cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gravity evidence for a shallow intrusion under Medicine Lake volcano, California

A positive gravity anomaly is associated with Medicine Lake volcano, California. Trials with different Bouguer reduction densities indicate that this positive anomaly cannot be explained by an inappropriate choice of Bouguer reduction density but must be caused by a subvolcanic body. After separating the Medicine Lake gravity high from the regional field, we were able to fit the 27-mgal positive residual anomaly with a large, shallow body of high density contrast (+0.41 g/cm 3 ) and a thickness of 2.5 km. We interpret this body to be an intrusion of dense material emplaced within the several-kilometres-thick older volcanic layer that probably underlies Medicine Lake volcano.
Tool wear mechanisms in machining

Most of tool wear studies are classified as empirical (e.g. Taylor's equation); thus, they do not bring out the physical nature of the wear phenomenon. Consequently, tool life in general cannot be predicted by extending the result from one study. By understanding the physics behind the process, the important wear mechanisms can be identified. By constructing a wear model for each wear mechanism with more fundamental quantities such as materials properties, these models can be combined and extended to estimate tool life. This should be the ultimate goal of tool wear research in machining. However, a major gap exists between the current understandings of tool wear and the ultimate goal of tool wear research. This paper will describe how cutting tools are being worn down during machining based on the physics behind tool wear.
Parametric channelized receiver for single-step spectral analysis

We present new parametric channelized receiver for instantaneous RF spectrum characterization. Single resonant cavity filter combined with parametric wavelength multicasting achieved simultaneous channelization of 10GHz signal with 1GHz resolution and extinction ratio >20dB.
Immunology of viral-vector-mediated gene transfer into the brain: an evolutionary and developmental perspective

The immune system imposes limitations on gene transfer into the brain. Viral vectors injected into the brain's ventricular system elicit innate and adaptive immune responses. However, when injected directly into the brain parenchyma, they elicit only transient inflammation owing to the absence of dendritic cells, which transport antigen to lymph nodes and present it to naive T cells to initiate adaptive immune responses. This article explores the evolutionary and developmental basis of brain immune responses and their implications for viral-vector-mediated neurological gene therapy. Elucidating the cellular and molecular basis of these differential reactions is essential to the long-term success of neurological gene therapy.
Linking decisions and actions in dynamic environments: how child and adult cyclists cross roads with traffic

Unlike affordances involving stationary objects, affordances involving moving objects change over time. This means that actions must be tightly linked to decisions, making perceiving and acting on affordances involving moving objects challenging for children and adults alike. Here, we overview our program of research on how children and adults perceive and act on moving objects in the context of bicycling across roads in an immersive virtual environment. This work shows that although children attempt to adjust their actions to fit their risky decisions, they do not fully adjust their decisions to fit their action capabilities. This mismatch between child cyclists' decisions and actions may be a risk factor for car-bicycle collisions in late childhood and early adolescence.
Variation in fatty acid composition among nine forage species from a southeastern US estuarine and nearshore coastal ecosystem.

The fatty acid (FA) composition of nine potentially important forage species was determined (n = 330): red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), spot (Leiostomus xanthurus), spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), striped mullet (Mugil cephalus), pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides), Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), star drum (Stellifer lanceolatus), striped anchovy (Anchoa hepsetus), and brief squid (Lolliguncula brevis). Samples were collected from estuarine and nearshore coastal waters around Charleston, South Carolina, USA, from March 2002–February 2003. Twenty-nine of 125 identified FAs were included in multivariate analyses of FA profiles. Despite existing intraspecific variation, the PRIMER routine analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) indicated each species was distinct, and discriminant function analysis correctly classified 99.5% of the training data set samples (n = 221) and 98.2% of the validation samples (n = 109). Most species could be characterized by distinctive levels of a suite of FAs. Our results indicated FA profiles can be used to reliably distinguish even closely related forage species in this southeastern US estuarine ecosystem. The information gained from this study not only provides insight into the biochemical composition of these important species but also provides fundamental information to support studies on the feeding ecology of local higher-level predators.
An Improved Model for Cosmic-Ray Propagation

Cosmic ray propagation Jokipii model modification, taking into account particle mirroring to determine diffusion coefficient by limited portion of field spectrum
BACE1 (β-Secretase) Inhibitors for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

BACE1 (β-secretase, memapsin 2, Asp2) has emerged as a promising target for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. BACE1 is an aspartic protease which functions in the first step of the pathway leading to the production and deposition of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ). Its gene deletion showed only mild phenotypes. BACE1 inhibition has direct implications in the Alzheimer's disease pathology without largely affecting viability. However, inhibiting BACE1 selectively in vivo has presented many challenges to medicinal chemists. Since its identification in 2000, inhibitors covering many different structural classes have been designed and developed. These inhibitors can be largely classified as either peptidomimetic or non-peptidic inhibitors. Progress in these fields resulted in inhibitors that contain many targeted drug-like characteristics. In this review, we describe structure-based design strategies and evolution of a wide range of BACE1 inhibitors including compounds that have been shown to reduce brain Aβ, rescue the cognitive decline in transgenic AD mice and inhibitor drug candidates that are currently in clinical trials.
Muscular control of a learned movement: the speed control system hypothesis.

The “speed control system” hypothesis, which represents an attempt to identify an invariant characteristic of learned movements, postulates that movements of variable extent are controlled by regulating the intensity of muscle contractions such that the contraction duration remains constant. The contingency set originally utilized to develop this hypothesis was expanded by examining a movement that was multidirectional and multiarticular, and executed by large muscle groups generating near maximum torques. The investigation focused on the techniques utilized by weightlifters to control lower extremity displacement during the initial phase of the double knee bend execution of the “clean” in Olympic weightlifting. The combination of the quantified muscle activity and the angular velocity, both about the knee joint, revealed a sequence of shortening-lengthening muscle contractions throughout the movement. The first two periods of net muscular activity, one extensor and the other flexor, were utilized to examine the movement for invariant characteristics. As predicted by the speed control system hypothesis, the duration of the first period of net muscle torque activity (extensor) did not vary significantly, for either group of subjects, over the relative loads examined. The duration of the second period of activity (resultant flexor muscle torque), however, was not constant across loads, and further, the direction of the change depended upon the level of expertise. The more capable lifters tended to increase the duration of the resultant flexor involvement while the less skilled athletes utilized the reverse strategy when the load was increased. Conversely, the intensity of the muscle activity for both groups of subjects and both the extensor and flexor periods covaried with load, as predicted by the hypothesis. The speed control system hypothesis, therefore, provided an appropriate explanation for the first component of the movement, the period of extensor dominated (shortening contraction) muscle torque, but was inappropriate for the subsequent interval, a resultant flexor (largely lengthening contraction) muscle torque.
Potential impact of adjusting the threshold of the quantitative D-dimer based on pretest probability of acute pulmonary embolism.

Objectives: The utility of D-dimer testing for suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) can be limited by test specificity. The authors tested if the threshold of the quantitative D-dimer can be varied according to pretest probability (PTP) of PE to increase specificity while maintaining a negative predictive value (NPV) of >99%. Methods: This was a prospective, observational multicenter study of emergency department (ED) patients in the United States. Eligible patients had a diagnostic study ordered to evaluate possible PE. PTP was determined by the clinician’s unstructured estimate and the Wells score. Five different D-dimer assays were used. D-dimer test performance was measured using 1) standard thresholds and 2) variable threshold values: twice (for low PTP patients), equal (intermediate PTP patients), or half (high PTP patients) of standard threshold. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) within 45 days required positive imaging plus decision to treat. Results: The authors enrolled 7,940 patients tested for PE, and clinicians ordered a quantitative D-dimer for 4,357 (55%) patients who had PTPs distributed as follows: low (74%), moderate (21%), or high (4%). At standard cutoffs, across all PTP strata, quantitative D-dimer testing had a test sensitivity of 94% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 91% to 97%), specificity of 58% (95% CI = 56% to 60%), and NPV of 99.5% (95% CI = 99.1% to 99.7%). If variable cutoffs had been used the overall sensitivity would have been 88% (95% CI = 83% to 92%), specificity 75% (95% CI = 74% to 76%), and NPV 99.1% (95% CI = 98.7% to 99.4%). Conclusions: This large multicenter observational sample demonstrates that emergency medicine clinicians currently order a D-dimer in the majority of patients tested for PE, including a large proportion with intermediate PTP and high PTP. Varying the D-dimer’s cutoff according to PTP can increase specificity with no measurable decrease in NPV. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2009; 16:325‐332 a 2009 by the Society for Academic Emergency
Macro-economic determinants of consumer price knowledge: A meta-analysis of four decades of research

Abstract For the past four decades, dozens of researchers have studied consumer price knowledge, often with disagreements on the extent of consumer' ignorance about prices. While some of these disagreements have been attributed to research design variations among studies, no inquiry has yet been made on the role of the economic environment on consumer price knowledge. Nevertheless, environmental factors such as interest rates, unemployment, and economic growth may significantly influence consumers' knowledge of prices. Certain economic environments may therefore provide marketers with the ability to utilize pricing tactics which rely on limitations in consumers' knowledge of product prices. Using a meta-analytic framework, this paper synthesizes the results of 297 previous price knowledge studies to document the effects of inflation, unemployment, GDP growth, interest rates, country of study, and passage of time on consumer price knowledge. The meta-analysis results demonstrate that economic factors have considerable influence on explaining variations in consumer price knowledge. Managerial and public policy implications of the findings in light of turbulent economic environments are discussed.
The Individualistic Dynamics of Entangled DNA in Solution

We present the direct visualizations of single, entangled DNA polymers in three flow experiments: relaxation following a rapid shear deformation, steady shear, and startup shear. To evaluate molecular theories, “test” chains were stained against a background of unstained but otherwise identical chains. To provide a direct link to bulk viscoelasticity, identical preparations were also extensively characterized via mechanical rheometry. The four concentrations studied displayed similar rheological features to synthetic polymers at comparable concentrations and were accordingly classified from semidilute to well-entangled. In entangled solutions, we uncovered two distinct relaxation time scales, with the fast, chain retraction characteristic time, τfast ≈ 10-fold longer than the rotational Rouse time assumed by theoretical models. We also found a high degree of molecular individualism and broad conformational distributions in all experiments at shear rates γ > . This new evidence restricts the applicabilit...
A New Method to Generate Virtual Samples for Solving Small Sample Set Problems

As confirmed by theory and experiments, a key factor in successfully solving a supervised learning task, especially in the case that the hypothesis is highly complex, is the number of samples available to the learner. On the other hand, in real world applications, it may not be able to provide enough number of training samples to the learner because of high acquisition cost or incapability of obtaining samples. In this paper, we propose a method addressing the problem of learning with small sample set by generating additional virtual samples. In absence of any useful prior knowledge about the functional form of the target model, we take a closer look at the distribution patterns of available samples in low dimensional subspaces and constitute the rules that each sample, including virtual samples, must obey. These rules along with other problem constraints are used as weak conditions to refine the virtual samples through an optimization process. The method is applied to two real-world learning problems. The experimental results support the efficiency of the method for solving the small sample set problems.
E4orf1 Limits the Oncolytic Potential of the E1B-55K Deletion Mutant Adenovirus

Clinical trials have shown oncolytic adenoviruses to be tumor selective with minimal toxicity toward normal tissue. The virus ONYX-015, in which the gene encoding the early region 1B 55-kDa (E1B-55K) protein is deleted, has been most effective when used in combination with either chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Therefore, improving the oncolytic nature of tumor-selective adenoviruses remains an important objective for improving this form of cancer therapy. Cells infected during the G(1) phase of the cell cycle with the E1B-55K deletion mutant virus exhibit a reduced rate of viral late protein synthesis, produce fewer viral progeny, and are less efficiently killed than cells infected during the S phase. Here we demonstrate that the G(1) restriction imposed on the E1B-55K deletion mutant virus is due to the viral oncogene encoded by open reading frame 1 of early region 4 (E4orf1). E4orf1 has been reported to signal through the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase pathway leading to the activation of Akt, mTOR, and p70 S6K. Evidence presented here shows that E4orf1 may also induce the phosphorylation of Akt and p70 S6K in a manner that depends on Rac1 and its guanine nucleotide exchange factor Tiam1. Accordingly, agents that have been reported to disrupt the Tiam1-Rac1 interaction or to prevent phosphorylation of the ribosomal S6 kinase partially alleviated the E4orf1 restriction to late viral protein synthesis and enhanced tumor cell killing by the E1B-55K mutant virus. These results demonstrate that E4orf1 limits the oncolytic nature of a conditionally replicating adenovirus such as ONYX-015. The therapeutic value of similar oncolytic adenoviruses may be improved by abrogating E4orf1 function.
Refinement of the Crystal Structure of Phengite-2M1

The crystal structure of phengite-2M1 from Rio de Oro, Spanish Sahara, was refined in space group C2/c to a residual of 3.3% with 1267 independent X-ray diffraction reflections. The composition of the mica determined by electron microprobe analysis is (K0.948Na0.051Ba0.027)(Al1.510Mg0.273Fe0.144Cr0.095Ti0.010Mn0.003)2.035(Si3.253Al0.747)O10(OH)2. The cell dimensions are a = 5.2153(5), b = 9.043(2), c = 19.974(9) A, β = 95.789(9)°, and V = 937.2(3) A3. The substitution of Si for Al in the tetrahedral sheet and larger divalent cations for Al in the octahedra allows the amount of distortions that are generally required to alleviate tetrahedral-octahedral sheet lateral misfit in muscovite, such as tetrahedral rotation and octahedral flattening, to be reduced. The O…H vector is nearly horizontal and points slightly into the octahedral sheet where it may be involved in hydrogen bond contacts inside M(1). In contrast to previously reported refinements of all but one other phengite, no ordering of tetrahedral cations was found in the study specimen. This disorder is considered to be due to the low-pressure, high-temperature amphibolite facies environment of crystallization.
A reconfigurable oscillator topology for dual-band operation

An area-efficient oscillator topology for dual-band applications is proposed. The oscillator can be configured to operate in one of two states with distinct oscillation frequencies, and does not require a frequency divider for dual-band operation. A wide separation between the output frequencies can be achieved. The area and power requirements and phase noise performance are expected to be almost identical to those of a single-band NMOS cross-coupled oscillator.
A Survey of the Isentropic Euler Vortex Problem Using High-Order Methods

The flux reconstruction (FR) method offers a simple, efficient, and easy to implement method, and it has been shown to equate to a differential approach to discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods. The FR method is also accurate to an arbitrary order and the isentropic Euler vortex problem is used here to empirically verify this claim. This problem is widely used in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to verify the accuracy of a given numerical method due to its simplicity and known exact solution at any given time. While verifying our FR solver, multiple obstacles emerged that prevented us from achieving the expected order of accuracy over short and long amounts of simulation time. It was found that these complications stemmed from a few overlooked details in the original problem definition combined with the FR and DG methods achieving high-accuracy with minimal dissipation. This paper is intended to consolidate the many versions of the vortex problem found in literature and to highlight some of the consequences if these overlooked details remain neglected.
What Is Language and How Do We Look at It

Everyone seems to have a general understanding that he or she speaks a language, or, if a polyglot, many languages. Common sense usually suggests that a language serves the purpose of communication. However, it is also common to encounter extensions of the term language in such phrases as the language of love, the language of the birds, the language of mathematics. These extensions may be metaphoric and make for a quandary as to how to limit the term so that its extensions and applications do not add to our confusion. This chapter will address the issue of clarifying terms and applying a number of frames of reference to see if they aid in systematizing the data available on language.
Neuromuscular relationships in a muscle having segregated motor endplate zones. I. Anatomical and physiological considerations.

The cranial portion of the rat anterior gracilis muscle is innervated by the obturator nerve at two discrete motor endplate zones of which the distal s supplied by well-defined branches of the nerve. Prior to the use of this muscle in a study of motoneuron sprouting, further morphological and physiological studies have shown that its fibers vary in length but a number traverse the whole muscle or are long enough to extend through both endplate zones. The distribution of muscle fiber types is typical of a rat fasttwitch muscle, and each fiber is innervated at a single endplate. Myography showed that the spinal cord segments, which may contribute to the muscle's innervation, are L2, 3, and 4, of which L3 is constant and predominant, and that denervation of the distal endplate zone leads to a 50% reduction of the maximum isometric tension developed by the muscle. Antidromic stimulation of nerves supplying the distal endplate zone produced contraction of the proximal part of the muscle and, following similar antidromic stimulation, intracellular recordings made at proximal zone endplates showed the presence of endplate potentials. It was concluded from these data that endplates at both the proximal and distal zones can form part of the same motor unit.
A survey of the sources and availability of computer software applicable to psychophysiological research in the periodical literature.

PP-T0003-0-I The increased usage of small computers in the research laboratory has made it necessary for the individual investigator to become familiar with computer science. A survey of sources, availability, and types of information distributed about computer software was made to determine their relevance to psychophysiology. Periodicals are divided into five classes and discussed as to the assets and liabilities of some of the present indexing and source references. The desirability of increasing the accessibility of software applications to psychophysiology is noted.
A sensitivity analysis to assess the relative importance of improvements in electrocatalysts, light absorbers, and system geometry on the efficiency of solar-fuels generators

A sensitivity analysis has been performed for a variety of generic designs for solar-fuels generators. The analysis has revealed the relative importance of reductions in the overpotentials of electrocatalysts, of improvements in the materials properties of light absorbers, and of optimization in the system geometry for various different types of solar-fuels generators, while considering operation at a range of temperatures as well as under a variety of illumination intensities including up to 10-fold optical concentration.
NORMAN GARY LANE: PRESIDENT OF THE PALEONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY (1987–1988) AND FOUNDER OF “FRIENDS OF THE ECHINODERMS” (1967)

Norman Gary Lane (1930–2006), president of the Paleontological Society (1987–88) and founder of “Friends of the Echinoderms” (1967), contributed to the lives of each of the authors of this essay. He was an excellent paleontologist, a very fine person, and our friend. He influenced each of us, in ways large and small, and through his wisdom, insight, and sheer human decency he helped each of us to become better scientists, better teachers, and better human beings. We are proud to number ourselves among a great many for whom Gary Lane was a role model. Gary Lane (Fig. 1) was born in French Lick, Indiana, on February 19, 1930. In his early childhood the family moved to Sidell, Illinois, where for many years his father owned and operated the small-town newspaper that served the local farming community. Following graduation from high school, Gary attended Oberlin College in northeastern Ohio—at that time and for many decades earlier regarded as among the most outstanding of all liberal arts colleges—from which he received his Bachelor's degree in Geology in 1952. Even in his student days Gary delighted in carrying out geologic field work. This, coupled with the accessibility of the kindly (if demanding) faculty of the Oberlin Geology Department, kindled Gary's interest in fossils and the history of life, just as it spurred on two of his classmates, E. G. Driscoll and J. A. Fagerstom, each of whom, like Gary, were later to become professors of paleontology. Figure 1 —Norman Gary Lane (1930–2006) Gary obtained his graduate education at the University of Kansas, where he studied with the distinguished paleontologist Raymond C. Moore (lead author of the famous Moore-Lalicker-Fischer textbook, the “Bible of Invertebrate Paleontology” in the 1950s and '60s). His Masters thesis (1954) was a study of the Lower Permian Grenola Limestone in …
A hybrid adaptive control approach for drug delivery systems

The goal of this investigation is the development of an adaptive drug-delivery system for use in regulation of critical-care patients suffering from cardiac failure. Adaptive control algorithms are combined with expert-system techniques to maintain stable patient status within narrow physiological bounds despite large plant uncertainty. To this end, a hybrid controller is presented whose structure is adjusted by an expert system that attempts to match the best control scheme in accordance with the dynamic structure of the plant. An illustrative example is presented, demonstrating the improved performance provided by this hybrid control scheme. >
Comprehensive review of wind energy maximum power extraction algorithms

With the advancements in the variable speed direct drive design and control of wind energy systems, the efficiency and energy capture of these systems is also increasing. As such, many maximum power point tracking methods have been developed and implemented. These MPPT algorithms can be broadly categorized into three types: Tip-Speed control, Power-Signal feedback, and Hill climb search based. However, so many variations have been proposed over the last 30 years that it has become difficult to adequately determine which method, newly proposed or existing, is most appropriate for a given wind system. Recent papers have shorter literature review and a comprehensive review of all the variations of algorithms was not done. There is also little agreement in the energy gain results mentioned in various papers that were using the same or different algorithms. Therefore, a comprehensive review of various maximum power tracking algorithms proposed has been done by the authors, while further categorizing them into nine categories based on sensor requirements, speed, effectiveness, memory requirements, etc. Also, merits, demerits and comprehensive comparison of various algorithms are performed. The authors hope this paper would serve as a single point reference for the work that has been done on this topic and would be helpful for future researchers.
Impact of Routing Metrics on Path Capacity in Multirate and Multihop Wireless Ad Hoc Networks

Finding a path with enough throughput in multihop wireless ad hoc networks is a critical task of QoS Routing. Previous studies on routing algorithms focused on networks with a single channel rate. The capability of supporting multiple channel rates, which is common in wireless systems, has not been carefully studied in routing algorithms. In this paper, we first carry out a comprehensive study on the impacts of multiple rates, interference and packet loss rate on the maximum end-to-end throughput or path capacity. A linear programming problem is formulated to determine the path capacity of any given path. This problem is also extended to a joint routing and link scheduling optimization problem to find a path with the largest path capacity. We show that interference clique transmission time is inversely proportional to the upper bound of the path capacity, and hence we propose to use it as a new routing metric. Moreover, we evaluate the capability of various routing metrics such as hop count, expected transmission times, end-to-end transmission delay or medium time, link rate, bandwidth distance product, and interference clique transmission time to discover a high throughput path. The results show that different routing metrics lead to paths with significantly different path capacity, and the interference clique transmission time tends to discover paths with higher throughput than other metrics.
SONOGRAPHIC AND RADIOGRAPHIC CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH SPLENIC TORSION IN THE DOG

The clinical, radiographic, and sonographic signs in three dogs with splenic torsion are presented. AH dogs exhibited weight loss, anorexia, and lethargy. Splenomegaly was consistent radiographic finding in two dogs and large ill-defined midabdominal mass was seen in one dog. The spleen was easily imaged sonographically in all dogs. Splenic sonography in two dogs showed diffuse, hypoechoic pattern consistent with splenic congestion. Hilar splenic vessels were enlarged on the sonograms of two dogs.
A positive view of self: Risk or protection for aggressive children?

Children's ratings of competence and relationship quality were used to examine the association between idealized or inflated self-perceptions and level of aggression. Participants were 62 aggressive and 53 nonaggressive second and third graders. Ratings of competence were based on the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children; ratings of relationship quality were drawn from the Social Support Appraisals Scale and the Network of Relationships Inventory. External ratings of competence and relationship quality were obtained from mothers, teachers, and peers. Compared to children who were nonaggressive, aggressive children were more likely to rate personal competence and relationship quality in a perfect or idealized manner and to show less differentiation in their ratings of competence and relationship quality. Aggressive children's self-rated competence and relationship quality were also inflated relative to the ratings made by others, whereas the self-ratings of nonaggressive children tended to be underestimates of their functioning. The tendency for aggressive children to idealize and to inflate ratings of competence and relationship quality was associated with higher levels of aggression. For aggressive children, a highly positive self-view is construed--not as a protective factor or measurement error--but as a defensive posture that places the child at added risk and that impedes the progress of psychosocial interventions.
Surveillance for emergencies.

There are various ways of defining surveillance. And it is strange that epidemiology, which insists on exactitude, so frequently has terms in conflict. In human epidemiology there are active and passive surveillance. In veterinary epidemiology there are surveillance and monitoring, which I prefer, because adjectives frequently go astray and the single word is enough. In the context of watching for evolving events that may presage an emergency, (active) surveillance proactively encompasses the narrowly targeted observations, data recording, and information dissemination, and specifically facilitates the pre-agreed actions that will occur in the response. Monitoring, or passive surveillance, is just watching available data sources and giving advice.
Impact of a structured multidisciplinary intervention on quality of life of older adults with advanced cancer.

Background:Patients experience reductions in quality of life (QOL) while receiving cancer treatment and several approaches have been proposed to address QOL issues. In this project, the QOL differences between older adult (age 65+) and younger adult (age 18–64) advanced cancer patients in response to a multidisciplinary intervention designed to improve QOL were examined.Methods:This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01360814. Newly diagnosed advanced cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy were randomized to active QOL intervention or control groups. Those in the intervention group received six multidisciplinary 90-minute sessions designed to address the five major domains of QOL. Outcomes measured at baseline and weeks 4, 27, and 52 included QOL (Linear Analogue Self-Assessment (LASA), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General (FACT-G)) and mood (Profile of Mood States (POMS)). Kruskall–Wallis methodology was used to compare scores between older and younger adult patients randomized to the intervention.Results:Of 131 patients in the larger randomized controlled study, we report data on 54 evaluable patients (16 older adults and 38 younger adults) randomized to the intervention. Older adult patients reported better overall QOL (LASA 74.4 vs. 62.9, p = 0.040), higher social well-being (FACT-G 91.1 vs. 83.3, p = 0.045), and fewer problems with anger (POMS anger–hostility 95.0 vs. 86.4, p = 0.028). Long-term benefits for older patients were seen in the anger–hostility scale at week 27 (92.2 vs. 84.2, p = 0.027) and week 52 (96.3 vs. 85.9, p = 0.005).Conclusions:Older adult patients who received a multidisciplinary intervention to improve QOL while undergoing advanced cancer treatments benefited differently in some QOL domains, compared to younger adult patients. Future studies can provide further insight on how to tailor QOL interventions for these age groups.
Delivery time analysis of a low Earth orbit satellite network for seamless PCS

The message delivery time on a low Earth orbit (LEG) satellite network is analyzed. The LEO network is assumed to be seamless and virtual cut-through switching is proposed for use. Equations to calculate the message delivery time and the probability of a message being delivered successfully using no more than a time delay bound for LEO networks, varying in size and connectivity, are derived. The message delivery times of different LEO networks, varying in network connectivity, are compared. Numerical examples show that with the probability of successful delivery =0.99 and the probability of cut-through =0.5, an 8/spl times/8 LEO network with six crosslinks per node can deliver messages 40% faster than with four crosslinks per node for communicating satellites, separated by D hops, where D is the network diameter. >
Chitotriosidase in the Pathogenesis of Inflammation, Interstitial Lung Diseases and COPD

As a member of 18 glycosyl hydrolase (GH) family, chitotriosidase (Chitinase 1, CHIT1) is a true chitinase mainly expressed in the differentiated and polarized macrophages. CHIT1 is an innate immune mediator that digests the cell walls of chitin-containing eukaryotic pathogens, such as fungi. However, CHIT1 is dysregulated in granulomatous and fibrotic interstitial lung diseases characterized by inflammation and tissue remodeling. These include tuberclosis, sarcoidosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, scleroderma-associated interstitial lung diseases (SSc-ILD), and chronic obstructive lung diseases (COPD). CHIT1 serum concentration correlates with the progression or the severity of these diseases, suggesting a potential use of CHIT1 as a biomarker or a therapeutic target. Recent studies with genetically modified mice demonstrate that CHIT1 enhances TGF-β1 receptor expression and signaling, suggesting a role in initiating or amplifying the response to organ injury and repair. This additional CHIT1 activity is independent of its enzymatic activity. These studies suggest that CHIT1 serves a bridging function; it is both an innate immune mediator and a regulator of tissue remodeling. This review will focus on recent data linking CHIT1 to the pathogenesis of inflammation, interstitial lung disease, and COPD.
Genetically based trait in a dominant tree affects ecosystem processes

Fundamental links between genes and ecosystem processes have remained elusive, although they have the potential to place ecosystem sciences within a genetic and evolutionary framework. Utilizing common gardens with cottonwood trees of known genotype, we found that the concentration of condensed tannins is genetically based and is the best predictor of ecosystem-level processes. Condensed tannin inputs from foliage explained 55–65% of the variation in soil net nitrogen (N) mineralization under both field and laboratory conditions. Alternative associations with litter lignin, soil moisture or soil temperature were relatively poor predictors of litter decomposition and net N mineralization. In contrast to the paradigm that the effects of genes are too diffuse to be important at the ecosystem-level, here we show that plant genes had strong, immediate effects on ecosystem function via a tight coupling of plant polyphenols to rates of nitrogen cycling.
Fractalkine Signaling Regulates Macrophage Recruitment into the Cochlea and Promotes the Survival of Spiral Ganglion Neurons after Selective Hair Cell Lesion

Macrophages are recruited into the cochlea in response to injury caused by acoustic trauma or ototoxicity, but the nature of the interaction between macrophages and the sensory structures of the inner ear remains unclear. The present study examined the role of fractalkine signaling in regulating the injury-evoked behavior of macrophages following the selective ablation of cochlear hair cells. We used a novel transgenic mouse model in which the human diphtheria toxin receptor (huDTR) is selectively expressed under the control of Pou4f3 , a hair cell-specific transcription factor. Administration of diphtheria toxin (DT) to these mice resulted in nearly complete ablation of cochlear hair cells, with no evident pathology among supporting cells, spiral ganglion neurons, or cells of the cochlear lateral wall. Hair cell death led to an increase in macrophages associated with the sensory epithelium of the cochlea. Their numbers peaked at 14 days after DT and then declined at later survival times. Increased macrophages were also observed within the spiral ganglion, but their numbers remained elevated for (at least) 56 d after DT. To investigate the role of fractalkine signaling in macrophage recruitment, we crossed huDTR mice to a mouse line that lacks expression of the fractalkine receptor (CX 3 CR1). Disruption of fractalkine signaling reduced macrophage recruitment into both the sensory epithelium and spiral ganglion and also resulted in diminished survival of spiral ganglion neurons after hair cell death. Our results suggest a fractalkine-mediated interaction between macrophages and the neurons of the cochlea. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT It is known that damage to the inner ear leads to recruitment of inflammatory cells (macrophages), but the chemical signals that initiate this recruitment and the functions of macrophages in the damaged ear are unclear. Here we show that fractalkine signaling regulates macrophage recruitment into the cochlea and also promotes the survival of cochlear afferents after selective hair cell lesion. Because these afferent neurons carry sound information from the cochlea to the auditory brainstem, their survival is a key determinant of the success of cochlear prosthetics. Our data suggest that fractalkine signaling in the cochlea is neuroprotective, and reveal a previously uncharacterized interaction between cells of the cochlea and the innate immune system.
The Axonal Plasma Membrane

The organelles and cytoplasm within the axonal process are enclosed by a plasma membrane known as the axonal plasma membrane or axolemma. This membrane may be defined as the surface membrane of the axonal process from the point at which it emerges from the axon hillock of the neuronal perikaryon to the axonal terminal or nerve ending, which forms a synapse on another cell.1 The axonal plasma membrane may or may not be ensheathed by myelin synthesized by the Oligodendroglia (CNS) or Schwann cells (PNS). The axonal plasma membrane is characterized by functional molecular heterogeneity. Therefore, when dealing with this membrane, one must define the state of myelination of the axonal plasma membrane in question and, if myelinated, state the localization of the membrane within the myelinated axon (internodal or nodal).
Asynchronous space---time algorithm based on a domain decomposition method for structural dynamics problems on non-matching meshes

Large-scale practical engineering problems featuring localized phenomena often benefit from local control of mesh and time resolutions to efficiently capture the spatial and temporal scales of interest. To this end, we propose an asynchronous space---time algorithm based on a domain decomposition method for structural dynamics problems on non-matching meshes. The three-field algorithm is based on the dual-primal like domain decomposition approach utilizing the localized Lagrange multipliers along the space and time common-refinement-based interface. The proposed algorithm is parallel in nature and well suited for a heterogeneous computing environment. Moreover, two-levels of parallelism are embedded in this novel scheme. For linear dynamical problems, the algorithm is unconditionally stable, shows an optimal order of convergence with respect to space and time discretizations as well as ensures conservation of mass, momentum and energy across the non-matching grid interfaces. The method of manufactured solutions is used to verify the implementation, and an engineering application is considered, where a sandwich plate is impacted by a projectile.
Unproductive expenditure in manufacturing

A behavioral model is developed to explain the magnitude of surplus and the division of surplus into unproductive and profit for oligopoly firms in the manufacturing sector of advanced capitalist economies. Particular attention is focused upon the determinants of interfirm, nonprice rivalry as an important component of unproductive expenditure. The explanatory models of profit and unproductive expenditure are then tested using U.S. data. Finally, the implications of these models and estimates for industry and aggregate capital accumulation are drawn. Copyright 1992 by Oxford University Press.
Reply to: Simmons, H., 2006. Discussion of: Pilkey, O.H. and Young, R.S., 2005. Editorial: Will Hurricane Katrina Impact Shoreline Management? Here's Why It Should. Journal of Coastal Research, 21(6), iii–ix. Journal of Coastal Research, 22(4), 1010–1012.

Mr. Simmons completely misses the point of our Editorial in a number of important respects. First, our comments were directed at vulnerable property in the immediate coastal zone (e.g., the western end of Dauphin Island). His remarks about shoring up the levees of New Orleans are not relevant to our frustration with oceanfront development. Second, he argues that "millions" spent before the storm could have prevented "billions" spent afterwards. Even if this is true, we argue that federal taxpayers should not be liable for either expense. All coastal professionals know that building on vulnerable, lowelevation barrier islands entails a high level of risk. Why should taxpayers subsidize this risk either with their "millions before" or "billions after"? Coastal communities in vul-
Current Status of chemotherapy in soft-tissue sarcomas

The Management Of Localized soft tissue sarcomas has evolved over the last several years resulting in improved functional status and overall outcome, however, progress in metastatic disease has been less than impressive. Adriamycin and DTIC based chemotherapy programs have resulted in response rates of upto 50 percent with a small but finite cure fraction, especially in conjunction with surgical resection of residual abnormalities. The decade of the 80's experienced a considerable amount of residual abnormalities. The decade of the 80's experienced a considerable amount of enthusiasm in re-exploring the role of Ifosfamide and mesna, and identified its definite usefulness as an effective salvage regimen with response rates of approximately 2530 percentage in Adriamycin failures. Studies evaluating the role of Ifosfamide as a front line agent in combination with Adriamycin have met with increased toxicities without a significant additive or synergistic therapeutic benefit, probably due to compromised dose intensity of each individual agents. The theoretical rationale for the use of high-dose chemotherapy in sarcomas is based on the linear dose response relationship of alkylating agents and Adriamycin. Such an approach has now become feasible with the advent of growth factors and/or peripheral blood progenitor cell reinfusions fore bone marrow support. While these approaches seem promising in its infancy, with improved complete and overall responses, survival benefit is yet to be accomplished. The limited experience available in the literature with even more aggressive approaches like myeloablative doses of chemotherapy followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation, have been uniformly disappointing, with extremely short lived responses and lack of prolongation of overall survival, significant morbidity and cost. As clinical research continues to improve our understanding and ability to implement the currently available therapeutic armamentarium, the search for newer and better drugs needs to continue. Patients should be encouraged to enroll in research protocols, if we are to answer relevant questions and hopefully impact on this otherwise lethal problem.
Poesia e Revelação: Hopkins, Contra-Experiência e Reductio

“A Poesia religiosa” e geralmente considerada como poesia menor. Por que? Varias suposicoes subjacentes a este juizo sao isoladas, inspecionadas e, entao, descartadas. Tornamo-nos melhores leitores de poesia religiosa quando a lemos como fenomenologos. Isto requer de nos a colocacao entre parenteses da atitude natural, e claro, e a mesma postura em relacao a “atitude sobrenatural”. So entao teremos acesso fenomenologico ao que o poema nos diz sobre a experiencia de Deus. Descobrimos que nao temos "experiencia" de Deus tanto quanto o que Jean-Luc Marion chama de "contra-experiencia" de Deus. Este conjunto de ideias e explorado por meio de uma leitura minuciosa do poema A Grandeza de Deus , de G. M. Hopkins. Traducao de: Fabio Candido dos Santos DOI:10.12957/ek.2015.21465
Effects of Incomplete Premixing on NOx Formation at Temperature and Pressure Conditions of LP Combustion Turbines

A probability density function/chemical reactor model (PDF/CRM) is applied to study how NOx emissions vary with mean combustion temperature, inlet air temperature, and pressure for different degrees of premixing quality under lean-premixed (LP) gas turbine combustor conditions. Inlet air temperatures of 550, 650 and 750 K, and combustor pressures of 10, 14 and 30 atm are examined in different chemical reactor configurations. Primary results from this study are: incomplete premixing can either increase or decrease NOx emissions, depending on the primary zone stoichiometry; an Arrhenius-type plot of NOx emissions may have promise for assessing the premixer quality of lean-premixed combustors; and decreasing premixing quality enhances the influence of inlet air temperature and pressure on NOx emissions.Copyright © 1997 by ASME
Inheritance of p,p'-DDE phytoextraction ability in hybridized Cucurbita pepo cultivars.

Cucurbita pepo ssp pepo (zucchini) has been shown to uniquely phytoextract percent level amounts of dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and other organic contaminants from soil. Since C. pepo ss...
Geographic and Climatic Correlates of Morphological Variation in Eptesicus fuscus

Skull size in continental North American Eptesicus fuscus is inversely related to temperature as predicted by the classical form of Bergmann's rule, but it is positively related to moisture in contradiction to James' (1970) reformulation of the rule. Greater food availability in moister environments is suggested as the explanation of the latter relationship. Wing size is inversely related to temperature, but the relationship is not statistically significant. Wing size is significantly greater in moister environments, suggesting that evaporation from wings is an important selective factor. The geographic coordinates latitude, longitude, and elevation explain significant amounts of morphological variation, but differentiation among the insular subspecies of E. fuscus is not consistent with a gene flow model if a Central American ancestor is assumed. The relationship between body size and island area in the Antillean subspecies of E. fuscus supports Heaney's (1978) selective model of body size in insular mammals. Overall, the results suggest that both climate (natural selection) and geographic factors (barriers to gene flow) are important causes of differentiation in E. fuscus .