cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-continuum lubrication flows between particles colliding in a gas

Solid-body collisions between smooth particles in a gas would not occur if the lubrication force for a continuum incompressible fluid were to hold at all particle separations. When the gap between the particles is of the order of the mean free path λ0 of the gas, the discrete molecular nature of the gas becomes important. For particles of radii a smaller than about 50 μm colliding in air at a relative velocity comparable to their terminal velocity, the effects of compressibility of the gas in the gap are not important.The nature of the flow in the gap depends on the relative magnitudes of the minimum gap thickness h0 ≡ ae, the mean-free path λ0, and the distance ae1/2 over which the effects of curvature become important. The slip-flow regime, a[Gt ]λ0, was analysed by Hocking (1973) using the Maxwell slip boundary condition at the particle surface. To find the lubrication force in the transition regime (ae ∼ O(λ0)), we use the results of Cercignani & Daneri (1963) for the flux as a function of the pressure gradient in a Poiseuille channel flow. When ae[Lt ]λ0[Lt ]ae1/2, one might expect the local flow in the gap to be governed by Knudsen diffusion. However, an attempt to calculate the Knudsen diffusivity between parallel plates leads to a logarithmic divergence, which is cut off by intermolecular collisions, and the flux is therefore proportional to h0c log(λ0/h0), where c is the mean molecular speed. The non-continuum lubrication force is shown to have a weak, log - log divergence as the particle separation goes to zero. As a result, the energy dissipated in the collision is finite. In the limit of large particle inertia, the energy dissipated is 6πμU0a2(log h0/λ0 – 1.28), where 2U0 is the relative velocity of the particles.When λ0[Gt ]ae1/2, we have a free molecular flow in the gap. In this case, owing to the curvature of the particles, the flux versus pressure gradient relation is non-local. We analyse the free molecular flow between two cylinders and obtain scalings for the lubrication force.
Dissipation Factor of Composite Polymer-and Oil-Insulating Structures on Extended Exposure to Simultaneous Thermal and Voltage Stress

The combination of a low-loss polymer film with a low-loss impregnating oil does not always give a low-loss composite insulation, particularly when the system is aged under simultaneous thermal and voltage stress. This anomalous behavior appears to be related to a loss phenomenon at the oil-to-polymer interface. For the combination of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) film and polybutene oil a remarkable reduction in dissipation factor was achieved by increasing the degree of wetting at the interface. This was brought about by modifications tending to increase the surface energy of the solid (polymer) and to decrease the surface tension of the liquid (oil). The resulting system gave low and stable dissipation factors on extended aging and, in addition, did not show loss peaks as a function of voltage as observed on the original insulation.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE MAGNUM REGION OF THE OVIDUCT IN RELATION TO THE REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE OF THE BARBARY DOVE STREPTOPELIA ROSEOGRISEA VAR.

SUMMARY The magnum region of oviducts of female Barbary Doves was examined at different phases of development before egg laying, and during incubation and brooding of the young. The tubular glands in the mucosal folds of the magnum region increased in size with increase in precursor albumen granule content during the pre-egg-laying phase, and decreased during incubation and brooding. Enlargement of tubular glands was correlated with an increase in plasma progesterone level. The temporal relationships between ovarian development, ovarian hormones, oviduct development and nesting behaviour are discussed.
Characterizing night vision goggle noise using the method of paired comparisons

Users of night vision goggles (NVGs) have reported differences in NVG noise across different as well as the same type of NVG. To better understand these differences, we attempted to characterize NVG noise by having subjects choose parameters in an NVG simulation to best match the noise in real NVGs. From our previous efforts, we observed interdependence of simulation parameters and variability across observers. This has lead us to use the method of paired comparisons as a process for characterizing NVG noise. The results suggest that people perceive NVG noise differently in terms of spatial, temporal, and contrast combinations. In addition, we provide a methodology for determining psychophysically the best parameter combinations in a simulation’s algorithm to match the real environment that the simulation represents.
The Use of the LASSI (The Learning and Study Strategies Inventory) to Predict and Evaluate the Study Habits and Academic Performance of Students in a Learning Assistance Program

The Learning Center (TLC) at Mississippi State University (MSU) is an academic support unit designed to help students improve their academic performance. One of the programs offered by TLC is the Learning Skills Support Program (LSSP), which is designed for academically suspended students. The Center has traditionally used the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) to determine the awareness and reported use of study skills of students enrolled in the LSSP. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the LSSP students improved in their awareness of study habits and academic mindsets by analyzing their LASSI scores. The researchers addressed the following questions: (a) whether there was or was not a significant difference between the pretest and the posttest LASSI scores of the LSSP students in the fall 2012 semester, and (b) whether there were or were not significant differences among the correlations between the posttest LASSI scale results and student success.
New Delhi Metallo-β-Lactamase (NDM-1)-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae: Case Report and Laboratory Detection Strategies

ABSTRACT The spread of antimicrobial resistance among Enterobacteriaceae is a significant clinical threat. We report the first case of an Enterobacteriaceae strain harboring the NDM-1 metallo-β-lactamase in a pediatric patient in the United States. We describe strategies for the detection of this novel resistance mechanism encountered in an isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae.
"A Mockery in the Name of a Barrier": Literacy Test Debates in the Reconstruction Era Congress, 1864-1869

Between 1864 and 1869, the United States Congress debated an educational requirement for voter registration–a literacy test–as a means of dealing with the millions of new American citizens created by emancipation. These debates offer a critical early perspective on the development of literacy as a racial marker serving official racist agendas. Rhetoric supporting a test relied on the premise that a more literate and educated electorate is an obvious and uncontestable cultural good, necessary for the continued health and indeed survival of the nation. When the test was first discussed, its primary advantage was that it offered a way to talk about the inferiority of the newly emancipated Southerners without resorting to racial explanations; thus, freed slaves were dangerous not because they were black but because they were ignorant and uneducated. The 1869 debates about the Fifteenth Amendment, however, reveal a growing awareness of literacy’s rhetorical utility and the ways a belief in its inherent “goodness” might be used for ends divorced from the measurement or promotion of literacy: Radical Republicans proposed including a ban on such requirements in the language of the Fifteenth Amendment, certain that Southern whites would use it as a tool of disfranchisement. These debates, in the context of the test’s subsequent history as a tool of racist exclusion, demonstrate the rhetorical power and pliability of the idea of literacy within official policy.
Trends in U.S. Surface Humidity, 1930–2010

AbstractU.S. hourly surface observations are examined at 145 stations to identify annual and seasonal changes in temperature, dewpoint, relative humidity, and specific humidity since 1930. Because of numerous systematic instrument changes that have occurred, a homogeneity assessment was performed on temperatures and dewpoints. Dewpoints contained higher breakpoint detection rates associated with instrumentation changes than did temperatures. Temperature trends were tempered by adjusting the data, whereas dewpoints were unaffected. The effects were the same whether the adjustments were based on statistically detected or fixed-year breakpoints. Average long-term trends (1930–2010) indicate that temperature has warmed but that little change has occurred in dewpoint and specific humidity. Warming is strongest in spring. There is evidence of inhomogeneity in the relative humidity record that primarily affects data from prior to 1950. Therefore, long-term decreases in relative humidity, which are strongest in w...
Embryos, Individuals, and Persons: An Argument Against Embryo Creation and Research

One strategy for arguing that it should be legally permissible to create human embryos, or to use spare human embryos, for scientific research purposes involves the claim that such embryos cannot be persons because they are not human individuals while twinning may yet take place. Being a human individual is considered to be by most people a necessary condition for being a human person. I argue first that such an argument against the personhood of embryos must be rationally conclusive if their destruction in public places such as laboratories is to be countenanced. I base this argument on a popular understanding of the role that the notion of privacy plays in abortion laws. I then argue that such arguments against personhood are not rationally conclusive. The claim that the early embryos is not a human individual is not nearly as obvious as some assert.
The thymidylate synthase inhibitor, ICI D1694, overcomes translational detainment of the enzyme

Abstract We have investigated the mechanism of inactivation of thymidylate synthase (TS) by ICI D1694 (a folate-based quinazoline) in normal versus tumor-derived human mammary epithelial cells. ICI D1694 is a very potent cytotoxic agent against these cells with IC50 values of 1-2 nM. Its growth inhibitory activity was completely reversed by the addition of thymidine, confirming that TS is its sole target in these cells. Remarkably, TS protein levels rose by 10-40-fold following treatment with ICI D1694, depending on cell type, while TS mRNA levels remained constant. The mechanism appears to be a release of "detainment" of TS translation, since addition of cycloheximide, a translational inhibitor, blocked the TS protein levels from rising. But coadministration of 5,6-dichlorobenzimidazole, a transcriptional inhibitor, did not overcome protein accumulation, nor did thymidine which overcomes growth inhibition by ICI D1694. 5,10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate (via folinic acid), however, did block the effects of ICI D1694, showing that the drug has its effect upon both detainment and enzyme inhibition by binding to the folate substrate site of TS. In addition, in the presence of ICI D1694, TS protein was no longer cell cycle-regulated as evident by its constitutive expression in synchronized cells. This accumulation and constitutive expression of TS induced by D1694 should increase drug resistance under a clinical setting. We suggest that an ideal inhibitor of TS would target the TS allosteric site that binds to TS mRNA, responsible for specific translation of the protein, thereby complimenting inactivation of the enzyme.
Advanced photon source insertion device field quality and multipole error specification

The Advanced Photon Source (APS) storage ring is a 7-GeV light source with forty straight sections. Intense X-ray beams will be delivered by insertion devices installed in these straight sections. Installation of insertion devices in the APS storage ring produces several effects which can degrade overall performance. Rigid ring performance requirements exist which can be used to set limits on insertion device field quality, i.e. the first- and second-field integrals of the transverse magnetic field. Individual multipole error specifications can be determined by considering the lifetime of the beam. For nominal operation of the APS storage ring, the vertical aperture corresponding to a 10-hour lifetime is approximately 3.35 mm, which limits the level of multipole error. We find that the skew-octupole error has the most significant effect on the reduction of the aperture; the reasons are discussed in this paper.
Dose-response study and threshold estimation of griseofulvin- induced aneuploidy during female mouse meiosis I and II

The relative sensitivity of the two meiotic divisions of mouse oogenesis to griseofulvin (GF)-induced aneuploidy was investigated. The first meiotic division was studied by administering GF 4 h after human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) injection and analyzing metaphase II (MTJ) oocytes, whereas study of the second meiotic division involved treating the females 10 h after HCG and analyzing onecell (1-Cl) zygotes. Data from previous studies have shown that these treatment times represented the most sensitive times for aneuploidy induction during meioses I and II. The statistical analyses of the data showed that the doseresponse curves for aneuploidy induction did not differ quantitatively or qualitatively between the two meiotic divisions. The percentages of hyperploid Mil oocytes and 1-Cl zygotes were significantly higher (P 0.05) from those observed after 500 or 1000 mg/kg GF, suggesting saturation of the GF aneuploid target(s). These results suggest that the relative sensitivity to GF-induced aneuploidy between the two meiotic divisions of oogenesis are similar. They also suggest the presence of a lower (125 mg/kg) and an upper (500 mg/ kg) threshold for GF-induced aneuploidy.
Minibiotus acadianus (Eutardigrada: Macrobiotidae), A New Species of Tardigrada from Southern Louisiana, U.S.A.

Over 200 species of freshwater and terrestrial water bears (phylum Tardigrada) are known to occur in North America. Of these, 16 species have been collected in Louisiana. Foliose and fruticose lichens collected on 18 April 2010 in Acadia Parish, Louisiana, were stored in paper envelopes and later soaked in tap water overnight. Tardigrade specimens and eggs were extracted and mounted in polyvinyl lactophenol. The samples contained a new species of tardigrade. Minibiotus acadianus sp. n. has a buccal tube with single anterior curvature, 2 macroplacoids and 1 microplacoid. Small gibbosities are present on the fourth pair of legs, in 3 caudal rows, and in a single row at the level of the third pair of legs. Minibiotus acadianus sp. n. differs from the most similar tardigrade species, Minibiotus fallax (found in Australia and Florida), in having a shorter and wider buccal tube, a different pattern of gibbosities, and short, peg-shaped processes in addition to long, fil- amentous processes on the eggs. Reexamination of specimens identified as M. fallax in an earlier paper on the Tardigrada of Louisiana indicates that they are, in fact, M. acadianus sp. n., suggesting that the new species is widely distributed in Louisiana. RESUMEN.—Se conocen mas de 200 especies de osos de agua (phylum Tardigrada) terrestres y de agua dulce que ocurren en Norteamerica. De estas, 16 se han colectado en Louisiana. Se colectaron liquenes foliosos y fruticosos en la parroquia de Acadia, Louisiana, el 18 de abril de 2010, los cuales fueron guardados en sobres de papel y despues remojados en agua de la llave durante toda la noche. Se extrajeron especimenes y huevos de tardigrados y se fijaron en polivinilo lactofenol. Las muestras contenian una nueva especie de tardigrado. Minibiotus acadianus sp. n. tiene un tubo bucal con una unica cur - vatura anterior, dos macroplacoides y un microplacoide. Pequenas gibosidades estan presentes en el cuarto par de patas, en tres hileras caudales y en una sola hilera al nivel del tercer par de patas. Minibiotus acadianus sp. n. difiere de la especie mas proxima, Minibiotus fallax, una especie que se encontro en Australia y Florida, porque tiene un tubo bucal mas corto y ancho, un patron distinto de gibosidades y apofisis cortas en forma de estaquilla en los huevos, ademas de apofisis largas y filamen- tosas. Una reexaminacion de los especimenes identificados como M. fallax en una publicacion previa sobre los tardigrados de Louisiana indica que son mas bien M. acadianus sp. n., lo cual sugiere que esta nueva especie tiene una distribucion extensa en Louisiana.
The precision, uses, and limitations of public health guidance values

Government agencies charged with the protection of public health, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and the U.S...
Friction of Nonwoven Wood–Polypropylene Fiber Mats on Heated Steel Platens

Pultrusion is a composites manufacturing process where a polymerimpregnated fiber mat or roving is pulled through a stationary die. The manufacture of wood–thermoplastic composites utilizing pultrusion requires knowledge of the composites' frictional properties. Many processing variables (e.g., normal stress, die temperature, sliding velocity, and moisture content) influence the frictional properties of synthetic and natural polymers. The coefficient of dynamic friction (k) was determined for the contact of wood fiber–polypropylene (PP) composites against a smooth heated steel surface. The k was found at varying PP fiber percentages, applied normal stresses, platen temperatures, and dwell times. A decrease in k was observed with increasing applied normal stress and dwell time, with normal stress having the greatest influence on frictional properties. An increase in k was observed with increasing PP fiber content and surface temperature above the melt temperature (Tm) of PP. Assuming an adhesion-controlled...
A control Lyapunov function approach to robust stabilization of nonlinear systems

We propose an alternative to gain scheduling for stabilizing a class of nonlinear systems. The computation times required to find stability regions for a given control Lyapunov function vary polynomially with the state dimension for a fixed number of scheduling variables. Control Lyapunov functions to various trim points are used to expand the stability region, and a Lyapunov based synthesis formula yields a control law guaranteeing stability over this region. Robustness to bounded disturbances is easily handled, and the optimal stability margin, defined as a Lyapunov derivative, is recovered asymptotically. We apply the procedure to an example.
Early Life Conditions and Cognitive Functioning in Later Life

Early life conditions are related to cognitive development and abilities in childhood and cognitive function in adulthood. However, the association between early life conditions and cognitive change in old age is unknown. The authors examined the relation between socioeconomic position (SEP) and cognitive milieu in childhood and change in cognitive function in a population-based sample of 4,398 community-dwelling adults (62.1% female; 61.7% Black) aged 65 years or older from Chicago, Illinois. Baseline data were collected in 1993-1997. Change in cognitive function was assessed by means of a global cognitive index derived from measures of memory, perceptual speed, and overall cognitive function administered at three in-home assessments between 1993 and 2003, with an average of 5.3 years of follow-up. After results were controlled for age, sex, race, and education, interactions of time with childhood SEP (beta = -0.003, t = -1.0, p = 0.32) and childhood cognitive milieu (beta = -0.0008, t = -0.5, p = 0.62) were nonsignificant, indicating that early life conditions were not related to cognitive change. SEP (beta = 0.034, t = 2.4, p = 0.01) and cognitive milieu (beta = 0.017, t = 2.2, p = 0.03) were associated with absolute level of cognitive function, with better performance being related to higher SEP and a better cognitive milieu. A better SEP and a more stimulating cognitive milieu in childhood have small but significant effects on absolute level of cognitive function; however, they do not seem to protect against cognitive decline in old age.
The Massachusetts General Hospital acute stroke imaging algorithm: an experience and evidence based approach

The Massachusetts General Hospital Neuroradiology Division employed an experience and evidence based approach to develop a neuroimaging algorithm to best select patients with severe ischemic strokes caused by anterior circulation occlusions (ACOs) for intravenous tissue plasminogen activator and endovascular treatment. Methods found to be of value included the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), non-contrast CT, CT angiography (CTA) and diffusion MRI. Perfusion imaging by CT and MRI were found to be unnecessary for safe and effective triage of patients with severe ACOs. An algorithm was adopted that includes: non-contrast CT to identify hemorrhage and large hypodensity followed by CTA to identify the ACO; diffusion MRI to estimate the core infarct; and NIHSS in conjunction with diffusion data to estimate the clinical penumbra.
Surgical repair of pulmonary artery dissection

Fig. 1. (a) Contrast-enhanced axial computed tomography image at the level of the PA bifurcation demonstrating the dissection flap within the main PA (arrow). (b) Three-dimensional reconstruction of the computed tomography images demonstrating the dissection flap within the main PA (arrow). (c) Intraoperative trans-oesophageal echocardiography showing the main PA with a 5.18 cm diameter and a dissection flap (arrow). (d) Intra-operative epiarterial ultrasound of the main PA showing the dissection flap (arrow).
FENESTRATE GRAPTOLITE THEORETICAL MORPHOLOGY: GEOMETRIC CONSTRAINTS ON LOPHOPHORE SHAPE AND ARRANGEMENT IN EXTINCT HEMICHORDATES

Abstract A geometric analysis of lophophore shape and arrangement in the fenestrate dendroid graptolite genus Dictyonema reveals that the shape of the zooid domain in the majority of Dictyonema species colonies is highly elliptical, with the long axis of the ellipse perpendicular to the proximodistal axis of the stipe. A complex lophophore, bilaterally symmetrical and consisting of two tentaculated arms that are laterally directed and perpendicular to the stipe axis, provides the best geometric solution to completely filling the elliptical zooid domain seen in the majority of Dictyonema species. Working under the assumption that fenestrate graptolites, like fenestrate bryozoans, needed to form a continuous filtering surface with contact between adjacent lophophores, two optimum close-parking models exist for lophophores with elliptical zooid domains: either a proximodistal-row arrangement or a lateral-row arrangement of the lophophores. Of the two possible geometries, the most probable close-packing arran...
On Regulating Investors: The JOBS Act and the Accredited Investor Standard

This abstract sketches novel approaches that the Securities and Exchange Commission may consider when evaluating the accredited investor standard in 2014 and 2015. The current standard is internally inconsistent and contradicts modern portfolio theory, and alternative approaches in other contexts -- especially crowdfunding rules -- provide a model for fixing this longstanding problem.
Metal Electrode Work Function Modification Using Aerosol Jet Printing

An aerosol jet printer is used to precisely control the deposition in 25 nm increments of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) on an oxygen plasma-treated Ni (O2-Ni) electrode to modify its work function. As revealed by Kelvin probe measurements, the effective work function of the O2-Ni electrode is dependent on the thickness of the PEDOT:PSS coating. By precisely controlling the coating thickness, the effective work function of metal electrodes in polymer-based photodetectors can be tailored for improved device performance. This is verified by demonstrating a threefold increase in the photoresponse of a polymer-based Schottky barrier infrared photodetector.
EFFECT OF ALDOSTERONE ANTAGONISTS ON DIASTOLIC FUNCTION MEASURED BY ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY: A META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS

Aldosterone antagonists (AA) have been proven to improve prognosis in Heart failure patients with reduced EF. However the same for patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)has not been established, despite it's high prevalence. To study the effect of AA on diastolic
Caveolin mediated p38MAPK associated signaling in ozone- induced cardiac toxicity

O of 350,000 sudden cardiac deaths each year in the United States, 60,000 deaths have been linked to air pollution, suggesting a detrimental role of environmental pollutants in the development of cardiac toxicity. Although epidemiology studies have associated exposure to particulate matter (PM) with acute mortality and morbidity, only recently have they found associations between ozone and mortality. It has been challenging to disentangle the toxic effects of ozone from those of PM in these studies because the 2 pollutants are often closely correlated temporally and geographically. In studies using rats from controlled ozone (O3) exposure environment we showed moderate and chronic cardiac dysfunction after 4 and 8 weeks of O3 inhalation respectively. This stage dependent O3 – mediated progressive decline in cardiac function was associated with increasing levels of inflammatory mediators. Our findings were cited and the results validated in a recent USEPA sponsored human study where exposure to O3 was shown to modulate the cardiovascular system by increasing the levels inflammatory mediators. Later studies from our laboratory suggest a balance between caveolin-1 and caveolin-3 may play a role in O3 associated cardiac toxicity. Since interaction of caveolins with p38MAPK is involved in regulating death and survival signaling in the cardiac muscle, our recent findings in O3 exposed rats suggest a stage dependent involvement of caveolin mediated p38MAPK associated death and survival signaling and that more than one pathways may be involved in the pathology of O3mediated cardiac toxicity.
The Investiture Controversy of the Middle Ages, 1075–1122: Agreement and Disagreement among Historians

During the High Middle Ages, the peoples of Western Europe produced a civilization of great achievement. The historian studying this period may choose according to his interests from among several truly spectacular developments. The Crusades have captured the interest and imagination of many; the legal historian has the momentous revival of Roman Law and the rapid advances in civil and ecclesiastical law. The cultural and intellectual historian may explore the "Twelfth Century Renais sance" while the economic historian has the Commercial Revolu tion. For the political historian, the rise of national states, based on modern notions of sovereignty, bureaucracy, and taxation, will stimulate his interest. And the institutional historian will find many striking achievements including the growth of urban and representative institutions. Despite the apparent divergence of all these phenomena, they have at least one common dimension. None of them can be
A new species of Leptosphaeria, an etiologic agent of mycetoma.

The recent discovery of Leptosphaeria senegalensis Segretain, Baylet, Darasse & Camain (5) as a causal agent of mycetoma in Senegal and Mauritania was the first report of a human pathogen in the genus Leptosphaeria, species of which are commonly found on plant materials. The morphology of the pathogen and the disease it causes were described by Baylet et al. (1), in a comprehensive study involving eight cases of mycetoma from those two African regions. El-Ani and Gordon (3) were the first to describe and illustrate the ascospore gelatinous sheath that, in water or in aqueous solutions, swells into a turbinate structure bearing a basal satellite (Fig. 13). Further investigation of this organism was prompted by a report (4) of a new strain isolated by Segretain and his co-workers in Paris from a Mauritanian patient. Although this strain produced 8-celled asco? spores, Segretain did not consider it a new species because in certain strains of L. senegalensis, the spores of which are typically 4-septate, he "sometimes observed ascospores with 6 and even 7 or 8 cells." Our observations indicate that the isolate, 559, that produces 8-celled asco? spores is a species distinct from L. senegalensis. The new species is described and contrasted with L. senegalensis below.
Critical illness acquired brain injury: Neuroimaging and implications for rehabilitation.

Objective The increasing likelihood of surviving critical illness has resulted in a large and growing number of individuals transitioning from medical and surgical intensive care units (ICUs) to their homes. Many ICU survivors develop pervasive morbidities in physical, psychological, and cognitive functioning that adversely impact day-to-day functioning, ability to return to work, and quality-of-life. These individuals have been extensively studied with neuropsychological test batteries, but relatively little research has been conducted using neuroimaging. This paper reviews neuroimaging findings in survivors of critical illness treated in medical or surgical ICUs. Methods We assessed the relationships between abnormalities on neuroimaging and cognitive outcomes and discussed the implications for rehabilitation. Results There are limited imaging studies in ICU survivors. These studies use a wide range of modalities including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), and diffusion weighted imaging. Structural abnormalities in survivors of critical illness include cortical and subcortical lesions, white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), and generalized and focal atrophy. These abnormalities persist months to years after ICU discharge and are associated with cognitive impairments. (PsycINFO Database Record
Behavioural influences on disease risk: implications for conservation and management

While parasites are fundamental components of ecological systems, emerging infectious diseases are a growing concern for conservation and management. Understanding the drivers and consequences of disease emergence in natural systems is complex because of the diverse array of factors associated with disease dynamics. Host behaviour plays an important role in disease dynamics across multiple scales (individuals to landscapes). Here, we synthesize our current understanding of the interplay between behaviour and disease in the context of conservation. We review the general importance of behaviour for determining the probability of exposure to parasites and the likelihood of infection once exposed. We also discuss the influence of infection on behaviours that affect disease transmission in populations and the potential trait-mediated indirect interactions that can influence disease risk within communities. Furthermore, we present several case studies demonstrating how the incorporation of behaviour into conservation and management strategies is critical for understanding emerging infectious diseases. Given the fundamental relationships between behaviour and infectious disease, there is a need for the development of practical methods for integrating this knowledge into conservation. Establishing a dialogue and forming collaborations between scientists and wildlife managers across multiple scales is an essential step. Ultimately, conservation practices that integrate knowledge of behaviour and infectious diseases will have a greater chance of success.
Purification and crystallization of the cyanobacterial cytochrome b6f complex.

The cytochrome b6f complex from the filamentous cyanobacteria (Mastigocladus laminosus, Nostoc sp. PCC 7120) and spinach chloroplasts has been purified as a homo-dimer. Electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy showed the monomer to contain eight and nine subunits, respectively, and dimeric masses of 217.1, 214.2, and 286.5 kDa for M. laminosus, Nostoc, and the complex from spinach. The core subunits containing or interacting with redox-active prosthetic groups are petA (cytochrome f), B (cytochrome b6, C (Rieske iron-sulfur protein), D (subunit IV), with protein molecular weights of 31.8-32.3, 24.7-24.9, 18.9-19.3, and 17.3-17.5 kDa, and four small 3.2-4.2 kDa polypeptides petG, L, M, and N. A ninth polypeptide, the 35 kDa petH (FNR) polypeptide in the spinach complex, was identified as ferredoxin:NADP reductase (FNR), which binds to the complex tightly at a stoichiometry of approx 0.8/cytf. The spinach complex contains diaphorase activity diagnostic of FNR and is active in facilitating ferredoxin-dependent electron transfer from NADPH to the cytochrome b6f complex. The purified cytochrome b6f complex contains stoichiometrically bound chlorophyll a and β-carotene at a ratio of approximately one molecule of each per cytochrome f. It also contains bound lipid and detergent, indicating seven lipid-binding sites per monomer. Highly purified complexes are active for approximately 1 week after isolation, transferring 200-300 electrons/cytf s. The M. laminosus complex was shown to be subject to proteolysis and associated loss of activity if incubated for more than 1 week at room temperature. The Nostoc complex is more resistant to proteolysis. Addition of pure synthetic lipid to the cyanobacterial complex, which is mostly delipidated by the isolation procedure, allows rapid formation of large (≥0.2 mm) crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis and structure determination. The crystals made from the cyanobacterial complex diffract to 3.0 A with R values of 0.222 and 0.230 for M. laminosus and Nostoc, respectively. It has not yet been possible to obtain crystals of the b6f complex from any plant source, specifically spinach or pea, perhaps because of incomplete binding of FNR or other peripheral polypeptides. Well diffracting crystals have been obtained from the green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (ref. 10).
Direct and Inverse Problems for Transport in High Contrast Media

In this thesis we investigate direct and inverse problems for transport in media with strong spatial variability of the electric or hydraulic conductivity, the dielectric permittivity, etc. The mathematical problem is to solve elliptic or hyperbolic partial differential equations with coefficients that take very large and very small values. Both direct and inverse problems for such partial differential equations pose difficult analytical and computational questions. We introduce a simplified description of transport phenomena in high contrast media that is based on a suitable asymptotic analysis of the partial differential equations in the static and quasistatic approximations. For media with static excitation, overall transport properties of the high contrast media are asymptotically like those of a discrete resistor network. For a time harmonic excitation, the asymptotic behavior is described by the transport in a resistor-capacitor network. The analysis is based on min-max variational principles and the network approximation is tested numerically and shown to be accurate to within a few percent provided that the local contrast is about 10$\sp2$ or higher. For media that display high contrast only in some regions and have smoothly varying properties elsewhere, we present a hybrid numerical method that uses the asymptotic solution in the high contrast regions and matches it with the numerically computed flow elsewhere. The method is tested extensively and compared with other numerical schemes. The static asymptotic network theory is also used in formulating and solving inverse problems for media with strong spatial variability of the electric or hydraulic conductivity. An iterative least-squares method for recovering the asymptotic network of resistors from the boundary data is presented. The algorithm is tested with numerically generated data from several high contrast models and is shown to be successful in recovering the high contrast structure of the conductivity, independently of the initial guess. The conductivity obtained in this step of the inversion is then used as a starting point in a second step that tries to recover details of the conductivity that are not reflected by the resistor network.
Ultrapurification of p-Terphenyl

Any attempt to purify a chemical carries with it the need to measure the purity attained. It is often impossible to measure purity directly, so that assay methods for specific impurities are required. In this report, we will describe the application of zone melting to the purification of p-terphenyl and the use of delayed fluorescence measurements to indicate the purity.
A unified receiver for MIMO communication with imperfect channel knowledge

The problem of MIMO communications with imperfect channel knowledge at the receiver is considered. Imperfect channel knowledge results from errors due to noise and errors due to time variations which cause the channel estimates to become outdated. A receiver structure named the Unified Generalized Likelihood Ratio Detector (UGLRD) is presented. The UGLRD is based on joint symbol-channel estimation, and it accommodates variations in the availability and the reliability of the Channel State Information (CSI) at the receiver. It can be applied to blind and to differential MIMO systems. The performance of this receiver is compared with that of a conventional MIMO receiver for different channel conditions. It is shown that the UGLRD outperforms the conventional receiver at the cost of higher computational complexity which is addressed using an efficient search algorithm.
Chemopreventive effects of a topically applied black raspberry gel on oral premalignant lesions

B35 Approximately 36% of untreated oral intraepithelial neoplasia (IEN) lesions undergo malignant transformation to oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). There is currently no means to accurately predict which IEN lesions will transform. Further, clinical management is complicated by recurrences of previously excised IEN tissues or development of new premalignant lesions. This study assessed the effects of topical application of a bioadhesive 10% (w/w) freeze dried black raspberry gel on oral IEN parameters that included histopathologic diagnosis, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) indices, gene expression profiles and levels of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Each participant with oral IEN lesions served as their own internal control. All lesions were initially photographed, and lesional tissue was hemisected to obtain a pre-treatment diagnosis and establish baseline biochemical and molecular parameters. Gel dosing to the remaining lesional tissue (0.5 grams applied four times daily for six weeks) was initiated one week after the initial biopsy. Genomic DNA was isolated from laser captured basilar and suprabasilar surface epithelial cells, followed by PCR amplification using primer sets that targeted known and presumed tumor suppressor gene loci associated with 9p21 (INK4a/ARF), 17p13 (p53), and 3p14 (FHIT). RNA was isolated from snap frozen tissues for microarray analyses, followed by QRT-PCR validation. Supplemental, epithelial gene specific RT-PCR analyses, and image analysis quantified immunohistochemistry (IHC) for lesional epithelial COX2 and iNOS were also conducted. None of the participants (10 normal controls, 20 IEN) developed any adverse side effects during treatment. Histopathologic results demonstrate appreciable interpatient variability, as 41% of our participants showed a post-treatment decrease in lesional grade, 23% showed an increase in lesional grade, and 35% of the patients showed stable disease. Treatment effects (Exact McNemar test) on LOH status demonstrated: 1) a decrease 24 events with comparison of all loci (p
Manganese Toxicity and the Glutamine–Glutamate Cycle

Glutamine (Gln) is abundantly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS), where it participates in a variety of metabolic pathways. Gln metabolism proceeds via the glutamine/glutamate (Glu)-γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) cycle (GGC), and the reactions within this cycle are carried out both in astrocytic and neuronal compartments. The GGC appears to have an important, albeit not exclusive role, in the recycling of Glu and GABA. Disruption of GGC between astrocytes and neurons contributes to changes in Glu-ergic and/or GABA-ergic transmission, and is associated with several neuropathological conditions, including manganese (Mn) toxicity.
Relationship between nodule size and FDG-PET SUV values for malignant and benign lung tumors

496 Objectives: To investigate the hypothesis that mean Standardized Uptake Values (SUVs) for malignant lung nodules decline with decreasing size, and that the historically established cut-off of 2.5 to differentiate benign from malignant lesions might be inaccurate for smaller nodules. Methods: A sample of 173 patients (147 male), mean age 67 years, was obtained from referrals for FDG-PET evaluation of primary lung nodules in two medical centers. A phantom study calculated the SUV correction factor before merging data from the centers. Only histopathologically confirmed tumors and positive scans were included. Nodule size (145 malignant and 57 benign) was assessed using thoracic CT. Nodules were grouped into four size categories (Group 1 (n=28): =/ 3 cm). Mean, standard deviation, and range of SUVs were obtained for all nodules and for each of the size groups. A linear regression equation was fitted to a scatter plot of size and SUV for malignant and benign nodules. Results: The mean, standard deviation, and range of SUV values for all malignant and benign nodules, as well as for the four nodule size groups are presented in Table 1. As can be seen in Table 1, the mean SUV value increases with size of the nodule. As also seen in Table 1, the degree of linear relationship between size and SUV, as represented by the slopes of the regression equations, is greater for malignant (0.62) compared to benign (0.25) nodules. The percentage of the variance (R2) in SUV accounted for by size is 25% for malignant nodules compared to 8% for benign nodules. Conclusions: The findings of this study demonstrate: 1) a correlation between size of nodules and SUVs; 2) that the linear relatonship between size and SUV is greater for malignant than benign nodules; and 3) that there are questions regarding the use of a cut-off value of 2.5 for all size nodules. Future studies can use ROC curves to help identify a more useful cut-off value for SUV for smaller nodules. Logistic regression equations with predictor variables such as age, smoking history, size, and SUV may also help clinicians classify nodules as malignant or benign.
Introduction to Organic Nonoptimal Constrained Evolution (ONCE) and Notes on Terminology

A recent, well-written review by Morris on plasticity-mediated persistence [265: 8] defended the idea that developmental plasticity can allow epigenetic phenomena to “respond in remarkable ways to environmental input.”
Teaching and learning mathematics through error analysis

For decades, mathematics education pedagogy has relied most heavily on teachers, demonstrating correctly worked example exercises as models for students to follow while practicing their own exercises. In more recent years, incorrect exercises have been introduced for the purpose of student-conducted error analysis. Combining the use of correctly worked exercises with error analysis has led researchers to posit increased mathematical understanding. Combining the use of correctly worked exercises with error analysis has led researchers to posit increased mathematical understanding. A mixed method design was used to investigate the use of error analysis in a seventh-grade mathematics unit on equations and inequalities. Quantitative data were used to establish statistical significance of the effectiveness of using error analysis and qualitative methods were used to understand participants’ experience with error analysis. The results determined that there was no significant difference in posttest scores. However, there was a significant difference in delayed posttest scores. In general, the teacher and students found the use of error analysis to be beneficial in the learning process.
In vitro studies of megakaryocytopoiesis in thrombocytotic disorders of man

Increased numbers of bone marrow megakaryocytes and thrombocytosis are frequently observed in patients with myeloproliferative disorders (MPD). Increased marrow megakaryocytes and thrombocytosis are also noted in a variety of inflammatory and neoplastic disease leading to the phenomenon of reactive thrombocytosis (RT). The pathogenesis of this finding remains incompletely understood. Using methodology developed in our laboratory, we investigated the causative role of megakaryocyte colony-stimulating activity (Meg-CSA) in generating this phenomenon. We also examined the cloning efficiency of colony-forming units-megakaryocyte (CFU-M) and their responsiveness to an exogenous source of Meg-CSA in patients with these diseases. The results of our investigations suggest that: (1) increased production of Meg-CSA is not responsible for the megakaryocyte hyperplasia and thrombocytosis noted in these patients; (2) the intrinsic stem cell defect described in MPD appears to affect the CFU-M of these patients as well, resulting in an effective expansion of the CFU-M pool with consequent megakaryocyte hyperplasia and thrombocytosis; (3) the CFU-M of patients with MPD remain responsive to an exogenous source of Meg-CSA, suggesting that this megakaryocyte hyperplasia may not be entirely autonomous of its effects; and (4) the CFU-M pool in RT is normal both in size and responsiveness to Meg-CSA, suggesting that in these disorders, the stimulus leading to megakaryocyte hyperplasia and thrombocytosis is active at the post-CFU-M level of megakaryocyte differentiation.
Religious Ways of Experiencing Life: A Global and Narrative Approach

Religious Ways of Experiencing Life: A Global and Narrative Approach surveys world religions, using the narratives and discourses of each tradition to describe it in its own terms. Carl Olson examines each tradition’s practices, teachings, material culture, roles of women, and path to salvation, as well as the experiences of its followers. The exploration of lived experience draws out and emphasizes the plural nature of religious traditions. The volume includes chapters on all current major world religions, as well as material on ancient religions of the Mediterranean, indigenous North American and African spiritual traditions, and New Age and new religious movements. Featuring timelines and suggestions for further reading, this text will be of interest to undergraduate students seeking a broad introduction to World Religion or Lived Religion.
Delivery of a community-based nutrition education program for minority adults.

Background and purpose Chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity disproportionately affect minority adults, including African Americans. Engaging in lifestyle changes such as improving dietary habits and increasing physical activity can decrease the incidence and severity of these chronic diseases. The purpose of this research study was to explore the impact of a nutrition education program on health behaviors, lifestyle barriers, emotional eating, and body mass index (BMI) in a community-based setting with a minority sample. Methods A convenience sample of 47 primarily African American adults participated in two similar Full Plate Diet nutrition interventions for 6 weeks (group I) and 8 weeks (group II). Participants completed pre-assessment and post-assessment of fruit, vegetable, and fat intake, as well as pre-assessment and post-assessment on physical activity, healthy lifestyle barriers, emotional eating, and BMI. Conclusions After intervention, there was a significant increase in intake of fruits and vegetables and decreased fat intake. No significant differences were found in physical activity, healthy lifestyle barriers, emotional eating, or BMI after the intervention. Implications for practice A structured, community-based nutrition education program may result in improved dietary habits among African Americans.