cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physiological aspects of aging

Keistimewaan Israel sebagai bangsa pilihan Tuhan tidaklah membuat hati bangsa ini terpaut dan taat kepada Allah. Israel di masa Perjanjian Lama ternyata sulit melepaskan diri dari keterikatan penyembahan Baal. Hingga akhir masa keruntuhan Kerajaan Israel Utara dan Selatan disertai dengan masa pembuangan Babel membuat praktek penyembahan ilah asing ini perlahan surut secara drastis. Pemahaman mengenai fenomena ini di dalam konteks teologis normatif biasanya melihat penyembahan Baal sebagai dosa yang muncul begitu saja tanpa melihat proses asimilasi dan akulturasi keyakinan Israel. Tetapi pendekatan dari sisi sosioteologisakan membuat pemahaman mengenai fenomena penyembahan Baal di Israel Kuno menjadi lebih jelas. Baal sebagai dewa kesuburan orang Kanaan sudah dikenal luas hingga ke Mesir Kuno terutama di bagian utara. Adopsi Baal sebagai dewa kesuburan memiliki aspek politis bagi Mesir Kuno untuk membangun aliansi dengan bangsa sekitar, selain karena aspek spiritual dalam politeisme yang mereka bangun. Perbudakan Israel di Mesir mempengaruhi pola pikir Israel dan kecenderungan perilaku mereka untuk kompromi terhadap penyembahan ilah asing. Kuatnya budaya asing masuk ke dalam Israel karena proses asimilasi bertahap dari pernikahan hingga puncaknya menjadi dewa nasional orang Israel di zaman Ahab. The excellence of Israel as God's chosen nation does not make the hearts of this nation attached to and obey God. Israel in Old Testament times found it difficult to break away from the idolatry of Baal worship. Until the end of the Kingdoms of Northern and Southern Israel, accompanied by the Babylonian exile, this foreign god-worshiping practice gradually declined drastically. Understanding this phenomenon in a normative theological context usually sees Baal worship as a sin that just arises without seeing the process of assimilation and acculturation of Israeli beliefs. But a socio-theological approach will make the understanding of the phenomenon of Baal worship in Ancient Israel clearer. Baal as the god of fertility of the Canaanites was widely known to Ancient Egypt, especially in the north. The adoption of Baal as a fertility god had a political aspect for Ancient Egyptians to build alliances with surrounding nations, apart from the spiritual aspect of the polytheism they built. Israel's slavery in Egypt influenced the mindset of Israelis and their behavioral tendency to compromise the worship of foreign gods. The strength of foreign culture entered Israel due to the gradual assimilation process from marriage to the climax of becoming the national god of the Israelites in Ahab's day.
Angle-resolved photoemission studies of the valence-band structure of stepped crystal surfaces: Cu(S)-[3(111)×(100)]

Angle-resolved photoemission spectra are reported for the stepped Cu(211) face in the photon-energy range 9< or =h..nu..< or =34 eV. The valence-band (VB) spectra are interpreted in terms of a direct-transition model for bulk photoemission. Determination of VB dispersion relations and assignment of the bands are aided by use of selection rules involving the transmitted-radiation vector potential and several different experimental geometries. The major results are (1) it is possible to determine experimental VB dispersion relations for a lower-symmetry direction such as Cu(211), and (2) VB dispersion relations for stepped Cu(211) show excellent agreement with bulk valence bands interpolated along the (211) direction, uninterrupted by band-gap photoemission, the effects of which are not observed. It is concluded that the unusual structure of the stepped surface does not significantly perturb the bulk electronic structure near the surface in this case.
The sugar moiety of bovine S-antigen.

To obtain insight into the glycoprotein nature of S-antigen (S-Ag), we have investigated the affinity of bovine S-Ag for plant lectins, location of the sugar moiety within the molecule, and incorporation of radiolabelled mannose and glucosamine into S-Ag. It was found (i) that only about 10% of purified S-Ag was bound to concanavalin A (Con A) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) columns, (ii) that both concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin bound chymotryptic peptides derived from the C-terminal half of S-Ag, and (iii) that radiolabelled D-mannose and D-glucosamine were incorporated into S-Ag and the incorporation was inhibited by tunicamycin, an N-glycosylation inhibitor. 14C-Mannose-labelled S-Ag was identified by affinity chromatography on an anti-S-Ag antibody column. These results support the supposition that only a small population of S-Ag is glycosylated (probably in N glycosylated form), and the sugar moiety is located in the C-terminal half of the molecule.
Effects of 11-oxy corticoids on renal excretion of water and electrolytes in force-fed intact rats.

SummaryIn the force-fed intact rat, treatment with small daily doses of cortisone or hydrocortisone or their acetates and Δ1 analogues had slight, if any effects on serum Na and K but augmented urinary excretion of water (urine volume), Na and K, suppressed body weight gain, and caused reduction in adrenal weight. Hydrocortisone acetate and prednisolone were most effective of 10 steroids tested in causing adrenal atrophy. Treatment with 9α-fluorohydrocortisone resulted in marked increase in serum Na, severe decrease in serum potassium, marked loss in body weight, no change in urinary sodium, and mild increases in urinary volume and K. Corticosterone, 11-dehydrocorticosterone, or Δ1,4-pregnadiene-17, 20, 21-triol-3, 11-dione (Δ1 U), in the doses employed, failed to affect water and electrolyte balance. These 3 compounds tended to suppress adrenal weight and, excepting Δ1U, caused slight reduction in body weight gain. In general, renal responses were similar to those found previously in adrenalectomized rats.
Arden of Feversham and Romeo and Juliet : Two Elizabethan experiments in the genre of comedy-suspense

Cet article tente de montrer comment deux pieces de Shakespeare « Romeo et Juliette » et « Arden of Feversham » ont ete considerees a tort comme de simples tragedies en raison de leur fin tragique, alors qu'elles contiennent de nombreux elements de comedie. En fait, l'A. montre, en decrivant le contexte de l'activite theatrale en Angleterre a l'epoque Elizabethaine, qu'il s'agissait pour Shakespeare de renouveler le genre theatral en raison de l'intense concurrence que se livraient les compagnies. Afin d'obtenir les faveurs des theatres et d'un public lasse des themes bibliques, que le puritanisme rendait par ailleurs trop sujets a controverses, ces deux pieces sont representatives d'un gout affiche a l'epoque pour les pieces tirant leur argument de faits d'actualite
A study of the dehydration of tin oxide surface layers

Abstract The hygroscopic nature of polycrystalline tin oxide surfaces has been investigated by studying the hydrated layers formed by exposure of tin oxide films to atmospheric humidity. The subsurface hydrated layers have been characterized using electron energy-loss spectroscopy (ELS) and valence band XPS. These subsurface layers apparently dehydrate in a stepwise fashion proceeding through a hydrogen containing intermediate (possibly Sn 8 O 16 H 2 ) at 500°C and yielding SnO 2 near 600°C. During the dehydration process the near surface region is reduced to SnO.
Inflammatory C-reactive protein and cytokine levels in asymptomatic people with chronic spinal cord injury

Abstract Frost F, Roach MJ, Kushner I, Schreiber P. Inflammatory C-reactive protein and cytokine levels in asymptomatic people with chronic spinal cord injury. Objective To determine the relation between serologic markers of information and clinical characteristics of people with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Academic medical center SCI outpatient clinic. Participants Convenience sample of 37 men with chronic SCI and 10 healthy control subjects. Interventions Not applicable. Main outcome measures Serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Results The following results achieved statistical significance at P less than .05. Asymptomatic chronic SCI patients differed from referent controls with respect to serum CRP levels but not IL-6 or TNF-α. In SCI patients, higher levels of CRP correlated negatively with hemoglobin and albumin levels. A longer time since injury correlated with lower TNF-α values, whereas higher TNF-α levels correlated with higher serum albumin. Pressure ulcers and indwelling urinary catheters were associated with higher mean levels of CRP but not of the cytokines TNF-α and IL-6. Intermittent urinary catheterization was associated with lower levels of CRP when compared with other methods of bladder management. Conclusions Asymptomatic people with long-term SCI, especially those with indwelling urinary catheters, showed serologic evidence of a systemic inflammatory state. There was no evidence of an elevation in proinflammatory cytokines. Detection of an ongoing systemic inflammatory response in apparently healthy people with indwelling urinary catheters and small skin ulcers further supports the aggressive pursuit of catheter-free voiding options and pressure ulcer healing.
Role of the central autonomic nervous system in the hypotension and bradycardia induced by (-)-Δ9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol

(-)-Δ9-trans-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), when given intravenously (2 mg kg−1) to cats, produced marked decreases in blood pressure and heart rate which developed gradually and were of prolonged duration. Cervical spinal transection (C1-C2) abolished these effects whereas surgical removal of neurogenic tone to the myocardium selectively eliminated the bradycardia. Bilateral vagotomy alone did not modify the action of Δ9-THC upon heart rate or blood pressure. Recordings of spontaneous sympathetic outflow in the inferior cardiac nerve indicated a rapid reduction in neural discharge rate after Δ9-THC administration. These observations support the hypothesis that Δ9-THC produces a cardiodecellerator and hypotensive effect by acting at some level within the sympathetic nervous system. Experiments conducted to investigate transmission in the superior cervical and stellate ganglia demonstrated that Δ9-THC did not alter ganglionic function. Also, responses to intravenous isoprenaline and noradrenaline were unchanged which suggested that Δ9-THC did not interact with α- or β- adrenoceptors. The possible action of Δ9-THC on central sympathetic structures was investigated by perfusion of Δ9-THC into the lateral cerebral ventricle. Δ9-THC so administered produced a significant reduction in heart rate without a substantial lowering of blood pressure. Tritiated or 14C-Δ9-THC perfused into the lateral ventricle demonstrated that the amount of radioactive compound passing into the peripheral circulation was insignificant and could not account for the decrease in heart rate. The current data are in agreement with the proposal that Δ9-THC produces cardiovascular alterations by an action on the central nervous system which results in a decrease in sympathetic tone.
Nitrogen form effects on early corn root morphological and anatomical development

Abstract Enhanced NH4 nutrition causes thicker roots (higher g/m root length) than NO3 nutrition. This study examined the underlying anatomy of N‐form altered root morphology. Corn (B73xLH51) was cultured in complete nutrient solutions containing NO3‐ or NH4‐N. Plants were harvested four times between 13 and 20 days after germination. Root lengths were measured and photomicrographs taken of primary and nodal root cross‐sections. Plants grew better under the NH4 regime. This was probably due to controlling acidity in the pH 6.0 to 6.5 range using 2.0 mM MES. The primary root system was 16% thicker under NH4‐N. No difference due to N form in the cross‐sectional area of the primary axis base was detected, suggesting that NH4‐N caused thicker laterals. Cross sectional areas of the first tier nodal roots were 27%‐ and 2nd tier roots 10.5%‐ greater under NH4‐N. Changes in the stelar and cortical regions were proportional in 1st tier nodal roots, but the cortex accounted for most of the NH4‐induced thickening in...
Hamiltonian reduction on the weight lattice

Abstract Quantum hamiltonian reduction for co-adjoint orbits of affine algebras is considered. We investigate in detail new quantum hamiltonian reductions of sl(3) current algebras which yield twisted versions of W 3 (2) . We discuss all possible quantum reductions of sl(3) current algebras in which twisting terms from the Sugawara tensor are specific by vectors on the weight lattice of sl(3). Some comments are also given on sl( n ) ( n ⩾4) cases reduced in a similar way.
An operator method for solving the determining equations for the group analysis of differential equations

A Lie mapping based operator algorithm combined with the method of characteristics is suggested to provide a general and practical way to solve the determining equations for an invariance group of transformation of a set of ordinary differential equations.
Kinetics of bulk and interfacial ionic motion: microscopic bases and limits for the nernst—planck equation applied to membrane systems☆

Abstract Criticisms of, limitations on, and alternatives to the Nernst—Planck equation for ionic transport are outlined in the context of motion into and through liquids, gels, ion-exchanger membranes, ionic crystals and polycrystalline materials, mainly in connection with their use as membranes. The origin of the equation from the point of view of Langevin and Onsager, and contributions of Schlogl provide a basis for discussion of limitations on applications to non-homogeneous materials. The surprising usefulness and wide applicability are demonstrated using correlations for diverse cases including coupled transport, association (ion pairing and clustering), adsorption and concentrated electrolytes. Some microscopic models for the friction coefficient, based on hole theory of liquid transport and vacancy transport in crystals are discussed in terms of atomic properties. These models were picked because they relate easily to the macroscopic Nernst—Planck equation. An attempt to show similarities of transport in liquid, semi-solid and crystalline membranes, and thereby to show why the Nernst—Planck equation seems to apply so widely, may fail to satisfy some specialists. Many complicated and subtle phenomena are discussed tersely and discussions rely on heuristic theories. New material on kinetic boundary conditions, slow ion exchange and ionic overpotential is presented.
Prediction and analysis of survival in advanced Hodgkin's disease☆☆☆

Abstract This report represents a set of analytic studies of patients having stages III-B and IV Hodgkin's disease who were treated with sequential therapy with single agents over a ten-year period. The objectives of these studies were to establish statistical models both for disease characterization and for patient prognosis and to compare survival of historical series with present and future series of patients. We developed a formal coding protocol to assist in reviewing the medical records of 101 patients for the collection of information such as clinical determinants, duration of critical event intervals, and treatment outcomes. The data from each patient's coding protocol were then transferred into a computerized analysis-and-retrieval system. Analysis of survival of 33 patients treated with sequential therapy with single agents revealed a median survival of 25 months for our 14 patients with stage III-B disease, and a median survival of 16 months for our 19 patients with stage IV disease. A general regression analysis model was used to develop a formula for predicting two-year survival from a prior knowledge of several clinical determinats. Currently, similar data on new patients from a randomized clinical trial study involving several hospitals are being collected for purposes of testing the initial findings.
Optimal activity times and habitat choice of moose.

A set of concepts was presented which could be used to model an animal's activity cycle and habitat choice as an optimization process. The model was applied to moose (Alces alces) summer activity and its predictions were consistent with observed feeding times and habitat selections. The optimization model had a goal of maximizing daily feeding time at the least possible energetic cost. This goal was consistent with a foraging strategy that maximized the intake of some nutritional component, i.e. energy, protein, etc. The optimization problem, however, was bounded. Three constraints appeared to limit the goal: body temperature must be maintained within set upper and lower limits, thermal equilibrium must be maintained over an extended period so the activity cycle strategy can be repeated and sufficient time must be spent ruminating.
Practical failure compensation in active phased arrays

A practical failure compensation technique for active phased arrays is presented. It is suitable for real-time applications and is applicable to any distribution of the failures across the array. It is independent of the external signal environment and is capable of achieving substantial performance improvement across broad selectable angular sectors at the expense of some additional performance degradation in other less important sectors.
Effects of KCNQ Channel Modulators on the M-type Potassium Current in Primate Retinal Pigment Epithelium

Recently, we demonstrated the expression of KCNQ1, KCNQ4, and KCNQ5 transcripts in monkey retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and showed that the M-type current in RPE cells is blocked by the specific...
Characterization of human T lymphocytes engineered to express interleukin-15 and herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase.

Abstract Introduction Preclinical studies have demonstrated that tumor-reactive T cells expressing the interleukin (IL)-15 transgene had enhanced activity. Gene therapy strategies using IL-15 should include a safety mechanism in anticipation of possible adverse effects because IL-15 overexpression has been implicated in autoimmune disorders and may be involved in the pathogenesis of some leukemias. We developed a retroviral vector carrying both IL-15 and the herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) suicide gene and characterized its application in the transduction of human T lymphocytes. Methods A retroviral vector carrying IL-15 and HSV-TK genes was optimized for the transduction of human T lymphocytes. IL-15 production was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Thymidine incorporation and cell viability assays were used to assess the efficacy of the HSV-TK suicide gene. Genetically modified tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were assayed for survival after withdrawal from exogenous IL-2. The activity and specificity of retrovirally transduced TILs were assessed using tumor coculture assays. Results Human T cells transduced with the IL-15 HSV-TK vector exhibited thymidine uptake in the absence of exogenous cytokine support and survived in culture for up to 80 d without IL-2. IL-15 HSV-TK–transduced T cells were efficiently killed by ganciclovir at concentrations as low as 0.1 μM. TILs transduced with the IL-15 HSV-TK vector retained specific recognition of HLA-A2+, MART1+ melanomas, even after withdrawal of IL-2. Conclusions Human T lymphocytes genetically modified with the IL-15 HSV-TK retroviral vector retained the ability to recognize tumor antigen while gaining the ability to secrete IL-15 and prolong their own survival. IL-15 HSV-TK–transduced T cells expressed HSV-TK and could be efficiently eliminated by ganciclovir.
The Role of Oral Beclometasone Dipropionate in the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Graft-versus-Host Disease

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation causes significant morbidity and mortality. An important site of GVHD is the gastrointestinal (GI) tract because development of acute GI GVHD is prognostic of overall survival. The standard of care to treat acute GI GVHD is systemic corticosteroids and immunosuppressants; however, the use of these therapies can cause life-threatening opportunistic infections. To limit the adverse effects of systemic immunosuppression, the topically active corticosteroid beclometasone dipropionate has been investigated in case studies and in randomized placebo-controlled trials for the treatment of acute GI GVHD. In this review, we appraise these studies with beclometasone dipropionate, and discuss future randomized studies to clarify the role of beclometasone dipropionate for the treatment and prevention of acute GVHD. At present, more data are required before the addition of beclometasone dipropionate to systemic corticosteroids for the treatment of acute GVHD can be considered the standard of care.
An Interferometric Blood Flow Measurement Technique - A Brief Analysis

An ultrasonic interferometric technique of measuring blood flow with an extravascular probe is presented and analyzed. The difference in phase between pulses of ultrasonic energy transmitted simultaneously from a pair of barium titanate crystals diagonally through the vessel and received by the same pair of crystals is employed as the basic measurement of blood flow velocity. It is shown that the sensitivity is influenced mainly by variability in the internal diameter of the vessel and the zero-flow baseline voltage position is influenced principally by variations in the level of energy reflected from the vessel surfaces. Baseline stability is enhanced by the use of an asymmetrical probe which minimizes the variable reflection components. This measurement technique is currently being employed in long term telemetry implants in which flow measurements have been satisfactorily performed for periods in excess of three months duration.
Efficient Rescue of Recombinant Lassa Virus Reveals the Influence of S Segment Noncoding Regions on Virus Replication and Virulence

Lassa virus (LASV), is a significant cause of severe, often fatal, hemorrhagic fever in humans throughout western Africa, with an estimated 100,000 infections each year. No vaccines are commercially available. We report the development of an efficient reverse genetics system to rescue recombinant LASV and to investigate the contributions of the long 5 and 3 noncoding regions (NCRs) of the S genomic segment to in vitro growth and in vivo virulence. This work demonstrates that deletions of large portions of these NCRs confer an attenuated phenotype and are a first step toward further insights into the high virulence of LASV.
Daniel Bovet: 1957 Nobel Laureate and Developer of Succinylcholine

Abstract While at the Instituto Superiore di Sanita in Rome, Daniel Bovet discovered succinylcholine to be a depolarizing muscle relaxant. He also synthesized gallamine, the first completely artificial curariform drug to be clinically useful. For his work on synthetic analogs of bioactive amines, he was awarded the 1957 Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine. His other important work included contributions to sulfonamide and antihistamine chemistry. His discoveries impacted other works that garnered Nobel Prizes, especially those of Gerhard Domagk, Fritz Lipmann, James W. Black, Gertrude Elion, and George Hitchings.
Bounded-overhead caching for definite-clause theorem proving

In this paper we describe the design of an effective caching mechanism for resource-limited, definite-clause theorem-proving systems. Previous work in adapting caches for theorem proving relies on the use of unlimited-size caches. We show how unlimited-size caches are unsuitable in application contexts where resource-limited theorem provers are used to solve multiple problems from a single problem distribution. We introduce bounded-overhead caches, that is, those caches that contain at most a fixed number of entries and entail a fixed amount of overhead per lookup, and we examine cache design issues for bounded-overhead caches. Finally, we present an empirical evaluation of bounded-overhead cache performance, relying on a specially designed experimental methodology that separates hardware-dependent, implementation-dependent, and domain-dependent effects.
Beating Heart Disease in Diabetes

The elevated blood glucose levels that diabetic patients contend with on a daily basis also predispose them to prematurely developing heart disease. A major cause of heart disease is the formation of fatty lesions (atherosclerotic plaques) that bind to and damage the endothelial layer of blood vessels, eventually blocking them and preventing blood flow. These plaques contain oxidized low-density lipoproteins and peroxidized lipids as well as foamy macrophages and other cells. Glucose-mediated oxidative stress and lipoprotein oxidation may contribute to the premature development of atherosclerosis and heart disease in diabetic patients. Several animal studies have shown that apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) can slow or even prevent the buildup of these lesions in blood vessels, thus protecting against vascular disease. Now, Morgantini et al. demonstrate that an apoA-I mimetic called D-4F interferes with the formation of these plaques in diabetic mice, providing a new approach for preventing heart disease in patients with diabetes. The investigators created an animal model of type I diabetes by treating engineered mice with streptozotocin, a drug that damages the pancreas. One group of these diabetic animals received D-4F in their drinking water for 8 weeks, whereas a control group did not. The animals were then killed, and the size and content of atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta were measured. The authors discovered that D-4F–treated diabetic mice had smaller plaques with a lower lipid content and fewer foamy macrophages than did control mice. Treated animals also showed reduced oxidized fatty acids and arachidonic acid (a fatty acid precursor) in the liver as compared with that of control mice. D-4F mediated these beneficial effects without altering glucose, insulin, or lipoprotein-cholesterol complexes in the plasma. The authors propose that D-4F removes oxidized lipids from lipoproteins in plaques, resulting in reduced tissue inflammation and fewer macrophages migrating into these vascular lesions. Premature heart disease is a leading cause of death among diabetic patients. Thus, apoA-I mimetics may be a welcome addition to the drug armamentarium for slowing or even preventing plaque formation and premature heart disease in individuals with diabetes. C. Morgantini et al ., ApoA-I mimetic peptides prevent atherosclerosis development and reduce plaque inflammation in a mouse model of diabetes. Diabetes 8 September 2010 (10.2337/db10-0844). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2010/09/07/db10-0844.abstract
Can Technological Change Sustain Retirement in an Aging Population

A model of the governmental control of age at retirement uses population age structures, productivity, employment, and money income. The sustainability criterion is a sufficient level of individual money income for all ages. The decision variables are the variable age at retirement and the intensity of technological change. The model is calibrated on real data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics between 1950 and 2005 and uses official U.S. population projections for 2006–2050. The main result is that the extrapolation of current U.S. technological trends can compensate negative demographic trends in the United States without increasing the age at retirement.
Model of Strength Degradation from Hertzian Contact Damage in Tough Ceramics

A model of strength degradation for ceramics subject to damage from contact with hard spheres is developed. Primary attention is focused on tough ceramics with heterogeneous microstructures which deform in a quasi-plastic mode. Brief consideration is also given to ideally brittle ceramics which form classical ring cracks, as a comparative baseline. Strength vs indentation load data from two microstructurally controlled ceramics, silicon nitride and a micaceous glass-ceramic, illustrate distinctive strength degradation responses: in fine-grain (F) form, ideally brittle failure from ring cracks, with abrupt strength loss at the critical load for crack initiation followed by a slow falloff at increasing load; in coarse-grain (C) form, failure from within the quasi-plastic zone, with continuous strength loss beyond a load well above that for the onset of yield, and with even slower falloff. Failure in the latter materials occurs from contact-induced microdamage flaws with two essential elements: an inner closed shear crack with frictional sliding faces (“shear fault”), which forms within the confining compression–shear contact field; an outer annular, kinked crack that initiates at the fault edges (“wing crack”), and that extends in tensile local mode. The critical fault–crack is modeled as a virtual crack, with the residual field from the inner fault stabilizing the net driving force on the outer wing crack during ensuing tensile loading. Finite element modeling is used to evaluate the nonlinear elastic–plastic contact fields, and to provide a relationship between residual shear fault stress and contact load. The model accounts for the essential qualitative and quantitative features of the strength–load data, with provision for catastrophic degradation at high fault densities and extreme loads by microcrack coalescence. The model also contains the ingredients for analysis of contact fatigue, via attrition of the frictional tractions on the residual fault.
Continuum deformation and stability analyses of a steep hillside slope under rainfall infiltration

Rainfall weakens an earth slope in a number of ways. It increases the degree of saturation of the soil, thereby breaking the bonds created by surface tension between the soil particles. When the volume of infiltrating water is large enough to mobilize fluid flow inside the soil matrix, the fluid exerts a downhill frictional drag on the slope, creating a destabilizing effect. When excess fluid can no longer infiltrate the slope due to increased saturation in the soil, it is discharged as a surface runoff and erodes the slope. In this paper, we present a physics-based framework for continuum modeling of a hydrologically driven slope failure similar to what occurred in a steep experimental catchment CB1 near Coos Bay, Oregon. We quantify the rainfall-induced slope deformation and assess the failure potential of the slope using finite element modeling that couples solid deformation with fluid pressure in an unsaturated soil. Results of the studies suggest that for a steep hillside slope underlain by a shallow bedrock similar to the CB1 site, failure would occur by multiple slide blocks with the failure surfaces emerging on the slope face. These results suggest that an infinite slope mechanism would be insufficient to represent the failure kinematics for a slope similar to CB1.
Using crop diversity to manage pest problems: Some California examples

Moderate to large scale California growers (as well as small scale ones) manipulate cropping patterns in a number of ways to reduce pest problems. Crop rotation, which can be defined as diversifying crops over time, is used to manage selected pests, primarily weeds, pathogens, and nematodes. As a substitute for pesticides, crop rotation has been most rewarding in the control of nematodes; sugarbeet cyst and root knot nematode examples are detailed. Some pests that invade fields from nearby areas can be managed by modifying adjacent cropping patterns or practices; Pierce's disease of grapes, sugarbeet yellows and border harvesting of alfalfa are given as examples. Finally, multiple crops can be grown within a single field or orchard. Although this approach is not widely practiced by many California growers, two examples of systems where intercropping has been shown to limit pest numbers without the use of pesticides are described: intercropping of cotton with alfalfa and companion planting oats when seeding alfalfa. These examples show that using crop diversification to manage pests is feasible, but growers must be strongly motivated to make the necessary changes in cropping patterns. Most of the systems that have been widely adopted are those for which few other economically feasible methods were available.
Dryout avoidance control for multi-evaporator vapor compression cycle cooling

Abstract Two-phase cooling systems (e.g., pump-loops, vapor compression cycles) present a promising approach to the cooling of modern high power electronic systems. Such systems can achieve high coefficient of heat transfer but may incur dangerously high temperature when the imposed heat flux exceeds the critical heat flux (CHF). This paper presents a new control strategy that provides robust CHF avoidance in two-phase cooling for multiple evaporators under dynamic heat loads. This approach operates near the CHF to allow reduced coolant flow rates and greater system efficiency compared with the typical, and more conservative, open-loop or worst-case control strategies. The control architecture consists of two loops: an outer loop to determine evaporator mass flow rate demand, and an inner loop to supply and distribute the coolant using system actuators. Each control loop is implemented with feedforward based on static models as well as proportional–integral (PI) feedback controllers, and the decentralized approach allows scalable control design without the need for high fidelity nonlinear dynamic models. Simulations and corresponding experimental controller validations were conducted using a three-evaporator vapor compression cycle (VCC) testbed with transient imposed heat flux. The full closed-loop system is shown to be able to operate near CHF while avoiding CHF under transient heat flux, demonstrating both efficiency and robustness.
Language and Dialect Identification: A survey

Automatic Dialect Identification has attracted researchers in the field of speech signal processing. Dialect can be defined as the language characteristics of a specific community. As such, dialect can be recognized by a speaker's phonemes, pronunciation, and traits such as tonality, loudness, and nasality. Being able to detect dialect accurately helps improve certain applications and services, such as Automatic Speech Recognition, remote access, e-health, e-learning, etc. Hence, working on dialect identification is more challenging than just recognizing a specific language or speech. For that reason, Dialect Identification became an important and attractive research topic. In this paper, we survey work done in dialect identification, i.e., what has been achieved in this area, and then provide an idea of what can be expected within the next few years.
Outcomes of endovascular occlusion and stenting in the treatment of carotid blowout.

Background and purposeCarotid blowout is a life threatening complication of invasive head and neck cancers and their treatments. This is commonly treated with endovascular embolization and carotid stenting. Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we report the immediate clinical results of patients receiving embolization and/or stenting for treatment of carotid blowout associated with head and neck cancer.Materials and methodsUsing the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from the period 2003–2011, we defined carotid blowout patients as those with head and neck malignancies receiving carotid stenting and/or endovascular embolization without open surgery. Outcomes studied included mortality, acute ischemic stroke, hemiplegia/paresis, and other post-operative neurologic complications. Outcomes for the endovascular embolization and carotid stenting group were compared.ResultsA total of 1218 patients underwent endovascular treatment for carotid blowout. Of these, 1080 patients (88.6%) underwent embolization procedures ...
Intravenous drug use is associated with alloimmunization in pregnancy

Background Anecdotal evidence has suggested an association of intravenous drug abuse with alloimmunization; however, published data are limited to case reports. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether women with a history of intravenous drug abuse have an increased risk of alloimmunization. Study Design A retrospective cohort study was performed with the use of data from a single-center blood bank and perinatal database from 2008–2014. Blood bank data were used to identify women with alloimmunization, which was defined as a positive antibody screen in pregnancy not due to naturally occurring antibodies, agglutinins, autoantibodies, or Rh immunoglobulin administration. Intravenous drug abuse was ascertained from a comprehensive database that has captured all drug abuse in pregnancy since 2008. For women who contributed >1 pregnancy to the database, only the most recent pregnancy was included. The rates of alloimmunization among women with a history of intravenous drug abuse and general obstetric populations were calculated and compared. The distribution of alloantibody types, proportion of Rh-group alloantibodies, and patient Rh status were assessed for intravenous and non–intravenous drug abuse–associated alloimmunization. Characteristics and outcomes between intravenous and non–intravenous drug abuse–associated alloimmunization were assessed for women with clinically significant alloantibodies. Results Alloimmunization was more common in women with a history of intravenous drug abuse (11/305 women; 3.6%) compared to women without a history of intravenous drug abuse (288/16,022 women; 1.8%; relative risk, 2.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.11–3.62). Needle-sharing was present in 7 and suspected in 4 women with an intravenous drug abuse history. Among women with a history of intravenous drug abuse, none had a history of transfusion or traditional risk factor for alloimmunization. The distribution of alloantibodies was different between intravenous drug abuse– and non–intravenous drug abuse–associated alloimmunization. Rh group alloantibodies and Rh-negative status were more common in women with a history of intravenous drug abuse. Among Rh-negative women with a history of intravenous drug abuse, 50% of RhD alloimmunization cases occurred in nulliparous women. The rate of multiple alloantibodies was not different between intravenous drug abuse– and non–intravenous drug abuse–associated alloimmunization. Conclusion Maternal history of intravenous drug abuse is associated with an increased risk of alloimmunization. Approximately 1 in 30 intravenous drug abuse women may be diagnosed with an alloantibody in pregnancy. Given the current US opioid epidemic, increased vigilance in screening is required. Needle-sharing represents a possible mechanism for intravenous drug abuse–associated alloimmunization; however, limited obstetric care, failure to obtain Rh immunoglobulin, or failure to identify early pregnancy loss cannot be excluded.
How online reviews create social network value: the role of feedback versus individual motivation

Online reviews, like those compiled at Yelp, Amazon, Epinions and Tripadvisor, allow consumers to create social network value for other consumers, and to influence the success or failure of reviewed businesses. These reviews, produced without compensation, are a prominent example of how new social media have altered the challenges facing strategic marketing. Although the production of online reviews has exploded, little is known about what motivates ordinary consumers to produce reviews. We surveyed Yelp review writers, and then compiled an archive of Yelp restaurant reviews and the feedback received on those reviews. This data-set enabled a longitudinal analysis of the role of feedback as an external motivation for review production. Although receiving positive feedback increases the probability that a novice reviewer will continue to produce reviews, such feedback had no detectable effect on the productivity of established reviewers. Results point to an emerging segment of consumers who have a need to p...
Synthesis and Structures of Tridentate Ketoiminate Zinc Complexes That Act As l-Lactide Ring-Opening Polymerization Catalysts

A series of NNO tridentate Schiff base ligands were used to prepare zinc amide and zinc phenoxide complexes that were shown to be efficient l-lactide ring-opening polymerization (ROP) catalysts. The complexes were prepared from ketoimines bearing a pendant quinoline donor, zinc bis(trimethylsilyl)amide, and 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol. They were characterized with 1H and 13C NMR, absorbance spectroscopy, microanalysis, and X-ray crystallography. The zinc amide and zinc phenoxide structures showed mononuclear complexes with tridentate coordination by the ketoiminate ligands. ROP of l-lactide with the zinc amides and phenoxide complexes gave isotactic poly-l-lactide with generally low molecular weight distributions. As compared to their amide counterparts, the zinc phenoxide complexes showed superior lactide ROP behavior in terms of percent conversion as a function of time, measured molecular weights closer to the predicted values, and lower polydispersity index values. Increasing size of the substituent at the...
O04.5 Comparison of the Clinical and Demographic Characteristics of Neonatal Herpes Infections Caused by Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and Type 2; Findings from a Population-Based Surveillance System, 2006–2012

Background The epidemiology of neonatal herpes infection (nHSV) is changing as herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is an increasingly common cause of genital herpes. Few sources of population-based data for nHSV exist; nHSV has been a notifiable disease in New York City (NYC) since 2006. Methods To compare the clinical and demographic characteristics of nHSV due to HSV-1 and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), we used standard case investigation forms to abstract infant inpatient/outpatient medical records, and maternal labour and delivery records for babies ≤ 60 days of age diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed herpes infection and reported in NYC during 2006–2012. Disease syndromes were grouped as invasive (disseminated/central nervous system infection/death) versus localised (skin/eye/mucous membrane infection,). Cases lacking liver function test results, or lumbar puncture were excluded from analyses of disease syndrome. Bivariate analyses compared clinical and demographic characteristics by viral type. Results There were 91 cases reported (HSV-1, 40; HSV-2, 36; untyped, 15). Among 76 cases with viral typing, the majority (53%; 40/76) were HSV-1. There were no statistically significant differences by viral type for any variables examined: age ≤ 7 days at presentation (HSV-1, 59% versus HSV-2, 41%), fever (HSV-1, 38% versus HSV-2, 46%), vesicles (HSV-1, 46% versus HSV-2, 53%), invasive disease (HSV-1, 53% versus HSV-2, 70%), case fatality rate (HSV-1, 18% versus HSV-2, 19%), maternal history of genital herpes (HSV-1, 20% versus HSV-2, 20%), maternal genital lesions at delivery (HSV-1, 8% versus HSV-2, 3%), vaginal delivery (HSV-1, 69% versus HSV-2, 61%), white non-Hispanic maternal race/ethnicity (HSV-1, 26% versus HSV-2, 12%), maternal age Conclusions Neonatal herpes infections due to HSV-1 and HSV-2 have a similar presentation, and death rate. To prevent nHSV, candidate HSV vaccines will need to protect against HSV-1, as well as HSV-2 infection in women.
When Unity Is Torn Asunder: The Distressing Case of Thomas and Lucia Holman

Missionaries pose problems from a historical, social, and even religious perspective. They are the ground troops in a multifaceted war for souls. They carry the banner of a particular type of European or American culture, a conviction that their interpretation of God and the millennium is the only correct one, and a fanatical opposition to other points of view, be they religious, economic, military, or political. At first glance historians and anthropologists have found them to be cardboard figures with facades that reflect the bias of the viewer. Missionaries are imperialists of varying hues; they are the destroyers of indigenous culture; they are the best of a bad lot during the early contact years; they are stiff-necked, corrupt, dedicated; adventurers in sheep’s clothing. One thing they are not is representativ e of human foibles in the nineteenth century. On second glance we often are able to construct a theory to justify our respective views. 1 I suggest we take yet a third glance to determine who the missionaries were as human beings, their goals and misgivings, their fears and their faith. Such a look will not alter the result of their activities; it will not justify the disruption of indigenous cultures, but it may provide the historian, the anthropologist, the religious apologist with the reality of what the missionaries thought they were doing at the time they were doing it. An event in the first year of missionary activity in Hawai‘i provides such a portrait. An account of it is presented here with the goal of illuminating the aspirations of the pioneer company (1820) to those islands
Heterogeneous Convective Weather Forecast Translation into Airspace Permeability with Prediction Intervals

The translation of convective weather information into capacity metrics such as airspace permeability or flow rate is important for more effective air traffic management. Also important is understanding and conveying the uncertainty in future convective weather forecasts. Although some prior methods compute a confidence score, they do not translate the varying skills of different forecasts directly into uncertainty in the capacity metric itself. This paper describes a supervised machine learning approach leveraging multiple heterogeneous weather sources to forecast permeability, including prediction intervals to help guide the selection of appropriate traffic management initiatives. Computed permeability metrics are compared to observed traffic flow rates in 57 regions in the United States over 122 case days, and they are found to correlate well in high-demand airspace. The flight-path length through the impacted region, which is a partial surrogate for workload, also correlates well with permeability. Fe...
Sexual selection and hermaphroditic organisms: Testing theory

Sexual selection is widespread if not ubiquitous in hermaphroditic organisms. Although many phenomena that have been described as sexual selection in gonochores, (e.g. harem polygamy, multiple mating, elaborate courtship, even secondary sexual characters) can be found in some hermaphrodites, what is more interesting is the ways in which sexual selection in her- maphrodites may differ from dioecious taxa. In hermaphrodites, an individual's mating success includes its success from both sexual roles. Secondly, in many simultaneously hermaphroditic taxa there is strong evidence of sexual selection and yet the ope- rational sex ratio is 1:1, by definition. Many simultaneous hermaphrodites have elaborate courtship and genital anatomy, suggest- ing sexual selection plays an important role in reproductive success. Sperm competition and cryptic female choice mean that the number of mates acquired is not necessarily a predictor of reproductive success. Even in simultaneous hermaphrodites with re- ciprocal mating, variance in reproductive success through the male role and through the female role may differ in a population. Moreover hermaphrodites may choose to emphasize one sexual role over the other. Data suggest that the preferred role varies in hermaphrodites, which creates an opportunity to test fundamental predictions and assumptions of sexual selection theory. Her- maphrodites may vary their emphasis on one sexual role over the other either developmentally or behaviorally in response to en- vironmental or social parameters. How they use this capability in acquiring more or higher quality mates still requires study (Current Zoology 59 (4): 579-588, 2013).