cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Liquid Jets Injected Transversely into a Shear Layer

** † An experimental study has been conducted to study the behavior of liquid jets injected into a crossflow containing a shear layer, generated by merging two co-directional air streams of differing velocities. The injection liquid was water, and a nozzle diameter of 0.5 mm was used. Two streamwise locations were available for jet injection, 6.35 cm and 15.24 cm from the location of the merging of the two airstreams. Mie-scattering and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) were used to investigate the jet behavior. The structure of the flow containing the shear layer, and the jet penetration and the droplet velocity distribution were studied. The parameters of interest were the ratio of velocity of the two air streams (R), the aerodynamic Weber number (We), the liquid-air momentum ratio (q) and the streamwise location of jet injection (Xi). For R > 1, the jets penetrate further into the crossflow, but spray coverage gets confined to the upper portion of the jet trajectory. For R < 1, the penetration is lesser, but uniform spray coverage was obtained. As the injection location moves further downstream, more mixing occurs between the two airstreams, weakening the shear layer. As a result, the effects of the shear layer on the jet also get dampened.
Creating dome animations with the Digital Pueblo Project

The Digital Pueblo Project at the University of New Mexico is building the infrastructure for a digital arts and animation industry in a largely rural state with many diverse cultural groups. Key to this effort is project-based training of an "eight to eighty" workforce drawn from the community. This presentation shows a successful effort to create fulldome animations for the LodeStar Astronomy Center using a collection of local artists, students, and computer scientists.
Fibroblast growth factor can substitute for platelet factor to sustain the growth of BALB/3T3 cells in the presence of plasma

Summary The Fibroblast Growth Factor isolated from either brain or pituitary, when added with plasma and dexamethasone, promotes the growth of 3T3 cells seeded at low density (7 cells/mm2) to the same extent as does serum. This suggests that the Fibroblast Growth Factor could be similar or related to the growth-promoting activity present in platelets.
Functional, Multifunctional, and Cross-Functional: Considerations for Marketing Management

Whether intentional or not, marketing literature has not been explicit about terminology characterizing initiatives between functions within a company. As will be discussed, the intermingling of these terms poses knowledge creation and knowledge management implications for marketing management. A continuum of interfunctional initiatives, anchored on one end by functional initiatives, cross-functional initiatives on the other end, and multifunctional initiatives as a middle ground, is proposed to underlie a common lexicon for use in future marketing management research.
The DT-model: high-level synthesis using data transfers

We presen t a new model for formulating the classic HLS sub-problems: scheduling, allocation, and binding. The model is unique in its use of data-transfers as the basic entity in syn thesis. A data transfer represents the movement of one instance of data and con tains the operation sourcing the data and all the operations using it. Our model compels the storage architecture of the design to be optimized concurren tly with the execution unit. We ha ve built a high-level syn thesis system, Midas, based on our data transfer model. Midas generates designs with smaller storage and data transfer requirements than other HLS systems.
Pareto optimality and a class of set covering heuristics

The set covering problem has many diverse applications to problems arising in crew scheduling, facility location and other business areas. Since the problem is known to be hard to solve optimally, a number of approximate (heuristic) approaches have been designed for it. These approaches (with one exception) divide into two main groups, greedy heuristics and dual saturation heuristics. We use the concept of a Pareto optimal dual solution to show that an arbitrary dual saturation heuristic has the same worst-case performance guarantee as the two best known heuristics of that type. Moreover, this poor performance level is always attainable by those two heuristics.
Development of a Computer-Aided Manufacturing System for Profiled Edge Lamination Tooling

Profiled Edge Lamination (PEL) tooling is a promising Rapid Tooling (RT) method involving the assembly of an array of laminations whose top edges are simultaneously profiled and beveled based on a CAD model of the intended tool surface. To facilitate adoption of this RT method by industry, a comprehensive PEL Tooling Development System has been proposed. The two main parts of this system are (1) iterative tool design based on thermal and structural models and (2) fabrication of the tool using a Computer-aided Manufacturing (CAM) software and Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ) cutting. CAM software has been developed to take lamination slice data (profiles) from any proprietary RP software in the form of polylines and create smooth, kinematically desirable cutting trajectories for each tool lamination. Two cutting trajectory algorithms, called Identical Equidistant Profile Segmentation (IEPS) and Adaptively Vectored Profiles Projection (AVPP), were created for this purpose. By comparing the performance of both algorithms with a benchmark part shape, the AVPP algorithm provided better cutting trajectories for complicated tool geometries. A 15-layer aluminum PEL tool was successfully fabricated using a 5-axis CNC AWJ cutter and NC code generated by the CAM software.
Efficient Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Arabidopsis

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a plant RNA-silencing technique that uses viral vectors carrying a fragment of a gene of interest to generate double-stranded RNA, which initiates the silencing of the target gene. Several viral vectors have been developed for VIGS and they have been successfully used in reverse genetics studies of a variety of processes occurring in plants. This approach has not been widely adopted for the model dicotyledonous species Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), possibly because, until now, there has been no easy protocol for effective VIGS in this species. Here, we show that a widely used tobacco rattle virus-based VIGS vector can be used for silencing genes in Arabidopsis ecotype Columbia-0. The protocol involves agroinfiltration of VIGS vectors carrying fragments of genes of interest into seedlings at the two- to three-leaf stage and requires minimal modification of existing protocols for VIGS with tobacco rattle virus vectors in other species like Nicotiana benthamiana and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). The method described here gives efficient silencing in Arabidopsis ecotype Columbia-0. We show that VIGS can be used to silence genes involved in general metabolism and defense and it is also effective at knocking down expression of highly expressed transgenes. A marker system to monitor the progress and efficiency of VIGS is also described.
Human colonic tumor cell kinetics: potential for therapy.

Using new in vitro techniques developed at the Cancer Research Unit, cell kinetic measurements were obtained in primary and metastatic human colonic tumors, polyps and normal bowel that did not require in vivo 3HTdR and required only single samples of tissue. These techniques included the measurement of the number of cells in DNA synthesis (LI), an estimate of the DNA synthesis time (Ts) and the growth fraction of tissues by means of the primer-available DNA-dependent DNA polymerase assay (PDP). From these data, the potential doubling time and the cell cycle time (Tc) of the tumors were calculated. Early preliminary data on human colonic specimens presented in Tables 1 and 2 indicate that there is an increase in LI from the low polyps to higher adenocarcinomas. There is little difference between primary and metastatic tumor cell kinetics. Growth fraction estimates (PDP) of the various colonic tissue types are also not significantly different and except for villous adenomas, DNA synthesis times are constant. The median 3HTdR labeling indices of 7% primary adenocarcinomas include a number of samples (approximately 20% of all samples) with high labeling indices (in the 10--20% range). These high labeling tumors may be those that show objective response to S-phase active drugs, e.g., 5-FU.
Blood Constituents in Lactating Holstein Cows Influenced by Hematocrit, Sampling Site, and Diet Protein and Calcium

Abstract Constituents were measured in jugular vein (days 0, 4, 14, 28, 43, 72, and 151 of lactation) and internal iliac artery and mammary vein (days 28, 72, and 151 of lactation) blood of 24 Holsteins. Six diets of grain:corn silage-urea contained percents of protein and calcium: 12, .6; 12, .9; 15, .6; 15, .9; 15, .6; 15, .9. Grain contained urea (diets 3, 4) or soybean meal (diets 5, 6). All cows were fed diet 3 the first 4 wk of lactation; then four cows were assigned to each of six diets. In jugular blood, calcium and phosphorus were lower on day 0. Hydroxyproline and ketone bodies peaked and magnesium was minimal on day 4. Hematocrit, urea nitrogen, and free fatty acids decreased with lactation. Jugular blood from younger cows had less ketone bodies, free fatty acids, and magnesium and more hematocrit, hydroxyproline, and phosphorus. Sampling site had arterial-venous differences for each constituent, with venous differences for hematocrit, free fatty acids, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Hematocrit decreased with diets 1, 2, 3, 4, or .6% calcium. With a common hematocrit (36%) and change from baseline (day 28), urea nitrogen was less with 12% protein or .6% calcium. Phosphorus and magnesium decreased with 15% protein. More constituents were required from diet and tissues to maintain concentrations in blood as hematocrit decreased, indicating the importance of dietary calcium and protien concentration and quality.
Enhancing the Detection of Sulfate Particles for Laser Ablation Aerosol Mass Spectrometry

A major limitation to the application of laser ablation aerosol mass spectrometry for the detection of particles less than 200 nm in diameter is a low ablation efficiency for sulfate particles. (Ablation efficiency is the probability that an ablated particle produces a detectable ion signal.) A method is described here to enhance the ablation efficiency of sulfate particles by coating them with a UV-absorbing compound. The method can be applied in-line with the aerosol mass spectrometer in a manner that does not significantly alter the aerosol size distribution. It is shown that a 12-nm coating of 1-naphthyl acetate increases the ablation efficiency of 136-nm ammonium sulfate particles by at least a factor of 20, while similar coatings on oleic acid and ammonium nitrate particles do not significantly alter the ablation efficiency. The results suggest that "undetected" particles, presumably sulfate, in ambient aerosol can be assessed.
Facilitated avoidance learning and stress-induced corticosterone levels as a function of age in rats.

Abstract Three month and 6 month old rats were trained in a two-way shuttle box active avoidance task. The procedure consisted of giving each rat 60 acquisition trials which were immediately followed by 60 extinction trials. The older animals acquired the conditioned avoidance response (CAR) faster and required a longer time to extinguish, than the younger animals. The enhanced CAR performance of the older animals could not be attributed to an altered pain threshold but was correlated with a significantly higher plasma corticosterone response to ether-stress. The data are interpreted as being consistent with the notion of a positive relationship between pituarity-adrenal activity and facilitated avoidance learning.
Photocatalytic degradation of nitro and chlorophenols using doped and undoped titanium dioxide nanoparticles

Pure and Ag-TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized, with the metallic doping being done using the Liquid Impregnation (LI) method. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized by analytical methods such as scanning electron micrographs (SEMs), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD analysis indicated that the crystallite size of TiO2 was 27nm to 42nm while the crystallite size of Ag-TiO2 was 11.27nm to 42.52 nm. The photocatalytic activity of pure TiO2 and silver doped TiO2 was tested by photocatalytic degradation of p-nitrophenol as a model compound. Ag-TiO2 nanoparticles exhibited better results (98% degradation) as compared to pure TiO2 nanoparticles (83% degradation) in 1 hour for the degradation of p-nitrophenol. Ag-TiO2 was further used for the photocatalytic degradation of 2, 4-dichlorphenol (99% degradation), 2,5- dichlorophenol (98% degradation), and 2, 4, 6-trichlorophenol (96% degradation) in 1 hour. The degree of mineralization was tested by TOC experiment indicating that 2, 4-DCP was completely mineralized, while 2, 5-DCP was mineralized upto 95 percent and 2, 4, 6-TCP upto 86 percent within a period of 2 hours.
Reduction of Sodium and Fat Levels in Natural and Processed Cheeses: Scientific and Technological Aspects

ABSTRACT: The various types of cheese are nutrient-dense foods that are good sources of calcium, phosphorus, and protein. They are also important ingredients in many highly consumed foods such as pizza, cheeseburgers, and sauces. However, they are also perceived as being high in fat and sodium. Consumers have indicated that they would like to continue utilizing cheese in their diet but would prefer to have lower-fat and lower-sodium products. Fat and salt are important elements in the flavor, texture, food safety, and overall acceptability of cheese. Alternatives to fat and salt are being investigated but have not been found to be acceptable, especially in those products that meet the FDA's definition of low-fat and/or low-sodium. This review is primarily a report on the current status of research to develop desirable cheeses with low-fat and/or low-sodium, their regulatory and labeling status, consumer acceptability, and challenges for further efforts.
Efficacy of thermoplastic elastomer and latex condoms as viral barriers

Abstract The barrier efficacy of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and three brands of latex condoms was compared in a passiveleak test and in a dynamic model of simulated intercourse. Fifteen replicates of each of the condoms were challenged with bacteriophage T7 (100 nm) and the polio virus Type 1 (PV-1, 27 nm). In the passive test, no condom leaked either virus. In the dynamic model, no TPE condoms leaked either virus and no latex condoms leaked T7. Two samples of one commercially available latex condom leaked T7 but not PV-1. These data support that intact latex condoms are effective in vivo viral barriers and extend the finding to TPE condoms as well. Given its substantial equivalence to latex as a viral barrier, TPE condoms are an alternative choice for individuals with latex allergies. The TPE material is also more resistant to common environmental conditions that affect latex adversely and should therefore be a superior choice if condoms must be stored for extended periods in suboptimal conditions.
CTPA as the gold standard for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism

The estimated annual incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) is between 69 to 205 cases per 100,000 persons-years. New imaging studies have been developed during the past decade. Chest CTPA, especially multidetector CT, has proven to be superior or equal to PA angiography, even detecting smaller filling defects. We reviewed the differences in opinion to the diagnosis of PE between chest radiologists (CR) who interpret CTPA and interventional radiologists (IR) who perform PA angiography and what they consider the “gold standard” for the diagnosis of PE. Two surveys were designed, one for chest radiologists and one for interventional radiologists. An e-mail survey was sent to the members of the Society of Thoracic Radiology and the Society of Interventional Radiologists. IR with < 10 years since finishing training were less likely to consider CTPA the gold standard, OR 0.45 (0.2–0.9). CR with < 10 years since finishing training were more likely to consider CTPA the gold standard, OR 2.0 (1.1–3.9). Most IR performed < 5 PA angiographies in the last 2 years (69%). CR considered CTPA the gold standard for the diagnosis of PE, OR 3.3 (1.8–6.1). Binary logistic regression analysis for both groups demonstrated that the only variable associated with CTPA as gold standard for the diagnosis of PE was being a chest radiologist. The majority of the radiologists surveyed indicated that CTPA is the new reference standard for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. We agree with this statement based on the evidence available at this time.
Do VL genes have prognostic relevance

Primary or light chain–associated amyloidosis (AL), a monoclonal plasma cell dyscrasia, is characterized by the deposition of light chain–related proteins, principally of λ-type, as fibrils in vital organs (eg, heart, kidney, and liver) and other body tissues (eg, nerves and intestine), and
NLP: Managing a Creative Revolution

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is a technology for personal excellence based on research investigation. The process involves sensitivity to effective behaviours, and the development of those behaviours. Some presuppositions of NLP are examined, together with practical components and evidence of its effectiveness. The author explains NLP, drawing on organisational experiences.
How Similar Are the Values of the People of China and Taiwan

The reunification of Taiwan with China is one possible future development. Value differences can make the merging of two previously divided societies more difficult. How similar are the values – conceptions of the desirable – of the people now living in China and Taiwan? Representative national sample data from the World Values Surveys for both countries enable us to compare values in eleven domains. There are statistically significant differences on most values between respondents in the two societies, but the degree of difference varies among domains. The largest differences are found in religious values; lesser differences exist in trust and confidence, economic values, and values concerning the environment and science. Value similarities are greatest in the domains of family values, personal satisfaction, social stratification, and gender. The bearing of social structural conditions in China and Taiwan on these value differences and similarities is shown.
Normal and pathophysiologic considerations of endothelial regulation of vascular tone and their relevance to nitrate therapy

During the past decade, it has become clear that the vascular endothelium critically influences vascular permeability, controls vessel growth, modulates hemostasis, and regulates vasomotion. This latter role of the endothelium is mediated by the liberation of a number of potent vasoactive compounds, including endothelium-derived relaxing factors, one of which is either nitric oxide or a compound that releases nitric oxide, vasoactive prostaglandins, hyperpolarizing factors, and a number of constricting factors. This role of the endothelium is dramatically altered by several diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes. Abnormalities of endothelial regulation of vascular tone may contribute to a number of clinical syndromes, including variant angina, unstable angina, syndrome X, and perhaps many others. In this review, several aspects of the endothelium-derived relaxing factor will be considered, including recent concepts regarding its synthesis, its chemical identity, and alterations in atherosclerosis. Finally, its action in the coronary microcirculation as contrasted to that of nitroglycerin will be considered.
Radical WAS: The Sense of History in World Art Studies

This essay engages David Hulks' account of World Art Studies as a ‘radical proposal’ for a practice that could replace the ‘New Art History’ developed in the 1970s and 1980s. Suggesting that both a ‘world art history’ that was well established by the 1960s and the New Art History remain preconditions and precursors of World Art Studies, it considers how World Art Studies might relate the ontology of art – questions of ‘defining art’ – to the parameters of history in ways that could have ‘radical’ outcomes. The diversity of proposed identity conditions for art probably reflects the actual diversity of world art, and World Art Studies probably best functions as a space for considering criteria of art rather than stating solutions. In this regard, World Art Studies might further consider the ‘historicality’ of art – the possibility that most art ‘was’ and therefore cannot be discovered by World Art Studies, no matter how global. In turn, this emphasizes the need for prehistoric studies, not only at a substan...
Temporal replication of an interspersed repeated sequence of mouse DNA

The temporal replication profile of an interspersed repeated DNA sequence (variously named MIF-1, Bam and L1Md) of mouse was determined by isotope analysis of a resolvable restriction fragment differentially labeled in pre- and post-synchrony cultures. While the temporal replication profile of the fragment was similar to that of total nuclear DNA, an average time lag of about 20 min was evident for this interspersed repeated family (called Bam in this paper). In addition, the sequence organisation of Bam homologues were examined for the separable early- and late-replication domains of the hamster genome. The data suggest that late-replicating domains of the rodent genome are slightly enriched in Bam homologous sequences. Furthermore, this repeated sequence family has different sequence organisations in the separable replication domains of hamster.
Experience with the architectural design of a modest product family

Many product families are modest in the sense that they consist of a sequence of incremental products with, at any point in time, only a few distinct products available and minimal variations among the products. Such product families, nevertheless, are often large, complex systems, widely deployed, and possessing stringent safety and performance requirements. This paper describes a case study that tends to confirm the value of using a product-line approach for the architectural design of a modest product family. The paper describes the process, design alternatives, and lessons learned, both positive and negative, from the architectural design of one such family of medical image analysis products. Realized benefits included identifying previously unrecognized common behavior and sets of features that were likely to change together, aligning the architecture with specific market needs and with the organization, and reducing unplanned dependencies. Most interesting were the unanticipated benefits, including decoupling the product-family architecture from the order of implementation of features, and using the product-family architecture as a 'guiding star' with subsequent releases moving toward, rather than away from, the planned architecture.
Measuring levels of citizen public health emergency preparedness, Jefferson County, Alabama.

CONTEXT: : Recent disaster experiences in Alabama have highlighted the state's public health vulnerabilities to natural disasters. To respond to the need of building better prepared and more resilient communities, the Alabama Department of Public Health developed and launched a mass media campaign, Get10, to promote personal preparedness. This study evaluates the level of preparedness of the residents in Jefferson County, Alabama, using Get10 recommendations of Alabama Department of Public Health as a guideline. This study also examines the level of personal preparedness of the at-risk population including those older than 65 years and those younger than 65 years with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, poor perceived health status, and a physical, mental, or emotional activity limitation disability. OBJECTIVE: : To assess (1) awareness of multimedia preparedness campaigns; (2) the levels of personal preparedness in Jefferson County residents; and (3) the levels of personal preparedness within different sectors of the vulnerable or "at-risk" populations. DESIGN: : A random-digit-dialed survey was conducted following the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System protocols in the fall of 2010. The survey included a subset of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System questions and additional questions based on Get10 recommendations. RESULTS: : More than 38% of the residents of Jefferson County have a complete disaster kit. Those representing the vulnerable (at-risk) populations are not more likely to have preparedness kits than the general population (P = .6646). Marital status was the only variable that was consistently significant in determining whether someone had a complete disaster kit (P = .0140); however, bivariate analysis indicated annual household income as significant (P = .0109). No association was found between having a complete preparedness kit and familiarity with general family preparedness campaigns (P = .0976) or Get10 campaign of Alabama Department of Public Health (P = .3227). CONCLUSIONS: : Vulnerable populations were no more likely to have a complete disaster preparedness kit than the general population. Therefore, future marketing should target those at risk of adverse health effects following a disaster as well as the unmarried and those with household incomes under $25 000 per year. Future disaster preparedness campaigns should monitor and evaluate their efforts in reaching these populations and include strategies for acquiring and maintaining disaster kit items. Language: en
Atypische Hirnstrombilder bei epileptischen Anfällen

An Patienten mit atypischen epueptischen Anfallen wurden fortlaufende hirnelektrisohe Untersuchungen vorgenommen, um das EEG wahrend eines spontan auftretenden oder durch die Hyperventilation ausgelosten Anfalls aufzuzeichnen. Es wird uber die Diskrepanz zwischen dem klinischen Bilde und dem Anfalls-EEG bei 9 Patienten berichtet.
Hanging on to the branch.

The mechanism for a critical step in intron recognition has recently been revealed by the structure of the RNA binding domain of splicing factor 1 bound to intronic RNA.
Learning control of quantum-mechanical systems by laboratory identification of effective input-output maps

Abstract This paper addresses a new algorithm for laboratory learning control of quantum mechanical systems. The learning control is achieved through the laboratory identification of a successive number of effective input-output maps for the quantum mechanical system. The input to these maps consists of a linearly independent set of control fields, and the output consists of the resultant observations in the laboratory. In this paper, the observations are taken as the temporal evolution of the target expectation value. From this information, an effective input-output map is produced, and the best control to meet a desired objective can then be identified within the domain of the map. The process may be repeated as desired, if higher quality control is necessary. The basic logic behind this laboratory learning based approach is presented, along with a simulated illustration of its behavior for a simple few-state control problem.
Proglacial deposition and deformation in the Upper Carboniferous to Lower Permian Wynyard Formation, Tasmania: A process analysis

Abstract The Wynyard Formation of Tasmania, Australia, provides the youngest evidence of grounded ice during the Late Carboniferous–Early Permian in the Tasmania Basin of southeastern Gondwana during the late Paleozoic ice age. Within the Wynyard Formation, four facies associations are recognized: 1) massive diamictite, 2) stratified diamictite, 3) conglomerate and sandstone, and 4) deformed mudstone and fine sandstone. A detailed facies analysis was performed in order to interpret the depositional processes and environments. The massive diamictite facies association contains massive diamictite and sandstone and was deposited primarily by iceberg rain-out in a subaqueous morainal bank setting. The stratified diamictite facies association is composed of stratified diamictite, sandstone, and conglomerate, and was deposited by debris flows and iceberg rain-out, and deformed by glacial pushing. The conglomerate and sandstone facies association is made up of cross-stratified, channelized conglomerate and pebbly sandstone that were deposited by glacial outwash on grounding-line fans. The deformed mudstone and fine sandstone facies association is composed of pervasively deformed pebbly mudstone and fine-grained sandstone that exhibit volcano, flame, and dyke structures. This facies association was deposited by a combination of suspension settling, iceberg rain-out, and soft sediment deformation, in a quiet distal proglacial setting. The facies analysis supports the interpretation that the Wynyard Formation was deposited by a wet-based, tidewater glacier or glaciers. The depositing glacier(s) occupied a ~ 40 km-wide trough in northwest Tasmania. Based on the distribution of the Wynyard Formation and the presence of glacial deposits in other eroded troughs in Tasmania, glaciation occurred in the region within broadly eroded valleys. The Wynyard Formation and overlying mudstone of the Inglis Formation provide a glacial–postglacial signature similar to those in South Africa, Antarctica, and eastern Australia during the latest Carboniferous–Early Permian, therefore the climate warmed in southern Gondwana following this glacial interval. The continued glaciation in eastern Australia was a result of regional topography and oceanographic processes.
Bioluminescence Imaging of Chlamydia muridarum Ascending Infection in Mice

Chlamydial pathogenicity in the upper genital tract relies on chlamydial ascending from the lower genital tract. To monitor chlamydial ascension, we engineered a luciferase-expressing C. muridarum. In cells infected with the luciferase-expressing C. muridarum, luciferase gene expression and enzymatic activity (measured as bioluminescence intensity) correlated well along the infection course, suggesting that bioluminescence can be used for monitoring chlamydial replication. Following an intravaginal inoculation with the luciferase-expressing C. muridarum, 8 of 10 mice displayed bioluminescence signal in the lower with 4 also in the upper genital tracts on day 3 after infection. By day 7, all 10 mice developed bioluminescence signal in the upper genital tracts. The bioluminescence signal was maintained in the upper genital tract in 6 and 2 mice by days 14 and 21, respectively. The bioluminescence signal was no longer detectable in any of the mice by day 28. The whole body imaging approach also revealed an unexpected airway infection following the intravaginal inoculation. Although the concomitant airway infection was transient and did not significantly alter the genital tract infection time courses, caution should be taken during data interpretation. The above observations have demonstrated that C. muridarum can not only achieve rapid ascending infection in the genital tract but also cause airway infection following a genital tract inoculation. These findings have laid a foundation for further optimizing the C. muridarum intravaginal infection murine model for understanding chlamydial pathogenic mechanisms.
Giant Pararenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Inflammatory aortic aneurysms are unusual vascular lesions and most commonly involve the infrarenal segment of the abdominal aorta. These complex aneurysms represent a challenge to the vascular surgeon and become even more difficult as the extent of the aneurysm and size of the inflammatory mass increase. Although well described, few cases of giant inflammatory aneurysms are reported. In this case, we review the clinical presentation and surgical management of a patient with a giant pararenal abdominal aortic aneurysm and highlight an uncommon morphologic pattern of aortic disease and provide a review of relevant literature.
Climate Stability for a Sellers-Type Model

We study a diffusive energy-balance climate model governed by a nonlinear parabolic partial differential equation. Three positive steady-state solutions of this equation are found; they correspond to three possible climates of our planet: an interglacial (nearly identical to the present climate), a glacial, and a completely ice-covered earth. We consider also models similar to the main one studied, and determine the number of their steady states. All the models have albedo continuously varying with latitude and temperature, and entirely diffusive horizontal heat transfer. The diffusion is taken to be nonlinear as well as linear. We investigate the stability under small perturbations of the main model's climates. A stability criterion is derived, and its application shows that the 'present climate' and the 'deep freeze' are stable, whereas the model's glacial is unstable. A variational principle is introduced to confirm the results of this stability analysis. For a sufficient decrease in solar radiation (about 2%) the glacial and interglacial solutions disappear, leaving the ice-covered earth as the only possible climate.
Factors Contributing to Success in Elementary Schools: Research Findings for Early Childhood Educators

Abstract This statewide longitudinal study was designed to investigate the effects of kindergarten schedule (half-day, alternate-day, and full-day) and prior preschool attendance on elementary children's success (achievement, incidence of grade retention, and provision of special education services). The sample included 32 Ohio school districts. Scores from thirteen different standardized tests were analyzed. Results indicated that children who attended preschool prior to kindergarten experienced greater subsequent success in elementary school than those who didn't. Participation in full-day kindergarten is positively related to subsequent school performance at least through first grade. Additional analyses demonstrated the significant impact of gender of the child and age at entrance to kindergarten.
Visual Detection and Discrimination of Luminance Increments

A rating-scale psychophysical method was employed to obtain receiver operating characteristics for detection and for discrimination of luminance increments. These curves were used to estimate the parameters of a normal probability-density function which was assumed to describe the relevant internal effects of the test flash. The over-all results strongly indicate that the mean of this distribution is a positively accelerated function of luminance of the test flash, and suggest that the standard deviation is a non-monotonic function of luminance. It is argued that quantum fluctuations and criterion fluctuations cannot account for these findings, whereas channel uncertainty may be at the root of some of them.
Preventing Crime Through the Maharishi Effect

Abstract Criminologists view crime as a multidimensional problem that is best prevented by programs that strengthen informal social control, which is the internalized propensity of the individual to find rewarding behavior patterns within the law. This paper introduces the theory and research on crime prevention through the Maharishi Effect, a powerful mechanism of increasing informal social control by increasing coherence and decreasing stress in the most holistic level of society, its collective consciousness. A review of 15 published studies conducted on city, state, national, and international levels finds strong evidence that crime is reduced and quality of life is improved when 1% of a population practices the Transcendental Meditation (TM)1 program. This is termed the Maharishi Effect. This review also finds that crime is reduced and quality of life improved when groups the size of the square root of 1% of a population practice the more powerful TM-Sidhi program together in one place. This is calle...
Agreement experiments. A method for quantitatively testing new medical image display approaches

New medical image display devices or processes are commonly evaluated by anecdotal reports or subjective evaluations which are informative and relatively easy to acquire but do not provide quantitative nieasures. On the other hand, experinients eniploying ROC analysis, yield quantitative measurements but are very laborious and demand pathological proof of outcome. We have designed and are employing a new approach, which we have termed "agreement experiments," to quantitatively test the equivalence of observer performance on two systems. This was specifically developed to test whether a radiologist using a new display technique, which has some clear advantages over the standard technique, will detect and interpret diagnostic signs as he would with the standard display technique. Agreement experiments use checklists and confidence ratings to measure how well two radiologists agree on the presence of diagnostic signs when both view images on the standard display. This yields a baseline measure of agreement. Agreement measurements are then obtained when the two radiologists view cases using the new display, or display method, compared to the standard technique. If the levels of agreement when one reads from the new and one reads from the standard display are not statistically different from the baseline measures of agreement, we conclude the two systems are equivalent in conveying diagnostic signs. We will report on an experiment using this test. The experiment compares the agreement of radiological findings for chest CT studies viewed on the conventional multiformat film/lightbox to agreement of radiological findings from chest CT images presented on a multiple screen video system. The study consists of 80 chest CT studies. The results were an 86% to 81% agreement between the two viewing modalities which fell within our criteria of showing agreement.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A salt-dependent hemagglutinating particle from measles-infected cells.

Abstract A salt-dependent agglutinin (SDA) has been isolated from measles-infected cells which adsorbs to erythrocytes only in hypertonic salines. SDA appears to agglutinate only those red blood cells already shown to be susceptible to measles hemagglutination, and receptors are resistant to receptor-destroying enzyme. In contrast to other measles hemagglutinating particles, SDA can be recovered from agglutinated red blood cells by elution into isotonic saline. SDA hemagglutination is specifically inhibited by measles convalescent sera. SDA contributes up to 50% of measles complement-fixing antigen activity of infected cell extracts. It induces the production of HI and neutralizing antibodies when injected into guinea pigs. SDA titers are highly dependent upon temperature, although adsorption to erythrocytes is not. Titers at 37° increase as a function of charge and concentration of anion and of pH. There was no dissociation or aggregation of SDA in activating salt concentrations as shown by zonal sedimentations. SDA sediments with a coefficient of 22 S and has a buoyant density in CsCl of 1.30 g/ml. Chemically it appears to be a protein with characteristics similar to those associated with the hemagglutinating activity of the measles envelope. The possibility that SDA represents a precursor of the measles envelope is discussed.
Bifunctional activity of epidermal growth factor on α- and κ-casein gene expression in rodent mammary glands in vitro

Explants from mammary glands of virgin rats and pregnant rats and mice were cultured under serum-free conditions in the presence of various combinations of the hormones insulin (I), aldosterone (A), corticosterone (C), PRL, and epidermal growth factor (EGF). Bifunctional activity of EGF was found on expression of the α- and κ-casein genes. In the presence of I, A, and C, EGF increased the level of κcasein mRNA in pregnant mouse mammary gland explants, but not in rats. κ-Casein mRNA sequences in mouse mammary gland explants were also significantly increased by EGF in the presence of I, A, and C, but in rat mammary gland explants, the increase was less. In contrast, in the presence of I, A, C, and PRL, EGF inhibited the induction of both α- and κ-casein mRNA sequences in tissue from rats and mice. This bifunctionality of EGF in terminal differentiation of the rodent mammary gland was also reflected in the levels of synthesis of total casein and α-lactalbumin. (Endocrinology 119: 1178–1184, 1986)
Macroinvertebrates Associated with Water Hyacinth Roots and a Root Analog

AbstractThe ecological effects of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), an introduced macrophyte, in freshwater systems depend on the growth and extent of floating mats. We studied macroinvertebrates associated with roots of water hyacinth in the Waccamaw River, a blackwater, tidal river in northeastern South Carolina, USA. In this system, water hyacinth is limited to a few protected bays and backwaters where the ecological effect is unknown. Our goal was to assess whether water hyacinth roots provided unique habitat. Plants representing ambient conditions, plants with defaunated roots, and a root analog (cotton mop strands = mop) were secured to floating frames in open water adjacent to water hyacinth mats. Samples were collected every 2 wk for 2 mo, and invertebrates were identified and quantified. Colonization of defaunated roots began within 2 wk, and invertebrate assemblages differed between roots and mops. The most common taxa on water hyacinth roots were Branchiopoda, Oligochaeta, Talitridae, and ...
Combination of optical coherence tomography and reflectometry technique for eye measurement

A spectral domain optical coherence tomography system is integrated with an optical reflectometer to provide dualfunctional eye measurement. The system is capable of performing anterior segment imaging and tear film thickness evaluation at the same time. The axial resolution of the anterior segment imaging is 6μm while for tear film thickness measurement the resolution is about 21 nm. We use the integrated device to examine a model eye with artificial tear film. Structures such as the cornea, the ciliary muscle, and the front boundary of the crystalline lens are clearly visible. Artificial tear film thickness is determined simultaneously with anterior segment imaging. The integrated device is also flexible for separated anterior segment imaging or tear thickness evaluation.
Thermal neutron capture gamma rays from sulfur isotopes: Experiment and theory.

We have carried out a systematic investigation of $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays after thermal neutron capture by all stable sulfur isotopes ($^{32}\mathrm{S}$, $^{33}\mathrm{S}$, $^{34}\mathrm{S}$, and $^{36}\mathrm{S}$). The measurements were made at the internal target facility at the Los Alamos Omega West Reactor. We detected a larger number of $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays: \ensuremath{\sim}100 in $^{33}\mathrm{S}$, \ensuremath{\sim}270 in $^{34}\mathrm{S}$, \ensuremath{\sim}60 in $^{35}\mathrm{S}$, and \ensuremath{\sim}15 in $^{37}\mathrm{S}$. Before developing detailed level schemes, we culled and then consolidated the existing information on energies and ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}$ values for levels of these nuclides. Based on the current data, we have constructed detailed decay schemes, which imply that there are significant populations of 26 excited states in $^{33}\mathrm{S}$, 70 states in $^{34}\mathrm{S}$, 20 states in $^{35}\mathrm{S}$, and 7 states in $^{37}\mathrm{S}$. By checking the intensity balance for these levels and by comparing the total intensity of primary transitions with the total intensity of secondary $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays feeding the ground state, we have demonstrated the relative completeness of these decay schemes. For strongly populated levels, the branching ratios based on the current measurements are generally better than those available from previous measurements. In all four cases, a few primary electric dipole ($E1$) transitions account for a large fraction of the capture cross section for that particular nuclide. To understand and explain these transitions, we have recapitulated and further developed the theory of potential capture. Toward this end, we reviewed the theory relating off-resonance neutron capture to the optical-model capture. We studied a range of model-dependent effects (nature and magnitude of imaginary potential, surface diffuseness, etc.) on the potential capture cross section, and we have shown how experimental data may be analyzed using the expression for channel capture suitably modified by a factor that takes into account the model-dependent effects. The calculations of cross sections for most of the primary transitions in the sulfur isotopes are in good agreement with the data. Some discrepancies for weaker transitions can be explained well by an interfering compound-nucleus contribution to capture. This contribution is of the magnitude expected from statistical surveys of resonance capture data. Estimates of the cross section due to the valencecapture mechanism in $s$-wave resonances show that this cross section should dominate the more complicated compound-nucleus contributions.
Three region-specific microdissection libraries for the long arm of human chromosome 2, regions q33-q35, q31-q32, and q23-q24

Three region-specific libraries have been constructed from the long arm of human chromosome 2, including regions 2q33-35 (2Q2 library), 2q31-32 (2Q3) and 2q23-24 (2Q4). Chromosome microdissection and the Mbol linker-adaptor microcloning techniques were used in constructing these libraries. The libraries comprised hundreds of thousands of microclones in each library. Approximately half of the microclones in the library contained unique or low-copy number sequence inserts. The insert sizes ranged between 50 and 800 bp, with a mean of 130–190 bp. Southern blot analysis of individual unique sequence microclones showed that 70–94% of the microclones were derived from the dissected region. 31 unique sequence microclones from the 2Q2 library, 31 from 2Q3, and 30 from 2Q4, were analyzed for insert sizes, the hybridizing genomic HindIII fragment sizes, and cross-hybridization to rodent species. These libraries and the short insert microclones derived from the libraries should be useful for high resolution physical mapping, sequence-ready reagents for large scale genomic sequencing, and positional cloning of disease-related genes assigned to these regions, e.g. the recessive familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis assigned to 2q33-q35, and a type I diabetes susceptibility gene to 2q31-q33.