cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of silica–polymer aerogel composites by small-angle neutron scattering and transmission electron microscopy

Abstract In this work a new type of silica–biopolymer aerogel composite containing chitosan has been studied with small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A new small-particle mass-fractal model scattering function, derived from the Teixeira mass-fractal scattering function, was used to fit the SANS data. As the content of chitosan was increased, the fractal dimension was decreased from 2.9 to 2.5, and the cut-off-length increased from 3.2 to 6.0 nm. This indicates that chitosan helps form a more open aerogel structure. It supports a structural model in which there are primary particles that connect with each other closely to form clusters, and these clusters serve as a secondary structural unit to form the chitosan-reinforced aerogel network. It also indicates that chitosan reinforces the inter-particle connections. This picture is consistent with the TEM measurements, which reveal that there are 1.5 nm wide entities with long dimensions in the 3–10 nm range.
A comparison of threshold estimation methods in children 6-11 years of age.

Estimating detection threshold for auditory stimuli in children can be problematic because of lapses in attention and the time limits usually imposed by scheduling restrictions or fatigue. Data reported here were collected to compare the stability of threshold estimation procedures in testing children ages 6 to 11 in a three-alternative, forced-choice paradigm. Stimuli consisted of a 1-kHz tonal signal and a Gaussian noise masker, bandpass filtered between 500–2000 Hz and presented at 25-dB spectrum level. The signal was either presented for 400 ms in the presence of a continuous masker (simultaneous masking) or for 10 ms just prior to a 400-ms masker (backward masking). For each masking paradigm the 79% correct threshold was assessed via each of three procedures: 3-down, 1-up adaptive staircase (Levitt), maximum likelihood estimation (MLE), and method of constant stimuli. Percent correct was measured at the end of the study for a signal 10 dB above the previously determined threshold in order to estimate the most appropriate psychometric function asymptote for fitting data collected via the method of constant stimuli. Both the MLE and Levitt procedures produced equally stable threshold estimates for both conditions and age groups. This was the case despite considerable variability in backward-masking thresholds.
Chitinases of the Avian Malaria Parasite Plasmodium gallinaceum, a Class of Enzymes Necessary for Parasite Invasion of the Mosquito Midgut

The Plasmodium ookinete produces chitinolytic activity that allows the parasite to penetrate the chitin-containing peritrophic matrix surrounding the blood meal in the mosquito midgut. Since the peritrophic matrix is a physical barrier that the parasite must cross to invade the mosquito, and the presence of allosamidin, a chitinase inhibitor, in a blood meal prevents the parasite from invading the midgut epithelium, chitinases (3.2.1.14) are potential targets of malaria parasite transmission-blocking interventions. We have purified a chitinase of the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium gallinaceum and cloned the gene, PgCHT1, encoding it. PgCHT1 encodes catalytic and substrate-binding sites characteristic of family 18 glycohydrolases. Expressed in Escherichia coli strain AD494 (DE3), recombinant PgCHT1 was found to hydrolyze polymeric chitin, native chitin oligosaccharides, and 4-methylumbelliferone derivatives of chitin oligosaccharides. Allosamidin inhibited recombinant PgCHT1 with an IC(50) of 7 microM and differentially inhibited two chromatographically separable P. gallinaceum ookinete-produced chitinase activities with IC(50) values of 7 and 12 microM, respectively. These two chitinase activities also had different pH activity profiles. These data suggest that the P. gallinaceum ookinete uses products of more than one chitinase gene to initiate mosquito midgut invasion.
Dopamine-β-hydroxylase and norepinephrine in human cerebrospinal fluid: Effects of monoamine oxidase inhibitors

Abstract The effect of the monoamine oxidase inhibitors, clorgyline and pargyline, on central noradrenergic function in depressed patients was assessed by measuring dopamine beta hydroxylase (DBH) and norepinephrine in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). These drugs caused a significant decrease in DBH in CSF. This decrease is consistent with a reduction in the release of DBH into CSF as noradrenergic firing is slowed by the drugs. Levels of DBH and norepinephrine in CSF were highly correlated. The ratio of CSF norepinephrine to CSF DBH increased when the patients were treated with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, consistent with a drug-induced increase in brain norepinephrine.
REEVALUATIONS OF INFRASPECIFIC TAXONOMY IN POLYGONELLA (POLYGONACEAE)

Polygonella ciliata var.basiramia andP. fimbriata var.robusta are raised in rank toP. basiramia (Small) Nesom & Bates, comb. nov., andP. robusta (Small) Nesom & Bates, comb. nov. Although the morphological similarity betweenP. ciliata andP. basiramia and betweenP. fimbriata andP. robusta is greater than between any other species of the genus, the sister species of each newly recognized pair are separated by morphological discontinuities and are completely allopatric with each other. In agreement with Wunderlin (1981) we recognize three varieties withinP. polygama, but our criteria for their identification are slightly different than his.
Cadmium, zinc, copper, and barium in foraminifera tests

The concentrations of cadmium, zinc, copper and barium have been determined on 2-mg samples of single-species foraminifera populations. Cleaning techniques were tested using North Atlantic core tops, and followed by a detailed downcore study for the last 30,000 years in South Atlantic core V22-174. Raw foram tests cleaned by crushing followed by ultrasonic removal of fine-grained material, and dissolved in a pH 5.5 acetate buffer, contain appreciable amounts of trace elements associated with ferromanganese and alumino-silicate contaminants. A reductive/complexing cleaning treatment reduces ferromanganese contamination by 1–2 orders of magnitude. Acetate buffers at pH 5.5 complex iron and raise the solubility of ferromanganese oxides; these buffers are unsuitable for separating carbonate lattice-bound trace elements from the fraction associated with ferromanganese phases. Improved mechanical and ultrasonic reductive cleaning combined with a mild dissolution in distilled water under 1 atm.PCO2 reduces contaminant levels another order of magnitude. The Cd and Zn concentrations (order 10−8 mole Cd/mole Ca and 10−5 mole Zn/mole Ca) of species with low surface area show an increase with decreasing isotopic temperatures. This increase is consistent with the increasing concentrations of these metals from low values in surface waters to higher values at depth. The variance of Cd and Zn over the last 30,000 years in the central South Atlantic is consistent with the probable variability of the dissolved trace elements at the calcification levels of the species analyzed. Cu and Ba are irreproducible and probably sensitive to residual contaminant phases. The trace element content of the tests differs from levels observed in a recent coprecipitation study. Foraminifera may be a significant vector in zinc cycling in the ocean.
Abatacept and Mycophenolate Mofetil Combination Therapy in Refractory Pediatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Series

Lupus nephritis (LN) in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus (pSLE) requires treatment with corticosteroids (CS) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) or cyclophosphamide (CYC). However, some patients fail standard therapy leaving physicians with few options. Although two recent phase II/III randomized controlled trials using abatacept (ABA) with and without MMF in adult SLE did not meet their endpoints, we examined if this combination therapy may have a therapeutic benefit in pSLE patients with refractory class IV and V LN. We performed a retrospective chart analysis of five pSLE patients with class IV and V LN. All patients were treated with ABA + MMF after previous failure to CYC and MMF. CS doses and SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score were assessed at diagnosis and after 12 and 24 weeks of each treatment. Patient age at diagnosis was 9–15 years (mean 12.6 ± 2.3). Average disease duration before initiation of ABA + MMF therapy was 22–97 months (mo) (mean 52.8 ± 30.8). Treatment with ABA + MMF resulted in an improvement in SLEDAI score and reduction in CS dose by 12 weeks in all five patients. One patient achieved complete remission and three patients were weaned off steroids after 7–20 mo (mean 13 ± 6.5). Repeated measures analysis of variance showed significant change from SLEDAI at time of diagnosis (baseline) over 24 weeks of treatment with CYC (P = 0.0013) and with ABA + MMF (P < 0.0001). Paired comparison to baseline SLEDAI scores showed some decrease after 12 weeks of treatment with MMF monotherapy (P = 0.0520). The data suggest that combination therapy with ABA + MMF may be an alternative option in refractory pSLE nephritis. Additional studies are needed in pSLE to further assess the efficacy of this combination treatment.
Phosphorus accumulation rates in a Miocene low oxygen basin: The Monterey Formation (Pismo Basin), California

Abstract Phosphorus (P) limits oceanic productivity on long time scales, and therefore determining changes in oceanic P accumulation through time is important for modeling oceanic paleoproductivity. We determined P concentrations and accumulation rates at Shell Beach, California, a section of phosphatic-rich marine sedimentary rocks which includes the widespread Phosphatic and Siliceous Facies of the Monterey Formation. Phosphorus concentrations had wide ranges in the major lithologies found in these facies, with values in phosphatic shales ranging from 0.36 to 3.9 wt%, compared to 0.02 to 0.42 wt% in dolomitic and siliceous strata. Phosphorus accumulation rates (in μmol P cm −2 yr −1 for all values reported here) showed significant variability with both sample lithology and position in the section. Phosphorus accumulation rates were much higher in phosphatic shale strata (1.5–29) than in dolomitic and siliceous strata (0.1–3.1) in both facies. Furthermore, P accumulation rates were generally higher in phosphatic shale strata of the upper Siliceous Facies (3.1–29) compared to the lower Phosphatic Facies (1.5–14). Mean P accumulation rates, calculated using linear sedimentation rate models for each facies and observations of the relative amount of phosphatic shale, dolomite, and siliceous strata, are comparable between the portions of Phosphatic and Siliceous Facies studied. This indicates that the two facies, with their faunal and sedimentological characteristics considered to reflect major oceanic and climatic changes during the middle Miocene, are similar in terms of P burial. Total P accumulation rates are also comparable to other phosphogenic Miocene and modern environments. We modeled variable sedimentation rates to examine the sensitivity of mean P accumulation rates to the linear sedimentation rate assumption. Increasing shale sedimentation rates to values above those estimated by linear models yields higher mean P accumulation rates in both facies, though they remain comparable in terms of net P burial. Modeling also revealed that, for increased shale sedimentation rates in each facies, siliceous sedimentation must be about three times faster than dolomitic strata sedimentation.
A history-dependent random sequence defined by Ulam

Ulam has defined a history-dependent random sequence of integers {a"n} by the recursion a"n"+"1 = a"n + a"X"("n"), a"1 = 1, P{X(n) = K} = n^-^1, and K= 1,2,..., n. It is shown that the expectation of a"n is asymptotic to exp(2@/n) and that the expectation of a"n^2 is asymptotic to exp[@/2[5 + @/17]@/n]. The methods of generating functions and steepest descent are used.
Optimum density and composition for catalytic pellets

Abstract Optimization calculations are applied to the problem of selecting either a microporous support from the viewpoint of available surface area or a macroporous support from the viewpoint of permeability in order to achieve the largest reaction rate in a pellet of fixed geometry. A single reversible reaction of first order is considered under isothermal conditions. The calculations are carried out with a proposed diffusion model which can successfully correlate diffusion data in pellets formed from single supports over a wide range of conditions. Optimum compositions are determined for pellets formed from both supports at a fixed density. Optimum densities are calculated for pellets of fixed composition. The combined problem of optimum density and composition is also treated and is shown to reduce to one of the individual problems. The results include both local maxima in the reaction rate and maxima on the boundary of allowable values of composition and density. The location of the maxima depend upon the kinetic and diffusional characteristics of the supports and the diffusional parameters of the pellet.
Strict proper nilness modulo an absorber

An element z of a Jordan system J is strictly properly nilpotent if it is nilpotent in all homotopes of all extensions of J; it is strictly properly nilpotent of bounded index if there is a bound on its indices of nilpotence in all these extensions. We showed in a previous paper that the strictly properly nilpotent elements (resp. those of bounded index) form an ideal, by exhibiting that ideal as an Amitsur shrinkage. In this paper we prove by combinatorial methods (the exponential law for power series and Jordan Binomial Theorems) a modular generalization of this: the elements strictly properly nilpotent (resp. boundedly so) modulo the absorber Q of an inner ideal K form an ideal. As a corollary we obtain Zelmanov’s Nilness-mod-the-Absorber-Theorem that the ideal generated by Q is nil mod K. From this we re-derive his Primitive Absorber and Exceptional Heart Theorems (improved to show the heart is S(J), not just S( (J)3), two results crucial to the structure of primitive Jordan systems, using a triple-sy...
Bounding Surface Model for Geosynthetic Reinforcements

Geosynthetic reinforcements are manufactured from polymers such as polyester, polypropylene, and high-density polyethylene. Compared to metals, they exhibit large plastic strains, and highly nonlinear and hysteretic behaviors under cyclic loading. Most geosynthetic reinforcements do not sustain compression load. Traditional cyclic models with the Masing rule fail to simulate such unique behavior. A 1D bounding surface concept is used to develop a model that considers these unique properties of geogrids. The unique features of the model include nonparallel bounding lines and different loading and unloading hardening parameters. The model was calibrated and compared with the experimental results of two geogrids under monotonic and cyclic loadings with different load amplitudes.
Blood-brain barrier permeability is not altered by allograft or xenograft fetal neural cell suspension grafts.

Abstract Alterations in blood-brain barrier (BBB) function after brain grafting seem dependent on the donor phenotype and possibly on the grafting technique. Intracerebral block grafts of nonneural tissue permanently disrupt the host BBB, while fetal neural block grafts probably do not. Cell suspensions, an alternative technique in brain grafting, disrupt the extracellular matrix of the graft. Fetal cell suspension allografts appear to form a functional BBB. We confirm and extend this finding to include fetal neural xenografts. Allograft and xenograft fetal neural cell suspensions were intracerebrally injected, and the BBB was examined using intravenous horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Neither graft type showed disruption of the BBB at the graft site from 2 weeks to more than 6 months after grafting. Vascular supply was prominent at all time points. Xenograft survival was improved with cyclosporine, yet cyclosporine did not affect BBB permeability. Cyclosporine did not interfere with repair of the BBB after simple brain trauma was induced by a control injection of saline. We conclude that fetal allograft and xenograft neural cell suspensions rapidly form and maintain a BBB impermeable to intravenous HRP.
PS2-22: Exploring the Course of Psychological Distress and Perceived Health Status After Receiving a Positive Fecal Occult Blood Test Result

Background/Aims Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening reduces morbidity and mortality. It is important to understand the effect of a positive fecal occult blood (FOB) screening test result on mental health and general well-being. The goal of this study is to evaluate differences in colon cancer worry, general anxiety and perceived health status among individuals receiving FOBT(+) and FOBT (−) results at 7–14 days and 4 months post screening. The study is the first to simultaneously chart mental and physical well-being associated with CRC screening.
Strategic information technology planning and the line manager's role

How can a company gain the benefits of entrepreneurial IT decision making by line managers without permitting the IT environment to become a high-cost, low-performance, disconnected collection of independent systems? This article proposes an approach to IT planning that includes a formal role and responsibility for line managers. When combined with centralized IT architecture planning, this planning technique creates an approach to information management that is simultaneously top-down and bottom-up.
Systemic markers of oxidative status and colorectal adenomatous polyps

Purpose Oxidative damage has been implicated in carcinogenesis. We hypothesized that elevated systemic oxidative status would be associated with later occurrence of colorectal adenomatous polyps, a precursor of colorectal cancer.
Systemic Constraints to Ecological Well‐Being: The Case of the 1985 Food Security Act1

Although the conservation title of the 1985 Food Security Act was hailed by many as revolutionary in its attempts to control soil erosion, it has failed to live up to its billing. A theory is used that asserts that the state's systemic commitment to promoting capitalist growth constrains it from establishing and implementing policies that accomplish anything more than displacing one environmental problem onto others. The theory is tested through a discourse analysis of the hearings surrounding the Federal government's attempt to control soil erosion through the 1985 Food Security Act, which revealed that policy recommendations challenging the drive to maximize efficiency and production were declared flawed and unacceptable. Hence, the hearings were systematically distorted in favor of the dominant instrumental rationality. It is concluded that government policy initiatives alone are insufficient and that creating alternative social organizations of production is necessary to promote ecological well-being.
Evaluating the Utility of the Spanish Version of the Behavior Assessment System for Children-Parent Report System:

Parents of 55 Hispanic children between the ages of 7 and 9 years participated in a study to compare scores on the Spanish version of the Behavior Assessment System for Children-Parent Report Syste...
Effect of statins on creatine kinase levels before and after a marathon run.

We measured the serum levels of myoglobin, total creatine kinase (CK), and the CK myocardial (CK-MB), muscle (CK-MM), and brain (CK-BB) isoenzymes in 37 subjects treated with statins and 43 nonstatin-treated controls running the 2011 Boston Marathon. Venous blood samples were obtained the day before (PRE) and within 1 hour (FINISH) and 24 hours after (POST) the race. The hematocrit and hemoglobin values were used to adjust for changes in the plasma volume. The CK distribution was normalized using log transformation before analysis. The exercise-related increase in CK 24 hours after exercise, adjusted for changes in plasma volume, was greater in the statin users (PRE to POST 133 ± 15 to 1,104 ± 150 U/L) than in the controls (PRE to POST 125 ± 12 to 813 ± 137 U/L; p = 0.03 for comparison). The increase in CK-MB 24 hours after exercise was also greater in the statin users (PRE to POST 1.1 ± 3.9 to 8.9 ± 7.0 U/L) than in the controls (PRE to POST 0.0 ± 0.0 to 4.2 ± 5.0 U/L; p 0.42), suggesting that susceptibility to exercise-induced muscle injury with statins increases with age. In conclusion, our results show that statins increase exercise-related muscle injury.
Noradrenergic alpha-2 receptor agonists reverse working memory deficits induced by the anxiogenic drug, FG7142, in rats.

Performance on working memory tasks, a measure of prefrontal cortical function, is impaired by exposure to mild stress as well as the anxiogenic drug, FG7142. Previous studies have shown that like stress, FG7142 increases catecholamine release in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and that high levels of dopamine (DA) D1 and norepinephrine (NE) α-1 receptor stimulation underlie the FG7142-induced cognitive impairment. Both the FG7142-induced DA turnover and working memory deficit can be blocked by pretreatment with the nonselective NE α-2/imidazoline I1 receptor agonist, clonidine. The present study examined the α-2 adrenoceptor subtype underlying this reversal in FG7142-induced working memory deficits by comparing the efficacy of clonidine with the more selective α-2A adrenoceptor agonist, guanfacine. The anxiogenic drug, FG7142 (0, 10, 20, or 30 mg/kg), dose-dependently impaired delayed alternation performance. Clonidine pretreatment (0.1 mg/kg, 30 min prior to FG7142) partially reversed the FG7142-induced impairment while guanfacine pretreatment (0.11 mg/kg) completely blocked the FG7142-induced impairment. Neither clonidine nor guanfacine had any effect on performance when administered alone. This study suggests that stimulation of the NE α-2A receptor subtype is sufficient to ameliorate the cognitive deficit induced by FG7142. Clonidine's sedative and hypotensive side effects limit its therapeutic usefulness; however, selective α-2A receptor agonists may be effective in treating prefrontal cognitive deficits in stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders with fewer side effects.
Reduced-Form Vs. Structural Models of Water Demand Under Non-Linear Prices

Increasing-block prices are common in markets for water, cellular phone service, and retail electricity. This study estimates demand models under block prices and conducts a Monte Carlo experiment to test the small-sample bias of structural and instrumental variables (IV) estimators. We estimate the price and income elasticity of water demand under increasing-block prices using a structural discrete/continuous choice (DCC) model, as well as random effects and IV. Elasticity estimates are sensitive to the modeling framework. The Monte Carlo experiment suggests that IV and DCC models estimate both price and income elasticity with bias, with no clear best choice among estimators.
Ignitability of sprayed liquids due to an electrostatic spark

The minimum ignition energy (MIE) is a reasonable and practical index to assess the ignition risk of flammable materials. This paper reports the results of experiments dealing with the MIE due to an electrostatic spark of a sprayed liquid under various conditions. Four kinds of liquid (kerosene, n-decane, m-xylene and styrene) were used as the materials in this study. The liquid was pneumatically conveyed to the spray gun and automatically sprayed for 7 s to measure the MIE. The spatial distribution of the MIE in the spraying liquid under various conditions was also investigated in this study. The following results were obtained. (i) In the normal temperature range 0–30°C), all sprayed liquids can be ignited by the spark with a discharge energy below 10 mJ irrespective of their flash point. In particular, styrene was ignited at 4 mJ. (ii) An optimum region for ignition in a spraying liquid was observed, and it depended on the velocity, concentration and particle size of the liquid. Experimental details and a discussion are presented.
SEPTIC ARTHRITIS OF THE HIP IN INFANCY

A retrospective study was undertaken of 24 infants with septic arthritis of one or both hips who presented to the Children's Hospital, Camperdown, during the 15 year period from 1973 to 1989. Staphylococcus aureus was found to be the most common pathogen. Umbilical catheterization was a significant aetiological factor in seven of 10 neonates studied. Young premature infants had the poorest outcome in regard to permanent bony changes in the upper femur, hip instability and leg length discrepancy. In patients with unstable and severely damaged upper femora, late salvage procedures were found to be unsatisfactory.
Responses to heat of C-fiber nociceptors in monkey are altered by injury in the receptive field but not by adjacent injury

Abstract We sought to determine the effects of a cut injury on the thermal responsiveness of C-fiber nociceptors sensitive to heat and mechanical stimuli (CMHs). Teased fiber techniques were used to record from single CMHs that innervated the hairy skin of the monkey arm. Responses to heat stimuli ranging from 41 to 49°C were compared before and after injury. In 11 CMHs, the injury was applied 4 mm peripheral to the edge of the receptive field. The response to the heat sequence was not significantly altered by this adjacent injury. In 16 CMHs, a cut was applied directly to the receptive field. This direct injury led to a significant increase in response to the sequence of heat stimuli (i.e., sensitization). It is concluded that spreading sensitization of C-fiber nociceptors to a cut injury does not occur in monkey.
The Comfort Zone

Interdisciplinary work is a key part of computing, but it often demands that we drop old conceptions and learn to think as others do. The Web extra at http://youtu.be/y8BSzeoZDCA is a video segment in which author David Alan Grier expands on his Errant Hashtag column, in which he discusses how interdisciplinary work is a key part of computing, but that it often demands we drop old conceptions and learn to think as others do.
Stability criteria for certain high even order delay differential equations

Abstract In this paper we study the asymptotic stability of the zero solution of even order linear delay differential equations of the form y ( 2 m ) ( t ) = ∑ j = 0 2 m − 1 a j y ( j ) ( t ) + ∑ j = 0 2 m − 1 b j y ( j ) ( t − τ ) , where a j and b j are certain constants and m ⩾ 1 . Here τ > 0 is a constant delay. In proving our results we make use of Pontryagin's theory for quasi-polynomials.
JOINT INJURIES OF THE HAND IN ATHLETES

The variety of injuries that occur in the joints of the hand range from skin abrasions to displaced intra-articular fractures. This article discusses serious injuries involving ligaments, volar plate, and bones at specific anatomic regions of the joints of the hand.
A Coupled MM5-NOAH Land Surface Model-based Assessment of Sensitivity of Planetary Boundary Layer Variables to Anomalous Soil Moisture Conditions

The sensitivity of the near-surface weather variables and small-scale convection to soil moisture for Western Kentucky was investigated with the aide of the MM5 Penn State/NCAR mesoscale atmospheric model for three different synoptic conditions in June 2006. The model was initialized with FNL reanalysis from NCEP containing soil moisture data calculated with the Noah land surface model. Dry and wet experiments were performed in order to find the influence of soil moisture specification on boundary layer atmospheric variables. Dry experiments showed less available atmospheric moisture (between 2 and 6 g kg-1) at near-surface levels during all synoptic events consistent with slightly deeper boundary layers, higher lifting condensation levels and a larger Bowen ratio. As expected, precipitation rates were generally smaller than those of the control simulation. However, during a moderately strong synoptic event in early June, the dry experiments displayed larger precipitation rates compared to the control exp...
Patent ductus arteriosus complicating respiratory distress syndrome

PDA was diagnosed in 76 (19%) of 396 patients with RDS. Evidence of excessive pulmonary blood flow and CHF developed in 15 (20%). CHF was not recognized prior to 10 days of age in any patient. All 15 with CHF were initially managed medically. Seven improved; three died of other causes. Five patients who failed medical management were surgically treated; all survived operation, but only two were improved.
Leveraging a spatio-temporal drought severity and coverage index with crop yield modelled as a stochastic process

An analysis of spatial and temporal variation of drought impact may offer an unbiased glimpse into factors that may dictate drought severity at an apt local scale. In this study drought indices, for example, drought severity and coverage index, ISC, and, a derived crop-based drought severity and coverage index, ISC,AG, were scaled down to county levels. Drought frequency analyses showed clear demarcation of counties in an observable dichotomy. This demarcation has significant implications on crop yield. This impact was analysed using USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS): a county level yield b developed ISC values c Markovian process on transition of crop yield categories. From this study the immediate observation was: a southwest counties, for example, are also susceptible to secondary effects due to drought b crops like corn are more susceptible to periodic wetness disturbance.
Line-fault locator using fault-generated surges

The problem of locating faults on high-voltage transmission lines is an old one, but is becoming more important as distances grow longer and more lines are built through isolated mountain and desert areas.
Characterization of the actuator behavior of blended-system ferrogels

Ferrogels are soft polymer materials containing a filler of magnetic particles that allow the material to be activated by magnetic fields. These materials have shown capabilities for large strains, fast response, ease of synthesis and biocompatibility and have potential applications including artificial muscles, controlled drug release systems, and hyperthermia cancer treatment. In this work the actuator behavior for a selection of ferrogel compositions and synthesis methods are characterized including their free strain and loading behavior. Samples were synthesized using either chemical or physical methods for samples containing PVA of 4, 8, and 12 wt% and magnetic particles of 1, 5, and 10 wt%. This samples were then tested for free strain and strain under loads of up to 4 times their weight by exposing them of fields from between 0.2 and 0.25T. Results show that softer samples with the largest amount of iron achieve the largest strains. Thus, chemically crosslinked sample with 4 wt% PVA and 10 wt% iron achieved the largest strain of almost 40%. Soft samples however exhibit low loaded capabilities with a blocked load of 1.7g identified. The physically crosslinked samples which were stiffer achieved very good loading capabilities with only a 20% strain decrease when loaded up to 400% of their weight. This translated in to a energy density of 320 J/m3 making these materials very promising for actuator applications.
Eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids are not anticonvulsant or neuroprotective in acute mouse seizure models

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), or vegetable oil (control) were added to standard rodent chow (6 g/kg) and fed to mice ad lib for 4 weeks to determine if polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are anticonvulsant or neuroprotective in mice. The seizure susceptibility of these mice was compared using the fluorothyl, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), 6 Hz, and kainate models. We found that PUFA feeding significantly altered the fatty acid profile in both plasma and brain, but did not change seizure thresholds in the fluorothyl, PTZ, or 6 Hz models nor did it significantly alter seizure behavior or hippocampal damage following kainate injection. In conclusion, DHA or EPA feeding did not show anticonvulsant or neuroprotective activity in four acute seizure models. Chronic seizure models remain to be examined.
Coexpression of the mRNAs encoding retinol dehydrogenase isozymes and cellular retinol‐binding protein

We used in situ hybridization of adult rat tissue to show that mRNAs encoding cellular retinol-binding protein (CRBP) and retinol dehydrogenase (RoDH) isozymes I/III and II were expressed in hepatocytes uniformly throughout the liver lobule, but were absent from Kupffer cells and endothelial cells of blood vessels and bile ducts. In kidney, CRBP, RoDH(I), and RoDH(II) were found in the proximal tubules of the cortex. Distal tubules, Henle's loops, collecting ducts, and glomeruli showed little, if any, expression. In testis, CRBP, RoDH(I), and RoDH(II) were found in Sertoli cells. Expression, albeit weaker, also occurred in spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes. Peritubular cells and other germ cells had even weaker expression. Only CRBP and RoDH(II) mRNA were detected in interstitial cells. In lung CRBP, RoDH(I) and RoDH(II) were expressed most intensely in the epithelium of the bronchi and bronchioli, but also occurred in the simple columnar epithelial cells of the alveolar duct and in alveolar type II cells. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that holo-CRBP serves as substrate for retinoic acid biosynthesis because they show that the substrate and the enzyme occur in the same cellular loci in vivo. These data also indicate that multiple cellular sites of retinoic acid biosynthesis occur throughout tissues. Also, the general concordance between mRNA localization and CRBP expression patterns, revealed by previous immunocytochemistry studies, supports and extends the conclusion that CRBP mRNA expression correlates with CRBP expression, based earlier on comparing RNA assays with radioimmunoassays.
Disseminating Research Information to Multiple Stakeholders Lessons From the Experience of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research

The U.S. Department of Education is considering the development of a uniform dissemination system for its component bureaus. The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), although a part of the Department, is more closely tied to medical research and less involved with the traditional state and local education audiences of the other parts of the department. This article describes lessons learned by NIDRR in its various dissemination activities that might be useful to an overall system.
Malignant lymphomas of the pharynx

Fifty-five patients with malignant lymphoma of the pharynx were studied, and the pathologic material was analyzed. It is concluded that reticulum cell sarcoma with no involvement of the cervical lymph nodes is a highly curable tumor by radiotherapy (7 out of 9 survived 5 years or more). On the other hand, almost all the patients with involvement of the cervical lymph nodes had early recurrences or metastases that failed to respond to various therapeutic measures. Well-differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma (lymphosarcoma) showed more tendency to disseminate, but recurrences were relatively easier to control by radiotherapy or chemotherapy and compatible with long survival. As expected, all 3 patients with nodular lymphoma (giant follicular lymphoma) are living 5 years or more and only one with disseminated disease. Hodgkin's disease is rare in the pharynx. Careful histologic classification and irradiation to eradicate the tumor are extremely useful measures in controlling these neoplasms.
Reviewing the role of donepezil in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Donepezil is a reversible, non-competitive piperidine-type acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) that is structurally unique compared with other currently available AChEIs. It was developed as a symptomatic treatment to compensate for the progressive loss of cholinergic signal between neurons, a consequence of neuronal cell loss in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Clinical trials conducted over the 15 years since the drug was first licensed and available for use in patients with mild to moderate AD (1997) have shown that donepezil is efficacious and well tolerated at all stages of AD, from patients with mild or moderate impairment to those with severe disease. The published literature contains nearly 2000 papers on donepezil, and more than 200 of these articles relate to randomized controlled clinical trials. Trials in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) failed to meet all of their primary objectives, but provided insights into patient selection and the design of trials. Overall, more than a decade of donepezil research has gradually changed attitudes toward therapy of AD from a general belief that no clinically useful treatment exists to the present day understanding that symptomatic therapy may be effective across the spectrum of dementia stages.
A comparative study of the effects of cotton fiber length parameters on modeling yarn properties

Fiber length is one of the key properties of cotton and has important influences on yarn production and yarn quality. Various parameters have been developed to characterize cotton fiber length in t...
Markov Decision Problems Where Means Bound Variances

We identify a rich class of finite-horizon Markov decision problems MDPs for which the variance of the optimal total reward can be bounded by a simple linear function of its expected value. The class is characterized by three natural properties: reward nonnegativity and boundedness, existence of a do-nothing action, and optimal action monotonicity. These properties are commonly present and typically easy to check. Implications of the class properties and of the variance bound are illustrated by examples of MDPs from operations research, operations management, financial engineering, and combinatorial optimization.
Adaptive thinking and leadership training for cultural awareness and communication competence

This paper presents a report on a new multiplayer simulation game for government and/or non‐government interpersonal and intercultural communication training that launched in December 2004 and was designed expressly to serve as a non‐violent virtual sandbox in which multiple players practice communication skills, mental agility, and hone cultural awareness acumen. The game is currently being used in leadership training programs.
Line-by-line pulse-shaping reconfigurable at GHz rates using injection-locked VCSELs

We demonstrate pulse-shaping at reconfiguration rates at half the repetition rate of the laser. Injection-locked VCSELs independently modulate four optical comb lines at frequencies up to 3.125 GHz, changing the pulse shape from pulse-to-pulse.
Local phenomenological nucleon-nucleon potentials

Abstract Hard (infinitely hard) and soft (Yukawa) core potentials have been fit to Yale and Livermore phase parameters and low-energy data. The potentials are local and static except that a different one is used for each state of distinct isotopic spin, total spin, and total angular momentum. It is found that neither the short-range behavior of the potentials nor the central-to-tensor ratio in the 3 S 1 - 3 D 1 state is well determined by the data. Present data do exclude potentials containing only local central, tensor, and spin-orbit terms. Addition of a quadratic spin-orbit potential such as that used by the Yale group or by Hamada and Johnston helps greatly but is probably not enough to completely reproduce the data. Nevertheless, present day theories which use potentials are not likely to be sensitive to failures due to use of this form.
Managing methanogens and homoacetogens to promote reductive dechlorination of trichloroethene with direct delivery of H2 in a membrane biofilm reactor

A study with H(2)-based membrane biofilm reactors (MBfRs) was undertaken to examine the effectiveness of direct H(2) delivery in ex-situ reductive dechlorination of chlorinated ethenes. Trichloroethene (TCE) could be reductively dechlorinated to ethene with up to 95% efficiency as long as the pH-increase effects of methanogens and homoacetogens were managed and dechlorinators were selected for during start-up by creating H(2) limitation. Based on quantitative PCR, the dominant bacterial groups in the biofilm at the end of reactor operation were Dehalococcoides, Geobacter, and homoacetogens. Pyrosequencing confirmed the dominance of the dechlorinators and identified Acetobacterium as the key homoacetogen. Homoacetogens outcompeted methanogens for bicarbonate, based on the effluent concentration of acetate, by suppressing methanogens during batch start-up. This was corroborated by the methanogenesis functional gene mcrA, which was 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than the FTHFS functional gene for homoacetogens. Imaging of the MBfR fibers using scanning electron microscopy showed a distinct Dehalococcoides-like morphology in the fiber biofilm. These results support that direct addition of H(2) can allow for efficient and complete reductive dechlorination, and they shed light into how H(2)-fed biofilms, when operated to manage methanogenic and homoacetogenic activity, can be used for ex-situ bioremediation of chlorinated ethenes.
Secure traffic data propagation in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

In vehicular ad hoc network, vehicles can share traffic/emergency information. The information should not be modified/manipulated during transmission without detection. We present two novel approaches to provide reliable traffic information propagation: two-directional data verification, and time-based data verification. The traffic message is sent through two (spatially or temporally spaced) channels. A recipient vehicle verifies the message integrity by checking if data received from both channels are matched. Compared with the popular public-key based security systems, the proposed approaches are much simpler and cheaper to implement, especially during the initial transition stage when a mature VANET network infrastructure does not exist.
Detecting Sybil nodes in wireless networks with physical layer network coding

Previous research on the security of network coding focuses on the detection of pollution attacks. The capabilities of network coding to detect malicious attacks have not been fully explored. We propose a new mechanism based on physical layer network coding to detect the Sybil nodes. When two signal sequences collide at the receiver, the starting point of the collision is determined by the distances between the receiver and the senders. When the distance between two receivers is large enough, they can combine their interference sequences to recover the original data packets. On the contrary, the Sybil nodes attached to the same physical device cannot accomplish the data recovery procedure. We have proposed several schemes at both physical and network layers to transform the idea into a practical approach. The investigation shows that the wireless nodes can effectively detect Sybil nodes without the adoption of special hardware or time synchronization.
Taking charge: Feeding malaria via anion channels

The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum increases red blood cell membrane permeability during infection to allow for import of nutrients and other solutes. Nguitragool et al. (2011) have now identified parasite-encoded CLAG3 proteins as key components of the import channel located on the erythrocyte membrane.
Community Context and Complexity of Organizational Structure in Neighborhood Associations

Using data from neighborhood associations in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, this research examines the relationship between the structure of neighborhood associations and the characteristics of the population of their respective neighborhoods assuming that the social environment in which an association operates has an impact on the structure of the organization. The size of the association, the percentage of the neighborhood population that is Black socioeconomic status of the residents, and an age composition variable were positive predictors of the degree of complexity of organizational structure in the associations. Neighborhood stability exhibited a negative impact on complexity. The significance levels of some of these relationships changed when the neighborhood associations with mandatory membership were excluded. The age of the association did not have a significant impact on complexity.
Expression of chimeric connexins reveals new properties of the formation and gating behavior of gap junction channels

Direct intercellular communication occurs through specialized channels, which are formed by the interaction of two half-channels, or connexons, contributed by each of the two participating cells. The ability to establish intercellular communication is specified, in part, by the expression of different structural proteins, termed connexins. Connexins can control the establishment of intercellular communication by selectively pairing with some but not other family members. To characterize the protein domains that allow connexins to recognize and discriminate between alternative partners, we have created chimeras composed of selected regions of rat connexin43, which forms channels with Xenopus connexin38, and rat connexin32, which cannot. Pairs of Xenopus oocytes were used to test the ability of the chimeras to form homotypic channels with themselves, and heterotypic channels with the parent connexins or with endogenous Xenopus connexin38. While all hybrid molecules tested were efficiently expressed by oocytes, most were devoid of functional activity. A chimera consisting of connexin32 from the N terminus to the second transmembrane domain, fused to connexin43 from the middle cytoplasmic loop to the C terminus, designated as 3243H4, was able to pair functionally with Xenopus connexin38 and one of its parent connexins, connexin43. Voltage-dependent closure of heterotypic channels containing 3243H4 was asymmetric, exhibited novel characteristics that were not predicted by the behavior of the parent connexins and was dependent on the type of connexin with which 3243H4 was paired. In contrast, 3243H4 was unable to form functional channels with either itself or the other parent, connexin32. Together, these results suggest that these connexins are not composed of functionally exchangeable regions and that multiple domains, namely the middle cytoplasmic portion and the second extracellular domain, can influence the interactions between connexins present in adjacent cells. Furthermore, they indicate that voltage gating is not strictly intrinsic behavior for a given connexin, but can be modulated by the partner connexins to which they are paired. Finally, the finding that 3243H4 is functional only in heterotypic configurations, and cannot form homotypic channels, suggests the existence of a novel form of selectivity: self-discrimination. The latter property may represent another mechanism that operates to control the extent of communication between cells.
Mantle transition zone structure beneath Kenya and Tanzania: more evidence for a deep-seated thermal upwelling in the mantle

SUMMARY Here we investigate the thermal structure of the mantle beneath the eastern Branch of the East African Rift system in Kenya and Tanzania. We focus on the structure of the mantle transition zone,asdelineatedbystackingofreceiverfunctions.Thetopofthetransitionzone(the410km discontinuity) displays distinctive topography, and is systematically depressed beneath the rift in Kenya and northern Tanzania and adjacent volcanic fields. This depression is indicative of a localized ! 350 " C thermal anomaly. In contrast, the bottom of the transition zone (the 660km discontinuity) is everywhere depressed. This region-wide depression is best explained as a Ps conversion from the majorite‐perovskite transition of anomalously warm mantle. We interpret this structure of the transition zone as resulting from the ponding of a mantle plume (possibly the deep-mantle African Superplume) at the base of the transition zone, which then drives localized thermal upwellings that disrupt the top of the transition zone and extend to shallow mantle depths beneath the rift in Kenya and northern Tanzania.