cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geometric process planning in rough machining

This thesis examines geometric process planning in four-axis rough machining. A review of existing literature provides a foundation for process planning in machining; efficiency (tool path length) is identified as a primary concern. Emergent structures (thin webs and strings) are proposed as a new metric of process robustness. Previous research efforts are contrasted to establish motivation for improvements in these areas in four-axis rough machining. The original research is presented as a journal article. This research develops a new methodology for quickly estimating the remaining stock during a plurality of 2 1⁄2 D cuts defined by their depth and orientation relative to a rotary fourth axis. Unlike existing tool path simulators, this method can be performed independently of (and thus prior to) tool path generation. The algorithms presented use polyhedral mesh surface input to create and analyze polygonal slices, which are again reconstructed into polyhedral surfaces. At the slice level, nearly all operations are Boolean in nature, allowing simple implementation. A novel heuristic for polyhedral reconstruction for this application is presented. Results are shown for sample components, showing a significant reduction in overall rough machining tool path length. The discussion of future work provides a brief discussion of how this new methodology can be applied to detecting thin webs and strings prior to tool path planning or machining. The methodology presented in this work provides a novel method of calculating remaining stock such that it can be performed during process planning, prior to committing to tool path generation.
Evaluating Academic Law Library Directors

Standards for evaluating law library directors are difficult to locate. Two goals are integral to the meaningful evaluation of any academic law library director; 1) determining how well the library is operating, and 2) determining how well the director is performing. The author contends that both goals can be met by the Dean of a law school when the evaluation is structured around the mission of the law school.
Two energy scales in CePd3.

We report anomalies in the temperature- and pressure-dependent electrical resistivity of Ce${\mathrm{Pd}}_{3}$ and its alloys that occur on a temperature scale \ensuremath{\approx} 40 K, which correlates with the scale for the neutron-scattering from-factor ($5d$ susceptibility) anomaly. We outline an argument that the reported effects demonstrate the existence of an energy scale ${T}_{\mathrm{coh}}$ [related to the single-ion spinfluctuation scale ${T}_{\mathrm{sf}}$ by a factor $\frac{1}{(2J+1)}$] over which coherence develops among spin fluctuations on different sites.
A nose gesture interface device: extending virtual realities

This paper reports on the1 development of a nose-machine interface device that provides real-time gesture, position, smell and facial expression information. The DATANOSETM2-Data AtomaTa CORNUCOPIA pNeumatic Olfactory 1/O-deviSE Tactile Manipulation Olsen, 1986; Myers, 1991-allows novice users without any formal nose training to perform complex interactive tasks.
Litigância e Sociedade

Litigância, na linguagem comum, refere-se as acoes propostas na justica; isso envolve uma reivindicacao, uma disputa ou conflito, e o uso de uma instituicao especifica, a justica, para resolver o conflito ou a disputa. No passado, a maioria das pesquisas juridicas consistia em analise da doutrina e teoria sobre a doutrina. Entretanto, a litigância e um fenomeno importante por si so e pesquisas mostraram isso ultimamente. Esse artigo visa esbocar algumas das principais areas de pesquisa e teoria e acrescentar algumas breves observacoes sobre a importância do trabalho desenvolvido ate agora. Os topicos abordados incluem: pesquisas que focam a disputa (dispute-centered) e os tribunais (court-centered); quantidade de litigios e explosao de litigiosidade; e o impacto da litigância na sociedade. Litigation, in ordinary speech, refers to actions contested in court; this involves a claim, a dispute or conflict, and the use of a specific institution, the court, to resolve the conflict or dispute. In the past most legal research has consisted of analysis of doctrine and theory about doctrine. But litigation is an important phenomenon in its own right and research lately has shown this. This article aims to sketch out a few major areas of research and theory and to add a few brief remarks about the significance of the work thus far. The topics covered include: dispute-centered and court-centered research; quantity of litigation and the so-called litigation explosion; and the impact of litigation on society.
Study of dye diffusion in fibers by laser scanning confocal microscopy

The diffusion of a fluorescent dye in nylon 66 fibers was studied by using a laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM) and by a conventional method. The diffusion coefficients were determined by both methods and they were in close agreement. The study of dye diffusion in fibers by LSCM is simple, quick and also able to provide high resolution images of fiber cross-sections and 3D images of the dye distribution in fibers. To our knowledge this is the first report of using a LSCM to study dye diffusion in polymeric fibers.
The effect of liver denervation on the consumption of various diets by rats.

Abstract Liver afferents have been proposed to influence food intake control, however, previous studies have shown that chow (pellet) intake is apparently not altered in total liver denervated rats. The present study explored whether total liver denervation could alter the rats' intake of various diets other than chow pellets. Total liver denervations were verified using staining histological and monoamine histofluorescence techniques. The denervated and sham operated rats were given short-term (4–6 days) exposure to four diets: (diet 1, chow plus a 32% w/v sucrose-water solution; diet 2, 1:1 mixture of powdered chow and granular glucose; diet 3, 33% w/w Crisco and powdered chow mixture and diet 4, a 5% w/v glucose-water solution plus chow. Body weight gains were not affected-by either surgery or diet exposure. Daily consumptions of the diets were similar in both groups, nevertheless, there was a trend for the denervated rats to consume slightly more of a high fat diet, which lends support for one hypothesized liver satiety mechanism. Also, the denervated rats consumed less (an average 5 kcal/day) of the 5% glucose solution (one hypothesis tested would predict an increase consumption of glucose by the denervated rats). Thus the liver may play a role, albeit small, through several ill defined mechanism(s) in the regulation of feeding.
Using Electronic Portfolios to Make Learning Public

Electronic portfolio technology can be used in different contexts to create classroom communities in which everyone, not just the teacher, cares about each student's learning. The authors describe how students in an urban middle school, undergraduate teacher preparation program, and graduate leadership program used an electronic bulletin board and portfolio process to make all of their work public. In these classrooms, student work was not simply handed in to the teacher, graded, and quickly forgotten.
Evidence from a protein-coding gene that acanthocephalans are rotifers

. Rotifera and Acanthocephala are generally regarded as separate phyla sharing a basal position among triploblast protostomes. This paper presents the first molecular phylogenetic examination of the relationship of Acanthocephala to all three rotifer classes, Seisonidea, Monogononta, and Bdelloidea. Inclusion of Acanthocephala within Rotifera, probably as a sister-taxon to a clade composed of Bdelloidea and Monogononta (the Eurotatoria), is strongly supported by both parsimony and distance methods, using a region of the nuclear coding gene hsp82. Previous molecular evidence for the inclusion of Acanthocephala in the Rotifera suggested that Acanthocephala is a sister-taxon of Bdelloidea, forming the clade Lemniscea. No support is found for this clade, and evidence is presented that the monogonont rotifer used in those analyses, Brachionus plicatilis, may be evolving in an anomalous manner.
Death and Dying in Colonial Spanish America

Foundational research in the 1970s by mentalite historians Michel Vovelle and Philippe Aries highlighted the dynamic history of social valuations of public mourning and inward piety, explored the R...
Functional nickel thiosalen complexes: structure and solid-state packing of a transition metal-based surfactant

Abstract The complex NiBr2(2-C12H25SC6H4CHNCH2CH2NCHC6H4SC12H25-2) (1) was prepared from the ligand 2-C12H25SC6H4CHNCH2CH2NCHC6H4SC12H25-2 (3) and NiBr2. Paramagnetic 1 was characterized by combustion analyses, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, Vis–NIR spectroscopy, measurement of its magnetic susceptibility, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structure of 1 features octahedral coordination of Ni(II) with axial bromides and fully extended interdigitated alkyl chains. There are significant differences between the solid state structures of 1 and NiBr2(2-C6H12SC6H4CHNCH2CH2NCHC6H4SC6H12-2) (2), a previously reported homologue.
The Bright- and Blind-Spots of Science: Why Objective Knowledge is not Enough to Resolve Environmental Controversies:

This article investigates why science often does not speak with one voice within the context of environmental controversies. I argue that sociologists must be willing to turn to those processes and phenomena that are internal to science. In doing this, we find that many environmental conflicts are products, at least in part, of science itself. What is it about science that helps to breed these conflicts? In answering this question, this article first reflects upon the effects that disciplinary and methodological diversity have on scientific disputes. Attention then turns to the topics of proof and consensus, highlighting how these terms have often been employed to amplify conflict. I then speak to how science presupposes values. The article concludes by making policy-relevant suggestions about how to `do' environmental science in a way that acknowledges its various epistemic bright- and blind-spots.
Catalytic partial oxidation of higher hydrocarbons: reactivities and selectivities of mixtures

Model hydrocarbon mixtures (n-octane + i-octane, n-decane + n-hexadecane, n-decane + naphthalene) were reacted with air over a rhodium-coated monolith in an effort to determine relative reactivities of various homologues in gasoline and diesel fuels. This information is required to determine the appropriate operating conditions for achieving maximum syngas yields from these fuels. We find that the overall reactivity of these fuel mixtures is not simply an average over the reactivities of constituent molecules. Results indicate that, whereas i-octane is more reactive than n-octane in the mixture at all C/O feed ratios, n-decane is more reactive than n-hexadecane in the mixture only at ratios leaner than the syngas stoichiometry (based on the mixture) and this trend reverses as the C/O feed ratio increases. Addition of 10 mol% naphthalene to n-decane successfully produces syngas in selectivities exceeding 70%. This demonstrates the ability of the rhodium-monolith reactor to partially oxidize a wide variety of hydrocarbon mixtures, including the hydrogen-deficient poly-aromatic compounds, to syngas and olefins without any evident deterioration in performance.
Applications of hybrid reachability analysis to robotic aerial vehicles

The control of complex non-linear systems can be aided by modeling each system as a collection of simplified hybrid modes, with each mode representing a particular operating regime defined by the system dynamics or by a region of the state space in which the system operates. Guarantees on the safety and performance of such hybrid systems can still be challenging to generate, however. Reachability analysis using a dynamic game formulation with HamiltonâJacobi methods provides a useful way to generate these types of guarantees, and the technique is flexible enough to analyze a wide variety of systems. This paper presents two applications of reachable sets, both focused on guaranteeing the safety and performance of robotic aerial vehicles. In the first example, reachable sets are used to design and implement a backflip maneuver for a quadrotor helicopter. In the second, reachability analysis is used to design a decentralized collision avoidance algorithm for multiple quadrotors. The theory for both examples is explained, and successful experimental results are presented from flight tests on the STARMAC quadrotor helicopter platform.
Validation of a Prescreening Program for Transcatheter Atrial Septal Defect Closure.

Prior to initiation of a formal screening program, 30 % of patients referred for device closure of an atrial septal defect (ASD) at our institution had atrial septal anatomy which precluded ASD device closure. This resulted in inefficiencies in workflow, staff utilization, and inconvenience for families. Our objective was to report our experience with an ASD prescreening evaluation/protocol and family consultation process. This is a retrospective study of pediatric patients who underwent a comprehensive ASD prescreening evaluation at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta between January 2011 and June 2013. The comprehensive prescreening process included a detailed transthoracic echocardiogram and family consultation. Upon establishing a formal prescreening process for patients with secundum ASDs, 138 patients were screened for appropriateness of ASD device closure. At time of prescreening, 40 patients (29 %) were deemed not to be suitable candidates for device ASD closure. In 9 patients (6.5 %), after discussion with the interventionalist, parents elected to pursue surgical ASD closure. A total of 78 patients (56.5 %) underwent successful transcutaneous ASD device closure. In addition, there was a significant discrepancy in the reported size of the ASD between the outside evaluation and the ASD size discovered during the prescreening process. The addition of a prescreening program for transcatheter ASD closure has decreased the incidence of unsuccessful ASD closure from 30 to 10.3 %. The use of a comprehensive evaluation process for ASD device closure improves the likelihood of successful device implantation and permits adequate preprocedural counseling for the patient and family.
Steroid receptor–DNA interactions: toward a quantitative connection between energetics and transcriptional regulation

Steroid receptors comprise an evolutionarily conserved family of transcription factors. Although the qualitative aspects by which individual receptors regulate transcription are well understood, a quantitative perspective is less clear. This is primarily because receptor function is considerably more complex than that of classical regulatory factors such as phage or bacterial repressors. Here we discuss recent advances in placing receptor-specific transcriptional regulation on a more quantitative footing, specifically focusing on the role of macromolecular interaction energetics. We first highlight limitations and challenges associated with traditional approaches for assessing the role of energetics (more specifically, binding affinity) with functional outcomes such as transcriptional activation. We next demonstrate how rigorous in vitro measurements and straightforward interaction models quantitatively relate energetics to transcriptional activity within the cell, and follow by discussing why such an approach is unexpectedly effective in explaining complex functional behavior. Finally, we examine the implications of these findings for considering the unique gene regulatory properties of the individual receptors.
Submillimeter-resolution radiography of shielded structures with laser-accelerated electron beams

We investigate the use of energetic electron beams for high-resolution radiography of flaws embedded in thick solid objects. A bright, monoenergetic electron beam (with energy >100 MeV) was generated by the process of laser-wakefield acceleration through the interaction of 50-TW, 30-fs laser pulses with a supersonic helium jet. The high energy, low divergence, and small source size of these beams make them ideal for high-resolution radiographic studies of cracks or voids embedded in dense materials that are placed at a large distance from the source. We report radiographic imaging of steel with submillimeter resolution.
N-acetylcysteine inhibits alveolar epithelial-mesenchymal transition

The ability of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) in vitro and in vivo, together with the demonstration of E...
Mineralocorticoid and Apparent Mineralocorticoid Syndromes of Secondary Hypertension

The mineralocorticoid aldosterone is a key hormone in the regulation of plasma volume and blood pressure in man. Excessive levels of this mineralocorticoid have been shown to mediate metabolic disorders and end-organ damage more than what can be attributed to its effects on blood pressure alone. Inappropriate excess levels of aldosterone contribute significantly to the cardiorenal metabolic syndrome and target organ injury that include atherosclerosis, myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis, heart failure, and kidney disease. The importance of understanding the role of excess mineralocorticoid hormones such as aldosterone in resistant hypertension and in those with secondary hypertension should be visited. Primary aldosteronism is one of the commonly identified causes of hypertension and is treatable and/or potentially curable. We intend to review the management of mineralocorticoid-induced hypertension in the adult population along with other disease entities that mimic primary aldosteronism.
Pretreatment fibrinogen levels are associated with response to chemotherapy in patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung : Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study 188

Small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCCL) responds commonly to combination chemotherapy but resistance to therapy follows. Prior reports have suggested that a relationship may exist between plasma fibrinogen levels and response to therapy in SCCL. This study was designed to determine the possible predictive value of the fibrinogen level for tumor response (chemoresistance) in SCCL. Pretreatment fibrinogen levels were correlated with outcome and response to therapy in a cohort of 119 previously untreated patients with SCCL who were admitted to VA Cooperative Study 188. Higher pretreatment fibrinogen levels at diagnosis correlated significantly with more advanced stage of disease at entry (P < 0.001) and with reduced overall survival (P = 0.030). In addition, higher pretreatment fibrinogen levels were correlated significantly with a reduced likelihood of achieving subsequent disease regression with combination chemotherapy (P = 0.005). Because several clinical trials have shown that anticoagulant therapy improves tumor response rates and survival of SCCL, we postulate that tumor cell thrombin generation not only promotes SCCL growth but may also be primarily responsible for both increased fibrinogen levels and for resistance to chemotherapy. These findings provide incentive for studies of thrombin effects on the development of multidrug resistance, and for new clinical trials of more potent and specific inhibitors of thrombin that may further improve tumor response and survival in SCCL.
Judging Others' Anxiety1

Detecting anxiety is essential both in help-giving settings such as psychotherapy and in everyday social relationships. This two-study experiment involved groups of observers who viewed and rated selected scenes from previously videotaped subjects’(expressers) descriptions of past emotional experiences. One group rated combined visual and auditory stimuli for low and high state anxiety scenes, and the other group judged visual-only stimuli for low and high state anxiety scenes. Each scene was 30 seconds in length. Both groups were significantly accurate in differentiating expressers' high and low state anxiety. There were significant effects for expresser trait level, but in both studies these effects were opposite to those predicted: High trait anxious were viewed as less anxious than moderate trait anxious who were judged as less anxious than low trait anxious expressers. This unusual finding was discussed with respect to differences in frequency of feeling and coping with anxiety by high and low trait anxious individuals. High trait anxiety subjects were rated as more unlikable on high state anxiety scenes, while low trait anxious individuals were judged as more unlikable on low state anxiety scenes. Differences were observed for trait anxiety groups with regard to state anxiety depending on whether subjects received auditory-visual or visual-only stimuli. Discussion is focused on implications of recognizing subtle affect cues and distinctions among people differing in trait anxiety.
Molecular evidence of apoptotic death in malignant brain tumors including glioblastoma multiforme: Upregulation of calpain and caspase‐3

Cell death in the core of human brain tumors is triggered by hypoxia and lack of nutrients, but the mode of cell death whether necrosis or apoptosis is not clearly defined. To identify the role of apoptosis in brain tumor cell death, we investigated macromolecular (RNA and protein) synthesis and activity in the central to peripheral region of benign [desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma (DIG) and transitional meningioma (TMG)] and malignant [ependymoma (END), anaplastic astrocytoma (APA), and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)] brain tumors derived from five patients who had not received previously radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Normal brain tissue (NBT) served as control. RT-PCR analysis of tumor tissues covering central to peripheral regions detected mRNA overexpression of pro-apoptotic gene bax in malignant tumors, indicating a commitment to apoptosis. The mRNA expression of calpain (a Ca2+-dependent cysteine protease) and calpastatin (endogenous calpain inhibitor) was altered resulting in an elevated calpain/calpastatin ratio. Calpain content and activity were increased, suggesting a role for calpain in cell death. In the mitochondria-dependent death pathway, caspase-9 and caspase-3 were also overexpressed in tumors. The increased caspase-3 activity cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Agarose gel electrophoresis detected a mixture of random and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation in malignant brain tumors. Overexpression of pro-apoptotic bax, upregulation of calpain and caspase-3, and occurrence of internucleosomal DNA fragmentation are now presented indicating that one mechanism of cell death in malignant brain tumors is apoptosis, and that enhancement of this process therapeutically may promote decreased tumor growth. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
In vivo laparoscopic robotics

Robotic laparoscopic surgery is evolving to include in vivo robotic assistants. The impetus for the development of this technology is to provide surgeons with additional viewpoints and unconstrained manipulators that improve safety and reduce patient trauma. A family of these robots have been developed to provide vision and task assistance. Fixed-base and mobile robots have been designed and tested in animal models with much success. A cholecystectomy, prostatectomy, and nephrectomy have all been performed with the assistance of these robots. These early successful tests show how in vivo laparoscopic robotics may be part of the next advancement in surgical technology.
Gene Composition of High-Yielding Influenza Vaccine Strains Obtained by Recombination

The genetic composition of 11 high-yielding recombinants of influenza virus was determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the 32P-labeled RNAs obtained from the recombinants and their parental viruses. The high-yield recombinants that were selected for potential use as vaccine strains contained the surface hemagglutinin and neuraminidase antigens of the low-yielding parental viruses. The increased growth capacity of the recombinants is associated with the presence of genes derived from the high-yielding laboratory strain A/Puerto Rico/8/34. Although increased growth capacity in these recombinants could not be attributed to specific genes or gene combinations, all of the high-yielding recombinants examined derived the M gene from the A/Puerto Rico/8/34 parent.
An Experimental Vestibular Neural Prosthesis: Design and Preliminary Results With Rhesus Monkeys Stimulated With Modulated Pulses

A vestibular neural prosthesis was designed on the basis of a cochlear implant for treatment of Meniere's disease and other vestibular disorders. Computer control software was developed to generate patterned pulse stimuli for exploring optimal parameters to activate the vestibular nerve. Two rhesus monkeys were implanted with the prototype vestibular prosthesis and they were behaviorally evaluated post implantation surgery. Horizontal and vertical eye movement responses to patterned electrical pulse stimulations were collected on both monkeys. Pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) and pulse rate modulated (PRM) trains were applied to the lateral canal of each implanted animal. Robust slow-phase nystagmus responses following the PAM or PRM modulation pattern were observed in both implanted monkeys in the direction consistent with the activation of the implanted canal. Both PAM and PRM pulse trains can elicit a significant amount of in-phase modulated eye velocity changes and they could potentially be used for efficiently coding head rotational signals in future vestibular neural prostheses.
The effect of gamma radiation on the amino acid content and the enzymatic activity of ATP-creatine phosphotransferase

Abstract Whereas in the intact protein in solution histidine is most radiosensitive, in the corresponding amino acid hydrolyzate in solution, methionine is most labile. Phenylalanine and arginine are also faster destroyed if the protein is hydrolyzed before radiation exposure. Since rank in terms of radiation lability varies with individual proteins, stereochemical orientation (amino acid sequence, etc.) must be suspected as a determinant. Reconstitution of some amino acids by interconversion during radiation exposure enhances “apparent” stability of glutamic and aspartic acids, for instance, and their G values with reference to the protein will thus have a “destructive” and a “constructive” component. Sulfhydryl (SH) groups disappear at a faster rate than other amino acid side chains, and decline in enzymic activity is even more rapid than destruction of SH groups. No decision, however, can be reached as to whether destruction of SH side chains or disruption of protein configuration causes the loss of enzyme activity in the early stages of γ-irradiation.
Slider-lubricant interactions for low flying sliders

The dynamics of pico sliders is investigated as a function of lubricant thickness using laser Doppler vibrometer instrumentation. Lubricant depletion is measured using a surface reflectance analyzer. The results indicate that slider vibrations increase with an increase in lubricant thickness. Lubricant depletion also increases with an increase in lubricant thickness.
Phase transformations in (Ni,Cu)3Sn alloys

Abstract Structural characterization of (Ni,Cu) 3 Sn alloys containing 10–22 at.% Cu was performed by X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis. A high-temperature D0 3 phase is partly transformed, when cooled, to an ordered 2H (β-Cu 3 Ti-type) orthorhombic phase at a temperature of around 710 °C in alloys containing 14–20 at.% Cu. The untransformed D0 3 phase is then transformed to the 2H phase and a d2H phase at around 460 °C. Below this temperature the three phases D0 3 , 2H and d2H coexist. Similar results are also obtained with specimens containing 20 at.% Cu aged at various temperatures. A new phase diagram is proposed for (Ni,Cu) 3 Sn alloys containing 10–22 at.% Cu. This phase diagram is different from an existing one which shows a single 2H phase at temperatures below around 900 °C in the range 8–18 at.% Cu.
Spouses' materialism: Effects of parenthood status, personality type, and sex

This study responds to a call for broadened conceptualizations of materialism and its role in self-definition (Richins & Dawson, 1992). Data from 202 spouses were analyzed for relationships among materialism, parenthood status, and personality type, defined as spousal “warmness” or “coolness” (Csikszentmihalyi & Rochberg-Halton, 1981). Testable hypotheses were based on the concept of object-subject interchangeability (Claxton & Murray, 1994) as a mechanism of self-definition. The hypothesis was supported that cool spouses without children would have the highest materialism score. Total sample materialism scores were related to parenthood status and to several interactions among parenthood status, personality type, and sex of respondent. Analyzed by sex of respondent, men's materialism scores were related to parenthood status and to the interaction between parenthood status and personality type. Women's materialism scores were not related to any independent variables or interactions. Consumer policy implications are discussed.
Segmentation in blurred images

Edges in blurred data are modeled as the separatrices of the gradient dynamical system of the Laplacian of the input image. Such edges are detected by an algorithm which integrates the dynamical system with an omni-directional tracker. Features are extracted by a heuristic that is based on the topological behavior of the image class of the application. This approach is applied to delineate the walls of left ventricles in cardiac Thallium tomograms.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Transgenic Drosophila models of Alzheimer’s disease and tauopathies

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of senile dementia. Aggregation of the amyloid-β42 peptide (Aβ42) and tau proteins are pathological hallmarks in AD brains. Accumulating evidence suggests that Aβ42 plays a central role in the pathogenesis of AD, and tau acts downstream of Aβ42 as a modulator of the disease progression. Tau pathology is also observed in frontotemporal dementia with Parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17) and other related diseases, so called tauopathies. Although most cases are sporadic, genes associated with familial AD and FTDP-17 have been identified, which led to the development of transgenic animal models. Drosophila has been a powerful genetic model system used in many fields of biology, and recently emerges as a model for human neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we will summarize key features of transgenic Drosophila models of AD and tauopathies and a number of insights into disease mechanisms as well as therapeutic implications gained from these models.
Kolmogorov-Smirnov Type Test-Statistics For The Gamma, Erlang-2 And The Inverse Gaussian Distributions When The Parameters Are Unknown.

Critical values are presented for the Kolmogorov-Smirnov type test statistics for the following three cases: (i) the gamma distribution when both the scale and the shape parameters are not known, (ii) the scale parameter of the gamma distribution is not known and (iii) the inverse Gaussian distribution when both the parameters are unknown. This study was motivated by the necessity to fit the gamma, the Erlang-2 and the inverse Gaussian distributions to the interpurchase times of individuals for coffee in marketing research.
Constitutive nucleosome depletion and ordered factor assembly at the GRP78 promoter revealed by single molecule footprinting.

Chromatin organization and transcriptional regulation are interrelated processes. A shortcoming of current experimental approaches to these complex events is the lack of methods that can capture the activation process on single promoters. We have recently described a method that combines methyltransferase M.SssI treatment of intact nuclei and bisulfite sequencing allowing the representation of replicas of single promoters in terms of protected and unprotected footprint modules. Here we combine this method with computational analysis to study single molecule dynamics of transcriptional activation in the stress inducible GRP78 promoter. We show that a 350–base pair region upstream of the transcription initiation site is constitutively depleted of nucleosomes, regardless of the induction state of the promoter, providing one of the first examples for such a promoter in mammals. The 350–base pair nucleosome-free region can be dissected into modules, identifying transcription factor binding sites and their combinatorial organization during endoplasmic reticulum stress. The interaction of the transcriptional machinery with the GRP78 core promoter is highly organized, represented by six major combinatorial states. We show that the TATA box is frequently occupied in the noninduced state, that stress induction results in sequential loading of the endoplasmic reticulum stress response elements, and that a substantial portion of these elements is no longer occupied following recruitment of factors to the transcription initiation site. Studying the positioning of nucleosomes and transcription factors at the single promoter level provides a powerful tool to gain novel insights into the transcriptional process in eukaryotes.
Directivity of group-type single phase unidirectional SAW transducers

It is shown that the centre-frequency directivity for a SPUDT comprising conventional transducers alternating with reflecting gratings is determined simply by the grating reflection coefficient. This applies if the transducers and gratings are varied to weight the device. If the grating strips are all identical the directivity is proportional to the total number of grating strips. >
Evaluating Individualized Educational Programs: A Recommendation and Some Programmatic Implications.

The character of urban schools and the practices of school personnel have been influenced by a variety of sociopolitical factors. Currently, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (P.L. 94–142) is having impact on schools in general and especially on urban schools, which typically have many students affected by this law. This paper describes certain aspects of the law which have posed problems for schools, and makes suggestions about how such problems can be resolved. Schools are required to identify goals and to evaluate educational progress on anindividual student basis. This requirement can be met by using the Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) technique. Using an illustrative GAS-modified individualized educational program (IEP), advantages and disadvantages of this technique are discussed. Certain potential problems are identified and suggestions made so that administrators and other school personnel can be successful in their attempts to comply with requirements to evaluate educational progress in conjunction with IEPs.
Hematopoietic colony stimulatory factor formation by murine mesangial cells: Gene expression and biological activity

Abstract This study examined the ability of mesangial cells to synthesize colony-stimulating factors (CSF), cytoregulatory peptides associated with the differentiation and proliferation of hematopoietic cells. Conditioned media obtained from SV-40 transformed murine mesangial cells stimulated the growth of murine bone marrow progenitor cells of the myeloid series. Differential analysis of these cells showed the presence of both macrophages and granulocytes. Cellular identification of bone marrow colonies stimulated in response to mesangial cell conditioned media was examined by flow cytometric analysis and revealed the presence of F 4 80 antigen positive macrophages (67%) and Gran-1 antigen positive granulocytes (21%). Neutralizing antibodies to macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) but not antibody to interleukin-3 (IL-3), or stem cell factor (SCF) significantly inhibited the growth of the progenitor cells induced by mesangial cell conditioned media. Utilizing Northern blot analysis, murine mesangial cells expressed mRNA transcripts for M-CSF, GM-CSF, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). Further studies were performed to determine optimal incubation conditions for mesangial cell CSF gene expression. These studies revealed that both GM-CSF and G-CSF mRNA were maximally expressed at early time points (4 and 8 h of incubation), while M-CSF mRNA expression remained unchanged during the incubation of mesangial cells from 4–48 h. Incubation of mesangial cells with various concentrations of fetal bovine serum (FBS, 0.5–15%) markedly increased the mRNA expression of M-CSF, GM-CSF and G-CSF in a dose-dependent manner. These studies indicated that transformed murine mesangial cells are able to synthesize and secrete biologically active CSF that are associated with the migration and proliferation of circulating mononuclear cells in the glomerulus. Furthermore, observations regarding the role of duration of incubation and the media concentration of FBS on mesangial cell CSF mRNA expression may provide useful data to understand the optimal conditions for studies that examine the gene expression of basal or inducible CSF in mesangial cells.
AMPA receptor competitive antagonism reduces halothane MAC in rats.

Various subtypes of receptors have been identified for glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter. Previous studies have shown that antagonism of glutamate at the NMDA receptors reduces minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) for volatile anesthetics. NBQX (2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo(f)quinoxaline) is a selective antagonist at the glutamatergic AMPA receptor. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether AMPA receptor antagonism influences halothane MAC in the rat
Mesothelioma with rhabdoid features: an ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study of 10 cases

Mesotheliomas with rhabdoid morphology are rare and only two individual case reports have been documented in the literature. This author reports a series of 10 cases of mesotheliomas with rhabdoid features, nine of which originated in the pleura and one in the peritoneum. Eight of the patients were men and two were women. Six patients had a history of asbestos exposure. Histologically, seven of the mesotheliomas were epithelioid, two sarcomatoid, and one biphasic. The proportion of the rhabdoid cells seen in these cases constituted 15-75% of the individual tumors. Cytoplasmic staining in the rhabdoid cells was seen for pan-keratin and vimentin in all 10 cases, for keratin 7 in eight of eight, for calretinin in nine of 10, and for keratin 5/6 in seven of nine. Nuclear positivity for WT1 was observed in the rhabdoid cells of four of seven cases and membranous reactivity for mesothelin in four of six, and for podoplanin in two of six. Only one case showed desmin positivity in sparse cells in the nonrhabdoid component of the tumor. All of the cases were negative for CEA, MOC-31, TAG-72, CD15, CD34, bcl2, muscle-specific actin, and TTF-1. Ultrastructural studies revealed paranuclear collections of intermediate filaments, but no evidence of rhabdomyoblastic differentiation was seen. The mean survival of five of the six patients for whom this information was available was 3.8 months. The remaining patient had a survival time of 1 year. It is important for pathologists to be aware that mesotheliomas can present rhabdoid features, not only because they can be confused with other malignancies that can exhibit a similar morphology, but also because of their apparently unusually aggressive behavior. The value of immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy in the differential diagnosis of these tumors is discussed.
SU‐FF‐T‐170: Dose Delivery to Curved Structures in Intra‐Operative High Dose Rate (IOHDR) Brachytherapy

Purpose: To investigate the magnitude of overdosage / underdosage for curved surfaces in intra‐operative high dose rate (IOHDR) brachytherapy when the original treatment plan assumed a planar geometry. Method and Materials: The archived IOHDR brachytherapytreatment plans of 5 cases were used in this study. Plans of 3 patients treated in our facility were chosen for the different treatmentsurface areas and two plans with square fields were developed to compare with irregular shape of clinical cases. Phantoms with four various radii (5 cm to 13.5 cm) were used to simulate the treatment planning geometries which were calculated in 2‐dimensional plans. EDR2 radiographic film dosimetry was used to evaluate the dose distribution for each case. Each film was digitized with 0.17 mm resolution using a film dosimetry system and converted to dose.Results: A 2‐D planar implant was designed to deliver a dose of 200 cGy to the prescription depth. This implant applicator was then wrapped around curved phantoms of different radii and the identical treatment was delivered for each curved structure. However, the actual doses delivered to the prescription points were about 9 % (5.5 % for small treatment area − 3 catheter × 4 cm2) higher for the convex with respect to the prescription point with 5 cm radius at 1 cm prescription distance. The actual delivered dose was increased linearly proportional to decreasing of the radius of convex. Conclusion: In IOHDR clinical cases, 2‐dimensional planning geometry is typically used without considering the curved shape of the patient's structure. Our measurements have shown an overdosage when the original planar treatment plan was delivered in a convex setting resulting in an increase in the prescription depth which may be clinically relevant.
Rationality and non-rationality of international attitudes:

Any student of public opinion who has reviewed reactions of the general populace to such complex and remote phenomena as foreign affairs is apt to be left with the-impression that these reactions are, in large part, "irrational." By that term he may refer to a variety of apparent departures from "logical" thought processes on the part of the respondents. Goals of foreign policy may be vaguely or erroneously comprehended by them. The actions advocated may be inconsistent, unfeasible, or pregnant with consequences inimical to the professed goals. Such judgments as these implicitly require an adequate standard of what are the appropriate goals and means in international relations. In such a matter the psychologist can have little useful to say. But it may be worthwhile to attempt an analysis of the psychological meaning of "rationality" itself, with a view toward discovering the conditions under which attitudes may be either rational or non-rational. Such an
Coarctation of the thoracic aorta masquerading as bilateral aorto-iliac stenosis

We present a case with coarctation of the aorta (CoA) with lifestyle limiting claudication and lower extremity weakness, successfully treated with surgical correction. The presented case discusses the diagnostic challenges associated with identifying CoA in patients with claudication.
The formation and growth of intermetallics in composite solder

The formation and growth of intermetallics at the solder/substrate interface are factors affecting the solderability and reliability of electronic solder joints. This study was performed to better understand the diffusion behavior and microstructural evolution of Cu−Sn intermetallics at the composite solder/copper substrate interface for eutectic solder and solder alloys containing particle additions of Cu, Cu3Sn, Cu6Sn5, Ag, Au, and Ni. Annealing temperatures of 110 to 160°C were used with aging times of 0 to 64 days. The copper-containing composite solders generally formed thinner Cu6Sn5 layers, but thicker Cu3Sn layers than were formed by the eutectic solder alone. These copper-containing additions, therefore, resulted in increased activation energies for Cu6Sn5 formation and decreased activation energies for Cu3Sn formation as compared to the eutectic solder. The activation energy for Cu3Sn formation decreased relative to eutectic solder for silver and gold composite solders even though less Cu3Sn was formed at the substrate interface. Nickel and palladium drastically reduced the Cu3Sn thickness and increased the Cu6Sn5 thickness. However, the Cu6Sn5 contained a substantial volume fraction of voids close to the copper substrate. We propose two mechanisms to explain the effects of the copper-containing and silver particles on the kinetics of intermetallic formation. First, the particles act as tin-sinks which remove tin from the solder and decrease the amount of tin available for reaction at the solder/substrate interface. Second, the particles reduce the cross-sectional area available for tin diffusion, which also reduces the amount of tin available at the interface for reaction.
What determines the performance of strategic alliance managers? Two lens model studies

Given the increasingly frequent call—often from macro, strategy researchers—for more micro-level probes into the drivers of strategic alliance performance, this article has responded to such a call by leveraging the organizational behavior (OB) and human resource (HR) literature on competencies. Based on two studies drawing on the lens model (Brunswik, 1954), we take on an important but little explored question: “What determines the performance of strategic alliance managers?” In Study 1 (a laboratory study), double system policy capturing results show a positive relationship between alliance competencies and performance judgments. In Study 2 (a field study), we investigate the evaluative behavior of alliance supervisors. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) results suggest that some structural, functional, and social competencies are evaluated as more important than other competencies in determining alliance managers’ performance.
Impact of circulating esterified eicosanoids and other oxylipins on endothelial function.

Eicosanoids, including epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, and other oxylipins derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids, have emerging roles in endothelial inflammation and subsequent atherosclerosis. Unlike eicosanoids in the prostanoid series, they are known to be esterified in cell lipids such as phospholipids and triglycerides; however, our understanding of these reservoirs is in its infancy. This review focuses on recent work identifying circulating oxylipins, primarily esterified with lipoprotein lipids, and their effects on markers of endothelial dysfunction. These oxylipins are known to be released by at least one lipase (lipoprotein lipase) and to mediate increased expression of inflammatory markers in endothelial cells, which coincides with the known roles of lipoproteins in endothelial dysfunction. The implications of the lipolytic release of lipoproteinbound oxylipins for the inflammatory response, challenges to analysis of this oxylipin compartment, and the potential importance of non-arachidonatederived oxylipins are discussed.
The clean air dividend

Controlling smog and soot is the classic win-win situation, so it's great that the world is finally waking up to the idea, says Drew Shindell