cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A defect identification algorithm for sequential and parallel computers

The comparison of images containing a single object of interest, where one of them contains the model object, is frequently used for defect identification. This is often a problem of interest to industrial applications. This paper introduces sequential and parallel versions of an algorithm that compares original (reference) and processed images in the time and frequency domains. This comparison combined with histogram data from both domains can identify differences in the images. Extracted data is also compared to database data in an attempt to pinpoint specific changes, such as rotations, translations, defects, etc. The first application considered here is recognition of an object which has been translated and/or rotated. For illustration purposes, an original image of a computer-simulated centered needle is compared to a second image of the hypodermic needle in a different position. This algorithm will determine if both images contain the same object regardless of position. The second application identifies changes (defects) in the needle regardless of position and reports the quality of the needle. This quality will be a quantitative measurement depending on error calculations in the spatial and frequency domains and comparisons to database data. Finally, the performance of sequential and parallel versions of the algorithm for a Sun SPARCstation and an experimental in-house built parallel DSP computer with eight TMS320C40 processors is included. The results show that significant speedup can be achieved through incorporation of parallel processing techniques.
Transformations: The World Religions Survey through an Adjunct Feminist Lens

This essay describes a transformation in my experience as an adjunct teaching underprepared students from one of shame toward a desire to assert the value of this work. Insights from my feminist theological training helped me to affirm the importance of encouraging transformative learning in teaching the academically marginalized and prompted my analysis of student writing in an introductory World Religions course, in order to determine whether or not the course was a site of transformative learning. I argue that despite many contextual limitations, the movement toward deepening self-awareness and increasing openness to religious diversity seen in student writing demonstrates that transformative learning began in this course, and that is valuable for students' lives whether or not they are academically successful.
Cell-free synthetic biology: Thinking outside the cell

Cell-free synthetic biology is emerging as a powerful approach aimed to understand, harness, and expand the capabilities of natural biological systems without using intact cells. Cell-free systems bypass cell walls and remove genetic regulation to enable direct access to the inner workings of the cell. The unprecedented level of control and freedom of design, relative to in vivo systems, has inspired the rapid development of engineering foundations for cell-free systems in recent years. These efforts have led to programmed circuits, spatially organized pathways, co-activated catalytic ensembles, rational optimization of synthetic multi-enzyme pathways, and linear scalability from the micro-liter to the 100-liter scale. It is now clear that cell-free systems offer a versatile test-bed for understanding why nature's designs work the way they do and also for enabling biosynthetic routes to novel chemicals, sustainable fuels, and new classes of tunable materials. While challenges remain, the emergence of cell-free systems is poised to open the way to novel products that until now have been impractical, if not impossible, to produce by other means.
Inhomogeneous surfaces as selective solar absorbers

Abstract An outstanding problem facing solar thermal collectors is the development of efficient, cheap and long-lived selective solar absorbing surfaces. Among the best products currently available are complicated inhomogeneous mixtures of metal and dielectric particles optimized from serendipitous discoveries rather than premediated constructions. We have utilized a computer code which uses mean field approximations and can accurately describe the reflectance of inhomogeneous surfaces. This approach gave us the freedom to use realistic materials parameters and surface topologies and arbitrary angles of incidence in our calculations. As a result of calculations on a large number of specific surface configurations and material combinations, we found that the optical properties of such surfaces are largely independent of the details of their topologies and can be described with only two parameters: surface depth, D, and correlation length, 2a. A main conclusion of the paper is that the impression of a rough surface on an otherwise shiny metal leads to a sharply defined low reflection window between λII≈20A and λ≈6D if λII
Dismantling the trachinoidei: evidence of a scorpaenoid relationship for the Champsodontidae

An examination of the osteology and myology of the Champsodontidae reveals a number of, apomorphic features (e.g., double-headed palatine, large pelvic radial, expaxial muscle inserting on the medial pelvic-fin ray, posterior levator internus inserting on the third epibranchial). The evidence for a Champsodontidae/Chiasmodontidae relationship is examined through a re-evaluation of the basal characters used to define the suborder Trachinoidei. The Champsodontidae are removed from the Trachinoidei and a chiasmodontid sister relationship is rejected. After investigation of several possible alternative relationships (Paracanthopterygii, Gobioidei, Callionymoidei, Kurtoidei, Apogonidae, Blennioidei, Trichodontidae), champsodontids are hypothesized to be members of the perciform suborder Scorpaenoidei. This hypothesis is based largely on the synapomorphy of a parietal spine with an opening for passage of the supratemporal sensory canal, a unique condition of champsodonitds and some scorpaenoids. A shared Type 1 expaxial muscle morphology, with separate fibre insertions on the distal tips of the spine-bearing dorsal-fin pterygiophores, is unusual and probably derived among perciforms. Champsodontids also share with some scorpaenoids Type 5 spinoid scales and the origin of Baudelot's ligament from the first vertebra rather than the basi-occipital, although neither of these features is unique to these taxa. The occurrence of an enclosed sensory canal on the parietals of Trichodontidae suggest that their relationships might also lie with the Scorpaenoidei. Arguments pertaining to the removal of champsodontids from the trachinoids apply equally to the hypothesized membership of the Cheimarrichthyidae, Pinguipedidae, Percophididae, Trichonotidae, Creediidae, Chiasmodontidae, and notothenioids in the Trachinoidei. Inclusion of these taxa within the Trachinoidei is not well-supported, and their relationships require further investigation.
In vitro interactions of antimicrobial combinations with fosfomycin against KPC-2-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and protection of resistance development

ABSTRACT Using time-kill methodology, we investigated the interactions of fosfomycin with meropenem or colistin or gentamicin against 17 genetically distinct Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates carrying bla KPC-2 . Synergy was observed with meropenem or colistin against 64.7 and 11.8% of tested isolates, while the combination with gentamicin resulted in indifference. All studied combinations showed improved bactericidal activity, compared to fosfomycin alone and prevented the development of fosfomycin resistance in 69.2, 53.8, and 81.8% of susceptible isolates, respectively.
Beyond slots and resources: Grounding cognitive concepts in neural dynamics

Research over the past decade has suggested that the ability to hold information in visual working memory (VWM) may be limited to as few as three to four items. However, the precise nature and source of these capacity limits remains hotly debated. Most commonly, capacity limits have been inferred from studies of visual change detection, in which performance declines systematically as a function of the number of items that participants must remember. According to one view, such declines indicate that a limited number of fixed-resolution representations are held in independent memory “slots.” Another view suggests that such capacity limits are more apparent than real, but emerge as limited memory resources are distributed across more to-be-remembered items. Here we argue that, although both perspectives have merit and have generated and explained impressive amounts of empirical data, their central focus on the representations—rather than processes—underlying VWM may ultimately limit continuing progress in this area. As an alternative, we describe a neurally grounded, process-based approach to VWM: the dynamic field theory. Simulations demonstrate that this model can account for key aspects of behavioral performance in change detection, in addition to generating novel behavioral predictions that have been confirmed experimentally. Furthermore, we describe extensions of the model to recall tasks, the integration of visual features, cognitive development, individual differences, and functional imaging studies of VWM. We conclude by discussing the importance of grounding psychological concepts in neural dynamics, as a first step toward understanding the link between brain and behavior.
Getting a Job at a Teaching Institution—and Then Succeeding: A Q&A with Experienced Teacher-Scholars

The December 2006 APSA report, “Trends in the Political Science Profession” (Sedowski and Brintnall 2006; Brintnall 2005), noted that the number of political science jobs posted on eJobs reached an all-time high for the academic year. Thirty-six percent of those jobs were in B.A.-granting institutions, institutions most likely to include a focus on liberal arts teaching. Similarly, results from the most recently available department chairs' survey show that almost one-third of all graduates in 2002, including those in non-academic employment, obtained jobs in B.A. institutions (Lopez 2003). In response to these circumstances, the Political Science Education Section has, at recent APSA annual meetings, including 2007's meeting, sponsored a short course titled, “Getting a Job at a Teaching Institution—and Then Succeeding!” For this article we have drawn on our experiences in the short course—and in interviewing, hiring, mentoring, and evaluating colleagues at a range of liberal arts colleges—to compile a list of frequently asked questions and their answers. B.A.-granting institutions are highly diversified, as evidenced by the authors' own affiliations. Still, after much discussion, we are confident that the advice offered here is broadly applicable to colleges focusing upon the liberal arts and undergraduate education. However, applicants should always research the mission and the corresponding commitments of the institutions at which they are seeking employment.
An overview of the direct thrombin inhibitor argatroban.

Argatroban is a small molecule direct thrombin inhibitor. The main attributes of this synthetic drug are its rapid onset of anti-thrombin action, rapid reversibility of its anticoagulant effect, potent inhibition of clot-bound thrombin, absence of antibody formation and no need for initial dosage adjustment in patients with renal impairment. It is eliminated by hepatic metabolism. These properties make argatroban a predictable anticoagulant with intravenous use in a routine clinical setting. Argatroban is approved in the US and Canada for both prophylaxis and treatment of thrombosis in patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT); and it is approved in Japan and Korea for treatment of various thrombotic disorders. Argatroban has been shown in limited trials to provide reliable anticoagulation during percutaneous coronary interventions on HIT and non-HIT patients. Preliminary reports document the feasibility of using argatroban for anticoagulation during peripheral vascular interventions, hemodialysis and as adjunct to thrombolysis for treatment of myocardial infarction. Current recommendations for argatroban monitoring are to use the activated partial thromboplastin time for low doses and the activated clotting time for high doses. The ease of monitoring argatroban, its ‘turn-on/turn-off’ characteristic and its consistent safety profile provide the rationale to continue studies of argatroban as an anticoagulant in clinical settings.
The detection of a relative afferent pupillary defect

Abstract PURPOSE: To describe a simple technique that detects a subtle relative afferent pupillary defect. DESIGN: Observational report. METHODS: With the patient seated at a slit lamp and the slit illumination turned off, a transilluminator light is swung back and forth between the eyes. The examiner observes the direct pupil light response and the consensual light response under slit-lamp magnification. CONCLUSION: Using slit-lamp magnification, the examiner may observe small amplitudes of pupillary movement in the evaluation of a relative afferent pupillary defect.
Porosity and particle shape changes leading to shear localization in small-displacement faults

Abstract A microstructural study of shear localization in fault gouge was carried out in small-displacement faults so there would be minimum masking effects from a complex deformation history. We studied particle size, shape, and porosity changes in gouge adjacent to zones of shear localization in natural and synthetic gouges subjected to shear displacements δ, of up to 1.2 m. Scanning electron microscope images were used for estimating image porosity ΦI, and measuring particle size of the deformed and undeformed gouges. The particle size data were used for calculating simulated porosity ΦS from computer-generated simple fractal gouge model of each sample. Modeled microstructures contained round grains and a fractal distribution matched to that of the measured natural samples. Changes in ΦI, ΦS, and ΦI/ΦS with increasing δ were used for tracking changes in particle shape and porosity of the gouges precursory to shear localization. The ΦI and ΦS values for the natural and synthetic gouges converge at δ ∼ 0.1 m, suggesting that gouge particles adjacent to shear localization sites tend to become rounded. Porosity for such densified regions of the gouge adjacent to Y-shear zones was determined to be 2.6. The study suggests that brittle shear localization may involve favorably-oriented micro porous pockets of gouge that result from competing changes in particle shape and particle size, which tend to affect gouge porosity in different ways.
High-performance liquid chromatography analyses of isomeric monoenoic and acetylenic fatty acids

On montre qu'un grand nombre d'acides octadecenoiques et octadecynoiques isomeres peuvent etre separes sous forme d'ester phenacyle
Apples and oranges: Educational enrollment and attainment across countries in Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract This paper uses household survey data to rank LAC countries’ performance in two areas: (i) getting children into school on time and keeping them there, and (ii) turning their contact with the educational system into years of schooling. It presents multiple rankings because most countries’ performance is not uniform across these dimensions. For instance, the Dominican Republic performs almost as well as the richest countries when it comes to keeping children in school, but as badly as the poorest few in terms of turning attendance into years of schooling. Further, the rankings, which are based on conventional and new measures of educational systems’ performance, are occasionally quite different from those obtained using more widely available administrative data.
Wide double stars with common proper motion

More than 6000 cpm systems including 400 pairs having at least one degenerate component have been discovered to-day by the author.
Fermentation of xylose and hemicellulose hydrolysates by an ethanol-adapted culture of Bacteroides polypragmatus.

Bacteroides polypragmatus type strain GP4 was adapted to grow in the presence of 3.5% (w/v) ethanol by successive transfers into 1% (w/v)d-xylose media supplemented with increasing concentrations of ethanol. The maximum specific growth rate of the ethanol-adapted culture (μ=0.30 h-1) was not affected by up to 2% (w/v) ethanol but that of the non-adapted strain declined by about 50%. The growth rate of both cultures was limited by nutrient(s) contained in yeast extract. The ethanol yield of the adapted culture (1.01 mol/mol xylose) was higher than that (0.80 mol/mol xylose) of the non-adapted strain. The adapted culture retained the ability to simultaneously ferment pentose and hexose sugars, and moreover it was not inhibited by xylose concentrations of 7–9% (w/v). This culture also readily fermented hemicellulose hydrolysates obtained by mild acid hydrolysis of either hydrogen fluoride treated or steam exploded Aspen wood. The ethanol yield from the fermentation of the hydrolysates was comparable to that obtained from xylose.
Effect of thermal property gradients on the edge cracking in a functionally graded coating

Abstract This work investigates the effect of thermal property gradients on the edge cracking in a functionally graded coating (FGM coating) bonded to a homogeneous substrate subjected to a thermal shock. A closed-form, short time asymptotic solution of the temperature field in the FGM system is obtained using the Laplace transform and its asymptotic properties. Thermal stress intensity factors (TSIFs) are calculated for an edge crack in an Al 2 O 3 /Si 3 N 4 graded coating on a Si 3 N 4 substrate based on the asymptotic temperature solution. The numerical results show that the graded Al 2 O 3 /Si 3 N 4 coating has lower TSIFs and hence higher thermal fracture resistance compared with the homogeneous Al 2 O 3 coating.
Rookies of the Year: Successfully Orienting New Graduate Registered Nurses to the Cardiovascular Surgical Intensive Care Unit

The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview of the experience of one cardiovascular surgical ICU (CVSICU) orienting new graduate registered nurses (NGRNs) directly to critical care. The authors share a collective experience of interviewing, hiring, orienting, and retaining NGRN to a CVSICU. The formal orientation processes and the critical care training program, Essentials of Progressive and Intensive Care, are detailed. The nursing leadership roles of placement coordinator, nurse manager, nursing education specialist, and clinical nurse specialist in this process are identified. Lastly, opportunities for growth are examined.
ELECTROSTATIC MECHANISM AND THEORY OF HIGH-Tc SUPERCONDUCTIVITY IN LAYERED MATERIALS

Electrostatic forces among stacked metal planes provide a viable mechanism for high-Tc superconductivity. Dimensionless parameters which involve interplanar separations, density-of-states, and carrier density, govern the outcome. Our mechanism favors holes over electrons, and works best in layered materials. We identify regions in parameter space where superconductivity is favored, and others where charge density waves are a possible outcome. We find a distribution of superconducting energy gaps, and obtain the resulting quasiparticle density-of-states.
Topical mitogen-activated protein kinases inhibition reduces intimal hyperplasia in arterialized vein grafts.

Objective Vein graft arterialization results in activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) extracellular signal-regulated kinases-1 and -2 (ERK1/2), which have been implicated in cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. The goal of our study was to characterize the effect of MAPK inhibition on intimal hyperplasia (IH) in arterialized vein grafts in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Methods Reversed bilateral jugular vein to common carotid artery interposition grafts were constructed in 16 New Zealand White rabbits. The veins were incubated for 30 min prior to grafting with either the synthetic ERK1/2 activation inhibitor UO126 or the control vehicle. Vein graft and control jugular vein were harvested 3 h, 1 d, and 28 d after arterialization for histological and biochemical analyses. Results Treatment with UO126 was associated with 31% reduction in mean intimal area (1.68 ± 0.78 mm 2 versus 2.44 ± 1.65 mm 2 ; mean ± SD; P = 0.036) relative to controls. The intima-to-media ratio of UO126-treated vein grafts decreased by 29% (0.53 ± 0.04 versus 0.74 ± 0.06; mean ± SD; P Conclusion Topical administration of UO126 before vein grafting significantly decreases IH in arterialized vein grafts in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. These results may have significant implications for the development of strategies aimed at blocking or reducing IH in bypass grafts. Therefore, further evaluation of this simple strategy to improve vein graft patency following coronary artery or peripheral vascular bypass surgery is warranted.
Relaxation methods for image reconstruction

The problem of recovering an image (a function of two variables) from experimentally available integrals of its grayness over thin strips is of great importance in a large number of scientific areas. An important version of the problem in medicine is that of obtaining the exact density distribution within the human body from X-ray projections. One approach that has been taken to solve this problem consists of translating the available information into a system of linear inequalities. The size and the sparsity of the resulting system (typically, 25,000 inequalities with fewer than 1 percent of the coefficients nonzero) makes methods using successive relaxations computationally attractive, as compared to other ways of solving systems of inequalities. In this paper, it is shown that, for a consistent system of linear inequalities, any sequence of relaxation parameters lying strictly between 0 and 2 generates a sequence of vectors which converges to a solution. Under the same assumptions, for a system of linear equations, the relaxation method converges to the minimum norm solution. Previously proposed techniques are shown to be special cases of our procedure with different choices of relaxation parameters. The practical consequences for image reconstruction of the choice of the relaxation parameters are discussed.
The fountain of youth: can it be transplanted?

The hematopoietic microenvironment influences gene expression in both early embryos and adults suggesting possibilities for novel transplantation therapy.
Bile acids. LXIV. Synthesis of 5α-cholestane-3α,7α,25-triol and esters of new 5α-bile acids

Abstract Interest in the structural requirements of a sterol or bile acid for maximal activity by an hepatic microsomal steroid 12α-hydroxylase prompted the preparation of 5α-cholestane-3α, 7α, 25-triol and 5α-analogs of 3α, 7α-dihydroxy-5β-cholane-24-carboxylic acid. Methyl 3α, 7α-dihydroxy-5β-cholane-24-carboxylate derived from methyl chenodeoxycholate via the Arndt-Eistert reaction was allomerized with Raney nickel in boiling p-cymene to provide a number of products of which methyl 3,7-dioxo-5β- and 5α-cholane-24-carboxylates, methyl 3-oxo-7α-hydroxy-5β-and 5α-cholane-24-carboxylates, were identified. Reduction with K-Selectride of methyl 3-oxo-7α-hydroxy-5β-cholane-24-carboxylate, provided a high yield of methyl 3α, 7α-dihydroxy-5α-cholane-24-carboxylate. Treatment of this ester with an excess of methyl magnesium iodide afforded 5α-cholestane-3α, 7α, 25-triol. The products were characterized by thin-layer and gas liquid chromatography, proton resonance, infrared and mass spectrometry.
Academic medical center/industry collaboration.

The relationship between academic medical centers and the pharmaceutical industry has recently undergone a significant evolution. Although the full implications remain to be evaluated, the potential synergies of these two researchbased institutions offer possibilities of enhancements in the quality and quantity of applied medical research and patient care. See also p 730. The American Medical Association's Council on Scientific Affairs and Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs have recently addressed several aspects of these relationships. 1 Their report points out that industry support for biomedical research has risen sharply, but still represents only 5% of total external funding received by research universities. It further emphasizes that collaborations between medical centers and industry "are fast becoming important to the survival of both industry and academia as the research environment becomes increasingly competitive." The report also enumerates the benefits and risks to clinical investigators, medical centers, and corporations of these collaborations. Sterman,
A simple viscoelastic model for fatigue crack propagation in polymers as a function of molecular weight

Abstract A simple theory is presented to explain the strong influence of molecular weight ( M ) on rates of fatigue crack propagation (FCP) in amorphous polymers. It is proposed that the equation describing FCP rates may be expressed as the product of two functions, one involving the stress intensity factor ( ΔK ), and the other characterizing the relaxation process occurring in the plastic zone. To provide a physical network in the plastic zone that can sustain fatigue loading, it is proposed that one needs a sufficient fraction of molecular fibrils per unit area ( W∗ ) whose lengths are greater than M c , the critical value of M required for entanglement. This effect can be summarized as a generalized rate process (confined at the plastic zone) expressed by A exp ( Bσ ) where σ is a stress and A and B are constants ( B including the volume of activation). It is deduced that M influences the activation volume through the values of W∗ and W , the weight fraction of molecules whose M > M c . Using the equation developed it was possible to correlate FCP data of PVC and PMMA as a function of M with a high degree of confidence. Also, the value of activation volumes obtained compared favourably with those in the literature for static tests. The complementary value of W∗ for these polymers was also seen to approximate closely to the void fraction in a craze. Extension to other cases such as semi-crystalline materials also seems possible.
Le Rôti et le Bouilli: Lévi-Strauss Theory of Cannibalism1

In a recent article entitled “The Culinary Triangle,” Levi-Strauss contends that an analysis of cooking as a language will reveal certain structural oppositions in society. He predicts that the practice of cannibalism, which employs various modes of cooking, will also reveal such oppositions. An examination of Levi-Strauss' argument and a test of his predictions indicate that, owing to theoretical and methodological weaknesses, his ideas on how best to serve our fellow man will be of little use to either cannibals or anthropologists.
Fenofibrate Represses Interleukin-17 and Interferon-γ Expression and Improves Colitis in Interleukin-10-Deficient Mice

Background & Aims: Interleukin-10 knockout (IL-10 −/− ) mice spontaneously develop colitis characterized by T-helper cell type 1–polarized inflammation. We tested the possible therapeutic activity of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) ligand fenofibrate, and the PPARδ ligand GW0742, in IL-10 −/− mice and investigated the cellular/molecular mechanisms for fenofibrate action. Methods: The effect of fenofibrate or GW0742 on the progression of colitis in C3H.IL-10 −/− mice was evaluated. Effects of fenofibrate on cytokine and chemokine gene expression were studied in cultured splenocytes, pathogenic T cells isolated from C3H/HeJBir mice, and HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. Results: Treatment of C3H.IL-10 −/− mice with fenofibrate delayed the onset of colitis, decreased the colonic histopathology score, and decreased colonic expression of genes encoding the inflammatory cytokines interferon-γ and interleukin (IL)-17. The target for fenofibrate, PPARα, was expressed in lymphocytes, macrophages, and crypt and surface epithelial cells of the colon. The mean number of lymphocytes was decreased by more than 75% in colonic sections of fenofibrate-treated as compared with control IL-10 −/− mice, and fenofibrate repressed interferon-γ and IL-17 expression in isolated T cells. Fenofibrate also repressed the expression of the genes encoding 3 chemokines, CXCL10, CCL2, and CCL20, and repressed CXCL10 gene promoter activity in tumor necrosis factor-α–treated HT-29 cells. In contrast to the beneficial effect of fenofibrate, the PPARδ ligand GW0742 accelerated the onset of colitis in IL-10 −/− mice. Conclusions: The immunopathology observed in IL-10 −/− mice resembles that seen in Crohn's disease. The novel therapeutic activity of fenofibrate in this mouse model suggests that it may also have activity in Crohn's disease.
Recovery of the Power Spectrum of Mass Fluctuations from Observations of the Lyα Forest

We present a method to recover the shape and amplitude of the power spectrum of mass fluctuations, P(k), from observations of the high-redshift Lyα forest. The method is motivated by the physical picture that has emerged from hydrodynamic cosmological simulations and related semianalytic models, in which typical Lyα forest lines arise in a diffuse, continuous, fluctuating intergalactic medium. The thermal state of this low-density gas (δρ/ρ 10) is governed by simple physical processes, which lead to a tight correlation between the Lyα optical depth and the underlying matter density. To recover the mass power spectrum, we (1) apply a monotonic Gaussian mapping to convert the QSO spectrum to an approximate line-of-sight density field with arbitrary normalization, (2) measure the power spectrum of this continuous density field and convert it to the equivalent three-dimensional P(k), and (3) evolve cosmological simulations with this P(k) shape and a range of normalizations and choose the normalization for which the simulations reproduce the observed power spectrum of the transmitted QSO flux. Imposing the observed mean Lyα opacity as a constraint in step (3) makes the derived P(k) normalization insensitive to the choice of cosmological parameters, ionizing background spectrum, or reionization history. Thus, in contrast to estimates of P(k) from galaxy clustering, there are no uncertain "bias parameters" in the recovery of the mass power spectrum from the Lyα forest. We test the full recovery procedure on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations of three different cosmological models and show that it recovers the true mass power spectrum of the models on comoving scales ~1-10 h-1 Mpc, the upper scale being set by the size of the simulation boxes. The procedure works well even when it is applied to noisy (S/N ~ 10), moderate-resolution (~40 km s-1 pixels) spectra. We present an illustrative application to Songaila & Cowie's Keck HIRES spectrum of Q1422+231; the recovered P(k) is consistent with that of an Ω = 1, h = 0.5, σ8(z = 0) ≈ 0.5 cold dark matter model. The statistical uncertainty in this result is large because it is based on a single QSO, but the method can be applied to large samples of existing QSO spectra and should thereby yield the power spectrum of mass fluctuations on small and intermediate scales at redshifts z ~ 2-4.
Antishock trousers: A collective review

Abstract Antishock trousers have become an integral part of emergency medical care for many traumatic and life-threatening emergencies. This article represents a summary of the current state of knowledge concerning the use of this device. A brief history of the development of antishock garments is discussed. This is followed by a discussion of human clinical studies and results of clinical research on hemodynamics, respiration, use in head injury, and effects on vascular hemostasis. Indications, contraindications, complications, and recommended procedure for use are discussed. Based on randomized prospective studies, antishock garments have not, as yet, been shown to improve patient morbidity or mortality. Proper use of antishock garments requires an understanding of both their function and their limitations.
Windward fraction of the total mass or heat transport for flow past a circular cylinder

The windward fraction of the total mass or heat transport for flow past a cylindrical aerodynamic object was estimated using the available experimental data for the angular distribution of the Nusselt transfer coefficient, Nu(theta, Re). The Re dependence of the windward surface fraction was calculated for the values of Re between 2 and 400,000. The results obtained from polar integrations of data from eight sources indicate that, for Reynolds numbers up to about 2000, more than 70 percent of the total transfer occurs on the windward surface. For the Re values above 100,000, the windward percentage is less than 50 percent.
Factors that impact United States retailers' expansion into the international marketplace

Purpose – This research investigated the foreign expansion of US‐owned retailers into the Latin American markets of Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Brazil. The purpose of this study was to determine how important the following factors were in a retailer's decision to establish a presence in Latin America: political and economic stability of the country, retail market size and growth, real estate issues, government regulations in terms of types of entry modes, customer base or target market, competition, and technical feasibility. This study also determined if there was a significant difference in these factors for US‐owned retailers who were interested in international retailing and US‐owned retailers who were not interested in international expansion.Design/methodology/approach – Data were gathered via a questionnaire administered to vice‐presidents of the international development division for US retail companies.Findings – Factors determined important for a retailer's decision to expand into an internatio...
Intraventricular cholecystokinin-octapeptide produces hypothermia in rats.

Abstract Intraventricular administration of cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8) in unanesthetized, unrestained rats produced hyopothermia in rats. The maximum fall in temperature after CCK-8 was −1.08±0.09°C. The temperature fall after CCK-8 was significantly suppressed from 15 to 60 min after intraventricular administration and returned to basal levels by 120 min.
Model for biological communication in a nanofabricated cell-mimic driven by stochastic resonance

Cells offer natural examples of highly efficient networks of nanomachines. Accordingly, both intracellular and intercellular communication mechanisms in nature are looked to as a source of inspiration and instruction for engineered nanocommunication. Harnessing biological functionality in this manner requires an interdisciplinary approach that integrates systems biology, synthetic biology, and nanofabrication. Here, we present a model system that exemplifies the synergism between these realms of research. We propose a synthetic gene network for operation in a nanofabricated cell mimic array that propagates a biomolecular signal over long distances using the phenomenon of stochastic resonance. Our system consists of a bacterial quorum sensing signal molecule, a bistable genetic switch triggered by this signal, and an array of nanofabricated cell mimic wells that contain the genetic system. An optimal level of noise in the system helps to propagate a time-varying AHL signal over long distances through the array of mimics. This noise level is determined both by the system volume and by the parameters of the genetic network. Our proposed genetically driven stochastic resonance system serves as a testbed for exploring the potential harnessing of gene expression noise to aid in the transmission of a time-varying molecular signal.
A practical deadlock avoidance algorithm for data base systems

A new algorithm is presented for avoiding system deadlocks. Because its performance has little dependence on the number of lockable resources, it is particularly well suited to use in data base systems which may have millions of individually lockable records. A further advantage is that both exclusive and shared locking are accommodated. The algorithm is presented in some detail and its performance and functional characteristics discussed.
Regulation of splanchnic organ size during muscarinic receptor stimulation in the anaesthetized pig

To determine the mechanisms responsible for changes in splanchnic organ size during muscarinic receptor stimulation, acetylcholine was infused at 5 micrograms kg-1 min-1 in 11 anaesthetized pigs which had previously undergone carotid denervation and cervical vagotomy. Blood pressure decreased by 42 +/- 4 mmHg (P less than 0.005), portal vein pressure decreased by 1.0 +/- 0.3 mmHg (P less than 0.01), IVC pressure increased by 0.2 +/- 0.1 mmHg (P less than 0.01), hepatic arterial flow increased by 10 +/- 6 ml min-1 (NS), portal vein flow decreased by 89 +/- 20 ml min-1 (P less than 0.005), splenic segment length (SSL) decreased by 0.52 +/- 0.11 mm (P less than 0.005) (control 12.49 +/- 1.27) (measured with ultrasonic crystals) and hepatic segment length (HSL) increased by 0.29 +/- 0.06 mm (P less than 0.005) (control 13.94 +/- 1.16). Aortic constriction to decrease the splanchnic distending pressure by an amount comparable to that achieved with the acetylcholine-associated decrease in portal flow caused a similar decrease in SSL and increase in HSL. Graded constriction of the portal vein or IVC, to increase SSL or HSL respectively, in the presence and absence of acetylcholine demonstrated no change in splenic or hepatic compliance with acetylcholine. Ligation of the splenic vasculature reduced the acetylcholine-associated HSL increase from 0.41 +/- 0.09 to 0.20 +/- 0.07 mm (P less than 0.05). Acetylcholine infused directly into the portal vein did not alter HSL. Atropine abolished all acetylcholine-associated haemodynamic changes. Thus, muscarinic receptor stimulation does not appear to act directly on splanchnic capacity vessels. Splenic dimension decreases due to a decrease in splanchnic flow and pressure, and hepatic dimension increases due to an increase in IVC pressure and redistribution of volume from the spleen.
College student stress: the influence of interpersonal relationships on sense of coherence

The purpose of this study was to investigate college student stress, how students cope with stress, and how the stress of renegotiating self and relationships influences one's sense of coherence (SOC). A survey research design was utilized incorporating 596 college students. Using family stress theory, this study examined how stress associated with relationships, level of coping, physical and emotional reactions to stress, and quality of life can be integrated to predict SOC in male and female college students. Findings indicate that female college students experience greater stress from quality of friendships, love relationships and relationships with parents. Whereas emotional health had the greatest effect on SOC for females, family relationships had the greatest effect on SOC for males. Qualitative responses were also examined, providing insight into students' perceptions of stressors. Conclusions and implications for educators, researchers and family therapists are discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mixed unsplit-field perfectly matched layers for transient simulations of scalar waves in heterogeneous domains

We discuss a new formulation for transient scalar wave simulations in heterogeneous semi-infinite domains. To deal with the semi-infinite extent of the physical domains, we introduce truncation boundaries and adopt perfectly matched layers (PMLs) as the boundary wave absorbers. Within this framework, we develop a new mixed displacement-stress (or stress memory) finite element formulation based on unsplit-field PMLs. We use, as typically done, complex-coordinate stretching transformations in the frequency domain, and recover the governing partial differential equations in the time-domain through the inverse Fourier transform. Upon spatial discretization, the resulting equations lead to a mixed semi-discrete form, where both displacements and stresses (or stress histories/memories) are treated as independent unknowns. We propose approximant pairs, which, numerically, are shown to be stable. The resulting mixed finite element scheme is relatively simple and straightforward to implement, when compared against split-field PML techniques. It also bypasses the need for complicated time integration schemes that arise when recent displacement-based formulations are used. We report numerical results for 1D and 2D scalar wave propagation in semi-infinite domains truncated by PMLs. We also conduct parametric studies and report on the effect the various PML parameter choices have on the simulation error.
Modeling of Equilibria in Complex Cryolite Melts

In the fully ionized sodium sulfate melt, the solubility of an oxide (at a given melt basicity) is well described by considering a single equilibrium to form a specific simple acidic or basic solute. In this case, the dominant solutes are identified by a simple log–log interpretation describing the dependence of the solute concentration on an acid-base parameter \(\log a_{\rm Na_2 O}\). However, in fused cryolite (Na3AlF6) solutions, the solvent itself and the solutes of oxides involve anionic complexes (alumino-fluorides and oxy-fluorides). Therefore, a single simple equilibrium does not suffice to model the complex solution. Rather, as for a high temperature multi-component gas phase containing many complex volatile species, every possible equilibrium must be individually satisfied and coupled to a mass balance. Examples will be given for each limiting type of solution behavior.
Susceptibility of immature Trichogramma pretiosum to freezing and subfreezing temperatures.

Vanous ages of immature Trichogramma pretiosum Riley which were reared at 26.7°C were exposed to 0°, −5°, −10°, −15°, and −20°C. Mortality of 2-, 3-, and 4-day-old immatures was generally similar at all temperatures. The one day olds were more tolerant than the other age groups of −5° and −10°C. The 6 and 8 day olds were more susceptible to −10°, −15°, and −20°C; however, the 8 and especially the 6 day olds were more tolerant of 0°C. A predictive model was developed for mortality of immature T. pretiosum as a function of exposure time and temperature.
Localization of immunoreactive thyrotropin releasing hormone in the lower brainstem of the rat.

Abstract The distribution of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) in individual nuclei of the rat brainstem was examined by radioimmunoassay. TRH was detectable in 36 of 40 brainstem nuclei investigated and the localization of TRH in the brainstem was unlike other known brainstem neuropeptides. By far the highest concentration of TRH in the brainstem (1.2 ng/mg protein) is present in the nucleus of the solitary tract. The concentration of TRH was relatively high in the motor nuclei of the IIIrd, Vth, VIIth, Xth and XIIth cranial nerves, and less high in the area postrema, nucleus gracilis, locus coeruleus, lateral reticular nucleus (A1-catecholamine cell group), dorsal raphe and central gray matter. Cerebellum and pontine nuclei contained very low levels ( ) of TRH.
The Effect of a Community College Promise Scholarship on Access and Success

Based on a mixed methods case study design, the current study reports on a Promise Scholarship program offered by a community college and its affiliated foundation to graduating students at a nearby high school located in a low-income neighborhood of a large city and with a high proportion of African American and other students of color. Using a mix of government and private funding, all graduating students, regardless of financial need or academic achievement, were offered free tuition at the community college for one year. The promise of a scholarship plus an intensive outreach effort resulted in the majority of graduating seniors submitting scholarship applications and a four-fold increase in the proportion of graduates from the high school who subsequently matriculated at the community college. Once at college, the student recipients demonstrated a high rate of quarter-to-quarter retention. However, few placed into college-level courses in English and math, and their academic progress at the end of th...
Aromatic-dependent Salmonella typhimurium are non-virulent and effective as live vaccines.

An auxotrophic mutant which requires a metabolite not available in vertebrate tissues should be unable to grow in such tissue and thus be non-virulent. Most mutations to auxotrophy do not affect virulence1–3, presumably because the required metabolites are available at sufficient concentration. However, Bacon et al.1,2 noted that a Salmonella typhi mutant requiring p-amino-benzoic acid (p AB) was less virulent (for mice) than its parent. Salmonella, unlike vertebrates, cannot assimilate exogenous folate and must synthesize it from p AB; the virtual absence of p AB from vertebrate tissues is shown by the efficacy of sulphonamide chemotherapy. Yancey et al.4 reported reduced virulence for a S. typhimurium mutant with a requirement for 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate (DHB), the precursor of the bacterial iron-acquisition compound, enterochelin. As DHB is not a known vertebrate metabolite, it would be expected to be absent from mouse tissues. Salmonella synthesize p AB and DHB from chorismate, the final product of the aromatic biosynthetic (aro) pathway. A complete block at any step of this pathway should make S. typhimurium auxotrophic for two compounds not available in vertebrate tissues, and thus non-virulent. We describe here the use of a tetracycline-resistance transposon, Tn10 (refs 5, 6), inserted in gene aroA to produce non-reverting, aromatic-requiring derivatives of virulent S. typhimurium strains. These derivatives were virtually non-virulent; their use as live vaccines conferred excellent protection against challenge with a virulent strain.
Unifiable supersymmetric left-right model with E6 particle content

Abstract A new supersymmetric gauge model is proposed with particle content chosen only from the 27 and 27 ∗ representations of E 6 . The gauge symmetry SU(3) × SU(2) l × U(1) is realized at the TeV energy scale and the gauge couplings converge to a single value at around 10 16 GeV. A discrete Z 4 × Z 2 symmetry leads to a generalized definition of lepton number and ensures the absence of tree-level flavor-changing neutral-current interactions at the electroweak energy scale.
The third Arctic climate pattern: 1930s and early 2000s

[1] Persistent near-surface warm temperature anomalies have occurred in two localized areas, eastern Siberia/East Siberian Sea and northeastern Canada/Baffin Bay, during winter and spring in recent years (2000–2005) in contrast to previous decades. The proximate cause in winter was a northward displacement and strengthening of the Aleutian Low and a weakening of the Icelandic Low. Spring showed a dipole pattern with higher sea-level pressure (SLP) on the North American side of the Arctic and lower pressures over Eurasia. Phase space trajectories of arctic climate for 1951–2005 based on the first two EOFs of SLP, the Arctic Oscillation and a Pacific North American-like (PNA*) pattern, show multi-annual variability leading to lower SLP and warmer temperatures in the last decades of the 20th century. Recent winters have some projection onto PNA*, but the SLP dipole in recent springs does not strongly project onto either of the two basic climate patterns. The period from 1928–1935 also had a dipole structure in SLP, which contributed to the interdecadal arctic-wide warm temperature anomalies in the first half of the 20th century. Recognition of the recent persistent and somewhat unique Arctic climate pattern is important as it contributes to the ongoing reorganization of arctic ecosystems.