cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An experimental comparison of intracellular ice formation and freeze-thaw survival of HeLa S-3 cells.

Abstract A small-volume fluorescent dye viability assay has been successfully applied to a conduction cryomicroscope freezing-thawing stage as a means of determining post-thaw survival of the nucleated mammalian cell HeLa S-3. The survival signature for HeLa S-3 cells has been determined, revealing an optimum cooling rate of −30 °C/min where the maximum survival is 30%. No cells survive for cooling rates greater than −128 °C/min and the decreased survival at supraoptimal cooling rates coincides with a linear increase in the percentage of cells containing intracellular ice from 0% at −16 °C/min to 100% at −128 °C/min. Although no data were taken to identify increased salt concentration as the mechanism responsible for cell injury at suboptimal cooling rates, the post-thaw leakage of intracellular fluorescent dye at these rates takes approximately 4–10 min as opposed to instantaneous release of dye for cells which contain ice at the high cooling rates. This indicates two modes of damage. Cell number density has been identified as an important parameter in freezing studies since survival can be enhanced at slow rates by packing cells together in groups. Packing also causes a greater fraction of the cells in a sample to have intracellular ice present, thus decreasing survival at the faster rates. These responses can be explained by assuming that the outer cells in a group protect the inner ones from solution damage at slow rates, yet restrict water flux from the inner cells at faster rates, causing an increased likelihood of intracellular ice formation. Both of these results are consistent with the dual-mechanism freezing damage theory proposed by Mazur.
Compatibility of molten salts with advanced solar dynamic receiver materials

Metal-coated graphite fibers are being considered as a thermal conductivity enhancement filler material for molten salts in solar dynamic thermal energy storage systems. The successful metal coating chosen for this application must exhibit acceptable wettability and must be compatible with the molten salt environment. Contact angle values between molten lithium fluoride and several metal, metal fluoride, and metal oxide substrates have been determined at 892 C using a modification of the Wilhelmy plate technique. Reproducible contact angles with repeated exposure to the molten LiF indicated compatibility.
Two-dimensional modeling of the effects of insoluble surfactant on the breakup of a liquid filament

Abstract Breakup of surfactant-laden liquid jets has received increasing consideration during the last few years because of its diverse applications, but theoretical studies have been largely restricted to evolution equations based on one-dimensional flow assumptions. Here, a fully two-dimensional finite element algorithm was used to solve the set of equations describing the dynamics of a Newtonian liquid filament covered with an insoluble surfactant in order to provide a better understanding of the underlying physical principles governing the formation of satellite drops. Results indicate that for a viscous liquid jet, formation of satellite drops between main drops is favored by the addition of surfactants. This effect is lessened, and even eliminated, by either decreasing the surfactant strength or increasing the surfactant diffusivity. On the other hand, low-viscosity liquid jets form satellite drops regardless of the presence of surfactant, but the addition of surfactant can either reduce or increase the size of the satellite formed. Reduction of the size of the satellite drop is favored by the addition of weak surfactants, a result that is in agreement with previous one-dimensional flow analyses. Conversely, addition of strong surfactants of low surface diffusivity increases the size of the satellite drop formed due to Marangoni stress-induced reversal of the capillary flow. The detailed information provided by the two-dimensional model has enabled a better understanding of the competition between viscous, inertia and capillary forces during jet breakup, and of how the competition between them changes due to the presence of the surfactant. This understanding can help in the rational design of systems such as spray, atomization, and jet printing to prevent the formation of satellite drops.
Hydrothermal growth and investigation of Li-doped zinc oxide crystals of high purity and perfection

Abstract Li-doped zinc oxide crystals up to 15 mm across the hexagonal section by 8 mm thick of very high purity and perfection have been grown hydrothermally in 22 mm bore platinum lined autoclaves. The use of ultra-pure nutrient has given crystals of improved perfection and purity. The crystalline perfection was examined by X-ray topography, and electron microscopy and the various forms of defect found are described.
Clinical, neuropathologic and pharmacologic aspects of Huntington's disease: Correlates with a new animal model

Abstract 1. 1. Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurologic disorder inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion that is characterized by dementia and a movement disorder. 2. 2. The movement dysfunction appears to be due to degeneration of neurons intrinsic to the striatum resulting in a functional imbalance between the intact dopaminergic input and the paucity of cholinergic and GABA-ergic neurons in the striatum. Similar neurochemical and histologic alterations in the nigro-striatal axis can be produced in rats by stereotaxic injection of kainic acid, a rigid analogue of glutamate, into the corpus striatum. 3. 3. The animal model of HD resulting from the striatal kainate lesions offers opportunities for better understanding the pathophysiology of HD as well as for testing pharmacologic agents that may correct neurotransmitter imbalances of HD. The kainate induced lesion suggests testable hypotheses concerning the fundamental defect in HD.
Semisimilar solutions of the unsteady compressible laminar boundary-layer equations

The theory of semisimilar solutions, previously developed for unsteady two-dimensional incompressible laminar boundary-layer flows, is extended to the case of compressible flows. A study is made of several flows for which semisimilar solutions are possible with a view of investigating the nature of compressible unsteady separation. The solutions obtained indicate that the Moore-Rott-Sears model for unsteady boundary-layer separation is valid for compressible as well as incompressible flow. In addition, the effects of Mach number and wall temperature on the moving separation point are determined.
A computational damage mechanics model for thermomigration

Miniaturization of electronics to nanoscale leads to significantly higher current density levels and larger thermal gradients in electronics packaging. Laboratory test data show that thermomigration plays a significant role in high current density induced failure in solder joints and interconnects. In this paper, a computational damage mechanics model for thermomigration process is proposed and implemented in finite element method. This model is based on thermodynamics and formulated by continuum mechanics equations, mass transport principals and heat transfer equations. A damage evolution model using entropy production rate as a metric is utilized to evaluate the degradation in solder joints subjected to high temperature gradients.
Reliability and Validity of Daily Self-Monitoring by Smartphone Application for Health-Related Quality-of-Life, Antiretroviral Adherence, Substance Use, and Sexual Behaviors Among People Living with HIV

This paper examines inter-method reliability and validity of daily self-reports by smartphone application compared to 14-day recall web-surveys repeated over 6 weeks with people living with HIV (PLH). A participatory sensing framework guided participant-centered design prioritizing external validity of methods for potential applications in both research and self-management interventions. Inter-method reliability correlations were consistent with prior research for physical and mental health quality-of-life (r = 0.26-0.61), antiretroviral adherence (r = 0.70-0.73), and substance use (r = 0.65-0.92) but not for detailed sexual encounter surveys (r = 0.15-0.61). Concordant and discordant pairwise comparisons show potential trends in reporting biases, for example, lower recall reports of unprotected sex or alcohol use, and rounding up errors for frequent events. Event-based reporting likely compensated for modest response rates to daily time-based prompts, particularly for sexual and drug use behaviors that may not occur daily. Recommendations are discussed for future continuous assessment designs and analyses.
Neuronal mapping of the heart with 6-[18F]fluorometaraminol.

The false neurotransmitter metaraminol labeled with fluorine-18 has been used to noninvasively assess regional adrenergic nerve density in the canine heart. Intravenous administration of 6-({sup 18}F)fluorometaraminol (FMR) results in high, selective accumulation of radioactivity in the heart; drug blocking studies with desipramine and reserpine confirm the neuronal locus of FMR. Iodine-125 labeled metaraminol, however, shows no selective accumulation in the canine heart. Positron emission tomography (PET) analyses with FMR of closed-chest dogs bearing left ventricular neuronal defects clearly delineate the region of neuronal impairment; blood perfusion in the left ventricle wall was homogeneous as determined by (13N)NH3 tomograms. The accumulation of FMR in regionally denervated dog heart correlates closely (r = 0.88) with endogenous norepinephrine concentrations. PET-generated 18F time-activity curves demonstrate marked kinetic differences between normal and denervated myocardium. FMR/PET analysis could be used to assess the heterogeneity of sympathetic innervation in human heart disease contingent on the development of FMR with sufficiently high specific activity to clearly avoid pressor activity.
High performance low speed sensorless control of interior permanent magnet synchronous motor

The work presented in this paper deals with the issues in practical implementation of the high-frequency injection methods for control of IPM machines without shaft position sensors. Implementing a high-frequency injection technique for rotor position estimation requires intense signal processing of the measured currents as well as the filtering of the signals to extract the rotor position information. These tasks turn in complicate control algorithm, but more importantly degrade the overall system performance by introducing delays, increasing response times and decreasing the bandwidth of the controller. Moreover some specific filtering techniques limit the operation of the machines to the very narrow operating range. These issues and their specific effects are discussed in this paper and mitigation procedures are proposed, implemented and verified through the experimental setups. Experimental results of a new high-performance controller without rotor position sensors are presented as well. The major contribution of this work is a new controller based on the high-frequency injection method that eliminates the need for low-pass filtering and improves the performance of the machine.
Alveolar bone loss is associated with circulating anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: This study examines: 1) alveolar bone loss (ABL), a hallmark of periodontitis, in anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA)-positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients versus control patients with osteoarthritis (OA); and 2) the association of ABL with RA disease activity and ACPA concentrations, including multiple antigen–specific ACPA.Methods: This multicenter case-control study includes 617 patients diagnosed with RA (n = 287) or OA (n = 330). Panoramic radiographs were taken; patients were categorized into low, moderate, or high tertiles based on mean percentage ABL. Serum ACPA was measured using second-generation anticyclic citrullinated peptide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and a multiplex platform to assess distinct antigen-specific ACPA. A generalized linear mixed model for binary data was used to compare stratified ABL in RA versus OA patients. Associations of moderate and high ABL (versus low) with RA disease activity and severity measures were examined using multivariate regres...
Non-LTE calculations for the C II Doublet System

New non-LTE calculations for C II, focusing on multiplets 6, 4267.02/4267.27 A, and 2, 6578.03/ 6582.85 A, are presented for early-B/late-O stars. The predicted strengths for these transitions, which are prominently used in abundance analysis, are weaker than previously published results, and it is explicitly demonstrated that the non-LTE line strengths have converged with respect to model atom complexity. Comparison of these results to recent observations gives better agreement for realistic values of the microturbulent parameter. Error bounds for the non-LTE predictions are also provided.
Current Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease in Children: Growth, Cardiovascular, and Neurocognitive Risk Factors

Linear growth and neurocognitive development are two of the most important differences between adults and children, in terms of clinical issues that must be addressed in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Correction of metabolic acidosis, nutritional deficiency, and renal osteodystrophy improve linear growth, but many children require administration of growth hormone to achieve normal growth. A variety of neurocognitive deficits occur in children with CKD, although there has been an improvement in outcome via improved dialysis, correction of malnutrition, and decreased aluminum exposure. Although growth and neurocognitive development are delayed, cardiovascular complications are accelerated in children with CKD, and are reflected in a dramatic increase in cardiovascular mortality compared with healthy children. Other early cardiovascular complications in children with CKD include left ventricular hypertrophy, cardiac dysfunction, and vascular calcifications.
Reconstructing Reconstruction: Some Problems For Originalists (And For Everyone Else, Too)

Reconstruction, America's Second Founding, plays a remarkably small role in constitutional theory. This paper, prepared as part of a symposium aimed at addressing that neglect, discusses the serious interpretive problems posed by an attempt to work Reconstruction - and its aftermath - into the constitutional canon. These problems range from the paucity of extant materials to help understand the intentions of the ratifiers of the Fourteenth Amendment, to the lack of any place in constitutional theory for dealing with constitutional events amendments the country ratifies then effectively rejects. Problems such as these pose an almost insurmountable difficulty for originalists - but they don't make life easy for other interpretive methodologies either. This paper bears upon the history of the Reconstruction Amendments, as well as interpretive theory.
Cortical spreading depression and migraine

Cortical spreading depression (CSD), a slowly propagated wave of depolarization followed by suppression of brain activity, is a remarkably complex event that involves dramatic changes in neural and vascular function. Since its original description in the 1940s, CSD has been hypothesized to be the underlying mechanism of the migraine aura. Substantial evidence from animal models provides indirect support for this hypothesis, and studies showing that CSD is common in humans with brain injury clearly demonstrate that the phenomenon can occur in the human brain. Considerable uncertainty about the role of CSD in migraine remains, however, and key questions about how this event is initiated, how it spreads, and how it might cause migraine symptoms remain unanswered. This Review summarizes current concepts of CSD and its potential roles in migraine, and addresses ongoing studies aimed at a clearer understanding of this fundamental brain phenomenon.
Recent and Future Trends in U.S. Undergraduate Meteorology Enrollments, Degree Recipients, and Employment Opportunities

Abstract Using data derived from the American Meteorological Society–University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Curricula and U.S. Department of Education statistics, it is found that the number of meteorology bachelor's degree recipients in the United States has reached a level unprecedented in at least the past 40 years: from 600 to possibly 1,000 graduates per year. Furthermore, this number is increasing at a rate of approximately 8%–11% per year. The number of meteorology majors has also increased up to 10% per year since the late 1990s. The number of meteorology bachelor's degree recipients is projected to increase at a rate of approximately 5%–12% per year through 2011. This simultaneous combination of record numbers and rapid recent increases is not mirrored in other related fields or in the American college population as a whole, suggesting a meteorology-specific cause for the increase in undergraduates. These graduation and enrollment trends are compared to data on the employment of meteorol...
The Epothilones: How Pharmacology Relates to Clinical Utility

Objective:To review the pharmacologic properties of a novel class of chemotherapeutic agents, the epothilones, and to summarize findings from recent clinical trials investigating the various epothilones in cancer therapy.Data Sources:Literature searches were conducted using MEDLINE, PubMed, and the abstract search engines for the American Society of Clinical Oncology and American Association for Cancer Research annual meetings (all searches through November 2008). Primary search terms included epothilone, BMS-247550, ixabepilone, EPO906, patupilone, sagopilone, and ZK-EPO.Study Selection and Data Extraction:Publications were given priority for inclusion if they discussed structural or pharmacologic properties of the epothilones as a class or if they included preclinical or clinical data for epothilones currently in clinical development.Data Synthesis:The epothilones are a novel class of microtubule-stabilizing agents (MSAs). Epothilones are structurally and pharmacologically distinct from taxanes, but the...
Novel Reconfigurable Semiconductor Photonic Bandgap-MEMS Device

Abstract We present a novel device concept for a reconfigurable optoelectronic integrated circuit (OEIC) that can be reprogrammed for many different functionalities. We report on our preliminary design, modeling, and fabrication of a semiconductor based photonic crystal (PhC) nano-membrane device with MEMS activated waveguide which is the basic building block of the reconfigurable OEIC. We have developed a technique to fabricate such a three-dimensional device on GaAs–AlGaAs epitaxial layers grown on a GaAs substrate. The device has a top PhC membrane layer structure composed of hexagonal holes in a triangular lattice. Below that, a separate suspended bridge layer or cantilever layer can insert a line of posts into the PhC holes to create a defect line that forms or alters an optical waveguide. This MEMS feature can generate/cancel a section of the waveguide in the PhC platform, or (by partial removal) it can change the dispersion of the waveguide. Therefore, the same structure can be actively reconfigured as different types of waveguide devices.
A novel optimized broadband reconfigurable RHCP/LHCP E-shaped patch antenna

Achieving circular polarization (CP) diversity for single port patch antennas presents a difficult challenge for broadband communication systems. In light of this, we propose a novel optimized broadband polarization (RHCP/LHCP) reconfigurable antenna using the E-shaped patch topology. We have used a nature inspired optimization technique, Particle Swarm Optimization, to realize a novel broadband switchable design which provides 14% impedance/axial ratio bandwidth. As a concept verification, we demonstrate our design using ideal switch models through simulation and measurement of the radiation pattern, axial ratio, and impedance matching. Our design demonstrates excellent performance, and good agreement between simulation and measurement was observed. Overall, broadband CP diversity has been realized with our single feed E-shaped patch design, and active RF switches can effectively be implemented into this design.
Effect of microscale thermal conduction on the packing limit of silicon-on-insulator electronic devices

It is pointed out that silicon-on-insulator (SOI) electronics have a buried silicon dioxide layer which inhibits device cooling and reduces the thermal packing limit, the largest number of devices per unit substrate area for which the device operating temperature is acceptably low. Thermal analysis yields the packing limit of SOI MOSFET devices in terms of the device power and the limit on the channel temperature. Thermal conduction is microscale if it is significantly reduced by the boundary scattering of heat carriers, electrons in aluminum, and phonons in silicon. If microscale effects are not considered, the packing limit is overpredicted by 22% for a substrate temperature of 300 K and 100% for substrate temperature of 77 K. >
Observations on the Occurrence of the Parasitic Ciliate Synophrya in Decapods in Coastal Waters off the Southeastern United States

SYNOPSIS. Past reports of Synophrya, the only apostome ciliate known to harm its host, indicated that it was restricted in its distribution and in the hosts it can infect. In recent collections of decapods from the off-shore waters of North Carolina and Georgia, 30% of all specimens were infected with Synophrya. Forty-four percent of all the species collected had individuals infected with Synophrya, and 63% of all the families collected contained species that had infected individuals. There is no obvious structural or phylogenetic relationship between these families that explain why they are infected. The presence of Synophrya may be related to salinity since decapods captured in estuaries were never infected and decapods captured close to shore were only rarely infected. The salinities of these waters range from 15–35%, but the salinity of the off-shore waters where the great majority of infected specimens was found ranges only from 35–36%.
High Frequency Top-Gated Graphene RF Ambipolar FETs Using Large-Area CVD Graphene and Advanced Dielectrics

Ambipolar top-gated field effect transistors (FETs) based on large area Cu catalyzed CVD-grown monolayer graphene interfaced to advanced dielectrics have been constructed and examined both for their material and electrical qualities. Interfacing of the graphene with novel insulators/substrates could be tailored for the particular application and provide for enhanced device functionality. In contrast to graphene FETs using SiO 2 -based top-gate dielectric, which show asymmetric electron/hole mobility (with larger hole mobility), and Dirac point shifted to positive levels, FETs constructed using advanced AlN show Dirac point almost near neutral levels and near symmetric electron/hole mobility. The DP is shifted likely due to compensation of the intrinsic p-type doping by n-type doping introduced by the AlN deposition and potentially via a contribution of polarization-induced carrier density. Finally, we demonstrate a top-gated graphene FET with the first observation of RF operation with GHz cut-off frequency based on large area CVD graphene.
Design and analysis of binary beam shapers using error diffusion

An error diffusion algorithm is used to design binary pixelated beam shapers. Beam shapers based on pixels with transmission equal either to 0 or 1 can be synthesized with this deterministic algorithm to provide continuous intensity shaping after Fourier filtering. The capabilities of these shapers are studied for high-power lasers. A particular emphasis is placed on the influence of the feature size on the performance of the designed shapers, and it is shown that the transmission degradation is highly predictable for this algorithm. Simulations demonstrating the possibility of precompensating for feature size when designing intensity shapers are presented.
Software-based erasure codes for scalable distributed storage

This paper presents a new class of erasure codes, Lincoln Erasure codes (LEC), applicable to large-scale distributed storage that includes thousands of disks attached to multiple networks. A high-performance software implementation that demonstrates the capability to meet these anticipated requirements is described. A framework for evaluation of candidate codes was developed to support in-depth analysis. When compared with erasure codes based on the work of Reed-Solomon and Luby (2000), tests indicate LEC has a higher throughput for encoding and decoding and lower probability of failure across a range of test conditions. Strategies are described for integration with storage-related hardware and software.
We need to talk: an observational study of the impact of electronic medical record implementation on hospital communication

Background Increasing attention is being given to the importance of communication in the delivery of high-quality healthcare. We sought to determine whether communication improved in a hospital setting following the introduction of an electronic medical record (EMR). Methods This pre-post cohort design enrolled 75 patient-nurse-physician triads prior to the introduction of EMR, and 123 triads after the introduction of EMR. Nurses and patients reported whether they communicated with the physician that day. Patients, nurses and physicians answered several questions about the plan of care for the day. Responses were scored for degree of agreement and compared between pre-EMR and post-EMR cohorts. The primary outcome was Total Agreement Score, calculated as the sum of the agreement responses. Chart review was performed to determine patients’ actual length of stay. Results Although there was no difference between the frequency of nurses reporting communication with physicians before and after EMR, face-to-face communication was significantly reduced (67% vs 51%, p=0.03). Total Agreement Score was significantly lower after the implementation of EMR (p=0.03). Additionally, fewer patients accurately predicted their expected length of stay after EMR (34% vs 26%, p=0.001). Conclusions The implementation of EMR was associated with a decrease in face-to-face communication between physicians and nurses, and worsened overall agreement about the plan of care.
A global climatology of monsoon low-pressure systems

The first global climatology of monsoon low-pressure systems is presented here, based on the ERA-Interim reanalysis. Low-pressure systems are classified into three intensity categories and particular focus is given to systems in the category corresponding to a traditional definition of monsoon depressions. Vortex tracks are identified using an automated algorithm applied to the distributions of 850 hPa relative vorticity, sea-level pressure and surface wind speed for 1979–2012. Roughly two to three times as many monsoon low-pressure systems form in the Northern Hemisphere as in the Southern Hemisphere during local summer. The frequency of genesis typically peaks in local summer, but low-pressure systems form throughout the year in every monsoon region. Interannual variability is weak, with standard deviations of summer counts typically being below 10% of the long-term summer mean. Regional composites reveal that monsoon depressions in India, the western Pacific and northern Australia share a common structure, consisting of a warm-over-cold core and a top-heavy column of potential vorticity that extends from the surface to the upper troposphere. A separate class of monsoon low-pressure systems develops over dry regions of West Africa and western Australia, with a shallow composite structure having a warm core in the lower troposphere and cyclonic potential vorticity confined to a thin near-surface layer. Low-pressure systems in nearly all monsoon regions are estimated to account for a large fraction, from about 40% to more than 80%, of summer precipitation on the poleward edge of the climatological mean precipitation maxima.
A Method for Detecting Population Genetic Structure in Diverse, High Gene-Flow Species

Detecting small amounts of genetic subdivision across geographic space remains a persistent challenge. Often a failure to detect genetic structure is mistaken for evidence of panmixia, when more powerful statistical tests may uncover evidence for subtle geographic differentiation. Such slight subdivision can be demographically and evolutionarily important as well as being critical for management decisions. We introduce here a method, called spatial analysis of shared alleles (SAShA), that detects geographically restricted alleles by comparing the spatial arrangement of allelic co-occurrences with the expectation under panmixia. The approach is allele-based and spatially explicit, eliminating the loss of statistical power that can occur with user-defined populations and statistical averaging within populations. Using simulated data sets generated under a stepping-stone model of gene flow, we show that this method outperforms spatial autocorrelation (SA) and UST under common real-world conditions: at relatively high migration rates when diversity is moderate or high, especially when sampling is poor. We then use this method to show clear differences in the genetic patterns of 2 nearshore Pacific mollusks, Tegula funebralis (5 Chlorostoma funebralis) and Katharina tunicata, whose overall patterns of within-species differentiation are similar according to traditional population genetics analyses. SAShA meaningfully complements UST/FST, SA, and other existing geographic genetic analyses and is especially appropriate for evaluating species with high gene flow and subtle genetic differentiation.
The Double Gaussian Approximation for High Frequency Data.

High frequency data have become an important feature of many areas of research. They permit the creation of estimators in highly non-parametric classes of continuous-time models. In the context of continuous semi-martingale models, we here provide a locally parametric ‘double Gaussian’ approximation, to facilitate the analysis of estimators. As in Mykland and Zhang (Econometrica, 77, 2009, p. 1403), the error in the approximation can be offset with a postasymptotic likelihood correction. The current approximation is valid in large neighbourhoods, permitting a sharp analysis of estimators that use local behaviour over asymptotically increasing numbers of observations.
Ignoring Clustering in Confirmatory Factor Analysis: Some Consequences for Model Fit and Standardized Parameter Estimates

In many situations, researchers collect multilevel (clustered or nested) data yet analyze the data either ignoring the clustering (disaggregation) or averaging the micro-level units within each cluster and analyzing the aggregated data at the macro level (aggregation). In this study we investigate the effects of ignoring the nested nature of data in confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The bias incurred by ignoring clustering is examined in terms of model fit and standardized parameter estimates, which are usually of interest to researchers who use CFA. We find that the disaggregation approach increases model misfit, especially when the intraclass correlation (ICC) is high, whereas the aggregation approach results in accurate detection of model misfit in the macro level. Standardized parameter estimates from the disaggregation and aggregation approaches are deviated toward the values of the macro- and micro-level standardized parameter estimates, respectively. The degree of deviation depends on ICC and cluster size, particularly for the aggregation method. The standard errors of standardized parameter estimates from the disaggregation approach depend on the macro-level item communalities. Those from the aggregation approach underestimate the standard errors in multilevel CFA (MCFA), especially when ICC is low. Thus, we conclude that MCFA or an alternative approach should be used if possible.
The Issue of Ethnicity and Democratization in Africa: Toward the Millennium

Pan-Africanists thought had been thrashed out during the period of independence movement against colonial rule in the continent. Indeed, it is troubling to many observers that on the threshold of the next millennium, political ethnicity remains one of the daunting obstacles to the democratization enterprise in the area. The civil wars in Nigeria, Rwanda, and so forth were attributable to the clashes of ethnic groups over the control of the apparatus of government for the allocation of the national pie. To this end, this study seeks to do the following: discuss concisely some theories of ethnicity, provide a few examples to illustrate its problems in the democratization process, and suggest ways that it could be ameliorated as Africa marches toward the 21st century.
An aging study of a MICROMEGAS with GEM preamplification

Abstract We have conducted the first study of the aging behavior of a MICROMEGAS detector with gas electron multiplier (GEM) preamplification. Because a MICROMEGAS is constructed with minimal insulation and because the electric field is parallel to the amplification gap, superior radiation hardness was previously reported in an Ar–Isobutane gas mixture in a stand-alone device. The MICROMEGAS is expected to tolerate an even larger accumulated charge in a cleaner gas mixture, such as Ar–CO 2 . However, using a MICROMEGAS as a stand-alone device in this mixture could increase discharge probability and lead to faster degradation in detector performance. We show that this problem can be circumvented by employing GEM preamplification. Although it has been previously shown that a GEM ages when operated at a large gain, sharing the gain between a MICROMEGAS and the GEM creates a high-gain, very radiation-hard gas detector. We find that a MICROMEGAS+GEM combination exhibits no deterioration in performance after a total charge accumulation of 23 mC/mm 2 .
Interpolation of high frequency data by using matrix pencil and Greens’s function

In this paper a novel interpolation approach is proposed to reduce the number of samples required for system response reconstruction. We explore the effect of complex exponential term e-jkr (which is the numerator part of Greenpsilas function) in electromagnetic field, which causes the oscillation in system response especially in the high frequency domain. If it is divided from the field quantity, even though the magnitude is unchanged, both real and imaginary parts of the frequency response become smoother. The interpolation is performed separately for both real and imaginary parts so that the sample rate required for accurate reconstruction is significantly reduced. The interpolation is carried out by matrix pencil method and the coefficients of which are calculated by using the total least square (TLS) implementation to improve the accuracy. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the applicability of this unique approach in ultra-high frequency bands.
La narrativa de David Toscana en "Estación Tula"

Resumen es: David Toscana en Estacion Tula (1995) no solo nos deja ver el conflicto entre la identidad del centro y la manera de ver la vida en el norte de Mexico, s...
Gape size, its morphological basis, and the validity of gape indices in western diamond-backed rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox).

Maximum gape is important to the ecology and evolution of many vertebrates, particularly gape-limited predators, because it can restrict the sizes and shapes of prey that can be eaten. Although many cranial elements probably contribute to gape, it is typically estimated from jaw length or jaw width, or occasionally from a combination of these two measures. We measured maximum gape directly for 18 individuals of the western diamond-backed rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox. We measured each individual's body length, several external cranial dimensions, several cranial osteological dimensions from cleaned skeletons, and we calculated gape index values from two published gape indices (GI). Cranial bone lengths and gape circumference showed negative allometry with snout–vent length (SVL), indicating that small individuals have relatively larger heads and gapes than their larger conspecifics. We then used Akaike's Information Criterion to determine which external and osteological measurements were the best predictors of gape. Body size (SVL) was the best predictor of maximum gape overall; however, when SVL was excluded from the analysis, quadrate (QL) and mandible lengths (MdLs) were the best predictors of maximum gape using both external and osteological measurements. Quadrate length probably contributes directly to gape; however, the importance of MdL to gape is less clear and may be due largely to its allometric relationships with head length and SVL. The two published GI did not prove to be better indicators of actual gape than the jaw and QLs in this study, and the gape values they produced differed significantly from our empirically determined gapes. For these reasons, we urge caution with the use and interpretation of computed GI in future studies. The extensive variation in quadrate and mandible morphology among lineages suggest that these bones are more important to variation in gape among species and lineages than within a single species. J. Morphol., 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Subchronic Thyroid Toxicity Evaluation of 4,4′-Methylenebis(N,N′-Dimethyl)Aniline in Fischer 344 Rats

Female F344 rats were exposed to 4,4'-methylenebis(N,N'-dimethyl)aniline (MDA) by dietary feed at concentrations of 0, 50, 200, 375, 500, or 750 ppm for 5 d, 2 wk, 4 wk, and 13 wk duration. Endpoints evaluated included clinical observations, body weights, thyroid weights, serum thyroid hormones, blood MDA, gross pathology, and thyroid histopathology. There were no MDA exposure-related clinical signs of toxicity. Mean body weight decreased 5% compared to control in the 750 ppm group during study wk 6 through 13. Serum TSH increased and serum T4 and T3 levels decreased with increasing feed concentrations of MDA and time of exposure. Thyroid weight increases were both concentration- and exposure time-dependent and statistically significant at ≥375 ppm. Incidence and severity of decreased colloid, follicular cell hypertrophy and follicular cell hyperplasia were also related to MDA concentration and exposure time. A no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of 200 ppm was selected based on the statistically significant increase in incidence of follicular cell hyperplasia at concentrations ≥375 ppm.
Cell-Extracellular Matrix Interactions During Primary Mesenchyme Formation in the Sea Urchin Embryo

Gastrulation in different organisms can involve distinct morphogenetic mechanisms, at least at the cellular level. In the sea urchin, two distinct periods of gastrulation are observed (Solursh 1986). One involves the formation of the primary mesenchyme cells, which give rise to the larval skeleton, and the other involves the formation of the archenteron. Each of these illustrate different sorts of cellular activities. The formation of the primary mesenchyme involves an epithelial-mesenchymal transition followed by the apparently random migration of individual mesenchymal cells in the blastocoel until they form two ventral-lateral clumps connected by a ring of cells. The formation of the archenteron involves the infolding of cells at the vegetal plate followed by cellular rearrangements as the archenteron elongates (see chapter by McClay).
Pregnancy and Parturition

The establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in domestic animals requires interactions between the developing conceptus and the maternal system. These interactions are essential for maintenance of the corpora lutea (CL), conceptus development and placentation, regulation of uterine endometrial secretory activity, placental transport of nutrients and gases, regulation of uterine blood flow, achievement of immunological "privilege" for the conceptus, stimulation of development of the maternal mammary glands and various other effects on the physiology and endocrinology of the maternal and conceptus systems. Interactions between the conceptus and maternal systems are also responsible for initiating parturition. All of these events are discussed, on a comparative basis, with respect to current knowledge obtained from studies of domestic farm animals and, where appropriate, data from laboratory species.
Securing Software Application Chains in a Cloud

This paper presents an approach for securing software application chains in cloud environments. We use the concept of workflow management systems to explain the model. Our prototype is based on the Kepler scientific workflow system enhanced with security analytics package.
An attempt to calibrate and validate a simple ductile failure model against axial-torsion experiments on Al 6061-T651

This report details a work in progress. We have attempted to calibrate and validate a Von Mises plasticity model with the Johnson-Cook failure criterion ( Johnson & Cook , 1985 ) against a set of experiments on various specimens of Al 6061-T651. As will be shown, the effort was not successful, despite considerable attention to detail. When the model was com- pared against axial-torsion experiments on tubes, it over predicted failure by 3 x in tension, and never predicted failure in torsion, even when the tube was twisted by 4 x further than the experiment. While this result is unfortunate, it is not surprising. Ductile failure is not well understood. In future work, we will explore whether more sophisticated material mod- els of plasticity and failure will improve the predictions. Selecting the appropriate advanced material model and interpreting the results of said model are not trivial exercises, so it is worthwhile to fully investigate the behavior of a simple plasticity model before moving on to an anisotropic yield surface or a similarly complicated model.
Radioisotope-labelled substrates in enzyme assays with special reference to the preparation of radiolabelled glycosphingolipids and their use in the diagnosis of inborn errors of complex lipid metabolism

Radioactive substrates are being used increasingly in assays for enzymes that are present at very low levels of activity, particularly if artificial chromogenic or fluorogenic substrates are unavailable, or have varying sensitivity towards different isoenzymes. Frequently, these radioactive substrates are commercially unavailable, and must be prepared. Over the past few years fluorogenic substrates (based on 4-methylumbelliferyl derivates) have become available for the assay of the lysosomal enzymes associated with glycosphingolipid catabolism. However, it has recently been shown that such assays may be diagnostically misleading and more consideration is now placed on the use of suitably radiolabelled naturally occurring lipids (corresponding to those accumulated in lysosomal disease states) as substrates in aqueous in vitro assay system. Six of these lipids are of immediate importance—sphingomyelin (accumulated in Niemann-Pick disease), galactosylceramide (Krabbe's), glucosyl-ceramide (Gaucher's), galactosyl-sulphate-ceramide (metachromatic leukodystrophy), GM 1 ganglioside (generalized gangliosidosis) and GM 2 ganglioside (Tay Sach's). There are 2 principal methods of labelling these lipids to render them suitable for use as substrates. The first involves incorporation of tritium into the water soluble hydrophilic part of the molecule (e.g. terminal carbohydrate or phosphoryl-choline residue). The water soluble label released by enzyme action may then be partitioned from the hydrophobic substrate by relatively simple means although more complex systems must be used when GM 1 or GM 2 gangliosides are used as substrates. Alternatively, the hydrophobic part of the molecule may be labelled by catalytic tritiation. In our hands, more than 80% of the tritium incorporated goes into the fatty acids of the ceramides, with the remaining 20% to the long chain base. After enzymatic cleavage, the labelled, hydrophobic ceramide may be rapidly separated from the unchanged hydrophobic substrate by chromatography on micro silica gel plates. As before, however, the use of GM 1 and GM 2 gangliosides require more complicated procedures. Problems which have been overcome in using these tritiated lipids include their limited ‘solubility' in aqueous assay systems and their non-specific adsorption of silica gel, which necessitates special precautions prior to scintillation counting.
Sonographic Detection of an Unknown Chromosomal Disorder in Utero

Obstetric sonography has a long-standing reputation assisting in the detection of chromosomal abnormalities in utero. Additional diagnostic testing can be performed to confirm a genetic anomaly, including noninvasive prenatal testing, nuchal translucency, and amniocentesis. Comprehensively studied chromosomal abnormalities include trisomies 21, 13, and 18 and monosomy X. Although chromosomal abnormalities cannot be treated, they can be managed and monitored by serial sonograms and genetic counseling prior to delivery, allowing for preparation for a special needs child. This case study presents a fetus with multiple anomalies, including a rare presentation of cystic hygroma. In this specific case, the patient refused a genetic amniocentesis, leaving the cause(s) of the multiple anomalies unknown.
Improved Vertical GaN Schottky Diodes with Ion Implanted Junction Termination Extension

The realization of selectively implanted p-type regions in GaN as well as an understanding of processing effects that cause carrier type conversion are key enabling steps for vertical GaN devices. Here, GaN Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) with edge termination formed by either a field plate or junction termination extension (JTE) achieved by ion implanted and symmetric multicycle rapid thermal annealing (SMRTA) are presented. The devices with JTE exhibited substantially reduced leakage currents and improved turn-on characteristics. This is attributed to the elimination of the plasma process steps associated with the deposition and patterning of the field oxide layer required in a field plate process. The breakdown characteristics were studied by electroluminescence imaging, and is indicative of avalanche behavior. The realization of vertical GaN devices with low reverse leakage and ion implanted termination regions represents a key step for future power electronic devices.
The reverse action study of Qi Lian Shu Pi to esophageal mucosal alien epithelial appearance

Objective To explore the reverse action study of Qi Lian Shu Pi to esophageal mucosal alien epithelial appearance.Methods Randomly selected 100 esophageal mucosal alien epithelial appearance were randomly divided into two groups,experimental groups were given Qi Lian Shu Pi for 3 months by oral,control groups were given Wei FuChun for 3 months.All patients were made gastroscope and pathological examination before therapy and 2 weeks after treatment.Results Qi Lian Shu Pi groups and control groups all can obviously improve the mucous membrane in image changes,The mucous membrane image changes after treatment were significantly better than that before treatment.And The mucous membrane image changes of treatment groups were significantly better than that control groups(P0.01).Conclusion Qi Lian shu Pi have significantly reversal action for esophageal mucosal alien epithelial appearance.
Development and Application of a Relay Protection Inspection Standardized Operation Expert System

The inspection of relay protection is an important means of preventing power grid or power supply accidents.Currently only scraps of auxiliary software is used in inspection fieldwork that mainly relies on manual operation and individual experience without an effective fully-controlled technical support platform.The relay protection inspection standardized operation expert system developed by Jiangsu Electric Power Company using information and network technology is capable of providing effective solutions.Through integrated design of the platform and structuring,the integration of standardization,intelligent operation,automation of relay protection inspection operation throughout Jiangsu Province is realized.Application in actual inspection shows the improvement on the safety,quality,efficiency and information-based management.