cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Future prospects for contact factors as therapeutic targets

Anticoagulants currently used in clinical practice to treat or prevent thromboembolic disease are effective, but place patients at increased risk for serious bleeding because they interfere with plasma enzymes (thrombin and factor Xa) that are essential for hemostasis. In the past 10 years, work with genetically altered mice and studies in baboons and rabbits have demonstrated that the plasma contact proteases factor XI, factor XII, and prekallikrein contribute to the formation of occlusive thrombi despite having limited roles in hemostasis. In the case of factor XI, epidemiologic data from human populations indicate that elevated levels of this protein increase risk for stroke and venous thromboembolism and may also influence risk for myocardial infarction. These findings suggest that inhibiting contact activation may produce an antithrombotic effect without significantly compromising hemostasis. This chapter reviews strategies that are being developed for therapeutic targeting of factor XI and factor XII and their performances in preclinical and early human trials.
Significance of circulating phenols in anemia of renal disease.

SummaryFree and conjugated ether-soluble phenols in blood of uremic patients have been determined by a specific and reliable method. Free phenol and cresol are not elevated in the great majority of these patients. Reasons are given for discounting the role of elevated conjugated phenols and free phenolic acids in the pathogenesis of the anemia of chronic renal disease.
Behavioral observations in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) following methylmercury exposure

Squirrel monkeys were exposed to methylmercuric chloride in various doses (0.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 mg/animal or 3.0, 4.5, 6.0 mg/kg) and observed for general behavioral changes, electrophysiological changes, and quantitative changes in a Wisconsin General Test Apparatus (WGTA). Animals receiving high, medium, and low doses (6.0 mg/kg, 4.0 mg/animal, 4.5 mg/kg, and 3.0 mg/animal) showed signs of mercury poisoning including diminished activity, decreased food consumption, increased errors, latency, and duration in the WGTA, motor problems, and blindness. Electroretinograms (ERG) of blind and sighted animals were unimpaired. Severity of mercury poisoning was related to behavioral effects.
Exact fit points under simple regression with replication

Abstract For simple regression with replication and fixed carriers, we determine the highest possible exact fit point of a regression equivariant estimator and show that it is less than 50% (even asymptotically). We determine the optimal value of the quantile index in the Least median of squares and Least trimmed squares estimators and show that these estimators can attain the upper bound on the exact fit point. The main finding of the paper is that the quantile index must be adjusted upward from the usual value in order to achieve this bound.
Synthetic chars for the study of ash vaporization

Synthetic chars have been produced in order to facilitate the study of ash vaporization mechanisms. The synthetic chars are glassy carbons produced by the polymerization of furfuryl alcohol. Simple minerals are added to the polymer prior to curing in order to generate chars for which the ash thermodynamics are known. Although simple glassy carbons generally have low surface areas, the surface area can be increased by two orders of magnitude by adding carbon black to the polymer. The resulting pore structure substantially alters the way the char burns. Ash vaporization from synthetic chars containing 1 to 4 micron quartz inclusions was studied in an externally heated laminar flow reactor. The fraction of the quarts ash vaporized varied from 0.3 to 33 percent for combustion in a 1600 K furnace in gases containing 40 to 100 percent oxygen in nitrogen. Calculated particle temperatures were between 2200 K and 2900 K. Quartz in the synthetic char appeared to be vaporized directly rather than by reduction to SiO as previously reported for cool chars. The vaporization rates were below those predicted for SiO2 vapor equilibrium at the char surface, but above those predicted when the diffusional resistance within the char was taken into account.
The identification of febrile, neutropenic children with neoplastic disease at low risk for bacteremia and complications of sepsis

BACKGROUND The management of pediatric oncology patients with fever and neutropenia assumes that all patients are at risk for bacteremia, and therefore generally involves hospitalization and broad-spectrum parenteral antibiotics for all patients. The determination of which patients are at low risk for having positive blood cultures and for developing complications related to bacteremia is of potential benefit. METHODS The records of 161 pediatric patients with neoplastic disease hospitalized for 509 episodes of fever and neutropenia between January 1990 and June 1992 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical features at initial presentation, clinical and microbiologic documentation of infection, and outcome were analyzed. RESULTS The only presenting clinical features that correlated with an increased likelihood of having positive blood cultures were chills, hypotension, the requirement for fluid resuscitation (P < 0.001), or a diagnosis of leukemia or lymphoma (P < 0.041). Leukemia patients with relapse admitted for fever and neutropenia were no more likely to have positive blood cultures than those patients in remission. There were ten episodes of fever and neutropenia in which patients were transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU), and two sepsis related deaths. Nine episodes involving ICU management and both deaths were in patients who had persistent fever and an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of less than 100 after 48 hours of hospitalization (n = 177). Patients with an ANC of less than 100 after 48 hours were twice as likely to have antibiotic changes, 15 times more likely to receive amphotericin B, and were hospitalized twice as long as patients with an ANC of 100 or higher after 48 hours. CONCLUSIONS Children hospitalized for fever and neutropenia who have persistent fever and an ANC of less than 100 after 48 hours are at high risk for morbidity and are more likely to require antibiotic changes and antifungal therapy. Children who initially lack signs of sepsis, are afebrile, and have an ANC of 100 or higher after 48 hours are at low risk for complications and could be selectively discharged on antimicrobials after a 48-hour period of inpatient hospitalization. Cancer 1996;77:791-8.
The Influence of Depression and PTSD on Exercise Adherence in Older Veterans

The purposed of this study was to evaluate the impact of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on adherence to an exercise program in a cohort of older veterans. Method used was a descriptive cross-sectional analysis of data from 30 older veterans participating in a study of home exercise monitoring. Participants were screened for depression and PTSD, and their one-month and eleven-week exercise adherence rates were obtained through participants’ daily reports of exercise performance. Participants with both depression and/or PTSD had lower one-month and eleven-week exercise adherence rates compared to participants without these conditions. Veterans who screened positive for both depression and PTSD had the lowest rates of exercise adherence compared to those with only depression or those with neither PTSD nor depression. Three out of four subjects with depression-PTSD comorbidity preferred exercising alone, whereas 77% of subjects without depression-PTSD comorbidity preferred exercising wit...
Vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy of surfactants and phospholipid monolayers at liquid-liquid interfaces

Work from our laboratory on vibrational sum frequency spectroscopic investigations of molecular ordering at the carbon tetrachloride-water interface is reviewed. Simple charged surfactants adsorbed at the liquid-liquid interface are seen to induce alignment of interfacial water molecules to a degree which is dependent on the induced surface potential. Saturation of water molecule alignment occurs at a surfactant surface concentration corresponding to a calculated surface potential of approximately 160 mV. In complementary studies, the relative degree of hydrocarbon chain ordering within monolayers of symmetric phosphatidylcholines of different chain lengths is inferred by the relative signal contributions of the methyl and methylene symmetric stretch modes. The degree of hydrocarbon chain disorder observed depends strongly on the method of monolayer preparation. By one method, a decrease in hydrocarbon chain order is seen with increasing chain length. Another method of monolayer formation yielded very well ordered hydrocarbon chains for the longest chain phosphatidylcholine studied, and showed much greater disorder in shorter chain species which was comparable to the other preparation method. These studies are a foundation for further work with this technique geared towards understanding molecular-level structural features in membrane-like assemblies and surface biochemical interactions of relevance to biomedical research.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Enhancement of pre-existing DNA adducts in rodents exposed to cigarette smoke.

Abstract Exposure to tobacco smoke has been implicated in the increased incidence of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This report describes various experimental studies in animals that were carried out to determine the ability of cigarette smoke to form DNA adducts and to define chromatographic nature of the major adducts. Tissues from rodents exposed to mainstream or sidestream cigarette smoke in nose-only and whole-body exposure systems, respectively, for different durations were analyzed for DNA adducts by 32 P -postlabeling assay. The results showed essentially similar qualitative patterns in various respiratory (lung, trachea, larynx) and non-respiratory (heart, bladder) tissues of smoke-exposed rats. However, adduct pattern in the nasal mucosa was different. The mean total DNA adducts in various tissues expressed as per 10 10 nucleotides exhibited the following order: heart (700)>lung (420)>trachea (170)>larynx (150)>bladder (50). Some qualitatively identical adducts were routinely detected in tissues from sham-treated rats but at greatly reduced levels (5- to 25-fold). The levels of lung DNA adducts increased with the duration of exposure up to 23 weeks and returned to control levels 19 weeks after the cessation of exposure. Species-related differences in adduct magnitude and patterns were observed among rats, mice and guinea pigs; mouse being the most sensitive to DNA damage and guinea pig the least sensitive. Whole-body exposure of rats to sidestream cigarette smoke also enhanced the pre-existing DNA adducts by several fold in different tissues. Selective chromatography, and extractability in butanol suggested lipophilic nature of smoke-associated DNA adducts, which were, however, recovered significantly better in nuclease P1 than butanol enrichment procedure. The major smoke-associated adducts were chromatographically different from any of the reference adducts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) co-chromatographed with the smoke DNA samples. Because PAH–DNA adducts are recovered with equal efficiency by the two enrichment procedures, the above observations suggested that smoke-associated adducts are not related to typical PAHs, like benzo[ a ]pyrene. It is concluded that cigarette smoke increased the levels of pre-existing endogenous DNA adducts (the so-called I-compounds) in animal models and that these adducts are unrelated to those formed by typical PAHs.
Identification of and interactions between noradrenergic and serotonergic neurites in the myenteric plexus.

Interactions between enteric noradrenergic and serotonergic neurites in the myenteric plexus were examined. The influence of exogenous norepinephrine (NE) and endogenously released NE on the release of 3H-serotonin (3H-5-HT) from electrically stimulated, everted segments of guinea pig small intestine were analyzed. In addition, methods were employed to permit the ultrastructural identification of enteric serotonergic and noradrenergic neurites. These included electron microscopic radioautographic localization of 3H-5-HT in gut from animals treated with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-HD; 100 mg/kg) and examination of NaMnO4-fixed tissue from animals given desmethylimipramine and the indolic neurotoxin, 5, 7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT). Exogenous NE antagonized the stimulated release of 3H-5-HT; this action was mediated through alpha adrenoceptors. Evidence was obtained, however, that endogenous NE liberated from sympathetic postganglionic nerve terminals had a different action on the stimulated release of 3H-5-HT from that of exogenous NE. Endogenous NE appeared to facilitate 3H-5-HT release through an action on beta adrenoceptors. Terminals identified as probably serotonergic by radioautographic labeling with 3H-5-HT or by loading with 5,7-DHT were most often found to end on neuronal somata or proximal dendrites. Synaptic specializations were found by radioautography in these locations. Terminals, dendrites, and cell bodies that took up 5,7-DHT could be identified in NaMnO4-fixed material that also permitted the simultaneous recognition of noradrenergic varicosities. Apparent noradrenergic-serotonergic axoaxonic contacts were found by means of this double-labeling technique. Together with the results of the experiments on the release of 3H-5-HT, these anatomical observations suggest that noradrenergic axons form facilitatory axoaxonic synapses with enteric serotonergic neurons.
A Computational Pipeline for LC-MS/MS Based Metabolite Identification

Metabolite identification is the major bottle-neck in LC-MS based metabolomic investigations. The mass-based search approach often leaves a large fraction of metabolites with either no identification or multiple putative identifications. As manual verification of metabolites is laborious, computational approaches are needed to obtain more reliable putative identifications and prioritize them. In this paper, a computational pipeline is proposed to assist metabolite identification with improved coverage and prioritization capability. The pipeline is based on multiple pieces of publicly-available software and databases. The proposed pipeline is successfully applied in an LC-MS/MS-based metabolomic study, where mass, retention time, and MS/MS spectrum were used to improve the accuracy of metabolite identification and to prioritize putative identifications for subsequent metabolite verification.
Future Thinking in Disadvantaged Situations: The Role of Outcome Delays and Competitive Issues in Negotiation

Extant literature suggests that delaying the outcomes of negotiations can have salutary effects on the joint outcomes of participants. However, this literature has not examined the impact that outcome delays have on the success of individual negotiators. We argue that in situations where a player's preference on an issue involves a lack of legitimacy, an outcome delay may advantage the presentation of that issue. In addition, we suggest that this effect is more likely to be present in situations where competition is high, specifically, where the parties have few opportunities for cooperation. An experimental dyadic negotiation exercise involving 306 undergraduate participants was conducted to test these hypotheses. Results suggest that the introduction of an outcome delay helps to reduce the negative effects of a legitimacy disadvantage in the absence of alternate opportunities for collaboration.
Mothers’ Ideas About Their Role in Feeding Their High-Risk Infants

Objective To describe how mothers of preterm infants who are learning to nipple feed view their own and their infant’s role in the feeding process. Design Descriptive, comparative study. Setting Two neonatal intensive-care units (NICU) in the Midwest. Participants A convenience sample of 22 mothers of very-low-birth-weight infants. Main Outcome Measures Interviews were rated for mothers’ level of thinking about their co-regulatory role in their infants’ feeding on a 6-point scale. The higher the score the more flexible, contingent, adaptive, and reflective the mother’s thinking is regarding her infant’s and her own behavior during feeding. High and low scores were compared using paired t tests. Results The co-regulation scores ranged from 1 to 6, with a mean score of 3.3 (SD = 1.4). Mothers scoring higher on the co-regulation measure were significantly older and their infants were younger gestationally at birth. Their infants tended toward having been in the NICU for a longer period of time and spending more days on oxygen. Conclusions Understanding feeding from the parents’ perspective can guide clinicians as they support the development of parents’ feeding skills. Intervention, rather than beginning with how to feed, may need to begin with how to take the infant’s perspective, how to explore infant behavior that is novel, and ways of viewing the process of feeding as co-regulated.
Reactions of Charged Substrates. 5. The Solvolysis and Sodium Azide Substitution Reactions of Benzylpyridinium Ions in Deuterium Oxide.

Second-order rate constants and activation values were measured for the reactions with NaN3 of a series of 4-Y-substituted (Y = MeO, Me, H, Cl, and NO2) benzyl 3‘-Z-substituted (Z = CN, CONH2, H, F, Ac) pyridinium chlorides in deuterium oxide. 3‘-Cyanopyridine substrates reacted much faster than nicotinamide and pyridine substrates; in the pyridine series the 4-Me, 4-H, and 4-Cl benzyl analogs did not react for up to 6 months at 96 °C in 1.7 M NaN3. The 3‘-cyanopyridine substrates do not exhibit borderline kinetic behavior, but the nicotinamide substrates do. The Hammett plot is flat for the NaN3 reaction of 3‘-cyanopyridine substrates and increasingly V-shaped for the nicotinamide and pyridine substrates. The values of βLG (four-point plot) for the NaN3 reaction of the 4-MeO benzyl substrates is −1.45, which is usually interpreted as being a very “late” activated complex. Two-point Bronsted “plots” for the other benzyl derivatives and for two N-methylpyridinium ions give values of βLG in the same range. ...
Multi-input shaping control for multi-hoist cranes

Multiple cranes are often used in coordination to manipulate very large payloads. These type of lifts are common in the aerospace industry, when large aircraft components are moved and when satellites are placed into testing fixtures. Such lifts also occur frequently in the construction industry to move large prefabricated components into place. These multi-hoist lifts suffer from the same fundamental limitation as simpler, single-hoist cranes: payload oscillation. However, the increased complexity of the payload dynamics make multi-hoist lifts more difficult to control. This paper presents two methods to limit payload oscillation during multi-hoist lifts. The two techniques utilize input shaping to design inputs for each of the hoists involved. One method uses the local suspension cable length at each hoist for control design, while the other concurrently designs the inputs based on the payload configuration. Experimental results from a two-hoist system verify some of the theoretical findings.
Transcervical ultrasonography is feasible to visualize and evaluate base of tongue cancers.

BACKGROUND: Base of tongue (BOT) is a difficult subsite to examine clinically and radiographically. Yet, anatomic delineation of the primary tumor site, its extension to adjacent sites or across midline, and endophytic vs. exophytic extent are important characteristics for staging and treatment planning. We hypothesized that ultrasound could be used to visualize and describe BOT tumors. METHODS: Transcervical ultrasound was performed using a standardized protocol in cases and controls. Cases had suspected or confirmed BOT malignancy. Controls were healthy individuals without known malignancy. RESULTS: 100% of BOT tumors were visualized. On ultrasound BOT tumors were hypoechoic (90.9%) with irregular margins (95.5%). Ultrasound could be used to characterize adjacent site involvement, midline extent, and endophytic extent, and visualize the lingual artery. No tumors were suspected for controls. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonography can be used to transcervically visualize BOT tumors and provides clinically relevant characteristics that may not otherwise be appreciable.
Precise imaging of small animals using a dual-head microPET scanner

We believe that small-animal positron emission tomography ( μ PET) can play an important role in phenotyping and drug screening. For such applications, imaging throughput becomes an important issue because one needs to image a considerable number of subjects in a study. Toward enabling high-throughput μ PET imaging, we are developing a prototype that consists of two large-area, high-performance flat detectors. These detectors are placed opposed to each other with a small spacing for providing large detection solid angle and detection sensitive volume. The resulting scanner geometry produces data having missing views and projection truncations, therefore posing a particular challenge in reconstruction. In this paper, we developed a new iterative reconstruction method that addresses this challenge. By using 2D simulated data, we find that this new method can accurately reconstruct an extended detection volume of the prototype. Because our prototype shares the same configuration with positron emission mammography (PEM), the new reconstruction method is also applicable for PEM reconstruction.
Phase Partition Analysis of Nucleotide Binding to Axonemal Dynein

The binding of nucleoside triphosphates and related ligands to dynein ATPase from sea urchin sperm flagella has been studied by equilibrium partition analysis in an aqueous biphasic system containing dextran and poly(ethylene glycol). The stoichiometry of binding and the corresponding stepwise binding constants are obtained from direct binding isotherms fitted to the primary data. The results suggest that dynein possesses four different binding sites for nucleoside triphosphates per mole of heavy chain. The stepwise binding constants for MgATP range from approximately 10(4) M-1 to approximately 10(5) M-1. The isolated alpha and beta heavy chains have binding parameters similar to intact dynein. The amount of ADP bound normally is approximately 75% that of ATP, both for the intact dynein and for the separated heavy chains, although full saturation is achieved at high nucleotide concentrations. In the presence of the ATPase inhibitor vanadate, ADP binds with affinities similar to those of ATP, with binding constants close to those of ATP in the absence of vanadate. No appreciable binding of AMP or EDTA/ATP is observed. The substitution of Ca2+ or Fe3+ for Mg2+ does not significantly alter the amount of ATP bound; however, CaATP is bound with a somewhat lower affinity. Scatchard and Hill plots of the binding data and the calculated site-binding constants suggest that ATP and ADP bind in a weakly cooperative manner. These results suggest that the multiple binding of nucleotide to dynein heavy chains occurs at physiological concentrations, putatively at the four binding sites predicted earlier on the basis of their amino acid sequences. The data are consistent with a model in which, in addition to a single catalytic site, nucleotide binding occurs at additional noncatalytic sites that represent an as yet unknown functional aspect of dynein.
Appropriate Bereavement Practice after the Death of a Native American Child

Native Americans and other minorities are statistically overrepresented in the thousands of infants and young children who die every year. Many of these deaths are unpreventable, sudden, and unexpected. Unique rituals and beliefs affect the way Native American families respond to these types of deaths. This paper is a guide for social workers and other caregivers. It examines best practices for culturally competent care and conveying respect for the Native American family. It is vital for social workers to educate, support, and advocate for families of culture in an aware, but not presumptive, style that allows reconciliation between two very different cultures. A case example is provided to illustrate important implications for culturally competent care when a child dies.
Temporal and spatial variation in the δ15N and δ13C of coral tissue and zooxanthellae in Montastraea faveolata collected from the Florida reef tract

Tissues were collected from Montastraea faveolata at five locations on the Florida Reef tract representing both nearshore and offshore environments. The tissue and zooxanthellae were removed from the skeletons, separated, and subsequently analyzed for d 15 N and d 13 C. The mean d 15 N value itself can be used as an indicator of sewage contamination in corals. Between 1995 and 1997, there was an increase of 1‰ in the d 13 C and a decrease of approximately 0.8‰ in the d 15 N. The increase in the d 13 C of the organic material was mimicked in the d 13 C of the skeletal material from corals from two reefs in the area. There appears to be clear seasonal variations in the d 13 C of the coral tissue at certain locations with d 13 C of the coral tissues and the zooxanthellae becoming more positive between July and August. The difference between the d 13 C of the zooxanthellae and the coral tissue varies seasonally with the maximum difference occurring in July of each year. In contrast, the maximum d 13 C in the skeleton appears to occur later in the year, between September and November.
Min-cut replication in partitioned networks

Logic replication has been shown empirically to reduce pin count and partition size in partitioned networks. This paper presents the first theoretical treatment of the min-cut replication problem, which is to determine replicated logic that minimizes cut size. A polynomial time algorithm for determining min-cut replication sets for k-partitioned graphs is derived by reducing replication to the problem of finding a maximum flow. The algorithm is extended to hypergraphs and replication heuristics are proposed for the NP-hard problem with size constraints on partition components. These heuristics, which reduce the worst-case running time by a factor of O(k/sup 2/) over previous methods, are applied to designs that have been partitioned into multiple FPGA's. Experimental results demonstrate that min-cut replication provides substantial reductions in the numbers of FPGA's and pins required. >
Interrupted presidencies in third wave democracies

Since 1974, popularly elected presidents in a number of Third Wave democracies have resigned or been removed from office, casting doubt on classic assumptions about the inflexibility of presidential terms. Accounting for this pattern of interruptions has been difficult, however, since some cross-national studies rely on limited samples and some yield conflicting results. We reexamine the sources of presidential interruptions in new democracies from 1974 through 2003. We find several factors that increase presidential vulnerability: lack of partisan resources in congress, a low share of the first-round vote, an imbalance in presidential power, a declining economy, and public mobilization against the incumbent. We also find that presidential survival is separate from democratic survival in most regions of the world. Presidents may fall, but democratic governments usually continue. Democratically elected presidents in sub-Saharan Africa, however, tend to be removed by force, with the result that democracy it...
If you really want to get ahead, get a bunch of theories… and data to test them

This paper addresses questions of mathematics teachers' professional development. My goal is not to provide "answers," although I have worked for some years to enhance teachers' capacity to create rich learning environments for their students. Rather, my goal is to problematize the issue, to ask: How do we frame questions of professional development in ways that are theoretically grounded? What theories do you need to know, in order do a good job of professional development? In the light of this kind of theoretical framing, I will discuss two related attempts at supporting teachers in their work.
Effect of high-pressure homogenization and stabilizers on the physicochemical properties of curcumin-loaded glycerol monooleate/chitosan nanostructures.

Aim: The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the high-pressure homogenization (HPH) process and stabilizers on the physicochemical properties of glycerol monooleate (GMO)/chitosan nanostructures using curcumin as a model hydrophobic drug. Materials & methods: The oil-in-water nanoemulsion of the GMO/chitosan system was prepared by sonication and HPH techniques using two different stabilizers (polyvinyl alcohol [PVA] and poloxamer 407). The particle size (PS), ζ-potential (ZP) and physical stability of the nanoemulsion were investigated. These nanoemulsions were lyophilized and characterized for PS, ZP, surface morphology, moisture content and physical form of the drug in the nanostructures. The in vitro release and the uptake of curcumin in Caco-2 cells were evaluated using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography method. Results: Three cycles of HPH produced a 50–65% reduction in the PS of the nanoemulsion. A change in stabilizer, from PVA to poloxamer, did not affect the PS, ph...
A requirement for MAP kinase in the assembly and maintenance of the mitotic spindle

Circumstantial evidence has suggested the possibility of microtubule-associated protein (MAP) kinase's involvement in spindle regulation. To test this directly, we asked whether MAP kinase was required for spindle assembly in Xenopus egg extracts. Either the inhibition or the depletion of endogenous p42 MAP kinase resulted in defective spindle structures resembling asters or half-spindles. Likewise, an increase in the length and polymerization of microtubules was measured in aster assays suggesting a role for MAP kinase in regulating microtubule dynamics. Consistent with this, treatment of extracts with either a specific MAP kinase kinase inhibitor or a MAP kinase phosphatase resulted in the rapid disassembly of bipolar spindles into large asters. Finally, we report that mitotic progression in the absence of MAP kinase signaling led to multiple spindle abnormalities in NIH 3T3 cells. We therefore propose that MAP kinase is a key regulator of the mitotic spindle.
Organization and Operation of a Human Breast Milk Bank

Breast milk has replaced proprietary formulas as an important feeding for the premature and sick neonate. Over 30 milk banks have been established in the United States to provide breast milk to high-risk neonates. Planning a milk bank poses many problem as no uniform standards for quality control exist. A format for developing a breast milk bank and the protocol for donor screening, collection techniques, transport and storage of milk are presented. Rationale supporting each section of the protocol is also included.
System Dynamics for Outsourcing Construction Services

Th is study developed a system dynamics model for determining the outcome for outsourcing work in a construction project. A literature rev iew was performed on the application of system dynamics for outsourcing of resources in construction projects. For the most part, the reviewed papers indicate the additional construction resources provided were totally insourced or the authors were silent regarding any resources that were outsourced. A system dynamics model to account for the impacts of outsourcing various percentages of the construction services to sustain a construction project over a specified time horizon was developed using Vensim software. Results of running this model indicate that the amount of effort of construction work depends upon both the productivity and quality of the outsourced construction services as well as project manning constraints. The percent of outsourcing construction work may also produce schedule overrun in the overall t ime to co mplete the required wo rk tasks in the construction project.
A theoretical review of the misinformation effect: Predictions from an activation-based memory model

This article reviews the major empirical results and theoretical issues from over 20 years of research on people’s acceptance of false information about recently experienced events (see, e.g., Loftus, 1975). Several theoretical perspectives are assessed in terms of their ability to account for the various and sometimes conflicting results in the literature. Theoretical perspectives reviewed include the trace alteration hypothesis, the blocking hypothesis, the task demands/strategic effects hypothesis, source monitoring, and an activation-based semantic memory account. On the basis of its ability to account for the reviewed data and other cognitive phenomena, an activation-based semantic network model of memory is suggested for understanding the data and planning future research in the area.
Accommodating Diversity and Disability with Cooperative Learning

Explores cooperative learning strategies that increase student-to-student interaction in an attempt to meet the challenges of integrating all students
Board on chip-ball grid array (BOC-BGA/sup TM/) package. A new design for high frequency application (package design and reliability)

This Board on chip-Ball grid array (BOC-BGA/sup TM/) packaging concept has been developed for memory devices to cater for high frequency application. The shorter electric path between IC chip and board enable better electrical performance. This BOC concept is apply to 1.6 Meg DRAM memory chip, with future applications in higher pin counts 64 Meg & 256 Meg DRAM chips and other memory products. This paper unveils the BOC-BGA/sup TM/ packaging concept, it uses a board (substrate) material that is mounted above the silicon chip as in the case of Lead On Chip (LOG) technology. Beside using in DRAM packaging, the concept is applicable to any silicon chips such as VRAM, LOGIC, SRAM, EPROM and other integrated circuit chip which required array form of interconnect. The sawing, mounting, and bonding processes can be carried out on the existing assembly and test equipment. The interconnect from the bond pads to the solder balls is achieved through copper traces and via holes within the substrate. New processes such as underfill, liquid compound encapsulation, ball mounting and reflow need to be implemented. This paper outlines the design and reliability considerations for 16 Meg BOC-BGA package. The design-in computer simulation is carried out at the beginning of packaging design, software are used to access and select the optimum design from Thermal, Electrical and Thermal Stress requirements. This final design will encompass good heat dissipation, low electrical inductance, low stress and warpage characteristics. In package reliability test, the 16 Meg BOC-BGA package pass level 2 & 3 Popcorn Test, Pressure Cooker Test and completed 200 and 500 Temperature Cycling without any external package crack and delamination. Board level solder joint reliability is currently on-going.
Inferring the Pattern of the Oceanic Meridional Transport from the Air–Sea Density Flux

Abstract An extension of Walin’s water mass transformation analysis is proposed that would make it possible to assess the strength of the adiabatic along-isopycnal component of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC). It is hypothesized that the substantial fraction of the adiabatic MOC component can be attributed to the difference in subduction rates at the northern and southern outcrops of each density layer—the “push–pull” mechanism. The GCM-generated data are examined and it is shown that the push–pull mode accounts for approximately two-thirds of the isopycnal water mass transport in the global budget and dominates the Atlantic transport. Much of the difference between the actual interhemispheric flux and the push–pull mode can be ascribed to the influence of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, characterized by the elevated (at least in the GCM) values of the diapycnal transport. When the diagnostic model is applied to observations, it is discovered that the reconstructed MOC is consistent, in te...
A Novel and Intuitive Method of Displaying and Interacting with Mass Difference Information: Application to Oligonucleotide Drug Impurities

A new method is presented for determining relationships between components in complex analytical systems. The method uses the mass differences between peaks in high resolution electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectra. It relates peaks that share common mass differences. The method is based on the fundamental assumption that peaks in the spectra having the same exact mass difference are related by the same chemical moiety/substructure. Moreover, the presence (or absence/loss) of the same chemical moiety from a series of molecules may reflect similarities in the mechanisms of formation of each molecule. The determined mass differences in the spectra are used to automatically differentiate the types of components in the samples. Contour plots and summary plots of the summed total ion signal as a function of the mass difference are generated, which form powerful tools for the rapid and automated determination of the components in the samples and for comparisons with other samples. For the first time, in this work a unique profile contour plot has been developed that permits the interactive interrogation of the mass range by mass difference data matrix to obtain valuable information about components that share a common mechanism of formation, and all possible mechanisms of formation linked to a selected precursor molecule. The method can be used as an additional and complementary method to the existing analytical methods to determine relationships between components in complex chemical systems.
A Prescreener for 3D Face Recognition Using Radial Symmetry and the Hausdorff Fraction

Face recognition systems require the ability to efficiently scan an existing database of faces to locate a match for a newly acquired face. The large number of faces in real world databases makes computationally intensive algorithms impractical for scanning entire databases. We propose the use of more efficient algorithms to "prescreen" face databases, determining a limited set of likely matches that can be processed further to identify a match. We use both radial symmetry and shape to extract five features of interest on 3D range images of faces. These facial features determine a very small subset of discriminating points which serve as input to a prescreening algorithm based on a Hausdorff fraction. We show how to compute the Haudorff fraction in linear O(n) time using a range image representation. Our feature extraction and prescreening algorithms are verified using the FRGC v1.0 3D face scan data. Results show 97% of the extracted facial features are within 10 mm or less of manually marked ground truth, and the prescreener has a rank 6 recognition rate of 100%.
The expression of functional postsynaptic α2-adrenoceptors in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle

1. The purpose of this study was to determine if corpus cavernosum smooth muscle expresses functional postsynaptic alpha2-adrenoceptors (AR). 2. The alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist UK 14,304 elicited concentration-dependent contractions in rabbit corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (CCSM). The half-maximal response occurred at 0.32+/-0.03 microM and the maximum contraction at 10 microM UK 14,304. 3. Pretreatment of CCSM strips with selective alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonists, rauwolscine and RS-15385, produced rightward shifts in the dose-response curves to UK 14,304 (pA2 values 7.1 and 8.5, respectively). In contrast, these antagonists did not alter contraction induced by the alpha1-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine (PE) or oxymetazoline. UK 14,304-induced contractions were also inhibited by prazosin (pA2 = 9.08). 4. UK 14,304-induced contractions, unlike those to PE, were highly dependent on the presence of extracellular Ca2+. 5. [3H]-rauwolscine bound to CCSM membranes with high affinity (Kd = 1.5 nM). [3H]-rauwolscine binding was displaced by unlabelled rauwolscine, RS-15385, UK 14,304 and prazosin, but not by PE. 6. UK 14,304 inhibited forskolin and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1)-induced increases in intracellular cyclic AMP concentration in primary cultures of rabbit CCSM cells. 7. These results demonstrate that CCSM expresses Gi-coupled postsynaptic alpha2-adrenoceptors, and activation of these receptors causes contraction of trabecular smooth muscle.
Very High-Temperature Joints Between Si and Ag–Copper Substrate Made at Low Temperature Using InAg System

We present a fluxless bonding process between silicon and Ag-copper dual-layer substrate using electroplated indium/silver solder. The nucleation mechanism of In plated over Ag layer is first investigated. It is interesting to discover that In atoms react with underlying Ag to form AgIn2 compound layer during electroplating. A novel Ag laminating technique on Cu substrates is developed. The Ag cladding functions as a strain buffer to manage the large mismatch in coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between semiconductors such as Si (3 ppm/degC) and Cu (17 ppm/degC) substrates. To bond Si chips to the Ag layer on copper substrates, In-based alloy (InAg) is used. A fluxless bonding process is developed between Si/Cr/Au/Ag and Cu/Ag/In/Ag. The process is performed in 50-militorr vacuum to suppress solder oxidation. No flux is used. The resulting joints consist of three distinct layers of Ag, Ag2In and Ag. Microstructure and composition of the joints are examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Bonded samples are further annealed to convert the Ag2In phase into solid solution phase (Ag). The joint has a melting temperature above 850degC. This technique presents our success in overcoming the very large CTE mismatch between silicon and copper. It can be applied to mounting numerous high-power silicon devices to Cu substrates for various industrial applications.
Effects of population pulsations on backward, nearly degenerate four-wave mixing spectroscopy and optical phase conjugation

We discuss the effects of population pulsations on the spectral response of backward nearly degenerate four-wave mixing (NDFWM). We include the effects of state-specific decay and spontaneous emission on both two-level and inverted-v-type three-level systems. We compare the results with experiments in both the gas phase and the condensed phase that show ultranarrow resonances. In addition, we examine the response in the presence of strong pump fields. We show that in a simple two-level system, the NDFWM response results in an ac-Stark splitting of the spectral response, whereas in a simple three-level system with decay to a metastable state, a single narrow resonance is observed, which broadens in the presence of strong pumps.
Calculus Formation: Nurses’ Decision-Making in Abortion-Related Care

Nurses routinely provide care to patients in ethically challenging situations. To explore the continuum between conscientious objectors and designated staff in the provision of care to women seeking abortions, the aim of this study was to thickly describe decision-making, using abortion as the clinical context to elucidate how nurses approach ethically challenging work. A purposive sample of 25 nurses who worked in abortion clinics, emergency departments, intensive care units, labor, and delivery, operating rooms, and post anesthesia care units were interviewed. Qualitative description and thematic analysis were used to identify the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes in nurses' decisions to care for women needing abortions. Nurses developed and used multifaceted, real-time calculi when making decisions about their participation in emergent or routine abortion care. Nurses tacked back and forth between the personal and professional and/or held multiple contradictory positions simultaneously. Nurses weighed the role and opinion of others to determine if they know how to or know why they would provide abortion care to women, particularly in the elective abortion context. The parameters of the nurse-patient relationship were complex and specific to the experiences of both the nurse and patient. Findings from this study further develop the science of ethically challenging decision-making and expand our understanding of factors that influence how nurses develop relationships to ethically challenging work.
System level integration of handheld wireless non-contact vital sign detectors

An integrated non-contact vital sign detector for handheld applications is demonstrated. The detector includes a radio frequency transceiver, baseband analog circuits, and a baseband signal processor. The RF transceiver transmits a continuous RF signal toward the subject and receives the reflected signal. The direct conversion receiver chain down-converts the received signal to baseband and the baseband analog circuit further amplifies and level-shifts the output. The signal processor performs spectrum analysis on the baseband signal. The baseband signal processor is realized by an ARM7TDMI microprocessor. Key algorithm of the spectrum analysis is described in detail. Experiments were performed with two subjects, a human subject and an actuator moving in two-tone motion. Results were analyzed to verify the accuracy of the detection. The guideline on selecting sampling frequency for different applications is described.
The Genetics, Pathology, and Molecular Biology of T-Cytoplasm Male Sterility in Maize*

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the genetics, pathology, and molecular biology of T-cytoplasm male sterility in maize. The chapter discusses the role of cytoplasmic male sterility systems in facilitating the production of hybrid seeds. The effects of widespread planting of T-cytoplasm maize on the severe 1970 epidemic and effect of a mitochondria1 gene on disease susceptibility and male sterility are discussed. It also discusses the involvement of nuclear cytoplasmic interactions in restoration of cms-T, the perspectives of cms-T researchers, and future directions. In cms-T plants, male sterility is associated with premature breakdown of the mitochondria-rich, tapetal cell layer of the anther; this layer is crucial to pollen production because it supplies nutrients to the developing microspores. In many species, cms is associated with the expression of novel open-reading frames in the mitochondrial genome. The studies provided a foundation for further research that resulted in the cloning of the T- urf1 3 and Rf2 genes from maize and the ChPKSl gene from C. heterostrophus , and the generation of models for the topology of urf13 in the inner mitochondrial membrane, Rfl-mediated processing of T- urfl3 transcripts, and the evolution of toxin biosynthesis in C. heterostrophus and M . zeae-maydis.