cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tensile Creep Fracture of Polycrystalline Near-Stoichiometric Nial

Tensile creep fracture behavior of polycrystalline near-stoichiometric NiAl has been studied between 700 and 1200 K under initial applied stresses varying between 10 and 200 MPa. The stress exponent for fracture varied between 5.0 and 10.7 while the activation energy for fracture was 250 +/- 22 kJ/mol. The fracture life was inversely proportional to the secondary creep rate in accordance with the Monkman-Grant relation although there was extensive scatter in the data. This observation suggests that the fracture life for near-stoichiometric NiAl was influenced by creep under these stress and temperature conditions. Several different fracture morphologies were observed. Transgranular ductile cleavage fracture occurs at 700 K and at the higher stresses at 800 K. The fracture mode transitions to transgranular creep fracture at 900 and 1000 K and at lower stresses at 800 K, while plastic rupture and grain boundary cavitation occur at 1100 and 1200 K. An experimental fracture mechanism map is constructed for near-stoichiometric NiAl.
Health Care Purchasing and Market Changes in California

Prologue: The relationships between purchasers of medical care and its providers are evolving in California more rapidly perhaps than in any other state as managed competition takes hold in the mar...
Using a two-factor theory of achievement motivation to examine performance-based outcomes and self-regulatory processes

Many researchers agree that achievement motivation represents a multidimensional concept. We employed a two-factor theory of achievement motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic factors) to predict three achievement-related factors: generalized expectancy for success, need for cognition, and self-reinforcement. As predicted, intrinsic achievement motivation was positively associated with scores on all three achievement-related factors, whereas extrinsic achievement motivation was positively related only to generalized expectancy for success. Subsequent regression analyses revealed that intrinsic achievement motivation better predicted all three factors than did extrinsic achievement motivation. Implications for employing a two-factor model of achievement motivation are presented for both basic and applied applications.
The Fields Medals (I): Relating the Continuous and the Discrete

The highest award to which a mathematician can aspire is the Fields Medal, an award comparable in many respects to a Nobel Prize in the prestige it confers. J.C. Fields, who set up a trust for the gold medals that constitute the award, said only that they should be made "in recognition of work already done and as an encouragement for further achievements on the part of the recipient." This has been interpreted to mean that the medals should be given to young mathematicians (generally those under the age of 40), a tradition that has been closely followed since the first two medals were awarded in 1936. The Fields Medals are given out only every 4 years, at the quadrennial convening of the International Congress of Mathematicians. This year, Fields Medals were presented to Gregory A. Margoulis of the Soviet Union, Daniel Quillan of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Charles Fefferman of Princeton University, and Pierre Deligne of the Institute des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques in France.
Sexual differentiation of the rodent brain: dogma and beyond.

Steroid hormones of gonadal origin act on the neonatal brain to produce sex differences that underlie adult reproductive physiology and behavior. Neuronal sex differences occur on a variety of levels, including differences in regional volume and/or cell number, morphology, physiology, molecular signaling, and gene expression. In the rodent, many of these sex differences are determined by steroid hormones, particularly estradiol, and are established by diverse downstream effects. One brain region that is potently organized by estradiol is the preoptic area (POA), a region critically involved in many behaviors that show sex differences, including copulatory and maternal behaviors. This review focuses on the POA as a case study exemplifying the depth and breath of our knowledge as well as the gaps in understanding the mechanisms through which gonadal hormones produce lasting neural and behavioral sex differences. In the POA, multiple cell types, including neurons, astrocytes, and microglia are masculinized by estradiol. Multiple downstream molecular mediators are involved, including prostaglandins, various glutamate receptors, protein kinase A, and several immune signaling molecules. Moreover, emerging evidence indicates epigenetic mechanisms maintain sex differences in the POA that are organized perinatally and thereby produce permanent behavioral changes. We also review emerging strategies to better elucidate the mechanisms through which genetics and epigenetics contribute to brain and behavioral sex differences.
Correlates of vincristine resistance in four murine tumor cell lines.

Abstract The mechanism(s) of cellular resistance to vincristine (VCR) are poorly understood. Four murine tumor cell lines with varying degrees of VCR resistance, as measured by prolonged survival of tumor-bearing mice following VCR treatment, were selected for study. These lines were P1534, P388, P388/VCR and L1210. Steady-state cellular VCR levels, bound intracellular VCR, displaceable intracellular VCR, influx velocities and efflux velocities following VCR preloading were all measured in vitro and correlated with augmentation of survival. Neither the influx velocity, efflux velocity nor the steady-state VCR level showed any apparent correlation with in vivo sensitivity. Moreover, the ratio of influx velocity to efflux velocity was highest in the most sensitive cell line (i.e. P1534) and lowest in the most resistant cell line (i.e. P388/VCR). Bound intracellular VCR correlated best with VCR sensitivity suggesting that high-affinity intracellular binding, presumably to tubulin ( K a ⋍ 1 × 10 −7 M ), is a critical determinant of VCR sensitivity.
The Physics of Tablet Compression: V. Studies on Aspirin, Lactose, Lactose-Aspirin, and Sulfadiazine Tablets

Results obtained from studies on the dependency on compressional force of various physical properties of compressed tablets are shown to be in good qualitative agreement with those found in an earlier investigation on sulfathiazole tablets. Such differences in behavior of several granulations as were found could be attributed mainly to the difference in relative hardness and cohesive properties of the substances employed.
On-orbit temperature distribution of a submillimeter-telescope primary-reflector panel

A preliminary detailed primary-mirror thermal analysis has been performed for the Earth-orbiting Submillimeter Imager and Line Survey Telescope. The purpose of the analysis was to determine the spatial temperature distribution in a panel that composes the primary mirror. The primary mirror is formed from seven separate panels, and minimization of the temperature difference across the primary mirror is crucial to optical performance requirements. Previous work indicated that the temperature difference across the entire primary reflector mirror was small, but the nodal granularity was not sufficient to draw the same conclusion for a single panel. A finite difference model with a large number of nodes for a particular panel was developed. Automated model generator code was developed to facilitate model construction. Steady-state analyses were performed, since the transitory effects of the Earth fluxes are overwhelmed by the solar environment. The analysis indicates that the panel temperature distribution is extremely isothermal, and therefore adequate optical performance is possible. A future, more rigorous analysis now can be performed so that the figure error can be sufficiently quantified.
Temperature controlled tensile testing of individual nanowires.

We present a novel experimental method for quantitatively characterizing the temperature-dependent mechanical behavior of individual nanostructures during uniaxial straining. By combining a microelectromechanical tensile testing device with a low thermal mass and digital image correlation providing nm-level displacement resolution, we show successful incorporation of a testing platform in a vacuum cryostat system with an integrated heater and temperature control. Characterization of the local sample temperature and time-dependent response at both low and high temperature demonstrates a testing range of ∼90–475 K and steady-state drift rates less than 0.04 K/min. In situ operation of the tensile testing device employing resistively heated thermal actuators while imaging with an optical microscope enables high-resolution displacement measurements, from which stress-strain behavior of the nanoscale specimens is deduced. We demonstrate the efficacy of our approach in measuring the temperature dependence of tensile strength in nominally defect-free ⟨110⟩ Pd nanowhiskers. We uncover a pronounced sensitivity of the plastic response to testing temperature over a range of ∼300 K, with an ultimate strength in excess of 6 GPa at low temperature. The results are discussed in the context of thermally activated deformation mechanisms and defect nucleation in defect-free metallic nanostructures.
A Television System To Record Eye Movements Of Automobile Drivers

The studies involving the measurement of human eye movements are not new. In fact, their origin can be traced back by the work of early researchers such as Javal (1879), Landolt (1891), Dodge and Cline (1901), etc. (Reference 1, 2, and 3). The early methods for the measurement of eye movements involved direct observation of the eye in a mirror. Since then, a large variety of techniques have been used to record eye movements and these include techniques such as:
Targeted expression of IGF-1 transgene to skeletal muscle accelerates muscle and motor neuron regeneration

Currently, there is no known medical treatment that hastens the repair of damaged nerve and muscle. Using IGF-1 transgenic mice that specifically express human recombinant IGF-1 in skeletal muscle, we test the hypotheses that targeted gene expression of IGF-1 in skeletal muscle enhances motor nerve regeneration after a nerve crush injury. The IGF-1 transgene affects the initiation of the muscle repair process after nerve injury as shown by increased activation of SCA-1positive myogenic stem cells. Increased satellite cell differentiation and proliferation are observed in IGF-1 transgenic mice, shown by increased expression of Cyclin D1, MyoD, and myogenin. Expression of myogenin and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits, initially increased in both wild-type and IGF-1 transgenic mice, are restored to normal levels at a faster rate in IGF-1 transgenic mice, which indicates a rescue of nerve-evoked muscle activity. Expression of the IGF-1 transgene in skeletal muscle results in accelerated recovery of saltatory nerve conduction, increased innervation as detected by neurofilament expression, and faster recovery of muscle mass. These studies demonstrate that local expression of IGF-1 augments the repair of injured nerve and muscle.
Impact of the Hepatopulmonary Syndrome MELD Exception Policy on Outcomes of Patients After Liver Transplantation: An Analysis of the UNOS Database

Background & Aims Patients with hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) are prioritized for liver transplantation (given exception points) due to their high pre- and post-transplantation mortality. However, few studies have evaluated the outcomes of these patients. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study using data submitted to the United Network for Organ Sharing in a study of the effects of room-air oxygenation on pre- and post-transplantation outcomes of patients with HPS. We identified thresholds associated with post-transplantation survival using cubic spline analysis and compared overall survival times of patients with and without HPS. Results From 2002 through 2012, nine hundred and seventy-three patients on the liver transplant waitlist received HPS exception points. There was no association between oxygenation and waitlist mortality among patients with HPS exception points. Transplant recipients with more severe hypoxemia had increased risk of death after liver transplantation. Rates of 3-year unadjusted post-transplantation survival were 84% for patients with PaO2 of 44.1−54.0 mm Hg vs 68% for those with PaO2 ≤44.0 mm Hg. In multivariable Cox models, transplant recipients with an initial room-air PaO2 ≤44.0 mm Hg had significant increases in post-transplantation mortality (hazard ratio = 1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15−2.18) compared with those with a PaO2 of 44.1−54.0 mm Hg. Overall mortality was significantly lower among waitlist candidates with HPS exception points than those without (hazard ratio = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.70−0.96), possibly because patients with HPS have a reduced risk of pre-transplantation mortality and similar rate of post-transplantation survival. Conclusions Although there was no association between pre-transplantation oxygenation and waitlist survival in patients with HPS Model for End-Stage Liver Disease exception points, a pre-transplantation room-air PaO2 ≤44.0 mm Hg was associated with increased post-transplantation mortality. HPS Model for End-Stage Liver Disease exception patients had lower overall mortality compared with others awaiting liver transplantation, suggesting that the appropriateness of the HPS exception policy should be reassessed.
Citizen Participation, Design Competition and the Product in Urban Design: Insights from the Orange County Great Park

The purpose of this study is to determine the contribution of citizen participation and urban design competitions to the quality and outcomes of urban design projects. Urban design projects sometimes involve citizen participation and a design competition before a proposal is accepted for implementation. Although there is considerable literature on citizen participation and on design competitions, there is scant empirical research on the implications of the process for the product. A case study approach was used, in which the author evaluated data collected from a multi-phase citizen participation process and an international design competition for the design of the Great Park in Irvine, California. The design elements proposed by citizens during the citizen participation process and those proposed by the professionals in their competition entries were analyzed for their contribution to the quality of design of the project. The research reveals that, while these processes consume considerable financial and...
Pulmonary Candidiasis in the Neonatal Period.

Two cases of pulmonary candidiasis occurring in the neonatal period are reported and the literature reviewed. The rarity of this condition, despite the high incidence of thrush and the natural resistance of columnar epithelium to Candida albicans infection is contrasted to the apparent predilection of this fungus for stratified epithelium. Almost all recorded instances manifested respiratory distress and about one half had clinical thrush. X-rays of the chest and white blood counts were of no diagnostic value. The mortality rate was about 70 per cent. Pulmonary candidiasis, while rare, should be suspected in respiratory distress in the neonatal period.
A field study to compare performance of stainless steel research monitoring wells with existing on-farm drinking water wells in measuring pesticide and nitrate concentrations.

Abstract Existing drinking water wells are widely used for the collection of ground water samples to evaluate chemical contamination. A well comparison study was conducted to compare pesticide and nitrate-N data from specially designed stainless steel research monitoring wells with data from nearby existing on-farm drinking water wells. Results could help to determine whether adequate information concerning ground water contamination can be obtained from existing drinking water wells for use in making pollutant control decisions. The study was conducted during 1993–1994 in the Little Coharie Watershed, a 158 square mile area located in the coastal plain of eastern North Carolina. Statistical analysis indicated that research monitoring wells provided a greater probability of detecting pesticides in ground water than existing on-farm wells. Atrazine was the most frequently detected pesticide found in all wells, followed in order by fluometuron, carbofuran, metolachlor, alachlor, carbaryl, butylate, chlorothalonil, linuron and simazine.Ninety-seven percent of all wells had observed concentrations of nitrate-N, ranging from 0.1 to 30.1 mg/L. There was not a significant difference between research wells and existing wells for monitoring nitrate-N. Based on results of this study, existing drinking water wells can be used for monitoring nitrate; however, specialized stainless steel monitoring wells should be used for monitoring pesticides in ground water.
Inhibited hormonal induction of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in poly I∶C treated mice, an endotoxin-like glucocorticoid antagonism

Corticosteroid induction of mouse hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase was inhibited by prior injection of poly I∶C. Mice challenged with a lethal dose of endotoxin 4 h after administration of poly I∶C could not be protected by a concurrent injection of hydrocortisone.
Elevation of quinone reductase activity by anticarcinogenic antioxidants

Abstract NAD(P)H:quinone reductase exhibitis broad specificity in the reduction of endogenous and exogenous quinones and quinone imines, such as those derived from polycyclic aromatic carcinogens, phenolic steroids, vitamin K, and numerous therapeutic drugs. This enzyme is found in several cell compartment and is widely distributed among tissues. In contrast to several other flavoprotein dehydrogenases, quinone reductase catalyzes obligatorily two electron reductions. Extensive studies by Huggins and by others have shown that the quinone reductase in liver and some other tissues of rats is inducible by various polycyclic hydrocarbons and aromatic amines, as well as by certain azo dyes. Huggins perceived that the relative effectiveness of such compounds in inducing quinone reductase correlated with their abilities to protect against toxicity and carcinogenesis. Certain antioxidants are also known to protect against the tumorigenic and toxic effects of carcinogens. Studies on the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, and disulfiram have revealed that these compounds alter the activity profiles of several enzymes which metabolize carcinogenic and toxic compounds. We have observed that quinone reductase specific activity is increased markedly in mouse liver and several extrahepatic tissues in response to dietary BHA, ethoxyquin, and disulfiram, whereas BHT has been shown by others to enhance this enzymatic activity in rat liver. These findings confirm and extend the correlation between the ability to elevate quinone reductase activity and to confer protection against carcinogenesis and toxicity. The broad specificity of quinone reductase, its apparent inability to catalyze one electron reductions of quinones, its widespread distribution, and its inducibility by a variety of structurally dissimilar protective compounds, suggest that quinone reductase may play a significant local protective role in varous regions of the cell.
Retinoic acid inhibition of ex vivo human immunodeficiency virus-associated apoptosis of peripheral blood cells.

Abstract T cells from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals undergo spontaneous and activation-induced ex vivo apoptosis. Here we report that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from six HIV-infected individuals exhibited reduced ex vivo DNA fragmentation and cell death after ingestion of all-trans-retinoic acid (tRA). These effects were attenuated with continued daily RA administration, which correlated with a > 5-fold decrease in serum peak RA concentrations. Incubation of PBMCs from HIV+ individuals with tRA in vitro resulted in decreased DNA fragmentation in a subset of patients, especially those having < 500 CD4+ T cells per mm3. tRA also inhibited apoptosis of preactivated normal PBMCs induced to die by restimulation, which raises the possibility of a common mechanism between activation-induced apoptosis of activated normal PBMCs and apoptosis associated with HIV infection. Whether HIV-associated apoptosis of PBMCs, and its prevention by RA, has an impact on T-cell survival or the course of disease in patients infected with HIV will require further evaluation.
Achieving glycemic goals in type 2 diabetes.

This is the fourth in a series of articles on presentations at the American Diabetes Association’s 66th Scientific Sessions, Washington, DC, 9–13 June 2006, addressing aspects of the treatment of type 2 diabetes. A pilot project is underway to offer the Perspectives on the News commentaries as a monthly Web-based CME activity. Please access www.diabetes.procampus.net to view our initial efforts. We look forward to your comments. There is increasing evidence that the majority of individuals with diabetes are not treated to currently recommended glycemic goals. Rubino et al. (abstract 324) analyzed a U.K. database of 31,289 individuals with type 2 diabetes, of whom 2,501 had not received insulin and had A1C >8% despite treatment with two oral hypoglycemic agents (abstract numbers refer to the ADA Scientific Sessions, Diabetes 55 [Suppl. 1], 2006). After 1.8 years, 25% had started insulin; 4.9 years elapsed before half had started insulin, with similar lack of rapidity of treatment intensification among those diagnosed with retinopathy (18%) or neuropathy (7%). With A1C thresholds of 7 and 9%, half had started insulin at 6.3 and 4.2 years, respectively. Similarly, Nichols et al. (abstract 535) identified 4,365 individuals from the Kaiser Permanente Northwest pharmacy records starting sulfonylurea plus metformin, with a mean A1C 8.4%, and 79 and 51% of patients achieving A1C 8% (after a mean of 16 months), and 75% of the latter group rose to >7% (mean of 11 months), with 73% not receiving insulin over 33 months of follow-up. Those whose A1C initially fell below 7% ultimately receiving insulin had mean A1C 9.2% when this treatment was added, at a mean of 28 months. Riedel and Plauschinat (abstracts 552 and 553) assessed treatment patterns of 9,416 type 2 diabetic individuals initiated on oral …
Nanoscale structure–property relationships in conjugated polymers: Implications for present and future device applications

The most prevalent molecular level structures and structure–property relationships for three basic classes of conjugated polymers are summarized. This discussion encompasses linear unsubstituted conducting polymers and those containing linear side-chain and branched side-chain substituents. The impact of these structural attributes on charge transport and photophysics is emphasized. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 2630–2648, 2003
Protective Function of Proteins and Lipids in Human Milk

Human milk provides the infant with protection against infectious diseases. This protection is conferred through several mechanisms: specific antibody targeted protection against pathogens in the infa
Decision-Making Under Ignorance with Implications for Social Choice

A new investigation is launched into the problem of decision-making in the face of ‘complete ignorance’, and linked to the problem of social choice. In the first section the author introduces a set of properties which might characterize a criterion for decision-making under complete ignorance. Two of these properties are novel: ‘independence of non-discriminating states’, and ‘weak pessimism’. The second section provides a new characterization of the so-called principle of insufficient reason. In the third part, lexicographic maximin and maximax criteria are characterized. Finally, the author’s results are linked to the problem of social choice.
Sex, Religion, Media, Dane S. Claussen (ed.). New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2002, 295 pp.; $72.50 (cloth)

Chapter 1 Introduction Part 2 Part I: The Engagement and Avoidance of Sex and Religion in Media Production Chapter 3 Bernarr Macfadden's Physical Culture: Muscles, Morals, and the Millennium Chapter 4 The Whore of Babylon, Suggestibility, and the Art of Sexless Sex in Cecil B. DeMille's Samson and Delilah Chapter 5 Religious and Sexual Images in Rock Videos: A Second-by-Second Analysis Chapter 6 Sexuality and the Church: The Development of a Muddled Middle Chapter 7 A Broken Trust: Canadian Priests, Pedophilia, and the Media Chapter 8 The Silence of the Jewish Media on Sexual Abuse in the Orthodox Jewish Community Part 9 Part II: Media Content, Conservatives, Sex, and the "Liberal Establishment" Chapter 10 "I don't need to see the tattooed lady takin' it off": Evangelicals and Representations of Sexuality in Contemporary Film Chapter 11 Donald Wildmon and the American Family Association Chapter 12 Magazine Coverage of the Man the Networks Love to Hate Chapter 13 Morality Politics Associated with Abstinence-Only Sex Education Sought as a Remedy to Welfare Dependency Part 14 Part III: Media Content, Liberals, Sex, and the "Conservative Establishment" Chapter 15 The Organ in the Sanctuary: Silent Film and the Paradigmatic Image of the Suspect Clergy Chapter 16 Cult Sex: The Mass Media Reporting of Sexual Issues Surrounding New Religious Movements Chapter 17 Issue Culture Analysis and the Gay/Lesbian Religious Controversy Chapter 18 The Word on Sex: Biblical Interpretation on the Web and Constructed Realities Chapter 19 Between Law and Love: Christianity, Politics, and Sexual Citizenship Part 20 Part IV: Media Agenda-Setting and Cultivation of Religion and Sex Chapter 21 The Disenchantment of Modern Sexuality: Packaged by Media into Weber's "Iron Cage" Chapter 22 Family, Peers, Religiosity, Electronic Media, and the Risk of Adolescent Sexual Activity Chapter 23 Media Cultivation and Perceptions of Sexual Morality in Church of Christ Adolescents Chapter 24 "Oh God, My Kid Is Gay!" The Effects of Religious Belief and Media Consumption on Parental Ability to Accept a Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual Child Chapter 25 Conclusion Chapter 26 Index
Ultrastructural changes induced by low concentrations of DDT in the livers of the zebra fish and the guppy

Abstract Following exposure to 0.3–3.0 ppb DDT, the livers of zebrafish and guppies were examined by electron microscopy. After 24 h in 1.0 ppb or 72 h in 0.3 ppb, zebrafish had a complete loss of glycogen, decrease in cell size and a cytoplasmic compartment filled with rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Guppies exposed for periods of up to 28 days showed only a gradual accumulation of smooth ER and no change in glycogen, lipid, rough ER or cell size. The relationship of these changes to the zebrafish's sensitivity and the guppy's tolerance to DDT is dicussed.
The Current State of Middle Management Preparation, Training, and Development in Academic Libraries

This study examined the management experience, preparation, and training possessed by middle managers in academic libraries through the analysis of survey results. The analysis showed both advances in middle management preparation over recent decades and room for improvement in several aspects of management development and training within the academic librarianship profession.
High resolution electronic spectra of anisole and anisole-water in the gas phase: hydrogen bond switching in the S1 state.

Rotationally resolved S1←S0 electronic spectra of anisole and its hydrogen bonded complex containing one water molecule have been obtained. The results provide evidence for an “in-plane” complex in which the water molecule is attached via two hydrogen bonds to the anisole molecule, a donor O−H- - -O(CH3) bond and an acceptor H−O- - -H(ring) bond. Analysis of the subbands that appear in the spectrum of the complex suggests that hydrogen bond “switching” occurs when the complex absorbs light. The former O−H- - -O(CH3) bond is stronger in the ground (S0) state, whereas the latter H−O- - -H(ring) bond is stronger in the excited (S1) state. Dynamical consequences of this phenomenon are discussed.
Bio-inspired communications for coordination among autonomous underwater vehicles

To take measurements in space and time from the undersampled vast ocean, it is necessary to employ multiple autonomous underwater vehicles, such as gliders, that communicate and coordinate with each other. These vehicles need to form a team in a specific formation, steer through the 3D region of interest, and take application-dependent measurements such as temperature and salinity. In this paper, bio-inspired underwater acoustic communication and coordination algorithms are proposed to enable glider swarming that is robust against acoustic channel impairments. Performance of the proposed algorithms is evaluated when i) number of vehicles, ii) team formation geometry, and iii) team target trajectory are provided.
Strong climate and tectonic control on plagioclase weathering in granitic terrain

Abstract Investigations to understand linkages among climate, erosion and weathering are central to quantifying landscape evolution. We approach these linkages through synthesis of regolith data for granitic terrain compiled with respect to climate, geochemistry, and denudation rates for low sloping upland profiles. Focusing on Na as a proxy for plagioclase weathering, we quantified regolith Na depletion, Na mass loss, and the relative partitioning of denudation to physical and chemical contributions. The depth and magnitude of regolith Na depletion increased continuously with increasing water availability, except for locations with mean annual temperature
Body politics and the politics of bodies: Racism and Hauerwasian theopolitics

Today dominative power operates apart from, and exterior to, those state governmentalities that the “body politics” of Stanley Hauerwas disavows as “constantinian” entanglements such as military service, governmental office, and conspicuous expressions of civil religion. This is especially true with respect to those biopolitical modalities David Theo Goldberg names as “racelessness,” by which material inequalities are racially correlated, thereby allowing whiteness to mediate life and ration death. If, as Hauerwas contends, radical ecclesiology is indeed a theopolitical alternative to the nation–state's politics of violence, then it must prove itself resistant to such racialized violence. However, inasmuch as the (largely) uncontested fact of ecclesial segregation recapitulates these broader stratifications and exclusions, the church functions as a passive civil religion and itself participates in the politics of “nonviolent violence.” Thus, Hauerwas must do something that he has been reluctant to do. He must talk about race and racism more directly, specifying how his ecclesiological theopolitics resists such forms of violence; more importantly, he must demonstrate how actual ecclesial congregations instantiate such resistance. In short, to be truly nonviolent, Hauerwas's body politics must become a politics of bodies.
Autonomic Neuropathy In Sorbitol Dehydrogenase Inhibitor (Sdi)‐Treated Streptozotocin‐Diabetic Rats

We have developed an animal model of diabetic autonomic neuropathy characterized by neuroaxonal dystrophy (NAD) involving ileal mesenteric nerves and prevertebral sympathetic superior mesenteric ganglia (SMG) in chronic streptozotocin-diabetic rats. We have examined the effect of SDI-158, which interrupts the conversion of sorbitol to fructose (and reactions dependent on the second step of the polyol pathway), on NAD in control and diabetic rats. SDI-treatment (SDI-Rx) did not produce NAD in control animals despite the fact that sciatic nerve sorbitol levels reached the same levels as untreated diabetic animals. SDI-Rx resulted in a dramatically increased frequency of NAD in ileal mesenteric nerves and SMG. SDI-Rx diabetic rats developed lesions prematurely, after only one month of diabetes, and in greater numbers than untreated diabetics. SDI-Rx for 1,2,3 and 6 months showed a statistically significant but progressively smaller effect on NAD. The ultrastructural appearance of SDI-Rx ganglia and mesenteric nerves were identical to that previously reported in long-term untreated diabetics; however, short term SDI-Rx resulted in less compacted tubulovesicular elements in the SMG. Three month SDI-Rx superior cervical ganglia failed to develop NAD in the same animals in which large numbers of lesions were found in the SMG. Dystrophic axons involved ileal mesenteric nerves while sparing those to the jejunum. Dystrophic tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive sympathetic axons were distributed to myenteric and submucosal ganglia within the gut wall but not to the mesenteric vasculature. Therefore, although SDI-Rx diabetic rats show an exaggerated severity and accelerated time course of NAD compared to untreated diabetics, lesion appearance, immunoreactivity and distribution are comparable to those found in untreated STZ-diabetic rats of much longer durations.
Broad-bandwidth optical gain and efficient wavelength conversion in silicon waveguides

We use phase-matched four-wave mixing in appropriately designed silicon waveguides to demonstrate amplification over a 29 nm range and efficient wavelength conversion in the range from 1511 nm to 1591 nm.
Post-translational Regulation of Adr1 Activity Is Mediated by Its DNA Binding Domain

ADR1 encodes a transcriptional activator that regulates genes involved in carbon source utilization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. ADR1 is itself repressed by glucose, but the significance of this repression for regulating target genes is not known. To test if the reduction in Adr1 levels contributes to glucose repression of ADH2 expression, we generated yeast strains in which the level of Adr1 produced during growth in glucose-containing medium is similar to that present in wild-type cells grown in the absence of glucose. In these Adr1-overproducing strains, ADH2 expression remained tightly repressed, and UAS1, the element in the ADH2 promoter that binds Adr1, was sufficient to maintain glucose repression. Post-translational modification of Adr1 activity is implicated in repression, since ADH2 derepression occurred in the absence of de novo protein synthesis. The N-terminal 172 amino acids of Adr1, containing the DNA binding and nuclear localization domains, fused to the Herpesvirus VP16-encoded transcription activation domain, conferred regulated expression at UAS1. Nuclear localization of an Adr1-GFP fusion protein was not glucose-regulated, suggesting that the DNA binding domain of Adr1 is sufficient to confer regulated expression on target genes. A Gal4-Adr1 fusion protein was unable to confer glucose repression at GAL4-dependent promoters, suggesting that regulation mediated by ADR1 is specific to UAS1.
Performance measurement of main memory database recovery algorithms based on update-in-place and shadow approaches

The authors present a performance study of two main memory database recovery algorithms, one using a shadow approach and the other update-in-place. The results show that in main memory databases, shadow approach performs better than update-in-place. The authors introduce minor improvements to the shadow scheme and show that the modified algorithm does show further performance improvement. >
OPTIMAL BANDWIDTH CHOICE FOR ESTIMATION OF INVERSE CONDITIONAL–DENSITY–WEIGHTED EXPECTATIONS

This paper characterizes the bandwidth value (h) that is optimal for estimating parameters of the form , where the conditional density of a scalar continuous random variable V, given a random vector U, , is replaced by its kernel estimator. That is, the parameter η is the expectation of ω inversely weighted by , and it is the building block of various semiparametric estimators already proposed in the literature such as Lewbel (1998), Lewbel (2000b), Honore and Lewbel (2002), Khan and Lewbel (2007), and Lewbel (2007). The optimal bandwidth is derived by minimizing the leading terms of a second-order mean squared error expansion of an in-probability approximation of the resulting estimator with respect to h. The expansion also demonstrates that the bandwidth can be chosen on the basis of bias alone, and that a simple “plug-in” estimator for the optimal bandwidth can be constructed. Finally, the small sample performance of our proposed estimator of the optimal bandwidth is assessed by a Monte Carlo experiment.
Tsunami earthquakes: the quest for a regional signal

Using the technique developed by Newman and Okal [J. Geophys. Res. 103 (1998) 26885], a dataset of digital records from 84 earthquakes is analyzed to investigate their source slowness in the quest for a possible regional signal in three subduction zones which experienced recent tsunami earthquakes (Nicaragua, 1992; Java, 1994; Peru, 1996). The dataset is augmented by analog seismograms from historical events, including major tsunamigenic earthquakes of the past 65 years. We fail to detect a regional trend for slowness, which suggests that the latter may be controlled on a more local scale by morphological structures of the subducting plate. No correlation is found between slowness and either depth, focal mechanism, or seismic moment. In Nicaragua, we document two slow historical earthquakes located on the slab down-dip from the 1992 shock. The most interesting results are in Peru, where a local area of slowness is tentatively defined around the source of the 1960 tsunami earthquake, and where both the 1996 and 1960 tsunami earthquakes occur at the intersection of the trench with major topographic features on the Nazca plate, the Mendana fracture zone and the Trujillo trough, respectively. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Spirometry: Don't Blow It!

Spirometry is a useful test of pulmonary function and can be safely performed in a variety of clinical situations. Although the technique for performing the maneuver is straightforward, there are many sources of variability in results. Specific criteria must be met in order for the test to be considered valid. For the best results, proper instruction and coaching is essential, and patient understanding and effort must be maximized. Appropriate interpretation of spirometry requires several steps, including recognition and reporting of technically sound maneuvers, comparison to an appropriate reference population, and finally application of a well-developed interpretation scheme utilized in the context of patient symptoms and findings. Failure at any point along this path from performance to interpretation can yield misleading results that may ultimately poorly impact patient care. A clear understanding by the provider of proper coding and billing for spirometry is necessary to receive appropriate reimbursement from payers.
Mechanism of global functional recovery despite sustained postischemic regional stunning.

BACKGROUNDThe mechanisms whereby reperfusion of a 20-minute coronary occlusion result in global functional recovery despite persistent regional dysfunction were studied in 11 open-chest reflex-blocked dogs.METHODS AND RESULTSPressure-volume and pressure-thickness relations were simultaneously determined before, during, and after reperfusion of left anterior descending artery (LAD) occlusion. Wall thickness was determined by sonomicrometry in both ischemic and remote regions. Chamber systolic function was assessed by end-systolic pressure-volume relations (ESPVR) obtained by conductance catheter and defined by a slope (Ees) and volume shift at a common end-systolic pressure (delta Ves). LAD occlusion produced regional systolic thinning (-7 +/- 6%) and global left ventricular dysfunction (ESPVR shifted rightward (delta Ves = +8.6 +/- 5.1 ml, p less than 0.001) with no Ees change). After nearly 1 hour of reperfusion, LAD region thickening remained markedly reduced at 4 +/- 7% (versus 23 +/- 8%, control), yet...
Wood dynamics in headwater streams of the Colorado Rocky Mountains

[1] An 11 -year monitoring study begun in 1996 evaluates wood mobility in five Colorado Rocky Mountain streams. Each channel reach is 40-70 m in length. Initial surveys included channel dimensions and arrangement of each piece of wood. Annual resurveys focused on wood arrangement and persistence. Average diameter of 15 cm and length of 3.2 m varied little among sites. Average yearly mobility ranged from 16% to 23%. Average residence time was 3.4 years. Wood load correlates positively with valley width and channel gradient, and negatively with relative substrate submergence and mean annual peak discharge. Survival analysis revealed that individual piece residence time was controlled by a nondimensional piece length and peak unit stream power during the year of removal. Residence time increases as piece length relative to channel width decreases, which could be explained by a greater integration of the flow field for longer pieces. Mobility of individual pieces of wood is controlled primarily by piece characteristics (length, diameter, type). Likelihood of mobility is smallest for buried pieces. The brevity of residence time relative to studies from other regions likely results from relatively low wood loads in these channels after timber harvesting cleared both instream and riparian wood supply more than a century ago. Although individual pieces of wood are exchanged, wood load and the location of individual logjams remain relatively constant.
Simulation of Nanostructure Formation in Thin Polymer Films

A thin polymer film subjected to an electrostatic field may lose stability at the polymer-air interface, leading to uniform self-organized pillars emerging out of the film surface. This paper presents a three dimensional dynamic model to account for the behavior. The coupled diffusion, viscous flow, and dielectric effect are incorporated into a phase field framework. Numerical simulations reveal rich dynamics of the pattern formation process and the substrate effect. The pillar size is insensitive to the film thickness, but the distance between pillars and the growth rate are significantly affected. The study suggests an approach to control structural formation in thin films with a designed electric field.
Molecular structural analysis of noncarious cervical sclerotic dentin using Raman spectroscopy

Molecular structure of the sclerotic dentin in noncarious cervical lesions (NCCLs) including both the inorganic phase and organic phase was investigated using Raman spectroscopy. It was found that NCCL sclerotic dentin was hypermineralized with the mineral/matrix ratios 2–3 times higher than those of normal dentin, which was caused by both the increase of mineral content and decrease of organic matrix (collagen) content in the sclerotic dentin. For the inorganic phase, the phosphate band (PO43−, ν1, symmetric stretching vibrational mode) in NCCL sclerotic dentin was shifted from 960 to 963 cm−1, and the width of this band was decreased from 16.4 to 10.4 cm−1, indicating that the degree of mineral crystallinity in NCCL sclerotic dentin was higher than that of normal dentin. In addition, the carbonate content in the mineral of NCCL sclerotic dentin was less than that of normal dentin. As compared to the inorganic phase, the changes within the organic phase were not dramatic. However, the changes in collagen cross-link density along with other spectral changes were still detectable. There was a noteworthy reduction in the ratio of nonreducible to reducible cross-links in the NCCL sclerotic dentin, indicating that cross-link breaks occurred in the collagen matrix of the lesions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Muscle satellite cell proliferation and association: new insights from myofiber time-lapse imaging

As the resident stem cells of skeletal muscle, satellite cells are activated by extracellular cues associated with local damage. Once activated, satellite cells will re-enter the cell cycle to proliferate and supply a population of myoblasts, which will repair or replace damaged myofibers by differentiating and fusing either with an existing myofiber or with each other. There is also evidence that the orientation of cell division with respect to the myofiber may indicate or convey asymmetry in the two daughter cells. Our recent studies with time-lapse imaging of myofiber-associated satellite cells in vitro have yielded new data on the timing and orientation of satellite cell divisions, and revealed persistent differences in the behavior of daughter cells from planar versus vertical divisions. We analyzed 244 individual fiber-associated satellite cells in time-lapse video from 24 to 48 hours after myofiber harvest. We found that initial cell division in fiber culture is not synchronous, although presumably all cells were activated by the initial trauma of harvest; that cell cycling time is significantly shorter than previously thought (as short as 4.8 hours, averaging 10 hours between the first and second divisions and eight hours between the second and third); and that timing of subsequent divisions is not strongly correlated with timing of the initial division. Approximately 65% of first and 80% of second cell divisions occur parallel to the axis of the myofiber, whereas the remainder occur outside the plane of the fiber surface (vertical division). We previously demonstrated that daughter cells frequently remain associated with each other after division or reassociate after a brief separation, and that unrelated cells may also associate for significant periods of time. We show in this paper that daughter cells resulting from a vertical division remain associated with one another several times longer than do daughters from a horizontal division. However, the total average time of association between sister cells is not significantly different from the total average time of association between unrelated cells. These longitudinal characterizations of satellite cell behavior shortly after activation provide new insights into cell proliferation and association as a function of relatedness, and indicate significant and consistent heterogeneity within the population based on these metrics.
Selecting While Walking: An Investigation of Aiming Performance in a Mobile Work Context

Computing devices are becoming more ubiquitous and are increasingly used in environments away from the desktop. For example, computers are more frequently being used while walking, as is the case with hand -held devices, navigation systems and mobile phones. This paper investigates selection accuracy and task completion time when using stylus touch as the input method on hand -held devices. An experiment is described that measures the effect of walking slowly during interactions. Fitts’ law was found to be an effective predictor of task complet ion time. Furthermore, w alking did not have a significant negative effect on task completion time, although an increase in error rate and spatial variability of selection endpoints was discovered. Based on these findings, stylus touch is an acceptable inpu t method for interactive systems that are used in non -stationary environments provided that interface layout is designed to compensate for increased errors and reduced selection accuracy.
Petrogenetic and tectonic significance of xenocrystic Precambrian zircon in Lower Cambrian tonalite, eastern Klamath Mountains, California

U-Pb analyses of zircon from a Lower Cambrian tonalite in the Yreka terrane, Klamath Mountains, California, reveal an inherited Precambrian zircon component within rocks that have generally been believed to be part of the "ophiolitic" Trinity complex. The isotopic data indicate that Lower Cambrian plutonic rocks in the eastern Klamath Mountains are probably not ophiolitic in origin. These Lower Cambrian rocks may be either tectonic blocks within a lower Paleozoic accretionary complex or part of a disrupted Lower Cambrian volcanoplutonic terrane.