cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asian Latino Conflict and Solidarity in Díaz’s The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

In her article "Asian Latino Conflict and Solidarity in Diaz's The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" Paula C. Park responds to the recent interest in Asian Latino/a culture by examining the role of Chinese Dominicans in Junot Diaz's acclaimed novel. She first places her analysis within the historical context of Chinese immigration in the Dominican Republic during the first half of the twentieth century. Then, following the migration route of Diaz's characters, Park extends her discussions on interracial conflict and solidarity to the United States. Her argument is that Diaz's fiction avoids falling into a multiculturalist framework by genuinely portraying the potential alliances between racial minorities, while not overlooking the persistent tensions between them. Paula C. Park, "Asian Latino Conflict and Solidarity in Diaz's The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" page 2 of 9 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 17.2 (2015):
What is the appropriate role for student achievement standards

American policymakers are trying to deal with low standards and weak incentives for hard study by making students, staff, and schools more accountable for learning. The education departments of the 50 states have responded by developing content standards for core academic subjects, administering tests assessing this content to all students, publishing individual school results, and holding students and schools accountable for student achievement. While these efforts are generically referred to as standards-based reform, the mix of initiatives varies a great deal from state to state.
Characterization of the mitofusin 2 R94W mutation in a knock-in mouse model

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) comprises a group of heterogeneous peripheral axonopathies affecting 1 in 2,500 individuals. As mutations in several genes cause axonal degeneration in CMT type 2, mutations in mitofusin 2 (MFN2) account for approximately 90% of the most severe cases, making it the most common cause of inherited peripheral axonal degeneration. MFN2 is an integral mitochondrial outer membrane protein that plays a major role in mitochondrial fusion and motility; yet the mechanism by which dominant mutations in this protein lead to neurodegeneration is still not fully understood. Furthermore, future pre-clinical drug trials will be in need of validated rodent models. We have generated a Mfn2 knock-in mouse model expressing Mfn2(R94W), which was originally identified in CMT patients. We have performed behavioral, morphological, and biochemical studies to investigate the consequences of this mutation. Homozygous inheritance leads to premature death at P1, as well as mitochondrial dysfunction, including increased mitochondrial fragmentation in mouse embryonic fibroblasts and decreased ATP levels in newborn brains. Mfn2(R94W) heterozygous mice show histopathology and age-dependent open-field test abnormalities, which support a mild peripheral neuropathy. Although behavior does not mimic the severity of the human disease phenotype, this mouse can provide useful tissues for studying molecular pathways associated with MFN2 point mutations.
Spatial patterns of rainfall and shallow landslide susceptibility

[1] We quantify the effect of spatial patterns in climatological rainfall on shallow landslide susceptibility by forcing a physically based model of slope stability (SHALSTAB) with the rainfall pattern produced by a high-resolution atmospheric model (MM5) over the western Olympic Mountains of Washington State. Our results suggest that for two small basins in the Olympics, 10 km–scale variations in rainfall have a nontrivial effect on landslide susceptibility. Assuming uniform rainfall equal to the average rainfall over the basins results in a moderate underestimate of landslide susceptibility. Using climatological data from a lowland station to characterize the rainfall over the basins results in a substantial underestimate of susceptibility. The effect of spatial variability in rainfall on variations in stability is comparable to the effect of moderate-to-large variability in soil parameters (such as ±30% variations in soil thickness). At a practical level, these results imply that accounting for persistent patterns of rainfall may aid in discerning regions within the same watershed where similar land use practices will lead to differing landslide risk.
Petri nets as modeling tool for emergent agents

Emergent agents, those agents whose local interactions can cause unexpected global results, require a method of modeling that is both dynamic and structured. Petri Nets, a modeling tool developed for dynamic discrete event system of mainly functional agents, provide this, and have the benefit of being an established tool. We present here the details of the modeling method here and discuss how to implement its use for modeling agent-based systems.
Spin order accompanying loop-current order in cuprate superconductors

The theory of the long-range order of orbital current loops in the pseudogap phase is generalized to include the effects of spin-orbit scattering. It is shown by symmetry arguments as well as by microscopic calculation that a specific in-plane spin order must necessarily accompany the loop-current order. The microscopic theory also allows an estimate of the magnitude of the ordered spin moment. Exchange coupling between the generated spins further modifies the in-plane direction of the spin moments. The structure and form factor for the spin and orbital moments combined with the induced spin order are consistent with the direction of moments deduced from polarization analysis in a recent neutron-scattering experiment.
Dickinson Football Rating System

(1927). Dickinson Football Rating System. American Physical Education Review: Vol. 32, No. 7, pp. 514-516.
Pressure Shifts of Metal Lines in Cool White Dwarfs

Model atmosphere techniquesn experimentally confirmed theory of collision broadening of Call H and x b helium have been combined to show that the difference in velocity shifts for the two lines is a sensitive diagnostic for the H/He abundance ratio in cool, metallic line white Dwarfs
Clinical Studies of the Cholinergic Deficit in Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a major mental health problem which will reach epidemic proportions as the percentage of elderly in the population increases. Three to four percent of the population of the United States above age 65 are estimated to be afflicted by this progressive dementia (31, 52), for which at present neither treatment nor definitive antemortem diagnostic tests exist. As current research elucidates the neurochemical and histologic changes that characterize AD, biologic markers useful in diagnosis and rational treatments may be developed.
A Modular Approach for Programming Embedded Systems

A real-time system not only must generate correct results, it must generate those results on time. In embedded systems, these results include control signals, actuator reactions, etc. Traditional approaches to the design and implementation of real-time embedded applications first transfer timing requirements into machine dependent operations using low level programming languages, such as Assembly or C. By intermixing functional behavior with timing behavior, low-level programming languages reduce the modularity and reusability of software components. For example, it is difficult to incrementally modify either existing application code to meet new functionality requirements, or the scheduling to meet changing hardware or network requirements. In order to address these difficulties, we develop a high-level language approach to support a stronger separation of design concerns. We use actors as a formal model of computation in an embedded system and separate timing requirements from the actors' functional behavior. A new language construct, called RTsynchronizer, is introduced to express timing requirements. Our approach provides a formal basis for a component-based compositional software development methodology for distributed real-time and embedded systems.
Reactive oxygen species and vascular signal transduction mechanisms.

Sources of reactive O2 species in the vessel wall that potentially contribute to the control of vascular tone include NADPH oxidases, arachidonic acid metabolizing enzymes, xanthine oxidase, nitric oxide synthase and mitochondria. Specific physiological stimuli (such as changes in PO2) as well as pathophysiological stimuli control the production of reactive O2 species by many of these sources. Certain key reactive O2 species activate specific signalling mechanisms that control vascular tone, often through processes involving the metabolism of these species. The production of prostaglandins and cyclic GMP are some of the most sensitive systems regulated by hydrogen peroxide; whereas the conversion of nitric oxide (NO) to peroxynitrite (ONOO−) and inhibition of the stimulation of the cytosolic form of guanylate cyclase are processes that are very sensitive to superoxide anion (O2·−). High levels of NO production readily result in the formation of significant amounts of ONOO−, because NO competes with supero...
Nanoengineered Transparent, Free-Standing, Conductive Nanofibrous Membranes

Transparent conductive nanofibrous membranes have been successfully fabricated by sputter-coating a metal (Au, Pd, Pt, Ni, Ag, or Au/Pd alloy) onto a water-soluble-polymer nanofibrous template, followed by the dissolution of the template in a water bath. The size of the conductive nanofibers can be facilely controlled by adjusting the diameter of the polymer nanofibers as well as the sputter-coating time. The as-prepared samples were characterized by SEM, TEM, FTIR, and TGA, and the results reveal that the as-prepared conductive nanofibers consist of many metal nanoparticles held together after the dissolution of the polymer template, which is likely due to the coalescence of the metal nanoparticles as well as the bridging effect of the polymer chains between the adjoining metal nanoparticles. The transmittance of the film decreases but the conductivity of the film increases with the time of sputter-coating. The as-prepared transparent nanofibrous membrane also shows good mechanical and metallic propertie...
The biosynthesis of proline by Tetrahymena pyriformis

Abstract 1. 1. This report concerns the pathway for proline formation in Tetrahymena pyriformis and the biochemical basis for the sparing effects of citrulline, ornithine, and proline on the arginine requirement of this organism. Proline is formed from arginine through the intermediates citrulline, ornithine, and glutamate γ-semialdehyde (Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate). 2. 2. The first step of this pathway is catalyzed by arginine deiminase ( L -arginine iminohydrolase, EC 3.5.3.6). This enzyme was purified 75-fold and was found to be strongly inhibited by L -ornithine. The inhibition provides a means of control of ornithine formation in the cell. 3. 3. Citrulline hydrolase, which cleaves citrulline to form ornithine, was purified 79-fold. The enzyme has interacting substrate sites, but it serves no known function in the control of proline formation. 4. 4. Ornithine, in the presence of α-ketoglutarate, is converted to glutamate γ-semialdehyde by ornithine δ-transaminase ( L -ornithine: 2-oxoacid aminotransferase, EC 2.6.1.13). This enzymatic activity is located in particulate fractions of the cell and is moderately inhibited by L -valine but not by proline. It was purified 105-fold. 5. 5. Glutamate γ-semialdehyde is converted to proline by Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase ( L -proline: NAD(P) 5-oxidoreductase, EC 1.5.1.2), which was purified 38-fold.
de Haas-Shubnikov Effect and the Fermi Surface of Arsenic

The periods of the de Haas-Shubnikov oscillations in the magnetoresistance of arsenic single crystals were measured at 4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K as a function of magnetic-field orientation in each of the three principal crystal-lographic planes. An improved ac detection technique was employed. The results are in good agreement with those of earlier studies except that the long-period oscillations were not observed. A new set of periods is reported whose interpretation requires less distortion of Lin and Falicov's Fermi surface than was earlier thought necessary.
Induction of sister chromatid exchange in multiple murine tissues in vivo by various methylating agents.

In order to study the reliability of in vivo sister chromatid exchange (SCE) assays for predicting carcinogenicity, several known animal carcinogens were tested in a multicellular in vivo SCE assay and an in vivo/in vitro murine lymphocyte assay. The methylating agents 1,2-dimethylhydrazine · 2 HCl (DMH), dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), methylnitrosourea (MNU), methyl methane-sulphonate (MMS), and methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) were tested for SCE induction in several murine tissues in vivo, including bone marrow, alveolar macrophages, regenerating and intact liver, and kidney from B6D2F1 mice. In all cell types, clear dose-responses were observed following exposure of mice to subcytotoxic fractions of the LD50 dose of DMH, MNU, or MMS. DMN (0.03–0.27 mmol/kg) produced small, although not dose-related, increases in SCE in all cell types. At the doses tested (0.06 and 0.08 mmol/kg), MAM did not induce elevated SCE in the various cell types. Following a series of multiple i.p. injections of low, non-toxic doses of DMH (0.15 mmol/kg, once a week, for 10 weeks), significant differences were observed in intact vs. regenerating liver and in single vs. multiple injections in regenerating liver. Following exposure of B6D2F1 mice to a single i.p. injection of 0.25 mmol/kg DMN, DMH, or MMS or 0.19 mmol/kg MNU, SCE responses were evaluated in Concanavalin A (Con A)- and LPS-stimulated blood and spleen lymphocytes. Considerable cytotoxicity was observed in blood lymphocytes. In Con A- and LPS-stimulated spleen lymphocytes, DMH-, and DMN- and MMS-induced SCE frequencies were approximately 1.5–2 × baseline levels and MNU-induced SCE were approximately three- to fourfold higher than baseline values in cultures initiated at 1 and 24 h postexposure. At 48 and 72 h after an i.p. injection of 0.131 mmol/kg MNU, SCE responses in lymphocytes were approximately 2 × baseline levels. At 24 h following one, two, or four injections (one/week) of 0.075 mmol/kg MNU dose-related increases in SCE were observed in spleen lymphocytes. These studies illustrate that carefully designed in vivo SCE assays may have the capacity to predict the tumorigenic potential of chemical agents.
Real-time high-displacement amplified bimorph scanning mirror

This paper provides an overview of recent research in the use of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuators for beam steering applications, including optical coherence tomography (OCT). Prototype scanning devices have been fabricated out of polyimide substrates using conventional integrated circuit technology. The devices utilize piezoelectric bimorphs to mechanically actuate the torsion mirror structure made of polyimide. The material properties of the polyimide allow very large scan angles to be realized in the devices while using low voltages. Prototype devices have demonstrated optical scan angles of over 80 degrees with applied voltages of only 40V. Different device sizes have also been demonstrated with resonant frequencies between 15-60Hz (appropriate for real-time imaging). Analytical models have been developed that predict resonant frequency of the device as well as the angular displacement of the mirror. Further finite element modeling (FEM) has been done using ANSYS. These models closely reflect measured scan angles of the prototype devices. Based upon these models, further refinements can be made to the design to produce specific resonant frequencies for use in a multitude of applications. These models are currently being used to design and fabricate multiple devices on a single wafer with minimal post processing requirements. The ability to fabricate these devices in bulk will reduce their cost and potentially make them disposable to reduce the cost of their use in numerous applications, including patient care when used in biomedical imaging applications.
Nucleotide Metabolism, Oncogene-Induced Senescence and Cancer

Senescence is defined as a stable cell growth arrest. Oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) occurs when an activated oncogene is expressed in a normal cell. OIS acts as a bona fide tumor suppressor mechanism by driving stable growth arrest of cancer progenitor cells harboring the initial oncogenic hit. OIS is often characterized by aberrant DNA replication and the associated DNA damage response. Nucleotides, in particular deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs), are necessary for both DNA replication and repair. Imbalanced dNTP pools play a role in a number of human diseases, including during the early stages of cancer development. This review will highlight what is currently known about the role of decreased nucleotide metabolism in OIS, how nucleotide metabolism leads to transformation and tumor progression, and how this pathway can be targeted as a cancer therapeutic by inducing senescence of cancer cells.
Two-dimensional weak localization in combined perpendicular and parallel magnetic fields.

We have studied the magnetoresistance of thin films of Au, Ag, and Au(Fe) (Au doped with small concentrations of Fe) at low temperatures. Magnetic fields both perpendicular and parallel to the plane of the film were employed, and in some experiments these two fields were applied simultaneously and independently. Our results are compared in detail with the predictions of weak-localization theory. The agreement between theory and experiment for purely perpendicular fields is reasonably good, but some of the behavior in parallel fields, especially for Au(Fe), cannot be reconciled with the usual theory. Our results can be qualitatively understood if one assumes that the spin-orbit-scattering length is field dependent, or that the phase-breaking length becomes shorter in large parallel fields. Either of these results would be contrary to conventional beliefs.
Statistical inference about the location parameter of the three-parameter Weibull distribution

Exact confidence intervals, confidence limits and point estimators for the location parameter μ of the three-parameter Weibull distributions have been investigated in the literature. One of the purposes of this paper is to find the best selection of i, j and k for the approach given by Chen [Z. Chen, Exact confidence intervals and joint confidence regions for the parameters of the Weibull distributions, Int. J. Reliab., Qual. Safety Eng. 11 (2004), pp. 133–140.] for constructing an exact confidence interval of the location parameter μ. Statistical simulation has been conducted to find the optimal combination. The critical values of the pivotal quantity ω are obtained. The point estimation for the location parameter of the three-parameter Weibull distributions is also discussed. Compared with the commonly used maximum likelihood estimation method, the method introduced in this research provides a simpler, more accurate and more efficient way to estimate the location parameter of the three-parameter Weibull...
Evaluation of the 200 MWe Tonghae CFB boiler performance with cyclone modification

Abstract The performance of the Tonghae CFB boiler with modification of the cyclone has been evaluated using the IEA-CFBC model. The effect of the cyclone efficiency on solid hold-up and pressure and temperature profiles in the combustor has been determined. From the calculated results, solid hold up in the lean phase of the combustor and pressure in the combustor increase, whereas solid hold-up in the dense phase and temperature in the combustor decrease as the cyclone efficiency increases. After modification of the cyclone through extension of the vortex finder and reduction of the width of the cyclone inlet duct, Δ P upper part and Δ P lower part in the combustor increase from 1328 to 1942 Pa and from 4402 to 4950 Pa, respectively. The temperature and the emission of SO 2 of the combustor decrease after modification of the cyclone. Therefore, modification of the cyclone to improve its efficiency can allow operation and control of the Tonghae CFB boiler to be stable. The simulation results by the IEA-CFBC model can also explain well the improved performance of the CFB boiler.
Computer Science Program Accreditation: the first-year activities of the computing sciences accreditation board

This report summarizes the activities of the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board from its inception in 1984 through its first accreditation cycle completed in June 1986. The major activities during this period were directed at developing the CSAB structure necessary to carry out the accreditation process, and at conducting the first round of accreditation visits and actions.
Remarks on probability theory and TMJ diagnosis

Summary On the basis of the classic concepts of events and probability theory, this article analyzes some recently introduced diagnostic probability concepts as they pertain to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) diseases and disorders.
What is Alcoholism Research

Excerpt The treatment of alcoholism has not improved in any important way in 25 years, and alcoholism is becoming more prevalent, not less. The systematic and long-term collection of data has just ...
Experience, Attitudes, and Willingness to Pay for Public Safety

Conditions of fiscal stress in local governments prompt researchers and public officials to seek to assess citizens' attitudes about public services and their inclination to fund enhanced service levels and quality. This study explores the questions of how citizens' attitudes about services influence their willingness to pay for them and how direct and mediated experience with services influence attitudes about them. The authors draw from two broad bodies of work: the public finance literature about demand and the psychology literature about attitudes. The authors propose a conceptual model of the relationships between citizens' direct and mediated exposure to public services, their attitudes about these services, and their willingness to pay for them. The authors present data from a survey of Connecticut adults and use these data to estimate statistical models of the relationship between media exposure and attitudes with regression analysis. They find evidence that direct experience and media exposure affect attitudes and that attitudes predict willingness to pay.
Hydrodeoxygenation of propanoic acid over silica-supported palladium: effect of metal particle size

The effects of metal nanoparticle size on the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of propanoic acid (PAc) over Pd/SiO2 catalysts was investigated. Strong electrostatic adsorption (SEA) was used to prepare catalysts with Pd nanoparticles ranging between 1.9 to 12.4 nm. The particle sizes were determined by chemisorption (O2–H2 titration) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The HDO was carried out in a continuous gas-phase reactor at 200 °C and 1 atm at differential conversion. The reaction followed decarbonylation and hydrogenation pathways to yield ethane (C2H6) and propionaldehyde (EtCHO), respectively. While the catalytic TOF remained constant between 3.0–12.4 nm, it decreased by a factor of 2–3 with decreasing particle size down to 1.9 nm. The reaction rate is therefore considered to be largely structure-insensitive over the range studied. The selectivity toward EtCHO increased as the particle size increased, indicating hydrogenation is favored on single crystal Pd(111) and Pd(100) planes versus corners and edges. For decarbonylation to produce C2H6, reaction rate orders with respect to PAc (~0.5) and H2 (~0), and the apparent activation energy (~12 kcal per mole), were found to be the same for both 2.0 and 12.4 nm particle sizes. In contrast, the reaction rate order with respect to PAc (~1.0) and H2 (~0.3) was different for hydrogenation to produce EtCHO. These differences are explained by a change in the rate-determining step for the HDO of propanoic acid.
Expression of Allograft Inflammatory Factor-1 Is a Marker of Activated Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Arterial Injury

Abstract —The cytokine-induced activation and proliferation of medial vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) leading to intimal hyperplasia is one of the most critical cellular events in the formation of transplant arteriopathy and balloon angioplasty-induced restenosis. Allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) is a calcium-binding protein that we have previously shown to be expressed in balloon angioplasty–injured rat carotid arteries. We hypothesized that AIF-1 expression may be associated with the VSMC response to injury. In this study, we examined AIF-1 expression in immunologic and mechanical models of arterial injury. Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and Western analysis demonstrated that AIF-1 is acutely and transiently expressed in aortic medial smooth muscle cells of rat cardiac allografts, with mRNA and protein peaking at 3 to 7 days after transplant and declining by 10 days after transplant. Immunohistochemical analysis identified abundant AIF-1 in the medial VSMCs of these vessels. Immunohistochemical analysis of balloon angioplasty–injured swine coronary arteries also demonstrates an acute AIF-1 expression detectable by 24 hours and continuing up to 14 days after the procedure. AIF-1 in these vessels also localizes to the medial VSMCs and cells of the developing neointima. AIF-1 protein is not expressed in quiescent cultured human VSMCs but is induced in cells challenged with various inflammatory cytokines, primarily by interferon-γ, interleukin-1β, and T-cell–conditioned media. Transfection and overexpression of AIF-1 in human VSMCs result in enhanced growth of these cells. Taken together, these data indicate that AIF-1 expression is associated with vascular trauma and suggest that this protein may play a role in VSMC activation subsequent to arterial injury.
The structural allograft composite in revision total knee arthroplasty

Options in revision total knee arthroplasty with massive bone loss include arthrodesis, custom total knee arthroplasty, amputation, and revision with structural allograft-prosthesis composites. Advantages of structural allografts include their biologic potential, versatility, relative cost-effectiveness, bone stock restoration, and potential for ligamentous reattachment. Disadvantages include the risk of disease transmission and graft nonunion, malunion, collapse, or resorption. Extensive preoperative planning is required to rule out infection and to select properly the type and size of allograft and prosthetic implant. Implant designs with diaphyseal-engaging stems and increased prosthetic constraint often are required. The host site and allograft require meticulous preparation to maximize surface contact and mechanical interlock of the allograft and host. Allograft fixation must be rigid to allow for incorporation. Ligamentous reattachment to the allograft is most successful when done by a bone block technique. Common complications include instability and graft collapse.
User-guided automated segmentation of time-series ultrasound images for measuring vasoreactivity of the brachial artery induced by flow mediation

Endothelial dysfunction in response to vasoactive stimuli is closely associated with diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension and congestive heart failure. The current method of using ultrasound to image the brachial artery along the longitudinal axis is insensitive for measuring the small vasodilatation that occurs in response to flow mediation. The goal of this study is to overcome this limitation by using cross-sectional imaging of the brachial artery in conjunction with the User-Guided Automated Boundary Detection (UGABD) algorithm for extracting arterial boundaries. High-resolution ultrasound imaging was performed on rigid plastic tubing, on elastic rubber tubing phantoms with steady and pulsatile flow, and on the brachial artery of a healthy volunteer undergoing reactive hyperemia. The area of cross section of time-series images was analyzed by UGABD by propagating the boundary from one frame to the next. The UGABD results were compared by linear correlation with those obtained by manual tracing. UGABD measured the cross-sectional area of the phantom tubing to within 5% of the true area. The algorithm correctly detected pulsatile vasomotion in phantoms and in the brachial artery. A comparison of area measurements made using UGABD with those made by manual tracings yielded a correlation of 0.9 and 0.8 for phantoms and arteries, respectively. The peak vasodilatation due to reactive hyperemia was two orders of magnitude greater in pixel count than that measured by longitudinal imaging. Cross-sectional imaging is more sensitive than longitudinal imaging for measuring flow-mediated dilatation of brachial artery, and thus may be more suitable for evaluating endothelial dysfunction.
Electric double layers near modulated surfaces.

The screened electrostatic potential and free energy of electric double layers near modulated boundaries are computed in terms of the height function h of the surface, as an extension of linearized Gouy-Chapman theory. Two approaches, one perturbative, the other iterative, are explored and compared, both expressing the average electrostatic potential away from the surface as a power series involving n-point correlations of h. When compared order by order in powers of the height function, the two methods are found to be equivalent, but they differ in the degree of differentiability demanded of h for a convergent expansion, the perturbative technique requiring infinite differentiability, and the iterative method needing only twice-differentiable functions. The wider applicability of the iterative method is shown to arise from the summation of certain infinite classes of terms in the perturbative expansion which remove ultraviolet divergences associated with the high-order nondifferentiability of the height function. The electrostatic free energy of interacting double layers is found to depend on height-height correlations both within and between the surfaces, a result that may also be interpreted as expressing the coefficients of capacity and induction of conductors in terms of their surface roughness. For boundaries with a well-defined modulation wavelength, the thermodynamic and electrostatic quantities are computed perturbatively in terms of the ratio of the modulation amplitude to the Debye-H\"uckel screening length, and the characteristic gradients of the height function. It is suggested that these long-wavelength results may find application in the study of the stability and structure of multilamellar liquid crystals composed of modulated membranes.
Separation of very hydrophobic compounds by hydrophobic interaction electrokinetic chromatography

Abstract Separations of very hydrophobic neutral analytes were achieved using hydrophobic interaction electrokinetic chromatography (HI-EKC). Alkyl aryl ketone homologues dodecanophenone (C18), tetradecanophenone (C20), hexadecanophenone (C22) and octadecanophenone (C24) were separated via hydrophobic interactions between free sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) monomers and the analytes. The first running buffer consisted of 50 mM SDS and 50% acetonitrile (pH 7.0). A complete reversal in the elution order of these analytes was obtained with the second running buffer, 20 mM cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and 50% acetonitrile (pH 2.8). With the second running buffer, electroosmotic flow was suppressed and the free CTAB monomers migrated toward the detector. Through hydrophobic interactions between the free CTAB monomers and the analytes, separations of these very hydrophobic alkyl aryl ketones were obtained in less than 10 min; analysis times were less than 5 min with the SDS-based separations.
Lessons Learned from Prematurely Terminated Clinical Trials

Controlled clinical trials in cardiovascular disease are the cornerstone for therapeutic advances in this field of medicine. Since the introduction of the concept of controlled clinical trials, there has been substantial progress in the design, conduct, and analysis of such studies. A growing awareness of ethical issues emerging from such trials has led to increased public and investigator scrutiny, and the routine requirement for interim data analysis. A benefit of such interim analysis is that either an entire clinical trial or a specific treatment limb can be stopped if the observed findings warrant premature termination. For example, highly positive findings, as were noted in the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) study, led to its closure about 1 year early after 4.5 years of treatment. Alternatively, the doxazosin treatment limb of the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) and the amlodipine treatment limb of the African-American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK) were stopped early because of negative findings. Finally, economic considerations can enter into the decision to close a study early as was the case in the Controlled ONset Verapamil INvestigation of Cardiovascular Endpoints (CONVINCE) trial. Most such decisions rely heavily on information obtained from independent data and safety monitoring boards. Such boards ensure patient safety by providing an unbiased ongoing review of data, which would otherwise be unavailable until a study’s completion. Early termination of a clinical trial can have important clinical implications and, in particular, can redirect patterns of clinical practice.
Carbohydrate metabolism of hepatocytes from starved Japanese quail

Abstract Hepatocytes were isolated from livers of mature male and female starved Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). The hepatocytes take up lactate and dihydroxyacetone extensively, and have a very high rate of glucose synthesis from these substrates. Fructose uptake and incorporation into glucose is much less. Pyruvate and alanine are taken up extensively, but form little glucose. There is negligible lipogenesis in cells of starved quail. Alanine increases up to 10-fold incorporation of 3HOH and 14C from several substrates into fatty acids, but it remains insignificant as compared to lipogenesis by cells of fed quail. There is little utilization of glucose, even in the presence of alanine, in marked contrast to hepatocytes from fed quail. However, glucose is phosphorylated at high rates, but most of the glucose 6-phosphate is recycled to glucose. There is a marked difference in the metabolism of polyols between the sexes. Glycerol, xylitol, and sorbitol are converted nearly quantitatively into glucose by hepatocytes of starved female quail. In cells of starved males, the uptake of polyols is higher, but conversion to glucose less efficient. In cells of starved male quail, alanine markedly stimulates the uptake of glycerol and xylitol and their conversion to glucose, but has no effect on sorbitol metabolism. In cells of female quail, alanine is without a significant effect on polyol metabolism.
STUDIES IN HELMINTH ENZYMOLOGY. IV. IMMUNE RESPONSES TO MALIC DEHYDROGENASE FROM ASCARIS SUUM.

Abstract Purified malic dehydrogenase from Ascaris suum when injected into guinea pigs and swine stimulated the production of specific antibodies, which were demonstrated by enzyme inhibition and immunodiffusion analysis. Fractionation of swine serum on a cellulose ion exchange column resulted in the separation of the inhibiting and precipitating antibodies. Malic dehydrogenases from closely related parasites were inhibited by the antiserum and gave crossreactions in immunodiffusion analyses. However, malic dehydrogenases from swine heart did not react with the antiserum. Guinea pigs receiving injections of malic dehydrogenase from A. suum did appear to receive some protection against migrating A. suum larvae.
Children's type A interview: interrater, test-retest reliability, and interviewer effect.

Abstract The Miami Structured Interview—I was developed to assess Type A behavior in preadolescents and adolescents in the United States and Greece. This report describes the interrater and test-retest reliability of the Miami Structured Interview—I, and the effect of different interviewers on the assessment process. Interrater agreements on the A vs not A scale were 73% for Greek American (κ = 0.49, p
Edge subdivision schemes and the construction of smooth vector fields

Vertex- and face-based subdivision schemes are now routinely used in geometric modeling and computational science, and their primal/dual relationships are well studied. In this paper, we interpret these schemes as defining bases for discrete differential 0- resp. 2-forms, and complete the picture by introducing edge-based subdivision schemes to construct the missing bases for discrete differential 1-forms. Such subdivision schemes map scalar coefficients on edges from the coarse to the refined mesh and are intrinsic to the surface. Our construction is based on treating vertex-, edge-, and face-based subdivision schemes as a joint triple and enforcing that subdivision commutes with the topological exterior derivative. We demonstrate our construction for the case of arbitrary topology triangle meshes. Using Loop's scheme for 0-forms and generalized half-box splines for 2-forms results in a unique generalized spline scheme for 1-forms, easily incorporated into standard subdivision surface codes. We also provide corresponding boundary stencils. Once a metric is supplied, the scalar 1-form coefficients define a smooth tangent vector field on the underlying subdivision surface. Design of tangent vector fields is made particularly easy with this machinery as we demonstrate.
Defects of the Lamina Cribrosa in Eyes with Localized Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Loss

Objective To determine whether focal abnormalities of the lamina cribrosa (LC) are present in glaucomatous eyes with localized retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defects. Design Cross-sectional, observational study. Participants We analyzed 20 eyes of 14 subjects with localized RNFL defects detected by masked grading of stereophotographs and 40 eyes of 25 age-matched healthy subjects recruited from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study at the University of California, San Diego. Methods All eyes had stereoscopic optic disc photography and in vivo LC imaging using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). Two masked graders identified focal LC defects defined by a standardized protocol using 48 radial scan EDI-OCT images. The kappa coefficient was calculated as a measure of the reliability of interobserver agreement. Main Outcome Measures The number of focal LC defects and the relationship between the location of LC defects and the location of localized RNFL defects. Results Of 20 eyes with a localized RNFL defect, 15 (75%) had ≥1 LC defect compared with only 1 of 40 healthy eyes (3%). There were 13 eyes with localized RNFL defects that had 1 LC defect, 1 eye with 2 LC defects, and 1eye with 3 LC defects. The largest area LC defect was present in a radial line EDI-OCT scan corresponding with a localized RNFL defect in 13 of 15 eyes (87%). There was good agreement between graders as to whether an eye had an LC defect (kappa = 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73–1.00; P Conclusions Focal defects of the LC were frequently visible in glaucomatous eyes with localized RNFL defects. Focal abnormalities of the LC may be associated with focal retinal nerve fiber damage.
Analysis of the Application of High-Speed Reclosing Breakers to Transmission Systems

IN recent years many new or improved kinds of apparatus have been made available for increasing the reliability of transmission circuits. These include high-speed relays, high interrupting speed breakers, ground-fault neutralizers, protector tubes, and high-speed reclosing breakers. Though they may be used in combination, ground-fault neutralizers, protector tubes, and high-speed reclosing breakers offer alternate methods for reducing the outages on the transmission circuit. The reliable loading of a transmission circuit may also be increased by introducing intermediate switching stations and by increasing the interrupting speeds of existing breakers.
Differential privacy, equilibrium, and efficient allocation of resources

In this talk, we survey the recently defined notion of joint differential privacy, together with several of its applications. Joint differential privacy is an appropriate solution concept for problems whose solution can be partitioned amongst the n agents who provide the private data to the algorithm: the two examples we focus on are allocation problems and equilibrium computation. Our focus in this survey is twofold: on purely algorithmic problems that can be solved under the constraint of joint differential privacy that cannot be solved under the standard constraint of differential privacy, and on the incentive properties of mechanisms that compute some kind of “equilibrium” under the constraint of joint differential privacy.
AES studies of palladium films formed on copper and mica

Abstract Thin epitaxial films of palladium were grown on epitaxial copper films and cleaved mica in ultra high vacuum. The growth modes of these films were investigated by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and TEM replica techniques. Layer by layer growth of Pd on Cu and mica was observed and inelastic mean free paths of Auger electrons for energies of 60 eV (Cu MMM) and 329 eV (Pd MNN) were calculated. These values were 5.7 and 6.9 A respectively. The thermal stability of monocrystalline and polycrystalline Pd/Cu bilayer films at 483 K was also investigated by AES and TEM. It was found that Pd agglomerates on the Cu at this temperature to form a Stranski-Krastanov growth morphology. The agglomeration is much more rapid on polycrystalline films, suggesting that high surface diffusivity paths (grain boundaries and possibly other defects) enhance the surface diffusion of Pd on Cu.
Electrophysiological actions of neurotensin in rat cerebellum

Abstract The electrophysiological actions of neurotensin (NT) and its analog d -Arg9NT were studied in rat cerebellar Purkinje neurons. NT applied by pressure ejection was a potent depressant of Purkinje (P) neuron firing. In contrast, iontophoretically applied NT was a weak depressant. Pressure-ejected d -Arg9NT, which is largely inactive in peripheral systems, had little effect on P neurons. The depressant effects of pressure-ejected NT were blocked by intraperitoneally administered haloperidol, iontophoretically applied magnesium or 6-OHDA pretreatment. After such treatments, locally applied NT evoked only excitations. The results of this study suggest that NT, when applied by pressure ejection, produces two effects on the Purkinje neuron. The potent inhibitory effects of locally applied NT appear to result from release of the inhibitory transmitter, norepinephrine from locus coeruleus-derived afferents. We postulate that the excitations, which appear when postsynaptic effects of norepinephrine are antagonized or release is reduced, may be the direct result of NT action at the postsynaptic P neuron membrane.
Characterizing Strain Induced by Environmental Loads in Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements: Immediately After Paving and Throughout First 10 Months

The focus of this study is to provide a detailed analysis of the strain that develops as a result of environmental loads. The study characterizes slab response immediately after construction (first 72 h after paving) and also addresses seasonal effects over the first 10 months following construction. A heavily instrumented test section was constructed on SR-22 in Murrysville, Pennsylvania, to help characterize slab response to environmental loads better. Static strain and climatic data collected through the first 10 months after construction (August 2004 through June 2005) were analyzed to interpret pavement response to environmental loads as a function of location with respect to joint proximity, depth within the slab, and level of restraint applied to the slab. Many things were also learned about the strain that develops in the slab over the first 10 months after construction. The average strain in the fall was around -450 μstrain, whereas the average strain in the winter was -600 μstrain. The ambient t...
Rationale for Treating Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: Actuarial Analysis of Natural History Risk versus Treatment Risk for Coiling or Clipping Based on 14,050 Patients in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database

Objective The treatment of small unruptured intracranial aneurysms has been questioned based on the results of the International Study of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms. Our objective was to compare natural history rupture risk versus treatment risk for coiling and clipping small unruptured aneurysms using data in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database. Methods Data for clipping and coiling of unruptured aneurysms was collected from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2002–2008. Treatment risks were adjusted for age, gender, and medical comorbidities. Logistic regression models were used to create curves depicting the estimated probability of poor outcome as a function of patient age for clipping and coiling. These treatment risk curves were compared against natural history actuarial risk curves calculated from four prominent studies. Results There were 14,050 hospitalizations: 7439(53%) coiling; 6611(47%) clipping. For patients who underwent coiling or clipping, the mortality rate was 2.17% and 2.66%, and the morbidity rate was 2.16% and 4.75%, respectively. The adjusted risk of poor outcome from clipping and coiling, when modeled against most natural history studies, demonstrates a treatment benefit for clipping for patients Conclusions Both clipping and coiling of unruptured intracranial aneurysms are safe. This analysis demonstrates rationale for clipping small unruptured aneurysms in patients
Career stage as a moderator of performance relationships with facets of job satisfaction and role perceptions

Abstract The relationship between performance indices and facets of job satisfaction, role ambiguity, and role conflict was studied among 102 full-time faculty members across three career stages. Results indicate that an individual's career stage within a profession has an important moderating effect on facets of job satisfaction and role perception relationships with role-related performance.
The role of nitric oxide in resistance to P. aeruginosa ocular infection.

Purpose: This study determined the role of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) in the resistance response of BALB/c mice to P. aeruginosa-induced keratitis. Methods: RT-PCR, nitrite detection, iNOS inhibition, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry were used. Results: Early after infection, iNOS mRNA expression and nitrite levels in cornea were elevated compared to levels in the uninfected cornea. Treatment with aminoguanidine sulfate (AG), an inhibitor of iNOS, resulted in extensive corneal destruction, reduced nitrite levels, and reduced nitrotyrosine staining. Infected mice also had increased bacterial burden and elevated levels of MIP-1α, IL-1β, and MIP-2 in the cornea. Dual-labeling immunohistochemistry established the macrophage as the major source of iNOS in the infected cornea. Conclusions: These data provide evidence that iNOS is constitutively expressed in the BALB/c cornea; that iNOS-derived NO is required for bacterial killing/stasis; and that the macrophage is the major cell...