cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Establishing a standard protocol for the voiding cystourethrography

Summary The voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) is a frequently performed test to diagnose a variety of urologic conditions, such as vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). The test results determine whether continued observation or an interventional procedure is indicated. VCUGs are ordered by many specialists and primary care providers, including pediatricians, family practitioners, nephrologists, hospitalists, emergency room physicians, and urologists. Current protocols for performing and interpreting a VCUG are based on the International Reflux Study in 1985. However, more recent information provided by many national and international institutions suggests a need to refine those recommendations. The lead author of the 1985 study, R.L. Lebowitz, agreed to and participated in the current protocol. In addition, a recent survey directed to the chairpersons of pediatric radiology of 65 children's hospitals throughout the United States and Canada showed that VCUG protocols vary substantially. Recent guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend a VCUG for children between 2 and 24 months of age with urinary tract infections but did not specify how this test should be performed. To improve patient safety and to standardize the data obtained when a VCUG is performed, the AAP Section on Radiology and the AAP Section on Urology initiated the current VCUG protocol to create a consensus on how to perform this test.
On implementing 2D rectangular assignment algorithms

This paper reviews research into solving the two-dimensional (2D) rectangular assignment problem and combines the best methods to implement a k-best 2D rectangular assignment algorithm with bounded runtime. This paper condenses numerous results as an understanding of the "best" algorithm, a strong polynomial-time algorithm with a low polynomial order (a shortest augmenting path approach), would require assimilating information from many separate papers, each making a small contribution. 2D rectangular assignment Matlab code is provided.
Philosophers at Table: On Food and Being Human

This subtly ambitious book has two related purposes: (1) to explore what philosophical investigation looks like when human beings are considered as hungry creatures with demanding stomachs rather t...
Synergistic effects of a novel combination of polyphenon E and atorvastatin in inhibition of lung tumor

A115 The present study investigated the synergistic inhibitory effects of polyphenon E (PPE, a standardized green tea polyphenol preparations containing appromately 65% EGCG), and atorvastatin (ATST) in a 4-(methylnitrosaminao)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)-induced lung tumorigenesis model and H1299 human lung cancer cell line. Female A/J mice were given two weekly i.p. injections of NNK (150 mg/kg total dose), and one week later, they were treated with PPE (0.25% or 0.5% in drinking fluid), ATST (200 ppm or 400 ppm in diet), or PPE (0.25%) plus ATST (200ppm) for 16 weeks. With the single agents, only the high doses were effective in inhibiting lung tumorigenesis. However, the combination of PPE/ATST significantly reduced both the tumor multiplicity and tumor burden (by 56% and 55%, respectively). Synergistic reduction of tumor multiplicity (p = 0.0006) and tumor burden (p = 0.0009) by this combination was indicated by the isobologram analysis, which is used for studying the interaction of two agents. This conclusion was further supported by an isobologram analysis of the inhibitory effect of this combination in H1299 human lung cancer cells, where the combination of these two agents synergistically decreased the number of viable cells. >Immunohistochemistry analyses on the lung tumor tissues demonstrated that the combination of low doses PPE and ATST significantly induced apoptosis in tumors (3.2 fold of the control); whereas 0.5% PPE or 400ppm ATST alone increased the apoptotic indexes by 1.8 fold and 1.4 fold respectively. Induction of apoptosis was also found in H1299 cells by the TUNEL assay, and the combination of PPE/ATST was more efficient in enhancing the cleaved-caspase 3, 9, and PRPP levels than the single agent treatment. The induced apoptosis by the combination of PPE/ATST was possibly due to the reduced levels of anti-apoptotic proteins Mcl-1 and Bax. In both the NNK-induced lung tumors and H1299 cells, the Mcl-1 and Bax levels were reduced by PPE/ATST combination by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. The reductions of Mcl-1 and Bax levels by the combination were more significant than PPE or ATST alone. Cyclin D1 and hyper-phosphorylated Rb protein levels were also significantly reduced by this combination in H1299 cells, suggesting the inhibition of cell proliferation. The present work demonstrated that PPE and ATST synergistically inhibited NNK-induced lung tumorigenesis in mice and the growth of lung cancer H1299 cells. This effect is most likely due to the induction of cell apoptosis through inhibition of Mcl-1 (supported by NIH grant CA88961).
Effect of Bulky Substituents in the Polymer Backbone on the Properties of Polyimide Aerogels.

With unique advantages over inorganic aerogels including higher strengths and compressive moduli, greater toughness, and the ability to be fabricated as a flexible thin film, polymer aerogels have the potential to supplant inorganic aerogels in numerous applications. Among polymer aerogels, polyimide aerogels possess a high degree of high thermal stability as well as outstanding mechanical properties. However, while the onset of thermal decomposition for these materials is typically very high (greater than 500 °C), the polyimide aerogels undergo dramatic thermally induced shrinkage at temperatures well below their glass transition (Tg) or decomposition temperature, which limits their use. In this study, we show that shrinkage is reduced when a bulky moiety is incorporated in the polymer backbone. Twenty different formulations of polyimide aerogels were synthesized from 3,3,′4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA) and 4,4′-oxidianiline (ODA) or a combination of ODA and 9,9′-bis(4-aminophenyl)fluore...
Queer Time on the Early Modern Stage: France and the Drama of Biopower

AbstractIn mid-seventeenth-century France, newly precise timepieces offered an unprecedented richness to the experience of time: of time passing, of haste, and of slowness. Time governed affects and desires in new ways: from certain socio-sexual tempos (paces of courtship, reproduction) to the propriety of behavior onstage (in the unity of time). The theater, fast becoming a cornerstone of Absolutist statecraft, both modeled and contested new types of embodiment and new temporalities that were on the horizon. However, instead of analyzing the explicitly political uses of theater, I examine theater’s more subtle forms of managing the population through chrono-biopower. As Foucault argues, disciplinary power, rather than deciding on the right to live or to die, sought instead to manage bodies through the controlled flourishing or strategic diminishing of life’s capacities. One essential and overlooked component of biopower includes the sensation of time as dramatized onstage. Drawing upon examples from Bens...
High School Coaches' Experiences With Openly Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Athletes.

Despite reports that there has been a positive trend in perception and treatment of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals in recent years (Griffin, 2012; Loftus, 2001), sport, in general, is...
Efficient reduction of vertebrate Cytoglobins by the Cytochrome b5/Cytochrome b5 reductase/NADH system

Cytoglobin is a heme-containing protein ubiquitous in mammalian tissues. Unlike the evolutionarily related proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin, cytoglobin shows a six-coordinated heme binding, with the heme iron coordinated by two histidine side chains. Cytoglobin is involved in cytoprotection pathways through yet undefined mechanisms, and it has recently been demonstrated that cytoglobin has redox signaling properties via nitric oxide (NO) and nitrite metabolism. The reduced, ferrous cytoglobin can bind oxygen and will react with NO in a dioxygenation reaction to form nitrate, which dampens NO signaling. When deoxygenated, cytoglobin can bind nitrite and reduce it to NO. This oxidoreductase activity could be catalytic if an effective reduction system exists to regenerate the reduced heme species. The nature of the physiological cytoglobin reducing system is unknown, although it has been proposed that ascorbate and cytochrome b5 could fulfill this role. Here we describe that physiological concentrations of ...
On the vibration analysis of power lines with moving dampers

This work investigates the performance of a moving damper for overhead transmission lines. The damper or absorber consists of mass-spring-damper-mass system. The absorber is connected to a single c...
Evaluation of Polyimide/Carbon Composite Films for Capsule Support

AbstractCapsules in National Ignition Facility targets are conventionally supported by thin polymer films. Recent experiments have shown that these films add significant perturbations to the implosion. Here, we evaluate stiffer polyimide composite films for use in a new target design that has been predicted to reduce these perturbations. The films are evaluated by their contact radius to the capsule for different deflections and the force they generate at those deflections to center the capsule. We find that a composite film with a single-sided coating of carbon produces the best results and show the performance of these films in target assemblies, highlighting the importance of the indentation depth.
Reassessing Taylor rules using improved housing rent data

Abstract There is a debate whether the federal funds rate deviated from the Taylor rule. We present evidence that standard inflation measures do not reflect the contemporaneous state of housing rents, which are a large part of price indexes. Using a new housing rent index (RRI) developed by Ambrose et al. (2015), we compute the RRI-based Taylor rule for the period from 2000 to 2010. The modified Taylor rule indicates that seemingly large deviations are better understood as delays due to the stale information regarding housing rents. It also provides a justification for Quantitative Easing and a better alternative to other versions of Taylor rules.
An Integrated Model-Driven Development Environment for Composing and Validating Distributed Real-Time and Embedded Systems

Model-driven development (MDD) tools and processes are increasingly used to develop component middleware and applications for distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) systems, which have stringent requirements for timeliness, correctness, scalability, and maintainability. MDD techniques help developers of DRE systems express application functionality and quality of service (QoS) requirements at a higher level of abstraction than is possible using third-generation programming languages, such as Visual Basic, Java, C++, or C#. The state-of-the-art in MDD for large-scale DRE systems is still maturing, however, and no single MDD environment provides the capabilities needed for effective development of large-scale DRE systems.
The Use of Supervision Notes as a Targeted Training Strategy

Despite a call for more training of clinical supervisors, little has emerged in the professional literature to offer pedagogical strategies for training. This article describes the use of supervision documentation to guide the development of supervisors-in-training (SITs). Specifically, supervision notes are used to assist and monitor SITs understanding and application of supervisor models.
Plate Motions and Active Crustal Deformation in the North Andean Region Measured with the Global Positioning System

The CASA (Central And South America) Global Positioning System project was inaugurated in 1988 to study plate motions and crustal deformation in Central America and northern South America, a tectonically active area of complex interaction between the Nazca, Cocos, Caribbean and South American plates. Repeated geodetic measurements with the Global Positioning System (GPS) provide direct measurements of displacements due to active plate motions and intraplate deformation, which can provide important constraints on regional kinematic plate motions, and on the active tectonics of the deforming zones of the convergent margins. Dynamic problems such as the relation between the earthquake cycle and large-scale plate motions or intraplate deformation at the convergent margins can be addressed once a sufficiently long span of data has been collected. The CASA network currently consists of 30 primary sites in five countries (Figure 1), most of which have now been reoccupied at least once. This study concentrates on the results from the stations which provide measurements of the relative motions of the major plates over a three year period.
Effect of Nanosecond Pulsed Atmospheric Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharges on Immune Cell Mediated Wound Healing

We have previously shown that Reactive Oxygen species and charges in atmospheric pressure nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharges (nspDBD) stimulate immune function both in vitro and in vivoto enhance their migration, produce cytokines and kill tumor cells. (1–3) The immune cells act as “transport mechanism” for tumor killing effect of plasma so that deep tumors that are not directly accessible to plasma are also resolved. (4) Tumor growth is controlled not by plasma directly but by the action of plasma-activated immune cells. (4) Cells of the immune system also play an important role at all stages of wound healing. In the acute phase control of infection and inflammation is important. Their contribution in the late stages involves reepithelialization and angiogenesis to accelerate healing and reduce scar formation. (5, 6) Several studies suggest that plasma also benefits the process of wound healing. (7) However, the contribution of immune cells in plasma-mediated wound healing has not been studied. In this study we used the in vitro scratch assay to study if plasma improves wound healing through interaction with immune cells. In addition, the effect of bacterial infection on the healing process by plasma was examined. The implications of plasma stimulation of immune function for deep wound healing will be discussed.
Developing Deeper Radiology Exam Insight to Optimize MRI Workflow and Patient Experience

Process variability during the acquisition of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can lengthen examination times and introduce unexpected exam differences which can negatively impact the cost and quality of care provided to patients. Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) metadata can provide more accurate study data and granular series-level information that can be used to increase operational efficiency, optimize patient care, and reduce costs associated with MRI examinations. Systematic use of such data analysis could be used as a continuous operational optimization and quality control mechanism.
The importance of distinguishing between harassment-only and assault military sexual trauma during screening

Extant research demonstrates that a history of military sexual trauma (MST) is associated with PTSD and depression diagnoses as well as heightened risk for suicidal ideation and death by suicide. P...
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY AND FUTURE THOUGHT AMONG OLDER ADULTS

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Innovation in Aging following peer review. The version of record Adamson, E. M., Ekerdt, D. J., & Adamson, E. M. (2019). ECONOMIC INEQUALITY AND FUTURE THOUGHT AMONG OLDER ADULTS. Innovation in Aging, 3(Suppl 1), S749–S750. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igz038.2750 is available online at: doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igz038.2750 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Main Pancreatic Duct to Parenchymal Thickness Ratio at Preoperative Imaging is Associated with Overall Survival in Upfront Resected Pancreatic Cancer.

Pancreatic cancer induces parenchymal atrophy and duct dilation. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether these radiologic modifications are associated with outcomes. Upfront pancreaticoduodenectomy patients with available preoperative contrast enhanced CT scan imaging were retrospectively analyzed. Thickness of the pancreas, size of the main pancreatic duct (MPD), and distance of the tumor from the ampulla were assessed. A training cohort was selected, including short- (3–12 months following surgery) and long-term (≥ 36 months) survivors. Identified survival determinants were validated in the overall cohort. Two-hundred-sixteen patients were analyzed. In the training cohort (N = 118), 68 patients (57.6%) were in the short-term and 50 (42.4%) in the long-term survival group. The short-term survival group had significantly higher CA 19–9 levels (p = 0.027), larger tumors (32.6 ± 12.1 mm vs. 26.5 ± 11.6 mm, p = 0.007), poorer differentiation (p = 0.003), higher rate of R < 1 mm resections (54% vs. 32%, p = 0.008), and reduced receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.020). The MPD-to-pancreatic thickness ratio was significantly lower in the short-term survivors (3.6 ± 6.2 vs. 8.2 ± 12.0, p = 0.016). In the entire cohort, an MPD-to-pancreatic thickness ratio ≥ 3.5 was associated with improved OS [median 33.0 months IQR (19.7–48.1) versus 17 months IQR (14.8–19.2), p = 0.004], and confirmed by a Cox-proportional hazards model independently associated with OS (HR = 0.58; p = 0.009), together with tumor size (HR = 1.02; p =0.012), R1/R2 status (HR = 1.53; p = 0.029), and receipt of adjuvant treatment (HR = 0.61; p = 0.021). High MPD-to-pancreatic thickness ratio was associated with improved long-term survival in pancreaticoduodenectomy for cancer. Whether these features are related to tumor chronicity, indolent biology, or local growth over metastasis remains to be determined.
The Implementation of the Animal Damage Control Act: A Comment on Wildlife Services's Methods of Predatory Animal Control

Since the early part of the 20th century, the United States hasnsupported a program aimed at predatory animal control.nParticularnspecies of predators have been significantly affected by the methodsnused under the auspices of this predator control program. For instance, wolf species, particularly the red wolf, faced nearnextinction, which created the necessity for programs to restore thenpopulation number.nHowever, potential species extinction is not...
Early detection of rapid Barred Owl population growth within the range of the California Spotted Owl advises the Precautionary Principle

Biological invasions are most practical to manage when invasive species population densities are low. Despite a potentially narrow window of opportunity for efficient management, managers tend to delay intervention because the cost of prompt action is often high and resources are limited. The Barred Owl (Strix varia) invaded and colonized the entire range of the Northern Spotted Owl (S. occidentalis caurina), but insufficient population data contributed to delays in action until the Barred Owl posed an existential threat to the Spotted Owl. The leading edge of the Barred Owl expansion has since reached the Sierra Nevada, the core range of the California Spotted Owl (S. o. occidentalis). We conducted passive acoustic surveys within 400-ha grid cells across ~6,200 km2 in the northern Sierra Nevada and detected a 2.6-fold increase in Barred Owl site occupancy between 2017 and 2018, from 0.082 (85% confidence interval: 0.045–0.12) to 0.21 (0.14–0.28). The probability of Barred Owl site colonization increased with the amount of older forest, suggesting that Barred Owls are first occupying the preferred habitat of Spotted Owls. GPS-tagged Barred Owls (n = 10) generally displayed seasonal and interannual site fidelity over territories averaging 411 ha (range: 150–513 ha), suggesting that our occupancy estimates were not substantially upwardly biased by “double counting” individuals whose territories spanned multiple grid cells. Given the Barred Owl’s demonstrated threat to the Northern Spotted Owl, we believe our findings advise the Precautionary Principle, which posits that management actions such as invasive species removal should be taken despite uncertainties about, for example, true rates of population growth if the cost of inaction is high. In this case, initiating Barred Owl removals in the Sierra Nevada before the population grows further will likely make such action more cost-effective and more humane than if it is delayed. It could also prevent the extirpation of the California Spotted Owl from its core range.
High current density electron emission from an electrodeposited metal nanowire array

High-current electron field emitters are of interest for many applications, but state-of-the-art devices suffer from limitations such as high turn-on macroscopic field, low macroscopic current density, poor emission stability, and short lifetime. Field emitter arrays with a high spatial density of uniform emitters have the potential to address these problems. This work presents the process development, fabrication, and testing of a novel field emitter array. The authors employed electron beam lithography and templated electrodeposition to fabricate a high spatial density array of metallic nanowires, resulting in electron emission with high macroscopic current density (2 A/cm2) and low turn-on macroscopic field (4.35 V/μm). Templated electrodeposition of metallic nanowire arrays is a promising method for producing high performance field emitters.
Stress Fractures of the Hip and Femur

Athletic hip and thigh injury evaluation requires an assessment for possible stress fracture. Stress fractures of the femoral neck and shaft typically occur via overuse in endurance athletes. Stress fractures at the hip are primarily located at the femoral neck. Compression-side femoral neck stress fractures are usually of low risk, with non-surgical treatment typically successful. Tension-side femoral neck stress fractures are usually of high risk, with surgical treatment indicated. Femoral shaft stress fractures are usually of low risk, with non-surgical treatment typically successful. Screw fixation is the gold-standard surgical treatment for femoral neck fracture. In non-displaced fractures, no reduction is required. In displaced fractures, urgent anatomic reduction is necessary. For femoral shaft fractures indicated for surgery, antegrade greater trochanteric tip entry intramedullary nail placement is the preferred surgical technique. All patients with stress fractures warrant bone mineral density and RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sports) evaluation to optimize not only osseous health and the musculoskeletal system but also the health of all body systems in the entire individual.
Widening our Focus: Characterizing Socioeconomic and Racial Disparities in Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract Background Socioeconomic and racial (SER) disparities among congenital heart disease (CHD) patients may limit access to high-quality care. We characterized national SER landscape, its relationship to early outcomes, and identified interactions among determinants mitigating adverse outcome. Methods The Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database queried patients (age Results N=166,599 unique admissions from 52 hospitals were identified, 58,395 having interventions. Median age was 0 years (IQR=4 years). Race/Ethnicity was predominantly White (59%), Hispanic (20%), and Black (16%). Median neighborhood household income (NHI) was $41,082, and varied among hospitals. Patient NHI had a parabolic relationship with mortality, with both higher and lower values having increased risk. Black patients had significantly higher mortality, and this relationship was potentiated by lower NHI and complexity. Length of hospital stay (LOS) was longer among Black neonates (median 51 days; IQR 93) compared to neonates of other ethnic groups (median 32 days; IQR 71), P Conclusions Interactions among SER disparities modify CHD outcomes. Specific hospitals have more SER fragile patients, but may have developed care pathways that prolong LOS to mitigate risk among Black neonates. Adverse outcomes among SER disadvantaged patients are magnified in complex CHD, suggesting tangible benefits to targeted resource allocation and population health initiatives.
Ultrafast anchored SnO2 nanoparticles revealed capacity fade and hysteresis abated stable cycling performance for high-rate lithium-ion batteries

Abstract Ultrafast nanostructured SnO2/graphene nanoplatelets (SnO2/GNP) composite material is synthesized by direct microwave irradiation technique. The tetragonal SnO2 phase is confirmed using powder X-ray diffraction pattern and revealed the D-band and G-band in Raman analysis for the presence of graphene nanoplatelets, quantified with 20% mass in thermogravimetric analysis. The measured surface area of SnO2/GNP composite is 50 m2 g−1 and the transmission electron microscopic results shows nanocrystalline SnO2 particles (10 nm), well-decorated on graphene nanoplatelets. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopic analyses confirm that there is no charge storage buildup in Li vs SnO2/GNP lithium cell with additive electrolyte and the cyclic voltammetric analyses reveal highly reversible characteristics of alloying-dealloying mechanism of Sn. The Galvanostatic discharge-charge studies of Li vs SnO2/GNP lithium cells with additive electrolyte are exhibited capacity fade/hysteresis abated stable cycling performance and delivered three-fold higher discharge-charge capacities of 745/738 mAh g−1 than the conventional electrolyte (220/219 mAh g−1) for the 100th cycle at 100 mA g−1. The rate studies are yielded the discharge-charge capacities of 387/383 mAh g−1 at 3000 mA g−1 and 412/410 mAh g−1 for the 500th cycle at 1000 mA g−1, as a superior anode for high-rate lithium-ion batteries.
Self-Assembled Glycopeptide Nanofibers as Modulators of Galectin-1 Bioactivity

Galectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that act as extracellular signaling molecules in various normal and pathological processes. Galectin bioactivity is mediated by specific non-covalent interactions with cell-surface and extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoproteins, which can enhance or inhibit signaling events that influence various cellular behaviors, including adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Here, we developed a materials approach to modulate galectin bioactivity by mimicking natural galectin-glycoprotein interactions. Specifically, we created a variant of a peptide that self-assembles into β-sheet nanofibers under aqueous conditions, QQKFQFQFEQQ (Q11), which has an asparagine residue modified with the monosaccharide N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) at its N-terminus (GlcNAc-Q11). GlcNAc-Q11 self-assembled into β-sheet nanofibers under similar conditions as Q11. Nanofibrillar GlcNAc moieties were efficiently converted to the galectin-binding disaccharide N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) via the enzyme β-1,4-galactosyltransferase and the sugar donor UDP-galactose, while retaining β-sheet structure and nanofiber morphology. LacNAc-Q11 nanofibers bound galectin-1 and -3 in a LacNAc concentration-dependent manner, although nanofibers bound galectin-1 with higher affinity than galectin-3. In contrast, galectin-1 bound weakly to GlcNAc-Q11 nanofibers, while no galectin-3 binding to these nanofibers was observed. Galectin-1 binding to LacNAc-Q11 nanofibers was specific because it could be inhibited by excess soluble β-lactose, a galectin-binding carbohydrate. LacNAc-Q11 nanofibers inhibited galectin-1-mediated apoptosis of Jurkat T cells in a LacNAc concentration-dependent manner, but were unable to inhibit galectin-3 activity, consistent with galectin-binding affinity of the nanofibers. We envision that glycopeptide nanofibers capable of modulating galectin-1 bioactivity will be broadly useful as biomaterials for various medical applications, including cancer therapeutics, immunotherapy, tissue regeneration, and viral prophylaxis.
Shame (Ḥayāʾ) as an Affective Disposition in Islamic Legal Thought

The recent “ethical turn” in the study of Islamic law has directed much attention to the cultivation of “virtuous passions” as central to the project of the classical Sharīʿa. This model has been particularly salient in the study of normative rituals, and some scholars have extended it to encompass much broader social and disciplinary aspects of the ideal Sharʿī order. The present paper focuses on the concept of ḥayāʾ (shame), understood as the fear of moral or social disapprobation, which is arguably the affective trait Muslim thinkers saw as most fundamental to proper social functioning and adherence to the law. The article compares the treatment of ḥayāʾ in ethical and legal works of scholars of the Shāfiʿī legal school in the 11th to early 12th centuries and argues that works of substantive law pursued a deliberately minimal approach to the role of affect.
Fluorite-Type Oxygen Conductors

Solid electrolytes which conduct by oxygen-ion transport have been of great interest for use in high-temperature fuel cells, as well as for the measurement of thermodynamic and kinetic properties of systems containing oxygen. By far, the greatest activity in the study of oxygen-ion conductors, both fundamental and applied, has centered about oxides which possess the fluorite structure, notably solid solutions of ZrO2, HfO2, ThO2 and CeO2. In all cases, the host oxide is doped with divalent or trivalent cations (e.g. alkaline earth ions, rare-earth ions, or Y3+) thereby introducing oxygen vacancies as compensating defects. Fig. 1 shows part of the unit cell of the fluorite structure containing both an aliovalent cation and an oxygen vacancy. If these two defects are nearest neighbors to each other, as shown in the figure, they are said to be associated; if farther apart, the defects are generally regarded as dissociated. The anion vacancy model has been well established by two methods: a) simultaneous density and lattice parameter measurements, and b) x-ray intensity measurements [l–4].
Ignorance and Indifference

The epistemic state of complete ignorance is not a probability distribution. In it, we assign the same, unique ignorance degree of belief to any contingent outcome and each of its contingent, disjunctive parts. That this is the appropriate way to represent complete ignorance is established by two instruments, each individually strong enough to identify this state. They are the principle of indifference (“PI”) and the notion that ignorance is invariant under certain redescriptions of the outcome space, here developed into the “principle of invariance of ignorance” (“PII”). Both instruments are so innocuous as almost to be platitudes. Yet the literature in probabilistic epistemology has misdiagnosed them as paradoxical or defective since they generate inconsistencies when conjoined with the assumption that an epistemic state must be a probability distribution. To underscore the need to drop this assumption, I express PII in its most defensible form as relating symmetric descriptions and show that paradoxes still arise if we assume the ignorance state to be a probability distribution. By separating out the different properties that characterize a probability measure, I show that the ignorance state is incompatible with each of the additivity and the dynamics of Bayesian conditionalization of the probability calculus.
CEARPGA II: A Monte Carlo Simulation Code for Prompt-Gamma-Ray Neutron Activation Analysis

A Monte Carlo simulation code, CEARPGA II, has been developed to generate the complete set of library spectra that are required for the application of the Monte Carlo-Library Least-Squares approach in prompt-gamma-ray neutron activation analysis. Compared to the previous version, the CEARPGA I code, several important improvements have been made including eliminating the 'big weight' problem by implementing the Analog Linear Interpolation technique, generating the appropriate detector response functions using improved simulation models that account for NaI detector nonlinearity and flat continua, generating the neutron activation backgrounds by directly sampling detector-activated gamma-ray energies, generating the natural background libraries by interpolating the energy-score tables, and tracking the annihilation gamma rays from the pair production interaction that occurs outside the detector. The coal sample spectrum calculated with the CEARPGA II code is benchmarked against those calculated from the CEARPGA I code, the MCNP code, and experimentally measured data.
Nuclear Mode of the EGFR Signaling Network: Biology, Prognostic Value, and Therapeutic Implications

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) belongs to a large family of receptor tyrosine kinases that mediates many important physiological processes in both normal and cancerous cells. EGFR is best known for its classical role as a plasma membrane-bound receptor that, upon binding to its ligands, recruits and phosphorylates downstream molecules which subsequently regulate protein functions, protein-protein interactions, and gene expression. Built upon this traditional view of the EGFR pathway, a number of therapeutic agents have been developed aiming to target EGFR by blocking ligand-mediated receptor activation or by inhibiting its kinase activity. Unfortunately, most of these interventions have yielded disappointing clinical results in the majority of cancer types evaluated, with the exception of non-small cell lung cancer that carries specific EGFR mutants. Given the notion that these EGFR mutations are absent or very rare in other cancer types, extensive investigations have been directed at other potential mechanisms. Some of these efforts have led to rationales for EGFR-based combination regimens; however, they also demonstrated limited clinical benefits. In this review, we will focus on an emerging line of research that examines a novel mode of EGFR signaling that takes place in the cell nucleus. Specifically, we will outline the findings from a number of reports that have together established nuclear EGFR to be a functionally diversified molecule that regulates the biology of normal and malignantly transformed cells. In light of the fact that the impact of nuclear EGFR on anti-cancer therapy has recently developed into an area of intensive investigations, this review will also summarize the results of these investigations that suggest a potential role the nuclear EGFR may play in tumor response to radiation, chemotherapy, and EGFR-targeted therapy.
Delineation of the viral products of recombination in vaccinia virus-infected cells.

Abstract Plasmids containing the vaccinia virus thymidine kinase gene, its flanking DNA sequences, and the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase gene were used in conjunction with a thymidine kinase-deficient virus to examine the viral products of recombination. Progeny derived from single-crossover events could be distinguished from those generated by gene conversion or double-crossover events when the beta-galactosidase gene was separated from the thymidine kinase gene by the flanking sequences. Using methotrexate to select for recombinant virus and a chromogenic indicator to detect beta-galactosidase, the generation of viral recombinants was measured over a 48-h period. Recombinant progeny were first observed at 12 h and increased to a maximum of 2.5% at 48 h. Single-crossover products, as determined by beta-galactosidase expression, reached a maximum of 57% of the recombinant population at 24 h and thereafter declined. DNA hybridization analysis was used to examine genomic structures of the progeny of the initial viral plaques, plaques purified three times, and those subject to a 10(4)-fold amplification. These analyses confirmed that single-crossover events within either the 5'- or 3'-homologous flanking sequences generated unstable recombinant structures. These structures were shown to contain a single copy of the intact thymidine kinase gene within the corresponding copy of the duplicated thymidine kinase flanking sequences, separated by the beta-galactosidase gene and plasmid DNA. Significantly, these duplicated structures could undergo further recombination to produce repeats of either the intact or the deleted thymidine kinase sequences. These intermediate structures ultimately degenerated to produce either the parental thymidine kinase-deleted or the wild-type genome. The wild-type genome was also shown to be generated directly by gene conversion or double-crossover events.
Nonrelativistic, planar double-stream equilibrium in magnetically insulated diodes

The study of magnetically insulated electron flow is relevant to the operation of magnetically insulated transmission lines and ion diodes as well as to M-type microwave sources. Recently, double-stream equilibria in magnetically insulated diodes have been explored analytically for the case of vanishing injection electron velocities at the cathode and numerically for the case of nonzero injection velocities. Here, analytical results derived for the case of nonzero injection velocities indicate that space-charge limited emission from the cathode is no longer possible for equilibria in which the electrons are monoenergetic with vanishing canonical momentum.
Gender and Managerial Stereotypes: Have the Times Changed?

There has been a considerable increase in the proportion of women managers in recent years, from 21% in 1976 to 46% in 1999, and a call for “feminine leadership” to capitalize on this increase. The present study examines whether there has been a corresponding change in men’s and women’s stereotypes of managers such that less emphasis is placed on managers’ possessing masculine characteristics. Data from 348 undergraduate and part-time graduate business students indicate that although managerial stereotypes place less emphasis on masculine characteristics than in earlier studies [Academy of Management Journal 22 (1979) 395; Group and Organization Studies 14 (2) (1989) 216], a good manager is still perceived as predominantly masculine.
The Targeted Reading Intervention: Face‐to‐Face vs. Webcam Literacy Coaching of Classroom Teachers

The targeted reading intervention (TRI) is a professional development program for rural kindergarten and first grade classroom teachers to help them provide effective reading strategies with struggling readers. In two randomized controlled trials, the TRI was delivered two ways: (1) literacy coaches provided support for classroom teachers through face-to-face classroom meetings or (2) coaches provided support to classroom teachers through live webcam technology. The purpose this study was to examine how face-to-face versus webcam coaching was related to teacher and struggling reader outcomes. Regression results suggested greater benefits with webcam literacy coaching for teacher fidelity and efficacy. Both struggling reader groups made equivalent gains across literacy measures, although there were greater gains on one child literacy measure in the webcam group.
Putting the puzzle together: Why people join public interest groups

Why people join organizations, especially public interest groups, has been an unsolved puzzle. In this analysis, choice-based probability methods are employed to combine data from the 1980 National Election Study with comparable information about Common Cause members and to estimate models of the participation calculus that put the pieces of the puzzle together. The results demonstrate the primary importance of political interest and policy preferences for the membership choice. Citizens who are politically interested and have preferences that roughly match an organization's reputation find that associational membership has both greater benefits and lower costs for them than it does for others. Variations in the costs of communication — to the degree that they can be measured — are unimportant for the joining decision. An ability to pay is also irrelevant, regardless of educational attainment and despite members' high incomes. Organizational leaders deliberately keep the costs of membership low relative to most citizens' ability to pay; this encourages potential contributors to join in order to learn about the organization.
Modern and prospective technologies for hydrogen production from fossil fuels

Abstract A study is presented assessing the technology and economics of hydrogen production by conventional and advanced processes. Six conventional processes are assessed: (1) steam reforming of natural gas, (2) partial oxidation of residual oil, (3) gasification of coal by the Texaco process, (4) gasification of coal by the Koppers-Totzek process, (5) steam-iron process and (6) water electrolysis. The advanced processes include (1) high temperature electrolysis of steam, (2) coal gasification and electrochemical shift, (3) integrated coal gasification and high temperature electrolysis, (4) thermal cracking of natural gas and (5) the HYDROCARB thermal conversion of coal. Thermochemical water splitting, high energy nuclear radiation, plasma and solar photovoltaic-water electrolysis and by-product hydrogen from the chemical industry are also briefly discussed. It is concluded that steam reforming of methane is the most economic near-term process among the conventional processes. Processes based on conventional partial oxidation and coal gasification are two to three times more expensive than steam reforming of natural gas. New gas separation processes, such as pressure swing adsorption, improve the economics of these conventional processes. Integration of hydrogen production with other end-use processes has an influence on the overall economics of the system. The advanced high temperature electrochemical systems suffer from high electrical energy and capital cost requirements. The thermochemical and high energy water splitting techniques are inherently lower in efficiency and more costly than the thermal conversion processes. The thermal cracking of methane is potentially the lowest cost process for hydrogen production. This is followed closely by the HYDROCARB coal cracking process. To reach full potential, the thermal cracking processes depend on taking credit for the clean carbon fuel by-product. As the cost of oil and gas inevitably increases in the next several decades, emphasis will be placed on processes making use of the world's reserve of coal.
Tin level requirements for multiple gated studies in humans: A new perspective

Abstract Stannous pyrophosphate (Sn-PYP) has been used for over a decade for in vivo and in vitro labeling of red blood cells with 99m Tc. Literature references indicate minimum levels of stannous ion [Sn(II)] acceptable for successful labeling, based on in vitro experiments, to range from 140 to 400 ng/mL of whole blood. Our study was undertaken in 200 patients using two different commercially available formulations of Sn-PYP in order to quantitate the Sn(II) levels required on an in vivo basis to achieve consistently high quality labeling.
Dislocation distributions associated with fatigue cracking on cleavage planes

Abstract A attempt is made to answer the following question: does the dislocation distribution control the intrinsic fatigue resistance of b.c.c. metals? To evaluate this, experiments involving hydrogen-induced fatigue cracking of several Fe-3wt.%Si single crystals oriented in the 〈100〉 direction were performed. Microminiature samples of the round compact type were loaded under constant ΔK with alternating blocks of four constant test frequencies ω to produce different single-cycle crack advances. Hydrogen apparently has the unusual effect of requiring more than 1 cycle to advance the crack at high frequencies but only part of a cycle to advance the crack at low frequencies. To estimate the deformation gradients, both direct transmission electron microscopy and channeling were used. Low energy dislocation configurations mostly consisted of dislocation dipoles on {110} and {121} planes. Both the local hardening on slip bands from dipole configurations and the thermal component of the flow stress from the strain rate sensitivity of FeSi increased with increasing ω. It is proposed that these combined effects can explain the increases in d a/ d t with increasing ω in terms of a hydrogen embrittlement model.
Isolation of the promoter of a root cap expressed pectinmethylesterase gene from Pisum sativum L. (rcpme1) and its use in the study of gene activity

A genomic clone of a pea pectinmethylesterase encoding gene, rcpme1, was isolated; the promoter region was found to include regions of homology to phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and nodulin gene promoters. Agrobacterium rhizogenes mediated hairy roots were used for rcpme1 expression and functional analysis in pea. Patterns of rcpme1 expression in cultured hairy roots, measured using uidA encoding β-glucuronidase (GUS) as a reporter gene, were distinct from patterns which occur in normal pea roots. No reporter gene expression occurred in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana, whose roots do not produce border cells. Border cell number from transgenic hairy roots expressing rcpme1 anti-sense mRNA under the control of its 2.75 kb 5′ flanking sequence was reduced by > 50%. Nodulation genes of Rhizobium leguminosarum were used as a marker to document that roots with reduced production of border cells and other root cap exudates have a corresponding reduction in levels of biologically active signal molecules. Direct measurements were used to confirm that most of the exudate harvested from young, unwounded roots of normal pea plants is derived from the root tip region where rcpme1 is expressed. The potential application of the rcpme1 gene as a molecular marker for root exudate production is discussed.
Numerical integration of the time evolution operator: Excited-state dynamics in conjugated molecules

Two simple and manageable schemes for integrating the time evolution operator e−iHt are discussed and applied to study vibronic effects in photoemission and optical excitation of model conjugated molecules.
Telescopes in the mirror of scientometrics

Counting papers and citations is one way to estimate the significance of particular astronomical telescopes and other facilities in the long time gap between the verdict of history and the referee’s report on your most recent proposal. This has been done for 2,184 observational astronomy papers published between 1960 and 1964 (with 14,237 citations in 1965–1969) and the numbers looked at in various ways. The extreme dominance of California in optical astronomy and of the UK and Australia in radio astronomy provides the background against which ESO, NOAO, NRAO, and A&A were founded, with equality of access to facilities having increased enormously in the intervening 40 years, but inequality of results having increased slightly. A number of other factoids about astronomical publications, the community, and their environments surfaced during the counting process, and a subset reported here, including a few pertaining to the more distant past.