cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rare-earth-doped polymers for optical amplification and lasing

The optical properties and characteristics of rare earth- doped polymers have been studied to evaluate their viability for use in amplifier and laser applications. Rare earth ions are encapsulated in organic, covalent bonded chromophores. The optical properties of various rare earth chromophores doped into polymers are measured and calculated and are then used in numerical simulations of amplifiers and lasers. The result provide an estimate of their potential device performance and establish the fundamental bases for these applications in photonics. Owing to their distinct and important advantages, such as chromophore energy transfer effects, high rare earth ion concentrations, shielding of the ion from high energy vibrations of the host, enhanced optical transition moments, and controllable decay rates and branching ratios, rare earth-doped polymers are found to be promising candidates for various device applications. Numerical simulations for samarium chromophore, for example, indicate that gains about 10 dB and greater are achievable in relatively short polymer optical fiber amplifiers operating at 650 nm.
Intra- and inter-specific diversity of Tc3-like transposons in nematodes and insects and implications for their evolution and transposition.

Abstract Tc3 of Caenorhabditis elegans is one of the founding members of the Tc1 family which includes DNA transposons in vertebrates, insects, nematodes and fungi. It is one of the best characterized eukaryotic transposons in terms of structure and transposition mechanism. A Tc3 -like transposon MsqTc3 has been recently described in a mosquito. Here we present the characterization of a number of Tc3 -like transposons in C. elegans , Caenorhabditis briggsae , and Drosophila melanogaster , which has revealed high levels of inter- and intra-specific diversity and further suggests a broad distribution of the Tc3 -like transposons. These newly defined transposons and the previously described Tc3 and MsqTc3 form a highly divergent yet distinct clade in the Tc1 family. The above phylogenetic analysis of the Tc3 -like transposons and their high levels of intra-specific diversity underscore interesting questions of their evolutionary dynamics in their respective hosts. The majority of the Tc3 -like transposons contain two putative binding sites for their transposases. The first is near the terminus and the second is approximately 164–184 bp from the first site. Comparative analysis suggests that the second binding site may have been maintained for an important function in vivo . There is a large amount of variation in the length (27–566 bp) and structure of the terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) of Tc3 -like transposons. Long (318–566 bp) TIRs that extend significantly beyond the second binding site are only found in the first described Tc3 and its close relatives, whose transposases form a recently derived clade among the Tc3 -like transposons. Thus, these unique TIRs may have evolved recently together with their corresponding transposases.
Interaction between liquid protein solution and omeprazole suspension

Practitioners have recently discussed the difficulty of administering liquid protein solution via an enteral feeding tube1 and variability in the enteral administration of various proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs).[2][1] Adjuvant protein supplementation is often necessary in critically ill patients to
Modification of human prostatic acid phosphatase by potassium ferrate

Prostatic acid phosphatase (orthophosphoric-monoester phosphohydrolase, acid optimum, EC 3.1.3.2) reacts with potassium ferrate, K2FeO4 a potent oxidizing agent and an analogue of orthophosphate. Treatment of the enzyme with 10−6m ferrate at pH 7.5 0 C leads to the immediate loss of 95% of the activity. Molybdate, the competitive inhibitor of prostatic phosphatase, partially protects the enzyme from inactivation. Ferrate inactivation at pH 7.5 is accompanied by the modification of 2 histidine, 4 lysine and 4 methionine residues. Histidine is protected by molybdate, whereas methionine is not and lysine is partly protected. Partial inactivation with ferrate leads to the retardation of the modified enzyme on Sephadex G-200 column, which is eluted in the position of the active monomeric unit.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis in Relation to Duplication of Centers in Dividing Eggs of the Sea Urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

The earliest known event in the sequence leading to mitosis is the duplication of cell centers. The present investigation shows that the synthesis of DNA, although closely following it in time, is initiated entirely independently of this prior event. Fertilized eggs of the sea urchin, S. purpuratus, were exposed to β-mercaptoethanol at intervals during development. This substance, when introduced at appropriate times, blocks mitosis and also prevents duplication of centers. Whether or not duplication of centers had already occurred before introduction of the blocking agent was determined by observing the division patterns of eggs after the mercaptoethanol was removed: division of one cell into two, or of two into four indicated that duplication had not occurred; division of one into four or of two into eight, that it had. Incorporation of H3-labeled thymidine into DNA, as demonstrated by autoradiography, showed that DNA synthesis took place during the mercaptoethanol block regardless of whether or not the centers had already duplicated. Thus the two major reproductive events of the mitotic sequence, although normally coordinated in time, can be dissociated experimentally and shown to function independently.
Growth patterns during segmentation in the two polychaete annelids, Capitella sp. I and Hydroides elegans: comparisons at distinct life history stages.

Summary Many animals generate new body segments sequentially from a posterior growth zone, and this is generally thought to be the case for the annelids. Most annelids, including polychaetes, have an indirect life cycle and generate their earliest segments during larval life. We have characterized the nature of the growth zone in two polychaetes, Hydroides elegans and Capitella sp. I, during both larval and juvenile stages of segment formation by examining cell division patterns with 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine incorporation. Cell division patterns show commonalities between the two species, even though they have distinct body plans and life history characteristics. In both polychaetes, larval segments arise from a field of dividing cells located in lateral regions of the body, rather than from a localized posterior growth zone. Circumferential expansion of the forming segmental tissue is particularly pronounced in Capitella sp. I. Post-metamorphic segments, in contrast, originate from a classical posterior growth zone, with the exception of four posterior thoracic segments of H. elegans, which appear to arise from an area in the middle of the body, indicating plasticity of segment-generating mechanisms present in different annelid life histories. The distinct nature of larval versus juvenile growth zones in H. elegans and Capitella sp. I raises the question of the mechanistic relationship between these two growth zones. The results of this study increase our understanding of the cellular origins of segments in annelids, and serve as a basis for interpretation of molecular expression patterns associated with segment formation in polychaetes.
Spin-polarized surface-emitting lasers

We investigate the growth, fabrication, and characterization of an electrically-injected spin-polarized laser utilizing an Fe/n+-Al0.1Ga0.9As Schottky tunnel barrier for efficient spin injection into an InGaAs quantum well vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser. A threshold current reduction of 11% and maximum degree of circular polarization of 23% are observed for a 15 µm mesa diameter laser at 50 K. The lack of a threshold current reduction and circularly-polarized electroluminescence in similar nonmagnetic and Fe control lasers provides further evidence of spin injection. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Military Government on Truk

In this article an attempt is made to describe how applied anthropology was practiced (and disregarded) by the United States Government in its administration of Truk, the largest group of islands in the central Carolines.
Die Erzeugung des Auroraspektrums im Laboratorium

Im Hinblick auf die vergeblichen Bemuhungen von Cario und Stille, die Versuche des Verfassers uber das Auroraspektrum zu wiederholen, werden einige der letzten und besten Laboratoriumsaufnahmen dieses Spektrums wiedergegeben. Sie sollen anderen Bearbeitern dieses Gebietes als Anhalt dienen. Es wird ferner das charakteristische Aurora-Nachleuchten beschrieben.
Comparison of methods of interpretation of checkerboard synergy testing

Four different methods for interpreting the results of checkerboard synergy testing were compared by applying each to a set of synergy study data. Statistically significant differences in synergy were detected among methods (% synergy ranged from 10 to 83%). As interpretations were found to vary widely based upon method, one should be aware of this in interpreting the relevant literature.
Thermal decomposition of energetic materials 67. Hydrazinium nitroformate (HNF) rates and pathways under combustionlike conditions

Hydrazinium nitroformate (HNF), N{sub 2}H{sub 5}[c(NO{sub 2}){sub 3}], holds promise as a clean-burning,high-energy oxidizer for solid rocket propellants. By using T-jump/FTIR spectroscopy, the thermal decomposition process is outlined in the 130--400 C range, which includes surface melt/foam formation and self-ignition events. Reaction regimes containing evaporation, conversion to NH{sub 4}[C(NO{sub 2}){sub 3}], and progressive decomposition into CO{sub 2}, CO, N{sub 2}O, NO, and H{sub 2}O are observed. Based on the products these reaction regimes become increasingly exothermic at higher temperature. Decomposition induction-time kinetics (E{sub a} = 25 kcal/mol, ln B(s) = 25.3) of the melt/foam layer were determined from time-to-exotherm data and give reasonable agreement with the measured combustion characteristics.
Nuclear Cardiology . II . The Role of Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Using Thallium-201 in Diagnosis of Coronary Heart Disease

Since its introduction, thallium-201 has become the agent of choice in the clinical assessment of relative myocardial perfusion. Extensive evaluation has shown that it is of particular value in the diagnosis of coronary heart disease in patients with baseline S-T segment abnormalities or an inadequate heart rate response resulting in an inconclusive exercise electrocardiographic response. In addition, thallium-201 imaging is of value in the patient with a suspected false positive stress test; however, the definite incidence of false negative studies in patients with coronary heart disease tempers complete reliance on this approach. In the patient with a diagnostic exercise electrocardiographic stress test, thallium-201 provides limited additional information. Moreover, current techniques of analysis do not permit assessment of the number of coronary arteries with obstructive lesions. In the setting of acute myocardial ischemia, the role of thallium-201 is less clear. In acute myocardial infarction, the significant incidence of false negative responses combined with a multiplicity of potential causes of resting defects including severe but chronic coronary disease or unstable angina limits its diagnostic value.
Chimeric Analysis of the Multicomponent Multidrug Efflux Transporters from Gram-Negative Bacteria

Many multidrug transporters from gram-negative bacteria belong to the resistance-nodulation-cell division (RND) superfamily of transporters. RND-type multidrug transporters have an extremely broad substrate specificity and protect bacterial cells from the actions of antibiotics on both sides of the cytoplasmic membrane. They usually function as three-component assemblies spanning the outer and cytoplasmic membranes and the periplasmic space of gram-negative bacteria. The structural determinants of RND transporters responsible for multidrug recognition and complex assembly remain unknown. We constructed chimeric RND transporters composed of N-terminal residues of AcrB and C-terminal residues of MexB, the major RND-type transporters from Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. The assembly of complexes and multidrug efflux activities of chimeric transporters were determined by coexpression of hybrid genes either with AcrA, the periplasmic component of the AcrAB transporter from E. coli, or with MexA and OprM, the accessory proteins of the MexAB-OprM pump from P. aeruginosa. We found that the specificity of interaction with the corresponding periplasmic component is encoded in the T60-V612 region of transporters. Our results also suggest that the large periplasmic loops of RND-type transporters are involved in multidrug recognition and efflux.
Dexamethasone inhibits food intake suppression induced by low doses of interleukin-1 β administered intracerebroventricularly

Abstract Intracerebroventricular (ICV) microinfusion of recombinant human interleukin-1β (rhIL-1β, 0.125 to 2.0 ng/rat) dose-dependently suppressed 2 h and nighttime food intake in rats. The following daytime food intake did not change or increased. ICV infusion of bovine serum albumin (BSA), or heat-treated rhIL-1β had no effect on food intake. Pretreatment with dexamethasone (200 μg/rat, intraperitoneal) blocked the food intake suppression induced by low doses of rhIL-1β. This ability of dexamethasone, a synthetic corticosteroid, may have potential therapeutic implications in acute and chronic pathological processes associated with increased levels of IL-1 and appetite suppression.
Adaptive Scanning Optical Microscope (ASOM): A multidisciplinary optical microscope design for large field of view and high resolution imaging

From micro-assembly to biological observation, the optical microscope remains one of the most important tools for observing below the threshold of the naked human eye. However, in its conventional form, it suffers from a trade-off between resolution and field of view. This paper presents a new optical microscope design that combines a high speed steering mirror, a custom designed scanner lens, a MEMS deformable mirror, and additional imaging optics to enlarge the field of view while preserving resolving power and operating at a high image acquisition rate. We describe the theory of operation and our design methodology, present a preliminary simulated design, and compare to existing technologies. A reduced functionality experimental prototype demonstrates both micro-assembly and biological observation tasks.
The Datacenter as a Computer: An Introduction to the Design of Warehouse-Scale Machines

As computation continues to move into the cloud, the computing platform of interest no longer resembles a pizza box or a refrigerator, but a warehouse full of computers. These new large datacenters are quite different from traditional hosting facilities of earlier times and cannot be viewed simply as a collection of co-located servers. Large portions of the hardware and software resources in these facilities must work in concert to efficiently deliver good levels of Internet service performance, something that can only be achieved by a holistic approach to their design and deployment. In other words, we must treat the datacenter itself as one massive warehouse-scale computer (WSC). We describe the architecture of WSCs, the main factors influencing their design, operation, and cost structure, and the characteristics of their software base. We hope it will be useful to architects and programmers of today's WSCs, as well as those of future many-core platforms which may one day implement the equivalent of today's WSCs on a single board. Table of Contents: Introduction / Workloads and Software Infrastructure / Hardware Building Blocks / Datacenter Basics / Energy and Power Efficiency / Modeling Costs / Dealing with Failures and Repairs / Closing Remarks
Relative influences of affect and cognition on behavior: are feelings or beliefs more related to blood donation intentions?

This study tested the relative predictive power of affect and cognition on global attitude and behavioral intention within the tripartite model of attitude structure. Participants (N = 264) completed questionnaires that included an item regarding blood donation experience, five semantic differential items, four behavioral intention items, and one global attitude item. Participants were randomly assigned to either an affective or cognitive instruction set for the semantic dif- ferential items. As predicted, semantic differentials were more highly correlated with both global attitude and behavioral intention when completed under the affective instructions than under the cognitive instructions. In addition, donors' and non-donors' attitudes on the semantic differential scales were distinguished from one another only when they were elicited under the affective instruction set. Results provide support for the tripartite model of attitude structure. Future research should examine the relative importance of affect and cognition in less emotion-laden domains.
Expression-cloning and sequence of a cDNA encoding human growth hormone-releasing factor.

Growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) is believed to mediate both neural and hormonal control of the release and perhaps synthesis of growth hormone (GH) from the anterior pituitary. Its presence in only minute quantities in the hypothalamus hampered for many years efforts to determine its structure. Recently, two groups independently characterized a peptide from two human pancreatic tumours that possessed GH-releasing activity1,2. Antibodies to this peptide have revealed immunoreactive material in the hypothalamus of several primate species3. Furthermore, an apparently identical peptide has now been isolated directly from human hypothalamus4. Using both oligonucleotide5–7 and antibody8–10 screening of a cDNA expression library, we have isolated a recombinant clone encoding human pancreatic GRF (hpGRF) within a larger precursor protein. The nucleotide sequence predicts that processing of GRF from the precursor should generate two additional peptides of unknown function. Restriction analysis of genomic DNA indicates that there is probably a single human GRF gene and suggests that the pancreatic tumour and hypothalamic proteins are encoded by an identical mRNA.
Backward conditioning: An artifact of experimental design?

Various interpretations of the nature of backward conditioning are briefly considered. After reviewing the three major interpretations of backward conditioning, another possible explanation is offered. It is suggested that backward conditioning may actually be long-trace forward conditioning, with the CS of one pair serving as the CS for the next UCS.
A comparative study of three expert systems for blood pressure control

Abstract Regulation of mean arterial pressure (MAP) using sodium nitroprusside (SNP) infusion is common in many hospitals. We comparatively evaluated the performance of three types of expert systems controllers to automate this task: rule-based, fuzzy, and artificial neural network. For meaningful comparisons the three systems were based on the same set of rules. Their performance was tested on a nonlinear blood pressure model derived and scaled from canine data that simulated typical patient responses to the drug. The controllers were tested for differing patient sensitivities, baseline drift, and noisy blood pressure readings. The controllers were able to regulate the MAP in the target region about the set point for more then 90% of the time. The rule-based controller reduced MAP the fastest, while the fuzzy and neural controllers regulated MAP better over longer periods. Overall, the performance of the expert system controllers, while being intuitive and easier to design and implement, was comparable to more traditional controllers.
Concept identification with concurrent and delayed verbalization

Abstract Concept labelling and use of complex solutions is facilitated by instructions to verbalize concurrently with initial stimulus presentation. Older subjects who delay verbalization until after task completion are less effective in using relevant stimulus dimensions for solution and more closely approximate the performance of younger concurrent verbalizers.
Laser-excited atomic fluorescence of some precious metals and refractory elements in the inductively coupled plasma

The combination of an excimer (XeCl) pumped pulsed dye laser with frequency-doubled output as an excitation source and the inductively coupled argon plasma (ICP) as an atom/ion reservoir was used in the study of the atomic fluorescence of Ag, Au, Hf, Ir, Mo, Nb, Pd, Pt, Ru, Ta, and Zr. The detection limits were found to be in the range of 1.3–58 ng mL−1 (ppb) with a linear dynamic range (LDR) of over four orders of magnitude, except for Au and Hf. These represent the first published results for laser-excited atomic fluorescence spectroscopy in the ICP cell for the elements studied, except for Mo and Zr, and the LODs found were superior to those obtained by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) except for Ag, Au, and Mo, and similar to those obtained by emission ICP.
Children with high functioning autism show increased prefrontal and temporal cortex activity during error monitoring.

Evidence exists for deficits in error monitoring in autism. These deficits may be particularly important because they may contribute to excessive perseveration and repetitive behavior in autism. We examined the neural correlates of error monitoring using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 8–12-year-old children with high functioning autism (HFA, n = 11) and typically developing children (TD, n = 15) during performance of a Go/No-Go task by comparing the neural correlates of commission errors versus correct response inhibition trials. Compared to TD children, children with HFA showed increased BOLD fMRI signal in the anterior medial prefrontal cortex (amPFC) and the left superior temporal gyrus (STempG) during commission error (versus correct inhibition) trials. A follow-up region of-interest analysis also showed increased BOLD signal in the right insula in HFA compared to TD controls. Our findings of increased amPFC and STempG activity in HFA, together with the increased activity in the insula, suggest a greater attention towards the internally driven emotional state associated with making an error in children with HFA. Since error monitoring occurs across different cognitive tasks throughout daily life, an increased emotional reaction to errors may have important consequences for early learning processes.
Use of spline regression in an analysis of maternal prepregnancy body mass index and adverse birth outcomes: does it tell us more than we already know?

Purpose Categorical analyses of prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) have shown that maternal overweight and obesity are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. It is unclear whether further insight into these associations can be gained from spline regression. Methods We used spline regression to examine the relations between prepregnancy BMI and five adverse pregnancy outcomes in the Baltimore-Washington Infant Study, a case-control study of congenital cardiac defects. Analyses included 3,226 singleton live-born control infants delivered 1981 through 1989. We modeled BMI using (a) traditional categories of underweight, average weight, overweight, and obese and (b) restricted quadratic splines. Results We confirmed that overweight status and obesity were associated with increased risk of macrosomia and large for gestational age. For these outcomes, splines provided detail about the associations at the ends of the BMI distribution and within the average BMI category. Spline analyses also showed that underweight status was associated with increased risk of preterm delivery. Conclusions Analyses of traditional categories of BMI provide good understanding of the associations with several adverse birth outcomes. For three outcomes, modeling with splines provided additional insight regarding dose-response relations within categories. Results suggest the need for further analyses of average BMI and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Towards reliable spatial information in LBSNs

The proliferation of Location-based Social Networks (LBSNs) has been rapid during the last year due to the number of novel services they can support. The main interaction between users in an LBSN is location sharing, which builds the spatial component of the system. The majority of the LBSNs make use of the notion of check-in, to enable users to volunteeringly share their whereabouts with their peers and the system. The flow of this spatial information is unidirectional and originates from the users' side. Given that currently there is no infrastructure in place for detecting fake checkins, the quality of the spatial information plane of an LBSN is solely based on the honesty of the users. In this paper, we seek to raise the awareness of the community for this problem, by identifying and discussing the effects of the presence of fake location information. We further present a preliminary design of a fake check-in detection scheme, based on location-proofs. Our initial simulation results show that if we do not consider the infrastructural constraints, location-proofs can form a viable technical solution.
Arabidopsis VTC2 Encodes a GDP-l-Galactose Phosphorylase, the Last Unknown Enzyme in the Smirnoff-Wheeler Pathway to Ascorbic Acid in Plants

Abstract The first committed step in the biosynthesis of l-ascorbate from d-glucose in plants requires conversion of GDP-l-galactose to l-galactose 1-phosphate by a previously unidentified enzyme. Here we show that the protein encoded by VTC2, a gene mutated in vitamin C-deficient Arabidopsis thaliana strains, is a member of the GalT/Apa1 branch of the histidine triad protein superfamily that catalyzes the conversion of GDP-l-galactose to l-galactose 1-phosphate in a reaction that consumes inorganic phosphate and produces GDP. In characterizing recombinant VTC2 from A. thaliana as a specific GDP-l-galactose/GDP-d-glucose phosphorylase, we conclude that enzymes catalyzing each of the ten steps of the Smirnoff-Wheeler pathway from glucose to ascorbate have been identified. Finally, we identify VTC2 homologs in plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates, suggesting that a similar reaction is used widely in nature.
Leriche’s syndrome with total perfusion of the left lower extremity by way of the left internal mammary artery

A case of collateral perfusion of a lower extremity by way of an internal mammary artery in the presence of Leriche's syndrome is described. The importance of recognizing this condition before coronary artery bypass grafting is emphasized.
Peer instruction in computer science at small liberal arts colleges

Peer Instruction (PI) has been shown to be successful at improving pass-rates and improving retention of majors in large classes at large research-intensive institutions. At these institutions, students have been shown to learn from peer discussion in PI and both students and faculty have reported that they value PI in their classrooms. However, little is known about the effectiveness of PI in small classrooms at teaching-focused liberal arts colleges. This study evaluates results from seven lower-division classes and four upper-division classes taught at three different liberal arts institutions using PI. In these classes, PI experienced similar success as that reported at large-research intensive universities, both in terms of student learning from peer discussion and from student attitudinal surveys. Most notably, of 137 surveyed students, 91% recommend more faculty use PI in their classes.
Benefits and Costs of Channel One in a Middle School Setting and the Role of Media-Literacy Training

OBJECTIVES.Channel One is a public-affairs program that includes 10 minutes of news and 2 minutes of paid product advertising or public service announcements. Advocates assert that it increases public-affairs knowledge, but critics charge that it garners a captive audience for teen-targeted advertising. This experiment analyzed the differential effects of Channel One depending on whether early-adolescent viewers received a media-literacy lesson in conjunction with viewing the program. Outcomes included perceptions of Channel One news programming, recall of program content and advertising, materialism, and political efficacy. METHODS.Researchers used a posttest-only field experiment (N 240) of seventhand eighth-grade students using random assignment to conditions. Conditions included a control group, a group that received a fact-based lesson, and a group that received the same lesson content using a more emotive teaching style. It was expected that the emotion-added lesson condition would be more effective than the logic-only lesson condition because of its motivational component. RESULTS.On average, students remembered more ads from Channel One than news stories. Participants in the control group remembered fewer news stories than did the groups that received the lessons. Students reported having purchased during the preceding 3 months an average of 2.5 items advertised on the program. Both fact-based and affect-added training increased student skepticism toward advertisers. As expected, student liking of the program enhanced their learning from it and was associated with higher levels of political efficacy. Students held misconceptions about the role of their school in the production of Channel One. CONCLUSIONS.The use of Channel One by schools can have benefits, but these come with risk that some may consider unacceptable. On the positive side, student liking of the program was associated with their political efficacy. Although those who responded positively to program content and presentation style learned more from it, they also tended to want things that they saw in the advertisements. The data therefore show that the program can provide some benefits to young adolescents, but the results also provide justification for concerns about the commercialization of the classroom.
Tryptophan's influence on feeding and body temperature in the fowl.

Abstract The neurotransmitter, serotonin, has been implicated in both food intake and body temperature regulation. In this experiment, the effect of tryptophan, the amino acid precursor of serotonin, on food consumption and rectal temperature in the fowl was determined. Single Comb White Leghorn cockerels were intubated with a tryptophan solution or distilled water. Tryptophan significantly (P≤.05) decreased both food intake and body temperature of the birds. These results suggest that tryptophan may inhibit food intake via peripheral rather than central mechanisms.
Spinal manipulation and exercise for low back pain in adolescents: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Low back pain is among the most common and costly chronic health care conditions. Recent research has highlighted the common occurrence of non-specific low back pain in adolescents, with prevalence estimates similar to adults. While multiple clinical trials have examined the effectiveness of commonly used therapies for the management of low back pain in adults, few trials have addressed the condition in adolescents. The purpose of this paper is to describe the methodology of a randomized clinical trial examining the effectiveness of exercise with and without spinal manipulative therapy for chronic or recurrent low back pain in adolescents. This study is a randomized controlled trial comparing twelve weeks of exercise therapy combined with spinal manipulation to exercise therapy alone. Beginning in March 2010, a total of 184 participants, ages 12 to 18, with chronic or recurrent low back pain are enrolled across two sites. The primary outcome is self-reported low back pain intensity. Other outcomes include disability, quality of life, improvement, satisfaction, activity level, low back strength, endurance, and motion. Qualitative interviews are conducted to evaluate participants’ perceptions of treatment. This is the first randomized clinical trial assessing the effectiveness of combining spinal manipulative therapy with exercise for adolescents with low back pain. The results of this study will provide important evidence on the role of these conservative treatments for the management of low back pain in adolescents. (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01096628 ).
Effect of ultraviolet irradiation on Escherichia coli and its reversal.

The mechanism of germicidal action of ultraviolet radiations, although assumed to be through their ionizing and oxidizing effects, is not entirely known. The present paper presents evidence that, in common with other oxidants and some antibiotics, ultraviolet radiations induce a shift to the right in the equilibrium —SH⇌—S and that the activity of mononucleotidases is impaired concomitantly. Treating bacteria with appropriate agents capable of altering the redox potential or of destroying H2O2 markedly improved the survival chances of Escherichia coli exposed to ultraviolet radiation.
Strontium Isotopic Variations of Oil-Field Waters: A Clue to Migration History of Oils: ABSTRACT

Oil-field waters produced from Middle to Lower Pennsylvanian and Mississippian stratigraphic units in several localities in Ness, Hodgeman, Ford, and Clark Counties of Kansas were analyzed for their strontium isotopic compositions to determine the influence of associated rocks on the chemical characters of the fluids. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios of these oil waters, ranging between 0.710 and 0.727, are significantly higher than the End_Page 1323------------------------------ 87Sr/86Sr ratios of any seawater during the Phanerozoic. The lithologic character of the host reservoir rocks had little influence on the strontium isotopic composition of the oil waters. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the waters, at least those from Ness, Hodgeman, and Ford Counties, correlate positively with Sr/Ca ratios (2 × 10-2 to 10 × 10-2) and negatively with total dissolved solid (TDS) contents (32 to 48 g/L). The results of the strontium isotopic investigation have several implications for understanding migration and accumulation histories of the oils. The strontium isotopic data can be useful in providing information on the hydrologic relationship among oil pools in an oil field and in determining the genet c relationship among oils produced from stratigraphically separate reservoirs within an oil field. The strontium isotopic data of oil-field waters are useful potentially in differentiating an oil-bearing reservoir from an oil-barren reservoir within an oil field. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1324------------
Effects of a fundamental mass term in two-dimensional super Yang-Mills theory

We show that adding a vacuum expectation value to a gauge field left over from a dimensional reduction of three-dimensional pure supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory generates mass terms for the fundamental fields in the two-dimensional theory while supersymmetry stays intact. This is similar to the adjoint mass term that is generated by a Chern-Simons term in this theory. We study the spectrum of the two-dimensional theory as a function of the vacuum expectation value and of the Chern-Simons coupling. Apart from some symmetry issues a straightforward picture arises. We show that at least one massless state exists if the Chern-Simons coupling vanishes. The numerical spectrum separates into (almost) massless and very heavy states as the Chern-Simons coupling grows. We present evidence that the gap survives the continuum limit. We display structure functions and other properties of some of the bound states.
Severe injuries of the face

Abstract There has been presented some evidence that wounds of the face are sometimes neglected or inadequately treated because many details of diagnosis are not revealed by casual inspection of facial wounds. A few hints are given for the purpose of reviewing what may be obvious to the traumatic surgeon of wide experience. Exhaustive detail in diagnosis and treatment has been purposely omitted.
Vertical Transmission of Diverse Microbes in the Tropical Sponge Corticium sp.

Sponges are host to extremely diverse bacterial communities, some of which appear to be spatiotemporally stable, though how these consistent associations are assembled and maintained from one sponge generation to the next is not well understood. Here we report that a diverse group of microbes, including both bacteria and archaea, is consistently present in aggregates within embryos of the tropical sponge Corticium sp. The major taxonomic groups represented in bacterial 16S rRNA sequences amplified from the embryos are similar to those previously described in a variety of marine sponges. Three selected bacterial taxa, representing proteobacteria, actinobacteria, and a clade including recently described sponge-associated bacteria, were tested and found to be present in all adult samples tested over a 3-year period and in the embryos throughout development. Specific probes were used in fluorescence in situ hybridization to localize cells of the three types in the embryos and mesohyl. This study confirms the vertical transmission of multiple, phylogenetically diverse microorganisms in a marine sponge, and our findings lay the foundation for future work on exploring vertical transmission of specific, yet diverse, microbial assemblages in marine sponges.
Multiscale Modeling of Nano-Particle Reinforced Composites using Statistical Coupling of MD and MPM

Recent mechanical characterization experiments with pultruded EGlass/polypropylene (PP) composite samples with 3 weight % nanoclay and baseline PP (polymer without nanoclay) indicated significant improvements in compressive strength (~100%) and interlaminar shear strength (~60%) in modified pultruded PP nanocomposites, in comparison with baseline properties. While the synergistic reinforcing influence of nanoparticle reinforcement is obvious, a simple rule-of-mixtures approach fails to quantify the dramatic increase in mechanical properties. Consequently, there is an immediate need to investigate and understand the mechanisms at the nanoscale that are responsible for such unprecedented strength enhancements. It is envisioned that a better understanding of the mechanisms at the nanoscale will lead to optimization of materials processing variables at the macroscale, which in turn will lead to the manufacture of nanocomposites more efficiently and at lower cost. In this paper, an innovative and efficient method to model nano-structured components in a thermoplastic composite is proposed by employing a large-deformation hyperelastic constitutive model. Effort is directed toward finding fundamental answers to the reasons for significant changes in mechanical properties of nanoparticle-reinforced thermoplastic composites, and then using this knowledge to optimize processing variables to further enhance the targeted properties of the nanocomposite. The proposed method involves a concurrent simulations approach in which the information from molecular dynamics (MD) is seamlessly exchanged with continuum mechanics based method called the Embedded Statistical Coupling Method (ESCM), as introduced in Saether et al.
Interplay of rubber network theory with the damping behavior of crosslinked polyurethanes

Network formation (branching) theory was used to examine the relationships between network structure and concomitant sound and vibration damping. For a series of model polyether-based polyurethane networks with varying stoichiometry and composition, the glass transition temperature Tg, was found to increase with increasing concentration of elastically active network chains, EANCs, as well as the ratio of branch OH group concentration to the total OH group concentration ρ. The values of (tan δ)max, the peak height of tan δ at Tg, linearly decrease with increasing concentration of EANCs, regardless of the ρ values. However, the loss area (LA), equal to the integral of the linear loss modulus-temperature curve, is independent of the concentration of EANCs and/or ρ. Utilizing group contribution analysis techniques, the value of the main chain -O- group contribution, LA-O-, is 19.1 GPa·K/g, a rather large value. This finding gives insight into why polyether urethanes are preferred for many damping applications.
Women’s perceptions of group support and adaptation to breast cancer

Women’s perceptions of group support and adaptation to breast cancer¶ Formal cancer support groups are thought to assist women to adapt to the physiological and psychosocial sequelae of breast cancer. To shed some light on this untested clinical assumption, this Roy Adaptation Model of Nursing-based study was designed to explore women’s own reports about their adaptation to breast cancer and their participation in support groups. This article reports the results of the quantitative content analysis of structured telephone interviews with 70 women who participated in group social support and education for breast cancer. Almost three-quarters of the women expressed a positive change in attitude towards breast cancer, and all regarded participation in the groups as positive. A majority reported adaptive physiological, self-concept, role function, and interdependence mode effects of breast cancer and group participation. Additional research is needed to show how different types of cancer support groups, including social support and education groups and psychotherapy groups, contribute to women’s responses. Research is also needed to separate the effects of group social support and education from other sources of social support that may have contributed to the women’s responses, and to further explore feelings of normalization expressed by some women.
Racial and Ethnic Variations in Gender-Related Attitudes

Research on how gender-related attitudes vary across racial/ethnic groups has produced contradictory results, depending upon the type of attitudes addressed. In this chapter, I review the literature on racial and ethnic variations in three broadly defined types of gender attitudes: attitudes toward gender roles; beliefs about the origins and extent of gender inequality; and preferences for social action to reduce gender inequalities. I address three racial/ethnic groups in the United States: African Americans, whites, and Hispanic Americans. While research on attitudes toward gender roles has yielded mixed results, research addressing attitudes within the other two domains clearly indicates greater criticism of genderinequality among African Americans relative to whites; research on the various groups often combined under the label Hispanic is too limited to draw any clear conclusions. Along with addressing variations across these three types of gender-related attitudes, I also summarize several other pat...
Twentieth century developments in photochemistry. Brief historical sketches

In the 20 th century, photochemistry blossomed from a poorly defined to a highly sophisticated science. Early breakthroughs in exploratory photochemistry and the underlying physical principles led to new diverse, yet inter-related areas of research. The alluring goal of asymmetric synthesis with circularly polarized light proved elusive. The discovery of the electron brought a gradual awakening to the idea of electron transfer. Time-resolved spec- troscopy developed from ms to fs resolution. The field of photosynthesis progressed from an interest in function and structure of photosynthetic pigments to the isolation and structure elucidation of photosynthetic reaction centers ( rhodobacter sphaeroides), to the detailed kinetics of sequential electron-transfer steps in natural and synthetic light-harvesting sys- tems.
Evolutionary Divergence of Exon Flanks: A Dissection of Mutability and Selection

The intronic sequences flanking exon-intron junctions (i.e., exon flanks) are important for splice site recognition and pre-mRNA splicing. Recent studies show a higher degree of sequence conservation at flanks of alternative exons, compared to flanks of constitutive exons. In this article we performed a detailed analysis on the evolutionary divergence of exon flanks between human and chimpanzee, aiming to dissect the impact of mutability and selection on their evolution. Inside exon flanks, sites that might reside in ancestral CpG dinucleotides evolved significantly faster than sites outside of ancestral CpG dinucleotides. This result reflects a systematic variation of mutation rates (mutability) at exon flanks, depending on the local CpG contexts. Remarkably, we observed a significant reduction of the nucleotide substitution rate in flanks of alternatively spliced exons, independent of the site-by-site variation in mutability due to different CpG contexts. Our data provide concrete evidence for increased purifying selection at exon flanks associated with regulation of alternative splicing.
Flow‐duration characteristics of illinois streams

The paper entitled “An investigation of the flow-duration characteristics of North Carolina streams,” by Thorndlke Saville and John Dargan Watson, which was published by the American Geophysical Union in its report of the Fourteenth Annual Meeting in 1933 (pp. 406–425), stimulated the writer, who is familiar with the streams discussed, having been assigned for several years to the United States Geological Survey offices that collected the base data. Knowing that there is a marked similarity in runoff-characteristics of the western North Carolina streams and also that fairly good similarity is shown by New England streams within reasonable zones, he felt it would be desirable to carry the investigation to a part of the country where stream-flow characteristics are diverse. The present investigation was therefore made to cover all the long-time records in Illinois on streams of definite drainage-area, particular attention being paid to comparisons of records from the same stream. The record on the Rock River at Afton, Wisconsin, was also included. The streams studied are listed in Table 1.
Cluster merging and splitting in hierarchical clustering algorithms

Hierarchical clustering constructs a hierarchy of clusters by either repeatedly merging two smaller clusters into a larger one or splitting a larger cluster into smaller ones. The crucial step is how to best select the next cluster(s) to split or merge. We provide a comprehensive analysis of selection methods and propose several new methods. We perform extensive clustering experiments to test 8 selection methods, and find that the average similarity is the best method in divisive clustering and the minmax linkage is the best in agglomerative clustering. Cluster balance is a key factor to achieve good performance. We also introduce the concept of objective function saturation and clustering target distance to effectively assess the quality of clustering.
Theoretical comments on the nature of the plasmapause

The traditional theoretical interpretations of the observed plasmapause are compared, namely, the plasmapause as: (1) The boundary between closed flux tubes that have been in the inner magnetosphere for several days and those that have recently drifted in from the magnetotail or (2) the last closed electric equipotential. Although the two interpretations become equivalent in the case where the electric-field pattern is steady for several days, interpretation 1 seems theoretically more secure for typical magnetospheric conditions, due to the essentially time-dependent nature of the magnetospheric electric field. The results of old theoretical studies of the effects of time variations in the electric-field pattern on the shape of the plasmapause are reviewed briefly. The formulation of the present version of the Rice Convection Model is also reviewed. Preliminary results of recent computations of quiet-time electric fields, carried out with this model, are presented and discussed. Quiet-time thermospheric winds are found to have only minor effects on drift paths of magnetospheric particles.