cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive HOX Gene Expression Profiles Are Associated with Major Cytogenetic Prognostic Categories in AML.

The homeodomain genes comprise a set of transcription factors that determine cell fate by regulating proliferation, development, and apoptosis. Humans have 39 class I homeodomain genes (HOX) that occur in four clusters (HOXA, HOXB, HOXC, and HOXD). During development HOX expression takes place according to the position of a gene within its cluster and the position of the cell along the anterior - posterior axis. Some HOX genes are expressed in adult tissues, where they are thought to regulate the regenerative differentiation of cells. If one were to view leukemia as a disorder of regenerative hematopoesis, one could hypothesize that dysregulation of HOX expression promotes leukemogenesis. The role of some homeodomain genes in acute leukemia has been especially well studied. In mouse model systems, overexpression of HOXA7, HOXA9 and Meis1 lead to AML. Chromosomal translocations targeting HOX and other homeodomain genes are associated with acute myeloid and lymphoid leukemias. Previous results have suggested that HOX expression patterns might define certain AML subsets. In the present study, we analyzed the expression of 40 homeodomain genes, among them 25 of the HOXA-D genes, in leukemic enriched samples from 66 patients with de novo AML and in sorted CD34+ cells derived from four healthy bone marrow donors. Also, in order to integrate any effects of mutations in FLT3, C/EBPa, and nucleophosmin (NPM) on HOX expression, we assessed the presence of mutations in these three genes. Our results demonstrate that HOX expression patterns are intimately linked to particular cytogenetic abnormalities. The most striking overall findings were the overexpression of HOXA and HOXB genes in AMLs with NPM mutations, the similarity of HOX expression in AMLs with unfavorable cytogenetics to that of AMLs with intermediate cytogenetics, and the downregulation of HOXA genes in core binding factor (CBF) AMLs. Moreover, AMLs with translocations involving CBFbeta had distinctly higher expression of HOXB2, HOXB3, HOXB4, and Meis 1 than did patients with translocations involving CBFalpha. Some HOX genes displayed no heterogeneity of expression and are thus likely unrelated to leukemogenesis. Other genes, particularly HOXA and HOXB genes, displayed marked heterogeneity of expression and thus may have a role in leukemogenesis. However, every AML had substantial differences in the expression of at least one HOX gene compared to normal CD34+ cells. In addition, levels of HOX expression distinguished within individual cytogenetic groups certain subsets, including cases with inv(16) and cases that phenotypically resembled NPM mutations. Based on these results and the causative nature of HOX deregulation in some acute leukemias, we postulate that the HOX expression patterns exemplified here may be responsible for some (or many) of the biologic differences observed among the major cytogenetic prognostic groups.
Evaluating the Privacy Implications of Frequent Itemset Disclosure

Frequent itemset mining is a fundamental data analytics task. In many cases, due to privacy concerns, only the frequent itemsets are released instead of the underlying data. However, it is not clear how to evaluate the privacy implications of the disclosure of the frequent itemsets. Towards this, in this paper, we define the k-distant-IFM-solutions problem, which aims to find k transaction datasets whose pair distance is maximized. The degree of difference between the reconstructed datasets provides a way to evaluate the privacy risk. Since the problem is NP-hard, we propose a 2-approximate solution as well as faster heuristics, and evaluate them on real data.
Evaluation of a Model of Long-Term Response of Catchments to Atmospheric Deposition of Sulfate

Abstract The delivery of acid rainfall to catchments raises questions about potential acidification of soils and surface waters. A prime concern in making postdictions and predictions about such effects is how catchments store and release sulfate, a major strong acid anion associated with acid rain. Processes considered to have an important role in sufate dynamics in a catchment are mineral weathering, sulfate adsorption in soils and biological uptake. All of these processes can have large time constants. Thus, the unavailability of long time series of accurate measurements makes model identification and parameter estimation problematic. We present a relatively simple model of sulfate dynamics for a catchment, use a regionalized sensitivity analysis procedure to select appropriate ranges of parameter values and examine prediction uncertainties due to errors in both the specification of historical deposition sequences and the model parameters. Results show that a linear combination of parameters explains almost all of the ability of the model to reproduce the distribution of present-day measurements of stream sulfate concentrations in a section of the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. We also infer that uncertainties in inputs are less important than are variations in physical parameters to obtaining acceptable model results
Criterion for determining resolving power in the optical near field

The resolution limit, i.e., the lower limit to the size of a luminous object that can be determined accurately by ordinary optical microscopy, was determined over a century ago on the basis of the imprecision that is imparted to the details of an image by diffraction. Such criteria assume one is making observations at distances greater than the wavelength of the light emitted or scattered by the luminous object, i.e., in the so-called far field. Although near-field microscopy is an established imaging technique, the analogous resolution criterion pertinent to the near field, in which the distance between the observer or the observing instrument and the light emitter is smaller than the wavelength, has not yet been quantitatively enunciated. Here I propose two ansatze pertinent to optical resolution in the near field. The first, based on classical physics, concludes that the minimal lateral near-field resolution limit is equal to the (perpendicular) distance between the near-field probe and the object. The second is a quantum limitation based on the uncertainty principle, which shows that the momentum uncertainty arising from atomic vibrations results in a minimal resolvable size, which in most instances is of the order of 10 pm.
Optimal codon pair bias design (extended abstract)

Codon pair bias is the species-specific phenomenon that pairs of adjacent codons appear in genomes with frequencies different than would be predicted under an independence assumption, and thus is indicative of evolutionary selection. The synthetic attenuated virus engineering (SAVE) paradigm to design vaccines creates weak viruses by designing coding sequences that favor underrepresented codon pairs. Designing genes which achieve the absolute minimum codon pair bias with an arbitrary codon distribution is computationally difficult. In this paper, we develop new algorithms for constructing provably optimal codon pair designs under coding constraints of up to 186 codons in under one minute. We explore a variety of search mechanisms, lower bounds, and pruning strategies to optimize sequences. Our results make it possible for the first time to truly evaluate the performance of commonly used design methods, and quantify the potential improvement possible through better algorithms.
Abstract 16052: Gender Differences in Post-heart Transplant Trajectories of Anxiety, Depressive Symptoms and Health-related Quality of Life

Introduction: Little is known about the role of gender in health-related quality of life (HRQOL), anxiety, and depressive symptoms over time after heart transplant (Htx). Our objective was to describe longitudinal changes in anxiety, depressive symptoms, and HRQOL after Htx and examine gender differences over time. Methods: We included 113 adult Htx patients (70% male, 50% white, mean age=52.6 ± 13.3 years) from a larger study of home ECG monitoring to predict Htx rejection. Mean time from Htx to enrollment was 52.9 ± 32.7 days. Subjects completed psychosocial questionnaires at 3, 6, and 9 months post-Htx. Anxiety was measured using the anxiety subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ]-9. HRQOL was measured by the RAND-36 Health Survey (general health subscale). Statistical analyses included chi-square, t -test, repeated measures ANOVA, and linear regression. Results: Overall, anxiety (p Conclusions: For both men and women, anxiety, depressive symptoms and HRQOL improve after Htx. However, compared to men, women report higher anxiety and depressive symptoms in the first 6 months after Htx. Clinicians should monitor anxiety and depressive symptoms, especially in women, early after transplant since they are related to later HRQOL.
Resident Preferences for Program Director Role in Wellness Management

Burnout and depression are prevalent among resident physicians, though the supportive role of the program director (PD) is not well defined. To understand the residents’ view of the residency program director’s role in assessing and promoting resident wellness. A single institution survey of all house staff was conducted in 2017. Rates of burnout and depression were identified via the 2-item Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Patient Health Questionaire-2 (PHQ-2), respectively. Residents then qualified their preferences for various assistance services and for the role of their program directors in assisting them. One-hundred sixty-one of 202 (79.7%) residents completed the survey. The rate of depression was 28%. Rates of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (2-item MBI) were 44 and 62%, respectively. Only 4% of respondents had used the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) in the prior 12 months. Eighty-two percent of residents were in favor of PDs inquiring about wellness regardless of their job performance and only 1% of residents stated the PD should not inquire about wellness at all. Thirty-three percent of residents reported that they would be likely to contact EAP on their own if they felt unwell. Significantly more residents (62%) reported being more likely to contact EAP if recommended by their PD (33 vs 62%, p < 0.001%). Important perceived barriers to seeking assistance were lack of time (65%), lack of knowledge of how to contact EAP (41%), and concerns about appearing weak (35%). Despite a high prevalence of burnout and depression, residents are unlikely to seek help on their own. Program directors have an important role in assessing and promoting the wellness of their residents. The majority of residents wants their PD to inquire about wellness and may be more likely to seek and receive help if recommended and facilitated by their PD.
Appendicitis in Adults and Children: Evidence-Based Emergency Imaging

Appendicitis is a common disease of both the pediatric and adult population. CT demonstrates superior sensitivity and specificity for appendicitis compared to ultrasound in the adult population, with less variability, and is the imaging modality of choice in nonpregnant patients. The use of IV contrast enhanced CT is adequate for diagnosing appendicitis obviating the need for enteral contrast. However, in the pregnant patient, MRI is recommended when available. In the pediatric population, increasing concerns about ionizing radiation warrant the use of US followed by CT for negative or equivocal cases in the nonobese child.
In-Situ Determination of Specific Surface Area of Clays

There are many methods to determine the specific surface area (SSA) of clay minerals. Some of these methods lack accuracy and some are time consuming. There are no methods available for the determination of in situ SSA. In this paper a new approach to predict the SSA of clays is proposed, which has been verified in the laboratory. This method is based on the electrical properties of soils. In this paper the experimental set up and the estimation of specific surface area is presented on the basis of variation of the dielectric constant and the conductivity of the clay–water system when subjected to alternating current in the frequency range of 1–100 MHz. The dielectric constant and conductivity respond differently for different soils with varying surface area corresponding to their mineralogy. When dielectric constants and conductivity were measured for sandy soils, there were no effects with the change of input frequency. The electrical method can identify clays and separate them from fine grained silts. Data are presented which shows a linear correlation between the magnitude of dielectric dispersion and SSA for various clay mixtures. The clay structure determines the value of in situ dielectric dispersion of the clay (Δeo) and hence the SSA, making this a good in situ method to estimate SSA of clays.
Mobile Services as a Means to Control: An Empirical Assessment

Perceived task control is proposed as an important belief and its relationship with use intentions is examined in the context of mobile services. Furthermore, the study examines ubiquity, alertness...
User-level resource-constrained sandboxing

The popularity of mobile and networked applications has resulted in an increased demand for execution "sandboxes"--environments that impose irrevocable restrictions on resource usage. Existing approaches rely on kernel modification for enforcing quantitative restrictions (e.g., limiting CPU utilization of an application to 25%). However, the general applicability of such approaches is constrained by the difficulty of modifying shrink-wrapped operating systems such as Windows NT. This paper presents a user-level sandboxing approach for enforcing quantitative restrictions on resource usage of applications. Our approach actively monitors an application's interactions with the underlying system, proactively controlling them to enforce the desired behavior. Our approach leverages a core set of user-level mechanisms that are available in most modern operating systems: fine-grained timers, monitoring infrastructure, debugger processes, priority-based scheduling, and page-based memory protection. We describe implementation of a sandbox on Windows NT that imposes quantitative restrictions on CPU, memory, and network usage. Our results show that application usage of system resources can be restricted to within 3% of desired limits with minimal run-time overhead.
Whom Should the Schools Serve, When…?

My professional experience has been mainly in old established colleges and universities. Those more traditional institutions were content with what they had become, and were not very interested in changing. So, when the opportunity to join Old Dominion came my way, I jumped at it. I thought it would be a valuable experience to be a part of a relatively new developing institution. All of my expectations have been realized.
Is There a Role for Medications to Reduce the Need for Prostate Biopsy

The widespread use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening has led to an increased incidence of prostate cancer, and the majority of prostate cancer cases are now detected at an early stage (Cooperberg et al. J Urol 170: S21–5, 2003). PSA can be elevated due to a number of noncancer-related conditions including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), inflammation, infection, and trauma. Also, the PSA value fluctuates, and an elevated PSA can normalize on subsequent measurements (Eastham et al. JAMA 289(20): 2695–700, 2003). The lack of PSA specificity becomes especially apparent when evaluating patients with a mildly elevated PSA. Only 25–35 % of men undergoing prostate biopsy in the PSA “gray zone” of 4–10 ng/ml are found to have prostate cancer, leaving behind a significant portion of patients who undergo potentially unnecessary biopsy (Brawer et al. J Urol 150(1): 106–9, 1993; Catalona et al. J Urol 151(5):1283–90, 1994). Though prostate biopsy is generally safe, it is an invasive procedure invoking patient anxiety and can be associated with complications such as pain, bleeding, sepsis, and possibly impotence (Aus et al. Br J Urol 77(6): 851–5, 1996; Rietbergen et al. Urology 49(6): 875–80, 1997; Fujita et al. J Urol 182(6): 2664–9, 2009). Furthermore, infectious complications from prostate biopsy are increasing in prevalence due to fluoroquinolone resistance (Feliciano et al. J Urol 179(3):952–5, 2008). Hence, the challenge facing the referring physician or urologist is to determine the most appropriate candidates for prostate biopsy among patients who present with an abnormal PSA.
Hydrogen and helium ingassing during terrestrial planet accretion

Abstract The amount of atmospheric gas absorbed into a planetary interior during formation depends on the temperature, pressure, composition, and dynamics of its atmosphere, along with the planet mass, its composition, rate of accretion, and the average age of its surface. We develop a boundary layer model for terrestrial planet ingassing during accretion that quantifies the amounts of hydrogen and helium dissolved into a global magma ocean from a hot, gravitationally captured nebular atmosphere in the first few million years of solar system history. Assuming that most of Earth's accretion occurred within the lifetime of its nebular atmosphere, one or more ocean masses of ingassed hydrogen are predicted if the surface pressure is high and the magma surface is young. In addition, Earth would have acquired hundreds of petagrams of helium-3 from the same nebular atmosphere. Our model predicts negligible hydrogen ingassing from a gravitationally captured nebular atmosphere on Mars, but shows that vast amounts of hydrogen ingassing – tens of ocean masses – are possible during the accretion of Super-Earth-sized terrestrial planets.
Repeatability and Reproducibility of Corneal Epithelial Thickness Mapping With Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography in Normal and Diseased Cornea Eyes.

Purpose To evaluate the performance of the epithelial thickness mapping (ETM) of the iVue spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) device (Optovue Inc, Fremont, California, USA) in normal and diseased cornea eyes. Design Reliability and validity analysis. Methods Sixty eyes of 60 subjects were recruited for the study, which included normal subjects (n = 12) and patients with corneal diseases (12 patients each: dry eye syndrome [DES], contact lens wear, post–laser refractive surgery, and keratoconus). Three repeated scans were acquired on 3 iVue SD-OCTs with device-designated operators from consented subjects. Each subject was scanned on each device. Repeatability (based on random error of repeated scans) and reproducibility (including the random error and the instrument/operator variability) were assessed based on spatial zones derived from a 6-mm-diameter corneal ETM centered on the pupil and compared between the groups. Results Fifty-nine eyes qualified for final analysis. Seventy-one of 598 acquired scans (11.9%) were excluded owing to scan quality concerns. The percentage of disqualified scans was similar across normal (10.7%) and diseased eyes (12.1%). Of 527 qualified scans, 40 (7.6%) scans required manual edits of the segmentation lines. Repeatability and reproducibility results were similar, indicating minimal device/operator variability for both groups. Repeatability and reproducibility were similar in all subgroups of cornea patients, excluding the DES group, for which reproducibility was significantly lower (range 3.2%–5.5% for DES patients and 1.1%–2.9% for normal subjects). Conclusions The iVue SD-OCT provides good corneal ETM repeatability and reproducibility in normal and diseased cornea eyes through all map zones.
Animal Friezes in “Orientalizing” Greek Art

In the context of a conference devoted to animals in Mesopotamia, my topic may appear somewhat peripheral to the main event. While the primary focus here has been on written sources of various kinds, I draw instead almost exclusively on visual material culture. And, while I am concerned with images of animals in Mesopotamian art, my more specific subject is the way in which artistic models at home in Mesopotamia and its Near Eastern neighbors have been explained as transfers to other cultural spheres, where they became part of the standard artistic repertoire.
The Experiences of School Counselors Who Collaborate With Clinical Mental Health Counselors

The current research study explored the experiences of collaboration between K–12 school counselors and clinical mental health counselors (CMHCs). Through transcendental phenomenology, we examined ...
Spatial variability of crop responses to agronomic inputs in on-farm precision experimentation

Within-field variability of crop yield levels has been extensively investigated, but the spatial variability of crop yield responses to agronomic treatments is less understood. On-farm precision experimentation (OFPE) can be a valuable tool for the estimation of in-field variation of optimal input rates and thus improve agronomic decisions. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the spatial variability of optimal input rates in OFPE and the potential economic benefit of site-specific input management. Mixed geographically weighted regression (GWR) models were used to estimate local yield response functions. The methodology was applied to investigate the spatial variability in corn response to nitrogen and seed rates in four cornfields in Illinois, USA. The results showed that spatial heterogeneity of model parameters was significant in all four fields evaluated. On average, the RMSE of the fitted yield decreased from 1.2 Mg ha−1 in the non-spatial global model to 0.7 Mg ha−1 in the GWR model, and the r-squared increased from 10 to 68%. The average potential gain of using optimized uniform rates of seed and nitrogen was US$ 65.00 ha−1, while the added potential gain of the site-specific application was US$ 58.00 ha−1. The combination of OFPE and GWR proved to be an effective tool for testing precision agriculture’s central hypothesis of whether optimal input application rates display adequate spatial variability to justify the costs of the variable rate technology itself. The reported results encourage more research on response-based input management recommendations instead of the still widespread focus on yield-based algorithms.
Defining an amyloid link Between Parkinson’s disease and melanoma

An epidemiological connection exists between Parkinson's disease (PD) and melanoma. α-Synuclein (α-syn), the hallmark pathological amyloid observed in PD, is also elevated in melanoma, where its expression is inversely correlated with melanin content. We present a hypothesis that there is an amyloid link between α-syn and Pmel17 (premelanosomal protein), a functional amyloid that promotes melanogenesis. Using SK-MEL 28 human melanoma cells, we show that endogenous α-syn is present in melanosomes, the organelle where melanin polymerization occurs. Using in vitro cross-seeding experiments, we show that α-syn fibrils stimulate the aggregation of a Pmel17 fragment constituting the repeat domain (RPT), an amyloidogenic domain essential for fibril formation in melanosomes. The cross-seeded fibrils exhibited α-syn-like ultrastructural features that could be faithfully propagated over multiple generations. This cross-seeding was unidirectional, as RPT fibrils did not influence α-syn aggregation. These results support our hypothesis that α-syn, a pathogenic amyloid, modulates Pmel17 aggregation in the melanosome, defining a molecular link between PD and melanoma.
Abstract 14266: Management of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Trends Over Time

Introduction: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a non-atherosclerotic cause of ACS that preferentially impacts young women. Increasing evidence suggests that patients with SCAD do we...
Temporal changes in songbird vocalizations associated with helicopter noise in Hawai'i's protected natural areas

Anthropogenic noise is relatively new to natural soundscapes and may have adverse effects on acoustically active species. In birds, adverse effects include changes in vocalization patterns. Helicopters and songbirds are ubiquitous in protected natural areas but the effect of helicopter noise on songbirds has never been assessed. Our objective was to determine if helicopter noise affects temporal characteristics of songbird vocalizations within protected natural areas. We collected soundscape recordings in three protected areas with varying levels of helicopter tour activity, including one with the second highest air tour activity in the United States. We examined songbird response to helicopter noise at the species level by measuring changes in vocalization time, and at the community level by employing the Bioacoustic Index, an acoustic measure of biological sound. We found a strong association between increasing helicopter noise and songbird vocalizations, indicating that some bird species use temporal shifts in vocalizations to mitigate masking effects from helicopter noise. The strength and direction of the response was species-specific, suggesting differences in resilience to helicopter noise between species. Furthermore, our results suggest that bird response to helicopter noise is strongest in areas with very loud and frequent helicopter traffic. Our study is the first to examine and demonstrate impacts of helicopter noise on songbird vocalizations. Our results may serve as the foundation of an air tour management plan that considers reducing the number of helicopter overflights over protected natural areas and enforcing higher flight altitudes to decrease noise power levels.
A multipurpose brachytherapy catheter to enable intratumoral injection

Abstract Purpose To create and test a multipurpose brachytherapy catheter prototype enabling intratumoral injection and brachytherapy after a single catheter insertion. Methods and Materials The design of the prototype consists of an outer tube and an inner syringe tube that can be filled with injectable agent. The outer sheath and inner syringe tube were constructed using polytetrafluoroethylene tubing, and the other components were 3D printed using dental resin and polylactic acid material. To demonstrate functionality, we injected in vitro phantoms with dyed saline. For proof of concept, we demonstrated the potential for the prototype to deliver cell therapy, enhance tumor delineation, deliver tattoo ink for pathology marking, avoid toxicity through local delivery of chemotherapy, and facilitate combination brachytherapy and immunotherapy. Results The prototype enables accurate injection in vitro and in vivo without altering dosimetry. To illustrate the potential for delivery of cell therapies, we injected luciferase-expressing splenocytes and confirmed their delivery with bioluminescence imaging. To demonstrate feasibility of radiographically visualizing injected material, we delivered iohexol contrast intratumorally and confirmed tumor retention using Faxitron x-ray imaging. In addition, we show the potential of intratumoral administration to reduce toxicity associated with cyclophosphamide compared with systemic administration. To demonstrate feasibility, we treated tumor-bearing mice with brachytherapy (192Ir source, 2 Gy to 5 mm) in combination with intratumoral injection of 375,000 U of interleukin 2 and observed no increased toxicity. Conclusions These results demonstrate that a prototype multipurpose brachytherapy catheter enables accurate intratumoral injection and support the feasibility of combining intratumoral injection with brachytherapy.
Lessons Learned from Infants with Late Detection of Critical Congenital Heart Disease

Late detection of critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) is multifactorial and ill defined. We investigated the results of pulse oximetry screening (POS) and points in the care chain that contribute to delayed detection of CCHD. The medical records of 13 infants with delayed detection at a single pediatric cardiac center between 2013 and 2016 were identified and reviewed. Left heart obstructive lesions were the most common diagnosis (n = 8; 62%) and included coarctation of the aorta (n = 6), interrupted aortic arch with ventricular septal defect (n = 1), and critical aortic stenosis (n = 1). Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) (n = 2), truncus arteriosus (n = 1), pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (n = 1), and total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (n = 1) made up the remainder of the conditions. Routine prenatal care was reported in most infants (10/13). Infants with late detection had either a true negative POS (10/13 infants) or no POS performed (3/13 infants). At the time of detection, 5/6 (83%) infants with coarctation had normal pulse oximetry values, whereas 6/7 (86%) infants with other CCHD developed abnormal pulse oximetry values. At diagnosis, 11/13 (85%) infants had significant signs or symptoms of clinical deterioration; only 2 infants were completely asymptomatic. Late detection of CCHD is uncommon and multifactorial. Eliminating late detection is dependent upon improving detection on screening obstetrical ultrasounds, enforcement of universal POS, and attention to the neonatal physical exam.
Identification of the Fragmentary, Burned Remains of Two U.S. Journalists Seven Years After Their Disappearance in Guatemala

The contribution of a physical anthropologist to a forensic investigation is generally associated with analysis of skeletal remains in a laboratory. This case, which deals with the identification of two U.S. journalists who disappeared in Guatemala in March 1985, shows that the observations of a physical anthropologist in the field—at the site where the skeletal remains are located—can be essential to the success of an investigation. In this case, there was a deliberate attempt to mislead the investigators, but the physical anthropologists on the team discovered the deception. Subsequently, when they were taken to the actual cremation site, they obtained bone fragments and teeth that permitted identification of the victims. For one individual, the unusual morphology of the frontal sinus made positive identification possible. Comparison of premortem dental X-rays with teeth found at the site resulted in positive identification of the second individual.
A REVIEW OF THE GLASS TRANSITION IN SURLYNS AND POLYPENTENAMER IONOMERS

The Surlyn family of ionomers consists of poly(ethylene comethacrylic acids) partially neutralized with either sodium or zinc. These ionomers are thus based on a semi-crystalline backbone. Polypentenamers are highly unsaturated elastomers formed from the metathesis polymerization of cyclopentene. They may be modified to form ionomers by derivitization to form carboxylates, thioglycolates, phosphonates, and sulfonates. All of these are thus ionomers based on a rubbery backbone. The glass transition (Tg) behavior of both these classes of ionomers is interpreted on the basis of the presence of salt group aggregates which act as physical crosslinks and/or microphase separated ionic clusters.
Fiber Orientation and Fracture Morphology in Short Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastics

Spatial fiber distribution and fracture morphology were studied for three injection-molded thermoplastic composites: PPS, PAI, and PEEK reinforced with carbon fibers. Specimens were dog bone-shaped tensile coupons and flex bars. Both optical and scanning electron microscopes were used. In general, most fibers were found to be aligned in the mold-fill direction except in the core. The fibers in the core tended to be normal to the mold-fill direction. Yet, the exact distribution pattern varied from material to material and depended upon the gate design. Examinations of fracture surfaces indicated that the best interfacial bonding was in the PEEK composite followed by the PAI composite. In the core, fracture surfaces generally followed the fiber orientations. The PPS composite showed the most improvement over the matrix properties in both static and fatigue strengths despite poor interfacial bonding. The least improvement was observed of the PAI composite in which matrix cracks were seen to cut through fibers. Nevertheless, the strongest matrix, PAI, yielded the strongest composite, and the weakest matrix, PPS, yielded the weakest composite.
Comparative Theoretical Perspectives on a Social Problem

Shoplifting is a serious social problem in America, with adolescents representing 40–50% of all store-apprehended shoplifters. Middle-class shoplifting, regardless of age, has been found to be link...
Batches of Numbers

A batch is a set of numbers that are related to each other because they are different instances of the same thing. The simplest example of a batch of numbers is a set of measurements of different examples of the same kind of thing. For example, the lengths of a group of scrapers, the diameters of a group of post holes, and the areas of a group of sites are three batches of numbers. In these instances, length, diameter, and area are variables and each scraper, post hole, and site is a case. The length of one scraper, the diameter of one post hole, and the area of one site do not, together, make a batch of numbers because they are completely unrelated. The length, width, thickness, and weight of one scraper do not, together, make a batch because they are not different instances of the same thing; that is, they are different variables measured for a single case. The length, width, thickness, and weight of each of 20 scrapers make, not one batch of numbers, but four. These four batches can be related to each other because they are four variables measured for the same 20 cases. The diameters of a set of 18 post holes from one site and the diameters of a set of 23 post holes from another site can be considered a single batch of numbers (the variable diameter measured for 41 cases, ignoring entirely which site each post hole appeared in). They can also be considered two related batches of numbers (the variable diameter measured for 18 cases at one site and 23 cases at another site). Finally they can be considered two related batches of numbers in a different way (the variable diameter measured for 41 cases and the variable site classified for the same 41 cases). This last, however, carries us to a different kind of batch or variable, and it is easier to stick to batches of measurements for the moment.
The Role of Social Identity Complexity in Inter-Group Attitudes among Young Adolescents.

To supplement research on adolescent social identities, the current study examined how social identity complexity relates to ethnic inter-group attitudes in a young adolescent sample (N = 97; age range = 12–14 years). Social identity complexity refers to the perceived overlap of groups with which youth align themselves. Descriptive analyses revealed that the most prevalent social groups were based on out-of-school sports and in-school extracurricular activities. On average, participants reported a moderate degree of overlap among their social in-groups. Results of regression analyses showed that high social identity complexity relates to positive inter-group attitudes, both cross-sectionally in seventh grade and longitudinally across eighth grade. These findings suggest that high social identity complexity may have implications for the ways in which school-based activity groups are structured to promote inter-group attitudes.
Mitigation of Geomagnetically Induced Currents by Neutral Switching

This paper presents a novel mitigation technique to reduce the effects of geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) on high-voltage power systems. The method consists of connecting switching devices at the neutral grounding connection point of transformer banks. Only one transformer bank needs to be grounded through a switch to reduce GIC in a two-terminal system. For multiterminal systems, $n-1$ switches are necessary and the operation is independent from each other. The switching frequency and the duty cycle are selected from a tradeoff between the effectiveness of the method and the detection of fault currents. Transient simulations on a two-bus 230/500 kV system show that the proposed switching at the neutral successfully mitigates the GIC. This proposed technique opens the door to a new family of GIC mitigation methods.
Improving Community College Student Learning Outcomes in Biology

Improving student learning outcomes in basic science courses through the introduction of innovative teaching strategies is a challenging goal. Keller's Personalized System of Instruction (the Keller method) is an instructional method that is grounded in theory and that focuses on improving learning outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine if implementation of the Keller method would be beneficial for community college biology students, leading to improved learning outcomes and neutralizing learning disparities associated with student gender and race/ethnicity.
Relationship of Heath and Carter's second component to lean body mass and height in college women.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare Heath and Carter's anthropometric approach with the multiple regression technique for the prediction of lean body mass (LBM). Lean body mass was estimated from whole-body 40K spectrometry and body density in college-age women. Heath and Carter's second component correlates .40 with LBM (density)/height and .24 with LBM (40K)/height. The correlations are quite low and indicate that LBM per unit of height is not closely related to the second component. When lean body mass and height were used together in multiple regression analysis as separate predictors instead of a ratio, 48% of the variation was accounted for in the second component. A test of validity of the measures used to calculate Heath and Carter's second component was evaluated through the use of multiple regression analysis, incorporating height and anthropometric measures as independent variables and LBM from density and 40K as dependent variables. The muscle circumferences but not skeletal widt...
Reinventing Reforms: How to Improve Program Management Using Performance Measures. Really

This paper looks at the design and use of incentivized performance measures to motivate managerial efficiency and promote greater program effectiveness. It starts off by looking at recent reforms like the Government Performance and Results Act to understand why they were largely unsuccessful in altering the decision-making process of government agencies. One problem was that performance measures have been both numerous and complicated, thereby making their role in management and oversight difficult. Equally important, no external incentives were attached to program accomplishments. The paper then examines what elements would be needed to build a management system that encourages both more efficient and more effective agency behavior. The goal of performance budgeting is to develop performance measures that display the progress of a program toward its stated objectives. Assessments based on these measures may then call for rewards or punishments. As such, it also may encourage program managers toward improved performance. The paper examines the pitfalls and complexities dealt with by Congress and Office of Management and Budget in the process. For example, a performance system must distinguish between funding program needs, as warranted by sectoral indicators, and management concerns. It must also unambiguously tie incentives to performance measures to motivate agencies, while building in commitment devices for the principals. Incentivized performance measures may not be appropriate in all conditions, but may be helpful for motivating managers and improving program performance in particular circumstances.
A Program's Eye View of Miprac

Miprac is a parallelizing C, Lisp and Fortran compiler. We present its workings by following a C program as it progresses through the modules of the compiler. Miprac makes use of a simple, operational intermediate form, called MIL. Dependence analysis and memory management are performed by a whole-program abstract interpretation of MIL. We present the intermediate form, and illustrate the analysis and transformation of the example program as it becomes a parallel object code for Cedar.
Excitations in photonic crystals infiltrated with polarizable media

Light propagation in a photonic crystal infiltrated with polarizable molecules is considered. We demonstrate that the interplay between the spatial dispersion caused by Bragg diffraction and polaritonic frequency dispersion gives rise to novel propagating excitations, or braggoritons, with intragap frequencies. We derive the braggoriton dispersion relation and show that it is governed by two parameters, namely, the strength of light-matter interaction and detuning between the Bragg frequency and that of the infiltrated molecules. We also study defect-induced states when the photonic band gap is divided into two subgaps by the braggoritonic branches and find that each defect creates two intragap localized states inside each subgap.
Refined Similarity Hypothesis for Transverse Structure Functions in Fluid Turbulence

We argue on the basis of empirical data that Kolmogorov's refined similarity hypothesis (RSH) needs to be modified for transverse velocity increments, and propose an alternative. In this new form, transverse velocity increments bear the same relation to locally averaged enstrophy (squared vorticity) as longitudinal velocity increments bear in RSH to locally averaged dissipation. We support this hypothesis by analyzing high-resolution numerical simulation data for isotropic turbulence. RSH and its proposed modification for transverse velocity increments appear to represent two independent scaling groups.
180 degrees lumped element hybrid

A technique for the design of 180 degrees lumped-element hybrids is described which yields electrical performance comparable to the transmission line version but takes up significantly smaller area of GaAs. Broader bandwidth can be obtained by cascading two lumped-element sections. This technique is applicable to other distributed devices such as the 90 degrees branch-line hybrid and the Wilkinson power divider. The layout of an actual hybrid designed for a center frequency of 7.95 GHz is shown. >
Comparing the Magnitude of Effects in Anova Designs

It is often interesting to compare the size of treatment effects in analysis of variance designs. Many researchers, however, draw the conclusion that one independent variable has more impact than another without testing the null hypothesis that their impact is equal. Most often, investigators compute the proportion of variance each factor accounts for and infer population characteristics from these values. Because such analyses are based on descriptive rather than inferential statistics, they never justify the conclusion that one factor has more impact than the other. This paper presents a novel technique for testing the relative magnitude of effects. It is recommended that researchers interested in comparing effect sizes apply this technique rather than basing their conclusions solely on descriptive statistics.
Radioimmunoassay for Serum Triiodothyronine: Evaluation of Simple Techniques to Control Interference from Binding Proteins

Simple techniques for controlling interference from binding proteins in serum, such as thyroxine-binding globulin, in radioimmunoassay for triiodothyronine (T3) have been evaluated for their efficacy, and their effect on assay sensitivity and on recovery of added T3. Ethanol precipitation of serum proteins decreased the assay sensitivity, nonspecific binding was increased, and recoveries of added T3 were inconsistent. Heat-inactivation of thyroxine-binding globulin or use of 8-anilino-1naphthalene sulfonic acid (ANS) to displace T3 from thyroxine-binding globulin produced comparable recovery rates. The heat-inactivation method slightly decreased the sensitivity of the assay and prolonged the procedure, whereas use of ANS is simple, and the assay sensitivity is maintained. When sera contain a high concentration of thyroxine-binding globulin, a fixed concentration of ANS (175 µg/100 µl of serum) might be too low to displace T3 from all its binding sites, but a concentration of ANS greater than 200 µg/100 µl of serum interferes with T3 quantitation by competitively binding to the antibodies. The cross-reactivity of thyroxine to T3-antibodies varies with the antiserum. Thyroxine-binding globulin appears to be the only protein in serum that competes with the antibody for T3 binding.
A Framework for Integrating Knowledge Process and System Design

Interest in knowledge management has greatly increased recently. But aside from building an intranet, information systems executives have little guidance on how to develop effective knowledge systems. This article offers an integrated approach that addresses many factors considered important in the knowledge management environment. Using this integrated framework, the reader can see how to identify, select, compose, and integrate the many component applications and technologies required for effective knowledge process and system design.
Structure of the Sinu-San Jacinto fold belt — an active accretionary prism in northern Colombia

The Sinu and San Jacinto fold belts in northern Colombia from a wedge of sediments up to 12 km thick which has been accreted to the South American margin throughout the Cenozoic. The wedge is characterized by a very low topographic slope ( <-2°) and abundant mud volcanism. Many folds have a core of mobile overpressured mud. Active shortening at a rate of about 1 to 2 cm yr−1 is the result of convergence between the Caribbean plate and the northwest margin of South America. Aeromagnetic and gravity anomalies suggest a buttress of rigid basement rock dipping toward the toe of the wedge. A seismic reflector dipping gently (2°) toward the back of the wedge is interpreted as the basal decollement. According to the theory of critical taper for a noncohesive wedge of Coulomb material, fluid pressure ratios should approach lithostatic values (0.97) within the wedge and on the basal decollement. The predicted high fluid pressures within the wedge are consistent with the mud diapirism. The low slip rate and subduction of large quantities of young, high-porosity sediments explain the absence of large interplate thrust earthquakes.
The Riemann solution in the one-dimensional inverse problem

Abstract It is shown that the introduction of the Riemann method in potential scattering is a natural device. Thereafter, the one-dimensional Schrodinger equation is considered using the Riemann method. An estimate is found for the associated translation kernel. This estimate reduces to Marchenko's when the domain of the variables is restricted to the positive quadrant of the ( x , y ) plane. The possibility of a Fourier transform of the Schrodinger equation solution is studied via Riemann's method. Extension of the investigations to the case where a dependence on threshold energies appears in the Schrodinger equation is discussed.
Bridging the gap between systems biology and synthetic biology

Systems biology is an inter-disciplinary science that studies the complex interactions and the collective behavior of a cell or an organism. Synthetic biology, as a technological subject, combines biological science and engineering, allowing the design and manipulation of a system for certain applications. Both systems and synthetic biology have played important roles in the recent development of microbial platforms for energy, materials, and environmental applications. More importantly, systems biology provides the knowledge necessary for the development of synthetic biology tools, which in turn facilitates the manipulation and understanding of complex biological systems. Thus, the combination of systems and synthetic biology has huge potential for studying and engineering microbes, especially to perform advanced tasks, such as producing biofuels. Although there have been very few studies in integrating systems and synthetic biology, existing examples have demonstrated great power in extending microbiological capabilities. This review focuses on recent efforts in microbiological genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, aiming to fill the gap between systems and synthetic biology.