cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TRUE PROPERTY TAX RATES IN THE UNITED STATES, 1922–49*

THIS THESIS EXAMINES the available data on true property tax rates in the United States from 1922 to 1949 in order to test the belief that localities have been taxing property more heavily. One must examine true rates-the ratio of the property tax to the market value of the taxed property-in order to avoid the effects of variations in assessment ratios. Two principal sources of statistics on true property tax rates are available. The Bureau of Agricultural Economics of the United States Department of Agriculture has made estimates for farm real estate since 1909. The Bureau of Governmental Research, a private agency located in Detroit, has compiled such information for property in urban areas since 1922. In addition, data on total property tax revenue in the United States, new private construction, and real estate prices provide a rough method of checking the trends estimated by these bureaus. The statistical data are interesting because they discredit the commonly accepted belief about the degree to which localities have been using their property tax resources. Property tax rates, when expressed as a percentage of the true value of property, were not higher in 1949 than in the 1920's. The rapid rise in true rates from 1929 to 1933 was followed by a decline during and after World War II. The drop in true rates during the 1940's indicates that localities were using their property tax resources less intensively. Two important historical developments that help to explain the trend are (1) the continuous shift by local governments to other sources of revenue such as grants-in-aid from 1932 to 1949 and (2) the constant level of total money expenditures of local governments from 1932 to 1945. During the 1940's rising prices brought financial difficulties to many local governments. The inadequacy of revenue relative to expenditures has largely resulted from the failure of localities to raise assessments. Actually, during a period of rising prices, property taxation is an expansible source of revenue. But local government officials must be able and willing to reassess property at higher levels or to raise official property tax rates.
Age of Parkinson's disease onset as a predictor for the development of dyskinesia

The risk of developing levodopa-associated dyskinesia is known to vary inversely with the age of Parkinson's disease onset. This study quantifies dyskinesia risks for different Parkinson's onset ages in a patient population treated at the Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Center at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Medical records were reviewed to determine age of Parkinson's onset, medication history, and dyskinesia onset. Dyskinesia risks were determined by using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Cox proportional hazard models were used to compare age groups and to perform multivariate modeling. This study included 109 patients with Parkinson's, 105 of whom had onset of symptoms after 1989. At 5 years of levodopa treatment, the dyskinesia risk for patients with onset age 40-49 was 70%, decreasing to 42% for onset ages 50-59, 33% for onset ages 60-69, and 24% for onset ages 70-79. Pairwise comparisons between the 40-49 age group and the other age groups were statistically significant in time-to-event models. After 5 years of levodopa treatment, dyskinesia risks became uniformly high regardless of age of onset. These results suggest it is appropriate to use different baseline dyskinesia risks in clinical decision-making for patients on the basis of their ages of onset. However, the most significant difference occurs between ages 40-49 and ages 50-79, and if more than 5 years of levodopa therapy are anticipated, dyskinesia risk may have less utility when deciding upon Parkinson's therapy. Drug studies for Parkinson's disease should also take age of Parkinson's onset into account when analyzing dyskinesia outcomes.
Relative timing of influenza disease by age group.

A detailed understanding of influenza movement in communities during yearly epidemics is needed to inform improved influenza control programs. We sought to determine the relative timing of influenza presentation and symptom onset by age group and influenza strain. Prospective, laboratory-confirmed surveillance was performed over three moderate influenza seasons in emergency departments and inpatient settings of both medical centers in Winston-Salem, NC. Influenza disease presented first in school age children through community epidemics of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B, and first in persons 5–49 years old for influenza A(H3N2). This finding indicates that influenza prevention in persons 5–49 years of age may be particularly important in influenza epidemic control.
Differential regulation of D2 receptor gene expression by transcription factor AP‐1 in cultured cells

The role of the transcription factor AP-1 in regulating D2 receptor transcriptional activity was investigated in D2 receptor expressing neuroblastoma cells, NB41A3, and in non-D2 receptor expressing CHO cells. Deletion of a region containing the putative AP-1 binding site resulted in a significant reduction in the activity in CHO cells; while the activity in NB41A3 cells was increased suggesting that the AP-1 site may differentially regulate D2 gene expression in these distinct cell types. However, both cell lines were found to express significant and similar levels of the transcription factors AP-1. Analysis of phosphorylated proteins in each of the cell lines provided evidence that AP-1 is phosphorylated in NB41A3 cells, but not in CHO cells. This result suggests that differential regulation of D2 gene expression may be related to AP-1 phosphorylation.
Inner ear hair cell regeneration in a mammal: identification of a triggering factor.

Recent observations have shown that mammals possess a limited capacity for regeneration of inner ear sensory epithelia. It is clear, however, that a mitogenic growth factor will be necessary to up-regulate this capacity before clinical application becomes feasible. This study used in vitro cultures of adult mouse vestibular organs for assessing the mitogenic effect of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α). Sixty-one utricles and cristae were maintained in culture for 7 to 8 days. Neomycin was used to damage the hair cells. Autoradiography permitted identification of any cell which had undergone mitosis during the culture period. The proliferative response was compared in organs exposed to TGF-alpha and those maintained in the basic culture medium only. The results demonstrated that TGF-alpha significantly increased cell proliferation in the sensory epithelia and also in the marginal zones surrounding them. This finding provides a scientific basis for the concept that inner ear hair cell damage in humans may someday be reversible pharmacologically.
A generalization of Lin's method for polynomial factorization

Abstract The Lin method for finding a quadratic factor from an n th degree polynomial by using long divisions iteratively is well known in control systems analysis and design. This paper is to generalize the technique by using a higher degree other than quadratic subpolynomial as a trial divisor to carry out the process. The symbolic long divisions required in the process are performed by evaluating the related determinants via Grassmann algebra.
Thick magnetorheological elastomers

ABSTRACT In the present study, two types of MRE with different concentrations, and circular and rectangular shapes having thicknesses from 6.35mm to a maximum of 25.4mm are prepared. These samples are tested under quasi-static compression and quasi-static double lap shear. It is observed that the measured off-state shear modulus has large variations with increase in the thickness of the sample. The measured shear modulus from the double lap shear test results, as well as the Young's modulus from the compression tests at zero-field, follows a logarithmic trend. With the increase in applied magnetic field, it is observed that the change in modulus shifted from a linear at lower field to a non-linear trend at higher fields. In addition it is observed that the controllability of MRE is more in the compression mode than in the shear mode . Keywords : Thick magnetorheological elastomers, shear , compression, damping, stiffness 1. INTRODUCTION Magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) are made by mixing micro-meter sized magnetizable particles with a non-magnetic elastomeric matrix. MREs are often referr ed to as the solid-state analogues of MR fluids
Targeting interventions to high-risk populations: Benefits and costs☆

Abstract Targeting prevention interventions to high-risk populations may increase intervention benefits, but identifying and/or finding the high-risk populations may increase intervention costs. We explore the costs and benefits of targeting in the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention in high-risk injection drug users (IDUs). Focusing interventions on such a population should maximize the number of HIV infections averted. Recruiting high-risk IDUs for such interventions, however, may be more difficult and costly. We base our analysis on an earlier model that determines the allocation of resources to two interventions, street outreach and methadone maintenance. The model seeks to minimize HIV incidence in a population of heterosexual IDUs and their non-injecting sex partners. We conclude that while targeting an inexpensive intervention like street outreach rarely proves to be cost-effective, even a costly targeting effort can increase cost effectiveness for an expensive, effective, narrowly focused intervention such as methadone maintenance.
An effective method of inducing analgesia and anesthesia for dermatoplastic surgery in an office.

Butorphanol tartrate (Stadol® [Bristol]) and diazepam (Valium® [Roche]) given intravenously in combination, in proper doses, and properly monitored are effective and safe to induce analgesia and calmness preliminary to extensive infiltration of local anesthetics that are otherwise painful and distressing. They are particularly good for moderately long and prolonged dermatoplastic procedures, and all the better because their analgesic and calmative effects last well into the postoperative period.
Resistance of factor XIII to degradation or activation by plasmin

Abstract The effect of plasmin on the subunit polypeptides of factor XIII has been investigated. Purified human plasma ( a 2 b 2 ) and platelet ( a 2 ) zymogens and the enzyme (a 2 ∗ ) were incubated with plasmin at plasmin : factor XIII ratios of 0.03–0.5 casein units per mg protein. Under conditions in which plasmin readily digested fibrinogen and casein, it had no effect on either a 2 b 2 or a 2 . There was no evidence for cleavage of peptide bonds in the zymogens, and all the potential catalytic activity was retained after prolonged incubation. Similarly a 2 ∗ , either in the presence or absence of b subunit, was also unaffectec by plasmin incubation. 90% of the activity was recovered after incubation of factor XIII with plasmin. b subunit was also not degraded. Additionally, no evidence was obtained that plasmin could activate factor XIII. These results indicate that in purified systems there is no significant interaction between plasmin and factor XIII.
Introductory game creation: no programming required

Many incoming college freshmen have accumulated a significant number of hours of experience playing computer games. Extending that experience to actual game creation activities can be highly motivational for these students. Most of these activities require some level of programming expertise, however, making them activities too advanced for the majority of incoming students.In this paper, we describe a freshman-level course called Problem Solving through Game Creation. Students learn to use a number of drag-and-drop game creation tools to develop both 2D and 3D games, with no programming required in the course. We also cover a variety of other topics and tools related to game development.Our experience has been that students enjoy the course, but we have more formal course goals as well. Specifically, we hope to motivate students to declare and complete the computer science major and to better prepare students for the initial required computer science courses. We describe these goals in detail and discuss the process we have initiated to continually evaluate achievement of those goals.
Intracellular Ca2+ regulates the sensitivity of cyclic nucleotide-gated channels in olfactory receptor neurons

Abstract In olfactory receptor neurons, odorants stimulate production of cAMP, which directly activates cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels. Olfactory adaptation is thought to result from a rise in intracellular Ca 2+ . To determine whether inhibition of CNG channels plays a role in adaptation, we have investigated the action of Ca 2+ on these channels in inside-out "macro" patches from the dendrite and cilia of catfish olfactory neurons. Internal Ca 2+ , with a K12 of 3 μM, profoundly inhibits CNG channels by shifting the dose-response relationship to higher CAMP levels without altering the maximal response. The inhibition does not appear to result from a direct interaction of Ca 2+ with the CNG channel. Thus, the inhibition washes out after excision of the inside-out patch, and Ca 2+ does not inhibit the cloned catfish CNG channel expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Hence we propose that a regulatory Ca 2+ -binding protein, distinct from the CNG channel, controls the gain of signal transduction and contributes to olfactory adaptation by decreasing the sensitivity of the CNG channel to CAMP.
Production of petroleum pitch by combined processing scheme

This article examines one version of a combined process in a single process unit for thermocondensation of heavy pyrolysis tar, obtaining several grades of petroleum electrode pitch and a pitch distillate. The unit contains two sections: a reactor section with series connected reactors, and a mixing section. In the reactors, the heavy pyrolysis tar undergoes a thermocondensation process, yielding 37-40% still bottoms (pitch). The scheme for obtaining various petroleum pitches in a combined process was tested under laboratory conditions. The process conditions are shown along with characteristics of the pitch obtained by thermocondensation and compounding.
Field measurement and analysis of climatic factors affecting dune mobility near Grand Falls on the Navajo Nation, southwestern United States

Abstract Aeolian sand covers extensive areas of the Navajo Nation in the southwestern United States. Much of this sand is currently stabilized by vegetation, although many drier parts of these Native lands also have active and partly active dunes. Current prolonged drought conditions that started in the mid-1990s are producing significant changes in dune mobility. Reactivation of regional aeolian deposits due to drought or increasing aridity from rising temperatures resulting from climate change could have serious consequences for human and animal populations, agriculture, grazing, and infrastructure. To understand and document the current and future potential for mobility, seasonally repeated surveys were used to track the location of multiple active barchan dunes. By utilizing Real-Time Kinematic GPS field surveys and simultaneously collecting in-situ meteorological data, it is possible to examine climatic parameters and seasonal variations that affect dune mobility and their relative influences. Through analysis of the recorded data, we examined the fit of various climate parameters, and demonstrate that under the current prolonged drought, wind power is the dominant factor controlling dune mobility.
On the Uniqueness of Cerebral Blood Flow Measured by the in vivo Autoradiographic Strategy and Positron Emission Tomography

Summary: Factors are examined in this report which govern the uniqueness and sensitivity of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), as determined by an in vivo autoradiographic strategy and positron emission tomography (PET), and a series of theorems is derived which specify conditions under which a unique relationship between cumulative cranial activity of the tracer (C) and regional blood flow (f) may be assured. It is demonstrated that, independent of the specific form of the arterial tracer input function, flow is a unique function of C whenever the start time (T1) of the PET scan is coincident with the start of tracer infusion. Other theorems state that, even for nonzero T1s, a unique solution for flow may be expected, as long as the duration of the scan is sufficiently short. The implementation of this theory is illustrated using arterial tracer activity curves obtained in three normal subjects by a multiple arterial sampling procedure following the bolus i.v. infusion of 20-30 µCi of [15O]water. Based on these arterial curves, it is confirmed that the C vs. f relationship resulting from scan parameters T1 = 0 and T2 = 1.5 min (i.e., a PET scan of 90 s commencing with tracer infusion) has an excellent separation of flow values within the range of physiological interest, whereas a 90-s scan beginning at time T1 = 1.7 min results in poorer separation of flow values and loss of the monotonic relationship between C and f at higher flows. The results of this study serve to clarify the in vivo autoradiographic method for measuring rCBF in humans and help to define favorable study parameters for assuring uniqueness and sensitivity of the flow measurement.
Self-assembly of peptide based nanotubes

Abstract The recent advances towards the development of self-assembling peptide based nanotubes are reviewed. The design of this new class of biomaterial is based on the self-assembly of small cyclic peptide subunits. The facile construction of open-ended, hollow nanotubular structures with modifiable external surface characteristics and a hydrophilic interior is made possible with this design. The pore diameter of the nanotubes can be easily modified by simply changing the number of amino acid residues within the cyclic structure. The utility of the nanotubes has been demonstrated with applications such as ion and glucose transport through transmembrane ion channels, and a covalent capture to stabilize kinetically labile cylindrical structures.
Rearrangements of C7H6 Isomers: Computational Studies of the Interconversions of Bicyclo[3.2.0]hepta-1,3,6-triene, Bicyclo[3.2.0]hepta-3,6-diene-2-ylidene, Bicyclo[3.2.0]hepta-2,3,6-triene, and Cyclohepta-1,2,4,6-tetraene

The structures of several bicyclo[3.2.0] isomers on the C7H6 potential energy surface, and the transition states which interconnect them, have been fully optimized using density functional theory (BLYP/6-31G*). Relative energies were determined using single-point calculations at higher levels of theory (CCSD(T), CASPT2N). These calculations show that bicyclo[3.2.0]hepta-3,6-diene-2-ylidene (2) readily undergoes ring opening to cycloheptatetraene (4) with a barrier of 5 kcal/mol. The rearrangement of 2 to 4 occurs without intervention of bicyclo[3.2.0]hepta-1,3,6-triene (1). Triene 1 is much more stable than carbene 2, but faces a much higher barrier (35 kcal/mol) to rearrangement to cycloheptatetraene (4). The singlet and triplet states of carbene 2, along with the triplet state of triene 1 and the singlet state of bicyclo[3.2.0]hepta-2,3,6-triene (3), lie very close in energy, ca. 55 kcal/mol higher than the singlet state of 4. The computed transition states for the electrocyclic ring closure of cyclohep...
Prediction of neonatal hypoglycemia in infants of diabetic mothers by glucose disappearance in the first hour of life

Whole blood glucose determinations were obtained in the first hour of life in 44 infants of diabetic mothers in order to predict the occurrence of subsequent hypoglycemia by means of the calculated glucose disappearance rate. Hypoglycemia (whole blood glucose less than 20 mg/dl) occurred in 10 infants with linear glucose disappearance of whom 9 had a glucose disappearance rate greater than or equal to 3.0% per min (90% sensitivity). Nine of 11 infants with glucose disappearance rates greater than or equal to 3.0% per min had hypoglycemia (82% specificity). This relatively simple procedure offers an accurate method for prediction of neonatal hypoglycemia due to reactive hyperinsulinemia in infants of diabetic mothers.
Bacterial entry into eukaryotic cells.

Bacterial pathogens have a strategy for survival that requires multiplication on or within a living host. The usual outcome of this microbial-host interplay is a subclinical infection in which both parties are the better for their interaction. That is, the microorganism grows to the extent sufficient either to colonize successfully the host or to be transmitted to another susceptible host. In turn, the host typically becomes resistant to subsequent serious infection or disease. The attributes of a successful pathogen (Finlay and Falkow, 1989) are an ability to carry out the following functions: first, gain entry into a host, most often a preferred host species; second, find a unique niche within the host; third, evade, circumvent, or exploit the host’s innate defense mechanisms; fourth, multiply; and finally, exit the host in a manner designed to maximize the likelihood of transmission to a new susceptible host. In some cases, this means that the microorganism must possess the genetic apparatus to survive in an external environment before it contacts a new host. For long-term carriage within the host, the successful pathogen also must be able to cope with the host’s adaptive immune system. Disease is not a necessary consequence of bacterial infection, although in some cases the overt symptoms that accompany microbial growth, such as coughing, sneezing, and diarrhea, are those that help ensure subsequent transmission. Death of the host is an inadvertent consequence of the successful pathogen’s strategy. In many ways pathogens have responded to their environment in a more sophisticated way than humans who, as predators, kill their food by intent. The attachment of the microorganism to the eukaryotic cell surface is one common tactic microorganisms use to prevail within their preferred host (reviewed in Moulder, 1985; Finlay and Falkow, 1989). The majority of bacterial pathogens remain localized on the extracellular host surface after attachment. Attachment is frequently mediated by organelles, usually bacterial pili, that interact with a particular host target molecule, typically a carbohydrate moiety. A smaller number of bacteria are internalized after binding to the host cell surface. It is this property, sometimes called microbial invasion (Moulder, 1985), that is the focus of this review. Invasion is most easily studied in the laboratory by mea suring bacterialentryintocultured mammalian cells. While one can employ direct microscopy, the most common technique to quantitate microbial invasion takes advantage of the fact that intracellular bacteria survive exposure to aminoglycoside antibiotics such as gentamicin, whereas extracellular bacteria are killed. The genetic and molecular basis of the entry process has been studied for several groups of gram-negative enteric bacteria (Finlay M inireview
Estimation and prediction in a semi-markov model for evasive vehicle movement along a fixed path

In Turner and Holmes [8] a model for evasive vehicle movement along a fixed track is developed within the mathematical framework of a two-state semi-Markov process. They derive a number of analytical properties of the model. In this article we address problems concerning the estimation of parameters in the model and the construction of data-based prediction equations.
Biological crystal alignment using image processing

Crystal location and alignment to the x-ray beam is an enabling technology necessary for automation of the macromolecular crystallography at synchrotron beamlines. In a process of crystal structure determination, a small size x-ray synchrotron beam with FWHM as small as 70 μm (bending magnet beamlines) and 20 μm (undulator beamlines) is focused at or downstream of the crystal sample. Protein crystals used in structure determination become smaller and approach 50 μm or less, and need to be precisely placed in the focused x-ray beam. At the Structural Biology Center the crystals are mounted on a goniostat, allowing precise crystal xyz positioning and rotations. One low and two high magnification cameras integrated into synchrotron beamline permit imaging of the crystal mounted on a goniostat. The crystals are held near liquid nitrogen temperatures using cryostream to control secondary radiation damage. Image processing techniques are used for automatic and precise placing of protein crystals in synchrotron beam. Here we are discussing automatic crystal centering process considered for Structure Biology Center utilizing several image processing techniques.
Craze development and breakdown in PVC during cyclic loading

The nature of the development and breakdown of crazes during cyclic loading has been examined in poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). The results show that the relative kinetics of craze development and breakdown are the same, regardless of molecular weight, plasticizer content or stress intensity level. Through optical and fractographic observations, it is found that the full equilibrium length is established early in the cyclic lifetime of the craze. Finally, the fracture path through the craze depends on the amount of cyclically induced damage experienced by the craze prior to the passage of the crack.
Chemical–mechanical polish of aluminum alloy thin films: slurry chemistries and polish mechanisms

This study discusses experimentally the effects of slurry formulation and passivating rate on the chemical mechanical polish removal mechanism of aluminum (Al) alloy films. Two regions of material removal with different slurry pH values, namely, one, non-passivating region (pH<4), and the other, passivating region (pH≥4) are investigated. The removal rates of Al alloy films decline with increasing slurry pH. In the non-passivating region (pH=2) where the material removal is a competition between the passivation and mechanical abrasion plus chemical etching, an optimal removal rate occurs in the slurry with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration ranging from 0 to 15 vol.%. While the slurry pH is increased to 4 arriving in the passivating region where the material removal is a competition between the passivation and mechanical abrasion only, the material removal has weak dependence to the H2O2 concentration. Too low a slurry, pH results in metal loss and scratching, while too high a slurry, pH leads to oxide residue and insignificant removal rate. Furthermore, removal selectivity and performance of Al/barrier metals and Al/oxide are discussed as well.
Alterations in neuronal calcium levels are associated with cognitive deficits after traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors often suffer from a post-traumatic syndrome with deficits in learning and memory. Calcium (Ca2+) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of TBI-induced neuronal death. However, the role of long-term changes in neuronal Ca2+ function in surviving neurons and the potential impact on TBI-induced cognitive impairments are less understood. Here we evaluated neuronal death and basal free intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in acutely isolated rat CA3 hippocampal neurons using the Ca2+ indicator, Fura-2, at seven and thirty days after moderate central fluid percussion injury. In moderate TBI, cognitive deficits as evaluated by the Morris Water Maze (MWM), occur after injury but resolve after several weeks. Using MWM paradigm we compared alterations in [Ca2+]i and cognitive deficits. Moderate TBI did not cause significant hippocampal neuronal death. However, basal [Ca2+]i was significantly elevated when measured seven days post-TBI. At the same time, these animals exhibited significant cognitive impairment (F2,25 = 3.43, p < 0.05). When measured 30 days post-TBI, both basal [Ca2+ ]i and cognitive functions had returned to normal. Pretreatment with MK-801 blocked this elevation in [Ca2+]i and also prevented MWM deficits. These studies provide evidence for a link between elevated [Ca2+]i and altered cognition. Since no significant neuronal death was observed, the alterations in Ca2+ homeostasis in the traumatized, but surviving neurons may play a role in the pathophysiology of cognitive deficits that manifest in the acute setting after TBI and represent a novel target for therapeutic intervention following TBI.
Age‐dependent isotype variation during secondary immune response in MRL/lpr mice producing autoanti‐γ‐globulin antibodies

A profound inability to produce IgG anti-2,4,6-trinitrophenyl (TNP) antibodies during the secondary immune response elicited by a T-dependent antigen was observed in aged MLR/lpr mice. This unresponsiveness is associated with a significantly low indirect anti-TNP plaque-forming cell response and a weak in vitro anti-TNP response upon the culture of keyhole limpet hemocyanin-primed T cells and TNP-primed B cells in the presence of TNP. The markedly low IgG anti-TNP response observed in aged MLR/lpr mice cannot be related to the presence of rheumatoid factors which are observed during the secondary response, since MRL +/+ and 129/J mice, (non-autoimmune disease strains), also produce significant amounts of anti-gamma-globulin antibodies yet mount a strong IgG anti-TNP response.
Pharmacokinetics of Methylphenidate in the Rat Using Single-Ion Monitoring GLC-Mass Spectrometry

A GLC-mass spectrometric assay for methylphenidate in biological fluids was developed using the ethyl ester homolog of the drug as the internal standard. The procedure has a lower level of sensitivity of 1.2 ng/ml and is based on GLC-mass spectrometic monitoring of the m/e 180 ion common to the mass spectra of the N-trifluoroacetyl derivatives of the drug and internal standard. The brain and plasma levels of methylphenidate in rats were determined after intravenous administration of 0.5 mg/kg of the drug. The two-compartment open pharmacokinetic model fit the data.
Performance analysis for blind identification of acoustic channels

Multichannel blind system identification is a prominent part in audio dereverberation. Despite much progress in this field, the performance of existing algorithms is still unsatisfactory and existing theories have failed to properly explain the issue. To assess performance impediments, we introduce, quantify, and illustrate three major sources of errors: namely, estimation, approximation, and referencing errors. For each error, we provide simple expressions that describe the effect of various system parameters and that can serve as a guideline to explain reality and improve performance.
Structural and magnetic properties of Fe50Co50 system

Abstract The Fe50Co50 alloys were prepared by mechanical alloying of the Fe and Co powders using a high-energy ball mill. The Fe50Co50 system was also obtained as a thin film by the pulsed laser deposition method. Both powder and thin film samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and Mossbauer spectroscopy. The formation of the bcc-FeCo solid solution was investigated as a function of milling time. Both Fe50Co50 systems reveal similar magnetic hyperfine fields of about 35 T. Typically, the powders have random spin orientation, while the thin film shows an out-of-plane magnetic texture.
Comparative survival and injury of Candida albicans and bacterial indicator organisms in streams receiving acid mine drainage

Abstract Microbiological studies were conducted to assess the survival and injury characteristics of Candida albicans and indicator bacteria in streams impacted by acid mine water (AMW) and organic wastes. Persistence of pure cultures of C. albicans in three AMW-polluted streams was studied in situ using environmental membrane diffusion chambers. Survival of the fungus (at least 3 days in AMW) indicated prolonged tolerance to acid conditions. In comparison, Escherichia coli was killed within several hours of acid stress. Persistence studies also demonstrated that C. albicans was less sensitive to seasonal water temperature fluctuations than E. coli or Streptococcus faecium. In addition to its prolonged survival, C. albicans incurred minimal sublethal injury whereas identical conditions of exposure resulted in significant injury to traditional indicator bacteria. The failure of standard microbiological procedures to detect AMW-damaged bacteria compromises the accuracy of public health safety determinations in these waters. On the other hand, the ability of C. albicans to survive in AMW streams with marked resistance to injury suggests its potential as a favorable alternative sanitary indicator organism for such environments.
Telephone ownership and deaf people: implications for telephone surveys

OBJECTIVES: This study was done to determine the prevalence of telephone ownership in different deaf populations and to explore its implications for telephone-based surveys. METHODS: Multivariate analyses, with adjustments for sociodemographics and health status, were done of National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data from 1990 and 1991, the years in which the NHIS Hearing Supplement was administered. RESULTS: Prelingually deafened adults were less likely than members of the general population to own a telephone (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.15, 0.82), whereas postlingually deafened adults were as likely as members of the general population to own one (AOR = 1.00; 95% CI = 0.78, 1.28). CONCLUSIONS: Telephone surveys risk marginalizing prelingually deafened adults because of low telephone ownership and language barriers between the deaf and hearing communities.
Heart failure in infants and children.

1. Erin Madriago, MD* 2. Michael Silberbach, MD* 1. *Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Ore After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Define pediatric heart failure (HF) and review its pathophysiology. 2. Describe the clinical manifestations of pediatric HF. 3. Identify common pediatric HF syndromes. 4. Recognize the differences between pediatric and adult HF. 5. Discuss the treatment of pediatric HF. Pediatric heart failure (HF) is an etiologically diverse disease manifesting a variety of clinical presentations. Nevertheless, in all HF syndromes, whether adult or pediatric, a unifying pathophysiologic mechanism is involved: A cardiac injury (either congenital or acquired) activates both compensatory and deleterious pathways that cause a chronic and progressive course that, if left untreated, ultimately hastens death. Indeed, pediatric HF is the most common reason that infants and children who have heart disease receive medical therapy and accounts for at least 50% of referrals for pediatric heart transplantation. (1) HF results when cardiac output is insufficient to meet the metabolic demands of the body. Over time, decreased cardiac output leads to a cascade of compensatory responses that are aimed directly or indirectly at restoring normal perfusion to the body's organs and tissues. For most adults, HF results from diminished myocardial contractility caused by ischemic heart disease. In contrast, decreased contractile states account for a smaller percentage of causes of pediatric HF. Instead, the various triggers of HF in children can be categorized broadly as syndromes of excessive preload, excessive afterload, abnormal rhythm, or decreased contractility, which all can lead to a final common HF pathway. The overall incidence and prevalence of pediatric HF is unknown, largely because there is no accepted universal classification applied to its many forms. The largest HF burden comes from children born with congenital malformations. It has been estimated that 15% to 25% of children who have structural heart disease develop HF. (2) Although cardiomyopathy is relatively rare, approximately 40% of …
Charge Pumping Measurements of Radiation-Induced Interface-Trap Density in Floating-Body SOI FinFETs

We demonstrate that, by monitoring source and drain currents during alternating-current gate pulses, reliable estimates of radiation-induced interface-trap density can be obtained for conventional floating-body SOI FinFETs without body contacts. Estimates of effective interface-trap densities are shown for two development stage technologies, before irradiation, and for doses up to 1 Mrad(SiO2). Straightforward estimates of effective interface-trap density are obtained for these floating-body FinFETs, with either a high-K or oxynitride gate dielectric, when the fin width is less than ~70 nm, the channel length is less than ~100 nm, and there is full gate control of the relevant interfaces. This modified charge pumping technique provides estimates of interface-trap density without detailed analysis, adjustable fitting parameters, and/or device simulation, in contrast to DCIV and/or gated-diode techniques. Moreover, this technique enables more accurate estimates of radiation-induced interface-trap density in floating-body FinFETs than midgap charge separation in cases for which isolation leakage contributes significantly to subthreshold current-voltage stretchout.
Topological Layers in the HIV-1 gp120 Inner Domain Regulate gp41 Interaction and CD4-Triggered Conformational Transitions

The entry of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) into cells is initiated by binding of the gp120 exterior envelope glycoprotein to the receptor, CD4. How does CD4 binding trigger conformational changes in gp120 that allow the gp41 transmembrane envelope glycoprotein to mediate viral-cell membrane fusion? The transition from the unliganded to the CD4-bound state is regulated by two potentially flexible topological layers (layers 1 and 2) in the gp120 inner domain. Both layers apparently contribute to the noncovalent association of unliganded gp120 with gp41. After CD4 makes initial contact with the gp120 outer domain, layer 1-layer 2 interactions strengthen gp120-CD4 binding by reducing the off rate. Layer 1-layer 2 interactions also destabilize the activated state induced on HIV-1 by treatment with soluble CD4. Thus, despite lack of contact with CD4, the gp120 inner-domain layers govern CD4 triggering by participating in conformational transitions within gp120 and regulating the interaction with gp41.
The translational neuroscientist’s melting pot: Immunology, cell transplantation and other delivery systems, and enlightenment of disease etiology and treatment

A snapshot of the current state of play with respect to a number of neurological disease causes and their potential treatments from a cell transplantation perspective, was provided at the 14th annual meeting of American Society for Neural Therapy & Repair (ASNTR). Parkinson’s disease and related studies were heavily featured, with Alzheimer’s disease, aging and spinal cord injury also proving to be well represented. A number of studies looked at different delivery systems including stem cells or adeno-associated virus vectors, both as proofof-principles and also their potential as treatments, delivering neurotrophic factors. ‘Simple’ ways to help battle these disorders, such as dietary modification or supplementation were also revealed. Transplantation was explored bothin vivo and in cell culture, where ways to improve cell survival or cause differentiation were investigated. A few reports also shed light on the likelihood of an immune response following transplantation, an important consideration for any potential treatment.
Using Pit to improve security in low-level programs

Pit (Pedersen on http://pit.devpit.org , 2008; Pedersen and Reza in ISOLA '06: proceedings of the second international symposium on leveraging applications of formal methods, verification and validation (ISOLA 2006), pp. 111---118, 2006) is a new language for low-level programming, designed to be a self-hosting alternative to C. The novelty is that it supports automated memory management without excluding manual memory management, and without hindering key features associated with low-level programming, such as raw pointers, inline assembly code, and precise control over execution. This paper presents Pit as a language, and then examines how Pit's approach to memory allocation can be used to significantly increase the security of low-level programs. Automatic memory allocation is a useful tool of abstraction in many situations. Since Pit provides this tool without hindering low-level programming, it allows automated memory management to be used in programs where it previously could not be used, such as kernels. Specifically, this tool of abstraction can assist the programmer significantly in writing low-level code with fewer security problems caused by buffer overrun or integer overflow bugs by reducing the number of opportunities for such bugs in areas of code that do not need the precision of manual memory allocation. Existing solutions, such as Cyclone (Jim et al. in ATEC '02: proceedings of the general track: USENIX annual technical conference, pp. 275---288, 2002), add various ways of checking bounds, but have two major disadvantages: they require extra work from the programmer, and they detect but do not fix memory allocation bugs. Pit's approach simplifies what the programmer writes, making the code more understandable.
Effect of growth hormone on growth delay in burned children: a 3-year follow-up study

Children with severe burns benefit from acute therapy with recombinant human growth hormone by maintaining their original stature after injury. This effect is particularly apparent in children injured outside growth-spurt years.
Evaluating drug trafficking on the Tor Network: Silk Road 2, the sequel.

Abstract Background Housing an illicit, online drug retail market generating sales in the millions of USD, the Silk Road was a profitable marketplace with a growing and loyal consumer base. Following its FBI-forced shut down in October 2013, the Silk Road enjoyed newfound fame that contributed to an increase in new users downloading and accessing the Tor Network; however, with this particular marketplace out of order, Silk Road 2 was launched to fill the void. The goals of this study were to (1) compare the metrics of Silk Road 2 to the original site, and to (2) determine if there were any indications of the presence of more sophisticated drug trafficking operations. Methods Data were collected from Silk Road 2 during the months of August and September 2014 using webcrawling software. Results Silk Road 2 was a much smaller marketplace than the original Silk Road. Of the 1834 unique items for sale, 348 were drug items sold by 145 distinct vendors shipping from 19 countries. Of the drug items advertised, most were stimulants and hallucinogens. The United States is both the number one country of origin for drug sales on Silk Road 2 and the number one destination country. Interestingly, 73% of all vendor accounts on Silk Road 2 advertised drug items, even though drugs only constituted 19% of all items advertised. Conclusion This study was the first to research Silk Road 2, the replacement illicit marketplace to the original virtual Silk Road. This study was also the first to examine indications of the presence of more coordinated drug trafficking efforts in an online setting. The findings indicated that while Silk Road 2 was not primarily a drug market, there were indications that some vendor accounts may have connections reaching beyond a base retail market.
On the Relative-Frequency Interpretation of Finite Maximum-Entropy Distributions

This paper critically reexamines the Jaynes interpretation of finite maximum-entropy distributions as limits of the ‘most likely’ relative-frequency distributions consistent with any given prior information. It is shown that while this interpretation is valid in a number of cases, it fails to hold for many types of prior information. Given this limitation, a weaker form of the Jaynes interpretation is proposed which is shown to hold for a wider class of prior information.
A bivariate markov process with diffusion and discrete components

Let (X (t)Y (t)) be a homogeneous Markov process assuming values in R x S, where S is a finite or countable set, identified by the positive integers. The transition probabilities are described by means of a matrix-valued function P (t; x A), whose entry of index (i j) represents P (X (t)E A Y (t) = j| X (0) =x Y (0) =i). The infinitesimal generator is determined. Under general conditions it is shown that the process has a stochastic representation in terms of a family of diffusionsX i (t), each having a finite but random lifetime, such that the component X( t) behaves like the diffusion X i( t) during the stay of Y (t) in state i; and the duration of Y in i coincides with the lifetime of the associated process X i. The distribution of the time of the first passage of the Y-process out of a given set of states is determined. Explicit results are obtained in the special but important case where the coefficient functions of the generator are piecewise constant. The model is shown to be applicable to describi...
Estimation of clay content in soil based on resistivity modelling and laboratory measurements

The determination of clay content in near-surface formations is crucial for geotechnical, hydrogeological and oil-contamination studies. We have developed a technique for estimating clay content that consists of the minimization of the difference between the theoretically calculated and measured soil resistivities as a function of water salinity. To calculate the resistivity, we used a model that takes into account the electrochemical processes in the clay micropores. The experimental measurements of soil resistivity were performed on soil samples, completely saturated by brines at different concentrations of NaCl salt in the range 0.6–100 g/l, to obtain the resistivity versus salinity curve. The parameters obtained with this curve inversion are the clay content, the total porosity and the cation exchange capacity. To verify the new technique, we determined clay concentrations of artificial mixtures of calibrated sand and clay. The relative mean error in the clay content does not exceed 20% for a 5% fitting error of the resistivity versus salinity curves. Such evaluations allow the correct separation of the main lithological groups (sand, sandy loam, loam, and light, medium and heavy clay). We applied this technique to estimate the petrophysical parameters of soils (clay content, porosity and cation exchange capacity) at various sites in Mexico. The results improved the interpretation of the vertical electrical soundings, the lithological soil characterization and the delineation of oil-contaminated areas.
The relationship between locus of odor cues and double-alternation responding in the rat

In two experiments, rats traversed a runway in the presence of odor cues from odor-donor rats (stimulus odor). These odors were established in the start and run sections of a runway. As in previous work, these odors were shown to be influential determinants of behavior There is an indication that odors of reward and nonreward may be different for different rats, and that these different odors can be used to form complex discriminations.
Noncovariance of field theories quantized on the light cone which are not scale invariant

It is shown from spectral representations involving the energy-momentum tensor that in general a field theory quantized on the light cone (as opposed to the case in which an equal-time-quantized theory is merely rewritten in terms of light-cone coordinates) does not possess a Lorentz-invariant vacuum state. The sole exception to this result occurs in cases for which one has scale invariance.