cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validation and Numerical Convergence of the Hankel-Bessel and Mathieu Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis Algorithms for Radially and Azimuthally- Inhomogeneous, Elliptical, Cylindrical Systems - Abstract

A Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA) algorithm for electromagnetic (EM) scattering from radially and azimuthally inhomogeneous material elliptical systems based on State Variable (SV) techniques and based on circular-cylindrical Hankel-Bessel expansion modes is developed for the first time. The algorithm in conjunction with the elliptical system RCWA algorithm [1], which was based on SV techniques and Mathieu expansion modes, is used to validate and study numerical convergence of both elliptical RCWA algorithms. The formulation of the SV, Hankel-Bessel elliptical algorithm is presented. Two numerical elliptical examples are studied in detail by both algorithms, a homogeneous one which consists of three different uniform materials located in three elliptical regions and an inhomogeneous one which consists of an azimuthal, dielectric, step profile which is located between two uniform material elliptical regions. In this paper EM field scattering from a step profile which possessed a much larger dielectri...
Laboratory analysis of clotting - factor components concentrated for therapeutic use

Abstract A laboratory study was made of Factor IX preparations used or produced for therapeutic use. They contained large amounts of prothrombin and autoprothrombin III (F-X). In solution, ready for use, prothrombin and autoprothrombin III remained at the original concentration for about 3 weeks at 4° C without developing thrombin or autoprothrombin C (F-X a ) activity. One of the products was dissolved in 2.5 M glycine solution at 4° C. Autoprothrombin C activity developed and all the prothrombin converted to thrombin over a period of 70 days. The thrombin activity generated after the prothrombin was modified. The Factor IX activity in these preparations was easily measured by the platelet cofactor assay. It was not as stable as the prothrombin or autoprothrombin III. The same conclusion about stability was reached from prothrombin utilization experiments with plasma from a hemophilia B subject. The Factor IX preparations which were studied are suitable reagents for the assay of platelet factor 3. Purified bovine prothrombin complex prepared in this laboratory contained very little platelet cofactor (Factor VIII) activity nor did it contain platelet cofactor II (Factor IX) activity. For this reason, the purified bovine prothrombin complex is a satisfactory reagent for the assay of Factor VIII concentrates. Platelet cofactors have a synergistic procoagulant effect with platelet factor 3 in the formation of autoprothrombin C from its precursor.
Each four-celled animal tiles the plane

Abstract An animal A is a set of unit squares in the plane, parallel to the axes, and with corners at integer lattice points. We show that any animal A with four cells tiles the plane, in the sense that infinitely many copies of A, translated by integer vectors and possibly rotated through 90°, 180°, or 270°, can be placed so as to fill plane exactly without overlap.
SHIM IN SOUTH ASIA

La tradition shiite en Asie du Sud est variee. Son aire geographique d'extension est particulierement vaste. L'A. s'attache a la denomination Ithna Ashari. En Inde, les shiites constituent environ 10% de la population musulmane. On pourrait croire que l'exclusivisme doctrinal des shiites les condamne a s'opposer clairement au polytheisme hindou populaire. Pourtant, ce n'est pas le cas car un troisieme facteur intervient. Il s'agit de la capacite de l'hindouisme, du bouddhisme et du jainisme a s'accomoder d'elements divers et contradictoires. Il existe une tendance au syncretisme en shiisme et tradition religieuse asiatique
Automated Node Installation Procedure

At Lafayette we maintain several public access computing sites which are open to students 24‐hours‐a‐day. These converted classrooms are also used by faculty and staff for various workshops and provide group access to software which academic departments may select to aid their course‐work. The need to restore quickly all machines in a site to the same condition has led us to develop an automated node installation procedure. Virus infection, hardware failures and user tampering are some of the problems which the procedure helps us address on our shared machines and the procedure has also been expanded to aid in configuring student, faculty, and staff PCs as well.
The utilization of nonpatient samples in the study of obsessive compulsive disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is increasingly studied in nonpatients, primarily through the selection of individuals who score high on a self-report measure of OCD. The usefulness of this methodology for understanding OCD presupposes that some of the individuals in the high-scoring group meet diagnostic criteria for OCD, that the obsessive-compulsive behaviors in the high-scoring individuals are stable across time to a certain degree, and that the features associated with OCD in patients also are found in the high-scoring nonpatients. Two studies are reported which provide support for these three assumptions. Together the studies suggest that OCD can be productively examined by the selection of individuals who score high on a self-report measure of OCD. Cautions in the use of this methodology for the study of OCD are also noted.
Genomic analysis of circulating cells: a window into atherosclerosis.

Translational studies using genomic techniques in cardiovascular diseases are still in their infancy. Access to disease-associated cardiovascular tissues from patients has been a major impediment to progress in contrast to the diagnostic advances made by oncologists using gene expression on readily available tumor samples. Nonetheless, progress is being made for atherosclerosis by carefully designed experiments utilizing diseased tissue or surrogate specimens. This review details the rationale and findings of a study utilizing freshly isolated blood mononuclear cells from patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy due to atherosclerotic stenosis and from matched healthy subjects. By querying this cardiovascular tissue surrogate, the messenger RNA levels of the Finkel–Biskis–Jenkins osteosarcoma gene in circulating monocytes were found to correlate with atherosclerosis severity in patients and with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor (statin) therapy in healthy subjects. The major finding of this investigation is discussed in relation to observations from other human atherosclerosis gene expression studies. These distinct studies converge to demonstrate the unequivocal importance of inflammation in atherosclerosis. Although the clinical utility of the specific findings remains open, the identification of similar genes by different investigations serves to validate our report. They also provide us with insights into pathogenesis that may impact future translational applications.
Element partitioning between minerals and melt, melt composition, and melt structure

Abstract Mineral/melt trace element partition coefficients, D i mineral/melt (=concentration ratio, mineral/melt), can vary by up to two orders of magnitude in the melt composition range of natural magmatic liquids. As most geochemically interesting minor and trace elements are network-modifiers in silicate melts, one would expect, as observed, positive correlation between mineral/melt partition coefficients, D i mineral/melt , and the degree of polymerization of the silicate melt, NBO/T. Linear relationships between D i mineral/melt and NBO/T sometimes exist over restricted NBO/T-ranges where the type of Q n -species in the melt does not change and their abundance does not vary greatly. Other experimental D i mineral/melt vs. NBO/T data suggest log-linear or log–log relations in some cases, whereas in other studies, there are no simple relationships between D i mineral/melt and NBO/T of the melt. When relating mineral/melt partition coefficients to degree of melt polymerization, NBO/T, it is assumed that a principal melt structural control on D i mineral/melt is the activity of nonbridging oxygen in the melt, a NBO . The a NBO is related to NBO/T. The NBO/T is not, however, a quantitative measure of a NBO because the nonbridging oxygens in coexisting Q n -species in melts are energetically non-equivalent. This is evident in relationships between activity coefficient ratios of melt network-modifying cations, γ i / γ j , where the ionization potentials of i and j differ, and NBO/T of the melt. Such relationships are parabolic with minima or maxima at NBO/T near 1 and resemble the relations of abundance ratio, X Q3 / X Q2 , vs. NBO/T of the melt. Interestingly, this NBO/T-value is near that of natural basalt melt. These observations suggest that i -NBO(Q 3 ) and j -NBO(Q 2 ) bond characteristics differ from one another, govern trace element solution behavior in silicate melts and, therefore, control the effect of melt composition on mineral/melt partitioning in silicate systems.
Basic health care provision and under-5 mortality: A Cross-National study of developing Countries

Summary In two cross-sections of developing countries, under-5 mortality is found to be associated strongly with maternal and infant health program effort and with the share of births attended by trained personnel, but never with any indicator of health care spending. From the standpoint of reducing under-5 mortality, then, the main challenge in many developing countries may be less to raise overall public health spending, or even the share of public health spending devoted to basic services, than to assure that a very small absolute amount of revenue is spent effectively to raise access to, or improve the quality of, maternal and infant health care.
Adaptive refinement with truncation error injection

Abstract In the context of finite difference approximation, the difference between adifferential equation and the discrete (difference) equation that models it is the truncation error, and it can be easily shown that if the truncation error were known, solving the discrete equation would yield the exact solution at nodal points. An adaptive procedure for improving the accuracy of a numerical solution on a fixed grid, which we call the base, through the approximation of the truncation error by subdomain grid refinements is introduced. Regions where refinements are needed are identified using an estimate of the truncation error. Local solutions on grids tailored to each of the regions are constructed and used to form approximations to th truncation error, which is then ‘injected’ into the base grid to improve the base solution. A one-dimensional model of the convention-diffusion equation is used to demonstrate the basic ideas behind this method; two other examples which extensions of this method to multidimensional problems are also studied.
Thermal Treatment of Waste Tire Fly Ash with Polyvinyl Chloride: Selective Leaching of Zinc with Water

Thermal treatment of waste tire fly ash (TFA) with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) at temperatures ranging from 160 to 300 °C has been examined for the recovery of metals from TFA in a subsequent leaching process. Thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses showed that TFA absorbs hydrogen chloride (HCl) released from PVC. X-ray diffraction measurements also indicated that crystalline ZnO contained in TFA converts into chlorides when the mixtures of TFA and PVC are heat-treated at 180 °C or higher temperatures. By heating the mixture (TFA/PVC = 1.5 by weight) at 250 °C for 1 h, the percentage of dechlorinated PVC reaches more than 95%, and more than 90% of the Zn originally contained in TFA is leached from the residue with water. On the other hand, the leaching of Fe in TFA is much suppressed. Compared to a conventional acid-leaching process, satisfactory Zn leaching and selectivity in metal leaching from TFA were realized. This selectivity for Zn is reasonably explained by a difference in the reactivi...
PulaCloud: Human computation for economic development

Lack of employment opportunities contributes to the persistence of poverty throughout the world. At the same time, crowdsourced human computation can potentially provide work to large numbers of people, without imposing specialized skill requirements. In this study we investigate the feasibility of connecting people in rural areas to human computation employment with a pilot-scale project, and assess the way they use the income they receive to determine if this is an effective poverty-alleviation strategy. We find that workers in a rural Kenyan village are able to complete several example task types; using a simplified human computation platform called PulaCloud, they completed approximately 100,000 image classification tasks for a bioinformatics research project. The income they received was significantly more than that available from limited local employment options, and they spent it almost exclusively on basic needs, educational expenses, and productive investments, strongly suggesting that this can be an effective tool in the fight against poverty. We emphasize that this is not an aid-based approach to economic development; rather, workers are engaged as producers in the global knowledge economy and are paid for making contributions to scientific research.
Green computing: A life cycle perspective

Green computing has become synonymous with low-power/energy computing. However, many environmental impacts of computing, such as manufacturing, are significant, possibly moreso than the operational/use phase. In this paper we motivate manufacturing as an issue of sustainable computing. We also demonstrate the manufacturing component of chips plays a significant role in the overall energy consumption of the computer over its life-cycle. Current trends indicate this component will increase at more aggressive technology nodes. In the context of life-cycle assessment of larger systems, manufacturing of computer systems deployed in buildings can be significant compared to the construction of the building itself.
A thought experiment on demand-revealing mechanisms

Demand-revealing mechanisms allow individuals to influence social choice subject to a special tax designed to elicit truthful revelation of preferences. Either directly (as in Tideman and Tullock, 1976; based on earlier work by E. C. Clarke) or indirectly (as in Groves and Ledyard, 1977),' the individual reports his willingness-to-pay for a marginal change in the budget. The relation between the resulting special tax and the voter's effect on the social choice is such that a rational, self-interested voter would find it in his interest to respond such that for any budget level, Q, his Lindahl price (the quantity that must be summed across taxpayers to locate the Lindahl-Samuelson budget choice) will bejust the sum of his revealed willingness-to-pay at Q, plus his assigned tax price. Let P = P(Q) be an individual's L indahl price (marginal willingness to pay at Q); let t be the individual's assigned tax price; and let p be the marginal willingness to pay at Q that the individual reveals under the demand-revealing incentive. Then what the demand-revealing argument shows is that P = p + t. If the individual reveals p > 0, then P > t, and the individual prefers an increase in the budget; and the reverse if he reveals p < 0. Either way, he will be charged a special tax, T, aside from his regular tax price, based (simplifying slightly) on the absolute value of p at the social choice; and he will have an effect, AQ, on the social choice which will be positive if p is positive, and negative if p is negative. Social willingness to pay (the vertical summation of demand curves) will be just the sum across all taxpayers of their Lindahl prices. If the tax prices are assigned to balance the budget (so that, for each dollar in the budget, t = $1), then we expect to find the pareto-efficient budget choice, Q*, where Z p = 0. At that point, E p for voters who prefer a larger budget will just balance p for voters who prefer a smaller budget; and E P = $1 across all voters (social willingness to pay for a marginal dollar in the budget is just $1.) Although the logic that leads to these results is not in dispute, the significance of the argument is contingent on the validity of the conventional (economic man) model of rational choice as a good enough approximation of actual choice in this context.
Regulation of transforming growth factor-β-receptor type I and type II messenger ribonucleic acid expression in the hamster ovary by gonadotropins and steroid hormones

The hormonal regulation of ovarian transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) type I receptor (TbetaRI) and TbetaRII messenger (mRNA) expression was evaluated using cyclic and hypophysectomized hamsters. Northern blot analysis revealed that three TbetaRI and one TbetaRII gene transcripts were expressed in the hamster ovary. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction quantitation revealed that receptor mRNA was differentially expressed during the estrous cycle. Although, mRNA levels for both receptor types increased steadily up to Day 4:0900 h, a sharp decline occurred following the gonadotropin surge. In fact, receptor mRNA started declining by Day 4:1200 h, long before the gonadotropin surge; however, only TbetaRI mRNA levels recovered partially by 1500 h to fall again by 1600 h. Although hypophysectomy preferentially reduced TbetaRII mRNA levels, gonadotropins as well as ovarian steroids significantly induced TbetaRI and TbetaRII mRNA expression within 48 h and 24 h, respectively; 5alpha-dihydrotesterone (DHT) induced only TbetaRII mRNA. The induction of ovarian TbetaRI and TbetaRII mRNA by estradiol-17beta() or progesterone was severely attenuated by dexamethasone. A marked increase in serum cortisol coincided with the periovulatory rise in serum gonadotropins. These results suggest that the increase in TGF-beta receptor mRNA expression correlates with gonadotropin-induced ovarian follicular development during the estrous cycle. Moreover, receptor mRNA expression is critically and differentially regulated by gonadotropins as well as ovarian steroids. Most importantly, glucocorticoid appears to play a critical modulatory role in the temporal expression of receptor mRNA in the ovary, hence, controlling folliculogenesis.
Nerve Injuries in Aesthetic Breast Surgery: Systematic Review and Treatment Options

Background: The risk of nerve injuries in aesthetic breast surgery has not been well explored. Objectives: The authors conducted a systematic review to provide evidence-based information on the incidence and treatment of nerve injuries resulting from aesthetic breast surgery. Methods: A broad literature search of Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was undertaken to identify studies in which nerve injury occurred after breast augmentation or mastopexy. Specific inclusion and exclusion criteria were established before the search was performed. Results: The initial 4806 citations were narrowed by topic, title, and abstract to 53 articles. After full-text review, 36 studies were included. The risk of any nerve injury after breast augmentation ranged from 13.57% to 15.44%. Specific nerve injury rates were calculated for the intercostal cutaneous nerves, branches to the nipple-areola complex, intercostobrachial nerve, long thoracic nerve, and brachial plexus. Also calculated were the total estimated risks of chronic pain, hyperesthesia, hypoesthesia, and numbness. The meta-analysis showed no associations between the rates of breast nerve injury or sensation change and implant size, incision type, or implant position in patients who underwent breast augmentation. The data were insufficient to determine rates of nerve injury in mastopexy. Conclusions: The possibility of nerve injury, sensation change, or chronic pain with breast augmentation is real, and estimating the incidences of these conditions is useful to both patients and surgeons. Optimizing patient outcomes requires timely treatment by a multidisciplinary team and may include peripheral nerve surgery. Level of Evidence: 3 ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Efficacy and safety of high-dose propranolol for the management of infant supraventricular tachyarrhythmias.

Objective To report our experience with high-dose propranolol monotherapy for prophylaxis and treatment of infant supraventricular arrhythmias (SAs). Study design Patients Results A total of 287 patients met study criteria (59.2% male). Propranolol therapy was initiated at a median of 17 days of age (IQR 6-33 days) at a total daily dose of 3.6 ± 1.0 mg/kg/day. Propranolol was successful in controlling SA throughout the inpatient stay in 67.3% of patients. Only one patient experienced a clinically significant adverse event that required propranolol discontinuation. A multivariable logistic regression analysis identified the presence of congenital heart disease (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.19-0.94, P = .04) and Wolff-Parkinson-White (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.21-0.87, P = .01) as factors for nonsuccessful inpatient propranolol monotherapy. Of 190 patients discharged on propranolol monotherapy, 87.7% were recurrence free during follow-up. Conclusions High-dose propranolol is safe and reasonably successful in the treatment of infant SA. Inpatient control may be a predictor of continued outpatient efficacy.
Test-retest reliability of a questionnaire on physical activity and its correlates among women from diverse racial and ethnic groups.

Abstract Background A better understanding of physical activity and its correlates is needed, especially among diverse populations of women. The objective of this study was to examine the test–retest reliability of a survey designed to measure physical activity and its correlates among women from diverse racial and ethnic groups. Methods Test and retest surveys were conducted in person or over the telephone with 344 white, Latina, African-American, and Native American women aged 20 to 50 years living in rural and urban areas of the United States. Reliability of self-reported physical activity and its correlates were determined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) overall and separately by site and race/ethnicity. Results Of the women responding, 45% of the participants met recommendations for physical activity, 40% were insufficiently active, and 15% were inactive. Reliability for the physical activity measure was 0.69 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62–0.74), with an ICC of 0.30 to 0.95 across sites. Overall, the seven items on the physical environment had substantial reliability (ICC=0.64–0.91). The sense of community scale (0.79; 95% CI, 0.74–0.83), social issues (0.68; 95% CI, 0.61–0.74), social roles (0.64; 95% CI, 0.56–0.71), and self-efficacy for exercise (0.72; 95% CI, 0.66–0.77) all had acceptable reliability overall and across most sites. Conclusions This study provides psychometric evidence that the questionnaire on physical activity and its correlates is reliable among diverse women aged 20 to 50 years from various racial and ethnic groups. These results suggest that test–retest reliability is not an obstacle to comparison of associations between physical activity and several hypothesized correlates of activity.
DNA replication in mammalian cells in the presence of cycloheximide.

Abstract Inhibition of protein synthesis immediately affects DNA replication of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Incorporation of leucine into acid-insoluble products drops to less than 5% within 1 min and incorporation of thymidine to 50% at 3–4 min and to 10–30% at 30 min after addition of cycloheximide (1, 10, or 100 μg/ml). This is not due to changes in the relative utilization of exogenously supplied precursors. In the presence of cycloheximide, DNA synthesis continues at a reduced rate for more than 2 h and has characteristics of semiconservative DNA replication, as indicated by the banding position of density-labeled, newly synthesized DNA in CsCl gradients and by template activity in the following round of replication. Chain growth rates were analysed by isopycnic centrifugation of density-labeled DNA and by sedimentation analysis in alkaline sucrose gradients. In the presence of cycloheximide, formation of new DNA chains and chain growth rates were reduced to the same extent as overall DNA replication. No evidence for a lower number of growing chains or for an accumulation of nascent molecules smaller than 2–5 × 10 8 D was observed. The possibility that the inhibition of protein synthesis per se and not the lack of specific proteins causes the immediate reduction of DNA chain growth rates is considered.
Determination Of The Third Order Nonlinearity As A Function Of Quantum Well Width In Gaas/A1Gaas Multiple Quantum Wells

We present a study of the dependence of the magnitude of optical nonlinearities of GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells on quantum well thickness. Using four-wave mixing and nonlinear absorption measurements the refractive nonlinearity was determined in 17 samples grown by MOCVD and MBE. We find a small variation (less tban a factor of three) in the change in refractive index per photoexcited carrier for well sizes between 50 A and 300 A. or bulk GaAs.
Differential regulation and role of interleukin-1 receptor associated kinase-M in innate immunity signaling.

Abstract Toll-like-receptor mediated signaling is finely regulated by a complex intracellular protein network including the interleukin-1 receptor associate kinases (IRAKs). IRAK-4, 1, and 2 may positively regulate innate immunity signaling through the activation of various downstream kinases such as MAPKs. In contrast, IRAK-M plays an inhibitory role through unknown mechanism. In this report, we show that IRAK-M is ubiquitously present in the cell, and becomes exclusively cytoplasmic upon bacterial lipoprotein Pam3CSK4 challenge. Furthermore, using bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDM) from wild type, IRAK1−/−, and IRAK-M−/− mice, we have herein demonstrated that IRAK-M selectively attenuates bacterial lipopeptide Pam3CSK4-induced p38 activation, but not ERK or JNK. IRAK1−/− and IRAK-M−/−BMDM display distinct activation profile of various MAP kinases upon Pam3CSK4 challenge, indicating that IRAK-M exerts its inhibitory effect through an IRAK1 independent pathway. Pam3CSK4 challenge leads to rapid decrease of MKP-1 protein level in IRAK-M−/−BMDM as well as THP-1 cells with decreased IRAK-M expression through siRNA interference. Our findings indicate that IRAK-M selectively attenuates p38 activation and inhibits innate immunity through stabilizing MKP-1.
Intelligent content fitting for digital publishing

One recurring problem in Variable Data Printing (VDP) is that the existing contents cannot satisfy the VDP task as-is. So there is a strong need for content fitting technologies to support high-value digital publishing applications, in which text and image are the two major types of contents. This paper presents meta-Autocrop framework for image fitting and TextFlex technology for text fitting. The meta-Autocrop framework supports multiple modes: fixed aspect-ratio mode, advice mode, and verification mode. The TextFlex technology supports non-rectangular text wrapping and paragraph-based line breaking. We also demonstrate how these content fitting technologies are utilized in the overall automated composition and layout system.
Modeling of cavitating or ventilated flows using BEM

Boundary element method (BEM) techniques for the prediction of cavitating or ventilated flows around hydrofoils and propeller are summarized. Classical, supercavitating, and ventilated blade section geometries are considered. Recent extensions which allow for the modeling of cavities on either or both sides of the blade surface are presented. Numerical validation studies and comparisons with experimental measurements are shown.
Assessing the needs and quality of life of patients with HIV infection: development of the HIV Overview of Problems-Evaluation System (HOPES).

Objective: To develop and evaluate the psychometric properties (reliability, validity etc.) of a comprehensive Quality of Life (QOL) tool, for patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), that was adapted from a previously validated cancer tool. Design: Cross-sectional, patient completed written surveys and interviews. Setting: The Medical Centers serving HIV infected patients in the Los Angeles community including UCLA, community physicians, Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, and a County hospital: and additional data contributed from Johns Hopkins University Medical Center CMV Retinitis Clinic. Patients: Patients (n=318) with HIV infection including asymptomatic (37%), ARC (20%), AIDS (25%) and AIDS with Cancer (18%) receiving health services at one of the above sites. Measurements: The patients self-administered the newly developed instrument, the HOPES (HIVOverview ofProblems-EvaluationSystem), other QOL related tools including the Medical Outcomes Study instrument adapted for HIV (MOS-HIV) the Profile of Mood States (POMS), the Perceived Adjustment to Chronic Illness Scale (PACIS), and the Physical Activity Scale (PAS). Brief interview to assess the Karnofsky Performance Status Score (KPS). Measured sociodemographic characteristics included age, sex, race, HIV risk factor, education etc. Assessed medical history, current medications, HIV clinical classification. Main results: The sociodemographic and medical characteristics of the sample resemble those of the general population with HIV infection in this geographic area: 96% male, 28% nonwhite, 84% homosexual contact as risk factor, 75% receiving antiretroviral therapy. The adaptation of the cancer QOL instrument to HIV appears to have face and content validity according to patients and health professionals who care for HIV infected patients. Analyses of the psychometric properties found that the HOPES has a similar structure to its parent instrument following factor analyses which results in five summary scales representing the Physical, Psychosocial, Medical Interaction, Sexual and Significant Other/Partners domains in addition to a Global Score. Internal consistency of 35 subscales is high with a mean alpha coefficient of 0.82. Correlations of the HOPES summary scales with other QOL instruments are in the predicted directions. Comparing patients within the HIV clinical diagnostic categories on the HOPES Global, Physical, and Psychosocial Summary Scales indicates that Asymptomatic Patients have better QOL than symptomatic patients. This finding is also found in the other QOL instruments which provides evidence of construct validity. Conclusions: The HOPES is an excellent tool for identifying the problems and needs of patients with HIV infection and for assessing their quality of life. It is reliable, valid and acceptable to patients. The tool may be especially useful in developing a normative data base.
Viking Bistatic Radar Observations of the Hellas Basin on Mars: Preliminary Results

Preliminary reduction of Viking bistatic radar data gives root-mean-square surface slopes in the Hellas basin on Mars of about 4 deg on horizontal scales averaged over 10 centimeters to 100 meters. This roughness decreases slightly with position along the ground track, south to north. The dielectric constant in this area appears to be approximately 3.1, greater than the Martian average. These values are characteristic of lunar maria and are similar to those found near the Viking Lander site in Chryse with the use of earth-based radar.
Failure of tryptophan load-induced increases in brain serotonin to alter food intake in the rat☆

Abstract The effects on food consumption of 50 and 100 mg/kg 1 -tryptophan injections, versus control saline treatment, were compared in 24-hour food-deprived rats at two time points in the rats' daily light-dark cycle. No effect of the two tryptophan doses, relative to the saline treatment, on food intake was observed, although tryptophan loading significantly raised brain tryptophan, serotonin, and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels, in a dose-dependent manner, over baseline concentrations. Implications of these data for serotonergic modulation of food intake regulation are considered.
Experimental analysis of vibration confinement to enhance conventional active vibration control

This paper presents the result of an experimental study to investigate the potential advantages of using passive vibration confinement over conventional active vibration control methods, as well as to investigate the benefits of using the two methods simultaneously. The general approach is to compare the result of actively controlling vibrations in a beam which sees various degrees of modal confinement. Vibration confinement is carried out passively, and the comparison is based on control effort required as well as vibration control performance achieved. To date, there has been a significant amount of work in the area of vibration confinement, or mode localization, but the focus has been primarily either 1) that it is an interesting phenomenon which exists in structures or 2) that it can be produced in structures through active, passive, or hybrid means to achieve some end such as vibration control. This paper presents an experimental follow-up to an earlier numerical study which directly compared confinement techniques to conventional active vibration control methods, and showed how confinement can be used to enhance conventional vibration control. Although not as dramatic, the result presented in this paper clearly support that study and show that passive vibration confinement can enhance active control through both performance and energy consumption.
Hepatitis B virus X protein inhibits nucleotide excision repair

Human hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major risk factor of human hepatocellular carcinoma. Both in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that HBV X protein (HBx) can bind to the p53 tumor-suppressor protein and interfere with the role that p53 plays in the cellular response to DNA damage. Our previous work has shown that HBx protein inhibits p53 sequence-specific transcriptional activation, p53-mediated apoptosis and p53 binding to the TFIIH transcription-nucleotide excision repair (NER) factors, including XPB and XPD. To investigate whether HBx interferes with the NER pathway, we utilized cell-proliferation and colony-formation assays to determine if cells expressing HBx are more sensitive to UVC-induced DNA damage. NER was also measured by a plasmid host cell re-activation assay using a vector containing a luciferase reporter gene. UV-irradiated plasmids were transfected into a human RKO colon carcinoma cell line that contains wild-type (wt) p53 as well as its derivatives, either mutant p53-143ala (RKO-143ala) or human papillomavirus E6 (RKO-E6, a wt p53 protein that is rapidly degraded and non-functional). We found that cells expressing HBx are more sensitive to UVC-induced killing. Moreover, expression of HBx resulted in a reduction of NER efficiency in RKO cells to 52 +/- 2% (compared with control), RKO-143a1a cells to 46 +/- 3% and RKO-E6 cells to 60 +/- 3%. Similar results were also obtained with a HepG2 hepatoblastoma cell line carrying wt p53. In addition, we found that HBx bound directly to either XPB or XPD DNA helicase in vitro. Thus, our data indicate that HBx may interfere with the NER pathway through both p53-dependent and p53-independent mechanisms. Because HBx binds to TFIIH-associated proteins, we propose that HBx may interfere with the NER pathway also through binding to and altering the activities of helicases necessary for NER and, thereby, increase the mutation rate induced by chemical carcinogens, such as aflatoxin B1, during human liver carcinogenesis.
Analytical/numerical solutions for a single hole-edge crack in a narrow plate under pure bending

Abstract The problem of a crack emanating from a hole in a plate has been widely studied. However, almost all studies to date assume the loading to be in the form of a uniform far-field tensile stress in the plane of the plate. This study examines the case of a far-field uniform bending moment acting on a finite plate/strip weakened by a crack emanating from the hole. Both on-center and off-center holes are considered. Stress intensity factors are determined for a variety of geometries. These computations are performed both analytically and numerically (finite element method). These computations are compared with each other and with experimental results obtained from cold-drawn 2024-T3 aluminum alloy plates. Statistical variations in the experimental results are estimated by using replicated tests. On average, analytical values of the non-dimensional stress intensity factors are 16% lower than the experimental values. There is also some deviation between the analytical and numerical results, and the reasons for these deviations are discussed in the paper.
Chemistry in Environmentally Benign Media, 8 Hydroxymethyl Functionalized Phosphanes as Building Blocks to new Water‐Soluble Gold(I) Complexes ‐ synthesis, Characterization, and X‐ray crystal Structures of Novel Tetrahedral [Au{P(CH2OH)3}4]+ and Trigonal Planar [Au(Ph2PCH2OH)3]+ Gold (I) Complexes

The reactions of water-soluble phosphanes P(CH2OH)3 (1) and Ph2PCH2OH (2) with NaAuCl4 in aqueous or alcoholic media, produced the water/alcoholic-soluble AuI complexes [Au(Ph(CH2OH)3)4]+ (3) and [Au(Ph2PCH2OH)3+ (4) in near quantitative yields. The X-ray structures of 3 and 4, reported in this paper, confirm the structures of these new generation of water-soluble transition metal complexes. All compounds were characterized by 1H-, 13C-, 31P-NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The structures of 3 and 4 were determined by X-ray crystallography.
Distinct phenotypes of mutant mice lacking agrin, MuSK, or rapsyn.

Differentiation of the postsynaptic membrane at the neuromuscular junction requires agrin, a nerve-derived signal; MuSK, a critical component of the agrin receptor in muscle; and rapsyn, a protein that interacts with acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). We showed previously that nerve-induced AChR aggregation is dramatically impaired in knockout mice lacking agrin, MuSK, or rapsyn. However, the phenotypes of these mutants differed in several respects, suggesting that the pathway from agrin to MuSK to rapsyn is complex. Here, we compared the effects of these mutations on two aspects of synaptic differentiation: AChR clustering and transcriptional specialization of synapse-associated myonuclei. First, we show that a plant lectin, VVA-B4, previously shown to act downstream of agrin, can induce AChR clusters on MuSK-deficient but not rapsyn-deficient myotubes in culture. Thus, although both MuSK and rapsyn are required for AChR clustering in vivo, only rapsyn is essential for cluster formation per se. Second, we show that neuregulin, a nerve-derived inducer of AChR gene expression, activates AChR gene expression in cultured agrin- and MuSK-deficient myotubes, even though synapse-specific transcriptional specialization is disrupted in agrin and MuSK mutants in vivo. We propose that agrin works through MuSK to determine a synaptogenic region within which synaptic differentiation occurs.
The Institutional and Technical Structuring of Nonprofit Ventures: Case Study of a U.S, Hybrid Organization Caught Between Two Fields

This paper engages the concept of the organizational field to explore the status of a growing set of organizations referred to as social enterprises, nonprofit ventures, and social purpose businesses. The argument is developed through an ethnographic case study of a nonprofit hybrid organization (in the United States) that is training welfare recipients in their own in-house businesses. First, this paper provides an overview of the commercial trends in the nonprofit sector and the rise of social purpose enterprises. Then, employing key concepts from neo-institutional theory, the author proposes framing nonprofit-business hybrids as organizations positioned in two different organizational fields—each necessitating different internal organizational technologies—to elucidate the structural tensions that can emerge inside these new hybrid models. Internal organizational tensions identified in the case study are highlighted. Finally, the proposed use of organizational field theory developed from the case analysis is discussed in terms of social enterprise more generally.
The presence of two (Na+ + K+)-ATPase inhibitors in equine muscle ATP: Vanadate and a dithioerythritol-dependent inhibitor

Abstract A potent inhibitor of (Na + + K + )-ATPase activity was purified from Sigma equine muscle ATP by cation- and anion-exchange chromatography. The isolated inhibitor was identified by atomic absorption spectroscopy and proton resonance spectroscopy to be an inorganic vanadate. The isolated vanadate and a solution of V2O5 inhibit sarcolemma (Na + + K + )-ATPase with an I 50 of 1 μM in the presence of 1 mM ethyleneglycol-bis-(β-aminoethylether) -N,N′- tetraacetic acid (EGTA), 145 mM NaCl, 6mM MgCl2, 15 mM KCl and 2 mM synthetic ATP. The potency of the isolated vanadate in increased by free Mg2+. The inhibition is half maximally reversed by 250 μM epinephrine. Equine muscle ATP was also found to contain a second (Na + + K + )-ATPase inhibitor which depends on the sulfhydryl-reducing agent dithioerythritol for inhibition. This unknown inhibitor does not depend on free Mg2+ and is half maximally reversed by 2 μM epinephrine. Prolonged storage or freeze-thawing of enzyme preparations decreases the susceptibility of the (Na + + K + )-ATPase to this inhibitor. The adrenergic blocking agents, propranolol and phentolamine, do not block the catecholamine reactivation. The inhibitors in equine muscle ATP also inhibit highly purified (Na + + K + )-ATPase from shark rectal gland and eel electroplax. The inhibitors in equine muscle ATP have no effect on the other sarcolemmal ATPases, Mg2+-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase and (Ca 2+ + Mg 2+ )-ATPase .
Gender effects on odor-stimulated functional magnetic resonance imaging.

On standardized tests of odor identification and odor detection, women tend to score better than men at nearly all age groups. We sought to determine if these findings would translate to differences between the sexes in the volume of activated brain when odors are presented to subjects as the stimulants for functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) experiments. The activation maps of eight right-handed women (mean age 25.3 years old, range 20-44, S.D. 8.3 years) were compared with those of 8 right-handed men (mean age 30.5, range 18-37, S.D. 6.5 years) given the same olfactory nerve stimuli in an FMRI experiment at 1.5 T. Olfactory stimuli were delivered to the patients in a passive fashion using a Burghart OM4-B olfactometer with a nose piece inserted into the patients' nostrils. We used agents (eugenol, phenyl ethyl alcohol, or phenyl ethyl alcohol alternating with hydrogen sulfide) that were selective for olfactory nerve stimulation in the nose. The odorants were delivered to both nostrils for 1 s every 4 s during a 30 s 'on-period'. During the 30 s 'off-period', the patient received room air at the same flow rate. The women's group-averaged activation maps showed up to eight times more activated voxels than men for specific regions of the brain (frontal and perisylvian regions). The left and right inferior frontal regions showed a statistically significant increase in activation in women at p<0.01. In general, more women showed activation than men. The results suggest that (1) FMRI activation maps in subject groups can demonstrate correlates to psychophysical tests of olfaction, and (2) one must control for gender when performing odor-stimulated FMRI experiments.
Gloeotrichia echinulata blooms in an oligotrophic lake: helpful insights from eutrophic lakes

Nuisance algal blooms are widely reported from eutrophic and hypereutrophic systems, but are relatively rare in oligotrophic systems. Recently, the cyanobacterium Gloeotrichia echinulata has begun blooming in oligotrophic to mesotrophic lakes in the northeastern USA. We explored whether existing knowledge about G. echinulata, derived from eutrophic systems, would be useful in predicting the recruitment dynamics of G. echinulata in an oligotrophic lake in central New Hampshire, USA. Our results indicate that, as in eutrophic lakes, there was a seasonal peak in both recruitment and surface abundance, with colonies recruiting from shallow (2 m) but not deep (≥5 m) sediments. Recruitment provided approximately 20-45% of the colonies to the 2005 G. echinulata surface bloom, within the range reported for eutrophic lakes. Thus, we conclude that observations of G. echinulata in eutrophic systems may be useful in predicting G. echinulata recruitment dynamics in oligotrophic lakes. Moreover, recruitment from the sediments appears to be an important mechanism that allows G. echinulata to bloom in low- as well as high-nutrient lakes. This benthic-pelagic coupling may, over time, result in an important transfer of nutrients in such oligotrophic lakes.
Advanced mouse-tracking analytic techniques for enhancing psychological science

Computer mouse-tracking is a relatively recently developed behavioral methodology that can contribute unique insight into a wide variety of psychological phenomena. By recording mouse movements en ...
Performance of an HRP-2 Rapid Diagnostic Test in Nigerian Children Less Than 5 Years of Age

The diagnostic performance of histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP-2)-based malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) was evaluated in a mesoendemic area for malaria, Kaduna, Nigeria. We compared RDT results with expert microscopy results of blood samples from 295 febrile children under 5 years. Overall, 11.9% (35/295) tested positive with RDT compared with 10.5% (31/295) by microscopy: sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were 100%, 98.5%, 88.6%, and 100%, respectively. The RDT sensitivity was not affected by transmission season, parasite density, and age. Specificity and positive PV decreased slightly during the high-transmission season (97.5% and 83.3%). The RDT test positivity rates in the low- and high-transmission seasons were 9.4% and 13.5%, respectively. Overall, the test performance of this RDT was satisfactory. The findings of a low proportion of RDT false positives, no invalid and no false-negative results should validate the performance of RDTs in this context.
Career and Lifestyle Satisfaction among Surgeons: What Really Matters? The National Lifestyles in Surgery Today Survey

Background Optimizing recruitment of the next surgical generation is paramount. Unfortunately, many nonsurgeons perceive surgeons' lifestyle as undesirable. It is unknown, however, whether the surgeons—important opinion makers about their profession—are indeed dissatisfied. Study Design We analyzed responses to a survey mailed to all surgeons who were certified by the American Board of Surgery in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004. We performed multivariate analyses to study career dissatisfaction and inability to achieve work-life balance, while adjusting for practice characteristics, demographics, and satisfaction with reimbursement. Results A total of 895 (25.5%) surgeons responded: mean age was 46 years; 80% were men; 88% were married; 86% had children; 45% were general surgeons; 72% were in urban practice; and 83% were in nonuniversity practice. Surgeons worked 64 hours per week; ideally, they would prefer to work 50 hours per week (median). Fifteen percent were dissatisfied with their careers. On multivariate analysis, significant (p Conclusions Most surgeons are satisfied with their careers. Areas in need of improvement, particularly for nonuniversity surgeons, include reimbursement, work hours, and litigation. Strong local and national advocacy may not only improve career satisfaction, but could also render the profession more attractive for those contemplating a surgical career.