cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
XVI European Charcot Foundation Lecture: Nutrition and environment, can MS be prevented?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a relatively common debilitating neurologic disease that affects people in early adulthood. While the characteristic pathology of MS has been well described, the etiology of the disease is not well understood, despite decades of research and the identification of strong genetic and environmental candidates for susceptibility. A question central to all diseases, but posed specifically for MS at the XVI European Charcot Foundation Lecture, was 'Can MS be prevented?' To address this question, we have evaluated the available data regarding nutritional and environmental factors that may be related to MS susceptibility and suggest the extent to which a potential intervention may reduce disease burden. It is our opinion that intervention, particularly supplementation with vitamin D, could have a dramatic impact on disease prevalence. Understanding that any intervention or behavioral modification will surely act in the context of genetic susceptibility and unidentified stochastic events, it is likely that not all MS is 'preventable'. Epidemiologic observation has provided key insights into environmental and nutritional factors that may alter one's susceptibility to MS, however, there are still many questions in unraveling the etiology of this complex disease.
Semantics, Wisconsin style

There are, of course, two kinds of philosophers. One kind of philosopher takes it as a working hypothesis that belief/desire psychology (or, anyhow, some variety of propositional attitude psychology) is the best theory of the cognitive mind that we can now envision; hence that the appropriate direction for psychological research is the construction of a belief/desire theory that is empirically supported and methodologically sound. The other kind of philosopher takes it that the entire apparatus of propositional attitude psychology is conceptually flawed in irremediable ways; hence that the appropriate direction for psychological research is the construction of alternatives to the framework of belief/desire explanation. This way of collecting philosophers into philosopher-kinds cuts across a number of more traditional, but relatively superficial, typologies. For example, eliminativist behaviorists like Quine and neurophiles like the Churchlands turn up in the same basket as philosophers like Steve Stich, who think that psychological states are computational and functional all right, but not intentional. Dennett is probably in that basket too, along with Putnam and other (how should one put it?) dogmatic relativists. Whereas, among philosophers of the other kind one finds a motley that includes, very much inter alia, reductionist behaviorists like Ryle and (from time to time) Skinner, radical individualists like Searle and Fodor, mildly radical anti-individualists like Burge, and, of course, all cognitive psychologists except Gibsonians.
Intraneural Colchicine Inhibition of Adenoviral and Adeno-associated Viral Vector Remote Spinal Cord Gene Delivery

OBJECTIVE The mechanism of remote viral gene delivery to the spinal cord is unknown. The present experiment demonstrates that intraneural injection of colchicine is capable of inhibiting remote delivery of both adenoviral and adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors, implicating axonal transport in this process. METHODS The right sciatic nerves of adult Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (n = 5) or 10 (n = 7) or 100 (n = 4) microg colchicine. Two days later, the nerves of all animals were initially injected with 1.2 x 10(7) plaque-forming units of Ad5RSVntLac-Z. Two separate groups were injected concurrently with vector and PBS (n = 5) or 10 microg colchicine (n = 5). In a second experiment, the right sciatic nerves of CD1 mice were preinjected with PBS (n = 6) or 10 microg colchicine (n = 5). Two days later, the nerves were injected with rAAVCAG-EGFPwpre (an adeno-associated vector carrying the green fluorescent protein gene). In both experiments, sciatic nerves and spinal cords were removed and analyzed for gene expression. RESULTS Sciatic nerve vector injection resulted in expression in both the nerve injection site and neuronal cell bodies located predominantly in the ipsilateral ventral horn. Analysis of variance revealed a significant treatment effect for 10 and 100 microg intraneural colchicine with inhibition of remote adenoviral delivery at 10 microg and blockade of remote delivery at 100 microg (P < 0.001). Colchicine injection concurrent with and before vector injection had similar inhibitory effects. Two-way analysis of variance revealed significant colchicine inhibition of remote delivery in both adenovirus- and AAV-injected animals (P < 0.003) but no dose-by-vector interaction, suggesting that both vectors are equally inhibited by colchicine. CONCLUSION Colchicine inhibits remote spinal cord delivery of adeno-associated and adenoviral vectors in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that remote delivery is dependent on retrograde axonal transport.
The reduced rotation matrix: Plots and zeros

The reduced matrix elements of finite rotations in the angular momentum representation { d j m'm (β)} are presented in polar plots and root tables for several low spins having both integral and half-integral values. The plots present, for j ≤5/2, the magnitude of the matrix element as the length of the radius vector at the polar angle which corresponds to the Euler angle of rotation. The tables present those values of β, in the region 0≤ j ≤8, which satisfy the condition d j m'm (β)=0.
In vitro culture of switchgrass: Influence of 2,4-d and picloram in combination with benzyladenine on callus initiation and regeneration

The objective of this study was to determine the types and concentrations of auxins and cytokinins that would result in effective culture initiation and plant regeneration of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). Whole caryopses and young seedling explants were cultured on MS medium containing different concentrations of picloram or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-d) in combination with benzyladenine. Best results from mature caryopses were obtained with 11.3–45.0 μM 2,4-d in combination with 15.0 or 45.0 μM benzyladenine (BA). More than 300 plants were obtained per embryogenic callus from some treatments after the second transfer to regeneration medium (90 days after initiation of the cultures). Regeneration was obtained from young seedling explants with both auxins. However, picloram was more effective over a wider range of BA concentrations than 2,4-d. Protocols developed during this study were used to regenerate hundreds of plants which could easily be established in the field.
Distinct cell proliferation events during abstinence after alcohol dependence: microglia proliferation precedes neurogenesis

Excessive alcohol intake characteristic of Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) produces neurodegeneration that may recover with abstinence. The mechanism of regeneration is unclear, however neurogenesis from neural stem/progenitor cells is a feasible mechanism of structural plasticity. Therefore, a timecourse of cell proliferation was examined in a rat model of an AUD and showed a striking burst in cell proliferation at 2 days of abstinence preceding the previously reported neurogenic proliferation at 7 days. New cells at 2 days, assessed by bromo-deoxy-uridine incorporation and endogenous markers, were observed throughout hippocampus and cortex. Although the majority of these new cells did not become neurons, neurogenesis was not altered at this specific time point. These new cells expressed a microglia-specific marker, Iba-1, and survived at least 2 months. This first report of microglia proliferation in a model of an AUD suggests that microgliosis could contribute to volume recovery in non-neurogenic regions during abstinence.
Exploiting elements of transcriptional machinery to enhance protein stability.

The correlation between protein structure and function is well established, yet the role stability/flexibility plays in protein function is being explored. Here, we describe an in vivo screen in which the thermal stability of a test protein is correlated directly to the transcriptional regulation of a reporter gene. The screen readout is independent of the function of the test protein, proteolytic resistance, solubility or propensity to aggregate indiscriminately, and is thus dependent solely on the overall stability of the test protein. The system entails the use of an engineered chimeric construct that consists of three covalently linked domains; a constant N-terminal DNA-binding domain, a variable central test protein, and a constant C-terminal transcriptional activation domain. The test proteins are mutant variants of the β1 domain of streptococcal protein G that span fairly evenly a thermal stability range from as low as 38 °C to above 100 °C. When the chimeric construct contains a test variant of low thermal stability, the reporter gene is up-regulated to a greater extent relative to that of more stable/less flexible variants. A panel of nine Gβ1 mutant variants was used to benchmark the screen, and spectroscopic methods were employed to characterize the thermal and structural properties of each variant accurately. The screen was combined with in silico methods to interrogate a library of randomized variants for selection of mutants of greater structural integrity.
Communicator Style and Technology Preference

The purpose of this research is to explore the relationship between individual communication traits and media choice. Specifically, the research question under investigation is: When knowledge workers have an array of communications technologies available, do communication traits of the individual influence technology choice? This research uses theories related to communication traits and media choice as the foundation for an empirical study. It is among the first to investigate the relationship between individual communicator traits and communications technology choice. Also, this study explores technology selection based on a broader, more universal set of technology capabilities rather than emphasizing particular technologies. Application specific empirical studies quickly become obsolete as technologies become outdated and replaced. Media Synchronicity Theory provides a foundation to examine more salient technology traits and capabilities to provide a more substantial contribution to theory.
The regulation of blood sugar in the aging blowfly, Phormia regina.

Abstract The adult blowfly, Phormia regina , reveals a substantial homeostatic capability when examined for its ability to regulate externally administered additions to its blood sugar. As well, results of experiments done at intervals throughout the entire adult life of the fly show that there is no decrease over time in the efficiency of operation of the complex system involved in the control of the blood sugar level. Taken together with other independent investigations of Phormia metabolism, the research indicates that this animal, in contrast to the rat, possesses a number of physiological systems which embody regulatory processes that may be only marginally subject to the normal “aging” process.
Credit Default Swap Auctions and Price Discovery

The rapid growth of the Credit Default Swap (CDS) market combined with increased defaults in recent years has led to increased usage of auctions when default occurs. We examine all the CDS auctions conducted to date and evaluate their efficacy by comparing auction outcomes to prices of bonds in the secondary market. The auctions appear to have served their purpose, as we see no evidence of inefficiency in the process: participation is high, open interest is low, and the prices were similar to the prices observed before and after in the bond market. We qualify our conclusions by observing that few auctions have taken place so far.
A theoretical study of the lattice dynamics of neon and its isotopes

We present a computationally tractable version of Choquard's second-order self-consistent phonon theory and apply it by calculating selected thermodynamic properties of crystalline natural Ne and Ne22 using a Mie-Lennard-Jones nearest-neighbor central force. The model, which is shown to retain the leading correction to the first-order self-consistent theory, gives a quantitative account of the thermodynamics except near the melting point.
Heat flow through avian plumages: The relative importance of conduction, convection, and radiation

Abstract 1. 1.|Heat flow through the plumages of 3 bird species was analyzed to determine the relative importance of transport by radiation, conduction through the solid elements of the coat, and convection and conduction through the air trapped within the coat. 2. 2.|Radiative heat transfer accounts for less than 5% of total heat flow. 3. 3.|Nonradiative heat flow is dominant and results from approximately equal contributions of thermal conduction through the feathers and the sum of conductive and convective heat transfer through the air contained within the plumage.
MO‐A‐204C‐01: Pulse Sequences and Acquisition Techniques for Breast MRI

Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE‐MRI) of the breast using a gadoliniumcontrast agent has become an important diagnostic tool for evaluating disease extent, monitoring therapy response and for screening women that are at high risk for breast cancer. The sensitivity of DCE‐MRI for detecting cancerous lesions is primarily determined by the degree of contrast enhancement that can be achieved relative to the surrounding normal tissues. The specificity of DCE‐MRI, for distinguishing malignant from benign lesions, often relies upon the DCE‐MRI kinetic data. Malignant lesions generally exhibit rapid uptake and washout while benign lesions typically have a slower uptake that gradually increases with time. In an effort to achieve both the high sensitivity and specifically, breast MRI pulse sequences should be optimized to achieve high gadoliniumcontrast enhancement, high three‐dimensional spatial resolution (< 1 mm in‐plane) as well as adequate temporal resolution. The evolution of breast MR imaging has lead to the general use of fat‐suppressed, 3D T1‐weighted gradient‐echo pulse sequences that can be acquired with a temporal resolution of approximately 60 seconds. Learning Objectives: 1. Review protocols and pulse sequences used for breast MR imaging. 2. Review the MRI timing diagram used for T1‐weighted, fat‐suppressed, 3D gradient echo‐pulse sequences. 3. Understand how k‐space sampling affects temporal resolution. 4. Review how parallel imaging can be used to help achieve the temporal resolution needed for breast DCE‐MRI. 5. Discuss issues related to data acquisition and post‐acquisition image processing.
Electrostatic Persistence Length of Semiflexible and Flexible Polyelectrolytes

I have calculated the dependence of the electrostatic persistence length on the Debye screening length for semiflexible, strongly and weakly charged flexible polyelectrolytes. For semiflexible and strongly charged flexible polyelectrolytes the electrostatic part of the chain persistence length is proportional to the Debye screening length. This result is obtained by evaluating the bending angle fluctuations and in the framework of the Gaussian variational principle. A polyelectrolyte chain with linear dependence of the electrostatic persistence length on the Debye screening length has a lower free energy than that of a chain with the Odijk-Skolnick-Fixman electrostatic persistence length. In the case of weakly charged chains the electrostatic persistence length has a sublinear dependence on the Debye screening length which is due to inverse logarithmic dependence of the linear charge density of the chain of electrostatic blobs on the Debye screening length. This result was derived by applying a coarse-graining procedure to an initially flexible polyelectrolyte chain by representing it as a chain of electrostatic blobs. The blob size and chain persistence length are then found self-consistently by minimizing the chain's variational free energy.
Land reform and the ministerial crises of 1868 in South Australia

(1979). Land reform and the ministerial crises of 1868 in South Australia. Journal of Australian Studies: Vol. 3, No. 5, pp. 17-37.
Spontaneous symmetry breaking of (1+1)-dimensional phi4 theory in light-front field theory. II.

We investigate (1+1)-dimensional ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\varphi}}}^{4}$ field theory in the symmetric and broken phases using discrete light-front quantization. We calculate the perturbative solution of the zero-mode constraint equation for both the symmetric and broken phases and show that standard renormalization of the theory yields finite results. We study the perturbative zero-mode contribution to two diagrams and show that the light-front formulation gives the same result as the equal-time formulation. In the broken phase of the theory, we obtain the nonperturbative solutions of the constraint equation and confirm our previous speculation that the critical coupling is logarithmically divergent. We discuss the renormalization of this divergence but are not able to find a satisfactory nonperturbative technique. Finally we investigate properties that are insensitive to this divergence, calculate the critical exponent of the theory, and find agreement with mean field theory as expected.
From Community Networks to Hyper-local Social Media

An increasing number of open data initiatives and hyper-local social media aim to use technology to increase citizens' civic engagement. This poster reviews prior research on technology use in urban communities in order to identify the main trends on goals, technologies, and research focus over time to enrich the understanding of this re-emerging field. The poster particularly highlights key systems, technologies used, and research done in this field.
Construction of more reliable complex metabolic models without repeated solution of their constituent differential equations

Abstract A method is described for constructing metabolic models composed of many nonlinear stiff differential equations. The system being modeled is divided into subunits (where such division is impractical, forcing functions are used), and algebraic relationships for their behavior at an instant in time are derived. Most of the usual searches for correct model structure and parameter sets are then done with the set of these algebraic relationships at different time points, relatively few expensive differential equation solutions being required. The software used, the application to several models of cardiac metabolism, and the significance of models of this type are discussed.
A GENERALIZATION OF TERBORGH'S APPROACH TO EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT

An approach to determining an acceptable equipment replacement policy is proposed for the case where the operating cost, as a function of age of equipment and purchase date, is fully known. The complete model representing optimum behaviour over an infinite horizon is presented. Because of the computational difficulties involved in the analysis of this model, a sub-optimisation method is suggested, which replaces the infinite stage problem by a single stage problem, modifying the operating cost function to include a “technological opportunity cost”. A comparison of the consequences of this sub-optimisation in relation to the infinite stage model is presented for the purpose of ascertaining when the approximation suggested is valid.
Abused women and risk for pelvic inflammatory disease.

Mexican and African American women with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) underwent targeted physical exams and questioning regarding sexual or physical abuse, current genitourinarysymptomatolog...
Plasma dispersion in ultrashort-pulse x-ray lasers.

The effect of plasma dispersion in longitudinally pumped x-ray lasers prepared by optical-field-induced ionization is investigated. Dispersion is shown to bound the x-ray peak intensity along the laser and to stretch the pulse in time, thus coincidentally giving a saturated output energy fluence that increases linearly with laser length as in the nondispersive regime. High output efficiencies \ensuremath{\eta}g${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$ in Li-like Ne at 98 \AA{} are thus accessible in x-ray lasing plasmas of high density ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{e}}$g5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{20}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$, low temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{e}}$40 eV, and large radius ag20 \ensuremath{\mu}m, despite significant dispersion.
Thermochemical considerations and bond enthalpy ratios involving triatomic 16-valence electron neutrals and ions and some isoelectronically related pentaatomics

Abstract Following thermochemical studies and the accompanying analysis in the calorimetric literature, in earlier computational and conceptual studies we investigated the systematics of the mean bond enthalpy ratio 〈 D m ° ( X Y 2 ) 〉 / D m ° ( XY ) for 16-valence electron neutral and ionic triatomic species. For neutral species wherein X is a group 14 element and Y is from group 16, the ratio was ca. 0.8 rising to ca. 0.9 for the corresponding anions with X from group 13, and falling to ca. 0.7 for the cations with X from group 15. Good agreement between theory and experiment was found where admittedly the majority of the data for the latter is for the neutral species. In the current study at the G2 computational level (and G3 for selected systems), the related asymmetric valence isoelectronic triatomic species YXZ are discussed and this pattern calculationally preserved. The results are in concurrence with the one experimentally available datum for comparison, namely from the literature measured value for the enthalpy of formation of OCS. Other surprises and systematics are discussed as well for what otherwise might have been superficially considered to be simple species, for these and related pentaatomic species of the type HYXYH.
Role of Policy and Government in the Obesity Epidemic

In 2001, the Surgeon General's “Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity”1 identified obesity as a key public health priority for the United States. Obesity rates were higher than ever, with 61% of adults nationwide overweight or obese. In the intervening years, several administrations have declared a commitment to deal with the problem, and the food industry has issued numerous pledges for change, yet the prevalence of overweight and obesity has risen further, to 68%.2 Children have been particularly affected; >19% of school-aged children were obese in 2007 to 2008 compared with just 6% in the late 1970s.3 Disease rates join high healthcare costs, so everyone is affected personally, economically, or both.4,5 A wide range of government policies and programs have been implemented, including the development of national clinical guidelines, nutrition labeling on packaged foods, education and social marketing efforts, and more recently, calorie labeling on restaurant menus and federal efforts to increase access and financing for fresh fruits and vegetables. However, most of these efforts focus on clinical and educational factors or on community interventions and, until recently, have rarely addressed environmental drivers of obesity.6,7 There is growing theoretical and scientific support for policies that intervene on environmental determinants of overeating. The implementation of some policies is facing resistance from the food and beverage industries.8,9 Evidence from behavioral economics has demonstrated that humans are heavily influenced by default conditions in their environment.10 Defaults can be conceptualized as conditions to which people are exposed in day-to-day life that affect particular aspects of their behavior and health. For example, polluted air and water create negative defaults that damage health. Progress comes through removing the toxic agents, not by accepting them and urging people to react …
Serotonin 5-HT1A Receptor-mediated Erk Activation Requires Calcium/Calmodulin-dependent Receptor Endocytosis

Many receptors that couple to heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding (G) proteins mediate rapid activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases, Erk1 and Erk2. The Gi-coupled serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)) 5-HT1A receptor, heterologously expressed in Chinese hamster ovary or human embryonic kidney 293 cells, mediated rapid activation of Erk1/2 via a mechanism dependent upon both Ras activation and clathrin-mediated endocytosis. This activation was attenuated by chelation of intracellular Ca2+ and Ca2+/calmodulin (CAM) inhibitors or the CAM sequestrant protein calspermin. The CAM-dependent step in the Erk1/2 activation cascade is downstream of Ras activation, because inhibitors of CAM antagonize Erk1/2 activation induced by constitutively activated mutants of Ras and c-Src but not by constitutively activated mutants of Raf and MEK (mitogen and extracellular signal-regulated kinase). Inhibitors of the classical CAM effectors myosin light chain kinase, CAM-dependent protein kinases II and IV, PP2B, and CAM-sensitive phosphodiesterase had no effect upon 5-HT1A receptor-mediated Erk1/2 activation. Because clathrin-mediated endocytosis was required for 5-HT1A receptor-mediated Erk1/2 activation, we postulated a role for CAM in receptor endocytosis. Inhibition of receptor endocytosis by use of sequestration-defective mutants of beta-arrestin1 and dynamin attenuated 5-HT1A receptor-stimulated Erk1/2 activation. Inhibition of CAM prevented agonist-dependent endocytosis of epitope-tagged 5-HT1A receptors. We conclude that CAM-dependent activation of Erk1/2 through the 5-HT1A receptor reflects its role in endocytosis of the receptor, which is a required step in the activation of MEK and subsequently Erk1/2.
A Ferrofluid Immunoassay Based on Magnetic Field-Induced Birefringence

An immunoassay is described based on optical detection of the frequency-dependent magnetic relaxation signal in a ferrofluid. The binding of antibodies to magnetic nanoparticles in the ferrofluid causes changes in the magnetic relaxation signal due to an increase in the nanoparticle diameter. The addition of 16.1 ng of antibodies to a 100 mul ferrofluid sample results in an increase in average nanoparticle diameter from 109 nm to 250 mn.
On computation of optimal controllers subject to quadratically invariant sparsity constraints

We consider the problem of constructing optimal sparse controllers. It is known that a property called quadratic invariance of the constraint set is important, and results in the constrained minimum-norm problem being soluble via convex programming. We provide an explicit method of computing H/sub 2/-optimal controllers subject to quadratically invariant sparsity constraints, along with a computational test for quadratic invariance. As a consequence, we show that block diagonal constraints are never quadratically invariant unless the plant is block diagonal as well.
Vibrational properties of the gallium monohydrides SrGaGeH, BaGaSiH, BaGaGeH, and BaGaSnH

Abstract Vibrational properties of the gallium monohydrides SrGaGeH, BaGaSiH, BaGaGeH, and BaGaSnH (AeGaTtH) have been investigated by means of inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and first principles calculations. The compounds contain separated Ga–H units being part of a two dimensional polyanionic layer, [TtGaH]2− (Tt=Si, Ge, Sn). The INS spectra show internal Ga–H bending and stretching modes at frequencies around 900 and 1200 cm−1, respectively. While the stretching mode is virtually invariant with respect to the variable chemical environment of the Ga–H unit, the bending mode frequency varies and is highest for BaGaSiH and lowest for BaGaSnH. The stretching mode is a direct measure of the Ga–H bond strength, whereas the bending mode reflects indirectly the strength of alkaline earth metal–hydrogen interaction. Accordingly, the terminal Ga–H bond in solid state AeGaTtH is distinct, but—compared to molecular gallium hydrides—very weak.
Elephant seals on the Farallones: population structure of an incipient breeding colony.

The colonization of Southeast Farallon Island, California, by northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris , began in 1959 with the appearance of a single animal. By 1971, over 100 juveniles were counted during the fall and spring haulout. Breeding began on the island in 1972. The age of juveniles and their pattern of island use for the two years preceding the birth was similar to that of Ano Nuevo Island, a nearby rookery. The majority of seals onshore during the fall and spring peaks were juveniles less than two years old. Tagged individuals sighted on Southeast Farallon Island were born on rookeries to the south: Ano Nuevo Island, San Miguel Island, and San Nicolas Island. Males were observed more frequently than females. Utilization of the hauling-out place by juveniles was not determined primarily by availability of space. During the first breeding season, adult females arrived on the island before the first male was observed.
Polling patients with self-administered surveys.

After this paper describes how various forms of the self-administered survey can affect response to patient sureys, it compares survey response to two patient surveys-one conducted in a waiting room and the other conducted by mail. The waiting room survey produced a higher rate and speed of response, and resulted in more respondents with favorable attitudes toward the medical facility and the survey.
Vapor Cycle Coolant Requirements for Nuclear Space Power Plants

This paper includes a discussion of choice of coolants in the design of nuclear space power plants. Among the specific problems discussed are loss of coolant through meteoroid penetration, compatibility between coolant and construction materials at high temperatures, probability of damage by meteoroids and fabrication problems associated with large, lightweight, hermetically sealed structures which must be packageable, assembled in space and launched into orbit.
An Iterative Method of Optimal Design with Composite Laminates Containing an Elliptical Opening

Among many characteristics of modern composite materials, the superior strength of uniaxial laminates in the longitudinal direction and relative weakness in the trans verse direction is one of the main parameters to be considered in applied design. In the present study, an iterative method is developed in conjunction with the quadratic failure criterion for the design of a laminated plate containing an elliptical hole at its center. This method establishes an approximate optimal design of the laminate by choosing an excellent combination of orientation and thickness ratio for the given material. In many cases, it is shown that anisotropic laminates are much stronger than a quasi-isotropic laminate or orthotropic plate. This suggests the capability of aniso tropic materials in structural applications.
An analytical study of the effect of coolant flow variables on the kinetic energy output of a cooled turbine blade row.

Demonstration that the change in output of a cooled turbine blade row relative to the specific output of the uncooled blade row can be positive, negative, or zero, depending on the velocity, injection location, injection angle, and temperature of the coolant. Comparisons between the analytical results and experimental results for four different cases of coolant discharge, all at a coolant temperature ratio of unity, show good agreement for three cases, and rather poor agreement for the other.
Ultraviolet Radiation of the High Pressure Xenon Arc

The ultraviolet characteristics of a 0.5-kw d.c. arc through high pressure xenon were investigated. The lamp has a quartz envelope and contains pure xenon under a pressure of roughly 20 atmospheres when operating; its general characteristics have been described by Schulz. The absolute spectral radiance between 2000A and 5000A was measured photographically by comparison with the positive crater of a spectroscopically pure carbon arc. An ultraviolet radiance contour map of the arc stream was obtained by analysis of direct photographs. It was found that the lamp radiates a smooth ultraviolet continuum, which extends to the air cut-off and is interrupted by only a few weak lines. The radiance of the central spot exceeds that of the carbon crater by a factor of 23 at 2500A, 12 at 3000A, and 6 at 3500A. Comparison with other ultraviolet-continuum sources shows the xenon arc to be unusually intense.
Helping Learning Disabled Students Prepare for College

As more and more services are provided for high-school-age students with learning disabilities, it is only reasonable to expect many of these students to continue their formal education at postsecondary institutions. Few such institutions provide direct services to LD students, yet the need for such services appears to be increasing. To help the college-bound students with learning disabilities make an easier transition from high school, it is important that they first investigate the possible resources on campus and initiate early contact with each of them. The dean of students, academic advisors, classroom instructors and professors, the chairman of the special education department, and possibly the campus reading center or reading clinic all should be considered as primary resources and support systems to LD students. Prior to enrollment in a college program, however, students will need to learn and practice appropriate study skills. The student will need to become more independent in his or her work a...
The New American School : preparation for post-industrial discipline

In this article we consider how broad shifts in social relations over the past 30 years have given rise to new social control regimes in US public schools. We argue that the contemporary mechanisms of control engendered by mass incarceration and post‐industrialization have re‐shaped school discipline. To illustrate contemporary discipline in the ‘New American School,’ we discuss the emergence of police officers and technological surveillance in schools. These two strategies of school social control facilitate the link between courts and schools, and expose students to both the salience of crime control in everyday life and to the demands of workers in a post‐industrial world. By incorporating police officers and technological surveillance into the school safety regime, schools shape the experiences of students in ways that reflect modern relationships of dependency, inequality, and instability vis‐a‐vis the contemporary power dynamics of the post‐industrialist labor market and the neoliberal state.
Effects of four years of exercise, language, and social interventions on Alzheimer discourse.

Abstract This article describes a comprehensive cognitive–linguistic intervention program for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients that provided communication skills practice in the context of health-enhancing and esteem-building community-based activities: physical fitness training and supervised volunteer work. The interventions were administered by undergraduate students who completed academic work, received faculty supervision, and earned three credits for one semester of participation. Effects of the interventions on the discourse of four participants who completed all 4 years of the program are reported in detail. The maintained or improved performance on multiple discourse outcome measures provides powerful rationale for making such interventions more widely available and preliminary support for their effectiveness in preserving communicative function. An additional role for speech–language pathologists (SLPs)—as trainers and supervisors of non-professional rehab partners for persons with dementia—is proposed. Learning outcomes From this article, participants will be able to (1) list specific language tasks that can be used to assess discourse in individuals with AD; (2) identify several cognitive–linguistic interventions appropriate for use with AD patients; and (3) understand how long-term cognitive–linguistic interventions may affect the language performance of individuals with AD.
Minority, Black and Non-Black People of Color: ‘New’ Color-Blind Racism and the US Small Business Administration’s Approach to Minority Business Lending in the Post-Civil Rights Era:

This study examines the current approach of the US Small Business Administration (SBA) to minority lending and considers the implications for minority business development in the post-civil rights era. Interviews with SBA employees in Los Angeles and New York reveal that the SBA takes a ‘new’ color-blind approach that emphasizes race and minority status but fails to address racial stratification. I analyze the SBA’s conceptualization of minority, lending goals, outreach methods, and its reliance on banks to promote its loan program, revealing how these practices build upon and reinforce existing inequalities among people of color. Data suggests flexible approaches to minority business development by the SBA may ultimately be unhelpful for African Americans but useful for non-black people of color. The study concludes with the policy recommendation that the SBA create a direct loan program that explicitly promotes black business, with consideration given to the difficulties of having such a proposal adopted.
Changes in gene expression by trabecular meshwork cells in response to mechanical stretching

Purpose Trabecular meshwork (TM) cells appear to sense changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) as mechanical stretching. In response, they make homeostatic corrections in the aqueous humor outflow resistance, partially by increasing extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover initiated by the matrix metalloproteinases. To understand this homeostatic adjustment process further, studies were conducted to evaluate changes in TM gene expression that occur in response to mechanical stretching. Methods Porcine TM cells were subjected to sustained mechanical stretching, and RNA was isolated after 12, 24, or 48 hours. Changes in gene expression were evaluated with microarrays containing approximately 8000 cDNAs. Select mRNA changes were then compared by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Western immunoblots were used to determine whether some of these changes were associated with changes in protein levels. Results On the microarrays, 126 genes were significantly upregulated, and 29 genes were significantly downregulated at one or more time points, according to very conservative statistical and biological criteria. Of the genes that changed, several ECM regulatory genes, cytoskeletal-regulatory genes, signal-transduction genes, and stress-response genes were notable. These included several proteoglycans and matricellular ECM proteins composed of common repetitive binding domains. The results of analysis of mRNA changes in more than 20 selected genes by qRT-PCR supported the findings in the microarray analysis. Western immunoblots of several proteins demonstrated protein level changes associated with changes in the level of mRNA. Conclusions The expression of a variety of TM genes is significantly affected by mechanical stretching. These include several ECM proteins that contain multiple binding sites and may serve organizational roles in the TM. Several proteins that could contribute to the homeostatic modification of aqueous humor outflow resistance are also upregulated or downregulated.
Yellowstone grizzly delisting rhetoric: An analysis of the online debate

The Yellowstone ecosystem is a hotbed of environmental issues and conflicts such as endangered species management. The Yellowstone grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) delisting debate illustrates how rhetoric can contribute to fragmentation and polarization among stakeholders engaged in endangered species conflicts. The partisan view of the grizzly ideograph, and what it represented, created impediments to conflict management (e.g., mistrust and development of and/or belief in stereotypes). The debate coalesced as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began proceedings to delist the Yellowstone population from the endangered species list in 2005. Our objective was to use a rhetorical analysis of the Internet-based debate to identify strategies used by disputants in conflicts over the Endangered Species Act. By analyzing web-based stakeholder texts from 1998 through 2009, we found that rhetoric about grizzly bears fell into three main categories of rhetorical appeal: authority, ethics, and identity. Arguments relying on these appeals contributed to destructive communication amongst stakeholders. Rhetorical strategies served to clearly define stakeholder belief systems and clarify exclusionary practices. We found as an emerging theme that perspectives toward climate change influenced perception of grizzly delisting (e.g., climate change influences grizzly bear food availability). The Endangered Species Act's lack of directives regarding anthropogenic climate change further complicated the debate. We demonstrated how rhetorical analyses can reveal disputants' preferred social control frameworks. This provides important information to managers seeking to promote common ground between otherwise conflicted stakeholders that leads to legitimate and lasting policy decisions. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.
Integrating Metabolism and Longevity Through Insulin and IGF1 Signaling

The insulin pathway coordinates growth, development, metabolic homoeostasis, fertility, and stress resistance, which influence life span. Compensatory hyperinsulinemia to overcome systemic insulin resistance circumvents the immediate consequences of hyperglycemia. Work on flies, nematodes, and mice indicate that excess insulin signaling damages cellular function and accelerates aging. Maintenance of the central nervous system (CNS) has particular importance for life span. Reduced insulin/IGF1 signaling in the CNS can dysregulate peripheral energy homeostasis and metabolism, promote obesity, and extend life span. Genetic manipulations of insulin/IGF1 signaling components are revealing neuronal circuits that might resolve the central regulation of systemic metabolism from organism longevity.
A geometrical optics model for skywave radiation from antennas in irregular terrain

A GO (geometrical optics) model for scattering by irregular terrain is described. GO is limited to propagation paths that do not graze the terrain surface since diffraction or surface waves are neglected: however, it represents a relatively simple approach and can be applied to three-dimensional terrain models. The GO model was tested for scattering from a two-dimensional Gaussian ridge to compare with results published by L.A. Berry (1967), who solved a Volterra integral equation for the field over the surface and then integrated to get the field above the ridge. >
Joint Mobilization vs Massage for Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain: A Pilot Study to Assess Recruitment Strategies and Estimate Outcome Measure Variability

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a trial comparing cervical spine mobilization and massage as adjuncts to usual physical therapy treatments (superficial heat and head and neck posture education) for chronic neck pain. Specific objectives were to assess procedures and recruitment strategies and estimate the variability of the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and visual analog scale (VAS) in a population of subjects with chronic nonspecific neck pain and calculate a sample size for a definitive trial. Methods Subjects with nonspecific chronic neck pain (≥3 months) were randomized to receive either sedative massage or cervical spine joint mobilization in addition to postural education and home exercises. Neck Disability Index (primary outcome) and pain VAS scores were recorded for pretreatment, posttreatment, and change scores within each group to estimate effect size. Recruitment and follow-up success rates were tracked. Results Sixty potential subjects were screened: 34 were eligible and 23 were enrolled. The primary reason for not participating was the unwillingness to commit to the treatment schedule. Twenty subjects completed all (12) treatments. Three subjects discontinued treatment because they become asymptomatic. Pre and post mean NDI and VAS scores for the group receiving joint mobilization were 13.54/5.64 and 40.91/16.54, respectively. Pre and post mean NDI and VAS for the group receiving massage were 12.75/8.08 and 29.42/20.91, respectively. Several problems were encountered, and possible solutions were identified. Recruitment difficulties required alteration of the recruitment strategy. Conclusion A full scale trial is feasible if appropriate changes are made in recruitment strategy including recruiting from a wider referral base, direct recruitment from the community, and/or expanding the study to multiple sites. A clinical trial will require 66 subjects per group to have a power of 80% to detect a 2-point difference in NDI score. This sample size will also provide more than 80% power to detect a 10-point difference in pain (VAS) between groups. Recruitment goals will be 76 per group to allow for dropouts.
Security through obscurity: An approach for protecting Register Transfer Level hardware IP

Modern System-on-Chip (SoC) designs rely heavily on reusable, verified and bug-free hardware Intellectual Property (IP) cores. Recent trends of IP piracy and reverse-engineering are causing major revenue loss to the IP vendors. A large majority of hardware IPs comes in Register Transfer Level (RTL) description due to their portability and flexibility to map to any technology platform. In this paper, we propose a key-based security through obscurity approach for protecting RTL hardware IPs. The RTL design is first transformed into a technology-independent gate-level description and the functionality of the resulting gate-level netlist is then changed through modification of its state transition function. This process allows normal operation only on the successful application of a correct initialization sequence. The modified gate-level design is then decompiled to generate an obfuscated version of the RTL. Major RTL constructs and macros are optionally preserved through the transformation process using a forward annotation file. The proposed methodology differs from existing hardware obfuscation as well as watermarking techniques in its ability to achieve simultaneous functional and semantic obfuscation for RTL description of IP at low design overhead. Simulation results for a set of open-source IP cores show that we can achieve high levels of security through a well-formulated obfuscation scheme incurring nominal area, delay and power overhead.
Sea Surface Temperature and the Maximum Intensity of Atlantic Tropical Cyclones

Abstract An empirical relationship between climatological sea surface temperature (SST) and the maximum intensity of tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic basin is developed from a 31-year sample (1962–1992). This relationship is compared with the theoretical results described by Emanuel. The theoretical results are in agreement with the observations over a wide range of SST, provided that the tropopause temperature is assumed to be a function of SST. Each storm is examined to determine how close the observed intensity comes to the maximum possible intensity (MPI). Results show that only about 20% of Atlantic tropical cyclones reach 80% or more of their MPI at the time when they are the most intense. On average, storms reach about 55% of their MPI. Storms that are farther west and farther north tend to reach a larger fraction of their MPI. Storms are also more likely to reach a larger fraction of their MPI in August–November than in June–July. There is considerable interannual variability in the yearly ...