cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Drug Screening of Human GBM Spheroids in Brain Cancer Chip

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an extremely invasive and high-grade (grade IV) glioma, is the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer. It has a poor prognosis, with a median overall survival of only 11 months in the general GBM population and 14.6 to 21 months in clinical trial participants with standard GBM therapies, including maximum safe craniotomy, adjuvant radiation, and chemotherapies. Therefore, new approaches for developing effective treatments, such as a tool for assessing tumor cell drug response before drug treatments are administered, are urgently needed to improve patient survival. To address this issue, we developed an improved brain cancer chip with a diffusion prevention mechanism that blocks drugs crossing from one channel to another. In the current study, we demonstrate that the chip has the ability to culture 3D spheroids from patient tumor specimen-derived GBM cells obtained from three GBM patients. Two clinical drugs used to treat GBM, temozolomide (TMZ) and bevacizumab (Avastin, BEV), were applied and a range of relative concentrations was generated by the microfluidic channels in the brain cancer chip. The results showed that TMZ works more effectively when used in combination with BEV compared to TMZ alone. We believe that this low-cost brain cancer chip could be further developed to generate optimal combination of chemotherapy drugs tailored to individual GBM patients.
Qualitative Perspectives of Homeschool Parents Regarding Perceived Educational Success

A qualitative study of 15 homeschooling parents reported children’s educational success due to tailoring education to the specific needs of their children. Second, the parents indicated that significant parent-child bonding was an important outcome of the overall homeschool experience. Third, they were both keenly aware of homeschool-kid-stereotypes for lacking apt socialization—and the parents reportedly took deliberate steps in order to help foster this aspect of the children’s lives. We interpret the findings in light of active role construction for involvement and ecological systems theory, finding the parents’ high involvement in their children’s education to contribute to their academic success.
Modulation of Gpr39, a G-protein coupled receptor associated with alcohol use in non-human primates, curbs ethanol intake in mice.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic condition with devastating health and socioeconomic effects. Still, pharmacotherapies to treat AUD are scarce. In a prior study aimed at identifying novel AUD therapeutic targets, we investigated the DNA methylome of the nucleus accumbens core (NAcc) of rhesus macaques after chronic alcohol use. The G-protein coupled receptor 39 (GPR39) gene was hypermethylated and its expression downregulated in heavy alcohol drinking macaques. GPR39 encodes a Zn2+-binding metabotropic receptor known to modulate excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, the balance of which is altered in AUD. These prior findings suggest that a GPR39 agonist would reduce alcohol intake. Using a drinking-in-the-dark two bottle choice (DID-2BC) model, we showed that an acute 7.5 mg/kg dose of the GPR39 agonist, TC-G 1008, reduced ethanol intake in mice without affecting total fluid intake, locomotor activity or saccharin preference. Furthermore, repeated doses of the agonist prevented ethanol escalation in an intermittent access 2BC paradigm (IA-2BC). This effect was reversible, as ethanol escalation followed agonist “wash out”. As observed during the DID-2BC study, a subsequent acute agonist challenge during the IA-2BC procedure reduced ethanol intake by ~47%. Finally, Gpr39 activation was associated with changes in Gpr39 and Bdnf expression, and in glutamate release in the NAcc. Together, our findings suggest that GPR39 is a promising target for the development of prevention and treatment therapies for AUD.
Fiber-based polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography of a minimalistic system configuration

We present a very simple method of constructing a polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) system. An ordinary fiber-based swept-source OCT system was reconfigured for PS-OCT by adding a long section of polarization-maintaining fiber in the sample arm. Two polarization modes of a large group-delay difference formed spatially distinguished polarization channels. The depth-encoded information on the polarization states was retrieved by an amplitude-based analysis. We found that our method provides an economic scheme of PS-OCT. It demonstrates that an ordinary OCT system can be easily reconfigured for PS-OCT imaging if it has sufficient margins in the imaging range.
Mode Engineering in Linear Coherently Coupled Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser Arrays

The supermode tuning of coherent 3 × 1 vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser arrays are characterized and simulated. The array elements are resonantly tuned to achieve coherent operation using selective current injection. Depending on the electrical bias, multiple coherent supermodes are observed above threshold. An effective index model is developed to account for the variable current injection and to simulate the supermodes of the linear array. Agreement between experimental near-field and far-field coherent modes and our model simulations are found both at and above lasing threshold.
A Helly-type theorem for intersections of certain orthogonal polytopes starshaped via k-staircase paths

Let $${\mathcal {K}}$$ be a finite family of orthogonal polytopes in $${\mathbb {R}}^{d}$$ such that, for every nonempty subfamily $${\mathcal {K}}^{\prime }$$ of $${\mathcal {K}}, \cap \{K: K$$ in $$ {\mathcal {K}}^{\prime }\}$$ , if nonempty, is a finite union of boxes whose intersection graph is a tree. Let k and n be fixed integers, $$1 \le k\le 2^{n}$$ . Assume that certain visibility sets have connected intersections and that, for every $$2 (d+1)^{n+1}$$ (or fewer) member subset $${\mathcal {K}}^{\prime \prime }$$ of $${\mathcal {K}}, \cap \{K : K$$ in $$ {\mathcal {K}}^{\prime \prime } \}$$ is nonempty and starshaped via k-staircase paths. Then $$\cap \{K : K$$ in $$ {\mathcal {K}}\}$$ is nonempty and starshaped via k-staircase paths as well.
A Postherpetic Isotopic Response Presenting as a Granuloma Annulare-Like Inflammatory Reaction

Isotopic response refers to the occurrence of a new, unrelated cutaneous disease occurring at the same location of a previous healed disease. The etiology of isotopic responses is still not completely understood. Theories have included that viral particles may lead to the development of the second disease, the destruction of nerve fibers by herpes zoster may lead to an indirect influence on the immune system, an alteration of microcirculation from inflammation that causes future insults to localize to the same site, and an exaggerated and atypical hypersensitivity reaction to tissue antigens, viral antigens, or immune complex deposition. A wide variety of disease processes have been reported as the second disease in an isotopic response.Here, we discuss a case of an isotopic response following herpes zoster in which the second disease involved a granuloma annulare (GA)-like inflammatory reaction that resolved and recurred. These findings support the theory that the skin affected by herpes zoster is affected in a way that makes it a focus for the manifestation of further skin diseases.
Doors and Portals, Revisited

The current conjuncture is overwhelmed by three intersecting crises: the Covid-19 pandemic, centuries of racial oppression, and the looming disasters of climate instability. Architecture finds itse...
Rhythms of the banal: tracing homosociality in Iranian bra shops

In this article I offer bra shops in Tehran as a case study to explore the sensory potential and possibilities for women in everyday spaces of shared nudity. Much of both popular and academic discu...
Ship service life extension considering ship condition and remaining design life

Abstract Reliable and continuous operation of ships is vitally important to the decision-makers. Driven by the rising cost of newbuilding ships, maintenance actions are needed on existing ships to ensure safe and enduring service beyond their initial design life. Extending ship service life can provide economic operating profit and promote sustainability. Meanwhile, ships during their extended service life may involve higher failure risk and additional maintenance expenditure. Therefore, a cost-benefit evaluation is imperative for determining the optimal duration of service life extension (SLE) and the associated maintenance actions. In this paper, a novel method for this purpose is proposed. Two cost-benefit indicators, benefit-cost ratio (BCR) and net present value (NPV) are used to optimize the duration of SLE. Using Bayesian updating, information on the remaining design life and the structural condition at the SLE decision is incorporated into the optimization process to better inform SLE decision-making. The proposed method is illustrated by a fatigue-sensitive very large crude carrier (VLCC) at both structural component and structural system levels.
Quality of Life Assessment in Older Adults with Dementia: A Systematic Review

Introduction In the absence of a cure, dementia is often managed by minimizing risk factors contributing to quality of life (QOL). Attitudes to dementia in older adults may differ from those in relatively younger adults. The aim was to conduct a systematic review of the literature to determine how QOL was assessed in adults, 65 years and older with dementia, and identify factors that influence the reported scores. Methods A systematic review of full-text articles addressing QOL in older adults with dementia, published in English from January 1995 to September 2020, was conducted using PubMed and PsycINFO. We included studies that assessed QOL and involved participants 65 years and older. Studies were evaluated for inclusion by 2 independent pairs of reviewers. We assessed the quality of the studies using the Joanna Briggs Institute's Critical Appraisal Checklist. Study characteristics and findings were summarized. Analysis was by narrative synthesis. We identified social and clinical factors influencing QOL scores. Results Of the 1,010 articles identified, 19 met the inclusion criteria. These 19 studies involved 6,279 persons with dementia, with sample sizes from 32 to 1,366. Mean age of participants ranged from 77.1 to 86.6 years. Five measurement tools were identified; Quality of Life in Alzheimer Disease (QOL-AD), Alzheimer Disease-Related Quality of Life (ADRQL), Quality of Life in Late-Stage Dementia (QUALID), QUALIDEM (a dementia-specific QOL tool), and DEMQOL (health-related QOL for people with dementia). Self-ratings of QOL were higher than proxy ratings. Factors commonly influencing self-ratings of QOL included depression, functional impairment, and polypharmacy. Common factors that influenced proxy ratings included functional impairment, presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms, cognitive impairment, and caregiver burden. Conclusion In evaluating QOL in dementia, self- and proxy reports may complement each other to ensure that all perspectives are addressed.
Urban greenspace use among adolescents and young adults: An integrative review.

PURPOSE The purpose of this integrative review was to explore how adolescents and young adults used the social determinant of the built environment, specifically greenspace, as a potential point of intervention to address overall well-being, specifically mental health symptoms. METHOD The approach used strategies described by Whittemore and Knafl. Peer-reviewed, published research articles in English were identified using electronic databases CINAHL, PubMed, and EMBASE. Seventeen research reports using qualitative or quantitative methods with adolescents and young adults. Each article was evaluated for quality using a critical appraisal tool by Hawker et al. Data were analyzed and then synthesized using the Matrix Method. FINDINGS Three themes related to the purpose and aims were extracted: elements of greenspace, activity variation, and amenities. All themes shared a common element of quality, which influenced the perception of safety and greenspace use. DISCUSSION The science of urban greenspace and adolescent-young adult well-being is still relatively new. Public health nurses can incorporate social determinants of health, such as the built environment in research, to understand how greenspace is to be used as an alternative health strategy to possibly reduce mental health symptoms and improve well-being.
Long-range pure magnon spin diffusion observed in a nonlocal spin-Seebeck geometry

The spin diffusion length for thermally excited magnon spins is measured by utilizing a nonlocal spin-Seebeck effect measurement. In a bulk single crystal of yttrium iron garnet (YIG) a focused laser thermally excites magnon spins. The spins diffuse laterally and are sampled using a Pt inverse spin Hall effect detector. Thermal transport modeling and temperature dependent measurements demonstrate the absence of spurious temperature gradients beneath the Pt detector and confirm the nonlocal nature of the experimental geometry. Remarkably, we find that thermally excited magnon spins in YIG travel over 120 \textmu{}m at 23 K, indicating that they are robust against inelastic scattering. The spin diffusion length is found to be at least 47 \textmu{}m and as high as 73 \textmu{}m at 23 K in YIG, while at room temperature it drops to less than 10 \textmu{}m. Based on this long spin diffusion length, we envision the development of thermally powered spintronic devices based on electrically insulating, but spin conducting materials.
Enhancing the Route Discovery Process of On-Demand Routing in Networks with Directional Antennas

The route discovery process of on-demand routing protocols is based on route request (RREQ) packets that are propagated using either an unrestricted broadcast (flooding) or an expanding ring search. We apply two enhancements to this basic process aimed at reducing the overhead incurred in the dissemination of route request (RREQs). First, we apply the Enhanced Dominant Pruning (EDP), which is a distributed connected dominating-set algorithm used for reducing the number of nodes that need to propagate RREQs transmitted on broadcast mode. Second, information regarding prior routes to a destination is used to unicast RREQs to a region close to the intended destination. Directional antennas are assumed, which provide higher spatial reuse than omnidirectional antennas for unicast transmission. We show the benefits of our approach using the Ad-hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV) protocol as an example. Detailed simulation results show that using EDP and unicast RREQs provide substantial performance improvements over standard AODV running in ad hoc networks with directional antennas.
Annelative Phenol Synthesis : Preparation of 7-methyljuglone and 7,9,11 Trideoxydaunomycinone

Abstract The Michael adducts of arylacetonitrile enolates and unsaturated esters may be converted to fused phenolic systems by the following sequence: ester hydrolysis, Na/NH3 reductive elimination of cyanide, Friedel-Crafts ring closure, and oxidation. The construction of linear polycyclic systems by this annelation procedure is illustrated by the regiospecific syntheses of 7-methyljuglone and dl -7,9,ll-trideoxydaunomy- cinone.
Data management challenges in cloud computing infrastructures

The challenge of building consistent, available, and scalable data management systems capable of serving petabytes of data for millions of users has confronted the data management research community as well as large internet enterprises. Current proposed solutions to scalable data management, driven primarily by prevalent application requirements, limit consistent access to only the granularity of single objects, rows, or keys, thereby trading off consistency for high scalability and availability. But the growing popularity of “cloud computing”, the resulting shift of a large number of internet applications to the cloud, and the quest towards providing data management services in the cloud, has opened up the challenge for designing data management systems that provide consistency guarantees at a granularity larger than single rows and keys. In this paper, we analyze the design choices that allowed modern scalable data management systems to achieve orders of magnitude higher levels of scalability compared to traditional databases. With this understanding, we highlight some design principles for systems providing scalable and consistent data management as a service in the cloud.
Analogs of host-specific phytotoxin produced by Helminthosporium maydis, race T: I. Synthesis

Abstract Fourteen analogs of the host-specific corn phytotoxin (T toxin) obtained from cultures of the fungal plant pathogen, Helminthosporium maydis, race T, were synthesized. Addition of difunctional Grignard reagents to aldehyde intermediates resulted in shorter versions (C15–C26) of native toxin (C35–C45), containing the β-polyketol functions which appear to account for the specificity and very high toxicity (10−8–10−9 M) of T toxin toward certain corn varieties.
CO/pH2: A Molecular Thermometer

We utilize reversible temperature dependent changes in the IR absorption spectrum of CO molecules isolated in solid parahydrogen (pH2) to probe bulk temperature changes during rapid vapor deposition. The intensity of a well resolved feature near 2135 cm−1 increases monotonically with temperature over the 2 to 5 K range. The thermally populated initial state of this transition lies ≈12 K above the CO/pH2 ground state. During the deposition of ∼100 ppm CO/pH2 samples, we detect temperature gradients ∼10 K/cm in ∼0.1 cm-thick samples subjected to heat loads ∼10 mW/cm2. The resulting estimated thermal conductivity (TC) is 3(±2) mW/cm-K, averaged over the 2 to 5 K region. This value is ∼1000 times lower than the TC of single crystal solid pH2, and ∼10 times lower than previously measured for pH2 solids doped with 100 ppm concentrations of heavy impurities [Manzhelii, Gorodilov, and Krivchikov, Low Temp. Phys. 22, 131 (1996)]. We attribute this abnormally low TC to the known mixed fcc/hcp structure of the rapid vapor deposited solids.
Calculation of the Residual Photon Dose Rate Around High-Energy Proton Accelerators

Calculations have been carried out to determine the time dependence of the residual photon dose rate around a high-energy proton accelerator. The development of the nucleon-meson cascade, the resid...
Persistent Infection of Cells in Culture by Measles Virus II. Effect of Measles Antibody on Persistently Infected HeLa Sublines and Recovery of a HeLa Clonal Line Persistently Infected with Incomplete Virus

Rustigian, Robert (Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass.). Persistent infection of cells in culture by measles virus. II. Effect of measles antibody on persistently infected HeLa clonal line persistently infected with incomplete virus. J. Bacteriol. 92:1805–1811. 1966.—The effect of viral antibody on persistent infection of HeLa cells by the Edmonston strain of measles virus was investigated by culturing cells from three persistently infected clones in medium supplemented with human immune globulin. The three infected HeLa clones were isolated from a persistently infected parent line. Two sublines which were grown in the presence of measles antibody developed a nonyielder state, wherein there is no detectable virus infectious for normal HeLa cultures. There is, however, continued synthesis of intracellular viral antigen and formation of viral intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies. The development of a nonyielder state was associated with a marked decrease in the degree of hemadsorption in cultures of both sublines. Further studies of the viral properties of non-yielder HeLa cell populations were made with a clone obtained from one of these sublines by plating under antibody. Persistent infection in this line was characterized by synthesis of incomplete virus even when the cells were cultured thereafter in anti-body-free medium. This was evidenced by (i) failure to recover infectious virus from the clonal population despite continued formation of intracellular viral antigen and viral intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in a majority of the cells, (ii) the presence of only a few cells with surface viral antigen(s) including hemagglutinin, and (iii) the relatively weak antibody response to viral envelope antigen(s) after injection of cells into guinea pigs.
Anomalies of the occipitocervical articulation.

The clinical symptoms and results of treatment of anomalies of the occipitocervical articulation are presented. In addition, the etiology of such anomalies and their roentgenographic aspects are discussed.
Binge Eating Among Racial Minority Groups in the United States An Integrative Review

BACKGROUND: Binge eating (BE) is a disordered eating behavior that has been linked to the development of eating disorders and obesity, with the latter being a condition with higher prevalence rates...
A call for ethical code enrichment in complementary and alternative healthcare professions

Ethics are a key underpinning to health care. Complementary and alternative practices are no exception. The ethical codes of practice within popular complementary and alternative medicines are evaluated. The results and their significance are discussed.
Stereoselective synthesis of 5-[(1S)-N-Boc-amino-(2S)-(3-fluorophenyl)ethyl]-dihydrofuran-2-one

A short, efficient, and highly diastereoselective synthesis of 5-[(1S)-N-Boc-amino-(2S)-(3-fluorophenyl)ethyl]-dihydrofuran-2-one (1) is described. Use of phthalic anhydride as thiolate scavenger effectively preserves the chiral integrity of the α-aminoketone 4 product obtained from the reaction of organozincate 3 with thioester 2.
NEURAL NETWORK WITH PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS FOR POULTRY CARCASS CLASSIFICATION

This paper reports the results of applying principal component analyses (PCA) of spectral reflectance data to reduce the number of input nodes for neural networks for classification of wholesome and unwholesome poultry carcasses. The results showed that the models with PCA pretreatment of input data performed better than those models without pretreatment. When sensing moving poultry carcasses in an environment without room light with a visible/near-infrared spectrophotometer, the neural network classification models with PCA pretreatment achieved 100% accuracies for training, validating, and testing. For carcasses moving at 60 birds/min, 50 factors were required for perfect classification, while for 90 birds/min 30 factors were required. When sensing in room light, the best model was generated with 30 factors for a shackle speed of 60 birds/min, with a test set accuracy of 95.8%. For 90 birds/min, the best model with a test set accuracy of 96.8% was obtained when 15 factors were used. This study showed that PCA reduced the number of input nodes to the neural network classifiers and, in most cases, improved the model's classification accuracy. It also required fewer training samples and reduced training time.
Use of posterior predictive checks as an inferential tool for investigating individual heterogeneity in animal population vital rates

The investigation of individual heterogeneity in vital rates has recently received growing attention among population ecologists. Individual heterogeneity in wild animal populations has been accounted for and quantified by including individually varying effects in models for mark–recapture data, but the real need for underlying individual effects to account for observed levels of individual variation has recently been questioned by the work of Tuljapurkar et al. (Ecology Letters, 12, 93, 2009) on dynamic heterogeneity. Model-selection approaches based on information criteria or Bayes factors have been used to address this question. Here, we suggest that, in addition to model-selection, model-checking methods can provide additional important insights to tackle this issue, as they allow one to evaluate a model's misfit in terms of ecologically meaningful measures. Specifically, we propose the use of posterior predictive checks to explicitly assess discrepancies between a model and the data, and we explain how to incorporate model checking into the inferential process used to assess the practical implications of ignoring individual heterogeneity. Posterior predictive checking is a straightforward and flexible approach for performing model checks in a Bayesian framework that is based on comparisons of observed data to model-generated replications of the data, where parameter uncertainty is incorporated through use of the posterior distribution. If discrepancy measures are chosen carefully and are relevant to the scientific context, posterior predictive checks can provide important information allowing for more efficient model refinement. We illustrate this approach using analyses of vital rates with long-term mark–recapture data for Weddell seals and emphasize its utility for identifying shortfalls or successes of a model at representing a biological process or pattern of interest.
Expression of CFTR from a ciliated cell-specific promoter is ineffective at correcting nasal potential difference in CF mice

Successful gene therapy will require that the therapeutic gene be expressed at a sufficient level in the correct cell type(s). To improve the specificity of gene transfer for cystic fibrosis (CF) and other airway diseases, we have begun to develop cell-type specific promoters to target the expression of transgenes to specific airway cell types. Using a FOXJ1 promoter construct previously shown to direct transgene expression specifically to ciliated cells, we have generated transgenic mice expressing human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in the murine tracheal and nasal epithelia. RNA analysis demonstrated levels of CFTR expression is greater than or equal to the level of endogenous mouse CFTR. Immunoprecipitation and western blotting demonstrated the production of human CFTR protein, and immunochemistry confirmed that CFTR was expressed in the apical region of ciliated cells. The transgenic animals were bred to CFTR null mice (Cftr(tm1Unc)) to determine if expression of CFTR from the FOXJ1 promoter is capable of correcting the airway defects in Cl(-) secretion and Na(+) absorption that accompany CF. Isolated trachea from neonatal CF mice expressing the FOXJ1/CFTR transgene demonstrated a correction of forskolin-stimulated Cl(-) secretion. However, expression of human CFTR in ciliated cells of the nasal epithelia failed to significantly change the nasal bioelectrics of the CF mice.
Benign mandibular tumours: Two case studies from the Maya lowland site of Tikal, Guatemala

This study presents a differential diagnosis of benign mandibular tumours identified in two adult burials from the precontact Maya city of Tikal, Guatemala. Both individuals were recovered from domestic structures that date to the Late Classic Period (AD 550–850). The osseous growths were interpreted as probable benign tumours based on evidence of localised growth, a circumscribed border, a dense texture and a lack of osteolytic activity or spiculate bone formation. Burial PTP-026A is a middle adult (35–50 years) of indeterminate sex with evidence of a small dense, circular mass extending laterally from the right mandibular corpus. Macroscopic and radiographic assessment of this lesion provided a diagnosis of osteoma, a true neoplasm, or alternately, hyperplasia (e.g. exostosis) or hamartoma, which are not true neoplasms. Burial PTP-017 is a probable young adult female (20–35 years) with a large osteoblastic lesion on the right anterior mandibular corpus. This dense, bony mass extends from the anterior margin of the mental canal, and shows a distinct boundary from the adjacent trabecular and cortical bone. The growth of the osseous mass displaced the right first premolar anteriorly. Radiographic assessment showed the presence of dense, radiopaque material, indicating significant calcification. This suggested a likely fibro-osseous origin for this lesion, with a probable diagnosis of ossifying fibroma, or possibly osseous dysplasia. Although not definitive, our differential diagnosis was able to exclude a number of neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions that affect the jaws. This study provides the first reported cases of possible benign mandibular tumours in the ancient Maya. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
UbiComp 2003: Sensors in Seattle

The key research topics at UbiComp 2003 were location and space, modeling and inference, context awareness, new devices and technologies, domestic environments and healthcare, social aspects, and new interfaces. Research from Intel, the University of Washington, and Georgia Tech dominated the conference.
Detection of inherent and laser-induced scatter in optical materials

As Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory moves forward with the design of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) program, issues relating to the detection and measurement of laser-induced damage on large optics must be addressed. Currently, microscopy is used to evaluate surface quality and measure damage thresholds on small witness samples. In order to evaluate large areas, an automated system was constructed which can scan optics with dimensions as large as 1 meter and weighing as much as 400 pounds. The use of microscopy as the main test diagnostic has been replaced with an optical scatter detection system. Now large areas can be rastered, and maps can be generated, reflecting inherent and laser-induced scatter in multilayer optical coatings and bulk materials. The integrated scattered light from a test piece is measured in transmission using a HeNe laser as the probe source. When the probe beam is overlapped on a pulsed, high power, Nd:YAG laser beam, damage related scatter may be measured. This technique has been used for: 1) mapping of inherent scatter in an optic, 2) on-the-fly damage detection during a high fluence raster scan of an optic, and 3) single site damage evaluation for the determination of a laser damage threshold. Damage thresholds measured with the scatter diagnostic compare within measurement error to those attained using 1.00 x microscopy.
THE EFFECTS OF TRANSECTION OF THE NERVE TRUNK ON THE PERINEURAL EPITHELIUM WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ITS ROLE IN NERVE DEGENERATION AND REGENERATION.

Detailed histological and histochemical studies were made on the effect of transection on the perineural epithelium of the peripheral nerves of rat and cat. Histologically and histochemically it has been shown that the perineural epithelium does not undergo any change in the proximal as well as in distal segments of these transected nerves and is maintained as seen in the untransected nerves. These studies also show that the capsule of the muscle spindle is made up of a continuation of the perineural epithelium and maintains its histological structure, as well as its enzyme equipment. Electronmicroscopic evidences are given for the normal maintenance of this epithelium in the regenerating nerve. The only structure which does not show any change when a nerve is transected is the perineural epithelium. It has been pointed out that the perineural epithelial tube plays an important role in conducting the regenerating axons within the neurilemmal tube to the proper sensory and motor endings.
Evidence against a role for a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein in Ca2+ mobilization in rat parotid acinar cells.

Abstract Hormone-induced Ca2+ mobilization in rat parotid acinar cells is reportedly mediated via an as yet uncharacterized G protein. We have studied the sensitivity to pertussis toxin (PTx) of this signal transduction mechanism. When rats were treated with Ptx (1.3–1.5 μg per animal) for 72 h, a 41 kDa membrane protein was ADP-ribosylated. This PTx treatment regimen, also, resulted in a more than 80% block of the ability of the muscarinic agonist carbachol to inhibit β-adrenergic receptor-stimulated parotid adenylyl cyclase activity. However, cytosolic Ca2+ levels, in response to either carbachol or AIF4−, were comparable in cells prepared from both untreated or PTx-treated rats, when incubated either in the absence or presence of extracellular Ca2+. Further, both the sensitivity of the Ca2+ response to carbachol and the ability of the agonist-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ stores to be refilled by extracellular Ca2+ were unaffected by PTx treatment. Parotid membranes also contained three low-molecular-weight GTP-binding proteins (25, 22 and 18 kDa) which were unaffected by PTx. These results show that there is only one detectable substrate in parotid membranes for a PTx-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation and that hormone-induced Ca2+ mobilization events in parotid acinar cells are not mediated via PTx-sensitive components.
A importância do ambiente físico

The present article approaches the definition of Environmental Psychology in light of the criteria used for the terms: scientific, physical environment and human behavior. It emphasizes the issue of the objective physical environment, proposing that the object of Environmental Psychology is the scientific study of the relationship between the physical environment and human behavior. It concludes that the question to be asked is how the socio-cultural context affects the physical environment
Primary and secondary processes in the 193 nm photodissociation of vinyl chloride

We have investigated the photodissociation of vinyl chloride (H2CCHCl) at 193 nm using the technique of photofragment translational spectroscopy. The experiments were performed at the Chemical Dynamics Beamline at the Advanced Light Source and used vacuum ultraviolet synchrotron radiation for product photoionization. We have observed five primary dissociation channels following an initial π*←π excitation. The majority of Cl atoms originate from an excited-state dissociation. The remaining dissociation channels are consistent with competition on the ground electronic state following internal conversion from the optically prepared state. These channels include atomic and molecular hydrogen elimination, HCl elimination, and a translationally slow Cl elimination channel. We have also identified and characterized two secondary decomposition channels: (1) the elimination of Cl from chlorovinyl radicals following the primary atomic hydrogen elimination channel, and (2) hydrogen atom elimination from vinyl radica...
Gas-phase phosphorescence of thioformaldehyde

Abstract Gas-phase phosphorescence has been observed by direct laser excitation of bands in the a 3 A 2 X 1 A 1 , system of H 2 CS. Emmision from excited state levels not accessible by direct absorption has been observed through collisional vibrational relaxation. The collisional dynamics are shown to differ markedly from those of the A 1 A 2 state.
Plastic deformation in metallic glasses

A theory is presented for the plastic deformation of metallic glasses below their glass transition temperature. The theory is based on two modes of thermally activated shear transformations initiated around free volume regions under an applied shear stress. The regions are typically conceived to be about 5 atom diameters across. At high temperatures (0.6 Tg ≲ T ≲ Tg) the transformation is a diffuse rearrangement producing a relatively small local shear strain in a roughly spherical region. At low temperatures (0 < T ≲ 0.6 Tg) the transformation is in a narrow disk shaped region and resembles closely the nucleation of a dislocation loop. The theory is in good accord with experimental observations. Based on the theory, possible levels of flow dilatation have been computed from which rates of shear localization can be obtained. At low temperatures, very rapid shear localization is predicted which is in good accord with the observations reported in the literature and with recent cinematographic observations.
Vibration of thick laminated composite plates

Abstract Two versions of a {1,2} higher order laminate plate theory are derived for elastodynamics and used to compute natural frequencies and mode shapes for homogeneous and laminated plates. The theories include deformations due to transverse shear and transverse normal stretching and account for rotary and thickness-motion inertia. Analytic natural frequencies and mode shapes are obtained for thin and thick orthotropic and laminated simply supported plates and compared with exact solutions of three-dimensional elasticity, the higher and first order shear-deformable theories, and the classical laminate plate theory. Both versions of the present theory are shown to provide improved accuracy over other approximate theories when compared to elasticity theory, particularly for thick laminates and high frequency modes. The theory also accurately predicts the lowest thickness-stretch frequencies which cannot be obtained with first order shear-deformable theories. From the computational perspective, the theory is especially well-suited for generating simple and efficient displacement finite elements based on conventionalC0-continuous displacements and five degrees of freedom at each boundary node. An approximation scheme for a three-noded triangular plate element is also discussed, together with a numerical study demonstrating the element performance in relation to two commercial plate elements.
The nanogranular nature of shale

Despite their ubiquitous presence as sealing formations in hydrocarbon bearing reservoirs affecting many fields of exploitation, the source of anisotropy of this earth material is still an enigma that has deceived many decoding attempts from experimental and theoretical sides. Sedimentary rocks, such as shales, are made of highly compacted clay particles of sub-micrometer size, nanometric porosity and different mineralogy. In this paper, we present, for the first time, results from a new experimental technique that allows one to rationally assess the elasticity content of the highly heterogeneous clay fabric of shales from nano- and microindentation. Based on the statistical analysis of massive nanoindentation tests, we find (1) that the in-situ elasticity content of the clayfabric at a scale of a few hundred to thousands nanometers is almost an order of magnitude smaller than reported clay stiffness values of clay minerals, and (2) that the elasticity and the anisotropy scale linearly with the clay packing density beyond a percolation threshold of roughly 50%. Furthermore, we show that the elasticity content sensed by nano- and microindentation tests is equal to the one that is sensed by (small strain) velocity measurements. From those observations, we conclude that shales are nanogranular composite materials, whose mechanical properties are governed by particle-to-particle contact and by characteristic packing densities, and that the much stiffer mineral properties play a secondary role.
Non-medical use of prescription drugs in a national sample of college women

Non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) is one of the fastest growing forms of illicit drug use, with research indicating that college students represent a particularly high risk population. The current study examined demographic characteristics, health/mental health, substance misuse, and rape experiences as potential risk correlates of NMUPD among a national sample of college women (N=2000). Interviews were conducted via telephone using Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing technology. NMUPD was assessed by asking if, participants had used a prescription drug non-medically in the past year. NMUPD was endorsed by 7.8% of the sample (n=155). Although incapacitated and drug-alcohol facilitated rape were associated with NMUPD in the initial model, the final multivariable model showed that only lifetime major depression and other forms of substance use/abuse were significantly uniquely associated with an increased likelihood of NMUPD. Implications for primary and secondary prevention and subsequent research are addressed.
Supersymmetric QCD corrections to associated Higgs boson-bottom quark production

The associated production of a Higgs boson with a b quark is a discovery mode for a minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) Higgs boson at large tan{beta}. We compute the SUSY QCD corrections from gluino and squark loops to this process and combine them with the O({alpha}{sub s}{sup 2}) next-to-leading order (NLO) QCD corrections to obtain reliable predictions for the rate. Finally, we compare our results with an effective Lagrangian approximation which includes only the low energy corrections from squark and gluino loops to the bb Higgs vertices.
Learning from the ground up: responding to children affected by parental incarceration

Beginning in the fall of 2007, Illinois' Division of Mental Health began piloting an early intervention program targeting children of incarcerated parents. The pilot program was situated within a community-based agency on the Westside of Chicago with a high number of currently and formerly incarcerated community members. This article describes the program theory upon which the pilot program was based, the perceived benefits from the perspective of participants and the service provider agency, lessons learned, and recommendations for making incarceration-sensitive interventions a routine part of children's mental health services.
The Relationship between Grain Boundary Energy, Grain Boundary Complexion Transitions, and Grain Size in Ca-Doped Yttria

The thermal groove technique has been used to measure relative grain boundary energies in two 100 ppm Ca-doped yttria samples. The first has a normal grain size distribution and the boundaries have a bilayer of segregated Ca. In the second sample, there is a combination of large grains and small grains. The boundaries around the large grains are known to have an intergranular film. The results show that the relative energies of boundaries in the sample with normal grain growth and the boundaries around small grains far from larger grains in the second sample are similar. Also, boundaries surrounding the largest grains and small grains immediately adjacent to them have the same and significantly lower energies. The results indicate that grain boundaries with an intergranular film have a lower energy than those with bilayer segregation and that the intergranular film extends beyond the periphery of the largest grains, but not throughout the entire sample.
The reliability at a price concept [power supply reliability]

The real gains from restructuring the electricity industry will not materialize until the system operation paradigm will shift from an "obligation to serve" to an "obligation to serve at a price". Under such a paradigm shift reliability will become more of a private good then a public good with customers being able to choose and control the tradeoff between their cost and the service quality they get in the same way they make such tradeoffs in transportation services, telecommunication etc. Such a transformation cannot occur overnight. It requires massive deployment of metering, communication, computation and control technologies. However, with the rapid decline in the cost of IT and the impediments to expansion of generation and transmission capacity, empowering customers to make their tradeoffs between reliability and cost is definitely in the cards. In order to make electric service reliability more of a private good it is necessary to provide correct price signal that reflect locational and temporal cost and enable customer response to these prices through direct load response or through the choice of service level contracts. From the operators point of view it is necessary to develop means of providing differential reliability to customers and employ load response in lieu of ancillary services in order to protect the system from collapse. The paradigm shift is described by the following examples: market based generation adequacy; price-triggered rotating outages; establishing a demand function for ancillary services; and incorporating price based spinning reserves into unit commitment.
Ursula or ariel?: is your help desk application evil or good in the eyes of your support staff

This is for a panel discussion on the pursuit, selection, and evaluation of a help desk software application. We are well into the process of selecting a new help desk incident and call tracking application to replace our much-despised one. This is a familiar and well-traveled path for many help desks at colleges and each seem to approach the process anew. We will share what we have learned, including the application selection process, using an RFP, overcoming organizational hurdles, and tackling other obstacles in the hopes that others can build upon our foundation. We expect the audience will by and large have some level of experience with this and will lead a discussion in order to share knowledge and learn from each other's successes and failures. Together we can share our experiences in order to get to a happy ending.
Changes in polyamine levels in response to acclimation salinity in gills of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus rathbun

Abstract The concentration of putrescine in gills 3, 4, 6 and 7 was approximately two-fold higher in gills acclimated to 35 ppt salinity than in those acclimated to 10 ppt salinity for 28 days ( c . 90 nmol/g wet weight vs 40 nmol/g wet weight, respectively). Spermine concentration was significantly higher in gills 6 and 7 than in gills 3 and 4 at 10 ppt salinity, and also was significantly higher than in gills 6 and 7 of crabs acclimated to 35 ppt salinity. Putrescine concentrations varied inversely and spermine concentrations varied directly with specific activity of Na + , K + -ATPase in all gills. On the basis of these data and other recent reports, we suggest that polyamines are involved in the regulation of osmotic and ionic homeostasis by interacting directly with the Na + , K+-ATPase enzyme.
Modified preparation procedure for laboratory melting of multicomponent chalcogenide glasses

High purity mid IR-transparent chalcogenide glasses are generally prepared by vacuum melting of 5–6 N pure raw materials such as Ge, Sb, Se, As and Te. For laboratory samples, a modified technique is proposed which involves a combination of surface oxide removal prior to, and distillation, melting and annealing after, batching the raw materials without breaking vacuum. Se, As and Te were distilled in sequence simply by increasing the temperature in steps. The need for porous quartz frit used by previous researchers during distillation was eliminated, thus reducing the possibility of impurity inclusions.
Topika: integrating collaborative sharing with email

New enterprise tools (wikis, team spaces, social tags) offer potential benefits for enterprise collaboration, providing shared resources to organize work. However, a vast amount of collaboration still takes place by email. But email is problematic for collaboration because information may be distributed across multiple messages in an overloaded inbox. Email also increases workload as each individual has to manage their own versions of collaborative materials. We present a novel system, Topika that integrates email with collaboration tools. It allows users to continue to use email while also enjoying the benefits of these dedicated tools. When a user composes an email Topika analyzes the message and suggests relevant shared spaces (e.g., wiki pages) within the user's collaboration tools. This allows her to post the email to those spaces. An evaluation of Topika's suggestion algorithm shows that it performs well at accurately suggesting shared spaces.