cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The formation of crystalline needles of rutile by flux evaporation

In searching for a high-temperature (>700 °C liquid medium in which titanium oxycompounds could be dissolved for effecting subsequent reactions, a promising candidate appeared to be the flux Na20. 3K20.5B203, used by Kajiwara to prepare potassium titante fibres [1]. Kajiwara reported that a mixture with a weight ratio of flux/K2Ti6013 = 1.3, heated to 1050 °C, produced a glass that remained in that state even after approximately 15 wt% had been lost by evaporation [1]. Tests were made to establish the limits of solubility of TiO2, a representative compound, in fluxes composed of aNa20"bK20.cB203 at temperatures near 1000 °C. The composition of the fluxes was varied by manipulating the ratio of the initial reagents and by evaporation of some of the components at high temperature. It was found that although the solids crystallizing out of the flux had high aspect (length/diameter) ratios, their composition was dependent on the initial composition of the flux. Crystalline needles of K2Ti6013 and TiO2, rutile, were obtained. The preparation of crystalline needles of rutile is emphasized below. The sources of boron oxide used, H3BO 3 and Na2B4OT.10H20, were heated at 1000-1100 °C to constant weight before the addition of other reagents. The NazCO3, K2CO3-1.5H20 and TiO 2 were of analytical grade purity. K2Ti2Os, K2Ti409 and K2Ti6013 were prepared by methods described previously [2]. The reagents were contained in platinum, heated in air (to 1100-1200°C) and quenched in water. The resultant phases were examined visually to determine whether they consist of a single colourless transparent glass phase or two or more phases that included white or yellow opaque solids. All of the phases were additionally examined by Raman spectroscopy. The colourless glasses, which in general exhibited low viscosity at temperatures near 900 °C, were subsequently heated further, either at higher temperature (1350 °C) or for longer times at 1100-1200°C, in order to volatilize some of their components and cause crystallization of the remaining liquid. The solids resulting from the thermal treatments were extracted with hot water to remove B20 3 and alkali-
Design of a biochemical circuit motif for learning linear functions.

Learning and adaptive behaviour are fundamental biological processes. A key goal in the field of bioengineering is to develop biochemical circuit architectures with the ability to adapt to dynamic chemical environments. Here, we present a novel design for a biomolecular circuit capable of supervised learning of linear functions, using a model based on chemical reactions catalysed by DNAzymes. To achieve this, we propose a novel mechanism of maintaining and modifying internal state in biochemical systems, thereby advancing the state of the art in biomolecular circuit architecture. We use simulations to demonstrate that the circuit is capable of learning behaviour and assess its asymptotic learning performance, scalability and robustness to noise. Such circuits show great potential for building autonomous in vivo nanomedical devices. While such a biochemical system can tell us a great deal about the fundamentals of learning in living systems and may have broad applications in biomedicine (e.g. autonomous and adaptive drugs), it also offers some intriguing challenges and surprising behaviours from a machine learning perspective.
Spatial Heterogeneity in Spillover Effects of Assisted and Unassisted Rental Housing

Three new contributions are added to the literature on subsidized rental housing impacts on nearby property values: (1) a primary focus on the spatial heterogeneity of these effects that warrants c...
Cervico-ocular reflex in normal subjects and patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction

Objective To determine whether the cervico-ocular reflex contributes to gaze stability in patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction. Study design Prospective study. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients Patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction (n = 3) before and after vestibular rehabilitation and healthy subjects (n = 7). Interventions Vestibular rehabilitation. Main outcome measures We measured the cervico-ocular reflex in patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction before and after vestibular rehabilitation and in healthy subjects. To measure the cervico-ocular reflex, we recorded eye movements with a scleral search coil while the trunk moved at 0.3, 1.0, and 1.5 Hz beneath a stabilized head. To determine whether the head was truly stabilized, we measured head movement using a search coil. Results We found no evidence of cervico-ocular reflex in any of the seven healthy subjects or in two of the patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction. In one patient with chronic unilateral vestibular hypofunction, the cervico-ocular reflex was present before vestibular rehabilitation only for leftward trunk rotation (relative head rotation toward the intact side). After 5 weeks of placebo exercises, there was no change in the cervico-ocular reflex. After an additional 5 weeks that included vestibular exercises, cervico-ocular reflex gain for leftward trunk rotation had increased threefold. In addition, there was now evidence of a cervico-ocular reflex for rightward trunk rotation, potentially compensating for the vestibular deficit. Conclusion The cervico-ocular reflex appears to be a highly inconsistent mechanism. The change of the cervico-ocular reflex in one patient after vestibular exercises suggests that the cervico-ocular reflex may be adaptable in some patients.
Premature Reduction and Cessation of Driving: Preliminary Study of Women Who Choose Not To Drive or To Drive Infrequently

Some senior women prematurely stop or markedly reduce their driving. Although not restricted by medical or financial limitations, they drive infrequently or not at all. Through focus groups, a sample of these women were asked why they limit their driving, how they feel about their current mobility, and whether they have considered a future when they might need to drive more. On-road driving evaluations assessed their driving abilities. This research suggests that some of these senior women want to drive more and can do so capably. On-road assessments and refresher lessons may be effective interventions for them.
A new approach to the synthesis of cis-hydroazulenes

Abstract A 2-substituted dihydrotropone is converted into a cis -hydroazulene intermediate via a novel Lewis acid catalyzed olefin cyclization.
Congenital subglottic fibromatosis.

Benign tracheal tumours are uncommon in adults and rare in children. According to several extensive reviews, fibromas are the second most common benign tumour to occur in the trachea. (Gilbert et al. , 1949, 1953). In our review of the literature, 197 adult cases of fibromas have been reported and 23 in children. However only one previous report of a congenital subglottic fibroma exists. (Tsui and Lore 1975). No previous case with a late onset vocal cord palsy has been reported.
Electronic and vibrational properties of defective transition metal dichalcogenide Haeckelites: new 2D semi-metallic systems

The electronic properties of monolayered Haeckelites constructed from transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) such as MoS2, WS2, WSe2 and MoSe2, have been studied by first principles calculations. It was found that monolayered Haeckelites exhibit a semi-metalic behavior, whereas the traditional monolayered TMDs show a direct band gap, which is characteristic of semiconducting TMDs. Furthermore, metallic TMD monolayers of NbS2 or NbSe2 transform into direct and indirect gap semiconductors, respectively when arranged into Haeckelite geometries. The vibrational properties and Raman spectra of NbS2 Haeckelites were also calculated.
Block-wise motion detection using compressive imaging system

Abstract A block-wise motion detection strategy based on compressive imaging, also referred to as feature-specific imaging (FSI), is described in this work. A mixture of Gaussian distributions is used to model the background in a scene. Motion is detected in individual object blocks using feature measurements. Gabor, Hadamard binary and random binary features are studied. Performance of motion detection methods using pixel-wise measurements is analyzed and serves as a baseline for comparison with motion detection techniques based on compressive imaging. ROC (Receiver Operation Characteristic) curves and AUC (Area Under Curve) metrics are used to quantify the algorithm performance. Because a FSI system yields a larger measurement SNR(Signal-to-Noise Ratio) than a traditional system, motion detection methods based on the FSI system have better performance. We show that motion detection algorithms using Hadamard and random binary features in a FSI system yields AUC values of 0.978 and 0.969 respectively. The pixel-based methods are only able to achieve a lower AUC value of 0.627.
Immunomodulatory Effects of Aged Garlic Extract

Using various kinds of models, we examined the effects of aged garlic extract (AGE) on immune functions. In the immunoglobulin (Ig)E-mediated allergic mouse model, AGE significantly decreased the antigen-specific ear swelling induced by picryl chloride ointment to the ear and intravenous administration of antitrinitrophenyl antibody. In the transplanted carcinoma cell model, AGE significantly inhibited the growth of Sarcoma-180 (allogenic) and LL/2 lung carcinoma (syngenic) cells transplanted into mice. Concomitantly, increases in natural killer (NK) and killer activities of spleen cells were observed in Sarcoma-180--bearing mice administered AGE. In the psychological stress model, AGE significantly prevented the decrease in spleen weight and restored the reduction of anti-SRBC hemolytic plaque-forming cells caused by the electrical stress. These studies strongly suggest that AGE could be a promising candidate as an immune modifier, which maintains the homeostasis of immune functions; further studies are warranted to determine when it is most beneficial.
Exploration of the Dynamical Evolution and the Associated Energetics of Water Nanoclusters Formed in a Hydrophobic Solvent

Exploration of the intermolecular binding energy in nanometer-sized small water clusters in hydrophobic solvents and its evolution with the increase in the cluster size until bulk-type geometry is reached constitute a fascinating area of research in contemporary chemical/biological physics. In this contribution we have used femtosecond/picosecond-resolved solvation dynamics and fluorescence anisotropy techniques to explore the dynamical evolution of water clusters in dioxane continuum as a function of water concentration. We have also used temperature dependent picosecond-resolved solvation dynamics in order to explore the magnitude of the intermolecular bonding energy in the water clusters in bulk dioxane.
Analysis of the Deuteron Distribution Emerging from the FMIT RFQ

Knowledge of the properties of the input beam is necessary for evaluating losses in a drift-tube linac (DTL). The FMIT (Fusion Materials Irradiation Test Facility) accelerator will use a Radio-Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) structure as the first accelerator stage that feeds a drift-tube section. As the first step in evaluating beam spill in the drift-tube section and output transport, we studied the properties of the beam exiting the RFQ. An RFQ, because of its electric-field focusing, allows particles of any energy to pass through its structure. Thus, its output is essentially different from the output of an accelerator that uses strong focusing magnets. The study presents surfaces giving the number of particles as a function of position in various planes of phase space. Two PARMILA codes were used: a standard longitudinal position dependent code, and a time dependent code. The codes give slightly different answers.
Chicano youth gangs and crime: the creation of a moral panic

The relationship between Chicano gangs, crime, the police, and the Chicano community is complex. Neither the ‘problem’ of youth gangs nor the specialized police units created to cope with this problem arises in a social vacuum. Rather, both emerge from a particular historical structuring of social, economic, and political relations. This paper investigates how and why a ‘moral panic’ arose concerning Chicano youth gangs in Phoenix in the late 1970s and early 1980s. A variety of qualitative and quantitative data from media reports, interviews, and juvenile court records are used to assess whether it was the actual behavior of Chicano youths or the social imagery surrounding them that formed the basis for the ‘gang problem’ in Phoenix. I suggest that the image of gangs, and especially of Chicano gangs, as violent converged with that of Mexicans and Chicanos as ‘different’ to create the threat of disorder. In addition, it was in the interests of the police department to discover the ‘gang problem’ and build an even greater sense of threat so as to acquire federal funding of a specialized unit.
Performance analysis of axial fans in unitary air-conditioning systems

The design and performance analysis of axial fan blades in unitary air conditioning systems are investigated numerically. The effect of propeller diameter, number of blades and blade pitch (angle of attack) on the air flow rate, static pressure rise and static efficiency are examined by solving the full three-dimensional flow equations across the fan blade. The tested configurations included 18" [46 cm] to 24" [61 cm] propeller diameters, 2 to 4 blade propellers, and a pitch range of 25 to 35 degree. It was found that peak static efficiency was highest in the pitch range of 40 to 45 degree. The static efficiency decreased with the increase in number of blades. The static efficiency was insensitive to the propeller diameter, resulting in a flat curve in the range of the tested diameters. The increase in propeller diameter had the most pronounced effect in increasing the air flow rate. The increase in blade pitch, in the optimum pitch range, delivered the maximum increase in the static pressure rise. The results show that the best performance of the propeller occurs at the maximum possible diameter, within the physical constraint of the unit, using the least number of blades at the optimum pitch range.
The Pathogenesis of Porcine Rectal Stricture: I. The Naturally Occurring Disease and Its Association with Salmonellosis

Rectal stricture occurred in each of 23 pigs submitted for necropsy from eight Indiana farms. Each stricture was an annular cicatrization of the rectal wall, 2.0-5.0 cm anterior to the anorectal junction. Emaciation, colonic dilatation and compression atrophy of abdominal and thoracic viscera were a result of chronic obstipation and inanition. Most pigs with strictures had severe enteric disease 4-8 weeks before the strictures occurred. Salmonella typhimurium was isolated from seven of the eight groups of pigs examined. Ulcerative proctitis, a possible precursor of rectal stricture, was frequently in pigs with enterocolitis caused by S. typhimurium.
Prenatal attitudes and parity predict selection into a U.S. child health program: A short report

Abstract Public policies are a determinant of child health disparities; sound evaluation of these programs is essential for good governance. It is impossible in most countries to randomize assignment into child health programs that directly offer benefits. In the absence of this, researchers face the threat of selection bias—the idea that there are innate, immeasurable differences between those who take-up treatment and those who don't. In the field of Program Evaluation we are most concerned with the differences between the eligible people who take-up a program and the eligible people who choose not to enroll. Using a case study of a large U.S. nutrition program, this report illustrates how the perceived benefits of participation may affect the decision to take-up a program. In turn, this highlights sources of potential selection bias. Using data from a longitudinal study of mothers and infants conducted between May and December of 2005, I show that attitudes and beliefs prenatally toward breastfeeding determine enrollment in a U.S nutrition program that offers free Infant Formula. I also find that the significance of the selection bias differs by parity. Analysis reveals that maternal attitudinal responses are more highly predictive of future behavior, compared to standard demographic variables. In sum, this paper makes a case for rigorously understanding the factors that determine take-up of a program and how those factors can modify the results of a program evaluation.
Hepatitis C Virus-Encoded Enzymatic Activities and Conserved RNA Elements in the 3′ Nontranslated Region Are Essential for Virus Replication In Vivo

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a widespread major human health concern. Significant obstacles in the study of this virus include the absence of a reliable tissue culture system and a small-animal model. Recently, we constructed full-length HCV cDNA clones and successfully initiated HCV infection in two chimpanzees by intrahepatic injection of in vitro-transcribed RNA (A. A. Kolykhalov et al., Science 277:570-574, 1997). In order to validate potential targets for development of anti-HCV therapeutics, we constructed six mutant derivatives of this prototype infectious clone. Four clones contained point mutations ablating the activity of the NS2-3 protease, the NS3-4A serine protease, the NS3 NTPase/helicase, and the NS5B polymerase. Two additional clones contained deletions encompassing all or part of the highly conserved 98-base sequence at the 3' terminus of the HCV genome RNA. The RNA transcript from each of the six clones was injected intrahepatically into a chimpanzee. No signs of HCV infection were detected in the 8 months following the injection. Inoculation of the same animal with nonmutant RNA transcripts resulted in productive HCV infection, as evidenced by viremia, elevated serum alanine aminotransferase, and HCV-specific seroconversion. These data suggest that these four HCV-encoded enzymatic activities and the conserved 3' terminal RNA element are essential for productive replication in vivo.
Stimulation of arachidonic acid release and prostaglandin synthesis by bryostatin 1

The mechanism of tumor promotion may involve stimulation of prostaglandin production. Previous studies with the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) have identified two effects of TPA on prostaglandin production. TPA stimulates both arachidonic acid release and de novo synthesis of prostaglandin H synthase. Activation of protein kinase C by TPA appears to be part of the mechanism to cause arachidonic acid release. However, it is unclear if induction of prostaglandin H synthase also involves activation of protein kinase C. Bryostatin 1 is known to activate protein kinase C and to mimic some of the effects of TPA. We compared bryostatin 1 with TPA for the ability to cause arachidonic acid release and induce synthesis of prostaglandin H synthase. Bryostatin 1 induced arachidonic acid release and caused some prostaglandin production but only marginally induced synthesis of prostaglandin H synthase. Furthermore, we found that bryostatin 1 could inhibit the effect of TPA both in stimulation of arachidonic acid release and in the induction of prostaglandin H synthase.
The use of natural shelter by Red deer (Cervus elaphus) in relation to weather in North-east Scotland

The use of natural shelter in relation to weather by Red deer on open moorland is described. Most shelter-seeking behaviour in winter was associated with the chilling effects of wind. Although deer sheltered from both wind speed and temperature individually, the combined effect of these (i.e. “windchill”) was likely to be most important. The most important individual factor was wind. In winter, resting deer sheltered from the wind by lying on lee slopes, in long vegetation, on dry ground and in places with small amounts of geomorphic shelter; they sought very sheltered places only during blizzards. Deer were found in more shelter as windchill increased, and did not appear to seek constant conditions from day to day. They put up with worse conditions when feeding than when resting. On summer days with high temperatures and strong sun, deer were seen standing when at rest, and were found in the shade, and on wet or bare ground; they also lay in the wind, bathed in water or stood on patches of old snow.
High school teachers’ perspectives on the English language arts Common Core State Standards: an exploratory study

This was an exploratory study that examined high school teachers’ perspectives about their early experiences with the English language arts Common Core State Standards. The sources of data for the study included a survey and structured interviews. Twenty-three high school ELA teachers from one unified school district in Southern California participated in the study. The findings suggested that the teachers wanted to acquire more knowledge about many aspects of the CCSS for ELA. In addition, they perceived that their professional development and curricula materials were inadequate to meet the high standards set in the CCSS. Also, the teachers perceived that they were not ready to teach the ELA CCSS even though they believed that the standards would help students have satisfying personal and professional lives. The implications were discussed, including the need for schools to provide ongoing, high-quality professional development, and research-based, aligned curricula materials for high school ELA teachers. In addition, California and school districts have to make adequate financial investment to support implementation of the CCSS.
Thymic emigration - a reply

68-71 12 Kelly, K.A. and Scollay, R. (1990) Int. Immunol. 2, 419-425 13 Tough, D.E and Sprent, J. (1994) J. Exp. Med. 179, 1127-1135 14 Matsuyama, M., Margaret, M.B., Wiadrowski, N. and Metcalf, D. (1966) J. Exp. Med. 123, 559-576 15 Kelly, K.A., Pircher, H., von Boehmer, H., Davis, M.M. and Scollay, R. (1993) Eur. J. Immunol. 23, 1922-1928 16 Ceredig, R. (1990) Int. Immunol. 2, 859-867 17 Surh, C.D. and Sprent, J. (1994) Nature 372, 100-103 18 Kelly, K. and Scollay, R. (1991) Eur. J. Immunol. 21, 43-47 19 Scollay, R. and Shortman, K. (1984) Am. J. Anat. 170, 331-338 20 Bendelac, A., Killeen, N., Littman, D.R. and Schwartz, R.H. (1994) Science 263, 1774-1778 21 Arase, H., Arase, N., Nakagawa, K., Good, R.A. and Ono~, K. (1993) Eur. J. Immunol. 23, 307-310
Beyond system internals: expanding the scope of Living Systems Theory

Social systems theory has long focused primarily on the internal relations of systems. There was initially very good reason for this, as it was necessary to spell out the inner workings of a social system in detail in order to understand it. Now, however, as noted by Luhmann, it is time to move beyond internals, to an analysis of system-external relations. Miller's Living Systems Theory is used to illustrate the early emphasis not only on system internals, but on vertical relations as well. The next logical (and sorely needed) step is to analyze simultaneously not only internal links within a given social system, but also external links between two or more systems. The basic typology for this endeavor is a fourfold model of links: (1) internal–vertical; (2) internal–horizontal; (3) external–horizontal; and (4) external–vertical. The four types of links are listed in the order that they have been previously recognized. Thus, while internal–vertical links were recognized in the part–whole analysis of classical functionalism, external–vertical links remain virtually invisible in social systems theory. The increasing number and rapidity of interactions between social systems, particularly electronic information and money flows, assure that social systems theorists cannot continue to neglect such links if they wish to claim contemporary relevance for their work. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predicting future functional status for seriously ill hospitalized adults. The SUPPORT prognostic model

Objective: To develop a model estimating the probability of an adult patient having severe functional limitations 2 months after being hospitalized with one of nine serious illnesses. Design: Prosp...
Effects of intermittent parathyroid hormone treatment on osteoprogenitor cells in postmenopausal women.

Intermittent parathyroid hormone (PTH) 1–34 treatment stimulates bone formation, but the molecular mechanisms mediating this effect have not been previously studied in humans. Thus, we used magnetic activated cell sorting to isolate hematopoietic lineage negative (lin−)/alkaline phosphatase positive (AP+) osteoprogenitor cells from bone marrow of 20 postmenopausal women treated with PTH (1–34) for 14 days and 19 control subjects. Serum PINP and CTX increased in PTH-treated subjects (by 97% and 30%, respectively, P < 0.001). Bone marrow lin−/AP+ cells from PTH-treated subjects showed an increase in the RANKL/OPG mRNA ratio (by 7.5-fold, P = 0.011) and in the mRNAs for c-fos (a known PTH-responsive gene, by 42%, P = 0.035) and VEGF-C (by 57%, P = 0.046). Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA, testing for changes in pre-specified pathways) demonstrated that PTH had no effect on osteoblast proliferation, apoptosis, or differentiation markers. However, PTH treatment resulted in a significant decrease (GSEA P-value, 0.005) in a panel of BMP target genes in the lin−/AP+ cells. Our findings thus identify several future directions for studying mechanisms of PTH action in humans. First, given the increasing evidence that PTH induces angiogenesis, the role of increased VEGF-C production by bone marrow osteoprogenitor cells in mediating this effect and the anabolic response to PTH warrants further study. Second, while the observed inhibition of BMP target gene expression by PTH is not consistent with the anabolic effects of PTH on bone and requires further validation, these data do generate the hypothesis that an inhibition of BMP signaling by PTH may, over time, limit the availability of mature osteoblasts on bone surfaces and thereby contribute to the observed waning of the anabolic response to PTH.
Automatic generation of hardware dependent software for MPSoCs from abstract system specifications

Increasing software content in embedded systems and SoCs drives the demand to automatically synthesize software binaries from abstract models. This is especially critical for Hardware dependent Software (HdS) due to the tight coupling. In this paper, we present our approach to automatically synthesize HdS from an abstract system model. We synthesize driver code, interrupt handlers and startup code. We furthermore automatically adjust the application to use RTOS services. We target traditional RTOS-based multi-tasking solutions, as well as a pure interrupt-based implementation (without any RTOS). Our experimental results show the automatic generation of final binary images for six real-life target applications and demonstrate significant productivity gains due to automation. Our HdS synthesis is an enabler for efficient MPSoC development and rapid design space exploration.
The diplomatic history of British Honduras, 1638-1901

This is an investigation of the origin and growth of the colony of British Honduras and an analysis of the diplomatic controversies to which that growth, together with the overthrow of Spanish dominion in the New World, gave rise. The narrative ends in 1901 because at that date the Anglo-Guatamalan dispute ceased, for the next thirty years, to be active.
Modeling and Service Capability Evaluation for RFID Complex Event Processing

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has gained a lot of attention as a promising technology that facilitates pervasive computing and the gradual proliferation of RFID-based applications will produce a large amount of urgent and complicated event streams. The RFID middleware system is expected to offer the further complex event processing service to satisfy the high-level query semantics and performance demands, and therefore, how to evaluate the service capability will be a key problem in mission-critical monitoring scenarios. In this paper, we analyze the RFID primitive event arrival and complex event processing model in a novel perspective. Furthermore, based on our proposed models, service capability evaluation method is introduced to estimate whether and how the RFID middleware system can afford the query requirements in a deterministic or statistical manner, which is believed to be very helpful in RFID-based applications. Our experiments demonstrate the utility and feasibility of our models and methods.
Collaborative learning experiences for nursing students in environmental health.

Abstract Recognition that the environment is a determinant of health is deeply rooted in the heritage of nursing. Environmental hazards and their effects on health rarely have simple solutions that can be managed by one discipline alone. Environmental health issues are complex in nature and the science is developing rapidly. Primary prevention strategies often involve the participation of professionals from fields other than nursing, and interdisciplinary, collaborative efforts are usually required. This article describes learning experiences about local environmental health issues, several of which were designed to initiate and foster collaboration between baccalaureate nursing students and graduate students in public health.
Politicization of memory and the creation of dark histories in Zimbabwe

Politics have greatly influenced the documentation process of Zimbabwean history. This article takes the concept of ‘dark history’ not only to mean painful life experiences on a group of people ranging from political parties to communities but also to imply absence of light due to poor documentation and inaccessibility of necessary information. Darkness will therefore be seen in the context of deliberate efforts of subjective documentation and poor access to information, understating facts and subjecting them to various contestable interpretations. Documentation of history and national memory is very vulnerable to political manipulation. The article shall focus on the various means and ways that lead to poor documentation, poor access and conflicting memories on past events. Usefulness of various symbols of memory that are usable to retract that past shall be analysed. It is the writer`s perception that a multi-disciplinary approach must be adopted and that new ways of records management must be adopted so that availability of information must be relatively fair on many issues of our past. This article shall use the National Archives of Zimbabwe (NAZ) as its core case study to evaluate documentation and accessibility of records.
Hydrogenation of GaAs and Application to Device processing

Exposure of GaAs and AlGaAs to a hydrogen plasma has been shown to result in a significant change in the electrical and optical properties. The changes are related to the electrical deactivation of the deep and shallow impurities by hydrogenation. Spectroscopic and electrical measurements have shown that Si donors and C acceptors in high purity GaAs can be passivated by hydrogenation. Hydrogenation of p-type GaAs and AlGaAs has resulted in highly resistive material. SiO 2 was found to be a suitable mask for the hydrogenation process. Single and multiple stripe geometry lasers have been fabricated by properly masking the laser structure. The lasers produced using the hydrogenation process have low threshold currents and are capable of cw room temperature operation.
Strategy, structure and performance of major U. S. Oil companles: Evidence from line of business data

In this paper we assess the influence of size, market share, and vertical integration on upstream (oil and gas production) and downstream (refining and marketing) profit rates for twenty-five large petroleum companies. We use pooled time series and cross section line of business data collected by the Financial Reporting Service of the Energy Information Administration. We employ a fixed effects model which allows for firm specific characteristics and a proxy variable to control for firm efficiency. We find that firm structure has differential impacts on performance between upstream and downstream lines of business and that lending firms are differentially impacted by structural variables, compared to other firms in the industry. Firm specific factors are also found to be significant determinants of profit raten.
The Casuistry of Dictatorship

For the political scientist in America there can scarcely be a more fascinating or more elusive study than the Soviet Union. The first enticement is the menacing importance of Soviet power. Then there is the miracle which in a single generation has changed a defeated and disintegrating agrarian society into one of the two greatest industrial and military States of our day. But these are claims to everybody's attention. The peculiar challenge to the professional student of social phenomena is another matter. For him Russia now is an enormous but dimly lighted laboratory in which doctrine is tested by experience, where the strain between ideology and reality is carried to a pitch never previously attempted, where techniques are developed by which a small elite secures a steady ninety-nine per cent of formal acquiescence from a population of two hundred millions, where political and economic strength is accumulated by processes in which what we consider normal human reactions are choked off by fear or concealed in the trite responses of an authorized litany.
Mechanical properties of ultrananocrystalline diamond thin films for MEMS applications

Microcantilever deflection and the membrane deflection experiment (MDE) were used to examine the elastic and fracture properties of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) thin films in relation to their application to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Freestanding microcantilevers and membranes were fabricated using standard MEMS fabrication techniques adapted to our UNCD film technology. Elastic moduli measured by both methods described above are in agreement, with the values being in the range 930 and 970 GPa with both techniques showing good reproducibility. The MDE test showed fracture strength to vary from 3.95 to 5.03 GPa when seeding was performed with ultrasonic agitation of nanosized particles.
Survey on the resistance of Musca domestica to insecticides in Hangzhou city

Objective To investigate the resistance of Musca domestica to insecticides for providing scientific information for an effective use of insecticides.Methods The resistance of field strains of M.domestica to deltamethrin,beta-cypermethrin,permethrin,esbiothrin,DDVP and tetramethrin was determined by topical application methods.Results The chemical toxicity of the six insecticides in terms of LD50 ascended in the order of permethrin,deltamethrin,tetramethrin,EBT,beta-cypermethrin and DDVP.Compared with the susceptible strain,the resistance to deltamethrin increased the most with a resistance coefficient of 338.00(LD50=0.1014 μg per piece),followed by cypermethrin which had a resistance coefficient of 86.77(LD50=0.7983 μg per piece).The coefficients of the resistance to the rest insecticides were close to or lower than that of the susceptible strain anywhere from 0.19 to 1.92.Conclusion The field strains of M.domestica in Hangzhou has a relatively high resistance to deltamethrin and cypermethrin.The resistance of M.domestica to DDVP takes on an increasing tendency.So frequent single use of it should be avoided in future control of M.domestica.
Robotic prostatectomy improves outcomes--after the potentially risky adoption phase.

In summary, both RALP and ORP are excellent operations in experienced hands. They are also technically difficult to perform consistently well, so in my view, surgeons should attempt to master the operation they perform rather than hastily switching to robotic surgery, unless they have an opportunity for significant mentorship and surgical volume.
Prevention and Management of Infected Prostheses

The incidence of graft infection as reported in the literature ranges from 0.25 to 6 per cent. A prosthetic infection rate exceeding 1 per cent should be cause for careful scrutiny for an underlying common error in technique. Prevention, management, and treatment of prosthetic grafts at various sites is discussed in detail.
What to do when patients with epilepsy cannot take their usual oral medications

When people with epilepsy are hospitalised for medical or surgical conditions, they may be unable to take their home antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Such 'nil by mouth' people with epilepsy require alternative AED regimens to prevent breakthrough seizures. Here, we describe several strategies for maintaining seizure control in patients with epilepsy who have medical or surgical contraindications to their home oral regimens. These strategies include using non-pill oral formulations, using an intravenous formulation of the patient's home AED(s), using a benzodiazepine bridge and/or using alternative intravenous AED(s) when there are no intravenous formulations.
Finite Macro-Element Mesh Deformation in a Structured Multi-Block Navier-Stokes Code

A mesh deformation scheme is developed for a structured multi-block Navier-Stokes code consisting of two steps. The first step is a finite element solution of either user defined or automatically generated macro-elements. Macro-elements are hexagonal finite elements created from a subset of points from the full mesh. When assembled, the finite element system spans the complete flow domain. Macro-element moduli vary according to the distance to the nearest surface, resulting in extremely stiff elements near a moving surface and very pliable elements away from boundaries. Solution of the finite element system for the imposed boundary deflections generally produces smoothly varying nodal deflections. The manner in which distance to the nearest surface has been found to critically influence the quality of the element deformation. The second step is a transfinite interpolation which distributes the macro-element nodal deflections to the remaining fluid mesh points. The scheme is demonstrated for several two-dimensional applications.
Inter-modal Brillouin scattering in an integrated waveguide

We report strong stimulated Brillouin scattering between light guided in separate spatial modes of an integrated waveguide for the first time. Through this process, we demonstrate 2.3 dB of single-sideband optical amplification in a silicon waveguide.
Abstract P3-04-13: Protein tyrosine kinase 6 (PTK6) promotes survival of endocrine therapy-resistant ER+ breast cancer cells

Abstracts: 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; December 6-10, 2016; San Antonio, Texas Background/Rationale : The non-receptor tyrosine kinase PTK6/Brk is highly expressed in the ER+/Luminal breast cancer subtypes. PTK6 expression has prognostic significance for patients with ER+ disease; higher transcript levels are associated with poorer survival. The functions of PTK6 in the context of ER+ breast cancer and sensitivity to endocrine therapy have not been explored. We sought to determine the functional roles of PTK6 in ER+ breast cancer cells, including those that are relatively resistant to current endocrine therapies. Methods/Results. We modulated the expression of PTK6 using both gain- and loss-of-function approaches. Enhanced expression of PTK6 in Tamoxifen-sensitive ER+ breast cancer cells was sufficient to confer relative Tamoxifen resistance. Furthermore, downregulation of PTK6 in ER+ breast cancer cells, including those that have acquired resistance to Tamoxifen, induced apoptosis, as evidenced by an increase in AnnexinV+ cells and increased levels of cleaved PARP. PTK6 downregulation impaired growth of Tamoxifen-resistant variants of ER+ MCF7 and T47D cells (MCF7TamR and T47DTamR) in 3D Matrigel culture, and virtually abrogated primary tumor growth of MCF7TamR xenografts. Mechanistically, p38MAPK activation is critical for PTK6 downregulation-induced apoptosis of ER+ breast cancer cells, as p38 inhibition partially rescues cells from PTK6 shRNA-associated apoptosis. Conclusions: Our studies highlight the critical role that PTK6 plays in the survival of ER+ breast cancer cells, including those that are resistant to endocrine therapy. Enhanced PTK6 expression in ER+ breast cancer cells is sufficient to promote endocrine therapy resistance, which could contribute to the poorer prognosis associated with higher PTK6 expression in ER+ patient tumors. As small molecule PTK6 inhibitors are becoming available, our studies support further evaluation of PTK6 as a candidate therapeutic target for endocrine therapy resistant ER+ breast cancers. Citation Format: Irie HY, Park SH, Katsyv I, Zhang W, Nayak A. Protein tyrosine kinase 6 (PTK6) promotes survival of endocrine therapy-resistant ER+ breast cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-04-13.
Orographic Modification of Precipitation Processes in Hurricane Karl (2010)

AbstractAirborne radar data collected within Hurricane Karl (2010) provide a high-resolution glimpse of variations in the vertical precipitation structure around complex terrain in eastern Mexico. Widespread precipitation north of Karl’s track traced the strong gradient of terrain, suggesting orographic enhancement. Although the airborne radar did not sample the period of peak precipitation, time series of surface rainfall at three locations near the inner core show greater precipitation where flow was oriented to rise over the terrain. In regions of upslope flow, radar observations reveal reflectivity enhancement within 1–2 km of the surface. The shallow nature of the enhancement points to orographically generated cloud water accreted by falling drops as a mechanism consistent with prior studies, while the heterogeneous nature of the enhancement suggests shallow convection was playing a role. In contrast, regions of downslope flow were characterized by uniform reflectivity above the ground and fallstreak...
Patient reported outcome measures for spinal disorders

Abstract The systematic collection of patient-based outcomes in spine care will inform the debate regarding the efficacy of various treatment and allow them to be comparable to other spine disease-specific and non-diseases-specific outcomes, and to other non-musculoskeletal diseases regarding effect on patient’s global health states. Patient-based outcome measures are usually classified as generic, including global ratings of health status, as well as multidimensional measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) or disease-specific measures that are attributable to symptoms and functional limitations caused by a specific condition. In this article, we discuss the recommended core results that should be measured in patients with spinal disorders, instruments used to measure them, and the emergence of PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcome Measure Information System).
In Defense of Our Relatives

Groups often act against threats to their kin, but what if one group denies the very existence of another’s relatives? Among the people of Oceti Sakowin, what it means to care for 'relatives' starkly contrasts conventional non-Native ways of reckoning with water, land, and other beings. If, according to an indigenous view, sacred places are relatives, then words like 'emergency' or 'crisis' are apt to describe Indigenous people’s feelings about clashes such as what recently occurred around Standing Rock, North Dakota. There, the matter of what counts as kin was a central ingredient to collective protests that, even if labeled as a one-off defeat, may empower those who have been historically disempowered. Led by a well-coordinated and social media-savvy Indigenous youth movement, the struggle to protect a relative—a river, in this case—may indicate a renewed sense of efficacy among Indigenous peoples, perhaps especially among those who had not previously identified as activists.
Partnering with Engineers to Identify and Empirically Evaluate Delays in Magnetic Resonance Imaging Laying the Foundations for Quality Improvement and System-based Practice in Radiology.

Rationale and Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of partnering with engineering students and critically examining the merit of the problem identification and analyses students generated in identifying sources impeding effective turnaround in a large university department of diagnostic radiology. Turnaround involves the time and activities beginning when a patient enters the magnetic resonance scanner room until the patient leaves, minus the time the scanner is conducting the protocol. Materials and Methods A prospective observational study was conducted, in which four senior undergraduate industrial and operations engineering students interviewed magnetic resonance staff members and observed all shifts. On the basis of 150 hours of observation, the engineering students identified 11 process steps (eg, changing coils). They charted machine use for all shifts, providing a breakdown of turnaround time between appropriate process and non-value-added time. To evaluate the processes occurring in the scanning room, the students used a work-sampling schedule in which a beeper sounded 2.5 times per hour, signaling the technologist to identify which of 11 process steps was occurring. This generated 2147 random observations over a 3-week period. Results The breakdown of machine use over 105 individual studies showed that non-value-added time accounted for 62% of turnaround time. Analysis of 2147 random samples of work showed that scanners were empty and waiting for patients 15% of the total time. Analyses showed that poor communication delayed the arrival of patients and that no one had responsibility for communicating when scanning was done. Conclusions Engineering students used rigorous study design and sampling methods to conduct interviews and observations. This led to data-driven definition of problems and potential solutions to guide systems-based improvement.
A proactive charcoal approach shields the gut microbiome from systemic antibiotics

A new activated charcoal agent protects beneficial gut microbiota from the adverse effects of systemic antibiotic therapy.
Junk DNA and Chromatin

In the early days of molecular biology, investigators used mainly prokaryote DNA for biophysical and biochemical characterization. They found, by using CsCl density-gradient centrifugation to measure buoyant density as a guide for estimating base composition, that the DNA base composition of microorganisms varied from a high adenine-thymine (AT) content to a high guanine-cytosine (GC) content; but within each species, the base composition is constant and homogenous. In neutral CsCl density gradient, the DNA of each species shows a sharp peak in the densitometer tracing.
Protons as a Potential Source of Radioactivity in D-3He Reactors

This paper reports that a wide range of experimental radionuclide production cross sections has been collected for protons with energies similar to those protons produced in a D-{sup 3}He fusion reactor. Proton energy-dependent cross sections (E{sub p} {le} 14.7 MeV) were used along with the proton stopping data of Anderson and Ziegler to produce a proton-induced thick-target radionuclide activation yield library. The library is linked to a computer program that calculates proton-induced radioactivity. Another potential source of radioactivity considered is the activity induced by neutrons produced from proton interactions with reactor structure through (p,n) reactions. A computer program that evaluates the energy spectrum of these neutrons has been developed. The thick-target yield library and its associated programs have been used in an activation analysis study aimed at investigating the effect of proton-induced activity on the total level of radioactivity generated in Apollo-L2, a D-{sup 3}He tokamak fusion power reactor.