cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of a complex air pollution model to estimate dispersal and deposition of grass stem rust urediniospores at landscape scale

Abstract Dispersal and dry deposition of urediniospores of Puccinia graminis subsp. graminicola from infected perennial ryegrass was modeled with CALPUFF, a Lagrangian puff atmospheric dispersal model developed for air pollution studies. The emission rate (spores/min/m 2 field area) was back-calculated from aerial spore flux from a 6 m × 6 m source plot. Spore flux was measured by a novel approach in which the cross-section of the entire plume was sampled immediately downwind of the source. The diurnal pattern of spore release was obtained from continuous volumetric spore sampler measurements in a nearby field. Weather observations at the study site were combined with three-dimensional prognostic meteorological fields generated by the Penn State Mesoscale Meteorological Model (MM5) using CALMET to run CALPUFF. The settling velocities of single and clustered spores were measured in the laboratory. Deposition fields and mass balances from the 6 m × 6 m plots were modeled by using observations from four dates in June 2005. A deposition level of 10 spores/m 2 was estimated to reach 1.8–2.1 km downwind of the plot on different days. For three of the dates CALPUFF estimated few or no spores remaining airborne as long as an hour after release above the canopy. Modeling of spore dispersal from 5- or 50-ha fields of rust-infested perennial ryegrass indicated deposition of 10 spores/m 2 at a distance of 2.1–5.9 km from the field, depending on weather and source strength (size of field and severity of rust disease), and deposition of 0.01 spores/m 2 was indicated to extend more than 12 km from a heavily infested 50-ha field for one of the days. In this scenario 10 14 spores were released from the field in 24 h, 18 million remained airborne more than an hour and 400,000 reach the air aloft. Simulation of spore dispersal by a small dust devil showed 12.5% of the spore biomass advected horizontally beyond 200 km in the air aloft.
Postoperative complete heart block in 64 children treated with and without cardiac pacing.

Between 1957 and 1973, a total of 64 children who had complete heart block during intracardiac surgery were treated by one of three methods: (1) No pacemaker: Six of the 13 patients in this group had reversion to sinus rhythm. Seven patients continued to have complete heart block, and five of these died of Stokes-Adams episodes. Two patients continue to have complete heart block without pacemaker insertion. (2) Temporary pacemaker: Seventeen of 25 patients had reversion to sinus rhythm and the temporary pacemaker was removed; the other 8 continued to have complete heart block. Five of the eight died—three of Stokes-Adams episodes and two at the time of cardiac reoperation. Three remain asymptomatic without placement of a permanent pacemaker. (3) Permanent pacemaker: Twenty-six patients had implantation of a permanent pacemaker. Six died of postoperative complications unrelated to heart block or pacemaker implantation. None of the other 20 experienced Stokes-Adams attacks. There was one late death in this group. Although there are problems in using permanent pacemakers and electrode systems, in these patients with operatively induced complete heart block their use was associated with a low mortality rate.
Defect model of twinning in ferroelectrics

We examine electrostatic and elastic contributions to the twinning of a thin ferroelectric film (i.e. a layer embedded in an isotropic medium). The analysis employed herein focuses on the multipole character of the imperfections associated with a twin, treating electrostatic and elastic defects within a unified framework. Our analytical results are complemented by simplified descriptions of the twinned system in terms of idealized defects, leading to an intuitive understanding of defect energetics. For completeness, a number of different twin geometries is considered, and the solutions for these cases are then tabulated and interpreted.
Laparoscopic-assisted percutaneous endoscopic cecostomy in children with defecation disorders (with video)

Background The antegrade continence enema (ACE) procedure has been widely used in the management of children with defecation disorders. The ACE procedure has undergone many technical modifications. We developed a safe and minimally invasive technique, the laparoscopic-assisted percutaneous endoscopic cecostomy (LAPEC). Objective To compare LAPEC to laparoscopic cecostomy in terms of operative time, hospital length of stay, and procedure-related morbidity. Design Retrospective review of children undergoing the ACE procedure. Setting Two tertiary-care centers. Patients This study involved children with defecation disorders. Intervention The ACE procedure. Main Outcome Measurements Procedure complications, length of stay, and operative time. Results Fifty patients underwent LAPEC, and 15 underwent laparoscopic cecostomy. Of the LAPEC patients, 70% were male, with mean age 12 ± 4.2 years, mean operative time 100.1 ± 16.6 minutes, and mean length of stay 3.4 ± 1.4 days. Of the laparoscopic cecostomy patients, 56% were male, with mean age 10.5 ± 4 years, mean operative time 100.8 ± 19.1 minutes, and mean length of stay 3.8 ± 1.6 days. There was no statistical difference between the 2 groups. The single intraoperative complication during LAPEC was a cecal hematoma. Postoperative complications after LAPEC included 6 patients with low-grade fever, 3 patients with tube dislodgement (2 treated by repeat LAPEC and the other by open surgery), and 2 patients with skin breakdown. Of the 50 LAPEC patients and their families, 48 were satisfied with the outcome. Limitations Retrospective study. Conclusion LAPEC is a safe, minimally invasive procedure for cecostomy placement in children with refractory constipation or fecal incontinence.
Treatment of septic arthritis

Surgery and needle aspiraton have been evaluated as initial modes of drainage in 59 patients with acute septic arthritis. Full recovery was noted in 42% treated surgically at the outset. On the other hand, 67% of those treated by needle aspiration recovered without sequelae, despite the greater prevalence in this group of adverse host factor-eg, serious underlying illness, concommitant extraarticular infection, prior arthritis in the infected joint, and recent antibiotic or immunosuppressive therapy.
How Geoscientists Think and Learn

Decades ago, pioneering petroleum geologist Wallace Pratt pointed out that oil is first found in the human mind. His insight remains true today: Across geoscience specialties, the human mind is arguably the geoscientist's most important tool. It is the mind that converts colors and textures of dirt, or blotches on a satellite image, or wiggles on a seismogram, into explanatory narratives about the formation and migration of oil, the rise and fall of mountain ranges, the opening and closing of oceans. Improved understanding of how humans think and learn about the Earth can help geoscientists and geoscience educators do their jobs better, and can highlight the strengths that geoscience expertise brings to interdisciplinary problem solving.
Electron Spin Paramagnetism of Lithium and Sodium

The paramagnetic susceptibility ${{\ensuremath{\chi}}_{p}}^{e}$ of conduction electron spins is isolated experimentally from the total magnetic susceptibility in metallic lithium and sodium by studying the intensity of the conduction-electron spin resonances. The absolute intensity of absorption is calibrated by comparison with the nuclear resonance of the metal nuclei in the same sample and at the same frequency, the two resonances being observed merely by changing the static magnetic field. In this manner ${{\ensuremath{\chi}}_{p}}^{e}$ is measured in terms of the nuclear static susceptibility, ${{\ensuremath{\chi}}_{p}}^{n}$, which in turn can be calculated accurately from the Langevin-Debye formula. A narrow band modulation technique gives improved signal to noise over our earlier work. The values of ${{\ensuremath{\chi}}_{p}}^{e}$ are (2.08\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ cgs volume units for lithium at 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and (0.95\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ cgs volume units for sodium at 79\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, in rather good agreement with the theory of Pines and Bohm, but in substantial disagreement with the simple Pauli model, or the results of Sampson and Seitz. Experimental precision does not permit conclusions to be drawn about the diamagnetism of conduction electrons.
O-GlcNAc modification of transcription factor Sp1 mediates hyperglycemia-induced VEGF-A upregulation in retinal cells.

Purpose Proangiogenic protein VEGF-A contributes significantly to retinal lesions and neovascularization in diabetic retinopathy (DR). In preclinical DR, hyperglycemia can upregulate VEGF-A in retinal cells. The VEGF-A promoter is responsive to the transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1). The O-GlcNAc modification is driven by glucose concentration and has a profound effect on Sp1 activity. This study investigated the effects of hyperglycemia on Sp1-mediated expression of VEGF-A in the retinal endothelium and pigment epithelium. Methods Hyperglycemia-exposed ARPE-19 (human retinal pigment epithelial cells) and TR-iBRB (rat retinal microendothelial cells) were assayed for levels of VEGF-A by qRT-PCR, Western blot, and ELISA. Small molecule inhibitors of O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) or O-GlcNAcase (OGA) were used to manipulate O-GlcNAc levels. Vascular endothelial growth factor-A protein and transcript were measured in cells depleted of OGT or Sp1 by shRNA. The proximal VEGF-A promoter was analyzed for glucose sensitivity by luciferase assay. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was used to assess Sp1 occupancy on the VEGF-A promoter. Results Hyperglycemia increased VEGF-A promoter activity and upregulated VEGF-A transcript and protein. Elevation of O-GlcNAc by OGA inhibitors was sufficient to increase VEGF-A. O-GlcNAc transferase inhibition abrogated glucose-driven VEGF-A. Cellular depletion of OGT or Sp1 by shRNA significantly abrogated glucose-induced changes in VEGF-A. ChIP analysis showed that hyperglycemia significantly increased binding of Sp1 to the VEGF-A promoter. Conclusions Hyperglycemia-driven VEGF-A production is mediated by elevated O-GlcNAc modification of the Sp1 transcription factor. This mechanism may be significant in the pathogenesis of preclinical DR through VEGF-A upregulation.
Peritoneal and serum tumor markers predict recurrence and survival of patients with resectable gastric cancer.

Laparoscopy has become a useful adjunct for the staging of gastric cancer; yet, other than standard TNM staging, few additional variables can be used to predict survival. This study evaluated the utility of serum and peritoneal tumor markers (carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA] and carbohydrate antigen [CA]-125) as predictors of locoregional recurrence and distant disease-free survival in patients with gastric cancer. Methods. During the period June 1990 to February 1994, 86 patients with gastric cancer were evaluated and deemed resectable by preoperative imaging studies. Serum levels of CEA and CA-125 were determined, and all patients underwent laparoscopic staging. Peritoneal washings were obtained from all patients, and 56 of these samples were evaluated for levels of CEA and CA-125. Results. Sixteen (19%) of the 86 patients were found to have metastatic disease at laparoscopy; 67 of the remaining 70 patients underwent potentially curative gastrectomy. Serum CEA and CA-125 levels were predictive of survival in the entire group of patients. In patients who underwent curative gastrectomy, serum CEA predicted survival, whereas peritoneal CA-125 predicted peritoneal recurrence. Conclusions. Elevated serum levels of CEA and CA-125 are predictive of decreased survival in patients with gastric cancer. Furthermore, determination of peritoneal CA-125 helps to identify those patients at an increased risk for recurrent peritoneal disease.
Using problets for problem-solving exercises in introductory C++/Java/C# courses

This workshop will help participants introduce problem-solving exercises into their introductory C++/Java/C# programming courses. The purpose of problem-solving exercises is two-fold: they supplement classroom instruction and complement the programming projects traditionally assigned in the course. The benefits of problem-solving exercises are many: they improve students' comprehension of programming constructs, their self-confidence, especially that of female students, and their coding skills. In this workshop, problets (www.problets.org) will be introduced as a tool for problem-solving exercises. They parameterize problems to deter plagiarism; provide step-by-step explanation of the correct solution to each problem, which helps students learn; and adapt to the learner's needs. They are a web-based service freely available for educational use. Problets have been rigorously evaluated, and have been adopted and used by dozens of instructors every semester since 2004. The workshop is appropriate for instructors of introductory C++/Java/C# programming courses in Computer Science or engineering. Participants are asked to bring a WiFi-enabled laptop to the workshop for hands-on experience.
Flowability of lunar soil simulant JSC-1a

We have done a complete flowability characterization of the lunar soil simulant, JSC-1a, following closely the ASTM-6773 standard for the Shulze ring shear test. The measurements, which involve pre-shearing the material before each yield point, show JSC-1a to be cohesionless, with an angle of internal friction near 40°. We also measured yield loci after consolidating the material in a vibration table which show it to have significant cohesion (≈ 1 kPa) and an internal friction angle of about 60°. Hopper designs based on each type of flowability test differ significantly. These differences highlight the need to discern the condition of the lunar soil in the specific process where flowability is an issue. We close with a list—not necessarily comprehensive—of engineering rules of thumb that apply to powder flow in hoppers.
DEADLOCK-FREE FAULT-TOLERANT MULTICAST ROUTING IN HYPERCUBES

In this paper, an algorithm is presented to embedd a ring in an n-dimensional hypercube with at most n-1 faults; subsequently, the embedded ring is used for efficient deadlock-free multicast routing between all the fault-free nodes. Simulation results are presented to compare the performance of the algorithm to that of the routing algorithm proposed in [9] for a fault-free hypercube to study the performance degradation because of faults. A modification to the algorithm of [9] is also presented for improved performance.
Civic Ideals, Mass Culture, and the Public: Reconsidering the 1909 Plan of Chicago:

The centennial anniversary of the publication of the 1909 Plan of Chicago has sparked renewed interest in this landmark of Progressive Era urbanism. This essay examines an often neglected legacy of the Plan: its influence on civic discourse. Best known for its City Beautiful vision of Chicago, the Plan and its implementation campaign also provided a powerful object lesson in the effectiveness of new media and techniques of mass communication for constructing a collective civic identity. Even as the Plan promoted a spatial approach to this problem, its promotion advanced a vision of civic unity enacted not through the building arts but through the new arts of selling.
Determination of the energy gap for charged excitations in insulating La 2 CuO 4

Measurements are reported of the photoconductivity (PO) in reduced, undoped, single-crystal ${\mathrm{La}}_{2}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{4}$. The spectral dependence of the PC shows a threshold at 2.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1 eV, corresponding to the minimum energy for the creation of charged excitations. Transient measurements indicate that the PC is surprisingly persistent: the average recombination time is longer than 10 s at room teperature.
3D localized 2D NMR spectroscopy on an MRI scanner

Three-dimensionally localized versions of several two-dimensional NMR sequences have been implemented on a 1.5 T whole-body MRI/MRS scanner. In addition to the localization of voxels, the slice-selective RF pulses were also used for refocusing/transfer of various coherences in the 2D NMR sequences. Initial phantom and in vivo human studies are presented here. The sequences were localized versions of 2D J-resolved, 2D zero-quantum, 2D double-quantum, zero-quantum-filtered COSY and SECSY, and double-quantum-filtered COSY and SECSY. Two-dimensional plots for the J-resolved and multiple-quantum sequences are presented for a phantom containing an aqueous solution of 10 mM alanine. Sensitivity of different multiple-quantum-coherence orders to B0 inhomogeneity is discussed. Localized double-quantum-filtered COSY of a phantom containing physiological concentrations of several metabolites also is presented to demonstrate the feasibility of performing this technique within time limits reasonable for human comfort. The first-reported 2D J-resolved 1H in vivo MR spectrum localized in three dimensions in presented here, acquired predominantly from the cerebral white matter of a healthy volunteer and demonstrating the use of localized 2D NMR techniques in vivo.
Proximal and distal social influence on alcohol consumption and marijuana use among middle school adolescents.

Abstract Objectives This study assesses the independent and combined effects of (1) perceived peer norms, (2) best friend use, and (3) being in the presence of others who use on middle school adolescents’ consumption of marijuana and alcohol, and how the effects of these sources of social influence evolve over time as youth progress through middle school. Methods The analytic sample consisted of 11,667 adolescents (50% female; >65% Hispanic) in 6th, 7th or 8th grade from 16 middle schools across three school districts in Southern California. Participants were assessed at 5 time points from 2008 to 2011. Results All sources of social influence were predictive of alcohol and marijuana consumption. As youth grew older, spending time with other adolescents who drink increased adolescents’ likelihood of drinking alcohol, whereas perceived norms became less influential. Furthermore, as adolescents spent more time around other youths who drink, the predictive value of perceived norms on alcohol consumption decreased. Similarly, as youth grew older, the influence of best friend's use and spending time with other adolescents who use marijuana remain stable, whereas perceived norms became less influential. Conclusion Findings suggest that perceived peer norms may be more influential in early adolescence; whereas proximal social determinants (e.g., being in the presence of other peers who consume) become more influential as youth enter middle adolescence. Prevention programs should continue to address misperception of norms with younger adolescents to decrease the chances of initiation, but also utilize strategies such as refusal skills and alternate coping mechanisms for older adolescents.
In Orbit Performance of the Einstein Observatory/HEAO-2 Imaging Proportional Counter

After two years of orbital operation, the IPC--a soft X-ray (0.2 - 4 keV) position sensitive proportional counter--continues to perform well after some initial gain changes, and is the most widely used focal plane instrument of the Einstein Observatory. X-ray images of several thousand cosmic X-ray sources have been obtained with a resolution of ~ 1.5 arcmin (FWHM) with a 1° field. Particle backgrounds are less than expected. The calibration of the instrument with respect to gain variations and spatial linearity is being refined by in-flight measurements.
Plasma tryptophan in humans with diabetic and senile cataracts

The levels of plasma tryptophan (in μg/ml± s.e. ) are elevated in patients with cataracts (25·9±1·9) or aphakia (26·2±3·1) as compared with individuals with clear lenses (11·4±0·6). Higher tryptophan levels are found in diabetics with cataracts (23·5±3·1) as compared with diabetics with clear lenses (11·9±0·9). Elevation of plasma tryptophan is not an age-dependent phenomenon in humans. Lowering of plasma tryptophan may decelerate the progression of senile and diabetic cataracts.
Post-methionine load hyperhomocysteinemia in persons with normal fasting total plasma homocysteine: initial results from the NHLBI Family Heart Study.

Abstract Hyperhomocysteinemia, either fasting or after oral methionine loading, appears to be an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). It remains unclear whether fasting total homocysteine determination alone adequately detects the full spectrum of hyperhomocysteinemic individuals. We measured fasting and 4-h post methionine loading (0.1 g L-methionine/kg body weight) total plasma homocysteine in 274 participants in The NHLBI Family Heart Study, a population-based investigation of genetic and non-genetic determinants of CHD. Of the total number ( n = 47) of hyperhomocysteinemic persons, 43% (2047) were identified only by methionine loading, while 32% (1547) of the total number, and 75% of those with post-methionine loading hyperhomocysteinemia only (1520), had fasting total homocysteine concentrations below the 75th percentile (10.7 μmol/l). We conclude that fasting total plasma homocysteine determination alone fails to identify a sizable percentage (> 40%) of persons who may have clinically relevant hyperhomocysteinemia post methionine loading.
Studies on the whey utilization in cheese making Part 2. Ras Cheese

Ras cheese was made from fresh milk, whey was collected and dried skimmilk was used to prepare a reconstituted milk with 20% total solids. Ras cheese was made from it and that was repeated for another three times. The addition of whey was benificial in reducing the time necessary for raising the acidity of milk to make it suitable for rennet action, up to its half. The time necessary to make it suitable for whey removal was reduced up to its half also. Consequently the time required for pressing was 8 h only, instead of 16 h. Generally, it is considered to be a better way in using the whey in Ras cheese making. In addition, it produced a good and acceptable cheese.
Analysis of the Greenland icesheet experiment in terms of new gravitational forces

Abstract We present an analysis of the anomalous gravitational attraction found in the Greenland icesheet experiment. If the anomalous gradient is due to the existence of a single new, attractive, force, then the force has a range between 225 m and 5.40 km and a coupling constant between 2.4% and 3.5% that of newtonian gravity, with a best fit of about 805 m and 3.1%, respectively. From our procedure, the chi-squared analysis describing the quality of any fit to parameter values can be immediately scaled if a fraction of the gravitational anomaly is actually due to density anomalies in the bedrock.
Economic Impacts of Intercity Passenger Rail Service: Evidence from Passenger Surveys

Recent policy and funding developments have stimulated interest in high-speed and intercity passenger rail. Given the present economic climate of the country, particular interest lies in the impacts of new or expanded passenger rail services on local or regional economies. Using evidence from rail passenger surveys, this paper examines the economic impacts of existing state-supported passenger rail service in a growing intercity corridor of the south central United States. Economic impacts were measured by analyzing passengers' self-reported expenditures on selected items during their rail trip. The results of the analysis showed an estimated spending impact on local communities of more than $18 million in total, with more than $1.3 million of local sales tax generated by rail passengers in the study corridor. If the service were discontinued, an estimated 30% of these impacts would be lost. The findings of this analysis inform passenger rail planning efforts by providing better understanding of the finan...
Botanical and dietary supplements for mood and anxiety in menopausal women.

Objective This paper reviews the commonly used botanicals for treatment of mood and anxiety disorders in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women and presents information on their safety and efficacy. Design The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for clinical trials related to the use of botanicals for depression, anxiety, and mood disturbances. Papers were excluded if they were in a language other than English, did not include midlife women as study participants, or did not report on changes in mood, depression, or anxiety. Results Five of seven trials of St. John's wort for mild to moderate depression showed a significant improvement. The one randomized, controlled trial of ginseng in postmenopausal women reported improvements in mood and anxiety. All three randomized, controlled trials of ginkgo found no effect on depression. In four of eight controlled trials, kava significantly reduced anxiety. Black cohosh significantly reduced depression and anxiety in all studies reviewed. Conclusions St. John's wort and black cohosh appear to be the most useful in alleviating mood and anxiety changes during menopause. Ginseng may be effective, but more research needs to be done. Kava holds promise for decreasing anxiety in peri- and postmenopausal women; however, women should be careful in the amount and duration of use. Finally, ginkgo and valerian do not appear to be useful in reducing depression or anxiety in this population.
Buckyballs meet viral nanoparticles: candidates for biomedicine.

Fullerenes such as C60 show promise as functional components in several emerging technologies. For biomedical applications, C60 has been used in gene- and drug-delivery vectors, as imaging agents, and as photosensitizers in cancer therapy. A major drawback of C60 for bioapplications is its insolubility in water. To overcome this limitation, we covalently attached C60 derivatives to Cowpea mosaic virus and bacteriophage Qβ virus-like particles, which are examples of naturally occurring viral nanoparticle (VNP) structures that have been shown to be promising candidates for biomedicine. Two different labeling strategies were employed, giving rise to water-soluble, stable VNP−C60 and VNP−PEG-C60 conjugates. Samples were characterized using a combination of transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), gel electrophoresis, size-exclusion chromatography, dynamic light scattering, and Western blotting. “Click” chemistry bioconjugation using a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-modi...
Public discourse and cosmopolitan political identity: Imagining the European Union citizen

Abstract European Union citizenship has thus far been constructed largely in national and economic terms, which are unlikely to redeem the promise of a rich and vibrant political future in the wake of the EU constitution. Therefore, one of the central challenges facing scholars, political leaders and citizens is to fashion new argumentative spaces that enable citizens to forge cosmopolitan political identities that may help to fulfill the vision of alternative futures. This paper addresses the rhetorical dimensions of European Union citizenship as it focuses on public discourse as constitutive of new models of political participation and engagement. Tracing the idea of citizenship in the writings of Hannah Arendt, Immanuel Kant, and Giambattista Vico, discourse and imagination become necessary for a new dimension of European Union citizenship. 1
Dense low density lipoproteins and coronary artery disease

A common, genetically influenced lipoprotein subclass profile characterized by a predominance of small, dense low density lipoprotein (LDL) particles is associated with relative increases in plasma triglyceride and apolipoprotein (apo) B-100, and reduced levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and apoAI. Recently, this phenotype has also been associated with the insulin resistance syndrome and familial combined hyperlipidemia. Case-control studies of patients with myocardial infarction and angiographically documented coronary artery disease (CAD) have demonstrated that 40-50% of patients have the small, dense LDL phenotype and that this is associated with a 2- to 3-fold increase in disease risk. However, because of strong statistical correlations among the multiple features of the phenotype, it has been difficult to determine whether > or = 1 of its metabolic alterations are primarily responsible for increased CAD susceptibility. More direct evidence for enhanced atherogenicity of lipoproteins in this trait derives from a recent report that LDL-cholesterol lowering by diet and drug treatment resulted in reduced coronary angiographic progression in CAD subjects with predominantly dense LDL, but that an equivalent lowering of LDL cholesterol in subjects with more buoyant LDL was not associated with angiographic benefit. Further, in vitro findings have indicated increased susceptibility of small, dense LDL to oxidative modification and relatively greater binding of these particles to arterial wall proteoglycans. Thus, the small, dense LDL trait may underlie familial predisposition to CAD in a large proportion of the population, and its presence may indicate the potential for benefit from specific therapeutic interventions.
A comparative study of J chain structure and stoichiometry in human and nurse shark IgM.

Abstract J chain was isolated from nurse shark and human 19S IgM for the purpose of determining the parameters of mol. wt and stoichiometry. Gel filtration using Sephadex G200 equilibrated with 5M guanidine · HCl indicated a mol. wt of ∼ 15,500 for human J chain and ∼12,200 for nurse shark J chain. Using these mol. wt values, the ratios of human and nurse shark J chains to the respective 19S IgM molecules were determined by several methods to be one.
New Application of Delayed Coincidence Techniques for Measuring Lifetimes of Excited Nuclear States-Ca 42 and Sc 47

A new application of the delayed coincidence technique for measuring short nuclear lifetimes has been developed which is basically similar to the well-known prompt comparison method. Systematic errors can be reduced and greater accuracy obtained for nuclei which exhibit both a prompt and a delayed event. A transistorized time-to-amplitude converter was used. The mean life of the second excited state of ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{42}$ [(4.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$ sec] and the first excited state of ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{47}$ (5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}12}$ sec) were measured. Also the mean life of the first excited state of ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{198}$ [(3.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}$ sec] was determined by the usual self-comparison method.
Flow visualization in the Baylor total artificial heart.

: To analyze the flow patterns of the left and right blood chambers of the total artificial heart (TAH), flow visualization studies were performed. Two setup levels were used for the flow visualization studies. For estimating the global flow patterns, the pumps were illuminated using incandescent light, and the patterns were recorded by either videotape or photography. To evaluate sectional flow patterns, a laser light was applied, and the pump could be scanned segmentally. The flow patterns were recorded by a high-speed camera. A signal was also used that synchronized the timing of the camera shutter to the pusher-plate movement signal. In the left pump chamber, major stagnations were observed in the middle area of the inflow site. To solve this problem, a modification was made that changed the inflow direction appropriately. After evaluation of the inflow port direction, a proper flow pattern was obtained, which was validated by a global flow visualization study. Furthermore, both pump chambers indicated excellent flow patterns as obtained by a segmental flow visualization study method utilizing a laser light. The Baylor TAH demonstrated excellent flow patterns in flow visualization studies, with antithrombogenicity expected. These flow visualization studies are very useful not only for validations of global flow patterns but also for validations of local areas of stagnation in various blood pumps.
Ultraviolet Absorption of Solid Argon, Krypton, and Xenon

The absorption spectra of thin films of argon, krypton, and xenon have been measured between 20 and 50\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K in the region from 1600 to 900 \AA{} (8 to 14 eV). The spectra show: (a) strong doublets corresponding to the atomic resonance doublets, (b) lines apparently of nonatomic nature, and (c) absorption continua. The experimental results are discussed in terms of the Frenkel and Wannier exciton models and the band gaps are estimated. Reasonable agreement is found between experimental results and available theoretical predictions.
Phosphonoacetic Acid-Resistant Herpes Simplex Virus Infection in Hairless Mice

Phosphonoacetic acid (PAA)-resistant type 1 herpes simplex virus population was isolated by repeated passage of the virus in the presence of this inhibitor. Hairless mice infected percutaneously with the inhibitor-resistant or the parental inhibitor-susceptible virus were treated intraperitoneally with PAA and 9-β-d-arabinofuranosyl-adenine by using several different dosage schedules. Whereas 9-β-d-arabinofuranosyl-adenine was effective both in the PAA-susceptible and PAA-resistant herpes simplex virus-induced skin infection, PAA suppressed only the infection induced by the parental PAA-susceptible virus.
Structure-property relationships in short-fiber-reinforced composites

A computer model is presented for the study of the effects of fiber characteristics on the mechanical properties of short-fiber-reinforced composites. Our model results indicate a very weak effect of fiber orientation on the modulus and tensile strength of the composite. Very high levels of orientation are required before a true reinforcement of the composite by the fiber can occur. For randomly dispersed fibers, our results point to the presence of an optimum fiber aspect ratio for effective reinforcement. They also indicate a microfailure mechanism which originates at the fiber ends and propagates along the fiber-matrix interface, with no fiber breaking being involved
Time warp football

We describe a system called Time Warp Football (TWF) which puts fans in control of the game watching experience. TWF uses annotated video streams to enable instantaneous forward and backward play-by-play navigation and on-demand switching between multiple camera angles. These features allow fans to easily watch and re-watch plays they are interested in from any camera angle. The annotations also allow for instantaneous game statistics whenever the fan desires. We took TWF into eleven different homes, connected it to the home TV, and provided a standard wireless video game controller to control the experience. Based on in-home user evaluations, we found that TWF provides an easy to learn interactive TV control system, effectively uses on screen prompts to enable groups to watch an interactive sporting event, and overall provides a successful interactive TV experience.
A distributed fuzzy logic controller for an autonomous vehicle

Autonomous vehicles can be used in a variety of applications such as hazardous environments or intelligent highway systems. Fuzzy logic is an appropriate choice for this application as it can describe human behavior well. This paper proposes two fuzzy logic controllers for the steering and the velocity control of an autonomous vehicle. The two controllers are divided into separate modules to mimic the way humans think while driving. The steering controller is divided into four modules; one module drives the vehicle toward the target while another module avoids collision with obstacles. A third module drives the vehicle through mazes. The fourth module adjusts the final orientation of the target. The velocity controller is divided into three modules; the first module speeds up the vehicle to reach the target and slows it down as it moves toward the target. The second module controls the velocity in the neighborhood of obstacles. A third module controls the velocity of the vehicle as it turns sharp corners. A method for automatic tuning of the first module of the velocity controller is proposed to stabilize the velocity of the vehicle as it approaches the target. Two examples to demonstrate the interaction among the seven control modules are included. Results of the simulation are compared with those in the literature. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Deep burial of coal-bearing strata, Anthracite region, Pennsylvania: Sedimentation or tectonics?

Recent studies of vitrinite reflectance, sedimentary compaction, and fluid inclusions indicate that coal-bearing strata of the Pennsylvania Anthacite region were once buried at depths ranging from 6 to as much as 9 km. Vitrinite reflectance anisotropy suggests that anthracite rank was attained by normal geothermal heating largely prior to and during Alleghanian folding. Paleomagnetic ages for the folding and paleobotanical ages of the youngest extant sediments delimit the maximum burial and deformation to a relatively short interval (285 to 270 Ma). In comparison with typical molasse sequences, the implied thicknesses and rates of deposition are excessive, suggesting that much of the former overburden was emplaced tectonically or by extremely rapid sedimentation. The total implied thickness (about 20 km) of Paleozoic strata in the region is abnormally large for an epicontinental basin. An inferred body of mafic rock embedded in the Precambrian basement, evidenced by the Scranton gravity high (SGH), may have influenced crustal subsidence, especially during the Allegheny orogeny, and produced a large downwarp accounting for the high coal rank. The fact that isorank contours, Paleozoic sediment isopach contours, and a large structural sag all lie roughly parallel to the boundaries of the SGH, oblique to the principal Alleghanian fold trend, lends support to this idea.
Calibration of the Truncated Panel Test Arc-Jet Facility

A newly modified facility was built to enable testing of Orion spacecraft heat shield material samples in a high enthalpy, high shea r boundary layer flow field. An existing archeated panel test facility was modified to increase the applied heat flux and shear onto flat panels of heat shield material. Experimental and computational results are presented and discussed showing the demonstrated range of enthalpy, pressure, heat flux, and shear stress developed by the plasma flow field. Calibration results are derived from Gardon gage sensors, an adiabatic tile model, and Teflon witness plates. Detailed results shown of threedimensional computational simulations describe the free-jet flow field in the facility and the distributions of heating, pressure and shear ove r the heated surface of material samples.
Effect of Source and Level of Vitamin D on Live Performance and Bone Development in Growing Broilers

SUMMARY Cholecalciferol (VIT-D3) and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH-D3) were each used to provide 125, 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, or 4,000 IU/kg of vitamin D activity in a nutritionally complete cornsoybean meal diet. Each treatment was assigned to four pens of 60 male broilers (Cobb 500) grown in an open-sided house with sidewall curtains. At 21 and 42 d, BW and feed conversion were determined. Samples of birds (8 per pen) were killed at the same ages; the right tibia was subjected to bone ash determination, and incidence and severity of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) were determined on the left tibia. At 21 and 42 d, the BW of birds fed the 25-OH-D3 were significantly greater than those of birds fed the VIT-D3. At 21 d, vitamin D in excess of 500 IU/kg appeared necessary to maximize BW regardless of source. At 42 d, approximately 1,000 IU/kg was needed to maximize BW of birds fed VIT-D3, whereas no significant difference in BW was noted among birds fed the various levels of 25-OH-D3. Bone ash at 21 and 42 d was significantly greater for birds fed the 25-OH-D3 as compared to those fed the VIT-D3. Approximately 2,000 IU/kg of VIT-D3 was needed for maximum bone ash, whereas there were no significant differences in bone ash content of birds fed from 250 to 4,000 IU/kg from 25-OH-D3. The incidence and severity of TD was significantly lower for birds fed 25-OH-D3 and was reduced by increasing levels of vitamin D regardless of source. Results of the study show that 25-OH-D3 is more metabolically potent on a per unit basis than VIT-D3 for support of BW, tibia ash, and reduction in incidence and severity of TD. The differences were observed primarily at lower levels of vitamin D; at typical industry levels, few differences were observed between the two sources. Use of the 25-OH-D3 may allow for supplementation with lower levels or may provide a greater margin of safety.
Parent and child causal attributions related to the child's clinical problem.

Parents and children were asked to give causal attributions related to the child's learning or behavior problems and an area of success. Actor-observer differences and tendencies of actors to make differential attributions for their positive and negative outcomes were examined. A significant number of parents and childen were in disagreement regarding the cause of the child's problem. Parents made significantly more internal than external attributions for children's presenting problems. In contrast, children were evenly distributed in problem attributions. Both parents and children made significantly more internal success attributions. Research with clinical child populations is highlighted as a valuable way to validate, expand, and refine attribution theory while clarifying its practical applications.
Molecular mechanism for regulation of the human mitochondrial branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex by phosphorylation

Abstract The human mitochondrial branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex (BCKDC) is a 4 MDa macromolecular machine comprising three catalytic components (E1b, E2b, and E3), a kinase, and a phosphatase. The BCKDC overall activity is tightly regulated by phosphorylation in response to hormonal and dietary stimuli. We report that phosphorylation of Ser292-α in the E1b active site channel results in an order-to-disorder transition of the conserved phosphorylation loop carrying the phosphoryl serine. The conformational change is triggered by steric clashes of the phosphoryl group with invariant His291-α that serves as an indispensable anchor for the phosphorylation loop through bound thiamin diphosphate. Phosphorylation of Ser292-α does not severely impede the E1b-dependent decarboxylation of α-ketoacids. However, the disordered loop conformation prevents phosphorylated E1b from binding the E2b lipoyl-bearing domain, which effectively shuts off the E1b-catalyzed reductive acylation reaction and therefore completely inactivates BCKDC. This mechanism provides a paradigm for regulation of mitochondrial α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complexes by phosphorylation.
Studies of Platelet Monoamine Oxidase Activity in Epstein-Barr and Dengue Virus Infections

As part of a prospective, psychosocial, and biochemical study of infectious mononucleosis, platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity has been evaluated as a host factor. It was found that platelet MAO activity may be a possible predisposing host factor but not a precipitating factor. The results on infectious mononucleosis, a viral disease which involves the host's cell-mediated immune system, are compared with an evaluation of platelet MAO activity in dengue, a viral disorder involving the host's humoral immune system. The platelet MAO activity in these disorders has been compared to that in schizophrenia, a disease for which low platelet MAO activity has been postulated, from retrospective and twin studies, to be a risk factor. One hypothesis suggests that low platelet MAO activity predisposes to development of schizophrenia, but also increases cell-mediated immune system responses.
Wavelet-based LASSO in functional linear regression

In linear regression with functional predictors and scalar responses, it may be advantageous, particularly if the function is thought to contain features at many scales, to restrict the coefficient function to the span of a wavelet basis, thereby converting the problem into one of variable selection. If the coefficient function is sparsely represented in the wavelet domain, we may employ the well-known LASSO to select a relatively small number of nonzero wavelet coefficients. This is a natural approach to take but to date, the properties of such an estimator have not been studied. In this article we describe the wavelet-based LASSO approach to regressing scalars on functions and investigate both its asymptotic convergence and its finite-sample performance through both simulation and real-data application. We compare the performance of this approach with existing methods and find that the wavelet-based LASSO performs relatively well, particularly when the true coefficient function is spiky. Source code to ...
The holding environment and the therapeutic action of psychoanalysis.

Some of the recent most challenging contributions to our knowledge of female sexuality were provided by direct observations as early as during the second year of life concerning genital self-stimulation and masturbation in girls. Other investigators have advanced the proposition that girls are capable of vaginal masturbation and possibly of experiencing vaginal sensation and stimulation very early in life. Our own clinical study on sleep orgasm, based mainly on data obtained from the analysis of one woman, leads to formulating the hypothesis that in some instances the nursing situation may provide sensations in the genitals (vagina), not only for the mother, but also for the baby. We assume that such sensations in the genitals of the infant female are not the result of mechanical stimulation of the genital organs--as described during the second year and later--but are the result of a "resonance" phenomenon whereby the infant's genitals, including the vagina, are stimulated from within. The observations of orgasm made by others and by the author should be considered the first tentative steps toward an understanding of the complex nature of female orgasm. Eventually, further studies might lead to distinguishing more clearly a sexual orgasm in a narrower sense from a sucking orgasm, from an anger orgasm, and from a stress orgasm--i.e. an unspecific genital discharge. Sleep orgasm can represent gratification of unacceptable disguised sexual wishes and can therefore occur after intercourse and orgasm experienced when awake. The study of sleep orgasm might be of value in relation to the general problems of female orgasm. I would like to close with a reminder that some of the formulations presented in this paper are quite obviously largely speculative.
Penetration depth study of very thin superconducting Nb films

Using a low-frequency two-coil technique, we measure the magnetic penetration depth $\ensuremath{\lambda}(T)$ of superconducting Nb films with thicknesses $20\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{\AA{}}\ensuremath{\leqslant}d\ensuremath{\leqslant}228\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{\AA{}}$ sputtered onto oxidized Si substrates. We find a phenomenological dependence of ${T}_{c}$ on $d$, ${T}_{c}∕8.5\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}\ensuremath{\approx}\mathrm{tanh}(d∕70\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{\AA{}})$ for films thinner than $250\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{\AA{}}$. ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}(T)∕{\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}(0)$ is well fitted by weak-coupling dirty-limit theory with a weak-coupling gap, $\ensuremath{\Delta}(0)=1.8{k}_{B}{T}_{c}$. ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}(0)$ agrees with dirty-limit theory, given the experimental values of transition temperature ${T}_{c}$ and residual resistivity ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{0}$. These results indicate that the suppression of ${T}_{c}$ is due to mechanisms that weaken the effective pairing interaction and not due to pair breaking interactions.