cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol: Localization in Body Fat

[(14)C]Delta(9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)THC) was injected subcutaneously in rats every day for 1 to 26 days. Concentrations of Delta(9)THC and its metabolites, 11-hydroxytetrahydrocannabinol and 8,11-dihydroxytetrahydrocannabinol, were determined in various tissues. After a single injection, the concentration of Delta(9)THC in fat was ten times greater than in any other tissue examined, and persisted in this tissue for 2 weeks. With repeated injection, Delta(9)THC and its metabolites accumulated in fat and brain.
Extended tables for plane-wave Born-approximation calculations of direct Coulomb ionization of the K-shell by charged particles

Expressions used in the calculation of nonrelativistic K-shell cross sections for direct Coulomb ionization in the plane-wave Born approximation have been numerically integrated and tabulated for a range of projectile velocities and target binding-energy parameters which extends beyond that found in previous tables. The extended range of these parameters has been dictated by the need to apply subsequent developments in the basic theory to new heavy-ion data. The new table is intended to replace the others and is cast in terms of universal quantities. Analytical limiting forms are provided for use outside the region defined by the table.
Surveying the earth's environment from space - Spectral, areal, temporal coverage trends

Attention is given to various areas of satellite applications to monitoring the earth's environment. These trends primarily concern spectral, areal, and temporal coverage. Various environmental monitors are discussed in terms of derived economic benefits. Several types of remote sensors for earth applications are described, noting spectral channels, resolution cell size, swath width, and data rate. A sample environmental monitoring system is presented which includes five geostationary satellites, and three or four low earth orbit spacecraft
The Construction of an Improved Automated Atomizer for Evaluating Jet Fuel Flammability

The flammability characteristics of jet fuel aerosols are significant parameters for the development of fire safe fuels. In our laboratory's efforts to evaluate the success of specific chemical additives designed to reduce the ignition of jet fuel aerosols, we have developed a unique, completely automated atomizer for producing aerosols and measuring their mist flammability properties.
Improvement in Nutritional Parameters After Initiation of Chronic Hemodialysis

Protein-calorie malnutrition is highly preventable in patients with chronic renal failure and on chronic dialysis therapy. Longitudinal studies evaluating nutritional outcomes after the initiation of chronic dialysis therapy in incident dialysis patients are limited. Methods: This prospective cohort study evaluated time-dependent changes in several well-defined markers of nutritional status before and after initiation of chronic hemodialysis therapy. Fifty incident hemodialysis (HD) patients (60% men, 38% white, 32% with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) were studied. Multiple nutritional markers, including biochemical parameters and analysis of body composition, were assessed before the initial outpatient chronic HD treatment and every 3 months thereafter for 12 months. Results: At baseline, nutritional markers correlated well with each other. After the initiation of HD therapy, there were marked improvements in most nutritional parameters, including serum albumin, serum prealbumin, normalized protein...
TWO STAGE DIRECT COAL GASIFICATION TO C2-C4 HYDROCARBONS

ABSTRACT Results of a study conducted to convert coal to C2-C4 hydrocarbons in a two-stage reactor system are presented. Coal was converted to liquids at 440° C in a stirred batch autoclave using tetralin as the hydrogen donor solvent. The liquids produced were separated from the unreacted coal and ash by filtration. The liquids were then fed into a second stage fixed bed reactor containing sulfided Ni-M0/AI2O3 and Si02-AbO;5 catalyst. The liquids were hydrocracked on the dual-functional catalyst giving high yields of C2-C4 hydrocarbons. The pressure was 1800 psig and the temperatures were in the range of 425 to 500° C. Reaction mechanisms of conversion of coal derived liquids to C2-C4 hydrocarbons are presented. The kinetic parameters of the conversion of coal liquids to gases were determined. The activation energy was determined to be 23.9 Kcal/mol Cracking reactions involving C-C bonds appear to be rate-controlling.
Capacity building through investment in people: key to Africa ' s development

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a prologue to the issue of development in Africa and the critical need to build capacity through investment in people. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews relevant literature on the seminal issues of defining human development, promoting human development in Africa, new development deal for Africa and investment in human capital as key to human development. In addition, the paper provides a brief overview of the articles focusing on capacity building in Africa. Literature pertinent to the topic of development in Africa is provided. Findings – Understanding the meaning of development and human development in particular is not only a necessary but a sufficient condition to designing strategies and policies aimed at promoting human development in Africa. As established in this guest editorial, Knowledge, entrepreneurship and the mastery of information and communication technologies in this century should become Africa ' s best competitive advantag...
Considerations for Setting up a Small-Animal Imaging Facility

Imaging techniques allow for the conduct of noninvasive, in vivo longitudinal small-animal studies, but also require access to expensive and complex equipment, and personnel who are properly trained in their use. The authors describe their planning and staffing of the NIH Mouse Imaging Facility, and highlight important issues to consider when designing a similar facility.
Generalized Massieu–Planck functions: Geometric representation, extrema and uniqueness properties

Massieu–Planck functions are thermodynamic transforms closely related to the more familiar Legendre transforms. They arise naturally in the theory of concentration and entropy fluctuations in multicomponent systems. Generalization of the Massieu–Planck transform concept gives rise to a one‐to‐one correspondence between each thermodynamic potential and an associated Massieu–Planck function having the same uniqueness and extrema properties. The specific Massieu–Planck functions arising in fluctuation theory are particular cases of the transforms whose algebraic and geometric properties are presented here.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CORONAL DIMMING AND CORONAL MASS EJECTION PROPERTIES

Coronal dimmings are closely related to the footpoints of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and, as such, offer information about CME origins and evolution. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between CME and dimming properties. In particular, we compare CME quantities for events with and without associated dimmings. We find that dimming-associated CMEs, on average, have much higher speeds than non-dimming-associated events. In fact, CMEs without an associated dimming do not appear to travel faster than 800 km s–1, i.e., the fast solar wind speed. Dimming-associated events are also more likely to be associated with flares, and those flares tend to have the highest magnitudes. We propose that each of these phenomena is affected by the energy available in the source region. Highly energetic source regions produce fast CMEs that are accompanied by larger flares and visible dimmings, while less energetic source regions produce slow CMEs that are accompanied by smaller flares and may or may not have dimmings. The production of dimmings in the latter case may depend on a number of factors including initiation height of the CME, source region magnetic configuration, and observational effects. These results have important implications for understanding and predicting CME initiations.
Activity Recognition for Dynamic Multi-Agent Teams

This article addresses the problem of activity recognition for dynamic, physically embodied agent teams. We define team activity recognition as the process of identifying team behaviors from traces of agent positions over time; for many physical domains, military or athletic, coordinated team behaviors create distinctive spatio-temporal patterns that can be used to identify low-level action sequences. This article focuses on the novel problem of recovering agent-to-team assignments for complex team tasks where team composition, the mapping of agents into teams, changes over time. We suggest two methods for improving the computational efficiency of the multi-agent plan recognition process in these cases of changing team composition; our proposed approach is robust to sensor observation noise and errors in behavior classification.
Changes in activities of modulators of cyclic AMP-dependent and cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinases in pancreas and adipose tissue from alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Summary The possible changes in activities of protein kinase modulator in pancreas and epididymal fat of alloxan-induced diabetic rats were examined. The modulator was assayed by its abilities to inhibit cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and conversely stimulate cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase under the same incubation conditions. It was found that the inhibitory and stimulatory activities of the modulator from the pancreas of diabetic rats were higher than the modulator from control rats. On the other hand, the modulator activities from the fat of diabetic rats were lower compared to control rats. In all cases, both the inhibitory and the stimulatory activities of the modulators in each tissue increased or decreased in a parallel fashion.
Measurement of logarithmic decrements through the measurement of time

The paper describes an arrangement which can be used to measure the period and logarithmic decrement of a damped harmonic torsional oscillation without the need to perform any length measurements. By means of suitably arranged electronic circuits, all measurements are reduced to those of time intervals. These consist of a measurement of the period and of two time intervals which a travelling laser beam requires to sweep past two stationary photoresistances. A suitable procedure for the location of a zero base line is indicated, and it is shown that the residual uncertainty of this operation is the source of the dominant error.
Assessing linkage on chromosome 5 using components of variance approach: Univariate versus multivariate

We report results when one disease related quantitative trait (Q1) is analyzed versus multiple related quantitative traits using a components of variance approach [Amos, 1994; de Andrade and Amos, 1996]. In both cases, we used age, sex and environmental factor (EF) as covariates. Analysis with ascertainment correction of samples selected through probands with extremely high trait values was also performed and is presented. Testing procedures to detect linkage using the components of variance approach are discussed. The univariate and multivariate analyses showed effects of locus 15 on chromosome 5 only for Q1. This result was confirmed when using ascertainment correction.
Theory of convex cones in multicriteria decision making

We develop the theory of convex polyhedral cones in the objective-function space of a multicriteria decision problem. The convex cones are obtained from the decision-maker's pairwise judgments of decision alternatives and are applicable to any quasiconcave utility function. Therefore, the cones can be used in any progressively articulated solution procedure that employs pairwise comparisons. The cones represent convex sets of solutions that are inferior to known solutions to a multicriteria problem. Therefore, these convex sets can be eliminated from consideration while solving the problem. We develop the underlying theory and a framework for representing knowledge about the decision-maker's preference structure using convex cones. This framework can be adopted in the interactive solution of any multicriteria problem after taking into account the characteristics of the problem and the solution procedure. Our computational experience with different multicriteria problems shows that this approach is both viable and efficient in solving practical problems of moderate size.
Dislocation dynamics in the 2-d Frenkel-Kontorova model

Abstract The Frenkel-Kontorova (FK) model is generalized to two spatial dimensions and studied by finite temperature molecular dynamics simulations. The model allows dislocations of arbitrary orientation and Burgers vector, including edge and screw dislocations. Straight dislocations, dislocation loops and mechanisms for dislocation generation are studied. Two new mechanisms for dislocation generation have been identified: (1) the heterogeneous nucleation of dislocations on pre-existing dislocations and (2) the generation of dislocation loops in the wake of a moving dislocation. These mechanisms may be important in materials subjected to high strain rates.
SU‐FF‐J‐29: Accuracy Evaluation of Using MV EPID and / Or Integrated KV Imaging System to Locate 3D Positions of Internal Fiducial Markers by a Calypso System

Purpose: In order to use MV EPID and/or integrated kV imagingsystem to obtained 3D positions of implanted fiducial markers for the purpose of patient setup and / or image‐guidedradiation therapy in real‐time, it is essential to investigate the accuracy of this method. Method and Materials: A Calypso QA phantom with three Beacons was imaged by both MV and kV beams at a series of gantry angles on a Trilogy (Varian MedicalSystems, Palo Alto, California, USA) while Beacon positions were simultaneously tracked using a Calypso 4D localization system (Calypso Medical Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA). Beacons were automatically detected on kV and MV projection images using in‐house software, their 3D positions were calculated from MV‐MV, kV‐kV, or MV‐kV pairs with a 60° or larger gantry angle separation between each pair, and compared with Calypso results. A special QA procedure was developed to assess geometric accuracy of MV and kV imagingsystems on the Trilogy, and geometric parameter deviations, particularly detector center offsets, were applied to correct the 3D position calculations. Results: A phantom was placed at known positions based on the detected Calypso Beacon centroids. Both MV and kV images were acquired at 12 gantry angles with an increment of 30°. 2D and 3D positions were calculated. The different calculation modalities resulted in noticeable discrepancies from the Calypso 3D positions. The application of a geometric correction is capable of reducing these deviations, with the measured net shifts matching calypso results within 0.1 mm. Conclusion: Geometric correction after QA of imaging geometry helps improve detection accuracy. Implanted fiducial markers can be detected by multiple projections of either MV or kV x‐ray beams with an accuracy of approximately 1 mm.
Broader impact: Guidance for scientists about education and public outreach

Most Earth and space scientists devote so much of their energy to research, publication, staying funded, and in some cases teaching and supervising students, that it is hardly surprising many feel they have little time to address funding agencies' requirements to articulate how their proposed research will have an impact beyond academia. Even so, many in the research community acknowledge that it is in their own best interests, and that of the global environment, to communicate not just with their peers, but also with educators, students, the media, resource managers, and policy makers. So the challenge is: How can researchers reach out to these audiences while staying focused on their primary responsibilities?
The effect of time after shear injury on the subsynovial connective tissue and median nerve within the rabbit carpal tunnel.

Background The most prominent nonneurological finding in the common compression neuropathy carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is fibrosis of the subsynovial connective tissue (SSCT). Recently, a rabbit model of CTS has been developed, based on the hypothesis that SSCT injury and subsequent fibrosis cause nerve compression. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects in this model at earlier and later time points than have heretofore been reported.
New allies for immigration reform: A Cincinnati story

At 12:15 p.m. on a sunny Sunday afternoon in August, about 50 people were gathered in the drab but spacious basement of a Methodist church in Cincinnati, Ohio, for an event designed to bring together members of the Christian and immigrant communities. The meeting was part of the push by the United Methodist churches for solidarity with the immigrant cause. After serving themselves pulled chicken, refried beans, rice, salad and desserts, the attendees sat at round tables on folding chairs, quietly munching and sipping lemonade or iced tea as the meeting began. There has been much talk and writing by academics recently about ‘new destinations’ for Latin American immigrants to the United States. Scholarly discussions have taken place on the demographic realities and (to a lesser extent) everyday lives of immigrants who live not in Chicago or New York, but in Alabama or Iowa. This report comes from Cincinnati, Ohio, which does not typically have an immigrant face, despite the thousands of mostly undocumented Mexican, Central American and the handful of South American migrants calling the metropolitan area home. There are also many African immigrants in the area, from Senegal and other West African countries. Butler County, just north of Cincinnati and part of the metro area, has attracted attention in recent years because of its flamboyant sheriff, who has taken it upon himself and his police department to round up undocumented immigrants and enforce vague and outdated federal immigration policies. This has led to what community leaders view as racial profiling, intimidation and harassment of local immigrants and businesses that employ and serve Latino
The mechanism and product energy disposal in the reaction of C+(2Pu) with O2(X3Σg−)

Abstract Two separate ion cyclotron resonance techniques are used to study the details of the reaction of ground-state C+ (2Pu) with O2. A tandem ICR instrument was used to measure the product branching ratio at both thermal energies and at translational energies between 0 and 2 eV. At thermal energies, O+/CO composed 60% of the products and CO+/O 40%. Comparisons are made with literature values and sources of disagreement discussed. An ion trap ICR instrument was used to measure the kinetic energy released in the O+ and CO+ products. Analysis of the data indicate that all products are formed in their electronic ground states but both the CO+ and CO products are strongly vibrationally excited. The mechanism of the reaction is discussed in terms of correlation diagrams. Arguments are made that suggest a (C-O-O+) 1 intermediate of Cs symmetry. Adiabatic correlations do not explain the product branching ratio and substantial crossings between potential energy surfaces must be invoked.
An inside view

Planetary Interiors. By William B. Hubbard. Van Nostrand Reinhold: 1984. Pp.334. 42.50, 49.75.
Accounting for No-Shows in Experimental Evaluation Designs:

This article examines how to estimate the effect of a program in the presence of no- shows—persons who are assigned to the program but do not participate. The article briefly discusses the methodol...
3D computational and experimental radiation transport assessments of Pu-Be sources and graded moderators for parcel screening

The Florida Institute for Nuclear Detection and Security (FINDS) is currently working on the design and evaluation of a prototype neutron detector array that may be used for parcel screening systems and homeland security applications. In order to maximize neutron detector response over a wide spectrum of energies, moderator materials of different compositions and amounts are required, and can be optimized through 3-D discrete ordinates and Monte Carlo model simulations verified through measurement. Pu-Be sources can be used as didactic source materials to augment the design, optimization, and construction of detector arrays with proper characterization via transport analysis. To perform the assessments of the Pu-Be Source Capsule, 3-D radiation transport computations are used, including Monte Carlo (MCNP5) and deterministic (PENTRAN) methodologies. In establishing source geometry, we based our model on available source schematic data. Because both the MCNP5 and PENTRAN codes begin with source neutrons, exothermic (α,n ) reactions are modeled using the SCALE5 code from ORNL to define the energy spectrum and the decay of the source. We combined our computational results with experimental data to fully validate our computational schemes, tools and models. Results from our computational models will then be used with experiment to generate a mosaic of the radiation spectrum. Finally, we discuss follow-up studies that highlight response optimization efforts in designing, building, and testing an array of detectors with varying moderators/thicknesses tagged to specific responses predicted using 3-D radiation transport models to augment special nuclear materials detection.© (2006) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Response to R. E. Goldsmith, R. E. Cheit, & M. E. Wood, “Evidence of Dissociative Amnesia in Science and Literature: Culture-Bound Approaches to Trauma in Pope et al. (2007)”

In their critique of our 2007 paper on “dissociative amnesia,” R. E. Goldsmith, R. E. Cheit, and M. E. Wood (this issue) do not adequately distinguish between dissociative amnesia and other more mundane forms of memory disturbance. This is a common problem of misinterpretation extensively discussed in recent publications by Dr. Richard McNally and colleagues. After correcting for this problem, we find that Goldsmith and colleagues have produced no legitimate examples of dissociative amnesia in historical works prior to the late 17th century—thus leaving intact our hypothesis that dissociative amnesia is a recent culture-bound syndrome. We invite interested readers first to review the issues of misinterpretation discussed by McNally and then to carefully compare the methodological discussion in our original paper with that of Goldsmith and colleagues.
Observation and analysis of the β ← A transition of I2 in a free-jet expansion

Abstract The A 1 u 3 Π state of I 2 is detected in a free-jet expansion of I 2 in Ar, where it is prepared by ArF laser irradiation. Laser excitation spectra are recorded for ∼30 bands in the v ′ ← 0″ progression of the β1 g ( 3 P 2 ) ← A transition, spanning v ′ = 25–68. For the heavy I 2 molecule, the cold (5 K) rotational distributions in the initial level have peak population at J ≈ 7. This translates into spectra which, at the resolution of the probe laser (0.08 cm −1 ), are very congested near the band origins. These spectra are analyzed by a nonlinear least-squares contour simulation method. Subsequent correlated fits of the band-by-band results produce global constants which corroborate and extend the existing results for the rotational and vibrational constants of the β state.
Anaphylaxis after home-made quinoa dinner: hold the mustard.

Food is the most common cause of anaphylaxis.1 Very few cases of mustard seed-induced anaphylaxis have been reported. We present a case of mustard seed anaphylaxis. A 29-year-old man presented to our department for evaluation of anaphylaxis. He had an episode of facial flushing and angio-oedema (figure 1), lower extremity urticaria (figure 2), chest tightness and vomiting within 30 min of eating a …
Use and characterization of personal psychotherapy by psychiatry residents.

Objective The authors evaluated psychiatry resident participation in and description of personal psychotherapy, reasons for being in psychotherapy, and barriers to personal psychotherapy.
Electron spin-lattice relaxation of AsO44- and SeO43- centers in KH2PO4 type crystals: Crystal field versus hyperfine effects

Abstract The temperature dependence of electron spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) has been investigated for the AsO44− and SeO43− centers in γ-irradiated KH2AsO4, KH2PO4 and KD2PO4. Experimental studies included the measurement of T1 for these systems by utilizing the double modulation ESR technique. The T1, data obtained in this study and additional data from earlier electron spin echo, ESR power saturation and electron nuclear double resonance measurements were analyzed using a modified model. This model assumes that the T1 process for the AsO44− and SeO43− type centers involves phonon modulation of hyperfine interactions, and not of the crystalline electric field as assumed in some earlier models. The Debye temperatures for all three lattices, as derived from the analysis of the T1 data utilizing this model, agree with specific heat derived values, which was not the case with the earlier models. The modified model utilizes two modes, one with energy around 90 K and the other around 2000 K. Both of these modes exhibit an H → D isotope effect and the proposed model provides an explanation for this observation too. For KH2PO4 the 90 K mode can be identified with an Einstein mode of energy 86 K, as estimated from low temperature specific heat data. The 2000 K mode can be identified with a temperature-independent OH (or OD) mode of energy 1868 K, following some recent inelastic neutron scattering data and electronic structure calculations. The results underscore the utility of these probes for studying the local proton-lattice dynamics and the OH···O potential surfaces for the KH2PO4-type lattices.
Spatially resolved assessment of hepatic function using 99mTc‐IDA SPECT

Purpose: 99mTc-iminodiacetic acid (IDA) hepatobiliary imaging is usually quantified for hepatic function on the entire liver or regions of interest (ROIs) in the liver. The authors presented a method to estimate the hepatic extraction fraction (HEF) voxel-by-voxel from single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT with a 99mTc-labeled IDA agent of mebrofenin and evaluated the spatially resolved HEF measurements with an independent physiological measurement.Methods: Fourteen patients with intrahepatic cancers were treated with radiation therapy (RT) and imaged by 99mTc-mebrofenin SPECT before and 1 month after RT. The dynamic SPECT volumes were with a resolution of 3.9 × 3.9 × 2.5 mm{sup 3}. Throughout the whole liver with approximate 50 000 voxels, voxelwise HEF quantifications were estimated and compared between using arterial input function (AIF) from the heart and using vascular input function (VIF) from the spleen. The correlation between mean of the HEFs over the nontumor liver tissue and the overall liver function measured by Indocyanine green clearance half-time (T1/2) was assessed. Variation of the voxelwise estimation was evaluated in ROIs drawn in relatively homogeneous regions of the livers. The authors also examined effects of the time range parameter on the voxelwise HEF quantification.Results: Mean of the HEFs over the liver estimatedmore » using AIF significantly correlated with the physiological measurement T1/2 (r= 0.52, p= 0.0004), and the correlation was greatly improved by using VIF (r= 0.79, p < 0.0001). The parameter of time range for the retention phase did not lead to a significant difference in the means of the HEFs in the ROIs. Using VIF and a retention phase time range of 7–30 min, the relative variation of the voxelwise HEF in the ROIs was 10%± 6% of respective mean HEF.Conclusions: The voxelwise HEF derived from 99mTc-IDA SPECT by the deconvolution analysis is feasible to assess the spatial distribution of hepatic function in the liver.« less
Psychosocial characteristics and sexual risk behavior of HIV+ men who have anonymous sex partners

There is a paucity of studies that characterize sexual risk behavior that occurs between anonymous sex partners. The purpose of this study was to compare the sexual risk behaviors, and psychosocial characteristics of 156 HIV+ gay and bisexual men who had anonymous partners and 161 counterparts who reported no anonymous sex partners. Rates of unprotected anal and oral sex with anonymous partners were high, and rates of serostatus disclosure were low. Men with anonymous partners had five times as many HIV-negative or unknown serostatus partners as compared to men with no anonymous partners. A logistic regression revealed that living alone, greater use of illicit drugs, and lower scores on self-efficacy for disclosure of serostatus distinguished between men who had anonymous partners and those who did not have anonymous partners. The clinical application of our findings is discussed in terms of modification of these factors through motivational interviewing and social cognitive theory.
A compilation of inflation and location indexes

Cost estimators use inflation and location indexes to adjust costs for time and location. This paper reviews the use of these indexes, the different types of indexes available, and some caveats for using cost indexes. We have summarized about 70 indexes sorted by category to help estimators locate the appropriate index for their application. An example of how to use indexes is presented.
Migration mechanism of aromatic-edge growth

Abstract A new reaction pathway is suggested for the five-member ring migration along a graphene edge. The migration sequence is initiated by H atom addition to the adsorbed cyclopenta group. The elementary steps of the migration pathway were analyzed using quantum-chemical calculations. Based on the obtained energetics, the dynamics of the system were investigated by solving the master equations. The reaction rates of the new pathway show values sufficiently high to compete with, and even dominate, other surface reactions. The kinetics results indicate that the rate-limiting step of the migration sequence is the β-scission of the five-member ring after the addition of an H atom, whereas the other steps reach partial equilibrium at higher temperatures. Employing the new migration kinetics along with adsorption, desorption, and growth steps, sterically resolved kinetic Monte Carlo simulations were carried out at conditions typical of soot growth in hydrocarbon flames. The simulation results further support the critical role of five-member ring migration in the growth of graphene layers. The evolving surface morphology and ensuing growth rate are determined by competition between the migration of five-member rings and “nucleation” of six-member rings at surface corners. An important implication of this migration phenomenon is that while five-member rings are constantly being formed on the growing edge, they do not accumulate; rather they are converted to six-member rings.
Yield dynamics of canopy components in alfalfa-grass mixtures.

(...) A field study was conducted to describe the changes in canopy components of alfalfa-reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) and alfalfa-orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) mixtures. Alfalfa-grass mixtures of one row of grass between two rows of alfalfa and one row of alfalfa between two rows of grass were planted in a repeating pattern. Monocultures of each species and four binary mixtures were sampled for total, alfalfa and grass component, and stratified alfalfa yields were measured at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 d of spring and summer regrowth for 2 yr (...)
KNOWAC: I/O Prefetch via Accumulated Knowledge

The lasting memory-wall problem combined with the newly emerged big-data problem makes data access delay the first citizen of performance optimizations of cluster computing. Reduction of data access delay, however, is application dependent. It depends on the data access behaviors of the underlying applications. Therefore, leaning and understanding data access behaviors is a must for effective data access optimizations. Modern microprocessors are equipped with hardware data prefetchers, which predict data access patterns and prefetch data for CPU. However, memory systems in design do not have the capability to understand data access behaviors for performance optimizations. In this study, we propose a novel approach, named KNOWAC, to collect I/O information automatically through high-level I/O libraries. KNOWAC accumulates I/O knowledge and reveals data usage patterns by exploring the collected high-level I/O characteristics. The discovered data usage patterns can be used for different I/O optimizations. We apply KNOWAC to I/O prefetch under the framework of PnetCDF in this study. Experimental results on a real-world application show that KNOWAC is promising and has a true practical value in mitigating the I/O bottleneck.
BIOMASS ALLOCATION IN PLANTS: ONTOGENY OR OPTIMALITY? A TEST ALONG THREE RESOURCE GRADIENTS

We examined biomass allocation patterns throughout the entire vegetative growth phase for three species of annual plants along three separate gradients of resource availability to determine whether observed patterns of allocational plasticity are consistent with optimal partitioning theory. Individuals of the annual plant species Abutilon theophrasti, Chenopodium album, and Polygonum pensylvanicum were grown from locally field-gathered seed in controlled greenhouse conditions across gradients of light, nutrients, and water. Frequent harvests were used to determine the growth and allocation (root vs. shoot, and leaf area vs. biomass) responses of these plants over a 57-d period. Growth analysis revealed that each species displayed significant plasticity in growth rates and substantial amounts of ontogenetic drift in root:shoot biomass ratios and ratios of leaf area to biomass across each of the three resource gradients. Ontogenetically controlled comparisons of root:shoot and leaf area ratios across light ...
Neotrusteeship and the Problem of Weak States

his administration came into oface with a self-consciously realist orientation in foreign policy. The president and his advisers derided the Clinton administration’s multilateralism as mere form without national security substance. They viewed Russia and China as the main potential threats or sources of danger, and regarded Bill Clinton as a naive idealist for neglecting these great powers in favor of “foreign policy as social work”—humanitarian ventures in areas peripheral to U.S. national security concerns.1 Consistent with a realist suspicion of multilateralism and conadence in self-help, the administration’s principal foreign policy project in its arst months was the unilateral pursuit of ballistic missile defense. The Bush team was particularly critical of U.S. participation in quixotic efforts at nation building for failed states. As a candidate, Vice President Dick Cheney created a signiacant oap in August 2000 when he suggested that the Bush administration would end U.S. participation in NATO’s Bosnia mission.2 Condoleezza Rice, who would become Bush’s national security adviser, expressed dismayed amazement that U.S. troops were being used to take children to kindergarten in Bosnia.3 The message was clear: The Bush administration would not engage in state-building efforts.4
Isolation and growth of endothelial cells from the microvessels of the newborn human foreskin in cell culture.

A procedure for the isolation and in vitro cultivation of endothelial cells from the microvessels of the newborn human foreskin dermis is described. The epidermis was removed from foreskin tissue using a Castroviejo keratotome (0.1mm shim). Endothelial cells were released from the dermal vessels by trypsinization of 5mm 2 sections of dermis at 37°C for 40min. Cells were expressed into Minimal Essential Medium (MEM) containing 10% pooled human serum, collected by centrifugation and plated onto either a plain plastic or a fibronectin treated culture surface. In primary culture the rate of endothelial cell proliferation was dependent upon serum type and concentration being optimal in 50% pooled human serum. High serum concentration in combination with pretreatment of the culture surface with fibronectin was required for maximal proliferation rate, for the cells to achieve confluence and for subcultivation. Primary and subcultured cells were characterized as endothelial by light microscopic, immunofluorescent (Factor VIII associated protein) and ultrastructural (Weibel-Palade body) criteria.
Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography using a MEMS thermal modulator

This paper presents the first comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatographic (GC×GC) separations of volatile organic compound (VOC) mixtures employing a microfabricated mid-point thermal modulator (μTM). The first-dimension column was coated with a non-polar polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film and the second-dimension column was coated with the polar polyethylene glycol (PEG) film. μTM heating and cooling rates of 2400 ° C/s and −168 °C/s, respectively, were achieved. The effects of system flow rate and the maximum and minimum μTM temperatures on the resolution and signal enhancement are explored with small sets of 5–7 VOCs for a fixed modulation period of 6 s. A structured 2-D chromatogram is produced and a 15-VOC GC×GC separation is achieved in 185 sec. This low-power, consumable-free μTM provides performance rivaling many commercial macroscale thermal modulators.
Abrupt climate change: causal constraints provided by the paleoclimate record

Abstract Important aspects of the physics involved in the climate changes of late Quaternary time elude us. The paleoclimatic record documents in detail that these changes were vast and in many cases happened abruptly. Every element of the global climate system was involved. While a case can be made that these reorganizations of the ocean's thermohaline circulation acted as the trigger for these jumps, no one has as yet been able to articulate exactly how it is that these reorganizations are capable of inducing such large changes in the way in which the atmosphere operates. In this review, I point out what to me are the key constraints placed by the records kept in ice and in sediments. The timing of these changes suggests that they have been paced by seasonality changes related to periodicities in the Earth's orbital elements and by a curious 1500-year cycle imprinted on sediments in the northern Atlantic. But as these pacemakers are inherently weak, in order for them to generate what we see in the record, there must exist powerful and likely nonlinear feedbacks in the system. It is my hope that by bringing together this information, I will provide an impetus for creative thinking with regard to physical scenarios capable of illuminating these feedbacks. Not only is this the crucial step in understanding our past, but it is also a necessary step if we are to properly evaluate the possible consequences of the ongoing greenhouse gas buildup.
Reducing ICD Shocks for Ventricular Arrhythmias

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) reduce mortality among high-risk patients with indication for primary or secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death. Defibrillator shock therapy comes at a cost, however. Defibrillator shocks are acutely painful and chronically detrimental to quality of life, due to diminished mental and physical well-being. Both appropriate and inappropriate shocks are associated with subsequent mortality, although causality has yet to be proved. Capacitor charging in anticipation of shock delivery results in considerable battery drain, decreased ICD longevity, and earlier ICD replacement. For all these reasons, reducing ICD shocks for ventricular arrhythmias is an important goal. Current strategies aimedat reducing appropriate ICD shocks include device optimization, medical therapy, and catheter ablation. Device optimization may include programming changes to increase utilization of antitachycardia pacing (ATP), to increase the number of intervals to detect (NID) ventricular arrhythmia (VA), and to reconfirm VA immediately before shock delivery. Device optimization may also include implantation of a left ventricular pacing lead for purposes of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and biventricular ATP in selected patients. Medical therapy may include b-blockers and amiodarone or class III antiarrhythmic drugs, whereas for drugrefractory patients, catheter ablation may achieve remission from ICD shocks.
Girls and Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: STEMing the Tide and Broadening Participation in STEM Careers

Scientific advances fuel American economic competitiveness, quality of life, and national security. Much of the future job growth is projected in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, the supply of domestic students who pursue STEM careers remains small relative to the demand. On the supply side, girls and women represent untapped human capital that, if leveraged, could enhance the STEM workforce, given that they comprise 50% of the American population and more than 50% of the college-bound population. Yet the scarcity of women in STEM careers remains stark. What drives these gender disparities in STEM? And what are the solutions? Research points to different answers depending on the stage of human development. Distinct obstacles occur during three developmental periods: (a) childhood and adolescence, (b) emerging adulthood, and (c) young-to-middle adulthood. This article describes how specific learning environments, peer relations, and family characteristics become obstacles ...
Blind estimation of multipath channel parameters: a modal analysis approach

We propose a novel approach to efficiently estimate multipath channel parameters, which is particularly useful in sparse multipath channels. Conventional methods do not fully exploit the inherent structure present in the combined channel response; the excess number of parameters to be estimated by conventional methods makes the identification difficult. By utilizing a priori knowledge of the transmission data pulse, the channel identification problem is transformed into the mode estimation problem. Then, the parameters directly related to the multipath propagation are extracted in the the modal analysis framework, and hence, the number of estimation parameters are significantly reduced. Finally, the multipath channel parameters are obtained by inverse-transforming the mode parameters. Simulation results show significant improvement in the normalized mean square error over existing approaches.
Models of cyclic oscillation using VLSI-based neural elements

As a prelude to the VLSI implementation of a biologically-based locomotory network, the phenomenon of recurrent cyclic inhibition was recreated in VLSI-based artificial neurons for parametric analysis of its oscillatory range and stability. The IC-based artificial neurons used in this study are behaviorally comprehensive and highly configurable, allowing for a variety of transient and steady characteristics to be precisely and continuously adjustable. Circuit tests indicate that recurrent cyclic inhibitory prototypes do not require synaptic dynamics, and show remarkable stability, even when the self-excitatory frequency of each component neuron varies over two orders of magnitude.
Do hormonal indices of maturation explain energy expenditure differences in African American and Caucasian prepubertal children

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationships between hormonal indices of maturation and total, resting and physical activity-related energy expenditure (TEE, REE and AEE) in African American and Caucasian prepubertal children. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Sixty-four African American and 48 Caucasian prepubertal children. MEASUREMENTS: TEE (by doubly labeled water), REE (by indirect calorimetry), fat mass and fat-free mass (by dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry), fasting serum dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS), androstenedione, and estrone-sulfate (by radioimmunoassay). RESULTS: Serum concentrations of hormones correlated significantly with REE and TEE (r values range from 0.33 to 0.76, P< 0.001). Only androstenedione correlated significantly with AEE (ra 0.23, P< 0.05). However, these correlations were no longer significant after adjusting energy expenditure components for fat-free mass. In multiple regression models, ethnicity was not a significant determinant of any energy expenditure component after adjusting for body composition and hormone concentrations. CONCLUSION: Hormonla indices of maturation do not influence energy expenditure in this group of African American and Caucasian prepubertal children.
Randomized evaluation of right atrial ablation after left atrial ablation of complex fractionated atrial electrograms for long-lasting persistent atrial fibrillation.

Background— With electrogram-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of long-lasting persistent atrial fibrillation (AF), the best results have been reported when complex fractionated electrograms (CFAEs) in both the left (LA) and right (RA) atria were targeted. However, many studies have reported excellent outcomes from RFA of long-lasting persistent AF with the use of other ablation strategies that were limited to the LA. The incremental value of RFA of RA CFAEs is yet to be defined. Methods and Results— In 85 patients with long-lasting persistent AF (age=59±10 years), RFA was directed at CFAEs in the LA and coronary sinus until AF terminated (19) or all identified LA CFAEs were eliminated. Sixty-six patients who remained in AF were randomly assigned to cardioversion and no further RFA (n=33) or to RFA of RA CFAEs (n=33). RA sites consisted of the crista terminalis (69%), septum (38%), superior vena cava (28%), coronary sinus ostium (22%), and the base of the appendage (31%). AF terminated in 1 (3%) of 33 patients during RA RFA. At 17±6 months after a single ablation procedure, 74% of the patients in whom AF terminated during LA RFA were in sinus rhythm. Rates of freedom from AF were similar in the patients randomized to no RFA in the RA (24%) and those randomized to RFA of RA CFAEs (30%, P =0.8). The ablation procedure was repeated in 26 patients (31%) for AF (n=22) or atrial flutter (n=4). At 16±7 months after the final procedure, 89% of the patients in whom AF terminated during LA RFA were in sinus rhythm. Among the randomized patients, the proportion of patients who remained in sinus rhythm was similar in patients who did not undergo RFA of RA CFAEs (52%) and those who did (58%, P =0.6). Conclusion— After RFA of CFAEs in the LA and coronary sinus, ablation of CFAEs in the RA provides little or no increment in efficacy among patients with long-lasting persistent AF. Received October 29, 2007; accepted December 24, 2007. # CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE {#article-title-2}
Monte Carlo solution of axisymmetric potential problems

An extension of the Monte Carlo procedures to the solution of axisymmetric problems is presented. The stochastic techniques are illustrated with specific practical applications to the solution of Laplace's and Poisson's equations. The method requires no input data and provides results which are more accurate than those obtained using the finite element method. >