cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chloride-Induced Stress Corrosion Cracking of Austenitic Stainless Steel Used for Dry Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel

Some dry cask storage system (DCSS) designs utilize austenitic stainless steel canisters surrounded by concrete shielding structures to store spent nuclear fuel (SNF) at Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations (ISFSIs). ISFSIs that are located where chlorides can be deposited on the canisters may have the potential for initiating chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking (SCC). Susceptibility to chloride-induced SCC depends on the environmental conditions at the canister surface, including the following key parameters: temperature; relative humidity (RH); areal density, composition and aqueous concentration of deposited salts; and the stress state of the canister, particularly in the weld and the weld heat affected zone (HAZ). National and international literature was reviewed to understand threshold values and uncertainties associated with these key parameters. Current models have uncertainties associated with salt deposition rate, local humidity and aqueous chemistry on the canister surface, salt composition and water volume, gamma radiolysis, and laboratory test methods.
The Relationship Between Subtest Scores of the National League for Nursing Achievement Tests and Subtest Scores of the Ohio State Board Examinations for Nursing Certification

An investigation of the correlations between scores on subtests of the National League for Nursing (NLN) Achievement Tests and scores on the corresponding sections of the State Board Licensure examinations revealed significant relationships on all five of the content-similar subtests. The moderate but significant coefficients seem to document concurrent validity of the NLN subtests in relation to corresponding criterion measures afforded by the State Board examinations.
Editorial to the themed issue on translational modeling in neuroscience.

We have all seen the numbers. At least a billion dollars to develop a new medicine and bring it to market [1]. More than 10,000 compounds screened for every new drug approval [2]. The number of new chemical entities approved by the Food and Drug Administration has been declining for a long period to record lows and only now appears to be rebounding [3]. The Phase 2 and 3 approval rate for neuroscience drugs is one of the poorest of all therapeutic areas [4]. The mean clinical development time for CNS drugs is 32 months longer than other therapeutic areas. CNS review times by the FDA took 28 months longer. Because of these difficulties companies like GlaxoSmithKline have left certain areas of the field [5]. These statistics are sombering news for scientists working in neuroscience drug development. Certainly something needs to be done to increase the success rate of CNS drugs. Potential solutions include better understanding of drug transport to the brain, development of better biomarkers of CNS activity in humans, and a better understanding of translation approaches from animals to humans. There is hope in the form of president Barack Obama’s decade of the brain initiative, in which the president has asked for $3 billion dollars to map the brain, and the Swiss-led project to build a silicon-based brain [6]. Hopefully these activities will have a direct impact on CNS drug development, but still these are years away from fruition. This issue of the Journal of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics is the first of a new annual feature in the journal, the themed issue. The theme of this issue is ‘‘Translational Modeling in Neuroscience’’. Leading scientists from around the world were recruited to write articles for this issue, the result being a blend of articles that are theoretical, preclinical, and clinical in nature spanning the drug development continuum. The goal was to show how modeling and simulation can improve our understanding of CNS drug distribution and activity and potentially improve the success rate in this field. The editors would like to thank all of the authors who contributed to this endeavor as they have helped create a special issue that we believe will be very useful to modeling and simulation community.
International Migration, Sex Ratios, and the Socioeconomic Outcomes of Nonmigrant Mexican Women

This article assesses whether international migration from Mexico affects the marital, fertility, schooling, and employment outcomes of the Mexican women who remain behind by exploiting variation over time as well as across Mexican states in the demographic imbalance between men and women. I construct a gauge of the relative supply of men for women of different age groups based on state-level male and female population counts and the empirically observed propensity of men of specific ages to marry women of specific ages. Using Mexican census data from 1960 through 2000, I estimate a series of models in which the dependent variable is the intercensus change in an average outcome for Mexican women measured by state and for specific age groups, and the key explanatory variable is the change in the relative supply of men to women in that state/age group. I find that the declining relative supply of males positively and significantly affects the proportion of women who have never been married as well as the proportion of women who have never had a child. In addition, states experiencing the largest declines in the relative supply of men also experience relatively large increases in female educational attainment and female employment rates. However, I find little evidence that women who do marry match to men who are younger or less educated than themselves.
“I just talk with my heart”: the mind–body problem, linguistic input, and the acquisition of folk psychological beliefs

Abstract This study adds to the literature addressing the input preschool children receive regarding mental state language by systematically investigating input that is metaphoric in nature. An analysis of the frequency of five body-part terms in adult speech and in storybooks directed to children reveals that the term heart is regularly used in figurative expressions to reflect a variety of emotions, both positive (e.g., love, kindness) and negative (e.g., hatred, sadness), especially in storybook text. Other salient body-part terms (i.e., brain , eye , foot , stomach ) are used metaphorically much less frequently in speech or stories directed to preschoolers. The role of this input for children’s acquisition of mentalistic language and for their emerging theories of psychology and biology is discussed.
Macroradical reaction in ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene in the presence of vitamin E

Abstract Free radical measurements in compression molded ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), which contained vitamin E (α-tocopherol (α-T)), was performed using electron spin resonance (ESR) technique in air at room temperature following gamma irradiation (25–32 kGy) in N2. The vitamin E was incorporated into one set of samples by blending UHMWPE resin with vitamin E (1 and 10 wt%), then compression molded into a solid and then irradiated. Another set of samples had vitamin E incorporated into them by diffusing vitamin E at 100 °C for 2 h after irradiation. Compared to a control (with no vitamin E), the vitamin E-containing UHMWPE (α-TPE) samples suffered a partial loss of PE radicals, but this loss only occurred during or immediately after irradiation (before exposure to air). Subsequently, when all blended samples were exposed to air, the remaining radicals in each sample decayed to the well-known OIR, R1 (− CH–[CH=CH−]m−) and R2 ( OCH–[CH=CH−]m−) radicals. However, because of the initial loss or partial quenching, α-TPE produced a lower concentration of OIR (measured over a four-year period), but no difference was found between 1% and 10% α-TPEs. In the diffused α-TPE, similar OIR was also found when tested after four months of post-treatment exposure to air.
Transport and metabolism of pantothenic acid by rat kidney

Transport of [14C]pantothenic acid was studied using brush-border membrane vesicles prepared from rat kidney. In the presence of a Na+ gradient an accumulation of pantothenic acid 3-fold above equilibrium was observed. The Km and Vmax found were 7.30 microM and 23.8 pmol/mg protein per min, respectively. Isolated perfused rat kidneys were employed to study excretion of pantothenic acid at various concentrations in the perfusate. At physiological plasma concentrations, the filtered pantothenic acid was largely reabsorbed by the active process observed in the vesicles. At higher concentrations, pantothenic acid was found to undergo tubular secretion. Penicillin inhibited this secretory process indicating that both compounds share a secretory mechanism. Live animal studies indicated that the only compound excreted after injection of [14C]pantothenic acid was free pantothenic acid. After 1 week only 38% of the administered dose was excreted in the urine, indicating that effective conservation was taking place in the whole animal.
Silicon nitride based mid-infrared microphotonics for sensor applications

Integrated mid-infrared waveguides and directional couplers are demonstrated on silicon nitride (SiN) thin films by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition. The prepared SiN film has a broad spectral transparency from visible up to mid-infrared (mid-IR). The SiN waveguide shows a dominant fundamental mode with an optical loss of 2.1 dB/cm at λ = 3.7 μm. In addition, we demonstrate an efficient SiN directional coupler with an 8 dB extinction ratio upon wavelength sweep between λ = 3.55 μm to λ = 3.75 μm. With the inherent advantage of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility, our SiN platform paves the way to create sophisticated photonic circuits that are desired for chip-scale mid-IR biochemical sensors.
Ultrafast microscopy of laser ablation of refractory materials: ultra low threshold stress-induced ablation

Abstract The fundamental mechanisms of photothermal laser ablation of thin films of refractory materials on glass are investigated, using time-resolved microscopy with variable duration ablation pulses (1 ns–10 μs). A fundamental understanding of ablation mechanisms can be used to develop designer materials with ultra efficient ablation, i.e. materials that can be ablated using economical low power laser sources. Refractory Ti and TiN thin film coatings on glass substrates were studied, with the intent of finding materials that can store and then suddenly release a great deal of thermoelastic stress energy that is produced by heating with relatively low intensity laser pulses. Threshold fluences as low as J th ≈50 mJ/cm 2 were realized. Time-resolved microscopy shows that brittle TiN coatings ablate by violent cracking on all time scales. Similar behavior is observed for Ti, at 1 ns and 110 ns, but at 10 μs the Ti melts but does not ablate. A thermal conduction model is used to show that the temperatures in the coatings at ablation threshold are a factor of 2 (Ti) or 3 (TiN) below the melting point. Calculations of the thermoelastic stress in the coatings shows that stress-assisted ablation occurs when the stored stress energy exceeds the coating adhesion to the substrate by about one order of magnitude. The photothermal stress energy in the coating can be converted almost completely into kinetic energy of the ablated material.
Differential effects of psychostimulants and related agents on dopaminergic and serotonergic transporter function

High-dose administrations of amphetamine, methamphetamine, cathinone, methcathinone or methylenedioxymethamphetamine rapidly decrease dopamine and serotonin transporter function in vivo, as assessed in striatal synaptosomes obtained from drug-treated rats. In contrast, high-dose injections of fenfluramine, cocaine or methylphenidate had little or no effect on the activity of these transporters. Interestingly, the capacity of these agents to directly alter dopamine and serotonin uptake, as assessed in vitro by direct application to rat striatal synaptosomes, did not predict their potential to modulate transporter activity following in vivo administration. These findings demonstrate heretofore-unreported differences in the effects of these agents on monoamine transporter function, and a distinction between drug effects after direct application in vitro vs. administration in vivo.
Fluid and Sediment Dynamic Effects on Marine Benthic Community Structure

Fluid and sediment dynamics affect benthic community dynamics and structure in manifold ways. We single out three community-structuring processes that are both strongly affected and amenable to controlled manipulation: microbial population growth, faunal recruitment, and particle feeding. Attachment and colony growth rates of microbes depend on the details of near-bed fluid exchange. Their emigration and colony growth rates are affected by erosion of microbial filmsand by abrasion during sediment transport. Recruitment and successional patterns of metazoans, especially those resulting from the settlement of weakly swimming, small larvae and juveniles, also are very sensitive to local variations in boundary layer flow pattern and strength. While the importance of particle fluxes to suspension feeders has long been apparent, the foraging patterns of a growing number of surface deposit feeders are being found to reflect a dependence upon sediment transport. Although these three processes have spatial and temporal scales amenable to both laboratory and field experimentation, proper dynamic scaling of laboratory model flows may not always be easy. Even the simplest two-phase (particles plus liquids, where particles can be bacteria, floes, larvae, or sediments) flows must match appropriate laboratory and field Reynolds number, Froude number, particle-fluid density (weight per unit volume) ratio, and the ratio of boundary layer thickness to particle size, if the laboratory flow model is to provide accurate results.
An active locking mechanism for assembling 3D micro structures

Microassembly is an enabling technology to build 3D microsystems consisting of microparts made of different materials and processes. Multiple microparts can be connected together to construct complicated in-plane and out-of-plane microsystems by using compliant mechanical structures such as micro hinges and snap fasteners. This paper presents design, fabrication, and assembly of an active locking mechanism that provides mechanical and electrical interconnections between mating microparts. The active locking mechanism is composed of thermally actuated Chevron beams and sockets. Assembly by means of an active locking mechanism offers more flexibility in designing microgrippers as it reduces or minimizes mating force, which is one of the main reasons causing fractures in a microgripper during microassembly operation. Microgrippers, microparts, and active locking mechanisms were fabricated on a silicon substrate using the deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) processes with 100-um thick silicon on insulator (SOI) wafers. A precision robotic assembly platform with a dual microscope vision system was used to automate the manipulation and assembly processes of microparts. The assembly sequence includes (1) tether breaking and picking up of a micropart by using an electrothermally actuated microgripper, (2) opening of a socket area for zero-force insertion, (3) a series of translation and rotation of a mating micropart to align it onto the socket, (4) insertion of a micropart into the socket, and (5) deactivation and releasing of locking fingers. As a result, the micropart was held vertically to the substrate and locked by the compliance of Chevron beams. Microparts were successfully assembled using the active locking mechanism and the measured normal angle was 89.2°. This active locking mechanism provides mechanical and electrical interconnections, and it can potentially be used to implement a reconfigurable microrobot that requires complex assembly of multiple links and joints.
The impact of "parent care" on female labor supply decisions.

Data from the 1986–1988 Survey of Income and Program Participation panels were used to analyze how informal-caregiving of disabled elderly parents affected female labor supply. Instrumental variables analyses suggested that coresidence with a disabled parent leads to a large, significant reduction in work hours, due primarily to withdrawal from the labor force. Although the impact of nonhousehold member caregiving was insignificant, evidence of an effect was stronger when commitment of caregiving time was greater. Projections of female labor force participation rates should account for potential increases in caregiving demand due to the aging of the U.S. population.
Preparation of hexagonal potassium tungsten bronze thin films by thermal vacuum evaporation

Abstract K x WO 3+ x 2 ( x = 0.3) thin films have been prepared by the thermal vacuum evaporation technique. Depending on the substrate temperature during deposition, either amorphous or crystalline films could be obtained. X-ray diffraction patterns and pole-figure information revealed that fresh crystalline films deposited on a hot (about 400°C) substrate of indium-tin oxide on glass microscope slides had a preferred orientation, with the c-axis perpendicular to the surface of the film. SIMS depth profiles and RBS experiments were used to confirm the stoichiometry and uniformity of the chemical components in the thermally deposited films.
Regularity of the density of states in the Anderson model on a strip for potentials with singular continuous distributions

We derive regularity properties for the density of states in the Anderson model on a one-dimensional strip for potentials with singular continuous distributions. For example, if the characteristic function is infinitely differentiable with bounded derivatives and together with all its derivatives goes to zero at infinity, we show that the density of states is infinitely differentiable.
KDOQI US Commentary on the 2012 KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of CKD

The National Kidney Foundation–Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (NKF-KDOQI) guideline for evaluation, classification, and stratification of chronic kidney disease (CKD) was published in 2002. The KDOQI guideline was well accepted by the medical and public health communities, but concerns and criticisms arose as new evidence became available since the publication of the original guidelines. KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) recently published an updated guideline to clarify the definition and classification of CKD and to update recommendations for the evaluation and management of individuals with CKD based on new evidence published since 2002. The primary recommendations were to retain the current definition of CKD based on decreased glomerular filtration rate or markers of kidney damage for 3 months or more and to include the cause of kidney disease and level of albuminuria, as well as level of glomerular filtration rate, for CKD classification. NKF-KDOQI convened a work group to write a commentary on the KDIGO guideline in order to assist US practitioners in interpreting the KDIGO guideline and determining its applicability within their own practices. Overall, the commentary work group agreed with most of the recommendations contained in the KDIGO guidelines, particularly the recommendations regarding the definition and classification of CKD. However, there were some concerns about incorporating the cause of disease into CKD classification, in addition to certain recommendations for evaluation and management.
Electronic sensing system with flexible biomechanical ground reaction sensor array achieving 100 μm/sec gait ground velocity resolution

This paper presents a prototype electronic sensing system design for a high-density flexible biomechanical ground reaction sensor array (GRSA). The prototype system can be incorporated into a personal boot heel to measure real-time ground force, shear strain and sole deformation associated with a human bipedal locomotion, thus providing zero-velocity correction to an inertial measurement unit placed in a close proximity. This approach can greatly reduce inertial error accumulation and improve positioning accuracy. The electronic sensing system consists of a front-end multiplexer that can sequentially connect individual capacitive sensing nodes from a 13 × 13 GRSA to a capacitance-to-voltage converter followed by a 12-bit ADC sampled at 66.7 k-samples/sec. The entire sensor array can be scanned within 10 msec. The integrated sensing electronics are fabricated in XFAB 0.35 μm CMOS process and dissipate 3mW power. Static and dynamic pressure testing demonstrates the prototype system functionality achieving a gait ground velocity sensing resolution of 100 μm/sec.
Controlling for Severity of Illness in Assessment of the Association Between Antimicrobial-Resistant Infection and Mortality: Impact of Calculation of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II Scores at Different Time Points

BACKGROUND. In studies of the association between antibiotic-resistant infection and mortality, the importance of controlling for the underlying severity of illness is well recognized. However, it is unclear when the severity of illness should be assessed. Controlling for severity of illness on the day the culture specimen is obtained may underestimate the true association between resistance and mortality. OBJECTIVE. To assess the impact of calculating the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score at different time points on the association between antimicrobial resistance and mortality. METHODS. We used an existing data set from a study that investigated the association between fluoroquinolone resistance and mortality. The APACHE II score was calculated at 3 time points: the day the culture specimen was obtained, 1 day before the culture specimen was obtained, and 2 days before the culture specimen was obtained. Separate multivariable models were constructed using the 3 different APACHE II scores. These models were compared qualitatively. RESULTS. Of 91 total subjects, 51 were infected with a fluoroquinolone-resistant strain and 40 with a fluoroquinolone-susceptible strain. The median APACHE II score for all subjects was 13 (95% confidence interval [CI], 11-15) when calculated on the day the culture specimen was obtained, 12 (95% CI, 11-13) when calculated 1 day before, and 11 (95% CI, 10-13) when calculated 2 days before the culture specimen was obtained. Of 91 subjects, 12 (13.2%) died. The 3 multivariable models (each with the APACHE II score calculated on a different day) were not substantively different; the adjusted odds ratio for the association between fluoroquinolone-resistant infection and mortality varied only from 1.38 to 1.65 in the 3 models. CONCLUSIONS. APACHE II scores calculated at different time points relative to obtainment of the culture specimen did not differ substantively. Furthermore, when the adjusted association between fluoroquinolone resistance and mortality was assessed, there were no substantive differences across multivariable models that incorporated APACHE II scores calculated at different time points.
Glycoprotein Exchange Vectors Based on Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Allow Effective Boosting and Generation of Neutralizing Antibodies to a Primary Isolate of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1

Live recombinant vesicular stomatitis viruses (VSVs) expressing foreign antigens are highly effective vaccine vectors. However, these vectors induce high-titer neutralizing antibody directed at the single VSV glycoprotein (G), and this antibody alone can prevent reinfection and boosting with the same vector. To determine if efficient boosting could be achieved by changing the G protein of the vector, we have developed two new recombinant VSV vectors based on the VSV Indiana serotype but with the G protein gene replaced with G genes from two other VSV serotypes, New Jersey and Chandipura. These G protein exchange vectors grew to titers equivalent to wild-type VSV and induced similar neutralizing titers to themselves but no cross-neutralizing antibodies to the other two serotypes. The effectiveness of these recombinant VSV vectors was illustrated in experiments in which sequential boosting of mice with the three vectors, all encoding the same primary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope protein, gave a fourfold increase in antibody titer to an oligomeric HIV envelope compared with the response in animals receiving the same vector three times. In addition, only the animals boosted with the exchange vectors produced antibodies neutralizing the autologous HIV primary isolate. These VSV envelope exchange vectors have potential as vaccines in immunizations when boosting of immune responses may be essential.
Counterpoint: Maintenance of Certification: Focus on Physician Concerns

the implementation of a new process viewed as an added burden by physicians already coping with increased workloads, growing administrative tasks, and mounting regulatory requirements. In an article in this issue of JACR � , “Twin Dogmas of Maintenance of Certification,” the author’s stated intent is to “show how MOC is of value” while exposing “fallacies” in familiar arguments both supporting and questioning the effectiveness of MOC. In doing so, he has dutifully assembled a list of miscellaneous criticisms directed toward MOC in the frequently quoted and very public discussions between the American Board of Internal Medicine and a vocal minority of its diplomates. As such, these concerns are not necessarily pertinent to or reflective of the discussions between diplomates and the remaining 23 specialty boards that constitute the ABMS. Although comprehensive, such a lengthy recounting detracts from the fewer critical issues more widely perceived as barriers to the universal acceptance of MOC. For this reason, we wish to add to this discussion by focusing on selected issues most in need of clarification and with the greatest potential for improving physicians’ and, more specifically, radiologists’ experiences with MOC.
The Immediate Effects of Media Violence on Behavior

The purpose of this paper is to review experimental studies and short-term field investigations designed to assess the influence of violence in the mass media on aggressive behavior in the viewer. Major trends in research over three decades are examined. We also indicate some possible connections between research on effects of media violence and recent developments in cognitive psychology. The evidence is organized according to the theoretical explanations that have been given for the commonly reported correlation between the viewing of violence and aggressive behavior. The paper is divided into three major sections. In the first, evidence from laboratory experiments is reviewed. In the second section, studies carried out in field-experimental settings are summarized. In the third section, evidence from nonexperimental studies is analyzed. In our conclusion we suggest that the cognitive-neoassociationist hypothesis serves as the best explanatory model for the overall findings and we indicate how some of the other hypotheses concerning media effects on aggression may be subsumed by it.
Altered cytokine responses of dengue-specific CD4+ T cells to heterologous serotypes.

The interplay of different inflammatory cytokines induced during a dengue (DEN) virus infection plays a role in either protection or increased disease severity. We measured the frequencies and characterized the cytokine responses of DEN virus-specific memory CD4+ T cells in PBMC of six volunteers who received experimental live attenuated monovalent DEN vaccines. IFN-γ and TNF-α responses to inactivated DEN Ags were detected in up to 0.54 and 1.17% of total circulating CD4+ T cells, respectively. Ags from the homologous serotype elicited the highest IFN-γ response. The ratio of TNF-α- to IFN-γ-producing CD4+ T cells was higher after stimulation with Ags from heterologous DEN serotypes. Peptide-specific CD4+ T cell frequencies of up to 0.089% were detected by direct staining using HLA class II tetramers. IFN-γ and TNF-α responses to individual HLA class II-restricted peptide epitopes were detected in up to 0.05 and 0.27% of CD4+ T cells, respectively. Peptide sequences from the homologous serotype elicited a variety of cytokine response patterns. TNF-α- to IFN-γ-positive CD4+ T cell ratios varied between peptides, but the ratio of the sum of responses was highest against heterologous serotypes. These results demonstrate epitope sequence-specific differences in T cell effector function. These patterns of effector responses may play a role in the immunopathogenesis of DEN hemorrhagic fever.
The Evidence for Variable Infall of Material in the Ultraviolet Excess Stars

In a previous paper (Walker 1966), the results of the writer’s spectro-scopic study of the UV excess stars in the Orion Nebula and in NGC 2264 were outlined. These stars form a subgroup of the T Tau class of variables and like the T Tau stars are extremely young objects still in the process of contracting gravitationally from the pre-stellar medium. Apart from the UV excess itself, the spectra of the UV excess stars are similar to those of normal T Tau variables, having emission lines of hydrogen, Ca II, and sometimes helium, Fe I, and an underlying late-type absorption spectrum which is partially totally obscured by a blue continuum. However, unlike the regular T Tau variables which occasionally display a P Cyg spectrum with violet-displaced absorption lines, 10 out of a sample of 23 UV excess stars showed, at least at times, an inverse P Cyg or “YY Ori” spectrum. In these objects, the emission lines tend to have approximately the radial velocity of the cluster, while redward-displaced absorption lines of hydrogen and sometimes Ca II are observed having radial velocities of 150 to 400 km/sec more positive than the cluster velocity. Explanation in terms of binary motion appears ruled out by the fact that except for observations of YY Ori on two dates, the absorption lines are always displaced to the red. Thus, it has been assumed that whereas the P Cyg spectrum in regular T Tau stars indicates ejection of material from the star, the inverse P Cyg spectrum in the UV excess stars indicates actual infall of material.
A Sparse Kalman Filter with Application to Acoustic Communications Channel Estimation

A sparse Bayesian Kalman filter (SB-KF) is developed for channel estimation in underwater acoustic communications. The SB-KF algorithm is based on parallel Kalman filtering, with each filter updated under a soft numerosity constraint. The soft constraint forces the one-step prediction of the channel to have fixed numerosity. The Bayesian framework yields both sparse channel estimates, and an estimate of the channel order (numerosity). Application of the SB-KF to an acoustic modem based on Walsh/m-sequence signaling is considered. A hybrid analysis/simulation approach is used to compute symbol error rates (SERs), which show that the sparse Bayesian algorithm significantly outperforms an unconstrained Kalman channel estimator.
Protein Synthesis in Mouse Spermatozoa

The present study was undertaken to characterize protein synthesis by mature mouse sperm. It was found that these sperm incorporated amino acids linearly over a period of 3 h and that incorporation was inhibited by incubation of sperm at 4C-C and by chloramphenicol but not inhibited by cycloheximide. Labeled proteins from control and chloramphenicol-inhibited sperm were displayed on electrophoretic gels, and the labeled protein bands were characterized with respect to molecular weight and degree of inhibition. Autoradiography of the labeled sperm revealed that most grains were localized over the sperm midpiece. These data indicate that the protein synthesis of mouse sperm is mitochondrial in nature.
Switchable Electrodes: How Can the System Complexity be Scaled up?

Electrodes modified with different signal-responsive materials were designed as switchable electrochemical interfaces controlled by various physical or chemical signals. Electrodes with the electrochemical activity switched ON and OFF by light signals were developed using monolayers or thin films of photoisomerizable compounds. Functionalized magnetic particles associated with the electrode surfaces allowed the switching processes controlled by an external magnetic field. Electrochemical transformations proceeding at modified electrode surfaces upon application of different potentials were able to switch the interfacial resistance between low and high values, thus affecting electrochemical properties of the surfaces. Electrode surfaces functionalized with materials responding to chemical signals allowed the switching processes controlled by chemical or biochemical inputs. Most of the designed switchable electrode interfaces have very limited possibilities for scaling up the complexity of the information processing systems associated with the electrode surfaces. Recent advances in biocomputing and specifically in the design of enzyme-based logic systems allow their coupling with switchable electrodes resulting in very sophisticated interfaces for processing biochemical information and its transduction into electronic signals. Future applications of the signal-responsive electrodes integrated with the biocomputing systems in ‘smart’ biochemically controlled biosensors, biofuel cells and chemical actuators could be envisaged.
Signed network propagation for detecting differential gene expressions and DNA copy number variations

Network propagation algorithms have proved useful for the analysis of high-dimensional genomic data. One limitation is that the current formulation only allows network propagation on positively weighted graphs. In this paper, we explore two signed network propagation algorithms and general optimization frameworks for detecting differential gene expressions and DNA copy number variations (CNV). The proposed algorithms consider both positive and negative relations in graphs to model gene up/down-regulation or amplification/deletion CNV events. The first algorithm (Signed-NP) integrates gene co-expressions and differential expressions for consistent and robust gene selection from microarray datasets by propagation on gene correlation graphs. The second algorithm (Signed-NPBi) identifies gene or CNV markers by propagation on sample-feature bipartite graphs to capture bi-clusters between samples and genomic features. Large scale experiments on several microarray gene expression datasets and CNV datasets validate that Signed-NP and Signed-NPBi perform better classification of gene expression and CNV data than standard network propagation. The experiments also demonstrate that Signed-NP is capable of selecting genes that are more biologically interpretable and consistent across multiple datasets, and Signed-NPBi can detect hidden CNV patterns in bi-clusters by smoothing on correlations between adjacent probes.
Occurrence and Distribution of Two Hydroxylated Polychlorinated Biphenyl Congeners in Chicago Air

We measured hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) in both gas and particulate phases in 30 Chicago air samples, the first report of OH-PCBs in environmental air samples. Concentrations of 2OH-PCB2 and 6OH-PCB2 in both phases were similar to those of PCB2 measured in the same samples, from nondetect to 11 pg m–3 and 12 ng g–1 for the gas and particulate phases, respectively. We found that OH-PCB2 congeners sorbed more to particulates than did PCB2, seasonal variability was larger than spatial variability across Chicago, and partial pressure and temperature strongly correlated with the two OH-PCBs (p < 0.0001). Similar 6OH-PCB2:2OH-PCB2 ratios were found in our air samples and Aroclors, suggesting that Aroclors are a legacy source of OH-PCB2 congeners to the atmosphere and appear to be volatilizing proportionally to PCBs in Aroclors. Although degradation by the hydroxyl radical has been proposed as an efficient loss process for airborne PCBs, we found no evidence that this mechanism results in th...
Press Censorship in Elizabethan England: The 1599 bishops' ban: “shreud suspect of ill pretences”

In 1599 the Archbishop of Canterbury, John Whitgift, and the Bishop of London, Richard Bancroft, engaged in an act of censorship that was extraordinary because it affected both the London Stationers and literary works, and was apparently unmotivated by concerns about conformity or treason. On 1 June Whitgift and Bancroft issued an order to the Stationers calling in the books of Thomas Nashe and Gabriel Harvey and prohibiting any further printing of their works or of any satires and epigrams. It prohibited printing histories without Privy Council allowance or printing plays “excepte they bee allowed by suche as have aucthorytie.” Further, the order specified that nine books, mostly epigrams and satires be seized and brought to the Bishop to be burned. The single documentary source for the Bishops' ban is the 1 June 1599 entry in the Stationers' Register. An entry three days later records that the bishops' order was published to the Company and sent particularly to a group of specified Company members, and it notices the burning of seven of the nine works, plus the calling in of one more book, Willoby's Avisa . The order resulted in the burning of John Marston's Pygmalion (1598) and The scourge of vilanie (1598), Edward Guilpin's Skialetheia or A Shadowe of Truth , (1598) Thomas Middleton's Microcynicon (“Snarlinge Satires”) (1598), John Davies's Epigrames , (n.d.), Ercole and Torquato Tasso's Of Marriage and Wyvinge , (1599), and 15 Joyes of marriage (n.d.). Joseph Hall's Virgidemiarum , (1597, 1598) and Thomas Cutwode's Caltha Poetarum (1599), though initially called in, were reprieved.
The Effect of the Web on Vibration Sensitivity in the Spider, Achaearanea Tepidariorum (KOCH)

1. The contribution of the web to vibration sensitivity in the spider Achaearanea tepidariorum (Koch) has been examined. A single strand of web transmits vibration with an attenuation of about 1.2 db./cm. of silk. 2. The electrical activity of a spider leg, the tip of which was attached to a web strand, revealed no tuning in response to vibration transmitted via the web, whereas the response to air-borne sound was still tuned. 3. The behaviour of spiders toward different insects snared in their webs revealed no differences in the spider9s initial response to the different insects, although the sound and vibration caused by the insects were clearly different. 4. These results suggest that the spider can derive more information from the air-borne sound than it can from vibration through its web, but what use the spider makes of its sensitivity to air-borne sound is still unclear.
Indirect Trauma in the Field Practicum: Secondary Traumatic Stress, Vicarious Trauma, and Compassion Fatigue Among Social Work Students and Their Field Instructors

A sample of BSW students and their field instructors was assessed for the presence of indirect trauma, including secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue. Results indicated that students were at greater risk of experiencing vicarious trauma than their field instructors and research participants in previous studies. Risk factors for students and social workers included age, experience, gender, and placement in a child welfare setting. Race was a risk factor only for students. The results underscore the protective effects of advance preparation, agency support, and agency supervision, but also suggest that specific education about indirect trauma is lacking. Also discussed are the links among indirect trauma, burnout, and students' career aspirations, as well as suggestions for future research.
Roles of the tyrosine isomers meta-tyrosine and ortho-tyrosine in oxidative stress

The damage to cellular components by reactive oxygen species, termed oxidative stress, both increases with age and likely contributes to age-related diseases including Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cataract formation. In the setting of oxidative stress, hydroxyl radicals can oxidize the benzyl ring of the amino acid phenylalanine, which then produces the abnormal tyrosine isomers meta-tyrosine or ortho-tyrosine. While elevations in m-tyrosine and o-tyrosine concentrations have been used as a biological marker of oxidative stress, there is emerging evidence from bacterial, plant, and mammalian studies demonstrating that these isomers, particularly m-tyrosine, directly produce adverse effects to cells and tissues. These new findings suggest that the abnormal tyrosine isomers could in fact represent mediators of the effects of oxidative stress. Consequently the accumulation of m- and o-tyrosine may disrupt cellular homeostasis and contribute to disease pathogenesis, and as result, effective defenses against oxidative stress can encompass not only the elimination of reactive oxygen species but also the metabolism and ultimately the removal of the abnormal tyrosine isomers from the cellular amino acid pool. Future research in this area is needed to clarify the biologic mechanisms by which the tyrosine isomers damage cells and disrupt the function of tissues and organs and to identify the metabolic pathways involved in removing the accumulated isomers after exposure to oxidative stress.
Stochastic analysis of estuarine hydraulics

A new methodology is presented for the solution of the stochastic hydraulic equations characterizing steady, one-dimensional estuarine flow. The methodology is predicated on quasi-linearization, perturbation methods, and the finite difference approximation of the stochastic differential operators. Assuming Manning's roughness coefficient is the principal source of uncertainty in the model, stochastic equations are presented for the water depths and flow rates in the estuarine system. Moment equations are developed for the mean and variance of the water depths. The moment equations are compared with the results of Monte Carlo simulation experiments. The results confirm that for any spatial location in the estuary that (1) as the uncertainty in the channel roughness increases, the uncertainty in mean depth increases, and (2) the predicted mean depth will decrease with increasing uncertainty in Manning'sn. The quasi-analytical approach requires significantly less computer time than Monte Carlo simulations and provides explicit
Direct Synthesis and Accessibility of Amine-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Templated Using Fluorinated Surfactants

3-Aminopropyl functionalized silica is synthesized directly using cationic fluorinated surfactants (C6F13C2H2NC5H5Cl (HFOPC) and C8F17C2H2NC5H5Cl (HFDePC)) and a hydrocarbon surfactant (C16H33N(CH3)3Br (CTAB)) as templates. The resulting 3-aminopropyl functionalized silica has a two-dimensional hexagonal pore structure, with greater order and surface area in the CTAB-templated material than the fluorinated-surfactant-templated materials. Greater amine incorporation is achieved using CTAB (1.44 mmol/g), with the least amine incorporation being observed in the HFDePC-templated material (0.92 mmol/g). The incorporation of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) is used to qualitatively probe the accessibility of the amine groups. The reaction of benzaldehyde with the amine groups results in the incorporation of benzaldehyde, which is consistent with the higher accessibility of amines in fluorocarbon-surfactant-templated silica. The interaction of dry CO2 with amines results in higher CO2 sorbed in 3-aminopropyl-fu...
Bicameralism and the Theory of Voting

P 5 RACTITIONERS and political scientists alike have long recognized that legislative decisions are often determined by the strategic behavior of legislators and the procedures of a legislature. Almost every text on the American legislative process discusses how the voting order, the voting procedures, and other legislative procedures can affect the final nature of legislation. While offering insight into the importance of the voting process and the process of strategic behavior, much of the early writing on these topics was primarily descriptive. In recent years a new body of literature on voting processes and strategic behavior in legislatures has developed which is based upon social choice theory.' This literature has addressed a number of topics: coalition formation and stability, vote trading, and legislative procedures such as the voting process. That portion which deals with voting procedures primarily derives from the work of Black (1971) and Farquharson (1969). Black examined how any voting body would select a single proposal out of a series of alternatives for a given voting procedure. Farquharson demonstrated how, for the threevoter three-alternative case, the selection of one final alternative would depend upon the voting process, the voting order, and whether voters were employing sincere or sophisticated strategies. In a recent work, Miller (1977) used a graph-theoretic approach to extend Farquharson's analysis to the general case in which a voting decision must be reached out of a set of n proposals. While a number of legislative voting procedures have been discussed in the literature, such analyses have not taken into account one central characteristic of the American legislative process: bicameralism. The literature has emphasized that the so-called amendment procedure most closely approximates the voting procedure in American legislatures. Under the amendment procedure two proposals are paired for a majority vote, the defeated proposal is eliminated with the winning proposal now being paired against a third proposal. This process continues until one proposal remains. Since the votes are being taken in one chamber, the sincere and sophisticated outcomes as determined by Farquharson and Miller are dependent upon the legislators' preferences among the alternatives presented in the one chamber, the voting order, and the willingness of voters to vote strategically. Actions or anticipated actions outside of the chamber are assumed to have no impact upon the votes or outcome within the chamber.
Simulation of Flow, Structure and Particle Dynamics in Human Upper Respiratory System

in biomedical research community. This paper is an attempt to summarize and present an overview of several simulation studies in human respiratory system and more particularly upper airways (nasal, retropalatal and retroglossal regions of airway). A brief insight into anatomy of upper airway and aspects of reconstruction methodology of airway models is outlined. Dierent phenomena of ow in upper airways such as steady, unsteady ows, ow-structure,and owparticle interactions which were simulated by our group, are summarized and discussed with case studies. Also, the challenges, accuracy, limitations and future road map of numerical simulations in pulmonary mechanics is discussed.
Transforming Growth Factor-λ1 as a Novel Marker of Response to Therapy for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma is expected to account for 30,000 new cancer cases and 11,900 cancer deaths in the United States in 1999 (1). At the time of initial presentation, up to one-third of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) have metastatic disease; furthermore, almost half of the patients resected for cure will relapse (2). Due to the poor results of cytotoxic chemotherapy in the management of metastatic RCC (3), physicians have explored the use of new therapies including immunotherapy and gene therapy. Some of these therapies are discussed in other chapters of this textbook. The use of these new therapies allows for the identification and utilization of new tumor markers that may allow investigators to identify patients at risk for advanced disease as well as establish new definitions of tumor response.