cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The use of isotopic nitrogen in a study of the conversion of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid to nicotinic acid in Neurospora.

Recent studies with mutant strains of Neurospora indicated that 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3-hydroxy-2-aminobenzoic acid) is an intermediate in the metabolic conversion of tryptophan to nicotinic acid. Evidence for this conversion in mammals is found in the report that 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid can maintain the growth of rats on a nicotinic acid-deficient diet and in the work of Albert, Scheer, and Deuel, who found an increased excretion of N-methylnicotinamide by rats fed this substance. The isotopic experiments of Heidelberger, Abraham, and Lepkovsky demonstrated that the carboxyl carbon of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid is the precursor of the carboxyl carbon atom of nicotinic acid. To study the mechanism of the conversion of the benzene ring into a pyridine derivative, a mutant strain of Neurospora crassa C-86, requiring 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid or a precursor for growth, was grown in a medium which contained non-labeled synthetic 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid and Nls ammonium chloride as the only sources of nitrogen. Thus the absence of N16 in excess in nicotinic acid isolated from the mold would indicate that the amino group of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid is the precursor of the pyridine nitrogen in nicotinic acid.
Gender differences in cost-related medication non-adherence among cancer survivors.

It has been reported that cancer survivors are delaying or avoiding necessary care due to costs. Medication non-adherence is one of the important aspects of deferred treatment. This study estimates the prevalence of cost-related medication non-adherence (CRN) by gender and factors associated with CRN among cancer survivors. Using 2006–2013 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), we examined self-reported CRN among cancer survivors by gender. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression models were used to examine gender differences in CRN. In a nationally representative sample of 15,159 cancer survivors, 7.4 % of male and 12.5 % of female reported CRN. Overall, the prevalence of CRN was found to be the highest for uninsured group and the lowest for Medicare, but gender differences persist for all insurance types, including Medicare. After controlling for relevant covariates, female cancer survivors were 27 % more likely (odds ratio (OR) = 1.27, confidence intervals (CI), 1.06–1.53) than male to report CRN. With higher number of comorbidities and activity limitations, CRN rates tend to increase for both male and female cancer survivors. Significant gender differences in CRN were found among cancer survivors after controlling for differences in sociodemographic, health status, and insurance coverage. Given the rapid increase in prescription drug costs, it is important to monitor closely the CRN in high-risk subgroups.
Correlates of MMPI-A Substance Abuse Scales:

This study evaluated the correlates of 16 scales for the identification of substance abuse with the adolescent form of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-A). As predicted, the scales that were previously validated with adolescents in treatment for substance abuse (i.e., the Alcohol/Drug Problem Proneness scale, or PRO; the Alcohol/Drug Problem Acknowledgment scale, or ACK; the MacAndrew scale, or MAC-R; the Substance Abuse Proclivity scale, or SAP; and the Psychopathy scale, or PSP) were reliably and positively correlated with therapists' ratings of behavioral undercontrol and substance abuse and negatively correlated with ratings of behavioral overcontrol. There were few reliable correlates for the scales that had not been previously validated with adolescents in treatment for substance abuse, and these scales were not reliably correlated with therapists' ratings of substance abuse.
Infrared spectroscopic imaging as a tool for pathology

Conventional Fourier transform IR spectroscopy has proven to be an invaluable research and diagnostic approach for the study of a wide range of biomedical problems. In this article we describe a new biomedical imaging method which integrates high-resolution IR spectroscopy with high- definition digital imaging. The continuing development and commercialization of long-wavelength IR cameras or focal- plane arrays has been a key enabling technology. These imaging systems are capable of rapidly generating chemically specific images from a variety of unstained biological tissue and cells. Image contrast is intrinsic to the sample and is determined only by its biochemical composition. In addition, data from a single experiment can be digitally manipulated to produce numerous images of the same sample, for which different spatial and biochemical properties are emphasized. We present data demonstrating the potential of the technique to generate spectroscopic signatures and images from single human breast cells.
Multiparametric classification of trophic conditions. The OECD methodology extended: combined probabilities and uncertainties — application to the North Adriatic Sea

A new approach to trophic classification of water bodies, based on combining the exact probabilities from the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) lognormal frequency distributions of chlorophyll, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations and Secchi depths, is presented, using a sample data set from monitoring activities carried out in the North Adriatic Sea in the summer of 1992. This probabilistic approach is shown to be effective in solving uncertain or even contradictory classifications which may often arise from membership probabilities, based on single sample variables, as in the present OECD system. Such an extension to multiparametric sample space is open to possible modifications of trophic variables, and allows comparisons among samples with inhomogeneous or even unmatching types of measurements. Classification uncertainties, caused by the uncoupling of trophic variables, are shown to be related to environmental disturbances given by discharges, inflows and turbulent diffusion. Their role in trophic classification procedures, and environmental importance and meaning is stressed in relation to the applicability of the extended OECD methodology to non-steady state systems.
Interleukin-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor enhance the generation and function of dendritic cells.

Dendritic cells, well-known for their potent antigen-presenting activity, are generally present at very low frequency in the spleens of naive mice. We examined the ability of mice to generate functional dendritic cells (DC) following exposure to the cytokines interleukin-3 (IL-3) and granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Tumours secreting these cytokines provided a continuous stimulus resulting in a greatly increased number and frequency of DC in the spleen. These cells were purified by conventional DC isolation techniques and were found to exhibit many of the characteristics of DC from unmanipulated mice, including high allo-stimulatory activity in mixed lymphocyte reactions and expression of many similar cell surface markers. Using ovalbumin-peptide specific class I- and class II-restricted hybridomas containing the lacZ reporter gene, we found that these cytokine-generated DC had a greatly increased efficacy in the uptake and processing of particulate antigen. These cells appear to have retained the ability to ingest antigen that is generally associated with immature DC, but also exhibit the peptide/major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-presenting capabilities of mature DC. Development of an assay to measure the activity of a single DC revealed that these dual activities were the properties of the majority of the cytokine-generated DC. These findings indicate that exposure in vivo to the cytokines IL-3 and GM-CSF can result in the generation of large numbers of DC with increased capability of stimulating T cells. Thus, these cells may be important in vivo in the process of cross-priming and the subsequent generation of tumour-reactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL).
Hormone replacement: therapeutic strategies in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and ageing-related cognitive disorders

While the incidence of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is increasing among the ageing populations of Europe and North America, few therapeutic agents have been identified for effective disease management. Substantial recent evidence suggests that the neurological circuits targeted by AD are also sensitive to gonadal hormones such as oestrogen. This review examines the evidence for hormone replacement therapy as a possible strategy for the management of ageing-related cognitive disorders, emphasising possible cellular/molecular actions of oestrogen. We examine the recent patent literature for promising trends in hormone-related therapeutics, especially advances related to the development of tissue-selective oestrogenic compounds. We also review the strategy of combining oestrogen with other compounds to increase their therapeutic efficacy.
Reconfigurable computing with multiscale data fusion for remote sensing

Recent advances in sensor technologies have resulted in tremendous increases in the amount of data collected for imaging applications such as airborne and space-based remote sensing of the Earth. Data acquisition and dissemination systems need to perform more processing than ever before to support real-time applications and reduce bandwidth demands on the downlink. FPGA-based reconfigurable computing systems are emerging as cost-effective solutions that offer enormous computation potential in the embedded systems arena. Research in this paper explores the potential capability offered by deploying reconfigurable computing systems in a remote sensing system by means of a commonly employed application. Multiple designs for a multiscale data-fusion algorithm were developed for an FPGA-based platform. These designs are used to demonstrate speedup over processor-based solutions and study the demands posed by such applications upon the system. Due to the vast number of sensors inputs, such applications pose high demands on the memory capacity and bandwidth which becomes a critical factor in determining the overall system performance. Results of our experiments depict that over an order of magnitude improvement can be obtained with efficient designs and appropriate hardware resources. Projections of enhanced performance with emerging system architectures are also presented.
Determination of Cellulose Reactivity by Using Phosphitylation and Quantitative 31P NMR Spectroscopy

The phosphitylation of cellulose with 2-chloro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphospholane [P(II)], is proposed as a means to determine its reactivity via an evaluation of its accessible hydroxyl groups. A variety of cellulose samples were subjected to this phosphitylation reaction, and the consumption of phosphitylation reagent was followed by quantitative 31P NMR spectroscopy. This consumption was found to be directly proportional to the amount of reactive hydroxyl groups on the cellulosic material. To further evaluate the quantitative reliability of this methodology, cellulose samples were subjected to a series of mechanical beating treatments, and the changes in the amount of accessible OH groups were evaluated. In addition, cellulose samples were equilibrated to various moisture contents, and their accessible OH groups were determined using the developed methodology. Both variables examined were found to affect the amount of reactive OH groups present on the samples with variations in the moisture con...
First Natural Occurrence of Coesite

Coesite, the high-pressure polymorph of SiO2, hitherto known only as a synthetic compound, is identified as an abundant mineral in sheared Coconino sandstone at Meteor Crater, Arizona. This natural occurrence has important bearing on the recognition of meteorite impact craters in quartz-bearing geologic formations.
The stability of ultrathin metal films on W(110) and W(111)

Abstract Ultrathin films of platinum on tungsten display a rich variety of phenomena related to epitaxial growth. Pt grows on W(110) in a layer-by-layer mode at 300 K; upon annealing multilayers of Pt to T > 800 K, clusters of three-dimensional crystallites form on top of a pseudo-morphic Pt monolayer. When oxygen is present on the surface, the Pt monolayer is no longer stable. Annealing coadsorbed Pt and O on W(110) causes nearly all the Pt to agglomerate into clusters as the oxygen largely replaces the monolayer on the surface. Annealing Pt on W(111) in the range 800
Diffusion length determination in thin film CdS/CuInSe2 solar cells by the EBIC method

Abstract Minority carrier diffusion lengths in thin film p-CuInSe 2 and n-CdS were determined from the decay of the short-circuit current generated by the electron beam of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for different accelerating voltages. The bulk diffusion lengths were determined taking into account the surface recombination velocity at the scanned surface: they were 0.6 μm in CuInSe 2 and 1.17 μm in CdS.
Non-invasive high resolving power quantum microscope

The development of a non-invasive high resolving power quantum microscope would further advance progress in research and development in biomedical and biosciences as well as the field of medical technology. Longer wavelengths, i.e visible or near-infrared, provide less invasive impact. On the other hand shorter wavelengths, i.e. UV, can provide better resolving power. That is why the development of a non-invasive high resolving power quantum microscope is critical. In this article, we propose such a microscope by using two-color entangled photon ghost imaging technology.
Wire-Frame Monocone Antenna for Direction-Finding Applications on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Platform

A detailed design for a loaded wire-frame monocone antenna for direction-finding applications on an Army UAV platform is presented. This was used to compare simulation and measurement results of radiation-pattern and gain measurements for a scaled prototype mounted on a UAV wing, using the FEKO electromagnetic-simulation software. The results indicated that this antenna design offers bandwidth and gain performance that is far superior to many other passive antenna candidates. The results also confirm the accuracy and efficiency of using FEKO for modeling candidate antennas integrated onto large-scale Army platforms.
Isolation and Properties of Threonine-producing Mutants with both Dihydrodipicolinate Synthase Defect and Feedback-resistant Homoserine Dehydrogenase from Brevibacterium flavum

Threonine-producing mutants of Brevibacterium flavum with HDR or DPS defect were selected by resistance to less than 8g/l of AHV, a threonine analogue, in our previous studies. Growth of a mutant with HDR, BK 29, was still inhibited by 12 g/1 of AHV. Eighteen AHV-resistant mutants derived from strain BK29 under these conditions produced more than 12 g/1 of threonine. All the best five strains tested showed much lower levels of or no DPS activity in addition to HDR. The best threonine producer, strain DB185, produced 16.5 g/1 of l-threonine, about twice that by the parent, but the accumulation of lysine decreased to 3.8 from 10 g/1 as the HC1 salt by the parent. The threonine production and growth were stimulated by DAP. On the other hand, growth of a mutant with DPS defect, DK330, was not inhibited by 12 g/1 of AHV. However, addition of lysine enhanced the growth inhibition by AHV to be almost as complete as that of strain BK29. The best strain BD122 among mutants resistant to AHV plus lysine derived from...
Contracts without memory in multiperiod agency models

Abstract Settings are considered in which optimal multiperiod contracts can have no memory, i.e., where second period payments do not need to depend on first period outcomes. If contracts have no memory, a repeated agency game can be played myopically; there are no gains to long-term relationships. Conditions on preferences for a no memory contract are presented. In an agency game with moral hazard on the act selection, preference separability and domain additivity imply the existence of a no memory contract. In a setting without moral hazard but with asymmetric information on the outcome, domain additivity implies no memory.
Oncolytic measles virus strains in the treatment of gliomas.

Background Recurrent gliomas have a dismal outcome despite use of multimodality treatment including surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Objective In this article the authors discuss potential applications of oncolytic measles virus strains as novel antitumor agents in the treatment of gliomas. Methods Important aspects of measles virus development as an anticancer therapeutic agent including engineering, retargeting and combination studies with other therapeutic modalities are discussed. The translational process that led to the first clinical trial of an engineered measles virus derivative in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme is also described. Results/conclusions Oncolytic measles virus strains hold promise as novel antitumor agents in the treatment of gliomas.
Toxicity and efficacy of concurrent gemcitabine and radiotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

Background. Gemcitabine and radiotherapy are a potent combination. A clinical assessment of the therapeutic ratio for locally advanced pancreatic cancer patients has not yet been reported. Aim of Study. To assess the toxicity, survival, and pattern of failure of locally advanced pancreatic cancer patients treated with concurrent gemcitabine-based chemoradiation. Patients and Methods. Between the dates of December 1996 and August 2000 51 patients with locally advanced unresectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were treated with concurrent gemcitabine and radiotherapy at MDACC. Patients received 250–500 mg/m2 of gemcitabine weekly ×7 over 30 min and 30–33 Gy in 10–11 fractions over two weeks to the primary tumor and regional lymphatics. Severe toxicity was defined as admission >5 d, mucosal ulceration, >3 dose deletions of gemcitabine or toxicity resulting in surgical intervention or that resulted in death. Results. The median survival was 11 mo. Overall, 37 of 51 patients had objective evidence of local progression. The actuarial rate of local progression rate at 9 mo was 70%. The 9-mo distant metastasis rate was 52%. Tumors ≥ 10 cm2 had worse local control, distant control, and overall survival. Six patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy after therapy. After review of the imaging, only four of these patients had minimal arterial involvement, one was incorrectly staged, and one had initial inflammatory change on CT that resolved. Twelve of 51 (24%) patients suffered severe acute toxicity, and 17 of 51 (33%) patients were admitted for supportive care. Conclusion. Concurrent gemcitabine and radiotherapy can be a very difficult combination to administer safely. Our results do not suggest a prolongation of median survival for patients with localized pancreatic cancer treated with this therapy. It is possible that gemcitabine-based chemoradiation contributes to the margin-negative resectability of a small number of patients with minimal arterial involvement, but this benefit is obscured by the frequent toxicity encountered in most patients. Locally advanced pancreatic cancer patients should continue to be enrolled on prospective studies investigating novel combinations of cytotoxic and/or biologic agents with concurrent radiotherapy.
A Src link in schizophrenia

A new study shows that a candidate schizophrenia pathway, neuregulin-1–ErbB4 signaling, inhibits Src-mediated enhancement of synaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) function (pages 470–478). These results suggest that Src can have a pivotal role in NMDAR hypofunction in schizophrenia and thus might have potential therapeutic implications for this complex neuropsychiatric disorder.
Pneumococcal vaccination: an opportunity for emergency medical services.

This report examines the literature regarding pneumococcal disease and the current state of pneumococcal vaccination. Improvements in medical care have reduced the number of deaths from pneumococcal disease. However, vaccination is still the most effective measure. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Healthy People 2000 and Healthy People 2010 reports, have recommended widespread pneumococcal vaccination practices. In spite of this, vaccination rates remain low among all segments of the population, with minorities and groups at risk for pneumococcal disease the most neglected. The authors propose implementation of emergency medical services (EMS)-delivered vaccination against pneumococcal disease. The epidemiology of pneumococcal disease is presented. The efficacy, availability, and use recommendations for the vaccine are described within this report. Finally, the benefits and possible implementation strategies for EMS delivery are detailed.
EFFECTS OF ANESTHESIA ON BILE PIGMENT EXCRETION

Anesthetic agents can alter hepatic glucuronidation. Under diethyl ether (E), pentobarbital (P) or ketamine (K) (n=5 each), rats received bile duct and venous catheters. Basal bile was collected for 300 min without further anesthesia. Bilirubin diglucuronide (DG) was quantified by HPLC, total bilirubin excretion (μg/100 gm body wt/min) by Van den Bergh analysis and bile flow (μ1/100 gm body wt/min) by weight.
Duration of epenthetic [t] in polysyllabic American English words

This paper reports how stress and the position of the /ns/ cluster in polysyllabic words affect [t] epenthesis in four different environments: (1) word-medial after a stressed vowel (e.g. ' ce n.s us vs. ' de nts us ); (2) word-final after a stressed vowel (e.g. in .' te ns e vs. in ' te nts ); (3) word-medial after a stressless vowel (e.g. co n .' s ent vs. blu nt ' s ay.ing ); and (4) word-final after a stressless vowel (e.g. ' sci.e nc e vs. ' con.te nts ). Analysis of stop closure durations in experimental sentences read by seven American English speakers reveals that position, not stress, is the most important factor in [t] epenthesis: final position (e.g. science and intense ) favors epenthesis. Stress is found to have an effect on stop closure durations in the way it interacted with word-position – i.e. for the final /ns/ cluster, stress immediately before it disfavors epenthesis (e.g. intense ). The underlying /t/ is shown to be not significantly longer than the epenthetic [t]. Measurements from polysyllabic words in the TIMIT corpus corroborate the experimental results that word-final position favors epenthesis and that stress does not correlate with epenthesis. In the TIMIT data, however, underlying /t/ was significantly longer than epenthetic [t].
The integration of solar cells with PIFA for energy harvesting

This paper presents the idea of achieving a multi-source energy harvesting for improved DC conversion efficiency. Solar cells are integrated with a PIFA that is connected to a wideband rectifying circuit. The wideband rectifying circuit is designed to rectify the RF signals captured by the PIFA. The integrated solar cells with the PIFA are used to extract a DC signal from the solar energy. Prototypes are fabricated and tested as a proof of concept.
Free local semigroup constructions

We introduce the notions of causal paths and causal homotopies, modifications of the traditional notions of paths and homotopies, as more suitable for certain basic constructions in (Lie) semigroup theory. The major result is the construction in this causal context of an analogue of the universal covering semigroup and the demonstration that local homomorphisms on the given semigroup extend to global homomorphisms on it. In certain important cases, it is shown that this semigroup actually agrees with the universal covering semigroup.
Bridging the Gap: Understanding the Chemistry of CMP

This laboratory exercise will expose upper-level undergraduate students to the aspect of chemistry known as Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP). CMP is used for the fabrication of computer chips and memory devices. Students investigate a representative slurry that is used for copper-based advanced integrated-circuit processes. More specifically, students monitor the generation of •OH through the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a metal/amino acid complex, which is used as a catalyst. This introduces students to the fundamentals of •OH trapping and provides practice in the techniques used for kinetic rate determination. The kinetics data obtained for these systems will be correlated with the static dissolution rate of Cu metal upon exposure to various control and hydroxyl radical generating solutions.
Ultrasonic machining of biomass using biodegradable slurry

Abstract Thrombi, e.g. blood clots, in circulatory system pose acute health risk, globally. This research investigated roles of biodegradable starch slurry in advancing biomass machining efficiency. Hard clots (fibrin-rich) prepared from rabbit blood were exposed in vitro concomitantly to ultrasound (1 MHz) and starch slurry. Starch slurry particles (diameter ∼250 nm) yielded a 200% increase in material removal (sonothrombolysis) efficiency. Mechanistic participation of starch, a non-Newtonian material, at the interface of biomass-ultrasonic radiation is discussed. Overall in subtractive biomanufacturing, the role of biodegradable slurry is critical for enhancing material removal efficiency.
Studies of Er3+ doped germanate–oxyfluoride and tellurium–germanate–oxyfluoride transparent glass–ceramics

Abstract An erbium doped germanate–oxyfluoride glass 60GeO 2 · 20PbO · 10PbF 2 · 10CdF 2 (GPOF) and a tellurium–germanate–oxyfluoride glass 30TeO 2 · 30GeO 2 · 20PbO · 10PbF 2 · 10CdF 2 (TGPOF) were prepared in the bulk form. By appropriate heat treatment of the as-prepared glasses above, transparent glass–ceramics were obtained with the formation of β-PbF 2 nanocrystals in the glass matrix confirmed by X-ray diffraction. Optical absorption and photoluminescence measurements were performed on as-prepared glass and glass–ceramics. The luminescence of Er 3+ ions in transparent glass–ceramics revealed sub-band splitting generally seen in a crystal host. The intensity of red and near infrared luminescence significantly increased in transparent glass–ceramic compared to that in as-prepared glass. Two luminescence bands at 758 nm from 4 F 7/2 → 4 I 13/2 and at 817 nm from 2 H 11/2 → 4 I 13/2 transitions were observed from transparent glass–ceramic but cannot be seen from the corresponding as-prepared glass. These results are attributed to the change of ligand field of Er 3+ ions and the decrease of effective phonon energy when Er 3+ ions were incorporated into the precipitated β-PbF 2 nanocrystals.
Pseudofossils in relict methane seep carbonates resemble endemic microbial consortia

Pleistocene-age methane seep carbonates from the Eel River Basin, California contain aggregate-like structures composed of tightly-packed hollow spheres that morphologically resemble syntrophic archaeal–bacterial consortia known to catalyze the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). Tetragonal microstructures also present in the carbonates resemble seep-endemic Methanosarcinales cell clusters. Despite morphological similarities to the seep-endemic microbes that likely mediated the authigenesis of Eel River Basin carbonates and sulfides, detailed petrographic, SEM, and magnetic microscopic imaging, remanence rock magnetism, laser Raman, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, suggest that these microstructures are not microfossils, but rather mineral structures that result from the diagenetic alteration of euhedral Fe-sulfide framboids. Electron microscopy shows that during diagenesis, reaction rims composed of Fe oxide form around framboid microcrystalites. Subsequent dissolution of greigite or pyrite crystals leaves behind hollow cell-like casings (external molds) — a transformation that occurs on timescales of ~100 kyr or less. Despite their superficial resemblance to morphologically-distinctive extant microbes in local sediments, the presence of acellular precursor grains, as well as of partially-altered transitional forms, complicate the interpretation of these and other framboidal microstructures that have been reported from the rock record.
Exchange energy for conduction electrons in (ZnMn)Se derived from spin-flip Raman scattering and magnetization

Abstract Spin-flip Raman scattering, magnetization, and susceptibility data for Zn0.97Mn0.03Se are reported. The exchange energy Noα = 243 ± 10 meV for the conduction electrons is obtained from an analysis of the Raman and magnetization data. At large magnetic fields (H > 60 kOe), the spin-flip energy ΔE saturates at 14 meV. At low fields ΔE does not extrapolate to zero as H → 0, which is characteristic of scattering from donor-bound electrons. The low temperature magnetization curves are fit to a modified Brillouin function. The fit gives x /x = 0.67 as the fraction of active magnetic ions, and an effective temperature Teff = T + To with To = 1.1 K. The magnetic susceptibility follows a Curie-Weiss law between T = 150 and 280 K with a Curie-Weiss temperature θ = −33 K.
Perception of Simultaneous Dichotic and Monotic Monosyllables.

Competing rhyming pairs of both natural and synthetic speech were presented both monotically and dichotically to normal right-handed listeners. When the onsets of the words were simultaneous (±2½ m...
Complementary microanalysis of Zn, Mn and Fe in the chelicera of spiders and scorpions using scanning MeV-ion and electron microprobes

Abstract Energy-loss scanning transmission ion microscopy (ELSTIM or just STIM), PIXE and electron microprobe techniques are used to investigate certain minor element accumulations in a few spiders and scorpions. STIM and PIXE are used to survey the unsectioned specimens, while electron microprobe techniques are used for higher resolution investigations of several sections of the specimens. Concentration values measured using STIM and PIXE are found to be in satisfactory agreement with those measured using electron probe microanalysis. A garden spider Araneus diadematus is found to contain high concentrations of zinc in a thin layer near the surface of its fangs (reaching 23% of dry weight), and manganese in its marginal teeth (about 5% of dry weight). A wolf spider Alopecosa kochi is found to have similar concentrations of zinc in a layer near the surface of it's fang, and concentrations of manganese reaching 1.5% in a layer beneath the zinc containing layer. A scorpion Centruroides sp. is found to contain high concentrations of iron (reaching 8%) and zinc (reaching 24%) in the tips of teeth on the cheliceral fingers, and manganese (about 5%) in the stinger. The hypothesis that these elements simply harden the cuticle does not appear to explain their segregation patterns.
WITHDRAWN: Precuneal and amygdala spontaneous activity and functional connectivity in war-zone-related PTSD

Abnormality in the "fear circuitry" has been known as a major neural characteristic of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Recent studies also revealed decreased functional connectivity in the default mode network in PTSD. The present study aims to investigate, in war-zone-related PTSD, the spontaneous activity and functional connectivity of the amygdala and the precuneus, which are two representative brain regions of the two networks, respectively. Two groups of 52 male US Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) veterans (PTSD vs. controls), well matched on age and ethnicity, were clinically assessed and then studied in a resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) procedure. Functional connectivity analysis was conducted on the resting state fMRI data with the amygdala and precuneus as seeds. Compared with controls, veterans with PTSD had lower functional connectivity in the default mode network, as well as lower amygdala-frontal functional connectivity. Both the PTSD and the control group had a significant positive precuneal-amygdala functional connectivity without a significant group difference. The magnitudes of spontaneous activity of the amygdala and the precuneus were negatively correlated in the PTSD group and showed significant quadratic relationships with the amount of emotional abuse in early life trauma. These findings may improve our understanding about the relationships between fear circuitry and the default mode network in the context of war-zone-related PTSD. Language: en
From Rings to Polymers

A short review of the origins and development of my research program at the University of Vermont in the area of inorganic polymers is presented. The topics include the discovery of a class of hybrid polymers and copolymers in which an inorganic ring such as a cyclophosphazene or cycloborazine system is a substituent on a carbon polymer chain. The subsequent elucidation of the electronic and chemical reactivity factors which control the formation of these materials allowed for design of successive generations of improved materials. Additional topic includes work in polyphosphazenes which have substituents with exploitable organic functionality.
MOX gas sensors using multilayer aerogel

In this work for the first time we have demonstrated the feasibility of multilayer silica aerogel interleaved with thin layers of SiO2, to replace the micromachined air pit used in fabrication of metal oxide (MOX) gas sensors. Microhotplate is the most important structure of MOX gas sensors since it provides the desired uniform temperatures ranging from 200 oC to 500 oC for the sensing material. Based on our previous work, in order to achieve this operating temperature we must have a thick layer of 5 to 20 μm aerogel. However, in the literature we cannot find reports that indicate multilayer spin-coated aerogel is possible. In our laboratory we have successfully spin coated two layers of aerogel with high porosity of 85% and low refractive index of 1.05. We have investigated the formation of thicker multilayer aerogel by having sputtered SiO2 as interlayer. The heat insulation capability of multilayer is reported in both steady state and transient mode.
Cognitive environments and dissociative tendencies : Performance on the standard Stroop task for high versus low dissociators

Dissociative experiences are characterized by a disruption in integration of consciousness, attention, and/or memory. Most individuals have some dissociative experiences (such as ‘highway hypnosis’), but some individuals have remarkably frequent and intense dissociative experiences (as in the case of Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder)). We hypothesized that individual differences in dissociative experiences may have an attentional basis and/or effect on attentional mechanisms. We report on a study in which we selected high and low dissociators, as measured by the Dissociative Experiences Scale (Bernstein and Putnam, 1986) and we evaluated each group's performance on a basic Stroop interference task with incongruent colour terms and control stimuli. We found that the high dissociators showed greater Stroop interference than did the low dissociators. We discuss our current theoretical understanding of this relationship in which we speculate that a history of trauma is an important causal factor in both high levels of dissociative experiences and changes in basic attentional strategies and mechanisms. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Seismic stratigraphy of Discovery Bay, Jamaica

Abstract High resolution seismic reflection profiling within Discovery Bay, Jamaica has revealed that this 54 m deep, subcircular, reef-protected coastal basin has over 100 m of relief. Partially buried reefal structures at a water depth of −40 m indicate a past sea-level stillstand. In addition, side scan sonar reveals that the slopes leading down into the basin from these upper reefs are nearly acoustically featureless indicating little downslope movement by reefal debris and no slope failure. The basin center is dominated by a 15 m thick upper sequence of mollusk-rich carbonate mud which has accumulated at a rate of 1600 mm 1000 yrs for the past 9000 yrs based upon 14 C dates. The total 50 m of basinal infilling consists of two primary sequences both approximately of the same thickness. Without very long cores (> 15 m) we can only speculate on basin infilling history. The deepest subsurface portion of the basin lies on line with a fault-controlled, dry valley and a pronounced change in the seaward reef trend. The north coast of Jamaica consists of a terraced, limestone coastal plain. We propose that Discovery Bay initially formed by dissolution from calcite-undersaturated groundwaters focused along this fault. A reefal barrier rim developed and sealed off this depression from the open Caribbean Sea sometime during the Pleistocene. A similar coastal depression, Rio Bueno, lies just to the west of Discovery Bay, but remained open probably due to continued freshwater influx which retarded reef growth during lowstands throughout the late Neogene and Quaternary.
3-D object decomposition with extended octree model and its application in geometric simulation of NC machining

Abstract The paper discusses the development of a prototype solid modeling system based on the extended octree modeling approach and its applications in 3-D NC machining simulation and automatic verification. Along with a simple hierarchical data structure, the extended octree model uses the face boundary information (i) to represent complex objects, (ii) to improve object representational accuracy, and (iii) to accelerate the model updating procedures in a graphic simulation process. The improved representational accuracy makes it possible to carry out automatic NC program verification by generating the machined model of the part through the simulation and comparing it with the designed model of the part. The paper also addresses the issues of model conversions from CSG and B-Rep schemes to the corresponding extended octree models and the issues of carrying out Boolean operations on those extended octree models. A prototype system has been implemented and is integrated with AutoCAD AME solid modeler for object modeling and for NC simulation purpose.
Evaluation of a model for brain bilirubin uptake in jaundiced newborns.

A model for brain bilirubin uptake (BBU) predicts that BBU in jaundiced newborns typically depends on the plasma total bilirubin concentration (TBC) and the bilirubin-albumin dissociation rate constant (k1) rather than the unbound bilirubin (Bf). The model's validity was tested by 1) evaluating its requirement that k3 >>> k2, where k3 and k2 are the rate constants for BBU and Bf-albumin association, respectively, and 2) determining whether the calculated BBU is ≤5% of the bilirubin production rate, the approximate BBU expected if brain bilirubin levels are <1% of the miscible bilirubin pool as reported in the literature. The model was investigated using peroxidase test measurements of TBC, Bf, k1, and k2 from 185 jaundiced newborns. Mean k2 was compared with the reported k3 value of 0.08/s. BBU calculated from TBC and k1 was expected to be ≤0.005 μg/kg/s given the reported bilirubin production rate of 0.1 μg/kg/s. BBU calculated using Bf was also compared with the bilirubin production rate. The mean k2 of 8.9 L/μmol/s was greater than k3, and the mean BBU of 0.72 μg/kg/s exceeded the expected range of ≤0.005 μg/kg/s. However, mean BBU using Bf (0.00073 μg/kg/s) was within the expected range. A mathematical model calculating BBU as a function of TBC and k1 could not be validated. BBU calculated from Bf is consistent with the observation that <1% of the miscible bilirubin pool is distributed in the brain.
Increasing cell homogeneity of semicrystalline, biodegradable polymer foams with a narrow processing window via rapid quenching

Biodegradable polymer foams have the potential to lessen environmental burdens caused by traditional petroleum-based plastics. One such family of alternatives, poly(hydroxyalkanoates), have tremendous potential in this regard, but have poor foamability owing to a narrow thermal processing window. Of particular interest for this study is poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) (PHBV). Two chemical blowing agents were tested for their ability to create low density, closed-cell PHBV foams, and it is shown here that sodium bicarbonate decreases the bulk density compared to azodicarbonamide blowing agents but with the loss of a closed-cell structure. To counter this, PHBV foams were quenched with water, leading to faster crystalline formation in the polymer matrix. As a result of faster solidification, a more uniform, closed-cell bubble morphology was entrapped in the final foam product, leading to high-expansion ratio foam. Thus, PHBV, a material with poor melt strength, has enhanced melt properties for foaming applications when crystallization is induced on the same time scale as cell coalescence. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2877–2886, 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Social Movements in Organizations

This article reviews the literature on social movements within organizations such as colleges and universities, corporations, religious orders, and governmental agencies. It brings together work from disparate fields to advance an understanding of how movements happen within organizations to introduce students and scholars to the promise of such research.
Occupancy Quality Predictors of Office Worker Job Satisfaction

Objective: To reassess previous observations regarding workplace design factors that have the greatest influence on employee perceptions of job satisfaction, and to extend the analysis to an investigation of the degree to which job satisfaction may be influenced by additional design factors. Background: Prior studies suggest that job satisfaction and occupancy quality are inextricably linked. A distinct focus of this work has been on the link between physical work environment quality and job satisfaction. Method: A 227-item survey was administered online to a total of 345 office workers employed in eight different office sites. The survey solicited respondent rankings of job satisfaction, and of levels of different attributes of occupancy quality. Results: Job satisfaction is positively correlated with productivity, and with overall employment, job, and organization quality, but not with age and with compensation and work station quality. Conclusion: Findings show mixed agreement with prior results, and also reveal new predictors of job satisfaction heretofore unrecognized. Application: Results should benefit employer decision-making regarding HF/E design interventions to improve office worker job satisfaction.
The Demographics and Practices of Art Therapists Working with Cancer Patients in the New York Metropolitan Area

Presently, there is a scarcity of empirical research about art therapy programs in medical settings. Therefore, a survey was created to determine the demographics, therapeutic techniques, materials...
A family of affine Weyl group representations

In this paper we explicitly determine the virtual representations of the finite Weyl subgroups of the affine Weyl group on the cohomology of the space of affine flags containing a family of elementsn t in an affine Lie algebra. We also compute the Euler characteristic of the space of partial flags containingn t and give a connection with hyperplane arrangements.
Stratospheric Forcing of Surface Climate in the Arctic Oscillation

Abstract Diagnostic results are presented indicating that during the Arctic oscillation surface climate variations are directly forced by changes in the strength of the stratospheric polar vortex. To be specific, large-scale potential vorticity anomalies in the lower stratosphere induce zonally symmetric zonal wind perturbations extending downward to the earth's surface. This represents a large-scale annular stirring of the troposphere from above. During discrete events, this influence is manifested as a downward transient pulse initially emanating from the midstratosphere and ultimately altering surface weather. It is suggested that this mechanism may help to explain several observed stratospheric influences upon surface climate, including the effects of volcanic eruptions, the solar cycle, ozone depletion, and greenhouse gases.
Investigation of the radiation properties of L- and M-shell X-pinch plasma x-ray sources using a transmission grating spectrometer

A transmission grating spectrometer (TGS) with one dimensional spatial resolution was used to investigate the radiative properties of X-pinch plasmas produced using wires made of NiCr and CoNiCr alloys, and Mo. Experiments were carried out on the Cornell XP machine. The TGS was used to estimate of the energy yields of L-shell Cr and Ni, and M-shell Mo radiation. The absolute energy yields in the wavelength range 10 42 A. The results are compared with data obtained previously with the TGS on a 1 MA...
Shared compliant control: a stability analysis and experiments

Active compliance providing a damped spring for each Cartesian axis of a robot hand is implemented by low-pass-filtering the outputs of the force/torque sensors mounted on the robot hand and using these signals to alter the position commands. In this implementation, larger compliance needs higher feedback gain, which tends to destabilize the system. A graphical stability analysis based on Bode magnitude and phase plots is used to determine the maximum bandwidth of the low-pass filter for a given desired compliance value. This graphical method enables the stability region to be easily determined. This method is also applied to examine the stability of the shared compliant control in the presence of time delay in the feedback loop. Experimental results obtained from an implemented compliant robot hand agree well with those of the graphical method. The approach can be extended to investigate the stability of the force-reflecting system combined with shared compliant control. >
Approaching user capacity in a DSL system via harmonic mean-rate optimization

In this paper we consider a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) system with N orthogonal narrowband tones. Each user has a limited power budget, and our goal is to determine the power allocation of each user that enables the ‘user capacity’ of the system to be approached. In this paper, we use ‘user capacity’ to denote the maximum number of users that can be supported by the system, provided that each user is guaranteed to have a data rate that lies within a prescribed range. Finding a power allocation that enables this capacity to be approached directly can be quite cumbersome because it involves solving a (non-convex) integer-program. In order to circumvent this difficulty, in this paper we propose an alternate approach that is based on exploiting the fairness and per-tone convexity of the harmonic mean-rate objective. Using these features, we devise a computationally-efficient power allocation technique that enables the user capacity of the DSL system to be approached more closely than power allocation techniques that are more computationally demanding.
MF101: a multi-component botanical selective estrogen receptor beta modulator for the treatment of menopausal vasomotor symptoms.

Introduction: The Women's Health Initiative Estrogen Plus Progestin clinical trial demonstrated the risks exceeded the benefits which have led to a decline in menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) by greater than 50%. MHT use was initiated long before there was a significant understanding of the molecular mechanisms of estrogens. It has become clear that the problem with the current estrogens in MHT is they act non-selectively as an agonist in all tissues that contain estrogen receptors. MF101 is an oral, botanically derived extract that was designed to selectively regulate estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) because the increased risk of breast and endometrial cancer is due to the activation of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) by estrogens. Preclinical and clinical data support a role for selective ERβ agonists, such as MF101, for vasomotor symptoms without increasing cancer risks. Areas covered: The review covers the biological, pharmacological and clinical advantages of MF101, and the unique ability of MF101 to selec...