cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transient heat conduction in a medium with multiple circular cavities and inhomogeneities

SUMMARY A two-dimensional transient heat conduction problem of multiple interacting circular inhomogeneities, cavities and point sources is considered. In general, a non-perfect contact at the matrix/inhomogeneity interfaces is assumed, with the heat flux through the interface proportional to the temperature jump. The approach is based on the use of the general solutions to the problems of a single cavity and an inhomogeneity and superposition. Application of the Laplace transform and the so-called addition theorem results in an analytical transformed solution. The solution in the time domain is obtained by performing a numerical inversion of the Laplace transform. Several numerical examples are given to demonstrate the accuracy and the efficiency of the method. The approximation error decreases exponentially with the number of the degrees of freedom in the problem. A comparison of the companion two- and threedimensional problems demonstrates the effect of the dimensionality. Copyright q 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On finite amplitude roll cell disturbances in a fluid layer subjected to heat and mass transfer

The system consists of a thin, transversely infinite horizontal fluid layer initially in mechanical but not thermostatic or speciestatic equilibrium. The top and bottom surfaces of the layer are assumed to be unconstrained, and the stability of the system to buoyancy driven finite amplitude roll cell disturbances is investigated. The system is capable of exhibiting both a subcritical stationary and oscillatory instability. The average vertical transport of heat and mass is computed and it is found that the convective transport associated with a stationary type of instability is much greater then that corresponding to an oscillatory instability.
Mechanical twinning and texture evolution in severely deformed Ti–6Al–4V at high temperatures

Abstract We have investigated the deformation behavior and texture evolution of two-phase Ti–6Al–4V subjected to severe plastic deformation using equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) at a high temperature (∼0.55Tm). Significant deformation twinning activity was observed after one and two ECAE passes in a 90° die at 800 °C. Twinning activity at such a high temperature is a first-time observation in this material and is attributed to the high strain and stress levels imposed during ECAE. High stress levels and the stress state can affect the separation of twinning partials considerably. Resolved shear stress magnitudes on twin partials were found to be high during the ECAE process that helps the nucleation of mechanical twinning. The twinning mode was identified as the { 1 0 1 ¯ 1 } type using electron diffraction patterns which is one of the twinning modes observed in Ti at temperatures above 350 °C. Although only one twinning variant was mainly evident after one pass, multiple twin variants of the same mode were observed after the second pass with a significant increase in twin volume fraction. ECAE processing aligned the basal planes of the hexagonal close-packed α phase, initially having a random texture, with the ECAE shear plane. Texture evolution during ECAE was successfully predicted using a viscoplastic self-consistent crystal plasticity framework capturing the effect of the observed twinning mode on texture. Mechanical twins formed during ECAE and grain refinement led to a noteworthy improvement in flow stresses under tension and compression at room temperature. A strong directional anisotropy in yield strengths was also evident which cannot be explained only by crystallographic texture. It was speculated that the asymmetry of critical resolved shear stresses of deformation modes and the processing-induced deformation structure should play a role. With the supporting evidence from our previous works on the severe plastic deformation of other difficult-to-work alloys, it was concluded that mechanical twinning can be one of the main modes of deformation in difficult-to-work alloys in a wide range of temperatures when high strength levels are reached, irrespective of the way in which they are achieved.
Methodological approaches in the evaluation of alcoholism treatment: A critical review

Abstract A review of the evaluative literature in the area of treatment modalities for alcoholism demonstrates that there is little evidence to substantiate that treatment of any kind alters the natural history of the disease. Research aimed at the evaluation of alcoholism treatment modalities and/or programs has been mainly descriptive in nature. Only a few of the studies have utilized a valid study design including control groups, random sample selection, and objective measurements of behavioral change. The literature also demonstrates a lack of consensus as to what constitutes an effective outcome and an effective measurement of that outcome for the alcoholic patient. Each of the studies occurs in isolation, and only rarely does one investigator build his study on the results of other similar evaluations. If knowledge is to be gained as to the effectiveness of various modes of therapy for the alcoholic, researchers must be willing to share ideas and to evaluate with an adequate study design including the use of control groups, validated measurement tools, and simple statistical techniques.
Ce valence variation in intermetallic alloys: L III absorption spectroscopy results

L/sub III/ absorption spectroscopy measurements, using synchrotron radiation on the Ce/sub 1-x/R/sub x/Pd/sub 3/, R = La/sup 3 +/, Y/sup 3 +/, Th/sup 4 +/, and U and the Ce/sub 1-x/Sc/sub x/Al/sub 2/ alloy systems are presented. The Ce valence variation from the L/sub III/ spectra analysis is correlated with the lattice-parameter variations in the alloys. The roles of the volume and valence of the substitutes in determining the Ce valence state are discussed. The results are discussed in terms of hybridization and current electronic theory.
College Teachers' Expectations of LD Students

University teachers hold negative academic expectations for LD students and are pessimistic about their ability to teach them.
Cyber Capabilities and Intent of Terrorist Forces

This article defines and explores the utilization of cyber capabilities in order to achieve traditional terrorism goals while investigating the unprecedented role of nonstate actors in both offensive and defensive capabilities. Included in this article are the results of investigation into the Websites and Web-based services of identified terrorist groups as well as several interviews with hackers in order to determine capability and intent.
Mutuality and the social regulation of neural threat responding

Recent studies have shown that the presence of a caring relational partner can attenuate neural responses to threat. Here we report reanalyzed data from Coan, Schaefer, and Davidson (2006), investigating the role of relational mutuality in the neural response to threat. Mutuality reflects the degree to which couple members show mutual interest in the sharing of internal feelings, thoughts, aspirations, and joys – a vital form of responsiveness in attachment relationships. We predicted that wives who were high (versus low) in perceived mutuality, and who attended the study session with their husbands, would show reduced neural threat reactivity in response to mild electric shocks. We also explored whether this effect would depend on physical contact (hand-holding). As predicted, we observed that higher mutuality scores corresponded with decreased neural threat responding in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and supplementary motor cortex. These effects were independent of hand-holding condition. The...
cDNA cloning and characterization of sciellin, a LIM domain protein of the keratinocyte cornified envelope.

Sciellin is a precursor of the cornified envelopes of mammalian keratinizing tissues. We have cloned the cDNA encoding sciellin by screening a human keratinocyte expression library with a sciellin-specific monoclonal antibody. The composite cDNA of 2.35 kilobase pairs encodes a protein of 75.3 kDa with a pI of 10.09. The translated sequence has a central domain containing 16 repeats of 20 amino acids each that is rich in Gln and Lys residues, which are potential transglutaminase substrates, and a carboxyl domain, which contains a single LIM motif. Sciellin cDNA probes hybridize to bands of 3.4 and 4.4 kilobase pairs on Northern blots of cultured human keratinocyte RNA. The gene was mapped to human chromosome band 13q22 by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Radiation hybrid mapping demonstrated that sciellin is linked to the sequence tagged site marker WI-457 with a logarithm of the odds score of 7.77.In situ hybridization of human foreskin tissue sections demonstrated that sciellin is expressed in the stratum granulosum. Immunofluorescent staining with a polyclonal rabbit antibody made to a recombinant sciellin protein showed peripheral cytoplasmic localization in the upper cell layers of epidermis and in stratified squamous epithelia such as the oral cavity, esophagus, and vagina. Simple and columnar epithelia, with the exception of the amnion, showed no reaction.
The Assessment of Community Vulnerability to Acute Hazardous Materials Incidents

Abstract The manufacture, storage and transportation of voluminous quantities of hazardous chemicals in the United States and Canada pose serious problems for l Emergency planners, however, should not merely concern themselves with the physical hazard, “risk”, that confronts them. In developing disaster mit These more specific analyses should isolate particularly vulnerable neighborhoods and should be applied to areas where emergency-related resources can A regional vulnerability scale should consist of two components. First, a hazard assessment component where such factors as the density of chemical pro
Remarks on the static potential in quantum chromodynamics

We derive the Wilson loop formula for the static quark-antiquark potential using standard field-theory techniques. We also discuss the limitations of a static potential as a description of higher-order effects.
HfO2-insulated gate N-polar GaN HEMTs with high breakdown voltage

In this paper, we present the first demonstration of a HfO 2 -insulated gate N-polar GaN inverted high-electron-mobility transistor (iHEMT). HfO 2 -insulated gate devices showed an order of magnitude improvement in reverse-bias gate leakage current as compared to reference Schottky devices. With the reduced gate leakage current, the insulated gate iHEMTs were able to simultaneously demonstrate breakdown voltages in excess of 130 V and maximum current density of 0.87 A/mm. Pulsed I―V gate-lag measurements were performed to investigate the drain current transient behavior of these devices.
Comparative analysis of the Kekkon molecules, related members of the LIG superfamily

Leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) and immunoglobulin (Ig) domains represent two of the most abundant sequence elements in metazoan proteomes. Despite this prevalence, comparatively few molecules containing both LRR and Ig (LIG) modules exist, and fewer still have been functionally defined. One LIG whose function has been investigated is the Drosophila protein Kekkon1 (Kek1). In vivo studies have demonstrated a role for Kek1 in Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling and have suggested a role in neuronal pathfinding. Kek1 is the founding member of the Kek family, a group of six Drosophila transmembrane proteins that contain seven LRRs and a single Ig in their extracellular domains. While this arrangement of domains predicts a possible role as cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), to date little is known about the function or evolutionary relationship of these additional Kek molecules. Here we report that orthologs of Kek1, Kek2, Kek5, and Kek6 exist in the mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, and the honeybee, Apis mellifera, indicating that this family has been conserved for ~300 million years of evolutionary time. Comparative sequence analyses reveal remarkable identity among these orthologs, primarily in their extracellular regions. In contrast, the intracellular regions are more divergent, exhibiting only small pockets of conservation. In addition, we provide support for the general notion that these molecules may share common functions as CAMs, by demonstrating that Kek family members can form homotypic and heterotypic complexes.
First principles screening of destabilized metal hydrides for high capacity H2 storage using scandium

Favorable thermodynamics are a prerequisite for practical H2 storage materials for vehicular applications. Destabilization of metal hydrides is a versatile route to finding materials that reversibly store large quantities of H2. First principles calculations have proven to be a useful tool for screening large numbers of potential destabilization reactions when tabulated thermodynamic data are unavailable. We have used first principles calculations to screen potential destabilization schemes that involve Sc-containing compounds. Our calculations use a two-stage strategy in which reactions are initially assessed based on their reaction enthalpy alone, followed by more detailed free energy calculations for promising reactions. Our calculations indicate that mixtures of ScH2 + 2LiBH4, which will release 8.9 wt.% H2 at completion and will have an equilibrium pressure of 1 bar at around 330 K, making this compound a promising target for experimental study. Along with thermodynamics, favorable kinetics are also of enormous importance for practical usage of these materials. Experiments would help identify possible kinetic barriers and modify them by developing suitable catalysts.
Parallels between playback in perpendicular and longitudinal recording

Conformal mapping was applied to derive the concept of the playback waveform equivalency between a shielded read head and a dual pole head utilized for reading from longitudinal and perpendicular media, respectively. The equivalency relationships between the respective head dimensions were defined. To support the concept in 3D, 3D-boundary element calculations were performed to calculate the sensitivity fields corresponding to both the head types.
Intravenous α-MSH reduces fever in the squirrel monkey

alpha-MSH reduces fever in rabbits when administered IV, ICV, or by gavage; however, the applicability of this finding to higher species, specifically to primates, has not been determined. In this study, we chose the squirrel monkey as an appropriate primate model since it responds reliably to peripheral administration of bacterial endotoxins that cause fever in man. From pilot studies, doses of S. typhosa endotoxin necessary to produce maximum fever and doses of alpha-MSH which did not cause hypothermia were determined for each animal. In the main experiments endotoxin was given via an indwelling catheter in the saphenous vein, followed by alpha-MSH injections when the rectal temperature increased 0.3 degrees C. alpha-MSH (100-400 micrograms) reduced the area under the fever curve an average of 50.0%, but had no effect on afebrile temperature. Molar equivalent amounts of the antipyretic drug acetaminophen had little effect on fever. These findings support the idea, based on research on rabbits, that alpha-MSH has a role in central modulation of fever.
Surgical rib fixation for flail chest deformity improves liberation from mechanical ventilation

Abstract Purpose The goal of this study was to determine the impact of surgical rib fixation (SRF) in a treatment protocol for severe blunt chest trauma. Materials and methods Patients with flail chest admitted between September 2009 and June 2010 to our level I trauma center who failed traditional management and underwent SRF were matched with an historical group. Outcome variables evaluated include age, injury severity score, intensive care unit length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, ventilator days, total number of rib fractures, and total number of segmental rib fractures. Results The 2 groups were similar in age, injury severity score, intensive care unit LOS, hospital LOS, total number of rib fractures, and total segmental rib fractures. The operative group demonstrated a significant reduction in total ventilator days as compared with the nonsurgical group (4.5 [0-30] vs 16.0 [4-40]; P = .040). Patients with SRF were permanently liberated from the ventilator within a median of 1.5 days (0-8 days). Conclusions Surgical rib fixation resulted in a significant decrease in ventilator days and may represent a novel approach to decreasing morbidity in flail chest patients when used as a rescue therapy in patients with declining pulmonary status. Larger studies are required to further identify these benefits.
Stimulation of Aryl Sulfatase in Rat Peritoneal Macrophages Exposed to Bone In Vitro

Rat peritoneal macrophages elicited by injection of thioglycollate were cultured in the absence and presence of non-vital, milled rat bone or latex beads. After 0, 48, 96, and 144 hours exposure to these substances, the levels of aryl sulfatase B were determined. Cells exposed to bone demonstrated a significant (p<.001) time-dependent increase in the specific activity of aryl sulfatase B. After 144 hours the specific activity of aryl sulfatase in cells exposed to bone was 20 fold higher than that in the 144 hour controls. There were no significant differences in the levels of aryl sulfatase B in controls over time, nor were the levels of enzyme in those exposed to latex beads different from controls. We conclude that the specific activity of aryl sulfatase B increases when macrophages resorb bone and suggest that this enzyme could be used as a marker or index for bone resportion.
Effectiveness of antiarrhythmic agents in preventing death in ventricular fibrillation induced by isoprenaline in desoxycorticosterone-pretreated rats

The effectiveness of the β-adrenoceptor blocking agents 1-, d-, dl-propranolol, practolol and sotalol and the antiarrhythmic drugs quinidine, lignocaine, phenytoin and verapamil in preventing isoprenaline-induced death in ventricular fibrillation was assessed in unanaesthetised desoxycorticosterone (DOCA) pretreated rats. The animals were implanted subcutaneously (sc) with a wax pellet containing 20 mg of DOCA and drank 1% saline. After a period of 3 to 4 weeks of this treatment, rats were challenged with one single, sc, dose of 150 μg·kg−1 of isoprenaline. Death occurred 20.3± 10.4 min (mean±SD) after isoprenaline in 37 out of 38 rats. Antiarrhythmic agents, injected sc 20 min before isoprenaline injection, prevented death with the following ED50 (mg·kg−1): 1-propranolol, 0.16; dl-propranolol, 0.24; practolol, 1.93; sotalol, 6.50; d-propranolol, 6.80; quinidine, 49.4;lignocaine, 78.2;phenytoin, 397.6. Verapamil, at the dose of 35 mg·kg−1, prevented death in nine out of 22 rats (41%). Higher doses of verapamil diminished survival rates. Bulk myocardial content of Na+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+, expressed in meq·kg−1 wet weight (mean±SD), was determined immediately after death in ventricular fibrillation or after killing 60 to 70 min after isoprenaline challenge. Prior to the injection of isoprenaline, rats pretreated with DOCA-saline exhibited a lower myocardial content of K+ (69.0±3.4) and Mg2+ (16.1 ±1.0) than untreated controls (K+, 79.3 ±5.8; Mg2+, 19.5 ± 1.6). Isoprenaline did not alter the cardiac content of the four cations in untreated rats, but it further decreased the K+ levels to 63.4±2.8 and elevated Na+ from 41.3± 1.8 to 50.2±3.8 in DOCA-saline pretreated rats. No net changes in Ca2+ were observed. None of the antiarrhythmic agents altered myocardial Na+ increase, but β-adrenergic antagonists obviated myocardial Mg2+ and K+ loss induced by isoprenaline. These data demonstrate that the DOCA-saline model is useful for the screening of antiarrhythmic drugs and that changes in myocardial electrolytes may serve to distinguish agents possessing β-adrenoceptor blocking properties from other antiarrhythmic agents.
Methanogenesis of phenolic compounds by a bacterial consortium from a contaminated aquifer in St. Louis Park, Minnesota

Anaerobic degradation of phenolic compounds to CH 4 and CO 2 in sewage sludge digestion is well documented. LTtt le is known of the phenomenon in other environments, but i t is thought to be a common occurrence (MAH et al. 1977). EHRLICH et al. (1982) found that methanogenesis is occurring in contaminated ground water at St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The ground water had been contaminated during the operation of a coal tar d i s t i l l a t i o n and wood treatment f a c i l i t y . Phenols, a major f ract ion of coal tar , were observed to degrade in both the ground water and laboratory digestors with a concomitant production of CH 4. The purpose of th is paper is to present the detai ls of the laboratory studies.
Carcinogenicity of beryllium: Review of the literature

The carcinogenicity of beryllium (Be) is reviewed. At least 17 different senior authors have published 27 different scientific articles which demonstrate the carcinogenicity of 13 different beryllium compounds. Osteogenic sarcomas can be induced in rabbits by the intravenous injection or by the inhalation of Be compounds. Lung cancer can be induced in rats and monkeys by intratracheal injections and inhalation exposures. The first published report on the carcinogenicity of Be was in 1946.
The Relationships among Reproductive Endpoints in Swiss Mice, Using the Reproductive Assessment by Continuous Breeding Database

The database of Continuous Breeding mouse studies was evaluated to determine the relationships between the functional indicators of reproduction (pup measures) and the various necropsy endpoints collected for males and females. Of 72 chemicals studied, both males and females were affected in 33 studies, while females and/or conceptuses were affected in 7. Two compounds affected only males, 17 studies were negative, and in 13 studies with effects it was not possible to clearly determine the affected gender(s). Greater F0dam weight was correlated with increased pup mass per litter; this relationship was strongest for the first litter, and weakest for the fifth litter. For both generations of treated females (F0and F1), longer estrous cycles correlated with reduced numbers of pups; the relationship was stronger in F0than in F1females and was not seen in controls. Sperm parameters had different distributions in treated mice than in control mice. Fertility (total live pups/number of pairs cohabited) was reduced if there were > ∼15% sperm abnormalities or if sperm motility (moving/not moving) was < ≈37%. Both of these relationships appeared to have thresholds. Epididymal sperm count in treated animals, however, was linearly related to fertility, even within the control range, suggesting strongly that other factors are important. Using both treated and control data together, combining sperm count with motility could explain much (r= 0.77) of the variation in fertility; adding morphology did not significantly improve the correlation. The model was almost as strong using count and morphology, in which case adding motility did not strengthen the model. This analysis of these studies shows that while some endpoints (e.g., random-estrous-cycle-point ovary weight) correlate poorly with fertility, other necropsy endpoints (epididymal sperm count and motility, estrous cycle length, and testis and epididymal weights) can be useful (though not complete) surrogates of overall reproductive function. Indeed, over many studies, epididymal sperm count in treated animals correlates with fertility so well that even small reductions (≈20%) in count result in reduced fertility, suggesting that mice may be better models of human fertility than was previously believed.
Numerical Calculation of Three-Dimensional Turbulent Flow in a Turbine-Stator Passage

A numerical study on three-dimensional turbulent flow in a turbine-stator passage is presented in this paper. The standard κ–e model with the one equation, near-wall model (SKE) and the Launder-Sharma model (L-S) are used for turbulence computations. The computational results obtained using these models were compared in order to investigate the turbulence effect in the near-wall region. The governing equations in a generalized curvilinear coordinate system are discretized by using the SIMPLEC method with non-staggered grids. The oscillation of pressure and velocity due to non-staggered grids is eliminated by using the interpolation method suggested by Rhie and Chow (1983). The predicted midspan pressure coefficients using SKE and L-S models are compared with experimental data. It was shown that the present results obtained by using both models are satisfactory. Computations were then extended to cover the entire blade-to-blade flow passage, and the three-dimensional effects on pressure and turbulence kinetic energy were evaluated. It was observed that two turbulence models predict similar results for the pressure and velocity but these predict different results in the turbulence kinetic energy.Copyright © 1996 by ASME
Basic Genetic Algorithm pattern for use in self-organizing agile security

Security strategies and techniques are falling behind the agile pace of adversarial innovative capabilities. A project is underway that has identified six so-called SAREPH characteristics of adversarial self-organizing agility, and is now cataloging patterns toward a pattern language of self-organizing security techniques thatcan be employed for equal or superior security agility. IVanysuch patterns have recently been developed. This paperadds the Genetic Algorithm (GA) to the catalog. The essence of a GA is to express the problem to be optimized in terms of a "fitness function" that evaluates howwell candidates optimize the solution. In natural evolution fitness is an organism's ability to survive and reproduce. Computing applications abstract fitness to match the problem athand, such as an Intrusion Detection System attempting to correlate seemingly unrelated events that collectively constitute a threat Reviewed firstare the pattern projectand the general nature of the GA. A reusable generic pattern description is developed. Howthe pattern conforms to the SAREPH characteristics is shown. Then three examples from the literature show howthe pattern is employed in SAREPH conformity: predator-prey behavior evolution in robotswarms, future behavior prediction in financially traded stocks, and attack detection in an Intrusion Detection System.
Distinct Functional Roles of the N- and C-Terminal STIM1 Binding Sites in Orai1 for Trapping and Gating of CRAC Channels

Store-operated Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels are activated through a mechanism wherein depletion of intracellular calcium stores results in the aggregation of the ER Ca2+ sensor, STIM1, and the CRAC channel protein, Orai1, to overlapping sites in the ER- and plasma-membranes. Redistribution of CRAC channels is driven through direct STIM1-Orai1 binding, a critical step that not only controls CRAC channel gating, but also regulates its pore properties including calcium selectivity. Previous findings indicate that Orai1 harbors two STIM1 binding sites, located in the intracellular N- and C-termini. Here, we compared the functional contributions of these sites for puncta formation, gating, and modulation of CRAC channel ion selectivity. Consistent with past studies, C-terminal mutations that impaired STIM1-Orai1 association and puncta formation also abrogated channel gating. However, gating was fully restored in some of these mutants by directly tethering a STIM1 fragment containing the minimal CRAC activation domain (CAD) in duplicate to Orai1 (Orai1-SS channels). By contrast, mutants lacking the N-terminal CAD binding site displayed no channel activity despite retaining significant STIM1-Orai1 binding, and this defect could not be restored in Orai1-SS channels. Analysis of ion selectivity indicated that the N-terminal site is essential for conferring high calcium selectivity to Orai1 while the C-terminal site is dispensable if CAD is directly linked to Orai1. Thus, the structural requirements for gating and modulation of ion selectivity are similar but substantively different from those for Orai1 puncta formation. Collectively, these results are broadly consistent with a two-step model for Orai channel activation, in which the C-terminal binding site tethers and retains CAD to Orai1, thereby allowing functionally critical interactions at the Orai1 N-terminus to gate the channel and modulate its pore properties.
NEURODEVELOPMENTAL PROGRESSION IN EARLY ADOLESCENCE

Learning disorders and developmental delays in early adolescence are apt to involve the functions developing most rapidly during this period. This study employed a new adolescent neurodevelopmental exam to discern Pearson Correlation Coefficients relating age in months to task performance. Stratified random samples age 9 to 15 (N=146) in two cohorts from 3 working class communities were studied. Significant correlations (p<0.030) between age and performance were found on 18/37 items. Notable test progressions (p<0.030) were seen on 17/23 memory items; 12 were very significant (p<.007). There was developmental progression (p<.030) on 8/10 fine motor items, including finger opposition speed, cursive writing rate, and non-visual grapho-motor pattern recall (p<0.000 ea.). Marked development (p<0.007) occurred on 4/5 expressive language items, including forming complex. sentences (p<0.007) and picture naming (p<0.000). Little age progression was seen on visual-perceptual and receptive language tasks commonly stressed in assessments of failing adolescents. Evaluation of adolescent school problems should survey fine motor efficiency, language production, and rapid retrieval memory as age-progressive neurodevelopmental functions affecting academic productivity.
Melanosomes of the Mexican tree frog Agalychnis dachnicolor.

Melanophore pigmentary organelles, melanosomes, of untreated and intermedin-treated Agalychnis dachnicolor were studied by light and electron microscopy. They are markedly different in appearance from any that have been described previously, and their response to intermedin appears singular. The melanosome is composed of a round, electron dense “kernel” and an outer meshwork of thick fibers which is surrounded by a limiting membrane. Intermedin alters the fibrous matrix in that large pieces disappear from the melanosome. These are seen free in the cytoplasm. Their appearance is discussed in relation to previously described melanosomes, and their response to intermedin is discussed in relation to possible intermedin action.
High body mass index and short- and long-term renal allograft survival in adults

Background The effect of recipient obesity on kidney allograft survival remains enigmatic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of donor and recipient body mass index on graft survival. Methods Retrospective study of 193 consecutive, adult renal transplants, with at least six months follow-up (mean 24+/-14.1 months). Patients were divided into two groups based upon body mass index (BMI), [weight (kg)/height (m)]: normal ( or =30.0, n=56). Endpoints were graft loss, defined as either total loss of graft function (return to dialysis) or patient death with a functional graft. Unadjusted and adjusted multivariate analysis techniques, including Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression were used. RESULTS.: Individuals with a BMI > or =30 were not more likely to experience graft loss (O.R. 0.93, 95% C.I. 0.50, 1.72). Rates of acute rejection were not increased in obese recipients. While mortality was not increased in the BMI > 30 group, morbidity, especially surgical, had an increased incidence. The ratio of recipient to donor BMI did not influence graft survival. Conclusion Obese recipients (BMI > or =30.0) were not at increased risk for graft failure. Additionally, matching donor and recipient BMI's would not appear to substantially improve transplant outcome. Obese recipients do have increased posttransplant morbidity and risk all the known health consequences associated with obesity. Careful evaluation and clinical management of obese patients allows for successful kidney transplantation with results equivalent to normal BMI patients.
Heavy quark results from STAR

I report the most recent measurements on open heavy flavor production at RHIC on behalf of the STAR collaboration. The total charm production cross section in midrapidity at RHIC energy is found to approximately scale by number of binary collisions in d + Au, Cu + Cu and Au + Au collisions. The nuclear modification factor of non- photonic electrons is strongly suppressed in central Au + Au collisions, suggesting substantial heavy quark energy loss at RHIC. The bottom decay contribution to non-photonic elec- trons was studied via the e-h and e-D 0 azimuthal angular correlations. The bottom contribution is found to be impor- tant at pT > 5G eV /c, and is consistent with the FONLL calculation within uncertainties. Charm production through gluon jet splitting was measured by studying the D ∗± con- tents in the fully reconstructed jets in p + p collisions. This rate is consistent with pQCD evaluation of gluon splitting into a pair of charm quarks and subsequent hadronization.
Robust formation control of multi-robot systems subject to interconnection time-delays using minimum dynamic communication

In this research, firstly, a Minimum Spanning Tree-based local communication algorithm is employed to incur less data propagation. Furthermore, approvingly it always preserves network connectivity and is favorable to practical implementation as well. Secondly, desired rigid formation pattern is achieved by utilizing graph Laplacian and feedback control theory. Then emphasis is placed upon the time-delay influence on the acquired formation in the situation where interconnection time-delays occur in certain information flow channels while robots are communicating with spatially separated neighboring robots. A robust stabilization scheme is discussed to largely improve or even recover the destroyed formation pattern. Simulations verify the effectiveness of the proposed approaches to formation control.
Long-term time-series forecasting of social interventions for narcotics use and property crime

This paper presents a policy analysis based on a multivariate long-term model of narcotics-related behaviors and social interventions. We first examine the forecasting performance of the long-term model. Next, we design a simulation study to investigate the long-term impacts of hypothetical policy changes in methadone maintenance on narcotics use and property crime. The data used for model development were based on retrospective self-report information on various narcotics-related behaviors collected from methadone maintenance patients in Southern California. For time-series analysis, we aggregated each subject's longitudinal addiction history to provide group-level data which consisted of 99 bimonthly periods for the following five variables: abstinence from narcotics, daily narcotics use, property crime, legal supervision, and methadone maintenance. Post-sample forecasting performance is compared between the long-term time-series model and a more common time-series model which captures only short-term relationships. Overall, the results demonstrate superior performance by the long-term model, indicating its adequacy to explain the system dynamics among the five variables. For the simulation study, four hypothetical conditions of methadone maintenance are investigated, and the resultant impacts on narcotics use and property crime for each methadone maintenance condition are predicted using the long-term time-series model. The analyses lay out quantitative pictures of the effects of hypothetical changes in methadone maintenance that are consistent with a priori expectations. Finally, monthly average changes in cost of methadone maintenance were estimated for each simulation setup.
Learning a visuomotor rotation: simultaneous visual and proprioceptive information is crucial for visuomotor remapping

Visuomotor adaptation is mediated by errors between intended and sensory-detected arm positions. However, it is not clear whether visual-based errors that are shown during the course of motion lead to qualitatively different or more efficient adaptation than errors shown after movement. For instance, continuous visual feedback mediates online error corrections, which may facilitate or inhibit the adaptation process. We addressed this question by manipulating the timing of visual error information and task instructions during a visuomotor adaptation task. Subjects were exposed to a visuomotor rotation, during which they received continuous visual feedback (CF) of hand position with instructions to correct or not correct online errors, or knowledge-of-results (KR), provided as a static hand-path at the end of each trial. Our results showed that all groups improved performance with practice, and that online error corrections were inconsequential to the adaptation process. However, in contrast to the CF groups, the KR group showed relatively small reductions in mean error with practice, increased inter-trial variability during rotation exposure, and more limited generalization across target distances and workspace. Further, although the KR group showed improved performance with practice, after-effects were minimal when the rotation was removed. These findings suggest that simultaneous visual and proprioceptive information is critical in altering neural representations of visuomotor maps, although delayed error information may elicit compensatory strategies to offset perturbations.
Timing of perioperative antibiotics for cesarean delivery: a metaanalysis

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to summarize the available evidence on timing of perioperative antibiotics for cesarean delivery. STUDY DESIGN: We searched the literature for studies that compare prophylactic antibiotics for cesarean delivery that are given before the procedure vs at cord clamping. Only randomized controlled trials were included. RESULTS: Preoperative administration significantly reduced the risk of postpartum endometritis (relative risk [RR], 0.47; 95% CI, 0.26-0.85; P .012) and total infectious morbidity (RR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.33-0.78; P .002). There was a trend toward lower risk of wound infection (RR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.30-1.21; P .15). Preoperative administration of antibiotics did not significantly affect suspected neonatal sepsis that requires a workup (RR, 1; 95% CI, 0.70-1.42), proven sepsis (RR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.45-1.96), or neonatal intensive care unit admissions (RR, 1.07 95% CI, 0.51-2.24). There was no significant heterogeneity between the randomized controlled trials. CONCLUSION: There is strong evidence that antibiotic prophylaxis for cesarean delivery that is given before skin incision, rather than after cord clamping, decreases the incidence of postpartum endometritis and total infectious morbidities, without affecting neonatal outcomes.
Influence of organic loading rate and solid retention time on polyhydroxybutyrate production from hybrid poplar hydrolysates using mixed microbial cultures

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of using wood hydrolysates (enzymatically hydrolyzed from hybrid poplar) as substrate to produce polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) using mixed microbial cultures. The optimal operational conditions for fed-batch bioreactors were 4 d solid retention time with an organic loading rate of 2.5 g/Ld. The maximum PHB accumulated was 27% of cell dry weight with a yield of 0.32 g/g (g PHB produced per g sugars consumed). Microbial community analysis was done at the genus level by 16S rRNA sequencing on an Illumina system and community evolution was observed among different samples and initial seed. Actinobacteria , Alpha- and Beta-proteobacteria were found to be the dominant groups in all the bioreactors. Several PHB-storing microorganisms were characterized belonging to Alpha- and Beta-proteobacteria .
Acute withdrawal but not long-term withdrawal from methamphetamine affects sexual behavior in female rats

The present study was designed to investigate the long-term effects of repeated methamphetamine (MA) exposure on sexual motivation in female rats tested after a period of drug abstinence. In Experiment 1, female subjects received three injections of MA (1.0mg/kg/day, every other day) or saline and were tested for paced mating behavior (where females could control the receipt of sexual stimulation from one male rat) 21 days after their last injection. In Experiment 2, female subjects received 12 consecutive injections of MA (1.0mg/kg/day) or saline and were tested for mate choice (where females could control the receipt of sexual stimulation from two male rats simultaneously) 6 days after their last injection. Experiment 3 was identical to Experiment 2 except that female subjects received no baseline mating test and were tested for mate choice 24h and 6 days after their last injection. Open field tests were conducted in each experiment to measure locomotor activity after repeated exposure to MA. Although repeated MA exposure increased locomotor activity, mating behavior was not facilitated after either a short (6 days) or long (21 days) period of drug abstinence. Nevertheless, sexual behavior was disrupted during the 24h acute withdrawal period. Therefore, although the present study found no evidence of cross-sensitization between female sexual behavior and MA after either a short or a long period of drug abstinence, sexual behavior in sexually naive female rats is sensitive to the depressive state associated with acute withdrawal from MA. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that MA acts differently from other psychomotor stimulants, and that the effects of MA withdrawal on sexual behavior differ between male and female rats.
Sixteen microsatellite loci from Halesia tetraptera (Styracaceae)

Sixteen microsatellite loci isolated from Halesia tetraptera are described. All 16 are polymorphic, with four to 13 alleles across 15–19 members of a single half-sib family. Heterozygosity ranged from 0.067 to 1. One locus departs significantly from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in our test family. The test population shows significant heterozygote deficiency at this and two other loci. Thirteen loci exhibit significant linkage disequilibrium. These loci will be utilized in paternity analyses of geographically diverse half-sib families.
Current gain and cutoff frequency falloff at high currents

A theoretical and experimental study of the effects of high-level injection of carriers into a reverse-biased collector-base junction has been performed. Two models which describe the high-current behavior of the junction space-charge region are discussed. The first deals with the formation of a current-induced base region at space-charge-limited current densities. The second model assumes that two-dimensional effects are predominant; at current densities corresponding to the onset of space-charge-limited current, lateral injection of carriers takes place. These phenomena were studied experimentally using silicon double-diffused transistor structures. The existence of space-charge-limited current in the reverse-biased collector depletion layer manifests itself in significant changes in the ac and dc parameters of the transistor. In particular, it is shown that the cutoff frequency (f T ) and large-signal current gain (h FE ) begin to decrease rapidly with increasing current at the onset of the space-charge limitation. A comparison of experimental results with predictions of the above theories indicates that, while both the formation of a current-induced base region and lateral injection do take place, the latter mechanism controls conventional device performance.
A 24-channel 300 Gb/s 8.2 pJ/bit full-duplex fiber-coupled optical transceiver module based on a single “holey” CMOS IC

24-channel 850-nm VCSEL and PD arrays are flip-chip soldered to 90-nm CMOS “holey” 48-channel 12.5-Gb/s/channel transceiver chip, featuring through-substrate holes for optical I/O. Aggregate 300-Gb/s bi-drectional data rate is highest reported for single-chip transceiver modules.
Histochemical alterations of ventral horn cells resulting from chronic hemispherectomy or chronic dorsal root section.

Abstract Cats were operatively prepared by (a) left hemispherectomy, (b) ablation of left motor cortex, (c) section of left lumbosacral dorsal roots, and (d) section of left L7 dorsal root. The ventral horn cells of the L7 segment were studied at intervals of 1, 3, 6, and 12 months and evaluated for degenerative responses as manifested by pathologic alterations in cellular morphology and histochemical response. Though these changes diminish with time, the extent of morphologic and enzymic change appears related to the degree of deafferentation. The greater the degree of deafferentation of the ventral horn cells, the more prominent are the changes.
AN IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDY OF PNEUMOCOCCUS MUCOSUS.

1. The organisms described by Schottmuller under the name Streptococcus mucosus represent a well defined group with characteristics which indicate a closer relationship to the pneumococci than to the streptococci. 2. The members of this group are specifically agglutinable when treated according to the method of Porges. They do not agglutinate when subjected to the usual agglutination methods. 3. Complement fixation experiments with these organisms, compared with similar experiments with two varieties of pneumococci and two streptococci, indicate that they are closely related to the pneumococci. 4. No protection of mice against Pneumococcus mucosus by means of specific immune sera could be demonstrated. 5. The name Pneumococcus mucosus should be adopted for this group instead of Streptococcus mucosus .
Glycemia and the Quality of Well-Being in Patients with Diabetes

Objectives: To investigate the cross-sectional relationships among self-reported frequencies of symptomatic hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, HbA1c, and symptoms in the Quality of Well-Being Self-Administered (QWB-SA), and to examine the associations among these measures of glycemia and health utility scores. Research design and methods: The study group included 1522 patients with diabetes who attended University of Michigan Health System clinics. Published studies were reviewed to identify symptoms in the QWB-SA that might be associated with measures of glycemia. Linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the strength of the associations among the frequency of self-reported measures of glycemia, QWB-SA symptoms, and QWB-SA-derived health utility scores. Results: Frequency of hyperglycemic symptoms was associated with 3% of the variance in the QWB-SA-derived health utility score in type 1 diabetes and with 5% of the variance in type 2 diabetes. Frequency of hypoglycemic symptoms was not associated with the QWB-SA-derived health utility score in type 1 diabetes but was associated with 1% of the variance in type 2 diabetes. HbA1c levels were not significantly associated with QWB-SA-derived health utility scores. After controlling for age, gender, and complications, frequency of hyperglycemic symptoms was significantly associated with QWB-SA-derived health utility scores in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Conclusions: Reported frequency of hyperglycemic symptoms is associated with symptoms included in the QWB-SA and with QWB-SA-derived health utility scores. The QWB-SA may be an appropriate measure to assess the health burden of hyperglycemia.