cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rawls Goes to Church

Many mainline Protestant communities want to be welcoming while preserving their identities; they want to be shaped by the central claims of the faith while making room for those who doubt. And crucially, they want to do this in a way that leads to vibrant, growing communities, where more and more people gather to worship, encourage one another, and live out the Gospel. How should the Episcopal Church—and other mainline Protestant denominations, insofar as they’re similar—try to achieve these goals? I suggest that local churches borrow some resources from John Rawls’s Political Liberalism. On the view I outline, it’s valuable for local churches to see themselves as akin to political bodies composed of reasonable citizens. The idea, in essence, is that the relevant kind of reasonableness would make congregations more unified even while tolerating more diversity, and would accomplish all this without giving up their distinctly Christian identity.
Follicular Pustules of the Scalp

Clinical differential diagnosis of scalp pustules includes bacterial folliculitis, folliculitis decalvans/tufted folliculitis, fungal folliculitis, acne necrotica, and rarely dermatitis herpetiformis.
Effect of capillary condensation on geomechanical and acoustic properties of shale formations

Abstract The variation of pressure and temperate changes the phase behavior of the pore fluid and may affect the acoustic and geomechanical properties of shale formations. While this is not a major issue in conventional reservoirs, it may be important for shale reservoirs. Since the pore size of conventional formations is in the micrometer scale, capillary pressure is small and does not affect the phase behavior of the pore fluids. However, for shale formations with nano-scale pores, capillary pressure is very high promoting the condensation of the gas, or capillary condensation. As the result of capillary condensation, two phases may coexist in different parts within the pore space between rock grains. Understanding the effect of capillary condensation on acoustic properties of shale is essential to interpret well logging data and predict the effects of pressure, temperature, and fluids on geomechanical properties of shale formations. However, the effect of capillary condensation on acoustic properties of shale is not well investigated. In this research, we present a grain contact model to quantitatively determine the effect of capillary condensation on the geomechanical properties of the shale formations. Since reservoir fluids are in thermodynamic equilibrium at in-situ reservoir pressure and temperature conditions, thermodynamic equilibrium calculation is used to determine the properties of the fluid in the pores. The results indicate that at low frequencies, the difference is small because the thermodynamic properties of gas phase are not substantially different from those of oil phase in equilibrium with. However, at high frequencies, the difference increases considerably as the result of the mobility and compressibility difference between gas and oil phase. This causes the difference in Young's modulus of more than 10% and this difference increases with the increase of stress. Hence, capillary condensation impacts the correlations obtained between static and dynamic moduli and associated formation property determination using well logging data, seismic data.
Interleukin-1 receptor signaling mediates atherosclerosis associated with bacterial exposure and/or a high-fat diet in a murine apolipoprotein E heterozygote model: pharmacotherapeutic implications.

Background— Current data demonstrate that progressive atherosclerosis is associated with activation of the inflammatory process, as evidenced by systemic elevations of molecules such as tumor necrosis factor, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1. It has been postulated that inflammatory events within an atherogenic lesion are induced by oxidized LDL. Recent evidence suggests that infectious agents, including those that cause periodontal disease, may also play an important role. Studies presented here tested the hypothesis that IL-1 receptor (IL-1R1) signaling plays a crucial role in bacteria- and/or high-fat diet (HFD)–enhanced atherogenesis. Methods and Results— Ten-week-old ApoE+/− mice lacking either 1 IL-1R1 allele (ApoE+/−/IL-1R1+/−) or 2 IL-1R1 alleles (ApoE+/−/IL-1R1−/−) fed either an HFD or regular chow were inoculated intravenously with live Porphyromonas gingivalis (P gingivalis) (107 CFU), an important periodontal pathogen, or vehicle once per week for 14 or 24 consecutive weeks. Histomorphometry of pl...
Teacher Collaboration: Implications for New Mathematics Teachers

One increasingly popular way of supporting new teachers is through the use of mentoring. New teachers are often paired with mentors as one of a number of supports meant to aid new teachers as they begin their career. The various types of mentoring range from school based mentors assigned by the school to specialty mentors, such as math coaches. Examples of other types of supports that are thought of as separate from formal mentoring are lesson studies, professional development schools, professional development workshops supported by local universities, teacher networks and sponsored professional development. Given the popularity of policies promoting support for new teachers, we explore specific supports for new teachers in addition to characteristics of these supports by focusing on two new alternatively certified mathematics teachers in New York City. Through observations and both formal and informal interviews that span a year, we gained insight into the various influences on these two teachersâ€™ practice in mathematics and considered how these might inform future practices aimed at supporting new teachers.
On Being Transminded: Disabling Achievement, Enabling Exchange

We write collaboratively, as a recent graduate and long-time faculty member of a small women’s liberal arts college, about the mental health costs of adhering to a feminist narrative of achievement that insists upon independence and resiliency. As we explore the destabilizing potential of an alternative feminist project, one that invites different temporalities in which dis/ability emerges and may be addressed, we work with disability less as an identity than as a generative methodology, a form of relation and exchange. Mapping our own college as a specific, local site for the disabling tradition of “challenging women,” we move to larger disciplinary and undisciplining questions about the stigma of mental disabilities, traversing the tensions between institutionalizing disability studies and the field’s promise of destabilizing the constrictions of normativity. Keywords: academia, dis/ability, disability studies, education, feminism, identity studies, mad pride, mad studies, mental health, mental illness, queer studies, temporality, women’s colleges
African Connections: Archaeological Perspectives on Africa and the Wider World

African Connections: Archaeological Perspectives on Africa and the Wider World. Peter Mitchell. New York: AltaMira Press, 2005. 307 pp.
Impact of Sepsis on Surgical Outcomes.

Abstract Background: Sepsis is among the leading causes of death in the United States, and patients undergoing surgical procedures are at greater risk for infectious complications. The incidence of sepsis and its association with outcomes among patients undergoing surgical procedures in various specialties were investigated. Additionally, the infectious sources and associated primary procedures were reported for sepsis-related deaths. Methods: Patients undergoing procedures performed by surgical services at our academic medical center between January 2010 and June 2013 were reviewed. Sepsis was identified by the assignment of related ICD-9-CM billing codes. Patient outcomes included hospital length of stay, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, ICU length of stay, and death. A subset of sepsis-related deaths was reviewed further for infectious sources and primary procedure codes. Results: A total of 25,522 patients underwent a procedure by a surgical service, and sepsis developed in 863 patients (3.38%) du...
New Challenges for Tertiary Education: The World Bank Report

ture through the cross-border supply of education is expressed by GATS sceptics. Advocates maintain that a new hybridization and fusion of culture will evolve through increasing mobility and the influence of ICTs. In fact, they believe that this has been happening for decades and is a positive development. Once again, the divergence of opinion shows that there are new opportunities and new threats to consider, especially on the question of acculturation.
Conceptualizing Mindfulness and Acceptance as Components of Psychological Resilience to Trauma

Mindfulness- and acceptance-based conceptualizations of PTSD implicate experiential avoidance and non-mindful behavior in the etiology and maintenance of the disorder. If experiential avoidance is associated with vulnerability to PTSD, then a mindful and accepting orientation toward experience may confer psychological resilience following exposure to trauma. This article examines how mindfulness- and acceptance-based theories of psychopathology relate to risk of and resilience to PTSD. Research is reviewed dealing with the impact of experiential avoidance, avoidant coping, dissociation, acceptance, and mindfulness on PTSD symptom severity and posttraumatic functioning. This review suggests that trait mindfulness and acceptance are associated with greater psychological adjustment following exposure to trauma, while experiential avoidance, persistent dissociation, and coping strategies involving emotional disengagement are associated with greater PTSD symptom severity and related psychopathology. Methodological challenges are explored and suggestions for future research and PTSD prevention programs are discussed.
Microstructure of the heliospheric termination shock: Implications for energetic neutral atom observations

The Voyager 2 plasma observations of the proton distribution function downstream of the quasi-perpendicular heliospheric termination shock (TS) showed that upstream thermal solar wind ions played little role in the shock dissipation mechanism, being essentially transmitted directly through the shock. Instead, the hot supra-thermal pickup ion (PUI) component is most likely responsible for the dissipation at the TS. Consequently, the downstream proton distribution function will be a complicated superposition of relatively cool thermal solar wind protons and hot PUIs that have experienced either direct transmission or reflection at the TS cross-shock potential. We develop a simple model for the TS microstructure that allows us to construct approximate proton distribution functions for the inner heliosheath. The distribution function models are compared to ?-distributions, showing the correspondence between the two. Since the interpretation of energetic neutral atom (ENA) fluxes measured at 1 AU by IBEX will depend sensitively on the form of the underlying proton distribution function, we use a three-dimensional MHD-kinetic global model to model ENA spectra at 1 AU and ENA skymaps across the IBEX energy range. We consider both solar minimum and solar maximum-like global models, showing how ENA skymap structure can be related to global heliospheric structure. We suggest that the ENA spectra may allow us to probe the directly the microphysics of the TS, while the ENA skymaps reveal heliospheric structure and, at certain energies, are distinctly different during solar minimum and maximum.
A stable projection method for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations on arbitrary geometries and adaptive Quad/Octrees

We present a numerical method for solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations on non-graded quadtree and octree meshes and arbitrary geometries. The viscosity is treated implicitly through a finite volume approach based on Voronoi partitions, while the convective term is discretized with a semi-Lagrangian scheme, thus relaxing the restrictions on the time step. A novel stable implementation of the projection step is introduced, making use of the Marker And Cell layout for the data. The solver is validated numerically in two and three spatial dimensions.
Localization of common deletion regions on 1p and 19q in human gliomas and their association with histological subtype

Allelic alterations of chromosomes 1 and 19 are frequent events in human diffuse gliomas and have recently proven to be strong predictors of chemotherapeutic response and prolonged survival in oligodendrogliomas (Cairncross et al., 1998; Smith et al., submitted). Using 115 human diffuse gliomas, we localized regions of common allelic loss on chromosomes 1 and 19 and assessed the association of these deletion intervals with glioma histological subtypes. Further, we evaluated the capacity of multiple modalities to detect these alterations, including loss of heterozygosity (LOH), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). The correlation coefficients for detection of 1p and 19q alterations, respectively, between modalities were: 0.98 and 0.87 for LOH and FISH, 0.79 and 0.60 for LOH and CGH, and 0.79 and 0.53 for FISH and CGH. Minimal deletion regions were defined on 19q13.3 (D19S412-D19S596) and 1p (D1S468-D1S1612). Loss of the 1p36 region was found in 18% of astrocytomas (10/55) and in 73% (24/33) of oligodendrogliomas (P < 0.0001), and loss of the 19q13.3 region was found in 38% (21/55) of astrocytomas and 73% (24/33) of oligodendrogliomas (P = 0.0017). Loss of both regions was found in 11% (6/55) of astrocytomas and in 64% (21/33) of oligodendrogliomas (P < 0.0001). All gliomas with LOH on either 1p or 19q demonstrated loss of the corresponding FISH probe, 1p36 or 19q13.3, suggesting not only locations of putative tumor suppressor genes, but also a simple assay for assessment of 1p and 19q alterations as diagnostic and prognostic markers.
Control of a cable-towed vehicle to minimize slip

Cable-towed vehicles have the potential to reduce the costs of harvesting timber on steep or wet terrain. In many situations, these vehicles would perform best when both the wheels and cable winch are powered. This paper describes a control algorithm which minimizes wheel slip by optimizing the partitioning of power between the winch and tractive drives. Results of tests with an experimental vehicle showed that the algorithm was capable of providing nearly zero average wheel slip.
Visualization studies of turbulent transition flows in a porous medium

Results are reported for flow-visualization studies of the flow regimes of water passing through a porous medium consisting of cylindrical glass and plexiglas rods arranged in a complex and fixed three-dimensional geometry. The Reynolds number (Re) varied from 50 to 700; the flow was visualized by injecting a 5% potassium permanganate dye solution into the pores and photographing the resulting dye streaklines with both a still camera and a movie camera. The results indicate that four distinct flow regimes exist in the porous medium: (1) Darcy or creeping flow up to Re = 3; (2) steady inertia-dominated laminar flow for Re = 3-150; (3) unsteady transitional laminar flow for Re = 150-250; and (4) fully turbulent flow for Re greater than 250. It is concluded that a laminar wake instability mechanism typical of the external flow about bluff bodies may be responsible for the overall transition from laminar to turbulent flow in porous media.
Chandra X-Ray Imaging of the Interacting Starburst Galaxy System NGC 7714/7715: Tidal Ultraluminous X-Ray Sources, Emergent Wind, and Resolved H II Regions

We present high spatial resolution X-ray imaging data for the interacting galaxy pair NGC 7714/7715 (Arp 284) from the Chandra X-ray telescope. In addition to the unresolved starburst nucleus, a variable point source with LX ≈ 1040 ergs s-1 was detected 15 (270 pc) to the northwest of the nucleus, coincident with a blue, extremely optically luminous (MV ≈ -14.1) point source on Hubble Space Telescope images. Eleven other candidate pointlike ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) were also detected in the vicinity of NGC 7714/7715, two of which exceed 1040 ergs s-1. Ten of these appear to be associated with interaction-induced features, but only two are associated with star formation regions. We also found diffuse emission with LX ≈ 3 × 1040 ergs s-1 extending 11'' (1.9 kpc) to the north of the nucleus. Its spectrum can be fitted with either a two-temperature MEKAL function (kT = 0.59 and 8 keV) or a 0.6 keV MEKAL function plus a power law (Γ = 1.8 ± 0.2). The hard component may be due to high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) with possible contributions from inverse Compton radiation, while the soft component is likely from a superwind. Superbubble models imply an expansion age of ≈15 Myr, supporting previous assertions of an intermediate-age nuclear stellar population in addition to a 5 Myr starburst. We also detected extended X-ray emission associated with four extranuclear H II region complexes. The emission from these H II regions and the nuclear starburst could be due to either an enhanced population of HMXBs relative to Local Group galactic averages or to diffuse gas heated by winds from supernovae, if the X-ray production efficiency LX/Lmech is high (≈5%). To estimate LX/Lmech, we collected published data for well-studied H II regions and superbubbles in nearby galaxies. For H II regions with ages less than 3.5 Myr, the median LX/Lmech ≈ 0.02%, while for older star formation regions, LX/Lmech ≈ 0.2%–7%. Thus, it is possible that gas heating by supernovae may be sufficient to account for the observed X-rays from these H II regions. In galaxies much more distant than NGC 7714, for example, the Cartwheel galaxy, H II region complexes similar to those in NGC 7714 will be unresolved by Chandra and will mimic ULXs. No X-ray emission was detected from the Type Ib supernova SN 1999dn, with an upper limit of ≈2 × 1038 ergs s-1.
Successful surgical management of ventricular fibromas in children.

Objectives A uniform management strategy has not been established for the treatment of large ventricular fibromas identified in children. The goal of the present study was to review our experience with surgical resection of this uncommon tumor. Methods We performed a retrospective review of all patients with a diagnosis of ventricular fibromas who had undergone surgical intervention at our institution from July 1990 to June 2013. The clinical records and pathology reports were reviewed and available follow-up data obtained. Results A total of 20 patients had a ventricular fibroma. The median age at presentation was 4 years (range, 5 months to 12 years). Of these, 18 (89%) presented with ventricular tachycardia (n = 15) or frequent ectopy (n = 3), and 1 (6%) with outflow tract obstruction; 1 (6%) was asymptomatic and diagnosed during routine evaluation for a murmur. One patient had undergone previous ablation, and one had had an automated internal cardiac defibrillator implanted for ventricular tachycardia control. Before tumor resection at our institution, 1 patient had been listed for transplantation at an outside institution and 1 had undergone previous extracardiac Fontan without tumor resection. All patients underwent successful tumor excision with no recurrence of ventricular arrhythmia during a median follow-up period of 3.3 years (range, 1 month to 14.7 years). One patient underwent planned staged tumor resection. No patient died. Conclusions Primary ventricular fibromas, even when very large, can be managed by surgical resection, with excellent short- and intermediate-term ventricular function and relief of arrhythmic events.
Interplay between chemotaxis and contact inhibition of locomotion determines exploratory cell migration

Directed cell migration in native environments is influenced by multiple migratory cues. These cues may include simultaneously occurring attractive soluble growth factor gradients and repulsive effects arising from cell–cell contact, termed contact inhibition of locomotion (CIL). How single cells reconcile potentially conflicting cues remains poorly understood. Here we show that a dynamic crosstalk between epidermal growth factor (EGF)-mediated chemotaxis and CIL guides metastatic breast cancer cell motility, whereby cells become progressively insensitive to CIL in a chemotactic input-dependent manner. This balance is determined via integration of protrusion-enhancing signalling from EGF gradients and protrusion-suppressing signalling induced by CIL, mediated in part through EphB. Our results further suggest that EphB and EGF signalling inputs control protrusion formation by converging onto regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). We propose that this intricate interplay may enhance the spread of loose cell ensembles in pathophysiological conditions such as cancer, and possibly other physiological settings. It remains unclear how conflicting guidance cues are reconciled during cell motility. Lin et al.show that cell repulsion normally provoked by cell–cell contact can be suppressed during attraction to a growth factor, highlighting a cell’s ability to prioritize cues by evaluating input strengths.
Improving the ecological validity of executive functioning assessment

The current study investigated ways to improve the ecological validity of the neuropsychological assessment of executive functioning through the formal assessment of compensatory strategies and environmental cognitive demands. Results indicated that the group of executive functioning tests (i.e., Trail Making Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop, and Controlled Oral Word Association Test) accounted for 18-20% of the variance in everyday executive ability as measured by the Dysexecutive Questionnaire and Brock Adaptive Functioning Questionnaire. The addition of extra-test variables significantly increased the variance in everyday executive ability accounted for. The current study adds to the literature on the ecological validity of executive functioning assessment by highlighting the importance of extra-test variables when trying to understand the complex relationship between cognitive testing and real world performance.
Effects of in vitro aldosterone on the rabbit cortical collecting tubule

Effects of in vitro aldosterone on the rabbit cortical collecting tubule. Considerable evidence indicates that the cortical collecting tubule is a target epithelium for aldosterone. Isolated perfused cortical collecting tubules from rabbits given large doses of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) for several days, or whose endogenous production of aldosterone is increased by dietary means, exhibit large lumen-negative transepithelial voltages, increased sodium (Na) absorption, and increased potassium (K) secretion compared with tubules from normal animals. However, controversy exists regarding the response of this nephron segment to acute in vitro administration of aldosterone. To address this issue we performed three groups of experiments: 1) clearance experiments on adrenalectomized rabbits to determine the minimum time required after in vivo aldosterone administration before significant changes in sodium excretion are observed; 2) microperfusion experiments on cortical collecting tubules from normal and adrenalectomized rabbits in which transepithelial voltage was measured before and after adding aldosterone to the bath; 3) microperfusion experiments on cortical collecting tubules from adrenalectomized rabbits in which transepithelial voltage, sodium and potassium flux were measured before and after in vitro exposure to aldosterone or dexamethasone. The clearance studies demonstrate that after a 2hr latent period aldosterone produces significant antinatriuresis without change in K excretion. In vitro studies failed to reveal a steroid-induced change in the transepithelial voltage of cortical collecting tubules from either normal or adrenalectomized rabbits. However, aldosterone added in vitro to collecting tubules from adrenalectomized rabbits produced an increase in net Na absorption without a significant change in voltage or K secretion. This effect is mineralocorticoid, since dexamethasone did not alter sodium transport in isolated perfused cortical collecting tubules. We conclude that the primary early effect of aldosterone on cortical collecting tubules of adrenalectomized animals is to increase net Na absorption.
Thermochemical Modeling of Oxide Glasses

A modified associate species approach is used to model the liquid phase in oxide systems. The relatively simple technique treats oxide liquids as solutions of end-member and associate species. The model is extended to representing glasses by treating them as undercooled liquids. Equilibrium calculations using the model allow the determination of species activities, phase separation, precipitation of crystalline phases, and volatilization. In support of nuclear waste glass development, a model of the Na2O–Al2O3–B2O3–SiO2 system has been developed that accurately reproduces its phase equilibria. The technique has been applied to the CaO–SiO2 system, which is used to demonstrate how two immiscible liquids can be treated.
Lack of effectiveness of a dilute iodine solution in the treatment of gingivitis, pericoronitis and recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

Effective therapeutic action has been claimed1’ 2 for a new effervescent pharma­ ceutical preparation for oral use known as Heliogen.3 One Heliogen tablet, when dissolved in water, is reported by the manufacturer1 to release 25 mg. of free and uncombined nascent iodine as the result of the reaction between potassium iodide and chloramine-T. According to the manufacturers, ultraviolet radiation in small amounts is generated in the solu­ tion. Heliogen has been reported1 to be bactericidal to gram-negative and grampositive organisms and spores, to be fungi­ cidal and to be effective against the causative agents of Vincent’s angina. No resistance or tolerance developed by any organism has been reported, however. According to the manufacturer,1 Helio­ gen is quick-acting, stable and nontoxic, it promotes healing, it is palatable, it deodorizes the oral cavity, it does not stain, it has no side effects or allergenic manifestations, it has a broad nonselective antibacterial spectrum, and it provides “ the means for obtaining maximum and immediate remission of infectious condi­ tions, improvement of the general condi­ tion of the mucosa and gingival tissues, and the promotion of more rapid heal­ ing.” In an unpublished study cited by the manufacturer, Heliogen was used in al­ most 700 cases of oral and gingival dis­ eases. The results were described as follows : Highly significant results were obtained in cases of Vincent’s angina, periodontoclasia, pericoronitis, gingivitis, aphthous ulcers, etc. Improvement was noted promptly in most cases, usually by the following day. Many cases either slow to respond or refractory to anti­ biotics administered orally, by injection, as a mouthwash, or by a combination of these routes, showed marked improvement and mate­ rially increased (their) rate of progress upon change to Heliogen therapy. . . . In cases of stubborn inflammation of the throat and mouth, the condition cleared up satisfactorily with Heliogen. . . . In all cases, Heliogen therapy is used in conjunction with manipula­ tive procedures designed to eliminate predis­ posing mouth conditions.”
Analysis for Science Librarians of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics: Invention of Efficient Blue-Light-Emitting Diodes

On October 7, 2014, the Royal Swedish Academy of Science announced that the 2014 Nobel Prize for physics was awarded to Professors Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano of Japan, and Professor Shuji Nakamura of the United States for “the invention of efficient blue-light-emitting diodes, which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources.” By inventing blue-light-emitting diodes (LED) using gallium nitride, these three scientists have helped the world light up in a more efficient, more accessible, and environmentally sustainable way. The light-emitting devices are used in traffic lights, mobile devices, household lighting, illumination of bridges and our neighborhoods. The Nobel Prize Committee emphasized that the usefulness of the invention, and its “greatest benefit to mankind” were the reasons for bestowing this honor upon them. Millions of people across the world who still have little or no access to power grids will be able to use solar energy to power LEDs, brightening their lives by bringing pre...
A micromechanical model for predicting thermal properties and thermo-viscoelastic responses of functionally graded materials

Abstract This study introduces a micromechanical model for predicting effective thermo-viscoelastic behaviors of a functionally graded material (FGM). The studied FGM consists of two constituents with varying compositions through the thickness. The microstructure of the FGM is idealized as solid spherical particles spatially distributed in a homogeneous matrix. The mechanical properties of each constituent can vary with temperature and time, while the thermal properties are allowed to change with temperature. The FGM model includes a transition zone where the inclusion and matrix constituents are not well defined. At the transition zone, an interchange between the two constituents as inclusion and matrix takes place such that the maximum inclusion volume contents before and after the transition zone are less than 50%. A micromechanical model is used to determine through-thickness effective thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, and time-dependent compliance/stiffness of the FGM. The material properties at the transition zone are assumed to vary linearly between the two properties at the bounds of the transition zone. The micromechanical model is designed to be compatible with finite element (FE) scheme and used to analyze heat conduction and thermo-viscoelastic responses of FGMs. Available experimental data and analytical solutions in the literature are used to verify the thermo-mechanical properties of FGMs. The effects of time and temperature dependent constituent properties on the overall temperature, stress, and displacement fields in the FGM are also examined.
Asymmetric turbulent jet flows

Abstract Some of the novel features of non-circular asymmetric turbulent jet flows are introduced. The computational methods employed to verify those features are outlined and details about the differences in power levels are presented. Typical applications of asymmetric nozzles to mixing and cleaning are discussed. Significant advantages over standard circular nozzles are shown in some cases.
Band Selection from Hyperspectral Data for Conifer Species Identification

Abstract Hyperspectral data compression and dimension reducing are very important to computer processing and data transmission. A small number of bands, containing relatively large amount of spectral information, are usually sufficient to many application purposes. Therefore, how to select a small number of bands without loss of much information from all the bands is a critical issue. In this paper, a method of band selection using band prioritization with peak values of sum of 30-eigenvector pertinent to principal component analysis (PCA) was developed. An error back-propagation neural network (NN) algorithm was applied to evaluate the effectiveness of the band selection method in forest species recognition. The results show that, when entering NN with 6–20 bands selected from a total of 161 bands of hyperspectral data for identifying six conifer species, the average recognition accuracy improvement of 11.20% can be obtained using the new band selection method over the method of equal-interval band selec...
Long-term follow-up of men with isolated high-grade prostatic intra-epithelial neoplasia followed by serial delayed interval biopsy.

OBJECTIVES To analyze the outcomes of serial delayed interval biopsy (DIBx) in men with isolated high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN). The natural history of isolated HGPIN is poorly defined. Since January 2000, we have monitored men with isolated HGPIN using DIBx every 3 years, regardless of the change in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. METHODS The institutional biopsy records from 1996 onward were reviewed to identify the men with isolated HGPIN found on 12-core needle biopsy specimens who had undergone a minimum of 1 DIBx in our follow-up strategy. Patient age, biopsy and prostatectomy pathologic outcomes, and longitudinal PSA measurements were recorded. RESULTS A total of 112 men had undergone a first DIBx and 47 had undergone a second DIBx at the last follow-up examination at a mean of 34.4 and 66.2 months after the HGPIN diagnosis, respectively. Prostate cancer was found in 25 (22.3%) of 112 men and 11 (23.4%) of 47 men at DIBx-1 and DIBx-2, respectively. The PSA velocity was not predictive of cancer during short-term follow-up. Of the men diagnosed with cancer, 63.6% had a Gleason score of ≥7, and 9 (81.8%) of 11 men had clinically significant disease (Gleason score of ≥7 and/or >5% cancer volume) at surgery. All cancers were organ confined at and surgery. CONCLUSIONS Men with isolated HGPIN have a continued risk of developing prostate cancer during long-term follow-up, regardless of the changes in the serum PSA level. Collectively, the relatively high likelihood of organ confinement and clinically significant cancer suggest empiric DIBx every 2-3 years could be a valuable tool in the follow-up of men with isolated HGPIN found by extended core biopsy.
Evapotranspiration data assimilation with genetic algorithms and SWAP model for on-demand irrigation

Evapotranspiration (ET) is one of the indicators of water use efficiency. Periodic information of ET based on remote sensing is useful for an on-demand irrigation (ODI) management. The main objective of this paper was to develop an ET data assimilation scheme to optimize the parameters of an agro-hydrology model for ODI scheduling. The soil, water, atmosphere, and plant (SWAP) simulation model has been utilized for this purpose. We computed remote sensing-based ET for a wheat field in the Sirsa Irrigation Circle, Haryana, in India using 18 cloud-free moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer images taken between December 2001 and April 2002. The surface energy balance algorithm for land (SEBAL) was used for this purpose. Because ET estimates from SEBAL provide information on the surface soil moisture state, they were treated as observations to estimate unknown parameters of the SWAP model via a stochastic data assimilation (genetic algorithm) approach. The SWAP parameters were optimized by minimizing the residuals between SEBAL and SWAP model-based ET values. The optimized parameters were used as input to SWAP to estimate soil water balance for ODI scheduling. The results showed that the selected parameters (i.e. sowing, harvesting, and irrigation scheduling dates) were successfully estimated with the data assimilation methodology. The SWAP model produced reasonable states of water balance by assimilating ET observations. The root mean square of error was 0.755 and 2.132 cm3/cm3 for 0–15 and 15–30 cm soil depths the same layers, respectively. With optimized parameters for ODI, SWAP predicted higher yield and water use efficiency than traditional farmer’s irrigation criteria. The data assimilation methodology produced can be considered as an operational tool at the field scale to schedule irrigation or predict irrigation requirements from remote sensing-based ET.
Border Crossings: Collaboration Struggles in Education

Abstract In this article, a qualitative program evaluation of a state-funded educational renewal effort between a university and a local school district is reported. The collaborative venture illuminated some of the dilemmas, paradoxes, and solutions inherent in reforming American education. More important, this venture revealed the complexities inherent in the ever-popular desire for collaboration between higher education and other culturally distinct organizations (e.g., local school districts). Works by W. G. Tierney (1993) and H. Giroux (1992) are the theoretical anchors for the analysis of this case study. A primary conclusion is that educators who are interested in reform must not only encourage border crossings but they must also provide the border “crossers” with the technical, political, and cultural frameworks to support these efforts.
Expectations of recipient couples awaiting an anonymous oocyte donor match.

Purpose Our purpose was to survey recipients in an ovum donation program and report on their expectations while waiting for their potential donor recipient match.
Supplementary cementitious materials for mitigating degradation of kraft pulp fiber-cement composites

Kraft pulp fiber reinforced cement-based materials are being increasingly used where performance after exposure to environmental conditions must be ensured. However, significant losses in mechanical performance due to wet/dry cycling have been observed in these composites, when portland cement is the only cementitious material used in the matrix. In this research program, the effects of partial portland cement replacement with various supplementary cementitious materials were investigated. Binary, ternary, and quaternary blends of silica fume, slag, Class C fly ash, Class F fly ash, metakaolin, and diatomaceous earth/volcanic ash blends were examined for their effect on the degradation of kraft pulp fiber-cement composite mechanical properties (i.e., strength and toughness) during wet/dry cycling. After 25 wet/dry cycles, it was shown that binary composites containing 90% slag, 30% metakaolin, or greater than 30% silica fume did not exhibit any signs of degradation, as measured through mechanical testing and microscopy. Ternary blends containing 70% slag/10% metakaolin or 70% slag/10% silica fume were also effective in preventing degradation. A reduction in calcium hydroxide content and the stability of the alkali content due to supplementary cementitious material addition were shown to be primary mechanisms for improved durability.
AZTEC IMPERIALISM AT OZTUMA, GUERRERO

Conflicting Colonial accounts of the Aztec conquest of Oztuma are resolved by correlating new archaeological data, a collection of Early Colonial documents from the town of Ixtepec, and other better-known sources. The correlation of archaeological and ethnohistoric data suggests that, contrary to some interpretations of the histories of the Aztec Empire, the Aztec fortress of Oztuma was separate from and contemporaneous with a Chontal fortified site known by the same toponym, and that the Chontal of Oztuma were not exterminated by the Aztecs during the rebellion of 1487. Instead, Chontal Oztuma maintained internal political cohesion while integrated into the Aztec hegemony. The Aztec and Chontal sites together formed the defensive line of the imperial frontier facing the Tarascans. This study represents a shift in focus in Aztec studies from the Aztec imperial core to its constituent hinterlands, emphasizing the complexity of political and strategic interactions.
Optical SETI comes of age

Recent pioneering efforts in microwave Search for Extra- Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) have met with similar resistance from the established SETI community, reminding one of an adage from the American West: pioneers end up with arrows in their backs. The SETI League's Project Argus sky survey, for example, which seeks to do credible science with modest amateur equipment, designed, built and operated by dedicated non-professionals, continues to draw criticism from the SETI establishment. Many traditional radio astronomers still believe that SETI requires the kinds of facilities which only governments can afford. This paper explores optical SETI's recent move from the sidelines to center stage, in search of lessons which the world's amateur microwave SETIzens can learn from our dedicated optical brethren.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Drag correlation for axial motion of drops on fibers

The motion of drops on fibers is important to industrial applications such as drop coalescence and drainage in fibrous filter media. This paper reports on experimental results using a Couette flow experimental device to measure drop velocities on fibers resulting from gas flow parallel to the fiber axis. A drag coefficient was defined and correlated to the data. Acoustic vibrations from a speaker were used to initiate drop motion. A second correlation was fitted to the data to predict the fraction of the drops that move in a given flow field.
Trichothiodystrophy and associated anomalies: a variant of SIBIDS or new symptom complex?

: Trichothiodystrophy is characterized by sparse, short, sulfur-deflclent hair. Numerous symptom complexes have been described in which the hair abnormaiity represents a constant feature. We report a boy with trichothiodystrophy, ichthyotic skin changes, onychodystrophy, chronic neutropenia, osteoscierosis, hypothyroidism, nystagmus, growth and mentai retardation, and microcephaiy, who developed a progressive encephalopathy with ataxia and optic atrophy at 2.5 years of age. in addition to a deficient cystine ievei identified on a hair sampie, a disturbance in the composition of other amino acids was present. Ai-though features were reminiscent of osteoscierosis, ichthyosis, brittie hair due to trichothiodystrophy, impaired inteliigence, decreased fertiiity, and short stature (SIBIDS) and couid represent a variant of this disorder, findings in our patient may refiect a new trichothiodystrophy symptom compiex that carries a poor prognosis for survivai beyond chiidhood.
Serotonin- and histamine-affecting agents and experimental vascular sensitization☆

Abstract 1.1. Nine serotonin- and histamine-affecting drugs were studied for an evaluation of their effects upon the development of lesions of hypersensitivity vasculitis produced in rabbits by passive reversed subanaphylactic sensitization techniques with bovine serum antigens. 2.2. Only promethazine and cyproheptadine, with both potent antiserotonin and antihistamine actions, and the combination of chlorpromazine and tripelennamine were effective in suppressing and attenuating microscopic lesions of pulmonary periarteritis and panarteritis. 3.3. Those pharmacologic agents whose actions include serotonin antagonism (brom-lysergic diethylamide, chlorpromazine, and hydroxyzine), serotonin release (reserpine), serotonin potentiation (iproniazid), and antihistaminics (tripelennamine and diphenhydramine) were relatively ineffective within the limits of this experimental procedure. 4.4. It is suggested that the development of hypersensitivity vasculitis in the rabbit may be dependent upon multiple pathophysiologic processes, including those associated with tissue response to both serotonin and histamine release.
Natural Hazard Losses from Coastal and Offshore Phenomena

A nation whose coastal areas, offshore as well as onshore, are becoming more intensively developed and utilized must recognize the potential property damage as well as loss of life and cost of injuries that may result from increasing vulnerability to natural hazards such as hurricanes, accompanying tornadoes, and other storms. These will have an impact on communications as well as boat and vessel accidents, also near-shore and off-shore installations. The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the importance of safe and effective use of the marine environment and the need for increasing attention and evaluation. Perhaps nowhere is the need for environmental data and analysis so great as it is in dealing with environmental hazards.
Elevated HbA1c levels (5.7% to 6.4%) had low accuracy for diagnosing prediabetes

Source Citation Mann DM, Carson AP, Shimbo D, et al. Impact of A1C screening criterion on the diagnosis of pre-diabetes among U.S. adults. Diabetes Care. 2010;33:2190-5. 20628087
The gastric mucosa, “Gastritis” and ulcer

The healthy gastric mucosa varied in appearance within a wide range. When the rate of acid production by the parietal cells was relatively slow the mucosa was always comparatively pale and in this state relatively resistant to injury unless the continuity of its protective covering mucus was interrupted. Accelerated acid production and motor activity were always accompanied by hyperaemia and engorgement of the mucosa. When vascular engorgement was prolonged the rugae became intensely red, thick and turgid presenting the picture of what has been called “hypertrophic gastritis.” In this state the mucosa was unusually fragile, haemorrhages and small erosions resulting from even the most minor traumata. Lowering of the pain threshold occurred and symptoms were often associated with this condition. Thus the difference between hyperfunction in the stomach and “hypertrophic gastritis” was seen to be mainly one of degree. Continued exposure of a small erosion to the digestive action of gastric juice for 4 days resulted in a peptic ulcer.
An Oxynitride Gate Dielectric for Sub-30 Å Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Devices Using Precombustion of Nitrous Oxide

Physical and device characteristics of sub-30 A oxynitride gate dielectrics with different nitrogen concentrations are compared. These dielectrics are formed in a standard atmospheric furnace that is in series with a gas precombustion chamber. All gases flow through the precombustion chamber prior to reacting with the wafers. The layers are formed by oxidation of silicon in a N 2 O (nitrous oxide) ambient. By changing the precombustion chamber temperature from 850° to 950°C, the nitrogen content is changed by up to a factor of five as measured by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry A change in oxidation growth rate across the temperature range is observed with a decrease in growth rate for higher precombustion temperatures. The nitrogen content also modifies the refractive index of the film such that for a 24 A optical thickness, a physical thickness delta of 2 A is observed, with the thickness at 950°C 2 A less than at 850°C. Complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices on silicon-on-insulator substrates formed with hotter precombustion temperatures exhibit a two-time reduction in leakage current density.
Celebrating Professor Britton Chance (1913-2010), a founding father of redox sciences.

Abstract Professor Britton Chance Renowned great scientist and redox pioneer, Dr. Britton Chance, closed his 97 years of legendary life on November 16, 2010. He was the Eldridge Reeves Johnson emeritus professor of biophysics, physical chemistry, and radiologic physics at the University of Pennsylvania. He achieved fame as a prominent biophysicist and developer of highly innovative biomedical instrumentation. His scientific career stretched over almost one century and he achieved many scientific and engineering breakthroughs throughout his long prolific career. The advances that he and his colleagues achieved led to great strides in our understanding of biology and disease. He was among the first scientists to recognize the importance of free radicals and reactive oxygen species in mitochondrial metabolism and cells as well as to map pathways of redox biology and signaling. Dr. Chance served as a pioneer and inspiration to generations of researchers in the fields of redox biochemistry, metabolism, and dis...
The sulfhydryl group microenvironment of lactose synthase from bovine milk

Abstract 1. 1. Galactosyltransferase from bovine milk was inactivated by a series of sulfhydryl group specific reagents of different structures and sizes. The inactivation rate constants suggest that the thiol is located in a nonpolar microenvironment. 2. 2. The ESR spectrum of a spin labeled galactosyltransferase showed that the sulfhydryl group is in a region of non-restricted rotation, consistent with its broad reactivity towards various thiol reagents. 3. 3. Galactosyltransferase immobilized onto agarose through its sulfhydryl group retained its ability to catalyze the synthesis of N-acetyllactosamine and lactose. 4. 4. Thus the residual activity of the sulfhydryl group modified enzyme is not due to an isozyme lacking such a group. 5. 5. In addition, the active thiol can not be located at the active site nor the protein-protein interaction site between galactosyltransferase and α-lactalbumin.