cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Changing Source Capillary Radius on Bulk Flow Parameter Scaling Laws for Hypersonically Expanding Arc-Ablated Polycarbonate Plasma for Fusion and Space Applications

Capillary pulsed electrothermal plasma source coupled to a linear converging–diverging nozzle was previously found to be adequate as a simulator for the supersonic bulk flow patterns of the aerosol particulates generated following a hard disruption event that damages the plasma facing components in a fusion reactor. A similar system can assume an important role in the computational studies related to space electric propulsion and electrostatic ion thrusters. Scaling laws for the prediction of bulk temperature, density, pressure, plasma bulk velocity and Mach number as a function of the axial length traversed measured from the source exit had been proposed previously for an arc-ablated polycarbonate plasma jet evolving into a vacuum chamber via the transition nozzle. In the present work, the source capillary radius has been varied and with the sectional lengths remaining fixed, the converging and diverging angles have also been varied with it, as the diverging exit Mach number was kept constant at a high-hypersonic value ~18. The effect of changing source capillary radius as well as the transition region geometry on the aforesaid bulk flow parameters has been studied computationally and new scaling laws have been proposed.
Point Defects in ZnO

Abstract Zinc oxide (ZnO) has promising properties for a range of optoelectronic applications, including efficient light emission and spintronics. Fundamental knowledge about dopants and defects in ZnO has expanded considerably over the past 15 years. In this chapter, the properties of point defects in this material are reviewed. An emphasis is placed on insights obtained through experimental techniques such as electron paramagnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), and positron annihilation. Substitutional donors and hydrogen donors are shallow, with binding energies ~ 50 meV, and contribute to the prevailing n-type conductivity of ZnO samples. Acceptor dopants, in contrast, are deep. Substitutional nitrogen, for example, has an acceptor binding energy of 1.4–1.5 eV. The oxygen (zinc) vacancy is a deep double donor (acceptor), but the energy level values are not known accurately. While there are intriguing hints of shallow acceptors from PL spectra, p-type doping remains an elusive goal.
Reply to the review of Fairy Tales: A New History

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Ruth B. Bottigheimer Year: 2009 Pages: 128 Publisher: State University of New York Press ISBN: 978-1-4384-2523-8 (hard cover).
Improving the performance of tensor matrix vector multiplication in quantum chemistry codes.

Cumulative reaction probability (CRP) calculations provide a viable computational approach to estimate reaction rate coefficients. However, in order to give meaningful results these calculations should be done in many dimensions (ten to fifteen). This makes CRP codes memory intensive. For this reason, these codes use iterative methods to solve the linear systems, where a good fraction of the execution time is spent on matrix-vector multiplication. In this paper, we discuss the tensor product form of applying the system operator on a vector. This approach shows much better performance and provides huge savings in memory as compared to the explicit sparse representation of the system matrix.
mRNA decay: X (XRN1) marks the spot

Degradation of mRNA is a vital aspect of gene expression. In yeast, Dcp1p, Dcp2p, Lsm1-7p, and Xrn1p are required for mRNA decay and are localized within discrete cytoplasmic foci; in the May 2 issue of Science, Sheth and Parker provide compelling evidence that these foci represent sites for mRNA decay.
Pathophysiology of sodium channelopathies : studies of sodium channel expression by quantitative multiplex fluorescence polymerase chain reaction

The inherited diseases hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and paramyotonia congenita are caused by mutations in the adult skeletal muscle sodium channel gene. To determine if differences in the expression patterns of the adult and cardiac/fetal sodium channel genes could explain some clinical features of these disorders, we developed a novel mRNA quantitation strategy called quantitative multiplex fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (QMF-PCR). This assay tests the relative levels of multiple mRNA species simultaneously using automated sequenators. We show validation of this method by competitive-PCR and RNase protection. Developmental studies of sodium channel mRNAs in humans and mice by QMF-PCR showed that the adult sodium channel mRNA quickly increased, while the cardiac/fetal sodium channel mRNA slowly decreased similarly in both limb and diaphragm muscle. We find that the adult sodium channel gene expression is predominant in fetal and neonatal muscle of both humans and mice: adult isoform mRNA concentration in fetal muscle was 8.4 x 10(-6) micrograms/micrograms of total RNA; cardiac/fetal isoform mRNA was 2.0 x 10(-6) micrograms/micrograms; and actin mRNA was 3.4 x 10(-3) micrograms/micrograms. Our results suggest that differential sodium channel gene expression correlates with age of onset of disease, but not with diaphragm involvement, in patients with hyperkalemic periodic paralysis.
The nature and fate of natural resins in the geosphere. XII. Investigation of C-ring aromatic diterpenoids in Raritan amber by pyrolysis-GC-matrix isolation FTIR-MS

Upper Cretaceous amber from the Raritan Formation (Sayerville, New Jersey) has been investigated by Pyrolysis-GC-MS and Pyrolysis-GC-matrix isolation FTIR-MS. Results establish the existence of two distinct forms of amber in this deposit. Both forms are Class Ib ambers, but they are unambiguously differentiated on the basis of their (intact) diterpenoid composition. The presence of callitrisate in both forms, and cupraene in samples designated form 1, strongly suggest that both derive from related-but-distinct species within the Cupressaceae. In addition to callitrisate, dehydroabietate and analogous 17-nor-, 16,17-dinor- and 15,16,17-trinor- analogues of these compounds are also observed. The distributions of these products in multiple samples suggest that they are the result of biological emplacement, rather than diagenetic modification of the parent compounds. This indicates that the distributions of diterpenes observed in these samples are representative of the original bioterpenoids and, hence, are useful for chemotaxonomic analyses.
Challenges and new directions in computer assisted structure based drug design

Abstract We present a selective overview of the state-of-the-art of computer methods for aiding drug design when a target structure is known.
Undoing the damage of dataset bias

The presence of bias in existing object recognition datasets is now well-known in the computer vision community. While it remains in question whether creating an unbiased dataset is possible given limited resources, in this work we propose a discriminative framework that directly exploits dataset bias during training. In particular, our model learns two sets of weights: (1) bias vectors associated with each individual dataset, and (2) visual world weights that are common to all datasets, which are learned by undoing the associated bias from each dataset. The visual world weights are expected to be our best possible approximation to the object model trained on an unbiased dataset, and thus tend to have good generalization ability. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our model by applying the learned weights to a novel, unseen dataset, and report superior results for both classification and detection tasks compared to a classical SVM that does not account for the presence of bias. Overall, we find that it is beneficial to explicitly account for bias when combining multiple datasets.
High-dose ibuprofen is not associated with increased biomarkers of kidney injury in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Summary High-dose ibuprofen (IBU) may slow the decline of lung function in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), but its use has been limited due to concerns over renal and gastrointestinal toxicity. In this pilot study, we examined the association of IBU with markers of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with CF. The effect of aminoglycoside (AG) exposure on AKI biomarkers was also examined. The AKI markers, kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM), N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (NAG) and urine protein, normalized for creatinine, were chosen as they are more sensitive indicators of kidney injury than changes in serum creatinine. Urine samples from 52 patients, 26 from patients who were treated with IBU, were analyzed. There was no significant association between IBU treatment and KIM-1, NAG or protein levels, compared to patients never treated with IBU. While there was an association between AG courses and KIM-1 levels, there were no differences in biomarker levels between IBU and non-IBU groups with respect to AG courses. These preliminary results suggest that IBU treatment in patients with CF may be safe with respect to renal toxicity. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2014; 49:148–153. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Weight-based heparin protocol using antifactor Xa monitoring

Purpose The performance of a weight-based dosing protocol for unfractionated heparin (UFH) infusions using antifactor Xa monitoring was evaluated. Methods The first 50 patients to receive a UFH infusion per the new protocol for over 24 hours, regardless of indication, were included in the analysis. All patients received a bolus dose of 26 units/kg, followed by an i.v. infusion of 15 units/kg/ hr based on actual body weight, with no maximum dosage. Antifactor Xa levels were measured every 6 hours after infusion initiation and after every rate change until stable, defined as two consecutive results within the target range of 0.3–0.7 unit/mL, and every 24 hours thereafter. If a level was outside of the target range, the infusion rate was adjusted. Primary outcomes measured included the percentage of patients with a target level at the first test (obtained 6 hours after the start of therapy) and within the first 24 hours. The success of the protocol in obese patients versus nonobese patients was also analyzed. Results Of the 50 patients enrolled, 26 (52%) achieved a target antifactor Xa concentration 6 hours after infusion initiation. Only 4 patients did not have an antifactor Xa concentration in the target range within 24 hours. Of the 17 patients weighing more than 100 kg, 16 (94%) had a value within the target range within 24 hours. Conclusion A weight-based UFH dosing nomogram using antifactor Xa monitoring resulted in a high percentage of patients achieving target antifactor Xa values within the first 24 hours of therapy.
Concanavalin A will not assume the sugar binding conformation in the complete absence of metal ions.

Abstract Concanavalin A (Con A) is known to exist in two conformations that differ in their capacity to bind metals and sugars. The conformation that binds metals tightly and has a high affinity for sugars is termed the “locked” form and the conformation with low affinity for sugars and binds metals weakly is termed the “unlocked” form. It has recently been reported [Brown, et al. Biochemistry 21 , 465(1982)] that apo-Con A will form the locked conformation in the absence of metals to the extent of 12.5% when equilibrated at 25°C for one week. In this report we show that Con A will not assume the locked conformation in the complete absence of metals and that only trace amounts of Ca2+ can catalytically convert a significant amount of the protein into the locked conformation.
Declining Antibiotic Prescriptions for Upper Respiratory Infections, 1993-2004

Objectives: To examine antibiotic prescribing trends for U.S. emergency department (ED) visits with upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) between 1993 and 2004. Methods: Data were compiled from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). URI visits were identified by using ICD-9-CM code 465.9, whereas antibiotics were identified using the National Drug Code Directory class Antimicrobials. A multivariate logistic regression model revealed sociodemographic and geographic factors that were independently associated with receipt of an antibiotic prescription for URIs. Results: There were approximately 23.4 million ED visits diagnosed as URIs between 1993 and 2004. Although the proportion of URI diagnoses remained relatively stable (p trend = 0.26), a significant decrease in provision of antibiotic prescriptions for URIs occurred during this 12-year period, from a maximum of 55% in 1993, to a minimum of 35% in 2004. Patients who were prescribed antibiotics were more likely to be white than African American and to have been treated in EDs located in the southern United States. Conclusions: Antibiotic prescribing for URIs continues to decrease, a favorable trend that suggests that national efforts to reduce inappropriate antibiotic usage are having some success. Nevertheless, the frequency of antibiotic treatment for URI in the ED remains high (35%). Future efforts to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing may focus on patients and physicians in southern U.S. EDs. Additional work is needed to address continued evidence of race-related disparities in care.
Nitrogen transfer from arrowleaf clover to ryegrass in field plantings

Arrowleaf clover (Trifolium vesiculosum Savi) and annual ryegrass Lolium multiflorum Lam.) commonly are overseeded in dormant bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers.) sod on coastal plain soils in the southeastern United States. Two field experiments were conducted in consecutive years at different sites to estimate the amount of N transferred from the clover to the annual grass. Nitrogen treatments included 50 kg N ha-1 as 15N depleted ammonium nitrate applied in either February or April, and a check (no N applied). Three clippings were made during the cool-season from March to June. In both experiments, less than 5 kg N ha-1 were transferred from the clover to the grass. Ryegrass yields of dry matter and total N were not increased by growing with clover. Clover growth was typical for the region; average dry matter yield in pure stand was 2,615 kg ha-1 over the two-year period. Clover in mixed stand fixed between 20 and 60 kg N/ha. Less than 13% of N contained in ryegrass was transferred from arrowleaf clover to ryegrass at any clipping while clover was actively growing. The quantity of N transferred over the entire season was not statistically significant.
Game-theoretic design of an information exchange model for detecting packed malware

Packing, a method used by the ‘good guys’ to protect their software from reverse engineering, is also used by the ‘bad guys’ to hide malicious code from being detected by anti-virus (AV) scanners. The AV industry is developing a mechanism to blacklist the software vendors that pack malicious applications, instead of the current practice of blacklisting the packers that are used for packing malicious applications. This will require packer developers to introduce ‘taggants’ in the packed executable and share taggant information in an industry wide information exchange. The idea is similar to the effort of requiring special chemicals to aid in the detection and identification of explosives. In the software context, it is expected that a packer vendor will introduce some secure watermark or signature that can identify the author of a packed binary, and hence help with the detection of malware. For a packer vendor to take on the extra work, which may cost him some customers, the AV industry may need to provide some incentive. However, since a packer vendor is an independent company, likely residing in a different legal jurisdiction, the AV industry cannot verify whether the packer vendor is indeed abiding by the terms of the incentive, and not selling a non-taggant version to malware authors through another channel. We use a game-theoretic modeling approach called the “principal-agent problem” to model the interaction between the AV industry and a packer vendor and give a method of computing the optimal incentive for packer vendors to tag and abide by the terms of the incentive.
Purification and properties of acid phosphatase from cultured tobacco cells

Abstract One component of acid phosphatase was purified from cultured tobacco cells. The purified enzyme was homogeneous on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with or without sodium dodecyl sulfate. The enzyme possesses high activity toward nucleoside di- and triphosphate, much less activity toward nucleoside monophosphates and sugar esters. The MWs of the phosphatase determined by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis were 74000 and 76000, respectively. The phosphatase showed high affinity for concanavalin A-Sepharose and single superimposed bands of protein and carbohydrate on gel electrophoresis, suggesting that it is a glycoprotein.
Ralstonia solanacearum – a plant pathogen in touch with its host

Research on R. solanacearum should continue to be at the forefront of efforts to understand the mechanisms by which plant pathogenic bacteria interact with their hosts. In particular, what we learn about type III secretion systems in this and other plant pathogens can contribute substantially to our overall knowledge of bacterial pathogenesis. Some of the outstanding unanswered questions include: do other plant pathogenic bacteria regulate gene expression by contact with plant cell walls and, if so, do they use a system similar to the PrhA signal transduction pathway? What is the mechanism by which R. solanacearum adheres to plant cells and how important is this to subsequent signal recognition by PrhA? What is the chemical identity of the plant cell wall signal recognized by R. solanacearum PrhA, and might this compound be released from plant cell walls by bacterial activity? And last, but not least, how do the regulatory responses observed in culture (with or without cultured plant cells) compare with those occurring in planta and exactly how do they contribute to the ability of R. solanacearum to be such an accomplished pathogen?
Calculation of autoionization of He and H/-/ using the projection-operator formalism

Improved calculations are reported for the first several autoionization states of the lower symmetries of He and H(-). Unshifted energies are calculated by diagonalizing QHQ using a Hylleraes basis with more terms than previously used; shifts, widths, and photoabsorption shape parameters are obtained with the additional use of exchange-approximate nonresonant continuum functions. Previous calculations of H(-) resonances are reviewed and slightly augmented by applying various nonresonant continua and correcting small errors. A comparison is made between the calculations and experimental results and is found to be very satisfactory except for the lowest 1P autoionization state of He, which is shown to need a more accurate experimental determination.
Molecular simulations of osmosis and reverse osmosis in aqueous electrolyte solutions

This note reports molecular computer simulation studies, using a method developed by Murad et al. (1996, 1993) to study osmosis and reverse osmosis in aqueous electrolyte solution using a semi-permeable membrane
Discount rates and sustainable development

Abstract This paper explores the relationship between discounting procedures and sustainable development in environmental economics. Sustainability criteria ensure that future generations enjoy a set of life opportunities that is undiminished relative to those of the present. Cost-benefit analysis may be used to detect potential improvements in economic efficiency, which make at least some members of society better off while leaving none worse off, if discount rates are equated with market rates of interest. Cost-benefit analysis and sustainability criteria are premised on value judgements that are complementary, not mutually exclusive, in the general framework of welfare economics. The paper outlines an integrated approach to long-term natural resource and environmental management that exploits the strengths of both sets of criteria.
Radical directions in Parkinson's disease.

Transplantation of fetal mesencephalic tissue into patients suffering from Parkinson's disease has had mixed clinical results. Perhaps antioxidant therapy can increase the odds of success (pages 226–231).
Screening Corn Hybrids for Cold Tolerance using Morphological Traits for Early-Season Seeding

Early planting of corn ( Zea mays L.) is a strat - egy to avoid excessive heat and drought that often negatively influence grain production dur - ing its reproductive phase. An experiment was conducted by imposing very low (day/night, 21/13°C), low (25/17°C), and optimum (29/21°C) temperatures during seed germination and seedling growth stages under optimum mois - ture and nutrient conditions. Above- and below - ground growth parameters were assessed at 18 d after seeding. Several root morphological traits were assessed using the Win rHIZo root image analysis system. Corn hybrids varied sig nificantly for many traits measured, particularly plant component weights and root morphologi - cal parameters. p rincipal component analysis (pCA) and total low-temperature response index (TLTrI) methods were used to categorize corn hybrid tolerance to low temperature and to group corn hybrids as cold tolerant, moder - ately cold tolerant, moderately cold sensitive, and cold sensitive. Total leaf and root weights and cumulative root length and length per unit volume were the most important morphologi - cal traits in describing hybrid tolerance to cold temperature. Based on the TLTrI method, relative scores were provided for each hybrid, which ranged from 22.45 to 29.52 among the hybrids. The hybrids C8410VT3p, D57Vp51, and r22BHr43 were classified as cold sensitive and Ar1262, DKC6697, DKC6804, and M2V707 as cold tolerant based on p CA and TLTrI tech- niques. Based on the relative scores assigned in this study, corn producers could select hybrids to maximize corn production in an early planting production system.
Medicaid service use and program costs for pregnant teens

Teen pregnancy is an important public health issue for all teens, but particularly for low-income teens who rely on the public health safety net for services. Medicaid pays for more than two-thirds of deliveries among teenagers in the USA. To discern how this public program serves pregnant teens (aged 11–19 years), the authors used Medicaid enrollment and claims data for Florida, Georgia and New Jersey in 1995 to examine teens' enrollment duration, service use and average payments relative to 20–24-year-olds on Medicaid. Teens were more likely than the older women to have been enrolled in Medicaid before pregnancy and to have maintained coverage through the third month following delivery. If not enrolled prepregnancy, teens were more likely than older women to enroll later in pregnancy. Teens were less likely to receive early prenatal care and more likely to be hospitalized during pregnancy, usually for preterm labor. While total Medicaid payments for routine prenatal and delivery-related care were equiva...
Tree counting polynomials for labelled graphs part I: Properties

Abstract The properties of special pairs of tree counting polynomials that relate to a class of incomplete graphs and their complements are presented. These polynomial pairs are related by the previously defined binary complementing operation.In contrast with alternative graph representations, they offer the possibility of serving as a convenient signature for the specific configurations. In Part II, a new constructive procedure is presented for deriving these polynomials. It is shown that the new algorithmic approach facilities obtaining the polynomials for cases not readily obtained by use of generic factors of the basic subgraphs.
A new interferometer suitable for the vacuum ultraviolet

We describe an interferometer suitable for the vacuum uv region of the spectrum. The device uses grazing incidence reflections between two plane parallel mirrors to obtain a set of coherent beams which interfere in the exit plane of the interferometer. The theory presented shows the shapes of the fringes which under certain conditions have a higher finesse than Fabry-Perot fringes.
Reliability Design Method for Interference Joint in Mechanical Engineering

The plastic deformation as a main form of failure of Interference Joints may happen in engineering works if it is designed unreasonably. In this paper, the contact stress and the strength of Interference Joint parts were analyzed deeply. Based on the theory of the reliability design, the general formulas and the method of the reliability design and computation for Interference Joint were established in consideration of joint structure, machining precision, interference value, mechanical properties of the joint parts and their randomicity. The practical design method, which would promote the reliability of Interference Joint effectively, was proposed for larger size and some other important Interference Joints. Compared to the conventional design method, the working reliability of Interference Joints can be improved obviously by means of the reliability design method.
The Heat Capacity of Rochelle Salt Between -30° and +30°C

The heat capacity of Rochelle salt has been measured in the temperature range -30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to +30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C by the method of adiabatic electric heating. Two samples of the salt have been investigated, one consisting of eleven single crystals of total weight about 123 grams, the other of small crystals, almost a powder, of total weight about 58 grams. The heat capacities of the two samples are nearly the same. They are well represented (mean deviation of individual points 0.3 percent) by the straight lines: ${C}_{p}=1.290+0.0031t (\mathrm{crystals})$ ${C}_{p}=1.289+0.0034t (\mathrm{powder}).$ The heat capacity is in joule/g.\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C; $t$ is in \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. There are indications of anomalies at approximately -18\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and possibly +24\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, but the maximum departure from the straight lines is less than 1 percent. The direction of the indicated anomalies and their order of magnitude is in agreement with theory. The small amplitude of the anomaly at +24\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} is not in agreement with the measurements of previous observers.
The diosphenol Claisen rearrangement

Abstract Thermal rearrangement of diosphenol allyl ethers provides a method for attachment of an allyl group to hindered carbon centers.
Preparation of 32P-labeled inositides and their degradation by soluble kidney enzymes.

A method is described for the preparation of radioactive inositol lipids for studies of their enzymic degradation. Kidney cytosol fractions have been used to produce diesteratic cleavage. High voltage electrophoresis at pH 4.3 is used to separate D-myoinositol 1 : 2-cyclic phosphate and D-myoinositol 1-phosphate from hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol. Radioactivity co-migrating with myoinositol diphosphate and triphosphate is separated by electrophoresis at pH 1.5 following enzymatic hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol phosphate and phosphatidylinositol diphosphate. Relative activities for hydrolysis of the various inositides suggest the presence of more than one phosphodiesterase.
A polygon-based methodology for mining related spatial datasets

Polygons can serve an important role in the analysis of geo-referenced data as they provide a natural representation for particular types of spatial objects and in that they can be used as models for spatial clusters. This paper claims that polygon analysis is particularly useful for mining related, spatial datasets. A novel methodology for clustering polygons that have been extracted from different spatial datasets is proposed which consists of a meta clustering module that clusters polygons and a summary generation module that creates a final clustering from a polygonal meta clustering based on user preferences. Moreover, a density-based polygon clustering algorithm is introduced. Our methodology is evaluated in a real-world case study involving ozone pollution in Texas; it was able to reveal interesting relationships between different ozone hotspots and interesting associations between ozone hotspots and other meteorological variables.
Theory of ionic transport in crystallographic tunnels

Abstract A model has been developed for the treatment of the motion of ions through crystallographic tunnels, as are found in materials that are interesting solid electrolytes. Consideration of both point charge and higher order attractive terms as well as overlap repulsion effects allows the calculation of the minimum energy positions of mobile ions and the activation energy barrier that they must surmount to move through the tunnel in the lattice. Calculations have been made for ions of different sizes in the AgI lattice which show that there is a set of minimum energy paths which do not follow the centerline of the tunnel, but deviate, periodically, with both direction and magnitude depending upon the cationic size. Also, in accordance with experimental observations, the activation energy for motion is smallest for cations of intermediate size, where the Coulombic, polarization, and repulsive contributions to the total energy are best balanced.
Use of cerebrospinal fluid shunts in patients having acquired immunodeficiency syndrome with cryptococcal meningitis and uncontrollable intracranial hypertension.

Objective To evaluate the treatment of serious and uncontrollable intracranial hypertension in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who developed cryptococcal meningitis. Methods All cases of cryptococcal meningitis with elevated pressure and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome were reviewed in detail and described. Results Cerebrospinal fluid shunting dramatically improved these critically ill patients and was much more successful than serial lumbar punctures or the use of high-dose dexamethasone. Conclusion Patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who develop cryptococcal meningitis and who suffer serious visual loss or ocular palsies with elevated pressures should be considered for cerebrospinal fluid shunting at an early stage.
Cognitive Complexity as a Function of Speaker Role for Adult Persons Who Stutter

Fransella (1972) was the first to suggest that a personal construct psychology approach to therapy with persons who stutter may be useful. She implicated reduced meaningfulness of the fluent speaker role as a primary maintenance factor of stuttering, even following initially successful behavioral treatment of the problem. Limited research has been performed, however, to confirm Fransella's hypothesis. This study investigated the “meaningfulness” of stutterer and fluent speaker roles for 29 persons who stutter through a text-based measure of the complexity of their construct systems associated with each role. As hypothesized, results indicated that persons who stuttered have a less differentiated or cognitively complex system of constructs for construing themselves in a fluent as opposed to stutterer role. These results support Fransella's hypothesis and suggest that constructivist interventions for enhancing the complexity of the construct systems of persons who stutter with respect to their fluent speake...
Environmental enrichment of New Zealand White rabbits living in laboratory cages

The primary goal of environmental enrichment should be the avoidance of abnormal behaviors in laboratory animals such as rodents, lagomorphs, dogs, cats, and nonhuman primates. A total of 13 male single-housed New Zealand White rabbits were offered 3 different toys, and the time spent chewing on the toys instead of on the cage was evaluated. Each rabbit was offered each of the toys for 2 separate 1-week periods. Each rabbit was monitored for 15 minutes 4 times a week for a total of total 1 hour per week. Observations included, 1-hour of baseline data before the toys were offered, for a total of 2 and 2 hours of observation per rabbit per toy. Having a toy available had a significant effect on the behavior of New Zealand White rabbits. Rabbits with toys spent significantly more time chewing than the rabbits without toys. They did not develop a preference between the offered toys and did not show stereotypies. This study highlights the importance of environmental enrichment to improve the welfare of laboratory animals.
In vivo transcripts of the S-layer-encoding structural gene of the archaeon Methanococcus voltae.

Abstract The 5′ region of the S-layer-encoding structural gene (sla) of Methanococcus voltae was sequenced. The sequence information was then used to identify the in vivo transcription products of the gene. We observed three transcripts, and upstream from each transcription start point was a region with similarity to the Box A consensus sequence observed in archaeal promoters. In two of the three cases, two Box A sequences were present in tandem. This arrangement may play a role in the high level of gene expression expected for the sla gene. Presumptive archaeal Box B signatures were also identified.
Real-Time Refinement of Kinect Depth Maps using Multi-Resolution Anisotropic Diffusion

In this paper, we present a novel real-time algorithm to refine depth maps generated by low-cost commercial depth sensors like the Microsoft Kinect. The Kinect sensor falls under the category of RGB-D sensors that can generate a high resolution depth map and color image of a scene. They are relatively inexpensive and are commercially available off-the-shelf. However, owing to their low complexity, there are several artifacts that one encounters in the depth map like holes, mis-alignment between the depth map and color image and lack of sharp object boundaries in the depth map. This is a potential problem in applications that require the color image to be projected in 3-D using the depth map. Such applications depend heavily on the depth map and thus the quality of the depth map is of vital importance. In this paper, a novel multi-resolution anisotropic diffusion based algorithm is presented that accepts a Kinect generated depth map and color image and computes a dense depth map in which the holes have been filled and the edges of the objects are sharpened and aligned with the objects in the color image. The proposed algorithm also ensures that regions in the depth map where the depth is properly estimated are not filtered and ensures that the depth values in the final depth map are the same values that existed in the original depth map. Experimental results are provided to demonstrate the improvement in the quality of the depth map and also execution time results are provided to prove that the proposed method can be executed in real-time.
Reducing substance use risk and mental health problems among sexually assaulted adolescents: A pilot randomized controlled trial

The current study reports results from a pilot randomized controlled trial evaluating the feasibility and efficacy of Risk Reduction through Family Therapy (RRFT) for reducing substance use risk and trauma-related mental health problems among sexually assaulted adolescents. Thirty adolescents (aged 13-17 years; M = 14.80; SD = 1.51) who had experienced at least one sexual assault and their caregivers were randomized to RRFT or treatment as usual (TAU) conditions. Participants completed measures of substance use, substance use risk factors (e.g., family functioning), mental health problems (i.e., posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and general internalizing/externalizing symptoms) and risky sexual behavior at four time points (baseline, posttreatment, and 3- and 6-month follow-up). Mixed-effects regression models yielded significantly greater reductions in substance use, specific substance use risk factors, and (parent-reported) PTSD, depression, and general internalizing symptoms among youth in the RRFT condition relative to youth in the TAU condition. However, significant baseline differences in functioning between the two conditions warrant caution in interpreting between-groups findings. Instead, emphasis is placed on replication of feasibility findings and within-group improvements over time among the RRFT youth.
Recovery and evaluation of aroma development in apple peels

Aroma in Delicious apple peels was generated by conditioning peels at ambient temperature (19–23°c) for 24 h. The conditioned peels were processed, and the developed aroma was recovered in a pilot-scale apparatus. The recovered aroma was evaluated for intensity and quality against standard apple essences derived from whole apples and unconditioned or no-delay peels. The strength or ‘flavouring capacity’ of the concentrated aroma solution was estimated by threshold analysis and by a matching standard procedure at single-strength juice equivalence. The aroma recovered from conditioned peels was 2–7 times stronger than that from similar no-delay peels. Quality of the aroma solution from conditioned peels was statistically (P > 0.05), indistinguishable from standard aroma solutions prepared from whole apples or no-delay peels. Thus, the conditioned peels gave aroma solutions with 2–7 times more ‘flavouring capacity’ than no-delay peels, without significant sacrifice in quality.
GIS-based NEXRAD Stage III precipitation database: automated approaches for data processing and visualization

This study develops a geographical information system (GIS) approach for automated processing of the Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) Stage III precipitation data. The automated processing system, implemented by using commercial GIS and a number of Perl scripts and C/C++ programs, allows for rapid data display, requires less storage capacity, and provides the analytical and data visualization tools inherent in GIS as compared to traditional methods. In this paper, we illustrate the development of automatic techniques to preprocess raw NEXRAD Stage III data, transform the data to a GIS format, select regions of interest, and retrieve statistical rainfall analysis over user-defined spatial and temporal scales. Computational expense is reduced significantly using the GIS-based automated techniques. For example, 1-year Stage III data processing (~9000 files) for the West Gulf River Forecast Center takes about 3 days of computation time instead of months of manual work. To illustrate the radar precipitation database and its visualization capabilities, we present three application examples: (1) GIS-based data visualization and integration, and ArcIMS-based web visualization and publication system, (2) a spatial-temporal analysis of monsoon rainfall patterns over the Rio Grande River Basin, and (3) the potential of GIS-based radar data for distributed watershed models. We conclude by discussing the potential applications of automated techniques for radar rainfall processing and its integration with GIS-based hydrologic information systems.
Inverse Estimation of Time-varied Heat Flux and Temperature on 2-D GunBarrel using Input Estimation Method with Finite-element Scheme

When a gun fires, a large amount of heat flux is triggered by the propellant gas acting onthe gun barrel inner wall, leading to the rise of temperature, which will cause serious destruction.In this paper, an inverse method based on the input-estimation method including the finiteinverse heat conduction problem (IHCP) element scheme to inverse estimate the unknown heatflux on the 2-D gun barrel has been presented. The use of the online accuracy to inverselyestimate the unknown heat flux on the chamber has been made using 7.62 mm gun barrel outerwall temperature measurement data. Using simulation uniform and non-uniform heat flux q(z,t)cases involves a gun barrel inner wall that varies with time t and the axial z-location with convectionsituation in the outer surface. Computational results show that the proposed method exhibitsa good estimation performance and highly facilitates practical implementation.Defence Science Journal, 2008, 58(1), pp.57-76, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.58.1623
High levels of reactive oxygen metabolites in colon cancer tissue: analysis by chemiluminescence probe.

Abstract Reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) have been postulated to contribute to the development of various carcinomas, including colon cancer. Indeed, the effects of ROM scavengers are being tested for chemoprevention of adenocarcinoma of the colon. However, there has been no evidence to indicate that high levels of ROM are indeed present in cancerous tissue. In this study, we used a chemiluminescence probe to estimate ROM levels in cancerous and neighboring noncancerous colonic tissues from seven patients with colon cancer. Cancerous tissues contained significantly (p < 0.05) more luminol‐enhanced chemiluminescence (4,808 ± 2,282 counts/min/mg protein) than neighboring noncancerous tissues (2,175 ± 1,111). The addition of an ROM scavenger, catalase (2, 4, and 8 μg/ml), to the tissue suspension inhibited chemiluminescence produced by both noncancerous (—74%, —85%, and —71%) and cancerous (—11%, —61%, and — 53 %) tissues. This study shows that colonic cancerous tissue contains high levels of ROM, which ma...
Parameters that effect spine biomechanics following cervical disc replacement

Total disc replacement (TDR) is expected to provide a more physiologic alternative to fusion. However, long-term clinical data proving the efficacy of the implants is lacking. Limited clinical data suggest somewhat of a disagreement between the in vitro biomechanical studies and in vivo assessments. This conceptual paper presents the potential biomechanical challenges affecting the TDR that should be addressed with a hope to improve the clinical outcomes and our understanding of the devices. Appropriate literature and our own research findings comparing the biomechanics of different disc designs are presented to highlight the need for additional investigations. The biomechanical effects of various surgical procedures are analyzed, reiterating the importance of parameters like preserving uncinate processes, disc placement and its orientation within the cervical spine. Moreover, the need for a 360° dynamic system for disc recipients who may experience whiplash injuries is explored. Probabilistic studies as performed already in the lumbar spine may explore high risk combinations of different parameters and explain the differences between “standard” biomechanical investigations and clinical studies. Development of a patient specific optimized finite element model that takes muscle forces into consideration may help resolve the discrepancies between biomechanics of TDR and the clinical studies. Factors affecting long-term performance such as bone remodeling, subsidence, and wear are elaborated. In vivo assessment of segmental spine motion has been, and continues to be, a challenge. In general, clinical studies while reporting the data have placed lesser emphasis on kinematics following intervertebral disc replacements. Evaluation of in vivo kinematics following TDR to analyze the quality and quantity of motion using stereoradiogrammetric technique may be needed.
The Distribution and Biochemical Properties of a Cdc2‐Related Kinase, KKIALRE, in Normal and Alzheimer Brains

The biochemical properties and distribution of a Cdc2-related kinase, KKIALRE, were studied in brain tissues and cultured cells with antibodies to a subregion of KKIALRE protein deduced from cDNA. In adult human brain, the KKIALRE-immunoreactive protein consisted of four or five isoforms having a molecular size of 40-52 kDa, whereas in fetal brain, there was one protein of approximately 48 kDa. Cultured astrocytes, neuroblastoma cells, and mouse brains contained the fetal form of KKIALRE protein. KKIALRE-immunoreactive proteins were capable of phosphorylating histone and synthetic peptides with the X-Ser-Pro-X motif, indicating that these proteins belong to the proline-directed Ser/Thr protein kinase family. The KKIALRE immunoreactivity was detected primarily in fibrous astrocytes in white matter and perivascular and subpial spaces, as well as in Bergmann glia in the cerebellum. In fetal brains radial glia were weakly immunoreactive. Reactive astrocytes were more intensely labeled than other glia. Neurons in normal brains and brains with Alzheimer's disease (AD) displayed no KKIALRE immunoreactivity. KKIALRE immunoreactivity was similar in neurons with and without neurofibrillary tangles. The results indicate that in CNS, the KKIALRE protein is mainly a glial protein that is up-regulated in gliosis and that it probably plays no role in the hyperphosphorylation of tau in AD brains.
Guidelines for marketing in Iran

Abstract The recent history of Iran has seen the fall of a monarch, a cultural revolution, and the establishment of an Islamic State. The country has made tremendous strides in the standard of living in spite of an extended, bloody war. These changes have created marketing opportunities for importers.
Multi-mode Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth experiments in pulsed power liners

Summary form only given. The presence of Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instabilities limit the achievable controlled compression of fusion fuel in pulsed power inertial confinement fusion concepts such as MagLIF [1]. It is therefore essential to not only mitigate the growth of MRT instabilities to the extent possible, but also validate simulation tools used to evaluate and assess MRT instability growth in these types of targets. Previously, we have shown single mode MRT experiments in solid Al liners that have proven extremely fruitful in benchmarking instability growth in several simulation codes [2]. It is also important to test our understanding and validate simulation predictions of multimode MRT growth. Computational studies of multimode perturbations have been done in the past with wire array z-pinch implosions [3]. However, heretofore no experiment has been performed to quantitatively study either linear or nonlinear multimode MRT instability growth in a controlled manner. In this paper, we discuss new simulations and experiments designed specifically to investigate multimode MRT instability growth. These experiments utilize x-ray radiography to measure the growth of two superimposed sinusoidal perturbations (400 gm and 550 gm in wavelength with peak to valley amplitudes of 20 gm) imposed on solid Al liners 292 gm thick with an initial outer radii of 3.16 mm. These experiments are also designed to evaluate MRT growth in the quasi-linear and nonlinear regimes. As such, we will also discuss effects such as the generation of higher order mode harmonics, mode saturation, and mode coupling.
Parapatry and niche complementarity of Peruvian Desert geckos (Phyllodactylus): the ambiguous role of competition.

The Sechura Desert of Peru is among the most arid, barren regions of South America. Four species of nocturnal geckos (Phyllodactylus) are parapatric in part of the desert. By comparing niche associations of these species in allopatry and parapatry, I attempt to determine whether the observed parapatric distributions and niche dimension complementarity are related to competition — as is frequently assumed. While parapatry suggests a role for competition, distributional patterns can alternatively be related to adaptations of geckos to different physical environments (sandy desert and rocky foothill) that abut in the study area. Niche complementarity might also be a result of competition, but potentially contradictory evidence suggests that niche complementarity might instead be the result of adaptations developed in allopatry and having no relationship to competition. The ambiguity of these interpretations sets limits on the significance of this kind of evidence: in the absence of attempts to falsify alternative explanations, observations of parapatry or of niche dimension complementarity do not demonstrate conclusively the impact of competition as a force structuring communities.