cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Raman spectroscopic study of the evolution of sulfates and hydroxides in cement–fly ash pastes

Abstract Raman spectroscopy has been employed to study the evolution of sulfo-aluminate and hydroxyl phases in pastes made with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and fly ash (FA). Three fly ashes with different CaO contents were used as a cement replacement at the level of 0 and 50% by weight. The pastes were analyzed at 0, 0.2, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 48, 72 h, and 7, 14, 21, 28, and 56 days after mixing. The wavenumber ranges used for Raman spectroscopic analysis are 950–1050 cm− 1 for evolution of sulfates and 3600–3700 cm− 1 for evolution of hydroxides. Gradual disappearances of gypsum in parallel with the formation of ettringite (AFt) are clearly observed in most paste mixes. Evolution of hydroxides showed the gradual spatial growth of portlandite. In addition to the potential benefits, the limitations of using Raman spectroscopy in study of cement-based materials are also noted in this paper.
Relationship of visual two-flash and absolute auditory perceptual sensitivity.

The relationship of two-flash and absolute auditory threshold measures was studied in a sample of 65 male college students. The two-flash threshold showed sensitivity essentially unrelated to absolute auditory sensitivity (r = .03). This result was contrasted with that reported by Hanback and Revelle who found a weak but significantly positive correlation for the sensitivity values for the two tasks.
An Inverse Problem for the Matrix Schrödinger Equation

Abstract By modifying and generalizing some old techniques of N. Levinson, a uniqueness theorem is established for an inverse problem related to periodic and Sturm–Liouville boundary value problems for the matrix Schrodinger equation.
Electrochemistry of individual monolayer graphene sheets

We report on the fabrication and measurement of devices designed to study the electrochemical behavior of individual monolayer graphene sheets as electrodes. We have examined both mechanically exfoliated and chemical vapor deposited (CVD) graphene. The effective device areas, determined from cyclic voltammetric measurements, show good agreement with the geometric area of the graphene sheets, indicating that the redox reactions occur on clean graphene surfaces. The electron transfer rates of ferrocenemethanol at both types of graphene electrodes were found to be more than 10-fold faster than at the basal plane of bulk graphite, which we ascribe to corrugations in the graphene sheets. We further describe an electrochemical investigation of adsorptive phenomena on graphene surfaces. Our results show that electrochemistry can provide a powerful means of investigating the interactions between molecules and the surfaces of graphene sheets as electrodes.
A File System Abstraction and Shell Interface for a Wireless Sensor Network Testbed

Despite tremendous research interest and increased adoption, deeply embedded sensor networks are difficult to design, debug, and deploy; ultra-dependability remains an elusive goal. To address these difficulties, we have previously presented an Interactive, server-centric testbed for wireless sensor networks that targets systems constructed using nesC and TinyOS - the emerging standard in sensor system development. The testbed infrastructure exposes an API suite that enables users to rapidly configure, instrument, compile, install, and profile their systems on one or more remote network deployments. The prototype deployment consists of 80 Tmote Sky devices arranged in a regular grid. The architecture is extensible in both the hardware and software dimensions to foster adoption and specialization. In this paper, we demonstrate the extensibility of the testbed software design, and present a novel file system abstraction and shell interface developed using the original API suite. The design of the new interface is informed by user feedback from client institutions where the standard graphical interface is being used to support research and teaching activities. The new shell interface complements the traditional graphical interface, reducing interaction latency, and enabling programmatic experimentation through an interpreted scripting facility. We present the design and implementation of the new testbed interface, and present a small, but representative case-study that illustrates its utility.
HarvardX and MITx: The first year of open online courses, fall 2012-summer 2013

HarvardX and MITx are collaborative institutional efforts between Harvard University and MIT to enhance campus-based education, advance educational research, and increase access to online learning opportunities worldwide. Over the year from the fall of 2012 to the summer of 2013, HarvardX and MITx launched 17 courses on edX, a jointly founded platform for delivering massive open online courses (MOOCs). In that year, 43,196 registrants earned certificates of completion. Another 35,937 registrants explored half or more of course content without certification. An additional 469,702 registrants viewed less than half of the content. And 292,852 registrants never engaged with the online content. In total, there were 841,687 registrations from 597,692 unique users across the first year of HarvardX and MITx courses. This report is a joint effort by institutional units at Harvard and MIT to describe the registrant and course data provided by edX in the context of the diverse efforts and intentions of HarvardX and MITx instructor teams.
Clinical evaluation of the infertile male with respect to genetic etiologies.

Severe male factor infertility may have a presently identifiable genetic basis. Y chromosomal microdeletions (e.g., an AZFc microdeletion), karyotypic anomalies (e.g., Klinefelter Syndrome), and mutations in both alleles of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene may be found, depending upon the etiology of the reproductive compromise. Which patients should be tested, what are the tests that can be performed, when should those tests be ordered, and what might a positive outcome mean, are all critically valuable clinical questions for the couple that help guide evaluation and management. It is imperative that they be asked and results discussed prior to any intervention such as testis tissue extraction, microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection so that the couple can incorporate them in their decisions moving forward vis-a-vis their reproductive choices and options. The role of reproductive medicine clinicians should not be limited to just he...
The principled control of false positives in neuroimaging

An incredible amount of data is generated in the course of a functional neuroimaging experiment. The quantity of data gives us improved temporal and spatial resolution with which to evaluate our results. It also creates a staggering multiple testing problem. A number of methods have been created that address the multiple testing problem in neuroimaging in a principled fashion. These methods place limits on either the familywise error rate (FWER) or the false discovery rate (FDR) of the results. These principled approaches are well established in the literature and are known to properly limit the amount of false positives across the whole brain. However, a minority of papers are still published every month using methods that are improperly corrected for the number of tests conducted. These latter methods place limits on the voxelwise probability of a false positive and yield no information on the global rate of false positives in the results. In this commentary, we argue in favor of a principled approach to the multiple testing problem--one that places appropriate limits on the rate of false positives across the whole brain gives readers the information they need to properly evaluate the results.
Determination of operation envelopes for closed, two-phase thermosyphons

Abstract A concern in the design and operation of closed, two-phase therosyphons (CTPTs) is determining the initial filling ratio of the working fluid, as a function of CTPT dimensions, type and vapor temperature of working fluid and power throughput, to maximize performance, while avoiding potential dryout in the evaporator section. A one-dimensional, steady-state model is developed for determining the operation envelopes of CTPTs, in terms of the above parameters. The CTPT operation envelope is basically an enclosure with three boundaries. The lower boundary corresponds to when the liquid film thickness in the evaporator reaches a critical value—beyond it the liquid film could dry out—while the upper boundary corresponds to when the expanding liquid pool, due to boiling, fills the entire evaporator. The third and closing boundary corresponds to the counter-current flooding limit (CCFL) at the exit of evaporator. The correlation developed to calculate the expanded liquid pool height in the evaporator agrees with experimental data of acetone, ethanol and water to within ±8%. Also, the calculated upper and lower boundaries of the operation envelope for an ammonia CTPT are in excellent agreement with experimental data [1] . Calculations showed that increasing the CTPT diameter, evaporator length, or vapor temperature expands the operation envelope, while increasing either the condenser or the adiabatic section length only slightly changes the envelopes upper and lower boundaries.
Zinc-positive and zinc-negative connections of the claustrum.

Three features often mentioned as characteristic of the claustrum are its widespread connections with cortical areas, the reciprocity of these connections in general, and the origin of cortico-claustral connections from a distinctive subtype of layer 6 pyramidal cells (Sherk, 1986; Katz, 1987; Tanne-Gariepy et al., 2002; Crick and Koch, 2005; Smythies et al., 2012). Another feature, often overlooked, is that a proportion of claustral-cortical neurons use synaptic zinc and that zinc+ terminations are moderately dense in the claustrum. This article will summarize data about zinc and the claustrum and present the case that cortico-claustral neurons might also be zinc-positive (Zn+). I conclude with comments on the likely implications for claustral identity and function.
Stochastic models for degradation-based reliability

This paper presents a degradation-based procedure for estimating the full and residual lifetime distribution of a single-unit system subject to Markovian deterioration. The hybrid approach unites real degradation measures with analytical, stochastic failure models to numerically compute the distributions and their moments. Two distinct models are shown to perform well when compared with simulated data. Moreover, results obtained from the second model are compared with empirically generated lifetimes of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy specimens. The numerical experiments indicate that the proposed techniques are useful for remaining lifetime prognosis in both cases.
A Systematics for Discovering the Fundamental Units of Bacterial Diversity

Bacterial systematists face unique challenges when trying to identify ecologically meaningful units of biological diversity. Whereas plant and animal systematists are guided by a theory-based concept of species, microbiologists have yet to agree upon a set of ecological and evolutionary properties that will serve to define a bacterial species. Advances in molecular techniques have given us a glimpse of the tremendous diversity present within the microbial world, but significant work remains to be done in order to understand the ecological and evolutionary dynamics that can account for the origin, maintenance, and distribution of that diversity. We have developed a conceptual framework that uses ecological and evolutionary theory to identify the DNA sequence clusters most likely corresponding to the fundamental units of bacterial diversity. Taking into account diverse models of bacterial evolution, we argue that bacterial systematics should seek to identify ecologically distinct groups with evidence of a history of coexistence, as based on interpretation of sequence clusters. This would establish a theory-based species unit that holds the dynamic properties broadly attributed to species outside of microbiology.
Regular Exercise and the Age-Related Decline in Resting Metabolic Rate in Women

A low resting metabolic rate (RMR) is a risk factor for future weight gain. We tested the hypothesis that the age-related decline in RMR in sedentary women is not observed in women who exercise regularly. Sixty-five healthy, weight-stable women, aged 21-35 or 50-72 yr, were studied: 12 premenopausal and 15 postmenopausal sedentary women, 13 premenopausal and 15 postmenopausal distance runners, and 10 endurance-trained postmenopausal swimmers. RMR was measured by indirect calorimetry (ventilated hood system) after an overnight fast, and values were adjusted for fat mass and fat-free mass (RMRadj). The RMRadj was approximately 10% lower in the postmenopausal vs. premenopausal sedentary women (52 +/- 2 vs. 57 +/- 2 Cal/h; P < 0.002). In contrast, RMRadj was not significantly different in the premenopausal (59 +/- 2 Cal/h) and postmenopausal (57 +/- 1 Cal/h) distance runners. The postmenopausal swimmers had a RMRadj (57 +/- 2 Cal/h) identical to that of the postmenopausal runners, suggesting a generalized influence of the endurance exercise-trained state in postmenopausal women. Group differences in RMRadj were not associated with differences in total energy intake or composition or with plasma concentrations of norepinephrine, T3, or T4. However, maximal oxygen consumption (aerobic fitness) accounted for 35% of the individual variance in RMRadj in the overall population (r = 0.59; P < 0.001). Our results are consistent with the concept that the age-related decline in RMR in sedentary women is not observed in women who regularly perform endurance exercise. The elevated level of RMR observed in middle-aged and older exercising women may play a role in their lower levels of body weight and fatness compared to those in sedentary women.
An application of explanation-based learning to protocol conformance testing

A method that employs a machine learning technique for the semiautomatic generation of protocol-conformance test-sequence requirements is described. Given a protocol knowledge representation and some high-level nonexecutable descriptions of protocol behavior, a learning algorithm based on extended explanation-based generalization produces conformance test-sequence requirements for a protocol implementation under test. The role of learning is to compile relevant parts of protocol knowledge into behaviors, consequently inferring executable protocol behaviors. This inference makes explicit constraints that are implicit in both the protocol knowledge and the behaviors. It is shown that the approach facilitates the derivation of new operational constraints on protocol behavior. The new constraints lead to new types of protocol behavior, thereby yielding potentially valuable new conformance test cases. An application of the method to the Alternating Bit Protocol (ABP) (a canonical example in protocols research literature) is described. >
Wind directions predicted from global circulation models and wind directions determined from eolian sandstones of the western United States—A comparison

Panfish, J.T. and Peterson, F., 1988. Wind directions predicted from global circulation models and wind directions determined from eolian sandstones of the western United States--A comparison. In: G. Kocurek (Editor), Late Paleozoic and Mesozoic Eolian Deposits of the Western Interior of the United States. Sediment. Geol., 56: 261-282. Wind directions for Middle Pennsylvanian through Jurassic time are predicted from global circulation models for the western United States. These predictions are compared with paleowind directions interpreted from eofian sandstones of Middle Permsylvanian through Jurassic age. Predicted regional wind directions correspond with at least three-quarters of the paleowind data from the sandstones; the rest of the data may indicate problems with correlation, local effects of paleogeography on winds, and lack of resolution of the circulation models. The data and predictions suggest the following paleoclimatic developments through the time interval studied: predominance of winter subtropical high-pressure circulation in the Late Pennsylvanian; predominance of summer subtropical high-pressure circulation in the Permian; predominance of summer monsoonal circulation in the Triassic and earliest Jurassic; and, during the remainder of the Jurassic, influence of both summer subtropical and summer monsoonal circulation, with the boundary between the two systems over the western United States. This sequence of climatic changes is largely owing to paleogeographic changes, which influenced the buildup and breakdown of the monsoonal circulation, and possibly owing partly to a decrease in the global temperature gradient, which might have lessened the influence of the subtropical high-pressure circulation. The atypical humidity of Triassic time probably resulted from the monsoonal circulation created by the geography of Pangaea. This circulation is predicted to have been at a maximum in the Triassic and was likely to have been powerful enough to draw moisture along the equator from the ocean to the west.
Functional analysis of Gscl in the pathogenesis of the DiGeorge and velocardiofacial syndromes

Gscl encodes a Goosecoid-related homeodomain protein that is expressed during mouse embryogenesis. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry studies show that Gscl is expressed in the pons region of the developing central nervous system and primordial germ cells. Gscl expression is also detected in a subset of adult tissues, including brain, eye, thymus, thyroid region, stomach, bladder and testis. Gscl is located within a region of the mouse genome that is syntenic with the region commonly deleted in DiGeorge and velocardiofacial syndrome (DGS/VCFS) patients. DGS/VCFS patients have craniofacial abnormalities, cardiac outflow defects and hypoplasia of the parathyroid gland and thymus due to haploinsufficiency of a gene or genes located within the deleted region. Thus, the genomic location of Gscl and its expression in a subset of the tissues affected in DGS/VCFS patients suggest that Gscl may contribute to the pathogenesis of DGS/VCFS. To determine the role of Gscl during mouse embryogenesis and in DGS/VCFS, we have deleted Gscl by gene targeting in mouse embryonic stem cells. Both Gscl heterozygous and Gscl null mice were normal and fertile, suggesting that Gscl is not a major factor in DGS/VCFS. Interestingly, expression of the adjacent Es2 gene in the pons region of Gscl null fetuses was absent, suggesting that mutations within the DGS/VCFS region can influence expression of adjacent genes. In addition, embryos that lacked both Gscl and the related Gsc gene appeared normal. These studies represent the first functional analysis of a DGS/VCFS candidate gene in vivo. These Gscl null mice will be an important genetic resource for crosses with other mouse models of the DGS/VCFS.
The impact of longitudinal studies on understanding development from young adulthood to old age

This essay considers progress in understanding adult development in the study of behaviour during the 20th century. It describes the influence of methodological advances including paradigmatic shifts from cross-sectional to longitudinal studies, advances in measurement, the impact of confirmatory factor analysis, and consideration of age as the dependent variable. A theoretical framework for understanding adult cognitive development is presented. Different types of longitudinal studies, the issue of structural invariance across age, sources of individual differences and the impact of cohort differences are discussed. Finally projections are made for future research.
SYMBOL: a major departure from classic software dominated von Neumann computing systems

The prime goal of the SYMBOL research project was to demonstrate, with a full-scale working system, that a very high-level, general-purpose, procedural, "state of the art" language and a large portion of a time-sharing operating system could be implemented directly in hardware and achieve a significant increase in overall computational rates. A further objective was to create hardware design and construction techniques which could be easily applied by a small number of people to implement such a system in a reasonable time and at a relatively low cost. Although this was a research project, there was a high dedication to developing automation, hardware, test equipment and documentation to support the project. The name SYMBOL was chosen to signify direct hardware symbolic addressing.
Essential requirements of information technology for primary care

Policy, economics and technology are driving primary care with unprecedented speed. Responding to this rapidly changing environment is essential for maintaining state-of-the-art care delivery. Although Health Information Technology (HIT) offers much promise to primary care, electronic health records (EHRs) have produced only modest improvements in quality. To understand how HIT could better meet the needs of primary care, the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) gathered a select group of Family Medicine physicians from across North America and Europe with a broad range of informatics expertise. Over several months, the group discussed existing standards, classifications, modelling, communications, data structures, coding systems and how each of these enabled or hindered primary care delivery. During the discussions, a broad consensus emerged on HIT requirements essential to the primary care domain. This summary provides the author’s interpretation of the identified technical challenges in ontology, terminology, continuity and portability in terms more familiar to most Family Physicians. Although standardized EHR capabilities are described by Health Level Seven International [(www.hl7.org) a global standards development organization for health information], little is known about specific capabilities important to primary care. The committee characterized information services in terms of the capacity to support Family Medicine core values. Enhancement of continuing, comprehensive, compassionate and personal care provided an indication of responsiveness to primary care. The recommendations below reflect the most important challenges identified and provide a qualitative measure to discriminate HIT support for essential primary care services. The committee focussed on areas with known problems in order to guide providers, promote research and spur development by vendors.
White noise perturbation of the viscous shock fronts of the Burgers equation

We study the front dynamics of solutions of the initial value problem of the Burgers equation with initial data being the viscous shock front plus the white noise perturbation. In the sense of distribution, the solutions propagate with the same speed as the unperturbed front, however, the front location is random and satisfies a central limit theorem with the variance proportional to the timet, ast goes to infinity. With probability arbitrarily close to one, the front width isO(1) for large time.
Co60 γ‐radiation‐induced copolymerization of ethylene and carbon monoxide

The γ-radiation-induced free-radical copolymerization of ethylene and CO has been investigated over a wide range of pressure, initial gas composition, radiation intensity, and temperature. At 20°C., concentrations of CO up to 1% retard the polymerization of ethylene. Above this concentration the rate reaches a maximum between 27.5 and 39.2% CO and then decreases. The copolymer composition increases only from 40 to 50% CO when the gas mixture is varied from 5 to 90% CO. A relatively constant reactivity ratio is obtained at 20°C., indicating that CO adds 23.6 times as fast as an ethylene monomer to an ethylene free-radical chain end. For a 50% CO gas mixture, the above value of 23.6 and the copolymerization rate decrease with increasing temperature to 200°C. The kinetic data indicate a temperature-dependent depropagation reaction. Infrared examination of copolymers indicates a polyketone structure containing CH2CH2 and CO units. The crystalline melting point increases rapidly from 111 to 242°C., as the CO concentration in the copolymer increases from 27 to 50%. Molecular weight of copolymer formed at 20°C. increased with increasing CO, indicating Mn values >20,000. Increasing reaction temperature results in decreasing molecular weight. Onset of decomposition for a 50% CO copolymer was measured at ≈250°C.
Microplastics in the marine environment

This review discusses the mechanisms of generation and potential impacts of microplastics in the ocean environment. Weathering degradation of plastics on the beaches results in their surface embrittlement and microcracking, yielding microparticles that are carried into water by wind or wave action. Unlike inorganic fines present in sea water, microplastics concentrate persistent organic pollutants (POPs) by partition. The relevant distribution coefficients for common POPs are several orders of magnitude in favour of the plastic medium. Consequently, the microparticles laden with high levels of POPs can be ingested by marine biota. Bioavailability and the efficiency of transfer of the ingested POPs across trophic levels are not known and the potential damage posed by these to the marine ecosystem has yet to be quantified and modelled. Given the increasing levels of plastic pollution of the oceans it is important to better understand the impact of microplastics in the ocean food web.
The Sybil attack in sensor networks: analysis & defenses

Security is important for many sensor network applications. A particularly harmful attack against sensor and ad hoc networks is known as the Sybil attack based on J.R. Douceur (2002), where a node illegitimately claims multiple identities. This paper systematically analyzes the threat posed by the Sybil attack to wireless sensor networks. We demonstrate that the attack can be exceedingly detrimental to many important functions of the sensor network such as routing, resource allocation, misbehavior detection, etc. We establish a classification of different types of the Sybil attack, which enables us to better understand the threats posed by each type, and better design countermeasures against each type. We then propose several novel techniques to defend against the Sybil attack, and analyze their effectiveness quantitatively.
Prevalence and correlates of fecal incontinence in community-dwelling older adults.

OBJECTIVES: To determine prevalence and correlates of fecal incontinence in older community-dwelling adults. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, population-based survey. SETTING: Participants interviewed at home in three rural and two urban counties in Alabama from 1999 to 2001. PARTICIPANTS: The University of Alabama at Birmingham Study of Aging enlisted 1,000 participants from the state Medicare beneficiary lists. The sample was selected to include 25% black men, 25% white men, 25% black women, and 25% white women. MEASUREMENTS: The survey included sociodemographic information, medical conditions, health behaviors, life-space assessment (mobility), and self-reported health status. Fecal incontinence was defined as an affirmative response to the question In the past year, have you had any loss of control of your bowels, even a small amount that stained the underwear? Severity was classified as mild if reported less than once a month and moderate to severe if reported once a month or greater. RESULTS: The prevalence of fecal incontinence in the sample was 12.0% (12.4% in men, 11.6% in women; P=.33). Mean age ± standard deviation was 75.3 ± 6.7 and ranged from 65 to 106. In a forward stepwise logistic regression analysis, the following factors were significantly associated with the presence of fecal incontinence in women: chronic diarrhea (odds ratio (OR) = 4.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.03-10.20), urinary incontinence (OR = 2.65, 95% CI = 1.34-5.25), hysterectomy with ovary removal (OR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.06-3.54), poor self-perceived health status (OR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.01-3.50), and higher Charlson comorbidity score (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.07-1.55). The following factors were significantly associated with fecal incontinence in men: chronic diarrhea (OR = 6.08, 95% CI = 2.29-16.16), swelling in the feet and legs (OR = 3.49, 95% CI = 1.80-6.76), transient ischemic attack/ministroke (OR = 3.11, 95% CI = 1.30-7.41), Geriatric Depression Scale score greater than 5 (OR = 2.83, 95% CI = 1.27-6.28), living alone (OR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.23-4.62), prostate disease (OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.04-5.02), and poor self-perceived health (OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.13-4.20). The following were found to be associated with increased frequency of fecal incontinence in women: chronic diarrhea (OR = 6.39, 95% CI = 2.25-18.14), poor self-perceived health (OR = 5.37, 95% CI = 1.75-16.55), and urinary incontinence (OR = 4.96, 95% CI = 1.41-17.43). In men, chronic diarrhea (OR = 5.38, 95% CI = 1.77-16.30), poor self-perceived health (OR = 3.91, 95% CI = 1.39-11.02), lower extremity swelling (OR = 2.86, 95% CI= 1.20-6.81), and decreased assisted life-space mobility (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.49-0.80) were associated with more frequent fecal incontinence. CONCLUSION: In community-dwelling older adults, fecal incontinence is a common condition associated with chronic diarrhea, multiple health problems, and poor self-perceived health. Fecal incontinence should be included in the review of systems for older patients.
Survival and movement of hatchery-reared red snapper on artificial habitats in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Hatchery-reared age-0 red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus (Poey), were released onto artificial habitats in the Gulf of Mexico. Fish showed 12.7% survival after 7 months on small habitats (0.86 m3) and 3.1% survival after 8 months on large habitats (3.9 m3). Emigration was estimated by the movement of fish to unstocked habitats and accounted for 76.8% of the total decline in abundance at release sites after 26 days. Fish showed higher survival and growth rates on small habitats (27.6% at 26 days; 0.33 mm day−1) compared with large habitats (13.2% at 34 days; 0.26 mm day−1), which may have been due to increased predation and competition on large habitats. Fish became evenly distributed among adjacent habitats 26 days after release, indicating that stocking densities at release habitats were above carrying capacities. These observations suggested that providing additional habitat around red snapper release sites would increase survival.
Evolution of Mullite from a Solgel Precursor

The usage of a solgel precursor to make dense mullite has been shown to be effective. Work on the characterization of the process energetically and microstructurally has started. This paper presents data on the synthesis of mullite from the precursor, some possible mechanisms for that formation will be discussed.
Abstract TMP26: Binding of KLF4 and HDAC2 to The Promoter Region of SM22alpha Mediates Phenotypic Modulation In vitro and In vivo: Implications in Cerebral Aneurysm Formation

Cerebral Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell (VSMC) phenotypic modulation appears to play an important role in cerebral aneurysm formation and progression, yet the molecular mechanisms involved remain unkn...
Effect of root canal treatment procedures with a novel rotary nickel titanium instrument (TRUShape) on stress in mandibular molars: a comparative finite element analysis.

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare, via finite element analysis (FEA), the effects of endodontic access and canal preparation on stress distribution under functional loading of a mandibular molar treated with novel (TRUShape) and conventional (Vortex) rotary root canal preparation instruments. Identical plastic mandibular molars with natural anatomy had all 4 canals shaped with either TRUShape or a conventional rotary, Vortex (#20 and #30, both by Dentsply Tulsa Dental). Finite element analysis was used to evaluate stress distribution in untreated and treated models. Micro-computed tomography (MCT) of the extracted teeth shaped in vitro was used to inform the FEA model regarding the geometry of root canals and external surfaces. Modeling the intact periodontal support and cancellous/cortical bone was based on anatomical data. Profiles of average and maximum von Mises stresses in dentin of the four treated conditions under functional loading were compared to the untreated model. This comparison was performed for each tooth model with and without root canal obturation and composite restoration. On average, the dentin sections with the most changes after preparation were located in the access cavity, with average stress increase up to +5.7, +8.5, +8.9, and +10.2 % for the TRUShape #20, Vortex #20, TRUShape #30 and Vortex #30, respectively, relative to the untreated model. Within the root canal system, the average stress differences were smaller than <5 % with lower values for TRUShape preparation. A reduction of the average stress in the access cavity was observed as an effect of the composite restoration, while about the same von Mises stress’ profiles were found into the root canal. In this finite element analysis, preparation of the access cavity resulted in increased von Mises stresses under functional occlusal load. The limited (up to 0.7 %) retained radicular dentin in the TRUShape versus the Vortex cavity proved effective in reducing masticatory stresses. The bonded restoration modeled in this study only partially counterbalance the combined effects of access cavity and root canal preparation.
Abstract 199: Specific MicroRNAs Regulate Cardiac Fibroblast-to-Myofibroblast Transition And Fibrosis.

Cardiac fibrosis is the pathological consequence of fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition (FMT) within the human myocardium, resulting in heart dysfunction. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) plays a pivotal role in the induction of both FMT and cardiac fibrosis. However, the molecular basis of TGF-β-induced FMT in cardiac fibrosis is not clear. In this study, we propose a novel miRNA-mediated approach to attenuate cardiac fibrosis by blocking TGF-β-induced FMT. We observed that the canonical TGF-β/SMAD pathway, and not the MEK pathway, plays a pivotal role in the induction of FMT in primary cultures of human cardiac fibroblasts. Importantly, we have demonstrated that the specific miRNA is significantly upregulated during cardiac FMT. In addition, we observed significant upregulation of the same miRNA in fibrotic human myocardium and two murine models of cardiac fibrosis (transverse aortic constriction and Angiotensin II). Furthermore, overexpression of the miRNA using mimics augmented TGF-β-induced FMT. Downregulation of the miRNA using an antagomiR approach attenuated TGF-β-induced FMT. Notably, in silico analysis and qRT-PCR analysis revealed that this miRNA directly targets apelin, an anti-fibrotic mediator. Next, efficient delivery of cy3-tagged antagomiRs in the heart, liver and spleen was confirmed by confocal microscopy. In vivo silencing of miRNAs in the heart was achieved by systemic delivery of locked nucleic acid (LNA), both in the presence and absence of Angiotensin II. We conclude that TGF-β-induced specific miRNA is both sufficient and necessary for the induction of cardiac FMT and is a novel repressor of apelin. Our data suggests that the inhibition of miRNAs necessary for FMT may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent human cardiac fibrosis.
Hypoxylon Weldenii Var. Microsporum and H. Punctidiscum

(1980). Hypoxylon Weldenii Var. Microsporum and H. Punctidiscum. Mycologia: Vol. 72, No. 4, pp. 829-832.
SiCO-doped carbon fibers with unique dual superhydrophilicity/superoleophilicity and ductile and capacitance properties.

Silicon oxycarbide (SiCO) glass-doped carbon fibers with an average diameter of 163 nm were successfully synthesized by electrospinning polymer mixtures of preceramic precursor polyureasilazane (PUS) and carbon precursor polyacrylonitrile (PAN) into fibers then converting to ceramic/carbon hybrid via cross-linking, stabilization, and pyrolysis at temperatures up to 1000 °C. The transformation of PUS/PAN polymer precursors to SiCO/carbon structures was confirmed by EDS and FTIR. Both carbon and SiCO/carbon fibers were amorphous and slightly oxidized. Doping with SiCO enhanced the thermal stability of carbon fibers and acquired new ductile behavior in the SiCO/carbon fibers with significantly improved flexibility and breaking elongation. Furthermore, the SiCO/carbon fibers exhibited dual superhydrophilicity and superoleophilicity with water and decane absorbing capacities of 873 and 608%, respectively. The cyclic voltammetry also showed that SiCO/carbon composite fibers possess better capacitor properties t...
Anomie and Achievement Motivation: A Study of Personality Development Within Cultural Disorganization

T HE major purpose of the work of McClelland et al.' in the area of motivation has been to outline an objective means of measuring the motivation or the need structure of their subjects. Their original effort was to devise a means of measuring what they call "the achievement motive" or "the need for achievement" (n Ach). The method involves the basic principle of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) of Murray in that it asks the subject to devise stories about a set of pictures which are shown to him, and his responses are judged to represent his basic needs and desires expressed through identification with story characters. The major differences are: (1) Fewer pictures are shown (usually 4 instead of 20); (2) The subject writes his stories; (3) Cues are given in the form of questions about the pictures to insure the telling of a "complete" story; (4) There is a time limit for the writing of each story (usually about four minutes); (5) The final evaluation of the stories is made with reference to n Ach1 alone rather than the totality of the personality structure; and (6) Story analysis is made by means of a scoring method which assigns points to several different kinds of achievement reference. The present study was planned primarily to determine if this projective method would differentiate between two socio-cultural groups which would be expected to exhibit different degrees of achievement motivation without experimental manipulation. The subjects of the study were students in the fifth through eighth grades in five small schools on or near a Chippewa Indian reservation in northern Wisconsin. Stories were obtained from 77 Indian and 82 white subjects. These subjects were all of the Indian children attending these schools on the day of the test (five absentees) and all of the white children attending of a selected sample (four absentees). Of the 159 sets of stories collected, however, 20 had to be discarded for various reasons. This left a net total of 63 Indian and 76 white sets to be analyzed.2
Method of Gas Generated from Asphalt and Its Application to Asphalt Sandstones of Silurian,Tazhong Area

The asphalt is ubiquity in the superimposed basins,NW of China,but now there are no quantitative evaluation methods of gas generated from asphalt.In response to this scientific issue,according to the mechanism of gas generated from asphalt,the method of chemical kinetics,which is successfully used for quantitative appraisement the oil-gas generated from kerogen and gas from oil cracking,is firstly applied to quantitatively evaluate the gas generation quantity from asphalt.Chemical kinetic model of gas generated from asphalt and from group compositions of chloroform bitumen "A" are established,and then kinetic models are extrapolated to the Silurian asphalt sand of Tazhong area,Tarim basin,combined with the thermal history of research area.The results indicate that,the process of gas generated from non-hydrocarbon is relatively earlier in the research area,and its transformation ratio increases significantly around a 3 500 m depth;the secondary process is the gas generated from asphaltene;and the latest is the gas generated from saturated hydrocarbon,which transformation ratio increased significantly around 4 200 m depth.Gas generation amount from Silurian asphaltic sands of Tazhong area is calculated using this established method.The result indicates that,the total amount of gas generated from saturated hydrocarbon,aromatic hydrocarbon,non-hydrocarbon and asphalteneis 8 160.68×108m3,6 573.21×108m3,9 719.3×108m3 and 5 926.82×108m3,respectively.The cumulative gas generation total amount reachs 30 377.97×108m3.
Direct Tracheobronchopexy and Posterior Descending Aortopexy for Severe Left Mainstem Bronchomalacia Associated With Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation and Left Circumflex Aortic Arch

Complex tracheobronchial obstruction and malacia can be associated with conotruncal and aortic arch anomalies. A circumflex aortic arch composed of a left aortic arch and right descending aorta is an extremely rare anomaly that can severely affect the distal trachea and mainstem bronchi, resulting in severe respiratory symptoms. We report the case of a patient with circumflex aortic arch and severe left mainstem bronchial obstruction and malacia in which the external aortic compression and residual bronchomalacia were addressed with direct bronchial and tracheal intervention.
Maternal Motivation and Its Neural Substrate Across the Postpartum Period

This chapter presents current data on several aspects of maternal motivation as the postpartum progresses, with particular attention to how some of the pup–female interactions signal the tailoring of maternal motivation. In rats and other mammals, the maternal condition is associated with a constellation of profound behavioral adaptations mediated by underlying physiological and neuroendocrine substrates that ultimately allow the postpartum female to effectively care for her developing offspring under a variety of challenging environmental conditions. Clearly the brain is readied to mediate this behavioral pattern by the physiological events of pregnancy and parturition, since the newly parturient female rat shows immediate maternal responsiveness on her first exposure to the novel stimulation of newborn pups. The hormones associated with late pregnancy and parturition, including estrogen, progesterone, prolactin, and oxytocin act in specific temporal concert both peripherally and in discrete brain regions to initiate the immediate maternal responsiveness toward pups. Whereas, these neuroendocrine events importantly coordinate its onset, they are not necessary to maintain maternal responsiveness across the postpartum period. Continued expression of maternal responsiveness instead relies on the continued somatosensory and chemosensory experiences acquired by the mother while interacting with her pups. During this maintenance period, there is currently no evidence that the neuroendocrine events of postpartum are necessary to support the female's motivation to nurture her offspring.
Injectable Aorta Tissue Paste for Vocal Fold Medialization: Residence Time, Biocompatibility, and Comparison to Predicates in a Guinea Pig Subdermal Model.

Objectives:Aortic homografts integrate well with laryngeal tissue when used in reconstructive surgery. It was hypothesized that a paste of aortic homograft, rich in slow-to-degrade elastin, would compare favorably in residence time and biocompatibility to predicate materials used for vocal fold injection-medialization.Methods:An injectable aorta paste (AP) was made by pulverizing aortic homografts at −196°C (cryomilling). To assess residence time and biocompatibility, 0.3 cc was injected subdermally in guinea pigs (n = 3 per 2-, 4-, 8-, 16-, 24-week time points) followed by histological analysis. To test particle size versus residence time, APs made using 80 or 200 seconds of cryomilling were compared. Implant characteristics of AP were then compared to Restylane, Radiesse Voice (Hydroxylapatite), Radiesse Voice Gel, and Cymetra in additional animals (n = 6 per 4-, 8-, 12-week time points).Results:Injected AP formed ovoid masses with minimal inflammation. Cellular infiltration was mild and increased with ...
γ-e− (L + M) and γ-e− (K) Directional Correlations in Pb207†

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a preliminary experiment on the Pb207 1.06-Mev e− (K)-0.570-Mev γ and the 1.06-Mev e− (L + M) -0.570-Mev γ directional correlations. The arrangement of the correlation spectrometer is conventional. The gamma detector consists of a 1.5-inch diameter by 0.75-inch NaI (T1) crystal mounted on an RCA 6655A photomultiplier. This detector is shielded magnetically by a μ metal shield, which extends over the length of the photomultiplier and several centimeters beyond the crystal. The crystal face is 5 cm distant from the source. The electron detector is a 5-by-5 mm lithium ion drifted silicon detector. The face of this detector is covered by a 0.25 mil aluminized Mylar foil, and the detector is operated at ambient temperature. For future experiments, the electron detector will be housed in a thin-walled refrigerated vacuum chamber. The electron detector is presently 7.5 mm distant from the source.
Thin and large die assembly pick up process optimization by dynamic modeling

This paper studies the traditional thin and large die pick up process by finite element simulation. A complicated transient dynamic model is developed to simulate the die pick up process by ANSYS/LS-DYNA. Multiple 3D contact pairs are set up between collet and die, die and tape, tape and die holder, tape and eject pins in simulation. The modeling of the adhesive de-bonding process is critical to the thin/large die crack. A de-bonding criterion for die surface and tape is studied to show the die separation process from tape. A transient dynamic process of die pick up from tape is simulated. Die tensile stress is recorded during the whole process. Parametric models with different die sizes, different collet dimensions, different eject pin dimensions, different tape materials are investigated. Through the simulation, we wish to understand better how the traditional die pick up process could impact the die stress and its reliability.
Philosophical foundations of partial belief models

This paper is an attempt to put forward a new kind of partial model for representing belief states. I first introduce some philosophical motivations for working with partial models. Then, I present the standard (total) model proposed by Hintikka, and the partial models studied by Humberstone and Holliday. I then show how to reduce Hintikka's semantics in order to obtain a partial model which, however, differs from Humberstone's and Holliday's. The nature of such differences is assessed, and I provide motivations for using the newly proposed semantics rather than the existing ones. Finally, I review some promising philosophical applications of the ideas developed throughout the discussion.
Common Courtesies: Teaching Young People American Etiquette Through 4-H

The new youth resource guide, “Common Courtesies and First Impressions: A 4-H Life Skills Activity Guide to Modern American Etiquette,” is designed to help teenagers understand the significance and positive impact of using proper etiquette in today’s society. Though designed with 4-H members in mind, the guide employs the social theory of learning by emphasizing learning in a social setting with a group of one’s peers. It could be employed easily in any youth group setting, including Campfire, Boy & Girl Scouts, or Parks & Rec. It will help to build positive social skills by providing answers to such questions as how to behave and react in social situations.