cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Capturing contact discontinuities in steady-state conservation laws

Abstract Solution of the steady-state scalar conservation law ux + τuy = 0 (τ constant, 0 ⩽ τ ⩽ 1) on the unit square is considered. A grid of n2 equal square cells with sides of length h=1/n is placed on the unit square. Numerical values ui.j are located at the cell vertices (xi, Yi) = (ih,jh). The conservation law is discretized on each cell by finite volumes with trapezoidal integration. When Dirichlet conditions are given on the bottom and left boundary segments, there results a system of n2 equations for n2 unknown values ui,j. When the Dirichlet boundary conditions are discontinuous, the solution of this system of equations is an oscillatory approximation of the discontinuous continuum solution. If one adds outflow boundary conditions of linearity in the normal direction on the top and right boundary segments, the numerical system becomes overdetermined. The I2 (least-squares) solution of this overdetermined system, which is called the "basic I2 solution" to distinguish it from the "final I2 solution" introduced later, has a smeared discontinuity but is less oscillatory than the solution of the nonoverdetermined system without the outflow boundary conditions. Equations for certain cells on which the numerical solution has large variation are then omitted from the system and other equations for newly created triangular cells are added to the system. The I2 solution of this altered system, called the "final I2 solution," is a much better approximation of the continuum solution, one in which the discontinuity is captured in a one-cell-wide path of cells. If, instead of using the I2 method, one uses the I1 method, that is, minimizes the sum of the absolute values of the residuals rather than the sum of squares of the residuals, there is further improvement in the numerical solution. The basic I1 solution, that is, the I1 solution of the system before equations for certain square cells are omitted and other equations for triangular cells are added, is nearly nonoscillatory and is less diffusive than the basic I2 solution. The final I1 solution, that is, the I1 solution of the system after some equations are omitted and others are added, is also better than the final I2 solution. The final I1 solution is nonoscillatory and has a sharp discontinuity in a one-cell-wide path of cells that closely approximates the line on which the contact discontinuity in the continuum solution occurs. The conclusions of this paper are based on computational results for 14 values of τ between zero and one and for two different sets of discontinuous Dirichlet boundary conditions.
Age differences in the controls of ring doves' pecking

Abstract Three experiments investigated the endogenous and exogenous controls of ring dove pecking. Experiment 1 confirmed that deprivation modulates adult pecking although nondeprived subjects peck at high levels. Experiment 2 determined that the level of pecking in nondeprived birds is modulated by exogenous cues such as the salience of the seed. Experiment 3 analyzed some of the controls of pecking in squabs. Both nondeprived and deprived squabs pecked little on days 12 and 16 of life, but by day 18, deprived squabs pecked significantly more than nondeprived squabs. Squabs inexperienced with deprivation peck less when hungry than squab that have had previous experience with deprivation. The controls of feeding change between day 24 of life and adulthood as exogenous cues did not stimulate nondeprived squab pecking until day 24 of life.
Development of an HRTEM image analysis method to quantify carbon nanostructure

Abstract An analytical method for analyzing high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images is presented. The method is composed of two major parts: digital image processing and lattice fringe characterization. The digital image processing is composed of the following operations: negative transformation, region of interest (ROI) selection, contrast enhancement, Gaussian lowpass filter, top-hat transformation (used to correct uneven illumination across an image), thresholding to obtain a binary image, morphological modification, clearing fringes on the ROI border, skeletonization, and removing short fringes that lack physical meaning. These operations are defined by equations with effects illustrated by images. The lattice fringe characterization generates statistics on fringe length, tortuosity, and separation based on the skeletons of the graphene layers. Fringe length and tortuosity are obtained automatically from the features of the skeletons, while fringe separation is obtained by analyzing manually selected fringe pairs. The algorithms are implemented within MATLAB, and demonstrated upon an exemplary HRTEM image of carbonaceous material. The image analysis algorithm permits quantitative HRTEM, here specifically addressing nanostructure of carbonaceous materials.
Optimal set of EEG electrodes for rapid serial visual presentation

In our application, the goal is to search through a large image to find all instances of a pre-specified, high-valued target. One approach taken to increase the throughput of this image search task is to: chop the large image into numerous small images, display them to a user at high rates one-at-a-time, and then search the simultaneously-recorded EEG data for neural activity that signifies that the user detected an instance of the target. The temporal efficiency of this EEG-based system is reduced by the overhead, which increases as the number of electrodes increases. Hence, we wish to find a minimal set of electrodes that ideally maintains the detection performance. In order to inform the design of future EEG-based image search systems, in this paper we find the 12 out of 32/64 most important electrodes for detection using 5 different feature selection methods. The optimal set includes all 5 occipital and the 2 most frontal electrodes.
Systematic regulation of spine sizes and densities in pyramidal neurons.

Dendritic spines receive most excitatory inputs in the CNS. Recent evidence has demonstrated that the spine head volume is linearly correlated with the readily releasable pool of neurotransmitter and the PSD size. These correlations can be used to functionally interpret spine morphology. Using Golgi impregnations and light microscopy, we reconstructed 23000 spines from pyramidal neurons in layers 2/3, 4, 5 and 6 of mouse primary visual cortex and CA1 hippocampal region and measured their spine head diameters and densities. Spine head diameters and densities are variable within and across cells, although they are similar between apical and basal dendrites. When compared to other regions, layer 5 neurons have larger spine heads and CA1 neurons higher spine densities. Interestingly, we detect a correlation between spine head diameter and interspine distance within and across cells, whereby larger spines are spaced further away from each other than smaller spines. Finally, in CA1 neurons, spine head diameters are larger, and spine density lower, in distal apical dendrites (>200 microm from soma) compared to proximal regions. These results reveal that spine morphologies and densities, and therefore synaptic properties, are jointly modulated with respect to cortical region, laminar position, and, in some cases, even the position of the spine along the dendritic tree. Individual neurons also appear to regulate their apical and basal spine densities and morphologies in concert. Our data provide evidence for a homeostatic control of excitatory synaptic strength.
Retaining the wisdom: Academic nurse leaders' reflections on extending the working life of aging nurse faculty

Aging nurse faculty members are vital human resources who serve as educators, researchers, and leaders within baccalaureate nursing (BSN) programs. On average, aging nurse faculty members are over 50 years of age and face key retirement decisions over the next decade. The purpose of this study was to begin to build substantive theory about academic nurse leaders' perceptions of extending the academic working life of aging nurse faculty members. Nine academic nurse leaders from BSN programs nationwide were interviewed in this grounded theory study. Data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. Four categories emerged: valuing aging nurse faculty, enduring environmental challenges, recognizing stakeholder incongruence, and readjusting. Findings reveal that aging nurse faculty members are highly valued by academic nurse leaders, bringing wisdom, experience, and institutional, historical, and cultural awareness to their many roles. Yet, some aging nurse faculty fail to keep knowledge, skills, and teaching modes current, which is problematic given the multiple environmental challenges that academic nurse leaders face. Stakeholder incongruence arises as a mismatch between the needs of the BSN program and the skills and contributions of aging nurse faculty members. BSN programs, program leaders, and aging nurse faculty members can lessen incongruence by readjusting to address the pressures, tensions, and ongoing change.
Actinide measurements by accelerator mass spectrometry at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Abstract We report on the development of an accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) system for the measurement of actinides at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This AMS system is centered on a recently completed heavy isotope beam line that was designed particularly for high sensitivity, robust, high throughput measurements of actinide concentrations and isotopic ratios. A fast-isotope switching capability has been incorporated in the system, allowing flexibility in isotope selection and for the quasi-continuous normalization to a reference isotope spike. Initially, our utilization of the heavy isotope system has concentrated on the measurement of Pu isotopes. Under current operating conditions, background levels equivalent to ∼1 × 105 atoms are observed during routine 239Pu and 240Pu measurements. Measurements of samples containing ∼1013238U atoms demonstrate that the system provides a 238U rejection factor during 239Pu measurements of ∼107. Measurements of known materials, combined with results from an externally organized intercomparison program, indicate that our 239Pu measurements are accurate and precise down to the μBq level (∼106 atoms). Recently, we have investigated the performance of our heavy isotope AMS system in measurements of 237Np and 236U. Results of these investigations are discussed. The sensitivity shown by our Pu measurements, combined with the high throughput and interference rejection capabilities of our AMS system, demonstrate that AMS can provide a rapid and cost-effective measurement technique for actinides in a wide variety of studies.
Cerebral tissue O2 saturation during prolonged robotic surgery in the steep Trendelenburg position: an observational case series in a diverse surgical population

Demands associated with the Trendelenburg position (TP) are well known yet there is little attention given to regional cerebral tissue O2 saturation (SctO2) in those undergoing robotic surgery in the TP with CO2 insufflation (C-INSF). This is the first study to report on SctO2 in a wide range of patients undergoing lengthy TP and robotic surgery. We measured SctO2 during robotic surgery in patients in the TP with C-INSF, as well as a control robotic thyroid surgery group who were supine with no C-INSF. We recorded relevant variables and periods of cerebral desaturation (CD). We studied 42 patients in 25°–45° of TP for ≥125 min. Management was at the providers’ discretion. The INVOS® 5100C Cerebral Oximeter (Covidien, Boulder, CO) recorded SctO2. CD was defined as a >20 % decrease from baseline SctO2 or a value ≤55 % for ≥10 min. Patients were assessed for adverse outcome. The sample consisted of 13 males and 29 females aged 22–73, BMI 22–36 had general (N = 3), urological (N = 14) and gynecological (N = 25) surgery; two patients had CD lasting 150 and 190 min and two had episodic CD lasting 10–35 min. The four were female aged 22–60 in 38°–45° of TP. Eleven cases had multiple episodic CD for ≤15 min, 27 TP cases had no CD. Other observations included a consistent fall in SctO2 with phenylephrine; an increased SctO2 with ephedrine; and FiO2 and EtCO2 being generally strong, direct modifiers of SctO2. High MAP was inconsistently associated with high SctO2. BMI had no observed effect on SctO2. Pulse oximetry was ≥97 % in all cases. We observed no adverse cerebral events on follow-up. Additional clinical studies are warranted.
A different kind of animal: liminal experiences of social work doctoral students

Evidence suggests that social and academic integration is a vital factor in doctoral student retention. This paper describes findings from a qualitative study which explored the experiences of a cohort of social work doctoral students during the first year in their programme of study. We used the anthropological concept of liminality which describes disorientation through transformative rites of passage, as a sensitising concept, through which to interpret the data. Thematic analysis indicated that the transition into new doctoral student was characterised by uncertainty and chaos and left the participants in an ambiguous position, betwixt and between socially prescribed roles. The findings demonstrate the need for anticipatory guidance and structured, sustained support, particularly within students’ first year. Efforts to enhance cohort relationships and mentoring may also help.
Infant Oxygen Administration by Modified Nasal Cannula

In both pediatric and neonatal intensive care settings, and occasionally at home, there exists the need to deliver chronic low dose oxygen therapy to small, uncooperative patients. To be effective, a method of oxygen delivery must be both reliable and comfortable, and, at the same time, inexpensive and safe. We believe that this may be achieved by a simple modification of existing pediatric nasal cannulae.
Seasonal changes in depth of water uptake for encroaching trees Juniperus virginiana and Pinus ponderosa and two dominant C4 grasses in a semiarid grassland.

We used the natural abundance of stable isotopic ratios of hydrogen and oxygen in soil (0.05–3 m depth), plant xylem and precipitation to determine the seasonal changes in sources of soil water uptake by two native encroaching woody species (Pinus ponderosa P. & C. Lawson, Juniperus virginiana L.), and two C 4 grasses (Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash, Panicum virgatum L.), in the semiarid Sandhills grasslands of Nebraska. Grass species extracted most of their water from the upper soil profile (0.05–0.5 m). Soil water uptake from be low 0.5 m depth increased under drought, but appeared to be minimal in relation to the total water use of these species. The grasses senesced in late August in response to drought conditions. In contrast to grasses, P. ponderosa and J. virginiana trees exhibited significant plasticity in sources of water uptake. In winter, tree species extracted a large fraction of their soil water from below 0.9 m depth. In spring when shallow soil water was available, tree species used water from the upper soil profile (0.05–0.5 m) and relied little on water from below 0.5 m depth. During the growing season (May–August) significant differences between the patterns of tree species water uptake emerged. Pinus ponderosa acquired a large fraction of its water from the 0.05–0.5 and 0.5–0.9 m soil profiles. Compared with P. ponderosa, J. virginiana acquired water from the 0.05–0.5 m profile during the early growing season but the amount extracted from this profile progressively declined between May and August and was mirrored by a progressive increase in the fraction taken up from 0.5–0.9 m depth, showing plasticity in tracking the general increase in soil water content within the 0.5–0.9 m profile, and being less responsive to growing season precipitation events. In September, soil water content declined to its minimum, and both tree species shifted soil water uptake to below 0.9 m. Tree transpiration rates (E) and water potentials (Ψ) indicated that deep water sources did not maintain E which sharply declined in September, but played an important role in the recovery of tree Ψ. Differences in sources of water uptake among these species and their ecological implications on tree–grass dynamics and soil water in semiarid environments are discussed.
Inhalation of Computer Duster Spray among Adolescents: An Emerging Public Health Threat?

Background: Anecdotal reports and recent medical examiner and poison control center studies suggest that computer duster spray (CDS) inhalation is an emerging public health threat. However, there is a current dearth of empirical data on CDS use. Objectives: Study aims were to examine the prevalence, frequency, correlates, and modalities of CDS use among a treatment sample of antisocial youth. Methods: A battery of standardized psychosocial instruments was administered via interview of 723 Missouri adolescents in residential care for antisocial behavior. Results: Lifetime CDS use was prevalent (14.7%) in this young service population (97.7% of whom participated). CDS users were significantly more likely to report histories of perinatal injuries or illness, traumatic experiences, suicidality and physician-diagnosed mental illness, and evidenced higher levels of psychiatric symptoms, antisocial attitudes and behaviors, and polydrug use than CDS nonusers. Conclusions and Scientific Significance: CDS use was e...
Substantiation and Adverse Appeal Outcomes Content Analysis and Testing of Drake's Harm/Evidence Model

Little is known about the influence of evidentiary and case characteristics on adverse appeal outcomes for substantiated cases of maltreatment. This article, therefore, reports on a sample of adverse appeal outcomes during a 2-year period. Using Drake's Harm/Evidence model to examine the adverse outcomes, the study describes differences between substantiated cases that were “modified” versus “overturned” during appeal, as well as differences in their evidentiary characteristics across different types of maltreatment. Content analysis and logistic regression analysis of administrative data were used to predict overturned versus modified outcome. Overall, child neglect, substantiated cases that did not meet basic evidentiary standards, and cases that were deemed as not credible were more likely to be overturned in comparison to being modified. A substantiation assessment framework (SAF) is developed and implications of Drake's Harm/Evidence model for investigating maltreatment as well as for understanding j...
Transient ischemic attack in a patient with pulmonary vein thrombosis after left upper lobectomy for squamous cell lung cancer.

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is an excellent tool for the assessment of cardiac sources of embolism. We present a patient with a transient ischemic attack in which TEE documented a pulmonary vein (PV) thrombus (PVT) after lobectomy for squamous cell lung cancer. CASE REPORT A 73-year-old white man presented with confusion, dysarthria, and right facial droop. The patient was a former heavy smoker with a medical history of diabetes, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. He had recently been given the diagnosis of squamous cell lung cancer involving the apical posterior segment of the left upper lobe. He had undergone resection of the left upper lobe, with transection of the left superior PV. Pathologic specimens revealed poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma with bronchial and vascular margins that were free of tumor. His postoperative course was uncomplicated and he was discharged to rehabilitation on postoperative day 10. On postoperative day 20 at the rehabilitation facility, he was noted to be confused and dysarthric. He was transferred to the hospital to rule out stroke. Noninfused head computed tomography was performed that revealed mild small vessel ischemic disease with no evidence for acute stroke. Carotid duplex examination was normal and electrocardiography revealed normal sinus rhythm. He underwent TEE to evaluate for cardiac sources of embolism. This study revealed thrombus in the stump of the left superior PV (Figure 1,A). There was absence of flow by Doppler confirming operative transection of the left superior PV (Figure 1, B). Spontaneous contrast was noted in the proximal portion of the PV stump surrounding the thrombus but not in the left atrial (LA) cavity. The other PVs were normal. There was no LA or LA appendage thrombus, left ventricular apical thrombus, valvular abnor
Spin models inferred from patient-derived viral sequence data faithfully describe HIV fitness landscapes.

Mutational escape from vaccine-induced immune responses has thwarted the development of a successful vaccine against AIDS, whose causative agent is HIV, a highly mutable virus. Knowing the virus' fitness as a function of its proteomic sequence can enable rational design of potent vaccines, as this information can focus vaccine-induced immune responses to target mutational vulnerabilities of the virus. Spin models have been proposed as a means to infer intrinsic fitness landscapes of HIV proteins from patient-derived viral protein sequences. These sequences are the product of nonequilibrium viral evolution driven by patient-specific immune responses and are subject to phylogenetic constraints. How can such sequence data allow inference of intrinsic fitness landscapes? We combined computer simulations and variational theory \'a la Feynman to show that, in most circumstances, spin models inferred from patient-derived viral sequences reflect the correct rank order of the fitness of mutant viral strains. Our findings are relevant for diverse viruses.
A study of iodine adlayers on polycrystalline gold electrodes by in situ electrochemical Rutherford backscattering (ECRBS)

Iodine adsorption on a polycrystalline gold electrode was studied by in situ electrochemical Rutherford backscattering (ECRBS) using an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV)-electrochemical cell comprising of a thin-film silicon nitride window. The depth resolution of RBS allowed for measurement of nuclide concentration of the diffuse double-layer, electrode surface and near-surface regions. ECRBS measurements on the gold electrode, initially exposed to −500 mV vs. a platinum pseudo-reference electrode, in a potassium iodide solution, showed an increase in the 2.07 MeV iodine peak indicative of iodine adsorption. The surface concentration of the iodine adlayer was directly measured by ECRBS to be 1.3 ± 0.3 nmol/cm
An operator-theoretic approach to the mixed-sensitivity minimization problem

in this paper we consider the mixed-sensitivity minimization problem (scalar case).lt gives rise to the so-called two-block problem on the algebra He; we analyze this problem from an operator point of view, using Krein space theory. We obtain a necessary and sufficient condition for the uniqueness of the solution and a parameterization of all solutions in the non-uniqueness case. Moreover, an interpolation interpretation is given for the finite-dimensional case.
Ultrasmooth CN/sub x/ overcoats for next-generation hard disks

Ultrathin carbon nitride (CN/sub x/) overcoats were grown using pulsed dc magnetron sputtering. Substrates were mounted on a holder that allowed 45/spl deg/ tilt angle and rotation at different speeds. Effects of sputter gas composition, target power, substrate bias, substrate tilt, and rotation on film growth and properties were explored. Atomic force microscopy scans over large sampling areas show that thin CN/sub x/ films obtained at -100 V substrate bias with 45/spl deg/ substrate tilt and 20 r/min rotation have root-mean-square roughness almost four times lower than those prepared without substrate tilt and rotation. Several percent of helium in an Ar-5%N/sub 2/ sputter gas was found to improve surface roughness of these coatings. These 1-nm-thick ultrasmooth coatings reduced corrosion damage compared with coatings of the same thickness grown without substrate tilt and rotation. This improved performance appears to be directly related to the growth of smoother and denser coatings synthesized under the present conditions.
HabaneroUPC++: a Compiler-free PGAS Library

The Partitioned Global Address Space (PGAS) programming models combine shared and distributed memory features, providing the basis for high performance and high productivity parallel programming environments. UPC++ [39] is a very recent PGAS implementation that takes a library-based approach and avoids the complexities associated with compiler transformations. However, this implementation does not support dynamic task parallelism and only relies on other threading models (e.g., OpenMP or pthreads) for exploiting parallelism within a PGAS place.In this paper, we introduce a compiler-free PGAS library called HabaneroUPC++, which supports a tighter integration of intra-place and inter-place parallelism than standard hybrid programming approaches. The library makes heavy use of C++11 lambda functions in its APIs. C++11 lambdas avoid the need for compiler support while still retaining the syntactic convenience of language-based approaches. The HabaneroUPC++ library implementation is based on a tight integration of the UPC++ library and the Habanero-C++ library, with new extensions to support the integration. The UPC++ library is used to provide PGAS communication and function shipping support using GASNet, and the Habanero-C++ library is used to provide support for intra-place work-stealing integrated with function shipping. We demonstrate the programmability and performance of our implementation using two benchmarks, scaled up to 6K cores. The insights developed in this paper promise to further enhance the usability and popularity of PGAS programming models.
Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Its Association With LOC387715 and Complement Factor H Polymorphism

Objective To compare phenotypes of 2 age-related macular degeneration (AMD) susceptibility genes:LOC387715and complement factor H (CFH). Methods Phenotypes of 755 AMD cases were characterized. The number ofLOC387715(T allele at rs10490924, or A69S) andCFH(T1277C at rs1061170, or Y402H) risk alleles were determined in each case. Individuals were divided into 5 groups by genotype: group 1, LOC–/– CFH–/–; group 2, LOC+/– CFH–/– or LOC+/+ CFH–/–; group 3, LOC–/– CFH+/– or LOC–/– CFH+/+; group 4, LOC+/– CFH+/–, LOC+/+ CFH+/–, or LOC+/– CFH+/+; and group 5, LOC+/+ CFH+/+. Results Signs of neovascular AMD including grade (P = .002), pigment epithelial detachment (P = .001), and subretinal hemorrhage (P Conclusions The AMD cases possessing theLOC387715(rs10490924) variant may have a higher risk of neovascular AMD. Individuals with AMD who are homozygous for both variants might be at greater risk for earlier onset of neovascular AMD.
A theory of haste

Abstract We consider a hyperbolic discounting agent. At each period, he can undertake an irreversible consumption decision that yields an uncertain current benefit and a delayed cost. If he decides to defer consumption for the future, some information exogenously flows in. We show that the agent may rationally decide to consume with negative expected net present value (NPV), only to prevent himself from consuming in the future which could be profitable from a future perspective but highly detrimental from the current viewpoint. Comparative statics reveal that the value of information is U-shaped.
Increased Stream Discharge

Changes in stream discharge after earthquakes are among the most interesting hydrologic responses partly because they can be directly observed, are persistent, and may be large enough to be visually compelling. These changes have also been quantitatively documented for a long time – perhaps longer than any other hydrological responses. For example, extensive networks of stream gauges in the western United States were established by the US Geological Survey in the early twentieth century, and long and continuous gauging measurements have been collected. Some of the changes following earthquakes reflect changes in surface hydrology, including instant waterfalls created by the earthquake faulting, decreases of downstream discharge caused by the damming of mountain valleys by landslides and rockfalls, and increases of discharge in regions of high relief caused by the avalanche of large quantities of snow to lower elevations, increasing the supply of melt water. Such changes only redistribute the surface discharge budget, with excess and deficit flow compensating each other over a period of days. More interesting and much less well understood is a type of discharge change that follows earthquakes and persists for an extended duration (commonly several weeks to months) but has no obvious source. A dramatic example of this type was the streamflow increase after the 1989 M w 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake (Rojstaczer and Wolf, 1992) which occurred during a prolonged drought in California when the stream discharge before the earthquake was very low (Fig. 4.1a). After the earthquake, many streams within about 50 km of the epicenter showed increased discharge by a factor of 4 to 24; the total excess discharge was estimated to be 0.01 km3 (Rojstaczer et al., 1995).
HLA DISEASE ASSOCIATIONS: Models for Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus and the Study of Complex Human Genetic Disorders

The methodologies developed to identify and localize disease-predisposing genes for the HLA associated diseases are in most cases directly applicable to other regions of the human genome. They often, but not always, require the existence of a high level of genetic polymorphism in the region of study, a requirement that can be met with the use of modern molecular techniques. This review uses HLA associated diseases, and in particular IDDM, as the example of interest, but with the overview that the observations and techniques presented have direct relevance to the study of all human diseases with a complex genetic component
Polarization measurement uncertainty on three-component VSP

To determine the downhole orientation of the sonde on a three-component vertical seismic profile (VSP) recorded using three offset sources at different azimuths, the azimuth of the direct P arrival for each source with respect to a horizontal geophone axis was found using particle polarization analysis. The azimuthal angles between the sources as determined by polarization analysis were compared with the actual azimuths between the sources to determine the error in polarization measurement. The least scatter in azimuthal measurements for the three sources at a given depth was found to occur for measurements made on a time window over which the particle motion had the most rectilinear behavior. This window occurred after the first break and preceded the peak of maximum amplitude. Uncertainties in azimuthal measurement and signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios were found over four depth intervals on the field VSP, with azimuthal uncertainty ranging from 1.0° at a S/N ratio of 9.0 to 5.6° at a S/N ratio of 3.7. Cases were found for which the azimuthal measurement was most likely in error for only one of the three sources at a given depth, and after these errors were removed, the uncertainty in polarization measurement reduced by as much as 60%. Polarization uncertainties on a model consisting of a sinusoidal three-component signal contaminated with band-limited Gaussian noise exhibited values similar to those for the field VSP at comparable S/N ratios.
Barriers and Strategies for Research in Arab Americans

Conducting clinical research in minority populations is challenging. Barriers to participation in research and strategies to overcome these barriers have been described by Fujimoto and other investigators (1–4). These reports and experiences have been invaluable in the planning and execution of a community-based epidemiological study in the Arab-American community. The study to determine the prevalence of diabetes in this largely unstudied minority population had been quite successful and achieved a participation rate of 87%. It was clear from the beginning that the study’s success was dependent on community endorsement and support. Therefore, a proactive approach to exploring and addressing obstacles to participation was undertaken. We found similarities in issues related to participation in clinical research in this community and other minority populations. The major barrier to research among community members was the general fear, suspicion, and distrust of large institutions and governmental agencies. Field testing of the consent form and the study questionnaires revealed potential obstacles to participation. The standard disclaimer of the consent form that data obtained were to be disclosed to the Food and Drug Administration and other governmental agencies was considered alarming and needed to be amended. The questionnaires eliciting perceived sensitive information related to religious convictions, sociocultural …
Intracellular Viral Processing, Not Single-Stranded DNA Accumulation, Is Crucial for Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus Transduction

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a unique gene transfer vector which takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks to reach its expression plateau. The mechanism for this slow-rise expression profile was proposed to be inefficient second-strand DNA synthesis from the input single-stranded (ss) DNA viral genome. In order to clarify the status of ss AAV genomes, we generated AAV vectors labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), a nucleotide analog that can be incorporated into the AAV genome and packaged into infectious virions. Since BrdU-DNA can be detected only by an anti-BrdU antibody when DNA is in an ss form, not in a double-stranded (ds) form, ss AAV genomes with BrdU can be readily tracked in situ. Although ss AAV DNA was abundant by Southern blot analysis, free ss AAV genomes were not detectable after AAV transduction by this new detection method. Further Southern blot analysis of viral DNA and virions revealed that ss AAV DNA was protected within virions. Extracted cellular fractions demonstrated that viral particles in host cells remained infectious. In addition, a significant amount of AAV genomes was degraded after AAV transduction. Therefore, we conclude that the amount of free ss DNA is not abundant during AAV transduction. AAV transduction is limited by the steps that affect AAV ss DNA release (i.e., uncoating) before second-strand DNA synthesis can occur. AAV ss DNA released from viral uncoating is either converted into ds DNA efficiently or degraded by cellular DNA repair mechanisms as damaged DNA. This study elucidates a mechanism that can be exploited to develop new strategies to improve AAV vector transduction efficiency.
Effects of exchanging 4%en between dietary stearic and palmitic acid on hamster plasma lipoprotein metabolism.

This study was designed to determine whether the exchange of specific fatty acids (palmitic (16 : 0) for stearic (18 : 0)), would exert differential effects on plasma and lipoprotein lipids, when diets contained ~30%en from fat with adequate levels of linoleic acid (18 : 2). Thirty-two male Golden Syrian hamsters were fed isocaloric purified diets with comparable amounts of 18 : 2 (~10.5%en). The 18 : 0-rich diet (50% cocoa butter, 41% safflower oil, 9% sunflower oil) provided 4.8%en 16 : 0 and 5.3%en from 18 : 0, while the 16 : 0-rich diet (59% palm oil, 36% safflower oil, 5% olive oil) provided 8.7%en from 16 : 0 and 1.2%en from 18 : 0, resulting in a 16 : 0/18 : 0 exchange of ~4%en. Both diets contained negligible amounts of lauric and myristic acid (<0.2%en), ~9.5%en from oleic acid and 77 mg cholesterol/1000 kcal. Animals were fed their respective diets for 4 weeks at which point various lipid and lipoprotein parameters were meassured. There were no significant difference between dietary groups for a...
Attitude Determination for NPS Three-Axis Spacecraft Simulator

This paper presents the attitude determination method for the Bifocal Relay Mirror Spacecraft Simulator. The simulator simulates three-axis motion of a spacecraft and has an optical system emulating a bifocal space telescope. The simulator consists of three control moment gyroscopes, rate gyros, two-axis analog sun sensor, and two inclinometers. The five-foot diameter platform is supported on a spherical air bearing to offer a low-torque environment. This paper demonstrates two attitude determination methods employing the measurements from a two-axis analog IR sensor, two inclinometers, and a triaxial gyroscope. The first method implements the conventional Kalman filter algorithm. The second method uses a nonlinear observer derived from the Lyapunov's direct method. Analytical and experimental results are presented to validate the proposed algorithm. The TASS simulates spacecraft three-axis motion and has an optical system simulating a single space telescope. The five- foot diameter TASS platform is supported on a spherical air bearing to offer a low- torque environment. The simulator consists of three variable speed control moment gyroscopes as actuators, rate gyros for angular rate, two-axis analog sun sensor and two inclinometers for attitude sensors. Detailed description of the TASS hardware is given in Ref. 2. This paper focuses on the development and validation of the attitude determination algorithm of the TASS using two inclinometers, two-axis IR sensor, and a triaxial rate gyroscope. Although inclinometers cannot be used in a spacecraft, they can still be employed in testbeds to get useful attitude information with good accuracy at low cost. Also, if the light source is not far enough, the effect of transitional motion of the IR sensor during the rotation of the testbed should be taken into account when calibrating the IR sensor. Quaternion attitude parametrization offers a singularity-free method to represent three-dimensional rota- tions using four-dimensional unit vectors. But the four elements of the unit quaternion cannot be estimated independently because of the normality constraint. It is a standard approach to include the gyro bias in the overall kinematics model and to estimate the actual attitude by Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) techniques. The EKF, as an extension of the Kalman Filter (KF) to nonlinear models, works satisfactorily when the linearized model exhibits sufficient accuracy. Since the EKF utilizes a linearization at each step, the nonlinear normality constraint of the quaternions cannot be rigidly enforced within the EKF computational structure. Various methods have been developed to overcome this deficiency and are described in Refs. 3, 4, 5, and 6. The nominal attitude determination method used for the TASS is a basic six-state attitude estimation filter known as the Multiplicative EKF (MEKF). 4 In the MEKF formulation of the TASS, the Modified Ro- drigues Parameters (MRPs) are used as an unconstrained representation of the attitude error with quaternion
Factorization of p-adic Rankin L-series

We prove that the p-adic L-series of the tensor square of a p-ordinary modular form factors as the product of the symmetric square p-adic L-series of the form and a Kubota–Leopoldt p-adic L-series. This establishes a generalization of a conjecture of Citro. Greenberg’s exceptional zero conjecture for the adjoint follows as a corollary of our theorem. Our method of proof follows that of Gross, who proved a factorization result for the Katz p-adic L-series associated to the restriction of a Dirichlet character. Whereas Gross’s method is based on comparing circular units with elliptic units, our method is based on comparing these same circular units with a new family of units (called Beilinson–Flach units) that we construct. The Beilinson–Flach units are constructed using Bloch’s intersection theory of higher Chow groups applied to products of modular curves. We relate these units to special values of classical and p-adic L-functions using work of Beilinson (as generalized by Lei–Loeffler–Zerbes) in the archimedean case and Bertolini–Darmon–Rotger (as generalized by Kings–Loeffler–Zerbes) in the p-adic case. Central to our method are two compatibility theorems regarding Bloch’s intersection pairing and the classical and p-adic Beilinson regulators defined on higher Chow groups.
Inhibition of Protein Synthesis and Secretion by Volatile Anesthetics in Guinea Pig Liver Slices

The decrease in protein synthesis and secretion caused by volatile anesthetics was investigated using Hartley male guinea pig liver slices. Precision-cut liver slices (250–300 mM thick) were incubated in sealed roller vials (3 slices/vial) containing Krebs-Hensleit buffer at 37°C under 95% O2 atmosphere. Volatile anesthetics were injected through a teflon septa cap on a filter paper wick and vaporized to produce constant concentration in the medium. A concentration (1–2.1 mM) and time related (0–24) decrease in protein synthesis (3H-leucine incorporation) and secretion by halothane and d-halothane was observed. d-Halothane was less inhibiting than halothane. Inhibition was not on the uptake of the 3H-leucine but with its incorporation in the nascent peptide. The effects of enflurane (2.2 mM), isoflurane (2.2 mM), and sevoflurane (1.3 mM) on protein synthesis and secretion were also studied. The rank order of decrease in protein synthesis caused by the volatile anesthetics studied was halothane > isoflurane > enflurane > sevofluane > d-halothane. Enflurane, isoflurane, and sevoflurane increased the protein secretion while halothane and d-halothane caused a pronounced decrease. Alterations in protein synthesis and secretion appears to be an early and sensitive indicator of cytotoxin injury.
Suppression of type-I ELMs with reduced RMP coil set on DIII-D

Recent experiments on DIII-D have demonstrated that having a toroidally-monochromatic spectral content of edge-resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) is not a necessary condition for suppression of edge localized modes (ELMs). Robust ELM suppression has been reproducibly obtained on DIII-D during experiments in which various non-axisymmetric coil loops were turned off pseudo-randomly producing a variety of n=1 , n=2, and n=3 spectral contributions. It was demonstrated that RMP ELM suppression could be achieved with as few as 5 out of 12 internal coil loops (I-coils) on DIII-D at similar coil currents and with good plasma confinement. Linear MHD plasma response (M3DC1, IPEC, MARS) and vacuum (SURFMN, TRIP3D) modelling have been performed in order to understand the effects of the perturbation spectrum on the plasma response and ELM suppression. The results suggest that reduction of the dominant n=3 perturbation field is compensated by increased n=2 field in the plasma that may lead to RMP ELM suppression at lower levels of n=3 perturbative magnetic flux from the I-coils. In conclusion, these results provide additional confidence that ITER may be capable of RMP ELM suppression in the event of multiple internal coil failures.
Tocolysis for Acute Preterm Labor: Where Have We Been, Where Are We Now, and Where are We Going?

Tocolytics have been used for over 60 years for women with preterm labor, which ultimately can lead to preterm birth (PTB). Diagnosing preterm labor is challenging, but use of objective tests such as transvaginal ultrasound of cervical length assists in the identification of women at the highest risk for PTB. Once preterm labor has been diagnosed, clinicians can choose from a variety of drug classes (cyclooxygenase inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and betamimetics) to achieve the primary goal of delaying delivery by 48 hours, thereby allowing time for administration of corticosteroids for fetal lung maturity, and if appropriate, starting magnesium sulfate for fetal neuroprotection. Cyclooxygenase inhibitors are the only class of tocolytics proven to decrease PTB
The Cyber-Conference

ABSTRACT The convention and exhibition industry, an industry on the threshold of major technological advances, is facing a potential evolution in the delivery of its product from the real world to the virtual world. This paper, based upon views expressed by industry experts and an empirical study of business travelers with videoconferencing experience, explores the future cyber-conference and questions whether the significant investment currently being made in convention and exhibition centers can be justified in light of the impact of new technologies still hiding over-but not very far over-the horizon.
Oblique-Incidence Reflectivity Difference Microscopes for Label-Free High-Throughput Detection of Biochemical Reactions in Microarray Format

We describe recently developed oblique-incidence optical reflectivity difference microscopes for label-free/high-throughput detection of biomolecular reactions on DNA/protein microarrays. We present examples of application of this technique to DNA-DNA hybridization, antibody-antigen capture, and protein-small-molecule binding reactions.
Rehabilitation of a Severely Atrophic Mandible Using Soft Tissue Matrix Expansion (Tent-Pole).

Abstract Abstract It is a demanding process to restore edentulous patients with a severely resorbed mandible. These patients using complete dentures may have many problems such as poor retention, soreness of the soft tissues, and difficulties with eating and speech. Implant-supported restorations are a known solution for them. However, there are some edentulous patients with extreme resorption of the mandibular alveolar bone in whom the bone volume is so minimal, and it is impossible to place implants without performing bone grafting procedures. Soft tissue matrix expansion technique using dental implants as tent-poles has been presented to increase bone height. This clinical report explains how to perform soft tissue matrix expansion technique step by step and describes the rehabilitation of a patient with soft tissue matrix expansion approach, implants and a mandibular implant-supported fixed dental prosthesis.
On the integration strategy of immunization in China

Objective To discuss the direction and ideas of the immunization service in China.Methods Based on the systemic analysis of the problems and challenges of immunization system in China.Results Integration strategies should be developed.Conclusions An effective interest-oriented mechanism should be established.The adequate immunization service in the medical institutions should be promoted.The sharing and integrating of EPI with the second type of vaccine should be strengthened.And the immunization-related health education should be popularized.
Study on Universal Testing Pedestal Structural Model Selection at UHV Tower Test Base

The full-scale transmission tower test is an important means to check the reasonability of tower structural design.The completion of UHV tower test base satisfied the test requirements of the UHV project construction and new standard of tower structural de-icing design.The universal testing pedestal is a major structure of the UHV tower test base.Based on study of advantages and disadvantages of the various domestic and foreign existing universal testing pedestals,the universal testing pedestal will adopt the cress-shaped multiple-slot scheme finally,which is economical in cost, and convenient for operation and maintained,whose partitioned structure design is also advantage to mass concrete construction in winter.