cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Along‐strike variations in underthrust sediment dewatering on the Nicoya margin, Costa Rica related to the updip limit of seismicity

[1] Along the Costa Rican subduction zone offshore the Nicoya peninsula, an offset in the updip limit of seismicity coincides with a transition between subduction of warm crust generated at the Cocos-Nazca Spreading Center and cool crust formed at the East Pacific Rise. We evaluate whether the observed difference in thermal state of incoming crust would result in significant differences in sediment dehydration reaction progress along strike, thought to be a control on the updip limit of seismicity. We combine thermal models with models of dehydration reaction kinetics for opal and smectite to estimate the distribution of diagenetic fluid sources. The modeled distribution of diagenetic fluid sources mimics the pattern of the updip limit of seismicity; seismicity begins ∼15–20 km landward of most of the smectite-to-illite transition. This suggests that the location of the updip limit of seismicity may be influenced by the dissipation of fluid overpressures landward of smectite-to-illite dehydration.
Motion compensated fiber-optic confocal microscope based on a common-path optical coherence tomography distance sensor

A motion compensated fiber-optic confocal microscope system is demonstrated by utilizing a Fourier domain common-path optical coherence tomography (FD-CP-OCT) distance sensor and a high-speed linear motor at the distal end of a fiber-optic confocal microscope imaging probe. The fiber-optic confocal microscope is based on a 460 μm diameter imaging bundle with 10 K cores. The fiber bundle was terminated with a gradient index lens system. Using one-dimensional A-scan data of CP-OCT, the distance deviation of the target from the focal plane of the probe was monitored and motion compensated at the rate of 840 Hz, for a confocal microscopic imaging frame rate of 1fps and was 200 × 200 pixels in size, with a distance error less than 5 μm.
NBQX is a selective non-NMDA receptor antagonist in rat hippocampal slice

The effects of NBQX and DNQX on synaptic transmission in rat hippocampal slice were investigated. Both agents produced dosedependent blockade of field potentials evoked by low frequency stimulation of Schaffer collateral-commissural fibers recorded in medium containing 4 mM Mg2+ (non-NMDA. mediated transmission), with half-maximal effects at about 0.15μM for NBQX and 1.0μM for DNQX. When the studies were conducted in Mg2+-free medium (predominantly NMDA mediated transmission), 100 μM NBQX failed to block transmission; however, the response could be completely blocked by the addition of 10μM of the competitive NMDA antagonist CPP. In contrast, 47 μM DNQX completely blocked secondary field potentials recorded in Mg2+-free medium and this effect could be reversed by the addition of 200 μM of the glycine agonist D-serine. Thus, NBQX exhibited selective blockade of non-NMDA mediated synaptic transmission whereas DNQX had effects at both non-NMDA and NMDA receptor sites, the latter effect via an interaction with the glycine site on the NMDA receptor complex.
Endovascular Exclusion of Aortoesophageal Fistula After Coarctation Extraanatomical Bypass

Extraanatomical bypass has been advocated as the primary technique in adolescents or adults presenting with aortic coarctation. This approach carries significant morbidity, and graft-related complications may be more important in the young patient population. A 52-year-old man who had previously undergone extraanatomical bypass of aortic coarctation was diagnosed with a distal anastomotic pseudoaneurysm and aortoesophageal fistula. This was managed by proximal bypass plugging with an occluder, endovascular exclusion with a stent-graft in the thoracic descending aorta covering the pseudoaneurysm, and coarctation balloon dilation. Aortoesophageal fistula is a late complication observed after extraanatomical bypass for coarctation. This case illustrates this rare complication.
Pneumoperitoneum produces reversible renal dysfunction in animals with normal and chronically reduced renal function

ABSTRACT Laparoscopic surgery with intraperitoneal insufflation is associated with acute oliguria. Although in healthy patients, this impairment is transient and without any apparent sequelae, as the scope of laparoscopic surgery expands, subtle renal injury may become clinically significant, particularly when applications expand to patients with reduced baseline renal function. We have investigated the changes in renal function during and after pneumoperitoneum in animals with reduced renal mass to identify both acute alterations and long-term impairments, if any. Twelve swine underwent surgical reduction in renal mass to produce chronic renal insufficiency. Glomerular filiation rate (GFR) was determined by inulin clearance for each animal before and after ablation to establish the degree of renal impairment (mean 22%; range 18%–31% of normal). The animals were followed during a stepwise insufflation as a study of pneumoperitoneum-induced changes in chronic renal failure. Urine output declined dramatical...
The inhibition of the acoustic startle reaction in rats by food and water deprivation

Abstract Three experiments investigated the effect of increased food deprivation or increased food and water deprivation on the normal and inhibited startle reflex. Deprivation for a maximum of 35% body weight loss to a minimum of 3-hr deprivation from an ad lib baseline. Increased deprivation generally reduced startle amplitudes, this effect being greatest under normal conditions and reduced or absent when the reflex was inhibited by visual stimuli which accompanied reflex elicitation. The reduction in startle amplitude by increased deprivation is contrary to expectations derived from neo-Hullian conceptions of drive-produced energization and indicates that experiments demonstrating facilitating effects of “emotional” stimuli on the startle reflex should be reinterpreted in a nondrive context. Suppression of the startle reflex by external stimuli and reduction of the startle reflex by increased deprivation may both relate to the same dynamic law of reflex inhibition.
Electromechanical resonance behavior of suspended single-walled carbon nanotubes under high bias voltages

We characterize the nanoelectromechanical response of suspended individual carbon nanotubes under high voltage biases. An abrupt upshift in the mechanical resonance frequency of approximately 3 MHz is observed at high bias. While several possible mechanisms are discussed, this upshift is attributed to the onset of optical phonon emission, which results in a sudden contraction of the nanotube due to its negative thermal expansion coefficient. This, in turn, causes an increase in the tension in the suspended nanotube, which upshifts its mechanical resonance frequency. This upshift is consistent with Raman spectral measurements, which show a sudden downshift of the optical phonon modes at high bias voltages. Using a simple model for oscillations on a string, we estimate the effective change in the length of the nanotube to be ΔL/L ≈ −2 × 10−5 at a bias voltage of 1 V.
Tissue-selective estrogen complexes for postmenopausal women

Although hormone therapy using estrogens plus progestogens (EPT) is effective for the management of menopausal symptoms (e.g., vasomotor symptoms and vulvar/vaginal atrophy) and prevention/treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, EPT is associated with safety and tolerability concerns. A new alternative to EPT is the tissue selective estrogen complex (TSEC), which partners a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) with one or more estrogens and is designed to treat menopausal symptoms and prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis without the tolerability concerns associated with EPT. The first TSEC to reach advanced clinical development is a combination of the SERM bazedoxifene (BZA) with conjugated estrogens (CE). BZA has been shown to inhibit the stimulatory activity of CE on uterine tissue and breast in vitro and in vivo. In clinical studies, BZA/CE treatment has been associated with significant improvements in menopausal symptoms including hot flushes and vulvar/vaginal atrophy and significant increases in bone mineral density, coupled with reductions in bone turnover marker levels and improvements in sleep and health-related quality of life. Additionally, BZA/CE has been shown to have a neutral effect on endometrial and breast tissue because BZA inhibits the stimulatory effects of estrogens in tissue-selective fashion in these 2 organs. Taken together, results of these preclinical and clinical studies indicate that the benefits of estrogens for treating menopausal symptoms are maintained with BZA/CE without endometrial or breast stimulation, resulting in a safe and effective treatment for symptomatic postmenopausal women.
Pulsed plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of Al2O3–TiO2 nanolaminates

Abstract Self-limiting synthesis of alumina–titania nanolaminates (ATO, Al 2 O 3 /TiO 2 ) was accomplished via pulsed plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. At the synthesis temperature of 150 °C the alumina layers were amorphous, while TiO 2 layers displayed a polycrystalline anatase structure. Digital control over nanolaminate structure was demonstrated through elemental analysis and transmission electron microscopy imaging. The dielectric performance of the ATO structures was examined as a function of composition and bilayer thickness. Capacitance–voltage measurements showed that the effective dielectric constant was consistent with treating the nanolaminates as individual capacitors in series. Current–voltage measurements showed that leakage current deteriorated with TiO 2 content, though low leakage was restored through interfacial engineering.
Radiation and canonical sources in uniaxial dielectric media

The three-dimensional electric Green function for uniaxial dielectric media has been given by Chen (1973, 1983) Here we give the magnetic Green's function, whose form suggests that magnetic field formulations may be more tractable than electric field formulations. Using the electric and the magnetic Green's functions, canonical sources for the independent generation of the ordinary and the extraordinary fields are also obtaned.
Projections of the posterodorsal preoptic nucleus and the lateral part of the posterodorsal medial amygdala in male gerbils, with emphasis on cells activated with ejaculation.

The posterodorsal preoptic nucleus (PdPN) and the lateral part of the posterodorsal medial amygdala (MeApd) express Fos with ejaculation in male gerbils. Ejaculation-activated cells participate in the PdPN and MeApd projections to each other and to the sexually dimorphic preoptic area (SDA), but those projections involve less than 20% of the activated PdPN cells and less than 50% of the activated MeApd cells. To identify other potential targets of ejaculation-activated cells, we traced PdPN and lateral MeApd outputs using biotinylated dextran amine. The principal part of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTpr) and the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPv) were labeled from both sites and were injected with Fluoro-Gold to determine whether PdPN and lateral MeApd cells that express Fos with ejaculation would be retrogradely labeled. Fluoro-Gold was also applied to the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) and retrorubral field (RRF) because such injections label PdPN cells in rats. The PdPN-DMH projection is minimal in gerbils, involving few, if any, ejaculation-related cells. Ejaculation-activated PdPN cells project to the AVPv (43%), dorsal BSTpr (30%), and RRF (12%). Those in the lateral MeApd project to the dorsal BSTpr (43%) and AVPv (18%). When these percentages are combined with those for ejaculation-activated cells involved in the PdPN and lateral MeApd projections to each other and to the medial SDA, the totals reach 100%. Thus, every PdPN and MeApd cell activated with ejaculation may participate in one of these projections. Similar projections may contribute to the similar behavioral effects of the PdPN and MeApd.
Plant phospholipids. I. Identification of the phosphatidyl glycerols. 1958.

Abstract 1. 1. The phospholipids of Scenedesmus and higher plants have been separated into at least three fractions by two-dimensional paper chromatography. These have been deacylated to yield glycerophosphorylcholine, glycerophosphorylglycerol and glycerophosphorylinositol. 2. 2. The phosphatidyl glycerol fraction has been identified by hydrolysis of the purified lipid to give glycerophosphorylglycerol in 95% yield. 3. 3. The presence of two free hydroxyl groups in the phospholipid was demonstrated by its conversion to an isopropylidene derivative and by oxidation by lead tetraacetate. 4. 4. These lipids possess almost half of the lipid phosphorus in some plants and appear to be ubiquitous in nature.
Density, Shell Use and Species Composition of Juvenile Fiddler Crabs (Uca spp.) at Low and High Anthropogenic Impact Salt Marsh Sites

Coastal wetlands worldwide have been negatively impacted by humans, causing decreases in the vegetation used as a refuge from predation by juveniles of many species. This study examined juvenile fiddler crab densities and species composition (Uca pugnax, Uca pugilator, and Uca minax), and their use of gastropod shells (Littorina littoraria), at three low and three high impact sites on barrier islands in southeast Georgia. On six dates in June–August 2010, samples were taken from 10 quadrats (1 m2) at each site to determine juvenile fiddler crab densities and species composition, as well as gastropod shell densities and percent shell use. Multiplex PCR was used to identify juvenile fiddler crabs to species. Juvenile fiddler crab densities were lower at high impact sites, while gastropod shell densities and shell use were similar at both low and high impact sites. Species compositions differed between low and high impact sites on the substrate and in shells, with more U. pugilator and U. minax at high impact sites. A change in fiddler crab densities and species composition could cause a substantial change in southeastern salt marshes.
Target-biting behavior of individually and group-housed mice and rats

The effects of housing conditions (individual or grouped) on the biting of an inanimate target by confined male mice and rats were measured. It was observed that, for both mice and rats, individual housing markedly increased the number of target bites per session. These results indicate that the target-biting paradigm is sensitive to those factors responsible for the increase in fighting behavior following individual housing.
The cloned kappa opioid receptor couples to an N-type calcium current in undifferentiated PC-12 cells

Abstract We have recently reported the cloning of a mouse kappa opioid receptor cDNA. 25 Following transfection of the kappa receptor cDNA into COS-1 cells, a receptor is expressed with the pharmacological specificity of a kappa 1 opioid receptor. To further analyse its functional properties, we have stably expressed the kappa opioid receptor in undifferentiated PC-12 cells, a pheochromocytoma clonal cell line, which do not endogenously express this receptor. We have previously shown that kappa opioid agonists selectively bind to these PC-12 membranes with high affinity. 17 Here we show that kappa selective agonists are able to inhibit accumulation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate in a stereoselective manner. Further, the kappa agonist U-50,488 is able to inhibit an N-type calcium current in a pertussis toxin sensitive manner; this inhibition is blocked by the kappa-selective antagonist norbinaltorphimine. Inhibition of the calcium current via the kappa receptor is stereoselective as the agonist levorphanol is able to mediate inhibition whereas in the same cells dextrorphan is ineffective. This is the first demonstration that the cloned kappa opioid receptor functionally couples to a calcium current, as has been reported for kappa receptors expressed endogenously in the nervous system. Kappa opioid receptors are thought to be important in pain pathways, learning and memory deficits, and seizure activity. A major physiological action of the dynorphins, the endogenous ligands of the kappa receptor, is thought to be inhibition of neurotransmitter release at presynaptic terminals. N-type calcium channels may be important in neurotransmitter release. For example it has been demonstrated at the mossy fiber synapse in the hippocampus that inhibition of N-type calcium currents blocks excitatory postsynaptic potentials measured in the pyrimidal cells. 2 We show here that the cloned kappa receptor acts to inhibit N-type calcium channels in clonal PC-12 cells, which may be an important mechanism by which the dynorphins regulate synaptic events.
Ultra-slim collimator with an inverse design

Original construction is proposed to collimate light into a narrow beam. The solution is very compact and provides high efficiency. Two elements are used. Freeform reflector and a plate of PMMA with a special pyramid structure on the first surface. LED source is mounted in a plastic plate and emits light into opposite direction. After reflection from freeform reflector light beam suffers TIR in plastic plate and is collimated with a very high efficiency into desired direction. Thickness of proposed design is about 5 mm. Efficiency and divergence depends on the size of emitting area and diode's package size. For diode with a size of emitting area of 2 mm and a package size of 6 mm last ones were 88% and 7 degree.
Provider and Clinic Cultural Competence in a Primary Care Setting

A multilevel approach that enhances the cultural competence of clinicians and healthcare systems is suggested as one solution to reducing racial/ethnic disparities in healthcare. The primary objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine if there is a relationship between the cultural competence of primary care providers and the clinics where they work. Forty-nine providers from 23 clinics in Baltimore, Maryland and Wilmington, Delaware, USA completed an on-line survey which included items assessing provider and clinic cultural competence. Using simple linear regression, it was found that providers with attitudes reflecting greater cultural motivation to learn were more likely to work in clinics with a higher percent of nonwhite staff, and those offering cultural diversity training and culturally adapted patient education materials. More culturally appropriate provider behavior was associated with a higher percent of nonwhite staff in the clinic, and culturally adapted patient education materials. Enhancing provider and clinic cultural competence may be synergistic strategies for reducing healthcare disparities.
Low-temperature adsorption and gamma scintillation spectrometry for measuring Ar41

Abstract A technique for measuring Ar 41 by low-temperature adsorption on charcoal and γ-scintillation spectrometry was developed. Following the design and fabrication of an adsorber cartridge, several parameters which affect collection efficiency were investigated including the type charcoal, charcoal particle size, sampling rate and charcoal regeneration. The parameters were optimized to form the proposed technique which, after calibration, was field tested at the University of Florida reactor facility. The sampling device functioned well and the radiological analysis of the sample was made without difficulty. The sensitivity of the system is estimated to be about 10 −9 μc of Ar 41 /cm 3 of air, with an accuracy of ± 15%.
How I Cool Children in Neurocritical Care

Brain injury is the leading cause of death in our pediatric ICU [Au et al. Crit Care Med 36:A128, 2008]. Clinical care for brain injury remains largely supportive. Therapeutic hypothermia has been shown to be effective in improving neurological outcome after adult ventricular-arrhythmia-induced cardiac arrest and neonatal asphyxia, and is under investigation as a neuroprotectant after cardiac arrest and traumatic brain injury in children in our ICU and other centers. To induce hypothermia in children comatose after cardiac arrest we target 32–34°C using cooling blankets and intravenous iced saline as primary methods for induction, for 24–72 h duration with vigilant re-warming. The objective of this article is to share our hypothermia protocol for cooling children with acute brain injury.
Infinite-Energy dyon-like solutions for Yang-Mills-Higgs theory

Two dyon-like solutions to theSU(2) Yang-Mills-Higgs system are presented. These solutions are obtained from the BPS dyon solution by allowing the gauge fields to be complex, or by letting the free parameter of the new solution be imaginary. In both cases the measurable quantities connected with these new solutions are real. Although the new solutions are mathematically simple variations of the BPS solution, they have distinct characteristics.
Tree species richness and the logging of natural forests: A meta-analysis

Abstract Forests cover much of the earth’s surface and are regularly logged. Well established ecological theory predicts, and the results of extensive silvicultural studies demonstrate the role of disturbance in maintaining species richness in forests; however, logging and other human initiated disturbance is often credited with the degradation of forest ecosystems throughout the world. Presented here are the results of a meta-analysis of 19 published studies investigating 25 distinct paired human-disturbed and primary forests in the tropical and temperate biomes. Regardless of whether studies were grouped across biomes or considered independently, the current literature indicates a significant reduction in tree species richness following logging. While the reasons for this reduction in richness are as diverse as the forests considered here, some common themes are clear. Although logging may increase the richness of early successional tree species, it also tends to reduce the richness of late successional trees. This occurs both through the altering biotic and abiotic processes regulating resource availability and through size-class and species based selection biases common in logging. Logging also makes primary forests more accessible, setting the stage for a chronic human disturbance cycle.
Comparison of theoretical and experimental performance of a 6.44-ft-diam parachute

A single-stage, 6.44-ft-diam ribbon parachute with no reefing has been developed for deceleration and recovery of the 130-lb Large Ballistic Re-entry Vehicle-2 nose cone. The parachute design makes use of both nylon for horizontal ribbons and Kevlar-29 for suspension lines and skirt band to save weight and volume. The results of five sled-launched, free-flight tests and an operational recovery at velocities of 600-875 ft/s, with corresponding dynamic pressures of 340-766 psf, are reported. Good agreement between experimental values and theoretical modeling is shown. Recovery procedures begin by jettisoning part of the initial re-entry mass before parachute deployment. An operational re-entry vehicle flight resulted in recovery of the payload (in two pieces) and the undamaged parachute.
Media differences in rational and emotional responses to advertising

This study develops and tests hypotheses concerning the relationship of different media to psychological outcomes. Specifically, it is postulated that print media are related to analytic cognition (reason) and electronic media to syncretic cognition (emotion). Two hundred and forty magazine and television advertisements are analyzed both in terms of their attributes and the reactions they evoke. Media differences are found for both emotional and rational responses and the main effects of media, product category and advertising strategy variables are seen to account substantially for the variance in analytic and syncretic cognition. Of special relevance to advertisers is the finding that the choice of media is the best predictor of emotional response among all the variables in the study.
Simulating Corn Yield Response to Irrigation Timings: Validation of the Epic Model

Models simulating crop growth offer an opportunity to fill important data gaps from experimental plots. Examples include incorporation of many weather conditions as well as alternative management strategies. The simulated data must be reliable, however. This study examined the application of the EPIC growth model to simulate corn (Zea mays L.) yield on the Southern High Plains when water stress was imposed on various dates in the growing season. The EPIC model produced simulated yield distributions with means not significantly (P=0.05) different from those of the actual data in 2 of the 3 yr considered, and standard deviations of simulated yields similar to those of the actual yields for all 3 yr 5 (...)
Effect of copolyether-ester additives on the melt rheology of polyoxymethylene

Small amounts of low-molecular-weight copolyether-ester additives were shown to augment shear thinning in polyoxymethylene melts. Non-Newtonian flow increased with the decreasing molecular weight of the additive. Mechanistic implications are discussed.
Signal estimation via selective harmonic amplification: MUSIC, Redux

The technique known as multiple signal classification (MUSIC) is a semi-empirical way to obtain pseudo-spectra that highlight the spectral-energy distribution of a time series. It is based on a certain canonical decomposition of a Toeplitz matrix formed out of an estimated autocorrelation sequence. The purpose of this paper is to present an analogous canonical decomposition of the state-covariance matrix of a stable linear filter driven by a given time series. Accordingly, the paper concludes with a modification of MUSIC. The new method starts with filtering the time series and then estimating the covariance of the state of the filter. This step in essence improves the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by amplifying the contribution to the actual value of the state-covariance of a selected harmonic interval where spectral lines are expected to reside. Then, the method capitalizes on the canonical decomposition of the filter state-covariance to retrieve information on the location of possible spectral lines. The framework requires uniformly spaced samples of the process.
Collaborative decoding using turbo codes

Cooperative reception allows diversity to be achieved by a group of radios that are not physically connected but that receive independent copies of a message. The receivers achieve diversity by exchanging messages. One such technique is collaborative decoding, in which the receivers iterate between decoding and information exchange. Collaborative decoding has been shown to be effective for convolutional codes. In this paper we investigate the performance of collaborative decoding with turbo codes. We also investigate collaborative detection of a partial-time jammer.
Diagnosis of TMJ Problem

To the Editor: I read with interest the case report entitled “Treatment of an Acute Anterior Disk Displacement in the Temporomandibular Joint,” by Barbara Lafferty Braun, in the August 1987 issue of Physical Therapy. I would like to compliment the author on the detailed reporting in an area that only few physical therapists understand well. I disagree with the author, however, on two points. The first, and the most important, point is her assumption as to the diagnosis. From the information the author provided, I am not sure that this was a case of acute anterior disk displacement. I tend to believe that it was a case of acute synovitis of a deteriorated joint rather than an acute anteriorly displaced disk. I have treated many patients with similar symptoms with no proof of disk displacement. [ ARTICLE][1] [1]: /lookup/volpage/67/1234?iss=8
Sequence alignment with GPU: Performance and design challenges

In bioinformatics, alignments are commonly performed in genome and protein sequence analysis for gene identification and evolutionary similarities. There are several approaches for such analysis, each varying in accuracy and computational complexity. Smith-Waterman (SW) is by far the best algorithm for its accuracy in similarity scoring. However, execution time of this algorithm on general purpose processor based systems makes it impractical for use by life scientists. In this paper we take Smith-Waterman as a case study to explore the architectural features of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and evaluate the challenges the hardware architecture poses, as well as the software modifications needed to map the program architecture on to the GPU. We achieve a 23x speedup against the serial version of the SW algorithm. We further study the effect of memory organization and the instruction set architecture on GPU performance. For that purpose we analyze another implementation on an Intel Quad Core processor that makes use of Intel's SIMD based SSE2 architecture. We show that if reading blocks of 16 words at a time instead of 4 is allowed, and if 64KB of shared memory as opposed to 16KB is available to the programmer, GPU performance enhances significantly making it comparable to the SIMD based implementation. We quantify these observations to illustrate the need for studies on extending the instruction set and memory organization for the GPU.
The Basal Ganglia in Human Learning

For many years, the basal ganglia were described in anatomy courses as strictly motor structures. Certainly, some of the most obvious and debilitating symptoms shown by persons with basal ganglia disorders are problems in motor control. However, the basal ganglia are not limited to motoric aspects of behavior: recent research shows that they are involved in most areas of cognitive and emotional functioning, consistent with their anatomical connections with all areas of the cortex. This review will focus on the roles of the basal ganglia in human learning, particularly sequence learning and category learning. Current areas of research that are discussed include the differing roles of different basal ganglia regions, patterns of interaction between the cortex and basal ganglia, differences in positive and negative association learning, effects of dopaminergic medication on learning, whether basal ganglia-mediated learning is implicit or explicit, and how the basal ganglia learning systems interact with other learning systems, particularly within the medial temporal lobe.
Automatic Cave-in Safety Risk Identification in Construction Excavation

Safety continues to be among the top issues in the construction industry after experiencing 738 fatalities in 2011. Among all construction operations, excavation is one of the most hazardous because of its inherent hazards with possible cave-ins, contact with objects and equipment, bad air, and so on. Up till today, most safety inspectors are still inspecting the site manually, making the inspection timeconsuming and error-prone. This paper presents a method that automatically identifies cave-in safety risks in construction excavation. It first extracts relevant safety rules from OHSA standards and industrial best practices. Then, it collects a set of point cloud data of a construction site under excavation using laser scanning, registering and cleaning the point cloud data afterwards. Finally, it develops an automated identification algorithm based on those rules and applies the algorithm onto the data to identify potential cave-in risks by analyzing geometrical properties. An experimental trial is also conducted in this paper and results show that the method successfully identifies those cave-in risks. The presented method can actively monitor the fast changing situations of construction sites under excavation and help inspectors and project managers make good safety decisions, preventing accidents and fatalities.
Microwave-Assisted Preparations of Amidrazones and Amidoximes

In an operationally straightforward and efficient method, amidrazones 1a−h and amidoximes 2a−h are prepared in yields of 65−87% from imidoylbenzotriazoles 3a−h by microwave heating for 5−20 min with the appropriate hydrazine or hydroxylamine.
Cultural Identity and Subcultural Forums The Post-network Politics of Adult Swim

This study analyzes the identity politics of Adult Swim’s brand culture in the context of post-network American television’s technological, textual, and cultural shifts. It shows how Adult Swim tex...
Implications of the Financial Crisis

The recent crisis has highlighted areas and questions that would be extremely valuable to investigate in greater detail. I will choose to touch only on a few of these topics in this limited space and will purposely range widely rather than try to deeply develop each subset of ideas.
Emotion regulation and brain plasticity: Expressive suppression use predicts anterior insula volume

Expressive suppression is an emotion regulation strategy that requires interoceptive and emotional awareness. These processes both recruit the anterior insula. It is not known, however, whether increased use of expressive suppression is associated with increased anterior insula volume. In the present study, high-resolution anatomical MRI images were used to calculate insula volumes in a set of 50 healthy female subjects (mean 21.9 years) using both region of interest (ROI) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) approaches. Participants also completed trait measures of expressive suppression usage, cognitive reappraisal usage, and negative emotional reactivity (the latter two served as control measures). As predicted, both ROI and VBM methods found that expressive suppression usage, but not negative affect and cognitive reappraisal, was positively related to anterior insula volume. These findings are consistent with the idea that trait patterns of emotion processing are related to brain structure.
Adherens Junction Proteins in the Hamster Uterus: Their Contributions to the Success of Implantation

The adherens junction (AJ) is important for maintaining uterine structural integrity, composition of the luminal environment, and initiation of implantation by virtue of its properties of cell-cell recognition, adhesion, and establishment of cell polarity and permeability barriers. In this study, we investigated the uterine changes of AJ components E-cadherin, beta-catenin, and alpha-catenin at their mRNA and protein levels, together with the cellular distribution of meprinbeta, phospho-beta-catenin, and active beta-catenin proteins, in hamsters that show only ovarian progesterone-dependent uterine receptivity and implantation. By in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence, we have demonstrated that uterine epithelial cells expressed three of these AJ proteins and their mRNAs prior to and during the initial phase of implantation. Immunofluorescence study showed no change in epithelial expression patterns of uterine AJ proteins from Days 1 to 5 of pregnancy. With advancement of the implantation process, AJ components were primarily expressed in cells of the secondary decidual zone (SDZ), but not in the primary decidual zone (PDZ). In contrast, we noted strong expression of beta-catenin and alpha-catenin proteins in the PDZ, but not in the SDZ, of mice. Taken together, these results suggest that AJ proteins contribute to uterine barrier functions by cell-cell adhesion to ensure protection of the embryo. In addition, cleavage of E-cadherin by meprinbeta might contribute to weakening uterine epithelial cell-cell contact for blastocyst implantation. We also report that the nuclear localization of active beta-catenin from Day 4 onward in hamsters implies that beta-catenin/Wnt-signal transduction is activated in the uterus during implantation and decidualization.
Silver deposition in the central nervous system and the hematoencephalic barrier studied with the electron microscope.

For the purpose of studying the hematoencephalic barrier as it is concerned with silver circulating in the blood stream, silver nitrate was vitally administered to rats in their drinking water over periods of 6 to 8 months. The cerebrum, cerebellum, medulla, area postrema, and choroid plexus were prepared for light and electron microscopy. Silver deposition was found in the perivascular spaces in the choroid plexus, area postrema, in the medulla surrounding the area postrema, and in minute quantities in the cerebrum, cerebellum, and most of the medulla. Two levels of the hematoencephalic barrier were apparently demonstrated in our investigations. The endothelial linings of the vessels in the cerebrum, cerebellum, and medulla constitute the first threshold of the hematoencephalic barrier (specifically here, blood-brain barrier). The cell membranes adjacent to the perivascular spaces form the second threshold, as follows:—the neuroglial cell membranes in the cerebrum, cerebellum, and medulla (blood-brain barrier); the membranes of the neuroglial cells in the area postrema (blood-brain barrier); and the membranes of the epithelial cells of the choroid plexus (blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier). This study deals with silver deposition and does not infer that the penetration of ionic silver, if present in the blood stream, would necessarily be limited to the regions described. Bleb-like structures were observed to cover the epithelial cell surfaces in the choroid plexus. They may be cellular projections increasing the cell surface area or they may be secretory droplets.
On the generation of new lobe pumps for higher pumping flowrate

In this paper we present a method for the design of new lobe rotors for lobe pump design. A performance index, pumping ratio, is introduced and used to measure the performance of lobe pumps. This index depends solely on rotor geometry. Two pump design parameters, lobe noncircularity and pitch noncircularity, are also defined. It was found that these two design parameters are the main factors which determine the pumping ratio. Results show that many new possible lobe pumps with higher flowrate could be invented by using our method.
Responding to a Challenging Perceptual-Motor Task as a Function of Level of Experiential Avoidance

Participants displaying high versus low levels of experiential avoidance as assessed by the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (Hayes, Strosahl, et al., 2004) were compared in their reactions to and performance on a challenging perceptual-motor task. Participants were offered incentives for sorting colored straws into different colored containers as quickly as possible during the simultaneous induction of unpleasant sensations (dizziness, blurred vision, disorientation) by the wearing of "drunk goggles" during task performance. High avoidant participants reported being more likely to engage in catastrophizing and to be distressed by sensations induced during the task, despite, as expected, apparently minimizing contact with such experiences by sorting significantly fewer straws than their low avoidant counterparts. The findings are related to similar research consistent with the conceptualization of experiential avoidance as a functional response class supporting diverse forms of dysfunctional behavior and human suffering.
Estimating residual stress in the restrained ring test under circumferential drying

The restrained ring test is becoming widely used as a standard test method to assess the potential for early-age cracking in concrete mixtures. Previous research focused on the development of analytical solutions for quantifying residual stress development in restrained ring specimens that either assumed that the ring was thin (i.e., a thin wall approximation) or that the shrinkage was uniform along the radial direction for a thick-walled ring. This paper presents an analytical solution to consider the influence of moisture gradients that occur when a thick-walled ring specimen dries from the outer circumference. Toward this end, the ring that dries from the outer circumference is treated as the superposition of a stress field that is caused by external restraint and a stress field that arises due to differential shrinkage. An analytical expression is presented to estimate the stress components. To assess the suitability of the analytical solution, it was compared with results from a finite element analysis and a reasonably good agreement was observed.
Evaluating the association of autonomic drug use to the development and severity of retinopathy of prematurity

Purpose To explore the association of autonomic agents with the development and severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Methods The medical records of all preterm infants screened for ROP were retrospective reviewed. The association between development and severity of ROP and the use and dose(s) of autonomic agents was analyzed, after adjustment for the covariates gestational age, weight, development of septicemia, intraventricular hemorrhage, and respiratory distress syndrome. Results A total of 350 infants were screened. Caffeine was used in 338 infants; dopamine in 98 infants. There was a significant association between the use of dopamine and development of ROP ( P P = 0.001; RR = 4.63 [95% CI, 1.82-11.79]). The number of dopamine doses was significantly associated with the development of any ROP ( P P P P = 0.003; RR = 1.03 [95% CI, 1.01-1.05]) and the need for treatment ( P = 0.006, RR = 1.073 [95% CI; 1.021-1.13]). Conclusions Although a causal relationship was not identified, the use of the autonomic agents caffeine and dopamine was associated with the development and severity of retinopathy of prematurity in this cohort.
Impact of Genetic Polymorphisms of SLC2A2, SLC2A5, and KHK on Metabolic Phenotypes in Hypertensive Individuals

Objective: In the past few decades, consumption of added sugars has increased dramatically. Studies have linked high sugar intake with increased risk for a number of diseases. Importantly, fructose, a component of sugar, has been linked with the development of features of metabolic syndrome. This study determined if single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes involved in fructose transport (solute carrier family 2 facilitated glucose transporter, member 2 (SLC2A2) and solute carrier family 2 facilitated glucose/fructose transporter, member 5 (SLC2A5)) and metabolism (ketohexokinase (KHK)) affect interindividual variability in metabolic phenotypes, such as increased serum uric acid levels. Materials/Methods: The influence of SLC2A2, SLC2A5, and KHK SNPs on metabolic phenotypes was tested in 237 European Americans and 167 African Americans from the Pharmacogenomic Evaluation and Antihypertensive Responses (PEAR) study. Using baseline untreated fasting data, associations were considered significant if p#0.005. These SNPs were then evaluated for potential replication (p#0.05) using data from the Genetic Epidemiology of Responses to Antihypertensives (GERA) studies. Results: SLC2A5 rs5438 was associated with an increase in serum uric acid in European American males. However, we were unable to replicate the association in GERA. The minor allele of SLC2A2 rs8192675 showed an association with lower highdensity lipoproteins in European Americans (A/A: 51.0 mg/dL, A/G: 47.0 mg/dL, G/G: 41.5 mg/dL, p=0.0034) in PEAR. The association between rs8192675 and lower high-density lipoproteins was replicated in the combined European American GERA study samples (A/A: 47.6 mg/dL, A/G: 48.6 mg/dL, G/G: 41.9 mg/dL, p=0.0315). Conclusions: The association between SLC2A2 rs8192675 and high-density lipoproteins suggests the polymorphism may play a role in influencing high-density lipoproteins and thus metabolic risk of cardiovascular disease.
Design and analysis of non-inferiority mortality trials in oncology

The recent revision of the Declaration of Helsinki and the existence of many new therapies that affect survival or serious morbidity, and that therefore cannot be denied patients, have generated increased interest in active-control trials, particularly those intended to show equivalence or non-inferiority to the active-control. A non-inferiority hypothesis has historically been formulated in terms of a fixed margin. This margin was historically designed to exclude a 'clinically meaningful difference', but has become recognized that the margin must also be no larger than the assured effect of the control in the new study. Depending on how this 'assured effect' is determined or estimated, the selected margin may be very small, leading to very large sample sizes, especially when there is an added requirement that a loss of some specified fraction of the assured effect must be ruled out. In cases where it is appropriate, this paper proposes non-inferiority analyses that do not involve a fixed margin, but can be described as a two confidence interval procedure that compares the 95 per cent two-sided CI for the difference between the treatment and the control to a confidence interval for the control effect (based on a meta-analysis of historical data comparing the control to placebo) that is chosen to preserve a study-wide type I error rate of about 0.025 (similar to the usual standard for a superiority trial) for testing for retention of a prespecified fraction of the control effect. The approach assumes that the estimate of the historical active-control effect size is applicable in the current study. If there is reason to believe that this effect size is diminished (for example, improved concomitant therapies) the estimate of this historical effect could be reduced appropriately. The statistical methodology for testing this non-inferiority hypothesis is developed for a hazard ratio (rather than an absolute difference between treatments, because a hazard ratio seems likely to be less population dependent than the absolute difference). In the case of oncology, the hazard ratio is the usual way of comparing treatments with respect to time to event (time to progression or survival) endpoints. The proportional hazards assumption is regarded as reasonable (approximately holding). The testing procedures proposed are conditionally equivalent to two confidence interval procedures that relax the conservatism of two 95 per cent confidence interval testing procedures and preserve the type I error rate at a one-sided 0.025 level. An application of this methodology to Xeloda, a recently approved drug for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancers, is illustrated. Other methodologies are also described and assessed - including a point estimate procedure, a Bayesian procedure and two delta-method confidence interval procedures. Published in 2003 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Young adults' understanding of political issues: a social-ecological analysis.

Socialization is influenced by the social and political ecology of young adults in the United States.
Identification of residues in the ectromelia virus gamma interferon-binding protein involved in expanded species specificity.

Gamma interferon (IFN-γ) production is important in the host response to, and recovery from, infection with Ectromelia virus (ECTV) and Vaccinia virus (VACV). The orthopoxviruses have evolved several mechanisms to subvert the IFN-γ response. IFN-γ-binding protein (IFN-γBP) is a virally encoded homologue of the host IFN-γ receptor that blocks the effects of IFN-γ in the infected host. Unlike the cellular receptors, whose ligand specificity is restricted to their own species, the orthopoxvirus IFN-γBPs bind IFN-γ from several species. The reason for this relaxed specificity has yet to be explained. ECTV, a mouse pathogen, encodes an IFN-γBP that has been shown to inhibit the activity of both human and murine IFN-γ (hIFN-γ and mIFN-γ, respectively). In contrast, the IFN-γBP from VACV is unable to inhibit mIFN-γ, but retains activity against hIFN-γ. To determine which region(s) in the ECTV sequence is responsible for its ability to bind to mIFN-γ with high affinity, a series of chimeric IFN-γBPs, as well as individual point mutants in the ECTV sequence corresponding to the amino acid changes from the VACV sequence, were constructed. The affinities of the chimeric and point mutant IFN-γBPs for mIFN-γ were tested by using surface plasmon resonance and bioassay. By using this strategy, several key residues in the ligand-binding domains of the ECTV sequence have been identified that are responsible for high-affinity binding to mIFN-γ. Substitution of the ECTV residue at these positions in VACV resulted in a dramatic increase in the affinity of the VACV IFN-γBP for mIFN-γ.