cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treaty Review: Deadlock Damages Nonproliferation

To the chagrin of the vast majority of the 84 participating signatory governments, the 1990 Geneva conference to review the implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) ended without adopting a final declaration reaffirming the parties' common commitment to the accord. In the early hours of September 15, 1990, Mexico insisted that the declaration include wording on a comprehensive nuclear test ban that was unacceptable to the United States. To achieve the consensus needed to ratify the final document, many parties were prepared to accept compromise language pushed by the U.S. on the test ban issue, according to Western sources. Yet, no final consensus emerged and, in keeping with the practice at past review conferences, no vote was taken. All conference participants had also reached informal agreement on numerous declarations supporting the treaty and endorsing important new steps to strengthen nuclear export standards and to expand the application of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. The Western bloc, with the support of the Soviet Union and its former allies, pressed for consensus to insure that these elements would be formally adopted. Who won and who lost The United States and Mexico both gained, although far less than each had hoped.more » In the end, the international nonproliferation regime suffered the most serious losses. 6 refs.« less
Crystallization and properties of uridine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase from liver.

Abstract The purification and crystallization of uridine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase from calf liver has been described. As much as 0.3% of the extractable protein is the pyrophosphorylase, which catalyzes the synthesis of uridine diphosphate glucose. After recrystallizing the enzyme twice, constant specific activity is attained; it appears to be almost homogeneous on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and on ultrasedimentation. The recrystallized enzyme is not highly specific for either the nucleoside or the sugar component of the nucleoside diphosphate sugar. When thymidine, cytidine, or guanosine are substituted for uridine, or when galactose, mannose, or xylose are substituted for glucose, the resulting compounds have from 0.1 to 4% of the activity of uridine diphosphate glucose. The molecular weight of the recrystallized enzyme is about 400,000; the specific activity, 240; and the turnover number, 83,000. The following Km values were obtained for each substrate: glucose 1-phosphate, 5.5 x 10-5 m; uridine triphosphate, 2 x 10-4 m; pyrophosphate, 8.4 x 10-5 m; and uridine diphosphate glucose, 6 x 10-5 m. Inorganic phosphate inhibits the enzyme competitively with pyrophosphate at a Ki of 4 x10-3 m and uridine diphosphate competitively with uridine diphosphate glucose at a Ki of 1.5 x 10-4 m.
A Dynamical Sensor for Robot Juggling

We discuss the sensory management strategy that has evolved over the course of our efforts to build a three degree of freedom robot capable of juggling two balls at once . A field rate stereo camera system passes estimates of the balls’ positions to a juggling algorithm that drives the robot’s joint actuators. In order to meet the stringent real-time constraints imposed by such a visual servoing task, we have found it necessary to pay increasingly careful attention to our strategy for controlling the dynamics of the camera window management system. The paper concludes with an initial attempt to formalize this control problem. For more information: Kod*Lab Disciplines Electrical and Computer Engineering | Engineering | Systems Engineering Comments Electronic version of an article published as [World Scientific Series in Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Volume 7, 1993, 229-256] [DOI: 10.1142/9789814503709_0008] © [copyright World Scientific Publishing Company] [ Journal URL: http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/1995]. NOTE: At the time of publication, author Daniel Koditschek was affiliated with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Currently, he is a faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. This book chapter is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/ese_papers/690
A Two-Stage Deception Game for Network Defense

Computer network is always under the threat of adversaries. Before launching any real attacks, adversaries may scan and probe the systems to gain some key information. In this paper, we build a two-stage deception game to determine how to answer attackers’ scan and probe queries to minimize defender’s expected loss. To achieve optimal defense strategy, a sophisticated mixed integer program is formulated. To support fast computation in reality, a two-stage heuristic method is also developed based on the problem’s structural properties. Computational experiment shows that after scanning the whole network, adversary’s probe against some hosts and how such probe is responded have significant influences on defender’s expected loss. Our heuristic method is able to produce high quality solutions with a drastically improved computational performance.
Microstructural and small-scale characterization of additive manufactured AlSi10Mg alloy

Additive manufacturing of aluminum alloys is considered a promising layer-wise manufacturing method which can produce lightweight critical automotive/aerospace/military components with enhanced physical and mechanical properties. This paper aims at assessing the correlation between microstructure and small-scale characteristics of an additive manufactured AlSi10Mg alloy in the as-printed and heat treated conditions. Depth-sensing nanoindentation testing, as a non-destructive, robust, and convenient testing approach, along with microstructural assessments, using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, were employed to compare the nano-hardness of the printed (selective laser melting method) and the heat treated (age-hardening) materials. Considering the distance from the build plate, a gradation in the cooling rate, and therefore the microstructure, is expected which directly affect the nano-hardness gradient along the deposition direction. Results show a transition in the microstructure from cellular grains, with coral-like silicon fiber colonies, to fragmented/spheroidized eutectic silicon particles upon the heat treatment. Unlike conventionally manufactured AlSi10Mg alloys, upon aging heat treatment in the additive manufactured AlSi10Mg alloy, the nano-hardness is decreased which is mainly contributed to stress relief, elimination of solid solution strengthening, and silicon spheroidization phenomena. These are considered in detail in the current paper.
Investigating the Roles of Virtual Experience in Consumers' Online Purchasing Decisions

Prior research in the field of electronic commerce argued that virtual experience (VE) could facilitate consumer’s product learning by mitigating the constraints that resulted from the lack of direct experience in an online environment. However, little is known with respect to the effect of VE on consumer’s purchasing behaviour. This paper investigates two roles that VE plays in consumer’s purchasing decision. First, VE elicits consumer’s positive attitude toward a product. Second, VE boosts consumer’s purchasing intention only when consumers’ attitude toward the product is favourable. An empirical study was conducted and the data demonstrated support to the proposed model. This study contributes to academia by providing a parsimonious model explaining consumers’ irrational purchasing behaviours in the online context. Also this study contributes to practice by emphasizing that VE is a double sided sword that must be utilized appropriately in product demonstrations.
Using Expert Elicitation to Determine the Relative Impact of Coastal Modifications on Marine Turtle Nesting Grounds

Marine turtles utilize sandy beaches as nesting grounds, which can be impacted by a variety of coastal modifications. In the context of limited resources, managers need to prioritize which impacts ...
A double peak in the seasonality of California's photosynthesis as observed from space

Abstract. Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) has been shown to be a powerful proxy for photosynthesis and gross primary productivity (GPP). The recently launched TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) features the required spectral resolution and signal-to-noise ratio to retrieve SIF from space. Here, we present a downscaling method to obtain 500 m spatial resolution SIF over California. We report daily values based on a 14 d window. TROPOMI SIF data show a strong correspondence with daily GPP estimates at AmeriFlux sites across multiple ecosystems in California. We find a linear relationship between SIF and GPP that is largely invariant across ecosystems with an intercept that is not significantly different from zero. Measurements of SIF from TROPOMI agree with MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) vegetation indices – the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), enhanced vegetation index (EVI), and near-infrared reflectance of vegetation index (NIR v ) – at annual timescales but indicate different temporal dynamics at monthly and daily timescales. TROPOMI SIF data show a double peak in the seasonality of photosynthesis, a feature that is not present in the MODIS vegetation indices. The different seasonality in the vegetation indices may be due to a clear-sky bias in the vegetation indices, whereas previous work has shown SIF to have a low sensitivity to clouds and to detect the downregulation of photosynthesis even when plants appear green. We further decompose the spatiotemporal patterns in the SIF data based on land cover. The double peak in the seasonality of California's photosynthesis is due to two processes that are out of phase: grasses, chaparral, and oak savanna ecosystems show an April maximum, while evergreen forests peak in June. An empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis corroborates the phase offset and spatial patterns driving the double peak. The EOF analysis further indicates that two spatiotemporal patterns explain 84 % of the variability in the SIF data. Results shown here are promising for obtaining global GPP at sub-kilometer spatial scales and identifying the processes driving carbon uptake.
The risk of malnutrition in children with autism spectrum disorder

A 9-year-old boy presented with a 2-day history of vomiting, ataxia and reduced consciousness. He had vomited intermittently in the two preceding months, without headaches, visual disturbance or early morning symptoms. He had autism spectrum disorder, and restricted eating since aged 2 years, eating only corn-crisps, Rich Tea biscuits and chips (French fries), and drinking Coca-Cola (containing 10% glucose; figure 1). Recently a dietician had prescribed a multivitamin. Dietary analysis revealed an extremely low protein (0.37 g/kg/day) and low fat (0.77 g/kg/day) diet for over 7 years with a caloric intake of 1200 kCal. Estimated requirements were 1512 kCal,1 0.92 mg/kg/day of protein2 and 1.94 mg/kg of fat (based on 35% of daily calorie intake3). On examination he was encephalopathic, with hepatomegaly and ascites. His height and weight were on the 0.4th–2nd and 9th centiles, respectively. Laboratory results demonstrated glucose 2.7 mmol/L, mild anaemia, raised urea (10.7 mmol/L) with normal creatinine and raised hepatic transaminases, low albumin and elevated creatinine kinase (peak 7809 IU/L). He remained encephalopathic and was intubated for poor respiratory function. Ammonia and blood pH were normal. Question 1 What nutritional/metabolic test(s) would be the next best step? Vitamin B1 (thiamine) levels Copper and caeruloplasmin levels Blood spot for acylcarnitine profile Plasma amino acid profile Urine organic acids Question 2 What potentially dangerous feeding issues in paediatric intensive care exist here? Electrolyte levels and supplementation Fat composition of feeds Amino acid composition of feeds Vitamin levels Question 3 Why might this patient have had preserved vitamin E levels? Vitamin E is added to rancheros Some vitamin E is obtained from sunlight French fries are relatively high in vitamin E Multivitamin preparations Question 4 What metabolic disorders are associated with very low carnitine levels? Organic acidaemias Fatty acid oxidation disorders Mitochondrial disorders (disorders of respiratory chain) Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) Answers can be found on page 01
The influence of connected heterogeneity on groundwater flow and salinity distributions in coastal volcanic aquifers

Abstract Geological heterogeneity is a key factor affecting rates and patterns of groundwater flow and the evolution of salinity distributions in coastal aquifers. The hydrogeologic systems of volcanic aquifers are characterized by lava flows that can form connected geologic structures in the subsurface. Surface-based geostatistical techniques were adopted to generate geologically-realistic, statistically equivalent model realizations of a hydrogeologic system based on that of the Big Island of Hawaii (conduit models). The density-dependent groundwater flow and solute transport code SEAWAT was used to perform 3D simulations to investigate subsurface flow and salt transport through these random realizations. Statistically equivalent geological systems generated with sequential indicator simulation (SIS) and equivalent homogeneous systems were also simulated for comparison. Simulation results show that conduit realizations tend to have more complex salinity distributions with larger mixing zones for which the center of mass is farther offshore compared to homogeneous and SIS realizations. The zone of groundwater discharge is also farther offshore than for homogeneous and SIS models, with higher point fluxes of both fresh and saline water and greater spatial variability. This highlights the importance of the geometry of geologic features in coastal groundwater flow and solute transport processes in highly heterogeneous aquifers. It also points to the importance of preferential flow, with implications for both coastal groundwater resource management and solute fluxes to the ocean.
A Multi-View Discriminant Learning Approach for Indoor Localization Using Amplitude and Phase Features of CSI

Location Based Service (LBS) is one of the important aspects of a smart city. Accurate indoor localization plays a vital role in LBS. The ability to localize various subjects in the area of interest facilitates further ubiquitous environments. Specifically, device free localization using wireless signals is getting increased attention as human location is estimated using its impact on the surrounding wireless signals without any active device tagged with subject. In this paper, we propose MuDLoc, the first multi-view discriminant learning approach for device free indoor localization using both amplitude and phase features of Channel State Information (CSI) from multiple Access Points (APs). The same location oriented CSI data can be observed by different APs, thus generating multiple distinct even heterogeneous samples. Multi-view learning is an emerging technique in machine learning which improve performance by utilizing diversity from different view data. In MuDLoc, the localization is modeled as a pattern matching problem, where the target location is predicted based on similarity measure of CSI features of an unknown location with those of the training locations. MuDLoc implements Generalized Inter-view and Intra-view Discriminant Correlation Analysis (GI 2 DCA), a discriminative feature extraction approach that incorporates inter-view and intra-view class associations while maximizing pairwise correlations across multi-view data sets. Experimental results from two cluttered environments show that MuDLoc can estimate location with high accuracy which outperforms other benchmark approaches.
The Empire of outrage: Topical systems at the death of Cecil the lion

This article employs the topographical metaphors of terrain and territory to examine how, upon the 2015 death of Cecil the lion at the hands of the dentist Walter Palmer, outrage was channeled into...
Characterization of challenges in asymmetric nonlinear vibration energy harvesters subjected to realistic excitation

Abstract With an explosion of the internet of things (IoT), vibration energy harvesting provides an environmentally friendly solution to replace consumable batteries in powering IoT wireless sensors. Yet, when implemented in practice, ambient vibration input energy is much less periodic than assumptions adopted in previous studies. This becomes especially important given that asymmetries are inevitable in nonlinear device platforms. This research sheds light on these complex challenges of practical vibration energy harvesting by developing and exploring an analytical model based on equivalent linearization. The modeling approach provides an opportunity to understand influences of asymmetry, nonlinearity, and combined excitation response on the DC power delivery of energy harvesters. In the analytical model, a weighted Gaussian joint distribution is utilized to approximate the influences caused by the random excitation. Combined with numerical and experimental validation, the analysis indicates that with the increase of stochastic base acceleration, two outcomes are possible. A first outcome involves an enhancement of DC power by way of triggering large amplitude nonlinear oscillations. A second outcome corresponds to a loss of high power delivery since the noise interferes with the attainment of the snap-through dynamic. Either reducing asymmetry or increasing harmonic excitation component is found to be favorable to induce the power-enhancing dynamics and inhibit the occurrence of the second case. Although with the simplified Gaussian distribution, the analytical framework cannot reproduce exact details of the dynamic responses in every case, the results show that the statistical trends of the analysis are overall borne out in simulation and experiment. This indicates the new modeling of this research may help guide attention to design and deployment techniques for nonlinear vibration energy harvesters in practical combined excitation environments, where limitations on precise manufacture or placement may introduce structural asymmetry.
Barriers to the Treatment of Hepatitis C among Predominantly African American Patients Seeking Care in an Urban Teaching Hospital in Washington, D.C

Abstract Background In the United States, it is estimated that 2.4 million people are currently infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). In order to address HCV infection management in the U.S., several government entities collaborated to develop and release a multistep plan for the prevention, care, and treatment of viral hepatitis. Optimal health outcomes from the plan are contingent upon addressing each of the several steps in the HCV care cascade. Among the critical challenging steps is linkage to care and access to treatment. Of the nearly three million people in the U.S. infected with HCV, only 43% have been linked to care, 16% have received treatment, and 9% have had their infection resolved. Objective This retrospective study aims to identify predictors within the HCV treatment cascade that contribute to failures in care of HCV-infected patients in an urban hospital setting located in the District of Columbia. Setting The outpatient clinics of a tertiary-care urban teaching hospital. Methods A retrospective study was conducted using electronic medical records of persons 18 years and older who were HCV antibody positive and had at least one visit at any of the outpatient clinics from August 1, 2015 to August 1, 2016. Descriptive analysis of HCV positive persons was conducted, and predictors of HCV treatment were assessed. Results A total of 252 patients were included in the study. Overall, patients were predominantly male (63.1%), African American (97.6%), under the age of 65 (71.4%), covered by public insurance (89.3%), and were diagnosed with HCV after the year 2001 (53.2%). Additionally, majority of patients had not been treated for their HCV infection (58%). Multiple barriers resulted in HCV infected patients not obtaining access to treatment. Fibrosis stage (p Conclusion HCV infections remain a major public health concern among patients in the District of Columbia. This study identified fibrosis stage and prior insurance denial as primary barriers to access of HCV treatment. While there are many points in the hepatitis cascade of care in which patients can lose access to or fail treatment completion, the primary point of intervention in our patient population appears to be during the initiation of treatment and insurance prior authorization process.
Long Term Outcomes of Tetralogy of Fallot With Absent Pulmonary Valve (from the Pediatric Cardiac Care Consortium).

Tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve (TOF-APV) is a rare form of tetralogy with unique challenges due to the combination of pulmonary annular stenosis, severe pulmonary regurgitation, and airway compression secondary to aneurysmal dilatation of the pulmonary arteries. Data on the long-term outcomes of repaired TOF-APV are scarce. We used the Pediatric Cardiac Care Consortium (PCCC), a large US-based registry, to describe the postrepair transplant-free survival of patients with TOF-APV. We queried the PCCC for patients operated for TOF-APV between 1982 and 2003. Death or transplant events were ascertained from the PCCC and by linkage with the US National Death Index and the Organ Procurement Transplantation Network through December 2019. A total of 126 patients were identified with TOF-APV repair (primary n = 119, staged n = 7). The majority of them were repaired with a right ventricular to pulmonary artery conduit (n = 80, 64%) and 43 (34%) with transannular patch. In-hospital mortality occurred in 31 patients (25%); post discharge and over a median period of 19 years (IQR 0.37 to 23.7 years), 5 patients died and 2 underwent heart transplant, one of whom subsequently died. The 25-year transplant-free survival post discharge after TOF-APV repair was 92%, which was similar with the outcome of patients with simple TOF undergoing non-valve sparing procedures (94% log-rank test p = 0.455; aHR 1.37; 95% CI: 0.63 to 2.97, p = 0.432). In conclusion, early in-hospital mortality is high for TOF-APV; however, once repaired and survived to discharge, long term survival is similar to simple TOF with non-valve sparing procedures.
Microcomputer Peritoneal Programmer in Service of Acute Peritoneal Dialysis

A microcomputer peritoneal programmer is described. It allows control of peritoneal fluid instillation volume and rate, includes an alarm system, provides data printouts and facilitates patient care. It is especially recommended for control of fluid balance in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis for acute renal failure.
Definition eines Spiels

Die Hauptidee des hier behandelten „Spiels“ ist von den Gesellschaftsspielen her gelaufig. Ausgehend von einer bestimmten Anfangssituation hat man eine Folge von Schritten (Zugen) derart , das die Spieler bei jedem Schritt diesen aus einer gegebenen Menge von moglichen Schritten auswahlen, Einige dieser Zuge konnen auch zufallig sein, wie etwa das Werfen eines Wurfels oder das Mischen eines Kartenspiels.
Jahn-Teller transition in TiF 3 investigated using density-functional theory

We use first-principles density-functional theory to calculate the electronic and magnetic properties of ${\mathrm{TiF}}_{3}$ using the full-potential-linearized augmented-plane-wave method. The local density approximation (LDA) predicts a fully saturated ferromagnetic metal and finds degenerate energy minima for high- and low-symmetry structures. The experimentally observed Jahn-Teller phase transition at ${T}_{c}=370\mathrm{K}$ cannot be driven by the electron-phonon interaction alone, which is usually described accurately by the LDA. Electron correlations beyond the LDA are essential to lift the degeneracy of the singly occupied Ti ${t}_{2g}$ orbital. Although the on-site Coulomb correlations are important, the direction of the ${t}_{2g}$-level splitting is determined by dipole-dipole interactions. The LDA+U functional predicts an aniferromagnetic insulator with an orbitally ordered ground state. The input parameters $U=8.1\mathrm{eV}$ and $J=0.9\mathrm{eV}$ for the Ti $3d$ orbital were found by varying the total charge on the ${\mathrm{TiF}}_{6}^{2\ensuremath{-}}$ ion using the molecular NRLMOL code. We estimate the Heisenberg exchange constant for spin 1/2 on a cubic lattice to be approximately 24 K. The symmetry lowering energy in LDA+U is about 900 K per ${\mathrm{TiF}}_{3}$ formula unit.
Terraces and ledges on (001) spinel surfaces

Abstract The motion of steps on the (0 0 1) surface of MgAl 2 O 4 spinel is discussed. Atomic force microscopy observations of surface faceting and evaporation after heating to high temperatures are reported. The structural relationship between single and double-surface steps on the MgAl 2 O 4 (0 0 1) surface is established. Mechanisms for the formation, motion and dissociation of the double steps are proposed.
Toward fast low power adaptive spike sorting VLSI chip design for wireless BCI implants

Recently, controlling the surrounding world by just the power of our thoughts has become a reality using Brain Computer/Machine Interface (BCI/BMI). Enabling handicap people to control artificial limbs is one of the most important goals of BCI. There are challenges in providing the usability of BCI implants because most of the BCI sensors are non-practical or increases the infection hazard to the patients. Some research proposed wireless implants that do not require chronic wound in the skull. However, in such cases, the communications consume much power via a slow and complex arithmetic unit, high power and bandwidth that exceeds the allowed limits [1]. This study proposes and implements a neural based real-time spike sorting technique for wireless BCI that is faster and simpler than the existing designs, which was achieved by simplifying the computational units, restricting fixed point architecture and involving an adaptive immune system structure based behavior; which makes the design also power and area efficient. The system was implemented, and simulated using Modalism and Cadence.
Design Topics for Superconducting RF Cavities and Ancillaries

RF superconductivity has become a major subfield of accelerator science. There has been an explosion in the number of accelerator applications and in the number of laboratories engaged. The first lecture at this meeting of the CAS presented a review of fundamental design principles to develop cavity geometries to accelerate velocity-of-light particles (β = v/c ~ 1), moving on to the corresponding design principles for medium-velocity (medium-β) and low-velocity (low-β) structures. The lecture included mechanical design topics. The second lecture dealt with input couplers, higher-order mode extraction couplers with absorbers, and tuners of both the slow and fast varieties.
Inversion Clines in Populations of DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Twenty different natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster were sampled to determine the frequencies of inversions. Based on their frequencies and geographical distributions, the inversions could be classified as follows: (1) Common cosmopolitan inversions that are present in many populations in frequencies exceeding five percent and that may exhibit frequency clines over large geographical regions; (2) Rare cosmopolitan inversions that occur throughout the species range but usually at frequencies below five percent and that may be absent in many populations; (3) Recurrent endemic inversions that are found in several adjacent populations in frequencies usually not exceeding one or two percent; and (4) Unique endemic inversions that are found only among the progeny of a single individual and that may represent one aspect of the syndrome termed "hybrid dysgenesis". Four common cosmopolitan inversions that exhibit highly significant clines in populations in the eastern United States are In(2L)t, In(2R)NS, In(3L)P and In(3R)P.
The Role of Internal Control in the Equity Issue Market: Evidence From Seasoned Equity Offerings:

This article examines the role of internal control requirements under the Sarbanes–Oxley (SOX) Act of 2002 in firms’ cost of raising equity capital. We find that, prior to the disclosure of internal control weaknesses (ICWs), ICWs are not directly associated with underwriters’ gross spread and seasoned equity offering (SEO) underpricing. After the disclosure, however, underwriters charge a risk premium on ICW issuers, especially on those disclosing ICWs in multiple consecutive years. We also find that SEO underpricing is exacerbated by multiple-year-disclosed ICWs but not by first-timers. More notably, we find that managers play a dominant role in deciding issue size pre-disclosure, but this dominance weakens post-disclosure. Taken together, our evidence suggests that internal controls help moderate the cost of raising equity capital and that ICW disclosures have significant implications for underwriters in the equity issue market.
Extension of axisymmetric flow birefringence to a time-dependent stagnation flow

Abstract Flow birefringence provides a means to map stress distributions in complex flows of polymer solutions and melts, which may be used as a basis for evaluating performance of constitutive models in viscoelastic flow simulations. Application of this technique to axisymmetric geometries allows consideration of flows with greater kinematic complexity than is possible in the planar flow fields more traditionally studied using birefringence. This paper reports an extension of this technique to a time-dependent, axially symmetric stagnation flow, in which fluid is periodically forced back and forth against the end of a cylinder with a hemispherical tip. The geometry allows independent variation of Deborah and Weissenberg numbers (through independent control of the amplitude and frequency of the motion), and also imposes periodically reversing kinematics, in which fluid in the stagnation region alternately experiences uniaxial and equibiaxial extension. This new flow can thus provide tests of viscoelastic fluid models under severe conditions. The experimental procedures are validated by experiments on a concentrated but low MW polystyrene solution, with essentially Newtonian rheology, to demonstrate the principles and capabilities of the experiment. We further present preliminary data on a shear thinning and viscoelastic solution of higher molecular weight polystyrene, to illustrate the effects of nonlinear viscoelasticity in the stagnation region.
Microarray-based multiplexed scanometric immunoassay for protein cancer markers using gold nanoparticle probes.

We report the use of electroless gold deposition as a light scattering signal enhancer in a multiplexed, microarray-based scanometric immunoassay using gold nanoparticle probes. The use of gold development results in greater signal enhancement than the typical silver development, and multiple rounds of metal development were found to increase the resulting signal compared to one development. Using these conditions, the assay was capable of detecting 300 aM (∼9000 copies) of prostate specific antigen in buffer and 3 fM in 10% serum. Additionally, the highly selective detection of three protein cancer markers at low picomolar concentrations in buffer and 10% serum was demonstrated. The use of gold deposition may have significant utility in scanometric detection schemes and broader clinical and research applications.
The role of sensory and nonsensory factors in body size estimations of eating disorder subjects.

Body size distortion of anorectic and bulimic subjects was compared to controls via a video-distortion technique. Subjects judged the whole body, chest, hips and stomach regions. An adaptive probit estimation (APE) methodology examined separately the sensory and nonsensory components of body image distortion. Eating disorder subjects overestimated body size more than control subjects. There were no significant differences between eating disorder groups, although there was more variability in eating disorder subjects. Subjects overestimated more on whole body as compared to body regions. There were no differences in sensory sensitivity to detecting size differences between groups. Results indicate that differences in body size distortion between eating disorder and control subjects are due exclusively to affective, nonsensory factors.
Thiamine Release from Nerve Membranes by Tetrodotoxin

Tetrodotoxin (3 x 10-8 molar) promoted the release of thiamine from perfused rat and frog nerve preparations in a manner similar to other neuroactive drugs. When the rats were injected with thiamine labeled with sulfur-35, analyses of brain, spinal cord, and sciatic nerve homogenates revealed labeled thiamine in membrane, synaptosomes, and mitochondrial subfractions. However, on incubation of these fractions with tetrodotoxin, thiamine was released only from the membrane fragments.
Expression of tumour necrosis factor-alpha in the rat dental follicle

Tooth eruption requires the presence of the dental follicle, a loose connective tissue sac that surrounds each unerupted tooth. The follicle appears to regulate many of the cellular and molecular events of eruption, including the formation of osteoclasts needed to resorb alveolar bone to form an eruption pathway. To that end, the expression of the tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene was examined in the dental follicle as a possible regulator of osteoclastogenesis. TNF-alpha was expressed slightly in the dental follicle of the first mandibular molar of the rat beginning at day 3 postnatally, but maximal expression was seen at day 9, a time that correlates with a slight burst of osteoclast formation seen at day 10 postnatally. In vitro, TNF-alpha was not expressed constitutively in the follicle cells but incubating them with interleukin 1alpha resulted in a strong expression of TNF-alpha after only 0.5h. TNF-alpha itself enhanced monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression. It also slightly decreased the expression of osteoprotegerin after 3-h incubation but this returned to the control level at 6h. MCP-1 and VEGF could aid in recruiting mononuclear cells (osteoclast precursors) to the dental follicle. In addition to the potential role of TNF-alpha in tooth eruption, this study suggests that the periodontal ligament derived from the dental follicle might have the capacity to synthesize TNF-alpha, and thereby contribute to the destructive events of periodontitis.
Stellar occultation candidates from the guide star catalog. I - Saturn, 1991-1999

A list of 203 potential occultations by Saturn and its ring of stars from the HST Guide Star Catalog (GSC) during the years 1991-1999 is presented. This list features many fainter candidates than do current occultation candidate lists for Saturn; these fainter stars can also provide a high signal-to-noise ratio if observed with a large telescope or in the IR where Saturn and its rings have absorption bands. The occultation circumstances are listed, as well as star information found in the GSC.
Next-generation electromagnetic sounding of the Moon

Abstract Electromagnetic (EM) sounding of the Moon, largely performed during the Apollo program, provided constraints on core size, mantle composition, and interior temperature. We present new analytical and numerical models that demonstrate the abilities of a next generation of EM sounding to (1) determine the electrical structure of the outermost 500 km and its lateral variability, specifically to understand the extent of upper-mantle discontinuities and the structure of the Procellarum KREEP Terrane; (2) determine the temperature and composition of the lower mantle; and (3) better constrain core size. New EM sounding need not rely on the Apollo methodology, which analyzed the magnetic transfer function between a surface station and a distantly orbiting satellite. Instead, a network of magnetometers (as few as two) can be used, or a complete sounding can be performed from a single station by measuring both electric and magnetic fields. Furthermore, in the magnetotail or lunar wake, sensors can operate from orbit, at altitudes up to the desired investigation depth. The twin-spacecraft ARTEMIS mission will test these methods and a lunar geophysical network will provide definitive results.
Elevated interleukin 6 activity in aqueous humor of cats with uveitis.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the role of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in feline uveitis by measuring IL-6 activity in the serum and aqueous humor of cats. Serum and aqueous humor was collected from clinically normal, random source cats (n = 10); clinically normal, specific-pathogen free cats experimentally inoculated with Toxoplasma gondii strain ME49 and sampled sequentially for 20 months (n = 4); and client-owned cats with uveitis (n = 27). Interleukin 6 activity was measured in each sample. Client-owned cats with uveitis were also evaluated for evidence of present or prior exposure to T. gondii, feline leukemia virus, feline immunodeficiency virus, and feline coronaviruses. Interleukin 6 activity was non-detectable or low in serum from cats of each group. Interleukin 6 activity was not detected in aqueous humor of clinically normal cats. Interleukin 6 activity was detected in 22 27 (81.5%) aqueous humor samples from cats with uveitis, with a range of 28.9 U ml−1-15702.9 U ml−1 (mean = 1911.9 U ml−1, SD = 3946.7 U ml−1). Serologic evidence of exposure to T gondii, feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia virus, or a coronavirus was present in 21 27 (77.8%) cats with uveitis. Interleukin 6 was detected in the aqueous humor of 18 21 (85.7%) and 3 6 (50%) of the cats with and without serologic evidence of exposure to one to the infectious diseases, respectively. Statistically significant increases in mean IL-6 activity in aqueous humor were found for cats with any evidence of infection with T. gondii, for cats with T. gondii antigen in aqueous humor and for cats with coronavirus antibody titers ≥ 1:100. Aqueous humor IL-6 activity was greater than corresponding serum IL-6 activity in 21 27 cats. These results show that IL-6 is produced intraocularly in some cats with uveitis and that IL-6 may be a mediator of uveitis in cats.
Women's well-being after relocation to independent living communities.

Late-life relocation to independent living communities is increasing, especially among women. This study described the impact of relocation on the health and well-being of 31 older women who moved ...
Prenatal Showers: Educational Opportunities for Undergraduate Students

J. Cranmer and C. Lajkowicz (1989) faced the challenge of securing student clinical experiences with healthy prenatal clients. They identified that lack of access to pregnant women, limited number of faculty, and large numbers of students contributed to problems in meeting select course objectives. Little has changed since then. This article describes a clinical experience, known as "Prenatal Showers," where undergraduate nursing students, implementing the teacher role, provide community-based prenatal education in the context of a baby shower. Student groups address educational topics identified by community partners. After student presentations, feedback from prenatal clients is analyzed. Lessons learned include selecting appropriate community partners, clearly articulating academic and community needs, and obtaining seed money to initiate the program. Prenatal Showers are most successful when community partners possess open lines of communication, an accessible population, an appreciation for the contributions made by students, and a willingness to share responsibility for their supervision. Prenatal Showers offer different advantages from traditional maternal-child clinical experiences because students gain experiences with prenatal clients from diverse backgrounds and engage in community-based nursing. The community benefits because educational needs of prenatal clients are met. Strong community partnerships benefit faculty by making clinical placements more accessible and reducing faculty workload.
Peptidase Regulation of Gonadotropin‐Releasing Hormone Levels During In Vitro Incubations of the Rat Hypothalamus

: The fate of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) was examined by a GnRH radioimmunoassay during in vitro incubations of the rat medial basal hypothalamus (MBH). There was a progressive disappearance of exogenous GnRH during MBH incubations. The GnRH degradation could be explained by the release of peptidases from the MBH into the incubation medium. The cytoplasmic marker lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) was also released into the incubation medium. The peptide antibiotic bacitracin produced a dose-dependent inhibition of GnRH degradation during MBH incubations; 1 mM-bacitracin completely inhibited exogenous GnRH degradation during 4-h incubations. Bacitracin also produced dose-dependent increases in the recovery of endogenous GnRH released from the MBH under basal conditions or when stimulated with the depolarizing agent veratrine. Veratrine also was found to decrease the GnRH peptidase activity significantly but not the LDH activity during MBH incubations. The present results indicate that peptidase activity can be an important regulator of endogenous GnRH released from the hypothalamus during in vitro incubations.
A fixed-dose randomized controlled trial of olanzapine for psychosis in Parkinson disease

This table summarizes the study design and timing of assessments and interventions for the last 19 subjects enrolled in the study. ↑ dopaminometic: dose increase allowed for antiparkinsonian medication, if parkinsonism had worsened since starting the study. See Methods and Figure 1 for further details.
From Missing Source to Missing Sink: Long-Term Changes in the Nitrogen Budget of a Northern Hardwood Forest

Biogeochemical monitoring for 45 years at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire has revealed multiple surprises, seeming contradictions, and unresolved questions in the long-term record of ecosystem nitrogen dynamics. From 1965 to 1977, more N was accumulating in living biomass than was deposited from the atmosphere; the “missing” N source was attributed to biological fixation. Since 1992, biomass accumulation has been negligible or even negative, and streamwater export of dissolved inorganic N has decreased from ∼4 to ∼1 kg of N ha–1 year–1, despite chronically elevated atmospheric N deposition (∼7 kg of N ha–1 year–1) and predictions of N saturation. Here we show that the ecosystem has shifted to a net N sink, either storing or denitrifying ∼8 kg of N ha–1 year–1. Repeated sampling over 25 years shows that the forest floor is not detectably accumulating N, but the C:N ratio is increasing. Mineral soil N has decreased nonsignificantly in recent decades, but the variability of these measu...
An Overview of Mechanical Strength of Optical Fiber Fusion Splices: Examples of Fractographic Analysis of Break Causes

Abstract The theory and phenomena of mechanical strength of fusion splices are reviewed. An emphasis is placed on fractographic analysis of break causes. A variety of useful examples of splice breaks resulting from surface mechanical damage, various types of contamination, re-deposition of silica particles/thermal shock, and devitrification are shown. Special strength reduction issues related to emerging new splice types and splicing techniques, such as arc fusion splicing of heat sensitive fibers, prolonged pre- and post-heat treatment (for reducing splice losses of dissimilar fiber splices), and fire polishing, are discussed.
Minority and under-insured patients experience worse survival after moderate to severe trauma: An analysis of the National Trauma Databank

METHODS: Review of patients (age 18) included in the National Trauma Data Bank (20012005) with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) 8. Black and Hispanic (minority) patients were each compared to Non Hispanic Whites. Differences between races in survival were determined using multiple logistic regression, adjusting for: age, sex, severity of injury (using ISS and Revised Trauma Score), severity of head and extremity injury, injury mechanism, injury intent, and insurance status (3 groups created: Commercial Insurance (C.Insurance), Medicaid/No Insurance (MA) and Medicare(MC)).
Phosphorus and Potassium Fertilization of Sunfish Ponds

Abstract The rate of fertilization with P2O5, 9 kg/hectare/application, currently recommended for woodland ponds stocked with largemouth bass and sunfish was reduced by one-half without significant reduction in sunfish production. Although further experiments need to be conducted with combinations of largemouth bass and sunfish, these results may be applied on a trial basis. Ponds with waters softer than 20 mg/liter total alkalinity and bottom muds more acid than pH 5.8 should be limed if P2O5 application rates are reduced to 4.5 kg/hectare. Results of the present study probably will not apply to pasture ponds, which usually are more eutrophic than ponds on wooded watersheds. Potash apparently can be omitted from pond fertilizers without reduction in fish production, although this practice is not suggested for waters with less than 1.3 mg/liter potassium.
8 The Observed Teaching Encounter: Providing Residents Feedback on Their Teaching Skills

Introduction: Emergency medicine residents spend a significant portion of their time teaching junior residents and medical students in the clinical setting. Feedback is an integral component of any teaching curriculum, and therefore, feedback on residents’ skill in teaching abilities is an essential part of their learning to teach. We have developed a structured method of providing feedback to senior residents on their teaching competence. Methods: Upcoming senior residents receive an 8-hour course on clinical teaching during their useful conference time. In our ED, attending faculty and senior “teaching” residents are matched with medical student learners. The Observed Teaching Encounter (OTE) is used during usual clinical ED shifts to reinforce concepts in teaching. During the OTE, the teaching resident is directly observed by a faculty physician while teaching a student learner. A checklist is completed by both the faculty member and the student learner in order to provide feedback to the teaching resident. Assessed skills correlate with teaching theory provided to residents in their didactic curriculum. Written formative comments are provided to the resident from faculty, as well. Results: Attending faculty, senior residents, and student learners have all provided positive feedback on the OTE. Assessment of residents’ retention of knowledge on methodology of teaching is presently in progress as a tool to evaluate the efficacy of the OTE.
Dynamic crack propagation and arrest in orthotropic DCB fiber composite specimens

An orthotropic double cantilever beam (DCB) model is used to study dynamic crack propagation and arrest in 90 deg unidirectional Hercules AS/3501-6 graphite fiber epoxy composites. The dynamic fracture toughness of the composite is determined from tests performed on the long-strip specimen and DCB crack arrest experiments are conducted. By using the dynamic fracture toughness in a finite-difference solution of the DCB governing partial differential equations, a numerical solution of the crack propagation and arrest events is computed. Excellent agreement between the experimental and numerical crack arrest results are obtained.