cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Colitis-induced bone loss is gender dependent and associated with increased inflammation

Background Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increase risk for bone loss and fractures. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the effect of experimental IBD on bone health. Methods We used a murine model of colitis, Helicobacter hepaticus-infected interleukin-10-deficient animals. Molecular and histological properties of bone and intestine were examined to identify the immunopathological consequences of colitis in male and female mice. Results At 6 weeks postinfection, we observed significant trabecular bone loss in male mice but surprisingly not in female mice. This was true for both distal femur and vertebral locations. In addition, H. hepaticus infection suppressed osteoblast markers only in male mice. Consistent with effects on bone health, male mice with H. hepaticus infection had more severe colitis as determined by histology and elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines in the colon. Although H. hepaticus levels in the stool appeared similar in male and female mice 1 week after infection, by 6 weeks, H. hepaticus levels were greater in male mice, indicating that H. hepaticus survival and virulence within the gastrointestinal tract could be gender dependent. Conclusion In summary, H. hepaticus-induced colitis severity and associated bone loss is gender regulated, possibly as a result of gender-specific effects on H. hepaticus colonization in the mouse gastrointestinal tract and the consequent immunopathological responses.
Computing support technicians: yours, mine or ours

The dream of a university computer support department is to have support technicians centrally located and managed, receiving standardized training and competency review, providing support using standardized procedures on standardized computers with standardized configurations. The dream of every other university department is to have their own computer support technician located in their department, providing support based on the response priorities and hardware standards set by the department head or college dean. The reality is you can!t have it both ways. Or can you? This paper describes the current support model being implemented at Weber State University (WSU). The combination of centralized and decentralized computer support is a model which evolved from no formalized support, to centralized support, and now to the hybrid.
Sympathetic skin response in diabetic neuropathy

The sympathetic skin response (SSR) was studied in 47 diabetic patients selected for the presence of symptoms and clinical signs of peripheral neuropathy and in 24 normal control subjects. The SSR was present in all controls but was absent at the foot in 66% and at the hand in 27.7% of the diabetic patients. Absence of the SSR failed to correlate with other electrophysiologic parameters on routine nerve conduction and electromyographic studies. Although absent SSR was more often found in patients with symptoms of autonomic dysfunction (P < 0.05), there was no correlation with any specific symptoms of autonomic involvement. The SSR was frequently absent, at least in the foot, in those patients with abnormal cardiac beat-to-beat variability (expiratory: inspiratory, E:I, ratio) and pupil cycle time (PCT). In addition there was a good correlation between the amplitude of the SSR and the value of the E:I ratio (r = 0.81,P < 0.001). The SSR may be a valuable adjunct in the assessment of autonomic involvement in diabetic neuropathy, but its sensitivity requires further evaluation.
Characterization of particles from stratospheric launch vehicle plumes using wavelength-dependent lidar techniques

Our Mobile Lidar Trailer (MLT) has been deployed to Cape Canaveral Air Station for the purpose of studying the characteristics of launch vehicle plumes in the stratosphere. In addition to measurements of plume extent and dispersion rates, information on particle species and size can be obtained from the wavelength dependence of the Mie return signal. We measure the backscattering ratio of Mie to Rayleigh return at several wavelengths and compare the results to a model of Mie scattering cross sections for homogeneous spheres of specific refraction index and radius. Of primary interest are the calculations for particles which are present in the exhaust of solid rocket motors (SRM) and are conjectured to be instrumental in the catalysis of halogenic destruction of stratospheric ozone. Our data indicate that these particles, at least within the first half-hour after launch, are small (r < 50 nm as an upper limit). The data also shows a trend of the mean particle radius increasing with time.
Transcriptional regulation of the agr locus and the identification of DNA binding residues of the global regulatory protein SarR in Staphylococcus aureus

Summary Many members of the transcriptional regulator SarA protein family are winged-helix proteins that are involved in gene regulation essential to Staphylococcus aureus pathogenesis. Investigation of the mechanism by which this family of genes acts at the molecular level will likely contribute to the understanding of the pathogenesis process and enhance the potential for the development of inhibitors capable of controlling S. aureus infections. Our previously published studies demonstrate that SarR is a repressor of sarA expression. Here, we show that SarR (a member of the SarA protein family) in part regulates agr expression by direct binding to the agr intergenic promoter region as determined by gel shift and DNase I footprinting assays. Analysis of the double sarA/sarR mutant in the early phase of growth reveals its significant role in regulating agr expression as compared with single mutants. Based on the previously reported crystal structure of SarR, we conducted site-specific mutagenesis and demonstrate that K52 residues within helix–turn–helix (HTH), K80, R82 and R88 (in the wing) and L105 (in the α5 helix) are important for DNA binding. Interestingly, SarR and SarA binding sites on the agr promoter are confined within the same region of DNA. Additional gel shift studies with SarR and SarA suggest that these two proteins may bind the same region of the agr promoter.
Roles and functions of WHO Enterovirus Collaborating Center

国立感染症研究所ウイルス第二部第二室は，WHOから指定されたWHO Collaborating Center for Virus Reference and Research（Enterovirus）として機能しており，ポリオをはじめとするエンテロウイルス感染症の実験室診断のためのウイルス分離同定，新たな実験室診断法の開発・評価・精度管理，技術者・専門家への研修，標準試薬・参照品の調整・維持・供給等の活動を実施している．ポリオウイルス病原体サーベイランスは，世界ポリオ根絶計画において不可欠な機能のひとつであり，非ポリオエンテロウイルス実験室診断は，エンテロウイルス71による近年の手足口病流行においても重要である．世界的および地域レベルにおけるポリオ実験室ネットワークを基盤とした人的資源および継続的な国際協力は，西太平洋地域における非ポリオエンテロウイルス感染症サーベイランスにおいても重要な役割を果たしている．
Fast Li+ ion conduction in chloro-borate glasses

Abstract Substitutions of Cl for 0 in lithium borate glases of the type Li2O(LiCl)2B2O3 (Li2Z = 36.4 m/o) were found to result in systematically increasing Li ion conductivity, and decreasing Tg and density. The changes in conductivity were manifested in a linearly decreasing activation energy with fraction (LiCl)2 rather than changes in the pre-exponential δ0. In contrast to earliest studies which implied no BO network modification upon Cl addition, we find substantial changes as exemplified in Tg and density variations. The effect of Cl substitution was traced to a change in O B ratio and is not in disagreement with Raman, IR and ESR spectra which show that C1 does not enter into the BO network. The conductivity results, analyzed in terms of both a random site and weak electrolyte model, favor the first but are inconclusive. In either case the observed structural changes must be accounted for. Liquid-liquid immiscibility limited the vitreous domain of glasses formed with LiCl. This resulted in a leveling off of various physical parameters with composition in the two-phase domain as observed in similar studies [5]. Results suggest that δ might continue to increase if chlorine content could be increased beyond the apparent glass solubility limit. These glasses were found to retain chlorine to high levels as reported elsewhere. Vaporization losses in these glasses are substantially reduced relative to silicates, for example, due to lower melt temperatures and shorter soak times.
Immunocytochemical localization of endopeptidase-24.11 in the nucleus tractus solitarius of the rat brain.

Abstract Recently, it has been hypothesized that the N-terminal portion of substance P (SP), SP(1–7), which results from the action of endopeptidase 24.11 (EC3.4.24.11), could be involved in mediating the depressor effects of baroreceptor afferent activation via its action on cells in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). In this study, the binding of a monoclonal antibody to endopeptidase 24.11 was examined immunohistochemically at the level of the caudal medulla of the rat brain. By light microscopy, intense immunoreactivity was seen in the NTS, in fibers bordering the area postrema, and in the area postrema itself. After electron microscopy, endopeptidase 24.11-like immunoreactivity was seen to be associated with the cytoskeleton and plasma membrane in axons, dendrites and glial processes. Antigen was also associated with synaptic vesicles and plasma membranes in presynaptic terminals forming mainly axo-dendritic synapses typical of vagal afferent terminals involved in the baroreceptor reflex. Thus, endopeptidase 24.11 appears to be localized at sites where it could effectively process SP prior to its binding to postsynaptic receptors.
Selective detection of gas-phase aldehydes and ketones using protonated hydrazine

Abstract This article reports the results of the gas phase studies of protonated hydrazine, N2H5+, reactions with different classes of organic compounds in a chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS). We found that saturated aldehydes react with N2H5+, in the presence of a drift field and neutral hydrazine, to form primarily a protonated hydrazone, e.g. formaldehyde reacts to form CH2N2H3+. Unsaturated aldehydes, saturated ketones, and hydroxyl substituted carbonyl compounds react to form protonated hydrazones and association complexes, e.g. N2H5+ · acetone. In the absence of a drift field, methanol, ethanol, and toluene react to form association complexes; otherwise, no reaction occurs. We propose a method of detecting gas-phase aldehydes and ketones using protonated hydrazine, N2H5+, as a reagent ion in a CIMS. The method was demonstrated by measuring three C6 aldehydes released by grass that had been frozen, crushed and thawed. Qualitatively and quantitatively, the results compare favorably with the results of aldehyde emission experiments reported by others.
Values, Rules, and Keeping the Peace: How Men Describe Order and the Inmate Code in California Prisons

For this article, I use interview data to examine how former male inmates describe how and why they follow the inmate code. Previous work shows that convicts use the code to structure and define informal rules (Bronson 2006). I attempt to explore this issue from the other direction. I focus on how inmates describe informal rules and how the code may or may not fit into these rules. As Howard Becker (1963) points out, people in any society form groups and subcultures who create their own set of rules and norms. The men in my study describe leaders, called shot-callers, who focus on illegal businesses such as the drug trade. They use violence to control their own gangs in order to reduce the chance of riots. In short, they value peace and profit. This differs from previous work that focuses on the inmate identity and how convicts value the code. The men in my study value safety and the underground economy as well as maintaining a solid convict identity.
Volunteer Program Effectiveness: The Reduction of Recidivism

The results reported in this article are part of a larger study which entailed an evaluation of the extant research literature on the effectiveness of citizen Volunteer Programs in the area of Courts and Corrections. The focus in this paper was narrowed to a specific measure of program effectiveness: Recidivism. The research literature was first screened in terms of its technical quality, and those research reports which met acceptable methodological standards were then analyzed in terms of their policy relevant findings on the recidivism measure. Several conclusions were discussed in the paper. Primary among these is that the overall research on the topic of recidivism is inconclusive as to the effectiveness of Volunteer Programs relative to non-Volunteer (e.g., regular probation) program alternatives. The research to date is, simply put, too thin to reveal any clear research trend. This conclusion is discussed within the context of evaluative research in the area of criminal justice as a whole. The read...
Toward Hartree-Fock and density functional complete basis set predicted NMR parameters.

The molecular and spectroscopic parameters calculated using the hybrid density functional B3PW91 are reported for a model set of compounds composed of H{sub 2}, N{sub 2}, NH{sub 3}, CH{sub 4}, C{sub 2}H{sub 4}, HCN, CH{sub 3}CN, and H{sub 2}O. An estimation of the DFT and Hartree-Fock complete basis-set limit (CBS) energy and NMR parameters from the 2- (3-) point exact fit versus least-squares fit (NLLSQ) was obtained with the cc-pVxZ and aug-cc-pVxZ basis sets (x = D, T, Q, 5, 6). A marginally faster convergence of the fitted parameters obtained with core-valence basis sets cc-pCVxZ and aug-cc-pCVxZ was noticed. The Hartree-Fock-predicted CBS heavy-atom isotropic shieldings of the model molecules, as compared with those of DFT, were closer to experiment. It was also shown that GIAO MP2-predicted NMR parameters yield the best agreement with those obtained from experiment and benchmark calculations. As support for experimental studies, the CBS approach of calculating accurate nuclear shieldings of larger molecules is proposed.
Photonic crystals: Controlling spectral, spatial and reciprocal properties of light

We show that photonic crystals can be used to stop, store, and time-reverse light pulses; to suppress diffraction and enable remarkable reflection properties at interfaces; and to create nonreciprocal devices that are extremely compact.
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy for the measurement of propofol effects in conscious sedation during outpatient elective colonoscopy.

Abstract Endoscopic procedures performed in the United States routinely involve the use of conscious sedation as standard of care. The use of sedation reduces patient discomfort and anxiety while improving the technical quality of the procedure, and as a result, over 98% of clinicians have adopted the practice. The tremendous benefits of sedation are offset by heightened costs, increased patient discharge time, and cardiopulmonary complication risks. The inherent liabilities of putting patients under sedation have necessitated a large number of physiological monitoring systems in order to ensure patient comfort and safety. Currently American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) guidelines recommend monitoring of pulse oximetry, blood pressure, heart rate, and end-tidal CO2; although important safeguards, these physiological measurements do not allow for the reliable assessment of patient sedation. Proper monitoring of patient state ensures procedure quality and patient safety; however no “gold-standard” is available to determine the depth of sedation which is comparable to the anesthesiologist's professional judgment. Developments in functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) over the past two decades have introduced cost-effective, portable, and non-invasive neuroimaging tools which measure cortical hemodynamic activity as a correlate of neural functions. Anesthetic drugs, such as propofol, operate by suppressing cerebral metabolism. fNIRS imaging methods have the ability to detect these drug related effects as well as neuronal activity through the measurement of local cerebral hemodynamic changes. In the present study, 41 patients were continuously monitored using fNIRS while undergoing outpatient elective colonoscopy with propofol sedation. The preliminary results indicated that oxygenated hemoglobin changes in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, as assessed by fNIRS were correlated with changes in response to bolus infusions of propofol, whereas other standard physiological measures were not significantly associated.
Three-dimensional structural analysis from biological confocal images

Laser confocal imaging gives the capability of obtaining 3-D images of biological and other microscopic structures using optical slicing. This eliminates one of the problems of classical scene understanding where a 3-D to 2-D mapping and subsequent loss of information has taken place. In this paper we discuss the implementation of a multidimensional image analysis system used to extract and analyze biological structures in confocal images. The image processing and structure analysis techniques are implemented as a set of knowledge sources or tools that operate on the input image to successively refine and segment the image. These knowledge sources in the system consist of a combination of simple edge/surface detectors and multilevel thresholding to generate the initial segmentation. This segmentation is further refined by a set of more complex knowledge sources such as 3-D morphological operators, a hierarchical refinement scheme, specialized feature detectors, active contour models, and by the use of external knowledge. The analysis tools operate on the segmented image to obtain morphometrical parameters such as surface area, volume, position, and orientation of structures of interest and to generate overall statistical properties of these parameters. A visualization subsystem lets the user manipulate and selectively display the results of segmentation.
Occupational status, ethnicity, and ecology: Metis Cree adaptations in a Canadian trading frontier

This paper develops an analytical method for assessing the interplay of economic behavior and ecological energetics among the Metis Cree, off-spring of Cree Indian-European unions in north-central Canada. Business account-book analysis provides unique insights into the production and exchange behavior of individual laborers and their families during the twilight of the fur trade in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The evidence generally supports conventional interpretations of the subartic Metis as economically and socially intermediate between Indian hunting bands and the Euro-Canadian managerial class. However, fine-grained account-book analysis also reveals that this general adaptation exhibited highly variable coping strategies, forming a continuum in work regimens and level of integration into trading-company hierarchies. A focus on individual variability reflects the growing interest among ecological anthropologists in individual strategy, theories of choice, and actor-based decision models.
Drug Delivery Properties of Six Nebulizer Systems

Objectives—nebulizers offer quick and efficient drug delivery to the lungs. The purpose of this study is to characterize six nebulizer systems. Some important aspects of nebulization studied are drug content and concentration, reservoir solution temperature during nebulization, and nebulization time. Methods—four jet nebulizer-compressor systems, with the same jet nebulizer model, and two ultrasonic nebulizer systems were characterized in this study. Drug content/concentration for each nebulizer was analyzed with two concentrations (1.25 and 0.63 mg) of albuterol sulfate. UV/visible spectrophotometry was utilized to determine reservoir drug content and concentration. Reservoir temperature measurements were taken with a temperature probe. Results—for the 1.25-mg dosage form of the drug, the compressor-driven systems had the least amount of decrease in reservoir drug content while the ultrasonic nebulizer had the greatest amount of decrease in reservoir drug content. All of the nebulizers, except for one compressor-driven system, had equivalent amounts of drug remaining in the reservoir for the 0.63-mg drug dosage form. The compressor-driven and ultrasonic systems had an increase in drug concentration for both forms of the drug. However, a decrease occurred in the ultrasonic system with the 0.63-mg dosage form of the drug. The reservoir temperature decreased in most of the compressor-driven systems while the temperature increased in the ultrasonic systems. The quickest nebulization time was seen in the ultrasonic systems. Conclusions—the ultrasonic nebulizer is the most efficient in nebulizing the greatest amount of medication in the least amount of time, while the compressor-driven systems are the least efficient in nebulizing the medication and require a greater nebulization time.
The correlation between the loss of chromosome 14q with histologic tumor grade, pathologic stage, and outcome of patients with nonpapillary renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND. Conventional pathologic classifications of human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) give little insight into oncogenesis and little assistance in predicting the clinical behavior of this disease. Identification of specific genetic alterations involved in the development of RCC using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) however, may help provide foundations for classification, prognosis, and clinical management of the patients. METHODS. Archival, paraffin embedded tissue sections from 30 human non-papillary RCCs were examined with a dual color FISH technique for loss of chromosomes 3p and 14q. Telomeric DNA probes from 3p or 14q and an internal ploidy control probe, centromeric probe of chromosome 2, were applied directly to the tumor sections. The correlations between loss of 3p or 14q, and tumor ploidy, with tumor grade, pathologic stage, and patient outcome were assessed. RESULTS. Ninety percent of the patients (27) lost chromosome 3p, and 36.7% of the patients (11) had chromosome 14q deletions. The loss of 3p in the samples tested was unrelated to patient age, gender, outcome, tumor stage, or histologic grade. However, the deletion of 14q was significantly correlated with higher stage (P = 0.01), histologic grade (P = 0.01), and patient outcome (P < 10 -4 ). CONCLUSION. The close correlation of 14q loss with higher stage, higher histologic grade, and poorer outcome for patients with nonpapillary RCC indicates that it may be a promising prognostic marker.
Medical Specialty Board Examinations and Physicians with Disabilities: An Investigation into Current Practices

Special testing accommodations is an issue that affects both medical specialty boards and physicians with disabilities in the administration of medical specialty examinations. To assess practices of medical specialty boards when physicians with disabilities request nonstandardized testing, all of the medical specialty boards were surveyed. It was found that there is great variance in policies, procedures, and practices regarding such testing. Flexible systems, both formal and informal, are currently in place that provide ample opportunities for reasonable accommodations when physicians take specialty board examinations.
I/O subnets for the APS Control System

Although the Advanced Photon Source Control System allows for microprocessor-based input/output controllers (IOCs) to be distributed throughout the facility, it is not always cost-effective to provide such capability at every location where an interface to the control system is required. For greatest flexibility, the subnets must support connections to equipment that requires several discrete I/O points, connections to GPIB and RS232 instruments, and a network connection to custom designed intelligent equipment. An approach is described that supports all of these interfaces with one subnet implementation, BITBUS. In addition to accommodating several different interfaces on a single subnet, this approach also circumvents several limitations of GPIB and RS232 which would otherwise restrict their use in a harsh, industrial environment. >
Peroxisomes: Another Branch of the Secretory Pathway?

The question of whether new peroxisomes form autonomously has been a subject of debate for more than 30 years. In this issue of Cell, Hoepfner et al. (2005) present the most compelling evidence to date in support of a role for the endoplasmic reticulum in the creation of peroxisomes.
Y3+ Block Demonstrates an Intracellular Activation Gate for the α1G T-type Ca2+ Channel

Classical electrophysiology and contemporary crystallography suggest that the activation gate of voltage-dependent channels is on the intracellular side, but a more extracellular “pore gate” has also been proposed. We have used the voltage dependence of block by extracellular Y3+ as a tool to locate the activation gate of the α1G (CaV3.1) T-type calcium channel. Y3+ block exhibited no clear voltage dependence from −40 to +40 mV (50% block at 25 nM), but block was relieved rapidly by stronger depolarization. Reblock of the open channel, reflected in accelerated tail currents, was fast and concentration dependent. Closed channels were also blocked by Y3+ at a concentration-dependent rate, only eightfold slower than open-channel block. When extracellular Ca2+ was replaced with Ba2+, the rate of open block by Y3+ was unaffected, but closed block was threefold faster than in Ca2+, suggesting the slower closed-block rate reflects ion–ion interactions in the pore rather than an extracellularly located gate. Since an extracellular blocker can rapidly enter the closed pore, the primary activation gate must be on the intracellular side of the selectivity filter.
Beware the mask.

creep with technique creep. This change in terminology identifies the cause of the problem, not just the result. This brief overview is intended to highlight the patient radiation dose reduction possible with CR and DR due to the extended dynamic range of each and the higher detective quantum efficiency of these image receptors. But wait; there is a remote potential problem with the postprocessing of these images. HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM!
Upon the definition of an integral as the limit of a continued fraction

Abstract : A new definition of the integral taken between the limits t and infinity of the quantity phi(xi) d(xi) is discussed. The definition is based upon the theory of continued fractions. (Author)
THE FRACTURE OF ICE Ih

The brittle fracture of ice is considered from a physical viewpoint. Fracture under uniaxial tension is discussed in terms of crack nucleation and crack propagation. Fracture under uniaxial compression is described in terms of fracture toughness, end constraint, Coulombic friction, and crack interactions within a shear fault. Models are presented and are compared with experimental results.
Sensitivity, Specificity, and Sex Differences in Symptoms Reported on the 13‐Item Acute Coronary Syndrome Checklist

Background Clinical symptoms are part of the risk stratification approaches used in the emergency department (ED) to evaluate patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of 13 symptoms for a discharge diagnosis of ACS in women and men. Methods and Results The sample included 736 patients admitted to 4 EDs with symptoms suggestive of ACS. Symptoms were assessed with the 13-item validated ACS Symptom Checklist. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to estimate sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of each symptom for a diagnosis of ACS, adjusting for age, obesity, diabetes, and functional status. Patients were predominantly male (63%) and Caucasian (70.5%), with a mean age of 59.7±14.2 years. Chest pressure, chest discomfort, and chest pain demonstrated the highest sensitivity for ACS in both women (66%, 66%, and 67%) and men (63%, 69%, and 72%). Six symptoms were specific for a non-ACS diagnosis in both women and men. The predictive value of shoulder (odds ratio [OR]=2.53; 95% CI=1.29 to 4.96) and arm pain (OR 2.15; 95% CI=1.10 to 4.20) in women was nearly twice that of men (OR=1.11; 95% CI=0.67 to 1.85 and OR=1.21; 95% CI=0.74 to 1.99). Shortness of breath (OR=0.49; 95% CI=0.30 to 0.79) predicted a non-ACS diagnosis in men. Conclusions There were more similarities than differences in symptom predictors of ACS for women and men.
Evaluating maturational parallels in second language children and children with specific language impairment

In her Keynote Article in this issue, Paradis explores the nature of bilingual language acquisition by examining the question of possible similarities between children learning a second language (L2) and children with specific language impairment (SLI) who are monolingual or bilingual. She evaluates the maturation model of Rice (2004), the extended optional infinitive (EOI) model, that focuses on children's acquisition of finiteness marking during the early childhood period. Paradis alludes to the issue of how to deal with the nonparallels between chronological age and acquisition in the comparison of L2 and SLI language acquisition within maturational models. I explore that issue further in this Commentary, using the available growth templates drawn from the work on English-speaking typically developing children and children with SLI for projected possible growth trajectories for bilingual and L2 children, with and without SLI.
Periconceptional folic acid supplementation as a social intervention

Periconceptional folic acid supplementation has been shown to decrease the first occurrence of isolated neural tube defects (NTDs) by as much as 50%, and to decrease the recurrence risk for NTDs by more than 70%. The possible mechanisms of vitamin supplementation in the prevention of NTDs are discussed, as are the current recommendations for reproductive-age women. Further, the limitations of dietary and pharmacological recommendations with regard to patient compliance as well as the possibility of grain fortification are reviewed.
Impact ellipsoids and measures for robot manipulators

This paper introduces new methods to evaluate the effects of impact and contact forces on robot manipulators. New measures of the vulnerability of any arm to impacts in varying directions are given. Impact ellipsoids corresponding to these measures are defined and analyzed. Examples showing 'good' and 'bad' configurations for contacts and tasks of different types are presented. >
Training for the small business

For some years now, Management Studies Departments in polytechnics and technical colleges in Britain have encountered pressures to provide specific courses for the small business. Such pressures emanate from major national studies, such as the Bolton Report, ad hoc inquiries from particular enterprises, occasional contacts from Employers' Associations, and the aspirations of individual members of staff to develop work in that particular field. Moreover regular harangues from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Science are levelled at heads of departments through conferences and personal contacts to pay due attention to the needs of small businesses. Within course planning and development, the point is justifiably made that the resources obtained from public money financing the further and higher education sector should flow to small concerns as much as to large public corporations.
Characterization of Particulate Matter Emitted from Combustion of Various Biomasses in O2/N2 and O2/CO2 Environments

This work reports on the physical and chemical characteristics of the ashes of biomass residues burned in air as well as in simulated dry oxy-combustion conditions. Three pulverized biomass residues (olive residue, corn residue, and torrefied pine sawdust) were burned in a laboratory-scale laminar-flow drop tube furnace heated to 1400 K. Olive residue resulted in by far the largest particulate yields—both submicrometer (PM1) and supermicrometer (PM1–18)—whereas torrefied pine sawdust resulted in the lowest. The collected particulate yields of these two biomasses were analogous to their ash contents. The collected particulate yields of corn residue, however, were lower than expected in view of its ash content. To investigate the effects of the oxygen mole fraction and of the background gas, the O2 mole fraction was varied from 20% to 60% in either N2 or CO2. Submicrometer particulate matter (PM1) emission yields of all three fuels were lower in O2/CO2 than in O2/N2 environments; they typically, but not alw...
Sentinel surveillance of female sex workers in Luannan County in 2011

Objective To understand epidemiologic characteristics and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(AIDS) epidemic trend in female sex workers in Luannan County.Methods Questionnaires investigation and serological testing were conducted among 400 female sex workers.In accordance with the requirements of the National AIDS sentinel surveillance program.Results The average age of the female sex workers was 28.62.In all these female sex workers,unmarred accounted for 57.25%.Those from Hebei Province accounted for 67.00% and those from other provinces accounted for 33.00%.The subjects who received only junior high school education accounted for 60.00%.AIDS prevention and awareness rats was 88.00%.Rate of condom use during the last sexual intercourse was 56.75%.Only 4 subjects had drug use behavior,but did not inject.In the last year,298 subjects(74.50%) received the knowledge about AIDS prevention services.Two cases were positive for syphilis antibody and 9 cases were positive for hepatitis C virus(HCV) antibody positive in serological testing,but none of the cases was human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) positive.Conclusion There was a gap between female sex workers and normal control in rates of condom use and AIDS awareness.The methods of behavioral intervention should be changed,peer education services should be strengthened to promote their behavior changes.Meanwhile,education for prevention of sexually transmitted diseases should be strengthened.
Primary structure of ζ-crystallin protein from guinea pig. Its similarity to the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase

The primary structure of zeta-crystallin, a guinea pig lens specific protein, was obtained by cloning the copy of its mRNA from a 0-1 week old cDNA lens library. The protein is 328 amino acids long and 34% of its secondary structure appears in alpha-helical conformation. Comparison of the zeta-crystallin sequence with the sequences of the protein data base bank, revealed the similarity of this lens protein to the enzymes of the long-chain zinc-containing alcohol dehydrogenase family.
Why are older Floridians exceptional

ABSTRACT: Why do older Floridians have higher utilization of health care and live longer than other older Americans? Higher health care use among Florida's older residents is likely related to hous...
Dynamics of design and development of web-based mechanics

Statics and Dynamics are core-engineering courses taken by most of the undergraduate students in the College of Engineering and Technology. Since Statics and Dynamics are one of the first two fundamental engineering courses in the curriculum, students often have difficulty with rigorous problem solving and with assessing whether or not their calculated results are physically meaningful. Statics and Dynamics are taught in separate quarters, and Statics is a pre-requisite to Dynamics. Though the two courses are related, students tend to forget what they learnt in the first course when they take the second course. It is very difficult for the instructor to demonstrate the connection between the two courses, and in most cases the instructors for the two courses are different, and the style, terminology and notation becomes different, which can be confusing to the student. By designing the two courses for the web as one course, the instructors plan to teach two quarters of Mechanics, with Statics and Dynamics being special cases of Mechanics. The web makes it easier to demonstrate the link between the concepts in the two courses as long as they are designed as an integrated Mechanics course instead of two individual courses.
Students' Perceptions of the Long-Term Impact of Attending a "CSI Science Camp"

A science summer camp is a popular type of informal science experience for youth. While there is no one model of a science camp, these experiences typically allow for more focused and in-depth exploration of different science domains and are usually hands-on and participatory. The goal of this research was to examine the impact of a short science camp program approximately 1 year after students attended the camp. Overall, the results revealed that attending a 2-day forensic science camp had a positive and continuing influence on the participants. Students’ science self-efficacy increased immediately after attending the camp and remained higher than pre-camp levels approximately 1 year later. Students were able to articulate why they believed the camp had a long-term impact on their lives. Furthermore, participants attributed a higher level of engaging in additional informal STEM-related activities during the academic year as a result of attending the camp.
Animals in the Qur'an

The Islamic tradition has always held animals in high esteem, deserving the same level of consideration as humans. The Qur'an opines that 'there is not an animal in the earth nor a flying creature flying on two wings, but they are people like you'. This fascinating and highly original book examines the status and nature of animals as they are portrayed in the Qur'an and in adjacent exegetical works, in which animals are viewed as spiritual, moral, intelligent and accountable beings. In this way, the study presents a challenge to the prevalent view of man's superiority over animals and suggests new ways of interpreting the Qur'an. By placing the discussion within the context of other religions and their treatment of animals, the book also makes a persuasive case for animal rights from an Islamic perspective.
Tornado-Borne Missile Speeds

To ensure the safety of nuclear power plants in the event of a tornado strike it is required that, in addition to the direct action of the wind and of the moving pressure field, the designer consider the impact of tornado-borne missiles, i.e., of objects moving under the action of aerodynamic forces induced by the tornado wind. It is, therefore, necessary that estimates be made of the speeds attained by potential missiles under such tornado wind conditions as are specified for the design of nuclear power plants. To calculate such speeds a rational model for the tornado-borne missile was proposed, based on the assumption that the missile tumbles during its flight, and a computer program was developed, based on this model. Missile trajectories and speeds were calculated corresponding to various assumptions regarding the initial conditions and the tornado wind field. The sensitivity of the results to changes in these assumptions was examined.
Water-Free Synthesis of Temperature-Sensitive Polyacrylamide Microgels and Pore Modeled Oil Recovery Performance

Polymer gel treatments can improve sweep efficiency and reduce water production during oil recovery operations. In this article, a novel suspension polymerization method was developed to synthesize a temperature-sensitive microgel. The microgel was prepared by suspension polymerization above the melting point of the monomer in a nonpolar solvent without water. Dry microspheres were obtained, which can be readily used without post-treatment. Two different crosslinkers were employed in the suspension polymerization synthesis to give the particles thermally responsive aqueous swelling properties. After entering pore channels, gel particles expand to engineered size to realize flow profile changes within in a reservoir formation. When dispersed into water under lower temperatures (ambient to 40 °C), the original dry particles can swell about 18 times their original size. Exposure to a harsher environment (e.g., 80 °C) resulted in cleavage of the labile crosslinking agent and some chain cleavage gave a further size expansion. A Millipore film filtration model system was adopted to evaluate pore occlusion performance of the gel particles. It was found that the nuclear pores were effectively sealed by swollen microgels only when gel particle sizes were similar to or smaller than the membrane pores and interpore separation distance. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 134, 44581.
Current progress and perspectives of applying cold sintering process to ZrO2-based ceramics

Abstract Zirconia-based ceramics are normally sintered at high temperatures to obtain dense compacts that can deliver good mechanical and/or electrical performance. We recently developed a cold sintering process to achieve dense ceramics at incredibly low temperatures, or an improved densification after a second-step conventional sintering. Here we briefly review the current progress on its relevance to zirconia ceramics as exemplified by yttria-doped zirconia. We will contrast the processing of compositions for a structural-ceramic and an electroceramic. Together with enhanced densification, the processing-structure-property relationship is outlined. The cold sintering technique can provide a cost-effective and energy-saving processing for fabrication of zirconia-based materials.
The Thick Subcategory Generated by the Trivial Module

This paper is a report of my lecture at the International Conference on the Representation Theory of Algebras which preceded the Euroconference on Infinite Length Modules. While it is true that the aim of the research is the homological algebra of finitely presented modules, a major point of the lecture was the role that infinitely generated modules could play in the investigation. The methods of idempotent modules and the theory of support varieties for infinite dimensional modules have already had a significant impact on group representation theory. It seems certain that there will be a lot more to follow. I am honored by the invitation to include the report in the conference proceedings, and I would like to thank the organizers of the conference and the workshop for the stimulating experience.
Recurrent glioblastoma: Stratification of patient survival using tumor volume before and after antiangiogenic treatment.

2075 Background: Although antiangiogenic therapies can induce a dramatic clinical and imaging response in patients with recurrent glioblastoma, their benefit on overall survival is less pronounced....
Pairing properties from random distributions of single-particle energy levels

Exploiting the similarity between the bunched single-particle energy levels of nuclei and of random distributions around the Fermi surface, pairing properties of the latter are calculated to establish statistically-based bounds on the basic characteristics of the pairing phenomenon. When the most probable values for the pairing gaps germane to the BCS formalism are used to calculate thermodynamic quantities, we find that while the ratio of the critical temperature Tc to the zero-temperature pairing gap is close to its BCS Fermi gas value, the ratio of the superfluid to the normal phase specific heats at Tc differs significantly from its Fermi gas counterpart. The largest deviations occur when a few levels lie closely on either side of the Fermi energy but other levels are far away from it. The influence of thermal fluctuations, expected to be large for systems of finite number of particles, were also investigated using a semiclassical treatment of fluctuations. When the average pairing gaps along with those differing by one standard deviations are used, the characteristic discontinuity of the specific heat at Tc in the BCS formalism was transformed to a shoulder-like structure indicating the suppression of a second order phase transition as experimentally observed in nano-particles and several nuclei. Contrasting semiclassical and quantum treatments of fluctuations for the random spacing model is currently underway.
Yields and yield stability of no-till and chisel-plow fields in the Midwestern US Corn Belt

Abstract Scientists have dedicated many decades and resources to studying the effects of tillage on soil properties and crop yields. However, the literature lacks empirical data on corn/soybean yields and their stability to variable-weather years under long-term management at multiple locations in mid-Western USA. Thus, the objective of the current study was to evaluate yields and their stability from 2009 through 2013 at eight long-term sites with no-till (NT) and chisel-plow (CP) managed continuous corn (CC) and corn (Zea mays)-soybean (Glycine max) rotations (C-s and c-S for corn and soybean phase). The tillage-treatment durations among the eight sites ranged from eight to 51 years in the Midwestern U.S. Corn Belt. The data indicates that tillage had no significant effect on long-term crop yields, with a few exceptions. During one site-year (southern Minnesota in 2012) in the CC system, NT yielded significantly 15.2% more than CP (9.1 vs. 7.9 Mg ha−1). However, CC yields averaged across sites were significantly 10.5 and 13.6% more in CP than NT in 2009 and 2010, respectively (12.6 vs. 11.4 Mg ha−1 in 2009; 12.5 vs. 11.0 Mg ha−1 in 2010). In the corn-soybean rotations, CP yielded significantly 18.7% more than NT (12.7 vs. 10.7 Mg ha−1) when averaged across years at one site in Iowa for the C-s phase. Yield stability indexes to environmental conditions indicated no differences in NT than CP yield stabilities among variable-weather years. However, NT had significantly lower range of relative yields across the variable-weather years as compared to CP for the CC system and C-s phase. These direct and synthesized data provide evidence of little to no differences between CP and NT managed corn/soybean research plots exist in the Midwestern US. Although CP may produce greater yields when averaged across the region’s research plots during some years, this effect was not evident at the individual research plot scale.
Cholinergic neurons identified by in situ hybridization histochemistry.

Publisher Summary The winds of cholinergic neuroanatomy have blown in many directions since the pioneering studies of Koelle in the early 1950s and Shute and Lewis in the middle 1960s on the distribution and projections of neurons synthesizing acetylcholinesterase. In a surprising display of scientific longevity, AChE remained the most widely used histochemical marker of cholinergic neurons for several years until the early 1980s, when valid monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against choline-o-acetyltransferase, the synthetic enzyme of acetylcholine, were developed and used immunohistochemically. However, histochemical methods for AChE and ChAT are not without caveats. Although the limitations of AChE histochemistry have long been appreciated, the same cannot be said at present for ChAT immunocytochemistry. The cellular presence of ChAT-like immunoreactivity is widely believed to be not only necessary but also sufficient to conclude that a given neuron is cholinergic (that uses acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter). Such an equation is mitigated, however, by the possibility that false-positive results could derive from cross-reactivity of primary ChAT antibody with proteins structurally different from cholinergic synthetic enzyme but possessing similar epitopes. This latter concern was a major drawback to early, presumably unsuccessful, attempts in the middle 1970s to localize ChAT in the brain and spinal cord by antibody-histochemical techniques. Recently, new procedures based on in situ hybridization have been developed that would appear to provide a potentially important and highly specific technology for the identification of cholinergic neurons. This chapter uses this methodology, both alone and in combination with other methods, particularly ChAT immunohistochemistry, to chart the organization and distribution of putative acetylcholine-transmitting neurons in the central nervous system.