cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Common anorectal problems

Children, just as adults, have a variety of common anorectal problems that can be quite bothersome. The presentation of these problems may be age-specific. Abscesses, fistulas, and fissures appear more commonly in infants and young children, whereas hemorrhoids and pilonidal disease are more common in teens and young adults. Fissures often can be treated medically but may require surgical treatment with lateral internal sphincterotomy. Abscesses and fistulas are common in infant males, especially robust infants who are breastfed. They may resolve with medical therapy but anal fistulotomy is not infrequently required. Hemorrhoids are rare in young children but may be an issue for teenagers. Acute symptomatic lesions may require excision if local measures cannot control the symptoms. Finally, pilonidal disease is a difficult problem for the patient and the surgeon. Persistently symptomatic lesions demand some type of surgical treatment but wound healing is poor in the intergluteal cleft region. More extensive procedures requiring the transfer of fasciocutaneous flaps may be necessary to provide definitive relief. Anorectal problems in infants and children are frequent and bothersome. Although most are not associated with tremendous morbidity, they can lead to much patient and parent anxiety as well as frequent medical consultation until the problem is successfully treated or resolves.
Considering the cost of spine surgeries: is it necessary?

n recent years, health care economics in the United States has been a heavily debated topic. The cost of health care in I the United States has escalated exponentially during the past several decades. In 2010, total health care expenditures reached $2.6 trillion, which was more than 10 times the expenditure in 1980 of $256 billion and more than three times the expenditure in 1990 of $714 billion (1, 2). At this rate, health care spending is expected to grow at a faster rate than national income, leading most experts to believe that we are heading down an unsustainable path of spending. As a result, there are an increasing number of publications focusing on issues of healthrelated quality of life research and cost-utility analysis related to medical treatments.
Performance Trade-Offs for High-Repetition-Rate Noncollinear Optical Parametric Amplifiers

MHz-repetition-rate noncollinear optical parametric amplifiers are experimentally evaluated, focusing on the trade-offs that depend on pump-signal spatial walk-off in beta-barium borate. Walk-off compensation improves beam uniformity, but parasitic second-harmonic generation limits the signal tuning range.
An adiabatic treatment of ion dynamics for forbidden line profiles

Abstract A correction to the static ion approximation near the center of forbidden lines is proposed. In essence this correction consists of folding the usual static profile into a function A ( ω ) which is essentially just the Fourier transform of the normalized ion field autocorrelation: 〈 E i (t)·E i (0)〉/ 〈E i 2 (0)〉 . This result should permit a very simple calculation of the turbulent broadening of forbidden lines produced by nonthermal excitation of ion oscillations.
Growth and transformation of phage T4 in Escherichia coli B-4, Salmonella, Aerobacter, Proteus, and Serratia.

Abstract Spheroplasts of the genera Escherichia, Salmonella, Aerobacter, Proteus, and Serratia can be infected by T4 phage which have been exposed to 6 M urea. The interaction between the phage and the bacteria does not require either phage tail fibers or the specific tail fiber receptors of the bacteria. These findings imply two modes of infection, one of which may precede the other, in the normal phage infection process. Transformation of T4 phage by denatured DNA fragments has been demonstrated with Aerobacter as the host organism. In Aerobacter, transformation is more efficient than in Escherichia, and at low DNA concentrations Aerobacter yields 100-fold more transformed phage than Escherichia.
Gibberellin and temperature effects on dormancy release and shoot morphogenesis of mango (Mangifera indica L.)

Abstract Single foliar sprays of gibberellic acid (GA3) (10–250 mg l−1) were applied during cool or warm temperatures to determine their effects on shoot initiation and morphogenesis in mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Keitt and Tommy Atkins. Dormant, non-differentiated axillary buds were released by removing the apical inflorescence (deblossoming) in flowering shoots, or by heading the terminal vegetative flush (intercalary unit) in vegetative stems. Buds of non-treated and GA3-treated stems initiated growth during exposure to cool (about 26°C day/15°C night outdoors or 18°C day/10°C night in a growth chamber) or warm temperatures (outdoors at about 29°C day/25°C night or 30°C day/25°C night in a growth chamber). Buds initiated inflorescences despite GA3 treatment when morphogenesis occurred during exposure to cool, floral-inductive temperatures outdoors or in the growth chamber. A single GA3 treatment delayed initiation of inflorescences on deblossomed orchard stems, but not on headed vegetative stems. GA3 treatment resulted in vegetative shoot production only when buds differentiated during exposure to warm temperature conditions either outdoors or in a growth chamber. Thus, GA3 delayed inflorescence initiation but did not cause vegetative morphogenesis when bud differentiation occurred in cool temperatures. In contrast to delaying inflorescence initiation in cool temperatures, GA3 did not delay vegetative growth during warm temperatures. Thus, it is concluded that GA3 prevents initiation of reproductive shoots of mango rather than inhibiting floral induction.
Heritability of tolerance for infectious hematopoietic necrosis in sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)

Abstract A hierarchical breeding design was used to demonstrate the heritability of tolerance for infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) in sockeye salmon. Oncorhynchus nerka. Heritability was about 30%, indicating that artificial selection may increase the number of fish that can tolerate the disease.
Bioarchaeology: Interpreting behavior from the human skeleton.

By Clark Spencer Larsen. New York: Cambridge University Press. 1997. 461 pp. ISBN 0-521-49641-1. $85.00 (cloth).
Toxicity and hazard assessment of fipronil to Daphnia pulex

Abstract Hazard assessments based on two measures of toxicity were conducted for the water flea, Daphnia pulex (Leydig) exposed to the insecticide, fipronil. The measures of toxicity obtained were 48 h acute lethal concentration estimates, and a direct measure of population growth rate, the 10-day instantaneous rate of increase ( r i ). Additionally, life tables were developed after exposure to several concentrations to tease out the apparent sublethal effects of this insecticide to D. pulex . The acute LC 50 was estimated to be 0.0156 (0.0088–0.083) mg/L. In the 10-day population growth rate study, extinction of D. pulex populations occurred after exposure to 0.08 mg/L of fipronil, which was equivalent to the 48 h acute LC 75 . The NOEC and LOEC for population size after a 10-day exposure to fipronil were 0.03 and 0.05 mg/L, respectively. An expected environmental concentration (EEC) in freshwater lakes/ponds based on an application rate of 250 mg ai/ha (recommended rate for use in Tephritid fruit fly control programs) was estimated to be 0.00017 mg/L. Hazard assessments were developed by dividing the EEC by the LC 50 and NOEC for population size. The assessments based on the LC 50 and NOEC for population size were 0.011 and 0.0057, respectively, indicating that fipronil does not pose a hazard to D. pulex when applied at the rates recommended for control of Tephritid fruit flies. Life tables were developed after exposure to two insecticide concentrations and a control. Exposure to 0.015 mg/L, the approximate 48 h acute LC 50 , resulted in only a slight decrease in the net reproductive rate ( R o ), birth rate ( b ), and intrinsic rate of increase ( r m ) and an increase in generation time ( T ), death rate ( d ), and doubling time (DT) compared to the control. Exposure to 0.03 mg/L, the approximate 48 h acute LC 60 , and NOEC in the 10-day study, resulted in a 57% decline in the net reproductive rate, a 1.45-fold decrease in birth rate, a 1.5-fold decrease in the intrinsic rate of increase, a 6-day increase in generation time, a 4-fold increase in death rate, and a 1.5-fold increase in doubling time. The stable age distribution (after 60 days) of D. pulex changed after exposure to fipronil. Increasing concentrations of fipronil resulted in a decrease in the percentage of individuals in the first, second, third, and fourth juvenile stages, an increase in the adult stage, and no change in the adolescent stage. These results indicate that certain concentrations of fipronil approaching the LC 50 can negatively affect population parameters of D. pul ex, but that EECs, at least for fruit fly control, should be lower than the concentration necessary to cause damage.
Sensitivity to climate change for two reptiles at the Mojave–Sonoran Desert interface

Abstract The high temperatures and extended droughts that characterize habitat for desert-living reptiles may already approach their physiological tolerances and so could put them at risk due to climate change. Here I examined climate change sensitivity for desert tortoises, Gopherus agassizii , and common chuckwallas, Sauromalus ater , two large-bodied reptiles that occur across the Mojave–Sonoran Desert interface. I employed the Mahalanobis D 2 statistic to model their niche spaces and then assessed climate-change sensitivity by altering climate variables along a gradient of increasing temperature and decreasing precipitation. While shifting climate variables, I held terrain and soils variables that otherwise define these species’ preferred habitat constant, providing a more realistic prediction of available niche space. Both reptiles’ modeled niches responded to climate change by shifting to higher elevations and increasingly away from their Sonoran Desert distribution. At moderate predictions of climate change (+2 °C, −50 mm precipitation) desert tortoises’ suitable habitat was reduced by nearly 88% in the Sonoran Desert portions my study area, and nearly 66% in the Mojave Desert regions. Under the same scenario chuckwallas lost nearly 92%, but increased 120% respectively. Within the context of climate change potential increases in drought frequency appear to present the greater challenge for these species.
Light-Induced Structural and Functional Plasticity in Drosophila Larval Visual System

How to build and maintain a reliable yet flexible circuit is a fundamental question in neurobiology. The nervous system has the capacity for undergoing modifications to adapt to the changing environment while maintaining its stability through compensatory mechanisms, such as synaptic homeostasis. Here, we describe our findings in the Drosophila larval visual system, where the variation of sensory inputs induced substantial structural plasticity in dendritic arbors of the postsynaptic neuron and concomitant changes to its physiological output. Furthermore, our genetic analyses have identified the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) pathway and a previously uncharacterized cell surface molecule as critical components in regulating experience-dependent modification of the postsynaptic dendrite morphology in Drosophila.
Biosynthesis of adenosyl-D-methionine and adenosyl-2-methylmethionine by Candida utilis.

Abstract Supplementation of the culture medium of Candida utilis with d -methionine or 2-methyl- dl -methionine leads to intracellular synthesis of S-adenosyl- d -methionine and S-adenosyl-2-methylmethionine. The identity of the sulfonium compounds was established by tracer technique, chromatography, acid hydrolysis, and examination of the released methionine and 2-methylmethionine. In addition to the expected sulfur amino acid component, both adenosine sulfonium fractions contained S-adenosyl- l -methionine. This is explained by transmethylation of S-adenosyl- d -methionine and of S-adenosyl-2-methyl-methionine with endogenous l -homocysteine; the resulting l -methionine reacts with ATP to form S-adenosyl- l -methionine. Experiments with purified cell-free preparations of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase (EC 2.5.1.6) from C. utilis confirmed the reaction of ATP with d -methionine or 2-methyl- dl -methionine.
Lek fidelity and movement among leks by male Greater Sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus: a capture-mark-recapture approach

Males in lek mating systems tend to exhibit high fidelity to breeding leks despite substantial evidence of skewed mating success among males. Although movements between leks are often reported to be rare, such movements provide a mechanism for an individual to improve lifetime fitness in response to heterogeneity in reproductive conditions. Additionally, estimates of apparent movements among leks are potentially biased due to unaccounted variation in detection probability across time and space. We monitored breeding male Greater Sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus on 13 leks in eastern Nevada over a 10-year period, and estimated movement rates among leks using capture-mark-recapture methods. We expected that male movement rates among leks would be low, despite predictions of low breeding success for most males, and that detection rates would be highly variable among leks and years. We used a robust design multistate analysis in Program mark to estimate probability of movements among leks, while accounting for imperfect detection of males. Male Sage-grouse were extremely faithful to their leks; the annual probability of a male moving away from its original lek of capture was approximately 3% (se = 0.01). Detection probabilities varied substantially among leks (range = 0.21–0.95), and among years (range = 0.30–0.76), but remained relatively constant within years at each lek. These results suggest that male Sage-grouse dispersal is either rare, or consists primarily of dispersal of sub-adults from their natal areas prior to the breeding season. The study highlights the benefits of robust design multistate models over standard ‘live-encounter’ analyses, as they not only permit estimation of additional parameters, such as movement rates, but also allow for more precise parameter estimates that are less sensitive to heterogeneity in detection rates. Additionally, as these data were collected using capture-mark-recapture methods, our approach to estimating movement rates would be beneficial in systems where radiotagging is detrimental to the study organism.
Risk perception and concern among brothers of men with prostate carcinoma

BACKGROUND It is important for clinicians, researchers, and others who shape public health policy to understand the demographic correlates and psychologic factors that drive health behaviors, such as screening for early detection of cancer, particularly among individuals at high risk for developing the disease. METHODS One-hundred eleven men whose brothers were diagnosed with prostate carcinoma completed a computer-assisted telephone interview aimed to assess their perception of absolute risk and concern about developing prostate carcinoma over the next 10 years and across their lifetime. Comparisons were made between selected demographic, behavioral, family pedigree characteristics, and measures of perceived risk and concern. RESULTS The majority of men perceived their personal risk of developing prostate carcinoma to be ≥ 50%. Men who at the time of the interview were younger than their affected brother were significantly more concerned about prostate carcinoma and perceived their risk to be higher than men who were older than their brother. Estimates of personal risk and concern were also uniformly higher among men with more than one first-degree relative affected with prostate carcinoma compared to men with only one affected first-degree relative. Risk perception and concern about an impending prostate carcinoma diagnosis were associated with the use of supplements marketed for prostate health. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicated that birth order in relation to a brother diagnosed with prostate carcinoma is significantly associated with risk perception and concern in unaffected family members. These results highlight the need for further study of the familial dynamics and characteristics that drive health behaviors and stress importance of public health education to inform men of personal risk assessment as well as the risks and benefits of screening. These studies ultimately can contribute to the success of strategies for the primary prevention and early detection of cancer. Cancer 2004;100:1537–44. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
An architecture for experiential learning

Our aim in this paper is to propose a cognitive architecture for learning in a complex, reactive environment. We hope that the architecture is sufficiently general that many forms of learning can be studied, yet not so general that it fails to constrain the nature of the learning task.
Sampling over time: developing a cost effective and precise exposure assessment program

Studies requiring ambient exposure assessments invariably ask: How often should measurements be taken? Answer to such questions is dictated by budgetary considerations as well as spatial and temporal variability in the data. For example, do we obtain measurements during all seasons, all months within seasons, weeks within months and days within weeks? On one hand, we can obtain a one-time snapshot sample and regard it as representing the “true” mean exposure. On the other hand, we may obtain a large number of measurements over time and then average these in order to represent this “true” mean exposure. The former estimate is the least expensive but may also be the least precise while the latter, may be very precise but prohibitively costly. In this paper, we demonstrate how a pilot study can be undertaken with a potentially promising and feasible sampling plan for the full-scale study. By applying the statistical methodology of variance component analysis (VCA) to the pilot study data and exploiting mathematical relationship between the variance of the overall mean exposure and posited variance components, we can develop a sampling design with decreased sampling costs and/or increased precision of the mean exposure. Our approach was applied to determine sampling design choices for an on-going study that aimed at assessing ambient particulate matter exposure. We conclude that a pilot study followed by the VCA analysis may often lead to sampling design choices that offer considerable cost savings and, at the same time, promise to provide relatively precise estimates of the mean exposure for the subsequent full-scale study.
Science cannot fix this: the limitations of evidence-based practice

The use of evidence-based practice as a guide for correctional investment is widely lauded as a positive shift away from punitive approaches to criminal justice. The value-neutral language of science, however, supplants a more fundamental and necessary dialog about core principles of our justice system. We raise concern that the discourse of evidence-based practice serves to avoid accountability for the dominant correctional regime which remains overwhelmingly invested in the imposition of punishment. Furthermore, evidence-based practice privileges academic expertise and de-legitimizes the knowledge base within affected communities stifling grassroots innovation and creativity.
Category essence or essentially pragmatic? Creator's intention in naming and what's really what.

Abstract Daily experience is filled with objects that have been created by humans to serve specific purposes. For such objects, the very act of creation may be a key element of how people understand them. But exactly how does creator’s intention matter? We evaluated its contribution to two forms of categorization: the name selected for an artifact, and intuitions about what an artifact “really” is. To contrast the possibility that intention serves as an essence (Bloom, P. (1996). Intention, history, and artifact concepts. Cognition, 60, 1–29; Bloom, P. (1998). Theories of artifact categorization. Cognition, 66, 87–93.) determining an artifact’s name with the possibility that it matters through its relevance to discourse goals, participants in three experiments read scenarios about people interacting with an artifact and then judged the suitability of different names for it. The intention of the creator was of differing degrees of relevance to the communication, and the relevance of other aspects of the entity varied in a complementary fashion. We found that name selection was altered by the communicative goals of a situation, and name choice was most consistent with creator’s intention when the situation made intention relevant to achieving those goals. In a fourth experiment, we used the same scenarios to test the possibility that intention serves as an essence determining intuitions about what an object “really” is. The impact of creator’s intention was modulated by the discourse context. These findings suggest that creator’s intention influences both name choice and intuitions about what something “really” is by virtue of its impact on how communicative goals are best realized.
Involvement of CD40-CD40L signaling in postischemic lung injury.

Our studies show that ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in the isolated rat lung causes retention of lymphocytes, which is associated with increased microvascular permeability, as determined by quantitati...
Contour models for curvature estimation and shape decomposition

A statistical contour model is developed. A digital contour is modeled by a noisy observation which is represented by polynomial functions of coordinate variables. To estimate curvature functions of digital contours, the authors develop maximum likelihood estimators by fitting the model over a small neighborhood. The neighborhood size is determined by a maximum likelihood decision rule. Statistical properties of the estimators are also investigated. The contour is decomposed at curvature extrema points by finding zero-crossings of the first derivative of estimated curvature function. Experimental results show that the model based approach performs better in estimating curvature functions and detecting extrema points than other conventional approaches based on low-pass filtered curvature functions. >
Metabolite levels in brain following experimental seizures: the effects of maximal electroshock and phenytoin in cerebellar layers.

— The effects of maximal electroshock (MES) and phenytoin on metabolites and cyclic nucleotides in layers of frozen-dried cerebellum have been investigated. The four layers (molecular, Purkinje-cell rich, granular and white matter) had remarkably homogeneous distributions of P-creatine, ATP, glucose, glycogen, lactate, GABA and the cyclic nucleotides. MES caused dramatic decreases in P-creatine, ATP, and glucose at 10 s after treatment, followed by a decrease in glycogen at 30 s. Lactate levels were elevated, and GABA was unchanged. Cyclic AMP concentrations were increased at 10s and cyclic GMP at 30 s. Phenytoin modified most of the MES induced changes in all the layers, although white matter was less affected by MES and/or phenytoin. Lactate concentrations were increased by MES and these effects were not altered when phenytoin was administered. The most dramatic effects of phenytoin were on the changes in cyclic nucleotides. Cyclic AMP concentrations were elevated after MES but the values returned to normal more rapidly when phenytoin was present. The drug almost obliterated the MES induced changes in cyclic GMP. The possible relationship of cyclic nucleotide concentrations and the modulation of seizure activity is discussed.
OPTIMAL PROPERTY TAXATION IN CALIFORNIA: Is Greater Reliance on Land Values Feasible and Desirable?

Legal changes to Proposition 13 and fiscal imbalance provide, for the first time since 1978, the environment for serious consideration of restructuring property taxation in California. The background of the current situation is reviewed, and as a first approach to determining the optimal property tax system, Henry George's a priori case for taxing land is noted. Studies in the new public finance, especially optimal taxation theory and applications - for example, general equilibrium modeling in policy analysis - provide encouraging though limited support for greater reliance on site value taxation.
Modeling and synthesis of quality-energy optimal approximate adders

Recent interest in approximate computation is driven by its potential to achieve large energy savings. This paper formally demonstrates an optimal way to reduce energy via voltage over-scaling at the cost of errors due to timing starvation in addition. We identify a fundamental trade-off between error frequency and error magnitude in a timing-starved adder. We introduce a formal model to prove that for signal processing applications using a quadratic signal-to-noise ratio error measure, reducing bit-wise error frequency is sub-optimal. Instead, energy-optimal approximate addition requires limiting maximum error magnitude. Intriguingly, due to possible error patterns, this is achieved by reducing carry chains significantly below what is allowed by the timing budget for a large fraction of sum bits, using an aligned, fixed internal-carry structure for higher significance bits. We further demonstrate that remaining approximation error is reduced by realization of conditional bounding (CB) logic for lower significance bits. A key contribution is the formalization of an approximate CB logic synthesis problem that produces a rich space of Pareto-optimal adders with a range of quality-energy tradeoffs. We show how CB logic can be customized to result in over-and under-estimating approximate adders, and how a dithering adder that mixes them produces zero-centered error distributions, and, in accumulation, a reduced-variance error. We demonstrate synthesized approximate adders with energy up to 60% smaller than that of a conventional timing-starved adder, where a 30% reduction is due to the superior synthesis of inexact CB logic. When used in a larger system implementing an image-processing algorithm, energy savings of 40% are possible.
Mathematical analysis of “SpiderWeb” surface construction algorithm

“SpiderWeb” is an algorithm to build continuous triangle mesh surfaces embedded in noisy voxel data. This paper outlines a complete proof of the algorithm properties. The main feature of “SpiderWeb” is that its response to noise is the creation of non-manifold closed bubbles. Extremely noisy volume data produces a surface that has the consistency of closed-cell foam rubber. Despite this, the internal and external surfaces are continuous (closed and unbounded) and consistent (oriented). Its main application is surface construction in noisy MRI and Ultrasound data without prefiltering.
Cohesive modeling of delamination in Z-pin reinforced composite laminates

Abstract The mode I interlaminar fracture in Z -pin reinforced composite laminates is modeled using a cohesive volumetric finite element (CVFE) scheme. The test configuration used in this study is a Z -pin reinforced double cantilever beam specimen. A bilinear rate-independent but damage-dependent cohesive traction–separation law is adopted to model the fracture of the unreinforced composite and discrete nonlinear spring elements to represent the effect of the Z -pins. The delamination toughness and failure strength of the Z -pin reinforced composites are determined by a detailed comparison study of the numerical modeling results with experimental data. To further reduce the computational effort, we introduce an equivalent distributed cohesive model as a substitute for the discrete nonlinear spring representation of the Z -pins. The cohesive model is implemented on various test problems with varying failure parameters and for varying spatial Z -pin reinforcement configurations showing good agreement with the experimental results.
Three-dimensional, digital, and gross anatomy of the Lisfranc ligament.

Background:There are inconsistencies in the descriptive anatomy of the Lisfranc ligament. No information is available on orientation of fibers or presence of bundles, nor are there 3-dimensional an...
Hierarchical, adaptive, material point method for dynamic energy release rate calculations

A crack-closure method was developed for use in Material Point Method (MPM) calculations. The method can be used for calculation of the dynamic energy release rate in a variety of dynamic fracture mechanics problems. Most previous MPM analyses have used regular grids and a \lumped" mass matrix. For the most accurate energy release rate calculations, the regular grid had to be replaced by an adaptive grid that automatically rened the mesh around the crack tip and the lumped mass matrix had to be replaced by a full mass matrix. Using an adaptive mesh was more important to accuracy than was switching to a full mass matrix. Some sample calculations are given for energy release rate in a double cantilever beam specimen carried out by several dieren t MPM methods.
Exploring strategies for the design of artificial transcription factors: Targeting sites proximal to known regulatory regions for the induction of γ-globin expression and the treatment of sickle cell disease

Artificial transcription factors can be engineered to interact with specific DNA sequences to modulate endogenous gene expression within cells. A significant hurdle to implementation of this approach is the selection of the appropriate DNA sequence for targeting. We reasoned that a good target site should be located in chromatin, where it is accessible to DNA-binding proteins, and it should be in the close vicinity of known transcriptional regulators of the gene. Here we have explored the efficacy of these criteria to guide our selection of potential regulators of γ-globin expression. Several zinc finger-based transcriptional activators were designed to target the sites proximal to the -117-position of the γ-globin promoter. This region is proximal to the binding sites of known and potential natural transcription factors. Design and study of three transcription factors identified the potent transcriptional activator, gg1-VP64-HA. This transcription factor was able to interact directly with the γ-globin promoter and up-regulate expression of reporter gene constructs as well as the endogenous gene in a selective manner. Transfection of a gg1-VP64-HA expression vector or retroviral delivery of this transcription factor into the erythroleukemia cell line K562 resulted in an increase of fetal hemoglobin. The γ-globin content of cells expressing gg1-vp64-HA showed up to 16-fold higher levels of fetal hemoglobin than the native K562 cell line. These transcriptional activators constitute a novel class of regulators of the globin locus that may be suitable for treatment of diseases arising from mutations in this locus such as sickle cell disease and thalassemic diseases.
Three-dimensional magnetization-prepared imaging using a concentric cylinders trajectory

Purpose To develop new magnetization-prepared imaging schemes based on a three-dimensional (3D) concentric cylinders trajectory. Methods The 3D concentric cylinders trajectory, which is robust to off-resonance effects and timing delays while requiring fewer excitations than a comparable 3D Cartesian (3DFT) sequence, is used as the readout for magnetization-prepared sequences exploiting its inherently centric-ordered structure. Two applications: (i) T1-weighted brain imaging with an inversion-recovery-prepared radiofrequency-spoiled gradient-echo (IR-SPGR) sequence, (ii) non-contrast-enhanced (NCE) peripheral angiography with a magnetization-prepared balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) sequence are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. For peripheral angiography, the scan efficiency is further improved by interleaving different preparations at different rates and by carefully designing the sampling geometry for an efficient parallel imaging method. Results In vivo brain scans with an IR-SPGR sequence and lower extremity scans with a magnetization-prepared bSSFP sequence for NCE peripheral angiography both demonstrate that the proposed sequences with concentric cylinders effectively capture the transient magnetization-prepared contrast with faster scan times than a corresponding 3DFT sequence. The application of peripheral angiography also shows the feasibility of the proposed interleaving schemes and parallel imaging method. Conclusion The 3D concentric cylinders trajectory is a robust and efficient readout that is well-suited for magnetization-prepared imaging. Magn Reson Med 71:1700–1710, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ENERGY-EFFICIENT GENERATION OF NONEQUILIBRIUM PLASMAS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS TO HYPERSONIC MHD SYSTEMS

A novel concept of hypersonic cold-air MHD power generators is reviewed. Ionization of the cold air is shown to be a critical issue, determining overall design, geometry, operating conditions, and performance envelope. Electron beams and high-voltage repetitive pulses are shown to represent most efficient methods of ionization. The requirement that the energy cost of ionization be lower than the extracted electric power restricts conductivity and calls for very strong magnetic fields and high Hall parameters, making ion slip and near-anode processes first-order issues. Calculations of hypersonic power generators for flight Mach numbers between 4 and 10 and altitudes of 15-40 km are quite promising: several megawatts of electric power could be generated, while spending only a few hundred kilowatts of that power on sustaining ionization. External MHD devices with ionization by electron beams are shown to be promising for scramjet inlet control at off-design Mach numbers. The self-powered MHD system can bring compression shocks to the cowl lip at Mach numbers higher than the design one, while generating large amounts of electric power on board. High values of Hall electric field are discussed as an important issue, potentially resulting in arcing between electrode segments. Ionization enhancement by change of recombination mechanism with addition of metallic vapor to the flow is discussed, and the minimum seed concentration is estimated.
A frequency response based adaptive control for center-driven web winders

A frequency response based adaptive control scheme with robust frequency-domain specifications for an industrial center-driven web winder is presented. The adaptive control scheme consists of: (1) a self-tuning initialization, (2) an adaptive control based on the transfer function estimation from frequency responses, and (3) supervisory monitoring and controls. In the paper, the system modeling is first investigated. Then the adaptive control scheme is described. Finally the simulation results are discussed and implementation issues are addressed.
Use of the Correlation Coefficient with Normal Probability Plots

Abstract The use of the correlation coefficient is suggested as a technique for summarizing and objectively evaluating the information contained in probability plots. Goodness-of-fit tests are constructed using this technique for several commonly used plotting positions for the normal distribution. Empirical sampling methods are used to construct the null distribution for these tests, which are then compared on the basis of power against certain nonnormal alternatives. Commonly used regression tests of fit are also included in the comparisons. The results indicate that use of the plotting position pi = (i - .375)/(n + .25) yields a competitive regression test of fit for normality.
Cobalt-doped TiO2: a computational analysis of dopant placement and charge transfer direction on thin film anatase

ABSTRACTTitanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocrystals are promising materials for photo-electrochemical water splitting. This study focuses on how surface dopant placement can affect the electronic properties. TiO2 anatase thin films are doped two ways: a cobalt ion replacing a surface titanium ion (surface ingrained) and a cobalt ion chemisorbed to two surface oxygen ions and two NH3 ligands. Specifically, when studying the binding pattern, the cobalt ion dopant changes from an electron acceptor for the surface ingrained model to an electron donor for the chemisorbed model. The optical absorption peaks of the surface ingrained model are attributed to p→d transitions and are much stronger when compared to the d→d transitions for the chemisorbed model. It is the conclusion of this computational study that one can alter the cobalt dopant on the anatase thin film to focus a positive or negative charge at the surface by changing the surface dopant location.
An international education perspective study of teachers in the central United States

AbstractThe study explored nursery through secondary teachers’ perceptions of international education in their teaching practices. All teachers lived in a rural area of the central US. Data were drawn from a web-based survey comprised of 28 questions addressing international education; interview data provided further understanding of one teacher’s efforts toward internationalising curriculum in her classroom. Findings indicated that the teachers in this area of the US hold varying understandings of international education; despite their limited understanding of international education within the classroom context, teachers were eager for tools and strategies to internationalise their curricula and teaching practices. Results call for professional development to broaden teachers’ perspectives of international education and to explore advanced instructional approaches that incorporate global perspectives, and the role of language and culture in teaching. Last, we propose a model in which international educa...
A computational framework for interspecies pharmacokinetics, exposure and toxicity assessment of gold nanoparticles

Aim: To develop a comprehensive computational framework to simulate tissue distribution of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) across several species. Materials & methods: This framework was built on physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling, calibrated and evaluated with multiple independent datasets. Results: Rats and pigs seem to be more appropriate models than mice in animal-to-human extrapolation of AuNP pharmacokinetics and that the dose and age should be considered. Incorporation of in vitro and/or in vivo cellular uptake and toxicity data into the model improved toxicity assessment of AuNP. Conclusion: These results partially explain the current low translation rate of nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems from mice to humans. This simulation approach may be applied to other nanomaterials and provides guidance to design future translational studies.
Magnetoviscoelastic Ferrofluid-Based Magnetometer

In this paper, we present a novel concept for magnetic sensing that is based upon the sensitive monitoring of the magnetoviscoelastic effects in magnetic nanoparticle containing ferrofluids using micromachined shear mode bulk acoustic wave quartz crystal resonators ( $\mu $ QCR). The unique sensor concept is based on the application of, hitherto unexplored, magnetic field induced viscoelastic response of a thin interfacial ferrofluid layer placed atop a high-frequency shear wave quartz resonator, which can be sensitively monitored through the at-resonance impedance characteristics of the resonator. The high magnetic susceptibility of ferrofluid suspensions results in the modulation of the viscoelasticity due to applied magnetic fields. A bias magnetic field perpendicular to the resonator surface was applied to realize a dense agglomeration of the ferrofluid particles at the immediate interface of the resonator surface. Viscoelastic changes due to in-plane incident magnetic field shifts the at-resonance conductance characteristics of $\mu $ QCR, and is tracked in real time to achieve a novel magnetic sensing mechanism to detect and quantify the low-frequency low strength magnetic fields. For improved sensitivity, the in-plane sensed magnetic flux density is concentrated using a high relative permeability ( $\mu _{r} = 7000$ ) thin film of Metglas (Fe85B5Si10) deposited on the resonator electrode. Furthermore, by patterning the Metglas film in a bow-tie shape and aligned at the center of the $\mu $ QCR electrode, both 2-D vector sensing and improvement in the sensitivity were achieved. Using these improvements, a minimum detectable field of 1.5 nT/ $\surd $ Hz at 1 Hz has been experimentally demonstrated. [2015-0126]
Effects of Erythroid Hyperplasia on Patterns of Glycin-2-C14 Uptake in Heme and Globin of Human Peripheral Blood in Vivo

The rate of appearance of C 14 in the heme and globin of peripheral blood following intravenous administration of glycine-2-C14 has been measured in normals and in patients with androgen-induced erythrocytosis, polycythemia vera (iron deficiency) and virilizing Cushing’s disease with polycythemia. In all these cases of accelerated erythropoiesis a common alteration of the globin specific activity curve was observed. Heme specific activity curves were not affected. The changes in the globin specific activity curves are best explained by consideration of the marrow erythroid cellularity during erythrocytosis.
COVER-SEEKING BEHAVIOR AND SHELTER USE BY JUVENILE AND ADULT CRAYFISH, PROCAMBARUS CLARKII: POTENTIAL IMPORTANCE IN SPECIES INVASION

Cover-seeking behavior of juvenile and adult crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, was examined in relation to the importance of darkness (shadow) and thigmotactic cues. Crayfish were observed individually in small aquaria 5 times per day, with at least 30 min between observations, for a 3-day period. Their positions were recorded as either within or outside shelter(s) provided. Experiment Ia presented crayfish with a choice between a clear thigmotactic shelter or open area. Adults were observed in the open area significantly more than in the shelter. Juveniles were also observed in the open area more often, but the difference was not statistically significant. Experiment Ib presented crayfish with a choice between a dark thigmotactic shelter and open area. Adults were observed more often in the open area, but the difference was not statistically significant. Juveniles were observed in the dark thigmotactic shelter significantly more often than in the open area. In Experiment II, crayfish were given a simultaneous choice among a clear thigmotactic shelter, a dark thigmotactic shelter, and open area. Adults were observed in both open area and dark thigmotactic shelter significantly more often than in the clear thigmotactic shelter. Juveniles were observed in the dark thigmotactic shelter significantly more often than in the open area and were never observed in the clear shelter. For Experiment III, crayfish were given a simultaneous choice among a dark reduced-thigmotactic shelter, a clear thigmotactic shelter, and open area. Adults chose the dark reduced-thigmotactic shelter significantly more often than the clear thigmotactic shelter, but not significantly more often than the open area. Juveniles chose the dark reduced-thigmotactic shelter significantly more often than either the open area or the clear thigmotactic shelter. Experiment IV gave crayfish a choice among a dark reduced-thigmotactic shelter, a dark thigmotactic shelter, and open area. Adults chose the dark reduced-thigmotactic shelter significantly more often. Juveniles chose the dark thigmotactic shelter significantly more often than the dark reduced-thigmotactic shelter, but not significantly more often than the open area. Darkness appears to be the controlling factor in the cover-seeking behavior of both juvenile and adult P. clarkii. The preferential use of larger shelters by adult P clarkii could reduce the limiting effects of shelter availability and might reduce competition for shelter between adults and juveniles, increasing juvenile recruitment. Differences observed in shelter use between adult crayfishes, P. clarkii and 0. rusticus, which prefer the same shelter as juveniles, may give P. clarkii an advantage over 0. rusticus in a species invasion.
The zona pellucida genes encode essential proteins for mammalian fertilization and early embryogenesis.

In mammals, development begins at the time of fertilization when a mature sperm fuses with an ovulated egg to form a one-cell zygote. Each gamete contains specific macromolecules that mediate the carefully orchestrated events of fertilization. These molecules must ensure the proper approach and recognition of sperm and egg as well as their subsequent fusion. Following fertilization there must be mechanisms to prevent polyspermy and to protect the embryo during preimplantation development. Over the past decade there has been an explosive growth in understanding some of the macromolecules involved in mammalian fertilization (1, 2). Because much of this information has been ascertained in the mouse, it will serve as the focus of this review.Oogenesis in the mouse results in the formation of a 70 μm in diameter oocyte surrounded by an 7-μm thick extracellular matrix, the zona pellucida. During ovulation, the egg completes the first meiotic division and begins its passage through the oviduct. The mature epidid...
Dissimilar Material Joint Strength and Structure for Friction Stir Forming Process

Mass reduction of automotive body structures is a critical part of achieving reduced CO2 emissions in the automotive industry. There has been significant work on the application of ultra high strength steels and aluminum alloys. However, the next paradigm is the integrated use of both materials, which creates the need to join them together. Friction stir forming is a new environmentally benign manufacturing process for joining dissimilar materials. The concept of this process is stir heating one material and forming it into a mechanical interlocking joint with the second material. In this research the process was experimentally analyzed in a computer numerical controlled machining center between aluminum and steel work pieces. The significant process parameters were identified and their optimized settings for the current experimental conditions defined using a design of experiments methodology. Three failure modes were identified (neck fracture, aluminum sheet peeling, and bonding delamination i.e. braze fracture). The overall joint structure and grain microstructure were mapped along different stages of the friction stir forming process. Two layers were formed within the aluminum, the thermo-mechanical affected zone that had been deformed due to the contact pressure and angular momentum of the tool, and the heat affected deformation zone that deformed into the cavity.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Analysis on Functional Group of Alkaline Phosphatase Purified from DFRKN-1

Effects of metal ions,organic reagents and chemical modifying agents on activity of alkaline phosphatase purified from DFRKN-1 were analyzed to know more about characters of alkaline phosphatase and provide reference for further study of the mechanism of NFRKN-1 invading into knot nematode and its development and utilization.The results showed that Mg2+,Ba2+ and K+ of certain concentrations activated the enzyme significantly,Zn2+ could inhibit the enzyme activity;Methanol,Ethanol and ethylene glycol inhibited the enzyme activity in similar degrees.Histidine residue and Lysine residue are essential groups of the alkaline phosphatase;sulfhydryl of cysteine was not an essential group,but disulfide bond played an important role in maintaining the activated conformation of alkaline phosphatase.