cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accounting for Securitizations: A Comparison of SFAS 140 and IASB 39: Accounting for Securitizations

This paper examines the accounting for securitizations under US GAAP and international financial reporting standards (IFRS). Using a sample securitization of the Ford Motor Company, we demonstrate substantial differences depending on whether the securitization is recorded following US GAAP or IFRS. Our analysis suggests international convergence of accounting standards will be more challenging as the FASB and IASB begin tackling issues, such as asset securitization, that have important economic consequences and where the differences between US GAAP and IFRS are substantive.
Synthesis and Structure of Mes*AlN(Ph)Al(Mes*)N(Ph)NPh: A Formal Aluminum−Nitrogen Analog of the Cyclopentadienide Ion

The Al2N3 ring compound Mes*AlN(Ph)Al(Mes*)N(Ph)NPh (1), which is a cyclopentadienide analog, has been synthesized by the reaction of (Mes*AlH2)2 with PhNNPh. The folded structure of the ring (see illustration), as well as the absence of short Al−N or N−N bonds, suggests little delocalization of the π-electrons.
Cooling Performance of a 16-Nozzle Array in Variable Gravity

The objective ofthis paper was to investigate the cooling performance of 16-nozzle spray array using FC-72 as the working fluid in variable-gravity conditions. A flight-test experiment was modified to accommodate a 16-nozzle spray array, which was then tested in the parabolic flight trajectory environment of NASA's C-9 reduced-gravity aircraft. The 16-nozzle array was designed to cool a 25.4 x 25.4 mm 2 area on a thick-film resistive heater used to simulate an electronic component. Flight tests were conducted over the course of two flight weeks (each week consisting of four flights and each flight consisting of 40 to 60 parabolas). The mass flow rate through the 16-nozzle spray array ranged from 13.1 ≤ m ≤ 21.3 g/s. The heat flux at the thick-film resistor ranged from 2.9 ≤ q" ≤ 25 w / 2 , the subcooling of the working fluid ranged from 1.6 ≤ ΔT sc ≤ 18.4°C, the saturation temperature ranged from 37.4 ≤ T sat ≤ 47.2°C, and the absorbed air content in the working fluid was C = 10.1,14.3 and 16.8% by volume. The spray chamber pressure ranged from 42 ≤ P ≤ 78 kPa and the acceleration ranged from -0.02 ≤ a ≤ -2.02 g. Two-phase cooling was emphasized, but some single-phase data were also collected. A one-dimensional model was used to predict the heater surface temperature from the heat input and mean heater base temperature. It was found that the cooling performance was enhanced in microgravity over terrestrial and elevated gravity. In addition, a sudden degradation in performance was found at high mass flow rates in microgravity, possibly due to liquid buildup on the surface between the nozzle impact zones. A high degree of subcooling was found to be beneficial, but the dissolved air content had little effect on the heat transfer performance in either microgravity or elevated gravity.
Lack of evidence of Ki-ras codon 12 mutations in melanocytic lesions.

A number of studies have failed to detect point mutations at codon 12 in the Ki-ras gene in melanocytic neoplasms. One recent study, however, has found a high percentage of Ki-ras codon 12 point mutations. In an effort to resolve this difference, the present study examined noncultured melanocytic lesions (i.e., 5 benign nevi, 10 dysplastic nevi, and 8 primary melanomas: 4 in situ and 4 invasive) for point mutations at codon 12 in the first exon of the Ki-ras proto-oncogene using polymerase chain reaction methodology with oligonucleotide hybridization and direct DNA sequencing. The results of this study indicates no detectable mutations in the 12th codon of the first exon of the Ki-ras gene in any premalignant or malignant melanocytic lesion examined.
Speech-Driven Animation Constrained by Appropriate Discourse Functions

Conversational agents provide powerful opportunities to interact and engage with the users. The challenge is how to create naturalistic behaviors that replicate the complex gestures observed during human interactions. Previous studies have used rule-based frameworks or data-driven models to generate appropriate gestures, which are properly synchronized with the underlying discourse functions. Among these methods, speech-driven approaches are especially appealing given the rich information conveyed on speech. It captures emotional cues and prosodic patterns that are important to synthesize behaviors (i.e., modeling the variability and complexity of the timings of the behaviors). The main limitation of these models is that they fail to capture the underlying semantic and discourse functions of the message (e.g., nodding). This study proposes a speech-driven framework that explicitly model discourse functions, bridging the gap between speech-driven and rule-based models. The approach is based on dynamic Bayesian Network (DBN), where an additional node is introduced to constrain the models by specific discourse functions. We implement the approach by synthesizing head and eyebrow motion. We conduct perceptual evaluations to compare the animations generated using the constrained and unconstrained models.
Evidence implicating nonmuscle myosin in restenosis. Use of in situ hybridization to analyze human vascular lesions obtained by directional atherectomy.

BACKGROUNDIdentification of genes that are specifically activated in restenosis lesions after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty represents a necessary step toward molecular manipulation designed to inhibit cellular proliferation responsible for such lesions. Whereas quiescent smooth muscle cells (contractile phenotype) preferentially express smooth muscle myosin, proliferating smooth muscle cells (synthetic phenotype) have been shown to preferentially express nonmuscle myosin in vitro. Accordingly, we analyzed the expression of a recently cloned isoform of human nonmuscle myosin heavy chain (MHC-B) in fresh human restenotic lesions.METHODS AND RESULTSA total of 10 lesions, including four restenosis (three superficial femoral arterial lesions and one saphenous vein bypass lesion) and six primary (four superficial femoral arterial lesions and two coronary arterial lesions) obtained percutaneously by directional atherectomy, were processed for examination by in situ hybridization. In total, 150 tissue se...
Application of statistical process control, sampling, and validation for producing Listeria monocytogenes-free chicken leg quarters processed in steam followed by impingement cooking

Abstract Chicken leg quarters (180–230 g) were processed for 4 min in steam at 99°C and then in an air impingement oven for 24 min at an oven temperature of 232°C, an air velocity of 2 m/s, and a humidity of 60%. The cooked chicken leg quarters were sampled to measure for the end-point internal temperatures. Sampling size in each subgroup for the internal temperature measurements was determined based on a normal distribution at a confidence level of 95%. The process mean, range, and standard deviation at 95% confidence level were 73.9°C, 1.8°C, and 0.9°C, respectively, for the internal temperatures of the cooked chicken leg quarters. The process lethality was validated for up to 7 log 10 cfu/g reductions of Listeria monocytogenes in the cooked chicken leg quarters and verified by an inoculation study in which the chicken leg quarters were injected with 0.1 ml of the culture per cm 2 of the product surface area to contain 7–8 log 10 cfu/g of L . monocytogenes . This paper provided an approach for process control, sampling, and validation to reduce pathogens in fully cooked poultry products.
Uniform asymptotic error estimates for semiconductor device and electrochemistry equations

Abstract The paper is organized as follows. Section 1 sets up the problem, our purpose and results and the existing results in the literature. Section 2 gives the notations used in the paper. Sections 3 and 4 set up the problem in the case of a symmetric piecewise constant junction and recall the associated asymptotic expansion. In Section 5 our method is introduced and uniform asymptotic error estimates for a symmetric piecewise constant junction are derived. Section 6 is an application of our technique for the case of a biological membrane with a constant concentration of fixed charges. Uniform asymptotic error estimates are also proved to hold in that case. A brief summary and conclusion are given. In the appendix we give the proofs of the lemmas which are used in Sections 5 and 6.
EXPLODE: a lightweight, general system for finding serious storage system errors

Storage systems such as file systems, databases, and RAID systems have a simple, basic contract: you give them data, they do not lose or corrupt it. Often they store the only copy, making its irrevocable loss almost arbitrarily bad. Unfortunately, their code is exceptionally hard to get right, since it must correctly recover from any crash at any program point, no matter how their state was smeared across volatile and persistent memory.This paper describes EXPLODE, a system that makes it easy to systematically check real storage systems for errors. It takes user-written, potentially system-specific checkers and uses them to drive a storage system into tricky corner cases, including crash recovery errors. EXPLODE uses a novel adaptation of ideas from model checking, a comprehensive, heavy-weight formal verification technique, that makes its checking more systematic (and hopefully more effective) than a pure testing approach while being just as lightweight.EXPLODE is effective. It found serious bugs in a broad range of real storage systems (without requiring source code): three version control systems, Berkeley DB, an NFS implementation, ten file systems, a RAID system, and the popular VMware GSX virtual machine. We found bugs in every system we checked, 36 bugs in total, typically with little effort.
An example of the use of Public Health Grid (PHGrid) technology during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic

Historically, public health surveillance systems in the USA have been designed as registries targeting specific public health issues that collect data from certain population groups to answer particular questions. This resulted in disparate public health information systems that can rarely address new needs without extensive redesign. Such a design limits the ability of public health professionals to address emerging public health threats when data need to be collected from different areas of public health practice; the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic posed such a challenge. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Public Health Informatics and Technology Program Office (CDC/PHITPO) and its partners explored a decentralised information architecture using the Public Health Grid (PHGrid). Through the exploration of PHGrid capabilities, CDC/PHITPO developed a pilot project to demonstrate a method for secure and timely data exchange using simulated data in aggregate format.
Innate degree of freedom of a graph

For a Kekule structure we consider the smallest number of placements of double bonds such that the full Kekule structure on the given parent graph is fully determined. These numbers for each Kekule structure of the parent graph sum to a novel structural invariant F, called the degree of freedom of the graph. Some qualitative characteristics are identified, and it is noted that apparently it behaves differently from a couple of other invariants related to Kekule structures.
Age‐related behaviors have distinct transcriptional profiles in Caenorhabditis elegans

There has been a great deal of interest in identifying potential biomarkers of aging. Biomarkers of aging would be useful to predict potential vulnerabilities in an individual that may arise well before they are chronologically expected, due to idiosyncratic aging rates that occur between individuals. Prior attempts to identify biomarkers of aging have often relied on the comparisons of long-lived animals to a wild-type control. However, the effect of interventions in model systems that prolong lifespan (such as single gene mutations or caloric restriction) can sometimes be difficult to interpret due to the manipulation itself having multiple unforeseen consequences on physiology, unrelated to aging itself. The search for predictive biomarkers of aging therefore is problematic, and the identification of metrics that can be used to predict either physiological or chronological age would be of great value. One methodology that has been used to identify biomarkers for numerous pathologies is gene expression profiling. Here, we report whole-genome expression profiles of individual wild-type Caenorhabditis elegans covering the entire wild-type nematode lifespan. Individual nematodes were scored for either age-related behavioral phenotypes, or survival, and then subsequently associated with their respective gene expression profiles. This facilitated the identification of transcriptional profiles that were highly associated with either physiological or chronological age. Overall, our approach serves as a paradigm for identifying potential biomarkers of aging in higher organisms that can be repeatedly sampled throughout their lifespan.
AFM measurements of interactions between the platelet integrin receptor GPIIbIIIa and fibrinogen.

Abstract Binding of receptor proteins on circulating platelets to fibrinogen adsorbed on a biomaterial surface is a critical event in the blood–material interactions and surface-induced thrombogenesis. In this work, the interactions between purified platelet membrane integrin GPIIbIIIa (α IIb β 3 ) and fibrinogen on model hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces were characterized by measuring ligand–receptor debonding forces by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Force profiles between AFM probes functionalized with platelet integrins and fibrinogen on these substrates showed multiple rupture events over large distances on both surfaces. On the hydrophobic surface, the rupture length range was 20–200 nm, whereas on the hydrophilic surface, the rupture length range was 20–400 nm. Rupture events in the force curves were found to arise from non-specific protein–protein interactions, mechanical denaturation of fibrinogen domains, as well as the specific ligand–receptor interactions between integrins and fibrinogen. Analysis of the distributions of the debonding forces was used to estimate the strength of single integrin–fibrinogen pair at different loading rates. For loading rates of 10–60 nN/s, the debonding strength of a single integrin–fibrinogen pair was found to be in the range of 50–80 pN and was independent of the underlying substrate. Results suggest that once the active platelet binding epitope in fibrinogen becomes exposed by surface adsorption, binding of the platelet membrane integrin receptor will be similar regardless of the material surface properties.
Phase-field crystal modeling of equilibrium bcc-liquid interfaces

We investigate the equilibrium properties of bcc-liquid interfaces modeled with a continuum phase-field crystal (PFC) approach [K. R. Elder and M. Grant, Phys. Rev. E 70, 051605 (2004)]. A multiscale analysis of the PFC model is carried out which exploits the fact that the amplitudes of crystal density waves decay slowly into the liquid in the physically relevant limit where the freezing transition is weakly first order. This analysis yields a set of coupled equations for these amplitudes that is similar to the set of equations derived from Ginzburg-Landau (GL) theory [K.-A. Wu et al., Phys. Rev. B 73, 094101 (2006)]. The two sets only differ in the details of higher order nonlinear couplings between different density waves, which is determined by the form of the nonlinearity assumed in the PFC model and by the ansatz that all polygons with the same number of sides have equal weight in GL theory. Despite these differences, for parameters (liquid structure factor and solid density wave amplitude) of Fe determined from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the PFC and GL amplitude equations yield very similar predictions for the overall magnitude and anisotropy of the interfacial free-energy and density wave profiles. These predictions are compared with MD simulations as well as numerical solutions of the PFC model.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of carboacyclic nucleosides with (Z) and (E)-9-[4,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)]-2-butenyl side chain

A series of carboacyclic nucleosides with (Z) and (E)-9-[4,4-bis(hydroxy-methyl)]-2-butenyl side chains were synthesized as ring open analogs of cyclohexene nucleosides 1 and bioisosteres of ganciclovir 3. The (E)-isomers were obtained to compare the side chain geometry effect on antiviral activity.
Tadd Sholtis, Military Strategy as Public Discourse: America's War in Afghanistan (London, UK: Routledge, 2014), 212 pp.

The gap between the quality of the United States’ military and its public discourse on strategic matters is striking. Washington commands perhaps the most sophisticated, and certainly the most expe...
Has the Work Ethic Run Out of Steam

The Work Ethic originated during the Reformation Period as a way to reach heaven and improve one’s life on earth. During the Industrial Revolution, it became the driving force behind the striving f...
Increased expression of TGF-β1 mRNA in the obstructed kidney of rats with unilateral ureteral ligation

Renal interstitial fibrosis is a common consequence of chronic ureteral obstruction. While several cytokines may initiate fibrogenesis, TGF-beta is considered to be a major stimulating factor. It has been reported that TGF-beta 1 regulates extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis, that thromboxane (Tx) stimulates ECM protein synthesis, and that angiotensin II (Ang II) increases expression of TGF-beta 1 mRNA in rat aortic smooth muscle cells. Therefore, we measured TGF-beta 1 mRNA expression by reverse transcription coupled with polymerase chain reaction in renal cortex of rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) to determine whether Ang II and/or Tx stimulates increases in TGF-beta 1 mRNA. TGF-beta 1 mRNA levels in contralateral kidneys of rats with UUO did not change significantly during 14 days of obstruction, while in the obstructed kidney TGF-beta 1 mRNA levels were increased significantly after three days as compared to the control (unoperated rats) kidneys. The increase in TGF-beta 1 mRNA expression in the obstructed kidney cortex was found in tubular cells rather than glomeruli. OKY-046, an inhibitor of thromboxane synthase, did not affect the changes in TGF-beta 1 mRNA in the obstructed kidney. Enalapril, an angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor, significantly blunted but did not completely abrogate the increase in TGF-beta 1 mRNA. These data suggest that in obstruction TGF-beta 1 is increased at the transcriptional level and thus may play a role in initiating fibrogenesis in obstructive nephropathy. The effect of thromboxane on extracellular matrix synthesis does not appear to be mediated by TGF-beta 1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Crystal growth and characterization of Marokite CaMn2O4+δ

Abstract Centimeter-sized single crystals of CaMn 2 O 4+ δ , commonly known as Marokite, were grown using the floating-zone method. The growth conditions are reported along with a discussion of a simple method for polycrystalline rod preparation, which differs from the typical cold isostatic pressure procedure. Crystal characterization was determined by powder X-ray diffraction, back-reflection Laue diffraction, iodometric titration, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and vibrating sample magnetometry. Polycrystalline rods, composed of stoichiometric Marokite, were found to produce crystals with CaMnO 3 as a secondary impurity phase as revealed by magnetic measurements and powder diffraction. Crystals grown from polycrystalline rods with excess manganese oxide produced single crystals of high quality without impurity phases.
Effects of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 on midsagittal sutural bone formation during expansion

Introduction The goal of this study was to evaluate whether human recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) enhances sutural bone formation or causes premature sutural fusion. Methods Thirty 6-week-old rabbits underwent midsagittal sutural expansion. The animals were randomly assigned to receive 0 (control), 0.1 mg per milliliter, or 0.4 mg per milliliter of rhBMP-2, delivered by an absorbable collagen sponge placed over the suture. A 100-g constant force was delivered for 33 days by using a nickel-titanium spring to expand the suture between 2 miniscrew implants anchored in the frontal bone. At days 10, 20, and 30, sutural separation was evaluated and modeled over time as polynomials by using multilevel statistical procedures. Bone formation and sutural gaps were analyzed histomorphometrically between days 10 and 20 and days 20 and 30. Results The control group showed significantly greater overall sutural bone formation than did the 2 rhBMP-2 groups. Over time, bone formation decreased significantly in all groups. Between days 10 and 20, the 0.4 mg per milliliter group produced significantly more (58%) bone than did the 0.1 mg per milliliter group; there were no significant differences in bone formation between the 2 experimental groups between days 20 and 30. Both 0.1 and 0.4 mg per milliliter of rhBMP-2 in the absorbable collagen sponge caused premature fusion by forming a bony bridge connecting the ectocranial aspect of the sutural margins. Premature fusion significantly reduced sutural separation between 10 and 30 days (to 56% and 62% of control values for the 0.1 and 0.4 mg per milliliter groups, respectively). There were no significant differences in sutural separation between the 0.1 and 0.4 mg per milliliter groups. Conclusions Compared with the 0.1 mg per milliliter group, 0.4 mg per milliliter of rhBMP-2 accelerated sutural bone formation between days 10 and 20. After 10 to 20 days, rhBMP-2 in the absorbable collagen sponge caused premature sutural fusion, despite the constant expansion forces.
Suppression and Removal of Structural Ice

Abstract Possible techniques for suppressing or removing ice from large radar antennas located in the Arctic were investigated. Of immediate concern were the original Ballistic Missile Early Warning System antennas, which were too large to enclose in radomes. The icing rates of various parts of the antennas and of the antennas as a whole were determined. Ice suppression by nucleation and deflection was studied, and mechanical removal was evaluated.
Treatment of painful limbs/moving extremities with botulinum toxin type A injections.

doses of opioids. Treatment is often unsatisfactory with few reports of success with sympathetic block, lumbar epidural blocks or epidural spinal cord stimulation [7–9] . We describe herein 2 patients with PLMT in whom analgesic multipharmacy failed to relieve their severe lower limb pain. On the other hand treatment with Botulinum toxin type A (Botox , Allergan, Inc.) resulted in both pain relief and improvement of involuntary movements.
Nitric oxide differentially modulates ON and OFF responses of retinal ganglion cells.

Several lines of evidence suggest that nitric oxide (NO) can regulate diverse retinal functions, but whether this gas is capable of modulating the visual responses of retinal output neurons has not...
Concentration of Complement Fixing Viral Antigens.

SummaryComplement fixing antigens produced in cell culture by a variety of viruses were concentrated by slow speed sedimentation of undisrupted virus infected cells and removal of the supernatant medium. In most cases, concentration of virus infectivity was demonstrated as well.
Respiratory failure caused by Chiari I malformation with associated syringomyelia

The authors report a case of a 38-year-old male with a Chiari I malformation and syringomyelia that presented with acute respiratory distress. Pulmonary function testing was consistent with respiratory muscle weakness. A suboccipital craniectomy and C1, 2, 3 laminectomies were performed on an emergent basis. Postoperatively the patient had significant improvement in his respiratory status associated with a reduction in the size of the syringomyelia on follow-up imaging.
Diagnosis and therapy of carcinoid tumors—current state of the art and future directions

Abstract Carcinoid tumors account for less than 1% of all malignancies and the majority arise in the gastrointestinal system. These tumors are slow growing compared with adenocarcinomas and they differ from the other neuroendocrine malignancies by their protean clinical presentation. Carcinoid tumors were previously considered indolent, but they can manifest malignant characteristics with metastatic spread which often results in a poor prognosis. Although there have been advances in diagnostic and treatment modalities, carcinoid tumors are still often diagnosed late, often when the tumor has metastasized and patients develop carcinoid syndrome. Diagnosis, prognosis and treatment options are based on biochemical markers and imaging investigations. High concentration of urinary 5-HIAA, elevated plasma serotonin and chromogranin A levels help to establish the initial diagnosis of carcinoid tumors. In addition to the CT and MRI, molecular imaging modalities such as OctreoScan, MIBG imaging and more recently PET imaging are vital in detection of primary malignancy and metastatic involvement. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment of nonmetastatic carcinoid tumors. Cytotoxic chemotherapy is not beneficial due to the chemoresistant nature of these tumors. Because carcinoid tumors express somatostatin receptors, somatostatin analogues, which inhibit the release of serotonin and other neuroendocrine peptides, are often used, but their use is limited to symptom control. Treatment using high doses of radionuclides such as radiolabeled somatostatin analogues and MIBG is a more recent option which offers a definite advantage in management. In this article, we review typical features of the carcinoid tumors, examine contemporary methods of detecting and assessing carcinoid tumors and discuss the role of various diagnostic and therapeutic options.
Role of climbing fibers in determining the spatial patterns of activation in the cerebellar cortex to peripheral stimulation: an optical imaging study.

Abstract The spatial patterns of activation in the rat cerebellar cortex evoked by ipsilateral face stimulation were mapped using optical imaging based on the pH sensitive dye, Neutral Red. The aims of the study were to characterize the optical responses evoked by peripheral stimulation and test the hypothesis that the resultant parasagittal banding is due to climbing fiber activation. In the anesthetized rat Crus I and II of the cerebellar cortex were stained with Neutral Red. Epi-fluorescent changes produced by a train of stimuli (5–10 s and 4–20 Hz) to the ipsilateral face were monitored in time using a fast, high resolution charge-coupled device camera. The patterns of activation were quantified using a two-dimensional fast Fourier transform analysis that removed signals with high spatial frequencies and minimized the contribution of horizontal structural elements (i.e. blood vessels). The dominant spatial pattern of activation evoked by face stimulation was that of parasagittal bands. The bands were highly frequency-dependent and were elicited most strongly by stimulus frequencies in the range of 6–8 Hz. There was a large fall-off in the response for frequencies above and below. The optical signal evoked by face stimulation built up over a period of 10 s and then gradually decayed. Within a folium the individual parasagittal bands exhibited some frequency and temporal specificity. Stimulation of the contralateral inferior olive also resulted in the activation of parasagittal bands with characteristics similar to the bands evoked by face stimulation, including a preferred stimulus frequency which peaked at 10 Hz. Injection of lidocaine into the contralateral inferior olive blocked the parasagittal bands evoked by ipsilateral face stimulation, while control injections of saline had no effect. The results confirm that a parasagittal banding pattern is a dominant feature of the functional architecture of the cerebellar cortex. The parasagittal banding pattern observed with Neutral Red is due primarily to the activation of climbing fiber afferents. The frequency tuning of the responses, with the preference for peripheral stimuli of 6–8 Hz, is in agreement with previous findings that the inferior olive is inherently rhythmic. These observations support the hypothesis that inferior olivary neurons are dynamically coupled into groups that activate parasagittal bands of Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex. The frequency tuning also supports the hypothesis that the climbing fiber system is involved with timing. Activation of this afferent system may require stimuli with appropriate frequency content and stimuli synchronized to the rhythmicity of the inferior olive.
Bone Fragility: Assessment of Risk and Strategies for Prevention

Objective To review the literature related to risk factors for bone fragility and strategies for prevention. Data Sources Computerized searches. Study Selection All human research articles from indexed journals in the English language related to the topics in this review and published afler 1982 (except for earlier classic pieces) were evaluated. Data Extraction The author extracted data independently using tables that included the following headings: author, year, design, sample size, age range of subjects, results, and comments. Power analyses were done on all reports that included enough Information. Data Synthesis The following are determinants of bone fragility: peak bone mass, genetic influences, hormonal status, dietary factors, exercise patterns, and personal exposures. Conclusions Women should be informed of the risk factors and helped to determine whether they are at risk for osteoporosis. All women, starting with young girls, should be taught what methods can be used to decrease their risk. Additional research is needed on methods of improving bone health and decreasing risk.
State Dissociation: Implications for Sleep and Wakefulness, Consciousness, and Culpability

This issue of Sleep Medicine Clinics explores the fascinating phenomenon of complex behaviors arising from the sleep period, occasionally with dramatic and unfortunate forensic implications. The concept of state dissociation provides a framework for understanding these behaviors and has important implications for consciousness in general. Acknowledgment of the fact that wakefulness/sleep and consciousness/unconsciousness are not mutually exclusive states but rather are characterized by fluid and often fluctuating boundaries will help to explain many curious clinical phenomena and will effect a change in the legal concepts of intent, responsibility, and culpability. There is now overwhelming evidence that the primary states of being (wakefulness [W], non–rapid
DNA electrophoresis in a nanofence array

We present the design and implementation of an oxidized silicon “nanofence array” for long DNA electrophoresis. The device consists of a periodic array of post-filled regions (the nanofences) alternating with empty channel regions. Even in this prototype version, the nanofence array provides the resolving power of a hexagonal nanopost array without requiring any direct-write nanopatterning steps such as electron-beam lithography. Through detailed single molecule investigations, we demonstrate that the origin of the resolving power of the nanofence array is not a reduction in band broadening, which might be expected from the theories for DNA electrophoresis in post arrays. Rather, the enhanced stretching of the hooked DNA by the uniform electric field between nanofences increases the efficiency of the collisions.
Fragrance material review on benzyl propionate

Abstract A toxicologic and dermatologic review of benzyl propionate when used as a fragrance ingredient is presented. Benzyl propionate is a member of the fragrance structural group Aryl Alkyl Alcohol Simple Acid Esters (AAASAE). The AAASAE fragrance ingredients are prepared by reacting an aryl alkyl alcohol with a simple carboxylic acid (a chain of 1 to 4 carbons) to generate formate, acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate and carbonate esters. This review contains a detailed summary of all available toxicology and dermatology papers that are related to this individual fragrance ingredient and is not intended as a stand-alone document. Available data for benzyl propionate were evaluated, then summarized, and includes: physical properties, acute toxicity, skin irritation, skin sensitization, elicitation, toxicokinetics, and genotoxicity data. A safety assessment of the entire AAASAE will be published simultaneously with this document. Please refer to Belsito et al. (2012) for an overall assessment of the safe use of this material and all AAASAE in fragrances. Belsito, D., Bickers, D., Bruze, M., Calow, P., Dagli, M., Fryer, A.D., Greim, H., Hanifin, J.H., Miyachi, Y., Saurat, J.H., Sipes, I.G., 2012. A toxicologic and dermatologic assessment of aryl alkyl alcohol simple acid esters when used as fragrance ingredients.
Characterization and origin of dissolved organic carbon in Yegua ground water in Brazos County, Texas.

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in five shallow ( 3000 amu, IMW 1000 to 3000 amu, and LMW 500 to 1000 amu) and combined neutral sugar analyses provide information on organic matter sources in the Yegua aquifers. Combined neutral sugars ranged in concentration from 0.6 to 2.7 mumol/L and comprised 0.8% to 6.7% of DOC in ground water. Glucose was the most abundant neutral sugar, followed by xylose and galactose, arabinose, mannose, rhamnose, and fucose. These combined neutral sugars were more diagenetically altered in shallow, oxic ground water as indicated by high mole % fucose + rhamnose and low neutral sugar yield. The precursors for neutral sugars are most probably angiosperm leaves, which show a similar distribution pattern of neutral sugars. Ground water DOC was depleted in 13C relative to soil-zone organic matter (OM) (-16@1000 to -19@1000). The delta 13C values of bulk DOC and HMW DOC ranged from -24@1000 to -32@1000, whereas LMW and IMW DOC ranged from -32@1000 to -34@1000 and -16@1000 to -28@1000, respectively. This variability in delta 13C values is probably related to microbial processes and selective preservation of OM. Carbon isotope analyses in bulk and different molecular weight DOC fractions imply a predominantly C3 OM source and a low contribution of soil-zone OM to DOC.
A Factorization Formula for Class Number Two

Abstract Let R be an atomic integral domain. R is a half-factorial domain (HFD) if whenever x 1 … x n = y 1 … y m for x 1 , …, x n , y 1 , …, y m irreducibles of R , then n = m . A well known result of L. Carlitz (1960, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 11 , 391–392) states that the ring of integers in a finite extension of the rationals is a HFD if and only if the class number of R is less than or equal to 2. If R is such a ring of integers with class number 2, then we use some simple Krull monoids to develop a formula for counting the number of different factorizations of any integer x into products of irreducible elements of R .
Medical imaging of fetal ventriculomegaly

Five cases of fetal ventriculomegaly are described in detail. Following ultrasonography, either computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging was used in an attempt to clarify the structural pathology of the ventriculomegaly. Scans were performed at mean gestational age of 32 weeks; all fetuses were delivered at term.
The influence of sex chromosomes on finger dermatoglyphic patterns

SummaryFinger pattern frequencies for patients exhibiting various sex chromosome aneuploidies were obtained from literature sources. The sample consisted of 141 XO, 500 XX, 68 XXX, 9 XXXX, 500 XY, 93 XYY, 30 XXYY and 6 XXXXY. Pattern frequencies were converted to radial and ulnar loop frequencies, and these in turn were used to construct four variables: (1) pattern intensity; (2) radial-ulnar difference; (3) radial loop asymmetry; and (4) ulnar loop asymmetry. The relationship between the dermatoglyphic variables and sex chromosomes was examined by regressing the dermatoglyphic variables on to the number of X and Y chromosomes. Radial-ulnar difference and radial loop asymmetry showed the strongest relationship with the number of X and Y chromosomes. The X and Y chromosomes had about equal influence on radial-ulnar difference, but the Y had a stronger effect on radial loop asymmetry. It is postulated that sex chromosomes influence dermatoglyphic development by controlling tissue sensitivity to fetal sex st...
Biomechanical analysis of suture bridge fixation for tibial eminence fractures.

Purpose To perform a biomechanical analysis of suture bridge fixation for tibial eminence fractures using PushLock anchors (Arthrex, Naples, FL) and compare it with traditional suture fixation and screw fixation. Methods This study used 24 porcine knees, divided into 3 comparison fixation groups: PushLock suture bridge fixation, screw fixation, and suture fixation. Each knee was dissected of all soft tissue, leaving only the anterior cruciate ligament. A tibial eminence fracture was created with disruption of the posterior hinge, and each knee was fixed with a randomly assigned fixation technique. After fixation, each knee underwent 2 phases of biomechanical testing. The initial cyclic dynamic phase assessed the displacement change after 200 cycles (in millimeters) and initial stiffness (in Newtons per millimeter) of the fixation construct. After completion of dynamic testing, each specimen underwent a single tensile failure test load to assess ultimate failure load (in Newtons) and displacement (in millimeters) to ultimate failure. Results There was a significant difference for the load-to-failure outcome variable among treatment groups ( P = .004 by analysis of variance, 1 – β = 0.851). Mean ultimate failure load borne by the PushLock fixation group was statistically significantly higher in comparison with the screw ( P = .007) and suture ( P = .017) fixation groups. For the cyclical testing, the primary outcome variable of displacement change after 200 loading cycles failed to show a significant difference among the 3 groups ( P = .412). Conclusions Suture bridge fixation with PushLock anchors is a new and effective surgical technique for the treatment of displaced tibial eminence fractures. By use of a high–bone density animal model, our results suggest that this suture bridge construct provides superior fixation with regard to ultimate failure load compared with standard screw fixation and suture fixation. Clinical Relevance The suture bridge technique provides another fixation option for displaced tibial eminence fractures with comparable, and in some instances superior, biomechanical properties to screw fixation and suture fixation.
Rate of convergence of non-positive generalized convolution type operators

Abstract A sequence of non-positive generalized convolution type linear operators is introduced. The rate of convergence of this sequence to the unit operator is given through sharply attained inequalities in several cases. These inequalities simplify greatly under concavity. A related Korovkin type theorem is given at the end.
The initial ocular following responses elicited by apparent-motion stimuli: reversal by inter-stimulus intervals.

Abstract Transient apparent-motion stimuli, consisting of single 1/4-wavelength steps applied to square-wave gratings lacking the fundamental (“missing fundamental stimulus”) and to sinusoidal gratings, were used to elicit ocular following responses (OFRs) in humans. As previously reported [Sheliga, B. M., Chen, K. J., FitzGibbon, E. J., & Miles, F. A. (2005). Initial ocular following in humans: a response to first-order motion energy. Vision Research , in press], the earliest OFRs were strongly dependent on the motion of the major Fourier component, consistent with early spatio-temporal filtering prior to motion detection, as in the well-known energy model of motion analysis. Introducing inter-stimulus intervals (ISIs) of 10–200 ms, during which the screen was gray with the same mean luminance, reversed the initial direction of the OFR, the peak reversed responses (with ISIs of 20–40 ms) being substantially greater than the non-reversed responses (with an ISI of 0 ms). When the mean luminance was reduced to scotopic levels, reversals now occurred only with ISIs ⩾60 ms and the peak reversed responses (with ISIs of 60–100 ms) were substantially smaller than the non-reversed responses (with an ISI of 0 ms). These findings are consistent with the idea that initial OFRs are mediated by first-order motion-energy-sensing mechanisms that receive a visual input whose temporal impulse response function is strongly biphasic in photopic conditions and almost monophasic in scotopic conditions.
College Women and Sexual Assault: The Role of Sex-related Alcohol Expectancies

This study examined the relationship between alcohol, sex-related alcohol expectancies, and sexual assaults among women college students. Participants completed measures of sexual behaviors, sexual victimization experiences, sex related alcohol expectancies, and drinking habits. Based on participants’ responses women were categorized as having experienced no assault, unwanted sexual contact, sexual coercion, attempted rape, and rape. It was observed across groups that relative to controls, women reporting attempted rape and rape consumed higher levels of alcohol. Within group comparisons revealed that relative to controls, victimized women endorsed higher levels of sex-related alcohol expectancies. In the prediction of severity of sexual victimization, regression analyses revealed an interaction between alcohol consumption and expectancy of vulnerability to sexual coercion. At higher levels of alcohol consumption women endorsing high vulnerability to sexual coercion experienced more severe victimatization. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Sr, Y, and REE diffusion in fluorite

The diffusion of Sr, Y and three rare earth elements (Nd, Dy and Yb) has been measured in natural fluorite under dry 1-atm conditions. Sources of diffusant consisted of mixtures of Sr, Y, or REE fluorides and CaF2 powders, pre-reacted in vacuo in silica glass tubes. Experiments were performed by sealing the prepared source material with pieces of cleaved fluorite in silica glass tubes under vacuum, and annealing in vertical tube furnaces for times ranging from 20 min to a few months. Following diffusion anneals, concentration profiles were measured with Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS). Over the temperature range 700–1050°C, the following Arrhenius relations are obtained: DSr=2.3×101 exp(−450 kJ mol−1/RT) m2/s DY=1.2×102 exp(−454 kJ mol−1/RT) m2/s DNd=4.8×10−2 exp(−385 kJ mol−1/RT) m2/s DDy=3.2×100 exp(−419 kJ mol−1/RT) m2/s DYb=3.1×10−1 exp(−395 kJ mol−1/RT) m2/s Diffusion rates for the REE (and Y) are all quite similar, and faster than diffusion of Sr. This is in contrast to observations in other mineral systems (e.g., feldspars, zircon) where diffusion of more highly charged cations proceeds more slowly than that of cations with lower charge. However, the ionic radius of Sr2+ (1.26 A) is larger than that of Y3+ (1.019 A) or the investigated REE (0.985–1.109 A), suggesting that differences in cationic size may exert greater influence on diffusion rates in fluorite than do differences in cation charge. This size dependence is weak, however, perhaps due to similarities in size between these cations and Ca, for which they likely substitute in the fluorite lattice, or as a consequence of the relatively flexible fluorite lattice. The diffusion findings also have important implications for Rb–Sr and Sm–Nd isotopic dating and can be useful in interpreting zoning patterns observed in fluorite. These data indicate that REE zoning on the 100 μm scale will be retained for times on order of the age of the earth at temperatures below typical crystallization temperatures for fluorite in igneous systems (i.e., ∼500°C), provided that the zoning is modified solely by volume diffusion.
Gadolinium enrichment technology at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

A method based on polarization selectivity and three step laser photoionization is presented for separation of the odd isotopes of gadolinium. Measurements of the spectroscopic parameters needed to quantify the excitation pathway are discussed. Model results are presented for the efficiency of photoionization. The vapor properties of electron beam vaporized gadolinium are presented which show dramatic cooling during the expansion of the hot dense vapor into a vacuum. This results in a significant increase in the efficiency of conversion of natural feed into enriched product in the AVLIS process. Production of enriched gadolinium for use in commercial power reactors appears to be economically viable using technology in use at LLNL.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Internet Information-Seeking and Its Relation to Support for Access to Government Records.

Abstract Public access to government records is essential for democratic self-governance, and attitudes toward that right can facilitate or hinder public policy regarding transparency. As more people use the internet for gathering information about their governments and communities, it is unknown whether such online information-seeking is related to increased support for government transparency and the right to request public records. This paper applies a uses and gratification theory approach to examine internet information use and its relation to support for citizen and press access to government records. Three U.S. studies examined media-use correlates with support for government transparency: a paper questionnaire survey of college students (N = 614), an online survey (N = 1819), and a random-digit-dial telephone survey of randomly selected U.S. adults (N = 403). Analyses indicated varying results for television and newspaper use, but in all three datasets reliance on the internet for information was positively associated with support for access to public records. Implications for government transparency in a society increasingly reliant on the internet for information are discussed.
Training Rural Citizens: An Evaluation of a Leadership Training Program.

Abstract Whether facing growth or decline, rural communities must develop mechanisms for managing the forces of social change which affect them. One such mechanism or resource is an informed, skilled and active group of community leaders. This paper reports the evaluation results of a leadership development program for rural citizens. Using the recurrent institutional cycle design (Campbell & Stanley, 1966), four different variations of the training program were evaluated: one week classroom seminar (N = 227), one week classroom seminar for each of two years (N = 208), study‐travel seminar of three weeks duration for each of two years (N = 50), and study‐travel seminar of four weeks duration for each of three years (N = 69). Respondents in all four program groups reported positive changes in their leadership self‐images, greater involvement in roles requiring leadership skills, and greater effectiveness in their leadership activities as a result of their training. In most cases, participants in the longer...
CRASH AVOIDANCE: NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

This article describes research done by a team at The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The team examined police crash reports from 11 states to determine those behavioral factors most frequently reported by police to have caused vehicle crashes. The states were selected because each had detailed police reports with descriptions of behaviors contributing to the crashes. States not included in final data set either had no description of crash-contributing behaviors or the state's crash data were not available from NHTSA.