cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Single-Dose Intraprocedural Steroid Administration Does Not Impact Early Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence.

To evaluate the effect of single-dose intravenous dexamethasone on atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence following radiofrequency catheter ablation. A cohort of 84 adult patients (> 18 years) underwent catheter ablation at Mayo Clinic Rochester from January to March 2019. Only first-time ablation patients were included, with all re-do ablations excluded to minimize heterogeneity. Administration of intraoperative dexamethasone 4 mg or 8 mg was determined by chart review from the procedure. At our institution, intraoperative intravenous steroids are administered for postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) prophylaxis at the discretion of the anesthesiologist. AF recurrence was determined by ECG or cardiac monitoring within 3 months or between 3 and 12 months post-ablation with an in-person follow-up visit. A total of 31 (36.9%) patients received intravenous dexamethasone compared to 54 (63.1%) who did not (approximating a 2:1 comparison group). The incidence of documented AF or atrial flutter, lasting greater than 30 s, within the first 3 months post-ablation was 29.0% in the dexamethasone group versus 24.5% in the non-dexamethasone group (p value 0.80). AF or atrial flutter recurrence at 3–12 months post-ablation was 3.2% in the dexamethasone group compared to 9.4% in the non-dexamethasone group (p value 0.41). These data suggest that intraoperative intravenous dexamethasone administered during AF ablation for postoperative nausea and vomiting prophylaxis may not have a significant effect on AF recurrence rates.
Patterned crystal growth and heat wave generation in hydrogels

The crystallization of metastable liquid “phase change materials” releases stored energy as latent heat upon nucleation and may therefore provide a triggerable means of activating downstream processes that respond to changes in temperature. In this work, we describe a strategy for controlling the fast, exothermic crystallization of sodium acetate from a metastable aqueous solution into trihydrate crystals within a polyacrylamide hydrogel whose polymerization state has been patterned using photomasks. A comprehensive experimental study of crystal shapes, crystal growth front velocities and evolving thermal profiles showed that rapid growth of long needle-like crystals through unpolymerized solutions produced peak temperatures of up to 45˚C, while slower-crystallizing polymerized solutions produced polycrystalline composites and peaked at 30˚C due to lower rates of heat release relative to dissipation in these regions. This temperature difference and propagating heat waves, which we describe using a proposed analytical model, enable the use of this strategy to selectively activate thermoresponsive processes in predefined areas.
Population dynamics and distribution of Trialeurodes vaporariorum and Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on poinsettia following applications of three chemical insecticides

The effects of three insecticides, bifenthrin, endosulfan and aldicarb, on the within- and between-plant distributions of both greenhouse whitefly (GHWF), Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood), and ...
Flow Cytometry: Analyses for All Sizes

In this article we will describe the breadth of application of flow cytometric analytical techniques in terms of size and complexity of the systems analyzed. As the current limits of application of flow cytometry are established, we will forecast areas in which the technology will have an impact in the future. Only a few illustrative examples will be cited here. An excellent, up to date, and complete set of references is contained in the book Practical Flow Cytometry, Third Edition (Shapiro 1994).
Developmental Assets and Risky Sexual Behaviors Among American Indian Youth

This study examined the relationship between developmental assets during early and mid-adolescence and early adult sexual behaviors among American Indians using a subsample from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 465). Grounded in an assets framework, the authors explored the protective role of personal, family, school, and community assets as well as cumulative assets for sexual behaviors including early sexual debut, number of sexual partners, and frequency of condom use. The results indicated that certain assets during early and mid-adolescence, such as self-control, family support, and school attachment were protective for various risky sexual behaviors in early adulthood. Furthermore, cumulative assets emerged as an important predictor of sexual behaviors. These findings highlight the utility of applying a developmental asset framework to understand protective factors among American Indian youth.
Growth of AlGaN on silicon substrates: a novel way to make back-illuminated ultraviolet photodetectors

AlGaN, with its tunable wide-bandgap is a good choice for the realization of ultraviolet photodetectors. AlGaN films tend to be grown on foreign substrates such as sapphire, which is the most common choice for back-illuminated devices. However, even ultraviolet opaque substrates like silicon holds promise because, silicon can be removed by chemical treatment to allow back-illumination,1 and it is a very low-cost substrate which is available in large diameters up to 300 mm. However, Implementation of silicon as the solar-blind PD substrates requires overcoming the lattice-mismatch (17%) with the AlxGa1-xN that leads to high density of dislocation and crack-initiating stress. In this talk, we report the growth of thick crack-free AlGaN films on (111) silicon substrates through the use of a substrate patterning and mask-less selective area regrowth. This technique is critical as it decouples the epilayers and the substrate and allows for crack-free growth; however, the masking also helps to reduce the dislocation density by inclining the growth direction and encouraging dislocations to annihilate. A back-illuminated p-i-n PD structure is subsequently grown on this high quality template layer. After processing and hybridizing the device we use a chemical process to selectively remove the silicon substrate. This removal has minimal effect on the device, but it removes the UV-opaque silicon and allows back-illumination of the photodetector. We report our latest results of back-illuminated solar-blind photodetectors growth on silicon.
Temperate grass response to extent and timing of grazing

Alber, N. B., Brink, G. E. and Jackson, R. D. 2014. Temperate grass response to extent and timing of grazing. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 827–833. Considerable differences exist among cool-season grass species in their production potential and response to management variables. We examined the effects of grazing management on forage and root production of two temperate perennial grasses, meadow fescue [Schedonorus pratensis (Huds.) P. Beauv.] and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.). Grazing factors studied were extent of defoliation (50 or 100% biomass removal) and stage of maturity (vegetative or mature) at grazing. In 2009 and 2010, orchardgrass produced more above-ground biomass than meadow fescue despite yearly precipitation differences. In the drier year (2009), both grasses produced greater above-ground biomass under 100% extent of defoliation at either maturity stage. In 2010, orchardgrass produced greater above-ground biomass when grazed at a mature stage for either extent of defoliation, while few dif...
Comparison of stress concentrator fabrication for 3D printed polymeric izod impact test specimens

Abstract Izod impact test specimens were fabricated via a desktop grade material extrusion 3D printer process using ABS in four build orientations. The 3D printed impact test specimens were examined in order to compare the effect of stress concentrator fabrication on impact test data where two methods were used to fabricate the stress concentrating notch: (1) printing the stress concentrator; and (2) machining the stress concentrator where the dimensions of the notch matched those specified in the ASTM standard D256-10. In both test cases, sensitivity to build orientation was also observed. The sample sets with printed stress concentrators were found to be statistically similar to their counterparts with milled stress concentrators. The experiment was repeated again on a commercial grade material extrusion 3D printer using ABS, PC, PC-ABS, and Ultem 9085 and differences in impact test results were observed most notably when Ultem 9085 was tested. Scanning electron microscopy was utilized to perform fractograpy on impact test specimens to explore the effect of stress concentrator fabrication on the fracture surface morphology of the failed specimens. The work here demonstrates the need for materials testing standards that are specific to additive manufacturing technologies; as well as concluding that all-printed impact test specimens may offer the best representation of the impact characteristics of 3D printed structures.
A Typed Intermediate Language for Flow-Directed Compilation

We present a typed intermediate language λCIL for optimizing compilers for function-oriented and polymorphically typed programming languages (e.g., ML). The language λCIL is a typed lambda calculus with product, sum, intersection, and union types as well as function types annotated with flow labels. A novel formulation of intersection and union types supports encoding flow information in the typed program representation. This flow information can direct optimization.
Chemotherapy dose-intensification for pediatric patients with Ewing's family of tumors and desmoplastic small round-cell tumors: a feasibility study at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of dose-intensification for patients with Ewing's family of tumors (EFT) and desmoplastic small round-cell tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From February 1992 to June 1996, we treated 53 consecutive patients on our Ewing's protocol. Induction comprised three cycles of ifosfamide/etoposide on days 1 to 3 and cyclophosphamide (CTX)/doxorubicin on day 5, followed by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Local control using surgery and/or radiotherapy started at week 9 along with vincristine/dactinomycin. Maintenance included four alternating cycles of ifosfamide/ etoposide and doxorubicin/CTX, with randomization to one of two CTX dose levels to determine the feasibility of dose-intensification during maintenance. RESULTS: Patients had a median age of 13.4 years (range, 4.5 to 24.9 years); 34 patients were male and 43 patients were white. Nineteen patients presented with metastatic disease, 29 had tumors greater than 8 cm in diameter, and 26 had primary bone tumors. These pa...
Validation and Applications of a Chemical Equilibrium Model for Struvite Precipitation

Removal of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater can be accomplished by precipitating these as the mineral struvite (NH4MgPO4. 6H2O). Predicting struvite precipitation potential, yield, and purity is important for designers and operators of reactors for struvite precipitation. In this paper, a mathematical model of this precipitation process is developed using physicochemical equilibrium expressions, mass balance equations for nitrogen, phosphorous and magnesium, and charge balance. The model was simulated to explicitly solve for equilibrium concentrations of eighteen species that included dissolved (three), ionic (ten), and solid (five) species for a given set of initial concentrations of ammonium–nitrogen, magnesium and phosphate–phosphorus, and pH. The model simulations were validated against literature experimental data, which used synthetic as well as actual wastewater, and data from our experiments. The model satisfactorily predicted most data. Struvite fraction in the precipitate ranged from 27% to 100%. The purity of struvite in the precipitate and the pH that maximizes struvite fraction was dependent on the initial concentrations of ammonium, magnesium, and phosphate. Optimum pH and struvite fraction was, respectively, 8.5 and 29.3% for an equimolar mixture of ammonia, magnesium, and phosphate and 9.8 and 98.3% for 10:1.7:3.4 mM ratio. Struvite fraction in the precipitate increased as magnesium became limiting or as ammonia to phosphate ratio increased and magnesium to phosphate ratio decreased. Since the struvite component is only a fraction of the total solids, it is erroneous to report the total precipitate produced as being struvite as is conventionally done.
Microbubble fermentation of Trichoderma reesei for cellulase production

Abstract A laboratory-scale microbubble dispersion (MBD) generator was shown to improve oxygen transfer to aerobic microorganisms when connected to a conventional air sparger. However, this process setup had not been tested with fungi, where the morphology of microorganisms causes a very viscous broth rheology that impedes the oxygen mass transfer. Trichoderma reesei RUT C30 was chosen as a model fungus as it shows both the challenging rheology and a cellulase enzyme complex product that is shear-sensitive. Conventional and MBD sparged fermentations where carried out to compare the effect of aeration methods on oxygen transfer and product formation. MBD sparged fermentations showed fivefold higher kLa values and nearly twofold higher cell mass productivities. The cellulase enzyme activities were similar for both the MBD and the conventional sparged fermenters.
Interstitial water chemistry of the Santa Barbara Basin sediments

The interstitial water composition (SO42−, alkalinity, sulfide, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Si(OH)4, phosphate, NO2−, NO3−, NH4+, and Cl%.) of both the ‘basin’ sediment in the center of the Santa Barbara Basin and the ‘slope’ sediment shallower than the basin sill is compared. The ‘basin’ sediment is deposited in seawater which is almost anoxic (0.05–0.1 ml/l. of O2) whereas the ‘slope’ sediment is overlain with more oxygenated seawater (0.3–0.4 ml/l. O2). The sediments in both regions have similar clay mineralogy and are rapidly deposited (~0.4 cm/yr). The relationship between the redox state of deposition, early diagenesis, and pore water chemistry is investigated. Relative to seawater, the interstitial water of the ‘basin’ sediment shows large depletions in SO42− and Ca2+, accompanied by large enrichments in alkalinity, NH4+, and phosphate. In contrast, the ‘slope’ sediment pore waters show slight depletions in SO42− and Ca2+ and small increases in alkalinity, NH4+, and phosphate. In both sedimentary environments 1. (1) Mg2+ depletions occur to the same extent; 2. (2) dissolved silica concentrations are maintained at high, constant values beginning within 3–6 cm of the sediment-water interface; 3. (3) NO2− and NO3− are absent. A diagenetic model, which utilizes organic C:N:P ratios of southern California basin sediments, is able to predict the measured interstitial water concentrations of alkalinity, ammonia and phosphate from reactions involving the decomposition of organic material by the reduction of pore water SO42− and the authigenic precipitation of CaCO3. The uptake of Mg2+ by clay minerals is proposed to explain Mg2+ depletions in marine interstitial waters. Pore water silica values appear to be maintained at equilibrium concentrations, probably resulting from the interaction of clay minerals with silica produced by the dissolution of siliceous tests. From this comparison of the slope and basin regions of the Santa Barbara Basin it appears that the interstitial water chemistry (e.g. extent of pore water SO42− reduction; degree of carbonate saturation) and the preservation of the calcareous microfossil record are extremely sensitive to small changes (i.e. a decrease from 0.4 to 0.1 ml/l.) in the oxygen content of the sea-water under which deposition occurs. Implications of this oxygen control on sedimentary diagenesis may be important in both recent and past marine environments.
The role of antipredator behavior in an experimental community of jumping spiders with intraguild predation

The role of direct and indirect interactions in intraguild predation (IGP) was investigated in a laboratory study. The study system contained two spider species, Phidippus audax and Phidippus octopunctatus, and the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. P. audax and P. octopunctatus eat D. melanogaster. P. audax (top predators) also eat P. octopunctatus (intermediate predators). Thus, P. audax and P. octopunctatus compete for the shared resource and also interact as predator and prey. Experiments consisted of two treatments: risk-IGP and full-IGP. In the risk-IGP treatments, I examined the effects of trait-mediated indirect effects generated by antipredator behavior of P. octopunctatus on the survival of fruit flies. P. audax chelicerae were waxed so that P. audax could not attack a prey. The result indicated a significant positive indirect effect of P. audax on the survival of D. melanogaster due to the antipredator behavior of P. octopunctatus (a trait-mediated indirect effect). In the full-IGP treatments, P. audax chelicerae were not restricted, so that it could attack prey; this resulted in decreased survival of D. melanogaster. Because of predation of P. audax on P. octopunctatus, even stronger positive interactions occurred between P. audax and D. melanogaster in full-IGP than in risk-IGP.
Organelle loss in the endosymbiont ofGymnodinium acidotum (Dinophyceae)

The freshwater dinoflagellateGymnodinium acidotum is known to harbor a cryptomonad endosymbiont whose chloroplasts give the organism its blue-green coloration. Every cell examined from a wild population possessed chloroplasts, mitochondria, and other organelles which are of endosymbiotic origin. Transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy revealed that only 33% of these cells possessed the nucleus of the endosymbiont. The lack of a cryptomonad nucleus in some cells did not appear to affect the cells' ability to photosynthesize or move in response to varying levels of illumination. This represents the first report of a host/endosymbiont relationship in which a significant number of individuals from a given population lack a major endosymbiont organelle.
Speaking with (dis)respect: a study of reactions to Mock Spanish

Abstract This paper reports on an investigation into the reactions of 147 participants of various ethnicities to a language practice in the USA that has been characterized as Mock Spanish, a special register in which Spanish words or phrases are used to evoke humor by indexing an often unflattering image of Spanish speakers. Research questions include whether Mock Spanish is indeed racist discourse, whether it can by definition be used only by non-Latinos, and whether there are any correlations between individual reactions and informants' racial-ethnic self-identification, gender, age, educational attainment, Spanish language proficiency, and frequency of contact with native Spanish speakers. Este trabajo informa sobre un estudio de las reacciones de 147 participantes de varias etnicidades a una practica linguistica en los Estados Unidos que se viene denominando Mock Spanish, un registro especial en el cual se usan palabras o frases para evocar el humor con imagenes de hispanohablantes que suelen ser poco...
Effect of soil organic carbon on soil water retention

Abstract Reports about the relationship between soil water retention and organic carbon content are contradictory. We hypothesized that this relationship is affected by both proportions of textural components and amount of organic carbon. To test the hypothesis, we used the U.S. National Soil Characterization database and the database from pilot studies on soil quality as affected by long-term management. Regression trees and group method of data handling (GMDH) revealed a complex joint effect of texture and taxonomic order on water retention at −33 kPa. Adding information on taxonomic order and on taxonomic order and organic carbon content to the textural class brought 10% and 20% improvement in water retention estimation, respectively, as compared with estimation from the textural class alone. Using total clay, sand and silt along with organic carbon content and taxonomic order resulted in 25% improvement in accuracy over using textural classes. Similar but lower trends in accuracy were found for water retention at −1500 kPa and the slope of the water retention curve. At low organic carbon contents, the sensitivity of the water retention to changes in organic matter content was highest in sandy soils. Increase in organic matter content led to increase of water retention in sandy soils, and to a decrease in fine-textured soils. At high organic carbon values, all soils showed an increase in water retention. The largest increase was in sandy and silty soils. Results are expressed as equations that can be used to evaluate effect of the carbon sequestration and management practices on soil hydraulic properties.
Contractions of cat small intestinal smooth muscle in calcium-free solution.

A rise in internal Ca2+ is the signal which activates the contractile mechanism in muscle. In striated muscle there is a well developed sarcoplasmic reticulum which stores and releases the bulk of the Ca2+ involved in the contraction cycle1,2, allowing the muscle to operate relatively independently of external calcium levels. In smooth muscle the sarcoplasmic reticulum system is much less extensive3,4 and normal contractile activity is very sensitive to calcium levels in the bathing medium5–7. These findings, together with the small size of smooth muscle cells which minimises diffusion time from the plasma membrane to the contractile apparatus, have suggested to some investigators that the Ca2+ which enters the cell during Ca2+-mediated action potentials is either sufficient by itself to activate contraction or is a necessary trigger for the further release of Ca2+ from internal stores8–11. This notion is given support by the observation that contractile activity rapidly dies out when smooth muscle preparations are exposed to calcium-free solutions. However, electrical activity is eventually lost in these solutions. We report here on spontaneous contractile and electrical activity, and evoked mechanical activity, recorded after prolonged exposure to calcium-free EGTA saline in intestinal smooth muscle of cat.
SYNTHESIS OF SOME UNSATURATED LACTONES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO DEEP-FAT FRIED FLAVOR

Seven unsaturated lactones, viz., the lactones of 4-hydroxy-nonenoic acid, with the double bond at the 2 and 3 position, respectively, 4-hydroxy-octenoic acid with the double bond at the 2 and 3 position, respectively, 5-hydroxy-4-nonenoic acid, 5-hydroxy-2-octenoic acid, and 5-hydroxy-2-undecenoic acid, were synthesized. Their chemical structures were confirmed by their infrared and mass spectra. Organoleptic evaluation indicated that γ-lactones with unsaturation at the 2 or 3 positions imparted a characteristic deep-fat fried flavor to cottonseed oil when added at 2.5 ppm. Furthermore, γ-lactones with unsaturation at the 3 position could improve the flavor of margarine and snack foods.
Matched Filter Processing for Asteroid Detection

Matched filter (MF) processing has been shown to provide significant performance gains when processing stellar imagery used for asteroid detection, recovery, and tracking. This includes extending detection ranges to fainter magnitudes at the noise limit of the imagery and operating in dense cluttered star fields as encountered at low Galactic latitudes. The MF software has been shown to detect 40% more asteroids in high-quality Spacewatch imagery relative to the currently implemented approaches, which are based on moving target indicator (MTI) algorithms. In addition, MF detections were made in dense star fields and in situations in which the asteroid was collocated with a star in an image frame, cases in which the MTI algorithms failed. Thus, using legacy sensors and optics, improved detection sensitivity is achievable by simply upgrading the image-processing stream. This in turn permits surveys of the near-Earth asteroid (NEA) population farther from opposition, for smaller sizes, and in directions previously inaccessible to current NEA search programs. A software package has been developed and made available on the NASA data services Web site that can be used for asteroid detection and recovery operations utilizing the enhanced performance capabilities of MF processing.
Two-axis flexure hinges with axially-collocated and symmetric notches

The paper introduces a new class of two-axis flexure hinges with axially-collocated and symmetric notches as an alternative to the existing flexure designs with serially-disposed notches. A generic formulation is developed in terms of the geometric curves defining the two notches which includes assessing the capacity of rotation, precision of rotation, sensitivity to parasitic effects, stress values, motion efficiency and shearing effects by means of compliance factors. Closed-form compliance equations are derived for a two-axis flexure hinge that is defined by two non-identical parabolic profiles. The analytical model predictions are confirmed by finite element data. A numerical comparison is made of the parabolic flexure with a constant rectangular cross-section flexure hinge in terms of several performance criteria.
An integrated, optically powered, optoelectronic 'smart' logic pixel for interconnection and computing applications

An architecture for optoelectronic interconnection and computing applications, based on the concept of supplying local power to several locations on a 2-D array of circuits using optical means, is described. Optical powering has the advantage of supplying power with reduced crosstalk while simplifying the layout complexity of the arrays. The concept is demonstrated using an integrated and optically powered optoelectronic smart logic pixel that operates variously as a thresholding amplifier, bistable switch/latch, and a signal inverter. The mode of operation is set by the intensity of an optical control beam, and the power is supplied by illumination of an integrated photovoltaic cell array. The circuits are integrated in the InGaAs(P) materials system, and have a bandwidth of 40 MHz, a data beam switching energy of 3.8 pJ, and an optoelectronic gain as high as 11. Analysis of circuit operation and fabrication, as well as comparisons with competing technologies for smart pixel interconnections, are discussed. >
Effect of human procathepsin D on proliferation of human cell lines

We have used human procathepsin D isolated from supernatant of human breast cancer cell line ZR-75-1 to test its mitogenic activity for a broad spectrum of human-derived cell lines. These cell lines included: breast cancer cell lines ZR-75-1, MDA-MB-436, MBA-MD-483 and MDA-MB-231, B lymphoblastoid cell line Raji, the monocytoid cell line U937, T lymphoblastoid cell line 8402, epitheloid carcinoma cell line HELA, hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Hep G2, breast milk epithelial cell line HBL-100 and angiosarcoma cell line HAEND-1. We have tested the level of proliferation of these cell lines depending on the presence of procathepsin D in the medium. In parallel we have also measured the effect of insulin-like growth factor II under the same experimental conditions. We have found a significant difference between the influence of IGF II and that of procathepsin D. While IGF II promoted in practically the same way the proliferation of all cell lines tested, procathepsin D had a very pronounced effect on breast cancer cell lines only. This finding might help to explain some contradictory results of prognostic significance of procathepsin D in human breast cancer.
Impact damage resistance and tolerance of high-performance polymeric composites subjected to environmental aging

Abstract This study investigates the impact damage resistance and tolerance of two high-performance polymeric composite systems after exposure to environmental aging. The material systems under study were IM8/954-2, a thermoplastic-toughened cyanate ester thermoset resin reinforced with graphite fibers and IM8/ITX, a semicrystalline thermoplastic resin reinforced with graphite fibers. [0]8s unidirectional composites and [+45 −45] 2s cross-ply composites were tested in the experimental program. Specimens were aged at 150 °C in two different environments (ambient atmospheric air and inert nitrogen gas) for periods of up to 18 months prior to testing. Impact tests were conducted at impact velocities (Vi) of 6.3, 10.1, 14.6, 19.8 and 254 m s−1 by using a gas-gun. The damage area was evaluated by C-scan and X-radiography techniques and resistance to damage evaluated by the threshold velocity, Vc and damage area growth rate, C. In both the unidirectional and cross-ply composites, damage increased progressively with aging time. Aging environment also had a significant effect on damage resistance, as shown by the fact that specimens aged in nitrogen for 18 months had equivalent damage to those aged in air for only 2 months. Tension-after impact (TAI) strength tests were also conducted on the cross-ply composites. Strength values fell by as much as 70–75% of original tensile strength in both material systems and were dependent on variables such as aging time, aging environment and impact velocity.
On the ground temperature below buildings

Abstract A transient, numerical model for the prediction of the ground temperature at various depths below buildings is presented in this paper. The proposed model was developed by calculating the heat flow to the ground from a building, which depends on the complicated three-dimensional thermal process in the ground. The main difficulties in obtaining manageable solutions of the heat flow problem were: The three-dimensionality of the thermal process, the strong temporal variability of the outdoor temperature as well as the large number of parameters involved in describing the building foundation geometry as well as the thermal insulation. The techniques of superposition and numerical analysis were used to cope with these difficulties. The model was validated against experimental data and it was found that it could accurately predict the ground temperature under a building.
THE ACTIVATING EFFECT OF MAGNESIUM AND OTHER CATIONS ON THE HEMOLYTIC FUNCTION OF COMPLEMENT.

1. The evidence presented indicates that Mg++, or other cation such as Ca++, Ni++, or Co++, is essential for the hemolytic action of C'. Ca++, Ni++, and Co++ are less effective than Mg++. The hemolytic system usually does not contain sufficient Mg++ for optimal hemolytic activity so that a marked enhancement can be obtained by addition of extra Mg++. 2. The enhancing action of tissue fluids can be ascribed to their contribution of Mg++. 3. Substances which bind Mg++ and Ca++ are anticomplementary when added to the usual hemolytic system which contains only a small quantity of Mg++. This type of anticomplementary effect can be overcome by addition of extra Mg++. 4. Ca++ may also be essential to the lytic process but its action is much less pronounced than that of Mg++.
Macroeconomic policy under the conditions of oil shocks

This paper represents a non-technical and eclectic attempt at synthesizing and presenting fundamental features, challenges and conclusions of the niche of economic theory focusing on the relationship between macroeconomic policy and oil shocks. Results of more than five-decade long research and vivid practice can be summarized in the following: Relationship between an oil price shock and economic performance, most notably inflationary record, has weakened over time. This is predominantly due to the fact that macroeconomic management has become less "accommodative" of the oil price, i.e. monetary and fiscal authorities have stopped using policy instruments as a direct response the shock; Polygon for exercising macroeconomic policy during and after the oil price hikes has been consciously and considerably narrowed since the practice has shown that macroeconomic stimuli are not an adequate replacement for real adjustment; Redefining of institutional ambient, reshaping of the global monetary order, implementation of programs for energy-conservation and alternative fuels utilization, as well as a decrease in dependence on imported oil on the part of developed countries, have together resulted in oil shocks being less penetrative in the open economy; Structural changes in the world oil market, most notably diminishing strength of OPEC and the introduction of sophisticated trade instruments, have contributed to risk diversification, whereby oil price instability has been somewhat reduced.
Aerosol transport through a porous sampling probe with transpiration air flow

Abstract Use of conventional stack sampling probes to transport particulate material from a source to a collector or sensor can easily result in biased measurements due to particulate deposition on and/or interaction with the probe walls. Such interaction and deposition can result in a significant loss of particle mass and alteration of the particle size distribution as measured. This paper presents a new sampling interface system which will prevent or minimize aerosol deposition. The system is based on the use of a porous walled sampling tube through which an aerosol stream is passed as a main stream in the core of the tube. The tube is then surrounded by an annular space containing clean filtered air at a higher pressure which can “transpire” through the tube walls into the main stream, thus providing a sheath of particle free air next to the wall. The system has been designed and tested through a series of controlled laboratory tests. Data on three aerosols, KC1, 1-MAAQ and Uranine, representing a particle size range of 0.05 to 50 μm are presented. The conditions for quantitative transport of the aerosol are explained by a mechanistic approach.
Using an alternate reality game as a course backdrop (abstract only)

Education research has long borne that students who are the most successful are those that are intrinsically motivated. In the computer science education community there have been attempts to create intrinsic motivation in our students through the use of puzzles and games. At the same time, members of the community have advocated the use of storytelling to increase intrinsic motivation and student learning.In an undergraduate computer science curriculum, large software projects and challenging lab assignments are necessary elements. While successful students thirst for these experiences, many students dread courses driven by large and challenging assignments.In order to increase the intrinsic motivation of students in such a course, the assignments can be structured as elements of an alternate reality game (ARG) where successful participation in and completion of assignments advances a narrative set in the real world.The advantage of using a ARG in an educational context is many-fold: its storytelling and puzzle elements increase student engagement, it generates a sense of excitement in the class, and it increase student motivation to complete assignments.In an implementation of this course backdrop, student surveys indicate that students find the narrative element of the course fun, that they are more excited to do the lab assignments because of it, and that it makes them more excited about studying computer science. Furthermore, the excitement around the game helped to build community: interested students who completed the course helped in the preparation of the ARG for the next offering of the course.
Selective differentiation of mammalian bone marrow stromal cells cultured on three-dimensional polymer foams.

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) are pluripotent progenitor cells that can regenerate different skeletal tissues in response to environmental signals. In this study, we used highly porous, structurally stable three-dimensional polymer foams in conjunction with specific regulatory molecules to selectively differentiate mammalian BMSC into either cartilaginous or bone-like tissues. Bovine BMSC were expanded in monolayers and cultured on 5-mm-diameter, 2-mm-thick foams made of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and poly(ethylene glycol). Constructs maintained their original size and shape for up to 4 weeks of culture and supported BMSC growth and production of extracellular matrix (ECM). By proper use of chondrogenic (dexamethasone, insulin, transforming growth factor-beta1) or osteogenic (dexamethasone, beta-glycerophosphate) medium supplements, we could control whether the generated ECM was cartilaginous (containing collagen type II and sulfated glycosaminoglycans) or bone-like (containing osteocalcin, osteonectin, and mineralized foci). After 4 weeks of cultivation, cartilaginous and bone-like ECM were uniformly distributed throughout the construct volume and respectively represented 34.2 +/- 9.3% and 12.6 +/- 3.2% of the total available area. BMSC culture on poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/poly(ethylene glycol) foams provides a three-dimensional model system to study the development of mesenchymal tissues in vitro and has potential applications in engineering autologous grafts for skeletal tissue repair.
cancer, control, and causality: talking about cancer in a working‐class community

This article examines discourse between health educators and residents of a white, inner-city, working-class community, a high cancer risk area targeted for a cancer education project. The community's rejection of project messages advising changes in lifestyle is described as a form of resistance. Through rhetoric about fate and cancer, community residents refuse science the power to define the terms of the discourse, and articulate a critique connecting scientific authority to wider contexts of social class and access to power and legitimacy.
General proof of Carruthers theorem

Abstract Under the general requirements of Lorentz invariance and mass-spectrum condition, it is shown that the invariance under the isospin group SU(2) implies abnormal commutation relations for bosons (fermions) with half-integer (integer) isospin.
A molecular dynamics computer simulation of the time dependence of surface damage production in ion irradiated metal targets

Molecular dynamics computer simulations have been used to study the development of ion-induced cascades in the surface region of an initially perfect single crystal metal target. A 16 mm movie has been produced to show the temporal progress of individual cascades. The cascades can then be seen to be formed from a few high energy primary knock-on initiated replacement collision sequences which overlap to form the more usual interpretation of a mature collision cascade. However, it is before the collision cascade has matured, and while the replacement sequences are spreading, that the majority of atoms (>80%) are ejected. These qualitative observations are also upheld more quantitatively in a global average, over many cascades, of the ejection time of each atom. This gives rise to the appearance of a statistical ejection front which propagates radially outwards, from the impact point on the crystal surface, with a well defined velocity. © 1984.
Neutron background due to Ta backings for lithium targets

Abstract The background due to neutron scattering from the tantalum backing for lithium targets has been measured at neutron energies from 2 to 300 keV for neutrons emitted at an angle of 120° with respect to the direction of the proton beam. The method consists in measuring the unfiltered neutron flux in this direction with and without a second piece of tantalum attached to the backing of the targets and making the appropriate transmission corrections for the scattered neutrons. The background fraction is large at low energies but falls steeply with increasing neutron energy to about 6.5% at 10 keV. It subsequently decreases gradually to about 2.8% at 100 keV, where it begins to rise again and reaches a maximum of about 6.3% at 250 keV.
Languages, Humanities and the Teaching of Values.

T IS interesting, if depressing, to read the multifarious articles on methods of language instruction, as though the success of a language program depended on the teacher. While a teacher unqualified in his subject certainly limits the goals which can be set, there are other factors in today's secondary schools which will override the best teacher's efforts and leave his program as much a failure as that of the unqualified teacher. The determining factors affecting educational standards at present are school organization and control, which in turn depend theoretically on the values put forth by American educational philosophy. The teacher, and along with him all those who discuss teacher education and methods, are merely passengers in the secondary structure. If the craft is guided squarely into a mountain by its pilots, there is little the best teacher can say or do to fulfill the expectations of researchers and university professors. And even the best pilots cannot save a plane aerodynamically doomed to crash.
Gas Channels for NH3: Proteins from Hyperthermophiles Complement an Escherichia coli Mutant

Ammonium transport (Amt) proteins appear to be bidirectional channels for NH(3). The amt genes of the hyperthermophiles Aquifex aeolicus and Methanococcus jannaschii complement enteric amtB mutants for growth at 25 nM NH(3) at 37 degrees C. To our knowledge, Amt proteins are the first hyperthermophilic membrane transport proteins shown to be active in a mesophilic bacterium. Despite low expression levels, His-tagged Aquifex Amt could be purified by heating and nickel chelate affinity chromatography. It could be studied genetically in Escherichia coli.
A pilot study to examine the effect of chronic treatment with immunosuppressive drugs on mucociliary clearance in a vagotomized murine model.

Background Previously, we have demonstrated that mucociliary clearance (MCC) is diminished within the first months after surgery in lung transplant patients and the explanation for the reduction in MCC is unknown. We hypothesized that chronic treatment with a commonly prescribed regimen of immunosuppressive drugs significantly impairs MCC. We tested this hypothesis in a murine model of lung transplantation.
A finiteness property of abelian varieties with potentially ordinary good reduction

A g-dimensional abelian variety A/F over a number field F is of GL(2)-type if End(A/F ) := End(A/F ) ⊗Z Q contains a field E of degree g. We call such a field E an endomorphism field of A. We say that an F -simple abelian variety A/F over a number field F of dimension g is non-CM if End (A/F ×F Q) does not contain any semi-simple commutative algebra of degree 2g over Q (cf. [ACM]). If an abelian variety A/F of GL(2)-type is F -simple, D = End (A/F ) is a division algebra with a positive involution α → α∗. Since D has a maximal commutative subfield stable under ∗, we may assume that its endomorphism field E is totally real or a CM field. The Galois action on the Tate module of an F -simple abelian variety A/F of GL(2)-type with endomorphism field E produces a two-dimensional strictly compatible system of Galois representations ρA = {ρλ : Gal(Q/F ) → GL2(Eλ)}λ indexed by primes λ of E. Thus we have its L-function L(s, ρA). Two F -simple abelian varieties A and B = Aχ are twist equivalent if L(s, ρB) = L(s, ρA ⊗ χ) for a finite order character χ : Gal(Q/F ) → Q. Note that the dimension is possibly unbounded over a twist equivalent class. Since Tate’s conjecture has been proven by Faltings for abelian varieties, one could formulate this equivalence by insisting that the two abelian varieties share a simple component over an abelian extension of F . In this more geometric context, Q-simple abelian varieties have been studied in depth as Q-simple factors of modular Jacobians by Ribet (for example, see [R] and his papers quoted there). However we adopt an analytic definition of twistequivalence using their L-function as it can also be applied to rank 2 Q-motives (for which the Tate conjecture is still unknown). Here the identity of two L-functions
Dynamical analysis in real time: detecting perturbations to team communication

Dynamical systems methods characterise patterns of change over time. Typically, such methods are applied only after data collection is complete. However, brief disturbances – perturbations – can occur as a process unfolds and can result in undesirable outcomes if not acted on. The application of dynamics in real time would be useful for detecting these sudden changes. Real-time analysis was accomplished by updating dynamical estimates simultaneously across different window sizes. We calculated the largest Lyapunov exponent, a measure of dynamical stability, to detect a perturbation to team communication in a simulated uninhabited air vehicle (UAV) reconnaissance mission. The perturbation consisted of information demands from a confederate that occurred unexpectedly during performance of a UAV mission. We demonstrate the use of real-time methods in detecting that perturbation as it occurred. In application, this technique would have enabled real-time intervention. Extensions of the real-time dynamical meth...
Allowing for missing genotypes in any members of the nuclear families in transmission disequilibrium test

The Transmission Disequilibrium Test (TDT) detects linkage between a marker and a disease-susceptibility locus in the presence of linkage disequilibrium. The TDT requires data on the genotypes of affected offspring and their parents, which might not always be available. For example, for late onset diseases it might be difficult to find parents still alive, or genotypes of offspring might not be available. Genotyping unaffected siblings, combining different genotype data sets, or assuming a model mechanism for missing parents have all been proposed to deal with missing genotypes in parents but not in offspring. In this paper, we propose a Mendel Inheritance-Transmission Disequilibrium Test (MI-TDT) to impute missing genotypes in any members of a family with two affected offspring. Our method does not require any of the remedies mentioned above but simply utilizes the fundamental property of Mendel Inheritance on the transmission of alleles from parents to offspring. Most importantly, the MI-TDT reassures researchers about the declared significant genes when incomplete data is ignored. We illustrate the MI-TDT by identifying significant genes in type 1 diabetes from the Warren families in the United Kingdom.
Colors of RR Lyrae Stars

The methods of Davis & Cox are applied to a series of models described by Bono & Stellingwerf to determine the colors of RR Lyrae stars. Convection is ignored, and the radiation flow is treated by a complete variable Eddington, multifrequency-dependent radiative transfer approximation.
Cow's milk allergy and intolerance

Terminologie, epidemiologie, etiologie et symptomatologie des principales intolerances et allergies au lait. Dietotherapie
“Cold, Hard Facts”: Justice Brandeis and the Oklahoma Ice Case

(2000). “Cold, Hard Facts”: Justice Brandeis and the Oklahoma Ice Case. The Historian: Vol. 63, No. 2, pp. 249-268.
Thin Film Deposition By UV Laser Photolysis

An ArF excimer laser was used to photochemically deposit thin films of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide and zinc oxide at low temperatures (100-500°C) for microelectronic applications. High depo-sition (>1000 A/Min) rates and conformal step coverage were obtained. The hydrogen bonding, pinhole density, index of refraction, etch rate, and breakdown voltage have been measured for the Si02 and silicon nitride films. The effect of substrate temperature and ArF (193 nm) surface photons on the physical, chemical and electrical properties of Si02 films have been investigated.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.