cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Useful Field of View and Other Neurocognitive Indicators of Crash Risk in Older Adults

Older adults represent a rapidly growing segment of the driving population. Although most older drivers are safe, research has shown that this group has more crashes per mile driven than most other age groups. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the utility of a set of commonly used neuropsychological/cognitive tests in comparison to a newer measure of visual attention (Useful Field of View; UFOV®) in predicting state-recorded, at-fault crashes over the previous five years in a group of older adult drivers. Participants (N = 239) completed tests of mental status, visual attention, memory, and UFOV®. Results show that among all cognitive tests administered, UFOV® was most strongly related to crash involvement, with high levels of sensitivity (86.3%) and specificity (84.3%) at the standard cutoff score of 40% reduction. Practical implications for the assessment of crash risk are discussed.
Modeling of proximity coupling between superconducting filaments in superconducting dipole magnets

There is strong experimental evidence for superconducting current coupling between filaments in fine filament multifilamentary Nb-Ti which has been proposed for the SSC. The coupling between the fine filaments appears to be a Type II superconducting coupling. As a result, a.c. loss and magnetization can increase as one reduces the filament size in a fine filamentary conductor. This paper presents a computer model which fits experimental data for proximity superconducting coupling between filaments in a superconductor matrix. Using this model, one can predict the effect of proximity coupling on the field uniformity of a dipole magnet for the SSC.
Convergence characteristics of iterative phase synchronization and detection

Serially concatenated systems with rotational invariance can tolerate certain phase ambiguities and, therefore, for these systems coherent detection is robust even when cycle slipping, false-lock and hangup exist during phase synchronization. In this paper, we present a simplified phase model to analyze convergence of iterative receivers with/without occurrence of phase rotations. Particularly, an oscillatory convergence behavior due to cycle slipping is explained by means of density evolution. Moreover, based on per-survivor processing (PSP) and single-estimator processing (SEP) techniques, a family of adaptive soft-input soft-output algorithms are employed to implement joint phase tracking and demodulation in the context of maximum a-posteriori symbol detection. Both analytical and simulation results show that the convergence performance of SEP method is more robust than that of PSP method when carrier phase has high and random dynamics.
Effects if X Irradiation and High Field Electron Injection on the Properties of Rapid Thermal Oxides

The effects of x-ray exposure and high field electron injection on the electrical properties of capacitors incorporating rapid thermal oxides show a considerable dependence on the particular post oxidation annealing (POA) conditions used during oxide processing. Most important seem to be the POA ambient and temperature. POA temperatures from 1150°C to 800°C have been investigated, with lower temperatures resulting in reduced midgap voltage shifts for a given x-ray dose or injected electron fluence. Low temperature high field injection experiments on the present samples have failed to show a direct conversion from trapped holes to interface states formed after photoinjection of electrons as has been reported for conventionally grown thicker oxides. Rather, the injected electrons seem to simply neutralize the trapped holes, returning the capacitance-voltage curve to near its original position and shape.
Gain Control in Human Smooth-Pursuit Eye Movements

In previous experiments, on-line modulation of the gain of visual-motor transmission for pursuit eye movements was demonstrated in monkeys by showing that the response to a brief perturbation of ta...
Timing of chemotherapy and survival in patients with resectable gastric adenocarcinoma.

AIM: To evaluate the timing of chemotherapy in gastric cancer by comparing survival outcomes in treatment groups. METHODS: Patients with surgically resected gastric adenocarcinoma from 1988 to 2006 were identified from the Los Angeles County Cancer Surveillance Program. To evaluate the population most likely to receive and/or benefit from adjunct chemotherapy, inclusion criteria consisted of Stage II or III gastric cancer patients > 18 years of age who underwent curative-intent surgical resection. Patients were categorized into three groups according to the receipt of chemotherapy: (1) no chemotherapy; (2) preoperative chemotherapy; or (3) postoperative chemotherapy. Clinical and pathologic characteristics were compared across the different treatment arms. RESULTS: Of 1518 patients with surgically resected gastric cancer, 327 (21.5%) received perioperative chemotherapy. The majority of these 327 patients were male (68%) with a mean age of 61.5 years; and they were significantly younger than non-chemotherapy patients (mean age, 70.7; P < 0.001). Most patients had tumors frequently located in the distal stomach (34.5%). Preoperative chemotherapy was administered to 11.3% of patients (n = 37) and postoperative therapy to 88.7% of patients (n = 290). An overall survival benefit according to timing of chemotherapy was not observed on univariate or multivariate analysis. Similar results were observed with stage-specific survival analyses (5-year overall survival: Stage II, 25% vs 30%, respectively; Stage III, 14% vs 11%, respectively). Therefore, our results do not identify a survival advantage for specific timing of chemotherapy in locally advanced gastric cancer. CONCLUSION: This study supports the implementation of a randomized trial comparing the timing of perioperative therapy in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer.
Unifying Fluorescence Microscopy and Mass Spectrometry for Studying Protein Complexes in Cells

We have developed and applied a method unifying fluorescence microscopy and mass spectrometry for studying spatial and temporal properties of proteins and protein complexes in yeast cells. To combine the techniques, first we produced a variety of DNA constructs that can be used for genomic tagging of proteins with modular fluorescent and affinity tags. The modular tag consists of one of the multiple versions of monomeric fluorescent proteins fused to a variety of small affinity epitopes. After this step we tested the constructs by tagging two yeast proteins, Pil1 and Lsp1, the core components of eisosomes, the large protein complexes involved in endocytosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with a variety of fluorescent and affinity probes. Among the modular tags produced we found several combinations that were optimal for determining subcellular localization and for purifying the tagged proteins and protein complexes for the detailed analysis by mass spectrometry. And finally, we applied the designed method for finding the new protein components of eisosomes and for gaining new insights into molecular mechanisms regulating eisosome assembly and disassembly by reversible phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Our results indicate that this approach combining fluorescence microscopy and mass spectrometry into a single method provides a unique perspective into molecular mechanisms regulating composition and dynamic properties of the protein complexes in living cells.
Seasonal Thermal Cycle of Lake Erie

A summary of the seasonal water temperature characteristics of Lake Erie and the 1979 and 1980 thermal structure in the central basin is described. Ice cover extends over 90% of Lake Erie most winters. Minimum surface temperature usually occurs in February (0.1° C) but fully mixed conditions at 1°C or less occur in January with isothermal conditions at (1°C) occurring from mid-February to mid-March. The thermal bar advance lasts about 5 to 6 weeks from April to mid-May and permanent stratification usually begins in mid-June with maximum heat storage in mid-August and overturn in mid-September. The central basin thermocline position varies significantly from year to year, the variability of the upper and lower mesolimnion boundaries being as large as 10 m. Thermocline position shows some dependence on prevailing meteorological conditions and has implications to the development of central basin anoxia. Temperature increases and decreases depicted on isotherm plots for stations in the central basin show correspondence with peak wind stress events. During fragile stability conditions, even moderate wind stresses of less than 0.5 dynes/cm2 are capable of producing upper layer deepening. Episodes of complete vertical mixing in response to high wind stresses of 3 dynes/cm2 during storm periods are observed. Double thermoclines are evident at several locations within the basin and temperature changes resulting from an influx of hypolimnetic water from the Pennsylvania Ridge is documented. Periods of hypolimnetic entrainment are clearly observed along with thermocline tilting of 1 to 2 meters toward the south.
Synthesis, Properties, and Gas Separation Studies of a Robust Diimide-Based Microporous Organic Polymer

We report the synthesis of a new porous organic polymer based on condensation of inexpensive anhydride- and amine-bearing building blocks. The condensation produces a remarkably robust polyimide (nominally a diamond-type network) that retains its porosity after solvent evacuation and after prolonged soaking in water, aq. 0.1M HCl, or 50:50 triethylamine:DMF. This material features high surface area (900 m2/g) and pores of appropriate size and composition to capture CO2 from mixtures with methane.
Genetic control of serum immunoglobulin G levels in the chicken.

SUMMARY Serum IgG (7S) levels differed significantly for chickens from 10 different inbred lines. Within lines differences between B blood groups were statistically significant. The genetic control of serum IgG was further examined using birds from B complex haplotypes marked at the B locus and the Ir-GAT locus. Birds from each of five subgroup haplotypes (B1B1Ir-GAT-Lo and -Hi, B19B19Ir-GAT-Lo and -Hi, and B2B2Ir-GAT intermediate) were tested for levels of serum IgG at 3, 6, 9, and 21 weeks of age. The rate and level of IgG reached in the serum was more than two-fold greater in the GAT-Hi birds than in the GAT-Lo. The Ir region of the B complex exerts some control over the ontogenesis of IgG, though most of the genetic variation seems not to be B complex associated.
Latent energy of deformation of bisphenol A polycarbonate

The thermodynamic behavior of poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PC) during uniaxial cold drawing and the properties of the drawn polymer were examined. Isothermal deformation calorimetric measurements were made during the drawing process. The deformation calorimeter measures heat, work, and internal energy changes for deformation. It was found that PC exhibited nonideal plasticity with approximately 50–80% of the work of deformation dissipated as heat. The remainder of the work of deformation was stored as a latent internal energy change. The value of the internal energy change was dependent on strain rate at 20°C but was not strongly dependent on temperature in the range 20–65°C. Thermomechanical measurements on cold-drawn PC samples demonstrated striking behavior at temperatures far below the glass transition temperature Tg. Stress-temperature experiments showed that the stress increased for uniaxially constrained samples, and this stress increase began at temperatures just above the deformation temperature. Additional experiments indicated that the changes which took place during cold drawing were physical in nature and were thermoreversible. These changes in physical properties are related to those which occur due to physical aging below Tg.
Dynamic mechanical analysis and its relationship to impact transitions

Detailed, instrumented impact tests were carried out between about − 100 and 60°C for flexible poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), and polypropylene (PP) films. Secondary impact transitions in addition to the main transitions were detected for all three films, indicating that multiple impact transitions may be far more general in occurrence than commonly expected. Wide frequency (from 0.05 to 100 Hz) dynamic mechanical spectra of the same materials were also generated over similar temperature ranges. A new data treatment method was proposed whereby the material dissipation function was evaluated by summing the responses over broad frequency ranges of the loss modulus and the impulse spectrum. The dissipation function when plotted as a function of temperature was found to accurately (to within 3 to 5°C) predict the location of the main impact transitions for all three polymers. In addition, the existence and location of the secondary impact transitions for both PVC an PP were predicted. Both the functional form and the temperature match between the experiments and predictions strongly support the validity of the proposed method. However, some discrepancy remained in predicting the very low temperature (−65°C) impact transition for EVA.
Prostaglandins in blood of diabetic versus non-diabetic humans

We have found a higher concentration of prostaglandins in blood from the diabetic patient under long-term indomethacin therapy as compared with blood from non-diabetics. These findings are generally (qualitatively) similar to previous reports with studies of blood serum from diabetic patients, not on indomethacin treatment, compared with non-diabetics. Certain rationale are presented in an effort to explain the reason why blood prostaglandins in the diabetic are not lowered when the patients are treated with a drug which is clearly established as a blocker of prostaglandin synthesis.
In vitro effects of substituted toluenes on mitochondria isolated from rat liver

Abstract 3,5-Dinitro-4-chloro-α,α,α-trifluorotoluene (DNCTT) is an intermediate in the synthesis of the herbicide trifluralin and is structurally similar to the known uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) and pentachlorophenol. Therefore, investigations were initiated to examine the in vitro effects of DNCTT on the respiration of isolated rat liver mitochondria. DNCTT (1 mM) completely inhibited mitochondrial respiration with succinate (1.2 mM) as substrate and in the presence of adenosine 5'-diphosphate (0.1 mM). Although DNP (0.2 mM) uncoupled state 4 respiration in the absence of DNCTT, DNP (0.2mM) did not uncouple DNCTT inhibited respiration. In addition, DNCTT (2.5 mM) inhibited significantly the activity of the mitochondrial enzyme succinic dehydrogenase, but had no effect on the activity of cytochrome c oxidase and Mg-stimulated adenosine 5'-triphosphatase. The inhibitory effects of DNCTT were greater than those of eight other substituted toluenes that were examined. From the results of these studies, it appears that the effects of DNCTT on respiratory activity are a consequence of the inhibition of the mitochondrial enzyme succinate dehydrogenase.
Context-dependent modulation of αβγ and αβδ GABAA receptors by penicillin: Implications for phasic and tonic inhibition

Penicillin, an open-channel blocker of GABA(A) receptors, was recently reported to inhibit phasic, but not tonic, currents in hippocampal neurons. To distinguish between isoform-specific and context-dependent modulation as possible explanations for this selectivity, the effects of penicillin were evaluated on recombinant GABA(A) receptors expressed in HEK293T cells. When co-applied with saturating GABA, penicillin decreased peak amplitude, induced rebound, and prolonged deactivation of currents evoked from both synaptic and extrasynaptic receptor isoforms. However, penicillin had isoform-specific effects on the extent of desensitization, reflecting its ability to differentially modulate peak (non-equilibrium) and residual (near-equilibrium) currents. This suggested that the context of activation could determine the apparent sensitivity of a given receptor isoform to penicillin. To test this hypothesis, we explored the ability of penicillin to modulate synaptic and extrasynaptic isoform currents that were activated under more physiologically relevant conditions. Interestingly, while currents evoked from synaptic isoforms under phasic conditions (transient activation by a saturating concentration of GABA) were substantially inhibited by penicillin, currents evoked from extrasynaptic isoforms under tonic conditions (prolonged application by a sub-saturating concentration of GABA) were minimally affected. We therefore concluded that the reported inability of penicillin to modulate tonic currents could not simply be attributed to insensitivity of extrasynaptic receptors, but rather, reflected an inability to modulate these receptors in their native context of activation.
Spectral Difference Method for Unstructured Grids II: Extension to the Euler Equations

An efficient, high-order, conservative method named the spectral difference method has been developed recently for conservation laws on unstructured grids. It combines the best features of structured and unstructured grid methods to achieve high-computational efficiency and geometric flexibility; it utilizes the concept of discontinuous and high-order local representations to achieve conservation and high accuracy; and it is based on the finite-difference formulation for simplicity. The method is easy to implement since it does not involve surface or volume integrals. Universal reconstructions are obtained by distributing solution and flux points in a geometrically similar manner for simplex cells. In this paper, the method is further extended to nonlinear systems of conservation laws, the Euler equations. Accuracy studies are performed to numerically verify the order of accuracy. In order to capture both smooth feature and discontinuities, monotonicity limiters are implemented, and tested for several problems in one and two dimensions. The method is more efficient than the discontinuous Galerkin and spectral volume methods for unstructured grids.
Turbine bypass engine - A new supersonic cruise propulsion concept

Engine performance and mission studies were carried out for a single-spool Turbine Bypass Engine concept. Comparisons were made between the TBE, a conventional single-spool turbojet, and the Pratt & Whitney Variable Stream Control Engine. The airplane assumed for the study was a Mach 2.32 commercial supersonic transport. The nominal mission was a 4000-nautical miles total range with a 300-nautical miles subsonic cruise leg. The figure of merit was the minimum takeoff gross weight for the mission. Comparisons of the three engines were also made for the 4000-nautical miles total range with longer subsonic cruise legs.
Reaction plane determination using azimuthal correlations

We present a new technique for the determination of the reaction plane in heavy-ion reactions at incident energies ranging from the Fermi energy up to \ensuremath{\approxeq}100 MeV/nucleon. Our technique exploits the azimuthal correlation between light particles and the reaction plane. For illustrative purposes, azimuthal distributions of particles with respect to the reaction plane are extracted from data taken by the Michigan State University 4\ensuremath{\pi} array for 35 MeV/nucleon Ar+V collisions. The influences of momentum conservation and detection biases on the reaction plane determination are discussed, and the accuracy of the new technique is evaluated.
Study 1-5: An Exploration of Selected Transitivity and Conjunctive Relationships Among the Enactive, Iconic, and Symbolic Modes of Representation.

2. The achievement patterns of both the single-configuration and multiconfiguration treatment groups appear to be statistically the same with respect to pass-fail distributions for objectives (without instruction) over the configuration classes constituting the multiconfiguration treatment. Difficulty in the achievement of objectives (without instruction) over the classes (Re, n ,) and (Re, f o3,) was in evidence for both treatment groups. 3. Instructional presentation order among the congruency postulates (SAS, ASA, SSS) appears to be unimportant, regardless of the instructional treatment applied, as ascertained by later achievement comparisons.
In utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) or bisphenol-A (BPA) increases EZH2 expression in the mammary gland: an epigenetic mechanism linking endocrine disruptors to breast cancer.

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) and bisphenol-A (BPA) are estrogen-like endocrine-disrupting chemicals that induce persistent epigenetic changes in the developing uterus. However, DES exposure in utero is also associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in adult women. Similarly, fetal exposure to BPA induces neoplastic changes in mammary tissue of mice. We hypothesized that epigenetic alterations would precede the increased risk of breast neoplasia after in utero exposure to endocrine disruptors. Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2) is a histone methyltransferase that has been linked to breast cancer risk and epigenetic regulation of tumorigenesis. We examined the effect of BPA and DES on EZH2 expression and function in MCF-7 cells and in mammary glands of mice exposed in utero. DES and BPA treatment approximated human exposure. EZH2 functional activity was assessed by measuring histone H3 trimethylation. Treatment of MCF-7 cells with DES or BPA led to a 3- and 2-fold increase in EZH2 mRNA expression, respectively (p 2-fold increase in EZH2 expression in adult mammary tissue compared with controls (p < 0.05). EZH2 protein was elevated in mammary tissue of mice exposed to DES or BPA. Histone H3 trimethylation was increased in MCF-7 cells treated with BPA or DES. Similarly, mice exposed to BPA or DES in utero showed increased mammary histone H3 trimethylation. Developmental programming of EZH2 is a novel mechanism by which in utero exposure to endocrine disruptors leads to epigenetic regulation of the mammary gland.
Sources of Mercury Wet Deposition in Eastern Ohio, USA

In the fall of 2002, an enhanced air monitoring site was established in Steubenville, Ohio as part of a multi-year comprehensive mercury monitoring and source apportionment study to investigate the impact of local and regional coal combustion sources on atmospheric mercury deposition in the Ohio River Valley. This study deployed advanced monitoring instrumentation, utilized innovative analytical techniques, and applied state-of-the-art statistical receptor models. This paper presents wet deposition data and source apportionment modeling results from daily event precipitation samples collected during the calendar years 2003−2004. The volume-weighted mean mercury concentrations for 2003 and 2004 were 14.0 and 13.5 ng L-1, respectively, and total annual mercury wet deposition was 13.5 and 19.7 μg m-2, respectively. Two new EPA-implemented multivariate statistical models, positive matrix factorization (PMF) and Unmix, were applied to the data set and six sources were identified. The dominant contributor to th...
Bioactive novel polyphenols from the fruit of Manilkara zapota (Sapodilla).

Activity-guided fractionation of a methanol extract from the fruit of Manilkara zapota cv. Tikal resulted in the isolation of two new antioxidants, methyl 4-O-galloylchlorogenate (1) and 4-O-galloylchlorogenic acid (2), along with eight known polyphenolic antioxidants, namely, methyl chlorogenate (3), dihydromyricetin (4), quercitrin (5), myricitrin (6), (+)-catechin (7), (−)-epicatechin (8), (+)-gallocatechin (9), and gallic acid (10). Of the 10 polyphenols, 1 showed the highest antioxidant activity (IC50 = 12.9 μM) in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical assay and displayed cytotoxicity in the HCT-116 and SW-480 human colon cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 190 and 160 μM, respectively. Compound 2 showed high antioxidant activity (IC50 = 23.5 μM) in the DPPH free-radical assay and displayed cytotoxicity in the HCT-116 and SW-480 human colon cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 154 and 134 μM, respectively.
Hepatic HMG-CoA reductase gene expression during the course of puromycin-induced nephrosis

Increased production and depressed catabolism of lipoproteins play major roles in the pathogenesis of hypercholesterolemia of nephrotic syndrome (NS). However, the effect, if any, of NS on cholesterol biosynthetic capacity is uncertain. We examined the gene expression of hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMG-CoAR, the rate limiting step in cholesterol biosynthesis) during the induction and chronic phase of puromycin (PAN)-induced NS in rats. The rats were randomized to NS (given i.p. puromycin aminonucleoside 130 mg/kg on day 1 and 60 mg/kg on day 14) and placebo-treated control groups. Subgroups of animals were sacrificed at days 5, 10, 20 and 30. The liver was harvested between 7 and 9 p.m. for measurements of HMG-CoAR and actin mRNAs, HMG-CoAR enzymatic activity and microsomal cholesterol concentration. In separate experiments, subgroups of animals with chronic NS (day 30) were studied in fed and 20-hour fasting states. A marked but transient rise in hepatic HMG-CoAR mRNA and HMG-CoAR enzymatic activity was observed following the onset and exacerbation of proteinuria within a few days after each puromycin injection. On each occasion, HMG-CoAR fell to the baseline level despite persistent severe hypercholesterolemia. In an attempt to examine the possible acute effect of PAN per se, experiments were repeated before and at short intervals (8 and 24 hr) after puromycin injection when proteinuria was absent and the drug exposure prominent. The HMG-CoAR mRNA and activity were virtually unchanged during this period, suggesting the lack of an acute effect of puromycin. Twenty-hour fasting led to a marked rise in HMG-CoAR mRNA and activity in animals with chronic NS but not in the controls. Microsomal cholesterol remained unchanged and comparable in the two groups at all points. Thus, the marked but transient rise in hepatic HMG-CoAR gene expression observed during the induction phase and with fasting during the chronic phase of PAN-induced NS may contribute to the generation and maintenance of hypercholesterolemia in this animal model.
Rapid impact testing for quantitative assessment of large populations of bridges

Although the widely acknowledged shortcomings of visual inspection have fueled significant advances in the areas of non-destructive evaluation and structural health monitoring (SHM) over the last several decades, the actual practice of bridge assessment has remained largely unchanged. The authors believe the lack of adoption, especially of SHM technologies, is related to the 'single structure' scenarios that drive most research. To overcome this, the authors have developed a concept for a rapid single-input, multiple-output (SIMO) impact testing device that will be capable of capturing modal parameters and estimating flexibility/deflection basins of common highway bridges during routine inspections. The device is composed of a trailer-mounted impact source (capable of delivering a 50 kip impact) and retractable sensor arms, and will be controlled by an automated data acquisition, processing and modal parameter estimation software. The research presented in this paper covers (a) the theoretical basis for SISO, SIMO and MIMO impact testing to estimate flexibility, (b) proof of concept numerical studies using a finite element model, and (c) a pilot implementation on an operating highway bridge. Results indicate that the proposed approach can estimate modal flexibility within a few percent of static flexibility; however, the estimated modal flexibility matrix is only reliable for the substructures associated with the various SIMO tests. To overcome this shortcoming, a modal 'stitching' approach for substructure integration to estimate the full Eigen vector matrix is developed, and preliminary results of these methods are also presented.
Dependence of the low-temperature specific heat of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ on δ and magnetic field: The H 1/2 T term for H≠0; absence of evidence for a T 2 term for H=0

Specific-heat measurements with improved precision on two new samples of YBa2Cu3O7−δ with relatively low concentrations of paramagnetic centers are reported. For one sample the measurements were made for different values of δ. The data are analyzed, and the data reported earlier for another sample reanalyzed, with an improved fitting expression. In each case, the data give a well defined H1/2T term in the mixed state. No persuasive evidence for a T2 term in the superconducting state is found.
Percolation transport in single-walled carbon nanotube films: experiment and simulation

We present the scaling of percolation resistivity in nanotube films as a function of nanotube and device parameters both experimentally and using simulations. We first characterize the resistivity of these films down to 200 nm lateral dimensions by fabricating standard four-point-probe structures. We find that the film resistivity starts to increase at device widths below 20 microns, and exhibits an inverse power law dependence on width below a critical width of 2 microns. We then use quasi-3D Monte Carlo simulations to model and fit these experimental results. In addition to fitting the experimental data, we also study the effect of four parameters, namely nanotube density, length, alignment, and measurement direction on resistivity and its scaling with device width. We explain these simulation results by simple physical and geometrical arguments. Nanoscale study of percolation transport mechanisms in nanotube films is essential for understanding and characterizing their performance in nanosensing device applications.
An analysis of thermal desorption mass spectra. II

Abstract A quantitative analysis is given concerning the combined effect of heating rate and pumping speed on thermal desorption mass spectra. It is shown that considerable error in the determination of the activation energy and the pre-exponential factor of desorption can be introduced by the combined effects of high heating rate and low pumping speed. It is found that for an accurate determination of the activation energy and the pre-exponential factor of first-order desorption, the reciprocal of the product of heating rate and pumping time constant should be large, i.e., greater than approximately 0.5.
Reliability and efficiency of components of clinical competence assessed with five performance‐based examinations using standardized patients

The present study was conducted to provide in-depth information on the reliabilities of measures of the separate components of clinical competence (e.g. data collection, test interpretation, diagnosis, etc.) assessed by a performance-based examination consisting of standardized-patient cases administered to five classes of senior medical students at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. In general, the reliabilities of the competencies as they were actually measured on the examination (using the number of cases on which each competency was actually measured) were small, with 54% less than 0.30 and 75% less than 0.40. For generalizability coefficients pooled across the five classes and projected to a common number of k = 10 cases, two of the nine competencies had reliabilities in the 40s, a third was close to 0.40, and the remaining six were in the low 20s. The number of cases needed for the competencies to achieve the recommended reliability of 0.80 ranged from 45 to 170 cases, with six of the nine competencies requiring over 100 cases to reach the 0.80 level. The low reliabilities of these measures of the components of clinical competence raise serious questions about using the scores as indicators of student performance.
A new "wireless" search-coil system

The scleral search-coil system is the accepted standard for precise and accurate recording of eye movements in the lab and clinic. One of the drawbacks of this system is the connecting wire that leads from the eye coil to the associated electronics; this wire causes irritation to the subject and has a tendency to break during experiments. We have developed a modified version of this technique, which uses a resonant scleral coil and no connecting wire. A transmitter sends a stream of pulses to the eye coil, and a receiver then detects the resonant oscillations re-radiated from the eye coil. The relative intensity of the signal as received by sets of orthogonal receiver coils determines the orientation of the eye coil. The new approach retains the advantages of accuracy, precision, and high sample rate, while making the system portable and more comfortable.
Microtubule Stability in the Axon: New Answers to an Old Mystery

It has been known for decades that a fraction of neuronal tubulin is insoluble in cold and also resistant to calcium as well as drugs that depolymerize microtubules. In this issue of Neuron, Song et al. (2013) suggest that this unusual stability results from the polyamination of tubulin by transglutaminase.
Iliopsoas injury: an MRI study of patterns and prevalence correlated with clinical findings

The objective was to retrospectively determine the prevalence and patterns of iliopsoas injuries based on consecutive MRI examinations, correlated with clinical findings. From 4,862 consecutive MRI examinations of the hips and pelvis, 32 patients with 33 iliopsoas injuries were identified and graded as muscle strain, partial tendon tear, and complete tendon tears. These patients’ medical records were reviewed to determine age, gender, and cause of symptoms. The prevalence of iliopsoas tendon and myotendinous injuries was 0.66% (95% CI: 0.44–0.89). There were 18 females and 14 males whose ages ranged from 7 to 95 years (mean, 54 years). The most frequent presenting symptom was hip pain and the most frequent clinical diagnosis, an occult fracture. The most common injuries in patients under 65 years (16 patients) were muscle strains and partial tendon tears, most often due to an athletic injury. The most common injury in patients 65 years and older (16 patients) was a complete tear (8 patients, all females), 2 of which were spontaneous in origin. Each grade of iliopsoas injury occurred with similar frequency. The more advanced the age of the patient, the more severe the injury. Non-athletic injuries predominated in patients 65 years and older; athletic injuries were the most common cause of iliopsoas injury in patients under 65 years.
Voltage-gated calcium channels: direct observation of the anomalous mole fraction effect at the single-channel level.

Abstract Voltage-gated Ca channels are very efficient pores: even while exhibiting strong ionic selectivity, they are highly permeant to divalent cations. Studies of the mechanism of selectivity and ion permeation have demonstrated that whole-cell Ca channel current in mixtures of Ca and Ba ions can be smaller than with equimolar concentrations of either ion alone. This anomalous mole fraction effect (AMFE) has provided an important impetus for proposed mechanisms of ion selectivity and permeation that invoke multiple ion binding sites. However, recordings of unitary L-type Ca currents did not demonstrate the AMFE [Marban, E. & Yue, D.T. (1988) Biophys. J. 55, 594a (abstr.)], raising doubts about whether it is an expression of ion permeation through open Ca channels. We have made patch-clamp recordings from single L-type Ca channels in PC-12 pheochromocytoma cells. Our results demonstrate a significant AMFE at the single-channel level but also indicate that the AMFE can only be found under restrictive conditions of permeant ion concentration and membrane potential. While the AMFE is clear at 0 mV when permeant ions are present at 10 mM, it is not evident when the divalent cation concentration is increased to 110 mM or the membrane potential is hyperpolarized to -40 mV. We compared our experimental observations with predictions of a single-file, two-binding-site model of the Ca channel. The model accounts for our experimental results. It predicts an AMFE under conditions that favor ion-ion interactions, as long as the outer binding site is not saturated due to high permeant ion concentration or negative membrane potential.
The early recovery of cognitive function after total-hip replacement under hypotensive epidural anesthesia

Background and objectives Recovery of cognitive function immediately after major surgery has not been previously reported, partly because of residual drug effects and pain. Methods Changes in cognitive function were assessed using the Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT), which was performed preoperatively, and 1 and 2 hours after total-hip replacement performed under hypotensive epidural anesthesia. In this case series, patients were sedated with propofol alone and had a lumbar plexus block performed at the end of surgery. Results The SCWT was completed in 52 of 55 patients at either 1 or 2 hours after surgery. A significant reduction in cognitive function was noted 1 hour after surgery but a return toward baseline occured 2 hours after surgery. Age older than 70 years adversely affected recovery of cognitive function, but neither the preoperative diagnosis of hypertension nor the degree or duration of intraoperative hypotension (mean arterial pressure less than 45 mmHg) influenced cognitive function. Conclusion The Stroop Color and Word Test can be used to assess change in cognitive function immediately after surgery. Total-hip replacement performed under regional anesthesia with propofol sedation enables recovery of cognitive function (as assessed by SCWT) 2 hours after surgery.
Clinical Trials of Monovalent Influenza A/New Jersey/76 Virus Vaccines in Adults: Reactogenicity, Antibody Response, and Antibody Persistence

Responses to monovalent influenza A/New Jersey/76 virus vaccines were evaluated in 22-43-year-old, antibody-negative males. Three doses of vaccine (200, 400, and 800 chick cell-agglutinating [CCA] units) from each of four manufacturers and a placebo were given intramuscularly. Mild systemic complaints occurred in 12% of vaccinees and moderate reactions in 5%, mostly in recipients of 800 CCA units of the vaccines. Reactogenicities of subvirion vaccines were intermediate, while different preparations of whole-virus vaccine were the most and the least reactogenic. Local reactions to 200-CCA unit doses of vaccines resembled reactions to placebo. Serum antibody responses against influenza A/swine/37 virus and current swine-like strains were similar for recipients of vaccines from three manufacturers. Among recipients of 200 CCA units of the vaccines, 79% developed antibody titers of -1:20. Increasing antibody response was not uniformly associated with increasing vaccine dose but did correlate with increasing reactogenicity. Antibody titers fell about twofold over six months, and they fell slightly more for recipients of subvirion
Apport de l’administration de kétamine à l’induction et en entretien anesthésique dans la prévention de la douleur postopératoire : Essai clinique en oncologie

Resume Introduction La chirurgie carcinologique mammaire est responsable de douleurs postoperatoires de type intermediaire (classification de Beaussier) et necessite dans 30 % des cas de la morphine en supplement du traitement antalgique habituel (paracetamol et AINS). Or l’administration de morphine engendre des effets secondaires. Depuis une decennie, les publications sur l’effet d’epargne morphinique de ketamine (antagoniste des recepteurs- n -methyl- d -aspartate (R-NMDA)) administre en periode perioperatoire se multiplient mais restent tres contradictoires. Objectif Le but de cette etude est d’evaluer l’effet d’epargne morphinique de ketamine en chirurgie carcinologique mammaire. Patients et methodes Cette etude randomisee de phase III en double insu a inclus 208 patientes operees de mastectomie avec ou sans curage ou de tumorectomie avec curage sur une periode de 14 mois. Le groupe K a recu de la ketamine a l’induction de l’anesthesie (0,15 mg/kg) et pendant toute la duree de l’intervention (2γ kg –1 min –1 ). Le groupe P (placebo) a recu du serum physiologique. La consommation de morphine et les echelles numeriques (EN) ont ete mesurees pendant les 48 premieres heures postoperatoires. Resultats Le nombre de patientes consommant de la morphine a ete significativement le meme dans les deux groupes et la quantite de morphine consommee a ete la meme dans les deux groupes. Une analyse exploratoire complementaire en fonction des patientes ayant eu un curage ou pas n’a montre aucune difference significative entre les groupes K et P. Conclusion L’adjonction de ketamine a notre protocole analgesique n’a pas permis d’epargne morphinique en chirurgie carcinologique mammaire.
The β to ζ massive transformation in Ag-Al alloys

Abstract The progress of a single β ζ m reaction interface has been studied as a function of undercooling and cooling rate during the β to ζm massive transformation in Ag-24.5 at.% Al and Ag-25.5 at.% Al alloys. Measurements of the interface velocity during growth of single crystals have demonstrated that the growth rate increases with an increasing degree of undercooling below the equilibrium transformation temperature and reaches a value of 1.2 cm/sec at an undercooling of 18°C. These results are discussed in terms of the manner of interface migration as related to the magnitude of the driving free energy. With small driving free energy, growth of the ζm phase appears to agree with a lateral ledge growth model involving two-dimensional nucleation of ledges. At large values of driving free energy a continuous growth model accounts reasonably well for the observed behavior. The transformation kinetics of the b.c.c. β phase under isothermal conditions indicate that there is a delay time prior to the initiation of the β → ζm reaction. The isothermal delay time decreases as the degree of undercooling increases and appears to be associated with the nucleation of the ζm phase. It is suggested that nucleation is the rate controlling step in the present β → ζm reaction and that this situation may prevail in all massive transformations that occur under both isothermal and continuous cooling conditions.
Distributed Grid Intelligence for future microgrid with renewable sources and storage

The FREEDM microgrid is a smart grid solution with Distributed Grid Intelligence (DGI) to efficiently manage the power distribution and storage of renewable energy. Within the FREEDM system, DGI applies distributed control method in a unique way to achieve feasible load balancing in microgrid by migrating power between renewable energy generation and storage at each node. This paper presents the key aspects in implementing such a scheme and outlines the preliminary results obtained by integrating the proposed methodology. The results demonstrate the potential benefits of adopting DGI control on a microgrid.
The HLA-Class II-associated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan expressed by class II positive T and monocyte-like cell lines is larger than that expressed by EBV-transformed B-lymphoblastoid cell lines☆

Abstract The human class II-associated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) was originally detected as an 40–70 kd species from normal human tonsil cells and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) transformed B-lymphoblastoid cell lines. The identification of the invariant chain as the core protein of the CSPG allowed us to directly assay for the CSPG on both class II positive and negative immunocompetent cells of other lineages. Our results indicate that the CSPG is present on the class II-positive monocyte-like cell line U937 and T-cell line HUT-102, but not on the class-II negative T-cell line CCRF/CEM. No class II positive cells were found that did not also express the CSPG. The expression of the CSPG on U937 cells is increased after stimulation with γ-interferon and PMA, paralleling the previously described in class II and invariant chain expression. In addition, the CSPGs from U9.37, HUT-102, and Raji, all cell lines derived from human malignancies, migrate as an 55–90 kd species, larger than the CSPG previously characterized. However, the core proteins of the CSPG from all cells studied appear as two bands of 38 and 28 kd, indicating the size difference in the CSPG is attributable to differences in the glycosaminoglycan chains.
Lethal intergroup aggression leads to territorial expansion in wild chimpanzees

Summary Chimpanzees make lethal coalitionary attacks on members of other groups [1]. This behavior generates considerable attention because it resembles lethal intergroup raiding in humans [2]. Similarities are nevertheless difficult to evaluate because the function of lethal intergroup aggression by chimpanzees remains unclear. One prominent hypothesis suggests that chimpanzees attack neighbors to expand their territories and to gain access to more food [2]. Two cases apparently support this hypothesis, but neither furnishes definitive evidence. Chimpanzees in the Kasekela community at Gombe National Park took over the territory of the neighboring Kahama community after a series of lethal attacks [3]. Understanding these events is complicated because the Kahama community had recently formed by fissioning from the Kasekela group and members of both communities had been provisioned with food. In a second example from the Mahale Mountains, the M group chimpanzees acquired part of the territory of the adjacent K group after all of the adult males in the latter disappeared [4]. Although fatal attacks were suspected from observations of intergroup aggression, they were not witnessed, and as a consequence, this case also fails to furnish conclusive evidence. Here we present data collected over 10 years from an unusually large chimpanzee community at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda. During this time, we observed the Ngogo chimpanzees kill or fatally wound 18 individuals from other groups; we inferred three additional cases of lethal intergroup aggression based on circumstantial evidence (see Supplemental Information). Most victims were caught in the same region and likely belonged to the same neighboring group. A causal link between lethal intergroup aggression and territorial expansion can be made now that the Ngogo chimpanzees use the area once occupied by some of their victims.