cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Potential Therapeutic Targets for PPARgamma after Spinal Cord Injury.

Traumatic injury to the spinal cord results in multiple anatomical, physiological, and functional deficits as a result of local neuronal and glial cell death as well as loss of descending and ascending axons traversing the injury site. The many different mechanisms thought to contribute to protracted secondary cell death and dysfunction after spinal cord injury (SCI) are potential therapeutic targets. Agents that bind and activate the transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-𝛾 (PPAR-𝛾) show great promise for minimizing or preventing these deleterious cascades in other models of CNS disorders. This review will summarize the major secondary injury cascades occurring after SCI and discuss data from experimental CNS injury and disease models showing the exciting potential for PPAR𝛾 therapies after SCI.
Of Straw Men and Stereotypes: Why Guatemalan Rocks Don't Talk

Long before David Stoll's book appeared and the New York Times journalist Larry Rohter (1998) gleefully proclaimed it a definitive expose of Guatemala's only Nobel Prize winner since Miguel Angel Asturias (and the only indigenous female, let alone Guatemalan, to become an international icon), there were articles and interviews purporting to summarize Stoll's argument and his motives for advancing it. From exposure to a few of these I formed my first impressions of his project and was willing to give his motives for devoting ten years of his life to it the benefit of the doubt. I seriously questioned the timing of a book that would most certainly tarnish the reputation of one of the few objects of international pride Guatemalans have had in the past few decades and worried that its appearance would make an already difficult process of reconciliation more so. But I was willing to concede that Stoll's inquiry, however uncomfortable and disagreeable, might lead to a useful reexamination of the idealizations that inevitably emerge during a war. I was interested in honest discussions of a revolutionary strategy that, in retrospect, had underestimated the power of the enemy and carried such a high cost in human lives, particularly those of indigenous Guatemalans. I knew from experience that complexities, nuances, and contradictions are typically overlooked or go unmentioned in the course of mobilizing support for one or another side in a war or in efforts to stop widespread human rights violations. If, I reasoned, all Stoll intended to do was to show that Rigoberta's autobiography might have been partly a composite or an oversimplified account, crafted in a historical context that required a certain amount of clandestinity and dissimulation to survive, that could be useful information for those who studied and used oral histories. Again, if it was an account partially shaped by the international audience with whom she was trying to communicate-the
Chronic Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol treatment produces antinociceptive tolerance in mice without altering Protein Kinase A activity in mouse brain and spinal cord

The present study investigated the effect of different levels of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC) antinociceptive tolerance on Protein Kinase A (PKA) activity in mouse brain and spinal cord. To strengthen this investigation, a positive control was developed to demonstrate the assay utilized in this study was sensitive enough to detect an increase in PKA activity in the anatomical regions utilized in this study. The membrane-permeant and phosphodiesterase-resistant cAMP analog 8-Bromoadenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate, Sp-isomer (Sp-8-Br-cAMPS) was utilized for the development of this positive control and this compound produced an increase in PKA activity in several mouse brain regions (i.c.v.) and lumbar spinal cord (i.t.) following its administration. Models were then developed in which mice expressed either a 13-fold or 49-fold level of Delta(9)-THC antinociceptive tolerance following chronic treatment with 10mg/kg Delta(9)-THC or 80mg/kg Delta(9)-THC for 6.5 days. Basal and total cytosolic and particulate PKA activities were measured directly in homogenates from the striatum, hippocampus, cerebellum, cortex and lumbar spinal cord. Results from this study indicate that chronic exposure to Delta(9)-THC does not produce an increase in PKA activity in these mouse brain regions or spinal cord. Future work is needed to determine the role of PKA in cannabinoid tolerance in mice.
Nei Deficient Escherichia coli Are Sensitive to Chromate and Accumulate the Oxidized Guanine Lesion Spiroiminodihydantoin

Growth inhibition and oxidized guanine lesion formation were studied in a number of base excision repair (BER) deficient Escherichia coli (E. coli) following chromate exposure. The only BER deficient bacterial strain that demonstrated significant growth inhibition by chromate, in comparison to its matched wild-type cell line, was the Nei deficient (TK3D11). HPLC coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry showed that the Nei deficient E. coli accumulated the further oxidized guanine lesion, spiroiminodihydantoin (Sp), in genomic DNA at levels that were ∼20-fold greater than its wild-type counterpart. However, no accumulation of the putative intermediate of Sp, 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2‘-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), was observed in the Nei deficient strain. A MutM-/MutY- double deletion mutant that was deficient in BER enzymes for the recognition and repair of 8-oxodG demonstrated no sensitivity toward chromate nor was there an associated increase in Sp accumulation over that of its wild type. However, t...
On the capacity of channels with block memory

The capacity of channels with block memory is investigated. It is shown that, when the problem is modeled as a game-theoretic problem, the optimum coding and noise distributions when block memory is permitted are independent from symbol to symbol within a block. Optimal jamming strategies are also independent from symbol to symbol within a block. >
Retinal light distributions, the Stiles–Crawford effect and apodization

Analysis of retinal image formation for beams of coherent and incoherent radiation emphasizes the role of the Poynting vector's inclination with respect to the retinal image plane. Coherent beams interfere and give rise to a single Poynting vector that highlights the unique direction of incidence of energy flow, whereas multiple incoherent beams, especially incoherent extended sources in the pupil, generate electro-magnetic disturbances in the image plane each characterized by Poynting vectors of their own. As a result, the Stiles-Crawford diminution of luminant efficiency adds differently depending on the coherence of the entering light. Two practical considerations follow: first, in performing diffraction calculations for the retinal image from known wavefronts in the pupil plane, apodization terms should not be factored in, and, second, in principle, for perfect imaging in standard target viewing, Stiles-Crawford integration with increasing pupil diameter is not expected.
Polarization Diversity Transmitter and Optical Nonlinearity Mitigation using Polarization-Time Coding

Polarization diversity transmitter is proposed to realize polarization-insensitive coherent detection using polarization-time coding. It can significantly reduce cross-phase-modulation-induced polarization scattering in wavelength-division multiplexing systems. Polarization-time coding is analogous to space-time coding in wireless communications.
Tax deductions and credits, direct subsidies, and efficiency in public expenditure

In the computation of tax liability, individuals are permitted to deduct from their gross income all or some proportion of their expenditures on certain private goods and services. Deductions are also allowed based on certain demographic characteristics such as age and family size. Sometimes a credit against tax liability instead of a deduction from gross income is allowed. In the traditional approach to the analysis of taxation, deductions and credits serve one of two purposes. Some are intended to refine the concept of taxable income, bringing it more closely in line with ability to pay. Others are intended to encourage the activities for which the deduction or credit is allowed, presumably because these activities contribute in some way to the general welfare of the community, to generate external benefits for all in
TESTING ASPECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMS WITH UML DESIGN MODELS

The new constructs in aspect-oriented programming bring new types of programming faults with respect to crosscutting concerns, such as incorrect pointcuts and advice. This paper presents a UML-based approach to testing whether or not an aspect-oriented program conforms to its expected crosscutting behavior. We explore aspect-oriented UML design models to derive tests for exercising interactions between aspects and classes. Each aspect-oriented model consists of class diagrams, aspect diagrams, and sequence diagrams. For a method under test, we weave the sequence diagrams of the advice on the method into the method's sequence diagram. Based on the woven sequence diagram and class/aspect diagrams, we then generate an AOF (Aspect-Object Flow) tree by applying coverage criteria such as condition coverage, polymorphic coverage, and loop coverage to woven sequence diagrams. In the AOF tree, each path from the root to a leaf is an abstract message sequence, indicating a template of test cases. A concrete test case is obtained by creating objects that satisfy the collective constraints in the template. Our empirical study shows that the model-based testing approach is capable of revealing several types of aspect-specific faults, including incorrect advice type, incorrect (weaker or stronger) pointcut strengths, and incorrect aspect precedence.
Age-dependent changes of the mesenteric lymph node of Fischer F344 rats: morphological and histometric analysis.

Abstract Changes in mesenteric lymph nodes from Fischer F344 rats ranging from 5 to 37 months were studied by histological and histometric techniques. The most drastic histological changes were observed between 12 and 37 months of age. These changes include: (1) loss of cellularity in the cortex; (2) decrease in the number of germinal centers; (3) distension of the medullary sinuses; (4) decrease in the ratio of cortical area to medullary area; and (5) infiltration of fibroblastic cells in the cortex and the medulla. Our results indicate a general structural disorganization in the mesenteric lymph node with increasing age. Such structural disturbance might be an important extrinsic factor for the decline in lymphocyte functions.
Are Normally Sighted, Visually Impaired, and Blind Pedestrians Accurate and Reliable at Making Street Crossing Decisions?

Purpose: To measure the accuracy and reliability of normally-sighted, visually impaired and blind pedestrians at making street-crossing decisions using visual and / or auditory information.Methods: Using a 5 point rating scale, safety ratings for vehicular gaps of different durations were measured along an unsignalized, two-lane street of one-way traffic. Safety ratings were collected from twelve normally sighted, ten visually impaired and ten blind subjects for eight different gap times under three sensory conditions: (i) visual + auditory information; (ii) visual information only; and (iii) auditory information only. Accuracy and reliability in street-crossing decision making were calculated for each subject under each sensory condition.Results: We found that normally-sighted and visually impaired pedestrians were accurate and reliable in their street-crossing decision making ability when using either vision + hearing or vision only (p>0.05). Under the hearing only condition, all subjects were reliable (p>0.05) but inaccurate with their street-crossing decisions (p Language: en
X-ray diffraction, XAFS and scanning electron microscopy study of otolith of a crevalle jack fish ( caranx hippos)

Abstract The otolith of a crevalle jack fish ( caranx hippos ) has been investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The results suggest that the biomineralization of otolith occurs predominantly in the aragonite phase. A detailed X-ray Rietveld analysis showed that the first shell Ca–O distances in otolith lay in the range 2.371–2.652 A, with each calcium atom coordinated to 9 oxygen atoms. While the average Ca–O distance remains same in both otolith and aragonite, certain Ca–O distances in otolith differ markedly from those in aragonite. Such difference reflects the remarkable degree of control that the protein matrix exercised over packing of calcium and carbonate ions to promote growth of rarer aragonite otolith. In view of the complex coordination chemistry of calcium in otoliths, the EXAFS analysis was limited to obtaining local atomic environment about calcium up to the first Ca–O shell. EXAFS data showed an asymmetric distribution of Ca–O bond distances with the centroid of distribution at 2.48 A, which is closer to the average Ca–O distance in aragonite than in calcite. The asymmetry in the Ca–O peak is consistent with an apparent departure of Ca–O distances from a near regular distribution, as expected of an aragonite otolith.
A radioautographic study of neural induction in the chick embryo

Gebiete aus dem Hensen'schen Knoten wurden implantiert, wobei dessen DNA-RNA mit Uridin-H3 markiert wurde. Die induzierten Neuralanlagen enthielten kaum markierte Substanzen, und wenn, dann nur im Bereich der Kontaktstellen, woraus folgt, dass andere Substanzen fur die Induktion verantwortlich sein mussen.
A stand camera for line-of-sight recording.

The paper describes a method that has been extensively used to superpose a spot marking the position of the line-of-sight on photographs of stimulus scenes. The spot, reflected from the cornea, determines the line-of-sight with an accuracy of plus or minus 1°. Some of the useful measurements that can be made of fixation patterns are described. Two basic themes have guided the experimental applications: the relation between attention and the line of sight, and the association between peripheral and central vision. Comparisons among age groups have also demonstrated the erratic and piecemeal nature of children’s visual input. Comparisons among scenes have shown that certain areas of a picture, judged highly informative, receive most of the visual fixations. More than 20 other laboratories have also used the camera in a wide range of research on perception, cognition, and psycholinguistics.
ETHICS AND TECHNOLOGY: Ethical Issues in an Age of Information and Communication Technology (John Wiley & Sons, 2004)

Preface Acknowledgements Foreword Chapter 1. Introduction to Cyberethics: Concepts, Perspectives, and Methodological Frameworks Chapter 2. Ethical Concepts and Ethical Theories: Establishing and Justifying a Moral System Chapter 3. Critical Thinking Skills and Logical Arguments: Tools for Evaluating Cyberethics Issues Chapter 4. Professional Ethics, Codes of Conduct, and Moral Responsibility Chapter 5. Privacy and Cyberspace Chapter 6. Security in Cyberspace Chapter 7. Cybercrime and Cyberrelated Crimes Chapter 8. Intellectual Property Disputes in Cyberspace Chapter 9. Regulating Commerce and Speeech in Cyberspace Chapter 10. Social Issues I: Equity and Access, Employment and Work Chapter 11. Social Issues II: Community and Identity in Cyberspace Appendix A. Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE) Code of Ethics Appendix B. Association for Computing (ACM) Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct Appendix C. IEEE-CS/ACM Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice Glossary Index.
Right Ventricular Free Wall Isolation: Effects on Regional Myocardial Blood Flow

The right ventricular isolation procedure was developed to treat medically refractory, nonischemic right ventricular tachycardia. The effect of this procedure on regional myocardial blood flow to the isolated right ventricle was evaluated in 10 adult mongrel dogs. There were no significant changes in aortic pressure, right ventricular systolic or diastolic pressure, or cardiac index following right ventricular isolation when the left ventricle and right ventricular free wall were synchronously paced. Myocardial blood flow to the isolated right ventricle was unchanged following the procedure (0.85 +/- 0.07 ml/min/gm to 0.87 +/- 0.08 ml/min/gm; p = not significant). Analysis of regional flow revealed that only a thin rim of right ventricular tissue near the ventriculotomy showed a significant decrease in blood flow (1.10 +/- 0.1 ml/min/gm to 0.29 +/- 0.04 ml/min/gm; p less than 0.05). Thus, this procedure leaves intact the blood supply to the great percentage of the right ventricular free wall. This finding supports the concept that the right ventricular isolation procedure is effective in isolating abnormal electrical activity without compromising regional myocardial blood flow.
Self‐fulfillment and decline of civic territorial community

Few historians would argue that our times are not characterized by a concern for community. What we have not acknowledged is that the rise of interest in community and neighborhood organization since the 1950s has coincided with a revolt against a deterministic notion of culture as a total way of life definitive of the possibilities of human behavior in particular locations or times. In the past two decades that revolt has centered on a quest for self-fulfillment. This has led to a public policy dilemma and to a semiparalysis in politics, for in a community of liberated individuals in pursuit of self-fulfillment there can be no public welfare toward which to work and to sacrifice and over which to argue and make compromises.
The role of mental rotations in primate-inspired robot navigation.

The use of a primate’s spatial ability of mental rotation to serve as a basis for robotic navigation has been almost entirely overlooked by the robotics community to date. In this paper, the role of this cognitive capacity is presented as an adjunct to existing robotic control systems, with the underlying approach being derived from studies of primate spatial cognition. Specifically, optical flow is used as a basis for transitory representations (snapshots) that are compared to an a priori visual goal to provide corrective course action for a robot when moving through the world. The underlying architecture and procedures are described.
SENSE imaging with a quadrature half-volume transverse electromagnetic (TEM) coil at 4T.

Purpose To demonstrate the feasibility of high-field SENSE imaging of large objects, such as the human head, using a semicircular (half-volume) coil for both transmission and multi-channel reception. Materials and Methods As a proof of concept, we present experimental data obtained using a seven-element half-volume (180° of arc) transmit/receive quadrature transverse electromagnetic (TEM) coil. SENSE images of the human brain were acquired with a reduction factor of R = 2, using two degenerate linear modes of the same coil as independent receive channels at 4T. Since the need for additional hardware (i.e., a separate set of receive coils) is eliminated, the design can be substantially simplified. Results The experimental data demonstrate that linear modes of the half-volume TEM coil have essentially no noise correlation, and their sensitivity profiles satisfy the requirement for small g-factors. Also, this type of coil provides efficient transmission with a relatively large uniform region and a reception profile that is more uniform than that of the surface coils. Conclusion We demonstrate the feasibility of SENSE imaging using a half-volume coil. Half-volume coils allow reduced total power deposition compared to full-volume coils, and may replace the latter in body imaging applications in which the target region of interest (ROI) is smaller than the entire torso. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Quality of life and affect in older persons : hope, time frames, and training effects

This is a preliminary report of a project designed to increase hope and quality of life (QOL) in older persons through a series of five training sessions. The training sessions for the experimental groups are based on research on happiness, goal imagery, and time management. Data indicates that the training is effective in increasing expected QOL.
Maternal emotion framing and children’s social behavior: the role of children’s feelings and beliefs about peers

Children’s feelings and beliefs about peer relationships were examined as a possible mediator between mothers’ positive and negative emotional framing and children’s (n = 46) behavior with peers. Mothers’ emotion framing was assessed as they and their young children read a picture book depicting emotionally‐laden content, but no printed text. Feelings and beliefs about self and peers were assessed during a puppet interview focusing on beliefs about self and peers. Teachers rated children’s aggressive, competent and withdrawn behavior. Mothers’ emotion framing was significantly associated with children’s cognitive representations of self and peers (r = 0.35 and −0.44, both p < 0.01, for positive and negative emotional framing, respectively) and with withdrawn social behavior (r = −0.39 and 0.41, p < 0.01 for positive and negative framing, respectively). Findings suggest that children’s beliefs about self and peers may mediate the association between mothers’ emotion framing and children’s withdrawn behavior.
Investigating new factors in cotton color grading.

The objective of this research is to further investigate factors that may have significant influence on cotton color measurement but are not considered in the current cotton color grading system. T...
PSIM: Periodically Shifted Interleaved Memory System

Interleaved memory schemes have been used to increase the memory bandwidth. In this paper, we propose a new interleaved memory scheme called PSIM (Periodically Shifted Interleaved Memory), which allows high memory bandwidths at the sacrifice of very small memory space. It is a stride dependent scheme where the processor utilization is 100% for most strides using a power-of-two number of memory modules. We show, analytically and then by simulation, that the efficiency of PSIM is consistently higher than not only earlier stride dependent schemes but also stride independent schemes for both short and long vector accesses
The mean-field stress due to uniformly distributed shear dislocation loops in a finite sample

For a sample containing uniformly distributed shear dislocation loops, there is an interaction between the loops. In this paper the mean value of the interaction stress in a spherical sample is determined. For the constrained sample, the mean stress in the matrix is found using the Burgers equation; the stress inside the dislocation loops is found by approximating the dislocation loops as nearly flat sheared ellipsoids. For the relaxed sample, the image stress is used to render the sample surface traction-free. The net mean-field matrix stress in the sample is Gnbhrπ2(2−ν)/8(1−ν), where G is the shear modulus, r the loop radius, n the loop concentration, b the magnitude of the Burgers vector and h the glide plane spacing.
The effects of crack face boundary conditions on the fracture mechanics of piezoelectric solids

Abstract The effects of crack face boundary conditions on the fracture mechanics of piezoelectric solids are studied. In previous works the assumption that in addition to being traction free, a slit crack is impermeable to electric fields has yielded the appealing result that an applied electric field can retard crack growth. Here, more accurate crack face boundary conditions regarding the electric fields are employed by analyzing a permeable elliptical flaw in a piezoelectric solid, and the results illustrate that the impermeable assumption can lead to significant errors regarding the effects of the electric fields on crack propagation based on an energy release rate criterion. The relatively simple closed form expressions that are obtained can be used as benchmark solutions for further finite element analysis of piezoelectric crack problems.
RETHINKING NEIGHBORHOODS, NEIGHBORHOOD RESEARCH, AND NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY: Lessons from Uptown

This case study of a northside Chicago neighborhood examines local demographic and housing patterns, evolving neighborhood issues, cultural conflicts, and organizational developments in the context...
Making negatives and plates for printing by electroerosion: II. larger-scale fabrication and testing

The principles of producing direct negatives and direct plates by electroerosion writing were given in Part 1 of the present series of papers. Part II is concerned with larger-scale fabrication techniques, characterization methods, and the results of tests, together with their interpretation. Major problems which were encountered are also presented with their solutions. sheet material for the direct negative/direct plate (DNP) was made by 1) Coating polyester rolls with an underlayer. The underlayer coating fluid contained silica, a cellulosic binder, a saturated polyester dispersant, and an isocyanate cross-linker. The coating fluid was carefully milled to control silica particle size before coating. 2) Curing the rolls either at ambient or elevated temperature. 3) Calendering the underlayer. 4) Vacuum-depositing an aluminum film. 5) Coating with an overlayer containing graphite and a binder. Maintenance of good control of material characteristics was found essential for acceptable functional performance. Among the parameters requiring control were underlayer thickness and surface roughness, aluminum thickness, and overlayer thickness, as well as the composition of the various components. After fabrication, functional testing of the DNP material was carried out on the IBM 4250 printer in order to study the major performance problems of scratching, writing failure, head wear, gouging, and head fouling. Scratching could be suppressed by decreasing the surface roughness and increasing the thickness of the overlayer. Writing efficiency could be improved by increasing the roughness, decreasing the overlayer thickness, decreasing the aluminum thickness, and increasing the pulse length. Head wear could be suppressed by calendering and reducing the roughness. Gouging and excessive head wear could be suppressed by adequate milling, dispersing and filtering of the underlayer coating fluid, and calendering and curing of the coated web, while ensuring good underlayer-substrate adhesion. Fouling was reduced by decreasing the overlayer thickness and reducing the writing pulse length.
Cultivation of the ubiquitous SAR11 marine bacterioplankton clade

The alpha-proteobacterial lineage that contains SAR11 and related ribosomal RNA gene clones was among the first groups of organisms to be identified when cultivation-independent approaches based on rRNA gene cloning and sequencing were applied to survey microbial diversity in natural ecosystems. This group accounts for 26% of all ribosomal RNA genes that have been identified in sea water and has been found in nearly every pelagic marine bacterioplankton community studied by these methods. The SAR11 clade represents a pervasive problem in microbiology: despite its ubiquity, it has defied cultivation efforts. Genetic evidence suggests that diverse uncultivated microbial taxa dominate most natural ecosystems, which has prompted widespread efforts to elucidate the geochemical activities of these organisms without the benefit of cultures for study. Here we report the isolation of representatives of the SAR11 clade. Eighteen cultures were initially obtained by means of high-throughput procedures for isolating cell cultures through the dilution of natural microbial communities into very low nutrient media. Eleven of these cultures have been successfully passaged and cryopreserved for future study. The volume of these cells, about 0.01 micro m(3), places them among the smallest free-living cells in culture.
Exact-eigenstates study of the disordered Hubbard model

The static magnetic susceptibility of the disordered Hubbard model for the half-filled-band case is studied using exact eigenstates of the noninteracting disordered system. The macroscopic renormalization-group method is applied to study the critical behavior in the vicinity of the noninteracting (Anderson) fixed point. A weak Hubbard interaction is found to stabilize the metallic phase.
Reaction of a Palladium(II) Complex Chelated by a Tridentate PNC Ligand with Water to Produce a [(PN)Pd(μ-OH)]22+ Dimer: A Rare Observation of a Well-Defined Hydrolysis of a Pd(II)−Aryl Compound

The potentially tridenate ligand o,o‘-Ph2PC6H4CNCH2C6H4Br (PNC-Br, 1), prepared by a Schiff base condensation of 2-(diphenylphosphino)benzaldehyde and 2-bromobenzylamine, reacts with Pd2(dba)3 (dba = dibenzylideneacetone) to form the (PNC)PdBr complex (2). Abstraction of the bromide ligand from 2 with AgBF4 in acetone-d6 results in formation of the acetone adduct [(PNC)Pd(OC(CD3)2)][BF4] (3). Reaction of 3 with water lead to formation of the Pd(II) dimer [(PN)Pd(μ-OH)]2[BF4]2 (4). That formation of dimer 4 occurs by protonation of the metal-bound aryl group of the PNC ligand by water was verified by a deuterium-labeling experiment. This is a rare example of protonation of a hydrocarbyl group from a d8 square planar metal by water. 4 has been characterized by NMR, elemental analysis, and X-ray crystallography. Reaction of 4 with 2−10 equiv of aniline or p-toluidine results in the formation of the mixed dimer syn-[((PN)Pd)2(μ-NHAr)(μ-OH)][BF4]2 (5).
Combined analysis with amniotic fluid index and estimated fetal weight for prediction of severe macrosomia at birth.

Objective To evaluate combined analysis with amniotic fluid index (AFI) and estimated fetal weight (EFW) for prediction of severe macrosomia at birth. Study Design In this retrospective case-control study, 50 term severe macrosomic newborns (birthweight [BW] ≥ 97th percentile) were included in the study group and 100 appropriate for gestational age newborns served as controls. All pregnancies underwent a third-trimester sonographic evaluation in which AFI and EFW were measured. The association between BW and AFI and EFW percentiles was examined. The statistical analysis included Student t test, simple regression and receiver-operating curve analyses, and 2×2 tables. Results The mean mid-third-trimester AFI percentile and EFW percentile in severe macrosomic infants were 72.4 ± 22.5 and 83 ± 12, respectively, which was significantly higher than in controls ( P r = 0.44 and r = 0.72, respectively; P Conclusion There is a significant correlation between mid-third-trimester AFI and BW. AFI ≥ 60th percentile and EFW ≥ 71st percentile during the mid third trimester are useful predictors of severe macrosomia at birth.
Adaptive concurrent multiscale model for fracture and crack propagation in heterogeneous media

We introduce an adaptive concurrent multiscale methodology (ACM 2 ) to handle situations in which both macroscopic and microscopic deformation fields strongly interact near the tip of a crack. The method is based on the balance between numerical and homogenization error; while the first type of error states that elements should be refined in regions of high deformation gradients, the second implies that element size may not be smaller than a threshold determined by the size of the unit cell representing the material’s microstructure. In this context, we build a finite element framework in which unit cells can be embedded in continuum region through appropriate macro–micro boundary coupling conditions. By combining the idea of adaptive refinement with the embedded unit cell technique, the methodology ensures that appropriate descriptions of the material are used adequately, regardless of the severity of deformations. We will then show that our computational technique, in conjunction with the extended finite element method, is ideal to study the strong interactions between a crack and the microstructure of heterogeneous media. In particular, it enables an explicit description of microstructural features near the crack tip, while a computationally inexpensive coarse scale continuum description is used in the rest of the domain. The paper presents several examples of crack propagation in materials with random microstructures and discuss the potential of the multiscale technique in relating microstructural details to material strength and toughness. 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A 5.2GHz microprocessor chip for the IBM zEnterprise™ system

The microprocessor chip for the IBM zEnterprise 196 (z 196) system is a high-frequency, high-performance design that adds support for out-of-order instruction execution and increases operating frequency by almost 20% compared to the previous 65nm design, while still fitting within the same power envelope. Despite the many difficult engineering hurdles to be overcome, the design team was able to achieve a product frequency of 5.2GHz, providing a significant performance boost for the new system.
A smoothing technique for reduced integration penalty methods in contact problems

The paper presents a smoothing technique to the oscillated contact pressure obtained by penalty methods for a class of unilateral contact problems in linear elasticity. The main result is to show that the smoothed contact pressure satisfies the so-called Babuska–Brezzi condition which dominates the convergence of the penalty method. One numerical example is described.
The Economy, Accountability, and Public Support for the President of the European Commission

Using public approval for the President of the European Commission as an example, we investigate whether there are economic effects on public support for political authority: (1) when democratic accountability is absent; and (2) when public information about authorities is low. We find that economic effects as traditionally defined are weak, but that people make utilitarian assessments even when authorities cannot be held directly accountable. Moreover, the analyses suggest that voters with low levels of information, interest or awareness behave in ways that cannot be empirically distinguished from the behavior of well-informed voters. The findings imply that citizens employ utilitarian considerations when assessing political authorities even when they cannot hold them accountable or when they have little information about them.
A social relations analysis of nonverbal communication accuracy in married couples

This paper presents a reanalysis of a study (Sabatelli, Buck, & Drever, 1982) that related nonverbal communication accuracy in married couples to marital complaints, using the social relations model developed by Kenny and his colleagues The social relations model allows for the analysis of the communication process in a new and more complete way where, for the first time, the relative contributions of sender, receiver, and unique relationship effects to overall nonverbal communication accuracy can be assessed In addition, each of these factors can be related to marital complaints and the patterns of communication within dyads can be examined for the presence of complementarity/similarity and reciprocity/compensation The overwhelming percentage of variance in communication accuracy was accounted for by sender and unique relationship effects while little variance in communication accuracy was accounted for bv receiver effects In addition, no evidence of complementarity/similarity and only weak support for reciprocity/compensation in the communication abilities of wife and husband was found With regard to marital complaints, the most striking result was the negative correlation between wives' sending ability and husbands' complaints, a finding consistent with the previous report In addition, and consistent with the former analysis, the wives' unique abilities to decode their husbands' expressions were found to correlate negatively with the wives' marital complaints
SILICO: a computer program for the three-dimensional measurement of silicoflasgellate skeletons

Abstract A FORTRAN program is presented for the three-dimensional measurement of silicoflagellate skeletons from the light microscope. The points where skeletal elements intersect are digitized, and x and y coordinates, along with measured height values, are read into the measurement program. The program can calculate three-dimensional distances, the area of skeletal surfaces, and the internal volume for most of the abundantly occurring silicoflagellate skeletal designs.
An extended-wavelength exoplanet spectral model based on MODTRAN ® 5

We overview a recently developed planetary radiative transfer (RT) model, PLANETS (PLANETary Spectroscopy), which is based on the MODTRAN® 5 band model RT algorithms. The basic features and RT algorithms are described and an application of PLANETS to a variety of observed Neptune spectra, spanning a broad spectral region, ultraviolet through far infrared, is highlighted. We also apply PLANETS to analysis of the recently reported observation of the thermal infrared emission spectrum of the exoplanet HR 8799c. We attribute the observed spectral features to CH 4 transmission and emission lines, located to the blue and red of the 4.3 μm CO 2 band edge, respectively.
Depression During the Menopausal Transition

The perception that menopause leads to mood disturbances such as depression has a long history. How did these beliefs come about, and are they supported by the scientific literature? This article r...
Alternative Conceptualizations of the Relationship Between Voluntary Turnover and Organizational Performance

We propose four alternative predictions regarding the relationship between voluntary turnover and workforce performance and develop the hypothesis that safety and productivity outcomes mediate that...
Under how wide a set of conditions will nonrandom mating occur in Raphanus sativus (Brassicaceae)

Studies of the weedy annual Raphanus sativus have demonstrated that nonrandom mating, a prerequisite for sexual selection, can occur in greenhouse plants. To determine whether this nonrandom mating pattern can occur under a wide range of conditions, including conditions that might occur in the field, we considered variation in both maternal condition and pollen load size. Maternal condition was varied by altering the watering regime. Pollen load size was varied from approximately 26 to 343 pollen grains per stigma. At the smallest pollen load size, patterns of seed paternity were altered in two of the three pollen donor pairs; seed paternity became more equal among donors. For one of three pollen donor pairs, seed paternity was more divergent among donors on stressed maternal plants. Finally, for one pollen donor pair, rank order of pollen donor performance changed from the medium to the small pollen loads on stressed vs. control maternal plants. Thus, some field conditions may alter patterns of nonrandom mating in wild radish.
THE PREVALENCE OF ARRHYTHMIAS DURING EXERCISE TESTING IN CHILDREN

Exercise testing is commonly performed in children for evaluation of cardiac disease. There are few data on the prevalence and types of arrhythmias observed during exercise testing in children. A retrospective review of all patients < 21 years of age undergoing exercise testing at our center from
Design of a test suite for NCAP-to-NCAP communication based on IEEE 1451

IEEE 1451 is an emerging standard that facilitates the communication between smart sensors with network communications for an interoperable sensor network. Moreover, it provides plug-and-play capability through standardization of the transducer interfaces. This paper is on the creation of a test suite that specifies tests such as conformance and functionality. Test cases have been developed to check the communication between the tester NCAP and the NCAP under test, based on IEEE 1451.
Year 2 of the “Great Recession”: Surviving the Present by Building the Future

ABSTRACT During Fiscal Year 2008–2009 the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) surveyed its 123 members on the impact of the worldwide contraction and reported the results (see http://www.arl.org/sparc/meetings/ala09/index.shtml). The findings indicate the emergence of drastic steps needed to “right size” budgets that were reduced to meet institutional loss of income from a variety of sources, particularly tax support and endowment earnings. The impact of the 1st year of the downturn was taken primarily from operations and staff with large efforts to protect acquisitions. Every indicator pointed to this trend not being sustainable for the next fiscal period. A 2nd survey, conducted in the fall of 2009, indicated that the crisis has grown worse for Fiscal Year 2009–2010. It is anticipated that the steep decline in institutional revenues will continue throughout the year with repeated reductions and cyclical need to constrain expenditures. The necessary budget cutbacks are having an impact on all segment...
Vibrational Spectrum of the J-625 Intermediate in the Room Temperature Bacteriorhodopsin Photocycle

The vibrational spectrum (800−1700 cm-1 region) of the J-625 intermediate, formed within 200−500 fs (3.5 ps decay time to K-590) in the room-temperature bacteriorhodopsin (BR) photocycle, is measured via picosecond time-resolved coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (PTR/CARS). An examination of the excitation conditions and BR photocycle kinetics, as well as the vibrational CARS data, convincingly demonstrates that these PTR/CARS spectra can be quantitatively analyzed in terms of primarily BR-570 and J-625 by using third-order nonlinear susceptibility (χ(3)) relationships. The resultant background-free (Lorentzian line shapes) CARS spectrum contains 24 distinct vibrational features which provide the most complete structural characterization of J-625 yet reported. Comparisons of the J-625 vibrational spectrum with those of ground-state BR-570 and the K-590 intermediate show that J-625 maintains some structural similarities with BR-570 while it has a significantly different structure than that of K-590. ...
One Nation Under God? Religion and the Politics of Education in a Post-9/11 America:

For American public schools, the interplay between religion and public policy has been rather volatile, thanks to both state and federal constitutions mandating an ever shifting degree of separation between church and state, yet permitting free religious expression. Some of the most intense political disputes in the past 40 years have involved educational issues such as the teaching of evolution or intelligent design within public schools, publicly funded vouchers for attendance at religious institutions, state-sanctioned prayer within public schools, and the rise of sexuality education. This article seeks to map some of the contemporary features involved with religion and the politics of U.S. education by focusing on (a) recent court decisions, (b) the policy agendas of the current Bush administration, and (c) curricular issues. The article closes by focusing on a few of the larger issues relating to religion and education in a highly pluralistic and religiously fluid society.
On universal classes of fast high performance hash functions, their time-space tradeoff, and their applications

A mechanism is provided for constructing log-n-wise-independent hash functions that can be evaluated in O(1) time. A probabilistic argument shows that for fixed epsilon >
Comparison of whole‐sediment, elutriate and pore‐water exposures for use in assessing sediment‐associated organic contaminants in bioassays

Bioassays have frequently been used as tools to simulate exposure of benthos to sediment-associated contaminants in hazard assessments. Due to the problems involved with estimating bioavailability in whole-sediment bioassays, aqueous frac­ tions such as elutriates and pore water have been substituted for whole-sediment exposures. The objective of this research was to compare and evaluate the bioavailability of representative neutral hydrophobic contaminants in whole sediments and in aque­ ous extracts of whole sediment (elutriate and pore water) in simultaneous bioassays, using three representative indicator spe­ cies, Diporeia spp., Chironomus riparius larvae, and Lumbriculus variegatus. Aqueous extracts of whole sediment did not accurately represent the exposure observed in whole sediment. Generally, the aqueous extracts underexposed organisms com­ pared to whole sediment, even after adjusting accumulation to the fraction of organic carbon in the test media. Accumulation comparisons among whole-sediment, elutriate, and pore-water exposures depended on sampling time. At some sampling times for some contaminants, differences in accumulation between a particular aqueous extract and whole sediment were not signifi­ cant; however, these similarities were not observed for all species at the particular sampling time. Bioaccumulation and con­ taminant clearance data suggest that a number of factors such as the indicator species, exposure media, and chemical/physical properties of individual contaminants are responsible for the accumulation differences observed among the tested media. Nor­ malizing bioaccumulation to the amount of organic carbon in a source compartment adjusted for bioavailability differences of only some contaminants. We suggest that the bioavailability of contaminants such as those tested cannot be accurately pre­ dicted in bioassays that expose organisms to aqueous representations of whole sediment.
Inferior hemi-maxillectomy for treatment of palatal tumors.

The traditional surgical approach to a malignancy of the maxilla has been the Weber-Ferguson incision, giving an open access to the maxilla that is normally removed enbloc including the orbital floor.’ If the orbital floor is involved by the tumor, the orbital contents are included in the resection and, if necessary, the naso-ethmoidal region can also be included. Resections may also involve the base of the skull. Bone cuts for maxillectomy were originally made with chisels or drills, and a Gigli saw was used for the palatal cuts. With modern imaging techniques. including computed tomographic (CT) scanning and magnetic resonance imaging, it is possible to localize tumors with much greater accuracy so that, in some cases, good surgical clearance is possible without resecting the whole maxilla (Fig. 1). This is also aided by the instruments and techniques that have been learned through orthognathic surgery. A technique is described that has been found successful for the treatment of small malignancies of the palate and floor of the sinus using orthognathic saws and drills to carry out a limited hemi-maxillectomy.
Tactics of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis for intracellular survival in mononuclear phagocytes

Johne's disease is a condition that refers to chronic granulomatous enteritis in ruminants. It is believed that survival and replication of Mycobacterium (M.) paratuberculosis in mononuclear phagocytes plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Johne's disease. However, it is not clear how M. paratuberculosis survives for long time periods in mononuclear phagocytes, nor is it clear which factors trigger multiplication of these bacilli and result in the development of Johne's disease. Investigating the intracellular fate of M. paratuberculosis is challenging because of its very slow growth (more than two months to form visible colonies on media). Existing animal models also have limitations. Despite those obstacles, there has been progress in understanding the intracellular survival tactics of M. paratuberculosis and the host response against them. In this review, we compare known aspects of the intracellular survival tactics of M. paratuberculosis with those of other mycobacterial species, and consider possible mycobactericidal mechanisms of mononuclear phagocytes.