cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
p-Type oxides for use in transparent diodes

Several p-type oxides of the delafossite structure have been investigated in the hope that the conductivity and transparency will be high enough to render them useful in the manufacture of transparent p–n junction diodes and other transparent devices. The highest conductivity achieved to date has been 220 S/cm in CuCr1−xMgxO2 thin films. Oxygen intercalation in CuSc1−xMgxO2+y films improves the conductivity at the expense of optical transparency. We have improved the conductivity of CuGaO2-based films from 0.02 to 1 S/cm by substitution of Fe for Ga. p-Type conductivity has been demonstrated in an Ag-based delafossite film. A sputter-deposited AgCoO2 film has a conductivity of 0.2 S/cm, a Seebeck coefficient of 230 μV/K and a band gap of 4.1 eV at room temperature. CuNi2/3Sb1/3O2 films have been produced that are p-type conductors when doped with Sn.
Optical properties of polyaniline

Abstract Optical absorption has been used to study polyaniline at various levels of oxidation and protonation. The conversion of leucoemeraldine base to its salt accounts for the blue shift of the π-π∗ absorption from 3.94 to 4.17 eV. The emeraldine base has an absorption peak at 2.1 eV due to the localized benzenoid HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) to quinoid LUMO (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) excitation. Protonation of the emeraldine base causes a lattice distortion of polyaniline to form a polaronic lattice structure, which accounts for the shift of the 2.1 eV absorption to 1.5 eV. Further protonation of emeraldine salt causes the breakdown of the polaronic lattice to a confined bipolaron lattice. When the acid strength of the solution is very high (96% H2SO4), most of the amine nitrogens are protonated. Characteristic absorptions of isolated quinoid imine units (∼2.5 eV) and benzene units (∼4.8 eV) have been found. The evolution of band structure corresponding to the optical-absorption change during the protonation of polyaniline at each specific oxidation state is studied by gradually changing the acid strength of the solution to which the polymer is subjected. We have also studied the optical-absorption change at one fixed acid strength by slowly oxidizing leucoemeraldine to emeraldine then to pernigraniline by electrochemical and chemical means. Detailed information has been obtained on the band structure changes in relation to lattice structure interconversions during the transitions between various oxidation and protonation states.
DO THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF FACTOR ANALYSIS STILL GIVE ALMOST IDENTICAL RESULTS

The question is examined 30 yr. after Wolfle summarized the field to see if newer methods of factor analysis have changed the picture substantially. An eight-variable two-factor physical body measurement problem is solved with a variety of methods and different estimates of communality. All give very similar results after the factor matrix is rotated to the varimax criterion. Even the image covariance analysis and principal components solutions portray the same structure as found by more conventional common-factor procedures.
Short-, medium-, and long-term relationships among meteorological and electrodermal variables.

The present study investigated the relationship between weather and electrodermal data. The latter were gathered during three habituation studies with a common initial procedure: male undergraduates (N = 336) were presented with a 1-sec, 500 Hz, 55 dB tone until habituated. Initial skin conductance level (SCL), mean square root skin conductance response to the first 3 tones (√SCR), and number of trials to SCR habituation (TH) were each correlated with the meteorological conditions (temperature, relative humidity, and barometric pressure) during each of several pre-experimental periods lasting from 1 hr to 1 month. The multiple correlation (R) between SCL and the meteorological variables was low but statistically significant for each time period, as was the case for √SCR. For TH the Rs were significant only for time periods of 1 day or more. Cross-validations indicated that the Rs were stable and that electrodermal values could be reliably predicted from meteorological data. These results, together with correlations of each meteorological variable with each electrodermal variable and examinations of each variable across academic semesters, indicated that meteorological variables bear significant and complex relationships to electrodermal activity which warrant consideration in the design of experiments with extended data collection periods.
Postoperative surgical site infections after ventral/incisional hernia repair: a comparison of open and laparoscopic outcomes.

Background The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of postoperative surgical site infections (SSIs), operative times (OTs), and length of hospital stay (LOS) after open and laparoscopic ventral/incisional hernia repair (VIHR) using multicenter, prospectively collected data.
Effects of ethionine and phenobarbital on the phosphatidylcholines of rat liver

The diglyceride species of phosphatidylcholines from livers of male rats after treatment of the animals with ethionine (1 mg/g divided among 4 doses 2 hr apart), phenobarbital (80 mg/kg each day for 3 days), or a combination of the two drugs were determined using gas chromatography. Ethionine treatment greatly elevated the diene species (significant at the 0.005 level for 34∶2 and 0.001 level for 36∶2). Phenobarbital treatment had no significant effect on the quantity of 34∶2 but slightly increased that of 36∶2 (significant at the 0.05 level). Both drugs caused relative decreases in the quantities of 38∶4 (significant at the 0.001 level for ethionine and at the 0.01 level for phenobarbital). Ethionine decreased the content of 36∶4 (significant at the 0.01 level) while phenobarbital treatment did not produce a significant effect on this fraction. Thus, while ethionine produced marked effects on the quantities of the various molecular species, the effects of phenobarbital were less dramatic. Combined treatment with both drugs generally produced levels of species similar to those produced by ethionine alone.
Stable range and almost stable range

Abstract We study some topics dealing with stable range and almost stable range. We give a simple proof of Bass’ Stable Range Theorem.
1‐Isopropylamino‐3‐(4‐indanoxy)‐2‐propanol HCl: a potent β‐adrenoceptor antagonist

Summary 1 . The β-adrenoceptor blocking activity of 1-Isopropylamino-3-(4-indanoxy)-2-propanol HC1 (USVC 6524) was determined in the anaesthetized dog, the isolated rat uterus and the isolated guinea-pig tracheal strip. 2 . USVC 6524 inhibited the positive inotropic, positive chronotropic and vasodilator responses to isoprenaline in the dog in a dose of 10 μg/kg and higher. On the basis of comparative pA2 values, USVC 6524 is approximately 10 times more potent as a β-adrenoceptor antagonist than propranolol. 3 . Cardiac depressant effects produced by USVC 6524 were relatively mild and occurred only after the onset of a strong β-adrenoceptor blockade. 4 . USVC 6524 also blocked β-adrenoceptors in the isolated rat uterus and guinea-pig tracheal spiral strip.
Stress fractures of the great toe sesamoids

Stress fractures of the great toe sesamoids have not been previously confirmed as a clinical entity. In this report, we present four such cases, and document the diagnosis by histological sections. All of the patients had experienced the insidious onset of activity-related forefoot pain, and had radiographs that demonstrated a sesamoid fracture. None of the fractures healed with 6 weeks of immobilization and prolonged (4-6 months) inactivity. In all cases, the fractured sesamoid was excised, and the hematoxylin and eosin sections of the fracture segments documented the prefracture stress and incomplete repair characteristic of a stress fracture.
Single and Double Infrared Transitions in Rapid-Vapor-Deposited Parahydrogen Solids: Application to Sample Thickness Determination and Quantitative Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy

We present a convenient method for determining the thickness of a cryogenic parahydrogen (pH2) solid from its infrared (IR) absorption spectrum. Millimeters-thick pH2 solids of exceptional optical clarity can be produced by the rapid vapor deposition method [M.E. Fajardo and S. Tam, J. Chem. Phys. 108, 4237 (1998)]. Doping of these pH2 solids is readily accomplished by co-deposition of the desired impurities, making them excellent hosts for high-resolution matrix isolation spectroscopy. The intensities of the IR "double" transitions Q1(0) + S0(0) and S1(0) + S0(0) of the pH2 host are insensitive to the matrix microstructure and to the presence of dopants, so these absorptions are especially well suited for thickness determinations. We calibrate the integrated absorption intensities of these two bands against the sample thicknesses determined from transmission interference fringes appearing in the same experimental spectra; we report: αtilde[Q1(0) + S0(0)] = 4.84(±0.18) × 10-14 cm3/s, and αtilde[S1(0) + S0(0)] = 0.35(±0.02) × 10-14 cm3/s (95% confidence). We also discuss several other advantages of rapid-vapor-deposited pH2 solids as hosts for quantitative IR absorption spectroscopy of dopant species.
Effect of hydrostatic pressure on superconducting lead--indium alloys using electron tunneling

The effect of pressure on the effective phonon spectrnm alpha ( omega (F( omega ), the dimensionless electron--phonon interaction strength lambda , and the average electron-phonon coupling function ( alpha /sup 2/) was determined in the superconducting alloys Pb/sub 95/In/sub 5/ and Pb/sub 88/In/sub 12/. Electro n-tunneling measurements at pressures from 0 to 3600 bar provided the energy gap and turnelling density of states which served as input to McMillan's gap inversion program which calculated alpha /sup 2/( omega )F( omega ), lambda , and ( alpha /sup 2/). Pressure production was via solid helium which provided nearly hydrostatic pressures. The energy gap decreases and the phonon frequencies increase with increasing pressure. The impurity band undergoes the smallest relative shift with increasing pressure and the transverse peak exhibits the largest shift. alpha /sup 2/( omega )F( omega ) shifts toward higher frequencies and decreases slightly in amplitude. The net result of all these effects is for a shift of the electron--phonon interaction toward weaker coupling. The best indicators oi this trend are the observed decrease of lambda and ( alpha /sup 2/) with increasing pressure. These values are d lf lambda /d P = -- 7.9 x 10/sup -6/bar/sup -1/more » and d ln ( alpha )/d P =--3.2 x 10/sup -6/bar/sup -1/ for Pb/sub 88/In/sub 12/. The values for Pb/sub 95/In/sub 5/ are close to these. The pressure dependence of gamma , the electronic-specific-heat coefficient, determined from the pressure dependence of the quantity Z/sub n/(O) = 1 + lambda , gives a value close to that of Pb determined from thermal-expansion measurements and from recent theoretical considerations. (37 references, 3 tables, 11 figures) (auth)« less
Significance of the highest occupied Kohn-Sham eigenvalue

Perdew et al. gave a proof that the highest occupied Kohn-Sham eigenvalue of an $N$-electron system represents the negative of the ionization energy (or electron affinity if $N=Z+1)$. I argue that this cannot be the case.
Early neuron differentiation in the mouse olfactory bulb. II. Electron microscopy

Differentiating mitral cells were followed in serial section analysis of mouse embryos from day 12 of gestation (E12) to E14. Animals at E11 and E15 were also examined. Olfactory nerve axons reach the presumptive olfactory bulb at E12 and many penetrate deeply into the intermediate (mantle) layer at this time. The first identified young neurons (postmitotic neuroblasts) were also seen at E12. Many had a tangential orientation, and they occurred only in the region where olfactory nerve axons were present. Olfactory nerve axons (and also mitral cell axons formed later) are characterized by numerous longitudinallyoriented microtubules and an extensive system of transversely and longitudinallyorinted cisternae of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER). Near the growing tips of olfactory nerve axons, the microtubules disappear and the SER becomes more extensive and irregular. The four stages of early mitral cell differentiation determined in the companion paper (Hinds, '72) were confirmed by electron microscopic analysis. In the earliest cells of the primitive radial stage few organelles occur in the perikaryon, but in later cells of this stage and in cells of the pre-axonic tangential stage a Golgi complex and a pair of centrioles occurs on one side of the nucleus at the base of the largest tangential process, thus determining a cell polarity within the tangential plane. This initial polarity at E12 seems to be random and unrelated to the polarity attained when axon outgrowth occurs at E13 and E14, suggesting a re-orientation prior to axon outgrowth. The growing tips of primitive tangential processes were studied and compared with those of growing primitive radial processes and growing axons.
Strömungsuntersuchungen an Platten in bindigem und kohÄsionslosem Gut

Es wird uber Bewegungsstudien an Platten in bindigen und kohAsionslosen Boden berichtet. Bei hohen Plattengeschwindigkeiten treten in weichen Boden neben ReibungskrAften merkliche dynamische KrAfte auf. Der ubergang vom Bereich reiner Reibung zum dynamischen Bereich kann mit Hilfe von Ahnlichkeitsbetrachtungen ermittelt werden.
Solar thermochemical hydrogen: The heat source-process interface

Abstract A discussion of issues and considerations related to the interface between a solar heat source and a thermochemical hydrogen process and some details of a tubular heat exchanger operating as such an interface in a cavity-type receiver are presented. The issues include the temperature and heat input requirements for the endothermic reaction, type of receiver, heat storage, transient operations, and control. A thermal performance analysis of a tubular reactor/heat exchanger operating in a cavity-type solar receiver is applied to SO 3 decomposition. The analysis produces axial distributions of temperature tube wall and process fluid, reaction rate, conversion, velocity, density, pressure and residence time. Process fluid conditions at the inlet, tube characteristics, reaction kinetics and cavity operating temperature are inputs. The cavity temperature affects average heat flux and, therefore, heat-exchanger cost and receiver efficiency and, therefore, mirror field cost. A design which minimizes the combined cost may be found and examples are shown.
Mononuclear and dinuclear mechanisms for catalysis of phosphodiester cleavage by alkaline earth metal ions in aqueous solution.

Abstract In biological systems, enzymes often use metal ions, especially Mg 2+ , to catalyze phosphodiesterolysis, and model aqueous studies represent an important avenue of examining the contributions of these ions to catalysis. We have examined Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ catalyzed hydrolysis of the model phosphodiester thymidine-5′- p -nitrophenyl phosphate (T5PNP). At 25 °C, we find that, despite their different Lewis acidities, these ions have similar catalytic ability with second-order rate constants for attack of T5PNP by hydroxide ( k OH ) of 4.1 × 10 −4 M −1 s −1 and 3.7 × 10 −4 M −1 s −1 in the presence of 0.30 M Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ , respectively, compared to 8.3 × 10 −7 M −1 s −1 in the absence of divalent metal ion. Examining the dependence of k OH on [M 2+ ] at 50 °C indicates different kinetic mechanisms with Mg 2+ utilizing a single ion mechanism and Ca 2+ operating by parallel single and double ion mechanisms. Association of the metal ion(s) occurs prior to nucleophilic attack by hydroxide. Comparing the k OH values reveals a single Mg 2+ catalyzes the reaction by 1800-fold whereas a single Ca 2+ ion catalyzes the reaction by only 90-fold. The second Ca 2+ provides an additional 10-fold catalysis, significantly reducing the catalytic disparity between Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ .
On-line user interaction with electronic catalogs: language preferences among global users

In this paper we study the behavior and performance of bilingual users in using an electronic catalog. The purpose of this research is to further the knowledge required for building electronic commerce systems that operate in multiple languages in global settings. We describe a bilingual electronic catalog that can be used by online retailers for selling products and/or services to customers interacting in either English or Chinese. We investigate into the nature of user interactions in multilingual electronic catalogs. We have defined three different groups of users: only Chinese speaking, only English speaking, and bilingual. We are specifically interested in investigating into the language preferences of the third group of users. In order to test language preferences, we have selected two types of products: office supplies and ethnic food. We hypothesize that bilingual users will exhibit differential language preferences for the type of products and the tasks performed in using the electronic catalog. Furthermore, learning curves and interaction effects are also tested. Three different task categories have been designed: browsing, directed search, and exact matches. In the first case, the user is a general browser who is looking for what is available in the catalog. In the second case, the user is looking for a class of products but is unsure of the exact item. In the third case the user knows exactly what item he/she is looking for. We propose to test the efficiency of usage by measuring the time as well as studying the path followed by the user in retrieving product information. This research will shed light on the important issue of designing multilingual electronic catalogs for both local and global applications.
Low-Level Violence: A Neglected Aspect of School Culture

A largely neglected aspect of school violence is low-level, underlying violence in schools that includes bullying, peer sexual harassment, victimization based on sexual orientation, and the psychological maltreatment of students by teachers. Low-level violence angers and alienates many students and contributes to a hostile school environment. This article examines the extent of low-level violence in U.S. public schools and its impact on students’ school performance. The authors argue that the one way of reducing low-level violence in schools is to create a more positive school culture and climate. Guidelines for preventing or minimizing low-level violence in schools are presented.
Achieving reliability in simulation software

The complexity of simulation software makes it one of the most challenging software products to test and debug. Providing reliable simulation software requires that the user interface, graphic editor, statistical generators, database and memory management systems, simulation engine, output report generator, graphical animation, etc. are all working correctly. The paper provides an inside look into the challenges and issues associated with insuring the reliability of simulation software. Special emphasis is given to automated testing methods.
Another Lymphoma Classification

As our knowledge of non-Hodgkin lymphoma rapidly expands, we must either revise our current classifications or develop new ones. Morphology provides the most important basis for classifying lymphomas, but precise classification of some lymphomas requires that we include immunophenotype and genotype as well. In this review, we briefly analyze previous classifications and describe how new approaches—the Revised European-American Classification of Lymphoid Neoplasms and World Health Organization Classification—help us to understand specific lymphoma entities.
Speaking Style as an Expression of Solidarity: Words per Pause.

This study examines the use of words per pause (W/P) as a practical means for identifying solidarity in everyday conversation. Eight listeners recorded the narratives of a female and a male, either friends or strangers. Ten speakers were categorized as friends and six as strangers; they talked about a good and a bad experience. Average reliability of coding pauses was .83. The results indicated a statistically significant difference in W/P of speakers who were friends and those who were strangers. Statistical results support the conclusion that friends are more likely to employ many W/P and strangers few W/P. One practical implication of this study is that W/P can be employed by researchers with relative ease and a high degree of reliability for investigations of speaking style in a variety of contexts. A second practical implication is that W/P is a diagnostic device that can serve as a social litmus test in everyday conversation to identify the expression of sympathy and estrangement. (Expressive language, nonverbal communication, paralanguage, pauses, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, solidarity, speech and personality)
Decreased Endothelium-Dependent Vascular Relaxation During Reduction of Uterine Perfusion Pressure in Pregnant Rat

Abstract—Reduction in uterine perfusion and the ensuing placental ischemia during late pregnancy have been proposed to trigger increases in systemic vascular resistance and pregnancy-induced hypert...
Methods for stress classification: nonlinear TEO and linear speech based features

Speech production variations due to perceptually induced stress contribute significantly to reduced speech processing performance. One approach that can improve the robustness of speech processing (e.g., recognition) algorithms against stress is to formulate an objective classification of speaker stress based upon the acoustic speech signal. An overview of methods for stress classification is presented. First, we review traditional pitch-based methods for stress detection and classification. Second, neural network based stress classifiers with cepstral-based features, as well as wavelet-based classification algorithms are considered. The effect of stress on linear speech features is discussed, followed by the application of linear features and the Teager (1990) energy operator (TEO) based nonlinear features for effective stress classification. A new evaluation for stress classification and assessment is presented using a critical band frequency partition based the TEO feature and the combination of several linear features. Results using NATO databases of actual speech under stress are presented. Finally, we discuss issues relating to stress classification across known and unknown speakers and suggest areas for further research.
Ventilatory effects of biceps vibration during leg exercise in healthy humans

Summary. The ventilatory effects of biceps tendon vibration were studied in healthy human subjects at rest and at two levels of light leg exercise. This was performed with intent to add the ventilatory effects of selective stimulation of muscle spindles to nervous and humoral respiratory inputs from contracting muscles. Tendon vibration performed in individuals at rest elicited a marked increase in respiratory frequency and in the ratio between inspiratory time and total breath duration with variable changes in tidal volume; this was in agreement with previous results (Jammes et al., 1981). When stimulation of biceps proprioceptors was performed during steady state exercise, the changes in ventilatory timing were attenuated, but variations in tidal volume often occurred. These results suggest that, when respiratory centers are being entrained by performance of work, further activation of muscle receptors exerts complex effects on the breathing pattern with a lack of facilitatory influences in ventilation and gas exchange.
Tissue factor in granulocytes: yes and NO

The presence and origin of tissue factor (TF) in granulocytes is controversial. In this issue of Blood , Egorina and colleagues provide compelling evidence that granulocytes do not express TF but that they acquire it from monocytes. There is unanimous agreement in the clotting research field that
Benzodiazepines in Emotional Disorders

The efficacy of the benzodiazepines in the symptomatic treatment of non-psychotic anxiety has been well established. Hundreds of studies, many of them conducted under stringent double-blind conditions, have consistently shown that the benzodiazepines produce significantly more improvement than placebo in both somatic and emotional manifestations of anxiety (Lader, 1980; Rickels, 1978; Greenblatt & Shader 1974). In fact, comparing the clinical efficacy of the benzodiazepines with that of the barbiturates, meprobamate and placebo, one finds again and again the same rank order of efficacy, with benzodiazepines producing the most and placebo the least amount of improvement (Rickels, 1978; Cohen et al., 1976; Lader, Bond & James, 1974). Yet, by far, not every patient improves with benzodiazepines, and moderate to marked improvement is obtained only in about 65 to 75 percent of benzodiazepine-treated patients. In addition, as this author’s research group demonstrated years ago, even patients reporting moderate improvement, representing about 40 percent of patients treated with benzodiazepines, by far do not reach “normative” anxiety levels (Rickels, 1978). An excellent review of the current status of benzodiazepines was recently provided by Greenblatt, Shader & Abernethy (1983).
CLIDE: a distributed, symbolic programming system based on large-grained persistent objects

Clouds LISP distributed environments (CLIDE) is a distributed, persistent object-based symbolic programming system being implemented on the Clouds distributed operating system. LISP environment instances are stored as large-grained persistent objects, enabling users on many machines to share the contents of these environments through interenvironment evaluations. CLIDE provides a comprehensive research environment for distributed symbolic language, invocation and consistency semantics, and an implementation vehicle for the construction of the symbolic processing portions of complex megaprogrammed systems. >
Rubella screening and vaccination follow-up by a hospital employee health office

The data in the present study indicate two major points. One is that the facility under question has an unusually low rate of rubella susceptibility. The other is that the referral of seronegative employees to an outside agency for vaccination (in this case the local CHD) is not nearly as effective, with respect to employee compliance, as an in-house program. Despite the added immediate cost to the hospital for administering the vaccine, the possibility of employee-to-patient transmission of the rubella virus poses the threat of a much higher future cost. It is suggested that facilities that do not currently have an in-house rubella vaccination program should reevaluate the effectiveness of their programs.
Multidrug resistance-associated protein 4 is up-regulated in liver but down-regulated in kidney in obstructive cholestasis in the rat

Abstract Background/Aims Multidrug resistance-associated protein 4 (Mrp4, ABCC4) transports cyclic nucleotides, anti-retroviral compounds, and sulfated bile acids. Mrp4 expression is increased in farnesyl/bile acid receptor knockout mice. Our aim was to investigate Mrp4 expression and function in rat liver and kidney in obstructive cholestasis. Methods Male Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to bile duct ligation (BDL) or sham-surgery. Animals were sacrificed after 3, 7, and 14 days and tissues were harvested for Western blot analysis, real-time reverse transcriptase-mediated polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and immunohistochemistry. Results Western blot analysis revealed a progressive, more than seven-fold increase (P Conclusions Obstructive cholestasis in rats results in progressive up-regulation of Mrp4 protein in liver but down-regulation in kidney. The absence of corresponding changes in Mrp4 mRNA suggests posttranscriptional mechanisms as predominant regulators of Mrp4 expression in BDL rats.
Statistical study of the occurrence of shallow earthquakes

Summary. The time-space-magnitude interaction of shallow earthquakes has been investigated for three catalogues: worldwide (M > 7.0), Southern and Northern California (A4 2 4.0) and Central California (A4 2 1 S). The earthquake sequences are considered as a multi-dimensional stochastic point process; the estimates of the parameters for a branching model of the seismic process are obtained by a maximum-likelihood procedure. After applying magnitude-time and magnitude-distance scaling, the pattern of relationship among earthquakes of different magnitude ranges is almost identical. The number of foreshocks diminishes as the magnitude difference between the main shock and the foreshocks increases, while the magnitude distribution of aftershocks has the opposite property. The strongest aftershocks are likely to occur at the beginning of the sequence; later they migrate away with velocities of the order of km/day. The sequences which are composed of smaller aftershocks last longer and there are indications that they remain essentially in the focal region. Foreshocks also appear to migrate, but in this case, toward the main shock. The rate of occurrence of dependent shocks increases as t -' as the origin time of the main shock is approached, effectively making every earthquake a multi-shock event. This interaction of earthquakes was modelled by a Monte-Carlo simulation technique. The statistical inversion of simulated catalogues was undertaken to derive the information we would be able to retrieve from actual data, as well as possible errors of estimates. The possibility of using these results as a tool for seismic risk prediction is discussed and evaluated.
Timing Clinic Visits to Phases of the Menstrual Cycle by Using a Fertility Monitor: The BioCycle Study

Planning study visits during specific menstrual cycle phases is important if the exposure or outcome is influenced by hormonal variation. However, hormone profiles differ across cycles and across women. The value of using fertility monitors to time clinic visits was evaluated in the BioCycle Study (2005-2007). Women aged 18-44 years (mean, 27.4) with self-reported menstrual cycle lengths of 21-35 days were recruited in Buffalo, New York, for 2 cycles (n = 250). Participants were provided with home fertility monitors that measured urinary estrone-3-glucuronide and luteinizing hormone (LH). The women were instructed to visit the clinic for a blood draw when the monitor indicated an LH surge. The monitor recorded a surge during 76% of the first cycles and 78% of the second cycles. Scheduling visits by using set cycle days or algorithms based on cycle length, such as a midcycle window or a window determined by assuming a fixed luteal phase length, would be simpler. However, even with perfect attendance in a 3-day window, these methods would have performed poorly, capturing the monitor-detected LH surge only 37%-57% of the time. Fertility monitors appear to be useful in timing clinic visits in a compliant population with flexible schedules.
Experimental analysis of a ring oscillator network for hardware trojan detection in a 90nm ASIC

The modern integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process has exposed chip designers to hardware Trojans which threaten circuits bound for critical applications. This paper details the implementation and analysis of a novel ring oscillator network technique for Trojan detection in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ring oscillator network serves as a power supply monitor by detecting fluctuations in characteristic frequencies due to malicious modifications (i.e. hardware Trojans) in the circuit under authentication. The ring oscillator network was implemented and fabricated in 40 IBM 90nm ASICs with controlled hardware Trojans. This work analyzes the impact of Trojans with varied partial activity, area, and location on the proposed ring oscillator structure and demonstrates that stealthy Trojans can be efficiently detected with this technique even while obfuscated by process variations, background noise, and environment noise.
Reliabilities of Parsimony-based and Likelihood-based Methods for Detecting Positive Selection at Single Amino Acid Sites

The reliabilities of parsimony-based and likelihood-based methods for inferring positive selection at single amino acid sites were studied using the nucleotide sequences of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes, in which positive selection is known to be operating at the antigen recognition site. The results indicate that the inference by parsimony-based methods is robust to the use of different evolutionary models and generally more reliable than that by likelihood-based methods. In contrast, the results obtained by likelihood-based methods depend on the models and on the initial parameter values used. It is sometimes difficult to obtain the maximum likelihood estimates of parameters for a given model, and the results obtained may be false negatives or false positives depending on the initial parameter values. It is therefore preferable to use parsimony-based methods as long as the number of sequences is relatively large and the branch lengths of the phylogenetic tree are relatively small.
The role of the complement system in CNS inflammatory diseases

Complement is an important component of both the innate and adaptive immune response that contributes to host defense in a variety of mechanisms, including inflammation, phagocytosis and cell lysis. Complement proteins are produced by all cell types in the CNS, and the same effector functions that protect the host from pathogens can mediate inflammation and tissue destruction in CNS diseases, leading to neurological deficits or even death. In the last 10 years, the development of complement inhibitors and a variety of animal models for CNS diseases has revealed that targeted inhibition of complement offers significant therapeutic potential. This review discusses the subtleties of targeted complement inhibition in CNS disease as an emerging therapeutic strategy.
Synthesis of Data on Bed Configurations in Alluvial Channels, and the Effect of Water Temperature and Suspended-Load Concentration

Turbulent flows in alluvial channels mold beds of gravel, sand, and coarse silt into a wide variety of configurations, These configurations are in-channel phenomena (the microforms and mesoforms of Jackson, 1975, and Crowley, 1983). The relationships between these in-channel features, on the one hand, and elements of channel geometry itself (macroforms), like bars of various kinds, on the other hand, are not always clear; this paper will be restricted to in-channel features. Bed configurations in rivers, and the oceans as well, have had a long history of study by hydraulic engineers, marine geologists, sedimentologists, and geomorphologists.
Photoperiodic control of diapause induction and termination in Ostrinia nubilalis: two different clocks?

Both diapause induction and diapause termination are under photoperiodic control in the lepidopteran, Ostrinia nubilalis. In the present study, induction of diapause was maximal in light-dark (LD) cycles that contained 12 hr of light alternating with 12 hr of darkness (LD 12:12). Termination of diapause was maximal in LD 16:8. Diapause termination also oc curred rapidly in non-24-hr LD cycles that possessed an 8-hr dark phase. In each of these cases, the period of the LD cycle was not important. Diapause termination did not, however, occur rapidly in non-24-hr LD cycles that lacked an 8-hr dark phase. Thus, the clock mechanism underlying the termination response resembles an hourglass in its behavior. This is in contrast with what is known about induction of diapause. Here it has been demonstrated that the circadian system is somehow involved. It is thus possible that two different physiological clocks underlie these responses.
Sleight of Hand? Practice Opacity, Third-party Responses, and the Interorganizational Diffusion of Controversial Practices

We examine the role of a practice’s opacity (versus transparency) in the interorganizational diffusion of organizational practices. Though the opacity of a practice is typically thought to impede diffusion, a political-cultural approach to institutions suggests that opacity can sometimes play a positive role. Given that adoption decisions are embedded in a web of conflicting interests, transparency may bring negative attention that, when observed by prospective adopters, inhibits them from following suit. Opacity, in contrast, helps avoid that cycle. Using the curtailment of health benefits for retirees among large U.S. employers (1989 to 2009), we compare the diffusion of transparent adoptions (i.e., partial or complete benefit cuts) with opaque adoptions (i.e., spending caps that trigger disenrollment). We find that transparent adoptions reduce subsequent diffusion of the practice to other organizations. This effect is fully mediated by negative media coverage, which is itself conditioned by the presenc...
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: An expanded clinical entity

Abstract Background/Aims: In the past, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis has been described mostly in obese women with diabetes. The aim of this study was to describe a series of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis with a different clinical profile. Methods: The clinical, biochemical, and histological features of 33 patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis seen from July 1990 to June 1993 were analyzed. Results: The mean age was 47 years. All patients were antibody to hepatitis C virusnegative. Nineteen of 33 (58%) were men, 20 of 33 (61%) were nonobese, 26 of 33 (79%) had normal glucose levels, and 26 of 33 (79%) had normal lipid levels. Fourteen of 33 (42%) had normal glucose and lipid levels and were not obese. Thirteen of 33 (39%) had pathological increases in fibrosis, 5 of whom had micronodular cirrhosis. Of these 13 with severe, progressive disease, 8 (62%) were women, 8 (62%) were obese, 4 (31%) were diabetic or had an elevated glucose level, and 3 (23%) had hyperlipidemia. Although serum iron studies (transferrin saturation and ferritin) were abnormal in 18 of 31 (58%), no patient had hemochromatosis. Conclusions: Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis can be a severe, progressive liver disease leading to the development of cirrhosis. It should no longer be considered a disease predominantly seen in obese women with diabetes.
European practice in the integration of lighting, air conditioning and acoustics in offices

Developments in the design of office buildings, particularly those of deep plan design, involve the lighting engineer in consideration of problems of radiation, air conditioning and acoustics. It is concluded from studies that illumination levels of 1,000 lux or more are desirable to provide good environmental conditions. At these high levels, careful attention must be paid to control of glare and to the design of the heating and air conditioning systems. These factors, together with noise control in large offices, are discussed in the first part of the paper. In the second part a number of different offices representative of those completed in the last few years or under construction in Europe are described. Some conclusions are drawn from experience gained in these buildings.
Mesiobuccal root resection in endodontic-periodontal combined lesions.

Oh S-L. Mesiobuccal root resection in endodontic–periodontal combined lesions. International Endodontic Journal, 45, 660–669, 2012. Abstract Aim To present two successful cases involving management of endodontic–periodontal combined lesions with root resection and guided tissue regeneration (GTR) therapy. Summary Mesiobuccal resection surgery was performed concomitant with GTR therapy to manage endodontic–periodontal combined lesions on teeth 17 and 26. The increased mobility after the periodontal surgery gradually decreased during the healing period. At 15 and 20 month follow-ups, respectively, the teeth showed no mobility, 2–3 mm pocket depths and no further bone loss. Key learning points • Treatment of periodontally involved maxillary teeth creates unique challenges, given the presence of furcations, root proximities and the maxillary sinus. • Root resection combined with GTR therapy can enable tooth maintenance with a good long-term prognosis.
Improving performance by use of adaptive objects: experimentation with a configurable multiprocessor thread package

Since the mechanisms of an operating system can significantly affect the performance of parallel programs, it is important to customize operating system functionality for specific application programs. The authors first present a model for adaptive objects and the associated mechanisms, then they use this model to implement adaptive locks for multiprocessors which adapt themselves according to user-provided adaptation policies to suit changing application locking patterns. Using a parallel branch and bound program, they demonstrate the performance advantage of adaptive locks over existing locks. >
Dynamic metamaterial aperture for microwave imaging

We present a dynamic metamaterial aperture for use in computational imaging schemes at microwave frequencies. The aperture consists of an array of complementary, resonant metamaterial elements patterned into the upper conductor of a microstrip line. Each metamaterial element contains two diodes connected to an external control circuit such that the resonance of the metamaterial element can be damped by application of a bias voltage. Through applying different voltages to the control circuit, select subsets of the elements can be switched on to create unique radiation patterns that illuminate the scene. Spatial information of an imaging domain can thus be encoded onto this set of radiation patterns, or measurements, which can be processed to reconstruct the targets in the scene using compressive sensing algorithms. We discuss the design and operation of a metamaterial imaging system and demonstrate reconstructed images with a 10:1 compression ratio. Dynamic metamaterial apertures can potentially be of benefit in microwave or millimeter wave systems such as those used in security screening and through-wall imaging. In addition, feature-specific or adaptive imaging can be facilitated through the use of the dynamic aperture.
Cortical cell and neuron density estimates in one chimpanzee hemisphere

The density of cells and neurons in the neocortex of many mammals varies across cortical areas and regions. This variability is, perhaps, most pronounced in primates. Nonuniformity in the composition of cortex suggests regions of the cortex have different specializations. Specifically, regions with densely packed neurons contain smaller neurons that are activated by relatively few inputs, thereby preserving information, whereas regions that are less densely packed have larger neurons that have more integrative functions. Here we present the numbers of cells and neurons for 742 discrete locations across the neocortex in a chimpanzee. Using isotropic fractionation and flow fractionation methods for cell and neuron counts, we estimate that neocortex of one hemisphere contains 9.5 billion cells and 3.7 billion neurons. Primary visual cortex occupies 35 cm2 of surface, 10% of the total, and contains 737 million densely packed neurons, 20% of the total neurons contained within the hemisphere. Other areas of high neuron packing include secondary visual areas, somatosensory cortex, and prefrontal granular cortex. Areas of low levels of neuron packing density include motor and premotor cortex. These values reflect those obtained from more limited samples of cortex in humans and other primates.
C/EBPβ regulates sensitivity to bortezomib in prostate cancer cells by inducing REDD1 and autophagosome–lysosome fusion

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the mechanisms by which advanced prostate cancer cells resist bortezomib therapy. Several independent studies have shown that cells are protected from proteasome inhibition by increased autophagic activity. We investigated whether C/EBPβ, a transcription factor involved in the control of autophagic gene expression, regulates resistance to proteasome inhibition. In PC3 cells over-expressing C/EBPβ, turnover of autophagic substrates and expression of core autophagy genes were increased. Conversely, C/EBPβ knockdown suppressed autophagosome–lysosome fusion. We also found that C/EBPβ knockdown suppressed REDD1 expression to delay early autophagy, an effect rescued by exogenous REDD1. Cells with suppressed C/EBPβ levels showed delayed autophagy activation upon bortezomib treatment. Knockdown of C/EBPβ sensitized PC3 cells to bortezomib, and blockade of autophagy by chloroquine did not further increase cell death in cells expressing shRNA targeting C/EBPβ. Lastly, we observed a decreased growth of PC3 cells and xenografts with C/EBPβ knockdown and such xenografts were sensitized to bortezomib treatment. Our results demonstrate that C/EBPβ is a critical effector of autophagy via regulation of autolysosome formation and promotes resistance to proteasome inhibitor treatment by increasing autophagy.
Co-regulation of polysaccharide production, motility, and expression of type III secretion genes by EnvZ/OmpR and GrrS/GrrA systems in Erwinia amylovora

The EnvZ/OmpR and GrrS/GrrA systems, two widely distributed two-component systems in gamma-Proteobacteria, negatively control amylovoran biosynthesis in Erwinia amylovora, and the two systems regulate motility in an opposing manner. In this study, we examined the interplay of EnvZ/OmpR and GrrS/GrrA systems in controlling various virulence traits in E. amylovora. Results showed that amylovoran production was significantly higher when both systems were inactivated, indicating that the two systems act as negative regulators and their combined effect on amylovoran production appears to be enhanced. In contrast, reduced motility was observed when both systems were deleted as compared to that of grrA/grrS mutants and WT strain, indicating that the two systems antagonistically regulate motility in E. amylovora. In addition, glycogen accumulation was much higher in envZ/ompR and two triple mutants than that of grrS/grrA mutants and WT strain, suggesting that EnvZ/OmpR plays a dominant role in regulating glycogen accumulation, whereas levan production was significantly lower in the grrS/grrA and two triple mutants as compared with that of WT and envZ/ompR mutants, indicating that GrrS/GrrA system dominantly controls levan production. Furthermore, both systems negatively regulated expression of three type III secretion (T3SS) genes and their combined negative effect on hrp-T3SS gene expression increased when both systems were deleted. These results demonstrated that EnvZ/OmpR and GrrS/GrrA systems co-regulate various virulence factors in E. amylovora by still unknown mechanisms or through different target genes, sRNAs, or proteins, indicating that a complex regulatory network may be involved, which needs to be further explored.