cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Use of Polarization Attributes to Identify Anomalies: AVO Hodograms

SUMMARY An alternative approach to identifying AVO anomalies is to consider the AVO polarization in the intercept-gradient plane. This method does not require deviations or separations from a background trend exhibited in traditional crossplots such as intercept-gradient (A-B) or near trace-far trace (N-F). A benefit of the hodogram method is that the wavelet is taken into consideration as it is convolved with the reflection coefficient series. Crosplotted intercept and gradient are polarized along the background trend for non-anomalous events and at angles different from the background trend for anomalous events. New attributes resulting from this methodology include the polarization angle, the polarization angle difference, the strength, the linear-correlation coefficient, and the product of strength and polarization angle difference. The results obtained from a flat-layered model made of a succession of gas and brine sand layers encased in shale units are shown.
DNA statistics in the Simpson matter.

On 3 October 1995, O.J. Simpson was acquitted of two murders in spite of very strong DNA evidence linking his blood to the crime. Although numerical statements describing the strength of this evidence were made, the DNA profiles included so many loci that the need for presenting numbers in this case, and in others using similarly high numbers of loci, is probably unnecessary. If numbers are to be presented, however, they should be given in the form of likelihood ratios. One thing the verdict in the Simpson case makes clear is that it is essential that the integrity of DNA evidence (with regard to collection, potential contamination or tampering) be beyond doubt.
Foraging juncos: interaction of reward mean and variability

Abstract Recent stochastic theories of feeding strategy propose that a risk-averse forager will trade off increases in reward variability against increases in average reward. We show that two models of risk-aversion (variance discounting and the z-score model) imply different forms for this interaction of mean and variability. Variance discounting suggests constant risk-aversion, since the effect of reward variance on expected fitness is assumed to be independent of the mean. The z-score model suggests decreasing risk-aversion, since the effect of a given level of reward variance on expected fitness is assumed to decrease as the mean increases. We report two series of experiments with dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis). Each series investigated the mean-variability trade-off under physiological conditions promoting risk-aversion; reward sizes were generally greater in the second series. The results clearly indicate a trade-off, but within a series the data do not discriminate between the two models' predictions. Comparing the two series suggests that the juncos' level of aversion to reward variability decreases after an overall increment in environmental profitability.
Highly efficient, broadband Cherenkov radiation in photonic crystal fibers

The dependence of Cherenkov radiation on pump pulse parameters is investigated. Based on this effect a tunable, highly efficient (>40%), broadband (>50 nm), green-orange light source is demonstrated with a threshold energy less than 100pJ.
Effect of herbal mixture student Rasayana on lipoxygenase activity and lipid peroxidation.

Brain cellular functions are affected by free radicals. Arachidonic acid and its 12-lipoxygenase metabolites have been proposed as important in enhancing long-term potentiation associated with learning. It has been reported that Student Rasayana (SR), an herbal mixture, improves brain functions. In this study we evaluated the antioxidant capacity of SR and its effect on lipoxygenase activity. Both alcoholic and aqueous extracts of SR inhibited enzymatic-and nonenzymatic-induced microsomal lipid peroxidation in a concentration-dependent manner. The agent concentrations (μg/mL) that produced 50% inhibition (IC50) of enzymatic-and nonenzymatic-induced microsomal lipid peroxidation, respectively, were 99.1 ± 3.9 and 1992.0 ± 122.7 for the aqueous extract, and 17.7 ± 0.9 and 646.7 ± 79.7 for the alcoholic extract. The aqueous extract inhibited soyabean lipoxygenase (SLP)-induced LDL oxidation in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50: 515.5 ± 11.5), whereas the alcoholic extract enhanced SLP-induced LDL oxidation. Simultaneous addition of aqueous and alcoholic extracts inhibited SLP-induced LDL oxidation. The alcoholic extract (but not the aqueous extract) enhanced the ability of SLP to induce oxidation of linoleic acid. Rats fed 2% (w:w) SR showed inhibition of toluene-induced brain microsomal lipid peroxidation. These results suggest SR improves brain functions through scavenging free radicals as well as increasing the second messenger for long-term potentiation.
Anthropology and Environmental Problems in the U.S.: The Case of Groundwater Contamination

Chemical contamination of groundwater has become increasingly prevalent in the U.S. Once thought to be safe from pollution, the underground aquifers that supply drinking water to about half of the U.S. population are now known to be vulnerable to contamination from leaking landfills, waste lagoons, underground storage tanks, improper use of agricultural chemicals, and various industrial operations. Manufactured chemical compounds, including industrial degreasers and solvents, as well as gasoline, pesticides and fertilizers (in all, over 700 synthetic organic chemicals) have seeped down through the soil to the aquifers and been detected in ground water. Nearly every state has identified cases of contamination serious enough to require closing of some public or private supply wells.
La philosophie comme méthodologie: la conception sceptico-rationaliste de la raison Chez Bayle

Bayle est souvent considere comme sceptique, mais sa conception de la raison n'est pas toujours claire ; ce qui en revanche est clair, c'est qu'il manifeste une profonde mefiance a l'egard des capacites de la raison de livrer une connaissance certaine. Cependant, une nouvelle interpretation de Bayle comme rationaliste «stratonicien » a ete developpee par Gianluca Mori, qui donne une description detaillee de Bayle comme philosophe critique desireux de rendre compte de toutes positions possibles dans leur complexite et de tirer toutes les consequences des arguments invoques au service des principes dits « stratoniciens ». Cette conception de Bayle comme rationaliste critique stratonicien rend possible une interpretation de Bayle moins comme un « supersceptique » a la Richard Popkin, que celui qui permet a la raison d'operer avec une portee et une autorite plus grandes que ne le permettrait le scepticisme. Mori affirme que la conception de la raison chez Bayle est assez forte ; selon lui, la raison peut aller jusqu'au bout, avec une autorite absolue, et tirer des conclusions. Je soutiens que la conception de la nature et de la fonction de la raison chez Bayle se situe en fait entre le rationalisme stratonicien de Mori et l'interpretation « supersceptique » de Popkin. Comme Mori, je pense qu'il s'agit d'un rationalisme « critique » ; mais contre lui, je pense que la raison elle-meme definit et recommande ses propres limites. J'appelle cette conception de la raison « sceptico-rationaliste » et, en suivant Bayle, je suggere comment le « bon sens » (qui fait partie de la raison) aide a definir ces limites.
UV-Assisted Graft Polymerization of Synthetic Membranes: Mechanistic Studies

Mechanistic studies were conducted on UV-assisted graft polymerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NVP) onto poly(ether sulfone) (PES) ultrafiltration (UF) membranes using a dip process. The molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) values of the UF membranes were 50, 70, and 100 kDa and the range of NVP monomer concentrations was 2−10 wt %. Our standard photooxidation protocol with 300-nm lamps was used. By operating below an irradiation energy, E < 4 kJ/m2, both homopolymerization and main-chain scission can be minimized with up to CNVP = 5 wt % NVP concentration for all three UF membranes. A universal linear plot of the net amount grafted versus monomer concentration times irradiation energy (CNVP × E) for E < 4 kJ/m2 was obtained for four NVP concentrations and three membranes. Resulting from graft polymerization, there appears to be a qualitative relationship between the thickness of the dense skin layer and the membrane surface roughness as measured by atomic force microscopy. Post-modification washing with et...
Anger management training with mild essential hypertensive patients.

Casual blood pressures and measures of cardiovascular and behavioral reactions to neutral and confrontive interactions were obtained from 13 essential hypertensive patients who received training in anger management and 9 no-treatment control patients. At pre- and posttraining, heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were measured (a) at rest and (b) during role-play interactions consisting of neutral and confrontation scenes. Behavioral responses were also coded for each interaction. For treatment subjects, a 6-week program in anger management was conducted, which included relaxation training, self-statement modification, and role-play assertiveness training. Treatment subjects exhibited significantly lower casual DBPs at posttraining (M=90.2 mm Hg) than control subjects (M=95.7 mm Hg). Posttreatment casual SBPs for treatment and control subjects were not significantly different. Treatment subjects exhibited significantly more assertive skill and lesser DBP reactivity at posttreatment than their control counterparts during the confrontive interaction but not during the neutral role-play interaction.
A Study of Statistical Methods with Barley1

The results obtained by the study of these two methods with barley may be summarized as follows: The material used in this study consists of two varieties of barley known as New Zealand and Berkeley, respectively. Each variety consists of thirty pure lines of ten plants each, or three humdred plants in all. A comparison of the constants for the five characters when determined by using the average for the entire plant as one method and the main culm of the same plant as the other method, indicate the following: (a) The means and standard deviations are quite uniform and are larger in most cases when determined with the main culm. (b) The coefficients of variability are slightly larger when determined by the use of the whole plant.(c) The correlation coefficients are not uniformly different when determined by the two methods, and are of approximately equal value, with some exceptions, when determined by either method. The general conclusion based on this study is as follows: within certain limits, the biometrical constants as determined by using the main culm of barley plants are of equal value and are comparable with those obtained by using the entire plant as the unit.
Storm Surge to Demand Surge: Exploratory Study of Hurricanes, Labor Wages, and Material Prices

AbstractDemand surge is understood to be a socioeconomic phenomenon associated with large-scale natural disasters. It is most commonly explained as higher repair costs resulting from higher labor wages and material prices after a large- versus small-scale disaster. This paper explores this explanation by developing quantitative models for the relative cost change of sets of repairs to residential and commercial properties damaged by Atlantic hurricanes in the southeast mainland United States. Cost data from 2002–2010 show that changes in the labor component drive the changes in total repair costs and that cost changes can vary notably by year and less so by geographic region. A series of multilevel regression models is then proposed to predict the relative cost changes by considering several combinations of the following explanatory variables: the largest wind speed at a city in a hurricane season; the number of tropical storms passing near a city in a hurricane season; and relative cost changes in the fi...
Release of Nisin from Methylcellulose-Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Film Formed on Low-density Polyethylene Film

AOSTRACT: Low-density polyethylene film was coated with a solution containing a high-molecular-weight or low-molecular-weight methylcellulose and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. Films contained 10000, 7500, 5000, 2500, or 0 IU/cm 2 nlsin. Film samples were placed into peptone water, and 10-μL samples were removed and placed onto spiral plated lawns of Listeria monacytagenes, Zones of inhibition were measured using a caliper. Films containing 5000, 7500, and 10000 IU/cm 2 nisin inhibited L. monocytagenet after 90 min; films with 7500 and 10000 IU/cm3 aisin inhibited L. monocytogenes after 60 min and 8 h, respectively. No zones of inhibitions were observed after 24 h and 4 d for all films. After 8 d, zones of inhibition were observed for films with all levels of nisin except 2500 IU/cm 2 . Films with 0 and 2500 IU/ cm 2 nisin did not produce zones of inhibition throughout the study, Molecular weight of the cellulose-based carrier had no effect on inhibition of L. monocytogenes. A standard curve of inhibition was developed using solutions of 10000, 7500, 5000, 2500, or 0 IU/cm 2 nisin applied directly to lawns of L. monocytogenes. The antount of inhibition using a direct application of a solution was 25% to 50% more effective for inhibition of L. monocytogenes compared with the coated film samples. Overall, the coated film samples were effective for inhibition of L. monocytogenes, particularly when 7500 and 10000 IU/cm 2 nisin were used, but the release of nisin was not controlled and did not provide consistent inhibition throughout the 8-d study.
Staggered pattern charge collector design and optimization

This paper outlines an innovative antenna configuration called a staggered pattern charge collector (SPCC) to increase microwave wireless energy harvested from an antenna at 5.8 GHz. The two-by-two staggered pattern charge collector (SPCC) uses a pair of two-element linear arrays to increase gain and effective aggregate “beamwidth” to capture more wireless energy than a single patch antenna. Also, a new array parameter called integrated power conversion gain (IPCG) is introduced as a metric to compare how effective antenna systems are at energy harvesting. Finally, the SPCC is optimized to maximize IPCG and the optimized, fabricated SPCC's DC voltage output data is measured.
Fabrication of Dense, Shaped Barium Cerate by the Oxidation of Solid Metal‐Bearing Precursors

Some rare-earth-doped alkaline-earth cerates (e.g., Nd2O3-doped BaCeO3) are proton conductors that can act as solid state electrolytes in hydrogen or steam sensors, hydrogen pumps, steam electrolyzers, and fuel cells. In the present study, dense tapes of neodymia-doped barium cerate were produced by the oxidation of malleable Ba-CeH3-Nd2O3precursor tapes. Precursor tapes were produced by cold-rolling either blended or milled mixtures of Ba, CeH3, and Nd2O3 within a silver can. X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe analyses, and thermogravimetric analyses were used to study the phase transformations resulting from heat treatments conducted at 300° to 900°C in pure, flowing oxygen. Barium peroxide and cerium dioxide, produced during oxidation at ≤300°C, reacted at ≤500°C to form barium cerate. The rate of formation of barium cerate depended on the degree of milling of the solid metal-bearing precursor powder. Dense barium cerate tapes were obtained after heat treatment at 1080°C.
Glaucoma Occurring after Closed Vitrectomy

Six of 20 eyes developed postoperative glaucoma within two to ten days after closed vitrectomy for vitreous hemorrhage. Intraocular pressure was greater than 40mm Hg in all six eyes, and three developed pressure greater than 60 mm Hg. Intraocular pressure in four eyes was controlled with medical antiglaucoma therapy and two eyes required anterior chamber irrigation. Six months postoperatively three of the eyes had normal pressures, one was hypotonous, and two developed increased intraocular pressure secondary to angle neovascularization. Three of the 14 eyes that did not develop glaucoma developed a cellular accumulation in the anterior chamber. The glaucoma was caused mainly by obstruction of the trabecular meshwork by degenerated red blood cells known as ghost cells. The cells may be identified by phase-contrast examination of anterior chamber aspirates. Glaucoma can be prevented through irrigation of the vitreous cavity at the time of vitrectomy ensuring that no cells and debris are left behind to migrate into the anterior chamber and obstruct the trabecular meshwork. This type of glaucoma is caused mainly by ghost cells, whereas hemolytic glaucoma is caused mainly by macrophages and red blood cell debris.
Experimental developments in the RFOG

Experiments were carried out to quantify the contribution of backscattered light and orthogonal polarization to the bias stability of a tactical-grade resonant fiber-optic gyro. The data were found to agree with theory to within 25 percent. It was found that suppressed carrier phase modulation of the light for each input was effective in reducing the backscatter bias error by shifting the modulation frequencies for the counterpropagating signals. The polarization errors could be reduced by adding fiber polarizers at the ring outputs.
Mycoplasma gallisepticum Isolation in Layers

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) isolations in live chickens have been made from swabs obtained primarily from the trachea or nasal exudates. As tracheal swabs are often contaminated with feed and because tracheal swabbing may be stressful to the bird, this study was conducted to determine if swabs from the choanal cleft (palatine fissure) would yield MG isolation rates comparable to MG isolation rates of swabs taken from the trachea. Commercial Leghorns from 17 to 22 weeks of age were inoculated via eyedrop with the F strain of MG. Swabs were made from the trachea or the choanal cleft region (palatine fissure) when the chickens were 58 to 63 weeks of age; MG was isolated from 15 of 101 tracheal swab samples and from 51 of 108 choanal cleft swab samples. This study indicates that swabs taken from the choanal cleft region yield higher isolation rates and are more easily obtained than tracheal swabs.
Vitamin A: Prove of immune complement reactions—II enhancement of human complement hemolysis

Abstract The hemolysis of EA by human complement is enhanced by vitamin A aldehyde (retinal); this is opposite to the influence which retinal has on guinea pig complement lysis. The stage or intermediate in the human complement reaction which is susceptible to retinal action is transient, because delay in adding retinal to the reaction mixtures reduces or eliminates the enhancement of hemolysis. This enhancement is markedly pH dependent. EAC142 prepared with human complement displays a reduced C2 decay rate in the presence of retinal.
Single-cell fluorescence imaging using metal plasmon-coupled probe 2: single-molecule counting on lifetime image.

Multiple Alexa Fluor 647-conjugated concanavalin A (conA) molecules were covalently bound to a single 20 nm silver particle to synthesize metal plasmon-coupled probes (PCPs). The fluorescence images were recorded by scanning confocal microscopy in both intensity and lifetime. The brightness of PCPs was 30-fold brighter than those of free conA and the lifetime of PCPs was shortened dramatically. PCPs were used to label T-lymphocytic (PM1) cells. The emission spots by PCPs bound on the cell surfaces were separated clearly from the cell images by autofluorescence due to the brighter signal and shorter lifetime of PCPs. The emission spots by PCPs were also scanned in three dimensions to count the distribution of bound fluorophores on the cell surfaces. The metal-associated fluorophores thus are suggested using as novel molecular imaging agents to quantify the components and describe their distributions on the cell surfaces.
An improved one-trial passive avoidance learning situation.

A one-trial passive avoidance sirnation for mice has been developed which eliminates some of the difficulties of previous procedures. The mouse is confined in a small, brightly lit chamber and is allowed to step into a large, dark chamber where he might be punished if the experimenter desires. Parallel plates instead of gcids are used. One-trial learning is quite efficient in this apparatus.
Spatially-resolved metabolic cooperativity within dense bacterial colonies.

The exchange of metabolites and the reprogramming of metabolism in response to shifting microenvironmental conditions can drive subpopulations of cells within colonies toward divergent behaviors. Understanding the interactions of these subpopulations—their potential for competition as well as cooperation—requires both a metabolic model capable of accounting for a wide range of environmental conditions, and a detailed dynamic description of the cells’ shared extracellular space. Here we show that a cell’s position within an in silico Escherichia coli colony grown on glucose minimal agar can drastically affect its metabolism: “pioneer” cells at the outer edge engage in rapid growth that expands the colony, while dormant cells in the interior separate two spatially distinct subpopulations linked by a cooperative form of acetate crossfeeding that has so far gone unnoticed. Our hybrid simulation technique integrates 3D reaction-diffusion modeling with genome-scale flux balance analysis (FBA) to describe the position-dependent metabolism and growth of cells within a colony. Our results are supported by imaging experiments involving strains of fluorescently-labeled E. coli. The spatial patterns of fluorescence within these experimental colonies identify cells with upregulated genes associated with acetate crossfeeding and are in excellent agreement with the predictions. Furthermore, the height-to-width ratios of both the experimental and simulated colonies are in good agreement over a growth period of 48 hours. Our modeling paradigm can accurately reproduce a number of known features of E. coli colony growth, as well as predict a novel one that had until now gone unrecognized. The acetate crossfeeding we see has a direct analogue in a form of lactate crossfeeding observed in certain forms of cancer, and we anticipate future application of our methodology to models of tissues and tumors.
Experimental and theoretical study of periodic intensity bursts in the start-up phase of a free-electron laser oscillator

Experimental observations and a theoretical analysis of periodic radiation bursts and macropulse formation in the startup phase of a free-electron laser (FEL) oscillator are presented. This microwave FEL uses a long pulse electron beam with a slowly decaying voltage. The output radiation consists of a superposition of bell-shaped macropulses, each of which is composed of a periodic sequence of short micropulses. The micropulses are separated by a cavity round-trip time. Each bell-shaped macropulse has a random startup time and amplitude. The startup of the radiation macropulses is correlated with random current spikes on the continuous electron beam. The observed macropulse signal agrees with a theoretical calculation of the impulse response of the FEL oscillator when the shift in the FEL resonance frequency arising from the slow voltage drop of the electron beam is included in the analysis. Possible applications of the macropulse formation phenomena in the FEL are discussed. >
Calcium sources for milk production in Holstein cows via changes in dry matter intake, mineral utilization, and mineral source buffering potential

Three supplemental sources of inorganic calcium (calcite flour, aragonite, albacar), each differing in particle size and rate of reactivity, provided .6 or .9% calcium in corn silage:grain (1:1 dry matter) diets of high producing dairy cows. All cows were fed calcite flour at .6% calcium during the first 4 wk of lactation. On d 29 of lactation 5 cows were assigned to each of the six diets. Peak milk yield paralleled dry matter intake and was higher when calcite flour and aragonite provided .9% calcium, intermediate when all sources provided .6% calcium, and lower when albacar provided .9% calcium. However, adaptations to calcium source and to particle sizes of a calcium source (.35 to 1190 mu) were made within 40 d by lactating Holsteins. Starch increased and pH decreased in feces of cows fed albacar. Increasing calcium in the diet provided more buffering capacity in the gastrointestinal tract. True absorption of calcium did not differ from linearity due to source when fecal calcium was regressed on ingested calcium but did vary as a function of diet percentage. Thus, calcium retention was increased when cows were fed .9 vs. .6% calcium. These data suggest that a slow reacting (coarser) inorganic calcium source should be fed at a higher amount to optimize feed intake and milk production.
APPLYING THE ONLINE SCORING NETWORK (OSN) TO ADVANCED PLACEMENT PROGRAM® (AP®) TESTS

This project explored the feasibility of using the ETS Online Scoring Network (OSN) to score selected Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) tests. In particular, the quality of scores obtained from traditional large-scale readings was compared with the quality of scores obtained from OSN scoring. (For the former, readers convene in a central location to evaluate student responses in a paper-based format; for the latter, they work alone from remote locations to evaluate responses that are transmitted via the Internet.) The study also obtained readers' reactions to OSN training and to OSN capabilities for monitoring reader performance online. The results, based on more than 11,000 test takers who had taken either the AP English Language and Composition exam or the AP Calculus AB exam, revealed little if any difference between scores assigned at traditional central readings and those assigned when readers used OSN. The lack of differences applied to (a) score level and variability, (b) interreader agreement, and (c) passing rates on the two AP exams that were investigated. Study participants did, however, suggest several areas in which improvements could be made to OSN procedures.
Lateralized parietotemporal oscillatory phase synchronization during auditory selective attention

Abstract Based on the infamous left-lateralized neglect syndrome, one might hypothesize that the dominating right parietal cortex has a bilateral representation of space, whereas the left parietal cortex represents only the contralateral right hemispace. Whether this principle applies to human auditory attention is not yet fully clear. Here, we explicitly tested the differences in cross-hemispheric functional coupling between the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and auditory cortex (AC) using combined magnetoencephalography (MEG), EEG, and functional MRI (fMRI). Inter-regional pairwise phase consistency (PPC) was analyzed from data obtained during dichotic auditory selective attention task, where subjects were in 10-s trials cued to attend to sounds presented to one ear and to ignore sounds presented in the opposite ear. Using MEG/EEG/fMRI source modeling, parietotemporal PPC patterns were (a) mapped between all AC locations vs. IPS seeds and (b) analyzed between four anatomically defined AC regions-of-interest (ROI) vs. IPS seeds. Consistent with our hypothesis, stronger cross-hemispheric PPC was observed between the right IPS and left AC for attended right-ear sounds, as compared to PPC between the left IPS and right AC for attended left-ear sounds. In the mapping analyses, these differences emerged at 7–13 Hz, i.e., at the theta to alpha frequency bands, and peaked in Heschl's gyrus and lateral posterior non-primary ACs. The ROI analysis revealed similarly lateralized differences also in the beta and lower theta bands. Taken together, our results support the view that the right parietal cortex dominates auditory spatial attention.
ESR of triplet states of chlorophylls a, b, c1, c2 and bacteriochlorophyll a. Applications of ZFS and electron spin polarization to photosynthesis

Abstract ZFS parameters for the title chlorophylls in both ordinary and fully deuterated form have been determined under experimental conditions that allow the aggregation state of the chlorophylls to be specified. The triplet state spectra are polarized. The electron spin polarization (ESP) can be analyzed by a simple scheme, and is found to be sensitive to the aggregation state of the chlorophyll. Comparison of in vivo and in vitro bacteriochlorophyll spectra supports the chlorophyll special pair proposal for the structure of in vivo photo-reactive chlorophyll.
An Improved Pseudo-Random Generator Based on the Discrete Logarithm Problem

Under the assumption that solving the discrete logarithm problem modulo an n-bit safe prime p is hard even when the exponent is a small c-bit number, we construct a new pseudo-random bit generator. This new generator outputs n – c – 1 bits per exponentiation with a c-bit exponent and is among the fastest generators based on hard number-theoretic problems.
Acute Onset of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Males Following Childbirth

Research on postpartum onset obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has focused exclusively on females. However, the authors present four cases of males with OCD onset that coincide with a spouse's pregnancy or delivery. The rapid onset and content of obsessions and compulsions are remarkably similar to those reported in previous studies of postpartum OCD in females. Each patient also responded to cognitive-behavioral therapy using exposure procedures. The implications of these cases for etiological models of postpartum OCD and future research directions are discussed.
Air-puff OCE for assessment of mouse cornea in vivo

We characterize the relaxation rates of deformations created by focused air puffs with the use of phasestabilized swept source optical coherence elastography (PhS-SSOCE) in tissue-mimicking gelatin phantoms of various concentrations and mouse corneas of different ages in vivo. The results indicate that gelatin of varying concentrations and corneas from different aged mice have different relaxation rates. In addition, the results show that phantoms with higher concentration gelatin and corneas of older mice have higher relaxation rates, which can be attributed to stiffer material. Because this method is non-contact, noninvasive, and utilizes a minimal force which induces a deformation on the scale of μm, this method can be used to study the biomechanical properties of sensitive tissues, such as the cornea.
Predictors of Mortality in Patients With Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Infections

Infection reduces survival in cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) recipients. However, the clinical predictors of short- and long-term mortality in patients with CIED infection are not well understood. We retrospectively reviewed all patients with CIED infection who were admitted to Mayo Clinic from January 1991 to December 2008. Survival data were obtained from the medical records and the United Sates Social Security Index. The purported risk factors for short-term (30-day) and long-term (>30-day) mortality were analyzed using univariate and multivariate models. Overall, 415 cases of CIED infection were identified during the study period. The mean follow-up duration for the 243 patients who were alive at the last follow-up visit was 6.9 years. In a multivariate model, heart failure (odds ratio 9.31, 95% confidence interval 2.08 to 41.67), corticosteroid therapy (odds ratio 4.04, 95% confidence interval 1.40 to 11.60), and presentation with CIED-related infective endocarditis (odds ratio 5.60, 95% confidence interval 2.25 to 13.92) were associated with increased short-term mortality. The factors associated with long-term mortality in the multivariate model included patient age (hazard ratio 1.20, 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 1.36), heart failure (hazard ratio 2.01, 95% confidence interval 1.42 to 2.86), metastatic malignancy (hazard ratio 5.99, 95% confidence interval 1.67 to 21.53), corticosteroid therapy (hazard ratio 1.97, 95% confidence interval 1.22 to 3.18), renal failure (hazard ratio 1.94, 95% confidence interval 1.37 to 2.74), and CIED-related infective endocarditis (hazard ratio 1.68, 95% confidence interval 1.17 to 2.41). In conclusion, these data suggest that the development of CIED-related infective endocarditis and the presence of co-morbid conditions are associated with increased short- and long-term mortality in patients with CIED infection.
Stoner criterion of ferromagnetism and moment saturation in the Hubbard model with an applied magnetic field

Abstract The intraatomic Coulomb repulsion of itinerant electrons provides another Stoner mechanism of band splitting leading to ferromagnetism. The behavior of the magnetization versus external magnetic field is derived by an approximate treatment of the local correlations in a simple mean-field approximation for 1D, 2D, and 3D cubic lattices. The criteria for first-order phase transition and full spin alignment in an applied magnetic field are found. These attempts should be regarded as a way to obtain an upper bound for the magnetic moments. The appearance of ferromagnetism is seen for larger values of the intraatomic interaction U and lattice parameter a . This study provides a better understanding of the mechanism of strong ferromagnetic saturation and may help explain the behavior of magnetic moments of certain Fe sites in FeN compounds.
Retrograde degeneration study of somatic sensory thalamocortical connections in brain of Virginia opossum.

Abstract The method of retrograde degeneration was used to study thalamocortical relationship in the somatic sensory system of the forebrain of the Virginia opossum. Lesions were placed by aspiration in the primary somatic sensory cortex or subdivisions of it in 16 hemispheres and resultant retrograde degeneration in the ventrobasal complex and other thalamic nuclei was examined microscopically. Lesions placed in an electrophysiologically defined cortical region of representation of a given body part resulted in retrograde degenerative changes in the functionally corresponding part of the thalamic ventrobasal complex. Results are interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that axons of cells in the ventrobasal complex project upon the primary neocortical somatic sensory area in a topographic fashion, and thus the organization of somatic sensory thalamocortical projections in the opossum does not appear to be fundamentally different from that of eutherian mammals.
Primacy of the negative aftereffect over positive adaptation in prism adaptation with newly hatched chicks

Negative afteraffects (NAE) to prism displacement should not exist without prior positive adaptation (PA) during initial prism exposure. In 4 experiments, chicks wearing hoods containing 8.5° wedge prisms from the day of hatching showed: (a) significant NAE (pecking overcompensation in the direction opposite to their initial displacement error when matched O-degree clear plates were substituted for the prisms), but not significant PA (reduction in the lateral error of pecking while wearing the prisms) at the sixth day; (b) NAE exceeding the theoretically predicted PA on the sixteenth day; (c) significant short and long duration NAE, and significant short and long duration reversal overcompensation effects (ROE) (left-right pecking asymmetry following reversal of the prism base directions) on the seventh and eighth days, without prior PA on the seventh day; (d) neither significant NAE nor significant PA on the fourth day. Both significant NAE and significant PA had been reported previously on the eighth day. Geometrical analyses suggest that variables latent in unrestricted application of adult sensory rearrangement techniques to rapidly growing chicks of low sensory-motor plasticity produce an ontogenetic-development-related reciprocity paradox.
Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) for Assessment of Cerebral Infarction Initial Clinical Experience in 50 Patients

Background and Purpose Our aim was to evaluate fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequence in the diagnosis of cerebral infarction with MRI. Methods A retrospective review was undertaken of 50 consecutive MRI studies ordered for suspected cerebrovascular accident. All studies included FLAIR and rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) T2-weighted spin-echo sequences. The two sequences were compared independently by four observers at two different institutions. Detectability of lesions and image quality were scored. Results Overall, FLAIR sequences proved superior in 10 patients, detecting acute cortical infarcts missed with RARE spin-echo technique in five patients. In five additional patients, improved characterization of chronic infarction and improved detection of microangiopathic deep hemispheric changes were observed. One brain stem infarct was missed with the FLAIR sequence. Conclusions FLAIR offers advantages in detection of acute infarcts affecting the cortical ribbon, is a us...
The Effect of Natural Soiling and Cleaning on the Size Distribution of Particles Deposited on Glass Mirrors

The particle size distribution and the reflectance properties of silvered glass mirrors exposed in an outdoor environment have been measured to determine the separate effects of natural soiling and natural cleaning (wind and rain). The wavelength dependent diffuse reflectance was correlated with the particle size distribution function for mirrors exposed to increasing periods of outdoor exposure. These measurements have indicated the significant role of small particles (radii ≲ 5 μm) in the soiling of exposed mirrors and in the subsequent reflectance loss over the solar spectrum.
Neonatal hypomagnesemia with selective malabsorption of magnesium--a clinical entity.

AbstractA male infant is reported on who at the age of four weeks presented generalized tetanic convulsions associated with hypomagnesemia and hypocalcemia. The condition did not respond to calcium therapy, whereas magnesium therapy led to normalization of the clinical as well as the biochemical picture. Continuous oral magnesium therapy has been necessary to avoid recurrence of symptoms during 18 months of follow-up. On this therapy the child has developed normally.Experimental evidence is presented that the hypomagnesemia can be attributed to a defect in the intestinal absorption of magnesium. No other signs of malabsorption have been disclosed.Three similar cases have previously been reported in the literature, and it is suggested that these cases represent the same definite clinical entity.
Threshold distances and depths of nucleopolyhedrovirus in soil for transport to cotton plants by wind and rain

Abstract Two aspects of abiotic transport of nucleopolyhedrovirus from soil to cotton plants were examined in greenhouse experiments: the distance from the plants and depth in soil from which the virus could be transported under controlled conditions of soil type and moisture, wind, and precipitation. Transport distance and depth were tested separately under relatively conducive (precipitation/sandy soil and wind/clay soil) and non-conducive (precipitation/clay soil and wind/sandy soil) conditions, as determined in previous research. The amount of virus transported by precipitation generally decreased as distance from the plant increased, but in wind the amounts of virus transported were best described by polynomial models, with transport efficiency usually peaking at a distance of 60 cm. Depending on plant height and tissue, the farthest distances that virus was transported ranged from 30 to 60 cm by precipitation from clay soil, 60–75 cm in precipitation/sand, 60–80 cm in wind/clay, and 60–80 cm in wind/sand. In the depth experiments, transport by precipitation and wind generally decreased as the depth of virus in soil increased. The greatest depth from which NPV was transported ranged from 0 to 0.5 cm by precipitation from clay soil, 0.5–1.0 cm in precipitation/sand, 1.0–2.0 cm in wind/clay, and 0.5–1.0 cm in wind/sand. All of the experimental parameters (distance or depth, soil type, plant height, plant tissue) and all two-way interactions significantly ( P P
Poly(carboxybetaine) nanomaterials enable long circulation and prevent polymer-specific antibody production

Summary Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) has been incorporated into nanoparticles (NPs) to improve circulation time from systemic circulation for decades with limited success. Recent studies have shown that PEG induces the production of PEG-specific antibodies after repeated injections. Here, we demonstrate zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine) (PCB)-based nanomaterials with no production of polymer-specific antibodies, while PEG-coated NPs generated PEG-specific antibodies. Furthermore, PCB-coated NPs exhibited prolonged circulation time and showed little change between the first and second doses ( t 1/2 = 55.8 and 55.6 h), with no accelerated blood clearance suffered by PEG-coated NPs ( t 1/2 drops from 8.7 to 5.2 h). These findings are significant advances toward solving the long-standing clinical challenge of developing nanomaterials that are able to resist both immune response and immediate bodily clearance.
Further evidence that for status epilepticus “one size fits all” doesn’t fit

A view of status epilepticus as a monolithic disorder requiring a standardized, cookbook type of approach to management is often promoted. This popular “one size fits all” philosophy has its advantages. It emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and prompt therapy, and offers simple, easy-to-follow protocols for acute diagnosis and treatment. However, in this issue of Neurology, Logroscino et al.1 demonstrate that one size does not fit all patients when it comes to long-term mortality, defined as cumulative mortality at 10 years following a first episode of status in patients who survived for 30 days. Their findings confirm and extend similar previous observations on differences among patients in short-term studies of mortality, prognosis, and outcome of status epilepticus,2-5⇓⇓⇓ and have implications for the care of patients with status. Indeed, there appear to be important pre-existing clinical factors that significantly influence the short and long-term mortality for patients with status epilepticus, the major …
Thomas Young's lectures at the Royal Institution.

Thomas Young, F. R. S. (1773-1829) achieved renown not only for the original contributions which he made to physics but also, to a lesser extent, for his work in the fields of hieroglyphics, physiology and classics. Yet he was a professional scientist for only two years (1802-1803), when he held the chair of Natural Philosophy at the Royal Institution. In this paper Young’s progress during these two years will be examined, firstly from a biographical point of view and secondly with respect to the development of his scientific ideas. In both these sections the emphasis will be on the lectures in natural philosophy which he delivered before the Royal Institution in 1802 and repeated in the following year. The second section will be mainly devoted to an analysis of the contents of the notebooks in which he kept the notes for his lectures (1).
Turner syndrome: update on current therapies

New treatments for girls and women with Turner syndrome (monosomy X) have dramatically improved their quality of life and health. Young girls are treated with growth hormone to enhance adult height, and with estrogen to induce and maintain feminization, and prevent osteoporosis. Vigilant screening for otitis, thyroid disease, hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes allows for early and effective medical treatment of these common problems. Comprehensive cardiovascular evaluation and regular monitoring of aortic diameter are essential to identify individuals at risk for dissection or rupture. Insights derived from the study of metabolic risk factors in women with Turner syndrome may illuminate gender differences in atherosclerotic heart disease.
Linear quadratic Gaussian control of a deformable mirror adaptive optics system with time-delayed measurements

We present a technique for controlling a ground-based deformable mirror adaptive optics telescope to compensate for optical wave-front phase distortion induced by a turbulent atmosphere. Specifically, a predictive linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controller is designed that generates commanded control voltages to the mirror actuators based on a set of time-delayed wave-front slope measurements from a Hartmann-type wave-front sensor.
Wolbachia plays no role in the one-way reproductive incompatibility between the hybridizing field crickets Gryllus firmus and G. pennsylvanicus.

Wolbachia are cytoplasmically inherited α-proteobacteria that can cause cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) in insects. This incompatibility between sperm and egg is evident when uninfected females mate with infected males. Wolbachia-driven reproductive incompatibilities are of special interest because they may play a role in speciation. However, the presence of Wolbachia does not always imply incompatibility. The field crickets Gryllus firmus and G. pennsylvanicus exhibit a very clear unidirectional incompatibility and have been cited as a possible example of Wolbachia-induced CI. Here, we conduct curing experiments, intra- and interspecific crosses, cytological examination of Wolbachia in testes and Wolbachia quantifications through real-time PCR. All of our data strongly suggest that Wolbachia are not involved in the reproductive incompatibility between G. firmus and G. pennsylvanicus.
Reactivity of human platelets with immobilized fibrinogen is dictated by the chemical character of the surface.

Quiescent platelets readily adhere to surfaceimmobilized fibrinogen. In contrast, platelets exposed to soluble fibrinogen do not demonstrate such activity. As part of an effort to characterize this phenomenon, a solid-phase reagent was prepared by adsorbing human fibrinogen to polystyrene-divinylbenzene microparticles. Using a suspension of human platelets, phase-contrast microscopy was used to quantitate directly platelets bound to fibrinogen-coated beads. This method is fast, straightforward, and requires minimal amounts of reagents and sample. An existing turbidimetric assay was modified to monitor optically the rate and extent of platelet–fibrinogen binding. When plateletrich plasma was added to a stirred suspension of fibrinogen-coated beads, the rate of aggregation was related directly to the concentration of fibrinogen on the bead surface. This response could not be mitigated by the thrombin inhibitor, hirudin, indicating that any thrombin generated in the reaction has no role in bead aggregation. Conversely, the aIIbb3 antagonist, abciximab (ReoPro), completely prevented aggregation, implicating specific fibrinogen–aIIbb3 interactions as responsible for the observed effect. Beads coated with either albumin or a densely packed, pure film of the neutral phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine (lecithin), do not aggregate under identical conditions, nor do fibrinogencoated beads aggregate when platelet-depleted plasma is added. When fibrinogen was coated to beads as a mixed film with lecithin, a striking increase in reactivity toward platelets was demonstrated, compared to unmodified beads. These studies indicate that the observed adhesion of platelets to beads is a direct result of platelet– fibrinogen interactions and platelets respond differently to fibrinogen when presented as a mixed film with lipid, compared to the protein alone at an interface. D 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.