cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preliminary in Vivo Breast Vibro-acoustography Results with a Quasi-2-D Array Transducer: A Step Forward Toward Clinical Applications

We previously investigated the application of a novel imaging modality, vibro-acoustography (VA), using an annular confocal transducer (confocal VA) integrated into a clinical prone stereotactic mammography system, to detect various breast abnormalities. To shorten the scanning time and provide improved coverage of the breast, we have evolved our imaging system by implementing VA on a clinical ultrasound scanner equipped with a ''quasi-2-D'' array transducer. We call this technique ''quasi-2-D vibro-acoustography'' (Q2-DVA). A clinical ultrasound scanner (GE Vivid 7) was modified to perform both ultrasound imaging and VAusing an array transducer consisting of a matrix of 12 rowsby 70 columns of ultrasound elements. The newly designed system was used to perform VA on patients with either benign or cancerous lesions. Our results indicate that benign and malignant solid breast lesions were easily detected using our newly modified VA system. It was also possible to detect microcalcifications withinthebreast.Ourresults suggestthatwithfurtherdevelopment, Q2-DVAcouldpro- vide high-resolution diagnostic information in the clinical setting and may be used either as a stand-alone or as a complementary tool in support of other clinical imaging modalities. (E-mail: alizad.azra@mayo.edu) 2014 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology.
Identity work among lesbian and gay elderly

Abstract Both traditional and interactionist sociologies ignore the intersection of history, generations and life-course on the one hand and the local production of identity on the other. To document the local enactment and contestation of historically specific discourses that implicate and shape identity, I analyze the identity work of thirty-seven gay men and lesbians over the age of 65. I focus on the invocation and elaboration of competing discourses of homosexuality by subjects who identified as homosexual during different stages of life and different historical eras, and suggest that these “identity cohorts” are unique, unconsidered groups whose experience can shed light on the interplay between identity, generations, and social change.
Estimating BrAC from transdermal alcohol concentration data using the BrAC estimator software program

BACKGROUND: Transdermal alcohol sensor (TAS) devices have the potential to allow researchers and clinicians to unobtrusively collect naturalistic drinking data for weeks at a time, but the transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) data these devices produce do not consistently correspond with breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) data. We present and test the BrAC Estimator software, a program designed to produce individualized estimates of BrAC from TAC data by fitting mathematical models to a specific person wearing a specific TAS device. METHODS: Two TAS devices were worn simultaneously by 1 participant for 18 days. The trial began with a laboratory alcohol session to calibrate the model and was followed by a field trial with 10 drinking episodes. Model parameter estimates and fit indices were compared across drinking episodes to examine the calibration phase of the software. Software-generated estimates of peak BrAC, time of peak BrAC, and area under the BrAC curve were compared with breath analyzer data to examine the estimation phase of the software. RESULTS: In this single-subject design with breath analyzer peak BrAC scores ranging from 0.013 to 0.057, the software created consistent models for the 2 TAS devices, despite differences in raw TAC data, and was able to compensate for the attenuation of peak BrAC and latency of the time of peak BrAC that are typically observed in TAC data. CONCLUSIONS: This software program represents an important initial step for making it possible for non mathematician researchers and clinicians to obtain estimates of BrAC from TAC data in naturalistic drinking environments. Future research with more participants and greater variation in alcohol consumption levels and patterns, as well as examination of gain scheduling calibration procedures and nonlinear models of diffusion, will help to determine how precise these software models can become. Language: en
Role of swelling in muscle contraction

Abstract The two types of volume change occurring in muscle and in contractile protein systems have been defined. Theoretical examination has been made of the influence of hydrophobic group interactions upon these two volume changes. Three different contractile mechanisms have been proposed in which osmotic changes can occur. The most plausible mechanism for striated muscle does not require a cell membrane and can effect a load-sensitive division of energy between direct pull and lateral swelling.
Gender and Livelihood Diversification: Maasai Women’s Market Activities in Northern Tanzania

AbstractEast African pastoralists are increasingly diversifying their livelihoods to bring cash into the household. While men dominate these activities, women’s contributions to household economies through new market activities make them pivotal players in livelihood diversification. This article compares Maasai women’s income-earning activities at local markets with their market activities at the gemstone mining area of Mererani. It shows that women’s economic activities simultaneously challenge and reify a pastoral gender system and that this differs according to a woman’s family and household status. In addition, it addresses the implications of these processes for rural development initiatives aimed at empowering women.
Prospective study of iliac crest bone graft harvest site pain and morbidity.

Abstract Background context Morbidity associated with autologous bone graft harvest is an important factor in determining the utility of expensive alternatives such as recombinant bone morphogenic protein. The most frequently reported complication associated with graft harvest is chronic pain. Purpose To prospectively determine the degree of pain and morbidity associated with autologous iliac crest bone graft harvest and its effect on activities of daily living. Study design Prospective observational cohort study. Patient sample One hundred ten adult patients undergoing elective posterior lumbar spinal fusion surgery involving autologous iliac crest bone graft harvest. Outcome measures Patient self-reported Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores for pain and a study-specific questionnaire regarding activities of daily living. Methods One hundred ten patients were prospectively enrolled. Postoperative VAS scores (0–100) for harvest site pain were obtained at 6-week, 6- and 12-month follow-up. Patients completed a 12-month questionnaire regarding the persistence of specific symptoms and resulting limitation of specific activities. Results One hundred four patients were available for 1-year follow-up. Mean VAS pain scores (scale 0–100) at 6 weeks, 6 and 12 months were 22.7 (standard deviation [SD], 25.9), 15.9 (SD, 21.5), and 16.1 (SD, 24.6), respectively. At 12 months, 16.5% reported more severe pain from the harvest site than the primary surgical site, 29.1% reported numbness, and 11.3% found the degree of numbness bothersome, whereas 3.9% were bothered by scar appearance. With respect to activity limitations resulting from harvest site pain at 1 year, 15.1% reported some difficulty walking, 5.2% with employment, 12.9% with recreation, 14.1% with household chores, 7.6% with sexual activity, and 5.9% irritation from clothing. Conclusions There is a significant rate of persistent pain and morbidity from iliac crest bone graft harvest when associated with elective spine surgery. Mean pain scores progressively decline over the first postoperative year. Nevertheless, harvest site pain remains functionally limiting in a significant percentage of patients 1 year after surgery. Rates of functional limitation are higher than previously reported and may be because of increased sensitivity of the prospective study design and targeted investigation of these specific symptoms. Validity of these findings is necessarily limited by patient ability to discriminate harvest site pain from alternative sources of back and buttock pain.
Plastic behaviour of coal under rapid-heating high-temperature conditions

Abstract The plastic behaviour of a bituminous coal was determined under conditions pertinent to modern high-temperature coal conversion processes, using a specially developed fast-response plastometer. The instrument determines the torque required for constant rotation of a thin disc embedded within a thin layer of coal heated between two parallel metal plates. Heating rates, final temperatures and sample residence times at final temperature can be separately selected and controlled over the ranges 40–800 K s −1 , 600–1250 K and 0–40 s, respectively. The instrument is enclosed in a vessel designed for hydrogen or inert gas pressures up to 10 MPa. Typical results are illustrated and compared with predictions of a preliminary mathematical model of the kinetics of coal plasticity. The observed kinetics are also discussed with reference to solvent extraction data on the residues of coal samples that have undergone the same temperature-time histories as those employed in the plastometer. The effect of external gas pressure on plasticity is also briefly discussed.
The impact of election frequency and crises upon the arms race

This paper examines the impact of election frequency and crises upon the arms race via the computer simulation introduced in Dacey and Pendegraft (1988). We answer two basic questions. First, in an arms race are there advantages to holding elections frequently (i.e., on a short interval) as opposed to infrequently (i.e., on a long interval)? Second, do crises have an influence on the outcome of arms races, and if so, how? The answers to these questions are straightforward. For the first question, we find that in round‐robin tournament play (i.e., traditional Axelrod‐type play) the advantage rests with the short election interval players, and in inter‐group play it rests with the long election interval players. For the second question we find that crises have a pronounced effect, and the size of the effect depends on the relationship between election frequency and the frequency with which losing players are removed from the tournament. [Key Words: Election frequency, Crises, Arms Race]
Thermoelectric properties of tin clathrates under hydrostatic pressure

Abstract We report the temperature dependence of electrical resistance ( R ) and thermopower ( S ) of clathrate Cs 8 Sn 44 under high pressure up to 1.2 GPa. We observe a reversible gap widening, prominent relaxation effect of R , irreversible increase of | S | under high pressure. We also find that the power factor S 2 σ ( σ : electrical conductivity) reaches a maximum at pressure of 0.3 GPa. Comparison of the experimental results with band structure calculations suggests that the intrinsic vacancy in the clathrate structure of Cs 8 Sn 44 plays an important role in transport properties under high pressure. Measurements on Cs 8 Zn 4 Sn 42 , a clathrate which has defects other than vacancies, are compared with Cs 8 Sn 44 . The results indicate that replacing Sn by Zn has similar effect as the intrinsic vacancy on S .
Reconceptualizing public and private in urban regime theory: governance in AIDS politics

Regime theory is a means by which scholars study governance in the city. Governance is defined as a productive exercise of power (‘the power to’) resulting from the normative and actual arrangements (the ‘regime’) between public and private spheres in a liberal democratic community. To date, the public-private couplet has been conceptualized as the state and market institutions respectively. In this paper I show that this definition is but one particular (Lockean) conceptualization of the public and private. Other dimensions also exist in liberalism itself (Romantic, Modern and feminist critique) and thus have considerable saliency in urban life and politics. Recognizing this point benefits regime theory by strengthening and extending its theoretical and empirical consistency. It captures the complex structuration of city politics better, and facilitates the examination of non-traditional forms and locations of politics in the city, where each of the dimensions of the public-private couplet might produce governance. Using grounded theory, that point is developed through an account of local politics of AIDS in a New Zealand city, where various forms of public and private enterprise connect to successfully achieve the policy goals of prevention, education and support. La theorie du regime est un moyen pour les chercheurs d’etudier le gouvernement des villes. La gouvernance est definie comme l’exercice productif du pouvoir (‘le pouvoir de’) qui resulte des arrangements normatifs et reels (le ‘regime’) entre les spheres du prive et du public dans une communaute liberale democratique. Jusqu’a maintenant, le couple public-prive a ete aux institutions de l’etat et du marche. Dans cet article je montre que cette representation n’est qu’une representation particuliere (Lock) du public et du prive. D’autres dimensions existent dans le liberalisme meme (romantique, moderne, et la critique feministe) et ont donc une importance considerable dans la vie et dans les politiques urbaines. La reconnaissance de ce point beneficie a la theorie du regime en donnant de la force a sa consistance empirique et theorique et en l’etendant. Ceci rend mieux compte de la structuration complexe des politiques des villes, et facilite l’examen des formes et des lieux de politique non traditionnels de la ville, ou` chaque dimension du couple public-prive peut produire la gouvernance. En utilisant grounded-theory, ce point est developpe dans un compte-rendu de la politique locale du Sida dans une ville de Nouvelle-Zelande ou des formes diverses d’entreprise publique et privee se rejoignent pour atteindre les buts politiques de la prevention, de l’education et du soutien.
Optical properties of coals and liquefaction residues as indicators of reactivity

Abstract The trend of vitrinite fluorescence intensity within the bituminous rank range, peaking in high volatile A coals, is thought to be due mainly to the development of the mobile or molecular phase with thermal maturation. A strong parallelism exists between fluorescence intensity, solvent yield and the thermoplastic behaviour of coals and hydrogenated coals. Determination of the reflectance distribution of hydrogenated coals can provide a measure of competing hydrogenation and retrogressive reactions in catalysed and non-catalysed runs, conducted both dry and with a solvent vehicle. The type of vitroplast generated and the anisotropy of the unextracted products give further insight into the size and mobility of the molecules generated by hydroprocessing. The relative reactivities of vitrinite and sporinite were reversed at different rank levels. The alteration of fluorescence intensity with time is another rank-dependent property; the phenomenon is seen clearly to be due to photochemical oxidation on irradiation. Highly weathered bituminous coals respond in a unique manner, similar to those of low rank coals which lack the negative alteration component due to the presence of the mobile phase. This may be due to the creation of absorption centres and enhanced molecular rigidity through cross-linking reactions.
A Screening Procedure for Oropharyngeal Dysphagia

The present study was designed to examine the sensitivity and specificity of a 28-item screening test in identifying patients who aspirate, have an oral stage disorder, a pharyngeal delay, or a pharyngeal stage disorder. The screening test includes 28 items divided into 5 categories: (1) 4 medical history variables; (2) 6 behavioral variables; (3) 2 gross motor variables; (4) 9 observations from oromotor testing; and (5) 7 observations during trial swallows. Results identified variables that were able to classify patients correctly as having or not having aspiration 71% of the time, an oral stage disorder 69% of the time, a pharyngeal delay 72% of the time, and a pharyngeal stage swallowing problem 70% of the time. Sensitivity and specificity for each of these judgments and all 28 items on the test are also provided. Results are discussed relative to statistical, clinical, and third-party perspectives on the goals of screening, data from other screening tests, and the role of screening versus diagnostic testing in care of dysphagic patients.
Developmental aspects of renal beta-amino acid transport. VI. The role of membrane fluidity and phospholipid composition in the renal adaptive response in nursing animals.

Developmental Aspects of Renal β-Amino Acid Transport. VI. The Role of Membrane Fluidity and Phospholipid Composition in the Renal Adaptive Response in Nursing Animals
Resonant-cavity avalanche photodiodes and narrow spectral response photodiodes

The performance of conventional photodiodes is limited by an intrinsic tradeoff between quantum efficiency and bandwidth. We have successfully demonstrated that resonant-cavity photodiodes can simultaneously achieve high quantum efficiency and wide bandwidths. The resonant-cavity approach increases the absorption through multiple reflections between two parallel mirrors. In addition, the wavelength selective spectral response offers potential advantages for applications where filtering is needed such as wavelength division multiplexing. In this paper, we report on a resonant-cavity, separate absorption and multiplication avalanche photodiode (APD). An avalanche gain of more than 40 has been obtained. The peak external quantum efficiency was measured to be approximately 80% at 890 nm with a spectral response linewidth of less than 7 nm. Without cavity enhancement, the efficiency of these APDs would be less than 5% because the absorbing layer is only 500 angstroms thick. The structure was designed to provide electron injection into the multiplication region because we have determined experimentally that for Al0.4Ga0.6As, the electron ionization coefficient is larger than that of the hole. Based on the conventional formulation for excess noise, the ratio of ionization coefficients is as low as (beta) /(alpha) equals 0.2.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Antheridiogen Production and Response in Gymnocarpium dryopteris ssp. disjunctum

Abstract Although most species of homosporous pteridophytes investigated to date are highly outcrossing, there is little conclusive evidence of the mechanisms promoting intergametophytic matings in natural populations. The hormone antheridiogen, produced by meristematic and usually archegoniate gametophytes, has been implicated as an effective promoter of intergametophytic matings in natural populations. In this study, antheridiogen production and response were analyzed in laboratory-cultured gametophytes from five outcrossing populations of Gymnocarpium dryopteris ssp. disjunctum. The numbers of antheridia present in gametophytes grown on antheridiogen-enriched and control nutrient agar were recorded over an 84-day period; approximately 4200 gametophytes were observed. Contingency table analyses indicated a statistically significant positive response to treatment medium in the majority of cultures analyzed. However, consistently insignificant responses to treatment medium in two gametophyte cultures suggest intrapopulational variation in gametophytic response to antheridiogen. Antheridiogen production and response in gametophytes of G. dryopteris ssp. disjunctum suggest that this antheridiogen system effectively promotes intergametophytic matings in natural populations. The selection pressures under which antheridiogen systems may have evolved are also discussed.
Acetylation of nuclear protein in the heterochromatin and euchromatin of mealy bugs.

Abstract When isolated nuclei of the male mealy bug (Planococcus citri) are incubated with tritiated acetyl coenzyme A, label is incorporated into 70–75% of the nuclei. The maternal, genetically active, euchromatic chromosome set incorporates about seven times more label that the paternal, largely inactive, heterochromatic chromosome set. This ratio is not altered significantly by treating the cells with nucleases, nor is there any significant non-specific binding of coenzyme A to nuclear components. It is suggested that the incorporation largely represents enzymatic, post-synthetic acetylation of histone. Greater acetylation of the euchromatic set is consistent with previous correlations of post-synthetic acetylation of histone and genetic derepression.
Economic impacts of non-indigenous species: Miconia and the Hawaiian economy

Imperfect scientific information regarding potential invasiveness, differences between private and public outcomes for individual decisions regarding planting, and inadequate prevention activity combine to impose costs through a change in native ecosystems susceptible to invasion by hardy, rapidly reproducing non-indigenous species. Concepts and tools from economic theory that may improve policy decisions are explored through the specific example of Miconia calvescens in Hawaii. Rapid expansion of M. calvescens, an ornamental tree introduced to several Pacific Islands over the last century, threatens local watersheds, endangered species, and recreational and aesthetic values in the Hawaiian and Society Islands. Potential welfare losses from the unchecked spread of Miconia in Hawaii are illustrated. Policy options investigated include accommodation of these losses, efforts at containment, or eradication. Estimates are determined through an optimal control model describing the potential expansion of the weed and its control costs and damages. Results suggest that cost-effective policies will vary with the level of invasion as well as the expected net benefits from control efforts.
Church politics and the genocide in Rwanda

Christian churches were deeply implicated in the 1994 genocide of ethnic Tutsi in Rwanda. Churches were a major site for massacres, and many Christians participated in the slaughter, including church personnel and lay leaders. Church involvement in the genocide can be explained in part because of the historic link between church and state and the acceptance of ethnic discrimination among church officials. In addition, just as political officials chose genocide as a means of reasserting their authority in the face of challenges from a democracy movement and civil war, struggles over power within Rwanda's Christian churches led some church leaders to accept the genocide as a means of eliminating challenges to their own authority within the churches.
Multinuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for in Vivo Assessment of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common and often devastating neurodegenerative disease affecting up to one million individuals in the United States alone. Multiple lines of evidence support mitochondrial dysfunction as a primary or secondary event in PD pathogenesis; a better understanding, therefore, of how mitochondrial function is altered in vivo in brain tissue in PD is a critical step toward developing potential PD biomarkers. In vivo study of mitochondrial metabolism in human subjects has previously been technically challenging. However, proton and phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H and (31)P MRS) are powerful noninvasive techniques that allow evaluation in vivo of lactate, a marker of anaerobic glycolysis, and high energy phosphates, such as adenosine triphosphate and phosphocreatine, directly reflecting mitochondrial function. This article reviews previous (1)H and (31)P MRS studies in PD, which demonstrate metabolic abnormalities consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction, and then presents recent (1)H MRS data revealing abnormally elevated lactate levels in PD subjects.
Treatment of blood flow abnormality using mucosal delivery of nitric oxide

This review focuses on clinical application of intravaginal formulations containing nitric oxide (NO). Poly(d,l-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid)-based microparticles or nanoparticles encapsulated with nitric oxide prodrugs, such as diethylenetriamine diazeniumdiolate and S-nitrosoglutathione, have been developed for the treatment of blood flow abnormality in various diseases including diabetes. Advanced nanotechnology allows for production of novel formulations with the capability of long-term protection, preserving the integrity of the NO donors, and delivering NO in a controlled and sustained release manner at the mucosal sites. The gene expressions of MAPK and PKC in the vaginal mucosa upon exposure to microparticles were evaluated for the mechanistic study involved with blood flow changes. The blood flow changes and protein expression of the vaginal mucosa upon exposure to intravaginal formulations containing NO donors supported that NO therapy would be suitable for the treatment of blood flow abnormality. This review subsequently would help to establish a scientific foundation for clinical trials of intravaginal NO delivery systems in humans.
Insight into an implicit time integration scheme for structural dynamics

In Refs. [1,2], an effective implicit time integration scheme was proposed for the finite element solution of nonlinear problems in structural dynamics. Various important attributes were demonstrated. In particular, it was shown that the scheme remains stable, without the use of adjustable parameters, when the commonly used trapezoidal rule results in unstable solutions. In this paper we focus on additional important attributes of the scheme, and specifically on showing that the procedure can also be effective in linear analyses. We give, in comparison to other methods, the spectral radius, period elongation, and amplitude decay of the scheme and study the solution of a simple 'model problem' with a very flexible and stiff response.
Human VIP-α: A long-acting, biocompatible and biodegradable peptide nanomedicine for essential hypertension

Abstract We have previously shown that self-association of human vasoactive intestinal peptide with sterically stabilized liposomes (VIP-α) alters peptide conformation from random coil in aqueous solution to α-helix. This, in turn, protects the peptide from hydrolysis and amplifies and prolongs its bioactivity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a single, intravenous injection of low-dose human VIP-α normalizes systemic arterial pressure in anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive hamsters for a prolonged period of time in a selective fashion. We found that intravenous injection of human VIP-α, VIP alone (each, 1.0 nmol) and empty liposomes had no significant effects on mean arterial pressure (MAP) in normotensive hamsters. By contrast, human VIP-α (0.01–1.0 nmol) evoked a significant concentration-dependent decrease in MAP to the normative range in spontaneously hypertensive hamsters that lasted throughout the observation period (6 h; p
Intracellular freezing of human granulocytes

Human granulocyte suspensions were exposed to controlled freezing regimens on a cryomicroscope, and the incidence of intracellular freezing was measured as a function of cooling rate and extracellular nucleation temperature. The presence of intracellular ice was assessed by analysis of serially recorded images of the freeze-thaw process and by correlation with measured patterns of change in the cell volume. For granulocytes suspended in autologous plasma, a threshold was described for intracellular freezing as an empirical function of cooling rate (B) and extracellular nucleation temperature (Tn): B (degrees C/min) = 1.1 Tn (degrees C) + 12.3.
Adenocarcinoma Arising From A Defunctionalized Bladder

A 45-year-old white man with a history of neurogenic bladder and imperforate anus presented to our clinic complaining of a dark red discharge from the penis. He had undergone ileal loop urinary diversion at age 6 with the bladder left in situ. The fecal stream was diverted with an end colostomy in 1981. Cystoscopy revealed a 5 cm. sessile tumor on the left anterior lateral wall of the bladder. Examination with the patient under anesthesia showed no bladder fixation. Biopsy of the tumor revealed muscle invasive bladder adenocarcinoma. Metastatic workup was negative. We then performed a radical cystoprostatectomy (fig. 1). Microscopic evaluation of the specimen revealed grade III mucinous adenocarcinoma with extensive intestinal metaplasia of the bladder mucosa (fig. 2). The prostate, seminal vesicles, urethra and ureters were free of tumor. The patient experienced a satisfactory recovery. He declined adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Followup imaging at 6 months showed no evidence of local recurrence or metastatic disease.
Reconstructing Tethered Satellite Skiprope Motion by Bandpass Filtering Magnetometer Measurements

This paper presents a unique scheme for reconstructing tethered satellite skiprope motion by ground processing satellite magnetometer measurements. The measurements are modified based on ground knowledge of the earth's magnetic field and passed through bandpass filters tuned to the skiprope frequency. Skiprope motion is then deduced from the steady-state outputs of the filters. Simulation results are presented which verify the scheme and show it to be robust. The concept is not just limited to tethered satellites. Indeed, it can be applied whenever there is a need to reconstruct the coning motion of a body about a known axis, given measurements of a known vector in body-fixed axes.
Effects of Perceived Teacher Practices on Latino High School Students’ Interest, Self-Efficacy, and Achievement in Mathematics

The author examined the effects of teacher caring, teacher content explanations, and teacher interest promotion on Latino students’ interest, self-efficacy, and achievement in mathematics. Participants in the year-long study were 326 Latino 9th- and 10th-grade students attending a large urban high school in southern California. Teacher variables made unique contributions to students’ interest, self-efficacy, and achievement after controlling for demographics and initial levels of interest and self-efficacy. In addition, the author found the 2 instructional practices—content explanations and interest promotion—to mediate the relation between teacher caring and interest, self-efficacy, and achievement. The author did not detect any moderating effects with respect to gender, grade level, English language proficiency, or initial motivation. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
The use of photon correlation spectroscopy for estimating the rate constant for doublet formation in an aggregating colloidal dispersion

Abstract An expression is derived relating the rate constant for doublet formation to the experimentally measured rate of change of the intensity-weighted mean particle radius, at early times, determined from photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). The rate constant for doublet formation is proportional to a derived “optical factor” that is a function of particle size, scattering angle, and wavelength of light in the dispersing medium. The optical factor is calculated using form factors from Rayleigh-Debye theory and diffusion coefficients from Kirkwood-Riseman theory. Estimation of the rate constant for doublet formation using early-time PCS measurements suggests that particle concentrations no greater than 10 9 particles/cm 3 should be used.
Vesicle budding: insights from cell-free assays

Transfer of proteins and lipids between the various membrane-bound subcellular compartments of the eukaryotic cell is mediated by transport vesicles. The development of cell-free assays has allowed rapid progress towards a molecular description of the formation, or budding, of these vesicles. This article reviews and integrates data obtained from various yeast and mammalian systems on molecules involved in the budding reaction.
Vibrational spectra of lanthanide hexahalides of the type (RH)3LnX6

Abstract The far i.r. and Raman spectra of twenty-two (RH)3LnX6 type complexes (where Ln = Nd, Gd, Eu, Er, Dy, Yb; X = Cl, Br; and RH = C5H5NH+, (C6H5)3PH+) were recorded. The fundamental vibrations of nearly octahedral LnX63− have been identified and are observed to vary with substitutions of halide, metal, and counter ion.
What Causally Insensitive Events Tell us About Overdetermination

Some philosophers dismiss putative cases of causal overdetermination as joint causation underdescribed. In this paper I identify a special kind of causal overdetermination that cannot be reduced to joint causation, and use it to shed light on other kinds of redundant causation. Some effects are insensitive to the additive force of multiple causes. They are to be contrasted with sensitive effects, which physically and counterfactually vary according to the number and sorts of causes they have. I argue that sensitive effects are symptoms of joint causation; insensitive effects are symptoms of overdetermination. Insensitive effects resulting from multiple causes cannot be classified as “joint causation underdescribed,” but only as overdetermination. Finally, I suggest that cases of “trumping preemption” should be understood as cases of overdetermination with insensitive effects, and that Lewis’ “influence” account of causation cannot handle these cases.
Effect of exogenous gonadal steroids and pregnancy on uterine luminal prostaglandin F in mares

Two experiments were conducted to assess the effect of exogenous hormone treatment on uterine luminal prostaglandin F (PGF). In the first experiment ovariectomized pony mares received either corn oil (21 days, n = 3), estradiol valerate (21 days, n = 3), progesterone (21 days, n = 3) or estradiol valerate (7 days) followed by progesterone (14 days, n = 4). Progesterone treated mares had higher (P less than .01) uterine luminal PGF compared with all other groups, and no differences were detected between other treatment comparisons. In Experiment II, uterine fluid was collected from 4 ovariectomized horse mares before and after treatment with estradiol valerate (7 days) followed by progesterone (50 days). Pretreatment uterine luminal PGF levels were lower (P less than .001) than post-treatment levels (.03 vs 76.80 ng/ml). In a third experiment PGF was measured in uterine fluid of pony mares on days 8, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 of the estrous cycle and pregnancy. In nonpregnant mares a day effect (P less than .03) was observed in which uterine fluid PGF increased during the late luteal phase and declined thereafter. In contrast, no day effect was observed in pregnant animals and uterine luminal PGF was lower (P less than .001) than in cycling animals. These studies indicate that exogenous progesterone administration results in a large increase in uterine luminal PGF, whereas, pregnancy results in suppression. Taken collectively with previous work from our laboratory, these results suggest that while the endometrium of pregnant mares is capable of producing large amounts of PGF, the presence of a conceptus impedes its synthesis and/or release which allows for luteal maintenance.
Built-in test pattern generation for high-performance circuits using twisted-ring counters

We present a new approach for built-in pattern generation based on the reseeding of twisted-ring counters (TRCs). The proposed technique embeds a precomputed deterministic test set for the circuit under test (CUT) in a short test sequence produced by a TRC. The TRC is designed using existing circuit flip-flops and does not add to hardware overhead beyond what is required for basic scan design. The test control logic is simple, uniform for all circuits, and can be shared among multiple CUTs. Furthermore, the proposed method requires no mapping logic between the TGC and the CUT; it imposes no additional performance penalty. Experimental results for the ISCAS benchmark circuits show that it is indeed possible to embed the entire precomputed test set in a TRC sequence using only a small number of seeds, especially if the test set contains many don't-cares.
The effect of the randomizing time on the shape of a timing distribution

Abstract Given the noise voltage ν ( t ) from an electronic system, the noise ν ( t + Δt ) is not randomly related to ν ( t ) until Δt ≳ T , a randomizing time. The influence of this effect on the shape of a timing curve from a discriminator (zero-crossing, leading-edge or whatever) is analyzed. The width, walk and asymmetry are nearly the same as the previous analysis for a slowly varying signal. The walk is somewhat less for a rapidly varying signal.
Sex ratio and optimal harvest of canvasback ducks, A model

Abstract The North American population of canvasback ducks (Aythya valisineria) exhibits extreme distortion of the sex ratio in favor of males. This paper describes a model which accounts for this pattern by relatively heavier female mortality in both the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. The density-dependence of winter mortality leads to the conclusion that the observed sex ratio depresses total population numbers. Variation in nesting success is shown to influence sex ratios and strongly depress population numbers. Because a standard harvest scheme can be demonstrated to severely depress the numbers of ducks, an alternative graduated or weighted harvest procedure is recommended.
Liking and self-disclosure in opposite sex dyads.

A review of studies of self-disclosure indicated that own self-disclosure was more often related to liking for partner than was other's self-disclosure and that relationship held for females rather than males. Similarity of content and similarity of amount of self-disclosure between partners have been proposed as conditions which could account for the failure of other's self-disclosure to be related to liking for partner. In a study of self-disclosure by 59 dyads of both sexes during an initial laboratory meeting, only the relationship between own self-disclosure and liking for partner was significant and then only for females. Reassessment of theory and methods for studying the relationships are needed.
Cryopreservation of Dirofilaria immitis microfilariae and third-stage larvae.

Microfilariae of Dirofilaria immitis retained their infectivity for susceptible mosquitoes after cooling to −196°C in the presence of 5% dimethylsulphoxide (Me2SO) using a two-step cooling sequence. Motility and in vitro development of cryopreserved microfilariae also compared favourably with unfrozen controls. Third-stage larvae frozen by the same cooling sequence in the presence of either 5% Me2SO or 16% hydroxyethyl starch were motile upon thawing. Thawed larvae completed the third- to fourth-stage moult in vitro at a frequency approximately 5 to 10% of that seen in unfrozen controls.
On New High Performance Systems with Linear Actuators for Diurnal Orientation of PV Platforms

The paper presents new mechatronic systems used to perform the diurnal orientation of photovoltaic (PV) platforms, aiming to achieve high angular strokes and also low cost, high precision, constructive simplicity and relative low pressure angles. Starting from the disadvantages of the existing tracking mechanism identified in the literature (patents, scientific articles, market documentation, etc.), new high performance linkages and gear mechanisms driven by linear actuators are proposed in the paper. Hence, four new tracking mechanisms, achieving high angular strokes (over 180o), are described: a) quadrilateral type, b) rhombus type, c) slider-crank type, and d) linkage with gears type. These mechanisms are designed especially for concentrating PV systems, which require high orientation precision on the entire angular stroke.
Solving hard satisfiability problems with synchronous simulated annealing on the AP1000 multiprocessor

Solving the hard satisfiability problem is difficult and time-consuming for even modest sized problem instances. This paper presents a parallel synchronous simulated annealing method for solving the Random L-Sat problem on a large scale distributed-memory multiprocessor. In particular, we use a parallel synchronous simulated annealing method called generalized speculative computation, which guarantees the convergence property and some decision sequence of sequential simulated annealing. To demonstrate the performance, we have selected the Random L-SAT instances of 100-variable/425-clause to 5000-variable/21250-clause. Experimental results on the AP1000 distributed-memory multiprocessor indicate that the method can satisfy 99.9% of the clauses of the hard Random L-Sat instances while giving nearly 70-fold speedup on 500 processors.
Survival, growth, and body residues of Hyalella azteca (Saussure) exposed to fipronil contaminated sediments from non-vegetated and vegetated microcosms.

We assessed chronic effects of fipronil and metabolite contaminated sediments from non-vegetated and Thallia dealbata vegetated wetland microcosms on Hyalella azteca during wet and dry exposures. Mean sed- iment concentrations (ng g -1 ) ranged from 0.72-1.26, 0.01-0.69, 0.07-0.23, and 0.49-7.87 for fipronil, fipronil- sulfide, fipronil-sulfone, and fipronil-desulfinyl, respec- tively. No significant differences in animal survival or growth were observed between non-vegetated and vege- tated microcosms during wet or dry exposures. Mean ani- mal body residue concentrations (ng g -1 ) ranged from 28.4-77.6, 0-30.7, and 8.3-43.8 for fipronil, fipronil-sul- fide, and fipronil-sulfone. Fipronil-desulfinyl was not detected in any animal samples.
Wetting characteristics of nanoscale water droplet on silicon substrates with effects of surface morphology

The objective of the present study is to explore the wettability of a nanoscale water droplet on silicon (Si) substrates of various surface morphologies by using molecular dynamics simulation. Three diamond lattice planes, i.e. Si(111), Si(100) and Si(110), of the Si substrates with microstructures of square column arrays of various heights and spacing are considered in this study. The wettability of water droplet on such substrates is characterised by contact angle. The distributions of water density and average hydrogen bond number are visualised with the simulation results. In addition, the volume of vapour trapped in the cavities of the surface microstructure is explored. The present results disclose interesting physics about the influences of wall lattice and surface microstructure.
A comparison of methods to evaluate potential integrals

Several methods are developed and used to evaluate potential integrals which occur in the numerical solution of electromagnetic scattering or radiation from electrically thin elements. Exact and approximate representations are obtained for potential integrals with constant, trigonometric, or polynomial distribution functions. Each integrand and integral is displayed graphically over a broad range of parameters. The computational accuracy and efficiency of these representations are compared with direct numerical quadrature.
Semiarid watershed response in central New Mexico and its sensitivity to climate variability and change

Abstract. Hydrologic processes in the semiarid regions of the Southwest United States are considered to be highly susceptible to variations in temperature and precipitation characteristics due to the effects of climate change. Relatively little is known about the potential impacts of climate change on the basin hydrologic response, namely streamflow, evapotranspiration and recharge, in the region. In this study, we present the development and application of a continuous, semi-distributed watershed model for climate change studies in semiarid basins of the Southwest US. Our objective is to capture hydrologic processes in large watersheds, while accounting for the spatial and temporal variations of climate forcing and basin properties in a simple fashion. We apply the model to the Rio Salado basin in central New Mexico since it exhibits both a winter and summer precipitation regime and has a historical streamflow record for model testing purposes. Subsequently, we use a sequence of climate change scenarios that capture observed trends for winter and summer precipitation, as well as their interaction with higher temperatures, to perform long-term ensemble simulations of the basin response. Results of the modeling exercise indicate that precipitation uncertainty is amplified in the hydrologic response, in particular for processes that depend on a soil saturation threshold. We obtained substantially different hydrologic sensitivities for winter and summer precipitation ensembles, indicating a greater sensitivity to more intense summer storms as compared to more frequent winter events. In addition, the impact of changes in precipitation characteristics overwhelmed the effects of increased temperature in the study basin. Nevertheless, combined trends in precipitation and temperature yield a more sensitive hydrologic response throughout the year.
A random variable shape parameter strategy for radial basis function approximation methods

Abstract Several variable shape parameter methods have been successfully used in radial basis function approximation methods. In many cases variable shape parameter strategies produced more accurate results than if a constant shape parameter had been used. We introduce a new random variable shape parameter strategy and give numerical results showing that the new random strategy often outperforms both existing variable shape and constant shape strategies.
Direct Measurement of Skin Friction in Complex Fluid Flows

This paper describes methods for the direct measurement of skin friction in fluid flows under a very wide variety of conditions. The challenges involved in different flow situations are highlighted, and representative instrument designs and measurement results are presented. The test conditions considered span the range from incompressible to hypersonic speeds; ambient to very high temperature including combusting flows; smooth, rough, and porous surfaces with and without injection and test times from 10-6 to essentially continuous runs. Both 2D and 3D flows are discussed. Accuracies of +/- 3-5% are presently attainable in the simplest cases, while +/- 10-15% is more typical for complex, 3D, high-speed flows at high temperatures. The final topic discussed is simultaneous measurements of skin friction and heat flux with the possible further additions of surface pressure and temperature.
Galectin-3, fibronectin-1, CITED-1, HBME1 and cytokeratin-19 immunohistochemistry is useful for the differential diagnosis of thyroid tumors.

The diagnosis of thyroid tumors is critical for clinical management; however, tumors with follicular architecture often present problems. We evaluated the diagnostic use of the protein expression of four genes that were found to be upregulated in papillary thyroid carcinoma compared to normal thyroid (LGALS3, FN1, CITED1 and KRT19), and of the mesothelial cell surface protein recognized by monoclonal antibody HBME1 in thyroid tumors. Tissues from 85 carcinomas (67 papillary, six follicular, eight Hurthle cell and four anaplastic) and 21 adenomas were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for the expression of these gene protein products, for example, galectin-3 (GAL3), fibronectin-1 (FN1), CITED1, cytokeratin-19 (CK19) and HBME1. Non-neoplastic thyroids (29 adenomatous and 14 thyrotoxic hyperplasia, and 59 normal) were also studied. The expression of all five proteins was significantly associated with malignancy, and highly specific (> or = 90%) for carcinoma compared to adenoma. GAL3, FN1 and/or HBME1 expression was seen in 100% of carcinomas (85/85) and in 24% of adenomas (5/21). Coexpression of multiple proteins was seen in 95% of carcinomas and only 5% of adenomas (P<0.0001). Coexpression of FN1 and GAL3 (FN1+ GAL3+, 70/85) or FN1 and HBME1 (FN1+ HBME1+, 53/85) was restricted to carcinomas, while their concurrent absence (FN1- GAL3- or FN1- HBME1-, 18/21 adenoma) was highly specific (96%) for benign lesions. Among non-neoplastic thyroids, adenomatous hyperplasia frequently expressed GAL3 (n=16), CK19 (n=9) and CITED1 (n=7), but the expression was predominantly focal in contrast to the diffuse expression in carcinomas. An immunohistochemical panel consisting of GAL3, FN1 and HBME1 may be useful in the diagnosis of follicular cell-derived thyroid tumors.