cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Afferent and efferent projections of the region in mouse SmL cortex which contains the posteromedial barrel subfield.

Experiments using anterograde and retrograde tracing techniques have been used to identify projections to and from the region of mouse SmI cortex which contains the posteromedial barrel subfield (PMBSF, Woolsey and Van der Loos, '70). Microinjections containing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and tritiated amino acids were placed unilaterally into the topographic center of the PMBSF. Brains were perfuse-fixed and frozen sectioned. All sections were reacted for HRP and alternate sections were autoradiographed. Examination of sections cut tangential to the pial surface in the region of the injection site showed that diffusion of the injection was limited to cortex above and below the PMBSF in layer IV (i.e., PMBSF cortex). A “column” of HRP reaction product and developed silver grains was present in ipsilateral cortical area 40, in the face area of SmII. HRP positive cell bodies were mainly in layer III and VI of this “column.” A similar “column” was present in ipsilateral cortical area 6, in a region which in the rat corresponds to the vibrissal area of MsI (Hall and Lindholm, '74), but here HRF positive cells bodies were situated mainly in layer V. HRP labeled cells bodies were also present in layer V of ipsilateral cortical area 29c. The ipsilateral nucleus ventralis thalami pars lateralis and the nucleus posterior thalami contained many HRP positive cell bodies and were associated with dense aggregations of developed silver grains. Numerous silver grains were also present over portions of the ipsilateral caudate, reticular nucleus of the thalamus and ventral pontine nuclei, but no HRP positive cell bodies occurred in these regions. HRP-filled axons left the injection site and traveled via the corpus callosum to contralateral PMBSF cortex where HRF labeled cell bodies were present mainly in layers III and V. Usually only one or two labeled somata were located superficial or deep to a contralateral PMBSF barrel. A few HRF positive cell bodies were also present in layers II and III of contralateral pyriform cortex. These results indicate that PMBSF cortex is reciprocally connected with ipsilateral cortical areas 6 and 40 and with the ipsilateral ventral and posterior nuclei of the thalamus. A small, homotopic callosal connection with contralateral PMBSF cortex has been demonstrated, and it is presumed that this projection is also reciprocal. PMBSF cortex projects to, but receives no projections from the ipsilateral caudate, reticular nucleus of the thalamus and the ventral pontine nuclei. Thus, many of the same projections of primary somatosensory cortex in higher animals, such as the monkey have been shown to occur in the mouse.
Effects of orienting tasks and instructions about associative structure on free recall and clustering

Six groups of subjects, in a 2 by 3 design, performed orienting tasks during the presentation of a randomized list of nonadjacent associative pairs. Groups performed one of three tasks: rhyming, pleasantness rating, or “taking dictation” (control). On the other dimension, groups were told about the associative structure and its potential facilitation of recall at one of two times: before hearing the list, or after hearing it. All subjects were forewarned of the recall test. Amount of recall and associative clustering were significantly lower for the rhyming groups than for either the pleasantness rating groups or the control groups. No difference was obtained as a function of when groups were told about the associative structure. The nature of the orienting task appears to be far more important than intention to recall and knowledge about the list structure.
Analysis of a lumped model for tissue inflammation dynamics

The inflammatory response to bacterial invasion of tissue is a complex combination of chemical and physical events, and the outcome of a particular challenge is dependent upon the interaction of these. Thus a wide variety of behavior can be observed for the operation of this response. In this paper we develop and analyze a mathematical model for a generalized inflammatory response to bacterial invasion of a tissue region assumed to be homogeneous on a macroscopic scale, in order to study the dynamical behavior of the system. Our analysis allows interpretation of the outcome of a challenge in terms of key parameters representing the rate processes involved. It demonstrates how abnormalities in these processes can lead to pathological behavior. Numerical values for the parameters are estimated from experimental literature sources, and used in example computations to illustrate the predictions of the model under physiological conditions.
Speciation and demographic history of the Cortez bonefish, Albula sp. A (Albuliformes: Albulidae), in the Gulf of California inferred from mitochondrial DNA

Nucleotide sequence data from a segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene were used to infer demographic history and examine conditions that may have led to speciation in the Cortez bonefish (Albula sp. A) in the Gulf of California, Mexico, a currently undescribed species of bonefish in the Albula vulpes complex. Analysis of molecular variance in 39 individuals collected from three localities along the eastern gulf coast, over c. 850 km, revealed a lack of population structure among localities (overall ΦST=−0·015), with 100% of the genetic variation distributed within populations. Analysis of combined sequences from these individuals using neutrality tests and the mismatch distribution provided evidence of a population expansion dating to the Pleistocene. The population expansion was supported by maximum likelihood estimates of changes in long-term female effective population size (Nef). A molecular clock estimate of divergence, provisionally calibrated for the Cyt b gene in Albula, indicates that Albula sp. A and its sister species in the eastern Pacific, Albula esuncula, diverged from a common ancestor c. 5·0–8·8 million years ago. This date is about the time the Baja California peninsula separated from mainland Mexico during the formation of the Gulf of California. Oceanographic and ecological changes associated with the opening of the gulf likely provided conditions favourable for adaptive radiation and reproductive isolation, ultimately resulting in the allopatric formation of two separate lineages. The co-occurrence of Albula sp. A and A. esuncula found today in the coastal Pacific waters of northern Mexico is most probably the result of secondary contact after speciation.
2D nearly orthogonal mesh generation

The Ryskin and Leal (RL) system is the most widely used mesh generation system for the orthogonal mapping. However, when this system is used in domains with complex geometry, particularly in those with sharp corners and strong curvatures, serious distortion or overlapping of mesh lines may occur and an acceptable solution may not be possible. In the present study, two methods are proposed to generate nearly orthogonal meshes with the smoothness control. In the first method, the original RL system is modified by introducing smoothness control functions, which are formulated through the blending of the conformal mapping and the orthogonal mapping; while in the second method, the RL system is modified by introducing the contribution factors. A hybrid system of both methods is also developed. The proposed methods are illustrated by several test examples. Applications of these methods in a natural river channel are demonstrated. It is shown that the modified RL systems are capable of producing meshes with an adequate balance between the orthogonality and the smoothness for complex computational domains without mesh distortions and overlapping. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Examining Quantity and Quality Effects of Restricting Nitrogen Applications to Feedgrains

Restricting the timing and level of nitrogen applications has been proposed as a response to nitrate contamination in Nebraska. Agronomic research indicates that reducing available nitrogen reduces both the yield (quantity) and protein content (quality) of feedgrains. A differential system is developed to estimate the social costs of regulation while simultaneously considering both quantity and quality effects of a tax and/or a rationing policy. The results indicate that ignoring the quality effects of a proposed policy can lead to erroneous estimates of changes in factor use, output responses, and the social costs of regulation.
Solid state photomultipliers for biomedical imaging applications

Photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) are often used in scanning imaging systems requiring high sensitivity, due to their low noise and high gain. Solid-state photomultipliers (SSPMs), an array of independent Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes, each with an integrated quenching resistor, have shown potential to outperform PMTs in terms of signal to noise ratio (SNR) because of higher achievable photon detection efficiency and lower excessive noise factor. Here, the factors affecting SNR of commercially available PMTs and SSPMs will be compared under different wavelengths (simulating dye emissions: 500-700 nm) in order to quantify the potential performance gain when PMTs are replaced by SSPMs.
Further evidence that some plants can lose and regain hydraulic function daily.

In their article in this issue, Trifilo et al. (2015) add more information to a long-running debate in the field of plant hydraulics. They observed recovery in the percent loss of hydraulic conductivity (PLC) from midday to early morning in stems from five of the nine species they examined, which is somewhat controversial. The debate and controversy center on the frequency with which xylem conduits experience embolisms, which are air bubbles in vessels or tracheids. These embolisms render the con
Characterization of the structure and reactivity of monocopper–oxygen complexes supported by β‐diketiminate and anilido‐imine ligands

Copper–oxygen complexes supported by β-diketiminate and anilido-imine ligands have recently been reported (Aboelella et al., J Am Chem Soc 2004, 126, 16896; Reynolds et al., Inorg Chem 2005, 44, 6989) as potential biomimetic models for dopamine β-monooxygenase (DβM) and peptidylglycine α-hydroxylating monooxygenase (PHM). However, in contrast to the enzymatic systems, these complexes fail to exhibit CH hydroxylation activity (Reynolds et al., Chem Commun 2005, 2014). Quantum chemical characterization of the 1:1 Cu-O2 model adducts and related species (Cu(III)-hydroperoxide, Cu(III)-oxo, and Cu(III)-hydroxide) indicates that the 1:1 Cu-O2 adducts are unreactive toward substrates because of the weakness of the OH bond that would be formed upon hydrogen-atom abstraction. This in turn is ascribed to the 1:1 adducts having both low reduction potentials and basicities. Cu(III)-oxo species on the other hand, determined to be intermediate between Cu(III)-oxo and Cu(II)-oxyl in character, are shown to be far more reactive toward substrates. Based on these results, design strategies for new DβM and PHM biomimetic ligands are proposed: new ligands should be made less electron rich so as to favor end-on dioxygen coordination in the 1:1 Cu-O2 adducts. Comparison of the relative reactivities of the various copper–oxygen complexes as hydroxylating agents provides support for a Cu(II)-superoxide species as the intermediate responsible for substrate hydroxylation in DβM and PHM, and suggests that a Cu(III)-oxo intermediate would be competent in this process as well. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2006
Diagnostic Exercise Pneumonia in BALB/c Rag2-/- Mice Used in a CD45RB(high) T-Cell Transfer Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Six 3-month-old BALB/c Rag2-/- mice developed dyspnea 10 days after intravenous injection of wild type BALB/c CD45RB(high) lymphocytes to induce colitis as a model of inflammatory bowel disease. The lungs of all 6 mice were diffusely gray-purple and did not collapse completely. Microscopic findings were extensive coalescent patchy to diffuse alveolitis, characterized by macrophages and multinucleate giant cells, lymphocytes in alveolar lumina and septa, alveolar luminal of neutrophils, and alveolar proteinic material containing small black vesicular bodies characteristic of Pneumocystis sp. in methenamine silver stained sections. The morphologic diagnosis was diffuse granulomatous pneumonia with intra-alveolar organisms consistent with Pneumocystis sp., with an unusually aggressive inflammatory response related to the experimental procedure and possibly to the BALB/c genetic background.
Beyond Scientific versus Interpretive: Deweyan Inquiry and Educational Research

Questions like these — investigating the relationship between education and science — have ebbed and flowed throughout this past century, in response to changing political pressures, evolving conceptions of science, and the emergence of education as a particular field of study. While these questions are not new, the debate over what forms of educational research are valid has been resurrected in new forms — and with arguably higher stakes — by recent U.S. federal priorities supporting “scientifically based research” in education. In light of this debate, my essay focuses on the distinction between scientific and interpretive research. After briefly examining the current context of this debate, I explore two central aspects of Dewey’s concept of inquiry: the experimental method and the social context of inquiry. I conclude by looking at some of the ways in which we might — working through Dewey’s pattern — complicate and reconstruct the terms of this emerging debate about educational research.
Computer Generation of Ribbed Sculptures

Charles Perry's monumental sculpture Solstice is analysed and its generative geometrical logic based on a twisted toroidal sweep is captured in a computer programme with interactively adjustable control parameters. This programme is then used to generate other models of ribbed sculptures based on one or more interlinked torus knots. From this family of sculptures related to Perry's Solstice we derive a broader paradigm for the generation of ‘ribbed’ sculptures. It is based on one or two simple, mathematically defined ‘guide rails’, which are then populated with a dense set of thinner ‘ribs’ to create lightweight, transparent surfaces. With this broadened concept and a few suitably modified and parameterized programmes we can emulate many other ribbed sculptures by Charles Perry and also create new sculpture designs and mathematical visualization models that profit from the semi-transparent look of these structures.
Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy of Nonteratomatous Germ Cell Tumors of the Mediastinum

We assessed the usefulness of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in the diagnosis of mediastinal germ cell tumors (GCTs). In the archives of 3 pathology departments, we found records of 7 patients with mediastinal GCTs who underwent mediastinal FNAB as part of the diagnostic workup. The FNAB smears, results of the immunocytochemical analysis, the corresponding histologic findings, and the clinical charts were reviewed. All patients were men (age range, 24-44 years; mean, 32 years). One patient had a history of testicular mixed GCT 10 years earlier. The 6 primary mediastinal GCTs consisted of 3 seminomas and 3 yolk sac tumors. Based on the cytologic features and immunocytochemical findings, a cytologic diagnosis of GCT was made in 5 cases, including the case of metastatic GCT. In 2 cases, the differential diagnosis was between poorly differentiated carcinoma and GCT. Results of ancillary studies were noncontributory in 1 case, and the aspirate of the second case demonstrated extensive necrosis. Our findings demonstrate that a diagnosis of mediastinal GCT, primary or secondary, can be established with a high degree of accuracy on the basis of FNAB. Immunocytochemical analysis helps confirm the diagnosis.
The role of fungi in mediating ecosystem responses to global change

In this synthesis of published studies, we address two global change scenarios (global warming and anthropogenic N deposition) in which fungi can form feedbacks on carbon cycling that are counterintuitive to prevailing predictions and models. In each case, a consideration of fungal ecology, physiology, or evolutionary constraints could lead to changes in the sign or magnitude of carbon storage within soils, compared to current predictions. In the case of global warming, the majority of global carbon models that address this issue are parameterized so that decomposition rates increase in response to warming, and that this increase is sustained in the long-term. Indeed, the majority of field studies have confirmed this response, at least within the first years after onset of warming. Nevertheless, longer-term studies have reported reductions in the warming effect over time. One mechanism for this decline is thermal adaptation of fungal communities, in which mass-specific respiration rates decrease following long-term exposure to warming, possibly owing to changes in efficiencies of enzymes. In addition, evolutionary trade-offs could reduce the ability of warming-adapted strains to use particular carbon substrates or to tolerate drier conditions that often coincide with warming. In respect to N deposition, recent coupled C-N models either (1) allow inorganic N availability to increase decomposition rates overall, or (2) do not include a direct effect of N availability on decomposition. However, meta-analyses indicate that microbes typically become less abundant following N enrichment, with corresponding reductions in respiration rates. In addition, turnover rates of recalcitrant material can decrease. These declines in microbial abundance and activity could result from sensitivity of microbial taxa (particularly white rot fungi) to toxins produced via “browning” of organic compounds by nitrogenous compounds. Moreover, mycorrhizal fungi decrease under N enrichment owing to reduction in investments by host plants. Any decomposition of soil organic matter by mycorrhizal fungi could likewise be reduced. Microbial ecologists can support the efforts of modelers by examining and quantifying relevant microbial mechanisms that provide feedbacks on global change, especially if these feedbacks are counter-intuitive. For large-scale models, global syntheses of empirical data would be especially valuable in determining the extent of these feedbacks.*The audio track for talks in this symposium may be obtained at the following web address:**https://sites.google.com/site/esa2010symposium13audiocontent/esa2010-symposium13-audio-content*
Design and development of a square coaxial waveguide-fed horn antenna with equal E - and H - plane beamwidth

In this paper, the development of a new type of horn antenna will be presented. The main advantage of this antenna is its equal beamwidth in electric (E) and magnetic (H) radiation planes. This feature is very important when used as a feed for large reflector antennas. An equal E and H plane symmetry is also achieved when using corrugated horns or helices; however, helix antennas are usually circularly polarized. The proposed antenna is much easier in construction and much lighter in weight than the corrugated horn antenna which needs numerous quarter wave stubs in order to operate properly.
Steroid-regulated growth of DDT1MF-2 cells is profoundly influenced by culture conditions.

DDT1MF-2 cells provide an ideal model for studying tumor-growth-stimulation by steroids. These cells progress to a rapidly proliferating, androgen-independent state after prolonged culture without androgen. After brief culture in different lots of fetal bovine serum (FBS), some lots induced a permanent state of hormone-independence in cells that had been androgen-responsive. To test the hypothesis that factors influenced androgen-responsive growth even after removal of serum, hormone-responsive DDT1MF-2 cells (7000 cells/well) were plated in medium Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium/F-12 Nutrition Mixture (1:1)/1% ITS with (a) 0.1% FBS, (b) 0.1% NuSerum (c) 0.1% Hyclone, or (d) MCDB-110/0.1% ITS with 5 ng/ml bFGF. On Days 2–8, medium was replaced with D-MEM/F12/ITS with 10 nM testosterone (T), 10 nM triamcinolone acetonide (TA), or ethanol (control) and the cells counted. While testosterone induced a 1.4-fold increase in cell growth after exposure to FBS or NuSerum, maximal testosterone effect (3-6-fold increase) was observed after Hyclone. Hydroxyflutamide antagonized the fivefold increase in growth observed with testosterone, with a slight decrease of growth with cAMP for cells plated in Hyclone. Androgen-independent cells were unaffected by testosterone, hydroxyflutamide, or 8Br-cAMP [medium (a)]. Maximal inhibition by triamcinolone acetonide (0.25 of control) was observed with medium (d). The effect of testosterone and triamcinolone acetonide on secretion of mitogenic activity into conditioned medium was also evaluated. Although conditioned media from control and testosterone-treated cells were mitogenic in a dose-dependent manner, the media from cells treated with triamcinolone acetonide and testosterone + TA conditioned medium was not mitogenic—but, of note, it was not growth inhibitory.
Examining the relationships of depressive symptoms, stigma, social support and regimen-specific support on quality of life in adult patients with epilepsy

Epilepsy research efforts have primarily focused on medical treatment and physical management of epilepsy; however, to provide comprehensive care, efforts cannot focus solely on physical manifestations of epilepsy. Research findings show that people with epilepsy face many challenges that can negatively affect quality of life (QOL). In this descriptive study, we examined the individual relationships between depressive symptoms, stigma, social support and regimen-specific support and QOL in adults with epilepsy. Study data were obtained from a subset of patients (N = 147) who participated in a longitudinal study of adult patients with epilepsy. Measures of QOL, depressive symptoms, stigma, social support and regimen-specific support were analyzed to answer the research questions. The results of correlational analyses revealed statistically significant negative correlations between depressive symptoms, stigma and sometimes regimen-specific support and QOL and statistically significant positive correlations between social support and QOL. A hierarchical multiple linear regression model revealed that depressive symptoms accounted for the most variance in QOL. Psychosocial variables measured 3 months prior to QOL were entered into a hierarchical multiple linear regression model, revealing that depressive symptoms, stigma and social support can be used to predict QOL at a later time.
Pressure dependence of excitable cell function

Pressure, like temperature, is a fundamental environmental variable, but one whose physiological effects are much less well understood than those of temperature. Although many molluscs, fish, and even some mammals move through a wide range of pressures in their activities, very little ts known about neuronal adaptations in animals which inhabit or visit great depths. This review outlines changes in excitable cell function induced by experimental exposure to pressures up to two orders of magnitude greater than those at which most familiar animals live.
Hormonal regulation of messenger ribonucleic acid encoding steroidogenic acute regulatory protein in ovine corpora lutea

Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), proposed to be involved in the transport of cholesterol to the inner mitochondrial membrane, has recently been cloned from MA-10 cells. Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, we generated a complementary DNA encoding 404 base pairs of StAR from ovine luteal tissue to perform studies regarding regulation of the messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding this protein. In Exp 1, ewes were hypophysectomized (HPX) on day 5 of the estrous cycle and administered saline or physiological regimens of LH and/or GH until collection of luteal tissue on day 12 of the estrous cycle (n = 4/group). Luteal concentrations [mean +/- SEM; femtomoles per microgram poly(A)+ RNA] of mRNA encoding StAR were lower (P < 0.05) in the HPX plus saline-treated ewes (26.4 +/- 7.3) than in day 12 pituitary-intact ewes (n = 4; 77.7 +/- 9.3). Replacement of LH (59.1 +/- 13.1), GH (59.1 +/- 12.8), or LH and GH (69.9 +/- 4.5) in HPX ewes increased (P < 0.05) concentrations of mRNA encoding St...
Necessity of Lumbar Puncture in Patients Presenting with New Onset Complex Febrile Seizures

Introduction: This study aims to characterize the population of patients presenting to a pediatric emergency department (ED) for a first complex febrile seizure, and subsequently assess the rate of acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) occurrence in this population. Furthermore, this study seeks to identify whether a specific subset of patients may be at lesser risk for ABM or other serious neurological disease. Methods: This retrospective cohort study reviewed the charts of patients between the ages of 6 months to 5 years of age admitted to an ED between 2005 and 2010 for a first complex febrile seizure (CFS). The health information department generated a patient list based on admission and discharge diagnoses, which was screened for patient eligibility. Exclusion criteria included history of a complex febrile seizure, history of an afebrile seizure, trauma, or severe underlying neurological disorder. Data extracted included age, gender, relevant medical history, descriptions of seizure, treatment received, and follow-up data. Patients presenting with two short febrile seizures within 24 hours were then analyzed separately to assess health outcomes in this population. Results: There were 193 patients were eligible. Lumbar puncture was performed on 136 subjects; it was significantly more likely to be performed on patients that presented with seizure focality, status epilepticus, or a need for intubation. Fourteen patients were found to have pleocytosis following white blood cell count correction, and 1 was diagnosed with ABM (0.5% [95% confidence interval: 0.0–1.5, n=193]). Forty-three patients had 2 brief febrile seizures within 24 hours. Of the 43, 17 received lumbar puncture while in the ED. None of these patients were found to have ABM or other serious neurological disease. Conclusion: ABM is rare in patients presenting with a first complex febrile seizure. Patients presenting only with 2 short febrile seizures within 24 hours may be less likely to have ABM, and may not require lumbar puncture without other clinical symptoms of neurological disease.
Examining the Interaction of Daily Hassles Across Ecological Domains on Substance Use and Delinquency Among Low-Income Adolescents of Color

The increased risk for substance use and delinquency among adolescents of color has been partially attributed to increased exposure to daily hassles. Although a certain number of hassles are normative, especially among family and peers, adolescents of color experience more stressors in their neighborhood or directly related to fewer resources than their White counterparts. These hassles may interact across ecological systems to impact behavioral outcomes among adolescents. This may be especially true for young people living in public housing. Based on ecological systems theory, this study tests the relationship between experiences of hassles across multiple ecological levels and problem behaviors in a sample of 315 ethnically diverse early adolescents (Mage = 12; 51% female) living in public housing neighborhoods in two large metropolitan areas in the United States. A positive relationship was found between family hassles and both substance use and delinquency, as well as between school hassles and substa...
Exploring health researchers’ perceptions of policymaking in Argentina: a qualitative study

Much of the published research on evidence-informed health policymaking in low- and middle-income countries has focused on policymakers, overlooking the role of health researchers in the research-to-policy process. Through 20 semi-structured, in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with researchers in Argentina’s rural northwest and the capital of Buenos Aires, we explore the perspectives, experiences and attitudes of Argentine health researchers regarding the use and impact of health research in policymaking in Argentina. We find that the researcher, and the researcher’s function of generating evidence, is nested within a broader complex system that influences the researcher’s interaction with policymaking. This system comprises communities of practice, government departments/civil society organizations, bureaucratic processes and political governance and executive leadership. At the individual level, researcher capacity and determinants of research availability also play a role in contributing to evidence-informed policymaking. In addition, we find a recurrent theme around ‘lack of trust’ and explore the role of trust within a research system, finding that researchers’ distrust towards policymakers and even other researchers are linked inextricably to the sociopolitical history of Argentina, which contributes to shaping researchers’ identities in opposition to policymakers. For policymakers, national research councils and funders of national health research systems, this article provides a deeper understanding of researchers’ perceptions which can help inform and improve programme design when developing interventions to enhance research utilization and develop equitable and rational health policies. For donors and development agencies interested in health research capacity building and achieving development goals, this research demonstrates a need for investment in building research capacity and training health researchers to interact with the public policy ‘world’ and enhancing research communications and transferability to decision makers. It also highlights an opportunity to invest in implementation research platforms, such as health policy research and analysis institutions.
Modeling and experimental validation of unimorph piezoelectric cymbal design in energy harvesting

This article presents a unimorph lead zirconate titanate cymbal structure as an energy harvester. The unimorph lead zirconate titanate cymbal harvester was designed to be able to sustain higher mec...
Nanosecond Pulse Generation in a Silicon Microwire

We report the generation of trapezoidal current pulses by applying a dc voltage to a single nanocrystalline silicon microwire through a load. The wire is expected to be physically disconnecting and reconnecting at a constriction near its midpoint as a result of volume change in repeated solid-liquid phase transitions. A scanning electron microscope image and the wire's electrical characteristics suggest that the wire is partially molten at the time of disconnection. The current pulses rise from 0 to 7 mA and have widths of 13.48 ± 0.65 ns, a repetition rate of 9.12 ± 0.06 MHz, rise/fall times ≤ 350 ps, a peak power density of ~1.9 kW/mm2, and a very consistent pulse shape.
Effects of selective tree harvests on aboveground biomass and net primary productivity of a second- growth northern hardwood forest

Restoring structural features of old-growth forests, such as increased canopy gap sizes and coarse woody debris, is a common management goal for second-growth, even-aged stands. We experimentally manipulated forest structure by creating variable-size canopy gaps in a second-growth northern hardwood forest in north-central Wisconsin following two growing seasons of pre-treatment monitoring. The objectives of this study were to quantify the influence of canopy gaps of different sizes (50-380 m 2 ) on aboveground biomass and productivity of each vegetation stratum two growing seasons following treatment. Two years after treatment, ground layer biomass in canopy openings increased significantly relative to surrounding undisturbed transition zones. The response of ground layer biomass was greatest in the large versus the me- dium and small gaps. Sapling aboveground net primary productivity was significantly greater in undisturbed transition zones than within gaps across gap sizes following the second post-treatment growing season. Annual stem diameter incre- ment was greatest for trees along gap borders and was correlated with crown class, percentage of crown perimeter ex- posed, gap area, and shade tolerance. Total aboveground net primary productivity was significantly lower in the gap addition plots the first year but by the second post-treatment growing season no longer differed from that in the control plots. Resume´ : La restauration des attributs structuraux des vieilles forets, tels que des trouees de plus grande taille dans la ca- nopee et davantage de gros debris ligneux, est une pratique d'amenagement usuelle dans les peuplements equiennes de se- conde venue. Nous avons modifieexperimentalement la structure forestiere en creant des trouees de taille variable dans la canopee d'une foret de feuillus nordiques de seconde venue etablie dans le centre-nord du Wisconsin. Ce travail a etepre ´- ceded'un suivi pretraitement pendant deux saisons de croissance. Les objectifs de cette etude etaient de quantifier l'in- fluence des trouees de taille variable (de 50 a 380 m 2 ) dans la canopee sur la biomasse aerienne et la productivitede
Graphical and text-based design interfaces for parameter design of an I-beam, desk lamp, aircraft wing, and job shop manufacturing system

In this paper we describe four design optimization problems and corresponding design interfaces that have been developed to help assess the impact of fast, graphical interfaces for design space visualization and optimization. The design problems involve the design of an I-beam, desk lamp, aircraft wing, and job shop manufacturing system. The problems vary in size from 2 to 6 inputs and 2 to 7 outputs, where the outputs are formulated as either a multiobjective optimization problem or a constrained, single objective optimization problem. Graphical and text-based design interfaces have been developed for the I-beam and desk lamp problems, and two sets of graphical design interfaces have been developed for the aircraft wing and job shop design problems that vary in the number of input variables and analytical complexity, respectively. Response delays ranging from 0.0 to 1.5 s have been imposed in the interfaces to mimic computationally expensive analyses typical of complex engineering design problems, allowing us to study the impact of delay on user performance. In addition to describing each problem, we discuss the experimental methods that we use, including the experimental factors, performance measures, and protocol. The focus in this paper is to publicize and share our design interfaces as well as our insights with other researchers who are developing tools to support design space visualization and exploration.
The Spectrum of Histopathologic Findings in Cutaneous Lesions in Patients With Still Disease

Objectives Still disease is a rare disorder characterized by seronegative arthralgias/arthritis, spiking fever, and either an evanescent salmon-colored rash or persistent papules and plaques. Methods We describe the clinical and biopsy findings in 10 patients with the evanescent rash of Still disease. Results Fourteen biopsy specimens were studied from seven women and three men with a mean age of 44.4 years. The skin lesions were typically erythematous macules, papules, or plaques with a median duration of 5 weeks. All patients had systemic symptoms, including fever and arthralgias. The infiltrate was predominantly lymphocytic in six biopsy specimens, approximately equal lymphocytic and neutrophilic in four biopsy specimens, and predominantly (although never exclusively) neutrophilic in four biopsy specimens. Other findings included focal vacuolar interface changes, neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis, epidermal neutrophils, dermal mucin, and acanthosis associated with numerous upper epidermal dyskeratotic cells. Conclusions It is important to be aware of the broad histologic spectrum that may be encountered in Still disease and to consider Still disease in the differential diagnosis of neutrophil-rich, lymphocyte-rich, and mixed inflammatory dermatoses. While the histologic findings seen in biopsy specimens of the evanescent rash are nonspecific, a distinctive variant also exists characterized by prominent epidermal apoptosis, especially involving the upper layers.
A Review of Current Graft Options for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

In the United States, the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is approximately 125,000 cases annually1. ACL reconstruction is indicated to prevent knee laxity and functional instability during physical activities, particularly those that require cutting or pivoting motions. Reconstruction also aims to protect the knee by lowering the risk of subsequent meniscal injury and perhaps the development of degenerative joint disease in the meniscus-deficient knee2. Once the decision has been made to proceed with an ACL reconstruction, a substantial amount of time is invested into preoperative counseling of the patient, particularly with regard to graft selection. Because of the plethora of information available on the web regarding ACL surgery, patients often present with preconceived perceptions regarding particular graft choices. A surgeon must be knowledgeable about the benefits and disadvantages of each graft choice to effectively counsel the patient prior to surgery. Although no graft can restore the normal structure or biomechanical properties of the ACL, the graft that is selected for ACL reconstruction must possess minimal structural and mechanical properties to aptly substitute for the native ACL. These properties include the ability to rapidly integrate into host tissues, to minimize harvest-site morbidity, and to approximate the biomechanical properties of the native ACL3. Numerous factors, including patient age, occupation, activity level, …
Linear Sturm–Liouville problems with general homogeneous linear multi‐point boundary conditions

In this paper, we study second order linear Sturm–Liouville problems involving one or two homogeneous linear multi-point boundary conditions in the most general form. We obtain conditions for the existence of a sequence of positive eigenvalues with consecutive zero counts of the eigenfunctions. Furthermore, we reveal the interlacing relations between the eigenvalues of such Sturm–Liouville problems and those of Sturm–Liouville problems with certain two-point separated boundary conditions.
Through the looking glass, and what we (don’t) find there

The conclusions drawn from mirror self-recognition studies, in which nonhuman animals are tested for whether they detect a mark on their bodies which can be observed only in the mirror, are based on several presuppositions. These include (1) that performance on the test is an indication of species wide rather than individual abilities, and (2) that all the animals which pass the test are demonstrating the presence of the same psychological ability. However, further details about the results of the test indicate that these presuppositions are false. Animals take the test as individuals, not as stand-ins for species, and members of different species rely on different cognitive mechanisms to pass the test. For nonhuman animals, passing the test seems to be a consequence of enculturation and practice.
Preparation of B-N-C Films by Reactive Sputtering of Graphite/Boron Carbide Composite Target

B-N-C films were prepared by reactive sputtering of a graphite/boron carbide composite target in N2 atmosphere. The films prepared with various deposition parameters, such as position of the substrate, sputtering pressure, and N2 partial pressure of the sputtering gas, were studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and IR transmission spectroscopy. The carbon concentration of the films decreased with decreasing N2 partial pressure, while boron concentration increased with decreasing N2 partial pressure. By contrast, nitrogen and oxygen concentrations of the films were independent of N2 partial pressure. Based on the binding energies of 1s electrons for C, B, and N and IR spectra, the chemical bonds were discussed, and the formation of B-N and C-N bonds was confirmed.
Readiness and Resistance to Desegregation: A Social Portrait of the Hard Core

new clothing and foods to be eaten to participation in ceremonial activity. This pattern of giving the child wide freedom in personal choices of social action is in accordance with the adult social deference pattern idea that consent of a junior is required by a senior in actions affecting the junior person; this same idea is the basic rationale of the adults for the treatment of the child as a distinct social person. Consideration of the child as a person does not vary as he matures, it is essentially the same through the whole of the process of socialization. As a consequence of this pattern, children are thrown almost entirely on their own judgments as to proper action in specific social situations. The choices made are accepted by adults without comment until after puberty, when the child is supposed to know "what people do." These six patterns may be regarded as the main components of the Papago socialization process. Together, they impart to this process its characteristic uniqueness and represent the structure of the culturally derived ideas that constitute the major orientation points for adults in their elicitation of desired social behavior in the maturing child. This structure is felt to be the most likely locus for further research, for it appears to be the broad outline within which the factors of causality between the process of socialization and patterns of adult behavior probably will be found to be operative. At the present level of research no conclusions concerning causality can be offered. However, it can be pointed out that the Papago socialization process, in marked contrast to those of many other societies, is unencumbered by many deliberate attempts to use overt and specific techniques to lead children to exhibit behavior that is held by this group to be customary and acceptable.13
Interactions of Collection Technique, Anesthesia, and Antidote on Survival of Caged Honey Bees Fed Parathion or Paraoxon

With Apis mellifera L. workers, significant interactions of lethal effects were found between age, carbon dioxide anesthesia, exposure to PAM (pyridine-2-aldoxime methidodide), and exposure to parathion and paraoxon. Bees were poisoned by 15-min exposure to carbon dioxide anesthesia; foragers were less susceptible than hive bees. Contrary to published reports, 0.4% PAM is not an antidote for parathion or paraoxon; it is toxic.
Perioperative myocardial infarction in patients with coronary artery disease with and without aorta--coronary artery bypass grafts.

The incidence of perioperative myocardial infarction (MI) was examined in 148 patients with known coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent 226 noncardiac surgical procedures. In 168 operations in 99 patients who had prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) there were no perioperative MI's whereas in the 49 patients who had not undergone prior CABG who underwent 58 noncardiac operations, there were three MI's (5 percent). The lower (p
Capture of Radiant Energy by Plants

Meteorology and biology share a common source of energy. The energy creating climate and nourishing life arrives as solar radiation. Green plants, of course, are the initial link in the energy chain for nearly all organisms. Plants use directly only a small but important segment of the spectrum—the visible wavelengths. This energy becomes chemically bound, and the net storage is measured as yield of dry matter. Thus, visible radiation is of particular importance to the botanist. The total radiant energy balance, however, determines much of the environment, and hence, whether the chain of processes that fix visible radiation will function well or poorly. Yields of forest, fern or farm crop are, therefore, twice linked to solar radiation, first by the requirement of visible radiation for photosynthesis and, secondly, by the effect radiation has on other factors of the environment.
Nuclear factor-κB: The enemy within

Numerous lines of investigation suggest that nuclear factor NF-kappaB, a proinflammatory transcription factor, could promote tumorigenesis. Various inflammatory agents, carcinogens, tumor promoters, and the tumor microenvironment activate NF-kappaB. NF-kappaB proteins themselves and proteins regulated by it have been linked to cellular transformation, proliferation, apoptosis suppression, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Constitutively activated NF-kappaB is common in wide variety of tumors. Furthermore, there exists genetic evidence that NF-kappaB mediates tumorigenesis. Thus, suppression of NF-kappaB activation should be effective in the prevention and treatment of cancer.
Education for Sustainable Development and Belarusian Higher Education: When the State Dominates

This study analyzes the evolution of higher education for sustainable development (ESD) in the Republic of Belarus during the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development—from 2005 to 2014. Although this process is still ongoing, and Belarus, like many other countries, has made a commitment to include ESD in its post-2014 development agenda, after a decade of ESD implementation in Belarusian universities, it is now possible to identify public policies, significant achievements, and the best ESD practices in the country. The purpose of this study is to analyze the major phases, actors, and factors that influenced the development of ESD in Belarusian higher education.
Representations of race, gender and sexual orientation in gaming content

Gaming research has become increasingly important over the last few years. Universities are giving scholarships to skilled eSports (aka electronic sports) players (Tassi, 2015). Major League Gaming (aka MLG) is a professional sports market in the United States and across the globe via the Internet (“Major League Gaming,” 2015). Businesses and schools are using principles associated with gaming (e.g., leadership, economics and time management) to create more positive user experiences, overcome learning disabilities and solve nancial crises, to name a few (Annetta, 2010; Dennis & O’Toole, 2014). Understanding how and why games are played, who plays them as well as how globally diverse groups of players may dier from one another, allows developers to make increasingly marketable games, provides a basis for understanding intergroup dynamics between gamers and non-gamers and allows researchers to understand the increasingly complex way in which people continue to experience entertainment. Where once much of the research revolved around gaming and resulting behaviours, researchers now seek to understand cultural and individual aspects of gamers, gaming as a subculture and how game content aects the gaming experience. Personality and motivations for game choices, subculture norms and content diversity represent only a few of the gaming aspects currently examined in psychological research.
Computational Insights into Adsorption of C4 Hydrocarbons in Cation-Exchanged ZSM-12 Zeolites

Using ab initio electronic structure calculations we investigated the adsorption of C4 alkane and alkene isomers in pure-silica and cation-exchanged ZSM-12 zeolites. Alkali metal cations (Li+, Na+, and K+) in the ZSM-12 zeolite framework promoted the adsorption of alkenes relative to alkanes, due to electrostatic interactions between the cations and alkene π-electrons (cation-π interactions). Pure-silica zeolites exhibited the opposite trends, favoring adsorption of alkanes over alkenes. Linear alkenes were generally found to exhibit stronger binding on the cation sites versus branched species due to the bulkier molecular dimensions and steric constraints imposed by the zeolite pore. Calculations at different levels of (ONIOM-embedded method) theory were in perfect agreement with respect to the overall adsorption trends in the pores of the zeolites, and our results rationalize the impact of the zeolite pore to the adsorption of the species, especially for pore sizes close to the critical diameter of the a...