cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Broadband dispersion-free optical cavities based on zero group delay dispersion mirror sets.

A broadband dispersion-free optical cavity using a zero group delay dispersion (zero-GDD) mirror set is demonstrated. In general zero-GDD mirror sets consist of two or more mirrors with opposite group delay dispersion (GDD), that when used together, form an optical cavity with vanishing dispersion over an enhanced bandwidth in comparison with traditional low GDD mirrors. More specifically, in this paper, we show a realization of such a two-mirror cavity, where the mirrors show opposite GDD and simultaneously a mirror reflectivity of 99.2% over 100 nm bandwidth (480 nm – 580 nm).
Effects of delayed mating on reproductive output of female oriental beetle Anomala orientalis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

1 Although management of the oriental beetle Anomala orientalis (Waterhouse) by mating disruption shows promise across a range of agricultural systems, relatively little is known about aspects of the reproductive biology of this species relevant to its management. We studied the effects of delayed mating on several aspects of the oviposition behaviour and biology of the oriental beetle using females mated in the laboratory at 4–13 days posteclosion. 2 Females exhibited a gradual decline in fecundity with increased age at mating that was largely a function of a decline in duration of the oviposition period, as well as lower female fertility: females mated at 11 days were less likely to lay any fertile eggs. However, egg fertility did not vary with female age at mating. 3 Because mating delay did not affect longevity, females mated at older ages experienced decreased oviposition periods; however, females laid more eggs per day with increased age at mating, which partially offset shorter oviposition periods. 4 A mating delay of ≥ 6 days relative to females mated within the first day of reaching sexual maturity resulted in an approximately 35–50% lower mean fecundity. 5 These results suggest that, for mating disruption to be a successful management tool for the oriental beetle, mating must be prevented rather than delayed. We compare the findings of the present study with the published research on delayed mating in moths and discuss the importance of these results in relation to management of the oriental beetle using female sex pheromones.
Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microcopy of Extravasating Cancer Cells in the Mouse Microenvironment

Cell migration is fundamental for cancer metastasis, wound healing, stem cell differentiation and development. Here we explore the tumor microenvironment of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells using the phasor approach to FLIM in order to map the fluorescence lifetime of autofluorescencent intrinsic bio-chemical species in living tissues. We compared aggressive cancer cells with host mouse cells as they extravasated from the blood vessel wall into surrounding tissue. To visualize the tumor cells we engineered MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells to express paxillin-GFP, a focal adhesion protein involved in cell migration. To image the response of cancer cells and the surrounding tissue during extravasation, tumor cells were injected in the blood stream of nude mice and imaged using 2-photon excitation to excite EGFP at 900 nm and at 760nm to detect autofluorescence in the microenvironment. A skin flap was opened to visualize blood vessels and recognize the position of colonies of the tumor cells. Two-photon imaging showed that after an initial phase in which cells are non-adherent, some cells spread on the internal surface of blood vessels. After four days many cells appeared on the external side of the blood vessel. Preliminary results show that when cells start to adhere to the blood vessel wall they form focal adhesions as determined by their characteristic elongated features observed in the paxillin-GFP channel. Using the phasor analysis method we map the concentration of collagen, flavins, and NADH by their phasor signature. Cells show autofluorescence indicated of the metabolic states of the cancer cells. This approach could identify cancer cells in tissues based on their autofluorescence signature. Furthermore we could detect the response of surrounding tissue at different stages of cancer-cell extravasation. This work was supported by NIH P50 GM076516, P41 RR03155 and CA132971.
Continuous Cardiac Output Measurement: Aspects of Doppler Frequency Analysis

From the suprasternal notch blood flow velocity in the aorta can be measured non-invasively by a Doppler probe. Integration over systole after frequency analysis gives a measure of stroke volume if a separate diameter observation is incorporated. Frequency analysis by a zero crossing counter or by a set of parallel phaselock loops was less effective than a set of bandpass filters. Observations on dogs, baboons and humans before and after exercise or surgery suggest the indications to be useful. Application to judging heart failure by the effect of introducing a volume load is indicated. Changes in output also are measured in freely moving subjects.
Towards the physical basis of how intrinsic disorder mediates protein function.

Abstract Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are an important class of functional proteins that is highly prevalent in biology and has broad association with human diseases. In contrast to structured proteins, free IDPs exist as heterogeneous and dynamical conformational ensembles under physiological conditions. Many concepts have been discussed on how such intrinsic disorder may provide crucial functional advantages, particularly in cellular signaling and regulation. Establishing the physical basis of these proposed phenomena requires not only detailed characterization of the disordered conformational ensembles, but also mechanistic understanding of the roles of various ensemble properties in IDP interaction and regulation. Here, we review the experimental and computational approaches that may be integrated to address many important challenges of establishing a “structural” basis of IDP function, and discuss some of the key emerging ideas on how the conformational ensembles of IDPs may mediate function, especially in coupled binding and folding interactions.
A statistical study of galactic bright Be stars

Creation of a modern database with a wide variety of data is an important step toward a better understanding of the Be phenomenon. In an effort to do that, I refined the existing catalog of Galactic Be stars and collected available observational data for 340 brightest objects and present some results of these data analysis. New candidates for Be binaries, which seem to represent a large fraction of Be stars, are suggested. Importance of the circumstellar optical continuum for modeling of the Be star envelopes is illustrated.
Minimal progesterone concentration required for embryo survival after embryo transfer in lactating Holstein cows

Objectives were to determine progesterone concentration (P4) from days 4 to 28 relative to presumptive estrus necessary for maintenance of pregnancy in lactating Holstein cows. Cows were assigned to the low P4 (LowP4, n=28) or control (n=153) treatments. All cows were presynchronized with two injections of PGF(2α) (14d apart) and an ovulation synchronization protocol (11d later; GnRH on day -10, PGF(2α) on day -3; and GnRH on day 0=presumptive estrus). Cows in the Low P4 treatment received 2 injections of prostaglandin F(2α) on days 4 and 5 (day 0=presumptive estrus) and a new CIDR insert on day 5 that was replaced every 7d until day 28. Blood was sampled on days -9, -2, 0, 4, 7,14, 21, and 28. Ovaries were examined with ultrasound on days -9, -3, and 7 and cows bearing a corpus luteum ≥20mm on day 7 received an embryo. On days 0, 4 and 7 P4 did not differ (P≥0.27) but control cows had greater (P<0.01) P4 on days 14, 21, and 28. Progesterone concentration fold change from day 0 to 7 was not (P=0.14) affected by treatment, but P4 concentration fold change from day 7 to 14 was (P<0.01) greater for control cows compared with LowP4 cows. No LowP4 cows became pregnant after embryo transfer, whereas 35.7, 25.5, and 21.4% of control cows were pregnant on day 28, 42, and 63, respectively. Progesterone concentration fold changes from day 0 to 7 (P=0.03) and from day 7 to 14 (P=0.05) were associated with pregnancy outcomes on day 63. Among cows that were pregnant on day 63, the minimum P4 concentration fold changes from day 0 to 7 and from day 7 to 14 were 2.71 and 1.48, respectively. Interestingly, cows with P4 concentration <5ng/mL on day 14 were (P=0.01) and tended to be (P=0.07) more likely to lose pregnancy from day 28 to 42 and from day 28 and 63, respectively. Faster rise in P4 concentration during the metestrus and early diestrus are associated with pregnancy establishment following embryo transfer, which suggests that early rise in P4 concentration has an indirect effect on embryo development through modulation of uterine environment and secretion of histotroph. Furthermore, the positive effects of early rise in P4 concentration appear to go beyond the phase of maternal recognition of pregnancy through adhesion and placentation stages.
The importance of a percutaneous trial of a spinal cord stimulator in a patient with extreme scoliosis.

To the Editor, As a technique that relies on anatomical landmarks, percutaneous placement of a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) can be very difficult in patients with scoliosis. This is due not only to the abnormal anatomy of patients with scoliosis, but also to the postoperative changes that occur as a result of corrective procedures. Because of this, surgical placement is often opted for over percutaneous placement. As current literature supports only about a 50–60% success rate in treatment of patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBBS) [1], we feel that a percutaneous trial placement is a more conservative and subsequently superior modality compared with undergoing surgical placement without trial. A literature search revealed only one case report of percutaneous placement with a case of advanced scoliosis [2]. We present another successful placement and hope to encourage other practitioners to consider a minimally invasive trial prior to scheduling a patient for operative placement. Percutaneous SCS placement has been shown to be a cost-effective technique and is minimally invasive [1,3]. Procedure-related discomfort that may compromise a therapeutic trial is also minimized. Percutaneous electrodes allow longitudinal access to multiple levels via a single interlaminar needle puncture. This facilitates mapping of multiple targets. The use of …
Spontaneous Helical Structure Formation in Laminin Nanofibers.

Laminin is a cross-shaped heterotrimer composed of three polypeptides chains that assembles into an insoluble extracellular matrix (ECM) network as part of the basement membrane, serving a vital role in many processes such as embryonic development, differentiation, and muscle and nerve regeneration. Here we engineered monodisperse laminin nanofibers using a surface-initiated assembly technique in order to investigate how changes in protein composition affect formation and structure of the network. Specifically, we compared laminin 111 with varying degrees of purity and with and without entactin to determine whether these changes alter biophysical properties. All the laminin types were reproducibly patterned as 200 μm long, 20 μm wide nanofibers that were successfuly released during surface-initiated assembly into solution. All nanofibers contracted upon release, and while initial lengths were identical, lengths of released fibers depended on the laminin type. Uniquely, the laminin 111 at high purity (>95%) and without entactin spontaneously formed helical nanofibers at greater than 90%. Atomic force microscopy revealed that the nanofiber contraction was associated with a change in nanostructure from fibrillar to nodular, suggestive of refolding of laminin molecules into a globular-like conformation. Further, for the high purity laminin that formed helices, the density of the laminin at the edges of the nanofiber was higher than in the middle, providing a possible origin for the differential pre-stress driving the helix formation. Together, these results show that variation in the purity of laminin 111 and presence of entactin can have significant impact on the biophysical properties of the assembled protein networks. This highlights the fact that our understanding of protein assembly and function is still incomplete and that cell-free, in vitro assays can provide unique insights into the ECM.
Atrial pacing-induced alternating Wenckebach periodicity and multilevel conduction block in children.

Abstract Multilevel block within the atrioventricular (AV) node has not been previously described in children. Six children with atrial pacing-induced repetitive block are presented. The conduction patterns satisfy the requisites for alternating Wenckebach periodicity or multilevel AV block. In 2 patients the block is documented in the AV node and infra-His region. In 4 patients multilevel block within the AV node is postulated by deductive reasoning. In this study, 2 patterns of alternating Wenckebach periodicity are reported for the first time: sequences of 3:1 block with progressive prolongation of the conducted impulses terminating in 4:1 block; and sequences of 2:1 block with progressive prolongation of the conducted impulses terminating in 2 series of 3:1 block, in which the first conducted impulse following the first 2 blocked beats Is not the shortest one, whereas that following the second 2 blocked beats is the shortest.
Socialization, Land, and Citizenship among Aboriginal Australians: Reconciling Indigenous and Western Forms of Education

Socialization, Land, and Citizenship among Aboriginal Australians: Reconciling Indigenous and Western Forms of Education. Raymond Matthew Nichol. Lewiston, NY: Edward Mellen Press, 2005. 480 pp.
Removal of Arginine 332 Allows Human TRIM5α To Bind Human Immunodeficiency Virus Capsids and To Restrict Infection

Human TRIM5alpha (TRIM5alpha(hu)) only modestly inhibits human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and does not inhibit simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV(mac)). Alteration of arginine 332 in the TRIM5alpha(hu) B30.2 domain to proline, the residue found in rhesus monkey TRIM5alpha, has been shown to create a potent restricting factor for both HIV-1 and SIV(mac.) Here we demonstrate that the potentiation of HIV-1 inhibition results from the removal of a positively charged residue at position 332 of TRIM5alpha(hu.) The increase in restricting activity correlated with an increase in the ability of TRIM5alpha(hu) mutants lacking arginine 332 to bind HIV-1 capsid complexes. A change in the cyclophilin A-binding loop of the HIV-1 capsid decreased TRIM5alpha(hu) R332P binding and allowed escape from restriction. The ability of TRIM5alpha(hu) to restrict SIV(mac) could be disrupted by the presence of any charged residue at position 332. Thus, charged residues in the v1 region of the TRIM5alpha(hu) B30.2 domain can modulate capsid binding and restriction potency. Therapeutic strategies designed to neutralize arginine 332 of TRIM5alpha(hu) might potentiate the innate resistance of human cells to HIV-1 infection.
Point-to-Point Loss in Link Systems: Model and Calculation Methods

The switching networks of modern telephone exchanges are often built as multistage arrays which are controlled by conditional selection. Thereby, the strategy is often applied that a certain inlet in stage 1 is to be connected with a certain outlet m the last stage. The traffic loss due to nonavailability of an idle path between the two points is called point-to-point loss or point loss. A traffic models for the calculation of the point loss is defined. Then approximate methods of calculating the point loss in threeand four-stage link systems are derived. The results of calculation are compared with those obtained with a full-scale simulation of the systems investigated.
The Evolution of Urethroplasty for Bulbar Urethral Stricture Disease: Lessons Learned from a Single Center Experience

Purpose: We reviewed the evolution of repairs for bulbar urethral stricture disease and analyzed changes in outcomes.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 429 men who underwent urethroplasty for bulbar urethral stricture disease from January 1996 to September 2011. Patient demographics, stricture related details, and intraoperative and postoperative information were collected. We used 1-way ANOVA for differences in age and stricture length, the Fisher exact test for differences in recurrence rates, and the t-test and chi-square test with the Bonferroni correction for subgroup analysis.Results: Of the 429 men 384 (90%) had followup data available. Buccal mucosa surpassed penile skin as our preferred tissue for augmented anastomotic repairs by 1999. It was accompanied by an improved recurrence rate (21.6% vs 5.8%, p = 0.002). The average length of strictures treated with excision and primary anastomosis increased after 2004 (1.29 vs 1.54 cm, p = 0.05) but this was not associated ...
Writing on Dirty Paper with Resizing and its Application to Quasi-Static Fading Broadcast Channels

This paper studies a variant of the classical problem of "writing on dirty paper" in which the sum of the input and the interference, or dirt, is multiplied by a random variable that models resizing, known to the decoder but not to the encoder. The achievable rate of Costa's dirty paper coding (DPC) scheme is calculated and compared to the case of the decoder's also knowing the dirt. In the ergodic case, the corresponding rate loss vanishes asymptotically in the limits of both high and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and is small at all finite SNR for typical distributions like Rayleigh, Rician, and Nakagami. In the quasi-static case, the DPC scheme is lossless at all SNR in terms of outage probability. Quasi-static fading broadcast channels (BC) without transmit channel state information (CSI) are investigated as an application of the robustness properties. It is shown that the DPC scheme leads to an outage achievable rate region that strictly dominates that of time division.
Depleted mantle wedge and sediment fingerprint in unusual basalts from the Manihiki plateau, central Pacific Ocean: Comment and Reply COMMENT

[Ingle et al. (2007)][1] reported 40Ar/39Ar ages for Manihiki plateau rocks and suggested some of them were contemporaneous (~120 Ma) with lavas from the Ontong Java and Hikurangi plateaus, each some 2500 km distant ([Ingle et al., 2007][1], their Fig. 1). Critical examination of the radiometric
Clinical Role of Positron Emission Tomography in Children With Tuberous Sclerosis Complex

We evaluated the clinical role of positron emission tomography (PET) in 23 children with tuberous sclerosis complex. Mean age of the children when first scanned was 3.3 years. Mean age when seizures began was 8.7 months. All, except three, were at least mildly developmentally delayed. PET images were visually analyzed and compared to computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and the electroencephalogram (EEG). In two infants, interictal PET study was normal. One of the studies was performed with a low resolution early generation scanner at age 7 months; the other infant was 2 days old. Twenty-one of the 23 children had focal or multifocal cortical hypometabolism. Some hypometabolic cortical regions on PET did not show corresponding abnormalities on CT and MRI, and may be due to epileptogenic mechanisms or small tubers. PET provides additional localizing information to CT and MRI in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex. However, because of the normally low cerebral glucose metabolism in infancy, PET may give false negative findings if performed prior to about 1 year of age. The usefulness of glucose metabolism PET in most patients with tuberous sclerosis complex is limited. However, if the EEG, CT, and MRI abnormalities are unifocal or unilateral, and surgery is being contemplated, more detailed evaluation with PET may help to determine if contralateral tubers are present and evaluate the functional integrity of the brain as a whole.
Microscales of saturated pool film boiling

Abstract Two thermal Kolmogorov scales for pool film boiling η θ B ∼ να 2 2 B 1/4 , η θ C ∼ α 2 3 B 1/4 , are introduced. Here ν, k and ρ respectively denote the vapor kinematic viscosity, thermal conductivity and density, α2=k/ρcp2 and cp2=hfg/ΔT (a two-phase thermal diffusivity and specific heat) suggested for notational convenience, and B the rate of buoyant production of turbulent vapor energy. In terms of these scales, the pool film boiling heat transfer is shown to be l η θ B ∼Nu∼Ra 2 1/3 , l η θ C ∼Nu∼ Ra 2 Pr 2 1/3 , where l is an integral scale, Ra2 and Pr2 are the Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers based on α2. The microscale foundation of the earlier correlations of the turbulent pool film boiling data of all fluids except for liquid metals is demonstrated in terms of ηθB. An original correlation in terms of ηθC Nu=0.17(Ra 2 Pr 2 ) 1/3 , is proposed for turbulent pool film boiling data of liquid metals.
An on demand data integration model for biological databases

This paper presents a user-centric biological query system for information integration and knowledge acquisition from distributed, semantically heterogeneous data sources. The proposed system, BioXBase, extracts user requested query information over the internet from multiple biological sources and organises this information into a homogeneous unified view to the user. This entire process is done in real time on-the-fly. The BioXBase system has improved the results retrieved by 30% compared to a system that has only a local database. The BioXBase system is further enhanced by 20% while combining the results with a local database, making the results more significant in biological domain.
The cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome: diagnostic value of ocular pneumoplethysmography.

Abstract Purpose: There were two purposes to our study. The first was to characterize the ocular hyperperfusion associated with carotid endarterectomy. The second was to relate ocular hyperperfusion to the clinical presentation of cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of 2331 patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy at our institution between June 1978 and May 1991. Results: Twelve of these carotid endarterectomies were associated with ocular hyperperfusion on the side of operation. Clinical evidence of cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome was observed in five of these 12 procedures. In these five patients there were two associated fatal intracerebral hemorrhages and one permanent coma. In the latter three patients the contralateral internal carotid arteries were totally occluded. Conclusion: Ocular hyperperfusion, as documented with ocular pneumoplethysmography, is useful in alerting the physician to the potential for development of the cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome. (J VASC SURG 1993;17:690-5.)
How Much Do Thoughts Count?: Preference for Emotion versus Principle in Judgments of Antisocial and Prosocial Behavior

Following important work by Pizarro, Uhlmann and Salovey (2003) on moral judgments of uncontrolled/impulsive versus controlled/ deliberate action, we focus on the related issue of the moral evaluation of emotion-motivated versus principle-driven behavior. We examine: (a) the potential lesser blameworthiness of antisocial acts perceived as driven by emotion as opposed to principle; (b) how factors governing the moral evaluation of antisocial acts might extend to the evaluation of prosocial acts; and (c) how overriding a moral emotion in favor of a moral principle affects moral attributions.
Limits to List Decoding of Random Codes

It has been known since [Zyablov and Pinsker, 1982] that a random q-ary code of rate 1 - Hq(ρ) - e (where 0 ; 0 is small enough and -Hq(·) is the g-ary entropy function) with high probability is a (ρ, 1/e) -list decodable code (that is, every Hamming ball of radius at most pn has at most 1/e codewords in it). In this paper, the "converse" result is proven. In particular, it is proven that for every 0 ; 0 [Blinovsky, 1986, 2005, 2008; Guruswami and Vadhan, 2005]. A lower bound is known for all constant 0<;ρ<;1 - 1/q independent of e, though the lower bound is asymptotically weaker than our bound [Blinovsky, 1986, 2005, 2008]. These results, however, are not subsumed by ours as these other results hold for arbitrary codes of rate 1 - Hq(ρ) - e.
N‐[Bis(methylthio)methylene]‐p‐toluenesulfonamide

[2651-15-2] C10H13NO2S3 (MW 275.41) InChI = 1S/C10H13NO2S3/c1-8-4-6-9(7-5-8)16(12,13)11-10(14-2)15-3/h4-7H,1-3H3 InChIKey = OWIPGZGAUSIOAX-UHFFFAOYSA-N (the title reagent reacts with a range of different nucleophilic reagents to give medicinally useful guanidinyl derivates and various heterocyclic compounds. In addition, a unique application of this reagent in 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions has been developed) Physical Data: mp 110–112 °C.
On the monodromy groups of lifted Euler equations

In [13], Poincare asked the following question: Which abstract groups can appear as monodromy groups [14] of second order, linear, homogeneous differential equations with meromorphic coefficients (which might depend on one or more parameters) on ℂ? In the present paper, we initiate a classification of monodromy groups of differential equations on compact Riemann surfaces of genus 1. We proceed as follows: Letbe the general Euler equation [1] which has two regular singular points at 0 and λ in the extended complex plane C. Further, let yu(z)(v – 1,2) be an arbitrary but fixed pair of linearly independent solutions to (1) valid in a neighborhood of some ordinary point. Analytic continuation of each solution along a closed loop A in C–{0, λ}, starting and ending at some fixed base point, produces a new solution yv,A (v = 1, 2) which can be expressed aswhere the constants avlx (v1 ν = l,2) in C depend on the homotopy class [A] of A. Clearly, y1,A(z)/y2,A(z) = To(y1(z)/y2(z)) where the Mobius transformation T:w→ (a11W + a12)/(a21W + a22) depends on [A]. The set of all Mobius transformations T belonging to every possible closed loop A in C–{0,λ} forms a group G, called the monodromy group of the Euler equation (1). G is generated by the Mobius transformation belonging to a simple, closed loop Ao encircling 0. Hence, G is cyclic.
Bengalese Finches Lonchura Striata Domestica Depend upon Auditory Feedback for the Maintenance of Adult Song

Male birds of age-limited song-learning species develop their full song repertoires in the first year of life. For this type of song learner, once song is stabilized in adulthood, it is highly stereotyped and stable over time. Traditionally, it has been believed that age-limited song learners do not depend on auditory feedback for the maintenance of adult song. A recent report, however, showed that adult song in zebra finches, age-limited learners, does change after long-term deafness. We report here that another species of age-limited learner, Bengalese finches, depends critically on auditory feedback for adult song maintenance. We surgically deafened adult males and recorded song for 12 weeks after surgery. Results show that song degraded significantly within 1 week of surgery and continued to degrade over the next 11 weeks. This represents a more rapid degradation of song than has been seen previously in age-limited species. Song deficits after deafening included a marked decrease in syllable sequence stereotypy, skewed syllable distribution within song bouts, degradation of syllable phonology, and dropped, combined, and new or unrecognizable syllables. Decreased sequence stereotypy and combined syllables appeared within 1 week of deafening and did not worsen over time. Skewed syllable distributions and syllable phonology changes appeared after 1 week and did worsen. Occurrences of dropped and new syllables appeared within 1 week and increased over time. Comparison with other species indicates that much variability exists among species in the extent to which auditory feedback is necessary for song maintenance.
Stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen in the Truckee River–Pyramid Lake surface‐water column. 1. Data analysis and extraction of paleoclimatic information

U.S. Geological Survey, 3215 Marine St., Boulder, Colorado 80303 Abstract The 6'*0 content of streamflow discharge entering Pyramid Lake is a simple mixture of isotopically enriched Lake Tahoe discharge and isotopically depleted snowmelt. The aI80 value of Pyramid Lake water varies continuously, as isotopically depleted water evaporates from the epilimnion and isotopically depicted water enters the lake as streamflow discharge and on-lake precipitation. In a normal water year, the cY80 of Pyramid Lake surface water varies seasonally because the components of the hydrologic balance in the Pyramid Lake system are seasonally shifted. The problem of isotopic and thermal hetero- geneity can be minimized by analyzing carbonates that integrate the annual variance in 6180, form in an environment in which temperature is relatively invariant, and are not subject to recrystallization after deposition.
On the Hilbert-Huang transform data processing system development

One of the main heritage tools used in scientific and engineering data spectrum analysis is the Fourier Integral Transform and its high performance digital equivalent - the fast Fourier transform (FFT). The Fourier view of nonlinear mechanics that had existed for a long time, and the associated FFT (fairly recent development), carry strong a-priori assumptions about the source data, such as linearity and of being stationary. Natural phenomena measurements are essentially nonlinear and nonstationary. A development at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), known as the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) proposes an approach to the solution for the nonlinear class of spectrum analysis problems. Using the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) followed by the Hilbert transform of the empirical decomposition data (HT) as stated in N.E. Huang et al. (1998), N. E. Huang (1999), and N. E. Huang (2001), the HHT allows spectrum analysis of nonlinear and nonstationary data by using an engineering a-posteriori data processing, based on the EMD algorithm. This results in a non-constrained decomposition of a source real value data vector into a finite set of intrinsic mode functions (IMF) that can be further analyzed for spectrum interpretation by the classical Hilbert transform. This paper describes phase one of the development of a new engineering tool, the HHT data processing system (HHTDPS). The HHTDPS allows applying the HHT to a data vector in a fashion similar to the heritage FFT. It is a generic, low cost, high performance personal computer (PC) based system that implements the HHT computational algorithms in a user friendly, file driven environment. This paper also presents a quantitative analysis for a composite waveform data sample, a summary of technology commercialization efforts and the lessons learned from this new technology development.
MODELING USER-PERCEIVED RELIABILITY BASED ON USER BEHAVIOR GRAPHS

Service Reliability is an important consideration for new service deployment. Traditional system-oriented measures are no longer adequate to describe the reliability perceived by the user. In this paper we propose a general service reliability analysis approach based on user behavior, and derive formulas to compute service reliability from the user model and service models. The derived user-perceived service reliability incorporates the user task reliabilities, the dependencies of different user tasks, and various types of user behavior besides failure and recovery of system hardware and software components. This approach is applied to the service reliability computation for an example fault tolerant cluster hosing two services. Factors from both the system side and the user side are analyzed for the user-perceived service reliability of the cluster, and the results are compared with the system availability and service reliability lower bound.
Solid serous microcystic adenoma of the pancreas

Cystic neoplasms of the pancreas are less common than solid tumors, and portend a better prognosis. They can be divided into serous and mucinous subtypes, with the former behaving less aggressively and generally considered benign. Of the serous neoplasms, serous microcystic adenoma is the most common. An extremely rare solid variant of serous microcystic adenoma lacking secretory capability has been described. Herein, we present the fourth described case of this solid variant and review the literature. We present a case of a 62 year-old man with a history of abdominal pain, who on CT scan was found to have a solid mass at the junction of the head and body of the pancreas. The patient was offered resection for diagnosis and treatment, and subsequently underwent distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy. Based on gross pathology, histology and immunohistochemistry, the mass was determined to be a solid serous microcystic adenoma. Solid serous microcystic adenoma shows similar histologic and immunohistologic features to its classic cystic counterpart, but lacks any secretory functionality. It appears to behave in a benign manner, and as such, surgical resection is curative for patients with this tumor. Furthermore, until more cases of solid SMA are identified to further elucidate its natural history and improve the reliability of preoperative diagnosis, surgical resection of this solid pancreatic tumor should be considered standard therapy in order to exclude malignancy.
The impact of robotic surgery on gynecologic oncology

The objective of this article was to review the published scientific literature pertaining to robotic surgery and its applications in gynecologic malignancies and to summarize the impact of robotic surgery on the field of gynecologic oncology. Summarizing data from different gynecologic disease-sites, robotic-assisted surgery is safe, feasible, and demonstrates equivalent histopathologic and oncologic outcomes. In general, benefits to robotic surgery include decreased blood loss, fewer perioperative complications and decreased length of hospital stay. Disadvantages include accessibility to robot surgical systems, decreased haptic sensation and fixed cost as well as cost of disposable equipment. As robotic surgery becomes readily available it will be imperative to develop standardized training modalities. Further research is needed to validate the role of robotic surgery in the treatment of gynecologic malignancies.
Evolutionary variation in bacterial RNase P RNAs.

Sequences encoding RNase P RNAs from representatives of the last remaining classical phyla of Bacteria have been determined, completing a general phylogenetic survey of RNase P RNA sequence and structure. This broad sampling of RNase P RNAs allows some refinement of the secondary structure, and reveals patterns in the evolutionary variation of sequences and secondary structures. Although the sequences range from 100 to <25% identical to one another, and although only 40 of the nucleotides are invariant, there is considerable conservation of the underlying core of the RNA sequence. RNase P RNAs, like group I intron RNAs but unlike ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs or other highly conserved RNAs, are quite variable in secondary structure outside of this conserved structural core. Conservative regions of the RNA evolve by substitution of apparently interchangeable alternative structures, rather than the insertion and deletion of helical elements that occurs in the more variable regions of the RNA. In a remarkable case of convergent molecular evolution, most of the unusual structural elements of type B RNase P RNAs of the low G+C Gram-positive Bacteria have evolved independently in Thermomicrobium roseum, a member of the green non-sulfur Bacteria. BACKGROUND
Culture and participation: a paradigm shift

The present article makes the case that the study of culture would do well to shift the notion of culture to 'ways of life,' rather than treating culture as static characteristics of groups (e.g. ethnicity). This would entail a paradigm shift, to focus on people's participation in cultural communities, across generations. The shift fits a transactional worldview, contrasting with the interactional worldview that is common in mainstream research and everyday life in the US. The article focuses on a way of organizing children's learning that fits the participation paradigm-Learning by Observing and Pitching In to the activities of family and community-that appears to be common in Indigenous and Indigenous-heritage communities of the Americas.
The Gas-Cooled, Li2O Moderator/Breeder Canister Blanket for Fusion-Synfuels

A new integrated power and breeding blanket is described. The blanket incorporates features that make it suitable for synthetic fuel production. It is matched to the thermal and electrical requirem...
A mechanically detachable coil for the treatment of aneurysms and occlusion of blood vessels.

PURPOSE To evaluate mechanically detachable coil designs capable of controlled and instantaneous release within an aneurysm or vascular space. METHODS Three mechanically detachable coil designs, clamped ball, looped ribbon, and interlocking cylinder, were evaluated using in vitro and in vivo testing to study reliability of coil release, retractability, and coil behavior in a microcatheters. In vitro tests were performed using a glass side-wall aneurysm model and conventional microcatheters. In vivo experiments in rabbits included aneurysm models (side-wall and bifurcation) and arterial occlusions (carotid and renal). RESULTS All three designs deployed coils easily and were able to retract coils after partial deployment. Motion was seen in previously released coils and in the catheter when using the clamped ball and looped ribbon designs. The interlocking cylinder design did not cause similar motion. When compared with the other two designs, the interlocking cylinder had significantly greater separation forces between coil pusher and coil while in the catheter. Frictional forces within the catheter were lower for the interlocking cylinder mechanically detachable coil design than for a commercially available conventional coil and coil pusher system. During in vivo testing, the mechanically detachable coil design operated smoothly in the catheter, providing good release and retraction in aneurysms and straight vessels. CONCLUSION The interlocking cylinder mechanically detachable coil design is superior to the other two tested designs. The mechanically detachable coil was reliably delivered and detached in in vivo testing for the treatment of aneurysms and for the occlusion of blood vessels.
Using the L1 norm to select basis set vectors for multivariate calibration and calibration updating

With projection based calibration approaches, such as partial least squares (PLS) and principal component regression (PCR), the calibration space is spanned by respective basis vectors (latent vectors). Up to rank k basis vectors are formed where k ≤ min(m,n) with m and n denoting the number of calibration samples and measured variables. The user needs to decide how many and which respective basis vectors (tuning parameters). To avoid the second issue, basis vectors are selected top-down starting with the first and sequentially adding until model criteria are satisfied. Ridge regression (RR) avoids the issues by using the full set of basis vectors. Another approach is to select a subset from the total available. The presented work develops a process based on the L1 vector norm to select basis vectors. Specifically, the L1 norm is used to select singular value decomposition (SVD) basis set vectors for PCR (LPCR). Because PCR, PLS, RR, and others can be expressed as linear combination of the SVD basis vectors, the focus is on selection and comparison using the SVD basis set. Results based on respective tuning parameter selections and weights applied to the SVD basis vectors for LPCR, top-down PCR, correlation PCR (CPCR), PLS, and RR are compared for calibration and calibration updating using spectroscopic data sets. The methods are found to predict equivalently. In particular, the L1 norm produces similar results to those obtained by the well-studied CPCR process. Thus, the new method provides a different theoretical framework than CPCR for selecting basis vectors. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Presidentialism and clientelism in Africa's emerging party systems

This paper analyses the parties and party systems that have begun to emerge in sub-Saharan Africa's fledgling multiparty systems. Using a data base of 87 legislative elections convened in the 1990s, the paper identifies three trends. The position of parties late in the decade is primarily tributary of their performance in the first multiparty election conducted in the early 1990s. Parties that won founding elections are almost invariably still in power. Secondly, the typical emerging party system has consisted of a dominant party surrounded by a large number of small, unstable parties. Thirdly, party cleavages have been overwhelmingly ethno-linguistic in nature, while ideological and programmatic debates have been muted and rare. The second half of the paper provides tentative explanations for these striking patterns. It emphasises the illiberal nature of most of the new African democracies, their characteristic centralisation of power around the presidency, and the pervasive clientelism that structures the relationship between the state and the citizenry. These characteristics shape the incentives faced by individual politicians and thus much of their behaviour.
Stability and change in interests: A longitudinal examination of grades 7 through college

Abstract The joint issue of stability and change of interests in adolescence and early adulthood was investigated longitudinally over three years in three different grade cohorts. The patterns of structural stability, mean stability, rank order stability, and profile stability as well as how these patterns were moderated by gender were examined based on three cohorts of grades 7 and 8 (n = 3191), grades 9 and 10 (n = 6818), and grades 11 and 12 (n = 1078) using the Personal Globe Inventory-Short (Tracey, 2010). Results indicated that adherence to the RIASEC circular model was high and stable; there was a lack of appreciable change in interest means; interests were stable; interest crystallization, profile, and pattern were stable. While the results supported late adolescence and early adulthood being a stable period for interests in general, more changes were found among male and younger students. The implication of the current study was discussed along with its limitations and suggestions for future research.
The Roberts Court vs. the Regulators: Surveying the Next Arbitration Battleground

This short essay examines the issues raised by two recent regulatory decisions involving arbitration agreements. The NLRB and FINRA have issued rulings proscribing class waivers in arbitration agreements covering claims under the labor laws and the securities laws, respectively. As these rulings are challenged in court, they will place the agencies in opposition to recent case law from the Supreme Court validating arbitral class waivers. The courts will thus face a conflict between the "federal policy favoring arbitration" that the Supreme Court has gleaned from the Federal Arbitration Act and the principle of deference to agency rulemaking enshrined in Chevron v. NRDC. Yet another case raising similar issues stemming from FTC limits on the arbitration of warranty claims under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act may reach the Supreme Court first. The essay contemplates the interplay between the FAA and Chevron deference in these contexts.
Determination of cell viability.

Summary and conclusionsDifferentiation between life and death in unicellular beings should be based upon criteria which are more convenient and fundamental than measurements of capacity for growth. The principle of ion (eosin) exclusion has been substantiated as a simple, rapid tool for this purpose. The conditions for valid observations in cell and tissue cultures have been delineated in respect to: eosin, serum and electrolyte concentrations. These simplified methods have replaced cultivation procedures in studies on: the effects of exposure to pancreatin and to drying, and the exposure of sensitive cells to tuberculin; storage of stock suspensions of cells without renewal of medium; and use of such methods for investigating nutritional or metabolic requirements.
Reliability and Efficacy of Different CSF-Shunting Devices in the Treatment of CSF-Dynamics Disturbances

A retrospective analysis of a series of 356 adults who underwent the insertion of a CSF-shunt with conventional differential pressure valves between January 1970 and December 1988 was performed. The incidence of revision was analyzed. An attempt was made to identify its possible causal factors. To this purpose, the following was considered: type of shunt (ventriculo-peritoneal, ventriculo-atrial, lumbo-peritoneal); valve utilized; etiology of CSF-dynamics disturbance; number of revisions and date of surgery (before and after January 1985); the second time period corresponds to the systematic use of some modifications of the surgical technique and of intraoperative antibiotic prophylaxis. A preliminary comparison with a small number of patients (not included in the actual series) treated by a new model of CSF flow autoregulating valve is also reported. The overall incidence of surgical revisions was 28.65%; the number of revisions in the same patient ranged between 1 and 8. The most frequent causes of revision were distal malposition, obstruction and infection. The risk of a new revision in patients with and without previous operations and the incidence of revision before and after January 1985 are statistically different (p<0.05). A meticulous surgical technique as well as intraoperative antibiotic prophylaxis appear to be responsible for the latter.
79 LYSOPHOSPHATIDIC ACID INDUCES INTERLEUKIN-13 RECEPTOR a2 EXPRESSION AND SECRETION AND DOWN-REGULATES INTERLEUKIN-13 SIGNALING IN HUMAN BRONCHIAL EPITHELIAL PRIMARY CELLS.

Rationale IL-13, a Th2 cytokine, plays pivotal role in pathogenesis of bronchial asthma by inducing airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), mucus hyperproduction, and submucosal thickness. IL-13 mediates airway responses via IL-13 receptor a1 and IL-4 receptor. Recent studies show that a decoy receptor for IL-13, namely IL-13 receptor a2 (IL-13R a2), mitigates IL-13 signaling and function. However, the mechanism(s) of regulation of IL-13R a2 generation and its role in IL-13 signal transduction is not clear. This study provides evidence for regulation of IL-13R a2 production and secretion and IL-13-dependent STAT6 signaling by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in human primary bronchial epithelial cells (HBEpCs). Methods/Results LPA (1 μM) treatment of HBEpCs, in a time-dependent fashion, increased IL-13R a2 gene expression without altering the mRNA levels of IL-13 R a1 and IL-4 R. Furthermore, LPA (1 μM) stimulated secretion of IL-13 R a2 into the cell culture medium as evidenced by Western blotting with anti-IL-13 Ra2 antibody. Pretreatment with PTx (100 ng/mL, 3 hours), or JNK inhibitor, or c-jun siRNA attenuated LPA-induced IL-13R a2 secretion. Overexpression of phospholipase D (PLD) 1 or 2 catalytically inactive mutants or pretreatment with 1-butanol, but not 3-butanol, attenuated LPA-induced IL-13R a2 secretion as well as phosphorylation of JNK. Pretreatment of HBEpCs with 1 μM of LPA for 6 hours attenuated IL-13-induced phosphorylation of STAT6 but not the IL-4-induced phosphorylation of STAT6. In addition, replacement of media from LPA- (1 μM, 6 hours) challenged cells with fresh media or transfection with IL-13R a2 siRNA reverted IL-13-induced phosphorylation of STAT6. Conclusions We show here that LPA induces IL-13R a2 expression and secretion via PLD and JNK/AP-1 signaling and that pretreatment with LPA down-regulates IL-13 signaling in HBEpCs. These data suggest a novel mechanism of regulation of IL-13R a2 and IL-13 signaling that may be of physiological relevance to asthma and airway remodeling. Supported by NIH grant HL 71152 to V.N.