cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The solvent cage effect: is there a spin barrier to recombination of transition metal radicals?

This investigation explored whether there is a spin barrier to recombination of first- and second-row transition metal-centered radicals in a radical cage pair. To answer this question, the recombination efficiencies of photochemically generated radical cage pairs (denoted as FcP) were measured in the presence and absence of an external heavy atom probe. Two methods were employed for measuring the cage effect. The first method was femtosecond pump−probe transient absorption spectroscopy, which directly measured FcP from reaction kinetics, and the second method (referred to herein as the “steady-state” method) obtained FcP from quantum yields for the radical trapping reaction with CCl4 as a function of solvent viscosity. Both methods generated radical cage pairs by photolysis (λ = 515 nm for the pump probe method and λ = 546 nm for the steady-state method) of Cp‘2Mo2(CO)6 (Cp‘ = η5-C5H4CH3). In addition, radical cage pairs generated from Cp‘2Fe2(CO)4 and Cp*2TiCl2 (Cp* = η5-C5(CH3)5) were studied by the st...
Genetic Polymorphism on Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Affects Endothelial Activation and Inflammatory Response During the Acute Phase of Myocardial Infarction

Objectives This study sought to evaluate the effect of genetic polymorphism G894T on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS); on the risk for myocardial infarction (MI); and on the release of von Willebrand factor (vWF), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1b, and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) levels during the acute phase of MI and one year after the event. Background Genetic polymorphism G894T on eNOS has been associated with increased cardiovascular risk. However, its role during the acute phase of MI is unknown. Methods The study population consisted of 228 patients with a first event of premature MI and 519 matched control patients. One year after the event, 61 patients and 205 control patients were recalled for the follow-up study. Blood sampling was performed during the acute phase and after one year. Results The risk for MI in 894TT was 1.992 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.131 to 3.485), p Conclusions G894T polymorphism on the eNOS gene increases the risk for premature MI and modifies the response of vascular endothelium during the acute phase of MI by affecting the release of vWF, IL-6, and oxidative stress status, an effect diminished one year after the event.
Faculty/library relations in acquisitions and collection development: The faculty perspective

I feel rather strange standing here today as an astronomer addressing a conference of librarians on issues in such a technical field as acquisitions. But speaking as a library user, library friend, and representative of the rest of the academic community I want to try in the next few minutes to get you to see the acquisitions process from the other side of the fence, so to speak. First, 1 am going to describe some of the difficulties non-library faculty have in relating to the acquisitions process, both for books and periodicals. Next, I will mention some of the ways that subject specialists may be both useful and dangerous in the acquisitions process. Finally, I will give some suggestions on how librarians might improve the non-library faculty’s understanding of the acquisitions process. Of all the functions in the library, acquisitions is probably the least well understood by the average non-librarian. Certainly, technical services is not as visible to the library user as user services. I have taken a very informal survey during my visits to libraries throughout the country to find that the physical layout here at the College is more nearly the rule than the exception. Specifically, at the College of Charleston finding technical services requires passing through a door marked “Library Personnel Only-No Admittance.” Recently, with the advent of the approval plan, this sign has been joined by another that says “Approval plan books for faculty inspection inside.” Now, instead of being completely repulsed by the first sign, we are just totally confused by the combination. Dare we pass through the door into the sacred halls beyond? And if we do invade the inner sanctum, what do we find-the appearance of utter
Patch stage Kaposi's sarcoma

The patch stage of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) has been recently recognized as histologically distinct from that seen in well-developed violaceous nodules of KS. We report a patient with patch stage KS and its angioendothelioma-like histology. The presence of glomerulus-like vascular structures is a newly described feature.
A Conductivity Method for Measuring Microbially Evolved Carbon Dioxide

The advantages of the electrical conductivity procedure proposed for the measurement of microbially evolved CO2, previously absorbed in alkali, are that it is rapid and the exposure time to atmospheric CO2 is only a few seconds. It is as accurate as other accepted techniques. See full-text article at JSTOR
Flight activity mediated by intracellular stimulation of dorsal giant interneurons of the cockroachPeriplaneta americana

1. Flight activity can be initiated in legless cockroaches by stimulating a single dorsal giant interneuron (dGI) intracellularly with a train of current pulses. Ventral giant interneurons (vGIs) do not initiate flight activity. 2. The initial directional responses in leg motor neurons which are characteristic of running are still evoked prior to flight initiation. 3. For short flights the number of bursts in wing muscles (flight bursts) increases as the number of action potentials in the dGI is increased. 4. Paired stimulation of dGIs evokes longer flight sequences. Moreover, a subthreshold train of action potentials in a single dGI can evoke flight if the train arrives within 500 ms of a previous flight. 5. In flight motor neurons (FMNs), an initial depolarization precedes rhythmic oscillations that are associated with flight bursts. The timing of dGI activity is appropriate for eliciting the initial depolarization as well as the rhythmic oscillations. Stimulation of single dGIs with trains of current pulses evokes both phases of the FMN response, probably via polysynaptic pathways. 6. Activity in the intracellularly stimulated dGI need not reach the mesothoracic ganglion directly in order to evoke coordinated flight activity in both the meso- and metathoracic ganglia.
Electron transfer to oxygen from reduced viologens in homogeneous and microheterogeneous media

Abstract The electron transfer reaction to molecular oxygen from the radical cations of some N-alkyl substituted bipyridinium compounds (viologens) has been studied in aqueous surfactant solutions and water-methanol mixtures by electron pulse radiolysis. The results from water-methanol systems showed a strong dependence on the dielectric constant of the medium and a linear relationship between the logarithm of the electron transfer rate constant and reciprocal dielectric constant was found. When conducted in micellar media composed of an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS), the rate constants obtained were markedly reduced from the values in neat water solutions. This is consistent with the reaction occuring at the micellar surface where the dielectric nature of the environment is different from that in bulk water. Comparisons with other studies indicate a gradient of dielectric constant at the micelle periphery. With micelles composed of cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, a cationic surfactant, the electron transfer rate constants depend on the chain length in a way which indicates that short chain members of the series are not associated with the micelle whereas the long chain derivatives are.
Quantal occurrence-probability treatment of small-polaron hopping

Abstract In this paper, small-polaron. hopping is treated on the basis of a quantal reactionrate formulation. The competition between sub-barrier tunnelling (which dominates at low temperatures) and classical over-the-barrier transitions (which dominate at high temperatures) is exhibited explicitly. Complete agreement with previous treatments is obtained. A discussion of the conditions for adiabatic versus nonadiabatic tunnelling is given in an Appendix.
Dibucaine elicits platelet procoagulant activity in factor VIII and factor X activation by a mechanism involving a sulfhydryl-dependent enzyme

Abstract Dibucaine, a potent inhibitor of platelet aggregation and platelet release, was found to enhance the ability of fresh gel-filtered or washed human platelets to support factor VIII activation and factor X activation. Dibucaine-treated platelets increased the peak of factor VIII clotting activity by 2-fold compared to activity with untreated platelets. Similarly platelets optimally stimulated by dibucaine (1.0–1.5 mM for 5 min at 37°C) supported as much factor X activation by factors IXa and VIII (measured in a chromogenic assay) as platelets optimally stimulated by ionophore A23187 (15 μM). An assay of platelet calcium-dependent sulfhydryl proteases was devised and used to test the effect of various inhibitors on these platelet proteases. The membrane-permeable sulfhydryl inhibitor Thiolyte MB inhibited platelet calcium-dependent protease activity; whereas, membrane-impermeable Thiolyte MQ did not. Thiolyte MB also blocked the ability of dibucaine-stimulated platelets to support factor X activation. Incubation of fresh, gel-filtered platelets with calpain inhibitor II (N-Ac-L-L-Normethioninal) completely inhibited the calcium-dependent sulfhydryl protease activity of these platelets but did not affect their ability to support factor X activation after subsequent incubation with dibucaine. These data support the interpretation that an intracellular SH-dependent enzyme, which may not be calpain, is involved in the expression of platelet procoagulant activity in dibucaine-treated platelets.
Predicting flow reversals in chaotic natural convection using data assimilation

A simplified model of natural convection, similar to the Lorenz system, is compared to computational fluid dynamics simulations of a thermosyphon in order to test data assimilation (DA) methods and better understand the dynamics of convection. The thermosyphon is represented by a long time flow simulation, which serves as a reference ‘truth’. Forecasts are then made using the Lorenz-like model and synchronised to noisy and limited observations of the truth using DA. The resulting analysis is observed to infer dynamics absent from the model when using short assimilation windows. Furthermore, chaotic flow reversal occurrence and residency times in each rotational state are forecast using analysis data. Flow reversals have been successfully forecast in the related Lorenz system, as part of a perfect model experiment, but never in the presence of significant model error or unobserved variables. Finally, we provide new details concerning the fluid dynamical processes present in the thermosyphon during these flow reversals. Keywords: chaos; data assimilation; forecasting; Lorenz system; thermosyphon (Published: 16 April 2012) Citation: Tellus A 2012, 64 , 17598, http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/tellusa.v64i0.17598 To access the supplementary material to this article, please see Supplementary files in the column to the right (under Article Tools)
Effect of Color Coding on Visually Oriented Tests With Students of Different Cognitive Styles

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the effects that differentially coded (black and white and color) illustrations had on students (N = 117) who were classified as field dependent, field neutral, or field independent as a result of their performance on the visually oriented Group Embedded Figures Test (Witkin, Olt-man, Rashin, & Karp, 1971). Students were randomly assigned to two instructional treatments complemented by illustrations (black and white and colored). After receiving their respective treatments, students reviewed two visually oriented criterion tests. Two-way analyses of variance conducted on achievement scores indicated that field independents scored significantly higher than did field dependents on both visual tests, and differences between field-dependent and field-independent learners who received the color-coded treatments on the visual identification test were insignificant. Results indicate that field dependency is an important instructional variable and that for some ty...
Gallium Conduction Pump Design and Analysis

This paper describes the design of an electromagnetic liquid gallium conduction pump for application in a power reactor system for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). Basic principles of conduction pump operation are described and analytical models are developed. The experimental performance of a prototype pump is compared to analytical and finite-element predictions.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
A homogeneous relational model and query languages for temporal databases

In a temporal database, time values are associated with data item to indicate their periods of validity. We propose a model for temporal databases within the framework of the classical database theory. Our model is realized as a temporal parameterization of static relations. We do not impose any restrictions upon the schemes of temporal relations. The classical concepts of normal forms and dependencies are easily extended to our model, allowing a suitable design for a database scheme. We present a relational algebra and a tuple calculus for our model and prove their equivalence. Our data model is homogeneous in the sense that the periods of validity of all the attributes in a given tuple of a temporal relation are identical. We discuss how to relax the homogeneity requirement to extend the application domain of our approach.
Relationship of 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) and 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (CCNU) pharmacokinetics of uptake, distribution, and tissue/plasma partitioning in rat organs and intracerebral tumors.

To obtain a clearer definition of the relationship between the structure of BCNU and CCNU and their antitumor activity, we determined the uptake, distribution, and tissue/plasma partition ratios of both compounds in normal organs and intracerebral (ic) 9L tumors in rats. Greater uptake, distribution, and tissue/plasma partition ratios were obtained for parent CCNU in fat, liver, and brain, and for parent BCNU in kidney. CCNU distributes more rapidly and extensively than BCNU only in fatty tissues. BCNU distributed more extensively in kidney and liver. Rats received bolus IV injections of 14C-labeled BCNU or CCNU in increasing doses; measurments taken 30 min after injection showed that three- to fourfold more BCNU than CCNU was bound to nucleic acids in brain and ic 9L tumor tissue. Because the chloroethyl group is the alkylating moiety for both drugs, these findings implied that BCNU biotransformed to its reactive intermediate more rapidly than did CCNU.
Oblique sub- and super-harmonic Bragg resonance of surface waves by bottom ripples

We consider a class of higher order (quartet) Bragg resonance involving two incident wave components and a bottom ripple component (so called class III Bragg resonance). In this case, unlike class I/II Bragg resonance involving a single incident wave and one/two bottom ripple components, the frequency of the resonant wave, which can be reflected or transmitted, is a sum or difference of the incident wave frequencies. In addition to transferring energy across the spectrum leading to potentially significant spectral transformation, such resonances may generate long (infragravity) waves of special importance to coastal processes and engineering applications. Of particular interest here is the case where the incident waves are oblique to the bottom undulations (or to each other) which leads to new and unexpected wave configurations. We elucidate the general conditions for such resonances, offering a simple geometric construction for obtaining these. Perturbation analysis results are obtained for these resonances predicting the evolutions of the resonant and incident wave amplitudes. We investigate special cases using numerical simulations (applying a high-order spectral method) and compare the results to perturbation theory: infragravity wave generation by co- and counter-propagating incident waves normal to bottom undulations; longshore long waves generated by (bottom) oblique incident waves; and propagating-standing resonant waves due to (bottom) parallel incident waves. Finally, we consider a case of multiple resonance due to oblique incident waves on bottom ripples which leads to complex wave creation and transformations not easily tractable with perturbation theory. These new wave resonance mechanisms can be of potential importance on continental shelves and in littoral zones, contributing to wave spectral evolution and bottom processes such as sandbar formation.
Pixe Analysis of Water with Detection Limits in the PPB Range

The excellent sensitivity and broad range of the PIXE technique suggests that it can be an attractive method for the multielemental analysis of water. The basic nature of water samples however presents several challenges to the analist, in particular sample preparation, efficient data collection, and data analysis. The Purdue University PIXE system has been developed to overcome these difficulties. The system has been used to analyze a large number of samples where the concentration ratio of abundant to trace elements is as large as 106. Detection limits obtained for most elements are in the range 0.1 to 5 ppb.
The development of GABAB-mediated activity in the rat dentate gyrus.

Abstract We examined the effects of GABA B receptor activation in the dentate gyrus of hippocampal slices prepared from 6–8-day-old rat pups. Baclofen (0.25–1.0 μM), a GABA B agonist, rapidly and potently disinhibited the developing dentate, similar to its effect in the mature organism. CGP 35348, a GABA B antagonist, quickly reversed the baclofen-induced disinhibition. However, GABA B antagonists did not reverse long-latency (500–1000 ms IPI) paired-pulse depression, suggesting that it is not caused by a late GABA B -mediated IPSP. GABA B -mediated disinhibition of the dentate gyrus can occur by postnatal day 6, providing a powerful mechanism for altering excitability in the developing hippocampus.
Game Theory and the Analysis of International Conflicts

Game theory is a theory of rational behaviour in the face of opponents expected to behave likewise rationally. Here by ‘rational behaviour’ we mean the assumption that each participant (or ‘player’) has a set of well-defined and mutually consistent basic objectives, and will choose his actual policies in accordance with these objectives without any mistake. In technical terms this means that each player has a well-defined ‘utility function’ expressing the value or ‘utility’ he attaches to various policy objectives, and that his actual behaviour will be fully consistent with this utility function.
Interferon responses in maternal and fetal mice

The kinetics of maternal-fetal interferon and a chemical interferon inducer were studied in Swiss-Webster white mice at 8, 15, and 19 days of gestation. Crude interferon was administered by maternal tail vein injection to one group. There was no transfer of interferon to the fetus despite high maternal levels. A chemical interferon inducer (10-carboxymethyl-9-acridanone) was given intramuscularly to a second group. Both maternal and fetal interferon responses rapidly reached significant levels, although the fetal response was less than that of the mother. Presence of the inducer was demonstrated in both maternal and fetal samples, indicating placental transport of the chemical to the fetus. The implications of these findings for the fetal immune response are discussed.
Remote-controlled automatic injection versus manual injection in ictal SPECT of seizure patients: experience from a children's hospital.

Some patients with epilepsy not controlled by medication will benefit from surgical removal of the seizure focus in the brain, if the seizure focus can be identified. The seizure focus has to be localized in one hemisphere only. This is referred to as refractory complex partial epilepsy. The problem
The “new” Ketogenic Diet

Abstract A "long-lost" diet for controlling epilepsy has been the subject of renewed, consumer-driven interest due to publicity on a popular news feature TV program. The ketogenic diet, a medical nutrition therapy for epilepsy which essentially had fallen into disuse everywhere except Johns Hopkins Pediatric Epilepsy Center was resurrected at our facility in November 1994. This diet is one of the oldest forms of seizure control, however, the mechanism remains unknown. The diet is very high fat, moderate protein, very low carbohydrate. Calories and protein are calculated to allow for growth but no weight gain. Calories are typically supplied in a 4:1 ratio of grams of fat: grams of protein + grams of carbohydrate, with fluid restricted to ∼65cc/kg/d. The child fasts until 4+ ketosis is achieved, and then the diet is introduced slowly. The goal is to maintain 3-4+ ketosis, remaining on the diet 2-3 years. As initiation of the diet requires extensive nutrition education and close monitoring for hypoglycemia, a hospital stay of ∼ five days is required. Close outpatient follow-up by both the neurologist and the dietitian is essential. Johns Hopkins' statistics claim the diet improves seizure control in 70-75% of patients, and eliminates seizures in 50% of patients who stick to it rigidly. To date, 20 patients have been admitted to our facility for diet therapy. Of these, 100% are currently following the diet or followed the diet for greater than two months to determine responsiveness. All have maintained ketosis and most have reported a reduction in seizures. Though long term success measures will require two to three years to report, we have concluded that any opportunity for success is dependant on a cooperative multi-disciplinary effort with the dietitian playing a pivotal role in developing and implementing a care map that extends through pre-admit, hospitalization and long-term follow-up.
Multi-scale visualization and characterization of lignocellulosic plant cell wall deconstruction during thermochemical pretreatment

Deconstruction of lignocellulosic plant cell walls to fermentable sugars by thermochemical and/or biological means is impeded by several poorly understood ultrastructural and chemical barriers. A promising thermochemical pretreatment called ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) overcomes the native recalcitrance of cell walls through subtle morphological and physicochemical changes that enhance cellulase accessibility without extracting lignin and hemicelluloses into separate liquid streams. Multi-scale visualization and characterization of Zea mays (i.e., corn stover) cell walls were carried out by laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy (LSCM), Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) to elucidate the mechanism of AFEX pretreatment. AFEX first dissolves, then extracts and, as the ammonia evaporates, redeposits cell wall decomposition products (e.g., amides, arabinoxylan oligomers, lignin-based phenolics) on outer cell wall surfaces. As a result, nanoporous tunnel-like networks, as visualized by 3D-electron tomography, are formed within the cell walls. We propose that this highly porous structure greatly enhances enzyme accessibility to embedded cellulosic microfibrils. The shape, size (10 to 1000 nm), and spatial distribution of the pores depended on their location within the cell wall and the pretreatment conditions used. Exposed pore surface area per unit AFEX pretreated cell wall volume, estimated via TEM-tomogram image analysis, ranged between 0.005 and 0.05 nm2 per nm3. AFEX results in ultrastructural and physicochemical modifications within the cell wall that enhance enzymatic hydrolysis yield by 4–5 fold over that of untreated cell walls.
High-temperature degradation of polymers. Thermal gradients and diffusion-controlled reactions

Poly(methyl methacrylate) films of various thicknesses were degraded in stainless-steel closed reaction vessels and in closed quartz vessels of different wall thicknesses over a range of temperatures from 350 to 500°C. Above certain temperatures monomer formation becomes diffusion-controlled. The degree of this diffusion control depends on the type of reaction vessel, wall thickness of the vessel, and film thickness. The rates of monomer formation for a definite percentage of conversion depend on the thermal history of the polymer sample. Thus, for the same percentage of conversion and the same film temperature the rates can become quite different.
Regulation of endothelial MAPK/ERK signalling and capillary morphogenesis by low-amplitude electric field.

Low-amplitude electric field (EF) is an important component of wound-healing response and can promote vascular tissue repair; however, the mechanisms of action on endothelium remain unclear. We hypothesized that physiological amplitude EF regulates angiogenic response of microvascular endothelial cells via activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway. A custom set-up allowed non-thermal application of EF of high (7.5 GHz) and low (60 Hz) frequency. Cell responses following up to 24 h of EF exposure, including proliferation and apoptosis, capillary morphogenesis, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and MAPK pathways activation were quantified. A db/db mouse model of diabetic wound healing was used for in vivo validation. High-frequency EF enhanced capillary morphogenesis, VEGF release, MEK-cRaf complex formation, MEK and ERK phosphorylation, whereas no MAPK/JNK and MAPK/p38 pathways activation was observed. The endothelial response to EF did not require VEGF binding to VEGFR2 receptor. EF-induced MEK phosphorylation was reversed in the presence of MEK and Ca2+ inhibitors, reduced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase inhibition, and did not depend on PI3K pathway activation. The results provide evidence for a novel intracellular mechanism for EF regulation of endothelial angiogenic response via frequency-sensitive MAPK/ERK pathway activation, with important implications for EF-based therapies for vascular tissue regeneration.
Identification of protease and rpoN-associated genes of uropathogenic Proteus mirabilis by negative selection in a mouse model of ascending urinary tract infection.

Summary: Proteus mirabilis, a motile Gram-negative bacterium, is a principal cause of urinary tract infections in patients with functional or anatomical abnormalities of the urinary tract or those with urinary catheters in place. Thus far, virulence factors including urease, flagella, haemolysin, various fimbriae, IgA protease and a deaminase have been characterized based on the phenotypic traits conferred by these proteins. In this study, an attempt was made to identify new virulence genes of P. mirabilis that may not have identifiable phenotypes using the recently described technique of signature-tagged mutagenesis. A pool of chromosomal transposon mutants was made through conjugation and kanamycin/tetracycline selection; random insertion was confirmed by Southern blotting of chromosomal DNA isolated from 16 mutants using the aphA gene as a probe. From the total pool, 2·3% (9/397) auxotrophic mutants and 3·5% (14/397) swarming mutants were identified by screening on minimal salts agar and Luria agar plates, respectively. Thirty per cent of the mutants, found to have either no tag or an unamplifiable tag, were removed from the input pool. Then 107c.f.u. from a 96-mutant pool (~ 105c.f.u. of each mutant) were used as an input pool to transurethrally inoculate seven CBA mice. After 2 d infection, bacteria were recovered from the bladders and kidneys and yielded about 105c.f.u. as an output pool. Dot blot analysis showed that two of the 96 mutants, designated B2 and B5, could not be hybridized by signature tags amplified from the bladder output pool. Interrupted genes from these two mutants were cloned and sequenced. The interrupted gene in B2 predicts a polypeptide of 37·3 kDa that shares amino acid similarity with a putative protease or collagenase precursor. The gene in B5 predicts a polypeptide of 32·6 kDa that is very similar to that encoded by ORF284 of the rpoN operon controlling expression of nitrogen-regulated genes from several bacterial species. The virulence of the two mutants was tested further by co-challenging CBA mice with each mutant and the parental strain. After 1 week of infection, the B2 and B5 mutants were recovered in numbers 100-fold and 1000-fold less than the parental strain, respectively. Using an in vitro assay, it was shown that the B2 mutant had significantly less (P = 0·0001) extracellular protease activity than the wild-type strain. These findings demonstrate that signature-tagged mutagenesis is a viable approach to identify bacterial genes associated with the ability to infect the urinary tract.
SIMPLE BONE CYSTS TREATED BY PERCUTANEOUS AUTOLOGOUS MARROW GRAFTING: A PRELIMINARY REPORT

We prospectively evaluated the percutaneous injection of autogenous bone marrow for the treatment of active simple bone cysts in ten consecutive children with cysts in the proximal humerus, proximal femur or tibia. The treatment included percutaneous biopsy, aspiration of fluid and the injection of autogenous bone marrow aspirated from the iliac crest. All the patients became painfree after a mean of two weeks and resumed full activities within six weeks. All ten cysts consolidated radiologically and showed remarkable remodelling within four months. Review at 12 to 48 months showed satisfactory healing without complications. Percutaneous injection of autologous bone marrow appears to be an effective treatment for active simple bone cysts.
A technique for reducing normal-form games to compute a Nash equilibrium

We present a technique for reducing a normal-form (aka. (bi)matrix) game, O, to a smaller normal-form game, R, for the purpose of computing a Nash equilibrium. This is done by computing a Nash equilibrium for a subcomponent, G, of O for which a certain condition holds. We also show that such a subcomponent G on which to apply the technique can be found in polynomial time (if it exists), by showing that the condition that G needs to satisfy can be modeled as a Horn satisfiability problem. We show that the technique does not extend to computing Pareto-optimal or welfare-maximizing equilibria. We present a class of games, which we call ALAGIU (Any Lower Action Gives Identical Utility) games, for which recursive application of (special cases of) the technique is sufficient for finding a Nash equilibrium in linear time. Finally, we discuss using the technique to compute approximate Nash equilibria.
Live and Learn: Informal Learning Among Future Professionals

Although most workplace learning occurs informally, instructional design and technology professionals often focus their attention on more formal interventions, such as training. This article addresses a research study that examined the perception and use of informal learning strategies among instructional design and technology graduate students, the future members of the workforce of instructional designers and performance improvement practitioners. Results of this study may have implications for both instructional design and technology graduate programs and managers of instructional design and technology teams in organizations.
Direct Determination of αe for 16O16O, 14N14N, and 18O18O∗

Abstract As nitrogen and oxygen are symmetric diatomic molecules and thus infrared inactive, information on their fundamental param- eters such as the rotational constant and equilibrium internuclear separe.tion must be obtained by other means, e.g., Raman spectros- copy, E2 absorption spectroscopy, or electronic absorption spec- troscclpy.coefficient, is important in determining the moment of inertia and equilibrium internuclear separation. Stoicheff determined ae for 1 14N14h from electronic absorption data while Bendtsen obtained a value for ae by measuring the rotational constants in the ground and first excited vibrational states. Weber and McGinnis deter- mined ae for 16O16O from the 0-and S-branches of the rotation- vibration Raman αepectrum .However, by measuring the J-dependence of the Q-branch of the rotation-vibration Raman spectrum, ae can One parameter, αe, the rotation-vibration coup1 ing be determined directly. Fletcher and Rayside used this technique to determine αe for 14N14N. In this wor...
Shared-stimulus driving and connectivity in groups of neurons in the dorsal cochlear nucleus

Extracellular spike discharges were recorded from ensembles of up to five neurons simultaneously in the DCN of guinea pig using solid-state, thin-film, multichannel electrodes having up to five recording sites spanning up to 600 microns. Responses from 73 unit pairs were collected of which 54 had both units responding to pseudorandom wideband noise stimulation. Shared-stimulus driving was present in 78% (42/54) of the unit pairs and could be attributed to an overlap in their spectral sensitivities. Effective connectivity was indicated for 87% (47/54) of the unit pairs. Wideband noise proved more useful than tonebursts for investigating shared-stimulus driving and connectivity because it evoked widespread, but not overly synchronous, responses in the ensembles.
Correlating failures with asynchronous changes for root cause analysis in enterprise environments

In enterprise environments, it is critical to find the root cause of performance failures as quickly as possible. More often, root cause for these failures are the change events that are done deliberately by system administrator to fix existing problems in the system. However, these changes may themselves manifest as faults with the change in operating conditions over time. Hence, time lag between the changes that manifest themselves as faults and resulting failures may be unbounded. Most existing approaches fail to find such root cause faults as they consider only time correlated symptom events and real root cause event(s) are not even considered. In this paper we present a novel approach to identify such changes, from the set of changes done over the time, which may be the root cause of current failures. Our system automatically associates failures with these changes without any time window constraint. The approach presented in this paper does not require existence of any baseline model. As per our understanding, ours is a first system that associates changes with current failures without these assumptions. We have implemented this system in a real life test bed and it shows promising results.
Time-domain identification using ARMARKOV/Toeplitz models

Recursive time-domain identification techniques using a recursive least-squares algorithm with an ARMA representation have been used to identify the transfer function coefficients of SISO systems. In this paper we derive an alternative recursive time-domain identification technique that is based upon recursive identification of the Markov parameters of a system. We introduce the recursive ARMARKOV/Toeplitz identification algorithm which estimates the Markov parameters recursively from time-domain input-output data. This identification technique is based upon linear time-invariant finite-dimensional systems having an ARMARKOV representation that relates the current output of a system to past outputs as well as current and past inputs.
Targeted Deletion of the PEX2 Peroxisome Assembly Gene in Mice Provides a Model for Zellweger Syndrome, a Human Neuronal Migration Disorder

Zellweger syndrome is a peroxisomal biogenesis disorder that results in abnormal neuronal migration in the central nervous system and severe neurologic dysfunction. The pathogenesis of the multiple severe anomalies associated with the disorders of peroxisome biogenesis remains unknown. To study the relationship between lack of peroxisomal function and organ dysfunction, the PEX2 peroxisome assembly gene (formerly peroxisome assembly factor-1) was disrupted by gene targeting. Homozygous PEX2-deficient mice survive in utero but die several hours after birth. The mutant animals do not feed and are hypoactive and markedly hypotonic. The PEX2-deficient mice lack normal peroxisomes but do assemble empty peroxisome membrane ghosts. They display abnormal peroxisomal biochemical parameters, including accumulations of very long chain fatty acids in plasma and deficient erythrocyte plasmalogens. Abnormal lipid storage is evident in the adrenal cortex, with characteristic lamellar–lipid inclusions. In the central nervous system of newborn mutant mice there is disordered lamination in the cerebral cortex and an increased cell density in the underlying white matter, indicating an abnormality of neuronal migration. These findings demonstrate that mice with a PEX2 gene deletion have a peroxisomal disorder and provide an important model to study the role of peroxisomal function in the pathogenesis of this human disease.
Basin-Scale Changes in Floodplain Paleosols: Implications for Interpreting Alluvial Architecture

ABSTRACT Floodplain paleosols in time-equivalent strata of the Willwood For mation differ in terms of paleodrainage and degree of pedogenic development. Ancient soils were more poorly drained and more strongly developed in one area compared to a second area about 45 km away. This difference in drainage is attributed to parent material. The more poorly drained paleosols formed in an area with less permeable, clay-rich floodplain deposits. In the stratigraphic interval that accumulated more slowly, paleosols are more strongly developed, less numerous, and thicker than in the more rapidly accumulating stratigraphic interval. These differences are attributed not only to different sediment accumulation rates, which are commonly considered to control the degree of ped ogenic development, but also to differences in avulsion frequency. A simple model is offered to show how paleosols change with varying basin subsidence rates and the relationship between avulsion frequency and accumulation rate. When avulsion frequency increases more rapidly than sediment accumulation rate, an increase in subsidence rate causes strongly developed paleosols to be overlain by a stratigraphic interval with paleosols that are less well developed, thinner, and more densely spaced. When avulsion frequency is not related to accumulation rate, as early models of alluvial architecture assumed, an increase in subsidence rate produces a stratigraphic section in which strongly developed paleosols are overlain by paleosols that are less well developed, thicker, and more widely spaced. Study of the thickness and degree of development of floodplain paleosols can be used together with more traditional studies of alluvial architecture to provide a clearer understanding of the factors that influenced the stratigraphic architecture in a particular alluvial basin.
Measurement and analysis of ground-level electric fields and wire-base current during the rocket-and-wire lightning triggering process

[1] We present ground-level electric field intensity and trigger-wire-base current measurements in Florida during 33 successful rocket-and-wire triggered lightning attempts, those which initiated a sustained upward leader, and 20 unsuccessful attempts. The electric field changes during wire ascent were measured at eight stations between 35 m and 208 m from the launch site while the electric fields produced by precursor discharges at the ascending wire tip were measured at 120 m and 220 m. Both relatively steady trigger wire currents in the milliampere-range and fast precursor currents in the ampere to hundred-ampere range were measured at the wire base. A total of 2196 individual precursors were measured in 45 launches with negative charge overhead, with 0 to 225 precursors per launch and each precursor depositing 1 μC to 157 μC of charge at the wire tip. With negative charge overhead, slowly varying currents measured during the wire ascent increased to a maximum value between 3 mA and 10 mA. Positive line charge densities on the trigger wire were inferred from both the wire-base current and the ground-level electric field reduction during wire ascent for 38 launches, ranging from 1 μC m−1 near ground to about 100 μC m−1 at 200 m to 300 m aloft. A comparison of successful launches and unsuccessful launches with negative charge overhead shows that successful launches tend to have larger trigger wire line charge densities and larger precursor charge magnitudes, implying larger electric fields aloft. Three unsuccessful triggering attempts were made with positive charge overhead.
Feedback linearizing control of discrete-time nonlinear systems with constraints

A feedback linearization strategy for discrete-time nonlinear systems subject to input constraints is developed and analyzed. The control system comprises: (i) a feedback linearizing controller; (ii) a constraint mapping algorithm that transforms the input constraints into constraints on the feedback linearized system; and (iii) a model predictive controller that regulates the resulting constrained linear system. The stability properties of the proposed control strategy are investigated for both completely and partially feedback linearizable systems.
A comparison of external array self-calibration algorithms using experimental data

Two recently published external array self-calibration algorithms are applied to experimental data obtained using a surveyed 12-element large sparse aperture array operating at 980 MHz. Though the algorithms are similar in that they use iterative methods to attempt to estimate the angle-of-arrival (AOA) of incoming signals with an imperfectly calibrated array, they are formulated quite differently. The performance of these algorithms is evaluated through their ability to reduce spurious peaks in direction finding (DF) spectra and accurately estimate the AOA of an incoming signal.
A Nonaliasing, Real-Time Spatial Transform Technique

A two-pass spatial transform technique that does not exhibit the aliasing artifacts associated with techniques for spatial transform of discrete sampled images is possible through the use of a complete and continuous resampling interpolation algorithm. The algorithm is complete in the sense that all the pixels of the input image under the map of the output image fully contribute to the output image. It is continuous in the sense that no gaps or overlaps exist in the sampling of the input pixels and that the sampling can be performed with arbitrary precision. The technique is real time in the sense that it can be guaranteed to operate for any arbitrary transform within a given time limit. Because of the complete and continuous nature of the resampling algorithm, the resulting image is free of the classic sampling artifacts such as graininess, degradation, and edge aliasing.
Sexual Orientation Identity Change and Depressive Symptoms A Longitudinal Analysis

Several new studies have documented high rates of sexual identity mobility among young adults, but little work has investigated the links between identity change and mental health. This study uses the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 11,727) and employs multivariate regression and propensity score matching to investigate the impact of identity change on depressive symptoms. The results reveal that only changes in sexual identity toward more same-sex-oriented identities are associated with increases in depressive symptoms. Moreover, the negative impacts of identity change are concentrated among individuals who at baseline identified as heterosexual or had not reported samesex romantic attraction or relationships. No differences in depressive symptoms by sexual orientation identity were found among respondents who reported stable identities. Future research should continue to investigate the factors that contribute to the relationship between identity change and depression, such as stigma surrounding sexual fluidity.
Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Enhances Detection of Spinal Cord Anomalies in Patients With Sonographically Detected Bony Anomalies of the Spine

Objective. Although fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is being increasingly used to evaluate sonographically suspected abnormalities, its utility in the evaluation of the spinal canal is not well studied. Because it is not susceptible to the limitations of fetal position, oligohydramnios, and shadowing from bony structures, we hypothesize that fetal MRI is better suited to assess the contents of the spinal canal compared with prenatal sonography. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether fetal MRI could detect spinal abnormalities in cases in which they had not been originally suspected on prenatal sonography. Methods. Fetal spine MR images were retrospectively reviewed over a 42-month period. Corresponding sonographic images were then rereviewed to determine whether there were findings in retrospect that might have suggested the cord abnormalities. Cases of myelomeningocele were counted as a spinal cord abnormality only if fetal MRI showed a cord anomaly other than the myelomeningocele. Results. Of 33 cases referred for bony anomalies of the spine, fetal MRI showed additional abnormalities involving the spinal cord in 3 patients. These included diastematomyelia in 2 cases and segmental spinal dysgenesis in the third case. One case of diastematomyelia occurred in association with a lumbosacral myelomeningocele. The spinal cord anomalies were not visible on any of the prenatal sonograms, even in retrospect. Conclusions. Additional spinal cord anomalies were detected in 10% of cases reviewed. Fetal MRI can be useful in assessing the spinal cord in fetuses with bony spinal anomalies. Our findings suggest that fetuses with sonographically diagnosed bony abnormalities of the spine may benefit from further evaluation with fetal MRI.
Electrophoretic Deposition of CdSe Nanocrystals for Photovoltaic Applications

CdSe nanocrystals chemically linked to nanocrystalline titanium dioxide substrates form a promising material for nanostructured photovoltaic devices. The usual method for attaching the nanocrystals to the titanium dioxide substrate is by means of a linking molecule (such as mercaptopropionic acid) or in-situ growth. In this paper, we report the use of an alternative technique, electrophoretic deposition (EPD), to directly deposit already formed CdSe nanocrystals onto the substrate. In EPD, a voltage is established between two electrodes that are immersed in a solution of nanocrystals. At room temperature, a fraction of the nanocrystals are thermally charged, and these charged nanocrystals migrate to the electrodes and adhere to the surface. A significant advantage of EPD over the use of linking molecules is the speed with which the nanocrystals are deposited: EPD takes only a few minutes, compared to the several hours required for the alternative techniques. Additionally, we have fabricated initial photovoltaic devices based on electrophoretically deposited CdSe nanocrystals on a planar TiO2 thin film.
A Comparison of the Buffer Value of Bile and Pancreatic Juice Secreted Simultaneously.

It is well known that both bile and pancreatic juice play a role in neutralizing the acid chyme ejected into the duodenum and that pancreatic juice as a rule is more alkaline (pH 7.8—9.0)1, 2, 3 than hepatic bile (pH 7.4—8.5)4, 5, 6 and that gall bladder bile is acid (pH 5.4—6.9)4, 5 but the titration curves and buffer values of bile and pancreatic juice have not been determined and compared.In doing this it was thought that more comparable results would be obtained by collecting bile and pancreatic juice from the same animal at the same time. So, under aseptic procedure the gall bladder bile was collected by ligating and removing the gall bladder. The common bile duct was then cannulated, the accessory pancreatic duct tied, and the principal pancreatic duct cannulated; both the cannulae in the common bile duct and the pancreatic duct were connected with sterile rubber balloons large enough to hold a 12-hour sample.6The combined 24-hour collection of the secretions was measured and 10 cc. amounts titrated...