cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Solution, by the Method of Association, of Problems in Inverse Probability

IN his review1 of a book by Sir Arthur Eddington, Prof. Dingle criticises Sir Arthur's solution of a certain problem in inverse probability. Prof. Dingle proposes a second, simpler, and analogous, although different, problem: If A and D each speak the truth once in three times independently, and A says that D lies, what is the probability that D speaks the truth—He argues that from our knowledge of D, the probability is 1/3, while from our knowledge of A it is 2/3, and hence that neither for his problem nor for Eddington's can there be any consistent, correct solution. Yet Prof. Dingle's problem can be regarded as a problem in statistical association, and admits of one, and only one, solution.
Performance of composite correlation filters in fingerprint verification

Biometric authentication can provide an added level of security and/or ease of convenience in access control applications. Fingerprints are a popular choice among the biometric features and have been successfully used in criminal identification. In access control applications, we are interested in obtaining digital live-scan fingerprints from sensors, rather than the inked fingerprints usually used in criminal identification. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of composite correlation filters in fingerprint verification for access control applications. The NIST Special Database 24, obtained from an optical fingerprint sensor, is used to evaluate the performance of fingerprint verification in the presence of distortion.
Fischer–Tropsch synthesis: supercritical conversion using a Co/Al2O3 catalyst in a fixed bed reactor☆

Abstract Modeling of the supercritical fluid mixture indicated that an important increase in density occurs above a threshold of approximately 4 MPa for the reaction temperature of 220 °C studied. While transport parameters of the fluid are largely retained, the observed improvement in wax solubility was noteable. A cobalt catalyst (25%Co/γ-Al 2 O 3 ) was used in a fixed bed reactor under a pressure/density tuned supercritical fluid mixture of n -pentane/ n -hexane. By using inert gas as a balancing gas to maintain a constant pressure, the density of the supercritical fluid could be tuned near the supercritical point while maintaining constant space velocity within the reactor. The benefits of the mixture allowed for optimization of transport and solubility properties at an optimum reaction temperature for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis with a cobalt catalyst. Indeed, above 4 MPa, increases in wax yields from sampling and carefully controlled gas measurements using an internal standard demonstrated an important increase in conversion due to greater accessibility to active sites after extraction of heavy wax from the catalyst. Additional benefits included decreased methane and carbon dioxide selectivities. Decreased paraffin/(olefin+paraffin) selectivities with increasing carbon number were also observed, in line with extraction of the hydrocarbon from the pore. Faster diffusion rates of wax products resulted in lower residence times in the catalyst pores, and therefore, decreased probability for readsorption and reaction to the hydrogenated product. Even so, there was not an observable increase in the alpha value for higher carbon number products over that obtained with just the inert gas.
Novel surface imaging method using surface monolayer initiated polymerization

As exposure wavelengths continue to decrease, the use of conventional single layer resist (SLR) materials is becoming increasingly more difficult. Since most organic materials absorb at wavelengths below 200 nm, it becomes problematic to create polymers with sufficient transparency to serve as SLR resins. This paper is focused on a novel approach to top surface imaging, termed surface monolayer initiated polymerization (SMIP), in which a reactive monolayer is exposed and patterned. This pattern is subsequently amplified by surface polymerization to produce patterned polymeric features that can serve as an etch barrier. In particular, the reactive monolayer is exposed to patterned radiation (UV, x-ray, e-beam, etc.) that deactivates the monolayer in the exposed areas. The substrate is then heated or exposed to radiation in the presence of a monomer, resulting in activation of the monolayer in the unexposed areas and polymerization of patterned polymer structures. Thus, in this type of process the imaging properties of the monolayer system and the etch resistance of the polymer film formed are completely decoupled. This paper focuses on recent results intended for characterizing the exposure kinetics of a radical initiator compound, 4,4'-Azobis-(4-cyanopentanoic acid-(3'-chlorodimethylsilyl) allylic ester), used as a SMIP monolayer. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been used to measure the kinetics of the DUV (248 nm) exposure reaction in this monolayer. Examples of simple patterning tests using this approach are also presented.
The auriculotemporal nerve of man

The auriculotemporal nerve is commonly misrepresented in both illustrations and textual descriptions. Our 85 dissections of the nerve demonstrate that the roots of the “typical” auriculotemporal nerve do not form a tight “buttonhole” loop around the middle meningeal artery. Instead the roots outline an elongated V-shaped interval with the roots widely separated from one another. At their junction the roots form a short trunk which immediately breaks up in line with the posterior border of the mandible into a spray of branches. The superficial temporal ramus of the auriculotemporal nerve should not be considered as the main continuation of the nerve, but merely as its largest branch. A substantial portion of the nerve makes up its two communicating rami with the facial nerve; these are the strongest and most consistent of the many peripheral communications between trigeminal and facial nerves. Common variations in configuration, branching, and relationships of the nerve are included.
Valley formation and methane precipitation rates on Titan

Branching valley networks near the landing site of the Huygens probe on Titan imply that fluid has eroded the surface. The fluid was most likely methane, which forms several percent of Titan's atmosphere and can exist as a liquid at the surface. The morphology of the valley networks and the nature of Titan's surface environment are inconsistent with a primary valley formation process involving thermal, chemical, or seepage erosion. The valleys were more likely eroded mechanically by surface runoff associated with methane precipitation. If mechanical erosion did occur, the flows must first have been able to mobilize any sediment accumulated in the valleys. We develop a model that links precipitation, open-channel flow, and sediment transport to calculate the minimum precipitation rate required to mobilize sediment and initiate erosion. Using data from two monitored watersheds in the Alps, we show that the model is able to predict precipitation rates in small drainage basins on Earth. The calculated precipitation rate is most sensitive to the sediment grain size. For a grain diameter of 1–10 cm, a range that brackets the median size observed at the Huygens landing site, the minimum precipitation rate required to mobilize sediment in the nearby branching networks is 0.5–15 mm hr^(−1). We show that this range is reasonable given the abundance of methane in Titan's atmosphere. These minimum precipitation rates can be compared with observations of tropospheric cloud activity and estimates of long-term methane precipitation rates to further test the hypothesis that runoff eroded the valleys.
Enhanced osteoblast adhesion on novel biomimetic nanotube/nanoparticle coating for orthopedic applications

Conventional metal implants such as titanium (Ti) were chosen for orthopedic applications mainly based on their excellent mechanical properties and biological inertness. However, insufficient osseointegration between bone and Ti may frequently occur, which leads to implant loosening even implant failure. Since natural bone is nanometer in dimension, the objective of this study is to create a biomimetic nanostructured coating that can turn conventional inert Ti surfaces into biomimetic active interfaces for improving osseointegration. For this purpose, a biomimetic nanostructured coating based on hydrothermally treated nanocrystalline hydroxyapatites (nHA) and magnetically treated single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were designed. Our in vitro result showed that this nanotube/nanoparticle coating can significantly improve osteoblast (bone forming cell) adhesion, thus hold potential to improve osseointegration and lengthen the lifetime of current orthopedic implants.
A spectrally selective high temperature stable Al2O3Co solar absorber coating

A cobalt pigmented anodised aluminum selective absorber has been developed and investigated by AES, SEM, reflectometer and emissometer measurements. The coating is made by anodic oxidation of aluminum in H3PO4 with subsequent electrolytic coloration by cobalt. The optimal solar absorptance of the coating is 0.92 with thermal emittance of 0.28. The coating is stable up to 400°C in air under infrared oven heat as well as under high flux solar (1.5 MW/m2) irradiation.
Accountability in Community Development

Establishing accountability in community development programs has historically been difficult. A quantitative approach ignores important aspects of the community development process, while more qualitative approaches often fail to account for how community development contributed to concrete impacts. Methods of establishing accountability are reviewed. The use of interpretative technologies employed in natural resource and recreation fields is suggested as a supplemental technique for accountability purposes.
In vitro and in vivo suppression of gluconeogenesis by inhibition of pyruvate carboxylase

The mechanism of inhibition of gluconeogenesis by phenylalkanoic acids was studied in vitro and in vivo. In vitro production of 14CO2 from labeled glucose or palmitate was not inhibited at 4 mM, a concentration of phenylacetic acid that inhibited gluconeogenesis from lactate/pyruvate. In vitro studies with isolated mitochondria showed that the CoA ester of phenylacetic acid was formed. The parent phenylalkanoic acid had no effect on purified pyruvate carboxylase activity, but phenylacetyl CoA ester decreased pyruvate carboxylation in a concentration-dependent manner. Phenylacetic acid inhibited gluconeogenesis in isolated rat liver cells from 10 mM lactate/1 mM pyruvate (decreased 39%, P < 0.05), but not 10 mM L-glutamine or [14C]aspartate, showing that the inhibition of gluconeogenesis occurred at the level of pyruvate carboxylase. A 20 mg bolus with infusion of 1 mg/min of phenylpropionic acid decreased blood glucose levels of normal [110 +/- 12 to 66 +/- 11 mg/dL, N = 7, P < 0.05 (unpaired Student's t-test vs control)] and streptozocin diabetic rats [295 +/- 14 to 225 +/- 12 mg/dL, N = 7, P < 0.01 (paired t-test vs basal)]. Hepatic glucose production in control and diabetic rats was suppressed under conditions where liver glycogen was depleted, indicating that gluconeogenesis had been inhibited in vivo. The results suggest the possibility that the inappropriate overproduction of glucose can be controlled by inhibitors of pyruvate carboxylase. This class of inhibitors may be useful in the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
Lightweight annotations for controlling sharing in concurrent data structures

SharC is a recently developed system for checking data-sharing in multithreaded programs. Programmers specify sharing rules (read-only, protected by a lock, etc.) for individual objects, and the SharC compiler enforces these rules using static and dynamic checks. Violations of these rules indicate unintended data sharing, which is the underlying cause of harmful data-races. Additionally, SharC allows programmers to change the sharing rules for a specific object using a sharing cast, to capture the fact that sharing rules for an object often change during the object's lifetime. SharC was successfully applied to a number of multi-threaded C programs.However, many programs are not readily checkable using SharC because their sharing rules, and changes to sharing rules, effectively apply to whole data structures rather than to individual objects. We have developed a system called Shoal to address this shortcoming. In addition to the sharing rules and sharing cast of SharC, our system includes a new concept that we call groups. A group is a collection of objects all having the same sharing mode. Each group has a distinguished member called the group leader. When the sharing mode of the group leader changes by way of a sharing cast, the sharing mode of all members of the group also changes. This operation is made sound by maintaining the invariant that at the point of a sharing cast, the only external pointer into the group is the pointer to the group leader. The addition of groups allows checking safe concurrency at the level of data structures rather than at the level of individual objects.We demonstrate the necessity and practicality of groups by applying Shoal to a wide range of concurrent C programs (the largest approaching a million lines of code). In all benchmarks groups entail low annotation burden and no significant additional performance overhead.
The Development of Project Risk Metrics for Robust Concurrent Product Development (CPD) across the Supply Chain

Many companies report that they can attain a competitive product development advantage from strategic relationships with key suppliers, but even the successful relationships are not without their challenges. Industry has expressed a need for robust concurrent product development (CPD) practices to include supplier issues. Unfortunately, most of the practices currently available provide little to quantitatively analyze the product development process and to identify risk as a direct result of supplier interactions. This study develops metrics that characterize product development project risk that results from supplier interactions by using the concepts of degree of design customization (DoDC) and coupling ratio (CR). A correlation analysis based on HP LaserJet development projects demonstrates that the proposed metrics for DoDC and CR are good indicators of the likelihood of product development efficiency. Furthermore, there was enough evidence to use the interaction term, the CR multiplied by the DoDC, as a risk index. An important implication of using the coupling assessment as part of the project risk assessment is that the same process can address both project and product risks.
ENZYMATICALLY SYNTHESIZED POLYANILINE IN THE PRESENCE OF A TEMPLATE POLY(VINYLPHOSPHONIC ACID): A SOLID STATE NMR STUDY

Template guided enzymatic synthesis of conducting polyaniline (PANI) is a one-step reaction and more importantly, it is an environmentally friendly process. Understanding of the reaction and coupling mechanism at the molecular level is of paramount significance to improve its processability and conductivity. Solid-state NMR techniques are useful to investigate molecular structures of enzymatically synthesized polyaniline (PANI). The PANI sample in three different forms i.e., (a) as-synthesized, self-doped conducting form; (b) dedoped, base form and; (c) redoped, conducting form, are investigated by solid-state 13C and 15N CP/MAS NMR techniques. Solid-state NMR data analysis shows that the structural features of enzymatically synthesized PANI are similar to that of chemically synthesized PANI. The solid-state 13C CP/MAS NMR spectrum of the base form of PANI confirmed that benzenoid-quinoid repeating units are present in the backbone of the PANI polymer chain. The poly(vinylphosphonic acid) (PVP) template p...
Strong Mothers, Weak Wives: The Search for Gender Equality

A leading theorist in the sociology of sex and gender, Miriam Johnson establishes as her starting point the belief that inequality is not inherent or inevitable in heterosexual relations. In "Strong Mothers, Weak Wives" she develops this notion by examining how gender differences get translated into gender inequalities and how this process relates to the structure of the nuclear family and to the social organization of modern societies.
Size dependence of gold nanorod stability: the need for customized surface chemistry

Nanoparticles can be synthesized in a wide array of shapes and sizes to suit specific biomedical applications in therapy and imaging. Prerequisite to such applications are particle stability in biological environments, non-toxicity, and facile conjugation of the particle surface with targeting biological moieties (such as antibodies). Here we report significant flaws in the common methods used to functionalize the surface of gold nanorods (GNRs) of larger-than-usual sizes. We find that while GNRs of sizes smaller than 50 x 15 nm can be effectively stabilized by polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based methods, larger GNRs form major aggregates and crash under similar functionalization conditions. Large GNRs may provide enhanced imaging sensitivity in biological applications due to greater optical extinction cross sections, provided that the GNRs can be made biostable. In this study, GNRs of sizes up to 90 x 30 nm were synthesized using two different published methods. Particle morphology and size distributions were characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and optical spectra were measured by Vis-NIR Spectrometry. The colloidal stability of different-sized GNRs was assayed at various stages of functionalization using zeta potential and Vis-NIR measurements. The results of these experiments indicate that large GNRs functionalized with PEG undergo irreversible aggregation after minimal washing. We find that coating large GNRs with polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) instead of PEG vastly improves GNR stability in water and serum. Moreover, we provide a novel platform for conjugating biomolecules of interest to PSS-coated large GNRs. We show that larger GNRs produce stronger photoacoustic signal than commonly used smaller GNRs, indicating an advantage of using large GNRs for biomedical imaging. Our observations underscore that the biomedical advantages of novel nanoparticle synthesis methods may not be realized without tailored surface functionalization methods. More generally, our results suggest that materially-identical nanoparticles (i.e. GNRs) exhibit varying stability as a function of particle size.
Synthesis and physical properties of poly(fluoroalkylether)urethanes

Polyurethane block copolymers were synthesized containing between 33 and 50 wt % hard segments based on 4,4'-diphenylmethane diissocyanate (MDI) and either 1,4-butanediol (BD), or N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) as the chain extender. The soft segments were composed of poly(tetramethylene oxide) (PTMO) and fluoropolyether glycol (FPEG) oligomers (Mn = 1000 and 1899, respectively), copolymerized to produce polyurethanes containing 5–100 wt % FPEG soft segment. The PTMO polyol in one sample was substituted with a tetrahydrofuran/ethylene oxide polyol (75 : 25 mole ratio) (Mn = 1140). The MDEA-extended polymer was ionized using 1,3-propane sultone. The bulk and surface properties of these polymers were evaluated by a variety of techniques. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis showed that the incorporation of 5–14 wt % FPEG into the soft segment had essentially no effect on the polymer's multiphase structure. The ultimate tensile strength and elongation was reduced by the addition of FPEG. Chain extending with BD as opposed to MDEA improved phase separation and the ultimate tensile strength. In vacuum, surface enrichment of the low surface energy FPEG was observed for all the polymers, using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The dynamic contact angle results indicate that the polymer surfaces rearranged in an aqueous environment to minimize their interfacial free energy.
Lessons Learned from Alternative Methods and their Validation for a New Toxicology in the 21st Century

Europe and the United States further the development of new toxicological tools in different ways. While the replacement of animal tests has been promoted strongly in Europe over the last decades (following the 3Rs principles--reduce, replace, refine), in the United States the vision for a toxicology in the 21st century (Tox-21c), which was prompted by the National Research Council document only 3 years ago, dominates the discussion. In both cases, there is significant political support. However, while in Europe the horizontal animal welfare legislation from 1986 (which urges the use of 3Rs methods wherever possible) currently under revision and cosmetics and chemical legislation are the primary drivers, in the United States it is mainly federal agencies, most prominently the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), that made the implementation of the NRC report their toxicity testing strategy only in 2009. This preempts such likely legislative measures as the reauthorization of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in the United States. The European implementation is characterized by substantial broad funding programs to develop 3Rs methods and can be termed a "bottom-up" approach; in contrast, the Tox-21 program represents a "top-down" approach, where programmed research is carried out and commissioned. It is postulated that the two approaches are two sides of the same coin, and instruct and complement each other. However, more importantly, if brought together they can result in a Human Toxicology Project and a real revolution in regulatory toxicology.
The Rho-Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor Domain of Obscurin Activates RhoA Signaling in Skeletal Muscle

Obscurin is a large ( approximately 800-kDa), modular protein of striated muscle that concentrates around the M-bands and Z-disks of each sarcomere, where it is well positioned to sense contractile activity. Obscurin contains several signaling domains, including a rho-guanine nucleotide exchange factor (rhoGEF) domain and tandem pleckstrin homology domain, consistent with a role in rho signaling in muscle. We investigated the ability of obscurin's rhoGEF domain to interact with and activate small GTPases. Using a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches, we found that the rhoGEF domain of obscurin binds selectively to rhoA, and that rhoA colocalizes with obscurin at the M-band in skeletal muscle. Other small GTPases, including rac1 and cdc42, neither associate with the rhoGEF domain of obscurin nor concentrate at the level of the M-bands. Furthermore, overexpression of the rhoGEF domain of obscurin in adult skeletal muscle selectively increases rhoA expression and activity in this tissue. Overexpression of obscurin's rhoGEF domain and its effects on rhoA alter the expression of rho kinase and citron kinase, both of which can be activated by rhoA in other tissues. Injuries to rodent hindlimb muscles caused by large-strain lengthening contractions increases rhoA activity and displaces it from the M-bands to Z-disks, similar to the effects of overexpression of obscurin's rhoGEF domain. Our results suggest that obscurin's rhoGEF domain signals at least in part by inducing rhoA expression and activation, and altering the expression of downstream kinases in vitro and in vivo.
Are there ionotropic glutamate receptors on the rod bipolar cell of the mouse retina

There is some evidence that the mammalian rod bipolar cell expresses ionotropic glutamate receptors. This is surprising in light of the strong evidence that the glutamate released by the rod photoreceptor acts upon a metabotropic glutamate receptor-mGluR6-present in the dendrites of the rod bipolar cell. To reexamine the issue of which glutamate receptor subunits may be present on the rod bipolar cell, an immunohistochemical study of acutely dissociated retinal cells was undertaken. Two monoclonal antibodies provided some evidence that GluR2 and/or GluR4, as well as NMDAR1 subunit, are present on the rod bipolar cell. A monoclonal antibody directed against the N-terminus of GluR2 labeled the rod bipolar cells, but two antisera directed against the C-terminus of the same subunit did not. One possible explanation for this discrepancy could be that the rare splice variant GluR2-long, which is endowed with a different C-terminus, could be expressed by the rod bipolar cell. To explore this possibility, RT-PCR was used to amplify the transcripts encoding GluR2 in the neural retina. This revealed that GluR2-long transcripts, with the flop exon, are present.
Analog of parental empathy: Association with physical child abuse risk and punishment intentions

Abstract Objectives Current research has been inconsistent in corroborating that parents’ compromised empathy is associated with elevated physical child abuse risk, perhaps in part because of an emphasis on dispositional empathy rather than empathy directed at their own children. Research has also relied on self-reports of empathy that are susceptible to participant misrepresentation. The present study utilized an analog task of parental empathy to investigate the association of parental empathy toward one's own child with physical child abuse potential and with their tendency to punish perceived child misbehavior. Methods A sample of 135 mothers and their 4–9 year old children were recruited, with mothers estimating their children's emotional reactions using a behavioral simulation of parental empathy. Mothers also provided self-reports on two measures of child abuse potential, a measure of negative attributions and expected punishment of children using vignettes, as well as a traditional measure of dispositional empathic concern and perspective-taking. Results Findings suggest that parental demonstration of poorer empathic ability on the analog task was significantly related to increased physical abuse potential, likelihood to punish, and negative child attributions. However, self-reported dispositional empathy exhibited the pattern of inconsistent associations previously observed in the literature. Conclusions Parental empathy appears to be a relevant target for prevention and intervention programs. Future research should also consider similar analog approaches to investigate such constructs to better uncover the factors that elevate abuse risk.
Changes in Metabolic Syndrome Variables Since Childhood in Prehypertensive and Hypertensive Subjects. The Bogalusa Heart Study

That essential hypertension is associated with metabolic syndrome is known. However, information is scant regarding the course of development of adverse levels of blood pressure and other risk variables of metabolic syndrome in youth at risk for developing hypertension. This aspect was studied, retrospectively, in a community-based cohort of normotensive (n=2206), prehypertensive (n=721), and hypertensive (n=328) subjects examined serially during childhood (4 to 11 years), adolescence (12 to 18 years), and adulthood (19 to 42 years). Prehypertensive subjects versus normotensive subjects had significantly higher body mass index and subscapular skinfold, systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures, and triglycerides beginning in childhood; higher glucose in adolescence; and higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting insulin, and insulin resistance index in adulthood. Hypertensive subjects versus normotensive subjects had higher adiposity measures, SBP and DBP, glucose, and triglycerides beginning in childhood; higher insulin and insulin resistant index in childhood and adulthood; and lower high-density lipoprotein, cholesterol in adulthood. Most of these variables progressed adversely at an increased rate in prehypertensive and hypertensive subjects. In a multivariate analysis, adverse changes in adiposity, SBP, and DBP were independently associated with prehypertensive status; and adverse changes in adiposity, SBP and DBP, insulin resistant index, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides with hypertension status. As young adults, prehypertensive and hypertensive subjects showed significantly higher prevalence of obesity, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemias. Thus, excess adiposity and blood pressure beginning in childhood and accelerated adverse longitudinal changes in risk variables of metabolic syndrome through young adulthood characterize the early natural history of hypertension.
Some Results of Environmental Monitoring in Kyrgyzstan: Atmospheric Transfer of Contaminants

As a result of many years of research on environmental parameters in Kyrgyzstan, the main sources of radioactive and toxic matter contaminations have been established. The territory of Kyrgyzstan is constantly exposed to pollution by radionuclides caused by stratospheric, tropospheric, and local atmospheric fallouts. The other sources are the uranium tailings located at some places, which are a real threat for the environment and human health.
Detection of meter-scale land cover changes in the presence of highly variable terrain

Reliable and low-cost monitoring of land cover changes as small as a meter, over areal extents greater than 10 km/sup 2/ is one of the most difficult challenges in remote sensing, particularly for landscapes with substantial terrain relief. We summarize results of research that demonstrate that this challenging problem is tractable. This paper focuses on acquisition and processing of airborne digital multispectral image data, in the context of monitoring shrubland habitat preserves.
On decoding BCH codes

The Gorenstein-Zierler decoding algorithm for BCH codes is extended, modified, and analyzed; in particular, we show how to correct erasures as well as errors, exhibit improved procedures for finding error and erasure values, and consider in some detail the implementation of these procedures in a special-purpose computer.
The development of problem behavior syndromes in at-risk adolescents

This study examined multiple paths that can explain the co-occurrence of behaviors comprising a problem behavior syndrome in adolescence. Two hundred sixteen 15–18-year-olds in service programs for at-risk adolescents were assessed twice over a 6–12-month period to examine predictors of changes in levels of their delinquency, unprotected sexual intercourse, and use of soft and of hard drugs. This study considered (a) potential common predictors of multiple behaviors, (b) predictive links among behaviors over time, and (c) whether or not important unique aspects of individual behaviors remain in spite of their co-occurrence. Results were consistent with the hypothesis that the co-occurrence of problem behaviors results from multiple pathways of influence. The future occurrence of several problem behaviors was predicted by adolescents' initial negative expectations in social interactions. In addition, alcohol and marijuana use predicted increases in several other problem behaviors over time. Finally, individual problem behaviors retained important unique characteristics, suggesting the need for further research examining both their syndromal and unique aspects.
Bird mortality in oil field wastewater disposal facilities.

Commercial and centralized oilfield wastewater disposal facilities (COWDFs) are used in the Western United States for the disposal of formation water produced from oil and natural gas wells. In Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, COWDFs use large evaporation ponds to dispose of the wastewater. Birds are attracted to these large evaporation ponds which, if not managed properly, can cause wildlife mortality. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted 154 field inspections of 28 COWDFs in Wyoming from March 1998 through September 2008 and documented mortality of birds and other wildlife in 9 COWDFs. Of 269 bird carcasses recovered from COWDFs, grebes (Family Podicipedidae) and waterfowl (Anatidae) were the most frequent casualties. Most mortalities were attributed to oil on evaporation ponds, but sodium toxicity and surfactants were the suspected causes of mortality at three COWDFs. Although the oil industry and state and federal regulators have made much progress in reducing bird mortality in oil and gas production facilities, significant mortality incidents continue in COWDFs, particularly older facilities permitted in the early 1980’s. Inadequate operation and management of these COWDFs generally results in the discharge of oil into the large evaporation ponds which poses a risk for birds and other wildlife.
Organization & Management Lessons: From The Soviet Union?

There are lessons to be learned, other than the obvious geopolitical ones, from the foment within the Soviet block nations; from the conflict associated with newly realized borders and among the various subcultures. Naturally enough, political and social scientists have been rubbing their hands with the same kind of glee we see among cartoonists when Heads of State are in real trouble. Normally, caricature and its various non-graphic or verbal equivalents requires considerable exaggeration of even slightly prominent features of the landscape. Under recent circumstances such exaggeration is hardly necessary, the rate of change in Eastern Europe these last several months has been almost surrealistic, containing its own exaggerations.
Effect of Surface Sublayer on Surface Skin Temperature and Fluxes

The surface sublayer is the layer of air adjacent to the surface where the transfer of momentum and heat by molecular motion becomes important. Equations are derived to incorporate this surface sublayer (or the variable ratio of the roughness length for momentum over that for heat, zo/zoh) over bare soil into a commonly used formulation for aerodynamic transfer coefficients. Along with the consideration of the laminar layer around vegetation leaves in the Biosphere‐Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (BATS), these equations provide a consistent approach for the computation of surface fluxes over bare soil or vegetated surface. Qualitative and quantitative analyses show that the surface sublayer tends to substantially increase the surface skin temperature for a given sensible heat flux and decrease the heat flux for a given surface versus air temperature difference. Using a climate model output as the atmospheric forcing data for BATS over a semiarid region, it is also found that the surface sublayer significantly increases the monthly and July-averaged hourly surface skin temperature and decreases surface sensible heat and net radiation fluxes. Comparison with limited observations of zo/zoh also suggests that the same (or different) exchange coefficients should be used over bare soil and vegetated portions in a grid box for dense canopies (e.g., grassland or forest) [or sparse canopies (e.g., semiarid regions)].
The Emerging Hallmarks of Cancer Metabolism

Tumorigenesis is dependent on the reprogramming of cellular metabolism as both direct and indirect consequence of oncogenic mutations. A common feature of cancer cell metabolism is the ability to acquire necessary nutrients from a frequently nutrient-poor environment and utilize these nutrients to both maintain viability and build new biomass. The alterations in intracellular and extracellular metabolites that can accompany cancer-associated metabolic reprogramming have profound effects on gene expression, cellular differentiation, and the tumor microenvironment. In this Perspective, we have organized known cancer-associated metabolic changes into six hallmarks: (1) deregulated uptake of glucose and amino acids, (2) use of opportunistic modes of nutrient acquisition, (3) use of glycolysis/TCA cycle intermediates for biosynthesis and NADPH production, (4) increased demand for nitrogen, (5) alterations in metabolite-driven gene regulation, and (6) metabolic interactions with the microenvironment. While few tumors display all six hallmarks, most display several. The specific hallmarks exhibited by an individual tumor may ultimately contribute to better tumor classification and aid in directing treatment.
Prospective Assessment of Radiation in Pediatric Urology: The Pediatric Urology Radiation Safety Evaluation Study.

Purpose: Pediatric tissues are exquisitely sensitive to ionizing radiation from diagnostic studies and therapies involving fluoroscopy. We prospectively monitored radiation exposure in our pediatric urology patients during fluoroscopy guided operative procedures with single point dosimeters to quantify radiation dose.Materials and Methods: Children undergoing fluoroscopy guided urological procedures were prospectively enrolled in the study from 2013 to 2015. Single point dosimeters were affixed to skin overlying the procedural site for the durations of the procedures to record dosimetry data. Patient demographics, procedural variables and fluoroscopic settings were recorded.Results: A total of 78 patients underwent 96 procedures, including retrograde pyelography, ureteral stent insertion, ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Median patient age was 12 years (range 0.3 to 17) and median body mass index percentile for age was 70.7 (1.0 to 99.1). Median skin entrance radiation dose for all procedure...
Phages-adsorption--test for differentiation of genus: Brucella.

Brucella-phages-adsorption test on killed (70°) cells of all types of Brucella in the pure “S” phase has orientating value for determination of the Genus: “Brucella”.Brucella abortus “S” strains are in 100% positive in this test. Brucella melitensis “S” strains are in 83% positive and in 17% weakly positive.Brucella suis “S” strains are in 100% positive.Brucella atypica “S” strains are mostly positive. All types of Brucella in “R” phase are negative in this test. This experiment is important from point of view of general systematics of bacteria and for the explanation of phage-specific receptors in the “S” and “R” phase.
cDNA microarrays reveal distinct gene expression clusters in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

Background Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are complex human diseases of autoimmune origin which cause progressive skeletal muscle weakness in adults and children. Histopathological studies of affected muscles suggest that cytotoxic T cell-induced injury predominates in PM, while humoral immune mechanisms seem more likely in DM. Early expression of MHC class I molecules on myocytes is a striking feature of both disorders. This study was to use gene microarray analysis of muscle biopsies from PM and DM patients to obtain a comprehensive view of molecules participating in disease pathogenesis. Material/methods Muscle biopsies from 10 patients (6 PM and 4 DM) and 5 controls were selected for gene expression profiles. Microarray filters containing 4000 known human genes were used to hybridize with RNAs from muscle biopsies. Real-time RT-PCR assays were used to confirmed selected genes that showed changes in expression levels in PM and DM from microarray data. The t-statistic was used to measure any differences in the amount of gene expression in the normal versus myositis biopsies. Results Forty genes clustering into two major groups showed significantly altered expression levels in PM/DM compared to normal biopsies. One cluster of over-expressed genes was primarily of immune origin and included HLA-class I and II, interferon-inducible proteins, natural killer (NK) protein, immunoglobulins and complement. The other cluster of under-expressed genes were of muscle origin, especially those involved in the fast twitch response. PM and DM gene profiles appeared similar. Conclusions PM and DM muscle biopsies show similar gene expression profiles despite reported differences in histopathological changes. Altered gene expressions of immune regulation and myofibrillar proteins are prominent in muscle biopsies of myositis.
Granulosis Virus of the Indian Meal Moth as a Protectant for Stored Inshell Almonds

An aqueous suspension of a granulosis virus (GV) from Plodia interpunctella (Hubner) controlled P. interpunctella in stored inshell ‘Nonpareil’ almonds for 134 days. As a result, feeding damage to the treated nuts was substantially reduced, and the percentage of rejects was decreased by as much as 88%. Virus suspension stored at −80°C for 18 months lost no activity.
Patterns of Intracranial Hemorrhage in Pediatric Patients with Facial Fractures.

Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a potentially fatal injury accompanying fractures of the cranium and facial skeleton. When occurring at a young age, ICH can lead to developmental delay, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and death. It is therefore important for clinicians to recognize the presence of ICH early, and understand the factors that affect its prognosis. In this study, we aim to identify diagnostic and prognostic signs for ICH in pediatric facial fracture patients by examining aspects of patient presentation, concomitant injuries, and fracture patterns. Data were collected for all radiologically diagnosed facial fractures between January 2000 and December 2012 at a level I trauma center in Newark, NJ. This was then further refined to include only patients 18 years of age or younger who had a documented ICH. Patient age, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) on presentation, fracture location, type of hemorrhage, and certain aspects of management were collected from these records. Data were then analyzed by either Pearson chi-square test or a t -test to determine significant relationships. A total of 285 pediatric patients were found to have sustained a facial fracture during this time period, 67 of which had concomitant ICH; 46 of these patients were male and 21 were female, with average ages of 14.26 and 9.52 ( p p
A Fluence-Based Method for the Direct Comparison of Photolysis Kinetics under Variable Light Regimes

Chemical actinometers are traditionally used to account for photochemical experiments conducted under different light regimes (simulated vs natural; also seasonal, daytime, cloud cover, and latitude changes). Their many limitations and the lack of a universally applicable actinometer demand development of a new approach for studying environmentally relevant photochemical processes in sunlight. We suggest the use of fluence-based rate constants (converted to time-based rate constants and half-lives with irradiance normalization), using a data-logging radiometer to track the accumulated dose of UVA and UVB radiation. Our results suggest that this method can effectively account for minor changes in cloud cover and sun angle in the photolysis of p-nitroanisole/pyridine and p-nitroacetophenone/pyridine. The greatest error is caused by factors (e.g., dense cloud cover, extreme sun angles, and changes in ozone) that affect relative UVA and UVB fluence. We believe that this simple and elegant method serves as an ...
Investigations into X-Ray Damage to the First Wall of the Inertial Confinement Fusion Laboratory Microfusion Facility

The target chamber of an Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) power plant or of an ICF Laboratory Microfusion Facility (LMF)1 must survive repetitive blasts from microexplosions of targets. The LMF would explode perhaps as many as 1500 targets, each with a yield of 1000 MJ, over its 30 year lifetime, and several thousand more at lower yields. A typical ICF power plant design might explode 108 targets per year. One challenge of ICF target chamber design is the mitigation of the effects of the target generated x-rays on the first surface. The design criteria for the LMF and for an ICF power plant differ significantly. Because of the large number of explosions, the first surface for a power plant must have essentially no vaporization of the solid wall or erosion of the wall will limit the lifetime. Wall erosion is a minor issue for the LMF, so significant vaporization of the first wall material could occur. One consequence of significant vaporization is the launching of shock waves into the solid wall. These vaporization driven shocks are the subject of this paper.
Are cash-based interventions a feasible approach for expanding humanitarian assistance in Syria?

The conflict in Syria is the largest driver of displacement worldwide with 4.1 million Syrian refugees, more than 6.5 million internally displaced people (IDPs), and 13.5 million people in need (PiN) of protection and humanitarian assistance inside Syria. Over the past decade, cash-based interventions (CBIs), including both conditional and unconditional cash transfers and voucher programs, have become increasingly common. While the cash-based response within Syria to date has been small compared to in-kind assistance, there is widespread interest in expanding the use of CBIs. This study explores the feasibility of cash-based modalities with the aim of informing future humanitarian assistance delivery strategies in northern Syria. The feasibility of CBIs is examined in terms of acceptability, infrastructure, humanitarian agency implementation capacity, value for money, risks, and responsiveness to changes in beneficiary needs. A mixed methods approach was used consisting of a literature review in addition to a household survey and key informant interviews (KIIs) conducted in early 2016 in four governorates of Syria (Aleppo, Hama, Idlib, and Al-Hasakeh). Overall, 64.5% of surveyed households received assistance during the 4-month period from October 2015 through January 2016. In-kind assistance was most common, with 59.2% of households receiving in-kind food aid. More than half of households received only one or two distributions of assistance in any form. Unmet needs were ubiquitous, and food was the priority in 74.1% of households. Despite relatively limited coverage of cash and voucher assistance programs to date, stakeholders voiced a widespread preference for cash transfers as did household survey participants. When analyzed by sector, cash assistance was preferred by survey respondents for all sectors except WASH. The most significant challenge in implementing CBIs in Syria is the lack of a regulated cash transfer system for movement of funds into the country. The bulk of humanitarian money is currently transferred through informal value transfer networks (hawala), which appears to have the capacity to handle larger-scale cash transfer programming. Technical guidance and standardized procedures are needed to ensure due diligence is conducted to mitigate fiduciary risks and ensure accountability to both beneficiaries, donors, and other stakeholders. The possibility of more sustained, continuous assistance provided through cash transfer or voucher mechanisms negates many of the barriers faced in providing in-kind assistance. Consideration of the feasibility of cash as an alternative modality relies on local-level assessment of capacity, resources, political environment, beneficiary needs and preferences, and lessons learned from previous programs in those areas.
A Survey of Assistive Technology Applications in Schools and Recommendations for Practice.

The Analysis of Technology Assistance for Children (ATAC) project was undertaken in recognition of the severe limit in information on current practices in field applications of assistive technology. Specifically, the ATAC project focused on investigating three problem areas: (1) the status of assistive technology in educational and related settings with school-age children with disabilities; (2) the benefits and barriers associated with using assistive technology for these youngsters; and (3) the effects of assistive technology use. A major aspect of the project involved a general survey of assistive technology use in special education classrooms across three states: Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. This article presents the results of this effort, and discusses the implications in regard to improving practices in the field.
Vigabatrin Trials and Dose Recommendations

Major, well-controlled trials of Vigabatrin for infantile spasms in Europe, Canada, and the Unites States are reviewed, including dose recommendations.