cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PH imaging of mouse kidneys in vivo using a frequency-dependent paraCEST agent

Purpose This study explored the feasibility of using a pH responsive paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer (paraCEST) agent to image the pH gradient in kidneys of healthy mice. Methods CEST signals were acquired on an Agilent 9.4 Tesla small animal MRI system using a steady-state gradient echo pulse sequence after a bolus injection of agent. The magnetic field inhomogeneity across each kidney was corrected using the WASSR method and pH maps were calculated by measuring the frequency of water exchange signal arising from the agent. Results Dynamic CEST studies demonstrated that the agent was readily detectable in kidneys only between 4 to 12 min postinjection. The CEST images showed a higher signal intensity in the pelvis and calyx regions and lower signal intensity in the medulla and cortex regions. The pH maps reflected tissue pH values spanning from 6.0 to 7.5 in kidneys of healthy mice. Conclusion This study demonstrated that pH maps of the kidney can be imaged in vivo by measuring the pH-dependent chemical shift of a single water exchange CEST peak without prior knowledge of the agent concentration in vivo. The results demonstrate the potential of using a simple frequency-dependent paraCEST agent for mapping tissue pH in vivo. Magn Reson Med 75:2432-2441, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The EMOTION-IS-LIQUID Metaphor in English and Vietnamese: A Contrastive Analysis

Abstract Based on Lakoff's conceptual metaphor theory and Kovecses’ basic emotion terms, this pilot research found that English and Vietnamese share the conceptual metaphor EMOTION IS LIQUID. For each basic emotion term, the proportion of the EMOTION IS LIQUID expressions to the total of emotion tokens was relatively small. The translation of one language to the other fell into the same conceptual metaphor. Examples were collected from the Corpus of Contemporary American English, the World Wide Web, and the VietnameseWaC corpus. An implication for English teaching is to categorize expressions into different conceptual metaphors to enhance learners’ word choice.
Medical and Genetic Enhancements: Ethical Issues That Will Not Go Away

This article focuses on relative risk standards for adolescent HIV vaccine trials in South Africa. It explains the difference between the prospect of direct benefit - physical examinations medical history-taking sexually transmitted infection testing HIV testing pregnancy testing and contraceptive provision and the no prospect of direct benefit which could include blood draws for laboratory testing.
The role of protons in ionic diffusion in (Mg,Fe)O and (Mg,Fe)2SiO4

The presence of hydrogen dissolved within iron-magnesium oxides and silicates results in an increase in the rate of Fe–Mg interdiffusion. Experimental data and point defect models suggest that the increased interdiffusivity is due to an increase in the total metal-vacancy concentration through stabilization of proton-vacancy defect associates in a hydrous environment. In the case of (Mg1–xFex)O, interdiffusion experiments under hydrothermal conditions at a fluid pressure of ∼0.3 GPa yield similar dependencies of interdiffusivity on Fe-content, oxygen fugacity, and temperature as under dry conditions, but interdiffusion coefficients are a factor of ∼3 larger. These data suggest that the increased interdiffusivities in (Mg1–xFex)O result from incorporation of defect associates formed between a metal vacancy and a single proton, $$\hbox{p}_{\rm Me}^{\prime} \equiv \{\hbox{p}^{\bullet}-\hbox{V}_{\rm Me}^{\prime\prime} \}^{\prime}.$$ For (Mg1–xFex)2SiO4, interdiffusion under hydrothermal conditions over a range of fluid pressures reveals a significant difference in the dependence of interdiffusivity on Fe content than obtained under dry conditions, combined with a strong dependence on water fugacity. These data indicate that the increased diffusivities in (Mg1–xFex)2SiO4 result from incorporation of defect associates involving a metal vacancy and 2 protons, $$\hbox{(2p)}_{\rm Me}^\times \equiv \{2\hbox{p}^{\bullet} -\hbox{V}_{\rm Me}^{\prime\prime} \}^{\times}.$$ It is anticipated that, at higher water fugacities, Fe–Mg interdiffusion in both materials will become dominated by these latter defects and that the interdiffusivity will increase linearly with water fugacity but will be independent of oxygen fugacity and iron concentration.
Deflection Control of a Corner-Supported Plate Using Segmented In-Plane Actuators

This paper describes an array of in-plane piezoelectric actuator segments laminated onto a corner-supported substrate to create a thin bimorph for reflector applications. An electric field distribution over the actuator segments causes the segments to expand or contract, thereby effecting plate deflection. To achieve a desired bimorph shape, the shape is first expressed as a two-dimensional series expansion. Then, using coefficients from the series expansion, an inverse problem is solved that determines the electric field distribution realizing the desired plate shape. A static example is presented where the desired deflection shape is a paraboloid.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Altered metaphase chromosome structure in xrs-5 cells is not related to its radiation sensitivity or defective DNA break rejoining.

Abstract The Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line xrs-5 is a radiation-sensitive derivative of CHO-K1 cells. The xrs-5 cells have a defect in DNA double-strand break rejoining and show alterations in chromosome structure and nuclear morphology. The relationship between radiation sensitivity and metaphase chromosome morphology was examined in 12 ‘revertant’ xrs-5 clones isolated following treatment with 5-azacytidine. Nine of the clones were radioresistant while the other three retained xrs-5-like radiation sensitivity. Chromosome morphology reverted to CHO-K1-like characteristics in three of the radioresistant clones and one of the radiosensitive clones suggesting that the over-condensed metaphase chromosome morphology of xrs-5 cells does not underlie its radiation sensitivity. Radiation sensitivity did correlate with DNA double-strand break rejoining ability. The radioresistant clones showing the over-condensed xrs-5-like chromosome morphology were also slightly more sensitive to the topoisomerase II inhibitor etoposide (VP-16) than CHO-K1, suggesting that the over-condensed morphology might be due to alterations in the phosphorylation of chromatin proteins.
Analytical solutions for flow fields near continuous wall reactive barriers

Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) are widely applied for in-situ remediation of contaminant plumes transported by groundwater. Besides the goal of a sufficient contaminant remediation inside the reactive cell (residence time) the width of plume intercepted by a PRB is of critical concern. A 2-dimensional analytical approach is applied to determine the flow fields towards rectangular PRBs of the continuous wall (CW) configuration with and without impermeable side walls (but yet no funnel). The approach is based on the conformal mapping technique and assumes a homogeneous aquifer with a uniform ambient flow field. The hydraulic conductivity of the reactive material is furthermore assumed to exceed the conductivity of the aquifer by at least one order of magnitude as to neglect the hydraulic gradient across the reactor. The flow fields are analyzed regarding the widths and shapes of the respective capture zones as functions of the dimensions (aspect ratio) of the reactive cell and the ambient groundwater flow direction. Presented are an improved characterization of the advantages of impermeable side walls, a convenient approach to improved hydraulic design (including basic cost-optimization) and new concepts for monitoring CW PRBs. Water level data from a CW PRB at the Seneca Army Depot site, NY, are used for field demonstration.
Renal angiotensin II type 1 receptor expression and associated hypertension in rats with minimal SHR nuclear genome.

Angiotensin II (AII) has been linked as a causal factor in several experimental models of hypertension (HT) including Okamoto spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The transmission and expression of AII type 1 receptors (AT1r) in SHR and the development of genetic HT remain unknown. It is hypothesized that tissue-specific expression of renin–angiotensin system (RAS) genes derived from SHR are linked to HT in offspring of SHR crossed with Brown Norway (BN) rats. Hypertensive female progeny of BN/SHR matings was backcrossed with founder BN males to generate the F1 and five backcross generations (BN/SHR-mt SHR ). Progeny were phenotyped according to normotension (NT: systolic arterial pressure [SAP] ≤ 124 mmHg), borderline hypertension (BHT: 124 ≤ SAP < 145 mmHg), and HT (SAP ≥ 145 mmHg). Six generations produced more HT (n = 88; 46%) than NT (n = 21; 11%) offspring. The mRNA expression of the RAS was evaluated in NT (n = 20) and HT (n = 20) BN/SHR-mt SHR across several generations. Quantitative realtime polymerase chain reaction analysis of kidney tissue showed increased expression of AII, type 1 receptors (Agtr1a )( ~2.5-fold) in HT versus NT rats, while other members of both the renal and systemic RAS pathway were not different. Western blot analysis from kidney homogenates showed that AT1r protein levels were higher (P < 0.05) in backcross generation 3 (BC3) HT versus NT rats. Evaluation of SAP as a function of AT1r expression by linear regression indicated positive correlation (P < 0.05) in kidney of BC3 BN/ SHR-mt SHR rats. Thus, elevated kidney AT1r expression may be involved in the development of HT in BN/SHR-mt SHR rats.
Retention of distance and on-campus students in a graduate computer science degree program

This poster presents the results of a comparison of retention rates for students in a Masters of Computer Science degree program located in the United States. This study is unusual in that it compares retention for an entire degree program where the same program is offered in both distance education and traditional on-campus formats.
The biologic effect of irradiation by radioactive iodine.

TRACER doses of radioactive isotopes have been used in biology and medicine with the assumption that their radiation does not change the physiology under investigation. However, there have been few studies made to establish this assumption as fact. Radioactive iodine has now been widely used for about ten years in the study of thyroid physiology and iodine metabolism. In order to interpret correctly the results of these studies, knowledge of any possible radiation effects of radioactive iodine tracer doses is necessary. We have undertaken studies with radioactive iodine (I131) in doses which have been used as “tracers” with two main objectives: 1. to determine the minimal amount of radioactive iodine which may interfere with the normal function of the thyroid and 2. to study the effects of irradiation by radioactive iodine on various known functions of the thyroid. The purpose of this paper is to report the radiation effect of I131 on the thyroid in respect to: 1. collection of radioactive iodine 2. capac...
Statistical evaluation of the position of the mandibular foramen

The position of the mandibular foramen and its importance to successful inferior alveolar anesthesia has been well documented. The current study attempts to use position of the narrowest AP width of the ramus and the gonial angle as the important parameters in locating MF, rather than using isolated measurements of the bony mandible proper.
Orthogonal moment operators for subpixel edge detection

Abstract A new approach to detect step edges with subpixel accuracy is presented. The proposed approach is based on a set of orthogonal complex moments of the image known as Zernike moments. An ideal two-dimensional (2D) step edge is modeled in terms of four parameters: the background gray level, the step size, the distance of the edge from the center of the mask, and the orientation of the edge. Discrete Zernike moments are used to obtain a total of three complex masks to compute all the edge parameters for subpixel detection. For pixel-level edge detection only two masks (one real and one complex) are required. The theoretical analysis of the influence of noise on the location and the orientation of an edge is presented. This analysis reveals that the accuracy of the proposed approach is virtually unaffected by the additive noise. The technique is effective in detecting both the pixel-level and subpixel-level edges. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed technique.
DIF DETECTION WITH SMALL SAMPLES: APPLYING SMOOTHING TECHNIQUES TO FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTIONS IN THE MANTEL‐HAENSZEL PROCEDURE

All differential item functioning (DIF) methods require at least a moderate sample size for effective DIF detection. Samples that are less than 200 pose a challenge for DIF analysis. Smoothing can improve upon the estimation of the population distribution by preserving major features of an observed frequency distribution while eliminating the noise brought about by irregular data points. This study applied smoothing techniques to frequency distributions and investigated the impact of smoothed data on the Mantel-Haenszel (MH) DIF detection in small samples. Eight sample-size combinations were randomly drawn from a real data set to make the study realistic and were replicated 80 times to produce stable results. The population DIF results were used as the criteria to evaluate sample estimates using root-mean square difference (RMSD), bias analysis, and Type II error rate. Loglinear smoothing was found to provide slight to moderate improvements in MH DIF estimation with small samples.
Comparison of Tropospheric Temperatures Following Agung and El Chichón Volcanic Eruptions

Abstract Tropospheric temperatures tended to cool after the Agung (8°S) eruption in 1963, but warm after the El Chichon (17°N) eruption in 1982. Thus, over the one-year period following the eruptions, Northern Hemisphere surface temperature is indicated as cooling 0.34°C after Agung, but warming 0.37°C after El Chichon, a difference significant at the 0.5% level according to Student';s t-test. This difference in Northern Hemisphere temperature change is mainly due to differences in north temperate latitudes where, over the one-year period, the surface temperature is indicated as cooling 0.36°C after Agung but warming 1.27°C after El Chichon. It is proposed that the warming after El Chichon is mostly due to the anomalously warm sea surface temperature (SST) in the eastern equatorial Pacific (El Nino) in 1982–83, the relation between SST and tropospheric temperature being an obvious one in the tropics but of a more indirect nature in midlatitudes. The best evidence so far for a tropospheric cooling due to E...
Numerical solution of forced convection heat transfer in He II

A theoretical investigation of one-dimensional forced convection heat transfer in He II is conducted. The problem of interest involves a flow tube containing He II, which is heated at its midpoint along its length. Two modes of heating are analyzed: step function and square pulse. The one-dimensional He II energy equation is used to find the temperature distribution along the tube for both steady-state and transient situations. For the steady-state case, a numerical integration routine is used to obtain a solution, whereas for the solution of the transient case, a finite-difference scheme is developed. The numerical temperature profiles are then shown to compare well with the results of an experiment.
Autonomic dysfunction in peripheral nerve disease

Autonomic neuropathies are inherited or acquired neuropathies in which autonomic nerve fibers are selectively or disproportionately affected. Generally, sympathetic and parasympathetic fibers are both affected but there are exceptions. Acquired cases can be autoimmune; due to diabetes, amyloidosis, drugs, or toxins; or idiopathic. Autoimmune autonomic neuropathy is often subacute, sometimes associated with a neoplasm, and associated with high titers of antibody to ganglionic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in about half of the severe cases. The molecular basis of inherited autonomic neuropathies is better known, including recent identification of the loci and genes of hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies types I, III, and IV. The inherited amyloid neuropathies are due to mutations of three proteins: transthyretin, apolipoprotein A1, and gelsolin. Non-invasive autonomic testing complements clinical and electrophysiological characterization of the autonomic neuropathies.
Relationship of perceived effectiveness to verbal interaction/content variables in supervisory conferences in speech-language pathology.

This study investigated the individual supervisory conference in speech-language pathology. The purpose was to determine the relationship between those factors in conference behavior perceived to b...
Ethanol Drug Interaction with Chlordiazepoxide and Pentobarbital

Drug interactions between ethanol and pentobarbital and ethanol and chlordiazepoxide were investigated utilizing mice. At the peak of oral ethanol (0-4 g/kg), either sodium pentobarbital (1-120 mg/kg) or chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride (2-400 mg/kg) was given intraperitoneally. Blood concentrations of ethanol, pentobarbital, chlordiazepoxide, and its pharmacologically active major metabolites were monitored utilizing either gas chromatography or high performance liquid chromatography. Lethality and loss-of-righting reflex were measured as indexes of behavioral drug interactions. It was evident from the isobolographic plot that the interactions between ethanol and pentobarbital and ethanol and chlordiazepoxide were more than additive. Interaction between ethanol and pentobarbital was greater than that between ethanol and chlordiazepoxide. Furthermore, with increasing ethanol pretreatment the shift in dose-response curves for the loss-of-righting reflex was affected more than the shift in dose-response curves for lethality. Blood concentration monitoring of each drug indicated that the rate of biotransformation of pentobarbital was significantly decreased; sequential biotransformation of chlordiazepoxide was also altered, resulting in a large accumulation of demethylchlordiazepoxide in the blood.
Observations on the pineal system in the hamster. I. Relations of the superficial and deep pineal to the epithalamus.

A mass of pineal tissue has been observed associated with the habenular commissure and the apex of the pineal recess in the golden hamster. Previously, it had been thought that all of the pineal system in the hamster was located at the confluence of sinuses just beneath the skull. To distinguish the two components of the pineal system, that in the dural position is called the superficial pineal and the mass associated with the habenular commissure is called the deep pineal.
A Note on Mixed Exponential Approximations for GI/G/1 Waiting Times.

Abstract A method is offered for the effective estimation of the stationary waiting-time distribution of the GI/G/1 queue by a (possibly nonconvex) mixed exponential CDF. The approach relies on obtaining a generalized exponential mixture as an approximation for the distribution of the service times. This is done by the adaptation of a nonlinear optimization algorithm previously developed for the maximum-likelihood estimation of parameters from mixed Weibull distributions. The approach is particularly well-suited for obtaining the delay distribution beginning from raw interarrivai and service-time data.
Is patients' time too valuable for informed consent?

Informed consent has been a standard for medical procedures and treatments established in law for more than half a century (Salgo v. Leland Stanford, Jr. University Board of Trustees 1957), requiri...
Refining High-Free Fatty Acid Wheat Germ Oil

Wheat germ oil was refined using conventional degumming, neutralization, bleaching, and continuous tray deodorization, and the effects of processing conditions on oil quality were determined. The crude wheat germ oil contained 1,428 ppm phosphorus, 15.7% free fatty acid (FFA), and 2,682 ppm total tocopherol, and had a peroxide value (PV) of 20 meq/kg. Degumming did not appreciably reduce the phosphorus content, whereas neutralization was effective in removing phospholipid. Total tocopherol content did not significantly change during degumming, neutralization, and bleaching. A factorial experimental design of three deodorization tempeatures and three residence times (oil flow rates) was used to determine quality changes during deodorization. High temperatures and long residence times in deodorization produced oils with less FFA, PV, and red color. Deodorization at temperatures up to 250°C for up to 9 min did not significantly reduce tocopherol content, but, at 290°C for 30-min residence time, the tocopherol content was significantly reduced. Good-quality wheat germ oil was produced after modifying standard oil refining procedures.
On the Experimental Evidence of the Mosaic Structure of Bi-Single Crystals.

It is known that the description of the structure of a normal crystal as given by the theory of the atomic and molecular lattices is not complete without taking into account a certain kind of irregularities, the presence of which is dependent on the imperfection of the crystal. Thus the conception of the mosaic crystal rose, first given by Ewald and Smekal and others. In two recent papers, Zwicky (1,2) gave theoretical reasons for the assumption that the mosaic structure in a crystal is a regular one, its period depending on the character of the substance and the lattice. Thus, he obtains the aspect that a crystal has a definite structure - a kind of a secondary lattice-superposed to the molecular or atomic arrangement in the primary lattice.
Autoradiographic localization of estradiol-binding neurons in the rat hippocampal formation and entorhinal cortex.

This study has examined the distribution of [3H]estradiol and [1α,2α-3H]testosterone uptake in the hippocampal formation and entorhinal cortex of male and female rats. In both males and females, [3H]estradiol-binding neurons in Ammon's horn are located deep in stratum pyramidale and may correspond either to polymorphic interneurons or to early maturing pyramidal cells. Interneurons of strata oriens, lucidum and radiatum of Ammon's horn and of stratum moleculare of the subiculum also bind [3H]estradiol, as do basket cell interneurons in the polymorphic, infragranular layer of the dentate gyrus. While no granule cells appear to accumulate [3H]estradiol, these cells may be affected transsynaptically by gonadal steroids via their afferent contacts with the entorhinal cortex, which, of the areas examined, contains the greatest number of [3H]estradiol-binding neurons. While relatively few neurons concentrate [3H]estradiol in the hippocampal formation, these are localized to specific subpopulations, which may enhance their functional significance. Because there is no significant nuclear accumulation of [3H]-α-testosterone in either the entorhinal cortex or hippocampal formation, it appears that aromatase enzyme activity is not a major contributor to estrogen receptor occupancy in adult rats.
Serials receipts decentralization for two branch campus libraries at the University of Washington

During 1996, staff at the University of Washington Libraries, a large research library, undertook a project to decentralize serials receipts for two branch campus libraries. This article examines the rationale for decentralization, the planning involved, and how the project was implemented, including follow-up. It details the project’s outcomes and discusses various problems encountered and the impact of the changes on branch campus and central library staff. The authors include a list of steps for executing a successful decentralization project. The authors conclude with general observations about changing to the practice of receiving serials directly at branch libraries.
Coaching Difference: a Case Study of 4 African American Women Student-Athletes

The purpose of the present investigation was to describe the experiences of African American women student-athletes and the role that coaches play in those experiences. This study profiles 4 women who participated in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I cross-country, crew, track and field, and volleyball. Using data gathered through the qualitative methods of document analysis, background questionnaires, focus groups, grounded surveys, and in-depth individual interviews, the results of the study are focused on how coaches affect individual student-athletes and, most specifically, a particular segment of the athletic world that tends to be overlooked: the African American woman. Results are organized according to the following themes that emerged through the collection of data: (a) the involvement of coaches in African American women student-athletes' exposure to racism through stereotypes, (b) coaches as significant influences on African American women becoming involved and remaining involved in sport, and (c) power structures in sport and society affecting African American women as a form of institutional racism. A practical applications section follows the results.
Dividend reinvestment plans: An empirical analysis

This study examines the effect of initiating discount and no discount dividend reinvestment plans on shareholder wealth. The results show a negative response to DRP announcements, which is significantly smaller than that found in studies of new equity offerings. These results are consistent with the Scholes and Wolfson (1989) hypothesis that managers in need of equity capital use DRPs to mitigate the adverse stock price effects of new equity issue announcements. Furthermore, there is a significant difference in the price response of discount and no discount DRPs for industrial firms. This result is supportive of the signaling potential of discount DRPs. Supportive evidence is also found in the analysis of firm characteristics for industrial firms.
Zirconium arsenates and their ion exchange behaviour

Abstract When aqueous solutions of Zr(IV) compounds are allowed to react with arsenate ion, amorphous gels of variable composition are obtained. However, a crystalline zirconium monohydrogen arsenate is obtained on refluxing the gels in a strongly acid (HNO 3 ) solution of arsenic acid. The crystalline arsenate is isomorphous with crystalline zirconium monohydrogen phosphate and exhibits quite similar ion exchange behaviour. Some comments on the mechanism of exchange are presented based on structural considerations.
An extreme example of delayed vocal development : song learning in a population of wild brown-headed cowbirds

Abstract Abstract. To determine whether vocal ontogeny in migratory brown-headed cowbirds, Molothrus ater artemisiae , of the Sierra Nevada was open at the age of 1 year, two kinds of songs were recorded from recently captured birds who had been given testosterone implants. As these birds were held in captivity for only 3-4 days before recordings were begun, their vocalizations reflected the results of learning in the wild. Only two (12·5%) of 16 yearlings ever gave a complete version of the local dialect of the 'flight whistle' song while nine (81·8%) of 11 adults did so. Yearlings had smaller repertoires of the 'perched' song and unlike adults, their repertoires contained song types that were not shared with any other bird. Yearling cowbirds apparently complete their vocal development during their second winter when they learn to match memorized copies of the songs of adult males from the areas where they were trapped as yearlings. These findings are consistent with an explanation for the maintenance of dialects based on social benefits for birds matching the songs of resident adults. Data on five birds recorded as yearlings and as adults are presented to support this hypothesis. Delayed learning in yearlings was predicted because juveniles have little opportunity to hear conspecifics vocalize during their hatching year. The present results offer further evidence for plasticity in the timing of learning and suggest that there may be more variation than was previously thought in the vocal ontogeny of some oscines as a result of delayed opportunity to learn.
Domestic reforms and regional integration: Can Argentina and Uruguay increase non‐MERCOSUR rice exports?

Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay are currently undergoing national economic reforms and regional economic integration. This has caused fundamental shifts in rice production and marketing in the region. Since the late 1980s Brazil has moved from self-sufficiency to consistently being one of the world's largest rice importers. In supplying the meteoric increase in Brazilian import demand, Argentina and Uruguay have more than doubled their production levels since 1990. Industry personnel in Argentina and Uruguay are interested in diversifying their exports away from the Brazilian import market that they now dominate. This article reviews factors that indicate that both nations have the potential to substantially increase rice exports to high-quality non-MERCOSUR markets. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Early activation of category information in visual word recognition: More on the turple effect

In semantic categorization, nonwords that are neighbors of exemplars (e.g., turple in an animal categorization task) cause interference, but neighbors of nonexemplars (e.g., tabric) do not. This can be explained in a cascaded activation model in which the decision process selectively monitors activation in a category-relevant semantic feature unit. However, it is shown that this is true only for some categories. With the broad category “Physical Object”, interference is produced by nonwords based on both exemplars (e.g., himmer) and nonexemplars (e.g., travity). However, no interference is produced when the category is changed to “Animal”. This shows that only some semantic feature units can be monitored. It is proposed that what is being monitored are not in fact semantic features per se, but rather links to semantic fields defined on the basis of patterns of lexical co-occurrence.
Systematic retrograde metamorphism of sillimanite-staurolite schists, New Salem area, Massachusetts

The New Salem retrograde metamorphic zone occupies an approximately triangular area covering ∼26 km 2 in sillimanite-staurolite-grade rocks, largely pelitic schists of the Devonian Littleton Formation. Acadian prograde metamorphism at ∼6 kbar and ∼600 °C produced the common assemblage quartz-muscovite-biotite-garnet-staurolite-iunenite-albite-graphite±sillimanite±pyrrhotite. Systematic hydration of the prograde assemblages by an influx of H 2 O produced the retrograde assemblages chlorite–K-feldspar–celadonitic musco-vite–sphene–anatase±pyrite (common) and chlorite-chloritoid-musco-vite-anatase-sphene (rare). Retrograde sillimanite-out, staurolite-out, and garnet-out isograds have been mapped, representing the completion of important retrograde hydration reactions. These isograds plus the thicknesses of chlorite rims on garnets (0 and 0.2 mm) can be used to subdivide the area into six concentric retrograde metamorphic zones, designated R1 to R6. During retrograde metamorphism, the exchange reactions K ⇌ Na, Mn ⇌ Fe+Mg, and Fe ⇌ Mg proceeded while more or less consistent tie lines between the sheet silicates and ilmenite were maintained. Biotite and chlorite became more Fe rich owing to staurolite, garnet, and ilmenite breakdown. Biotite, chlorite, and ilmenite became more Mn rich owing to garnet breakdown. Coexisting biotite and muscovite became more K rich during biotite breakdown. Muscovite also became progressively more celadonite rich. Chlorite, biotite, and ilmenite are homogeneous in single thin sections. Muscovite is zoned with respect to M +2 /(M +2 +Al IV ) and K/(K+Na) ratios, which are higher in muscovite rims. There is no evidence for re-equilibration of staurolite, garnet, or albite during retrograde metamorphism. Temperature and pressure estimates for retrograde metamorphism are poorly constrained to ∼3.5 kbar and ∼280 °C. Each kilometre of vertical extent of the retrograde zone required an influx of ∼0.26 km 3 of H 2 O (at STP). Water may have been derived from a large volume of surrounding rock and concentrated in the study area by a pressure shadow effect around the north end of the Prescott intrusive complex.
Nursing home administrators' views of their own and volunteer resident advocates' enhancement of long-term care.

ABSTRACT Volunteers perform much of the work of federally mandated state ombudsman programs which may include review of resident care in nursing facilities to protect against abuse and neglect. Although volunteers' activities may take place in the nursing facility, Nursing Home Administrators' (NHAs) views of their work are seldom studied. Data from questionnaires completed by 199 NHAs predicted enhancement (improvement) of long-term care by volunteer resident advocates. Administrators also described their advice for improvement of care. NHAs' perceptions of residents' pleasure and families' satisfaction with volunteers' visits were associated with enhancement of long-term care. Effectiveness attributed to volunteers' protection of rights and resolution of complaints was not related to perceived enhancement of long-term care. Answers to a number of remaining questions could enhance the efforts of volunteers in ombudsman programs, improve long-term care, and diminish opportunities for abuse.
Do parotid duct abnormalities occur in patients with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis

Objective: Several studies have suggested that ethanol affects the pancreas and parotid gland. We performed a prospective study to determine whether ductal lesions of ethanol-induced chronic pancreatitis occur in the parotid. Methods: Parotid sialograms were performed in 11 alcoholic patients who had endoscopic retrograde pancreatograms. Sialograms and pancreatograms were examined in all subjects for ductal abnormalities. Results: Seven of nine patients (77.8%) with ductal lesions of the pancreas had coexistent ductal abnormalities of the parotid gland (Kendall's tau = 0.578, p = 0.035). Conclusions: Chronic ethanol intake induces ductal alterations in the parotid gland similar to those seen in the pancreas. These results suggest a common histopathological effect of alcohol in the ductal system of the parotid gland and pancreas and raise the possibility that the parotid sialogram could be useful as an adjunct in the diagnosis of ethanol-induced chronic pancreatitis.
Combination of perfluorochemical emulsions and carbogen breathing with cancer chemotherapy

Over the past ten years several laboratories have explored the use of perfluorochemical emulsions (PFCE) and carbogen (95% O2/5% CO2; C) or oxygen breathing as an adjuvant to radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy in solid tumor model systems. The rationale for the use of PFCE and C or oxygen breathing in this therapeutic setting is that solid tumor masses contain areas of hypoxia which are therapeutically resistant. Since x-rays and many chemotherapeutic agents require oxygen to be maximally cytotoxic and most normal tissues are well-oxygenated, the additional oxygen put in circulation by the PFCE/C should not increase the normal tissue toxicities produced by the various therapies. Several anticancer agents are dependent on oxygen to be cytotoxic, these drugs such as the iron-chelating peptide bleomycin are enhanced in antitumor activity by the coadministration of a PFCE/C. The antitumor alkylating agents especially cyclophosphamide, BCNU and melphalan show increased tumor cell killing without a concomita...
Spontaneous decay of a metastable domain wall

We consider the decay of a metastable domain wall. The transition proceeds through quantum tunneling, and we calculate in an arbitrary number of dimensions the preexponential factor multiplying the leading semiclassical exponential expression for the rate of the process. We find that the effect of the motion in transverse directions reduces to a renormalization of the tension of the edge of the wall in the semiclassical exponent. This behavior is similar to the one previously found for breaking of a metastable string. However, this simple property is generally lost for spontaneous decay of higher-dimensional branes.
Parameterized block-based non-gaussian statistical gate timing analysis

As technology scales down, timing verification of digital integrated circuits becomes an increasingly challenging task due to the gate and wire variability. Therefore, statistical timing analysis (denoted by /spl sigma/TA) is becoming unavoidable. This paper introduces a new framework for performing statistical gate timing analysis for non-Gaussian sources of variation in block-based /spl sigma/TA. First, an approach is described to approximate a variational RC-/spl pi/ load by using a canonical first-order model. Next, an accurate variation-aware gate timing analysis based on statistical input transition, statistical gate timing library, and statistical RC-/spl pi/ load is presented. Finally, to achieve the aforementioned objective, a statistical effective capacitance calculation method is presented. Experimental results show an average error of 6% for gate delay and output transition time with respect to the Monte Carlo simulation with 10/sup 4/ samples while the runtime is nearly two orders of magnitude shorter.
The Consequence of Oncomorphic TP53 Mutations in Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy, with an alarmingly poor prognosis attributed to late detection and chemoresistance. Initially, most tumors respond to chemotherapy but eventually relapse due to the development of drug resistance. Currently, there are no biological markers that can be used to predict patient response to chemotherapy. However, it is clear that mutations in the tumor suppressor gene TP53, which occur in 96% of serous ovarian tumors, alter the core molecular pathways involved in drug response. One subtype of TP53 mutations, widely termed gain-of-function (GOF) mutations, surprisingly converts this protein from a tumor suppressor to an oncogene. We term the resulting change an oncomorphism. In this review, we discuss particular TP53 mutations, including known oncomorphic properties of the resulting mutant p53 proteins. For example, several different oncomorphic mutations have been reported, but each mutation acts in a distinct manner and has a different effect on tumor progression and chemoresistance. An understanding of the pathological pathways altered by each mutation is necessary in order to design appropriate drug interventions for patients suffering from this deadly disease.
Differential Molecular Motions of KCNE Subunits in the IKs Channel Complex Detected by Substituted Cysteine-Accessibility Test and Disulfide-Trapping Experiments

The IKs channel consists of a pore-forming KCNQ1 channel and auxiliary KCNE subunits: KCNE1 as the major determinant of IKs gating kinetics while KCNE2 as a regulator of IKs current amplitude. Knowledge about the structural basis of KCNQ1 modulation by these different KCNE subunits can help the design of KCNE-specific IKs modulators as antiarrhythmic agents. Recent studies showed that the extracellular-juxtamembranous region of KCNE1 could adopt highly flexible structures and make gating state-dependent contacts with the voltage-sensing domain (VSD) and pore-domain (PD) of KCNQ1. KCNQ1-KCNE1 interactions in this extracellular-juxtamembranous region are critical for the IKs channel function, as evidenced by congenital arrhythmia-associated mutations identified in this region. Whether KCNE2 can do the same is unclear. We systematically probe the functional role of the extracellular-juxtamembranous region of KCNE1 (positions 36-47) and KCNE2 (positions 39-50), using cysteine-scanning mutagenesis followed by cysteine-accessibility test and disulfide-trapping experiments. MTSET modification of KCNE1 40C-46C alters the voltage-dependence of IKs activation and, for 44C-46C, reduces the current amplitude. There is a gradient in MTSET modification rates, from fast-reacting (41C-42C) to slow-reacting (44C-46C), with 43C reporting state-dependent accessibility: fast-reacting in open-state & slow-reacting in closed-state. While extensive disulfide-bond partners are found between KCNE1 36C-43C and KCNQ1 144C-147C, no such disulfide-bond partners can be identified between the equivalent KCNE2 positions and KCNQ1 140C-148C. We propose that the KCNE transmembrane helices reside in the junction between VSDs and PD of the KCNQ1 channel, with a similar orientation (with respect to KCNQ1) and position (with respect to membrane bilayer). However, their extracellular-juxtamembranous regions can make differential contacts with KCNQ1, that contribute to their differential effects on the KCNQ1 channel function and provide an opportunity for the design of KCNE-specific IKs modulators.
Large cyclic peptides as cores of multivalent ligands: Application to inhibitors of receptor binding by cholera toxin

Large cyclic decapeptides (up to 50-atom ring) were synthesized efficiently on the solid phase with allyl-ester protection of the carboxyl terminus during elongation. Pentavalent ligands, in a "core-linker-finger" modular setup, were assembled by using these cyclic peptide cores to demonstrate large affinity gains for inhibition of surface receptor binding by the cholera toxin B pentamer. The results suggest that the peptide cores retain expanded conformation in solution so that shorter flexible linkers are needed for larger peptide cores to achieve the best inhibitory results.
Cascadable Lossy Passive Biquad Bandstop Filter

A lossy passive biquad bandstop filter is proposed as a building block for higher-order bandstop filters needing both large stopband attenuation and excellent selectivity. Characteristic equations for cascaded absorptive filters, an example, and data useful for design are provided.
Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery: current status.

A lthough laparoscopy has been performed for over three decades, the field of minimally invasive surgery did not blossom until the introduction of the charge coupled device chip, which enabled videoendoscopy. Shortly after laparoscopic cholecystectomy was introduced in the late 1980s, surgeons and patients rapidly appreciated the benefits conferred by smaller incisions and minimal tissue trauma. Within 4 years of the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy, nearly every minimally invasive abdominal surgical procedure in use today had been attempted. Currently, laparoscopic surgery is the method of choice for treating most common intra-abdominal conditions. While the laparoscopic surgical revolution was occurring, similar progress was made in therapeutic flexible endoscopy. The introduction of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) by Ponsky and Gauderer [1] in 1981 established the principle that the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract could be safely violated with a flexible endoscope to perform a surgical procedure. Just as few would have predicted that nearly all common duct stones and many pancreatic pseudocysts would one day be treated nonsurgically, few would have foreseen the PEG technique as an access route to the peritoneal cavity. Once Baron and others [2–4] showed that even complex pancreatic fluid collections could be managed transgastrically, the potential of flexible endoscopes to do more than simple endoscopy was further appreciated. These advances paved the road for an emerging field with possibilities beyond even the most sophisticated therapeutic endoscopic techniques. Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) was introduced as a new approach that might help eliminate the pain and morbidity associated with abdominal wall trauma in laparoscopic surgery. In 2004, Kalloo and colleagues [5] published the first description of this technique. The Hopkins group demonstrated the feasibility of performing transgastric peritoneoscopy with a flexible endoscope. Using a porcine model, they created a gastrotomy with a needle knife sphincterotome, dilated the gastrotomy with an 18-mm balloon, and performed peritoneoscopy. On completion of the
Integrating function across marine life cycles

Complex life cycles involve a set of discrete stages that can differ dramatically in form and function. Transitions between different stages vary in nature and magnitude; likewise, the degree of autonomy among stages enabled by these transitions can vary as well. Because the selective value of traits is likely to shift over ontogeny, the degree of autonomy among stages is important for understanding how processes at one life-history stage alter the conditions for performance and selection at others. We pose 3 questions that help to define a research focus on processes that integrate function across life cycles. First, to what extent do particular transitions between life-history stages allow those stages to function as autonomous units? We identify the roles that stages play in the life history, types of transitions between stages, and 3 forces (structural, genetic/epigenetic, and experiential) that can contribute to integration among stages. Second, what are the potential implications of integration across life cycles for assumptions and predictions of life-history theory? We provide 3 examples where theory has traditionally focused on processes acting within stages in isolation from others. Third, what are the long-term consequences of carryover of experience from one life cycle stage to the next? We distinguish 3 scenarios: persistence (effects of prior experience persist through subsequent stages), amplification (effects persist and are magnified at subsequent stages), and compensation (effects are compensated for and diminish at subsequent stages). We use these scenarios to differentiate between effects of a carryover of state and carryover into subsequent processes. The symposium introduced by our discussion is meant to highlight how discrete stages can be functionally coupled, such that life cycle evolution becomes a more highly integrated response to selection than can be deduced from the study of individual stages.
Subclinical atherosclerosis is weakly associated with lower cognitive function in healthy hyperhomocysteinemic adults without clinical cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE—Atherosclerosis is the most common pathologic process underlying cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is not well known whether subclinical atherosclerosis is an independent risk factor for lower cognitive function among individuals without clinically evident CVD. METHODS—We examined cross-sectional associations between subclinical atherosclerosis and cognitive function in a community-based sample of otherwise healthy adults with plasma homocysteine ≥8.5 µmol/L enrolled in the BVAIT study (n=504, mean age 61 years). Carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT), coronary (CAC) and abdominal aortic calcium (AAC) were used to measure subclinical atherosclerosis. Cognitive function was assessed with a battery of neuropsychological tests. A principal components analysis was used to extract five uncorrelated cognitive factors from scores on individual tests, and a measure of global cognition was derived. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the association between subclinical atherosclerosis and cognitive function, adjusting for other correlates of cognition. RESULTS—Increasing thickness of CIMT was associated with significantly lower scores on the verbal learning factor (β = −0.07 per 0.1 mm increase CIMT [SE(β)=0.03], p=0.01). CAC and AAC were not individually associated with any of the cognitive factors. CONCLUSIONS—This study provides evidence that increasing CIMT is weakly associated with lower verbal learning abilities but not global cognition in a population of otherwise healthy middle-to-older aged adults with elevated plasma homocysteine but without clinically evident CVD. The association between CIMT and poor verbal learning may pertain particularly to men.
In-situ testing of high resolution optical systems via localized wavefront curvature sensing

We present a new form of optical testing based on measuring localized wavefront curvature. In this method a system of pseudo-sine gratings reveal the partial second derivatives of the wavefront at specific locations, and the wavefront aberrations are reconstructed using a least squares approach.