cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anti NMDA Receptor Encephalitis (ANMDARE): Outcome in a Cohort of 13 Children (P6.015)

Objective: Evaluate the functional outcome of children discharged from a pediatric rehabilitation hospital with moderate to severe ANMDARE. Background: The severity of ANMDARE is highly variable. In the severe forms there is regression of cognitive function, dysautonomia, convulsions, movement disorders, sleep disturbances, ADL (activities of daily living) skills. Intensive medical treatment includes multiple immunotherapies and symptomatic treatments. Intensive rehabilitation is essential to optimize functional outcome. Methods: We review 13 cases admitted to Blythedale Children’s Hospital between 2007 - 2013 at ages 2 to 18 years old and who were discharged from the hospital, including 1 death. We conducted a telephone survey of the families of all the survivors 3 months to - 3 years following discharge from our inpatient service. Results: Mean duration of inpatient hospitalization was 8 months. Gender: 38 % male; 62 % female. Mean age at presentation was 11.7 years (range: 2 - 18 years). At followup all children were living at home. Only 33% could follow daily routines at home at the premorbid levels. Only 56% attended school. 40% were receiving specialized therapies. 65% walked independently; 10% walked with hand held mobility. 65% of children had age based independence for ADL skills; ~ 11% needed mild, moderate, or complete assistance. 11% required nasogastric or G-tube alimentation. While 65% had age appropriate communication; 1/3 had moderate to severe impairment. Parents rated comprehension skills at premorbid levels in only 44% of cases; 78% had mild to severe changes in memory and recall. 68% of children had decreased safety awareness. 45% had increased impulsivity. Conclusions: Children with moderate to severe cases of ANMDARE have significant functional deficits which require long term treatment. The data support the need for a long term study to evaluate the ultimate outcome. Disclosure: Dr. Selman has nothing to disclose.
Participation in sports and occupational attainment: a comparative study.

Abstract The belief that participation in sports can serve as a stepping stone to later occupational success was investigated. The athletes studied consisted of the entire population (N = 160) of senior males from the three San Francisco Bay area state universities. A comparison group (N = 450) of senior male nonathletes were randomly selected from the same institutions. Data were gathered via mail questionnaires. Multiple regression was used to analyze the effect of “athletic status” on the dependent variables “occupational prestige” and “earnings.” Control variables included the respondents' education, age, ethnicity, grade point average, years of work experience, and father's occupational prestige. The analyses indicated that athletic status had no significant effect on the dependent variables. It was concluded that, for the type of athletes investigated, little support can be given the belief that sports serve as a stepping stone to later occupational success.
Sociólogas pioneras y la Sociedad Sociológica Americana: patrones de exclusión y participación

La sociologia americana tiene una deuda importante con las primeras mujeres profesionales. Aunque fueron discriminadas como colegas, contribuyeron al pensamiento sociologico y participaron en actividades profesionales. La evidencia tanto de las barreras como de las oportunidades que tuvieron estas primeras mujeres lideres, reposa en los registros de los primeros anos de fundacion de la Sociedad Sociologica Americana (ASA); por ejemplo entre 1906 y 1931. El analisis de esta informacion, asi como de documentos personales de sociologos que trabajaron durante este periodo, revela que las mujeres participaron en un rango restringido de especialidad, frecuentemente asociado con roles tradicionales de genero. Jane Addams fue una figura importante durante estos primeros anos, y una lider en la separada y mas institucionalmente limitada red de mujeres sociologas
Current and emerging modalities for detection of cardiotoxicity in cardio-oncology

Advancements in diagnostic tools and curative-intent therapies have improved cancer-specific survival. With prolonged survival, patients are now subject to increased aging and development of cardiovascular risk factors such that further improvements in cancer-specific mortality are at risk of being offset by increased cardiovascular mortality. Moreover, established and novel adjuvant therapies used in cancer treatment are associated with unique and varying degrees of direct as well as indirect myocardial and cardiovascular injury (i.e., cardiotoxicity). Current approaches for evaluating anticancer therapy-induced injury have limitations, particularly lack of sensitivity for early detection of subclinical cardiac and cardiovascular dysfunction. With emerging evidence suggesting early prevention and treatment can mitigate the degree of cardiotoxicity and limit interruption of life-saving cancer therapy, the importance of early detection is increasingly paramount. Newer imaging modalities, functional capacity testing and blood biomarkers have the potential to improve early detection of cardiotoxicity and reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
A106: Rituximab Use in Pediatric Antiphospholipid Antibody Positive Patients

Background/Purpose: Rituximab (RTX) has been increasingly used in Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS); our objective was to review the literature on the outcomes of RTX-treated antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) positive pediatric patients. Methods: PubMed/Ovid were queried for “rituximab” and “pediatric” or “children” and “aPL”, “APS”, “lupus anticoagulant (LA)”, “anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL)” and/or “anti-β2-Glycoprotein-I antibodies (aβ2GPI)”. Information obtained was demographics, aPL/APS history, RTX indication/dose/duration, medications, and pre/post RTX aPL results. We systematically analyzed: a) clinical outcomes only in patients treated with RTX for aPL-specific indications; and b) pre/post RTX aPL profiles in all patients. Results: As of Jan 2014, 14 articles and one abstract reported 23 aPL-positive pediatric patients (≤18 years) treated with RTX (mean age: 13 ± 4.6 [3m−17 y]; Primary aPL/APS: 5 [22%]; aPL/APS with lupus 17 [74%], and malignancy 1 [4%]). 11/23 (48%) patients received RTX for an aPL-related indication (recurrent thromboses/microthromboses: 6, thrombocytopenia: 7, hemolytic anemia: 2, skin ulcer/necrosis: 2, aPL-nephropathy: 1); all patients had “improvement” and/or “no further thrombosis” as per authors' assessment. 1 describes the pre/post RTX aPL profiles. Rituximab regimens were: 375 mg/m2 weekly for 2–4 weeks (8), 1 gm 1–2 weeks apart for two doses (2), 750 mg/m2 weekly for 2 weeks (5), other (5), and unknown (3). Medications most commonly used prior to RTX were cyclophosphamide (14), azathioprine (9), mycophenolate mofetil (9), and IVIG (8). Steroids were used in all cases with cyclophosphamide and anticoagulation concomitantly in 8 and 6 cases, respectively. Table 1. Pre-RTX aPL (N = 23) Post-RTX aPL Positive_Negative_Unknown a (1) tested 2/3 aPL with 1/2 aPL tested twice (aCL repeat value reported “positive”) pre-RTX; (2) tested 1/3 aPL with repeat testing showing change to negative before RTX; (1) tested 3/3 aPL with repeat aCL positivity (tested only 2 weeks apart). LA Positive 9 (2_0_7) Negative 4 (0_2_2) Unknown 10 (0_0_10) aCL IgG/M/A Positive (≥ 20U) 17 (1_9_7) Positive (≥ 40U) 6 (0_4a_2) Negative (< 20U) 3 (0_0_3) Unknown 3 (0_0_3) aβ2GPI IgG/M/A Positive (≥ 20U) 3 (1_0_2) Positive (≥ 40U) 0 (0_0_0) Negative (< 20U) 1 (0_1_0) Unknown 19 (0_0_19) Conclusion: Our systematic analysis of the literature for the outcomes of RTX-treated aPL-positive pediatric patients demonstrate: a) the number of patients is small with heterogeneous clinical manifestations and aPL profile; b) patients had clinical improvement of the aPL-related manifestation, however in all cases RTX was used concomitantly with other immununosuppressive medications, steroids and/or anticoagulation; c) no patient with a clinically significant aPL profile (LA and/or moderate-to high titer aCL/aβ2GPI) switched to a negative aPL (LA, aCL, and aβ22GPI) following treatment only with Rituximab.
Development of wall and free plumes above a heated vertical plate

An analysis has been made to determine the successive stages of development as the natural convection boundary layer on a steadily heated vertical plate evolves into a plume. Both the wall plume and the free plume are investigated. The wall plume develops along an adiabatic wall which is the vertical extension of the heated plate. The free plume is created as the boundary layer streams away from the upper edge of the plate. Since the plate is heated on only one of its faces, the free plume is initially unsymmetric. The development of these plumes does not admit similarity-type boundary layer solutions, and numerical techniques were, therefore, employed, with results being obtained for Prandtl numbers of 0.7, 2, 5, and 10. It was found that at sufficient downstream distances both plumes attain their respective fully developed behaviors (i.e., similar profiles at successive streamwise stations). For the wall plume, the development for all Prandtl numbers is completed at a position that is about five plate lengths above the leading edge of the heated plate. The development length for the free plume for Pr = 0.7 is about the same as that for the wall plume, but about 30 plate lengths are required for the development of the free plume when Pr = 10. The fully developed free plume is symmetric.
Modeling of an integrated solar system

The feasibility of using low-cost solar collection and storage technology to provide energy for residential units is investigated. Different construction strategies were compared including traditional housing practice against newly innovative ideas such as low radiant heating system, desiccant dehumidification, integrated low-cost solar collection, and phase-change material (PCM) storage. The selected building, located in Blacksburg, VA, integrated a solar thermal roof collection system consisting of a low-temperature flat-plate collector integrated within a concrete building envelope linked to a PCM storage tank. For the considered location and weather conditions (Blacksburg, VA), the proposed collection and storage solar system can supply 88% of the building's space heating and hot water needs averaged throughout the year saving the homeowner approximately 61.5% of the annual heating bills. However, the use of a storage system is not economical for the considered conditions. The paper also shows a month-by-month demand and supply distributions for the modeled building's heating and hot water needs.
An Embedding Technique for a Class of Problems in Elastic Stability

By including the length, shape and elastic moduli as additional parameters the problem of elastic stability acquires a new formulation permitting us to establish stability criteria independent of the usual manipulation of the Rayleigh quotient, or of the Rayleigh-Ritz, or Galerkin schemes. Moreover, this technique permits us to establish two-sided estimates concerning the values of critical loads in a manner much simpler than the Weinstein or Fichera procedures. Durch Einbeziehung der Lange, Form und elastischen Moduli als weiterer Parameter erwirbt das Problem elastischer Stabilitat eine neue Formulierung, die es uns erlaubt, Stabilitatskriterien festzulegen, die von der gewohnlichen Manipulation des Rayleigh-Quotienten oder der Rayleigh-Ritz- und Galerkin-Schemata unabhangig sind. Daruber hinaus erlaubt diese Methode eine zweiseitige Schatzung der Werte der kritischen Belastung, die viel einfacher ist als das Weinstein oder Fichera-Verfahren.
A Multidimensional Look at Religious Involvement and Psychological Well Being among Urban Elderly African Americans.

Although the importance of religion in the lives of older African Americans is well documented, this is the 1st study to examine the relations between religious involvement and psychological well-being among a sample comprised exclusively of older African Americans. Eighty-six participants completed multidimensional measures of religious involvement (J. S. Levin, R. J. Taylor & L. M. Chatters, 1995) and well-being (C. D. Ryff & M. J. Essex, 1992). Results indicated that several dimensions of religious involvement (Organizational, Nonorganizational, and Subjective) were associated with several dimensions of psychological well-being (Positive Relations with Others, Self-Acceptance, Environmental Mastery, Purpose in Life, and Personal Growth). Recommendations for future research and implications for'counseling are presented.
Cognitive complexity, social perception, and the development of listener‐adapted communication in six‐, eight‐, ten‐, and twelve‐year‐old boys

The development of listener‐adapted communication is shown to involve a hierarchy in which the perception of communication‐relevant characteristics in listeners is a necessary but insufficient basis for the formulation of listener‐adapted messages.
Is there a critical target gene for the first step in carcinogenesis

Our work has suggested that a high-frequency event is involved in the initiation phase of malignant transformation in vitro; a later, mutationlike event appears to be involved in the later stages o...
Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Potent c-Met Inhibitors

c-Met is a receptor tyrosine kinase that plays a key role in several cellular processes but has also been found to be overexpressed and mutated in different human cancers. Consequently, targeting this enzyme has become an area of intense research in drug discovery. Our studies began with the design and synthesis of novel pyrimidone 7, which was found to be a potent c-Met inhibitor. Subsequent SAR studies identified 22 as a more potent analog, whereas an X-ray crystal structure of 7 bound to c-Met revealed an unexpected binding conformation. This latter finding led to the development of a new series that featured compounds that were more potent both in vitro and in vivo than 22 and also exhibited different binding conformations to c-Met. Novel c-Met inhibitors have been designed, developed, and found to be potent in vitro and in vivo.
AGU and Climate Science Legal Defense Fund Support Scientists Facing Legal Attack

A lawyer and a scientist walk into a room—but this is no joke. Scientists are facing subpoenas, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and other legal issues regarding their scientific work. It is not part of a scientist's traditional training to learn how long to keep emails related to federally funded research or what to do if their research is subpoenaed. To assist members dealing with these matters AGU partnered, in 2013, with the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF) for a second year to put on the Legal Education for Scientists program, a series of events aimed at helping them navigate these often murky legal waters.
From HLA-B27 to spondyloarthritis: a journey through the ER

Almost four decades of research into the role of human leukocyte antigen-B27 (HLA-B27) in susceptibility to spondyloarthritis has yet to yield a convincing answer. New results from an HLA-B27 transgenic rat model now demonstrate quite convincingly that CD8(+) T cells are not required for the inflammatory phenotype. Discoveries that the HLA-B27 heavy chain has a tendency to misfold during the assembly of class I complexes in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and to form aberrant disulfide-linked dimers after transport to the cell surface have forced the generation of new ideas about its role in disease pathogenesis. In transgenic rats, HLA-B27 misfolding generates ER stress and leads to activation of the unfolded protein response, which dramatically enhances the production of interleukin-23 (IL-23) in response to pattern recognition receptor agonists. These findings have led to the discovery of striking T-helper 17 cell activation and expansion in this animal model, consistent with results emerging from humans with spondyloarthritis and the discovery of IL23R as an additional susceptibility gene for ankylosing spondylitis. Together, these results suggest a novel link between HLA-B27 and the T-helper 17 axis through the consequences of protein misfolding and open new avenues of investigation as well as identifying new targets for therapeutic intervention in this group of diseases.
Determinants of Utilization of Sufficient Tetanus Toxoid Immunization During Pregnancy: Evidence from the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, 2008–2009

Although the effectiveness of tetanus toxoid (TT) immunization during pregnancy in preventing maternal and neonatal tetanus is well established, in many developing countries, TT immunization programs are underutilized. The objective of this study was to examine factors associated with sufficient TT immunization among postpartum women in Kenya. Population based secondary data analysis was conducted using de-identified data from the 2008–2009 Kenyan Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) for 1,370 female participants who had a live birth during or within 12 months of the cross-sectional survey. Chi-square test and independent sample t test were conducted to assess bivariate associations and a multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine associations before and after adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic, cultural, and access to care factors. The main factors contributing to having been sufficiently immunized against tetanus were lower birth order, higher household wealth index, women’s employment, making joint health-related decisions with a partner, and higher number of antenatal care visits. Implications for health care providers and other professionals involved in development of strategies and interventions aimed at improving immunization rates are discussed.
Multiple sources or late injection of short-lived r-nuclides in the early solar system?

Comparisons between the predicted abundances of short-lived r -nuclides ( 107 Pd, 129 I, 182 Hf, and 244 Pu) in the interstellar medium (ISM) and the observed abundances in the early solar system (ESS) conclusively showed that these nuclides cannot simply be derived from galactic chemical evolution (GCE) if synthesized in a unique stellar environment. It was thus suggested that two different types of stars were responsible for the production of light and heavy r -nuclides. Here, new constraints on the 244 Pu / 238 U production ratio are used in an open nonlinear GCE model. It is shown that the two r -process scenario cannot explain the low abundance of 244 Pu in the ESS and that this requires either than actinides be produced at an additional site (A-events) or more likely, that 129 I and 244 Pu be inherited from GCE and 107 Pd and 182 Hf be injected in the ESS by the explosion of a nearby supernova.
Conserved charges from self-duality

Given a simple self-dual quantum Hamiltonian $H=KB+\ensuremath{\Gamma}\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{B}$, where $K$ and $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ are coupling constants, and the condition that $[B,[B,[B,\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{B}]]]=16[B,\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{B}]$, then we construct an infinite set of conserved charges ${Q}_{2n}$; $[H,{Q}_{2n}]=0$. In simple models, like the two-dimensional Ising or Baxter eight-vertex, these charges appear in the associated quantum theories and are equivalent to those which result from the transfer-matrix formulation and exact quantum integrability of the system. The power of our result is that it is an operator statement and does not refer to the number of dimensions or the nature of the space-time manifold: lattice, continuum, or loop space. It is suggested how the establishment of this link between duality and integrability could be used to exploit the Kramers-Wannier-type self-duality of the four-dimensional $\mathrm{SU}(N)$ gauge theory to find hidden symmetry.
Treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia with nucleoside analogs deoxycoformycin and fludarabine

In vitro studies suggest that nucleoside analogs have an anti-leukemic effect against chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). We investigated the antileukemia effect of deoxycoformycin (DCF) and fludarabine in patients with CML. Four patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive CML were treated with DCF at 4 mg/m 2 every week for 4 weeks, then every other week for four doses, and then every month as maintenance. Two patients were in late chronic phase and two in accelerated phase. All had previously failed therapy with interferon-alpha (IFN-A). Nine patients were treated with fludarabine 30 mg/m 2 /day for 5 days every 28 days. Three had Ph-positive CML, and six Ph-negative disease. Five patients were in accelerated phase and four in late chronic phase. Three patients treated with DCF had normalization of WBC counts while on the weekly schedule but progressed when changed to every other week. The fourth patient had no objective response. There were no cytogenetic responses. DCF was well tolerated with only mild nausea and vomiting in all patients. Patients treated with fludarabine received a median of two courses (range 1-4). In two patients (both Ph-positive), disease progressed to blastic phase upon recovery. Two other patients died of hemorrhagic complications secondary to thrombocytopenia. In all other cases fludarabine produced a transient reduction of WBC counts, but counts recovered to levels equal to or greater than the pre-treatment values. There were no cytogenetic responses. These results, together with previous experience with 2-CDA producing only hematologic responses, suggest that nucleoside analogs may not have a significant role in the management of CML.
System identification from noise-corrupted measurements

A simple algorithmic solution is developed for the discrete time, nonlinear, system identification problem based on a stochastic approximation method. The method is applicable to the noisy, as well as the noiseless, input-output measurement case. A minimal statistical knowledge of the noise and input sequences is required for this method; also, the algorithm is very easy to program. The proof of convergence for the algorithm is given along with some experimental results obtained from some control system input-output data.
Atherosclerosis imaging and heart failure

Coronary atherosclerosis is the most important primary etiologic factor predisposing to the development of heart failure. The mechanisms by which coronary atherosclerosis lead to heart failure likely involve the initial development of regional myocardial dysfunction, later progressing to global ventricular failure and symptomatic congestive disease. A variety of imaging strategies have been investigated for their value in identifying and characterizing markers of atherosclerosis in the effort to detect early cardiac disease. Non-invasive imaging techniques for assessing anatomic or functional manifestations of atherosclerosis include carotid ultrasonography, coronary computed tomography, cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, brachial artery reactivity testing, and the ankle-brachial index. Many of these imaging methods are shown to have accuracy, reliability, and the potential to add value to an office-based cardiovascular risk assessment. Further development of such imaging methods could facilitate early intervention in the development of myocardial dysfunction while enhancing our understanding of the natural course of atherosclerotic disease.
Osteonecrosis in SLE

To the Editor,Sayarlioglu et al. note that osteonecrosis (ON) in patientswith SLE is associated with higher doses of corticosteroids(CS) administered within 4 months as well as with totalcumulative dose [1]. The records of 868 patients with SLEfrom four centers were reviewed. A total of 49 patientswere identiWed as having ON, and 154 SLE patients wereused as comparators. The data presented agree to someextent with previous data [ 2, 3]. However, limitations of thestudy are such that it is diYcult to lend any credence to theresults. The obvious question that needs to be answered iswhether ON patients were more ill and therefore treatedmore aggressively. The authors used no criteria to deWnethe severity of disease in their patients. They do note thatthe ON patients had signi Wcantly more systems a Vected andthat cytotoxic agents were used in a signiWcantly higherproportion of patients with ON. This strongly suggests thatthe ON patients were sicker in which case no inferenceregarding the role of CS can be made. The patients aredrawn from four centers with multiple physicians providingcare. It is unlikely that the approach to care is similar andtherefore there is an inherent bias to the data that theauthors do not address nor appear to overcome. It is alsonot clear how the authors account for the total steroid dosesgiven to each patient which reduces the certainty of theirconclusion.
Ethics, Agency, and Desire in Two Strip Clubs: A View From Both Sides of the Gaze

In the following two performance texts, the author uses autoethnography and feminist and performance theory to explore agency and ethics as they operate in the culture of a strip club. Part 1 is an autoethnography in which the author investigates issues of agency from a dancer’s perspective. In part 2, the author reports and reflects on her experience in a gay male strip club, writing from the position of spectator, customer, and ethnographer. By exploring this site from both ends of the gaze, the author hopes to complicate and problematize notions of agency, as well as call into question research ethics, especially when these ethics collide with desire in the field.
Tests of the fund accounting model for local governments

. This study examines the association between an index of compliance with the fund model and bond risk measures. Several additional factors were posited to be associated with bond risk and to be correlated with the fund index. These variables were included in the analysis to control for possible spurious results. The results were consistent with the hypothesis that the fund accounting model provides information associated with creditor decisions. The fund index was negatively correlated with systematic and total bond risk after controlling for other factors. The index contributed marginally in explaining the variation in measures of risk for a sample of 214 cities. The results were insensitive to several alternative models that were examined but that are not reported in detail in the study. Resume. Cette etude porte sur le lien entre un indice de conformite au modele de comptabilite par fonds et les mesures de risque obligataire. Plusieurs facteurs etaient supposes etre relies au risque obligataire et correles avec l'indice de fonds. Ces variables ont ete incorporees a l'analyse afin de controler la possibilite de resultats trompeurs. Les resultats ont revele une coherence avec l'hypothese voulant que le modele de comptabilite par fonds fournisse de l'information reliee aux decisions des creanciers. L'indice de fonds etait correle negativement au risque obligataire, systematique et total, en controlant l'effet des autres variables. L'indice n'a pu expliquer*** la variation des mesures de risque pour un echantillon de deux cents quatorze municipalites. Les resultats n'ont pas ete affectes par l'utilisation de diverses variantes de modeles qui, sans avoir ete l'objet d'un compte rendu detaille, furent examines dans le cadre de cette etude.
Cancer in Asian American and Pacific Islander populations: linking research and policy to identify and reduce disparities.

The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is the fastest growing and most diverse racial group in the United States. According to the Census, the number of AAPIs grew 46% from 2000 to 2010 and will be more than double to over 47 million by 2060. Although AAPI communities are
SPIN-POLARIZED ELECTRON ENERGY LOSS SPECTROSCOPY

Spin-polarized electron energy loss spectroscopy (SPEELS) probes the spin-dependent electron-hole pair excitation spectrum at surfaces. It is a very surface sensitive method for the detection of surface magnetization. Indirectly, information on surface magnetic moments is obtained. SPEELS is capable of resolving layer-by-layer antiferromagnetic order as found in 3d metal (Cr, Mn, V) films on Fe(100).
Parametric investigations of pulsating flame spread across 1-butanol pools

The experimental realization of pulsating flame spread across a flammable liquid in microgravity was accomplished for the first time through systematic tests in a forced, opposed flow of oxygen-enriched air across shallow and intermediate-depth pools. In tests with the deeper pools, the sequential transition through all three subflash flame spread regimes—from pseudo-uniform to pulsating to uniform spread behavior—was achieved. Normal gravity tests were performed for many of the same conditions and showed similar behavior. In addition, agreement between a detailed numerical model and experiments in both normal gravity and in microgravity was newly obtained through changes in the mass diffusivity and the addition of a heat loss parameter in the two-dimensional model of flame spread over a subflash pool of 1-butanol. The model now uniquely captures the differences in flame spread character in going from normal to microgravity and provides quantitative agreement in flame spread rate and surface temperature at either gravity level. An earlier hypothesis that lateral thermal expansion in the gas-phase accounted for the initial discrepancy between the two-dimensional model and the three-dimensional experiment is no longer supported: this is because experiments designed to directly eliminate lateral expansion resulted in flame extinction rather than the desired pulsation.
Dynamics of Vortex Asymmetries and Their Influence on Vortex Motion on a β-plane

Abstract A linear nondivergent barotropic model is developed to obtain the asymmetric circulation associated with a vortex moving on the β-plane. The total system is transformed to a coordinate system moving with the vortex. The direction and speed of movement is specified from full nonlinear model results. Two wavenumber one gyres are obtained from the asymmetric vorticity equation. The inner gyres move in the azimuthal direction whose maximum amplitude is located at the radius of maximum wind. These inner gyres are associated either with the unstable mode or the neutral mode depending on the resolution of the model. The outer gyres, whose orientations are always along the track direction specified by the movement, correspond to the β-gyres obtained in the nonlinear numerical model. The strength of the inner gyres is much larger than the strength of the outer gyres. For the steady state solution with high finite difference resolution, only the inner gyres are present. In a steady state solution, the oute...
Kinetic limitations of the Mg2Si system for reversible hydrogen storage

Despite the promising thermodynamics and storage capacities of many destabilized metal hydride hydrogen storage material systems, they are often kinetically limited from achieving practical and reversible behavior. Such is the case with the Mg2Si system. We investigated the kinetic mechanisms responsible for limiting the reversibility of the MgH2+Si system using thin films as a controlled research platform. We observed that the reaction is limited by the mass transport of Mg and Si into separate phases. Hydrogen readily diffuses through the Mg2Si material and nucleating MgH2 phase growth does not result in reaction completion. By depositing and characterizing multilayer films of Mg2Si and Mg with varying Mg2Si layer thicknesses, we conclude that the hydrogenation reaction consumes no more than 1 nm of Mg2Si, making this system impractical for reversible hydrogen storage.
Introduction to the SIGACT news online algorithms column

Pros and cons of competitive analysis have been debated since its inception in mid 1980s. Much of this discussion centered around the accuracy of performance evaluation methods for paging, which is probably the most central among online optimization problems studied in the literature, and, at the same time, ironically, the most prominent example of shortcomings of competitive analysis. In this quarter's column, Reza Dorrigiv and Alejandro Lopez-Ortiz review the history of the problem, discuss several performance models from the literature, and propose a new model that avoids shortcomings of previous approaches.If you are interested in contributing to the column as a guest writer, feel free to contact me by email. All kinds of contributions related to online algorithms and competitive analysis are of interest: technical articles, surveys, conference reports, opinion pieces, and other.
Symmetry groups of some perfect 1-factorizations of complete graphs

Abstract The following problem has arisen in the study of graphs, lattices and finite topologies. Is there a 1-factorization of K 2m the complete graph on 2 n points, such that the union of every pair of distinct 1-factors is a hamiltonian circuit? In this paper it is noted that on K 2m 1⪕n⪕5 , there is, up to relabelling, only one 1-factorization of the required type. On K 12 and whenever there are odd primes p , q >3 such that p + 1 = 2 q , there are at least two different such 1-factorizations. These results are obtained by computing symmetry groups. The symmetry groups obtained are Frobenius groups of maximal order (i.e., sharply 2-transitive groups) and direct products of these groups with the group of order 2.
Atrial tachycardias adjacent to the phrenic nerve: recognition, potential problems, and solutions.

Background Ablation of atrial tachycardias (AT) arising from the crista terminalis region (CT) can be complicated by phrenic nerve (PN) injury. Objective This study sought to describe epicardial protection techniques to prevent PN injury from endocardial ablation of AT. Methods Ablation was attempted in 4 patients with focal AT arising from the CT in whom conventional endocardial ablation was limited by PN proximity identified by capture during pacing. Results Four women ages 20, 28, 30, and 31 years with structurally normal hearts presented with symptomatic ATs failing medical therapy. In the first patient, endocardial cryoablation was performed during superior vena cava (SVC) PN pacing. After acute success, AT recurred. Open surgical ablation was then performed, but AT was noninducible under anesthesia, and an anatomic ablation was performed. AT was abolished, but sinus node dysfunction required pacemaker implantation. In the subsequent 3 patients with AT adjacent to the right PN, protection of the PN was attempted by inserting a peripheral angioplasty balloon (2 patients) or steerable ablation catheter and sheath into the epicardial space between the PN and atrium. Endocardial radiofrequency ablation was successful in all 3 patients without PN injury. Conclusion Epicardial protection of the PN allowing for safe endocardial ablation of CT ATs is a feasible method of managing these challenging cases and seems to be preferable to surgery.
The Role of Self-Esteem in the Stress Process: Empirical Results From Job Hunting1

A longitudinal field study of 205 students interviewing for jobs tested self-esteem as a mediator and a moderator in the stress process. Support was found for the mediating role of self-esteem. Perceived success in the job hunt was positively related to self-esteem, and self-esteem was positively related to well-being. The direct relationship between job hunt success and well-being was not significant. Furthermore, no support was found for a moderating effect of the self-esteem variable. The results extend Steele's (1988) theory of self-affirmation.
Ising model on nonorientable surfaces: exact solution for the Möbius strip and the Klein bottle.

Closed-form expressions are obtained for the partition function of the Ising model on an MxN simple-quartic lattice embedded on a Mobius strip and a Klein bottle. The solutions all lead to the same bulk free energy, but for finite M and N the expressions are different depending on whether the strip width M is odd or even. Finite-size corrections at criticality are analyzed and compared with those under cylindrical and toroidal boundary conditions. Our results are consistent with the conformal field prediction of a central charge c=1/2, provided that the twisted Mobius boundary condition is regarded as a free or fixed boundary.
How PERT was used in managing the X-20 (Dyna-Soar) program

This paper describes how the Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) was developed in the X-20 program and how it was used in managing that program. The X-20 System Program Office (SPO), Aeronautical Systems Division (ASD), organized and directed the overall X-20 PERT effort of both Government and industry participants and employed a system of discrete detailed networks which collectively covered the entire program. The data from these “reporting” networks was computer integrated into a total program PERT output.
Controlling the local chemical reactivity of graphene through spatial functionalization

Spatial distribution of nitrogen functional groups on graphene by use of physical masks during plasma processing is demonstrated. Structural and chemical modifications are evidenced by micro-Raman and high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy mapping, demonstrating a strong dependence on the processing conditions and physical mask configurations. The resulting nitrogen chemical moieties influence the electronic transport by affecting the mobility of carriers and consequently increasing the electron transfer kinetics, which provide localized chemical reactive sites. The chemical moieties demonstrate the ability to tailor the locality of the surface chemistry on graphene opening up a wide range of reactivity studies and synthesis capabilities, such as site-specific electrochemical deposition.
Mobile manipulation: The robotic assistant

Abstract Mobile manipulation capabilities are key to many new applications of robotics in space, underwater, construction, and service environments. This paper discusses the development of robotic “assistance” capabilities to aid workers in the accomplishment of a variety of physical operations and presents various control strategies developed for vehicle-arm coordination, compliant motion tasks, and cooperative manipulation between multiple platforms. These strategies have been implemented on two holonomic mobile platforms designed and built at Stanford in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratories and Nomadic Technologies.
Yield, Yield Components, and Fiber Properties of Insect-Resistant Cotton Lines Containing a Bacillus thuringiensis Toxin Gene

Crop yield and quality could be affected in transgenic crop plants carrying foreign genes which confer resistance to plant pests. Scientists at Monsanto Company produced nine transgenic cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) lines, each containing one of the two Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Berliner) constructs, cryIA(b) or cryIA(c), that encode a protein toxic to lepidopteran insects. We undertook this study to determine whether these transgenic lines exhibit any undesirable agronomic or fiber properties. At Maricopa, AZ, we grew five, four, and three transgenic lines in field plots in 1990, 1991, and 1992, respectively; the parental «Coker 312» and the locally adapted, nectariless, high fiber-strength «Md 51 ne» were included each year
The effect of surfactants on the hydrodynamic development of thin liquid films

Abstract The effect of hexanoic and heptanoic acid on the surface velocity profile in the entrance region of a thin falling liquid film has been studied experimentally and theoretically. Hexanoic acid solutions produce a negligible effect whereas heptanoic acid is capable of significantly retarding the establishment of uniform flow. The deviation of the surface velocity profile from that obtained with a “clean” surface is essentially independent of the diffusivity of heptanoic acid, illustrates a mild dependence on the adsorption kinetics and the equilibrium relation, and is strongly dependent on the compositional surface elasticity.
An energetics approach to the analysis of molecular motions in polymeric solids

Abstract The feasibility of certain modes of intra-and intermolecular motion in polymeric solids are examined in terms of interaction energetics and geometrical constraints. Energy methods for determining equilibrium chain structures and stable deformation structures are reviewed. A systematic approach to the specification of explicit geometrical constraints in condensed phase polymeric systems is developed by matrix techniques. Combination rules are derived which provide straightforward means of constructing deformation structures for oriented polymers. Applications of these general methods are illustrated for paraffinic systems. Structure-energy maps, based on empirically justified potential functions, are presented for assemblies of paraff inic chains. The potential energy surface in the vicinity of the minima associated with the orthorhombic crystal structure is described by a Taylor's series in the unit cell parameters. Applications of this approximate representation of the energy surface to the pred...
The effect of impurities on the toxicokinetics of malathion in rats

Abstract The effect of the malathion impurities, isomalathion of O,S,S-trimethyl phosphorodithioate (OSS-Me), on the toxicokinetic behavior of [methoxy-14C]malathion in female rats was investigated. Malathion α- and β-monoacids and the diacid were the predominant metabolites in the blood of rats pretreated orally with corn oil followed 4 hr later with radiolabeled malathion. Pretreatment of rats with isomalathion or OSS-Me in corn oil followed by treatment with malathion resulted in a decrease of total radioactive metabolites in the blood. Moreover, a substantial reduction in the level of malathion β-monoacid and malathion diacid was observed in the blood of impurity pretreated animals. These results indicate that the impurities have a stronger effect in inhibiting carboxylesterases which preferentially hydrolyze the β-carboethoxy moiety of malathion. The major malathion metabolites excreted in the urine of pretreated and control rats generally matched those present in the blood. The potentiation of the acute toxicity of malathion by pretreatment with isomalathion or OSS-Me may be explained by the reduction in the rat's capacity to degrade malathion via carboxylesterase-catalyzed hydrolysis of the β-carboethoxy moiety.
Effect of vitamin D analog (1α hydroxy D5) immunoconjugated to Her‐2 antibody on breast cancer

We previously showed that a new vitamin D analog, 1α(OH)D5 (D5), induced differentiation and inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells. In this report, we examined whether D5 specifically delivered to breast cancer cells could have any therapeutic effect. D5 was linked to Her-2 antibody using sulfosuccinimidyl 6-4 azido nitrophenylamido hexanode (SANPAH) as a linker. The Her-2 antibody selected in our study had no significant effect on the in vitro or in vivo growth of breast cancer cells; however, it had cell-differentiating action. In vitro, D5-Her-2 antibody conjugate (IMC) showed the ability to specifically bind to Her-2-expressing cells, to compete with Her-2 antibody for surface receptor and to cause internalization. IMC (equivalent to 5 μg Her-2 antibody given intraperitoneally once weekly for 6 weeks) significantly inhibited the growth of BT-474 cells transplanted into athymic mice. The in vivo growth-inhibitory effect of IMC treatment was similar to that observed in animals receiving D5 continuously as a dietary supplement. These results show that the targeted delivery of D5 by immunoconjugation to cell surface receptor antibodies may be of potential therapeutic value for the treatment of Her-2 positive breast cancer. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Improved Infrared Optical-Index Values for MgO

The room-temperature infrared reflectance of MgO has been remeasured. The reliability of the difficult minimum-reflectance-region remeasurements is such that the Kramers-Kronig output values of the absorption index are in good agreement with the experimental values in the high-frequency shoulder region. The experimentally obtained low-reflectance values also agree well with calculated values based on the partitioning technique of Wu and Andermann.
Xefiltin, a Xenopus laevis neuronal intermediate filament protein, is expressed in actively growing optic axons during development and regeneration

Neurofilaments are an important structural component of the axonal cytoskeleton and are made of neuronal intermediate filament (nIF) proteins. During axonal development, neurofilaments undergo progressive changes in molecular composition. In mammals, for example, highly phosphorylated forms of the middle- and high-molecular-weight neurofilament proteins (NF-M and NF-H, respectively) are characteristic of mature axons, whereas nIF proteins such as α-internexin are typical of young axons. Such changes have been proposed to help growing axons accommodate varying demands for plasticity and stability by modulating the structure of the axonal cytoskeleton. Xefiltin is a recently discovered nIF protein of the frog Xenopus laevis, whose nervous system has a large capacity for regeneration and plasticity. By amino acid identity, xefiltin is closely related to two other nIF proteins, α-internexin and gefiltin. α-Internexin is found principally in embryonic axons of the mammalian brain, and gefiltin is expressed primarily in goldfish retinal ganglion cells and has been associated with the ability of the goldfish optic nerve to regenerate. Like gefiltin in goldfish, xefiltin in Xenopus is the most abundantly expressed nIF protein of mature retinal ganglion cells. In the present study, we used immunocytochemistry to study the distribution of xefiltin during optic nerve development and regeneration. During development, xefiltin was found in optic axons at stage 35/36, before they reach the tectum at stage 37/38. Similarly, after an orbital crush injury, xefiltin first reemerged in optic axons after the front of regeneration reached the optic chiasm, but before it reached the tectum. Thus, during both development and regeneration, xefiltin was present within actively growing optic axons. In addition, aberrantly projecting retinoretinal axons expressed less xefiltin than those entering the optic tract, suggesting that xefiltin expression is influenced by interactions between regenerating axons and cells encountered along the visual pathway. These results support the idea that changes in xefiltin expression, along with those of other nIF proteins, modulate the structure and stability of actively growing optic axons and that this stability is under the control of the pathway which growing axons follow. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 33: 811–824, 1997
Explicit zero-free regions for Dirichlet L-functions

Abstract Let L k(S) be the product of the ϕ(k) Dirichlet L-functions formed with characters modulo k. We prove the existence of explicit numerical zero-free regions for L k(S). The first result is that L k(S) has at most a single zero in the region { s: σ > 1 − 1 (R log M) } , where R = 9.645908801 and M = max {k, k |t|, 10}. The only possible zero in this region is a simple real zero arising from an L-function formed with a real non-principal character. The second result is that if χ1 and χ2 are distinct real primitive characters modulo k1 and k2, respectively, and if β1 is a zero of L(s, χi), i = 1, 2, then min {β 1 , β 2 } 1 (R 1 log M 1 ) , where R 1 = (5 − √5) (15 − 10√2) , and M 1 = max { k 1 k 2 17 , 13} .