cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Streakline flow visualization with neutron radiography

Although flow visualization is an extremely useful tool in fluid mechanics research, many practical fluid flow problems have limited optical access for visualization. A technique has been developed which permits fluid flow to be visualized even in cases where the flow is completely shrouded by metal. The technique employs real-time thermal neutron radiography, which is similar to x-ray radiography except that a collimated beam of neutrons is used. Neutrons can easily penetrate metal casings, but are attenuated by elements such as hydrogen, boron, cadmium, and gadolinium. Various combinations of neutron-opaque tracer particles moving in neutron-transparent ambient fluids were tested for image contrast, resolution, and ability to accurately track the flow. Experiments in a simple pipe flow have demonstrated the feasibility of the technique. Namely, it was possible to visualize the motion of streaklines within a flow field shrouded by metal, which would not have been possible with any other technique.
A Black feminist-inspired archaeology?:

Archaeology has undergone a transition over the past two decades with the emergence of feminist discourses, and the mapping of women onto archaeological pasts. Yet Black feminist theorizing remains...
Intraoperative brachytherapy, laryngopharyngoesophagectomy, and gastric transposition for patients with recurrent hypopharyngeal and cervical esophageal carcinoma.

Objective: To evaluate the role of laryngopharyngoesophagectomy (LPE), intraoperative 125 I brachytherapy (IOBT), and gastric transposition (GT) in patients with recurrent carcinoma involving the hypopharynx, or cervical esophagus. Methods: Between 1988 and 1994 a total of 21 patients were managed with LPE/IOBT/GT. All patients had documentation of recurrent disease at the hypopharynx or cervical esophagus and had previously been treated with external-beam radiation (EBRT) to a total median dose of 60 Gy. Median age was 67 years, with 17 male patients and four female. IOBT was performed in all cases with permanent 125 I implantation. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Overall survival, local control, and complications were evaluated. Median follow-up was 6 months. Results: The median activity of 125 I was 36 mCi, with a median dose of 80 Gy to the region at risk. Fifteen patients had lymph node dissections performed in conjunction with LPE, and 10 patients had nodal involvement on pathologic examination. Margins were microscopically positive in nine patients, and lymphvascular space invasion noted in 13. Actuarial survival at 1 and 3 years was 32% and 14%, respectively, with patients alive and with local control at 6, 24, 36, and 48 months (negative margins). Actuarial local control at 1 and 3 years was 63%. Complications included fistula in five patients, facial edema in four, protracted facial pain in two, cervical abscess in one, and mucosal hemorrhage in one. Conclusion: Patients with recurrent carcinoma of the hypopharynx or cervical esophagus after EBRT have an extremely poor prognosis. LPE, IOBT, and GT may provide very good local control for all candidates and prolonged survival for a small percentage of patients with an acceptable risk profile.
Robust Depth-from-Defocus for Autofocusing in the Presence of Image Shifts

A new passive ranging technique named Robust Depth-from-Defocus (RDFD) is presented for autofocusing in digital cameras. It is adapted to work in the presence of image shift and scale change caused by camera/hand/object motion. RDFD is similar to spatial-domain Depth-from-Defocus (DFD) techniques in terms of computational efficiency, but it does not require pixel correspondence between two images captured with different defocus levels. It requires approximate correspondence between image regions in different image frames as in the case of Depth-from-Focus (DFF) techniques. Theory and computational algorithm are presented for two different variations of RDFD. Experimental results are presented to show that RDFD is robust against image shifts and useful in practical applications. RDFD also provides insight into the close relation between DFF and DFD techniques.
Who's calling the shots? Intentional content and feelings of control

Based on Pacherie's dynamic theory of intentions, this study investigated how the way an intention is formed and sustained affects action performance and the experience of control during acting. In Experiment 1, task-irrelevant verbal commands were given while participants responded to stimuli in a two-choice reaction time (RT) task. The commands referred to an action goal congruent or incongruent with the actor's current intention, or ordered the initiation or abortion of the action. In Experiment 2, the same commands were given as participants freely chose between two actions. The distractors affected performance in the reactive task only. In both experiments, feelings of control were based on movement parameters as well as perceived (mis)matches between distractors and intended actions. These findings suggest that the way an intention is implemented affects how well it can be shielded against external perturbations and how much one feels in control.
Physiological Concomitants of Reaction Time Performance in Normal and Brain‐Damaged Subjects

Autonomic and somatic concomitants of simple reaction time performance were examined in normal and brain-damaged patients. The reaction time task involved a warning stimulus preceding the execution stimulus by a variable foreperiod. The normal Ss displayed the expected relationships between performance and physiological activity, such that fast reaction times were associated with greater HR deceleration, larger electrodermal response magnitudes, and less EMG activity during the preparatory foreperiod of the task. BD Ss, however, generally displayed either no relationships between autonomic or somatic activity and reaction time or a relationship opposite to that seen in normals, namely, that slower reaction times were associated with larger autonomic responses to the warning stimulus. The results were discussed in terms of two possible mechanisms which may be operative in the BD Ss: (1) that their autonomic responsivity becomes “dissociated” from changes in the external environment, and (2) that such “dissociated” activity may represent or reflect an active source of interference with the S's ability to attend to or to efficiently execute the task.
Influence of boundary scavenging and sediment focusing on 234Th, 228Th and 210Pb fluxes in the Santa Barbara Basin

Abstract Sediment trap samples were collected from the Santa Barbara Basin to examine the flux of 234 Th, 228 Th and 210 Pb. Mean ratios of measured to predicted fluxes are 2, 10 and 21 for 234 Th, 228 Th and 210 Pb, respectively. Boundary scavenging may supply a portion of all three radionuclides. However, sediment focusing supplies additional 228 Th and 210 Pb but little 234 Th. Sediment temporarily deposited on the shelf around the basin contains little excess 234 Th due to its short half-life. 228 Th and 210 Pb fluxes to the sediments in the Santa Barbara Basin are several times greater than predicted from their supply in the overlying water column. These enhanced fluxes require lateral transport of 228 Th and 210 Pb to the basin through boundary scavenging and sediment focusing. 234 Th flux is poorly correlated with 228 Th and 210 Pb fluxes because individual radionuclide sources to the basin differ (i.e. water column production, boundary scavenging and/or sediment focusing). Correlations between 228 Th and 210 Pb fluxes are high due to the strong influence of sediment focusing on both radionuclides. There is a strong correlation between both the 228 Th and 210 Pb flux and total mass flux and lithogenic flux, but a weak correlation with the other major sediment components (e.g. organic carbon, carbonate and biogenic opal). In the Santa Barbara Basin, a large fraction of the total mass flux is lithogenic material (50–80%), hence the strong correlation between 228 Th and 210 Pb fluxes and both total mass and lithogenic fluxes. 234 Th flux is poorly correlated with total mass and major sediment component fluxes.
Nucleation and growth of N- and P-type microcrystals in low-temperature glow-discharge deposited silicon films

Abstract Doped microcrystalline silicon films were prepared by glow discharge of hydrogen containing small concentrations of silane and either diborane or phosphine with substrate temperatures in the range 135 to 250°C. The formation of crystals appears to be controlled by an initial nucleation step which is very sensitive to deposition conditions, including gas composition and substrate temperature T S . Once a nucleus is formed, subsequent growth and renucleation is not strongly dependent on T S . A possible mechanism for crystal growth at low temperatures is presented.
Influence of dietary fat and protein on body composition of Jersey bull calves

Thirty-nine bull calves between 6 and 9 d of age, were assigned to either baseline slaughter or 1 of 4 diets to determine the influence of dietary fat and protein content, at 2 levels of intake, on growth and body composition changes. Calves were assigned to the following diets a 28.5% protein and 16.4% fat milk replacer [MR; 29/16 (n = 9)], 27.3% protein and 33.4% fat MR [27/33 (n = 8)], 20.6% protein and 20.6% fat MR [20/20 (8)], or whole milk [WM (n = 8)]. Calves fed 27/33, 29/16, and WM received 180 g/d of CP to support 650 g of ADG based on predictions from the 2001 NRC. Calves were fed 3 times daily for 4 wk. Weight, hip height, wither height, heart girth, and body length were measured weekly. Weekly plasma samples were analyzed for plasma urea nitrogen, nonesterified fatty acids, and glucose. A subset of calves from each treatment was killed [29/16 (n = 7), 27/33 (n = 6), 20/20 (n = 6), and WM (n = 5)] at the end of wk 4 of treatment; processed for whole-body analysis of fat, protein, ash, and DM; and compared with baseline slaughter calves to estimate composition of empty BW gain. Calves did not differ in average weekly scour score or medication days. Feed efficiency and ADG were greatest for calves fed WM and least for calves fed 20/20; calves fed 29/16 and 27/33 did not differ. Calves fed 27/33 or WM had the greatest % body fat and gained more grams of fat than calves fed other diets. Calves fed 29/16 or 20/20 had similar % fat in empty body as baseline. Differences in % CP, % ash, or % water in empty body and empty BW gain were not detected. Calves fed 27/33 had a trend toward higher NEFA in wk 1 and 2 than calves fed 29/16 or WM. Growth of calves fed 27/33 and 29/16 were similar except that calves fed 29/16 had lower body fat % than calves fed 27/33. Calves on all diets gained less than predicted by the 2001 NRC.
Support and distance functionals for convex sets

We exhibit a simple topology on the closed convex subsets C of a normed linear space such that, under the usual ways of combining convex sets, C becomes a topological algebra. The topolog is the weakest one on C for which distance and support functionals are both continuous, as functions of the set argument. This topology is also the weakest topology for which and is a continuous function on. e×e In a reflexive space, convergence of asequence in C with respect to this topology is equivalent to pointwise plus Mosco convergence of the corresponding sequence of support functionals
Rapid culture-independent techniques for quantitation of Chlamydia trachomatis elementary bodies

Fluorescein-isothiocyanate-conjugated monoclonal antibodies were used as a means to identify and enumerate Chlamydia trachomatis elementary bodies (EBs) fixed to the surface of either glass slides or polycarbonate membranes. EBs of all C. trachomatis serovars could be quantitated using these monoclonal antibodies which had specific reactivity with the major outer membrane protein. The results of experiments performed to compare the efficacy of each solid support substrate indicated no significant difference in performance or numerical values obtained for the concentration of EBs from the same preparation. The application of these specific approaches to EB quantitation will be dependent on the volume and other characteristics of the experimental preparation. The optimal use of glass slides was for the quantitation of purified EB preparations with high concentraton, whereas the filter may be used to concentrate dilute specimens. Both techniques were useful for estimating the concentration of EBs in sonicates prepared from infected host cells.
Anomaly detection in heterogeneous media via saliency analysis of propagating wavefields

This work investigates the problem of anomaly detection by means of an agnostic inference strategy based on the concepts of spatial saliency and data sparsity. Specifically, it addresses the implementation and experimental validation aspects of a salient feature extraction methodology that was recently proposed for laser-based diagnostics and leverages the wavefield spatial reconstruction capability offered by scanning laser vibrometers. The methodology consists of two steps. The first is a spatiotemporal windowing strategy designed to partition the structural domain in small sub-domains and replicate impinging wave conditions at each location. The second is the construction of a low-rank-plus-outlier model of the regional data set using principal component analysis. Regions are labeled salient when their behavior does not belong to a common low-dimensional subspace that successfully describes the typical behavior of the anomaly-free portion of the surrounding medium. The most at­ tractive feature of this method is that it requires virtually no knowledge of the structural and material properties of the medium. This property makes it a powerful diagnostic tool for the inspection of media with pronounced heterogeneity or with unknown or unreliable material property distributions, e.g., as a result of severe material degradation over large portions of their domain.
Phaeohyphomycotic brain abscess due to Ochroconis gallopavum in a patient with malignant lymphoma of a large cell type

A 60-year-old man with a 9-year history of malignant lymphoma developed an initial pulmonary infection with Nocardia asteroides which later disseminated to the central nervous system with multiple brain abscesses. He was treated successfully with intravenous trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for 6 weeks. A follow-up computed tomography (CT) scan showed complete resolution of the abscesses. Two years later, he returned to the hospital with a 2-week history of confusion, loss of concentration, ataxia, and leaning to the left. A CT scan revealed an enhancing multiloculated complex right frontal lesion. Craniotomy revealed a large right frontal lobe abscess, which was totally resected. Histopathologic examination of the resected tissue revealed multiple, lightly pigmented, septate, branched hyphal elements typical of phaeohyphomycosis. The fungal isolate cultured from the tissue was a dematiaceous, thermotolerant fungus that was identified as Ochroconis gallopavum. Despite treatment with amphotericin B, flucytosi...
Keratinocyte growth factor–just another mitogen or the “holy grail” that regulates liver regeneration?

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), a member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family, was identified as a specific keratinocyte mitogen after isolation from a lung fibroblast line. Recently, recombinant (r)KGF was found to influence proliferation and differentiation patterns of multiple epithelial cell lineages within skin, lung, and the reproductive tract. In the present study, we designed experiments to identify additional target tissues, and focused on the rat gastrointestinal (GI) system, since a putative receptor, K-sam, was originally identified in a gastric carcinoma. Expression of KGF receptor and KGF mRNA was detected within the entire GI tract, suggesting the gut both synthesized and responded to KGF. Therefore, rKGF was administered to adult rats and was found to induce markedly increased proliferation of epithelial cells from the foregut to the colon, and of hepatocytes, one day after systemic treatment. Daily treatment resulted in the marked selective induction of mucin-producing cell lineages throughout the GI tract in a dose-dependent fashion. Other cell lineages were either unaffected (e.g., Paneth cells), or relatively decreased (e.g., parietal cells, enterocytes) in rKGF-treated rats. The direct effect of rKGF was confirmed by demonstrating markedly increased carcinoembryonic antigen production in a human colon carcinoma cell line, LIM1899. Serum levels of albumin were specifically and significantly elevated after daily treatment. These results demonstrate rKGF can induce epithelial cell activation throughout the GI tract and liver. Further, endogenous KGF may be a normal paracrine mediator of growth within the gut. (J. Clin. Invest. 1994. 94:1764–1777.) Key words: fibroblast growth factors carcinoembryonic antigen colon carcinoma gastric small intestine. (Reproduced from The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 1994, vol. 94, pp. 1764-1777 by copyright permission of The Society for Clinical Investigation).
How to Choose Between Options in Soft Tissue Fillers

The use of injectable fillers in facial plastic surgery started with injection of collagen and has seen the introduction of numerous fillers over the past few decades. These products are not only used to fill wrinkles, but also for soft tissue augmentation, reconstruction as well as to influence the aging process at a cellular level. It is imperative that the facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon be familiar with the different products available, their recommended uses, and injection techniques. Since these fillers are used predominantly for elective cosmetic procedures, there is an increased burden on the treating provider to ensure patient safety and minimize risk. We provide a review of the different classes of injectables and our recommended treatment algorithms for each.
Comparative performance of peptide-, recombinant protein-, and viral lysate-based enzyme immunosorbent assays for the detection of HIV-1 antibodies

The performance of peptide-, recombinant protein-, and whole virus lysate-based enzyme immunosorbent assays (EIAs) for the detection of antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) was compared on a panel of 245 routine samples, a panel of low-positive samples, four seroconversion panels, and serial dilutions of five known positive samples. Of the 245 routine samples, 83 were confirmed to be HIV-1 antibody positive by Western blot and were reactive in the three EIAs used. Agreement between the three EIA tests was also 100% for all 162 negative samples. Although there was no significant difference in the performance of the three types of assays in seroconversion panels, the whole virus and recombinant protein-based EIAs detected 15 of 15 samples in the low-positive panel whereas only 10 of 15 samples were reactive when the peptide-based EIA was used. In addition, evaluation of diluted positive samples suggested that the virus lysate-based EIA was more sensitive than the peptide- and recombinant-based EIAs. These results show that although the three types of assays performed well on routine serum panels, differences in sensitivities were demonstrated when performance panels were evaluated. The data suggest that seroconversion and low-positive performance panels should be included in evaluations of new generations of EIAs for HIV-1 antibodies.
Sustaining motivation and academic goals: The role of academic delay of gratification

This study examined college students' academic delay of gratification; that is, their preference for an immediately available option (e.g., go to a favorite concert the day before a test even though the student is not well-prepared) or a delayed alternative (e.g., stay home studying to get later a good grade in the course). Academic delay of gratification, its motivational determinants (i.e., importance, utility, interest, perceived cost of success, and social expectancy), and students' use of motivation regulation strategies were examined among students identified on the basis of their task-goal orientation, performance-approach-goal orientation, and performance-avoidance-goal orientation using a hierarchical cluster analysis (N = 102). The results supported the notion that academic delay of gratification and its motivational determinants differed as a function of goal orientation. Students in Cluster 1, the high task-goal oriented learners, are high in delay of gratification and have high motivation. Students in Cluster 2, labeled combined high task-high-performance approach, considered the delay of gratification's alternatives as important and useful while perceiving the nondelay alternatives as highly interested and socially beneficial. Students in Cluster 3 were low in all of the three goal orientations and reported low preference for delay of gratification. Academic delay of gratification was discussed in view of the macro-analytic model of Mischel's cognitive—affective personality system.
Differences in Tissue Doppler Imaging Between Single Ventricles After the Fontan Operation and Normal Controls

Tissue Doppler imaging measurements could be used to quantitate ventricular function in patients with systemic single ventricles. The objective of the present study was to measure the tissue doppler imaging-derived indexes of function and dyssynchrony in patients with single ventricular physiology and compare these values with those from control patients. Echocardiograms were performed in patients with single left or right ventricular physiology and control patients. Measurements were made of the free walls at the level of the atrioventricular annulus. Differences were assessed with one-way analysis of variance. Post hoc comparisons were performed with a Tukey adjustment. No significant difference was present in age among the control (5.75 ± 1.73 years, n = 16), single left ventricle (7.07 ± 2.81 years, n = 12), or single right ventricle (6.25 ± 2.2 years, n = 14) groups. The single right ventricular free wall peak systolic annular, peak early diastolic annular, and peak late diastolic annular velocities were significantly lower and the myocardial performance index and interval to mechanical activation greater compared to the controls. The single left ventricular free wall peak systolic annular, peak early diastolic annular, and peak late diastolic annular velocities were also significantly lower and the myocardial performance index and interval to mechanical activation greater compared to controls. In conclusion, significant decreases in systolic and diastolic function, as well as differences in dyssynchrony, using tissue doppler imaging exist in patients with single ventricular physiology compared to control patients.
Government Expenditures on Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Education

Most underdeveloped countries spend much more on tertiary education per student versus primary and secondary education per student, while in developed countries this ratio is much smaller. To examine this issue I present an overlapping generations model with heterogeneous agents. Heterogeneity arises from differential innate ability. Agents choose how many years of school to attend. The government also provides different amounts of funding for primary plus secondary schooling and tertiary schooling. The government allows only the top percentile of students graduating from secondary education to participate in tertiary education. I find that insufficient funding for primary and secondary school hurts every individual in the economy as well as decreasing output and increasing inequality, while excessive funding for primary plus secondary school per pupil leads to a huge tax burden, decreasing the welfare of all individuals.
Betaine administration corrects ethanol-induced defective VLDL secretion

Our previous studies, demonstrating ethanol-induced alterations in phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis via the phosphatidylethanolamine methyltransferase (PEMT) pathway, implicated a defect in very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion in the pathogenesis of hepatic steatosis. The objective of this study was to determine whether VLDL secretion was reduced by chronic ethanol consumption and whether betaine supplementation, that restores PEMT activity and prevents the development of alcoholic steatosis, could normalize VLDL secretion. The VLDL secretion in rats fed with control, ethanol and the betaine supplemented diets was determined using Triton WR-1339 to inhibit plasma VLDL metabolism. We observed reduced VLDL production rates in chronic alcohol-fed rats compared to control animals. Supplementation of betaine in the ethanol diet increased VLDL production rate to values significantly higher than those observed in the control diet-fed rats. To conclude, chronic ethanol consumption impairs PC generation via the PEMT pathway resulting in diminished VLDL secretion which contributes to the development of hepatic steatosis. By increasing PEMT-mediated PC generation, betaine results in increased fat export from the liver and attenuates the development of alcoholic fatty liver.
ON SOME PSAMMOTHIDIUM SPECIES FROM RIVERS IN THE UNITED STATES

Psammothidium species have wide distribution in the US, co-occur on sandy habitats, and overlap in morphology. Samples from rivers and streams were collected as part of the NAWQA program (U.S. Geological Survey). The following species were included in this study: Psammothidium bioretii (Germain) Bukhtiyarova et Round, P. chlidanos (Hohn et Hellerman) Lange-Bertalot, P. grischunum f. daonensis (Lange-Bertalot) Bukhtiyarova et Round, P. helveticum (Hustedt) Bukhtiyarova et Round, and P. subatomoides (Hustedt) Bukhtiyarova et Round. Several morphological characteristics of the valves are outlined. These features are visible with light microscopy (LM) and should be used in routine microscopic identification.
Epitaxial Sr2(AlTa)O6 films as buffer layers on MgO for YBa2Cu3O7−x thin film growth

Sr2(AlTa)O6 thin films (2000–3000 A) have been deposited on MgO (001) substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). X‐ray‐diffraction analysis shows that the Sr2(AlTa)O6 grows with the c axis highly oriented normal to the substrate plane and very good in‐plane epitaxy. The subsequently deposited YBa2Cu3O7−x films using PLD on Sr2(AlTa)O6 buffered MgO substrates exhibit excellent epitaxial growth with a narrow rocking curve width and a small φ scan peak width. The critical temperature Tc0 of 90–92 K has been achieved reproducibly and the critical current density is over 2.7×106 A/cm2 at 77 K.
DEVELOPING FLOW AND HEAT TRANSFER IN A RECTANGULAR DUCT WITH A MOVING WALL

Abstract Flow and heat transfer are studied numerically in a duct of rectangular cross section with a moving wall. The temperature of the moving wall is assumed to be constant while the other three walls are insulated. This boundary condition has important applications in the design of oil-cooled friction pairs. Results are presented for wall Reynolds numbers of 0, 100, 500, and 2500; Prandtl numbers of 0.7, 10, 50, and 100; and cross-sectional aspect ratios of 0.5 and 1. It is found that flow and heat transfer are strongly affected by an interaction between the boundary layer on the moving wall and a recirculation zone set up by that wall. In particular, the Nusselt number shows an interesting maximum before fully developed conditions are established. This maximum is believed to result from the enhancing effect of the widening recirculation zone as fully developed conditions are approached. Hydrody-namic and thermal entrance lengths are drastically reduced with increasing wall Reynolds number. This behav...
The contrasting biogeochemistry of iron and manganese in the Pacific Ocean

Abstract Vertical and horizontal distributions of dissolved and suspended particulate Fe and Mn, and vertical fluxes of these metals (obtained with sediment traps) were determined throughout the Pacific Ocean. In general, dissolved Fe is low in surface and deep waters (0.1 to 0.7 nmol/kg), with maxima associated with the intermediate depth oxygen minimum zone (2.0 to 6.6 nmol/kg). Vertical distributions of dissolved Mn are similar to previous reports, exhibiting a surface maximum, a subsurface minimum, a Mn maximum layer coincident with the oxygen minimum zone, and lowest values in deep waters. Near-shore removal processes are more intense for dissolved Fe than for dissolved Mn. Dissolved Mn in the surface mixed layer remains elevated much farther offshore than dissolved Fe. Elevated near-surface dissolved Mn concentrations occur in the North Pacific Equatorial Current, suggesting transport from the eastern boundary. Near-surface mixed-layer dissolved Mn concentrations are higher in the North Pacific gyre reflecting enhanced northern hemisphere aeolian sources. Residence time estimates for the settling of refractory paniculate Fe and Mn from the upper water column are 62–220 days (Fe), and 105–235 days (Mn). In contrast, residence times for the scavenging of dissolved Fe and Mn are 2–13 years (Fe) and 3–74 years (Mn). Scavenging residence times for dissolved Mn based on horizontal mixing in the surface mixed layer of the northeast Pacific are 0.4 years (nearshore) to 19 years (1000 km offshore). There is no evidence for in situ Fe redox dissolution within sub-oxic waters in the eastern tropical North Pacific. Dissolved Fe appeared to be controlled by dissolution from sub-oxic sediments, with oxidative scavenging in the water column or upper sediment layers. However, in situ Mn dissolution within the oxygen minimum zone was evident.
Synthesis, characterization and properties of the new ionic intercalation compound (NH+4)0.22TiS0.22−2

Abstract The new ionic intercalation compound (NH+4)0.22TiS0.22−2 has been synthesized by vacuum deintercalation of ammoniated TiS2, characterized by thermogravimetric analysis and powder X-ray diffraction, and examined by SQUID magnetometry (indirectly), differential scanning calorimetry, incoherent inelastic neutron scattering, and nuclear magnetic resonance. Although the diffraction pattern of this compound resembles a stage-II structure in which every other van der Waals gap is occupied by NH+4 it cannot be indexed completely on this basis. Magnetic and calorimetric measurements show that one electron is transferred to the host TiS2 conduction band per NH+4 cation and that the deintercalation enthalpy of NH+4 is 22 kcal/mol NH+4, respectively. Neutron scattering has provided evidence for an NH+4 torsional fundamental mode at 215 cm−1. The proton NMR linewidth and spin-lattice relaxation time are independent of temperature between 100 and 540 K, and the linewidth of 2.6 ± 0.3 G is in good agreement with that calculated for isotropic reorientation of the NH+4 cations.
Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic investigation of a DNA-RNA hybrid

Abstract A complex between the complementary hexanucleotides ribo-C-A-A-A-A-G and deoxyribo-C-T-T-T-T-G has been crystallized. The space group was determined to be P21 with unit cell dimensions a = 26.9 A , b = 50.9 A , c = 62.0 A ; α = γ = 90 °, β = 108 ° . The crystals contain both the ribo- and the deoxyribo-hexanucleotide strands in a ratio of approximately 1:1. Each asymmetric unit contains the equivalent of four hybrid molecules.
Familiarity effects in a same-different task with simultaneous and successive presentation

To assess conflicting results of prior studies concerned with the effects of familiarity and task conditions on the performance of visual matching tasks, six groups of independent observers (N = 8) each received three blocked trials of 12 “same” and 12 “different” pairs (randomly ordered) of letters, rotated letters, or nonsense forms presented simultaneously or successively in a tachistoscope. Each observer was asked to judge whether the elements of each pair were “same” or “different.” Analysis of the RTs showed that judgments of the nonsense forms were slower than the equally fast responses to the letters and rotated letters. An interaction between presentation mode and type of stimulus pair indicated that judgments of “same” pairs were somewhat faster with successive than with simultaneous presentation, but “different” pairs were judged equally fast under both modes. The results are related to earlier studies of familiarity, but emphasis is placed on a facilitation hypothesis based on meaningfulness.
Experimental intraperitoneal Salmonella dublin infection in rats: effects of concurrent infections with Fasciola hepatica and Nippostrongylus Brasiliensis.

Abstract When Salmonella dublin was injected intraperitoneally into rats given 20 metacercariae of Fasciola hepatica 6 weeks previously and into fluke-free rats, deaths occurred among the fluke-infected group after doses of 4 × 10 3 S. dublin and higher. Fluke-free rats required doses of at least 7·6 × 10 8 organisms to cause death. Survivors of the S. dublin injection, previously given fluke, remained infected for longer, had higher “H” agglutinin titres to S. dublin 6 weeks after infection and excreted more S. dublin in the faeces than did the fluke-free rats. As the effects of F. hepatica on S. dublin infection in rats were similar to those observed previously in cattle the rat could be a useful species in investigating the interaction between S. dublin and F. hepatica . These effects were not produced when 2000 larvae of the nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis were injected subcutaneously 8 days before S. dublin .
Modulation of virus-induced innate immunity and type 1 diabetes by IL-1 blockade

We used the LEW1.WR1 model of Kilham rat virus (KRV)-induced type 1 diabetes (T1D) to test the hypothesis that blocking IL-1 pathways early in the course of the disease can modulate virus-induced innate immunity and prevent disease progression. Administering KRV plus IL-1 receptor antagonist (Anakinra) for 14 d prevented insulitis and T1D. Anakinra reversed the KRV-induced systemic inflammation evidenced by the accumulation of T cells in the spleen and pancreatic lymph nodes on d 5 post-infection. Blocking IL-1 modulated the level of IRF-7 and IL-6 gene expression in the spleen and the p40 subunit of IL-12 and IL-23 in the serum. Anakinra did not interfere with the ability of LEW1.WR1 rats to clear the virus from the spleen, pancreatic lymph nodes or serum. Consistent with these data, normal levels of KRV-specific adaptive immune responses were detected in in the spleen and peripheral blood of the treated animals. Finally, blocking IL-1 pathways reversed the KRV-induced modulation of gut bacterial communi...
Chemerin-ChemR23 Signaling in Tooth Development

Our long-term goal is to identify and characterize molecular mechanisms regulating tooth development, including those mediating the critical dental epithelial-dental mesenchymal (DE-DM) cell interactions required for normal tooth development. The goal of this study was to investigate Chemerin (Rarres2)/ChemR23(Cmklr1) signaling in DE-DM cell interactions in normal tooth development. Here we present, for the first time, tissue-specific expression patterns of Chemerin and ChemR23 in mouse tooth development. We show that Chemerin is expressed in cultured DE progenitor cells, while ChemR23 is expressed in cultured DM cells. Moreover, we demonstrate that ribosomal protein S6 (rS6) and Akt, downstream targets of Chemerin/ChemR23 signaling, are phosphorylated in response to Chemerin/ChemR23 signaling in vitro and are expressed in mouse tooth development. Together, these results suggest roles for Chemerin/ChemR23-mediated DE-DM cell signaling during tooth morphogenesis.
Identifiability and convergence issues for Markov chain Monte Carlo fitting of spatial models.

The marked increase in popularity of Bayesian methods in statistical practice over the last decade owes much to the simultaneous development of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods for the evaluation of requisite posterior distributions. However, along with this increase in computing power has come the temptation to fit models larger than the data can readily support, meaning that often the propriety of the posterior distributions for certain parameters depends on the propriety of the associated prior distributions. An important example arises in spatial modelling, wherein separate random effects for capturing unstructured heterogeneity and spatial clustering are of substantive interest, even though only their sum is well identified by the data. Increasing the informative content of the associated prior distributions offers an obvious remedy, but one that hampers parameter interpretability and may also significantly slow the convergence of the MCMC algorithm. In this paper we investigate the relationship among identifiability, Bayesian learning and MCMC convergence rates for a common class of spatial models, in order to provide guidance for prior selection and algorithm tuning. We are able to elucidate the key issues with relatively simple examples, and also illustrate the varying impacts of covariates, outliers and algorithm starting values on the resulting algorithms and posterior distributions.
2-axis MEMS deflecting cantilever microinstrument for in-situ reliability studies

Growing interest in assessing the reliability of microelectromechanical systems has created a need for the development of microinstruments to interrogate MEMS behavior under diverse conditions. This paper describes the design and testing of a microinstrument for in-situ reliability studies of contacting surfaces in MEMS. Time-dependent changes in the structure, chemistry and electrical properties of polycrystalline silicon (poly-silicon) impacting surfaces are observed, and possible wear mechanisms are proposed.
Photothermal release of CO2 from capture solutions using nanoparticles

Lowering the parasitic energy demand of CO2 capture technologies is a basic and technical challenge. Using alternative energy sources could reduce energy costs both by lowering the energy required for regeneration and by replacing parasitic energy with renewable sources. Here we report the use of actinic light for the photo-thermal regeneration of CO2 from capture solutions containing nanoparticles. We demonstrate an enhanced regeneration of CO2 due to addition of carbon black nanoparticles. CO2 regeneration efficiencies increased with higher nanoparticle concentrations and higher initial solution temperatures.
Fast searches for effective optimization phase sequences

It has long been known that a fixed ordering of optimization phases will not produce the best code for every application. One approach for addressing this phase ordering problem is to use an evolutionary algorithm to search for a specific sequence of phases for each module or function. While such searches have been shown to produce more efficient code, the approach can be extremely slow because the application is compiled and executed to evaluate each sequence's effectiveness. Consequently, evolutionary or iterative compilation schemes have been promoted for compilation systems targeting embedded applications where longer compilation times may be tolerated in the final stage of development. In this paper we describe two complementary general approaches for achieving faster searches for effective optimization sequences when using a genetic algorithm. The first approach reduces the search time by avoiding unnecessary executions of the application when possible. Results indicate search time reductions of 65% on average, often reducing searches from hours to minutes. The second approach modifies the search so fewer generations are required to achieve the same results. Measurements show that the average number of required generations decreased by 68%. These improvements have the potential for making evolutionary compilation a viable choice for tuning embedded applications.
I Won the Auction But Don't Want the Prize

The "winner's curse" occurs in competitive situations when a successful buyer finds that he or she has paid too much for a commodity of uncertain value. This study provides an experimental demonstration of the winner's curse, and identifies factors that affect the existence and magnitude of this bidding abnormality. In an auction setting, two factors are shown to affect the incidence and magnitude of the winner's curse: (1) the degree of uncertainty concerning the value of the item up for bid and (2) the number of competing bidders. Increasing either factor will increase the range of value estimates and bids, making it more likely that the winning bidder will overestimate the true value of the commodity and thus overbid. A number of researchers have suggested that the winner of a sealedbid auction will often lose-that is, the object acquired will be worth less than the price paid. The winning bidder has fallen prey to the "winner's curse." This idea has been suggested theoretically (Case, 1979; Oren and Williams, 1975; Rothkopf, 1980; Winkler and Brooks, 1980) and has been applied to bidding on oil leases (Capen et al., 1971), stock market investments (Miller, 1977), and baseball players (Cassing and
Analytical solution of a system of homogeneous delay differential equations via the Lambert function

A new approach to obtain an analytic solution for delay differential equations (DDE) based on the concept of Lambert functions is presented in this paper. The similarity of the results with the concept of the state transition matrix in ordinary differential equations enables the approach to be used for general classes of linear delay differential equations including the matrix form of DDE. Stability criteria for delay equations in different cases are studied and the results are presented in the paper.
Managerial Perceptions of Employee Commitment to the Organization

A model incorporating antecedents and outcomes of measures of manager-rated employee affective and continuance commitment was tested with 231 managers and 339 subordinates. Organizational citizensh...
Small-Molecule Inhibition of Choline Catabolism in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Other Aerobic Choline-Catabolizing Bacteria

Choline is abundant in association with eukaryotes and plays roles in osmoprotection, thermoprotection, and membrane biosynthesis in many bacteria. Aerobic catabolism of choline is widespread among soil proteobacteria, particularly those associated with eukaryotes. Catabolism of choline as a carbon, nitrogen, and/or energy source may play important roles in association with eukaryotes, including pathogenesis, symbioses, and nutrient cycling. We sought to generate choline analogues to study bacterial choline catabolism in vitro and in situ. Here we report the characterization of a choline analogue, propargylcholine, which inhibits choline catabolism at the level of Dgc enzyme-catalyzed dimethylglycine demethylation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa .W e used genetic analyses and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance to demonstrate that propargylcholine is catabolized to its inhibitory form, propargylmethylglycine. Chemically synthesized propargylmethylglycine was also an inhibitor of growth on choline. Bioinformatic analysis suggests that there are genes encoding DgcA homologues in a variety of proteobacteria. We examined the broader utility of propargylcholine and propargylmethylglycine by assessing growth of other members of the proteobacteria that are known to grow on choline and possess putative DgcA homologues. Propargylcholine showed utility as a growth inhibitor in P. aeruginosa but did not inhibit growth in other proteobacteria tested. In contrast, propargylmethylglycine was able to inhibit cholinedependent growth in all tested proteobacteria, including Pseudomonas mendocina, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas putida, Burkholderia cepacia, Burkholderia ambifaria, and Sinorhizobium meliloti. We predict that chemical inhibitors of choline catabolism will be useful for studying this pathway in clinical and environmental isolates and could be a useful tool to study proteobacterial choline catabolism in situ.
The gaits of primates: center of mass mechanics in walking, cantering and galloping ring-tailed lemurs, Lemur catta

Most primates, including lemurs, have a broad range of locomotor capabilities, yet much of the time, they walk at slow speeds and amble, canter or gallop at intermediate and fast speeds. Although numerous studies have investigated limb function during primate quadrupedalism, how the center of mass (COM) moves is not well understood. Here, we examined COM energy, work and power during walking, cantering and galloping in ring-tailed lemurs, Lemur catta (N=5), over a broad speed range (0.43-2.91 m s(-1)). COM energy recoveries were substantial during walking (35-71%) but lower during canters and gallops (10-51%). COM work, power and collisional losses increased with speed. The positive COM works were 0.625 J kg(-1) m(-1) for walks and 1.661 J kg(-1) m(-1) for canters and gallops, which are in the middle range of published values for terrestrial animals. Although some discontinuities in COM mechanics were evident between walking and cantering, there was no apparent analog to the trot-gallop transition across the intermediate and fast speed range (dimensionless v>0.75, Fr>0.5). A phenomenological model of a lemur cantering and trotting at the same speed shows that canters ensure continuous contact of the body with the substrate while reducing peak vertical COM forces, COM stiffness and COM collisions. We suggest that cantering, rather than trotting, at intermediate speeds may be tied to the arboreal origins of the Order Primates. These data allow us to better understand the mechanics of primate gaits and shed new light on primate locomotor evolution.
Plasma Beta-Endorphin-like Immunoreactivity, Pain and Anxiety Following Administration of Placebo in Oral Surgery Patients:

Plasma beta-endorphin was measured in patients undergoing a stressful procedure, the removal of impacted third molars. In patients reporting little pain, endorphin levels increased significantly during surgery, whereas patients reporting pain and anxiety showed little increase in endorphin levels.
Bubble-seq analysis of the human genome reveals distinct chromatin-mediated mechanisms for regulating early- and late-firing origins

We have devised a method for isolating virtually pure and comprehensive libraries of restriction fragments that contained replication initiation sites (bubbles) in vivo. We have now sequenced and mapped the bubble-containing fragments from GM06990, a near-normal EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cell line, and have compared origin distributions with a comprehensive replication timing study recently published for this cell line. We find that early-firing origins, which represent ∼32% of all origins, overwhelmingly represent zones, associate only marginally with active transcription units, are localized within large domains of open chromatin, and are significantly associated with DNase I hypersensitivity. Origin "density" falls from early- to mid-S-phase, but rises again in late S-phase to levels only 17% lower than in early S-phase. Unexpectedly, late origin density calculated on the 1-Mb scale increases as a function of increasing chromatin compaction. Furthermore, the median efficiency of origins in late-replicating, heterochromatic domains is only 25% lower than in early-replicating euchromatic loci. Thus, the activation of early- and late-firing origins must be regulated by quintessentially different mechanisms. The aggregate data can be unified into a model in which initiation site selection is driven almost entirely by epigenetic factors that fashion both the long-range and local chromatin environments, with underlying DNA sequence and local transcriptional activity playing only minor roles. Importantly, the comprehensive origin map we have prepared for GM06990 overlaps moderately well with origin maps recently reported for the genomes of four different human cell lines based on the distributions of small nascent strands.