cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptive optics systems implemented using two-dimensional phase retrieval and a MEMS deformable mirror

This paper presents a fast 2D phase retrieval approach used to perform optical phase modulation of a Microelectromechanical Deformable-Mirror (MEM-DM). Traditional solutions to beam splitting, beam steering, and beam shaping (BS3) involve multiple and sometimes costly optical components. For example, beam splitting is normally accomplished with beam splitters, beam steering is normally achieved with gimbaled mechanical devices, and beam shaping is normally done with addressable absorptive devices such as LCDs. Using the phase retrieval algorithm with a desired far-field amplitude pattern as a constraint, a segmented wavefront control device is shown to simultaneously perform the functions of BS3. The MEM-DM used is a foundry micro-fabricated device that is attractive for optical phase modulation applications primarily because of its inherent low cost and low drive voltages. The MEM-DM shapes the beam based on the results of a modified Fienup and Roggemann/Lee phase retrieval algorithm implemented within the system. The optical bench setup and the experimental results for BS3 are presented. Measured experimental data shows good agreement with model simulations. A comparison between analog MEM-DMs and a digitally controlled MEM-DMs will be addressed in this presentation. Overall, experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the phase retrieval algorithm and one phase control device in solving optics problems normally solved through traditional techniques and multiple devices.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Adults' preferences for side-of-hold as portrayed in paintings of the Madonna and Child

Most women hold infants on their left side. They do the same when depicted in works of art. Does the latter accurately reflect the real-life bias, the artist's own aesthetic preference, or something else, such as the artist's handedness, sex, direction of attentional bias, or even the artist's own side-preference for holding infants? As a first step to finding out, we showed 272 young adults (85 men, 187 women) 20 pairs of paintings of the Madonna and Child, the original on one side, its mirror-reversal on the other, and asked which one they preferred. Along with assessing the effects of the variables already mentioned, we used equal numbers of paintings originally depicting left-holds and right-holds to control for the possible effects of differences between the paintings other than side-of-hold itself, such as in their colour scheme, background details, and the type of hold shown (e.g., cradle vs seated on lap). Each pair was presented twice, once with the original on the left, once on the right, for a total of 40 trials. Women and men alike more often preferred left-hold images, but the difference was significant only for women. Preferences were also stronger for original left-hold paintings than for the mirror-reversals of original right-hold paintings, suggesting that the originals differed in ways affecting preference beyond those we tried to control. Overall preference for left-hold images was enhanced when the images were on the viewer's left. As for the other variables, they were for the most part unrelated to preferences. The reasons for the preference thus remain unclear but it is evidently affected by multiple variables, with at least some clearly different from those affecting side-of-hold preferences of real mothers holding real infants.
Chemokine receptor expression by human syncytiotrophoblast--a review.

Knowledge of chemokine receptor expression by human syncytiotrophoblast has important implications for our understanding of maternal-fetal HIV transmission as well as for understanding the regulation of placental growth and development. This review discusses what is known about chemokine receptor expression by trophoblast and other placental cells. In addition, new data are presented showing that CXCR4 is expressed on the syncytiotrophoblast surface. In other new studies, leukocyte-mediated HIV-1Lai(an X4 strain) infection of syncytiotrophoblast cultures was reduced when stromal derived factor-1alpha was added to the cocultures, consistent with a role for CXCR4. The available information on chemokine receptor expression by trophoblast is discussed in terms of the apparent selective transmission of R5 strains. Studies in other systems indicate that caution must be used in predicting chemokine receptor usage by different HIV isolates, particularly when the route of infection is cellmediated.
The effect of fiber-matrix debond energy on the matrix cracking strength and the debond shear strength

Abstract The matrix cracking model given by Budiansky, Hutchinson and Evans [J. Mech. Phys. Solids34, 167 (1986)] is extended to include the effect of fiber-matrix bonding in a unidirectional fiber-reinforced composite. By use of an energy balance analysis, the work of debonding Γd is related to a characteristic critical interface shear stress τd and to the frictional interface sliding resistance τf by the expression τd − τf = √4GmΓd/av, where Gm is the matrix shear modulus, a, the fiber radius, and v the function of fiber volume exceeds the background fiber tensile stress far from the crack by a fixed calculable amount. Finally, the combined effect of τf and adhesion on the intercrack spacing is predicted for the case where multiple cracks develop in the matrix.
Psychodynamic Conceptualization and Treatment of Suicidal Patients

This paper discusses psychodynamic perspectives to the conceptualization and treatment of suicidal patients. A review of psychoanalytic and psychodynamic conceptualizations is provided, along with representative case examples of these phenomena. Empirical studies are also reviewed, noting how recent research provides some meaningful insight into the object relations of suicidal patients. Finally, treatment issues are discussed, including comments about transference, dreams, and countertransference. It is concluded that a psychodynamic model is of value when treating patients with suicidal ideation and impulses.
News frames and media packages: Covering El Salvador

This article studies the coverage of El Salvador in Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News & World Report from several months before the FMLN offensive of November 1989 to the peace accords of January 1992. The magazines are found to share a “media package” that depicts U.S. policy on El Salvador as well meaning. The range of views in the coverage corresponds to the range of views among ruling U.S. elites. Differences in coverage are connected to each news organization's world view and its links to specific segments of the elites.
Amphetamine-induced release of dopamine in primate prefrontal cortex and striatum: striking differences in magnitude and timecourse.

The psychostimulant amphetamine (AMPH) is frequently used to increase catecholamine levels in attention disorders and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging studies. Despite the fact that most radiotracers for PET studies are characterized in non-human primates (NHPs), data on regional differences of the effect of AMPH in NHPs are very limited. The present study examined the impact of AMPH on extracellular dopamine (DA) levels in the medial prefrontal cortex and the caudate of NHPs using microdialysis. In addition to differences in magnitude, we observed striking differences in the temporal profile of extracellular DA levels between these regions that can likely be attributed to differences in the regulation of dopamine uptake and biosynthesis. The present data suggest that cortical DA levels may remain elevated longer than in the caudate which may contribute to the clinical profile of the actions of AMPH.
Amphipods From an Abyssal Trap Set in the North Pacific Gyre

Cinq especes de la famille des Lysianassidae (Amphipodes) ont ete capturees dans une nasse benthique appâtee, deposee a 5700 metres de profondeur et a une distance de 440 milles (710 km) au nord de Oahu, Hawaii. Ces especes sont Orchomene gerulicorbis n. sp., Paralicella tenuipes Chevreux, P. caperesca n. sp., Eurythenes gryllus (Lichtenstein) et Cyclocaris sp. Seules des femelles sans œufs et des formes juveniles ont ete prises. Les individus de Paralicella et de Cyclocaris sont gloutons, mangeant de grandes quantites d'appât. Un seul Eurythenes et un seul Cyclocaris ont ete recueillis; les 1790 autres individus ne comprenaient que des Orchomene et des Paralicella.
Lipoid pneumonia in an adolescent girl secondary to use of lip gloss

Observation d'une pneumonie lipoide, apparemment liee a l'usage exagere d'un brillant a levres de composition lipidique, chez une fille de 18 ans atteinte de neurofibromatose et d'un osteosarcome chondroblastique du femur, ce qui a oriente d'abord le diagnostic vers une metastase pulmonaire. La thoracotomie et l'examen histologique d'une lesion palpee dans le lobe moyen droit ont redresse le diagnostic
Electron-capture delayed fission properties of the new isotope 238Bk.

Electron-capture delayed fission ECDF was studied in the new isotope $^{238}\mathrm{Bk}$ produced via the $^{241}\mathrm{Am}$(75-MeV \ensuremath{\alpha}, 7n${)}^{238}$Bk reaction. The half-life of the fission activity was measured to be 144\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5 seconds. The mass-yield distribution is predominantly asymmetric and the most probable preneutron emission total kinetic energy of fission is 179\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}7 MeV. The ECDF mode in $^{238}\mathrm{Bk}$ was verified by an x-ray-fission coincidence experiment which indicated that the $^{238}\mathrm{Cm}$ fission lifetime is between about ${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}15}$ and ${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}9}$ seconds. The isotope was assigned to $^{238}\mathrm{Bk}$ through chemical separation and observation of the known 2.4-h $^{238}\mathrm{Cm}$ daughter activity. No alpha branch was observed in the decay of $^{238}\mathrm{Bk}$. The production cross section for $^{238}\mathrm{Bk}$ is 150\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}20 nb and the delayed fission probability is (4.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$.
Pulmonary cavitation with negative sputum; with reports of eight cases.

SUMMARY In considering the numerous pathological conditions of the lung which can produce cavitation and mimic tuberculosis, we do not overlook the many instances in which cavernous tuberculosis may be present with sputum persistently negative, even over periods of many years. However, before making the diagnosis of tuberculosis in a patient with negative sputum whose x-ray picture may be indistinguishable from that produced by tuberculosis, exhaustive studies must be done to rule out other etiological agents. Papanicalaou smears for malignant cells, fungus studies of the sputum plus skin testing and serologic tests for the cavity producing fungus diseases, cardiac evaluation and studies of other organ systems for andications of polyarteritis, should all be part of the work-up of the patient with pulmonary cavitation and negative sputum. Even then, in some instances, final diagnosis cannot be made except by the pathologist, but many mistaken diagnoses of tuberculosis and tragic delays in surgery, will be avoided.
Synthesis of Silylborazines and Their Utilization as Precursors to Silicon‐Containing Boron Nitride☆

The reactions of LiSi(SiMe3)3 with Cl(Me)2B3N3(Me)3, Cl2(Me)B3N3(Me)3, (ClBNMe)3, and (ClBNH)3 result in the formation of molecular species (Me3Si)3Si(Me)2B3N3(Me)3, [(Me3Si)3Si]2(Me)B3N3(Me)3, [(Me3Si)3SiBNMe]3, and [(Me3-Si)3SiBNH]3. The new compounds have been characterized by spectroscopic techniques, and a single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis for [(Me3Si)3SiBNMe]3 has been completed. The monomer (Me3Si)3Si(Cl)2B3N3H3 was also prepared and combined with (Me3Si)2NH in hexane to form an organic solvent soluble oligomer. Pyrolysis of this oligomer provides composites containing BN and an SiXNYCZ phase that suppresses the crystallization of BN.
The effect of nutrition on the response of field populations of the calanoid copepod Acartia tonsa to copper

Continuous flow toxicity tests were conducted on field populations of adult Acartia tonsa collected from Narragansett Bay. Potential algal food at the collection site was estimated from ATP and chlorophyll analysis. There was positive correlation (P < 0.01) between chlorophyll a and ATP. Integration of these data with quantitative zooplankton analysis established that A. tonsa had a significant grazing effect on algal biomass (P < 0.05). The natural population dynamics of A. tonsa during this period were assessed from microscopic analysis of tow material. The sensitivity of A. tonsa to total copper ranged from 9.0 to 78.0 μg l−1 for 72 h LC50's. Results show an inverse correlation (P < 0.05) between the log LC50 and adult A. tonsa density at the time of collection. The relationship between A. tonsa sensitivity to copper and the food ration (algal density/A. tonsa density) has been described by a quadratic function which has a correlation coefficient of 0.78. This indicates that the log LC50 increases with increasing food ration up to a point and then remains constant. A comparison of confidence intervals about the LC50's indicates greater variability in the response of field animals compared to previous studies with cultured populations. This data suggests that field populations of A. tonsa can be expected to exhibit a wide range of sensitivity to other pollutants. Sensitivity is strongly correlated with population density and food ration.
Heritable disorders predisposing to aortic dissection.

Heritable disorders of connective tissue often predispose patients to aortic pathology and in particular aortic dissection. The Marfan syndrome, vascular Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, familial forms of thoracic aortic aneurysms or aortic dissection, and bicuspid aortic valve are all examples of heritable disorders that have associated defects affecting the integrity of the aortic wall, posing a risk of both aneurysmal dilation and dissection. The purpose of this review was to outline the phenotypes of the heritable syndromes that predispose to aortic dissection, present a guideline to their management and surveillance, and to offer insight into some of the surgical pitfalls that occur when repairing ascending aortic dissections in these types of patients.
Protein kinase C inhibitory activities of balanol analogs bearing carboxylic acid replacements

Abstract A variety of balanol analogs bearing carboxylic acid replacements (amides, sulfonamides and tetrazoles) were synthesized and evaluated for protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitory activity. In general, those compounds which bear an acidic proton (pKa ≤ 7.6) display potent PKC activity, and show selectivity for PKC over other kinases. Prodrugs are excellent tools for increasing cellular activity of some acid replacements.
Regional Facies Distribution and Tectonic Evolution of Appalachian and Ouachita Thrust Belts: ABSTRACT

A series of 12 tectonic and lithofacies maps representing critical periods of the evolution of the Appalachian-Ouachita orogen were compiled from published sources and interpretation of seismic and subsurface data. The distribution of sediments supports the concept of multiple deformation that resulted from the collision and accretion of small plates or irregular margins of larger plates with North America. During the Eocambrian and Early Cambrian, a series of rifts developed within the craton subparallel to the continental margin of the Iapetus Ocean. Ouachita sediments were deposited in this rift zone along the southern margin of the craton. However, the rift zone did not persist in the Appalachians, and the sediments in that belt were deposited along the continental margin. In the Middle Ordovician, the extensional regime continued in the Ouachita belt while compression associated with plate collision began in the Appalachians. The northwest-southeast-trending boundary between these areas persisted throughout the evolution of the orogens. The sedimentary records indicate that the initial compressional deformation in the Ouachita belt began during the Late Mississippian, and the final phase of deformation in the Appalachians was initiated slightly later, during the Early Pennsylvanian. Structural features associated with thrusting basin sediments over foreland areas were controlled to a great extent by the presence or absence of buttresses. The Ouachita Mountains area provides the best illustration of contrasting structural styles along the thrust belt. Elsewhere along the thrust belts the evidence is either covered by younger sediments or altered by a complex tectonic history. End_of_Article - Last_Page 507------------
Strength in Numbers: Urban Rent Strikes and Political Transformation in the Americas, 1904-1925

Tenant mobilization in cities across the Americas during the early twentieth century was rooted in local social networks articulated among women in tenement houses, neighborhood residents, ethnic groups, church members, and other forms of informal, nonworkplace association. What distinguishes tenant mobilization during the early twentieth century from earlier examples of urban popular protest is the changing nature of civil society and the state. A shift toward more broad-based democratic governance and a corresponding discourse of citizens’ rights provided renters a powerful new framework from which to articulate their grievances. Collective action on the part of tenants required not only ample resources “from below” but also an opening for such protest afforded “from above.” Critical support for popular mobilization can also be seen, as relatively new political elites broadened their popular base as they battled with more established powers
Extended relativity: Mass and the fifth dimension

A self-consistent relativistic formalism is presented which postulates that mass is the eigenvalue of a fifth momentum operator component. Lorentz covariance is generalized so that a systematic program for covariant wave equations can be formed. The fifth dimension is identified with cosmic time, resulting in a bias toward matter over antimatter for the universe. A distinction between μ ande also seems possible through the space-time extension.
Nuclear trafficking of FGFR1: a role for the transmembrane domain.

Several members of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family lack signal peptide (SP) sequences and are present only in trace amounts outside the cell. However, these proteins contain nuclear localization signals (NLS) and accumulate in the cell nucleus. Our studies have shown that full length FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1) accumulates within the nuclear interior in parallel with FGF-2. We tested the hypothesis that an atypical transmembrane domain (TM) plays a role in FGFR1 trafficking into the nuclear interior. With FGFR1 destined for constitutive fusion with the plasma membrane due to its SP, how the receptor may enter the nucleus is unclear. Sequence analysis identified that FGFR1 has an atypical TM containing short stretches of hydrophobic amino acids (a.a.) interrupted by polar a.a. The beta-sheet is the predicted conformation of the FGFR1 TM, in contrast to the alpha-helical conformation of other single TM tyrosine kinase receptors, including FGFR4. Receptor trafficking in live cells was studied by confocal microscopy via C-terminal FGFR1 fusions to enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and confirmed by subcellular fractionation and Western immunoblotting. Nuclear entry of FGFR1-EGFP was independent of karyokinessis, and was observed in rapidly proliferating human TE671 cells, in slower proliferating glioma SF763 and post-mitotic bovine adrenal medullary cells (BAMC). In contrast, a chimeric FGFR1/R4-EGFP, where the TM of FGFR1 was replaced with that of FGFR4, was associated with membranes (golgi-ER, plasma, and nuclear), but was absent from the nucleus and cytosol. FGFR1delta-EGFP mutants, with hydrophobic TM a.a. replaced with polar a.a., showed reduced association with membranes and increased cytosolic/nuclear accumulation with an increase in TM hydrophilicity. FGFR1(TM-)-EGFP (TM deleted), was detected in the golgi-ER vesicles, cytosol, and nuclear interior; thus demonstrating that the FGFR1 TM does not function as a NLS. To test whether cytosolic FGFR1 provides a source of nuclear FGFR1, cells were transfected with FGFR1(SP-) (SP was deleted), resulting in cytosolic, non-membrane, protein accumulation in the cytosol and the cell nucleus. Our results indicate that an unstable association with cellular membranes is responsible for the release of FGFR1 into the cytosol and cytosolic FGFR1 constitutes the source of the nuclear receptor.
Laminar and turbulent flow of unstable liquid-liquid emulsions

Liquid-liquid dispersions containing various volume fractions of a petroleum solvent dispersed in water have been studied in laminar and turbulent flow conditions. If one assumes that the dispersion behaves as a single-phase fluid, measured friction factors may be used to calculate an effective viscosity of the mixture. In laminar flow, viscosities were found to be a function of capillary diameter, possibly due of the formation of a thin film of continous phase adjacent to the capillary wall. The thickness of this film was determined to be of the order of 10 to 25 μ, which is probably of the order of the average size of the droplets. Up to 20% solvent, the relative fluidity (or viscosity) of the dispersions was the same in laminar, vertical turbulent, and horizontal turbulent flow. In the laminar flow case viscosity decreased somewhat with flow rate and became essentially constant at a Reynolds number of about 1,000. In vertical turbulent flow all dispersions behaved as Newtonian fluids, and a single curve (Figure 6) is presented to predict fluidities. The 35 and 50% dispersions in horizontal flow exhibited non-Newtonian characteristics and had effective fluidities considerably less than the same dispersion in vertical flow but agreed with the horizontal turbulent flow results of Baron, et al. The apparent non-Newtonian behavior could be due to phase separation in the horizontal tube. Corrected laminar flow fluidities for dispersions with 35 and 50% solvent deviated from the vertical turbulent flow results. Reasons for this are unexplained. In laminar flow also, tube orientation affected the viscosity of the 50% dispersion.
Allanite-(Nd) from the Kingman Feldspar Mine, Mojave Pegmatite District, Northwestern Arizona, USA

The Kingman pegmatite, located in the Cerbat Range in northwestern Arizona, is hosted by orogenic 1.7 Ga Paleoproterozoic granitic rocks. This post-orogenic pegmatite was intruded into these granites during the middle Proterozoic ( ca. 1.5 Ga) subsequent to the Yavapai and Mazatzal orogenies. Extreme LREE-enrichment, as well as the HREE-depletion, is exemplified by the presence of abundant large crystals of LREE-enriched allanite and a near-absence of HREE-enriched minerals. Most of the allanite is Nd-rich allanite-(Ce). However, several of the samples have domains that are Nd-dominant, and thus are allanite-(Nd). This represents the fourth world location and the first reported U.S. location for allanite-(Nd). The Nd-dominant domains, which typically occur near the rim of grains and along fractures, may be the result of alteration by highly oxidizing late-stage fluids that replaced allanite with bastnasite-(Ce). Late-stage carbonate fluids, enriched in F from the dissolution of biotite, could have preferentially redistributed Ce into bastnasite-(Ce), resulting in Nd-enriched recrystallized allanite near fractures and along the recrystallized rim. As the Kingman pegmatite is not associated with a parental granite and as it exhibits unusual depletions in F, Nb, Ta, and HREE and an extreme enrichment in the LREE, we favor an anatectic origin.
Distributed Caching and Small Cell Cooperation for Fast Content Delivery

Modern wireless devices such as tablets and smartphones are pushing the demand for higher and higher wireless data rates. The vast majority of this demand comes from media content. In this paper we propose to combine two recent ideas, distributed caching of content in small cells, and, cooperative transmissions from nearby base stations/BSs (generally known as coordinated multi-point), to achieve unprecedented content delivery speeds while reducing backhaul cost and delay. A key characteristic of our architecture is the interdependence between the caching strategy and the PHY/MAC layer coordination. Specifically, the caching strategy may cache different content in nearby BSs to maximize the hit ratio, or cache the same content in multiple nearby BSs such that the corresponding BSs can transmit concurrently, e.g. to multiple users using zero force beamforming, and achieve multiplexing gains. With this in mind, given the popularity distribution of the content, the available cache size, and the network topology, we devise optimal strategies of caching such that the throughput of the system is maximized. Our analytical and simulation results show that our system yields significantly faster content delivery, which, under realistic scenarios and assumptions can be one order of magnitude faster than that of legacy systems.
Foster Care History and HIV Infection among Drug-Using African American Female Sex Workers

Foster care has been associated with increased HIV risk behaviors among youth, yet long-term association with HIV infection has not been examined. This study explored the associations between foster placement, victimization, mental health, onset of sex work and HIV infection among highly vulnerable female sex workers. 562 drug-involved African American women were enrolled into an intervention study to increase health services utilization and reduce HIV risk. Seventeen percent reported a history of foster placement. Foster history was associated with significantly lower educational attainment, higher victimization, and more severe mental health problems. Women with foster histories reported significantly earlier entry into paid sex work, with some 62% active in the sex trade before age 18. Multivariate analyses found that foster care was independently associated with HIV seropositivity, and that early sex work partially mediated this association. The potential long-term health vulnerabilities associated with foster placement are understudied and warrant additional research.
The Coefficients of Thermal Diffusion of Neon and Argon and Their Variation with Temperature

In the case of a mixture of two isotopic molecules, $D$, the coefficient of ordinary diffusion, and ${D}_{T}$, the coefficient of thermal diffusion, are related by the equation: $\frac{{D}_{T}}{D}=\ensuremath{\alpha}{C}_{1}{C}_{2}$ where ${C}_{1}$ and ${C}_{2}$ are the relative concentrations of the molecules, and $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ is the thermal diffusion constant. Experimental values of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ for neon and argon in seven different temperature intervals from 90-720\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K are given. For both gases it appears that $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ varies linearly with the logarithm of the absolute temperature. These results are compared with values obtained from viscosity data and measurements made on binary mixtures of the noble gases. There is poor agreement with values calculated from the Sutherland and Lennard-Jones 9,5 models. In particular, no negative values of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ are observed in the neighborhood of the critical temperature of argon as the 9,5 model predicts.
New Model for Electron Flow for Sulfate Reduction in Desulfovibrio alaskensis G20

To understand the energy conversion activities of the anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria, it is necessary to identify the components involved in electron flow. The importance of the abundant type I tetraheme cytochrome c3 (TpIc3) as an electron carrier during sulfate respiration was questioned by the previous isolation of a null mutation in the gene encoding TpIc3, cycA, in Desulfovibrio alaskensis G20. Whereas respiratory growth of the CycA mutant with lactate and sulfate was little affected, growth with pyruvate and sulfate was significantly impaired. We have explored the phenotype of the CycA mutant through physiological tests and transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. Data reported here show that electrons from pyruvate oxidation do not reach adenylyl sulfate reductase, the enzyme catalyzing the first redox reaction during sulfate reduction, in the absence of either CycA or the type I cytochrome c3:menaquinone oxidoreductase transmembrane complex, QrcABCD. In contrast to the wild type, the CycA and QrcA mutants did not grow with H2 or formate and sulfate as the electron acceptor. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of the CycA mutant showed that transcripts and enzymes for the pathway from pyruvate to succinate were strongly decreased in the CycA mutant regardless of the growth mode. Neither the CycA nor the QrcA mutant grew on fumarate alone, consistent with the omics results and a redox regulation of gene expression. We conclude that TpIc3 and the Qrc complex are D. alaskensis components essential for the transfer of electrons released in the periplasm to reach the cytoplasmic adenylyl sulfate reductase and present a model that may explain the CycA phenotype through confurcation of electrons.
Learning Probabilistic Automata and Markov Chains via Queries

We investigate the problem of learning probabilistic automata and Markov chains via queries in the teacher-student learning model. Probabilistic automata and Markov chains are probabilistic extensions of finite state automata and have similar structures. We discuss some natural oracles associated with probabilistic automata and Markov chains. We present polynomial-time algorithms for learning probabilistic automata and Markov Chains using these oracles.
Developing Data Mining-Based Prognostic Models for CF-18 Aircraft

The CF-18 (CF denotes Canadian Forces) aircraft is a complex system for which a variety of data are systematically being recorded: flight data from sensors, built-in test equipment data, and maintenance data. Without proper analytical and statistical tools, these data resources are of limited use to the operating organization. Focusing on data mining-based modeling, this paper investigates the use of readily available CF-18 data to support the development of prognostics and health management systems. A generic data mining methodology has been developed to build prognostic models from operational and maintenance data. This paper introduces the methodology and elaborates on challenges specific to the use of CF-18 data from the Canadian Forces. A number of key data mining tasks are examined including data gathering, information fusion, data preprocessing, model building, and model evaluation. The solutions developed to address these tasks are described. A software tool developed to automate the model development process is also presented. Finally, this paper discusses preliminary results on the creation of models to predict F404 no. 4 bearing and main fuel control failures on the CF-18.
Outcomes of rigid night splinting and activity modification in the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome.

Purpose To prospectively analyze, using validated outcome measures, symptom improvement in patients with mild to moderate cubital tunnel syndrome treated with rigid night splinting and activity modifications. Methods Nineteen patients (25 extremities) were enrolled prospectively between August 2009 and January 2011 following a diagnosis of idiopathic cubital tunnel syndrome. Patients were treated with activity modifications as well as a 3-month course of rigid night splinting maintaining 45° of elbow flexion. Treatment failure was defined as progression to operative management. Outcome measures included patient-reported splinting compliance as well as the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire and the Short Form-12. Follow-up included a standardized physical examination. Subgroup analysis included an examination of the association between splinting success and ulnar nerve hypermobility. Results Twenty-four of 25 extremities were available at mean follow-up of 2 years (range, 15–32 mo). Twenty-one of 24 (88%) extremities were successfully treated without surgery. We observed a high compliance rate with the splinting protocol during the 3-month treatment period. Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores improved significantly from 29 to 11, Short Form-12 physical component summary score improved significantly from 45 to 54, and Short Form-12 mental component summary score improved significantly from 54 to 62. Average grip strength increased significantly from 32 kg to 35 kg, and ulnar nerve provocative testing resolved in 82% of patients available for follow-up examination. Conclusions Rigid night splinting when combined with activity modification appears to be a successful, well-tolerated, and durable treatment modality in the management of cubital tunnel syndrome. We recommend that patients presenting with mild to moderate symptoms consider initial treatment with activity modification and rigid night splinting for 3 months based on a high likelihood of avoiding surgical intervention. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic II.
Physical and mechanical properties of polyvinyl alcohol and polypropylene composite materials reinforced with fibril aggregates isolated from regenerated cellulose fibers

Natural fibers in micro and nano scales may be a potential alternative for man-made fibers because of the comparable mechanical properties to those of glass, carbon, and aramid fibers. Cellulose fibril and fibril aggregate are generally prepared by physical treatments, e.g., high-pressure homogenizer, or chemical treatments, e.g., acid hydrolysis. In this study, fibril aggregates were generated from a regenerated cellulose fiber by a novel mechanical treatment. The geometrical characteristics of the fibers and the fibril aggregates were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and polarized light microscopy (PLM), and its crystallinity was investigated by wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). The degree of fibrillation of the fibers was indirectly evaluated by water retention value (WRV). Nano-biocomposites reinforced with fibril aggregates were prepared by film casting and compression molding and evaluated by tensile test. The morphological characteristics of the nanocomposites were investigated with SEM and PLM. As reference, commercial microfibrillated cellulose was also used to reinforce biodegradable polymer.
MR-guided noninvasive thermal coagulation of in-vivo liver tissue using ultrasonic phased array

ABSTRACT Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was used to guide and monitor the thermal tissue coagulation ofin vivoporcine tissue using a 256 element ultrasonic phased array. The array could coagulate tissue volumesgreater than 2 cm3 in liver and 0.5 cm3 in kidney using a single 20 second sonication. This sonication usedmultiple focus fields which were temporally cycled to heat large tissue volumes simultaneously. Estimatesofthe coagulated tissue using a thermal dose threshold compare well with T2-weighted images of postsonication lesions. The overlapping large focal volumes could aid in the treatment oflarge tumor volumeswhich require multiple overlapping somcations. The ability ofMR to detect the presence and undesirablethermal increases at acoustic obstacle such as cartilaginous and boney ribs is demonstrated. This couldhave a significant impact on the ability to monitor thermal treatments ofthe liver and other organs which areacoustically blocked. 1. INTRODUCTION Focused ultrasound has been suggested as a non-invasive technique to thermally coagulate liver tissue 16
Meta-analysis of Winter Wheat Response to Chloride Fertilization in Kansas

Cereal grain yield response to chloride (Cl) fertilization has been reported in most of the Great Plains. The objective of this study was to use meta-analytic methods to summarize and provide quantitative estimates of the effects of soil and fertilizer Cl on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) response including grain yield and flag leaf Cl tissue level. Meta-analysis evaluated the effect of soil and fertilizer Cl application from different studies on a common scale of effect size. Chloride tissue concentration using the flag leaf correlated well with fertilizer plus soil Cl at a depth of 0–60 cm. However, our analysis indicates possible luxury uptake of Cl in relation to grain yield, with a possible upper limit in plant uptake with soil Cl levels around 68 kg Cl ha–1. Application of Cl fertilizer generated average wheat yield increases of approximately 8%.
Effects of GABA and bicuculline on conductance of crayfish abdominal stretch receptor.

THREE years after bicuculline was first reported to be a specific antagonist1 to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), its value as such still is not settled definitely2–7. Nevertheless, many workers now claim the demonstration of GABA-mediated synapses in various parts of vertebrate and invertebrate nervous systems on the basis of suppression by bicuculline of GABA-induced inhibition of firing rates of neurones.
A Retrospective Chart Review of Antidepressant Use, Effectiveness, and Adverse Effects in Adults Age 70 and Older

The authors assessed the use, side effects, and outcomes of various antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), in adults 70 years of age and older by means of a retrospective study of outpatient records. Of these patients (N = 70), 26% improved or recovered. Patients were more likely to improve or recover if they took the antidepressant for at least 3 months. Those on TCAs were as likely to improve or recover and no more likely to discontinue because of side effects than those prescribed SSRIs. Approximately one-third of patients discontinued because of side effects, and SSRI gastrointestinal side effects were more common in patients concomitantly taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Many older patients who undergo antidepressant therapy discontinue because of side effects; however patients are likely to improve or recover with sustained therapy.
Review Essay: Important Books about Young Adults and Religion

I will confess that I was one of them. I was a child and youth of the church that stopped during my college and early employment years. I went from a youth that would never miss church to a young a...
Glucocorticoid-Induced Effects on Pattern Formation and Epithelial Cell Differentiation in Early Embryonic Rat Lungs

In this study, we examined the effects of dexamethasone (DEX) on airway branching and subsequent lung maturation. DEX treatment of fetal rat lung explants was initiated during the early pseudoglandular stage of development. Day 14 fetal lung explants were cultured with and without DEX for 4 d. Explants treated with 10 nM or higher concentrations of DEX showed features of both distorted and accelerated maturation. DEX-treated lungs had growth retardation, distorted branching, dilated proximal tubules, and suppressed proliferation of epithelial cells of the distal tubules. Several biochemical and morphologic features of accelerated maturation were also observed:1) the epithelial cells lining the distal tubules (prospective respiratory airways) were generally cuboidal or flattened; 2) the cuboidal cells often contained lamellar bodies and abundant glycogen;3) rudimentary septa and large airspace were present; 4) mesenchymal tissue was attenuated and compressed between adjacent epithelial tubules; 5) the distribution of SP-C mRNA in distal tubules was more mature, with individual and clusters of cells expressing SP-C transcripts; and 6) the transcript levels of several genes related to epithelial growth [keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), KGF receptor, and hepatocyte growth factor receptor] and differentiation [surfactant proteins, SP-A, SP-B and SP-C and the Clara cell secretory protein, CC10] were precociously increased. These results show that DEX treatment of the lung during the early pseudoglandular stage accelerates the acquisition of several features of advanced maturation that normally accompany late stages of fetal development. We postulate that KGF mediates at least some effects of DEX on lung maturation and gene expression.
Phylogenetic Relationships Among the Phyllotini (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae) Using Morphological Characters

Thirty-three species representing all 14 genera of the South American rodent tribe Phyllotini and 5 problematic genera are surveyed for 96 multistate and binary dental, cranial, skeletal, external, and male reproductive tract characters. Wagner parsimony analysis confirmsCalomys as the most basal phyllotine genus, and as currently constituted it is likely paraphyletic. The results are consistent with the exclusion ofPseudoryzomys from the phyllotines and the separation ofReithrodon andNeotomys fromHolochilus at the tribal level. Several highly differentiated generic groups that include a radiation of altiplano endemics centered onAuliscomys and the largely southern Andean/PatagonianReithrodon group appear to form a clade. AGraomys generic group that includesAndalgalomys andEligmodontia is also apparent, but its relationships to other phyllotines are obscured by poorly resolved internal nodes in the more species-rich and probably paraphyletic genusPhyllotis. The significance and consequences of more intensive taxonomic sampling are discussed. The taxonomic consequences of the phylogeny are presented.
Smectic liquid crystal polarization interference filters

Abstract Surface stabilized smectic liquid crystal devices can be used in a wide variety of optical filters for providing very rapid discrete, and continuous tunability. One such example, analyzed here, is the discrete switching Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Polarization Interference Filter (FLCPIF). This filter is implemented using binary swiching surface stabilized FLC's and linear polarizers. A single-stage FLCPIF is analyzed, and the number of output spectra is determined which optimizes performance and makes the most efficient use of the devices. The extension of principles to multiple-stage FLCPIF's, and FLCPIF's which include passive retarders is discussed.
The Pyridine Analog of Thiamin and the Growth of Fungi.

The concept of isosterism as applied to thiamin has been the subject of recent discussion. Schmelkes and Joinert and Schmelkes2 described the synthesis of a compound isosteric with thiamin and reported that it had some antineuretic activity. Baumgarten and Dornow3 synthesized the same substance and reported its antineuretic activity to be about one twenty-sixth that of thiamin. It is probable, however, that the compound described by Schmelkes and by Baumgarten and Dornow was an a-hydroxyethyl derivative instead of the assumed f-hydroxyethyl pyridine.4 Tracy and Elderfield5 synthesized the f-hydroxyethyl compound. Their compound is 1-(4-amino-2-methyl)5-pyrimidylmethyl-2-methyl-3(-hydroxyethyl)-pyridinium bromide hydrobromide (monohydrate). The pyrimidine6 portion of this compound is identical with that of thiamin; the pyridine portion differs from the thiazole part of thiamin as may be noted from the following formula
Dynamical universality class of Brownian motion and exact results for a single-impurity s=1/2 XY chain.

Relaxation phenomena in a class of nondissipative systems with two highly disparate time scales (i.e., Brownian systems) have unique commonalities quantifiable via two scalars. It is shown that the exactly solvable problem of the dynamics of a weakly linked impurity spin in a s=1/2 XY chain belongs to this dynamical universality class and so does that of a heavy mass in an infinite harmonic oscillator chain and a spinless quasi two-dimensional attractive Fermi gas in the long-wavelength limit. The case of the strongly linked impurity in the XY chain is also discussed along with the corresponding limits in the harmonic oscillator chain and the electron-gas problems. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Infant recognition of the correspondence between photographs and caricatures of human faces

In two separate experiments, infants were presented with two trials of a novelty preference task. They were familiarized with either a caricature or a photograph of a human face and then, during the novelty test, were presented with a pair of faces, one of which was that of a novel individual. In Experiment 1 the presentation format (caricature or photograph) was constant from familiarization to novelty test, whereas in Experiment 2 the pictures presented during the novelty test were in the format opposite that presented during the familiarization period. The infants in Experiment 1 spent a significant proportion of their looking time fixating the novel face regardless of the presentation format. In Experiment 2, the infants spent significantly more time fixating the novel face only on those trials in which they were familiarized with caricatures and tested with photographs. These results indicate that infants can, under some conditions, recognize a familiar face and discriminate it from a novel face of the same sex even when the presentation format has changed. However, recognition of the correspondence between a caricature and photograph of a specific face is limited to those conditions in which the familiarization stimulus accentuates the distinctive features.
The role of contrast in limiting vowel-to-vowel coarticulation in different languages

Languages differ in their inventories of distinctive sounds and in their systems of contrast. Here, it is proposed that this observation may have predictive value with respect to how extensively various phones are coarticulated in particular languages. This hypothesis is based on three assumptions: (1) There are ‘‘output constraints’’ on just how a given phone can be articulated; (2) output constraints are, at least in part, affected by language‐particular systems of phonetic contrast; and (3) coarticulation is limited in a way that respects those output constraints. Together, these assumptions lead to the expectation that, in general, languages will tend to tolerate less coarticulation just where extensive coarticulation would lead to confusion of contrastive phones. This prediction was tested by comparing acoustic measures of anticipatory vowel‐to‐vowel coarticulation in languages that differ in how they divide up the vowel space into contrastive units. The acoustic measures were the first and second formant frequencies, measured in the middle and at the end of the target vowels /a/ and /e/, followed by /pV/, where /V/ was /i,e,a,o,u/. Two languages (Ndebele and Shona) with the phonemic vowels /i,e,a,o,u/ were found to have greater anticipatory coarticulation for the target vowel /a/ than does a language (Sotho) that has a more crowded mid‐ and low‐vowel space, with the phonemic vowels /i,e,q,a,co,u/. The data were based on recordings from three speakers of each of the languages.
Development and characterisation of a novel animal model of prostate inflammation-induced chronic pelvic pain.

Chronic pelvic pain due to prostate inflammation is a significant clinical problem. In the current study we developed and validated an animal model of inflammation-induced pelvic pain (NIH category IIIA). 3 % carrageenan was injected into the ventral prostate in SD rats. At different time points (before and after 48 h, 72 h and 1 wk of injection), radiant heat and von Frey filaments (mechanical stimuli) were applied to different pelvic areas. The escape latency (s) from radiant heat, and the bending force (g) of the filament to which the animal responded by moving were taken as measures of heat and mechanical thresholds respectively. Inflamed animals showed a significant reduction in mechanical threshold (mechanical allodynia) at 72 h and 1 wk, and a significant reduction in heat threshold (thermal hyperalgesia) in the scrotal skin, compared to sham. Morphine (5 mg/kg., i. p.) significantly reduced both heat hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia. It is expected that this novel model will prove to be useful in studying the neurobiological mechanisms of male pelvic pain.