cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genome-wide association analysis of metabolic syndrome quantitative traits in the GENNID multiethnic family study

To identify genetic associations of quantitative metabolic syndrome (MetS) traits and characterize heterogeneity across ethnic groups. Data was collected from GENetics of Noninsulin dependent Diabetes Mellitus (GENNID), a multiethnic resource of Type 2 diabetic families and included 1520 subjects in 259 African-American, European-American, Japanese-Americans, and Mexican-American families. We focused on eight MetS traits: weight, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, fasting glucose, and insulin. Using genotyped and imputed data from Illumina’s Multiethnic array, we conducted genome-wide association analyses with linear mixed models for all ethnicities, except for the smaller Japanese-American group, where we used additive genetic models with gene-dropping. Findings included ethnic-specific genetic associations and heterogeneity across ethnicities. Most significant associations were outside our candidate linkage regions and were coincident within a gene or intergenic region, with two exceptions in European-American families: (a) within previously identified linkage region on chromosome 2, two significant GLI2-TFCP2L1 associations with weight, and (b) one chromosome 11 variant near CADM1-LINC00900 with pleiotropic blood pressure effects. This multiethnic family study found genetic heterogeneity and coincident associations (with one case of pleiotropy), highlighting the importance of including diverse populations in genetic research and illustrating the complex genetic architecture underlying MetS.
Toward a Phenomenology of Jihad: Salifist Jihadi Perspectives

The concept of jihad is one of the most often used and misunderstood constructs often found in the discussion of Salafist Jihadi or Islamist violent extremism. Though varieties of interpretations exist, how these definitions are ultimately legitimated is often based upon the specific intent of the reader and the context of this practice. Salafist Jihadi and Islamist views of this concept are often employed as one of the foundational aspects of their interpretation and practice of Islam.
Moments of Intra-Dome Velocity Distribution as Robust Predictors of Rupture Status in Cerebral Aneurysms.

ABSTRACT Background Wall shear stress (WSS), the spatial gradient of flow velocity at luminal surface, has been employed for aneurysmal hemodynamic analysis, but it is sensitive to surface irregularities and noise. We devised a volumetric approach to evaluate the discriminant power of intra-dome flow velocity distribution and modal analysis in rupture status determination compared to previously described WSS analysis. Methods Catheter 3D rotational angiographic matched for volume were segmented in 20 sidewall aneurysms (10 ruptured), computational fluid dynamic simulations performed, and velocity distributions extracted from mesh-independent isometric sampling followed by moment analysis (mean, variance, skewness, and kurtosis). Uni- and multivariate analysis was used to evaluate discriminant performance of velocity moments (VM). Sensitivity of VM and WSS was evaluated to bleb presence and surface irregularity using digital bleb removal and surface noise addition. Results VM of ruptured aneurysms showed higher skewness (2.45±0.57 vs 1.36±0.82, p=0.003) and kurtosis (11.83±4.77 vs 6.05±4.65, p=0.01) with lower mean (0.019±0.01 vs 0.038±0.02, p=0.03) compared to unruptured lesions; in multivariate modeling skewness alone emerged as best predictor AUC=0.88. Bleb removal increased low WSS by 548% and surface noise decreased it by 85.8% while having a smaller ( Conclusion High aneurysm dome flow velocity skewness and kurtosis suggest an exponential distribution in ruptured lesions, with high peaks at low velocities, consistent with areas of slow flow. Unlike WSS-based techniques this approach is robust against surface variations, with promise of improved rupture status discriminant performance that will require further validation in expanded future studies.
Task allocation for spatially and temporally distributed tasks

In multi robot task allocation, a set of tasks has to be allocated to a group of robots while optimizing some measure (for example, fuel or time). In order to find the optimal allocation, an exponential number of possibilities must be explored. In this work, we extend the Consensus Based Bundle Algorithm, to improve its support for tasks with time constraints. The modified algorithm is compared with the original one in order to show how strategic modifications to the algorithm increase the number of tasks successfully completed.
On Games of Cake-Eating

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses games of cake-eating. It focuses on a very simple problem in resource economics: the exploitation of a nonrenewable common-property resource. Game theory studies the resolution of conflicting interests among rational individuals. As long as the players differ ever so slightly in their preferences over the way in which the resources should be allocated, some conflict inherently arises. The static common property problem may appear simplistic: players always grab as much as they can. The dynamic version is less straightforward. A player may deny his rival any future consumption only by exhausting all of the resource in one stroke, but then he must accept the same irreversible, total privation for himself, from now on. The simpler problem is known as cake-eating. It is attractive not only because of its utter simplicity. By happy coincidence, this model is structurally a twin of the Ramsey model, known to most economists. Together this pair forms a natural bridge between the control models that are familiar to us all and the differential games that are probably not. For the cake-eating problem, the literature of resource economics contains two traditions; the state variable may be the level of either resources remaining or resources gone.
An Accurate Standard Mapping Method for Stochastic Layers in Nonlinear Hamiltonian Systems

An accurate standard mapping approach based on the exact period and energy approximations is developed for prediction of the onset of a new resonance in the stochastic layer. This accurate approach applies to the twin-well Duffing oscillator and a parametrically excited pendulum for prediction of the resonant characteristics in stochastic layers as sample problems. From examples, this accurate approach gives a better prediction than the approximate method, compared to numerical results.
'I’m Going to Dinner with Frank': Admissibility of Nontestimonial Statements of Intent to Prove the Actions of Someone Other Than the Speaker – and the Role of the Due Process Clause as to Nontestimonial Hearsay

A woman tells her roommate that she is going out to dinner with Frank that evening. The next morning her battered body is found along a country road outside of town. In Frank’s trial for her murder, is her statement to her roommate admissible to place Frank with her that night? Since the Court’s 2004 Crawford decision, the confrontation clause is inapplicable to nontestimonial hearsay such as this. American jurisdictions are widely divided on the question of admissibility under their rules of evidence, however. Many say absolutely not. A sizeable number unequivocally say yes. A small number say yes, but condition admissibility on the proof of corroborating evidence that Frank met her. Although this third compromise approach has much to recommend it, the author argues that, as presently framed, it violates the rule adopted in the Supreme Court’s 1990 decision in Idaho v. Wright applying the confrontation clause. The author makes several other novel arguments. First, she argues that Wright continues to apply to nontestimonial hearsay, but via the due process clause. Next she suggests that jurisdictions may constitutionally achieve the same result, however, in one of two ways: (1) they could codify the corroboration requirement in their definition of the applicable evidence rule, the state of mind hearsay exception; or (2) through their case law, they could admit the hearsay statement without requiring corroborating evidence, but invoke a corroboration requirement when evaluating the sufficiency of the evidence, for due process reasons, at the close of the case.
Contact Resistance and Schottky Barriers

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Metal-Semiconductor Contacts Contact Resistance Measurement Techniques Schottky Barrier Height Comparison of Methods Strengths and Weaknesses Appendix 3.1 Effect of Parasitic Resistance Appendix 3.2 Alloys for Contacts to Semiconductors References Problems Review Questions
Disease reclassification risk with stringent criteria and frequent monitoring in men with favourable-risk prostate cancer undergoing active surveillance.

Objectives To determine the frequency of disease reclassification and to identify clinicopathological variables associated with it in patients with favourable-risk prostate cancer undergoing active surveillance (AS). Patients and Methods We assessed 191 men, selected by what may be the most stringent criteria used in AS studies yet conducted, who were enrolled in a prospective cohort AS trial. Clinicopathological characteristics were analysed in a multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model. Key features were an extended biopsy with a single core positive for Gleason score (GS) 3 + 3 (<3 mm) or 3 + 4 (<2 mm) and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level <4 ng/mL (adjusted for prostate volume). Biopsies were repeated every 1–2 years and clinical evaluations every 6 months. Disease was reclassified when PSA level increased by 30% from baseline, or when biopsy tumour length increased beyond the enrolment criteria, more than one positive core was detected or any grade increased to a dominant 4 pattern or any 5 pattern. Results Disease was reclassified in 32 patients (16.8%) including upgrading to GS 4 + 3 in five patients (2.6%). The median (interquartile range) follow-up time among survivors was 3 (1.9–4.6) years. Overall, 13 of the 32 (40.6%) had incremental increases in GS. Tumour length (hazard ratio 2.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34–6.46; P = 0.007) and older age (hazard ratio 1.05, 95% CI 1.00–1.09; P = 0.05) were identified as significant and marginally significant predictors of disease reclassification, respectively. Disease remained stable in 83.2% of patients. Conclusion The need persists for improvements in risk stratification and predictive indicators of cancer progression.
Evolution of a matrix metalloproteinase assay to assess inhibitor potency and selectivity

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a class of zinc-containing extracellular proteinases involved in extracellular matrix turnover and remodeling. As such, these enzymes are critical in maintaining the proper biochemical composition and physical characteristics of all tissues, but in particular those tissues whose composition is largely extracellular matrix, such as cartilage. Under normal physiological conditions, constitutive expression of the MMPs is low, as is their catalytic activity which is held in check by naturally occurring inhibitors termed TIMPs (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases). However, under pathologic conditions such as rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, MMP expression in cartilage is disregulated. MMP levels are high with enzymic activity exceeding the level of the natural inhibitors. This condition leads to a loss of proteoglycan and collagen from articular cartilage culminating in the ultimate destruction which characterizes the pathology of arthritic diseases. Based upon this scena...
Excretion of L-Dopa and Its Metabolites in Urine of Parkinson's Disease Patients Receiving L-Dopa Therapy

L-Dopa and its major metabolites were separated from daily 24-h urines from patients with Parkinson’s disease, who were being treated with increasing doses of the drug, up to 4 g per day. An aliquot of each sample was passed through three different ion-exchange columns. Catecholamines (dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, metanephrine, and normetanephrine) were retained on a cation-exchange column, eluted with boric acid, and quantitated by fluorometric analysis. Catechol acids, present in the effluent of the cation-exchange column, were retained on an anion-exchange column. An aliquot of the eluate of the anion-exchange column was used for colorimetric determination of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, while the effluent from this column was used for colorimetric determination of dopa. A second aliquot of the eluate from this column was passed over a column of alumina, which retained all the acidic metabolites except homovanillic acid, which was measured fluorometrically in the effluent from the alumina column. Vanilmandelic acid was determined in another aliquot of each urine sample by use of paper electrophoresis. The excretion pattern elicited suggests a major metabolic pathway for the L-dopa administered to patients with Parkinson's disease.
Is African interest-rate volatility susceptible to international spillovers?

In recent years, sub-Saharan Africa has begun to enjoy sustained growth. But continued financial integration might expose these economies to financial contagion. This study models monthly interest-rate volatility for six African nations, from 1992 to 2011, using Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) methods. We then examine spillovers both from the West and within the region using multivariate methods. We find that a standard GARCH or GARCH-in-Mean model performs as well as asymmetric alternatives, but that there is little evidence of international transmission outside of Southern Africa. This suggests that these countries still have a long way to go before they achieve true financial integration with the West.
URINARY HYDROXYPROLINE EXCRETION IN MALABSORPTION STATES.

Summary The urinary excretion of hydroxyproline was found to be increased in patients with adult celiac disease and other malabsorption states. Improvement of the malabsorption was found to be associated with a return toward normal of the hydroxyproline excretion. The increased hydroxyproline excretion is believed to reflect an increased turnover of collagen and may be related to the osteomalacia which accompanies malabsorption states. While there was not a direct correlation between serum alkaline phosphatase levels and urinary hydroxyproline, all patients with elevated alkaline phosphatase levels in the serum had an increased urinary excretion of hydroxyproline.
Materials Quality and Process Control in Integrated Circuits Manufacture

Effective control of semiconductor IC processes should preferably be non-destructive and in-situ, and permit rapid information feedback, correlating process results with materials quality and device design. This tutorial review paper first summarizes the recent advances in understanding of silicon microdefect formation and annihilation. Then, quantitative techniques for controlling materials quality, device processing, and device parameters are selected. Finally, computerized process sensitivity analysis, based on physically meaningful process and device models, is outlined as a method for identifying those process steps which require special attention for effective control. Theoretical considerations are illustrated by examples from I2L and MOS technologies.
Comparison of objective measurement of anal sphincter strength with anal sphincter pressures and levator ani function.

The fidelity with which anal sphincter intraluminal pressure can assess the strength of that sphincter cannot be determined without a suitable objective measurement of sphincter strength. This study details such a measurement and compares it with sphincter pressure. Sphincter strength was defined as the force in grams required to pull a 3/4-inch diameter firm rubber ball from the rectum, through the sphincter, to the outside. Comparison of this value with simultaneously obtained sphincter pressure showed an excellent correlation (r = 0.955, P
Component level yield/cost model for predicting VLSI manufacturability on designs using mixed technologies, circuitry, and redundancy

A yield model has been developed and validated for use in optimizing VLSI floorplanning in next generation products. The model successfully predicts yields and costs on a variety of products in CMOS, bipolar and BiCMOS process flows from low cost DIPs and QFPs to more complex PGAs and flip chip package solutions. This paper will discuss how the model was developed for use in evaluating the viability of next generation VLSI solutions. The model takes into affect variables such as layout sensitivity, circuit redundancy, and learning curves in wafer, assembly, and test processing in determining the total manufacturing cost. >
Some insights into the emergence of agent-based modelling

Agent-based modeling (ABM) has become a popular simulation analysis tool and has been used to examine systems from myriad domains. This article re-examines some of the scientific developments in computers, complexity, and systems thinking that helped lead to the emergence of ABM by shedding new light onto some old theories and connecting them to several key ABM principles of today. As it is often the case, examining history can lead to insightful views about the past, present, and the future. Thus, themes from cellular automata and complexity, cybernetics and chaos, and complex adaptive systems are examined and placed in historical context to better establish the application, capabilities, understanding, and future of ABM.
Safeguard against DNA sensing: the role of TREX1 in HIV-1 infection and autoimmune diseases

Innate immune recognition is crucial for host responses against viral infections, including infection by human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1). Human cells detect such invading pathogens with a collection of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that activate the production of antiviral proteins, such as the cytokine interferon-type I, to initiate antiviral responses immediately as well as the adaptive immune response for long-term protection. To establish infection in the host, many viruses have thus evolved strategies for subversion of these mechanisms of innate immunity. For example, acute infection by HIV-1 and other retroviruses have long been thought to be non-immunogenic, signifying suppression of host defenses by these pathogens. Studies in the past few years have begun to uncover a multifaceted scheme of how HIV-1 evades innate immune detection, especially of its DNA, by exploiting host proteins. This review will discuss the host mechanisms of HIV-1 DNA sensing and viral immune evasion, with a particular focus on TREX1, a host 3’ to 5’ exodeoxyribonuclease (also known as DNase III).
On the endangered species list: palliative care junior faculty.

“Hey, shouldn’t you be out there saving lives”? My friend Charlie (software engineer, Silicon Valley whiz-kid) set down his latte on my table at the coffee shop and sat down. “Wrong field! I told you that she is in palliative care, remember” answered Lisa (an interventional cardiology fellow) in an exaggerated stage whisper sitting down next to me. I grinned at my friends through the fog of the steaming coffee, unmindful of their comments. “Palltive? . . . Pallytive care”? Charlie said. “Sounds more like a tongue twister than like a new specialty in medicine. What is it about?” I instantly launched into my well-rehearsed zealous spiel on human suffering, quality of life, and holistic care for about 2 minutes without taking a breath when Charlie interrupted. “Sounds to me like a fancy name for a ‘Degree in Hand Holding’ to me. Why are you doing this? Is it the money?” “Doubt it,” Lisa answered for me, but her bafflement coming thru clearly. “In fact it is a difficult specialty you know . . . pretty depressing . . . caring for seriously ill patients all the time. Many of her patients die very fast” “That may be a side effect of VJ and not the field” grinned Charlie. “Are you in it because it is a new field?” asked Lisa, now genuinely curious. “No. Actually, I love to care for vulnerable and disenfranchised patients. It is wonderful and meaningful work. I can make a great positive impact on humanity by alleviating the suffering of patients with serious illnesses” I gave it another shot, hoping to get them to see what was pretty obvious to me. “Still sounds to me like a dead end—no pun intended” Charlie was chuckling when I thankfully got paged and quickly got up to answer it. It suddenly dawned on me that they were never going to “get it.” I was now on a journey that many of my friends just could not comprehend and I began to feel intensely lonely right there in the middle of that crowded coffee shop.
Stabilization of Native and Non-native Structures by Salt Bridges in a Lattice Model of the GCN4 Leucine Dimer

We use computer simulations to investigate the influence of salt bridges on the dimerization of the GCN4 leucine zipper. Use of a lattice model allows the dimerization process to be followed for ti...
Characteristics of women who seek emergency contraception and family planning services.

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the demographic characteristics and sexual risk behaviors of women who seek emergency contraception (EC) and general family planning (FP) services. Study Design This cross-sectional study included 227 women aged 17-43 years who were being evaluated for either EC or FP in an outpatient setting from 2003-2004. Descriptive statistics and odds ratios were included. Results The EC group, compared with the FP group, had higher proportions of women with education beyond high school (62% vs 52%; P = .02), and not married (79% vs 42%; P Conclusion The development of EC education programs for women is important for increasing awareness for diverse groups of women and their healthcare providers.
Interlaboratory comparison of serum thyroxine analyses

Approximately 300 clinical chemistry laboratories participated in a survey of measurements of the thyroxine (T4) concentration in 13 lyophilized serum specimens prepared by spiking a base serum pool with several different levels of T4. Of 35 commercially available kit methods, 4 kits were used by 30 or more laboratories, and 9 by 10 or more laboratories. Values obtained with the Abbott or Nuclear Medical laboratories, kits, which were used by one-third of all laboratories that named a specific kit, averaged 1 to 2 micrograms/dL greater than those obtained with the other methods. Within-run coefficients of variation were 10 to 20% for specimens containing less than 3 micrograms/dL of T4 and 3 to 6% for specimens with more elevated T4 levels.
Marketing hedonics: Toward a psychoanalysis of advertising response

The author advances a psychoanalytic theory of advertising response to theorize the intersection of brand positioning, the semiotics of gender, and consumer desire in advertising discourse. Researchers traditionally focus on the iconic representation of desire in advertising imagery. However, by drawing upon Lacan's theory of scopophelia, the author focuses on the dialectical implication of the spectator/consumer's psychic drives in the visual semiotics of advertising discourse. The consumer identifies with the brand discourse primarily by means of projective identification with the voyeuristic gaze of the camera referenced in the image, and only secondarily because of perceived parallels between consumer lifestyle and the content of the advertisement. By way of illustration, the author analyzes the positioning of consumer desire in homoerotic advertising for Calvin Klein and Dolce & Gabbana, which draws upon resistance discourses in contemporary art to hold the consumer in a passion play of alternative s...
SOME PLECOPTERA FROM THE FAR NORTH

Through the kindness of Drs. J. McDunnough and O. Peck of the Division of Entomology, Ottawa, the writer recently had the opportunity of examining the Plecoptera of the Canadian National Collection which were taken in the more northern parts of Canada, Alaska and Labrador. An additional number have been examined from the United States National Museum, by courtesy of Dr. E. A. Chapin.
Time-dependent heterointerfacial band bending and quasi-two-dimensional excitonic transport in GaAs structures

Using a time-resolved photoluminescence imaging technique with high spectral, temporal, and spatial resolution, we have directly measured the time- and carrier-density-dependent heterointerfacial band bending in GaAs/Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1{minus}x}As structures, and its influence on quasi-two-dimensional exciton transport. We find the spatially nonuniform band bending induced by laser excitation decays to its static, uniform band bending in {approximately}20thinspns. Further, we find that the observed transport is initially {open_quotes}driven{close_quotes} by a force originating from the spatially nonuniform band bending arising from photoexcited carrier screening of the built-in heterointerface field and is of very high mobility. This transport becomes diffusive asymptotically in time. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Phase-matching characteristics of periodically poled KTP

The phasematching characteristics of bulk periodically-poled KTP (potassium titanyl phosphate), fabricated by electric-field poling, are measured for first-order quasi- phasematched second-harmonic generation and compared to theory.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Establishment and generalization of aversion effects to alcoholic beverages in rats.

Abstract Two experiments investigated whether the establishment of aversion to alcoholic beverages resulted from aversion conditioning to the taste/flavor characteristics of ethanol or to the specific characteristics of particular beverage(s) (i.e. ethanol + congeners). In Experiment 1 rats ( n = 72) received a pairing of whiskey, bourbon, rum or ethanol, each at a 5% ethanol concentration, with an injection of 0.15 M LiCl. Relative to toxin and to beverage control groups, aversion effects to whiskey and bourbon were greater than those to ethanol, aversion effects to rum being intermediate. In Experiment 2 rats ( n = 162) received whiskey, rum or ethanol paired with an LiCl injection and were tested for aversion to the conditioning beverage and to each of the other beverages. Relative to controls, aversion effects were generally greater to the conditioning beverage than to the generalization test beverages. Generalization depended upon which alcoholic beverage was the conditioning beverage and which, the generalization test beverage. Specifically, conditioning to whiskey yielded a reliable generalization gradient: greater aversion effects to whiskey, than to rum, than to ethanol. Conditioning to rum yielded similar aversion effects to whiskey and ethanol. Conditioning to ethanol produced comparable aversion to ethanol and whiskey and reliably less to rum.
Growth responses and ruminal adaptation of lambs fed crustacean processing wastes

Abstract Eighteen Native Louisiana breed (average initial body weight 24 kg) lambs (13 males, five females) were used in two experiments to determine the feeding value of crustacean processing wastes (CW) using either ground dehydrated CW (mixed crayfish and crab; DCW) or fresh, partially comminuted crayfish waste (FCW). In Experiment 1, lambs were fed corn-cottonseed hull based diets (13.5% protein) with either soya-bean meal (CON) or DCW (15% of the diet) as protein sources. The 60 day experiment consisted of a 30 day growth phase immediately preceded and followed by nitrogen (N) metabolism phases (males only). During the second N metabolism phase, a third treatment was included which consisted of lambs (males) completely unadapted to DCW. Ruminal fluid samples (50 ml) were collected at 14 day intervals throughout the 60 day experiment and the in vitro chitin degrading capacity (IVCDC) of the ruminal fluid was determined in 72 h incubations with pure crab chitin. Daily dry matter (DM) intake and body weight gain during the growth phase were similar ( P > 0.05) for lambs fed CON or DCW (1.26 kg vs. 1.44 kg and 263 g vs. 206 g, respectively). Lambs fed DCW had lower ( P P 3 -N measured 4 h after feeding increased dramatically when compared with pre-feeding concentrations in lambs adapted to DCW. In contrast, ruminal NH 3 -N concentrations in lambs not adapted to DCW or fed CON were not altered by feeding (time × treatment interaction, P P = 0.13) was observed for plasma urea-N (PUN). Although N balance parameters were not affected ( P > 0.05) by treatment in Experiment 1, blood and ruminal metabolite data suggested that ruminal adaptation may be required to elicit maximum degradation of DCW protein. In Experiment 2, 11 male lambs from Experiment 1 were in a 20 day N metabolism trial. Diets were formulated as described for Experiment 1 with CON or FCW (15% of the diet) as treatments. Only those lambs that had previously received DCW were fed FCW. Apparent N digestion and N retention were greater ( P P
Global Variation in Total Ozone and Layer-Mean Ozone: An Update Through 1981

Abstract Total-ozone variations have been updated through 1981 for four regions in north temperate latitudes, the five climatic zones, both hemispheres, and the world. Also updated through 1981 are ozone values in height layers 32–48 km, 24–32 km, 16–24 km, 8–16 km and 2–8 km, based on Umkehr and ozonesonde observations mainly in north temperate latitudes. The data are presented in terms of year-average values and smoothed seasonal values. On the basis of linear regression applied to year-average values, between 1970 and 1981 the change in total ozone was −0.5% in north temperate latitudes, −1.2% in the Northern Hemisphere, and −0.4% for the world, none significant at the 5% level. Between 1958 and 1981 the respective values were 1.3%, 1.0% and 0.6%, none significant. We find little evidence of a decrease in total ozone following the large nuclear explosions in 1961 and 1962. In the 32–48 km layer sensitive to anthropogenic effects, Umkehr observations suggest an ozone decrease in north temperate latitude...
Stress in femtosecond-laser-written waveguides in fused silica.

We identify two states of stress induced in waveguides fabricated by femtosecond lasers in fused silica and show how they can be relieved by annealing. In-plane stress and stress concentration are revealed through birefringence and loss measurements. Another kind of laser-induced stress appears in the form of swelling of the glass surface when waveguides are written near the surface and is a manifestation of confined rapid material quenching. By annealing the sample we reduce the losses by ∼30% (at 633 nm) and decrease the birefringence by a factor of 4 in fused silica.
SIMILARITY SHAPES OF AN INCLINED, PARTIALLY FILLED MEMBRANE CONTAINER

A long partially filled membrane container rests on an incline. The governing nonlinear equations are solved numerically. Similarity solutions that lead to universal shapes are found. The relationships among inclination, volume, and tension are illustrated.
Development of sensitivity to static pictorial depth information

Sensitivity to the pictorial depth cues of shading, linear perspective, and position on the picture plane were investigated with children from 3 to 7 years of age as well as with adults. Using a discriminative learning method, all Ss were found to be sensitive to shading information for depth when the display was oriented vertically, but not when it was oriented horizontally. In addition, binocular view did not decrease sensitivity relative to monocular view. Linear perspective was found to be effective in controlling 3-year-olds’ size discriminations of equal-area figures, while position on the picture plane was ineffective in the absence of other information for depth.
C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate discordance: frequency and causes in adults

C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are widely used tests of inflammation that sometimes show opposite results. We performed a retrospective cohort study to clarify the frequency and causes of CRP/ESR discordance in adults. Between January and December of 2011, the laboratories of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital performed 2150 paired CRP/ESR measurements in 1753 patients, 1731 of whom were nonpregnant adults aged ≥ 18 years. Initial CRP and ESR results for each patient were divided into quartiles. CRP/ESR discordance, predefined as results differing by 2 or 3 quartiles, occurred in 212 patients (12%), 105 of whom had high CRP/low ESR discordance (6%) and 107 of whom had high ESR/low CRP discordance (6%). The 212 patients in the CRP/ESR-discordant group (128 women and 84 men) were subdivided into 1 of 6 diagnostic categories, and the causes of discordances were compared. The high CRP/low ESR-discordant group had more patients with infections than the high ESR/low CRP-discordant group (P = 0.001), particularly infections in the urinary tract (P = 0.03), gastrointestinal tract (P = 0.001), lungs (P = 0.005), and bloodstream (P = 0.03). However, they had fewer bone and joint infections than the high ESR/low CRP-discordant group (P = 0.001). Connective tissue diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, were less common in the high CRP/low ESR-discordant group than in the high ESR/low CRP-discordant group (P = 0.001). Ischemic strokes or transient ischemic attacks almost invariably occurred in the high ESR/low CRP-discordant group (P = 0.001), whereas myocardial infarction or venous thromboembolism was limited to the high CRP/low ESR-discordant group (P = 0.001). Our findings provide information to physicians who order these 2 tests together and receive discordant results, which occurs in approximately 1 in 8 patients.
Mood-Incongruent Psychotic Affective Illness: A Historical and Empirical Review

• The last 80 years has seen considerable controversy about the classification of patients with mood-incongruent psychotic affective illness (MICPAI). Four viewpoints can be articulated: (1) MICPAI is indistinguishable from typical forms of affective illness; (2) MICPAI is a distinct subtype of affective illness; (3) MICPAI is a form of schizoaffective illness; and (4) MICPAI is a form of schizophrenia. Using the concept of diagnostic validators, I reviewed the empirical evidence for the validity of these four viewpoints. The available evidence argues relatively strongly against the first and fourth viewpoints and rather less strongly against the third. Data from diagnostic validators tend to support the second viewpoint, which is that taken by the framers of DSMIII and DSM-III-R .
Leukemia/lymphoma-related factor, a POZ domain-containing transcriptional repressor, interacts with histone deacetylase-1 and inhibits cartilage oligomeric matrix protein gene expression and chondrogenesis.

Mutations in the human cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) gene have been linked to the development of pseudoachondroplasia and multiple epiphyseal dysplasia. We previously cloned the promoter region of the COMP gene and delineated a minimal negative regulatory element (NRE) that is both necessary and sufficient to repress its promoter (Issack, P. S., Fang, C. H., Leslie, M. P., and Di Cesare, P. E. (2000) J. Orthop. Res. 18, 345–350; Issack, P. S., Liu, C. J., Prazak, L., and Di Cesare, P. E. (2004) J. Orthop. Res. 22, 751–758). In this study, a yeast one-hybrid screen for proteins that associate with the NRE led to the identification of the leukemia/lymphoma-related factor (LRF), a transcriptional repressor that contains a POZ (poxvirus zinc finger) domain, as an NRE-binding protein. LRF bound directly to the NRE both in vitro and in living cells. Nine nucleotides (GAGGGTCCC) in the 30-bp NRE are essential for binding to LRF. LRF showed dose-dependent inhibition of COMP-specific reporter gene activity, and exogenous overexpression of LRF repressed COMP gene expression in both rat chondrosarcoma cells and bone morphogenetic protein-2-treated C3H10T1/2 progenitor cells. In addition, LRF also inhibited bone morphogenetic protein-2-induced chondrogenesis in high density micromass cultures of C3H10T1/2 cells, as evidenced by lack of expression of other chondrocytic markers, such as aggrecan and collagen types II, IX, X, and XI, and by Alcian blue staining. LRF associated with histone deacetylase-1 (HDAC1), and experiments utilizing the HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A revealed that LRF-mediated repression requires deacetylase activity. LRF is the first transcription factor found to bind directly to the COMP gene promoter, to recruit HDAC1, and to regulate both COMP gene expression and chondrogenic differentiation.
High-speed machining of titanium alloys using the driven rotary tool

Abstract Machining of titanium at high cutting speeds such as from 4 m/s to 8 m/s is very challenging. In this paper, a new generation of driven rotary lathe tool was developed for high-speed machining of a titanium alloy, Ti–6Al–4V. The rotary tool was designed and fabricated based on the requirements of compact structure, sufficient stiffness and minimal edge runout. Cylindrical turning experiments were conducted using the driven rotary tool (DRT) and a stationary cutting tool with the same insert, for comparison in the high-speed machining of Ti–6Al–4V. The results showed that the DRT can significantly increase tool life. Increase in tool life of more than 60 times was achieved under certain conditions. The effects of the rotational speed of the insert were also investigated experimentally. Cutting forces were found to decline slightly with increase of the rotational speed. Tool wear appears to increase with the rotational speed in a certain speed range.
Neoplastic transformation in vitro induced by low doses of 232 MeV protons.

The aim was to define the dose – response curve for high-energy proton-induced neoplastic transformation in vitro. The HeLa × skin fibroblast human hybrid cell assay was used to determine the frequency of neoplastic transformation following doses of 232 MeV protons (mean linear energy transfer, LET = 0.44 keV μm – 1) in the range 5 – 600 mGy. Proton irradiations were carried out at the Loma Linda University Proton Treatment Facility, CA, USA. The data indicate no evidence for induction of transformation below a dose of 100 mGy. At doses of 5 and 50 mGy, there is evidence for a possible suppression of transformation frequencies below that for spontaneous transformation. The shape of the dose – response curve for high-energy proton-induced transformation of the human hybrid cell line CGL1 does not follow a linear no-threshold model and shows evidence for a threshold as well as for possible suppression of transformation at doses < 100 mGy, similar to that seen for other low-LET radiations.
A Combined Experimental−Computational Investigation of Carbon Dioxide Capture in a Series of Isoreticular Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks

A series of five zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) have been synthesized using zinc(II) acetate and five different 4,5-functionalized imidazole units, namely ZIF-25, -71, -93, -96, and -97. These 3-D porous frameworks have the same underlying topology (RHO) with Brunauer−Emmet−Teller surface areas ranging from 564 to 1110 m2/g. The only variation in structure arises from the functional groups that are directed into the pores of these materials, which include −CH3, −OH, −Cl, −CN, −CHO, and −NH2; therefore these 3-D frameworks are ideal for the study of the effect of functionality on CO2 uptake. Experimental results show CO2 uptake at approximately 800 Torr and 298 K ranging from 0.65 mmol g−1 in ZIF-71 to 2.18 mmol g−1 in ZIF-96. Molecular modeling calculations reproduce the pronounced dependence of the equilibrium adsorption on functionalization and suggest that polarizability and symmetry of the functionalization on the imidazolate are key factors leading to high CO2 uptake.
Synthesis and characterization of P-doped amorphous and nanocrystalline Si

Abstract Intentional impurity doping lies at the heart of the silicon technology. The dopants provide electrons or holes as necessary carriers of the electron current and can significantly modify the electric, optical and magnetic properties of the semiconductors. P-doped amorphous Si ( a -Si) was prepared by a solid state and solution metathesis reaction of a P-doped Zintl phase precursor, NaSi 0.99 P 0.01 , with an excess of NH 4 X (X = Br, I). After the salt byproduct was removed from the solid state reaction, the a -Si material was annealed at 600 °C under vacuum for 2 h, resulting in P-doped nanocrystalline Si ( nc -Si) material embedded in a -Si matrix. The product from the solution reaction also shows a combination of nc -Si embedded in a -Si; however, it was fully converted to nc -Si after annealing under argon at 650 °C for 30 min. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) show the amorphous nature of the P-doped Si material before the annealing and the nanocrystallinity after the annealing. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy shows that the P-doped Si material surface is partially capped by H and O or with solvent. Electron microprobe wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS) as well as energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirm the presence of P in the Si material. 29 Si and 31 P solid state magic-angle-spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) spectroscopy data provide the evidence of P doping into the Si structure with the P concentration of approximately 0.07 at.%.
Follicular reorganization and 131-I utilization by cultured rat thyroid cells implanted into thyroidectomized rats.

Rat thyroid gland cells were isolated by a trypsinization procedure and cultured for 3 days either in Gelfoam pads in a medium with no TSH or as monolayers in a medium containing 0.17 U of bovine TSH per ml. The cells cultured by the first method were implanted into rats 52-217 days after they had been thyroidectomized by surgical removal of the gland at 20-25 days of age followed by an 131I injection. The cells cultured by the second method were implanted into rats 19 and 20 days after they had been thyroidectomized by an 131I injection on the day of birth. In both cases the implanted cells reorganized into aggregations of follicles containing colloid in their lumens. Autoradiographs of sections of these reformed follicles revealed the presence of protein-bound 131I in the colloid. The implants in both groups of animals utilized radioiodine and formed labeled MIT, DIT, T4 and T3. Iodine metabolism of the implants in the second group of animals was similar to that observed in intact thyroid glands of norm...
Optimal control of optical pulse propagation in a medium of three-level systems

We develop an optimal control technique (OCT) in order to design a secondary optical pulse that can control the propagation of an arbitrary primary optical pulse in a medium consisting of three-level systems. The output primary pulse shape can be manipulated by designing the shape of the secondary pulse. The OCT is shown to be better than the earlier proposed pulse schemes for protecting the magnitude and shape of the primary pulse from reshaping by the medium.
A Cross-Cultural, Cross-Linguistic Comparison of Language Abilities of 7- to 8- and 12- to 13-Year-Old Children with Learning Disabilities

This study compared relative strengths and weaknesses in the language abilities of German and American learning disabled and academically achieving children. To assess language abilities, the 11 major diagnostic subtests of the Clinical Evaluation of Language Functions (CELF) were administered in the English version or in an idiomatic German translation. Subjects were (a) 15 German and 15 American 7- to 8-year-old children with learning disabilities and 15 academically achieving German and American age-level controls and (b) 15 German and 15 American 12- to 13-year-old children with learning disabilities and 15 academically achieving German and American age-level controls. German and American children with learning disabilities performed significantly poorer than their age-level controls on semantic, syntactic, auditory memory, and word retrieval tasks. The majority of the language tasks also differentiated the two age levels (7- to 8- and 12- to 13-year olds). On all but one of the tasks, German and Amer...
Concerning primary ice nuclei concentrations and water supersaturations in the atmosphere

Abstract Numerical cloud model simulations were performed to study the conditions under which high water supersaturations can be produced and sustained in clouds. The focus of this work is the effect of such high supersaturations on the activation of natural ice nuclei. Our simulations showed that high ice crystal concentrations can be produced in some clouds, but only for very special circumstances which lead to the formation of an efficient coalescence process. The validity of these simulations depends on accurate and representative measurements of cloud and aerosol properties, in particular: the CCN spectrum, updraft and ice nuclei dependence on temperature and supersaturation. In some of these simulations, the response characteristics of CCN and ice nuclei were extrapolated well outside the normal range of measurements, and these extrapolations raise questions about empirical equations which represent nucleation measurements.
Analyzing Loads from Ice Shedding Conductors for UHV Transmission Towers in Heavy Icing Areas

AbstractIn this paper, a finite element analysis (FEA) model of seven span continuous conductors and insulators for an ultra high voltage (UHV) transmission line in a heavy icing area was established for ice shedding analysis. The parameters considered in the ice shedding simulation analysis include damping ratio, ice shedding ratio, ice shedding modes, and ice thickness. The dynamic responses including jumping heights, unbalanced tensions, and vertical loads at the end of the insulator were obtained. The effects of each of the parameters on the dynamic responses were discussed. The design values for unbalanced tensions and vertical loads were proposed for the UHV suspension tower in a heavy icing area based on the analyses results. The dynamic magnification factors of the vertical load should be between 1.06 and 1.11. For the suspension tower in 20 and 30 mm icing areas, the uplift load percentage is proposed to be 10%. For the suspension towers in 40 and 50 mm icing areas, the uplift load percentage is ...