cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The value of information in reserve site selection

The reserve site selection problem is to select sites for the establishment of biological reserves with the goal to maximize the number of species contained in the reserves. When species distributions are known, this corresponds to the maximal coverage problem. In practice, knowledge of species distributions may be incomplete and only incidence probabilities are available. In this case, the goal is to maximize the expected number of species contained in the reserves. This is called the maximal expected coverage problem. This paper describes and illustrates a formal approach to assess the value of information, such as site surveys or species surveys, in this problem.
Typische Siliconpolymere und ihre Eigenschaften

Wir haben bereits gesehen, das Methylsiliconharze wie beispielsweise die historischen Produkte von 1938 und 1940 vernetzte Strukturen haben, in denen das Verhaltnis der Methylgruppen zu Siliciumatomen zwangslaufig kleiner als 2 ist und eher bei 1,5 liegt wie in der folgenden Struktur Open image in new window
Fusion of PET and MRI for Hybrid Imaging

Recently, the development of the fusion PET-MRI system has been actively studied to meet the increasing demand for integrated molecular and anatomical imaging. MRI can provide detailed anatomical information on the brain, such as the locations of gray and white matter, blood vessels, axonal tracts with high resolution, while PET can measure molecular and genetic information, such as glucose metabolism, neurotransmitter-neuroreceptor binding and affinity, protein–protein interactions, and gene trafficking among biological tissues. State-of-the-art MRI systems, such as the 7.0 T whole-body MRI, now can visualize super-fine structures including neuronal bundles in the pons, fine blood vessels (such as lenticulostriate arteries) without invasive contrast agents, in vivo hippocampal substructures, and substantia nigra with excellent image contrast. High-resolution PET, known as High-Resolution Research Tomograph (HRRT), is a brain-dedicated system capable of imaging minute changes of chemicals, such as neurotransmitters and –receptors, with high spatial resolution and sensitivity. The synergistic power of the two, i.e., ultra high-resolution anatomical information offered by a 7.0 T MRI system combined with the high-sensitivity molecular information offered by HRRT-PET, will significantly elevate the level of our current understanding of the human brain, one of the most delicate, complex, and mysterious biological organs. This chapter introduces MRI, PET, and PET-MRI fusion system, and its algorithms are discussed in detail.
Off‐Fault Focal Mechanisms Not Representative of Interseismic Fault Loading Suggest Deep Creep on the Northern San Jacinto Fault

Within the San Bernardino basin, some focal mechanisms show normal slip that is inconsistent with the expected interseismic strike-slip loading of the region. The discrepancy may owe to deep (> 10 km depth), creep along the nearby northern San Jacinto fault. The enigmatic normal slip microseismicity occurs to the northeast of the fault and primarily below 10 km depth, consistent with off-fault deformation due to spatially non-uniform on-going slip. Consequently, if these normal focal mechanisms are included in stress inversions from the seismic catalog, the results may provide inaccurate information about fault loading. Here, we show that off-fault loading from models with deep interseismic creep on the northern San Jacinto fault match the first-order pattern of observed normal slip focal mechanisms in the basin and that this deep creep cannot be detected with GPS data due to the proximity of the San Andreas fault.
Belief and Evidence: How Software Engineers Form Their Opinions

A study at Microsoft revealed how developers’ opinions about software engineering truths can be subjectively based.
Preoperative Cardiac Stress Tests Ordered in the Preoperative Evaluation Clinic: A Retrospective Review of Ordering Patterns.

Background: The role of anesthesiologists has expanded from operating rooms to preoperative evaluation clinics. This role involves performing preoperative cardiovascular evaluation and optimization of patients before elective surgery, which can include ordering cardiac stress tests. We aimed to study the ordering patterns by anesthesiologists for preoperative cardiac stress tests, focusing on whether societal and institutional guidelines and recommendations were used. Choice of type of cardiac stress test was also examined. Methods: A single center retrospective chart review from December 1, 2005 to May 31, 2015 was performed on 492 patients who had a cardiac stress test ordered by an anesthesiologist. Patients were categorized by indication for ordering the cardiac stress test based on societal practice guidelines, institutional guidelines or other relevant reasons at the time of patient encounter. Those â€œotherâ€ category cardiac stress tests were assessed for indication and evaluated by physician peer review to see if there was peer agreement for being appropriately ordered. Exercise electrocardiography (ECG) cardiac stress tests ordered were evaluated for appropriateness based on baseline resting ECG findings. Patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) or right ventricular (RV) pacing were evaluated for appropriateness of proper cardiac stress test modality based on whether a pharmacological vasodilator cardiac stress test was ordered. Results: Analysis of the cardiac stress tests ordered showed that 43% were ordered according to American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines, 29% were ordered according to institutional guidelines, and 28% were categorized as â€œotherâ€. Of the 28% â€œotherâ€ cardiac stress tests, 53% were in agreement for ordering by peer review. Sixty-four exercise ECG cardiac stress tests were ordered, of which 58% were appropriate based on having no baseline resting ECG abnormalities. Fifty-one patients were identified as having a resting ECG of LBBB or RV pacing of which 41% had an appropriate pharmacological vasodilator cardiac stress tests ordered. Conclusions: Anesthesiologists order most preoperative cardiac stress tests according to professional societal or institutional guidelines (72%), yet they are not always choosing the best modality of cardiac stress test. A significant portion of cardiac stress tests are ordered (28%) based on clinical judgment, likely due to the lack of guidelines and recommendations being all-encompassing on many commonly encountered preoperative patient situations. Cardiol Res. 2019;10(1):1-8 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/cr821
Impact of MOL/BEOL Air-Spacer on Parasitic Capacitance and Circuit Performance at 3 nm Node

Impact of air-spacer at MOL and BEOL on circuit performance at 3nm technology node is studied. Our modeling results show that by introducing air-spacer at MOL and BEOL, parasitic capacitance can be reduced by 18% and circuit performance as simulated on a 31-stage ring oscillator can be improved by 6%. Other advanced parasitic improvement technologies, such as Ruthenium, also show similar performance improvement. Finally, we show that best circuit performance is achieved when these 2 technologies are combined, yielding to a circuit performance boost of 16%.
The $\Pi$-operator on Some Conformally Flat Manifolds and the Upper Half Space

The $\Pi$-operator, also known as Ahlfors-Beurling transform, plays an important role in solving the existence of locally quasiconformal solutions of Beltrami equations. In this paper, we first construct the $\Pi$-operator on a general Clifford-Hilbert module. This $\Pi$-operator is also an $L^2$ isometry. Further, it can also be used for solving certain Beltrami equations when the Hilbert space is the $L^2$ space of a measure space. Then, we show that this technique can be applied to construct the classical $\Pi$-operator in the complex plane and some other examples on some conformally flat manifolds, which are constructed by $U/\Gamma$, where $U$ is a simply connected subdomain of either $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ or $\mathbb{S}^{n}$, and $\Gamma$ is a Kleinian group acting discontinuously on $U$. The $\Pi$-operators on those manifolds also preserve the isometry property in certain $L^2$ spaces, and their $L^p$ norms are bounded by the $L^p$ norms of the $\Pi$-operators on $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ or $\mathbb{S}^{n}$, depending on where $U$ lies. The applications of the $\Pi$-operator to solutions of the Beltrami equations on those conformally flat manifolds are also discussed. At the end, we investigate the $\Pi$-operator theory in the upper-half space with the hyperbolic metric.
Socioeconomic Disparities in Community Mobility Reduction and COVID-19 Growth.

Abstract Objective To examine differences in community mobility reduction and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outcomes across counties with differing levels of socioeconomic disadvantage. Methods The sample included counties in the United States with at least one SARS-CoV-2 case between April 1 and May 15, 2020. Outcomes were growth in SARS-CoV-2 cases, SARS-CoV-2–related deaths, and mobility reduction across three settings: retail/recreation, grocery/pharmacy, and workplace. The main explanatory variable was the social deprivation index (SDI), a composite socioeconomic disadvantage measure. Results Adjusted differences in outcomes between low-, medium-, and high-SDI counties (defined by tertile) were calculated using linear regression with state-fixed effects. Workplace mobility reduction was 1.75 (95% CI, -2.36 to -1.14; P Conclusion Counties with higher social deprivation scores experienced greater growth in SARS-CoV-2 cases and deaths, but reduced mobility at lower rates. These findings are consistent with evidence demonstrating that economically disadvantaged communities have been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Efforts to socially distance may be more burdensome for these communities, potentially exacerbating disparities in SARS-CoV-2–related outcomes.
Isolation of target DNA using synergistic magnetic bead transport and electrokinetic flow

The advent and dissemination of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies such as Illumina's sequencing platforms has brought forth vast reductions in the cost, time, and technical difficulties associated with DNA and RNA sequencing. Despite this trend, the workflow required to generate nucleic acid libraries for sequencing remains time-consuming and laborious. The following research proposes a method for simplifying and streamlining this process by replacing the manual washing steps of the common magnetic bead-based cleanup with a novel microfluidic method by integrating magnetic separation and electrokinetic purification (MSEP). Requiring no pumps, pipette mixing, vortexing, or centrifugation, MSEP relies on selective adsorption of target DNA onto the magnetic beads with subsequent transport of beads through a microchannel undergoing an antiparallel electroosmotic flow. The synergetic flow conditions were optimized using a simple electrohydrodynamic flow model. This work demonstrates that MSEP is as effective in eliminating adapter-dimers from the post-ligation library mix as the manual method while also greatly reducing the hands-on time and amount of pipetting required. Although MSEP has been applied specifically toward NGS library preparation at this time, it has the potential to be adapted and employed for any bead-based separation scheme, namely, solid phase extraction, sequence-specific hybridization, and immunoprecipitation on a microscale.
Deriving Transmissibility Functions from Finite Elements for Specifications

This work explores deriving transmissibility functions for a missile from a measured location at the base of the fairing to a desired location within the payload. A pressure on the outside of the f...
Human Papillomavirus and Blastocyst Apoptosis

Purpose : The effect of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA from the E6-E7 region on the integrity of DNA in blastocyst stage embryonic cells was studied. The study design paralleled the event whereby HPV DNA from the infecting virus would target host cell DNA. The objectives were (a) to determine if the DNA of blastocysts were disrupted by the presence of HPV DNA and (b) to determine if the intensity of DNA damage was associated with the type of HPV. Methods : This study involved superovulating female mice, mating, collecting one-cell embryos, and culturing to the expanded blastocyst stage. The blastocysts were infected with PCR-synthesized DNA fragments from either HPV type 16, 18, 31, or 33. The blastocyst DNA were analyzed by comet assay after 24 h of incubation. The fluorescent images were digitized and the pixel intensity of each blastocyst was measured. Results : Only the DNA of HPV type 16 was associated with significant DNA fragmentation in comparison with the other HPV types. There was no relationship between HPV DNA fragment size and the intensity of DNA fragmentation. Conclusions : The data suggested that one mode of action of HPV type 16 was to initiate apoptosis of embryonic cells through DNA fragmentation. The effect of HPV 16 occurred rapidly within 24 h. The intensity of DNA damage was not linked to the specific type of HPV. However, the results do not rule out the other HPV types affecting embryos under conditions different from this study.
Lateral femoral condylar shearing fractures

Lateral femoral condylar shearing fractures occur as the aftermath of acute patellar dislocation. The fracture fragment may be larger than originally appreciated on plain films. Diagnosis depends on identifying the fracture fragment somewhere within the knee joint, and the "donor site" on the lateral femoral condyle. Therefore, MRI or arthroscopy should be performed to identify the true size of the fracture fragment. The larger of these fragments may require surgical intervention with fixing of the fracture fragment onto the lateral condyle with screws. We present the radiographic and clinical findings in seven patients.
Mutagenesis of the Agrobacterium VirE2 Single-Stranded DNA-Binding Protein Identifies Regions Required for Self-Association and Interaction with VirE1 and a Permissive Site for Hybrid Protein Construction

The VirE2 single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB) of Agrobacterium tumefaciens is required for delivery of T-DNA to the nuclei of susceptible plant cells. By yeast two-hybrid and immunoprecipitation analyses, VirE2 was shown to self-associate and to interact with VirE1. VirE2 mutants with small deletions or insertions of a 31-residue oligopeptide (i31) at the N or C terminus or with an i31 peptide insertion at Leu236 retained the capacity to form homomultimers. By contrast, VirE2 mutants with modifications outside a central region located between residues 320 and 390 retained the capacity to interact with VirE1. These findings suggest the tertiary structure of VirE2 is important for homomultimer formation whereas a central domain mediates formation of a complex with VirE1. The capacity of VirE2 mutants to interact with full-length VirE2 in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae correlated with the abundance of the mutant proteins in A. tumefaciens, suggesting that VirE2 is stabilized by homomultimerization in the bacterium. We further characterized the promoter and N- and C-terminal sequence requirements for synthesis of functional VirE2. A PvirB::virE2 construct yielded functional VirE2 protein as defined by complementation of a virE2 null mutation. By contrast, PvirE or Plac promoter constructs yielded functional VirE2 only if virE1 was coexpressed with virE2. Deletion of 10 or 9 residues from the N or C terminus of VirE2, respectively, or addition of heterologous peptides or proteins to either terminus resulted in a loss of protein function. However, an i31 peptide insertion at Tyr39 had no effect on protein function as defined by the capacity of the mutant protein to (i) interact with native VirE2, (ii) interact with VirE1, (iii) accumulate at abundant levels in A. tumefaciens, and (iv) restore wild-type virulence to a virE2 null mutant. We propose that Tyr39 of VirE2 corresponds to a permissive site for insertion of heterologous peptides or proteins of interest for delivery across kingdom boundaries.
Path integration in the rat head-direction circuit

As a rat navigates through space, neurons called head-direction (HD) cells provide an ongoing signal of the animal’s directional heading in the horizontal plane1,2. It is believed that the population of HD cells may function as a neural compass, providing the rat with its sense of direction during spatial navigation. The HD cell signal is thought to be generated, in part, by a path integration mechanism that uses angular motion information to compute the rat’s directional heading3–5. Here we review empirical findings that suggest how different brain regions might participate in this process of angular path integration.
Customization of Medical Report Data

Structured reporting offers a number of theoretical advantages, perhaps the most important of which is creation of standardized report databases. The standardized data created can in turn be used to customize data display, report content, historical data retrieval, interpretation analysis, and results communication in both a context and user-specific manner. In addition, these referenceable report databases can be used to facilitate the practice of evidence based medicine, through data-driven meta-analysis and determination of best practice guidelines. This concept will only be realized if the customized data delivery technology provides real and tangible value to end users, accentuates workflow, can be seamlessly integrated into existing information system technologies, and be shown to yield reproducibility of the evidence domain. The time is here for the medical imaging and clinical communities to embrace this vision in order to improve clinical outcomes and patient safety.
Optimal selection of trajectories for parameter estimation in dynamical systems

In this paper, an optimal path of trajectory for inertial platform motion relative to the earth will be designed. The time dependent motion, (i.e., vertical and level mobility rates), must be designed to excite all the parameters of the system, i.e., gyro and accelerometer parameters. The criterion used for optimization is the maximization of the determinant of the observability matrix. An application of this technique to two and three parameters of an accelerometer is shown. The computer results for a four accelerometer parameters case is also given.
Extension of the SIMLA Package for Generating Pedigrees with Complex Inheritance Patterns: Environmental Covariates, Gene-Gene and Gene-Environment Interaction

We have previously distributed a software package, SIMLA (SIMulation of Linkage and Association), which can be used to generate disease phenotype and marker genotype data in three-generational pedigrees of user-specified structure. To our knowledge, SIMLA is the only publicly available program that can simulate variable levels of both linkage (recombination) and linkage disequilibrium (LD) between marker and disease loci in general pedigrees. While the previous SIMLA version provided flexibility in choosing many parameters relevant for linkage and association mapping of complex human diseases, it did not allow for the segregation of more than one disease locus in a given pedigree and did not incorporate environmental covariates possibly interacting with disease susceptibility genes. Here, we present an extension of the simulation algorithm characterized by a much more general penetrance function, which allows for the joint action of up to two genes and up to two environmental covariates in the simulated pedigrees, with all possible multiplicative interaction effects between them. This makes the program even more useful for comparing the performance of different linkage and association analysis methods applied to complex human phenotypes. SIMLA can assist investigators in planning and designing a variety of linkage and association studies, and can help interpret results of real data analyses by comparing them to results obtained under a user-controlled data generation mechanism.A free download of the SIMLA package is available at http://wwwchg.duhs.duke.edu/software.
Form and motion make independent contributions to the response to biological motion in occipitotemporal cortex

Psychophysical and computational studies have provided evidence that both form and motion cues are used in the perception of biological motion. However, neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies have suggested that the neural processing of actions in temporal cortex might rely on form cues alone. Here we examined the contribution of form and motion to the spatial pattern of response to biological motion in ventral and lateral occipitotemporal cortex, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA). We found that selectivity to intact versus scrambled biological motion in lateral occipitotemporal cortex was correlated with selectivity for bodies and not for motion. However, this appeared to be due to the fact that subtracting scrambled from intact biological motion removes any contribution of local motion cues. Instead, we found that form and motion made independent contributions to the spatial pattern of responses to biological motion in lateral occipitotemporal regions MT, MST, and the extrastriate body area. The motion contribution was position-dependent, and consistent with the representation of contra- and ipsilateral visual fields in MT and MST. In contrast, only form contributed to the response to biological motion in the fusiform body area, with a bias towards central versus peripheral presentation. These results indicate that the pattern of response to biological motion in ventral and lateral occipitotemporal cortex reflects the linear combination of responses to form and motion.
Devic type multiple sclerosis in an 81 year old woman

An 81 year old woman presented after several transient episodes of dizziness and nausea. One episode was associated with right arm dysmetria. She denied previous neurological symptoms. Her medical history was relevant for myocardial infarction, two coronary artery bypass grafts, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Brain MRI showed abnormal signal intensities which were attributed to cerebrovascular disease and she was treated with ticlopidine. Several months later, she had an influenza vaccination and one month afterwards she developed bilateral foot weakness and numbness. These symptoms progressed over three days to complete paraplegia, a thoracic sensory level, and urinary incontinence. No abnormalities were seen in the spinal cord on MRI. Over the next two months, sensation and bladder control improved and she could walk with a frame. Six months later, her spinal cord symptoms recurred; MRI at this time showed a cavitary lesion that extended from T2 to T10 with peripheral enhancement. Brain MRI showed multiple abnormal white matter signal intensities. Cerebrospinal fluid contained 10 leucocytes/mm3 (70% lymphocytes, 20% monocytes, 10% polymorphonuclear leucocytes), total protein was 100 mg/dl, IgG/total protein was 16%, and oligoclonal bands were more intense in CSF than in serum. Complete blood count, chemistry profile, thyroid function tests, erythrocyte …
Identity of the dorsal hippocampal region most vulnerable to cerebral ischemia.

Abstract Our previous investigations demonstrated that neurons in the area between the subiculum and the medial CA1 region and another area between the lateral CA1 and the CA3 region of the hippocampus are very vulnerable to cerebral ischemia in gerbils, where irreversible damages have been observed occur as early as 4–5 min after unilateral or bilateral common carotid artery occlusion. The present study was aimed to characterize these areas anatomically by using the immunohistochemical and zinc histochemical as well as Golgi silver impregnation methods. Our results indicated that these two areas which are topographically apart on the coronal section actually had a common origin in the rostral part of the hippocampus and that they were separated by insertion of the CA1 neurons between them in the more caudal part of the hippocampus. The distribution pattern of mossy fibers indicated that these areas belonged to the CA2 region. The double immunohistochemical and zinc histochemical procedure confirmed that these areas developed ischemic lesions promptly even without reperfusion but that the CA1 region did not develop similar lesions until after reperfusion for 12–24 h if the ischemic period was brief. While the reason for the observed susceptibility of the CA2 region is not certain at the present time, it is important to distinguish the ischemic lesions in the CA2 region from those in the CA1 and CA3 regions.
Requirement of Glycosylphosphatidylinositol Anchor of Cripto-1 for trans Activity as a Nodal Co-receptor

Cripto-1 (CR-1) has an indispensable role as a Nodal co-receptor for patterning of body axis in embryonic development. CR-1 is reported to have a paracrine activity as a Nodal co-receptor, although CR-1 is primarily produced as a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored membrane protein. Regulation of cis and trans function of CR-1 should be important to establish the precise body patterning. However, the mechanism by which GPI-anchored CR-1 can act in trans is not well known. Here we confirmed the paracrine activity of CR-1 by fluorescent cell-labeling and immunofluorescent staining. We generated COOH-terminal-truncated soluble forms of CR-1 based on the attachment site for the GPI moiety (ω-site), which we identified in the present study. GPI-anchored CR-1 has a significantly higher activity than COOH-terminal-truncated soluble forms to induce Nodal signal in trans as well as in cis. Moreover, transmembrane forms of CR-1 partially retained their ability to induce Nodal signaling only when type I receptor Activin-like kinase 4 was overexpressed. NTERA2/D1 cells, which express endogenous CR-1, lost the cell-surface expression of CR-1 after phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C treatment and became refractory to stimulation of Nodal. These observations suggest that GPI attachment of CR-1 is required for the paracrine activity as a Nodal co-receptor.
The interchain disulfide linkage is not a prerequisite but enhances CD28 costimulatory function

Oligomeric state makes important contributions to the signaling mechanisms of costimulatory molecules. In this study we address the biological relevance of the disulfide-linked dimeric structure of CD28. Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) demonstrates that removal of the interdomain disulfide bond (C123) does not interfere with the formation of CD28 oligomers on the cell surface. Although the C123S mutant shows 40% lower binding affinity to the ligand B7-1, it is able to costimulate anti-CD3-induced IL-2 production but at a lower level (150%) compared to the wild-type (270%). Interestingly, binding to B7-2 was not affected. Thus, the covalently linked dimeric structure of CD28 represents an important mechanistic determinant for the optimal costimulatory activity in the immunological synapse.
Curium (Z 96) as a probe for studying high Tc superconductivity

Abstract The unique bonding properties of the Cm 5f electrons were used to study the influence of magnetic electrons on superconductivity in some high T c related oxides. Specifically, CmBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 and Cm 1.83 Th 0.17 CuO 4 were characterized structurally and magnetically. Neither compound is a superconductor, although they are both members of isostructural series, the other members of which are superconducting. The chemical and physical properties unique to curium which may explain this behavior are discussed.
ViSER: Visualizing Supply Chains for Eco-Conscious Redesign

In this paper, we present ViSER, an interactive visual analytics platform that visualizes supply chain data for enabling eco-conscious redesign. ViSER provides a visualization dashboard consisting of multiple mutually coordinated views that provide different perspectives on a particular supply chain scenario. Our platform allows users to visualize a change propagation metric associated with a particular redesign path. Hence, the user can balance the advantages of a redesign opportunity with the risk associated with its effect on the rest of the supply chain. Furthermore, ViSER offers lifecycle data representations that inform users’ decisions particularly in the context of eco-conscious re-design. Coupling such environmental data with graph-based visualizations of product architecture, ViSER provides a novel decision platform for designers with a range of expertise levels. To demonstrate its utility, two use-case scenarios, from both a novice and expert perspective, are presented in detail.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
The oceanic cadmium cycle: Biological mistake or utilization?

Based on isotope-fractionation experiments with a transformed Escherichia coli strain expressing the cambialistic carbonic anhydrase (CDCA), which can use Cd or Zn as a metal center, Horner et al. conclude recently in PNAS that Cd is “mistakenly” taken up by marine phytoplankton and that its nutrient-like behavior in the oceans cannot result from its biological use because CDCA is the only identified biochemical function for Cd (1).
Correctional Officer Attitudes Toward Inmates with Mental Disorders

The prevalence of mental disorder among state prison inmates is well documented and either on the rise or more extensively diagnosed. Inmates with mental illness are most often in general population and in the custody of correctional officers, yet little it known about officers' views toward these inmates. The research reported here is based on a large sample of correctional officers from a U.S. state. In addition to answering general survey questions, each officer received one of six randomly assigned vignettes that varied mental health symptoms (schizophrenia, major depression, no disorder) and the presence (or absence) of violent behavior in a male inmate. These findings focus on officer attitudes toward mental illness generally and their own experiences with mental illness. Based on the vignette inmate, officers were asked questions about the causes of mental illness and how inmates with mental illness should be managed in a correctional setting. Findings show that officers distinguish between symptom...
Early events in helix unfolding under external forces: a milestoning analysis.

Initial events of helix breakage as a function of load are considered using molecular dynamics simulations and milestoning analysis. A helix length of ∼100 amino acids is considered as a model for typical helices found in molecular machines and as a model that minimizes end effects for early events of unfolding. Transitions of individual amino acids (averaged over the helix’s interior residues) are examined and its surrounding hydrogen bonds are considered. Dense kinetic networks are constructed that, with milestoning analysis, provide the overall kinetics of early breakage events. Network analysis and selection of MaxFlux pathways illustrate that load impacts unfolding mechanisms in addition to time scales. At relatively high (100 pN) load levels, the principal intermediate is the 310-helix, while at relatively low (10 pN) levels the π-helix is significantly populated, albeit not as an unfolding intermediate. Coarse variables are examined at different levels of resolution; the rate of unfolding illustrat...
Interleukin-2 modulates N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors of native mesolimbic neurons

Abstract Interleukin (IL)-2 is a brain-derived cytokine that influences mesocorticolimbic dopamine release, and is associated with pathological outcomes that are mediated, at least in part, by aberrations in mesolimbic neurotransmission. The mechanisms by which IL-2 modulates mesolimbic transmission, however, are not known. The NMDA receptor/channel (NMDAR) plays an essential role in neuronal excitability of mesolimbic neurons; we thus examined in neonatal rats the effects of IL-2 on NMDA-activated current ( I NMDA ) in voltage-clamped neurons freshly isolated from the ventral tegmental area (VTA), the site of origin of the mesolimbic system. IL-2 (0.01–500 ng/ml) alone had no effect on membrane conductance. When co-applied with NMDA, IL-2 (50–500 ng/ml) significantly potentiated I NMDA . In contrast, doses as low as 0.01 ng/ml markedly decreased the NMDA response. Dose–response analysis showed that IL-2 (>50 ng/ml) increased the maximal I NMDA , without changing the EC 50 , indicating that IL-2 potentiates I NMDA by increasing the efficacy of the NMDAR. Moreover, current–voltage analysis revealed that IL-2 potentiation of I NMDA was voltage-dependent, being greater at negative potentials. In contrast, IL-2 inhibition of I NMDA was voltage-independent, and IL-2 did not alter the reversal potential. Additionally, IL-2 (1 ng/ml) shifted the NMDA concentration–response curve to the right, significantly increasing the EC 50 for NMDA without changing the maximal I NMDA , suggesting that IL-2 inhibits the NMDAR by a competitive mechanism. IL-2 thus acts as a potent modulator of the NMDAR. IL-2-induced alterations of responses to NMDAR activation may contribute to synaptic plasticity in the mesolimbic system and to pathological outcomes associated with this system.
On the Adhesive Contact of Two Coaxial Cylindrical Shells

The adhesive contact problem of two coaxial cylindrical shells of identical layers is investigated in detail. A shear deformation theory is used to derive the governing differential equations. The inner shell is subjected to a constant pressure and an initial separation between the inner and outer shells is specified. It is recommended that the elasticity theory be used to solve the problem exactly primarily because the edge effects as obtained from the shell theory tend to distort the actual behavior of the radial displacement and the surface stresses. The variation of the contact pressure and the interlaminar shear stress for different shell parameters are also studied.
Applications of the GeMSAEC Centrifugal Photometric Analyzer in Environmental Analysis the Determination Of Phosphate

Abstract The ORNL GeMSAEC Photometric Analyzer is described briefly. The use of a small computer with this instrument, for data acquisition and handling and for automatic printout of the analytical results, is also described. The determination of orthophosphate by the molybdenum-blue procedure has been utilized in a statistical evaluation of the GeMSAEC system, and the results are presented. This study illustrates the considerations that are important in designing procedures for the GeMSAEC type of analyzer, and the advantages that accrue.
A Trustworthiness Evaluation Framework in Cloud Computing for Service Selection

Cloud computing provides many benefits for individuals and enterprises by offering a range of computing services. The service dynamism, elasticity, economy and choices are too attractive to ignore. At the meantime, cloud computing has opened up a new frontier of challenges by introducing trust scenario. The Trustworthiness Evaluation of cloud Services is a paramount concern. In this paper, we present a framework to quantitatively measure and rank the trustworthiness of cloud services. In particular, we address the fundamental understanding of trustworthiness, quantitative trustworthiness metrics, unified scale of trust factors, trust factors categorization, trust coordinate and multi-criteria analysis for trustworthiness decision making. Our comprehensive framework of trustworthiness evaluation contains five basic building blocks. The preprocessing block query and calculate the existent trustworthiness record. Then the trust factors are collected, if there was no match record found. The trust factor management block categorize the trust factors and convert them by using unified scale. The trust factor processing block is for weighting and positioning of trust factors. The trustworthiness decision making block provide calculation of cloud service trustworthiness, and the results are recorded in our trustworthiness record block. The proposed trustworthiness measurement framework is employed in several experiments by using existing trust dataset. The analysis based on the experiment result indicates our trustworthiness evaluation is accurate and flexible.
Forward Alpha Scattering Techniques (FAST) for elements hydrogen through fluorine

Abstract A system for analyzing very light elements, hydrogen through fluorine, has been developed using the scattering of 30 MeV alpha particles at 64° laboratory angle. Through forward alpha scattering techniques (FAST) and PIXE, the total elemental range can be covered, allowing full quantitative non-destructive analysis of a sample and comparison to measurement of total mass. Applications to size segregated atmospheric particles are given.
DWBA approach to inelastic scattering at medium energies

Abstract Medium energy proton elastic and inelastic scattering to states of 58 Ni and 208 Pb, and 4 He elastic and inelastic scattering to states of 40 Ca, are analyzed using the partial wave approach, by solving the Schrodinger equation with relativistic kinematics and using the distorted wave Born approximation. Our results can be compared with results of several previous analyses of the nucleon inelastic data using the Glauber approximation. Our calculations are absolute, using nuclear collective parameters obtained from a survey of a large number of low-energy analyses of inelastic scattering of electrons, nucleons and nuclei from 40 Ca, 58 Ni and 208 Pb.
The Pacaa Nova: Clash of Cultures on the Brazilian Frontier

The Pacaa Nova: Clash of Cultures on the Brazilian Frontier. BERNARD VON GRAEVE. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press, 1989. 160 pp. $12.95 (paper). ISBN 0-921149-36-0.
A relatedness analysis of government regulations using domain knowledge and structural organization

The complexity and diversity of government regulations make understanding and retrieval of regulations a non-trivial task. One of the issues is the existence of multiple sources of regulations and interpretive guides with differences in format, terminology and context. This paper describes a comparative analysis scheme developed to help retrieval of related provisions from different regulatory documents. Specifically, the goal is to identify the most strongly related provisions between regulations. The relatedness analysis makes use of not only traditional term match but also a combination of feature matches, and not only content comparison but also structural analysis. Regulations are first compared based on conceptual information as well as domain knowledge through feature matching. Regulations also possess specific organizational structures, such as a tree hierarchy of provisions and heavy referencing between provisions. These structures represent useful information in locating related provisions, and are therefore exploited in the comparison of regulations for completeness. System performance is evaluated by comparing a similarity ranking produced by users with the machine-predicted ranking. Ranking produced by the relatedness analysis system shows a reduction in error compared to that of Latent Semantic Indexing. Various pairs of regulations are compared and the results are analyzed along with observations based on different feature usages. An example of an e-rulemaking scenario is shown to demonstrate capabilities and limitations of the prototype relatedness analysis system.
Radiation dosimetry of N-([11C]methyl)benperidol as determined by whole-body PET imaging of primates.

N-([11C]methyl)benperidol ([11C]NMB) can be used for positron emission tomography (PET) measurements of D2-like dopamine receptor binding in vivo. We report the absorbed radiation dosimetry of i.v.-administered 11C-NMB, a critical step before applying this radioligand to imaging studies in humans. Whole-body PET imaging with a CTI/Siemens ECAT 953B scanner was done in a male and a female baboon. After i.v. injection of 444-1221 MBq of 11C-NMB, sequential images taken from the head to the pelvis were collected for 3 h. Volumes of interest (VOIs) were identified that entirely encompassed small organs (whole brain, striatum, eyes, and myocardium). Large organs (liver, lungs, kidneys, lower large intestine, and urinary bladder) were sampled by drawing representative regions within the organ volume. Time-activity curves for each VOI were extracted from the PET, and organ residence times were calculated by analytical integration of a multi-exponential fit of the time-activity curves. Human radiation doses were estimated using OLINDA/EXM 1.0 and the standard human model. Highest retention was observed in the blood and liver, each with total residence times of 1.5 min. The highest absorbed radiation doses were to the heart (10.5 mGy/kBq) and kidney (9.19 mGy/kBq), making these the critical organs for [11C]NMB. A heart absorption of 50 mGy would result from an injected dose of 4,762 MBq [11C]NMB. Thus, this study suggests that up to 4,762 MBq of [11C]NMB can be safely administered to human subjects for PET studies. Total body dose and effective dose for [11C]NMB are 2.82 mGy/kBq and 3.7 mSv/kBq, respectively.
Riverine mixing zones as regions of enhanced methylmercury bioaccumulation in Lake Superior

Riverine mixing zones along the southern shore of Lake Superior were sampled in Spring and Fall over a 2 year period (2000-2001) at the following sites: St. Louis River (STL), Fish Creek (FSC), and Tahquamenon River (TAQ). Each nearshore area was sampled along a transect moving from the river mouth, through the mixing zone, toward the offshore waters. Samples for unfiltered, filtered and particulate Hg T and MeHg, SPM, DOC and chl-a were collected from each transect site. The TAQ was re-sampled in Spring 2002 and size-specific seston was also collected from the water column at the mouth and offshore sites. Concentrations of SPM, DOC, unfiltered, filtered and particulate Hg T and MeHg generally decreased between the river mouth and the offshore site of each mixing zone. Decreases in concentrations were presumably the result of dilution as concentrated river water mixed with pristine lake water, or fallout of larger particles with distance. Chl-a appeared to be unaffected by dilution and remained either constant or increased along each transect. Despite the observed decreases in MeHg species in the water column, the amount of MeHg retained on particles always increased along the same transect with a maximum reached in the offshore site. Large increases in the log(K d ) for MeHg, and the biological enrichment in the SPM pool in the offshore waters, suggest that MeHg is strongly bioaccumulated in these riverine mixing zones.
Euratom and the IAEA: the problem of self-inspection

The IAEA was saddled with one burden at its inception, a burden that dogged it for many years afterwards. It was that Euratom, which had formally come into being in 1958, was authorised to implement its own safeguards, i.e. it was accorded the right of ‘self-inspection’. The first US director of the IAEA, Sterling Cole, fought a bitter battle to have this overturned, insisting that it undermined the core mission of the Agency and that it set an impossible precedent, and would trigger demands for a ‘Latinatom’ etc. This paper describes the circumstances that led the State Department to grant Euratom this privilege (a policy choice that is indicative of the deep investment that both J.F. Dulles and Eisenhower made in supranationality) and discusses the steps that Cole took to overturn it, to no avail.
Low blood lead concentrations and thyroid function of American adults

Lead is often present in our environment, but its effect on thyroid function is still unclear. In this study, multiple linear regressions were performed between log-transformed blood lead levels and thyroid function parameters of 4652 adults from the 2007–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The models were adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, physical activity, iodine intake, medications, and bone mineral density. Blood lead concentrations (mean: 1.52 ± 1.20 μg/dL [range 0.18–33.12]) were inversely associated with total thyroxine (regression coefficients [β]: −0.22 [95% CI: −0.34, −0.09] in the general population, but were not correlated with thyroid stimulating hormone, total or free triiodothyronine, nor free thyroxine. Blood lead may have no effect on the thyroid function; however, it could be associated with decreased concentrations in thyroid-binding proteins.
Isaac's Signature

ABSTRACT The notion of the signature could serve as an appropriate metaphor by which to explore Heinrich Isaac as a man of his time and world. It may be mere coincidence that he has left more documents signed in his own hand than contemporary composers, but some of the documents he authenticated in this way really do attest to a new idea of professional musicianship that Isaac was the earliest and most successful in implementing: that of the professional composer who undertakes to produce new works under contractual obligation. Isaac is the first-known musician who signed a document specifically in this capacity. Yet his signature, or at least the assurance that he personally composed and signed a musical work, is also found in the context of practical musical sources, where they would appear to have no legal significance. Martin Just has shown, however, that the particular folios containing these compositions, in the manuscript Berlin 40021, were originally sent as letters. The implication is that Isaac9s signature, in this case, is not an attribution so much as a mark of authentication—something that would have been required only if the musical works in question were sent, and changed hands, as part of a commercial transaction. Taking the metaphor of the signature in a broader figurative sense, one could suggest that Isaac9s work also bears his musical signature—namely in the personal style that his contemporaries tried to recognize and in some cases to characterize in words. Two authors who tried to capture the peculiar quality of Isaac9s music are Paolo Cortesi and Heinrich Glarean. The latter9s attempt is especially significant, since Glarean seems to attest to a new way of hearing and conceptualizing polyphony. Although it is hard to identify specifically which passages in Isaac9s music he would have had in mind, the key to his appraisal seems to lie in a different way of conceptualizing the interplay of contrapuntal voices in contemporary music. To the extent that we can associate this with Isaac9s musical signature, it would appear, once again, that this composer, more than any other, was at the forefront of some of the most significant developments in the music history of his time.
The HOME inventory: A review of findings from the Little Rock longitudinal study

The Caldwell HOME Inventory is a 45-item observation/interview procedure designed to assess the quality and quantity of support for development available to the infant in the home environment. Using the HOME, a longitudinal study of over 100 families from Little Rock, Arkansas has been conducted. A review of the longitudinal study is presented. The review shows substantial relation between HOME scores and children's mental test scores throughout the preschool years. Some sex and race differences in the relation were noted. Studies investigated the reciprocal relation of infant and environment and the effect of environmental stability on development.