cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Termination Events in Sterically Hindered Metallocene-Catalyzed Olefin Oligomerizations: Vinyl Chain Ends in Oligooctenes

Sterically hindered rac-dimethylsilylbis(2-methyl-3-propylindenyl)hafnium dimethyl (1) activated with dimethylanilinium tetrakis(perfluoronaphthylborate) (2) gave high levels of allylic chain ends in the oligomerization of higher α-olefins such as 1-octene. Solution oligomerization of 1-octene in hexanes yielded atactic macromers with roughly 60 mol % vinyl termination and lesser amounts of trisubstituted (25%) and vinylidene (20%) termination. To further probe the mechanism of elimination, oligomerization with 1-octene (1-13C) was performed and the label distribution determined by 13C NMR spectroscopy. Enhancement of the methylene (H2C═C−) vinyl resonance was observed, supporting β-hexyl elimination as a possible mechanistic step and ruling out allylic formation by a chain-walking mechanism prevalent in late-transition-metal systems.
Evaluation of watershed scale changes in groundwater and soil moisture storage with the application of GRACE satellite imagery data

Abstract As a hidden resource, our understanding and knowledge on the distribution of groundwater and its quantity is limited. In areas where such data is scarce, geo-observatory products such as the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) can provide an accurate estimate of changes in total terrestrial water storage at a coarser, regional resolution. However, in the Lake Tana basin, Ethiopia, groundwater is stored in localized aquifers, and its flow is controlled by physical variables (local geology, soil cover, slope, elevation difference, topographic index and drainage density) and climate (rainfall). The objective of this study is to utilize GRACE (CSR RL05) for the evaluation of spatial and temporal changes of soil moisture and groundwater storage at watershed scale. A geographic information system (GIS) based multi-layer analysis of the physical variables is implemented to delineate aquifer potential zones. The aquifer potential zone of the basin is combined with the GRACE (CSR RL05) based change in total terrestrial water storage data. Accordingly, the very high and high potential aquifer zone classes demarcate hot spots of high groundwater storage fluctuations recorded by the satellite data. The change in storage fluctuation of the 11-year monthly data, from 2003 to 2013, reveals that the total terrestrial water storage of the basin has declined by 18.37 cm. This is equivalent to the loss of 2.21 BCM of water within 11 years. Groundwater and soil moisture gains are a response of recharge, hence it is highly recommended to promote groundwater recharge, soil moisture harvesting, and sustainable use. On the other hand, the study highlights the possibility of application of the regional GRACE (CSR RL05) product for watershed-scale evaluations.
Inhibiting persistent inward sodium currents prevents myotonia.

Objective: Patients with myotonia congenita have muscle hyperexcitability due to loss-of-function mutations in the ClC-1 chloride channel in skeletal muscle, which causes involuntary firing of muscle action potentials (myotonia), producing muscle stiffness. The excitatory events that trigger myotonic action potentials in the absence of stabilizing ClC-1 current are not fully understood. Our goal was to identify currents that trigger spontaneous firing of muscle in the setting of reduced ClC-1 current. Methods: In vitro intracellular current clamp and voltage clamp recordings were performed in muscle from a mouse model of myotonia congenita. Results: Intracellular recordings revealed a slow after-depolarization (AfD) that triggers myotonic action potentials. The after depolarization is well-explained by a tetrododoxin-sensitive and voltage-dependent Na+ persistent inward current (NaPIC). Notably, this NaPIC undergoes slow inactivation over seconds, suggesting this may contribute to the end of myotonic runs. Highlighting the significance of this mechanism, we found that ranolazine and elevated serum divalent cations eliminate myotonia by inhibiting AfD and NaPIC. Interpretation: This work significantly changes our understanding of the mechanisms triggering myotonia. Our work suggests that the current focus of treating myotonia, blocking the transient Na+ current underlying action potentials, is an inefficient approach. We show that inhibiting NaPIC is paralleled by elimination of myotonia. We suggest the ideal myotonia therapy would selectively block NaPIC and spare the transient Na+ current. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Effects of Fatigue From Overnight Shifts on Radiology Search Patterns and Diagnostic Performance

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to assess the effect of overnight shifts (ONS) on radiologist fatigue, visual search pattern, and diagnostic performance. Methods This experimental study was approved by the institutional review board. Twelve radiologists (five faculty members and seven residents) each completed two sessions: one during a normal workday ("not fatigued") and another in the morning after an ONS ("fatigued"). Each radiologist completed the Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory. During each session, radiologists viewed 20 bone radiographs consisting of normal and abnormal findings. Viewing time, diagnostic confidence, and eye-tracking data were recorded. Results Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory results demonstrated worsening in all five variables (lack of energy, physical exertion, physical discomfort, lack of motivation, and sleepiness) after ONS ( P P P P P P P Conclusions After ONS, radiologists were more fatigued with worse diagnostic performance, a 45% increase in view time per case, a 60% increase in total gaze fixations, and a 34% increase in time to fixate on the fracture. The effects of fatigue were more pronounced in residents.
Transforming Growth Factor α: Expression and Biological Activities of the Secreted and Integral Membrane Forms

Transforming growth factor α (TGFα) is a potent polypeptide mitogen that was first identified in the culture fluids of retroviral (1) and chemically transformed (2) cells. Originally referred to as “sarcoma growth factor,” it was eventually renamed in light of its ability to promote a phenotypic transformation of normal fibroblasts in culture (3). The designation “α” distinguishes this molecule from TGFβ, a completely unrelated polypeptide that cooperates to enhance the TGFα-induced, anchorage-independent growth of normal fibroblasts in a soft agar assay (4).
Can the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Shoulder and Elbow Score Be Reliably Administered Over the Phone? A Randomized Study:

Background:The Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic (KJOC) shoulder and elbow outcome score is a functional assessment tool for the upper extremity of the overhead athlete, which is currently validated f...
Putting it all together: Geophysical data integration

Abstract The integration of information from multiple geophysical and other prospection surveys of archaeological sites and regions leads to a richer and more complete understanding of subsurface content, structure, and physical relationships. Such fusions of information occur within a single geophysical data set or between two or more geophysical and other prospection sources in one, two, or three dimensions. An absolute requirement is the accurate coregistration of all information to the same coordinate space. Data integrations occur at two levels. At the feature level, discrete objects that denote archaeological features are defined, usually subjectively, through the manual digitization of features interpreted in the data, although there is growing interest in automated feature identification and extraction. At the pixel level, distributional issues of skewness and outliers, high levels of noise that obfuscate targets of interest, and a lack of correlation between largely independent dimensions must be confronted. Nevertheless, successful fusions occur using computer graphic methods, simple arithmetic combinations, and advanced multivariate methods, including principal components analysis and supervised and unsupervised classifications. Four case studies are presented that illustrate some of these approaches and offer advancement into new domains.
A generalization of the rees theorem to a class of regular semigroups

Let S be a regular semigroup for which Green's relations J and D coincide, and which is max-principal in the sense that every element of S is contained in maximal principal right, left and two-sided ideals of S. A construction is given of a max-principal regular semigroup W with J=D, which is also principally separated in the sense that distinct maximal principal right (or left) ideals of S are disjoint, and an epimorphism ψ: W→S that preserves maximality of principal left, right, and two sided ideals, and is in a sense locally one-to-one. If S is completely simple, this construction reduces to the Rees matrix representation of S.
Removal of Organic Acids during Monoethylene Glycol Distillation and Reclamation To Minimize Long-Term Accumulation

Monoethylene glycol (MEG) is often used in offshore multiphase hydrocarbon transportation pipelines to prevent the formation of natural gas hydrates. Post hydrate inhibition, MEG is separated along...
Stoichiometry and daily rhythms: experimental evidence shows nutrient limitation decouples N uptake from photosynthesis

Diel variability in nutrient concentrations is common but not universal in aquatic ecosystems. Theoretical models of photoautotrophic systems attribute the absence of diel uptake variation to nutrient scarcity, such that diel variability in nutrient uptake disappears as nutrients become limiting. We tested this prediction in a mesocosm experiment, by exposing benthic algal communities to a range of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus concentrations and recording the rates of uptake during both day and night. We found that higher concentrations of N produced diel variability in uptake and that the difference between the day and night total mass uptakes approximately equaled N demand for observed primary production as seen in other studies. At lower concentrations of N, uptake rates during the day and night were indistinguishable. These results are the first empirical evidence to imply that diel nitrate patterns in streams and rivers indicate a release from N limitation and offer a new way to assess nutrient limitation.
Error-Free Calculation of Total Referred Noises in Electronic Circuits

Noise of Electronic devices can be accurately modelled if noise transformations are not oversimplified to incorporate errors. The absence of manual techniques to calculate network noises accurately have contributed to such oversimplifications. Calculation of network noises using three universal rules are presented in this paper. Network noises are then transferred to input and output of the network as voltages or currents to represent the total referred noises of the network. The noise of four amplifiers are derived in this paper and are compared with results generated by a simulator to verify the accuracy of the proposed manual technique.
Development, acceptability, appropriateness and appeal of a cancer clinical trials implementation intervention for rural- and minority-serving urology practices

Few community urologists offer cancer patients the opportunity to participate in cancer clinical trials, despite national guidelines that recommend it, depriving an estimated 260,000 urological cancer patients of guideline-concordant care each year. Existing strategies to increase urologists’ offer of clinical trials are designed for resource-rich environments and are not feasible for many community urologists. We sought to design an implementation intervention for dissemination in under-resourced community urology practices and to compare its acceptability, appropriateness and adoption appeal among trial-naive and trial-experienced urologists. We used a design-for-dissemination approach, informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework and Behavior Change Wheel, to match determinants of the clinical trial offer to theoretically informed implementation strategies. We described the implementation intervention in evaluation workshops offered at urology professional society meetings. We surveyed participants to assess the implementation intervention’s acceptability and appropriateness using validated instruments. We also measured adoption appeal, intention to adopt and previous trial offer. Our design process resulted in a multi-modal implementation intervention, comprised of multiple implementation strategies designed to address six domains from the Theoretical Domains Framework. Evaluation workshops delivered at four meetings, convened five separate professional societies. Sixty-one percent of those offered an opportunity to participate in the implementation intervention indicated intention to adopt. Average implementation intervention acceptability and appropriateness ratings were 4.4 and 4.4 (out of 5), respectively. Acceptability scores were statistically significantly higher among those offering trials compared to those not (p = 0.03). Appropriateness scores did not differ between those offering trials and those not (p = 0.24). After urologists ranked their top three innovation attributes, 43% of urologists included practice reputation in their top three reasons for offering clinical trials; 30% listed practice differentiation among their top three reasons. No statistically significant differences were found between those who offered trials and those who did not among any of the innovation attributes. LEARN|INFORM|RECRUIT is a promising implementation intervention to address low accrual to clinical trials, poised for implementation and effectiveness testing. The implementation intervention is appealing to its target audience and may have equal uptake among trial-naive and trial-experienced practices.
Detecting Malware Evolution Using Support Vector Machines

Abstract Malware families typically evolve over a period of time. Differences between malware samples within a single family can originate from various code modifications designed to evade detection, or changes that are made to alter the functionality of the malware itself. Thus, malware samples from the same family from different time periods can exhibit significantly different behavior. In this research, we apply feature ranking—based on linear support vector machine (SVM) weights—to identify changes within malware families. We analyze numerous malware families over extended periods of time. Our goal is to demonstrate that we can detect evolutionary changes within malware families using an automated and quantifiable machine learning based technique.
Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy for Brain Metastases in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Primer for Radiologists

Treatment options for patients who develop brain metastases secondary to non-small-cell lung cancer have rapidly expanded in recent years. As a key adjunct to surgical and radiation therapy options, systemic therapies are now a critical component of the oncologic management of metastatic CNS disease in many patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. The aim of this review article was to provide a guide for radiologists, outlining the role of systemic therapies in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer, with a focus on tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The critical role of the blood-brain barrier in the development of systemic therapies will be described. The final sections of this review will provide an overview of current imaging-based guidelines for therapy response. The utility of the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology criteria will be discussed, with a focus on how to use the response criteria in the assessment of patients treated with systemic and traditional therapies.
Do Pensions Matter for Recruiting State and Local Workers

Many state and local governments have responded to financial challenges facing their pension systems by cutting benefits or by shifting costs to employees. Will these changes make it harder for sta...
How To Prepare Materials With a Desired Refraction Coefficient

2nd International Symposium on Computational Mechanics and 12th International Conference on the Enhancement and Promotion of Computational Methods in Engineering and Science, November 30-December 3 2009, Hong Kong and Macau, China
Corporate Liability Under the U.S. Alien Tort Statute: A Comment on Jesner v. Arab Bank

This comment examines the implications of Jesner v. Arab Bank for corporate liability under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS). Part II looks at corporate liability under customary international law, which was discussed extensively in Justice Kennedy’s plurality opinion and in Justice Sotomayor’s dissent. Part III then discusses Jesner’s limitation of the ATS cause of action to exclude suits against foreign corporations. Part IV turns to Jesner’s implications for suits against US corporations, concluding that such suits face substantial barriers even if they are still technically permitted.
The J-Curve at Industry Level: Evidence from Sweden-U.S. Trade

Previous research that investigated the impact of real depreciation of kronor on Swedish trade balance used trade data either between Sweden and the rest of the world or between Sweden and each of her trading partners. Not much support was provided for a significant effect, especially in the case of Swedish-U.S. trade. In this paper we consider the trade flows between Sweden and the U.S. one more time and try to disaggregate the data by industry. We consider the trade balance of each of the 87 industries that trade between the two countries and investigate the short-run and the long-run effects of real depreciation of kronor on each industry's trade balance. While we find short-run significant effects in the majority of the industries, the short-run effects last into the long-run favorable effects only in 23 of 87 industries.
Pragmatism as Problem Solving

At the level of sociological practice a three-sided debate occurs in American sociology between the rationalist tradition, in which the goal is the better understanding of society; the emancipatory...
Machine Learning Vulnerability Analysis of FPGA-based Ring Oscillator PUFs and Counter Measures

Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) exploit the manufacturing process variations inherent in silicon-based chips to generate unique secret keys. Although PUFs are supposed to be unclonable or unbr...
Shells of compacted DNA as nanocontainers transporting proteins in multiplexed delivery

Abstract Polyethyleneimine (PEI) polymers are known to compact DNA strands into spheroid, toroid, or rod structures. A formulation with mannose-grafted PEI (PEIm), however, was reported to compact DNA into ~100 nm spheroids that indented like thin-walled pressurized shells. The goal of the study is to understand why mannose bristles divert the traditional pathway of PEI-DNA compaction to produce shell-like structures, and to manipulate the process so that proteins can be packed into the core of the assembling shells for co-delivering DNA and proteins into cells. DLS, AFM, and TEM imaging provide a consistent picture that BSA proteins can be packed into the shells without altering the shell architecture, as long as the proteins were added during the time course of shell assembly. Force spectroscopy studies reveal that DNA shells that buckle also have a rich surface-coating of mannose, indicating that a micelle-like partitioning of hydrophobic and hydrophilic layers governs shell assembly. When HEK293T cells are spiked with BSA-laden DNA shells, co-transfection of DNA and BSA is observed at higher levels than control formulations. Distinct micron-sized features appear having both green fluorescence from BSA-FITC and blue fluorescence from NucBlue DNA stain, suggesting BSA release in nucleus and secretory granules. With DNA nanocontainers, proteins can take advantage of the efficiency of PEI-based DNA transfection for hitchhiking into cells while being shielded from the challenges of the intracellular route. DNA nanocontainers are rapid to assemble, not dependent on the DNA sequence, and can be adapted for different protein types; thereby having potential to serve as a high-throughput platform in scenarios where DNA and protein have to be released at the same site and time within cells (e.g., theranostics, multiplexed co-delivery, gene editing).
Two new species of Otoba (Myristicaceae) from Colombia.

Otoba is the third largest genus of Myristicaceae in the Neotropics with 12 species, nine of them native to Colombia. Two new species from the department of Antioquia, O. scottmoriisp. nov. and O. squamosasp. nov., are described and illustrated. Otoba scottmorii occurs in humid, lowland forests, while O. squamosa occurs in premontane forest. Previously, Otoba scottmorii was confused with O. acuminata (which here is considered restricted to Costa Rica and Panama), while O. squamosa was confused with O. gordoniifolia. The similarities and differences between these and other species are discussed.
Gonzaga's Ghosts

Pursuant to its sweeping Spending Power, Congress will spend several hundreds of billions of dollars funding federal-state spending programs this year, which states must utilize in accordance with Congress’s specification—not unlike a “contract” according to the Supreme Court. But what if a state does not toe the line Congress drew, i.e. the State breaches its promise? The Supreme Court opened a door in Maine v. Thiboutot, the genesis of the personal rights doctrine, to allow beneficiaries to use 42 U.S.C. § 1983 to challenge state officials’ violation of spending legislation. But, almost from the doctrine’s inception, the Court has stressed § 1983 enforceability is the exception—not the rule. Gonzaga University v. Doe’s stringent test and hostile tone poses a substantial obstacle to personal rights. In Gonzaga’s immediate aftermath, legal scholarship addressed its scope and ambiguity. This article offers an original comprehensive analysis of how the federal courts of appeals have dealt with Gonzaga in the ensuing sixteen years. By providing a novel synthesis of these cases, this article uncovers the confusion Gonzaga has spawned both in and among the circuits with almost every circuit exhibiting multiple approaches. Moreover, most circuit decisions deny Gonzaga its sea-change status, by continuing to recite and often apply the Blessing factors, which Gonzaga repudiated. Several problems stem from this doctrinal confusion. Most obvious, a vertical and horizontal stare decisis problem exists, yielding unpredictability, inequity, and inefficiency. Another uncertainty is the validity of the Court’s few cases allowing § 1983 enforcement, which Gonzaga both discounted and approved; Gonzaga’s progeny has only deepened this question. Finally, how far the Court is willing to take the contract analogy is unclear. Although the Court relies on it to deny § 1983 relief, the enforcement gap that results from the rarity and undesirability of agency funding cut-offs—the only means left for challenging state noncompliance—reveals a “contract” formation problem because the state has only made an “illusory promise.” In addition, there is momentum among the justices for barring beneficiaries’ § 1983 claims in total based solely on their third-party status under contract law. In sum, Gonzaga’s ghosts of confusion regarding: the governing standard, the health of prior cases, the validity of the contract analogy, and the relevance of contract law haunt the personal rights doctrine.
Temperature loggers capture intraregional variation of inundation timing for intermittent ponds

Hydroperiod, or the amount of time a lentic waterbody contains water, shapes communities of aquatic organisms. Precise measurement of hydroperiod features such as inundation timing and duration can...
A History of Christian Conversion and Other Conversion Models: a Review Essay

The review essay starts out with an overview and brief evaluation of A History of Christian Conversion by David W. Kling. It then focuses on a few examples of conversion narratives depicted in this volume and examines these conversion stories in light of contributing factors discussed by Kling as well as in the author’s own model, also touching on Lewis R. Rambo’s work. The essay concludes with a few general thoughts on how Kling’s work could be extended.
Quantum mechanical double slit for molecular scattering.

Interference observed in a double-slit experiment most conclusively demonstrates the wave properties of particles. We construct a quantum mechanical double-slit interferometer by rovibrationally ex...
Privatisation, Enterprise Development and Economic Reform: Experiences of Developing and Transitional Economies

Part 1 Introduction: privatization, enterprise development and economic reform experiences of developing and transitional economies, Paul Cook et al. Part 2 Enterprise reform and private sector development - theory, policy and experience: the dual risks of market exchange and the transition process, Mo Yamin transnational corporations as agents for the transmission of business culture to host countries, Hafiz Mirza the response of Ghana's manufacturing sector to structural adjustment, Isaac Acheampong and Michael Tribe private investment, bank credit and structural adjustment in Ghana, Martin Brownbridge open economy adjustment and transition in Vietnam, John Weeks financial and legal reform and enterprise restructuring - evidence from Poland, John S. Henley enterprise restructuring in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the former Soviet Union - the role of technical assistance, George B. Assaf joint ventures in China and their relation to the local economy, Le-Yin Zhang and John T. Thoburn foreign trade reform and China's state export-import enterprises, Alasdair I. MacBean. Part 3 Small and medium enterprise development: small-firm formation in transitional economies - a case study of Egypt, Amr A. Elleithy and Fred Nixson dynamics of small enterprise development - state versus market in the Asian newly industrializing economies, Philippe Regnier social and cultural influences on the growth of small firms, S.A. Hussain. Part 4 Social impact of enterprise restructuring: privatization, employment and social protection, Paul Cook and Colin Kirkpatrick the effect on labour of the restructuring of coal production, Jonathan Winterton and Ruth Winterton coal in Vorkuta - subsidies and the social safety net, Paul G. Hare.
The Salient-Features Coding Principle for Spatial-and Symbolic-Compatibility Effects

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the salient-features coding principle for spatial and symbolic-compatibility effects. Stimulus-response (S-R) compatibility effects typically are attributed to a stage of human-information processing that is referred to as S-R translation, response selection, or decision. The primary function of this stage is to translate between the codes that are used to represent the stimulus and response sets. Situations for which S-R translation is minimal are regarded as compatible, whereas situations for which it is not are regarded as incompatible. With spatial-location stimuli, S-R compatibility is a function of the extent to which the assignment of stimulus locations to response locations maintains a direct relation. Spatial coding also is apparent when symbolic stimuli are assigned to left and right response locations, but the stimuli occur in either of two locations that are irrelevant for determining the correct response. It is observed that as for the compatibility effect that occurs with a normal hand placement in two-choice tasks, the relation between stimulus locations and response locations is confounded with the relation between stimulus locations and fingers when only the adjacent-hand placement is used.
Approach to Colon Pathologies

This chapter begins with a review of colonic anatomy and embryology followed by a discussion of CT protocols used for evaluating the colon. Differential diagnostic considerations are presented for colonic wall thickening, colonic masses, and colonic dilatation. Causes of colonic wall thickening are described including inflammatory bowel disease, infectious colitis, colopathy secondary of portal hypertension, typhlitis, diverticulitis, ischemic colitis, radiation colitis, graft versus host disease, and trauma with key imaging features provided for each entity. Imaging findings of colonic masses including adenocarcinoma, lymphoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, and lipoma are reviewed. Causes of colonic dilatation including obstruction, ileus, volvulus, Hirschsprung’s disease, and toxic megacolon are discussed along with key imaging features for each entity. The chapter concludes with a discussion of colonic vascular abnormalities including angiodysplasia and hemangioma.
Effects of rice bran oil deodorizer distillate on plasma cholesterol levels in rats (829.23)

Rice bran oil deodorizer distillate (RBODD) is a byproduct in the refinement of rice oil. RBODD has received great interest as a potential health-promoting product because it is a rich source of tocopherols and tocotrienols. Hypercholesterolemia is one of the major risk factors for coronary heart disease. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of RBODD on plasma cholesterol concentrations in Sprague Dawley rats. Thirty three 6 week old rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal fat control (NFC), high fat control (HFC) and high fat diet plus RBODD treatment (RBO). 45 mg of RBODD was orally administered daily for 3 weeks into each treatment rat using 5% of Tween-80 as a vehicle. The rats in the control groups were received Tween-80 alone in the same manner. At the end of the feeding period, blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture for lipid analysis. RBO group had significantly lower plasma triglyceride compared with HFC group (p<0.05). RBODD treatment did not show chan...
A smoothed particle hydrodynamics model for reactive transport and mineral precipitation in porous and fractured porous media

[1] A numerical model based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) was used to simulate reactive transport and mineral precipitation in porous and fractured porous media. The stability and numerical accuracy of the SPH-based model was verified by comparing its results with analytical results and finite element numerical solutions. The numerical stability of the model was also verified by performing simulations with different time steps and different number of particles (different resolutions). The model was used to study the effects of the Damkohler and Peclet numbers and pore-scale heterogeneity on reactive transport and the character of mineral precipitation and to estimate effective reaction coefficients and mass transfer coefficients. Depending on the combination of Damkohler and Peclet numbers the precipitation may be uniform throughout the porous domain or concentrated mainly at the boundaries where the solute is injected and along preferential flow paths. The effective reaction rate coefficient and mass transfer coefficient exhibited hysteretic behavior during the precipitation process as a result of changing pore geometry and solute distribution. The changes in porosity and fluid fluxes resulting from mineral precipitation were also investigated. It was found that the reduction in the fluid flux increases with increasing Damkohler number for any particular reduction in the porosity. The simulation results show that the SPH, Lagrangian particle method is an effective tool for studying pore-scale flow and transport. The particle nature of SPH models allows complex physical processes such as diffusion, reaction, and mineral precipitation to be modeled with relative ease.
The effect of dietary sulfur on performance, mineral status, rumen hydrogen sulfide, and rumen microbial populations in yearling beef steers

Sulfur (S) is a requisite part of the ruminant diet, but may sometimes be present in excess, leading to decreased animal performance and illness. In this experiment, 96 crossbred yearling steers (321 ± 29 kg BW) were used to determine the effects of dietary S concentration of a supplement fed to cattle on pasture and of the total diet in the finishing period. Steers were blocked by weight and allocated to smooth bromegrass-based pastures and supplemented with either a low S dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS; 0.3% total dietary S; LS; n = 4 plots) or LS DDGS with additional S (0.45% total dietary S; HS; n = 4 plots). After 36 d on pasture, steers moved to the feedlot where half remained on the previous S treatment while half switched treatments, resulting in 4 treatments (LS-LS; LS-HS; HS-LS; and HS-HS; n = 6 feedlot pens). Steers were transitioned to the final finishing diet using a series of step up diets. Once fully transitioned, steers were receiving either 0.3% dietary S (LS) or 0.6% dietary S (HS). Plasma and liver mineral concentrations of half of the steers were determined at beginning of the trial (d 0), the end of the pasture period (d 35), and near the end of study (d 155). Plasma Mg was decreased (P = 0.05) in response to increased dietary S during the pasture period, however steers were not deficient. Copper concentrations in the plasma and liver were decreased (P < 0.05) in steers which had received increased dietary S when measured at the end of study (d 155). Average daily gain of steers did not differ (P = 0.50) between LS and HS during the pasture period, but was lower (P = 0.01) in HS vs. LS steers during the finishing period. Decreased gains translated to a tendency (P = 0.06) for hot carcass weight to be decreased in HS steers vs. LS steers. Fatty acid analysis of longissimus dorsi showed increased stearic and heptadecanoic acid (P = 0.04 and 0.01, respectively) in steers receiving increased dietary S. Cattle exposed to higher S diets during the pasture period did not show differences (P = 0.40) in performance based on the previous pasture treatment. However, cattle fed high dietary S on pasture had greater carcass fat cover (P = 0.01), suggesting S may have influenced lipid metabolism. Rumen H2S concentration was determined 6 hr post-feeding at multiple time points throughout transition and finishing (d 36, 45, 52, 59, 66, 91,125, and 155). Concentrations of rumen H2S did not differ while cattle were consuming a high forage diet (1733 and 1400 ppm for HS and LS, respectively; P = 0.54). During the feedlot period, rumen H2S concentration
Gingival Kaposi's sarcoma and periodontitis: A case report and suggested treatment approach to the combined lesions

Kaposi's sarcoma is frequently observed in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and the mouth is a common site for these lesions. Gingival Kaposi's sarcoma lesions can often be exacerbated by coexisting periodontal disease. To obtain the best treatment results, it is important to recognize and treat the gingival Kaposi's sarcoma lesion and the associated periodontitis concomitantly. In this report we describe a case of oral Kaposi's sarcoma in which gingival debridement, root planning and scaling, and monitored oral hygiene were used in conjunction with intralesional and systemic chemotherapy. These combined therapies significantly reduced the size of the lesions and dramatically improved the symptoms.
Clicking Your Way to the Polls: The Internet and Political Participation 1996-2008

This paper explores the connection between Internet access as well as Internet campaign news to political participation, namely voting and campaign activities. Using NES cross-sectional data from 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008, the paper finds that both Internet access and Internet campaign news are statistically related to higher levels of political participation largely confirming and extending the findings of Tolbert and McNeal (2003). However, I also find that the relationship between Internet campaign news and political participation is conditioned by political interest. Internet use is only positively related to turnout for those who say they have lower political interest.
OPSMODEL, an or-orbit operations simulation modeling tool for Space Station

The 'OPSMODEL' operations-analysis and planning tool simulates on-orbit crew operations for the NASA Space Station, furnishing a quantitative measure of the effectiveness of crew activities in various alternative Station configurations while supporting engineering and cost analyses. OPSMODEL is entirely data-driven; the top-down modeling structure of the software allows the user to control both the content and the complexity level of model definition during data base population. Illustrative simulation samples are given.
Adaptation of children with spinal muscolar atrophy type 1 and 2 to non invasive ventilatory support

Spinal Muscolar Atrophy (SMA), the most common fatal inherited disease in infants. The impaired respiratory function is the main cause of the high mortality. Non Invasive Ventilation (NIV) has reduced morbidity and mortality due to respiratory insufficiency and has a favourable impact on respiratory infectious complications. Aim: Evaluation of the necessary time and mode to achieve adaptation to this tool in SMA patients (pts) free from acute respiratory insufficiency. We prospectively studied 28 consecutive SMA type 1 pts (11 pts) and 2 (17 pts), who were enrolled in a standardized clinical protocol of adaptation to NIV. Mean age was 19±23 months, M/F 10/18. NIV was delivered via a nasal mask in 23 pts, nasal progs in 4 pts, full face mask in one, with Pressure Support Ventilation (PSV) mode (25 pts) and Assisted Controlled Pressure Ventilation (ACPV) mode (3 pts). Mean IPAP was 12±2.7 cm H 2 O, mean EPAP 3.9±0.74 cm H 2 O. Success was defined as the necessary time to accustom the SMA pts free from acute respiratory insufficiency to NIV and the mode to achieve acceptability of this tool. According to this definition, all pts (100%) were considered as successfully ventilated, as all of them tolerated NIV with a mean adaptation time of 8±2 days. No major complications were observed. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that NIV is well tolerated in SMA children and, probably, the high rate of success was obtained thanks to a standardized protocol of NIV initiation/administration, the proper parents education, a strict follow-up, the lack of major complications. With these assumptions, success can be expected in a high rate of pts before the onset of respiratory insufficiency.
On the existence of isotropic forms of semi-simple algebraic groups over number fields with prescribed local behavior

This note is a follow-up on the paper [A. Borel, G. Harder, Existence of discrete cocompact subgroups of reductive groups over local fields, J. Reine Angew. Math. 298 (1978) 53?64] of A. Borel and G. Harder in which they proved the existence of a cocompact lattice in the group of rational points of a connected semi-simple algebraic group over a local field of characteristic zero by constructing an appropriate form of the semi-simple group over a number field and considering a suitable S-arithmetic subgroup. Some years ago A. Lubotzky initiated a program to study the subgroup growth of arithmetic subgroups, the current stage of which focuses on ?counting? (more precisely, determining the asymptotics of) the number of lattices of bounded covolume (the finiteness of this number was established in [A. Borel, G. Prasad, Finiteness theorems for discrete subgroups of bounded covolume in semi-simple groups, Publ. Math. Inst. Hautes Etudes Sci. 69 (1989) 119?171; Addendum: Publ. Math. Inst. Hautes Etudes Sci. 71 (1990) 173?177] using the formula for the covolume developed in [G. Prasad, Volumes of S-arithmetic quotients of semi-simple groups, Publ. Math. Inst. Hautes Etudes Sci. 69 (1989) 91?117]). Work on this program led M. Belolipetsky and A. Lubotzky to ask questions about the existence of isotropic forms of semi-simple groups over number fields with prescribed local behavior. In this paper we will answer these questions. A question of similar nature also arose in the work [D. Morris, Real representations of semisimple Lie algebras have -forms, in: Proc. Internat. Conf. on Algebraic Groups and Arithmetic, December 17?22, 2001, TIFR, Mumbai, 2001, pp. 469?490] of D. Morris (Witte) on a completely different topic. We will answer that question too.
Terror myths and scenes of violence: A visual essay

This essay brings attention to the representation of terror, to highlight the visual engagement with terror discourses. By looking at a spectrum of images that evoke revolutionary politics, the Gulf War, 9/11 and 26/11 (the Mumbai attack), and an Anti-Terrorist Squad interrogation, this essay focuses on a colonial chromolithograph, submissions to an amateur cartoon contest, sand sculptures, and an illustration of torture testimony in India. These disparate visual scenes offer juxtapositions and readings of terror that cannot be easily categorized as either universal or local discourses, and history or myth.
PARSSSE: AN ADAPTIVE PARALLEL STATE SPACE SEARCH ENGINE

State space search problems abound in the artificial intelligence, planning and optimization literature. Solving such problems is generally NP-hard, so that a brute-force approach to state space search must be employed. Given the exponential amount of work that state space search problems entail, it is desirable to solve them on large parallel machines with significant computational power. In this paper, we analyze the parallel performance of several classes of state space search applications. In particular, we focus on the issues of grain size, the prioritized execution of tasks and the balancing of load among processors in the system. We demonstrate the corresponding techniques that are used to scale such applications to large scale. Moreover, we tackle the problem of programmer productivity by incorporating these techniques into a general search engine framework designed to solve a broad class of state space search problems. We demonstrate the efficiency and scalability of our design using three example applications, and present scaling results up to 32,768 processors.
Control of magnetic properties during the processing of single crystal garnet films

Thin single-crystal rare earth iron garnet films are currently the most attractive materials for magnetic bubble domain applications. To utilize their potential, tight control of the magnetic properties is needed at each of the film processing steps. Such steps include the growth of large-area films from a supersaturated PbO-B2O3, fluxed melt, the phosphoric acid trimming of as-grown films to adjust the bubble collapse field, ion implantation of the film surface to suppress the formation of hard bubbles and the subsequent annealing the implanted layer receives during the thermal cycling of the device fabrication steps. Control of film properties at each of these stages will be discussed and data presented to show how each of these stages may be optimized.
FM signals produce robust paradoxical latency shifts in the bat's inferior colliculus.

Previous studies in echolocating bats, Myotis lucifugus, showed that paradoxical latency shift (PLS) is essential for neural computation of target range and that a number of neurons in the inferior colliculus (IC) exhibit unit-specific PLS (characterized by longer first-spike latency at higher sound levels) in response to tone pulses at the unit’s best frequency. The present study investigated whether or not frequency-modulated (FM) pulses that mimic the bat’s echolocation sonar signals were equally effective in eliciting PLS. For two-thirds of PLS neurons in the IC, both FM and tone pulses could elicit PLS, but only FM pulses consistently produced unit-specific PLS. For the remainder of PLS neurons, only FM pulses effectively elicited PLS; these cells showed either no PLS or no response, to tone pulses. PLS neurons generally showed more pronounced PLS in response to narrow-band FM (each sweeping 20 kHz in 2 ms) pulse that contained the unit’s best frequency. In addition, almost all PLS neurons showed duration-independent PLS to FM pulses, but the same units exhibited duration-dependent PLS to tone pulses. Taken together, when compared to tone pulses, FM stimuli can provide more reliable estimates of target range.
Art directed rendering & shading using control images

In this work, we present a simple mathematical approach to art directed shader development. We have tested this approach over two semesters in an introductory level graduate rendering & shading class at Texas A&M University. The students in the class each chose an artist's style to mimic, and then easily created rendered images strongly resembling that style (see Figures 1). The method provides shader developers an intuitive process, giving them a high level of visual control in the creation of stylized depictions.
The Social Construction of Co-Dependency in the Treatment of Substance Abuse

Co-dependency has become an important concept in the treatment of substance abuse, yet there is still disagreement about what it means. The meaning of co-dependency is important because it shapes public perceptions of helping behavior and affects the treatment that persons with addictions receive. However, some observers have criticized co-dependency, arguing that the concept is gender-biased, denigrates women, and blames innocent victims of substance abuse. This investigation examined the social construction of co-dependency in the treatment of substance abuse by asking substance-abuse counselors three questions: (a) what do they mean by co-dependency, (b) to what extent does co-dependency mean women, and (c) to what extent do they agree. The findings suggest that co-dependency is a reliable social construction that substance-abuse counselors use to describe persons of both genders.
Case Report: Endurance Electrical Stimulation Training Improves Skeletal Muscle Oxidative Capacity in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract Objective To describe the use of a novel neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) endurance exercise protocol and its effects on skeletal muscle oxidative capacity. Design Case report, pre/post intervention. Setting University-based trial. Participant A 39-year-old man who suffered a motor complete spinal cord injury (C5-6, ASIA Impairment Scale grade A). Intervention Twenty-four weeks of endurance NMES that consisted of progressive increases in the twitch frequency, duration of sessions, and sessions per week. Main Outcome Measure Mitochondrial capacity was measured, in vivo, as the rate of recovery of muscle oxygen consumption using near-infrared spectroscopy. Results The rate of recovery of muscle oxygen consumption increased approximately 3-fold from 0.52 to 1.43, 1.46, and 1.40/min measured on 3 separate occasions during week 12 of training, and 1.57/min after 24 weeks of NMES endurance training. Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that NMES endurance training using twitches can increase mitochondrial capacity to comparable levels measured in nonparalyzed muscles of sedentary able-bodied controls.
Cell death in development: signaling pathways and core mechanisms

Programmed cell death eliminates unneeded and dangerous cells in a timely and effective manner during development. In this review, we examine the role cell death plays during development in worms, flies and mammals. We discuss signaling pathways that regulate developmental cell death, and describe how they communicate with the core cell death pathways. In most organisms, the majority of developmental cell death is seen in the nervous system. Therefore we focus on what is known about the regulation of developmental cell death in this tissue. Understanding how the cell death is regulated during development may provide insight into how this process can be manipulated in the treatment of disease.