cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hemodynamic Alterations in Isoproterenol-Induced Cardiac Arrhythmias in Corticoid-Treated Rats

Hemodynamic alterations were studied to determine their role in isoproterenol-induced cardiac arrhythmias in the desoxycorticosterone acetate–saline-treated rat. Since epinephrine, a catecholamine possessing an α-adrenergic receptor agonist component, was considerably less potent as an arrhythmogenic agent, an elevation in blood pressure was thought to be protective against arrhythmias. Both albuterol, a β2-adrenergic agonist, alone and epinephrine administered following tolazoline, an α-adrenergic blocking agent, decreased blood pressure to that of isoproterenol but failed to elicit significant arrhythmias. Phenylephrine administered prior to isoproterenol resulted in significant arrhythmias despite the maintenance of mean blood pressure at normal levels. The study shows that blood pressure alterations are not important in the etiology of isoproterenol-induced arrhythmias in the corticoid-pretreated rat.
Computing Exact Distributions for Polytomous Response Data

Abstract This article presents an efficient method for computing exact conditional distributions of the sufficient statistics for the parameters of four polytomous response models. For nominal response, two baseline category logit models and, for ordinal response, two adjacent categories logit models are considered. The method consists of recursive generation of the joint distribution of the sufficient statistics, augmented by a technique to slice off portions of the evolving sample space so as to eventually yield the required conditional distribution. Two actual data sets are analyzed to illustrate the method.
NASA's standards advisor pilot: search solutions for an intranet

With the immense progress in web technologies, lots of information can be acquired from a simple query. Unfortunately with the available tools today, the information obtained can be unfocussed and voluminous. It requires user to search through information galore before he can obtain the exact answer to the query. This arouses the need for a search technology which produces exact result in spite of simple query. This paper focuses on evaluating three search technologies - Verity Ultraseek, Copernic Enterprise search and ISYS:web for the NASA Standards Advisor Project. From the results obtained by using sample documents and sample queries it is shown that Verity Ultraseek outperformed Copernic and ISYS: web in both search capabilities and retrieval performance.
Heat Transfer During the Washing of Small Curd Cottage Cheese

The heat transfer which occurs during the cooling of small curd cottage cheese during washing is mathematically modeled as a conduction process. The thermal diffusivity for curd was determined experimentally and shown to agree with predictions of correlations in the Literature. Heat transfer occurs rapidly in curd, and is a relatively less significant design basis for washing systems than mass transfer.
WOMEN'S SAFETY ISSUES IN EXPORT ZONES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE CONTEXT OF A GLOBALISED ECONOMY

Background Women dominate the labourforce in export zones which are multinational enclaves in the country. In this type of work, there are reports of safety issues that affect their health. Objectives This study tried to look into the occupational safety issues of women workers. Methods This investigated 630 women workers in 31 industries in export zones in the Philippines. Tools included work investigation, industrial hygiene and interviews. Results The study showed that technology has intensified work. The new work arrangements were seen to produce new hazards. The characteristics now of the new workplace are: information technology intensive work, fast pace of work, the need for upskilling, burnout, chronic sleep debt, and superspeed communications. Accidents were a common sight in factories. The women reported the following accidents in the workplace for the past one-year: eye infection due to dust and wounds due to sharp objects. The more severe forms of accidents were falling (14%), electrical accidents (6.3%) and being caught in the machine (17.3%). The latter was the most common form of amputation of any body part. Significance The contribution of this study to the field is to show that with the growing internationalisation of work and economies of nation states, women9s involvement in the labour market has increased their vulnerability to hazards and injuries where consequent safety programmes are not implemented.
Reactivity to norepinephrine and nature of the alpha adrenergic receptor in vascular smooth muscle of a genetically hypertensive rat

Abstract Aortic smooth muscle from the so-called spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) did not exhibit supersensitivity or hyperreactivity to norepinephrine compared with two strains of normotensive Wistar rats. The dissociation constant K B of phentolamine reacting with alpha-adrenergic receptors in the aorta of the SHR was very similar to values reported for other alpha receptors. Thus, the adrenergic receptors mediating vascular contraction appear to be nearly identical in both SHRs and normotensive animals. Aortic strips from one strain of normotensive Wistar rat developed about as twice as much tension as either the other normotensive strain or the SHR. If two strains of normotensive rat had not been used as controls, an attempt to relate the degree of tension developed to hypertension in the SHR might have been made. It is clear that studies ulilizing the SHR to analyze mechanisms involved in hypertension must use multiple strains of normotensive rats in order to insure adequate controls.
Spiritual Absence and 1-Year Mortality after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant

Religiosity and spirituality have been associated with better survival in large epidemiologic studies. This study examined the relationship between spiritual absence and 1-year all-cause mortality in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. Depression and problematic compliance were examined as possible mediators of a significant spiritual absence-mortality relationship. Eighty-five adults (mean = 46.85 years old, SD=11.90 years) undergoing evaluation for allogeneic HSCT had routine psychologie evaluation prior to HSCT admission. The Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic was used to assess spiritual absence, depression, and problematic compliance, the psychosocial predictors of interest. Patient status at 1 year and survival time in days were abstracted from medical records. Cox regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the psychosocial factors of interest and mortality after adjusting for relevant biobehavioral factors. Twenty-nine percent (n = 25) of participants died within 1 year of HSCT. After covarying for disease type, individuals with the highest spiritual absence and problematic compliance scores were significantly more likely to die 1-year post-HSCT (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.49, P = .043 and HR=3.74, P = .029, respectively), particularly secondary to infection, sepsis, or graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) (HR = 4.56, P = .01 and HR=5.61, P = .014), relative to those without elevations on these scales. Depression was not associated with 1-year mortality, and problematic compliance did not mediate the relationship between spiritual absence and mortality. These preliminary results suggest that both spiritual absence and problematic compliance may be associated with poorer survival following HSCT. Future research should examine these relations in a larger sample using a more comprehensive assessment of spirituality.
Abstract B9: Metastasis-associated loci in pancreatic cancer identified using Sleeping Beauty insertional mutagenesis.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fifth most common cancer in the U.S. and highly metastatic. Recent sequencing efforts in human pancreatic cancer have investigated the clonal relationships between primary tumors and derived metastatic lesions. We have conducted a mutagenic screen using Sleeping Beauty (SB) in an oncogenic Kras pancreatic cancer mouse model to identify new candidate cancer genes. We recently published the characterization of loci commonly mutated in primary pancreatic tumors (Mann et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A . 2012 Mar 15). Importantly, we showed that SB drives invasive, highly metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma with multiple metastases to the liver, lung, duodenum and lymph nodes, sites commonly involved in the human disease. In an effort to understand the clonal evolution of these metastatic events with respect to the primary tumor, we sequenced the SB insertion tags from 16 metastases originating from 11 animals. Using two independent statistical methods, we identified 78 commonly mutated loci in the metastatic lesions. Interestingly, half of these loci are found only in metastases. The majority of the loci commonly mutated in the primary tumors are not mutated in the metastases, suggesting that the seeding subclones of the metastases disseminated early during the development of the tumor. The metastatic subclones acquired additional SB insertions that were maintained through positive selection. The primary sequencing data also suggest ongoing clonal evolution of the primary tumors from which the metastases arose. Human PDAC sequencing data also support this observation. SB -driven metastases are enriched in mutations in genes involved in Wnt signaling and arrest in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Efforts to investigate the biological impact of these mutations on metastasis in PDAC are ongoing. Future studies will involve laser capture microdissection of primary tumors and metastases to refine the relationship between primary subclones and metastatic lesions. Citation Format: Karen M. Mann, Nancy A. Jenkins, Neal G. Copeland. Metastasis-associated loci in pancreatic cancer identified using Sleeping Beauty insertional mutagenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Progress and Challenges; Jun 18-21, 2012; Lake Tahoe, NV. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B9.
EFFECT OF STRATIFICATION TEMPERATURE AND GERMINATION TEMPERATURE ON GERMINATION AND THE INDUCTION OF SECONDARY DORMANCY IN COMMON RAGWEED SEEDS.

Stratification of common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) seeds at 4 C was most successful for breaking dormancy, whereas -5 C was least effective and 10 C was intermediate. Germination in the light exceeded that in the dark at all stratification and germination temperatures. The optimum temperatures for germination in the light were 10/20, 15/25, and 20/30. Maximum germination in the dark occurred at 20/30 C for seeds stratified at 4 and 10 C but the optimum temperatures for seeds stratified at -5 C were 10/20, 15/25, and 20/30. Seeds stratified at -5 and 10 C germinated best after 15 weeks of stratification, whereas 12 weeks of stratification at 4 C resulted in maximum germination. Secondary dormancy was induced in seeds which did not germinate in the dark. This was affected by stratification temperature and duration and germination temperature. The ecological significance of these germination characteristics is discussed.
Chronic Foreign Body Aspiration Diagnosed by Lung Scan

The case of a two-year.old child with foreign body aspiration is presented. It was complicated by a delay in diagnosis and treatment. Lung scan was helpful in eventually establishing the diagnosis. Key points in the manage ment of patients with foreign body aspiration are reviewed and patho physiologic mechanisms are discussed.
Design improvements for the polyhedral specular reflector spectrum-splitting module for ultra-high efficiency (>50%)

A spectrum-splitting module design, the polyhedral specular reflector (PSR), is proposed for ultra-high photovoltaic efficiency (>50%). Incident light is mildly concentrated (≤16 suns) and subsequently split seven ways by a series of multilayer dielectric filters. The split spectrum is directed into compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs) and each concentrates a given slice of the spectrum onto one of seven subcells for conversion. We have recently made significant improvements to the design, such as vertically stacking each submodule and rearranging the subcell order to increase the optical efficiency of the design. We optimize the concentration and composition of the parallelepiped prism (hollow vs. solid) and model designs with >50% module efficiencies including optical and cell nonidealities.
A dynamic test method for high-resolution A/D converters

A dynamic test method is described for A/D converters having up to 16 bits of resolution. The technique exercises the test converter with stepped input changes, simulating the output of an S/H amplifier. Dynamic errors as low as 4 ppm can be measured within 4 ss following a step change as large as 20 V.
Metabolic Effects of Actinomycin in Rats.

SummaryIn hypophysectomized rats fasting reduced the metabolism of glucose in adipose tissue and diaphragm muscle in vitro and increased the mobilization of free fatty acids and glycerol. Hepatic and cardiac glycogen were also reduced. Treatment with actinomycin D reversed these effects, and caused a substantial increase in glucose utilization by adipose tissue. Actinomycin partially prevented the increased lipolysis caused by fasting in normal rats, but failed to reduce the lipolysis evoked by epinephrine or corticotropin.
Isolation and sequence analysis of a peptide from the active site of transaldolase.

Abstract A heptapeptide has been isolated from the active site of Candida utilis transaldolase after chymotryptic digestion. The amino acid sequence of this peptide has been established as: Ile-Lys-Ile-Ala-Ser-Thr-Tyr. The lysine residue is that involved in Schiff base formation with the substrate.
Hypercapnia Reversibly Suppresses Low-Frequency Fluctuations in the Human Motor Cortex during Rest Using Echo–Planar MRI:

Using magnetic resonance (MR) echo-planar imaging (EPI), we recently demonstrated the presence of low-frequency fluctuations (< 0.1 Hz) in MR signal intensity from the resting human brain that have a high degree of temporal correlation (p < 10(-3)) within and across associated regions of the sensorimotor cortex. These fluctuations in MR signal intensity are believed to arise from fluctuations in capillary blood flow and oxygenation. A substantial overlap between the activation map generated by bilateral finger tapping and temporally-correlated voxels from the sensorimotor cortex obtained during rest was observed. In the work reported here, we investigated whether respiratory hypercapnia, which is known to suspend spontaneous oscillations in regional cerebral blood flow, influences these low-frequency fluctuations. The magnitude of low-frequency fluctuations was reversibly diminished during hypercapnia, resulting in a substantial decrease of the temporal correlation both within and across contralateral hemispheres of the sensorimotor cortex. After the breathing mixture was returned to ambient air, the magnitude and spatial extent of the temporal correlation of low-frequency fluctuations returned to normal. Results of this study support the hypothesis that low-frequency physiological fluctuations observed by MR in the human cortex and spontaneous flow oscillations observed in early studies by laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF) in the cortex of the rat are identical and are secondary to fluctuations in neuronal activity.
Epinephrine on potential, tension and ionic content of guinea-pig ureter

Abstract Epinephrine 30 μM showed a slight depolarizing effect on guinea-pig ureteral muscle, though this drug scarcely changed tissue ionic content. Epinephrine prolonged action potentials and hence increased the magnitudes and durations of phasic contractions. Potassium-induced tonic contractions were enhanced by epinephrine without being mediated by the effect on the membrane potential. Norepinephrine showed similar actions on potassium-induced tonic contractions, but isoproterenol did not.
Bovine genomics from academia to industry.

Summary of NSRP-8 station report:cattle, sheep and goats The objectives of this project NSRP-8 are:1. Enhance and integrate genetic and physicalmaps of agriculturally important animals forcross-species comparisons and sequence anno-tation.2. Facilitate integration of genomic, transcrip-tional, proteomic and metabolomic approachestoward better understanding of biological mech-anisms underlying economically important tra-its.3. Facilitate and implement bioinformatics tools toextract, analyse, store and disseminate informa-tion.Scientists from the University of Arkansas, theUniversity of California at Davis, the Univer-sity of Illinois, Iowa State University, LouisianaState University, Purdue University, New MexicoState University, Oklahoma State University, TexasA&M University, Utah State University, the Uni-versity of Wisconsin–Madison and a few otheruniversities gathered to present and discuss infor-mation regarding these objectives. The scope ofthe information ranged from mapping projects anddeﬁning QTL to presentation of the effects of poly-morphisms in candidate genes in cattle and sheepchallenged with different production systems andenvironments. Genetic inﬂuences of lactation andbehavioural traits such as disposition were also dis-cussed, as were the inﬂuences of genetic anomalies,such as callipyge. Milt Thomas of New MexicoState University served as the session coordinatorand was assisted by secretary Udaya Desilva ofOklahoma State University, who will serve as thesession coordinator in 2006. Clare Gill of TexasA&M University was elected to serve as the sec-retary in 2006. Bioinformatic information was alsopresented and the committee voted to include dis-cussion of goats into the symposium.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL, PROMOTION AND THE COURTS: A CRITICAL REVIEW

Twenty-three Title VII court cases were reviewed in order to determine the standards set by the courts in their assessment of performance appraisal systems when used as the basis for promotion decisions. The topics covered were adverse impact determination, the courts' adjudication strategy, and the evidence needed to justify the performance appraisal procedures. Among the major findings was the courts': (1) failure to adhere to the “applicant flow technique” of adverse impact determination, (2) interest in assessing performance appraisal systems regardless of their adverse impact, (3) ignorance regarding acceptable validation procedures, and (4) focus on objectivity in lieu of validity. The discussion offered suggestions to employers for developing a professionally sound and legally defensible appraisal system.
Synthesis of magnetic hydrogel microparticles for bioassays and tweezer manipulation in microwells

We report new methods for the synthesis and efficient manipulation of magnetic hydrogel microparticles. Through the development of a high-pH rinsing scheme, we achieve a simple and flexible synthesis strategy for the generation of geometrically and chemically complex magnetic microgels, eliminating the need for perfusion streams and other features that limit production rates and particle complexity. We further demonstrate the ability to combine magnetic functionality with both coding and target capture motifs within the same barcoded particle for enhanced applications in microRNA detection. We use a magnetic tweezer to assist in the positioning of particles in substrate-patterned microwells, and also for selective retrieval of particles. The magnetic particle manipulations and the substrate-mediated patterning techniques described in this work hold great potential for the development of a versatile platform for nanoliter-scale reactions with multifunctional hydrogel microparticles.
Serum C-reactive protein and fibrinogen concentrations and self-reported angina pectoris and myocardial infarction: findings from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III.

C-reactive protein may predict the risk of cardiovascular disease, but its association with angina pectoris in the general population has not been clearly established, however. We used data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III conducted from 1988-1994 to examine the associations between serum C-reactive protein and plasma fibrinogen concentrations and self-reported angina pectoris and myocardial infarction among 7,948 U.S. men and women aged 40 years and older. C-reactive protein and fibrinogen concentrations were moderately correlated (r = 0.43). After adjustment for age, sex, race or ethnicity, education, smoking status, systolic blood pressure, serum cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, history of diabetes mellitus, body mass index, and physical activity, fibrinogen (but not C-reactive protein) concentration was significantly associated with self-reported angina pectoris. Neither fibrinogen or C-reactive protein concentrations were significantly associated with angina pectoris when entered in the model simultaneously. C-reactive protein and fibrinogen concentrations were positively associated with myocardial infarction when entered separately into models, but only C-reactive protein concentration was significantly associated with myocardial infarction when both variables were entered simultaneously. These cross-sectional data showed a significant positive association between C-reactive protein concentration and myocardial infarction but not self-reported angina pectoris in the U.S. population.
Selective resistance of performance on a schedule of reinforcement to disruption by forebrain lesions

Following bilateral ablation of portions of the fore-brain, pigeons retained their usual, pre-operative performance on the fixed-ratio component of a multiple schedule, but had strikingly abnormal performances on the fixed-interval component.
Parboiled sorghum: Development of a novel decorticated product

The effect of parboiling on the milling yield and cooking quality of whole sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor [L. Moench]) kernels was examined. Cultivars differing widely in kernel characteristics were: (1) soaked overnight and boiled for 10 min (Soak-Boil or SB) and (2) brought to boiling point, soaked overnight and brought to boil again (Boil-Soak-Boil or BSB). The cooked samples were dried at ambient temperature prior to abrasive decortication. Both parboiling procedures significantly increased the yield of decorticated grain while reducing kernel breakage. The BSB process resulted in significantly higher decorticated grain yields with less ‘brokens’ than the SB process. The decortication yield of soft cultivars was increased by up to 2·2-fold by parboiling, compared with 1·2-fold for hard cultivars. Parboiled, decorticated sorghum produced a light-colored, cooked product with firm, intact kernels and acceptable appearance and aroma. Field trials in Mali with local sorghum and millet samples confirmed the improved decortication yields obtained under laboratory conditions. The cooked products were consumed with Malian dishes and condiments such as peanut sauce and were rated very acceptable. The process requires low-level technology that is available in villages in sorghum and millet producing areas. No specialized equipment is needed to parboil grain on a village scale. Parboiling may be a practical method by which shelf stable, processed products from sorghum and millet can be prepared while enhancing decortication yields, especially for soft cultivars.
High-protein meal challenge reveals the association between the salivary cortisol response and metabolic syndrome in police officers.

Objectives Policing is considered a high-stress occupation and officers have elevated cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. To investigate a potential connection, we evaluated the association between salivary cortisol response to a high-protein meal challenge and the metabolic syndrome (MetSyn), a subclinical disorder associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Methods Cross-sectional data were from the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) Study (2004–2009). MetSyn was defined as having ≥3 components: abdominal obesity, hypertension, elevated triglycerides, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and glucose intolerance. Officers provided five saliva samples for cortisol analysis, one before challenge (high-protein shake) and four at 15-min intervals thereafter, where the usual response is increase. Regression models were used to examine trends in mean number of MetSyn components across quartiles of area under the curve (AUC) salivary cortisol. Patterns of mean cortisol response were assessed by MetSyn status using repeated-measures analysis of covariance. Results Prevalence of MetSyn was 25.7% among 373 officers (74.0% male). The mean count of MetSyn components decreased (1.89, 1.75, 1.55, 1.37; P < 0.01) across increasing quartiles of AUC salivary cortisol. Mean salivary cortisol decreased from baseline (5.55, 4.58, 4.47, 4.79, 4.75 nmol/l) in officers with MetSyn and increased (5.08, 5.82, 5.92, 5.82, 5.60 nmol/l) in their counterparts. The test for interaction between MetSyn status and time of saliva collection was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusions Reduced cortisol response to a high-protein meal challenge may be associated with MetSyn. Future longitudinal studies could provide useful evidence for planning intervention studies on cardiovascular risk among police officers. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:138–144, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An Operational Viewpoint on Social Systems: A Response to Altman

This paper suggests System Dynamics as one feasible approach to conceptualizing and operationalizing models of complex social systems, in response to Altman's (1976) call for a broadened concern in Social Psychology with a holistic, systems-oriented, time-linked, multi-causal perspective on social units. System Dynamics is described, both as a philosophy of system structure and as a method of system modeling. An illustrative application to the problem of urban decline and revival is presented, along with brief consideration of some major strengths and limitations of the approach.
Neuronal pathways from the dorsal acelli of the house cricket, Acheta domesticus

Each ocellar nerve in the house cricket Acheta domesticus contains giant nerve fibers of 10-15 μ diameter, characterized in Golgi Cox preparations by a single row of short collaterals which runs along nearly the entire length of a fiber. Numerous long collaterals are given off by thin fibers in the ocellar nerve; medium-size fibers give off relatively few collaterals. The lateral ocellar tracts extend posteriorly through the dorsal protocerebrum, crossing the protocerebral bridge dorsally. The smaller median ocellar tract runs more ventrally through the pars intercerebralis; posterior to the bridge its fibers turn out toward the lateral nerves. Golgi and cobalt preparations reveal branching of giant and mediu_-size ocellar fibers posterior to the bridge at two levels, forming bilateral regions of ocellar neuropile. No ocellar processes appear to be given off to the corpora pedunculata, centra! body, nervi corporis cardiaci, antenna! lobes, or circumesophageal connectives; it is uncertain whether ocellar collaterals extend into the protocerebral bridge or optic lobes. Cell bodies of giant and medium-sized fibers are located in the pars intercerebralis.
Extending the Capabilities of the Mooring Analysis Program: A Survey of Dynamic Mooring Line Theories for Integration Into FAST

Techniques to model dynamic mooring lines take various forms. The most widely used models include a heuristic representation of the physics (such as a lumped-mass system), a finite-element analysis discretization of the lines (discretized in space), or a finite-difference model (which is discretized in both space and time). In this paper, the authors explore the features of the various models, weigh the advantages of each, and propose a plan for implementing one dynamic mooring line model into the open-source Mooring Analysis Program (MAP). MAP is currently used as a module for the FAST offshore wind turbine computer-aided engineering (CAE) tool to model mooring systems quasi-statically, although dynamic mooring capabilities are desired. Based on the exploration in this paper, the lumped-mass representation is selected for implementation in MAP based on its simplicity, low computational cost, and ability to provide physics similar to those captured by higher-order models.To begin, the underlying theories defining the three classes of dynamic mooring line models are identified and explored. This leads to insight into the capabilities of each representation. These capabilities are weighed against the current needs of the FAST wind turbine CAE tool, to which MAP will be coupled. Based on the assessment, a plan for integrating the dynamic mooring line theory into the current MAP structure is developed. Common problems arising from the determination of the model static equilibrium and known issues with numerical stability are addressed. Because MAP is a module that FAST can call, a plan consistent with the FAST modularization framework principles is described. Adding dynamic mooring line capabilities extends the features in MAP and also allows uncoupled analysis to be performed through MAP’s native Python bindings.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Crystal structure and compressibility of a two-layer polytype of pseudowollastonite (CaSiO3)

The crystal structure of a synthetic two-layer polytype of CaSiO 3 pseudowollastonite was determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. It is monoclinic with space group C2/c and unitcell parameters a = 11.8322(6), b = 6.8624(8), c = 10.5297(5) A, β = 111.245(8)°, and V = 796.9(1) A 3 . The material is isostructural with two-layer SrSiO 3 and SrGeO3 and has basic structural features similar to those found in four-layer CaSiO 3 pseudowollastonite, except for the stacking sequence of layers of CaO6 octahedra and Si3O9 ternary rings. The compressibility of the structure was measured up to 9.94 GPa and no phase transition was observed. With increasing pressure, all unit-cell parameters decrease nonlinearly with a positive curvature. The axial compression ratios at room pressure are βa:βb:βc = 2.25:2.36:1.00 and the bulk modulus, KT, is 86(1) GPa with K' = ∂KT/ ∂P = 3.8(4).
On the structural controllability of multi-agent systems subject to failure: A graph-theoretic approach

This paper considers the structural controllability of a leader-follower multi-agent system. Graphical conditions for structural controllability based on the information flow graph of the system are provided. Then, the notions of p-link and q-agent controllability are introduced as quantitative measures for the controllability of the system subject to failure in communication links or agents. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the system to remain structurally controllable in the case of the failure of some of the communication links or loss of some agents are derived in terms of the topology of the information flow graph. Moreover, a polynomial-time algorithm for determining the maximum number of failed communication links under which the system remains structurally controllable is presented (which can be analogously developed for the case of agents loss). Finally, the proposed algorithm is extended to the case of loss of agents.
Rhythm-induced spike-timing patterns characterized by 1D firing maps

We explore patterns in the spike timing of neurons receiving periodic inputs, with an emphasis on stable characteristics which are realized in both models and in-vitro whole-cell recordings. We report on whole-cell recordings of pyramidal CA1 cells from rat hippocampus and entorhinal cortex and compare this data to model simulations. Cells were injected with a constant current to induce a steady firing rate and then a modest rhythm was added which altered the spike times and their corresponding phases relative to the rhythm. For both experiment and theory the relationship between consecutive spike phases is characterized by a probability distribution with peaks concentrated near a one-dimensional firing map. As is well-known, stable fixed points of this map correspond to the neuron phase-locking to the rhythm. We show that the interaction between noise and sufficiently steep maps can also cause a new kind of spike-time organization, in which consecutive spike time pairs organize into discrete clusters, with transitions between these clusters proceeding in a fixed sequence. This structure is not just a vestige of the noise-free dynamics. This slow dynamics and temporal organization in the relationship between consecutive spike phases is not evident in either the neuron's voltage traces or single phase or interspike interval histograms. Furthermore, the consecutive spike relationship is also evident in consecutive ISIs, and hence this ordering can be observed without detailed knowledge of the rhythm (e.g. without concurrent LFP recordings).
Paradoxes of Sailing

If you like sailing and philosophy, this is for you. Perplexing paradoxes, causal conundra and tantalizing thought experiments.
The roles of community diversity and contact rates on pathogen prevalence

The complexity of a community can play a fundamental role in the prevalence of pathogens by altering interactions among hosts and pathogen transmission. Information on the frequency of contacts between individuals and the distribution of contact rates in a population is critical to predicting pathogen prevalence. However, contact rates are notoriously difficult to document especially in small, nocturnal species. We have been documenting the contact rates of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) in nature with respect to infection with Sin Nombre virus (SNV), a zoonotic pathogen, and the biodiversity of the mammalian community. Our long-term field studies, as well as those of others, revealed that prevalence of SNV in deer mice is related to the complexity of the mammalian community such that pathogen prevalence is lower in more diverse communities. Using a combination of techniques, we found evidence that contact rates between deer mice differ with respect to biodiversity. Deer mice in more complex communities had fewer intraspecific interactions than those in less diverse communities. Contact rates of individual deer mice were highly variable with a minority of the deer mice accounting for a majority of the interactions. Infection with SNV was related to risk-taking behavior; animals categorized as “bold” were 3 times more likely to be infected than “shy” deer mice. Results of these studies have implications for pathogen management in wildlife and humans.
Professional Dispositions: What's a Social Studies Education Professor to Do?.

Recent changes in accreditation standards now require professors to systematically assess whether a teacher candidate actually possesses a “disposition” appropriate to the profession. This new mandate from accreditation bodies is controversial on a number of fronts. As social studies educators in particular, we like to think of ourselves as especially attentive to issues such as individual differences and rights, indoctrination, prejudice, intolerance, freedom of expression, maturation, and the worth of the individual—all of which are potentially raised by the NCATE and NCSS mandates. And as a practical matter, it places new stresses on the role of professors as both mentors and gatekeepers. In this article, two social studies teacher educators provide an overview of current theory and debate regarding dispositions, an assessment of practical problems associated with the accreditation accountability mandates, and—in spite of the persistent problems associated with defining and assessing dispositions—offer...
Rank estimation of treatment differences based on repeated measurements subject to dependent censoring

Abstract In comparing the effectiveness of two treatments, suppose that for each patient repeated measurements of an outcome variable are taken at prespecified time points, but some observations may be missing due to the patient's dependent right censoring. In this article, a simple rank estimation procedure, constructed based on an artificial censoring technique, is proposed for the treatment differences over time without imposing a parametric structure on the dependence between the outcome measures and the censoring variable. Our method can be easily implemented and is illustrated by a dataset from an AIDS clinical trial.
Variation among isolates of Hypoxylon mammatum

The variability in a population of Hypoxylon mammatum isolates from the North Central United States was measured. Variables examined were the enzymic activity of β-fructofuranosidase and sucrose glucosyltransferase, carbohydrate and temperature requirements for growth, and growth patterns of the isolates in culture and in Populus tremuloides (quaking
Simulation of two-dimensional turbulent flows in a rotating annulus

Rotating water tank experiments have been used to study fundamental processes of atmospheric and geophysical turbulence in a controlled laboratory setting. When these tanks are undergoing strong rotation the forced turbulent flow becomes highly two dimensional along the axis of rotation. An efficient numerical method has been developed for simulating the forced quasi-geostrophic equations in an annular geometry to model current laboratory experiments. The algorithm employs a spectral method with Fourier series and Chebyshev polynomials as basis functions. The algorithm has been implemented on a parallel architecture to allow modelling of a wide range of spatial scales over long integration times. This paper describes the derivation of the model equations, numerical method, testing and performance of the algorithm. Results provide reasonable agreement with the experimental data, indicating that such computations can be used as a predictive tool to design future experiments. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bicarbonate Induces Vibrio cholerae Virulence Gene Expression by Enhancing ToxT Activity

Vibrio cholerae is a gram-negative bacterium that is the causative agent of cholera, a severe diarrheal illness. The two biotypes of V. cholerae O1 capable of causing cholera, classical and El Tor, require different in vitro growth conditions for induction of virulence gene expression. Growth under the inducing conditions or infection of a host initiates a complex regulatory cascade that results in production of ToxT, a regulatory protein that directly activates transcription of the genes encoding cholera toxin (CT), toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP), and other virulence genes. Previous studies have shown that sodium bicarbonate induces CT expression in the V. cholerae El Tor biotype. However, the mechanism for bicarbonate-mediated CT induction has not been defined. In this study, we demonstrate that bicarbonate stimulates virulence gene expression by enhancing ToxT activity. Both the classical and El Tor biotypes produce inactive ToxT protein when they are cultured statically in the absence of bicarbonate. Addition of bicarbonate to the culture medium does not affect ToxT production but causes a significant increase in CT and TCP expression in both biotypes. Ethoxyzolamide, a potent carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, inhibits bicarbonate-mediated virulence induction, suggesting that conversion of CO2 into bicarbonate by carbonic anhydrase plays a role in virulence induction. Thus, bicarbonate is the first positive effector for ToxT activity to be identified. Given that bicarbonate is present at high concentration in the upper small intestine where V. cholerae colonizes, bicarbonate is likely an important chemical stimulus that V. cholerae senses and that induces virulence during the natural course of infection.
Optimal FDL Design for Time-Wavelength Crossconnects and Optical Packet Switches

Time-Wavelength-Switched Networks (TWSNs) provide a finer bandwidth granularity than traditional wavelength routing networks. In TWSNs, time on every wavelength is slotted and the crossconnects are configured to switch slots within a frame, and connections are assigned one or more slots per frame. Fiber Delay Line (FDL) banks within the crossconnects can reduce the probability of connection blocking due to output slot contention. In this paper, we consider the optimal construction of an FDL bank with a limited number of recirculations through the FDLs. Specifically, given a frame consisting of M slots, an FDL bank of D FDLs per output link, we develop a method to find a set of delay values D = {d1, d2, . . . dd} such that the set of achievable delays using no more than K recirculations through the bank is maximized. Maximizing the number of achievable delays provides more flexibility in slot provisioning for connections, and is expected to decrease the blocking probability. We investigate the impact of the FDL configuration on a crossconnect's performance. Our results show that the optimal FDL bank construction presented here achieves better blocking than previously considered FDL bank configurations. We also present a solution to the FDL bank design problem for an optical packet switch, and show through simulations that packet drop probability is considerably reduced for the optimal configuration.
Tune splitting in the presence of linear coupling

For RHIC (Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider), a tune splitting as large as 0.2 was found in one case. A correction system has been developed for correcting this large tune splitting which uses two families of skew quadrupole correctors. It has been found that this correction system corrects most of the large tune splitting, but a residual tune splitting that is still appreciable remains. The residual tune splitting appears to be due to higher-order effects of the random a/sub 1/ multipole. Loosely speaking, one may say that the residual tune splitting is associated with the nearby linear sum resonance, nu /sub x/+ nu /sub y/=integer. A skew quadrupole correction system that appears capable of correcting a large part of the residual tune splitting has been developed. >
Theoretical modeling of superscalar processor performance

The current trace-driven simulation approach to determine superscalar processor performance is widely used but has some shortcomings. Modern benchmarks generate extremely long traces, resulting in problems with data storage, as well as very long simulation run times. More fundamentally, simulation generally does not provide significant insight into the factors that determine performance or a characterization of their interactions. This paper proposes a theoretical model of superscalar processor performance that addresses these shortcomings. Performance is viewed as an interaction of program parallelism and machine parallelism. Both program and machine parallelisms are decomposed into multiple component functions. Methods for measuring or computing these functions are described. The functions are combined to provide a model of the interaction between program and machine parallelisms and an accurate estimate of the performance. The computed performance, based on this model, is compared to simulated performance for six benchmarks from the SPEC 92 suite on several configurations of the IBM RS/6000 instruction set architecture.
National Institute of Mental Health Research Roundtable on Prepubertal Bipolar Disorder

ABSTRACT Objective A research roundtable meeting was convened at the National Institute of Mental Health on April 27, 2000, to discuss the existing controversial areas in the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in prepubertal children. Method Invited clinicians and researchers with expertise on bipolar disorder in children were asked to share and discuss their perspectives on diagnostic issues for bipolar disorder in prepubertal children. Results The group reached agreement that diagnosis of bipolar disorder in prepubertal children is possible with currently available psychiatric assessment instruments. In addition to phenotypes that fit DSM-IV criteria for bipolar I and bipolar II, participants agreed on the existence of other phenotypic possibilities that do not meet diagnostic criteria. Bipolar not otherwise specified (NOS) was recommended as a "working diagnosis" for the non– DSM-IV phenotype. Conclusions Bipolar disorder exists and can be diagnosed in prepubertal children. In children who present with both the DSM-IV and non– DSM-IV phenotypes (i.e., those given a diagnosis of bipolar-NOS), assessment should include careful evaluation of all behaviors that are impairing. Moreover, these children should be monitored systematically to explore stability and change over time in diagnosis and impairment.
Responses of Bingham-plastic muddy seabed to a surface solitary wave

In this paper, we investigate the dynamics of muddy-seabed motions induced by a surface solitary wave. The muddy seabed is characterized as Bingham-plastic mud. We focus our attention on the situations where the horizontal scale of the wave-induced mud flow is much larger than the vertical scale. The thickness of the mud layer is also assumed to be much smaller than the water depth above. With these simplifications, the dynamic pressure in the mud column remains a constant and the vertical displacement of the water-mud interface is negligible. The horizontal gradient of the wave-induced dynamic pressure along the water-seabed interface drives the motions in the mud bed. For a Bingham-plastic muddy seafloor, the mud moves either like a solid (plug flow) or like a viscous fluid (shear flow) depending on whether the magnitude of shear stress is in excess of the yield stress. Velocities inside these two different flow regimes and the location(s) of the yield surface(s) vary in time as functions of water-mud interfacial pressure gradient and the properties of the Bingham-plastic mud. A semi-analytical approach is developed in this paper to analyse the motions inside the mud bed under a surface solitary wave loading. Three possible scenarios are discussed to illustrate the complexity of the seafloor responses. The formula for the damping rate caused by the energy dissipation inside the muddy seabed is also derived. Using realistic values of the physical parameters, the present results for damping rate agree qualitatively with the available field observations.
Measurement background and the sediment age-dating reach of 32Si

Detector sensitivity and purification challenges have limited published 32Si sediment dating studies. The cosmogenic isotope 32Si can fill the sediment geochronology gap between 210Pb ( 1000 years). Targeting this age range can provide geochronological reconstructions of paleoindicators that identify recent human and climate-induced shifts in coastal areas. We are preparing detectors and kilogram-scale sample preparation techniques for such a study of Puget Sound sediments. This work considers the impact of background on counting time and 32Si age-dating reach. Design and performance of new low-background, gas-proportional beta counters to measure 32Si (via 32P) are discussed.
Professional Development - The Student’s Responsibility

Scientific advancement during the immediately preceding decades is completely unparalleled in the history of human development. Unfortunately, social advancements have not kept pace with technical progress. The engineer, who is part of the group that is most responsible for technical progress, must stand ready to assume his professional responsibility in sharing tie task of keeping society abreast of science. In order to competently assume this professional stature, proper emphasis must be placed on a study of the arts, humanities, and social studies during the education of the engineer. It is particularly significant for civil engineers to be conscious of the integration of technical development and social advancement because the fundamental concern of civil engineering is the technical problems of group living; therefore, if a civil engineer is to adequately fulfill his role as a professional member of his society, his professional development must necessarily begin at the student level. The student's responsibility in professional development is adequate attention to the liberal arts courses included in his curriculum.