cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linear theory of rotating stratified fluid motions

A linear theory for steady motions in a rotating stratified fluid is presented, valid under the assumption that e < E, where e and E are respectively the Rossby and Ekman numbers. The fact that the stable stratification inhibits vertical motions has important consequences and many features of the dynamics of homogeneous rotating fluids are no longer present. For instance, in addition to the absence of the Taylor-Proudman constraint, it is found that Ekman layer suction no longer controls the interior dynamics. In fact, the Ekman layers themselves are frequently absent. Furthermore, the vertical Stewartson boundary layers are replaced by a new kind of boundary layer whose structure is characteristic of rotating stratified fluids. The interior dynamics are found to be controlled by dissipative processes.
Skin Occlusion: Treatment or Drug-Like Device?

The effects of occlusion on skin function are described and reviewed. Occlusion seems to be not only a device applied on the skin surface, but, under certain conditions, a powerful treatment capable o
Viscosupplementation with hyaluronic acid in the treatment for cartilage lesions: a review of current evidence and future directions

Diseases involving the articular cartilage are one of the leading causes of physical impairment among the adult population. While surgical technique and advancement have allowed us effective means at treating these diseases, this is not without significant risk and morbidity. With a very solid safety profile, viscosupplementation with hyaluronic acid (HA) derivatives has become an excellent modality for treating diseased articular cartilage. Recent literature supports the use of HA not only in the management of the pain associated with osteoarthritis but also as a disease-modifying agent as well. Further studies have started to define exciting new roles for viscosupplementation in the treatment for acute injuries to the joint microenvironment.
Bilateral controller design for telemanipulation in soft environments

Previous research on teleoperation has focused on manipulation of hard objects. However, the design constraints are different in applications that involve manipulation of deformable objects, such as robotic telesurgery. In this paper a new measure for fidelity in teleoperation is introduced which quantifies the teleoperation system's ability to transmit changes in the compliance of the environment. This sensitivity function is highly appropriate for the application of telesurgery, where the ability to distinguish small changes in tissue compliance is essential for tasks such as tumor detection. The bilateral teleoperation controller design problem is then formulated as the optimization of this new metric with constraints on free space tracking requirements and robust stability of the system under environment and human operator uncertainties. The robust stability analysis can be applied to any teleoperator plant and guarantee stability given an uncertainty model. The analysis is also extended to evaluate effectiveness of using a force sensor in the teleoperation system.
Analysis and Modeling of the Natural Variability of Climate

After removing annual variability, power spectral analyses of local atmospheric temperature from hundreds of stations and ice core records have been carried out from timescales of 1 day to 200 kyr. A clear sequence of power-law behaviors is found as follows: 1) from 40 kyr to 200 kyr a flat spectrum is observed, 2) from 2 kyr to 40 kyr the spectrum is proportional to f22 where f is the frequency, and 3) below timescales of 2 kyr the power spectrum is proportional to f21/2. At timescales of less than 1 month the authors observe that the power spectra of continental stations become propotional to f23/2 while maritime stations continue to have power spectra proportional to f21/2 down to timescales of 1 day. To explain these observations, the authors model the variations in the transport of heat in the turbulent atmosphere by including a noise in the heat flux of a flux-gradient parameterization of convective transport, leading to a stochastic diffusion equation for temperature fluctuations. A correlation analysis of temperature fluctuations vertically in the atmosphere from the TIROS operational vertical sounder is carried out to verify the diffusion model and to estimate the coefficient of vertical eddy diffusivity in the atmosphere. The power spectrum of temperature fluctuations at the earth’s surface expected from this model in a two-layer geometry with thermal and eddy diffusion properties appropriate to the atmosphere and ocean and a radiation boundary condition at the top of the atmosphere exhibits the same spectral form as observed in the instrumental and ice core data.
Micellar effects upon oxidation of organic sulfides by anionic oxidants

Peroxymonosulfate ion (HSO5−) rapidly oxidizes 2-chloroethyl phnyl sulfide (1). Dilute micelle-forming cationic surfactants slightly speed the reaction but the reaction rate decreases sharply with increasing surfactant concentration. Rate-surfactant concentration profiles in solutions of cetyltrimethylammonium hydrogensulfate can be treated quantitatively by estimating concentrations of 1 and HSO5− at the micellar surface with allowance for competition between HSO5− and HSO4−. The second-Order rate constant in the micellar pseudo-phase is lower that in water by a factor of ca 400. Similar rate–surfactant concentration profiles were observed for the oxidation of di-n-propyl sulfide by periodate ion in solutions of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, chloride and mesylate, and second-order rate constants in the micellar pseudo-phases are lower than in water by factors of ca 400. These oxidations are slowed by a decrease in the water content of aqueous acetonitrile and solvent, and micellar rate effects are consistent with transition states in which positive charge builds up on sulfur.
Uncertainties Associated With the Surface Texture of Ice Particles in Satellite-Based Retrieval of Cirrus Clouds: Part II—Effect of Particle Surface Roughness on Retrieved Cloud Optical Thickness and Effective Particle Size

The simplified ray-tracing technique reported in Part I of this paper is employed to compute the single-scattering properties of hexagonal columns with maximum dimensions ranging from 2 to 3500 mum with a size-bin resolution of 2 mum at wavelengths of 0.86 and 2.13 mum. For small ice crystals, the current treatment of surface roughness may not be adequate because the applicability of the principles of geometric optics breaks down for small roughness scale. However, for ice crystals smaller than 40 mum, the aspect ratios of these particles are close to one, and the effect of surface roughness is quite small. In this paper, the diffraction is accounted for in the same way as in the case of smooth particles. It is essentially unfeasible to incorporate the effect of surface roughness into the numerical computation of the diffraction contribution. The scattering properties of individual ice crystals are then averaged over 18 particle size distributions whose effective particle radii (re) range from 5 to 90 mum. The single-scattering properties of ice clouds are strongly sensitive to surface roughness condition. Lookup tables that are built for the correlation between the bidirectional reflectances at wavelengths of 0.86 and 2.13 mum with different roughness conditions are used to retrieve ice cloud optical thickness and effective particle size over oceans. Pronounced differences are noticed for the retrieved cirrus cloud optical thickness and effective particle sizes in conjunction with different surface roughness conditions. The values of the retrieved cirrus cloud optical thickness in the case of the rough surface are generally smaller than their counterparts associated with smooth surface conditions. The effect of surface roughness on the retrieved effective particle radii is not pronounced for slight and moderate roughness conditions. However, when the surfaces of ice crystals are substantially rough, the retrieved effective radii associated with roughened particles are larger and smaller than their smooth surface counterparts forlarge (re>50 mum) and small (re<35 mum) ice crystals, respectively, whereas the effect of surface roughness on the retrieved effective radii shows a nonmonotonic feature for moderate particle sizes (35 mum<re<50 mum). In general, the dominant effect of surface roughness on cloud property retrievals is to decrease the retrieved optical thickness and to increase the retrieved effective particle size in comparison with their counterparts in the case of smooth ice particles.
Mapping of strongly correlated steady-state nonequilibrium system to an effective equilibrium

By mapping steady-state nonequilibrium to an effective equilibrium, we formulate nonequilibrium problems within an equilibrium picture. The Hamiltonian in the open system is rewritten in terms of scattering states with appropriate boundary condition. We first study the analytic properties of many-body scattering states, impose the boundary-condition operator in a statistical operator and prove that this mapping is equivalent to the linear-response theory in the low-bias limit. In an example of infinite-$U$ Anderson impurity model, we approximately solve the scattering state creation operators, based on which we derive the bias operator $\stackrel{\ifmmode \hat{}\else \^{}\fi{}}{Y}$ to construct the nonequilibrium ensemble in the form of the Boltzmann factor ${e}^{\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\beta}(\stackrel{\ifmmode \hat{}\else \^{}\fi{}}{H}\ensuremath{-}\stackrel{\ifmmode \hat{}\else \^{}\fi{}}{Y})}$. The resulting effective Hamiltonian is solved by noncrossing approximation. We obtain the $I\text{\ensuremath{-}}V$ features of Kondo anomaly conductance at zero bias, inelastic transport via the charge excitation on the quantum dot, and significant inelastic current background over a wide range of bias.
Asymptomatic Peripheral Retinal Hemorrhages as a Manifestation of Interferon Beta 1a Retinopathy

We present a case of retinopathy found incidentally in an asymptomatic patient receiving treatment with interferon beta 1a for multiple sclerosis. She was found to have peripheral dot and blot hemorrhages with no cotton wool spots. It is possible that interferon beta 1a retinopathy is more common than previously reported, as it may be asymptomatic with patients having peripheral retinal hemorrhages.
Hyperhomocysteinemia inhibits satellite cell regenerative capacity through p38 alpha/beta MAPK signaling.

Chronic failure in maintenance and regeneration of skeletal muscles leads to lower muscle mass (sarcopenia), muscle weakness, and poor response to injury. Evidence suggests that aberrant p38 MAPK s...
Disparities in Women's Cardiovascular Health

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women, and disparities affect the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of CVD for women. Biology, genetics, and race contribute to these disparities. Obstetric-gynecologic health care providers routinely encounter women who are at risk for developing CVD and are uniquely positioned as a point of access to intervene to improve/prevent CVD by assessing for risks and discussing healthy lifestyle changes during routine visits.
Estradiol differentially affects auditory recognition and learning according to photoperiodic state in the adult male songbird, European starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Changes in hormones can aVect many types of learning in vertebrates. Adults experience fluctuations in a multitude of hormones over a temporal scale, from local, rapid action to more long-term, seasonal changes. Endocrine changes during development can aVect behavioral outcomes in adulthood, but how learning is aVected in adults by hormone fluctuations experienced during adulthood is less understood. Previous reports have implicated the sex steroid hormone estradiol (E2) in both male and female vertebrate cognitive functioning. Here, we examined the eVects of E2 on auditory recognition and learning in male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). European starlings are photoperiodic, seasonally breeding songbirds that undergo diVerent periods of reproductive activity according to annual changes in day length. We simulated these reproductive periods, specifically 1. photosensitivity, 2. photostimulation, and 3. photorefractoriness in captive birds by altering day length. During each period, we manipulated circulating E2 and examined multiple measures of learning. To manipulate circulating E2, we used subcutaneous implants containing either 17- E2 and/or fadrozole (FAD), a highly specific aromatase inhibitor that suppresses E2 production in the body and the brain, and measured the latency for birds to learn and respond to short, male conspecific song segments (motifs). We report that photostimulated birds given E2 had higher response rates and responded with better accuracy than those given saline controls or FAD. Conversely, photosensitive, animals treated with E2 responded with less accuracy than those given FAD. These results demonstrate how circulating E2 and photoperiod can interact to shape auditory recognition and learning in adults, driving it in opposite directions in diVerent states.
Modeling of broad-band traveling-wave optical-intensity modulators

In this paper, an accurate simulation tool for the electrical and optical response of broad-band traveling-wave optical intensity modulators is presented, which takes into account multisectional electrical transmission lines. This model is applied to analyze a high-speed fully packaged LiNbO/sub 3/ Mach-Zehnder interferometer.
5, 10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene Variants and Congenital Anomalies: A HuGE Review

The enzyme 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is involved in folate metabolism. The MTHFR gene is located on chromosome 1 (1p36.3), and two common alleles, the C677T (thermolabile) allele and the A1298C allele, have been described. The population frequency of C677T homozygosity ranges from 1% or less among Blacks from Africa and the United States to 20% or more among Italians and US Hispanics. C677T homozygosity in infants is associated with a moderately increased risk for spina bifida (pooled odds ratio = 1.8; 95% confidence interval: 1.4, 2.2). Maternal C677T homozygosity also appears to be a moderate risk factor (pooled odds ratio = 2.0; 95% confidence interval: 1.5, 2.8). The A 1298C allele combined with the C677T allele also could be associated with an increased risk for spina bifida. Some data suggest that the risk for spina bifida associated with C677T homozygosity may depend on nutritional status (e.g., blood folate levels, intake of vitamins) or on the genotype of other folate-related genes (e.g., cystathionine-beta-synthase and methionine synthase reductase). Studies of the C677T allele in relation to oral clefts, Down syndrome, and fetal anticonvulsant syndrome either have yielded conflicting results or have not been yet replicated.
Nonconcave Penalized Likelihood With NP-Dimensionality

Penalized likelihood methods are fundamental to ultrahigh dimensional variable selection. How high dimensionality such methods can handle remains largely unknown. In this paper, we show that in the context of generalized linear models, such methods possess model selection consistency with oracle properties even for dimensionality of nonpolynomial (NP) order of sample size, for a class of penalized likelihood approaches using folded-concave penalty functions, which were introduced to ameliorate the bias problems of convex penalty functions. This fills a long-standing gap in the literature where the dimensionality is allowed to grow slowly with the sample size. Our results are also applicable to penalized likelihood with the L1-penalty, which is a convex function at the boundary of the class of folded-concave penalty functions under consideration. The coordinate optimization is implemented for finding the solution paths, whose performance is evaluated by a few simulation examples and the real data analysis.
Nanofibrous Hydrogels with Spatially Patterned Biochemical Signals to Control Cell Behavior

The ability to spatially pattern biochemical signals into nanofibrous materials using thiol-ene reactions of thiolated molecules to presented norbornene groups is demonstrated. This approach is used to pattern three molecules independently within one scaffold, to pattern molecules through the depth of a scaffold, and to spatially control cell adhesion and morphology.
COMPARATIVE PARENTAL MMPI PROTOCOLS OF CHILDREN EVALUATED AT A CHILD DEVELOPMENT CLINIC

Summary.- All parents completed an MMPI upon evaluation of their child at a clinic before diagnosis. For this study, 144 pairs of parents were selected to reflect the sex ratio of the clinic population. This sample was divided into three groups according to the diagnostic classification of the child: (1) minimal cerebral dysfunction, (2) behavior disorder, and (3) normal child. Separate multivariate analyses, computed for the groups by comparing the mean MMPI scores on the validity scales and the clinical scales for fathers and mothers, showed no significant differences in MMPIs of fathers on the validity scales. Also, no difference appeared on the three sex-determined analyses of the clinical scales. However, significant differences were found when scores for both the mothers and combined fzthers and mothers were analyzed across the validity scales. The mothers of children with behavior disorders produced lower K scores (test-taking attitude). It was concluded that, while these parents could not be differentiated on the basis of clinical scales of the MMPI, they could be on the test-ding attitude of the mothers of those children evidencing behavior disorders.
DELAY OR RATE OF FOOD DELIVERY AS A DETERMINER OF RESPONSE RATE

Pigeons were confronted with two keys: a green food key and a white changeover key. Food became available for a peck to the green key after variable intervals of time (mean = 113 seconds). A single peck on the changeover key changed the color of the food key to red for a fixed period of time during which the timing of the variable-interval schedule in green was suspended and the switching option eliminated and after which the conditions associated with green were reinstated. In Experiment 1 a single food presentation was obtainable during each red-key period after a minimum delay timed from the switch. This delay and the duration of the red-key period were held constant during a condition but varied between conditions (delay = 2.5, 7.5, 15, or 30 seconds; red-period duration = 30, 60, 120, 240, or 480 seconds). In Experiment 2 additional food presentations were scheduled during a 240-second red-key period with the delay to the first food delivery held constant at 30 seconds, and the delays to later food deliveries varied over conditions. Considering the data from both experiments, the rate of switching to red was a decreasing function of the delay to the first food, the delay to the second food, and perhaps the delay to the third food after a switch. There was no clear evidence that the rate of food in the red-key period made an independent contribution. The ordering of response rates among conditions was consistent with the view that each food presentation after a response adds an incremental effect to the rate of the response and that each food presentation's contribution is a decreasing function of its delay timed from the response.
The Cryptococcus neoformans GAL7 gene and its use as an inducible promoter

A Cryptococcus neoformans galactose auxotroph was created by ultraviolet light mutagenesis and complemented with a C. neoformans genomic library. The translated sequence of the complementing DNA revealed a high degree of similarity to a number of UDP glucose-D-galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferases. Expression of C. neoformans GAL7 mRNA followed a pattern similar to Saccharomyces cerevisiae expression; it was first observed within 2.5 min of induction and fully induced by 30 min. The gene was completely repressed in the presence of glucose. The GAL7 promoter was isolated and used to construct a promoter cassette. Two genes were tested in this cassette for galactose regulation by creating GAL7 promoter fusions with their coding regions. MF alpha, which encodes a pheromone, was found to produce filaments only in transformants that were induced by galactose. A second gene, beta-glucuronidase (gusA), which is a commonly used reporter gene, was tested and also found to be expressed. When the GAL7p::GUS fusion was used to quantify inducibility of the GAL7 promoter, the level of enzyme activity was at least 500-fold greater for cells grown in galactose than for cells grown in glucose. The GAL7 promoter is the first inducible promoter characterized in C. neoformans and the GUS gene is the first heterologous gene shown to be expressed in this yeast pathogen.
Pitting resistance of sintered small-module gears

Sintered small-module gears have two important aspects that readily follow from the name: they are sintered and with a small module of 1.5875 mm (DP 16). Both aspects are to date insufficiently des...
Adolescent Sexual Abstinence: A Test of an Integrative Theoretical Framework

The purpose of this study was to test an integrative theoretical framework in explaining adolescents’ sexual abstinence and intentions to remain abstinent and refine the framework to reflect which elements contribute more powerfully to the explanation of abstinence and intentions. We administered an anonymous, theory-based questionnaire to two nonrandom samples of seventh- and eighth-graders (n = 451 and 447, respectively). Measurement modeling provided sufficient evidence for establishing construct validity. A refined structural equation model demonstrated good fit. Pro-abstinence standards predicted stronger beliefs toward staying abstinent, stronger perceptions that others endorse pro-abstinence norms, and a greater self-efficacy to remain sexually abstinent until marriage. In turn, beliefs, norms, and self-efficacy were predictive of intentions, which predicted sexual abstinence at a later time point. Similar findings emerged in a replication using a second set of sample data. Results suggest that thi...
Weathering the Storm so Far: The Impact of the 2003-05 Oil Shock on Low-Income Countries

This paper examines the impact of the 2003-05 oil price increase on the balance of payments positions and IMF financing needs of low-income country oil importers. It finds that stronger exports reflecting favorable global conditions, a compression of oil import volumes due to the pass-through of world prices to domestic consumers, and a large increase in capital inflows helped low-income countries cope with the oil price shock. Preliminary data suggest that reductions in oil import volumes have not harmed growth. While fiscal balances generally improved, quasi-fiscal liabilities may be building. Lower demand for IMF assistance may reflect broader trends, but further oil price increases could put pressure on additional countries in 2006 and beyond.
Son Preference, Sex Selection and the Problem of Missing Women in India

This paper empirically tests for two competing explanations of the increasing sex ratio at birth (SRB) in India: hepatitis B and human intervention. Estimating a malepreferring stopping rule with data from three rounds of the National Family Health Survey in India (1992, 1998 and 2005), I nd that the probability of a male birth varies signicantly across birth parities. Using a novel proxy for hepatitis B in India - tribal
The glass transition in novolac phenolic molding compounds and the kinetics of its development during cure and postcure. II

The change in onset temperature of the glass transition in a novolac phenolic molding compound was related to the time and temperature of cure. A mathematical model consisting of a single function of time and temperature fit glass transition onset temperature ranging from 87 to 242°C. These glass transition temperatures had developed during molding at temperatures from 132 to 218°C at times of 10–1800 s. The same model predicted the glass transition and onset temperature of samples postcured to a glass transition temperature of 287°C. The mathematical model resulted from a kinetic rate law treatment. This treatment, however, did not include a secondary reaction which causes a small exotherm above 210°C in DSC testing. The resulting rate law still appears to provide a useful approximation of the development of the Tg and the cure rate in novolac phenolic molding compounds over practical molding and postcure conditions.
Sexual-Assault History and Long-Term Physical Health Problems Evidence From Clinical and Population Epidemiology

Having a history of sexual assault is associated with both poor general health and limitations in physical functioning, as well as with specific health problems such as chronic pelvic pain, premenstrual disturbance, other gynecologic symptoms, fibromyalgia, headache, other pain syndromes, and gastrointestinal disorders. In studies evaluating the possible role of depression in these associations, depression among sexually assaulted persons did not account for their poorer health. Although there are unanswered questions in the literature on the associations between sexual assault and health, existing findings are consistent with standard criteria for inferring causal relationships from observational data. For example, many assault-health associations are supported by multiple, independent studies, and many demonstrate dose-response relationships (i.e., more incidents of sexual assault, or more severe assaults, are associated with more adverse health outcomes).
OVARIAN FOLLICULAR DEVELOPMENT IN THE PREGNANT HAMSTER.

Follicular activity in the ovary of the pregnant hamster is divided into two periods. During the first eight days (corresponding to the duration of pseudopregnancy) an average of 11 follicles per ovary from 277 to 553 μ are present. From day 10 to 16 of pregnancy, the ovary contains 22 follicles ranging from 277 to 600 μ and larger. The day after parturition, atresia destroys all large multilayered and vesicular follicles. Hamsters injected with human chorionic gonadotropin on day 4 of pregnancy ovulated ten ova, whereas similary treated day 12 animals ovulated 35 eggs. No cyclic follicular activity corresponding to the length of the estrous cycle occurred during gestation. On the contrary, a constant increment of small follicles took place throughout pregnancy.
Imaging and therapy of experimental schwannomas using HSV amplicon vector-encoding apoptotic protein under Schwann cell promoter

Schwannomas are benign tumors forming along peripheral nerves that can cause deafness, pain and paralysis. Current treatment involves surgical resection, which can damage associated nerves. To achieve tumor regression without damage to nerve fibers, we generated an HSV amplicon vector in which the apoptosis-inducing enzyme, caspase-1 (ICE), was placed under the Schwann cell-specific P0 promoter. Infection of schwannoma, neuroblastoma and fibroblastic cells in culture with ICE under the P0 promoter showed selective toxicity to schwannoma cells, while ICE under a constitutive promoter was toxic to all cell types. After direct intratumoral injection of the P0-ICE amplicon vector, we achieved marked regression of schwannoma tumors in an experimental xenograft mouse model. Injection of this amplicon vector into the sciatic nerve produced no apparent injury to the associated dorsal root ganglia neurons or myelinated nerve fibers. The P0-ICE amplicon vector provides a potential means of ‘knifeless resection’ of schwannoma tumors by injection of the vector into the tumor with low risk of damage to associated nerve fibers.
Growth mechanism of one dimensional tin nanostructures by electrodeposition

One-dimensional tin nanostructures are synthesized using a template-free facile electrodeposition process without the use of electrolyte additives or surfactants. The needles have an elongated pyramidal shape with a rhomboidal base, and exhibit quasi-dendritic morphologies. The growth of these nanostructures, termed “nanoneedles,” is substrate independent due to the formation of a tin film on the substrate surface prior to nucleation. Tin protrusions form preferentially as localized regions on the surface experience increased mass transport due to the transition from 2D linear to 3D spherical diffusion. Early in the growth, Joule heating melts the protrusion tip, and then spherical diffusion to the liquid tip drives the formation of the needles via self-catalyzed growth. This initial part of the process depends on a critical Nernst diffusion layer thickness (mass transport rate) and is controlled by the variation of solution agitation, tin concentration, temperature, and cathodic current density. Subsequently, deposition is rate limited by the kinetics of tin reduction.
Analysis of glucosamine using aqueous normal phase chromatography

A new approach to easily quantify glucosamine samples isolated from shrimp shells and glucosamine tablets utilizing aqueous normal phase chromatography (ANP) is described. Glucosamine was retained on a Diamond Hydride™ (DH) column using a gradient. The format developed creates a calibration curve for glucosamine using LC-MS analyses which was then run to quantify the amount of glucosamine after isolation from chitin in shrimp shells or extraction from the tablets. In addition, the compound chondroitin that is often found in the same tablet as glucosamine was also analyzed by LCMS.
Panorama of grid-bound self-affine variability

Multifractals and 1/ƒ noises arose independently, as will be seen in Chapter N2. Therefore, it is not surprising that they continue near-unanimously to be viewed as separate and unrelated concepts.
Dietary fiber and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

In 1867, the great American artist Winslow Homer created a woodcarving depicting a man standing alone, wielding a scythe against an endless field of wheat as tall as the man himself. The work is entitled The Veteran in a New Field . This image comes to mind when I contemplate the history of dietary
Moth control in stored grain and the role of Bacillus thuringiensis: An overview

Insects, among other biological agents like fungi, bacteria, and rodents, attack stored grains leading to losses in quantity and quality. On a worldwide basis 13 million tons of stored food grains are lost annually to insect deprations (Hall 1970). In the United States a USDA report (Anon. 1981) estimated annual storage losses of corn, wheat, barley, sorghum, and oats due to insects during 1950–1960 to be about 324.50 million bushels; the annual monetary loss during the same period being approximately $454 million. Therefore, reduction of loss and deterioration of stored grains by insects is necessary for maximum utilization of the food commodity.
Implicit occluders

In this paper we propose a novel visibility-culling technique for optimizing the computation and rendering of opaque isosurfaces. Given a continuous scalar field f(x) over a domain D and an iso-value w, our technique exploits the continuity of f to determine conservative visibility bounds implicitly, i.e., without the need for actually computing the isosurface f/sup 1/(w). We generate implicit occluders based on the change in sign of f*(x) = f(x)-w, from positive to negative (or vice versa) in the neighborhood of the isosurface. Consider, for example, the sign of f* along a ray r cast from the current viewpoint. The first change in sign of f* within D must contain an intersection of r with the isosurface. Any additional intersection of the isosurface with r is not visible. Implicit Occluders constitute a general concept that can be exploited algorithmically in different ways depending on the framework adopted for visibility computations. In this paper, we propose a simple from-point approach that exploits well-known hardware occlusion queries.
Control of larvae of the screw-worm in cattle with insecticidal sprays.

For 2 consecutive days cattle were artificially wounded, and the wounds were infested with newly hatched larvae of the screw-worm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel). On the 3rd day, the cattle were individually sprayed with 2½ gal of 1 of 19 insecticides (2—4 animals/treatment). At 1 day posttreatment, wounds were examined for live larvae. Treatments were grouped according to effectiveness as follows: complete control of 1- and 2-day-old larvae 0.25% Bayer 37289 (O -ethyl O -2,4,5-trichlorophenyl ethylphosphonothioate), 0.1% Bayer 38333 (O- 2,4-dichlorophcnyl O -ethyl methylphosphonothioate), 1% bromophos (O- (4-bromo-2.5-dichlorophenyl) O,O -dimethyl phosphorothioate), 0.05% isobenzan, 0.1% fenthion, and 0.45% Shell SD- 8447 (2-chloro-l-(2,4,5-trichlorophenyl) vinyl dimethyl phosphate); complete control of 1-day-old larvae only—0.01% Bayer 29952 (O- ethyl O-[p- (methylthio)-phenyl] methylphosphonothioate), 0.25% coumaphos, 0.1% ethion, 0.25% Hooker HRS-1422 (3,5-diisopropylphenyl methylcarbamate), and 0.25% Imidan® (O,O- dimethyl S- phthalimidomethyl phosphorodithioate); incomplete control—O.1 % Banol® (6-chloro-3,4-xylyl methylcarbamate), 0.01% Bayer 38156 (O- ethyl S-p- -tolyl methylphosphonodithioate), 0.25% Bayer 39007 (O- isopropoxyphenyl carbaryl, 0.5% carbaryl, 0.05% dimetilan, 0.1% Dowco 175 (2,4-dichlorophenyl propyl methylphosphoramidate), 0.1% Shell SD-8448 (2-chloro-l-(2,4,5-trichlorophenyl)vinyl diethyl phosphate), and 0.01% Stauffer N-2790 (O- ethyl S- phenyl ethylphosphonodithioate).
In situ cranioplasty for hyperostosing meningiomas of the cranial vault

Objectif: Une hyperostose de l'os susjacent a ete rapportee dans pres de 50% des cas de meningiome. Le crâne est infiltre par des cellules meningotheliales tumorales ce qui requiert une ablation de l'os hypertrophie pour assurer une resection complete de la tumeur. Malheureusement, une reconstruction esthetique peut constituer un defi de taille lors de la chirurgie lorsque la resection osseuse est importante. Les implants faits sur mesure sont tres couteux et ne peuvent etre fabriques qu'apres la chirurgie, ce qui necessite une seconde intervention. Bien qu'il existe plusieurs composites qui peuvent etre utilises au moment de la resection tumorale, c'est un defi de creer un implant bien adapte et stable, dont la courbure s'apparente a celle du crâne. Nous avons developpe une technique de "cranioplastie in situ" utilisant un montage de composite avec proprietes en tension et en resistance. Technique: Apres que le crâne ait ete remodele par rasage d'une partie de l'hyperostose, un treillis de titane est moule a la surface du crâne et visse dans l'os normal adjacent. Le lambeau osseux est ensuite reseque apres avoir fore une gouttiere au bord externe de l'os infiltre par la tumeur, en s'assurant d'enlever un anneau osseux normal a la peripherie. La portion centrale de l'os infiltre par la tumeur est ensuite resequee. Le treillis peut alors etre reapplique et l'os central peut etre reconstruit dans sa pleine epaisseur au moyen de polymethylmethacrylate, produisant ainsi un montage solide qui est parfaitement apparie a la forme naturelle de la tete du patient. Conclusion: Cette technique nouvelle donne un resultat solide, esthetique et rentable qui peut etre utilisee pour traiter toute breche a la voute crânienne lors d'une resection tumorale.
Effects of Locomotion Mode Recognition Errors on Volitional Control of Powered Above-Knee Prostheses

Recent studies have reported various methods that recognize amputees' intent regarding locomotion modes, which is potentially useful for volitional control of powered artificial legs. However, occasional errors in locomotion mode recognition are inevitable. When these intent recognition decisions are used for volitional prosthesis control, the effects of the decision errors on the operation of the prosthesis and user's task performance is unknown. Hence, the goals of this study were to 1) systematically investigate the effects of locomotion mode recognition errors on volitional control of powered prosthetic legs and the user's gait stability, and 2) identify the critical mode recognition errors that impact safe and confident use of powered artificial legs in lower limb amputees. Five able-bodied subjects and two above-knee (AK) amputees were recruited and tested when wearing a powered AK prosthesis. Four types of locomotion mode recognition errors with different duration and at different gait phases were purposely applied to the prosthesis control. The subjects' gait stabilities were subjectively and objectively quantified. The results showed that not all of the mode recognition errors in volitional prosthesis control disturb the subjects' gait stability. The effects of errors on the user's balance depended on 1) the gait phase when the errors happened and 2) the amount of mechanical work change applied on the powered knee caused by the errors. Based on the study results, “critical errors” were defined and suggested as a new index to evaluate locomotion mode recognition algorithms for artificial legs. The outcome of this study might aid the future design of volitionally-controlled powered prosthetic legs that are reliable and safe for practice.
Biologic Effects Following Active Immunization with △5-3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase

Immunization of female rats with crude preparations of delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase combined with complete Freund's adjuvant resulted in suppression of the endogenous enzyme activity in the ovarian interstitial tissue and the corpora lutea. As a result, estrous cyclicity, nidation, or maintenance of pregnancy was adversely affected in proportion to the level of the antibody to the enzyme following the series of immunizations. On the basis of the biologic response, it can be assumed that progesterone synthesis was reduced as a result of neutralization of enzyme action in the ovary by the formation of antibodies to the delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Further studies are required to verify this assumption.
Ultraviolet photodissociation dynamics of the o-pyridyl radical.

Ultraviolet (UV) photodissociation dynamics of jet-cooled o-pyridyl radical (o-C5H4N) was studied in the photolysis region 224–246 nm using the high-n Rydberg atom time-of-flight (HRTOF) technique. The o-pyridyl radicals were produced from 193 nm photolysis of 2-chloropyridine and 2-bromopyridine precursors. The H-atom photofragment yield (PFY) spectrum contains a broad peak in this wavelength region and reveals the UV absorption feature of o-pyridyl for the first time. The translational energy distributions of the H-atom loss product channel, P(ET)’s, peak at ∼7 kcal/mol, and the fraction of average translational energy in the total excess energy, ⟨fT⟩, is nearly constant at ∼0.18 in the region 224–242 nm. The P(ET) distribution indicates the production of the lowest energy dissociation products, H + cyanovinylacetylene. The H-atom product angular distribution is isotropic. The dissociation mechanism is consistent with unimolecular dissociation of the hot o-pyridyl radical to H + cyanovinylacetylene afte...
CFD analysis of multi-phase turbulent flow in a solar reactor for emission-free generation of hydrogen

There have been studies dedicated to finding environmentally friendly solution to impending shortage of fossil fuels by using concentrated solar energy, but the catalytic decomposition of methane using concentrated solar energy has attracted researchers in recent years for its potential to lead to the development of CO2 free hydrogen production process [1-6]. Using concentrated solar energy as process heat, catalytic decomposition of natural gas can be achieved via steam reforming [7] or without introducing water into the media [8]. This study focuses on the latter technique, referred to as “solar cracking” of natural gas, which is illustrated in Figure 1.
Concurrent Validity of the Classroom Strategies Scale–Teacher Form: A Preliminary Investigation

The present study investigated the concurrent validity of the Classroom Strategies Scale–Teacher Form (CSS-T), a multidimensional teacher formative assessment of instructional and behavioral management practices. The CSS-T is compared with the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), a well-known teacher assessment of overall classroom quality. A sample of 126 kindergarten through 5th-grade general education teachers self-reported on their usage of empirically supported instructional and behavioral management strategies as measured by the CSS-T while a certified independent observer completed the CLASS. Correlational analyses were used to compare CSS-T frequency and discrepancy scores and the CLASS scores. As hypothesized, results demonstrated significant positive (CSS-T frequency scale scores) and negative (CSS-T discrepancy scale scores) correlations between specific CLASS domains and dimensions, thus providing initial evidence for the concurrent and discriminant validity of the CSS-T. Implications ...
The Role of Angiotensin II in Glomerular Volume Dynamics and Podocyte Calcium Handling.

Podocytes are becoming a primary focus of research efforts due to their association with progressive glomeruli damage in disease states. Loss of podocytes can occur as a result of excessive intracellular calcium influx, and we have previously shown that angiotensin II (Ang II) via canonical transient receptor potential 6 (TRPC6) channels caused increased intracellular Ca2+ flux in podocytes. We showed here with patch-clamp electrophysiology that Ang II activates TRPC channels; then using confocal calcium imaging we demonstrated that Ang II–dependent stimulation of Ca2+ influx in the podocytes is precluded by blocking either AT1 or AT2 receptors (ATRs). Application of Ang(1–7) had no effect on intracellular calcium. Ang II-induced calcium flux was decreased upon inhibition of TRPC channels with SAR7334, SKF 96365, clemizole hydrochloride and La3+, but not ML204. Using a novel 3D whole-glomerulus imaging ex vivo assay, we revealed the involvement of both ATRs in controlling glomerular permeability; additionally, using specific inhibitors and activators of TRPC6, we showed that these channels are implicated in the regulation of glomerular volume dynamics. Therefore, we provide evidence demonstrating the critical role of Ang II/TRPC6 axis in the control of glomeruli function, which is likely important for the development of glomerular diseases.
Parameter Estimation in Distributed Systems Using Transform Factoring

Abstract This paper describes the application of Transform Factoring to parameter estimation in nonlinear and linear distributed systems. Transform Factoring is based on computing the Laplace transforms of experimental data for both linear and nonlinear terms in the differential equations, searching in the nonlinear parameter space for those nonlinear parameter values which yield zero phase angle of a complex-valued expression, and using these values in a functional evaluation to compute the linear parameter values. Search space dimensionality is determined only by the number of nonlinear parameters. The method is insensitive to measurement noise and distinguishes between true and spurious parameter sets.
Elucidating the Structure of N1-Acetylisoputreanine: A Novel Polyamine Catabolite in Human Urine

An untargeted metabolomics approach was utilized to determine urinary metabolites that could serve as small-molecule biomarkers for treatment response to standard tuberculosis treatment. However, the majority of metabolites that most accurately distinguished patient samples at the time of diagnosis from those at 1 month after the start of therapy lacked structural identification. The detection of unknown metabolite structures is a well-known limitation of untargeted metabolomics and underscores a need for continued elucidation of novel metabolite structures. In this study, we sought to define the structure of a urine metabolite with an experimentally determined mass of 202.1326 Da, classified as molecular feature (MF) 202.1326. A hypothesized structure of N1-acetylisoputreanine was developed for MF 202.1326 using in silico tools and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). In the absence of a commercial standard, synthetic N1-acetylisoputreanine was generated using enzymatic and chemical...
Correlation of in vivo and in vitro activity of guinea pig transfer factor

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the correlation of in vivo and in vitro activity of guinea pig transfer factor. Animals were sensitized to 1 chloro 2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) or l-fluoro-2,4 dinitrobenzene (DNFB) by painting a clipped area of the skin at the nape of the neck with 5 drops of a 2% solution of the chemical in ethanol daily for six days. Transfer factor was prepared by two different methods. The first method consisted of injecting 20 ml of sterile light mineral oil intraperitoneally into sensitive donors. Forty-eight hours later, peritoneal exudative cells and regional lymph node cells were collected in Hanks Balanced Salt Solution containing heparin and 15–20% normal guinea pig serum. After washing, cells were incubated for 4 h in HBSS without serum. The incubation fluid was collected and either injected or dialyzed. Macrophages from guinea pigs which had received plasma and the P fraction material after Sephadex G25F filtration were tested for migration inhibition in tuberculin and coccidioidin systems.
Report from a symposium on diet and breast cancer

On 21 September 2001 the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention and the Cancer Epidemiology Program of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center co-sponsored a symposium on diet and breast cancer for members of the Harvard breast cancer research community in Boston, MA. The purpose of the symposium was to review past findings and recent research developments in diet and breast cancer, and to potentially identify new opportunities for study. Presentations addressed research on the associations between phytoestrogens, total dietary fat, types of fat, olive oil, alcohol, folate/folic acid, and intakes of fruits and vegetables, and breast cancer risk. The relations between metabolic factors such as body mass index, weight gain, and breast cancer risk were also highlighted.
Remembering the Second World War

In this volume editor, Patrick Finney has assembled a dozen essays on various aspects of memory and commemoration of the Second World War. The individual essays are consistently of high quality, an...
Adoptive transfer of IL-10+ regulatory B cells decreases myeloid-derived macrophages in the central nervous system in a transgenic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis model.

Adoptive transfer of IL-10 + regulatory B cells decreases myeloid-derived macrophages in the central nervous system in a transgenic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis model
Smoking relapse prevention counseling during prenatal and early postnatal care.

Our objective was to examine the efficacy of the added effect of individualized smoking relapse prevention counseling on obstetricians’ and nurse midwives’ usual advice during prenatal care. One hundred and seventy-five pregnant women who were smoking early in their pregnancy, but had quit by first prenatal visit, were randomly assigned to receive the usual advice from their obstetrician or nurse midwife, or usual advice plus individual relapse prevention counseling. Smoking status was measured by self-report, by urinary cotinine/creatinine ratio at the 36-week visit, and by self-report at long-term postpartum follow-up. We found that a smaller percentage of women in the intervention group (8.8%) reported smoking at the thirty-sixth-week visit than those in the usual care group (16.9%), a nonsignificant difference. No significant difference in relapse rates during pregnancy was observed based on urinary cotinine/creatinine ratios, but these rates, 29.5% and 27.9% respectively, were substantially higher than those based on self-report. The average number of days abstinent reported by women in the intervention group was significantly longer than that in the usual care group, 199 days versus 166 days respectively (P