cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relative Timing on Magnetospheric Substorm Onset Signatures

A unified time reference frame, T = 0, is critical in determining the correct morphology of magnetospheric dynamics associated with substorm observations, and the relative timing of onset between different substorm signatures at various locations in space is essential to the understanding of the physical mechanisms of substorm onset. In this paper we will emphasize the importance of this issue by demonstrating inconsistency among several widely used onset signatures as a substorm onset indicator. Proxies for substorm onsets used for this study include auroral breakups, sharp decreases in negative bays at high latitudes, low-latitude Pi 2 pulsations, dispersionless injections at geostationary orbits, and auroral kilometric radiation. We use the auroral breakup as the common reference frame to calibrate other substorm onset indicators. The auroral breakup is identified with ultraviolet images acquired by the ultraviolet imager aboard the Polar spacecraft. Our results, based on a typical substorm event, indicate that a sharp decrease in negative bays is associated with the overhead crossing of the auroral surge. In addition, the onset-associated Pi 2 pulsations lag behind auroral breakups by 1 min. The dispersionless plasma injection seen at the geostationary orbit, within 2 MLT from the auroral breakups, is also found to be delayed by 3 min. The auroral kilometric radiation can time the onset of an isolated auroral substorm best among others when the observational location is favorable. On the basis of the results of this study, we recommend that the auroral breakup can be best suited for the T = 0 reference time frame for magnetospheric substorm.
Chapter 3 Models of marital status and childbearing

Publisher Summary The chapter presents an investigation on those microeconomic models of marital status and childbearing that contains implications for female labor supply. The chapter focuses its discussion primarily on the developed countries, principally the United States, but refers to developing country issues where these are applicable. The role of economic variables as determinants of demographic behavior is often far more vivid and persuasive in developing nations than it is in the United States or Western Europe. The chapter presents a review for the United States of trends in those demographic variables that are strongly associated with female labor supply: age at first marriage, marital dissolution, age at first birth, the number of children born over the life cycle, and the age pattern of fertility. Demographers have uncovered pronounced empirical regularities in these variables, at least in aggregate data; in some instances the patterns are regular enough to be summarized in parsimonious model schedules. These schedules are reviewed in the chapter. The chapter discusses that economists have left such regularities largely unexploited; the prior information embedded in model schedules may yield efficiency gains in estimation, especially where aggregate data are concerned. The chapter concludes with a review of the recent efforts to establish regularities in micro data.
The Information Overload Controversy: An Alternative Viewpoint:

This paper reviews the information overload controversy and presents a methodology for investigating the effects of information load on consumer decision making performance. The proposed framework ...
RETINOIC ACID IN THE ANTEROPOSTERIOR PATTERNING OF THE ZEBRAFISH TRUNK

Retinoic acid has been linked to pattern formation in the vertebrate anteroposterior axis. This report describes the spatial and temporal distributions of both endogenous retinoic acid and retinoic acid synthase activity along the anteroposterior axis of neurulating zebrafish embryos, as detected by a transient transgenic assay and by a zymography bioassay. Both retinoic acid levels and synthase activity were found to be highest in anterior regions of the trunk at all of the stages which were analysed. The drug disulfiram inhibited retinoic acid synthase activity in the zebrafish trunk both in vitro and in vivo, and reduced retinoic acid levels in vivo. Disulfiram treatment of neurulating embryos resulted in larvae with hypertrophic wavy notochords, shortened spinal cords and deformed pectoral fins. The results support the hypothesis that retinoic acid plays a role in the coordination of axial patterning at the developing node/zone of involution, as well as in the subsequent development of anterior trunk structures such as the fins.
Dual modes of motility at the leading edge of migrating epithelial cell sheets

Purse-string healing is driven by contraction of actin/myosin cables that span cells at wound edges, and it is the predominant mode of closing small round wounds in embryonic and some adult epithelia. Wounds can also heal by cell crawling, and my colleagues and I have shown previously that the presence of unconstrained, straight edges in sheets of epithelial cells is a sufficient signal to induce healing by crawling. Here, it is reported that the presence of highly concave edges, which are free or physically constrained by an inert material (agarose), is sufficient to induce formation of purse strings. It was determined that neither of the two types of healing required cell damage or other potential stimuli by using the particularly gentle procedure of introducing gaps by digesting agarose blocks imbedded in the cell sheets. Movement by crawling depends on signaling by the EGF receptor (EGFR); however, this was not required for purse-string contraction. A migrating epithelial cell sheet usually produces finger-like projections of crawling cells. The cells between fingers contain continuous actin cables, which were also determined to contain myosin IIA and exhibit additional characteristics of purse strings. When crawling was blocked by inhibition of EGFR signaling, the concave regions continued to move, suggesting that both mechanisms contribute to propel the sheets forward. Wounding epithelial cell sheets causes activation of the EGFR, which triggers movement by crawling. The EGFR was found to be activated only at straight and convex edges, which explains how both types of movement can coexist at leading epithelial edges.
Comparison of MR enterography and histopathology in the evaluation of pediatric Crohn disease

While MR enterography (MRE) is commonly used to identify segments of bowel affected by Crohn disease in children, there is little data to support this practice. To assess the ability of MRE to identify segments of small bowel and colon affected by pediatric Crohn disease using histopathology as the reference standard. Pediatric MRE examinations performed between April 2009 and December 2010 were identified. Subjects were excluded if they did not have Crohn disease, if they had Crohn disease but no correlative histopathology within 2 months of imaging, or if they had undergone prior bowel resection. Pertinent MRE and histopathology reports were reviewed, and normal and abnormal bowel segments were documented. Thirty-two pediatric MRE examinations were identified with correlative histopathology. MRE had an overall sensitivity of 94% for detecting the presence of Crohn disease, in general. At the bowel segmental level, MRE had a sensitivity of 66%, specificity of 90%, positive predictive value of 85% and negative predictive value of 76%. The terminal ileum was abnormal by MRE in 11 of 15 (73%) subjects lacking a diagnostic biopsy of this bowel segment. MRE successfully identifies small bowel and colon segments affected by pediatric Crohn disease.
Chlamydia Screening of Adolescent Females: A Survey of Providers in Hawaii

Hawaii currently ranks first among states for chlamydia screening of young women based on recent Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measures and has consistently ranked in the top ten states in the US for annual reported chlamydia rates since 2002. A statewide provider survey was conducted in October 2007 and March 2008 to assess chlamydia screening practices and beliefs and identify potential barriers to screening. The overall reported screening rate for 15–19 year old females was 66.9% with significant differences by practice specialty (obstetrician/gynecologists were more likely to screen than family practitioners or pediatricians) and practice setting (higher rates of screening in non-private practice settings). Providers who were unaware of health plan reimbursement for screening and those who targeted screening only for clients perceived to be at “high risk” were significantly less likely to routinely provide screening. The Hawaii State Department of Health is currently working in consort with health care providers and the state’s dominant health insurance carriers to address these issues through targeted provider educational interventions.
Further investigation of CsI-coated microchannel plate quantum efficiencies

Previously, pulse-counting detection efficiencies measured for CsI-coated microchannel plate (MCP) detectors (two-stage chevron configuration with a single collecting anode) have been reported to be 15-20 percent near Lyman-alpha (1216 A), compared to typical 65 percent quantum yields of opaque CsI photocathodes. To investigate the possibility that an improvement in quantum yield could result from use of MCPs with a bias angle of about 25 deg instead of 8 deg as used previously, the previous measurements were reported with new MCPs having the larger bias angle. No significant improvement in detection efficiency was achieved; the new detector tests still yielded maximum efficiencies of the order of 20 percent near 1216 A.
The Ross Operation in Adolescents

Purpose: The pulmonary autograft aortic valve replacement (Ross AVR) is the AVR of choice for children below the teenage years. Recent literature has questioned the durability of the Ross AVR in ol...
Overcoming prejudices: An invitational approach

This article offers an invitational model for overcoming prejudices. The proposed model is based on Haberman's (1994) five-step approach to facing prejudices, which includes (1) analyzing prejudices; (2) seeking the sources of the beliefs; (3) examining the benefits of prejudice; (4) considering the effects of prejudices; and (5) planning to eliminate prejudices. Purkey's (1992) five-level conflict-management process adapted to prejudice serves as the five-part action plan in Haberman's fifth step. The combination of these two models yields an invitational approach with five parts: (1) perceiving concern, (2) conferring with oneself; (3) consulting with colleagues; (4) confronting the crisis; and (5) combating prejudices. Practical questions and examples are provided to clarify each step.
Microwave spectral line model development: A retrospective in honor of Dr. Hans J. Liebe

The quantum mechanical basis for microwave spectral line models of oxygen and water vapor absorption as used in radio astronomy, Earth and planetary remote sensing, and telecommunications can be traced to the work of J.H. Van Vleck in 1934, and extended by Van Vleck and V.F. Weisskopf (1945), G. Herzberg (1950), then more fully studied by C.H. Townes and A.L. Schawlow (1955), M.W.P Strandberg (1954), and others. The extensive impact of spectral line models in radiowave propagation is ubiquitous, and seen in the design of virtually all microwave radar, radiometer, navigation, and communication, systems, as well as in many devices such as lasers, masers, fiber amplifiers, and atomic clocks used for precision timekeeping. However, the early spectral line models required a more complete empirical characterization of the absorptive and refractive line parameters for water vapor and oxygen than available using approximate solutions to the problem of interacting fields and distributions of gas molecules.
Transitional electrical units

The paper is concerned with the six metric systems of electrical units in common use. The equations of each system differ by constants involving 4 π and (approximately) 3 × 1010. Although this is well understood and accepted, difficulties sometimes arise when a comparison is made between the units or quantities of different systems. The paper endeavours to show that these difficulties are largely semantic, and that they can be overcome with ‘transitional electrical units’ by converting a given unit into its transitional counterpart, and thence into the unit of the desired system.
Olfactory thresholds of pigeons (Columba livia), quail (Colinus virginianus) and chickens (Gallus gallus)

1. 1. Olfactory thresholds for pentane, hexane and heptane were determined in intact pigeons, quail and chickens using operant conditioning techniques. 2. 2. For all three avian species the lowest threshold was for heptane and the highest for pentane. 3. 3. The chicken was the most sensitive (P< 0·001) of the three avian species to pentane and hexane, and the pigeon was most sensitive (P< 0·001) to heptane.
Non-Heartbeating Organ Donation: A Review

Organ transplantation is one of the groundbreaking achievements in medicine in the 20th century. In the early days of transplantation, organs were obtained from non-heartbeating (NHB) cadavers. With time, better options for organ sources became available (for example, living-related and “brain dead” donors), and the practice of obtaining organs from NHB cadavers fell out of favor. Improvements in the field of transplantation have led to an increased demand for organs. Various strategies have been employed recently to increase the supply, one of them being non-heartbeating organ donation (NHBOD). NHBOD can take place in controlled or uncontrolled circum-stances. Recently, national organizations have supported and proposed guidelines for NHBOD and to aid clinicians in identifying potential donors. Outcomes of organs obtained from NHB cadavers are comparable to those obtained from heartbeating donors. The practice of NHBOD is increasing and has proven that it can contribute to increasing organ availability.
Mixed Glycol Acetal Dimethylcarbamates via Transacetalation of Certain Di- and Trihydric Alcohols

Mixed acetals of a new type were synthesized by an acetal exchange reaction between the mono dimethylcarbamate of ethylene, propylene, and trimethylene glycols and the diethyl acetals of butyraldehyde, heptaldehyde, and benzaldehyde. The glycerol carbonate (followed by dimethylaminolysis) also underwent transacetalation and dimethylcarbamate esters of the dioxolane-type were synthesized.
Construction and characterization of ack knock-out mutants of Propionibacterium acidipropionici for enhanced propionic acid fermentation

Propionibacterium acidipropionici produces propionic acid from glucose with acetic acid, succinic acid, and CO2 as byproducts. In this work, inactivation of ack gene, encoding acetate kinase (AK), by gene disruption and integrational mutagenesis was studied as a method to reduce acetate formation in propionic acid fermentation. The partial ack gene of approximately 750 bp in P. acidipropionici was cloned using a PCR-based method with degenerate primers and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence had 88% similarity and 76% identity with the amino acid sequence of AK from Bacillus subtilis. The partial ack gene was used to construct a linear DNA fragment with an inserted tetracycline resistance cassette and a nonreplicative integrational plasmid containing a tetracycline resistance gene cassette. These DNA constructs were then introduced into P. acidipropionici by electroporation, resulting in two mutants, ACK-Tet and TAT-ACK-Tet, respectively. Southern hybridization confirmed that the ack gene in the mutant ACK-Tet was disrupted by the inserted tetracycline resistance gene. As compared to the wild-type, the activities of AK were reduced by 26% and 43% in ACK-Tet and TAT-ACK-Tet mutants, respectively. The specific growth rate of these mutants was reduced by approximately 25% to 0.10/h (0.13/h for the wild-type), probably because of reduced acetate and ATP production. Both mutants produced approximately 14% less acetate from glucose. Although ack disruption alone did not completely eliminate acetate production, the propionate yield was increased by approximately 13%.
Antiproliferative activity is present in bladder but not renal pelvic urine from interstitial cystitis patients.

ABSTRACTPurpose: To determine whether an antiproliferative urine factor that we previously discovered to be specific for urine from interstitial cystitis (IC) patients originated in the lower urinary tract or a more proximal site.Materials and Methods: Sequential catheterized urine specimens were collected under sterile conditions from the bladder and renal pelvis of 20 IC patients and one control patient (with stress incontinence). Antiproliferative activity was determined by 3H-thymidine incorporation of primary normal adult bladder epithelial cells cultured with pH- and osmolality-corrected bladder or ureteral urine specimens; significant inhibition was defined as a change in 3H-thymidine incorporation greater than 2 standard deviations from the mean of control cells.Results: Bladder urine specimens from 19 of 20 IC patients significantly inhibited 3H-thymidine incorporation as compared to cell medium alone (mean change for bladder specimens = −68.7 ± 7.5%), while a renal pelvic specimen from only 1 of...
Upper and lower bounds for matrix elements

Abstract Assuming known eigenenergies and using quantum mechanical sum rules, an iterative scheme is described for the calculation of matrix elements of the position coordinate for a one-dimensional oscillator. It is shown that successive approximations are alternately upper and lower bounds to the converged values. Numerical results for the quartic oscillator are presented which illustrate the accuracy, boundedness, and rapid convergence of the method.
Effects of smokeless tobacco on the buccal mucosa of HMT rats

Fifteen male and 15 female HMT rats, 6 months of age, received weekly applications of smokeless tobacco to the buccal mucosa for one year. Hyperorthokeratosis, acanthosis, numerous binucleate spinous cells, and subepithelial connective tissue hyalinization were observed, whereas verrucous carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were not seen. Karyotyping revealed that lymphocytes of tobacco-treated as well as control rats had normal chromosome number (2N = 42) and morphology. However, approximately 25% of buccal epithelial cells of the tobacco-treated rats were tetraploid and 5% octaploid, compared to only 11% tetraploid and no octaploid in the controls. Results indicate that the effects of smokeless tobacco on the rat buccal mucosa are similar to those observed in humans and that the mitotic process can be disturbed by tobacco treatment.
Systematic Lesson Design for Adult Learners.

It has often been the mistake of educators to treat instruction for adults like instruction for children. In recognizing adults as the unique learners they are, characteristics of adult learners are integrated with the lesson design level of the Gagne-Briggs model of instructional design to produce a design model which accommodates adult learning. The implications of learner characteristics such as experience, motivation, physiological barriers, psychological barriers, and memory are indicated for the components of the model, including objectives, instructional events, conditions of learning, media, and assessing learner performance. It is concluded that the Gagne-Briggs design model can be extended to a more holistic view of learning by attending to specific characteristics of adult learners.
Seasonality and Daily Weather Conditions in Relation to Myocardial Infarction and Sudden Cardiac Death in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1979 to 2002

Objectives We assessed the relationship of season and weather types with myocardial infarction (MI) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in a geographically defined population, and tested the hypothesis that the increased risk in winter was related to weather. Background Winter peaks in coronary heart disease (CHD) have been documented. Yet, it is uncertain if seasonality exists for both incident events and deaths, and the role of weather conditions is not clear. Methods The daily occurrence of incident MI and SCD in Olmsted County was examined with data from the National Weather Service. Poisson regression models were used to assess the relative risks (RRs) associated with season and climatic variables. Subsequent analysis stratified SCD into those with and without antecedent CHD (unexpected SCD). Results Between 1979 and 2002, 2,676 MI and 2,066 SCD occurred. The age-, gender-, and year-adjusted RR of SCD, but not of MI, was increased in winter versus summer (1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03 to 1.32) and in low temperatures (1.20, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.35, for temperatures below 0°C vs. 18°C to 30°C). These associations were stronger for unexpected SCD than for SCD with prior CHD (p Conclusions These data suggest that the winter peak in SCD can be accounted for by daily weather.
Observations on the effects of incubation at inhibitory temperature on subsequent hatching of anostracan cysts

Hatching progressively decreased for cysts of Branchinecta lindahli Packard when they were incubated for 6 and 12 hours at a temperature known to inhibit hatching (30 °C) prior to transfer to a favorable hatching temperature of 15 °C. Cysts of Thamnocephalus platyurus Packard, by contrast, hatched normally at 28 °C after transfer from 48, 72, and 96 hour incubation periods at the inhibitory low temperature of 10 °C.
Pharmacokinetics of intratracheally administered aflatoxin B1.

Abstract High concentrations of the carcinogen aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) are commonly found in respirable, airborne grain dusts, and inhaled AFB 1 has been shown to be a risk factor for occupational pulmonary carcinogenesis. The fate of AFB 1 exposure via the respiratory tract is therefore of interest in an evaluation of potential occupational risk. The pharmacokinetic disposition of intratracheally administered AFB 1 was studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Blood and tissues were sampled at selected intervals for 3 weeks following administration of a single dose of grain dust-adsorbed or microcrystalline [ 3 H]AFB 1 (6 μCi; 300 μg/kg). The blood concentration-time profiles from both groups best approximated a two-compartment open model with first-order absorption. The first-order absorption rate constant was significantly less in the animals given dust-adsorbed AFB 1 than in those receiving microcrystalline AFB 1 (0.0083 vs 0.1060 min −1 , respectively), although the first-order elimination rate constants for both groups were nearly identical (0.00928 and 0.00921 hr −1 , respectively). Blood concentrations of the AFB 1 metabolites AFM 1 , AFQ 1 , AFL, and AFP 1 showed little differences among the two groups. The tissue concentrations of aflatoxins for the microcrystalline group were significantly greater at 3 hr in all tissues examined except for the trachea and lung in which those for the dust-adsorbed group were greater. At 3 days and 3 weeks, no significant differences between exposure groups were seen in any tissue except fat, where the amount of aflatoxins was greater for the dust-adsorbed group. AFB 1 binding to DNA was significantly greater in the trachea and lung of the dust-adsorbed group compared to that in the microcrystalline group at 3 hr, whereas in the liver the AFB 1 -DNA binding in the microcrystalline group was significantly greater during this time. Thus, particle association of AFB 1 increased the respiratory tract retention of this compound at early time intervals, which might be a factor in the reputed carcinogenic action of this compound in the respiratory tract. These findings may be useful as part of a comprehensive study to evaluate the disposition of AFB 1 in individuals exposed to grain dusts laden with this carcinogen.
Possible role of the glucuronide conjugate in the biochemical mechanism op binding of the carcinogen N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene to rat-liver deoxyribonucleic acid in vivo

Abstract Rat-liver rRNA and DNA were isolated 16 h after intraperitoneal injection of [9- 14 C] N -hydroxy-2-[2'- 3 H]acetylammofluorene. The N -acetyl group was retained on most of the fluorene moieties bound to the rRNA (75% bound wilh the acetyl group on them; 25% without the acetyl group), whereas, a larger fraction of the N -acetyl groups was lost on the fluorene moieties bound to the DNA (35% bound with acetyl group; 65% without acetyl). The products of the reaction of [9- 14 C]sodium ( N -[2'- 3 H]acetyl- N -2-fluorenylhydroxylamine β- d -glucosid)uronate with yeast tRNA and calf-thymus DNA in vitro at pH 7.4 at 37° contained only a minor fraction (20–35%) of bound fluorene moieties with the N -acetyl group. The loss of the N -acetyl group during the course of this reaction was pH-dependent. The data presented are consistent with the hypothesis that the glucuionide of N -hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene accounts for most of the binding of the carcinogen N -hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene to rat-liver DNA in vivo .
Effects of acarbose on the development of diabetes in BB/Wor rats.

Abstract This study was designed to determine whether the addition of acarbose (a dissacharidase inhibitor) to the diet can prevent or delay the development of diabetes in the BB Wor rat. Acarbose reduces postprandial glucose and insulin levels in normal and diabetic rats by delaying the absorption of carbohydrates. Data by others suggested that reduced activity of β cells renders them less prone to immunological attack. It was speculated that feeding acarbose to diabetes susceptible BB Wor rats may similarly reduce islet immunogenicity by reducing the burden on the β cells, and decrease the incidence of disease. Acarbose was added to regular chow and chow containing 15% sucrose. The rationale for using chow containing sucrose was to increase the effectiveness of acarbose, since sucrose is one of the primary carbohydrates whose digestion is blocked by acarbose. Diabetes-prone BB Wor rats were fed either regular chow (A;N = 30), regular chow plus acarbose at 40 mg 100 g chow (B;N = 30), 15% sucrose-containing chow (C;N = 30), or 15% sucrose-containing chow plus acarbose (D;N = 30). Oral chow tolerance tests, performed using 500 mg of chow, confirmed a reduction in plasma glucose and insulin values in acarbose-fed animals. The mean incidence of diabetes in groups A through D was 87%, 73%, 87%, and 93%, respectively (not significant). The mean (±SEM) ages (days) of onset of diabetes in animals fed diets A through D were 88 ± 2.1, 90 ± 3.2, 86 ± 1.9, and 91 ± 2.6, respectively. Though these values were insignificantly different from each other, there was a slight, but statistically insignificant, delay in onset of diabetes in animals developing disease after approximately 80 days of age in the group fed regular chow plus acarbose (B), compared to control (A). Food intake in all four groups was comparable, when controlling for sex. There was no significant effect of acarbose on body weights in female rats fed either the regular or high-sucrose chows, but there was a significant (P BB Wor rat, but it appeared to moderate the hyperglycemia that developed in diabetic animals.
Effects of 17-β-estradiol on developing superior cervical ganglion neurons and synapses

Abstract Previous studies have shown that neonatal treatment of male or female rats with testosterone propionate dramatically increases the number of neurons and synapses in the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion. We now report that administration of another gonadal steroid, 17-β-estradiol, over the first 2 postnatal weeks nearly doubles the number of postganglionic neurons and synapses in the male superior cervical ganglion.
Wayne Martin on judgment

Wayne Martin’s Theories of Judgment marks a significant advance in the philosophical analysis of judgment. He understands that the domain of judgment is so large that it allows only a selective treatment. We can expand Martin’s insight by acknowledging that this domain is, in fact, hypercomplex and therefore unsurveyable in Wittgenstein’s sense. Martin’s treatment of judgments can, however, be extended in a number of directions. Of particular importance is it to understand the linguistic aspect of theoretical judgments, the challenges to the synthetic conception of judgment constituted not only by existential, but also by impersonal and negative judgments, and the exploration of the links between the notions of judgment and truth.
Organizational Citizenship Behavior: It's Construct Clean-Up Time

Accumulated empirical evidence, some telling criticisms, and even the most cursory glance at the business press compel us to rethink the defining character of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). It no longer seems fruitful to regard OCB as extra-role, beyond the job, or unrewarded by the formal system. A more tenable position is one that defines OCB much along the lines of what Borman and Motowidlo (1993) called contextual performance. Some preliminary suggestions are offered for the repositioning and articulation of the OCB construct as redefined; due attention is given to the problems that nonetheless remain, and will occupy us for some time to come as we reckon with root changes in the very character of organizations.
Heat diffusion and chemical kinetics in Mark-III FEL tissue ablation

We present in some detail a theoretical model that provides a dynamical account for the experimentally observed ablative properties of an FEL tuned near 6.45 microns. The model is based on thermal diffusion and chemical kinetics in a system of alternating layers of protein and saline as heated by an infrared Mark-III FEL. We compare exposure at 3.0 microns, where water is the sole absorber, to that at 6.45 microns, where both protein and water absorb. The picosecond pulses of the Mark-III superpulse are treated as a train of impulses. We consider the onset of both the helix-coil transition and chemical bond breaking in terms of the thermal, chemical, and mechanical properties of the system as well as laser wavelength and pulse structure.
Glitch Resistant Private Circuits Design Using HORNS

Cryptographic algorithms and their specific instantiation in computing engines leak information both through information channels and physical channels (side-channels). CMOS circuits implementing these cryptographic algorithms engines leak information through its physical attributes. The overlooked vulnerabilities in communication, cryptographic, or other system protocols and software, leak computation internal state inadvertently. These are the explicitly designed computational channels which are Turing channels. An unintended, lower barrier leakage occurs, however, through the side channels or physical channels. An actual implementation of an abstract algorithm goes through a model refinement to include the physical properties of the underlying computing machinery. Since there are no constraints placed on many of the physical attributes not visible in the algorithm specification in an abstract model, any refinement is acceptable. This is where the problem occurs. Some of these implementations reveal significant details about the private control and data flow of the underlying computation. In general there are two approaches to solve this problem. First approach is to design cryptographic algorithms which can tolerate some information leakage. Second approach is to remove the correlation between the leaked information and the secret. We propose a novel circuit design technique which uses the second approach.
Laser surface texturing for adaptive solid lubrication

Solid lubricant systems were developed to provide friction and wear reduction in variable environmental conditions. The mechanisms employed to achieve cross-environment capability include “on demand” solid lubricant supply from reservoirs in hard wear protective coatings. This research explores recent advances in a precision laser machining to generate arrays of micrometer sized dimple reservoirs with controlled size, location, and density. These micro-reservoirs were machined by a focused UV laser beam on the surface of hard TiCN coatings produced by a cathodic vacuum arc deposition. Different dimple diameters and spacing were used to achieve area coverage with micro-reservoirs between 0.5% and 50% of the entire tribological contact surface. Solid lubricants based on MoS2 and graphite were then applied by burnishing and sputtering to such laser textured surfaces. Sliding friction tests were performed against steel balls in humid air and dry nitrogen environments. The results indicate that there is an optimum dimple surface coverage of about 10%. The life of the solid lubricants on dimpled surfaces was an order of magnitude longer than on the unmodified TiCN coating surface. The laser-processed micro-reservoirs also helped to renew lubricant supply for tests with multiple cycling between humid air and dry nitrogen. Tribological surface adaptation to the test environment was investigated by micro-Raman, which demonstrated a repeated change from hexagonal MoS2 to graphite carbon in the wear track with each dry/humid environment cycle. Solid lubricant composition inside the micro-reservoirs did not change.
Glacial morphology and sediment formation in the Mertz Trough, East Antarctica

Abstract The Nathaniel B. Palmer 01-01 cruise produced a SeaBeam map showing unprecedented detail of the bathymetry in the Mertz Trough of East Antarctica. In addition, seismic reflection surveys and sediment core collection were completed in the region. The morphology of the Mertz Trough is combined with core data to interpret the sequence of events that occurred in this area since the Last Glacial Maximum. These complementary data indicate that an ice sheet once covered the Mertz Trough, which deposited diamicton and formed mega-scale glacial lineations during glacial maximal conditions and grounding-line wedges during recession. An erosional feature caused by subglacial meltwater breaching at least one of the grounding-line deposits is also recognized, along with a fan of sediment deposited seaward of the breach. Sediment cores from the Mertz Trough consist of two distinct units, the diamicton deposited subglacially and a diatom mud and ooze, deposited after the ice retreated. The latter unit has been preferentially deposited in deeper areas of the trough as a hemipelagic drape and shows that a change in the nature of the diatom unit occurred about 3300 14C yr BP.
Insensitivity to children: Responses of undergraduates to children in problem situations.

A study focused on insensitivity of adults to children was presented and discussed. The responses of 100 male and 100 female college undergraduates to hypothetical parent-child problem situations indicated a general lack of communication concerning the child's and their own feelings. However, when the problems involved adult needs being aroused and thwarted, theSs′ responses were both more insensitive and destructive than when the confrontation centered around only the child's aroused needs. In the latter case theSs did focus their communications more on the child's feelings and how he or she could express them. The results have implications for understanding effective adult behavior and reciprocal adult-child influences on the development of child-behavior dysfunctions.
Initiation and properties of decomposition waves in liquid ethylene oxide

Abstract Decomposition waves in liquid ethylene oxide were investigated both theoretically and experimentally with emphasis on near critical conditions, where the liquid surface within the wave approaches its thermodynamic critical point. Wave velocities, temperature distributions and sample conditions required for ignition were measured for pressures of 2.4–24 MPa. Predictions were made of flame properties, liquid surface conditions, and critical combustion conditions. Laminar waves were observed for pressures of 6–16 MPa, turbulent waves were observed at higher pressures. In the laminar regime, wave velocity was a linear function of pressure, indicating a global second-order reaction. Heated or fused wires were used as ignitors since ignition energies were in excess of 8 J . Film boiling occurred along the wires, prior to ignition, for subcritical conditions. Both predictions and measurements indicated that critical combustion occurs at pressures of 12–16 MPa, which also corresponds to the pressure range where sample temperatures required to initiate decomposition abruptly decrease. Reduced convective heat loss from the ignitor, in the near critical region, is suggested as the mechanism for this behavior.
An Experimental Study of Heat Transfer Enhancement in Microchannels

Heat transfer downstream a single micro pillar, with and without a jet in a microchannel was experimentally studied. By comparing the thermal performances of a plain microchannel, a microchannel with a pillar, and a microchannel with a jet issued from a pillar, the effect of this scheme was evaluated. An enhancement of Nusselt number of up to 100% was observed.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Aspirin desensitization in aspirin-sensitive asthmatic patients: clinical manifestations and characterization of the refractory period

Abstract Thirty aspirin-sensitive asthmatic patients underwent incremental, oral aspirin challenge until a "positive reaction" (ΔFEV 1 ≥ 25%) occurred. After this reaction, aspirin was readministered in an attempt to achieve "desensitization." This was defined as the ability of the patient to ingest 650 mg of aspirin without experiencing upper or lower respiratory-tract symptoms or a decrease in lung function. To determine the "refractory period" following aspirin desensitization, patients were rechallenged after various intervals (days) without aspirin until a positive reaction recurred. All 30 aspirin-sensitive asthmatic patients were successfully desensitized to aspirin. Individual patient refractory periods ranged from less than 2 days to greater than 5 days, with most patients gradually returning to sensitivity between 2 to 4 days. Cross-desensitization with indomethacin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was also demonstrated. These studies show that aspirin desensitization can be safely achieved in aspirin-sensitive asthmatic patients; however, this desensitization will gradually disappear over several days when additional aspirin is withheld.
Feasibility of activated sludge treatment of potato processing wastewaters

Abstract Laboratory studies were undertaken to determine the feasibility of using the activated sludge process in treating liquid effluents generated from a potato processing plant in the Red River Valley in North Dakota, USA. The wastewaters contained average COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) and alkalinity concentrations of 1870 and 390 mg litre −1 . Factors affecting the activated sludge treatment unit performance were evaluated in this study. These included the hydraulic detention time in the aeration tank, the sludge age, and the dosage of powdered activated carbon added to the aeration tank. The hydraulic detection time was varied from 0·35 to 1·42 days, and the sludge age ranged from 1·96 to 4·86 days. Activated carbon dosages of 4000 mg litre −1 were maintained in three reactors, while three other reactors were without carbon addition. Nutrient additions of nitrogen and phosphate were employed to achieve effective biological waste treatment. Biological treatment removed from 87 to 98% of ammonia-nitrogen to give final effluent concentrations between 1·1 and 5·6 mg litre −1 . Reactors without carbon addition removed 92 to 94% of COD with an effluent COD of 114 to 147 mg litre −1 . With the addition of carbon the COD removal efficiencies increased to 94 to 96% with an effluent COD concentration of 67 to 108 mg litre −1 . Based on this study, the activated sludge process can be used effectively in treating potato processing wastewaters to achieve an effluent COD of less than 100 mg litre −1 . The design parameters include a hydraulic detention time of 1·43 days, a sludge age of 5 days, and a powdered activated carbon dosage of 4000 mg litre −1 .
On suitability of feature extraction techniques for local damage detection

Damage in the form of cracks near rivet holes in a steel channel section can be characterized by inspecting ultrasonic signals containing valuable information about these anomalies. Time-frequency representation (TFR) of time-history signal is an effective way to extract damage features out of an ultrasonic signal scattered from cracks. Several techniques are available to obtain Time-frequency representation and out of which feature extraction can be performed. However, every technique has its own advantages and disadvantage which makes it cumbersome to ascertain which specific technique is suitable to which specific problem. In present study, six TFR techniques e.g. Short Time Fourier Transform, Continuous Wavelet Transform, Wigner-Ville Spectrum, Hilbert-Huang Transform, Williams-Choi Transform and Stransform have been used to extract feature out of time-history signal obtained from finite element based wave scattering simulation of a plate with and without cracks near the rivet holes. Extracted damage features have been used to quantify the damage as a unique value by defining damage index formulation. Further, a comparison study has been carried out to assess these six techniques for their ability to give effective, reliable and consistent information about the cracks. Matlab codes have been developed to perform feature extraction and damage index calculation.
Obesity in kidney transplant recipients and candidates.

The prevalence of obesity in dialysis patients is increasing, and as a result, more obese dialysis patients are being evaluated for kidney transplant. Despite several limitations associated with the use of body mass index (BMI), BMI is commonly used to define obesity, with many transplant centers using BMI of 30-35 kg/m 2 as a limit for transplant eligibility. This limit evolved from the belief that obese patients have more complications and shorter transplant and patient survival than ideal-weight patients. Data for obesity and posttransplant complications are conflicting, with the exception of increased risk of postoperative wound complications, and there are no large trials showing a benefit of weight loss before transplant on subsequent patient or transplant survival. In our opinion, patient death and transplant failure rates in patients with BMI of 30-35 kg/m 2 are low enough that these individuals should not be excluded from transplant. Weight gain posttransplant is relatively common, and although sustained weight loss through conservative intervention is difficult to achieve, prevention of weight gain is a more feasible goal that should be addressed routinely. Although obesity is a complex and often multifactorial clinical condition that includes nonmodifiable factors, obese individuals often are viewed as being solely responsible for their obesity. Accordingly, in addition to encouragement of lifestyle modification, available pharmacologic and surgical options should be reviewed in appropriate patients. After pharmacologic and/or surgical interventions, close monitoring of immunosuppressive medications is necessary because of variability in drug absorption.
Modeling Interface-Dominated Mechanical Behavior of Nanolayered Crystalline Composites

Interface-dominated nanolayered crystalline composites exhibit extraordinary strength and hardness, far beyond those of their constituent materials. Modeling the deformation of such materials would aid in understanding and designing them for future applications. This task is a multiscale effort. Up to now, most modeling efforts lie at either the atomic scale or the mesoscale. Models that link the two scales are missing. In this work, we develop some tools that aim to help in making this important connection.
Stat3-mediated activation of microRNA-23a suppresses gluconeogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma by down-regulating glucose-6-phosphatase and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, coactivator 1 alpha.

Considerable effort has been made in elucidating the mechanism and functional significance of high levels of aerobic glycolysis in cancer cells, commonly referred to as the Warburg effect. Here we investigated whether the gluconeogenic pathway is significantly modulated in hepatocarcinogenesis, resulting in altered levels of glucose homeostasis. To test this possibility, we used a mouse model (mice fed a choline-deficient diet) that develops nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), preneoplastic nodules, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), along with human primary HCCs and HCC cells. This study demonstrated marked reduction in the expressions of G6pc, Pepck, and Fbp1 encoding the key gluconeogenic enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, fructose-1,6-phosphatase, respectively, and the transcription factor Pgc-1α in HCCs developed in the mouse model that correlated with reduction in serum glucose in tumor-bearing mice. The messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of these genes were also reduced by ≈80% in the majority of primary human HCCs compared with matching peritumoral livers. The expression of microRNA (miR)-23a, a candidate miR targeting PGC-1α and G6PC, was up-regulated in the mouse liver tumors as well as in primary human HCC. We confirmed PGC-1α and G6PC as direct targets of miR-23a and their expressions negatively correlated with miR-23a expression in human HCCs. G6PC expression also correlated with tumor grade in human primary HCCs. Finally, this study showed that the activation of interleukin (IL)-6-Stat3 signaling caused the up-regulation of miR-23a expression in HCC. Conclusion: Based on these data, we conclude that gluconeogenesis is severely compromised in HCC by IL6-Stat3-mediated activation of miR-23a, which directly targets PGC-1α and G6PC, leading to decreased glucose production. (HEPATOLOGY 2012;56:186–197)
Summarizing Complexity in High Dimensions

High-dimensional, multispectral data on complex physical systems are increasingly common. As the amount of information in data sets increases, the difficulty of effectively utilizing it also increases. For such data, summary information is required for understanding and modeling the underlying dynamics. It is here proposed to use an extension of computational mechanics [C. R. Shalizi and J. P. Crutchfield, J. Stat. Phys. 104, 817 (2001)] to arbitrary spatiotemporal and spectral dimension, for providing such summary information. An example of the use of these tools to identify state evolution in the brain, an archetypal, complex biophysical system, serves as an illustration.
Opinions on computer science courses for precollege level teachers

There is growing awareness that calculators could/should play an integral role in elementary school and secondary school education. But most current precollege level teachers have received little training about calculators and computers. Most teacher training institutions have given relatively little thought to these issues. This paper lists several possible courses that might be offered to elementary school or secondary school teachers. A questionnaire about these courses was mailed to 363 people interested in the field of computers in education. This paper analyzes and discusses the results of the 188 questionnaires that were returned.
Public Outreach: A Scientific Imperative

Animal activism, intelligent design, stem cell research—hot-button issues at the interface of science and society that remain as open debates. The conflicts generated by each of these divisive issues, and many others, may be characterized by the cerebral dependence on data and logic of science on