cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hardiness Predicts Post-Traumatic Growth and Well-Being in Severely Wounded Servicemen and Their Spouses.

Introduction Thousands of military personnel have suffered severe wounds and traumatic amputations in recent overseas conflicts. They face multiple surgeries and long, painful rehabilitation. Despite the tremendous stress for these servicemen and families, many appear to cope quite well and even thrive despite their devastating wounds. Hardiness is a world view or mindset marked by high levels of commitment and engagement in the world, a strong sense of control, and the tendency to see change as a challenge and opportunity to learn and improve. Previous research has shown that military personnel high in hardiness are at lower risk for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other psychiatric symptoms following combat exposure. This study evaluated the impact of personality hardiness on post-traumatic growth (PTG) and psychological well-being in severely wounded service members and their spouses. Materials and methods Male volunteers were surveyed while in hospital for severe battle wounds including loss of limbs. All were married, and all spouses also agreed to participate. Participants (N = 44) completed measures of hardiness, PTG, well-being, and neuroticism, and answered a question regarding potential benefits of their experience. Results Hierarchical multiple regression showed that hardiness significantly predicted both PTG and well-being, while controlling for age, education, family income, and neuroticism. Both service members and spouses indicated they experienced benefits in the following areas: strengthened family ties and connections; greater appreciation for and perspective on life; new career and educational opportunities; stronger, more resilient as a person; and formed new relationships, friends, and connections. Conclusion These results suggest that seriously wounded military members and their spouses who are high in hardiness are more likely to experience PTG and psychological well-being following extremely stressful experiences. Hardiness entails positive reframing of negative experiences as opportunities and challenges to overcome, and taking action to solve problems. Training programs to increase hardiness attitudes and related coping skills may thus be beneficial in facilitating healthy adaptation for severely injured patients.
Multidimensional study of the oral microbiome, metabolite, and immunologic environment in peanut allergy

Background The oral mucosa is the initial interface between food antigens, microbiota, and mucosal immunity, yet, little is known about oral host-environment dynamics in food allergy. Objective Our aim was to determine oral microbial, metabolic, and immunologic profiles associated with peanut allergy. Methods We recruited 105 subjects (56 with peanut allergy and 49 healthy subjects) for salivary microbiome profiling using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) metabolite assays using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, and measurement of oral secreted cytokines using multiplex assays. Analyses within and across data types were performed. Results The oral microbiome of individuals with peanut allergy was characterized by reduced species in the orders Lactobacillales, Bacteroidales (Prevotella spp), and Bacillales, and increased Neisseriales spp. The distinct oral microbiome of subjects with peanut allergy was accompanied by significant reductions in oral SCFA levels, including acetate, butyrate, and propionate, and significant elevation of IL-4 secretion. Decreased abundances of oral Prevotella spp and Veillonella spp in subjects with peanut allergy were significantly correlated with reduced oral SCFA levels (false discovery rate Conclusion Our novel multidimensional analysis of the oral environment revealed distinct microbial and metabolic profiles associated with mucosal immune disturbances in peanut allergy. Our findings highlight the oral environment as an anatomic site of interest to examine host-microbiome dynamics in food allergy.
Opioids and the Workplace Prevention and Response Awareness Training: Mixed Methods Follow-Up Evaluation.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Worker Training Program piloted an Opioids and the Workplace: Prevention and Response training tool and program in 2019. The pilot trainees (...
Negative perceptions and emotional impact of striae gravidarum among pregnant women: Emotional impact of striae gravidarum

Abstract Background: The impact of striae gravidarum (SG), or stretch marks of pregnancy, on quality-of-life is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate how SG impact life-quality in pregnant women. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey study of healthy pregnant women who developed SG during their current pregnancy, we asked about the impact of lesions on emotional, psychological, and life-quality facets. Spearman product-moment correlation coefficients (r) were generated to determine the strength of relationships between variables. Results: We analyzed 116 valid surveys. Participants reported permanency of SG as the top physical concern (n=87, 75%). Regarding severity, nearly three-quarters of participants rated their lesions as “very prominent” (n=24, 21%) or “moderate” (n=57, 49%). Among life-quality facets queried, embarrassment/self-consciousness was the one most frequently associated with SG, with over one-third of participants reporting “a lot” (n=19, 16%) or a “moderate” (n=26, 22%) amount of embarrassment/self-consciousness related to having SG. Lesion severity significantly correlated with the degree of embarrassment/self-consciousness (r=0.543), as well as the impact of SG on other life-quality facets, including overall quality-of-life (r=0.428), clothing choice (r=0.423), self-image/self-esteem (r=0.417), feelings of anxiety/depression (r=0.415), and social activities (r=0.313) (all p≤0.001). Nearly one-quarter of participants felt that emotional distress related to SG was similar or more than that caused by other skin problems, such as acne, psoriasis, or eczema. Conclusion: SG can be associated with a host of negative reactions reflecting increased psychological and emotional distress, including embarrassment and decreased quality-of-life. These consequences may compound the emotional stress of pregnancy, potentially warranting psychological support and adjustment strategies.
Lyapunov-based control of quantum systems

We propose feedback control laws for quantum systems, based on Lyapunov design. These feedback laws locally asymptotically stabilize any desired eigenstate of the system Hamiltonian. The target eigenstate and the size of its region of attraction can be tailored by the choice of design parameters. These feedback control laws are used to design open loop controls for state transfer problems. We illustrate the method with a transfer problem between bound states of a molecular Morse oscillator.
TPX divertor design for remote handling

The TPX tokamak incorporates a double null slot divertor that may be operated in a single or double null mode. Each divertor consists of separate heat flux panels for the inner, baffle, and outer divertor. Provisions are incorporated to provide for radiative divertor operation to reduce the peak heat flux to the divertor. Particle pumping is provided through vertical ports to control the plasma density and density profile. The ORNL-developed in-vessel manipulator traverses the vessel toroidally on an upper and lower pair of circular tracks. Manipulator arms and/or a dedicated elevator system will position special end effecters which mate with the divertor modules. Each divertor system is comprised of 16 toroidal sectors of 22.5/spl deg/ each. A set of mounting rings are used for mechanical attachment of the modules to the vessel. Mechanical attachments to these mounting rings are made with clamping nut/bolt systems. The nuts and bolts are captive to the divertor modules allowing for inspection and cleaning or repair of all fastener threads when the module is removed from the vacuum vessel. Several remote tools are required for divertor remote installation and removal. These tools include: two end effectors to interface with the divertor modules; bolt torquing tools; an internal pipe cutter for remote severing of 5 in. titanium pipe; an internal welder for remote welding of 5 in. diameter titanium pipe. Each of the 64 divertor modules incorporates a remotely engaged electrical and multi-port pneumatic connector.
Chapter 8 - Abscisic acid metabolism and its regulation

Abscisic acid (ABA) was originally isolated by Addicott and associates, at the University of California, Davis, from young cotton fruits that abscised prematurely. It is now recognized that ABA has little, if any, role in the processes of abscission and bud dormancy. Like other plant hormones, ABA has multiple functions in plant growth and development. Studies with ABA-deficient mutants have indicated that ABA plays a role in water relations as an endogenous antitranspirant, and in embryo and seed dormancy. Consequently, ABA-deficient mutants readily wilt and their immature embryos germinate prematurely (vivipary). ABA also functions in response to environmental stresses, such as drought, cold, heat, and salinity, through its ability to induce expression of specific genes. Recent evidence has established that, in higher plants, ABA is an apocarotenoid formed by oxidative cleavage of a C 40 , precursor to form XAN, which is converted via ABA-ald to ABA. Nevertheless, many details of the pathway remain to be worked out, such as isomenzation of all-trans- to 9-cis-xanthophylls, the in vivo substrate of the cleavage reaction, as well as its cellular location. The oxidative cleavage of epoxy-carotenoids to XAN is the first committed step in ABA biosynthesis and presumably the key regulatory step. Knowledge of the ABA biosynthetic pathway may lead to modification of ABA-mediated processes by altering ABA levels in plants.
HOPs and COPs: Room frames with partitionable transversals

In this paper, we construct Room frames with partitionable transversals. Direct and recursive constructions are used to find sets of disjoint complete ordered partitionable (COP) transversals and sets of disjoint holey ordered partitionable (HOP) transversals for Room frames. Our main results include upper and lower bounds on the number of disjoint COP transversals and the number of disjoint HOP transversals for Room frames of type 2^n. This work is motivated by the large number of applications of these designs.
Abstract 12388: Infant CPRAnytime: Self-Instructional CPR Training for Parents of High Risk Infants

Objective: Premature infants (PRE) and infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) have a high risk of respiratory or cardiac arrest within the first year. Bystander CPR is a major predictor of res...
Location of the Indole Binding Site in Human Serum Albumin CHARACTERIZATION OF MAJOR CYANOGEN BROMIDE FRAGMENTS WITH RESPECT TO AFFINITY LABELING POSITIONS

Abstract Human serum albumin was labeled with N-bromoacetyl-l-tryptophan (attached at the 3 position of a histidyl residue), pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (attached to the e-amino group of lysyl residues) and 1-dimethylaminonaphthalene-5-sulfonyl chloride (attached to e-lysyl and tyrosyl-OH residues). Binding studies with these preparations were conducted with N-acetyl-l-tryptophan to determine the extent of blockage of the indole binding site by these reagents. At labeling conditions of 1:1 molar ratio of labeling agents to albumin, 25 to 65% blockage of the indole binding site occurred. When labeling was conducted in the presence of indolepropionate, the labeling was much reduced at the indole binding site, confirming the specificity of the labeling agents. Following the procedures used by McMenamy, Dintzis, and Watson for unlabeled human serum albumin ((1971) J. Biol. Chem. 246, 4744) CNBr fragmentation of the labeled albumins was conducted and the three major fragments were isolated. Sixty-five per cent or more of the attached labels in each preparation were found in Fragment C (mol wt, ∼18,000). At least one of the labeled positions in this fragment (but not all) was effective in blocking the indole binding site. A tyrosyl-OH group, which was located in Fragment A (mol wt, ∼33,000) and which reacted to a limited extent with 1-dimethylaminonaphthalene-5-sulfonyl chloride also influenced binding at the indole site. The diversity of the labeling agents, the diversity of the groups to which the labels were attached, and other physical-chemical considerations lead to the conclusion that the site is very flexible and adaptable. The evidence supports the positioning of the indole binding site between Fragments A and C as they exist in whole albumin. The dominance of the labeling positions in Fragment C also leads to the conclusion that this fragment is the major locus for ligand binding in albumin.
High-performance interface architectures for cryptographic hardware

In general, secure communication in a distributed system that spans physically insecure networks and hosts must be implemented using cryptography. Software implementations of cryptographic algorithms such as DES are much slower than typical network bandwidths. However, fast hardware implementations of these algorithms are being developed [4, 6] and are projected to have encryption speeds comparable to network bandwidths (i.e., 10–100 megabits per second).
The Beautiful in Information

At the intersection of retrieval and visualization are opportunities to learn more about IR's view of knowledge and evidence by considering Kantian and post-modern philosophies of aesthetics.
Synchrotron and Free Electron Laser Sources of Infrared Radiation

In this article, we describe the infrared sources that are based on electron accelerators. Such sources have novel properties that allow them access to unique applications, which are complementary to those with laboratory-based sources. Specifically, accelerator-based sources are extremely bright, and are pulsed. Synchrotrons are broadband sources that are up to 1000 times brighter than black body sources and with pulses that are of order 100 ps long. Free electron laser sources are 6–10 orders of magnitude brighter than synchrotron radiation sources, but are narrow band. The pulse lengths are sub-picosecond. Both sources have pulse repetition frequencies of around 100 MHz. This article explains concepts of brightness and how these sources fit into the menu of available sources for vibrational spectroscopy. Keywords: synchrotron radiation; free electron laser; brightness; power; signal to noise
Lithium α‐Ethoxycarbonylvinyl(1‐hexynyl)cuprate

[54111-85-2] C11H16CuLiO2 (MW 250.76) InChI = 1S/C6H9.C5H7O2.Cu.Li/c1-3-5-6-4-2;1-3-5(6)7-4-2;;/h3,5-6H2,1H3;1,4H2,2H3;; InChIKey = FYRRYSCOGPJZGA-UHFFFAOYSA-N (organometallic reagent for the introduction of an acrylate unit onto allylic halides, vinyl epoxides, and carbonyl compounds; also effective for the synthesis of α-methylene-γ-butyrolactones from allylic halides) Physical Data: thermally unstable organocuprate generated at −78 °C in the absence of moisture and oxygen. Solubility: sol diethyl ether and THF at temperatures approaching −78 °C. Preparative Method: generated at −78 °C in ether by the metal–halogen exchange reaction of ethyl α-bromoacrylate and lithium 1-hexynyl(methyl)cuprate.1 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: must be prepared in the absence of moisture and oxygen at −78 °C. Diethyl ether should be freshly distilled from lithium aluminum hydride. Reaction temperatures should be maintained below −60 °C.
Calibration electronics for the central calorimeter at CDF

The Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) is a 5000 tons detector built to study 2 TeV proton-antiproton collisions at the Fermilab Tevatron. In the CDF detector the successful calibration of the central calorimeter is critical for understanding the events in the central region. The central calorimeter has about 1800 PMTs. Long term variations are monitored by /sup 137/Cs sources which can be moved through the modules. Short term gain changes are also monitored by light flasher systems. The procedure has an accuracy of 1-2%. All the calibration systems for the electromagnetic calorimeter are controlled by, and read out with a calibration card, within the front end electronic system. The calibration card for the next collider run, starting in the spring of the year 2000, is a VME based upgrade of the RABBIT based calibration card which was used during the previous data taking period (1992-1995). The board was completely redesigned, while maintaining the original functionality. We describe the functionality and discuss the design of the board, present the results from tests on a prototype, and show the performance achieved using the board in commissioning the central calorimeter.
Internal ribosome entry site-mediated translation in hepatitis C virus replication.

The initiation of protein translation on eukaryotic messenger RNAs predominantly follows the first AUG rule, as described by KOZAK (1989b). This states that the ribosome begins scanning an RNA molecule from its extreme 5’ end until it encounters an AUG codon, at which point translation is initiated. In eukaryotes, mRNA molecules usually carry an m7GpppG cap structure at their 5’ terminus. This 5’ cap-structure strongly enhances translation, as it facilitates binding of translation initiation factors and the 40S ribosome subunit to the mRNA (reviewed by PAIN 1996; SACHS et al. 1997). The scanning process, or 3’ movement of the 40S ribosome subunit along the RNA in search of an AUG codon, is inhibited by very stable RNA structures. Also, AUG codons positioned between the 5’ terminus and the AUG codon initiating a specific coding region reduce the efficiency of translation.
NAD+ and NADP+ as Prosthetic Groups for Enzymes

NAD(P)+ (nicotinamide–adenine dinucleotide (phosphate)) serves as a coenzyme for pyridine nucleotide-dependent dehydrogenase catalysed redox reactions. When the coenzyme behaves as a nondissociable prosthetic group it can function to promote aldehyde dismutation with nicotinoproteins as well as regular alcohol dehydrogenases. The tightly bound coenzyme can also be used to conduct reversible redox reactions to catalyse epimerization of sugar hydroxyls and to trigger elimination reactions; for example, nucleotidyl diphosphohexose-4,6-dehydratases, ornithine cyclodeaminase and S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase. Finally in urocanase the nicotinamide ring can participate directly as a Lewis acid to catalyse a complex rearrangement reaction. An important feature of these reactions is that because the coenzyme does not dissociate that they are independent of the NAD+/NADH (reduced form of nicotinamide–adenine dinucleotide) ratio of the cell. Key Concepts: In the standard spectrophotometric assay of dehydrogenases coenzyme release is rate limiting, but when the coenzyme cannot or does not dissociate then chemistry becomes limiting and reaction rates can be much faster when substrates are present for both forward and reverse reactions. Dismutation of aldehydes and reactions catalysed by nicotinoproteins can occur without any change in the concentration of exogenous NADH, that is, no spectrophotometric change hence they are difficult to observe and assay. For enzymes with tightly bound coenzyme, their reactions are not directly influenced by changes in the ratio of NAD+/NADH in the cell. With the exception of nicotinoproteins, enzymes with nondissociable NAD+ can be inactivated by its reduction to NADH in the absence of the normal substrate, that is, there is no independent means of exchanging out the bound NADH or oxidizing it. In spite of the chiral nature of their active sites epimerases catalyse an overall nonstereospecific reaction. Although the hydride transfer reaction retains its exquisite stereochemical fidelity the binding of the substrate has greatly decreased stringency allowing reactions with either epimer, hence eventually leading to the thermodynamically favoured mixture. In addition to redox reactions the catalytic machinery of dehydrogenases can promote a wide range of other chemistry including dehydrations and rearrangements provided the substrate can be properly activated and bound in the appropriate juxtaposition to the coenzyme. The pyridinium ring of NAD+ can serve as a Lewis acid for reactions where protonation does not provide the correct pathway. Keywords: dismutation; NAD; epimerization; dehydrogenase; nicotinoproteins
Preparation of 17-amino-22-(4′-azido-3′-125iodophenacyl)-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (1): An ansamycin for photoaffinity labeling

An azido-125iodo-ansamycin (1) in the geldanamycin family was prepared in two steps in one reacton vessel from 17-amino-22-(4′-aminophenacyl)-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (3). The title compound was suitable for photoaffinity labeling proteins that interacted with ansamycins. A alternative synthesis is reported for preparation of unlabeled title compound in order to afford practical amounts of (1) for conventional biochemical studies.
Fatigue of metallic microdevices and the role of fatigue-induced surface oxides

Abstract A new method for fatigue testing of metallic micro-electro-mechanical systems has been developed and applied to characterize the high-cycle fatigue behavior of nickel microspecimens formed by the LIGA process. Cantilever microbeams with a cross-section of 26 × 250 μm were tested under fully reversed loading conditions at 20 Hz. The observed stress-life curve and fatigue limit was similar to what has typically been reported for conventional bulk nickel. SEM inspection of the fatigue surface revealed that failure initiated in zones of localized extrusions and intrusions associated with persistent slip bands (PSBs). Focused ion beam machining was used to extract a cross-sectional TEM foil from the deformation zone, revealing an unexpected thick (up to 400 nm) oxide on the surface of the PSBs. This PSB oxide thickening mechanism appears to be the source of crack initiation.
Evolutionary psychology and the generation of culture, part II: Case study: A computational theory of social exchange

Abstract Models of the various adaptive specializations that have evolved in the human psyche could become the building blocks of a scientific theory of culture. The first step in creating such models is the derivation of a so-called "computational theory" of the adaptive problem each psychological specialization has evolved to solve. In Part II, as a case study, a sketch of a computational theory of social exchange (cooperation for mutual benefit) is developed. The dynamics of natural selection in Pleistocene ecological conditions define adaptive information processing problems that humans must be able to solve in order to participate in social exchange: individual recognition, memory for one's history of interaction, value communication, value modeling, and a shared grammar of social contracts that specifies representational structure and inferential procedures. The nature of these adaptive information processing problems places constraints on the class of cognitive programs capable of solving them; this allows one to make empirical predictions about how the cognitive processes involved in attention, communication, memory, learning, and reasoning are mobilized in situations of social exchange. Once the cognitive programs specialized for regulating social exchange are mapped, the variation and invariances in social exchange within and between cultures can be meaningfully discussed.
A Mission to the “Graveyard of Empires”? Neocolonialism and the Contemporary Evangelical Missions of the Global South

This essay examines how contemporary evangelical overseas missions carried out by the churches of the so-called majority world are imbricated with neocolonialism, especially U.S. neocolonialism underpinned by its military hegemony, in light of the South Korean mission fiasco in Afghanistan in summer 2007. Author situates the 2007 South Korean missionary hostage case within the transnational social field of evangelical Christians, which helps the reader understand the South Korean hostage incident as not just a single isolated case of Korean Christianity. Through the examination of the common biblical, theological, and cultural references in which transnational connections among evangelical Christians are rooted, this essay illuminates how contemporary evangelical missions are involved in the neocolonial systems of power in the current global context. This essay also pays closer attention to the ways in which the 2007 South Korean mission in Afghanistan has revealed, wittingly or unwittingly, “cracks and contradictions” in the U.S. imperialist military interventions in Afghanistan, a region once called the “graveyard of empires.”
The effect of drugs and lead maturation on atrial electrograms during sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation

Abstract Antitachycardia devices need more accurate means to identify arrhythmias. Previous studies have found that sinus rhythm can be distinguished from a variety of tachyarrhythmias by algorithms that are based on time-domain and frequency-domain analysis of intracardiac electrograms. Amplitude distribution analysis (time-domain) and power density spectral analysis (frequency-domain) are two of the techniques that have seemed to hold promise. However, previous studies have not evaluated whether lead maturation or drugs such as lidocaine, propanolol, verapamil, or isoproterenol can interfere with the ability of these algorithms to distinguish among cardiac rhythms. In the present study, five dogs had permanent atrial pacing leads placed. On a series of days, recordings were made from the atrial leads during sinus rhythm and induced sustained atrial fibrillation, both before and after administration of cardioactive drugs. For up to 1 month after implantation, progressive lead maturation did not prevent differentiation of atrial fibrillation from sinus rhythm by either amplitude distribution analysis or power density spectral analysis. However, the difference between the power density spectra of sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation became progressively less with time. Isoproterenol, lidocaine, verapamil, and propranolol had no consistent effects on amplitude distribution analysis of atrial electrograms during sinus rhythm or atrial fibrillation. However, there were marked effects of drugs on amplitude distribution characteristics in individual dogs. Propranolol and lidocaine produced consistent changes in power density spectra during sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation, respectively; both drugs reduced the ability of power density spectral analysis to differentiate sinus rhythm from atrial fibrillation. These results indicate that the incorporation of algorithms based on waveform analysis into antitachycardia devices may be a more formidable challenge than previously recognized.
Elevation of serum prostagladin E levels following electrical stimulation of the midbrain

Abstract Serum prostaglandin E(PGE) levels were measured in rats immediately following electrical stimulation of the mesencephalic periaqueductal gray (PAG) region and the nucleus raphe magnus (NRM) and compared to controls. An additional group received aspirin prior to PAG stimulation. A significant increase in serum PGE levels was found after stimulation of the PAG, but not the NRM. Aspirin inhibited the stimulation-induced increases in PGE.
Nonlinear dynamics and the evolution of relief

Abstract Theories of landscape evolution, and available field evidence, suggest that topographic relief may increase, decrease, or remain relatively constant over time. The trend depends on the relative balance between endogenic and exogenic forces and/or the spatial scale. A straightforward mathematical argument shows that when relief generally decreases over time, or remains constant, landscape evolution is stable and non-chaotic. Chaotic, unstable topographic evolution produces divergence, where initial elevation differences (and subsequent perturbations) generally increase over time. This leads to, or at least towards, a conceptual model of landscape evolution. This model, based on nonlinear dynamical systems (NDS) theory, recognizes 10 modes — five stable and five chaotic — of topographic evolution. Together, these modes can accommodate existing theories and models of landscape evolution. No mode can persist indefinitely over geologic time, implying that landscapes inevitably undergo phases of increasing and decreasing relief (these phases may be quite long). Because the model can accommodate any observed trend in relief evolution, it is not falsifiable and is, therefore, not proposed as a theory. The NDS model does have implications with respect to the preservation of planar surfaces; the next step is to develop a testable hypothesis.
Quaternionic Attitude Estimation for Robotic and Human Motion Tracking Using Sequential Monte Carlo Methods With von Mises-Fisher and Nonuniform Densities Simulations

In recent years, wireless positioning and tracking devices based on semiconductor micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensors have successfully integrated into the consumer electronics market. Information from the sensors is processed by an attitude estimation program. Many of these algorithms were developed primarily for aeronautical applications. The parameters affecting the accuracy and stability of the system vary with the intended application. The performance of these algorithms occasionally destabilize during human motion tracking activities, which does not satisfy the reliability and high accuracy demand in biomedical application. A previous study accessed the feasibility of using semiconductor based inertial measurement units (IMUs) for human motion tracking. IMU hardware has been redesigned and an attitude estimation algorithm using sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods, or particle filter, for quaternions was developed. The method presented in this paper uses von Mises-Fisher and a nonuniform simulation to provide density estimation of the rotation group SO(3). Synthetic signal simulation, robotics applications, and human applications have been investigated.
Constructing and classifying neighborhood anti-Sperner graphs

For a simple graph G let N"G(u) be the (open) neighborhood of vertex u@?V(G). Then G is neighborhood anti-Sperner (NAS) if for every u there is a v@?V(G)@?{u} with N"G(u)@?N"G(v). And a graph H is neighborhood distinct (ND) if every neighborhood is distinct, i.e., if N"H(u) N"H(v) when u v, for all u and v@?V(H). In Porter and Yucas [T.D. Porter, J.L. Yucas. Graphs whose vertex-neighborhoods are anti-sperner, Bulletin of the Institute of Combinatorics and its Applications 44 (2005) 69-77] a characterization of regular NAS graphs was given: 'each regular NAS graph can be obtained from a host graph by replacing vertices by null graphs of appropriate sizes, and then joining these null graphs in a prescribed manner'. We extend this characterization to all NAS graphs, and give algorithms to construct all NAS graphs from host ND graphs. Then we find and classify all connected r-regular NAS graphs for r=0,1,...,6.
Advanced coding techniques: theory and practice

In this paper, we compare performance of three classes of forward error correction schemes for 40 Gb/s optical transmission systems. The first class is based on the concatenation of RS codes and this is employed in state-of-the-art fiber-optics communication systems. The second class of codes is the turbo product codes with BCH component codes. The application of these codes in optical communication systems was extensively studied by Sab et al., and Mizuochi et al., and they are being considered for the next generation of long-haul systems. The third class of codes is the low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes that have gained great significance over the past decade. Structured binary LDPC codes, nonbinary LDPC codes, and generalized LDPC codes are considered in this paper. A sophisticated simulator that models all major transmission impairments is used to assess the performance of the error correction schemes. The simulation results show that LDPC codes outperform significantly two other classes of codes.
Transcriptional repression of the Dspp gene leads to dentinogenesis imperfecta phenotype in Col1a1-Trps1 transgenic mice.

Dentinogenesis imperfecta (DGI) is a hereditary defect of dentin, a calcified tissue that is the most abundant component of teeth. Most commonly, DGI is manifested as a part of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) or the phenotype is restricted to dental findings only. In the latter case, DGI is caused by mutations in the DSPP gene, which codes for dentin sialoprotein (DSP) and dentin phosphoprotein (DPP). Although these two proteins together constitute the majority of noncollagenous proteins of the dentin, little is known about their transcriptional regulation. Here we demonstrate that mice overexpressing the Trps1 transcription factor (Col1a1-Trps1 mice) in dentin-producing cells, odontoblasts, present with severe defects of dentin formation that resemble DGI. Combined micro–computed tomography (µCT) and histological analyses revealed tooth fragility due to severe hypomineralization of dentin and a diminished dentin layer with irregular mineralization in Col1a1-Trps1 mice. Biochemical analyses of noncollagenous dentin matrix proteins demonstrated decreased levels of both DSP and DPP proteins in Col1a1-Trps1 mice. On the molecular level, we demonstrated that sustained high levels of Trps1 in odontoblasts lead to dramatic decrease of Dspp expression as a result of direct inhibition of the Dspp promoter by Trps1. During tooth development Trps1 is highly expressed in preodontoblasts, but in mature odontoblasts secreting matrix its expression significantly decreases, which suggests a Trps1 role in odontoblast development. In these studies we identified Trps1 as a potent inhibitor of Dspp expression and the subsequent mineralization of dentin. Thus, we provide novel insights into mechanisms of transcriptional dysregulation that leads to DGI. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
The Intradiurnal Temperature Variation in the Upper Ocean Layer

Abstract An experiment to investigate the structure of the oceanic mixed layer was conducted between 28 September and 14 October, 1971, at 21N and between 66 and 67W aboard the NOAA Discoverer. During the experiment a quartz thermometer system capable of measuring temperature changes to within 0.001C was deployed from a surface buoy. Time-series temperature data were obtained from 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 m depths and digitally recorded with a sampling interval of 1.1 min. This paper presents the results of an analysis of the temperature fluctuations in the mixed layer at selected levels for a three-day period characterized by fair weather conditions. STD measurements indicate there were no observable changes in salinity during this period. The observations show downward propagation of the diurnal heat wave at a rate of about 5 m hr−1 resulting in a turbulent exchange coefficient for the diurnal cycle of the order of 100 cm2 sec−1. During the heating portion of the cycle, which occurs during the day, the mix...
Determination of stability constants by using normal pulse voltammetry at microelectrodes

Abstract A new procedure for determination of stability constants by means of pulse voltammetry at microelectrodes is presented. Normal pulse voltammetry at a copper microdisk electrode was employed to determine stability constants of the dichlorcuprate(I) complex ion in aqueous solution. Copper(I) ions were generated during pulses to positive potentials and the value of the overall formation constant was determined from the shift in potential of normal pulse voltammograms. The method gives fast and reliable measurements of stability constants and extends the range of possible measurements.
Bacteria from drinking water supply and their fate in gastrointestinal tracts of germ-free mice: A phylogenetic comparison study

Microorganisms in drinking water sources may colonize in gastrointestinal (GI) tracts and this phenomenon may pose a potential health risk especially to immunocompromised population. The microbial community diversity of the drinking water was compared with the GI tracts of the mice using phylogenetic and statistical analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences. A group of germ-free mice were fed with drinking water from public water supply that passed through an automated watering system with documented biofilm accumulation. From drinking water and GI tracts of the germ-free mice, 179 bacteria were isolated and 75 unique 16S rRNA gene phylotypes were sequenced as operational taxonomic unit (OTU, >97% similarity). Three major groups of the genus Acidovorax (21%), Variovorax (42%) and Sphingopyxis (15%) were found in drinking water. Three major groups of the genus Ralstonia (24%), Staphylococcus (20%) and Bosea (22%) were found in GI tracts. Ralstonia (6%, 24%), Sphingopyxis (15%, 2%), Bacillus (3%, 5%), Escherichia coli (3%, 2%) and Mesorhizobium (3%, 5%) were found in both sources – drinking water and GI tract. A lineage-per-time plot shows that the both bacterial communities have convex shape lines, suggesting an excess of closely related ecotypes. A significant FST test (0.00000–0.00901) coupled with an insignificant P test (0.07–0.46) implies that the tree contained several clades of closely related bacteria. Both phylogenetic and statistical results suggest a correlation between the bacterial communities originating in the drinking water and those associated with the GI tracts. The GI tract showed a higher genetic diversity than the drinking water, but a similar lineage-per-time plot was obtained overall. It means a sudden evolutionary transformation and colonization occurred with high selective forces.
Life cycle inventory energy consumption and emissions for biodiesel versus petroleum diesel fueled construction vehicles

Substitution of soy-based biodiesel fuels for petroleum diesel will alter life cycle emissions for construction vehicles. A life cycle inventory was used to estimate fuel cycle energy consumption and emissions of selected pollutants and greenhouse gases. Real-world measurements using a portable emission measurement system (PEMS) were made forfive backhoes, four front-end loaders, and six motor graders on both fuels from which fuel consumption and tailpipe emission factors of CO, HC, NO(x), and PM were estimated. Life cycle fossil energy reductions are estimated it 9% for B20 and 42% for B100 versus petroleum diesel based on the current national energy mix. Fuel cycle emissions will contribute a larger share of total life cycle emissions as new engines enter the in-use fleet. The average differences in life cycle emissions for B20 versus diesel are: 3.5% higher for NO(x); 11.8% lower for PM, 1.6% higher for HC, and 4.1% lower for CO. Local urban tailpipe emissions are estimated to be 24% lower for HC, 20% lower for CO, 17% lower for PM, and 0.9% lower for NO(x). Thus, there are environmental trade-offs such as for rural vs urban areas. The key sources of uncertainty in the B20 LCI are vehicle emission factors.
Effects of some hydrophilic permeation enhancers on the absorption of bepridil through excised human skin

AbstractThe permeation of Bepridil through excised human skin was measured from vehicles composed of various mixtures of aqueous buffer and the permeation enhancers ethanol, DMSO or DMF. Only DMSO was found to act as a true permeation enhancer for the drug, the magnitude of its action depending on its concentration in the vehicle. At concentrations greater than 50% DMSO the permeability coefficient of the drug was increased over and above that which could be accounted for by changes in partitioning of the drug between vehicle and skin. The effects of ethanol could be related to changes in the measured skin/vehicle partition coefficients of the drug. DMF showed a complicated, concentration dependent influence on permeation.
Molecular Force Measurement in Liquids and Solids Using Vibrational Spectroscopy

Shifts in molecular vibrational frequencies are used to measure intermolecular forces in liquids and solids as a function of external pressure. The force along a particular bond within a molecule is derived from its measured vibrational frequency shift using an expression for the perturbation of a quantum anharmonic oscillator in a classical bath. New pressure induced frequency shift and force measurements are performed on the CC bond in 1-octene, trans-2-octene and trans-4-octene (in both pure liquids and methanol solutions), and on the Si−O bond in three methylsiloxanes. Comparison of these and previous gas-to-liquid (or solid) and high-pressure vibrational frequency shift results reveal a large variation in the force on different types of bonds, while families of similar bonds experience a similar force at a given external pressure, with only a weak dependence on the location of the bond within the solute or the molecular structure of the surrounding solvent. Physical interpretations of the results usi...
Taking expectations to task in aphasic sentence comprehension: Investigations of off-line performance

Background : A major weakness of off-line assessments of “asyntactic” comprehension is that the task is transparently related to the comprehension performance that is the researcher's interest. Not only might the patient recruit problem-solving strategies, but his/her conception of the task may have confounding effects on performance. Aim : This study investigates the nature of individual differences in two patients' performance on two off-line comprehension tasks (selected for their low task demands) by manipulating task variables. Methods & Procedures : The two single-case studies investigate, in a test-hypothesis-retest experimental design, performance on auditory meaning classification and actor identification. Both participants (NJ and CV) exhibited agrammatism following a stroke, although CV's was milder. McNemar exact (Binomial) probabilities were calculated on non-canonical versus canonical comparisons, whereas the Binomial test and h 2 probabilities gauged departures from chance. Outcomes & Resul...
Fast Kalman Filtering and Forward–Backward Smoothing via a Low-Rank Perturbative Approach

Kalman filtering-smoothing is a fundamental tool in statistical time-series analysis. However, standard implementations of the Kalman filter-smoother require O(d3) time and O(d2) space per time step, where d is the dimension of the state variable, and are therefore impractical in high-dimensional problems. In this article we note that if a relatively small number of observations are available per time step, the Kalman equations may be approximated in terms of a low-rank perturbation of the prior state covariance matrix in the absence of any observations. In many cases this approximation may be computed and updated very efficiently (often in just O(k2d) or O(k2d + kdlog d) time and space per time step, where k is the rank of the perturbation and in general k ≪ d), using fast methods from numerical linear algebra. We justify our approach and give bounds on the rank of the perturbation as a function of the desired accuracy. For the case of smoothing, we also quantify the error of our algorithm because of the...
Kondo physics in a dissipative environment

Abstract We report nonperturbative results for the interacting quantum-critical behavior in a Bose–Fermi Kondo model describing a spin- 1 2 coupled both to a fermionic band with a pseudogap density of states and to a dissipative bosonic bath. The model serves as a paradigm for studying the interplay between Kondo physics and low-energy dissipative modes in strongly correlated systems.
Electron microscopy of chemical solution and mechanical abrasion features on quartz sand grains

Abstract Crystallographically oriented etch pits have been observed on quartz sand grains from marine environments, using an electron microscope. Similar features have been produced by etching quartz in the laboratory with hydrofluoric acid and sodium hydroxide. Examination of quartz sand grain surfaces from beaches of different wave intensities along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States suggests a relationship between the effects of such chemical solution features and mechanical abrasion on sand grains. Sand grains from beaches with low wave activity exhibit oriented etch pits readily attributed to the solution of quartz by sea water. These features are the surface expression of defects within the crystal. Sand grains from beaches with moderate wave energy show a combination of chemical etch features and those phenomena thought by KRINSLEY and TAKAHASHI (1962a) to be caused by grain-to-grain impacts, while grains from high-energy beaches predominantly show impact features. If the correlation shown by the results are valid, the relative number of chemical and mechanical features on sand grains can be used to determine energy conditions along ancient shorelines.
The model 92 as a member of the system/360 family

The Model 92 is a full-fledged member of the System/360 line of processors. At the beginning of the design of System/360, the goal was to provide a system capable of satisfying all of the varied computing applications to which IBM machines were applied in the past. It was also desired to apply the new system to a number of applications for which those older machines were somewhat inadequately prepared to serve. At that time, the previous lines of machines were evaluated to see which ones might possibly serve as a base for the start of the design. The older commercial processors did not form a suitable base for the scientific computational capability desired. The scientific line was also not elected for use as the base.
Mass transfer and dynamic liquid—liquid interfacial tension. II. Theory of the relation between change of interfacial tension and change of phase volume with time, in a stirred system

Abstract We have shown that, for a nonequilibrium, closed liquid-liquid multicomponent system, with agitation, at constant temperature and pressure, a quantitative relation exists, between the rate of change of interfacial tension (IFT) and mass transfer through the interface. The conditions in which there is an increase in γ with increase in drop volume, or decrease, or constancy, are developed. We have also shown that regimes in which γ increases, or decreases, may succeed each other. This conclusion is in agreement with observations. For systems that are relevant to surfactant flooding for enhanced oil recovery, it has been shown that the Gibbsian adsorption of adsorbable and transferrable components is small: ∑ 1 n θ 1 《 1 . This is in accord with the current theories of interfacial structure in such systems: that the low values of γ observed are due to the gentle concentration gradients in the interfacial region, and not to high surfactant adsorption. While the “gradient” mechanism is responsible for the low magnitudes of IFT in systems in which one phase is a microemulsion, an “adsorption” mechanism should be invoked to explain the time rate of change of IFT, and the change of IFT with phase volume.
Developments in 2D AFM metrology

In a previous paper, a 2D atomic force probe metrology system was described. The system consists of a 2D atomic force probe used in attractive mode (non-contact) with a laser inter- ferometer system for measuring sample displacement with nanometer sensitivity. The force probe consists of a square cantilever and specially designed 2D tip. The tip and cantilever are vibrated in 2D and the shift in resonance as the surface approaches is used for surface sensing. The system is able to measure submicrometer lines and trenches with accuracy and precision at the nanometer level. This paper will discuss operational characteristics of the system and the application of 2D AFM metrology to calibration of optical and scanning electron microscope system.