cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quadrupole Collectivity in 3 2 , 3 4 , 3 6 , 3 8 Si and the N = 20 Shell Closure

The $\ensuremath{\beta}$-unstable nuclei ${}^{32,34,36,38}\mathrm{Si}$ have been produced by projectile fragmentation and studied by in-beam Coulomb excitation. Excited states at $1399\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}25$ keV and $1084\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}20$ keV have been identified for the first time in ${}^{36}\mathrm{Si}$ and ${}^{38}\mathrm{Si}$, respectively, and tentatively assigned ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}{\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}2}^{+}$. The $B({E2;0}_{1}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{2}_{1}^{+})$ values leading to these states and the previously identified ${2}_{1}^{+}$ states in ${}^{32,34}\mathrm{Si}$ have been measured, and are compared to shell model calculations. Our results indicate that the ${2}_{1}^{+}$ state in ${}^{34}\mathrm{Si}$ has a large $\mathrm{fp}$-shell intruder component, and that the ${2}_{1}^{+}$ states in the $Ng20$ silicon isotopes can be reproduced assuming an $N\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}20$ shell closure.
Black Print with a White Carnation: Mildred Brown and the Omaha Star Newspaper, 1938–1989

The white carnations worn daily by publisher Mildred Brown captured the spirit of her personal ambitions and the purpose of her civic activism. Brown's flowers spoke to the precarious privilege of ...
A slim spindle motor for blue ray disc player applications

Abstract In modern data storage devices, great efforts are being made for achieving higher recording and data transfer rate. Spindle motors play a very important role in such a progress. This paper presents the design and development of a slim spindle motor for blue ray disc player applications, which has a hydrodynamic bearing to obtain better motor dynamic properties. Compared with the conventional sleeve bearing spindle motors, superior dynamic characteristics of the developed motor are experimentally obtained. It shows that the developed motor can reduce axial repeatable run-out (RRO) and improve structural stiffness effectively with an adequate design of hydrodynamic bearing parameters.
A thermodynamic assessment of energy requirements for biomass synthesis by chemolithoautotrophic micro‐organisms in oxic and anoxic environments

The flow of metabolic energy is arguably the most fundamental property governing ecosystem structure. In many microbial communities, particularly those that inhabit environments with little input of exogenous organic matter such as submarine hydrothermal systems and deep subsurface environments, chemolithoautotrophic organisms generate most of the organic matter available to support heterotrophic growth. In these environments, inorganic chemical reactions constitute the main source of energy input to the system, and the conversion of chemical energy to biomass by chemolithoautotrophs exerts a prominent control on the size, composition, and trophic structure of the biological community. A rigorous accounting of energy flow would aid in understanding the potential biological productivity of chemolithoautotrophic communities and help clarify the limits to habitability in geothermal and subsurface environments. In a step towards achieving a more complete accounting of energy flow in such communities, we present here computations to quantify the amount of thermodynamic energy required to synthesize the molecular components of biomass and to compare the relative energy requirements under oxic and anoxic conditions. The results suggest that only about 10% or less of the overall energy consumed during growth by chemolithoautotrophs is transformed directly into biomass. In addition, the results indicate aerobic organisms require approximately 17 kJ (g cells)−1 more energy than anaerobes to synthesize the same biomass. This advantage may help explain why anaerobic organisms appear to yield greater biomass per unit energy input than aerobic organisms in laboratory growth studies, and why anaerobic micro-organisms can exist where the energy yield from catabolism is extremely low.
Brij Mohan: the evolution of a social scientist

The mentor–protege cycle is a perpetual trajectory of generational evolution. My three great mentors – Radha Kamal Mukerjee, Nathan C. Cohen and Eveline M. Burns – represented a tradition of schola...
Prevalence of positive Osler's manoeuver in 3387 persons screened for the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program (SHEP)

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of a positive Osler’s manoeuver (OM) among persons screened for the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program (SHEP). Information obtained from all individuals included age, gender, and race; history of antihypertensive, anticoagulant, insulin, or cardiac pacemaker use; and history of heart attack, coronary bypass surgery, or stroke. Among the persons aged 60 and over that were screened for eligibility at the Louisville SHEP Center, OM was performed on 3387 subjects. Of these, 7.2% (243 of 3387) were determined to be Osler maneuver positive (O+). O+ was more prevalent among males than among females (P = 0.025). A higher prevalence of O+ was associated with both higher age (P < 0.001) and higher blood pressure (P < 0.001). there were significantly more osler positives among those who responded positively to ‘have you had a stroke?’ (P = 0.007) and ‘Are you taking anticoagulants’ (P = 0.044) than among those who responded negatively to these questions. O+ was also less prevalent among those that were normotensive at the time of the screening (P = 0.046). The results of this study, when taken with those of previous studies of OM, support the cautious use of OM as a screening tool for pseudohypertension in the elderly population and as an adjunct in determining the cardiovascular risk profile of individual patients. However, further study of OM is required before it can be recommended for routine use in the assessment of hypertension among the elderly.
Testosterone levels in suicide attempters with bipolar disorder

Objective The best known neurobehavioral effects of testosterone are on sexual function and aggression. However, testosterone and other androgens may be involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders and suicidal behavior. This is the first study to examine whether there is a relation between testosterone levels and clinical parameters in bipolar suicide attempters.
Integrated pest management of Liriomyza trifolii: influence of avermectin, cyromazine, and methomyl on leafminer ecology in celery

Abstract The impact of weekly applications of avermectin, cyromazine and methomyl on Lyriomyza trifolii (Burgess) and an associated complex of six parasite species was evaluated in celery, Apium graveolens L. Avermectin suppressed leafminer populations, but did not adversely affect (1) seasonal per cent parasitism, (2) adult parasite mortality, or (3) survival and emergence of immature parasites from treated foliage. Although cyromazine use also reduced L. trifolii density, significant reductionsin survival and emergence of immature parasites greatly diminished the potential for biological control by lowering the seasonal per cent parasitism and increasing the L. trifolii: parasite ratio. Methomyl application for control of lepidopterous larvae increased leafminer density and reduced the seasonal percent parasitism by reducing survival of adult parasites. Species composition of the parasite complex was least affected by avermectin and methomyl. Cyromazine significantly reduced the relative abundance of some key parasite species. Major parasite species included species in the family Eulophidae: Diglyphus intermedius (Girault), D. begini (Ashmead), Chrysonotomyia (Achrysocharella) punctiventris (Crawford), Chrysocharis parksi Crawford and C. ainsliei Crawford, and the family Pteromalidae: Halticoptera circulus (Walker). The potential for incorporation of these compounds into an integrated pest management program for celery and tomatoes, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., is discussed.
Constitutive and inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression, regulation, and activity in human lung epithelial cells

Histochemical activity and immunoreactivity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS, EC 1.14.13.39) have been recently demonstrated in human lung epithelium. However, the molecular nature of NOS and the regulation and function of the enzyme(s) in the airway is not known. A549 cells (human alveolar type II epithelium-like), BEAS 2B cells (transformed human bronchial epithelial cells), and primary cultures of human bronchial epithelial cells all exhibited constitutive NOS activity that was calcium dependent and inhibitable by the NOS inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine. Nitric oxide production by epithelial cells was enhanced by culture in the presence of interferon gamma, interleukin 1 beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and lipopolysaccharide; the NOS activity expressed under these conditions showed less dependence on calcium, reminiscent of other inducible forms of NOS. Two distinct NOS mRNA species, homologous to previously identified constitutive brain (type I) and inducible hepatic (type II) NOS, were demonstrated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in all cell lines. Northern analysis confirmed the expression of inducible NOS mRNA. Cell culture with epidermal growth factor, a principal regulator of epithelial cell function, decreased inducible NOS activity by posttranscriptional action but did not affect constitutive NOS activity. The coexistence of constitutive and inducible NOS in human alveolar and bronchial epithelial cells is consistent with a complex mechanism evolved by epithelial cells to protect the host from microbial assault at the air/surface interface while shielding the host from the induction of airway hyperreactivity.
Dynamic properties of fine-grained soils engineered with a controlled organic phase

Abstract Soils with high organic content are frequently encountered beneath earthquake sensitive infrastructure, such as bridges or levees. Historically, the dynamic properties of these organically rich soils have been difficult to predict due to the heterogeneity of the natural organic matter that is found in natural soils, even though their response to dynamic loading remains critical to assessing the ongoing stability of the infrastructure. In this study, an experimental investigation was performed on a montmorillonite soil that was modified with a controlled organic phase. Quaternary ammonium cations were exchanged onto the soil particle surfaces through cation exchange with the clay′s naturally occurring cations (e.g., Na+, Ca2+). Quaternary ammonium cations with a variable structure were chosen, which allowed control on the cation′s size and length of alkyl chain, as well as a control on the density of organic loading on the clay surface. The dynamic properties of organoclays were then quantified experimentally using resonant column and bender element tests. This study demonstrated that the increase in the total organic carbon content of the soil increased the shear wave velocity and stiffness of the soil (Gmax) due to a reduction in the void ratio of the organically rich soil. Cation structure did have a measureable impact on the soil stiffness, with organic cations with carbon concentrated primarily in a single tail demonstrating higher stiffness than those soils engineered with a branched cation structure. When compared to inorganic soils, the presence of the organic cations in the soil increased the range of linear elastic behavior of that soil, with the organoclays having a threshold strain of 0.024% or higher. The soil samples with the largest percentage of total organic carbon and the lowest void ratio demonstrated the largest damping ratio (ratio between dissipated and stored energy) during cyclic loading at small strain. Regression analysis of the dynamic test results demonstrated that the total organic content and the void ratio were the most dominant factors in determining Gmax for the high organic content clays.
CT appearance of clival chordomas.

Abstract Computed tomography of 30 patients with chordomas arising from the clivus was reviewed. All examinations demonstrated bone destruction with a soft tissue mass and varying degrees of encroachment on the adjacent brain. Other CT findings included (a) contrast enhancement, (b) soft tissue calcification, and (c) well defined areas of low attenuation.
Optimization of thermo-elasto-plastic processes using Eulerian sensitivity analysis

A computational scheme for the analysis and optimization of quasi-static thermo-mechanical processes is presented in this paper. In order to obtain desirable mechanical transformations in a workpiece using a thermal treatment process, the optimal control parameters need to be determined. The problem is addressed by posing the process as a decoupled thermo-mechanical finite element problem and performing an optimization using gradient methods. The forward problem is solved using the Eulerian formulation since it is computationally more efficient compared to an equivalent Lagrangian formulation. The design sensitivities required for the optimization are developed analytically using direct differentiation. This systematic design approach is applied to optimize a laser forming process. The objective is to maximize the angular distortion of a specimen subject to the constraint that the phase transition temperature is not exceeded at any point in the model. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A shallow-water approximation to the full water wave problem

We demonstrate that the system of the Green-Naghdi equations as a two-directional, nonlinearly dispersive wave model is a close approximation to the two-dimensional full water wave problem. Based on the energy estimates and the proof of the well-posedness for the Green-Naghdi equations and the water wave problem, we compare solutions of the two systems, showing that without restrictions on the wave amplitude, any two solutions of the two systems remain close, at least in some finite time within the shallow-water regime, provided that their initial data are close in the Banach space Hs × Hs+1 for some s > . As a consequence, we show that if the depth of the water compared with the wavelength is sufficiently small, the two solutions exist for the same finite time using the uniformly bounded energies defined in the paper. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Language Learning, Heritage, and Literacy in the USA: The Case of Arabic.

Over 3 million people speak Arabic as a first language in the USA and almost all of them are native-born Americans. Efforts in recent decades to provide support, at both local and governmental levels, for the teaching of Arabic as a heritage language are described. Reflecting on the development of his own personal literacies and his teaching experiences, the author develops a rationale for the acquisition and teaching of languages in general, whether first, second, foreign, global, indigenous, or heritage, and applies it to Arabic as a heritage language of the USA. Three general themes emerge: (1) the unique demands made by heritage languages on parents, (2) the central role of culture and literacy in the maintenance of heritage languages, and (3) the need to think of heritage language learning as a variety of language learning that must constitute a ‘dialogue’ in a deeper-than-usual sense if it is to be successful.
Aberration correction for time-domain ultrasound diffraction tomography

Extensions of a time-domain diffraction tomography method, which reconstructs spatially dependent sound speed variations from far-field time-domain acoustic scattering measurements, are presented and analyzed. The resulting reconstructions are quantitative images with applications including ultrasonic mammography, and can also be considered candidate solutions to the time-domain inverse scattering problem. Here, the linearized time-domain inverse scattering problem is shown to have no general solution for finite signal bandwidth. However, an approximate solution to the linearized problem is constructed using a simple delay-and-sum method analogous to "gold standard" ultrasonic beamforming. The form of this solution suggests that the full nonlinear inverse scattering problem can be approximated by applying appropriate angle- and space-dependent time shifts to the time-domain scattering data; this analogy leads to a general approach to aberration correction. Two related methods for aberration correction are presented: one in which delays are computed from estimates of the medium using an efficient straight-ray approximation, and one in which delays are applied directly to a time-dependent linearized reconstruction. Numerical results indicate that these correction methods achieve substantial quality improvements for imaging of large scatterers. The parametric range of applicability for the time-domain diffraction tomography method is increased by about a factor of 2 by aberration correction.
Faith in Empire: Religion, Politics, and Colonial Rule in French Senegal, 1870–1940. By Elizabeth Foster. (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2013. Pp. xiv, 270. $60.00.)

Editorial Office: Elliott Hall IV, Ohio Wesleyan University;Delaware, OH 43015. Telephone: 740‐368‐3642. Facsimile: 740‐368‐3643.E‐mail Address: brhistor@owu.eduWeb Address: http://go.owu.edu/~brhi...
Sublimation growth of titanium nitride crystals

The sublimation-recondensation growth of titanium nitride crystals with N/Ti ratio of 0.99 on tungsten substrates is reported. The growth rate dependence on temperature and pressure was determined, and the calculated activation energy was 775.8 ± 29.8 kJ/mol. The lateral and vertical growth rates changed with the time of growth and the fraction of the tungsten substrate surface covered. The orientation relationship of TiN (001) || W (001) with TiN [100] || W [110], a 45° angle between TiN [100] and W [100], occurs not only for TiN crystals deposited on (001) textured tungsten but also for TiN crystals deposited on randomly orientated tungsten. This study demonstrates that this preferred orientational relationship minimizes the lattice mismatch between the TiN and tungsten.
The Significance of Moral Variation: Replies to Tiberius, Gert and Doris

I am exceedingly grateful to John Doris, Josh Gert and Valerie Tiberius for their gracious, thoughtful and penetrating commentaries. They have each brought out aspects of The Emotional Construction of Morals (ECM) that are both core to the project and in need of further elaboration and defence. Or, better than ‘defence’, I should say discussion, since I take many of these issues to be unsettled. Also, the commentaries are refreshingly constructive. In a limited space, they manage to advance substantive theses about the nature of morality. These are not book reviews; they are significant contributions to the literature. Tiberius stakes out a subtle strategy for rendering relativism irrelevant. Gert offers a rosy new way of viewing the analogy between morals and secondary qualities. Doris crafts an innovative story about why history should matter to moralists. In my replies, I offer some reasons for upholding the perspective charted out in ECM, but my thinking about all of these issues has been deepened by the exchange.
Materials for biological modulation, sensing, and imaging

Biological cells are major building blocks of tissues and organs of living organisms. These cells are also being used as biomarkers for diagnosis and sources for regenerative medicine. To better understand and even regulate diverse activities of cells, materials capable of interacting with cells have been designed by integrating various material chemistry, characterization, and processing techniques. These materials are often integrated with various nano- and microscale engineering devices. In this article, we provide an overview of materials for biological modulation, sensing, and imaging and also discuss opportunities for the future development of multifunctional materials for sensing and therapies.
Extinction, colonization, and species occupancy in tidepool fishes

Despite the increasing sophistication of ecological models with respect to the size and spatial arrangement of habitat, there is relatively little empirical documentation of how species dynamics change as a function of habitat size and the fraction of habitat occupied. In an assemblage of tidepool fishes, I used maximum-likelihood estimation to test whether models which included habitat size provided a better fit to empirical data on extinction and colonization probabilities than models that assumed constant probabilities over all habitats. I found species differences in how extinction and colonization probabilities scaled with habitat size (and hence local population size). However, there was little evidence for a relationship between extinction and colonization probabilities and the fraction of occupied tidepools, as assumed in simple metapopulation models. Instead, colonization and extinction were independent of the fraction of occupied tidepools, favoring a MacArthur-Wilson island-mainland model. When I incorporated declines in extinction probability with tidepool volume in a simple simulation model, I found that predicted occupancy could change greatly, especially when colonization was low. However, the predicted fraction of occupied patches in the simulation model changed little when I incorporated the range of values reported here for extinction and colonization and the rate at which they scale with habitat size. Quantifying extinction and colonization patterns of natural populations is fundamental to understanding how species are distributed spatially and whether metapopulation models of species occupancy provide explanatory power for field populations.
System ten: a new approach to multiprogramming

Historically, the creation of a multiprogramming computer system, one capable of concurrently operating a number of independent programs, has been viewed largely as a programming task, the task being that of creating an executive program which allocates resources, schedules tasks, and manages input/output. The problems involved in the implementation and operation of such programs have been well documented in the literature.
The development and evaluation of a trauma curriculum for psychiatry residents.

This study aims to briefly describe a curriculum on trauma in order to help other educators in their own planning and development of teaching on trauma. The 12-week course was offered to third-year psychiatry residents as part of their didactics scheduling. The classes included information on a wide variety of types of trauma including natural disasters, childhood trauma, refugee trauma, survivors of torture, intimate partner violence, and military sexual trauma. The course also offered techniques in therapy informed by transference and countertransference along with role-playing activities with the resident participants. Residents completed a pre- and postcourse survey in order to assess the attitudes, comfort, and knowledge in screening for trauma exposure. The proportion of residents who reported that it was very important to screen for trauma increased. Similarly, the proportion of residents who indicated they now screen for trauma increased as well. However, these were nonsignificant changes. There was no change in the proportion of residents who felt comfortable assessing for trauma before and after the curriculum. Even after the course, almost half of the respondents reported that they were still not comfortable in asking about refugee’s experience of trauma or torture More residents reported that they screen for trauma after the curriculum. An ongoing development and evaluation of model curricula including possible expansion across specialties and health-care disciplines is warranted for this critically important topic area.
Endoscopic resection of large sessile colorectal polyps

Colonoscopic removal of large, sessile polyps is difficult, but can be successfully carried out by experienced endoscopists. "Piecemeal" resection with an electrocautery snare was performed at our institution in 108 patients with 132 such lesions. The mean size of the unresected polyps was 3.0 cm. Complications occurred in 3.0% of polypectomies (3.8% of patients), with bleeding necessitating transfusion in 2.3% of polypectomies (2.8% of patients), and microperforation (probable) in the remainder. No patient required emergency surgery due to a complication. In 65 patients (60%), colonoscopic resection and follow-up alone was carried out. Of these, adenomas recurred/persisted in 28%, most of which were successfully re-resected. Nearly half of all recurrent polyps occurred after at least one negative intervening examination. Carcinoma later appeared in 17% of the recurrences despite apparent initial complete resection of a previously benign polyp. Cure was ultimately achieved in 88% of endoscopically managed patients. Surgical resection was required in 27% of patients, mostly following the initial polypectomy when invasive carcinoma was found in the specimen. No residual tumor was later found in 41% of the colon specimens from these patients. Ninety-one percent of cancers were favorable stage, whether discovered early or late. Follow-up colonoscopy was achieved in 77% of patients over an average of 3.7 years. Metachronous polyps were excised in 52 patients (63%) and metachronous carcinoma was diagnosed in 3 patients (3.6%). An aggressive regimen of surveillance colonoscopy is warranted in these patients to detect and manage local recurrences and to remove subsequent adenomas. Endoscopic resection of large sessile adenomas can be safe and effective.
Elevated synovial fluid levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor associated with early experimental canine osteoarthritis

Objective. To measure levels of cytokines, proteases, and glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in synovial fluid (SF) from the knees of animals with experimental osteoarthritis (OA) and from their contralateral (control) knees, and to compare and correlate these values with each other as well as with measures of proteoglycan synthesis in the corresponding articular cartilage. This study will help to identify cytokines of potential importance in the early stages of the development of OA. Methods. OA was induced in 12 mature animals by sectioning the anterior cruciate ligament. After 3 months, SF from the operated and contralateral (control) knee joints was assayed for interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL-1, latent metalloproteinase, and sulfated GAG. Proteoglycan synthesis in the corresponding articular cartilage was also measured. Results. IL-6 levels in SF from the operated joint compared with the control joint were significantly elevated in 11 of 12 animals. TNF levels were also elevated in 10 of 11 SF samples from operated joints, but to a lesser extent than those of IL-6. IL-1 and IL-1 inhibitors were undetectable in either the operated or control joint SF. The GAG concentration was elevated in SF from experimental OA joints. This elevation correlated with that of TNF, but not IL-6. There was no significant difference in the concentration of APMA-activatable metalloproteinase. The rate of proteoglycan synthesis was higher in the cartilage from the operated joint in 8 of 12 animals, and the mean rate of synthesis was significantly higher than in the control joint. There was a positive correlation between this increase in cartilage proteoglycan synthesis (operated versus control) and the increase in SF IL-6, but there was no correlation with the levels of TNF or GAG. Conclusion. This is the first study of SF levels of cytokines in early experimental OA. Our results show surprisingly high levels of IL-6 in operated joints, where the cytokine could act directly on the chondrocytes, and thus play a role in mediating their responses to cartilage injury.
Surfactant and viscoelastic effects on drop deformation in 2-D extensional flow

The deformation and breakup of polymeric drops suspended in an immiscible Newtonian fluid are examined for planar extensional flow in a computer controlled four roll mill are examined. Previous work from this lab with aqueous polymeric drops showed an increase in the degree of deformation compared to Newtonian drops, and two distinct breakup mechanisms, tip streaming, and tip streaming with stretch. This led to the conclusion that breakup for non-Newtonian drops occurred at a lower capillary number and by a distinctly different mechanism than for a Newtonian drop with a similar ratio of internal to external viscosity. This conclusion was puzzling, because numerical computations with the Chilcott-Rallison model showed that the influence of viscoelasticity for that model was to decrease the degree of deformation rather than increasing it. In this work, the results for aqueous polymer solutions are compared with results for ethylene glycol polymer solutions. The results suggest that tip streaming and tip streaming with stretch in the original experiments resulted from an undetected surfactant effect, which acts to produce a more pointed drop shape that destabilizes the drop to tip streaming. Viscoelasticity, on the other hand, acts to decrease the deformation of polymeric drops at a given capillary number and increases the critical capillary number, as predicted numerically, when compared to Newtonian drops with an equivalent viscosity ratio.
Management of the neonate with transposition of the great arteries and persistent pulmonary hypertension

Abstract The association of transposition of the great arteries (TGA) with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn is uncommon but usually lethal. 1,2 The optimal strategy for managing such a neonate is uncertain. This report describes our experience in 2 newborns with TGA and intact ventricular septum who manifested pulmonary hypertension and underwent an arterial switch operation as part of their management.
Effect of diet, life style, and other environmental/chemopreventive factors on colorectal cancer development, and assessment of the risks

This review presents a comprehensive, evenhanded evaluation of the evidence from experimental, in vitro and human studies associating environmental and therapeutic factors with risk of colorectal cancer. Life styles correlated with the greatest increase in colorectal cancer risk are the ones that typify a diet rich in fat and calories, alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking, and low intake of vegetable, fruits and fibers, referred to as a "western diet," as well as sedentary style (i.e., no- or low-exercise). This kind of life style has also been associated with other chronic diseases (other cancers, obesity, dyslipedemia, diabetes, hypertension cardiovascular, and hypertension). The evidence does not implicated red meat as a risk factor, and fiber has been shown to protect against colorectal adenomas and carcinomas. Calcium, vitamin D, folate, and some antioxidant vitamins and minerals (gamma-tocopherol and selenium) have protective effects, and daily exercise for > or =30 min results in a significant decrease in risk. Estrogen use (hormone replacement therapy) substantially reduces colorectal cancer risk in postmenopausal women. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., aspirin) in excessive doses is protective, especially in high risk populations, but the side effects of its use and cost incurred due to its continued intake over long periods must be carefully scrutinized before any recommendations are made for the general public.
Solution of finite systems of equations by interval iteration

In actual practice, iteration methods applied to the solution of finite systems of equations yield inconclusive results as to the existence or nonexistence of solutions and the accuracy of any approximate solutions obtained. On the other hand, construction of interval extensions of ordinary iteration operators permits one to carry out interval iteration computationally, with results which can give rigorous guarantees of existence or nonexistence of solutions, and error bounds for approximate solutions. Examples are given of the solution of a nonlinear system of equations and the calculation of eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a matrix by interval iteration. Several ways to obtain lower and upper bounds for eigenvalues are given.
An efficient synthesis of juvabione and todomatuic acid via hydroboration-carbonylation

Abstract An efficient synthesis of juvabione ( 1a ) and todomatuic acid ( 4 ), the key step of which involves a one-step conversion of methyl perillate ( 3 ) to a mixture consisting of 1a and epijuvabione ( 1b ) via hydroboration-carbonylation is reported.
Boundary control of free and forced oscillation of shearable thin-walled beam cantilevers

This paper deals with the problem of controlling the bending oscillations of cantilevers subjected to harmonic time-dependent excitations and with that of enhancing their eigenvibration response characteristics. The structural model consisting of a thin-walled beam of arbitrary cross-section includes a number of nonclassical effects, such as transverse shear, secondary warping and heterogeneity. The control is achieved via the action of a bending moment applied at the tip of the structure. A dynamic feedback control law relating the boundary bending moment to the angular velocity at the tip of the structure is implemented and its implications upon the closed-loop eigenvalues and dynamic response to harmonic excitations are revealed. A computational methodology based on the extended Galerkin's technique aimed at determining the closed-loop response characteristics is used and numerical results revealing the efficiency of the adopted control methodology are displayed.
Threshold Production of Charmed Mesons by Virtual Photons in a Bound State Model

The process ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{m}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{n}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{t}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{m}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{n}$ is investigated in a dynamical model which treats the mesons as quark-antiquark bound states using the ladder approximation. It is shown that the suppression mechanism recently proposed to account for the apparent absence of $D\overline{D}$ production at SPEAR is equivalent to the assumption that the mesons are nonrelativistic bound systems. For this case, the dependence of the production amplitude on the quark masses and bound-state wave function is given.
Autism, mutations, and the environment: insights from exome sequencing.

References 1.Hallmayer J, Cleveland S, Torres A et al. Genetic heritability and shared environmental factors among twin pairs with utism. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2011. DOI: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.76.. Epub 4 July 2011. 2.Barak T, Kwan KY, Louvi A et al. Recessive LAMC3 mutations cause malformations of occipital cortical development. Nat Genet 2011: 43 (6): 590–594. Epub 15 May 2011. 3.Zweier C, de Jong EK, Orrico A et al. CNTNAP2 and NRXN1 are mutated in autosomal-recessive Pitt Hopkins-like mental retardation and determine the level of a common synaptic protein in Drosophila. Am J Hum Genet 2009: 85 (5): 655–666. Exome sequencing in sporadic autism spectrum disorders identifies severe de novo mutations O'Roak et al. (2011) Nature Genetics 43(6):585–589. Epub 15 May 2011
Effect of High‐Temperature Exposure in Air on Strength of Hot‐Pressed Silicon Nitride

Short-term exposure of hot-pressed Sl3N4 to high temperature (800°C) eradi cates the truncated strength distribution produced by room-temperature proof-testing, indicating that strengths after high-temperature exposure are determined by jaws different from preexisting flaws. Since acid polishing of proof-tested samples cycled to high temperature restored the truncated after-proof strength distribution, it is believed that short-term high-temperature exposure causes amor phous SiO2 to form on the surface, thus blunting the surface flaws.
Development, implementation and evaluation of an expert system for advising naval midshipmen

Abstract Career field choices can be among the most difficult decisions ever made by midshipmen, and advising them in this requires both experience and a great deal of time. This paper describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of an expert system (the Service Selection Advisor) which was designed to support the career field choices made by senior midshipmen in Naval ROTC programs. Midshipmen at three major universities utilized the system as they prepared to submit their career field choices. The system was evaluated by comparing its advice to the final career field determinations made by the Navy as well as by surveying users. The results indicate that the system gave accurate advice, performing as well as the human advisors. Additionally the system can reduce the human advisor workload and can increase midshipmen confidence in career decisions. However, the system was only implemented as intended at one university. Instructors at the other schools were not closely enough involved in the development of the system to completely trust it with this important duty. Evaluation results to date, indicate that the concept of this project has potential, but wide-scale use of the system will require close coordination with instructors who are to use it.
Deflections and buckling of a bent elastica in contact with a flat surface

A straight elastica is bent until its ends are vertical and a fixed distance apart, and then it is pushed onto a flat rigid surface. The weight of the strip and friction between the strip and the surface are neglected. Planar equilibrium states of the strip are investigated, using either a shooting method or an integral formulation. Both symmetric and asymmetric configurations are possible. There may be a single point of contact, a flat region of contact, or two points of contact with a buckled section between them. Also, if the ends are pushed down sufficiently far, one or two loops may form when the upper portion of the strip makes contact with the lower portion on the surface. If the two ends are held together (vertically) and then pushed down, asymmetric configurations may occur in which there is a region of contact between the upper and lower portions of the strip near their ends. The properties of these various equilibrium shapes are investigated.
Spot-Scanning Proton Therapy Patient- Specific Quality Assurance: Results from 309 Treatment Plans

Abstract Purpose: We report the outcomes of patient-specific quality assurance (PSQA) for spot-scanning proton therapy (SSPT) treatment plans by disease site. Patients and Methods: We analyzed quality assurance outcomes for 309 SSPT plans. The PSQA measurements consisted of 2 parts: (1) an end-to-end test in which the beam was delivered at the prescribed gantry angle and (2) dose plane measurements made from gantry angle 270°. The HPlusQ software was used for gamma analysis of the dose planes using dose-tolerance and distance-to-agreement levels of 2%, 2 mm and 3%, 3 mm, respectively. Passing was defined as a gamma score <1 in at least 90% of the pixels. Results: The overall quality assurance measurement passing rate was 96.2% for the gamma index criteria of 3%, 3 mm but fell to 85.3% when the criteria were tightened to 2%, 2 mm. The passing rate was dependent on the treatment site. With the 3%, 3 mm criteria, the passing rate was 95% for head-and-neck treatment plans and 100% for prostate plans. No signi...
Towards modeling DNA sequences as automata

Abstract We seek to describe a starting point for modeling the evolution and role of DNA sequences within the framework of cellular automata by discussing the current understanding of genetic information storage in DNA sequences. This includes alternately viewing the role of DNA in living organisms as a simple scheme and as a complex scheme; a brief review of strategies for identifying and classifying patterns in DNA sequences; and finally, notes towards establishing DNA-like automata models, including a discussion of the extent of experimentally determined DNA sequence data present in the database at Los Alamos.
Competition favouring inactive over active motor neurons during synapse elimination.

During normal postnatal maturation, mammalian muscles undergo an orderly process of synapse elimination, whereby each muscle fibre loses all but one of the multiple inputs with which it is endowed at birth1. Experimental perturbations that increase or decrease the overall activity of nerve and/or muscle cause a corresponding increase or decrease in the overall rate of neuromuscular synapse elimination2–7. On other grounds it has been suggested that competition among motor neurons is important in determining which synapses survive and which are eliminated1,8–10. Would a difference in activity among the terminals at the same endplate affect the outcome of the competition and not just its rate? We investigated this issue by blocking activity for four days in a small fraction of the motor neurons innervating the neonatal rabbit soleus muscle. Twitch tensions of motor units were subsequently measured for both the active and inactive populations of neurons to assess whether the inactive neurons had lost fewer or more synapses than is normal. We found that inactive motor neurons have a significant advantage compared to active counterparts in control experiments, a finding opposite to that expected if the neuromuscular junction operated by classical 'Hebbian' rules of competition11.
An Investigation of Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Change in Developmental Assessment Center Participants.

Despite widespread application of developmental assessment centers (DACs), little is known about the impact of the process on participants' understanding of the assessed performance dimensions. This study explores this issue by applying Golembiewski, Billingsley, and Yeager's (1976) tripartite model of change to assess the presence of alpha, beta, and gamma change in DAC participants. Using the method outlined by Terborg, Howard, and Maxwell (1980), we investigate the nature and type of change occurring in a sample of mid-level managers following a DAC. Evidence for all three types of change was found across the six dimensions targeted by the DAC. Results suggest DACs may not only be an effective means to facilitate perceived performance improvement (alpha change), they may also succeed in facilitating new insight in participants regarding the dimensions on which they are assessed (beta and gamma change).
Being imitated, conformity, and social influence: An integrative review

Abstract The recently developed literature on the effects of being imitated and the social influence function of imitation are reviewed, as is related literature on conformity from social psychology. Then, this research is considered within a number of theoretical contexts, but especially within the conceptual framework of Byrne's elaboration of effectance motivation. Finally, questions are raised which need to be addressed in future research.
Penny-wise and pound-foolish : The impact of measurement error on sample size requirements in Clinical trials

Abstract Background: Clinical research studies must compensate for measurement error by increasing the number of subjects that are studied, thereby increasing the financial costs of research and exposing greater numbers of subjects to study risks. In this article, we model the relationship between reliability and sample-size requirements and consider the potential tangible cost savings resulting from the decreased number of subjects needed when reliability of raters is improved or multiple ratings are used. Methods: Standard methods are used to model reliability based on the intraclass correlation coefficient ( R ) and to perform power calculations. The impact of multiple raters on reliability for a given baseline level of reliability is modeled according to the Spearman Brown formula. Results: Our models demonstrate that meaningful reductions in sample size requirements are gained from improvements in reliability. For example, improving reliability from R = .7 to R = .9 will decreases sample size requirements by 22%. Reliability is improved by training and by the use of the mean of multiple ratings. For example, if the reliability of a single rating is 0.7, the reliability of the mean of two ratings will be 0.8. Conclusions: The costs to improve reliability either through rater training efforts or use of the mean of multiple ratings is cost effective because of the consequent reduction in number of subjects needed. Efforts to improve reliability and thus reduce subject requirements in a study also may lead to fewer patients bearing the burden of research participation and to a shortening of the duration of studies.
An Algorithm for Drop-Size Distribution Retrieval From GPM Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar

The dual-frequency precipitation radar onboard the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) core satellite has reflectivity measurements at two independent frequencies, i.e., Ku-band and Ka-band. Dual-frequency retrieval algorithms have been developed traditionally through forward, backward, and recursive approaches. However, these algorithms suffer from a “dual value” problem when they retrieve median volume diameter $D_{0}$ from a dual-frequency ratio (DFR) in the rain region. It has been shown in the literature that a linear constraint of the drop-size distribution along the rain profile is a reasonable assumption to avoid the “dual value” problem. In this paper, a hybrid method is proposed to retrieve DSDs by combining the forward method and the linear constraint. The forward method is applied to ice and melting ice regions, whereas the linear constraint is applied to the rain region. The method is evaluated using data-based simulation. Different error sources, including sensitivity of snow density, system bias, and attenuation from nonprecipitating particles, are considered. The hybrid method is compared with the surface reference with weak constraint method and the Hitschfeld–Bordan DFR method and shows reasonable comparisons, particularly for medium-to-heavy precipitation. Retrieval examples for Hurricane Earl are shown using the hybrid method.
Luther Blissett and Wu Ming: The end of history?:

This article discusses the historical novels Q (Blissett, 2000) and 54 (Wu, 2002) by group authors Luther Blissett and Wu Ming. At first glance Q demonstrates the ideological and narrative achievements of the 19th-century historical novel following theories of Lukacs and White, yet in playing with the theme of (multiple) identity its authors point toward what will become postmodern parody of those achievements in 54. Whereas the overabundance of meaning caused by the multiple identity of narrators (and authors) introduces a problematic conception of historicity leading from Q to 54, it will be the lack of meaning altogether in the latter which ultimately illustrates the end of historicity (as suggested by Jameson and Vattimo). I focus on the figures of the narrator and the Hitchcockian McGuffin, who function as narrative devices forwarding the plot and who, I argue, ultimately serve in illustrating the trajectory of the Italian historical novel from its inception to today.
Thermo-mechanical stress fields and strain energy associated with a mixed-mode propagating crack

Thermo-mechanical stress field equations are developed for a mixed-mode crack propagating at constant velocity in homogeneous and isotropic materials using an asymptotic approach along with displacement potentials. Asymptotic temperature field equations are first developed for steady state temperature conditions using insulated crack-face boundary conditions. These temperature field equations are later used to derive the first three terms of thermo-mechanical stress field equations for a steady state propagating mixed-mode crack. Using these thermo-mechanical stress fields, various components of the stresses are developed, and the effects of temperature on these stress components are discussed. Further, strain energy density and the circumferential stress criteria are employed to study the effect of temperature and the crack-tip velocity on crack growth direction.