structure induces dynamic rank-order tournaments among inspected firms. The differentiated inspection probabilities between targeted and untargeted firms induces leverage effects while the rank-order tournament induces competition effect. The combinations of leverage and competition effects give firms more incentive to abate and stay in compliance. We use numerical simulations to show that targeted firms should be inspected with high probability and that about 2/3 of inspections should be allocated to targeted firms. Furthermore, even suboptimal allocations of inspections and firms to the targeted and untargeted groups can out-perform static enforcement schemes.
Brominated and chlorinated flame retardants in tree bark from around the globe.

Brominated and chlorinated flame retardants were measured in about 40 samples of tree bark from 12 locations around the globe. The analytes were polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), Dechlorane Plus (DP), decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), hexabromobenzene (HBB), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), pentabromobenzene (PBBz), and tetrabromo-p-xylene (pTBX). The highest concentrations of these compounds were detected at an urban site in Downsview, Ontario, Canada. Total PBDE and DP concentrations ranged from 2.1 to 190 ng/g lipid weight and from 0.89 to 48 ng/g lipid weight, respectively. Relatively high levels of DP (46 ± 4 ng/g lipid weight) were found at a remote site at Bukit Kototabang in Indonesia. The concentrations of total PBDE, DP, PBEB, and HBCD in the tree bark samples were significantly associated with human population in the nearby areas (r2 = 0.21–0.56; P < 0.05). In addition, the concentrations of total PBDE and DP were significantly associated (r2 = 0.40–0.64; P < 0....
Cation exchange contribution to the retention of specific quaternary ammonium compounds in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract The influence of electrolytes on the retention of organic cationic solutes in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) has been investigated. The effects of the nature and concentration of electrolytes and mobile phase pH on the retention of two model quaternary ammonium compounds were studied on μ-Bondapak C 18 stationary phase with aqueous methanolic eluents. The nature and concentration of inorganic cations added to the mobile phase modified the retention of the solutes. The counter anion of the added electrolyte did not perceptibly influence solute retention at constant mobile phase pH, although it did significantly influence solute retention when the electrolytes were added to unbuffered mobile phases. The retention data are consistent with the inclusion of an ion exchange contribution to the retention of cationic solutes in the systems investigated.
Habituation of the proleg withdrawal reflex in Manduca sexta does not involve changes in motoneuron properties or depression at the sensorimotor synapse.

Larvae of the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta, exhibit a defensive proleg withdrawal reflex in which deflection of mechanosensory hairs on the proleg tip (the planta) evokes retraction of the proleg. A previous behavioral study showed that this reflex habituates in response to repeated planta hair deflection and exhibits several other defining features of habituation. In a semi-intact preparation consisting of a proleg and its associated segmental ganglion, repeated deflection of a planta hair or electrical stimulation of its sensory neuron causes a neural correlate of habituation, manifested as a decrease in the number of action potentials evoked in the proleg motor nerve. Monosynaptic connections from planta hair sensory neurons to the principal planta retractor motoneuron exhibit several forms of activity-dependent plasticity. In the present study we recorded intracellularly from this motoneuron during repetitive electrical stimulation of a planta hair sensory neuron. The number of action potentials evoked in the motoneuron decreased significantly, representing a neural correlate of habituation. The motoneuron's resting membrane potential, input resistance, and spike threshold measured before and after repetitive stimulation did not differ between the stimulated group and a control group. Furthermore, the amplitude of the monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic potential, as well as the magnitude of paired-pulse facilitation, evoked in the motoneuron by the sensory neuron did not change after repetitive stimulation. These results suggest that depression at the sensorimotor synapse does not contribute to reflex habituation. Rather, other mechanisms in the ganglion of the stimulated segment, such as changes in polysynaptic reflex pathways, appear to be responsible.
Influence of microstructure on fracture toughness of austempered ductile iron

An investigation was carried out to examine the influence of microstructure on the plane strain fracture toughness of austempered ductile iron. Austempered ductile iron (ADI) alloyed with nickel, copper, and molybdenum was austenitized and subsequently austempered over a range of temperatures to produce different microstructures. The microstructures were characterized through optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Plane strain fracture toughness of all these materials was determined and was correlated with the microstructure. The results of the present investigation indicate that the lower bainitic microstructure results in higher fracture toughness than upper bainitic microstructure. Both volume fraction of retained austenite and its carbon content influence the fracture toughness. The retained austenite content of 25 vol pct was found to provide the optimum fracture toughness. It was further concluded that the carbon content of the retained austenite should be as high as possible to improve fracture toughness.
Recirculating components to the deep boundary current of the northern North Atlantic.

Abstract The meridional overturning system of the North Atlantic is conventionally thought of as transporting warm water (≡ ≥4°C) to high latitudes and covd water to low latitudes. The northern cold water sources for this system are dense overflow from the Nordic Seas and less dense water from the labrador Sea (LSW). The overflow components are carried westward by a deep northern boundary current (DNBC) that is shown here actually to begin southeast of the overflow regions. The DNBC lies along the southern side of a system of islands and submarine ridges that divides the Nordic Seas from the subpolar basins. The overflows act to increase the transport of the DNBC, and this transport is further increased through the entrainment of warm waters. Once inside the Labrador Sea, the DNBC is joined by LSW before continuing south to low latitudes as a cold, deep western boundary current (DWBC). However, published transport estimates are larger than can be explained by warm water entrainment alone, thus indicating entrainment also of recirculating cold components, the subject of this paper. Their sources are shown to be the LSW and cold abyssal waters originating from the southern hemisphere. The LSW is entrained downward into the denser part of the DNBC and laterally into the upper part of the DWBC, whereas the cold abyssal waters are supplied by an eastern-intensified northward flow in the eastern Atlantic (that serves as the initial source of the DNBC) and by a similar northward flow in the western Atlantic. The meridional overturning system described includes recirculations and poleward transport of cold water in addition tothe components described by the conventional system. The cold abyssal waters in both the eastern and western basins have relatively low levels of oxygen and high concentrations of silicate reflecting their southern origin, but their influence in the northwestern Atlantic is somewhat obscurred by strong recirculating cyclonic gyres in the Newfoundland and Labrador Basins. This influence is detected by a deep silicate maximum extending poleward from the mid-latitude western Atlantic through the two gyres with eastern concentration and recirculating back (diluted) toward the south in the DWBC within the respective basins. Such a maximum also extends northward through the Irminger Basin into the DNBC, but there is an ambiguity as to whether this is a direct extension of the signal from the south in the western basin, or if it comes from the mid-latitude eastern basin by way of westward flow through the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone; it is perhaps consequence of both. Estimates of the volume transports of the various recirculating cold components indicate that they supply about as much water to the deep boundary currents as do the combined cold water sources in the north.
Strategic challenges of creating value with residuals: what is inside residual material reclamation?

This article highlights the strategic challenges of creating value with residuals through residual material reclamation practices based on the experiences of 12 Canadian facilities. The study is grounded in managerial discourse and connotations from an interpretative approach. In all, 56 managers from 12 selected industrial facilities implementing the residual material reclamation practices participated in the study. In addition, three managers from three distinct companies that provided residuals support services to the selected facilities and a government official responsible for the development of industrial ecology activities were also interviewed. The analysis of data followed the guidelines of the grounded theory approach of Strauss and Corbin. The in-depth interviews disclose that reclamation of residual materials is associated with hyper-flexibility. This means residual material reclamation is an atypical and stochastic industrial activity with challenges across functional areas. Four types of challenges are identified: materials management, marketing/sales, environmental and human resource strategic challenges.
Gas-Phase f-Element Organometallic Chemistry: Reactions of Cyclic Hydrocarbons with Th+, U+, ThO+, UO+, and Lanthanide Ions, Ln+

The extent of reaction of metal ions, M+, with organic molecules depends upon the electronic structure of the metal ion; in particular, the degree to which laser-ablated lanthanide ions, Ln+, dehydrogenate hydrocarbons is known to reflect the energy needed to excite ground state Ln+ to a divalent configuration. Reported here are gas-phase reactions of Ln+ and AnOn+ (An = Th or U; n = 0 or 1) with C6 and C8 cyclic hydrocarbons. The reactivities of Ln+ with c-C8H8+2m (m = 0, 2, or 4) were consistent with previous results for Ln+ + c-C6H6+2m, in that the relative dehydrogenation efficiencies reflected the metal ion electronic structure and excitation energy. Additionally, the relatively strong bonding between Ln+ and cyclooctatetraene (COT) was manifested as abundant condensation adduct, Ln+−COT. The dehydrogenation reactivities of Th+ and U+ with both C6 and C8 cyclic hydrocarbons were found to be comparable to that of Ce+, the most reactive Ln+, consistent with divalent An+ electronic configurations and a ...
Personality Orientation: An Organizational Focus for Current Research

(1954). Personality Orientation: An Organizational Focus for Current Research. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 139-150.
The human growth hormone gene cluster locus control region supports position-independent pituitary- and placenta-specific expression in the transgenic mouse.

The human growth hormone (hGH) cluster contains five genes. The hGH-N gene is predominantly expressed in pituitary somatotropes, whereas the remaining four genes, the chorionic somatomammotropin genes (hCS-L, hCS-A, and hCS-B) and hGH-V, are expressed selectively in the placenta. In contrast, the mouse genome contains a single pituitary-specific GH gene and lacks any GH-related CS genes. Activation of the hGH transgene in the mouse is dependent on its linkage to a previously described locus control region (LCR) located −15 to −32 kilobases upstream of the hGH cluster. The sporadic, nonreproducible expression of hCS transgenes lacking the LCR suggests that they may be dependent on hGH LCR activity as well. To determine whether the hCS genes could be expressed with appropriate placental specificity, a series of five transgenic mouse lines carrying an 87-kilobase human genomic insert encompassing the majority of the hGH gene cluster and the entire contiguous LCR was established. All of the hGH cluster genes were appropriately expressed in each of these lines. High level expression of hGH was restricted to the pituitary and hCS to the labyrinthine layer of the placenta. The expression of the GH cluster genes in their respective tissues paralleled transgene copy numbers irrespective of the transgene insertion site in the host mouse genome. These studies have extended the utility of the transgenic mouse model for the analysis of the full spectrum of hGH gene cluster activation. Further, they support a role for the hGH LCR in placental hCS, as well as pituitary hGH gene activation, and expression.
Dynamic fur on mobile using textured offset surfaces

Fur simulation is crucial in many graphic applications since it can greatly enhance the realistic visual effect of virtual objects, e.g. animal avatars. However, due to its high computational cost of massive fur strands processing and motion complexity, dynamic fur is regarded as a challenging task, especially on the mobile platforms with low computing power. In order to support real-time fur rendering in mobile applications, we propose a novel method called textured offset surfaces (TOS). In particular, the furry surface is represented by a set of offset surfaces, as shown in Figure 1(a). The offset surfaces are shifted outwards from the original mesh. Each offset surface is textured with scattering density (red rectangles in Figure 1(a)) to implicitly represent the fur geometry, whose value can be changed by texture warping to simulate the fur animation. In order to achieve high quality anisotropic illumination result, as shown in Figure 1(b), Kajiya/Banks lighting model is employed in the rendering phase.
The strontium isotope budget of the modern ocean

Abstract We have measured the Sr concentration and isotopic composition of most of the world's major rivers. These data greatly extend the range of geologic, tectonic and climatic drainage basin environments that have been studied and, overall, constitute a doubling of the fluvial Sr isotope data base. This has produced a more accurate estimate for the87Sr/86Sr ratio of global runoff of 0.7119; this is distinctly higher than obtained from previous studies. We have also determined the Sr concentration and87Sr/86Sr ratio of oceanic hydrothermal vent waters from diverse tectonic and volcanogenic environments that have allowed us to further constraint the Sr isotope systematic of this source. These new data have been combined with previously published riverine data and values for the diagenetic benthic flux of Sr from deep-sea sediments to obtain a contemporary oceanic Sr isotope budget. The results of steady-state calculations give a best estimate for the flux of seawater through high-temperature ridge crest hydrothermal system of1.2 ± 0.3 × 1014 kg/yr; this is substantially higher than recent estimates.
A Multiplan Undergraduate Psychology Curriculum

(1983). A Multiplan Undergraduate Psychology Curriculum. Teaching of Psychology: Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 120-120.
A Markedly Immature Lecithin-Sphingomyelin Ratio at Term and Congenital Hypothyroidism

Sir.—A delay in pulmonary maturity and immature fetal lung profiles in infants born at term have been described in diabetic pregnancies.1This case report and review of neonatal screening results show that a markedly immature lecithinsphingomyelin (L-S) ratio at term may be a prenatal marker for congenital hypothyroidism. Petient Reports.—Patient1.—A 25-year-old gravida 2 woman with normal glucose screen results was admitted at 32 weeks' gestation with a diagnosis of a bleeding placenta previa. The bleeding resolved, and beginning at 35 weeks, weekly amniocentesis was performed for fetal lung profiles to ascertain pulmonary maturity as outlined by Kulovich et al.2The amniotic fluid L-S ratio never exceeded one and phosphatidyl glycerol was never detected. In spite of this, the infant was electively delivered at 40.5 weeks. The infant developed respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), which required intubation and mild ventilatory support. The thyrotropin level was 718
The effect of substrates on the performance and hot-carrier reliability of n-channel thin film transistors

We have examined the impact of substrates on the performance and response to hot-carrier stress of polycrystalline silicon n-channel thin film transistors. Non-barrier coated Corning Code 1737 glass, fused silica and oxidized Si were used as substrates for transistors made in polycrystalline Si films deposited by low-pressure chemical vapour deposition. It is established that the substrate type strongly influences the transistor's transfer characteristics: transistors on fused silica are found to be superior in performance and hot-carrier reliability to transistors on 1737 glass or oxidized Si substrates. It is argued that the transistor's characteristics are determined by grain geometries and impurities in polycrystalline Si which are functions of the impurity content of the substrate and the properties of its interface with crystalline Si.
Object-oriented backpropagation and its application to structural design

Abstract A multilayer neural network development environment, called ANNDE, is presented for implementing effective learning algorithms for the domain of engineering design using the object-oriented programming paradigm. It consists of five primary components: learning domain, neural nets, library of learning strategies, learning process, and analysis process. These components have been implemented as five classes in two object-oriented programming languages C++ and G++. The library of learning strategies includes generalized delta rule with error backpropagation. Several examples are presented for learning in the domain of structural engineering.
Onset of Coulomb explosion in small silicon clusters exposed to strong-field laser pulses

It is now well established that, under intense laser illumination, clusters undergo enhanced ionization compared to their isolated atomic and molecular counterparts being subjected to the same pulses. This leads to extremely high charge states and concomitant Coulomb explosion. Until now, the cluster size necessary for ionization enhancement has not been quantified. Here, we demonstrate that through the comparison of ion signal from small covalently bound silicon clusters exposed to low intensity laser pulses with semi-classical theory, their ionization potentials (IPs) can be determined. At moderate laser intensities the clusters are not only atomized, but all valence electrons are removed from the cluster, thereby producing up to Si4+. The effective IPs for the production of the high charge states are shown to be ?40% lower than the expected values for atomic silicon. Finally, the minimum cluster size responsible for the onset of the enhanced ionization is determined utilizing the magnitude of the kinetic energy released from the Coulomb explosion.
On a finite element method for unsteady compressible viscous flows

In this article we present an analysis of a finite element method for solving two-dimensional unsteady compressible Navier-Stokes equations. Under the time-stepping size restriction Δt ≤ Ch, we prove the existence and uniqueness of the numerical solution and obtain an a prior error estimate uniform in time. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 19: 152–166, 2003
What is a spin glass? A glimpse via mesoscopic noise

It is an open question whether the slow dynamics of spin glasses is more accurately described by a model based on rather compact droplets which can flip thermally, or by a picture of more diffuse sets of flipping spins with properties described by hierarchical dynamics. Techniques have been developed for analyzing spontaneous fluctuations in mesoscopic samples which can directly address this question. In a well-known spin glass, $\mathrm{Cu}\mathrm{Mn}$, the experimental results are better fit by the hierarchical picture. Previously unexplored properties of the space of metastable configurations are directly measurable by these mesoscopic methods.
THE EFFECTS OF EPINEPHRINE ON THYROXINE METABOLISM: CHROMATOGRAPHIC STUDIES OF SERUM AND TISSUE EXTRACTS

ABSTRACT Labeled thyroxine was administered to humans and rats with and without the simultaneous administration of epinephrine. Epinephrine produced a decrease in the level of serum protein-bound iodine in humans. Chromatographic analysis of butanol extracts of serum and tissue was performed. Metabolites of thyroxine accumulated in the serum of some control subjects but not in the serum of those given epinephrine. Epinephrine did not produce an increase in thyroxine-derived triiodothyronine during the time in which it exerts a calorigenic effect. The data do not support the hypothesis that thyroxine must be deiodinated to triiodothyronine prior to entry into the peripheral tissues or during the course of hormonal activity.
Central fatigue of the rabbit diaphragm.

This study evaluates the importance of central fatigue of the diaphragm in rabbits subjected to inspiratory muscle resistive loading (IRL). Ten rabbits were subjected to constant IRL while unanesthetized and breathing supplemental oxygen. During 10–20 minutes of spontaneous breathing against IRL, there were no significant changes in arterial oxygen saturation or in diaphragm contractility, measured by the quasi-static transdiaphragmatic pressure response to a 0.3-sec train of 100 Hz supramaximal phrenic nerve stimuli. After an initial decrease due to application of the load, the minute ventilation decreased further, by an average of 15%, while arterial pCO2 increased to an average of 59 mmHg (p < 0.05). The normalized diaphragm pressure-time index initially increased from 0.02 to 0.18 during IRL, then decreased an average of 29% (p < 0.05).
Reduced EEG alpha power in the male and female offspring of alcoholics.

Abnormalities in resting EEG may be associated with a predisposition to alcoholism. Research also suggests that high levels of negative affect are important mediators of the predisposition to alcoholism in the offspring of alcoholics. This study tested the hypothesis that the offspring of alcoholics show deficits in EEG alpha and excessive EEG beta activity, which, in turn, would be associated with high levels of negative affect. Participants were 37 men and 27 women with a positive family history of alcoholism and 37 men and 29 women with a negative family history of alcoholism. Personal and family history of psychopathology, psychological traits, and resting EEG were each assessed in separate testing sessions. Results indicated that subjects with a family history of alcoholism had reduced relative and absolute alpha power in occipital (01, 02) and frontal (F3, F4, Fz) regions, and increased relative beta in both regions compared with subjects with a negative family history of alcoholism. EEG alpha and beta activity were not significantly correlated with trait anxiety, a diagnosis of depression, or antisocial traits. The results suggest that deficits in resting EEG alpha are associated with risk for alcoholism, although their etiological significance is unclear.
Sudden blastic transformation in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia treated with imatinib mesylate

Sudden blastic transformation (SBT) has been reported in 0.5% to 2.5% of patients treated with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) during the first 3 years of therapy. Imatinib is now standard therapy for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase. We investigated the occurrence of SBT among patients treated with imatinib. Among 541 patients treated with imatinib in chronic phase, 23 developed blast phase, which was of sudden onset (ie, occurring in patients previously in complete cytogenetic remission) in 4 patients (17%; 0.7% of the total), 2 lymphoid and 2 myeloid. Patients with SBT were found to have low-risk features more often at the time of presentation and had achieved optimal response with imatinib. Three of the 4 patients underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation and achieved a molecular remission. SBT is still a rare event, probably less common than that observed with IFN-alpha therapy. Continuous monitoring of patients treated with imatinib is mandatory.
New techniques for measuring maximum reflectance of vitrinite and dispersed vitrinite in sediments

Abstract Maximum reflectance, R max , can be calculated by the following equation: R max = ( R 1 + R 3 2 ) + ( (R 1 − R 2 ) 2 + (R 2 − R 3 ) 2 2 ) 1 2 in which R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are three separate reflectance readings on the same vitrinite grain at 45° angular intervals. The equation is derived from the reflectance distribution function for a central section of a reflectance indicatrix: R α = R max cos 2 α + R ′ min sin 2 α where R α is the reflectance measured in the direction α degrees from R max , R ′ min is an apparent minimum which has the minimum value on this central section, and R max ⩾ R ′ min ⩾ R min . This new technique can be further simplified by rotating the polarizer in 45-degree intervals to obtain three photometer readings and then converting them to R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 , by the use of empirically-established conversion factors. The new techniques do not require the full revolution of the microscope stage and, therefore, are particularly suitable for measuring small grains of vitrinite.
Affect regulation, stimulant use, and viral load among HIV-positive persons on anti-retroviral therapy

OBJECTIVE A substantial minority of HIV-positive individuals have comorbid affective or substance use disorders, which can interfere with effective medical management. The present study examined the associations among affect regulation, substance use, non-adherence to anti-retroviral therapy (ART), and immune status in a diverse sample of HIV-positive persons. METHODS A total of 858 HIV-positive participants self-reporting risk of transmitting HIV were enrolled in a randomized behavioral prevention trial and provided baseline blood samples to measure T-helper (CD4+) counts and HIV viral load. RESULTS Among individuals on ART, regular stimulant users had a five-fold (0.70 log10) higher HIV viral load than those who denied regular stimulant use. The association between regular stimulant use and elevated HIV viral load remained after accounting for demographics, differences in CD4+ counts, and polysubstance use. In the final model, 1 unit increase in affect regulation (decreased severity of depressive symptoms as well as enhanced positive states of mind) was associated with a 23% decrease in the likelihood of reporting regular stimulant use and 15% decrease in the likelihood of being classified as nonadherent to ART. Regular stimulant users, in turn, were more than twice as likely to be nonadherent to ART. Even after accounting for the effects of nonadherence and CD4+ counts, regular stimulant use was independently associated with 50% higher HIV viral load. CONCLUSIONS Increased mental health treatment as well as more intensive referrals to substance abuse treatment or 12-step self-help groups may be crucial to assist stimulant users with more effectively managing treatment for HIV/AIDS.
Investigation of the AuGeNi system used for alloyed contacts to GaAs

Abstract The AuGeNi metallization scheme is widely used for alloyed contacts to GaAs. We have studied the interaction of these three elements upon heat treatment using an inert substrate. Our investigations showed that Ni acts as a sink for Ge in that the Ge diffuses out of the Au, with which it is usually coevaporated, into the Ni layer where it forms stable compounds. Apart from a small amount of Au diffusion into the Ni, there is no interaction between these two elements. We have also found that the ratio of the amount of evaporated Ge to that of Ni is important if uniform layers are anticipated.
Formation of carbon nanospheres via ultrashort pulse laser irradiation of methane

Abstract Irradiation of methane with intense, spatially- and temporally-shaped femtosecond laser pulses forms a spatially confined microplasma that produces carbon nanospheres. The morphology and composition of the nanospheres are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet (UV) Raman spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy (IR). Increasing the pressure of methane from 6.7 to 133.3 kPa results in a decrease of the median diameter of the spheres from ∼500 nm to 85 nm. At pressures of 101.3 kPa and higher, particles with non-spherical morphologies are observed in TEM analysis. The morphology of the nanospheres is determined to be amorphous, containing both sp2 and sp3 hybridized carbon atoms, based on the presence of the carbon D and T peaks in the UV Raman spectrum. The red shift of the G peak and a high fluorescence background in the Raman spectrum indicates that the hydrogen content of the spheres is at least 30%. The presence of hydrogen is supported by the IR spectrum, which shows the presence of C–H bonds in the nanosphere product.