cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preoperative epidural injections are associated with increased risk of infection after single-level lumbar decompression

Abstract Background Context Lumbar epidural steroid injections (LESIs) are often performed as a treatment option for lumbar stenosis and radiculopathy before lumbar decompression surgery. Several case series have reported spinal infections after LESIs. There is lack of literature on the rate of postoperative infections after lumbar decompression in patients who had prior LESIs. Purpose The goal of the present study is to employ a large national database to determine if there is an association between preoperative LESIs at various time intervals before lumbar decompression and the incidence of postoperative infection. Study Design/Setting Retrospective case control database study, Level III was used in this study. Patient Sample This study comprised Medicare patients over age 65 years who had a LESI within 1 year of single-level lumbar decompression surgery. Outcome Measures International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision diagnosis codes for postoperative infection and Current Procedural Terminology procedure codes for treatment of postoperative infection were the outcome measures for this study. Methods The PearlDiver Patient Records Database, an insurance-based database of patient records, was used for this study. The database was queried for LESI and single-level lumbar decompression procedures using Current Procedural Terminology codes. These study patients were then divided into four separate cohorts: (1) lumbar decompression within 1 month following LESI, (2) lumbar decompression between 1 and 3 months following LESI, (3) lumbar decompression between 3 and 6 months following LESI, and (4) lumbar decompression between 6 and 12 months following LESI. Unique control groups for each study cohort were created with patients who underwent single-level lumbar decompression without previous LESI and matched for major risk factors for infection, including age, gender, smoking status, diabetes, and obesity. Results Overall, the rate of postoperative infection after single-level lumbar decompression after LESI remained relatively low, ranging between 0.8% and 1.7%. The incidence of 90-day postoperative infection after lumbar decompression was significantly higher than matched controls in groups with LESI within 1 month (OR=3.2, p Conclusions Single-level lumbar decompression within 3 months after LESI may be associated with an increased rate of postoperative infection. Increasing the time interval between LESI and single-level lumbar decompression surgery to at least 3 months may decrease postoperative infection rates.
Numerical models of rotary lip seal seals

The rotary lip seal is one of the most widely used industrial tribological components, and one of the least understood. The sealing mechanism, which prevents leakage through the seal, and the load support mechanism, which preserves the integrity of the lubricating film, have been poorly understood for many years. To elucidate the physical processes occurring in such seals, a number of numerical models of increasing complexity have been constructed. The sealing surface of the lip was initially modeled as a simple periodic surface, then as a more complex periodic surface, and finally as a quasi-random surface. The analysis initially considered hydrodynamic lubrication, then elastohydrodynamic lubrication, and finally mixed microelastohydrodynamic lubrication. Each succeeding model revealed additional features of the sealing and load support mechanisms.
Enhanced GITR/GITRL interactions augment IL-27 expression and induce IL-10-producing Tr-1 like cells

The glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related (GITR) protein is a coactivating receptor that is constitutively expressed on Treg cells and induced on activated T cells. To better under-stand the role of long-term GITR signaling, we generated a mouse that constitutively expresses GITR ligand (GITRL) on APCs that mimics the physiological distribution of GITRL in vivo. Despite a five-fold expansion of the Treg-cell pool, there is increased activation and depletion of naive T cells in the transgenic (Tg) mice, suggesting that the increased number of Treg cells cannot fully suppress T-cell activation. Interestingly, GITRL Tg mice have multiorgan lymphocytic infiltrates yet display no overt autoimmunity, indicating the existence of a compensatory immunoregulatory mechanism(s). In the spleens and tissue infiltrates ofGITRL Tg mice, we found increased numbers of Foxp3− IL-10-producing type 1 regulatory T (Tr-1)-like cells that suppress naive T-cell proliferation in an IL-10-dependent fashion. Increased IL-27 production from Tg APCs and activation of c-Maf in the Tr1-like cells suggest a possible mechanism for their induction. Our results demonstrate that enhanced GITR/GITRL interactions have a pleiotropic role on the regulation of T-cell responses, which includes promoting the differentiation of Tr-1-like cells, which contribute to the maintenance of peripheral T-cell tolerance.
Needlestick Injuries in Agriculture Workers and Prevention Programs

ABSTRACTThere are a variety of biologics, vaccines, antibiotics, and hormones used in animal agriculture. Depending upon the procedure or pharmaceutical used, accidental injections or product exposures can result in mild to severe injuries. Needlestick injury (NSI) prevention, research, and education for veterinarians and agriculture workers is limited. The objective of this study was to collect and review published case reports and case series/surveys on human needlestick exposure to veterinary biologics and to summarize needlestick prevention strategies for agricultural workers/veterinarians. A search was conducted of PubMed and Centre for Agriculture Bioscience International (CABI) databases. References were reviewed to identify additional articles. NSI among agricultural workers were primarily included in this review. Thirty articles were applicable to exposures in agricultural settings. Relevant literature consisted of case reports, survey/case series articles, prevention documents, and background ar...
Urethrogram-Directed Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer in Patients with Contraindications to Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Purpose: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-directed stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has been established as a safe and effective treatment for prostate cancer. For patients with contraindications to MRI, CT-urethrogram is an alternative imaging approach to identify the location of the prostatic apex to guide treatment. This study sought to evaluate the safety of urethrogram-directed SBRT for prostate cancer. Methods: Between February 2009 and January 2014, 31 men with clinically localized prostate cancer were treated definitively with urethrogram-directed SBRT with or without supplemental intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) at Georgetown University Hospital. SBRT was delivered either as a primary treatment of 35-36.25 Gray (Gy) in 5 fractions or as a boost of 19.5 Gy in 3 fractions followed by supplemental conventionally fractionated intensity modulated radiation therapy (45-50.4 Gy). Toxicities were recorded and scored using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0 (CTCAE v.4.0). Results: The median patient age was 70 years with a median prostate volume of 38 cc. The median follow-up was 3.7 years. The patients were elderly (Median age = 70), and comorbidities were common (Carlson Comorbidity Index > 2 in 36%). 71% of patients utilized alpha agonists prior to treatment, and 9.7% had prior procedures for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The 3-year actuarial incidence rates of > Grade 3 GU toxicity and > Grade 2 GI toxicity were 3.2% and 9.7%, respectively. There were no Grade 4 or 5 toxicities. Conclusions: MRI is the preferred imaging modality to guide prostate SBRT treatment. However, urethrogram-directed SBRT is a safe alternative for the treatment of patients with prostate cancer who are unable to undergo MRI.
Notice of Violation of IEEE Publication Principles Which models should be applied to measure computer security and information assurance

The paper attempts to investigate a feasibility of developing new models and methodologies integrating probabilistic and soft computing techniques and applying them to measurement of computer system security. It reviews the methods, which have been developed and applied up to now for this purpose, and analyses their applicability. It concludes that neither of methodologies being applied for measurement of computer security and/or reliability may be considered as comprehensive and good. Summarizing the required features of the measurement models, the paper concludes that new synergetic models and approaches need to be developed.
AN ANALYSIS OF JAPANESE MEDICAL PERIODICALS.

Abstract Medical periodicals published in Japan were studied by analyzing the journals abstracted in Igaku Chuo Zasshi (ICZ), the most comprehensive abstracting service for Japanese medical journal articles. Since the inauguration of medical periodicals in 1869, the number of journals has increased remarkably. In 1963 ICZ abstracted 1,074 journals published in Japan (960 in Japanese and 114 in other languages). Of these 1,074 titles, 855 were on medical sciences, of which 740 were substantive. A subject analysis of the substantive journals in ICZ, as compared to the 124 Japanese journals currently indexed in Index Medicus, was also made. Data were presented relating the number of periodicals to the size of the medical scene in Japan and the United States, and it was pointed out that good control of the literature, by whatever methods, requires a knowledge of the extent of the publications.
British Experience with Foreign Investments

During the century which culminated in the First World War, Great Britain was the principal source of capital supply for countries that drew upon foreign resources. Until 1940 her claims as creditor remained substantially greater than those of any other nation. Investments grossing from forty to fifty billion dollars have been made in the course of her virtually continuous process of capital outlay abroad. The outstanding total in 1914 amounted to twenty billion dollars, yielding an annual income of about one billion, which was nearly one tenth of the national income of the United Kingdom. This was the result of a process of accumulation which reached its greatest intensity during the periods 1868–1875, 1884–1893, and 1905–1912, when annual public issues of foreign and colonial securities averaged 6 or 7 per cent of those outstanding. During the latter period, at least, more than half of all British investment of new capital was being made abroad.
An automated method for efficient, accurate and reproducible construction of RNA-seq libraries

Background Integration of RNA-seq expression data with knowledge on chromatin accessibility, histone modifications, DNA methylation, and transcription factor binding has been instrumental for the unveiling of cell-specific local and long-range regulatory patterns, facilitating further investigation on the underlying rules of transcription regulation at an individual and allele-specific level. However, full genome transcriptome characterization has been partially limited by the complexity and increased time-requirements of available RNA-seq library construction protocols.
Rank discovery from web databases

Many web databases are only accessible through a proprietary search interface which allows users to form a query by entering the desired values for a few attributes. After receiving a query, the system returns the top-k matching tuples according to a pre-determined ranking function. Since the rank of a tuple largely determines the attention it receives from website users, ranking information for any tuple - not just the top-ranked ones - is often of significant interest to third parties such as sellers, customers, market researchers and investors. In this paper, we define a novel problem of rank discovery over hidden web databases. We introduce a taxonomy of ranking functions, and show that different types of ranking functions require fundamentally different approaches for rank discovery. Our technical contributions include principled and efficient randomized algorithms for estimating the rank of a given tuple, as well as negative results which demonstrate the inefficiency of any deterministic algorithm. We show extensive experimental results over real-world databases, including an online experiment at Amazon.com, which illustrates the effectiveness of our proposed techniques.
Selectively 2H‐labeledGlu/Asp: application to pKa measurements in Aβ amyloid peptides

Human Abeta peptides have been linked to Alzheimer's disease, and it is hypothesized that formation of amyloid as well as neurotoxicity are important events in the etiology of the disease. Previous studies have shown that the soluble precursor to Alzheimer's amyloid undergoes a pH-dependent folding transition as the self-assembly activity appears, and based upon inter-residue proximities, it was suspected that stabilization of the soluble form might rely upon formation of an intramolecular salt-bridge. However, pKa studies on a model 17-residue Abeta fragment supported an electrostatic model where a solvation imperative for charged side-chain atoms drives the folding process. To explore this model in an active 26-residue fragment as well as the full-length 40-residue Abeta peptide, pKa measurements were performed via 1H and 2H NMR. To overcome issues related to sensitivity and spin system degeneracy, specifically deuterated allyl protected-Fmoc amino acids were synthesized for incorporation into a series of peptides, and a high sensitivity 2H observe NMR probe was constructed.
Assessing logistics maturation through author concentration

Purpose – While most researchers would generally agree that the field of logistics has been maturing over recent decades, this maturation has not yet been empirically established. The purpose of this paper is to assess the maturity of research in the field by measuring author concentration in logistics journals over a sixteen‐year period.Design/methodology/approach – Research propositions of logistics author concentration are first developed from the extant literature. The propositions are then tested by assessing author concentration across 1,796 articles from five scholarly, peer‐reviewed logistics journals from 1992‐2007. The results are compared to similar studies of other academic business disciplines, including accounting, finance, management, and marketing. We also apply regression analysis to the time series data to verify changing author concentration trends.Findings – The results indicate that logistics publications generally have higher author concentration than other business disciplines, sugg...
The intraspecies relationship between tissue turnover and metabolic rate in rats

Ecologists interested in studying fluctuating relationships between consumers and nutrient sources are increasingly involved in modeling the rate at which consumers incorporate dietary components. In mammals a correlation between resting metabolic rate (RMR) and tissue turnover may exist across a range of species. Less is known about the variation of tissue turnover rate within a species, and how that correlates with RMR. Here we examine two strains of rats (Rattus norvegicus) with different RMR to test whether variation in RMR is positively correlated with tissue turnover rate within a species. If RMR, a relatively simple measurement, can be correlated with tissue turnover, then this relationship could be used to better interpret ecological functions, including impact of migratory or seasonally available nutrient sources. Here, the changing isotope signature in rat whole blood was modeled using a modified exponential decay equation and a reaction progress variable model. The modeled rate of turnover, metabolic rate (O2 consumed), and mass were then compared between strains of rats. The mass and RMRs (conditions during which RMRs were determined modified from the ideal, as outlined in the Methods) were significantly different between strains, but half-life and the metabolic tissue replacement component of turnover (as opposed to turnover from mass gain) were not. No significant correlation was found between RMR and metabolic tissue replacement between the strains. Results suggest that within a species showing a range of RMRs, blood tissue turnover should not vary significantly.
Establishing the foundation of adaptive collaboration

The adaptability of collaboration is essential for team performance of cooperative tasks. This paper presents a real world problem to introduce the requirements of adaptive collaboration, revises the E-CARGO model from a group adaptation perspective, clarifies the parameters that affect group performance, defines the process of adaptive collaboration, and conducts simulations for an assumed future battle field scenario. The paper finally concludes by pointing out avenues for future research on adaptive collaboration.
Fault location for transmission lines with current-transformer saturation

The paper presents a fault-location method which is insensitive to current-transformer saturation. The method requires less than one cycle of recorded fault data, which do not need filtering. A parameter estimation technique is applied where the linear part of the reference model response is described by instantaneous symmetrical components and the nonlinear part, caused by transformer saturation, described by phase variables. The parameters identified by the estimator are fault distance, fault resistance and saturation parameters. Accuracy is demonstrated by digital simulation studies.
Frequency of respiratory compromise after ketamine sedation for cardiac catheterization in patients <21 years of age

Abstract Ketamine is a phencyclidine derivative which is used for its anesthetic, analgesic and amnestic qualities. Ketamine's reported side effects include respiratory depression, which may range from mild hypoventilation to prolonged central apnea; cardiovascular changes that include increased systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance; and postanesthetic emergent reactions, which include numbness, nystagmus, diplopia, apathy, vivid dreams and hallucinations.1,2 This report evaluates the frequency of adverse respiratory effects after ketamine sedation in children and young adults during cardiac catheterization.
Vanadium(V) Complexes of Polydentate Amino Alcohols: Fine-Tuning Complex Properties

In aqueous solution, the stability, the structure, and the lability of 12 vanadium(V) complexes were determined and related to the amino alcohol ligand properties. The amino alcohols were chosen to maintain a five-coordinate vanadium geometry in the vanadium complex and were based on diethanolamine as the parent ligand. Apparent and composite stability constants were determined for all 12 complexes. Selected complexes were further examined to determine solution structure, lability, and thermodynamic properties. We empirically show that the formation constants for the series of 12 complexes, when plotted as a function of the pKa value for the protonated amino alcohol, generate a curve that initially increases as the pKa value increases and then decreases as the pKa value continues to increase. The observed associations suggest that the electron-donating capacity of the amino alcohol plays a major role in complex stability; however, metal coordination number, sterics in the amino alcohol, and solvation also...
Prediction of ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement based on type of failure during external ventricular drain wean.

Objective There are multiple etiologies for failure while weaning an external ventricular drain (EVD) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), but there is little data on the relationship between etiology of wean failure and ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement.
The progress of demography as a scientific discipline.

The discipline of demography deals with the size composition distribution and characteristics of populations and how the factors interact and change. Demography also includes the internal and external dynamics of population. Data collection is hampered because censuses are infrequent so records of births marriages and deaths are crucial for interim statistics especially in developing nations. Demographers interest is in population variables and their theroetical importance to societal phenomena; in general to understand and explain population phenomena. Demography needs to develop more integrated theory to fuse diverse findings and needs to facilitate organizational context. Governments are forming special population commissions and universities are increasing research activity which aid the demographers progress for a more professional discipline.
Equations of state and renormalization-group recursion relations

Renormalization-group recursion relations are used to construct equations of state to first order in $\ensuremath{\epsilon}=4\ensuremath{-}d$ for continuous spin models of critical behavior. The recursion relations map Hamiltonians out of the critical regime into regions of small correlation length, where Landau theory with fluctuation corrections is employed. This technique is used to discuss critical behavior along a $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ line of critical points, together with the effect of imposing an ordering field. An application of the method to tricritical phenomena is described briefly.
Synthesis of combined heat and reactive mass-exchange networks

Abstract In this work we introduce the problem of synthesizing combined heat and reactive mass exchange networks “CHARMENs”. The synthesis task involves the preferential transfer of a certain species from a set of rich streams to a set of lean streams and at the same time accomplish a specified heat transfer task in a cost effective manner. The economic objectives of mass exchange and heat recovery are in general incompatible and need to be addressed simultaneously. The proposed work introduces a systematic and generally applicable procedure to trade-off the two objectives and synthesize a CHARMEN. First, we derive a number of important properties of the problem. Based on these characteristics, a two-stage targeting procedure is developed. In the first stage, the minimum operating cost “MOC” of the network is identified via a mixed-integer nonlinear program “MINLP”. A shortcut linear formulation is also devised to identify a near-optimum MOC solution which may be used as an initial guess for the MINLP. The optimum solution to the MOC problem results in a natural decomposition of the original CHARMEN problem into two independent subproblems that may be solved to identify the minimum number of heat and reactive mass exchangers. The applicability of the synthesis procedure is demonstrated by tackling a case study on the desulfurization of gaseous wastes with simultaneous heat recovery.
Communication: The effect of dispersion corrections on the melting temperature of liquid water.

The melting temperature (Tm) of liquid water with the Becke–Lee–Yang–Parr (BLYP) density functional including dispersion corrections (BLYP-D) and the Thole-type, version 3 (TTM3-F) ab-initio based flexible, polarizable classical potential is reported via constant pressure and constant enthalpy (NPH) molecular dynamics simulations of an ice Ih-liquid coexisting system. Dispersion corrections to BLYP lower Tm to about 360 K, a large improvement over the value of Tm > 400 K previously obtained with the original BLYP functional under the same simulation conditions. For TTM3-F, Tm = 248 K from classical molecular dynamics simulations.
A Study of Cocoa Syrups for Taste Preference

Eleven different formulas of cocoa syrups, including the official one, were evaluated statistically for taste preference by an untrained panel of thirty subjects. Some cocoa syrups contained an added flavor such as salt, imitation butterscotch, and imitation rum concentrates. Others were prepared by the cold process instead of the hot, and some syrups were prepared using Dutch process cocoa. These were compared with Cacao Syrup, U. S. P. The official syrup, alone or with the addition of cocoa butter, was preferred for taste.
Some surprises concerning the origin of the light elements

Abstract The Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has been used to obtain spectra of the boron 2500 A region in a total of 11 stars ranging from [ Fe H ] = −0.35 to −2.96, including the most metal-poor star ever observed for B. Spectrum synthesis was used to determine the boron abundance for each star, with particular attention paid to the errors of each point, to permit judgement of the goodness-of-fit of models of Galactic chemical evolution. A straight line of slope close to 1 gives an excellent fit to a plot of log ϵ(B) vs. [ Fe H ] or log ϵ(B) vs. [ O H ] 1 , suggesting that the production of light elements such as B and Be are directly related to the production of heavier elements. There is no indication of a change in slope between halo and disk metallicities. The B Be ratio is typically 10; NLTE effects can potentially raise this. Our data support a model in which most light element production comes from cosmic ray spallation of C and O nuclei onto protons and He nuclei, probably in the vicinity of massive supernovae (SN) in star-forming regions. They do not support the long-held ([12]Reeves, Fowler, & Hoyle 1970) theory that light element production primarily occurs in the general ISM from the spallation of high-energy protons and alpha particles onto CNO nuclei. It is possible that the gamma rays recently detected from the Orion Nebula region are the signature of this process in action. Nevertheless, the light element data alone give the strongest evidence supporting a new model for the formation of the light elements.
Pastoral excellence and Pastoral Theology: A slight shift of paradigm and a modest polemic

The existence of Pastoral Theology as a discipline is problematic. The possibility of becoming a discipline is discussed as requiring a shift from a clinical/therapeutic to an ecclesial paradigm as its center. The shift would foster a valuing of the pastor as an interpreter of human existence, attention to the need for a pastoral hermeneutic, and an appreciation for particularity. The field needs to attend its intellectual tasks and to assess the debits/credits of its relations to secular disciplines.
Vitamin D – a novel role in pregnancy

Vitamin D regulates placental development and function. It is a potent regulator of the immune systemstimulating antimicrobial responses while suppressing inflammation. Its deficiency has been linked to increased risk of serious chronic and inflammatory diseases. Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy increases susceptibility to infection and inflammation, leading, in turn, to outcome like preterm birth or preeclampsia. Pregnant women with darker skin pigmentation are more likely to be vitamin D deficient, particularly when living in regions with low exposure to sunlight. It is possible that during pregnancy, a primary non-infectious inflammatory process is activated by vitamin D deficiency. Combined assessment of vitamin D deficiency and inflammatory markers in early pregnancy or during different stages of pregnancy may facilitate the recognition of the risk of complications.
FORMATION OF CARBONYL COMPOUNDS FROM P‐CAROTENE DURING PALM OIL DEODORIZATION

Decomposition products of β-carotene formed during a simulated commercial deodorization of palm oil were separated from unsaponifiable portion into six fractions by liquid chromatography. Fraction two containing slightly polar substances was further separated using thin-layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. In this fraction, β-13-apo-carotenone, β-15-apo-caro-tenal, and β-14′-apo-carotenal were identified by infrared spectrometry and mass spectroscopy.
Disturbance processes and spatial patterns of two emergent conifers in New Caledonia

Araucaria laubenfelsii Corbasson and Araucaria montana Brongn et Gris are emergent conifers in maquis and forest communities which are subjected to a combination of fire and cyclonic disturbances. Both species are able to survive fire once stems reach a critical size, but most seedlings and saplings are killed. Both species were found to be clumped at most spatial scales for both saplings and trees in maquis, probably resulting from a combination of patchy fire and a limited ability to disperse seeds. Comparisons of burned and unburned A. montana sites suggest that clumping increases only slightly after fire. The degree of clumping in the A. laubenfelsii sites, suggested that fire disturbances may occur relatively frequently in the region. Cyclonic disturbances are infrequent but may result in blow-down of large individuals within both maquis and forest. All of the individuals blown-down during the study had been previously fire-scarred. Around tree blow-downs, seedling and sapling densities can be high. This likely reflects both the low dispersability of Araucaria seeds and enhanced moisture from the shading of the adult, when it was alive. Disturbance by fire and wind play an important role in the regeneration dynamics and spatial pattern of these species in maquis in New Caledonia.
Comment on "vibrational response of hydrogen-bonded interfacial water is dominated by intramolecular coupling".

A Comment on the Letter by M. Sovago et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 173901 (2008). The authors of the Letter offer a Reply.
Implementing Approximate Boundary Conditions for Finite-Volume Time-Domain Electromagnetic Code

In addition to the governing equations, a properly posed mathematical problem requires a statement of the solution bounds and boundary conditions. Numerical methods applied to solve the governing equations must also implement proper solution bounds and boundary conditions. In developing a finite-volume, time-domain solver for electromagnetic computations, the author implemented a variety of approximate boundary conditions formulated to mimic reflecting metallic boundaries and truncated solution-domain (outer) boundaries. These approximate boundary conditions are presented and discussed in context of selected results for predicting the radar-cross section of various shapes (with analytic solutions available for comparison).Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Classical electrodynamics coupled to quantum mechanics for calculation of molecular optical properties: A RT-TDDFT/FDTD approach

A new multiscale computational methodology was developed to effectively incorporate the scattered electric field of a plasmonic nanoparticle into a quantum mechanical (QM) optical property calculation for a nearby dye molecule. For a given location of the dye molecule with respect to the nanoparticle, a frequency-dependent scattering response function was first determined by the classical electrodynamics (ED) finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) approach. Subsequently, the time-dependent scattered electric field at the dye molecule was calculated using the FDTD scattering response function through a multidimensional Fourier transform to reflect the effect of polarization of the nanoparticle on the local field at the molecule. Finally, a real-time time-dependent density function theory (RT-TDDFT) approach was employed to obtain a desired optical property (such as absorption cross section) of the dye molecule in the presence of the nanoparticle’s scattered electric field. Our hybrid QM/ED methodology was de...
Madeup: A Language for Making Things Up (Abstract Only)

Madeup is a programming language for making things up. Its speakers walk paths through space to generate printable 3D models. The language is designed to teach computation from a tangible, first-person perspective and help students integrate computation back into the physical world. Madeup is inspired largely by Seymour Papert, whose goal was to provide learners objects to think with. Madeup joins a significant crowd of existing introductory teaching tools. What sets Madeup apart from many of these other projects is its physical product. The model that a programmer creates does not remain virtual. It can be printed, felt, carried in a pocket, and handed to a parent or friend - all of which may make computation more real and relevant in the eyes of the programmer. In this poster we demonstrate the language and how we have used it in outreach with local schools and libraries.
Basaltic volcanism and extension near the intersection of the Sierra Madre volcanic province and the Mexican Volcanic Belt

Three groups (Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene) off oceanic-type basalts associated with normal faulting have been identified in an area surrounding the city of Guadalajara, Mexico. Although most basalts within these groups have compositional characteristics of an asthenospheric source, each group is also associated with lavas that have subduction-related traits. The first group, the San Cristobal plateau basalts, has a minimum volume of 1,800 km 3 of predominantly alkali olivine basalt and lesser basaltic andesite and fills a pre-existing extensional basin of unknown configuration ∼10 m.y. ago. The relatively rapid eruption of these basalts along with their volume, structural association, and chemistry suggest an upwelling mantle plume beneath the Guadalajara region. This region may be the earliest indication of the separation of the Jalisco block from North America. The second basalt group, the Guadalajara basalts, consists of small volumes of porphyritic basalts and basaltic andesites, 3.3-5.0 Ma in age, that outcrop near the northern outskirts of Guadalajara and near the town of Hostotip-aquillo to the northwest. The youngest basalts in the Guadalajara area are the 0.4-1.4 Ma Santa Rosa suite of basalts-hawaiites-mugearites close to the contemporary (>0.2 Ma) andesitic central volcano, V. Tequila; these either flowed from nearby cinder cones toward the Rio Santiago canyon or erupted in the canyon to dam the river. The flat-lying Tertiary (23-27 Ma) ash flows of the Sierra Madre volcanic province that lie to the north of Guadalajara are faulted (north-northeast) into horsts and grabens that in one case can be dated as being older than 21.8 Ma. This fault trend has been reactivated closer to Guadalajara, as normal faults (200- to 300-m displacement) cut the Miocene plateau basalts but are hidden by a cover of younger volcanic rocks close to the city. Also hidden by the young volcanic succession there is the north-west-southeast fault zone that extends to the Gulf of California as the Tepic-Zacoalco graben system. Faulting of this zone is well displayed in the region of the Santa Rosa dam in the Santiago canyon, northwest of Guadalajara. Two styles of faulting are found there: an older (>1 Ma, 3 , has been approximately north-northeast for at least 4 m.y., characteristic of the Mexican Basin and Range province.
Sociogenetic brain damage.

SUMMARY The author cites the evidence for brain damage resulting from malnutrition and an impoverished environment, and discusses their effects on the development of intelligence. RESUME Lesions cerebrales dorigine sociale L'auteur rapporte la mise en evidence de lesions cerebrales venant de la mal-nutrition et dun environnement apauvri; il discute ces effets sur le developpement de 'intelligence. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Hirnschadigung durch gesellschaftliche Einfusse Der Autor fuhrt die Hinweise einer Hirnschadigung durch Unterernahrung und armselige Umgebung an und diskutiert deren Einflusse auf die Entwicklung der Intelligenz. RESUMEN Lesion cerebral sociogenetica El autor cita la evidencia de lesion cerebral con resultado de malnutricion y de pobreza ambiental y discute sus efectos sobre el desarrollo de la inteligencia.
Field studies of ethoprop movement and degradation in two Florida soils

Unsaturated- and saturated-zone field studies were conducted under two different agricultural conditions in Florida, U.S.A., to measure the movement and degradation of ethoprop. When ethoprop was applied to a sand soil in an orange grove located on the Florida central ridge, soil residues declined with a half-life of 13 days to near the limit of detection (0.01 μg g−1 within 2 months. Ethoprop residues were generally contained in the upper 2 m of soil. Although low levels of ethoprop were found in four groundwater samples within the first 3 months after application, the cause of these isolated and transient residues could not be determined. The data show that there was no widespread plume of ethoprop residues beneath or downgradient from the treated area. On a flatwood soil on the west coast of Florida, ethoprop was incorporated into raised beds and protected by a plastic mulch in which tomatoes were grown. When the plastic mulch was present, ethoprop soil residues declined with a half-life of ∼40 days and were confined to the upper 0.3 m of soil. After the mulch was removed at crop harvest, the remaining ethoprop dissipated with a half-life of ∼12 days. Groundwater residues in excess of 1 μg L−1 were confined to a single sample collected after the well had been damaged during a rototilling operation. Resides of < 1 μg L−1 were present in three later samples from this well. At the sampling interval where the highest residues were detected in the damaged well, ethoprop residues of < 1 μg L−1 were also found in three other wells but no residues were detected in these wells in later samples.
A light and electron microscopic study of regrowing pyramidal tract fibers

Autoradiographic and EM techniques were used to study the regenerative capacity of severed axons in the mammalian CNS. In infant and adult hamsters the pyramidal tract was severed unilaterally in the medulla several millimeters rostral to the decussation. After survival to adulthood, the animals received injections of [3H] proline in the sensorimotor cortex ipsilateral to the lesion. Autoradiography showed that labeled pyramidal tract axons in the medulla did not cross the lesion site. Instead, in animals with infant lesions there was massive new axonal growth arising from the severed pyramidal tract several millimeters rostral to the cut. Most of these labeled fibers crossed to the contralateral brainstem, coalesced into a compact bundle, descended just medial to the spinal trigeminal nucleus, and grew caudally for 6-7 mm. Although the trajectory of the regrowing axons was completely abnormal, their pattern of termination in the dorsal column nuclei and dorsal horn of the cervical spinal cord was normal. Synapse formation by the anomalous regrowing pyramidal tract axons in their appropriate terminal areas was confirmed by electron microscopy of terminal degeneration in animals with infant pyramidotomies followed by adult cortical lesions. Autoradiographic labeling of the new pathway at short postlesion survival times showed that the fibers grew out rapidly at about 1 mm/day, a rate somewhat slower than normal (2-4 mm/day). There was a dramatic difference in the capacity of the pyramidal axons to regrow in animals operated as infants vs. those operated as adults. The regrowth was maximal with lesions at 4-8 days of age. Capacity for new growth declined sharply thereafter such that after 20 days of age, pyramidal tract lesions elicited no new growth but instead a progressive axon degeneration retrograde to the lesion. These results, in contrast to many previous findings, show that significant regrowth of severed axons can occur in the neonatal CNS. Most importantly pyramidal tract fibers regrowing by anomalous routes can nevertheless establish synaptic connections in appropriate terminal areas and thus, as we show in the following paper, play a functional role in maintaining normal motor behavior.
Solar Wind Control of the Size and Shape of the Magnetosphere

The position of the earth's magnetopause is controlled by the kinetic pressure of the solar wind and further influenced by the north-south component of the interplanetary magnetic field. On average the distance to the subsolar magnetopause is -10RE, but this distance varies with the solar wind pressure during the 11 year sunspot cycle. Maximum solar wind pressure occurs during the declining phase of the cycle and compresses the average subsolar magnetopause inside 10RE while minimum pressure occurs during solar maximum, allowing expansion of the magnetopause outward toward 11RE. The northsouth component of the IMF moves the subsolar magnetopause inward or outward approximately. 25RE for each 1nT unit of negative or positive field strength, with the magnetotail expanding or contracting to contain the flux transported into the tail. Other observations suggest that the distant tail (1) may be flattened into an elliptical cross section with major axis aligned with the YZ component of the IMF and (2) is probably twisted by the torque exerted by interplanetary field lines connected to the tail lobes. Recent evidence suggests that reorientations of the upstream foreshock may produce density enhancements of a few minutes duration that impinge on the magnetopause and compress the magnetosphere.
RNA associated with the outer membrane of rat liver nuclei.

Abstract Rat liver nuclei still possessing a double membrane were prepared in a high state of purity by a published sucrose method. The outer nuclear membrane and its associated ribosomes-like particles were removed in a wash with Triton X-100. The RNA from the sedimentable fraction of the Triton wash was studied. It represented only 0.2 % of total cellular RNA. The time course of its labelling in vivo with [3H]-orotic acid was examined in relation to the labelling patterns of nuclear RNA and total cytoplasmic ribosomal RNA. When the results of an appropriate control were taken into account, it appeared to have the labelling kinetics of total cytoplasmic ribosomal RNA. It gave a sedimentation profile in a sucrose density gradient characteristic of ribosomal RNA. It is concluded that the transport of ribosomal RNA from nucleus to cytoplasm either does not involve an intermediate association with the outer nuclear membrane, or that, if it does, the association is so transitory that it was not detected.
Viscoelastic behaviour of stabilized polyethylenes irradiated with gamma rays

Abstract Two-cycle creep recovery penetration measurements at 150°C are used to determine the viscoelastic parameters for irradiated low density and linear low density polyethylenes, pure and with 0.5% antioxidant. The amplitudes and the time factors of each cycle are calculated using the mechanical model expression. From the differences between the creep parameters of the first and the second cycle, the contribution of the nonelastic component is considered. The efficiency of radiation crosslinking of different systems is discussed on the base of the corresponding compliances.
Accommodation, refractive error and eye growth in chickens

We raised chickens with defocusing lenses of differing powers in front of their eyes. For this purpose, small hoods made from soft, thin leather were carefully fitted to their heads. Lenses were attached to the hoods by velcro fasteners and could be easily removed for cleaning. The powers of the lenses were such that their optical effects could be compensated for by accommodation. It was verified by infrared (IR) photoretinoscopy that the chickens could keep their retinal images in focus. Wearing a lens resulted in a consistent shift of the non cycloplegic refractive state (measured without the lens) which was in the direction to compensate for the lens. We used a sensitive technique (precision = +/- 50 micron as estimated from the variability of repeated measurements) to measure the posterior nodal distance (PND) in excised eyes of birds grown with lenses. The PND, in turn, was used to compare eyes treated with different lenses. It was found that the PND was increased in eyes which were treated with negative lenses compared to those treated with positive lenses. This effect occurs independently in both eyes and it is not due to changes in corneal curvature. We discuss our result in terms of a closed-loop feedback system for the regulation of eye growth.
Downregulation of store-operated Ca2+ entry during mammalian meiosis is required for the egg-to-embryo transition

A specialized Ca(2+) transient at fertilization represents the universal driver for the egg-to-embryo transition. Ca(2+) signaling remodels during oocyte maturation to endow the egg with the capacity to produce the specialized Ca(2+) transient at fertilization, which takes the form of a single (e.g. Xenopus) or multiple (e.g. mouse) Ca(2+) spikes depending on the species. Store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) is the predominant Ca(2+) influx pathway in vertebrate oocytes, and in Xenopus SOCE completely inactivates during meiosis. Here, we show that SOCE is downregulated during mouse meiosis, but remains active in mature metaphase II eggs. SOCE inhibition is due to a decreased ability of the Ca(2+) sensor STIM1 to translocate to the cortical endoplasmic reticulum domain and due to internalization of Orai1. Reversing SOCE downregulation by overexpression of STIM1 and Orai1 prolongs the Ca(2+) oscillations at egg activation and disrupts the egg-to-embryo transition. Thus, SOCE downregulation during mammalian oocyte maturation is a crucial determinant of the fertilization-specific Ca(2+) transient, egg activation and early embryonic development.
Gas-bearing Hydrothermal Dolomite Prediction Using Probabilistic Neural Networks In the Trenton-Black River Interval, NE Ohio

Probabilistic neural networks (PNNs) are used in a NE Ohio gas field to validate and predict hydrocarbon accumulations, in the Trenton-Black River interval, associated with hydrothermal dolomite. The field is characterized by thin, below seismic resolution, stratigraphically variable hydrothermal dolomite. Pe curves are used to discriminate lithologies in carbonate environments. In productive wells, the Pe curve is characterized by minor perturbations and fluctuations that correspond to the thin dolomite sections. In dry, pervasively carbonate wells the Pe curve is relatively flat and constant. PNNs are used to convert the seismic data volume to a Pe curve volume. Pe curve perturbations, associated with thin dolomite intervals, are qualitatively detected using Pe curve amplitude envelope analysis in the new data volume.
The framework used in developing and Interpreting the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS)

This paper offers a framework that has been used for both developing the tasks used to measure literacy in the International Adult Literacy Survey and for understanding the meaning of what has been reported with respect to the comparative literacy proficiencies of adults in participating countries. The framework consists of six parts that represent a logical sequence of steps from needing to define and represent a particular domain of interest, to identifying and operationalizing characteristics used to construct items, to providing an empirical basis for interpreting results. The various parts of the framework are seen as important in that they help to provide a deeper understanding of the construct of literacy and the various processes associated with it. A processing model is proposed and variables associated with performance on the literacy tasks are identified and verified through regression analyses. These variables are shown to account for between 79 and 89 percent of the variance in task difficulty. Collectively, these process variables provide a means for moving away from interpreting performance on large-scale surveys in terms of discrete tasks or a single number towards identifying levels of performance that have generalizability across pools of tasks and towards what Messick has called a higher level of measurement.