cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The form and productivity of the Maltese morphological diminutive

This paper examines the productivity and form of the morphological diminutive in Maltese. Maltese has lexical items and grammatical properties stemming from both Semitic and Indo-European roots; previous research has shown that there are different levels of productivity for Semitic and Indo-European morphology, which varies even among speakers. In addition, both the Semitic and Indo-European morphological diminutive may take several different forms in Maltese. The goals of this research are to determine whether native speakers of Maltese can use a morphological diminutive (like wuggie) rather than a lexical diminutive (like little wug); if they can, whether a default form exists for the morphological diminutive, and if so, whether the default form is Indo-European or Semitic in nature. A novel word elicitation task was used to test how speakers use the diminutive, and the results may be explained using a variety of different theoretical frameworks allowing for a hierarchical selection of a diminutive allomorph.
Pre-service Elementary Teachers’ Generation of Multiple Representations to Word Problems Involving Proportions

How well can pre-service elementary teachers answer word problems? Furthermore, can they represent the same answer in multiple ways? To answer these questions, I conducted a study with four pre-service elementary teachers answering word problems that incorporate proportional reasoning to investigate the strengths and opportunities for growth. I found three pre-service elementary teachers generated different representations of the correct solution: writing proportions to solve by cross-multiplication, drawing pictures to solve by repeated addition, and creating tables to solve by percents. One pre-service elementary teacher did struggle to produce effective strategies to solve some of the presented word problems.
Neuroimaging utilization and findings in headache outpatients: Significance of red and yellow flags.

BackgroundNeuroimaging for headache commonly exceeds published guideline recommendations and may be overutilized.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of all outpatient communit...
Opening Spaces for Teacher Educator Knowledge in a Faculty Development Program on Blended Learning Course Development

Mandates for technology integration (TI) in teacher education courses continue to gain momentum. However, most teacher educators are not trained in the practices of instructional technology and, wh...
Comparing the Validity of Self-Report and Urinalysis for Substance Use among Former Inmates in the Northeastern United States.

Background: Problems with self-reported drug use include difficulties with recall and recognition as well as the desire to respond to questions in a socially desirable manner. Various methods have ...
Recent Accomplishments and Research Needs in Structural Ceramics

The purposes of this talk are rather straightforward. The first objective is to reiterate and re-emphasize the theme of this Conference: namely, reliability issues in structural ceramics. Hopefully, this will further encourage our speakers to directly focus their attention and particular expertise on the various aspects of ceramic structural integrity. A second objective is to briefly review accomplishments in the field, and finally, to outline research needs in the technology. Hopefully, this will serve to stimulate more productive discussions during this Conference.
Clinical Case-based Retrieval Using Latent Topic Analysis.

Clinical reporting is often performed with minimal consideration for secondary computational analysis of concepts. This fact makes the comparison of patients challenging as records lack a representation in a space where their similarity may be judged quantitatively. We present a method by which the entirety of a patient’s clinical records may be compared using latent topics. To capture topics at a clinically relevant level, patient reports are partitioned based on their type, allowing for a more granular characterization of topics. The resulting probabilistic patient topic representations are directly comparable to one another using distance measures. To navigate a collection of patient records we have developed a workstation that allows users to weight different report types and displays succinct summarizations of why two patients are deemed similar, tailoring and expediting searches. Results show the system is able to capture clinically significant topics that can be used for case-based retrieval.
Interactions of free-living amoebae with rice bacterial pathogens Xanthomonas oryzae pathovars oryzae and oryzicola.

Background Free-living amoebae (FLA) are voracious feeders, consuming bacteria and other microbes during colonization of the phytobiome. FLA are also known to secrete bacteriocidal or bacteriostatic compounds into their growth environment. Methodology and principal findings Here, we explore the impacts of co-cultivation of five FLA species, including Acanthamoeba castellanii, A. lenticulata, A. polyphaga, Dictyostelium discoideum and Vermamoeba vermiformis, on survival of two devastating bacterial pathogens of rice, Xanthomonas oryzae pathovars (pv.) oryzae and oryzicola. In co-cultivation assays, the five FLA species were either bacteriostatic or bactericidal to X. oryzae pv. oryzae and X. oryzae pv. oryzicola. Despite these effects, bacteria were rarely detected inside amoebal cells. Furthermore, amoebae did not disrupt X. oryzae biofilms. The bactericidal effects persisted when bacteria were added to a cell-free supernatant from amoebal cultures, suggesting some amoebae produce an extracellular bactericidal compound. Conclusions/Significance This work establishes novel, basal dynamics between important plant pathogenic bacteria and diverse amoebae, and lays the framework for future mechanistic studies.
Methionine Oxidation Changes the Mechanism of Aβ Peptide Binding to the DMPC Bilayer

Using all-atom explicit solvent replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations with solute tempering, we study the effect of methionine oxidation on Aβ10-40 peptide binding to the zwitterionic DMPC bilayer. By comparing oxidized and reduced peptides, we identified changes in the binding mechanism caused by this modification. First, Met35 oxidation unravels C-terminal helix in the bound peptides. Second, oxidation destabilizes intrapeptide interactions and expands bound peptides. We explain these outcomes by the loss of amphiphilic character of the C-terminal helix due to oxidation. Third, oxidation "polarizes" Aβ binding to the DMPC bilayer by strengthening the interactions of the C-terminus with lipids while largely releasing the rest of the peptide from bilayer. Fourth, in contrast to the wild-type peptide, oxidized Aβ induces significantly smaller bilayer thinning and drop in lipid density within the binding footprint. These observations are the consequence of mixing oxidized peptide amino acids with lipids promoted by enhanced Aβ conformational fluctuations. Fifth, methionine oxidation reduces the affinity of Aβ binding to the DMPC bilayer by disrupting favorable intrapeptide interactions upon binding, which offset the gains from better hydration. Reduced binding affinity of the oxidized Aβ may represent the molecular basis for its reduced cytotoxicity.
Young-Old City-Dwellers Outperform Village Counterparts in Attention and Verbal Control Tasks.

Cognitive performance is dynamic and shaped by individual biological and environmental factors throughout life. In psychology, besides the effects of age, education, and other often studied factors, the complexity of the lived-in environment and urbanicity in that context are yet to be elucidated. In this observational cross-sectional study, we compare cognitive performance in standard neuropsychological tests in healthy older persons from three different types of settlements in the Czech Republic: the capital city of Prague, towns, and villages. The groups were equal in terms of the age-band (60-74 years), the distribution of gender, education, past and current leisure activities, and cognitive health status (MMSE score). The results showed that Prague citizens had consistently better performance in all verbal tests (for memory and verbal control, i.e., executive function) and attention than persons from other areas. The groups did not differ in timed visuo-graphomotor performance. The conclusion is that the complex environment of a city may promote, in the long-term, certain cognitive abilities, distinguishable even in a developed, culturally homogenous country. The implications are: (a) the description of samples used in normative studies should include information on the lived-in environment for the reference of researchers and clinicians; and (b) individual clinical assessment should reflect the role of the patient’s environment where appropriate. The exact mechanisms and causes of the differences need further investigation.
Measuring Sperm Guidance and Motility within the Caenorhabditis elegans Hermaphrodite Reproductive Tract

Successful fertilization is fundamental to sexual reproduction, yet little is known about the mechanisms that guide sperm to oocytes within the female reproductive tract. While in vitro studies suggest that sperm of internally fertilizing animals can respond to various cues from their surroundings, the inability to visualize their behavior inside the female reproductive tract creates a challenge for understanding sperm migration and mobility in its native environment. Here, we describe a method using C. elegans that overcomes this limitation and takes advantage of their transparent epidermis. C. elegans males stained with a mitochondrial dye are mated with adult hermaphrodites, which act as modified females, and deposit fluorescently labeled sperm into the hermaphrodite uterus. The migration and motility of the labeled sperm can then be directly tracked using an epi-fluorescence microscope in a live hermaphrodite. In wild-type animals, approximately 90% of the labeled sperm crawl through the uterus and reach the fertilization site, or spermatheca. Images of the uterus can be taken 1 h after mating to assess the distribution of the sperm within the uterus and the percentage of sperm that have reached the spermatheca. Alternatively, time-lapse images can be taken immediately after mating to assess sperm speed, directional velocity and reversal frequency. This method can be combined with other genetic and molecular tools available for the C.elegans to identify novel genetic and molecular mechanisms that are important in regulating sperm guidance and motility within the female reproductive tract.
Is U.S. Federal Lobbying More About Nefarious Corruption or Benign Industry-Information Provision? Evidence from Foreign-Firm Lobbying in the U.S.

Prior literature is at an impasse between those studies arguing that U.S.-style legal corporate lobbying is primarily a conduit for corruption and other studies that corporate lobbying in the U.S. is primarily about benign industry-information provision to policy-makers. A prior study of Fisman and Miguel (2007) demonstrated how home-country corruption is a robust predictor of variation in corrupt behavior by foreign diplomats in the United States. In this study, using a previously rarely utilized data set on U.S. federal lobbying, we ask whether home-country corruption is a robust predictor of U.S.-style legal corporate lobbying behavior by foreign firms in the United States. We find that, among foreign companies doing U.S.-style legal lobbying with mandated disclosure in the U.S., most lobbying expenditures are carried out by firms originating from the least corrupt countries. We also find that foreign companies originating from the most corrupt countries engaged in far less U.S. lobbying expenditures. We rule out a number of alternative explanations for this puzzling, counter-intuitive set of findings. Overall, the results are consistent with the idea that U.S.-style legal corporate lobbying is relatively more about benign industry-information provision to policy-makers than about nefarious corruption. Other channels still could remain for companies from the most corrupt countries to engage in nefarious corruption in the United States.
Molecular and Genetic Markers in Appendiceal Mucinous Tumors: A Systematic Review

The role of somatic mutation profiling in the management of appendiceal mucinous tumors (AMTs) is evolving. Using a systematic review, we identified somatic alterations (SAs) that comprise histopathologic types of AMTs and those associated with aggressive clinical phenotypes. MEDLINE/PubMed was searched for studies on AMTs including molecular markers or genomic alterations, published between 1990 and 2018. Studies were grouped under low- and high-grade histological type for primary and metastatic tumors. Twenty-one studies involving 1099 tumors (primary/metastatic) were identified. Seven studies involving 101 primary low-grade AMTs identified KRAS (76.5%) as the predominant SA. Four studies noted GNAS in 45.2% of 42 low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms, and KRAS was identified in 74.4% of 14 studies with 238 low-grade pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP). GNAS was noted in 56% of 101 tumors and TP53 was noted in only 9.7% of 31 tumors. Primary high-grade tumors demonstrated lower SAs in KRAS (50.4% of 369 tumors) and GNAS (27.8% of 97 tumors), and higher SAs in TP53 (26.0% of 123 tumors). In high-grade PMP, SAs were noted in KRAS (55.0% of 200 tumors), GNAS (35.0% of 60 tumors), and TP53 (26.3% of 19 tumors). No clear association was noted between SAs and survival. KRAS and GNAS are frequently altered in low-grade AMTs, while TP53 is frequently altered in high-grade AMTs, with no apparent change in expression between primary and metastatic tumors. Although SAs may provide valuable insights into variability in tumor biology, larger studies utilizing clinically annotated genomic databases from multi-institutional consortiums are needed to improve their identification and clinical applicability.
Quality of Online Video Resources Concerning Patient Education for the Meniscus: A YouTube-Based Quality-Control Study.

Purpose To evaluate the reliability and educational content of YouTube videos concerning the menisci. Methods YouTube was queried using the keyword “meniscus.” The first 50 videos were evaluated. Eleven video characteristics were extracted, and videos were categorized by source and content. Video reliability was assessed using the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria (score range, 0-5). Video educational content was assessed using the Global Quality Score (GQS; score range, 0-4) and a meniscus-specific score (MSS; score range, 0-20). Results The mean video duration was 551.44 ± 1,046.04 seconds (range, 75-7,282 seconds). The mean number of views was 288,597.7 ± 735,275.9. Collectively, the 50 videos accrued 14,141,285 views. The mean JAMA score, GQS, and MSS were 1.55, 2.12, and 3.67, respectively. The video source was predominately non–physician based (24.49% of source uploaders), whereas video content was predominately concerned with disease information (37.50% of content). Significant between-group effects were observed for the JAMA score and video content (P = .0155), with videos concerning disease information, exercise training, and nonsurgical intervention having the highest mean JAMA scores. Significant between-group effects were also observed for the JAMA score based on video upload source (P Conclusions Information on the meniscus found in YouTube videos is of low quality and reliability. Clinical Relevance Orthopaedic health practitioners should caution patients about the inaccuracy of YouTube videos regarding the meniscus given the low quality of content. These health care providers should make efforts to provide patients with higher-quality alternatives.
Pathological Diagnosis of Dermatologic Infections: a Brief Survey of Dermatopathology for the Practicing Microbiologist

Abstract Skin biopsy represents a practical and rapid diagnostic tool for the care of patients with skin infection. The dermatopathologists who evaluate skin biopsy specimens work closely with clinicians and other laboratory specialists in the pursuit of optimal patient care. In particular, close collaboration with colleagues in microbiology allows improved diagnostic accuracy and, ultimately, the management of cutaneous infections. In this spirit, this review article aims to survey several illustrative cases in dermatopathology wherein collaboration with the microbiology laboratory confirmed, supported, or otherwise informed the diagnoses and thereby guided therapy.
Multivariate statistical modelling of the drivers of compound flood events in south Florida

Abstract. Miami-Dade County (south-east Florida) is among the most vulnerable regions to sea-level rise in the United States, due to a variety of natural and human factors. The co-occurrence of multiple, often statistically dependent flooding drivers – termed compound events – typically exacerbates impacts compared with their isolated occurrence. Ignoring dependencies between the drivers will potentially lead to underestimation of flood risk and under-design of flood defence structures. At present, design assessments of flood defence structures in Miami-Dade County assume rainfall and Ocean-side Water Level (O-sWL) are fully dependent, a conservative assumption inducing large safety factors. Here, an analysis of the dependence between the principal flooding drivers over a range of lags at three locations across the county is carried out. The conservative nature of the existing structural design assessment is subsequently explored, by combining a two-dimensional analysis of rainfall and O-sWL with regional sea-level rise projections. Finally, the vine copula and Heffernan and Tawn (2004) models are shown to outperform five standard higher dimensional copulas in capturing the dependence between the principal drivers of compound flooding: rainfall, O-sWL, and groundwater level. This leads to recommendations for revised future design frameworks able to capture and represent dependencies between different flood drivers.
Wettability and in-vitro study of titanium surface profiling prepared by electrolytic plasma processing

Abstract Electrolytic plasma processing (EPP) was used to create hydrophilic surface profiles on titanium. The wettability, surface morphology characteristics and chemical composition of the treated samples were studied as a function of EPP processing parameters. The EPP profiled surfaces comprised of a characteristic “hills and valleys” morphology because of continuous surface melting and freezing cycles. A bimodal surface profile was produced with 2–3 μm height hills and valleys with nano-roughness (≤200 nm). The produced profile resulted in a significant contact angle decrease (from 38.7° to 5.4°). Ratios of actual surface area to projection area (r) and fraction of solid surface remaining dry (φ) were obtained from profilometry. The surface characteristics and large r values produced by EPP were able to induce hemi-wicking. Hence, EPP produced superhydrophilic surfaces on Ti. The bioactivity of EPP treated Ti was evaluated using cell free and MC3T3 cells in-vitro studies. The treated Ti surface significantly increased the bioactivity and formed stoichiometric hydroxyapatite after immersion in a bone cell culture medium for 21 days. Cells' attachment and proliferation studies indicated that EPP treated surface significantly enhances the cells' adhesion and growth after 24 and 48 h compared to the untreated surface. The results show that Ti surface profiling by EPP constitutes a promising method to potentially improve bone implant bonding.
An Empirical Study of U.S. Copyright Fair Use Opinions Updated, 1978-2019

This article presents a brief update through 2019 of the author’s previous quantitative study of all reported federal court opinions that applied the Copyright Act’s four-factor test for copyright fair use. This updated study systematically analyzes 579 copyright fair use opinions from 435 cases over the 42-year period from 1978 through 2019. The updated data show that, for better and worse, much has remained the same in our fair use case law since 2005. Most notably, the fourth factor, going to the effect of the defendant’s use on the market for the plaintiff’s work, continues ultimately to dominate the test. However, the data record a significant shift toward summary adjudication of the fair use defense, a decline in the influence of the courts of the Second Circuit, and a substantial recovery in recent years in courts’ attention to the transformativeness test for fair use.
Detangling hair using feedback-driven robotic brushing

The brushing of hair requires a complex understanding of the interaction between soft hair fibers and the soft brushing device. It is also reliant on having both visual and tactile information. Guided by a recently developed model of soft tangled fiber bundles, we develop a method for optimizing hair brushing by robots which seeks to minimize pain and avoid the build up of jammed entanglements. Using an experimental setup with a custom force measuring sensor and a soft brush end effector, we perform closed-loop experiments on hair brushing of different curliness. This utilizes computer vision to assess the curliness of the hair, after which the hair is brushed using a closed loop controller. To demonstrate this approach hair brushing experiments have been performed on a wide variety of wigs with amount of curl. In addition to hair brushing the insight provided by this model driven approach could be applied to brushing of fibers for textiles, or animal fibers.
Statistical Challenges in Tracking the Evolution of SARS-CoV-2

Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 has been instrumental in tracking the spread and evolution of the virus during the pandemic. The availability of SARS-CoV-2 molecular sequences isolated from infected individuals, coupled with phylodynamic methods, have provided insights into the origin of the virus, its evolutionary rate, the timing of introductions, the patterns of transmission, and the rise of novel variants that have spread through populations. Despite enormous global efforts of governments, laboratories, and researchers to collect and sequence molecular data, many challenges remain in analyzing and interpreting the data collected. Here, we describe the models and methods currently used to monitor the spread of SARS-CoV-2, discuss long-standing and new statistical challenges, and propose a method for tracking the rise of novel variants during the epidemic.
A guide to federal agency adjudication

This text should be of interest to government and private counsel engaged in administrative adjudication under the federal Administrative Procedure Act. It describes the law of the ABA and prescribes a set of recommendations for changes in the APA.
Novel avian thymic parvalbumin displays high degree of sequence homology to oncomodulin.

Abstract CPV3 is a novel avian parvalbumin. It displays an isoelectric point of 4.6, intermediate between that of avian thymic hormone (pI = 4.3) and the muscle parvalbumin isoform (pI = 5.2). Expression of CPV3, like that of avian thymic hormone (ATH), is restricted to the thymic stroma. However, the CPV3 content of chicken thymus tissue (120 micrograms/g tissue) is 4 times lower than that of ATH (500 micrograms/g tissue). The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to gain access to the nucleotide sequence of CPV3. A 147-base pair fragment of the coding sequence, corresponding to residues 48-97, was amplified from total chicken cDNA using degenerate PCR primers. A RACE-PCR strategy was then used to extend the known sequence in both the 5' and 3' directions. The cDNA sequence thus obtained includes 671 base pairs. Primer extension analysis suggests that the cloned cDNA corresponds to a full-length transcript. Northern analysis of chicken mRNA indicates that the average CPV3 transcript is approximately 800 nucleotides in length, significantly smaller than the ATH message (approximately 1000 nucleotides). Southern analysis suggests the presence of a single CPV3 gene in the chicken genome. The translated nucleotide sequence, displaying 108 residues between the initiator and termination codons, is that of a beta-parvalbumin. The CPV3 sequence exhibits 58% identity with ATH and 52% identity with the chicken muscle isoform. Interestingly, CPV3 and the mammalian oncodevelopmental parvalbumin called oncomodulin are identical at 73 of 108 residues (68% identity). Correspondingly, flow-dialysis measurements with 45Ca2+ indicate that the Ca(2+)-binding domains are inequivalent, as in oncomodulin. The apparent dissociation constants, at pH 7.4 in 150 mM NaCl, are approximately 10 nM and 80 nM.
Intracranial abscess as a complication of allergic fungal sinusitis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This case involves a common disease, allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS), with the uncommon complication of intracranial abscess. Although AFS is known to result in bone erosion, invasive complications are rare. METHODS The clinical and pathologic information were reviewed. A literature review was performed to clarify the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features of AFS. RESULTS The clinical and radiographic presentations were typical for AFS, including the relatively common complication of sinus wall erosion. Follow-up imaging demonstrated spread of fungal disease into the adjacent masticator space and intracranial spread by foramen ovale. CONCLUSION This case illustrates the importance of identifying AFS and describing findings such as sinus erosion that may alter management. In this example, knowledge of the altered anatomy and potential for mucosal injury may facilitate surgical planning and decrease the likelihood of future complications.
Exile Politics and Republican Party Affiliation: The Case of Cuban Americans in Miami*

Objectives We test the hypothesis that exile politics—measured by support for anti-Castro policies—contribute to the overwhelming preference for the Republican Party among South Florida's Cuban Americans. Methods Logistic regression is used to analyze six surveys conducted in South Florida between 1995 and December 2008. Results Among Cuban Americans in Miami-Dade County, measures of exile politics account for a recent downward shift in Republican registration, as well as for much of the variation in Republican registration by race and age. Also, measures of exile politics partly explain differences between Cubans and non-Cubans with regard to partisan preference. Conclusion Although some scholars argue that domestic issues have taken a back seat in guiding party preferences for Miami's Cubans, a decline in support for anti-Castro policies appears to have created a greater opening for domestic concerns in the 2008 election cycle.
Impact of Age and Sex on Response to Asthma Therapy

Rationale: Age and sex are associated with differences in asthma prevalence and morbidity.Objectives: To determine if age and sex associate with distinct phenotypes and a variable response to therapy in subjects with mild to moderate asthma.Methods: We used Asthma Clinical Research Network data to determine the impact of age and sex on phenotypes and treatment failures among subjects participating in 10 trials from 1993 to 2003.Measurements and Main Results: A total of 1,200 subjects were identified (median age, 30.4 yr; male, 520 [43.3%]; female, 680 [56.7%]) and analyzed. A higher proportion of subjects greater than or equal to 30 years old experienced treatment failures (17.3% vs. 10.3%; odds ratio [OR], 1.82; confidence interval [CI], 1.30–2.54; P < 0.001), and rates increased proportionally with increasing age older than 30 across the cohort (OR per yr, 1.02 [CI, 1.01–1.04]; OR per 5 yr, 1.13 [CI, 1.04–1.22]; P < 0.001). Lower lung function and longer duration of asthma were associated with a higher ...
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: opportunities squandered

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) presentations are unique opportunities to simultaneously improve the effectiveness and efficiency of care. The test and treatment for BPPV--the Dix-Hallpike test (DHT) and the canalith repositioning maneuver (CRM), respectively--are supported by two evidence-based guidelines (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery and American Academy of Neurology). With these processes, patients can be readily identified and treated at the bedside, quickly and without expensive tests. Patients randomized to the CRM have a cure rate of 80% at 24 h, compared to only 10% of controls. Despite this large effect size, less than 10% of affected patients receive the treatment, which shows that the management of BPPV in routine care is suboptimal. Future research is necessary to disseminate and implement the DHT and the CRM into routine practice.
The Early Faint Sun Paradox: Organic Shielding of Ultraviolet-Labile Greenhouse Gases

Atmospheric mixing ratios of approximately 10(-5 +/- 1) for ammonia on the early Earth would have been sufficient, through the resulting greenhouse warming, to counteract the temperature effects of the faint early sun. One argument against such model atmospheres has been the short time scale for ammonia photodissociation by solar ultraviolet light. Here it is shown that ultraviolet absorption by steady-state amounts of high-altitude organic solids produced from methane photolysis may have shielded ammonia sufficiently that ammonia resupply rates were able to maintain surface temperatures above freezing.
Some optimal and suboptimal receivers deriving information from nonsynchronized Poisson data

The author derives receivers that make optimal sequence decisions from observations of modulated data in the absence of symbol synchronization for the direct-detection optical channel. He shows that, for soft-decision sequence estimation, the average number of likelihoods that must be evaluated need increase only linearly with the sequence length, with the average number of likelihood evaluations actually needed being smaller than the sequence length. Finally, the author presents computer simulations that compare the performance of two of the receivers to the performance of a receiver utilizing a separate synchronizer and to that of a receiver that is perfectly synchronized. >
Effects of orientation and carbon on the mechanical properties of iron single crystals

Abstract High-purity iron single crystals of various orientations containing less than 0.005 ppm of carbon, 2 ppm of nitrogen, and 20 ppm of oxygen were prepared by annealing in a high-purity hydrogen gas stream continuously gettered by zirconium. To these crystals, 0.9 ppm and 44 ppm of radioactive carbon 14 were added to study the effect of carbon on the yield stress and the temperature dependence of the yield stress from 300° to 20°K. It was found that the yield stress and the temperature dependence of the yield stress increased with increasing carbon content in accordance with the theory of Fleischer for hardening by interstitial impurities in iron. It was also found that at low test temperatures, the critical resolved shear stress law is not obeyed by high-purity iron. The critical resolved shear stress is a minimum in the easy slip orientation and reaches a maximum in the [110]tensile axis orientation.
Strain-rate-dependent failure criteria for composites

Abstract The objective of this study was to characterize the quasi-static and dynamic behavior of composite materials and develop/expand failure theories to describe static and dynamic failure under multi-axial states of stress. A unidirectional carbon/epoxy material was investigated. Multi-axial experiments were conducted at three strain rates, quasi-static, intermediate and high, 10−4, 1 and 180–400 s−1, respectively, using off-axis specimens to produce stress states combining transverse normal and in-plane shear stresses. A Hopkinson bar apparatus and off-axis specimens loaded in this system were used for multi-axial characterization of the material at high strain rates. Stress–strain curves were obtained at the three strain rates mentioned. The measured strengths were evaluated based on classical failure criteria, (maximum stress, maximum strain, Tsai–Hill, Tsai–Wu, and failure mode based and partially interactive criteria (Hashin–Rotem, Sun, and Daniel). The latter (NU theory) is primarily applicable to interfiber/interlaminar failure for stress states including transverse normal and in-plane shear stresses. The NU theory was expressed in terms of three subcriteria and presented as a single normalized (master) failure envelope including strain rate effects. The NU theory was shown to be in excellent agreement with experimental results.
Congenital anophthalmia: A review of dealing with volume

Background : Anophthalmia in childhood whether congenital or acquired is not just a question of cosmesis. Loss of an eye can effect the maturation of the soft tissues and bony structure surrounding the affected orbit. Therefore, a comprehensive approach including medical and surgical interventions is required to rehabilitate a child early in life. Materials and Methods : A literature survey of the past 40 years on the topic of congenital anophthalmia with focus on medical and surgical volume augmentation of the orbit was conducted. Results : Newer technologies including hydrogel implants and saline-filled tissue expanders have allowed for more rapid expansion of the pediatric orbit often with minimally invasive surgical procedures. However, traditional approaches including conformer therapy are still the primary intervention in these complicated cases. Conclusion : Anophthalmia in childhood requires a close interaction between ophthalmologist and ocularist as well as a motivated patient and family. With early intervention a good cosmetic outcome with periocular symmetry is obtainable.
The History of Dermatologic Surgical Reconstruction

Over the last 40-50 years, reconstructive surgery in dermatology has undergone expansive growth and development. As dermatologists began to provide a greater array of surgical services during this period, it became apparent that new skills and techniques in the area of reconstruction would be required. Initially many of the procedures and concepts were adopted from other specialties, however, in the years since, significant contributions have been made by dermatologists which in turn have benefited other specialties as well. This review attempts to summarize some of the significant historical events and innovations that have established and supported dermatologic surgical reconstruction.
An overview of research in advanced microelectronics for micro-autonomous platforms

The Army Research Laboratory established the Micro Autonomous Systems and Technology (MAST) Collaborative Technology Alliance (CTA) program in 2008 to leapfrog technological barriers toward achieving the autonomous operation of a collaborative ensemble of multifunctional, mobile microsystems. This goal will be realized through fundamental advancements by the MAST alliance, composed of four centers with focused research activities in Microsystems Mechanics, Processing for Autonomous Operation, Microelectronics, and Integration. A team of researchers assembled by the University of Michigan was chosen to lead the microelectronics center. This paper provides an overview of research activities in the MAST Microelectronics Center. Research activities in this center are organized around five major research thrusts: 1) sensing, 2) low power processing, 3) communications, 4) navigation, 5) efficient power generation. Such activities are envisioned to enable micro-autonomous sensor platforms by developing novel electronic sensors and devices having the following attributes: low power and power efficient characteristics, low mass and volume, enhanced functionality/sensitivity, survivability, durability, extended operation capability, low cost, and fault tolerance. Fundamental advances in microelectronics will be accomplished through implementation of bio-mimetic and bio-inspired techniques and technologies, utilization of Nano/micro fabrication processes, and incorporation of novel materials in fabrication of components and subsystems.
REAPPEARANCE OF THE TRAIN-OF-FOUR AFTER NEUROMUSCULAR BLOCKADE INDUCED WITH TUBOCURARINE, VECURONIUM OR ATRACURIUM

The characteristics of train-of-four recovery after atracurium or vecuronium were studied, under enflurane anaesthesia, and compared with those associated with tubocurarine-induced blockade. Ten patients each received vecuronium 0.1 mg kg−1 atracurium 0.5 mg kg−1 or tubo-curarine 0.5 mg kg−1. Neuromuscular blockade was calculated as the percent depression of the first twitch, and was determined at the time of reappearance of the second, third and fourth twitches of the train-of-four. The pattern during recovery from blockade induced by the three neuromuscular blocking agents was similar, with T2, T3andT4 reappearing at approximately 93 %, 89% and 86% residual blockade, respectively. These results are different from those previously reported by Lee (1975) indicating that, under enflurane anaesthesia, the train-of-four count may give an incorrect estimate of the degree of neuromuscular blockade.
Development of a predictive model for long-term survival after lung transplantation and implications for the lung allocation score

Background Improving long-term survival after lung transplantation can be facilitated by identifying patient characteristics that are predictors of positive long-term outcomes. Validated survival modeling is important for guiding clinical decision-making, case-mix adjustment in comparative effectiveness research and refinement of the lung allocation system (LAS). Methods We used the registry of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) to develop and validate a predictive model of 5-year survival after lung transplantation. A total of 18,072 eligible cases were randomly split into development and validation datasets. Pre-transplant recipient variables considered included age, gender, diagnosis, body mass index, serum creatinine, hemodynamic variables, pulmonary function variables, viral status and comorbidities. Predictors were considered in a stepwise approach with the Akaike Information Criteria (AIC). Time-dependent receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves assessed predictive ability. A 1-year conditional model and three models for disease subgroups were considered. ROC methods were used to characterize the predictive potential of the LAS post-transplant model at 1 and 5 years. Results The baseline model included age, diagnosis, creatinine, bilirubin, oxygen requirement, cardiac output, Epstein–Barr virus status, transfusion history and diabetes history. Prediction of long-term survival was poor (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.582). Neither the 1-year conditional model (AUC = 0.573) nor models designed for separate diseases (AUC = 0.553 to 0.591) improved survival prediction. The predictive ability of the LAS post-transplant parameters was similar to that of our model (1-year AUC = 0.580 and 5-year AUC = 0.566). Conclusions Models developed from pre-transplant characteristics poorly predict long-term survival. Models for separate diseases and 1-year conditional models did not improve prediction. Better databases and approaches to predict survival are needed to improve lung allocation.
Retinogeniculate projections in the rabbits of the albino allelomorphic series

Retinogeniculate pathways have been studied by fiber degeneration and autoradiographic methods in rabbits that are homozygous for alleles of the albino series of genes. It has been found that albino and Himalayan rabbits, which both lack all melanin pigment in the eye, have a similar abnormality of the retinogeniculate pathway. The number of ipsilateral optic fibers going to the lateral geniculate nucleus is reduced in these rabbits, the ipsilateral projection forms a discontinuous terminal zone instead of the normal continuous zone, and some of the ipsilateral axons terminate in an inappropriate part of the nucleus, so that regions receiving a crossed input in normal rabbits receive an uncrossed input in the abnormal rabbits. Chinchilla rabbits show a slightly reduced fur pigmentation but have a normal distribution of pigment in the retinal pigment epithelium and these rabbits have normal retinogeniculate pathways. In addition, the normal retinogeniculate pathway was studied. Autoradiographic methods show that the β segment of the lateral geniculate nucleus receives a contralateral input. Hence, earlier views that this segment projects to the visual cortex but receives no retinal input, are untenable. Further, in the autoradiographic material it was not possible to identify separate ipsilateral laminae and it was concluded that in the normally pigmented rabbit the ipsilateral retinogeniculate projection forms one relatively continuous group.
Cooperative Reference and Collection development: The science and technology group at the University of Tennessee Libraries

SUMMARY The science and technology subject group within the reference department of the University of Tennessee Libraries brings together librarians from reference and other departments who have collection development and subject liaison duties. The authors describe the group's composition and explain how the sci/tech librarians work cooperatively toward goals set by both the Libraries' Reference & Instructional Services and Collection Development & Management departments. The sci/tech group's primary cooperative functions are to facilitate librarians' mutual assistance in organizing projects, share insights for reference and collection development/management activities, plan instruction efforts, discuss web site development, promote mastery of resources and tools, and address other concerns. The subject group enables librarians to clarify plans and procedures and to come to grips with complicated budget matters. A fundamental benefit of group discussions is that they provide an opportunity to explore vie...
Photoacoustic detection of hemozoin in human mononuclear cells as an early indicator of malaria infection

Malaria is a blood borne infection affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide 2 . The parasites reproduce within the blood cells, eventually causing their death and lysis. This process releases the parasites into the blood, continuing the cycle of infection. Usually, malaria is diagnosed only after a patient presents symptoms, including high fever, nausea, and, in advanced cases, coma and death. While invading the bloodstream of a host, malaria parasites convert hemoglobin into an insoluble crystal, known as hemozoin. These crystals, approximately several hundred nanometers in size, are contained within red blood cells and white blood cells that ingest free hemozoin in the blood. Thus, infected red blood cells and white blood cells contain a unique optical absorber that can be detected in blood samples using static photoacoustic detection methods. We separated the white blood cells from malaria infected blood and tested it in a photoacoustic set up using a tunable laser system consisting of an optical parametric oscillator pumped by an Nd:YAG laser with pulse duration of 5 ns. Our threshold of detection was 10 infected white blood cells per microliter, which is more sensitive than current diagnosis methods using microscopic analysis of blood.
Attempts by a theorist to work with Martin Ryle in the Cavendish, 1953–1955

The glorious years of discovery in radio astronomy in the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge were dominated by the personality of Martin Ryle. The contact to the theorists, in the Observatories only a short distance away, were occasionally strained. Personal experience from this era will be the subject of this contribution. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Is repair of DNA strand break damage from ionizing radiation second-order rather than first-order? A simpler explanation of apparently multiexponential repair.

The purpose of this paper is to suggest the hypothesis that repair of radiation damage might be largely a second-order process (binary), as well as or instead of first-order (monoexponential). Second-order means that the rate of repair is proportional to n2 instead of to n, where n is the number of repairable breaks. Integrating this equation gives a linear plot of the reciprocal proportion of unrepaired lesions, $n_{0}/n_{1}$, as a function of repair time. This is in contrast to mono- or biexponential processes which give rise to reciprocal plots not consistent with such linearity, except with specially selected distributions with multiple $T_{1/2}\text{'}{\rm s}$. There is the advantage of only one parameter (the first half-time) instead of (2n - 1) parameters for n components. At times greater than 2τ of the longest exponential component, a larger proportion of damage would be incompletely repaired than in a mono- or biexponential model of repair. Data on DNA repair from published laboratory experiment...
Dependent Sets of Constant Weight Binary Vectors

We determine lower bounds for the number of random binary vectors, chosen uniformly from vectors of weight k, needed to obtain a dependent set.
Endo and exo phenylene-bridged hetero (O,S) silacrown ether rotors including an unexpected structural example of the chloromethyl exchange rule for 1,4-bis(X2methylsilyl)- benzene, XCl, Me†

Artificial molecular rotors are of current interest because of the various applications that they could have as materials. However, many of them have the common problem of interdigitation and solvent inclusion in the crystal structure. In this work, we prepare a potential rotor with a stator formed by a sila-hetero(O, S) crown ether moiety and the phenylene bridge as rotator. The use of the sulfur atoms in the stator allows the formation of HB avoiding those common problems. The study of the potential activity as molecular rotors was done via structural analysis by single crystal X-ray diffraction, comparing them with previously reported rotors for which the activation energies have been reported. A comparison between the exo and endo diastereoisomers was done, showing that the change in stereochemistry affects the conformation, making one of them a better rotor. In addition, we found that the crystal structure of the intermediate 1,4-bis(dichloro-methylsilyl)-benzene represents an example of the non-applicability of the so-called chloro-methyl exchange rule, with four groups substituted. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ballistic performance of composite metal foams

Abstract The application of advance materials to manufacture hard armor systems has led to high performance ballistic protection. Due to its light-weight and high impact energy absorption capabilities, composite metal foams have shown good potential for applications as ballistic armor. A high-performance light-weight composite armor system has been manufactured using boron carbide ceramics as the strike face, composite metal foam processed by powder metallurgy technique as a bullet kinetic energy absorber interlayer, and aluminum 7075 or Kevlar™ panels as backplates with a total armor thickness less than 25 mm. The ballistic tolerance of this novel composite armor system has been evaluated against the 7.62 × 51 mm M80 and 7.62 × 63 mm M2 armor piercing projectiles according to U.S. National Institute of Justice (NIJ) standard 0101.06. The results showed that composite metal foams absorbed approximately 60–70% of the total kinetic energy of the projectile effectively and stopped both types of projectiles with less depth of penetration and backplate deformation than that specified in the NIJ 0101.06 standard guidelines. Finite element analysis was performed using Abaqus/Explicit to study the failure mechanisms and energy absorption of the armor system. The results showed close agreement between experimental and analytical results.