cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Machine Learning Based Classification of Mental Disorders from Methylation Data

Psychiatric disorder diagnoses are heavily reliant on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders’ listing of observable symptoms and clinical traits, the skill level of the physician, and the patient’s ability to verbalize experienced events. Therefore, researchers have sought to identify biological markers which accurately differentiate mental disorder subtypes from psychiatrically normal controls. One such biomarker, DNA methylation, has recently become more prevalent in genetic research studies in oncology. This paper proposes to apply these findings in a study meant at discovering DNA methylation signatures for classifying schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. Very high classification performance measures were obtained from methylation probes and differentially methylated positions and regions. This work contributes to the identification of biological signatures for mental disorders based on methylation characteristics.
Escherichia coli that cause hemolytic uremic syndrome

Entero-hemorrhagic Escherichia coli (Shiga-like toxin or verotoxin producing E. coli) have been recognized in recent years as an important new group of enteric pathogens. They are the cause of nonspecific diarrhea and hemorrhagic colitis, and in a significant number of patients, these conditions are complicated by the development of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. In childhood, this complication is called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and in adults, it is more typically diagnosed as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TIP). The toxin producing E. coli are the usual etiology of these syndromes when they occur in the setting of a gastrointestinal prodrome with bloody diarrhea.
Xenopus: Driving the Discovery of Novel Genes in Patient Disease and Their Underlying Pathological Mechanisms Relevant for Organogenesis.

Frog model organisms have been appreciated for their utility in exploring physiological phenomena for nearly a century. Now, a vibrant community of biologists that utilize this model organism has poised Xenopus to serve as a high throughput vertebrate organism to model patient-driven genetic diseases. This has facilitated the investigation of effects of patient mutations on specific organs and signaling pathways. This approach promises a rapid investigation into novel mechanisms that disrupt normal organ morphology and function. Considering that many disease states are still interrogated in vitro to determine relevant biological processes for further study, the prospect of interrogating genetic disease in Xenopus in vivo is an attractive alternative. This model may more closely capture important aspects of the pathology under investigation such as cellular micro environments and local forces relevant to a specific organ’s development and homeostasis. This review aims to highlight recent methodological advances that allow investigation of genetic disease in organ-specific contexts in Xenopus as well as provide examples of how these methods have led to the identification of novel mechanisms and pathways important for understanding human disease.
Therapeutic Targeting of the Notch Pathway in Glioblastoma Multiforme.

Background Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and deadly form of brain tumor. After standard treatment of resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, the 5-year survival is Methods A literature search was performed for articles containing the terms “Glioblastoma” and “Receptors, Notch” between 2003 and July 2015. Of the 62 articles retrieved, 46 met our criteria and were included in our review. Nine articles were identified from other sources and were subsequently included, leaving 55 articles reviewed. Results Of the 55 articles reviewed, 47 used established human GBM cell lines. Seventeen articles used human GBM surgical samples. Forty-five of 48 articles that assessed Notch activity showed increased expression in GBM cell lines. Targeting the Notch pathway was carried out through Notch knockdown and overexpression and targeting δ-like ligand, Jagged, γ-secretase, ADAM10, ADAM17, and Mastermindlike protein 1. Arsenic trioxide, microRNAs, and several other compounds were shown to have an effect on the Notch pathway in GBM. Notch activity in GBM was also shown to be associated with hypoxia and certain cancer-related molecular pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR and ERK/MAPK. Most articles concluded that Notch activity amplifies malignant characteristics in GBM and targeting this pathway can bring about amelioration of these effects. Conclusions Recent literature suggests targeting the Notch pathway has great potential for future therapies for GBM.
Implementing In-Cell Fast Photochemical Oxidation of Proteins in a Platform Incubator with a Movable XY Stage.

Fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) is a protein footprinting technique that is being increasingly used in MS-based proteomics. FPOP is utilized to study protein–protein interactions, p...
Subxiphoid and Suprapubic Hernia Repair

Subxiphoid and suprapubic hernias represent uncommon hernias, most of which develop following incisions for cardiac or intra-abdominal surgery. Primary suture repair is associated with unacceptably high recurrence rates. This chapter discusses the details of these very different hernias. Additionally, the operative technique for robotic repair is reviewed. Postoperative management is also discussed.
An Imperative Need for Further Genetic Studies of Alopecia Areata

Human genetic studies of diseases that are multifactorial and prevalent have generated a wealth of knowledge about the genetic architecture of chronic diseases. Generalizable attributes are shaping the development of models to explain how the human genome influences our health and can be leveraged to improve it. Importantly, both rare and common genetic variants contribute to disease risk and provide complementary information. Although initial genetic studies of alopecia areata have yielded insight with high clinical impact, there remains a number of important unanswered questions pertaining to disease biology and patient care that could be addressed by further genetic investigations.
Real time control of tethered satellite systems to de-orbit space debris

Abstract Space debris has become a huge concern for orbital missions that makes remediation a critical and necessary action. Using Tethered Satellite System (TSS) to de-orbit debris is one active method to reduce the population of debris in Low Earth Orbits (LEO). We propose a TSS where a satellite is connected to a large space debris by an elastic tether. This system in LEO is subjected to many different disturbances such as aerodynamic drag, which necessitate a robust control method. Here, we present a robust optimal H 2 − H ∞ controller based on State-Dependant Riccati Equation (SDRE). The characterize of the optimal solution in the context of robustness to disturbance is our main goal. We show that the control law can be expressed in the form of traditional Riccati equation. The SDRE is a powerful method to control nonlinear systems, however, it can not be used as a real-time scheme. We overcome this drawback of SDRE by using an approximation approach based on Bellman's principle of optimality. This method is presented in terms of least squares techniques and can relieve the problem of high computational loads when using SDRE in real-time control systems. Also, we extend the approximation method for the H 2 − H ∞ control method. The performance of proposed controllers is evaluated by numerical simulations and the results show a convergence of the states to zero. Also, the control law forces the system to decrease the velocity of the debris in the orbit, thus the altitude of debris orbit decreases automatically so that atmospheric drag will cause the debris to burn out more rapidly by entering Earth's atmosphere.
To beam or not to beam? Beamforming with submodularity-inspired group sparsity

In this paper, we address the beamforming problem, which asks to choose the best subset of antennas and their corresponding amplitudes and phases to match a given beam pattern. To solve this problem, we propose an optimization formulation that can efficiently solve large scale problems, and is versatile in its ability to express a variety of meaningful subset selection scenarios. Focusing on the case of antennas with fixed positions, without assuming any geometric structure, we show how to cast the beamforming problem as a regularized least squares problem. Drawing inspiration from subset selection problems in submodular optimization, we select meaningful submodular set functions and use their Lovasz extensions as convex regularizers promoting antenna selection in a useful manner, as demonstrated in a number of presented scenarios.
A WiFi-based Home Security System

Typical home security systems monitor homes for intrusions by installing contact sensors on doors and windows and motion sensors inside the house. Unfortunately, due to the high deployment and operational costs of today’s home security systems, only a small fraction of homes have security systems installed (e.g., only 17% in the US and 15% in China). In this paper, we propose a Wi Fi based H ome S ecurity system (WiHS) that uses commodity WiFi devices, which most modern households already have, to perform the three primary tasks of typical home security systems: 1) detect when a door/window is opened/closed, 2) identify which door/window has been opened/closed, and 3) detect movements inside the house. The design of WiHS is based on our intuitive and theoretical understanding of the impacts of the movements of doors and windows on WiFi signals, which we will develop and present in this paper. We extensively evaluated WiHS using commodity WiFi devices in 3 different houses. WiHS detected intrusions with over 95% accuracy and identified the exact door/window that moved with just 4.5% average error.
Evidence for the loss and recovery of SLAMF9 during human evolution: implications on Dollo’s law

Signaling lymphocyte activation molecule family member 9 (SLAMF9) is a cell surface protein of the CD2/SLAM family of leukocyte surface receptors. It is conserved throughout mammals and has roles in the initiation of inflammatory responses and regulation of plasmacytoid dendritic cell function. Through comparison of reference sequences encoding SLAMF9 in human, mouse, and primate sequences, we have determined that the SLAMF9 gene underwent successive mutation events, resulting in the loss of the protein and subsequent recovery of a less stable version. The mutations included a single base pair deletion in the second exon and a change in the splice acceptor site of that same exon. These changes would have had the effect of creating and later repairing a frameshift in the coding sequence. These events took place since the divergence of the human lineage from the chimpanzee-human last common ancestor and represent the first known case of the functional loss and recovery of a gene within the human lineage.
The Effect of Impact Angle and Fall Height on Skull Fracture Patterns in Infants.

Skull fracture is a common finding for both accidental and abusive head trauma in infants and young children, and may provide important clues as to the energy and directionality of the event leading to the skull fracture. However, little is understood regarding the mechanics of skull fracture in the pediatric skull, and how accidental fall parameters contribute to skull fracture patterns. The objectives of this research were to utilize a newly developed linear elastic fracture mechanics finite element model of infant skull fracture to investigate the effect of impact angle and fall height on the predictions of skull fracture patterns in infants. Nine impact angles of right parietal bone impacts were simulated from three different heights onto a rigid plate. The average ± standard deviation of the distance between the impact location and fracture initiation site was 8.0 ± 5.9 mm. Impact angle significantly affected the fracture initiation site (p < 0.0001) and orientation (p < 0.0001). A 15 deg variation in impact angle changed the initiation site up to 47 mm. The orientation of the fracture pattern was dependent on the impact location and ran either horizontal or vertical toward the ossification center of the bone. Fall height significantly affected the fracture length (p = 0.0356). Specifically, at the same impact angle, a 0.3 m increase in fall height increased the skull fracture length by 21.39 ± 34.26 mm. These data indicate that environmental variability needs to be carefully considered when evaluating infant skull fracture patterns from low-height falls.
Start of the Journal of Family Practice.

In 1969, when family practice was recognized as the 20th specialty in American medicine, there was little tradition for research and no forum for reporting original work in the field. GP , the monthly journal of the American Academy of General Practice, was derivative in nature with review articles
Semantically-Aware Strategies for Stereo-Visual Robotic Obstacle Avoidance

Mobile robots in unstructured, mapless environments must rely on an obstacle avoidance module to navigate safely. The standard avoidance techniques estimate the locations of obstacles with respect to the robot but are unaware of the obstacles’ identities. Consequently, the robot cannot take advantage of semantic information about obstacles when making decisions about how to navigate. We propose an obstacle avoidance module that combines visual instance segmentation with a depth map to classify and localize objects in the scene. The system avoids obstacles differentially, based on the identity of the objects: for example, the system is more cautious in response to unpredictable objects such as humans. The system can also navigate closer to harmless obstacles and ignore obstacles that pose no collision danger, enabling it to navigate more efficiently. We validate our approach in two simulated environments: one terrestrial and one underwater. Results indicate that our approach is feasible and can enable more efficient navigation strategies.
Visualizing College Students’ Geo-Temporal Context-Varying Significant Phone Call Patterns

Students often face enormous changes and challenges in life when starting college education, such as meeting new people, more responsibilities in life, and being away from family and their comfort zones. These sudden changes often lead to an elevation of stress and anxiety, affecting a student’s mental health, well-being, and academic progress. This situation can even get worse with the outbreak of a pandemic, such as COVID-19, due to lockdown and associated disruption of the academic calendar. In this work, we use different visualizations and statistical techniques to find various geographical places and temporal factors that affect students’ phone call patterns (in terms of call duration and call frequency) to promote the design and delivery of future smartphone-based health interventions to help students coping with sudden changes in lifestyles. From our detailed analysis of an 18-month longitudinal study dataset collected from a cohort of 464 freshmen, we obtain insights on phone call pattern variations during different temporal contexts, e.g., epochs of a day, days of a week, and in various geographical contexts (i.e., places of interest).
Integration of CTC into a CRC Screening Program

Screening for colorectal neoplasms has become the standard of care in advanced medical settings worldwide [1–7]. Identifying asymptomatic colorectal neoplastic lesions has been shown to reduce colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and the overall cost of medical care. Clinicians have several alternatives at their disposal as they consider screening for their respective patient population. Many organizations have devoted considerable time weighing the evidence to establish appropriate evidence-based guidelines directing clinicians with methods to appropriately manage screening. CT colonoscopy and optical colonoscopy (OC) are viable alternatives for CRC screening. Organizations that plan to utilize both modalities must consider multiple issues to effectively integrate and ensure a high-quality screening program.
N-Linked Glycans (N-Glycans)

N-linked glycans (N-glycans) are covalently attached to glycoproteins during translation and translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum, and subsequently modified during glycoprotein transit through the secretory pathway. The most common consensus for attachment of an N-glycan is Asn-X(not Pro)-Ser/Thr. Although necessary, this consensus is not sufficient for N-glycan addition to occur. N-glycans have many different functions that may be independent of the glycoprotein to which they are attached, or may specifically affect its production and functions. The factors that govern optimal N-glycan attachment and maturation are encoded by ~300 genes. Mutations in these genes lead to Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation (CDG), rare diseases arising from mutations in genes involved in protein glycosylation.
Language, Proof and Logic

This complete text and software package provides a self-contained introduction to the basic concepts of logic: language, truth, argument, consequence, proof and counterexample. Assuming no prior study of logic, Barwide and Etchemendy provide a clear and comprehensive outline of the field - a text appropriate for introductory or secondary courses in logic that incorporates more than enough material to be of use to philosophers, computer scientists, and mathematicians as well. The price of a new text/software package includes one Registration ID, which must be used each time work is submitted to the grading service. Once activated, the Registration ID is not transferable.
Measuring the Development of Social Attention Using Free-Viewing.

How do young children direct their attention to other people in the natural world? Although many studies have examined the perception of faces and of goal-directed actions, relatively little work has focused on what children will look at in complex and unconstrained viewing environments. To address this question, we showed videos of objects, faces, children playing with toys, and complex social scenes to a large sample of infants and toddlers between 3 and 30 months old. We found systematic developmental changes in what children looked at. When viewing faces alone, younger children looked more at eyes and older children more at mouths, especially when the faces were making expressions or talking. In the more complex videos, older children looked more at hands than younger children, especially when the hands were performing actions. Our results suggest that as children develop they become better able to direct their attention to the parts of complex scenes that are most interesting socially.
The Structure of W Ursae Majoris Systems

According to an argument of Kuiper’s, contact binaries with unequal components cannot exist at age zero. This result comes from a comparison of the mass-radius relation for single, homogeneous stars with the condition to be fulfilled by the radii if the surface of the binary is to be an equipotential. This conclusion is contradicted, however, by observational evidence that W UMa stars do occur at age zero with unequal components.
Defect reduction in VSE-methodology and results

In 1990 and 1991 activities have been defined to improve the quality of VSE, one of IBM's operating systems. As a first step, all defects of the past 10 years of the VSE supervisor have been analysed and categorized using the Orthogonal Defect Classification system. This analysis and an additional review of the development process lead to improvements in the areas of defect prevention and quality tracking. The result of these improvements is very encouraging: the defect rate of VSE has been reduced by 94% compared to 1989.
Disruption of intermediate filament organization leads to structural defects at the intersomite junction in Xenopus myotomal muscle

In mature striated muscle, intermediate filaments (IFs) are associated with the periphery of Z-discs and sites of myofibril-membrane attachment. Previously T. Schultheiss, Z. X. Lin, H. Ishikawa, I. Zamir, C. J. Stoeckert and H. Holtzer (1991) J. Cell Biol. 114, 953) reported that the disruption of IF organization in cultured chick myotubes had no detectable effect on muscle cell structure. Cultured muscle is not, however, under the mechanical loads characteristic of muscle in situ. The dorsal myotomal muscle (DMM) of the Xenopus tadpole provides an accessible model system in which to study the effects of mutant IF proteins on an intact, functional muscle. DNAs encoding truncated forms of Xenopus vimentin or desmin were injected into fertilized Xenopus eggs. Embryos were allowed to develop to the tadpole stage and then examined by confocal or electron microscopy. DMM cells containing the truncated IF polypeptides displayed disorganized IF systems. While the alignment of Z-lines appeared unaffected, cells accumulating mutant IF polypeptides displayed abnormal organization at the intersomite junction. Myocyte termini are normally characterized by deep invaginations of the sarcolemma. In myocytes expressing mutated IF polypeptides, these membrane invaginations were reduced or completely absent. Furthermore, the attachment of myofibrils to the junctional membrane was often aberrant or completely disrupted. These results suggest that in active muscle IFs play an important role in the organization and/or stabilization of myofibril-membrane attachment sites.
Limitations on Zealous Representation in an AdversarialSystem

For a number of years scholars of the legal profession have debated whether the role of lawyers in an adversarial system is morally defensible. The debate has provided important insights into the foundations of the adversarial system, the role of lawyers in that system, and the application of moral principles to professional behavior. But the debate has ignored a more obvious question: What limitations on zealous representation can be derived from the conception of the adversarial system itself, rather than from principles of morality? This article has two goals, one descriptive, the other normative. The descriptive goal is to offer a framework for understanding the various rules that limit lawyer zealousness. I argue that almost all of the rules limiting zealous representation can be seen as designed to maintain three principles that define the adversarial system: (1) the bona fide dispute principle, (2) the impartial decision maker principle, and (3) the principle of qualified truth-maximizing rules. The normative goal is to offer a critical perspective on a number of rules of professional conduct to demonstrate ways in which they could be improved.
On Wafer Burn-in Strategies for MCM Die

The high cost associated with replacing faulty die in many MCM technologies suggests that die used in their manufacture be known to be good with high confidence. This requires some burn-in of the die since significant "infant mortality" failures are observed for semiconductor parts. Burn-in generally involves mounting the die on temporary die carriers so that signals can be applied to activate the circuits. In this paper we present a more efficient strategy that allows the burn-in of the die on the wafer before they are diced. Our proposed approach requires that power, ground and clock connections to each die be fabricated on the wafer so that all the circuits can be powered up and clocked using only a few probe connects to the wafer. These extra connections use the space between die, and are lost once the wafer is diced into individual circuits. During burn-in, the circuits are activated in the built-in self test (BIST) mode. Here inputs to subcircuits within each die is provided by linear feedback shift registers. Power dissipation and thermal stress during burn-in is managed by controlling the air flow over the wafer surface and by appropriate selection of the thermal conduction properties of the temporary wafer carrier system employed. It is also possible to selectively power up subsets of the die to manage power dissipation. Wafer level burn-in promises to be a cost effective approach for delivering known good die.
Some Empirical Findings on Short-Term Forecasting: Technique Complexity and Combinations

The purpose of this research is to determine if prior findings that favor simple forecasting techniques and technique combinations hold true in a short-term forecasting environment, where demand data can be quite volatile. Twenty-two time series of daily data from a real business setting are used to test one-period ahead forecasts, the epitome of short-term forecasting. The time series vary systematically as to data volatility and forecast difficulty. Forecast accuracy is measured in terms of both mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and mean percentage error (MPE).
Performance analysis and parameter optimization for iris recognition using Log-Gabor wavelet

Parameter optimization is an important aspect for achieving highest accurate results. This paper investigates different parameters of the one dimensional Log-Gabor filter approach to produce optimal recognition rates. ROC curves are adopted to measure the recognition accuracy. More than 20 million matches have been performed in our experiment. Our experimental results show that optimal wavelength is linear change with the normalized length in angular direction in the polar coordinates. This paper also finds the optimal phase number for pattern encoding, and the optimal radial length.
Ultrahigh repetition rate picosecond pulses from a passively mode-locked neodymium glass laser by solid-state saturable dye films.

Ultrashort pulses with ultrahigh tunable repetition rates up to 50 GHz are produced by the use of a solid-state saturable absorber film of polymethine dyes in a polymer matrix to mode lock a neodymium glass laser. The energy and the pulse duration of the ultrashort pulses and the stability of the train are measured. The shortest duration pulses produced are ∼ 4 ps with no noticeable change in the optical properties of solid-state dye films after several hundred shots of operation.
Academic Dismissal, Readmission Conditions, and Retention: A Study of Social Science Majors

This project attempts to assess the relative effectiveness of readmission conditions among approximately 500 social science majors at a large state university, supplemented by an analysis of the retention status of almost 7,800 social science students at the same institution. Whites, African-Americans, Hispanics, males, juniors, transfer students, those in their mid-20s, those with interdisciplinary and limited-access majors, and those with low high school grade point averages (GPAs) appear to be most at risk. However, academic success among those who are readmitted is significantly associated only with gender, quality point deficit, and readmission conditions.
Field ionization of alkali metal Rydberg states: application as an ultraviolet radiation detector with absolute wavelength calibration

Abstract In order to assess the long-term threat posed to plant and animal life by ozone depletion and the resulting increase of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, a long-term UV irradiance monitoring program is needed, with emphasis on the UV-B wavelength region between 290 and 320 nm. However, there is serious concern over the long-term stability of conventional instruments used to measure the UV-B flux. In this paper, we describe a UV-B detector that has an intrinsic absolute wavelength calibration and we report preliminary results aimed at demonstrating the concept of this detector. The detector is based upon field ionization of alkali metal Rydberg states created when UV-B radiation is absorbed in a vapor of cesium, rubidium, or potassium.
A 4-Hz Fundamental Linewidth on-chip Microlaser

A compact laser source on a silicon chip with Shawlow-Townes linewidth (i.e., fundamental, quantum limited) down to a few Hertz is demonstrated in this work. The fundamental linewidth is observed to decrease with inverse optical power.
Magnetic resonance and fluorescence imaging of doxorubicin-loaded nanoparticles using a novel in vivo model

We report here the in vivo combined-modality imaging of multifunctional drug delivery nanoparticles. These dextran core-based stealth liposomal nanoparticles (nanosomes) contained doxorubicin, iron oxide for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast, and BODIPY for fluorescence. The particles were long-lived in vivo because of surface decoration with polyethylene glycol and the incorporation of acetylated lipids that were ultraviolet cross-linked for physical stability. We developed a rodent dorsal skinfold window chamber that facilitated both MRI and non-invasive optical imaging of nanoparticle accumulation in the same tumors. Chamber tumors were genetically labeled with DsRed-2, which enabled co-localization of the MR images, the red fluorescence of the tumor, and the blue fluorescence of the nanoparticles. The nanoparticle design and MR imaging developed with the window chamber were then extended to orthotopic pancreatic tumors expressing DsRed-2. The tumors were MR-imaged using iron oxide-dextran liposomes and by fluorescence to demonstrate the deep imaging capability of these nanoparticles.
Impact of delta-doping position on photoluminescence in type-II InAs/GaAsSb quantum dots

We studied the optical properties of InAs/GaAs0.83Sb0.17 quantum dots (QDs), with varying silicon delta-doping position (spatial distance, d = 0.5, 1, and 2 nm), using photoluminescence (PL) measurements. Compared with the undoped QDs, the PL peak energies of the ground state (GS) emissions for the doped QDs with d = 0.5 and 2 nm were found to be greatly blueshifted by ∼31 meV, which was much larger than that for the doped QDs with d = 1 nm. The radiative recombination rate of the GS emissions for the doped QDs with d = 1 nm was estimated to be slower than that for the other doped QDs at 10 K. The doped QDs with d = 1 nm showed the fastest redshift of the GS peak energy with temperature and lowest thermal activation energy (151 meV) of electrons among the QD samples. Further, the time-resolved PL data revealed that the average carrier lifetime (6.3 ns) in the doped QDs with d = 1 nm was longer even than that in the undoped QDs (5.5 ns) because of the weakened electron-hole wavefunction overlap by the V-shaped potential barrier in the doped QDs.
Deformation and relaxation of Newtonian drops in planar extensional flows of a Boger fluid

Abstract This paper is an experimental investigation of the deformation and relaxation of a Newtonian drop suspended in a PIB/PB Boger fluid. The suspending fluid is undergoing a planar extensional flow produced in a four-roll mill. We show that increasing elasticity of the suspending fluid has a pronounced effect on both the deformation and relaxation of a drop. For steady flows, as the strength of viscoelastic effects in the suspending fluid is increased, the drops become more deformed, with ends that are generally more pointed. This leads to a decrease in the maximum (“critical”) capillary number for the existence of a steady, deformed drop shape. In transient startup and step flows, the elasticity of the suspending fluid produces a large deformation shape that is more pointed at its ends and more tubular in its midsection than is observed for a drop in a Newtonian fluid (bulbous ends with necking at the waist). This enables a drop in the PIB/PB suspending fluid to be extended to a longer length without breaking upon flow cessation. However, at smaller deformations, the elasticity of the suspending fluid retards the relaxation of the drop. The observed viscoelastic effects on the steady and transient deformation, as well as the relaxation of drops in the PIB/PB suspending fluid, cannot be explained by viscoelastic modifications of the global, undisturbed flow field. Instead, our results suggest the existence of a non-linear coupling between the drop shape, the local disturbance flow, and the polymer configuration in the vicinity of the drop. This coupling enhances elastic effects, such that a drop can display significant non-Newtonian behavior prior to any changes in the global, undisturbed flow field.
DETERMINATION OF Δ4-3-KETO-CORTICOSTEROIDS IN HUMAN PERIPHERAL PLASMA BY THE ISONICOTINIC ACID HYDRAZIDE (INH) REACTION*

THE purpose of this communication is to extend a previous report by the authors (1) on quantitative studies of various adrenocortical steroids in small samples of peripheral human blood plasma, by presenting the findings based on a new reaction (INH) which involves the formation of the isonicotinyl hydrazones of Δ4-3-keto-corticosteroids. In conjunction with the Porter-Silber reaction (2) it provides an improved quantitative guide to the estimation of plasma corticosteroids. Actually, our application of this procedure has been part of an attempt to isolate and identify the various corticosteroids found in blood plasma. Previous work. A new color reaction for the determination of Δ4-3-ketocorticosteroids has recently been described by Umberger (3), who utilized the earlier findings by Ercoli, DeGiuseppe and De Ruggieri (4). When the isonicotinyl hydrazones of ketosteroids having a double bond conjugated with a carbonyl group are dissolved in acidified absolute ethyl alcohol, a yellow color (absorption maxi...
High-temperature measurements of the reactions of OH with toluene and acetone.

The reaction of hydroxyl [OH] radicals with toluene [C6H5CH3] was studied at temperatures between 911 and 1389 K behind reflected shock waves at pressures of ∼2.25 atm. OH radicals were generated by rapid thermal decomposition of shock-heated tert-butyl hydroperoxide [(CH3)3−CO−OH], and monitored by narrow-line width ring dye laser absorption of the well-characterized R1(5) line of the OH A−X (0,0) band near 306.7 nm. OH time histories were modeled by using a comprehensive toluene oxidation mechanism. Rate constants for the reaction of C6H5CH3 with OH were extracted by matching modeled and measured OH concentration time histories in the reflected shock region. Detailed error analyses yielded an uncertainty estimate of ±30% at 1115 K for the rate coefficient of this reaction. The current high-temperature data were fit with the lower temperature measurements of Tully et al. [J. Phys. Chem. 1981, 85, 2262−2269] to the following two-parameter form, applicable over 570−1389 K: k3 = (1.62 × 1013) exp(−1394/T [...
Excitation-contraction coupling in frog conus arteriosus

Abstract 1. 1. Electrical and mechanical properties of the conus arteriosus were studied in bullfrogs. 2. 2. Action potential duration and contraction duration were dependent on the external calciutn concentration. 3. 3. The amplitude of contraction and time to peak tension increased with increasing calcium concentrations. 4. 4. The time interval between the onset of the action potential and the onset of contraction decreased with increasing calcium concentrations. 5. 5. The action potential was of exceptionally long duration and may underlie the tissue's lengthy hemodynamic systole. 6. 6. The results are consonant with a contraction controlled by the membrane action potential.
Osmium−Bismuth Complexes from the Reaction of Os3(CO)11(NCMe) with BiPh3

Five new compounds were obtained from the reaction of Os(3)(CO)(11)(NCMe), 1, with BiPh(3) in hexane solution at reflux. These have been identified as Os(2)(CO)(8)(mu-BiPh), 2, Os(CO)(4)Ph(2), 3, Os(4)(CO)(14)(mu-eta(3)-O=CC(6)H(5))(mu(4)-Bi), 4, Os(4)(CO)(15)Ph(mu(4)-Bi), 5, and Os(5)(CO)(19)Ph(mu(4)-Bi), 6. Cleavage of the phenyl groups from the BiPh(3) was the dominant reaction pathway. Fragmentation of the original triosmium cluster was accompanied by reaggregation processes that were facilitated by the naked bismuth to yield the higher nuclearity osmium cluster complexes containing spiro-bridging bismuth ligands. Compound 6 was photo-decarbonylated to yield the compound HOs(5)(CO)(18)(mu-eta(2)-C(6)H(4))(mu(4)-Bi), 7, formed by ortho-CH activation of the sigma-bonded phenyl ring in 6 to form a bridging eta(2)-benzyne ligand. Compounds 2- 7 were each characterized structurally by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.
Level of kidney function as a risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular outcomes in the community.

AbstractObjectives: The goal of this study was to determine whether the level of kidney function is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) outcomes in the Ath...
Serotonin receptor 2A (HTR2A) gene polymorphism predicts treatment response to venlafaxine XR in generalized anxiety disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder with significant morbidity and mortality. Antidepressant drugs are the preferred choice for treatment; however, treatment response is often variable. Several studies in major depression have implicated a role of the serotonin receptor gene (HTR2A) in treatment response to antidepressants. We tested the hypothesis that the genetic polymorphism rs7997012 in the HTR2A gene predicts treatment outcome in GAD patients treated with venlafaxine XR. Treatment response was assessed in 156 patients that participated in a 6-month open-label clinical trial of venlafaxine XR for GAD. Primary analysis included Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) reduction at 6 months. Secondary outcome measure was the Clinical Global Impression of Improvement (CGI-I) score at 6 months. Genotype and allele frequencies were compared between groups using χ(2) contingency analysis. The frequency of the G-allele differed significantly between responders (70%) and nonresponders (56%) at 6 months (P=0.05) using the HAM-A scale as outcome measure. Similarly, using the CGI-I as outcome, the G-allele was significantly associated with improvement (P=0.01). Assuming a dominant effect of the G-allele, improvement differed significantly between groups (P=0.001, odds ratio=4.72). Similar trends were observed for remission although not statistically significant. We show for the first time a pharmacogenetic effect of the HTR2A rs7997012 variant in anxiety disorders, suggesting that pharmacogenetic effects cross diagnostic categories. Our data document that individuals with the HTR2A rs7997012 single nucleotide polymorphism G-allele have better treatment outcome over time. Future studies with larger sample sizes are necessary to further characterize this effect in treatment response to antidepressants in GAD.
Introduction by David Wiley to Part 2 of Littlejohn, A. (2003) Reusing Online Resources: Design Perspectives

Abstract: The chapters in this part of the book explore a number of ways of wrapping educational contexts around existing online resources, allowing them to be reused exactly as they are -- without necessitating editing or other alteration a priori. Notes: Reprinted with permission from: Reusing Online Resources: A Sustainable Approach to eLearning, (Ed.) Allison Littlejohn. Kogan Page, London. ISBN 0749439491. Editor: Allison Littlejohn.
Nutrient Pumping/Advection by Propagating Rossby Waves in the Kuroshio Extension

Abstract Ten years (1998–2007) of sea-level anomalies (SLA) from multiple satellite altimeters and chlorophyll -a concentration from the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) were used to detect eddy pumping/advection of nutrients by the action of propagating Rossby waves in the Kuroshio Extension (KE) region near 35 o N after the seasonal SeaWiFS chlorophyll -a (Chl -a ) concentrations cycles and annual changes of altimeter SLA were eliminated. Spatial structure of Chl -a anomalies to the seasonal cycle is examined in relation to altimeter eddy structure. Eddy propagation speeds and scales by the Rossby waves are also identified. Chl -a structure is evident during the spring bloom period with a scale around 460 km. Cold-core (cyclonic) rings correspond to areas of high Chl -a concentrations. Warm-core (anticyclonic) rings relate to areas of low Chl -a concentration. Chl -a anomalies and SLA have an overall modest negative correlation coefficient of r= −0.45, which may imply the co-existence of both eddy pumping and eddy advection mechanisms in the KE region. Swirl currents between eddies redistribute surface chlorophyll concentrations and can spatially bias maximum and minimum concentration levels off eddy center. The correlation coefficient has seasonal fluctuations. In the western KE region, it varies from high negative correlation ( r= −0.70) in April and September (eddy pumping dominant) to low negative correlation ( r =−0.33) in February and March (eddy advection dominant). In the eastern KE region, it varies from high negative correlation ( r =−0.67) in February to low negative correlation ( r =−0.42) in December. It is noted that the characteristic wavelengths of the SLA and Chl -a features, and the seasonality of the correlation between these two variables have not been previously documented.
Approximations for the waiting time distribution in polling models with and without state-dependent setups

A polling model is a queueing model where many job classes share a single server and a setup time is incurred whenever the server changes class. Polling models are applicable to many computing, telecommunications, and manufacturing environments. The scheduling method considered in this paper is a common policy known as cyclic, serve to exhaustion (CSE). Recently, Coffman, Puhalskii and Reiman (CPR) have developed a heavy-traffic approximation for the waiting time distribution in a CSE polling model. This paper presents three new approximations. Firstly, the CPR approximation and the traditional (non-heavy-traffic) polling model literature are combined to obtain a refinement of the CPR approximation. This refinement is much more accurate under conditions of moderate loading. Next, an approximation is made for the distribution of the number of jobs present in a queue upon it being polled. Lastly, the previous two approximations are combined to form an approximation for the waiting time distribution when setups are not performed for queues containing no jobs. A simulation study is undertaken to evaluate these three approximations.
Principles and Cash Flow Expectations of Reverse Mortgages

Reverse mortgages are relatively new instruments with some potential for enhancing the living standard and independence of the well elderly. Their importance as an incremental source of disposable income is likely to increase as demographic and political trends place increasing stress on public programs. Reverse mortgages are widely discussed, but the primary forms of these instruments and the amount of cash flow they will produce are not well understood. The types and financial characteristics of reverse mortgages are summarized. Examples establish general expectations for the level of cash inflows that reverse mortgages can generate for elderly people who own homes with modest market values. The article includes a discussion of these amounts in relation to the importance of incremental income to economically vulnerable home owners.
Geometry and Electronic Structure of (CO)3NiCH2. A Model Transition-Metal Carbene

The first application of nonempirical molecular electronic structure theory to a realistic transition metal carbene complex is reported. The system chosen was (CO){sub 3}NiCH{sub 2}, methylene (tricarbonyl) nickel(0). All studies were carried out at the self-consistent-field (SCF) level. A large and flexibly contracted basis set was chosen, labeled Ni(15s 11p 6d/11s 8p 3d); C,O(9s 5p/4s 2p); H(5s/3s). In addition, the importance of methylene carbon d functions was investigated. The critical predicted equilibrium geometrical parameters were R [Ni-C (methylene)]=1.83 {Angstrom}, {theta}(HCH)=108°. The sixfold barrier to rotation about the Ni-C (methylene) axis is small, ~o.2 kcal. The electronic structure of (CO){sub 3}NiCH{sub 2} is discussed and compared with those of the "naked" complex NiCH{sub 2} and the stable Ni(CO){sub 4} molecule.
Hybrid fire testing for assessing performance of structures in fire--Application

This paper presents the results for application and implementation of the hybrid fire testing (HFT) approach, developed previously for performance assessment of the structure in fire. The HFT carried out by means of both computer simulation and experimentation using the National Research Council Canada's (NRC) testing facilities in Ottawa. The test specimen was a full-scale 6-storey building structure with a fire compartment scenario on the main floor of the building. Using the HFT, the column in the designated fire compartment was exposed to the fire in a column furnace and the rest of the building was simulated using a numerical modeling, simultaneously. The methodology of the HFT and its numerical verifications were developed and described in a previous paper. This paper includes application of the HFT and some of results for fire structural performance of the whole 6-storey building. It also includes results of a separate, benchmark, column specimen with identical specifications, tested in fire using the traditional prescriptive fire resistance test method. The HFT was carried out successfully. The results indicated that the hybrid fire testing method would provide more realistic fire endurance evaluation than the prescriptive method due to including the effects from the rest of the building on the column specimen during the test.
Union Legitimacy and the Team Concept: A Case Study of Workers’ Attitudes*

Unions are facing a crisis of legitimacy resulting in part from employer-initiated workplace participation programs that seek to undermine labor militancy and attachment to unions. The overall trend among union leaders, however, is support for the team concept when implemented in unionized settings. This study examines the effect of union involvement in the team concept on pragmatic and moral union legitimacy at the first unionized team concept assembly plant in the automobile industry-the General Motors' truck plant in Shreveport, Louisiana. The unique contribution of the study is that it systematically examines how workers who began their careers in the industry under different production regimes view the team concept and union legitimacy. The analysis is based on a random sample survey of workers and employs an original approach of comparing work attitudes and union legitimacy among different "political cohorts." The results indicate that the team concept threatens pragmatic union legitimacy for veteran workers because it undermines seniority rights. Significant time working under the team concept may also weaken moral union legitimacy, even among workers socialized initially in nonteam concept environments.
Multiple Resources versus Information Integration

The present study investigates the applicability of an information integration hypothesis developed by Wickens and Boles (1983), to display format and response configuration. Twenty paid subjects performed either a dual-task or an integration task. The tasks were similar in all respects with the exception of information integration requirements. Proximity was manipulated via display format and response configuration. Results of the display format manipulation supported a multiple resources interpretation while the effects of response configuration were consistent with the integration hypothesis. These results point to a possible limitation in applying the integration hypothesis to resource demands of displays, but suggest that the hypothesis may apply to response configuration.