cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Novel Therapies for Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Reduction

Although many clinical trials and meta-analyses have demonstrated that lower serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels are associated with proportionately greater reductions in the risk of cardiovascular disease events, not all patients with hypercholesterolemia are able to attain risk-stratified LDL-C goals with statin monotherapy. Elucidation of the pathophysiology of genetic disorders of lipid metabolism (e.g., familial hypercholesterolemia) has led to the development of several novel lipid-lowering strategies, including blocking the degradation of hepatic LDL-C receptors that are important in LDL-C clearance, or the inhibition of apoprotein synthesis and lipidation. Mipomersen and lomitapide are highly efficacious new agents available for the treatment of patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. The recent introduction of PCSK9 inhibitors (alirocumab and evolocumab) have made it possible for many patients to achieve very low LDL-C concentrations (e.g.,
Same-Sex Marriage in the United States

Same-sex marriage refers to the legal recognition of the union between two person of the same sex whereby rights, responsibilities, and privileges accorded to married heterosexual couples are extended to their same-sex counterparts. As of 2015 same-sex marriage can be found in 35 states and DC, and is legalized in 17 countries across the world. This growing momentum toward marriage equality prompted questions regarding the impact same-sex marriage has on families in particular, and on society in general. The uneven pace of legalizing same-sex marriage has negative consequences on same-sex families with young children, subjecting them to undue financial and emotional burden. Although some studies have attempted to show differences between children raised by opposite- and those raised by same-sex parents, an overwhelming number of interdisciplinary social science research shows otherwise. Children of same-sex parents fare just as well as their similarly situated opposite-sex counterparts. Keywords: civil rights; homosexuality; marriage; sexuality
Assisted Reproductive Technology

Assisted reproductive technology (ART), is defined differently by many agencies, but is generally understood to be the handling of sperm and eggs outside the human body. This technology, which is an infertility service, began rapid development in 1978, ushering in a new era for reproductive health, family formation, and family structure. With this ever-growing technology comes considerations, particularly of the legal, ethical, and moral variety. In a largely unregulated industry, buyers and sellers can exchange genetic material, or in some cases borrow wombs, often without legally binding contracts. Keywords: conception; medical sociology; motherhood; pregnancy; reproduction; women and families
Covariance Matrix Estimation for Broadband Underwater Noise

In this paper, a technique is presented for frequency-smoothing the sample covariance matrix observed at the output of a set of elements or beams so as to obtain a frequency-smoothed estimate of the broadband noise covariance matrix due to underwater noise. The smoothing technique is based on a linear model that is derived through analysis of the delay-domain cross covariance of the ambient noise observed by a pair of beams or omnidirectional hydrophones. A simple and robust least squares fitting algorithm allows for extraction of a frequency-smoothed broadband noise covariance estimate even in the presence of narrowband energy. Simulated passive sonar examples demonstrate the validity and utility of the estimate. Possible applications include adaptive beamforming and measuring the vertical/horizontal directionality of diffuse broadband ambient noise sources such as wind and rain.
An Expert System for Crude Unit Process Supervision

Abstract The proposed expert system for process supervision of a crude unit uses model-based reasoning to analyze the static behavior of the unit. The expert system contains three main modules with monitoring, what-if, and advisory functions. The implementation issues of the proposed expert system using GENSYM G2 software environment are discussed. The system is under development in the Texaco StarEnterprise refinery in Delaware City, Delaware, USA.
Estimation of the spillover effect between patents and innovation using the GARCH–BEKK model

This study examines the mean and variance spillovers between patents filed and total factor productivity in Pakistan during the period lasting from 1964 to 2015. Using the multivariate generalized autoregressive conditionally heteroskedasticâ€“Baba, Engle, Kraft and Kroner (GARCHâ€“BEKK) model, we find no evidence of mean spillover effects between patents filed and productivity growth. However, the results support the existence of the variance spillover effect, which illustrates that the innovations may affect productivity in the longâ€ run. Moreover, bidirectional causality in the mean and variance between innovation and productivity growth is nonâ€ existent. We find that R&D/GDP, skilled labour force and economic freedom are the significant factors affecting technological advancements in the country. We also determine that R&D/GDP and economic freedom are the important factors affecting patent activities in Pakistan. Our findings suggest that the government needs to emphasize the regulations of the patent system to safeguard the interests of investors, which ultimately promotes economic growth.
Long-Acting Bronchodilator Use in the Management of Stable COPD:

Objective: To review the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with a focus on updated information regarding the use of long-acting bronchodilators in the prevention of exacer...
Comparison of tympanic membrane and rectal temperatures of anesthetized fallow deer (Dama dama)

Paired tympanic membrane and rectal temperatures were compared for 103 female fallow deer (Dama dama) after short-term anesthesia to determine if tympanic temperature was a reliable indicator of hyperthermia associated with handling stress. Each deer was restrained in a drop-floor chute, anesthetized by i.v. injection of xylazine hydrochloride and ketamine hydrochloride, and removed from the chute. After a short procedure was completed, i.m. antibiotics and i.v. yohimbine hydrochloride were given to each deer. Temperature measurements were obtained during recovery from anesthesia, approximately 10 min after initial restraint. Mean tympanic temperature (38.6 degrees C +/- 0.7 degrees C; range 37.4-40.8 degrees C) was significantly lower than mean rectal temperature (40.1 degrees C +/- 0.8 degrees C; range 37.5-42.0 degrees C) [corrected]. One animal had rectal and tympanic temperatures of 42.0 degrees C and 40.8 degrees C, respectively, but regained normal body temperature after cooling measures were applied. Tympanic membrane temperature measurement may provide a method for evaluation of body temperature by separating retained body heat caused by exertion from critical elevations in core body temperature associated with clinical disease or capture stress.
Drug-Induced Neutrophilic Dermatoses

Medications are substantial underlying contributors to the development of neutrophilic dermatoses. Many different classes of drugs have been shown to induce a variety of neutrophilic dermatoses, with the histopathologic presence of a dermal neutrophilic infiltrate remaining the unifying feature. Identifying a drug-induced neutrophilic dermatosis with certainty can be difficult, as many patients have underlying conditions that may independently contribute to the development of similar cutaneous findings. Diagnosis is therefore based upon the observation of a temporal relationship between drug initiation and appearance of the characteristic dermatosis, coupled with resolution of symptoms upon discontinuation of the drug. Drugs that have been reported to trigger five classic neutrophilic dermatoses are summarized in Table 20.1 and discussed in more detail below.
Evaluations of School Policing Programs in the USA

There are thousands of school resource officers (SROs) serving schools in the United States and elsewhere around the world, but little is known about the effects or efficacy of these officers. This essay provides a review of the research on SROs, inclusive of a summary of key findings and a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the methodologies utilized to evaluate SROs. One of the most consistent findings is that students, teachers, and administrators view SROs favorably. Research also suggests, however, that SROs frequently treat student misconduct as criminal/delinquent activity resulting in the diversion of youths from the education system into the justice system. It is unclear whether SROs enhance student safety.
Effect of Animal Production on Meat Quality

Until recently, improvements in the quality of meat products that reached the market place were largely the result of postharvest technologies. Extensive postharvest efforts have been implemented to improve or to control the tenderness, flavor and juiciness of muscle foods. Tenderness, flavor, and juiciness are the sensory attributes that make meat products palatable and are often the attributes which consumers consider when making their selection to purchase meat products.
Repression: A Cognitive Neuroscience Approach

Over a century ago, Freud proposed that memories can be forgotten by pushing them into the unconscious, a process called repression. The existence of repression has remained controversial for more than a century, in part because of its strong coupling with trauma and the ethical and practical difficulties of studying this process in controlled laboratory experiments. In the popular media, skeptics of repressed memories have cast repression as a “myth,” a bit of clinical folklore with no bearing on reality, and a process for which no scientifically valid psychological mechanism exists. In contrast to this, repression, or at least behavior resembling it, is often reported by psychoanalysts and other mental health professionals who interact regularly with psychological patients. The distance between these perspectives on repression is striking, reflecting an enduring disconnection between those who claim to witness the phenomenon or its effects, and those who insist on rigorous specification and evaluation of this construct. Psychology, as a field, has two ways in which it might respond to this persisting conflict: to continue with dissociated traditions and viewpoints, leaving matters unresolved, or to reconcile these perspectives by specifying the mechanisms of repression, relating it to the growing body of research on the cognitive and neural mechanisms of memory, and by making it empirically testable. But is a science of repression even possible?
How Do Financial Literacy and Financial Behavior Vary by State

The shift in the pension system from annuity-only defined benefit plans to lump-sum distributions from both defined benefit and defined contribution plans has put more individuals in charge of their retirement security. As the economy continues to evolve, Americans face an increasingly complex financial planning process and set of investment and savings instruments which makes financial decision-making increasingly difficult. Thus, to navigate the path toward a comfortable retirement requires sound knowledge of financial basics and the existing investment choices, as well as the ability to understand and cope with the ever-changing set of financial instruments. This paper investigates the role of the states in explaining financial literacy and financial behavior. As shown in the paper, some states consistently fare worse than others in terms of financial literacy and financial behavior. This analysis addresses the important question of whether there is any structural difference in financial literacy and financial behavior among states that cannot be attributed to individual characteristics such as income, education, gender, race, etc. The study uses relatively new data to show the difference in financial literacy and financial behavior across states. After controlling for the effect of individual demographic characteristics, most bottom-ranked states have a statistically significant effect on their residents’ financial literacy and almost all states have a statistically significant effect on their residents’ financial behavior. This suggests that there might be something going on at the state level whereby individual financial literacy and financial behavior are being shaped not only by individual demographic characteristics but also by the state in which people live. New Hampshire and Alaska top the financial literacy and the financial behavior rankings, respectively. Other states like Minnesota, Idaho, Washington, Colorado, Wisconsin, Utah, and Maryland also appear in the top 15 of both rankings. Louisiana and West Virginia are at the bottom of the financial literacy and the financial behavior rankings, respectively. Other states like Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Ohio, Kentucky, Texas, and Indiana also appear in the bottom 15 of both rankings. The PDF for the above title, published in the November 2011 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another November 2011 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: “Public Opinion on the Future of Employment-Based Health Benefits: Findings From the 2011 Health Confidence Survey.”
Observer Bias: The Emergence of the Ethics of Diagnosis

One of the difficulties in writing history is that ideas change through time. When we describe what took place in the past, we do it through the ideas of the present. But the past had its own ideas, its own priorities, its own ways of seeing what mattered. Generally, we are more at home with recognizing this circumstance when we look at the history of religion or politics. We as a culture feel more comfortable in acknowledging that religious and political ideas change over time. We tend to ook at science and knowledge in more absolute terms. After all, science tells us what is, and what is simply is. This view has only recently been seriously challenged. Over the last two hundred years or so we have begun to take history seriously, and the possibility that the very appreciation of reality changes through time. In part, this has been due to the reflections of Giambattista Vico (1668–1774) and G.W.F. Hegel (1790–1831). Even the idea of scientific revolutions can be traced back to at least Hegel’s Philosophy of Nature, where he says, “All revolutions, whether in the sciences or world history, occur merely because spirit has changed its categories in order to understand and examine what belongs to it, in order to possess and grasp itself in a true, deeper, more intimate and unified manner” ([13], Sec. 246 Zusatz, V of I. p 202). Hegel recognizes that ideas and reality are mutually implicative.
Developing and Evaluating Annotation Procedures for Twitter Data during Hazard Events.

When a hazard such as a hurricane threatens, people are forced to make a wide variety of decisions, and the information they receive and produce can influence their own and others’ actions. As social media grows more popular, an increasing number of people are using social media platforms to obtain and share information about approaching threats and discuss their interpretations of the threat and their protective decisions. This work aims to improve understanding of natural disasters through social media and provide an annotation scheme to identify themes in user’s social media behavior and facilitate efforts in supervised machine learning. To that end, this work has three contributions: (1) the creation of an annotation scheme to consistently identify hazard-related themes in Twitter, (2) an overview of agreement rates and difficulties in identifying annotation categories, and (3) a public release of both the dataset and guidelines developed from this scheme.
Nuclear cardiology in the context of multimodality imaging to detect cardiac toxicity from cancer therapeutics: Established and emerging methods

The complexity of cancer therapies has vastly expanded in the last decade, along with type and severity of cardiac toxicities associated with these treatments. Prevention of pre-clinical cardiotoxicity may improve cardiovascular outcomes and circumvent the decision to place life-sustaining chemotherapeutic agents on hold, making the early detection of cancer therapeutic related cardiac toxicity with non-invasive imaging essential to the care of these patients. There are several established methods of cardiac imaging in the areas of nuclear cardiology, echocardiography, computed tomography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging that are used to assess for cardiovascular toxicity of cancer treatments, with several methods under development. The following review will provide an overview of current and emerging imaging techniques in these areas.
Effect of electron-phonon interaction on lattice thermal conductivity of SiGe alloys

While it is well-known that electron-phonon scattering often determines the electron mobility, its impact on lattice thermal conductivity is less clear. Dominant phonon scattering mechanisms that determine the lattice thermal conductivity have been attributed to phonon-phonon and phonon-defect interactions. However, recent studies in silicon have shown that strong electron-phonon interaction can also lead to significant phonon scatterings at high carrier concentrations. Here, we use first-principles simulations to study thermal transport in SiGe alloys and show that the effect of electron-phonon interaction on thermal transport is even more significant than that in Si because mass disorder scattering leaves long mean free path phonons behind, which are more strongly scattered by electrons. At the carrier concentration of 1 × 1020 cm−3, the room temperature lattice thermal conductivity of the Si0.9Ge0.1 alloy including electron-phonon interaction is only 40% of the value without this interaction. The results show that thermal transport in alloys at a high doping level can be significantly impacted by the free carriers, providing important insights into heat conduction mechanisms in thermoelectric materials which are mostly based on heavily doped alloys.
Publication Bias Among Conference Abstracts Reporting on Pediatric Quality Improvement Projects

This study evaluated progress to publication of pediatric quality improvement (QI) projects initially presented as national conference abstracts, according to project findings and other characteristics. QI abstracts were identified among presentations at the 2010-2015 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition, and publications were tracked through June 2018. Positive findings (improvement on at least 1 quantitative project outcome), interventions, and analyses were correlated with journal publication. Of 142 abstracts, 128 (90%) reported positive findings. Forty-nine positive abstracts and 3 abstracts reporting negative results resulted in publication (38% vs 21%, respectively; P = .256). Median time to publication was 1.2 years for projects with positive findings, compared to >3 years for abstracts with negative findings (P = .029). Ninety percent of abstracts reported positive findings, and these abstracts progressed to publication more quickly. Overcoming publication bias for pediatric QI projects may enhance selection of promising interventions as new projects are designed.
Towards a functional connectome in Drosophila

The full functionality of the brain is determined by its molecular, cellular and circuit structure. Modern neuroscience now prioritizes the mapping of whole brain connectomes by detecting all direct neuron to neuron synaptic connections, a feat first accomplished for C. elegans, a full reconstruction of a 302-neuron nervous system. Efforts at Janelia Research Campus will soon reconstruct the whole brain connectomes of a larval and an adult Drosophila. These connectomes will provide a framework for incorporating detailed neural circuit information that Drosophila neuroscientists have gathered over decades. But when viewed in the context of a whole brain, it becomes difficult to isolate the contributions of distinct circuits, whether sensory systems or higher brain regions. The complete wiring diagram tells us that sensory information is not only processed in separate channels, but that even the earliest sensory layers are strongly synaptically interconnected. In the higher brain, long-range projections densely interconnect major brain regions and convergence centers that integrate input from different sensory systems. Furthermore, we also need to understand the impact of neuronal communication beyond direct synaptic modulation. Nevertheless, all of this can be pursued with Drosophila, combining connectomics with a diverse array of genetic tools and behavioral paradigms that provide effective approaches to entire brain function.
Spider viscid silk sticks better to superhydrophobic surfaces

ABSTRACT In a likely coevolutionary arms race, insects evolved a variety of counter strategies to avoid capture by spider webs, while spiders’ evolved innovations web structure and especially their adhesive silks. For instance, insects’ cuticles employ a variety of potential anti-adhesion mechanisms such as the detachable scales of moths and surface waxes and superhydrophobic structures that might resist spreading of glues. In contrast, the viscid capture threads of most spider orb webs are covered with aggregate glue droplets that absorb atmospheric water, tuning glue viscosity to balance the competing demands of surface spreading versus maintaining strong bulk cohesion. Here, we test the hypothesis that superhydrophobicity in insects acts as an anti-adhesion defense against spider silk. We used lotus leaves as a model substrate because its superhydrophobicity outperforms most known insect surfaces. The adhesion of spider capture silk from the web of Larinioides cornutus was studied against three substrates: raw lotus leaves, oxygen plasma treated lotus leaves (hydrophilic lotus), and smooth glass, differing in roughness and chemistry. We found that spider capture silk sticks better to the superhydrophobic lotus than to other surfaces. Both chemistry and physical properties of the leaves contribute to higher adhesion, as raw lotus showed a mean increase in adhesion of 74 % compared to glass, while the similar surface roughness of the hydrophilic lotus increased adhesion by 64 % compared to glass. Thus, evolving a hydrophobic cuticle is unlikely to be a defensive trait used to mitigate the effectiveness of spider webs.
Robotic Direct Inguinal Hernia Repair: Transabdominal Preperitoneal (TAPP)

Robotic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernia repair (IHR) is considered analogous to the laparoscopic approach performed with different instruments. Prior experience in minimally invasive inguinal hernia repair is critical for success and the ability to reproduce a high-quality repair. If the well-established steps of TAPP IHR are not adhered to, then postoperative complications could be significant.
Durability of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies from Natural Infection in Children and Adolescents

Background. Recent data suggest the SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) variant is more transmissible among children compared to the Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant. The true incidence and longitudinal presence of antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection is not known, however. We provided estimates of antibody response using Texas Coronavirus Antibody REsponse Survey (Texas CARES) data, a prospective population-based seroprevalence project designed to assess antibody status over time among the general population throughout the state. Methods. In October 2020 Texas CARES began enrolling adults (aged 20-80 years) and children (aged 5-19 years). Participants were offered a series of three SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests over 6-8 months, or every 2-3 months that includes the immunoassay for detection of antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (Roche N-test). Descriptive characteristics and COVID-19 infection-related symptom status was determined by questionnaire at the time of enrollment and prior to each successive blood draw. This analysis included participants ages 5-to-19 years old who have completed all three antibody assessments. Results. From our sample (n=159; mean age 12.5 years, SD 3.6), 96% of those with evidence of nucleocapsid antibodies at baseline assessment continued to have antibodies > six months later (mean 7.0 months, SD 0.97). There was no difference in the presence of antibodies by symptom status (asymptotic versus symptomatic) or severity (mild-moderate versus severe), sex, age group, or body mass index group (underweight, healthy weight, overweight, obesity) over the three antibody measurement timepoints. Conclusions. These results suggest that infection-induced antibodies persist and thus may provide some protection against future infection for at least half a year. 57.9% of the sample were negative for infection-induced antibodies at their third measurement point, suggesting a significant proportion of children have still not acquired natural infection.
Measuring the Uncertainty in Kriging

Spatial phenomena is commonly modelled as a realization from a stochastic process. Even when the reality is unique such models can usefully represent the uncertainty the modeler has about the phenomena. This paper is concerned with predicting for Gaussian random fields in a way that appropriately deals with uncertainty in the covariance function. To this end, we analyze the best linear unbiased prediction procedure (kriging) within a Bayesian framework. Particular attention is paid to the treatment of parameters in the covariance structure and their effect on the quality, both real and perceived, of the prediction. We show how this model can be improved by accounting for the uncertainty in the model parameters.
Metabolism of methionine in vivo: impact of pregnancy, protein restriction, and fatty liver disease

The coexistence of intrauterine and neonatal malnutrition and the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes and related comorbidities have been confirmed in a number of studies in humans and animal models. Data from studies in animals suggest that epigenetic changes as a result of altered methylation of the genomic DNA may be responsible for such metabolic patterning. Methionine, an essential amino acid, plays a critical role in the methyltranferases involved in the methylation by providing the one-carbon units via the methionine transmethylation cycle. Because of its interaction with a number of vitamins (B12, folate, pyridoxine), its regulation by hormones, i.e. insulin and glucagon, and by the changes in redox state, methionine metabolism is effected by nutrient and environmental influences and by altered physiological states. In the present review the impact of human pregnancy, dietary protein restriction and fatty liver disease on methionine metabolism is discussed. The role of methionine in metabolic programming in a commonly used model of intrauterine growth retardation and in propagation of fatty liver disease is briefly described.
Structural changes in microsomal suspensions: IV. Effects of ions

Abstract Experiments are described that further support the hypothesis that microsomal membranes act as semipermeable diffusion barriers. In accord with this model, the sucrose space comprised, at pH 7.3, only 31% of the intramicrosomal water. As the pH of the incubation medium was raised from 6.6 to 8.4, the sucrose space and water content increased; concomitantly, the ratios of the differences in turbidity changed, and the correlated water contents between various cationic media decreased. These findings are interpreted as indicating an increased membrane permeability, and a decreased membrane selectivity to cations, with increasing pH. Conversely, the ratios of the turbidity changes between various anionic media showed no decrease, or possibly an increase, at higher pH's. Effects of ATP are considered in terms of cation chelation rather than enzymic alterations. Experiments in which the Na and K content of the microsomes was altered indicated that intramicrosomal cations play a specific role in membrane structure and permeability.
Q and the tax bias theory

Abstract A growing body of literature analyzes the variation in Q , the ratio of financial market value to asset current replacement cost, and makes inferences about attributes such as monopoly power, profitability, managerial performance, etc. These studies ignore potential biases embedded in Q that result from non-neutral tax policies. This study examines the association between Q and tax biases and establishes that differences in accumulated depreciation tax shields explain significant variation in Q . The implication that Q should be adjusted for tax biases before use in empirical research is examined further. Adjusting Q for tax biases, at least with the factors herein, leads only to minor changes in econometric analyses.
From the Narration of Crime to the Crime of Narration: Claude Simon's Le Palace

I wish to examine here the subject of crime in the New Novel, using Claude Simon's Le Palace as an example.' I shall approach this subject by comparing two different critical positions on the status of criminal referents in the New Novel. The first position, prevalent in writings concerning the early New Novel, can be called the "narration of crime" position. The second position, prevalent in writings concerning the later New Novel, can be called the "crime of narration" position. In order to compare these two positions I shall First expound upon the "narration of crime" position, apply it briefly to Le Palace, and criticize it. Next I shall expound upon the "crime of narration" position and then similarly apply and criticize it.
Computer-Implemented Grading of Flight Simulator Students

This paper presents an investigation into computer monitoring of aircrew performance and subsequent evaluation of that performance. The study presumes that it is possible to develop, for each training task, a general system model of aircrew skill development within the mathematical framework of set theory. Through the judicious selection of parameters to be monitored, and by the utilization of a reasonable amount of computer resources, an evaluation can be made by comparing student performance to a performance optimum. The technique involves the development of a state transition structure difference matrix from the matrix representing the student's performance and the matrix representing the optimum performance.
Renal phenotype of inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kcnj16 (Kir 5.1) knockout in the Dahl salt-sensitive rats (893.16)

The inward-rectifying channels play an important role in the control of resting membrane potential and tubular homeostasis in the kidney. To illuminate the importance of Kcnj16 (Kir 5.1) in the con...
The Treatise on the Laws and Customs of the Realm of England commonly called Glanvill

Abbreviations List and grouping of manuscripts Introduction Latin text and English translation Additional notes Appendix Index of writs General index.
Light Scattering from Simulated Interstellar Dust

Significant progress has been made in recent years in restricting the range of possible compositions, shapes, and size distributions of circumstellar and interstellar dust. Much of the progress has occurred by comparing observations with results of laboratory and theoretical studies of likely dust materials based on the physical and chemical conditions existing in dust producing astronomical environments. Significant uncertainty remains, however, on the shape and size distribution of dust. Theoretical studies have usually modeled the optical properties of dust by assuming that the dust consists of spheres, infinitely long cylinders, or ellipsoids because such assumptions make detailed calculations tractable. Dust produced in laboratory studies frequently occur as tangled chains of submicron grains, variously described as “birdsnests” , “aggregated” or “pcoagulated”. The aggregated structure of laboratory dust reflect the large contribution of grain-grain collisions to grain growth in the relatively high pressure processes used to prepare the dust samples. In astronomical dust forming regions, grain growth can occur both by grain-molecule growth, which leads to compact dust, and by grain-grain collisions, which leads to low density dust consisting of strings of grains. Numerical simulations of grain-grain aggregation result in low density dust particles that can be described by their fractal dimension (Meakin, 1986).
A Summary of the Communication and Literacy Evidence-Based Practices for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, Visually Impaired, and Deafblind

The Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center at the University of Florida (http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/) is a national technical assistance center dedicated to supporting states in their efforts to develop teachers and leaders who can successfully prepare students with disabilities to achieve college and career-ready standards. One of the objectives of the project is to organize and synthesize the literature on evidence-based practices for students with disabilities. The purpose of this article is to share a summary of the evidence-based practices in the areas of communication and literacy for students who are deaf, hard of hearing, visually impaired, or deafblind, as well as recommendations for service providers and researchers.
Influence of angiotensin II blockade during exercise in the heat

The effect of the blockade of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) on thermorgulatory, cardiovascular and renal function during moderate exercise in a hot [mean (SEM) 34.4 (0.1)°C] environment was evaluated. Six men and three women cycled at 60% peak oxygen uptake for 45 min following acute administration of a placebo (PLAC) or enalapril (ENAL), an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I). Resting mean arterial pressure (MAP) was reduced by ENAL, but the pressor response to exercise was unaffected [ΔMAP = 7.8 (1.4) mmHg for both trials (P > 0.05)]. Peak esophageal temperature [Tes = 38.7 (1.0)°C (PLAC) vs 38.4 (0.2)°C (ENAL)] and mean skin temperatures [\(\bar T\)sk = 36.5 (0.1)°C (PLAC) vs 36.6 (0.1)°C (ENAL)] were similar for both drug treatments during the exercise. Both aldosterone and plasma renin activity (PRA) increased five fold above resting values during exercise; however, only the PRA response [16.7 (3.2) ng angiotensin I (Ang I) · ml−1 · h−1 (ENAL) vs 7.4 (1.2) ng Ang I · ml−1 · h−1 (PLAC)] was significantly altered by ENAL treatment (P < 0.05). Urine flow, sodium excretion and glomerular filtration rates, determined from creatinine clearance, were similarly reduced following exercise for both ENAL and PLAC treatments. These results suggest acute administration (5 mg) of ACE-I does not impair thermoregulatory, cardiovascular or renal responses during moderate exercise in the heat.
The ToxR-Mediated Organic Acid Tolerance Response of Vibrio cholerae Requires OmpU

It was previously demonstrated that the intestinal pathogen Vibrio cholerae could undergo an adaptive stress response known as the acid tolerance response (ATR). The ATR is subdivided into two branches, inorganic ATR and organic ATR. The transcriptional regulator ToxR, while not involved in inorganic ATR, is required for organic ATR in a ToxT-independent manner. Herein, we investigate the effect of organic acid stress on global protein synthesis in V. cholerae and show by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis that the stress response alters the expression of more than 100 polypeptide species. The expression of more than 20 polypeptide species is altered in a toxR strain compared to the wild type. Despite this, ectopic expression of the porin OmpU from an inducible promoter is shown to be sufficient to bypass the toxR organic ATR defect. Characterization of the effect of organic acid stress on ompU and ompT transcription reveals that while ompU transcription remains virtually unaffected, ompT transcription is repressed in a ToxR-independent manner. These transcript levels are similarly reflected in the extent of accumulation of OmpU and OmpT. Possible roles for OmpU in organic acid resistance are discussed.
Isocyanates as Wood Binders—A Review

Abstract The chemistry of isocyanate reactions is reviewed. Theories on the mechanisms for reactions with wood are developed. The reactions of isocyanates with various reactive sites on wood are offered as the most probable explanation for the excellent bonding efficiency of isocyanates in particleboard. Experimental evidence is cited which suggests that the formation of polyurea compounds provides the necessary link between urethane-to-wood anchored MDI molecules.
Recent results from the spacecraft fabrication and test MODIL

The Spacecraft Fabrication and Test Manufacturing Operations Development and Integration Laboratory (SF&T MODIL) is working with SDIO program offices and contractors to reduce schedule and budget risks for SDIO systems as they go into production. The concurrent engineering thrust has identified potential high payoff areas. A materials and structures demonstration project has successfully completed a partial automated closing of matched metal molds for a continuous fiber composite. In addition to excellent accuracy, the parts demonstrated excellent predictability and repeatability of physical properties. The cryocooler thrust successfully demonstrated and inserted precision technologies into a generic cryocooler part. The precision technologies thrust outlined two potentially high payoff areas in precision alignment and miniature rocket thrust measurement. The Producible Technology Working Group (PTWG) efforts identified the need for a test and assembly thrust. Due to funding limitations, continuing efforts are limited to the cryocooler thrust.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Slender Wheatgrass is Susceptible to Smut Caused by Ustilago phrygica from Turkey.

Slender wheatgrass (Elymus trachycaulus (Link) Gould ex Shinners subsp. trachycaulus), family Poaceae, tribe Triticeae, is a native North American grass that is used as a livestock forage. Ustilago...
Picosecond resonance coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy of bacteriorhodopsin: spectra and quantitative third-order susceptibility analysis of the light-adapted BR-570

Abstract Vibrational spectra from ground-state bacteriorhodopsin (BR) in light-adapted protonated and perdeuterated (D 2 O) water samples (i.e. from BR-570) are recorded by picosecond resonance coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (PR/CARS). Coherent excitation by pairs of 6 ps pulses at ω 1 (578 nm, Δω ⩽ 4 cm −1 ) and at ω s (604–643 nm, Δω ≈ 300 cm −1 ) simultaneously generates PR/CARS signals over ≈ 300 cm −1 . The high S/N of the PR/CARS spectra obtained over the 760–1750 cm −1 region merit a quantitative χ (3) analysis to obtain band origin positions, band shapes, relative band intensities, and phase factors describing the electronic resonance. Excitation conditions are selected to minimize BR photochemistry and ensure the electronic resonance of ω 1 with the retinal chromophore and therefore, these PR/CARS data can be assigned to the all-trans, 15-anti retinal structure found in BR-570. Changes not only in the retinal structure itself, but also in the surrounding environment (protein and water molecules) which either alter the retinal structure or influence the electronic resonance in the retinal chromophore are reflected in these results. Thus, a more detailed view than previously available can be obtained of the vibrational degrees of freedom of all-trans, 15-anti retinal. Relative to resonance Raman data from BR-570, 8 new vibrational features in the PR/CARS spectra from BR-570 and changes in the positions of Raman bands directly attributable to the deuteration of the Schiff base nitrogen are found. Attention also is given to the influence of non-resonant and resonant contributions to the PR/CARS signal. These results are especially important in the analysis of PR/CARS data from samples in which mixtures of BR retinal chromophores, both static and transient, are found.
The role of drugs and alcohol in urban minority adolescent suicide attempts.

This study examined psychopathology and substance use in 15 African American adolescents who attempted suicide and 15 African American adolescents who did not attempt suicide (control group). Both groups of adolescents and their parents completed questionnaires that addressed depression, behavior problems, family functioning, and drug and alcohol use. On the basis of group means of the Children's Depression Inventory (Kovacs & Beck, 1977), the Youth Self-Report (Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1987), and the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1983), the suicidal youth were found to have a significant level of depression in addition to a variety of internalizing and externalizing behavior disorders. Similarly, on the Multigating Substance Use Evaluation System (Jurkovic & Bruce, 1991), the suicidal youth were at a high risk for alcohol and drug abuse. The suicidal group reported more alcohol and drug abuse than the control group. The results indicated that suicidal African American adolescents used significant amounts of drugs and alcohol, which may be associated with suicide attempts. Language: en
Smart system design for a 3D base-isolated benchmark building

The application of control technologies to structures is expected to enhance a structure's performance in response to natural hazards. This study focuses on the development of control design strategies suitable for smart base isolation systems. The phase I benchmark problem for 3D base-isolated buildings is used as a case study to facilitate a direct comparison with the results of other designs. The smart base isolation system consisting of passive isolators and controllable semiactive devices at the base is employed for the demonstration and validation of these strategies. Magnetorheological (MR) dampers are used as the control devices and are placed in parallel with the isolation system. An H2/LQG control algorithm is used to determine the nominal control action and is used in conjunction with a clipped optimal decision block. Effective design for this complex system requires the use of control device and sensor placement techniques achieved with the consideration of the structure's physical properties. The use of correlation is also proposed to minimize redundancies in the placement of the sensors and devices. Simulation results demonstrate that the control technique is effective in improving the structural performance for a variety of earthquakes. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Precisely and Irregularly Sequenced Ethylene/1-Hexene Copolymers: A Synthesis and Thermal Study

Step-growth acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization chemistry followed by exhaustive hydrogenation offers a new alternative in modeling ethylene/1-hexene (EH) copolymers. In contrast to chain-growth chemistry, this new approach produces well-defined, defect-free primary structures. This report describes the synthesis, characterization, and thermal behavior of ADMET-produced polyethylene materials containing either precisely or irregularly spaced butyl branches, the latter to serve as models for ethylene/1-hexene copolymers made via chain-growth chemistry. The thermal behavior of the new materials was studied using differential scanning calorimetry, and detailed NMR and IR analyses permitted the characterization of the primary structures. Properties of the here presented ethylene/1-hexene copolymers models can be varied from semicrystalline to fully amorphous by precise control of comonomer content and spacing.
The Smell Identification Test as a Measure of Olfactory Identification Ability in Schizophrenia and Healthy Populations: A Rasch Psychometric Study

This study examines University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT; R. L. Doty, 1995) performance in 133 controls and 54 chronic, medicated outpatients with schizophrenia (SZ) using item-response theory modeling. Results show that UPSIT items contribute to 1 factor, cover a range of 8 standard errors of measurement, and articulate 3 ability levels. Although it is not difficult enough to discriminate among persons of above-average ability, the test has diagnostic utility in detecting moderate impairment. Independent of item difficulty, 13 items differentiate patients from controls. When 45 patients and 45 controls were matched on gender and age, patient accuracy remained significantly reduced. The findings support the test's utility and demonstrate how traditional data analysis is insensitive to complexities in test performance.
Aircraft radar response to soil moisture

An analysis is presented of aircraft response to soil moisture in the upper surface layer of agricultural fields. Measurements (taken at 1.6 GHz and 4.75 GHz using HH and HV polarizations, and at 13.3 GHz using VV polarization from an experiment conducted in 1978 at Colby, Kansas) are used to derive the radar soil moisture sensitivities and correlations. It is shown that the aircraft response to soil moisture is optimum at C-band frequencies and incidence angles of 10-20 deg. confirming previous truck-radar results. Like-polarization radar response is unaffected by vegetation but is dependent on row-tillage patterns; cross-polarization response also is unaffected by vegetation but is approximately independent of tillage patterns. These results show that remote sensing radars can be used effectively for the detection and estimation of near-surface soil moisture in agricultural fields.
A data collection decision-making framework for a multi-tier collaboration of heterogeneous orbital, aerial, and ground craft

An algorithm for the autonomous identification of and tasking to collect additional data required to complete a goal is presented. This assertion-form goal is decomposed autonomously into an initial set of data collection tasks. Once these are completed, information gaps may exist or new information collection requirements may be identified. A utilitymaximization, cost-minimization metric is applied to ascertain what data collection tasks craft should be assigned. This decision making process is performed at each level of the hierarchy, decomposing large-scale needs into progressively smaller assignments. The utility of this control approach is assessed for persistent surveillance and planetary science applications.
Price Variations for Refrigerators Among Retail Store Types and Cities

This study investigated differences in prices of refrigerators among 5 different types of retailers in 11 different major U.S. cities. Significant differences in price among retailers were found with appliance stores and furniture stores offering the lowest prices. Discount department stores quoted lower prices than did conventional department stores. Some cities had lower average prices than others. There were considerable variations in price among all classes of retailers and among all cities. Dealers that serviced appliances quoted prices similar to those quoted by dealers that did not service appliances. Prices did not vary by the size of the store.