cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temperature and pressure dependence of the rain‐snow phase transition over land and ocean

The phase of precipitation is important for weather forecasts, land hydrology and remote sensing. To quantify the temperature and pressure dependence of snow frequency (F, in %) when precipitation occurs, we have analyzed 3-hourly weather reports of surface air temperature (Ts, °C) and pressure (Ps), and snow and rain occurrences from over 15,000 land stations and available ship observations from 1977–2007. It is found that the phase transition occurs over a fairly wide range of temperature from about −2°C to +4°C over (low-elevation) land and −3°C to +6°C over ocean. The F-Ts relationship can be represented by a hyperbolic tangent: F(Ts) = a [tanh (b (Ts – c)) – d], with the slope parameter b close to 0.7 over land and 0.4 over ocean. The pressure-dependence is only secondary and reflected in the parameters. Results show that snow occurs often (F > 50%) for Ts ≤ 1.2°C over land and Ts ≤ 1.9°C over ocean, and are non-negligible (F > 5%) for Ts ≤ 3.8°C over land and Ts ≤ 5.5°C over ocean. This “warm bias” results from the falling of snowflakes into warmer surface layers, which is especially true over ocean. The warm bias is higher when air pressure is below ∼750 hPa because snow falls faster in thin air.
PROCESS FOR PROTEIN‐STARCH SEPARATION IN WHEAT FLOUR

SUMMARY Flour is rapidly mixed in an optimum of water and then finely dispersed by additional cutting type shear that prevents gluten development. The slurry is fed to a continuous decanter-type centrifuge where prime starch is spun out and the liquid protein concentrate (PC) is decanted. Gluten vitality is not damaged by the process. Numerous methods of processing the liquid PC are possible, such as spray drying or the precipitation and recovery of gum gluten. The dried PC contains from 20–40% protein depending in large part on the starting flour, but also on processing variables. The dried, unwashed starch contains about 1% protein, which can readily be reduced to less than 0.3% protein by one or two simple water washes. The unmodified starch should find use in general starch markets. The PC presents an interesting new material for use in high protein foods or as a functional components in formulated food providing such unique characteristics as dough-forming ability, gas retention and binding properties.
Catalyzing aluminum particle reactivity with a fluorine oligomer surface coating for energy generating applications

Abstract Exothermic surface reaction between fluorine from a fluorine-containing polymer and the alumina (Al2O3) monolayer shell surrounding aluminum (Al) fuel particles promotes aluminum reactivity. This study investigates the reactivity of Al when coated with a liquid fluorinated oligomer, specifically perfluoropolyether (PFPE). Flame speeds, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and quadruple mass spectrometry (QMS) were performed for Al-PFPE blends with varying Al particle sizes (i.e., 80, 100, 120 and 5500 nm average diameter). The results show that the combustion performance of these blends is highly dependent on the Al2O3 exposed surface area that catalyzes the decomposition of PFPE. As Al particle diameter increases from 80 to 120 nm, the Al-PFPE blends exhibit an increase in flame speeds by 48% and a corresponding increase in surface exothermic reaction identified as a pre-ignition reaction (PIR) that promotes an increase in the calorific output of the main reaction. But, from 120 to 5500 nm Al-PFPE blends, flame speeds decrease by 93%. The higher activation energy and lower Al-Al2O3 particle surface area to volume ratio for micrometer-scale Al fails to significantly catalyze the PIR and results in reduced overall Al reactivity. These results introduce a new and simplified synthesis approach for catalyzing a PIR in Al that strategically promotes overall Al particle reactivity.
Improved actions, redundant operators and scaling in lattice SU(3)

Abstract Schwinger-Dyson equations are used to systematically calculate redundant operators in lattice QCD and their role in perturbatively improved actions is analyzed. The criteria for improved actions in Monte Carlo simulations are discussed and their usefulness also. In particular the renormalized trajectory is estimated for the b = 3 renormalization group transformation in a four-parameter space and its scaling behavior is studied for future use in spectrum calculations.
Volcanic event in Soviet Arctic

An unusual, high-altitude plume originating at Bennett Island (Ostrov Bennetta) (76.7°N, 149.3°E) in the high Soviet Arctic, reminiscent of a volcanic eruption, was discovered during a routine scan of NOAA-6 infrared imagery by the National Weather Service in Anchorage (Bruce Webster, personal communication, 1983). On the cover is an image acquired during satellite pass No. 18943 (NOAA-6) on February 18, 1983, at 06:15:56 UT. The plume originated over the northeastern corner of Bennett Island. The horizontal cross section over the source region is approximately 10 km and the observable length is 250 km. The fine structure of the plume's initial segment suggests the possibility of a multiple source. Three distinct puffs corresponding to separate explosions make up the distal part of the plume.
A method to study deformation mechanisms for irradiated steels using a disk-bend test

There is considerable interest in understanding how dislocations interact with defect clusters produced by radiation to evaluate and remedy the radiation induced degradation of mechanical properties. In this paper, it is demonstrated that deformation mechanisms for irradiated materials can be studied with small TEM disks by employing a disk-bend method. Results showed that dominant deformation modes in ion-irradiated austenitic steel were planar glide and microtwinning. It was concluded that the disk-bend method will be a powerful tool in studying deformation microstructures of irradiated materials.
Treatment of recurrent pelvic and selected primary gynecologic malignancies with 241Am.

The purpose of this study was to update the experience and demonstrate the effectiveness and limitations of 241Am applicators for previously irradiated patients and for selected patients with primary gynecologic malignancies. Between October 1986 and May 1994, 30 patients were treated with 241Am. The median patient age was 68 years, ranging from 41 to 91 years. Patients were retrospectively categorized by treatment intent, i.e., palliative vs. curative. Patients undergoing curative therapy were further classified as to whether 241Am brachytherapy was directed at microscopic residua after surgery or to gross primary tumor. Of the 30 patients, 18 had recurrent pelvic malignancies from various primary sites and were reirradiated with 241Am for palliation. Six patients had microscopic disease after surgical resection and were managed with postoperative radiotherapy (RT) that included 241Am. Six patients had gynecologic cancers managed with primary RT that included treatment with 241Am. Overall, 50% (9/18) of the patients with recurrent pelvic malignancies were locally controlled after reirradiation with 241Am. Including surgical salvage, the ultimate local control rate was 61% (11/18). Postoperative 241Am with or without external beam radiation therapy (XRT) was effective in 83% (5/6) of the patients with microscopic disease. Including surgical salvage, 100% (6/6) of the patients were ultimately free of disease. Fifty percent (3/6) of the patients treated with primary RT that included 241Am brachytherapy experienced local control. Including surgical salvage, 67% (4/6) of the patients were ultimately controlled with 241Am. In conclusion, reirradiation utilizing 241Am was effective in palliating patients with recurrent pelvic malignancies. 241Am was effective in 83% (5/6) of the patients with microscopic disease managed with postoperative RT. 241Am was of marginal benefit in patients with gynecologic tumors managed with primary RT.
Analysis of a Supposed Clay Fulgurite from Ontario

THE existence of ‘clay fulgurites’ from Kingston, Ontario, was reported recently by Hawkins1. These were described as “partially fused ellipsoids” resulting from lightning striking clay sediments. The report was of considerable interest to us because it suggests that lightning may be responsible for the formation of tektites. At our request, Dr. Hawkins kindly sent us a sample of this material. The composition is as follows :
Note on Cohen's Kappa:

Cohen's Kappa is a measure of the over-all agreement between two raters classifying items into a given set of categories. This communication describes a simple computational method of determining t...
Mathematical assessment of the effect of traditional beliefs and customs on the transmission dynamics of the 2014 Ebola outbreaks

Ebola is one of the most virulent human viral diseases, with a case fatality ratio between 25% to 90%. The 2014 West African outbreaks are the largest and worst in history. There is no specific treatment or effective/safe vaccine against the disease. Hence, control efforts are restricted to basic public health preventive (non-pharmaceutical) measures. Such efforts are undermined by traditional/cultural belief systems and customs, characterized by general mistrust and skepticism against government efforts to combat the disease. This study assesses the roles of traditional customs and public healthcare systems on the disease spread. A mathematical model is designed and used to assess population-level impact of basic non-pharmaceutical control measures on the 2014 Ebola outbreaks. The model incorporates the effects of traditional belief systems and customs, along with disease transmission within health-care settings and by Ebola-deceased individuals. A sensitivity analysis is performed to determine model parameters that most affect disease transmission. The model is parameterized using data from Guinea, one of the three Ebola-stricken countries. Numerical simulations are performed and the parameters that drive disease transmission, with or without basic public health control measures, determined. Three effectiveness levels of such basic measures are considered. The distribution of the basic reproduction number ( $\mathcal {R}_{0}$ ) for Guinea (in the absence of basic control measures) is such that $\mathcal {R}_{0}\in \;[0.77,1.35]$ , for the case when the belief systems do not result in more unreported Ebola cases. When such systems inhibit control efforts, the distribution increases to $\mathcal {R}_{0}\in \;[1.15,2.05]$ . The total Ebola cases are contributed by Ebola-deceased individuals (22%), symptomatic individuals in the early (33%) and latter (45%) infection stages. A significant reduction of new Ebola cases can be achieved by increasing health-care workers’ daily shifts from 8 to 24 hours, limiting hospital visitation to 1 hour and educating the populace to abandon detrimental traditional/cultural belief systems. The 2014 outbreaks are controllable using a moderately-effective basic public health intervention strategy alone. A much higher (>50%) disease burden would have been recorded in the absence of such intervention. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classifications 92B05, 93A30, 93C15.
Increased capillary fragility in hypertension: Incidence, complications, and treatment

Abstract 1. 1. Capillary fragility was increased in about 18 per cent of 265 cases of hypertension. This incidence was not related to sex, age, or degree of hypertension. 2. 2. Persons with increased capillary fragility are especially predisposed to apoplexy, retinal hemorrhage, and death. 3. 3. Thiocyanate tends to make worse a previously abnormal fragility, or perhaps in certain cases may even change fragility from normal to increased. When this occurs, thiocyanate may be a factor in the causation of apoplexy and other hemorrhagic phenomena. 4. 4. Hesperidin and hesperidin methyl chalcone restored fragility to normal in about 84 per cent of cases of increased capillary fragility. It is hoped, but not yet proved, that this may also lessen the frequency of the complications of increased capillary fragility. 5. 5. It is probable that thiocyanate should not be given to persons with increased capillary fragility, unless or until that fragility has become normal as the result of therapy. After this has been done, thiocyanate apparently can be given with impunity.
The Trajectories of the Contemporary 'Trinitarian Renaissance' in Different Contexts

This article offers a brief introduction to the remarkable resurgence of trinitarian theology during the past century. It shows how the doctrine of the Trinity gradually became marginalized over many centuries. Next, some specific motifs and orientations in the contemporary trinitarian reflection are mentioned; special attention is given in this connection to three significant developments that point to key interests in the contemporary trinitarian renaissance: the rise to prominence of 'communion theology,' the desire the pursue the practical implications of the doctrine of the Trinity, and the contextualization of trinitarian reflection in different cultures. Finally, with an appeal to the contributions of LaCugna, Moltmann, and Pannenberg, it is argued that at the heart of the ongoing debate stands the question of the relationship between the economic and the immanent Trinity.
In vitro growth of Alzheimer's disease β-amyloid plaques displays first-order kinetics

A salient pathological feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the presence of amyloid plaques in the brains of affected patients. The plaques are predominantly composed of human β-amyloid peptide (Aβ). Although the aggregation of synthetic Aβ has been extensively studied, the mechanism of AD plaque growth is poorly understood. In order to address this question, we used an in vitro model of plaque growth to determine if assembly or aggregation of Aβ is required for deposition. Labeled Aβ at physiological concentrations readily deposited onto both neuritic and diffuse plaques and cerebrovascular amyloid in unfixed AD brain tissue, whereas essentially no deposition was detected in tissue without preformed amyloid. Using this in vitro model of plaque growth, the kinetics of Aβ deposition onto plaques was examined in two independent but complementary systems. Intact sections of unfixed AD brain cortex (analyzed by autoradiographic densitometry) allowed definitive morphological analysis of the site of depositio...
Establishing Entrustment of Residents and Autonomy

As residents, we constantly strive to independently manage our patients and develop care plans, while the role of the attending faculty varies between complete supervision and control, to allowing complete autonomy. This concept of attending physicians allowing appropriate autonomy so that residents can develop independence in their practice has been termed entrustment. Patients' and instructors' entrustment of responsibility reflects upon one's preparedness to assume professional responsibility after graduation. Over the past several months, we have been reflecting on our experiences working in the emergency department and how different faculty members entrust residents during each shift. Some experiences have been incredible as we develop our styles of practice, while others have been incredibly frustrating and soured the learning environment. As third-year residents, we studied the factors that allow faculty to foster an appropriate amount of entrustment and conducted discussions with multiple residents on this topic. We have found several themes of how this can be done well and share these ideas with a goal of improving autonomy for emergency medicine residents.
Improved SCF interaction energy decomposition scheme corrected for basis set superposition effect

A modified scheme for SCF interaction energy decomposition has been proposed where the nonphysical basis set superposition error (BSSE) has been corrected by means of the counterpoise method. A new procedure to separate the exchange and induction energy terms free of nonphysical BSSE has been tested in the case of the H2O dimer. The first order BSSE appears to be non-negligible for strong hydrogen bonded complexes. In addition the scheme allows separation of the long-controversial charge-transfer contribution within the induction term, which has been considerably overestimated in previous studies.
Heat and mass transfer to a translating drop in an electric field

Abstract The transient and quasi-steady heat and mass exchange between a translating drop and its surroundings in a uniform electric field is investigated for the case of low Reynolds and high Peclet numbers. The energy or diffusion equation for the case of thin thermal or diffusion boundary layers is solved by similarity transformation and numerical schemes, and results for the rate of heat or mass transfer are obtained. A parameter W, which characterizes the relative importance of electrical and gravitational effects, emerges. It is found that only when the absolute value of W is larger than unity is the rate of transport enhanced by the imposed electric field. The relationship between the flow patterns and the rate of transport is discussed.
Optimal hardware and software arithmetic coding procedures for the Q-Coder

The Q-Coder is an important new development in arithmetic coding. It combines a simple but efficient arithmetic approximation for the multiply operation, a new formalism which yields optimally efficient hardware and software implementations, and a new form of probability estimation. This paper describes the concepts which allow different, yet compatible, optimal software and hardware implementations. In prior binary arithmetic coding algorithms, efficient hardware implementations favored ordering the more probable symbol (MPS) above the less probable symbol (LPS) in the current probability interval. Efficient software implementation required the inverse ordering convention. In this paper it is shown that optimal hardware and software encoders and decoders can be achieved with either symbol ordering. Although optimal implementation for a given symbol ordering requires the hardware and software code strings to point to opposite ends of the probability interval, either code string can be converted to match the other exactly. In addition, a code string generated using one symbol-ordering convention can be inverted so that it exactly matches the code string generated with the inverse convention. Even where bit stuffing is used to block carry propagation, the code strings can be kept identical.
A 250-MHz skewed-clock pipelined data buffer

A synchronous dual-port memory employing a three-transistor (3T) dynamic cell has been designed for use as a high throughput embedded data buffer in digital switching and signal processing applications. Skewed-clock pipelining is used to achieve operation at frequencies as high as 250 MHz with a low register element count. The 3T cell provides separate read and write access ports while occupying less than half the area of a conventional dual-port SRAM cell. On-chip Hamming error correction coding (ECC) is used to enhance the fault tolerance of the memory, A 25-kb experimental prototype has been integrated in a 0.8-/spl mu/m CMOS technology; it occupies a die area of 3800 /spl mu/m/spl times/1600 /spl mu/m and dissipates 420 mW while operating at 250 MHz.
The pharmacological relationship of a series of pentenyl substituted barbituric acid derivatives.

A series of pentenyl barbituric acid derivatives has been studied. In general, the amount required to produce anesthesia is independent of the duration of action. Furthermore, there is no obvious relationship between the pharmacological action and chemical structure of these compounds. Many of these derivatives are isomeric, but show considerable variation in action, dosage, duration of action and therapeutic index. One of these compounds is shorter acting than two well-known barbiturates and with a better therapeutic index.
Importance of the Faraday to Elemental Constants and Electricity Standards

RECENT values of the ratio e/m as measured physically by deflexion in a magnetic field and as measured by electrochemical deposition or erosion permit combination in such a way that errors arising from uncertainties in the acceleration, g, due to gravity may be eliminated1. Work now in progress at the National Bureau of Standards on the gyromagnetic ratio (loc. cit., pp. 168–69) will permit an even more fortunate elimination.
0010 The safest R.I.D.E (restrained, in the back, day and night, every time)

Statement of purpose If in a crash, children under age 13 riding in the front seat are 50% more likely to be killed or seriously injured than children riding in the back seat (WA Traffic Safety Commission data). Washington law requires children under age 13 to ride in the back seat whenever practical to do so. Despite our strong child passenger safety laws and a well-developed statewide child passenger safety program, child passenger restraint use rates remain relatively low. This session demonstrates the use of observational data to create a focused educational and enforcement intervention at elementary schools to improve child passenger safety. Methods/Approach Observational surveys during morning drop-off at 16 elementary school showed approximately one in five children were illegally seated in the front seat. In partnership with law enforcement, four Safe Kids Coalitions conducted a four-week long educational and enforcement campaign at local schools. The Campaign included observational surveys, a letter home, classroom visits, media blasts, and campaign messaging at schools and in the community. A statewide parent survey was done by Safe Kids Washington to determine why children under age 13 were riding in the front seat. Results Results are coming in and will be shared at the Safe States Annual Meeting. Conclusions We are now in phase one. Early results show an improved rate of children riding in the back seat. The campaign will continue through June 2015. Results from phase one, including the parental survey data, will be used to inform phase two, which will have an added focus on booster seat use into 2016. Significance and contribution to the field Washington State has one of the strongest child passenger safety laws in the country. In our intervention development, we discovered few states have programs focused specifically on keeping children riding in the back seat, despite evidence that it reduces the rate of serious injury and death by half. Our approach of using state and local partnerships, research, data, education, and enforcement to help change risk behaviour is a good model for others to adapt or adopt in their community.
Structure Fluctuations in Proteins and their Relationship to Amino Acid Propensities

The spectrum and scale of fluctuations in protein structures affect the range of cell phenomena, including stability of protein structures or their fragments, allosteric transitions and energy transfer. The study presents a statistical-thermodynamic analysis of relationship between the sequence composition and the distribution of residue fluctuations in protein-protein complexes [1]. A one-node-per-residue elastic network model accounting for the nonhomogeneous protein mass distribution and the inter-atomic interactions through the renormalized inter-residue potential is developed. Two factors, a protein mass distribution and a residue environment, were found to determine the scale of residue fluctuations. Surface residues undergo larger fluctuations than core residues, showing agreement with experimental observations. Ranking residues over the normalized scale of fluctuations yields a distinct classification of amino acids into three groups: (i) highly fluctuating - Gly, Ala, Ser, Pro and Asp, (ii) moderately fluctuating - Thr, Asn, Gln, Lys, Glu, Arg, Val and Cys (iii) weakly fluctuating - Ile, Leu, Met, Phe, Tyr, Trp and His. The structural instability in proteins possibly relates to the high content of the highly fluctuating residues and a deficiency of the weakly fluctuating residues in irregular secondary structure elements (loops), chameleon sequences and disordered proteins. Strong correlation between residue fluctuations and the sequence composition of protein loops supports this hypothesis. Comparing fluctuations of binding site residues (interface residues) with other surface residues shows that, on average, the interface is more rigid than the rest of the protein surface and Gly, Ala, Ser, Cys, Leu and Trp have a propensity to form more stable docking patches on the interface. The findings have broad implications for understanding mechanisms of protein association and stability of protein structures.1. A.M. Ruvinsky and I.A. Vakser. arXiv:0907.5021v1
Use of ferrous hydroxide for determination of nitrate in soil extracts 1

Abstract A simple steam distillation method of determining nitrate is described that is not subject to interference by substantial amounts of phosphate or silicate. It involves use of FeSO4 and MgO for reduction of nitrate to ammonia. The method is rapid and precise, and tests reported show that it is satisfactory for nitrate analysis of soil extracts.
Cotorsion Pairs of Modules from Left Adjoints

Let R be a ring with 1 and M a right R-module. In this article, we will see that the functor F = M ⊗ R – gives rise to a complete hereditary cotorsion pair where the left class consists of the F-acyclic objects. This cotorsion pair induces a Quillen model structure on Ch(R) which recovers the derived functors . An F-acyclic resolution is as good as a cofibrant replacement in this model structure. So in short, we formalize the fact that can be computed using F-acyclic resolutions.
Doripenem: a new carbapenem antibiotic.

Purpose The chemistry, pharmacology, antimicrobial activity, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy and safety in humans, and formulary considerations of doripenem are reviewed. Summary Doripenem, a member of the β-lactam class of antibiotics, is the newest addition to the carbapenems. It exhibits concentration-independent bactericidal activity against gram-positive bacteria; enteric and nonenteric gram-negative bacteria, including extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing strains; and anaerobic pathogens. Doripenem was found to be noninferior to meropenem in the treatment of complicated intraabdominal infections and noninferior to levofloxacin in the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections including pyelonephritis and was granted marketing approval by the Food and Drug Administration for these two indications. Doripenem was also found to be noninferior to imipenem in the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia and noninferior to piperacillin–tazobactam in the treatment of hospital-acquired pneumonia. It has a favorable safety profile, with gastrointestinal complaints and headache being the most common adverse effects and allergic reactions the most serious adverse effects. Doripenem has a relatively low potential to induce seizures. The only known clinically relevant drug interaction is that coadministration with valproic acid may result in reductions of valproic acid serum concentrations. As with most renally eliminated antibiotics, the dose of doripenem should be adjusted according to kidney function. Conclusion Doripenem is an injectable carbapenem antibiotic with a spectrum of activity comparable to that of imipenem and meropenem. Its safety is similar to that of other carbapenems.
Excimer laser retreatment of residual myopia following photoastigmatic refractive keratectomy for compound myopic astigmatism

Abstract Purpose To prospectively evaluate the safety, efficacy, and visual performance of excimer laser enhancement following photoastigmatic refractive keratectomy (PARK) with the Summit Apex Plus®. Setting Stanford University School of Medicine Eye Laser Clinic, Stanford, California, USA. Methods As part of a Food and Drug Administration clinical trial, 93 eyes of 56 patients with a mean spherical equivalent (SE) of −4.98 diopters (D) ± 1.80 (SD) (range −1.75 to −8.50 D) had PARK for compound myopic astigmatism using the Summit Apex Plus excimer laser and a poly(methyl methacrylate) erodible mask. Seventeen eyes with a mean SE of −2.08 ± 0.76 D required excimer laser refractive keratectomy for residual spherical myopia or compound myopic astigmatism. Patients were prospectively followed 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12+ months after the enhancement procedure. Primary outcome variables included uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), refraction, vector analysis, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) under standard ambient conditions (photopic, scotopic, and glare), corneal clarity, and contrast sensitivity function curve under photopic and scotopic conditions. Results At the last postoperative visit, the mean sphere had been corrected 82% to a residual of −0.29 ±1.23 D and mean SE had been corrected 65% to a residual of −0.74 ± 1.27 D. Eighty-two percent of eyes were within ±1.0 D of attempted correction. Eighty-eight percent had a UCVA of 20/40 or better. Vector analysis demonstrated a difference vector of within ±1.0 D in 75% of eyes that had PARK retreatment. There was no significant loss in the contrast sensitivity curve. Late regression associated with corneal haze and loss of BSCVA occurred in 2 eyes (11.7%). Conclusions Retreatment following PARK for compound myopic astigmatism results in effective reduction in residual spherical myopia and compound myopic astigmatism. An improvement in UCVA without loss of contrast sensitivity can be expected in most eyes. However, regression, corneal haze, and loss of BSCVA may occur. Further studies are indicated to predict risk factors for these complications.
Targeted delivery to the pilosebaceous unit via liposomes

Abstract The significance of the pilosebaceous unit (hair follicle and sebaceous glands) as a route for passive drug delivery into the skin remains a controversial subject. The pilosebaceous unit is a complex, dynamic structure, which is the site of unique biochemical, metabolical and immunological events. Recent topical delivery studies have employed increasingly systematic, quantitative methodologies in attempts to define the follicular pathway. Targeting specific sites of the hair follicle may represent a feasible therapeutic approach, as several dermatological abnormalities are known to originate at the hair follicle. In a growing number of topical delivery studies, liposomes have been shown to target drug delivery to the pilosebaceous unit. This review will describe general aspects of follicular delivery, with a particular focus on studies which have demonstrated targeted follicular delivery via liposomes.
Extrinsic photoluminescence from InGaAs/GaAs pseudomorphic single quantum wells

Abstract Extrinsic luminescence due to carbon and beryllium acceptors in InGaAs pseudomorphic single quantum wells has been studied. The relative intensity is found to be very weak, even for acceptor concentrations ∼ 1017 cm−3. Acceptor binding energies are obtained and compared with those for GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells and InGaAs/GaAs multilayer structures. Despite the relatively large strains in the InGaAs/GaAs single quantum wells, we do not observe any significant effect on the binding energies.
A Turbulent Boundary Layer with Mass Addition, Combustion, and Pressure Gradients

Abstract : A subsonic turbulent boundary layer with mass addition and combustion is studied to investigate the effects of combustion on the velocity field in constant pressure and accelerating flows. Particular attention is given to determining (1) the extent to which combustion alters the flow and (2) the mechanism whereby combustion interacts with the flow field. The experimental results demonstrate that combustion alters the velocity profiles in both constant pressure and accelerating flows. The velocity gradients at the surface in combusting flows differ markedly from those of corresponding isothermal flows and the velocity in the flame regions of accelerating flows actually exceed the freestream value. The results of analysis indicate that in a subsonic turbulent boundary layer with combustion the Reynolds stress is essentially kinematic and does not explicitly involve density fluctuations. This in turn indicates that the experimentally observed changes in the velocity profiles are attributable to the temperature dependence of the local mean density and molecular viscosity. Analytical results also indicate that the combustion-induced changes in velocity profile are strongly dependent on the axial pressure gradient. The consequence of combustion with regard to skin friction is also examined and it is found that effects on the skin friction coefficient are similar to those on the wall velocity gradient. A method of determining the velocity profiles in a combusting turbulent boundary layer is also presented. (Author)
Power use of disk subsystems in supercomputers

Exascale will present many challenges to the HPC community, but the primary problem will likely be power consumption. Current petascale systems already use a significant fraction of the power that an exascale system will be allotted. In this paper, we show measurements for real I/O power use in three large systems. We show that I/O power use is proportionally fairly low per machine, between 4.4 and 5.5% of the total consumption. We use these measurements to motivate a burst-buffer checkpointing solution for power-efficient I/O at exascale. We estimated this solution to use approximately 6.6% of the exascale machine power budget, which is on par with today's systems.
Early Upregulation of T Cell IL-10 Production Plays an Important Role in Oral Tolerance Induction

Early in oral tolerance induction, IL-10-producing CD4(+) T cells were increased, and adoptive transfer of IL-10-deficient CD4(+) T cells failed induction of oral tolerance, suggesting a key role of IL-10 production in such a process.
Wave Climatology in Coastal Maine for Aquaculture and Other Applications

Wind waves represent a significant hydrodynamic factor affecting many oceanographic studies such as sediment transport, design of structures, etc. In coastal Maine, wave information is needed, among other applications, for aquaculture-related activities. As few data sources exist, a question that confronts scientists pertains to the magnitudes of typical and extreme wave conditions at various times. To address this, numerical modeling was performed for a period of six and a half years (7/99–12/05) on a continuous basis by coupling National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s outer ocean predictions to two coastal, high-resolution, regional domain grids encompassing the Penobscot Bay and Machias Bay regions where aquaculture activity is prevalent and expanding. As the modeling involves uncertainties because of bathymetric and wind field representations, their effect on the results was explored. It was found that although the uncertainties could create inaccuracies in real-time forecasts, their effect on the development of climatogies was minimal. Average modeled significant wave heights are found to vary between 0.6 and 1.5 m in the sub-domains. The maximum conditions are of the order of 6.5 m in the outer parts of the sub-domains and occurred in September and December. Estimated wave-induced bottom velocities were found in many areas to be in excess of the published estimates of resuspension thresholds for net-pen wastes. Estimates of “extreme” wave conditions, corresponding to a recurrence interval of 30 years (representing the nominal design life of the cage), were found to vary between 2 and 7 m in the modeled areas. Detailed contour maps have been developed for site-specific characterization of the wave climate.
Inverse solutions for one-dimensional seismic waves in elastic, inhomogeneous media

An inverse procedure is developed for obtaining exact solutions to the one-dimensional inhomogeneous wave equation. Transformations of the independent spatial variable and the dependent variable are introduced so that the wave equation assumes the form associated with a homogeneous material. The resulting transformation relations are nonlinear but of such a nature that they can be easily integrated if the reciprocal of the wave speed distribution can be expressed in terms of elementary functions. One functional form that yields realistic values for material properties of soil layers is investigated in detail. Amplification factors for a sinusoidal seismic shear wave in inhomogeneous and homogeneous layers are derived, and illustrations of significantly different characteristics for the two types of layers are shown. 8 figures.
Bridging with solid-organ xenotransplants

Patients with acute organ failure often require temporary support. Whereas mechanical assistance has been the only feasible option, growth in the field of xenotransplantation suggests another potential clinical therapy for highly selected patients with acute organ failure who require a bridge to recovery or transplantation. Possible xenogenic viral infection, ethical concerns, and donor availability, however, suggest that pigs, rather than primates, will most likely be the species of choice as potential organ donors. Hyperacute rejection accompanying porcine xenografts is now controllable with a combination of new immunosuppressive strategies and transgenic technology. The first transgenic porcine-to-human organ application will most likely involve extracorporeal perfusion of liver xenografts for fulminant hepatic failure. The first transgenic pig-to-human cardiac xenotransplant will likely involve heterotopically placed porcine cardiac xenografts to bridge patients to allotransplantation or recovery in the setting of cardiomyopathy, acute myocardial infarction, or postcardiotomy shock. Temporary bridging with porcine renal xenografts will be rarely indicated and will not likely be attempted until positive experiences are achieved with other porcine organs.
The transition from Townsend to streamer mechanism of breakdown in air at uniform fields

Conditions for the transition from the Townsend to the streamer mechanism of breakdown in air at uniform fields are described analytically in terms of primary ionization and secondary cathode effects. A criterion for the electrical breakdown of air is developed and shown to be in excellent agreement with experimental data.
Semiparametric Efficient Estimation for a Class of Generalized Proportional Odds Cure Models

We present a mixture cure model with the survival time of the "uncured" group coming from a class of linear transformation models, which is an extension of the proportional odds model. This class of model, first proposed by Dabrowska and Doksum (1988), which we term "generalized proportional odds model," is well suited for the mixture cure model setting due to a clear separation between long-term and short-term effects. A standard expectation-maximization algorithm can be employed to locate the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimators, which are shown to be consistent and semiparametric efficient. However, there are difficulties in the M-step due to the nonparametric component. We overcome these difficulties by proposing two different algorithms. The first is to employ an majorize-minimize (MM) algorithm in the M-step instead of the usual Newton-Raphson method, and the other is based on an alternative form to express the model as a proportional hazards frailty model. The two new algorithms are compared in a simulation study with an existing estimating equation approach by Lu and Ying (2004). The MM algorithm provides both computational stability and efficiency. A case study of leukemia data is conducted to illustrate the proposed procedures.
Compensating inherent linear move water application errors using a variable rate irrigation system

Continuous move irrigation systems such as linear move and center pivot irrigate unevenly when applying conventional uniform water rates due to the towers/motors stop/advance pattern. The effect of the gear drive/cart movement pattern on linear move water application is larger on the first two spans, which introduces errors on site-specific irrigation. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to model the linear move irrigation system cart movement and to develop an algorithm to compensate for unintended variable irrigation (application errors). The cart advance/movement modeling considered terrain attributes, average nozzle travel speed, and high frequency DGPS (differential global positioning system) cart positioning readings. This paper describes the use of an irrigation monitoring and control system, DGPS, GIS, and statistical analysis utilized in the modeling and compensation processes. The irrigation monitoring and control system was composed of a single board computer, a relay board controller, DGPS, electric solenoid valves, wireless ethernet bridge units, high frequency spread spectrum radios, as well as in-line and in-field sensor networks. This technology allowed for continuous, real-time data acquisition and irrigation system management through the internet. This study has shown that irrigation application errors were reduced from over 20% to around 5%, in the subsequent irrigation event.
Mouse cerebellar nicotinic–cholinergic receptor modulation of Δ9-THC ataxia: Role of the α4β2 subtype

Abstract In spite of widespread association of nicotine and cannabinoids in humans, very few studies in which nicotine and cannabinoids are co-administered have been reported. Previously, we have reported that intracerebellar (ICB) Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) produces dose-dependent cerebellar ataxia. The present study investigated the functional consequences of ICB microinfusion of nicotine on ICB Δ9-THC ataxia in CD-1 male mice. Nicotine (0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5 ng; ICB) markedly attenuated Δ9-THC ataxia dose dependently, which was abolished by ICB hexamethonium (5 μg), thus suggesting that the attenuation by nicotine occurred via the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). To further investigate which specific nAChR subtype was involved, ICB microinfusion of RJR-2403 (250, 375, 500, 750 ng), a α4β2 selective nAChR agonist, markedly attenuated Δ9-THC ataxia. DHβE (500 ng), a α4β2 selective nAChR antagonist, virtually abolished RJR-2403-induced attenuation of Δ9-THC ataxia. ICB microinfusion of MLA, a α7 selective nAChR antagonist (1, 5 μg) failed to antagonize nicotine or RJR-2403-induced attenuation of Δ9-THC ataxia. This suggested a lack of a role of the α7 subtype and further reinforced the significance of α4β2. Additionally, ICB treatment with DHβE virtually abolished nicotine-induced attenuation of Δ9-THC ataxia that suggested α4β2 as the primary cerebellar nAChR subtype. Lack of effect of ICB DHβE or MLA alone on Δ9-THC ataxia ruled out a tonic effect of the α4β2 subtype. The results of the present investigation, therefore, strongly support involvement of the cerebellar α4β2, but not α7, nicotinic receptor subtype in the mediation via nicotine and RJR-2403 on attenuation of Δ9-THC ataxia.
Electronic Performance Support Technology: Defining the Domain.

Electronic performance support is an expanding area within the field of performance technology. This article reviews and classifies the literature, both conceptual and case-based, in order to assess settings for use, initiating factors for development, and general features of the various systems. Identification of each article reviewed is presented in a matrix of categories that can be used to point those interested in specific aspects of this complex topic to the most pertinent information for their own needs. A general summary of findings follows.
Risk perception among women at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

This paper is a summation of selected history and literature on risk perception as it pertains to genetic counseling and testing, with a focus on hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, the area which has seen the greatest focus of research. Risk perception is a complex and incompletely understood concept which seeks to capture the myriad meanings that an individual attaches to the experience of being at increased risk. It is now evident that “risk”, as perceived by the patient, is different from the objective, quantifiable risk estimate often provided to them during genetic counseling. What is also clear is that the complicated set of factors influencing risk perception are not yet well understood, nor are the mechanisms the lead from perceived risk to behavioral change in the patient. In situations where specific behavioral changes such as increased cancer screening are an inherent goal of the genetic risk assessment and counseling process, gaining a better understanding of the specific factors motivating change will be essential.
Cold-front driven storm erosion and overwash in the central part of the Isles Dernieres, a Louisiana barrier-island arc

Abstract Tropical and extratropical storms produce significant erosion on the barrier islands of Louisiana. Over the past 100 years, such storms have produced at least 2 km of northward beach-face retreat and the loss of 63% of the surface area of the Isles Dernieres, a low-lying barrier-island arc along the central Louisiana coast. Elevations on the islands within the arc are typically less than 2 m above mean sea level. The islands typically have a washover-flat topography with occasional, poorly developed, dune-terrace topography consisting of low-lying and broken dunes. The central part of the arc consists of salt-marsh deposits overlain by washover sands along the Gulf of Mexico shoreline. Sand thicknesses range from zero behind the beach, to less than 2 m under the berm crest, and back to zero in the first nearshore trough. The sand veneer is sufficiently thin that storms can strip all the sand from the beach face, exposing the underlying marsh deposits. The geomorphic changes produced by cold fronts, a type of extratropical storm that commonly affect the Isles Dernieres between late fall and early spring are described. Between August 1986 and September 1987, repeated surveys along eleven shore-normal transects that covered 400 m of shoreline revealed the timing and extent of cold-front-produced beach change along a typical section of the central Isles Dernieres. During the study period, the beach face retreated approximately 20 m during the cold-front season but did not rebuild during the subsequent summer. Because the volume of sand deposited on the backshore (5600 m 3 ) was less than the volume of material lost from the beach face (19,200 m 3 ), approximately 13,600 m 3 of material disappeared. Assuming that underlying marsh deposits decrease in volume in direct proportion to the amount of beach-face retreat, an estimate of the mud loss during the study period is 14,000 m 3 . Thus, the decrease in volume along the profiles can be accounted for without removing any sand from the area, suggesting that a major effect of cold fronts is first to strip the sand from the beach face and then to erode the underlying marsh deposits. After being eroded, the mud is lost from the islands because currents transport it away from the islands.
Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering on Semiconducting Oxide Nanoparticles: Oxide Nature, Size, Solvent, and pH Effects

Semiconducting oxide nanoparticles have proven to be excellent in detecting extremely low-concentrations of molecules through surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effects. While the enhancement of the Raman activities arises from a large increase in polarizability due to charge transfer from the molecule to the semiconducting nanoparticle, little is known about how the oxide composition, nanoparticle size, solvent, or pH affects the observed Raman activities. In the current study, we examine these effects by carrying out extensive computational investigations of semiconducting TiO2, SnO2 and Fe2O3 nanoparticles and their complexes with both catechol and dopamine. An increase in the size of the oxide cluster or a decrease in the pH of the system under observation leads to enhanced Raman activities; the variation of the activities in different solvents is very much dependent on the nature of the vibrational modes. The marked increase in the Raman activities of molecules adsorbed on SnO2 or Fe2O3 over th...