cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High Speed, High Temperature, Fault Tolerant Operation of a Combination Magnetic-Hydrostatic Bearing Rotor Support System for Turbomachinery

Closed loop operation of a single, high temperature magnetic radial bearing to 30,000 RPM (2.25 million DN) and 540 C (1000 F) is discussed. Also, high temperature, fault tolerant operation for the three axis system is examined. A novel, hydrostatic backup bearing system was employed to attain high speed, high temperature, lubrication free support of the entire rotor system. The hydrostatic bearings were made of a high lubricity material and acted as journal-type backup bearings. New, high temperature displacement sensors were successfully employed to monitor shaft position throughout the entire temperature range and are described in this paper. Control of the system was accomplished through a stand alone, high speed computer controller and it was used to run both the fault-tolerant PID and active vibration control algorithms.
The Role of Executive Cognitive Functions in Changing Substance Use: What We Know and What We Need to Know

Background Executive cognitive functions (ECF) have been linked to skills such as planning, organizing, problem solving, decision-making, initiating and self-regulating behavior, working memory, and motivation; critical activities needed to monitor and change substance use behavior.
Use of a Pacing Pulmonary Artery Catheter during Cardiac Surgery

The Swan-Ganz Pacing TD Catheter with cardiac pacing capabilities was evaluated in 65 patients who underwent a cardiac operation. The catheter was inserted quickly and easily with minimal patient discomfort. Before initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass, atrial pacing was achieved in 89.2% of the patients, ventricular pacing in 93.8%, and sequential pacing in 87.7%. After termination of bypass, atrial pacing was achieved in 84.6% of the patients, ventricular pacing in 93.8%, and sequential pacing in 81.5%. Pacing thresholds were well within the current outputs of commercially available external pulse generators. No complications that could be attributed to the Swan-Ganz Pacing TD Catheter occurred in this series of patients.
High-gain photorefractive polymers

We report on the photorefractive properties of polymer composites based on the dye 2, N, N-dihexylamino-7- dicyanomethylidenyl-3, 4, 5, 6, 10-pentahydronaphthalene (DHADC-MPN). At 633 nm and with 2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone as a sensitizer, the polyvinylcarbazole-based composites show complete internal diffraction at applied electric fields as low as E(pi /2) equals 30 V/micrometer. The sensitivity of the composite could be extended into the infrared by using (2,4,7-trinitro-9-fluorenylidene)malonitrile as a sensitizer, and at 830 nm complete internal diffraction occurred at an applied field of Epi/2 equals 59 V/micrometer. Finally, by using DHADC-MPN as a trifunctional dopant in an inert matrix, we have achieved a dynamic range of (Delta) n equals 0.0085 and a net two-beam coupling gain of (Gamma) equals 202 cm-1 at an applied field of 50 V/micrometer and at 633 nm. The composites are thermally stable or have shelf lifetimes of at least several years at room temperature.
P-008 Endovascular Treatment of Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysms: a 16-Year Single-Centre Experience

Introduction The endovascular treatment of middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms has been controversial due to the frequency of complex anatomy and relative ease of surgical clipping in this location. We present the largest reported single-centre experience in the endovascular treatment of MCA aneurysms. Methods The neurointerventional database at our institution was reviewed for all endovascular treatments of MCA aneurysms through August 2012. Patient demographics, aneurysm characteristics, treatment modality, intraprocedural haemorrhagic and thromboembolic events (any occurrence of intraprocedural thrombus or embolus), 30-day periprocedural neurological events and follow-up angiographic studies were recorded. Results From December 1996 to August 2012, 281 patients underwent 331 attempted endovascular procedures for treatment of an MCA aneurysm. Of these, 326 procedures were completed (5 attempted and failed). 217 procedures used balloon assistance. 85 were primary coilings. 4 were with the Pipeline device. 25 were with stent assistance. 17 were retreatments. 92 were for ruptured aneurysms. Mean aneurysm size was 6.6 mm. The rate of intraprocedural aneurysm rupture or vessel perforation was 2.7% (9 of 331). 2 resulted in disabling strokes (mRS>2 at discharge) in patients with unruptured aneurysms, comprising the only patients with new disabling strokes with unruptured aneurysms in the entire cohort (0.6%, 2 of 331). The rate of intraprocedural thromboembolic events was 13.9% (46 of 331), mostly in patients with acute subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH, p 2 at discharge. In patients without intraprocedural thromboembolic events, there were no disabling strokes in patients with unruptured aneurysms. There were an additional 3 TIA’s (1 with SAH) and 6 non-disabling strokes (1 with SAH) within 30 days. There was one non-disabling delayed parenchymal haemorrhage (IPH) in a patient who underwent stent-assisted coiling of an unruptured aneurysm. There were 3 strokes in the setting of SAH with confounding severe vasospasm; 2 of these were disabling. The rate of angiographic occlusion or near occlusion at 6 months or greater follow-up was 76.2% (214 out of 281). Conclusion Endovascular treatment of MCA aneurysms is associated with a high intraprocedural thromboembolic event rate, though mostly asymptomatic and in the setting of acute SAH. Almost all periprocedural strokes were confounded by severe vasospasm or a large Sylvian clot with surrounding oedema. In the absence of these factors, endovascular treatment of MCA aneurysms is safe and effective with current technology, and indications for endovascular treatment of this subgroup will likely continue to expand as newer devices become available. Disclosures Y. Kadkhodayan: None. J. Delgado Almandoz: 2; C; Covidien. J. Fease: None. J. Scholz: None. R. Anderson: None. B. Crandall: 2; C; Covidien. D. Tubman: 2; C; Covidien, Microvention.
Uncertainty in Determining Thermal Performance of Liquid-Heating Flat-Plate Solar Collectors

Thermal performance measurements of eight types of liquid-heating flat-plate solar collectors were conducted with two to four collectors of each type at four outdoor test sites. Tests were performed in accordance with the procedure prescribed by ASHRAE Standard 93-77. Statistical analysis of data sets for each collector type within test sites and between test sites was done using ASTM recommended methods to evaluate test method measurement uncertainty.
Cervical spinal demyelination with ethidium bromide impairs respiratory (phrenic) activity and forelimb motor behavior in rats.

Abstract Although respiratory complications are a major cause of morbidity/mortality in many neural injuries or diseases, little is known concerning mechanisms whereby deficient myelin impairs breathing, or how patients compensate for such changes. Here, we tested the hypothesis that respiratory and forelimb motor functions are impaired in a rat model of focal dorsolateral spinal demyelination (ethidium bromide, EB). Ventilation, phrenic nerve activity and horizontal ladder walking were performed 7–14 days post-C2 injection of EB or vehicle (SHAM). EB caused dorsolateral demyelination at C2–C3 followed by significant spontaneous remyelination at 14 days post-EB. Although ventilation did not differ between groups, ipsilateral integrated phrenic nerve burst amplitude was significantly reduced versus SHAM during chemoreceptor activation at 7 days post-EB but recovered by 14 days. The ratio of ipsi- to contralateral phrenic nerve amplitude correlated with cross-sectional lesion area. This ratio was significantly reduced 7 days post-EB versus SHAM during baseline conditions, and versus SHAM and 14-day groups during chemoreceptor activation. Limb function ipsilateral to EB was impaired 7 days post-EB and partially recovered by 14 days post-EB. EB provides a reversible model of focal, spinal demyelination, and may be a useful model to study mechanisms of functional impairment and recovery via motor plasticity, or the efficacy of new therapeutic interventions to reduce severity or duration of disease.
Pneumoperitoneum to Treat Air Leaks and Spaces After a Lung Volume Reduction Operation

Lung volume reduction surgery is an option for the management of end-stage emphysema. The most frequent surgical complication of lung volume reduction is prolonged air leaks. We describe a patient undergoing a lung volume reduction operation complicated by persistent bilateral air spaces with large air leaks. Treatment with recurrent pneumoperitoneum via a peritoneal dialysis catheter along with chemical sclerosis successfully resolved both problems.
Towards Sensor Enhanced Virtual Reality Teleoperation in a Dynamic Environment

A teleoperation interface is introduced featuring an integrated virtual reality based simulation augmented by sensors and image processing capabilities on-board the remotely operated vehicle. The virtual reality system addresses the typical limitations of video-based teleoperation caused by signal lag and limited field of view, allowing the operator to navigate in a continuous fashion. The vehicle incorporates an on-board computer and a stereo vision system to facilitate obstacle detection. It also enables temporary autonomous operation of the vehicle for local navigation around obstacles and automatic re-establishment of the vehicle’s teleoperated state. Finally, the system provides real time update to the virtual environment based on anomalies encountered by the vehicle. System architecture and preliminary implementation results are discussed, and future work focused on incorporating dynamic moving objects in the environment is described.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
A review of: “FUZZY THINKING:” The New Science of Fuzzy Logic, by Bart Kosko, Hyperion, 1993

(1994). A review of: “FUZZY THINKING:” The New Science of Fuzzy Logic, by Bart Kosko, Hyperion, 1993. International Journal of General Systems: Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 330-332.
Transmit signal design for optimal deconvolution

This paper solves the problem of designing successive transmit pulses to minimize the mean squared error of deconvolution in colored noise. The power spectral densities of the signal and noise are known a priori. In the special case of white noise, the analytical solution can be interpreted as the "water-filling" principle for the distribution of transmitted spectral energy. Numerical simulation of a simple example with exponentially correlated target signal and white noise illustrates the benefits of using adaptively designed transmit signals.
Hazard pointers: safe memory reclamation for lock-free objects

Lock-free objects offer significant performance and reliability advantages over conventional lock-based objects. However, the lack of an efficient portable lock-free method for the reclamation of the memory occupied by dynamic nodes removed from such objects is a major obstacle to their wide use in practice. We present hazard pointers, a memory management methodology that allows memory reclamation for arbitrary reuse. It is very efficient, as demonstrated by our experimental results. It is suitable for user-level applications - as well as system programs - without dependence on special kernel or scheduler support. It is wait-free. It requires only single-word reads and writes for memory access in its core operations. It allows reclaimed memory to be returned to the operating system. In addition, it offers a lock-free solution for the ABA problem using only practical single-word instructions. Our experimental results on a multiprocessor system show that the new methodology offers equal and, more often, significantly better performance than other memory management methods, in addition to its qualitative advantages regarding memory reclamation and independence of special hardware support. We also show that lock-free implementations of important object types, using hazard pointers, offer comparable performance to that of efficient lock-based implementations under no contention and no multiprogramming, and outperform them by significant margins under moderate multiprogramming and/or contention, in addition to guaranteeing continuous progress and availability, even in the presence of thread failures and arbitrary delays.
Sample collection and amino acids analysis of extracellular fluid of mouse brain slices with low flow push-pull perfusion

Brain tissue slices are a common neuroscience model that allows relatively sophisticated analysis of neuronal networks in a simplified preparation. Most experimental methodology utilizes electrophysiological tools to probe these model systems. The work here demonstrates the adaptation of low-flow push-pull perfusion sampling (LFPS) to a brain slice system. LFPS is used to sample from the hippocampus of mouse brain slices. Perfusate amino acid levels are quantified following sampling with capillary electrophoresis. Glutamate was measured from the CA1 region of the hippocampus in slices taken from a cystine-glutamate transporter deletion mutant, xCT(-/-), and the background strain C57BL/6J. Sampling is performed over up to 6.5 h with standard tissue slice preparation and experimentation methods. Four amino acids were quantified to demonstrate the ability to perform LFPS and show good agreement with published literature. Perfusate glutamate levels are found to be significantly lower with xCT(-/-) slices (1.9(±0.5) μM) relative to controls (4.90(±1.1) μM). But, experiments with control slices show a significant decrease in glutamate over the 6 h sampling period that are not seen with xCT(-/-) slices. Increasing the LFPS sample collection rate during the first 90 min of sampling did not show a sampling artifact in perfusate glutamate content. Sampling immediately following slicing did not show an early increasing glutamate level that would be indicative of a significant contribution from blood or tissue damage. The data presented here show a complementarity to electrophysiological studies of tissue slices. The ability to characterize extracellular fluid chemical content with LFPS in these slices provides an alternative data stream for probing neurochemical signaling networks in brain tissue slices.
A method for deriving land surface moisture, vegetation optical depth, and open water fraction from AMSR-E

We developed an algorithm to estimate surface soil moisture, vegetation optical depth and fractional open water cover using satellite microwave radiometry. Soil moisture results compare favorably with a simple antecedent site precipitation index, and respond rapidly to precipitation events indicated by TRMM. High optical depth reduces soil moisture sensitivity in forests and croplands during peak biomass, although tundra locations maintain soil moisture sensitivity despite high optical depth. Optical depth varies with characteristic seasonality across vegetation cover types and tracks measures of vegetation canopy cover from MODIS. The algorithm developed in this study is able to monitor the daily variability of several important land surface state variables.
Collecting and analyzing mobility data from mobile network

Collecting and analyzing massive mobility data from mobile network is becoming an emerging research topic in past years. It is proved to have great potential in lots of domains, e.g. intelligence traffic system, urban analysis, public safety etc. However, due to variety of data collection mechanisms, the data characteristics are various and need to be abstracted. In this paper, we outline the mobility data collection approaches and identify the differentiation in data characteristics and data process requirements. Then we propose an extendable framework which provides general data abstraction and universal data process flow for various mobility data. The experiment results are also presented to prove the framework.
ARGOS: An operating system for a computer utility supporting interactive instrument control

“ARGOS” (ARGonne Operating System), which runs on a Xerox Sigma 5 hardware configuration, provides a dynamic multiprogrammed environment which supports the following: data acquisition and interactive control for numerous (currently 19) independently running on-line laboratory experiments; three interactive graphics terminals; FORTRAN IV-H executing at each of 23 remote time-shared terminals; a jobstream from open-shop batch processing; long-term low priority computations (100 CPU hours). The system guarantees the protection of each user's interests by the utilization of the hardware memory-protection feature, internal clocks and disallowing the execution of privileged instructions by user programs. The system is interrupt-driven, with each task running to completion, contingent on its priority. System resources are provided on a first come first served basis, except that rotating memory is queued by request position. System CALLs provide users full access to hardware capability, thus providing user-directed file formats and insuring a minimum of system overhead. However, at some sacrifice in overhead, the user can make use of FORTRAN record-blocking. Core memory, disk space and magnetic tape usage, are assigned dynamically. Parametrization of the system is such that terminal characteristics are specified (one parameter card/terminal) at boot-in time (once/week after preventive maintenance).
Prostaglandin-Like Substances Appearing in Canine Renal Venous Blood During Renal Ischemia

Renal prostaglandins (PCs) might mediate an antihypertensive function of the kidney. The blood-superfused organ technique possesses the sensitivity (threshold < 0.4 ng/ml blood) and specificity required for identification of PGs in blood. Induction of unilateral renal ischemia in 14 chloraloseanesthetized dogs reduced renal blood flows from a mean value of 257 to 109 ml/min on the ischemic side and from 250 to 209 ml/min on the contralateral side. Concomitantly, PG-like substances were detected by assay organs in the venous blood of ischemic (13 experiments) and contralateral (11 experiments) kidneys. In one experiment, in a spontaneously hypertensive dog, PGs were not detected during renal ischemia. Renal venous blood and renal medullary tissue were extracted for acidic lipids and assayed for PG-like substances. Extracts of venous blood collected during renal ischemia and extracts of renal medulla yielded substances with biological activity indistinguishable from PG-like substances or PG standards. Chromatographic characterization of PG-like substances suggests that they are predominantly a mixture of PGE2 and PGF2α.
MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound: A Potentially Disruptive Technology

A disruptive technology is a technological innovation that overturns the existing dominant technologies in a market. Magnetic resonance (MR)–guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a noninvasive procedure based on the combination of real-time MR anatomic guidance, MR thermometry, and high-intensity focused ultrasound. Several hundred transducer elements become convergent at a point under MR guidance, leading to heating and coagulation necrosis. Outside the focal point, there is no significant heating. There is no need to break the skin for procedures in the body or to perform a craniotomy for procedures in the brain. This lack of invasiveness is what makes MRgFUS so disruptive compared with surgery. At present, MRgFUS has been used for the ablation of uterine fibroids, breast tumors, painful bony metastases, and liver tumors. In the brain, it has been used for the ablation of glioblastomas and for functional neurosurgery. Phantom and animal studies suggest future applications for prostate cancer and acute stroke treatment.
Natural evolution strategies converge on sphere functions

This theoretical investigation gives the first proof of convergence for (radial) natural evolution strategies, on d-dimensional sphere functions, and establishes the conditions on hyper-parameters, as a function of d. For the limit case of large population sizes we show asymptotic linear convergence, and in the limit of small learning rates we give a full analytic characterization of the algorithm dynamics, decomposed into transient and asymptotic phases. Finally, we show why omitting the natural gradient is catastrophic.
Ethnic and Racial Differences in Tornado Hazard Perception, Preparedness, and Shelter Lead Time in Tuscaloosa

The 27 April 2011 EF4 Tuscaloosa tornado directly impacted more than 50,000 residents, causing forty-five fatalities within the city and sixty-five in total. It was a rare urban tornado with varying impacts on the three major ethnic and racial groups within the city. A hybrid survey and interview of open-ended and closed questions was conducted with 211 Tuscaloosa area residents in a two-week period after the tornado. Results indicate significant differences in risk perception, preparedness, and shelter lead time among the three ethnic and racial groups. Furthermore, results were still significant for perception after controlling for the effects of age, education, and experience.
Meeting report: genomics in the undergraduate curriculum--rocket science or basic science?

At the 102nd annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) in Salt Lake City, Utah, members of the Genome Consortium for Active Teaching (GCAT; http://www.bio.davidson.edu/GCAT/) and faculty from around the world gathered to discuss educational genomics (http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/macampbell/ASM/ASM.html). The focus of the gathering was a series of presentations by faculty who have successfully incorporated genomics and bioinformatics into their teaching of undergraduates. The presentations described genomics in both laboratory courses and student independent research projects.
THE CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Alzheimer's disease is a more common and malignant illness than was appreciated just 2 decades ago. In addition to being a major cause of mortality, it is costly and uniquely distressing for patients and their families. All indications are that the problem will grow as elderly populations expand. Fatalism regarding AD is premature, however. Much has been learned about this disease in only a few years, and it is hoped that this rate of discovery can be maintained or even accelerated in the future.
Modeling of Reverse Tone Etchback Shallow Trench Isolation Chemical Mechanical Polishing

In this paper, we introduce a mathematical model for chemical mechanical polishing ~CMP! of reverse tone etchback shallow trench isolation ~STI! structures. We present a detailed formulation of the model and describe CMP experiments using a newly designed STI CMP characterization mask to validate the model. A methodology for extracting the model parameters is also proposed. An improved modeling methodology that incorporates density averaging effects fits the experimental data more accurately. Finally, we use the model to predict the effects of pre-CMP step height, pattern density, polish time, pad hardness, and slurry selectivity on dishing and nitride erosion.
Leakage-Reduction Design Concepts for Low-Power Vertical Tunneling Field-Effect Transistors

Using an atomistic full-band quantum transport solver, we investigate the performances of vertical band-to-band tunneling FETs (TFETs) whose operation is based on the enhancement of the gate-induced drain leakage mechanism of MOSFETs, and we compare them to lateral p-i-n devices. Although the vertical TFETs offer larger tunneling areas and therefore larger on currents than their lateral counterparts, they suffer from lateral source-to-drain tunneling leakage away from the gate contact. We propose a design improvement to reduce the off current of the vertical TFETs, maintain large on currents, and provide steep subthreshold slopes.
The role of porosity in filtration: IV. Constant pressure filtration

Certain assumptions which have previously served as a basis for the conventional equations employed in constant pressure filtration are shown to be in error. It is demonstrated that the specific filtration resistance, the ratio of the mass of wet to mass of dry cake, and the rate of flow, q = dv/dθ, are not constant as has been assumed. In an example it is shown that q undergoes an eightfold variation as the liquid flows from the cake surface through to the medium. Since the product αq appears in the basic differential equation, incorrect values of q lead to errors in the calculated values of α arising from experimental data. The errors are significant when thick slurries are employed. New partial differential equations are presented for flow through compressible media in which q varies with cake thickness. Modifications of the conventional constant pressure equations are presented.
Geochemical kinetics via the Swift-Connick equations and solution NMR

Signal analysis in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy is among the most powerful methods to quantify reaction rates in aqueous solutions. To this end, the Swift-Connick approximations to the B ...
Two-Dimensional Numerical Model of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near New Orleans

AbstractTwo-dimensional tidal flows within the Lake Pontchartrain–Lake Borgne area (Louisiana) are simulated to assess the effects of the surge protection structure on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) on navigation conditions. The region of interest is modeled with a shallow-water, depth-averaged, finite-element model. The water levels and discharge are analyzed at a location in the GIWW to ascertain model behavior. It is shown that the presence of the structure produces infrequent increases in velocities in the GIWW, which can be mitigated by a proposed structure near Lake Pontchartrain.
Social aspect of activity stimuli is related to positive affect in persons with Alzheimer's disease

Commentary on: J Cohen-Mansfield, MS Marx, K Thein, et al.. The impact of stimuli on affect in persons with dementia. J Clin Psychiatry2011;72:480–6.
Timing of dialysis initiation in AKI in ICU: international survey.

Introduction Initiating dialysis in acute kidney injury (AKI) in an intensive care unit (ICU) remains a subjective clinical decision. We examined factors and practice patterns that influence early initiation of dialysis in ICU patients with acute kidney injury.
Liquid Chromatographic Fractionations of Mixtures of Polystyrene Oligomers

Abstract Oligomer mixtures of 800, 2200, and 4000 molecular weight polystyrene have been fractionated using silica and bonded phase columns under similar conditions of solvent gradient and flow rate. Using a hexane tetrahydrofuran gradient, the silica and nitro phases were best in that they separated 41 and 43 oligomers, respectively. At the other extreme, a phenyl bonded phase column gave virtually no resolution using a water/THF gradient, and a cyano bonded phase column, using the earlier hexane/tetrahydrofuran system, resolved only 10 oligomers. Amino and octadecyl bonded phase columns gave results intermediate between these two extremes. The strength of the solvent used to dissolve the sample was found to be of critical importance. Use of too good a sample solvent seriously degraded the attainable resolution. When number-average and weight-average molecular weights for an 800 molecular weight polystyrene sample were calculated from the oligomer distribution, the silica column gave values which were mo...
Climate-driven migration: an exploratory case study of Maasai health perceptions and help-seeking behaviors

By 2050, over 250 million people will be displaced from their homes by climate change. This exploratory case study examines how climate-driven migration impacts the health perceptions and help-seeking behaviors of Maasai in Tanzania. Increasing frequency and intensity of drought is killing livestock, forcing Maasai to migrate from their rural homelands to urban centers in search of ways to support their families. Little existing research investigates how this migration changes the way migrants think about health and make healthcare decisions. This study used semi-structured qualitative interviews to explore migrant and non-migrant beliefs surrounding health and healthcare. Migrant and non-migrant participants were matched on demographic characteristics and location. Migrants emphasized the importance of mental health in their overall health perceptions, whereas non-migrants emphasized physical health. Although non-migrants perceived more barriers to accessing healthcare, migrant and non-migrant help-seeking behaviors were similar in that they only sought help for physical health problems, and utilized hospitals as a last option. These findings have implications for improving Maasai healthcare utilization, and for future research targeting other climate-driven migrant populations in the world.
Testimony, evidence and interpersonal reasons

According to the Interpersonal View of Testimony (IVT), testimonial justification is non-evidential in nature. I begin by arguing that the IVT has the following problem: If the IVT is true, then young children and people with autism cannot participate in testimonial exchanges; but young children and people with autism can participate in testimonial exchanges; thus, the IVT should be rejected on the grounds that it has over-cognized what it takes to give and receive testimony. Afterwards, I consider what I take to be the two best motivations for the IVT and argue that they both fail. The overarching lesson, then, is that the IVT is unmotivated and false; we should think of testimonial justification as being evidential in nature.
State-of-the-Art Emergency Information Management and Communication at the Chemical Transportation Emergency Center

The Chemical Transportation Emergency Center (CHEMTREC) has recently implemented state-of-the-art digital-optic technology to manage its vastly expanded chemical information base. The new information system can store millions of pages of information and still retrieve any single record within seconds. The information is stored in the CCITT group 3 fascimile standard, opening the door for providing information in a hard-copy format as well as verbally. Combined with interpreter service from the United States Agency for International Development, CHEMTREC hopes to greatly enhance its ability to assist in regions outside of North America.
Phylogenetic study of pelagic nemerteans (Pelagica, Polystilifera)

Pelagic polystiliferous nemerteans, often referred to as Pelagica, represent one of the most enigmatic groups of nemerteans. The group includes 98 valid species assorted into 41 genera and 3–11 families, depending on the classification. Pelagica inhabit the water column of the world oceans, occupying depths from several hundred to several thousand meters. As is the case with most meso- or bathypelagic soft-bodied animals, specimens are few and numerous difficulties are associated with obtaining and preserving them, resulting in incomplete descriptions and, therefore, an obscure classification. Most genera and families of pelagic nemerteans are based upon unique combinations of two or three characters. Here, we present results of the first cladistic analysis of pelagic nemertean phylogeny. The analysis is based on morphological character data available from the primary literature and personal observations. A large percentage of missing entries in the data (21.5%), due to incompleteness of descriptions, results in a large number of maximum parsimonious cladograms, which translates into a drastic lack of resolution on the strict consensus tree. Traditional families supported by the cladistic analysis are Armaueriidae Brinkmann, 1917 and Pelagonemertidae (sensu Korotkevitsch, 1955). We propose a new diagnosis for Armaueriidae and discuss morphological characters traditionally used in pelagic nemertean classification. A few potentially informative characters are suggested for greater attention in future studies of specimens.
Nuclear Demand, Nuclear Supply, and Nuclear Behavior

The literature on nuclear weapons proliferation typically differentiates supply-side and demand-side factors influencing state decisions to acquire nuclear weapons. This paper, in contrast, studies how the nuclear technological capability affects their demands for nuclear weapons and the demands for nuclear weapons drive the development of their nuclear capability. The paper addresses endogeneity problems associated with this synthetic approach, and conducts the Cox-proportional-hazard analyses of the demand-side and the supply-side equations, using Singh & Way’s coding scheme of state nuclear behavior (2004, 2011) and the two different indices of nuclear technology as the main endogenous variables. Contrary to the expectation by the recent supply-side scholars, this paper finds that 1) nuclear supply (i.e., nuclear technological capability) does not stimulate nuclear demand on average, 2) the demand for nuclear weapons could facilitate the development of nuclear technological capability, and 3) therefore, nuclear demand is more likely to come first and nuclear supply follows as the result of nuclear endeavors. In addition, state nuclear demand is primarily driven by external security threats including their dispute involvement and conventional military threat while their successful nuclear technology development does not necessarily depend on individual supply-side factors.
Interrogation of Residual Stresses of Machined Surface by an X-ray Diffraction Technique

The surface quality of a machined product is a very important consideration in determining process parameters. Due to the inherent nature of the machining process, there always exists a certain amount of residual stress in the material after machining. This paper presents the results of the surface interrogation of machined workpieces by using an x-ray diffraction technique. The machining tests were performed with 4140 hot rolled steel at two speeds. During the tests, tool wear and surface finish were measured and compared to the measured residual stresses. The results show that the x-ray diffraction technique provides valuable information regarding the machining process and if used as an in-process monitoring method could provide a sensing technique for intelligent processing of materials.
What (and Where) Is the Ethical Code Concerning Researcher Conflict of Interest

Decision makers are expected to identify and perhaps recuse themselves from actions that affect entities (such as relatives or corporations) to which their relationships create an appearance of conflict of interest. This article illustrates relationships that can create conflicts of interest for editors, grant decision makers, journal and grant reviewers, expert witnesses, and also for many researchers with method or theory commitments. The author urges psychology's professional associations to do what they now do either minimally or not at all: provide ethical guidelines that identify these conflicts and offer reasoned advice on managing them.
Discovery of Selective Small Molecule Type III Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase Alpha (PI4KIIIα) Inhibitors as Anti Hepatitis C (HCV) Agents

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) assembles many host cellular proteins into unique membranous replication structures as a prerequisite for viral replication, and PI4KIIIα is an essential component of these ...
Comments on “Effects of dislocation mechanics on diffusion-induced stresses within a spherical insertion particle electrode”

In this work, it is shown that the analysis by Wei et al. [Wei et al., J. Mater. Chem. A, 2014, 2, 1128–1136] is inappropriate for studying the effect of dislocation mechanics on diffusion-induced stresses. Using the theories of dislocation mechanics and plasticity, a set of equations for analyzing the effect of dislocations on diffusion-induced stresses are proposed.
Eastwood's Brawn and Einstein's Brain: An Evolutionary Account of Dominance, Prestige, and Precarious Manhood:

Researchers have theorized that manhood is a precarious social status that requires effort to achieve. Because of this, men whose manhood is threatened react with a variety of compensatory behavior...
Hollow microcapsules by stitching together of graphene oxide nanosheets with a di-functional small molecule

Abstract Micron-sized hollow capsules composed of graphene oxide and small molecule cross-linker are prepared and isolated. These capsules are thoroughly characterized using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The cross-linked and non-cross-linked microcapsules show distinct release profiles from each other. Moreover, the microcapsules can be loaded with gold nanoparticles, suggesting these structures are useful in encapsulation technologies.
Neuronal intestinal dysplasia

Neuronal intestinal dysplasia (NID) is an inhibitory malformation of the submucous and myenteric plexuses. The diagnosis is made by examination of mucosal biopsies after histotopochemical reactions for acetylcholinesterase and lactate or succinate dehydrogenase. The rare NID type A is a disorder of the sympathetic nerves and usually leads to obstructive symptoms, diarrhea containing blood and mucus, and occasionally bowel perforation. Colostomy and resection of the affected bowel segment are unavoidable. Type B involves hyperplasia of the submucous plexus. The biopsy technique and criteria for evaluation have been standardized by prominent pathologists; the histochemical characteristics have been analzed morphometrically. Despite virtually uniform clinical symptoms, varying degrees of histochemical involvement may occur. Since maturation of the propulsive activity is possible in all forms, as a general rule a trial of conservative therapy should be made for at least 6 months. Persistent fecal retention with absence of internal sphincter relaxation can be treated successfully in 90% of cases by posterior sphincteromyotomy. Patients with massive rectal dilatation and absent propulsion require resection of the rectum and descending colon, as rectosigmoidectomy is associated with a high incidence of recurrence. The treatment of aganglionosis in combination with NID necessitates a differentiated work-up and set of indications.
A Brief History of Controlled Atmosphere Transmission Electron Microscopy

In this chapter, the development of controlled atmosphere conditions to study gas-solid reactions inside the transmission electron microscope (TEM) will be presented. The two successful approaches to achieve this, namely the use of electron transparent windows and the incorporation of small-bore apertures inside the TEM combined with differential pumping, will be discussed. Finally, we will also describe the state-of-the-art instrumentation available today to study the behavior of nanomaterials in reactive gas environments, which have been largely brought about by the development of aberration correctors, monochromators, specialized TEM holders, as well as faster and more sensitive spectrometers. Examples that highlight the diverse applications in this field will be provided.
Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) Measurement of Silica Glass Image Fiber

When an image is transmitted by an image fiber, the image quality at the exit end of the fiber generally deteriorates in relation to the size of each picture element, the misalignment of each picture element, optical power coupling (leakage) between adjacent picture elements and defects in the picture elements.
A game-based experimental protocol for identifying and overcoming judgment biases in forensic decision analysis

In the aftermath of several recent catastrophic intelligence failures, the U.S. Government commissioned a series of studies to evaluate analytic methods and tradecraft. Those reports made specific recommendations to address consistent and systematic errors known as judgment biases found in all forms of analysis: predictive, estimative, and forensic. To correct for bias, a small number of methodological improvements have been suggested. There is, however, little experimental evidence to validate their impact on analytic quality. This lack of support motivates our present work, which seeks significant improvements in analytic performance by identifying common biases that emerge during analytic tasks, as well as measuring the effects of corresponding corrective measures (a.k.a.. “debiasing” techniques), which we refer to as analytic multipliers. This effort requires an experimental protocol suitable for studying the effects of many types of biases and debiasing techniques on realistic analytic problems. This paper presents our game-based paradigm for studying decision biases and developing analytic multipliers, and includes a description and results of a pilot game we developed to validate the approach.
Optimal Global Conformal Surface Parameterization

All orientable metric surfaces are Riemann surfaces and admit global conformal parameterizations. Riemann surface structure is a fundamental structure and governs many natural physical phenomena, such as heat diffusion and electro-magnetic fields on the surface. A good parameterization is crucial for simulation and visualization. This paper provides an explicit method for finding optimal global conformal parameterizations of arbitrary surfaces. It relies on certain holomorphic differential forms and conformal mappings from differential geometry and Riemann surface theories. Algorithms are developed to modify topology, locate zero points, and determine cohomology types of differential forms. The implementation is based on a finite dimensional optimization method. The optimal parameterization is intrinsic to the geometry, preserves angular structure, and can play an important role in various applications including texture mapping, remeshing, morphing and simulation. The method is demonstrated by visualizing the Riemann surface structure of real surfaces represented as triangle meshes.
Double-blind, randomized crossover study of intravenous infusion of magnesium sulfate versus 5% dextrose on depressive symptoms in adults with treatment-resistant depression.

Aim Treatment-resistant depression patients are more likely to suffer from comorbid physical and mental disorders, experience marked and protracted functional impairment, and incur higher health-care costs than non-affected individuals. Magnesium sulfate is a treatment option that may offer great potential for patients with treatment-resistant depression based on prior work in animals and humans. Methods Twelve subjects with mild or moderate treatment-resistant depression were randomized into a double-blind crossover trial to receive an infusion of 4 g of magnesium sulfate in 5% dextrose or placebo infusion of 5% dextrose with a 5-day washout in between the 8-day intervention period. Subjects were assessed before and after the intervention for serum and urine magnesium, lipid panel, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Results We found a difference in serum magnesium from day 2 to 8 (pre-infusion) (P < 0.002) and from baseline to day 8 (P < 0.02). No changes were noted on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression or the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 24 h post-treatment, but as serum magnesium increased from baseline to day 7, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 decreased from baseline to day 7 (P = 0.02). Conclusion Magnesium sulfate did not significantly affect depression 24 h post-infusion, but other results were consistent with the literature. The association between changes in serum magnesium and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 supports the idea that magnesium sulfate may be used to address treatment-resistant depression, an ongoing medical challenge.
High resolution OCT image generation using super resolution via sparse representation

In this paper we propose a technique for obtaining a high resolution (HR) image from a single low resolution (LR) image -using joint learning dictionary - on the basis of image statistic research. It suggests that with an appropriate choice of an over-complete dictionary, image patches can be well represented as a sparse linear combination. Medical imaging for clinical analysis and medical intervention is being used for creating visual representations of the interior of a body, as well as visual representation of the function of some organs or tissues (physiology). A number of medical imaging techniques are in use like MRI, CT scan, X-rays and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). OCT is one of the new technologies in medical imaging and one of its uses is in ophthalmology where it is being used for analysis of the choroidal thickness in the eyes in healthy and disease states such as age-related macular degeneration, central serous chorioretinopathy, diabetic retinopathy and inherited retinal dystrophies. We have proposed a technique for enhancing the OCT images which can be used for clearly identifying and analyzing the particular diseases. Our method uses dictionary learning technique for generating a high resolution image from a single input LR image. We train two joint dictionaries, one with OCT images and the second with multiple different natural images, and compare the results with previous SR technique. Proposed method for both dictionaries produces HR images which are comparatively superior in quality with the other proposed method of SR. Proposed technique is very effective for noisy OCT images and produces up-sampled and enhanced OCT images.
A high-throughput genetic screen identifies previously uncharacterized Borrelia burgdorferi genes important for resistance against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species

Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease in humans, is exposed to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) in both the tick vector and vertebrate reservoir hosts. B. burgdorferi contains a limited repertoire of canonical oxidative stress response genes, suggesting that novel gene functions may be important for protection of B. burgdorferi against ROS or RNS exposure. Here, we use transposon insertion sequencing (Tn-seq) to conduct an unbiased search for genes involved in resistance to nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide, and tertiary-butyl hydroperoxide in vitro. The screens identified 66 genes whose disruption resulted in increased susceptibility to at least one of the stressors. These genes include previously characterized mediators of ROS and RNS resistance (including components of the nucleotide excision repair pathway and a subunit of a riboflavin transporter), as well as novel putative resistance candidates. DNA repair mutants were among the most sensitive to RNS in the Tn-seq screen, and survival assays with individual Tn mutants confirmed that the putative ribonuclease BB0839 is involved in resistance to nitric oxide. In contrast, mutants lacking predicted inner membrane proteins or transporters were among the most sensitive to ROS, and the contribution of three such membrane proteins (BB0017, BB0164, and BB0202) to ROS sensitivity was confirmed using individual Tn mutants and complemented strains. Further analysis showed that levels of intracellular manganese are significantly reduced in the Tn::bb0164 mutant, identifying a novel role for BB0164 in B. burgdorferi manganese homeostasis. Infection of C57BL/6 and gp91phox-/- mice with a mini-library of 39 Tn mutants showed that many of the genes identified in the in vitro screens are required for infectivity in mice. Collectively, our data provide insight into how B. burgdorferi responds to ROS and RNS and suggests that this response is relevant to the in vivo success of the organism.