cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fatigue and Shakedown in Metal Matrix Composites.

Simple mechanical models of unidirectional metal matrix composites are used to analyze elastoplastic deformation and shakedown in the matrix under cyclic composite loads. Both axial and off-axis loadings of a lamina are considered. It is shown that the fatigue limits of as-fabricated boron-aluminum, beryllium-aluminum, tungsten-copper, and other composites generally coincide with the composite shakedown limits because the matrix yield stresses and fatigue limits are equal. In heat-treated composites, the matrix yield stress is usually much higher than the fatigue limit, and matrix fatigue failure can take place in the shakedown state. The residual microstresses caused by heat treatment are estimated, and their influence on fatigue is discussed. A method for improvement of the fatigue resistance of heat-treated composites is discussed. The theoretical predictions of fatigue limits are verified by an extensive comparison with available experiments, and a very good agreement is obtained. It is concluded that, in principle, the composite fatigue failure can be avoided if each of the constituents is stressed within its particular fatigue limits during a cyclic loading program of the composite.
Exploring recovery from operating system lockups

Operating system lockup errors can render a computer unusable by preventing the execution other programs. Watchdog timers can be used to recover from a lockup by resetting the processor and rebooting the system when a lockup is detected. This results in a loss of unsaved data in running programs. Based on the observation that volatile memory is not affected when a processor a reset occurs, we present an approach to recover from a watchdog reset with minimal or zero loss of application state. We study the resolution of lockup conditions using thread termination and using exception dispatch. Thread termination can still result in a usable system and is already used as a recovery strategy for other errors in Linux. Using exceptions allows developers to write code to handle a lockup within the erroneous thread and attempt application transparent recovery. Fault injection experiments show that a significant percentage of lockups can be recovered by thread termination. Exception handling further improves the recoverability of the operating system.
The Thirteenth Amendment of Our Aspirations

In 1824, when two preachers from Southern Illinois squared off against each other to run for a Senate seat, both agreed that some forms of slavery were bad. The debaters agreed that "unmerited, involuntary, perpetual, absolute, hereditary slavery [was] contrary to, and a violation of the principles of nature, reason, justice, policy, and scripture." Such a thoroughgoing condemnation of slavery leaves one wondering whether they believed ordinary slavery was acceptable.Was it only when slavery was simultaneously "unmerited, involuntary, perpetual, absolute, and hereditary" that it violated the many dimensions of goodness? If, for example, some circumstance of enslavement entailed only some of those attributes, was it then acceptable? Would slavery be acceptable if it was simply not perpetual, or simply not hereditary? The point is a simple one: when one condemns slavery by such an accumulation of negative attributes, it opens the possibility that society may tolerate slavery if it lacks simply one of these deplorable attributes. Thus, the preachers diluted their condemnation by modifying the subject with five different objectionable attributes.Thirty years after the preachers debated the nature of slavery's ills, the Thirteenth Amendment banned slavery, period. (It also banned involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime.) However, over the 150 years since the Amendment's enactment, the conventional interpretation of the blanket prohibition of slavery under the Thirteenth Amendment seems to have devolved into the totality of the worst conditions of slavery extant in antebellum America.My goal in this article is to sketch a much broader interpretation of the Thirteenth Amendment, an interpretation of our aspirations of freedom in a carefully delimited, but expansive, rather than a restrictive, fashion. This is more than simply a rhetorical or grammatical exercise; it is fundamentally conceptual.
Photometric Redshifts: A Perspective from an Old-Timer on Its Past, Present, and Potential

I review the early history of photometric redshifts; specify a working definition that encompasses a broader range of approaches than commonly adopted; discuss the pros and cons of template fitting versus empirically-based techniques; and summarize some past applications. Despite its relatively long history, the technique of photometric redshifts remains far from being a mature tool. Areas needing development include the use of spatial structure, the incorporation of large redshift samples with multicolor photometry for empirical calibrations of redshift errors, and improved analysis tools that directly include redshift probability distributions rather than singular values. Photometric redshifts has not only undergone a recent revival -- it is also rapidly becoming a crucial tool of mainstream observational cosmology.
Three Concepts for Crossing the Nature-Artifice Divide: Technology, Milieu, and Machine

The distinction between nature and artifice has been definitive for Western conceptions of the role of humans within their natural environment. But in order to distinguish between nature and artifice, the human must be separated from nature. This separation, in turn, facilitates a classification of knowledge in general, typically cast in terms of a hierarchy of sciences that ascends from the natural sciences to the social (or human) sciences. However, this hierarchy considers nature as a substantial foundation upon which artifice operates and to which it responds. Here I examine three inter-related concepts that, by focusing on events rather than substances, operate beyond the nature–artifice distinction and thereby resist the hierarchical classification of the sciences: Foucault’s concept of technology, the concept of milieu as it crosses over historically from physics to biology and anthropology, and Deleuze and Guattari’s reconfiguration of the concept of milieu in terms of their concept of machine.
Influence of Specimen Design and Test Procedure on Results of Buckling Tests of Shell Structures

Shell structures buckling test data dependence on specimen design and test procedure, discussing stress concentrations, materials selection and strain gages
Status of free-space optical communications program at JPL

Optical communications is a rapidly developing technology applicable to future NASA and commercial space missions that desire a communications terminal that provides a higher data rate with lower mass and power. An experimental transmitter that will downlink data at the rate of 2.5 Gbps from the International Space Station is being constructed. Under its X2000 program, JPL plans to develop a deep space optical communications transceiver for micro-spacecraft that would, in an early demonstration, support 10's of Kbps data-rate from the Mars range. NASA is currently building a 1-m R&D telescope laboratory at its Table Mountain Facility in Southern California to answer key implementation questions of this technology. The telescope is designed with fast tracking capability and will act as a testbed for development of ground acquisition, tracking and communications strategies applicable to future operational stations. These and other programs currently under development are described.
Fatigue Crack Propagation in Ceria‐Partially‐Stabilized Zirconia (Ce‐TZP)‐Alumina Composites

Fatigue crack propagation rates in tension-tension load cycling were measured in ZrO{sub 2}-12 mol% CeO{sub 2}-10 wt% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} ceramics using precracked and annealed compact tension specimens. The fatigue crack growth behavior was examined for Ce-TZPs. The fatigue crack growth behavior was strongly influenced by the history of crack shielding via the development of the crack-tip transformation zones. Crack growth rates under sustained peak loads were also measured and found to be significantly lower and occurred at higher peak stress intensities as compared to the fatigue crack growth rates.
Characterization of copper indium ditelluride/electrolyte interface utilizing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Abstract Copper indium telluride (CIT) is a promising semiconductor material for use in thin film solar cells, especially photoelectrochemical solar cells (PESC). Impedance measurements were used to evaluate the relative band edge positions of polycrystalline n -CuInTe 2 electrodes in various aqueous electrolytes, by measuring the extrapolated flat-band potentials, V fb . By varying applied dc potential, frequency and pH of the electrolyte, the semiconductor–electrolyte interfaces are studied through capacitance measurements and Mott–Schottky analysis. The flat-band potential and carrier concentrations were determined from the Mott–Schottky plots. It was found that V fb could be shifted depending on the pH of the electrolyte, while it is independent of the testing frequency. The changes in V fb with pH could be due to surface states and other modifications through etching and polishing. The surface carrier concentrations were found to increase with pH. The different surface chemistry studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy might account for this change.
Preference for complexity as a function of schematic orderliness and redundancy

Preference ratings were obtained from Ss for stimuli differing in complexity. Complexity was expressed in terms of the generating rule of the stimuli and the amount that the derived stimuli deviated from that rule. The results indicated that approximately 30% of the Ss preferred the lowest value of complexity while the other 70% preferred the highest value of complexity. These results are discussed with reference to previous contrasting findings.
On the Crafting of Population Knowledge

Focusing on the craft aspect of population research—the generally unremarked fact that behind our well-turned-out publications lie particular, historically situated humans using craft-type techniques—this essay traces the history of the making of population knowledge about China by the author over some twenty-five years. At least in this case, population research has taken the form not of a stable subdiscipline, but of a loose, flexible, opportunistic assemblage—of concerns, logics, techniques, methods, and ethics—that has been guided by some of the big questions posed by China's post-Mao global rise. It suggests that, unlike disciplines and inter-disciplines, population studies is a post-disciplinary assemblage whose contents and boundaries are flexible, varying with the practitioner and the research question being explored. Recounting more individual histories of population knowledge-making would help us see the strong shaping role of historical contexts and personal values in the crafting of population thought. Such insights would help us recognize the diverse pathways by which population knowledge is formed and the different purposes for which it is pursued.
Inhibition of Ras and related G-proteins as a therapeutic strategy for blocking malignant glioma growth.

OBJECTIVE Preliminary studies have demonstrated that the Ras family and related guanosine 5'-triphosphate-dependent proteins (G-proteins) are overactivated in malignant gliomas and may function as indirect mediators of glial transformation initiated by deregulated upstream signaling elements. We postulated that inhibiting the activation of such proteins might represent a promising strategy for blocking the aberrant proliferation of these tumors. METHODS AND RESULTS Accordingly, we examined the therapeutic efficacy against malignant glioma cells in vitro of a series of selective peptidomimetic inhibitors of farnesylation (FTI-277) and geranylgeranylation (GGTI-286 and GGTI-298), which are critical steps in the post-translational processing (prenylation) of these proteins. We first defined concentration-response relationships for each of these agents, using MTS-based cell proliferation assays in the established malignant glioma cell lines U-87 and LN-Z308 and the low-passage malignant glioma cell line SG-388. FTI-277, GGTI-286, and GGTI-298 each produced a striking concentration-dependent antiproliferative effect on the glioma cell lines, with the median effective dose ranging from 2.5 to 15.5 micromol/L. We then assessed the effect of prenylation inhibition on cell viability using clonogenic growth assays. This demonstrated a steady drop in the number of colonies with increasing drug concentrations for all three inhibitors. Third, we examined whether the cytotoxic effects of one of these inhibitors (GGTI-298) were associated with the induction of apoptosis using a terminal transferase-catalyzed in situ end-labeling technique. This approach showed a time-dependent increase in apoptotic cell numbers, which correlated with a progressive decrease in the percentage of cells that were viable as assessed by trypan blue exclusion. CONCLUSION Our studies demonstrated that FTI-277, GGTI-286, and GGTI-298 each yielded significant antiproliferative effects in human malignant glioma cells in vitro at low micromolar concentrations, which have been achievable in vivo without major systemic toxicity. Extended periods of drug treatment produced cytotoxicity in the tumor cells, which correlated with the induction of apoptosis. We conclude that inhibition of Ras and related G-proteins offers a promising approach for blocking glioma proliferation that justifies further investigation in vivo.
Pin-retained composites for splinting lower anterior teeth**

Splinting of teeth follows a pattern of either a temporary type of splint or a permanent type of splint. The classic temporary splint is composed of wires which circumferentially engage the six lower incisors and impart a degree of rigidity and support to them, especially when the wires are stabilized with one of the unfilled resins.' These techniques often rely upon surface anchorage to enamel via the acid-etch method. The major disadvantage of this method is danger of fracture at the composite-enamel junction. Effective permanent splinting of lower anterior teeth may be accomplished by crowning the teeth or by anchoring them to a lingual plate of gold with pins. These pins may be an integral part of a gold casting,2. 3 or they may be screwed to the lingual gold plate.4. 5 To ensure permanence they are cemented to the teeth to convert them into a single rigid unit. The major disadvantages of the pin-retained casting are its expense and difficulty in fabrication. The method described in this article might b e classified as semipermanent. It involves the use of the acid-etch concept, composite resin, and interlocking TMS Minim pinst in the lingual embrasure (Fig. 1).
Novel oxysterols observed in tissues and fluids of AY9944-treated rats: a model for Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome

Treatment of Sprague-Dawley rats with AY9944, an inhibitor of 3β-hydroxysterol-Δ7-reductase (Dhcr7), leads to elevated levels of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) and reduced levels of cholesterol in all biological tissues, mimicking the key biochemical hallmark of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS). Fourteen 7-DHC-derived oxysterols previously have been identified as products of free radical oxidation in vitro; one of these oxysterols, 3β,5α-dihydroxycholest-7-en-6-one (DHCEO), was recently identified in Dhcr7-deficient cells and in brain tissues of Dhcr7-null mouse. We report here the isolation and characterization of three novel 7-DHC-derived oxysterols (4α- and 4β-hydroxy-7-DHC and 24-hydroxy-7-DHC) in addition to DHCEO and 7-ketocholesterol (7-kChol) from the brain tissues of AY9944-treated rats. The identities of these five oxysterols were elucidated by HPLC-ultraviolet (UV), HPLC-MS, and 1D- and 2D-NMR. Quantification of 4α- and 4β-hydroxy-7-DHC, DHCEO, and 7-kChol in rat brain, liver, and serum were carried out by HPLC-MS using d7-DHCEO as an internal standard. With the exception of 7-kChol, these oxysterols were present only in tissues of AY9944-treated, but not control rats, and 7-kChol levels were markedly (>10-fold) higher in treated versus control rats. These findings are discussed in the context of the potential involvement of 7-DHC-derived oxysterols in the pathogenesis of SLOS.—.
Quantum dynamics of human decision-making

A quantum dynamic model of decision-making is presented, and it is compared with a previously established Markov model. Both the quantum and the Markov models are formulated as random walk decision processes, but the probabilistic principles differ between the two approaches. Quantum dynamics describe the evolution of complex valued probability amplitudes over time, whereas Markov models describe the evolution of real valued probabilities over time. Quantum dynamics generate interference effects, which are not possible with Markov models. An interference effect occurs when the probability of the union of two possible paths is smaller than each individual path alone. The choice probabilities and distribution of choice response time for the quantum model are derived, and the predictions are contrasted with the Markov model.
Analysis of Consumer Reports’ recommended mutual funds compared to actual performance

This study examines 60 mutual funds presented in the February 2007 issue of Consumer Reports. In addition, data for the same group of mutual funds were obtained as of 30 September 2008 to evaluate the recommendations provided in Consumer Reports. In order to exclude the major declines that occurred in the stock market in October 2008, the time periods of 30 November 2006 and 30 September 2008 were analyzed in this study. Specifically, this research examines the relationship between mutual funds’ net assets, share prices, manager tenures, expense ratio, tax–cost ratio and annualized returns to see whether Consumer Reports is a reliable source for investors seeking to purchase mutual funds.
Fluidized cathode cementation of copper

Abstract Copper recovery by cementation using iron nails surrounded by a fluidized bed of spherical copper particles was studied in a laboratory scale drum reactor. The rate of cementation was found to be directly proportional to cupric ion concentration and the surface areas of the nails and fluidized copper particles. The fluidized copper particles served as a cathode for copper cementation and enhanced the cementation rate. The activation energy for the process was found to be 22.0 kJ/mol. The rate controlling process is thought to be diffusion of cupric ion through a solution boundary layer surrounding the copper particles. Granular activated carbon was shown to be effective as a fluidized cathode material, but did not enhance the cementation rate.
Dermal absorption of pesticides in mice

Abstract The dermal penetration of 2,4-D, cyhexatin, fenvalerate, paraquat, maleic hydrazide, and captan was determined at 1, 6, and 24 hr after application to a 1.2-cm2 area of the upperback of 7- to 8-week-old mice (1 mg/kg). The amounts of labeled pesticide were measured at the site of application and in the blood, liver, kidney, excreta, and carcass. Ninety-five percent, or greater, were recovered in all cases. These compounds were found to penetrate much slower (21% or less in 24 hr) than was shown for a group of insecticides (parathion, permethrin, carbofuran, and dieldrin, for example) in previous reports. Whereas slow penetration could be explained by low partition coefficients for most compounds, both fenvalerate and cyhexatin (high lipophilicity) were also found to have slow penetration rates. These compounds did not indicate any propensity for appreciable storage or binding in the tissues examined. The carcass contained the greatest amount of radioactivity at 24 hr. The fraction of each compound that penetrated was eliminated from the body at various rates with excretion being lowest for paraquat (50%) and highest for 2,4-D (93%) at 24 hr.
Induction and Function of IFNβ During Viral and Bacterial Infection

Since the discovery of the protein "interferon" over 50 years ago, IFNβ, an antiviral cytokine, has been well studied. In particular, the pathways inducing this cytokine during viral infection have been characterized, leading to the discovery of a multitude of pattern recognition receptors. IFNβ is also induced during bacterial infection, following recognition of bacterial ligands by the host viral and DNA sensors. However, the function of IFNβ during bacterial infection is variable and sometimes detrimental to the host. This review discusses the currently identified receptors and pathways engaged in IFNβ induction during infection, with emphasis on the role of IFNβ during bacterial infection.
Null retinoschisin-protein expression from an RS1 c354del1-ins18 mutation causing progressive and severe XLRS in a cross-sectional family study.

X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS) is a highly penetrant recessive retinal dystrophy characterized by early-onset central visual loss from bilateral foveo-macular cystic cavities involving the inner retina1 and additional retinal layers.2,3 Approximately half the affected males also exhibit peripheral retinoschisis.4 XLRS is one of the more common causes of juvenile macular degeneration in males, with estimated prevalence at 1:5,000 to 1:25,000.5–7 The RS1 gene contains six exons and encodes a 24-kDa secreted retinoschisin (RS1) protein, that includes a conserved discoidin domain8 homologous to proteins implicated in cell adhesion and cell–cell interactions.9 RS1 is highly expressed in photoreceptor cells and also in neurons of the inner retina.10–12 Over 150 mutations have been described across the small RS1 gene.13 The majority are missense mutations in exons 4–6; deletions, insertions, nonsense, and splice site mutations have also been reported.6–8,14–16 The XLRS phenotype is quite variable. The most common clinical finding is bilateral foveo-macular schisis.17 Retinal fundus examination and optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans of older affected males often demonstrate flattening and coalescence of the foveal schisis cavities.18 The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) may show granularity and atrophy in later ages.18,19 The full-field electroretinogram (ERG) in XLRS generally shows a greater loss of the positive-going b-wave compared to the negative-going a-wave,20–23 although relative b-wave preservation has also been described.6,24 As the b-wave from bipolar cells lies post-synaptic to the photoreceptor a-wave, the ERG provides evidence of inner retinal dysfunction possibly involving the photoreceptor synapse. Genotype–phenotype correlations can help to elucidate molecular genetic mechanisms underlying macular degeneration induced by RS1 mutations. We describe the clinical features of an XLRS family with an RS1 exon-5 deletion/insertion mutation (c354del1-ins18). The ERG changes observed across three years in a 5 year old (y/o) affected boy, and the ERG differences between the younger versus middle-age affected males raises questions about the nature of progression in XLRS disease.
Ultrasonic Guided Wave Monitoring of Railroad Tracks

Among structural concerns for the safety of rail transportation are internal flaws and thermal stresses, both of which can cause disruption of service and even derailments. Ultrasonic guided waves lend themselves to addressing both of these problems. This paper reports on two inspection systems for rails being developed at UCSD under the auspices of the US Federal Railroad Administration. Both systems utilize ultrasonic guided waves as the main probing mechanism, for the two different applications of flaw detection and thermal stress detection.
Post‐traumatic oculomotor disorders

Trauma is a common ocular motor pathophysiology with a predilection for younger patients. Although afferent visual dysfunction is well known following trauma, the efferent conditions are perhaps less familiar. Trauma has a predilection to produce diplopia, and this may result from muscle, cranial nerve, nuclear, internucelar or supranuclear means. Orbital trauma commonly affects the extraocular muscles with signs to include proptosis and orbital bony abnormalities. CN4 is the most common ocular motor palsy post-trauma, perhaps due to its long course around the midbrain; CN3 or 6 palsies are well know following trauma but often require more severe trauma than CN4 palsies. Supranuclear ocular motor dysfunction is common after trauma (e.g., skew deviation). Oscillopsia has been reported post-trauma, most commonly related to vestibular ocular reflex abnormalities or nystagmus.
The NISE Net: bringing the study of the very small to US science centers.

Nanoscale science has been in the research labs of industry and academia for over 20 years. Consumers increasingly confront an abundance of products that contain nanoparticles or that claim to be a result of nanotechnology, including skin-care products, wrinkle- and stain-resistant fabrics, and sports items like golf clubs and baseball bats [1]. Yet as recently as late 2006, over 80% of the American public reported that they had heard nothing or next to nothing about nanotechnology [2]. The Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net) is an ambitious initiative funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to engage families, schoolchildren, and adults in nanoscale science, engineering, and technology through informal learning experiences in science centers and museums across the United States. NISE Net has designed exhibits and public programs about nanoscience and plans to disseminate these to 100 science centers and museums by the year 2010. Two years into this multi-year project, the team has reached an inflection point—a time to assess critically the status of our work, re-evaluate our original assumptions, and redouble our efforts to support the collective vision that has emerged from this period of intensive collaboration.
Successful Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Chronic Plantar Fasciitis:

Background: There are limited data on the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for treating chronic plantar fasciitis.
SYNTHESIS OF UNBRIDGED BIS(2-R-INDENYL)ZIRCONOCENES CONTAINING FUNCTIONAL GROUPS AND INVESTIGATIONS IN PROPYLENE POLYMERIZATION

Five new indenyl zirconium metallocenes with 2-alkyl and 2-aryl substituents were synthesized and characterized. For the synthesis of the ligand the di-Grignard reagent 1,2-bis(magnesiomethyl)benzene dichloride was explored as a synthon to 2-substituted indenes. This procedure provides access to a variety of functionalized 2-indenylmetallocenes such as bis(2-ferrocenylindene)zirconium dichloride and bis(2-adamantylindenyl)zirconium dichloride. Crystallographic characterization of bis[2-(4-(dimethylamino)phenyl)indenyl] zirconium dichloride revealed an anti conformation with a coplanar orientation of the dimethylamino substituent to the aryl ring in the solid state. The polymerization behavior of all five zirconocene dichlorides in liquid propylene was studied in the presence of MAO at various temperatures, and the results were compared to those for the known catalyst system bis(2-phenylindenyl)zirconium dichloride/MAO (M1/MAO). The productivity of the 2-arylindene metallocenes in propylene polymerization ...
Scanned potential microscopy of a two-dimensional electron gas

Abstract The high sensitivity and spatial resolution of the atomic force microscope make it a powerful tool for measuring local properties of mesoscopic systems. We consider its application to mapping voltage distributions in two cases: a narrow constriction in a two-dimensional electron gas, and a current-carrying quantum Hall conductor. We demonstrate the ability to measure these distributions with sub-micron resolution and sub-millivolt precision.
BANK EXPOSURE TO INTEREST RATE RISK: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

In 1993, the Basle Committee on Banking Supervision considered whether to incorporate interest rate risk in risk-based capital requirements for international banks. At issue was whether a bank's interest rate risk varies with the country of concern. While the effects of interest rate movements on U.S. banks are well documented, the effects on banks from other countries are not. We find that bank interest rate risk varies among countries, which supports the need to capture interest rate risk differentials in the risk-based capital requirements. We also find that non-U.S. bank values are sensitive not only to domestic interest rates, but to international interest rates as well.
Nonholonomic Control for an Assembled Microcrawler

Abstract This paper presents the modeling and nonholonomic control of the ARRIpede, MEMS based crawling robot. The ARRIpede belongs to a family of sub-cm size, high precision nano positioning and nano manipulation robots currently being investigated in our lab. In its current kinematic configuration, the ARRIpede is capable of planar motions within three degrees of freedom ( XY θ), occupies a total volume of 1cm 3 , and weighs 4.5 g, including its MEMS micromechanical joints and backpack electronics. The micromechanical components are constructed using a combination of conventional lithographical fabrication processes and automated microassembly. The microrobot is actuated using a gait sequence which multiplexes power to its leg actuators and generates incremental stick-slip motion. In order to effectively predict and control the position of the robot, the dynamical vector field generated due to the motion of the leg-array is formulated using a combination of lumped dynamic models and experimental observations. Simulations of the resulting nonholonomic model predict microcrawler velocities up to 3 mm/s under realistic assumptions, matching experimental observations. A closed-loop coarse-fine control scheme based on this model is proposed using a combination of vision and laser displacement sensors.
Eicosanoids derived from arachidonic and eicosapentaenoic acids inhibit T cell proliferative response

Eicosanoids derived from arachidonic acid (PGE2 and LTB4) have been shown to be involved in the control of mitogen-induced proliferation of lymphocytes but the effects of (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)-derived eicosanoids (PGE3 and LTB5) on mitogenic response have not been well described. Supplementation with (n-3) PUFA decreases lymphocyte proliferation in human and animal models. The present study was designed to compare the effect of (n-3)- and (n-6)-derived eicosanoids on mitogenic response. Mouse splenocytes and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were cultured in the presence or absence of the T cell mitogen Concanavalin A (CON A) with and without the addition of PGE2, LTB4, PGE3 and LTB5 at several concentrations. Lymphocyte proliferation was determined by measuring incorporation of [3H]thymidine into newly synthesized DNA. Both (n-3) and (n-6)-derived eicosanoids inhibited T cell mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation in human PBMC and murine splenocytes. The addition of PGE3 and LTB5 decreased Con A-induced mitogenic response in human PBMC more than the same concentration of PGE2 and LTB4 (e.g. -28.7 +/- 4.2% with 10(-9) M PGE3 vs -9.4 +/- 6.3% with 10(-9) M PGE2, P = 0.05 and -95.5 +/- 1.6% with 10(-11) M LTB5 vs -49.2 +/- 3.8% with 10(-11) M LTB4, p < 0.001). A similar trend was observed in murine splenocytes. It is concluded that PGE3 and LTB5 are as potent and at some doses more potent than PGE2 and LTB4 in inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation when added in vitro. These data suggest that eicosanoids derived from (n-3) PUFA may contribute to the (n-3) PUFA-induced suppression of lymphocyte proliferation.
Investigating dynamical properties of the Caenorhabditis elegans connectome through full-network simulations

The neuronal network of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is comprised of 302 sensory, motor and inter-neurons. Near-complete connectivity data for the gap junctions and chemical synapses connecting these neurons (its connectome) have been resolved [1]. In addition, current experiments measure the response of various neurons to input stimuli. A description of these responses cannot be drawn from the static connectivity data alone. These studies suggest that computational modeling can assist in describing neural dynamics and their relation to the connectome. However, simulations of C. elegans neural dynamics are challenging since the single neuron dynamics do not appear to be characterized by standard spiking neuron models. Indeed, genomic sequencing and electro - physiological studies have consistently failed to observe classical Na+ action potentials in C. elegans neurons [2]. Our study combines the known connectome data [1] with a physiologically appropriate neuron model [3] to simulate the dynamics of the full neural network in response to stimuli over time. We model single neuron dynamics by graded electrical potentials using the findings of electrophysiological studies and biophysical considerations [3]. Since the parameters of the model are not well known, we first investigate their effect on the behavior and stability of the system. We use a genetic algorithm to explore this high dimensional parameter space. Once the parameters are set, we investigate the input-to-output response of the network. Specifically, we stimulate input sensory neurons, as is often done in experiments, and characterize the response elicited in the network. This is the first study of its kind computationally relating the sensory input with the resultant dynamical behavior of the inter- and motor-neurons. Figure ​Figure11 shows a prototypical example of the neural response when a chemosensory neuron AQR positioned in the head receives periodic input. A dominant pathway (A→B→C) shows how the signal propagates through inter-neurons to the tail chemosensory neurons PHAL/R. This example demonstrates that AQR and PHAL/R are highly correlated even with no direct static connection in the connectome. We call such a connection a "dynamical connection" between neurons, and our computational study discovers such dynamical connections. Figure 1 Top. Dynamic pathway from chemosensory neuron AQR positioned in the head to chemosensory neurons PHAL/R positioned in the tail. The AQR neuron is driven by periodic excitatory input and 11 neurons out of 302 that are most responsive to that input are ...
Late Miocene and early Pliocene basaltic rocks and their implications for crustal structure, northeastern California and south-central Oregon

A dominantly basaltic late Miocene and early Pliocene (about 5 to 10 m.y. old) lava field lies directly east of the Cascade Range on the northwesternmost edge of the Basin and Range province. More than 12,400 km 2 of Modoc County, California, and Klamath and Lake Counties, Oregon, termed the Devils Garden, is underlain by basalt with a total volume of about 850 km 3 . The basalt of Devils Garden is diktytaxitic olivine tholeiite, characterized by high Al content; low K, Rb, and Cs content; and high K/Rb and K/Cs ratios. In these respects, it resembles mid-oceanic-ridge basalt (MORB), although it differs in other respects, such as high concentration of Ba and Sr, low K/Ba, and higher 87 Sr/ 86 Sr (0.7036–0.7039) ratios. Chemical characteristics indicate that little or no contamination by sialic crustal material has occurred. The basalts originated in the upper mantle and were erupted through crust thinned by tectonic extension behind the Cascade Range volcanic arc.
Pericentral Retinopathy and Racial Differences in Hydroxychloroquine Toxicity

Purpose To describe patterns of hydroxychloroquine retinopathy distinct from the classic parafoveal (bull's eye) maculopathy. Design Retrospective case series. Participants Patients from a large multi-provider group practice and a smaller university referral practice diagnosed with hydroxychloroquine retinopathy. Patients with widespread or "end-stage" retinopathy were excluded. Methods Review of ophthalmic studies (fundus photography, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence, multifocal electroretinography, visual fields) and classification of retinopathy into 1 of 3 patterns: parafoveal (retinal changes 2°–6° from the fovea), pericentral (retinal changes ≥8° from the fovea), or mixed (retinal changes in both parafoveal and pericentral areas). Main Outcome Measures Relative frequency of different patterns of hydroxychloroquine retinopathy and comparison of risk factors. Results Of 201 total patients (18% Asian) with hydroxychloroquine retinopathy, 153 (76%) had typical parafoveal changes, 24 (12%) also had a zone of pericentral damage, and 24 (12%) had pericentral retinopathy without any parafoveal damage. Pericentral retinopathy alone was seen in 50% of Asian patients but only in 2% of white patients. Patients with the pericentral pattern were taking hydroxychloroquine for a somewhat longer duration (19.5 vs. 15.0 years, P P = 0.02) than patients with the parafoveal pattern, but they were diagnosed at a more severe stage of toxicity. Conclusions Hydroxychloroquine retinopathy does not always develop in a parafoveal (bull's eye) pattern, and a pericentral pattern of damage is especially prevalent among Asian patients. Screening practices may need to be adjusted to recognize pericentral and parafoveal hydroxychloroquine retinopathy.
Attention: moving target defense networks, how well are you moving?

The immense address space available with the new 128-bit addressing scheme enables mechanisms like Moving Target Defense for IPv6 networks. Moving Target IPv6 Defense (MT6D) promises security by letting nodes hop to new addresses that are cryptographically computed between involved nodes without disrupting ongoing conversations. After implementing MT6D as a testbed for previous research project, we asked ourselves if it is worth looking at the old addresses that are being given up by MT6D nodes and purged in the process. We explored the idea if activity on these relinquished addresses holds any vital clues for verifying and reinforcing the security of MT6D networks. During the analysis, we realized the need for a method to ensure the resiliency of the scheme besides uncovering any attacks that are underway. In this paper, we will discuss a novel solution that comprises of learning addresses that are being relinquished by the MT6D nodes, acquiring these addresses, performing traffic enumeration on these addresses and visualizing the same. We can become cognizant of a trailing attacker following a MT6D node along the address changes, besides uncovering any suspicious traffic hitting the MT6D nodes with this solution in place.
Clustering in ordered dissimilarity data

This paper presents a new technique for clustering either object or relational data. First, the data are represented as a matrix D of dissimilarity values. D is reordered to D* using a visual assessment of cluster tendency algorithm. If the data contain clusters, they are suggested by visually apparent dark squares arrayed along the main diagonal of an image I(D*) of D*. The suggested clusters in the object set underlying the reordered relational data are found by defining an objective function that recognizes this blocky structure in the reordered data. The objective function is optimized when the boundaries in I(D*) are matched by those in an aligned partition of the objects. The objective function combines measures of contrast and edginess and is optimized by particle swarm optimization. We prove that the set of aligned partitions is exponentially smaller than the set of partitions that needs to be searched if clusters are sought in D. Six numerical examples are given to illustrate various facets of the algorithm. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reviewing United States History Monographs: A Bibliometric Survey

The British scholar S.C. Bradford first showed that the dispersion of periodical articles on a subject follows a predictable pattern. Based on his study of the literature of applied geology and lubrication, Bradford observed that:
The Relationship of Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy to Treatment Outcomes of Alcohol-Dependent Men and Women

This study investigates whether self-esteem is associated with clinical and demographic characteristics, self-efficacy expectancies, and post-treatment drinking outcomes. Forty-one (40.6%) women and 60 (59.4%) men were recruited during inpatient alcohol dependence treatment. At baseline, lower self-esteem was significantly associated with current depression and other psychiatric disorders. Self-esteem was not related to gender, relapse, other one-year drinking outcomes, or self-efficacy. Age and psychiatric disorders were strong predictors of self-esteem at follow-up. This study suggests that different perceptions of the self have unique roles in recovery from alcohol use disorders.
The speciation of arsenic and the content of germanium and mercury in members of the pelagic Sargassum community

Abstract Pelagic Sargassum weed and some of its associated fauna were analyzed for the concentration and chemical speciation of arsenic and the content of germanium and mercury. On the average, the distribution of arsenic species in members of the Sargassum community (ppm level) is the same as it is in ‘surface’ Sargasso Sea water (ppb level); 15% As(III), 85% As(V), 1% alkyl-As. Observations suggest that the alkyl-arsenic fraction is generated in situ. The barnacles and shrimp analyzed showed notably higher Ge and Hg content than did other members of the community.
Effect of hypoxia on brain and liver NAD+/NADH2 ratios in the fresh-water turtle (pseudemys scripta legans)☆

Abstract 1. 1. The cytoplasmic and mitochondrial NAD + /NADH 2 ratios of brain and liver were calculated by the substrate ratio method, in normal and hypoxic turtles. 2. 2. The cytoplasmic and mitochondrial NAD system was much more oxidized than the mitochondrial system in both normoxic and hypoxic turtles. 3. 3. Hypoxia (exposure to a nitrogen atmosphere) resulted in decreased NAD + /NADH 2 ratios in the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial compartments of both brain and liver. 4. 4. The calculated NAD + /NADH 2 ratios were maximally reduced after 6 hr in nitrogen, but this was due to the opposing influences of hypoxia and increased acidity on the calculation. The ratios of oxidized to reduced substrates were significantly reduced during the second 6 hr of exposure to nitrogen.
Comparison of Atom Interferometers and Light Interferometers as Space-Based Gravitational Wave Detectors

We consider a class of proposed gravitational-wave detectors based on multiple atomic interferometers separated by large baselines and referenced by common laser systems. We compute the sensitivity limits of these detectors due to intrinsic phase noise of the light sources, noninertial motion of the light sources, and atomic shot noise and compare them to sensitivity limits for traditional light interferometers. We find that atom interferometers and light interferometers are limited in a nearly identical way by intrinsic phase noise and that both require similar mitigation strategies (e.g., multiple-arm instruments) to reach interesting sensitivities. The sensitivity limit from motion of the light sources is slightly different and, in principle, favors the atom interferometers in the low-frequency limit, although the limit in both cases is severe.
Explaining Religious Market Failure: A Gendered Critique of the Religious Economies Model*

According to the religious economies model, religious supply in open religious economies should adapt to the demands of diverse market niches. This proposition is inconsistent with the finding that, although women constitute the majority of religious consumers, the majority of the religions produced in the American religious marketplace favor men's interests relative to women's. Three modifications to the religious economies model are suggested to account for this contradiction. The first modification is a respecification of “religious capital” that takes into account unequal distributions of power among producers of religious value and their differential effects on the beneficiaries and targets of religious norms. The second modification theorizes religion's linkages to other social institutions as sources of cost and benefit that are taken into account by religious entrepreneurs. The third modification accounts for status-based discrimination and unequal distributions of capital as sources of constraint...
Adrenocortical neoplasms in childhood and adolescence: Analysis of prognostic factors including DNA content.

Thirty-two adrenocortical neoplasms in children and adolescents were evaluated for prognostic factors including clinical and morphological parameters and DNA ploidy. The patients were segregated into two groups according to clinical outcome: group A, represented by patients with clinically benign neoplasms (n = 15), and group B, patients with clinically malignant tumors as evidenced by local recurrence, metastases, or fatal outcome (n = 17). Clinical and morphological parameters in these two groups were evaluated using appropriate statistical methods. Parameters with a significant predictive value in terms of prognosis were age [p = .04], tumor size (p = .0003), median tumor weight (p = .0001), mitotic count (p = 0.04), and 25% tumor necrosis or more (p = .03). Twenty-three cases were studied for DNA ploidy: 10 cases by image analysis and 13 by both image analysis and flow cytometry. By ploidy analysis, 17 of 23 cases-12 of 14 in group A and 5 of 9 in group B-were found to be aneuploid. Multiple aneuploid peaks were found in 5 of 23 cases-4 of 14 cases in group A and 1 of 9 cases in group B. In tumors studied by both image analysis and flow cytometry, there was no discrepancy between results of ploidy analysis. There was no statistically significant association demonstrated between clinical outcome and DNA ploidy pattern. DNA ploidy heterogeneity, characterized by multiple aneuploid populations of cells, was also detected in both benign and malignant neoplasms. Based on our results, aneuploidy is relatively frequent in pediatrie adrenocortical tumors and does not appear to have predictive value for biological behavior.
Growth phases of ZnTe on GaSb(100).

Synchrotron-radiation photoemission was used to study the high- and low-temperature growth phases of ZnTe on GaSb(100). The deconvoluted core-level line shapes were used to construct structural models for the interface between these two compound semiconductors. In addition, the movement of the valence band and Fermi level was used to examine the heterojunction band offset for the low-temperature phase and the dopant incorporation for the high-temperature phase.
Boundary conditions for the discrete ordinate equations

Abstract It is known that the planar geometry spherical harmonic ( P N − 1 ) equations associated with linear transport problems are equivalent to the planar geometry discrete ordinate ( S N ) equations of one higher order, if Gauss-Legendre quadrature is used. It is also true that the use of Mark boundary conditions in the P N − 1 approximation makes all aspects of this approximation identical to the standard S N approximation. This has been argued rather heuristically in the case of a vacuum boundary, and a minor part of this paper is to show, by analysis, that this equivalence is true even with a prescribed incoming flux boundary condition. The main thrust of this paper, however, is to put into S N format the recently derived P N − 1 asymptotic boundary conditions. With these boundary conditions, the S N equations can be considered as an asymptotic limit of the transport equation. This limit is that of particle transport in the presence of highly peaked forward scattering.
Onset of deformation in Pb isotopes at high excitation energies.

A previous measurement of the giant dipole resonance in Pb isotopes at an excitation energy of 68.5 MeV has been repeated at a lower excitation of 57.6 MeV with a mean spin of 14(h/2..pi..). The large deformation observed at 68.5 MeV persists down to this low excitation energy and spin. A transition from the spherical ground state shape to the deformed excited state shape in a spin range 13--17 (h/2..pi..) is needed to fit the data with a consistent description of the giant resonance.