cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing Trends in Women's Violence via Data Triangulation: Arrests, Convictions, Incarcerations, and Victim Reports

Constructionist theories suggest the national rise in female violence arrests may be policy generated because arrest statistics are produced by violent behavior and changing official responses (e.g., net-widening enforcement policies). Normative theories attribute the rise to female behavior changes (e.g., in response to increased freedoms or hardships). We examine whether any narrowing of the arrest gender gap is borne out across offense types of varying measurement reliability, in victimization data, and across two post-arrest criminal justice stages. Advanced time-series analyses over 1980 through 2003 support the constructionist position. First, all sources show little or no increase in women's rates for the more reliably measured offenses of homicide and robbery, and for rape. Second, the assault gender gap narrows for arrests, but holds stable in victimization data. And, third, the assault gender gap narrows moderately for convictions, but is stable for imprisonment, indicating spill-over effects of more expansive arrest policies. Several factors have produced greater female representation in "criminal assault" arrests including (1) proactive policing targeting and formally responding to minor violence and in private contexts, (2) interventionist developmental epistemologies that blur distinctions among violence types and circumstances, (3) the rise of social movements recognizing "hidden" victims, (4) law and order political messages stressing greater accountability, and (5) the somewhat greater decline in male compared to female violence in the late 1990s. The problem of women's violence is largely a social construction. Rather than women becoming more violent, changes in the management of violence increasingly mask differences in the violence levels of women and men.
The magnitude and color of the Saturn system

Abstract Brightness measurements made during 1963–1965 and 1991–2009 are used in constructing models of the brightness of the Saturn system in the Johnson B, V, R and I system. The models cover nearly the full range of phase angles and ring opening angles visible from the Earth and are believed to be accurate to 0.03–0.05 magnitudes. A U-filter model is also selected which covers ring opening angles of between 4° and 14°. The model is the first such one that treats the light from the rings as a function of the saturnicentric latitude from the Earth and Sun in a way that is consistent with observations and theoretical considerations. Six conclusions of this work are: (1) the Saturn system brightens as the solar phase angle decreases, (2) the Saturn system has an opposition surge, (3) the opposition surge increases as the ring opening angle increases, (4) the solar phase angle coefficient increases as the ring opening angle increases, (5) the B–V, V–R and R–I color indexes change by up to 0.2 magnitudes as Saturn orbits the Sun and (6) the V-filter model in this report is a better fit to the 1963–2009 data than the one proposed by Harris (Harris, D.L. [1961]. In: Kuiper, G.P., Middlehurst, B.M. (Eds), Planets and Satellites. Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL, pp. 272–342].
Velocity Estimation For Depth Conversion of a 3-D Data Set In Troll Field: A Comparison of Different Techniques

3-D and 2-D seismic data were interpreted and merged to map Troll Field. The quality of the seismic time-to-depth conversion for the topmost reservoir, the Sognefjord, is dependent on the quality of the velocity predictions. Based on 26 well data points and the mapped seismic times, 4 different methods -- a surface fitting approach, linear regression, ordinary kriging, and kriging with an external drift -- were used to estimate the velocities between the wells and build velocity models for depth converting the reservoir. Average velocities were calculated to the top of the Sognefjord formation from the interpreted well depths and seismic time data, and these were used with the different methods to estimate velocities between the wells. To test the prediction accuracy of the methods, the average velocity at each well was removed, one at a time, and the remaining 25 well values were used within each technique to estimate the value that was removed. The estimated value was compared back to the actual value to illustrate the accuracy. The accuracy of the 4 methods varied from well to well, but one method, kriging with an external drift, provided significantly better results overall. This method also had the advantage ofmore » providing estimates of the uncertainty of the predictions.« less
For Our Rights/We Will Rise Cultural Activism and Contesting the Collapsing City:

State-sanctioned corruption, repression, and violence shape Zimbabwe's past as well as present-day political-economic predicaments. Because of this situation, it is not uncommon for analysts to predict collapse for Zimbabwe. Such predictions have limited utility, and therefore, this article examines the micro-level activities of artistically inclined citizens that resist collapse and recast the terrain by maximizing the productivity of the city. The focus is on cultural activism – that is, arts-oriented engagements occurring beyond the boundaries of both state sponsorship and formally structured organizations. In Harare, the strength and influence surrounding artistic expressions rest in their abilities to inform and spark activism by focusing on lived realities as well as on the operations of the state conditioning those realities.
Outcome of Patients Who Refuse Cystectomy after Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

Abstract Objectives To determine the outcome of patients who refuse cystectomy after receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Methods Between 1995 and 2001, 63 patients were evaluated who declined to undergo a planned cystectomy, because they achieved a complete clinical response to neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Patient, tumor, and treatment features were assessed prospectively, and correlated in univariate and multivariate analyses with overall survival. The median follow-up was 86 mo and all patients were followed for more than 5 yr. Results Forty patients (64%) survived, with 54% of them having an intact functioning bladder. The number and size of invasive tumors were strongly associated with overall survival. The most significant treatment variable predicting better survival was complete resection of the invasive tumor on re-staging transurethral resection before starting chemotherapy. Of 23 patients (36%) who subsequently died of disease, 19 (30%) relapsed with invasive cancer in the bladder. Over 90% of surviving patients had solitary, small, and low-stage invasive tumors completely resected, and 83% survived without relapses in the bladder. Conclusions Selected patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancers may survive after transurethral resection and neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and tumor features can identify which patients responding completely to chemotherapy may survive without cystectomy.
Examination of workload measures with subjective task clusters

Multiple measures of operator workload may fail to agree or dissociate for a given task. This study proposes a new method to examine this dissociation for two categories of workload measures: Subjective ratings and performance-based secondary tasks. Eighteen tasks of differential processing resource demand were performed by subjects and rated according to workload similarity. Additive clustering analysis of the workload ratings produced overlapping task clusters. Three properties–performance, effort, and input complexity-explained the cluster solution. Dissociation was found when tasks perceived as similar in workload did not possess the same properties.
Invasive Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm Versus Sporadic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A Stage-Matched Comparison of Outcomes

Introduction Although invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) of the pancreas is thought to be more indolent than sporadic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC), the natural history remains poorly defined. We compare survival and identify prognostic factors following resection for invasive IPMN vs. stage-matched PAC.
Water Density Effects on Homogeneous Water-Gas Shift Reaction Kinetics

Several years ago, using ab initio calculations, Melius et al. examined an interesting pathway for the homogeneous gas-phase water-gas shift reaction. They predicted that an enhancement in the rate of this reaction occurs at high water density due to changes in the generation of formic acid as an intermediate. To investigate this possibility, we have examined the conversion of CO and H2O to CO2 and H2 in the absence of a catalyst in supercritical water at conditions from 410 to 520 °C and 2.0−60 MPa. In these experiments, Raman spectroscopy produced in situ, real-time measurements of reaction rates in an optically accessible, constant-volume reactor. The most rapid homogeneous rate measured, at 59 MPa and 450 °C, corresponds to an effective first-order reaction rate constant of 0.0033 s-1. The data show that the measured reaction rates increase far faster than linearly as water density is raised above 0.35 g/cm3, and the pressure dependence of the rate constant indicates that the transition state is chara...
Decreased functions of astrocytes on carbon nanofiber materials

Abstract Carbon nanofibers possess excellent conductivity properties, which may be beneficial in the design of more effective neural prostheses; however, limited evidence on their cytocompatibility properties currently exists. The objective of the present in vitro study was to determine cytocompatibility properties of formulations containing carbon nanofibers pertinent to neural implant applications. Substrates were prepared from four different types of carbon fibers, two with nanoscale diameters (nanophase, or less than or equal to 100 nm) and two with conventional diameters (or greater than 100 nm). Within these two categories, both a high and a low surface energy fiber were investigated and tested. Carbon fibers were compacted in a manual hydraulic press via a uniaxial loading cycle. Astrocytes (glial scar tissue-forming cells) were seeded onto the substrates for adhesion, proliferation, and long-term function studies (such as total intracellular protein and alkaline phosphatase activity). Results provided the first evidence that astrocytes preferentially adhered and proliferated on carbon fibers that had the largest diameter and the lowest surface energy. Based on these results, composite substrates were also formed using different weight percentages (0–25 wt%) of the nanophase, high surface energy fibers in a polycarbonate urethane matrix. Results provided the first evidence of decreased adhesion of astrocytes with increasing weight percents of the high surface energy carbon nanofibers in the polymer composite; this further demonstrates that formulations containing carbon fibers in the nanometer regime may limit astrocyte functions leading to decreased glial scar tissue formation. Positive interactions with neurons, and, at the same time, limited astrocyte functions leading to decreased gliotic scar tissue formation are essential for increased neuronal implant efficacy.
Effects of spinal transection on presynaptic markers for glutamatergic neurons in the rat.

To evaluate the hypothesis that glutamic acid may be the neurotransmitter of descending, excitatory supraspinal pathways, the uptake and release ofl-[3H] glutamate and the levels of endogenous glutamate were measured in preparations from rat lumbar spinal cord following complete mid-thoracic transection. Following transection, the activity of the synaptosomal high-affinty glutamate uptake process was increased in both dorsal and ventral halves of lumbar cord between 1 and 14 days after transection and returned to control levels by 21 days posttransection. At 7 days, the increased activity of the uptake process forl-[3H] glutamate resulted in elevation ofVmax with no significant alteration inKt as compared to age-matched controls. Depolarization-induced release ofl-[3H]glutamate from prelabeled slices did not differ significantly from control in the lesioned rat except at 21 days after lesion when the amount of tritium release was significantly greater in the transected preparations than in control. Amino acid analysis of the lumbar cord from control and transected rats indicated only a 10% decrease in the level of endogenous glutamate and no alterations in the concentration of GABA and glycine 7 days after lesion. These findings do not support the hypothesis that glutamate serves as a major excitatory neurotransmitter in supraspinal pathways innervating the lumbar cord of the rat.
Effects of exercise and cold acclimation on the ventricular and skeletal muscles of white mice (Mus musculus). I. Succinic dehydrogenase activity.

Abstract 1. 1. The effects of acclimation to 6°C and exercise training in a motor-driven running wheel were compared in adult male white mice. 2. 2. Succinic dehydrogenase activity and protein concentration were measured in ventricular, gastrocnemius and masseter muscle. 3. 3. Succinic dehydrogenase activity/mg protein was increased in ventricular muscle by exercise and cold acclimation. Values for skeletal muscle did not differ from control. 4. 4. Protein concentration was below control values in all muscles for both experimental groups. 5. 5. For all parameters examined, greater changes were observed in heart muscles than in skeletal muscle.
Reproductive Outcomes Among Women Exposed to a Brominated Flame Retardant In Utero

The authors studied 194 women exposed to polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) in utero when their mothers consumed products accidentally contaminated in Michigan in 1973. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the effect of in utero PBB exposure on adult pregnancy-related outcomes. Compared to those with the lowest exposure (≤1 ppb), those with mid-range (>1–3.16 ppb) and high (≥3.17 ppb) PBB exposure had increased odds of spontaneous abortion with wide confidence intervals (odds ratio [OR] = 2.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.64–11.79, OR = 4.08, 95% CI = 0.94–17.70; respectively; p for trend = .05). Exposure during infancy to PBB-contaminated breast milk further increased this risk. Time to pregnancy and infertility were not associated with in utero exposure to PBB. Future studies should examine the suggested relationship between spontaneous abortion and other brominated flame retardants.
The possibility of a very large magnetoresistance in half-metallic oxide systems

The tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) is analyzed for ferromagnet-insulator-ferromagnet junctions, including novel half-metallic systems with 100% spin polarization. Direct tunneling is compared with the impurity-assisted and resonant TMR. Direct tunneling in iron-group systems leads to about a 20% change in resistance, as observed experimentally. Impurity-assisted tunneling decreases the TMR to 4% with Fe-based electrodes. A resonant tunnel diode structure would give a TMR of about 8%. The model applies qualitatively to half-metallics, where the change in resistance in the absence of spin flips may be arbitrarily large and even in the case of imperfect magnetic configurations the resistance change can be several thousand percent. Examples of half-metallic ferromagnetic systems are CrO2/TiO2 and CrO2/RuO2. A discussion of their properties is presented.
Cortical oxygen consumption and NADH fluorescence during metrazol seizures in normotensive and hypotensive cats

Abstract The relationship between the oxidation of intramitochondrial NADH and increased oxygen utilization previously described in various preparations has not yet been directly studied in large areas of the cerebral cortex during generalized seizures. In the present study, changes in the NADH fluorescence of one or both cortical hemispheres were measured with a television fluorometer during Metrazol seizures in normotensive and hypotensive states. Fluorescein fluorescence was used as a reference signal. Combined with measurements of sagittal sinus blood flow and oxygen saturation, this technique demonstrated generalized ictal decreases in NADH fluorescence, the time integrals of which linearly related to the integrals of simultaneous increases in relative cortical O 2 consumption during seizures occurring at normal blood pressures. Seizures observed during systemic hypotension and probable cerebral hypoperfusion, however, were characterized by generalized increases in NADH fluorescence, the integrals of which were not related to the integrals of relatively delayed increases in cortical O 2 consumption. Similar anomalous NADH increases during seizures were also occasionally seen in certain cortical areas in normotensive animals, suggesting local ischemia. In addition. NADH fluorescence and cortical O 2 consumption were found to be affected by changes in blood pressure in the absence of ictal activity. These observations suggest that cortical NADH fluorescence is dependent both on metabolic demand and O 2 availability, and consequently may be validly utilized as an indicator of activated cortical oxidative metabolism during seizures only under conditions of adequate cortical oxygenation.
Total synthesis of OF4949-III and OF4949-IV: Unusual effects of remote substituents on the rate of macrocyclization reactions

Abstract The total syntheses of OF4949-III and OF4949-IV are detailed and a study of the unusual effects remote substituents may have on the rate of the key macrocyclization reaction leading to 17-membered cyclic tripeptides incorporating a diaryl ether linked meta- and paracyclophane structural subunit is described.
Pituitary Tumors in Mice after Prolonged Feeding of Synthetic Progestins

An enhanced development of pituitary tumors was observed in virgin female mice of the C57 Leaden strain following repeated oral administration of synthetic progestins. This finding appears to parallel the co-carcinogenic enhancement of mammary tumor development elicited in C3H mice treated repeatedly with progesterone.
A model for scheduling postal distribution employees

Abstract This paper describes the design and analysis of a generalizable linear programming model for scheduling personnel in United States postal distribution stations. The scheduling model incorporates parameters such as different work loads along routes, equitable assignment of overtime between full-time employees desiring overtime, training levels of part-time employees, and management preferences for different levels of customer service. A near optimal schedule specifying daily assignment of full-time and part-time employees to different task categories is developed. The model is illustrated using data from a typical week in a large postal distribution station located in a representative American city. Analysis of the results shows that the proposed model captures the essence of scheduling decisions undertaken by postal supervisors and mid-level managers from the same data set. The schedules developed by the model are considered feasible from an implementation viewpoint, and also require less overtime than the management schedules. The impact of changing certain long-term policy issues (such as the mix between part-time and full-time employees, assignment policies, and training levels of part-time employees) can be evaluated by conducting a systematic sensitivity analysis of the model's parameters. Another possible future benefit lies in using the model on a microcomputer for developing actual day-to-day schedules of postal distribution employees.
Fiber-reinforced Hydogels for Soft Tissue Replacement

Synthetic hydrogels have poor mechanical properties that limit their use in load bearing applications. In contrast, biological hydrogels are tough and strong due to reinforcement with nano to micron size fibers. Our work is focused on designing new class of hydrogel assemblies based on fiber reinforced hydrogel composites. In analogy to the spinning of a spider web, a pultrusion system was developed to spin micron-diameter polymer fibers from solution in order to build predefined three dimensional patterned fiber-reinforced hydrogel structures. The gel chemistry is based on epoxy-amine crosslinking. We have formulated various epoxy-amine gels with swellability ranges from 0% to 1000% in water. The fibrous reinforcement affects the swelling and mechanical properties of the gel. For mechanical characterization flat punch probe indentation technique was performed. The effect of fiber density and extent of swelling on the reinforcement of epoxy matrix is investigated. Based on a better understanding of fiber reinforcement of gels, we hope to be able to design strong gels for biomedical devices and soft machines.
Optimized motion strategies for localization in leader-follower formations

This paper addresses the problem of determining the optimal robot trajectory for localizing a robot follower in a leader-follower formation using robot-to-robot distance or bearing measurements. In particular, maintaining a perfect formation has been shown to reduce the localization accuracy (as compared to moving randomly), or even leads to loss of observability when only distance or bearing measurements are available and the robots move on parallel straight lines. To address this limitation, we allow the follower to slightly deviate from its desired formation-imposed position and seek to find the next best location where it should move to in order to minimize the uncertainty about its relative, with respect to the leader, position and orientation estimates. We formulate and solve this non-convex optimization problem analytically and show, through extensive simulations, that the proposed optimized motion strategy leads to significant localization accuracy improvement as compared to competing approaches.
Video sequence matching

We present a novel scheme to match a video clip against a large database of videos. Unlike previous schemes that match videos based on image similarity, this scheme matches videos based on similarity of temporal activity, i.e., it finds similar "actions". Furthermore, it provides precise temporal localization of the actions in the matched videos. Video sequences are represented as a sequence of feature vectors called fingerprints. The fingerprint of the query video is matched against the fingerprints of videos in a database using sequential matching. The fingerprints are computed directly from compressed MPEG videos. The matching is much faster than real-time. We have used this scheme to find similar actions in sporting events, such as diving and baseball.
Regulation of Immune Responsiveness In Vivo by Disrupting an Early T-Cell Signaling Event Using a Cell- Permeable Peptide

The inducible T cell kinase (ITK) regulates type 2 (Th2) cytokines that provide defense against certain parasitic and bacterial infections and are involved in the pathogenesis of lung inflammation such as allergic asthma. Activation of ITK requires the interaction of its SH3 domain with the poly-proline region of its signaling partner, the SH2 domain containing leukocyte phosphoprotein of 76 kilodaltons (SLP-76). The specific disruption of the ITK-SH3/SLP-76 poly-proline interaction in vitro by a cell-permeable competitive inhibitor peptide (R9-QQP) interferes with the activation of ITK and the transduction of its cellular functions in T lymphocytes. In the present investigation, we assessed the effects of R9-QQP treatment on the induction of an in vivo immune response as represented by lung inflammation in a murine model of allergic asthma. We found that mice treated with R9-QQP and sensitized and challenged with the surrogate allergen ovalbumin (OVA) display significant inhibition of lung inflammation in a peptide-specific manner. Thus, parameters of the allergic response, such as airway hyper-responsiveness, suppression of inflammatory cell infiltration, reduction of bronchial mucus accumulation, and production of relevant cytokines from draining lymph nodes were significantly suppressed. These findings represent the first demonstration of the biological significance of the interaction between ITK and SLP-76 in the induction of an immune response in a whole animal model and specifically underscore the significance of the ITK-SH3 domain interaction with the poly-proline region of SLP-76 in the development of an inflammatory response. Furthermore, the experimental approach of intracellular peptide-mediated inhibition might be applicable to the study of other important intracellular interactions thus providing a paradigm for dissecting signal transduction pathways.
Description of physical activity in outpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders

This study describes physical activity level in outpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) using extended-wear pedometers. Demographic data, body fat and body mass index (BMI) measures were obtained from 24 outpatients. Participants were provided extended-wear pedometers and instructed to wear them during waking hours for 1 week. More than 79% of subjects met Centres for Disease Control (CDC) obesity criteria. Participants wore pedometers, on average, 6 days during the week. Men walked more steps, walked longer distances, and burned more calories each day; differences were statistically significant for steps and distance on days 3 (t = 2.12, P = 0.045) and 5 (t = 2.19, P = 0.04). Higher percent body fat and BMI were significantly associated with fewer steps walked on most days. Extended-wear pedometers are an easy-to-use, cost-effective way to document physical activity and evaluate efforts to help this vulnerable group achieve activity-related health improvements.
Shared receive queue based scalable MPI design for InfiniBand clusters

Clusters of several thousand nodes interconnected with InfiniBand, an emerging high-performance interconnect, have already appeared in the Top 500 list. The next-generation InfiniBand clusters are expected to be even larger with tens-of-thousands of nodes. A high-performance scalable MPI design is crucial for MPI applications in order to exploit the massive potential for parallelism in these very large clusters. MVAPICH is a popular implementation of MPI over InfiniBand based on its reliable connection oriented model. The requirement of this model to make communication buffers available for each connection imposes a memory scalability problem. In order to mitigate this issue, the latest InfiniBand standard includes a new feature called shared receive queue (SRQ) which allows sharing of communication buffers across multiple connections. In this paper, we propose a novel MPI design which efficiently utilizes SRQs and provides very good performance. Our analytical model reveals that our proposed designs take only 1/10/sup th/ the memory requirement as compared to the original design on a cluster sized at 16,000 nodes. Performance evaluation of our design on our 8-node cluster shows that our new design was able to provide the same performance as the existing design while requiring much lesser memory. In comparison to tuned existing designs our design showed a 20% and 5% improvement in execution time of NAS Benchmarks (Class A) LU and SP, respectively. The high performance Linpack was able to execute a much larger problem size using our new design, whereas the existing design ran out of memory.
Botanical Explorations of André Michaux in Kentucky: Observations of Vegetation in the 1790s

Abstract In the short time that he spent in Kentucky during 1793–1796, Andre Michaux visited five of the state's six geographic regions. The majority of his time, however, was spent in the Bluegrass, Knobs, and Pennyroyal Regions where his plant lists and landscape descriptions are the most thorough. Unfortunately, Michaux was acting more in the capacity of an agent for France than as a botanist while he was in Kentucky. Only when Michaux's plant lists are combined with the comments and landscape descriptions of other early naturalists can a partial description of the vegetation of Kentucky around the time of statehood in 1792 be achieved.
Floating Shock Fitting for Cones at Large Incidence

The technique of floating shock fitting is adapted to the computation of the inviscid flowfield about circular cones in a supersonic freestream at angles of attack that exceed the cone half-angle. In those regions in which the governing conical equations are mixed elliptic-hyperbolic, the fully hyperbolic form is obtained by the addition of the temporal derivative. For cones of infinite extent, the flow maintains its conical nature up to the detachment point. Thus, the resulting equations are applicable over the complete range of freestream Mach numbers, angles of attack, and cone half-angles for which the bow shock is attached. An explicit finite-difference algorithm is used to obtain the solution by an unsteady relaxation approach. The bow shock, embedded crossflow shock, and vortical singularity in the leeward symmetry plane are all treated as floating discontinuities in a fixed computational mesh. The method yields excellent results for the bow and embedded shocks; however, the solution in the leeward symmetry plane exhibits viscous-Iike effects and does not appear to adequately predict the behavior of the vortical singularity.
Genetic origin and proportion of basal plate surface cells in normal and abnormal pregnancies

AND ABNORMAL PREGNANCIES KARINA RICHANI, ROBERTO ROMERO, ELEAZAR SOTO, JYH KAE NIEN, JIMMY ESPINOZA, ENOLA CUSHENBERRY, CHONG JAI KIM, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Detroit, Michigan, Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Detroit, Michigan OBJECTIVE: The basal plate of the placenta is the floor of the intervillous space. The cellular constituents of the basal plate surface that are in direct contact with maternal blood include trophoblasts (TB; of fetal origin) and endothelial cells (EC) whose origin (fetal or maternal) is unknown. This study was conducted to 1) determine the origin of these EC; and 2) to assess the relative proportion of TB and EC covering the intervillous surface of the basal plate in placentas from normal and preeclamptic pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: Placentas from patients with normal term gestations (n = 9) and preeclampsia (n = 10) were included. Five sections of the basal plate were obtained from the central, paracentral and peripheral regions of each placenta. Double immunohistochemistry (vimentin: EC and cytokeratin 7: TB) and image analysis were performed. Seven placentas of male fetuses were used to evaluate the origin of the EC. Genomic DNA isolated from laser microdissected EC was subjected to PCR for sex typing. Data were analyzed using non-parametric statistics. RESULTS: 1) The median proportion of TB and EC covering the basal plate surface in normal placentas was 8% (range 6.5-17.6%) and 13.6% (range: 4.424.6%), respectively; 2) the median TB/EC ratio was 0.8 (range: 0.3-4); 3) in preeclampsia, the basal plate surface showed a higher proportion of TB than those from normal pregnancies (median: 17.6%, range: 5.9-29.2%, p = 0.04); 4) a trend towards a lower proportion of EC in preeclampsia was observed; and 5) EC covering the basal plate were of maternal origin. CONCLUSION: 1) For the first time, EC lining the intervillous space surface of the basal plate have been identified to be of maternal origin; and 2) preeclampsia is associated with an excess of TB covering the surface of the basal plate.
Development of Colon Cancer After Liver Transplantation for Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Associated with Ulcerative Colitis

Between February 26, 1981, and July 30, 1987, 36 patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation for primary sclerosing cholangitis associated with ulcerative colitis. Three of the 36 recipients died within 3 mo because of graft nonfunction or surgical complications. The other 33 (92%) lived for at least 1 yr. Two of the 33 died after 12 and 14 mo, respectively, of recurrent cholangiocarcinoma that was not diagnosed before transplantation. Four other patients died of recurrent liver failure (three cases) or immunoblastic sarcoma (one case) after 14, 21, 36 and 44 mo. Twenty-seven (75%) of the patients are still alive 23 to 81 mo after transplantation. Two patients have been diagnosed as having colorectal cancer 11 and 21 mo respectively, after transplantation, for an overall incidence of 5.6% (2 of 36) and a corrected incidence of 6.5% (2 of 31) if the three early deaths and two later deaths caused by cholangiocarcinomas are excluded. It is not known whether colorectal malignancies were present but undetected at the time of transplantation or whether they developed afterward. It is clear that patients who undergo liver transplantation for primary sclerosing cholangitis associated with ulcerative colitis should have careful follow-up of the colon, including colonoscopy and multiple biopsies of the colorectal mucosa. Whether proctocolectomy should be considered prophylactically after liver transplantation is an unresolved issue.
Effect of matrix morphology on the wear and friction behavior of alumina nanoparticle/poly(ethylene) terephthalate composites

Abstract The friction and wear properties of poly(ethylene) terephthalate (PET) filled with alumina nanoparticles were studied. The nanoparticle loading was varied from 1 to 10 wt.%. The nanocomposite samples were tested in dry sliding against a steel counterface. The results show that the addition of nanoparticles can increase the wear resistance by nearly 2× over the unfilled polymer. The average coefficient of friction also decreased in many cases. The nanocomposites form a more adherent transfer film that protects the sample from the steel counterface, although the presence of an optimum filler content may be due to the development of abrasive agglomerates within the transfer films in the higher wt.% samples. This study varied both crystallinity and weight percent of filler in a PET matrix in an attempt to separate the effects of nanofillers and crystallinity on the tribology.
Immobilized Biomaterials—Techniques and Applications

The immobilization of enzymes, cofactors and whole cells offers the potential of economical exploitation of biomaterial activity. Enzymes or cells can be immobilized by binding to carriers through adsorption or covalent linkages or by entrapment in a polymer matrix or microencapsulation. The development of immobilized biomaterial systems requires the involvement of biochemical, kinetics and reactor design principles. Examples of commercial scale applications of immobilized biomaterial systems are the production of a fructose-rich syrup from starch and the synthesis of L-amino acids by selective hydrolysis of N-acyl-D,L-amino acids.
HOME RANGE ANALYSIS USING A MECHANISTIC HOME RANGE MODEL

The traditional models used to characterize animal home ranges have no mechanistic basis underlying their descriptions of space use, and as a result, the analysis of animal home ranges has primarily been a descriptive endeavor. In this paper, we char- acterize coyote (Canis latrans) home range patterns using partial differential equations for expected space use that are formally derived from underlying descriptions of individual movement behavior. To our knowledge, this is the first time that mechanistic models have been used to characterize animal home ranges. The results provide empirical support for a model formulation of movement response to scent marks, and suggest that having relo- cation data for individuals in adjacent groups is necessary to capture the spatial arrangement of home range boundaries. We then show how the model fits can be used to obtain predictions for individual movement and scent marking behavior and to predict changes in home range patterns. More generally, our findings illustrate how mechanistic models permit the de- velopment of a predictive theory for the relationship between movement behavior and animal spatial distribution.
Alternative mechanisms of CAK assembly require an assembly factor or an Activating Kinase

Abstract We have cloned a mouse cDNA that encodes p36, a novel subunit of the CDK-activating kinase (CAK). p36 contains a C 3 HC 4 zinc-binding domain or RING finger and is associated both with a TFIIH-bound form of CAK and with a free trimeric form. p36 promotes the assembly of CDK7 and cyclin H in vitro, stabilizing the transient CDK7-cyclin H complex. Stabilization and activation of CAK by p36 is independent of the phosphorylation state of T170, the conserved activating residue of CDK7. Assembly of active CDK7-cyclin H dimers can also occur through an alternative p36-independent pathway that requires phosphorylation of T170 by a CAK-activating kinase, or CAKAK. Thus, CDK7-cyclin H complex formation can be achieved by multiple mechanisms.
Infectious causes of hydrops fetalis

A variety of infectious agents have been associated with nonimmune hydrops fetalis, most notably parvovirus B19, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, Toxoplasma gondii, and Treponema pallidum. These agents produce hydrops through effects on fetal bone marrow, myocardium, or vascular endothelium. Knowledge of the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of maternal and fetal infection can be used to select a diagnostic approach. Etiologic diagnosis will guide prognosis and the selection of specific chemotherapy.
Dynamic Foraging Behavior in the Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans): Test of a Model

Abstract Foraging behavior of the southern flying squirrel was studied under conditions of declining photoperiod and temperature. Experiments tested predictions derived from a theoretical model suggesting hickory (Carya spp.) nuts as the optimal food for flying squirrels at temperatures below −10 C. Above this temperature flying squirrels could meet their daily energy needs more quickly on a diet of acorns. During a declining photoperiod and mild temperatures flying squirrels stored hickory nuts whereas acorns were usually eaten at the site of discovery. Test animals foraging at low temperatures significantly increased the number of hickory nuts consumed and decreased the number of acorns consumed. By eating acorns in the autumn and storing hickory nuts for winter consumption flying squirrels make use of a dynamic foraging strategy that allows optimal use of both autumn and winter food resources.
Barnes & Noble, Inc.: Maintaining A Competitive Edge In An Ever-changing Industry

On Christmas Eve in 2007, Barnes & Noble’s Chief Executive Officer, Steve Riggio, sat in his Manhattan apartment overlooking the busy streets of NYC and was hoping that the last minute shoppers were making their Christmas purchases at the BN they were yet to be determined.
Socially acquired nicotine self-administration with an aversive flavor cue in adolescent female rats

Establishing a behavioral model for the effect of social environment on nicotine intake in rodents facilitates the investigation of molecular mechanisms critical for the interaction between social environment and cigarette smoking. Our main objective was to test the hypothesis that nicotine is the primary reinforcer in the socially acquired nicotine intravenous self-administration (IVSA) model by using an aversive flavor cue. Adolescent female rats were placed in operant conditioning chambers equipped with two lickometers. Operant licking triggered concurrent deliveries of a flavor (i.e., taste and odor) cue containing either quinine or saccharin and an i.v. infusion (30 μg/kg nicotine or saline). An audiovisual cue was provided for some groups of rats. A second rat that did not receive nicotine was placed in the operant conditioning chambers to provide either a neutral or an inducing (i.e., by consuming the flavored solution) social environment. These two rats were separated by a divider that allowed orofacial interactions. Rats acquired stable nicotine IVSA with either the aversive or the appetitive flavor cue in the inducing social environment, and obtained similar amounts of infusions. The neutral social environment did not support nicotine IVSA with either cue. The audiovisual cue per se did not support nicotine IVSA but enhanced nicotine intake. Nicotine increased the number of concurrent nose pokes by the two rats into the center divider, a measure of social interaction. Despite its aversive effects, nicotine is the primary reinforcer for the operant responses in the socially acquired nicotine IVSA model.
Recent Case - United States v. Dickerson, 166 F.3d 667 (4th Cir. 1999)

In the more than three decades since the Supreme Court decided Miranda v. Arizona, its holding has been glorified and vilified by conservatives and liberals alike. Congress expressed its dissatisfaction with the opinion in 1968 when it passed 18 U.S.C. § 3501, which attempted to restore a totality of the circumstances voluntariness standard for the admissibility of confessions. Courts have largely ignored the statute since its promulgation, however, because the U.S. Department of Justice has consistently refused to invoke it, and the Supreme Court has avoided comment on its constitutionality. Last February, in United States v. Dickerson, the Fourth Circuit reached the issue of § 3501's constitutionality and held that because Congress acted within its authority in superseding Miranda with 18 U.S.C. § 3501, Miranda no longer governs the admissibility of confessions in federal courts. In applying the voluntariness test of § 3501 instead of Miranda's more stringent standard, the Dickerson court failed to consider properly the constitutional nature of Miranda's holding. This failure is grounded in the court's disregard for the key distinction between a constitutional requirement for a particular safeguard and a requirement for a functional safeguard.
An Efficient Method for Assessing Uncertainty in Forecast of Computationally Intensive Groundwater Models

An efficient method that combines the results of automated calibration using function approximation based optimization and importance sampling is presented for assessing parametric uncertainty in the outputs of computationally intensive models. A function approximation based algorithm is used for automated calibration of parameters. Parameter sets that meet a predetermined error threshold are identified as suitable simulators of the model and importance weights are assigned to such parameter sets. These parameter sets are then used in the model to simulate forecast. The importance weights are used to estimate the empirical quantiles of the output of interest. The method is applied to two illustrative groundwater bioremediation examples of differing complexity, and the results are compared to more frequently used Monte Carlo based uncertainty assessment method such as Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE). The results indicated that the proposed method identifies more parameter sets that qualify as suitable simulators of the system than GLUE for a given error threshold and a given number of model simulations. Further, the proposed method enables the use of more stringent thresholds thereby reducing the uncertainty in model forecast.
HYDRODYNAMIC PRESSURE FIELD OF AN AXISYMMETRIC JET

The near field pressure fluctuations and the far field noise of a clean jet were studied. The noise produced by vortex merging was found to have a different Mach number dependence than that generated by the preferred mode. The exponential decay region of the near field pressure fluctuations extended approximately one instability wavelength away from the jet edge.
Individual Differences in Retronasal Odor Responsiveness: Effects of Aging and Concurrent Taste

Individual differences in taste sensitivity have been considered the primary chemosensory factor in studies of chemical senses/ingestive behavior. Recent findings suggest, however, that retronasal odor perception is equally important in food preference and selection and, furthermore, the presence of a congruent taste can modulate responsiveness to retronasally perceived odors. The primary objective of this study was to measure individual differences in responsiveness to food odors in the presence and absence of a congruent taste. In order to achieve this goal, we experimentally manipulated the way taste and odor stimuli are presented. We hypothesized that when measured independently, variations across subjects in responsiveness to retronasal odors are greater than those of tastes, but that these variations are effectively reduced by the presence of a congruent taste, especially for the older cohort. Two groups of subjects (young vs. old cohorts) were asked to sample two tastants, four food odorants, and the congruent taste-odor pairs, and rate intensities for appropriate categories. Results showed that responsiveness to odors varied greatly across individuals compared to that of tastes and further that variations in odor responsiveness were greater for old compared to young cohort. In the presence of a congruent taste, however, the variations in responsiveness to the odors were significantly reduced, in particular for the old cohort. The current data suggest that older individuals and those with low olfactory sensitivity may not recognize the reduced sensitivity when consuming foods.
Epidemiological Survey of Two City-Cases Infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus(H5N1)in Guangdong

Objective To analyze the possible source of infection under the condition of no exposure to sick or dead poultry and provide scientific evidence for further prevention and control of avian influenza.Methods Epidemiological and serological assays,emergency surveillance,ELISA,Real-time PCR,RT-PCR were used for the analysis and diagnosis of human cases infected with H5N1 avian influenza virus.Results The two human cases who had been usually visited farm product market infected with H5N1 were found.History of exposure to infected poultry,pneumonia of unknown etiology from close contacts of cases and evidence of human to human were not found.Conclusion The two cases were not human to human infection but are infected in city without any history of exposure to infected poultry.The source of infection might be from farmers market.
Frequency Reliability Analysis of Rotor System with Correlation Failure Modes

The resonance problem of the rotor system is the key research direction of rotor dynamics.The material properties and geometry size of rotor system are random parameters because of the manufacturing environment,technical conditions,manufacturing and installation errors,multiphase materials,features and other factors.According to the relation criterion that the difference between the natural frequency and the driving frequency of rotor systems is not beyond a specific value,the reliability mode and reliability of rotor systems with correlation failure modes are defined considering the correlation of the multi-order natural frequency and the random characteristics of structure size and material.The frequency reliability analysis method for avoiding the resonant is carried out.The second-order joint failure probability of rotor system is obtained by using the numerical integration method.The quasi-failure analysis method for resonant problem of the random rotor systems with correlation failure modes is studied.A numerical example demonstrated that the proposed method is effective.
The Reference Flow Selecting Method of Heat Rate Index Calculation for Steam Turbine Unit

Generally,the flow measurement device is additionally not fixed,more directly using the field device in conventional performance test of steam turbine. Due to unknown accuracy of the device,usually,using different reference flow will obtain different heat rate,which puzzles test personnel to evaluates the performance of the unit. In the paper,the additional information is introduced such as the redundancy flow and energy-loss analysis. The reference flow selecting method and suggestions of heat rate index calculation are proposed. The actual calculation result of the unit show the validity of the method.