cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A solution algorithm for fluid-particle flows across all flow regimes

Abstract Many fluid–particle flows occurring in nature and in technological applications exhibit large variations in the local particle volume fraction. For example, in circulating fluidized beds there are regions where the particles are close-packed as well as very dilute regions where particle–particle collisions are rare. Thus, in order to simulate such fluid–particle systems, it is necessary to design a flow solver that can accurately treat all flow regimes occurring simultaneously in the same flow domain. In this work, a solution algorithm is proposed for this purpose. The algorithm is based on splitting the free-transport flux solver dynamically and locally in the flow. In close-packed to moderately dense regions, a hydrodynamic solver is employed, while in dilute to very dilute regions a kinetic-based finite-volume solver is used in conjunction with quadrature-based moment methods. To illustrate the accuracy and robustness of the proposed solution algorithm, it is implemented in OpenFOAM for particle velocity moments up to second order, and applied to simulate gravity-driven, gas–particle flows exhibiting cluster-induced turbulence. By varying the average particle volume fraction in the flow domain, it is demonstrated that the flow solver can handle seamlessly all flow regimes present in fluid–particle flows.
Microwave-assisted facile fabrication of porous poly (glycerol sebacate) scaffolds.

AbstractThe biodegradable elastomeric polyester poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) was developed for soft-tissue engineering. It has been used in various research applications such as wound healing, cartilage tissue engineering, and vascular grafting due to its biocompatibility and elastomeric properties. However conventional PGS manufacture is generally limited by the laborious reaction conditions needed for curing which requires elevated reaction temperatures, high vacuum and multi-day reaction times. In this study, we developed a microwave irradiation methodology to fabricate PGS scaffolds under milder conditions with curing times that are 8 times faster than conventional methods. In particular, we determined microwave reaction temperatures and times for maximum crosslinking of PGS elastomers, demonstrating that PGS is fully crosslinked using gradual heating up to 160 °C for 3 h. Porosity and mechanical properties of these microwave-cured PGS elastomers were shown to be similar to PGS elastomers fabricated ...
Understanding the Impact of Information Literacy Instruction: A Multi-Method Approach

This presentation summarizes the formal evaluation of an intervention developed for students who test as below proficient in information literacy. Findings demonstrate that the intervention can improve skills, but that the recalibration of self-views of ability and the attainment of competence is a complex problem that may require multiple interventions to be fully achieved. Cette communication resume l’evaluation formelle d’une intervention concue pour les etudiants qui font preuve d’un manque de competence informationnelle. Les resultats demontrent que l’intervention peut ameliorer les competences, mais que la recalibration de l’autoperception de la capacite et l’atteinte des competences est un probleme complexe qui necessite de multiples interventions pour etre pleinement corrige.
Giant-Cell Arteritis — More Ecstasy, Less Agony

If Irving Stone had written a book about giant-cell arteritis rather than about Michelangelo, he might have chosen The Ecstasy and the Agony as the more appropriate title. As many physicians know, diagnosing giant-cell arteritis and witnessing the patient’s dramatic initial response to treatment are much more fulfilling than managing a disease that lasts for months or years and that leads to the use of glucocorticoids in doses that result in a litany of side effects, including weight gain, hypertension, diabetes, and osteoporosis. This vexing challenge of treating giant-cell arteritis explains why doctors and patients will welcome the results of . . .
Morphology and mechanical property relationship in linear low-density polyethylene blown films

Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) blown films fabricated under two different processing conditions, namely a non-stalk bubble configuration and a stalk bubble configuration, were investigated. Morphological characterization was performed using small-angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, infrared dichroism, and differential scanning calorimetry. The findings on crystal orientation characteristics of the films suggest that modification on the widely accepted row orientation model of Keller and Machin may be needed. In comparison to the conventional non-stalk bubble geometry for LLDPE film blowing, the stalk bubble configuration can produce a more randomly orientated lamellar texture, resulting in less anisotropy in mechanical properties and a higher dart impact resistance. A good correlation between mechanical properties and morphological features was found.
Reconstructing a 'Dilemma' of Racial Identity Education.

AbstractIn this paper, Thompson engages the fact that educators perceive themselves to be faced with an apparent dilemma regarding racial identity education. On one hand, their political obligations may incline them to teach racial identity so as to avoid reifying the reality of a racialized system of power. On the other hand, honoring their epistemic obligations to accurately represent the realities of the world may incline them to teach racial identity in a less consequentialist manner, prioritising the goal that students do not suffer hermeneutical injustices as they grapple with racial identities/consequences. Thompson argues that these seemingly opposed obligations can be united, by attending to their underlying claims. In closing, Thompson provides an example of an educational event that coheres with these conclusions.
Isolation and sequencing of AGO-bound RNAs reveals characteristics of mammalian stem-loop processing in vivo

MicroRNA precursors (pre-miRNAs) are short hairpin RNAs that are rapidly processed into mature microRNAs (miRNAs) in the cytoplasm. Due to their low abundance in cells, sequencing-based studies of pre-miRNAs have been limited. We successfully enriched for and deep sequenced pre-miRNAs in human cells by capturing these RNAs during their interaction with Argonaute (AGO) proteins. Using this approach, we detected > 350 pre-miRNAs in human cells and > 250 pre-miRNAs in a reanalysis of a similar study in mouse cells. We uncovered widespread trimming and non-templated additions to the 39 ends of pre- and mature miRNAs. Additionally, we created an index for microRNA precursor processing efficiency. This analysis revealed a subset of pre-miRNAs that produce low levels of mature miRNAs despite abundant precursors, including an annotated miRNA in the 59 UTR of the DiGeorge syndrome critical region 8 mRNA transcript. This led us to search for AGO-associated stem-loops originating from other mRNA species, which identified hundreds of putative pre-miRNAs derived from human and mouse mRNAs. In summary, we provide a wealth of information on mammalian pre-miRNAs, and identify novel microRNA and microRNA-like elements localized in mRNAs.
“Pressed against the screen”—Cinema and Photography as Spectacle in Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children

Barnaby clarifies Rushdie’s widely misunderstood realist perspective in Midnight’s Children by bringing Rushdie’s non-fiction into dialog with Situationist critic Guy Debord’s Society of the Spectacle; Edward Said and Terry Eagleton on nationalism and hybridity; Susan Sontag’s “On Photography;” and historical accounts of photographic practice in colonial and post-colonial India. This study analyzes Rushdie’s portrayal of cinema and photography as ambivalent sites of both resistance and susceptibility to illusions of historical agency and collective identity. Countering readings of the novel that dismiss it as Western exoticism or justify it as magical realism, Barnaby discerns Rushdie’s realist impulse to explore the psychology of an individual who is caught between the competing iconographies of a collapsing colonial ideology and the equally surreal nationalist fiction that supplanted it.
Robotic Mitral Valve Repair

Historically, mitral valve repair has been preferred over replacement in the treatment of degenerative mitral valve disease, and the conventional sternotomy approach has demonstrated excellent safety and long-term durability. However, surgeons continue to seek less invasive surgical approaches that maintain the high standards set for mitral valve repair. Robotic mitral valve surgery was introduced in 1998 to reproduce excellent conventional sternotomy results with less invasive techniques. This technology is now routinely performed for delivering complete anatomic correction of all categories of mitral valve prolapse, regardless of disease complexity, with or without concomitant tricuspid valve repair and atrial fibrillation ablation procedures. Herein, we review current status of robotic mitral valve surgery techniques.
Information Content and Efficiency in the Spoken Discourse of Individuals With Parkinson's Disease.

Purpose This study compared the information content and information efficiency of spoken language in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) to a healthy comparator group. Method Nineteen partici...
Independent and Combined Effects of Chronic HIV-Infection and Tobacco Smoking on Brain Microstructure.

HIV-infected individuals (HIV+) have 2–3 times higher prevalence of tobacco smoking than the general U.S. population. This study aims to evaluate the independent and combined effects of tobacco-smoking and HIV-infection on brain microstructure and cognition using a 2 × 2 design. 21 HIV + Smokers, 25 HIV + Nonsmokers, 25 Seronegative (SN)-Smokers and 23 SN-Nonsmokers were evaluated using diffusion tensor imaging. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean (MD), radial (RD) and axial (AD) diffusivity were assessed in 8 major cerebral fiber tracts and 5 subcortical regions. Cognitive performance in 7 neurocognitive domains was also assessed. Compared to SN, HIV+ had higher AD in genu of corpus callosum (GCC, p = 0.002). Smokers also had higher diffusivities in GCC, splenium of corpus callosum (SCC), anterior corona radiata (ACR), sagittal stratum (SS) and superior fronto-occipital fasciculus (SFO), than Nonsmokers (p-values<0.001–0.003). Tobacco-Smoking and HIV-infection showed synergistic effects on AD_SS (p = 0.002) and RD_SFO (p = 0.02), but opposite effects in FA_putamen (p = 0.024). Additive effects from HIV+ and Tobacco-Smoking were observed in 9 other white matter tracts, with highest diffusivities and lowest FA in HIV + Smokers. Higher diffusivities in the GCC, SCC, ACR and SS predicted poorer cognitive performance across all participants (p ≤ 0.001). Higher AD_GCC also predicted slower Speed of information processing and poorer Fluency and Attention only in HIV + Smokers (p = 0.001–0.003). Chronic tobacco smoking and HIV-infection appear to have additive and synergistic adverse effects on brain diffusivities, suggesting greater neuroinflammation, which may contribute to poorer cognition. Therefore, chronic tobacco-smoking may be a risk factor for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders.
Contextual Effects of Race or Ethnicity on Acceptance for Vocational Rehabilitation of Consumers Who Are Legally Blind.

Race or ethnicity, demographic, and disability factors were investigated as predictors of vocational rehabilitation acceptance. Severity of disability was the strongest predictor, followed by education, a secondary disability, race or ethnicity, and age at the time of application; gender was not significant. Acceptance rates differed with specific race or ethnicity and influence of control variables. Implications for policy and research are discussed.
A Test for Divisibility by Primes.

Many people are interested in divisibility rules, particularly since they can be coordinated with calculator activities. For example, young students can use calculators to gather data, examine the data for patterns, and discover some divisibility rules on their own. (See Bitter and Mikesell 1980; Reys et al. 1979.) Generally, calculators afford a quick way to determine if a number is divisible by a certain prime. Divisibility rules are particularly useful when the number being tested for divisibility is too large for a calculator to handle exactly. In this article I present a neat and general divisibility algorithm for prime numbers. This procedure is significant because it can be used to test a number for divisibility by almost every prime. Rules and procedures for testing whether a nonnegative integer n is divisible by any of the primes 2, 3, 5, and 11 are well known and easy to apply. That is, n is divisible by -
Renal Mass Biopsy is Associated with Reduction in Surgery for Early-Stage Kidney Cancer

ABSTRACT Objective To determine whether use of renal mass biopsy may be associated with a reduction in surgery for patients with small, localized renal cell carcinoma (cT1aN0M0), especially among older patients and patients with greater comorbidity burden. Methods A total of 106,258 patients with cT1aN0M0 renal cell carcinoma from 2004-2015 were analyzed in the National Cancer Data Base. Multivariable logistic regression identified independent associations with non-surgical management, receipt of biopsy, and pathologic upstaging. Marginal effects were derived by age and comorbidity. A sensitivity analysis was conducted in years identifying patients undergoing active surveillance (2010-2015). Results There was increased use of biopsy (8.0% to 15.3%) and non-surgical management (11.7% to 15.6%) over time. Biopsy was significantly associated with use of non-surgical management (OR 4.80 (95%CI 4.58-5.02), p Conclusions Overall, biopsy demonstrated a strong, independent association with reduced use of surgery for cT1aN0M0 kidney cancer, especially with increasing age and comorbidity. The potential association of renal mass biopsy with upstaging warrants caution, but it is uncertain whether it impacts prognosis relative to true perinephric fat invasion.
The illusion of perfection.

Thirteen years ago, only a few months after completing my residency in emergency medicine, I walked into a night shift ready for anything. One of the first patients I encountered was a young man with right-sided thoracic back pain after having spent a day lifting moving boxes. Acute back pain is of course a common reason for people to visit an emergency department, and along with his age, the location and context of the pain seemed fairly typical for muscular strain. But as a junior attending I was appropriately more conservative than how I suspect I would act today. Responding to my nerves, an elicited history of cocaine use and leucocytosis, we ordered an MRI of the back to look for an epidural abscess and treated his pain. The MRI was performed and reported as a normal study. While we assessed whether he was comfortable for discharge, I proceeded to focus my attention on other patients who required immediate stabilisation and management. Sometime later during the shift I was suddenly startled by a low-pitched thud near my desk. I looked over and saw someone in a patient gown lying on the floor. Sprinting over to that spot, I soon realised it was this young man collapsed onto the floor in cardiac arrest. During the ongoing resuscitation, the proverbial light bulb went off in my head and I sent the resident physician back to speak with the radiologist again about the MRI, focusing specifically on the aorta. By the time we confirmed a type A aortic dissection ruptured into the right hemithorax and attempted to rush the patient to the operating room, it was too late. Despite our best efforts, he died. Nothing in my medical training up to that point prepared me for such failure. During medical school and residency …
Development of a paper microfluidic surface enhanced Raman scattering assay for cardiac troponin I

The accurate and rapid diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI) is essential to implement timely and definitive treatment to the patient. Cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) has been widely used as a biomarker for early diagnosis of MI. Point-of-care (POC) testing is favored because it can provide timely results when the patient is first encountered (e.g. ambulance, clinic, or emergency department). However, the clinical cut-off of cTnI for diagnosis of MI is in the pico- to femtomolar range (i.e. 0.01-0.1 ng/ml). Thus, a sensitive sensing system is needed to quantitively measure cTnI at the POC. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a sensitive optical technique that can be used to measure trace analytes in a sample. Moreover, paper-based sensing systems have demonstrated potential as a platform to implement assays, especially at the POC. This research describes the development of a paper-based SERS assay for detection of cTnI in the physiological relevant range. Aptamer is used in the assay for recognizing the cTnI in a sample. SERS is used to sensitively transduce the sensing signal from the assay. A handheld Raman spectrometer is used to measure the SERS signal. By measuring the change in the SERS signal, the concentration of target molecule is quantitatively determined. Moreover, spectral processing techniques are used to evaluate their effect on signal-to-noise ratio as well as sensitivity of the assay. Results showed the designed sensing system can be used to measure cTnI (0-0.5 ng/mL) in standard buffer solutions.
Law, Fact, and Patent Validity

Judges, not juries, typically decide questions of law. Likewise, it is judges who usually review the legality of actions taken by government agencies. And when judges or juries decide fact-laden issues in civil litigation, those decisions commonly receive deference on appeal. Patent law, however, does all of this precisely backwards. In patent infringement cases, juries often decide the legal question of patent validity. When a jury rules on a patent’s validity, it is reviewing the work of an administrative agency, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. And decisions on the case-specific, fact-specific issue of patent validity are reviewed de novo by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which has exclusive jurisdiction over patent cases. These unusual features of patent litigation create significant inefficiencies: patent jury trials are expensive and jury decisions on technologically complex questions of patentability can be unpredictable; stringent standards of appellate review encourage prolonged litigation and result in costly post-appeal do-overs. All of this occurs because the Federal Circuit has drawn a strict, bright line between questions of law and questions of fact, leaving little room for a middle category of questions that require applying the law to the facts of a particular case. In most areas of law—but not often in patent law—those questions are called mixed questions of law and fact. This article advances a simple thesis: that all questions of patent validity are, ultimately, mixed questions of law and fact. This approach would greatly simplify Federal Circuit doctrine, which currently treats some validity issues as questions of law, others as questions of fact, and still others as questions of law based on underlying facts. It would also clarify ambiguities in Supreme Court precedent on the law-fact distinction in patent litigation, which similarly resists using the phrase “mixed question.” In addition, treating patent validity as a mixed question would improve the procedure of patent litigation in numerous ways: patent validity would be resolved in reasoned opinions by a judge rather than in the black box of a general jury verdict, those on-the-record judicial decisions would receive appropriate deference on appeal, and judicial review of Patent Office actions would be brought further into the mainstream of administrative law.
The Cognitive Benefits of Participating in Structured Sports for Preschoolers

Research Findings: The present study explored connections between participation in structured open-skilled (e.g., soccer, basketball) and closed-skilled sports (e.g., swimming) and executive functi...
Sulfur Metabolism Under Stress

Significance: In humans, imbalances in the reduction-oxidation (redox) status of cells are associated with many pathological states. In addition, many therapeutics and prophylactics used as interventions for diverse pathologies either directly modulate oxidant levels or otherwise influence endogenous cellular redox systems. Recent Advances: The cellular machineries that maintain redox homeostasis or that function within antioxidant defense systems rely heavily on the regulated reactivities of sulfur atoms either within or derived from the amino acids cysteine and methionine. Recent advances have substantially advanced our understanding of the complex and essential chemistry of biological sulfur-containing molecules. Critical Issues: The redox machineries that maintain cellular homeostasis under diverse stresses can consume large amounts of energy to generate reducing power and/or large amounts of sulfur-containing nutrients to replenish or sustain intracellular stores. By understanding the metabolic pathways underlying these responses, one can better predict how to protect cells from specific stresses. Future Directions: Here, we summarize the current state of knowledge about the impacts of different stresses on cellular metabolism of sulfur-containing molecules. This analysis suggests that there remains more to be learned about how cells use sulfur chemistry to respond to stresses, which could in turn lead to advances in therapeutic interventions for some exposures or conditions.
Plant genome editing branches out.

The budding field of precision genome editing in plants expands with an engineered CRISPR–Cas9 variant named SpRY, which enables mutagenesis of virtually any genomic sequence.
Oral Narrative Instruction Improves Kindergarten Writing

Writing is a critical literacy skill that emerges in kindergarten. The research literature has only addressed transcription skills of kindergarteners and has failed to address text generation. The ...
Use of Risk Assessments in Pretrial Supervision Decision-Making and Associated Outcomes:

Despite the growing use of both pretrial risk assessment and supervision as pretrial reform strategies, there has been limited investigation on the effectiveness of risk assessment-informed pretria...
The role of flagella in Campylobacter virulence.

This chapter summarizes our present state of understanding of the role of flagella in campylobacter pathogenesis. The flagellar filament of Campylobacter species is composed of two flagellin subunits. Prokaryotic protein glycosylation was at one time thought to be uncommon, but flagellins from all polarly flagellated bacteria that have been examined thus far are glycosylated. Flagellin glycosylation is required for filament assembly in both of these pathogens. Flagella isolated from this mutant showed increased solubility in detergent, suggesting that changes in the glycan composition affected subunit interactions within the filament. Spontaneous autoagglutination (AAG) of campylobacters has long been recognized as a problem in serotyping schemes. The differences can be visualized using green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeled bacteria. A proteomic comparison of biofilm-grown and planktonic cells indicated the up-regulation of a number of flagellar proteins in biofilm cells, and mutational studies also suggested that flagella (and FlaC expression) are critical to biofilm development. At least one (and likely more) virulence factor appears to be regulated along with the flagellar regulon. Additionally, the flagellin structure appears to have evolved in ways that allow the pathogen to avoid the innate immune response and form aggregates that are critical to virulence.
A Robust Stability Condition based on Refined Eigenvalue Inclusion Regions

The robust stability problem is studied for multivariable feedback systems. The method is based on eigenvalue inclusion regions and a hybrid approach is presentd utilizing both singular value decopositon and numerical range concepts. The robust stability tests yield more accurate results since the process uncertainty descriptions make use of both the magnitude and the phase information in an attempt to obtain less conservative estimates of process uncertainty.
The utility of flexible sigmoidoscopy after a computerized tomographic colonography revealing only rectosigmoid lesions.

Summary Background Identifying polyps by computerized tomographic colonography typically prompts colonoscopy, increasing its cost, risk and inconvenience. Many polyps are confined to the rectosigmoid and theoretically amenable to resection via flexible sigmoidoscopy. Aim To determine the prevalence of advanced proximal colonic neoplasia when computerized tomographic colonography reveals only rectosigmoid polyps, and characterize the yield of polypectomy via flexible sigmoidoscopy in such patients. Methods Subjects underwent computerized tomographic colonography and colonoscopy with segmental unblinding. Patients with only rectosigmoid findings by computerized tomographic colonography were identified retrospectively. Flexible sigmoidoscopy findings were estimated by including lesions distal to the descending/sigmoid colon junction during colonoscopy. Proximal lesions were also reviewed. Advanced lesions were defined as: adenocarcinoma, tubular adenoma >1 cm, ≥3 tubular adenomas, tubulovillous histology or high-grade dysplasia. Results By computerized tomographic colonography, 15% (203 of 1372) had only rectosigmoid polyps. Concomitant lesions in the proximal colon were seen in 32% (64 of 203) during colonoscopy. Advanced proximal neoplasia occurred in 2% (three of 203) with only rectosigmoid polyps on computerized tomographic colonography. Conclusions Using flexible sigmoidoscopy to follow-up computerized tomographic colonography demonstrating only rectosigmoid polyps would eliminate 15% of subsequent colonoscopies. This strategy carries a small risk of missed proximal advanced neoplasia. This miss rate appears comparable to that of colonoscopy alone. Further study on the cost-effectiveness of this approach is warranted.
Transworld sanctity and Plantinga's Free Will Defense

Il est reconnu par les philosophes que Dieu et le diable sont incompatibles. Cette idee est remise en question par Alvin Plantiga qui souligne la comptabilite de Dieu et du diable. L'A. souligne les failles de l'argumentation de Plantiga qui n'est pas convaincante.
Neurons dissociated from rat myenteric plexus retain differentiated properties when grown in cell culture. II. Electrophysiological properties and responses to neurotransmitter candidates.

Abstract We have used intracellular recordings to study the electrophysiological and pharmacological properties of neurons that have been grown in cell cultures after having been dissociated from the myenteric plexus of the small intestine of newborn rats. Studies of action potential mechanisms revealed that all of the neurons could generate Na + -dependent action potentials in the presence of Ca 2+ -channel blockers and that about 70% could generate Ca 2+ -dependent action potentials when Na + channels were blocked with tetrodotoxin. No neurons generated long afterhyperpolarizations after single action potentials but about 50% of neurons did so following trains of action potentials. Over 95% of the neurons tested accommodated rapidly to sustained depolarization. The effects of several enteric neurotransmitter candidates were studied by superfusing or pressure-ejecting test solutions while recording neuronal responses. All of the cultured neurons tested had nicotinic responses to acetylcholine. Subsets of neurons responded to muscarinic cholinergic agonists (slow depolarization and increased excitability), serotonin (fast depolarization or slow depolarization and increased excitability), γ-aminobutyrate (fast depolarization), substance P (slow depolarization, biphasic fast and slow depolarization or increased excitability without a change in membrane potential), vasoactive intestinal peptide (slow depolarization and increased excitability), or [Met]enkephalin (slow hyper-polarization and/or decreased action potential duration). We conclude that myenteric neurons grown in cell culture retain many of the physiological and pharmacological properties that they have in situ . Such cultures will permit detailed biophysical and pharmacological studies of the mechanisms of action of enteric neurotransmitter candidates.
Application of thermal desorption methods in studies of catalysis: II. The oxidation of carbon monoxide on platinum

Abstract Thermal desorption studies of the interaction between CO and polycrystalline platinum demonstrate the existance of several adsorption states. Line shape analyses of the desorption spectra indicate that there are at least four surface states. In terms of the observed sequential filling of the adsorption states and reactivity differences of the species in each state, the results are interpreted in terms of two surface states, α and β, each of which is composed of several substates. Desorption from the four principal substates can be adequately characterized as first order processes; the heats of activation, frequency factors, and saturation populations for these substates have been determined.
Landmarks on the Road to Modern Analysis

The Calculus Gallery . Masterpieces from Newton to Lebesgue. By William Dunham . Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 2005. 252 pp. $29.95, £18.95. ISBN 0-691-09565-5. Using modern terms and notations, the author presents the growth of calculus through a sample of the contributions of 13 mathematicians who have shaped its development.
Mars Pathfinder Landing Site Workshop

The Mars Pathfinder Project is an approved Discovery-class mission that will place a lander and rover on the surface of the Red Planet in July 1997. The Mars Pathfinder Landing Site Workshop was designed to allow the Mars scientific community to provide input as to where to land Pathfinder on Mars. The workshop was attended by over 60 people from around the United States and from Europe. Over 20 landing sites were proposed at the workshop, and the scientific questions and problems concerning each were addressed. The workshop and the discussion that occured during and afterward have significantly improved the ability to select a scientifically exciting but safe landing site on Mars.
De-noising SPECT/PET Images Using Cross-Scale Regularization

De-noising of SPECT and PET images is a challenging task due to the inherent low signal-to-noise ratio of acquired data. Wavelet based multi-scale denoising methods typically apply thresholding operators on sub-band coefficients to eliminate noise components in spatial-frequency space prior to reconstruction. In the case of high noise levels, detailed scales of sub-band images are usually dominated by noise which cannot be easily removed using traditional thresholding schemes. To address this issue, a cross-scale regularization scheme is introduced, which takes into account cross-scale coherence of structured signals. Preliminary results show promising performance in denoising clinical SPECT and PET images for liver and brain studies. Wavelet thresholding was also compared to denoising with a brushlet expansion. The proposed regularization scheme eliminates the need for threshold parameter settings, making the denoising process less tedious and suitable for clinical practice.
Lipoproteins of Special Significance in Atherosclerosis

In summary, the study of type III hyperlipoproteinemia has provided important insights into lipoprotein metabolism that have helped to elucidate several functional roles for apo E and have provided a better understanding of the mechanisms whereby specific lipoproteins may be atherogenic or anti-atherogenic. The molecular defect in type III hyperlipoproteinemia and dysbetalipoproteinemia is the presence of a mutant form of apo E, usually apo E2, that is defective in binding to both apo B,E(LDL) and apo E receptors. The receptor-defective apo E results in an impaired clearance of remnant lipoproteins (beta-VLDL). In addition, the abnormal apo E may impair the lipolytic processing of hepatic beta-VLDL through its involvement in lipid transfer or exchange processes. The accumulation of beta-VLDL may provide the most direct mechanism responsible for the accelerated atherosclerosis observed in type III hyperlipoproteinemia, a mechanism that involves the receptor mediated uptake of beta-VLDL by macrophages, which are then converted to arterial foam cells. Alterations in the HDL of patients with type III hyperlipoproteinemia further support the concept that HDL are anti-atherogenic. The increase in HDL-with apo E provides insight into the role of these cholesterol-enriched HDL in reverse cholesterol transport and in the cellular redistribution of cholesterol, processes whereby cholesterol deposition may be reversed. It should be stressed that both the accumulation of beta-VLDL and alterations in HDL (reduction in typical HDL and an increase in HDL-with apo E) are associated with accelerated atherogenesis in animals fed high levels of fat and cholesterol. Although valuable information has been gained concerning the mechanisms involved in type III hyperlipoproteinemia by the study of the disease, the clinical expression of this disorder is variable, ranging from hypocholesterolemia to marked hypercholesterolemia in subjects with the same molecular defect (E2/2). This variability in expression is more easily understood when one considers the various factors that can promote the hyperlipoproteinemia and when one considers the mechanisms of action whereby these factors may exacerbate the effects of the presence of an abnormal apo E. In most cases, development of type III hyperlipoproteinemia requires that a second event (a predisposing environmental factor or a second genetic defect) be associated with the primary genetic defect (an abnormal form of apo E).
Transplantable Tumor Cell Line Derived From a Spontaneous Fibrosarcoma in a Gerbil

A cultured tumor cell line was derived from a spontaneous fibrosarcoma in a gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). The cell line consistently produced large tumors with a high incidence of metastases in gerbils of all ages and in both sexes.
Using New Porous Nanocomposites for Photocatalytic Water Decontamination

Heterogeneous catalysts that accelerate the photolytic destruction of organic contaminants in water are a potentially inexpensive and highly effective way to remove both trace-level and saturated harmful compounds from industrial waste streams and drinking water. Porous photocatalytic materials can have the combined qualities of high surface area and relatively large particle sizes, as compared with nanoparticulate catalyst powders like titanium dioxide . The larger particle sizes of the porous materials facilitate catalyst removal from a solution, after purification has taken place. We have synthesized new kinds of photocatalytic porous oxide materials that can be used to purify contaminated water by accelerating the photodegradation of any kind of organic pollutant. The new materials have very large open pore structures that facilitate the diffusion, the surface contact of contaminants, and solvent flow through the catalyst. These qualities enhance surface reactions important to the process. The new catalysts have shown robust physical and chemical properties that make them candidates for real applications in polluted water decontamination.
1015-73 Relationship Between Homocyst(e)ine, Vitamin B12 and Cardiac Disease in the Elderly

Elevated plasma homocyst(e)ine (HCS) is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) among middle aged adults. Moveover, HCS also increases with age. This study assessed plasma HCS among 384 elderly (ages 73 ± 7 y) patients undergoing coronary angiography. The degree of CAD was scored using proximal and diffuse (Freisenger) indices. Plasma HCS, serum Vitamin B12 and folate and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured and risk factors for CAD were recorded. There was no apparent correlation between plasma HCS and extent of CAD after adjusting for age. Nine percent of patients (pts) had Vitamin B12 deficiency (B12 def), ie. Vitamin B12. l 300 pg/ml as well as HCS g 16 nmol/ml. LVEF for the 32 B12 def pts = 40.5% was significantly less than for 326 non B12 def pts with LVEF = 50.6% (p l 0.001). Significance remained after adjusting for proximal and Freisenger indices, history of smoking, diabetes, previous myocardial infarction, age and sex. (Adjusted Difference of LVEF = 8.2, 95% CI 2.6–13.8). In conclusion we did not find a significant correlation between plasma HCS and extent of CAD as assessed angiographically using proximal and diffuse indices. The data demonstrate that B12 def pts (with elevated HCS levels) had significantly lower LVEF than non B12 def pts. Whether low LVEF results in malabsorption of Vitamin B12 and B12 def or, conversely, whether B12 def and its marker, ie, elevated HCS, depress LVEF, warrants further investigation.
Biochemical and immunological changes in chickens experiencing pulmonary hypertension syndrome caused by Enterococcus faecalis

Recent studies have proven that Enterococcus faecalis (1.5 x 10(7) live bacteria from a tryptic broth culture given s.c. or intra-abdominally (IA) to 5-wk-old broilers) caused pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS) in 97% of the birds within 48 h. Definitive diagnosis of PHS was made at necropsy by observing a cavity on the surface of the right ventricular wall and by increased ratio of left ventricular weight to total ventricular weight. A nonlethal method of diagnosing PHS would enhance the study of PHS and alert production poultrymen to the onset of ascites (waterbelly), which is the cuLminating event of PHS. In the present study, serum hemoglobin, glucose, protein, cholesterol, aspartate amino transferase (AST) and creatine kinase-MB (myocardial in origin) enzymes, differential leukocyte numbers, and specific antibody levels against Ent. faecalis were evaluated as nonlethal diagnostic indicators of PHS. Decreases in serum protein and cholesterol of 3 and 10%, respectively, plus increases in percentages of basophils and monocytes of 18 and 40%, respectively, appear to indicate that PHS has been initiated. An agglutinating antibody, specific against Ent. faecalis, but not against other closely related bacteria, has been developed. Presence of this antibody in a bird means that the bird has previously encountered Ent. faecalis. Thus, this antibody may become a diagnostic for PHS in fast-growing chickens.
Augmented-Plane-Wave Calculation of Energy Bands in Simple Cubic Tellurium

Augmented-plane-wave energy-band calculations have been performed for Te having a hypothetical simple cubic crystal structure whose lattice spacing is based on extrapolation of experimental results in the metastable Te-Au and Te-Ag systems. The eigenvalues, calculated along five axes of high symmetry, indicate that simple cubic Te is expected to be metallic, and to have a relatively high density of states at the Fermi surface. The properties deduced from the band structure are compared with those of the high-pressure phases of Te and are found to be similar to those of the phase which exists between 40 and 70 kbar at room temperature.
Modeling the Unsaturated Flow in Liquid Composite Molding Processes: A Review and Some Thoughts

The liquid composite molding (LCM) processes for manufacturing polymer composites involve injecting a thermoset resin into a fiber-packed mold cavity. Very often, the fiber preform behind the resin front is partially saturated during the mold-filling process in LCM, giving rise to an unsaturated flow in that region. This paper first discusses the role of dual-scale porous media in inducing unsaturated flow in certain directional (woven, stitched, or braided) mats due to the delayed impregnation of tows. The approach of using a sink term in the mass balance equation is compared with the traditional approach of using unsaturated permeability for modeling unsaturated flow in dual-scale directional mats. Later, the relation of unsaturated flow with the phenomenon of bubble formation and migration is discussed. The lack of connection between the unsaturated flow research on the one hand, and the bubble creation and migration research on the other, is highlighted next. A few suggestions are offered on related t...
Tax Policies and Federalism

Federal issues in current proposals to ‘reform’ the national income tax in Washington and some possible impacts of the ‘reforms’ on the US states and their local governments are presented.
On explaining the mirror effect.

Two points are made in relation to the recent article by K. Kim and M. Glanzer (1993). First, the attention-likelihood model is more complex than these authors and others suggest. In particular, 2 kinds of quantities ― (a) parameters representing the true state of the subject's memory and (b) the subject's estimates of those parameters-have been referred to using the same symbols. This obscures the essential role of metamemory in the model's predictions. Second, log-likelihood rescaling is not needed to explain the mirror effect. An alternative rescaling scheme is described, which can be added to a variety of memory models. This new rescaling method estimates a test item's learnability by learning it. Simulations shows that the method is consistent with Kim and Glanzer's experimental results
Pion-induced single-nucleon removal to discrete final states

$\ensuremath{\gamma}$ radiation from targets of $^{7}\mathrm{Li}$, $^{9}\mathrm{Be}$, $^{12}\mathrm{C}$, $^{13}\mathrm{C}$, and $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ bombarded by ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ at energies between 60 and 300 MeV was uniquely associated with states formed by removing a single nucleon by the ($\ensuremath{\pi},\ensuremath{\pi}N$) reaction. All yields were found to reflect the well-known 3-3 resonance near 180 MeV in the pion-nucleon system. Ratios of yields for ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ beams were measured for $^{7}\mathrm{Li}$, $^{9}\mathrm{Be}$, and $^{13}\mathrm{C}$. These ratios were very similar to one another and to previous results on $^{12}\mathrm{C}$, $^{14}\mathrm{N}$, and $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ for neutron removal. Several reaction mechanisms based on quasifree processes are tested by comparison to the data, and all are rejected.
Using the Epigenetic Field Defect to Detect Prostate Cancer in Biopsy Negative Patients

Purpose: We determined whether a novel combination of field defect DNA methylation markers could predict the presence of prostate cancer using histologically normal transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy cores.Materials and Methods: Methylation was assessed using quantitative Pyrosequencing® in a training set consisting of 65 nontumor and tumor associated prostate tissues from University of Wisconsin. A multiplex model was generated using multivariate logistic regression and externally validated in blinded fashion in a set of 47 nontumor and tumor associated biopsy specimens from University of Washington.Results: We observed robust methylation differences in all genes at all CpGs assayed (p <0.0001). Regression models incorporating individual genes (EVX1, CAV1 and FGF1) and a gene combination (EVX1 and FGF1) discriminated nontumor from tumor associated tissues in the original training set (AUC 0.796-0.898, p <0.001). On external validation uniplex models incorporating EVX1, CAV1 or FGF1 discriminated tumor ...
Archard Wear Coefficients for Ruby and Silicon Nitride Scanning CMM Probe Tips

Small (1 mm diameter) probe tips are used on sub-micron accuracy scanning coordinate measuring machines. One of the larger contributions to measurement uncertainty is micron-scale probe tip wear. Wear was generated on ruby and silicon nitride probe tips under precisely controlled dry sliding conditions on ground, carburized and hardened steel surfaces. Volumetric wear was measured using an interferometric microscope. Wear volume data was then expressed in terms of Archard wear coefficients. The measured wear rate of silicon nitride sliding on steel was approximately twice that of ruby.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Creating instruction with IDE: Tools for instructional designers

Abstract IDE, the Instructional Design Environment, is a computer system to assist in creating instruction materials. Instructional design and development is a complex information management task for which IDE provides a hypermedia-based representation environment. In this environment, all of the information used for designing and developing a course can be represented and manipulated. IDE provides tools and structures that automate many of the routine tasks arising during course development. These tools simplify the development task, and result in the creation of more consistent instruction.
Scale effects in friction using strain gradient plasticity and dislocation-assisted sliding (microslip)

Scale effects in dry friction at macro- to nanoscale are considered. According to the adhesional model of friction, the friction force depends on the real area of contact and the average shear strength of asperity contacts during sliding. The scale dependence of the so-called geometrically necessary dislocations causes enhanced hardness with decreasing scale. In the case of plastic contacts, enhanced hardness results in a decrease in the real area of contact. The average shear strength at the interface is associated with dislocation-assisted sliding (microslip) and increases with decreasing scale, from geometrical considerations. In cases of single-asperity and multi-asperity elastic or plastic contact, the scale dependence of the real area of contact and shear strength results in scale-dependent friction. Comparisons of the model with experimental data are also presented.
Solid-State Olefin Metathesis: ADMET of Rigid-Rod Polymers and Ring-Closing Metathesis†

Solid-state olefin metathesis of rigid-rod acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymers and ring-closing metathesis (RCM) have been investigated. 1,4-Dipropoxy-2,5-divinylbenzene (4) was synthesized and used in a bulk ADMET polymerization to produce oligomers of dialkoxy poly(phenylene vinylene). The reaction was continued in the solid state, effectively doubling the molecular weight. Solid-state RCM was investigated with a variety of solid dienes and metathesis catalysts, and demonstrated in low conversions using amide diene 5 with catalysts 9, 13, and 14.
Selling and Buying Sex: A Longitudinal Study of Risk and Protective Factors in Adolescence

Engaging in trading sex is associated with many co-occurring problems, including elevated risk for sexually transmitted infections. Various dimensions of social support from parents, schools, and mentors may be protective against sex trading and may ameliorate the impact of risk factors. This study analyzes data from respondents to Waves I and III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) who had not participated in sex trading for money or drugs in Wave I so that risk and protective factors for first initiations of selling or buying sex could be examined longitudinally. About 2% of the study sample began selling sex and about 2% began buying sex between Wave I and Wave III. The respondent’s sex, race/ethnicity, history of sexual abuse, shoplifting, marijuana use, and experiences of homelessness or running away were significant predictors of trading sex (p < 0.05). Being happy at school was associated with lower selling of sex, and feeling part of school was associated with lower buying of sex even after controlling for demographics and risk factors (p < 0.05). Results indicate a need for early intervention for youth who experience sexual abuse or running away. Elements of school connectedness have a protective effect on selling and buying sex. Promoting school connectedness may advance public health goals.
Beyond Enlightenment: Occultism, Politics, and Culture in France from the Old Regime to the Fin–de–Siècle

(2003). Beyond Enlightenment: Occultism, Politics, and Culture in France from the Old Regime to the Fin–de–Siecle1. The Historian: Vol. 65, No. 3, pp. 665-694.