cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy/Adrenomyeloneuropathy

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is inherited neuro-endocrine disorder characterized by primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease) and demyelination. The disease has a broad clinical expression with several well-recognized phenotypes defined by the age of onset and the nature of the neurologic symptoms. These phenotypes range from a rapidly progressive, fatal childhood form with inflammatory cerebral demyelination to an Addison's disease variant that lacks neurologic symptoms. The most common phenotype, accounting for approximately 50% of patients, is adrenomyeloneuropathy, which has onset of spastic paraparesis and adrenal insufficiency in the second-to-fourth decade of life. Heterozygous female carriers of X-ALD may develop mild spastic paraparesis later in life. The overall incidence of X-ALD is estimated to be 1 in 18,000. The disease is caused by mutations in ABCD1 on the X chromosome that codes for ALDP, a peroxisomal membrane protein that is necessary for the oxidation of very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFA). Accumulation of VLCFA in tissues is responsible for the adrenal and neurologic symptoms although the exact pathogenic mechanisms are still unclear. The diagnosis relies on measuring elevated VLCFA in plasma and/or mutation analysis of ABCD1. Newborn screening for X-ALD has recently been initiated in the United States by measuring elevated VLCFA in lipids of dried blood spots and promises to detect all male patients before the onset of symptoms. The adrenal insufficiency is easily treated with hormone replacement and the progressive cerebral demyelination may be halted if treated early with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and possibly gene therapy.
Pedagogies of Personhood: The Place of Lyric in Cultural Criminology

Though recent work in cultural criminology incorporates various texts to illustrate the concepts, questions, and practices under study, it tends to privilege narrative over lyric. This omission is a byproduct of lyricization—the process through which poetry is reduced to a self-enclosed utterance, purged of relevance to its surroundings. My reading of Yusef Komunyakaa puts poetry back in touch with the world around it and demonstrates the usefulness of lyric to the pedagogy of cultural criminology, particularly in the way it explores personhood in its precarious subjection to cultural discourses as well as in its capacities for agency, understanding, and empathy. The poems illuminate the dynamic notion of subjectivity that centers the field. In doing so, they show that lyric can prove as useful as narrative to the study of cultural criminology, as well as to any enterprise that stresses understanding lived experience in its full complexity and intensity.
Comments on: Modular regression—a Lego system for building structured additive distributional regression models with tensor product interactions

This note considers several technical points concerning the work of Kneib, Klein, Lang, and Umlauf. These points are related to the use of basis functions versus function spaces, types of covariates, and model identifiability.
Chapter 14 The sorting of soluble and integral membrane proteins to the yeast vacuole

Abstract Soluble proteins and integral membrane proteins of the yeast vacuole appear to be delivered to the organelle by distinctly different mechanisms. Unsorted soluble proteins that enter the secretory pathway are secreted from the cell in Saccharomyces cerevisiae . In contrast, evidence is presented indicating that the default compartment for unsorted integral membrane proteins is the vacuole rather than the plasma membrane. We present the additional finding that the cytoplasmic domain of an integral membrane protein normally found in the Golgi apparatus is required for retention of the protein in this organelle. Soluble vacuolar proteins are actively sorted to the vacuole in a process that requires many gene products. One of these products is encoded by the VPS1 gene, an 80 kDa, hydrophilic GTPase that appears to associate with the Golgi apparatus. Mutational analysis suggests that Vpslp is composed of two functionally distinct domains. The amino-terminal region carries a GTP-binding domain that is similar in sequence to a growing subfamily of large GTP-binding proteins. The carboxy-terminal domain may be required for the association of the protein with subcellular organelles, or it may direct the protein to specific functional interactions with other components of the sorting apparatus. Loss of the amino-terminal, GTP-binding function in Vpslp results in a novel mutant product that confers a dominant, loss of function phenotype when expressed in wild-type cells.
Biomarkers and Clinical Cardiovascular Outcomes With Ezetimibe in the IMPROVE-IT Trial

Abstract Background Addition of ezetimibe to statin therapy reduces the risk of recurrent cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with prior acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The role of biomarkers in identifying subsets of patients who may derive greater clinical benefit with ezetimibe is unknown. Objectives This study sought to evaluate the role of established CV biomarkers in assessing likely benefit with ezetimibe added to statin therapy in post-ACS patients. Methods In a pre-specified nested analysis within a randomized, double-blind trial of ezetimibe/simvastatin versus placebo/simvastatin (IMPROVE-IT [Improved Reduction of Outcomes: Vytorin Efficacy International Trial]), high-sensitivity troponin T, N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide, growth-differentiation factor-15, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was measured in 7,195 patients stabilized (1 month post-randomization) after ACS. A multimarker approach based on biomarker values was used to examine the risk of recurrent CV events and clinical benefit with ezetimibe. Results Elevated levels of each biomarker were independently associated with higher risks of CV death/myocardial infarction/stroke and CV death/heart failure (ptrend Conclusions A biomarker-based strategy identifies a gradient of risk among patients post-ACS, offering the potential to identify higher-risk patients with a correspondingly high absolute benefit from the addition of ezetimibe to statin therapy.
Abstract P3037: Timing of Food Intake Controls Diurnal Blood Pressure Rhythm in Mice

Recent studies suggest that timing of food intake plays pivotal roles in regulating many physiological processes, such as lipid metabolism, immune responsiveness, and blood pressure (BP). Whether B...
Minimal Stimulation Using Letrozole in Poor Responders

Background: Poor responders refer to women who undergo ovarian stimulation with suboptimal response and an optimal treatment for them has yet to be proven. Minimal stimulation which uses lower doses of gonadotropins than standard long protocols had been shown to yield fewer but higher quality embryos. Minimal stimulation had thus been proposed as an option for poor responders who do not benefit from longer and higher cost regimens. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate outcomes of poor responders who underwent minimal stimulation using letrozole and whether they are comparable to outcomes of conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) in a tertiary center in Singapore. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 43 poor responders who underwent minimal stimulation protocol in KK Women Women’s and Children Women’s Hospital IVF center between March 2011 and March 2014. The protocol involved sequential administration of letrozole followed by low-dose gonadotropins and a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist. Primary outcomes included clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate per patient. A subgroup analysis was done for women undergoing minimal stimulation protocol and having failed conventional IVF protocol in which their outcomes were compared. Results: The average age at time of stimulation was 38.6 years old. Clinical pregnancies were achieved in nine women (20.9%), out of which eight (18.6%) were live births. In the subgroup analysis, cleavage rate obtained in the minimal stimulation protocol was significantly higher at 61.3% compared to the cleavage rate obtained in the conventional IVF cycle at 28.7%. There were no significant differences in the pregnancy and live birth rates of the two cycles. Conclusion: Minimal stimulation protocol using letrozole produces a reasonable live birth rate in poor responders and potentially higher quality oocytes than conventional IVF protocol. J Clin Gynecol Obstet. 2019;8(3):77-80 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jcgo557
Electronic Resources Forum - Managing Researcher Identity: Tools for Researchers and Librarians

AbstractResearchers have increasing opportunities to identify themselves and raise the profile of their research and scholarship through online researcher identity management and researcher profile...
Size-dependent soft epitaxial crystallization in the formation of blend nanofiber shish kebabs

Abstract Hierarchical structures called nanofibers shish-kebabs (NFSKs) have been studied as a means to decorate or functionalize electrospun nanofibers. Blending natural and synthetic polymers together into the electrospun fiber NFSK backbones offers the opportunity to design materials with finely tuned mechanical and biological properties. However, it is not known how homopolymer and copolymer kebab formation will be impacted by these blend compositions. NFSKs made from polycaprolactone (PCL) and gelatin blend fibers with PCL homopolymer and PCL-block-poly (acrylic acid) (PCL-b-PAA) block copolymer crystalline kebabs were successfully formed. The blend fibers templated crystal growth on the surface, but with a highly irregular kebab orientation and periodicity that was attributed to the large fiber diameter for the blend. Acetic acid was then incorporated into the fibers and shown to improve the phase mixing between PCL and gelatin, leading to smaller diameter electrospun fibers and more regular and periodic kebab NFSK morphology. The study further confirmed the size-dependent soft-epitaxy mechanism in the formation of crystalline shish kebab structures, with the electrospun nanofiber diameter leading to more oriented PCL chains within the fiber and subsequent orientation of the crystallizing kebab polymer. These NFSKs with multicomponent shish and kebabs have potential to be versatile scaffolds for biomineralization and cellular engineering purposes.
Improved Air Spacer Co-Integrated with Self-Aligned Contact (SAC) and Contact Over Active Gate (COAG) for Highly Scaled CMOS Technology

We report an improved air spacer that is successfully co-integrated on FinFET transistors with Self-Aligned Contacts (SAC) and Contacts Over Active Gate (COAG). The new integration scheme enables air spacer formation agnostic to the underlying transistor architecture, thus paving the way for a seamless adoption of air spacer in FinFET and Gate-All-Around (GAA) technologies. A reduction in effective capacitance $(C_{\mathrm{eff}})$ by 15% is experimentally demonstrated. The power/performance benefits achieved by the new air spacer exceeds the benefits of scaling FinFET from 7nm node to 5nm node.
Automating the Compilation of Potential Core-Outcomes for Clinical Trials.

Due to increased access to clinical trial outcomes and analysis, researchers and scientists are able to iterate or improve upon relevant approaches more effectively. However, the metrics and related results of clinical trials typically do not follow any standardization in their reports, making it more difficult for researchers to parse the results of different trials. The objective of this paper is to describe an automated method utilizing natural language processing in order to describe the probable core outcomes of clinical trials, in order to alleviate the issues around disparate clinical trial outcomes. As the nature of this process is domain specific, BioBERT was employed in order to conduct a multi-class entity normalization task. In addition to BioBERT, an unsupervised feature-based approach making use of only the encoder output embedding representations for the outcomes and labels was utilized. Finally, cosine similarity was calculated across the vectors to obtain the semantic similarity. This method was able to both harness the domain-specific context of each of the tokens from the learned embeddings of the BioBERT model as well as a more stable metric of sentence similarity. Some common outcomes identified using the Jaccard similarity in each of the classifications were compiled, and while some are untenable, a pipeline for which this automation process could be conducted was established.
Energy performance based connection fees: A case study in New York State

Abstract Energy connection fees and rebates, based on the projected energy load or efficiency of new buildings are currently being considered as a policy option for promoting greater energy efficiency in new construction. In theory, a well designed system of connection fees and rebates could provide states and utilities with a revenue neutral means of creating direct financial incentives for the construction of more energy-efficient buildings. However, a recent case study in New York State found that, in practice, many of the most important features affecting building energy efficiency could not be easily incorporated in connection fee programmes, and that implementation of even a scaled down programme would require a level of administrative commitment and resources which would be difficult to maintain. Instead of implementing connection fee programmes, the authors recommend devoting more resources to an approach based on the combined use of building energy rating systems, enhanced codes with better enforcement, and strategically placed financial incentives and design assistance.
Calculation Of Hadronic Matrix Elements Relevant For Delta I=1/2 Rule And Epsilon-prime In Lattice QCD With Staggered Fermions

This thesis presents the setup and results of numerical calculation of hadronic matrix elements of Delta S=1 weak operators, with the aim of studying the Delta I=1/2 rule and direct CP violation. Such study provides a useful comparison of the Standard Model predictions with experiment. We work within the framework of (partially quenched) Lattice QCD with the staggered (Kogut-Susskind) version of fermions. We have achieved a reasonable statistical accuracy in calculating all matrix elements in question. Based on these results, we find that the Delta I=1/2 channel in K to 2 Pi decays is enhanced compared to the Delta I=3/2 channel. This is consistent with experiment, although the exact amount of enhancement is subject to considerable systematic errors. I also discuss the difficulties encountered in attempting to calculate the direct CP violation parameter epsilon-prime and our approximate solution leading to a crude estimate. In a related study we nonperturbatively compute bilinear renormalization factors Z_S and Z_P, which are needed for our estimate of epsilon-prime and also allow to calculate the light quark masses. For the strange quark mass in NDR MS-bar scheme at 2 GeV in the quenched approximation we find: m_s = 102.9 +/- 5.1 MeV.
ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the United States 2013 by ProQuest

Like many librarians, this reviewer was introduced to the Statistical Abstract of the United States early in her career. The data book quickly became a favorite reference source. In 2011, the U.S. ...
The role of aberrant DNMT3Bs in tumor progression

Cancer is among the most common causes of death in the United States, second only to heart disease, and is initiated by a loss of cell cycle control resulting from the deregulation of oncogenes and/or tumor suppressor genes. Epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation or histone modifications, are common in cancer cells leading to altered gene regulation and tumor progression. Recently, studies have identified aberrant DNA methyltransferase ( DNMT ) transcripts in cancer cells but not normal cells. Specifically, aberrant transcripts of DNMT3B have been shown to have a role in tumor progression including the ΔDNMT3B variants as well as DNMT3B7 . This review focuses on epigenetic changes caused by aberrant DNMT3B s in cancer and their role in tumor progression or suppression.
New gas chromatogrphic assay for the quantification of methadone. Application in human and animal studies.

Abstract A new gas chromatographic assay utilizing 2-dimethylamino-4,4-diphenyl-5-nonanone as the internal standard was developed for the quantification of methadone. The method involved extraction of methadone with 1-chlorobutane from tissue at pH 9.8, re-extraction of an aliquot of the organic solvent with 0.5 M sulphuric acid, alkalinization and final extraction into chloroform. The assay was used to determine the concentration of methadone (i) in whole blood samples from a normal volunteer following a single 9.4-mg oral dose of d -methadone hydrochloride, (ii) in whole blood, saliva and gastric juice from a methadone addict maintained on 90 mg of dl -methadone hydrochloride per day, (iii) in mouse liver microsomes incubated with methadone, and (iv) in the perfusate of the isolated perfused rat liver.
Hot spring siliceous stromatolites from Yellowstone National Park: assessing growth rate and laminae formation

Stromatolites are commonly interpreted as evidence of ancient microbial life, yet stromatolite morphogenesis is poorly understood. We apply radiometric tracer and dating techniques, molecular analyses and growth experiments to investigate siliceous stromatolite morphogenesis in Obsidian Pool Prime (OPP), a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park. We examine rates of stromatolite growth and the environmental and/or biologic conditions that affect lamination formation and preservation, both difficult features to constrain in ancient examples. The "main body" of the stromatolite is composed of finely laminated, porous, light-dark couplets of erect (surface normal) and reclining (surface parallel) silicified filamentous bacteria, interrupted by a less-distinct, well-cemented "drape" lamination. Results from dating studies indicate a growth rate of 1-5 cm year(-1) ; however, growth is punctuated. (14)C as a tracer demonstrates that stromatolite cyanobacterial communities fix CO(2) derived from two sources, vent water (radiocarbon dead) and the atmosphere (modern (14)C). The drape facies contained a greater proportion of atmospheric CO(2) and more robust silica cementation (vs. the main body facies), which we interpret as formation when spring level was lower. Systematic changes in lamination style are likely related to environmental forcing and larger scale features (tectonic, climatic). Although the OPP stromatolites are composed of silica and most ancient forms are carbonate, their fine lamination texture requires early lithification. Without early lithification, whether silica or carbonate, it is unlikely that a finely laminated structure representing an ancient microbial mat would be preserved. In OPP, lithification on the nearly diurnal time scale is likely related to temperature control on silica solubility.
A PhoP-repressed gene promotes Salmonella typhimurium invasion of epithelial cells.

The Salmonella typhimurium transcriptional regulators, PhoP/PhoQ, induce phoP-activated gene (pag) expression to promote virulence and intracellular survival within macrophages. This response to the macrophage intracellular environment is simulated by phoP/phoQ constitutive mutations (phenotype PhoPc) that increase the expression of pag genes and repress the synthesis of approximately 20 proteins encoded by phoP-repressed genes (prg genes) (S. I. Miller and J. J. Mekalanos, J. Bacteriol. 172:2485-2490, 1990). PhoPc bacteria are attenuated for mouse virulence, suggesting that prg genes are virulence genes. We now report the identification of five unlinked prg loci by use of the transposon TnphoA. In general, medium conditions (i.e., starvation) that activate pag expression repress prg expression. However, variable effects on the PhoP regulon were observed when bacteria were grown under different oxygen tensions (pag and prg genes) or exposed to low pH (prg genes), suggesting heterogenous control of the regulon. One prg locus, prgH, was demonstrated to contribute to mouse virulence by both the oral and the intraperitoneal routes. prgH was located at 59 min on the Salmonella chromosome, a region where other genes essential to invasion of epithelial cells are clustered. The prgH locus was highly linked to one invasion locus, hil (C.A. Lee, B.D. Jones, and S. Falkow, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:1847-1851, 1992), although transcription of prgH was opposite that of the Tn5B50-encoded promoters that result in a hyperinvasive or hil phenotype. Both PrgH and PhoPc mutant S. typhimurium were found to be defective in induction of endocytosis by Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells. The invasion defect of PrgH but not that of PhoPc mutant bacteria was complemented by plasmids containing prgH (hil) DNA. Therefore, two virulence properties of Salmonella species, induction of endocytosis by epithelial cells and survival within macrophages, are oppositely modulated by the PhoP/PhoQ virulence regulators.
Effect of surface modification of nanofibres with glutamic acid peptide on calcium phosphate nucleation and osteogenic differentiation of marrow stromal cells

Biomineralization is mediated by extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins with amino acid sequences rich in glutamic acid. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of calcium phosphate deposition on aligned nanofibres surface-modified with a glutamic acid peptide on osteogenic differentiation of rat marrow stromal cells. Blend of EEGGC peptide (GLU) conjugated low molecular weight polylactide (PLA) and high molecular weight poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) was electrospun to form aligned nanofibres (GLU-NF). The GLU-NF microsheets were incubated in a modified simulated body fluid for nucleation of calcium phosphate crystals on the fibre surface. To achieve a high calcium phosphate to fibre ratio, a layer-by-layer approach was used to improve diffusion of calcium and phosphate ions inside the microsheets. Based on dissipative particle dynamics simulation of PLGA/PLA-GLU fibres, > 80% of GLU peptide was localized to the fibre surface. Calcium phosphate to fibre ratios as high as 200%, between those of cancellous (160%) and cortical (310%) bone, was obtained with the layer-by-layer approach. The extent of osteogenic differentiation and mineralization of marrow stromal cells seeded on GLU-NF microsheets was directly related to the amount of calcium phosphate deposition on the fibres prior to cell seeding. Expression of osteogenic markers osteopontin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin and type 1 collagen increased gradually with calcium phosphate deposition on GLU-NF microsheets. Results demonstrate that surface modification of aligned synthetic nanofibres with EEGGC peptide dramatically affects nucleation and growth of calcium phosphate crystals on the fibres leading to increased osteogenic differentiation of marrow stromal cells and mineralization.
In-situ pore structure characterization during sol-gel synthesis of controlled porosity materials

Abstract Using NMR relaxation measurements of pore fluid, the pore volume, surface area, and pore size distribution of wet materials may be measured in-situ. In this manner, changes in pore structure may be directly observed during various aging steps (i.e., temporal, thermal, solvent exchange, pH) of sol-gel derived porous solids. By combining these relaxation measurements with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (NMRI), the spatial variation of pore structure may be observed. In addition to how the surface area, porosity, and pore size distribution vary at different points within the sample, the change of sample physical dimensions during processing can be measured. This enables the study of catalyst-related problems such as “skin” effects and catalyst supports with spatially-varied structure in order to minimize mass transfer limitations.
Adolescent Survivors of Hurricane Katrina: A Pilot Study of Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis Functioning

The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis constitutes an important biological component of the stress response commonly studied through the measurement of cortisol. Limited research has examined HPA axis dysregulation in youth exposed to disasters. This study examined HPA axis activation in adolescent Hurricane Katrina survivors relative to a non-exposed community comparison group. It was hypothesized that Hurricane Katrina survivors would experience lower basal morning cortisol and greater cortisol suppression with low-dose dexamethasone than the comparison group. Fourteen Hurricane Katrina survivors and nine non-exposed community residents were assessed 21 months after the disaster in this observational pilot study with an experimental component. Salivary cortisol was collected at baseline and following low-dose dexamethasone challenge. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depressive, and externalizing symptoms were assessed with self-report instruments. Relative to the community participants, Hurricane Katrina survivors had significantly higher PTSD and depressive symptoms, and, as hypothesized, lower basal morning salivary cortisol. In the full sample, basal morning cortisol was negatively associated with depressive and externalizing symptoms. The hypothesis that low-dose dexamethasone challenge would show more cortisol suppression in Hurricane Katrina survivors than the comparison group was not supported, perhaps reflecting more depressive symptoms in the survivors or due to a floor effect of low cortisol levels. The results augment the extant literature on youth exposed to disasters by emphasizing the importance of depressive and externalizing symptoms as well as PTSD symptoms in HPA axis functioning. Future research is needed to fully elucidate HPA axis functioning in youth exposed to disasters.
Decision-making in Recreational Fisheries Management: An Analysis

Abstract A conceptual model of the decision-making process in fisheries management is presented in conjunction with applications of computer and systems analysis to this process. One of the most difficult problems to solve is selecting objectives to be used for management evaluation. An objective function based on some or all of the components of yield, species, size desirability, and environmental quality is needed. Systems analysis and computer technology in data processing and simulation may be used in many situations to evaluate decision alternatives as an aid in developing management strategies.
Inductive Learning in Civil Engineering: Rough Sets Approach

The paper discusses several potential civil engineering applications of inductive systems based on the theory of rough sets. This theory is discussed briefly. An inductive system is proposed for applications in knowledge acquisition for expert systems, for problem-solving, shallow modeling, learning about different domains, and in learning expert systems.
Musculoskeletal manifestations of osteomalacia and rickets

Osteomalacia (OM) is still an important metabolic bone disease with increased prevalence in certain regions of the world as well as in the urban population of elderly confined. The disease presents with a wide variety of clinical, biochemical and radiographic manifestations mimicking other musculoskeletal disorders, including 'osteoporosis'. In this chapter, we provide the basis for its clinical diagnosis and management. There have been significant recent advances in the understanding of vitamin D deficiency and hypophosphataemic osteomalacia, which can now assist clinicians in the precise diagnosis and treatment of this disease. In this chapter we also review the various underlying aetiologies. The successful management of OM depends on the underlying aetiology.
Diagnostic significance and practical approach to ground-glass opacity with high-resolution computed tomography

Abstract Ground-glass opacity of the lung parenchyma is a frequent but nonspecific finding on high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans. When there is a question of active alveolitis, the radiologist can, however, provide useful clinical information in many cases. Ground-glass opacity reflects morphologic changes beyond the resolution of modern CT scanners which makes a basic understanding of lung anatomy and pathophysiology essential. This review discusses the clinical significance of ground-glass opacity in certain diseases and provides a practical approach to radiologic interpretation based on disease patterns.
Changes in adult cigarette smoking in the Minnesota Heart Health Program.

OBJECTIVES. The Minnesota Heart Health Program was a research and demonstration project designed to reduce risk factors for heart disease in whole communities. This paper describes smoking-specific interventions and outcomes. METHODS. Three pairs of matched communities were included in the study. After baseline surveys, one community in each pair received a 5-year education program, while both cross-sectional and cohort surveys continued in all sites. Adult education programs for smoking cessation included Quit and Win contests, classes, self-help materials, telephone support, and home correspondence programs. RESULTS. Encouraging short-term results were obtained for several adult education programs. Overall long-term outcomes were mixed, with evidence of an intervention effect only for women in cross-sectional survey data. Unexpectedly strong secular declines in smoking prevalence were observed in comparison communities. CONCLUSIONS. The findings suggest that community education may be unlikely to exceed dramatic secular reductions in smoking prevalence. The success of several key interventions and the incorporation of Minnesota Heart Health Program interventions by education communities are encouraging, however.
A novel approach to the resolution analysis of geophysical inversion

The analysis of sensitivity and resolution of geophysical methods is one of the most important problems of practical geophysics. In this paper we develop a novel technique for resolution studies, based on the evaluation of the maximum possible errors in the solution of the inverse problem for the given level of errors in the observed data. We introduce a new characteristic of geophysical inversion, a resolution density, which is determined as the inverse of the upper bounds of the model parameter errors. The method is demonstrated by the resolution study of three-dimensional (3-D) electromagnetic (EM) inversion. The case history includes interpretation of the helicopter-borne EM data collected by INCO Exploration in the Voisey’s Bay area of Canada. We believe that this new technique provides a useful tool for the analysis of the accuracy and quality of the geophysical inversion.
Pulpitis resulting from incomplete tooth fracture

Summary o 1. Attention has been directed toward the existence of incomplete tooth fracture leading to pulpitis. 2. Diagnostic difficulties have been reported and suggestions for earlier recognition emphasized.
Cyclic creep-rupture behavior of three high-temperature alloys.

Some important characteristics of the cyclic creep-rupture curves have been studied for the titanium alloy 6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo at 900° and 1100°F (755 and 865 K), the cobalt-base alloy L-605 at 1180°F <910 K), and for two hardness levels of 316 stainless steel at 1300°F (980 K). Such curves have been used successfully in a previous investigation for the evaluation and prediction of strain-cycling life at elevated temperatures within the creep range. The cyclic creep-rupture curve relates tensile stress and tensile time-to-rupture for strain-limited cyclic loading and has been found to be independent of the total strain range and the level of compressive stress employed in the cyclic creep-rupture tests. The cyclic creep-rupture curve was always found to be above and to the right of the conventional (constant load) monotonic creep-rupture curve by factors ranging from 2 to 10 in time-to-rupture. This factor tends to be greatest when the creep ductility is large. Cyclic creep acceleration was observed in every cyclic creep-rupture test conducted. The phenomenon was most pronounced at the highest stress levels and when the tensile and compressive stresses were completely reversed. In general, creep rates were found to be lower in compression than in tension for equal true stresses. The differences, however, were strongly material dependent.
Cs+(18-crown-6)2e-: A 1D Heisenberg Antiferromagnet with Unusual Phase Transitions

Crystalline Cs+(18-crown-6)2e- was found to be a linear chain Heisenberg antiferromagnet (J/kB = −38.3 K). It undergoes a slow, irreversible transition above ∼230 K from a crystalline low temperature (LT) phase to a disordered Curie−Weiss paramagnetic high temperature (HT) phase. A 100 ppm diamagnetic (more shielded) shift of the 133Cs MAS NMR peak accompanies this transition. EPR studies confirm the transition and are in accord with the conversion of the known crystal structure to a disordered phase. This HT phase undergoes an additional first-order reversible transition upon cooling below ∼220 K (ΔH = 0.33 kJ mol-1 upon rewarming) accompanied by the formation of two peaks in the 133Cs NMR spectrum. Variable-temperature powder X-ray diffraction confirms the disordered or microcrystalline nature of the HT phase(s).
A query to Mr. Goodman

IN THE following remarks I want to review a problem which bothers Nelson Goodman in his The Structure of Appearance, and subsequently to raise a basic question about his intentions some answer to which appears to me must be presupposed in order correctly to assess the worth of the system he presents. The problem I have in mind is the one Goodman has christened "the difficulty of imperfect community." Readers of The Structure of Appearance will remember that a difficulty of this type appears first in Goodman's discussion of Carnap's Aufbau constructions, that he finds no solution to it offered by Carnap, and that he concludes that it "wrecks Carnap's defini81
ASSOCIATIVE SCALING OF RANDOM TACTUAL STIMULI

This report describes an extension and refinement of the Noble ( 1952 ) technique of scaling association value as applied to tactual stimuli. The equivalent visual forms were scaled by Vanderplas and Garvin (1959), using Glaze's ( 1928) method with a 3-sec. association period. Since a 3-sec. stimulus exposure was inadequate for tactual inspection of the stimuli, and no information was available regarding a comparable association period for this modality, a modification of Noble's (1952) method was devised so as to minimize the influence of the time interval on the resulting measures of association value. Eight random shapes from the six-point shapes (Nos. 1, 5, 10, 11, 14, 21, 26, 27) scaled by Vanderplas and Garvin (1959) were cut from %-in. thick rubber tile and mounted on vinyl tile backgrounds. They were presented tactually in an individual random order to 25 male and 25 female undergraduates. Each shape was presented for 2 min. during which S gave as many discrete associative responses as possible. S was warned to avoid chaining of associates and to redirect his attention toward the stimulus after each response. Response latency was recorded to the nearest second. The response latencies were used to determine the cumulative mean number of responses at successive 5-sec. intervals for each shape. These data exhibited orderly negatively accelerated exponential trends. Therefore, equations of the form, were fitted for each shape. The value of n, the asymptote, was estimated by the tripart method (Lewis, 1960). The values of a, the rate constant, and to, the time-axis intercept, were then determined by linear reduction and the method of least squares. The fit of the linear reduction equations was adequate, as the indices of determination ranged from 995 to .999.l The resulting equation parameters were taken as derived association values and correlated with the values reported by Vanderplas and Garvin ( 1959). The Pearson product-moment n for n, a, and to were .88, -.93, and -.66, respectively (s = .71, p = .05). Despite differences in population, scaling method, and sense mode between the two studies, the association values appear comparable. 'Tables showing measures of association value derived from the cumulative mean number of responses for each stimulus and correlation between these values and those of Vanderplar and Garvin have been filed with the American Documentation Institute, Photoduplication Service, Auxiliary Publications Project, Library of Congress, Washington 25, D. C. Order Document No. 6963, remitting $1.25 for 35-mm. microfilm or photocopies.
Solids flow mapping in a high pressure slurry bubble column

Abstract Successful design and scale-up of Slurry Bubble Column Reactors (SBCRs) require proper understanding of how operating conditions affect their flow behavior. Presently, there is little information on the flow dynamics of solids (e.g., distribution of velocities and turbulent parameters) in slurry systems that are operated at industrially relevant conditions of high pressure, high superficial gas velocities, and high solids loading. Computer Automated Radio Particle Tracking (CARPT) is widely recognized as one of a few techniques that can be reliably used even in highly turbulent and opaque slurry flows. This work utilizes an improved CARPT technique to investigate the effect of reactor pressure (0.1–1 MPa) and superficial gas velocity (0.08–0.45 m/s) on solids phase velocity and shear stress in a pilot scale 0.16 m diameter stainless steel column using an air–water–glass beads ( 150 μ m ) system. The solids axial velocity and shear stress were found to increase noticeably with pressure and superficial gas velocity in the churn turbulent flow regime.
Ergonomic Comparison of Slanted and Vertical Computer Mouse Designs

The effect of using five different optical mice on cursor positioning task performance and on wrist posture was investigated. The 5 mouse designs included 1 conventional mouse, 2 angled mice and 2 ...
Induced Environment Contamination Monitor (IECM) Cascade Impactor

The Cascade Impactor on the IECM is an aerosol sampling instrument which employs three cascade impaction-type nozzles of progressively smaller diameter. The considered approach makes it possible to achieve particle size discrimination involving three ranges (5 microns and larger, 1 to 5 microns, and 0.3 to 1 micron). In addition to the particulate measuring cascade stages, a fourth quartz crystal microbalance measures the cumulative airborne molecular nonvolatile residue (NVR) at ambient temperature. The cascade measurements provide a temporal record of the payload bay's particulate environment during ascent, descent, and immediate postlanding periods. The NVR stage functions throughout the mission. Particulates of a size greater than five microns in diameter were below 10 micrograms per cu m throughout the mission.
Sintering of two phase lamellar microstructures

The effect of an inert phase on neck growth rates during sintering of lamellar structures is described. Sintering diagrams are constructed for an aggregate of two-phase Cu spheres with lamellar microstructure containing an inert phase. It is shown that the regions corresponding to lattice diffusion domination shrink due to the inert phase presence. As the dispersion becomes finer, the alterations in the map become substantial.
Anchor Chaining's Influence on Soil Hydrology and Seeding Success in Burned Piñon-Juniper Woodlands

ABSTRACT Broadcast seeding is one of the most commonly applied rehabilitation treatments for the restoration of burned pinon and juniper woodlands, but the success rate of this treatment is notoriously low. In pinon-juniper woodlands, postfire soil—water repellency can impair seeding success by reducing soil—water content and increasing soil erosion. Implementing anchor chaining immediately after seeding can improve establishment of seeded species by enhancing seed-to-soil contact and may improve restoration success by decreasing soil—water repellency through soil tillage. The objectives of this research were to 1) determine if anchor chaining in postfire pinyon-juniper woodlands diminishes soil—water repellency, and 2) determine meaningful relationships between soil—water repellency, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity [K(h)], and the establishment of seeded and invasive species. Research was conducted on two study sites, each located on a burned pinon-juniper woodland that had severe water repellency and...
Object exploration in the developing rat: Methodological considerations

The current study was conducted to characterize the ontogeny of novel object recognition in rats. Initial testing (Experiment 1) was conducted in a square arena and it was observed that 21-day-old animals would often pause in the corners, greatly increasing between-subject variability and performance in this test. Significantly greater object exploration and less variability were obtained using a circular arena. In Experiment 2, we report object exploration in 21, 35, 42, and 90-day-old male and female Sprague-Dawley rats using a circular arena. The results show that measures of locomotor activity, object exploration, and within session habituation of these behaviors were surprisingly similar across all ages. Gender differences in locomotor activity were not observed until 42 days of age. Reliable recognition memory was observed at all ages. It is concluded that the novel object recognition test appears well suited for use in young rats. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 55: 373–381, 2013
The stability of a compressible stratified shear layer

The stability of a stratified shear layer is studied using the compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations, including an effective gravity term to represent curvature effects of the flow and magnetic field line geometry. A general eigenvalue equation is derived for a two‐dimensional MHD fluid. For the case of a hyperbolic tangent shear flow and exponential density profile, it is found that in the Boussinesq approximation the compressibility raises the critical Richardson number from (1)/(4) to as much as (1)/(2) , with the exact value depending on the value of the magnetic field at infinity. Under the approximation of a strong asymptotic magnetic field, but without invoking the Boussinesq approximation, it is shown both analytically and numerically that the density gradient terms cause the shear instability to be dispersive. In particular, the long‐wavelength stability boundary for the case of Richardson number J=0 is characterized by a normalized phase velocity c=−1. This result implies that the sol...
Activation of ICAM-1 promoter by lysophosphatidylcholine: possible involvement of protein tyrosine kinases.

Abstract Lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC) selectively upregulates the mRNA level of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) but not that of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Transfection studies show that lyso-PC activates the ICAM-1 promoter but not the VCAM-1 promoter. Gel mobility shift assays document an increase in NF-κB binding in cells treated with lyso-PC. The increases of ICAM-1 mRNA and NF-κB binding were inhibited by the protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors, genistein and lavendustin A, but not by inhibitors for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases or protein kinase C. Our results suggest that lyso-PC induces ICAM-1 expression most likely by activating NF-κB, and that the effect appears to be protein tyrosine kinase-dependent.
An Environmentally Friendly Baratol Replacement for Plane Wave Generator Applications

The development of low adjustable detonation velocity plastic bonded explosive (PBX) formulations is described. The PBX consists of octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX), zinc oxide, and Viton A as the binder. We prepared several formulations and determined a range of sensitivity values with respect to impact, spark, friction, and thermal stability for these formulations. Furthermore, we experimentally determined the detonation velocity of each formulation and discovered that a detonation velocity near 5 km/s is attainable using 30 wt% HMX, 60 wt% zinc oxide, and 5 wt% Viton A.
A 2.2 W, 80 MHz superscalar RISC microprocessor

A 28 mW/MHz at 80 MHz structured-custom RISC microprocessor design is described. This 32-b implementation of the PowerPC architecture is fabricated in a 3.3 V, 0.5 /spl mu/m, 4-level metal CMOS technology, resulting in 1.6 million transistors in a 7.4 mm by 11.5 mm chip size. Dual 8-kilobyte instruction and data caches coupled to a high performance 32/64-b system bus and separate execution units (float, integer, loadstore, and system units) result in peak instruction rates of three instructions per clock cycle. Low-power design techniques are used throughout the entire design, including dynamically powered down execution units. Typical power dissipation is kept under 2.2 W at 80 MHz. Three distinct levels of software-programmable, static, low-power operation-for system power management are offered, resulting in standby power dissipation from 2 mW to 350 mW. CPU to bus clock ratios of 1/spl times/, 2/spl times/, 3/spl times/, and 4/spl times/ are implemented to allow control of system power while maintaining processor performance. As a result, workstation level performance is packed into a low-power, low-cost design ideal for notebooks and desktop computers. >
Sub-Diffraction Limited Pattering via Optical Saturable Transformations

Here, we report on a method that resolves nanoscale patterns by exploiting the transitions of organic photochromic derivatives induced by their photoisomerization at low light intensities.
Numerical simulation of mass transport in internal solitary waves

A computational study of mass transport by large-amplitude, mode-2 internal solitary waves propagating on a pycnocline between two layers of different densities was conducted. The numerical model is based on the simulation of a vorticity-based formulation of the two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations in the Boussinesq limit. Numerical experiments are conducted of the collapse of an initially mixed region, which leads to the generation of a train of internal solitary waves. The peak wave amplitude, a, is achieved by the leading wave, which encloses an intrusional bulge. The wave amplitude decays as it moves away from the collapsing mixing region. When the amplitude drops below a critical value, the wave is no longer able to transport mass and sharp-nosed intrusion is left behind. Mass transport by the leading wave, and by the trailing wave train and intrusion, is analyzed by tracking the motion of Lagrangian particles initially concentrated in the mixed region. Results indicate that for moderate wave amplitudes, a gradual decay in the wave amplitude occurs as the wave propagates, but the structure of the bulge is essentially maintained during this process. In contrast, for large-amplitude waves, the motion around the bulge is substantially more complex, exhibiting periodic shedding of vortex structures in the wake of the bulge and entrainment of external fluid into its core. It is shown that these motions have substantial impact on mass transport by the wave train, which is quantified through detailed analysis of the Lagrangian particle distributions.