cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intensity images and statistics from numerical simulation of wave propagation in 3-D random media

An extended random medium is modeled by a set of 2-D thin Gaussian phase-changing screens with phase power spectral densities appropriate to the natural medium being modeled. Details of the algorithm and limitations on its application to experimental conditions are discussed, concentrating on power-law spectra describing refractive-index fluctuations of the neutral atmosphere. Inner and outer scale effects on intensity scintillation spectra and intensity variance are also included. Images of single realizations of the intensity field at the observing plane are presented, showing that under weak scattering the small-scale Fresnel length structure of the medium dominates the intensity scattering pattern. As the strength of scattering increases, caustics and interference fringes around focal regions begin to form. Finally, in still stronger scatter, the clustering of bright regions begins to reflect the large-scale structure of the medium. For plane waves incident on the medium, physically reasonable inner scales do not produce the large values of intensity variance observed in the focusing region during laser propagation experiments over kilometer paths in the atmosphere. Values as large as experimental observations have been produced in the simulations, but they require inner scales of the order of 10 cm. Inclusion of an outer scale depresses the low-frequency end of the intensity spectrum and reduces the maximum of the intensity variance. Increasing the steepness of the power law also slightly increases the maximum value of intensity variance.
Low ceremony processes for short lifecycle projects (keynote)

This paper is a summary of the author’s keynote talk describing suitable approaches for software projects with small teams (including a single individual) and release cycles in days or weeks rather than in years. Traditional processes used for larger projects have significant shortcomings in smaller projects, particularly the need to devote a significant portion of the overall effort to the process itself.
Equilibrium concentrations of methylmercury in Ottawa River sediments

MOST of the mercury (up to 97%) found in aquatic systems is associated with bed sediments1. Fish, invertebrates and plants contain only 0.02% of the total, though they contain a high proportion of organic mercury. Field surveys show that the proportion of organic mercury in the sediments range from 0.1 to 2.1%2–6. Jacobs and Keeney placed river sediments mixed with inorganic mercury in the Wisconsin and Fox Rivers7. After 12 weeks exposure to the natural environment the concentration of methylmercury in the sediments was only 3%. This concentration of methylmercury was attained within 4 weeks after sediments were placed in the bottom of the rivers. This indicated that the processes of methylation and demethylation of mercury were in equilibrium in these environmental conditions within 4 weeks. But no experiments were conducted to show the degradation of methylmercury in sediments. After the methylation study by Jensen and Jernelov8, many investigations into methylmercury production by microorganisms in bed sediments have been carried out. Little attention, however, has been paid to the ratio of methyl-mercury to the total mercury existing in the sediments. Spangler et al. observed degradation of methylmercury in mixed cultures from sediments9. The degradation reached 50% within 5 d, they also found methylmercury degradation in sediments. But detailed information about the sediments was not available and results fluctuated wildly. We do not know the total amount of methylmercury existing in all components of the systems, including fish, invertebrates and plants as well as various types of bed sediments. Here we use methylmercury equilibrium concentration levels in the Ottawa River sediments to estimate the amount of methylmercury in various types of bed sediment where detailed information of total mercury concentrations (total mercury estimation 31 kg) and types of sediment is available. Two ways (methylmercury production and degradation) of reaching equilibrium were observed during 50 d in identical environmental conditions.
Incorporating lean concepts into supply chain management

Lean techniques have been implemented in a variety of industries. This paper addresses the effectiveness of specific lean techniques in a variety of industries and their application in the supply chain. The objective of this research is to assess the performance of lean based on the specific techniques and implementation methods used; analyse strategies for implementing lean into the supply chain; and to analyse the reasons for both their success and failure. Data was gathered using a survey distributed to individuals familiar with lean concepts and techniques. The results of this survey were analysed with a variety of statistical techniques.
Juvenile cervical intervertebral disc calcification presenting as an embedded retropharyngeal foreign body

Abstract Juvenile intervertebral disc calcification (JIDC) of the cervical spine is an uncommon, self-limited condition. Though usually asymptomatic, JIDC can cause fevers, malaise, neck pain, and stiffness, raising concern for more common and dangerous pediatric diagnoses including retropharyngeal infection or esophageal foreign body. Prompt identification of JIDC is critical to avoid inappropriate surgical intervention. We present a case of a six-year-old male with a retropharyngeal phlegmon and cervical spine calcification raising suspicion for an embedded retropharyngeal foreign body. A literature review of pediatric retropharyngeal foreign bodies and JIDC is discussed to promote recognition of each of these rare and distinct conditions.
Malcolm Cowley's Path to William Faulkner

In October 1938, Edmund Wilson advised Malcolm Cowley to get out of politics, both “revolutionary and literary alike… because what you're really practicing is not politics but literature…. ” Within two years, in the wake of the Hitler—Stalin pact and war, Cowley had withdrawn from radical politics. In early 1940, politically confused and dispirited, he wrote to Wilson:I am left standing pretty much alone, in the air, unsupported, a situation that is much more uncomfortable for me than it would be for you. Since my normal instinct is toward cooperation. For the moment I want to get out of every God damned thing.Cowley publicly announced his resignation from the League of American Writers in August 1940. He had helped to create the League in 1935 and had once been one of its officers. Deciding to avoid all further public political debates, he retreated to his Connecticut farmhouse. “Anyone who was as close to the radical movement as I was is going to be deeply shaken by breaking connection with it,” he explained to his close friend Kenneth Burke. “At that point the religious metaphor is absolutely accurate. You leave a church, and like a defrocked priest you can't think about anything else for a while.”
Guidelines for hospital-acquired pneumonia and health-care-associated pneumonia: a vulnerability, a pitfall, and a fatal flaw

The 2005 American Thoracic Society and Infectious Disease Society of America's guidelines for pneumonia introduced the new category of health-care-associated pneumonia, which increased the number of people to whom the guidelines for multidrug-resistant pathogens applied. Three fundamental issues inherent in the definition of hospital-acquired pneumonia and health-care-associated pneumonia undermined the credibility of these guidelines and the applicability of their recommendations: a vulnerability, a pitfall, and a fatal flaw. The vulnerability is the extreme heterogeneity of the population of patients. The fatal flaw is the failure to accurately diagnose hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia; inability to distinguish colonisation from infection in respiratory-tract cultures renders the guidelines inherently unstable. The pitfall is spiralling empiricism of antibiotic use for severely ill patients in whom infection might not be present. A vicious circle of antibiotic overuse leading to emergence of resistant microflora can become established, leading to unnecessary use of empirical broad-spectrum combination antibiotics and increased mortality. Controlled studies now show that administration of broad-spectrum combination antibiotic therapy can lead to increased mortality in uninfected patients. Proposed solutions include the use of individualised assessment of patients. Health-care-associated pneumonia should be broken down into several distinct subgroups so narrow-spectrum antibiotic therapy can be used. Emphasis should be placed on defining the microbial cause of the pneumonia rather than reflex administration of empirical combination therapy.
A geometric optimally of Cox's partial likelihood

The paper proves geometric optimality of Cox's partial likelihood score functions via estimating functions. As an illustration, Cox's proportional-hazards model is considered. Les auteurs demontrent l'optimalite gǵometrique des fonctions scores de vraisemblance partielle de Cox au moyen des fonctions d'estimation. Le modele des risques proportionnels de Cox permet d'illustrer leur resultat.
Synthesis and spectral properties of optically active 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine: primary methadone metabolite

The synthesis of the optical isomers of 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine is reported. The 1H-nmr analysis suggested that the free bases exist predominantly in an enamine form and the corresponding perchlorate salts in an iminium form. Optical studies showed that the free bases exhibit Cotton effects in the 400–230 nm region and that these Cotton effects are consistent with a fairly rigid enamine structure.
A CASE-SAR analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon carcinogenicity

A CASE SAR analysis was performed on a selected database of PAHs to investigate the possible use of the CASE method as an aid for preliminary assessment of carcinogenic potential of untested environmental PAHs. A data set, denoted LEARN, consisting of 78 PAHs and their experimental carcinogenicities was used to 'train' the CASE method and derive the CASE fragments. 8 activating fragments and 4 inactivating fragments were identified. These fragments predicted the activities of 94% of the LEARN set correctly. The biological significance of several of these fragments are rationalized in light of the current theories of PAH carcinogenesis. Using these fragments, the potential activities of a database of 106, mostly untested PAHs, denoted TEST, were predicted. These were compared to 'expert judgement' predictions based on mechanistic considerations in order to evaluate the extent of concordance between these two methods and their respective strengths and weaknesses. Initial poor agreement (64%) was attributed to limitations of the LEARN database involving inadequate representation of 2- and 3-ring PAH subclasses. When these subclasses were excluded from the TEST database, the concordance improved to 90%. The CASE fragments were also used to predict the activities of a database of 24 PAHs, denoted VALIDATE (not included in the LEARN set) for which carcinogenicity data were available. The total prediction accuracy of 75% (89% of the actives correctly identified), despite the structural diversity of the VALIDATE set, provided independent evidence of the utility of the present CASE results. A close examination of the CASE incorrect predictions was conducted to delineate inadequancies of these CASE results in order to provide cautionary guidance for future application of the method. Finally, the present results were compared to the results of a previous CASE analysis based on a more limited PAH data set, and were found to be of greater general utility. It is concluded that the CASE fragments derived in the current study should provide a useful tool for assisting and complementing 'expert judgement' in the preliminary screening of PAHs for carcinogenic activity.
Eating disorders: A primer for the substance abuse specialist 2. Theories of etiology, treatment approaches, and considerations during co-morbidity with substance abuse

In the first paper of this two-part sequence on the eating disorders of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, clinical and biological features, both cross-sectorial and longitudinal, were reviewed. In this paper, proposed theories of etiology are examined, and theoretical and practical considerations for the substance abuse specialist who encounters a chemically dependent patient with a concurrent eating disorder are described.
Population Shifts and Civil War: A Test of Power Transition Theory

Do shifts in the distribution of ethnic group populations within a multinational state make civil war more likely? This article tests the proposition that they do using the competing logic of two core theories of interstate politics: power transition (PTT) and balance of power theory (BPT). The universe of potential population transition types are reduced to nine, and the logic of each of the competing explanations of war likelihood are reduced to four testable hypotheses. Overall, PTT fares better than BPT; although the article concludes that, as is the case at the interstate level, the key determinate of war likelihood rests more with how power is perceived than with raw changes in its distribution across the spectrum of meaningful political actors. Finally, the article offers a useful framework for further specifying the conditions under which population shifts alter the likelihood of an escalation to civil war.
Complex intracranial aneurysms: combined operative and endovascular approaches.

Objective Endovascular management of complex intracranial aneurysms is increasingly being considered as an alternative to standard surgical clipping. However, little attention has been paid to the complementary nature of surgery and endovascular therapy. Methods Between September 1992 and May 1997, 12 patients with complex intracranial aneurysms were treated with combined operative and endovascular methods. Seven patients demonstrated subarachnoid hemorrhage (two of Grade II, two of Grade III, and three of Grade IV). Five patients demonstrated unruptured aneurysms, i.e., three giant aneurysms (one vertebrobasilar junction aneurysm, one middle cerebral artery bifurcation aneurysm, and one internal carotid artery-ophthalmic artery aneurysm), one large internal carotid artery-ophthalmic artery aneurysm, and one middle cerebral artery serpentine aneurysm. Management strategies involved either surgery followed by endovascular therapy (S-E; n = 5) or endovascular therapy followed by surgery (E-S; n = 7). S-E paradigms included aneurysm exploration followed by endovascular treatment (S-E1; n = 3), partial aneurysm clipping followed by endovascular aneurysm packing (S-E2; n = 1), and extracranial-to-intracranial bypass followed by endovascular parent vessel occlusion (S-E3; n = 1). E-S paradigms included superselective angiography followed by surgical clipping (E-S1; n = 2), Guglielmi detachable coil partial dome packing followed by delayed surgical clipping (E-S2; n = 2), proximal temporary vessel balloon occlusion followed by aneurysm clipping (E-S3; n = 2), and proximal permanent vessel occlusion followed by surgical aneurysm decompression for mass effect treatment (E-S4; n = 1). Results Eleven aneurysms (92%) were completely eliminated. The remaining aneurysm was 90% obliterated and remained quiescent at the 34-month follow-up examination, despite presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage. No patient experienced repeat bleeding (follow-up period, 23+/-28 mo). There were no deaths. One patient achieved a fair outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale score of III); all other patients experienced excellent outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale score of I). In all cases, the aneurysm management paradigm chosen had a positive effect on definitive therapy. Conclusion Several factors can contribute to the complexity of intracranial aneurysms. Management strategies that combine operative and endovascular techniques in a complementary way, for the best possible outcomes for these patients, can be designed accordingly.
Democratization and the Institutionalization of Latin American Political Parties

In this article, the author assesses the prospects for the consolidation of democracy in Latin America in the 1990s, compared with the failure to achieve that goal in the 1960s, by examining the institutionalization of political parties in the two time periods. Samuel Huntington's criteria of institutionalization (adaptability, complexity, autonomy, and coherence) are used and employ a variety of indicators (some empirical, some more judgmental) to assess the degree of change between the 1960s and the 1980s. He concludes that, although there is significant variation among countries, for the majority of them, and for the Latin American region as a whole, political parties have indeed become somewhat more institutionalized over time, thereby modestly enhancing the prospects for the consolidation of democracy in the 1990s.
Transverse Zeeman background correction for graphite furnace laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry: determination of lead and cobalt in standard reference materials

Abstract Transverse Zeeman background correction was applied, for the first time, to Laser Excited Atomic Fluorescence in an Electrothermal Atomizer (ETA-LEAFS), and compared to Longitudinal Zeeman background corrected ETA-LEAFS. The system used for this work was a modified Perkin-Elmer Zeeman/5100 furnace/magnet assembly, designed to give a higher magnetic field than the standard commercial unit. Zeeman sigma component energy level splittings were determined for both lead and cobalt by measurement of the atomic fluorescence spectral profile, with magnetic “field on”, as a function of laser wavelength. The splittings were 0.0055 nm and 0.0060 nm for lead and cobalt, respectively. The detection limits for lead and cobalt were 4 and 500 fg, respectively, which were within a factor of two of those without background correction. The shape of the calibration curve, and the linear dynamic range of six to seven orders of magnitude, were not affected by Zeeman background correction. The precision for Zeeman ETA-LEAFS (ZETA-LEAFS) was determined to be 5% for aqueous solutions. Lead and cobalt were determined in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard reference materials. Lead was accurately determined in slurried samples of estuarine sediment, coal fly ash and citrus leaves by simple aqueous calibration, with precisions in the 6–14% range. Cobalt was determined in coal fly ash and estuarine sediment by the use of dissolved sampling, and palladium matrix modification, with sample precisions of 5–7%. Cobalt could not be determined accurately by use of slurried samples due to sample matrix interferences. Transverse Zeeman background correction was shown to correct for ETA black body radiation, and backgrounds caused by the addition of 20 μg of AlCl3 to cobalt aqueous standards.
Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Membrane-Patterned Meta-Materials

Meta-materials show unconventional properties by virtue of their construction which normally includes physically-periodic formations. Various responses of these materials manifest frequency-dependent occurrences of significantly-enhanced and significantly-attenuated values, thus facilitating a wealth of design possibilities. The analysis of these structures presents non-trivial challenges, hence only very simple types are presently under analytical study. In this paper, a formation which includes patterned membrane fillings is explored experimentally and numerically to see if and how well such a construction may be utilized for meta-material applications.© 2012 ASME
A post-column photochemical detector for use in the determination of trace metals with n-butyl-2-naphthylmethyldithiocarbamate by high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract The determination of traces of metals by high-performance liquid chromatography of their n-butyl-2-naphthylmethyldithiocarbamate (BNMDTC) complexes on a nonpolar stationary phase, with a post-column photochemical detector is described. Metal complexes of this ligand are thermodynamically stable and kinetically inert towards dissociation. To provide low detection limits, a photochemical reactor was developed to generate a fluorescent product. A major product of the photolysis of BNMDTC complexes is identified as the highly fluorescent n-butyl-2-naphthyl-methylamine. Detection of metal ions as BNMDTC complexes at the 10−8 M level is feasible. Iron, nickel, mercury and cobalt complexes are readily determined.
Lupus-like kidney disease in mice deficient in the Src family tyrosine kinases Lyn and Fyn

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease whose cause is poorly understood. Mice rendered deficient in specific genes have served as useful animal models in deciphering the genetic control of the disease [1]. We [2] and others [3, 4] previously demonstrated that mice deficient in the Src family tyrosine kinase Lyn developed a mild lupus-like disease with high survival rates. During the course of investigating the functional interaction of Src family kinases, we generated a mouse strain deficient in both Lyn and Fyn. The double-mutant mice died at relatively young ages and developed a severe lupus-like kidney disease. Unlike the double-mutant mice, single mutants deficient in either Lyn or Fyn lived longer and had distinct subsets of the symptoms found in the former. Lyn deficiency led to high levels of autoantibody production and glomerulonephritis, as previously reported [2--4], whereas loss of Fyn contributed to proteinuria by a B and T lymphocyte-independent mechanism. Our data suggest that the severe kidney disease in the double-mutant mice results from a combination of immunological and kidney-intrinsic defects. This new animal model may be informative about the causes of human SLE.
Education's Effect on Poverty: The Role of Migration

E is a key determinant of economic well-being for both individuals and places. Despite overall improvements, however, rural residents still have significantly lower educational attainment than urban residents. Improving the quality of education and encouraging students to stay in school is one possible strategy for reducing poverty and raising local well-being. A better-educated workforce should have higher incomes. Partridge and Rickman showed that both education levels and increases in attainment explained spatial variation in poverty reduction. Outmigration to metro areas is a potential obstacle to this strategy, however. Migration from rural areas occurs because of the lack of demand for a better-educated rural workforce and the necessity of leaving rural areas to attend college (Gibbs). Outmigration may prevent local human capital levels from reaching the threshold required to attract new industry or encourage expansion in the existing economic base. Even where robust rural job growth exists, the lower skill levels and wages offered by rural employers, on average, both dampen the poverty-reducing power of education and hinder long-term development prospects associated with an increasingly high-skill economy. This study documents a direct effect of education on householder poverty, but does not find an indirect effect through migration. Data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) is used to obtain a sample of 708 working-age (25–64 years of age) household heads that lived in a nonmetro county in 1993. The metropolitan and poverty status of these individuals is observed in 1999. For
Pharmacological treatment of elderly patients with acute coronary syndromes without persistent ST segment elevation.

Evidence-based management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) without persistent ST segment elevation involves a rational, stepwise approach to the selection of therapies with potential benefit for elderly patients. Specifically, in elderly patients with ACS without persistent ST segment elevation, therapy should be administered based on the likelihood of unstable angina or non-ST elevation myocardial infarction being present and the risks and benefits of each individual therapy. All elderly patients with suspected ACS should receive anti-ischaemic therapy consisting of β-blockers and nitrates, and antiplatelet therapy with aspirin unless clear contraindications exist. For patients with a moderate likelihood of ACS being present, defined as prior coronary disease or recurrent pain despite the use of anti-ischaemic therapies, unfractionated heparin or enoxaparin should be added to aspirin for more intense anticoagulation. In patients with high-risk clinical features, defined as ischaemic electrocardiographic changes and positive cardiac markers such as troponins, therapy with clopidogrel or glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors should be considered in addition to aspirin and heparin. Furthermore, high-risk patients should be managed with an early invasive strategy that includes prompt cardiac catheterisation within 24 to 48 hours and appropriate use of revascularisation as determined by the findings of the catheterisation. An evidence-based approach to the treatment of elderly patients with ACS without persistent ST segment elevation will help to improve the use of beneficial therapies and interventions that are recommended by current practice guidelines.
Probing the (in)compatibilities of social theory and policy relevance in Piers Blaikie’s political ecology

Abstract One of Piers Blaikie’s most important contributions to the development of political ecology is his critique of land and resource conservation policy in the global South. In this paper I trace the development of Blaikie’s ideas about the policy relevance of political ecology, focusing particularly on the challenges posed by the introduction of poststructural social theory into the field. I begin by revisiting Blaikie’s earlier critiques of environment and development policy. This will provide the departure point to explore how his thinking on the relationship of theory and policy and of academic and development practices has evolved in subsequent writings. I have invented two personas, “early Blaikie” and “late Blaikie”, to facilitate this task. Second, I want to probe some of the challenges that late Blaikie presents for doing political ecology research, to some extent by pitting early Blaikie against late Blaikie and letting them hash it out. Third, I turn to my own and others’ research and consultation experiences as a way to examine the possibilities for reconciling theoretically driven critiques with policy relevant research.
Practice What You Teach: Facilitating Anarchism In and Out of the Classroom

: In recent years, human geographers have criticized the increasing corporatization, commodification, and objectification of knowledge production, and have looked to critical pedagogical frameworks that seek to counteract these forces. Anarchism, as a body of theories and practices, has a long history of engagement with radical pedagogical experimentation. Anarchism and geography have much to contribute to one another: anarchism, through its support for creative, non-coercive, practical learning spaces, and geography, for its critical examination of the spaces of education. In this paper, I evaluate the prospects for anarchist-geographic pedagogies theoretically, as well as through my own experiences teaching and learning about anarchism over the past decade in a liberal arts, higher education US environment. I argue for a combined critical anarchist-geographic pedagogical approach that appreciates the challenges of building alternative learning models within existing neoliberalizing institutions, provides the necessary tools for finding uniquely situated opportunities for educational change, and emplaces a grounded, liberating, student-led critical pedagogy.
A Personal Reflection on Physical Activity, Health, and Wellness: Developments and Advancements for People with Spinal Cord Injury

People with spinal cord injury (SCI) are at risk for a variety of secondary conditions and ill effects resulting from the sedentary lifestyle often associated with disability. Health promotion interventions for people with SCI, including physical activity and exercise, are often not addressed in the rehabilitation process. The developments of the last two decades indicate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, as increasing resources and opportunities are developed. This article traces the development of health promotion for people with SCI over two decades and advocates that health promotion, physical activity, and wellness concepts be woven into the standard rehabilitation programs along with the basic issues of SCI patient education.
Telomeres and double-strand breaks: trying to make ends meet

Eukaryotic cells encounter two types of DNA ends: telomeres, the natural ends of linear chromosomes, and double-strand breaks, resulting from DNA damage or normal chromosomal processes such as meiotic or V(D)J recombination. These two termini have long been seen as functionally distinct, based on whether they are resistant to fusion with other ends or instead are acted upon by the DNA-repair machinery. However, a series of recent papers has shown that members of a set of proteins that are crucial for the rejoining of DNA strand breaks are also required for normal telomere function, raising new questions about how these two types of termini maintain their functional distinction.
Farnsworth and Kinnear method of plotting the Farnsworth Munsell 100-Hue test scores : a comparison

We have compared two different methods of plotting the Farnsworth Munsell FM-100 test, namely the Farnsworth and the Kinnear techniques. Data from 30 individuals having a red-green deficiency were plotted using both techniques. The cap score distributions were analysed using both the Knobaluch Sine wave (Fourier) and the the Red-Green and Blue-Yellow partial scoring methods. We found that the Farnsworth and Kinnear plots give different results for the measures obtained by the Knoblauch method of analysis. On the other hand, the ‘difference score’ obtained from the King-Smith et al. method were not significantly different for the two plotting methods.
Barriers to health care for street youth

This study investigates the barriers to health care faced by runaway adolescents. A convenience sample of 89 street youth located through community agencies was surveyed to elicit their perceptions of barriers to care. Results indicated that these youth experience a wide range of barriers to health care, both objective and subjective. They also experience fears with regard to receiving health care, many of which seem developmental in nature. The relative isolation of these youth compounds the objective barriers they face, yet many overcame these barriers and received needed care.
Characterization of selectively degraded poly(ethylene terephthalate)

To investigate the morphology of unoriented poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films and the selective character of the aminolysis of PET, 67% crystalline polymer samples were degraded with 40% aqueous methylamine at room temperature. The aminolyzed PET samples were subjected to gel permeation chromatography (GPC), viscometry, electron microscopy, and small-angle x-ray diffraction (SAXD). Weight loss and density crystallinity measurements were also made. After 24 hr of aminolysis, the amorphous regions and chain folds were completely removed. The long molecular chains in the semi-crystalline polymer were reduced to monodisperse rods having a molecular weight of 1,800. The corresponding lamellar thickness was calculated to be 101 A, consistent with the x-ray diffraction and electron microscope (EM) measurements. The EM photographs of “stripped” crystals show the lamellar structure previously found for other selectively degraded polymeric materials. The weight of crystalline debris remaining was consistent with the initial crystallinity. After degradation the crystallinity as determined by density was 96%.
Segmented polyurethane intravaginal rings for the sustained combined delivery of antiretroviral agents dapivirine and tenofovir.

Abstract Dual segment polyurethane intravaginal rings (IVRs) were fabricated to enable sustained release of antiretroviral agents dapivirine and tenofovir to prevent the male to female sexual transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus. Due to the contrasting hydrophilicity of the two drugs, dapivirine and tenofovir were separately formulated into polymers with matching hydrophilicity via solvent casting and hot melt extrusion. The resultant drug loaded rods were then joined together to form dual segment IVRs. Compression testing of the IVRs revealed that they are mechanically comparable to the widely accepted NuvaRing® IVR. Physical characterization of the individual IVR segments using wide angle X-ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry determined that dapivirine and tenofovir are amorphous and crystalline within their polymeric segments, respectively. In vitro release of tenofovir from the dual segment IVR was sustained over 30 days while dapivirine exhibited linear release over the time period. A 90 day accelerated stability study confirmed that dapivirine and tenofovir are stable in the IVR formulation. Altogether, these results suggest that multisegment polyurethane IVRs are an attractive formulation for the sustained vaginal delivery of drugs with contrasting hydrophilicity such as dapivirine and tenofovir.
Generation of all Reed-Muller expansions of a switching function

A simple method to determine the Reed-Muller canonical expansion is described. This method is based on array processing techniques similar to those used for the FFT. A specific advantage of the technique is that it can be used with minor modification to determine the expansion when some or all of the input variables are negated. >
Analysis of permeation data: evaluation of the lag time method

Abstract Equations derived previously for penetration (C(x,t and Jx,t vs t), flux and permeation (A vs t) profiles were evaluated numerically to study the process of development of steady-state diffusion across the membrane. The concentration and flux profiles of the diffusant within the membrane indicated that at least three lag times were required to achieve a linear concentration gradient and a steady-state flux across the membrane. The permeation profile becomes truly linear at time greater than three lag times implying that the permeation experiment should be conducted for at least three lag times to achieve steady state which may not be possible with biological membranes. Also, if the experiments were conducted for a duration less than three lag times, the estimated Jss and Tlag may be in error. To determine the error introduced, the simulated permeation profile was broken down into data subsets as if the experiments had been conducted for time equal to one to six lag times. The data subsets were then analyzed by the lag time method to estimate the parameters. The error in estimates of Jss and lag time increased significantly as the total experimental time was reduced from six to one lag time. The Jss and Tlag were highly underestimated, and for the experiment conducted for one lag time, the percentage errors in Jss and Tlag were − 60 and − 54% from the theoretical values, respectively. The errors in derived values of D, the diffusion coefficient and Km, the membrane/water partition coefficient were significantly higher (116 and −82%) than the errors in Jss and Tlag. These results demonstrated the limitations of the lag time method for analysis of permeation data with particular reference to the duration of the experiment, which should be at least three lag times to achieve steady-state diffusion.
Hadoop deployment and performance on Gordon data intensive supercomputer

The Hadoop framework is extensively used for scalable distributed processing of large datasets. This extended abstract provides information on the optimization of the Hadoop deployment on the Gordon data intensive supercomputer, at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California San Diego, using the myHadoop software. The details of the system configuration, the storage and network options (1 Gig-E, IPOIB, and UDA), tuning options considered, results using the TestDFSIO, TeraSort benchmarks, and bulk copy tests with distcp are presented in this extended abstract.
Optimization of the adhesive joint Iosipescu specimen for pure shear test

This paper reviews some of the difficulties encountered in achieving a uniform stress distribution within the adhesive layer of bonded Iosipescu shear test specimens. The asymptotic singular stress field at the terminus of a skewed bimaterial interface, intersecting the straight free surface of the wedge, has been studied macroscopically and microscopically using the finite element method (FEM) and the finite element iterative method (FEIM). Different mechanical properties of the adhesives and adherends, and various skewed interface angles have been considered in this study. A critical skewed interface angle, αc=126°, has been found beyond which the interfacial stress singularity vanishes. This critical angle is independent of the elastic properties of the adhesives and adherends. Based on the results obtained in the present investigation, in conjunction with recently reported research on sharp notches [7, 21–23], an optimized adhesive joint Iosipescu specimen geometry is proposed. This specimen should be capable of generating a uniform shear stress state within its adhesive layer under pure shear loading conditions.
Dynamics of telomerase activity in response to acute psychological stress.

Telomerase activity plays an essential role in cel0l survival, by lengthening telomeres and promoting cell growth and longevity. It is now possible to quantify the low levels of telomerase activity in human leukocytes. Low basal telomerase activity has been related to chronic stress in people and to chronic glucocorticoid exposure in vitro. Here we test whether leukocyte telomerase activity changes under acute psychological stress. We exposed 44 elderly women, including 22 high stress dementia caregivers and 22 matched low stress controls, to a brief laboratory psychological stressor, while examining changes in telomerase activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). At baseline, caregivers had lower telomerase activity levels than controls, but during stress telomerase activity increased similarly in both groups. Across the entire sample, subsequent telomerase activity increased by 18% one hour after the end of the stressor (p<0.01). The increase in telomerase activity was independent of changes in numbers or percentages of monocytes, lymphocytes, and specific T cell types, although we cannot fully rule out some potential contribution from immune cell redistribution in the change in telomerase activity. Telomerase activity increases were associated with greater cortisol increases in response to the stressor. Lastly, psychological response to the tasks (greater threat perception) was also related to greater telomerase activity increases in controls. These findings uncover novel relationships of dynamic telomerase activity with exposure to an acute stressor, and with two classic aspects of the stress response -- perceived psychological stress and neuroendocrine (cortisol) responses to the stressor.
Instructional Supervision and Curriculum Monitoring: Reinterpreting the Principal’s Role through the Arts of Inquiry

The gulf between educational leadership theory and contemporary curriculum scholarship is becoming increasingly problematic now that principals have been legally mandated to add curriculum monitoring to their duties as instructional leaders. Lacking familiarity with curriculum theory and practice, many overburdened administrators are turning to Management by Walking Around (MBWA) as a way of dealing with their ever burgeoning list of responsibilities. This article briefly reviews a particular MBWA model, the Three-Minute Classroom Walk-Through (Downey et al. 2004) and then interprets it through the lens of Henderson and Kesson’s (2004) arts of inquiry, a heuristic developed for helping curriculum workers think through the current multitude of reform proposals. This provides one example of the way that dialogue between the fields of curriculum studies and educational leadership may augment possibilities for lasting and positive reform of instructional supervision.
Mainstream Protestantism, “Conservative” Religion, and Civil Society

Just fifty-five years ago, the idea of a front-running presidential candidate from either the Democratic or Republican parties campaigning at Bob Jones University was unthinkable. After all, BJU was on the cultural periphery owing to its fundamentalist reputation. Having lost the battles in the mainline Protestant denominations and having suffered the ignominy of the Scopes Trial, fundamentalists like those who sent their children to Bob Jones in the 1940s were so busy trying to recover from these defeats that the thought of deciding a presidential election would have been delusional. Carl F. H. Henry spoke volumes for the movement when in his important little book, The Uneasy Conscience of Fundamentalism (1947), he lamented that for “the first protracted period in its history,” the evangelical faith of fundamentalists stood “divorced from the great social reform movements.” Henry, who was emerging as an influential leader of a new generation of fundamentalists, neo-evangelicals as they would call themselves, wrote this book as a protest against fundamentalism's self-chosen social and political isolation. In other words, the task for evangelical leaders at mid-century was to prod fundamentalists back into public life. And this is what makes George W. Bush's appearance at Bob Jones University during the weeks leading up to the 2000 South Carolina Republican primary truly remarkable. It reveals a seismic shift among conservative Protestants. Within a brief period, evangelicals went from denouncing politics as a form of worldliness to demanding a place at the table.
Priority communication schemes on local area networks for multimedia traffic

We address the issues related to the delivery of multimedia streams on local area networks. Multimedia integrates voice and video along with text and images into existing systems. Traditionally, local area networks were designed to handle regular data traffic which are bursty in nature and for which variable delay is acceptable. Multimedia traffic, on the other hand, requires constant delay in addition to fast (or real time) delivery. Multimedia traffic also requires large bandwidth compared to regular traffic. Since local area networks are widely in use, their modification to integrate multimedia streams is very important. We propose priority-based communication schemes for the timely delivery of multimedia traffic on local area networks. We compare the performance of these schemes using simulation techniques. >
A 0.45–1V fully integrated reconfigurable switched capacitor step-down DC-DC converter with high density MIM capacitor in 22nm tri-gate CMOS

A fully integrated switched capacitor voltage regulator (SCVR) with on-die high density MIM capacitor, distributed across a 14KB register file (RF) load with an area overhead of 3.6% is demonstrated in 22nm tri-gate CMOS. The all-digital, multi-conversion-mode SCVR provides a wide output voltage range of 0.45-1V from a fixed input voltage of 1.225V. It achieves 63-84% conversion efficiency and supports a maximum load current density of 0.88 A/mm2.
Nonhydrostatic three-dimensional method for hydraulic flow simulation. II: Validation and application

A three-dimensional computational method, without the use of hydrostatic assumption, is developed to solve fluid flows for hydraulic applications. Numerical algorithms and verification of the nonhydrostatic model are described in our companion paper. The model employs unstructured grid technology with arbitrarily shaped cells, offering the potential to unify many grid topologies into a single formulation. Herein, the model is applied to two practical steady hydraulic flows to provide further validation of the model and demonstrate its use in practical flows. The flows in a hydroturbine draft tube and in the forebay of Rocky Reach Dam for the fish passage facility design are simulated. Comparisons with experimental data in the former and physical and field measurements in the latter establish the scope of the model.
Pluripotency Transcription Factor Oct4 Mediates Stepwise Nucleosome Demethylation and Depletion

The mechanisms whereby the crucial pluripotency transcription factor Oct4 regulates target gene expression are incompletely understood. Using an assay system based on partially differentiated embryonic stem cells, we show that Oct4 opposes the accumulation of local H3K9me2 and subsequent Dnmt3a-mediated DNA methylation. Upon binding DNA, Oct4 recruits the histone lysine demethylase Jmjd1c. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) time course experiments identify a stepwise Oct4 mechanism involving Jmjd1c recruitment and H3K9me2 demethylation, transient FACT (facilitates chromatin transactions) complex recruitment, and nucleosome depletion. Genome-wide and targeted ChIP confirms binding of newly synthesized Oct4, together with Jmjd1c and FACT, to the Pou5f1 enhancer and a small number of other Oct4 targets, including the Nanog promoter. Histone demethylation is required for both FACT recruitment and H3 depletion. Jmjd1c is required to induce endogenous Oct4 expression and fully reprogram fibroblasts to pluripotency, indicating that the assay system identifies functional Oct4 cofactors. These findings indicate that Oct4 sequentially recruits activities that catalyze histone demethylation and depletion.
Enhanced sensory processing accompanies successful detection of change for real-world sounds

Change deafness is the inability of listeners to detect changes occurring in their auditory environment. It is a matter of some debate whether change deafness occurs because of a failure of auditory-specific processes or a failure of more general semantic/verbal memory. To address this issue, we measured event-related potentials (ERPs) to pairs of scenes consisting of naturalistic auditory objects while listeners made a same/different judgment for scenes presented before and after an interruption. ERPs to the post-change scene revealed an enhanced early sensory response (N1) and an enhanced late positivity (P3) for detected changes. Change detection performance was better when there was a large acoustic spread among the objects within Scenes 1 and 2, suggesting that the deficits reflected by the ERP components during change deafness are related to successfully segregating the pre- and post-change objects. We also found that a separate sensory response (P2) reflects implicit, unconscious change detection. Overall, the results provide evidence that auditory-specific sensory processing is critical for both explicit and implicit change detection in natural auditory scenes.