cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elastic stability and diffuse scattering in icosahedral quasicrystals

Abstract Five elastic constants define the stiffness of coupled phonons and phasons in icosahedral quasicrystals. Requirements of elastic stability impose constraints (inequalities) on combinations of these elastic constants. This paper derives two sets of inequalities, one against the onset of spatially uniform strains, and a weaker set against the onset of spatially varying strains. When the elastic constants approach a violation of this weaker set of inequalities, Bragg peak intensities vanish continuously, while diffuse scattering intensities grow. Depending on which combination of elastic constants violates its stability condition, the diffuse scattering patterns peak in directions corresponding to icosahedron vertices, faces, or edges. Qualitative examination of diffuse scattering patterns therefore may yield an insight into the mechanism driving quasicrystal-to-crystal phase transitions, while quantitative studies may yield numerical values of the elastic constants.
Programming of GnRH feedback controls timing puberty and adult reproductive activity

The timing of puberty generally differs between sexes, and this may be due to sex differences in the organization of steroid feedback systems. We propose that the reproductive neuroendocrine default sex is female. If the individual is male, the feedback control of GnRH secretion is programmed early in development, and the pubertal GnRH rise is either advanced or delayed depending upon species. This developmental programming is by androgens. Early programming also reorganizes adult reproductive neuroendocrine function to change a pattern of cyclic gamete release (periodic ovulations) requiring multiple feedback systems to that of a continuous one (spermatogenesis) requiring only the negative feedback control. The multiple feedback systems underlying the complex ovulatory cycle are innate, and in the male the unnecessary feedbacks are abolished or rendered less sensitive during development by the estrogenic, as well as the androgenic metabolites of testosterone.
Generalized bullous dyskeratosis (generalized bullous Darier's disease) with special reference to the histogenesis and metabolic changes.

Dermatologie literature is replete with the description of dermatoses and the labeling with new names of diseases which, in many instances, represent varieties or developmental stages of well known clinical entities. While quite frequently specific etiologic factors cannot be determined, clinico-morphologic obsarvations and careful biologic and histologic studies, however, are of paramount importance in the proper classification of certain dermatoses.
Deformation, recovery, and recrystallization behavior of nanocrystalline copper produced from solution-phase synthesized nanoparticles

Nanocrystalline copper produced by a solution-phase chemistry approach and compacted by hot pressing was subjected to room temperature deformation. Uniaxial compression and rolling were used to deform the samples to °90% reduction in thickness. Samples were subjected to several heat treatments to study microstructure and property evolution as a function of heat treatment. Thermal response of the as-pressed and deformed nanocrystalline Cu was also studied by differential scanning calorimetry. Optical metallography, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and selected area diffraction were used to characterize microstructures after heat treatments. Samples exhibited an endotherm upon heating at 322 °C which was reversible upon cooling. This was attributed to either dissolution and formation of Cu–B precipitates or the diffusion of B from the grain boundaries to the bulk and back to the grain boundaries. Exaggerated recrystallization occurs in the temperature range of 399–422 °C. Samples maintained high dislocation density, deformation bands, and fine grain size up to 322 °C. Beyond the recrystallization temperature, grains grew at a faster rate to submicron or micron levels. The strain hardening observed in the samples of the present study is attributed to the presence of boron. Two mechanisms are suggested for the role of B: (i) segregation of B to the grain boundaries leading to strengthening of grain boundaries, and (ii) formation of Cu–B nanoprecipitates leading to precipitation strengthening.
Further characterization by site-directed mutagenesis of the protein-protein interface in the ferredoxin/ferredoxin:NADP+ reductase system from Anabaena: requirement of a negative charge at position 94 in ferredoxin for rapid electron transfer.

Abstract Ferredoxins are small electron transfer proteins found ubiquitously in nature. In green plant photosynthesis, the soluble [2Fe2S] ferredoxin shuttles electrons from Photosystem I to ferredoxin:NADP + reductase. In order to define the features of the protein/protein interface required for efficient electron transfer from ferredoxin to ferredoxin:NADP + reductase, we have made site-directed mutants of the ferredoxin from the cyanobacterium Anabaena 7120 and measured the rate constants for electron transfer to ferredoxin:NADP + reductase using laser flash photolysis. Previous results from this laboratory identified two residues in ferredoxin that were crucial to electron transfer between these proteins. One such position (F65) was subsequently shown to require an aromatic amino acid, and it was further shown that interprotein electron transfer was rate-limiting in the case of the slowly reacting F65A mutant (Hurley et al ., 1993 J. Am. Chem. Soc. 115, 11,698-11,701). The second crucial position (E94) is shown in the present study to require a negative charge in order to maintain wild-type-like electron transfer reactivity toward ferredoxin:NADP + reductase. Further, we also demonstrate, for the slowly reacting E94Q mutant, that electron transfer is the rate-limiting step in the interprotein interaction.
FROM RATIONALITY TO BOUNDED RATIONALITY

We investigate the role of bounded rationality in asset pricing and information efficiency. We show that the market stays between the weak-form efficiency and the semi-strong-form efficiency in a market with a single asymmetric information and without noise supply. We show the existence of an overall equilibrium in which the publicly available information can be priced and is ‘almost free’, and the majority of the agents choose to stay uninformed. We show the existence of a Nash competitive equilibrium in an information game.
A bound for arithmetic codes of composite length (Corresp.)

This correspondence presents an upper bound on the minimum distance of arithmetic codes of composite length n = n_1 n_2 . The tightness of this bound gives a rather good working estimate of the minimum distance of a prospective code.
Production, Characterization, and Immunogenicity of a Soluble Rat Single Chain T Cell Receptor Specific for an Encephalitogenic Peptide

The encephalitogenic rat T cell clone C14 recognizes the myelin basic protein 69–89 peptide in the context of the RT1B major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecule. Modeling of the C14 TCR molecule indicated that previously identified CDR3 motifs are likely to be central to interaction with MHC class II-presented peptide. Here we report the cloning and expression of C14-derived single chain TCR (scTCR) molecules in an Escherichia coli expression system. The recombinant molecule consists of the Vα2 domain connected to the Vβ8.2 domain via a 15-residue linker. Soluble C14 scTCR was purified using conventional chromatography techniques and refolded by a rapid dilution procedure. C14 scTCR was able to bind soluble rat MHC class II molecules bearing covalently coupled Gp-BP-(69–89) peptide, as analyzed using surface plasmon resonance. Immune recognition of the C14 scTCR protein as an antigen revealed that limited regions of the TCR may be more likely to induce responsiveness.
Interaction of radiolabeled endotoxin molecules with human monocyte membranes

Radiolabeled and biologically active endotoxin molecules were prepared, and their binding to monocyte plasma membranes was studied. The binding of 3H-endotoxin and 51Cr-lipid A to isolated membranes was found to be less specific and of lower apparent affinity than that observed using whole cells. Plasma membranes isolated from intact, viable 51Cr-lipid A-pretreated monocytes were found to contain a significant portion of the cell-associated 51Cr-lipid A following Percoll density gradient fractionation of post-nuclear homogenates. When monocytes were pretreated with 3H-endotoxin under the same experimental conditions, all of the label was recovered in the extracellular medium, and subcellular fractionation revealed no fractions which contained tritium. Taken together, our results suggest that specific and high affinity interactions between monocyte membranes and endotoxin molecules are likely to depend on plasma membrane structures which are assembled in intact monocytes but which are disrupted when plasma membranes are isolated from these cells.
Role of presenilin in γ-secretase cleavage of amyloid precursor protein

Cerebral accumulation of the amyloid beta-protein (Abeta) is an early and invariant event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mutations in the presenilin (PS) 1 and 2 genes that increase production of the highly amyloidogenic Abeta(42) are the most common cause of familial AD. Deletion of PS1 in mice reduces Abeta generation, indicating that PS1 mediates the last step in the generation of Abeta from beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) by the unidentified gamma-secretase. Mutating either of two conserved transmembrane aspartates in PS1 significantly reduced Abeta production and increased the APP C-terminal fragments that are gamma-secretase substrates. These results indicate that PS1 is either a unique diaspartyl cofactor for gamma-secretase or is itself gamma-secretase. Furthermore, studies on the gamma-secretase-like proteolytic processing of Notch and Ire1 suggest a common mechanism for the involvement of PS1 in intramembrane proteolysis of membrane proteins.
A parallel Eulerian interface tracking/Lagrangian point particle multi-scale coupling procedure

This paper presents a parallel Eulerian/Lagrangian multi-scale coupling procedure for two-phase flows. At the fully resolved scale, the dynamically evolving phase interface is tracked using a Eulerian approach. In regions of the flow, where the phase interface geometry can no longer be resolved adequately, separated, small scale liquid structures are described by a Lagrangian point particle approach. The coupling procedure of these two descriptions consists of an efficient parallel algorithm that identifies tracked liquid candidate structures, removes them from the resolved Eulerian description, and inserts them into the Lagrangian description preserving their position, mass, momentum, and lower order shape. While in principle applicable to level set, Volume of Fluid, and marker particle interface tracking methods for the fully resolved scale, this paper focuses on examples from atomization simulations using the refined level set grid method.
Impact Of Cumulus Initialization on the Spinup of Precipitation Forecasts in the Tropics

To ameliorate the precipitation spinup problem, i.e., the prediction model's inability to produce realistic precipitation rates at the beginning of the forecast period, the impact of a tropical initialization procedure on precipitation forecasts is examined. Attention is focused on the examination of the time behavior of precipitation rates and the closely associated variables of horizontal divergence and moisture during the first 42 time steps corresponding to 10.5 h. It is determined that the originally analyzed tropical divergence fields have realistic geographical distributions but there intensities seem to be too low by a factor of two.
Do characteristics of pulmonary nodules on computed tomography in children with known osteosarcoma help distinguish whether the nodules are malignant or benign

Purpose To determine if selected computed tomography (CT) characteristics of pulmonary nodules in pediatric patients with osteosarcoma can help distinguish the nodules as benign or malignant.
Covert rapid action-memory simulation (CRAMS): a hypothesis of hippocampal-prefrontal interactions for adaptive behavior.

Abstract Effective choices generally require memory, yet little is known regarding the cognitive or neural mechanisms that allow memory to influence choices. We outline a new framework proposing that covert memory processing of hippocampus interacts with action-generation processing of prefrontal cortex in order to arrive at optimal, memory-guided choices. Covert, rapid action-memory simulation (CRAMS) is proposed here as a framework for understanding cognitive and/or behavioral choices, whereby prefrontal–hippocampal interactions quickly provide multiple simulations of potential outcomes used to evaluate the set of possible choices. We hypothesize that this CRAMS process is automatic, obligatory, and covert, meaning that many cycles of action-memory simulation occur in response to choice conflict without an individual’s necessary intention and generally without awareness of the simulations, leading to adaptive behavior with little perceived effort. CRAMS is thus distinct from influential proposals that adaptive memory-based behavior in humans requires consciously experienced memory-based construction of possible future scenarios and deliberate decisions among possible future constructions. CRAMS provides an account of why hippocampus has been shown to make critical contributions to the short-term control of behavior, and it motivates several new experimental approaches and hypotheses that could be used to better understand the ubiquitous role of prefrontal–hippocampal interactions in situations that require adaptively using memory to guide choices. Importantly, this framework provides a perspective that allows for testing decision-making mechanisms in a manner that translates well across human and nonhuman animal model systems.
Presuppositions for proportional quantifiers

Most studies of the so-called proportion problem seek to understand how lexical and structural properties of sentences containing adverbial quantifiers give rise to various proportional readings. This paper explores a related but distinct problem: given a use of a particular sentence in context, why do only some of the expected proportional readings seem to be available? That is, why do some sentences allow an asymmetric reading when other, structurally similar sentences seem to require a symmetric reading? Potential factors suggested in the literature include the distribution of donkey pronouns, certain uniqueness implications, and focus structures. I argue here that the use of an adverbial quantifier presupposes HOMOGENEITY: all individual situations that get lumped into a single case for the purposes of evaluating the quantification must agree on whether they satisfy the nuclear scope. For instance, in order for a token of Usually, if a farmer owns a donkey, he beats it to be felicitous when construed under a farmer-dominant asymmetric reading, the context must be consistent with the proposition that each farmer either beats all or none of his donkeys. Thus proportional sentences are indeed systematically ambiguous, but only some readings will be felicitous in a given context.
Interactive effects of functionally different earthworm species on aggregation and incorporation and decomposition of newly added residue carbon

Abstract The interactive effects of two functionally different earthworm species ( Aporrectodea caliginosa (endogeic species) and Lumbricus rubellus (epigeic species)) on the incorporation of fresh residue into large macroaggregates and formation of microaggregates within these large macroaggregates were investigated during a short-term laboratory experiment using 13 C-labelled sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) residues. Soil was collected from a long-term no-tillage agricultural field, crushed through a 250-μm sieve and incubated under laboratory conditions. The following earthworm treatments were applied: (i) soil+ 13 C-labelled residue+ A. caliginosa ; (ii) soil+ 13 C-labelled residue+ L. rubellus ; (iii) soil+ 13 C-labelled residue+ A. caliginosa + L. rubellus and; (iv) soil+ 13 C-labelled residue. Two residue placement treatments (i.e. surface and incorporated) were superimposed on the earthworm treatments. Earthworms were added after 8 days of incubation. Aggregate size distribution and total C and 13 C were measured after 22 days. Microaggregates, fine inter-microaggregate particulate organic matter (inter-POM) and intra-microaggregate POM (intra-POM) were isolated from macroaggregates. Earthworms had a greater stimulating effect on the formation of large macroaggregates (>2000 μm) and microaggregates within large macroaggregates when residue was incorporated in the soil, especially in the presence of A. caliginosa . When residue was placed on the surface, residue-derived intra-POM C was highest when L. rubellus was present and significantly lower in the presence of A. caliginosa . Residue-derived inter-POM C was highest when a mix of both species was present. These results indicate that earthworm species differentially affect incorporation of fresh organic matter into stable microaggregates within macroaggregates, and that interactive effects of earthworm species might have important consequences for the incorporation and protection of C inside of microaggregates within macroaggregates especially when residues are placed on the soil surface.
Clinical, cultural and literary elaborations of the negative ego-ideal.

Summary We have presented a conceptual approach to a clinical phenomenon characterized by the avoidance of certain types of roles or behavior which are ego alien to the individual. We have called this the negative ego-ideal since it seems to be closely related to but different than the positive ego-ideal which encourages a certain standard of performance from the individual. The negative ego-ideal is a structural concept which belongs to the superego configuration. Transgression of the negative ego-ideal brings forth an affect closely allied to shame but often quantitatively stronger described by terms such as humiliation or mortification.
Sexual Implications of Gynecologic Cancer Treatments

Gynecologic cancers affected 81,000 women in 1999. The disease and its associated treatment commonly pose a threat not only to the life of such patients, but also to their sexuality and fertility. These women and their partners require knowledgeable, compassionate care. Effective, holistic nursing care for women experiencing gynecologic cancers requires an understanding of basic concepts of female sexuality, the diagnosis and treatment of gynecologic malignancies, the impact of the disease and its treatment on a woman's sexuality, and ways the nurse can incorporate sexuality issues into practice.
Enabling an accessible web 2.0

The next generation of the Web is relying on new technologies to build rich interfaces and applications which enable community, collaboration, social networking and enhanced interactions. This has implication for people with disabilities who have come to rely on the Web to provide more independence, work opportunities, and social interactions. New specifications such as Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) are being developed which provide more semantic information about Web components and can enable enhanced accessibility. In addition, toolkits and testing tools are making it easier to reach the nirvana of accessibility by default in Web 2.0 projects.
Evaluation of mRNA by Q-RTPCR and protein expression by AQUA of the M2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase (RRM2) in human tumors

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate baseline RRM2 protein and gene expression in tumors of patients receiving 3-AP.
Usefulness of low-level exercise testing early after acute myocardial infarction in patients taking beta-blocking agents.

Abstract The value of low-level exercise testing early after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 207 patients taking β-blocking drugs was evaluated in a multicenter study of prognosis after AMI. After stratifying patients according to the absence of significant rales upon admission or pulmonary congestion on the admitting chest x-ray, the results of the exercise test (ability to complete the 9-minute protocol) permitted a large cohort (108 patients, 52% of exercising patients) with no deaths from cardiac causes in the year after AMI to be identified. The results suggest that even in patients taking β-blocking agents, low-level exercise testing together with clinical stratification has value in identifying a large group of patients with a good prognosis after AMI.
On a Multivariate Analog of Studentized Range Test

Abstract It is well known that T max 2 test procedure, a multivariate analog of studentized range test, can be derived by using Roy's union intersection principle with a bilinear decomposition of the MANOVA hypothesis that is response-wise infinite and contrastwise finite. In this article an alternative union intersection derivation of T max 2 test is presented using the matrix decomposition of the MAN-OVA hypothesis. This decomposition is responsewise as well as contrastwise infinite and leads to multiple comparisons on a class of extended linear parametric functions, which are illustrated.
Management of Neonatal Candidiasis

Documented invasive candidiasis (IC) is defined as a positive culture from normally sterile body fluid. The most common source (approximately 70% of neonatal cases) is the bloodstream. Other sources include urine (15%) and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF; approximately 10%). The cumulative incidence of invasive candidiasis is inversely proportional to birth weight at 1500 g, 1% in neonates born 1001–1500 g, 4% in neonates born 751–1000 g, and 12% in neonates born 401–750 g [1–3]. Nearly 80% of cases diagnosed in premature neonates occur in the first 42 days of life [1]. Birth weight and age at time of infection also predict subsequent mortality: up to 40% of neonates <750 g die as compared with <20% in neonates born 1000–1500 g [1]. The associated mortality with IC is three times higher than that of uninfected neonates of similar gestational age and birth weight [4] and morbidity is substantial with both end-organ damage [5] and neurodevelopmental impairment [1,6]. The prevalence of end-organ damage outside of the central nervous system is approximately 10% (Benjamin et al SPR 2008); central nervous system disease is difficult to diagnose, but is thought to be common based on animal model, clinical and autopsy studies. Antifungal agents currently used in clinical practice include polyenes (amphotericin B deoxycholate and lipid formulations), azoles (fluconazole, voriconazole, and posaconazole), and echinocandins (caspofungin, micafungin, and anidulafungin). In neonates, these products are most commonly prescribed in three different settings: Prophylaxis of neonatal candidiasis. Empirical therapy of suspected invasive fungal infections. Treatment of confirmed candidiasis. Although these agents are used extensively in neonates, none are US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for use in neonates <3 months of age. Table 1 summarizes important studies addressing the pharmacokinetics and dosing of antifungal agents in neonates and children. Table 1 Dosing of antifungal agents in neonates and children.
A monoclonal antibody labels type II neurons of the spiral ganglion

Tissue from mature rat and cat cochleas was stained with basic dyes in order to distinguish between the cell bodies of type I and II spiral ganglion neurons. This same tissue was then stained with protargol, or processed immunocytochemically using a monoclonal neurofilament antibody, RT-97. Type II neurons were intensely stained, whereas type I neurons were not. We conclude that type II neurons can be clearly distinguished by their abundant neurofilament content.
Teaching alike: A cross-case analysis of first-career and second-career beginning teachers' instructional convergence

Abstract Using a case study design, the article presents a cross-case analysis of Dan, a second-career teacher who entered teaching after being a field hydrogeologist for six years, and Jill, a first-career teacher. Personal construct theory and phenomenology provided the theoretical frameworks for data collection and analysis. Multiple sources of data were gathered, including observation notes of classroom instruction, transcripts of formal and informal interviews with both teachers, and document analysis of teaching materials gathered during their first year of teaching. Using the constant comparative method of data analysis, three interrelated themes of their beginning year experience emerged during the study. The categories were: beginning the school year—beliefs and goals; coming to terms with the classroom context; and creating a textbook-centered classroom curriculum. Although these teachers began the school year with very different levels of content expertise but with agreement that the textbook should not be central to their instruction, by the end of the school year both of their classroom learning environments were centered on the textbooks. Implications for curriculum reform in teacher education are discussed.
Recent advances in bubble-actuated photonic cross-connect switches

Agilent Technologies' approach to photonic cross-connect switching combines a silica-based planar lightwave circuit chip with a silicon-based actuator chip. The former contains two intersecting arrays of waveguides, with trenches etched into each crosspoint. The latter contains a matching pattern of electrically addressed resistive elements, and the two chips are hermetically sealed together. In the default state, the trenches, along with the rest of the sealed space between the two chips, are filled with a liquid whose index matches the waveguides. Optical signals passing along any guide simply pass on through. However, by activating a resistive element, a bubble can be created at that crosspoint, so that total internal reflection occurs at the side wall of the corresponding trench, and switching is achieved. Recent performance data of prototype 32x32 optical switches, including insertion loss, polarization dependent loss, switching time, and vibration sensitivity will be presented. Some of the intrinsic advantages of our technology will be discussed. One example is the built-in alignment of the waveguides and the trench walls at which switching occurs, which means that no optical realignments are necessary during operation. Another example is the potential for very low crosstalk, characteristic of the underlying phenomenon of total internal reflection.
Bovine neutrophil chemiluminescence is preferentially stimulated by homologous IL-1, but inhibited by the human IL-1 receptor antagonist

Abstract Previous studies have indicated that certain types of bovine cells preferentially respond to bovine interleukin-1 (IL-1) compared with IL-1 from other mammalian species. In this study, we demonstrate that bovine neutrophils undergo a substantially greater luminol-dependent chemiluminescence response to bovine IL-1 β than to human IL-1 α, human IL-1 β, or murine IL-1 α. Likewise, approximately 1000-fold less bovine IL-1 β than human IL-1 β was required to prime bovine neutrophils for an enhanced luminol-dependent chemiluminescence response to opsonized zymosan particles. A recombinant human IL-1 receptor antagonist was a potent inhibitor of bovine neutrophil stimulation and priming by homologous and heterologous IL-1. These data indicate a hierarchy amongst members of the IL-1 family in terms of their relative abilities to modulate the functional activation of bovine neutrophils.
Personal risk factors. What do they mean

Epidemiologic studies have identified myriad factors related to cancer risk. Risk can be quantified on the basis of demographic factors, genetics, occupation, medical conditions, and lifestyle. Existing evidence suggests that: (1) individuals at risk often are unaware of their risk; (2) physicians may not know well those factors associated with the highest cancer risk; and (3) methods to reduce risk have been under-applied because of lack of knowledge, lack of funds, or lack of motivation among both patients and physicians. Methods to reduce risk do not follow the usual medical model in that those groups requiring risk-modification intervention usually are symptom free. Evidence indicates that elimination of tobacco use would reduce lung cancer deaths by 83% and substantially reduce the incidence of head and neck malignancies. Broad application of mammographic screening would effect a 30% reduction in breast cancer mortality. Dietary modification could potentially reduce cancer mortality by 30%. An effective program to reduce cancer risk will accomplish the following: (1) develop new and refine existing risk factor measurements to improve identification of individuals at risk; (2) apply risk factor identification and modification more completely to populations known to be at risk; (3) use combinations of risk factors to identify subpopulations at the highest risk; (4) apply existing prevention and screening modalities more broadly and uniformly; (5) identify new screening strategies with improved test performance and cost effectiveness to maximize screening efficiency; and (6) provide accurate and rapid means of risk assessment and quantification using the best available multivariate estimates of risk. An emphasis on education of primary care physicians to practice cancer prevention programs focused on personal risk profiles is reasonable since the populations these physicians serve express risk factors which represent 50% of the attributable risk for cancer in the US. A summary of site-specific risk factors which are amenable to intervention by primary care physicians is provided.
Objective analysis of image quality of video image capture systems

As Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) technology has matured, video image capture has become a common way of capturing digital images from many modalities. While digital interfaces, such as those which use the ACR/NEMA standard, will become more common in the future, and are preferred because of the accuracy of image transfer, video image capture will be the dominant method in the short term, and may continue to be used for some time because of the low cost and high speed often associated with such devices. Currently, virtually all installed systems use methods of digitizing the video signal that is produced for display on the scanner viewing console itself. A series of digital test images have been developed for display on either a GE CT9800 or a GE Signa MRI scanner. These images have been captured with each of five commercially available image capture systems, and the resultant images digitally transferred on floppy disk to a PC1286 computer containing Optimast' image analysis software. Here the images can be displayed in a comparative manner for visual evaluation, in addition to being analyzed statistically. Each of the images have been designed to support certain tests, including noise, accuracy, linearity, gray scale range, stability, slew rate, and pixel alignment. These image capture systems vary widely in these characteristics, in addition to the presence or absence of other artifacts, such as shading and moire pattern. Other accessories such as video distribution amplifiers and noise filters can also add or modify artifacts seen in the captured images, often giving unusual results. Each image is described, together with the tests which were performed using them. One image contains alternating black and white lines, each one pixel wide, after equilibration strips ten pixels wide. While some systems have a slew rate fast enough to track this correctly, others blur it to an average shade of gray, and do not resolve the lines, or give horizontal or vertical streaking. While many of these results are significant from an engineering standpoint alone, there are clinical implications and some anatomy or pathology may not be visualized if an image capture system is used improperly.
Extensions of Cut-and-Choose Fair Division

In its simplest setting the fair division problem asks that two people “fairly” divide a piece of cake. A widely known solution is: “one cuts the other chooses.” The general problem is, like most cakes over which it is posed, very rich and has blossomed since its introduction by Steinhaus in 1948 [9]. In the case of n persons, there are various ways to guarantee all persons at least 1/nth of the cake by their own assessments [4, 5, 8, 9, 10]. If a piece can be found on which two persons disagree, all can be guaranteed strictly more than 1/nth of the cake by their assessment [13]. It is also known how to guarantee each of three persons an “envy free” piece (i.e. nobody thinks another has a preferred piece) using at most five cuts [12]. Existence proofs for envy free portions have been given [1, 3, 12] and there are two procedures that generate envy-free pieces for n persons, but neither procedure has a bound (as a function of n) for the number of cuts that may be required [2, 7]. Existence proofs have been given to show there are n pieces
A probabilistic framework for assessing vulnerability to climate variability and change: the case of the US water supply system

We introduce a probabilistic framework for vulnerability analysis and use it to quantify current and future vulnerability of the US water supply system. We also determine the contributions of hydro-climatic and socio-economic drivers to the changes in projected vulnerability. For all scenarios and global climate models examined, the US Southwest including California and the southern Great Plains was consistently found to be the most vulnerable. For most of the US, the largest contributions to changes in vulnerability come from changes in supply. However, for some areas of the West changes in vulnerability are caused mainly by changes in demand. These changes in supply and demand result mainly from changes in evapotranspiration rather than from changes in precipitation. Importantly, changes in vulnerability from projected changes in the standard deviations of precipitation and evapotranspiration are of about the same magnitude or larger than those from changes in the corresponding means over most of the US, except in large areas of the Great Plains, in central California and southern and central Texas.
Pulselac program: Space charge neutralized ion beams for inertial fusion applications

Abstract Recent advances in the understanding of the space charge neutralization of ion beams raise the possibility of producing high power pulsed beams for inertial fusion applications. In the Pulselac Program at Sandia National Laboratories, theoretical and experimental studies have been carried out on the neutralization process. An inductive linear accelerator, Pulselac C, is under construction. It is designed to produce 5 kA beams in 50 ns pulses of ions in the mass range from N + to Ar + . The accelerator will be built in stages, with an ultimate output energy of 4 MeV.
Some observations on theObservations the decline of the French Jesuit scientific mission in China

In the late seventeenth century, French Jesuit missionaries in China transplanted a distinctively French and distinctively academic brand of scientific work from Paris to Beijing. This auspicious inauguration has obscured the later trajectory of the mission’s scientific ambitions within Old Regime arenas of scientific activity. In this paper, I argue that significant differences distinguish the French Jesuit scientific mission in its late seventeenth-century and eighteenth-century incarnations. By examining the various Parisian editions of French Jesuit scientific work carried out on the China mission, theObservations (1688, 1692, 1729), I trace the declining fortunes of the French Jesuit scientific mission to the dissolution of its alliance with the Academie des sciences and to its difficulties in sustaining a corporate identity and collective vision as investigators of natural phenomena.
Interactions of endoderm and ectoderm in embryonic heematopoiesis

Abstract During embryonic development in mammals, hematopoiesis and vasculogenesis begin in the yolk sac from newly induced mesoderm. Little is known about the molecules involved in these processes in the gastrulating embryo. We devised a novel transgenic embryo explant culture system to examine the possibility that epithelial-mesenchymal interactions play an important role in yolk sac hematopoiesis and vasculogenesis in the mouse. Embryos transgenic for an ϵ-globin/lacZ reporter gene were harvested prior to the formation of blood, stripped of their surrounding primitive endoderm (epithelium), and grown in collagen drop cultures alone or together with the isolated endoderm tissue. These studies demonstrated that primitive (visceral) endoderm signaling is essential for activation of primitive hematopoiesis and embryonic vasculogenesis. The endodermal signals act at short range and are medicated by diffusible molecules. Remarkably, prospective neural ectoderm can be reprogrammed to develop along hematopoietic and vascular lineages when anterior embryonic ectoderm is recombined with primitive endoderm. Primitive endoderm expresses a number of signaling molecules that are strong candidates for the hematopoietic mesoderm-inducing signal(s), and we have used the embryonic explant culture to assay for their ability to substitute for endodermal tissue. These studies may have important implications not only for our understanding of hematopoietic development in the mammalian embryo but may also suggest new and more effective stem cell-based therapeutic approaches for hematopoietic and vascular diseases.
Elastodynamic fields near running cracks by finite elements

Abstract A finite element method is developed for the computation of elastodynamic stress intensity factors at a rapidly moving crack tip. The method is restricted to bodies whose surfaces and two-material interfaces are either parallel to the direction of propagation or are sufficiently remote. The crack tip starts to move at the instant that it is struck by an incident wave. The finite element grid moves undeformed with the crack tip. The main result consists in the fact that the method of non-singular calibrated crack tip elements, in which the stress-intensity factor is determined from its statically calibrated ratio to the crack opening displacement in an adjacent node, is extended to dynamic problems with moving cracks, for both in-plane and anti-plane motions. The dependence of the calibration ratio on the crack tip velocity is established from previously developed analytical solutions for the near-tip displacement fields. Numerical results compare favorably with known analytical solutions for cracks moving in an infinite solid. The grid motion causes an apparent asymmetric additional damping matrix.
Rights-- The New Quarrel between the Ancients and the Moderns

In recent years, an increasing number of thinkers have grown suspicious of the Enlightenment ideals of progress, reason, and freedom. These critics, many inspired by Martin Heidegger, have attacked modern philosophy's attempt to ground a vision of the world upon the liberty of the human subject. Pointing to the rise of totalitarian regimes in this century, they argue that the Enlightenment has promoted the enslavement of human beings rather than their freedom. In this first of four volumes that aim to revitalize the fundamental values of modern political thought, one of the leading figures in the contemporary revival of liberalism in France responds to these critics and offers a philosophically cogent defense of a humanistic modernity. Luc Ferry reexamines the philosopical basis of the contemporary retreat from the Enlightenment and then suggests his own alternative, which defends the ideals of modernity while giving due consideration to the objections of the critics.
Inter-cellular signaling network reveals a mechanistic transition in tumor microenvironment.

We conducted inter-cellular cytokine correlation and network analysis based upon a stochastic population dynamics model that comprises five cell types and fifteen signaling molecules inter-connected through a large number of cell–cell communication pathways. We observed that the signaling molecules are tightly correlated even at very early stages (e.g. the first month) of human glioma, but such correlation rapidly diminishes when tumor grows to a size that can be clinically detected. Further analysis suggests that paracrine is shown to be the dominant force during tumor initiation and priming, while autocrine supersedes it and supports a robust tumor expansion. In correspondence, the cytokine correlation network evolves through an increasing to decreasing complexity. This study indicates a possible mechanistic transition from the microenvironment-controlled, paracrine-based regulatory mechanism to self-sustained rapid progression to fetal malignancy. It also reveals key nodes that are responsible for such transition and can be potentially harnessed for the design of new anti-cancer therapies.
Polyaniline pH Electrodes

Abstract Polyaniline-coated Pt, Pd, and graphite electrodes have been studied. Their potential relationship to pH follows the same principle as the pH glass electrode. They are solid state involving no redox reactions. The potential is derived from the surface charge density caused by protonation or deprotonation. They act as capacitors. The nonprotonated form of polyaniline was used for pH 6.8 to 1.2 and the protonated form of polyaniline was used for pH 6.8 to 13.0. Three regions of curves (acid, neutral, and alkaline) were obtained. The polyaniline-coated graphite electrode is recommended. It offers the advantage of sturdiness and may be used in microscale in HF solution, at high pressure. At pH 2.2, approximately 4,200 H+ions were adsorbed by polyaniline per nm2. An insignificant number of H+ions were adsorbed by polyaniline at pH 6.2; this is close to its isoelectric point.
Micromechanics of fabric reinforced composites with periodic microstructure

A model to predict the effective stiffness of woven fabric composite materials is presented. Taking advantage of the inherent periodicity of woven fabric architecture, periodic microstructure theory is used at the mesoscale for the case of a two-phase heterogeneous material with multiple periodic inclusions. For plain weave fabrics, the representative volume element (RVE) is discretized into fiber/matrix bundles and the pure matrix regions that surround them. The surfaces of the fiber/matrix bundles are fit with sinusoidal equations using two approaches. The first is based on measurements taken from photomicrographs of composite specimens and the second is based on an idealized representation of the plain weave structure. Three-dimensional sinusoidal surfaces are generated from the face equations and weave shape for the real and idealized cases in order to mathematically describe the fiber/matrix bundle regions, which are treated as unidirectional composites. Model results from the idealized geometry are compared to experimental data from the literature and show good agreement, including interlaminar material properties. From a comparison of the real and idealized geometry results for similar material RVE dimensions, it is seen that the model is capable of predicting significant changes in the in-plane material properties from slight mismatch in the fiber/matrix bundle shape and crimp, which can be captured using the geometric surfaces generated from photomicrograph measurements.
Alterations in medical interpretation during routine primary care.

BACKGROUND Increasing numbers of patients require medical interpretation, yet few studies have examined its accuracy or effect on health outcomes.
Resistance to Consultation: A Synthesis for Counselor‐Consultants

The authors list and describe a number of types of consultee resistance that commonly occur during consultation and discuss methods and techniques for dealing with each. The article concludes with suggestions for empirical research to determine the effectiveness of various strategies for dealing with consultee resistance.
Significant Digit Computer Arithmetic

The usual floating point arithmetic makes error analysis difficult. This paper describes an alternative system which offers a means of analyzing floating point calculations more effectively and which also possesses certain advantages from an equipment standpoint.
Topical delivery of mesenchymal stem cells and their function in wounds

Mesenchymal stem cells are a heterogeneous population of fibroblast-like cells found in most adult organs. However, most of our current knowledge is based on cells of bone marrow or interstitial adipose tissues. These cells are capable of differentiation along various mesenchymal lineages. In addition, they have demonstrated therapeutic characteristics in wounds and ischemic situations. The therapeutic characteristics of these cells are activated upon their entering wounds or other damaged tissues. A current problem is the development of strategies that ensure that these cells reach wound beds in a timely fashion and in sufficient numbers to maximize their therapeutic benefits. Currently, there are two basic delivery methods: systemic infusion of cells into the vascular circulation and direct application of therapeutic cells to wound sites. Skin wounds are optimal candidates for the topical delivery approach. However, the methods by which therapeutic cells are delivered to such wounds vary. This review outlines the basic methods used to deliver therapeutic cells to skin and other wounds. Upon entering wounds, therapeutic cells interact with other wound cells through paracrine mechanisms that are not yet well understood. Nonetheless, interactions with vascular endothelial cells and immunomodulation appear to play significant roles in accelerating wound healing and in reducing scar formation upon the completion of the healing process. Although the phenomenological body of evidence indicating the efficacy of therapeutic cells is substantial, considerable work is still required to better determine the molecular and cellular functions of these cells and to assess their fate and the long-term consequences of their application.
Parvovirus B19: a review

Infection with parvovirus B19 may result in a wide range of dermatologic manifestations. The specific skin findings include erythema infectiosum and papular purpuric "gloves-and-socks" syndrome. The nonspecific findings include reticular erythema, maculopapular eruptions, and petechiae and purpura, as well as other less frequently described findings. Associations with other dermatologic diseases, such as erythema multiforme and erythema nodosum, also have been described. A role in the pathogenesis of various collagen vascular disorders has been suggested and is under investigation. The diagnosis of infection rests on the typical clinical findings. Whenever parvovirus B19 infection is diagnosed, the physician must ensure that neither the patient nor his or her contacts is a member of certain vulnerable populations. In these populations, infection with parvovirus B19 may result in devastating complications. The vulnerable populations include those with hematologic disease, immunosuppressed patients, and pregnant women. Treatment of infection in the healthy immunocompetent individual is asymptomatic, and the acute infections typically resolve without complications.