cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Invasion by Aegilops triuncialis (Barb Goatgrass) Slows Carbon and Nutrient Cycling in a Serpentine Grassland

Invasive plant species alter plant community composition and ecosystem function. In the United States, California native grasslands have been displaced almost completely by invasive annual grasses, with serpentine grasslands being one of the few remaining refugia for California grasslands. This study examined how the invasive annual grass, Aegilops triuncialis, has altered decomposition processes in a serpentine annual grassland. Our objectives were to (1) assess howA. triuncialis alters primary productivity and litter tissue chemistry, (2) determine whether A. triuncialis litter is more recalcitrant to decomposition than native litter, and (3) evaluate whether differences in the soil microbial community in A. triuncialis-invaded and native-dominated areas result in different decomposition rates of invasive and/or native plant litter. In invaded plant patches, A. triuncialis was approximately 50% of the total plant cover, in contrast to native plant patches in which A. triuncialis was not detected and native plants comprised over 90% of the total plant cover. End-of-season aboveground biomass was 2-fold higher in A. triuncialis dominated plots compared to native plots; however, there was no significant difference in belowground biomass. Both above- and below-ground plant litter from A. triuncialis plots had significantly higher lignin:N and C:N ratios and lower total N, P, and K than litter from native plant plots. Aboveground litter from native plots decomposed more rapidly than litter from A. triuncialis plots, although there was no difference in decomposition of belowground tissues. Soil microbial community composition associated with different soil patch types had no effect on decomposition rates. These data suggest that plant invasion impacts decomposition and nutrient cycling through changes in plant community tissue chemistry and biomass production.
On surface area integration and the related mapping

This paper concerns the computation of a surface area given by a parametric representation on an arbitrary domain D. The basic approach is to construct an analytic mapping with nonzero Jacobian from a simply connected domain; say a unit square, to D. Then the integration used to determine the area can be easily performed on the unit square. For computational purposes the mapping is estimated by a standard relaxation method and an algorithm is developed to estimate the desired area by a finite sum. With sufficiently large sums the error of this estimation can be made arbitrarily small.
Sexual Signals of the Male American Goldfinch

Male American goldfinches (Carduelis tristis) exhibit conspicuous yellow plumage, orange bills, and black caps during the breeding season. These secondary sexual characteristics may serve as criteria by which females evaluate males as potential mates because the traits vary among individuals and are likely to be costly. We quantified plumage and bill color and cap characteristics of wild, free-ranging American goldfinches during the breeding season and tested for relationships between those features, body condition and individual genetic diversity in males. Overall, male and female goldfinches were highly sexually dichromatic, with plumage saturation and brightness and bill brightness contributing strongly to the dimorphism. Body condition decreased significantly with Julian date, even over the 2-wk period immediately prior to the onset of nesting during which we collected our color and cap measurements. Principal components describing color of the back and the bill significantly predicted date-corrected body condition based on quadratic regressions, suggesting that there is reliable information in back and bill color that females could use when choosing mates. In a subset of captive males, we found that bill hue faded from orange to yellow within 24 h of capture, suggesting that bill color may reflect short-term changes in health status or carotenoid availability. Individual genetic diversity based on a panel of eight microsatellite loci was correlated with back brightness and perhaps with cap symmetry. Based on the results of this field study, ornamentation of male American goldfinches appears to signal both long- and short-term aspects of phenotypic quality.
War, Reconstruction, and the End of the Old Republic

The sovereignty of the people was ended by the outcome of The War Between the States, so that the real sovereign is now not the people but the nine blackrobed deities in Washington who at will decree what our Constitution means. The Republican Party, even after having won the war, maintained its power only by force and fraud, known as Reconstruction. The war had been fought on the basis that the States could not leave the Union, but were only temporarily under the control of a conspiracy of rebels. Reconstruction was built on an utterly dishonest reversal of ground. The Constitution has never recovered from these lies. The Republican Party, even after having won the war, maintained its power only by force and fraud, known as Reconstruction. Throughout the war and Reconstruction, the Republican Party behaved as a revolutionary party-though sometimes using conservative rhetoric-a Jacobin party, bent on ruling no matter what, on maintaining its own power at any cost.
Biosynthesis of fomannosin. 2H NMR evidence against postulated hydride shifts

Abstract 2H NMR analysis of fomannosin (1) derived from [5,5-2H2]-mevalonate established the presence of deuterium at C-5 and C-10, whereas no isotope was located at C-12.
Performance of a high fill factor, indirect detection prototype flat-panel imager for mammography.

Empirical and theoretical investigations of the performance of a small-area, high-spatial-resolution, active matrix flat-panel imager, operated under mammographic conditions, is reported. The imager is based on an indirect detection array incorporating a continuous photodiode design, as opposed to the discrete photodiode design employed in conventional flat-panel imagers. Continuous photodiodes offer the prospect of higher fill factors, particularly for arrays with pixel pitches below ∼ 100 μ m . The array has a pixel-to-pixel pitch of 75 μ m and a pixel format of 512 × 512 , resulting in an active area of ∼ 3.8 × 3.8 cm 2 . The array was coupled to two commercially available, structured CsI : Tl scintillators of ∼ 150 μ m thickness: one optimized for high light output (FOS-HL) and the other for high spatial resolution (FOS-HR), resulting in a pair of imager configurations. Measurements of sensitivity, modulation transfer function(MTF),noise power spectra (NPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) were performed with a 26 kVp mammography beam at exposures ranging from ∼ 0.5 to ∼ 19 mR . MTF results from both CsI : Tl scintillators show that the array demonstrates good spatial resolution, indicating effective isolation between adjacent pixels. The effect of additive noise of the system on DQE was observed to be significantly higher for the FOS-HR scintillator compared to the FOS-HL scintillator due to lower sensitivity of the former. For the FOS-HL scintillator, DQE performance was generally high at high exposures, limited by the x-ray quantum efficiency, Swank factor and the MTF of the scintillators. For both scintillators, the DQE performance degrades at lower exposures due to the relatively large contribution of additive noise. Theoretical calculations based on a cascaded systems model were found to be in general agreement with the empirically determined NPS and DQE values. Finally, such calculations were used to predict potential DQE performance for hypothetical 50 μ m pixel pitch imagers, employing similar continuous photodiode design and realistic inputs derived from the empirical measurements.
Incorporation and Colonization: Postcolumbian Iroquois Satellite Communities and Processes of Indigenous Autonomy

ABSTRACT Recent anthropological work demonstrates rising concern for understanding group-level autonomy, particularly the maintenance of opposition to expanding states and economic systems. Archaeologists are well poised to contribute to this effort, especially when aided by renewed attention to Eric Wolf's concept of process. Wolf's concept can be applied to indigenous-driven, broad-scale processes of intercommunity connection to help understand the generation and maintenance of autonomy in the face of colonial encroachment. Archaeologically informed reexamination of the relationships between the principal Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) homeland towns and satellite communities during 1600–1775 provides a case study. In many parts of the Iroquois homeland, large towns were surrounded by nearby small satellite villages; Iroquois people also founded communities distant from the homeland, moving into what is now Ontario, Quebec, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Both nearby and distant Iroquois satellites manifested incorporation of outside groups and colonization of new territories—Native-led processes that helped maintain Iroquois autonomy.
Pressure-sensitive paint in aerodynamic testing

Pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) is a relatively new aerodynamic measurement tool with the unique capability of providing a field measurement of pressure over a test surface. An introductory review of this technology is presented, which is confined to the application of the PSP method to aircraft development wind tunnel testing. This is at present the primary application area and thus the focus of research on the use of the method, and is the authors' own area of research. Described are PSP fundamentals, the various elements comprising PSP technology, and current limitations and considerations in applying this technology. Experimental results are presented to illustrate the present capability of the method. The few publications currently available on this subject in the open literature are also referenced.
White coat hypertension in childhood: evidence for end-organ effect.

Objective To evaluate the hypothesis that white coat hypertension (WCH) represents a prehypertensive state by correlating ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) results with BP response to treadmill exercise (TE) and echocardiographic measurement of left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in children with high blood pressure (HBP). Study design We evaluated 119 consecutive children age 6 to 18 years (mean = 13.3 years; 65% male) referred for HBP. Office systolic BP (SBP) exceeded the 95th percentile for age/sex/height in all of the children; 10% also had elevated diastolic BP (DBP). WCH was defined as elevated office SBP ± elevated DBP with normal mean awake ABPM-SBP. ABPM classified 62 subjects as having WCH and 57 as having HBP. Results Office BP did not differ between the 2 groups. As defined, awake ABPM-SBP was lower in the WCH group (males: HBP, 142 ± 12 vs WCH, 124 ± 5; females: HBP, 137 ± 8 vs WCH, 121 ± 5). Awake and asleep DBP and asleep SBP were significantly lower in the WCH group. On TE, maximal SBP exceeded norms for age/sex/body surface area in 63% of the HBP group and 38% of the WCH group. LVMI exceeded the 95th percentile for age/sex in 59% of the males and 90% of the females in the HBP group and in 33% of the males and 36% of the females in the WCH group. Conclusions Exaggerated exercise BP and/or increased LVMI in 62% of those subjects with WCH suggest that this diagnosis in children may represent a prehypertensive state.
Work functions, ionization potentials, and in between: Scaling relations based on the image-charge model

We reexamine a model in which the ionization energy of a metal particle is associated with the work done by the image-charge force in moving the electron from infinity to a small cutoff distance just outside the surface. We show that this model can be compactly, and productively, employed to study the size dependence of electron removal energies over the range encompassing bulk surfaces, finite clusters, and individual atoms. It accounts in a straightforward manner for the empirically known correlation between the atomic ionization potential (IP) and the metal work function (WF), $\mathrm{I}\mathrm{P}/\mathrm{W}\mathrm{F}\ensuremath{\sim}2.$ We formulate simple expressions for the model parameters, requiring only a single property (the atomic polarizability or the nearest-neighbor distance) as input. Without any additional adjustable parameters, the model yields both the IP and WF within $\ensuremath{\sim}10%$ for all metallic elements, simulates the concentration dependence of the WF of regular binary bulk alloys, and matches the size evolution of the IP of finite metal clusters for a large fraction of the experimental data. The parametrization takes advantage of a remarkably constant numerical correlation between the nearest-neighbor distance in a crystal, the cube root of the atomic polarizability, and the image-force cutoff length. The paper also includes an analytical derivation of the relation of the outer radius of a cluster of close-packed spheres to its geometric structure.
Analysis of CCRL proficiency cements 151 and 152 using the Virtual Cement and Concrete Testing Laboratory

To test the ability of the Virtual Cement and Concrete Testing Laboratory (VCCTL) software to predict cement hydration properties, characterization of mineralogy and phase distribution is necessary. Compositional and textural characteristics of Cement and Concrete Reference Laboratory (CCRL) cements 151 and 152 were determined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis followed by computer modeling of hydration properties. The general procedure to evaluate a cement is as follows: (1) two-dimensional SEM backscattered electron and X-ray microanalysis images of the cement are obtained, along with a measured particle size distribution (PSD); (2) based on analysis of these images and the measured PSD, three-dimensional microstructures of various water-to-cement ratios are created and hydrated using VCCTL, and (3) the model predictions for degree of hydration under saturated conditions, heat of hydration (ASTM C186), setting time (ASTM C191), and strength development of mortar cubes (ASTM C109) are compared to experimental measurements either performed at NIST or at the participating CCRL proficiency sample evaluation laboratories. For both cements, generally good agreement is observed between the model predictions and the experimental data.
Correction to “4-homogeneous groups”

9. Hinrichsen, D.: Randintegrale und nukleare Funktionenriiume. Ann. Inst. Fourier 17, 225271 (1967). 10. Ionescu Tulcea, A.: On equicontinuity of harmonic functions in axiomatic potential theory. Illinois J. Math. 11, 529-534 (1967). 11. Loeb, P.A., and ]3. Walsh: The equivalence of Harnack's principle and Harnack's inequality in the axiomatic system of Brelot. Ann. Inst. Fourier 15, 597-600 (1965). 12. Pietsch, A,: Nukleare Funktionenr~ume. Math. Nachr. 33, 377-384 (1967). l 3. Walsh, B.: Maximal linear mappings and smooth selection of measures on Choquet boundaries. Michigan Math. J. 15, 5 1 6 0 (1968). 14. , and P.A. Loeb: Nuclearity in axiomatic potential theory. Bull. Am. Math. Soc. 72, 685689 (1966).
The prevalence of erectile dysfunction in men visiting outpatient clinics

The prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men visiting outpatient clinics was analyzed using data reported by 1352 randomly chosen physicians who were requested to interview five to 20 consecutive patients aged ⩾40 years about the presence of ED. A total of 25.12% of the physicians returned the questionnaires, containing data on 3552 patients, of whom 42.7% had ED, 44.9% had no ED and 12.4% declined to answer the questions. The duration of ED was 2 years in 59.7% of patients. 86.4% of men with ED had ⩾1 chronic disease. ED was present in 70.3% of men with coronary heart disease, 67.8% of those with hypertension, 78% of those with diabetes and 70.5% of patients with psychiatric diseases. 93.2% of patients with ED used one or more drugs chronically. In conclusions, 42.7% of men visiting outpatient clinics had ED. Patients with ED often had one or more chronic diseases and used at least one drug chronically. Older patients are less inclined to talk to their physicians about sexual problems.
Current controversies in ADHD: diagnosis, treatment and comorbid substance abuse

A number of disorders originate early in life and have a lifelong course associated with them. As such, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was really a compelling disorder; it starts early and in some cases seems to get better while in other cases it does not, and continues into adulthood.
Power from salinity gradients

Abstract A large source of energy exists at the interface between water bodies of different salinities. Two techniques, pressure-retarded osmosis and reverse electrodialysis, appear to be promising entrees into this energy source. Although the present cost of membranes suitable to these methods is too high, a research and development effort should make this salinity gradient energy competitive with other energy sources.
Forecasting Summative Evaluation from Formative Evaluation: A Double Cross-Validation Study

An attempt was made to forecast performance on midterm and final examinations from performance on the weekly quizzes which preceded these examinations. Data from 37 students in a Master's level course in nursing research design suggest that, although performance on a weekly quiz is a significant predictor of both midterm and final examination scores, the former prediction appeared to be more effective than the latter. It is possible that by the second half of the semester, students have learned to use the results of weekly quizzes to modify their study habits, and hence to change the forecast. Implications for instruction include teaching students to use the results of formative evaluation early in the semester.
Regulation and function of axon guidance and adhesion molecules during olfactory map formation

The olfactory system presents a practical model for investigating basic mechanisms involved in patterning connections between peripheral sensory neurons and central targets. Our understanding of olfactory map formation was advanced greatly by the discovery of cAMP signaling as an important determinant of glomerular positioning in the olfactory bulb. Additionally, several cell adhesion molecules have been identified recently that are proposed to regulate homotypic interactions among projecting axons. From these studies a model has emerged to partially explain the wiring of axons from widely dispersed neuron populations in the nasal cavity to relatively stereotyped glomerular positions. These advances have revitalized interest in axon guidance molecules in establishing olfactory topography, but also open new questions regarding how these patterns of guidance cues are established and function, and what other pathways, such as glycosylation, might be involved. This review summarizes the current state of this field and the important molecules that impact on cAMP-dependent mechanism in olfactory axon guidance.
Biochemical and histopathological evaluation of functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes in Swiss-Webster mice.

With their unique physicochemical properties, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have many potential new applications in medicine and industry. A biomedical application of single-wall carbon nanotubes such as drug delivery requires a fundamental understanding of their fate and toxicological profile after administration. However, the toxicity of SWCNT is barely known when they are introduced into the blood circulation, which is especially vital for their biomedical applications. The aim of this study was to assess the effects, after intraperitoneal injection, of functionalized SWCNTs (carboxyl groups) on reactive oxygen species (ROS) induction and various hepatotoxicity markers (ALT, AST, ALP, LPO and morphology of liver) in the mouse model. We exposed mice to three different concentrations of functionalized SWCNTs (0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 mg kg−1 b.w.) and two controls (negative and positive). Samples were collected 24 h after the last treatment following standard protocols. Exposure to carboxylated functionalized SWCNT induced ROS and enhanced the activities of serum amino-transferases (ALT/AST) and alkaline phosphatases (ALP) and the concentration of lipid hydroperoxide compared with control. Histopathology of the exposed liver showed a statistically significant effect in the morphological alterations of the tissue compared with controls. The cellular findings reported here do suggest that purified carboxylated functionalized SWCNT has the potential to induce hepatotoxicity in Swiss–Webster mice through activation of the mechanisms of oxidative stress, which is of sufficient significance to warrant in vivo animal exposure studies. However, more studies to clarify the role of functionalization in the in vivo toxicity of SWCNTs are required and parallel comparison is preferred. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differential effects of clozapine and haloperidol on ketamine-induced brain metabolic activation.

Subanesthetic doses of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists such as ketamine and phencyclidine precipitate psychotic symptoms in schizophrenic patients. In addition, these drugs induce a constellation of behavioral effects in healthy individuals that resemble positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. Such findings have led to the hypothesis that decreases in function mediated by NMDA receptors may be a predisposing, or even causative, factor in schizophrenia. The present study examined the effects of the representative atypical (clozapine) and typical (haloperidol) antipsychotic drugs on ketamine- induced increases in [14C]-2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) uptake in the rat brain. As previously demonstrated, administration of subanesthetic doses of ketamine increased 2-DG uptake in specific brain regions, including medial prefrontal cortex, retrosplenial cortex, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, basolateral amygdala, and anterior ventral thalamic nucleus. Pretreatment of rats with 5 or 10 mg/kg clozapine alone produced minimal or no change in 2-DG uptake, yet clozapine completely blocked ketamine-induced changes in 2-DG uptake in all brain regions studied. In striking contrast, a dose of haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg) that produces a substantial cataleptic response, potentiated, rather than blocked, ketamine-induced activation of 2-DG uptake. These results demonstrate, in a model with potential relevance to schizophrenia, a striking neurobiological difference between the actions of prototypical typical and atypical antipsychotic drugs. The dramatic blockade by clozapine of ketamine-induced brain metabolic activation suggests that antagonism of the consequences of reduced NMDA receptor function could contribute to the superior therapeutic effects of this atypical antipsychotic agent. The results also suggest that this model of ketamine-induced alterations in 2-DG uptake may be extremely useful for understanding the complex neural mechanisms of atypical antipsychotic drug action.
The Magnetic Fluid Clutch

A new type of magnetic fluid and several classes of new devices utilizing this fluid have been developed at the National Bureau of Standards. One application of this fluid has been in electromagnetic clutches, but the electro-magnetically controlled mixture offers promise for other uses also.
Long-term retention of deep-bite Class II correction with semirigid fixed functional appliances

Abstract Orthodontic correction of Class II deep over-bite malocclusions is known to be difficult and prone to relapse. Class II correction may be accomplished by various methods; however, long-term retention of treatment results helps in establishing the efficacy and efficiency of a treatment modality. Semirigid fixed functional appliances are routinely used for Class II correction; however, the long-term retention evaluation is generally lacking. This article reports four Class II deep-bite cases treated with a semirigid fixed functional appliance and evaluated for long-term retention, a minimum of 4 years after orthodontic treatment.
A deuteron and proton magnetic resonance relaxation study of β-lactoglobulin A association: Some approaches to the scatchard hydration of globular proteins☆

Abstract A general expression for the concentration-dependent relaxation increment, ( dR dc ) μ , (where R may be R1, the spin-lattice, or R2, the spin-spin relaxation rate of water), has been derived from multicomponent theory for a protein in salt solution. Emphasis is placed on the addition of salt to the aqueous protein to minimize potentially high virial effects due to charge repulsion or to the charge fluctuations predicted by the Kirkwood-Shumaker theory; under conditions where the protein has a high net charge-to-mass ratio the calculation of relaxation increments must employ protein activities in place of concentrations. This treatment was applied to the molecular states of β-lactoglobulin A under associating and nonassociating conditions. In contrast to data in the literature obtained in the absence of salt, where correlation times τc were excessively high and hydration values too low, here values of τc from 2H NMR were in quantitative agreement with those expected from parameters of the known structural states of this protein. With these values, hydrations were obtained by three different ways of calculating the relaxation rate of the bound water from 1H and 2H NMR data. Preferential hydrations, derived from linked functions, for the association of the protein at pH 4.65 were obtained from sedimentation velocity measurements. Combination of the results from the temperature dependence of the deuteron NMR and the linked functions, on the basis of a three-state model, yields slow-tumbling hydration values and correlation times comparable to those obtained from the two-state model. Based on either an isotropic bound-water mechanism or an anisotropic orientational distribution of the water molecules, enthalpies of hydration determined from the three-state model are in accord with those calculated from the two-state model.
Is cortical bone hip? What determines cortical bone properties?

Increased bone turnover may produce a disturbance in bone structure which may result in fracture. In cortical bone, both reduction in turnover and increase in hip bone mineral density (BMD) may be necessary to decrease hip fracture risk and may require relatively greater proportionate changes than for trabecular bone. It should also be noted that increased porosity produces disproportionate reduction in bone strength, and studies have shown that increased cortical porosity and decreased cortical thickness are associated with hip fracture. Continued studies for determining the causes of bone strength and deterioration show distinct promise. Osteocyte viability has been observed to be an indicator of bone strength, with viability as the result of maintaining physiological levels of loading and osteocyte apoptosis as the result of a decrease in loading. Osteocyte apoptosis and decrease are major factors in the bone loss and fracture associated with aging. Both the osteocyte and periosteal cell layer are assuming greater importance in the process of maintaining skeletal integrity as our knowledge of these cells expand, as well being a target for pharmacological agents to reduce fracture especially in cortical bone. The bisphosphonate alendronate has been seen to have a positive effect on cortical bone by allowing customary periosteal growth, while reducing the rate of endocortical bone remodeling and slowing bone loss from the endocortical surface. Risedronate treatment effects were attributed to decrease in bone resorption and thus a decrease in fracture risk. Ibandronate has been seen to increase BMD as the spine and femur as well as a reduced incidence of new vertebral fractures and non vertebral on subset post hoc analysis. And treatment with the anabolic agent PTH(1-34) documented modeling and remodelling of quiescent and active bone surfaces. Receptor activator of nuclear factor κ B ligand (RANKL) plays a key role in bone destruction, and the human monoclonal antibody denosumab binds to RANKL, inhibiting its action and thus improving BMD significantly.
Ultraviolet mutagenesis in repair-deficient derivatives of Escherichia coli B-r: uvrA recB and uvrA recC strains.

Abstract UV mutability of uvr A derivatives of E. coli B/r carrying rec B or rec C mutations was compared with that of otherwise isogenic Rec + strains. The frequency of UV-induced mutations per survivor from Try − to Try + and from Str-s to Str-r, as well as the absolute yields of these mutations, was significantly lower in the rec B and rec C strains thatn in Rec + at the same UV doses. The results support the hypothesis that UV-induced mutations in these strains originate as errors associated with the occurrence of rec A + -dependent post-replication repair of gaps in DNA opposite pyrimidine dimers, and that maximal UV mutability requires participation of the rec B- rec C nuclease in this repair process. The reduced mutability of rec B and rec C strains may reflect a change in the accuracy of post-replication repair, such that fewer errors are made per gap repaired than in Rec + strains. Alternatively, the accuracy of post-replication repair may be unchanged, and the reduced UV mutability may result from the reduced tolerance of rec B and rec C strains for exercised pyrimidine dimers, with consequent selective survival of a fraction of the irradiated poplation containing fewer dimers per cell, compared to the surviving fraction in Rec + at the same UV dose. Data obtained at very low doses of UV indicate that reduced dimer tolerance alone cannot account for the observed reduction in UV mutability of rec B and rec C strains, unless it is assumed that dimer tolerance is not equally reduced in different regions of the genome.
Division rings whose vector spaces are pseudofinite

Vector spaces over fields are pseudofinite, and this remains true for vector spaces over division rings that are finite-dimensional over their center. We also construct a division ring such that the nontrivial vector spaces over it are not pseudofinite, using Richard Thompson's group F. The idea behind the construction comes from a first-order axiomatization of the class of division rings all whose nontrivial vector spaces are pseudofinite.
Laboratory testing of steel fibre reinforced shotcrete

Abstract Uniaxial and triaxial compression tests on steel fibre reinforced shotcrete (SFRS) have been used to quantify the elastic–plastic response behaviour for both the peak and post-peak regions. The laboratory tests were conducted with a servo-controlled testing machine to obtain complete stress–strain curves. The test results include unconfined and triaxial compressive strengths, shear strengths and tensile strengths together with the elastic and plastic mechanical properties of SFRS. A method is also suggested for obtaining the plasticity parameters for non-linear modelling of SFRS.
Louisville behavior check list for males, 6-12 years of age.

12 scales describing the emotional disorders of boys between 6 and 12 are presented. These scales were derived from ratings on the Louisville Behavior Check List (LBCL) by parents of 263 male child...
Ciclosporin use in dry eye disease patients

Background: Dry eye disease is one of the most commonly encountered conditions in eye care, and inflammation is a frequent finding. Ciclosporin has long been used systemically to decrease the deleterious effects of inflammation. Ciclosporin is a calcineurin inhibitor that acts by primarily blocking the action of T cells, decreasing the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and preventing the apoptosis of goblet cells. Objective: This article reviews the clinical trials and safety profile of an ophthalmic preparation of ciclosporin in the treatment of dry eye. Results/conclusion: Clinical trials have demonstrated that ciclosporin minimizes the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease and is not associated with any significant systemic or ocular adverse reaction.
Community opinions in the management of corneal ulcers and ophthalmic antibiotics: a survey of 4 states.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the ophthalmic community's current opinions of the management of bacterial keratitis and usage of the currently available ophthalmic antibiotics. METHODS An anonymous questionnaire was mailed to ophthalmologists in California, Florida, Illinois, and Missouri. The results were tabulated and analyzed statistically. RESULTS Six hundred twenty-nine usable questionnaires (10.3%) were returned. In the management of corneal ulcers, 42.2% of comprehensive ophthalmologists and 75.3% of cornea specialists perform Gram stains some of the time. A total of 73.3% of comprehensive ophthalmologists and 93.7% of cornea specialists perform corneal cultures some of the time. A total of 88.8% of comprehensive ophthalmologists and 76% of cornea specialists initiate treatment with the newer fluoroquinolone antibiotics. A total of 12.1% of comprehensive ophthalmologists and 41% of cornea specialists would select fortified antibiotics for the treatment of corneal ulcers. The percentage of those who feel that fortified antibiotics are superior ranges from 17.7% for comprehensive ophthalmologists to 33.3% for cornea specialists. A total of 65.7% of comprehensive ophthalmologists indicate that the newer fluoroquinolones have impacted their practices, and 58.3% indicate that they represent an improvement over older fluoroquinolones. CONCLUSIONS Most responding ophthalmologists initiate empiric therapy with the newer fluoroquinolone antibiotics for corneal ulcers, forgoing Gram staining and culturing. However, respondents are not universally sanguine about the newer fluoroquinolones. The practice patterns and opinions on antibiotics differ almost universally between comprehensive ophthalmologists and cornea specialists. Larger, more detailed surveys and more specific analyses would help to further establish the factors that lead to differing management choices and opinions.
Effects of chemically active solutions on shearing behavior of a sandstone

Abstract To evaluate the effect of chemical solutions on the frictional properties of a quartz-rich sandstone, triaxial compression tests have been performed on a sandstone saturated with distilled water solutions of NaCl, CaCl2 and Na2SO4 at varying ionic strengths and pH values. The sandstone, although containing 90% quartz, also bears about 7% clay. Results from these tests indicate that the presence of water alone reduces the ultimate strength by 33%. The NaCl solution of low ionic strength (0.2 M) produces similar reductions in strength. The samples saturated with NaCl solutions of intermediate ionic strength (1.0 M) are up to 20% stronger than those samples saturated with distilled water. The samples saturated with solutions of the high ionic strength (5.0 M) display the greatest weakening (41–46%) from the case of the dry specimen; this is a reduction of up to 20% compared to the water-saturated sample. Reductions in ultimate strength due to changes in pH are only apparent for samples saturated with solutions of intermediate ionic strength. Results from the samples saturated with the divalent solutions show strength reductions of up to 52% compared to dry specimens. In addition, the tests demonstrate that the presence of either cations or anions appears to produce an equivalent weakening in the samples. In all cases the samples saturated with the solutions of intermediate ionic strength (1.0 M) display the greatest ultimate strength. Results from fracture tests on intact specimens indicate that the ultimate strength of nominally dry samples is approximately 15% greater than that of samples from all other environments. There is no discernable difference between the strengths of specimens saturated with distilled water and those treated with more chemically active solutions. Scanning electron microscopic observations of the friction surfaces demonstrate that those solutions which produce the weakest mechanical behavior generate either very rough surfaces (high ionic strengths) or significant amounts of gouge (low ionic strengths). The former appear to be the result of solution of quartz, which is enhanced by the clays in the sandstone. These results suggest that the frictional resistance to sliding of the sandstone seems to be primarily controlled by the ionic strength of the pore fluid under most conditions, with secondary control by the pH. The same solution chemistry may weaken a fault zone at low concentrations but strengthen it at higher concentrations. In the former case, fault displacement would be facilitated and strain accumulated reduced. This is believed to be more common in crustal environments.
Melphalan-Induced Supraventricular Tachycardia: Incidence and Risk Factors

Background: Cardiotoxicity of aggressive chemotherapeutic regimens includes cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias. Although cardiomyopathy is a well-recognized entity, arrhythmias are poorly studied. Hypothesis: Certain chemotherapeutic regimes are associated with supraventricular arrhythmias, particularly atrial fibrillation. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data on patients who received hematopoietic stem cell transplant (bone marrow transplant; BMT) from 1998 to 2005 and developed supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) during the same hospital admission. The Fisher χ2 test and the Student t test were used for comparison of categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Results: During the period of 1998–2005, there were 1221 BMTs, 62 (5.1%) of which were complicated by SVT. Melphalan-based regimens demonstrated a significantly higher rate of SVT than any other chemotherapy. Out of 438 patients who received melphalan, 48 (11%) developed atrial fibrillation (n = 35) or SVT (n = 13) during the same hospital admission, and 390 did not. Patients with SVT were older, had higher baseline creatinine, larger size of the left atrium, and more cardiac comorbidities. Incidence of SVT was associated with greater length of stay (24.9 ± 8.9 d vs 19.6 ± 5.8 days, P<0.0001), even after adjustment for comorbidities. Conclusions: Supraventricular tachycardia, mostly atrial fibrillation, complicates about 5% of chemotherapeutic treatments used with BMT. Melphalan is the most arrhythmogenic agent, and is associated with SVT in 11% of patients. Development of SVT results in about a 4-day increase in the length of hospital stay. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
The Good, the Bad, and the Healthy: Impacts of Emotional Disclosure of Trauma on Resilient Self-Concept and Psychological Distress

This study examined the impact of disclosing traumas on resilient self-perceptions and psychological distress. Participants (N = 50) wrote about a traumatic life event or their plans for the next day and completed measures of resilience and distress before disclosing (pretest) and 3 months later (posttest). Results revealed that trauma participants increased in positive self-perceptions (mastery, personal growth, self-acceptance) and decreased in distress (depression, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, somatization) from pretest to posttest. Control participants showed no changes except for autonomy, on which they decreased. Results suggest that in addition to reducing psychological distress, disclosing traumas change self-perception, resulting in a more resilient self-concept.
Mechanics of materials: A materials science perspective

AbstractMechanics of materials subjects in the engineering curricula obviously involve both mechanics and materials concepts, but many such subjects have become overly concentrated on mechanics at the expense of materials. A stronger linkage between the two disciplines could improve both efficiency and student learning. Some examples are provided to illustrate how a better balance might be restored; the examples are based on a recent textbook and subject developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Student evaluations have shown this approach to be well received, although there is room for improvement.
Chromium, chromium isotopes and selected trace elements, western Mojave Desert, USA

Abstract Chromium(VI) concentrations in excess of the California Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 50 μg/L occur naturally in alkaline, oxic ground-water in alluvial aquifers in the western Mojave Desert, southern California. The highest concentrations were measured in aquifers eroded from mafic rock, but Cr(VI) as high as 27 μg/L was measured in aquifers eroded from granitic rock. Chromium(VI) concentrations did not exceed 5 μg/L at pH
Cross-sensitization between phencyclidine and (-) but not (+) pentazocine.

Abstract Repeated administration of psychomotor stimulants such as amphetamine and cocaine, and psychotomimetics such as phencyclidine, produce progressively enhanced behavioral effects, a phenomenon known as behavioral sensitization. Little is known about the effects of repeated treatment with sigma ligands on locomotor activity. The present research determined the psychomotor stimulant effects of the sigma ligand (+)pentazocine and its enantiomer; and investigated whether reciprocal cross-sensitization occurs between them and PCP-induced locomotor activity and ambulation. Adult female Sprague–Dawley rats were used. Total locomotor activity and ambulation were assessed with an automated photoelectric system. Acute (+) or (−)pentazocine given IP produced slight but insignificant locomotor stimulant effects. Repeated administration of (+)pentazocine failed to produce behavioral sensitization. However, four repeated injections of (−)pentazocine or PCP produced behavioral sensitization. (−)Pentazocine sensitized rats showed cross-sensitization to PCP-induced locomotion and ambulation. Furthermore, PCP sensitized rats showed cross-sensitization to (−)pentazocine-induced locomotion and ambulation. These findings suggest that (+) and (−)pentazocine act at different receptor sites. (−)Pentazocine is more similar to PCP in producing locomotor stimulant effects.
A Lifetime of Playing with Enzymes

Abstract I was born and raised in a small town in southeastern Kansas called Hepler. I attended grammar school and high school in Hepler, and the student body of the high school was approximately 100. The United States entered World War II during my sophomore year, and accelerated programs allowed me to skip my senior year, so I enrolled in college in the summer of 1943. I was 16 years old. I also volunteered for the U.S. Air Force cadet training program when I was 16. I enrolled in Valparaiso University in Indiana in the fall of 1943; however, my first year at Valpo was not terribly productive. Although I was enrolled in college, I thought I would be called to serve in the air force at any moment. Thus, I wasn't very interested in classwork. I did get called up in January 1945, did basic training in Biloxi, Miss., and was shipped to Mesa, Ariz., for "on the line training." Soon after I arrived at Mesa Field, the war in Europe ended, and the cadet training program was subsequently canceled. I was transferred to Scott Field near Belleville, Ill., and mustered out of the air force in late November 1945. I returned to Valparaiso University, determined to make good grades, and started thinking about my future.
Writing as devotion : Hagiographical composition and the cult of the saints in Theodoret of Cyrrhus and Cyril of Scythopolis

The period from the fourth through the seventh century witnessed the elaboration of Christian cults of saints with a particular interest in the ascetic labors and miraculous powers of holy men and women. Although much evidence for these cults derives from literary saints' lives, a genre that emerged simultaneously with the cults, scholars have overlooked the role of the hagiographer as devotee. Previous studies have tended to view an author's piety as a barrier to historical inquiry, dismissing miracle accounts (among other hagiographical elements) as pious fictions. Neglect of the religious dimensions of the activity of writing arises in part from the confluence of two trends. First, renewed interest in late antique popular culture highlights the affinities between the religious life of elites and nonelites. Despite the refreshing aspects of this approach, the distinctly literary contributions to the formation of piety have been overlooked. Second, traditional divisions between patristics and social history continue to exclude theology and religious composition from discussions of piety on the assumption that thought and action are separable. Thanks to the work of Catherine Bell and others, students of religion can appreciate that thinking is an activity, something obvious to Christians in late antiquity such as Gregory of Nyssa, for whom contemplation of God was virtuous motion.
Algorithms for Fast Convolutions on Motion Groups

Abstract In this paper we apply techniques from noncommutative harmonic analysis to the development of fast algorithms for the computation of convolution integrals on motion groups. In particular, we focus on the group of rigid-body motions in 3-space, which is denoted here as SE(3). The general theory of irreducible unitary representations (IURs) of the 3D motion group is described briefly. Using IURs in operator form, we write the Fourier transform of functions on the motion group as an integral over the product space SE(3)×S2. The integral form of the Fourier transform matrix elements allows us to apply fast Fourier transform (FFT) methods developed previously for R 3, S2, and SO(3) to speed up considerably the computation of convolutions of functions on SE(3). Such convolutions have been shown to play an important role in a number of engineering disciplines. An algorithm for the fast computation of the Fourier transform is given and its complexity is discussed. The Fourier transform for the 3D “discrete motion group” (semi-direct product of the icosahedral group with the translation group) is also developed and the computational complexity is discussed.
TheKLHLI-antisense transcript (KLHLIAS) is evolutionarily conserved

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 8 (SCA8) is caused by a CTG expansion in an untranslated, endogenous antisense RNA that overlaps theKelch-like I (KLHLI) gene. The normal function of this transcript is currently unknown. We have now identified the promoter region for theKLHL1-antisense (KLHLIAS) RNA and report that aKlhl1as transcript is present in the mouse as well. Human and mouseKlhl1AS are transcribed from homologous promoter regions in the first intron ofKLHLI and extend through the transcription and translation start sites as well as the first splice donor sequence ofKLHL1. We found that the mouseKlhlIas RNA is not spliced and terminates in a polyadenylation site in theKlhlI promoter region, whereas both the present and previous work show that humanKLHLIAS is highly variably spliced into processed transcripts that contain up to six exons. MouseKlhlIas transcript was detected in RNA isolated from the cerebellum and from total adult brain and total fetal tissue, and at a low level in testis and ovary. Similarly, humanKLHL1AS is expressed in various brain tissues, including the cerebellum, the tissue most affected by SCA8, and was detected at low levels in testis and kidney. The evolutionary conservation of this antisense/sense transcriptional organization strongly indicates thatKLHLIAS transcripts play a significant biological role in both human and mouse, presumably as a regulator ofKLHLI expression.