cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Small-Scale Sicilian Fisheries: Opinions of Artisanal Fishers and Sociocultural Effects in Two MPA Case Studies

Marine resource management and related stakeholder conflicts have been clearly defined in recent decades as pressing issues worldwide. This article provides a comparative study of the management regimes of the Gulf of Castellammare Fishery Reserve and the Egadi Islands Marine Reserve in Sicily, Italy. What managers in these two reserves have neglected to include in management is a social science evaluation scheme to ensure the development of more effective overall management. This is a significant problem in both Italy and the rest of the Mediterranean, where few sociocultural and economic studies have been conducted. Using data collected with standard anthropological field methods, analysis was conducted on how artisanal fishers are impacted by reserves, the extent of their knowledge regarding regulations, their opinions on management, and demographics. The results indicate that while fishers in the two case studies are all aware of the marine reserves where they fish, most fishers are not well informed ...
Effects of compression on distributions of oxygen and lactate in intervertebral disc

Since the intervertebral disc (IVD) is the largest avascular cartilaginous structure in the human body, poor nutrient supply has been suggested as a potential mechanism for disc degeneration. The previous theoretical studies have shown that the distributions of nutrients and metabolites (e.g., oxygen, glucose, and lactate) within the IVD depended on tissue diffusivities, nutrient supply, cellular metabolic rates, and coupling effects between nutrient and metabolite [1,2]. Our recent theoretical study suggested that dynamic compression can promote transport of neutral solute in the anisotropic cartilaginous tissue by enhancing both diffusive and convective solute fluxes [3]. However, the effect of compression on distributions of nutrients and metabolites in the IVD has not been studied. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of compression on distributions of oxygen and lactate in the IVD under static and dynamic unconfined compression using a new formulation of the triphasic theory.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Radical resection of tumors of the inferior vena cava with vascular reconstruction and kidney autotransplantation

Abstract Background. Tumors of the inferior vena cava (IVC) are rare tumors. Although often locally confined, juxtaposed vital structures usually limit the extent of resection. However, complete surgical resection has been shown to be the most important positive prognostic factor. Methods. Four patients had resection of primary vena caval tumors. In two patients with locally extensive vena caval tumors the limits of conventional resection were extended by means of complete resection of the involved infrahepatic IVC, aorta, and both kidneys. The IVC and aorta were reconstructed with synthetic grafts, and the uninvolved kidney was autotransplanted for both patients. Results. Of the two patients treated with more extensive resection, one patient had no evidence of disease 26 months after operation, and the second patient died of recurrent disease 23 months after operation. Conclusions. Primary tumors of the IVC may extend locally without distant metastasis. Radical surgical excision as the primary mode of treatment provides the best chance for prolonged survival in appropriately selected patients with tumors of the IVC. After surgical excision the patient with the leiomyosarcoma was treated with radiation therapy and the patient with rhabdomyosarcoma by chemotherapy. Although leiomyosarcomas of the IVC are rare tumors, the first patient is only the third reported case of the even rarer rhabdomyosarcoma of the IVC.
Hepatic S1P deficiency lowers plasma cholesterol levels in apoB-containing lipoproteins when LDLR function is compromised

Site-1 protease (S1P) is the key enzyme required for activation of the sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) that govern lipid synthesis. While S1P has been speculated to influence plasma apoB-containing lipoprotein (Blp) metabolism, there has been little investigative work. LDL receptor (LDLR) is the major receptor for clearing plasma LDL cholesterol (LDL-c). Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) modulates LDL-c through post-translational degradation of the LDLR. A hepatic-specific knockdown (KD) of S1P was achieved using floxed S1P mouse models (S1Pf/f and LDLR-/-S1Pf/f) and hepatic expression of Cre recombinase. Lipids were measured in total plasma and size fractionated plasma using colorimetric assays. Realtime polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and ELISA were used to determine hepatic expression of key genes/protein. Plasmid mediated overexpression and siRNA mediated knockdown of genes were performed in mouse primary hepatocytes to determine the mechanistic basis of PCSK9 gene regulation. A hepatic-specific KD of S1P resulted in a 45 % and 38 % reduction in plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, respectively. Hepatic S1P KD had a minimal effect on plasma Blp cholesterol (Blp-c) in S1Pf/f mice, despite significantly reducing VLDL secretion. Notably, hepatic S1P KD decreased the LDL receptor (LDLR) mRNA expression by 50 %. However, the reduction in LDLR protein levels was less than that of mRNA expression, especially under fed conditions. Further assessment of hepatic S1P deficiency revealed that it increased LDLR protein stability in vivo. Mechanistically, hepatic S1P KD was shown to decrease the liver and plasma levels of the protein proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), which degrades LDLR protein. This effect was more prominent in the fed condition and sufficient to account for the discordance in LDLR mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, hepatic S1P was shown to regulate PCSK9 expression through activation of the SREBPs. In the LDLR-/- background, hepatic S1P KD significantly reduced Blp-c levels. Hepatic S1P is a physiological modulator of plasma Blp metabolism through its regulation of LDLR and PCSK9. Hepatic S1P is a valid target for lowering plasma Blp-c levels in the situation where LDLR function is compromised.
DO WOODPECKER DRUMS ENCODE INFORMATION FOR SPECIES RECOGNITION

Abstract We investigated whether woodpecker drums are exchanged interspecifically and attempted to ascertain the drum variables responsible for species recognition. Playback experiments were conducted on four woodpecker species (Nuttall's Picoides nuttallii, White-headed P. albolarvatus, Hairy P. villosus, and Downy P. pubescens Woodpeckers) comparing behavioral responses to sympatric hetero- and conspecific drums. There was a significant difference in behavioral responses to sympatric hetero- versus conspecific drums; individuals responded less intensely to drums of heterospecifics when drum cadences were dissimilar. Allopatric species drums with similar cadences were used to examine whether cadence was a variable that encodes species identity. There was no significant difference between responses to allopatric hetero- versus conspecific drums with a similar cadence, indicating that the drum's cadence encodes information for species recognition. Further playbacks eliminated drum duration and spectral pro...
Sidestepping awkward encounters: avoidance as a response to outperformance‐related discomfort

When people believe that their higher performance poses a threat to another person, they may experience discomfort or concern that has been termed Sensitivity to being the Target of a Threatening Upward Comparison (STTUC). One way to reduce STTUC discomfort might be to avoid contact with the outperformed person, a possibility examined in three studies of undergraduates. In laboratory contexts, STTUC discomfort predicted reluctance to meet an outperformed peer (Study 1) and preference for a different partner in future competitions (Study 2). In Study 3, which focused on naturalistic outperformance situations, STTUC distress again predicted avoidance. Additionally, avoidance of contact predicted less satisfaction with outcomes, especially in relationships where people knew each other well.
A theoretical approach to nonfoaming adsorptive bubble fractionation

A theoretical discussion is presented for the separation attainable via adsorption at the surfaces of bubbles rising up through a liquid solution. This heretofore neglected operation, which is called bubble fractionation, differs from both foam fractionation and gas desorption.
Why Are Chimps Still Chimps

Teachers may be posed with such questions as, "If we evolved from chimps, why are there still chimps?" We provide teachers with answers to this and related questions in the context of the latest genetic, fossil, and behavioral evidence. We also provide references they can use to further students' understanding of human evolution and evolution in general. In the process, we highlight recent discoveries in paleontology, molecular evolution, and comparative genomics. Modern chimps and humans shared a now extinct common ancestor that was neither a chimp nor a human – in other words, humans did not evolve from chimps – and, though chimps are humans' closest living relatives, we are characterized by distinct evolutionary histories.
Cognitive status and change among Iowa centenarians.

Equivocal evidence exists regarding the degree of cognitive stability and prevalence of cognitive impairment in very late life. The objective of the current study was to examine mental status performance and change over time within a sample of Iowa centenarians. The baseline sample consisted of 152 community-dwelling and institutionalized centenarians. Twenty eight of these centenarians participated in the next phase of the study which involved up to four subsequent assessments conducted over a 6-month period. Centenarians' Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ; Pfeiffer, 1975) performance indicated that 40% of the baseline sample performed within the normal range while an additional 40% of centenarians' performed within the moderately or severely impaired range. Examination of individual-level change indicated four patterns of short-term longitudinal performance which depicted stability, enhancement, decrement, and variability in scores across the 8-month testing period. The degree of reliabl...
Plasticizer Effect on Grease Barrier and Color Properties of Whey-protein Coatings on Paperboard

Whey protein concentrates with ˜80% protein (WPC-80) plasticized with 0.64 M glycerol or sucrose, or with 0.34 or 0.64 M sorbitol or polyethylene glycol (PEG) 200, produced flexible films. WPC-80 with hydrolyzed lactose required addition of less sucrose to produce flexible films. WPC-80 films formed as coatings on paperboard gave a grease barrier comparable to WPI film-coatings. Long-term ambient storage of WPC-80 coated paperboard indicated that the use of sucrose as plasticizer imparted good grease resistance and minimized plasticizer migration.
An Electrothermal Tip–Tilt–Piston Micromirror Based on Folded Dual S-Shaped Bimorphs

This paper presents the design, optimization, fabrication, and test results of an electrothermally actuated tip-tilt-piston micromirror with a large optical aperture of 1 mm. The fabrication of the device is a combination of thin-film surface micromachining and bulk silicon micromachining based on silicon-on-insulator wafers. The device has 3-DOF of actuations, including rotations around two axes in the mirror plane, and out-of-plane piston actuation. The micromirror shows an optical scan range of plusmn30deg about both x- and y-axes and displaces 480 mum in the z-axis, all at dc voltages that are less than 8 V. Dynamic testing of the micromirror shows that the thermal response time of each actuator is about 10 ms. Resonant frequencies of the piston and rotation motion are 336 and 488 Hz, respectively. The unique structural design of the device ensures that there is no lateral shift for the piston motion and no rotation-axis shift for the rotation scanning. With the large tip-tilt-piston scan ranges and low driving voltage, this type of device is very suitable for biomedical imaging and laser beam steering applications.
Evaluation of gender classification methods on thermal and near-infrared face images

Automatic gender classification based on face images is receiving increased attention in the biometrics community. Most gender classification systems have been evaluated only on face images captured in the visible spectrum. In this work, the possibility of deducing gender from face images obtained in the near-infrared (NIR) and thermal (THM) spectra is established. It is observed that the use of local binary pattern histogram (LBPH) features along with discriminative classifiers results in reasonable gender classification accuracy in both the NIR and THM spectra. Further, the performance of human subjects in classifying thermal face images is studied. Experiments suggest that machine-learning methods are better suited than humans for gender classification from face images in the thermal spectrum.
Lethal Effect of Rickettsia rickettsii on Its Tick Vector (Dermacentor andersoni)

Rickettsia rickettsii, the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, was lethal for the majority of experimentally and transovarially infected Rocky Mountain wood ticks (Dermacentor andersoni). Overall, 94.1% of nymphs infected as larvae by feeding on rickettsemic guinea pigs died during the molt into adults and 88.3% of adult female ticks infected as nymphs died prior to feeding. In contrast, only 2.8% of uninfected larvae failed to develop into adults over two generations. Infected female ticks incubated at 4°C had a lower mortality (80.9%) than did those held at 21°C (96.8%). Rickettsiae were vertically transmitted to 39.0% of offspring, and significantly fewer larvae developed from infected ticks. The lethal effect of R. rickettsii may explain the low prevalence of infected ticks in nature and affect its enzootic maintenance.
A happy marriage: advancing DNA polymerases with DNA topoisomerase supplements

A variety of different DNA-processing enzymes (including DNA polymerases and topoisomerases) bind DNA in a sequence-nonspecific manner. Usually, these key cellular proteins have a narrow range of optimal experimental conditions, such as reaction temperature and concentration of salts. Furthermore, they all have a common structural motif, termed helix–hairpin–helix (HhH), which is responsible for their strong affinity for DNA.As a part of their long-term efforts in studying and advancing DNA polymerases, a team from Fidelity Systems (Gaithersburg, MD, USA) led by Alex I. Sleserev has recently discovered that numerous HhH subdomains of DNA topoisomerase V (TopoV) provide this enzyme with the unique ability to function at high salt concentrations. Inspired by this finding, the researchers had the clever idea of using TopoV's HhH blocks to confer salt resistance and processivity on other DNA-processing enzymes by engineering chimeric proteins [1xHelix–hairpin–helix motifs confer salt resistance and processivity on chimeric DNA polymerases. Pavlov, A.R. et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2002; 99: 13510–13515Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (21)See all References[1].They designed five thermophilic protein chimeras by fusing the Stoffel fragment of Taq DNA polymerase (four derivatives in total) or whole-size Pfu DNA polymerase (single derivative) with different high-affinity HhH motifs of TopoV at either C- or N-terminus of polymerase enzymes. This trick increases the upper limit of salt concentrations significantly (up to 0.5 M sodium chloride or 1.8 M potassium glutamate). For example, one of the TopoV–Taq chimeras performed the direct DNA cycle sequencing under much higher salt concentrations, at which its prototype was totally inefficient.Besides, the thermal stability of Taq-derived chimeras was also increased as compared with that of unmodified Taq enzyme or its Stoffel fragment under optimal ionic conditions. Furthermore, the processivity of Pfu-derived chimera proved to be considerably higher than that of the original Pfu polymerase, both without salt added and at high salt concentrations. In addition, it was found that anions have a major role in the inhibition of DNA polymerase activity.There is no doubt that the ability to design functionally active DNA-processing chimeric enzymes with enhanced binding affinity at extreme experimental conditions has practical potential. The authors believe that the innovative protein-engineering approach they developed to raise the polymerase salt resistance could be of various use. Keeping in mind that high salt-tolerant enzymes are usually more resistant to diverse inhibitors and contaminants, they expect that such modified polymerases can be used for amplifying and sequencing DNA in crude samples. They also expect that this approach can be applied to other polymerases or even other types of proteins, therefore potentially having many applications.
Lawmaking and Decree Making in the Russian Federation: Time, Space, and Rules in Russian National Policymaking

Russia's 1993 constitution created a hybrid presidential-parliamentary system in which the president has the power to initiate and veto legislation and to issue normative decrees. Using a comprehensive examination of laws and decrees promulgated in 1994-2004, three political scientists identify key influences on the use of lawmaking and decree-making powers by the president and parliament: constitutional constraints on the use of decree-making power, temporal considerations, and the effect of change in the policy distance between the president and the Duma. The interplay of these forces is illustrated in a case study of the use of law and decree in setting policy on land ownership.
Recruitment of DNA damage checkpoint proteins to damage in transcribed and nontranscribed sequences

We developed a chromatin immunoprecipitation method for analyzing the binding of repair and checkpoint proteins to DNA base lesions in any region of the human genome. Using this method, we investigated the recruitment of DNA damage checkpoint proteins RPA, Rad9, and ATR to base damage induced by UV and acetoxyacetylaminofluorene in transcribed and nontranscribed regions in wild-type and excision repair-deficient human cells in G1 and S phases of the cell cycle. We find that all 3 damage sensors tested assemble at the site or in the vicinity of damage in the absence of DNA replication or repair and that transcription enhances recruitment of checkpoint proteins to the damage site. Furthermore, we find that UV irradiation of human cells defective in excision repair leads to phosphorylation of Chk1 kinase in both G1 and S phase of the cell cycle, suggesting that primary DNA lesions as well as stalled transcription complexes may act as signals to initiate the DNA damage checkpoint response.
Tellings of remembrances 'Touched off' by student reports in group work in undergraduate writing classes

Instructors of college/university writing classes commonly ask their students to 'share their ideas' in groups. This paper aims to describe the sequential structures of a kind of talk typical to group work: students presenting 'reports' about early written drafts. Specifically, the data analysis in this paper looks at how a student's report 'touches off' another student's telling of a remembrance caused by the report, which in turn offers a complex analysis of the just-prior report, allowing the speaker to prove rather than merely claim an understanding of the report. Touched-off remembrances (TORs) are marked in other ways than just through talk: sometimes group members orient to them via understandings of the report-giver's gestures and other embodied features. Beyond their conversation-structural actions, TORs also work to allow students to demonstrate to each other their cultural literacies -that is, they afford the opportunity to attach a cultural understanding to what they have just heard. The study, which analyzes video data of naturally occurring interactions between students in writing classes, draws its theoretical basis from conversation-analytic literature on 'second stories' and on analytic approaches to the way talk, gesture, and other forms of embodiment produce action in the course of interaction.
R-D Optimized Frame-Layer Bit Allocation for H.264

The frame-layer bit allocation problem for H.264 is studied in this work. We first impose a GOP (Group of Pictures) structure on the underlying H.264 video, and then develop a two-pass rate control algorithm using the Lagrange optimization framework. The proposed algorithm estimates the rate-distortion (R-D) information of all frames in a GOP via pre-encoding in the first pass. The target number of bits of each frame is determined by searching the Lagrange multiplier that meets the bit budget for the GOP with the estimated R-D information. The proposed algorithm is useful for non-conversational applications such as video streaming where video sources are encoded off-line. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm achieves substantially higher picture quality than that used in the H.264 JM8.1a reference code.
The Effects of Racial Differences in Health Outcomes and Aging Patterns on the Future Racial Composition of the Electorate

Because racial/ethnic minorities in the U.S. tend to be young populations whose numerical growth mostly depends on births and immigration, their increasing proportions in the national population did not translate into increasing proportions of voters in over the last several decades. Recent shifts suggest this pattern is about to change. This paper focuses on five interrelated phenomena: (1) political participation is highest among the middle aged, (2) US-born minority groups show a higher mortality rate in middle age than non-Hispanic whites, (3) during the last decades, US-born minorities have been predominantly young adults while non-Hispanic whites have predominantly been middle-aged adults, (4) during the last decades, higher proportions of US-born minorities accumulated in the high-reproduction years and are now entering middleage, while, due to improvements in life expectancy, cohorts of non-Hispanic whites are now entering older adulthood, and (5) this aging-driven racial composition change has manifested in recent presidential elections, with Hispanic and Asian voters, who tend to vote Democratic, representing a growing share of the national voter turnout. Using graphical and formal representations, this paper demonstrates that turnout trends and voter choice tendencies among minority groups could lead the American two-party system toward significant changes in the near future.
Nonpenetrating Injuries to the Chest Wall and Esophagus

Trauma limited to the thoracic cage itself may produce profound pathophysiologic alterations which may be fatal if not promptly treated — from fractures of ribs or sternum and injuries to cartilage, to the severely crushed chest. Esophageal rupture as a result of external blunt trauma to the thorax or abdomen is rare and almost always fatal, and the keynote in management is rapid diagnosis.
Sawhorse waveform voltammetry for selective detection of adenosine, ATP, and hydrogen peroxide.

Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) is an electrochemistry technique which allows subsecond detection of neurotransmitters in vivo. Adenosine detection using FSCV has become increasingly popular but can be difficult because of interfering agents which oxidize at or near the same potential as adenosine. Triangle shaped waveforms are traditionally used for FSCV, but modified waveforms have been introduced to maximize analyte sensitivity and provide stability at high scan rates. Here, a modified sawhorse waveform was used to maximize the time for adenosine oxidation and to manipulate the shapes of cyclic voltammograms (CVs) of analytes which oxidize at the switching potential. The optimized waveform consists of scanning at 400 V/s from −0.4 to 1.35 V and holding briefly for 1.0 ms followed by a ramp back down to −0.4 V. This waveform allows the use of a lower switching potential for adenosine detection. Hydrogen peroxide and ATP also oxidize at the switching potential and can interfere with adenosine measure...
The Ontogeny of Lasiobolus ciliatus (Pezizales, Ascomycetes)

Ontogeny of Lasiobolus ciliatus was studied to determine the type of development of the ascogonium and of the ascocarp. Ascogonial development is described as similar to that of Coprobia granulata,...
The BackToBasics Just-in-Time-Pre-Production Paradigm

BackToBasics is a real-time digital sampletriggering program. It allows an Apple Macintosh computer to play sounds using its keyboard in somewhat the same way as a sampling MIDI keyboard. I originally produced BackToBasics solely for the computer music science team, Revo (of which I am an active member), but it has now been made available to the general scientific community as shareware. BackToBasics allows its user to make any number of keyboard setups having different sounds associated with each key on the standard Macintosh keyboard. Each key can be set up to trigger a different sound, or several keys can trigger the same sound. Each key can also be set up to transpose its sound across a range of 10.5 octaves, or to have its own individual volume setting which can amplify a sound from 0-400 percent, and pan it anywhere between the left and right stereo sound channels. These settings are completely non-destructive, and do not change the data in the sample itself. Only the way the sample is played is altered.
Study on Intrusion Detection and Response Cooperation Model

A distributed intrusion detection and response cooperation model is proposed.In the model,cooperation agents correlate the detection results from the detection agents and cooperation agents of other domains to detect complex intrusions.To facilitate the communication between different components,the intrusion detection message exchange format is extended and applied to represent the messages exchanged among the intrusion detection components.In addition,cooperation agents cooperate with one another by exchanging XML messages.A new concept of suspect,which indicates the suspected degree of an activity,is proposed and all the suspected activities and intrusions detected are reported to the monitors for isolation and monitoring.
On Regional Distribution of Rice Cultivation in Hunan Province

Regional distribution is a important basis of developing modern agriculture.On the analysis of rice production status in Hunan Province,this paper put forward a idea of regional distribtion of rice cultivation and relative principles,consider regional distribution of rice cultivation is a indispensable request for further development of rice in Hunan Province.According to region characteristic and rice production characteristic,the province could be compartmentalized into north plain region,south hummock region,mid-east high yielding region and west mountain region for rice cultivation,and the strategys for each region which make the regional distribution come true are discussed respectively,then some mearsurements promoting regional distribution are proposed.
Analysis by long walk: some approaches to the synthesis of multiple sources of evidence

INTRODUCTION Through this chapter I make two contributions. First, I provide both conceptual guidance and practical advice for information systems (IS) scholars who are involved in multi-method research, with a particular focus on conducting multi-method analysis. Second, and as a means to achieve the first contribution, I detail some of the principal components of multi-method research. Multi-method research is based on the premise that analysis of separate and dissimilar data sets drawn on the same phenomena will provide a richer picture of the events and/ or issues than will any single method. While valued by many IS scholars, multi-method-based research to study the roles of information and communication technologies (ICT) in social organization is underexplored as a set of coherent techniques. In response I put forth a set of observations that arise from my own multi-method research experi-
Informational needs and the quality of life of patients in their first year after metastatic breast cancer diagnosis.

BACKGROUND Little is known about the informational needs and quality of life (QOL) of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) within the first year of their diagnosis. OBJECTIVES To describe the informational needs and QOL of patients with MBC within the first year of diagnosis, and to identify sociodemographic and medical factors that may be associated with informational needs and QOL. METHODS 52 patients (50 women, 2 men) enrolled within a year of diagnosis of MBC completed a cross-sectional, self-administered paper survey that included patient demographics, the Toronto Informational Needs Questionnaire-Breast Cancer (TINQ), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36). High informational need was defined as a TINQ score of ≥ 200. RESULTS Of the total 52 patients, 69% (35/52) had high informational needs, 20% met the criteria for anxiety (HADS-Anxiety score, ≥ 11), and 8% met the criteria for depression. SF-36 scores were lower in all 8 subscales compared with the general population. Multivariate analyses showed that patients who were married or living as married (OR, 6.1; 95% CI, 1.4-28.9) and patients with de novo MBC (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 0.5-14.3) or a shorter disease-free interval (DFI; < 5 years; OR, 24.2; 95% CI, 3.1-187.4) were more likely to have more informational needs (C statistic, 0.824) than were patients with a longer DFI (≥ 5 years). LIMITATIONS This is a small cross-sectional study of a single academic institution. CONCLUSIONS Patients with recently diagnosed MBC have high informational needs and decreased overall QOL. Additional research and supportive services meeting the informational and psychosocial needs of patients living with MBC are warranted.
Neutron-antineutron oscillations beyond the quasifree limit

Prompted by plans for a free neutron oscillation experiment at the European Spallation Source (ESS), we consider issues associated with the magnetic fields that must be present. To this end, we introduce a stochastic model of the residual magnetic field within the propagation region which draws on features of magnetic profiles measured during the last free oscillation experiment at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL). A perturbative analysis, which relates the antineutron probability to the power spectral density of the magnetic field sampled, suggests that deviations from the quasifree result will increase quadratically with the length $l$ of the propagation region. However, with inclusion of averaging over representative spectra of neutron speeds, departures from the quasifree result are found to be approximately linear in $l$. As regards the large spikes in the magnetic field at, for example, joints in the magnetic shielding of the propagation region (despite compensating currents and magnetic idealization of the shield), we demonstrate that their effect scales as $l/{D}^{3/2}$, where $D$ is the diameter of the cylindrical magnetic shielding, and identify conditions under which they can be neglected. We also establish that any large magnetic field encountered after the propagation region is exited will not diminish the probability for antineutron detection. For the range of values of $l$ of most interest to the ESS experiment, it should suffice to improve on the level of magnetic suppression achieved at the ILL by a factor of 2.
The diagnostic challenge of styloid elongation (Eagle's syndrome).

Abstract Eagle's syndrome is a relatively common disorder that is frequently misdiagnosed. It occurs more frequently in women. Presenting symptoms generally include posterior oropharyngeal pain, intermittent glossitis, and phantom foreign body discomfort of the pharynx. Surgical removal of elongated styloid processes generally provides relief of symptoms.
Audyt wiedzy przedsiębiorstwa

Celem niniejszego artykulu jest przedstawienie najwazniejszych elementow oraz podstawowych obszarow audytu wiedzy przedsiebiorstwa. Przeprowadzenie dowolnego audytu zwykle opiera sie na wielu pytaniach o charakterze diagnostycznym, ktore umozliwiają, w tym przypadku, dokonanie wstepnej diagnozy wiedzy znajdującej sie w przedsiebiorstwie. (abstrakt oryginalny)
SURVIVAL FROM OUT-OF-HOSPITAL CARDIAC ARREST AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO HEALTH INSURANCE STATUS IN THE YOUNG

Background: Sudden cardiac arrest in the young is a rare event. Survival in this population has been demonstrated to be low. We sought to determine the relationship between out of hospital cardiac arrest survival and insurance status in the young. Methods: This was a pooled cross-sectional analysis
Development and Application of UT Models in Titanium Inspection Development

Physical models can play several important roles in developing and evaluating ultrasonic techniques for the inspection of titanium engine components. In conventional inspection, models predicting signal-to-noise ratios can be used in system optimization. Models synthesizing time-domain wave forms can also be utilized to evaluate advanced signal detection algorithms. Finally, models can play a major role in probability of detection (POD) assessment, being used as tools to simulate (1) effects of measurement system and scan plan selection, flaw morphology and microstructure on the distribution of flaw responses; and (2) effects of measurement system microstructure on the distribution of noise.
Structural and superconducting properties of YBa2Cu3−ξAlξO6+σ (0⩽ξ⩽0.20)

Abstract A series of YBa 2 Cu 3− ξ Al ξ O 6+ σ (0⩽ ξ ⩽0.20) samples are prepared and their morphology and structural properties are investigated by scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray diffraction techniques. Superconducting parameters are obtained from the a.c. magnetic susceptibility and critical current density measurements. Transformation to a tetragonal phase occurs for ξ ⩾ 0.2 and T c . decreases strongly relative to the orthorhombic phase. A few degrees decrease of T c upon tetragonal phase transformation is consistent with the importance of Cu(2) planes for the superconductivity in these oxides.
Fluorogenic diazaborine formation of semicarbazide with designed coumarin derivatives

Bioorthogonal fluorogenic reactions serve as enabling tools in research and biotechnology. Herein we describe fluorogenic conjugations of semicarbazide with coumarin derivatives that incorporate a 2-acetylphenylboronic acid motif. These designed coumarins rapidly conjugate with semicarbazide to give diazaborine products with significantly enhanced fluorescence. To demonstrate potential applications of this fluorogenic reaction, we synthesized a semicarbazide-presenting amino acid d-Dap-Scz, which readily incorporates into the cell wall of Staphalococcus aureus and serves as a handle for conjugation with the coumarins. The fluorogenic conjugation of the coumarins to cell surface semicarbazide enables facile visualization of d-Dap-Scz treated bacteria.
Binary and analogue markers of skeletal maturity: clinical utility of the thenar and plantar sesamoids.

Abstract Purpose We investigate the thenar and plantar sesamoids as markers of skeletal maturity, and grade appearance using two scales, a binary system (absent or present), and an analogue system that relies upon judging regular changes in morphological appearance. Methods We studied 94 healthy children (49 female and 45 male patients) between ages three and 18 years who had approximately 700 serially acquired sets of radiographs and physical examinations. The children had at least annual radiographs taken of the left hand and left foot. Velocity of growth was calculated and curves were fit to a cubic spline model to determine age of maximum height velocity, or peak height velocity (PHV). Appearance of the plantar and thenar sesamoids was recorded using a binary system classifying the sesamoids as absent or present and an analogue system classifying the sesamoid as absent, present as a small ossification centre or larger than a small ossification centre. Results The plantar sesamoids appear 1.67 years be...
Surgical Outcomes Following Repeat Transsphenoidal Surgery for Nonfunctional Pituitary Adenomas: A Retrospective Comparative Study.

Background Endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (ETSS) remains the preferred treatment for recurrent or residual nonfunctional pituitary adenomas (NFPAs). However, surgical complications and outcomes with repeat ETSS are unclear. Objective To compare outcomes from primary and repeat ETSS in patients with NFPAs. Methods Retrospective review of ETSS for NFPAs at USC University Hospital and LAC + USC Medical Center between 2000 and 2015. Patients with ≥3-mo follow-up data were included. Patients were categorized as primary or repeat ETSS. Patient and tumor characteristics were compared preoperatively, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. Results Two hundred sixty-eight patients (89%) met the inclusion criteria (primary ETSS = 211 and repeat ETSS = 57) with a mean follow-up time of 38 mo (range 3-235 mo). Both groups had similar demographics, endocrine function, and tumor characteristics. Surgical complication rates were similar and no mortalities were observed. Repeat ETSS patients had a higher rate of new postoperative panhypopituitarism (primary ETSS: 0.5% vs repeat ETSS: 7.1%, P = .011), lower rates of gross total resection (GTR; primary ETSS: 59.2% vs repeat ETSS: 26.3%, P = .001), and greater rates of postoperative radiosurgery (36.8% vs 24.2%, P = .009). At 2-yr follow-up, progression-free survival on MRI was similar in both groups (primary ETSS: 97.9% vs repeat ETSS: 95.4%, log-rank test P = .807). Conclusion At experienced tertiary pituitary centers, repeat ETSS for NFPAs was associated with a similar incidence of surgical complications as primary ETSS. However, repeat ETSS carried a higher rate for worsening endocrine dysfunction and a lower rate of GTR.
Transition-Metal-Free Synthesis of Borylated Thiophenes via Formal Thioboration.

A simple, regiocontrolled, and transition-metal-free approach to access exclusively 3-borylated thiophene derivatives is reported. The commercially available B-chlorocatecholborane reagent (ClBcat) acts as a carbophilic Lewis acid to activate the alkyne in readily synthesized (Z)-organylthioenyne substrates. This boron-induced activation initiates the formal thioboration and subsequent sulfur dealkylation, leading to the formation of 3-borylated thiophenes in good yields. The resulting borylated thiophenes are isolable as boronic esters (Bpin) and boronamides (Bdan). These borylated products are amenable to diverse downstream functionalization reactions, i.e., C–C bond formation through cross-coupling, azidation, bromination, and C–H activation.
UNIT A14.1 Brachial Plexus

MRI is the primary imaging modality used to diagnose the cause of brachial plexopathy. This unit presents protocols to diagnose the cause of brachial plexus. The Basic Protocol provides the core component of this procedure and an alternate protocol is presented for the case of avulsion injury from trauma. A second alternate protocol is presented for the case where neoplastic involvement of the brachial plexus is suspected or any abnormalities are seen. A third alternate protocol is presented for the cases when the patient has symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome and vascular compression is suspected.
The National Quantum Initiative Will Also Benefit Classical Computers [Rebooting Computing]

The U.S. National Quantum Initiative places quantum computer scaling in the same category as Moore's law. While the technical basis of semiconductor scale up is well known, the equivalent principle for quantum computers is still being developed. Let's explore these new ideas.
Supporting Argument 1

I have developed the approach discussed in the first three chapters over a number of years and fairly independently. However, this position is rather controversial and very much a minority position not only with regard to architectural history but even in EBS, where there is much and increasing criticism of “positivistic” (read—scientific) approaches, analysis, rationality, and objectivity. This is also the case in the social sciences (e.g., Brown and Lyman 1978; Saarinen, Seamon, and Sell, 1984; cf. Rapoport 1985a; Argyris, Putnam, and Smith 1985; Reason and Rowan 1981; among many others).
Desiccation and rehydration of mosses greatly increases resource fluxes that alter soil carbon and nitrogen cycling

Mosses often have positive effects on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling, but we know little about how environmentally determined cycles of desiccation and rehydration in mosses influence these processes. In this context, we compared carbon and nitrogen in throughfall after precipitation passed through eight moss species that were either hydrated continuously or desiccated and rehydrated. Also, the throughfall of four moss species was added to soil and used to determine the net effect of carbon and nitrogen added in moss throughfall on soil CO₂ and N₂O efflux. Depending on the species, desiccated‐rehydrated (rehydrated) mosses lost 2–31 times more carbon in throughfall than mosses that were continuously hydrated (hydrated). Hydrated mosses lost little to no detectable nitrogen, whereas most rehydrated mosses lost some nitrogen in throughfall. Throughfall from both hydrated and rehydrated mosses generated higher CO₂ and N₂O efflux than water treated soils, but rehydrated moss throughfall promoted larger N₂O efflux than hydrated moss throughfall. Throughfall from hydrated mosses caused net negative changes in soil carbon and had very little effect on soil nitrogen, whereas throughfall from rehydrated mosses generated positive changes in soil carbon and nitrogen. Synthesis. Our results indicate that resources lost from desiccated mosses during rehydration influence soil carbon and nitrogen transformations and may be important drivers of carbon and nitrogen cycling and storage in ecosystems.
Scalable dynamic characterization of synthetic gene circuits

Abstract The dynamic behavior of synthetic gene circuits plays a key role in ensuring their correct function. Although there has been substantial work on modeling dynamic behavior after circuit construction, the forward engineering of dynamic behavior remains a major challenge. Previous engineering methods have focused on quantifying average behaviors of circuits over an extended time window, however this provides a static characterization of behavior that is a poor predictor of dynamics. Here we present a method for characterizing the dynamic behavior of synthetic gene circuits, using parameter inference of dynamical system models applied to time-series measurements of cell cultures growing in microtiter plates. We demonstrate that the behaviors of simple devices can be characterized dynamically and used to predict the behaviors of more complex circuits. Specifically, we compose 23 biological parts into 9 devices and use them to design 9 synthetic gene circuits in E. coli that provide core functionality for engineering cell behavior at the population level, including relays, receivers and a degrader. We embody our method in a software package and corresponding programming language. Our method supports the notion of an inference graph for iterative inference of models as new circuits are constructed, without the need to infer all models from scratch, and lays the foundation for characterizing large libraries of synthetic gene circuits in a scalable manner.
The structure and attempted topochemical polymerization of single crystalline 1,1,4,4-bis(pentamethylene)-1,2,3-butatriene

The photo-initiated solid-state topochemical polymerization of 1,1,4,4-bis(pentamethylene)-1,2,3-butatriene (1) was attempted unsuccessfully. Since 1 readily polymerizes in the liquid state, a structural study was undertaken to better understand its inertness in the solid-state. 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n with a = 6.4597(6), b = 10.8914 (10), c = 8.4396(8) A, β = 100.168(2)°, V = 584.44(9) A3, and Z = 2. The crystal structure reveals that while the alignment of the π-systems in the solid-state is acceptable for supporting the targeted polymerization reaction, the reaction centers are located too far apart to allow the reaction to take place. Additionally, comparison of the molecular structure of 1 with the limited number of other structurally characterized butatrienes has provided insight into the steric and electronic influences played by the substituents attached to the cumulene moiety.
Ultrafast Auger Spectroscopy of Quantum Well Excitons in Strong Magnetic Fields

We study theoretically the ultrafast nonlinear optical response of quantum well excitons in a perpendicular magnetic field. We address the role of many-body correlations originating from the electron scattering between Landau levels (LL). In the linear optical response, the processes involving inter-LL transitions are suppressed provided that the magnetic field is sufficiently strong. However, in the nonlinear response, the Auger processes involving inter-LL scattering of two photoexcited electrons remain unsuppressed. We show that Auger scattering plays a dominant role in the coherent exciton dynamics in strong magnetic fields. We perform numerical calculations for the third-order four-wave-mixing (FWM) polarization, which incorporate the Auger processes nonperturbatively. We find that inter-LL scattering leads to a strong enhancement of FWM signal and to oscillations at negative time delays. These oscillations represent quantum beats between optically inactive two-exciton states related to each other via Auger processes.
Membrane-mediated fibrillation and toxicity of the tau hexapeptide PHF6

The aggregation of the tau protein into neurofibrillary tangles is believed to correlate with cognitive decline in several neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Recent studies suggest that tau's interactions with the cell membrane could serve as a toxicity pathway and also enhance fibrillation into paired helical filaments (PHFs). Conformational changes associated with tau-membrane interactions are poorly understood, and their characterization could improve our understanding of tau pathogenicity. In this study, we investigated the molecular level structural changes associated with the interaction of the tau hexapeptide PHF6 with model lipid membranes and characterized the effects of these interactions on membrane stability and peptide fibrillation. We used two PHF6 forms, the aggregation-prone PHF6 with N-terminal acetylation (Ac-PHF6) and the non-aggregation prone PHF6 with a standard N terminus (NH3+-PHF6). We found that both PHF6 peptides are neurotoxic and exhibit similar membrane-mediated changes, consisting of: 1) favorable interactions with anionic membranes, 2) membrane destabilization through lipid extraction, and 3) membrane-mediated fibrillation. The rate at which these changes occurred was the main difference between the two peptides. NH3+-PHF6 displayed slow membrane-mediated fibrillation after 6 days of incubation, whereas Ac-PHF6 adopted a β-sheet conformation at the surface of the membrane within hours. Ac-PHF6 interactions with the membrane were also accompanied by membrane invagination and rapid membrane destabilization. Overall, our results reveal that membrane interactions could play a critical role in tau toxicity and fibrillation, and highlight that unraveling these interactions is important for significantly advancing the development of therapeutic strategies to manage tau-associated neurodegenerative diseases.