cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Histopathological effects of the intramolluscan stages of Zygocotyle lunata, Echinostoma trivolvis, and Ribeiroia ondatrae on Helisoma trivolvis and observations on keratin in the trematode larvae

The histopathological effects of Zygocotyle lunata, Echinostoma trivolvis, and Ribeiroia ondatrae in naturally infected Helisoma trivolvis were studied in hematoxylin and eosin sections of infected digestive glands fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin. The larval stages of all three trematodes damaged the snail digestive gland. Most notable histopathology included disrupted digestive gland tubules, lysed cells, compressed tubules, and edematous spaces between tubules. Considerable damage was done by rediae ingesting digestive cells. There was a detectable hemocytic response by H. trivolvis in response to the rediae and cercariae of Z. lunata. Histochemical studies on sectioned material stained with the Ayoub-Shklar method for keratin detected the presence of this protein in the rediae and cercariae of Z. lunata and R. ondatrae. The presence of keratin is probably related to its role in cercarial encystment.
Docking 90Sr radionuclide in cement: An atomistic modeling study

Abstract Cementitious materials are considered to be a waste form for the ultimate disposal of radioactive materials in geological repositories. We investigated by means of atomistic simulations the encapsulation of strontium-90, an important radionuclide, in calcium–silicate–hydrate (C–S–H) and its crystalline analog, the 9 A-tobermorite. C–S–H is the major binding phase of cement. Strontium was shown to energetically favor substituting calcium in the interlayer sites in C–S–H and 9 A-tobermorite with the trend more pronounced in the latter. The integrity of the silicate chains in both cementitious waste forms were not affected by strontium substitution within the time span of molecular dynamics simulation. Finally, we observed a limited degradation of the mechanical properties in the strontium-containing cementitious waste form with the increasing strontium concentration. These results suggest the cement hydrate as a good candidate for immobilizing radioactive strontium.
Polymerase chain reaction typing of nonviable Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates

Repetitive element polymerase chain reaction (PCR) typing was applied to two Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates for which both viable and nonviable cultures were available. DNA extracted from the nonviable cultures and from fresh subcultures of the viable cultures was amplified with primers directed against the insertion sequence IS6110 and the polymorphic GC-rich repetitive sequence. For both isolates, the nonviable cultures generated PCR-banding patterns identical to those generated by the fresh subcultures.
Characterization of visible dyes for four-decay fluorescence detection in DNA sequencing

Dyes of several classes were investigated as candidates for use in a multiplex, four-decay fluorescence detection scheme for DNA sequencing. The dyes include nitrobenzofuran dyes, rhodamine dyes, fluorescein dyes, cyanine dyes, Nile Red, and BODIPY dyes. Based on the results of fluorescence spectral and lifetime studies, an initial set of four dyes was selected for further study: NBD-aminohexanoic acid (NBD-HA, τ = 1.1 ns), tetramethylrhodamine, methyl ester (τ = 2.2 ns), rhodamine green (τ = 4.3 ns), and BODIPY 505/515 (τ = 5.9 ns). Limits of lifetime detection of the four dyes were investigated, and lifetime resolution was demonstrated for mixtures of the free dyes in batch solution. Lifetimes of dye-labeled DNA primers also were determined in batch solution and detected on-the-fly in capillary electrophoresis (CE). Conjugation of the dyes to DNA improved the resolution of their individual lifetimes in mixtures in batch measurements. When attached to the primer, tetramethylrhodamine exhibited biexponen...
NH3-rich growth of InGaN and InGaN/GaN superlattices by NH3-based molecular beam epitaxy

Abstract N-rich growth by NH 3 -based molecular beam epitaxy was investigated for intermediate-temperature GaN and InGaN on c-plane GaN templates. The dependences of growth mode and surface morphology on group-V overpressure, In/Ga ratio, and temperature were explored with atomic force microscopy and high resolution x-ray diffraction. Extension to an “ultra-NH 3 -rich” regime of very high NH 3 -flows showed a decreased growth rate and increased In-content for InGaN alloys for constant group III source fluxes. Rapid modulation of NH 3 overpressure, growth rate, and substrate temperature has enabled the growth of high quality, many-period InGaN/GaN superlattices, while suppressing morphological instabilities and subsequent stress relaxation.
Structural properties of vapor-grown C60 crystals

Vapor grown crystals of C60 with thin flat triangular, rhombic or trapezoidal shapes of size to 1×2×∼0.001 mm as well as prismastic crystals typically 0.5×0.4×0.2 mm have been grown using a high temperature vapor transport method. Room temperature X-ray precession photography shows these crystals exhibit diffraction patterns consistent with those for either (a) single or (b) twinned crystals of the previously reported face-centered cubic structure or (c) a more complex cell of hexagonal symmetry with a=10.010(2) A and c=49.064(11) A. This latter from actually is a multiple twin containing both the face-centered cubic and the close-packed hexagonal structure types. The sharp diffraction maxima for either the single or the twinned crystals demonstrate that they consist of large coherent domains and are essentially free of planar defects parallel to the twin planes.
Constrained minimum-power control of spiking neuron oscillators

In this article, we study optimal control problems of spiking neurons whose dynamics are described by a phase model. We design minimum-power current stimuli (controls) that lead to desired spiking times. In particular, we consider bounded control amplitude and characterize the range of possible spiking times according to the bound. The design of such bounded optimal controls is of fundamental importance as phase models are accurate under weak forcing. We show that for a given bound, the corresponding feasible spiking times are optimally achieved by switching controls. We present analytical expressions with numerical simulations of these minimum-power stimuli for various phase models of neurons.
From Task-Centered Social Work to Evidence-Based and Integrative Practice

Tina L. Rzepnicki, Stanley G. Mccracken & Harold Briggs (Eds), Chicago, IL, Lyceum, 2012, 240 pp, ISBN: 978-1-933478-99-9, (US$44.95) This two-part book, Task-Centered Social Work to Evidence-Based...
SU‐FF‐T‐378: Accurate Water Calorimetry Without Corrections for Heat Transport?

Purpose: To use the phase transform of the output‐time waveform from a watercalorimeter subject to periodic radiation exposure for purposes of identifying shutter periods at which corrections for heat transport are unnecessary. Method and Materials: The response of a Domen‐type calorimeter of cylindrical geometry to radiation exposure in a 60Co beam is studied analytically, numerically and experimentally under conditions in which the beam is chopped by a shutter. Previous studies in our laboratory have shown an oscillatory dependence of the apparent dose rate upon shutter period which is the signature in the frequency domain of the effects of heat conduction and convection. However, because the apparent dose rate oscillates about the actual dose rate, it should be possible to identify one or more shutter periods at which the effects cancel and the resultant Fourier amplitude provides an accurate measure of the dose rate despite the presence of distortions in the time waveform. Identifying these nodes in the magnitude frequency response of the calorimeter is possible with accurate analytical and numerical models, but we are also exploring the relationship between real and imaginary components of the calorimeter frequency response to identify such points from the phase transform. Using COMSOL Multiphysics, models of our calorimeter have been run with heat sources that mimic a 10 cm × 10 cm 60Co beam. Output of these models is compared to series solutions of the heat transport equations and experimental data. Results: Computational and experimental data exhibit correlated oscillations in the phase and magnitude transforms that suggest a simple analytical relationship between them that would allow the identification of shutter periods at which the effects of heat transport are negligible. Conclusion: The existence of distinct shutter periods where heat transport distortions cancel is demonstrated, suggesting that watercalorimetry might be done without such corrections.
Genomes: Epigenomics and the Future of Genome Sciences

Emerging data from diverse organisms indicate that we are only at the threshold of our understanding of the genome-wide implications of epigenetics. This relatively new field, entitled epigenomics, will be advanced by the recently completed sequence of the Tetrahymena thermophila macronuclear genome.
The ACORN Story: An Analysis of Crisis Response Strategies in a Nonprofit Organization

Abstract In 2009, two political activists published hidden-camera recordings of their visits to the offices of a national, community-based, nonprofit organization. In the videos, the activists posed as a prostitute and a pimp in order to elicit damaging information from the organization's employees. This incident was just the latest in a series of disastrous situations for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). In the year prior to the video controversy, the organization addressed allegations of voter registration fraud in the 2008 presidential election and reacted to the expose of a hidden embezzlement by a family member of ACORN's founder. This study employs the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) to analyze how ACORN responded to this series of damaging public relations attacks. The study investigated ACORN's crisis response strategies through an analysis of media coverage about the crises.
Scheduling for cache affinity in parallelized communication protocols

We explore processor-cache affinity scheduling of parallel network protocol processing in a setting in which protocol processing executes on a shared-memory multiprocessor concurrently with a general workload of non-protocol activity. We find that affinity scheduling can significantly reduce the communication delay associated with protocol processing, enabling the host to support a greater number of concurrent streams and to provide a higher maximum throughput to individual streams. In addition, we compare implementations of two parallelization approaches (Locking and Independent Protocol Stacks) with very different caching behaviors.
Anatomy of female puberty: The clinical relevance of developmental changes in the reproductive system.

Puberty is the period of biologic transition from childhood to adulthood. The changes that occur at this time are related to the increasing concentrations of sex steroid hormones. In females, most pubertal changes are caused by estrogen stimulation that results from the onset of central puberty. Significant development occurs in the organs of the female reproductive system and results in anatomic changes that characterize reproductive maturity. Adrenal and ovarian androgens also increase during puberty, affecting change that includes the promotion of certain secondary sex characteristics. The ability to recognize normal pubertal anatomy and distinguish between estrogen and androgen effects is important in the ability to diagnose and treat disorders of sex development, precocious puberty, pubertal delay, and menstrual irregularities in children and adolescents. An understanding of this developmental process can also help clinicians identify and treat reproductive pathology in adultsand across all female life stages. Clin. Anat. 26:115–129, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Recognizing patterns in information retrieval: a memory-based classifier for inferring relevancy

Abstract An application of memory-based reasoning (MBR) for determining the relevancy of retrieved information, customized for the needs and preferences of an individual user, is presented. The use of MBR method in conjunction with a classification scheme such as k-nearest neighbors (k-NN) can set the foundation for an intelligent agent for search of patterns in databases. An intelligent agent is an adaptive database search system that can help reduce user information overload problem. To this end, a system called VINAYAK, † has been developed to investigate various issues concerned with information retrieval as an automated function. Current experiments have focused on chemical engineering literature search and safety-related retrieval through nuclear databases. The results point towards the advantage of the use of intelligent agent methodology in conjunction with a database search engine.
The cognitive specificity of associative responses in patients with chronic pain.

Objective: Previous studies have found evidence of an associative response bias for patients with chronic pain. This body of research is not clear, however, on whether this bias is specific to patients with chronic pain, or whether the bias is specific to pain stimuli or illness/disability stimuli. Design: This is a cross-sectional study involving the comparison of selected groups (chronic pain, acute pain, and medical-staff controls). Method: This study included 80 male participants with chronic pain, 50 male participants with acute pain, and 49 male participants who served as medical staff controls. All participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, a pain intensity VAS, and the single-word associate homographic response task. Results: Evidence was found for the specificity of pain responses to homographic pain stimuli as the chronic pain group produced more of these responses than the two comparison groups. Conclusions: These findings were seen as providing evidence for an associative response bias. This bias appears specific to pain-related stimuli and reflects the cumulative effects of pain over a period of time.
Gastrin releasing peptide-29 evokes feeding responses in the rat.

Abstract In mammals, gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) 10 and 27 reduce food intake. In the current work, we test the hypothesis that GRP-29, the large molecular form of GRP in the rat, also evokes feeding responses consistent with a possible role in satiety. Here, we measured three feeding responses, size of first meal, intermeal interval (IMI, time between first and second meal) and satiety ratio (SR, satiation period for every unit of food consumed in the first meal), in overnight food deprived rats following GRP-10, 27 or 29 (0, 0.3, 1.0, 2.1, 4.1, 10.3, 17.2 nmol/kg) intraperitoneally and presentation of a 10% sucrose test diet. GRP-29 and GRP-27 reduced the size of the first meal, prolonged IMI and increased SR, but GRP-10 failed to exhibit similar feeding responses. The order of potency was GRP-29 = GRP-27 > GRP-10. The current data support a role for GRP-29 in the short-term regulation of food intake.
Civic Work, Civic Lessons Intergenerational Reflections: An Interview with Thomas Ehrlich and Ernestine Fu

In a September 2013 interview, Thomas Ehrlich and Ernestine Fu—whose passion for public service is manifested in differing ways and from two dramatically different generational standpoints—discusse...
Free exciton luminescence lineshape of Hg0.3Cd0.7Te

Abstract The photoluminescence spectrum of Hg 0.3 Cd 0.7 Te at 77K includes a narrow, high energy free exciton line. This experimental spectrum is in good agreement with the theoretical free exciton lineshape, the Gaussian broadening of this line is due to alloy inhomogeneity, and the binding energy of the bound exciton with respect to the free exciton at 77K is 13 ± 4 meV.
In utero lung growth of fetal sheep with diaphragmatic hernia and tracheal stenosis

Abstract The observation that tracheal ligation produces pulmonary hyperplasia even in animals with surgically induced diaphragmatic hernia (DH) has led to rapid application of the technique to human fetuses with DH. The aim of this study was to determine how rapidly fetal lung volume increases after creation of a high-grade tracheal stenosis in fetal sheep with surgically created DH. Twenty-three fetal sheep were prepared with a left thoracotomy at 90 days' gestational. Six had creation of a DH with tracheal stenosis (DHTS) over an 18-gauge cannula, which was then removed. Ten had DH alone, and seven control animals (CT) had a thoracotomy without DH. Thirty days later, vascular and tracheal loop catheters were inserted in all animals and tunneled out the ewes' flank. Between 125 and 140 days' gestation, lung volumes and lung liquid production were measured in awake, unanesthetized animals using a standard double-marker dilution technique. Average lung volumes (in milliliters) were 150.9 ± 13.9 for CT, 29.3 ± 4.4 for DH, and 414.5 ± 88 for DHTS (p P −1 ) for lung liquid production was significantly higher in DH animals than in either CT or DHTS animals ( P
A model for the oxide growth stress and its effect on the creep of metals

A mathematical model is developed for the effect of the oxide growth stress upon the high temperature deformation of metal. The growth stress is modeled as a volumetric strain calculated from a modified Pilling-Bedworth ratio. The model is three-dimensional and allows the metal and the oxide scale to undergo both elastic and creep deformation during oxidation. The problems of oxidizing a flat plate, a solid rod, and a curved plate are formulated and solved. Experimental results for these geometries in the Ni-NiO system at 1000 °C are well predicted, both with and without an external load. The creep properties and the stress distribution in the NiO scale are calculated.
Fiber Fourier Transform Spectrometer for Decoding Bragg Grating Sensors

We describe an all-fiber Fourier transform spectrometer for decoding the wavelength shifts from a series of Bragg grating sensors. The system described has a spectral resolution capability of < 0.07 cm'1, which corresponds to a Bragg wavelength shift of ~ 0.015 nm in the 1.55 ?m region.
Relationship of biotin to reproductive performance of Leghorn-type hens.

Abstract Five floor pens with 14 Leghorn-type breeder hens each, in their 4th month of production, and 2 males per pen were fed a practical-type breeder diet composed largely of soybean meal and milo supplemented with unidentified hatchability factor sources and adequate levels of vitamins and minerals. Five additional pens were fed an identical ration supplemented with biotin at a level of 550 mcg./kg. of diet. Treatment was for a period of 7 months. A 3% improvement in production was obtained by biotin (550 mcg./kg.) supplementation, which was found to be highly significant (P ≤ .005) by chi-square analysis. A slight improvement was noted for feed efficiency. Biotin supplementation had no effect on egg size or adult livability. Fertility and hatchability were both significantly improved by biotin supplementation. Fertility and hatchability differences were found to be highly significant by chi-square analyses. Increased hatchability was due to a decreased number of early dead, late dead, and pipped embryos that failed to hatch.
Brillouin Scattering in Cubic Crystals

Using a helium-neon laser light source and a high-resolution grating spectrograph we have studied, at room temperature, the Brillouin spectrum of light scattered from three alkali halide crystals: KCl, RbCl, and KI. By suitable orientation of the crystal axes relative to the incident beam we have obtained the frequency and the velocity of thermally excited phonons of \ensuremath{\sim}3000 \AA{} wavelength in longitudinal and "mixed" acoustic phonon branches as a function of the direction of propagation in the [110] plane. From these data we have determined for each crystal, entirely in the absence of acoustic excitation, the elastic constants ${C}_{11}$, ${C}_{12}$, and ${C}_{44}$ for microwave (8-15 kMc/sec) sound waves with an accuracy from 0.25% to 4%. The elastic constants so determined are in very good agreement with investigations made in the ultrasonic region using externally generated sound waves of frequency \ensuremath{\sim}10 Mc/sec. This agreement indicates the absence of dispersion in the sound-wave velocity over three orders of magnitude change in the sound-wave frequency. We also present the theory for the scattering of light from thermally excited sound waves in a cubic crystal. This theory predicts the intensity, polarization, and spectral distribution of the scattered light as a function of the incident and scattered directions in the crystal. By treating the phonons quantum-mechanically at temperatures comparable to the scattering phonon frequency, we have also obtained expressions for the temperatures dependence of the scattering valid at very low temperature. The theory is in quite good agreement with our measurements of the relative intensity of the scattering from phonons in the longitudinal and "mixed" acoustic modes.
Nucleotide sequence of cDNA encoding the fire ant venom protein Sol i II

For the first time the cDNA encoding a fire ant venom protein has been sequenced. Oligonucleotides were designed according to the amino acid sequence. The cDNA sequence was obtained by hybridizing these primers to mRNA and enhancement by the PCR technique. Comparison to the amino acid sequence of the venom protein shows a leader sequence 19 amino acids long.
Impact of a volunteer companion program on nursing students' knowledge and concerns related to palliative care.

Background: Deficiencies in end-of-life education may explain nursing students' reports of feeling anxious and unqualified to care for dying patients. A volunteer Palliative Care Companion program was developed to provide undergraduate nursing students with an experiential learning opportunity by spending time with dying patients and their families. Objective: To evaluate the impact of the Palliative Care Companion program on nursing students' knowledge, attitudes, and concerns about providing palliative care, and to describe companion students' volunteer activities. Design: Quasiexperimental controlled pretest-posttest design. Setting/subjects: Fifty-two undergraduate nursing students (32 companion students, 20 controls) at a midwestern U.S. university with an affiliated hospital-based palliative care service. Measurements: All participants completed the Palliative Care Quiz for Nurses, Attitudes Toward Palliative Care, and Concern About Caring for Dying Patients questionnaires at the beginning and end o...
Recent ceramic analysis: 1. Function, style, and origins

The recent literature on ceramic analysis, which has grown dramatically over the last 8 years, is reviewed in two articles. In this first article attention focuses on studies of function and use, stylistic analyses, and pottery origins. Functional analysis has been the most rapidly expanding segment of the field, particularly experimental, ethnoarchaeological, and residue analysis approaches. Stylistic analyses seem to be in a lull, following increasing dissatisfaction with information theory approaches. Questions of pottery origins are enjoying renewed interest and are briefly surveyed here. The second of the two articles will survey compositional investigations, pottery production, and approaches to “ceramic theory.” Both reviews close with observations on current directions in ceramic studies.
Reciprocal insurance: a case of supply created by demand

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to determine the characteristics of the equilibrium between demand and supply for a reciprocal insurance firm.Design/methodology/approach – The model developed assumes a fixed number of individuals with identical characteristics and of constant absolute risk aversion who can choose between remaining self‐insured or forming a reciprocal insurer to serve their needs.Findings – The results show that under those conditions the individuals either remain self‐insured or form a reciprocal and buy full insurance. Which of the two decisions will be made depends on the relation between the number of members of the reciprocal and the expenses that will be incurred by that entity.Research limitations/implications – Most alternative models of insurance demand imply that, in the presence of transaction costs, partial insurance is the rule.Practical implications – The major practical implication is that there can be serious agency problems in the management of reciprocals if attorn...
Ketoconazole: a thromboxane synthetase and 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor with antimetastatic activity in B16-F10 melanoma.

Abstract Arachidonic acid metabolites have been implicated in the development of hematogenous tumor metastases. The purpose of this study was to determine the antimetastatic potential of ketoconazole, a thromboxane synthetase and 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor. One hundred seventy-four C57 black male mice were randomized to receive either placebo or 0.0057 mg/g of ketoconazole. Drug and placebo were delivered once daily by intraperitoneal injection beginning 24 hr prior to tumor injection and continuing until sacrifice. All animals were injected subcutaneously in the flank with 5 × 106 B16-F10 melanoma cells. Animals were sacrificed at 3 weeks (n = 60), 4 weeks (n = 84), and 5 weeks (n = 30). Metastases were assessed by circumferential inspection of the lungs of all animals at autopsy. Differences in survival and primary tumor mass between study groups were not statistically significant. Pulmonary metastases were present in 37 174 animals. Twenty-nine of the mice with metastases were in the placebo groups, and 8 were in the ketoconazole groups. The incidence of metastases was significantly reduced in the ketoconazole-treated mice compared to placebo both within each group and overall, P was less than 0.05 and 0.001, respectively. This effect was not mediated through changes in local tumor growth.
Patterns in the evolution of amentiferous fruits

The diversity of fruit types within the Amentiferae appears to be the result of different seed dispersal and seedling establishment strategies that have evolved independently in the amentiferous families within the confines imposed by the wind-pollination syndrome. Dispersal of unadorned fruits and seeds by wind (e.g.,Betula, Rhoiptelea, Casuarina) has preceded the development of more efficient air-borne devices (e.g.,Ostrya, Carpinus, Engelhardia). Animal dispersal is the most advanced strategy, relying rarely on drupes, as in the shrubby Myricaceae, or on nuts, as inCorylus, Quercus, Carya, Juglans, Alfaroa, etc. The pattern of seedling establishment shows a structural-functional relationship to the seeddispersal strategy. Epigeal germination predominates in plants of open habitats. Those species with small fruits rely on wind dispersal, and their seeds have a relatively short germination time, whereas species with medium-sized fruits are often animal-dispersed with seeds that may have protracted germination times. In either case the reserve food supply for the young seedling is limited, and light is needed to spark photosynthesis. Hypogeal germination has evolved independently in several amentiferous families (e.g., Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Juglandaceae). This pattern is associated with closed habitats and plants with large seeds that have the capability of establishing vigorous seedlings in microhabitats of reduced light intensity where photosynthesis is impaired. The subterranean protection afforded the cotyledons and axillary meristems is a correlative feature that may have considerable importance in seedling survival where desiccation and predation are intense.
Relationship of serum gastrin to parathyroid hormone secretion in sheep

Abstract The influence of hypergastrinemia on secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH) was studied in sheep. Synthetic human gastrin I, 4–9 μg/kg/hr, was infused for 1 hr into fasted, unanesthetized sheep. Blood was obtained at 15-min intervals before, during, and after infusion of gastrin from an indwelling arterial catheter. Blood pH, serum total calcium and circulating gastrin and PTH (radioimmunoassay) were determined. Despite the fact that gastrin infusion resulted in marked hypergastrinemia and in a small but statistically significant decrease in total serum calcium concentration (mean change in serum calcium 0.28 mg 100 ml ), P
Using classification to convict the Khmer Rouge

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the importance of classification structures to efforts at holding perpetrators of human rights abuses accountable using one archival repository in Cambodia as a case study.Design/methodology/approach – The primary methodology of this paper is a textual analysis of the Documentation Center of Cambodia's classification scheme, as well as a conceptual analysis using the theoretical framework originally posited by Bowker and Star and further developed by Harris and Duff. These analyses were supplemented by interviews with key participants.Findings – The Documentation Center of Cambodia's classification of Khmer Rouge records by ethnic identity has had a major impact on charging former officials of the regime with genocide in the ongoing human rights tribunal.Social implications – As this exploration of the DC‐Cam database shows, archival description can be used as a tool to promote accountability in societies coming to terms with difficult histories.Originalit...
Distance weighted voting and a single facility location problem

Abstract We generalize the notion of a Condorcet point of a network by allowing an individual's vote to be weighted by an integral power of his/her distance from a facility to be sited. We show that on a tree network this ‘generalized’ Condorcet point coincides with the solution of a certain nonlinear single facility location problem. This result may be viewed as a generalization of an earlier result due to Hansen and Thisse (1985). We also give a polynomial algorithm for solving this nonlinear location problem.
Yield components in three meadowfoam lines

Future development of high-yielding meadowfoam (Limnanthes R. Br. spp.) cultivars may be enhance if relationships between oil yield, yield components, and agronomical, phenological, and morphological traits can be established. To identify such relationships, two half-sib L. floccosa Howell ssp. grandiflora Arroyo × L. alba Hartw. ex Benth ssp. alba lines, ORL85-765 and ORL85-729, and Mermaid' meadowfoam were grown and compared in solid stand in 1987-1988 and 1988-1989 at the Oregon State University Schmidt Farm (...)
A Factorization of the Spectral Galerkin System for Parameterized Matrix Equations: Derivation and Applications

Recent work has explored solver strategies for the linear system of equations arising from a spectral Galerkin approximation of the solution of PDEs with parameterized (or stochastic) inputs. We consider the related problem of a matrix equation whose matrix and right-hand side depend on a set of parameters (e.g., a PDE with stochastic inputs semidiscretized in space) and examine the linear system arising from a similar Galerkin approximation of the solution. We derive a useful factorization of this system of equations, which yields bounds on the eigenvalues, clues to preconditioning, and a flexible implementation method for a wide array of problems. We complement this analysis with (i) a numerical study of preconditioners on a standard elliptic PDE test problem and (ii) a fluids application using existing CFD codes; the MATLAB codes used in the numerical studies are available online.
Fracture of Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation Hardware as a Result of Compulsive Manipulation: Case Report

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE Trichotillomania (TTM) is an impulse control disorder characterized by the recurrent pulling of one's hair resulting in noticeable hair loss. There has been no definite association drawn between Parkinson's disease (PD) and TTM, although there is a suggestion that obsessive-compulsive symptomatology may be more prevalent in left-side predominant PD. We believe that it is important to be aware of psychiatric comorbidities in the surgical treatment of PD, as they may significantly impact the postoperative course. CLINICAL PRESENTATION We describe the case of a 58-year-old woman with an eleven-year history of left-side predominant PD who also suffered from TTM. She underwent subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) and subsequently developed significant wound complications of her left-sided deep brain stimulation leads. It was noted during the postoperative period that the patient was picking her left-sided, but not right-sided, incision-a behavior that was felt to be a part of this patient's impulse control disorder. INTERVENTION Multiple wound revisions and eventual replacement of her left-sided deep brain stimulation lead was performed as a result of hardware malfunction secondary to wound manipulation by the patient. CONCLUSION Before surgery, this patient's TTM was right-sided, but after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation, her wound picking was only left-sided. This case suggests that subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation may have a role in unleashing the symptomatology of TTM through an as yet poorly understood mechanism. Furthermore, there is also an implication that the pathophysiology of PD and TTM may be intertwined.
An object-oriented finite element framework for multiphysics phase field simulations

Abstract The phase field approach is a powerful and popular method for modeling microstructure evolution. In this work, advanced numerical tools are used to create a framework that facilitates rapid model development. This framework, called MARMOT , is based on Idaho National Laboratory’s finite element Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment. In MARMOT , the system of phase field partial differential equations (PDEs) are solved simultaneously together with PDEs describing additional physics, such as solid mechanics and heat conduction, using the Jacobian-Free Newton Krylov Method. An object-oriented architecture is created by taking advantage of commonalities in the phase field PDEs to facilitate development of new models with very little effort. In addition, MARMOT provides access to mesh and time step adaptivity, reducing the cost for performing simulations with large disparities in both spatial and temporal scales. In this work, phase separation simulations are used to show the numerical performance of MARMOT . Deformation-induced grain growth and void growth simulations are also included to demonstrate the muliphysics capability.
Isoflurane-induced Apoptosis of Neurons and Oligodendrocytes in the Fetal Rhesus Macaque Brain

There is mounting evidence that anesthetic and anticonvulsant drugs and alcohol cause widespread apoptotic neurodegeneration in the developing brains of several animal species,1–5 including nonhuman primates (NHPs),6–12 and that neonatal exposure to these agents is associated with long-term neurobehavioral disturbances in both rodents3,13–17 and NHPs.18 More importantly, there is recent evidence from several independent research groups suggesting that exposure of human infants to brief anesthesia is associated with increased risk for neurobehavioral impairment.19–25 Further complicating the picture is evidence that exposure of infant rhesus macaques to isoflurane causes apoptosis not only of neurons, but also of glial cells. Our recent findings10,11 indicate that in the neonatal NHP brain the vulnerable glial cell type is in the oligodendrocyte lineage, and oligodendrocytes become vulnerable at a time when they are just beginning to myelinate axons that interconnect neurons throughout the central nervous system. In the isoflurane-exposed neonatal NHP brains, apoptotic oligodendrocytes were distributed diffusely throughout many white matter (WM) regions, and the total number of dying oligodendrocytes in WM was approximately equal to the total number of dying neurons in gray matter. Isoflurane and related halogenated ethers are frequently used in pediatric and obstetric anesthesia. Thus, it is not uncommon for a human neonate or premature infant to be exposed to these agents. At this stage, the neurodevelopmental age of a human infant is equivalent to that of a third-trimester NHP fetus. Nothing is known regarding the vulnerability of the fetal primate brain to the apoptogenic action of isoflurane on either neurons or glia. Therefore, we administered isoflurane to pregnant rhesus macaques for 5 h at a gestational age of 120 days (G120; approximately mid-third trimester), and delivered the fetus by cesarean section 3 h later for histopathological evaluation of the brains. Here we will describe the effects of isoflurane on both neurons and glia in the G120 NHP brain, and will compare these effects in the fetal brain with those we have described previously in the isoflurane-exposed neonatal NHP brain.
Underthrusting‐accretion cycle: Work budget as revealed by the boundary element method

[1] Sandbox models of accretionary wedges have demonstrated that fault systems grow episodically via cycles of alternating wedge thickening, which is accommodated by slip along faults within the wedge (underthrusting), and wedge lengthening, which is accommodated by growth of new faults at the wedge toe (accretion). The transition between these two modes of deformation is controlled by the interplay of work against gravity, frictional heating, the work of deformation around faults, and the work of fault propagation and seismic/acoustic energy. Using numerical mechanical models based on the boundary element method, we have simulated the deformation observed in sandbox experiments, providing a mechanical analysis of the underthrusting/accretion transition. Our results show that the total work done by the contracting wedge increases during the underthrusting stage up to a critical value when the propagation of a new frontal thrust significantly reduces the work required for further deformation. The numerical models also predict the location of the maximum shear along the basal decollement during underthrusting as well as the energetically most viable position and vergence for the nucleation of a new thrust. These locations do not coincide, and the match of the energetically most favorable position with the experimental results suggests that the new thrust ramps develop first ahead and then link down and backward to the propagating basal decollement. The shear localization producing a new thrust ramp will occur where the energy spent by the deforming wedge is minimized due to an optimal combination of gravitational, frictional, internal, and propagation work terms.
In the trenches with ObjectStore

This article discusses our experience with the ObjectStore object-oriented database management system from Object Design, Inc. We have been using ObjectStore since 1992 as the database management system at the core of two significant projects. This is a “war story” of sorts, and while we have been winning the war and succeeding with ObjectStore, the battles have not been easy. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Oscillation for Systems of Functional Differential Equations

Abstract This paper is concerned with the oscillation problem of functional differential systems of the form[formula]whereQ0and η(θ) are in R n×n. Based on its characteristic equation, new explicit conditions for oscillation are obtained by utilizing the Lozinskii measures of matrices.
The Chemistry of Vitamin A and Vision

Vision is initiated in the retina by the photochemical isomerization of an 11-cis-retinal Schiff base to its all-trans counterpart in the photosensitive protein rhodopsin. All-trans -retinal is released, reduced to form all-trans -retinol (vitamin A), and finally esterified. In order for vision to proceed an 11-cis -retinoid must be regenerated in the eye. Kuhne observed in the 1870s that the pigment epithelium must be in place behind the retina in order for rhodopsin to form. And indeed it was in the pigment epithelium that an isomerase system was recently discovered that can produce 11-cis -retinol from added vitamin A. Pauling predicted in the 1930s that certain cis double bonds in carotenoids and retinoids, including 11-cis -retinoids, should be quite unstable with respect to their all-trans congeners. This prediction is borne out by experiment, but leaves open the crucial question as to where the energy comes from to drive the isomerization process in the eye. This question was answered by the demonstration that the energy is found in the membrane phospholipids. The fact that membranes may serve as an energy source reveals a previously unsuspected biological function of membranes. The chemistry of the novel energy-linked isomerization process is explored in this review.
Colorectal cancer: differences between community and geographically distant patients seen at an urban medical center.

Many studies in clinical oncology rely on hospital-derived patients. Hospitals vary in the proportions of patients from the local catchment areavs.those from more distant places, of whom a larger proportion are presumably referrals. To study the differences between these two types of patients, we analyzed 1,245 colorectal cancer patients seen at a large urban medical center over a seven-year period. Three hundred ninety-eight patients were from the local community (32 percent), 489 were from the extended community (39.3 percent), and 358 from more distant communities (28.8 percent). The patients from the local community tended to be older and from minority ethnic groups. In addition, the local community patients were more likely to have advanced disease at the time of presentation. The grade of the tumor and its site distribution within the large bowel were similar for the three groups. After adjusting for age, sex, race, and stage of disease, the survival was somewhat better for the distant community patients as compared with the local and extended communities (P<0.02). Overall, in our patient population, the distant patients tended to have more favorable socioeconomic factors and less advanced disease, and these differences may account, in large part, for a better prognosis for these patients. Particularly in large cooperative trials, studies may need to take into account the respective proportions of local community and geographically distant patients in analyzing and generalizing treatment outcomes.
Identification of novel thymic epithelial cell subsets whose differentiation is regulated by RANKL and Traf6.

Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are critical for the normal development and function of the thymus. Here, we examined the developmental stages of TECs using quantitative assessment of the cortical and medullary markers Keratin 5 and Keratin 8 (K5 and K8) respectively, in normal and gain/loss of function mutant animals. Gain of function mice overexpressed RANKL in T cells, whereas loss of function animals lacked expression of Traf6 in TECs (Traf6ΔTEC). Assessment of K5 and K8 expression in conjunction with other TEC markers in wild type mice identified novel cortical and medullary TEC populations, expressing different combinations of these markers. RANKL overexpression led to expansion of all medullary TECs (mTECs) and enlargement of the thymic medulla. This in turn associated with a block in thymocyte development and loss of CD4+CD8+, CD4+ and CD8+ thymocytes. In contrast, Traf6 deletion inhibited the production of most TEC populations including cortical TECs (cTECs), defined by absence of UEA-1 binding and LY51 expression, but had no apparent effect on thymocyte development. These results reveal a large degree of heterogeneity within the TEC compartment and the existence of several populations exhibiting concomitant expression of cortical, medullary and epithelial markers and whose production is regulated by RANKL and Traf6.
Automated closed-captioning using text alignment

The production of closed captions is an important but expensive process in video broadcasting. We propose a method to generate highly accurate off-line captions efficiently. Our system uses text alignment to synchronize program transcripts obtained for a video program with text produced by an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system. We will also describe the accuracy in both closed-caption text and the ASR output for a number of news programs and provide a detailed analysis of the errors that occur.
Longshore current and sediment transport on composite beach profiles

Abstract Natural beaches tend to exhibit an equilibrium profile that is planar nearshore and nonplanar, concave-up offshore. The longshore current on this type of beach profile depends on the horizontal distance to the location of the intersection between the planar and nonplanar profiles. As the width of the planar beach face decreases, the location of the maximum longshore current moves closer to the shore. The dependency of the corresponding longshore sediment transport rate on the location of the intersection between the two profiles is demonstrated for two energetics-based sediment transport models. Again, a narrower beach face results in the maximum sediment transport being closer to the shore. Total sediment transport rates are also a function of the planar beach face width. This suggests that longshore transport rates are modulated by the tidal elevation.
Technical nuances of extended retroperitoneal dissection for low-stage nonseminomatous testicular germ-cell cancer

Lymphadenectomy-based treatment for low-stage nonseminomatous testicular cancer is a proven therapy. The operation is difficult, but the mortality rate has been low, less than 1% in most major centers. Patients need careful psychological preparation before surgery. Patients with persistent aspermia despite limitation of the dissection distally sometimes can be treated with various sympathomimetic drug combinations. It is important to know that there is more than one way to do the operation, but the result should be the same; namely, a thorough removal of all potentially tumor-bearing tissues in the retroperitoneum. Although there is debate as to what the limits of this operation should be, we have advanced a rationale to support suprahilar dissections in most cases. Nuances in technique will determine the adequacy of exposure, the completeness of the operation, and the incidence of complications.
In-Flight Aeroelastic Stability of the Thermal Protection System on the NASA HIAD, Part I: Linear Theory

Conical shell theory and piston theory aerodynamics are used to study the aeroelastic stability of the thermal protection system (TPS) on the NASA Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD). Structural models of the TPS consist of single or multiple orthotropic conical shell systems resting on several circumferential linear elastic supports. The shells in each model may have pinned (simply-supported) or elastically-supported edges. The Lagrangian is formulated in terms of the generalized coordinates for all displacements and the Rayleigh-Ritz method is used to derive the equations of motion. The natural modes of vibration and aeroelastic stability boundaries are found by calculating the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a large coefficient matrix. When the in-flight configuration of the TPS is approximated as a single shell without elastic supports, asymmetric flutter in many circumferential waves is observed. When the elastic supports are included, the shell flutters symmetrically in zero circumferential waves. Structural damping is found to be important in this case. Aeroelastic models that consider the individual TPS layers as separate shells tend to flutter asymmetrically at high dynamic pressures relative to the single shell models. Several parameter studies also examine the effects of tension, orthotropicity, and elastic support stiffness.
Quarks and leptons in a hexagonal chain

Abstract The seemingly disparate notions of chiral color and quark–lepton nonuniversality are combined, and shown to be essential to each other as part of an underlying (and unifying) larger symmetry, i.e., supersymmetric SU (3) 6 . Both phenomena are accessible experimentally at the TeV energy scale.