cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some first passage time problems for the shortest queue model

We consider the symmetric shortest queue (SQ) problem. Here we have a Poisson arrival stream of rate ? feeding two parallel queues, each having an exponential server that works at rate μ. An arrival joins the shorter of the two queues; if both are of equal length the arrival joins either with probability 1/2. We consider the first passage time until one of the queues reaches the value m 0, and also the time until both reach this level. We give explicit expressions for the first two first passage moments, conditioned on the initial queue lengths, and also the full first passage distribution. We also give some asymptotic results for m 0?? and various values of ?=?/μ.
Effects of methionine and other sulfur compounds on drug conjugations.

Conjugation reactions in the detoxification of drugs and environmental chemicals occur with various sulfur-containing substances. These reactions include: (1) glutathione (GSH, reduced glutathione) conjugation with subsequent mercapturic acid synthesis; (2) sulfate conjugation (sulfate ester synthesis); (3) methylation by S-adenosylmethionine (SAM); (4) thiosulfate conjugation of the cyanide ion, resulting in thiocyanate synthesis; (5) chelation of toxic metals by metallothionein, a sulfhydryl-rich protein. Of the drug conjugation reactions affected by methionine and cysteine intake and metabolism, sulfate and glutathione reactions have the greatest physiological significance. Much study has been devoted to the determination of intraand extracellular concentrations and transport of sulfur-containing compounds, and their relation to xenobiotic metabolism. Studies of the influence of dietary sulfur amino acid intake on the utilization during xenobiotic metabolism of sulfur-containing compounds are more limited, however. This review describes these studies as they relate to sulfur amino acid nutrition and Phase II drug conjugations. The major focus is on the effect of dietary methionine and cysteine intake on sulfate and glutathione conjugation reactions.
Alpha3 integrin receptors contribute to the consolidation of long-term potentiation.

Abstract Several lines of evidence suggest that integrin receptors play a pivotal role in consolidation of long-term potentiation (LTP), but which of the many integrin dimers are involved remains to be discovered. The present study used an LTP reversal paradigm to test if α3 integrins make an important contribution. Function blocking α3 monoclonal antibodies or vehicle were locally infused into recording sites in field CA1 of rat hippocampal slices and LTP induced with theta burst stimulation. Low frequency trains of pulses were applied 30 min after the theta bursts. Previous work indicates that low frequency stimulation reverses LTP when applied immediately after induction but is largely ineffective after 30–45-min delays. If the antibodies were to block consolidation, then they should extend the period over which potentiation is vulnerable to disruption. There was no detectable difference between the two groups in the initial degree of LTP or within slice decay of potentiation 1–10 min after induction; a small but reliable decay occurred from 10 to 30 min with antibody treatment (P From these results we suggest that α3-containing integrins are localized to synapses and are needed to stabilize a slowly decaying form of LTP. The findings also show that vulnerability to reversal can be used in place of extended recording sessions in studying consolidation.
A statistical theory of sound radiation from a two-dimensional lined duct

A statistical theory coupled with a finite element theory is employed for investigation of sound radiation from a two-dimensional lined duct. The analysis does not utilize duct modes, and can be applied to a non-uniform duct with variable wall liner properties. Numerical results are presented for various shapes of the incident wave. The results are in good agreement with the Wiener-Hopf calculation for cases where the latter can be made.
Endpoint asymptotics for Müntz–Legendre polynomials

Muntz–Legendre polynomials Ln(Λ;x) associated with a sequence Λ={λk} are obtained by orthogonalizing the system \((x^{\lambda_{0}},x^{\lambda_{1}},x^{\lambda_{2}},\dots)\) in L2[0,1] with respect to the Legendre weight. Under very mild conditions on Λ, we establish the endpoint asymptotics close to x=1. The main result is $$\lim_{n\to\infty}L_n\left(1-\frac{y^2}{4S_n}\right)=J_0\big(|y|\big)$$ where \(S_{n}=\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}(2\lambda_{k}+1)+\frac{2\lambda_{n}+1}{2}\) and J0 is the Bessel function of order 0.
Exploring a model-driven architecture (MDA) approach to health care information systems development

Abstract Objective To explore the potential of the model-driven architecture (MDA) in health care information systems development. Methods An MDA is conceptualized and developed for a health clinic system to track patient information. A prototype of the MDA is implemented using an advanced MDA tool. The UML provides the underlying modeling support in the form of the class diagram. The PIM to PSM transformation rules are applied to generate the prototype application from the model. Results The result of the research is a complete MDA methodology to developing health care information systems. Additional insights gained include development of transformation rules and documentation of the challenges in the application of MDA to health care. Design guidelines for future MDA applications are described. The model has the potential for generalizability. The overall approach supports limited interoperability and portability. Conclusion The research demonstrates the applicability of the MDA approach to health care information systems development. When properly implemented, it has the potential to overcome the challenges of platform (vendor) dependency, lack of open standards, interoperability, portability, scalability, and the high cost of implementation.
Habenular lesions, water consumption, and palatability of fluids, in the rat

Abstract Using a single bottle technique, habenular lesions did not originally increase water consumption, but did decrease quinine intake re normal rats. Water intake following quinine availability increased more in the group with lesions. In contrast to septal lesions, habenular lesions did not increase saccharine intake.
Injury and illness at the Newport-Bermuda race 1998- 2006.

Abstract Objective.—To describe the relative frequency and types of injury and illness in the Newport-Bermuda off-shore yachting race. Methods.—At the end of each race held in even numbered years from 1998–2006, the captain of each boat was asked to complete a survey detailing any injury or illness among his/her crew. Results.—There was an overall 87% response rate to the survey. During the study period, 38 injuries and 57 illnesses were reported for an estimated 8105 sailors, yielding rate of injury or illness of 12 per 1000 races per sailor. Most common were injuries to the upper extremity (47%), and lacerations were the most common type of injury (45%). Sea sickness was the most common illness, and the rate of illness and injury increased in races that took place in heavy weather. Radio consultations were used 4 times, and 3 sailors required transport to a hospital. Conclusions.—The rate of injury and illness was relatively low in the Newport-Bermuda race. Injuries to the upper extremities and lacerati...
Nonlinear convection in a rigid channel uniformly heated from below

A weakly nonlinear theory is developed for convection in an infinite rigid horizontal rectangular channel uniformly heated from below. A combination of analytical and numerical techniques along and in the cross-section of the channel leads to the derivation of an amplitude equation governing the spatial and temporal evolution of the flow above the critical Rayleigh number. Results are obtained for general Prandtl numbers and a wide range of aspect ratios. Overall trends are confirmed by comparison with results for an idealized model with stress-free horizontal boundaries. For wide channels, where the aspect ratio is large, the limiting form of the amplitude equation is predicted by reference to the two-dimensional equation describing roll patterns in infinite layers. The connection with this well-developed theory is established for both rigid and stress-free horizontal boundary conditions.
Competitive abilities in experimental microcosms are accurately predicted by a demographic index for R

Resource competition theory predicts that R*, the equilibrium resource amount yielding zero growth of a consumer population, should predict species' competitive abilities for that resource. This concept has been supported for unicellular organisms, but has not been well-tested for metazoans, probably due to the difficulty of raising experimental populations to equilibrium and measuring population growth rates for species with long or complex life cycles. We developed an index (Rindex) of R* based on demography of one insect cohort, growing from egg to adult in a non-equilibrium setting, and tested whether Rindex yielded accurate predictions of competitive abilities using mosquitoes as a model system. We estimated finite rate of increase (λ′) from demographic data for cohorts of three mosquito species raised with different detritus amounts, and estimated each species' Rindex using nonlinear regressions of λ′ vs. initial detritus amount. All three species' Rindex differed significantly, and accurately predicted competitive hierarchy of the species determined in simultaneous pairwise competition experiments. Our Rindex could provide estimates and rigorous statistical comparisons of competitive ability for organisms for which typical chemostat methods and equilibrium population conditions are impractical.
Using a machine language simulator to teach CS1 concepts

The use of computer architecture simulators has become common practice in courses designed to teach computer organization. However, little research has been done to test the effectiveness of such simulators in learning introductory programming concepts. In this paper I will discuss the use of a simple architecture and machine language simulator to teach the CS1 concepts of conditional selection and iteration, along with the results of a pilot study on its effectiveness in a structural programming-based CS1 course. Possible other uses for the tool are also considered.
The Sheer Audacity: How to Get More, in Less Time, from the Audacity Digital Audio Editing Software

While the relatively new medium of podcasting is seeing increasingly wide adoption in the general populace, its rate of adoption in the corporate realm has been slower, and its use as a medium for the propagation of technical content may not be very well-known outside of early adopters. Yet evidence is beginning to suggest podcasting may be an exceptional medium for this task. By learning a key tool called Audacity, the open-source audio production program favored by a large percentage of podcasters, technical communicators can become central to their organizations' current or planned use of podcasting as an important supplementary method of delivering technical content. This paper presents a brief tutorial on Audacity - how to download it, install it, and then use its basic features to produce a simple podcast.
Prolonged fasting does not increase oxidative damage or inflammation in postweaned northern elephant seal pups

Elephant seals are naturally adapted to survive up to three months of absolute food and water deprivation (fasting). Prolonged food deprivation in terrestrial mammals increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, oxidative damage and inflammation that can be induced by an increase in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). To test the hypothesis that prolonged fasting in elephant seals is not associated with increased oxidative stress or inflammation, blood samples and muscle biopsies were collected from early (2-3 weeks post-weaning) and late (7-8 weeks post-weaning) fasted seals. Plasma levels of oxidative damage, inflammatory markers and plasma renin activity (PRA), along with muscle levels of lipid and protein oxidation, were compared between early and late fasting periods. Protein expression of angiotensin receptor 1 (AT(1)), pro-oxidant (Nox4) and antioxidant enzymes (CuZn- and Mn-superoxide dismutases, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) was analyzed in muscle. Fasting induced a 2.5-fold increase in PRA, a 50% increase in AT(1), a twofold increase in Nox4 and a 70% increase in NADPH oxidase activity. By contrast, neither tissue nor systemic indices of oxidative damage or inflammation increased with fasting. Furthermore, muscle antioxidant enzymes increased 40-60% with fasting in parallel with an increase in muscle and red blood cell antioxidant enzyme activities. These data suggest that, despite the observed increases in RAS and Nox4, an increase in antioxidant enzymes appears to be sufficient to suppress systemic and tissue indices of oxidative damage and inflammation in seals that have fasted for a prolonged period. The present study highlights the importance of antioxidant capacity in mammals during chronic periods of stress to help avoid deleterious systemic consequences.
A type III secretion system in Vibrio cholerae translocates a formin/spire hybrid-like actin nucleator to promote intestinal colonization.

Summary We have previously characterized a non-O1, non-O139 Vibrio cholerae strain, AM-19226, that lacks the known virulence factors but contains components of a type III secretion system (T3SS). In this study, we demonstrated that the T3SS is functional and is required for intestinal colonization in the infant mouse model. We also identified VopF, which is conserved among T3SS-positive V. cholerae strains, as an effector containing both formin homology 1-like (FH1-like) and WASP homology 2 (WH2) domains. Translocation of VopF by V. cholerae or expression by transfection altered the actin cytoskeletal organization of the eukaryotic host cells. In vitro domain analysis indicated that both FH1-like and WH2 domains are required for actin nucleation and polymerization activity. These data correlate with in vivo data, suggesting that VopF-mediated alteration of actin polymerization homeostasis is required for efficient intestinal colonization by T3SS+ V. cholerae in the infant mouse model.
Genome-wide prediction and analysis of human chromatin boundary elements

Boundary elements partition eukaryotic chromatin into active and repressive domains, and can also block regulatory interactions between domains. Boundary elements act via diverse mechanisms making accurate feature-based computational predictions difficult. Therefore, we developed an unbiased algorithm that predicts the locations of human boundary elements based on the genomic distributions of chromatin and transcriptional states, as opposed to any intrinsic characteristics that they may possess. Application of our algorithm to ChIP-seq data for histone modifications and RNA Pol II-binding data in human CD4 + T cells resulted in the prediction of 2542 putative chromatin boundary elements genome wide. Predicted boundary elements display two distinct features: first, position-specific open chromatin and histone acetylation that is coincident with the recruitment of sequence-specific DNA-binding factors such as CTCF, EVI1 and YYI, and second, a directional and gradual increase in histone lysine methylation across predicted boundaries coincident with a gain of expression of non-coding RNAs, including examples of boundaries encoded by tRNA and other non-coding RNA genes. Accordingly, a number of the predicted human boundaries may function via the synergistic action of sequencespecific recruitment of transcription factors leading to non-coding RNA transcriptional interference and the blocking of facultative heterochromatin propagation by transcription-associated chromatin remodeling complexes.
The Use of Radiation As a Component of Breast Conservation Therapy in National Comprehensive Cancer Network Centers

Purpose Benchmark data regarding quality measures of breast cancer management are needed. We investigated rates of radiation use after breast conservation therapy (BCT) for patients treated for ductal carcinoma-in-situ (DCIS) or invasive breast cancer at National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) centers. Patients and Methods We studied 3,333 consecutive patients treated between 1997 and 2002 with BCT for DCIS (n = 587) or for stage I or II breast cancer (n = 2,746) in eight NCCN centers. Results The overall rate of radiation therapy use was 91%, with a lower frequency of radiation use in DCIS versus invasive breast cancers (82% v 94%; odds ratio [OR] = 0.31; P < .0001). In a multivariable analysis of the patients with DCIS, the only factor significantly associated with lower rates of radiation use was low/intermediate grade (OR = 0.19; P = .0003). For patients with invasive breast cancer, significant factors were presence of comorbidity (OR = 0.53; P = .0005), tubular histology (OR = 0.39; P = .02), ty...
Chernobyl's Effects on the Perceived Risks of Nuclear Power: A Small Sample Test

This paper presents the results of two risk perception surveys, one taken just before and one just after the accident at Chernobyl in May, 1985. The results show that Chernobyl affected short-term perceptions of nuclear power risks in ways that are predictable and measureable. In this sample, perceived levels of dread of nuclear power increased, perceived knowledge increased, and perceived severity decreased. Overall, the results are informative about how a single event could affect perceived risk characteristics.
A phylogeny inferred from large-subunit (26S) ribosomal DNA sequences suggests that Burmanniales are polyphyletic

According to several authors, the Burmanniales are an order that includes the families Burmanniaceae, Thismiaceae and Corsiaceae. At present, there is no consensus concerning the circumscription of Burmanniales. All members of Thismiaceae and Corsiaceae are mycoheterotrophic; Burmanniaceae are composed of both mycoheterotrophic and autotrophic species. Other than mycoheterotrophy, there are few characters that unite members of the order. Because mycoheterotrophy has resulted in extreme vegetative reduction that may have contributed to homoplasy in the form of character convergence, the systematics of Burmanniales is problematic. A phylogeny inferred from large-subunit (26S) ribosome-DNA sequences suggests that the order Burmanniales is polyphyletic. Specifically, the Burmanniaceae appears as strongly supported monophyletic group with Thismia as sister. Corsia is distinct and may be associated with the Liliales.
Search for scintillation in doped lead fluoride crystals

An effort has been made to introduce scintillation light in lead fluoride crystals by selective doping. It was found that some rare earth ions doped in the crystal may serve as luminescence centers. The photo- and X- luminescence spectrum, the decay time constant and the light output of these doped samples are presented. Because of the slow decay time these doped lead fluoride samples fall short to be used to build a homogeneous hadronic calorimeter with dual readout for future high energy physics experiments. Researches will continue to introduce scintillation in lead fluoride.
EAT-4, a Homolog of a Mammalian Sodium-Dependent Inorganic Phosphate Cotransporter, Is Necessary for Glutamatergic Neurotransmission in Caenorhabditis elegans

The Caenorhabditis elegans gene eat-4 affects multiple glutamatergic neurotransmission pathways. We find that eat-4 encodes a protein similar in sequence to a mammalian brain-specific sodium-dependent inorganic phosphate cotransporter I (BNPI). Like BNPI in the rat CNS, eat-4 is expressed predominantly in a specific subset of neurons, including several proposed to be glutamatergic. Loss-of-function mutations in eat-4 cause defective glutamatergic chemical transmission but appear to have little effect on other functions of neurons. Our data suggest that phosphate ions imported into glutamatergic neurons through transporters such as EAT-4 and BNPI are required specifically for glutamatergic neurotransmission.
Stabilization under measurement noise: Lyapunov characterization

For systems affine in controls, Artstein's theorem (1983) provides an equivalence, between continuous feedback stabilizability to an equilibrium and the existence of smooth control Lyapunov functions. This is one of the fundamental facts in nonlinear stabilization. The equivalence breaks down for general nonlinear systems, not affine in controls. One of the main results in this paper states that the existence of smooth Lyapunov functions implies the existence of, in general discontinuous, feedback stabilizers which are insensitive (or robust) to small errors in state measurements. Conversely, the existence of such stabilizers in turn implies the existence of smooth control Lyapunov functions. In a more general framework of systems under persistently acting disturbances, the existence of smooth Lyapunov functions turns out to be equivalent to the existence of (in general, discontinuous) feedback stabilizers which are robust with respect to small measurement errors and small additive external disturbances.
A Model Disagreement

y purpose in writing "Rigor or Rigor Mortis?" was to evaluate the contributions of formal rational choice theory to the field of security studies.' I argued that formal theory was useful-but not essential-for developing precise and logically sound arguments, and suggested that the benefits of formalization were not cost-free. I also argued that recent formal work had not produced a significant body of new and original insights, and I sought to show that much of this work was either untested or empirically questionable. Accordingly, I concluded that although formal theory could be a valuable part of the field, it was not intrinsically superior to other well-established research techniques. As a result, I emphasized that the field of security studies should strive to maintain its methodological pluralism. To paraphrase Georges Clemenceau, the study of warfare is too important to be left solely to formal modelers. The five responses to my article raise many important issues. Lacking sufficient space to address all of them, I focus here on the central points that divide us. I do not believe that the responses cast serious doubt on my original claims, and as I attempt to show below, several of them actually provide additional support for my position. My reply consists of five sections. The first section considers the issue of logical consistency and precision, which several of the respondents declare to be the most important feature of a scientific theory and the cardinal virtue of formal techniques. The second section examines the question of creativity and originality and shows why the examples of innovative work offered by my critics do not undermine my original assessment. The third section revisits the issue of empirical validity and shows that the responses actually lend further support to my central argument. The fourth section addresses the crucial issue of policy relevance, which is still a major liability of formal work in the field of security studies. The fifth section considers the hegemonic aspirations of the modeling community and reiterates my plea for methodological pluralism.
Chronic exposure to ambient particulate matter alters cardiac gene expression patterns and markers of oxidative stress in rats

Exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) significantly increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the general population. We hypothesized that some components of PM can affect the gene expression patterns in the hearts of rats exposed for 3 months to filtered air (FA), coarse (CP; 2.5 1.5 (for both up- and down-regulated genes), we found three genes in the CP and nine genes in the UFP groups with significantly changed expression, compared with FA. No significant changes in gene expression patterns were observed in the FP group. In the UFP group thioredoxin interacting protein (Txnip), a negative regulator of an antioxidant enzyme thioredoxin, and cytochrome P450 (Cyp2e1), an enzyme involved in the metabolism of foreign substances demonstrated significant up-regulation (fold ratios 1.79 and 1.57, respectively, with false discovery rate, FDR 0.05) and significant increase in the Cyp2e1 expression (fold ratio 1.79, FDR < 0.05). Changes in the Txnip and Cyp2e1 expression showed statistically significant positive correlation to each other (p < 0.0009) and were confirmed by real-time PCR. In addition Txnip and Cyp2e1 expression demonstrated statistically significant moderate correlation with the levels of MDA in the heart. Up-regulation of both Cyp2e1 and Txnip are observed in hearts of patients with certain cardiac diseases. Therefore, chronic exposure to CP and UFP directly affects expression of disease-relevant genes in the myocardium.
Highly accurate fast methods for extraction and sparsification of substrate coupling based on low-rank approximation

More aggressive design practices have created renewed interest in techniques for analyzing substrate coupling problems. Most previous work has focused primarily on faster techniques for extracting coupling resistances, but has offered little help for reducing the resulting resistance matrix, whose number of nonzero entries grows quadratically with the number of contacts. Wavelet-like methods have been applied to sparsifying the resistance matrix representing the substrate coupling, but the accuracy of the method is very sensitive to the particulars of the contact layout. In this paper we show that for the substrate problem it is possible to improve considerably on the wavelet-like methods by making use of the algorithmic structure common to the fast multipole and wavelet-like algorithms, but making judicious use of low-rank approximations. The approach, motivated by the hierarchical SVD algorithm, can achieve more than an order of magnitude better accuracy for commensurate sparsity, or can achieve much better sparsity at commensurate accuracy, when compared to the wavelet-like algorithm.
A multitower measurement network estimate of California's methane emissions

[1] We present an analysis of methane (CH4) emissions using atmospheric observations from five sites in California's Central Valley across different seasons (September 2010 to June 2011). CH4 emissions for spatial regions and source sectors are estimated by comparing measured CH4 mixing ratios with transport model (Weather Research and Forecasting and Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport) predictions based on two 0.1° CH4 (seasonally varying “California-specific” (California Greenhouse Gas Emission Measurements, CALGEM) and a static global (Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research, release version 42, EDGAR42)) prior emission models. Region-specific Bayesian analyses indicate that for California's Central Valley, the CALGEM- and EDGAR42-based inversions provide consistent annual total CH4 emissions (32.87 ± 2.09 versus 31.60 ± 2.17 Tg CO2eq yr−1; 68% confidence interval (CI), assuming uncorrelated errors between regions). Summing across all regions of California, optimized CH4 emissions are only marginally consistent between CALGEM- and EDGAR42-based inversions (48.35 ± 6.47 versus 64.97 ± 11.85 Tg CO2eq), because emissions from coastal urban regions (where landfill and natural gas emissions are much higher in EDGAR than CALGEM) are not strongly constrained by the measurements. Combining our results with those from a recent study of the South Coast Air Basin narrows the range of estimates to 43–57 Tg CO2eq yr−1 (1.3–1.8 times higher than the current state inventory). These results suggest that the combination of rural and urban measurements will be necessary to verify future changes in California's total CH4 emissions.
Targeting sarcomas: novel biological agents and future perspectives.

Sarcomas are a group of heterogeneous tumors that arise from mesenchymal tissue and account for approximately 1% of all adult solid malignancies diagnosed, although its incidence approaches 20% in pediatric cancers. Characterization of molecular abnormalities in patients with sarcomas, in particular the up-regulation of the receptor tyrosine kinase and the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway, loss or deletions of retinoblastoma (Rb) and p53 gene, increased VEGF expression and angiogenesis, dysregulation of apoptosis through Bcl-2 overexpression, along with oncogene mutations and activations, such as c-KIT in Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), makes treatment with novel biological therapies a promising option. This review focuses on the molecular heterogeneity of soft tissue and bone sarcomas, novel biological therapies currently in clinical trials to target the various molecular pathways, and the potential biological agents in preclinical and early clinical development.
BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC EFFECTS ON ENDOPARASITES INFECTING DIPODOMYS AND PEROGNATHUS SPECIES

Between 1989 and 1998, 3,504 rodents of the genera Dipodomys and Perognathus were collected from 4 permanent collecting sites on the University of New Mexico's Long Term Ecological Research station, located on the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (SNWR), Socorro County, New Mexico. All animals were killed and examined for endoparasites (acanthoceph- alans, cestodes, coccidia, and nematodes). The present report focuses on 3 endoparasite groups, cestodes, coccidia, and nematodes. Specific analyses address how prevalence changes were related to abiotic factors such as habitat, season, or precipitation, and how prevalence of each parasite species in each host species differed in relation to host age, host sex, host reproductive status, host body mass, host density, parasite-parasite interactions, and host specificity. A logistic regression was used to determine which host characters and which abiotic factors are correlated with a parasite infection. Significant variables for at least half of the parasites include season, site, and winter precipitation. However, no parasite prevalences were correlated, and significant variables were not identical between parasites, indicating that each parasite species varied independently and that no generaliza- tions can be drawn. The parasite prevalences in these rodents on the SNWR vary in independent and complex ways.
NRCC Cetane Index – 1: An Improved Cetane Number Predictor

La densite, le point d'ebullition, la viscosite et le point d'aniline sont combines sous forme de parametres independants integrant un modele correlatif qui permet de calculer l'indice de cetane de combustibles et de leurs melanges. Les donnees relatives a quatre cents combustibles ont ete utilisees pour cette etude. Les indices de cetane calcules d'apres cette nouvelle methode sont compares aux indices de cetane calcules selon des methodes plus conventionnelles
Anatomy, Embryology, and Histology

Although the urinary and genital systems function as two separate systems, they are intimately related anatomically and embryologically. Both develop from a longitudinal elevation of intermediate mesoderm along the posterior aspect of the body wall identified as the urogenital ridge. The urogenital ridge is divided into the nephrogenic cord that gives rise to the urinary system and the gonadal ridge that gives rise to the genital system. The following sections will focus on the development of the urinary system structures including the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra.
The Effects of an Injury Prevention Program on Landing Biomechanics Over Time

Background:Knowledge is limited regarding how long improvements in biomechanics remain after completion of a lower extremity injury prevention program.Purpose:To evaluate the effects of an injury prevention program on movement technique and peak vertical ground-reaction forces (VGRF) over time compared with a standard warm-up (SWU) program.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:A total of 1104 incoming freshmen (age range, 17-22 years) at a military academy in the United States volunteered to participate. Participants were cluster-randomized by military company to either the Dynamic Integrated Movement Enhancement (DIME) injury prevention program or SWU. A random subsample of participants completed a standardized jump-landing task at each time point: immediately before the intervention (PRE), immediately after (POST), and 2 (POST2M), 4 (POST4M), 6 (POST6M), and 8 months (POST8M) after the intervention. VGRF data collected during the jump-landing task were normalized to body weight (%BW). The Lan...
The politics of invisibility: homophobia and low-income HIV-positive women who have sex with women.

ABSTRACT HIV-positive women who have sex with women (WSW) have been overlooked by government researchers, health care providers and the AIDS service community. In addition to stigmas against homosexuality and HIV in larger society, low-income, African-American and Latina HIV-positive WSWs face culturally-based stigmas and are disproportionately affected by poverty, drug addiction, homelessness, sex work and abuse. Through an analysis of sixteen intensive interviews with low-income HIV-positive WSWs of color, I critically examine the physical, emotional and psychological needs of this population and their methods of coping with HIV. I also examine the participants' perceptions of available support networks and patterns of disclosure in order to raise awareness of their struggle against HIV and homophobia and to assistin empowering the low-income HIV-positiveWSW community.
Further observations on relation of glomerular function to phenolsulphonephthalein excretion in frog's kidney.

SummaryWhen a dye solution is run into the frog's kidney in such a way that, in the lower portion of the kidney, it runs into tubular capillaries and into a large number of glomerular capillaries, while in the upper portion of the kidney it runs into tubular capillaries, and into only a few glomerular capillaries, the amount of dye excreted follows the number of active glomeruli receiving dye solution, although both halves of the kidney are producing urine.
Improving the Safety and Effectiveness of Medical Device Therapy in Women

Abstract When not enough women are included in many clinical trials, an information gap on medical device safety and effectiveness exists, which can make it difficult to detect sex-specific results. In this article we discuss potential reasons for the underrepresentation of women and the regulatory research conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) used in supporting regulatory decisions. We demonstrate that important differences in cardiovascular device performance between women and men exist. Furthermore, concrete steps are outlined on the possible ways these sex-specific results can be detected and how a recent FDA Action Plan and Guidance Document aim at encouraging female participation in clinical trials and the appropriate analysis thereof.
CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS' BELIEFS ABOUT THE ROLE OF SUGGESTION IN ILLNESS AND HEALING

In apparently the first successful empirical study of rank-and-file Christian Scientists' health and illness behavior and cognitions, 85 % of rhe students who listed Christian Science as their preferred faith in a religious census at a major, state-supported midwestern university were interviewed at length (1, 4 ) . Data from the 48 undergraduate nonconverts showed 52% contended that suggestion is not only a necessary cause of illness but sufficient. In accord with the emphasis on the etiological significance of suggestion, affirmation of the Truth of man's perfection and its corollary, denial of illness, were the most commonly mentioned healing mechanisms (89% of all responses). Students displayed virtually no knowledge of two healing variants of suggestion rooted in the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science: ( a ) "addressing the thought," in which a Christian Science practitioner (an authorized healer) or another who assists in the healing process telepathically informs the afflicted person that he is well, and ( b ) "impersonal treatment," in which another person merely perceives the patient as healthy. But illness-producing forms of indirect mechanisms of suggestion, sometimes referred to as "malicious animal magnetism," were familiar to many respondents. These deleterious mechanisms appear to be rooted in Mrs. Eddy's fears of consciously malicious and unconsciously unwholesome thoughts of other people (telepathy) (referred to by 19% of the students), as well as on free-floating or "vitalistic" suggestion with a source and d~rection independent of any person (referred to by 17% of the students). In a thoroughly un-Christian Scientific fashion, 33% of the sample referred to naturalistic etiological factors such as germs, which were explicitly disavowed by Mrs. Eddy. Of interest is the virtual lack of any relationship between reference to suggestion and reference to naturalistic etiological factors, which may be associated at least in part with a strain toward veridical perception of this-worldly phenomena; for these students, Christian Science and secular science lived side by side in an uneasy accommodation (1, 3 ) . Illness is, after all, a fact of life; even Mrs. Eddy, the most advanced Christian Scientist, "passed on."
A Novel Technique for Characterization of Amorphous Silicon Thin Films

A novel technique for characterizing the variation of depletion width versus reverse bias voltage, the absorption coefficient, and the defect density in amorphous silicon thin films has been developed. The technique utilizes the fact that the rate of change of dc photocurrent with reverse voltage in a photodiode is strongly dependent upon the wavelength of light.
Hexavalent chromium activates mediators of inflammation in human lung cells.

Fifth AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, Nov 12-15, 2006 A89 Chromium compounds are widely used industrial chemicals and are also recognized human carcinogens. In the occupational setting, hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) enters the human body via inhalation and dermal absorption. In the environmental setting it can be absorbed via the ingestion of contaminated water. Recent reports indicate that chronic exposure to Cr(VI) may increase the risk for developing lung diseases among susceptible individuals. Although multiple intracellular targets have been proposed for the toxicity of hexavalent chromium, the exact pathway remains unclear. Recent studies have suggested that some instances of chronic inflammation may contribute to the risk of developing lung cancer. Chronic exposure to Cr(VI) could activate several soluble biochemical mediators of inflammation, therefore it is important to examine the inflammatory response of normal healthy following exposure. We hypothesize that subchronic exposure to low doses of Cr(VI) induces cellular damage and activates mediators of inflammation. This could be, in part, due to enhanced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to the activation macrophages. The macrophages may trigger transcriptional changes of TNFα, nuclear factor NF-κB, AP1 pathways and result in an elevated expression of the inducible form of cyclooxygenase (COX-2). In the present study, we addressed the question on (a) whether hexavalent chromium alters the architecture of normal lung cells causing cytotoxic effects at low doses and, (b) whether the positive entry of Cr(VI) into the cell nucleus alters the transcription of genes involved in the process of inflammation. Using normal human lung cells we demonstrate that a low dose of 10uM of Cr(VI) induces damage to the cell membrane, generates pinnocytic vesicles around the membrane, causes DNA fragmentation and enhances COX-2 expression. In a similar set of experiments, RNA was extracted from A549 lung cancer cells for Real Time RT-PCR analysis. Using specific primers, the gene transcripts show an increase in the level of expression of IL-6, IL-10, Cox-2, and TNF-alpha. However, there was no change in the expression of IL-8, IL-12, Cox-1, FGFR-1 and GADPH. Only the MMP-2 gene was down regulated by treatment with Cr(VI). Studies are in progress to determine the DNA binding activity of transcription factor NF-κB, AP1 and IL1 in normal and lung cancer cells. Conclusion: Normal and lung cancer cells exposed to low doses of Cr(VI) show enhanced expression of major pro-inflammatory factors compared to the control cells. Understanding the complex networks of mediators of inflammation and their regulation at the gene transcription level will provide better prevention strategies to reduce the risk of lung cancer among chromium workers.
Outward Bound with Ayyappan: Work, Masculinity, and Self-Respect in a South Indian Pilgrimage Festival

The annual pilgrimage festival dedicated to the god Ayyappan has become immensely popular in the past sixty years. As many as fifty million pilgrims participate each year. This paper draws on interviews of pilgrims conducted in South India in 2012–2013. My fieldwork suggests that the increasing popularity of the event relates to the contemporary South Indian work environment, an environment in which traditional gender roles are being reshaped by the challenges posed by migration for work opportunities. Interviews of English-speaking pilgrims show that their interpretations of the pilgrimage festival highlight the complexities of manhood in a time of rapidly changing work roles for men and women. Specifically, my fieldwork demonstrates that pilgrims perceive Ayyappan as a source of aid for those who struggle to succeed as financial providers and heads of the family unit. Pilgrims anxious about the loss of traditional models of masculinity amidst rapid change find solace in the blessings the god Ayyappan yields.
The Intersection of Positive Psychology and the Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy

There are many applications of positive psychology within the practice of counseling and psychotherapy. These applications include not only specific client activities and exercises informed by research in positive psychology, but also client conceptualizations and definitions of successful therapeutic outcomes, and the process of psychological assessment. This chapter explores the applications of positive psychology to each of these components of counseling and psychotherapy. To put positive psychology into action in the therapy room, therapists must first begin by taking the stance that all clients have both strengths and weaknesses as well as both opportunities and destructive forces in their environments. Furthermore, they seek information about their clients on all four of these fronts. Typically, therapists attend to client weaknesses and psychosocial and environmental problems because most clients enter therapy with identified problems or concerns in their lives. Strengths and environmental resources, however, are often overlooked, as they are not as salient as the problems with which clients present. Failure to start the therapeutic process with this belief system intact will likely result in the clinician overlooking completely or failing to utilize fully the strengths and resources of the client.
Times to key events in Zika virus infection and implications for blood donation: a systematic review

Objective To estimate the timing of key events in the natural history of Zika virus infection.
Family Adaptation and Intervention

The family is often the primary unit of social support for individuals with a disability or chronic illness. Family members provide a wide variety of supports, including emotional, practical, and financial. They act as advocates or spokespersons for the patient during hospitalization, and many provide care for the patient after discharge. Importantly, family members are also affected by the disability, and this can be particularly challenging during inpatient rehabilitation. The onset of a disability or an exacerbation of illness in their loved one is a major disruption or crisis for some families. Families need to cope with strong, sometimes difficult emotional reactions within themselves that can interfere with their optimal functioning; at the same time, families are expected to take in a great amount of complex information about their loved one’s medical condition, make plans for post-discharge care, and begin to learn and assume new caregiving duties. Families need support—as well as education, resources and sometimes psychotherapy—to help them manage these emotional, intellectual and practical demands. Providing targeted interventions during inpatient rehabilitation can help families learn ways to manage their emotional responses, support the patient more effectively, anticipate future problems, and restructure their roles and priorities. Giving the family information on community resources and peer supports will help them continue the process of adaptation after discharge.
The Effect of Scan Length on the Structure and Mechanical Properties of Electron Beam-Melted Ti-6Al-4V

Electron beam melting (EBM) is a powder bed fusion-based additive manufacturing process in which selective areas of a layer of powder are melted with an electron beam and a part is built layer by layer. EBM scanning strategies within the Arcam AB® A2X EBM system rely upon governing relationships between the scan length of the beam path, the beam current, and speed. As a result, a large parameter process window exists for Ti-6Al-4V. Many studies have reviewed various properties of EBM materials without accounting for this effect. The work performed in this study demonstrates the relationship between scan length and the resulting density, microstructure, and mechanical properties of EBM-produced Ti-6Al-4V using the scanning strategies set by the EBM control software. This emphasizes the criticality of process knowledge and careful experimental design, and provides an alternate explanation for reported orientation-influenced strength differences.
Mangrove expansion into salt marshes alters associated faunal communities

Abstract Climate change is altering the distribution of foundation species, with potential effects on organisms that inhabit these environments and changes to valuable ecosystem functions. In the Gulf of Mexico, black mangroves ( Avicennia germinans ) are expanding northward into salt marshes dominated by Spartina alterniflora (hereafter Spartina ). Salt marshes are essential habitats for many organisms, including ecologically and economically important species such as blue crabs ( Callinectes sapidus ) and Penaeid shrimp (e.g., Penaeus aztecus ), which may be affected by vegetation changes. Black mangroves occupied higher tidal elevations than Spartina , and Spartina was present only at its lowest tidal elevations in sites when mangroves were established. We compared nekton and infaunal communities within monoculture stands of Spartina that were bordered by mangroves to nearby areas where mangroves had not yet become established. Nekton and infaunal communities were significantly different in Spartina stands bordered by mangroves, even though salinity and temperature were not different. Overall abundance and biomass of nekton and infauna was significantly higher in marshes without mangroves, although crabs and fish were more abundant in mangrove areas. Black mangrove expansion as well as other ongoing vegetation shifts will continue in a warming climate. Understanding how these changes affect associated species is necessary for management, mitigation, and conservation.
Influence of misorientation on graphene Moiré patterns

In this work the influence of film-substrate misorientation on the strain-induced ordering of graphene films on various metallic surfaces is examined using a mesoscopic continuum model and first-principles atomistic calculations. The periodicity and free energy of the Moir\'e patterns that emerge are studied as a function of film-substrate adhesion strength for misfit strains far from and close to an incommensurate-commensurate phase transition. Interestingly the lowest energy states are found to be at small but finite misorientation even though these states have a higher domain wall density than the zero-misorientation states. First-principles density functional theory calculations are used to connect the results with experimental findings in graphene epitaxy. This combination of mesoscopic and atomistic approaches can be applied to the study of a wide range of strained 2D material systems including the III-nitride monolayer systems.