cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic testing for inherited retinal degenerations: Triumphs and tribulations

Inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) are a genotypically and phenotypically diverse group of conditions. Great strides have been made toward identifying the genetic basis for these conditions over the last 30 years-more than 270 different genes involved in syndromic and nonsyndromic forms of retinal dystrophies have now been identified. The identification of these genes and the improvement of clinical laboratory techniques have led to the identification of the genetic basis of disease in 56-76% of patients with IRDs through next generation sequencing and copy number variant analysis. Genetic testing is an essential part of clinical care for patients affected with IRDs and is required to confirm the diagnosis, understand the inheritance of the condition, and determine eligibility for gene-specific treatments or clinical trials. Despite the success achieved in determining the genetic cause of these conditions, several challenges remain, which must be considered when providing genetic testing and genetic counseling to patients. For this reason, an integrated team of ophthalmic and genetic clinicians who are familiar with these challenges is necessary to provide optimal comprehensive care to these patients.
Trachea, Bronchus, and Esophagus Injuries: Techniques

Even in the busiest trauma centers, injuries to the tracheobronchial tree and esophagus are relatively rare. They most commonly occur in the neck, as the thoracic cage provides protection in the chest. Prompt recognition and management of tracheobronchial injury remain paramount to optimize outcomes. Compromise of the major airways can restrict oxygenation and ventilation and thus lead to alterations in gas exchange and subsequent hemodynamic compromise. Any sign of major airway injury should lead the trauma team to rapidly search for the anatomic lesion and initiate treatment. Penetrating injury is the predominant cause of esophageal trauma. Blunt injuries to the esophagus remain rare and are often associated with concomitant thoracic injury. Blunt injury occurs as a result of direct force to the cervical esophagus in conjunction with a hyperextended neck or rarely as a result of intraluminal distention secondary to blunt force trauma.
Localized characterization of brain tissue mechanical properties by needle induced cavitation rheology and volume controlled cavity expansion.

Abstract Changes in the elastic properties of brain tissue have been correlated with injury, cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases. However, discrepancies in the reported elastic moduli of brain tissue are persistent, and spatial inhomogeneities complicate the interpretation of macroscale measurements such as rheology. Here we introduce needle induced cavitation rheology (NICR) and volume-controlled cavity expansion (VCCE) as facile methods to measure the apparent Young's modulus E of minimally manipulated brain tissue, at specific tissue locations and with sub-millimeter spatial resolution. For different porcine brain regions and sections analyzed by NICR, we found E to be 3.7 ± 0.7 kPa and 4.8 ± 1.0 kPa for gray matter, and white matter, respectively. For different porcine brain regions and sections analyzed by VCCE, we found E was 0.76 ± 0.02 kPa for gray matter and 0.92 ± 0.01 kPa for white matter. Measurements from VCCE were more similar to those obtained from macroscale shear rheology (0.75 ± 0.06 kPa) and from instrumented microindentation of white matter (0.97 ± 0.40 kPa) and gray matter (0.86 ± 0.20 kPa). We attributed the higher stiffness reported from NICR to that method's assumption of a cavitation instability due to a neo-Hookean constitutive response, which does not capture the strain-stiffening behavior of brain tissue under large strains, and therefore did not provide appropriate measurements. We demonstrate via both analytical modeling of a spherical cavity and finite element modeling of a needle geometry, that this strain stiffening may prevent a cavitation instability. VCCE measurements take this stiffening behavior into account by employing an incompressible one-term Ogden model to find the nonlinear elastic properties of the tissue. Overall, VCCE afforded rapid and facile measurement of nonlinear mechanical properties of intact, healthy mammalian brain tissue, enabling quantitative comparison among brain tissue regions and also between species. Finally, accurate estimation of elastic properties for this strain stiffening tissue requires methods that include appropriate constitutive models of the brain tissue response, which here are represented by inclusion of the Ogden model in VCCE.
Cardiac rehabilitation in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: Predictors of utilization and effects of exercise training.

Abstract Background Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) patients may benefit from cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Objectives The purpose to this study is to examine utilization of CR in TCM. Methods We conducted a review of hospitalized TCM patients at Baystate Medical Center between 2010 and 2017. We evaluated rates of referral, enrollment, adherence, and changes in exercise capacity. Predictors of CR utilization were analyzed using t-test, chi-square/odds ratio and multivariable hierarchical modeling when appropriate. Results Over 8 years, 35% of 590 patients with TCM were evaluated by phase I (inpatient) and 13.6% enrolled in phase II (outpatient) CR. Inpatient CR evaluation (OR 21, 95% CI 7–64) and cardiac catheterization (OR 5.7, 95% CI 1.9–17) were strong predictors of outpatient CR participation. Patients enrolling in CR attended 15±14 sessions and increased their exercise capacity by 1.2 METs (95% CI 0.9–1.5). Conclusion CR is inconsistently used in TCM, despite the potential physiologic benefits of exercise in TCM.
Condition assessment on the 500kV OIP bushings of power transformer

Statistics show that most of the transformer failures are caused by bushings. However, there is still a lack of an effective method for the condition assessment of bushings. In this paper, the fault causes between the draw lead bushing and conductor tube bushing are studied firstly, showing that conductor tube bushings are more likely to cause a fire than the draw lead bushings. The electrical performance of a group of 254 units of 500kV oil impregnated paper (OIP) bushings are further investigated. The distribution of DGA, dielectric loss, DFR, X-wax and high voltage PD results are investigated. It is shown that the presence of X-wax in bushings is highly related to the amount of hydrogen, 5000ppm could be regarded as the minimum caution limit by far according to our database. It is found that bushings with $\text{tan}\delta$ higher than 0.5% and its variation to name plate $\Delta\text{tan}\delta$ more than 38% are most likely in serious condition. Besides, the effect of X-wax on DFR test is found different from moisture. A condition assessment method, established by combining the distributions of $\text{tan}\delta$ , DGA, DFR and the dismounting findings, is verified with 4 extra cases. This paper could provide useful reference for the condition assessment of bushings in practice.
Measurement of clinical documentation burden among physicians and nurses using electronic health records: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND . OBJECTIVE Electronic health records (EHRs) are linked with documentation burden resulting in clinician burnout. While clear classifications and validated measures of burnout exist, documentation burden remains ill-defined and inconsistently measured. We aim to conduct a scoping review focused on identifying approaches to documentation burden measurement and their characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS Based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) Extension for Scoping Reviews (ScR) guidelines, we conducted a scoping review assessing MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL from inception to April 2020 for studies investigating documentation burden among physicians and nurses in ambulatory or inpatient settings. Two reviewers evaluated each potentially relevant study for inclusion/exclusion criteria. RESULTS Of the 3482 articles retrieved, 35 studies met inclusion criteria. We identified 15 measurement characteristics, including 7 effort constructs: EHR usage and workload, clinical documentation/review, EHR work after hours and remotely, administrative tasks, cognitively cumbersome work, fragmentation of workflow, and patient interaction. We uncovered 4 time constructs: average time, proportion of time, timeliness of completion, activity rate, and 11 units of analysis. Only 45.0% of studies assessed the impact of EHRs on clinicians and/or patients and 40.0% mentioned clinician burnout. DISCUSSION Standard and validated measures of documentation burden are lacking. While time and effort were the core concepts measured, there appears to be no consensus on the best approach nor degree of rigor to study documentation burden. CONCLUSION Further research is needed to reliably operationalize the concept of documentation burden, explore best practices for measurement, and standardize its use.
Mapping of Shallow-Water Sites to Aid Navigation on the Colville River, North Slope of Alaska

The Colville River is the largest river basin (∼53,000 km2) in Alaskan Arctic. The residents of Nuiqsut, an established Alaska Native community of ∼400 people, rely heavily on the Colville for their subsistence needs. Nonetheless, the changing river dynamics caused by accelerated bank erosion and consequent river siltation is making travel on the Colville increasingly difficult and in some cases dangerous. We used summer 2017 scenes from three optical sensors (PlanetScope, Sentinel 2, and Landsat) with resolution ranging from 3–30 m along with field measurements of water-depth to map shallow-water sites along a 45-km stretch of the Colville River. We found a strong correlation ( $\mathrm{R}^{2}=0.9$ ) between field-measured water depths and image-derived reflectance quantity (natural log ratio of green over red bands). We also analyzed a relative depth mapping technique which can be used to map shallow-water sites from optical images in the absence of field-measured water depths.
What is Supermentalism

In this chapter we: distinguish the supermind view, which we sometimes refer to by ‘supermentalism,’ from computationalism; explain the centrality of personhood and related concepts (e.g., cognition) to our project; and provide, as promised, a more detailed preview of the arguments for supermentalism coming later in the book. Along the way we provide a primer on hypercomputation.
Certified predictor-corrector tracking for Newton homotopies

We develop certified tracking procedures for Newton homotopies, which are homotopies for which only the constant terms are changed. For these homotopies, our certified procedures include using a constant predictor with Newton corrections, an Euler predictor with no corrections, and an Euler predictor with Newton corrections. In each case, the predictor is guaranteed to produce a point in the quadratic convergence basin of Newton's method. We analyze the complexity of a tracking procedure using a constant predictor with Newton corrections, with the number of steps bounded above by a constant multiple of the length of the path in the γ-metric. Examples are included to compare the behavior of these certified tracking methods.
Most Courses Are Not Born Digital: An Overview of the Quality Matters Peer Review Process for Online Course Design.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss benefits of and barriers to online learning and describe utilization of the Quality Matters (QM) peer review process as a method to assure the quality of online courses. It outlines the QM higher education rubric, explains how the collaborative QM peer review process facilitates online course design and certification, reports on the development of a statewide consortium in Ohio, and explores future directions in online courses. Design/methodology/approach – This paper offers a brief historical review of the incorporation of technology into teaching and learning. It describes attitudes toward online learning and the creation of the non-profit QM program as a vehicle for improving online course design. It summarizes the eight standards of the QM rubric, describes the QM peer review process, and discusses the implementation of the Ohio QM Consortium (OQMC) as a shared services model. Findings – Given existing barriers to online learning, the QM program can im...
Multicomponent fractional quantum Hall states with subband and spin degrees of freedom

In wide GaAs quantum wells where two electric subbands are occupied we apply a parallel magnetic field or increase the electron density to cause a crossing of the two N = 0 Landau levels of these subbands and with opposite spins. Near the crossing, the fractional quantum Hall states in the filling factor range 1 < ν < 3 exhibit a remarkable sequence of pseudospin polarization transitions resulting from the interplay between the spin and subband degrees of freedom. The field positions of the transitions yield a new and quantitative measure of the composite Fermions’ discrete energy level separations. Surprisingly, the separations are smaller when the electrons have higher spin-polarization. An interacting two-dimensional electron system (2DES) exhibits numerous fractional quantum Hall states (FQHSs) when it is subjected to a large perpendicular magnetic field (B⊥) and electrons occupy the lowest (N = 0) Landau levels (LLs) [1, 2]. These incompressible many-body states can be explained by composite Fermions (CFs), quasiparticles formed by attaching an even number (2p) of quantized flux quanta to each electron [2–4]. When B⊥ deviates from half-integer fillings, the CFs form their own discrete energy levels, the so
Systemic lupus erythematosus with anti-Ro antibodies: Clinical, histologic, and immunologic findings

Detection or anticytoplasmic antibodies of Ro specificity has been a valuable aid in identification of a subpopulation of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Characteristics of this group of patients have been dermatosis, photosensitivity, hypergammaglobulinemia, positive rheumatoid factor, and usually absence of fluorescent antinuclear antibodies done by conventional methods. The findings of these three patients add further evidence that, in addition to presence of other manifestations of SLE, the dominant feature is a cutaneous eruption. This became marked and disseminated during exacerbations usually following sun exposure. Such features distinguish these patients from those with discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) or classical SLE, although at times features of either may be present. Concomitantly, there were selective histopathologic and immunopathologic changes. An unusual finding was a variability in lupus band test dependent upon the state of the disease. Likewise, serologic reactions exhibited a wide range of variability. The results suggest three phases of the disease: chronic active, acute, and treated inactive. Despite acute episodes, including development of nephrotic syndrome in one patient, there was satisfactory response to moderately high doses of corticosteroids and antimalarials.
Utilizing phrase-similarity measures for detecting and clustering informative RSS news articles

As the number of RSS news feeds continue to increase over the Internet, it becomes necessary to minimize the workload of the user who is otherwise required to scan through huge number of news articles to find related articles of interest, which is a tedious and often an impossible task. In order to solve this problem, we present a novel approach, called InFRSS, which consists of a correlation-based phrase matching (CPM) model and a fuzzy compatibility clustering (FCC) model. CPM can detect RSS news articles containing phrases that are the same as well as semantically alike, and dictate the degrees of similarity of any two articles. FCC identifies and clusters non-redundant, closely related RSS news articles based on their degrees of similarity and a fuzzy compatibility relation. Experimental results show that (i) our CPM model on matching bigrams and trigrams in RSS news articles outperforms other phrase/keyword-matching approaches and (ii) our FCC model generates high quality clusters and outperforms other well-known clustering techniques.
Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump expression in denervated skeletal muscle

This study was undertaken as one approach to better understand how contractile activity regulates excitation-contraction coupling phenotype in skeletal muscle. The effects of denervation on the expression of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+)-adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase), a key protein of the contraction-relaxation cycle, was analyzed in fast-twitch (FT) and slow-twitch (ST) skeletal muscle. Muscle mass, mRNA, and protein expression of specific isoforms of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) and contractile parameters related to muscle relaxation were measured in rat soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles at 1, 4, 7, 14, and 28 days after sciatic nerve transection. Wet muscle mass decreased to 35% of control by 28 days of denervation in both soleus and EDL muscles (P < 0.05). Northern and Western analyses showed decreases in mRNA and protein expression of the slow Ca2+ pump isoform (SERCA2a) in the denervated soleus muscle and in the fast Ca2+ pump isoform (SERCA1) in the denervated EDL muscle, particularly at later time points. There was no change in the expression of the alternate isoform in either muscle type. Prolongation of twitch contraction times, slowed rates of tension development, and leftward shifts in frequency-tension curves were consistent with the reduced Ca2+ pump density and suggested slowed Ca2+ handling in SR or denervated ST and FT muscles. The results are in marked contrast with those previously reported in non-weight-bearing muscle induced by biomechanical unloading.
Development of a contaminant leaching model for aquifer storage and recovery technology

AbstractDue to the water shortage in the state of Wyoming as a result of the warm temperatures and relatively little precipitations, development of a contaminant-leaching model for aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) was considered as an alternative option to replace some other more expensive technologies. Therefore, ASR model using batch and continuous flow leaching tests was conducted under different conditions, and the associated leaching models were obtained. Results from this study have indicated that only 4 (Boron, Barium, Manganese, and Vanadium) of the total 15 metals present in the sandstone rocks were soluble and fall within the detectable range of the inductively coupled plasma calibration curve. The metals’ rates of dissociation are dependent on pH, water injection flow rate, and temperature variation. The kinetic study of leachable metal species fitted in a first-order kinetic model. The solubility product constants, Ksp, were measured over a specified temperature range in order to determine t...
Intestinal Folate Absorption: II. CONVERSION AND RETENTION OF PTEROYLMONOGLUTAMATE BY JEJUNUM

These studies were designed to determine whether pteroylmonoglutamic acid (PGA) at physiologic concentrations is transported across the small intestine unaltered or is reduced and methylated to the circulating folate form (5-methyltetrahydrofolate [5-MeFH(4)]) during absorption. [(3)H]PGA was incubated in vitro on the mucosal side of rat jejunum. Of the folate transferred to the serosal side, the percent identified as 5-MeFH(4) by DEAE-Sephadex chromtography was inversely related to the initial mucosa PGA concentration: at 7, 20, and 2,000 nM, 44%, 34%, and 2%, respectively, was converted to 5-MeFH(4). In contrast, less than 4% of the folate transferred across ileal mucosa was 5-MeFH(4) when the initial mucosa concentration was 20 nM. Specific activity of dihydrofolate (DHF) reductase, the enzyme responsible for converting PGA to tetrahydrofolic acid, was measured in villus homogenates and was significantly greater in the jejunum than in the ileum. 1,000 nM methotrexate (MTX), a DHF reductase inhibitor, markedly inhibited PGA conversion to 5-MeFH(4) by the jejunum. Studies of transmural flux, initial rate of mucosal entry (influx) and mucosal accumulation (uptake) of folate were also performed. Although MTX did not alter the influx of PGA, MTX decreased jejunal mucosal uptake but increased transmural movement. Transmural folate movement across ileal mucosa was greater than across jejunal mucosa although mucosal uptake was greater in the jejunum than in the ileum. These results could explain previous studies which have failed to identify conversion of PGA to 5-MeFH(4) when intestinal preparations have been exposed to higher and less physiologic concentrations of PGA. Further, these studies suggest that 5-MeFH(4) may be retained by the jejunal mucosa.
Temperature compensation in the mammalian cell cycle.

Abstract Random and synchronous V79 cells were shifted from 37.5 °C to temperatures between 29 ° and 41 °C. Intermitotic time determinations of random cultures showed an increase in generation time and a broadening in the distribution of generation times in cells whose cycle spanned the temperature shift, but only a slight increase in generation time after one generation at temperatures between 34 °–40 °C. At 33.5 °C and below there was a stepwise increase in generation time. When cells grown at non-standard temperatures were allowed to habituate for 48 h at the altered temperature prior to analysis, the increase in median intermitotic time was slightly less in comparison to analyses done after only one generation following the temperature step. The Q10 for cell division of cells growing at temperatures from 34 ° to 40 °C was between 1.15 and 1.26, suggesting that the mammalian cell cycle is temperature compensated over a limited (6–7 °C) temperature span. Mammalian cells in culture appear to have the same capacity for temperature compensation in their cell cycle as do unicellular eukaryotes. The fact that cycle time at lower temperatures increases in a discrete manner is taken as evidence for a quantal clock.
Estimates for the Points of Intersection of Two Polynomial Regressions

Abstract Let t* denote an unknown abscissa of intersection of two true regression functions μ1(t) and μ2(t). Under normality assumptions with no restraints on t* the maximum likelihood estimator of t* is shown to be the corresponding intersection of the sample regressions. When this estimate exists confidence intervals J can usually be obtained for t* by an application of the Student t-distribution. When t* is restrained to some known interval I, the ML estimate may or may not fall in I. A restrained ML estimate proposed is the limiting point of ∩I ∩J as the length of I ∩ J approaches zero. Confidence limits are obtained for the restrained estimate. Many practical difficulties are discussed.
Strange-Particle Production in the Multiperipheral Model

The production of particles carrying a conserved quantum number is investigated in the multiperipheral model. The Chew-Pignotti bootstrap condition is appropriately modified. The available data for strange-particle production at laboratory energies are shown to have a natural explanation, within the model, if the effective ${K}^{*}$ intercept is equal to that of the $\ensuremath{\rho}$. An unexpected result is that, for precisely this value of the ${K}^{*}$ intercept, the ratio of $K$'s to $\ensuremath{\pi}$'s produced rises with energy, in accordance with experimental indications.
The inelastic inclusion problem

Abstract A general solution is given of the problem of the spherical inelastic inclusion in infinite elastic or viscoelastic matrix, with uniform fields of stress or strain at infinity. Explicit solutions are developed for elastic-plastic, viscoelastic, non-Newtonian viscous inclusion in elastic matrix and for viscoelastic inclusion in viscoelastic matrix.
University-Industry Interaction Patterns: Past models are analyzed, some recent experiments described, and recommendations for the future given.

The nation is entering a period when the R & D output must be increased, probably without major increases in resource allocation. Obviously, in this situation, either efficiency or productivity must be increased. Perhaps one of the most wasteful aspects of the national R & D system (and one that received little attention during the golden era of the 15 percent per year expansion) has been the very weak coupling between the university, on the one hand, and industry (or government), on the other. It is a serious error to allege about such coupling that "it has never worked," that the objectives and reward structures of the institutions are such that it cannot work, and so on. The fact is that coupling has never been tried seriously. History shows that the total dollar effort in research that required coupling or that had coupling as its main objective was on the order of $10 million per year (that is, much less than 0.1 percent of the research money spent on U.S. campuses). At the same time, there is little doubt that the experiments which must and will be tried in the immediate future call for innovations in management and changes in the attitude and structure of many universities. In conversations with administrators who have had experience with such programs, I have found strong suggestions of very mixed responses from the universities. In light of these responses, and if effectiveness is a goal, it would be better for those universities that are more wedded to disciplinary research, to single principal-investigator work, not to participate in these new efforts. We need much greater diversity in the styles of university life, and it would be healthy for the academic enterprise if some universities retained a greater degree of detachment from society, while others consciously decided to interact more with it, through the private sector, and made the changes necessary to do so. If initial funding is restricted to those universities that consider university-industry or university-government research a worthy objective and that have a proven track record and a favorable administrative and reward structure, the new programs may well establish a major new pattern of national R & D.
Determination of reaction kinetic parameters from variable temperature DSC or DTA

An equation is derived for evaluating the kinetic parameters of a transformation from variable temperature DSC or DTA, taking account of the variation in the reaction rate constant with time and temperature. Kinetic parameters for the crystallization of a ZrF4-BaF2-LaF3 glass are calculated using this equation.
Patterns and Predictors of Mental Healthcare Utilization in Schools and Other Service Sectors Among Adolescents at Risk for Depression

This study examined racial/ethnic and socioeconomic differences in service utilization across sectors (specialty mental health, school, primary care) for youth at risk for depression. Our sample included 362 adolescents who were enrolled in a larger project examining the effects of an indicated school-based depression prevention program. Service use across sectors mirrored national trends and previous research findings in which the education sector was most frequently utilized for mental health services. Race/ethnicity was significantly associated with parent-reported specialty mental health service utilization, even when controlling for other predictors of use. The study also suggests that racial disparities in service access generally appear to be reduced through the availability of education sector mental health services. Socioeconomic status was not associated with service use in any sector when controlling for other predictors. Parent–child agreement was moderate for report of specialty mental health service use and low for report of use of services within the education and primary care sectors.
Multiple reference points in satisfaction and fairness assessment

Most studies of reference point effects have used a single referent, such as a price, a salary, or a target. There is considerable evidence that the judged fairness of, or satisfaction with, an outcome is significantly influenced by discrepancies from such single referents. In many settings, however, more than one reference point may be available, so the subject may be confronted simultaneously with some referents above, some at, and some below the focal outcome. Little is known about the simultaneous impact of such multiple reference points. We examine here the effects of two referents on ratings of salary satisfaction and fairness. Subjects were presented with a series of scenarios that described a salary offer made to a hypothetical MBA graduate and provided information about the salary offers made to either one or two other similar graduates. For each scenario, subjects judged how fair the focal graduate would feel the offer to be, and how satisfied he or she would be with it. Satisfaction ratings displayed asymmetric effects of comparisons: the pain associated with receiving a salary lower than another MBA is greater than the pleasure associated with a salary higher than the other student by the same amount. Fairness ratings showed a different pattern of asymmetric effects of discrepancies from the reference salaries: the focal graduate's salary was judged somewhat less fair when others received lower offers, and much less fair when others received higher offers. The asymmetric effects occurred for both reference points, suggesting that the focal salary was compared separately to each of the referents rather than to a single reference point formed by prior integration of the referents. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Price dumping in intermediate good markets

Abstract We analyze price dumping and anti-dumping duties in the context of a model with a vertical industry structure. Dumping in the intermediate good market arises from differences in country-specific final good production costs. The price differential, or dumping margin, is shown to increase as the productivity difference increases. An anti-dumping duty, designed to reduce the equilibrium price differential, has two effects on welfare: a welfare loss from reduced final good production and a contrasting gain achieved by producing the lower output level more efficiently.
Propulsion System Prognostics R&D Through the Technical Cooperation Program

Cooperation and coordination at the international level are key features of cost effective management of propulsion system R&D. The technical cooperation program fosters such efforts for military-directed work among agencies in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The general arrangements and opportunities of the program are discussed, for example the means to exchange data, equipment and staff. In particular, the paper concentrates on the activity associated with the Aerospace Systems Group, Technical Panel 3, responsible for propulsion and power systems. Within the disclosure limits, the TP3 program is described. Significant examples of cooperation and successful development are highlighted including the helicopter integrated diagnostics system, other collaborative projects, workshops and data exchanges. Strategic planning directions and opportunities are identified from the points of view of technology development and military need.
A transposon-like element in human DNA

Mobile genetic elements have been reported in prokaryotes, plants, yeast and Drosophila (reviewed in refs 1, 2). The only transposonlike sequences reported for mammalian organisms are closely related to retroviruses3–7, although undoubtedly other transposon families exist within the mammalian genome. Although mobile genetic elements can only be identified as such if their mobility can be demonstrated in existing populations, transposon and transposon-like elements share several common biochemical and structural features1,2. Here we demonstrate that a repetitive human sequence has many of the diagnostic features of transposable elements. This 2.3-kilobase (kb) transposon-like element contains two flanking long terminal repeat (LTR)-like 350-base pair (bp) repetitive sequences, each of which begins with the sequence 5′ TG… and ends with …CA 3′. The transposon-like element is bounded by 5-bp direct repeats. Discrete-length polyadenylated transcripts from HeLa cells are homologous to the transposon-like element. Members of this transposon-like family are found in extrachromosomal circular DNA molecules.
Rates of reduced cytochrome c-ferricyanide binding and electron transfer

The oxidation of reduced cytochrome c by ferricyanide has been studied over a wide range of ferricyanide concentrations using a continuous-flow apparatus. The formation of a ferrocytochrome c-ferricyanide complex has been demonstrated and the binding and electron transfer processes separated to give both the oxidation electron transfer rate and the binding rate parameters. The electron transfer rate has been found to be 1.86 · 103 s−1 in H2O buffer and 1.36 · 103 s−1 in 2H2O demonstrating that a deuterium isotope effect of similar magnitude (R = 1.37) to that found in the cytochrome reactions in photosynthetic bacteria [18] is also found in the reaction studied here. The binding association rate parameters also show a similar deuterium isotope effect suggesting that water rotation may be involved in both the binding of ferricyanide to reduced cytochrome c and the subsequent oxidation electron transfer.
Reduced Plasma Lecithin Cholesterol Acyl Transferase Activity in Rats Fed Iron-Deficient Diets

An iron-deficient diet containing no fat (FF-Fe) or containing either 14% hydrogenated coconut oil (HCNO-Fe) or 14% corn oil (CO-Fe) was fed to separate groups of rats for 10 weeks. In the control group, the corresponding iron-supplemented diets were fed FF+Fe, HCNO+Fe, CO+Fe. When rats were fed iron-deficient diets, their plasma lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT) activity was significantly reduced as compared to controls. Their plasma also contained releatively more cholesteryl esters (CE) than free cholesterol (CH). In rats fed FF+Fe and CO+Fe diets, plasma contained similar levels of CE and CH. In those fed HCNO+Fe diet, plasma had 40% less Ce than CH. Red cell CH content was significantly greater in the CO-Fe group. Iron deficiency, as indicated by low blood hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) values, was also observed only in this group. The triglyceride and phospholipid contents of plasma in rats fed iron-deficient diets were significantly lower than of those in the control groups. Thus, changes in LCAT activity and CE/CH ratio in plasma showed the effect of iron-deficient diet consumption even before the blood Hb and Hct levels were reduced.
Computational Modeling of Microstructural-Evolution in AISI 1005 Steel During Gas Metal Arc Butt Welding

A fully coupled (two-way), transient, thermal-mechanical finite-element procedure is developed to model conventional gas metal arc welding (GMAW) butt-joining process. Two-way thermal-mechanical coupling is achieved by making the mechanical material model of the workpiece and the weld temperature-dependent and by allowing the potential work of plastic deformation resulting from large thermal gradients to be dissipated in the form of heat. To account for the heat losses from the weld into the surroundings, heat transfer effects associated with natural convection and radiation to the environment and thermal-heat conduction to the adjacent workpiece material are considered. The procedure is next combined with the basic physical-metallurgy concepts and principles and applied to a prototypical (plain) low-carbon steel (AISI 1005) to predict the distribution of various crystalline phases within the as-welded material microstructure in different fusion zone and heat-affected zone locations, under given GMAW-process parameters. The results obtained are compared with available open-literature experimental data to provide validation/verification for the proposed GMAW modeling effort.
The relationship between quality of life and swallowing in Parkinson's disease†

Few studies exist in the literature investigating the impact of idiopathic Parkinson's Disease (IPD) on swallow-related quality of life. We therefore aimed in this project to: (1) evaluate swallow-specific quality of life in IPD; (2) delineate potential relationships between IPD duration and severity with swallow-specific quality of life; (3) investigate relationships between swallow-specific quality of life and general health-related quality of life; and (4) investigate relationships between swallow-specific quality of life and depression. Thirty-six patients diagnosed with IPD with and without dysphagia filled out self-report assessments of the SWAL-QOL, Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). A series of Mann Whitney U tests were performed between non-dysphagic and dysphagic groups for the total SWAL-QOL score and the 10 SWAL-QOL domains. Spearman's Rho correlation analyses were performed between the SWAL-QOL and (1) PDQ-39; (2) Hoehn and Yahr stage; (3) PD disease duration; (4) UPDRS "on" score; and (5) the BDI. The dysphagia swallowing group reported significant reductions compared to the non-dysphagic group for the total SWAL-QOL score (P = 0.02), mental health domain score (P = 0.002) and social domain score (P = 0.002). No relationships existed between swallow-specific quality of life and disease duration or severity. Significant relationships existed between swallow-specific quality of life and general health-related quality of life (r(s) =-0.56, P = 0.000) and depression (r(s) = -0.48, P = 0.003). These exploratory data highlight the psychosocial sequelae that swallowing impairment can have in those with IPD and suggest a possible association between swallowing, social function, and depression.
Effect of Temperature on the Development of Culiseta melanura (Diptera: Culicidae) and its Impact on the Amplification of Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis Virus in Birds

Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus (EEE) is perpetuated in a maintenance cycle that involves Culiseta melanura (Coquillett) as the enzootic vector and passerine birds as the amplifying hosts. Amplification of virus in any given year requires an influx of nulliparous Cs. melanura in the presence of susceptible avian hosts. We conducted laboratory experiments at constant temperatures from 10 to 34 degrees C to develop thermal heat summation models to predict emergence in nature. Embryonic development progresses slowly at 10 degrees C, and the time to eclosion decreased significantly as temperatures increased to 28 degrees C. High temperature were lethal and eggs failed to hatch at 32 degrees C. The thermal minimum (t0) for embryonic development was 9.38 degrees C, and 38.46 degrees-days (DD) were required for egg hatch. The time for larval development decreased with increasing temperatures. Cs. melanura larvae develop in subterranean habitats (crypts) where water temperatures remain below 20 degrees C throughout the summer. Under controlled conditions, egg hatch to emergence took 8 mo at 10 degrees C, 3 mo at 16 degrees C, and 1 mo at 22 degrees C. The thermal minimum for larval development (t0) was 8.5 degrees C, and 467.29 DD were required from eclosion to adult emergence. Our findings indicate that Cs. melanura is well suited to develop in cold water crypts where the larvae are collected most frequently. The mosquito appears to be bivoltine in the northeast with an overwintering generation of larvae that emerges as a spring brood of adults and a summer generation of larvae that emerges in fall. Higher than normal water temperatures hasten development of the summer generation and increase the probability for amplification of EEE by bringing large numbers of nulliparous mosquitoes into contact with recrudescing virus for subsequent transfer to the growing population of susceptible juveniles. Water temperatures in the crypts also may regulate the northern limit for virus amplification each year.
Effect of intravenous calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonist on the laryngeal chemoreflex in piglets

Abstract The laryngeal chemoreflex (LCR) is characterized by mixed apnea and cardiovascular instability and is elicited by applying water to the laryngeal mucosa of developing animals. The LCR may be fatal in very young animals, and the reflex has been postulated as a possible mechanism of sudden infant death syndrome. Several antagonists have been found to alter the severity of the LCR, but the primary neurotransmitters involved in mediating the reflex response are not yet well understood. This study investigates the effect, on the LCR, of the pharmacologic antagonism of calcitonin gene-related peptide (αCGRP), a neurochemical found in abundance in the mammalian laryngeal mucosa and its innervating system. The LCR was elicited in 10 mixed breed piglets, 17.7 days of age (12 to 22 days), before and during infusion of αCGRP 8-37, a pharmacologic inhibitor of αCGRP, and cardiorespiratory and laryngeal responses were compared. The duration of obstructive apnea decreased from 17.9 to 9.8 seconds (P 0.05), although it was completely inhibited in 2 animals. Cardiovascular changes were not significantly altered by the αCGRP inhibitor. αCGRP appears to play a regulatory role in the apneic response of the LCR, particularly its obstructive component, but not the cardiovascular response. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1999;121:1-6.)
Vowel duration as a cue to postvocalic stop voicing in aphasia and apraxia of speech

Background: In American English, vowel duration is, on average, longer preceding postvocalic voiced stops than preceding postvocalic voiceless stops. Preliminary investigations have reported a preservation of this acoustic contrast for speakers with aphasia and apraxia of speech (AOS) on the basis of mean data. However, clinical interpretation of the available research is difficult due to lack of attention to the range of performance among and within speakers from both normal and disordered populations. Concurrent perceptual analysis is warranted to evaluate functional implications of acoustic variations, but standard approaches using a single listener and presentation may not be sufficiently sensitive to reveal subtle variations. Aims: (1) To determine whether aphasic and apraxic speakers produce a normal vowel duration differentiation between voiced and voiceless postvocalic stops. (2) To explore whether the produced vowel duration variations are associated with predicted perceptual effects. Methods & P...
A high power microwave duplexer using secondary electron resonance

A high-power S-band duplexer has been developed, in which power activated switching is accomplished through the mechanism of secondary electron resonance (multipactor) rather than through gas discharge. Advantages of the multipactor discharge, which occurs in high vacuum (10-9mm Hg), include low noise, very long life, and short recovery times of the order of an RF cycle. The multipactor discharge occurs in a plane-parallel, high-voltage gap within an RF resonator, if the frequency, field strength, and gap spacing are related as follows: 1) Electrons, accelerated by the electric field, traverse the gap in one half RF period. 2) The impact energy of the electrons is such that the secondary emission ratio is larger than one.
Incorporation and Marginalization in the Academy: From Border toward Center for Faculty of Color?.

Faculty of color entering the academy describe factors leading toward their incorporation as well as factors keeping them at the margins. Relying on educational research, the concepts of incorporation and marginalization are discussed in this article. There are positive and negative aspects to incorporation and marginalization, which are very often overlooked.
A micro‐pipette method for soil mechanical analysis

Abstract Determination of soil texture, particularly the clay (<2 μm) fraction, is an important measurement in most soil investigations. In this study a modified method for mechanical analysis was evaluated that eliminated the need for bulky laboratory equipment and long settling times associated with standard pipette and hydrometer methods. Termed a “micro‐pipette”; method, the modified procedure uses 2 to 4 g soil with 40 mL of dilute dispersant, shaken overnight in 50 mL centrifuge tubes. Clay is determined by sampling 2.5 mL using an adjustable volume pipettor from a depth of 2.5 cm after approximately 2 h of settling, as calculated from Stokes’ law. The dried suspension weight is used to compute clay content after correction for salt content of the dispersant. Sand can be determined by sieving at 50 μm after clay analysis, with silt calculated by difference. Using 12 soils with a range of particle sizes, the proposed method was found to give textural values nearly identical to those found with the st...
Using LXI Events in ATS

LXI defines a LAN message that communicates timing and events in a system. These messages are known as LXI LAN Triggers. There are several ways to use LXI LAN Triggers, including: ? to trigger an operation in an instrument ? to provide an asynchronous message from an instrument to the computer ? to communicate between instruments, for instance, a digitizer can tell a signal generator to advance to the next frequency Events are also used in conjunction with the IEEE 1588 real-time clock. When used in this way, events can specify the time that the triggered operation is supposed to occur. Pretriggering can be done by specifying a time that transpired before the trigger arrived at the recipient. This paper describes LXI Events, their applications, instrument APIs for events, and controller event programming.
Estimating extreme tendon response using environmental contours

The environmental contour technique was used to estimate the extreme in-line responses of deep-water TLP tendons designed for the Gulf of Mexico. The simulated response estimates were then used to estimate failure probabilities and reliabilities utilizing a deterministic displacement limit state. The reliability of individual tendons and tendon systems is directly associated with their respective probabilities of failure. By designing for environmental contours identified using this technique the resulting design will be more likely to approach the intended target reliability. In this article the environmental contour theory is explained and then used to estimate the extreme tendon responses in two examples reflecting practical design uncertainties. Experimental data from large scale model tendon experiments was introduced in order to assess the numerical prediction. In the first example the problem of uncertainty associated with pretensioning of the individual tendons is investigated. Although the amount of uncertainty due to the change in tension is not known the use of contour inflation is illustrated as a means to compare the numerical prediction with the experimental data. The second example addresses the uncertainties associated with the fluid/structure interaction. The placement of tendons in close proximity results in the amplification of the tendon motions. At present, no adequate hydrodynamic model exists which can be used with confidence in design practice. Again contour inflation is explored as a means to compensate for this phenomena and to quantify in a global sense the impact of this uncertainty on design.