cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Slowing-down and stopped charged particles cause angular dependence for absorbed dose measurements

Abstract The space radiation environment is dominated by heavy charged particles with atomic numbers ranging from 1 to 93, with broad energy spectra that exceed 10 GeV per nucleon. Despite advances in space radiation modeling and transport, radiation detectors continue to provide critical data for understanding risks of health effects to astronauts in space. In the past, NASA relied on tissue-equivalent proportional counters and passive devices for operational dosimetry; however, in recent years, pixel detectors providing detailed information about the radiation environment through analysis of charged particle tracks have been demonstrated in space. These next-generation detectors, based on Timepix read-out technology, require special analysis considerations that were not necessary or possible for previous dosimetry tools. The impacts of slowing-down and stopped ions on absorbed dose measurements must be explicitly modeled to understand variations with detector orientation. The purpose of the present study is to conclusively demonstrate that while absorbed dose measurements of penetrating charged particles are independent of detector orientation, slowing-down and stopped particles can result in charged particle absorbed dose measurements that are dependent on detector orientation. Monte Carlo simulations of an unshielded detector, irradiated at selected orientations by different kinetic energy domains with fluence spectra representative of two historical solar particle events, are presented to demonstrate the dependence of absorbed dose measurements. Next, results from Monte Carlo simulations of the same energy domains and fluence spectra, isotropically impinging on an anisotropic shield configuration about the detector, are shown, to exhibit the potential for observing varying absorbed doses under realistic environment and shielding conditions. Finally, slowing-down and stopped proton data acquired with Timepix-based detectors at the Tandem Van de Graaff at Brookhaven National Laboratory are used to demonstrate the effect via accelerator-based measurements.
Worldwide urbanization and its effects on birds

Human populations are increasing and becoming predominantly urban. Resulting land cover changes reduce, perforate, isolate, and degrade bird habitat on local and global scales. I review: 1) urbanization of the Earth, and 2) published studies of bird responses to human settlement, and then: 3) suggest how and why birds respond to settlement. In a slight majority of studies, bird density increased, but richness and evenness decreased in response to urbanization. The most consistent effects of increasing settlement were increases in non-native species of birds, increases in birds able to nest on buildings (esp. swifts and swallows), increases in nest predation, and decreases in interior- and ground-nesting species. Effects of urbanization on hawks, owls, and cavity nesters were less consistent, in part being dependent on the surrounding habitat. The factors favoring species in urbanizing areas appear simpler than those reducing species. Increased availability of food was primary among factors benefiting species; predator reduction, reduced human persecution, and habitat enhancement were less important. Decreased habitat availability, reduced patch size, increased edge, increased non-native vegetation, decreased vegetative complexity, and increased nest predation were commonly associated with bird declines in response to human settlement. Urban planners and policy makers can profoundly affect how and where cities grow. Avian ecologists can help inform these important decisions by: 1) quantifying how the pattern of settlement affects birds and 2) understanding how bird populations and resulting communities change along entire gradients of urbanization.
Translocation Detection Using Next-Generation Sequencing

Identification of recurrent chromosomal rearrangements or translocations is critically important for the diagnosis and prognosis of both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. In the clinical laboratory setting, detection of rearrangements is typically performed by routine cytogenetics or interphase/metaphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). However, next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based methods are also capable of detecting chromosomal rearrangements in both the clinical and research settings. This chapter will introduce NGS methods to detect recurrent rearrangements from whole genome sequencing data, targeted sequencing data, and RNA sequencing data. It will review various basic approaches including discordant paired-end and single-end (split-end) read mapping and associated informatic tools for translocation detection. Further emphasis will be placed on the clinical performance of such tools including the sensitivity and specificity of rearrangement detection from targeted DNA sequencing data.
The Verification-based Analysis of Reliable Multicast Protocol

Reliable Multicast Protocol (RMP) is a communication protocol that provides an atomic, totally ordered, reliable multicast service on top of unreliable IP Multicasting. In this paper, we develop formal models for R.W using existing automatic verification systems, and perform verification-based analysis on the formal RMP specifications. We also use the formal models of RW specifications to generate a test suite for conformance testing of the RMP implementation. Throughout the process of RMP development, we follow an iterative, interactive approach that emphasizes concurrent and parallel progress between the implementation and verification processes. Through this approach, we incorporate formal techniques into our development process, promote a common understanding for the protocol, increase the reliability of our software, and maintain high fidelity between the specifications of RMP and its implementation.
Biochemically diagnosed hypothyroidism and postoperative complications after cardiac surgery: a retrospective cohort analysis.

To determine whether hypothyroidism is associated with cardiovascular complications and surgical wound infections after cardiac surgery. Patients were categorized as: (1) hypothyroid [patients with increased TSH concentrations (≧ 5.5 mIU/L) within 6 months prior to surgery]; (2) corrected hypothyroid [diagnosis of hypothyroidism any time before surgery or on preoperative thyroid supplementation and normal TSH concentration (0.4 $$\le$$ TSH $$\le$$ 5.5 mIU/L]; and (3) euthyroid [no hypothyroid diagnosis and not on preoperative thyroid supplementation and normal TSH concentrations (0.4–5.5 mIU/L)]. We conducted pairwise comparisons among the three groups using inverse probability of treatment weighting. We compared the groups on postoperative myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, atrial fibrillation, and a composite of surgical wound infections and postoperative vasopressor use using multivariable logistic regression models. We compared the groups on ICU and hospital length of stay using Cox proportional hazards regression. Hypothyroidism was associated with a lower risk of atrial fibrillation than euthyroidism, with an estimated relative risk (99.4% CI) of 0.71 (0.56, 0.89); P < 0.001. However, none of the other pairwise comparisons on myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, and atrial fibrillation were significant. Corrected hypothyroid patients were slightly more likely to be discharged from hospital at any given time than euthyroid patients (hazard ratios (99.6% CI), 1.18 (1.07, 1.30); P < 0.001), but no other pairwise comparisons for secondary outcomes were significant. Hypothyroidism was associated with lower risk of atrial fibrillation than euthyroidism, and corrected hypothyroidism was associated with a shorter length of stay than euthyroidism.
Preoperative CHA2DS2-VASc Score Predicts Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation after Lobectomy.

Background Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) affects 10 to 20% of noncardiac thoracic surgeries and increases patient morbidity and costs. The purpose of this study is to determine if preoperative CHA2DS2-VASc score can predict POAF after pulmonary lobectomy for nonsmall cell lung cancer. Methods Patients with complete CHA2DS2-VASc data who underwent lobectomies from January 2007 to January 2016 at a single institution were analyzed in a retrospective case–control study using a prospective database. An independent samples t-test was used to compare the mean CHA2DS2-VASc scores of POAF and non-POAF groups. A multivariable logistic regression analysis (MVA) evaluated the independent contribution of variables of the CHA2DS2-VASc score in predicting POAF. Chi-square test with univariate odds ratios (ORs) was used to determine a statistically significant cutoff score for predicting POAF. Results Of 525 total patients, 82 (15.6%) developed POAF (mean CHA2DS2-VASc score: 2.7) and 443 (84.4%) did not develop POAF (mean score: 2.3). Mean difference between these groups was significant at 0.43 (p = 0.01; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.09–0.76). In the MVA, significant predictors of POAF were age 65 to 74 years (adjusted OR [aOR] = 2.45; 95% CI: 1.31–4.70; p = 0.006) and age ≥75 years (aOR = 3.11; 95% CI: 1.62–5.95; p = 0.0006). Patients with CHA2DS2-VASc scores ≥5 had significantly increased OR for POAF (OR = 2.59; 95% CI: 1.22–5.50). Conclusions Preoperatively calculated CHA2DS2-VASc score can predict POAF in patients undergoing pulmonary lobectomy. Age is the most statistically significant independent predictor, and patients with scores ≥5 have significantly increased risk. Trials for POAF prophylaxis should target this population.
Shoulder arthroplasty after prior anterior stabilization procedures: do reverses have better outcomes?

Background Few studies have focused on shoulder arthroplasty after anterior stabilization procedures. This study compares the outcomes of total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) after anterior stabilization surgical procedures. Methods All primary shoulder arthroplasties from 2000 to 2014 with prior surgery were retrospectively reviewed from a prospective research database. The inclusion criteria were primary TSA or RTSA, a history of anterior stabilization surgery, and minimum 2-year follow-up. Soft-tissue and bony anterior stabilization procedures were included. We compared the following between TSA and RTSA patients: active range of motion (ROM) and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index 130; Simple Shoulder Test; American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES); Short Form 12; University of California, Los Angeles; and Constant scores. The RTSA group was also compared with an RTSA control group. Results The study included 15 TSA and 10 RTSA patients with average follow-up periods of 3.3 and 4.0 years, respectively. RTSA patients experienced greater improvements in all ROMs except internal rotation; these were not statistically significant despite the mean values for RTSA being above the minimal clinically important difference compared with TSA for forward flexion and abduction. RTSA patients had better improvements in all functional outcomes; only the ASES score was statistically significant. TSA patients had a 33% complication rate and a 20% reoperation rate. RTSA patients had no complications or reoperations. The group that underwent RTSA with prior anterior stabilization surgery had similar improvements in ROM and outcome measures to the RTSA control group. Conclusion RTSA patients had better postoperative improvement in most ROMs and all functional scores; only the ASES score was statistically significant. This study suggests better outcomes with a lower complication rate with RTSA after prior anterior stabilization procedures compared with TSA.
Effects of cow-calf production system and postweaning management on calf performance

ABSTRACT A 3-yr study evaluated the effects of cow-calf production system and postweaning management on finishing performance and carcass characteristics of calves. Treatments were arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial (1 replication from each of 2 locations each year): (1) cow-calf production system: dry-lot feeding (DL) or grazing corn residue (GRZ) and (2) postweaning management: finishing (FIN) or grow-finishing (GRW). From November to mid-April, DL pairs were fed a distillers and crop residue–based diet in pens and GRZ pairs were supplemented with distillers-based cubes while grazing corn residue. All calves were weaned in mid-April and received into the feedlot for postweaning management. In the FIN treatment, calves were directly adapted to a finishing diet following weaning. Calves in the GRW treatment were placed on a growing diet (30% Sweet Bran, 35% distillers grains, and 35% wheat straw) for 76 d before being adapted to the common finishing diet. Calves from GRZ had lighter BW entering the finishing phase than calves from DL (P
Soft Tissue Oral Pathology

Once a complete oral exam has been completed, coupled with an appropriate patient history, then a systematic approach should be utilized to develop a differential diagnosis for any abnormalities noted during the exam. This chapter provides a framework to obtain a focus patient history, accomplish an appropriate oral examination, and develop a differential diagnosis and recommendations for the management of specific entities using simple algorithms.
Improved Dempster-Shafer Sensor Fusion using Distance Function and Evidence Weighted Penalty: Application in Object Detection.

Dempster-Shafer (DS) combination method can deal with the uncertainty and inconsistency of multi-sensor data fusion and widely used in data fusion, fault detection, pattern recognition, and supplier selection. The original DS theory has limitations such as its inability to handle conflicting data properly which can result into inaccuracy in the output of a multi-sensor data fusion process. To eliminate such limitations of the original DS theory, a novel method is proposed in this paper that uses distance function to measure the credibility of each sensor and uses weighted penalty of faulty sensor evidence to create maximum evidence for the correct detection. A detailed example for object detection with conflicting sensor input is presented which showcases all the steps of the proposed method. A numerical simulation is used to show that the proposed method effectively eliminates the limitations of original DS combination rule and offers an improvement over the current state-of-the-art models.
Insight Into the Occupational Lives of Adults With Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD): A Grounded Theory Approach

Date Presented 04/06/19 This study uses a grounded theory approach to understand how borderline personality disorder (BPD) affects occupational participation. Environment, occupation, and internal experiences are discussed in the context of the lives of 18 participants with BPD. Affirming occupations provided escape from harmful environments and promoted positive internal experiences. By contrast, absence of affirming occupations resulted in problematic environmental challenges and distressing internal experiences. Primary Author and Speaker: Emily Mokol Additional Authors and Speakers: Kyra Jo Gaerke, Sally Wasmuth, Trevor Manspeaker, Karolina Szymaszek
New Progress in Polynomial Root-finding

Univariate polynomial root-finding has been studied for four millennia and very intensively in the last decades, but mostly for polynomials given in monomial basis -- with their coefficients. We propose and extensively analyze various novel techniques, which enable significant acceleration of the known algorithms, particularly for root-finding in a disc on the complex plane that contains a small number of roots where a polynomial is given by a subroutine for its evaluation rather than by its coefficients. Our auxiliary algorithms and estimates, e.g., for the approximation of root radii, that is, the distances from a complex point to the roots, can be of independent interest..
A step-by-step guide to trans-axillary transcatheter aortic valve replacement

The application of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has expanded rapidly over the last decade as a less invasive option for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis. In order to perform successful TAVR, vascular access must be obtained with a large-bore catheter to deliver the transcatheter valve to the aortic annulus. Several techniques have been developed for this purpose including transfemoral (TF), trans-aortic, trans-apical, trans-caval, trans-carotid, and trans-axillary (TAx) with varying degrees of success. Among them, TF access is the most common and preferred method owing to its superior and well-established outcomes. However, in the setting of diseased iliofemoral arterial vessels, severe tortuosity, or iliofemoral arteries of insufficient caliber, TF access may not be possible. In these scenarios, one of the aforementioned alternative access routes needs to be considered. TAx-TAVR is an attractive alternative because it can be accomplished via access to a peripheral vessel as opposed to needing to enter the pericardial space or thoracic cavity. In addition, the open surgical cut-down procedure used to expose the axillary artery is familiar to cardiac surgeons who are accustomed to cannulating it for cardiopulmonary bypass. With advancements in TAVR technology including the evolution of delivery systems and corresponding smaller sheath sizes, total percutaneous access via the axillary artery is gaining substantial attention. In this review, we outline key aspects of patient selection, imaging and procedural techniques, and examine contemporary clinical outcomes with this approach.
Weaponization of all Elements of National Power: Hybrid Warfare against Pakistan

In post-Cold War era, the international security environment witnessed major changes. With new forms of asymmetric threats transgressing the traditional state boundaries, policy makers and practitioners are struggling to understand the new phenomenon that the world is currently engaged in, or is likely to experience in future. The concept of “Hybrid Warfare (HW)” is one such concept. Traditional aggression would be costlier than ever before and the Escalation Control would be extremely difficult because of the nuclear factor. The Stability-Instability Paradox, has created more space for instability at lower levels. This is where the South Asian security landscape assumes prominence, and the application of newer forms of Warfare gains currency with focus on weaponization of all Elements of National Power (EoNP) instead of solely relying on military. Under the umbrella of Realism, especially Mearsheimer’s theory of ‘Offensive Realism’, the author would analyze the intervention of foreign elements like India aided by other powers which is primarily aimed towards weakening of Pakistan through an altered End-Ways-Means paradigm. Analysis of “Clausewitzian Trinity” reveals that the masses are the primary target of this paradigm by exploiting “horizontal inequalities in society” and the “breach of the social contract” between the state and the citizens. The author concludes that HW, while not entirely a new phenomenon, is distinguishable because in this case adversaries achieve the same ends with modified ways and means.
Does the interruption of eye contact between humans and Caribbean reef sharks, Carcharhinus perezi, influence the sharks’ approach patterns?

As ecotourists become increasingly interested in snorkeling and diving with sharks, it is important to establish directives for safe interactions. The study considered eye contact between humans an...
Biomechanics of Single Stair Climb With Implications for Inverted Pendulum Modeling

Step-by-step (SBS) stair navigation is used by those with movement limitations or lower-limb prosthetics and by humanoid robots. Knowledge of biomechanical parameters for SBS gait, however, is limited. Inverted pendulum (IP) models used to assess dynamic stability have not been applied to SBS gait. This study examined the ability of the linear inverted pendulum (LIP) model and a closed-form, variable-height inverted pendulum (VHIP) model to predict capture-point (CP) stability in healthy adults executing a single stair climb. A second goal was to provide baseline kinematic and kinetic data for SBS gait. Twenty young adults executed a single step onto stairs of two heights, while attached marker positions and ground reaction forces were recorded. opensim software determined body kinematics and joint kinetics. Trials were analyzed with LIP and VHIP models, and the predicted CP compared to the actual center-of-pressure (CoP) on the stair. Lower-limb joint moments were larger than those reported for step-over-step (SOS) stair gait. Leading knee rather than trailing ankle was dominant. Center-of-mass (CoM) velocity peaked at push-off. The VHIP model accounted for only slightly more than half of the forward progression of the vertical projection of the CoM and was not better than LIP predictions. This suggests that IP models are limited in modeling SBS gait, likely due to large hip and knee moments. The results from this study may also provide target values and strategies to aid design of lower-limb prostheses and powered exoskeletons.
On the relationship between cutting and tearing in soft elastic solids.

Unique observations of cutting energy in silicone elastomers motivate a picture of soft fracture that qualitatively and quantitatively links far-field tearing with push cutting for the first time. For blades of decreasing tip radii, the cutting energy decreases until it reaches a plateau that suggests a threshold for failure. A super-molecular damage zone, necessary for new surface creation, is defined using the tip radius at the onset of this threshold. Modifying the classic Lake–Thomas theory, in which failure occurs within a molecular plane, to this super-molecular zone provides order-of-magnitude agreement with the cutting energy threshold. Together, the threshold fracture energy and damage length scale define criteria for failure that, when implemented in finite element simulation, quantitatively reproduce the increase in cutting energy with increasing blade radius outside of the plateau. The rate of increase depends on the constitutive response of the material, with more neo-Hookean solids requiring a larger failure force per incremental increase in blade radius as observed experimentally. This combination of a geometry-independent failure threshold (from the cutting energy plateau) and a need to account for the role of material deformability in the stress concentration found at the crack tip (from the rate of cutting energy increase with blade radius) align with the discovery of a new dimensionless group. This new parameter proportionally maps cutting energy to the energy required to tear a sample under far-field loading conditions by using ultimate properties obtained in uniaxial tension.
The Use of Mobility Data for Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to upend the way people move, work, and gather, governments, businesses, and public health researchers have looked increasingly at mobility data to support pandemic response. This data, assets that describe human location and movement, generally has been collected for purposes directly related to a company’s business model, including optimizing the delivery of consumer services, supply chain management or targeting advertisements. However, these call detail records, smartphone-mobility data, vehicle-derived GPS, and other mobility data assets can also be used to study patterns of movement. These patterns of movement have, in turn, been used by organizations to forecast disease spread and inform decisions on how to best manage activity in certain locations. Researchers at The GovLab and Cuebiq, supported by the Open Data Institute, identified 51 notable projects from around the globe launched by public sector and research organizations with companies that use mobility data for these purposes. It curated five projects among this listing that highlight the specific opportunities (and risks) presented by using this asset. Though few of these highlighted projects have provided public outputs that make assessing project success difficult, organizations interviewed considered mobility data to be a useful asset that enabled better public health surveillance, supported existing decision-making processes, or otherwise allowed groups to achieve their research goals. The report summarizes some of the major points identified in those case studies. While acknowledging that location data can be a highly sensitive data type that can facilitate surveillance or expose data subjects if used carelessly, it finds mobility data can support research and inform decisions when applied toward narrowly defined research questions through frameworks that acknowledge and proactively mitigate risk. These frameworks can vary based on the individual circumstances facing data users, suppliers, and subjects. However, there are a few conditions that can enable users and suppliers to promote publicly beneficial and responsible data use and overcome the serious obstacles facing them.
Semiotics and Qualitative Research in Education: The Third Crossroad

In this paper, I would like to show how qualitative research in education and semiotics can be brought together for the benefit of each field. Starting with attempts to define both qualitative research and semiotics in ways that can inform both disciplines, I hope to accomplish this task by mapping a series of three crossroads that define the past, present, and hopefully the future of the field. Acknowledgements This article is an expanded and revised version of a paper read at the Annual Meeting of the Semiotic Society of America, October 1995. Special thanks to Deborah Smith-Shank and Ron Chenail for suggestions for revising and expanding this work, but all the dumb ideas left are my responsibility This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol2/iss3/1 Semiotics and Qualitative Research in Education: The Third Crossroad by Gary Shank The Qualitative Report, Volume 2, Number 3, December, 1995
4-Hydroxynonenal (HNE) inhibits Mrp1-mediated transport in vitro

596 Multidrug resistant-associated protein 1 (MRP1, 190 kDa) mediates ATP-dependent efflux of endo- and xenobiotics and metabolites of phase II biotransformation, such as leukotriene C4, estradiol 17-(β-D-glucuronide) (E 2 17G), and the GSH conjugate of HNE (GS-HNE), a highly reactive product of lipid peroxidation. Adriamycin (ADR) induces oxidative stress, and production of HNE in cardiac tissue, which may contribute to cardiomyopathy. We postulate that ADR-induced cardiotoxicity is due, in part, to inhibition of MRP1. To investigate the pivotal role of Mrp1 in cardiac tissues, mice were injected with ADR (20 mg/kg, i.p.) and heart homogenate was subjected to Mrp1 immunoblot. Mrp1 expression in the heart at 6 and 24 hr after ADR treatment was increased 1.3** and 1.2* fold as compare to saline control (** p Mrp1 ) and plasma membranes isolated for ATP-dependent transport of [ 3 H]E 2 -17G. Mrp1 activity was increased significantly (9-fold, p Mrp1 membranes with DMSO or HNE (10 μM) for 20 min at 37°C, decreased transport activity (pmole/min/mg protein) from 115 to 94.1 (DMSO) and 63.2* (HNE), respectively. Taken together, these results suggest that the upregulation of Mrp1 in heart following ADR treatment has physiologic relevance in protecting the heart by mediating the efflux of toxic products of oxidative stress. However, adduction of Mrp1 with HNE under conditions of high oxidative stress likely causes dysfunction of Mrp1, and hence, may exacerbate ADR-induced cardiotoxicity.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: a review of the M.D. Anderson experience.

The approach we have followed in developing treatment strategies for lymphoma consists of testing new combinations in patients with recurrent disease and, if these are found to be effective, advancing them to front-line therapy. Three series of salvage regimens tested at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) will be described. These were initially based on ifosfamide/etoposide, later on high-dose cytarabine/cisplatin, and more recently on a novel strategy that first uses MINE (mesna/ ifosfamide/Novantrone [mitoxantrone; Lederle International, Wayne, NJ]/etoposide) for induction of remission and, following the attainment of the maximum response to MINE, changes treatment to a non-cross-resistant combination known as ESHAP (etoposide/Solu-medrol ([methylprednisolone]/high-dose cytarabine/cisplatin). The front-line management of intermediate-grade lymphoma at MDACC currently is based on prognostic factors. The criteria for selecting categories of less favorable patients will be discussed. A new regimen, alternating triple therapy based on three non-cross-resistant drug regimens, currently is being explored for these patients. Already this regimen has shown an early advantage in the worst category of cases, those with M. D. Anderson stage D (high tumor burden, high levels of lactate dehydrogenase). The data, however, remain preliminary.
Thryoid control over biomembranes. Rat liver mitochondrial inner membranes.

Abstract The effects of hypothyroidism and one injection of l -thyroxine on oxidative phosphorylation and the composition of proteins and phospholipids were examined in vesicles prepared from rat liver mitochondria by digitonin extractions. At 30 °C, the rates of ADP phosphorylation in sites I and II were below normal, and Mg2+-ATPase activity was greater than normal in vesicles from hypothyroid rats. At temperatures below 20 °C and above 30 °C, the Mg2+-ATPase was not accelerated above normal rates, a feature of temperature dependence shared by ADP phosphorylation (Chen, Y.-D. I., and Hoch, F. L., 1976, Arch. Biochem. Biophys.172, 741–744). Respiration at 30 °C was undiminished in hypothyroid vesicles, as were the flavin and cytochrome contents, and thyroxine administration corrected the phosphorylation rate at 30 °C in 3 days without changing either respiration or electron-carrier contents. The 30 °C phosphorylation defect comprised a decreased V and Km for ADP and a decrease in the number of phosphorylating sites (measured with oligomycin) that accounted for most of the decreased phosphorylation rates, either dependent on or independent of the adenine nucleotide carrier. Vesicles from hypothyroid rats were not detectably depleted in major protein subunits, but were abnormal in phospholipid fatty acid contents. Thyroxine injection corrected the low unsaturation index of the fatty acids and the membrane contents of linoleic acid and its fatty acyl metabolites. Hypothyroidism appears to affect oxidative phosphorylation through the altered inner membrane lipid environment, which implies that previously reported direct, reversible effects of thyroxine may mimic repletion of the membranes with unsaturated fatty acyl groups.
Purification of Chromium (VI) for Use in the PBI Determination

Chromium (VI) which is essentially free of iodine can be prepared by converting CrO,3 to CrO2Cl2. The crude chromyl chloride can be used with concentrated sulfuric acid for wet combustion of serum in the PBI determination.
A Review of “A Staggering Revolution: A Cultural History of Thirties Photography”

John Raeburn There were “startling irruptions of creativity” in American photography in the 1930s as “a host of powerful talents [came] to the fore,” declares John Raeburn in A Staggering Revolutio...
The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, Volume 4: Myth, Manners, and Memory

Reviewed Medium: book Year: 2006 Pages: 312 Publisher: University of North Carolina Press ISBN: 0-8078-3029-1 (hard cover). Prices: $39.95 USD(hard cover).
Location-specific Responses of Gibbons (Hylobates muelleri) to Male Songs

I investigated the responses of gibbons (Hylobates muelleri) to male songs played back from different locations but similar distances from the subjects. The gibbons showed spatial variations in response to songs. Mated males led silent group approaches toward songs emanating from the center of the range. Songs delivered from positions along the range periphery elicited either group approaches or duets. Songs played back from within the ranges of neighbors rarely resulted in duetting activity. Location, a contextual factor, is important in determination of the response evoked by song. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that male song plays a role in mediating intergroup spacing among gibbons.
ZTI: Preliminary characterization of an ignition class reversed-field pinch

A preliminary cost-optimized conceptual design of an intermediate-step, ignition-class RFP device (ZTI) for the study of alpha-particle physics in a DT plasma is reported. The ZTI design reflects p...
Evolution to 4G wireless: problems, solutions, and challenges

Summary form only given. Today, there is a generally held view that the next step for wireless technology is a natural progression to support high data rates over a wide area and facilitate roaming among a variety of systems. 4G wireless has the potential to provide these features and many more, which can significantly change the way we use mobile devices and lead to a wide variety of new applications. However, such technology doesn't come without its challenges. Some of these challenge are radio access methodologies, mobility management across different networks and the physical and functional model to be employed. This paper aims to give an insight into these issues, outline some of the proposed solutions to these problems and identify some of the benefits of this technology.
An object-oriented toolkit for constructing specification editors

The authors discuss Spectacle, an object-oriented library of software components designed for constructing language-based, graphical, specification editors. Spectacle provides the programmer with a basic toolkit for building an X-Window editor: minimal knowledge of both C++ and the X-Window graphical environment is assumed. The editing tools that are derived from Spectacle can be implemented as stand-alone editors are integrated into larger-scale software development environments. Spectacle editors are syntax-directed and menu driven. The authors outline the basic structure of the library and examine each software component separately. The user-interface model provided by Spectacle is described. Two example prototype editors are presented. >
Neural bases of food perception: coordinate-based meta-analyses of neuroimaging studies in multiple modalities.

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the results of the three food-cue paradigms most commonly used for functional neuroimaging studies to determine: i) commonalities and differences in the neural response patterns by paradigm and ii) the relative robustness and reliability of responses to each paradigm. Methods Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies using standardized stereotactic coordinates to report brain responses to food cues were identified using online databases. Studies were grouped by food-cue modality as: i) tastes (8 studies); ii) odors (8 studies); and, iii) images (11 studies). Activation likelihood estimation was used to identify statistically reliable regional responses within each stimulation paradigm. Results Brain response distributions were distinctly different for the three stimulation modalities, corresponding to known differences in location of the respective primary and associative cortices. Visual stimulation induced the most robust and extensive responses. The left anterior insula was the only brain region reliably responding to all three stimulus categories. Conclusions These findings suggest visual food-cue paradigm as promising candidate for imaging studies addressing the neural substrate of therapeutic interventions.
A new method for program inversion

Program inversion has been successfully applied to several areas such as optimistic parallel discrete event simulation (OPDES) and reverse debugging. This paper introduces a new program inversion algorithm for imperative languages, and focuses on handling arbitrary control flows and basic operations. By building a value search graph that represents recoverability relationships between variable values, we turn the problem of recovering previous values into a graph search one. Forward and reverse code is generated according to the search results. We have implemented our algorithm as part of a compiler framework named Backstroke, a C++ source-to-source translator based on ROSE compiler. Backstroke targets optimistic simulation codes and automatically generates a reverse function to recover values modified by a target function. Experimental results show that our method is effective and produces better performance than previously proposed methods.
Rapid tooling for sand casting using laminated object manufacturing process

It is now possible to generate tooling for near net shape manufacturing processes directly from a CAD database by using computer numerical control (CNC) machining or a variety of rapid prototyping (RP) processes. These methods are widely referred to as rapid tooling processes because the tool geometry is created in a relatively short time. In particular, the use of RP processes has proved to be a cost‐effective and time‐efficient approach for producing patterns and core boxes for sand casting. However, the suitability of this approach depends on a variety of geometry and process related considerations. Investigates the use of the laminated object manufacturing (LOM) based rapid tooling process in sand casting. Issues discussed include geometry considerations, error sources and propagation, and shrinkage effects. A case study illustrating time and cost savings using the LOM approach is also presented.
Variation of vine and tuber yield as a function of harvest date and cultivar

The possibility of using potato vines as a source of protein and silage for animal feed is encouraging. The potential of this approach is partially dependent on the development of cultivars that have large vines and at the same time produce good tuber yields. Twelve cultivars, including three commercial varieties, one advanced breeding selection, and eight experimental tetraploids (hybrids between cultivars and Phureja-haploid Tuberosum clones with parallel spindles) were grown at the Hancock Experimental Station. The vines and tubers from four blocks were harvested every 15 days from 75–135 days after planting. Clones that were relatively late maturing were most suitable for vine harvesting. The total yield of vines plus tubers was highest at 105 and 120 days. Russet Burbank yielded 218 cwt of vines and 465 cwt of tubers at 120 days; similar values for the best experimental tetraploid were 450 cwt and 784 cwt at 120 days; thus, the best cultivar produced 123,400 1b of plant material in 120 days. While processing procedures and palatability of the vine products remain undefined, the existence of clones producing high vine and tuber yields has been demonstrated.
A review of microwave radar observations in the dry convective planetary boundary layer

For the last two decades, radar has been used to probe the planetary boundary layer (PBL) in a number of different ways. The sensitive, high-power radars at Wallops Island, Virginia, were used to examine the refractive index structure of the PBL over hundreds of square kilometers with a resolution of several hundred meters. In these studies, fields of convective cells were documented over land and over the ocean. Vertically pointing FM-CW radars were used to observe the vertical structure of the PBL with resolution as good as 2 m. In addition, FM-CW radars, as well as conventional radars, have detected birds and insects in the PBL. Within the last seven years, dual Doppler radar was used to document the details of the velocity structure of the PBL in three dimensions. Recently, it has been shown that radar can be a useful tool for turbulence and diffusion measurements in the boundary layer.
Artifact quantification and tractography from 3T MRI after placement of aneurysm clips in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients

The application of advanced 3T MRI imaging techniques to study recovery after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is complicated by the presence of image artifacts produced by implanted aneurysm clips. To characterize the effect of these artifacts on image quality, we sought to: 1) quantify extent of image artifact in SAH patients with implanted aneurysm clips across a range of MR sequences typically used in studies of volumetry, blood oxygen level dependent signal change (BOLD-fMRI), and diffusion-weighted imaging (DW-MRI) and 2) to explore the ability to reconstruct white matter pathways in these patients. T1- and T2-weighted structural, BOLD-fMRI, and DW-MRI scans were acquired at 3T in two patients with titanium alloy clips in ACOM and left ACA respectively. Intensity-based planimetric contouring was performed on aligned image volumes to define each artifact. Artifact volumes were quantified by artifact/clip length and artifact/brain volume ratios and analyzed by two-way (scan-by-rater) ANOVAs. Tractography pathways were reconstructed from DW-MRI at varying distances from the artifacts using deterministic methods. Artifact volume varied by MR sequence for length (p = 0.007) and volume (p < 0.001) ratios: it was smallest for structural images, larger for DW-MRI acquisitions, and largest on fMRI images. Inter-rater reliability was high (r = 0.9626, p < 0.0001), and reconstruction of white matter connectivity characteristics increased with distance from the artifact border. In both patients, reconstructed white matter pathways of the uncinate fasciculus and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus were clearly visible within 2 mm of the artifact border. Advanced 3T MR can successfully image brain tissue around implanted titanium aneurysm clips at different spatial ranges depending on sequence type. White matter pathways near clip artifacts can be reconstructed and visualized. These findings provide a reference for designing functional and structural neuroimaging studies of recovery in aSAH patients after clip placement.
Studying for Exams Just Got More Relaxing—Animal-Assisted Activities at the University of Connecticut Library

In recent years, academic libraries have expanded their traditional focus on intellectual and scholarly pursuits, with many libraries now initiating programs that support student growth, development, and wellness. Although providing animal-assisted activities to college students is a fairly new concept, the social and therapeutic benefits of pet ownership or simply interacting with a companion animal are well documented. The University of Connecticut's Homer Babbidge Library on the Storrs campus chose to support the physical and emotional well-being of students during the stress-filled week of finals by providing therapy dogs. Student interaction and feedback were overwhelmingly positive.
Discrete approximations to the Laplace transformation

Einige numerische Anwendungen der Transformation $$\mathfrak{X}f = \mathop \sum \limits_{n = 0}^\infty f(nh)z^{ - n}$$ einer Funktionf(t) (sogenanntez-Transformation) werden in dieser Arbeit auf ihre mathematische Gultigkeit hin untersucht. Es zeigt sich, dass manche dieser Techniken bekannteren Differenzenmethoden sehr ahnlich sind. Die Arbeit bespricht ferner die Beziehung zwischen der Laplace-Transformation und derz-Transformation sowie zwei verbesserte diskrete Annaherungen zur Laplace-Transformation.
Critical endpoint behavior in an asymmetric Ising model: Application of Wang-Landau sampling to calculate the density of states

Using the Wang-Landau sampling method with a two-dimensional random walk we determine the density of states for an asymmetric Ising model with two- and three-body interactions on a triangular lattice, in the presence of an external field. With an accurate density of states we were able to map out the phase diagram accurately and perform quantitative finite-size analyses at, and away from, the critical endpoint. We observe a clear divergence of the curvature of the spectator phase boundary and of the magnetization coexistence diameter derivative at the critical endpoint, and the exponents for both divergences agree well with previous theoretical predictions.
Determination of fatty acids by high-performance liquid chromatography of Dns-ethanolamine derivatives.

On forme des derives fluorescents par reaction avec le chlorure d'acide (dimethylamino-5) naphtalene sulfonique-1
ITPE technique applications to time-varying two-dimensional ground-coupling problems

Abstract The interzone temperature profile estimation (ITPE) procedure is used to find two-dimensional analytical series solutions for the time-varying heat transfer between ground and slab-on-grade floors or basements. The undisturbed soil temperature is approximated as a sinusoidal function of time and the ITPE procedure is coupled with the complex temperature technique to derive the steady-periodic solutions for both configurations. The influence of insulation and of a fixed-temperature water table on the temporal behavior of slab-on-grade floors and basements is treated analytically for the first time.
Copyright, piracy, privacy, and security issues: acceptable or unacceptable actions for end users?

End user acceptable/unacceptable behavior related to computer information systems has caused significant losses to business and society. Some measures have been suggested to prevent losses or discourage unethical behavior. One approach is to identify factors that might better explain acceptable/unacceptable actions. In this study, we examined models of ethical behavior and selected factors from these models that might influence decision-making. We conducted an empirical study to determine perceptions of acceptable or unacceptable behavior and which factors were significant in influencing a person’s judgment of acceptable/unacceptable behavior. Identifying the factors that influence ethical decision-making is one approach suggested by researchers to find ways to discourage unethical behavior and help businesses prevent losses. The results of the study indicate there are significant factors that affected individuals’ assessment of what is acceptable behavior. The results also indicate that the factors which were influential were contingent on the characteristics of the ethical dilemma.
A prospective evaluation of shortened course oral N-acetylcysteine for the treatment of acute acetaminophen poisoning.

Study objective Treatment with a shortened duration of oral N-acetylcysteine (20 to 48 hours) after acute acetaminophen poisoning is effective in the prevention of subsequent hepatic failure and death when administered to individuals meeting appropriate laboratory criteria. Methods Individuals with a potentially toxic acetaminophen ingestion according to serum acetaminophen levels were identified prospectively using a large statewide poison control system database throughout a 12-month period. N-acetylcysteine was administered for a minimum of 6 doses (20 hours), after which laboratory studies were obtained. Discontinuation of N-acetylcysteine was recommended by the poison center when 2 criteria were met: serum acetaminophen was undetectable ( Results Of 205 acutely poisoned individuals treated with N-acetylcysteine for 48 hours or less, 195 were successfully contacted after discharge, and 187 of 195 (95.9%) reported no symptoms consistent with hepatic failure. Eight individuals (4.1%) reported abdominal pain or vomiting; however, none received further N-acetylcysteine treatment or additional hospitalization. Conclusion A shortened duration of treatment with N-acetylcysteine (20 to 48 hours) may be an effective treatment option in individuals considered to be at no further risk of developing liver toxicity according to the fulfillment of appropriate laboratory criteria before N-acetylcysteine discontinuation.