cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydrophobicity of CO2 gas diffusion electrodes

In Nature Communications, Hu, Feng, and their colleagues present a scalable, facile method to tune the hydrophobicity of CO2 reduction gas diffusion electrodes by adding polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nanopowder into the catalyst ink. For a copper catalyst CO2 reduction electrode, the additive significantly enhances CO2 reduction performance and imparts persistent hydrophobicity.
PCSK9 inhibition could be effective for acute myocardial infarction

In this review, we will explore the role of PCSK9 and inhibition of PCSK9 in patients after acute myocardial infarction (MI). Despite the implementation of evidence-based therapies to improve outcomes, mortality at one-year remains at 12-15% and the need to further reduce complications related to MI persists. Mechanistic and epidemiologic studies suggest that the naturally occurring PCSK9 protein increases coronary plaque vulnerability through several pathways, including pro-inflammatory LDL-C oxidation and direct modification of plaque composition. PCSK9 inhibitors are a class of drugs with proven efficacy in patients with recent MI. The latest guidelines recommend the use of PCSK9 in patients with recent MI early in the process of care to reduce LDL-C values and associated morbidity. The use of PCSK9 inhibition could be beneficial for mortality reduction after an acute MI and should be tested in an appropriately powered randomized controlled trial.
Neonatal stroke: Clinical characteristics and neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Background Neonatal stroke can potentially result in significant neurological sequelae in affected infants. Studies on neurodevelopmental outcomes and the need for rehabilitation therapies in the first two years are limited. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics, diagnostic evaluation, and neurodevelopmental outcomes of a cohort of infants with neonatal stroke. Methods A retrospective cohort study of infants with neonatal stroke, from 2011 to 2020. Maternal and infant characteristics were described. Placental pathology, echocardiogram results, and prothrombotic evaluations were reported. The neurodevelopmental outcomes using Bayley scale of infant development (BSID III), rates of epilepsy and cerebral palsy, and the need for rehabilitation therapies at two years were described. Results During the study period, 55 infants had neonatal stroke. Majority (93%) were term or late preterm infants. Maternal chorioamnionitis and perinatal HIE were diagnosed in about a third of the infants. Most (66%) of the infants presented with seizures. On brain MRI, the lesions were unilateral in 76% and arterial in origin in 86% of the infants. Meconium exposure (42%), intrauterine inflammation/infection (37%) and fetal vascular malperfusion (16%) were seen on placental histopathology. At two-year BSID III assessment, median (min, max) composite cognitive, language, and motor scores were 100 (55–145), 97 (47–124), and 100 (46–141), respectively. Among this cohort, epilepsy (27%), cerebral palsy (16%) and the need for rehabilitation therapies (physical −24%, occupational −18%, speech −21%) were reported at two years. Conclusion Neonatal stroke presented commonly in term or late preterm infants with seizures. It was unilateral and arterial in origin in most infants. Maternal chorioamnionitis and perinatal HIE were the most commonly associated conditions at birth. About one-fifth of the infants had mild or severe developmental delays at two years. Epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and need for rehabilitation therapies were noted in a significant proportion of infants at two years.
Bridging Spirituality/Religiousness and Ecotherapy: Four Psychospiritual Themes to Guide Conceptualization and Practice

Advances in the ecopsychology literature have yielded an increasing plurality of ecotherapy orientations. Simultaneously, clients' religious and spiritual (R/S) worldviews are becoming more diverse...
Reservoir Geomechanics: The tectonic stress field

My goals in writing this book are to establish basic principles, introduce practical experimental techniques and present illustrative examples of how the development of a comprehensive geomechanical model of a reservoir (and overlaying formations) provides a basis for addressing a wide range of problems that are encountered during the life-cycle of a hydrocarbon reservoir. These include questions that arise (i) during the exploration and assessment phase of reservoir development such as the prediction of pore pressure, hydrocarbon column heights and fault seal (or leakage) potential; (ii) during the development phase where engineers seek to optimize wellbore stability through determination of optimal well trajectories, casing set points and mud weights and geologists attempt to predict permeability anisotropy in fractured reservoirs; (iii) throughout the production phase of the reservoir that requires selection of optimal completion methodologies, the prediction of changes in reservoir performance during depletion and assessment of techniques, such as repeated hydraulic fracturing, to optimize total recovery; and (iv) during the secondary and tertiary recovery phases of reservoir development by optimizing processes such as water flooding and steam injection. Chapters 1–5 address basic principles related to the components of a comprehensive geomechanical model: the state of stress and pore pressure at depth, the constitutive laws that commonly describe rock deformation and fractures and faults in the formations of interest. Chapters 6–9 address wellbore failure and techniques for using observations of failure to constrain stress orientation and magnitude in wells of any orientation.
Condom Use by Hispanic and African American Teens and Young Adults

Abstract Widespread use of recently-approved, long-acting hormonal contraceptives, i.e. Depo-Provera and Norplant, raises serious concerns that rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may rise in the teens and young women who use these methods because they may perceive the probability of pregnancy to be very low. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 616 adolescent and young adult women in an innercity clinic, using a self-report questionnaire. Results: Users of long-acting or oral contraceptives were significantly less likely to have used condoms (OR 1.8, p=.005; OR 1.6, p<.000, respectively). In addition, discussing sex with friends was associated with more frequent condom use (p=.02). However, Hispanic young women were significantly less likely to have had such discussions with friends (p=.05), and they used condoms significantly less often than African American women (p=.03). Implications for HIV Prevention: Using the Health Belief Model (HEM) as a framework, perceived susceptibility...
Figural Aftereffects Resulting from Gross Action Patterns

Abstract Sixty male university students guided themselves, while blindfolded, through curved and straight pathways 27 ft. long. Thirty subjects moved ten consecutive times through left-turning patterns, while a second 30 subjects walked ten times through right-turning arcs. Aftereffects were evidenced by reports of opposite curvature in a straight test pathway immediately following satiation. A typical decay curve was recorded, based upon the percent of the subjects experiencing curvature, by trial, through the straight test pathway. No significant differences were noted upon comparing both the reports of those satiated right versus those satiated left, and of subjects receiving an initial trial in the test pathway prior to satiation, versus the subjects who did not.
Corrective Therapy a New Specialty

(1955). Corrective Therapy a New Specialty. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 26, No. 5, pp. 27-63.
Is plant breeding science objective truth or social construction? The case of yield stability

This article presents a holistic framework for understanding the scienceof plant breeding, as an alternative to the common objectivist andconstructivist approaches in studies of science. It applies thisapproach to understanding disagreements about how to deal with yieldstability. Two contrasting definitions of yield stability are described,and concomitant differences in the understanding and roles ofsustainability and of selection, test, and target environments areexplored. Critical questions about plant breeding theory and practiceare posed, and answers from the viewpoint of the two contrastingdefinitions of yield stability are analyzed, based on key publicationsin the field. Differences in answers to these questions appear to resultboth from the contingencies of plant breeders' experiences withparticular crop varieties and growing environments, and from differencesin social and institutional settings – plant breeding science isboth objective truth and social construction. The goal of using aholistic framework is to encourage discussion among plant breeders,farmers, social scientists, and others, of the bases for disagreementswithin plant breeding, in order to facilitate plant breeding'scontribution to a more environmentally, economically, and sociallysustainable agriculture.
Convex synthesis of symmetric modifications to linear systems

We develop a method for designing symmetric modifications to linear dynamical systems for the purpose of optimizing ℋ 2 performance. For systems with symmetric dynamic matrices this problem is convex. While in the absence of symmetry the design problem is not convex in general, we show that the ℋ 2 norm of the symmetric part of the system provides an upper bound on the ℋ 2 norm of the original system. We then study the particular case where the modifications are given by a weighted sum of diagonal matrices and develop an efficient customized algorithm for computing the optimal solution. Finally, we illustrate the efficacy of our approach on a combination drug therapy example for HIV treatment.
The Endorsement Test Is Alive and Well: A Cause for Celebraion and Sorrow

The endorsement test, first explained by Justice O’Connor, provides one way to determine whether state action violates Establishment Clause guarantees. Now that Justice O’Connor has retired, there is some question whether the endorsement test will survive. Commentators’ claims to the contrary notwithstanding, however, there is no reason to think that the endorsement test retired along with Justice O’Connor, although a separate issue is whether those on the Court using the test will do more than give occasional lip service to the interests and perspectives of minority religious groups. At this point, the most likely scenario is that the Court will sometimes use the test, but will be unlikely to use it to strike down a particular practice. The article concludes that the test is likely to remain one of the tests used by the Court to determine whether Establishment Clause guarantees have been violated — the test will retain its potential to assure that individuals will not be treated as second-class citizens because of their religious beliefs but will in reality do little or nothing to take account of religious minorities’ sincere reactions to a variety of practices privileging some religions over others and privileging religion over non-religion.
Parallelization of dynamic programming recurrences in computational biology

OF THE THESIS Parallelization of dynamic programming recurrences in computational biology by Arpith Chacko Jacob Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science Washington University in St. Louis, 2010 Research Advisor: Professor Jeremy Buhler The rapid growth of biosequence databases over the last decade has led to a performance bottleneck in the applications analyzing them. In particular, over the last five years DNA sequencing capacity of next-generation sequencers has been doubling every six months as costs have plummeted. The data produced by these sequencers is overwhelming traditional compute systems. We believe that in the future compute performance, not sequencing, will become the bottleneck in advancing genome science. In this work, we investigate novel computing platforms to accelerate dynamic programming algorithms, which are popular in bioinformatics workloads. We study algorithm-specific hardware architectures that exploit fine-grained parallelism in dynamic programming kernels using field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). We advocate a high-level synthesis approach, using the recurrence equation abstraction to represent dynamic programming and polyhedral analysis to exploit parallelism.
Optoelectronic method for device characterization and experimental validation of operational performance

This paper presents recent advances in the optoelectronic methodology for characterization of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and experimental determination of their functional behavior, by making high spatial resolution measurements with nanometer accuracy, which is especially needed in order to perform studies of long-term effects.
Quantum Many-Body Effects in a Single-Electron Transistor

When a single electron spin interacts quantum mechanically with a metallic sea of electrons, a phenomenon called the Kondo scattering resonance can be observed. In his Perspective, Wingreen discusses results reported in this issue by Kogan et al . in which a spectroscopic technique involving microwave excitation of a single-electron transistor is used to study the Kondo resonance. The development of this technique promises a new window into quantum many-body effects in other nanostructures.
Glutamine Synthetase of Escherichia Coli: Some Physical and Chemical Properties

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the physical and chemical properties of glutamine synthetase. It discusses some aspects of the macromolecular structure of glutamine synthetase from Escherichia coli, together with some interactions of the enzyme with effectors. It also justifies a detailed consideration of the presently known structural features of this enzyme on the basis of glutamine synthetase being a potential model for other allosteric enzymes with multiple catalytic subunits and no regulatory subunits. Without regulatory subunits, the regulation of glutamine synthetase activity in E. coli occurs at the subunit level. Glutamine synthetase plays a central role in the nitrogen metabolism of E. coli because glutamine is an important intermediate in the assimilation of ammonia by this microorganism. The amide nitrogen of glutamine is utilized in the biosynthesis of AMP, CTP, tryptophan, histidine, glucosamine 6-phosphate, carbamyl phosphate, and also L-glutamate. In addition, glutamine synthetase may be coupled with glutamate synthase and various transaminases to provide a pathway for ATP-dependent synthesis of most amino acids. As a consequence, a rigorous cellular control of glutamine synthetase activity in E. coli has evolved.
Salivary hormones and IgA in relation to physical performance in football

AbstractSalivary biomarkers have shown to be useful to assess physiological stress in football, but their relationship with physical performance is unknown. The aims of this study were to investigate the effect of a football match on salivary cortisol, testosterone and immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentrations in elite footballers, and to examine the relationship of physical performance during the match to these biomarkers. Nine elite football players were assessed before, during and after a friendly international match. Physical performance during the match was measured by time-motion analysis, whilst salivary cortisol, testosterone and IgA were measured before and 10 min post-match. The results showed that players covered an average of 9463 ± 458 m during the match. Salivary cortisol did not change post-match. Testosterone and IgA concentrations decreased by 30.6% and 74.5%, respectively. The testosterone/cortisol (T/C) ratio decreased by 64.2% after the match. Changes in testosterone concentrations correla...
Intrinsic noise rejection in gene networks by regulation of stability

Robust rejection of harmful intrinsic noise is essential for the proper operation of gene regulatory networks. In this work, we study the regulation of protein degradation as a strategy to achieve such noise rejection property. For illustration, we use a model of the bacterial heat shock response where the existence of such regulation strategy has been established.
Effect of vaginal contraceptive sponges on growth of toxic shock syndrome-associated Staphylococcus aureus in vitro.

Abstract Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) is associated with certain toxin-producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus (TSS-S aureus), and with the use of some vaginal devices such as tampons or contraceptive diaphragms. The present study was designed to examine the effect of Nonoxynol-9 (N-9), and of a newly-approved vaginal contraceptive sponge (VCS) containing N-9 on the growth of TSS-S aureus in vitro . Flasks containing culture media inoculated with TSS-S aureus were incubated at 37 ° C for 30 hours, in the presence or absence of either a VCS, or N-9 alone. At 0.5, 1, 2, 6, and 12 hours, there was suppression of TSS-S aureus colony counts in media containing VCS, compared to control. Colony counts from media containing N-9 demonstrated suppression at 0.5, 1, 2, and 6 hours. After incubation as long as 30 hours, colony counts from VCS-containing media approached, but did not exceed, counts from control media. From these data, it is concluded that this VCS containing N-9 does not enhance the growth of TSS-S aureus in vitro . Instead, an inhibition of bacterial growth for at least 12 hours is observed in media containing VCS, consistent with a bacterostatic effect. If such an effect is also present in vivo , it would suggest that this type of VCS is unlikely to increase the risk of TSS.
Hypocholesterolemia in sepsis and critically ill or injured patients

Hypocholesterolemia is an important observation following trauma. In a study of critically ill trauma patients, mean cholesterol levels were significantly lower (119 ± 44 mg/dl) than expected values (201 ± 17 mg/dl). In patients who died, final cholesterol levels fell by 33% versus a 28% increase in survivors. Cholesterol levels were also adversely affected by infection or organ system dysfunction. Other studies have illustrated the clinical significance of hypocholesterolemia. Because lipoproteins can bind and neutralize lipopolysaccharide, hypocholesterolemia can negatively impact outcome. New therapies directed at increasing low cholesterol levels may become important options for the treatment of sepsis.
Optimal quasi-static shape control for large aerospace antennae

In this paper, we propose an on-line control approach which will adjust the steady-state shape of a large antenna arbitrarily close to any achievable desired profile. The method makes use of distributed parameter system theory and allows refocusing using a limited number of control actuators and sensors. The controller gains are calculated by approximating the solution to an infinite-dimensional optimal quasi-static control problem. We prove a very general convergence result for such quasi-static controllers here and apply it to the antenna controller to show convergence using any Galerkin (finite-element) approximation method.
The Role of Property Rights in Economic Research on U.S. Wetlands Policy

Abstract The purpose of this essay is to define the role of resource economics in the development of U.S. wetlands policy. I argue that the “optimal pollution model” based on maximation of net benefits of wetland protection is, for the most part, not directly applicable to the creation of wetlands policy for two reasons: (1) the delineation of property rights among wetland owners and the general public, as opposed to the maximization of net benefits, is the more fundamental political issue and therefore drives policy-making; (2) the predominant public benefits of wetlands fall into the economic category of “nonuse values” which are very difficult to define and measure in a policy-relevant way, and the public's legal rights to them have not been established. These conclusions indicate that resource economics research that focuses upon (1) the economic significance to interested parties of alternative delineations of property rights, (2) development of policy tools appropriate for each possible property rights delineation, and (3) the relative cost-effectiveness of these policy tools is most useful for policy-making.
Effects of polyacrylamide and organic matter on microbes associated to soil aggregation of Norfolk loamy sand

Abstract Polyacrylamide (PAM) has been reported to increase aggregation and improve soil physical properties in loamy sand soils, but nothing is known about the effects of PAM on microbes involved in aggregate formation. We studied the effects of PAM (0, 30 and 120 mg kg−1) and organic matter (wheat [Triticum aestivum] and pecan [Carya illinoinensis]) incubated in a Norfolk soil (a blend of 90% E horizon and 10% Ap horizon) for 96 days at 10% water content on microorganisms that have the ability to aggregate soil. We used an in vitro soil sedimentation assay to test the aggregative ability of the predominant, heterotrophic bacteria from the culturable portion of microaggregates (0.25–0.05 mm), fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiling to identify the isolates, and DNA sequencing to find their position in a phylogeny with known taxa. Among all the identified bacterial species, 19 were soil aggregators. There was a PAM effect across all residue types indicating that the highest proportion of soil aggregating isolates was at 120 mg kg−1 PAM. This suggests that soil conditions created by the addition of 120 mg kg−1 PAM favored the growth of bacteria functioning as soil aggregators. There was evidence of interaction between PAM and residue type. Differences were found in the PAM effect but only when no residue was added. The amount of soil aggregating basidiomycete fungi from the different aggregate size fractions was also determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). There was a higher amount of soil aggregating basidiomycete fungi in macroaggregates (2.00–1.00 and 1.00–0.50 mm classes) generated from PAM and/or wheat residue amended soil compared to the control soil, but no difference was found in treatments with pecan residue added. This suggests that PAM and PAM with wheat can be utilized as a source of nutrient for the basidiomycetes, but pecan appeared to inhibit their growth. This study is the first to provide evidence that adding PAM to soil favored the growth and survival of specific fungi and bacterial species functioning as soil aggregators in vitro.
Synthesis of halogen-substituted pyridyl and pyrimidyl derivatives of [3,2-c]pyrazolo corticosteroids: strategies for the development of glucocorticoid receptor mediated imaging agents.

Ligands for the glucocorticoid receptor labeled with high-energy isotopes are highly desired for their potential applications in nuclear medical studies of the brain where the dysregulation of this receptor system is thought to be involved in various neurodegenerative disorders. Analogues of the glucocorticoid cortivazol have previously been prepared as target compounds for labeling with high-energy isotopes. However, the phenyl rings of arylpyrazoles of this type are not sufficiently activated for nucleophilic substitution reactions that are generally required for the synthesis of radiohalogenated analogues. Since suitably substituted aromatic nitrogen heterocyclic groups are amenable to nucleophilic substitution, the goal of this study was the synthesis of pyridylpyrazolo and pyrimidylpyrazolo analogues similar to cortivazol that could be labeled with radiohalogens in the pyridine or pyrimidine rings. We describe the synthesis of several [3,2-c]pyrazolo steroids containing pyridyl, halopyridyl, and pyri...
Retinofugal pathways in normal and albino axolotls.

Summary The retinofugal pathways of normal and albino axolotls have been studied by tracing the transport of radioactive materials after tritiated proline was injected into one eye. The pathways demonstrated by this method include crossed projections to the diencephalon, pretectum, and tectum, and a small component that goes to the midbrain tegmentum in the basal optic root. Ipsilaterally, radioactive label was found in all of the same cerebral regions, but in much smaller quantities. Although on the basis of earlier fiber degeneration studies most of the label could be interpreted as evidence for direct retinofugal pathways, some of the label, especially that in the ipsilateral tectum, does not correspond to a known pathway and may represent a small new component or have been produced by transneuronal transport mechanisms. The pattern of labeling was the same in the albino as in the normally pigmented axolotls. Thus, it appears that the abnormality of the chiasmatic pathway, which has been found in albinos of many different mammalian species, does not occur in axolotls.
Deletion of Intestinal Epithelial Cell STAT3 Promotes T Lymphocyte STAT3 Activation and Chronic Colitis Following Acute Dextran Sodium Sulfate Injury in Mice

BACKGROUND Intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) Stat3 is required for wound healing following acute Dextran Sodium Sulfate (DSS) injury. We hypothesized that loss of IEC STAT3 would promote the development of chronic colitis following acute DSS injury.
Criteriological Arguments in Perception

I wish to consider here arguments by D. W. Hamlyn and Sydney Shoemaker that there is a necessary or conceptual connection between the qualities (e.g. colours) which objects actually have and the ways that people perceive them in normal conditions. I will maintain against these arguments that no thesis concerning the relation of the secondary properties of independent physical objects to the ways they appear or are perceived could be necessarily true. The central claim of criteriological arguments in perception, put negatively, is that it is nonsense or unintelligible to deny that objects have certain qualities which they appear to have in, normal conditions. This claim rests mainly on the Wittgensteinian notions of criteria and of understanding terms in a language, according to which understanding a term involves knowing the criteria for its proper application. Understanding the concept 'red', for example, implies being able to apply it correctly. Furthermore, that a thing is red implies that it meets the criteria for the proper application of the concept or term 'red'. But proper application in this case according to Hamlyn is application to things which normally appear red-appearing red in normal conditions constitutes a criterion for the proper ascription of the property. Using the criteriological jargon of Scriven and Aune, Hamlyn would hold (against Alan White) that such normal appearance constitutes a 'normic' rather than an 'analytic' criterion, since the concept of red is claimed to be semantically more basic than that of appearing redly, but the necessary connection is still held to exist. Thus it is implied that a person is simply not applying 'red' correctly if he refuses to apply it to objects which appear red in normal conditions-to refuse to follow the rules of language is to speak nonsense. There is also a subsidiary argument by Hamlyn that if all those objects which we normally count as red were not, then the concept 'red' would have no application, and we would not understand what redness is. Thus it is claimed again that if we do understand the concept, then there must be more than a mere contingent connection between how we see things and how they are.' If this argument is valid, then it seems that the sceptic with respect to perceptual knowledge can only maintain his position by denying that we know what redness is, for example, that we have a concept of the colour at all, a highly implausible position to take. But if the argument is to have any plausibility itself, it must be shown how 'red' differs from other concepts the understanding of which is ontologically neutral. We have numerous concepts (e.g. valid criteriological arguments in perception, unicorns) without there being existent instances. What Hamlyn is claiming is that if there were no red objects, then we could not have built up the concent: not only would there be no actual instances, but no conceivable
Lidar clear atmosphere multiple scattering dependence on receiver range

The degree of multiple scattering encountered by nadir-directed lidar in clear atmosphere conditions was assessed by the Monte Carlo method based on a model of the vertical distribution of aerosol scattering in the atmosphere. The lowest 3 km of the atmosphere were regarded as containing 90% of the aerosol optical thickness, with the unity normalized value for the forward peak of the aerosol phase function being 4.38 at a 694.3 nm laser wavelength. Results were obtained for two lidar receiver heights for three receiver field of view (FOV) angular halfwidths. An increase in receiver height was determined to cause a significant increase in the amount of angular scattering of the lidar signal. A factor of 20 change in receiver height produced an order of magnitude change in the single to multiple scattering ratio.
Women’s Stress, Depression, and Relationship Adjustment Profiles as They Relate to Intimate Partner Violence and Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum

OBJECTIVE: This study applied latent class analysis to examine whether homogeneous subgroups of women emerged based on their self-reported stress, depression, and relationship adjustment during pregnancy. We also examined whether women in different groups experienced different intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental health symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum. METHOD: One hundred eighty women completed assessments during the first 18 weeks of pregnancy, and 122 completed follow-up assessments 6 weeks postpartum. RESULTS: A 2-class solution best fit the data. One group reported higher mean stress and depression and poorer relationship adjustment compared with the other group. The high severity class reported more psychological IPV victimization and perpetration and more physical IPV victimization during pregnancy compared with the low severity class. Membership in the high severity class was associated with higher postpartum depression. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the associations between different profiles of mental and relational health during pregnancy and postpartum. Future studies should explore the utility of dyadic interventions aimed at reducing stress, depression, and IPV, and improving relationship adjustment as a means to improve women's health during pregnancy and postpartum. These findings also highlight the potential utility of applying person-centered analytic approaches to the study of women's and couples' health during this time period. Language: en
Zero field N.M.R. of uniaxial and biaxial smectic liquid crystals

A study of three smectic liquid crystal systems is made through a comparison of the high field and zero field N.M.R. spectra of probe molecules. The motional averaging of the proton dipolar interaction of a CH2Cl2 solute molecule reflects the local symmetry of Smectic A, B and E phases. In the Smectic E system, the onset of the biaxiality of the phase is clearly evident even in an unaligned sample.
Pine nut use in the Early Holocene and beyond: The danger cave archaeobotanical record

Abstract Nuts of limber pine ( Pinus flexilis ) from Early Holocene strata in Danger Cave, Utah, are distinguishable by seed-coat sculpturing from pine nuts of single-needled pinyon ( Pinus monophylla ), which occur in strata dating BP . Owls and other taphonomic agents may deposit pine nuts in archaeological sites, but the morphology of the pine nuts in Danger Cave strongly indicate they were deposited by human foragers who brought small quantities with them for food for at least the last 7500 years. Large-scale transport of pine nuts to Danger Cave from distant hinterlands is unlikely, however. The seamless transition from limber pine to pinyon pine nuts in the Danger Cave record suggests that foragers who had utilized limber pine as a food resource easily switched to using pinyon pine nuts when pinyon pine migrated into the region at the close of the Early Holocene.
Overview of proton beam applications in therapy

Abstract Proton beams have been used for medical applications for nearly 40 years. Now, in 1989, more than 8000 patients have been treated worldwide. Techniques have been developed to allow uniform dose distributions to be delivered to a treatment volume which is tailored precisely to an extended target volume. Using these techniques in conjunction with the superior imaging methods now available allow the optimal dose to be delivered to the target while sparing adjacent normal tissue. The present worldwide experience, using the accelerators originally designed for nuclear physics research, is leading to increasing interest in having proton accelerators with more sophisticated beam delivery systems designed and built for use in a hospital setting.
Mixture theory and unsaturated flow in swelling soils

The current state of knowledge on various aspects of mixture theory applied to unsaturated/saturated swelling soils is discussed. Two and three phase problems are studied. On the smallest scale (micro) the individual platelets and adsorbed (vicinal) water exist as separate phases. On the intermediate scale (meso) the platelets and vicinal water are homogenized to form a saturated particle where vicinal water and solid are overlaying continua. On the macroscale, bulk water, water vapor, and the mesoscale particles are homogenized resulting in three overlaying continua for solid, bulk water, vicinal water, and water vapor. Stress tensor formulations and Darcy’s laws are presented at the mesoscale and macroscales. A theoretical formulation for surface crusting is presented at the mesoscale. General viscoelastic mesoscale and macroscale models are discussed and related to classical approaches.
Anastomosis technique for high pharyngogastrostomy

Pharyngogastric anastomosis, otherwise referred to as the "gastric pull-up" procedure, is the most reliable method of reconstruction after laryngopharyngectomy. We currently use a method of gastric to pharyngeal anastomosis that avoids excess tension, and thus decreases the incidence of fistulas and flap failures. With the stomach fully mobilized, the "pull-up" is brought high into the neck using a plastic bag to facilitate delivery via the posterior mediastinum. A curved, U-shaped incision is then made in the fundus of the tongue anteriorly, allowing the posterior nasopharynx to be reached without tension.
The effect of context on visual representational momentum

Effects of background context on representational momentum -were examined in six experiments. In each experiment, three orientations of a target rectangle undergoing implied rotation (i.e., the inducing stimuli) were presented, and subjects judged whether the orientation of a fourth rectangle (i.e., the probe) was the same as or different from that of the third inducing stimulus. Target rectangles were enclosed within a larger square frame context during induction (i.e., presentation of the inducing stimuli), judgment (i.e., presentation of the probe), or both induction and judgment. If context during induction moved in the same direction as the inducing stimuli or if context during judgment was rotated slightly forward from the orientation of the final inducing stimulus, representational momentum was increased. If context during induction moved in the direction opposite to the inducing stimuli or if context during judgment was rotated slightly backward from the orientation of the final inducing stimulus, representational momentum was decreased or reversed. If context was present during both induction and judgment, direction of representational momentum was biased toward the context at judgment Implications of context for accounts of representational momentum are discussed, and a tentative model is proposed.
Toward cloud-agnostic middlewares

Cloud computing is a natural progression of service-oriented architecture. The Web as the platform: data with Web 2.0, programming and development with mashups, and deployments and resource provisioning with cloud computing. However, the Web was not necessarily designed to be an on-demand compute platform and infrastructure and certainly not designed to be a network for data centers which is what it is displacing with cloud computing. What are the challenges to advance cloud computing? For example, how do users of compute clouds make efficient usage of the heterogeneous nature of the Web and specifically of the choices between potentially engaging with public clouds versus creating enterprise private clouds, or some hybrid combination thereof? Additionally, since there are usually no single answers, due to a variety of compute workload demands, how should cloud providers and cloud users harvest, create, and utilize best practices in this new platform, thereby encouraging improvements in cloud engagements?
The influence of perspective and disparity cues on the perception of slant.

A rectangle rotated about its vertical axis provides many cues regarding itsslantrelative to the frontoparallel plane includinglinear perspectiveandbinocular disparity. In this experiment, fiveOs estimated the slant of stereoscopic targets containing one, both, or neither of these cues. Data analysis indicated for figures with vertical contours separated by 3–80° horizontally that perspective was the most effective cue to slant. The results are discussed in relation to Freeman's theory of slant perception. Further quantitative work concerning the functional relationship between contour separation and the effectiveness of thedisparity codeis suggested.
Pumping Strategies for Management of a Shallow Water Table: The Value of the Simulation-Optimization Approach

The simulation-optimization approach is used to identify ground-water pumping strategies for control of the shallow water table in the western San Joaquin Valley, California, where shallow ground water threatens continued agricultural productivity. The approach combines the use of ground-water flow simulation with optimization techniques to build on and refine pumping strategies identified in previous research that used flow simulation alone. Use of the combined simulation-optimization model resulted in a 20 percent reduction in the area subject to a shallow water table over that identified by use of the simulation model alone. The simulation-optimization model identifies increasingly more effective pumping strategies for control of the water table as the complexity of the problem increases; that is, as the number of subareas in which pumping is to be managed increases, the simulation-optimization model is better able to discriminate areally among subareas to determine optimal pumping locations. The simulation-optimization approach provides an improved understanding of controls on the ground-water flow system and management alternatives that can be implemented in the valley. In particular, results of the simulation-optimization model indicate that optimal pumping strategies are constrained by the existing distribution of wells between the semiconfined and confined zones of the aquifer, by the distribution of sediment types (and associated hydraulic conductivities) in the western valley, and by the historical distribution of pumping throughout the western valley.
On the management of long-living transactions

Abstract Long-living transactions are those transactions that exist in the system for relatively long periods of time. Because of their special nature, these transactions cause scheduling difficulties. Traditional concurrency control methods are unsatisfactory for their management. In this paper, we propose methods to handle long-living transactions efficiently. Our algorithm extends some of the previous works on this problem in several important ways. We first propose several performance criteria to be satisfied by any solution and then provide an efficient solution for the management of long-living transactions. In this process, we identify several aspects to the problem and suggest approaches to these issues. Extensions to the case of a multitude of long transactions and distributed data base systems are considered. We show that attractive solutions are possible in these situations.
Efficient Evaluation of Vector Translation Coefficients in Multiparticle Light-Scattering Theories

Vector addition theorems are a necessary ingredient in the analytical solution of electromagnetic multiparticle-scattering problems. These theorems include a large number of vector addition coefficients. There exist three basic types of analytical expressions for vector translation coefficients: Stein's (Quart. Appl. Math.19, 15 (1961)), Cruzan's (Quart. Appl. Math.20, 33 (1962)), and Xu's (J. Comput. Phys.127, 285 (1996)). Stein's formulation relates vector translation coefficients with scalar translation coefficients. Cruzan's formulas use the Wigner 3jm symbol. Xu's expressions are based on the Gaunt coefficient. Since the scalar translation coefficient can also be expressed in terms of the Gaunt coefficient, the key to the expeditious and reliable calculation of vector translation coefficients is the fast and accurate evaluation of the Wigner 3jm symbol or the Gaunt coefficient. We present highly efficient recursive approaches to accurately evaluating Wigner 3jm symbols and Gaunt coefficients. Armed with these recursive approaches, we discuss several schemes for the calculation of the vector translation coefficients, using the three general types of formulation, respectively. Our systematic test calculations show that the three types of formulas produce generally the same numerical results except that the algorithm of Stein's type is less accurate in some particular cases. These extensive test calculations also show that the scheme using the formulation based on the Gaunt coefficient is the most efficient in practical computations.
Cardiac Safety in Clinical Trials of Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors

Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). Those safe and effective agents were originally developed for their cardiovascular effects and were incidentally found to enhance erections. Since the introduction of the first PDE5 inhibitor, sildenafil, in 1998, there has been concern about the effects of these agents on the heart and their safety in patients with cardiovascular disease. The concerns focused on the effects on blood pressure and heart rate, cardiac electrophysiology, and cardiovascular adverse events in clinical trials. Since there are currently three PDE5 inhibitors, attention has been given to class effects as well as unique individual safety and adverse events. Since these drugs are mild vasodilators, all three have blood pressure-lowering effects. These effects are usually mild and produce few symptoms. When combined with the nitric oxide donor nitroglycerine, however, blood pressure drops may be profound and life threatening. All three agents are contraindicated with nitrates. Cardiac electrophysiology effects, especially as manifested by changes in the QT interval, have been studied. None of the three agents are dangerously associated with QTc prolongation, although vardenafil has a warning for patients at risk for QTc prolongation. In evaluating cardiovascular adverse events in clinical trials, no signal to danger can be convincingly cited. Indeed, with the vasodilator effects of these drugs, many studies point to the improved exercise tolerance and coronary dilation in patients taking PDE5 inhibitors. PDE5 inhibitors are effective in treating ED, and their safety profile is excellent. There do not appear to be significant cardiovascular safety issues in the man with satisfactory cardiac and performance status.
Potential of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles to Reduce Petroleum Use: Issues Involved in Developing Reliable Estimates

This paper delineates the various issues involved in developing reliable estimates of the petroleum use reduction that would result from the widespread introduction of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Travel day data from the 2001 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) were analyzed to identify the share of vehicle miles of travel (VMT) that could be transferred to grid electricity. Various PHEV charge-depleting (CD) ranges were evaluated, and 100% CD mode and potential blended modes were analyzed. The NHTS data were also examined to evaluate the potential for PHEV battery charging multiple times a day. Data from the 2005 American Housing Survey (AHS) were analyzed to evaluate the availability of garages and carports for at-home charging of the PHEV battery. The AHS data were also reviewed by census region and household location within or outside metropolitan statistical areas. To illustrate the lag times involved, the historical new vehicle market share increases for the diesel power train in France (a highly successful case) and the emerging hybrid electric vehicles in the United States were examined. A new vehicle technology substitution model is applied to illustrate a historically plausible successful new PHEV market share expansion. The trends in U.S. light-duty vehicle sales and light-duty vehicle stock were evaluated to estimate the time required for hypothetical successful new PHEVs to achieve the ultimately attainable share of the existing vehicle stock. Only when such steps have been accomplished will the full oil savings potential for the nation be achieved.
Elective edentulation after 7 episodes of infective endocarditis: a clinical report.

aResident, Prosthodontics & Maxillofacial Prosthetics, Division of Prosthetic and Esthetic Dentistry. bAssociate Professor, College of Medicine, Division of Prosthetic and Esthetic Dentistry. cProfessor, College of Medicine, Chair, Division of Prosthetic and Esthetic Dentistry. (J Prosthet Dent 2011;106:1-5) A 3-year clinical follow-up is presented of a patient who underwent elective extraction of the remaining natural dentition, followed by rehabilitation with maxillary and mandibular complete dentures after 7 documented episodes of infective endocarditis. The patient was diagnosed with congenital ventricular septal and valvular defect and was treated in 1984 with a prosthetic aortic valve replacement secondary to idiopathic infective endocarditis due to Haemophilus influenzae. From 1984 to 2007, the patient experienced 7 episodes of infective endocarditis associated with various microorganisms, all of oral flora origin. In the 3 years after elective extraction of the remaining natural dentition, the patient had not experienced any episodes of infective endocarditis. In light of recent changes and controversy in the recommendations for the prevention of bacterial endocarditis, the question arises as to whether the efforts of dental providers to maintain the dentition of high risk patients outweighs the associated increased risks of morbidity and mortality. While the guidelines attempt to assist health care providers in clinical decision making, there are certain instances where a patient-centered approach necessitates alternative options.
a.c. Conductivity of nearly commensurate charge density waves and application to NbSe3 and TaS3

Abstract The a.c. conductivity of an overdamped one dimensional sine-Gordon system with a low density of kinks is evaluated. This corresponds to a nearly commensurate charge or spin density wave with a kink-lattice representing the deviation from commensurability. The results explain the unusually broad crossover regime of NbSe 3 as compared with the similar but more commensurate compound TaS 3 . When TaS 3 becomes commensurate ( T ⪅ 130 K ) we predict that its a.c. response increases and its shape slightly sharpens.