cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection of Traumatic Pediatric Elbow Joint Effusion Using a Deep Convolutional Neural Network.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) trained on a dataset of limited size can accurately diagnose traumatic pediatric elbow effusi...
Dietary carbohydrate as an ergogenic aid for prolonged and brief competitions in sport

Reduction of body stores of carbohydrate and blood glucose is related to the perception of fatigue and the inability to maintain high-quality performance. This has been clearly shown with aerobic, endurance events of moderate intensity of over 90 min duration. Carbohydrate intake may also have relevance for athletes involved in short, high-intensity events, especially if body weight control is an issue. Prevention of carbohydrate depletion begins with a high-carbohydrate training diet of about 60-70% carbohydrate. If possible, carbohydrate beverages should be consumed during the event at the rate of 30-70 g/hr to reduce the chance of body carbohydrate depletion. Finally, replacement of body carbohydrate stores can be achieved most rapidly if 40-60 g of carbohydrate is consumed as soon as possible after the exercise and at repeating 1-hr intervals for at least 5 hr after the event.
Basic Design of A Charging Circuit for Mobile Phone Using Solar Panel

C urrently the learning process cannot be separated from the exchange of digital information and online interaction. Initially using computer technology and internet, then growing with the existence of mobile phone technology. The demand of Digital Learning for efficient and environmentally friendly energy is very important and urgent because of the increasingly expensive price of fuel and the high utilization of mobile phones as a learning tool for the society. Our government itself supports the discoveries, researches, and technologies that use renewable energy such as energy from sunlight and biomass energy. The city of Manado which located in North Sulawesi province has a good hot climate every year and a fairly high solar energy. This is very good if it can be used as a source of energy for certain equipment such as mobile phones. This paper describes a basic research that has been done where the energy of sunlight becomes alternative energy to charge a mobile phone. The research method is literature study, theory comparison, block diagram design, assembly, and testing. The results obtained give hope that in the future there are opportunities to develop further research and design a solar energy source for mobile phones charging, by using solar cells that have specific current and voltage specification.
17.3 Hybrid System for Efficient LAE-CMOS Interfacing in Large-Scale Tactile-Sensing Skins via TFT-Based Compressed Sensing

Tactile sensing has wide-ranging applications, from intelligent surfaces to advanced robotics. Large-Area Electronics (LAE), based on low-temp. fabrication $(\lt 200 ^{\circ}\mathrm {C})$ of thin films, presents distinct capabilities, due to compatibility with a broad range of materials (enabling diverse transducers), as well as large and flexible substrates and materials-deposition methods (enabling expansive and formfitting sensing arrays). However, low performance/energy-efficiency of LAE thin-film transistors (TFTs) necessitates hybrid systems, integrating Si-CMOS ICs for system functions (sensor readout/control, processing, etc.). Initial work shows that a primary challenge in hybrid systems is the large number of interfaces required between LAE and CMOS, particularly as the number of sensors scales [1], [2]. This paper presents a force-sensing system that exploits signal sparsity exhibited in many large-area tactile-sensing applications (e.g., detecting point damage/stress in structures [3]), to reduce interfacing complexity to the level of sparsity, rather than a level related to the number of sensors (e.g., [1]). This is achieved via compressed sensing (CS), enabling sensor-acquisition by simple switches, readily implemented using TFTs. While CS has previously been leveraged in a hybrid-system architecture targeting signal sampling-rate requirements [2], this system applies it for high spatial resolution in tactile sensing.
Gender and sex inequalities: Implications and resistance

Despite gains in some regions and countries for justice and equality, people around the world are still constrained by patriarchal hetero orthodoxy and resultant inequality, discrimination, oppression, and violence. For women in the U.S., progress towards equality has been often met with backlash, stalling and/or rolling back any advances. The same is true for the LGBTQ community. In this introduction to the second of three issues focused on social inequalities, we discuss some of the recent trends and research detailing the status of women and LGBTQ, thus providing the context within which the articles contained in this issue are situated. Research presented in the current issue examines many of the inequalities that disrupt or hinder women and LGBTQ in society, and describes potential solutions involving community interventions, policy change, and political advocacy.
Enhancing the Teaching and Learning of College Algebra with ColAlgMap

Teaching and learning lower level mathematics courses on the college level can be challenging and overwhelming. This paper will demonstrate how to design and develop a maplet package to aid in the teaching and learning of mathematics, to serve as a private tutor with infinite patience for college algebra students, and as a useful pedagogical tool for instructors. By using interactive worksheets and animated graphics in maplets, students will find the opportunity for numerous experiments that will foster their development of mathematical conceptual understanding and of computational skills.
Signaling the trustworthiness of science should not be a substitute for direct action against research misconduct.

The paper “Signaling the trustworthiness of science,” by Jamieson et al. (1), offers suggestions as to what could be done by scientists to reassure “other scientists and, perhaps more importantly, the public that [the] norms [of science] are being upheld.” They believe such trust has been undermined by “instances of misconduct or fraud…failures to replicate key findings…and a rise in … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: dsk3{at}cumc.columbia.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Development and validation of a high-resolution regional wave hindcast model for U.S. West Coast wave resource characterization

Abstract Wave resource characterization is an essential step for wave energy converter development in the ocean. However, accurate and detailed resource characterization at a regional scale poses a great challenge because of the requirements for high model grid resolution, extensive model validation, and a high-performance-computing resource. This study presents a multi-scale, multi-resolution approach using the WaveWatchIII and Simulating WAve Nearshore (SWAN) wave models to provide accurate long-term wave hindcasts with a spatial resolution of approximate 300 m in the nearshore region on the U.S. West Coast. Extensive model validation for the six wave resource parameters recommended by the International Electrotechnical Commission, bivariate histograms, and frequency-directional spectra distributions were conducted using a set of model performance metrics and measurements from 28 wave buoys along the West Coast. Model skills in simulating large waves under extreme storm events were also evaluated. Model results showed that the high-resolution SWAN model is able to accurately simulate the wave climate on the West Coast, especially in the nearshore region. This study also demonstrates that the multi-scale and multi-resolution modeling framework is an efficient approach for generating accurate long-term, high-resolution wave hindcasts for wave resource characterization at the regional scale.
Extended Prophylactic Antibiotics for Mastectomy with Immediate Breast Reconstruction: A Meta-analysis.

The risk of surgical site infection (SSI) for breast surgery in patients without additional risk factors is low, below 5%. Evidence shows the risk of SSI is significantly elevated in patients undergoing immediate breast reconstruction (IBR). However, there is no consensus regarding the use of extended antibiotic prophylaxis. We aim to determine the effect of extended antibiotic prophylaxis on the incidence of SSI after IBR. Methods PubMed and Scopus were searched by 2 independent reviewers. Data abstracted included types of study, basic characteristics, detailed antibiotic prophylaxis information, SSI event, and other secondary outcomes. We calculated the risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for each study and used a random-effects model to estimate the results. Study quality, bias, and heterogeneity were also analyzed. Results A total of 11 studies (15,966 mastectomy procedures) were included. We found an overall 5.99% SSI rate in our population. Three studies comparing topical antibiotics with no topical antibiotics demonstrated statistical significance (RR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.12-0.60, P = 0.001), whereas 8 studies comparing extended systemic antibiotics with standard of care found no statistical significance (RR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.60-1.08, P = 0.13). Conclusions In the setting of IBR following mastectomy, there is insufficient evidence for the use of extended prophylactic antibiotics to reduce SSI rates. Well-designed randomized controlled trials in patients undergoing IBR should be conducted to determine the appropriate regimen and/or duration of prophylactic antibiotics on SSI outcomes.
Soft d in Danish: Acoustic characteristics and issues in transcription

Danish, like closely related Swedish and Norwegian, has descended from Old Norse (Haugen 1976). While the three contemporary languages are variably mutually intelligible, Danish has phonologically diverged from the other Scandinavian languages (Gooskens 2006). This is caused by extensive consonant lenition and vowel reduction within Danish (Basboll 2005). The lenition of and in syllable coda positions into a sound that Danish linguists have called soft-d is seemingly unique to the Danish. In most phonological descriptions, it is transcribed using the phonetic symbol /ð/, a voiced interdental fricative. We assert that this is not accurate; not all phonologists agree that the soft-d is a fricative. Some describe it as an alveolar semi-vowel (Haberland 1994), while others transcribe it as a velarized, retracted, and lowered alveolar approximant (Basboll 2005). Many observe that the sound resembles lateral /l/, a distinct phoneme of Danish (Wells, 2010). Through acoustic analysis of tokens taken from the DanPASS corpus (Gronnum 2016) we show that the acoustic properties (HNR) of soft-d are indeed not the same as a fricative, but rather that of an approximant or vowel. Therefore, the use of /ð/ to transcribe this symbol is inaccurate and does not align with the goals of the International Phonetic Association.
Mechanism of resistance focusing on copper, mercury and arsenic in extremophilic organisms, how acidophiles and thermophiles cope with these metals

Abstract Extremophiles usually live in environment that are naturally higher in metal concentrations, either because they naturally live in acid environments where metal solubility is higher than neutrophilic environments or come from bioleaching/biooxidation processes or are present in hot springs that can contain metals from geological origin. Extremophiles possess many systems that are common to all microbes to resist metal toxicity, but a lot remains unknown and to be discovered. In this chapter the known mechanism by which they are able to resist metal toxicity will be covered, it will mostly focus on resistance to copper, mercury and arsenic in acidophilic and thermophilic microbes. These organisms easily adapt to their natural environment so they can successfully thrive under extreme conditions. Up to date, researcher have clearly showed that lateral gene transfer has occurred in acidophilic communities, in which these genomic islands encode for a number of metal resistances and different strains from the same microbe possess different capabilities to resist metals. The main mechanisms covered in this chapter are thiol-protective system (low molecular weight thiol buffers), none thiol complexation mechanism (nanoparticles and polyphosphates), enzymatic detoxification and efflux pumps.
Research on Time-Sensitive Technology in Electric Power Communication Network

There are many problems in distributed energy access, such as many access points, different access distances and miscellaneous access protocols, which results in low reliability of synchronous operation of the whole system and poor reliability of clock, which further affects the efficiency and quality of centralized regulation and control. Therefore, the technical scheme based on time sensitive network is put forward, and the Ethernet equipment based on time sensitive network technology is developed, all the sampling data in the distributed energy control task are under the same time section, and the time sequence of the control task can be measured and predicted. It provides important technical support for the establishment of efficient and low-cost source network load storage and control center. The results can be popularized and applied to the national source network storage and control center, and has a broad application prospect.
Comparison of in-season and off-season wrestling injuries presenting to United States emergency departments: 2000-2018.

Wrestling is a physically demanding sport with an inherently high risk of injury relative to other sports. Injury risk factors may change dramatically for athletes participating in off-season wrest...
How Law Affects Behavior

Fred Schauer’s The Force of Law neglects an important way in which the law can motivate people. It shapes our moral reasons. Schauer’s response to my original essay that he is concerned with empirical motivations, not normative reasons, misses the point. His empirical argument depends crucially on his assumptions that, when people act for moral reasons, the law has not made a difference to their behavior and that the use of coercion is the only alternative to getting people to obey the law simply because it is the law. Once we see that the law regularly molds our ordinary moral reasons, not by creating content independent reasons, but by changing the morally relevant circumstances, we see that much morally motivated behavior is in fact behavior that is importantly influenced by the law. Regardless of the empirical frequency of “puzzled people,” because people respond to moral reasons, law has an important alternative to the use of coercion.
Color tuning of face-selective neurons in macaque inferior temporal cortex

Abstract What role does color play in the neural representation of complex shapes? We approached the question by measuring color responses of face-selective neurons, using fMRI-guided microelectrode recording of the middle and anterior face patches of inferior temporal cortex (IT) in rhesus macaques. Face-selective cells responded weakly to pure color (equiluminant) photographs of faces. But many of the cells nonetheless showed a bias for warm colors when assessed using images that preserved the luminance contrast relationships of the original photographs. This bias was also found for non-face-selective neurons. Fourier analysis uncovered two components: the first harmonic, accounting for most of the tuning, was biased towards reddish colors, corresponding to the L>M pole of the L-M cardinal axis. The second harmonic showed a bias for modulation between blue and yellow colors axis, corresponding to the S-cone axis. To test what role face-selective cells play in behavior, we related the information content of the neural population with the distribution of face colors. The analyses show that face-selective cells are not optimally tuned to discriminate face colors, but are consistent with the idea that face-selective cells contribute selectively to processing the green-red contrast of faces. The research supports the hypothesis that color-specific information related to the discrimination of objects, including faces, is handled by neural circuits that are independent of shape-selective cortex, as captured by the multi-stage parallel processing framework of IT (Lafer-Sousa and Conway, Nature Neuroscience, 2013). SignificanceDoes the brain encode face-specific color signals, such as those related to health and emotion, through color responses of face-selective neurons? This paper addresses this question by providing the first, to our knowledge, quantitative measurements of the color-tuning of face-selective cells. Face-selective cells are not very responsive to pure color (equiluminant) pictures of faces. But both face-selective and non-face-selective cells are biased for warm colors. Information analysis shows that face-selective cells are not optimally tuned to discriminate face colors but suggests that the cells may contribute to discriminating the reddish component of faces. Alternatively, face-cell color tuning may reflect a broader adaptation of IT for the detection of objects, which are, in general, characterized by warmer coloring compared to backgrounds.
Slowing the Demand for Electricity: California an Example for Saudi Arabia?

When it comes to energy, two things stand out in common between Saudi Arabia and California although at different periods in time. The first is the elevated status of the oil industry: in 1900, California was the leading oil producing state in the country, with its oil industry responsible for California’s physical landscape and culture today. In 2014 California remains one of the top three producers in the USA. Likewise, Saudi Arabia’s wealth and development is based on the oil industry, which started after oil was struck in Dammam in 1938. The second factor in common is the rate of electricity demand growth. During the 1960s, the demand for electricity grew quickly and “[e]ach year Californians [were] using 8 to 8.5 percent more electricity than they did the year before.”Similar to California in the 1960’s, Saudi Arabia now experiences electricity growth rates of about 8% annually in the last two decades. Such a doubling of demand in less than a decade means a compounding effect so that by the third and fourth time of doubling, a very large number of power plants would have had to be built. This rate was seen as unsustainable in California in the 1960s as it is now in Saudi Arabia. Propelled by the oil crisis of 1972, California started to implement major policy changes through regulatory and legal frameworks, especially through the Warren Alquist Act (WAA) 1972, and within a decade, California’s electricity demand growth slowed. This demand growth rate decreased to between 1 and 2% in the three decades 1980-1990, 1990-2000 and 2000-2010. The WAA is responsible, in part, and despite an increase in the sizes of homes and the number of electrical appliances, for slowing the growth of electricity demand through appliance standards, building codes and other energy efficiency programs enacted during the 1970’s. Can California energy policy be a case study for countries such as Saudi Arabia, a large user of electricity with electricity growth rates similar to that of California of the 1960s? This paper presents a high-level overview of the policy and regulatory framework established by California in the 1970’s to, in particular, slow electricity growth. Components of Saudi Arabia’s current energy policy are presented and compared with policies of the WAA 1972. Considering the vast changes to the energy policy landscape of the last two decades worldwide, especially in terms of renewable energy, it appears that now would be a good time for Saudi Arabia to leapfrog from a WAA-like 1972 policy to a WAA 2014-and-beyond policy.
Overcoming GNA/RNA base-pairing limitations using isonucleotides improves the pharmacodynamic activity of ESC+ GalNAc-siRNAs.

We recently reported that RNAi-mediated off-target effects are important drivers of the hepatotoxicity observed for a subset of GalNAc-siRNA conjugates in rodents, and that these findings could be mitigated by seed-pairing destabilization using a single GNA nucleotide placed within the seed region of the guide strand. Here, we report further investigation of the unique and poorly understood GNA/RNA cross-pairing behavior to better inform GNA-containing siRNA design. A reexamination of published GNA homoduplex crystal structures, along with a novel structure containing a single (S)-GNA-A residue in duplex RNA, indicated that GNA nucleotides universally adopt a rotated nucleobase orientation within all duplex contexts. Such an orientation strongly affects GNA-C and GNA-G but not GNA-A or GNA-T pairing in GNA/RNA heteroduplexes. Transposition of the hydrogen-bond donor/acceptor pairs using the novel (S)-GNA-isocytidine and -isoguanosine nucleotides could rescue productive base-pairing with the complementary G or C ribonucleotides, respectively. GalNAc-siRNAs containing these GNA isonucleotides showed an improved in vitro activity, a similar improvement in off-target profile, and maintained in vivo activity and guide strand liver levels more consistent with the parent siRNAs than those modified with isomeric GNA-C or -G, thereby expanding our toolbox for the design of siRNAs with minimized off-target activity.
Combined control of the fibroblast contractile program by YAP and TAZ.

Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) are transcription cofactors implicated in the contractile and pro-fibrotic activation of fibroblasts. Fibroblast contractile function is important in alveologenesis, and in lung wound healing and fibrosis. As paralogs, YAP and TAZ may have independent or redundant roles in regulating transcriptional programs and contractile function. Using IMR-90 lung fibroblasts, microarray analysis, and traction microscopy, we tested whether independent YAP or TAZ knockdown alone was sufficient to limit transcriptional activation and contraction in vitro. Our results demonstrate limited effects of knockdown of either YAP or TAZ alone, with more robust transcriptional and functional effects observed with combined knockdown, consistent with cooperation or redundancy of YAP and TAZ in transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1)-induced fibroblast activation and contractile force generation. The transcriptional responses to combined YAP/TAZ knockdown were focused on a relatively small subset of genes with prominent overrepresentation of genes implicated in contraction and migration. To explore potential disease relevance of our findings, we tested primary human lung fibroblasts isolated from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and confirmed that YAP and TAZ combined knockdown reduced the expression of three cytoskeletal genes, ACTA2, CNN1, and TAGLN. We then compared the contribution of these genes, along with YAP and TAZ, to contractile function. Combined knockdown targeting YAP/TAZ was more effective than targeting any of the individual cytoskeletal genes in reducing contractile function. Together, our results demonstrate that YAP and TAZ combine to regulate a multi-gene program that is essential to fibroblast contractile function.
Seizure recurrence and remission after switching antiepileptic drugs

SUMMARY Purpose: Studies of seizure outcome in patients undergoing serial antiepileptic drug trials have all been uncontrolled, with no account made for the spontaneous changes in disease state that could confound the elucidation of drug effects. In addition, no study has ever looked at outcome following antiepileptic drug switch in seizurefree patients, despite the fact that this is done routinely in clinical practice. We aimed to address both of these issues using a matched case-cohort design. Methods: We followed patients taking phenytoin or carbamazepine in monotherapy for focal epilepsy who were being crossed over to a newer agent as part of studies on the metabolic effects of anticonvulsant therapy. Many had been seizure-free but were being switched nonetheless due to side effects or concerns about long-term adverse consequences. Each patient was matched with two controls of the same seizure status who were taking anticonvulsant monotherapy and whose drug was not switched. Seizure freedom over the ensuing 6 months was the primary end point. Key Findings: There were 43 cases and 86 matched controls. Twenty-three patients (cases) had been seizure-free on their old drug; 5 (21.7%) had seizure recurrence after drug switch compared to 2 (4.3%) of 46 matched controls. Twenty patients (cases) were having seizures on their old drug; 6 (30%) entered remission after drug switch, compared to 8 of 40 matched controls (20%). The two groups differed at baseline in number of anticonvulsants previously failed, which was the most important factor for prognosis. After statistical adjustment to account for this, seizure-free patients had 6.53 times higher odds of seizure recurrence if switched to a new drug (95% confidence interval[CI] 1.02‐61.19;p = 0.06).Non‐seizure-freepatients had 1.66 times higher odds of remission if they remained on the same drug compared to switching, although this was not significant (95% CI 0.36‐8.42; p = 0.532). Neither dose changes, nor drug mechanism, nor duration of seizure freedom had any bearing upon the results. Significance: Although the large majority of seizure-free patients remain so when switched to another agent, about one sixth have a recurrence attributable to the change. Conversely, our study design provides the first evidence to suggest that most improvements in drug-resistant patients are likely due to spontaneous remissions, not new drug introductions. These findings have conflicting implications for two competing models of comparative antiepileptic drug efficacy, which will require further
The Basic Trypsin Inhibitor of Bovine Pancreas XI. SEQUENCE OF TRYPTIC CLEAVAGES IN AN ARTIFICIALLY PREPARED TEMPORARY INHIBITOR

Abstract Starting with intact basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor of bovine pancreas the artificial temporary inhibitor (14–38 bond reduced and substituted with carboxyamidomethyl groups) was prepared by previously described procedures. It was reacted with trypsin to form a complex, and the gradual liberation of tryptic activity from this complex was followed and correlated with the disappearance of the original Form A of the inhibitor. Concurrent with the disappearance of species A, three distinct sequentially appearing degradation products (B, C, D) were observed by disc electrophoresis. By choosing conditions favoring the accumulation of each of these species the forms B, C, D were isolated. All were inactive. The location of the first modifying cleavage (Form B) was confirmed by a direct analysis as Lys 15-Ala 16. Form C (2 hits) also had the Arg 39-Ala 40 bond cleaved, and Form D (3 hits) had in addition the Arg 17-Ile 18 bond cleaved with a loss of the dipeptide Ala-Arg. All 3 cleavages are located in the exposed apex of the pear-shaped molecule (Huber, R., Kukla, D., Ruhlmann, A., Epp, O., and Formanek, H., Naturwissenschaften, 57, 389 (1970)).
Secure cloud WLAN using dynamic placement and migration with a cloud name resolution protocol

Cloud computing systems have displayed many intriguing possibilities for the end users. Several cloud computing systems are centralized, and might lead to a system's overload. This situation influences security and leads to the blockage within the network especially when important routers and servers are malfunctioning. Over the past few years, there has been a great development in Peer-to-Peer (P2P) cloud computing. This paper introduces a transportation protocol that is a less complex in interaction between the servers in transporting the session state data between one another. The proposed methodology has been implemented using the Visual Studio platform. The platform has been extensively tested and it has demonstrated promising results.
Electron density distributions in the high-latitude magnetosphere

Electron density profiles were constructed to study the plasma density depletions in the nightside auroral zone and the density variations with increasing altitude in the polar cap, using electric field spectrum measurements from the plasma wave instrument on DE-1. Sharply defined regions of depleted plasma densities were commonly observed on nightside auroral field lines, in which electron densities were strongly depleted in relation to the adjacent plasmaspheric and polar densities, forming a low-density cavity at about 70 deg invariant latitude. A correlation was found between low auroral plasma densities, upflowing ion distributions, and an energetic precipitating electron population, indicating that electron density depletions in the nightside auroral zone are directly associated with auroral acceleration processes.
Private employment through public labor marketing offices: A proposal for a more constructive public welfare program

The paper proposes a new program that may reduce dependency on direct cash grants by channeling welfare-sector labor to the private sector of the economy. This program requires establishing a new institution- the local public labor marketing office-whose main function will be to aggressively market the types of labor that the disadvantaged, many of whom are chronically unemployed, can offer. The paper provides a broad view of this and other supporting functions of the local labor marketing offices, the activities in which they should direct their efforts and the advantages of the program over alternative arrangements.
Multiple pulmonary artery aneurysms. New use for magnetic resonance imaging

The first patient in whom multiple pulmonary artery aneurysms were detected by magnetic resonance imaging is described. The patient was successfully treated with surgery.
Differential sensitivity of cerebellar purkinje neurons to ethanol in selectivity outbred lines of mice: maintenance in vitro independent of synaptic transmission

The effects of ethanol on spontaneous firing of cerebellar Purkinje neurons were examined in outbred lines of mice (short-sleep, SS; and long-sleep, LS) which exhibit differential behavioral sensitivity to ethanol. In order to determine whether the differences in Purkinje cell ethanol sensitivity which are observed in situ reflect differences in intrinsic properties of Purkinje neurons, we developed an isolated in vitro preparation of mouse cerebellum. Even when synaptic transmission was largely inhibited by elevating Mg2+ and decreasing Ca2+ concentrations, Purkinje cells demonstrated stable long-term firing rates quite similar to those observed in vivo. Purkinje cells responded to superfusion of ethanol with both increases and decreases in firing rate. Inhibition of rate was more commonly observed, and was the only response which was demonstrably dose-dependent. The differential sensitivity to ethanol which we have previously reported in vivo was maintained even under under these conditions, with the LS mice being approximately 5 times more sensitive to the depressant effects of ethanol. In addition, it was shown that ethanol, at the concentrations used in these experiments, decreased the amplitude and increased the duration of single action potentials. Thus, taken together, these results suggest that the differential sensitivity of outbred lines to the soporific effects of ethanol are paralleled by differences in the sensitivity of Purkinje neurons in vitro to superfusion with ethanol. Because these differences can be observed even when synaptic transmission is largely suppressed, it would appear that these differences are intrinsic to the purkinje neurons themselves.
The first high resolution silicon immersion grating spectrograph

We report the development of the first high resolution cross-dispersed silicon immersion grating spectrometer. This instrument is called the Florida IR Silicon immersion grating specTrometer (FIRST). FIRST can produce R = 50,000 under a 0.6 arcsec seeing and simultaneously cover 1.3-1.8 μm with a 1kx1k HgCdTe array at the Apache Point Observatory 3.5 meter telescope. FIRST has a 50 mm diameter collimated beam and the overall instrument is within a volume of 0.8x0.5x0.5 m3. The high dispersion, large wavelength coverage and small instrument volume become possible due to the use of a silicon immersion grating (54.7 deg blaze angle and 50 mm diameter entrance pupil) with extremely high dispersion power (3.4 times dispersion power of a conventional echelle) and coarse grooves (16.1 l/mm, coarser than the commercially available echelles). The silicon immersion grating used in a lab bench mounted Czeney-Turner spectrograph with an only 25 mm diameter collimated beam and a 100 um core fiber has produced R = 55,000 cross-dispersed solar spectra. This instrument is designed to precisely measure radial velocities of low mass stars, M dwarfs for detecting 5-10 Earth mass planets. The estimated Doppler precision is ~ 3 m/s for a J = 9 M5V dwarf in 15 min at the APO 3.5m telescope.© (2006) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Discussion: The Search for Quantitative Economic Knowledge

Judge's paper gives us an excellent review of the tools available to the agricultural economist in his quest for quantitative economic knowledge. He says that these tools are useful in the quest for knowledge through the logical and experimental routes of his Figure 1. However, as he points out, the agricultural economist is restricted in his use of the experimental route because society is in charge of the experiments and not the scientists, as is the case in many of the physical and biological sciences. At the same time, Judge says that the results produced by the agricultural economist must be useful to the decision-making members of society. By useful, I presume he means that society will be better able to design experiments that contribute to the scientist's quest for knowledge. Or does he mean that the experiments will increase the utility of the decision-maker; or does he mean both an increase in knowledge and an increase in utility? There are a number of philosophical questions that can be raised if we are willing to face up to them. I would like to raise some of these questions in the context of Judge's Figure 1. First, let me discuss a few additional features that I would add to the diagram, and then I will pose the questions. I would draw a line from the Experimentation box to the Real World Object System to show that the performance of society's experiments (individual and group decision-making) have an impact upon the real world. This emphasizes the complication for the investigator, as pointed out by Judge, that the real world is constantly being modified. Next, I would draw a dotted line from the Physical Conclusions box to the Experimental Design box to show the flow of information from the analyst to the decision-makers (action-takers).' Now let us write in the outputs of the various boxes that are relevant to (1) the analyst and (2) the decisionmaker.
Analysis of curing of a sustained release coating formulation by application of NIR spectroscopy to monitor changes physical–mechanical properties

Abstract The focus of the study was to explore the physical–mechanical properties of curing films and use these properties as a reference for models that relate NIR spectra to the extent of curing. Cast films were cured at 40, 50, and 60 °C from 1 to 48 h before being scanned on an NIR Spectrometer and analyzed for physical–mechanical properties using an Instron ® material testing system. The studies show clear dependence of the physical–mechanical properties on the time and temperature used for curing. Principal component analysis (PCA) and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) were performed to investigate the effect of curing on the films. Both PCA and PARAFAC analysis of the NIR spectra showed that spectral features could be directly related to the changes associated with the triethyl citrate (TEC), which directly affected the physical–mechanical properties during curing. Partial least squares (PLS) models were developed that related NIR spectra to the physical–mechanical properties. The use of the Young's Modulus as a reference for NIRS model development resulted in good prediction and was determined to be the best reference for model development. This study demonstrated the NIRS could predict the Young's Modulus which may be used to indicate the extent of curing.
Effects of Infection with Coxiella burnetii on Synthesis of RNA in L Cells

Experimental infections with Coxiella burnetii augment rates of ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis in guinea pigs. The activity of deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent RNA polymerase in L cells persistently infected with C. burnetii was threefold greater than that in uninfected cells; the polymerase activity in infected cells was predominantly of class I, whereas that in uninfected cells was predominantly of class II. A search for regulatory factors of polymerase activity revealed that preincubation of uninfected L cells with lipopolysaccharide of C. burnetii or with putrescine, spermidine, or spermine enhanced polymerase activities. Because sonicated nuclei were assayed rather than purified enzymes, it cannot be stated definitively whether augmented polymerase activities were consequences of direct effects of infection on polymerases or a triggering of secondary regulatory factors.
THE EFFECT OF EYESTALK ABLATION ON SPERMATOPHORE AND SPERM QUALITY IN Penaeus vannamei

The effects of eyestalk ablation on spermatophore and sperm quality in Penaeus vannamei were investigated in bilaterally, unilaterally, and unablated males stocked at a 1:1 ratio with unilaterally ablated females. Males were evaluated for sperm quality by determining sperm count, percent live sperm and percent abnormal sperm from males at the initiation of the experiment (baseline), and at the end of the 104-day experimental period. The bilateral treatment group was terminated at 56 days, due to excessive mortality. Data indicate that unilateral ablation enhances gonad weight, gonad index and spermatophore weight. Of critical importance is the fact that unilaterally ablated males demonstrated a significantly higher mean sperm count (81.8 million) than both the unablated controls (31.9 million) and the bilaterally ablated males (39.4 million). Additionally, neither unilateral nor bilateral ablation caused a decrease in sperm quality. Sperm viability profiles (i.e., percent live, and percent abnormal) determined for all treatments were not significantly different from one another. Values determined for mean percent live sperm were: 89.0, 98.6, and 99.0%, while average percentage abnormal sperm were: 10.5, 4.5, and 3.3% respectively for the control, unilateral, and bilateral treatments. These data suggest that unilateral eyestalk ablation enhances the reproductive capabilities of males by increasing sperm count, without diminishing sperm quality. The effects of these treatment manipulations on mating and hatch rate are briefly discussed.
Clinical, laboratory, and radiological information in the diagnosis of pneumonia in children

The relative importance of clinical, laboratory, and radiological information in the diagnosis of pneumonia in children has not been extensively studied. In our study clinicians recorded clinical impressions and anticipated management prior to obtaining a chest radiograph and laboratory tests for 155 children in whom the diagnosis of pneumonia was being considered. This information was compared with the final diagnosis and management plans instituted after obtaining the radiograph and laboratory tests. Agreement occurred with the actual post-radiograph plans in 78% of treatment decisions and in 88% of disposition plans made prior to obtaining the radiograph. The overall clinical impression was more important than individual signs, symptoms, or laboratory data in predicting the radiological diagnosis. No consistent pattern of signs, symptoms, and laboratory tests was found to be useful in making the diagnosis of pneumonia.
Sexual Experiences of Adults with Physical Disabilities: Negotiating with Sexual Partners

People with disabilities have unique experiences negotiating their sexual needs and desires with their partners. The current lack of research on sexual partner negotiations and conversations around disability demonstrates the need for further research in this area. This study examines the experiences of nine adults with physical disabilities regarding negotiations with their current, former and potential sexual partners about sexual activities. Using a phenomenological approach, this study focuses on adults with physical disabilities, ages 25–50, who live in the metro area of a city in the Southwest, and who self identify as having at least one physical disability. The emergent themes of being defined by disability, partner connection, representation of self, and kink as communication, demonstrate some of the distinctive aspects of sexual negotiation experienced by people with disabilities. By providing a better understanding of how people with disabilities experience sexual conversations and negotiations, it is hoped that this study will serve to inform and strengthen how social workers are able to support clients with disabilities in all facets of their lives, including sexuality and relationships.
CONVERGENCE OF BLACK HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN LARGEST U.S. CITIES.

This paper investigates the widening (divergence) or narrowing (convergence) of black income as well as black income proportionate to all income using median family income over the 1980s. Analysis is undertaken at the regional level using the coefficient of variation and analysis of variance, and at the city level using a linear model. The linear model, in addition to providing a measure for divergence or convergence, provides a measure of residual change which distinguishes city performance above or below expectation. At the regional level, the general result is divergence of black income born 1979 to 1989, while at the city level, the general results were divergence for black income, but a convergence in black income proportionate to all income.
Better discrimination of hip fracture using bone density, geometry and architecture

Bone density predicts the risk of hip fracture. Because hip strength is determined by bone geometry and architecture as well as density, we tested which variables in geometry and architecture were independent discriminators of hip fracture and, if combined with density, improved the discrimination of fracture from non-fracture over bone density alone. The design was a case-control study. The subjects were Caucasian women over the age of 60 years who had sustained a hip fracture after the age of 58 years (n=22), and controls matched for age and weight (n=43) and unmatched controls (n=317) with no history of hip fracture. Variables in density, geometry and architecture were obtained from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry images and from radiographs of the upper end of the femur. In a univariate model, of the measures of bone mass, the best discriminator of hip fracture was bone mineral density of the neck of femur; of the geometric measurements, it was hip axis length; and of the measurements of bone architecture, it was Singh grade. In a multivariate model, these three variables were shown to be independent discriminators of hip facture. When hip axis length was combined with bone mineral density, there was significant improvement in discrimination of hip fracture (p=0.014), and when Singh grade was combined with hip axis length and bone mineral density there was a further significant improvement (p=0.002). In logistic regression models using hip axis length and Singh grade adjusted for femoral neck bone mineral density, age and weight, the area under the receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve for femoral neck density, hip axis length and Singh grade together was significantly greater than for femoral neck density alone (p=0.006). Models that combine bone mass (density), geometry (hip axis length) and architecture (Singh grade) significantly improve the discrimination of hip fracture over bone density by itself. If these models can be shown to be equally useful in predicting hip fracture prospectively and can be obtained from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, their use will increase the ability to identify subjects at most risk of hip fracture.
Genetically determined molecular variation in man

Abstract The genetically determined variatons in protein structure, or the presence or absence of protein, as seen in man, take a variety of forms whose end effects vary from the lethal to the benign. Most variations are attributable to structural gene mutation. The underlying molecular biology of the several known types of variation is becoming clear.
Shape Optimization of Supersonic Turbines Using Response Surface and Neural Network Methods

Turbine performance directly affects engine specific impulse, thrust-to-weight ratio, and cost in a rocket propulsion system. A global optimization framework combining the radial basis neural network (RBNN) and the polynomial-based response surface method (RSM) is constructed for shape optimization of a supersonic turbine. Based on the optimized preliminary design, shape optimization is performed for the first vane and blade of a 2-stage supersonic turbine, involving O(10) design variables. The design of experiment approach is adopted to reduce the data size needed by the optimization task. It is demonstrated that a major merit of the global optimization approach is that it enables one to adaptively revise the design space to perform multiple optimization cycles. This benefit is realized when an optimal design approaches the boundary of a pre-defined design space. Furthermore, by inspecting the influence of each design variable, one can also gain insight into the existence of multiple design choices and select the optimum design based on other factors such as stress and materials considerations.
Ruthenium Carbonyl Cluster Complexes with Phenylgermyl Ligands from the Reactions of Ph3GeH with Ru(CO)5 and Ru3(CO)12

Four new triphenylgermylruthenium carbonyl compounds HRu(CO)4GePh3, 14; Ru(CO)4(GePh3)2, 15; Ru2(CO)8(GePh3)2, 16; and Ru3(CO)9(GePh3)3(μ-H)3, 17 were obtained from the reaction of Ru(CO)5 with Ph3GeH in hexane solvent at reflux, 68 °C. The major product 14 was formed by loss of CO from the Ru(CO)5 and an oxidative addition of the GeH bond of the Ph3GeH to the metal atom. This six coordinate complex contains one terminal hydrido ligand. Compound 15 is formed from 14 and contains two trans-positioned GePh3 ligands in the six coordinate complex. Compound 16 contains two Ru(CO)4(GePh3) fragments joined by an Ru–Ru single bond. Compound 17 contains a triangular cluster of three ruthenium atoms with three bridging hydrido ligands and one terminal GePh3 ligand on each metal atom. When heated to 125 °C, 14 was converted to the new triruthenium compound Ru3(CO)10(μ-GePh2)2, 18. Compound 18 consists of a triangular tri-ruthenium cluster with two GePh2 ligands bridging two different edges of the cluster and one bridging CO ligand. Ru3(CO)12 was found to react with Ph3GeH at 97 °C to yield three products: 15, and two new compounds Ru3(CO)9(μ-GePh2)3, 19 and Ru2(CO)6(μ-GePh2)2(GePh3)2, 20 were obtained. Compound 19 is similar to 18 having a triangular tri-ruthenium cluster but has three bridging GePh2 ligands, one on each Ru–Ru bond. Compound 20 contains only two ruthenium atoms joined by a single Ru–Ru bond that has two bridging GePh2 ligands and a terminal GePh3 ligand on each metal atom. All compounds were characterized by a combination of IR, 1H NMR, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses.