cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Management of Lateral Frontal Sinus Pathology in the Endoscopic Era

ObjectivesConsiderable advances in endoscopic technique and experience have allowed an increasing number of patients with complex frontal sinus disease to be treated with endoscopic surgery. The objective of the current study was to evaluate management strategies and outcomes regarding treatment of lateral frontal sinus disease.Study DesignProspective case series.SettingAcademic tertiary medical center.Subjects and MethodsProspectively collected data concerning frontal sinus pathology located lateral to the plane of the lamina papyracea (lateral disease) were reviewed. Data were collected regarding demographics, etiology, surgical technique, revision rate, anatomic considerations, and clinical follow-up. Only patients with at least 24 weeks of clinical follow-up and pathology who required removal and dissection in this region were included in the study.ResultsOver 5 years, 156 patients (mean age, 47.9 years; range, 14-84 years) with 183 lateral frontal sinus pathologies and an average clinical follow up o...
Persistence in soil and on foliage of the nucleopolyhedrosis virus of the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae)

Six plots of pine trees harboring high densities of N. sertifer larvae were sprayed with the nucleopolyhedrosis virus (NPV) of this species. Half of these plots were resprayed in the second year of the study. Polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIB) were recovered in all plots from soil and foliage sampled at fixed time intervals within a 21-month period from the initial date of spraying. The concentration of PIB from both soil and foliage samples in the second year were generally lower in plots treated once than in those treated twice. NPV-induced larval mortality in plots sprayed once was 100% in the first season and 8% in the second. Laboratory bioassays of soil samples at intervals within the 21-month period resulted in 11 to 80% NPV-induced larval mortality. This study suggests that the NPV of N. sertifer can persist and retain some activity for at least 21 months under field conditions.
Architecting parallel programs

The current shift from sequential to multicore and manycore processors presents serious challenges to software developers. A significant part of the industrial and research communities believes that either a) they can squeak by or b) the right compiler, parallel language etc will save them. Such ad hoc responses are likely to prove neither correct nor sustainable. To systematically find and exploit parallelism, and to achieve forward scalability --- that is, designs which efficiently scale to much larger numbers of cores --- will require re-architecting software applications such as EDA.We believe that the key to re-architecting software is the use of design patterns and a pattern language. Furthermore, structural patterns (aka architectural styles) and computational patterns (aka the thirteen dwarfs) are the key high-level design patterns. The patterns are then used to create programming frameworks that can be used to facilitate implementation of the software architecture.This tutorial presents the most recent research results by UC Berkeley and Intel. We will present our working pattern language and give examples on its use in EDA and other application areas.
Maleated amorphous ethylene propylene compatibilized polyethylene nanocomposites: Room temperature nonlinear creep response

Nonlinear creep of polyethylene and its nanocomposites remains an area of significant interest. Maleated polyethylene is often used as a compatibilizer to ensure enhanced dispersion. This article investigates blown films of linear low-density polyethylene and its nanocomposites with montmorillonite-layered silicate (MLS). An amorphous ethylene propylene copolymer grafted maleic anhydride (amEP) was added to enhance the interaction between the PE and the MLS. Tensile results indicate that the addition of amEP and MLS separately and together produces a synergistic effect on the mechanical properties of the neat PE. Nonlinear creep was analyzed by examining creep and recovery of the films with a Burger model and the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts relation. A consistent decrease in unrecoverable plastic strain was obtained in the nanocomposite samples. A decreased retardation time associated with MLS presence was determined. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:1620–1632, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers
Direct measurement of strain in a Ge island on Si(001)

We report on a direct measurement of the strain in a single Ge “quantum dot” island grown on Si by chemical vapor deposition. This transmission electron microscopy method is reliable: without the need for detailed modeling of the strain field, it measures the maximum in-plane displacement. Good agreement is found between the experimental value of 0.86±0.17% average strain and finite element simulations assuming pure Ge. Thus no evidence of significant alloying with Si is observed.
Light trapping in plasmonic nanocavities on metal surfaces

In this article we present a fabrication method for producing 15 nm wide 45 nm deep nanogrooves on the metal surface that provide for efficient light trapping. These grooves form a subwavelength grating that allows p-polarized light to efficiently cople to the surface plasmon polaritons modes inside the grooves producing complete absorption. A test-of-concept device showing 16 times increase in absorption compared to the plain metal is presented. The authors also present an alternative fabrication method for producing higher quality devices with sub-10 nm wide grooves.
Increased plasma interleukin-1 activity in women after ovulation

The polypeptide interleukin-1 mediates many host responses to infection and inflammation. A method was developed for studying interleukin-1 levels in human plasma from febrile patients. Interleukin-1 activity was also consistently found in plasma samples from women in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle. This activity was neutralized by a specific antiserum to human interleukin-1 and was low in plasma from healthy men and preovulatory women. Thus interleukin-1 appears to have a role in normal physiological conditions as well as in disease states.
Flow and heat transfer in the boundary layer on a continuous moving surface

Abstract A combined analytical and experimental study of the flow and temperature fields in the boundary layer on a continuous moving surface has been carried out. The investigation includes both laminar and turbulent flow conditions. The analytical solutions provide results for the boundary-layer veolcity and temperature distributions and for the surface-friction and heat-transfer coefficients. Measurements of the laminar velocity field are in excellent agreement with the analytical predictions, thereby verifying that a mathematically describable boundary layer on a continuous moving surface is a physically realizable flow. Experimentally determined turbulent velocity profiles are also in very good accord with those of analysis. Similar agreement is found to exist for friction coefficients deduced from the data by application of the Clauser-plot technique. Temperature distribution measurements, carried out for the turbulent boundary layer, show satisfactory correspondence with analysis.
Soybean germplasm resistant to races 3, 5, or 14 of soybean cyst nematode

Soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., accessions added to the U.S. soybean germplasm collection since 1980 were evaluated for reaction to Races 3, 5, and 14 of the soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines Ichinohe. Accessions were evaluated in the greenhouse by inoculation with approximately 1000 H. glycines eggs and enumeration of females developing on roots 35 d after planting. Nineteen accessions were resistant to Race 3, 11 accessions were resistant to Race 5, and two accessions were resistant to Race 14. The PI 467312 was resistant to all three races. These resistant accessions may contain news genes for resistance to this nematode
The release of H3-dopamine from cat brain following electrical stimulation of the substantia nigra and caudate nucleus ☆

After the intraventricular injection of H3-dopamine, the cerebroventricular system of cats with spinal sections was perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Electrical stimulation of the caudate nucleus increased the perfusate concentration of H3-dopamine, but not of H3-3-methoxytyramine. After the intraventricular injection of C14-urea, similar stimulation did not increase the efflux of this substance. When the substantia nigra pars compacta was stimulated the efflux of both H3-dopamine and H3-3-methoxytyramine was increased ; the amount of H3-dopamine released was dependent upon the intensity and frequency of the stimuli.
Electronic spectroscopy of biphenylene inside helium nanodroplets.

We have recorded the S 1 ← S 0 electronic spectra of Biphenylene and its Ar and O 2 van der Waals complexes inside helium nanodroplets using beam depletion detection. In general, the spectrum is similar to the previously reported high-resolution REMPI spectrum. The zero phonon lines, however, are split similar to the previously reported tetracene case. The calculated potential energy surface predicts that helium atoms can simultaneously occupy all equivalent global minima positions. Therefore, it appears that the splitting cannot be explained either by different isomers or by tunneling. Furthermore, surprisingly the splitting is retained for the Ar van der Waals complexes (and possibly for the O 2 complex as well). This case suggests that the current models of the origin of zero phonon line splitting and the helium solvation are incomplete.
GEOGRAPHY IN THE NATIONAL RESEARH COUNCIL

(1949). GEOGRAPHY IN THE NATIONAL RESEARH COUNCIL. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 24-28.
Designing an error metric for super-resolution enhanced IR passive ranging

Assessment of image resolution enhancement on range estimation using stereo vision systems provides valuable insight to the design and feasibility of advanced passive ranging systems. Application of such enhancements to stereo analysis for visible-band cameras has shown promising results in the past. These methods need to be extended to the infrared band for a day/night operational capability and, in particular, the performance of uncooled infrared sensors needs to be quantified. Here how resolution enhancement affects the estimation of "stereo disparity", a quantity that directly relates to range, is examined empirically using a low-resolution uncooled staring infrared camera, and the results are analyzed with respect to measured data. Currently available resolution enhancement algorithms such as those based on Maximum A Posteriori (MAP) and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods are utilized. The variance of disparity estimation error is chosen as a metric for performance, and is examined as a function of algorithm parameters, target-to-background differential temperature, image noise, and baseline distance. Based on the metric, an empirical model for performance gain is introduced. Overall, resolution enhancement processing is beneficial to stereo disparity estimation especially when signal-to-noise ratio is high, and when sample-scene phasing impedes the accuracy of estimation.
The effect of beryllium on the growth of human lung fibroblasts

The effect of beryllium on the proliferative capacity of human fetal lung fibroblasts (IMR-90) was investigated. The addition of BeCl/sub 2/ to cultures, at concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 0.50 ..mu..g Be/ml, increased the population doubling time and decreased the maximal growth level in a dose-dependent manner. Upon achieving maximal growth, cultures exposed to beryllium concentrations of 0.05 ..mu..g/ml and above began to decline in cell number, presumably because of cell death. Studies with /sup 7/BeCl/sub 2/ showed that fibroblasts began to remove beryllium from the growth medium within 24 hr after dosing and continued to accumulate beryllium for 120 hr; after that time, the amount of beryllium per cell appeared to level off. Cells grown in 0.05 ..mu..g Be/ml accumulated 2.5 times more beryllium than cells grown in 0.02 ..mu..g Be/ml. Exposure of fibroblasts to a concentration of 0.005 ..mu..g Be/ml had no detectable effect on the number of population doublings after a single subculture, but reduced the population doublings by 42% after the second subculture. Comparative studies using different beryllium compounds showed that beryllium citrate had a greater inhibitory effect than BeCl/sub 2/, which was,in turn, more inhibitory than BeSO/sub 4/; BeO, even at a concentration of 2.0more » ..mu..g Be/ml, had no effect. The degree to which fibroblast growth is inhibited by a particular beryllium compound may be related to the ease with which the cell can accumulate the beryllium complex present.« less
Insulin binding to mouse adipocytes exposed to clenbuterol and ractopamine in vitro and in vivo

Insulin binding to mouse adipocytes was measured after in vitro (30 min) and in vivo (5 days) exposure to clenbuterol and ractopamine. At 10(-6) M, both agonists decreased insulin binding by 20-30% after a 30 min preincubation at each insulin concentration between 1 and 25 ng/ml. Binding was not decreased if propranolol was present. Scatchard plots suggested that decreased binding was due to a decrease in insulin receptor concentration. Insulin binding was decreased approximately 10% at agonist concentrations as low as 10(-13) M, but binding was not further decreased until concentrations exceeded 10(-9) M. Rate of gain was increased 2-fold by clenbuterol (10 mg/liter of drinking water) and 50% by 500 mg ractopamine/liter, but not by 50 mg ractopamine/liter. Clenbuterol and ractopamine (500 mg/liter) decreased fat pad weight but only clenbuterol increased hind limb muscle mass. Insulin binding following in vivo administration was not influenced by ractopamine at 50 mg/liter, but tended to be increased by clenbuterol and ractopamine at 500 mg/liter. The disparity in results between administering the beta-agonists in vitro or in vivo suggests that counter regulatory factors influenced insulin binding capacity in vivo. Results indicate that ractopamine and clenbuterol can decrease insulin binding to adipocytes but the relevance of this response to decreased fat accretion is not clear.
Impaired osteoclast differentiation in subcutaneous implants of bone particles in osteopetrotic mutants.

Abstract Because of its synchrony and relative homogeneity, the subcutaneous model of the resorption of mineral-containing, devitalized bone particles (BPs) is useful to evaluate the recruitment, differentiation, and activity of bone-resorbing, osteoclastic cells. Bone particles were prepared from normal rats or mice and were implanted in normal and osteopetrotic rats ( ia, tl, op strains) or mice ( mi strain). In addition, particles of microcrystalline hydroxyapatite or polymethylmethacrylate were implanted into tl and op mutants and their unaffected littermates. Non-decalcified histomorphometry of elicited tissues after 12 days revealed significantly less resorption in in each mutant. Enzyme histochemical assays revealed that only normal animals showed tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive cells around the BPs. In agreement with this, only normal animals showed ruffled borders against the BPs. op and tl strains were tested for generation of foreign body giant cells in response to particulate hydroxyapatite or polymethylmethacrylate and no differences were found between mutant and normal animals. These mutants appear to have intact fusion of mononuclear progenitors. These data show impaired recruitment of osteoclasts by BP implants in several rodent strains of osteopetrotic mutants.
Distributed scalar quantizers for subband allocation

Efficient downlink resource allocation (e.g., subbands in OFDMA/LTE) requires channel state information (e.g., subband gains) local to each user be transmitted to the base station (BS). Lossy encoding of the relevant state may result in suboptimal resource allocations by the BS, the performance cost of which may be captured by a suitable distortion measure. This problem is an indirect distributed lossy source coding problem with the function to be computed representing the optimal resource allocation, and the distortion measuring the cost of suboptimal allocations. In this paper we investigate the use of distributed scalar quantizers for lossy encoding of state, where the BS wishes to compute the index of the user with the largest gain on each subband. We prove the superiority of a heterogeneous (across users) quantizer design over the optimal homogeneous quantizer design, even though the source variables are i.i.d.
Recombinant α2(IV)NC1 domain inhibits tumor cell-extracellular matrix interactions, induces cellular senescence, and inhibits tumor growth in vivo

Cellular interaction with the extracellular matrix is thought to be a critical event in controlling angiogenesis and tumor growth. In our previous studies, genetically distinct noncollagenous (NC) domains of type-IV collagen were shown to interact with integrin receptors expressed on the surface of endothelial cells. Moreover, these NC1 domains were shown to inhibit angiogenesis in vivo. Here, we provide evidence that a recombinant form of the α2(IV)NC1 domain of type-IV collagen could bind integrins α1β1 and αvβ3 expressed on melanoma cells and inhibit tumor cell adhesion in a ligand-specific manner. Systemic administration of recombinant α2(IV)NC1 domain potently inhibited M21 melanoma tumor growth within full thickness human skin and exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of tumor growth in nude mice. Interestingly, α2(IV)NC1 domain enhanced cellular senescence in tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, these results suggest that recombinant α2(IV)NC1 domain is not only a potent anti-angiogenic reagent, but it also directly impacts tumor cell behavior. Thus, α2(IV)NC1 domain represents a potent inhibitor of tumor growth by impacting both endothelial and tumor cell compartments.
SU-E-T-896: Effect of PTV Overlap with Chest Wall on Plan Quality of Rapid Arc Lung Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)

Purpose: For peripheral lungSBRT, the PTV often overlaps with chest wall. Clinically, this heterogeneity causes a non‐uniform dose distribution for Rapid Arc (RA) plans, with hot spots in chest wall and under dosage at PTV/lung interfaces. Examining the effect PTV overlap has on plan quality should allow us to predict cases which will be more difficult to plan. More complex planning may be needed for higher risk overlaps.Methods: An anthropomorphic phantom was CT scanned and PTVs were generated in Eclipse treatment planning system to represent varying volumes of overlap of PTV with chest wall: 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70% and 90%. Plans were prescribed 48 Gy in 4 fractions and heterogeneity corrections applied. Plans used five non‐coplanar arcs, all optimized identically. Plan quality was assessed using conformality index (CI100%, CI50%), maximum dose 2cm outside PTV (D2cm), maximum point dose, homogeneity index (HI), and maximum rib dose. Plans with the poorest CI100% and HI were re‐optimized as base dose plans to investigate if more complex planning would result in plan quality similar to smaller overlaps.Results: 0% overlap had the lowest values for all criteria, except D2cm. The HI and maximum dose increased until 50% overlap, and then gradually decreased. The CI100% increased with increasing overlap. No trend was observed for CI50%, D2cm, and maximum rib dose, with values similar for all overlaps. A maximum increase in hot spot in chest wall, and non‐uniform dose distribution was observed between 30%–70% overlap, when PTV densities were most heterogeneous. Re‐optimized base dose plans for 30%–70% reduced CI100% on average by 7.7%, and HI on average by 3.6% Conclusions: PTV overlap with chest wall affects plan conformality and dose uniformity in RA SBRTlung plans. Overlap will reduce plan quality the most when resulting PTV tissue densities are the most heterogeneous.
Bioconversion of Citrus Aroma Compounds by Pichia pastoris

After induction of alcohol oxidase, active Pichia pastoris cells were grown in model alcohol solutions and orange aroma, a by-product rich in potential alcohol substrates for bio-oxidation to aldehydes. Acetaldehyde production efficiency was 60% at 0.1% ethanol, decreasing with increasing ethanol. Acetaldehyde, propanal, and octanal were generated using the Pichia system with orange aroma as substrate. Acetaldehyde concentration doubled during a 24h reaction time at 30°C. In contrast to use of isolated alcohol oxidase, the whole cell system had the advantage of cofactor regeneration and associated enzyme systems, including formaldehyde dehydrogenase. Sensory differences were found in the full strength biomodified aroma. Presented in a paired comparison aroma test, to a trained panel it rated higher for the attributes orange character, freshness, and fruitiness than the unmodified control.
Preparation for Leadership in Personnel Preparation

Public concern about the quality of teacher education has stimulated considerable interest in the quality of programs that prepare doctoral level teacher educators. Programs for the preparation of doctoral level leadership personnel in teacher education are experiencing problems with students, programs, and faculty. Student problems include a reduction in the numbers of students applying for admission and an inadequate level of entering knowledge of the behavioral and social sciences and special education. Program problems relate to the focus and content of the program, procedures for monitoring student progress, and the lack of validated guidelines for quality practice. Faculty problems relate to the age of Institution of Higher Education faculty and to job satisfaction. Solutions to these problems involve strengthening undergraduate and master's level teacher preparation programs; focusing the mission, curriculum, and location of doctoral programs preparing leadership personnel for teacher education; fa...
The optical properties of two‐phase polymer systems: Single scattering in monodisperse, non‐absorbing systems

Two-phase polymer systems have achieved commercial importance due mainly to the improvement in impact strength brought about by the addition of dispersed rubber particles to a normally brittle glassy polymer. Rubber-reinforced polystyrene and ABS plastics are two familiar examples. An important drawback of this class of materials is their lack of transparency, caused by the scattering of light at the interface between the phases. The theory of light scattering by spherical particles indicates that the degree of scattering (turbidity) is a function of the amount of dispersed phase present, its particle size, the ratio of refractive indices of the phases, and the wavelength of light. Quantitative predictions of the effects of the above parameters on the transparency of two-phase systems can be made, providing answers to the questions “How close must the refractive indices be?” and “What size must the dispersed-phase particles be?” for a given level of transparency. Calculations for typical polymer pairs reveal that at a given dispersed-phase level, a maximum in turbidity is obtained roughly in the range of particle sizes thought to be necessary for good impact strength. Also, if the refractive indices are matched at a particular temperature, small particle sizes greatly increase the temperature range over which scattering is minimized.
Conjugacy in Groups of Upper Triangular Matrices

Abstract We show that in the group U n ( F 2 ), a Sylow 2-subgroup of GL n ( F 2 ), there are elements not conjugate to their inverses if n ≥ 13. It follows that there are irreducible characters of this group that are not real-valued, and that a conjecture of Kirillov is not correct as stated. We give a partial explanation of why these group elements do not exist if n ≤ 12, and an example to show that analogous phenomena can occur for odd primes.
Ion beam synthesis of SiC layers in SIMOX material

Abstract 100 keV high-dose carbon implantation into SIMOX layer structures followed by thermal annealing at 1250°C has been used to synthesize buried epitaxial 3CSiC layers, which are electrically insulated from the silicon substrate. The layer structures resulting from implantations at 400 and 600°C are analyzed as a function of dose for the as-implanted and the annealed state using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. The synthesis of Si/SiC/SiO 2 /Si layer systems as well as the formation of layer systems including a few nm thin and thermally stable c-Si intermediate layer between the SiC and the SiO 2 layer is described. It is shown that carbon atoms can be incorporated into the oxide layer with concentrations up to at least 38 at.% and that this carbon is stable against outdiffusion during annealing at 1250°C.
Bilateral radial artery pseudoaneurysms associated with bilateral ulnar artery atresia: A case report

Abstract Pseudoaneurysms of the radial artery are uncommon and most often localized in an area of penetrating vascular trauma or iatrogenic injury. Hypoplasia of the ulnar artery is even more rare. We report a case of bilateral radial artery pseudoaneurysms associated with complete absence of any ulnar contribution to the vascularity of the hand. A patient presented with bilateral tender masses adjacent to the anatomic snuff boxes that interfered with hand function. After confirming that these masses were bilateral radial artery pseudoaneurysms, resection of the pseudoaneurysms and microscopic reconstruction of the arterial segments preserved vascular integrity of the hands and provided relief of the patient's pain. (J Hand Surg 2000;25A:565–570. Copyright © 2000 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.)
Diffusivity, Kinetic Energy Dissipation, and Closure Theories for the Poleward Eddy Heat Flux

Abstract Diffusive eddy closure theory for estimating the poleward heat flux is reexamined and tested in the context of a two-layer homogeneous model. Consideration of the inverse energy cascade induced by baroclinic turbulence on the β plane leads to an expression for diffusivity in terms of the kinetic energy dissipation and the β effect. A key step in the closure is the identification of this diffusivity with that for potential vorticity in the lower of the two layers in the model. This assumption is then combined with an exact expression relating the diffusivity to the baroclinic energy generation and the mean vertical shear. The theory is closed by identifying the kinetic energy dissipation entering the inverse cascade argument with the baroclinic energy production. It is found that the first constraint in isolation based on inverse cascade arguments between the diffusivity of lower-layer potential vorticity and the kinetic energy dissipation is robust and accurate, whereas the final theory relating ...
The prevalence of selected potentially hazardous workplace exposures in the US: findings from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey.

Objective Assess the national prevalence of current workplace exposure to potential skin hazards, secondhand smoke (SHS), and outdoor work among various industry and occupation groups. Also, assess the national prevalence of chronic workplace exposure to vapors, gas, dust, and fumes (VGDF) among these groups. Methods Data were obtained from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). NHIS is a multistage probability sample survey of the civilian non-institutionalized population of the US. Prevalence rates and their variances were calculated using SUDAAN to account for the complex NHIS sample design. Results The data for 2010 were available for 17,524 adults who worked in the 12 months that preceded interview. The highest prevalence rates of hazardous workplace exposures were typically in agriculture, mining, and construction. The prevalence rate of frequent handling of or skin contact with chemicals, and of non-smokers frequently exposed to SHS at work was highest in mining and construction. Outdoor work was most common in agriculture (85%), construction (73%), and mining (65%). Finally, frequent occupational exposure to VGDF was most common among mining (67%), agriculture (53%), and construction workers (51%). Conclusion We identified industries and occupations with the highest prevalence of potentially hazardous workplace exposures, and provided targets for investigation and intervention activities. Am. J. Ind. Med. 56:635–646, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Redress as American-style justice: Congressional narratives of Japanese American redress at the end of the Cold War

What does the congressional discourse concerning US redress for the internment of Japanese and Japanese Americans during the Second World War reveal about the politics of governmental redress in relation to nation-building and national war memories? Examining US congressional debates on the Japanese American redress bill passed in 1988, this article argues that the narratives of Japanese American internment as an exceptional national tragedy and its redress as an ‘act of greatness for a great nation’ functioned to rescript memories of the incarceration into an inspirational narration of national redemption and an exemplar of American-style justice, in order to recuperate a particular moral, multicultural brand of American exceptionalism at the end of the Cold War.
Influence of bore and rail geometry on an electromagnetic naval railgun system

A large-scale railgun is being considered by the U.S. navy as a future long range (>200 nm) naval weapon system. The notional concept includes a 15 kg projectile with a 2.5 km/sec muzzle velocity. The choice of bore and rail geometry for such a weapon can influence key aspects of the total system design. This study explored a range of bore and rail geometries and looked at their effects on key railgun system parameters such as parasitic mass, inductance gradient, linear current density, required pulse forming network (PFN) size, and barrel mass. Preliminary solid modeling and structural analysis of the integrated launch package was performed in order to quantify parasitic mass. Inductance gradient calculations were based on a current density distribution analysis. A PFN/Launcher numerical simulation model was then used to determine linear current density and PFN size. Finally, barrel mass was estimated by structural analysis based on calculated rail repulsive forces. Trends and sensitivities of the different parameters to changes in the bore and rail geometries are presented and conclusions are given.
A Regional View of Urban Sedimentary Basins in Northern California Based on Oil Industry Compressional-Wave Velocity and Density Logs

Compressional-wave (sonic) and density logs from 119 oil test wells provide knowledge of the physical properties and impedance contrasts within urban sedimentary basins in northern California, which is needed to better understand basin amplification. These wire-line logs provide estimates of sonic velocities and densities for primarily Upper Cretaceous to Pliocene clastic rocks between 0.1- and 5.6-km depth to an average depth of 1.8 km. Regional differences in the sonic velocities and densities in these basins largely 1reflect variations in the lithology, depth of burial, porosity, and grain size of the strata, but not necessarily formation age. For example, Miocene basin filling strata west of the Calaveras Fault exhibit higher sonic velocities and densities than older but finer-grained and/or higher-porosity rocks of the Upper Cretaceous Great Valley Sequence. As another example, hard Eocene sandstones west of the San Andreas Fault have much higher impedances than Eocene strata, mainly higher-porosity sandstones and shales, located to the east of this fault, and approach those expected for Franciscan Complex basement rocks. Basement penetrations define large impedence contrasts at the sediment/basement contact along the margins of several basins, where Quaternary, Pliocene, and even Miocene deposits directly overlie Franciscan or Salinian basement rocks at depths as much as 1.7 km. In contrast, in the deepest, geographic centers of the basins, such logs exhibit only a modest impedance contrast at the sediment/basement contact at depths exceeding 2 km. Prominent (up to 1 km/sec) and thick (up to several hundred meters) velocity and density reversals in the logs refute the common assumption that velocities and densities increase monotonically with depth. Online material: Borehole log regression parameters and metadata.
ANTAGONISTIC INTERACTIONS OF TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTORS IN THE REGULATION OF GRANULOSA CELL DIFFERENTIATION

The role of transforming growth factors (TGFs) in the acquisition of granulosa cell aromatase activity was investigated in vitro in a primary culture of granulosa cells harvested from immature, diethylstilbestrol-treated rats. Basal aromatase activity, as assessed by the generation of radioimmunoassayable estrogen, was negligible, remaining unaffected by treatment with either TGF alpha or TGF beta applied by themselves at the 10 ng/ml dose level. Whereas treatment with FSH produced a substantial increase in the extent of aromatization, concurrent treatment with TGF beta (0.01-10 ng/ml) resulted in dose-dependent augmentation of the FSH effect with an apparent median effective dose of 224 +/- (SE) 32 pg/ml (ca. 9 pM), and a maximal effect 3.6-fold greater than that induced by FSH alone. In contrast, concomitant treatment with TGF alpha (0.01-10 ng/ml) resulted in dose-dependent attenuation of FSH action with an apparent median inhibitory dose of 330 +/- (SE) 40 pg/ml (ca. 60 pM), and a maximal inhibitory effect of 91 +/- (SE) 2%. However, combined treatment with identical (10 ng/ml) maximally effective doses of both TGFs had little or no effect on the FSH-stimulated accumulation of estrogen, suggesting mutual neutralization by the opposing actions of these peptides. Further evaluation of the antagonistic interaction of the TGFs revealed it to be dose-dependent in that maximally effective doses of TGF alpha (10 ng/ml) partially overcame the stimulation of aromatase activity brought about by relatively low (less than 0.3 ng/ml) but not higher (greater than 1 ng/ml) concentrations of TGF beta, thereby shifting the TGF beta dose-response curve to the right. Treatment with either TGF had no significant effect on granulosa cell DNA content or synthesis, plating efficiency or viability. Taken together, these findings suggest that picomolar concentrations of exogenously provided TGF alpha TGF beta exert potent but diametrically opposed effects on the acquisition of granulosa cell aromatase activity and that the interaction between these two peptides is antagonistic in nature. Our findings further suggest that these direct cytodifferentiative effects of the TGFs may represent intrinsic novel properties of these peptides distinct from their well-established role in the regulation of cellular growth.
Garlic and Cancer: A Critical Review of the Epidemiologic Literature

Animal and in vitro studies provide evidence of an anticarcinogenic effect of active ingredients in garlic. This review of the epidemiologic literature on garlic consumption addresses cancers of the stomach, colon, head and neck, lung, breast and prostate. Nineteen studies reported relative risk estimates for garlic consumption and cancer incidence. Site-specific case-control studies of stomach and colorectal cancer, in which multiple reports were available, suggest a protective effect of high intake of raw and/or cooked garlic. Cohort studies confirm this inverse association for colorectal cancer. Few cohort and case-control studies for other sites of cancer exist. Garlic supplements, as analyzed in four cohort studies and one case-control report, from two distinct populations, do not appear to be related to risk. Low study power, lack of variability in garlic consumption categorization within studies and poor adjustment for potential cofounders may limit the reliability of any conclusions regarding garlic supplements. However, an indication of publication bias was also found by visual inspection of a funnel plot and in a log-rank test (P = 0.004). Evidence from available studies nevertheless suggests a preventive effect of garlic consumption in stomach and colorectal cancers. The study limitations indicate the need for more definitive research and improved nutritional epidemiologic analyses of dietary data.
Evaluation of the Role of Training in the Implementation of a Depression Screening and Treatment Protocol in 2 Academic Outpatient Internal Medicine Clinics Utilizing the Electronic Medical Record

Systematic approaches to depression identification and management are effective though not consistently implemented. The research team implemented a depression protocol, preceded by training, in 2 faculty-resident practices. Medical assistants used the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-2 for initial screening; providers performed the PHQ-9. These were documented in the electronic medical record. Logistic regression was performed to assess the association of provider type, clinic site, and training attendance with documentation of PHQ-9 after positive PHQ-2s, and with repeat PHQ-9s after positive PHQ-9s. In logistic regression analysis, training attendance was positively associated with documentation of PHQ-9 after a positive PHQ-2 (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4 [confidence interval (CI) = 1.3-4.3]) and repeated documentation of a PHQ-9 after a positive PHQ-9 (OR = 2.5 [CI = 1.1-5.3]). This study describes the successful implementation of a stepped-care approach to depression care. The positive association of tra...
Distortion metrics for predicting authentication functionality of printed security deterrents

Document authentication is the process by which a unique identifier is assigned to each version of a printed document and is verified via an inspection procedure. One type of approach that has proven successful involves printing overt color-tile security deterrents, which can be scanned and analyzed to provide authenticity. For a variety of reasons discussed herein, it is advantageous to estimate whether or not a printed deterrent will authenticate without invoking the actual authentication process. Several algorithms are presented to predict the outcome of the authentication process. The area-over-the-curve (AOC) statistic is one of the tools used to characterize how well each candidate algorithm estimates authentication performance in the presence of distortions introduced via different print+scan paths. A surprising but useful result is that a no-reference metric yields the best performance: the AOC is approximately half that of all other tested methods, and is over five times smaller than the AOC achieved by state-of-the-art algorithms SSIM and VIF.
Imaging and Characterization of Plasma Plumes Produced During Laser Ablation of Zirconium Carbide

Laser diagnostic methods are developed and used to characterize the behavior of laser ablated zirconium carbide (ZrC). Emission from zirconium atoms dominates the total emission of the plasma plumes, which are estimated to have excitation temperatures of 9000 to 12,000 K under the conditions studied. Emission from species such as C, C2, and C3 were absent from the spectra due to the inherently low emission intensities of these species compared with that of Zr. Using a CCD camera, images of the plasma plumes are obtained from the emission and through the use of planar laser induced fluorescence of zirconium atoms.
A requirement for Lim domain binding protein 1 in erythropoiesis

During erythrocyte development, the nuclear cofactor Lim domain binding protein 1 (Ldb1) functions as a core subunit of multiprotein DNA binding complexes that include the transcription factors Scl and Gata-1 and the Lim-only adapter Lmo2. Scl, Gata-1, and Lmo2 are each required for erythropoiesis, suggesting that Ldb1-nucleated transcription complexes regulate key steps during erythropoiesis. We documented a requirement for Ldb1 in erythropoiesis in mice. Analysis of ldb1−/− embryos revealed a critical requirement for Ldb1 during primitive erythropoiesis, and conditional inactivation of ldb1 at later stages of gestation and in adult mice demonstrated that Ldb1 is continuously required for both definitive erythropoiesis and megakaryopoiesis. Down-regulation of Ldb1 in erythroblasts inhibited the expression of multiple erythroid-specific and prosurvival genes. These results represent the first unequivocal demonstration of a role for Ldb1 in erythropoiesis in vivo and establish a critical function for Ldb1-nucleated complexes in regulating the erythroid/megakaryocyte transcriptional program.
Collegiate Sororities and Dating Violence: An Exploratory Study of Informal and Formal Helping Strategies

Women in collegiate sororities are more at risk for violence within the context of dating relationships than is the general population of college women. Because assaulted women are more likely to turn to their peer networks for support, this study explores the formal and informal helping strategies available to sorority members within the context of their sororities. A total of 35 women representing 17 different sororities participated in 4 focus groups. Although the central finding uncovered how violence is largely omitted from the formal agendas of sororities, community and campus-based programs addressing the issue can build on their sincere interest in helping each other.
From the Defense of the Nation to Aid to the Civil : The Army in Contemporary India

Unlike many professional armies in the developing world the Indian Army has shown little or no interest in political involvement. During British colonial rule the officers and the men of the army were socialized into accepting the notion of political neutrality. Independent India's politicians, most notably Jawaharlal Nehru, carefully reinforced this tradition. In the past few decades several developments have threatened this Nehruvian legacy. Increasing ethnolinguistic violence coupled with the venality of local police forces have led to increasing reliance on the Army to maintain civil order. Its tactics and strategy are designed to fight organized forces not urban mobs or elusive civilian terrorists. More importantly, in an ethnically plural state like India, repeated use of the Army to quell communal violence threatens to politicize the Army. Inordinate reliance on the Army to maintain civil order may also help erode its long-standing tradition of political neutrality. When the Army begins to assume duties normally restricted to the civil bureaucracy the temptation to intervene in politics increases dramatically.
An experimental evaluation of real-time DVFS scheduling algorithms

We implement and experimentally evaluate the timeliness and energy consumption behaviors of fourteen Real-Time Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (RT-DVFS) schedulers on two hardware platforms. The schedulers include CC-EDF, LA-EDF, REUA, DRA, and AGR1, among others, and the hardware platforms include the Intel i5 processor and the AMD Zacate processor. Our studies reveal that measuring the CPU power consumption as the cube of CPU frequency -- as often done in the simulation-based RT-DVFS literature -- ignores the idle state CPU power consumption, which is significantly smaller than the active power consumption. Consequently, power savings obtained by optimizing active power (i.e., RT-DVFS) is offset by completing tasks sooner by running at high frequency and quickly transitioning to the idle state (i.e., no DVFS). Thus, the active power consumption savings of the RT-DVFS techniques' revealed by our measurements are significantly smaller than their simulation-based savings reported in the literature.
Label-free single-molecule detection of DNA-hybridization kinetics with a carbon nanotube field-effect transistor

Single-molecule measurements of biomolecules can provide information about the molecular interactions and kinetics that are hidden in ensemble measurements. However, there is a requirement for techniques with improved sensitivity and time resolution for use in exploring biomolecular systems with fast dynamics. Here, we report the detection of DNA hybridization at the single-molecule level using a carbon nanotube field-effect transistor. By covalently attaching a single-stranded probe DNA sequence to a point defect in a carbon nanotube, we are able to measure two-level fluctuations in the conductance of the nanotube in the presence of a complementary DNA target. The kinetics of the system are studied as a function of temperature, allowing the measurement of rate constants, melting curves and activation energies for different sequences and target concentrations. The kinetics demonstrate non-Arrhenius behaviour, in agreement with DNA hybridization experiments using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. This technique is label-free and could be used to probe single-molecule dynamics at microsecond timescales.
Gene stacking by recombinases

Efficient methods of stacking genes into plant genomes are needed to expedite transfer of multigenic traits to crop varieties of diverse ecosystems. Over two decades of research has identified several DNA recombinases that carryout efficient cis and trans recombination between the recombination sites artificially introduced into the plant chromosome. The specificity and efficiency of recombinases make them extremely attractive for genome engineering. In plant biotechnology, recombinases have mostly been used for removing selectable marker genes and have rarely been extended to more complex applications. The reversibility of recombination, a property of the tyrosine family of recombinases, does not lend itself to gene stacking approaches that involve rounds of transformation for integrating genes into the engineered sites. However, recent developments in the field of recombinases have overcome these challenges and paved the way for gene stacking. Some of the key advancements include the application of unidirectional recombination systems, modification of recombination sites and transgene site modifications to allow repeated site-specific integrations into the selected site. Gene stacking is relevant to agriculturally important crops, many of which are difficult to transform; therefore, development of high-efficiency gene stacking systems will be important for its application on agronomically important crops, and their elite varieties. Recombinases, by virtue of their specificity and efficiency in plant cells, emerge as powerful tools for a variety of applications including gene stacking.