cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gadolinium-Based Contrast Exposure, Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis, and Gadolinium Detection in Tissue

OBJECTIVE. The objective of our study was to retrospectively review one institution's cases of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), evaluate possible associated factors, determine the prevalence of NSF, and search for gadolinium in skin samples obtained from patients with NSF.MATERIALS AND METHODS. A retrospective review of our dermatopathology database from 1997 to 2007 was performed to search for patients with NSF. The records of patients with NSF were reviewed for factors suspected to be associated with NSF such as acidosis, low hemoglobin levels, low serum calcium levels, inflammatory conditions, serum antibodies, pharmaceutical erythropoietin, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs), renal failure, and dialysis. The biopsy samples from NSF patients and from control subjects were examined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to detect gadolinium. Retrospective chart reviews of patients evaluated at our local dialysis center and our dermatology clinic wer...
Optical Methods for the Determination of Combustion Temperatures

A brief survey is presented of optical methods for the determination of temperatures which can be used in rocket engines. The data are presented in outlines and include an outline of basic principles involved in application of a given technique, a sketch of the experimental arrangement, and key references which should he consulted for further details.
The effects of a model's success or failure on subsequent aggressive behavior

Abstract It was of interest in the present study to examine the influence of both aggressive and nonaggressive models who are successful or nonsuccessful in reducing aggression from an aggressive opponent. Male and female subjects viewed a same-sexed model interact with an aggressive opponent in a reaction time task. Half the subjects observed an aggressive model while the remaining subjects observed a nonaggressive model. For half the subjects the model was successful in reducing the aggressiveness of the opponent. Results indicated that both the model's behavior and the consequences to the model (success/nonsuccess) were important determinants of subsequent aggression by the subject. Results are discussed in terms of current research and theory in aggression control.
Reaching for the Stars? Astronomy and Growth in Chile

While scholars and policy practitioners often advocate for science and technology transfer as a motor for economic growth, many in Latin America have long warned of the pitfalls of such top-down, North-South transfers. To many in Latin America, scientific aid or cooperation from the North has often reproduced hierarchies that perpetuate dependency. Large astronomy observatories located in Chile – with a high price tag, cutting-edge technology, and seen to answer seemingly arcane research questions – seem ripe for reproducing precisely these kinds of hierarchical relationships. Using data from documents, interviews, and a site visit to Gemini South, one of several large telescopes in Chile, this paper takes a historical perspective to examine how resilient these hierarchical relationships are. Over forty years, astronomy in Chile grew thanks to new policies that fostered cooperation among universities and gave locals privileged access to the telescopes. But the community also grew in ways that reproduced dependency: foreign science benefits significantly, the Chilean state operates in top-down ways, and its support for science leaves it blind to the benefits high-tech telescopes deliver to Chile, which are not linked to export-led growth. The state appears as both an obstacle and an enabler to the growth of a national scientific community.
Extremely nonlinear photosensitive nematic liquid crystal film

Abstract Optically induced nematic liquid crystal (NLC) axis reorientations result in extraordinarily large nonlinear refractive index changes. We discuss the origins of these nonlinearities, and recently, obtained results of experimental studies of photovoltage generation, dynamic grating diffraction, and image conversion using dye-doped NLC films in all-optical configurations are presented. These processes are characterized by unprecedented low threshold laser powers. For example, we have demonstrated incoherent–coherent image conversion with laser intensity on the order of 70 microWatts/cm 2 .
A Generalization of Entanglement to Convex Operational Theories: Entanglement Relative to a Subspace of Observables

We define what it means for a state in a convex cone of states on a space of observables to be generalized-entangled relative to a subspace of the observables, in a general ordered linear spaces framework for operational theories. This extends the notion of ordinary entanglement in quantum information theory to a much more general framework. Some important special cases are described, in which the distinguished observables are subspaces of the observables of a quantum system, leading to results like the identification of generalized unentangled states with Lie-group-theoretic coherent states when the special observables form an irreducibly represented Lie algebra. Some open problems, including that of generalizing the semigroup of local operations with classical communication to the convex cones case, are discussed.
Evolutionary framework for protein sequence evolution and gene pleiotropy.

In this article, we develop an evolutionary model for protein sequence evolution. Gene pleiotropy is characterized by K distinct but correlated components (molecular phenotypes) that affect the organismal fitness. These K molecular phenotypes are under stabilizing selection with microadaptation (SM) due to random optima shifts, the SM model. Random coding mutations generate a correlated distribution of K molecular phenotypes. Under this SM model, we further develop a statistical method to estimate the “effective” number of molecular phenotypes (Ke) of the gene. Therefore, for the first time we can empirically evaluate gene pleiotropy from the protein sequence analysis. Case studies of vertebrate proteins indicate that Ke is typically ∼6–9. We demonstrate that the newly developed SM model of protein evolution may provide a basis for exploring genomic evolution and correlations.
Free female mate choice in house mice affects reproductive success and offspring viability and performance.

Abstract We tested a critical assumption of sexual dialectics theory (Gowaty 1997, Feminism and Evolutionary Biology, Chapman & Hall) using house mice, Mus musculus. We asked if female house mice accrue viability benefits for their offspring when they mate with males they prefer versus with males they do not prefer. Our experiment was designed to eliminate or control other mechanisms of reproductive competition besides female mate choice. After allowing females to discriminate behaviourally between two males, which were at random with respect to phenotypic variation discriminating females were paired with preferred (P) or nonpreferred (NP) males. We then tested whether females mating with males they preferred had offspring of higher viability than females mating with nonpreferred males. In pairwise comparisons, we tested for differences in offspring performance in dominance contests and in nest-building skill. At weaning, we exposed half of the pups to cold stress. We tested progeny performance and viability in the laboratory or in outdoor field enclosures. In comparison to P females, NP females produced significantly fewer litters. Sons from P matings were socially dominant to sons from NP matings. Adult offspring from P matings built better nests than those from NP matings. In field enclosures significantly fewer NP than P offspring survived to 60 days after introduction. Male and female progeny from P matings established larger home ranges and constructed better nests than progeny from NP matings. This is the first demonstration of progeny viability differences for females allowed to express mate preferences between males presented to them at random.
Ecosystem services in agriculture: Determining suitability for provision by collective management

Agricultural ecosystems provide many ecosystem services (ES) which are essential to human health and well-being. In turn, some ES affect agricultural productivity. Managing agricultural lands to provide more ES and higher quality ES may be essential for the long-term sustainability of agricultural ecosystems. Most agricultural lands, however, are managed for the short-term production of food, fiber, and fuel, often at the expense of other ES. Proposed solutions to the underprovision of ES often involve government regulation or market incentives. A growing number of scholars, however, recognize the potential for a third approach—cooperative solutions. One important element in determining if an ES is a suitable candidate for cooperative solutions is its resource characteristics. Accordingly, this paper: 1.) provides a framework for determining an ES's suitability for collective management based on its resource characteristics, 2.) provides an in-depth analysis of three agricultural-based ES to show how the framework differentiates between ES and 3.) uses the framework to analyze fourteen agricultural-based ES for their suitability for collective management. Ten out of the fourteen ES analyzed may be well suited (e.g. pollination), suited (e.g. flood control), or moderately suited (e.g. nature recreation) for collective management under current incentive systems in agricultural ecosystems.
Exact results for the scattering of electromagnetic waves with a nonlinear film.

Exact analytical results for the scattering of a TE electromagnetic wave with a nonlinear thin film is derived. We assume that the incident wave is monochromatic, and that the film is nonabsorbing and has a Kerr-like optical nonlinearity. Among other things, the reflection coefficient is calculated exactly as a function of the incident intensity. Optical bistable and multistable behaviors are found. The phenomena of induced resonances and induced transparency are also discussed.
Random variables, monotone relations, and convex analysis

Random variables can be described by their cumulative distribution functions, a class of nondecreasing functions on the real line. Those functions can in turn be identified, after the possible vertical gaps in their graphs are filled in, with maximal monotone relations. Such relations are known to be the subdifferentials of convex functions. Analysis of these connections yields new insights. The generalized inversion operation between distribution functions and quantile functions corresponds to graphical inversion of monotone relations. In subdifferential terms, it corresponds to passing to conjugate convex functions under the Legendre---Fenchel transform. Among other things, this shows that convergence in distribution for sequences of random variables is equivalent to graphical convergence of the monotone relations and epigraphical convergence of the associated convex functions. Measures of risk that employ quantiles (VaR) and superquantiles (CVaR), either individually or in mixtures, are illuminated in this way. Formulas for their calculation are seen from a perspective that reveals how they were discovered. The approach leads further to developments in which the superquantiles for a given distribution are interpreted as the quantiles for an overlying "superdistribution." In this way a generalization of Koenker---Basset error is derived which lays a foundation for superquantile regression as a higher-order extension of quantile regression.
Phe208 and Ile199 in Human Monoamine Oxidase A and B Do Not Determine Substrate and Inhibitor Specificities as in Rat

It has been reported previously that reciprocally switching Phe(208) and Ile(199) in rat monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B, respectively, was sufficient to switch their substrate and inhibitor preferences. In this study, the same mutants were made in the human forms of MAO. When compared with MAO A, MAO A-F208I showed a sixfold decrease in the specificity constant k(cat)/K(m) for both the MAO A- and the MAO B-preferring substrates 5-hydroxytryptamine and beta-phenylethylamine, respectively. The reciprocal point mutant MAO B-I199F had no effect on substrate affinity. To investigate if the region neighboring these two residues is responsible for conferring preferences, we have also made chimeric constructs by reciprocally switching the corresponding amino acid segments 159-214 in MAO A and 150-205 in MAO B. Chimerics MAO AB(159-214)A and MAO BA(150-205)B had small changes in K(m) and IC(50) values when compared with MAO A and B, respectively, but did not exhibit a preference switch. The results suggest that Phe(208) in MAO A and amino acid segments 159-214 and 150-205 in MAO A and B, respectively, influence the enzyme active site. However, substrate and inhibitor preferences of human MAO A and B are not determined by the respective residues Phe(108) and Ile(199) as in rat MAO nor by their neighboring regions.
Statistical simulation on microcomputers

The statistical simulation program DATASIM is designed to conduct large-scale sampling experiments on microcomputers. Monte Carlo procedures are used to investigate the Type I and Type II error rates for statistical tests when one or more assumptions are systematically violated-assumptions, for example, regarding normality, homogeneity of variance or covariance, mini-mum expected cell frequencies, and the like. In the present paper, we report several initial tests of the data-generating algorithms employed by DATASIM. The results indicate that the uniform and standard normal deviate generators perform satisfactorily. Furthermore, Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests show that the sampling distributions ofz, t, F, χ2, andr generated by DATASIM simulations follow the appropriate theoretical distributions. Finally, estimates of Type I error rates obtained by DATASIM under various patterns of violations of assumptions are in close agreement with the results of previous analytical and empirical studies; These converging lines of evidence suggest that DATASIM may well prove to be a reliable and productive tool for conducting statistical simulation research.
Is obesity associated with reduced health-related quality of life in Latino, Black and White children in the community?

Is obesity associated with reduced health-related quality of life in Latino, black and white children in the community?
The Selection of Optimal Conditions in HPLC II. The Influence of Column Dimensions and Sample Size on Solute Detection

The responding signals of eluted components can be enhanced by using high performance small volume columns with long lengths generating more plates than required for a separation with a preset resolution in combination with instruments which show very small external bandbroadening. The excess number of plates is then consequently erased by maximizing the injection volume of the sample until the preset resolution is reached. Equations, describing the dilution, relative signal enhancement and maximum injection volume as a function of the process parameters are derived and experimentally verified. Theory and experiment are in agreement only if variances of response functions are calculated as their second normalized central moments.
A Scratch Intersection Model of Material Removal During Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP)

A scratch intersection based material removal mechanism for CMP processes is proposed in this paper The experimentally observed deformation pattern by SEM and the trends of the measured force profiles (Che et al., 2003) reveal that, for an isolated shallow scratch, the material is mainly plowed sideway along the track of the abrasive particle with no net material removal. However, it is observed that material is detached close to the intersection zone of two scratches. Motivated by this observation, it is speculated that the deformation mechanism changes from ploughing mode to shear-segmentation mode as the abrasive particle approaches the intersection of two scratches under small indentation depth for ductile metals. The proposed mechanistic material removal rate (MRR) model yields Preston constant similar to those observed experimentally for CMP processes. The proposed model also reveals that the nature of the slurry-pad interaction mechanism, and its associated force partitioning mechanism, is important for determining the variation of MRR with particle size and concentration. It is observed that under relatively soft pads, small particles and low particle concentration, the pad undergoes local deformation, yielding an increased MRR with increasing particle size and concentration. At the other extreme, the intact walls of the surface cells and the connecting cell walls between the surface pores deform globally, resembling a beam or a plate, and a decreasing trend in MRR is observed with increasing particle size and concentration. The predicted MRR trends are compared to existing experimental observations.
Radiation dose responses for chemoradiation therapy of pancreatic cancer: an analysis of compiled clinical data using biophysical models.

Abstract Purpose We analyzed recent clinical data obtained from chemoradiation of unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) in order to examine possible benefits from radiation therapy dose escalation. Methods and Materials A modified linear quadratic model was used to fit clinical tumor response and survival data of chemoradiation treatments for LAPC reported from 20 institutions. Biophysical radiosensitivity parameters were extracted from the fits. Results Examination of the clinical data demonstrated an enhancement in tumor response with higher irradiation dose, an important clinical result for palliation and quality of life. Little indication of improvement in 1-year survival with increased radiation dose was observed. Possible dose escalation schemes are proposed based on calculations of the biologically effective dose required for a 50% tumor response rate. Conclusions Based on the evaluation of tumor response data, the escalation of radiation dose presents potential clinical benefits which when combined with normal tissue complication analyses may result in improved treatment outcome for locally advanced pancreatic cancer patients.
Finite deformation biphasic material properties of bovine articular cartilage from confined compression experiments

In 1990, Holmes and Mow [Journal of Biomechanics 23, 1145-1156] developed a hyperelastic biphasic theory to describe finite deformation behaviors of articular cartilage. To date, however, no experimental finite deformation studies have been made to assess the ability of this constitutive model to describe its finite deformation behaviors (e.g. kinetic creep and stress-relaxation, and equilibrium responses). The objectives of this study are: (1) to investigate whether this hyperelastic biphasic theory can be used to curve-fit the finite deformation compressive stress-relaxation behavior of the tissue, and from this procedure, to calculate its material coefficients; and (2) to investigate whether the theory, together with the calculated material coefficients, can accurately predict the outcome of an independent creep experiment followed by cyclical loading of the tissue. To achieve these objectives, circular cylindrical cartilage plugs were tested in confined compression in both stress-relaxation and creep experiments. Results demonstrated that curve-fits of the stress-relaxation experiments produced nonlinear generalized correlation coefficients of r2 = 0.99 +/- 0.02 (mean +/- standard deviation); theoretical predictions of the creep test differed on average by 10.0% +/- 2.0% relative to experimental results. When curve-fitting the creep experiments as well, it was found that the permeability coefficients differed from those obtained from the stress-relaxation experiments (k0,cr = 2.2 +/- 0.8 x 10(-15) m4 N-1 s-1 and Mcr = 0.4 +/- 0.8 vs k0,sr = 2.7 +/- 1.5 x 10(-15) m4 N-1 s-1, and Msr = 2.2 +/- 1.0); these differences may be attributed to imprecisions in the curve-fitting procedure stemming from the low sensitivity of the stress-relaxation and creep behaviors to large variations of M in the permeability function. Advantages and limitations of this theoretical model are presented in the text.
Effect of yttrium aluminum garnet additions on alumina-fiber-reinforced porous-alumina-matrix composites

The effects of incorporating yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) into a porous alumina matrix reinforced with Nextel 610 alumina fibers were investigated. Composites with various amounts of YAG added to the matrix were prepared to determine its effect on retained tensile strengths after heating to 1100° and 1200°C. Strengths of YAG-containing composites were slightly lower than those of an all-alumina-matrix composite after heating for 5 h to 1100°C. However, after heating for 5 or 100 h at 1200°C, all the YAG-containing composites displayed greater strengths and greater strains to failure than the all-alumina composite. At the higher temperature, the presence of YAG is believed to inhibit the densification of the matrix, which helps to maintain higher levels of porosity and weaker interparticle bonding that allows for crack-energy dissipation within the matrix. A reduction in grain growth of the fibers by the presence of segregated Y was also observed, which may also contribute to higher fiber strength, thereby increasing the retained strengths of the YAG-containing composites.
Liquid Crystal Metamaterial Absorber Spatial Light Modulator for THz Applications

A terahertz (THz) spatial light modulator implemented with metamaterial absorbers (MMAs) functionalized with isothiocyanate-based liquid crystals (LCs) is experimentally demonstrated. The device is designed to work in refl ection mode and is arranged in a 6 × 6 pixel matrix where the response of each pixel is modulated by electronically controlling the orientation of liquid crystal dimers covering the entire metamaterial absorber landscape. Experiments show that each pixel can be controlled independently and that pixelated absorption patterns can be created at will. The SLM shows an overall modulation depth of 75%. Furthermore, computational results show that losses arising from LCs impose a severe limitation on the overall performance and that consequently the modulation depth of each pixel could be improved with liquid crystal mixtures designed primarily for THz frequencies. This work demonstrates the viability of liquid crystal-based reconfi gurable metamaterials and highlights their great potential use for future state-of-the-art THz devices.
ZINC TREATMENT RESULTS IN TRANSPIRATION RATE DECREASES THAT VARY AMONG SOYBEAN GENOTYPES

Zinc (Zn) pollution of croplands can have negative impacts on yields through its effects on key physiological functions such as transpiration rate (TR). Previous long-term experiments indicated that differential tolerance among soybean genotypes following exposure to high Zn levels existed in the shoots. There are, however, no studies of the possibility that short-term responses to Zn directly limit shoot TR. Measurements of TR of eight soybean genotypes were measured over 220 minutes after placing de-rooted shoots in 500 μM Zn solution. Six genotypes exhibited TR that decreased slowly in a linear fashion over time while two genotypes ('PI 416937' and 'N01-11136') exhibited very rapid decrease in TR following a Boltzmann sigmoid response. One possibility to explain these results is that there exists a Zn-sensitive AQP population in the leaves of 'PI 416937' and 'N01-11136' with abundance or activity that is much higher than in the leaves of the remaining six lines. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
Calcium and gibberellin-induced elongation of lettuce hypocotyl sections.

The relationship between calcium ions and gibberellic acid (GA3)-induced growth in the excised hypocotyl of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was investigated. The short-term kinetics of growth responses were measured using a linear displacement transducer. Test solutions were added either as drops to the filter paper on which the hypocotyl stood (“non-flow-past”) or by switching solution flowing past the base of hypocotyl (“flow-past”), resulting in differences in growth behavior. Drops of CaCl2 added at a high concentration (10 mM) inhibited growth within a few minutes. This inhibition was reversed by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Drops of EDTA or ethyleneglycol-bis(2-aminoethylether)-tetraacetic acid caused a rapid increase in growth rate. Growth induced by EDTA was not further promoted by GA3. A continuous H2O flow resulted in growth rates comparable to those in response to GA3. Addition of CaCl2 to the flow-past medium inhibited growth and this inhibition was reversed by a decrease in CaCl2 concentration. The growth rate was found to be a function of CaCl2 concentration. When a constant CaCl2 concentration was maintained by the flow-past medium, a shift in pH from 5.5 to 4.25 had no obvious effect on hypocotyl elongation. Gibberellic acid was found to reverse the inhibitory effect of CaCl2, causing an increase in growth rate similar to that found previously when GA3 was added to hypocotyls grown in H2O under non-flow-past conditions. We propose that gibberellin controls extension growth in lettuce hypocotyl sections by regulating the uptake of Ca2+ by the hypocotyl cells.
A comparison of real and simulated airborne multisensor imagery

This paper presents a methodology and results for the comparison of simulated imagery to real imagery acquired with multiple sensors hosted on an airborne platform. The dataset includes aerial multi- and hyperspectral imagery with spatial resolutions of one meter or less. The multispectral imagery includes data from an airborne sensor with three-band visible color and calibrated radiance imagery in the long-, mid-, and short-wave infrared. The airborne hyperspectral imagery includes 360 bands of calibrated radiance and reflectance data spanning 400 to 2450 nm in wavelength. Collected in September 2012, the imagery is of a park in Avon, NY, and includes a dirt track and areas of grass, gravel, forest, and agricultural fields. A number of artificial targets were deployed in the scene prior to collection for purposes of target detection, subpixel detection, spectral unmixing, and 3D object recognition. A synthetic reconstruction of the collection site was created in DIRSIG, an image generation and modeling tool developed by the Rochester Institute of Technology, based on ground-measured reflectance data, ground photography, and previous airborne imagery. Simulated airborne images were generated using the scene model, time of observation, estimates of the atmospheric conditions, and approximations of the sensor characteristics. The paper provides a comparison between the empirical and simulated images, including a comparison of achieved performance for classification, detection and unmixing applications. It was found that several differences exist due to the way the image is generated, including finite sampling and incomplete knowledge of the scene, atmospheric conditions and sensor characteristics. The lessons learned from this effort can be used in constructing future simulated scenes and further comparisons between real and simulated imagery.
Belimumab and the Clinical Data

Benlysta (belimumab) is a fully human recombinant monoclonal IgG antibody that neutralizes soluble B-lymphocyte stimulator and inhibits its biologic activity. Benlysta was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The current review discusses the data from the belimumab clinical trials and the role of this new medication in the treatment of SLE. We propose that Benlysta should be used in antinuclear antibody–positive patients with active disease in whom the goal of therapy is to decrease SLE activity, reduce flares, and help lower background medications. With this being the first drug approved for treatment of SLE in 50 years, patients have more treatment options, while researchers have a greater understanding of SLE and clinical trial design in such a heterogeneous disease.
Galvanomagnetic Properties of a Single-Crystal Sphere by the Induced-Torque Method. I. General Theory

The boundary-value problem for the torque induced by a rotating magnetic field of constant strength on a single-crystal sphere with an arbitrary conductivity tensor is solved. The highfield behavior of the torque and its relation to the Fermi-surface topology is discussed.
Life-cycle economic model of small treatment wetlands for domestic wastewater disposal

Abstract Total system life costs (capital cost and ecological based on released pathogens) were modeled for two-cell domestic treatment wetland systems and compared to costs of traditional and emerging technology systems. Small treatment wetlands that were operationally effective for 20-years had net present value (NPV) costs $500–3000 less than those of sand filter systems. The same treatment wetlands were modeled as releasing ∼4 times pathogens, thus having a much higher ecological cost than sand filter systems. Wetland systems modeled using the highest possible pathogen treatment efficiencies still released ∼2 times the pathogens of sand filter systems. Treatment wetlands must function a minimum of 10 years before replacement in order to remain equivalent in cost to a sand filter lasting 20-years using a 6.25% discount rate. The maximum allowable installation costs for any alternative system (with no annual expenses) were $6675–7700 if required to be equal in total system NPV costs to wetlands. NPV costs were found to be particularly sensitive to uncertainties in installation and maintenance costs. Modeling indicated that the capital savings realized using wetland systems could be used to modify the simple 2-cell design such that both capital and ecological loads delivered to the environment could be minimized. Wetlands may provide a more sustainable option for communities if effluent is centralized and treated in an appropriately scaled wetland system.
Nonlocal properties of exchange and correlation potentials in band‐structure calculations

Relevant properties of the exact exchange operator differ from commonly used approximations to it by a large factor. A theory of electron correlation that can be applied to band-structure calculations has been developed. The sum of exchange and correlation operators does have a magnitude comparable to local approximations, but exhibits significant nonlocal behavior. Accurate band structure cannot be predicted without inclusion of these nonlocal many-electron contributions.
The role of trader positions in spot and futures prices for WTI

Abstract We extend the analysis of causal relations between trader positions and oil prices and the process of price discovery by estimating a cointegrating vector autoregression (CVAR) model that expands the cash-and-carry relation between spot and futures prices to quantify long- and short-run relations among oil prices, trader positions, interest rates, and oil inventories. Results indicate that oil inventories and trader positions are needed to generate cointegration between spot and futures prices. The presence of trader positions and oil inventories suggest that both play a role in price discovery. Furthermore, the cointegrating relation for price loads into the equation for both oil prices and trader positions. This suggests a bi-directional simultaneous adjustment process between oil prices and trader positions. This expands the unidirectional causal relation from oil prices to trader positions that is generated by previous studies. Additional results suggest that price discovery occurs in the market for heavily traded near-month futures contracts, but discovery for thin far-month futures markets occurs in the spot market. Together, these results suggest mechanisms by which speculation could affect oil prices but the results presented here are moot regarding their effects.
Organo-montmorillonite barrier layers formed by combustion: Nanostructure and permeability

Abstract Self-assembly of nanoparticles into barrier layers has been the most cited theoretical explanation for the significant reduction in flammability often noted for polymer/montmorillonite nanocomposites. Both mass and heat transport reductions have been credited for such improvements, and in most cases a coupled mechanism is expected. To provide validation for early transport models, the structure of model barrier layers was investigated, these being produced by combustion of a homologous series of organo-montmorillonites. One model barrier layer was subjected to novel permeability analysis to obtain a flux, which will be useful in the evaluation of transport models. The effects of compatibilizer structure, temperature and pressure on barrier layer structure were examined. XRD versus TGA results suggest that the onset of chemical degradation and the onset of physical collapse on heating are correlated. Addition of pressure as low as 7 kPa affected the onset of structural collapse; for the case of a “two-tailed” dimethyl dialkyl quaternary ammonium ion compatibilized organo-montmorillonite this meant expansion of the basal spacing rather than the expected densification. Permeability of Ar through the ash was found to be a sensitive measure of structural change of high aspect ratio MMT nanoparticles. Actual fluxes ranged from 0.139 to 0.151 mol (m 2 s) − 1 for 0.5 mm thick samples.
E‐citizen: Developing research‐based marketing communications to increase awareness and take‐up of local authority e‐channels

Purpose – At the English local authority level, there has been significant investment in e‐government infrastructure (e‐channels) in the last five years, but take‐up of these e‐channels is low. This paper aims to look at e‐citizen, a £3 million project funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and led by Norwich City Council, which has developed a methodology to enable local authorities to encourage their citizens to use e‐channels. Design/methodology/approach – The paper undertakes a comprehensive research programme to inform the national approach towards the take‐up and marketing of local authority e‐channels. Findings – The study finds that there are a large number of English adults who are ready, willing and able to use e‐channels, the so‐called potential early adopters of e‐government. Take‐up is low, however, because awareness of e‐channels is low. One solution to increase take‐up is to run targeted marketing communications campaigns. The gross potential take‐up market in England is 17.5 million adults aged 15+. Research limitations/implications – The research conducted by e‐citizen is the largest and most comprehensive study of the take‐up of local government e‐channels in the world. This work has established that there is a large potential market for e‐government in England and that running marketing campaigns is one way of realising this potential. These findings can be applied throughout the UK and also internationally, although the project did not test whether different nationalities might have different reactions to marketing campaigns. e‐citizen did not consider other variables which impact on take‐up, such as accessibility of e‐channels and their effectiveness. Practical implications – The methodology and findings from e‐citizen have already been taken‐up by a number of English local authorities. The UK Government, through the DCLG, has picked‐up the e‐citizen findings and applied them in a £4.6 million national marketing campaign. Originality/value – Work of this nature and scale has not been conducted before. It has been financed by central government but delivered by a consortium of English local authorities, government representatives and private sector suppliers.
Adult education in the United States

No day passes in the United States without the invention of new kinds of adult education programmes, in which new subjects are taught to new audiences of American adults whose educational needs have been neglected. Moreover, the established programmes grow ever larger. These learning activities take such a profusion of forms that we are forced to use abstract terms such as ‘programmes’ or even ‘experiences’ to encompass them. The motives of the continuing learners, are equally diverse; they study almost any subject one could mention, from the minutely practical to the sublimely abstract. Even now, almost every significant agency and institution in American society is involved, somehow, in the provision of these programmes, since the formal education system, though ever more deeply involved in adult education, can never meet all the educational requirements of these millions of adults.
Reexamining the Snodgrass and Corwin 1988 picture identification norms.

Snodgrass and Corwin (1988) provided a database of 150 fragmented pictures identified by subjects only 35% of the time. However, recent research by Koch, Abbey, and Schmidt in 1995 with these pictures has yielded higher identification rates. The present study examined the difference in identification rates between Koch, el al., 1995 and Snodgrass and Corwin in 1988. 85 subjects were given 25 min. to identify all 150 pictures from Snodgrass and Corwin. Of the 150 pictures, 95 were identified more than 35% of the time. Since Snodgrass and Corwin used an implicit-learning task while the present study used an object-identification task, the present findings suggest that identification rates may be specific to the type of object-recognition task employed.
Approximately Exact Inference for the Common Odds Ratio in Several 2 × 2 Tables

Abstract The conditional maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) of the common odds ratio in a sequence of independent 2 × 2 tables is known to be superior to the Mantel–Haenszel estimator in terms of asymptotic efficiency and has the further advantage that its exact distribution is known. However, a long-standing barrier to the widespread use of this estimator has been computational intractability; in particular, the calculation of significance levels, confidence sets, and power based on the exact distribution requires fast and efficient algorithms. An important class of such algorithms form the basis of StatXact, a software package able to solve various aspects of the exact inference problem for a sequence of several 2 × 2 tables in real time. We provide an alternative methodology by developing several useful saddlepoint approximations to the exact distribution of the conditional MLE. The approximations are derived from an interesting representation for hypergeometric random variables as a sum of independent...
All-Perovskite Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Synthesis and Characterization

Strontium- and magnesium-doped lanthanum gallate (LSGM) has been considered as a promising electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems in recent years. In this work synthesis, electrochemical properties, phase evolution, and microstructure of an all-perovskite electrolyte-supported SOFC based on La 0.75 Sr 0.25 Cr 0.5 Mn 0.5 O 3 (LSCM) porous anode, La 0.8 Sr 0.2 Ga 0.7 Mg 0.3 O 2.8 (LSGM-2030) electrolyte, and La 0.8 Sr 0.2 MnO 3 cathode at intermediate temperatures are studied. The phase evolution of synthesized LSGM and LSCM powders has been investigated, and it validates that there is no reaction between LSGM and LSCM at sintering temperature. The characterization study of the synthesized LSGM also indicates that sintering at 1500°C gives higher electrical conductivity compared with the currently published results, while for the pellets sintered at 1400°C and 1450°C the conductivity would be slightly lower. The effects of the firing temperature on the bulk and grain boundary resistivities are also discussed.
Case report 577

Cas particulier d'une metastase lombaire d'un paragangliome reseque 11 ans auparavant. Les explorations radiologiques et l'aortographie evoquaient un hemangiome
Interrelationships of Urea, Protein, and Productive Factors in Lactating Cows

Abstract Efficiency of nitrogen utilization and related factors were measured in lactating cows consuming different amounts of urea and protein nitrogen. A factorial arrangement consisted of 3 ratios of concentrate crude protein (L:M:H=10.2:14.1:18.8 dry basis) fed with barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) silage containing either 0 or 0.55% urea. 30 lactating cows were placed into outcome groups on 4% fat-corrected milk and randomized to treatment. Concentrates were fed according to milk production at a 1:3 ratio. Voluntary dry matter consumption of both silages was equal (1.8% body weight). When corrected for pre-treatment production, milk production was affected (P
lociNGS: A Lightweight Alternative for Assessing Suitability of Next-Generation Loci for Evolutionary Analysis

Genomic enrichment methods and next-generation sequencing produce uneven coverage for the portions of the genome (the loci) they target; this information is essential for ascertaining the suitability of each locus for further analysis. lociNGS is a user-friendly accessory program that takes multi-FASTA formatted loci, next-generation sequence alignments and demographic data as input and collates, displays and outputs information about the data. Summary information includes the parameters coverage per locus, coverage per individual and number of polymorphic sites, among others. The program can output the raw sequences used to call loci from next-generation sequencing data. lociNGS also reformats subsets of loci in three commonly used formats for multi-locus phylogeographic and population genetics analyses – NEXUS, IMa2 and Migrate. lociNGS is available at https://github.com/SHird/lociNGS and is dependent on installation of MongoDB (freely available at http://www.mongodb.org/downloads). lociNGS is written in Python and is supported on MacOSX and Unix; it is distributed under a GNU General Public License.
Prevention of nerve edema and increased blood-nerve barrier permeability-surface area product in galactosemic rats by aldose reductase or thromboxane synthetase inhibitors.

Nerve water content and the permeability–surface area product (PA) to [ 3 H]- or [ 14 C]sucrose at the blood-nerve barrier were determined in unanesthetized control rats fed a normal diet and in rats fed galactose with or without an aldose reductase inhibitor (Statil or AL 1576) or a thromboxane synthetase inhibitor (CGS 12970). Nerve water content was determined by taking the difference between dry and wet weights of whole tibial nerves. PA was determined by an intravenous bolus injection of radiotracer with multiple–time-point graphic and quantitative autoradiographic methods. The mean nerve water content in galactosemic rats was 15% higher than in control rats after 7–11 mo on the diet. Statil and AL 1576 prevented nerve edema, but CGS 12970 was only partially effective in preventing an increase in nerve water content in galactose-fed rats. In galactosemic rats, the mean PA to sucrose at the blood-nerve barrier, calculated from nerve dry weight, was twofold higher than in control rats. Treatment with Statil, AL 1576, or CGS 12970 prevented increased PA. Our results suggest that nerve edema and increased blood-nerve barrier PA are secondary to polyol production and can be prevented by inhibiting aldose reductase.
Transport of multiple tracers in variably saturated humid region structured soils and semi-arid region laminated sediments

The processes governing physical nonequilibrium (PNE)—coupled preferential flow and matrix diffusion—are diverse between humid and semi-arid regions, and are directly related to climate and rock/sediment type, and indirectly related to subsequent soil profile development. The fate and transport of contaminants in these variably saturated undisturbed media is largely a function of the influence of PNE processes. Large cores of laminated silts and sands were collected from the US Department of Energy Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in semi-arid south central Washington. Additional cores of weathered, fractured interbedded limestone and shale saprolite were collected from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in humid eastern Tennessee. PNNL cores were collected parallel (FBP) and perpendicular (FXB) to bedding, and the ORNL core was 30° to bedding. Saturated and unsaturated transport experiments were performed using multiple nonreactive tracers that had different diffusion coefficients (Br−, PFBA, and PIPES), in order to identify the influence of PNE on the fate and transport of solutes. In the ORNL structured saprolite, solute transport was governed by coupled preferential flow and matrix diffusion, as evidenced by tracer separation and highly asymmetric breakthrough curves (BTC). BTCs became more symmetric as preferential flowpaths became inactive during drainage. Tracer separation persisted during unsaturated flow suggesting the continued importance of nonequilibrium mass transfer between flowpaths and the immobile water that was held in the soil matrix. No evidence of PNE was observed under near-saturated conditions in the semi-arid region (PNNL) laminated silts and sands. Unsaturated flow in cores with discontinuous layering resulted in preferential flow and the development of perched, immobile water as evidenced by early breakthrough and separation of tracers. Conversely, transport parallel to laterally continuous beds did not result in preferential flow, the development of perched water, or tracer separation regardless of water content. These observations suggested that desaturation had two effects: (1) grain size variations between individual beds resulted in different antecedent water contents, and (2) the exchange of water and solutes between individual sedimentary beds was subsequently inhibited. Under unsaturated conditions, these effects may promote either stable lateral flow, or unstable vertical finger flow coupled with the development of perched, immobile water.
EARLY TREATMENT OF COMPLETE ORNITHINE TRANSCARBAMYLASE DEFICIENCY WITH KETO ANALOGUES OF ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS

EARLY TREATMENT OF COMPLETE ORNITHINE TRANSCARBAMYLASE DEFICIENCY WITH KETO ANALOGUES OF ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS
A One-Dimensional Continuum Model for Shape-Memory Alloys

In this paper we construct an explicit one-dimensional constitutive model that is capable of describing some aspects of the thermomechanical response of a shape-memory alloy. The model consists of a Helmholtz free-energy function, a kinetic relation and a nucleation criterion. The free-energy is associated with a three-well potential energy function; the kinetic relation is based on thermal activation theory; nucleation is assumed to occur at a critical value of the appropriate energy barrier. The predictions of the model in various quasi-static thermomechanical loadings are examined and compared with experimental observations.
Ab initio study of C20 isomers: geometry and vibrational frequencies

Abstract Geometry optimizations are performed for three isomers of C 20 , namely the ring, bowl (corannulene-like), and cage (fullerene-like) configurations, using both the local density functional approximation (LDA), and gradient-corrected density functional theory (BLYP). The BLYP results confirm the previous single point calculation based on Hartree-Fock geometries, which is in favor of the ring geometry, while the LDA results still indicate a reversed order of energy, thus favoring the cage geometry. Our calculated LDA vibrational spectra of the ring geometry show significant differences with those of HF in the widths of two band gaps. In addition, our Moller-Plesset second-order perturbation theory (MP2) single point calculations using GAMESS show preference towards the bowl structure, which differs from previous similar calculations.