cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
β-Lactoglobulin Assembles into Amyloid through Sequential Aggregated Intermediates

Abstract We have investigated the aggregation and amyloid fibril formation of bovine β-lactoglobulin variant A, with a focus on the early stages of aggregation. We used noncovalent labeling with thioflavin T and 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate to follow the conformational changes occurring in β-lactoglobulin during aggregation using time resolved luminescence. 1-Anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate monitored the involvement of the hydrophobic core/calyx of β-lactoglobulin in the aggregation process. Thioflavin T luminescence monitored the formation of amyloid. The luminescence lifetime distributions of both probes showed changes that could be attributed to conformational changes occurring during and following aggregation. To correlate the luminescence measurements with the degree of aggregation and the morphology of the aggregates, we also measured dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy images. We evaluated the relative stability of the intermediates with an assay that is sensitive to aggregation reversibility. Our results suggest that initial aggregation during the first 5 days occurred with partial disruption of the characteristic calyx in β-lactoglobulin. As the globular aggregates grew from days 5 to 16, the calyx was completely disrupted and the globular aggregates became more stable. After this second phase of aggregation, conversion into a fibrillar form occurred, marking the growth phase, and still more changes in the luminescence signals were observed. Based on these observations, we propose a three-step process by which monomer is converted first into weakly associated aggregates, which rearrange into stable aggregates, which eventually convert into protofibrils that elongate in the growth phase.
Global and regional seasonal variability of mid-tropospheric CO2 as measured by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS)

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) is a hyperspectral infrared instrument on the Earth Observing System (EOS) Aqua Spacecraft, launched on May 4, 2002 into a near polar sun-synchronous orbit. AIRS has 2378 infrared channels ranging from 3.7 ?m to 15.4 ?m and a 13.5 km footprint at nadir. AIRS, in conjunction with the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU), produces temperature profiles with 1K/km accuracy on a global scale, as well as water vapor profiles and trace gas amounts for CO2, CO, SO2, O3 and CH4. AIRS CO2 climatologies have been shown to be useful for identifying anomalies associated with geophysical events such as El Nino-Southern Oscillation or Madden-Julian oscillation. In this study, monthly representations of mid-tropospheric CO2 are constructed from 10 years of AIRS Version 5 monthly Level 3 data. We compare the AIRS mid-tropospheric CO2 representations to ground-based measurements from the Scripps and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Modeling and Diagnostics Laboratory (NOAA CMDL) ground networks to better understand the phase lag of the CO2 seasonal cycle between the surface and middle troposphere. Results show only a small phase lag in the tropics that grows to approximately two months in the northern latitudes.
Definitive quantification of the smoking effect on birthweight

As shown in 45,522 liveborn singletons, the decrease in birthweight associated with maternal smoking during pregnancy may be stated as 5.4 gm/cigarette/day in whites and 2.3 gm/cigarette/day in blacks. If confounding variables such as maternal weight and pregnancy weight gains are factored out, the apparent effects of cigarette smoking alone are reduced by no more than 17 %. New values for birthweights of the progency of nonsmoking mothers still reveal a difference between blacks and whites of 267 gm for boys and 261 gm for girls.
Microsomal activation of selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and aromatic amines in Drosophila melanogaster

Benzo[a]pyrene, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, 2-acetylaminofluorene, 2-aminoanthracene, and 1-aminopyrene, when fed to adult Drosophila melanogaster males, gave a negative mutagenic response in the X-linked recessive lethal assay. Benzo[a]pyrene was also ineffective in inducing “Minutes”. Aflatoxin B1, EMS and DMN gave a positive response which was dependent on the concentration of mutagen fed. Whole fly homogenates prepared from adult Drosophila were assayed for mixed-function oxidase activity in the Salmonella/microsome test. Crude Drosophila microsomes activated 2-acetylaminofluorene, 2-aminofluorene, 2,7-diaminofluorene, 2-aminoanthracene, 1-aminopyrene, and aflatoxin B1. Tests with benzo[a]pyrene, pyrene, 1,2,3,4-dibenz[a]anthracene, and 7-12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene were negative.
Nonorganic hearing loss and child abuse: Beyond the sound booth

Nonorganic hearing loss in children can result from many factors. It is possible that some children show nonorganic hearing loss because of the stresses of past or on-going abuse and neglect. We report three cases of nonorganic hearing loss in children with a history of abuse. These cases suggest that among other causes, child abuse or neglect is to be ruled out when a child shows false hearing loss. Discussions with professionals knowledgeable of a child's home life should be a initiated when nonorganic pediatric hearing loss is uncovered.
Phenomenal, access and reflexive consciousness: The missing “blocks” in Ned Block’s typology

This paper adds five “blocks” (cells) to Ned Block’s 2-by-2 P- and A-Consciousness typology, by converting “phenomenal” and “access” into two orthogonal dimensions of Primary Conscious, and by introducing gradations along each dimension, with P0 (no phenomenal experience), P1 (attenuated phenomenal experience), and P2 (full phenomenal experience); and A0 (no access of mental content to either involuntary or voluntary cognitive/behavioral responses), A1 (access of mental content to involuntary responses), and A2 (access of mental content also to voluntary responses). This leads to a 3x3, 9-block grid, with Phenomenality on the X-axis and Access on the Y-axis. Each combination of P and A is examined for known conscious states. It is concluded that there are no known phenomenal states without at least A1 or A2 access. Neither are there states with A2 access without P2 phenomenality. At the end of the paper, Block’s concept of Reflexive Consciousness is introduced tantalizingly as a third (Z) dimension for consciousness in humans.
GMM-PAM: a genetic multilevel multicategory perceptron associative memory

One of the principal inefficiencies in the multicategory perceptron algorithm lies in its “training algorithm”. This problem has been dealt with in the past by having multiple perceptrons trained to respond to different predefined features in the input vector using back propagation. The problem with this approach is first that in general, one cannot be sure that an appropriate set of feature vectors has been defined and second, even if it were possible to do so, one cannot insure their relative spatial geometries. A new approach for reducing the dimensionality of the pattern vector utilizes the associative memory which emerges from the cooperation among multiple distributed multicategory perceptrons connected by a genetic algorithm.
Infrared Spectroscopic Investigation of the Heterogeneous Reaction of HNO3 and NaCl(100)

We have monitored the reaction of HNO3 with the NaCl(100) faces of single crystals in the presence of minute water concentrations. The reaction produces NaNO3 crystallites or ribbons atop the NaCl(100) face, indicating that a surface reorganization occurs upon exposure to water vapor concentrations as low as 0.02 mbar. The crystalline nature of the NaNO3 is established by the well-defined longitudinal-transverse (LO-TO) splitting of the NO3- stretching vibrations. After an average coverage of 10 to 30 layers of crystalline NaNO3, the reaction becomes diffusion limited, but shows no signs of stopping.
Psychoeconomic creativity—How psychological? How economic? How creative?: A response to Rubenson and Runco☆

For many psychologists, the speculations of economists can be rather intimidating. As the most mathematical of all the social sciences, economists seem to surpass psychologists on two distinct fronts. First, theoretical economics consists of sophisticated models that feature a complexity and rigor far exceeding what is ordinarily found in psychology, even in the highly advanced work on learning theory and response times. Indeed, mathematical economics can rival the finest work achieved in theoretical physics, which many would consider the premier standard of comparison. Second, economic models are often empirically evaluated via the highly developed body of techniques known as econometrics, next to which the staple psychometric methods often appear embarrassingly lame. As if to emphasize the superior scientific status of economics vis-a-vis psychology, economists can now receive Nobel prizes. Indeed, the only bona fide psychologist to have enjoyed this honor, Herbert Simon, did so as an economist! Of course, we psychologists can frequently take comfort in the fact that economists traditionally are fascinated with rather different behavioral phenomena. Besides concentrating appropriately (and safely) on economic behavior, the economist tends to focus on the aggregate consequence of individual acts. This defines the province of macroeconomic research and theory-yielding publications of the most minimal intrinsic interest to psychologists. But the times are changing. Increasingly economists have applied their style of analysis to individual level phenomena, such as consumer behavior. Even worse, a few economists of late have encroached on topics of immense concern for psychologists. Among such encroachments are recent attempts to explicate the relation between age and creative productivity in terms of human capital models (see Simonton, 1988a). We have before us an even more threatening enterprise, namely a serious endeavor to explain all creative behavior, at both individual and societal levels, in terms of an integrative “psychoeconomic” theory! To be sure, the mathematics here are minimal, so all psychologists can wade easily through the prose. Only the terminology may confuse those lacking experience with economic reasoning. The question: Do we have before us a genuine challenge to the many psychological theories of creativity that have been promulgated ever since the days of Galton and Freud? I have a vested interest in this question
Imperfect asymmetry of life: earth microbial communities prefer D-lactate but can use L-lactate also.

Abstract Asymmetrical utilization of chiral compounds has been sought on Mars as evidence for biological activity. This method was recently validated in glucose. Earth organisms utilize D-glucose, not L-glucose, a perfect asymmetry. In this study, we tested the method in lactate and found utilization of both enantiomers. Soil-, sediment-, and lake-borne microbial communities prefer D-lactate but can consume L-lactate if given extra time to acclimate. This situation is termed imperfect asymmetry. Future life-detection mission investigators need to be aware of imperfect asymmetry so as not to miss relatively subtle signs of life. Key Words: Chirality—Homochirality—Life detection—Atacama Desert. Astrobiology 10, 397–402.
Pulse-pumped operation of divalent transition-metal lasers

The pulse-pumped operating characteristics of liquid-nitrogen-cooled Ni:MgF 2 , Co:MgF 2 , and Ni:CaY 2 Mg 2 Ge 3 O 12 (CAMGAR) solid-state lasers have been studied. The internal quantum efficiency of the Ni:MgF 2 laser was found to be limited to approximately 40 percent, presumably because of excited-state absorption. The Co:MgF 2 laser operated with near-unity quantum efficiency, and generated 150 mJ of diffraction-limited output at repetition rates up to 50 Hz. A continuous tuning range from 1.6 to 2.3 μm was observed along with Q -switched peak output powers of 80 kW. Laser operation from the garnet-structured crystal Ni:CAMGAR was obtained at a wavelength of 1.46 μm.
A remote welding technique for high explosives containers

Abstract Samples of high explosives for environmental testing have been successfully enclosed in all-welded assemblies. Proper container design, fixturing, welding power supply, and welding parameters ensure the safe, timely completion of the task.
Application of site‐selective ion–molecule reactions to the analysis of the cinchona alkaloids

Functional group interactions within biologically relevant molecules are among the most influential yet least understood factors in determining their reactive behaviors. Reactions of dimethyl ether ions, which have previously been shown to be site-selective, with four cinchona alkaloids, cinchonine, cinchonidine, quinine and quinidine, have been examined. These reactions are each shown to produce qualitatively similar spectra for the stereoisomeric pairs cinchonidine–cinchonine and quinidine–quinine, but small variations in the relative abundances of the products indicate that some stereoselectivity can be observed. The site selectivity of each of the reagents was investigated by observing the reactions occurring with model subunits of the alkaloids.
Fibroblast Growth Factors 1, 2, 17, and 19 Are the Predominant FGF Ligands Expressed in Human Fetal Growth Plate Cartilage

Fibroblast growth factors (FGF) regulate bone growth, but their expression in human cartilage is unclear. Here, we determined the expression of entire FGF family in human fetal growth plate cartilage. Using reverse transcriptase PCR, the transcripts for FGF1, 2, 5, 8-14, 16-19, and 21 were found. However, only FGF1, 2, 17, and 19 were detectable at the protein level. By immunohistochemistry, FGF17 and 19 were uniformly expressed within the growth plate. In contrast, FGF1 was found only in proliferating and hypertrophic chondrocytes whereas FGF2 localized predominantly to the resting and proliferating cartilage. In addition, only the 18 kD isoform of FGF2 was found in resting chondrocytes while proliferating chondrocytes also synthesized 22 kD and 24 kD FGF2, similar to in vitro cultivated chondrocytes. In cell growth experiments, FGF1, 2, and 17 but not FGF19 inhibited the proliferation of FGFR3-expressing rat chondrosarcoma chondrocytes (RCS) with relative potency FGF2 >> FGF1 = FGF17. We conclude that FGF1, 2, 17, and 19 are the predominant FGF ligands present in developing human cartilage that are, with the exception of FGF19, experimentally capable of inhibiting chondrocyte proliferation.
Radiation effects microscopy for failure analysis of microelectronic devices

Microelectronic devices in satellites and spacecraft are exposed to high energy cosmic radiation. Furthermore, Earth-based electronics can be affected by terrestrial radiation. The radiation causes a variety of Single Event Effects (SEE) that can lead to failure of the devices. High energy heavy ion beams are being used to simulate both the cosmic and terrestrial radiation to study radiation effects and to ensure the reliability of electronic devices. Broad beam experiments can provide a measure of the radiation hardness of a device (SEE cross section) but they are unable to pinpoint the failing components in the circuit. A nuclear microbeam is an ideal tool to map SEE on a microscopic scale and find the circuit elements (transistors, capacitors, etc.) that are responsible for the failure of the device. In this paper a review of the latest radiation effects microscopy (REM) work at Sandia will be given. Different SEE mechanisms (Single Event Upset, Single Event Transient, etc.) and the methods to study them (Ion Beam Induced Charge (IBIC), Single Event Upset mapping, etc.) will be discussed. Several examples of using REM to study the basic effects of radiation in electronic devices and failure analysis of integrated circuits will be given.
Risk factors for empyema after diaphragmatic injury: results of a National Trauma Databank analysis.

Background: Empyema is a rare, but morbid complication of diaphragmatic injury. The purpose of this study was to use the National Trauma Databank of the American College of Surgeons to determine (1) the incidence of empyema after diaphragmatic injury, (2) risk factors for development of empyema after these injuries, and (3) the effect of empyema on mortality, hospital, and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) after diaphragm injury. Methods: The National Trauma Databank (v. 5.0) was used to identify adult patients sustaining diaphragmatic injury and surviving for greater than 48 hours. Demographics, injury characteristics, associated abdominal injuries, thoracic procedures, and outcomes data were abstracted for comparison of patients who did and did not develop empyema after these injuries. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for the development of empyema. Subsequent adjusted analysis was used to determine the effect of empyema on outcomes (hospital LOS, ICU LOS, mortality). Results: Among 4,153 patients with diaphragmatic injury who survived more than 48 hours from admission, 57 (1.4%) developed empyema. Demographics did not differ significantly between the two groups. Empyema was associated with longer adjusted mean hospital (35.9 vs. 16.1, p < 0.001) and ICU (18.1 vs. 8.5, p < 0.001) LOS, but was not associated with increased mortality. Patients with empyema more commonly had associated hollow viscus (63.2% vs. 35.6%, p < 0.001), gastric (40.4% vs. 18.8%, p < 0.001), and splenic injuries (49.1% vs. 33.3%,p = 0.01). After multivariable analysis, two independent risk factors for the development of empyema after diaphragmatic injury were identified: gastric injury (adjusted odds ratio = 2.90; 95% confidence interval: 1.69―5.00; p < 0.001) and Injury Severity Score ≥20 (adjusted odds ratio = 2.99; 95% confidence interval: 1.61―5.59; p = 0.001). Concomitant colonic injury did not significantly increase the risk of empyema in the study population. Conclusions: Empyema is an uncommon sequela of diaphragm injury that contributes to the need for prolonged hospital and ICU LOSs. Associated gastric trauma and Injury Severity Score ≥20 were independently associated with empyema development after diaphragmatic injury.
SU-FF-J-112: Accurate Targeting Breast Cancer in Real-Time Stereovision-Guided Radiotherapy

Purpose: A recent study by Korreman et al (IJROBP, vol 65, 1375–1380, 2006) demonstrates possible >85% relative reduction of cardiac‐pulmonary complications for tangential breast irradiation by using deep inspiration breath‐hold or gating techniques. The aim of this work is to minimize the risks by correcting the breast displacements using real‐time stereovision guidance. Materials/Methods: Twenty breast‐cancer patients were accrued over the last seventeen months on an IRB‐approved study. Planning target volume (PTV) was encompassed by the prescribed isodose in tangential beams with intensity modulation. The surgical bed was boosted using an electron field or conformal photon beams. The planning information (include CTimages) were transferred to an in‐house stereovision‐guided program which automatically created the reference surfaceimages from the CT‐based plans. The reference surfaces were matched with the real‐time surfaceimages, captured with 3D cameras mounted in the CT simulation room and treatment vault, to determine the displacements of CT setup markers, daily initial setup isocenter, final target position, and target motion during treatment. Large and significant position error were corrected based the image‐guidance.Images and on‐line adjustments were automatically stored for the analysis. Portal images were taken weekly for the position verification. Results: The 3D isocenter displacements improved from ∼10 mm to ∼ 4 mm after the application of IGRT. Isocenter setup error and simulation‐marking error were detected and corrected. All major changes were confirmed with portal images. The intrafractional motion caused only ∼2.0 mm target displacement. The entire procedure (including the table shifts) took < 5 minutes per day. Conclusions: The clinical results demonstrate improvement for breast target positioning using stereovision guidance. This in‐house IGRT for BC is clinically feasible, efficient, and accurate. Research initially sponsored by NIH SBIR‐1R43CA91690‐01 and CA‐88843 grants.
My half-sister is a THOG: Strategic processes in a reasoning task

Five experiments are reported in which a naturally occurring category was used in a version of Wason's THOG task to investigate both the role of realism and the use of strategies in the approach to complex reasoning problems. The category was that of half-sister which is defined by exclusive disjunction of parents (my mother or my father but not both). Realism improves problem solution only if there is no statement of the disjunction and no indications that there are two unknowns within the problem. However, the full exclusive disjunctive half-sister task is as difficult as the THOG itself, although both the content items and the rule which relates them are realistic ones. The source of the difficulty is found to be the existence of two unknowns. Subjects do not naturally use hypothesis generation and testing in this situation, and when they are asked to do so they refuse to accept the solutions which are produced. The strategy of ‘supposing’ one possible combination of unknowns and then the other is contra-indicated by the problem statement, and although realist content helps with hypothesis generation it is not sufficient to induce the appropriate strategy.
Predator unmanned air vehicle system

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) is an international company formed in 1993 to focus on designing, producing and supporting remotely-operated aircraft. The company invested heavily in developing state- of-the-art reconnaissance systems that are in extensive use by the U.S. Government including: the U.S. Air Force. NASA. Department of Energy, and the U.S
A sustained virologic response reduces risk of all-cause mortality in patients with hepatitis C.

Background & Aims The effectiveness of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin usually is evaluated by the surrogate end point of sustained virologic response (SVR), although the ultimate goal of antiviral treatment is to reduce mortality. The impact of SVR on all-cause mortality is not well documented by HCV genotype or in populations in routine medical practice with substantial comorbidities. Methods From the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), we identified all patients infected with HCV genotypes 1, 2, or 3, without human immunodeficiency virus co-infection or hepatocellular carcinoma before HCV treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin, who started HCV treatment from January 2001 to June 2007, stopped treatment by June 2008, and had a posttreatment HCV RNA test result of SVR or no SVR. Mortality data from VA and non-VA sources were available through 2009. Results HCV genotypes 1, 2, or 3 cohorts consisted of 12,166, 2904, and 1794 patients, respectively, with SVR rates of 35%, 72%, and 62%, respectively. Each cohort had high rates of comorbidities. During a median follow-up period of approximately 3.8 years, 1119 genotype-1, 220 genotype-2, and 196 genotype-3 patients died. In genotype-specific multivariate survival models that controlled for demographic factors, comorbidities, laboratory characteristics, and treatment characteristics, an SVR was associated with substantially reduced mortality risk for each genotype (genotype-1 hazard ratio, 0.70; P Conclusions An SVR reduced mortality among patients infected with HCV of genotypes 1, 2, or 3 who were being treated by routine medical practice and had substantial comorbidities.
Learning problems in psychoanalytic supervision: diagnosis and management

Abstract An attempt has been made to present a general conceptual framework within which to consider the various types of learning problems that may occur in the psychoanalytic supervisory situation. The classification offered is somewhat artificial since many of the learning problems encountered in students derive from more than one type of difficulty. A general scheme of management has also been suggested, but probably no two supervisors would be in complete agreement regarding all of the details of the management of the educational needs of the student. But the opportunities for individuality and creativity in the individual teacher are what make education the lively and challenging experience that it can be.
ANTERIOR PITUITARY THERAPY IN SPONTANEOUS OVARIAN DYSFUNCTION

That the anterior lobe of the hypophysis cerebri exercises some regulatory control over the gonads has long been suspected from clinical observations (Cushing, 1912) and Frohlich (1901). Various sexual aberrations such an infantilism, dysmenorrhea, and amenorrhea have been ascribed to some hypophysial disorder. It remained, however, for Smith (1926) to demonstrate, by experimental means, the probable direction of this control. He was able to show that all sexual development and function is inhibited in hypophysectomized animals, and that replacement therapy may correct the resultant conditions. A further step was made in the similar, but independent researches of Smith and Engle (1927), and Zondek and Aschheim (1927). These workers demonstrated that immature rats and mice may be induced to a precocious maturity by the daily implantation of fresh pituitary glands.
Atresia of the left coronary artery ostium. Repair by saphenous vein graft.

Symptoms and electrocardiographic changes of acute myocardial ischemia in a 10-year-old boy resulted from congenital atresia of the ostium of the left coronary artery. At 14 years of age persistence of symptoms and a positive exercise test prompted surgical treatment by aortocoronary artery saphenous vein bypass graft. Two months postoperatively, the symptoms and the abnormal findings on exercise test had subsided and forward flow through the graft to the left coronary artery was demonstrated by contrast angiography.
Fourier methods in the study of variance fluctuations in time series analysis

This paper is concerned with the study of time series models which are linear combinations of normal variables with zero means and variances σ2 t(t = 0, ±1, ±2, …). If xt (t = 1, 2, …, N) is a realization of a time series, the periodogram of X 2 t is employed to discover the dominant frequencies in σ2 t, where σ2 t is expressed in a finite Fourier series. In Part I of the paper it is proved that this periodogram is, in some sense discussed in the paper, a consistent estimator of a product of the absolute value of the Fourier coefficients and a function of the linear model coefficients; then an approximate method for estimating the Fourier coefficients separately is given. In Part II a large sample testing procedure, depending on the Kolmogorov-Smirnov Statistic, is presented for the homogeneity of the variances in the models studied in Part I. Artificial examples are given for the support of the results of the paper.
Calculating Center of Mass in an Unbounded 2D Environment

We study the behavior of simple, 2D, self-organizing primitives that interact and move in an unbounded environment to create aggregated shapes. Each primitive is represented by a disk and a unit point mass. In order to compare the aggregated shape produced by the primitives to other shapes, the centers of mass of the two shapes must be aligned. We present an algorithm for calculating the center of mass (COM) for a set of point masses that are distributed in an unbounded 2D environment. The algorithm calculates the centroid for each coordinate component separately by forming two "orthogonal" tubes, calculating a center of mass in 3D for each tube and then projecting the 3D COM back onto the tubes, in order to produce the 2D COM of the points.
Selection of groundwater sites in Egypt, using geographic information systems, for desalination by solar energy in order to reduce greenhouse gases

Abstract Although Egypt has already reached the water poverty limit, it possesses a high potential of brackish groundwater available from different aquifers. All Arab countries lie in the best sun-belt region in the world and Egypt has the highest number of sun hours all year round. Solar energy for groundwater desalination is an independent infinite energy resource; it has low running costs and reduces the contribution of greenhouse gases (GHG) to global warming. Perfect meteorological conditions and land space are available in remote areas, where solar desalination could supply freshwater for drinking, industry, and for greenhouse agriculture. The present study uses Geographic Information System(s) (GIS) as a spatial decision support tool to select appropriate sites in Egypt for groundwater solar desalination. Solar radiation, aquifer depth, aquifer salinity, distance from the Delta and the Nile Valley, incidence of flash floods, sand dunes, rock faults, and seawater intrusion in the North Delta, are the criteria that have been taken into consideration in the process of analysis. A specific weight is given to each criterion according to its relative influence on the process of decision making. The results from the application of the presented methodology determine the relative suitability of sites for groundwater solar desalination. These sites are ranked in descending order to help decision-makers in Egypt. The results show that groundwater solar desalination is suitable in remote regions on the North Western Coast, on the North Sinai Coast, and at the Southern Oasis, for reducing greenhouse gases and that it is particularly useful for poor communities suffering from polluted water.
Treadmill Workstations: The Effects of Walking while Working on Physical Activity and Work Performance

We conducted a 12-month-long experiment in a financial services company to study how the availability of treadmill workstations affects employees' physical activity and work performance. We enlisted sedentary volunteers, half of whom received treadmill workstations during the first two months of the study and the rest in the seventh month of the study. Participants could operate the treadmills at speeds of 0-2 mph and could use a standard chair-desk arrangement at will. (a) Weekly online performance surveys were administered to participants and their supervisors, as well as to all other sedentary employees and their supervisors. Using within-person statistical analyses, we find that overall work performance, quality and quantity of performance, and interactions with coworkers improved as a result of adoption of treadmill workstations. (b) Participants were outfitted with accelerometers at the start of the study. We find that daily total physical activity increased as a result of the adoption of treadmill workstations.
Aggregation of cartilage proteoglycans. Ii. Evidence for the presence of a hyaluronate‐binding region on proteoglycans from osteoarthritic cartilage

Proteoglycan aggregates isolated from normal bovine knee cartilage were larger than those from osteoarthritic cartilage of the same joints and appeared relatively more resistant to digestion with leech hyaluronidase. Incubation of proteoglycan subunits from the arthritic cartilage with hyaluronic acid resulted in marked aggregation, comparable in magnitude to that shown by subunits from normal cartilage. The results indicate that the hyaluronate-binding region of these proteoglycans was functionally intact and suggest that diminished aggregation of proteoglycans in osteoarthritic cartilage may be due to an abnormality in some other constituent of the aggregates.
Non-Destructive Characterization of Epoxy/Dicyandiamide Interphases Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

Abstract Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a process in which the Raman scattering cross-section of molecules adsorbed onto the surfaces of metals such as silver, copper and gold is increased by as much as six orders of magnitude compared with the cross-section for normal Raman scattering from the bulk. However, the enhancement is short range and is restricted to the first few layers of molecules adjacent to the surface. As a result, SERS can be used to characterize adsorption of organic compounds onto metals and can be used for non-destructive characterization of interphases between polymer films and metal substrates as long as the polymer films are not so thick that normal Raman scattering from the bulk of the film is more intense than SERS from the interphase. SERS spectra obtained from thin films of dicyandiamide (dicy) adsorbed from dilute solutions onto silver island films were characterized by very strong bands assigned to in-plane vibrations and very weak vibrations related to out-of-plane vibrations, indicating that dicy was adsorbed with a vertical configuration involving coordination through the nitrilo nitrogen atom. SERS spectra obtained from model adhesives consisting of 8:1 mixtures of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) and dicy were identical with SERS spectra of dicy, indicating that dicy was preferentially adsorbed from the adhesive onto the silver surface and that the interphase in epoxy-dicy adhesives was likely to have composition that was enriched in dicy when compared with the bulk adhesive. Some evidence for adsorption of both DGEBA and dicy was observed in SERS spectra obtained from 500:1 mixtures of DGEBA and dicy spin coated onto silver island films from dilute solutions, indicating that in those cases there was insufficient dicy available to occupy all the SERS-active surface sites.
Synchrotron white beam x-ray topography (SWBXT) and high resolution triple axis diffraction studies on AlN layers grown on 4H- and 6H-SiC seeds

For nitride based devices such as LEDs, high power FETs and laser diodes, single crystal substrates of AlN are highly desirable. While the sublimation technique is suitable for growing bulk AlN crystals, appropriate seeds are also necessary for growing large diameter oriented boules. 4H- and 6H-SiC substrates which are readily available commercially can potentially be implemented as seeds for bulk AlN growth. However, issues regarding SiC decomposition at high temperatures, thermal expansion mismatch, single crystal growth, etc. need to be addressed. Towards this end, a series of growth experiments have been carried out in a resistively heated reactor using on and off-axis 4H- and 6H-SiC substrates as seeds for AlN growth from the vapor phase. Several hundred microns thick AlN layers have been grown under different growth conditions. Synchrotron white beam x-ray topography (SWBXT) has been used to map the defect distribution in the grown layers and high resolution triple axis x-ray diffraction (HRTXD) experiments were carried out to record reciprocal space maps from which tilt, mismatch and strain data can be obtained. These results are analyzed with respect to the growth conditions in order to gain a better understanding of this growth process.
Improved Variational Principles for Transport Coefficients

A sequence of variational principles for converting a trial solution of a linearized Boltzmann equation into bounds on a transport coefficient is presented. For systems in which the Boltzmann collision operator has a bounded eigenvalue spectrum, we obtain an infinite sequence of lower bounds which begins with the familiar result of Ziman. For an arbitrary trial function, this sequence converges monotonically to the exact transport coefficient. Application of the first two terms has been made to the lattice thermal conductivity of a model simulating solid argon; the second bound lies considerably higher than the first.
Airflow monitor: An effective approach to protecting assets and increasing safety in automated test equipment

Testing high power sophisticated avionics equipment requires accurate cooling airflow monitoring to protect the operator and expensive avionics equipment. This paper introduces an airflow monitor design that monitors cooling airflow, warns the operator when cooling airflow is below minimum requirements and automatically terminates testing prior to thermal failure. A method to accurately measure the cooling air flowing to a unit under test is critical to maintaining component reliability and reducing hazards associated with thermal runaway. Such a method has been designed and prototyped on the Navy's advanced Consolidated Automatic Support System (CASS). The airflow monitor incorporates a digital airflow sensor between the cooling air source and the unit under test. The digital airflow sensor accurately measures airflow and temperature and provides real-time feedback to the operator when low cooling air flow is realized. Further enhancements were made by designing the airflow monitor to shut down power to the unit under test when airflow does not meet minimum requirements. Customization is accomplished by setting simple resistor values which correspond to control settings, such as, minimum airflow required, minimum air temperature required, time delay before warning buzzer sounds, and time delay before unit under test shutdown. It has been demonstrated that with accurate monitoring and control of these variables, catastrophic thermal failure can be avoided and expensive avionics can be protected. Automated test equipment was originally conceived with the intent to maximize autonomy and take the burden off of skilled individuals troubleshooting a problem. A system that can not only monitor airflow, warn the operator of upcoming thermal danger and safely shutdown power to a unit under test on its own makes automated test equipment truly automatic. This paper illustrates one method to achieve such added reliability and system safety, with real examples demonstrating operational capabilities and cost savings. Description of the design concept, along with pictures and illustrations of working prototypes, provide a clear understanding of the importance of monitoring automated test equipment airflow.
Viscoelastic properties of three vocal-fold injectable biomaterials at low audio frequencies.

Objectives: Previous measurements of viscoelastic properties of Zyderm were to be extended to low audio frequencies, and properties of two other biomaterials not previously measured, thiolated hyaluronic acid (HA-DTPH) and Cymetra, were obtained. Study Design: Rheologic investigation. Methods: Oscillatory shear stress was applied to each sample using a controlled stress rheometer at frequencies between 0.01 and 100 Hz with a parallel plate apparatus. Versuscoelastic moduli were recorded at each frequency. The calculated resonance frequency of the machine and sample were then used to determine the maximum frequency at which reliable data existed. Extrapolation functions were fit to viscoelastic parameters, which predicted the properties up to 1,000 Hz. Results: Frequency trends of Zyderm were similar to those previously reported, whereas magnitudes were different. The elastic moduli logarithmically increased with frequency, whereas dynamic viscosity demonstrated shear thinning, a condition of primary importance for humans to vocalize over a broad frequency range. Previous measurements were extended from 15 Hz up to 74 Hz. Differences in magnitude between a previous study and the present study were attributed to particulate orientation during testing. Cymetra was found to have nearly identical viscoelastic properties to those of bovine collagen, both in magnitude and frequency trend, with reliable measures extending up to 81 Hz. Rheologic properties of the hyaluronic acid gel were the closest match to cadaveric vocal fold mucosa in magnitude and frequency trend. Conclusions: Viscoelastic properties of Cymetra and Zyderm are nearly the same and are significantly greater than those of vocal fold mucosa. HA-DTPH possesses a good viscoelastic match to vocal fold mucosa and may be useful in future lamina propria repair.
Children and guns: advocacy groups speak out.

hen gun control and pro-gun advocacy groups talk about children and guns, the images they describe could not be more different. Josh Sugarmann, executive director of the Violence Policy Center, a leading national gun control group, tells the story of two-year-old Kaile Hinke from Fort Myers, Florida, who was shot in the chest by her three-year-old brother Colton. According to Sugarmann, "Colton found the loaded .25-caliber pistol in a drawer in his parents' bedroom, where he and Kaile were playing while their mother was in another room. Kaile was driven to Lee Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced dead."'
Buckling of moderately thick orthotropic columns: comparison of an elasticity solution with the Euler and Engesser/Haringx/Timoshenko formulae

Abstract The objective of this paper is to answer the question of how accurately the simple Euler or transverse shear correction Engesser/Haringx/Timoshenko column buckling formulae are, when orthotropic composite material and moderate thickness are involved. The column is in the form of a hollow circular cylinder and the Euler or Timoshenko loads are based on the axial modulus. For this purpose, a three-dimensional elasticity solution is presented. As an example, the cases of an orthotropic material with stiffness constants typical of glass/epoxy or graphite/epoxy and the reinforcing direction along the periphery or along the cylinder axis are considered. First, it is found that the elasticity approach predicts in all cases a lower than the Enter value critical load. Moreover, the degree of non-conservatism of the Euler formula is strongly dependent on the reinforcing direction; the axially reinforced columns show the highest deviation from the elasticity value. The degree of non-conservatism of the Euler load for the circumferentially reinforced columns is much smaller and is comparable to that of isotropic columns. Second, the Engesser or first Timoshenko shear correction formula is in all cases examined conservative, i.e., it predicts a lower critical load than the elasticity solution. The Haringx or second Timoshenko shear correction formula is in most cases (but not always) conservative. However, in all cases considered, the second estimate is always closer to the elasticity solution than the first one. For the isotropic case both Timoshenko formulas are conservative estimates. Examination of a new formula for column buckling that adds a second term to the Euler load expression and is supposed to account for thickness effects, shows that this estimate is a non-conservative estimate but performs very well with very thick sections, being closest to the elasticity solution, but in general no better than the Timoshenko formulas for moderate thickness.
Hybrid cache architecture with disparate memory technologies

Caching techniques have been an efficient mechanism for mitigating the effects of the processor-memory speed gap. Traditional multi-level SRAM-based cache hierarchies, especially in the context of chip multiprocessors (CMPs), present many challenges in area requirements, core-to-cache balance, power consumption, and design complexity. New advancements in technology enable caches to be built from other technologies, such as Embedded DRAM (EDRAM), Magnetic RAM (MRAM), and Phase-change RAM (PRAM), in both 2D chips or 3D stacked chips. Caches fabricated in these technologies offer dramatically different power and performance characteristics when compared with SRAM-based caches, particularly in the areas of access latency, cell density, and overall power consumption. In this paper, we propose to take advantage of the best characteristics that each technology offers, through the use of Hybrid Cache Architecture (HCA) designs. We discuss and evaluate two types of hybrid cache architectures: inter cache Level HCA (LHCA), in which the levels in a cache hierarchy can be made of disparate memory technologies; and intra cache level or cache Region based HCA (RHCA), where a single level of cache can be partitioned into multiple regions, each of a different memory technology. We have studied a number of different HCA architectures and explored the potential of hardware support for intra-cache data movement and power consumption management within HCA caches. Utilizing a full-system simulator that has been validated against real hardware, we demonstrate that an LHCA design can provide a geometric mean 7% IPC improvement over a baseline 3-level SRAM cache design under the same area constraint across a collection of 25 workloads. A more aggressive RHCA-based design provides 12% IPC improvement over the baseline. Finally, a 2-layer 3D cache stack (3DHCA) of high density memory technology within the same chip footprint gives 18% IPC improvement over the baseline. Furthermore, up to 70% reduction in power consumption over a baseline SRAM-only design is achieved.
CT demonstration of ascending colon varices.

Abstract The radiographic appearance of intestinal edema, including colonic edema, has been well described in the literature. Severe wall circumferential thickening can occur within the colon in a number of conditions. This includes edema secondary to colitis, allergy, ischemia, and infiltrative neoplastic processes. Edema may be secondary to low protein levels, as from protein losing enteropathy, nephrotic syndrome, and hepatic cirrhosis. The following case, in which there was severe ascending colonic wall thickening due to edema, is unusual in two respects: it had well-developed demonstrated “protective” right colonic varices and a normal protein level.
Exogenous sources of urinary phenol and indole acids.

THE phenol and indole acids of human urine have been examined following the ingestion of bananas or coffee. Bananas were tested because of a report that they contain serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine and possibly 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine1. Coffee was investigated because of an observation that vanillic acid is excreted following the ingestion of caffeic acid, but not coffee2, and a suggestion that the excretion of vanillic acid may be related to norepinephrine metabolism and stress3.
Perception of Residential Crowding, Classroom Experiences, and Student Health

A core concern of environmental design research is the impact of the physical and social environment on human health and behavior. Professional designers often approach this issue through direct observation of the relationships between architectural variables and behavioral patterns. Design-oriented behavioral scientists, while sharing designers’ concern with the direct linkages between objective environments and overt behaviors, more commonly approach the environment-behavior interface by way of theoretical, or intervening constructs. These constructs help to specify the social and physical conditions under which specific features of the physical environment might correlate with various types of behavior.