cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PEG-b-PPA/DNA micelles improve transgene expression in rat liver through intrabiliary infusion

We have developed a new block copolymer gene carrier that comprises of a polyethylene glycol segment and a degradable cationic polyphosphoramidate (PPA) segment. This PEG-b-PPA copolymer carrier formed micelles upon condensation with plasmid DNA in aqueous solution. PEG-b-PPA/DNA micelles exhibited uniform and reduced particle size ranging from 80 to 100 nm and lowered surface charge, compared with complexes of DNA with the corresponding cationic PPA carrier. PEG-b-PPA/DNA micelles maintained similar transfection efficiency as PPA/DNA complexes, which was comparable to that of PEI/DNA complexes in HepG2 cells, but yielded about 16-fold lower transgene expression in primary rat hepatocytes than PPA/DNA complexes. Following bile duct infusion in Wistar rats, PEG-b-PPA/DNA micelles mediated 4-fold higher and more uniform gene expression in the liver than PPA/DNA complexes. Liver function tests and histopathological examination indicated that PEG-b-PPA/DNA micelles showed low toxicity and good biocompatibility in the liver. This study demonstrated the potential of PEG-b-PPA/DNA micelles as an efficient carrier for liver-targeted gene delivery.
Influence of female-biased sexual size dimorphism on dominance of female Townsend’s chipmunks

Female-biased sexual size dimorphism (SSD), a condition common in North American chipmunks, occurs when females are larger than males in a species. We examined the influence of body size on dominan...
Vegetation effects on the microwave emission of soils

Research has shown that soil moisture information can be retrieved by passive microwave remote sensing. This is even possible when there is a vegetation canopy present if the effects of the vegetation are corrected for. Vegetation correction algorithms must attempt to include all significant physical parameters, yet they must also only require data that can be readily obtained. Previous research proposed a model that attempted to meet these requirements. Critical to this model is the estimation of a vegetation parameter b that characterizes the canopy. In this study we evaluated published data to determine the functional dependence of this parameter on vegetation characteristics.
Computing the shortest watchtower of a polyhedral terrain in O( n log n ) time

Abstract Given a polyhedral terrain S with n vertices, the shortest watchtower is defined as the shortest vertical line segment uv whose lower endpoint u lies on S and whose upper endpoint v can see the entire terrain. In 1988 Sharir gave an O(nlog2n) time algorithm for computing the shortest watchtower and posed the open problem of computing the shortest watchtower in O(nlogn) time. In this paper, we show that by extending Dobkin-Kirkpatrick's hierarchical representation of a convex polyhedron, the problem can be solved in O(nlogn) time. This settles the above open problem posed by Sharir. We also discuss the closely related problem of computing the shortest vertical distance between two convex polyhedra.
Flow-Field of an Axisymmetric Lobed Mixer

The flow-field of a fuel/air mixing system with an axisymmetric lobed mixer was numerically investigated. Large-scale streamwise vortices are formed immediately downstream of the mixer trailing edge, stretched further downstream, and finally broken into fragments where more intense mixing occurs. Both numerical and experimental results indicate that the length required for streamwise vortices breakdown in the confined flow-field of an axisymmetric lobed mixer is much shorter than that in the case of planar lobed mixers subject to parallel freestreams. For the conditions studied, the streamwise vortices start to breakdown at three wavelengths downstream of the mixer trailing edge.
Bureaucracy versus high performance: Work reorganization in the 1990s

Abstract During the time of increased work reorganization, I investigate the components of bureaucratic and high performance work systems and the sources of variation in an organization's adoption of bureaucratic and high performance practices. Findings from the 1996 National Organizations Survey suggest that the degree of workplace formalization, level of hierarchy, and number of departmentalization strongly indicate bureaucratic organizations, but the alleged high performance indicators of teamwork, skill enhancement, job autonomy, and innovative pay structures do not cohere to identify high performance work systems. Instead, teamwork and skill enhancement cluster to indicate one type of high performance work system, whereas job autonomy and performance-based pay constellate to identify another type. Multivariate analyses reveal that institutional mimetic isomorphism is the major factor that compels organizations to implement a certain work system. Organizations mimic their peers in their strategic adoption of different work systems. In addition, foreign market competition increases organizational adoption of teamwork and training programs to enhance skills.
G-Sense: a scalable architecture for global sensing and monitoring

The pervasiveness of cellular phones combined with Internet connectivity, GPS embedded chips, location information, and integrated sensors provide an excellent platform to collect data about the individual and its surrounding environment. As a result, new applications have recently appeared to address large-scale societal problems as well as improve the quality of life of the individual. However, these new applications, recently called location-based services, participatory sensing, and human-centric sensing, bring many new challenges, one of them being the management of the huge amount of traffic (data) they generate. This article presents G-Sense, for Global-Sense, an architecture that integrates mobile and static wireless sensor networks in support of location-based services, participatory sensing, and human-centric sensing applications. G-Sense includes specific mechanisms to control the amount of data generated by these applications while meeting the application requirements. Furthermore, it creates a network of servers organized in a peer-to-peer architecture to address scalability and reliability issues. An example prototype application is presented along with some basic results and open research issues.
A Microstructure Evolution Model for the Processing of Single-Crystal Alloy CMSX-4 Through Scanning Laser Epitaxy for Turbine Engine Hot-Section Component Repair (Part II)

Part I [Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 2014, DOI: 10.1007/s11663-014-0117-9 ] presented a comprehensive thermal, fluid flow, and solidification model that can predict the temperature distribution and flow characteristics for the processing of CMSX-4 alloy powder through scanning laser epitaxy (SLE). SLE is an additive manufacturing technology aimed at the creation of equiaxed, directionally solidified and single-crystal (SX) deposits of nickel-based superalloys using a fast-scanning laser beam. Part II here further explores the Marangoni convection-based model to predict the solidification microstructure as a function of the conditions at the trailing edge of the melt pool formed during the SLE process. Empirical values for several microstructural characteristics such as the primary dendrite arm spacing (PDAS), the columnar-to-equiaxed transition (CET) criterion and the oriented-to-misoriented transition (OMT) criterion are obtained. Optical microscopy provides visual information on the various microstructural characteristics of the deposited material such as melt depth, CET location, OMT location, PDAS, etc. A quantitative and consistent investigation of this complex set of characteristics is both challenging and unprecedented. A customized image-analysis technique based on active contouring is developed to automatically extract these data from experimental micrographs. Quantitative metallography verifies that even for the raster scan pattern in SLE and the corresponding line heat source assumption, the PDAS follows the growth relation w ~G −0.5 V −0.25 (w = PDAS, G = temperature gradient and V = solidification velocity) developed for marginal stability under constrained growth. Models for the CET and OMT are experimentally validated, thereby providing powerful predictive capabilities for controlling the microstructure of SX alloys processed through SLE.
The Effect of Oxygen and Argon on the Interdiffusion of Au-Al Thin Film Couples

Thin film diffusion couples were prepared by a sequential deposition of Al and Au on clean glass substrates in an ultra-high vacuum system. Aluminum was deposited at a rate of 1 nm sec?1 to a thickness of 0.6 ?m and then 0.12 ?m of Au, which was shuttered to cover half of the Al film, at a rate of 0.1 nm sec?1. Diffusion annealing of the couples was carried out at 250°C for 45 minutes in 0.5 atm. of either oxygen or argon gas. Optical and SEM examination of the couples annealed in argon showed ball-like intermetallic compound formation across the entire film, that is, even on that part of the Al film which was not covered with Au. Those films which had been annealed in oxygen showed dendritic intermetallic formation only in the region where the Au covered the Al; the uncovered Al region of the film was clean. These observations are explained on the basis of adsorbed gas and its effect on surface diffusion.
Longitudinal relations between marital aggression and children's sleep: the role of emotional insecurity.

To gain a better understanding of relations between marital aggression and children's sleep problems, we examined children's emotional insecurity as a process variable and a moderator of effects using 3 waves of data spanning 5 years. Participants were 176 children at Time 1 (T1; M age = 8.68 years), 141 children at Time 2 (T2; M age = 10.70 years), and 113 children at Time 3 (T3; M age = 13.60 years) and their parents. Parents reported on marital aggression, children reported on their emotional insecurity about the parental marital relationship, and children's sleep was measured via self-reports and actigraphy. After controlling for autoregressive effects, marital aggression predicted increases in emotional insecurity 2 years later (T2), which in turn predicted an increase in sleep problems 3 years later (T3). Moderation analyses indicated that a higher level of emotional insecurity was a vulnerability factor for sleep problems in the context of greater marital aggression. Findings add to this emerging literature and illustrate the importance of considering sleep in the family context. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Families of adolescent drug abusers are "rigid": are these families either "disengaged" or "enmeshed," or both?

The FACES instrument, based on Olson's Circumplex Model of family functioning, was administered to 96 adolescent drug-abuse clients and their parents. The majority of these families categorized themselves as “disengaged” (rather than “enmeshed) on the cohesion dimension, and as “rigid” (rather than “chaotic”) on the adaptability dimension. These findings were unexpected as they were substantially different from published findings on families with other types of problems. Family therapists, utilizing Olson's Clinical Rating Scale for the Circumplex Model, characterized significantly more of these same families as “enmeshed,” rather than “disengaged.” rather than “disengaged.” Possible explanations for the difference between the therapists' perceptions and the families' self-perceptions are discussed.
Performance of finishing cattle fed maize silage prior to grain adaptation

Abstract Two finishing trials were conducted to determine the effect of feeding maize silage for 21 or 42 days prior to grain adaptation on performance of cattle coming off grass. In Trial 1, treatments consisted of direct adaptation to high-grain finishing diet or 21 days of maize silage feeding then adaptation to a high-grain finishing diet. Diets were fed to 4 groups of cattle that included 2 groups of mixed crossbred steers (18 months old, 371 kg) and 2 groups of crossbred heifers (18 months old, 346 kg and 11 months old, 263 kg). Rate and efficiency of gain were highest (P
Does the vestibular system contribute to head direction cell activity in the rat

Head direction cells (HDC) located in several regions of the brain, including the anterior dorsal nucleus of the thalamus (ADN), postsubiculum (PoS), and lateral mammillary nuclei (LMN), provide the neural substrate for the determination of head direction. Although activity of HDC is influenced by various sensory signals and internally generated cues, lesion studies and some anatomical and physiological evidence suggest that vestibular inputs are critical for the maintenance of directional sensitivity of these cells. However, vestibular inputs must be transformed considerably in order to signal head direction, and the neuronal circuitry that accomplishes this signal processing has not been fully established. Furthermore, it is unclear why the removal of vestibular inputs abolishes the directional sensitivity of HDC, as visual and other sensory inputs and motor feedback signals strongly affect the firing of these neurons and would be expected to maintain their directional-related activity. Further physiological studies will be required to establish the role of vestibular system in producing HDC responses, and anatomical studies are needed to determine the neural circuitry that mediates vestibular influences on determination of head direction.
Evaluation Of Splashzone Maintenance Coating Systems By Accelerated Laboratory Testing And Field Trials

Maintenance painting of platform splashzones is one of the most difficult offshore coating problems. There is a limited and frequently interrupted weather window for working, the temperature is generally low, the relative humidity is usually high and surfaces may be subjected to salt spray or complete immersion within a few hours of coating application. Once a coating is on the steel, it is continually wet and must resist abrasion and impact from the sea and from debris which is in the sea. In order to stand up to these conditions, splashzone coatings must adhere tightly to the steel, they must be tough and resilient and they must be resistant to the spread of local damage. Occidental's Piper and Claymore Platforms were installed in the North Sea in 1976 and 1977 respectively. The original splashzone coatings applied during fabrication were high-build vinyl systems over zinc silicate primers. The same coating systems were used on the platform topsides. By 1978 there was a need for coating repairs because the vinyls had poor abrasion resistance. It has proved impossible to use the original coating system for the repairs because it is intolerant of ambient conditions. Major maintenance painting programmes were planned for bothmore » platform splashzones in 1983. Surveys had shown that both splashzones required blasting to bare metal and recoating. Field trials and accelerated laboratory tests were used to select a coating system for the platform splashzones from nine alternative systems. The materials tested were ones presented by major manufacturers as their recommended splashzone systems. The coating systems ranged from coal tar epoxies to a very-high-technology system of primer injected into the grit-blasting nozzle followed by a single coat of high-build, solvent-free epoxy. Detailed descriptions of the coating systems are given in Table 1.« less
The role of pericytes in blood-vessel formation and maintenance

Blood vessels are composed of two interacting cell types. Endothelial cells form the inner lining of the vessel wall, and perivascular cells—referred to as pericytes, vascular smooth muscle cells or mural cells—envelop the surface of the vascular tube. Over the last decades, studies of blood vessels have concentrated mainly on the endothelial cell component, especially when the first angiogenic factors were discovered, while the interest in pericytes has lagged behind. Pericytes are, however, functionally significant; when vessels lose pericytes, they become hemorrhagic and hyperdilated, which leads to conditions such as edema, diabetic retinopathy, and even embryonic lethality. Recently, pericytes have gained new attention as functional and critical contributors to tumor angiogenesis and therefore as potential new targets for antiangiogenic therapies. Pericytes are complex. Their ontogeny is not completely understood, and they perform various functions throughout the body. This review article describes the current knowledge about the nature of pericytes and their functions during vessel growth, vessel maintenance, and pathological angiogenesis.
Atomic data from the IRON Project - XXIII. Relativistic excitation rate coefficients for Fe XXII with inclusion of radiation damping

New collision strengths have been calculated for 990 transitions among 45 ne structure n =2a nd n= 3 levels of Fe XXII. The relativistic Breit-Pauli for- mulation of the R-matrix method was employed in the close coupling approximation, with radiation damping of autoionizing resonances included for the rst time in the calculations of excitation rate coecients. It is found that, at low temperatures, the relativistic eects considerably enhance rate coecients for the intercombination transi- tions, and the radiation damping eect reduces those for a few transitions. It is also found that resonances due to coupling with the n = 3 levels signicantly enhance rate coecients for the transitions to low-lying levels at inter- mediate and high temperatures, and for the transitions to the n = 2 high-lying levels at all temperatures. It is expected that the new data, tabulated at a wide range of temperatures, would lead to a revision of the spectral diag- nostics of Fe XXII in laboratory and astrophysical sources, in particular the X-ray spectra observed from solar flares and tokamaks.
One thousand minimally invasive mitral valve operations: early outcomes, late outcomes, and echocardiographic follow-up.

Objective The present study assessed the clinical and echocardiographic outcomes for 1000 patients undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve surgery. Methods The Brigham Cardiac Valve database was reviewed. From August 1996 to November 2011, 1000 patients had undergone minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (median follow-up, 7 years). Data on the surgical approach, complications, reoperations, and late survival were tabulated. Late echocardiographic data on the recurrence of mitral regurgitation after mitral repair in myxomatous disease were also collected. Survival, freedom from reoperation and recurrent mitral regurgitation (grade ≥ 3+) were evaluated with life tables and Kaplan-Meier analyses. Results The mean patient age was 57 years. Of the 1000 patients, 41% were women. Myxomatous degenerative disease was the predominant pathologic entity (86%). A lower hemisternotomy was the predominant surgical approach (75%). Mitral repair was performed in 923 patients and replacement in 77. Eight operative deaths (0.8%) occurred. A total of 44 patients with failed mitral repairs underwent reoperation, with 1 mitral valve replaced again on the same operative day for atrioventricular groove disruption. Nine failed repairs were repaired again (9/44 [20%]). A total of 106 late deaths occurred. The overall survival at 15 years was 79% ± 3%. Freedom from reoperation at 15 years was 90% ± 3% for repairs and 100% for replacements. Late echocardiograms were acquired for 615 of 815 eligible mitral repair patients with myxomatous disease (75%). Freedom from recurrent mitral regurgitation (grade ≥ 3+) at 1, 5, and 10 years was 99% ± 1%, 87% ± 2%, and 69% ± 4%, respectively. Conclusions Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is effective, with excellent late results. The durability of minimally invasive mitral valve repair compared favorably with conventional full sternotomy methods at late follow-up.
Cache-Aware Utilization Control for Energy Efficiency in Multi-Core Real-Time Systems

Multi-core processors are anticipated to become a major development platform for real-time systems. However, existing power management algorithms are not designed to sufficiently utilize the features available in many multi-core processors, such as shared L2 caches and per-core DVFS, to effectively minimize processor energy consumption while providing real-time guarantees. In this paper, we propose a two-level utilization control solution for energy efficiency in multi-core real-time systems. At the core level, our solution addresses two optimization objectives: controlling the CPU utilization of each core to its desired schedulable bound and minimizing the core energy consumption by adopting per-core DVFS and dynamic L2 cache partitioning to adapt both the CPU frequency-dependent and independent portions of the task execution times of the core. Since traditional control theory cannot handle multiple optimization objectives, a novel utilization controller is designed based on advanced multi-objective model predictive control theory. At the processor level, a cache demand arbitrator is proposed to coordinate the cache size demand from each core and conduct dynamic cache resizing to minimize the leakage power consumption of the shared L2 caches. The energy and time overheads of the proposed control solution are analyzed and addressed in the experiments with well-known benchmarks. Our extensive results demonstrate that our solution outperforms two state-of-the-art power management algorithms that do not consider L2 caches or per-core DVFS, by having more accurate utilization control and less energy consumption.
The levonorgestrel intrauterine system in nulliparous women

The levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) has been used internationally for over 15 years by 7 million women. Concern about providing the LNG-IUS to nulliparous women still exists, despite growing evidence of its safety and efficacy in this population. Expulsion rates do not vary by parity and, although evidence in nulliparas is scant, perforation rates are low in all women. Efficacy of the LNG-IUS is excellent regardless of parity, with less than 1 pregnancy per 100 woman-years of use. Efficacy with immediate post-abortal insertion is also excellent and unvaried by parity. The presence of an LNG-IUS does not increase the risk of PID or infertility in either parous or nulliparous women and the LNG may be protective against infection. Acceptability is high in nulliparous women when compared either to parous LNG-IUS users or to nulliparous users of combined oral contraceptive pills. In conclusion, LNG-IUS is both safe and extremely efficacious for use in nulliparous women.
Can problematic fibroepithelial lesions be accurately classified on core needle biopsies

Fibroepithelial lesions (FEL) of the breast are notoriously difficult to classify on core needle biopsies. The goal of this study was to evaluate interobserver variability and accuracy of subclassifying difficult FELs into fibroadenoma (FA) and phyllodes tumors (PTs). We identified 50 breast core needle biopsies, initially diagnosed generically as FEL, with subsequent excision and final diagnosis of either FA or benign PT. Five surgical pathologists from one institution independently reviewed these in 3 rounds. The pathologists were blinded to the final excisional diagnosis. Two diagnostic categories were allowed: FA and PT. A set of histologic criteria was provided including the presence of subepithelial condensation, stromal heterogeneity, overgrowth, pleomorphism, fragmentation, cellularity, adipose tissue entrapment, and mitotic count and asked to review the slides for the second round. A third round of interpretations was conducted after each criterion was defined. Interobserver agreement for the diagnosis and each criterion was evaluated using the κ level of agreement. Accuracy of ratings to final diagnosis was calculated using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. κ Values for interobserver agreement were fair for the first and second rounds varying from 0.20 to 0.22, respectively. This increased to 0.27 in round 3. When considering each category, the κ value varied from 0.26 to 0.29 for FA and 0.28 to 0.14 for PT. Overall, there was fair agreement between the pathologists in all categories. The rate of correctly diagnosed cases ranged from 40% in the first round, to 48% in the second round, to 67% in round 3. Overall the pathologists performed better in identifying FA than PT. The accuracy of interpretations was significantly different between the first (40%), second (48%), and third rounds (67%).
Temperature sequence of eggs from oviposition through distribution: processing--part 2.

The Egg Safety Action Plan released in 1999 raised questions concerning egg temperature used in the risk assessment model. Therefore, a national study was initiated to determine the internal and external temperature sequence of eggs from oviposition through distribution. Researchers gathered data from commercial egg production, shell egg processing, and distribution facilities. The experimental design was a mixed model with 2 random effects for season and geographic region and a fixed effect for operation type (inline or offline). For this report, internal and external egg temperature data were recorded at specific points during shell egg processing in the winter and summer months. In addition, internal egg temperatures were recorded in pre- and postshell egg processing cooler areas. There was a significant season x geographic region interaction (P 0.05) for eggs in the postshell egg processing cooler area in the summer vs. winter. Therefore, these data suggest that season of year and geographic location can affect the temperature of eggs during shell egg processing and should be a component in future assessments of egg safety.
Does the polar cap area saturate

We address the question of how the polar cap area (A PC ) and the open magnetic flux in the Earth's ionospheric polar caps depend on the strength of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) under conditions of steady driving. We use the Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry (LFM) global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model to analyze the relationship between these quantities and compare their behavior to that of the transpolar potential (Φ PC ). In a series of idealized simulation runs we find that in the LFM model A PC saturates faster than Φ PC as the IMF strength increases. The ionospheric conductance and the solar wind ram pressure have similar moderate effects on the saturated A PC , while their influence on Φ PC is very different. It appears that A PC saturates as a result of bulging of the geomagnetic lobes toward the sun, whereby the inner dipole magnetic field is shielded from further reconnection. The process is accompanied by dramatic changes in the global configuration of the magnetic field.
Both midzone and astral microtubules are involved in the delivery of cytokinesis signals insights from the mobility of aurora B

To address the mechanism that coordinates cytokinesis with mitosis, we have studied the dynamics of aurora B, a chromosomal passenger protein involved in signaling cytokinesis. Photobleaching analyses indicated dynamic exchange of aurora B between a centromeric and a cytoplasmic pool before anaphase onset, and stable associations with microtubules after anaphase onset. Bleaching near centromeres upon anaphase onset affected the subsequent appearance of fluorescence along midzone microtubules, but not that near the lateral equatorial cortex, suggesting that there were centromeric-dependent and -independent pathways that transported aurora B to the equator. The former delivered centromeric aurora B along midzone microtubules, whereas the latter delivered cytoplasmic aurora B along astral microtubules. We suggest that cultured cells use midzone microtubules as the primary signaling pathway for cytokinesis, whereas embryos, with their stockpile of cytoplasmic proteins and large sizes, rely primarily on astral microtubules.
Lasers in the management of snoring and mild sleep apnea.

In a field that is as complex and confusing as the management of sleep apnea, perhaps no greater controversy has existed over the last few years than the use and efficacy of lasers as a mode of treatment. As with many recent advances in high technology (and especially, when no good low-technology treatment exists), initial enthusiasm and hype, usually propagated by apparent clinical success rather than substantial and objective research, is eventually overtaken by the inevitable complications, lack of the initially seen spectacular results, and the reality that technology is not a replacement for good surgical principles and skill. Eventually, and this is certainly true for the use of lasers in the management of snoring and mild sleep apnea, the practical answer falls somewhere in the middle, indicating that the use of this technology is very much indicated in some cases and contraindicated in others. It is the inherent responsibility of the good practitioner, therefore, to have the data and wisdom to be able to make the clinical judgment differentiating these clinical scenarios. As the pendulum swings back toward its inevitable middle ground based on time and good research, it is becoming more and more evident that lasers have a significant role to play in this disease process, but that role still needs to be better defined. It must be stated at the outset that, in general, the use of lasers in this disease does not represent a new or unique modality of treatment. Rather, the laser is primarily used as a tool to perform procedures that either have been done in the past, or could be done in the present, with other modalities such as scalpels, electrosurgical cautery, or radio-frequency devices. The indication for using the laser is the practical, and sometimes theoretical, advantage(s) it represents in any surgical procedure. These include the lack of intraoperative and postoperative bleeding, the ease of access to traditionally difficult areas such as the soft palate and pharynx, the decrease in postoperative pain, and the decrease in scarring. There are currently two commonly performed laser procedures for snoring and mild sleep apnea: laserassisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) and laser-assisted uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (LA-UPPP). Though there is some overlap in their techniques and indications, they are two distinctly different surgeries and will, therefore, be described separately.
CLINICAL APPLICATIONS OF STUDIES IN EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED EXOPHTHALMOS OF ANTERIOR PITUITARY ORIGIN

ALTHOUGH THE PATHOGENESIS of exophthalmos in exophthalmic goiter has been the subject of considerable speculation, it has been possible to bring relatively little direct experimental investigation to bear on the problem. This situation has arisen because opportunities for such experimental studies on man are obviously limited. Investigations of this condition have been further hampered by the fact that, until quite recently, exophthalmos could not be produced at will in lower mammals. Now that this is possible, a further obstacle to progress lies in the fact that results obtained in one species are not freely applicable to that of another species. Various species differ in their physiological responses to what appears to be an identical stimulus. These variations in response may be due to constitutional characteristics inherent in individuals belonging to different species, but, as in the case of the orbital cavity, the anatomical structure as such may determine the type of response which a stimulus elici...
Spatio-temporal variability of coral recruitment on shallow reefs in St. John, US Virgin Islands

Abstract In this study, coral recruitment was measured on a kilometer-wide scale over two years on shallow (5–6 m depth) fringing reefs in St. John, US Virgin Islands, with the objective of determining the extent to which variation in recruitment was affected by biophysical coupling involving temperature and flow. Coral recruitment was measured using settlement tiles deployed at 10 sites along 10 km of shore. The tiles were first deployed in August 2006, and thereafter replaced every ≈ 6 months to sample from either August to January, or January to August over 2 years. Seawater temperature was recorded at the 10 sites using logging thermistors, and flow was quantified using drogues. Overall, corals recruited at a rate equivalent to 76 corals m− 2 6 months− 1, and were represented mostly by poritids (43% of recruits), agaricids (29%), faviids (17%) and siderastreids (7%). Although the density of recruits differed among sites in a pattern that varied among periods and years, there was a consistent trend for mean density to decline from ≈ 4 corals tile− 1 at eastern sites, to ≤ 1 coral tile− 1 at western sites. One aspect of seawater temperature – the daily range – differed among sites and was greater at western compared to eastern sites, and while it was related inversely to recruitment over one of the sampling periods, it was equivocal as a physical process affecting recruitment. Instead, our results are consistent with biophysical coupling involving patch depletion and downstream filtering, whereby patches of coral larvae are delivered to the south shore of St. John and depleted of larvae through settlement as the water progresses westward.
Economics and Adults Identified as Low-Functioning Deaf

Individuals who read below second-grade level, achieve in school below fourth-grade level, or have secondary conditions in addition to deafness may be identified by state rehabilitation agency counselors or other professionals as having “low-functioning deafness” (LFD). There are an estimated 125,000 to 165,000 adults with LFD in the United States today. Most do not work, but they tend to be on federal and federal—state benefits programs, notably Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Medicaid, and Medicare. SSI recipients typically also receive Medicaid benefits, whereas those on SSDI generally receive Medicare benefits. Federal spending on adults with LFD exceeds $1 billion/year. It would be less costly to the U.S. Treasury were such beneficiaries to be rehabilitated to work. Three national demonstration projects conducted during the 1990s showed that rehabilitating many adults with LFD is both feasible and cost effective. Nevertheless, few individuals with LFD ...
Lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol production: current perspectives, potential issues and future prospects.

During the most recent decades increased interest in fuel from biomass in the United States and worldwide has emerged each time petroleum derived gasoline registered well publicized spikes in price. The willingness of the U.S. government to face the issues of more heavily high-priced foreign oil and climate change has led to more investment on plant-derived sustainable biofuel sources. Biomass derived from corn has become one of the primary feedstocks for bioethanol production for the past several years in the U.S. However, the argument of whether to use food as biofuel has led to a search for alternative non-food sources. Consequently, industrial research efforts have become more focused on low-cost large-scale processes for lignocellulosic feedstocks originating mainly from agricultural and forest residues along with herbaceous materials and municipal wastes. Although cellulosic-derived biofuel is a promising technology, there are some obstacles that interfere with bioconversion processes reaching optimal performance associated with minimal capital investment. This review summarizes current approaches on lignocellulosic-derived biofuel bioconversion and provides an overview on the major steps involved in cellulosic-based bioethanol processes and potential issues challenging these operations. Possible solutions and recoveries that could improve bioprocessing are also addressed. This includes the development of genetically engineered strains and emerging pretreatment technologies that might be more efficient and economically feasible. Future prospects toward achieving better biofuel operational performance via systems approaches such as risk and life cycle assessment modeling are also discussed.
Data smoothing and interpolation using eighth-order algebraic splines

A new type of algebraic spline is used to derive a filter for smoothing or interpolating discrete data points. The spline is dependent on control parameters that specify the relative importance of data fitting and the derivatives of the spline. A general spline of arbitrary order is first formulated using matrix equations. We then focus on eighth-order splines because of the continuity of their first three derivatives (desirable for motor and robotics applications). The spline's matrix equations are rewritten to give a recursive filter that can be implemented in real time for lengthy data sequences. The filter is lowpass with a bandwidth that is dependent on the spline's control parameters. Numerical results, including a simple image processing application, show the tradeoffs that can be achieved using the algebraic splines.
Reward Circuitry is Perturbed in the Absence of the Serotonin Transporter

The serotonin transporter (SERT) modulates the entire serotonergic system in the brain and influences both the dopaminergic and norepinephrinergic systems. These three systems are intimately involved in normal physiological functioning of the brain and implicated in numerous pathological conditions. Here we use high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy to elucidate the effects of disruption of the serotonin transporter in an animal model system: the SERT knock-out mouse. Employing manganese-enhanced MRI, we injected Mn(2+) into the prefrontal cortex and obtained 3D MR images at specific time points in cohorts of SERT and normal mice. Statistical analysis of co-registered datasets demonstrated that active circuitry originating in the prefrontal cortex in the SERT knock-out is dramatically altered, with a bias towards more posterior areas (substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, and Raphe nuclei) directly involved in the reward circuit. Injection site and tracing were confirmed with traditional track tracers by optical microscopy. In contrast, metabolite levels were essentially normal in the SERT knock-out by in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy and little or no anatomical differences between SERT knock-out and normal mice were detected by MRI. These findings point to modulation of the limbic cortical-ventral striatopallidal by disruption of SERT function. Thus, molecular disruptions of SERT that produce behavioral changes also alter the functional anatomy of the reward circuitry in which all the monoamine systems are involved.
Printed Warning Statements and Signal Words On Intended Carefulness

Previous research on textual warnings has mainly focused on individual signal words, but much less research has concerned signal words in context within warnings. The current study investigated printed (visual) warnings statements that contained signal words paired with hazard and instruction statements. These statements have been previously used in research on voice (auditory) warnings by Barzegar and Wogalter (2000). The results showed that participants rated warning statements containing hazard and instruction information paired with the signal word “DEADLY” significantly higher on intended carefulness than the same statements paired with the signal word “DANGER.” Statements paired with a signal word were rated higher than statements without a signal word. Overall, the pattern of the ratings for the printed statements in this study concurs with that of Barzegar’s and Wogalter (2000) voice warning data. Implications and suggestions to the design of effective warning statements are discussed.
Novel bacterial and archaeal lineages from an in situ growth chamber deployed at a Mid-Atlantic Ridge hydrothermal vent.

The phylogenetic diversity was determined for a microbial community obtained from an in situ growth chamber placed on a deep-sea hydrothermal vent on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (23°22* N, 44°57* W). The chamber was deployed for 5 days, and the temperature within the chamber gradually decreased from 70 to 20°C. Upon retrieval of the chamber, the DNA was extracted and the small-subunit rRNA genes (16S rDNA) were amplified by PCR using primers specific for the Archaea or Bacteria domain and cloned. Unique rDNA sequences were identified by restriction fragment length polymorphisms, and 38 different archaeal and bacterial phylotypes were identified from the 85 clones screened. The majority of the archaeal sequences were affiliated with the Thermococcales (71%) and Archaeoglobales (22%) orders. A sequence belonging to the Thermoplasmales confirms that thermoacidophiles may have escaped enrichment culturing attempts of deep-sea hydrothermal vent samples. Additional sequences that represented deeply rooted lineages in the low-temperature eurarchaeal (marine group II) and crenarchaeal clades were obtained. The majority of the bacterial sequences obtained were restricted to the Aquificales (18%), the « subclass of the Proteobacteria («-Proteobacteria) (40%), and the genus Desulfurobacterium (25%). Most of the clones (28%) were confined to a monophyletic clade within the «-Proteobacteria with no known close relatives. The prevalence of clones related to thermophilic microbes that use hydrogen as an electron donor and sulfur compounds (S 0 ,S O 4, thiosulfate) indicates the importance of hydrogen oxidation and sulfur metabolism at deep-sea hydrothermal vents. The presence of sequences that are related to sequences from hyperthermophiles, moderate thermophiles, and mesophiles suggests that the diversity obtained from this analysis may reflect the microbial succession that occurred in response to the shift in temperature and possible associated changes in the chemistry of the hydrothermal fluid.
The Religious Policies of Dukes Wilhelm and Ludwig of Bavaria in the First Decade of The Protestant Era

On the seventh of October, 1528, late at night, agents of Dukes Wilhelm IV and Ludwig X of Bavaria came to the home in Abensberg of Johann Aventinus, the distinguished historian and pedagogue, and arrested him, “ob evangelium,” as he notes the occasion in his diary. 1 The Dukes' action was not unexpected. Aventinus recorded arrests of acquaintances and associates in May and July, also “ob evangelium.” He had been away from home much of the time, possibly to avoid the same fate. He spent the summer in Regensburg 2 where the Bavarian government had no jurisdiction, but where prolonged residence, at a time when both Lutheranism and Anabaptism seemed to be making rapid gains there, 3 could not but arouse suspicion in Munich. In early October Aventinus returned to Abensberg, his captors at his heels.
Indications for an EEG in a Child with ADHD

Investigators at Departments of Child Neurology, Neuroscience, Biostatistics, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey studied the parameters for prediction of epileptiform abnormalities in the EEG of 148 children diagnosed with ADHD, according to DSM-IV criteria, aged between 6 and 13 years (mean 8.76 +/- 1.26; 25.7% female). Wake and sleep EEGs lasting about one hour were obtained in 89.2% patients and a WISC-R in 100%.
The restoration of the genus Vernonella Sond. (Vernonieae: Asteraceae)

Abstract Vernonella Sond. is restored as a distinct genus from synonymy under Vernonia and Centrapalus. Included are the type species Vernonella africana and 10 additional species with thinly scarious-margined involucral bracts and distinctive small, short-colpate type A pollen.
Serum lipase: a better test to diagnose acute alcoholic pancreatitis.

Abstract objective: To determine whether serum lipase is a better test than serum amylase to diagnose acute alcoholic pancreatitis. patients: Two hundred two asymptomatic chronic alcoholics (Group A) and 29 patients with image-proven pancreatitis (Group P). measurements: Serum lipase was measured using the Kodak Ektachem clinical chemistry slide. Serum amylase was estimated using the Kodak Ektachem clinical chemistry slide or the Beckman Astra amylase chemistry module. results: The level of serum amylase in Group A ranged from 17 to 347 U/L (mean 71, SD ± 36 U/L) and in Group P from 180 to 2,985 U/L (mean 722, SD ± 663 U/L). Thirteen of 29 patients (45%) with image-proven pancreatitis had levels that overlapped those found in asymptomatic alcoholics. The serum lipase levels in Group A ranged from 34 to 600 U/L (mean 186, SD ± 111 U/L), while in Group P, the corresponding figures were 1,011 to 25,706 U/L (mean 5,822, SD ± 5,664 U/L). None of the 29 patients with image-proven pancreatitis had levels that overlapped those found in asymptomatic alcoholics. conclusions: Serum lipase is a better test than serum amylase to diagnose acute alcoholic pancreatitis.
Toxic Masculinity as a Barrier to Mental Health Treatment in Prison

The current article addresses gender issues that become magnified in prison settings and contribute to heightened resistance in psychotherapy and other forms of mental health treatment. Toxic masculinity involves the need to aggressively compete and dominate others and encompasses the most problematic proclivities in men. These same male proclivities foster resistance to psychotherapy. Some of the stresses and complexities of life in men's prisons are explored. The relation between hegemonic masculinity and toxic masculinity is examined. The discussion proceeds to the interplay between individual male characteristics and institutional dynamics that intensify toxic masculinity. A discussion of some structural obstacles to mental health treatment in prison and resistances on the part of prisoners is followed by some general recommendations for the therapist in this context.
Optimum field size and choice of isodose lines in electron beam treatment.

Abstract Purpose: A method is provided for the optimum filed size and the choice of isodose line for the dose prescription in electron beam therapy. Methods and Materials: Electron beam dose uniformity was defined in terms of target coverage factor (TCF) which is an index of dose coverage of a given treatment volume. The TCF was studied with respect to the field size, the beam energy, and the isodose level for prescription from the measured data for various accelerators. The effects of the TCF on air gap between electron applicator/cone and the surface was investigated. Electron beams from scattering foil and scaned beam units were analyzed for the target coverage. Results: A mathematical method is provided to optimize a filed size for target coverage by a given isodose line in terms of TCF which is strongly dependent on the type of accelerator and the design of the collimator. For a given type of collimating system, the TCF does not depend on the type of electron beam production (scattering foil or swept scanned beam). Selection of isodose line for dose prescription is very critical for the value of the TCF and the dose coverage. The TCF is inversely proportional to the isodose value selected for the treatment and nearly linear with field size and beam energy. Air gap applicator and the surface reduces the dose uniformity. Tertiary collimator moderately improves the lateral coverage for high energy beams. Conclusions: To adequately cover the target volume in electron beam treatment, lateral and depth coverage should be considered. The coverage at depth is strongly dependent on the choice of isodose line or beam normalization. If the dose prescription is at d max (i.e., the 100% isodose line is selected), the choice of beam energy is not critical for depth coverage since d max is nearly independent of energy for smaller fields. The 100% isodose line should not be chosen for treatment because of the significant constriction of this isodose line and inadequate coverage at depth. For a higher TCF, a minimum air gap between the cone to the surface of the patient is desired. If such is not possible, then a tertiary collimator at the skin is required. Whenever, a tertiary collimator is used, it is advised to icrease the collimator field size by a factor of 1.4.