cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autoregulation of cochlear blood flow in guinea pigs

Autoregulation of blood flow in the inner ear following uncontrolled changes in systemic blood pressure (BP), which was induced by the application of pharmacological agents that cause local and/or systemic vascular effects, has been reported in previous studies. In the current study, carotid BP was systematically manipulated without drugs, while the resulting cochlear blood flow (CBF) changes were measured using a laser Doppler flowmeter (LDF). Anesthesized guinea pigs were used, and the probe of a LDF was held against the ventral-posterior portion of the surgically exposed cochlea. A mechanical occluder was placed around the descending aorta or the inferior vena cava. BP could be elevated or lowered over a wide range and was held stable during 2-min occlusions. The mean level (+/- SD) of regulation (% delta CBF/% delta BP) for BP changes less than +/- 35% of preocclusion baseline was 0.24 +/- 0.2 (or 0.18 +/- 0.2 if BP is corrected by subtracting central venous pressure). Significant regulation occurred for BP between 20 and 70 mmHg. A demonstration of the cochlear origin of the regulatory response was obtained by "pharmacological blockade" following topical application of the vasodilator, sodium nitroprusside, to the cochlea. In this condition, CBF changed in nearly direct proportion to BP.
Instability and Localization in Adiabatic Shear Bands

ABSTRACT One dimensional shearing of a thermoviscoplastic material is considered. A linearized set of equations is obtained for the study of stability of homogeneous solutions, and an implicit parametric representation is given for the approximate analysis of localization, which occurs later than instability.
FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION

This chapter discusses the fundamental aspects of the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technology combining several scientific and engineering disciplines including thermodynamics, plasma physics, kinetics, and fluid dynamics. CVD is a synthesis process in which the chemical constituents react in the vapor phase near or on a heated substrate to form a solid deposit. A CVD reaction is governed by thermodynamics and kinetics. It may occur in the gas phase instead of at the substrate surface if the supersaturation of the reactive gases and the temperature are sufficiently high. This proves to be detrimental as the gas-phase precipitated particles, in the form of soot, become incorporated in the deposit, causing nonuniformity in the structure, surface roughness, and poor adhesion. A film is formed on a surface by CVD considering three important factors that control the nature and properties of the deposit to some degree. These factors are: epitaxy, gas-phase precipitation, and thermal expansion. The epitaxial CVD of silicon III–V and II–VI compounds is a major process in the semiconductor industry and plays an important part in improving the performance of the semiconductor and optoelectronic designs.
Sexual Harassment Research: Integration, Reformulation, and Implications for Mitigation Efforts

The purposes of this essay are (a) to review existing academic research and integrate it with legal and organizational approaches to sexual harassment in the workplace and (b) to establish a framework from which to develop theoretically coherent and empirically testable techniques for reducing workplace sexual harassment. The essay begins with an overview of the development of sexual harassment as a workplace problem, followed by a summary and critique of legal, organizational, and academic conceptualizations of sexual harassment. Six areas of empirical research are reviewed: (a) studies of sexual harassment prevalence, correlates, and outcomes; (b) typologies of sexually harassing behaviors; (c) factors that contribute to perceptions regarding sexual harassment; (d) assessments of the proclivity to sexually harass; (e) responses to sexual harassment; and (f) strategies to combat sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is reconceptualized as a multidimensional phenomenon in which formal power and perceived p...
Reagan Takes Charge

Where Carter policy makers had trouble answering unanswerable questions, officials in the new Reagan administration did not view the answers as having much significance. Rather than worrying over objective conditions — and the constraints they imposed — Reagan officials sought to bend those conditions to American will. This brought both a heightened aggressiveness in US policy and blatant disregard for local realities. For the prime task was not to deal with those realities but to recapture respect for American power. In the words of Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, Washington would convey ‘to the world and particularly to the Soviets, that there is indeed a new resolve in America, that President Reagan’s election and his action constitute a really watershed change in American policy, and that it’s no longer safe for the Soviets or anyone to regard America as weak, irresolute or divided’.1 Once this image was conveyed, such a statement assumed, intractable problems would disappear.
Profiling of Junior College Football Players and Differences between Position Groups

This study profiled junior college football players. Sixty-two subjects completed vertical jump (VJ; height and peak power), standing broad jump (SBJ), 36.58 m sprint, pro-agility shuttle, three-cone drill, and maximal-repetition bench press and front squat. The sample included 2 quarterbacks (QB), 7 running backs (RB), 13 wide receivers (WR), 1 tight end (TE), 18 defensive backs (DB), 8 linebackers (LB), and 13 offensive and defensive linemen (LM). To investigate positional differences, subjects were split into skill (SK; WR, DB), big skill (BSK; QB, RB, TE, LB), and LM groups. A one-way ANOVA determined between-group differences. LM were taller and heavier than SK and BSK players. The SK and BSK groups were faster than LM in the 0–36.58 m sprint, pro-agility shuttle, and three-cone drill (p ≤ 0.009). The SK group had greater VJ height and SBJ distance; LM generated greater VJ peak power (p ≤ 0.022). There were no between-group differences in the strength endurance tests. Compared to Division I data, junior college players were smaller, slower, and performed worse in jump tests. Positional differences in junior college football are typical to that of established research. Junior college players should attempt to increase body mass, and improve speed and lower-body power.
[5,10,15,20-Tetra-kis(4-meth-oxy-phen-yl)porphyrinato]zinc di-chloro-methane disolvate.

In the title compound, [Zn(C48H36N4O4)]·2CH2Cl2, the ZnII ion lies on an inversion center and is coordinated in an almost ideal square-planar geometry. The asymmetric unit also contains one di­chloro­methane solvent mol­ecule. The unique meth­oxy-substituted benzene rings form dihedral angles of 59.38 (6) and 66.77 (6)° with the mean plane (r.m.s. deviation of fitted atoms = 0.0282 A) of the atoms in the porphyrin core. The packing is characterized by close contacts between the ZnII ion and two symmetry-related mol­ecules through the O atoms of a meth­oxy­phenyl group [Zn⋯O = 2.694 (2) A], forming a two-dimensional network parallel to (100).
Reflecting on how we remember the personal past: missing components in the study of memory appraisal and theoretical implications.

ABSTRACTThe current paper offers a selective review of the study of memory appraisal, focusing on recollections of the personal past, with the goal to bring attention to a missing component in this study. To date, memory appraisal studies have concentrated on participants’ assessments of the content of their personal recollections (e.g., their perceptual detail and story-like feel), including beliefs about the accuracy of that content. Participants’ assessments of reflection processes accompanying their recollections (e.g., a sense of piecing-together recollection fragments) have yet to be extensively examined. The lack of information on process-based appraisals is related to prior studies’ procedural constraints (e.g., kinds of cue prompts and their timing, minimal opportunities for reflection). Reasons for addressing this missing component provide the central themes of the paper. The reasons emerge from the analysis of autobiographical cueing studies, including integration of narrative research studies ...
Activated Carbon for Air Purification in New York City's Sewage Treatment Plants

Odors from New York City's sewage treatment plants are controlled by activated carbon housed in 44 large towers, each holding about 11 tons of carbon. The carbons are impregnated with NaOH or with KOH, or are unimpregnated but continuously injected with ammonia gas. A study is now under way in our laboratory to monitor the progressive exhaustion of these carbon beds and to predict their useful lifetimes. The monitoring tests include a measure of the residual breakthrough capacity of the carbon for hydrogen sulfide, and an estimate of the remaining capacity for physical adsorption of other gases. For the caustic-impregnated carbons, the tests include a measure of the actual life-extension that can be realized by the retrofit of ammonia injection without interrupting the operation of the carbon vessels. A procedure to predict the results of in situ regeneration is described.
Detecting Branching in Wormlike Micelles via Dynamic Scattering Methods

Topological differences in a model series of wormlike micelles (WLMs) with varying degrees of branching are investigated via neutron spin echo (NSE) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Branching was previously verified via microscopy, scattering methods, and rheology. NSE measurements reveal that on the shortest length scales, where WLMs are topologically similar, the dynamic behavior is independent of branching level. However, branching leads to deviations from wormlike chain behavior on length scales relevant to branching. These differences continue into the DLS regime, where two relaxation modes are observed. While measuring micellar branching is challenging, our measurements of segmental dynamics provide a direct dynamic measurement of WLM branching and demonstrate promise for future identification of topological changes in self-assembled materials.
Managing & Maintaining SMEs Information Services and Applications

The SME owner’s understanding of the role of information technology (IT) in organizations may be sophisticated, yet the resources and staff dedicated to IT are rarely up to the tasks. In this chapter, we present a comprehensive model of the enterprise IT organization highlighting the process areas that are essential to promote SMEs competitive positions through IT. Of particular importance, even with outsourced IT work, is the focus on employee training to increase productivity and returns of IT investments. Equally vital, if not more important, is the ability to sustain a knowledge-sharing culture that will support the long-term survival and competitiveness of the enterprise.
The interface between fluid-like and solid-like behavior in granular flows

Abstract This study examines the effective phase-change from fluid behavior to solid behavior that too often occurs in granular flow and brings with it such unwelcome events as funnel flows in hoppers and clogging of other material handling devices. This situation is studied using a discrete particle computer simulation of a Couette flow with gravity. This simulation exhibits the full range of granular flow behavior, from a stagnant solid-like material, through a quasistatic transition zone, to a rapid granular flow. The most important result is that the first movement in the material, just above the static bed, occurs in a quasistatic mode at a fixed value of the stress ratio τ xy /τ yy . Thus it appears that the primary transition from solid to fluid behavior can be described by a Mohr-Coulomb type failure criterion. Some insight is given into the ultimate change from a quasistatic to a fully developed rapid granular flow.
THE ROLE OF PROTEASES IN PHYSIOLOGICAL REGULATION: AN OVERVIEW

Many physiological reactions are regulated by the proteolytic conversion of an inactive precursor of a protein (zymogen) to an active form. Such a process of limited proteolysis constitutes a major control mechanism which differs from others (e.g. transcriptional control, allostery or reversible covalent modification) by being able to create a rapid and permanent change in the molecular environment. Consecutive zymogen activation reactions (cascades) are triggered by the transduction of a physiological signal; they amplify that signal, and are eventually terminated by a combination of irreversible events. The lifetime of a zymogen molecule can be described by a series of steps of limited proteolysis, defining its destination, promoting activation, and initiating its ultimate destruction. Zymogens probably appeared relatively late in biological evolution and their activation may be thought of as a return to the primordial state.
Conflict of Interest: An Ethical Firestorm with Consequences for Cancer Research

As the challenge of proper reporting of potential financial conflicts of interest is once again brought into the national spotlight, this editorial considers the recent events, expands on current systems for enforcing accurate reporting of financial disclosures, and considers ways to move forward.
302-OR: Causes of Blinded CGM Failure during Clinical Trials in Patients with T2D

Blinded CGM is useful in clinical trials to preserve the validity of outcomes. However, lack of real-time feedback about performance of the system generates a significant number of failed sessions. We analyzed causes of such failed CGM sessions in 453 T2D subjects (mean age 55.2±9.6 years, 51.9% males) using the Medtronic iPro2 to obtain a 6-day baseline CGM during two randomized clinical trials of oral agents and insulin. At the end of the CGM session, non-calibrated data (ISIG - electric signals) were immediately reviewed by a third party to determine the completeness and quality of the dataset (at least 72 continuous hours of ISIG between 10-200 nA) and the need for a new CGM session. If data were not acceptable, clinical sites were promptly contacted to ascertain the conditions of the study subject, insertion technique and technical problems that could cause the failed session, and to recommend other approaches to CGM reinsertion. Subjects who failed the first CGM sessions were reinserted a second or third time when possible. Eighty-two of 453 subjects failed their first CGM insertion, 9 of 56 failed the second insertion, and one of four subjects failed all three insertions (cumulative success rate = 99.8%). The causes of failure were discernible in 38 (41.3%) of the 92 failed cases, including sensor detachment (19.6%), insufficient BG for calibration (17.4%), user error (3.3%), and intentional removal (1.1%). For the remaining 58.7% of cases, the non-calibrated ISIG patterns were analyzed and most likely causes found to be undetermined (25.0%), disconnection (20.7%), sensor failure (8.7%) and device failure (4.3%). Upon clinical review, most failed sessions of undetermined cause or probable disconnection were attributable to patient characteristics (morbid obesity, profuse sweating) or improper insertion technique. Conclusions: 1) Most identifiable causes of failed CGM can be potentially corrected by proper user/subject training, and 2) only a minimal portion of failed sessions are secondary to faulty devices. Disclosure S. Saldivar-Salazar: Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Medtronic MiniMed, Inc. M.A. Testa: Stock/Shareholder; Spouse/Partner; GI Windows, Inc. Stock/Shareholder; Self; Phase V Technologies, Inc. J.F. Hayes: None. D.C. Simonson: Stock/Shareholder; Self; GI Windows, Inc. Stock/Shareholder; Spouse/Partner; Phase V Technologies, Inc.
Optimization of the accelerated partial breast brachytherapy fractionation considering radiation effect on planning target and organs at risk.

Abstract The same fractionation scheme of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) with brachytherapy is usually applied to APBI patients without considering the radiaton effect on the planning target and organs at risk (OARs) for an individual patient. The purpose of this study is to report the results of optimization of the fractionation scheme by evaluating the radiation effect on target and OARs with a modified linear-quadratic model, universal survival curve (USC), based on dose-volume histograms (DVHs). Ten breast patients treated with multilumen balloon brachytherapy were selected. The minimum skin and chest wall/rib (CW/rib) spacing ranged from 2.5 to 14.3 mm and from 0.5 to 25.0 mm, respectively. The USC model parameters were set as: (1) breast:α = 0.3, β = 0.05; (2) skin: acute reaction α = 0.101, β = 0.009; late reaction α = 0.064, β = 0.029; (3) CW/rib: α = 0.3, β = 0.12. Boundary dose Dt was 6 Gy for both target and OARs. The relation between radiation effects on the target (ET) and OARs (EOAR) were plotted for fraction numbers (N) from 1 to 20. If ET is set at a certain value, the fractionation that results in a minimum EOAR value corresponds to the optimal fractionation. The results show that the optimal fractionation is different for different OAR damage effects. For most of the patients, N = 2 is best for minimizing skin acute reactions while N = 20 is best for minimizing skin late reactions. N varies from 3 to 20 among patients for minimizing CW/rib toxicity. The determined unique optimal N for treatment delivery was found to vary from 1 to 20 among these 10 patients resulted from balancing the different damage effects considering the spatial dose for a given patient geometry. Optimal fractionation can be achieved for an individual patient by evaluating the radiation effect on tumor and OARs with the USC model based on the patient specific DVHs with APBI brachytherapy.
Not throwing away my shot: an analysis of shot features in men’s collegiate water polo

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this paper is to identify the important features of “high-quality” shots in water polo. The lead author collected a sample of over 5000 shots from the men’s 2016–2017 NCAA se...
Changes in functional status associated with radiation for prostate cancer in older veterans.

Abstract Background Although older men value maintaining independence and avoiding functional decline, little is known about their functional trajectories with receipt of prostate radiation. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study including veterans age 65+ with localized prostate cancer who resided in a VA nursing facility while receiving prostate radiation from 2005 to 2015. We evaluated the change in Minimum Data Set (MDS) activities of daily living (ADL) score during 6 months from the start of treatment. Because prior studies have shown Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to be a strong predictor of treatment-related toxicity, analysis included interaction with CCI. Results We identified 487 patients with median age 73 (range 65–94). For the average patient in our cohort, the predicted MDS-ADL score worsened from 2.9 (95% CI 2.4–3.6) at the start of radiation to 3.8 (95% CI 3.1–4.8) at 3 months and then 4.5 (95% CI 3.5–5.7) at month 6. Patients with greater comorbidity (CCI ≥ 4) had worse functional outcomes in months 0–3 compared to patients with less comorbidity (CCI 0–3). MDS-ADL score worsened by 1.9 in the CCI ≥4 patients compared to 0.3 in the CCI 0–3 group During months 3–6, patients in both Charlson groups experienced similar worsening of MDS-ADL score. Conclusions In a vulnerable population of older patients with localized prostate cancer, radiation was associated with a decline in functional independence. Patients with higher comorbidity experienced more severe functional decline within the first 3 months of radiation therapy. In all comorbidity levels, functional status had not returned to baseline by 6 months.
The role of ultrafast structural dynamics with physical and chemical changes in polydimethylsiloxane thin films by two-dimensional IR spectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and two-dimensional IR (2D-IR) spectroscopies were applied to polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) cross-linked elastomer films. The vibrational probe for the systems studied was a silicon hydride mode that was covalently bound to the polymer chains. The structure and dynamics reported by this mode were measured in response to a wide range of chemical and physical perturbations, including elevated curing temperature, increased curing agent concentration, mechanical compression, and cooling to near the glass transition temperature. The FTIR spectra were found to be relatively insensitive to all of these perturbations, and 2D-IR spectroscopy revealed that this was due to the overwhelming influence of heterogeneity on the spectral line shape. Surprisingly, the deconvoluted spectral line shapes showed that there were only slight differences in the heterogeneous and homogeneous dynamics even with the drastic macroscopic changes occurring in different systems. In the context of modeling polymer behavior, the results confirm that dynamics on the ultrafast time scale need not be included to properly model PDMS elasticity.
Impact of comorbid post traumatic stress disorder on multiple sclerosis in military veterans: A population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND Very little is known regarding the impact of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on the course of multiple sclerosis (MS). OBJECTIVES To explore the impact of pre-existing PTSD on MS relapses, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity, and disability in a large population-based cohort. METHODS Military Veterans with MS and PTSD prior to symptom onset (MSPTSD, n = 96) were identified using the Department of Veterans Affairs MS databases. MSPTSD cases were matched to MS controls without PTSD (n = 95). Number of relapses, number of new T2 lesions and new gadolinium lesions on brain MRI, and neurological disability were abstracted between 2015 and 2019. RESULTS The mean annualized relapse rate was greater in the MSPTSD group versus controls (0.23 vs 0.06, respectively; p < 0.05), as was the annualized mean number of new T2 and gadolinium-enhancing lesions on brain MRI (0.52 vs 0.16 and 0.29 vs 0.08, respectively; p < 0.05). Disability accrual (time to Disability Status Scale 6.0) was more rapid (23.7 vs 29.5 years, p < 0.05) in relapsing MS patients with PTSD. CONCLUSION Patients with MSPTSD have higher disease activity and reach disability endpoints more rapidly than controls. This is the first study to show PTSD as a potentially modifiable risk factor for MS relapses, MRI activity, and disability.
Hypothermia: How to Cool

Prompt and expert institution of therapeutic hypothermia is key to optimizing neurologic outcomes after cardiac arrest. In general, therapeutic hypothermia entails lowering the cardiac arrest survivor’s body temperature by any combination of infusing cold saline, applying ice packs, applying a cold-air mattress or cold-water circulating pads to the body, or inserting intravascular catheters that circulate cold water. Consideration must be given to temperature monitoring as well as patient comfort, particularly as regards shivering.
The Poet and the Profits: Felicia Hemans and the Literary Marketplace

ful Romantic woman poet? What were the economic realities and possibilities of her life? What standard of living could she achieve? Was it possible to maintain a middle-class household on poetry writing alone? What were the most lucrative sources of income from poetry production, and how did financial considerations affect a poet's literary decisions? To what extent might a woman poet participate in negotiating terms with publishers and even in making marketing decisions about her work? How might economic decisions affect her poetic reputation? We are remarkably ignorant about such matters. For the most part, twentieth-century literary historians have relied on reviews or on commentary in letters, journals and biographical memoirs to gauge the success of women poets among their contemporaries. But these, taken alone, are imperfect measures at best, subject to bias, sometimes skewed by manipulation or affected by the accident of what documents may or may not have survived. What the market was consistently willing to pay is, in many ways, a more reliable measure of the extent of a poet's contemporary audience and the attention she commanded among readers. Few, however, have considered this dimension of Romantic literary life.1 But the production of poetry was, among other things, a busi-
Positron-Hydrogen Resonances Associated with the N=4 Hydrogen and N=3 Positronium Thresholds

There has been considerable interest to n estigate resonances in e+ — H scatteringl. Several independent studies2–4 have shown that S-wave resonances do exist associated with and below the hydrogen N=2 threshold Resonances below the Ps(N=2) threshold have been investigated by Doolen5 and recently by Ho and Greene6. It was found in Ref. 6 that the lowest resonance associated with the N=2 Ps threshold would lie at E=-0.150279 Ry. Such a finding contradicts with the result obtained by Doolen5 that it would lie at E=-0.222 Ry. Resonances below the N=3 hydrogen threshold were also published in Ref. 6. Here we present calculations of resonances associated with the N=3 positronium and N=4 hydrogen thresholds. The method of complex-coordinate rotation1 is used in the present investigation.
Pervasive computing in sports training

Our system involves a table tennis practice table where one-half of the table in the vertical position returns the player's shots. We use a digital projector calibrated with the table's vertical half, a digital video camera, and a vibration detector mounted on the table. When a ball strikes the wall, the vibration detector triggers the camera to photograph the wall. Our system processes the photograph and projects an image of the ball's impact location onto the wall. The system can also project statistics during play. We designed it to be low cost, to minimize setup time, and to maximize portability. We envisage that the system could work for many interactive games and sports, such as regular tennis, darts, and soccer.
Occupation Numbers in Partially Ionized Plasmas

Discrepancies between calculation and observation of a number of astrophysical properties has led to the speculation that opacity databases may be in error. Simon,1 for example, has noted that arbitarily increasing the heavy element opacity by a factor of 2–3 leads to Cepheid models that reproduce observed period ratios. Although other mechanisms could account for these discrepancies, an improved opacity calculation will at the least provide information on the size of the error and its impact on the corroboration with observation. In such an endeavor, one should first look at the occupation number calculations and a number or recent studies have appeared.2–5
Oral commissure burns in children

Pediatric oral commissure burns present a therapeutic and reconstructive challenge. Although these injuries are fairly common in young children, there exists some controversy on the appropriate timing and nature of the repair that should be performed. Some authors advocate early surgical intervention, whereas others advocate a far more conservative approach that uses prolonged splinting techniques in the hope of avoiding the need for reconstructive surgery. In the event that reconstructive surgery becomes necessary, there exists a wide range of reconstructive techniques that are described in the literature, from simple excision and skin grafting to complex local flap reconstruction using adjacent or distant tissue. In this article, we present an overview of the nature of pediatric oral commissure burns, identify special concerns in pediatric burn patient, discuss the potential role for oral commissure splinting, and finally review a number of different surgical reconstructive techniques that have been proposed in the literature.
Neptune: above-ground storage tank inspection robot system

The Neptune system is a mobile robot system used to remotely inspect above-ground storage tanks (ASTs) containing petroleum products. Neptune ascertains the state of corrosion of the floor and side-walls according to the guidelines laid out by the American Petroleum Institute (API). The robot system allows unmanned entry and sensor data collection in ASTs without the need to empty or clean the tanks nor the required human walk-through inspection. The complete system comprises: a robot crawler vehicle suitable for classified locations which carries visual and ultrasonic sensors; a deployment pod atop the tank which lowers and retrieves the crawler; an in-tank acoustic positioning system to chart and control the location of the robot; and an external remote control console utilizing commercial and custom software for display, planning, and control tasks. The crawler pod and navigation systems are all designed for certification in such hazardous environments, classified as Class I, Division I, Group D. >
Evaluation of ShARP Passive Rainfall Retrievals over Snow-Covered Land Surfaces and Coastal Zones

AbstractUsing satellite measurements in microwave bands to retrieve precipitation over land requires proper discrimination of the weak rainfall signals from strong and highly variable background Earth surface emissions. Traditionally, land retrieval methods rely on a weak signal of rainfall scattering on high-frequency channels and make use of empirical thresholding and regression-based techniques. Because of the increased surface signal interference, retrievals over radiometrically complex land surfaces—snow-covered lands, deserts, and coastal areas—are particularly challenging for this class of retrieval techniques. This paper evaluates the results by the recently proposed Shrunken Locally Linear Embedding Algorithm for Retrieval of Precipitation (ShARP) using data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. The study focuses on a radiometrically complex region, partly covering the Tibetan highlands, Himalayas, and Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna River basins, which is unique in terms of it...
Participant Learning in an Archival Education and Outreach Program to Fraternities and Sororities: An Implementation of Evidence-Based Librarianship and Information Science

What can researchers do when they want to transform a traditional lecture into a collaborative, hands-on learning experience? How can participants learn and become empowered to construct and maintain historical records that reflect their experiences? An archivist can lecture students about basic archival practices and the students can learn a few skills, but hands-on activities for record creation and maintenance that facilitate participants’ learning will create collaborators with basic, but important, archival skills. At Iowa State University (ISU), the University Archivist and the Assessment Librarian partnered to create an educational outreach program with Greek (fraternity and sorority) students and alumni.
Impact of amorphous metal based transformers on efficiency and quality of electric power distribution

The dramatic increase in the use of power electronics and conditioning devices in addition to ubiquitous nonlinear electrical equipment such as motor drives has resulted in a considerable amount of higher harmonics of the line frequency. These high frequency harmonics lead to increased transformer core losses, especially in power distribution transformers that use conventional steel core materials. Amorphous metal core distribution transformers (AMDTs), by comparison, are uniquely suited to providing low loss performance under higher frequencies. This is due both to unique processing techniques that result in a greatly reduced standard thickness for amorphous metal and a unique chemistry and atomic structure that give a higher electrical resistivity and low energy magnetic flux reversal.
Anger arousal, deindividuation, and aggression

We tested the notion that angered persons' aggression would be increased through a process of excitation transfer when they are deindividuated, but that individuated subjects would be most aggressive in circumstances under which they could use the information that they had ingested an arousing drug as a pretext for their aggression. Sixty-two male undergraduates participated under either deindividuated or individuated conditions, ingested either 350 mg of caffeine or a placebo, were informed that they had either taken a stimulant or a nonarousing drug, and were all angered by a confederate. According to prediction, when deindividuated and aroused by caffeine the amount of noxious stimulation subjects delivered to the provocateur was greater if they believed that the drug they had taken was nonarousing than if they thought it was a stimulant; in contrast, individuated subjects' aggression was greater when aroused subjects believed the drug was a stimulant. The results are discussed in terms of excitation transfer and the effect of aggression inhibition on the use of information about one's arousal.
Quantitative histochemical analysis of human artery using Raman spectroscopy

We have developed a method for using near infrared Raman spectroscopy to quantitatively analyze the histochemical composition of human artery. The main contributors to bands observed in the Raman spectra of normal and atherosclerotic aorta are the proteins collagen and elastin, cholesterol lipids, and calcium hydroxyapatite. The Raman scattering cross-sections of different bands for these components have been determined in order to understand their relative contributions to the Raman spectra of biological tissue. The Raman signal is observed to behave linearly with the concentration of the components, even in a highly scattering medium such as a powder. Using these data, we have developed a linear model that can be used to extract the quantitative contribution of an individual component to the spectrum of a mixture. The model has been applied to several mixtures of known composition of tissue constituents in order to evaluate its precision and accuracy. The calculated fit coefficients from the spectra are in agreement with the measured values within experimental uncertainties. The spectra of different types of atherosclerotic aorta have also been modeled, and we have extracted quantitative information regarding the relative concentration of biological constituents in atherosclerotic aorta.
Effects of human Werner helicase on intrachromosomal homologous recombination mediated DNA deletions in mice

Werner syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by accelerated aging and aging-related diseases including cancer. WS is caused by autosomal recessive mutations in the WRN gene, which is involved in genome maintenance although precise functions of WRN are not well understood. To further investigate the role of WRN, we used transgenic mice over-expressing a human helicase mutant WRN gene (hMW). We determined homologous recombination (HR) events leading to 70 kb deletions in the p(un) locus visualized as pigmented cells in the retinal pigment epithelium. hMW mice had an increased spontaneous frequency of DNA deletions compared to control mice, consistent with WRN involvement in HR suppression. In addition, 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO), which can cause both oxidative stress and DNA adduct formation, significantly increased the frequency of DNA deletions in both control and hMW mice. In order to assess how oxidative stress may modulate this phenotype, we treated mice with the glutathione (GSH) synthesis inhibitor, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO). The frequency of DNA deletions increased significantly in control mice, but not in hMW littermates. To elucidate the cause of this discrepancy, we determined total GSH levels as a measure of anti-oxidative defense. BSO significantly decreased GSH levels in both hMW mice and control mice, while 4-NQO increased GSH levels in all mice. These findings suggest that the reduction of GSH by BSO or compensatory increase of GSH by 4-NQO had little impact on hMW mice in which HR repair is compromised. Therefore, oxidative stress impacts HR repair in hMW mice less than control mice and effects of the mutated gene may be exacerbated by direct DNA damage from 4-NQO. This mouse model of WS in conjunction with different DNA damaging agents may provide insight into mechanisms of genomic instability, DNA repair, and carcinogenesis.
Permu-pattern: discovery of mutable permutation patterns with proximity constraint

Pattern discovery in sequences is an important problem in many applications, especially in computational biology and text mining. However, due to the noisy nature of data, the traditional sequential pattern model may fail to reflect the underlying characteristics of sequence data in these applications. There are two challenges: First, the mutation noise exists in the data, and therefore symbols may be misrepresented by other symbols; Secondly, the order of symbols in sequences could be permutated. To address the above problems, in this paper we propose a new sequential pattern model called mutable permutation patterns. Since the Apriori property does not hold for our permutation pattern model, a novel Permu-pattern algorithm is devised to mine frequent mutable permutation patterns from sequence databases. A reachability property is identified to prune the candidate set. Last but not least, we apply the permutation pattern model to a real genome dataset to discover gene clusters, which shows the effectiveness of the model. A large amount of synthetic data is also utilized to demonstrate the efficiency of the Permu-pattern algorithm.
Multiphase flow with unequal granular temperatures

Multiphase kinetic theory has been generalized to include rotation of particles with unequal masses and diameters. Inelastic binary collisions of particles with normal and tangential restitution coefficients are considered. New expressions for number of binary collisions, viscosities and conductivities were developed. Collision integrals produced new expressions for energy dissipation involving tangential and normal restitution coefficients. Computed radial profiles of granular temperatures of 530 and 156 μm glass beads flowing in a two story riser matched the experimentally measured profiles of granular temperatures using a particle image velocity technique without rotation. The measured and the computed particle concentration profiles were nearly flat in the central portion of the riser without rotation. Computations show that rotation can alter these profiles. Sufficient particle spin can drive the particles to concentrate near the center of the tube.
On confidence sequences for the parameters of a linear regression

Let i=1,2,...,where the x's are non-stochastic and e1,e2,... are iid N(0, σ2) random variables, and α,β and σ are unknown parameters. Confidence sequences for α and β are constructed with the aid of invariance and a number of interesting transformations. The ensuing sequential tests with power one are also briefly discussed.
Atypical prolymphocytic variant of hairy-cell leukemia: case report and review of the literature

The prolymphocytic variant of hairy-cell leukemia (HCL-V) is relatively rare and differs from typical hairy-cell leukemia (HCL) both clinically and morphologically. Recognition of HCL-V is important due to therapeutic impact. We report on a case of HCL-V, atypical in its degree of marrow fibrosis, IgM/lambda monoclonality, expression of CD24, and the ultrastructural presence of ribosomal lamellar complexes. The patient was treated with splenectomy followed by pentostatin, and he achieved a partial response.
Note: Nonpolar solute partial molar volume response to attractive interactions with water

The impact of attractive interactions on the partial molar volumes of methane-like solutes in water is characterized using molecular simulations. Attractions account for a significant 20% volume drop between a repulsive Weeks-Chandler-Andersen and full Lennard-Jones description of methane interactions. The response of the volume to interaction perturbations is characterized by linear fits to our simulations and a rigorous statistical thermodynamic expression for the derivative of the volume to increasing attractions. While a weak non-linear response is observed, an average effective slope accurately captures the volume decrease. This response, however, is anticipated to become more non-linear with increasing solute size.
The use and misuse of transjugular intrahepatic portasystemic shunts

Transjugular intrahepatic portasystemic shunts, or TIPS, are used to create a low-resistance channel between the hepatic vein and the intrahepatic portion of the portal vein by deployment of an expandable metal stent. TIPS function like side-to-side surgical portacaval shunts, but their placement does not require anesthesia and major surgery. This article reviews the uses and misuses of TIPS in current practice. The uses include variceal hemorrhage and ascites as well as miscellaneous indications such as Budd-Chiari syndrome, veno-occlusive disease, bleeding ectopic and rectal varices, hepatic hydrothorax, and portal hypertensive gastropathy. TIPS is not indicated for primary prophylaxis of variceal hemorrhage, prehepatic portal hypertension, correction of hypersplenism and thrombocytopenia, pulmonary hypertension and hepatopulmonary syndrome, and portal hypertension associated with polycystic liver disease or Caroli's disease. Also reviewed herein is the management of patients after TIPS placement.
Paleomagnetic record of a geomagnetic field reversal from late miocene mafic intrusions, southern nevada.

Late Miocene (about 8.65 million years ago) mafic intrusions and lava flows along with remagnetized host rocks from Paiute Ridge, southern Nevada, provide a high-quality paleomagnetic record of a geomagnetic field reversal. These rocks yield thermoremanent magnetizations with declinations of 227° to 310° and inclinations of –7° to 49°, defining a reasonably continuous virtual geomagnetic pole path over west-central Pacific longitudes. Conductive cooling estimates for the intrusions suggest that this field transition, and mafic magmatism, lasted only a few hundred years. Because this record comes principally from intrusive rocks, rather than sediments or lavas, it is important in demonstrating the longitudinal confinement of the geomagnetic field during a reversal.
Q-learning for opportunistic spectrum access

The expected shortage in spectrum supply is well understood to be primarily due to the inefficient, static nature of current spectrum allocation policies. In order to address this problem, FCC promotes the so-called Opportunistic Spectrum Access (OSA). In short, the idea behind OSA is to allow unlicensed users to use unused licensed spectra so long as they do not cause interference to licensed users. In this paper, we propose Q-OSA, a learning scheme that enables effective OSA, thus improving spectrum efficiency. Q-OSA does not require prior knowledge of the environment's dynamics, yet can still achieve high performance by learning from interaction with the environment.
A stereoselective intramolecular cyclopropanation via a de novo class of push–pull carbenes derived from DMDO-epoxidations of chiral ynamides

This work describes the first examples of diastereoselective intramolecular cyclopropanations of a de novo class of push-pull carbenes derived from DMDO-epoxidations of chiral ynamides. This reaction sequence essentially constitutes a tandem epoxidation-cyclopropanation that effectively gives arise to a series of structurally unique amido-cyclopropanes. A plausible mechanistic model is proposed revealing insights into this novel cyclopropanation process.
Molecular-dynamics study of self-diffusion in liquid transition metals

Molecular-dynamics simulations on liquid transition metals were performed with use of Johnson's analytic nearest-neighbor embedded-atom model. The coefficients of self-diffusion for Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Pd, and Pt at their melting points were computed. The temperature dependence of the self-diffusivity for liquid copper has been studied with the value of the activation energy in good agreement with experiments.
Cosmopolitanism, Political Obligation, and the Welfare State:

While we generally take it for granted that governments should provide social welfare and other benefits to their citizens, justification of these services depends on special moral requirements people owe to their compatriots, as opposed to inhabitants of other countries, who may be far more needy. While widely discussed defenses of compatriot preferences can be seen to be flawed, the latter may be justified through a public goods argument. Security and other public goods are not only necessary for acceptable lives but are provided through the cooperative activity of compatriots, coordinated and enforced by the state. Because the necessary public goods require general cooperation throughout society, all individuals who are required to comply should have rights to participate in decisions about the form in which they are provided. Because these political rights must be substantive rather than merely formal, they justify requirements of distributive justice and so compatriot preferences.
THE USE OF A DEEP TANK IN PLANKTON ECOLOGY. I. STUDIES OF THE GROWTH AND COMPOSITION OF PHYTOPLANKTON CROPS AT LOW NUTRIENT LEVELS1

A deep tank (3-m diam, 10 m deep), in which phytoplankton crops can be grown under simulated natural conditions of nutrient concentration and cell density, is described. Three growth experiments have been performed in the tank with DityZum brightwe& (8 centric diatom), Cachoninu niei ( an armored dinoflngellatc), and with a mixed crop of the dinoflagellate Cony&ax polyedra and Phaeocystis sp. (a colonial member of the Haptophyceae). Each experiment lasted about two weeks. In each case ammonia was assimilated first, then nitrate as the plants grew. Successful nitrogen budgets were achieved in the experiments with D. brightwellii and C. niei. The chemical composition of the tank-grown cultures of D. brightwellii, C. niei, and G. polyedra is reported for cell carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, lipid, carbohydrate, DNA, ATP, chlorophyll a, and carotenoids. The composition of these cultures was very similar to that obtained in laboratory cultures grown with relatively high nutrient levels.
A Mutation in the LPAT1 Gene Suppresses the Sensitivity of fab1 Plants to Low Temperature

The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) fatty acid biosynthesis1 (fab1) mutant grows as well as wild type at 22°C, but after transfer to 2°C fab1 plants cannot maintain photosynthetic function and die after 5 to 7 weeks at 2°C. A fab1 suppressor line, S7, was isolated in a screen that identified mutants that remained alive after 16 weeks at 2°C and were able to flower and produce seed after return to 22°C. Relative to wild type, S7 plants had reduced levels of 16:3 fatty acid in leaf galactolipids, indicating reduced synthesis of chloroplast glycerolipids by the prokaryotic pathway of lipid metabolism. The suppressor mutation was identified, by map-based and candidate-gene approaches, as a hypomorphic allele of lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase1 (lpat1), lpat1-3. LPAT1 encodes the enzyme that catalyzes the second reaction in the prokaryotic pathway. Several lines of evidence indicate that damage and death of fab1 plants at 2°C may be a result of the increased proportion of phosphatidylglycerol (PG) in fab1 that are high-melting-point molecular species (containing only 16:0, 18:0, and 16:1,Δ3-trans fatty acids). Consistent with this proposal, the lpat1-3 mutation strongly affects the fatty acid composition of PG. The proportion of high-melting-point molecular species in PG is reduced from 48.2% in fab1 to 10.7% in fab1 lpat1-3 (S7), a value close to the 7.6% found in wild type.
A Multisite Evaluation of Prison-Based Drug Treatment Four-Year Follow-up Results

This study examined three postrelease outcomes (reincarceration, rearrest, drug relapse) for inmates who participated in therapeutic community (TC) drug treatment programs (n = 555) or comparison g...