cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complementary & Alternative Medicine for Alopecia Areata: A Systematic Review.

Abstract Background Despite high utilization of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for alopecia areata (AA), efficacy and safety remain unclear. Objective To identify all CAM therapies studied for treatment of AA. Outcomes of interest included disease course and psychological well-being. Methods PubMed and Embase were searched to identify English articles containing original data investigating CAM in human subjects with AA from 1950-2018. Quality was assessed with Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine criteria. Results Of 1,015 initial citations, 16 articles met inclusion criteria: 5 randomized controlled trials, 5 prospective controlled cohorts, 4 prospective non-controlled cohorts, 1 retrospective cohort, and 1 case series. CAM therapies with best evidence and efficacy for hair growth in AA include essential oil aromatherapy, topical garlic, and oral glucosides of peony with compound glycyrrhizin. Hypnosis and mindfulness psychotherapy represent low quality evidence for improvement of psychological and quality of life outcomes. Adverse events were rare and mild for all therapies evaluated. Limitations Inconsistent or poorly reported study methodology and non-standardized outcomes limit the conclusions that can be made from these studies. Conclusions This work serves to inform physician management of patients with AA seeking CAM, while encouraging further investigation into these therapies to address some of the therapeutic challenges of AA.
Fire legacies, heterogeneity, and the importance of mixed-severity fire in ponderosa pine savannas

Abstract Globally, savanna ecosystems are shifting outside of “safe operating spaces” due to removal of their primary self-reinforcing feedback—fire—and subsequent erosion of disturbance legacies. Restoring savannas will require reinstating fire feedbacks. But knowledge gaps in the nature of historic fire regimes and how mechanisms such as time-since-fire and fire severity interact to produce disturbance legacies hinders development of ecologically relevant restoration targets. A theory-based approach for determining restoration targets is to compare structures produced by time-since-fire/fire severity interactions to structures that fostered animal communities that historically inhabited savannas. Here, we use a space-for-time substitution to quantify interactive effects of time-since-fire and fire severity on vegetation structures related to known animal community habitat preferences by surveying sites in 10-year-old and 27-year-old mixed-severity fires that occurred in an eastern ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) savanna where fire was excluded since European settlement. Our specific objectives are to 1), quantify the relative strengths and interactive effects of time-since-fire and a full fire severity gradient on multivariate vegetation structure across landscape patches and 2), assess relationships between multivariate vegetation structures and time-since-fire/fire severity classes across landscape patches. We used a stratified random design to distribute 112 sampling plots by fire severity (unburned, low, moderate, and high) and time-since-fire (10 years and 27 years) and measured stand structure, tree cavity characteristics, and coarse woody debris. The interaction of time-since-fire and fire severity drove structure complexity for 27 years post-fire, but fire severity explained > 14 times the amount of variation in structure than time-since-fire alone. A full fire severity gradient (low-, moderate-, and high-severities) and structural changes within patches that experienced different fire severities generated sufficient patch-level heterogeneity to foster animal communities historically native to eastern ponderosa pine savannas. Structures generated by low fire severity alone, which is a common goal of fire management in easternmost ponderosa pine savannas, did not reflect sufficient structural complexity to support the diversity of endemic animal species. This indicates information legacies (i.e., represented by the distribution of species traits in a community) were shaped by mixed severity fire regimes, which provides further support for the scientific premise that management goals seeking to minimize variation in fire regimes (e.g., low intensity and low-severity fires only) is less able to support a full array of biodiversity. Rather, mixed-severity fire is an important driver of structural heterogeneity, fosters diverse information legacies, and enhances ponderosa pine savanna resilience to extreme fire.
An Infinite Family of Sum-Paint Critical Graphs

Independently, Zhu and Schauz introduced online list coloring in 2009. In each round, a set of vertices allowed to receive a particular color is marked, and the coloring algorithm (Painter) gives a new color to an independent subset of these vertices. A graph G is f-paintable for a function $$f:V(G)\rightarrow \mathbb {N}$$ if Painter can produce a proper coloring when the number of times each vertex v is allowed to be marked is f(v). In 2002, Isaak introduced sum list coloring and the resulting parameter called sum-choosability. The analogous parameter sum-paintability, denoted $$\text{s}{\mathring{\text{c}}}\text{h}$$ , is the minimum of $$\sum f(v)$$ over all functions f such that G is f-paintable. Always $$\text{s}{\mathring{\text{c}}}\text{h}(G)\le |V(G)|+|E(G)|$$ , and we say that G is sp-greedy when equality holds. When a graph fails to be sp-greedy, any graph containing it as an induced subgraph also fails to be sp-greedy. A graph is sp-critical when it is not sp-greedy but all of its proper induced subgraphs are sp-greedy. We prove the existence of an infinite family of sp-critical graphs. As a corollary, we prove that neither sp-greedy, nor sc-greedy, graphs can be characterized by forbidding a finite family of induced subgraphs.
Fundamentals and Overview of GNSS Receivers

This chapter provides an overview of the fundamentals of receiver technology, its development history, and current trends. It provides an overview of the anatomy of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver. The functionalities and interrelationships among the various components are described. The chapter discusses signal generation and transmission. Signal models at the satellite transmission and receiver antennas are presented. The chapter focuses on RF front‐end (RFFE) functionalities, components, performance metrics, and architecture. The signal model at the RFFE is covered. The chapter is devoted to the correlation operation output model and correlation at hardware and software levels. It provides a quick overview of a receiver channel control state machine without dwelling on the details of the state machine implementations. The chapter also discusses the generation and relationship among the various timing bases in a GNSS receiver.
Biotechnology for Biofuel Production

The commercial production of lignocellulosic biofuels relies heavily on a reduction in production costs. These costs are high in part due to the challenge of biomass deconstruction and the complex nature of the secondary cell wall. The removal of lignin from the carbohydrates, and the subsequent or concurrent hydrolysis of the polysaccharides into monomers for fermentation continue to hamper large commercialization efforts. One solution for this is to tailor biomass for the production of fuels. Here we review work in the field of plant biotechnology, with a focus on dicots, to alter the secondary cell wall, produce plant made enzymes, increase biomass production, and create sterile lines. We conclude by laying out future directions for research to support the production of cost-effective lignocellulosic fuels.
Photocatalyzed, β-Selective Hydrocarboxylation of α,β-Unsaturated Esters with CO2 under Flow for β-Lactone Synthesis

A photocatalyzed, β-selective hydrocarboxylation of α,β-unsaturated esters employing CO2 radical anion generated under flow conditions was developed. A range of substrates bearing a variety of func...
Full scale structural, mechanical and dynamical properties of HIV-1 liposomes.

Abstract Enveloped viruses are enclosed by a lipid membrane inside of which are all of the components necessary for the virus life cycle; viral proteins, the viral genome and metabolites. Viral envelopes are lipid bilayers that adopt morphologies ranging from spheres to tubes. The envelope is derived from the host cell during viral replication. Thus, the composition of the bilayer depends on the complex constitution of lipids from the host-cell’s organelle(s) where assembly and/or budding of the viral particle occurs. Here, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of authentic, asymmetric HIV-1 liposomes are used to derive a unique level of resolution of its full-scale structure, mechanics and dynamics. Analysis of the structural properties reveal the distribution of thicknesses of the bilayers over the entire liposome as well as its global fluctuations. Moreover, full-scale mechanical analyses are employed to derive the global bending rigidity of HIV-1 liposomes. Finally, dynamical properties of the lipid molecules reveal important relationships between their 3D diffusion, the location of lipid-rafts and the asymmetrical composition of the envelope. Overall, our simulations reveal complex relationships between the rich lipid composition of the HIV-1 liposome and its structural, mechanical and dynamical properties with critical consequences to different stages of HIV-1’s life cycle.
DAILY AND SEASONAL RHYTHMS OF ACTIVITY IN THE BLUEFISH (POMATOMUS SALTATRIX)

The behavior of an animal, as well as its related physiological processes, is often rhythmic. An event may take place only at a certain time of day or night or season or year corresponding to certain natural external cycles. These cycles may exert varying degrees of control; their influence may be total, with the entire response dependent on the continued presence of the stimulus, or they may act as a cue, initiating, terminating, or synchronizing a particular event which is basically internally controlled. Knowledge of the relation of the external cycle to the behavior of the animal is essential to understanding the harmony between organism and environment. It allows us to predict when and where certain events are most likely to occur as well as when an animal may be predisposed to respond to a particular stimulus. In this chapter we examine, quantitatively, daily and seasonal rhythms in swimming speed and schooling of a marine pelagic migrating species, the bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix L., held under controlled laboratory conditions.
Independent Component Analysis

The term Independent Component Analysis (ICA) broadly refers to the set of statistical principles as well as to the estimation algorithms derived from them, whose aim is to extract statistically independent components in the data, generally through some filtering procedure that can be linear or non-linear, act on a batch of data at the time or process the data samples as they become available (adaptive). The field of Independent Component Analysis can be seen as stemming from the groundwork of several researchers, who in the last decade of the 20th century investigated fundamental statistical problems, such as the relationship between gaussianity and statistical dependence, redundancy reduction principles, and information preserving networks. Keywords: independent component analysis; ICA; Blind signal separation; gaussianity; information theory; entropy; DNA microarry analysis; EEG
Analytic continuation of the Khuri amplitudes whenu=0 and its connection to Regge daughters

Freedman and Wang originally proved the existence of Regge daughter poles by a method involving the Khuri amplitudes. They analytically continued these amplitudes into complex regions and performed a Sommerfeld-Watson transformation. Unfortunately they had to assume the necessary analyticity properties whenu=0. We show how the required Khuri-amplitude behavior can be rigorously proven. This is done by interchanging the order of integration in the contribution of the Regge background discontinuity to the defining Khuri integrals. A simple expression for the Khuri amplitudes is found which is valid foru=0 or complex.
Recent developments in toric geometry

This paper will appear in the Proceedings of the 1995 Santa Cruz Summer Institute. The paper is a survey of recent developments in the theory of toric varieties, including new constructions of toric varieties and relations to symplectic geometry, combinatorics and mirror symmetry.
New Case Development: Award of Attorneys' Fees (Dallas, Texas)

In Neary v. Jordan (In re Walsh Jordan), the court addressed whether the debtor (“Debtor”) should be awarded attorneys’ fees and litigation costs where the Debtor successfully defended the United States Trustee’s (“UST”) action, which included three counts seeking to bar the Debtor’s discharge. 364 B.R. 634, 640 (Bankr. N.D. Tex. 2007). The court found that, although one of the UST’s counts against the Debtor was not substantially justified, an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation costs would not be appropriate because two of the three counts were substantially justified.
Bayesian approaches to geoacoustic inversion

The appropriate number of sediment layers and parameter estimates were determined by using the fast Gibbs sampler (FGS) approach and adaptive simplex simulated annealing (ASSA). An under-parameterized approach was applied to determine the appropriate number of sediment layers needed to represent the seabed. The results showed that the FGS while not as effective as ASSA, provided uncertainty bounds which were crucial for assessing the quality of the final estimate.
Lattice Dynamics of Metals

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the lattice dynamics of metals. The essential approximations in the general theory of the lattice dynamics of crystals developed within the framework of the Born-von Karman approach are that the atoms vibrate harmonically about their equilibrium positions and that the electrons in the lattice follow the nuclear motion adiabatically—that is, they are always in equilibrium with their surroundings. The adiabatic approximation for metals is developed and description of the elements of the classical theory of lattice dynamics is presented to introduce the notation and terminology, and also to establish a framework for the detailed discussion of various models. The x-ray and neutron scattering techniques of obtaining valuable information about lattice vibrations in solids are also discussed. These techniques have aided much in setting up more general and more realistic models for crystals. The method of neutron inelastic scattering has proved to be a versatile and powerful tool in the study of lattice dynamics of metals. Recent developments in the method of calculating the frequency distribution function are reviewed. The lattice dynamical models are enumerated possessing extreme simplicity, which are useful in calculating a number of physical properties involving lattice vibrations in a complicated manner. Force constant models for crystals and various specific force model calculations for metals are also given. The methods of analysis of experimental data on frequency–phonon wave vector dispersion curves in terms of Born-von Karman force models are also discussed.
Big Oil versus Big Ideals

This case presents facts and opinions gathered from personal interviews and public documents that describe how one individual discovered and reported what he perceived as accounting fraud at a large U.S. public company. George (a pseudonym), the Director of Technical Accounting Research and Training, concluded that his employer was improperly recording revenue using a flawed bill-and-hold policy. George reported his concerns internally to company management and externally, to the auditors. He then reported his concerns to the SEC, the PCAOB, and finally to the audit committee of the company’s Board of Directors. However, his e-mail was provided directly to the individuals implicated by his complaint who divulged his identity within the company as a whistleblower. Using the remedies available under the Sarbanes Oxley Act, George sued his employers, charging them with retaliation. This study describes the situation George faced from both his and the company’s perspective, details his decision process, and reveals the consequences of his actions. This case increases awareness among accounting and business professionals, and students about the protections and possible outcomes of decisions they make regarding reporting of questionable accounting practices. After completing this case, individuals should have a greater understanding of the benefits and limitations of the current U.S. regulatory system in regard to whistle-blowing.
School-based HPV immunization of young adolescents: Effects of two brief health interventions

Adolescent immunization rates for human papillomavirus (HPV) are low and interventions within school-based health centers (SBHCs) may increase HPV uptake and series completion. We examined the effect of a parent health message intervention on HPV vaccination intent, first dose uptake and series completion among adolescents who received care at SBHCs. Via computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI), 445 parents of young adolescents were randomly assigned to 2 two-level interventions using a 2 × 2 design (rhetorical question (RQ) or no-RQ and one-sided or two-sided message). The RQ intervention involved asking the parent a question they were likely to endorse (e.g., “Do you want to protect your daughter from cervical cancer?”) with the expectation that they would then behave in a manner consistent with their endorsement (i.e., agree to vaccinate). For the one-sided message, parents were given information that emphasized the safety and effectiveness of HPV vaccine, whereas the two-sided message acknowledge...
Role of urea in the hyperammonemia of germ-free Eck fistula dogs.

Hyperammonemia and symptomatic hepatic encephalopathy occur in germ-free (GF) animals after creation of an Eck fistula. The role of urea as a possible substrate for ammonia production in germ-free Eck fistula dogs was assessed in this experiment. End to side portacaval shunts were performed in GF and conventional dogs. After recovery, 40 g of urea in 200 ml of water were given by orogastric tube, and blood ammonia levels measured 3 and 6 hr postingestion, both in GF and conventional Eck fistula dogs. Conventional dogs had massive increases in blood ammonia averaging 483% after urea ingestion. GF dogs had only a minimal change averaging -6.35%. Hydrolysis of urea plays no role in the hyperammonemia of GF Eck fistula dogs, in striking contrast to conventional dogs and probably patients. The experiment provides indirect evidence that there are no endogenous ureases present in the gastrointestinal tract of the dog.
Increased F2-isoprostanes in Alzheimer's disease: evidence for enhanced lipid peroxidation in vivo

Alzheimer's disease (AD) includes a group of dementing neurodegenerative disorders that have diverse etiologies but the same hallmark brain lesions. Since oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of AD and isoprostanes are chemically stable peroxidation products of arachidonic acid, we measured both iPF2alpha-III and iPF2alpha -VI using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in AD and control brains. The levels of both isoprostanes, but not of 6-keto PGF1alpha, an index of prostaglandin production, were markedly elevated in both frontal and temporal poles of AD brains compared to the corresponding cerebella. Levels were also elevated compared to corresponding areas of brains from patients who had died with schizophrenia or Parkinson's disease or from nonneuropsychiatric disorders. iPF2alpha -IV, but not iPF2alpha-III, levels were higher in ventricular CSF of AD brains relative to the non-AD brains. These data suggest that specific isoprostane analysis may reflect increased oxidative stress in AD.
Reproductive Characteristics of Imagos of Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Termite alates presumably do not mate in their natal nest or during a swarming event. Rather, after flight, females and males lose their wings, pair, and select a nest site, with mating typically taking place in the incipient nest. In this study of Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), histology and other techniques were used to assess reproductive features of female and male imagos, including unflown alates, flown alates, and the primary pair in incipient and well-established (5-yr-old) colonies. The spermathecae of female flown alates were devoid of spermatozoa, as expected, but the lumen contained a mucus-like substance. Histochemical tests revealed that this substance was intensely stained by periodic acid-Schiff, which is diagnostic for mucopolysaccharides. This is the first study to confirm that termites possess a mucopolysaccharide secretion in the spermathecal lumen. The secretion may serve as a sperm energy source as has been suggested for some other insects. Transmission electron microscopy subsequently revealed the presence of a semiopaque secretory material in the spermathecal lumen and associated ductules of flown and unflown alates as well as queens. Unflown female alates showed the least reproductive development in terms of spermathecal diameter and terminal oocyte size. Unflown male alates similarly possessed less developed reproductive organs than the kings.
Mode-locked ring lasers for the backscattering measurement of mirrors

A new method for measuring the backscattering produced by mirrors is presented. A mode-locked ring laser allows us to achieve more sensitivity than with any other technique. The present sensitivity to a minimum intensity backscattering coefficient (ratio of backscattered versus incident intensity) of 10(-15) can be enhanced through stabilization. We compare results realized with this technique with results issued from classical bidirectional reflectance distribution function measurements.
Purification of Isocitrate Lyase from Escherichia Colt and Watermelon using Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography

Abstract The enzyme isocitrate lyase has been purified to gel electrophoretic homogeneity from Escherichia coli and watermelon. From cotyledons of the latter source, the enzyme is obtained in less than 8 hours after precipitation with (NH4)2 SO4 followed by fractionation on cationic Mono S microbeads and anionic Mono Q microbeads using Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography (FPLC). From a genetically engineered E. coli strain, in which high-level expression of isocitrate lyase occurs, the enzyme has been purified in one step from the high-speed supernatant using a Mono Q column with FPLC. These purifications, both of which give satisfactory yields, potentiate rapid access to isocitrate lyase from both prokaryotic and euicaryotic sources.
Effects of acid-stress on epidermal mucous cells of the brown bullhead Ictalurus nebulosus (LeSeur): a morphometric study.

The effects of acid water on alcian blue-periodic acid Schiff's stainable mucosubstances of epidermis from the anterior abdominal wall of brown bullhead catfish, Ictalurus nebulosus, were studied. Standard morphometric techniques were used to determine mucous cell volume density (MCVv) and number density (MCNv) of control (pH 6.8-7.0) and acid-stressed (pH 5.7-6.15) fish. Mucous cell volume density was significantly increased (P less than 0.005) in fish which had been exposed to acid-stress for five days. Since increase in volume density can arise from either an increase in the size of individual mucous cells (hypertrophy), an increase in the number of mucous cell per unit volume (hyperplasia), or a combination of the two, average cell data were computed. No significant difference in cell diameter or cell volume between treated and control groups was seen. However, the number of mucous cells in acid-stressed fish was nearly twice (p less than 0.005) that of controls. These results demonstrated that acid-stress resulted in increased number but not volume of mucous cells (i.e., hyperplasia without hypertrophy).
A matrix inequality and its statistical application

Abstract Let A 1 ,…,A s be nonnegative definite matrices. We prove that there are constants c i , 1⩽i⩽s , depending on A 1 ,…,A s such that for all positive numbers x 1 ,…,x s , A i ⩽ c i x i 2 I+∑ j=1 s x j A j 2 , 1⩽i⩽s, where I represents the identity matrix. The result is applied to statistical inference about mixed linear models to show the existence of moments of complex estimators including the maximum likelihood and restricted maximum likelihood estimators of the variance components, and the empirical best linear unbiased estimators (predictors) of the fixed (random) effects.
Pulmonary Hypertension in Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease was first described in 1910 by Herrick and Irons. The irregularly shaped blood cells observed by Irons were those of Walter Clement Noel, a dental student with symptoms that included joint pain and shortness of breath. After graduation, Dr. Noel returned to his native Grenada, where he died suddenly at 32 years of age. Although the cause of death was recorded as pneumonia, his death was most likely the result of sudden, undetected pulmonary hypertension. Today, we know that pulmonary hypertension and chronic lung disease are two of the most common causes of death among patients with . . .
Microfluidic diffusion diluter: bulging of PDMS microchannels under pressure-driven flow

The bulging of microfluidic systems during pressure-driven flow is potentially a major consideration for polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based devices. Microchannel cross-sectional areas can change drastically as a function of flow rate and downstream microchannel position. Such geometrical flexibility leads to difficulties in predicting convective/diffusive transport for these systems. We have previously introduced a non-dimensional parameter, κ, for characterizing convection and diffusion behavior for pressure-driven flow in rigid all-glass systems. This paper describes a modification of that concept for application to non-rigid systems, which is accomplished by incorporating an experimental step to account for the bulging in PDMS/glass microsystems. Specifically, an experimental measurement of channel height by fluorescence microscopy is combined with the aforementioned theory to characterize convective/diffusive behavior at a single location in the device. This allowed the parameter κ to be determined at that point and applied to predict fluid flow in the subsequent portion of the PDMS microsystem. This procedure was applied to a PDMS/glass microfluidic diffusion dilution (μDD) device designed for generating concentration gradients. Theoretically predicted and experimentally measured distributions of concentrations within the microsystem matched well.
Combining labeled and unlabeled data with word-class distribution learning

We describe a novel simple and highly scalable semi-supervised method called Word-Class Distribution Learning (WCDL), and apply it task of information extraction (IE) by utilizing unlabeled sentences to improve supervised classification methods. WCDL iteratively builds class label distributions for each word in the dictionary by averaging predicted labels over all cases in the unlabeled corpus, and re-training a base classifier adding these distributions as word features. In contrast, traditional self-training or co-training methods self-labeled examples (rather than features) which can degrade performance due to incestuous learning bias. WCDL exhibits robust behavior, and has no difficult parameters to tune. We applied our method on German and English name entity recognition (NER) tasks. WCDL shows improvements over self-training, multi-task semi-supervision or supervision alone, in particular yielding a state-of-the art 75.72 F1 score on the German NER task.
The extended nasoseptal flap for skull base reconstruction of the clival region: an anatomical and radiological study.

Objective Reconstruction of large clival defects after an endoscopic endonasal procedure is challenging. The objective is to analyze the morphology, indications, and limitations of the extended nasoseptal flap, which adds the nasal floor and inferior meatus mucosa, compared with the standard nasoseptal flap, for clival reconstruction. Design Twenty-seven sides of formalin-fixed anatomical specimens and 13 computed tomography (CT) scans were used. Under 0-degree endoscopic visualization, a standard flap on one side and an extended flap on the other side were performed, as well as exposure of the sella, cavernous sinus, and clival dura mater. Coverage of both flaps was assessed, and they were incised and extracted for measurements. Results The extended flap has two parts: septal and inferior meatal. The extended flaps are 20 mm longer and add 774 mm 2 of mucosal area. They cover a clival defect from tuberculum to foramen magnum in 66.6% cases and from below the sella in 91.6%. They cover both parasellar and paraclival segments of the internal carotid arteries. The lateral inferior limits are the medial aspect of the hypoglossal canals and Eustachian tubes. CT scans can predict the need or limitation of an extended nasoseptal flap. Conclusions The nasal floor and inferior meatus mucosa adds a significant area for reconstruction of the clivus. A defect laterally beyond the hypoglossal canals is not likely covered with this variation of the flap. Preoperative CT scans are useful to guide the reconstruction techniques.
Deep-Water Deposition of Upper Wilcox Sandstones, Katy Field, Texas: ABSTRACT

Lower Eocene Wilcox sandstones were studied in a continuous core from a depth of 10,357 to 10,607 ft. The sandstones are 6-30 ft thick, very fine grained (0.11 mm), and generally thinly laminated. They consist of quartz, 52%; feldspar, 16%; rock fragments, 7%; other grains, 7%; and clay matrix, 18%. Interbedded shales are dark gray to black, massive, and rarely silty and bioturbated. Sandstones are composed of thin beds that are 1-3 ft thick and commonly show a vertical bedding sequence of (1) a thin, basal zone that contains small, siltstone clasts 1-5 mm in long diameter, (2) a dominant middle zone of inclined laminae that dip at angles of about 5°, and (3) a thin upper zone of horizontally laminated siltstone. Grain size decreases upward from 0.16 mm to 0.05 mm within the thin beds. These units appear to represent a turbidite sequence corresponding appear to represent a turbidite sequence corresponding to a basal graded unit (B1), a middle laminated unit (B2), and an upper laminated unit (D). A thin pelite unit (E) may be present at the top. The ripple-laminated unit (C) is missing or poorly developed. Contorted bedding is present in everal intervals. A minor amount of sandstone also occurs in ripple lenses that are thinly interlaminated with dark-gray, pelagic shales. A deep-water origin is postulated for this section because of the turbiditelike bedding sequence and graded texture, scarcity of organic reworking, and regional location beyond the limits of mapped Wilcox deltas. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1827------------
Application of solid state carbon‐13 NMR spectroscopy to chemically modified surfaces

The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques, high-power decoupling, magic-angle spinning, and cross polarization for high resolution in solid materials have been utilized to characterize surface-modified silicas. Solid state Carbon-13 NMR was used to study the chemical adsorption of a series of organosilane coupling agents on the silica surface. The type of information that can be obtained from such surface studies includes chemical bonding between the surface and the organosilane, the effects on steric hindrance of the hydrocarbon chains of the coupling agent, and other silane-surface interactions. The approach for the analysis involved comparing the spectra of the treated silica to the spectra of the corresponding condensed coupling agents. Spectral differences in terms of changes in chemical shifts and line widths are observed. The results are interpreted in terms of chemical bonding and structural differences of the silane coupling agents adsorbed onto the surface.
Expression of Torpedo californica creatine kinase in Escherichia coli and purification from inclusion bodies.

Abstract The pET17 expression vector was used to express creatine kinase from the electric organ of Torpedo californica as inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells. The insoluble aggregate was dissolved in 8 M urea and, following extraction with Triton X-100, the enzyme was refolded by dialysis against Tris buffer (pH 8.0) containing 0.2 M NaCl. After two buffer changes, chromatography on Blue Sepharose was used as a final step in the purification procedure. Approximately 54 mg active protein was recovered from a 1 L culture and the refolded enzyme had a specific activity of 75 U/mg. The molecular mass of the purified protein was consistent with that predicted from the amino acid sequence and the CD spectrum of the refolded enzyme was essentially identical to that of creatine kinase from human muscle (HMCK). The K m values of ATP and ADP were also similar to those of HMCK, while the K m values for both phosphocreatine and creatine were approximately 5–10-fold higher. The purification described here is in marked contrast with earlier attempts at purification of this isozyme where, in a process yielding less than 1 mg/L culture, enzyme with a specific activity of ca. 5 U/mg was obtained.
Pragmatic research issues confronting HCI practitioners when designing for universal access

Many HCI products exclude potential users unnecessarily. Such exclusion often arises because of a mismatch between designers’ perceptions of the wants and needs of the end-user and their actual wants and needs. Sometimes the mismatch originates from the designer being unaware of the need to design inclusively, or of methods for implementing inclusive design. Other times the mismatch comes from the commissioner of the design, for example the client of a design consultancy. If the design commissioner specifies a target socio-economic group, but does not explicitly recognise that the group consists of users of varying functional capabilities, then the designers will often be given a design brief that overlooks the need to address the wider range of users, beyond simply the able-bodied. In either case, for universal access to be achieved effectively, information is required to identify the need for inclusive design and thus to generate demand, and design guidance is needed to help designers make inclusive design a reality. Currently, that information is largely unavailable to designers in an appropriate off-the-shelf format. This paper investigates methods for researchers to provide the kind of information that HCI designers need to design for universal access. It focuses on the profiling, recruitment and selection of users, along with the interpretation of the data gathered. In many instances, the HCI designer may also be the person performing the research, where specialist researchers are not available.
Low-temperature specific heat of layered compounds

Specific heat measurements in the temperature range from 1 to 10 K and in magnetic fields up to 1.2 T have been made on a number of layered transition metal dichalcogenide crystal complexes. The thermodynamic critical fieldHc and the Ginzburg-Landau coherence length and penetration depth have been calculated. For TaS2 (pyridine)1/2 and TaS1.6Se0.4 (pyridine)1/2, the coherence length perpendicular to the layers is slightly less than the interlayer separation.
Epstein-Barr Virus Turns 50

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the discovery of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) as the first human tumor virus. In March 1964, a team led by Anthony Epstein identified herpesvirus-like particles in cultured tumor cells derived from African Burkitt's lymphoma tissue ( 1 ). At that time, the idea that a virus caused human cancer was met with some skepticism because the theory that cancer was infectious had been dismissed in the previous century. Stalwart investigators continued to track EBV until the viral culprit was declared a class I carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the World Health Organization in the late 1990s. Despite the consensus that EBV is a bona fide tumor virus, the mechanisms of cancer causation by EBV remain an area of active investigation and controversy 50 years since its initial discovery.
Monitoring Seat Feature Usage among Wheelchair Users

To help manage pressure ulcers and adjust posture, powered wheelchairs can be equipped with seat tilt and backrest recline features. Clinicians usually prescribe these features for wheelchair users who are vulnerable to pressure sores or have difficulty changing postures, but little data has been collected to determine whether or not, and to what extent, these features are used. This study examined how wheelchair users use power wheelchair seat features such as seat tilt, backrest recline, and seat elevation, during typical daily activities. A Seat Feature Data Logger (SFDL) was attached to 11 subject's wheelchairs for 10-14 days to gather data regarding daily usage of these features. The results showed that while subjects did not always use large angles of tilt and recline as many clinicians recommend, these features were used frequently and their use resulted in lower peak pressures. The information collected by the SFDL allows for a novel and quantitative description of the effectiveness and use of power seat features, and can also be used as a clinical compliance tool.
Conscious vs Unconscious Processes: The Case of Vision

Several lines of empirical research show a contrast between conscious and unconscious functions in humans. Dyslexics show eye movement patterns that concentrate on correct solutions to language problems, even if the patients fail to solve the problems, showing a decoupling of observable behavior from conscious awareness and integrating ability. Vision is represented by many topographic maps in the brain, and these maps can be separated into two streams of visual processing. Only one is available to consciousness; the other controls visually guided behavior. In the laboratory, different spatial values can be stored simultaneously in cognitive and sensorimotor visual systems respectively, and seemingly contradictory spatial behavior can originate from each. Taken together, the empirical studies show important unconscious aspects of mental activity, and a very restricted role for consciousness.
Low-energy particle production and transport for 200 GeV/c protons in iron and comparisons with experimental data☆

Abstract Calculated results for 200 GeV/c protons incident on an iron, calorimeter-like, target are presented and compared with experimental data. The calculations were carried out with the hadron transport code HETC88. The quantities that are compared are the production per unit volume of 18F and 24Na in aluminum and the production per unit volume of 115mIn in indium as a function of depth and radius in the target. The production of 24Na and 115mIn is due primarily to the low energy (≤ 20 MeV) neutron flux, and thus the comparisons here test the capability of HETC88 for producing and transporting these low-energy neutrons or more precisely for predicting the flux per unit energy of these low-energy neutrons as a function of depth and radius in the target. The calculated results are in good agreement with the 118F production data (energies ⪆ 40 MeV) and the 24Na production data (energies ⪆ 5 MeV) and in moderate agreement with the 115mIn production data (energies ⪆ 0.4 MeV.)
Cable network analysis for low voltage power distribution systems

This paper presents the analysis of transmission performance in a low voltage power distribution system. Several different topologies of power distribution networks within a community of buildings are analyzed in terms of its impact on voltage drop, cost efficiency, and transmission efficiency. Load profiles from six real campus buildings were used to simulate a community model in EDSA. This analysis can be utilized to increase low voltage grid efficiency in microgrids, emergency power distribution systems, or distribution grids in large structures. This paper's findings show that the typical cable topology is not necessarily always the most efficient. These results demonstrate the value of cable network analysis to network efficiency.
Computer‐based image analysis of cartilage differentiation in embryonic limb bud micromass cultures

SUMMARY A computer imaging system was used to analyse the effects of benzamide (BAM), sodium butyrate and dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) on chondrogenesis in culture. Embryonic chick limb bud cells were used as a source of undifferentiated mesenchyme, and cultures were prepared using a micromass culture technique. The degree of chondrogenesis is directly related to the amount of Alcian blue staining. Standard assays include either manual tally of individual cartilage nodules, which is both tedious and time-consuming, or extracting bound dye for spectrophotometric analysis, which obscures individual variations because it requires pooled samples. In the present study, low-magnification images of individual micromass colonies were converted into derived images based on their percentage transmittance relative to the background. These derived images were analysed for relative degree of chondrogenesis, using area and integrated optical density (IOD) as descriptors. While both types of data were useful for ranking the degree of chondrogenesis in culture, IOD was the preferred descriptor because of its accuracy over a wide range of threshold values. The area and IOD data both demonstrate that BAM produces marked enhancement of chondrogenesis in culture, sodium butyrate causes marked inhibition and DMSO produces mixed results (enhancement at the high dose, inhibition at the low dose). While the present study demonstrates the usefulness of computer-aided microscopy for analysis of low-magnification images, the same descriptors (area and IOD) should be useful in quantifying data from a variety of objects (cells, nuclei, etc.) which can be stained in a selected, quantitative fashion.
MO-FF-A1-05: Quantitative Radiation Therapy Dosimetry Using Reusable Storage Phosphor KCl:Eu2+

Purpose: To investigate the quantitative use of a novel KCl:Eu 2+ dosimeter for radiation therapydosimetry.Methods and Materials: Cylindrical KCl:Eu 2+ dosimeters 7 mm in diameter and 1 mm thick were fabricated.Dosimetricproperties were studied with an in‐house optical readout system after irradiation by a linear accelerator. The overall experimental uncertainty was estimated to be within ±2.5%. Results: 1) KCl:Eu 2+ showed satisfactory radiation hardness. There was no significant change in the stimulation spectra after irradiation up to 200 Gy when compared to a fresh sample, indicating that this material could be reused at least 100 times if 2 Gy per use was assumed, e.g., for a patient‐specific IMRT QA; 2) KCl:Eu 2+ exhibited supra‐linear response to dose after irradiation from zero cGy to 800 cGy; 3) After x‐ray irradiation the PSL signal decayed with time and eventually reached a plateau (0.1% per hour) after 12 hours, which was significantly better than a commercial CR(computed radiography) plate; 4) The sensitivity of the dosimeter was independent of the dose rate ranging from 15 cGy/min (underneath a MLC) to 1000 cGy/min; 5) The sensitivity showed no energy dependence for either open x‐ray or megavoltage electron fields; 6) Over‐response to low‐energy scattered photons was comparable to radiographic film, e.g., a Kodak EDR2 film. Reduction of dosimeter thickness to tens of microns would minimize the energy dependence. Conclusion: We have demonstrated that KCl:Eu 2+ dosimeters have many desirable dosimetriccharacteristics and that KCl:Eu 2+ has great potential to replace BaFBr 0.85 I 0.15 : Eu 2+ as the primary storage phosphormaterial for radiation therapydosimetry. In the future, a large‐area KCl:Eu 2+ based CR plate created using modern thin film techniques would provide a reusable, quantitative, high‐resolution two‐dimensional dosimeter with minimal energy dependence. This work is supported in part by an NIH grant CA131690.
Short distance Regge singularities. Renormalized gluon ladder in QCD

Abstract It is shown that the renormalized gluon ladder gives rise to an accumulation of Regge poles at j = +1. This approximation is obtained by reordering the perturbation expansion of the Bethe-Salpeter kernel using the renormalization group. The existence of this accumulation is shown to be independent of the gauge. The relevance of this result for the problem of the Pomeron is discussed briefly.
Human aging alters the first phase of the molecular response to stress in T-cells.

Abstract This study examines how age affects the first phase of the heat shock response in human T-cells. To understand how age alters transcriptional regulation of the heat shock genes, a cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing human T-cells enriched from peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy young (20–40 years old) and old (>70 years old) donors. Nuclear run-on analysis revealed a 66% reduction in hsp70 transcription rates in old compared to young nuclei harvested from T-cells exposed to a brief 42 °C heat shock. To determine if one or more protein transactivators of the proximal and distal promoter regions of the hsp70 gene were affected by age, gel shift analysis was performed. Both HSF1 and SP1 DNA-binding were reduced with age but no reduction was noted in CCAAT–DNA binding. Western blot analysis indicated that HSF1 but not HSF2 protein levels were reduced in aged donor samples. These data suggest that human T-cell senescence involves a multi-factorial mechanism that diminishes an important transcriptional response to thermal stress. The results are discussed relative to recent studies that support a multi-factorial mechanism for age-dependent attenuation of the heat shock transcription factor.
From ‘shock and awe’ to ‘hearts and minds’: the fall and rise of US counterinsurgency capability in Iraq

Abstract This article recounts the initial difficulties of the US occupation of Iraq that enabled the growth and maturation of the Iraqi insurgency. The focus will be on how the US military adapted, while in combat, to a situation for which its prior training and doctrinal focus had left it ill prepared. The article will explain the challenges faced by military leaders to move from a hierarchical, cold war-designed approach to warfare, to a more adaptive, decentralised mode of operations that requires distributed authority and decision making. The story will be told from the perspective of two strategic planners who helped shape the campaign plan for the coalition forces in Iraq, including the challenges they encountered when attempting to unify all elements of US national power against the Iraqi insurgency.
Comparative Study of Solar Panels for Roadway Operations

All day long the transportation infrastructure receives solar energy from the sun rays, storing much of them as heat that is left to dissipate by nightfall. The concept of harvesting solar energy from transportation infrastructure is enticing because it offers a way to collect solar energy by utilizing an extensive infrastructure that already exists. Thus, an attempt was made to investigate novel methods for solar energy harvesting and conversion with potential economic efficiency substantially beyond that of current technology. Particularly, a comparative study was conducted between rigid and flexible solar panels.