cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acquisition, Divergence, and Personalization of the Female Perineal Microbiomes Are Driven by Developmental Milestones and Disrupted by Urinary Tract Infection: A Pilot Study

Introduction: The pediatric perineal microbiomes inhabit a dynamic environment with changes related to diet, toileting habits, and hormonal development. We hypothesized that next-generation sequencing would reveal different perineal bacterial signatures associated with developmental milestones in premenstrual females. Furthermore, we predicted that these microbial changes would be disrupted in premenstrual females with a history of urinary tract infection (UTI). Study Design: Healthy females were recruited at well-child visits. Subjects were divided into 4 developmental groups: (1) 0-3 month old newborns; (2) 4-10 month old infants transitioning to solid foods; (3) 2-6 year old toddlers peri-toilet training; and (4) 7-12 year old premenstrual girls. A separate group of females with a history of culture proven UTI and off antibiotics >1 month was also recruited. DNA was isolated from swabs of the perineum and subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing. The diversity and species changes between developmental cohorts and age matched children with history of UTI was determined. Results: A total of 75 subjects were recruited: 15 in each group. There was a clear evolution of the perineal microbiomes with development. There was a significant microbial disruption in girls with a history of UTI, irrespective of developmental milestone age group. The periurethral/perivaginal site displayed greater changes in microbiome structure than other sites in girls with a history of UTI. Discussion: This pilot study evaluates the normal microbiome of the premenstrual girl at specific developmental milestones. Although the number of children per cohort was limited to 15, we observed statistical significance corresponding with developmental milestones. This study provides the first, culture independent delineation of the development of the perineal microbiome in girls. Furthermore, the sites closest to the site of infection appear to be more sensitive to antibiotic remodeling than those more distant. The factors that remodel the perineal microbiomes and predispose females, particularly girls, to UTIs (e.g., increase in uropathogen presence, absence of protective organisms) are unclear. Identification of specific signatures that increase susceptibility to UTI and their sequelae will improve patient care and promote personalized medicine.
From Displaced to Misplaced: Exploring the Experience of Visitors Who Were ‘Crowded Out’ of Their Recreation Destination

This article reports on recreationists’ response to being displaced from their recreation destination or activity. Displacement occurs when visitors leave a site or change activities in response to...
The presentation of Hispanic gastric cancer patients varies by location of patient ancestry.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The clinical presentation of gastric cancer varies between racial and ethnic groups. While historically studied as a monolithic population, the Hispanic ethnicity is comprised of heterogenous groups with considerable biologic, socioeconomic, and cultural variability; therefore, intragroup differences among Hispanic gastric cancer patients may have been overlooked in past research. METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to compare Hispanic patients with gastric adenocarcinoma diagnosed between 2004 and 2015, by NCDB-reported location of patient ancestry. RESULTS We identified a cohort of 3811 patients. There were higher proportions of females, patients with early disease onset, and stage 4 disease among patients of Mexican and South/Central American ancestry. Additionally, a significantly larger proportion of Mexican (15%) and South/Central American patients (11%) were diagnosed before age 40, in contrast to Cubans (2%), Dominicans (6%), and Puerto Ricans (3%; p < 0.0001). Mexican ancestry was independently associated with an increased rate of all-cause mortality at 5 years (hazard ratio: 1.34; 95% confidence interval: 1.09-1.64). CONCLUSIONS Significant clinical and epidemiological differences exist among Hispanic gastric cancer patients based on location of ancestry. Future data collection endeavors should strive to capture this granularity inherent to the Hispanic ethnicity.
Optimized AC/DC Dual Active Bridge Converter using Monolithic SiC Bidirectional FET (BiDFET) for Solar PV Applications

Grid interface power conversion systems for commercial, industrial and residential solar power generation are becoming ubiquitous due to the competitive cost of solar energy. The AC/DC dual active bridge (DAB) converter is an upcoming topology in industrial PV energy and energy storage applications, providing bidirectional power transfer and galvanic isolation. In this paper, the properties of a DAB-type converter are leveraged to propose a design optimization process. It can optimize the high-frequency RMS current, size of magnetic elements and zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) region of the converter. The resulting design is compared against that derived from a conventional approach. In addition, an algorithm to compute the harmonic currents at the DC and line frequency AC ports of the system is proposed, and the respective filter designs are presented. The optimized design of the AC/DC DAB converter is implemented using the newly developed, 1200 V, $46 \mathrm{m}\Omega$, four quadrant, SiC-based monolithic bidirectional FETs (BiDFET). Experimental results from the 2.3 kW, $400\mathrm{V}/277\mathrm{V}_{{\mathrm {RMS}}}$ hardware prototype are finally presented to verify the design process.
Day-to-Day Management of Large Engineering Projects

Large projects requiring the pooling of engineering resources are becoming more common and give rise to various consortium and joint-venture arrangements. Such multi-firm ventures are undertaken to share liabilities and a number of potential benefits which can be destroyed if the special “people” and organization problems that can arise under such arrangements aren’t recognized and dealt with quickly. Experiences to date in organization and people management problems on the twelve year, –1.5 billion Milwaukee Water Pollution Abatement Program and the solutions found to be beneficial in overcoming the potential problems encountered are discussed. Topics covered include staff orientation, training, organization, management audits and personnel policies.
Fertility and population regulation

Abstract A study among college students of knowledge of, attitude toward, and potential use of techniques for predetermining the sex of children indicates that a sizeable percentage would take advantage of such techniques if available. In this sample, 55.4 per cent would prefer a male first child, resulting in a sex ratio of 122 males for every 100 females if ideal family size were converted to actual family size. A strong relationship exists between desire for small family size and favorable attitude toward sex predetermination. The data suggest that the adoption of sex predetermination, even to a limited extent, would affect first‐child pattern, sex ratio, and the birth rate.
Soil Deforming Processes and Dimensional Analysis

AS A RESULT OF DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SOME PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTS IN BULLDOZING, SOIL PENETRATION, AND LAND LOCOMOTION VEHICLES, THE SUGGESTION IS MADE THAT IF THE VELOCITY IS LOW AND CONFIGURATIONS ARE SIMILAR, ANY FORCE OF SOIL DEFORMING PROCESSES CAN BE EXPRESSED BY AN EQUATION AMONG THREE DIMENSIONLESS NUMBERS. THIS FORMULA IS TENTATIVELY EXTENDED TO DISSIMILAR, SOIL DEFORMING PROCESSES. /AUTHOR/
Toward Understanding Self-Splicing

The crystal structure of a group II intron shows a complex architecture with metal ions at the catalytic center.
SUNCT responding to botulinum toxin (P3.049)

Objective: To report the outcome of a patient with medication refractory short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with conjuctival injection and tearing (SUNCT) to botulinum toxin. Background: SUNCT is a rare form of headache characterized by very frequent, unilateral attacks of pain in the ocular and periocular region accompanied by ipsilateral conjunctival injection and lacrimation. The etiology is unknown and treatment is usually ineffective. Design/Methods: Case report A 46 year old male with viral meningitis in 1994, complicated by non-communicating hydrocephalous treated with ventriculo-peritoneal shunt, developed episodic excruciating headaches following a shunt revision in 2001. A typical headache is characterized by severe pain which starts in the right suprascapular area and radiates to the right side of face and right retro-orbital region associated with right eye injection and tearing, right eye lid swelling and small palprebral fissure. Each episode lasts 30-90 seconds and recurs up to 5-6 times per hour. Over time he developed mild right side cervical dystonia with elevation of the right shoulder and tilting of the head to the right side which becomes prominent during the episode of headache. Sumatriptan, valproic acid, gabapentin and indomethacin failed to provide benefit. He underwent onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) injection as follows: right brow 30 units, right masseter 75 units, right temporalis muscle 50 units, right trapezius 100 units, and right splenius 100 units. Results: There was dramatic improvement in the intensity and frequency of headache (from 20-30/day to only 2-3/week) following onabotulinumtoxinA injection. The benefit was sustained for 3-4 months after which time the frequency and intensity of the headaches gradually returned but never to the baseline frequency. The patient continued to benefit from repeat injection 3-4 times per year for the past three years without any adverse effects. Conclusions: OnabotulinumtoxinA injection is a therapeutic option for refractory cases of SUNCT. Disclosure: Dr. Wijemanne has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jankovic has received personal compensation for activities with Adamas Pharmaecuticals, Inc, Allergan, Inc, Auspex Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Lundbeck Inc, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Dr. Jankovic has received personal compensation in an editor
Fructose-1,6-Diphosphate-Dependent Lactate Dehydrogenase from a Cariogenic Streptococcus: Purification and Regulatory Properties

The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) from Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10449 is under stringent metabolic control. The partially purified enzyme was specifically activated by high concentrations of fructose-1,6-diphosphate (FDP) and was inhibited by adenosine triphosphate. There appeared to be at least two binding sites for the activator which interacted in a cooperative manner. The interaction between the FDP sites was independent of the pH of the assay system, although the relative affinity of the enzyme for the activator was influenced by pH. There also appeared to be at least two pyruvate binding sites on the S. mutans LDH with some cooperative interaction between them, and the interaction between these sites was also independent of the hydrogen ion concentration. Two pyruvate analogues had different effects on the interaction of pyruvate with the LDH. One of the analogues, α-ketobutyrate, stimulated enzyme activity at limiting pyruvate concentrations, but had no significant effect at saturating concentrations of the substrate. The net effect of α-ketobutyrate was to shift the pyruvate saturation curve from sigmoidal to hyperbolic and to decrease the Hill coefficient from about 2.0 to 1.0. The other pyruvate analogue, oxamate, inhibited enzyme activity at all pyruvate concentrations but had no effect on the sigmoidal nature of the pyruvate saturation curve or on the apparent kinetic order of the reaction with respect to substrate. These results suggested that there may be two types of pyruvate binding sites on the LDH from S. mutans. Other kinetic properties of the S. mutans NCTC 10449 enzyme were studied and compared with those exhibited by the LDH from several other strains of the organism.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION: MINIMIZING PITFALLS AND MAXIMIZING OPPORTUNITIES

Program development and evaluation in any setting constitutes no simple task, particularly when faced with problems that could have been anticipated and perhaps averted with better initial planning and administrative support. This article discusses potential obstacles in program development and evaluation and makes suggestions concerning how they might be avoided. Circumstances surrounding the design, implementation, and evaluation of a child sexual abuse prevention/education program in a private nonprofit social service organization in a Midwestern metropolitan city are used for contextual and illustrative purposes. Recommendations for future programmatic efforts are also provided.
Prospects of thermionic power systems

Potential thermionic power systems for space or terrestrial applications are described so that the development goals can be clearly identified. The thermionic power systems considered are a space nuclear power system, a fossil-fuel thermionic topping steam power system, a solar thermionic topping steam power system, and advanced systems. Attention is given to a discussion of the current status of technology development in thermionic converters and associated elements in power systems. Future prospects of thermionic power systems are also discussed. It is concluded that thermionic conversion has a great potential for a variety of applications.
Hybrid cathode architectures for lithium batteries based on TiS2 and sulfur

Great efforts have been devoted towards development of rechargeable lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery designs that offer extended cycling. The poor electronic and ionic conductivity of sulfur and its reduction compounds with lithium, solubility of some sulfides in the most commonly used Li–S electrolyte solvents, and the volume changes that accompany lithiation and delithiation processes in a sulfur cathode, pose significant challenges that have so far impeded commercialization of rechargeable Li–S batteries. We demonstrate that TiS2, which uses an intercalation chemistry and is known for its high rate capability and stable performance as a lithium battery cathode, and sulfur, which has very high capacity (1675 mA h g−1) when coupled in a conversion-based electrochemical reaction with lithium metal, can be combined to produce hybrid cathodes in which the two materials function synergistically in the same electrolyte and within the same working voltage. We further show that co-generation of interconnected S8/TiS2 hybrid foams through thermal reaction of Ti precursor foams and S8 yields 3D hybrid cathode structures in which sulfur is infused into porous TiS2 foams. In galvanostatic electrochemical cycling studies the hybrid cathodes demonstrate high areal specific capacity (9 mA h cm−2) and high retention ratios, even at a relatively large areal mass loading of ∼40 mg sulfur per cm2 and high current density (10 mA cm−2). We attribute the improved performance of the materials to the synergistic effect in which TiS2 not only improves the conductivity and rate capability of the cathode, but exerts a strong affinity for soluble lithium polysulfides, which limit their loss to the electrolyte.
Polarization effects in optical fibers: measurement issues

We discuss fibre polarisation measurement methods which include photon counting, OTDR. Measurements are made of polarisation mode dispersion, differential group delay, and polarisation dependent loss.
The New American Evolution

A quiet evolution has revolutionized the American economy. At the time of the 1992 presidential election one of the main issues in the public debate was competitiveness. A common perception was that U.S. industry was losing the global economic race and that if government didn’t respond, living standards would suffer. In that recession year, Under-Secretary of Commerce Jeffrey E. Garten summed up the conventional economic thinking about our state of affairs (1992, p. 221): “Relative to Japan and Germany, our economic prospects are poor and our political influence is waning. Their economic underpinnings — trends in investment, productivity, market share in high technology, education, and training — are stronger. Their banks and industry are in better shape; their social problems are far less severe than ours” (see also 60Tyson, 1992;57Thurow, 1992).
Preliminary assessment of dispersion versus absorption analysis of high spectral and spatial resolution magnetic resonance images in the diagnosis of breast cancer

Water resonance lineshapes observed in breast lesions imaged with high spectral and spatial resolution (HiSS) magnetic resonance imaging have been shown to contain diagnostically useful non-Lorentzian components. The purpose of this work is to update a previous method of breast lesion diagnosis by including phase-corrected absorption and dispersion spectra. This update includes information about the shape of the complex water resonance, which could improve the performance of a computer-aided diagnosis breast lesion classification scheme. The non-Lorentzian characteristics observed in complex breast lesion water resonance spectra are characterized by comparing a plot of the real versus imaginary components of the spectrum to that of a perfect complex Lorentzian spectrum, a "dispersion versus absorption" (DISPA) analysis technique. Distortion in the shape of the observed spectra indicates underlying physiologic changes, which have been shown to be correlated with malignancy. These spectral shape distortions in each lesion voxel are quantified by summing the deviations in DISPA radius from an ideal complex Lorentzian spectrum over all Fourier components, yielding a "total radial difference" (TRD). We limited our analysis to those voxels in each lesion with the largest TRD. The number of voxels considered was dependent on the lesion size. The TRD was used to classify voxels from 15 malignant and 8 benign lesions ([Formula: see text] voxels after voxel elimination). Lesion discrimination performance was evaluated for both the average and variance of the TRD within each lesion. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC) was used to assess both the voxel- and lesion-based discrimination methods in the task of distinguishing between malignant and benign. In the task of distinguishing voxels from malignant and benign lesions, TRD yielded an AUC of 0.89 (95% confidence interval [0.84, 0.91]). In the task of distinguishing malignant from benign lesions, the average radial difference yielded an AUC of 0.90 (95% confidence interval [0.71, 1.00]) and the variance in the radial difference yielded an AUC of 0.84 (95% confidence interval [0.61, 0.99]). We have applied the DISPA spectroscopic analysis method to HiSS data in order to identify and quantify voxels in breast lesions displaying non-Lorentzian characteristics. We have shown that a breast lesion classification scheme based on the absorption and dispersion spectral data obtained from HiSS acquisitions may outperform a similar classifier based on single off-peak component analysis, as it uses shape details of the entire spectrum instead of the magnitude at a single spectral location.
Infection and early atherosclerosis: does the evidence support causation?

UNLABELLED Although clinical manifestations of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease occur in adult life, the initial stages of its development commence in childhood. Therefore, elucidating the pathogenesis of early atherosclerosis and identifying the network of risk factors have become fundamental priorities for both cardiovascular healthcare providers and scientists. There is mounting evidence from both human studies and animal experiments that infectious pathogens could be implicated in atherosclerosis development. The vulnerability of the arterial wall to the adverse effects of infection is probably augmented when additional risk factors and/or certain proatherogenic genetic profiles are also present. The precise mechanisms whereby infection, alone or in synergy with conventional cardiovascular risk factors, could contribute to atherosclerosis are not fully understood. CONCLUSION Injury to the vascular endothelium, which could be elicited by infection through inflammatory, metabolic, autoimmune, and pathogen-related mechanisms, might be a central link between infection and early atherosclerosis.
Convergence and error bounds of adaptive filtering under model structure and regressor uncertainties

Adaptive filtering algorithms are investigated when system models are subject to model structure errors and regressor signal perturbations. System models for practical applications are often approximations of high-order or nonlinear systems, introducing model structure uncertainties. Measurement and actuation errors cause signal perturbations, which in turn lead to uncertainties in regressors of adaptive filtering algorithms. Employing ordinary differential equation (ODE) methodologies, we show that convergence properties and estimation bias can be characterized by certain differential inclusions. Conditions to ensure algorithm convergence and bounds on estimation bias are derived. These findings yield better understanding of the robustness of adaptive algorithms against structural and signal uncertainties.
Fibrin-binding, peptide amphiphile micelles for targeting glioblastoma☆

Abstract Glioblastoma-targeted drug delivery systems facilitate efficient delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to malignant gliomas, while minimizing systemic toxicity and side effects. Taking advantage of the fibrin deposition that is characteristic of tumors, we constructed spherical, Cy7-labeled, targeting micelles to glioblastoma through the addition of the fibrin-binding pentapeptide, cysteine–arginine–glutamic acid–lysine–alanine, or CREKA. Conjugation of the CREKA peptide to Cy7-micelles increased the average particle size and zeta potential. Upon intravenous administration to GL261 glioma bearing mice, Cy7-micelles passively accumulated at the brain tumor site via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, and Cy7-CREKA-micelles displayed enhanced tumor homing via active targeting as early as 1 h after administration, as confirmed via in vivo and ex vivo imaging and immunohistochemistry. Biodistribution of micelles showed an accumulation within the liver and kidneys, leading to micelle elimination via renal clearance and the reticuloendothelial system (RES). Histological evaluation showed no signs of cytotoxicity or tissue damage, confirming the safety and utility of this nanoparticle system for delivery to glioblastoma. Our findings offer strong evidence for the glioblastoma-targeting potential of CREKA-micelles and provide the foundation for CREKA-mediated, targeted therapy of glioma.
Thick osmium targets

Abstract For electron-scattering experiments we have prepared osmium targets of 20 to 40 mg/cm 2 sandwiched in graphite by centrifuging and hot-pressing in argon. They are strong and withstand beam-induced temperatures of at least 500°C.
The vibrational spectra and normal modes of vibration of 2-cyanopropene and 2-cyanopropene-d5

Abstract Forty-eight fundamental vibrations of 2-cyanopropene and 2-cyanopropene-d5 have been assigned from a study of the infrared and Raman spectra of the two compounds. From a study of the far-infrared spectra of the solids, the torsional frequencies have been assigned at 247 and 177 cm−1 in the light and heavy compounds, respectively. The barriers to internal rotation have been calculated, and the values 3.75 and 3.76 kcal/mole have been found for the protonated and deuterated species, respectively, assuming a periodic torsional potential function.
Examining and mitigating acellular hemoglobin vasoactivity.

Significance: There has been a striking advancement in our understanding of red cell substitutes over the past decade. Although regulatory oversight has influenced many aspects of product development in this period, those who have approached the demonstration of efficacy of red cell substitutes have failed to understand their implication at the level of the microcirculation, where blood interacts closely with tissue. Recent Advances: The understanding of the adverse effects of acellular hemoglobin (Hb)-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) has fortunately expanded from Hb-induced renal toxicity to a more complete list of biochemical mechanism. In addition, various unexpected adverse reactions were seen in early clinical studies. The effects of the presence of acellular Hb in plasma are relatively unique because of the convergence of mechanical and biochemical natures. Critical Issues: Controlling the variables using genetic engineering and chemical modification to change specific characteristics of the Hb molecule may allow for solving the complex multivariate problems of acellular Hb vasoactivity. HBOCs may never be rendered free of negative effects; however, quantifying the nature and extent of microvascular complications establishes a platform for designing new ameliorative therapies. Future Directions: It is time to leave behind the study of vasoactivity and toxicity based on bench-top measurements of biochemical changes and those based solely on systemic parameters in vivo, and move to a more holistic analysis of the mechanisms creating the problems, complemented with meaningful studies of efficacy. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 18, 2329–2341.
Airborne ground illuminator for hyperspectral validation and calibration

A major difficulty in accurately quantifying various of the Earth's geophysical and biophysical features from the multi- spectral reflectance data acquired from space is the lack of extensive and reliable validation measurements from good ground truth. A new, active airborne sensor system, AVIS (airborne vegetation index sensor), addresses that problem. AVIS uses a flash lamp mounted on a NASA helicopter to illuminate the Earth with a 15 by 35 mrad spot. The visible and near-IR backscattered radiation is then received hyperspectrally and can be analyzed. Initially designed for validation of theories on vegetation index determination, AVIS has broad application as a simulator for solar illumination for remote surface analysis. Its primary advantage is the reduction or elimination of atmospheric scattering and solar angle effects, and the removal of shadowing. It also provides repeatability for time analysis over the same sites.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Activation of myelin basic protein kinases during echinoderm oocyte maturation and egg fertilization.

Abstract At least five activated protein kinases were detectable in soluble extracts from maturing as compared to immature sea star oocytes. These kinases could be distinguished on the basis of the time courses of their activation following exposure of the oocytes to 1-methyladenine, their substrate specificities, and their chromatographic properties on DEAE-Sephacel and Sephacryl S-200. A histone H1 kinase (HH1K) (Mr 110,000) underwent maximal activation near the time of 1-methyladenine-induced germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). When myelin basic protein (MBP) was used as a substrate, HH1K and two additional kinases (MBPK-I and MBPK-II) were detectable. MBPK-II (Mr 110,000) was fully activated at the time of GVBD, whereas peak activation of MBPK-I (Mr 45,000) occurred after this event. Two “ribosomal protein S6 kinases” (S6K-I and S6K-II) could be detected with a synthetic peptide (RRLSSLRA), which was patterned after a major phosphorylation site in S6. The two S6 kinases (Mr 110,000 for both) underwent activation post-GVBD. HH1K and S6K-I coeluted from DEAE-Sephacel at a conductivity of 5.5–6.0 mmho, whereas MBPK-I, MBPK-II, and S6K-II coeluted from this resin in a second peak at a conductivity = 10–11 mmho. The HH1K and MBPK-II activities both declined prior to the emission of the first polar body (i.e., meiotic cell division), but the MBPK-I, S6K-I, and S6K-II activities remained elevated during this time. The activities of these kinases were also examined during the early cell divisions in sea urchin embryos. Within 5 min after fertilization, the high level of MBPK-I activity in sea urchin eggs rapidly declined. However, along with the HH1K and MBPK-II activities, the MBPK-I activity was transiently increased prior to each cell division. No appreciable postfertilization changes in the S6K-I and S6K-II activities were apparent during the first three cycles of cell division.
Reactions of Ozone and Hydroxyl Radicals with Serine

Serine, a common aquatic amino acid, was treated with ozone and ozone decomposition products such as hydroxyl radicals. Scavengers and promoters were used to study ozone and hydroxyl radical reacti...
Low temperature and grain size effects on threshold and fatigue crack propagation in a high strength low alloy steel

Abstract Threshold and fatigue crack propagation results were observed for a high strength low alloy steel at temperatures ranging from 123 to 300 K and grain sizes ranging from 10 to 123 μm. The threshold stress intensity was observed to increase as the grain size increased. Also a substantial increase in threshold was exhibited as the test temperatures were reduced from 300 to 123 K. The mode of fracture near and at threshold was ductile for all temperatures and grain sizes. However, at intermediate ΔK levels and low temperatures the mode of crack propagation was brittle. Superimposed on the river lines of the cleaved fracture surface were cyclic cleavage striations indicative of the local fracture mode. The fatigue crack propagation exponent n of the Paris law increased rather drastically as the temperature decreased and was determined to be directly associated with the brittle fracture process. Emphasis was placed on the subgrain cell structure that develops during cyclic deformation as being a very likely microstructural unit controlling the fatigue threshold process. Thus the grain size influence of the threshold is partially interpreted in terms of the subgrain cell size dependence on grain size. The temperature effect on the threshold is discussed from a thermal activation analysis view of dislocation behavior and plastic flow at low temperatures.
Hydrogen-isotope evidence for extrusion mechanisms of the Mount St Helens lava dome

Hydrogen isotope analyses were used to determine water content and deuterium content for 18 samples of the Mount St Helens dome dacite in an attempt to identify the triggering mechanisms for periodic dome-building eruptions of lava. These isotope data, the first ever collected from an active lava dome, suggest a steady-state process of magma evolution combining crystallization-induced volatile production in the chamber with three different degassing mechanisms: closed-system volatile loss in the magma chamber, open-system volatile release during ascent, and kinetically controlled degassing upon eruption at the surface. The data suggest the future dome-building eruptions may require a new influx of volatile-rich magma into the chamber.
Robustness of visual image quality measures against various monochromatic aberrations

We examine the correlation between subjective performance and objective image quality metrics, and show that an appropriately defined partial integral of the instrumental modulation transfer function (MTF), called MTFa, gives the best correlation with available psycho-physical data, including those obtained by other investigators. The Strehl ratio and the radius that encircles 84% of the point-spread-function energy also show some correlation with subjective performance, but have considerable limitations. These results begin to make real the possibility that the image quality of visual instruments may be characterized by a single figure of merit within the isoplanatic patch, for all types of monochromatic aberrations.
An immunoperoxidase technique for demonstrating antilymphocytic globulin on cell surfaces

An immunoperoxidase technique is described, for detecting horse IgG on human lymphocytes incubated with equine antilymphocytic globulin (ALG). Using this method, horse IgG was demonstrated on lymphocytes which had been incubated with ALG in dilutions of up to approximately 1:1,500.
Assessment of individual organ doses in a realistic human phantom from neutron and gamma stimulated spectroscopy of the breast and liver.

Purpose: Understanding the radiation dose to a patient is essential when considering the use of an ionizing diagnostic imaging test for clinical diagnosis and screening. Using Monte Carlo simulations, the authors estimated the three-dimensional organ-dose distribution from neutron and gamma irradiation of the male liver, female liver, and female breasts for neutron- and gamma-stimulated spectroscopic imaging. Methods: Monte Carlo simulations were developed using the Geant4 GATE application and a voxelized XCAT human phantom. A male and a female whole body XCAT phantom was voxelized into 256 × 256 × 600 voxels (3.125 × 3.125 × 3.125 mm{sup 3}). A monoenergetic rectangular beam of 5.0 MeV neutrons or 7.0 MeV photons was made incident on a 2 cm thick slice of the phantom. The beam was rotated at eight different angles around the phantom ranging from 0° to 180°. Absorbed dose was calculated for each individual organ in the body and dose volume histograms were computed to analyze the absolute and relative doses in each organ. Results: The neutron irradiations of the liver showed the highest organ dose absorption in the liver, with appreciably lower doses in other proximal organs. The dose distribution within the irradiated slice exhibited substantial attenuation withmore » increasing depth along the beam path, attenuating to ∼15% of the maximum value at the beam exit side. The gamma irradiation of the liver imparted the highest organ dose to the stomach wall. The dose distribution from the gammas showed a region of dose buildup at the beam entrance, followed by a relatively uniform dose distribution to all of the deep tissue structures, attenuating to ∼75% of the maximum value at the beam exit side. For the breast scans, both the neutron and gamma irradiation registered maximum organ doses in the breasts, with all other organs receiving less than 1% of the breast dose. Effective doses ranged from 0.22 to 0.37 mSv for the neutron scans and 41 to 66 mSv for the gamma scans. Conclusions: Neutron and gamma irradiation of a primary target organ was found to impart the majority of the total dose to the primary target organ (and other large organs) within the beam plane and considerably lower dose to proximal organs outside of the beam. These results also indicate that despite the use of a highly scattering particle such as a neutron, the dose from neutron stimulated emission computed tomography scans is on par with other clinical imaging techniques such as x-ray computed tomography (x-ray CT). Given the high nonuniformity in the dose across an organ during the neutron scan, care must be taken when computing average doses from neutron irradiations. The effective doses from neutron scanning were found to be comparable to x-ray CT. Further technique modifications are needed to reduce the effective dose levels from the gamma scans.« less
Fracture Origins in Miniature Silicon Carbide Structures

Direct tension strength tests were conducted on chemical vapor deposited silicon carbide microspecimens. Three types of specimens were used: straight gage section, tapered gage section, and notched gage section. The average strengths and standards deviations were: 0.42 GPa ± 0.13 GPa; 0.47 GPa ± 0.16 GPa; and 0.68 GPa ± 0.19 GPa, respectively. The fracture origins were identified by fractographic analysis and were cracks in large grains next to surface grooves from the deep reactive ion etch (DRIE) process used to fabricate the specimens.
Early effects of aspirin desensitization treatment in asthmatic patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease

Background Aspirin (ASA)-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is characterized by aggressive inflammation of the respiratory tract and often requires topical and/or systemic corticosteroids to maintain partial control of this disease. Previous studies have revealed that ASA desensitization and subsequent treatment with ASA is associated with clinical improvement in AERD. Objective The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of daily ASA treatment for the first 4 weeks after ASA desensitization. Methods Thirty-eight patients underwent ASA oral challenge followed by ASA desensitization and daily ASA therapy. Changes in nasal and asthma symptoms, combined with changes in oral prednisone, were recorded daily during 4 weeks before and after desensitization. Severity of symptoms ranged from a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = asymptomatic and 5=most severe symptoms). For statistical analyses the sum of nasal symptoms and asthma symptoms was calculated. Olfactory scores were also analyzed. Results Nasal and asthma symptom scores, as well as olfactory scores, improved significantly ( P P = 0.0003). Conclusions Our study suggests that ASA desensitization treatment is effective during the first 4 weeks of daily treatment with ASA.
Direct correlation between adhesion promotion and coupling reaction at immiscible polymer-polymer interfaces

Hugh Brown has shown that interfacial entanglements govern adhesion between two polymers. We demonstrate this for three systems by adding interfacial chains via chemical coupling. The adhesion between polypropylene (PP)/amorphous polyamide (aPA) was reinforced by the coupling reaction of maleic anhydride grafted PP (PP-g-MA) and the primary amine groups on aPA; huge increases in adhesion were observed. A good correlation between critical fracture toughness, G c , and PP-g-MA concentration squared follows Brown's crazing mechanism. For a polystyrene (PS)/aPA interface reinforced by the coupling reaction of poly(styrene-r-maleic anhydride) (PS-r-MA)/aPA only modest adhesion increases in G c were observed through the whole PS-r-MA concentration range. This different behavior of G c vs. functional polymer concentration is believed to be caused by segregation of the formed graft copolymers at the interface. The relationship between G c and the extent of coupling was studied quantitatively with a model PS/PMMA ...
Liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection of ferro- and ferricytochrome c at a chemically modified gold electrode.

Abstract Chemically modified electrodes, constructed by adsorption of 4,4′-dithiodipyridine onto a polyvinylferrocene-treated gold surface, were employed for the amperometric detection of cytochrome c following size-exclusion chromatography. The electrode response was nearly reversible, permitting quantitation both of the ferro-form of the protein at + 0.15 V vs. Ag/AgC1 and of the ferri-form at −0.15 V. The limit of detection for the reduced species was 3 pmol injected, and the response was linear over three orders of magnitude. Using the chemically modified electrode approach, cytochrome c monitoring was sufficiently selective that the compound could be determined in human plasma pretreated only by dilution and particulate filtration.
Adolescent Development in a Diverse and Changing World: Introduction

Cultural and contextual perspectives provide an understanding of universal and unique patterns of adolescent development. The articles in this special section show how this is vital for theory and research in today's diverse and changing world, and for interventions with adolescents within and across countries. The articles by Diers, Kagitcibasi, and Way, based on their addresses at the 2012 Meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence, elaborate on the meeting theme of “Culture and Context.” Here, we give a precis of the articles and then discuss how they exemplify our three intellectual goals for the 2012 meeting. Specifically, we aimed for breadth in regard to development, culture, and context. We end by noting novel synergies that emerged among the articles.
Psychological Ownership and the Individual Appropriation of Technology

We use information technology to accomplish a significant portion of our daily tasks. The way individuals choose to use technology varies as much as the outcomes of their usage. Appropriation the way that people choose or learn to use technology has been explored at a group level to explain group behaviors and performance. Although appropriation antecedents and outcomes have been investigated in many studies, none has attempted to explain the motivations or factors influencing the individual appropriation of technology; nor has extant research discovered the impacts resulting from individual appropriation. In this exploratory paper, we inquire within this gap by arguing that appropriation and psychological ownership are theoretically equivalent. This new theoretical connection suggests potentially significant antecedents for individual appropriation, which have been overlooked.
Aid and Fiscal Management

This paper focuses on the macroeconomic aspects of fiscal management in aid-receiving countries. Despite the declining share of aid in budgets of donor countries, aid continues to play an important role in many developing countries. The paper first discusses the implications of aid in the economy as a whole and highlights the possibility of Dutch-disease effects of aid. Second, it discusses the implications of aid for short-term fiscal policy management - in particular, how actual or anticipated changes in aid receipts should be reflected in government spending.
EFFECT OF METHIONINE AND VITAMIN K3 ON HEMORRHAGES INDUCED BY FEEDING A RATION CONTAINING IRRADIATED BEEF.

Ninety-eight weanling male rats fed a vitamin K-deficient ration containing irradiated beef were used to evaluate the effects of dl-methionine and vitamin K3 on hemorrhagic diathesis. dl-Methionine linearly and significantly (P < 0.01) reduced the mortality at 4, 8, or 14 weeks, and the same was true for vitamin K3. The mortality data suggested that there may be an interaction at 4 weeks, but it was not significant at 8 or 14 weeks. Prothrombin rates (reciprocal of prothrombin time in seconds × 1000) were increased linearly and significantly (P < 0.01) as vitamin K3 was increased. For 0.23% added dl-methionine the rate was lower (P < 0.01), and for 1.37% it was higher (P < 0.01), than for no supplemental dl-methionine. Prothrombin rate was normal for rats receiving 3 μg of vitamin K3 orally thrice weekly and 1.37% supplemental dl-methionine. dl-Methionine at 0.23% increased the body weight gains significantly (P < 0.01). At 1.37% dl-methionine, gains decreased linearly and significantly (P < 0.01) with increasing vitamin K3 as evidenced by a significant (P < 0.05) interaction between vitamin K3 and dl-methionine.
Measurements of heat transfer in microchannel heat sinks

Abstract The paper presents new experimental measurements for pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient in microchannel heat sinks. Tests were performed with devices fabricated using standard Silicon 100 wafers. Two different channel patterns were studied. The parallel pattern distributed the fluid through several parallel passages between the inlet and the outlet headers located at two ends of the wafer. The series pattern carried the fluid through a longer winding channel between the inlet and the outlet headers. Channels of different depths (or aspect ratios) were studied. Tests were carried out using water as the working fluid. The fluid flow rate as well as the pressure and temperature of the fluid at the inlet and outlet of the device, and temperature at several locations in the wafer were measured. These measurements were used to calculate local and average Nusselt number and coefficient of friction in the device for different flow rate, channel size, and channel configuration.
Wide field astronomical image compensation with multiple laser-guided adaptive optics

We report closed-loop results obtained from the first adaptive optics system to deploy multiple laser guide beacons. The system is mounted on the 6.5 m MMT telescope in Arizona, and is designed to explore advanced altitude-conjugated techniques for wide-field image compensation. Five beacons are made by Rayleigh scattering of laser beams at 532 nm integrated over a range from 20 to 29 km by dynamic refocus of the telescope optics. The return light is analyzed by a unique Shack-Hartmann sensor that places all five beacons on a single detector, with electronic shuttering to implement the beacon range gate. Wavefront correction is applied with the telescope's unique deformable secondary mirror. The system has now begun operations as a tool for astronomical science, in a mode in which the boundary-layer turbulence, close to the telescope, is compensated. Image quality of 0.2-0.3 arc sec is routinely delivered in the near infrared bands from 1.2-2.5 μm over a field of view of 2 arc min. Although it does not reach the diffraction limit, this represents a 3 to 4-fold improvement in resolution over the natural seeing, and a field of view an order of magnitude larger than conventional adaptive optics systems deliver. We present performance metrics including images of the core of the globular cluster M3 where correction is almost uniform across the full field. We describe plans underway to develop the technology further on the twin 8.4 m Large Binocular Telescope and the future 25 m Giant Magellan Telescope.
Hydrophobically modified acrylamide‐based polybetaines. I. Synthesis, characterization, and stimuli‐responsive solution behavior

Acrylamide-based, hydrophobically modified (HM) polybetaines containing N-butylphenylacrylamide (BPAM) and varying amounts of the sulfobetaine monomer 3-(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanedimethylammonio)-1-propanesulfonate (AMPDAPS) or the carboxybetaine monomer 4-(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropyldimethylammonio)butanoate (AMPDAB) were synthesized by micellar copolymerization. The corresponding control (co)polymers lacking BPAM or betaine comonomers were also prepared. The terpolymers were characterized by 13C-NMR and UV spectroscopy, classical light scattering, and potentiometric titration. Low charge density polymers contained 3.9–8.6 mol % betaine, whereas the high charge density systems contained 17–25 mol % betaine; the HM polymers contained up to 1.0 mol % BPAM as the hydrophobe. The weight-average molecular weights of the polymers ranged from 4.19 × 105 to 1.29 × 106 g/mol, and most HM polymers exhibited negative second virial coefficients. The pKa of the carboxybetaine moieties was found to increase with increasing levels of hydrophobic and betaine comonomer incorporation. The response of aqueous polymer solutions to various external stimuli, including changes in solution pH and electrolyte concentration, was investigated using rheological analysis. The solution behavior of the polymers was characteristic of HM polyacrylamides and acrylamide-based polyzwitterions. The high charge density HM polycarboxybetaine exhibited unusual solution behavior that can be explained in terms of electrostatic, hydrophobic, and hydrogen-bonding associations. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 647–657, 2004
The effect of using newer drugs on admissions of elderly Americans to hospitals and nursing homes: State-level evidence from 1997 to 2003

Objective: To test the hypothesis that, ceteris paribus, people using newer, or later vintage drugs will be in better health, and will therefore be less likely to be admitted to hospitals and nursing homes, by examining the effect of pharmaceutical innovation on the utilisation of hospital and long-term care by elderly Americans during 1997–2003.