cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cyber System Recovery for IEC 61850 Substations

When a power system undergoes coordinated cyberattacks, the cascading events could result in a blackout. It is a complex process to restore the system after a cyberattack since both cyber and physical systems need to be restored. Traditionally power system restoration is focused on recovery of the physical power system. To extend the restoration methodology to a power grid as a cyber-physical system, this paper is concerned with the restoration of the cyber system based on detection and isolation of the attacked device and recovery of the functions through collaboration among multiple devices. To this end, at the first stage, the substation automation system (SAS) recovers independently of any untrusted remote control. This paper proposes a new strategy for cyber recovery at an IEC 61850 based SAS following a cyberattack. The compromised components are isolated at the substation Local Area Network (LAN) by dynamic network reconfiguration, which is implemented with the centralized controller of Software Defined Network (SDN). Furthermore, the proposed collaborative Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) are deployed to recover the main functions of the compromised device. A cyber-power system testbed with the SDN controller and commercial grade IEC 61850 code has been developed for implementation and validation of the proposed strategy.
Medical Neutrality and Solidarity in the Syrian Armed Conflict

Noninterference with health workers treating the sick and wounded during civil unrest and armed conflict is an ethical principle that has been legally recognized across the globe for 150 years, under the term “medical neutrality.” However, in the Syrian conflict, now in its third year, the deliberate targeting of health workers, including students, and hospitals as a warfare tactic has become widespread. Consequently, work performed under dangerous circumstances by the international medical community’s peers and colleagues deserves recognition, through declarations and demonstrations of international solidarity, in order to bolster the legitimacy of medical neutrality in diplomatic affairs. This article discusses the issue of medical neutrality as applied to the Syrian conflict and, furthermore, underscores the relevance of condemnation as a tactic for influencing policy.
The Effects of Methylphenidate on Creativity in Individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (4953)

Objective: This study examined the effects of Methylphenidate on verbal creativity, verbal fluency, and problem-solving in individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Background: Methylphenidate (MPH), a medication used for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), increases the chemicals in the brain that play essential roles in attention - dopamine and norepinephrine. (National Institute of Mental Health) The role of adrenergic drugs has implications on cognitive flexibility and functioning. However, there are anecdotal reports that patients with ADHD feel their creativity is stifled by medications, and the literature is mixed when this is addressed in the research setting. Design/Methods: 17 adults diagnosed with ADHD volunteered to participate in a within-subject design. Each participant was instructed to complete a series of verbal creativity tests in a counter balanced fashion, once after their normal MPH dose, and once while after withholding their medication. These tasks included anagrams, compound remote associates, letter and semantic fluency and the Verbal Torrance Test for Creative Thinking (VTTCT). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare on and off drug performance between drug conditions for each of the tasks. Results: There was a significant increase in the MPH session for the number of words generated on the semantic fluency task, t(16)=3.27, (p Conclusions: It appears that MPH does not impair creativity in ADHD patients, and overall, increases semantic fluency. Further exploration is needed with an expanded sample size to confirm the opposing effects of MPH on fluency and problem solving. Disclosure: Dr. Sam has nothing to disclose. Dr. Beversdorf has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Best Doctors, YAMO pharmaceuticals, Quadrant Biosciences, Stalicla,. Dr. Beversdorf has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dr. Ferguson has nothing to disclose.
Growth Arrest Specific-6 and Axl Coordinate Inflammation and Hypertension.

Rationale: There is an intimate relationship between the endothelium and monocytes, and activated endothelial cells promote monocyte transformation to macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs). Recentl...
Impact of a brief intervention on self-regulation, self-efficacy and physical activity in older adults with type 2 diabetes

Despite evidence of the benefits of physical activity, most individuals with type 2 diabetes do not meet physical activity recommendations. The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of a brief intervention targeting self-efficacy and self-regulation to increase physical activity in older adults with type 2 diabetes. Older adults (Mage = 61.8 ± 6.4) with type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome were randomized into a titrated physical activity intervention (n = 58) or an online health education course (n = 58). The intervention included walking exercise and theory-based group workshops. Self-efficacy, self-regulation and physical activity were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and a follow-up. Results indicated a group by time effect for self-regulation [F(2,88) = 14.021, p < .001, η (2) = .24] and self-efficacy [F(12,77) = 2.322, p < .05, η (2) = .266] with increases in the intervention group. The intervention resulted in short-term increases in physical activity (d = .76, p < .01), which were partially maintained at the 6-month follow-up (d = .35, p < .01). The intervention increased short-term physical activity but was not successful at maintaining increases in physical activity. Similar intervention effects were observed in self-efficacy and self-regulation. Future research warrants adjusting intervention strategies to increase long-term change.
Prognostic Value of Preradiotherapy (18)F-FDG PET/CT Volumetrics in Limited-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Abstract Background Whether 18 F-fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) metrics predict outcome in limited-stage (LS) small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) has not been well established; most previous reports have only analyzed maximal standardized uptake values (SUV max ). We investigated multiple pretreatment PET metrics, including SUV max , mean SUV (SUV mean ), total lesion glycolysis, and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) in LS-SCLC patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and correlated them with survival and disease control outcomes. Patients and Methods All patients received platinum-based chemotherapy and a median radiation dose of 45 Gy. Kaplan-Meier and competing-risks analyses were performed to assess the prognostic value of PET metrics with respect to overall survival (OS), distant failure (DF), disease-free survival (DFS), and locoregional failure (LRF). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to account for the effect of other clinical factors on outcomes. Results A total of 120 patients with LS-SCLC had analyzable pre-CRT PET/CTs. The median follow up was 34 months. Median OS was 26.9 months. OS was 53.2% at 2 years and 33.1% at 5 years. SUV max , SUV mean , MTV, and total lesion glycolysis of the primary tumor were not significantly associated with OS, LRF, and DFS on univariate analysis. MTV was significantly associated with DF ( P = .024) on univariate but not multivariate analysis. Conclusion This is the largest reported series to date evaluating the prognostic value of baseline PET metrics in LS-SCLC. Neither SUV max nor other analyzed PET metrics demonstrated significant correlation with OS or LRF. MTV was correlated with DF and DFS, but this association was no longer significant after adjustment for other clinical factors. This analysis suggests that pretreatment PET scans, even with the use of advanced metrics, do not have independent prognostic value for outcomes in LS-SCLC patients after CRT.
AGENCY, STRUCTURE, AND JEWISH SURVIVAL OF THE HOLOCAUST:

In this article I use a life history of two brothers who survived the Holocaust to bring survivor research into the mainstream of sociological inquiry and to explore one of the central problems of general social theory: the relationship between human agency and social structure. A theory of agency and structure offers a distinctly sociological alternative in a literature that has been dominated by psychological theorizing and that has often characterized Jews in overly negative or overly heroic terms. Survivors' accounts are permeated with “epiphanies,” including “crucial moments” involving the ability to make difficult choices and quick decisions that were the difference between life and death. These situations illuminate the relationship between agency and structure in instances where the tension between them is heightened. Survivors' life histories suggest ways in which Jews' ability to exercise agency to survive structural conditions of extremity was influenced by their pre-war exposure to cultural schemas and resources that they were able to transpose to the war-occupation context. Successful agency, however, was in large part a collective accomplishment and dependent on factors beyond individuals' control.
A CAPD approach for reaction solvent design

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the computer-aided product design (CAPD) approach for reaction solvent design and a systematic framework for designing optimal reaction solvents while simultaneously considering process constraints, environmental constraints, safety, and material compatibility issues. Solvent attributes for extractive fermentation processes, such as biocompatibility, inertness, and phase splitting, are investigated. The mathematical programming based solvent design framework is successfully solved for ethanol extractive fermentation using an outer approximation approach. For the case studies, the proposed design approach not only identifies a solvent for the new application but also finds a new solvent for ethanol extractive fermentation. The example is presented to discuss the objective function for solvent design to maximize the extraction efficiency––that is, the ratio of the volumetric productivity of the ethanol recovered in the solvent phase and the total volumetric ethanol productivity––while achieving a conversion greater than 0.75. The chosen solvent should be liquid under the reaction conditions. This is achieved by putting limits on the boiling and melting points.
Thermal expansivity below 300 K and low-temperature heat capacity of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7

Thermal expansivities from 1 to 300 K and heat capacities from 1 to 80 K are reported for three ceramic Y-Ba-Cu-O samples. The limiting Debye temperatures, ${\mathrm{FTHETA}}_{0}$, were found to be 322, 422, and 435 K for samples with (1) a few percent excess CuO, (2) high purity but large, elongated grains, and (3) high purity and small grains, respectively. A similar range of ${\mathrm{FTHETA}}_{0}$'s for superconducting samples is found in the literature, which suggests an insensitivity of superconductivity in ceramic Y-Ba-Cu-O to lattice properties (that is, to ${\mathrm{FTHETA}}_{0}$). The expansivity data for each of these samples showed scatter and instability just below ${T}_{c}$ and between 180 and 200 K, which, in general but not in detail, may be inherent to ceramic Y-Ba-Cu-O. The expected decrease in the expansivity on warming through ${T}_{c}$ was not unambiguously observed. The expansivity data suggest lattice softening below ${T}_{c}$, with, however, normal temperature dependences for the Debye FTHETA's and the Gr\"uneisen parameters \ensuremath{\gamma}. The magnitudes and signs of the low-temperature expansivities and \ensuremath{\gamma}'s are characteristic of two sources for both the low-temperature ``electronic'' and ``anomalous'' contributions to the thermodynamic properties. The relatively small values for the lattice \ensuremath{\gamma}'s correspond to ``normal'' pressure dependences for the elastic constants of these materials, including the bulk modulus, and support the use of bulk moduli derived from x-ray measurements rather than from ultrasonic experiments.
Trash talk in a competitive setting: Impact on self‐efficacy and affect

The effects of trash talk and competition outcome on self-efficacy and affect were examinedin40Madden™NFL08footballvideogameplayersrandomlyassignedto twoconditions:silencetalk,wheretheyplayedthefirstgameincompletesilence;and the second trash talking.Measures of self-efficacy,positive affect (PA),and negative affect (NA) were administered. Results revealed that players enforced to be silent in thefirstgameinstantaneouslyexhibitedlowerself-efficacy,lowerPA,andhigherNA than players permitted to talk in Game 1.However,players subsequently instructed to remain silent in the second game showed markedly decreased self-efficacy compared to players permitted to talk in Game 2. Results are interpreted in light of the social-cognitive-motivational theory. Normative cheating (i.e., unethical behaviors adopted in order to gain an unfair advantage over an opponent) is a common practice in various sports (Schwieren & Weichselbaumer, 2010; Terence, 1996). Normative cheating includes the use of illegal equipment, drugs to enhance performance, and physical and verbal aggression. These questionable practices need to be examined closely as they hurt sportsmanship and encourage unethical behavior in sports. Of particular interest, trash talk is a common practice adoptedbyathletes,coaches,andfansof variouscoactiveand interactive sports. Trash talk is a phenomenon that has the potential to perturb athletes at all expertise levels.Anecdotal evidence suggests trash talk affects athletic performance at the very highest levels. A myriad of verbal interactions (e.g., aggressive, norm breaking) are used in the competitive sport environment, featuring aspects of what could be classified
Modeling Science and Faith Integration May Be More Powerful than Words: Reflections on The Study of Science in Catholic Higher Education in the United States: A Modern Nuisance?

In “The study of science in Catholic higher education in the United States: A modern nuisance?”, Fr. Cunningham offers a thoughtful and engaging commentary on the history and state of science education in Catholic universities in the United States, carefully weaving history, science, and even politics in a seamless and multilayered manner. But before offering reflections on what he said in his paper, I’d like to make a few comments on who he is which, at the end of the day, might be actually more important. Fr. Cunningham is a physics professor at Loyola University Chicago. He studies experimental particles and astrophysics including cosmic rays, dark energy, and heavy quark particles. He also wears a Roman collar as a Jesuit priest. Like Copernicus, Mendel, Boscovich, de Chardin, and many others, he is both a top-flight scientist and a Roman Catholic priest. This important fact speaks volumes and perhaps louder than his words. In our increasingly polarized community where too many believe that you must be either a person of faith or a person of science (e.g., supporting and embracing creationism or evolution, prayer or medicine, science or religion), Fr. Cunningham is living proof that
On IMU self-alignment algorithms

Abstract The primary concern of this paper is the fine alignment of an inertial platform whose base is subject to vibration and whose sensors are subject to noise. The main contribution of the paper is a new self-alignment algorithm. The algorithm incorporate together the special property of platform kinematics and the concept of least square regression. Comparing to the usual self-alginment algorithm, this algorithm gives a self-alignment which can be ten times more accurate and requires less computer time and memory. The new algorithm is less sensitive to erratic measurements and computational errors.
Distinct Autoreactive T Cell Responses to Native and Fragmented DNA Topoisomerase I: Influence of APC Type and IL-2

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease of unknown etiology in which T cell responses to various autoantigens, including DNA topoisomerase I (Topo I), have been implicated. We investigated whether dendritic cells, generally considered to be the most potent APCs for the initiation of immune responses, would present either of two forms of Topo I to T cells more efficiently than PBMC APCs. Using cells from healthy controls and SSc patients, several important observations were made. First, neither APC type was able to initiate T cell proliferative responses to full-length native Topo I unless exogenous IL-2 was added. This is in contrast to vigorous T cell proliferation in response to Topo I polypeptide fragments presented by either APC type. Second, T cell responses to the full-length form of Topo I presented by dendritic cells were considerably lower than responses to Ag presented by PBMC APCs. Finally, no secondary T cell responses were observed unless the same Ag/APC combination as that used in the primary stimulation was maintained. These data indicate that different peptides are generated based upon the form of the Topo I and the APC that processes it. Taken together, these results suggest that a very specific combination of antigenic form and APC may be involved in breaking tolerance to Topo I in the early stages of development of SSc.
Causes, consequences and ethics of biodiversity

The existence of so great a diversity of species on Earth remains a mystery, the solution to which may also explain why and how biodiversity influences the functioning of ecosystems. The answer may lie in quantifying the trade-offs that organisms face in dealing with the constraints of their environment. Societal responses to the loss of biodiversity also involve trade-offs, and the elaboration of these will be essential in developing wiser environmental ethics and policy.
The place of geodesy in the work of the committee on seismology of the Carnegie Institution

An outline was given of the work that has been undertaken by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in the form of precise triangulation to show whether the earth's crust in California is stable or is in movement and, if the latter, the rate and the extent of the movement. The triangulation which has already been done and that which is under way during the present year will, in the near future, be supplemented by precise leveling which will show the degree of stability of the earth's surface in the vertical direction. It is only by geodetic work of the most precise character that movements of the earth's surface can be detected between seismic disturbances. With the repetition from time to time of the triangulation and leveling in selected areas it will be possible to make a very careful study of surface conditions and movements. With such information available the seismologist will be able to apply quantitative methods which will greatly advance the science.
Effect of growth temperature on the fatty acid composition of a blue-green alga

Abstract The fatty acid composition of the blue-green alga, Anacystis nidulans, was investigated by gas-liquid chromatography at four different growth temperatures with illumination, aeration, cell density, medium composition, and growth rate kept constant. At all temperatures palmitic acid and a hexadecenoic acid presumed to be palmitoleic totaled approximately 90% of the fatty acids present but the ratio of the hexedecenoic to palmitic decreased as the temperature was raised. An octadecenoic and tetradecenoic (probably oleic and myristoleic, respectively) were also present and traces of a heptadecenoic acid and of others were detected. At 26°, 32°, and 35°, the ratio of total unsaturated to saturated acids remained approximately 1·0 although the qualitative composition changed, but at 41° the saturated acids predominated, the ratio being 0·7. In contrast to other algae and higher plants, polyunsaturated acids were absent in Anacystis which in this way resembles the photosynthetic bacteria.
A BPF-FBP tandem algorithm for image reconstruction in reverse helical cone-beam CT

Purpose: Reverse helical cone-beam computed tomography CBCT is a scanning configuration for potential applications in image-guided radiation therapy in which an accurate anatomic image of the patient is needed for image-guidance procedures. The authors previously developed an algorithm for image reconstruction from nontruncated data of an object that is completely within the reverse helix. The purpose of this work is to develop an image reconstruction approach for reverse helical CBCT of a long object that extends out of the reverse helix and therefore constitutes data truncation. Methods: The proposed approach comprises of two reconstruction steps. In the first step, a chordbased backprojection-filtration BPF algorithm reconstructs a volumetric image of an object from the original cone-beam data. Because there exists a chordless region in the middle of the reverse helix, the image obtained in the first step contains an unreconstructed central-gap region. In the second step, the gap region is reconstructed by use of a Pack‐Noo-formula-based filteredbackprojection FBP algorithm from the modified cone-beam data obtained by subtracting from the original cone-beam data the reprojection of the image reconstructed in the first step. Results: The authors have performed numerical studies to validate the proposed approach in image reconstruction from reverse helical cone-beam data. The results confirm that the proposed approach can reconstruct accurate images of a long object without suffering from data-truncation artifacts or cone-angle artifacts. Conclusions: They developed and validated a BPF-FBP tandem algorithm to reconstruct images of a long object from reverse helical cone-beam data. The chord-based BPF algorithm was utilized for converting the long-object problem into a short-object problem. The proposed approach is applicable to other scanning configurations such as reduced circular sinusoidal trajectories. © 2010 American Association of Physicists in Medicine. DOI: 10.1118/1.3263618
Multilevel nanoimprint lithography with submicron alignment over 4 in. Si wafers

We demonstrate that multilevel nanoimprint lithography (NIL) with submicron alignment over an entire 4 in. Si wafer can be achieved. Average alignment accuracy of 1 μm with a standard deviation 0.4 μm in both X and Y directions was obtained in ten consecutive tests of multilevel NIL. The multilevel alignment was achieved by aligning the wafer and the mask with an aligner, fixing them with a holder, and imprinting in an imprint machine. The issues that are critical to the alignment accuracy, such as relative movement during the press, relative thermal expansion, wafer bending, and resist, are discussed. The alignment accuracy currently achieved on the system is limited by the aligning accuracy of the aligner, instead of the process of multilevel NIL.
Thermal peeling stress analysis of thin-film high-TC superconductors

Abstract Thermal peeling stress between a thin film and the substrate is caused by the mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients while the film and substrate undergo a temperature change. The thermal peeling stress resulting from the temperature decrease from ambient to operating conditions (cryogenic temperatures) between a thin-film high-temperature superconductor and its substrate is calculated using finite element analysis (FEA). The superconductor thin film is idealized as a long bridge on a large substrate. A two-dimensional FEA model is applied to calculate the tensile (peeling) stress at the thin film/substrate interface. Results are obtained for different geometries and temperature conditions, and these results are compared with analytical predictions. A stress singularity is found at the very edge of the thin film which is not predicted by the analytical prediction. The peeling stress can be very high due to this stress singularity, even if the temperature change is not large. The stress singularity area depends on the local geometry of the edge, suggesting that refining the geometry of the thin-film HTS device is important.
Fractal Timing of Verbal Transforms

The paper deals with the timing pattern of perceptual change elicited by multiple repetitions of a syllable (the verbal-transformation effect). We show that the distribution of the dwell time, the time spent perceiving a given phonemic form before switching to another form, obeys a power law with an exponent valued between 1 and 2. This result is robust, occurring for meaningless syllables and for English words of different initial phonemic salience. Experiment 2 demonstrates that subjects are aware of the temporal dynamics of perceptual change. On the basis of these results, it is argued that within this paradigm the notion of a mean dwell time is ill defined and there is apparently no characteristic time scale for perceptual change.
A contingent perspective on the advantages of stores' strategic philanthropy for influencing consumer behaviour

The importance and implications of organisational-level charitable giving, or strategic philanthropy, are often overlooked in international consumer literature. Drawing on the utilitarian human capital perspective from economics, the social norm theory from sociology, motivation theory from psychology and the strategy–environment coalignment paradigm in organisational science, this research develops a contingent framework for strategic philanthropy. The empirical results indicate that if drug stores put more emphasis on strategic philanthropy as perceived by customers in the community, customers will have stronger social ties with the store and be more loyal to the store. In addition, it was found that the impact of strategic philanthropy on patronage loyalty is moderated by customer characteristics (gender and ethnicity) and context factors (service quality and cause severity). Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Formal Services and Informal Helping: The Myth of Service Substitution

I examine the relationship between formal and informal assistance among a sample of elder-caregiver dyads living in a community setting in upstate New York. The data fail to support concerns that informal helpers withdraw their support when formal substitutes are available. Rather, formal services were used most frequently by more functionally impaired elderly whose caregivers were already providing personal care. Elders whose caregivers were employed reported more reliance on formal services, but being employed did not depress the level of informal support the caregiver provides.
Skeletal myogenesis on elastomeric substrates: implications for tissue engineering.

Studies geared towards understanding the interaction between skeletal muscle and biomaterials may provide useful information for the development of various emerging technologies, ranging from novel delivery vehicles for genetically modified cells to fully functional skeletal muscle tissue. To determine the utility of elastomeric materials as substrates for such applications, we asked whether skeletal myogenesis would be supported on a commercially available polyurethane, Tecoflex® SG-80A. G8 skeletal myoblasts were cultured on Tecoflex® two-dimensional solid thin films fabricated by a spin-casting method. Myoblasts attached, proliferated, displayed migratory activity and differentiated into multinucleated myotubes which expressed myosin heavy chain on solid thin films indicating that Tecoflex® SG-80A was permissive for skeletal myogenesis. Porous three-dimensional (3-D) cell scaffolds were fabricated in a variety of shapes, thicknesses, and porosities by an immersion precipitation method, and where subseq...
Exo- and endoribonucleolytic activities of yeast cytoplasmic and nuclear RNA exosomes are dependent on the noncatalytic core and central channel.

Summary The RNA exosome is an essential multisubunit ribonuclease (RNase) that contributes to cytoplasmic and nuclear RNA decay and quality control. The 9-subunit exosome core (Exo9) features a prominent central channel formed by stacked asymmetric rings of six RNase PH-like proteins and three S1/KH domain proteins. Exo9 is catalytically inert but associates with Rrp44, an endoribonuclease and processive 3′→5′ exoribonuclease, and Rrp6, a distributive 3′→5′ exoribonuclease. We show that Exo9 and its central channel modulate all three yeast exosome RNase activities because channel occlusion attenuates RNA binding and RNase activities in vitro and fails to complement exosome functions in vivo. We find that Rrp6 stimulates Rrp44 RNase activities and that Rrp6 is inhibited by a mutation in the Rrp44 exoribonuclease active site in 11-subunit nuclear exosomes. These results suggest the exosome core and central channel is essential because it modulates each of the known RNase activities of the yeast RNA exosome.
SERPENTINE ENDEMISM IN THE CALIFORNIA FLORA: A DATABASE OF SERPENTINE AFFINITY

ABSTRACT We present a summary of a database documenting levels of affinity to ultramafic (“serpentine”) substrates for taxa in the California flora, USA. We constructed our database through an extensive literature search, expert opinion, field observations, and intensive use of accession records at key herbaria. We developed a semi-quantitative methodology for determining levels of serpentine affinity (strictly endemic, broadly endemic, strong “indicator”, etc.) in the California flora. In this contribution, we provide a list of taxa having high affinity to ultramafic/serpentine substrates in California, and present information on rarity, geographic distribution, taxonomy, and lifeform. Of species endemic to California, 12.5% are restricted to ultramafic substrates. Most of these taxa come from a half-dozen plant families, and from only one or two genera within each family. The North Coast and Klamath Ranges support more serpentine endemics than the rest of the State combined. 15% of all plant taxa listed...
Multihormonal regulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity in highly differentiated porcine granulosa cells in vitro.

Purified luteinizing hormone, but not follicle-stimulating hormone, elicited time- and dose-dependent stimulation of the cytosolic enzyme, ornithine decarboxylase, in highly differentiated, porcine granulosa cells maintained in vitro in chemically defined medium. Enzymic induction was susceptible to inhibitors of protein and RNA synthesis, and was suppressed by selective direct and indirect inhibitors of ornithine decarboxylase. Physiologic concentrations of prostaglandin E2 and L-epinephrine also enhanced enzymic activity in a dose-dependent and saturable manner. Systematic comparison of the hormonal induction of ornithine decarboxylase in highly differentiated versus poorly differentiated granulosa cells revealed distinctive patterns of enzymic responsivity in relation to the degree of cytodifferentiation attained in vivo. This in vitro model is likely to permit further detailed examination of the molecular mechanisms subserving the hormonal control of ovarian ornithine decarboxylase activity in spontaneously differentiated granulosa cells maintained under chemically defined conditions in vitro.
Detection of antibodies to varicella-zoster virus using a latex agglutination assay.

Abstract Background: There is a clinical need to have a rapid and sensitive means to identify persons with immunity to varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Objectives: We evaluated a simple-to-perform assay for detecting antibodies to VZV using a commercial latex agglutination (LA) test, in which dilutions of test sera were added to latex particles that had been coated with VZV glycoprotein antigens. Study design: Sera obtained from patients, including recipients of varicella vaccine, whose clinical immune status to VZV was known, were tested by LA and the results compared to those obtained by a standard indirect immunofluorescence assay (FAMA). Using the LA test, long-term persistence of antibodies in leukemic and adult recipients of varicella vaccine were determined. Results: The LA test compared favorably with FAMA in varicella susceptibles and immunes. 741 acute sera were negative and 741 convalescent varicella sera were positive by LA. Antibodies to VZV were found to persist for as long as 11 years in most recipients of varicella vaccine (n = 145). Geometric mean titers were higher by LA than FAMA. Prozone phenomena were noted in about 5% of antibody-positive sera. Results from this test are available in less than an hour, and no special equipment is required. Conclusions: This assay is rapid, simple to perform, and inexpensive. It is particularly useful for identifying individuals who are immune to varicella, including those who have been immunized in the distant past. The main problem associated with the test is that prozone phenomena can occur; these may be avoided by testing sera at various dilutions.
X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS WITH MONOCHROMATIC X-RAYS

The intensities of fluorescence x-rays from thick elemental targets and from trace elements in three thin targets are calculated for three monochromatic primary x-rays.
EXAFS and Mössbauer characterization of the Diiron(III) site in stearoyl-acyl carrier protein Δ9– desaturase

Stearoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) Δ9-desaturase (Δ9D) from the castor plant is the best characterized soluble acyl-ACP desaturase. This enzyme utilizes a diiron center to catalyze the O2- and NADPH-dependent introduction of a cis double bond between carbons 9 and 10 of stearoyl-ACP, yielding oleoyl-ACP. In the present study, we have used X-ray absorption spectroscopy to provide the first metrical information for the diferric oxidation state. These studies reveal distinct diiron clusters that have Fe-Fe distances of either 3.12 or 3.41 A. The species having the 3.12 A Fe-Fe distance also exhibits a 1.8 A Fe-O bond and is thus proposed to represent Δ9D molecules containing a (μ-oxo)bis(μ-carboxylato)diiron(III) cluster. The species having the 3.41 A Fe-Fe distance exhibits no short Fe-O bond, and thus likely represents Δ9D molecules containing a (μ-hydroxo)diiron(III) cluster. Mossbauer studies of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) samples revealed three quadrupole doublets (ΔEQ(1)=1.53 mm/s, 72%;ΔEQ(2)=0.72 mm/s, 21%;ΔEQ(3)=2.20 mm/s, 7%) that originate from three distinct dinuclear clusters. From analysis of spectral intensities and by comparison with previous studies of (μ-oxo)- and (μ-hydroxo)diiron(III) clusters in both model complexes and proteins, doublet 1, the Mossbauer majority species, is likely associated with the EXAFS majority species having a 3.12 A Fe-Fe separation and a 1.8 A Fe-μ-oxo bond, while doublet 2 likely results from one iron site (or both) of a cluster associated with the EXAFS species having a 3.41 A Fe-Fe separation. The presence of multiple diiron center conformations in diferric Δ9D may reflect the necessity for the active site to allow access of the substrate stearoyl-ACP (∼9 kDa) during desaturation catalysis.
Sound velocity in solid hydrogen and deuterium

Abstract Longitudinal and transverse sound velocities in “normal” solid H2 and D2 at 4.2 K and pressures up to 200 bar are reported.
The effect of increasing NaCl levels on the potassium utilization efficiency of tomatoes grown under low-K stress

Tomato strains were grown under low-K stress (71 μM K) over a wide range of external Na levels (from 0.014 to 27.8 mM Na) to measure strain response in Na substitution capacity in relation to Na concentration. Relative differences among strains for Na substitution capacity were similar at all Na levels except for the minus Na control treatment. Successive doubling of external Na concentration over the range of Na levels tested resulted in a positive linear response in plant dry weight, under low-K stress, with a similar slope for all five strains. The five strains also were grown at a toxic Na level (87 mM Na) under low K and adequate K conditions. Plant dry weight was not reduced at the toxic Na level relative to the minus Na control when the strains were grown under low-K stress; however, plant dry weight was reduced an average of fifty-five percent at the toxic Na level relative to the control when the strains were grown under adequate K conditions. There was no relationship between Na substitution capacity of strains grown under low-K stress and tolerance to toxic Na levels under adequate K conditions.
Effect of mechanical assistance of the systemic ventricle in single ventricle circulation with cavopulmonary connection

Background Previous attempts to support single ventricle circulation mechanically have suggested that a custom-built assist device is needed to push, rather than pull, through the pulmonary circulation. We hypothesized that using a conventional ventricular assist device, with or without conversion of a total cavopulmonary connection to a bidirectional Glenn cavopulmonary connection, would allow assistance by pulling blood through the circuit and improve the cardiac index (CI). Methods Cavopulmonary connections were established in each of 5 Yorkshire pigs (25 kg) using ePTFE conduits in a Y configuration with appropriate clamping of the limbs of the Y to achieve a total cavopulmonary Fontan connection (TCPC), superior vena cava cavopulmonary connection (SVC Glenn), and inferior vena cava cavopulmonary connection (IVC Glenn). A common atrium had been established previously by balloon septostomy. Mechanical circulatory assistance of the single systemic ventricle was achieved using a centrifugal pump with common atrial inflow and proximal ascending aortic outflow. The CI was calculated using an ultrasonic flow meter placed on the distal ascending aorta and compared between the assisted and nonassisted circulation for 3 conditions: TCPC, SVC Glenn, and IVC Glenn. The mean pulmonary artery pressure, common atrial pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, partial pressure of arterial oxygen, and oxygen delivery were calculated. Results The unassisted SVC Glenn CI tended to be greater than the TCPC or IVC Glenn CI. Significant augmentation of total CI was achieved with mechanical assistance for SVC Glenn (109% ± 24%, P = .04) and TCPC (130% ± 109%, P = .01). The assisted CI achieved at least a mean baseline biventricular CI for all 3 support modes. Oxygen delivery was greatest for assisted SVC Glenn (1786 ± 1307 mL/L/min) and lowest for TCPC (1146 ± 386 mL/L/min), with a trend toward lower common atrial and pulmonary artery pressures for SVC Glenn. Conclusions SVC bidirectional Glenn circulation might allow optimal augmentation of the CI and oxygen delivery in a failing single ventricle using a conventional pediatric ventricular assist device. The results from our model also suggest that the Fontan circulation itself can be supported with systemic ventricular assistance of the single ventricle.
REORDER‐POINT MODELS WITH DISCRETE PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS

This paper is concerned with the determination of reorder points and safety-stock levels for situations where both the demand and lead-time distributions are discrete and independent. Formulas are developed for computing exact probabilities for the lead-time demand distribution on the basis of empirical distributions. Practitioners can use the model to obtain exact probabilities for situations where the computational burden is justified, while academicians can use the model to evaluate heuristic approaches to the reorder-point problem.
Mass detectability in dedicated breast CT: A simulation study with the application of volume noise removal

Dedicated breast Computed Tomography (CT) is an emerging new technique for breast cancer imaging. Breast CT data can be acquired at a dose level as low as the conventional two-view mammography. Since the dose is equally split into hundreds of projection views, each projection image contains non-ignorable quantum noise. This study is aimed at investigating how volume noise removal affects the mass detectability in breast CT. A Partial Diffusion Equation (PDE) based denoising technique was applied before the reconstruction of either a simulated breast volume embedded with a contrast-detail mass phantom or a real human subject breast CT volume embedded with a simulated spherical mass. By applying a mathematical observer, it is found that the PDE volume noise removal technique improves the mass detectability in breast CT in a statistically significant sense.
Electron–Water Interactions and Implications for Liquid Cell Electron Microscopy

Liquid cell electron microscopy enables direct in situ imaging of processes in liquids and objects suspended in liquids with nanoscale resolution. However, the irradiating electrons affect the chemistry of the suspending medium, typically an aqueous solution, producing molecular and radical products such as hydrogen, oxygen, and hydrated (solvated) electrons. These may impact the imaged structures and phenomena. A good understanding of the interactions between the electrons and the irradiated medium is necessary to correctly interpret experiments, minimize artifacts, and take advantage of the irradiation. We predict the composition of water subjected to electron irradiation in the electron microscope. We reinterpret available experimental data, such as beam-induced variations in pH and colloid aggregation, in light of our predictions and show new observations of crystallization and etching as functions of dose rate, resolving conflicting reports in the scientific literature. We make our computer code avai...
Measuring solar reflectance—Part II: Review of practical methods

Abstract A companion article explored how solar reflectance varies with surface orientation and solar position, and found that clear sky air mass 1 global horizontal (AM1GH) solar reflectance is a preferred quantity for estimating solar heat gain. In this study we show that AM1GH solar reflectance Rg,0 can be accurately measured with a pyranometer, a solar spectrophotometer, or an updated edition of the Solar Spectrum Reflectometer (version 6). Of primary concern are errors that result from variations in the spectral and angular distributions of incident sunlight. Neglecting shadow, background and instrument errors, the conventional pyranometer technique can measure Rg,0 to within 0.01 for surface slopes up to 5:12 [23°], and to within 0.02 for surface slopes up to 12:12 [45°]. An alternative pyranometer method minimizes shadow errors and can be used to measure Rg,0 of a surface as small as 1 m in diameter. The accuracy with which it can measure Rg,0 is otherwise comparable to that of the conventional pyranometer technique. A solar spectrophotometer can be used to determine R g,0 ∗ , a solar reflectance computed by averaging solar spectral reflectance weighted with AM1GH solar spectral irradiance. Neglecting instrument errors, R g,0 ∗ matches Rg,0 to within 0.006. The air mass 1.5 solar reflectance measured with version 5 of the Solar Spectrum Reflectometer can differ from R g,0 ∗ by as much as 0.08, but the AM1GH output of version 6 of this instrument matches R g,0 ∗ to within about 0.01.
A comparison of high-energy oblique lung irradiation techniques

The lung cancer death rate in the U.S. rose 440% between 1957-59 and 1987-89, from 5.4 to 29.4 per 100,000. While surgical resection of small, localized carcinomas offers the best prognosis, only 15-20% of lung cancers fall into this category. The remaining 80-85% of patients are generally candidates for radiation therapy. Typically, the tumor volume (plus a 2 cm margin) and the mediastinum will be irradiated, using parallel opposed anterior and posterior ports, until the spinal cord has reached tolerance at 45 Gy. At this point, an off-cord lateral or oblique treatment technique will be used to complete the prescribed dose to the tumor. The depth to isocenter for oblique ports may easily be 15 cm. With this depth, a high-energy x-ray beam seems to be required; however, the beam may pass through a significant portion of lung tissue, reducing the equivalent depth. Another factor to consider is the build-up region beyond the lower density lung tissue. Two different energy beams, 6 MV and 18 MV, were compared for the oblique treatment ports. Plans were run using a thorax CT slice of an anthropomorphic phantom for parallel opposed oblique fields at these two energies, each with and without CT correction. Further data were collected for comparison by thermoluminescent dosimetry measurements. This paper describes the process and results obtained.
Being present in online communities: learning in citizen science

How online community members learn to become valuable contributors constitutes a long-standing concern of Community & Technology researchers. The literature tends to highlight participants' access to practice, feedback from experienced members, and relationship building. However, not all crowdsourcing environments offer participants opportunities for access, feedback, and relationship building (e.g., Citizen Science). We study how volunteers learn to participate in a citizen science project, Planet Hunters, through participant observation, interviews, and trace ethnography. Drawing on Sorensen's sociomaterial theories of presence, we extend the notion of situated learning to include several modes of learning. The empirical findings suggest that volunteers in citizen science engage more than one form of access to practice, feedback, and relationship building. Communal relations characterize only one form of learning. Equally important to their learning are authority--subject and agent-centered forms of access, feedback, and relationship building.
Albright's Osteodystrophy in a Patient with Renal Hypercalciuria*

We have investigated an 18-yr-old hypercalciuric female with features of both renal hypercalciuria and pseudohypoparathyroidism. She had increased circulating parathyroid hormone levels, which are common to both diseases. She also had a modest hypocalcemia and low normal basal cAMP excretion, both of which are more likely to occur in pseudohypoparathyroidism. She also had Albright's osteodystrophy, which is frequent in patients with pseudohypoparathyroidism and has never been reported in patients with renal hypercalciuria. In contrast to patients with pseudohypoparathyroidism, her serum 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol level was increased and her renal responses to parathyroid hormone infusion, including renal calcium reabsorption, were normal. This patient, therefore, raises the possibility that some patients with renal hyperalciuria may have a forme fruste of pseudohypoparathyroidism.