cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glucocorticoid-Induced Apoptosis

Publisher Summary In present days, glucocorticoids are a mainstay of the therapeutic armamentarium for lymphomas and other lymphocytic malignancies. When treated with glucocorticoids, malignant lymphocytes isolated from blood or bone marrow of patients undergo programmed cell death, or apoptosis. However, the fact that malignant lymphocytes have a propensity to become resistant to glucocorticoids is significantly limiting its therapeutic efficacy. A detailed understanding of the mechanism of glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis is likely to translate into new therapeutic possibilities for lymphoid malignancies, including methods for circumventing or overcoming glucocorticoid resistance. This chapter addresses a working model of glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis. This model is founded on existing knowledge regarding the mechanism of glucocorticoid-induced cell death in lymphocytes and thymocytes, together with emerging evidence from other experimental systems. Based on the genetic pathway for programmed cell death recently unraveled in the primitive nematode Caeizorhahditis elgans, cell death in glucocorticoid-treated lymphocytes is viewed as a genetically regulated, stepwise process beginning with the decision of the healthy lymphocyte to die, the execution of the death program, engulfment by other cells, and degradation. The model reveals existing gaps in understanding, thereby identifying both long-standing unresolved questions and new questions of pressing importance.
Regression of hepatic adenomas in type Ia glycogen storage disease with dietary therapy.

Abstract Individuals with type Ia glycogen storage disease (glucose-6-phosphatase deficiency) frequently develop hepatic adenomas. Potential complications involving these adenomas include malignant transformation and hemorrhage. Five of 9 patients with this disease had evidence of hepatic filling defects on radionucleotide liver scan when first evaluated at our hospital. Dietary therapy aimed at preventing hypoglycemia was begun in 7 of the 9 patients. Prevention of hypoglycemia resulted in the correction of all of the metabolic abnormalities (lactic acidosis, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, and growth retardation). Treatment also corrected the marked elevation in plasma glucagon concentrations. A disappearance of the hepatic lesions occurred in 2 of the treated patients, and a marked reduction in size of the adenoma occurred in the third patient. The hepatic filling defects remained present in the two untreated patients. None of the affected patients receiving dietary therapy have developed hepatic adenomas. One of these patients is now 22 yr old and has received dietary therapy for 7 yr. Early dietary therapy seems to be effective in preventing development of adenomas as well as inducing their resolution.
“Plan your Burn, Burn your Plan”: How Decentralization, Storytelling, and Communification Can Support Participatory Practices

Research has found that compared with larger groups, small ones had fewer difficulties with retaining their participatory-democratic practices and values. However, the endurance and expansion of Burning Man, from 20 friends and family in 1986 to a temporary arts community of more than 66,000 persons in 2014, suggests that collectivities can maintain and augment participatory practices over increasing scale. Using an ethnographic study of organizing activities spanning 1998 to 2001 and follow-up research through 2012, I focus on how the Burning Man organization has sustained its participatory-democratic principles over dramatic growth. Specifically, I show how the Burning Man organization promoted and sustained authentic voice and engagement by (1) decentralizing agency, (2) contextualizing norms and practices via storytelling and discussion, and (3) “communifying” labor.
Effect of reduction and solubilization on the conformation of cytochrome oxidase

Membraneous cytochrome oxidase (E.C. 1.9.3.1) was labelled with iodoacetamide and maleimide spin labels and solubilized with Triton X-100. On reduction, the EPR spectrum of the original membraneous oxidase was shifted toward the less strongly immobilized form as measured with either label.
Detection of receptors for the Fc region of IgG on streptococci

A semi-quantitative absorption test to measure Fc-reactive proteins on the surface of streptococci is described. The ability of bacteria to remove intact IgG in the presence of an equimolar amount of F(ab')2 fragments was used to identify streptococci with Fc-reactive proteins on their surface. This method was found to be more objective, reproducible and quantitative than the hemagglutination and 125I-labeled IgG binding methods currently in use. Methods for detection of secreted Fc-reactive materials with protein A-like reactivity are also described.
A method of matrix analysis of group structure.

Matrix methods may be applied to the analysis of experimental data concerning group structure when these data indicate relationships which can be depicted by line diagrams such as sociograms. One may introduce two concepts,n-chain and clique, which have simple relationships to the powers of certain matrices. Using them it is possible to determine the group structure by methods which are both faster and more certain than less systematic methods. This paper describes such a matrix method and applies it to the analysis of practical examples. At several points some unsolved problems in this field are indicated.
Mediators of Effects of a Selective Family-Focused Violence Prevention Approach for Middle School Students

This study examined how parenting and family characteristics targeted in a selective prevention program mediated effects on key youth proximal outcomes related to violence perpetration. The selective intervention was evaluated within the context of a multi-site trial involving random assignment of 37 schools to four conditions: a universal intervention composed of a student social-cognitive curriculum and teacher training, a selective family-focused intervention with a subset of high-risk students, a condition combining these two interventions, and a no-intervention control condition. Two cohorts of sixth-grade students (total N = 1,062) exhibiting high levels of aggression and social influence were the sample for this study. Analyses of pre-post change compared to controls using intent-to-treat analyses found no significant effects. However, estimates incorporating participation of those assigned to the intervention and predicted participation among those not assigned revealed significant positive effects on student aggression, use of aggressive strategies for conflict management, and parental estimation of student’s valuing of achievement. Findings also indicated intervention effects on two targeted family processes: discipline practices and family cohesion. Mediation analyses found evidence that change in these processes mediated effects on some outcomes, notably aggressive behavior and valuing of school achievement. Results support the notion that changing parenting practices and the quality of family relationships can prevent the escalation in aggression and maintain positive school engagement for high-risk youth.
Differential luminescence thermometry in semiconductor laser cooling

We demonstrate a non-contact, spectroscopic technique to measure the temperature change of semiconductors with very high precision. A temperature resolution of less than 100 μK has been obtained with bulk GaAs. This scheme finds application in experiments to study laser cooling of solids. We measure a record external quantum efficiency of 99% for a GaAs device.
Myelin basic protein treatment of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in monkeys

Treatment of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in two strains of monkeys with large amounts of myelin basic basic protein (BP) fails unless an adjunct is also used. In both strains the adjunct by itself is more effective than BP by itself, but in the one strain which could be investigated sufficiently, the combination can be made almost totally effective in reversing EAE. The adjunct varies with the strain of monkey, an antibiotic in Macaca mulatta and a steroid in Macaca fascicularis. Similar adjunctive treatments should be considered in the management of multiple sclerosis, for EAE remains one of the best studied models.
A novel aligner for X-ray lithography

Abstract This paper describes the use of the two-state alignment (TSA) method and its implementation into an experimental X-ray lithography stepper. Previous papers have reported the TSA sensitivity to be larger than 3 V/μm with a noise level displacement error equivalent of smaller than 0.003 μm. Tests of alignment repeatability showed a standard deviation of 3 σ = 0.06 μ m from 900 continuous scans. The TSA system proves to be a promising overlay alignment technique, for quarter micron devices. We describe the optical and mechanical systems for a three-axes TSA mask/wafer aligner. This system has been installed on the CXRL ES-3 beamline. The method of gap setting between the mask and wafer is also described. The TSA system can continuously align, even during an exposure. A helium filled chamber will enclose the aligner. The entire system resides inside a class 10 exposure cleanroom. Final alignment results and exposure overlays are pending fine tuning of the system and development of a multi-level mask set.
Creative Supergroups: Group Performance as a Function of Individual Performance on Brainstorming Tasks

Summary This study investigated the reliability of individual brainstorming performance and the relative productivity of groups comprised of high (“supergroups”) versus low individual performers. Over a six-week period, and across different problems, the reliability coefficient for individual brainstorming performance was .54. Supergroups were found to be significantly more productive than groups comprised of low individual performers. Moreover, the mean number of ideas produced by the supergroups was substantially higher than the means obtained in three prior studies which used the same brainstorming problem. It was concluded that group performance can be markedly improved by selecting members on the basis of their ability to work alone on productive thinking problems.
Feeding Ecology of the Tidewater Goby

Abstract We investigated the feeding ecology of the tidewater goby Eucyclogobius newberryi, a California estuarine fish that is federally listed as an endangered species. We compared the diet during three seasons (April, August, and November 1992) in three habitats (lagoon, creek, and marsh). Tidewater gobies (N = 331; standard lengths [SL], 15–46 mm) fed on benthic invertebrates, principally ostracods, chironomid larvae, and the gammarid amphipod Corophium spinicorne. Other prey taxa included polychaetes, oligochaetes, isopods, the gammarid amphipod Eogammarus ramellus, copepods, mysids, and invertebrate eggs. Diet variability within samples was low, but diet varied across seasons and sometimes habitats. The tidewater goby appeared to be a specialist that can forage opportunistically in some circumstances. Comparisons between the diet and available resources in August indicated selectivity in the lagoon and marsh (albeit for different prey), but general feeding in the creek. Laboratory observations of fe...
The new political geography of the sea

Abstract The political geography of the sea may be defined as that portion of the Law of the Sea which has a spatial or territorial component, including such matters as the territorial sea and the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone, international straits, the regimes of islands and archipelagos, freedom of transit for land-locked states, deep seabed mining and protection and preservation of the marine environment. It also includes larger issues not formally part of the Law of the Sea, such as the links between the Law of the Sea and Antarctica, and military uses of the sea. The new Law of the Sea (hence the new political geography of the sea) is the latest stage in a long evolution traceable to the ancient Greeks and Romans but accelerating since the 17th century. The United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea produced in 1958 four conventions essentially codifying the existing Law of the Sea, including the new continental shelf doctrine. They were followed by the 1965 UN Convention on Transit Trade of Land-locked States. All soon proved inadequate, unacceptable or obsolescent. The Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III, 1973–1982) produced a new single, comprehensive convention embodying nearly all old and new aspects of the Law of the Sea. This and related matters deserve much greater attention from political geographers than they have received thus far.
Towards multiscale modeling of influenza infection

Aided by recent advances in computational power, algorithms, and higher fidelity data, increasingly detailed theoretical models of infection with influenza A virus are being developed. We review single scale models as they describe influenza infection from intracellular to global scales, and, in particular, we consider those models that capture details specific to influenza and can be used to link different scales. We discuss the few multiscale models of influenza infection that have been developed in this emerging field. In addition to discussing modeling approaches, we also survey biological data on influenza infection and transmission that is relevant for constructing influenza infection models. We envision that, in the future, multiscale models that capitalize on technical advances in experimental biology and high performance computing could be used to describe the large spatial scale epidemiology of influenza infection, evolution of the virus, and transmission between hosts more accurately.
Aquatic habitat change in the Arkansas river after the development of a lock‐and‐dam commercial navigation system

The McClellan–Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS), completed in 1971, required the construction of 17 locks and dams and associated navigation works to make the Arkansas and Verdigris Rivers navigable for barge traffic from the Mississippi River to Catoosa, Oklahoma. We used a Geographic Information System to assess habitat changes in the 477-km portion of this system within Arkansas from 1973 to 1999. Total aquatic area declined by 9% from 42 404 to 38 655 ha. Aquatic habitat losses were 1–17% among pools. Greatest habitat losses occurred in diked secondary channels (former secondary channels with flow reduced by rock dikes) and backwaters adjacent to the main channel. Most of the area of dike pools (aquatic habitat downstream of rock dikes), diked secondary channels and adjacent backwaters were <0.9 m deep. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
L-type calcium current reactivation contributes to arrhythmogenesis associated with action potential triangulation.

Introduction The morphology of the mammalian cardiac action potential (AP) is an important factor in the susceptibility to drug-induced early afterdepolarizations (EADs) that may initiate torsade de pointes (TdP). AP triangulation has been shown to be an important predictor of drug-induced TdP. Methods and results APs from guinea pig and rabbit left ventricular single myocytes were recorded using a microelectrode-recording technique. I(Ca-L) currents were recorded in ventricular myocytes of guinea pig and rabbit using patch-clamping technique. At a stimulus frequency of 0.5 Hz, guinea pig ventricular myocytes displayed a square-like AP, whereas rabbit ventricular myocytes exhibited a triangle-like AP. Dofetilide-induced EADs were observed only in rabbit ventricular myocytes. Under the guinea pig AP clamping condition, the normalized I(Ca-L) instant reactivation currents in guinea pig and rabbit myocytes at voltages of -40 mV were 0.13 +/- 0.01 and 0.14 +/- 0.01, respectively. However, when rabbit AP served as the first clamping voltage, the normalized I(Ca-L) reactivation currents at -40 mV in guinea pig and rabbit myocytes were 0.20 +/- 0.01, 0.21 +/- 0.01, respectively, indicating that the I(Ca-L) recovery from inactivation in the rabbit triangular AP condition was significantly faster than in the guinea pig square AP condition. Comparison of the voltage clamp using the triangular waveform with the square waveform further confirmed that triangulation accelerates I(Ca-L) recovery from inactivation. Conclusions In rabbit ventricular myocardium, AP triangulation accelerates I(Ca-L) channel recovery from inactivation, leading to instability of the cell membrane potential during repolarization, which is capable of initiating TdP.
Emulsion Stability: Delineation of Different Particle Loss Mechanisms

The kinetics of the emulsion-breaking process are governed by three different particle loss mechanisms: Brownian flocculation, sedimentation flocculation, and creaming. Various particle loss mechanisms have been delineated and the relative importance of Brownian flocculation and sedimentation flocculation compared. A general map presenting regimes of dominant particle loss mechanisms has been developed from which one can determine the dominant particle loss mechanism for a given particle size and density difference. In addition, the relative importance offlocculation and creaming has been delineated for a monodispersed system. The effects of particle size, surface potential, concentration, density difference, temperature, and ionic strength on the relative importance of ftocculation and creaming have been analyzed. 1. INTRODUCTION An emulsion is a thermodynamically unstable system and possesses a natural tendency to break. By dispersing one phase into the other, the interface between them is greatly increased, as is the free energy of the interface which is proportional to the interface area. The emulsion, therefore, possesses a natural tendency to separate into two phases. The kinetics of the emulsion-breaking process are governed by three different particle loss mechanisms: Brownian flocculation, sedimentation ftocculation, and creaming. Particles under Brownian motion collide and then coalesce to form larger particles. At the same time, particles are creaming out due to the difference in the densities of the particles and continuous medium. Sedimentation flocculation is due to differential creaming rates of particles of different sizes. The larger particles cream out at a faster rate than the smaller ones; therefore, larger particles collide with slowermoving smaller particles as they cream out. In most common emulsions, all the particle loss processes take place simultaneously. A general dynamic equation (GDE) which includes all three processes was derived and solved numerically (1). While the numerical solution to the GDE does accurately predict changes in the particle size and size distribution, it does not delineate the various particle loss processes. It can be explained qualitatively that flocculation will be significant for smaller particles and creaming will be significant for larger particles. However, it is important to develop quantitative relationships to predict the state of an emulsion, i.e., whether emulsion particles are creaming or flocculating, and if both are occurring, which is predominant. In addition, the importance of flocculation resulting from sedimentation will be determined. The object here is to develop maps with domains representing the relative importance of the various particle loss processes as a function of key emulsion properties.
Investigation of sesquiterpene lactones as protein synthesis inhibitors of P-388 lymphocytic leukemia cells

The mode of action of helenalin and bis(helenalinyl) malonate as protein synthesis inhibitors of P-388 lymphocytic leukemia cells was investigated. The initial characterizations were carried out in crude lysates of the P-388 cells. In the lysate, there was a 4 min lag after the addition of drug before inhibition of protein synthesis occurred. Both drugs allowed run-off of preformed polysomes, but did significantly inhibit the formation of the 80 S initiation complex suggesting a preferential inhibition of one or more initiation reactions. The effect of these drugs on inhibition of both elongation and initiation reactions was further investigated using more fractionated systems prepared from P-388 cells. Poly(U)-directed polyphenylalanine synthesis was marginally inhibited by both drugs, but the degree of inhibition was not sufficient to explain the inhibition observed in either the lysate or in whole cell preparations of P-388. The formation of the ternary initiation complex was not significantly inhibited by either drug, but the conversion of this complex to the 48 and 80 S initiation complexes was inhibited. The inhibition of 48 S initiation complex formation by both drugs was sufficient to explain their inhibition of protein synthesis in whole cells.
The horospherical duality

We discuss the horospherical duality as a geometrical background of harmonic analysis on semisimple symmetric spaces.
Multiband signals generation and transmission over fiber and air by a novel frequency-doubled, radio-over-fiber architecture without expensive carrier suppression filters

We demonstrate a novel frequency-doubled wireless over fiber system to offer multiband services including baseband, 60-GHz millimeter-wave and 15-GHz microwave without carrier suppression. Multiband wireless signals are successfully transmitted through both fiber and air channels.
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF WILMS TUMOR

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 4 children with Wilms tumor suggests the usefulness of this newer imaging modality in evaluating the organ of origin and defining the extent of Wilms tumor. Coronal T1-weighted images were the most useful pulsing sequence for evaluating these children.
Use of Free Grafts in Urethral Stricture Reconstruction

AbstractPurpose: The indications, contraindications and results of free graft urethroplasty are determined.Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was done of 40 consecutive patients who underwent free graft urethroplasty with penile and preputial skin, buccal mucosa and bladder epithelium.Results: Of the 35 patients in whom adequate followup data were available the outcome was successful in 30 (86 percent). Success was unrelated to donor site, prior intervention or cause of stricture. Failure was attributed to placement of grafts onto the penile urethra and patient age.Conclusions: For strictures in the bulbar urethra the success rate of free grafts was high. Failures occurred in patients in whom full thickness skin grafts were extended far onto the penile urethra.
Placentation in garter snakes. III. Transmission EM of the omphalallantoic placenta of Thamnophis radix and T. sirtalis.

The omphalallantoic placenta is a complex organ that is unique to viviparous squamates. Using transmission EM and light microscopy, we examined this placenta in garter snakes in order to understand its structural organization and functional capabilities. The omphalallantoic placenta is formed from the uterine lining and the bilaminar omphalopleure, the latter of which is associated with the isolated yolk mass and allantois. A thin shell membrane separates the fetal and maternal tissues throughout gestation. The uterine epithelium contains cuboidal cells with large droplets or granules and appears to be secretory. Epithelium of the omphalopleure is specialized for absorption and contains cells with prominent microvilli and others with large cytoplasmic droplets or granules. The brush-border cells are rich in mitochondria and Golgi bodies and interdigitate extensively with adjacent cells, forming elaborate intercellular canaliculi. Their morphology is consistent with their proposed role in sodium-coupled water movement. During development, the isolated yolk mass becomes depleted as yolk droplets are digested by cells of the omphalopleure and allantois. However, the allantois does not fuse to or vascularize the inner face of the omphalopleure. Consequently, the distance between fetal and maternal circulatory systems remains large (about 250-300 microm), precluding efficient gas exchange and hemotrophic transfer. The morphology of the omphalallantoic placenta strongly suggests that it functions in nutrient transfer through uterine secretion and fetal absorption.
RE‐VISIONING THE HOPI FOURTH WORLD: DAN NAMINGHA, INDIGENOUS MODERNISM, AND THE HOPIVOTSKWANI

This article demonstrates, through an analysis of the work of Hopi-Tewa artist Dan Namingha, that the discourse on contemporary American Indian art has moved beyond issues of ‘assimilation’. Whereas consideration of modern American Indian art has been limited to the ‘two-world’ motif, in which indigenous artists had to make a choice between being ‘traditional’ or ‘progressive’, the paradigm today, it is argued, consists in ‘recovering’ and ‘revitalizing’ of indigenous values and beliefs. What results is the appropriation by indigenous artists of a sovereign space within the ‘art world’ for non-Western sources of culture. Namingha's Hopi-Tewa images are all drawn from the Hopi villages, Polacca and Hano, on First Mesa, in which he grew up. The essay elucidates that Namingha, through his art, accomplishes the extension of the Hopivotskwani, which is the Hopi ‘way of doing things’, into the world of modern art, thereby making a claim for the continued relevance of an otherwise ancient tradition.
Interactive biking exercise (iBikE) platform to facilitate lower extremity cycling exercise: System design and feasibility

Lower limb pedalling exercise has been frequently used as a part of comprehensive rehabilitation programs and has been shown to improve functional outcomes in patients with different chronic health conditions. Various pedalling devices are frequently used to facilitate lower extremity training however effective use of these devices at patient homes is hampered by lack of remote connectivity with clinical rehabilitation team, inability to monitor exercise progress in real time using simple graphical representation, and absence of an alert system which would prevent exertion levels exceeding those approved by the clinical rehabilitation team. The goal of this project was to develop an interactive biking exercise (iBikE) platform aimed at addressing these limitations. The platform uses a miniature wireless 3-axis accelerometer mounted on a patient ankle that transmits the cycling acceleration data to a laptop. The laptop screen presents an exercise dashboard to the patient in real time allowing easy graphical visualization of exercise progress and presentation of exercise parameters in relation to prescribed targets. The iBikE platform is programmed to alert the patient when exercise intensity exceeds the levels recommended by the patient care provider. The iBikE platform has been tested in 8 healthy volunteers (age range: 23-55 years) and shown to reliably reflect exercise progress and to generate alerts at pre-setup levels. Implementation of remote connectivity with patient rehabilitation team is warranted for future extension and evaluation efforts.
Seismology and the first hundred kilometers of the Earth

The seismologist is a peculiar being. He is one species of the genus geophysicist. Like other human beings he is curious about the Earth; but he is not so much interested in what is on the Earth or above the Earth as he is in what is in the Earth. The geologist is also curious about the Earth and he goes out to look. The geologist examines what he sees on the surface and what he can bring up with his probe called a drill. He works as it were with his eye, both aided and unaided. The seismologist, on the other hand, does not depend on what he can see; but he shakes the Earth and listens in order to find out what is inside. The seismologist therefore labors under many handicaps. He cannot go down inside the Earth any farther than can the geologist. He must listen from the outside. His ear may not be sufficiently sensitive or well attuned, and he may miss or mistake the import of the noises caused by the shaking. In fact, to change the metaphor, seismologists generally are left to feel around old mother Earth, and find themselves pretty much in the predicament of the blind men and the elephant, and they have often been betrayed into conclusions just as hasty and quite as unjustified from their inadequate evidence. This is one side of the picture.
Cerebellar stimulation modulates the intensity of a visceral nociceptive reflex in the rat.

The cerebellum modulates different nociceptive phenomena and influences visceral functions. This study shows cerebellar modulation of an abdominal reflex elicited by a visceral noxious stimulus (colorectal distension, CRD). The intensity of the reflex was measured by electromyographic (EMG) recording from the rectus abdominus muscle, and the cerebellar cortex (vermis, lobule VIII), the fastigial nucleus, or the dentate nucleus was stimulated using d,l-homocysteic acid (0.1 M, 1 μl). To release the fastigial nucleus from inhibition by the Purkinje cells, bicuculline (GABA A receptor antagonist, 100 μM, 1 μl) was used. Stimulation of the cerebellar cortex enhanced, whereas stimulation or disinhibition of the fastigial nucleus decreased, the responses to CRD measured by EMG. Stimulation of the dentate nucleus did not have an obvious effect on the intensity of the reflex. These results are in agreement with the hypothesis that the cerebellum modulates visceral nociceptive functions, whereby the cerebellar cortex and the fastigial nucleus, respectively, play a pro-nociceptive and an anti-nociceptive role.
Covering the computer field

During the past year, the Communications has printed approximately twenty papers in each of three main areas: programming language development, compiler management and construction, and numerical methods. In addition, about twenty new algorithms were published, as well as half a dozen papers covering the general area of education in computer science; new proposed standards were also disseminated for various types of paper tape, punched cards, and for data communication codes. Three of the twelve issues were conference issues consisting of papers originally given at the ACM Conference on Programming Languages and Pragmatics, the ACM Symposium on Symbolic and Algebraic Manipulation, and a Symposium on the Impact of Computing on Undergraduate Mathematics. A survey paper was published on simulation languages, and two reports were printed covering the computer scene in Communist China and Europe, respectively.
O-Sulfinylation of alcohols with methanesulfonyl cyanide or p-toluenesulfonyl cyanide.

Abstract Reaction of p-toluenesulfonyl cyanide or methanesulfonyl cyanide with alcohols in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]under-7-ene (DBU) or 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) gives sulfinates in good yield. A mechanistic scheme involving sulfinyl cyanates 9 and 21 is suggested.
Numerical Analysis of the Constrained Blister Test

Abstract The constrained blister test is investigated through finite element analysis to determine the applicabilities and the limitations of the new technique. Numerical results confirm that the strain energy release rate asymptotically approaches a constant value. These results also show that the test technique and the approximate solution for strain energy release rate are applicable for some practical cases.
STRESS, COGNITION, AND COMMUNICATION IN INTERPERSONAL CONFLICTS

Several cognitive and behavioral aspects of communication in interpersonal conflict were hypothesized to be affected by one central process, which it the tendency for stress to reduce conceptual complexity during conflict. It was hypothesized that in poorly adjusted relationships, stress associated with conflict discussions decreases conceptual complexity, increases attributional bias, and decreases speech hesitation and productivity. These predictions were examined in a study of videotaped conflict discussions involving college roommates. The results provided modest evidence of relationships between relationship adjustment, attributions of blame, and the complexity of spontaneous communications. Further analyses indicated that three nonverbal indicators of stress were related to attributions of blame, communicative complexity, and speech productivity, thereby supporting the assumption that stress mediates cognitive and behavioral responses to conflict. Speech hesitation, on the other hand, was not relate...
Selection Rules Within Atomic Shells

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on selection criteria within atomic shells. There have been many developments in atomic shell theory since Racah's work. It is nevertheless true to say that the sequence of groups established by Racah remains the central core around which all subsequent group structure is built. The orthogonality conditions are not quite sufficient to determine all of its matrix elements. A supplementary equation can be obtained from the Clebsch–Gordan interchange. It occasionally happens that operators of physical interest are the generators of groups. The alternative is either that some group structure remains to be discovered or else that the zeros are purely accidental.
The Paris years of Thomas Jefferson

In 1784 Thomas Jefferson moved to the sophisticated and exhilarating city of Paris, where he spent the next five years as ambassador from the new United States of America. This engaging book recreates in word and illustration the atmosphere and personalities of prerevolutionary Paris, and it reveals the profound impact they had on one of America's first transatlantic citizens.
Concurrent operations on priority queues

Among the fastest priority queue implementations, skew heaps have properties that make them particularly suited to concurrent manipulation of shared queues. A concurrent version of the top down implementation of skew heaps can be produced from previously published sequential versions using almost mechanical transformations. This implementation requires O(log n) time to enqueue or dequeue an item, but it allows new operations to begin after only O(1) time on a MIMD machine. Thus, there is potential for significant concurrency when multiple processes share a queue. Applications to problems in graph theory and simulation are discussed in this article.
Patch and landscape factors shape community assemblage of bumble bees, Bombus spp. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), in montane meadows

Abstract Understanding the scale at which habitat influences species richness in terrestrial ecosystems is central to both ecology and conservation biology [Wettstein, W., Schmid, B., 1999. Conservation of arthropod diversity in montane wetlands: effect of altitude, habitat quality and habitat fragmentation on butterflies and grasshoppers. Journal of Applied Ecology, 36, 363–373]. Community composition may be influenced by habitat variation at patch and/or landscape-scales depending on the body size, home range area, and dispersal distances of the focal taxa [Calder III, W.A., 1984. Size, function, and life history. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA; Haskell, J.P., Ritchie, M.E., Olff, H., 2002. Fractal geometry predicts varying body size scaling relationships for mammal and bird home ranges. Nature 418, 527–530; Thomas, C.D., 2000. Dispersal and extinction in fragmented landscapes. Proceedings of the Royal Society Biological Sciences Series B 267, 139–145], not merely their phylogenetic affinity. We investigated the importance of habitat variables at different scales on the richness and abundance of bumble bees both annually and seasonally in Sierran montane meadows over two years. We found that both patch and landscape factors influence the species richness and abundance of bumble bees and these factors have a seasonal component to their importance. The proportion of meadow in the surrounding habitat was the most consistent positive influence on both species richness and abundance across years. In the second year, 2003, patch factors, plant species richness and current livestock grazing also influenced bumblebee species richness; plant species richness was positively correlated and current livestock grazing was negatively correlated with bumble bee species richness. Bumble bee abundance was positively influenced by meadow wetness and proportion of meadow in the surrounding habitat in both years. These data suggest conservation of pollinators depends on conservation planning with attention to the quality and context of the landscape.
Ejaculation is important for mating-induced testosterone increases in male rhesus monkeys.

Abstract Sexual behavior of male and estrogen-treated female rhesus monkeys was observed at 1000 and 1400 hr within and outside the breeding season. Blood samples for analysis of testosterone were taken before and after these 1 hr behavioral tests. Group testosterone levels increased significantly only during the one condition in which over half of the males ejaculated (in season afternoon), and only in those males actually ejaculating. In other time and seasonal conditions, increases in testosterone were observed when tests without ejaculation were eliminated from analysis. Furthermore, males in which testosterone levels increased following ejaculation displayed no increase when caged alone for an equivalent time period, or when tested with an untreated, ovariectomized female. These results suggest that ejaculation (rather than other aspects of the test setting) may be critical for the occurrence of androgen increases.
Hyperbaric oxygen and cerebral infarction in the gerbil

The effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen in reducing the incidence of cerebral infarction during the first 36 hours after occlusion of the right common carotid artery was investigated in gerbils. After carotid ligation, the gerbils were divided into four groups: controls, which breathed air at ambient pressure; group 1, which received hyperbaric oxygen at 1.5 atmospheres absolute pressure (ATA) for 36 hours, with a 5-minute, 1.5-ATA air break each hour; group 2, which received hyperbaric oxygen at 1.5 ATA for 1 hour alternating with 1 hour air at 1 ATA, for 36 hours; and group 3, which received hyperbaric oxygen at 1.5 ATA with hourly 5-minute air breaks for 18 hours, and ambient air for the second 18 hours. Neurological evaluations and staining of the brain with tetrazolium revealed the following results at 36 hours after carotid ligation: 72% of the controls had cerebral infarcts; 26% of the gerbils in group 1 had infarcts, but all animals died at 24-36 hours after beginning hyperbaric oxygen exposure from oxygen toxicity; 44% of the gerbils in group 2 had infarcts; 11% of the gerbils in group 3 had infarcts during the first 18 hours after carotid ligation, and no infarcts developed in the 18 hours that followed. Hyperbaric oxygen reduces the incidence of cerebral infarction after carotid artery ligation, presumably by allowing time for collateral circulation to develop.
Percentage of high-grade carcinoma as a prognostic indicator in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND. The prognostic value of Fuhrman nuclear grade for patients with renal cell carcinoma has been well-characterized. However, to the authors' knowledge, the prognostic significance of the amount of high-grade renal cell carcinoma has not been previously analyzed. METHODS. The authors identified 898 consecutive renal cell carcinoma cases treated with nephrectomy between 1989 and 2003. Histopathologic features that were captured based on re-review of all slides included histologic type, pathologic stage, conventional Fuhrman grade, and percentage of Fuhrman grade 3 and 4 carcinoma, as ascertained by visual inspection of histologic slides. The clinical endpoints were metastasis-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival. RESULTS. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that both conventional Fuhrman grading and the percentage of Fuhrman grade 3 and 4 carcinoma were highly correlated with all 3 measures of patient survival (P < .0001). The creation of 3 categories of the percentage of Fuhrman grade 3 and 4 carcinoma (0%, 1–50%, and 51–100%) generated distinctly separate survival curves. On Cox proportional hazards multivariate analysis, TNM stage, tumor size, and the percentage of Fuhrman grade 3 and 4 carcinoma were all found to be significantly associated with all 3 types of patient survival (all P values <.05). CONCLUSIONS. The determination of the percentage of renal cell carcinoma that is 0%, 1% to 50%, or 51% to 100% high Fuhrman grade 3 and 4 is a simple and powerful measurement of patient outcome after surgery that provides additional prognostic information beyond stage, tumor size, and conventional Fuhrman grade. This prognostic information could be useful in the stratification of patients into prognostic groups for the development of more individualized follow-upschedules and for enrollment into clinical trials. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Micro-Blog: map-casting from mobile phones to virtual sensor maps

The synergy of phone sensors (microphone, camera, GPS, etc.), wireless capability, and ever-increasing device density can lead to novel people-centric applications. Unlike traditional sensor networks, the next generation networks may be participatory, interactive, and in the scale of human users. Millions of global data points can be organized on a visual platform, queried, and sophistically answered through human participation. Recent years have witnessed the isolated impacts of distributed knowledge sharing (Wikipedia), social networks, sensor networks, and mobile communication. We believe that significant more impact is latent in their convergence, that can to be drawn out through innovations in applications. This demonstration, called Micro-Blog, is a first step towards this goal.
Investigation of a lithium foil multi-wire proportional counter for potential 3He replacement

Abstract The recent shortage in the supply of 3 He for neutron detection has caused a large surge in research for a viable replacement. 6 Li has a large cross section for the absorption of thermal neutrons and emits two relatively short-ranged interaction products. Li foil can now be manufactured thin enough to allow both reaction products to escape the foil. Ten layers of natural Li foil were placed in a multi-wire continuous flow gas chamber with a single anode wire between each foil. Four different thicknesses, 30, 50, 75 and 120 μm, were tested in a thermalized neutron beam. The intrinsic thermal neutron detection efficiencies of 10 layers of 30, 50, and 75 μm thick Li foil were measured to be 8.1, 11.1, and 15.7 percent. The n/γ ratio was found to be 1.25×10 7 using a 137 Cs gamma-ray source. Additionally, neutron response pulse-height spectra of the four foil thicknesses are presented and compare well to simulated response spectra. Theoretical calculations show that thermal neutron detection efficiencies above 70 percent are achievable using enriched 6 Li foils for the same detector geometries.
Negative and positive regulation of astrocyte DNA synthesis by ethanol

Ethanol suppression of astrocyte mitogenesis is well recognized but ethanol, under some conditions, has also been shown to stimulate astrocyte proliferation. This study addressed the role of protein kinase C and other mitogenic factors as mechanisms responsible for the bidirectional effects of ethanol on astrocyte DNA synthesis. Ethanol treatment inhibited astrocyte DNA synthesis both at 4 hr (short term) and 24 hr (long term) in serum free medium. In contrast, when the medium contained serum, ethanol was less effective in inhibiting DNA synthesis at 4 hr and treatment with ethanol for 24 hr increased DNA synthesis. Protein kinase C activity was increased in cells treated with ethanol for either 4 or 24 hr. Ethanol inhibition of DNA synthesis in serum free medium was not reversed by down regulating protein kinase C. In contrast, downregulating protein kinase C activity by continuous treatment with phorbol myristic acetate partially reversed the effect ethanol had on DNA synthesis. Also, directly inhibiting protein kinase C with H-7 in cells maintained and treated in the presence of serum abolished the stimulatory effect ethanol had on DNA synthesis. It appears that the negative regulation of astrocyte DNA synthesis by ethanol occurs by protein kinase C and serum independent mechanisms whereas adaptive or stimulatory effects of ethanol on astrocyte DNA synthesis requires the interaction of protein kinase C with other factors present in serum.
Transformation of Triclosan by Fe(III)-Saturated Montmorillonite

Abiotic transformation of triclosan (TCS) was investigated by incubating TCS with Fe(III)− and Na−montmorillonite at 40% relative humidity and room temperature for up to 100 days. The TCS transformation products were characterized using LC/MS, GC/MS, and computational modeling and quantified using HPLC/UV and GC/MS. Within 1−5 days, depending on the initial TCS concentrations, about 55% of the TCS was rapidly transformed in the presence of Fe(III)−montmorillonite, producing 2,4-dichlorophenol, 3-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol dimer, chlorophenoxy phenols, and TCS dimers and trimers. Computational modeling based on density functional theory confirmed the formation of four TCS dimer conformers and six TCS trimer conformers. The TCS phenoxy radicals, produced by Fe(III) oxidation of TCS, react with other TCS molecules to form TCS dimers. The TCS trimers were formed by attachment of TCS dimer phenoxy radicals, produced by Fe(III) oxidation of TCS dimers, with TCS molecules. Significantly smaller quantities ...
Cracking pressure control of parylene checkvalve using slanted tensile tethers

MEMS check valves with fixed cracking pressures are important in micro-fluidic applications where the pressure, flow directions and flow rates all need to be carefully controlled. This work presents a new surface-micromachined parylene check valve that uses residual thermal stress in the parylene to control its cracking pressure. The new check valve uses slanted tethers to allow the parylene tensile stress to apply a net downward force on the valving seat against the orifice. The angle of the slanted tethers is made using a gray-scale mask to create a sloped sacrificial photoresist with the following tether parylene deposition. The resulted check valves have both the cracking pressures and flow profiles agreeable well with our theoretical analysis.
Evolutionary phase diagrams for the deposition of silicon films from hydrogen-diluted silane

Abstract Phase diagrams that describe plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of Si films at low substrate temperature (200°C) have been established using real time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE) as a probe of film microstructural evolution and optical properties. These deposition phase diagrams describe the regimes over which predominantly amorphous and microcrystalline Si phases are obtained as a function of the accumulated film thickness and the hydrogen-to-silane gas flow ratio, R=[H2]/[SiH4]. The diagrams for different substrate materials demonstrate how general principles can be formulated and verified for design of optimized multistep i-layer components of amorphous silicon solar cells.
Epicuticular wax of Agropyron smithii leaves

Abstract Wax on the leaves of Agropyron smithii contains hydrocarbons (3%, C 27 –C 33 ), esters (4%, C 26 –C 56 ), free acids (5%, C 14 –C 36 ), hentriacontane-14,16-dione (17%), 25-oxohentriacontane-14,16-dione (3%), 25-hydroxyhen-triacontane-14,16-dione (30%), 26-hydroxyhentriacontane-14,16-dione (18%) and unidentified material (20%). Free and combined acids and combined alcohols did not contain a characteristic major component and free alcohols were absent. A method of estimating proportions of isomeric hydroxy-β-diketones by 13 C NMR spectroscopy of the hydroxy acids obtained from hydrolysis is described.