cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formation and Resolution of Pial Microvascular Thrombosis in a Mouse Model of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura.

Objective: Microvascular thrombosis is the hallmark pathology of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), a rare life-threatening disease. Neurological dysfunction is present in over 90% of patie...
Anticoagulation, catheterization, and minimizing intervention: how cutting-edge cuts down disease.

Welcome to this special issue of Annals of Translational Medicine on the “Anticoagulation, catheterization, and minimizing intervention: how cutting-edge cuts down disease” (edited by Prof. Rami N. Khouzam).
Emergence of diverse and specialized knowledge in a metropolitan tech cluster.

Abstract Specialized knowledge is increasingly central in modern information- and technology-oriented economies, yet we know surprisingly little about how this knowledge is organized. We trace the evolution of specialized knowledge at both the individual- and network-levels by analyzing email exchanges shared among members of a large tech professional community in New York City over seven years. We find a shift over time toward the emergence of an increasingly specialized ecology of knowledge and information. This division of knowledge is driven by the influx of new cohorts of participants with different knowledge and interests than those already there. Yet, even as individual contributors increasingly sort into specialized niches, the community as a whole remains robust in its ability to address topics of diverse concern. This study illustrates how new sources of data enable us to see with greater clarity the structures underpinning modern knowledge-based innovation clusters.
Evolving roles of clerkship directors: have expectations changed?

Background: Physician educators directing medical student programs face increasingly more complex challenges to ensure students receive appropriate preparation to care for patients. The Alliance fo...
Effects of profession on urinary PAH metabolite levels in the US population.

Although exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is common in both environmental and occupational settings, few studies have compared PAH exposure among people with different professions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the variations in recent PAH exposure among different occupational groups over time using national representative samples. The study population consisted of 4162 participants from the 2001 to 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, who had both urinary PAH metabolites and occupational information. Four corresponding monohydroxy-PAH urine metabolites: naphthalene (NAP), fluorene (FLUO), phenanthrene (PHEN), and pyrene (PYR) among seven broad occupational groups were analyzed using weighted linear regression models, adjusting for creatinine levels, sociodemographic factors, smoking status, and sampling season. The overall geometric mean concentrations of NAP, FLUO, PHEN, and PYR were 6927, 477, 335, and 87 ng/L, respectively. All four PAH metabolites were elevated in the “extractive, construction, and repair (ECR)” group, with 21–42 % higher concentrations than those in the reference group of “management.” Similar trends were seen in the “operators, fabricators, and laborers (OFL)” group for FLUO, PHEN, and PYR. In addition, both “service” and “support” groups had elevated FLUO. Significant (p < 0.001) upward temporal trends were seen in NAP and PYR, with an approximately 6–17 % annual increase, and FLUO and PHEN remained relatively stable. Race and socioeconomic status show independent effects on PAH exposure. Heterogeneous distributions of urinary PAH metabolites among people with different job categories exist at the population level. The upward temporal trends in NAP and PYR warrant reduction in PAH exposure, especially among those with OFL and ECR occupations.
The Metaphor Analyst

Though intended to aid the progressive movement, the ideas developed by Berkeley's George Lakoff about political framing are surprisingly illiberal. The public fills a strikingly passive role in Lakoff’s view of politics. To him, politics is really a rhetorical battle between different elites, each seeking to stimulate different synapses in voters’ brains — and have them vote almost by instinct.
Raceways, rebates, and retrofits: an exploration of several American cities’ policies to facilitate electric vehicle purchase and usage

Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) form a critical part of the infrastructure needed for sustainable transportation. Local governments are expected to play a key role in ensuring widespread adoption ...
Evaluating the impact of NextGen‘s air traffic system on aviation security

Networked Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) opened the gate to digital National Airspace System (NAS) in cyberspace. Air traffic improvements from NextGen system, accompanied by the risk of long-standing cyberattack issue in information technology industry became an increasingly challenging matter to the aviation community and Air Traffic Management (ATM), as cybersecurity challenges in the NextGen system could affect NextGen's principle assurance of safety and security in air transportation. The technological shift of NAS infrastructure from traditional radar-based systems to networking system of systems leads to a review, revision and redefinition of current policies, standards regelations, cultures and norm to reflect and mitigate new risks. Through analysing reports, regulations, standards, practices, recommendations from government and industry, the researchers analyse security impacts to NextGen; the risk of a cybersecurity incidents; and regulations to identify most effective and efficient control measures over information systems in ATM, and direction to further research.
WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE – A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ISSUES IMPEDING ADOPTION OF AGILE FOR HARDWARE

The objective of this paper is to explore challenges identified for implementation of scrum for hardware development intersect with agile principles found in the literature. A series of comparative analyses are done at the textual level, through logical intersections, and through thematic analysis. It is shown that there are five underlying themes found across two sets of scrum challenges (constraints of physicality and the 13 principles). These five themes include: flexiblity, chunkability, scalability, endurability, and teamability. These five themes further are found related to the defining principles of the agile manifesto. Using this understanding, future efforts will include empirical case study work to determine the impact that these have on application of scrum methods and tools. Additionally, guidelines should be developed to help hardware product engineers in applying scrum.
Designing of PCBM Derivative using Pyridazine Compound for More Efficient Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cell

This paper suggests new derivative for Phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) that can serve as better acceptor material in the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells (OSC). The new derivative (H2-PCBM) is based on the use of heterocyclic compounds Pyridazine, instead of the Phenyl group The use of this heterocyclic compound within the PCBM structure shows a good ability to adjust the PCBM Fermi level, produce more open-circuit voltage (Voc), and get a lower effective mass of the electron. Besides, the new derivative produces higher current than the PCBM when blended with Poly 3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl (P3HT) due to the higher values of electron mobility. The Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations are used in Gaussian 16 software to evaluate the optoelectronic properties for this new derivative. The results show that the BHJ with PCBM, H2-PCBM, can give efficiency of 2.62%, 4.81%, respectively with the Poly 3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl (P3HT) donor material. The higher efficiency is due to the adjusted fermi level for the new derivative that help in producing more voltage and higher mobility, and both help in producing more current and less recombination.
Why Do We Use Race and Gender When Policy Information is Available? A Theory of the Development of Political Categorization Schemes

It is well-known that voters use cues such as a politician's race, gender, or party to infer the politician's positions on various issues, but relatively little is known about what factors influence the use of such cues. Furthermore, what we do know emphasizes individual citizens' traits or features of a given election. In this paper I develop a formal information-processing model based on categorization psychology to investigate the impact of environmental factors such as the balance of male vs. female politicians on the organization of voters' belief systems. There are two central predictions. First, intuitively, people rely more on cues such as gender or party the more correlated they are with policy positions. Second, increased balance between genders, races, or even political parties reduces voters' reliance on these cues. These predictions are borne out by data on House elections from the American National Election Studies Cumulative Data File.
Fields of a horizontal loop antenna over a layered half-space

We obtain an exact solution for a circular wire loop, carrying a non-uniform current, located above a layered half-space The method, while straight-forward, allows for both T.E. and T.M. electromagnetic fields. The T.M. fields would not be present if the current distribution was uniform. As a consequence of the nonuniformity, vertically polarized radio ground waves may be excited and such could be a source of unwanted interference. Such loop sources are employed in geophysical probing schemes and it is suggested that the most desirable configuration would be if the vertical magnetic field is measured at the center of the horizontal loop. The contributions of the higher spatial harmonics of the current in the loop vanishes in this case. On the other hand one may wish to employ such a source loop, lying on the earth's surface, to provide a useable radio ground wave for point-to-point communication over poorly conducting terrain such as in polar regions.
The Uses, Value and Limitations of Game Theoretic Methods in Defence Analysis

An overview of the applications of the theory of games to defence analysis is given. The important distinction is made between those models of conflict which can be adequately modelled as two-person constant-sum games and those which model as non-constant-sum games with two or more players.
Bridging integrator 1 (BIN1) protein expression increases in the Alzheimer's disease brain and correlates with neurofibrillary tangle pathology.

Recent genome wide association studies (GWAS) have implicated bridging integrator 1 (BIN1) as a late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) susceptibility gene. There are at least 15 different known isoforms of BIN1, with many being expressed in the brain including the longest isoform (iso1), which is brain-specific and localizes to axon initial segments and nodes of Ranvier. It is currently unknown what role BIN1 plays in AD. We analyzed BIN1 protein expression from a large number (N = 71) of AD cases and controls from five different brain regions [hippocampus, inferior parietal (IP) cortex, inferior temporal (IT) cortex, frontal cortex (BA9), and superior and middle temporal gyri (SMTG)]. We found that the amount of the largest isoform of BIN1 was significantly reduced in the AD brain compared to age-matched controls, and smaller BIN1 isoforms were significantly increased. Further, BIN1 was significantly correlated with the amount of neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) pathology but not with either diffuse or neuritic plaques, or with the amount of amyloid-β peptide. BIN1 is known to be abnormally expressed in another human disease, myotonic dystrophy, which also features prominent NFT pathology. These data suggest that BIN1 is likely involved in AD as a modulator of NFT pathology, and that this role may extend to other human diseases that feature tau pathology.
SPECTROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES FOR INVESTIGATING THE EFFECT OF GROWING ENVIRONMENT ON ENDOSPERM CELL WALL COMPOSITION

ABSTRACT Advances in the quality of Fourier Transform Infrared detectors have enabled microspectroscopic analyses to be performed on biological samples which combine information on chemical composition with spatial resolution. When combined with multivariate statistical methods, fine differences between spectra can be determined across microscope sections. Novel sample preparation methods have been developed which have allowed the application of these methodologies to the analysis of wheat endosperm cell wall composition. Compositional differences can be identified between lines, particularly in arabinoxylans, which are confined to particular cell types found within the endosperm cell walls. Such cell-dependent changes in composition have not been identified previously due to limitations in conventional chemical analysis and were only possible to observe using these methods. Through the BBSRC's Exploiting Genomics Initiative (A Genomic Approach to Improving Wheat Grain Quality for Breadmaking), these biophysical methods of analysis are being combined with transcriptome and proteomic analysis of developing wheat. These are being used to investigate the effect environmental stress has on gene expression during grain development and subsequent composition and physical properties of the mature grain, which determine wheat end-use quality. Preliminary results indicate that growing conditions affect both the arabinoxylan branching patterns and their spatial distribution across the endosperm. Given that wheat endosperm cell walls are comprised almost entirely of arabinoxylans, it is likely that these changes will have some effect on the mechanical properties of me cell walls which may possibly be related to milling texture.
Effect of increased basicity of activated carbon surface on valeric acid adsorption from aqueous solution activated carbon

Two types of activated carbons of different origins were used to study the adsorption of valeric acid from aqueous solution. Nitrogen-containing basic groups were introduced into the surface by impregnating the initial samples with urea followed by heat treatment at 1223 K. Characterization of the surface was done using the following techniques: Boehm titration, potentiometric titration, thermal analysis and sorption of nitrogen. Valeric acid adsorption isotherms were measured at 333 K and fitted to the Freundlich equation. A direct correlation of the capacity coefficients with both the total number of groups and the volume of micropores smaller than 10 A was found. The amount of valeric acid adsorbed on activated carbons, calculated from the isotherms, showed similar trend. The results obtained from DTG analysis showed that the strongly adsorbed amount of valeric acid per unit surface area increases with an increase in the density of basic groups. On the other hand, the amount adsorbed decreases with an increase in the density of acidic groups on the surface. This is related to attractive/repulsive interactions of adsorbate with surface species.
Updates to the optical alignment and test plan for the James Webb Space Telescope integrated science instrument module

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a 6.6m diameter, segmented, deployable telescope for cryogenic IR space astronomy (~40K). The JWST Observatory architecture includes the Optical Telescope Element (OTE) and the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) element that contains four science instruments (SI) including a Guider. The SIs and Guider are mounted to a composite metering structure with outer dimensions of ~2.2x2.2x1.7m. The SI and Guider units are integrated to the ISIM structure and optically tested at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as an instrument suite using a telescope simulator (Optical telescope element SIMulator; OSIM). OSIM is a high-fidelity, cryogenic JWST telescope simulator that features a ~1.5m diameter powered mirror. The SIs are aligned to the structure's coordinate system under ambient, clean room conditions using optomechanical metrology. OSIM is aligned to the ISIM mechanical coordinate system at the cryogenic operating temperature via internal mechanisms and feedback from alignment sensors in six degrees of freedom. SI performance, including focus, pupil shear, pupil roll, boresight, wavefront error, and image quality, is evaluated at the operating temperature using OSIM. This work updates the assembly and ambient and cryogenic optical alignment, test and verification plan for ISIM.
Properties of singlet molecular oxygen in binary solvent mixtures of different polarity and proticity

Abstract We have measured 1 O 2 lifetimes (τ) and radiative rate constants (kr) for 1 O 2 phosphorescence in a number of binary solvent mixtures with components of water, deuterium oxide, acetonitrile (AN), 1,4-dioxane (D), propylene carbonate (PC), or ethylene carbonate (EC). We have correlated kr and τ with the mixtures' composition, polarizability, polarity and proticity. Our data show that 1 O 2 properties are independent of both solvent polarity and solvent proticity, and confirm that the radiative rate constant kr for 1 O 2 phosphorescence best correlates with solvent polarizability. The prevailing trend is that kr values increase with the increasing polarizability of solvent medium; in 1,4-dioxane mixtures, this increase is almost linear. However, for other solvents the correlation with polarizability is more solvent specific. For example, polarizability remains virtually unchanged over a wide composition range in AN–H2O mixtures, but the kr value increases by almost a factor of 5. In H2O–D2O mixtures, polarizability decreases with increasing D2O concentration while the value of kr increases twofold. This divergence suggests that, besides collision complexes, the interaction of 1 O 2 with these solvents may involve a more specific interaction such as exciplex formation. Such specific interactions are probably responsible for considerable scattering that is usually observed in plots that relate kr values measured in chemically different solvents to macroscopic polarizability. The best way to obtain accurate kr and kd(τ) values for 1 O 2 in mixed solvents is still to measure them experimentally. We present here measured values of kr and τ in a variety of mixed solvents; these values can be helpful in calculating 1 O 2 yields from measurements of steady state phosphorescence.
Cecal Ligation Puncture Procedure

Human sepsis is characterized by a set of systemic reactions in response to intensive and massive infection that failed to be locally contained by the host. Currently, sepsis ranks among the top ten causes of mortality in the USA intensive care units. During sepsis there are two established haemodynamic phases that may overlap. The initial phase (hyperdynamic) is defined as a massive production of proinflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species by macrophages and neutrophils that affects vascular permeability (leading to hypotension), cardiac function and induces metabolic changes culminating in tissue necrosis and organ failure. Consequently, the most common cause of mortality is acute kidney injury. The second phase (hypodynamic) is an anti-inflammatory process involving altered monocyte antigen presentation, decreased lymphocyte proliferation and function and increased apoptosis. This state known as immunosuppression or immune depression sharply increases the risk of nocosomial infections and ultimately, death. The mechanisms of these pathophysiological processes are not well characterized. Because both phases of sepsis may cause irreversible and irreparable damage, it is essential to determine the immunological and physiological status of the patient. This is the main reason why many therapeutic drugs have failed. The same drug given at different stages of sepsis may be therapeutic or otherwise harmful or have no effect. To understand sepsis at various levels it is crucial to have a suitable and comprehensive animal model that reproduces the clinical course of the disease. It is important to characterize the pathophysiological mechanisms occurring during sepsis and control the model conditions for testing potential therapeutic agents. To study the etiology of human sepsis researchers have developed different animal models. The most widely used clinical model is cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The CLP model consists of the perforation of the cecum allowing the release of fecal material into the peritoneal cavity to generate an exacerbated immune response induced by polymicrobial infection. This model fulfills the human condition that is clinically relevant. As in humans, mice that undergo CLP with fluid resuscitation show the first (early) hyperdynamic phase that in time progresses to the second (late) hypodynamic phase. In addition, the cytokine profile is similar to that seen in human sepsis where there is increased lymphocyte apoptosis (reviewed in). Due to the multiple and overlapping mechanisms involved in sepsis, researchers need a suitable sepsis model of controlled severity in order to obtain consistent and reproducible results.
Micron Scale Patterning of Solution-Derived Ceramic Thin Films Directed by Self-Assembled Monolayers

Self assembled monolayers patterned by microcontact printing have been used in conjunction with sol-gel processing to selectively deposit oxide thin films with micron-scale lateral resolution. This simple, three step process allows ambient, lithography-free patterning of oxide thin films for integrated microelectronics, optoelectronics, and sensor applications. A variety of patterned structures, such as capacitors and waveguides, have been fabricated from LiNbO3, Ta2O5, PbTiO3, and BaTiO3 on technologically important substrates, including Si, Al, Pt, sapphire, and TiN. The technique involves functionalization of substrate surfaces by microcontact printing of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Sol-gel precursors are then spin-coated on the SAMs-patterned surfaces and heat treated to deposit 20 nm-300 nm amorphous oxide layers. Oxide on derivatized regions is removed with mild polishing, yielding patterned films with features as small as 5 μm. For example, data are reported for 80-200nm Ta2O5 films to demonstrate the potential applications and mechanisms involved. The effects of sol-gel precursor chemistry, heat treatment, and other processing variables are reported. These results suggest unique potential for microfabrication of ceramic thin films using molecular self assembly and low temperature processing of solution-derived thin films.
Kinetics and mechanism of the autoxidation of pentaerythrityl tetraheptanoate at 180–220°C

A kinetic and mechanistic study of the autoxidation of liquid pentaerythrityl tetraheptanoate (PETH) at 180–220°C has been carried out utilizing a stirred-flow reactor. The results are consistent with the occurrence of a chain reaction scheme similar to that proposed for n-hexadecane autoxidation, namely, the formation of monohydroperoxides by the intermolecular abstraction reaction (3), the formation of α,γ- and α,δ-dihydroperoxides and α,γ- and α,δ-hydroperoxyketones by intramolecular peroxy radical abstraction reactions (4) and (4*), the bimolecular termination of peroxy radicals, reaction (6), and the rapid conversion of α,γ-hydroperoxyketones to the corresponding cleavage acids and methyl ketones, reaction (7). Comparisons of various rate parameters for the n-hexadecane and PETH systems reveal that the values of k7 and (k3/H atom)/(2 k6)1/2 are within experimental uncertainties identical for the two systems at 180°C. The proposed reaction scheme includes the concurrent formation of hydroxy radicals and hydroperoxyketone species. The results of kinetic analysis and the experimentally observed isomer distributions of primary and secondary monohydroperoxide products at high and low oxygen pressures suggest that ≈60% of the hydrogen abstractions from PETH at high oxygen pressures occur by hydroxy radicals.
Carolina Slate Belt: A Review of Thoughts of Its Age and Position in Appalachian Orogene: ABSTRACT

The Carolina slate belt (CSB) is located in the southeastern Appalachian Piedmont, cropping out as a narrow continuous zone extending from central Virginia southwestward to central Georgia. Geologic investigations of the CSB began in the 1820s, shortly after discovery of gold in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. Early workers established the general distribution and character of the CSB relative to adjacent belts, and more recently, mappable units have been delineated. Present interest in the CSB is in part due to recognition of similarities between slate-belt rocks and those associated with sulfide deposits in New Brunswick, and in part to the recent recognition of sedimentary features in the relatively underformed slate-belt rocks. End_Page 1437------------------------------ Early workers in the CSB recognized the volcanic origin of slate-belt rocks, as well as subsequent metamorphic alteration. More recently, the sedimentologic-stratigraphic aspects of the CSB have been investigated. Interpretations of tectono-sedimentary environments have been made, based on petrologic, geochemical, and stratigraphic relationships, in light of the articulation of the concepts of plate tectonics and accreted terranes. Age interpretations of the CSB have been based on degree of metamorphism, radiochronology, and sparse fossil evidence. Age interpretations in the late 1800s and early 1900s suggested a Precambrian age for the CSB. This was modified in the 1960s by the discovery of a purported Middle Cambrian trilobite and a lead-alpha date of 440 to 470 ± 60 Ma. Post-1960s radiometric dates for the CSB range from 705 ± 15 Ma to 511 ± 14 Ma, representing various postdepositional intrusion and cooling events. The discovery of a mid-Cambrian Atlantic province trilobite fauna and upper Precambrian Ediacarian fossils not only unequivocally date the southern part of the CSB, but also support the accreted terrane concept and Euro-African origin of sedimentary units of CSB. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1438------------
A Puzzling Passage in "Why Utility Pleases"

L'A. apporte une correction au texte du chapitre V de la «Recherche sur les principes de la morale» de Hume, consacre a l'utilite. Critiquant la theorie egoiste, Hume fait appel a l'evidence de l'experience et de la nature plutot qu'a l'autorite d'Aristote en matiere de morale.
Selective capture of prostatic basal cells and secretory epithelial cells for proteomic and genomic analysis

Basal cells play an undefined role in signaling the growth and differentiation of normal secretory epithelial cells in the human prostate. Because basal cells disappear during malignant transformation, we hypothesize that loss of basal cell function may have a permissive role in progression of prostate intraepithelial neoplasia into invasive carcinoma. We describe an immuno-laser capture microdissection approach to selectively capture basal cells. Using surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, we identified several protein candidates selectively expressed in microdissected basal cells. We also demonstrate that the RNA derived form this technique is an excellent source for gene-array studies. Thus, we provide evidence that proteomic and microgenomic techniques can be successfully applied to investigate the expression profiles of basal and secretory cells after immuno-capture.
Abdominal Compartment Syndrome: pathophysiology and definitions

"Intra-abdominal hypertension", the presence of elevated intra-abdominal pressure, and "abdominal compartment syndrome", the development of pressure-induced organ-dysfunction and failure, have been increasingly recognized over the past decade as causes of significant morbidity and mortality among critically ill surgical and medical patients. Elevated intra-abdominal pressure can cause significant impairment of cardiac, pulmonary, renal, gastrointestinal, hepatic, and central nervous system function. The significant prognostic value of elevated intra-abdominal pressure has prompted many intensive care units to adopt measurement of this physiologic parameter as a routine vital sign in patients at risk. A thorough understanding of the pathophysiologic implications of elevated intra-abdominal pressure is fundamental to 1) recognizing the presence of intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome, 2) effectively resuscitating patients afflicted by these potentially life-threatening diseases, and 3) preventing the development of intra-abdominal pressure-induced end-organ dysfunction and failure. The currently accepted consensus definitions surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome are presented.
Electro-deoxidation of V 2 O 3 in molten CaCl 2 -NaCl-CaO

The electro-deoxidation of V2O3 precursors was studied. Experiments were carried out with a two-terminal electrochemical cell, which was comprised of a molten electrolyte of CaCl2 and NaCl with additions of CaO, a cathode of compact V2O3, and a graphite anode under the potential of 3.0 V at 1173 K. The phase constitution and composition as well as the morphology of the samples were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). 3 g of V2O3 could be converted to vanadium metal powder within the processing time of 8 h. The kinetic pathway was investigated by analyzing the product phase in samples prepared at different reduction stages. CaO added in the reduction path of V2O3 formed the intermediate product CaV2O4.
Directions for the NSF software engineering and languages program

PITAC, IT, and 50 years of history suggest changes in the way we "do" software engineering research. NSF's Software Engineering and Languages Program plans new emphases in the coming year that intend to help the field progress.
Decade-spanning high-precision terahertz frequency comb.

The generation and detection of a decade-spanning terahertz (THz) frequency comb is reported using two Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser oscillators and asynchronous optical sampling THz time-domain spectroscopy. The comb extends from 0.15 to 2.4 THz, with a tooth spacing of 80 MHz, a linewidth of 3.7 kHz, and a fractional precision of 1.8×10^(−9). With time-domain detection of the comb, we measure three transitions of water vapor at 10 mTorr between 1–2 THz with an average Doppler-limited fractional accuracy of 6.1×10^(−8). Significant improvements in bandwidth, resolution, and sensitivity are possible with existing technologies.
The Influence of Initial Elastic Surface Stresses on Instrumented Sharp Indentation

The present work examines the influence of pre-existing, elastic surface stresses on instrumented sharp indentation. The surface is modeled as a homogeneous and isotropic elastoplastic solid in the context of linear elasticity and Mises plasticity with isotropic strain hardening and associative flow rule. Prior to indentation, a homogeneous, biaxial, elastic stress state may exist in the substrate. The influence of the initial elastic surface stresses on the force-depth response of instrumented sharp indentation tests, such as Vickers and Berkovich, was analyzed. The unique connection of the indentation loading response and the average initial stress is based on a relation of the stresses right under the indenter, which holds universally for nearly incompressible materials.
Carbon in diesel participate matter: Structure, microwave absorption, and oxidation

The structural, microwave absorption, and oxidation characteristics of diesel particulate matter (DPM) collected from a CAT 3304 diesel engine are reported. The x-ray diffraction of DPM yields the characteristic peaks of pregraphitic carbons (cokes and pitches), and its modeling yields d(002) ≍ 3.429 A and a crystallite size of about 20 A. The real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant ∊ = ∊′ + i∊″ are measured at 8.7 GHz using the cavity perturbation technique. The measured values for the DPM are ∊′ = 8.6 ± 1.7 and ∊″ = 7.4 ± 1.5, compared to ∊′ ≍ 1.0 and ∊″ ≍ 6 × 10−5 for the ceramic trap material used for collecting DPM. The oxidation products of the DPM, analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy, are found to contain CO2 and CO with a peak yield occurring around 500 °C. Since microwave power absorption is proportional to ∊″, these results show that selective microwave heating of the DPM in the ceramic traps should be a very efficient process with CO2 and CO as the main oxidation products.
G-signatures and cyclotomic units

Abstract A relationship is studied between the distribution of the signs of certain real units of a cyclotomic field under the different Galois embeddings and the existence of nontrivial restrictions on the G-signature of piecewise linear, locally linear Z n actions.
Dimension reduced kernel estimation for distribution function with incomplete data

This work focuses on the estimation of distribution functions with incomplete data, where the variable of interest Y has ignorable missingness but the covariate X is always observed. When X is high dimensional, parametric approaches to incorporate X—information is encumbered by the risk of model misspecification and nonparametric approaches by the curse of dimensionality. We propose a semiparametric approach, which is developed under a nonparametric kernel regression framework, but with a parametric working index to condense the high dimensional X—information for reduced dimension. This kernel dimension reduction estimator has double robustness to model misspecification and is most efficient if the working index adequately conveys the X—information about the distribution of Y. Numerical studies indicate better performance of the semiparametric estimator over its parametric and nonparametric counterparts. We apply the kernel dimension reduction estimation to an HIV study for the effect of antiretroviral therapy on HIV virologic suppression.
Genetics of behavioral aging: Animal models and the human condition

Animal models have played an important role in elucidating the nature of aging processes in general, and of behavioral aging specifically. Both aging and the behavioral processes of interest in this context are manifestly complex. Recent scholarship focusing on the nature of systems has provided new and varied conceptual schemata for addressing such intricacy. In this report, animal model systems are viewed in relation to some elementary systems notions. Limitations of the prototypical animal model are discussed, with particular emphasis on the implications of gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. These same interactions also provide opportunities. The traditional methods of genetic manipulation and control, combined with the powerful new tools of molecular genetics, and informed by systems considerations, offer broadened research horizons.
Determination of the Optimum Sampling Intervals in Sediment Pore Waters Using the Autocovariance Function

An approach to scaling that has found considerable utility inthe field of physical oceanography is based on theauto-covariance function (ACF). It is demonstrated to alsobe useful in determining the characteristic length scale of thedominant variance of dissolved sulfide and ferrous iron inanoxic pore waters. The method begins with the analysisof a data series in which the measurement sampling intervalis smaller than the expected length scales. A least squarespolynomial fit to the data representing a background field isthen removed from the data series making possible the analysisof the variability superimposed on the background field. Thecharacteristic length scale is then defined as the distancein which the measurements become uncorrelated. This usuallyoccurs at a significance-level or zero-crossing of the ACF.Characteristic lengths obtained for sediments from a varietyof coastal environments are not distinguishable betweensecond and third order polynomial fits with average valuesand standard deviations of, respectively, 7.0 ± 2.7 mm and6.1 ± 2.3 mm. These values are close to the typical burrowdiameter of 7.5 mm used by Aller (1978) in his bioirrigationmodel for sediment diagenesis. These results indicate thatmacrofauna dwelling in the sediment are probably responsiblefor the variability, although in the seagrass meadow rhizomesmay also play a role.
Chronic cytomegalovirus infection, immunodeficiency, and monoclonal gammopathy-antigen-driven malignancy?

An infant with severe combined immunodeficiency had normal numbers of lymphocytes which bore E rosette and surface Ig markers in an appropriate distribution. However, only minimal responsivity to in vitro stimulation by mitogens and allogeneic cells, and none to antigens could be elicited; functional antibody responses were also nil, except to cytomegalovirus. Intrauterine-acquired cytomegalovirus may have caused his immune dysfunction, although the possibility of a postnatal infection cannot be excluded. Therapy with transfer factor and thymus transplantation was unsuccessful in restoring immunity and may have aggravated a pre-existing monoclonal gammopathy. It is possible that the monoclonal protein was derived from B-cells transplacentally received from the patient's mother.
Manifold-based surfaces with boundaries

We present a manifold-based surface construction extending the C^~ construction of Ying and Zorin (2004). Our surfaces allow for piecewise-smooth boundaries and have an improved derivative and visual behavior. Their degree of smoothness can be controlled by the user. Two-flexibility of our surface construction is confirmed numerically for a range of local mesh configurations.
280 INDISTINGUISHABLE TRANSCRIPTIONAL PROFILES BETWEEN IN VIVO- AND IN VITRO-PRODUCED BOVINE FETUSES

During the past several decades, in vitro fertilization (IVF) has been increasingly used in animal production and human infertility treatment. In vitro production (IVP) has been shown to cause reduced developmental competence, aberrant gene expression, and developmental abnormalities. Our objective was to determine how in vitro procedures influence global gene expression during fetal development. To this end, we analyzed the gene expression profiles of liver and placentome tissue samples (n = 18) from IVP and in vivo-derived fetuses at Days 90 and 180 of gestation (n = 5 IVP and n = 4 in vivo-derived pregnancies for each day of gestation). Standard in vitro maturation and fertilization protocols were employed. Putative zygotes were co-cultured with bovine oviductal epithelial cells to the blastocyst stage. In vivo embryos were collected 7 days after AI by nonsurgical uterine flushing. Blastocyst-stage IVP and in vivo embryos were transferred to synchronized recipients and monitored until collection at Day 90 or 180. The pregnancy rate at Day 90 was 12% and 27% for IVP and in vivo pregnancies, respectively (Bertolini et al. 2004 Reproduction 128, 341-354). To conduct expression profiling, total RNA from each tissue sample and a standard reference was indirectly labeled with Cy3 and Cy5, respectively, and hybridized in duplicate to custom, bovine 13 K oligonucleotide microarrays. After Loess normalization, a two-way (origin and day) ANOVA model (GeneSpring 7.3.1) was used to identify differentially expressed genes in each tissue. The P-values were adjusted for multiple comparisons using a 5% false discovery rate (FDR). The expression of 11 candidate genes was confirmed independently by quantitative RT-PCR. Surprisingly, in both the liver and placentome tissues, no differential gene expression was detected between the IVP and in vivo fetuses at Day 90 and 180. This was observed even when the FDR was relaxed to 10% and 20%. A total of 879 genes (523 genes ≥ 1.5-fold) were differentially expressed during liver development from 90 to 180 days of gestation. Conversely, no differential gene expression was detected in the placentomes during this developmental period. Our findings show that during early and mid gestation, surviving IVP fetuses had normal patterns of gene expression. It is possible that embryos with less severe perturbations may survive with their gene expression normalized as development proceeds. Additionally, initial changes in gene expression caused by IVP may affect subsequent development, but do not necessarily persist throughout gestation. Present addresses: L. Jiang, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; S. L. Marjani, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; M. Bertolini, University of Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. This work was supported by USDA grants to X.Y, H.A.L., and X.C T.
Dress and Ethnicity: Change Across Space and Time

Dress and Ethnicity: Change Across Space and Time. JOANNE B. EICHER, ed. Oxford: Berg, 1995. xiv + 316 pp., illustrations, maps, photographs, notes, references, index.
Prograde and Retrograde Equilibria in Garnet-Cordierite Gneisses in South-Central Massachusetts

Partial electron microprobe analyses of garnet, biotite and cordierite in sillimanite-K feldspar gneisses of the Brimfield Formation in south-central Massachusetts indicate that the compositions of these minerals are not constant in a thin section. The FeO/MgO mol ratio of biotite is sensitive to the nature of other FeO-MgO minerals occurring in close proximity. The most iron-rich biotites are those that do not contact either cordierite or garnet. The most iron-poor biotites occur as inclusions in garnet. Biotites in direct contact with either cordierite or garnet have intermediate FeO/MgO ratios. The bulk of a given grain of garnet or cordierite is homogeneous in composition. Chemical zoning is absent. All grains of garnet and cordierite in a thin section are constant in composition. However, where garnet and cordierite abut biotite, the FeO/MgO ratio of the garnet rim is increased and that of cordierite is decreased. The FeO/MgO ratios of garnet, cordierite and biotite bare a regular relation to each other indicating a possible equilibrium state. However the distribution coefficient defined by the compositions of minerals in direct contact are greater than those defined by the compositions of the interiors of garnet and cordierite matched with the compositions of biotites removed from these phases. This pattern is believed to be the result of two thermal events. The first event produced the mineral assemblages and widespread equilibrium was obtained. A subsequent retrograde event left the mineralogy intact but caused cation exchange reactions at immediate contacts between garnet, cordierite and biotite. The physical conditions of the first event are estimated at P=5–6 kb, T=700–750° C. The retrograde event occurred at lower temperatures and very low activities of H2O since no muscovite is developed at microcline-sillimanite contacts.
Petrographic and Ceramic Properties of Pennsylvanian Shales of Illinois

Coal Measures shales, which are widespread in Illinois, are used extensively as a ceramic raw material. Ceramic determinations are given for a large number of shales to illustrate the wide range in their properties. The mineral composition, base-exchange capacity, and textural characteristics are presented for the same shales, and the relation of these characteristics to the ceramic properties of the shales is analyzed.
Elementary excitations and off-diagonal long-range order in double-layer quantum Hall systems

The fractionally charged quasiparticle states are constructed to describe the elementary excitations of double-layer quantum Hall systems. It is shown that the quasiparticle states not only predict correctly the parities of the low-lying energy states as the system away from filling factor 2/(m+n) by adding or removing one flux quantum, but also have fairly large overlaps with them. Right at \ensuremath{\nu}=2/(m+n), we propose quasiexciton (a pair of a positively charged quasiparticle and a negatively charged quasiparticle) states, which have two branches with parities opposite in sign, to describe the collective excitations of the system. The validity of the quasiexciton states, as well as the recently proposed density wave states, is studied. To characterize the peculiar order of the double-layer quantum Hall ground state, we show that Halperin's (mmn) state possesses an off-diagonal long-range order (ODLRO) due to the coherence between (mmn) states with different numbers of electrons. We study the ODLRO of the ground states of a finite system at various layer separations. We find that in a wide range of layer separations the ground state, which has a finite overlap with the (mmn) state, always exhibits the ODLRO, in contrast to what we observe in the case by lowering the short-range pseudopotential, where the ODLRO is suddenly lost at a critical value, accompanied by a vanishing overlap between the ground state and the (mmn) state.
Critical Viewing and Participatory Democracy

Actuellement, les etudes culturelles critiques de l'audience, a travers le langage de « resistance », favorisent des actes politiques consideres souvent comme reactionnaires, evasifs et restrictifs. Le langage de l'« observation critique », tel qu'il est utilise dans les etudes modernes de communication, bien qu'il soit plus general dans son aptitude a reconnaitre que toutes les personnes ont un potentiel a explorer et une abilite a promouvoir la diversite, reste neanmoins tout aussi distant des relations directes de la vie democratique participative, que ne l'est le langage de resistance. Cette recherche propose donc de reajuster le langage de l'observation critique sur les objectifs de la democratie participative, en soulignant que ce sont les qualites de l'observation critique qui contribuent a la realisation et au maintien du pouvoir social dans une democratie
TU‐FF‐A1‐04: Illustrating Manufacturing Variability in Prostate Brachytherapy Seeds Through X‐Ray Spectrometry and Radiochromic Film Measurements

Purpose: To illustrate the effects of manufacturing variability on ionization chamber measurements of a batch of “identical” prostate brachytherapy seeds in terms of emergent spectrum, in‐air anisotropy, and internal distribution of radioactive material. Method and Materials: A batch of six “identical” prostate brachytherapy seeds were calibrated in terms of air‐kerma strength using the Wide‐Angle Free‐Air Chamber (WAFAC) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The seeds were subsequently characterized using a variety of experimental techniques including well‐ionization chamber response, x‐ray spectrometry, and radiochromic‐film contact‐exposure measurements. In‐air anisotropy was quantified by the air‐anisotropy ratio, αs, calculated from x‐ray spectrometry measurements performed with the seed rotated at 90‐degree intervals about an axis perpendicular to the mid‐point of the long axis of the seed. Results: Variations in the internal distribution of radioactivity among the six seeds were observed in optical density profiles through the long axes of the seeds, as measured by radiochromic film. X‐ray emergent spectra showed differences in the admixture of silverfluorescence x‐rays between seeds, which modified the average energy of the spectra and thus the relative response of the well chamber and the WAFAC. Variations in αs affected relative ionization chamber response due to the difference in measurement geometry solid angle between the WAFAC (cone of 8 degree half‐angle) and the well chamber (approximately 4π). Conclusions: The effects of variations in emergent spectra and anisotropy were small enough such that the well‐chamber‐to‐WAFAC response ratio for all but one of the seeds was within the 1.00 % tolerance criterion as recommended by the Calibration Laboratory Accreditation Subcommittee of the AAPM. The “out‐of‐tolerance” seed was shown to have an admixture of silverfluorescence x‐rays in the emergent spectrum significantly different than that of previously calibrated seeds of the same design.