cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anionic Ring-Opening Polymerization of Trimethylsiloxy-Substituted 1-Oxa-2,5-disilacyclopentanes: Synthesis of Trimethylsiloxy-Substituted Poly[1-oxa-2,5-disila-1,5-pentanylene]s†

2,5,5-Trimethyl-2-trimethylsiloxy-1-oxa-2,5-disilacyclopentane (I), cis- and trans-2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis(trimethylsiloxy)-1-oxa-2,5-disilacyclopentane (II), and 2-methyl-2,5,5-tris(trimethylsiloxy)-1-oxa-2,5-disilacyclopentane (III) have been prepared from 1,3,5,7-tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4H) and vinylpentamethyldisiloxane, vinylmethylbis(trimethylsiloxy)silane, and vinyltris(trimethylsiloxy)silane, respectively, by a two-step synthetic process. I, II, and III undergo anionic ring-opening polymerization (AROP) to yield poly[2,2,5-trimethyl-5-trimethylsiloxy-1-oxa-2,5-disila-1,5-pentanylene] (IV), poly[2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis(trimethylsiloxy)-1-oxa-2,5-disila-1,5-pentanylene] (V), and poly[2-methyl-2,5,5-tris(trimethylsiloxy)-1-oxa-2,5-disila-1,5-pentanylene] (VI), respectively. I−VI have been characterized by 1H, 13C, and 29Si NMR and IR spectroscopy. Polymer microstructures have been determined by 29Si NMR. Molecular weights of I−III have been determined by GC/MS and by high-resolution mass spectromet...
Magnetic resonance imaging-guided core needle biopsy and needle localized excision of occult breast lesions.

Abstract Background: Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been reported to be twice as sensitive and three times more specific in detecting breast cancer. We report a series of MRI-guided stereotactic breast biopsies (SCNBB) and needle localized breast biopsies (NLBB) to evaluate MRI as a localization tool. Methods: Forty-one breast lesions were identified in 39 patients who subsequently had SCNBB or NLBB. Suspicious areas of enhancement were stereotactically biopsied with 16-G core biopsy needles or localized with 22-G wires for excision under laser guidance. Results: Forty-one breast lesions were identified from 1,292 breast MRIs. SCNBB identified three malignancies and two areas of atypia. Two additional cancers were found after NLBB. In patients having NLBB alone, five cancers and two areas of atypia were identified. Conclusions: In this initial series, breast MRI-guided SCNBB and NLBB were valuable tools in the management of patients with suspicious abnormalities seen only on MRI.
In vivo evaluation of brain iron in Alzheimer disease using magnetic resonance imaging

Background: The basal ganglia contain the highest levels of iron in the brain, and postmortem studies indicate a disruption of iron metabolism in the basal ganglia of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). Iron can catalyze free radical reactions and may contribute to oxidative damage observed in AD brains. Treatments aimed at reducing oxidative damage have offered novel ways to delay the rate of progression and could possibly defer the onset of AD. Brain iron levels were quantified in vivo using a new magnetic resonance imaging method. Methods: Thirty-one patients with AD and 68 control subjects participated in this study. A magnetic resonance imaging method was employed that quantifies the iron content of ferritin molecules (ferritin iron) with specificity through the combined use of high and low fieldstrength magnetic resonance imaging instruments. Three basal ganglia structures (caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus) and one comparison region (frontal lobe white matter) were evaluated. Results: Basal ganglia ferritin iron levels were significantly increased in the caudate (P = .007; effect size, 0.69) and putamen (P = .008; effect size, 0.67) of AD subjects, with a trend toward an increase in the globus pallidus (P = .13). The increased basal ganglia ferritin iron levels were not a generalized phenomenon; white matter ferritin iron levels were unchanged in patients with AD (P = .50). Conclusions: The data replicate and extend prior results and suggest that basal ganglia ferritin iron levels are increased in AD. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate whether premorbid iron levels are increased in individuals who develop AD. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2000;57:47-53
Effects of a 16-hour light, 8-hour dark lighting schedule on behavioral traits and performance in male broiler chickens

SUMMARY The objective of this study was to examine the effects of a 16L:8D lighting schedule from d 2 of age through a 6-wk production trial on the performance and behavior of Cobb broiler males compared with a continuous 24-h light schedule (control). Behavioral tests included social reinstatement behavior measured in runway tests and fear response measured by tonic immobility. The 16L:8D group had BW and FCR similar to control birds at 6 wk. Based on behavior observations by scan sampling at 0900 to 1100 h and 1400 to 1600 h, the number of chicks eating, drinking, walking-standing, and pecking increased under the 16L:8D lighting schedule, whereas resting (sitting and sleeping) decreased (P ≤ 0.05). The 16L:8D group also exhibited comfort behaviors, such as preening and wing-shaking, more extensively than did control birds (P ≤ 0.05). Broilers in the 16L:8D group had a shorter duration of tonic immobility (P ≤ 0.05) at 11 and 35 d of age, which might represent less fearfulness. In runway tests at 13 and 30 d of age, the 16L:8D group exhibited shorter latencies to reach the zone of stimulus birds and spent more time near the stimulus birds (P ≤ 0.05). We therefore suggest that the birds in the 16L:8D group had a greater degree of sociality. Although we did not measure whole-day activity, we speculate that this greater sociality might have resulted from increased interactions among birds caused by increased activity during the observation periods. The16L:8D program tended to have more natural daytime behavioral patterns in broilers, to reduce fearfulness (and thus psychological stress), and to increase sociality. We conclude, based on the morning and afternoon measurements of this study, that birds in the 16L:8D group had a better welfare status than control birds without affecting 42-d broiler performance of the strain used.
Handoff criteria for personal communication networks

The rapid growth in wireless personal communication networks (PCN) has placed demands on higher system capacity and performance. One way to increase the capacity of a cellular system is by reducing the size of the cells to microcells. But, in such microcellular environment the frequency of handoff also increases. Since the handoffs increase the load on the network system, they should be minimized. Generally hysteresis and averaging are used to decrease the number of handoffs. These have a deteriorating effect on the signal quality. It is important to have the right compromise between the number of handoffs and the overall received signal quality. An adaptive prediction based handoff algorithm has bee proposed to reduce the number of unnecessary handoffs. This is verified by a simulation of a microcellular CDMA/FDMA system. >
STABILITY OF MIXED IRON AND ALUMINUM HYDROUS OXIDES ON MONTMORILLONITE

Montmorillonite clay samples were coated with 16 m-equiv/g of clay or iron plus aluminum as hydrous oxides and aged 1 yr, in suspensions of pH 6 or 8. The magnesium exchange capacity (MgEC) decreased linearly with the amount of non-crystalline aluminum hydrous oxide associated with the clay. Eight to 16 m-equiv of iron per g of clay reduced the MgEC by 20 m-equiv/100g at pH 6, but did not affect the MgEC at pH 8. The quantity of non-crystalline aluminum associated with the clay depended on the suspension pH and aging time, and was unaffected by the coprecipitation of 8–16 m-equiv of iron hydrous oxide/g clay. The crystalline form of aluminum hydrous oxide depended on the suspension pH and was shown by X-ray diffraction to be gibbsite at pH 6 and bayerite at pH 8. Gibbsite and bayerite formed rapidly with a rate dependent on the suspension pH when excess non-crystalline aluminum hydrous oxides were present. The quantity of non-crystalline aluminum hydrous oxides remaining after one year in suspensions of iron hydrous oxides and montmorillonite varied from 2·3 m-equiv/g of montmorillonite at pH 8-4·0 m-equiv/g of montmorillonite at pH 6. Differential thermal analysis and MgEC measurements indicated some regular organization of the iron hydrous oxides, however, crystalline iron minerals were not detected by X-ray diffraction.
Steady State Heat Transfer Models of CO2 Condensing in a Vertical U-Tube

Two distinct steady state models have been programmed to calculate heat transfer and pressure loss from a saturated CO2 vapor in a vertical U-tube to the surrounding grout and earth. The work began with calculations of the individual heat transfer coefficients from vapor, from the condensing vapor, and from the liquid to the tube, and then from the U-tube to the surrounding grout and earth. According to computations for the tube to the earth reviewed in the ASHARE Handbook and relevant literature on the coefficients inside the tube, all reviewed in the paper, the internal heat transfer coefficient area products, hA, for CO2 condensing in a 3/4 inch tube diameter are much higher than the ground heat transfer coefficient; the ground heat transfer coefficient limits the heat transfer in the U-tube. A homogeneous model assumed that the vapor-liquid mixture in the tube is represented by a fluid whose properties and heat transfer coefficients are a weighted average between those of the vapor and the liquid present at the point. The homogeneous model has been developed by the mass balance, momentum balance, energy balance, enthalpy property, equation of state, and phase equilibrium of liquid and vapor CO2 . The equations of the model have been numerically calculated in Matlab by solver ODE4 (Runge-Kutta). Measured values of heat transfer were closed to values calculated by the model. Measurements of the pressure loss over the U-tube were significantly higher than those predicted by the model. Based on the assumption that the pressure differences in the U-tube between the inlet and outlet are mainly due to the presence of liquid CO2 in the up and down legs, a new simplified model has been created and the simulation results have been compared with the experimental results. Greater agreement between measured and predicted pressure losses was achieved. This study is useful in understanding heat transfer and pressure loss of CO2 condensing in a vertical U-tube transferring heat to the earth.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
The Availability of Lysine in Blood Meal for Chicks and Poults

ABSTRACT BLOOD meal has been reported to be a poor source of protein for poultry rations (Mussehl and Ackerson, 1931; Titus et al., 1936). Grau and Almquist (1944) showed that the serum and fibrin fractions of beef blood are of much better quality than the blood cell fractions in which isoleucine was the principal limiting amino acid. Squibb and Braham (1955) have found blood meal to be a satisfactory source of lysine in chick rations at levels of 2 to 4 percent. Block and Boiling (1951) have listed the lysine content of blood meal as approximately 8.8% of the protein. Since lysine is very easily destroyed or rendered unavailable by heat in processing protein material it was of interest to determine the availability for chicks and poults of lysine in blood dried by two different methods. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Two samples of vat-dried commercial blood meal which is commonly used for fertilizer . . .
PERSISTENCE OF SALMONELLA SPP. ON CHICKEN SKIN AFTER EXPOSURE TO AN ITALIAN MARINADE

A series of experiments with chicken skin was undertaken to determine the effect of an Italian marinade on persistence of Salmonella spp. during refrigerated storage and marinating. Chicken skin was inoculated with 0.4 to 3.7 log of multiple antibiotic resistant strains of Salmonella Typhimurium (n = 3), Kentucky (n = 1) or Hadar (n = 1). Chicken skin was then exposed to the Italian marinade for 4 or 24 h at 6C to simulate normal marinating conditions of consumers. The persistence of Salmonella spp. on chicken skin was reduced (P < 0.05) by the Italian marinade with a greater reduction observed at 24 h than at 4 h of marinating. As expected, the persistence during marinating increased as a function of the initial number of Salmonella inoculated. In general, the effect of the Italian marinade on persistence was similar among the five strains of Salmonella tested. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Marinades contain organic acids (acetic, lactic) that decrease meat pH and help to reduce or eliminate pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella, from the product. Inclusion of other ingredients in marinades, such as salts and spices that have antimicrobial properties, helps to further reduce or prevent persistence of Salmonella. Results of this study with an Italian-style marinade indicate that consumers should marinate chicken in the refrigerator for 24 h rather than 4 h to maximize the benefit of the Italian marinade on reducing the risk of exposure to Salmonella that might contaminate and persist on chicken purchased in the retail marketplace.
Stability independent of distributed lag for a special class of distributed parameter systems

In this paper, a test for determining the stability independent of distributed lag is presented for a special class of distributed parameter systems. Another test is also established to find the intervals of the distributed lag for the stability. Illustrative examples are included.
Measuring public opinion on alcohol policy: A factor analytic study of a US probability sample

Public opinion has been one factor affecting change in policies designed to reduce underage alcohol use. Extant research, however, has been criticized for using single survey items of unknown reliability to define adult attitudes on alcohol policy issues. The present investigation addresses a critical gap in the literature by deriving scales on public attitudes, knowledge, and concerns pertinent to alcohol policies designed to reduce underage drinking using a US probability sample survey of 7021 adults. Five attitudinal scales were derived from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses addressing policies to: (1) regulate alcohol marketing, (2) regulate alcohol consumption in public places, (3) regulate alcohol distribution, (4) increase alcohol taxes, and (5) regulate youth access. The scales exhibited acceptable psychometric properties and were largely consistent with a rational framework which guided the survey construction.
Effects of Titanium Tetrafluoride on Human Enamel

Acid etch biopsy specimens of human enamel surfaces treated with a TiF4 solution have shown fluoride uptake to be significantly greater than in untreated surfaces, but less than that obtained with an APF solution of the same fluoride concentration. The TiF4 treated surfaces, however, do show a statistically significant reduction in the acid solubility of the enamel. The presence of acid-resistant coating was shown by SEM.
Segmentation of the prostate from suprapubic ultrasound images.

We present a technique for semiautomated segmentation of human prostates using suprapubic ultrasound (US) images. In this approach, a speckle reducing anisotropic diffusion (SRAD) is applied to enhance the images and the instantaneous coefficient of variation (ICOV) is utilized for edge detection. Segmentation is accomplished via a parametric active contour model in a polar coordinate system that is tailored to the application. The algorithm initially approximates the prostate boundary in two stages. First a primary contour is detected using an elliptical model, followed by a primary contour optimization using an area-weighted mean-difference binary flow geometric snake model. The algorithm was assessed by comparing the computer-derived contours with contours produced manually by three sonographers. The proposed method has application in radiation therapy planning and delivery, as well as in automated volume measurements for ultrasonic diagnosis. The average root mean square discrepancy between computed and manual outlines is less than the inter-observer variability. Furthermore, 76% of the computer-outlined contour is less than 1 s manual outline variance away from “true” boundary of prostate. We conclude that the methods developed herein possess acceptable agreement with manually contoured prostate boundaries and that they are potentially valuable tools for radiotherapy treatment planning and verification. © 2004 American Association of Physicists in Medicine . [DOI: 10.1118/1.1809791]
Policy Options for Varying Mileage-Based Road User Charges

Particularly as more fuel-efficient vehicles, hybrids, and eventually vehicles with alternative power, such as hydrogen fuel cells, become increasingly commonplace, the motor fuel tax holds limited promise. As a possible replacement, a mileage-based road user charge has considerable potential as a means of ensuring adequate revenue with which to finance roads at the federal, state, and local levels of government. In addition to providing a stable, reliable revenue stream, a mileage-based road user charge can enable the pursuit of various policy initiatives. A key question is thus how the burden for generating the needed funds should be distributed between various classes of vehicles. The analysis concludes that if the mileage-based road user charge were structured to produce the same total amount of revenue as currently generated by the motor fuel tax, the magnitudes of incentives or disincentives that would be produced for various vehicle classes would be quite small. However, the analysis highlights tha...
Metal-organic frameworks as potential drug carriers.

Nanoparticle-based therapeutics have received increasing attention, as these systems can alleviate many drawbacks of conventional therapy. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), a new class of hybrid materials composed of metal ions and organic bridging ligands, have emerged as a promising platform for drug delivery, owing to their high drug loadings, biodegradability, and versatile functionality. The bulk MOF materials can absorb and release large amounts of therapeutics including ibuprofen, procainamide, and nitric oxide. Scale-down of MOFs to the nanoregime yields nanoscale metal–organic frameworks (NMOFs) that are more applicable as delivery vehicles, such as selective delivery of cisplatin prodrugs. Although progress has been made in utilizing NMOFs for drug delivery, many improvements must occur before they can become viable nanotherapeutics.
Effects of practitioners' sexual misconduct: a follow-up study

A clinic population presenting with problems related to practitioner sexual misconduct was surveyed to describe their characteristics, distinguish the impact of the sexual misconduct from preexisting problems, and identify factors helpful in recovery. Using a 180-item anonymous questionnaire, subjects described their situation before and after the misconduct. The Impact of Event Scale and Vinson's instrument measured posttraumatic symptoms among respondents. The population comprised 107 women. Participation was 63 percent (55 of 87) of delivered surveys. Mean age at the time of the sexual contact was 31.6. Posttraumatic stress disorder, Major depressive disorder, suicidality, use of prescription drugs, concern over use of alcohol and/or nonprescription drugs, disrupted relationships, and disruptions in work or earning potential were all reported to be increased after the practitioner misconduct. When survey respondents sought help for problems related to the sexual misconduct, they contacted an average of 2.36 professionals before obtaining "satisfactory" assistance. Eighteen percent of respondents reported sexual revictimization by subsequent professionals. Most respondents reported substantial (at least 100 hours over the course of three or more years) use of professional mental health services. Many women who seek treatment following practitioner sexual misconduct can be expected to exhibit significant symptoms of mental illness and functional impairment. They require both intensive and extensive subsequent treatment, yet are vulnerable to professional revictimization.
A practical system for monitoring the outcomes of substance use disorder patients

Abstract Outcomes monitoring and management are receiving mounting attention because of increased emphasis on health care accountability and cost containment. Efficient, practical outcomes monitoring systems (OMSs) are crucial if health care system performance is to be determined and effective/cost-effective treatments are to be identified, but such practical monitoring systems generally are lacking. This article describes the features of such a system for monitoring the care received by, and the substance use and psychosocial outcomes of, patients treated for substance use disorders (SUDs) in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In contrast to a 15–21% follow-up rate achieved by VA SUD program staff under a previously mandated systemwide monitoring system, the monitoring system used in this project achieved a 67% follow-up rate without paying patients for their participation. We provide data on patient characteristics and treatment outcomes, estimate the cost of implementing this type of monitoring system on a broad scale, and provide recommendations for OMSs in other large health care organizations.
Loss-of-Function Alleles of the JIL-1 Histone H3S10 Kinase Enhance Position-Effect Variegation at Pericentric Sites in Drosophila Heterochromatin

In this study we show that loss-of-function alleles of the JIL-1 histone H3S10 kinase act as enhancers of position-effect variegation at pericentric sites whereas the gain-of-function JIL-1Su(var)3-1[3] allele acts as a suppressor strongly supporting a functional role for JIL-1 in maintaining euchromatic chromatin and counteracting heterochromatic spreading and gene silencing.
Aliens in a Beneficent Land

Government response to migrant workers is an issue which has recently received considerable attention in the American press in connection with President Carter's proposal of "amnesty" for many of the 8 to 12 million illegal aliens living in the United States. This country has historically been a mecca for people seeking to better their economic conditions, and a constant flow of immigrants has long been a part of American life. It is only more recently, however, that Scandinavia, along with all the industrialized nations of Western Europe, has been faced with an influx of—both legal and illegal—immigrant laborers.
Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis is associated with transforming growth factor β and Smad without evidence of renin-angiotensin system involvement

Background The mechanisms of fibrosis associated with nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) are largely unknown. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), a known profibrotic cytokine, is theorized to play a central role. The renin-angiotensin system has been linked with both TGF-β expression and fibrosis in other organ systems. Objective We sought to investigate whether these mechanisms were involved with NSF. Method Eleven biopsy specimens from 8 patients with NSF were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for the expression of TGF-β, Smad 2/3, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), and angiotensin II receptor 1 (AT1). Results TGF-β was detected in 8 of 11 samples of NSF. Smad 2/3 nuclear staining was seen in 8 of 11 samples. Conversely, only faint staining for ACE was seen in 2 of the 11 specimens. No AT1 staining was seen. Limitations We did not perform our studies on a cohort of comparable patients with renal dysfunction without NSF. Our technique may not have been sufficiently sensitive to detect renin-angiotensin system involvement. Conclusions TGF-β, as well as its second messengers, Smad 2/3, appears to be associated with the fibrosis seen in NSF. No definitive evidence of renin-angiotensin system involvement could be determined.
Stochastic Resonance in Continuous and Spiking Neuron Models With Levy Noise

Levy noise can help neurons detect faint or subthreshold signals. Levy noise extends standard Brownian noise to many types of impulsive jump-noise processes found in real and model neurons as well as in models of finance and other random phenomena. Two new theorems and the ItO calculus show that white Levy noise will benefit subthreshold neuronal signal detection if the noise process's scaled drift velocity falls inside an interval that depends on the threshold values. These results generalize earlier “forbidden interval” theorems of neuronal “stochastic resonance” (SR) or noise-injection benefits. Global and local Lipschitz conditions imply that additive white Levy noise can increase the mutual information or bit count of several feedback neuron models that obey a general stochastic differential equation (SDE). Simulation results show that the same noise benefits still occur for some infinite-variance stable Levy noise processes even though the theorems themselves apply only to finite-variance Levy noise. The Appendix proves the two ItO-theoretic lemmas that underlie the new Levy noise-benefit theorems.
Confirmation of Pseudolepidapedon balistis in the Acanthocolpidae (Digenea) Based on Phylogenetic Analysis of Ribosomal DNA

Abstract: Psuedolepidapedon balistis Manter, 1940 is reported from the grey triggerfish, Balistis capriscus Gmelin, 1789, from off Destin, Florida, in the northern Gulf of Mexico. A fragment of ribosomal DNA comprising a short portion of the 3′ end of 18S nuclear rDNA gene, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (=ITS1 + 5.8S rDNA gene + ITS2) and the 5′ end of the 28S rDNA gene (including variable domains D1–D3) was sequenced for the species and deposited in GenBank. The fragment of 28S rDNA gene was aligned with similar fragments from 25 other digenean species, including 14 species of acanthocolpids, and a Bayesian Inference phylogenetic analysis was conducted on the alignment. The resulting phylogram confirmed that Psuedolepidapedon Yamaguti, 1938 belongs in the family Acanthocolpidae Luhe, 1906. Neoapocreadium viguerasi (Zhukov, 1983) Ahmad, 1987 is considered a junior synonym of P. balistis.
Fatal Cerebral Swelling Associated with Scoliosis Surgery in Two Patients with Neuromuscular Scoliosis and Congenital Hydrocephalus: A Report of Two Cases.

Patients with progressive neuromuscular scoliosis often undergo spinal fusion to prevent progression, improve sitting balance, and preserve pulmonary function1,2. These patients often have abnormalities in cerebrospinal fluid outflow, resulting in hydrocephalus and requiring ventricular shunting3. They also can have tethering of the spinal cord, which can restrict spinal cord excursion during correction of sagittal plane deformities4-6. These factors can predispose patients to cerebral swelling and brain injury during scoliosis surgery. We present two patients with neuromuscular scoliosis and ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts who developed acute, fatal cerebral swelling following spinal surgery. The Hospital for Special Surgery institutional review board approved waivers for both consent and HIPAA privacy rules since the patients met the appropriate criteria. Case 1. An eleven-year-old girl presented with progressive neuromuscular scoliosis. The patient’s congenital hydrocephalus had been managed with a VP shunt when she was two years old. A tethered cord release had been performed when she was five years old. At the age of eleven years, she presented with limited walking ability, inability to hold a standing position, and diminishing pulmonary function. A right thoracolumbar prominence was grossly evident on examination (Figs. 1-A and 1-B). Progressive lower-extremity weakness correlated with the increasing sagittal plane spinal deformity and may have been related to increasing compression of the conus medullaris or spinal cord over the apex of the thoracolumbar kyphosis. Fig. 1 Clinical photographs ( Figs. 1-A and 1-B) demonstrating spinal deformity (Case 1). Radiographs demonstrated a long right thoracolumbar scoliosis extending from T4 to L4 with a Cobb angle of 40° (Fig. 2-A). There was reversal of both normal thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis with Cobb angle measurements of 20° of lordosis from T2 to T12, 28° of kyphosis from L1 to S1, and 57° of kyphosis at the …
Investigation of Strength Recovery in Welds of NUCu-140 Steel Through Multipass Welding and Isothermal Post-Weld Heat Treatments

NUCu-140 is a ferritic copper precipitation-strengthened steel that is a candidate material for use in many naval and structural applications. Previous work has shown that the heat-affected zone (HAZ) and fusion zone (FZ) of NUCu-140 exhibit softening that is due to dissolution of the copper-rich precipitates. This study aims to recover the FZ and HAZ strength by re-precipitation of the copper-rich precipitates through either multiple weld passes or an isothermal post-weld heat treatment (PWHT). The potential use of multiple thermal cycles was investigated with HAZ simulations using a Gleeble thermo-mechanical simulator. The HAZ simulations represented two weld thermal cycles with different combinations of peak temperatures during the initial and secondary weld passes. To investigate the potential for a PWHT for strength recovery, gas tungsten arc weld samples were isothermally heated for various times and temperatures. Microhardness measurements revealed no strength recovery in the multipass HAZ samples. The time-dependent precipitate characteristics were modeled under the HAZ thermal cycle conditions, and the results showed that the lack of strength recovery could be attributed to insufficient time for re-precipitation during the secondary weld pass. Conversely, full strength recovery in the HAZ was observed in the isothermally heat treated samples. Atom probe tomography analysis correlated this strength recovery to re-precipitation of the copper-rich precipitates during the isothermal PWHT.
Fast and Accurate Multi-Layer PDN Analysis for Power Integrity and EMC

Introduction Rapid power distribution network (PDN) analysis for complex printed circuit board (PCB) stack ups is very important to insure proper functioning of the PDN. While there are a number of software tools and techniques to provide fast analysis of a single power/ground pair of planes, they are based on two dimensional analysis. Adding the third dimension usually requires a fullwave approach, making the solution time unacceptably long for real world PCB sizes with complex plane shapes.
New developments in endoscopic ultrasound-guided therapies

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has opened new horizons in minimally invasive therapies for diverse gastrointestinal pathologies. Digestive Disease Weak 2015 held in Washington, DC., USA featured exciting research articles on EUS-guided therapeutic procedures. EUS-guided biliary drainage has been attempted and described for many years. There seems to be a lot of interest among various international groups to compare this technique with other alternatives in terms of efficacy and safety. Similarly, EUS-guided pancreatic drainage of cysts and fluid collections continues to evolve with new stents and devices being developed specifically for deployment under endosonographic guidance. EUS-guided ablation of cystic pancreatic tumors is innovative but not always effective. Combining alcohol ablation with injecting chemotherapeutic agents may improve long-term results regarding efficacy. Similarly, for solid pancreatic tumors there appears to be ongoing interest and continuing efforts in injecting different chemotherapeutic or ablative agents, delivering fiducials for radiation guidance and even attempting ablation with radiofrequency. Gastric variceal treatment and EUS-guided anastomoses also continue to be investigated. This review article is focused on the recent developments in EUS-guided therapies presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2015.
Automated Community-Based Housing Response: Offering Temporary Housing Solutions Tailored to Displaced Populations Needs

AbstractFollowing disasters, emergency management agencies are under immense pressure to make quick decisions regarding the provision of temporary housing, including their locations and types. Such decisions can significantly impact the socioeconomic recovery of displaced families and available budgets for other postdisaster activities. To address these challenges, a new holistic temporary housing planning framework is proposed to offer customized housing plans tailored to the specific social, economic, and psychological needs of displaced families while controlling expenditures. This paper presents the theoretical formulation and implementation details of the community-based housing response pool, which is a comprehensive framework that aims at (1) quantifying the specific needs and preferences of each displaced family, (2) evaluating the ability of housing alternatives to meet those needs, (3) computing temporary housing life cycle costs, and (4) optimizing housing decisions accordingly. The paper also ...
Fumigation of Caribbean Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) Larvae with Cyclopropyl Compounds Inhibits Adult Emergence

Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) larvae were fumigated with the cyclopropyl compounds methyl cyclopropanecarboxylate, cyclopropyl methyl ketone, and cyclopropyl methyl carbinol. Larvae were exposed for 24 h to rates ranging from 1.1 to 21.4 mg/liter. Typically, fumigated larvae grew and formed puparia, but adults did not emerge. At lower rates adults often only partially eclosed; however, <5% fully escaped from their puparia. Mortality of A. suspensa was 100% with exposures to 2.2mg/liter of methyl cyclopropanecarboxylate, 10.7 mg/liter of cyclopropyl methyl ketone and 21.4 mg/liter of cyclopropyl methyl carbinol. Dissection of puparia revealed that insects fumigated with methyl cyclopropanecarboxylate died at various phases of development; 7% of these specimens were headless pupae.
Birth dates vary with fixed and dynamic maternal features, offspring sex, and extreme climatic events in a high-latitude marine mammal

Reproductive synchrony tends to be widespread in diverse species of plants and animals, especially at higher latitudes. However, for long‐lived mammals, birth dates for different individuals can vary by weeks within a population. A mother's birth timing can reveal useful information about her reproductive abilities and have important implications for the characteristics and survival of her offspring. Despite this, our current knowledge of factors associated with variation in birth dates is modest. We used long‐term data for known‐age Weddell seals in Antarctica and a Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach to study how birth dates varied with fixed and temporally varying features of mothers, whether sex allocation varied with birth timing, and annual variation in birth dates. Based on birth dates for 4465 pups born to 1117 mothers aged 4–31, we found that diverse features of mothers were associated with variation in birth dates. Maternal identity was the most important among these. Unlike most studies, which have reported that birth dates occur earlier as mothers age, we found that birth dates progressively occurred earlier in the year in the early part of a mother's reproductive life, reached a minimum at age 16, and then occurred later at later ages. Birth dates were positively related to a mother's age at primiparity and recent reproductive effort. The earliest birth dates were for pups born to prime‐age mothers who did not reproduce in the previous year but began reproduction early in life, suggesting that females in the best condition gave birth earlier than others. If so, our finding that male pups tended to be born earlier than females provides support for the Trivers–Willard sex‐allocation model. Average birth dates were quite consistent across years, except for 2 years that had notable delays and occurred during the period when massive icebergs were present and disrupted the ecosystem.
Music Reference Sources: Analog in a Digital World

ABSTRACTDo we need print reference collections at all? In the case of music reference materials, the answer is definitely “yes.” At the University of Memphis, reference titles in the music library are used at about three times the rate of reference materials in the main library. This paper leverages local reference and reserve book usage to investigate how print reference sources support music research of various kinds, how music faculty integrate reference sources into their courses, and how librarians can make finding and using these resources easier for users accustomed to accessing materials online without an intermediary.
Application of Time-domain Transmission Technology in Monitor Moisture Content of Crude Oil

The transmit speed of the electromagnetic wave has a big difference in the water synthetic oil mixture with different water content,due to the big discrepancy for the dielectric property between the water and oil.The time-domain transmit(TDT)was mentioned,which maked use of the different transmit speed of the electromagnetic wave in the medium with different dielectric constant,compared the transmission phase difference of the electromagnetic wave in the crude oil,measured the water content in the crude oil and foun the relationship with the output voltage in the TDT water content measuring monitor,thereby the standardized formula was given to calculate the water content in the crude oil.The result of the test shows that there is a linear relation between the water content and the output voltage in the TDT water content measuring monitor.The accuracy of measurement is 1% when the water content is 50%~100% in the crude oil and it is 2% when the water content is 0~50%.
Observation on the bacteriostatic efficacy and toxicity of the snake fat ointment

OBJECTIVE To observe the bacteriostatic efficacy and toxicity of the snake fat ointment.METHODS Antibacteria test,single vaginal mucosa irritation test and dermal allergic reaction test were carried out according to the Technical Standard For Disinfection(2002).RESULTS The sample tested had no inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus but had antibacterial effect on Escherichia coli and Candida albicans.No irritation was observed in the single vaginal mucosa irritation test and no allergic reaction was observed in dermal allergic reaction test.CONCLUSION The test sample has inhibitory action on Escherichia coli,Candida albicans,non-irritating to the vaginal mucosa,does not cause dermal allergy.
Copper disrupts S-nitrosothiol signaling in activated BV2 microglia.

Microglia, the primary resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), responds rapidly to pathogens and injury by secreting immune mediators including nitric oxide (NO). The reaction of NO with the anti-oxidant glutathione forms S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), the major pool of biologic NO in the body. GSNO is degraded by GSNO reductase (GSNOR). Recently, we have shown that copper (Cu(I)) inhibits the release of NO in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia and induces BV2 microglia to acquire a mixed a profile with both pro- and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Since GSNOR is the critical enzyme in GSNO metabolism, we sought to determine whether Cu(I) affects GSNOR activity and S-nitrosothiol (SNO) accumulation in activated BV2 microglia. Our results show that GSNOR protein expression is reduced by Cu(I) treatment in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia. Our results also show a decrease in S-nitrosothiol content despite a reduced GSNOR expression. This effect is most likely due to Cu(I) reacting with the central thiol of the SNO bond resulting in the degradation of SNO. A dose of 1 μM Cu(I) did not affect SNO protein accumulation in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia, however, a dose of 100 μM Cu(I) inhibited SNO protein in accordance with inhibition of S-nitrosothiols. These data provide direct evidence that Cu(I) disrupts S-nitrosothiol homeostasis and NO metabolism, and, thus, provide new insights into the mechanisms involved in microglia-mediated-CNS disorders.
The Returns to College Education — An Analysis with College-Level Data

We use between-group estimations to examine returns to college education with data from over 500 schools utilizing variables representing characteristics for individuals, institutions, and states. The results indicate that college majors, per capita income of the state where the school is located, and intuitional characteristics such as acceptance rates and faculty salaries are significant and important determinants of post-graduation incomes. In addition, we find private school graduates earn modestly higher salaries than those of public schools. Given the substantial extra costs of private schools, this implies that some benefits of private schooling are not captured in post-graduation incomes.
Statistical Association Patterns

Information theory and statistical analysis are two fundamental conceptual tools for data mining. In this chapter we will discuss a data mining technique based on these two conceptual tools. Specifically, an information-statistical approach for discovering data patterns, and for identifying models that encapsulate the statistical behavior of the data patterns will be discussed. The utility of model identification is to support pattern-based probabilistic inference for uncovering unknown significant event patterns.
Integration of Breast Cancer Secretomes with Clinical Data Elucidates Potential Serum Markers for Disease Detection, Diagnosis, and Prognosis

Cancer cells secrete factors that influence adjacent cell behavior and can lead to enhanced proliferation and metastasis. To better understand the role of these factors in oncogenesis and disease progression, estrogen and progesterone receptor positive MCF-7 cells, triple negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231, DT22, and DT28 cells, and MCF-10A non-transformed mammary epithelial cells were grown in 3D cultures. A special emphasis was placed on triple negative breast cancer since these tumors are highly aggressive and no targeted treatments are currently available. The breast cancer cells secreted factors of variable potency that stimulated proliferation of the relatively quiescent MCF-10A cells. The conditioned medium from each cell line was subjected to mass spectrometry analysis and a variety of secreted proteins were identified including glycolytic enzymes, proteases, protease inhibitors, extracellular matrix proteins, and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins. An investigation of the secretome from each cell line yielded clues about strategies used for breast cancer proliferation and metastasis. Some of the proteins we identified may be useful in the development of a serum-based test for breast cancer detection, diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring.
Howard Scott, Gérard Bouchard. Interculturalism: a view from Quebec

The Action democratique du Quebec’s brief time as the official opposition party in Quebec’s National Assembly in 2007–2008 is now little more than a historical footnote. Yet, concerns regarding nat...
Capacity of space-time wireless channels: a physical perspective

Existing results on MIMO channel capacity assume a rich scattering environment in which the channel power scales quadratically with the number of antennas, resulting in linear capacity scaling with the number of antennas. However, such scaling in channel power is physically impossible indefinitely. We thus address the following fundamental question: for a given channel power scaling law, what is the best achievable capacity scaling law? For a channel power scaling, /spl rho//sub c/(N) = O(N/sup /spl gamma//), /spl gamma/ /spl isin/ (0,2], we argue that the channel capacity cannot scale faster than C(N) = O(/spl radic/(/spl rho//sub c/(N))) = O(N/sup /spl gamma//2/). Our approach is based on a family of space-time channels corresponding to different distributions of channel power in the spatial signal space dimensions. We develop the concept of an ideal MIMO channel that achieves the optimal scaling law for a given /spl rho//sub c/(N). For a given number of antennas, unlike existing results that either emphasize the low or high SNR regimes, we propose a methodology for capacity-optimal signaling at any SNR. The methodology is based on creating the ideal channel from any given physical scattering environment via adaptive-resolution array configurations.
Harmonics nonlinear interaction in the waveguide with layered periodic walls

Theoretical research of harmonics interaction in nonlinear guiding layer between two periodic layered structures is carried out. We used the method based Green's formula for the small nonlinearity, i.e. for the case when the nonlinear interaction energy is small compared with the interacting waves energy. The analytical relations for the first and second harmonics amplitude are obtained. It Is shown that nonlinear coefficients become maximal in the point where Bragg resonance condition realize on all structure layers of investigated waveguide including guiding layer. We explain some experimental data using the results obtained
Leveraging Unique CPS Properties to Design Better Privacy-Enhancing Algorithms

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) have unique properties that can be exploited to design new privacy-enhancing technologies that minimize the negative impact to the utility of CPS. In this paper we show two examples of these properties.The first example looks at how differential privacy degrades CPS performance due to the large noise addition, and we then show how the inherent noise of CPS can be leveraged to reduce the additional noise added by differential privacy algorithms, and therefore, minimize the negative impact on the system utility and safety. In the second example we look at the ability to sample at sensor readings on demand, and how this flexibility can be used to design adaptive sensor sampling algorithms that hide sensitive information without the need to add noise.
Open reduction and internal fixation of a comminuted femoral fracture with plate–rod technique in a wedge-capped capuchin (Cebus olivaceous)

A 3-year-old intact male wedge-capped capuchin (Cebus olivaceous) was diagnosed with a complete fracture of the left femur. Radiographs confirmed a closed, complete, comminuted fracture of the distal one third of the left femur with caudolateral displacement. External co-aptation and intramedullary pinning techniques were considered inadequate owing to the possibility of implant failure or the development of fracture disease. A biological fixation of the fracture was accomplished using a 2 mm veterinary cuttable plate and a 2 mm Kirschner wire. Following apposition and alignment of the fracture, the pin was placed normograde and the plate was applied as a bridging plate. Owner compliance was critical to prevent patient self-mutilation. The intramedullary pin, plate and screws were not removed. Postoperative wound healing was uneventful. Progressive secondary bone healing was noticed on serial radiographic study carried out on the 12th, 35th and 63rd postoperative days. Full weight bearing was evident by the 35th postoperative day.
An Alaska case study: Solar photovoltaic technology in remote microgrids

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is a nascent but promising energy option in remote Alaskan microgrids and serves as an example for isolated electrical grids worldwide. This study examines community scale solar PV installations in Alaska, ranging in size from 2.2 kW in Ambler to 50 kW in Galena. Total installed costs arguably show a trend toward lower values with larger installation sizes although prices in Alaska are still significantly higher than in the rest of the United States. Capacity factors range from 6% to 15%. However, it should be noted that some installation configurations, particularly in the northwestern part of the state, were installed with the goal of a broad production curve rather than maximum power production.