cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of copper content on the high temperature tensile and low cycle fatigue behavior of cast Al-Cu-Mn-Zr alloys

Abstract The relationship between low cycle fatigue (LCF) and monotonic tensile fracture strain was investigated for cast Al-Cu-Mn-Zr alloys containing 6 and 9 wt% Cu at 250 °C. The 9% Cu alloy consisted of larger size and volume fraction of brittle intermetallic grain boundary particles that fractured during tensile tests to reduce the fracture strain by 50% compared to the 6% Cu alloy. LCF life was similar between the two alloys and weakly influenced by the particles. LCF life and fracture strain were poorly correlated due to the dominant influence of particles on monotonic tensile crack but not on fatigue crack.
Paroxysmal Severe Mitral Regurgitation.

Abstract Objective To investigate the clinical presentation, pathophysiology, and treatment for "paroxysmal severe mitral regurgitation" (MR), which is an underappreciated cause of heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. Methods We retrospectively reviewed cases of transient severe MR that were evaluated at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2019. Paroxysmal severe MR was defined as the appearance of transient severe MR in patients with mild MR at rest, normal left ventricle (LV) size, left ventricular ejection fraction greater than 40%, and absence of obstructive coronary artery disease. Results We identified 6 patients (5 women) with a median age of 68 years. There were 3 distinct mechanisms of paroxysmal severe MR, which we labeled types 1, 2, and 3. Type 1 MR was caused by LV dyssynchrony from a rate-dependent left bundle branch block, which led to apical leaflet tenting and incomplete coaptation. Type 2 MR occurred from mitral annular dilatation during maneuvers that increased left-sided volume. Type 3 MR was caused by coronary artery vasospasm with apical leaflet tenting. Treatments varied depending on the underlying cause and included cardiac resynchronization therapy for type 1, surgical valve replacement for type 2, and medical therapy for type 3. Conclusion Paroxysmal severe MR is a rare cause of heart failure in patients with preserved LV function. We have identified 3 distinct mechanisms that can lead to this dynamic process, with treatments varying based on the underlying cause.
When Love Hurts: Evaluation and Management of Painful Intercourse in Women

The purpose of this article is to provide general considerations for the work up and management of dyspareunia, describe the various causes, provide first line treatment options, and note when surgical management is indicated. We also aim to provide additional resources for management. Recent studies have demonstrated the complex nature of female sexual dysfunction and the multimodal treatment options that are often needed including surgical intervention. Recurrent or persistent discomfort before, during, or after intercourse may occur in approximately 15% of women. The differential diagnosis of dyspareunia is vast. A thorough history and physical exam are imperative for diagnosis and treatment of dyspareunia.
Chapter 27. Bioisosterism in Drug Design

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews progress in the use of bioisosterism in drug design. The broadest definition of bioisosteres is, “groups or molecules those have chemical and physical similarities producing broadly similar biological properties”. A major trend in this area is the increasing prevalence of “nonclassical isosteres” moieties those do not have the same number of atoms, but produce a similarity in a key parameter. Similar effects in two functional groups does not imply atom upon atom overlap. Bioisosterism is part of the spectrum of QSAR. In theory, bioisosterism lends itself to computer substructure searching especially as a means of developing new leads or new series. In practice, examples of new lead generation using bioisosteric principles are few. The chapter describes peptide and dipeptide bioisosteres, amide carbonyl group bioisosteres, ketone carbonyl bioisosteres, ester carbonyl bioisosteres, ester ether oxygen bioisosteres, phosphate bioisosteres, catechol bioisosteres, urea, thiourea bioisosteres, carboxylic acid bioisosteres, ring equivalents, and some basic groups. Bioisosteric substitution of the ammonium group by a sulfonium group finds application in studies on dopamine agonists such as and the isolevorphanol opiate analog . The bioisosteric relationship between aminoalkyl, 2-imidazolidine and 4-imidazole moieties in histamine H1 receptor antagonists and the similarity between amidines and 2-amino pyridines led to bioisosteric design of the histamine H2-receptor antagonist.
The Proximate Contexts of Workfare and Work: A Framework for Studying Poor Women's Economic Choices

This article provides a framework for examining how the conditions of urban, low-income, single motherhood and the resources available through personal networks shape mothers' conduct in work-welfa...
Micro-controller based update of inexpensive undergraduate control systems laboratory hardware

This paper describes an updated version of the hardware used for an undergraduate control systems laboratory, and describes a complete set of laboratory experiments for an introductory control systems course using the hardware. It applies to a system described in a previous paper [1]. We continue to update the hardware and the software for this system because it is has proven to be a very successful platform on which we base the laboratory experience for our students. The mechanical and electromechanical hardware for the lab has remained nearly the same for well over a decade, but is still a reflection of modern hardware used in industry. It utilizes a brushless servo motor, a transmission element with mechanical compliance, high resolution optical encoders, and a motor controller with a current control loop. The latest update is mainly comprised of changing the controller to a micro-controller based system and a graphical user interface (GUI) written in MATLAB. The microcontroller is a 32 bit ARM based system with a floating point coprocessor and all the peripherals needed to implement the controller, including a full speed USB interface. This latest generation of the system is the least expensive, the most efficiently connected to MATLAB, the easiest to use and the most reliable in terms of both hardware and of software.
Office and ambulatory blood pressure elevation in children with chronic renal failure.

Hypertension is a frequent complication in patients with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) and is associated with target organ damage, including left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). To better assess hypertension in pediatric patients with CRI, we performed 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and evaluated the relationship between ABPM parameters and LVH in 29 children, mean age 12.4±3.8 years. There was no significant difference in the frequency of hypertension comparing casual systolic blood pressure (SBP) (21%) with the mean 24-h (21%) or daytime mean SBP (21%). However, diastolic hypertension was detected more frequently using ABPM: 24% for 24-h diastolic blood pressure (DBP), 14% for daytime DBP, and 7% for casual DBP. Nighttime systolic hypertension as well as diastolic hypertension was detected in 12 (41%) children. Seventeen (59%) patients had attenuated dipping for SBP and 9 (31%) had abnormal DBP dipping. Lower SBP dipping was associated with lower glomerular filtration rate (r=0.44, P<0.05). LVH was found in 6 (21%) patients. LVM index was significantly correlated with 24-h SBP (r=0.43, P<0.05). Multiple regression analysis confirmed that higher 24-h SBP was the only independent predictor for increased LVM index (P=0.001). No significant relationship was found between LVM index and office blood pressure. These results confirm a high prevalence of blood pressure abnormalities using ABPM criteria in children with CRI and suggest that ABP may better predict end-organ damage in these patients than casual BP.
THE FOUNDATIONS OF ALGEBRA

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews some fundamentals of algebra and discusses the meaning and use of variables, algebraic expressions and polynomial forms, factoring, and operations with rational expressions or algebraic fractions. The rational and irrational numbers together form the real number system. In regard to the operations of addition and multiplication, the real number system has properties that are fundamental to algebra. There is a simple and very useful geometric interpretation of the real number system. The set of real numbers is identified with all possible points on a straight line and for every point on the line there is a real number and for every real number there is a point on the line. The line is called the real number line, and the number associated with a point is called its coordinate. A polynomial is an algebraic expression of a certain form, which plays an important role in the study of algebra, as many word problems translate into equations or inequalities that involve polynomials. The degree of the product of two nonzero polynomials is the sum of the degrees of the polynomials.
An axial approach to detection in capillary electrophoresis

Our approach involves on-axis illumination of the compounds inside the capillary detection region and is applied to absorbance and fluorescence detection. Absorbance measurements were made by focussing an incident laser beam into one capillary end; by using signals collected over the entire length of analyte band, this enhances the analytical path length of conventional absorbance detection 60x. This instrument offers a 15x improvement in detection limits. Three fluorescence detection experiments are discussed, all of which involve insertion of an optical fiber into capillary. The first uses a high refractive index liquid phase to obtain total internal reflectance along capillary axis, this reducing light scatter. The second uses a charge-coupled device camera for simultaneous imaging of a capillary array (this may be useful in genome sequencing, etc.). The third is a study of fluid motion inside the capillary under pressure-driven and electroosmotic flow. The thesis is divided into four parts. Figs, tabs.
Health care reform--toward more freedom, and responsibility, for physicians.

In this Sounding Board article, the author proposes major reform of health care in the United States by means of establishing universal coverage pools to pay for hospitalizations and the management of chronic illness. Ambulatory care not related to chronic illness would be paid for through a system organized around primary care physicians and emphasizing economic incentives, flexibility, and choice for patients and providers.
Nature of clinical practice for specialists in orthopaedic physical therapy.

Clinical specialization is part of physical therapy's continued development as a profession. Clinical specialization in physical therapy has evolved with little discussion of how specialization is related to the development of professional expertise. The purposes of this paper were to compare the identified clinical competencies in orthopaedic physical therapy to selected clinical reasoning models and expertise development models in physical therapy and interpret these comparisons in light of current theoretical work in expertise. Descriptive content analysis using results from the 1993 Practice Analysis for Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Certified Specialists was done to link attributes identified in 3 selected theoretical models of clinical decision making and practice. Survey materials were linked to theories by use of a binary index (yes/no) of whether theoretical concepts were present or absent in the survey results. The attributes that characterize an expert physical therapy practitioner involve clini...
Explaining the Emergence of Modern Economies and Societies

The first time I met her in the mid-1980s, Deirdre (then known as Don) McCloskey seemed a normal economist, the author of well-respected articles and book chapters on English economic history. She ...
Fiscal Policy, Inflation and the Accumulation of Risky Capital

The effect of government policies on the level of investment and inflation has become a major concern of policy-makers in a number of industrial countries. Proposals to raise the level of business investment have included overall tax cuts, tax incentives to spur investment and a reduction in the level of government spending. This paper presents a theoretical apparatus to explore the relationships between fiscal policy, government debt, inflation and capital accumulation. It develops a one-sector growth model embodying a stochastic production function and government fiscal policy. Atomistic agents in the economy choose consumption levels and allocate their wealth between risky capital and risky government debt to maximize expected discounted utility over an infinite horizon. Fiscal policy, by affecting asset yields, affects the composition of portfolios, the price of government bonds and the accumulation of capital. The model is used to answer three general questions: (1) Does the level of government expenditure affect the rate of capital accumulation and inflation in steady state? (2) Does the mode of government finance, when the choice is between an income tax and deficit finance, affect these magnitudes? (3) What is the effect of uncertainty in the productivity of capital on growth? The analysis relates to several areas of literature: (1) the analysis of the relationship between capital accumulation and debt, (2) the theory of the demand for government debt, (3) considerations of the effect of income taxation on risk bearing, and (4) the analysis of capital accumulation under uncertainty. 1. The effects on output and the capital stock of the government's expenditure decision and its decision to finance its expenditure by taxation or debt issue are explored in two major bodies of economic theory. The literature on the "burden of the debt" as developed by Modigliani (1961), Diamond (1965), and Phelps and Shell (1969), for example, implies that policies which increase the value of outstanding government debt will tend to lower the level of the capital stock by displacing capital with public debt in private wealth. The theory of money and growth as represented by Tobin (1965) and Sidrauski (1967b) also implies that government debt displaces capital, but specifically recognizes the role of capital gains on government debt.
Effective Elimination of Laser Interference Fringing in Fluorescence Microscopy by Spinning Azimuthal Incidence Angle

Laser illumination used in both conventional widefield epi-fluorescence as well as in total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy is subject to nonuniformities in intensity that obscure true image details. These intensity variations are interference fringes arising from coherent light scattering and diffraction at every surface in the laser light's optical path, including the lenses, mirrors, and coverslip. We present an inexpensive technique for effectively eliminating these interference fringes based upon introduction of the excitation laser beam by oblique through-the-objective incidence coupled with rapid azimuthal rotation of the plane of incidence. Although this rotation can be accomplished in several ways, a particularly simple method applicable to a free laser beam is to use an optical wedge, spun on a motor, which diverts the beam into a hollow cone of fixed angle. A system of lenses converts this collimated beam cone into a focused spot that traces a circle at the objective's back focal plane. Consequently, a collimated beam with fixed polar angle and spinning azimuthal angle illuminates the sample. If the wedge is spun rapidly, then the different interference patterns at every particular azimuthal incidence angle average out over a single camera exposure to produce an effectively uniform field of illumination.
80-GHz intrinsic 3-dB bandwidth of directly modulated semiconductor lasers under optical injection locking

We identify key parameters that control the low-frequency damping commonly observed in optical injection-locked lasers. We demonstrate, experimentally and theoretically, that by biasing the slave laser at higher current, the impact of this damping can be eliminated. A record-high 80-GHz intrinsic 3-dB frequency is achieved.
Forensic Palynology as Classroom Inquiry

ABSTRACTThis activity introduces the science of forensic palynology: the use of microscopic pollen and spores (also called palynomorphs) to solve criminal cases. Plants produce large amounts of pollen or spores during reproductive cycles. Because of their chemical resistance, small size, and morphology, pollen and spores can be used to link individuals or objects to specific locations where the parent plants grow. Students will use a digital pollen database and Google Earth to link pollen trace evidence to a specific crime scene. The methods presented are based on those used in criminal cases and palynological techniques used by forensic scientists. Step-by-step instructions for a hands-on investigation and a case simulation are presented.
Le problème de la chronologie du Coran 1

[Abstract This study challenges the widespread scholarly assumption that the Qurʾān can only be properly understood when its suras are assigned to a chronological order based on the traditional biography of the Prophet. The first section of the study addresses the origins of this assumption, beginning with Islamic tradition and its reception in the XIXth century works of Gustav Weil and Theodor Noldeke. The second section involves a critique of more recent defenses of the idea of a Quranic chronology. The third and final section of the article illustrates the problem of this idea by way of a comparison with scholarship on the Psalms., Abstract This study challenges the widespread scholarly assumption that the Qurʾān can only be properly understood when its suras are assigned to a chronological order based on the traditional biography of the Prophet. The first section of the study addresses the origins of this assumption, beginning with Islamic tradition and its reception in the XIXth century works of Gustav Weil and Theodor Noldeke. The second section involves a critique of more recent defenses of the idea of a Quranic chronology. The third and final section of the article illustrates the problem of this idea by way of a comparison with scholarship on the Psalms.]
Phospholemman phosphorylation alters its fluorescence resonance energy transfer with the Na/K-ATPase pump.

Abstract Phospholemman (PLM) or FXYD1 is a major cardiac myocyte phosphorylation target upon adrenergic stimulation. Prior immunoprecipitation and functional studies suggest that phospholemman associates with the Na/K-pump (NKA) and mediates adrenergic Na/K-pump regulation. Here, we tested whether the NKA-PLM interaction is close enough to allow fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between cyan and yellow fluorescent (CFP/YFP) fusion proteins of Na/K pump and phospholemman and whether phospholemman phosphorylation alters such FRET. Co-expressed NKA-CFP and PLM-YFP in HEK293 cells co-localized in the plasma membrane and exhibited robust FRET. Selective acceptor photobleach increased donor fluorescence (FCFP) by 21.5 ± 4.1% (n = 13), an effect nearly abolished when co-expressing excess phospholemman lacking YFP. Activation of protein kinase C or A progressively and reversibly decreased FRET assessed by either the fluorescence ratio (FYFP/FCFP) or the enhancement of donor fluorescence after acceptor bleach. After protein kinase C activation, forskolin did not further reduce FRET, but after forskolin pretreatment, protein kinase C could still reduce FRET. This agreed with phospholemman phosphorylation measurements: by protein kinase C at both Ser-63 and Ser-68, but by protein kinase A only at Ser-68. Expression of PLM-YFP and PLM-CFP resulted in even stronger FRET than for NKA-PLM (FCFP increased by 37 ± 1% upon YFP photobleach), and this FRET was enhanced by phospholemman phosphorylation, consistent with phospholemman multimerization. Co-expressed PLM-CFP and Na/Ca exchange-YFP were highly membrane co-localized, but FRET was undetectable. We conclude that phospholemman and Na/K-pump are in very close proximity (FRET occurs) and that phospholemman phosphorylation alters the interaction of Na/K-pump and phospholemman.
Preservice teachers' responses to bullying scenarios: Comparing physical, verbal, and relational bullying.

In the present study, 82 undergraduate students in a teacher education program responded to 6 written vignettes describing school bullying incidents. Scenarios described physical bullying, verbal bullying, and relational bullying events. Respondents rated relational bullying as the least serious of the 3 types. Participants had the least empathy for the victims of relational bullying and were least likely to intervene in relational bullying incidents. When asked to describe interventions they would use in these cases, the preservice teachers proposed the least severe actions for both perpetrators and victims of relational bullying compared with other forms of bullying. Results were compared with those of practicing teachers in a previous study. Implications for teacher education programs are discussed. Two supplemental studies, conducted to address concerns about seriousness of bullying scenarios, are also described.
Development of Expectations of Altruism versus Self-Interest

Summary This research explores the developmental process of role-taking choices of norms. A total of 576 boys and girls in three age groups (10-, 13-, and 16-year-old) predicted behavior in situations involving conflicting norms of altruism and self-interest and differing levels of five informational variables. It was hypothesized that predictions of altruistic behavior would be less frequent in the older age groups and that this would occur because the older children would take situational contingencies into account in taking the role of the other. Both hypotheses were confirmed, and an interpretation postulating increasing ability to make cost-benefit calculations with age was offered.
ENERGISING ORDER-CREATING NETWORKS OF DISTRIBUTED INTELLIGENCE: IMPROVING THE CORPORATE BRAIN

Human and social capital developments are discussed in the context of increasing corporate IQ, defined as distributed intelligence (DI) in firms, as the basis of economic rent generation. A review ...
Osteoarticular allograft reconstruction for tumors of the distal femur and proximal tibia

Despite a number of persistent complications, allograft reconstruction after tumor resection oftentimes is the best solution after resection of the distal femur or proximal tibia. In this work, the results of allograft reconstruction will be reviewed, a theoretical basis for our current operative techniques formulated, and the details of our operative techniques will be thoroughly described. Complications can be minimized by attention to technical details of the surgical reconstruction, which include creation of an allograft/cement composite, "rigid" internal fixation, contemporary ligament reconstruction utilizing bone plugs, and reconstitution of the soft tissue envelope. Most complications that do occur can be successfully treated, with the exception being allograft infection. If degenerative arthritis develops, a conventional resurfacing arthroplasty can be performed into the allograft.
Mindstorms without robotics: an alternative to simulations in systems courses

This paper examines the applicability of LEGO Mindstorms to the intermediate-level computer science curriculum, which traditionally includes courses such as Computer Organization and Operating Systems. We describe three open-laboratory projects that employ Mindstorms in exploring systems-level programming topics and present results from student evaluations of the projects over the last two years. An interesting feature of the projects is that they do not involve robotics or robot construction but instead focus on the Mindstorms programmable brick as a platform in its own right.
Exciton states of a helical polymer with substitutional impurities

Abstract A compact secular determinant is derived for the frequencies of exciton transitions of a helical polymer containing an arbitrary number of substitutional impurities. The dipole approximation is used for all intermolecular interactions. All transitions from the ground state of the monomers and impurities are included in the theory. The nature of the impurities is arbitrary and they may all be different.
A parallel dual-type method for solving CWLS problem

Abstract In this paper, we propose a method to solve the distributed constrained state-estimation problem and discuss the associated implementation. This method includes a successive quadratic programming process and a parallel dual-type method possessing decomposition effects. With the decomposition, our method achieves a dramatic speed-up ratio compared with the commercial IMSL subroutines in solving CWLS problems.
Fine Particle and Gaseous Emission Rates from Residential Wood Combustion

Residential wood combustion emissions were analyzed to determine emission rates and to develop chemical emissions profiles that represent the appliances and woods typically used in wood-burning communities. Over 350 elements, inorganic compounds, and organic compounds were quantified. A range of 4−9 g/kg dry fuel of particulate matter (<2.5 μm) and 5−22 g/kg volatile organic compounds were observed. Samples were collected using a dilution stack sampler equipped with a 2.5-μm particle selective cyclone. Emissions were diluted 20−70 times, cooled to ambient temperature, and allowed 80 s for condensation prior to collection. Wood type, wood moisture, burn rate, and fuel load were varied for different experiments. Fine particle and semivolatile organic compounds were collected on filter/PUF/XAD/PUF cartridges. Inorganic samples and mass were collected on Teflon and quartz filters. Volatile organic carbon compounds were trapped with Tenax (C8−C20), canister (C2−C12), and 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine impregnated ...
Investigating Cre-Recombinase-Mediated DNA Looping using FRET

The Cre recombination system has become an important tool for genetic manipulation of higher organisms and a model for site-specific DNA-recombination mechanisms employed by the λ-Int superfamily of recombinases. We report a novel quantitative approach for characterizing the probability of DNA-loop formation in solution by using time-dependent ensemble FRET measurements of Cre-recombination kinetics. Because the mechanism of Cre recombinase does not conform to a simple kinetic scheme, we employ numerical methods to extract rate constants for fundamental steps that pertain to Cre-mediated loop closure. Cre recombination does not require accessory proteins, DNA supercoiling, or particular metal-ion cofactors and is thus a highly flexible system for quantitatively analyzing DNA-loop formation in vitro and in vivo.
Quantitative analysis of both protein expression and serine / threonine post-translational modifications through stable isotope labeling with dithiothreitol

While phosphorylation and O-GlcNAc (cytoplasmic and nuclear glycosylation) are linked to normal and pathological changes in cell states, these post-translational modifications have been difficult to analyze in proteomic studies. We describe advances in beta-elimination / Michael addition-based approaches which allow for mass spectrometry-based identification and comparative quantification of O-phosphate or O-GlcNAc-modified peptides, as well as cysteine-containing peptides for expression analysis. The method (BEMAD) involves differential isotopic labeling through Michael addition with normal dithiothreitol (DTT) (d0) or deuterated DTT (d6), and enrichment of these peptides by thiol chromatography. BEMAD was comparable to isotope-coded affinity tags (ICAT; a commercially available differential isotopic quantification technique) in protein expression analysis, but also provided the identity and relative amounts of both O-phosphorylation and O-GlcNAc modification sites. Specificity of O-phosphate vs. O-GlcNAc mapping is achieved through coupling enzymatic dephosphorylation or O-GlcNAc hydrolysis with differential isotopic labeling. Blocking of cysteine labeling by prior oxidation of a cytosolic lysate from mouse brain allowed specific targeting of serine / threonine post-translational modifications as demonstrated through identification of 21 phosphorylation sites (5 previously reported) in a single mass spectrometry analysis. These results demonstate BEMAD is suitable for large-scale quantitative analysis of both protein expression and serine / threonine post-translational modifications.
Treatment of painful renal anomalies.

Abstract Patients with abdominal pain who are found to have only a congenital renal anomaly create a serious dilemma. The prevailing published urologic opinion is that such patients do not benefit from corrective surgery. Yet our patients with renal anomalies unassociated with acquired pathologic conditions underwent reconstructive surgery, and great improvement was achieved. Preoperative selective angiography proved to be invaluable. This report challenges the prevalent concepts which caution against surgical intervention for painful renal anomalies.
Feedbacks and synergism among biogeochemistry, basic ecology, and forest soil science ☆

Abstract Sustainable natural resource use is only possible when management practices are grounded in the basics of soil science and ecology, and reflect a sound understanding of the interaction between soil–plant processes and nutrient cycling pathways. History has yielded numerous examples where an incomplete understanding of biogeochemistry has resulted in unexpected and sometimes undesirable management outcomes. In this paper we explore, using nitrogen biogeochemistry as our working model, how the boundaries between basic science and management-driven research have become increasingly blurred over time. The mutual feedbacks and synergisms between basic and applied sciences have been key in solving many environmental problems and have increased our ability to predict ecosystem responses to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Projects with a distinct management focus have also provided a fertile ground for cutting-edge and theoretical studies, and have greatly improved our understanding of the relationship between ecosystem structure and function. Periodically, scientists are faced with unexpected results or oddities that force us to question the veracity of long-held notions and lead us to revise conceptual models.
Optimization of accurate SEM imaging by use of artificial images

Today the vast majority of the scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) are incapable of taking repeatable and accurate images at high magnifications. Geometric distortions are common, so are drift, vibration, and problems related to disturbing electro-magnetic fields, contamination. These issues tend to degrade the quality of the image. Hence, in many cases it is not the focusing ability of the electron optical column, but these factors that limit the achievable resolution, repeatability and accuracy. This is a significant issue for nanometer-scale measurements, because the errors are many times greater than the measured distances. However, there are new image acquisition techniques that could improve the accuracy and repeatability of such measurements. One of these techniques is being developed at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This technique is based on cross-correlation combined with frequency filtering. Because the power this technique strongly depends on many conditions, like shape and periodicity of the sample features, noise, frequencies of the vibrations, etc., it needs to be properly evaluated and limits of usability of the technique should be specified. For this, a statistically significant number of SEM images varying in all of these parameters is necessary and the parameters must be known. Unfortunately, this is impossible to achieve using an SEM, because most of these parameters are random and the instrument parameters are unknown. A possible solution is to use the artificial SEM images, which can simulate these effects repeatably and deterministically. It is not an issue to generate a large number of such images in a reasonable time. The artificial image generator was developed at NIST originally for the evaluation of resolution-calculation techniques, but it is also very usable for assessment of new imaging techniques too. The new version of the generator is being developed at NIST. It allows for modeling different types of samples and several new effects, which also allow for taking into account the different characteristics of different SEMs. This paper describes, how the artificial images are built and how they may be used to improve the new SEM imaging techniques.
A projection approach to controller reduction

This paper proposes a suboptimal projection approach to controller reduction which attempts to unify some of the existing methods. As an illustration of one of its applications, this approach establishes a minimum-norm property of the reduced controller produced in [4].
Residents’ Perceived Quality Of Life in a Cultural-Heritage Tourism Destination

Seasonal phenomena for a tourism destination may be key factors influencing residents’ perceived quality of life, in particular, during peak tourism seasons. Furthermore, these challenges may influence residents’ attitudes toward tourism support in the host community. Numerous studies have discussed the major impacts of tourism, such as economic benefits, social concerns, environmental sustainability, and their associations with residents’ attitudes toward tourism support in the host community. However, few studies have incorporated attributes of seasonal factors into variables regarding residents of the area, including dissatisfaction of living in the community, unsafe feeling due to rise in crime, frustration with traffic, and disruption of quality of life during peak tourism seasons. Therefore, this study attempts to investigate influences of seasonal attributes on residents’ perceptions of tourism impacts and, in turn, residents’ perceived quality life in a cultural-heritage tourism destination. Salem, Massachusetts, was selected for the study site, due to this city’s rich history and cultural heritages that draw tourists from around the world. For example, Salem attracts more than four times its population during the entire month of October, due to the wide range of tourism resources, such as month-long events (Haunted Happenings) in its correlation with the historical event of the witch trials in 1692. Data analysis supported all six hypotheses. Results confirmed seasonal factor attributes adversely affected residents’ perceptions of economic benefits; seasonal attributes positively affected residents’ perceived social costs; seasonal attributes inversely influenced residents’ perceptions of environment sustainability; perceptions of economic benefits positively impacted residents’ perceived quality of life; perceived social costs adversely affected residents’ perceived quality of life; and perceived environment sustainability positively affected residents’ perceived quality of life. Findings from this study could assist tourism decision-makers and planners when establishing local tourism planning and provide strategies to ensure residents’ quality of life year round. More specified managerial implications are discussed as well as limitations of this study and suggestions for future study.
Endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2 induce the expression of c-FOS immunoreactivity in the rat brain.

Abstract Using FOS immunoreactivity (FOSir) as an anatomical marker of neuronal activation, we examined the effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of endomorphin-1 (EM-1) and endomorphin-2 (EM-2) in the rat brain to determine the sites of action of these two mu-opioid ligands. Radiant heat tail flick latency, as a measure of behavioral effects, was prolonged by either EM-1 or EM-2 administration. Dose-dependent EM-1- and EM-2-induced FOSir were observed in various nuclei throughout the rostral–caudal axis of the rat brain. While there was some overlap, EM-1-induced FOSir was more prevalent than EM-2. The pattern of EM-induced FOSir was similar to the distribution of EM immunoreactivity (EMir). However, some sites with little or no detectable EMir exhibited FOSir, while other nuclei with marked EMir showed only sparse FOSir. EM-induced FOSir was correlated with mu-opioid receptor location in most brain areas. However, EM-induced FOSir was absent in the caudate putamen and the accumbens nucleus, both areas of high mu-opioid receptor density.
Iron deficiency in patients with nonalcoholic Fatty liver disease is associated with obesity, female gender, and low serum hepcidin.

Background & Aims Iron deficiency is often observed in obese individuals. The iron regulatory hormone hepcidin is regulated by iron and cytokines interleukin (IL) 6 and IL1β. We examine the relationship between obesity, circulating levels of hepcidin, and IL6 and IL1β, and other risk factors in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with iron deficiency. Methods We collected data on 675 adult subjects (>18 years old) enrolled in the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network. Subjects with transferrin saturation Results One-third of patients (231 of 675; 34%) were iron deficient. Obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome were more common in subjects with iron deficiency ( P P P ≤ .018), and increased levels of IL6 and IL1β (6.6 vs 4.8 for iron normal, P ≤ .0001; and 0.45 vs 0.32 for iron normal, P ≤ .005). Conclusions Iron deficiency is prevalent in patients with NAFLD and associated with female gender, increased body mass index, and nonwhite race. Serum levels of hepcidin were lower in iron-deficient subjects, reflecting an appropriate physiologic response to decreased circulating levels of iron, rather than a primary cause of iron deficiency in the setting of obesity and NAFLD.
Cognitive insight and psychotic disorder: The impact of active delusions

Abstract While several studies have determined the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale (BCIS; [Beck, A.T., Baruch, E., Balter, J.M., Steer, R.A., Warman, D.M., 2004. A new instrument for measuring insight: The Beck Cognitive Insight Scale. Schizophr. Res. 68, 319–329] is a useful measure of cognitive insight, a number of questions have remained unanswered. While individuals with psychotic disorders have been shown to have impaired cognitive insight compared to a psychiatric comparison group, it has remained unclear how the cognitive insight of individuals with psychotic disorders compares to healthy individuals. Further, as previous studies have classified participants based on diagnostic classification, it has remained unknown if individuals with delusions and individuals with psychotic disorders without active delusions score differently on this measure. To examine these questions, we assessed the cognitive insight of healthy individuals and individuals with psychotic disorders, both with and without active delusions. Results indicated that individuals with psychotic disorders had impaired cognitive insight relative to healthy controls (p = .005), though individuals with active delusions and individuals with psychotic disorders without delusions had impairments in different domains. Individuals with delusions were overly confident in their own judgment relative to healthy controls and those without delusions (p = .011), though their self-reflectiveness was the same as normal controls. Individuals without delusions reported low self-reflectiveness relative to healthy controls and individuals with delusions (p = .004), though they were not overconfident in their judgment. These results are discussed in terms of existing research on cognitive insight, decision making, and psychosis.
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Gene Expression by Primary Cultures of Ovarian Cells: Insulin and Dexamethasone Dependence*

A growing body of information now supports the existence of a complete intraovarian insulin-like growth Factor I (IGF-I) system replete with ligands, receptors, and binding protein(s). However, studies concerned with the regulation of ovarian IGF-I gene expression remain scarce. It was thus the objective of this communication to evaluate the expression of the IGF-I gene in the immature rat ovary under in vitro conditions. Whole ovarian dispersates or isolated granulosa cells were cultured for up to 96 h under serum-free conditions in the absence or presence of the indicated experimental agents. Extracted total RNA was subjected to a sensitive solution hybridization/RNase protection assay using 32P-labeled rat IGF-I and/or type I IGF receptor antisense RNA probes. Cultured in the absence or presence of FSH (100 ng/ml), whole ovarian dispersates (or isolated granulosa cells) displayed time-dependent (FSH-independent) decrements in the relative abundance of IGF-I transcripts apparent as early as 3 h after th...
Thermal equilibrium and hydrostatic equilibrium for excited states in planetary atmospheres

Abstract Thermal equilibrium and hydrostatic equilibrium are mutually exclusive for any particular quantum state of an atmospheric constituent in a non-isothermal atmosphere. As a result, there is a flux of rotationally, vibrationally, and electronically excited atoms and molecules down the temperature gradient, balanced by an up-gradient transport of ground-state atoms and molecules, resulting in a net transport of excitation energy, but with no net mass transport. The energy flux is first formulated as a molecular process and applied to vibrationally excited molecular nitrogen and rotationally excited atomic oxygen in the Earth's lower thermosphere, then reformulated as a bulk process and applied to the Venusian atmosphere, where it is shown that the CO2 vibrational flux is a significant contribution to the total eddy energy flux in the 0–60 km region.
Manipulation of Water Levels to Facilitate Vegetation Change in a Coastal Lagoon Undergoing Partial Tidal Restoration (Cape Cod, Massachusetts)

ABSTRACT Smith, S. and Medeiros, K., 2013. Manipulation of water levels to facilitate vegetation change in a coastal lagoon undergoing partial tidal restoration (Cape Cod, Massachusetts) East Harbor is a back-barrier coastal lagoon and salt marsh within Cape Cod National Seashore (Massachusetts), which has been undergoing partial tidal restoration since 2002. The current tidal exchange has been sufficient to elevate salinities in the open lagoon but is still too constrained by the present infrastructure to create high tides sufficient to flood the peripheral marsh areas. Consequently, an adaptive management strategy using a one-way tide gate was implemented in 2011 that let high tides into the system while blocking their escape. The increased flooding of the marsh, above and beyond what the current engineering of the system could provide by opening the restrictive culvert, raised porewater salinities in many areas and resulted in decreases in the cover of freshwater and brackish-water plant taxa—a necessa...
Thermal expansion behaviour of M′Ti2P3O12 (M′=Li, Na, K, Cs) and M″Ti4P6O24 (M″=Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) compounds

The [NZP] family has been attracting considerable attention because of its potential in thermal shock-resistant applications. The compounds M′Ti2P3O12 (M″=Li, Na, K, Cs) and M″Ti4P6O24 (M″=Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) belong to this new family of low-expansion materials. The results of a systematic study undertaken to investigate the thermal expansion behaviour of these materials are reported. A correlation between the ionic size and lattice expansion was also attempted, and compounds possessing lowest bulk thermal and low anisotropy were identified.
Auger electron spectroscopy of krypton subplanted in graphite

Abstract Krypton ions have been subplanted into graphite at kinetic energies between 45 and 150 eV. The ion doses were applied in several steps, from ∼ 1 × 10 14 ions/cm 2 up to ∼ 1.5 × 10 15 ions/cm 2 , and electron induced KrMNN and LMM and CKLL Auger spectra were recorded at various stages. These LMM spectra are, to the best of our knowledge, the first to be reported for krypton in a solid phase. Features in the Auger spectra in the region 20–50 eV, which are related to the symmetry of the graphite lattice, have been observed. The subplanted Kr Auger spectrum is compared to spectra of gaseous, adsorbed, and crystalline Kr. The results are analyzed in terms of the state of subplanted Kr and deformation of the graphite layers. A molecular modeling simulation has been used to characterize the structure of the subplanted Kr/graphite system. The results suggest a mechanism for formation of dense phases during subplantation resulting from low energy ion bombardment.
From irritable heart to mitral valve prolapse--World War I, the British experience and Clifford Allbutt.

Abstract Clifford Allbutt wrote “The Investigation of the Significance of Disorders and Diseases of the Heart in Soldiers” in 1917 when he was Regius Professor of Physic in the University of Cambridge, President of the British Medical Association, and 81 years old.1 Allbutt was a transitional figure in 19th and 20th century British medicine and cardiology, participating in and transcending several medical eras. At the beginning of his career, he had as teachers George Humphrey, George Paget, Henry Bence Jones and Armand Trousseau, while during the latter part of his career, before, during and after World War I, his colleagues included William Osler, James Mackenzie, Thomas Lewis, John Parkinson, Samuel Levine and Paul Dudley White. This rich background and the perspectives attained during his 89-year span and his nearly 65 years of active professional life produced a rare combination of scholar-physician, medical leader and humanist.
Chitin-bound keto-carotenoids in a crustacean carapace

Abstract 1. 1. Chitinous parts from the carapace of the red kelp crab, Taliepus nuttallii , yielded no or negligible pigment to common organic solvents (save to pyridine) and/or protein denaturants unless first decalcified. 2. 2. Hot aqueous acetic acid readily decalcified the shell and extracted all pigment, which was resolved into but four fractions, in the following order of increasing proportion and decreasing polarity; astaxanthin, phoenicoxanthin, canthaxanthin and echinenone, all of which had been firmly bonded to chitin.
Delayed Recognition of Guillain-Barré Syndrome in a Child: A Misleading Respiratory Distress

BACKGROUND: Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis in childhood. Respiratory symptoms can mask neurologic signs, leading to a delay in diagnosis. OBJECTIVES: We report this case to highlight the diagnostic difficulty in children suffering from GBS who have respiratory involvement as the main clinical findings on presentation. CASE REPORT: This case report describes a 9-year-old girl presenting with respiratory distress, weakness, limb pain, and hypertension. The severe respiratory involvement due to a Mycoplasma pneumoniae lung infection led to a delay in diagnosing GBS in this child. CONCLUSION: Unexplained weakness, together with respiratory involvement and associated dysautonomia, should support the possibility of GBS.