cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Creation and Simulation of a Risley Prism Assembly

Intentions of humans revisiting the moon, exploring new planets, and the ever sought out goal of landing humans on Mars is a focus for NASA. With the most recent human missions being the Apollo missions in the 1960's-1970's, upgrades to previous landers are a continuing project. One of the most important and difficult parts of these missions is the landing. An unknown environment and terrain provide challenges for the crew or lander, that may result in broken instruments, overuse of fuel and worst of all, loss of life. The following paper highlights the work done to build a demo lidar scanner for landers and other spacecrafts that touchdown on an alien surface. This instrument intends to provide key information about the surface by creating a three-dimensional map of the terrain in a couple of seconds. Information that can then be used as feedback to the guidance computer and pilots to make an informed decision about a safe landing site. The work is being undertaking by a team at Goddard Spaceflight Center under the electro-mechanical systems branch, and the following represents the work done to create a prototype scanner.
ANXIETY, FEAR, AND MOVEMENT FOLLOWING SPORTS-RELATED CONCUSSION: HOW DOES KINESIOPHOBIA CORRELATE TO SYMPTOMS AND REACTION TIME?:

Background:Fear of pain with movement, also known as kinesiophobia, has been widely studied in various musculoskeletal injuries, yet little is known about its relationship to concussion. Given that...
A Contextual Exploration of Parental Monitoring in Latinx Parent-Adolescent Dyads

Parental monitoring of youth daily activities is a salient parenting strategy that has important implications for adolescents’ adjustment and safety. Limited research, however, has examined positive contextual factors that can facilitate parental monitoring behaviors in Latinx families. We examined parental warmth and neighborhood social processes (i.e., social cohesion, informal social control) as predictors of parental monitoring dimensions. Surveys were completed by 62 Latinx parent-adolescent dyads in a small, predominantly African American northeastern U.S. city. Results of structural equation modeling indicated positive associations between parental warmth and most dimensions of parental monitoring for parent and adolescent reports. For parent report, neighborhood social cohesion was positively associated with parental knowledge and youth disclosure; neighborhood informal social control was negatively associated with youth disclosure. Gender differences also emerged: parental warmth was positively associated with parental control for boys but not girls, and the negative association between informal social control and youth disclosure was significant only for boys. Findings suggest that parental monitoring often occurs in the context of a warm parent-child relationship. Parents’ experiences of their neighborhoods might have a stronger impact on parental monitoring strategies than adolescents’ experiences. Implications for future research include conceptualizing monitoring as multidimensional, assessing both parent and adolescent reports, and recruiting diverse Latinx ethnic groups and extended family members. Practitioners should be aware of family and neighborhood relational contexts when facilitating parenting practices in Latinx families. Program providers should offer culturally relevant programs that emphasize strengthening the family environment and parenting in addition to adolescent development.
Social Welfare Policy and Politics

The statement “Policy affects practice and practice affects policy” helps educate and remind social workers of the dual role they play—practitioners, working with individuals, groups, organizations, and communities to improve currently occurring difficulties, and advocates, working through political means to alter or remove the causes of current problems. Working both in the present and for the future places social workers in a unique position. Still, the connections between social welfare policy and the political world are not always well explained or understood. This essay defines basic terms, presents a range of political philosophies, and shows how their adherents operationalize their view of the “ideal” social policy. A brief description of the process of politics, advocacy, is also provided, in the context of the generalist model of social work practice. Social welfare policy, a complex and ill-defined term, has three important characteristics: it relates to enhancing the quality of life of individuals, sometimes acting through groups or communities to do so; it is created by both action and lack of action on the part of decision-makers; and it is the outcome of a process involving politics. Politics, as a term, has two separate meanings which are both explored. First is politics as ideology, or a view or how the world does or should operate. Second, politics is also a process that is used to create, defend, or change social welfare and other types of policy. A spectrum of ideologies and their associated policy implications are presented. Starting with libertarians, on the right, we move leftward, looking at conservatives, centrists, liberals, social democrats, and socialists. The connection between politics as ideology and social welfare policy is made clear by showing the variation in desired policies, depending on the ideology used for their justification. Following the discussion of politics as ideology, we turn to politics as process. Advocacy in the political world is broken into six steps that anyone can follow, modeled after the steps in the generalist, problem-solving model of social work. These steps are: getting involved, understanding the issue, planning, advocating, evaluating, and monitoring. Keywords: politics; social welfare policy; advocacy; ideology; political parties
Susceptibility of lens epithelial membrane SH groups to hydrogen peroxide.

Although membrane SH groups are thought to be targets of oxidative insults, no measurement of lens epithelial membrane SH groups following exposure to potentially damaging oxidants has been reported. Here we investigate the effect of hydrogen peroxide, an oxidant found in the aqueous humor, and of p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonic acid (p-chloromecuribenzene-sulfonic acid) (PCMBS), a relatively impermeant sulfhydryl probe, on membrane SH groups and ion homeostasis in cultured lens epithelial cells. Exposure to PCMBS caused a 10% loss of membrane SH groups, an increase in sodium and calcium levels, and a decrease in potassium, but did not affect the intracellular level of glutathione (GSH). After 5 min of exposure to an initial concentration of 1.0 mM hydrogen peroxide, GSH declined from 14.1 mM to 3 mM, there was a 20% loss of membrane SH groups and within 1 hr, potassium declined from 132 to 116 mM. Cells that were exposed to 0.1 or 0.5 mM peroxide did not exhibit significant loss of membrane SH groups and did not show a decrease in GSH comparable to that found in cells treated with 1 mM peroxide. The peroxide induced loss of membrane SH groups and subsequent change in ion homeostasis occurred only when there was a rapid and sustained loss of intracellular glutathione. Thus lens epithelial cell membrane SH groups are not only important in ion regulation but are targets of hydrogen peroxide when the intracellular level of GSH is significantly diminished. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 30:569-574,1989
Aligning Deweyan Pragmatism and Emersonian Perfectionism: Re‐imagining Growth and Educating Grown‐Ups

This essay examines in detail the triangulated conversation Naoko Saito constructs, in The Gleam of Light, among the voices of R. W. Emerson, John Dewey and Stanley Cavell. The pivot around which everything turns is the Emersonian ideal of moral perfectionism and, in particular, the implications of this ideal for the philosophy of education. As explicated by Cavell, this ideal concerns ‘the dimension of moral thought directed less to restraining the bad than to releasing the good’. For the conscientious person, it is, at once, unavoidable and unattainable. In constructing a conversation among these and other authors, Saito establishes herself as an arresting voice by her thoughtful contributions to many contemporary controversies bearing upon our educational practices, not least of all ones about curricular reform as well as personal transformation.
Echo suppression in a computational model of the precedence effect

Neurophysiological evidence suggests that the so-called precedence effect is a composite of multiple phenomena, in particular echo suppression and "active" mechanisms that build up and release suppression. The authors propose a simple functional model of echo suppression in a population of low-frequency ITD-sensitive neurons in the inferior colliculus. Their model is based on Zurek's 1987 proposal, and they show that it is consistent with Zurek's 1980 psychophysical data by presenting the results of two experiments. The current model is extensible to other localization cues represented by rate-place codes, and the authors suggest that a model such as this is a necessary component of computational models of spatial hearing.
Hst7: A Male Sterility Mutation Perturbing Sperm Motility, Flagellar Assembly, and Mitochondrial Sheath Differentiation

Hst7, a mouse hybrid sterility locus, has been mapped in close linkage to four other hybrid sterility loci, on proximal chromosome 17 within the t complex. When an allele (s) of Hst7 from the species Mus spretus is crossed into the Mus musculus domesticus (laboratory mouse) background, all male offspring are sterile. This occurs regardless of whether the Hst7 allele on the other chromosome 17 homolog is wild-type (+) or an allele (t) derived from the structurally variant homolog known as a t haplotype. Males of the Hst7 genotype s/+ produce sperm that, after release from the cauda epididymis, display moderate asthenospermia (straight line velocity = 49 +/- 4 microm/second, significantly lower than 102 +/- 7 microm/second for congenic wild-type controls) and normal morphology. However, males of the Hst7 genotype s/t produce sperm whose forward movement is below the detectable limit of the sperm motion analysis system. In addition, these sperm exhibit a variety of flagellar abnormalities, with about one third having normal heads attached to sacklike caudal regions. These sacks consist of membrane-delimited cytoplasm containing disorganized and/or misshapen axonemal elements. The remainder of the sperm from s/t mice have flagella with seemingly normal axonemes, although many exhibit enlarged areas of cytoplasm in their midpieces with extra layers of misaligned mitochondria. The s/t sperm mitochondria also display diffuse and vacuolated matrices reminiscent of meiotic germ cell and spermatid mitochondria. Observations of developing spermatids in the s/t testis reveal an unusual phenotype in which gaps of varying length occur in the mitochondrial wrapping of the midpiece. These data suggest that both the s and t alleles of Hst7 are defective alleles that contribute differentially to the severe asthenospermia phenotype and interact genetically to perturb flagellar development.
Class Participation in Accounting Courses: Relationship Among Preparation, Frequency, Comfort, and Learning

Class discussion, especially case discussion, is a frequently used active learning strategy in business and accounting education. Prior research suggests that students' self-reported comfort with class discussion is positively related to students' self-reported learning. Pre- and post-course surveys concerning student perceptions and behavior about class discussion in an introductory management accounting course were gathered from sophomore business students at a large, private research university, and objective grade data were gathered from instructors of the course. Data were gathered from fourteen sections of the course taught by six instructors in two consecutive fall semesters. The analysis revealed interesting relationships among participation frequency, preparation, comfort with class discussion and objective learning measures. Consistent with Dallimore, Hertenstein & Platt (2006) results for graduate students, this study found that undergraduate student comfort participating in class discussion was positively and significantly related to familiarity with, level of preparation for, and frequency of participation in, class discussion. Further, the analysis showed that student comfort with participating in class discussion was also significantly and positively related to the perceived value of other students' comments for a student's own learning and the extent to which the course affected a student's own oral communication skill development. In addition, overall student learning was positively and significantly related to comfort with one's own participation in class discussion and beginning GPA. This finding is an important extension of literature concerning learning, as objective measures of learning were used rather than student self-reported perceptions about learning which have typically been used in prior research. The finding on the relationship between learning and comfort participating in the discussion suggests that instructors' efforts to create classroom environments that foster student comfort with class discussion - especially those efforts directed at increasing students' level of preparation, and at increasing the number of students participating and the frequency of their participation - should lead to increased student mastery of the course content.
Democracy in Poverty: A View From Below

The principle of one person — one vote is central to modern notions of democracy. Political equality requires that all citizens are able to make their voices heard in the political process and that elected officials are continually responsive to the needs of their constituents. Nevertheless, socio-economic status is fast becoming a major determinant in the amount of influence a citizen commands in American politics. By examining recent trends in political participation and consulting low-income Americans directly, this paper demonstrates the widening gulf in political voice and power along socio-economic lines when it comes to voting and volunteering in election campaigns; funding candidates for public office; and engaging Washington directly through lobbying and interest groups. Americans with limited incomes and education are found to be less than half as likely to vote in national elections as their more privileged counterparts (often for reasons beyond their own control, including formal disenfranchisement) and far less likely to participate in lobbying and other forms of political expression. When it comes to funding elections, a tiny fraction of wealthy Americans, drawn primarily from business and the law, provides more campaign money than 99.9 percent of the population combined. These and other findings point to an emerging institutional corruption, wherein political leaders are largely dependent on a small and unrepresentative economic elite rather than the public at large. Left unchecked, such dependence corruption threatens to deepen systemic poverty and inequality in the United States.
Multiscale segmentation of the aorta in 3D ultrasound images

Fast, reliable segmentation of the abdominal aorta from three dimensional ultrasound remains a difficult problem. Standard methods based on local information like thresholding, region growing or active contours fail in separating the arteries from the veins and suffer from the lack of homogeneity of the vessel intensity and from the partial contour information. We propose to use a model-based multiscale detection of the vessels centerlines based on a cylindrical model with circular cross-section, and adapted from previous work. Our method provides a set of centerlines and an estimate of the vessel radii along each line. After an interactive selection of the desired lines, a model of the aorta is generated using the radii information and compared to a manual segmentation. This model can also be locally improved using a level set technique in order to stick to the contours of the image and to allow non-circular cross-section.
Individual Differences and Differential Psychology: A Brief History and Prospect

Differential psychology has been a central concern to philosophers and psychologists, both applied and theoretical, for the past several millennia. It remains so today. The proper study of individual differences integrates methodology, affective and cognitive science, genetics and biology. It is a field with a long history and an exciting future. We review some of the major questions that have been addressed and make suggestions as to future directions.
Alphavirus expression vectors.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the mechanics, including how alphaviruses function as expression vectors and some features that make them useful. It also describes some of the ways in which alphaviruses have been used and some potential ways they can be of value. Alphaviruses are positive-strand RNA-enveloped viruses. Three of them, Sindbis virus, Semliki Forest virus, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, are becoming widely recognized as expression vectors. The most versatile of these vectors are replicons in which the structural protein genes are replaced by a heterologous gene. They can be packaged into virus-like particles by the use of defective helpers that provide the structural proteins. Alphaviruses and their replicons are normally cytopathic in cultured vertebrate cells, but replicons that have a mutation in one of the nonstructural protein genes have a decreased level of viral RNA synthesis and show either reduced or no cytopathogenicity in some cultured cells, in particular baby hamster kidney cells. Apart from these improvements, alphavirus vectors are beginning to demonstrate their value as vaccines and possibly also for expression in neurons.
Introduction to Electrical Properties of the Earth’s Mantle

The mantle is the largest of the concentric regions that constitute the Earth’s interior. Lying beneath an oceanic or continental crust which may be 6 to 75 (or more) km thick, the mantle region extends to the boundary with the Earth’s liquid core. The most detailed characterization of the mantle is provided by the velocity-depth profiles obtained from the seismic waves (Dziewonski and Anderson, 1981). A generally abrupt rise in velocity, the Mohorovicic discontinuity, bounds the crust and the ‘upper mantle’. Between about 100 and 220 km deep, a low velocity zone is encountered beyond which the velocity increases continuously and in steps near 400, 670, and perhaps 770 km. The name ‘lower mantle’ is assigned to the region from about 1000 km to the start of the core at 2890 km deep.
“Bell-shaped ureter,” a radiographic sign of antegrade intussusception

A unique case of a hitherto unreported antegrade intussusception of the ureter secondary to a lead pedunculated polypoid transitional cell tumor is presented. Radiological documentation and surgical verification are illustrated. An attempted explanation of the peculiar radiographic appearance proximal to and within the intussusception is given. The potential aid in preoperative recognition of such an entity is proposed.
Stability of nonlinear stochastic recursions with application to nonlinear AR-GARCH models

We characterize the Lyapounov exponent and ergodicity of nonlinear stochastic recursion models, including nonlinear AR-GARCH models, in terms of an easily deflned uniformly ergodic process. Properties of this latter process, known as the collapsed process, also determine the existence of moments for the stochastic recursion when it is stationary. As a result, both the the stability of a given model and the existence of its moments may be evaluated with relative ease. The method of proof involves piggybacking a Foster-Lyapounov drift condition on certain characteristic behavior of the collapsed process.
Individualized behavior therapy programs applied to borderline personality disorder: A primer for clinicians

Borderline personality disorder is a very challenging disorder to treat on an outpatient basis due to its often acute, recurrent symptoms. However, documentation of the successful use of behavior therapy contracts indicate that psychotherapy patients with this condition can achieve stabilization of severe characterologic symptoms. This article expands on the concept of individualized behavior therapy programs in the treatment of acute borderline pathology. This discussion includes the general criteria for the prescription of behavior programs; the construction, implementation, and evaluation of behavior programs along with a focus on common patient compliance and technical considerations. A sample program is used to highlight the contribution of behavior contracts to the treatment of borderline personality disorder in individuals who seek psychotherapy.
Current perspectives on diagnosis and treatment of superficial bladder cancer.

An estimated 500,000 persons in the United States are living with bladder cancer, making it the fourth most prevalent noncutaneous malignancy. Three fourths of patients present with superficial disease which is amenable to complete surgical resection. However, disease will recur in more than 75 percent of these patients following resection. Although improvements in diagnosis and treatment account for much of the increase in prevalence of bladder cancer, the number of new cases continues to rise each year. In 1991 an estimated 50,200 persons were diagnosed with bladder cancer and 9.500 died of the disease. ’ The most frequent age of onset is in the mid sixties, and men are affected three times as often as women. Transitional cell carcinoma accounts for over 90 percent of bladder malignancies. followed by squamous cell carcinoma (5 % ), adenocarcinoma ( < 2 % ) ~ and rhabdomyosarcoma (< 1% ) .
Observation of localized modes in optically induced disordered lattices

We optically induce random photonic lattices with disordered modulations in both lattice spacing and amplitude in a bulk nonlinear crystal. Both linear Anderson-like localized modes and defect modes are experimentally observed.
Study of neurovascular coupling by modulating neuronal activity with GABA

Abstract Fundamental to the interpretation of neurovascular coupling is determining the neuronal activity that accounts for functional hyperemia. Recently, synaptic and not spiking activity has been found to be responsible for the hemodynamic response. Using pharmacological manipulation in rats, we want to further determine whether the cortical synaptic activity generated by the thalamic input or the subsequent synaptic activity related to secondary cortical processing is driving the hemodynamic response. In this study, we topically applied γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the somatosensory cortex and used electrical forepaw stimulation to evoke neural and vascular activity. In a group of 8 animals, using laminar electrophysiology, we verified that topical application of GABA for 20 min does not affect layer IV synaptic activity but reduces subsequent activity in the supragranular and infragranular layers. In another group of 8 animals, we simultaneously measured the electrical and vascular responses with scalp electroencephalography (EEG) and diffuse optical imaging (DOI), respectively. We decomposed somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) into three major components: P1, N1, and P2, where P1 represents the thalamic input activity originating in layer IV and N1 and P2 represent the subsequent cortical transmissions. We verified that GABA infusion in the somatosensory cortex does not significantly reduce the P1 SEP component but strongly reduces the N1 and P2 components. We found that GABA also elicits a large reduction in the hemodynamic responses, which correlate with the reduction in N1 and P2 components. These results suggest that the hemodynamic response is predominantly driven by cortico-cortical interactions and not by the initial thalamocortical activity in layer IV.
‘Muscles and character are there the first object of necessity’: an overview of sport and recreation in a colonial setting — Otago province, New Zealand

(1985). ‘Muscles and character are there the first object of necessity’: an overview of sport and recreation in a colonial setting — Otago province, New Zealand. The International Journal of the History of Sport: Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 109-126.
Base Flipping of the Thymine Dimer in Duplex DNA

Exposure of two adjacent thymines in DNA to UV light of 260−320 nm can result in the formation of the cis,syn-cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD). The structure of DNA containing an intrahelical CPD lesion has been previously studied experimentally and computationally. However, the structure of the extrahelical, flipped-out, CPD lesion, which has been shown to be the structure that binds to the CPD repair enzyme, DNA photolyase, has yet to be reported. In this work the structure of both the flipped-in and the flipped-out CPD lesions in duplex DNA is reported. These structures were calculated using 8 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. These structures are then used to define the starting and ending points for the base-flipping process for the CPD lesion. Using a complex, two-dimensional pseudodihedral coordinate, the potential of mean force (PMF) for the base-flipping process was calculcated using novel methodology. The free energy of the flipped-out CPD is roughly 6.5 kcal/mol higher than that of the ...
West Indian gender relations, family planning programs and fertility decline.

Abstract Nearly all West Indian islands initiated marked fertility declines sometime between 1960 and 1970. Family planning programs have not played an important role in these declines. Neither have other variables that conventional social theory tells us should promote reduced family sizes, like education and rising standards of living. The historical experience of Barbados and Antigua, which reached replacement- level fertility in the 1980s, suggests that West Indian fertility declines reflect structural changes in national economies that created job opportunities for women. Family planning programs need to be evaluated with reference to the distinctive health and human rights goals other than fertility transition that they can effectively reach.
Evaluation of the i-STAT point-of-care capillary whole blood prothrombin time and international normalized ratio: Comparison to the Tcoag MDAII coagulation analyzer in the central laboratory

Abstract Background Point-of-care devices for performing a prothrombin time/international normalized ratio (PT/INR) using capillary blood samples are being increasingly used to monitor patients receiving anticoagulation therapy. However, the performance of some devices has been shown to be suboptimal and there are only limited published data comparing specific devices to various central laboratory coagulation analyzers. We report an evaluation of the iSTAT PT/INR with a comparison to the Tcoag MDA II analyzer. Methods We obtained simultaneous capillary/venous samples on 20 healthy volunteers for a normal range study and on 50 anticoagulated patients for a clinical evaluation. Testing was performed by phlebotomists. We also obtained 68 near simultaneous capillary/venous test results for assessment of performance by non-laboratory personnel. The criteria for determining clinical equivalence of the iSTAT to the MDA II were (1) same clinical category (subtherapeutic INR 3) or (2) paired values within ≤ 0.4 INR. Results Forty nine of 50 patient sample pairs collected by phlebotomists showed acceptable clinical agreement. Sixty one (61) of 68 patient sample pairs collected by nurses showed acceptable agreement. In all discordant cases the differences were minor and would have resulted in either no or minimal change in therapy. Conclusions The iSTAT PT/INR compares well to the MDA II when performed by phlebotomists or nurses.
Hours of Labor Supplied by Black and White Married Women: Determinants of Variation

Factors that were most important in determining hours of labor supplied by black wives were different from those affecting white wives. Contrary to findings of previous research, the presence of preschool children had a much weaker effect on hours of labor supplied by white wives than of black wives. The results also indicated that when black wives were given white characteristics, the net change in hours of labor supplied to the market was 5.39. This increase arises from the higher education, higher assessment of health, and larger total net assets which the exchange provided to black wives.
Optimal depletion with resource amenities and a backstop technology

Abstract This paper examines the optimal depletion of a non-renewable resource in the presence of resource amenities and a backstop technology. The impact of the backstop on the optimal preservation of natural environments is emphasized. The optimality of permanent preservation depends upon the cost structure of the backstop and the rate of discount. If the marginal cost of the backstop is relatively high, then the backstop can actually hasten the development of all natural environments where the non-renewable resource is found. If the cost of the backstop is relatively low, then permanent preservation is desirable. The optimal level of preservation can depend upon the initial endowment of capital. The rate of discount affects both the productive value of the non-renewable resource and the present value of preserved environments. Consequently, a decrease in the rate of discount could decrease rather than increase the optimal level of preservation.
The social side of health information: a new age of communication strategy

opted out of publication. Abstract #: 02ITIS032: 02ITIS032 The social side of health information: a new age of communication strategy B. Seymour, R. Getman, J. Wihbey, D. Weinberger; Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA/US, Harvard Global Health Institute, Cambridge, MA/US, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA/US, Berkman Center for Internet and Society Harvard Law School, Cam-
Stiffness Degradation and Yielding of EPS Geofoam under Cyclic Loading

This paper summarizes major findings from a laboratory study based on stress-controlled cyclic uniaxial compression tests with initial deviator stress conducted on expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam. The experiments involved nonelasticized EPS cylinders of various densities subjected to various static deviator stresses and cyclic loading conditions to provide a detailed description of the geofoam cyclic stress-strain response in the viscoelastic and visco-elasto-plastic domains. Experimental results characterizing the viscoelastic behavior were compiled into a normalized Young’s modulus and damping ratio versus cyclic axial strain amplitude relationships. A unified formulation that can be used to determine the normalized modulus degradation curve for a given static deviator stress level and geofoam density (within 15–25 kg/m3 ) was developed. Examination of the yielding behavior of EPS geofoam under cyclic loading revealed a nonlinear increase in the accumulated plastic axial strain with the increasing n...
A method for the determination of theS-matrix for scattering by a tensor potential

The scattering of two spin one-half particles which are coupled by a tensor force is considered. The usual coupled second-order equations for the radial wave function are transformed into three coupled first-order equations for three real parameters whose asymptotic values determine theS-matrix. The usefulness of such a formulation for numerical computations of theS-matrix is illustrated by considering in detail several simple examples.
OCR based interaction for coded objects

As a trend, our everyday goods are changing to program-controlled ones from pure mechanical or electrical ones. The concept of ‘coded object’ was proposed for such a new generation product by Kitchin and Dooge. We propose a novel interaction method using OCR for coded objects, which is aimed at simplifying the operations on the configuration of coded objects and making the recording, sharing, and distribution of the configurations universal. We constructed a prototype for proof-of-concept using a digital SLR (single lens reflex camera). In this prototype, we utilize open-source OCR engine “tesseract” trained by handwritten character images and adding a preprocessing of projective transforms in order to cope with free angle capture by the camera. This prototype can be configured by shooting handwritten texts.
Uptake of cesium and strontium cations by potassium-depleted phlogopite

Abstract Phlogopite mica was equilibrated with 1.0 N sodium chloride (NaCl)–0.2 N sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB)–0.01 M disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution at room temperature resulting in an almost complete removal (92%) of the mica's interlayer K. X-ray powder diffraction analysis provides additional evidence that hydrated Na + ions had almost completely replaced the interlayer K + . Following equilibration, the c -axis spacing of the mica increased from 10.0 A to approximately 12.2 A. Cesium and Sr ion exchange isotherms indicate that K-depleted phlogopite is highly selective for both elements, the Cs + exchange capacity is 1.26 meq/g or 65% of the theoretical cation exchange capacity and the Sr 2+ exchange capacity is 1.94 meq/g or 100% of the theoretical exchange capacity of the mica. Kielland plots indicated that the mica was selective for Cs + when the equivalent exchange capacity of Cs + in the exchanger phase ( X¯ Cs ) was 2+ when X¯ Sr + equilibrated mica utilizing XRD indicated that a collapse of the c -axis spacing had occurred. Based on the high selectivity of 2+ and Cs + , this material may prove useful as an inorganic ion exchanger for these radioactive isotopes.
Coupled electron and proton transfer reactions during the O → E transition in bovine cytochrome c oxidase

Abstract A combined DFT/electrostatic approach is employed to study the coupling of proton and electron transfer reactions in cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) and its proton pumping mechanism. The coupling of the chemical proton to the internal electron transfer within the binuclear center is examined for the O → E transition. The novel features of the His291 pumping model are proposed, which involve timely well-synchronized sequence of the proton-coupled electron transfer reactions. The obtained pKas and Ems of the key ionizable and redox-active groups at the different stages of the O → E transition are consistent with available experimental data. The PT step from E242 to H291 is examined in detail for various redox states of the hemes and various conformations of E242 side-chain. Redox potential calculations of the successive steps in the reaction cycle during the O → E transition are able to explain a cascade of equilibria between the different intermediate states and electron redistribution between the metal centers during the course of the catalytic activity. All four electrometric phases are discussed in the light of the obtained results, providing a robust support for the His291 model of proton pumping in CcO. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Respiratory oxidases.
Glycosylations with a septanosyl fluoride donor lacking a C2 protecting group

Abstract Septanosyl fluorides, prepared from protected pyranoses, were used as donors in glycosylation reactions. The fluorides were synthesized by the addition of vinyl Grignard to the pyranoses followed by ozonolysis and then DAST-mediated fluorination. Activation in the presence of nucleophiles then provided the product glycosides. High α-stereoselectivity was observed for glycosylations using a donor that had a free C2 hydroxyl group; a model where the hydroxyl group participates to guide the stereochemical outcome is proposed.
Characterization of the structure of ultra dilute sols with remarkable biological properties

Most natural waters are probably “ultra dilute”: aquasols. While the composition of such waters is routinely characterized thoroughly with respect to composition, very little attention has been paid to the solid phases which are certainly suspended in most, if not all, such. Our recent work having established the importance of the structure of water on its properties, [[1]; R. Roy, W.A. Tiller, I. Bell, M.R. Hoover; Mater Res Innov. 9 (2005) 577.] we have examined the structures of many waters with easily demonstrated (e.g. silver aquasols) or long-claimed (e.g. homeopathic remedies) biological effects. The results show that such materials can be easily distinguished from the pure solvent, and from each other, by the use of UV–VIS and Raman spectroscopy, while FTIR is insensitive to these differences. This opens up a whole new field of endeavor for inorganic materials scientists interested in biological effects.
The recrystallization of ZrF4 and AlF3

Abstract A recrystallization method which yields large crystals of ZrF4 and AlF3 is described. The recrystallization of ZrF4 and AlF3 at 650°C and 1100°C, respectively, provides large, clear and transparent, centimeter size samples. Both compounds readily sublime without melting; thus they are not amenable to crystal growth methods from the melt such as Czochralski or Bridgman.
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) contributes to fetal lung fibroblast injury induced by mechanical stretch

AbstractContext: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is critical for normal fetal lung development. However, the role of this receptor in lung injury induced by mechanical ventilation is controversial. Objective: To investigate in vitro whether EGFR plays a protective role or contributes to stretch-induced lung injury. Methods: Fetal lung fibroblasts were isolated from wild-type and EGFR knockout mice and exposed to physiologic stretch (2.5% elongation) or injurious stretch (20% distention). Cells were evaluated for necrosis, apoptosis, proliferation and inflammation. Results: Injurious stretch increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release to similar degree in wild-type and knockout cells. In contrast, 20% stretch increased cleaved caspase-3 and decreased proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) only in wild-type cells. Furthermore, 20% stretch increased macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) by 3–5 fold in wild-type cells. In contrast, in knockout cells ...
A new method of studying regulation of respiration--the response to sinusoidally varying CO2 inhalation.

Abstract Ventilatory response to inhaled CO2 whose concentration varied sinusoidally was determined in a helathy male subject. The frequency, amplitude and mean level of inhaled CO2 were varied. Relative maxima were determined and a repetitive averaging technique was used to maximize the signal to noise ratio. Four to one hundred complete cycles (500 to 650 breaths) were studied in this manner, producing alveolar ventilation curves of about equal quality. Lissajous plots were made for each pair of the three variables (VA, CI, CA) and compared to similar plots obtained from a three compartment analog model of the respiratory control system that was also forced sinusoidally. The model as well as the experimental results revealed a third harmonic in the respiratory response—probably due to the nonlinearity of the system. The ratio of the amplitudes of the three variables was plotted for each possible pair vs the frequency. Thus, the magnitude portion of the describing function was plotted as a function of frequency for each of the three variables. These magnitude portions of the describing function were similar to those predicted by the model and indicated a breakpoint at about .05 rad/sec. This method will be helpful in obtaining precise data for studying the respiratory control system.
Eye‐Fixation Patterns During Reading Confirm Theories of Language Comprehension

Eye-movement patterns during reading are consistent with proposition-by-proposition models of speech comprehension. (1) Fixation times are least affected by word length at ends of clauses: this confirms the theory based on the study of speech comprehension that, at such points, attention is directed inward to text integration. (2) Fixation time for words at the end of clauses is longer for canonical sequences which conform to the pattern, “N-V-N = actor-action-object”; this confirms the view that complete semantic integration of such sequences is routinely delayed until their completion. A two-variable model based on principles of exhaustive visual search and speech comprehension accounts for 80% of the fixation durations in a sample paragraph from Just and Carpenter (1980) and Thibadeau, just and Carpenter (1982) . This comprehension-based model compares favorably with their models constructed within a production-system framework. This result clarifies the relationship between reading and listening.
Prestack imaging of overturned reflections by reverse time migration

SUMMARY We present a simple method for computing angle-domain Common Image Gathers (CIGs) using prestack reverse time migration. The proposed method is an extension of the method proposed by Rickett and Sava (2001) to compute CIGs by downward-continuation shot-profile migration. We demonstrate with a synthetic example the use of the CIG gathers for migration velocity updating. A challenge for imaging both overturned and prismatic reflections is the discrimination of the reflection generated on either side of interfaces. We show how the propagation direction of the reflections can be determined by evaluating the crosscorrelation of the source wavefield with the receiver wavefield at time lags different than zero. Reflections can be easily separated once their direction of propagation is determined. We demonstrate the method by imaging overturned events generated by a segment of dipping reflector immersed in a vertically layered medium. We also applied the method to a North Sea data set with overturned events. The results of reverse time prestack migration are superior to the one obtained by a downward-continuation migration, and the CIGs obtained by applying the proposed method provide useful information for velocity updating.
Occupational medicine implications of engineered nanoscale particulate matter

Journal of Chemical Health and Safety Safety in Nanotechnology Research Occupational Medicine Implications of Engineered Nanoscale Particulate Matter Richard J. Kelly Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory RJKelly@lbl.gov / 1 Cyclotron Road, MS67r3207, Berkeley CA 94720 Ph: 510-486-4088 / Fax: 510-486-7424 Abstract The imminent nanotechnology revolution promises dramatic advancements in science, technology, medicine and society as a whole. First generation products containing engineered nanoscale materials are already appearing in the marketplace, while more sophisticated products are being developed in laboratories around the world. Researchers and manufacturing employees are potentially exposed to dispersible nanoscale particulate matter via inhalation, ingestion and skin contact. Preliminary research indicates that in some cases nanoparticulate matter may be more toxic than other forms of the same or similar material. Application of the classical tools of occupational medicine and industrial hygiene is hampered by the lack of consensus guidelines for medical monitoring, exposure assessment, and exposure control. R.J.Kelly - LBNL Pg. 1 of 42
Consequences of delayed ileostomy closure after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis.

Temporary diverting loop ileostomy is a generally accepted component of the ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) procedure. Ileostomy closure is usually performed within two to three months but may be delayed because of disruption of the ileoanal anastomosis, suspected leak from the ileal reservoir, concomitant medical problems, or patient convenience. Of 362 patients undergoing IPAA at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation for inflammatory bowel disease, 10 have had their ileostomy closures delayed for more than six months. Clinical and manometric parameters are examined in these patients and compared with those who had earlier closure. There appears to be no significant difference in the functional outcome of IPAA in these patients in terms of number of bowel movements and degree of continence. Reservoir compliance and maximum tolerated volumes are similar. We conclude that delaying ileostomy closure for more than six months after IPAA has no deleterious effect on pouch function.
Incidence, source, and nature of complaints received in a large, urban emergency medical services system.

Objective: To document the incidence, source, and reasons for all complaints received by a large municipal emergency medical services (EMS) program. Methods: A retrospective review of all complaints received during three consecutive years (1990–1992) in a centralized EMS system serving a large municipality (population 2 million). All cases were categorized by year, source, and nature of the complaint. Results: In the three study years, EMS responded to 416, 892 incidents with nearly a half–million patient contacts. Concurrently, 371 complaints were received (incidence of 1. 12 per thousand); 132 in 1990, 129 in 1991, and 110 in 1992. Most complaints involved either: 1) allegations of “rude or unprofessional conduct” (34%), 2) “didn't take patient to the hospital” (19%), or 3) “problems with medical treatment” (13%). Only 1. 6% (n = 6) were response–time complaints. Other complaints included “lost/damaged property,” “taken to the wrong hospital,” “inappropriate billing,” and “poor driving habits.” The most common sources were patient's families (39%) and the patients themselves (30%). Only 7. 8% were from health care providers. Conclusion: Reviews of complaints provide information regarding EMS system performance and reveal targets for quality improvement. For the EMS system examined, this study suggests a future training focus on interpersonal skills and heightened sensitivities, not only toward patients, but also toward bystanders and family members.
The gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor gene promoter directs pituitary-specific oncogene expression in transgenic mice.

Our previous work has shown that 1.2 kb of the 5′ flanking region of the mouse GnRH receptor (mGnRH-R) gene is sufficient to direct tissue-specific expression in vitro. In this study, we have used the cell-specific regulatory sequences of the mGnRH-R gene promoter to target the expression of the simian virus 40 virus T antigen (TAg) to the pituitary gland of transgenic mice. A hybrid transgene, GnRH-R/TAg, was prepared using the −1164/+52 region of the mGnRH-R gene and +2533/+5234 sequences encoding the large T antigen of the simian virus 40. Two founders developed tumors of apparent pituitary origin at 44 (M28, female) and 50 (M25, male) days of age. M28 and M25 mice were about 50% underweight, and their gonads were grossly underdeveloped compared with wild-type litter mates. A third male founder, M29, developed a tumor at a later time (109 days). M29 was able to breed successfully and stably transmit the GnRH-R/TAg transgene. Mice of the M29 transgene line developed tumors at 4–5 months of age. Gross ex...
Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Permanent Gases using Standard Ionization Detector Equipment

ALTHOUGH the most common high-sensitivity detectors now in use for gas chromatography consist of either the flame1 or the argon ionization device2, such instruments cannot be used for the analysis of permanent gases when operated in the prescribed fashion. Thus in the argon chamber, the relatively low excitation potential of ll.6 eV. for metastable argon atoms is insufficient to ionize permanent gases which, unlike most organic compounds, have ionization potentials above this level. When we wished to employ gas chromatography for the analysis of gases extracted from the blood of man, it was decided to adapt existing equipment with as little alteration as possible. This was done by substituting ordinary commercial helium for argon as the carrier gas. The ionization chamber was a standard 1 cm. × 1 cm. microdetector which contained a 100-mc. tritium source.