cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reverse programming the optimal process mean problem to identify a factor space profile

Abstract For the manufacturer that intends to reduce the processing costs without sacrificing product quality, the identification of the optimal process mean is a problem frequently revisited. The traditional method to solving this problem involves making assumptions on the process parameter values and then determining the ideal location of the mean based upon various constraints such as cost or the degree of quality loss when a product characteristic deviates from its desired target value. The optimal process mean, however, is affected not only by these settings but also by any shift in the variability of a process, thus making it extremely difficult to predict with any accuracy. In contrast, this paper proposes the use of a reverse programming scheme to determine the relationship between the optimal process mean and the settings within an experimental factor space. By doing so, one may gain increased awareness of the sensitivity and robustness of a process, as well as greater predictive capability in the setting of the optimal process mean. Non-linear optimization programming routines are used from both a univariate and multivariate perspective in order to illustrate the proposed methodology.
Demolition Contractors' Perceptions of Impediments to Salvage and Reuse of Wood Structural Components

Abstract The study was conducted to ascertain demolition contractors' perceptions of the primary impediments to the widespread salvage of wood structural components for reuse or recycling. Assessment of the attitudes of demolition contractors was chosen since their participation in the salvage and reuse of materials is a key component necessary for any program to reduce the waste disposal rate of demolition debris. The insights obtained from the study can be used to facilitate future planning and design of programs and research that advance the recycling of demolition debris. A sample of contractor members of the National Demolition Association was surveyed for the study. In addition to demolition contractors' perception of impediments to salvage of wood structural components, the survey instrument provided a significant volume of descriptive information about demolition companies operating in the continental United States.
Citalopram treatment of major depressive disorder in Hispanic HIV and AIDS patients: a prospective study.

Fourteen Hispanic and six non-Hispanic outpatients with HIV-spectrum illness and major depressive disorder were enrolled in a 6-week, open-label, flexible-dose study of citalopram (dose range = 10–40 mg/day). The depressive symptoms of 50% of the 14 patients who completed the study responded to citalopram (mean dose = 34 mg/day). The treatment response rate, effective citalopram dose, total number of reported adverse events, and attrition rate did not differ between the ethnic groups. Two patients discontinued because of adverse events (rash, nausea), and four patients discontinued because of noncompliance with the protocol. The findings suggest that citalopram is an effective and well-tolerated antidepressant for Hispanic and non-Hispanic HIV-infected patients.
Unbiased determination of cytokine localization in bone: colocalization of interleukin-6 with osteoblasts in serial sections from monkey vertebrae.

Abstract Few data are available describing the in vivo localization of cytokines in bone. The objective of this study was to describe the histological localization of interleukin-6 (IL-6) relative to osteoblasts (alkaline phosphate [ALP]-positive cells) and osteoclasts (tartrate-resistant acid phosphate [TRAP]-positive cells) in midsagittal, paraffin-embedded serial sections of thoracic 13 (T-13) vertebrae from 49 female cynomolgus monkeys. Serial sections 1 and 4 were immunostained for IL-6, section 2 was histochemically stained for TRAP, and section 3 was immunostained for ALP. Sixteen centrally located fields were measured in the cancellous compartment and grid alignment among sections was verified using image analysis. Using a Merz grid, IL-6 localized to 6% of the bone surface on sections 1 and 4, whereas TRAP localized to 8.5% and ALP to 12% of the bone surface. Colocalization was defined as positive staining within an 80 × 80 μm block in the first serial section that “overlapped” staining in either the corresponding block or its eight surrounding blocks within the second serial section. For each section, 1600 blocks were analyzed. Using Monte Carlo simulations, random colocalization was calculated to determine the statistical significance of experimental colocalizations. Colocalization of approximately 90% between the two IL-6 sections verified staining reproducibility and proper grid alignment among sections. Colocalization of TRAP and ALP was not statistically different from random (p > 0.3). As identified using ALP- or TRAP-positive surfaces, there was significant IL-6 colocalization with osteoblasts (p 0.3). These in vivo colocalization data support the hypothesis that osteoblasts produce and respond to IL-6.
Hong Kong and the Production of Art in the Post/colonial City:

Contemporary and alternative art in Hong Kong has strong local roots and translocal connections, and while it reflects cultural politics in the city it lacks substantial international recognition. ...
A sensitive method for the determination of plasma and urinary 4(5)-amino-5(4)-imidazole carboxamide

Abstract A new, simple, rapid and highly specific method for the assay of urinary 4(5)-amino-5(4)-imidazole carboxamide (AIC) was described. The method is based on the removal of interfering substances in the urine by anion- and cation-exchange resins. The AIC eluted from the cation-exchange resin is measured by diazotization and coupling. AIC was the only diazotizable amine present in the fraction analyzed. Results found with this method were compared to those previously reported in the literature.
Evaluation of kallikrein in human parotid and submandibular saliva

Saliva was collected from 10 subjects using a universal-design parotid collector and individually-adapted submandibular collectors. The enzymic activity of kallikrein was measured using D-leucylvalylarginine-p-nitroanilide as the substrate. Mean kallikrein activity was much higher in parotid saliva than in submandibular saliva; the difference was statistically significant. Protein concentrations were not significantly different, whereas alpha-amylase was, as expected, much higher in parotid saliva.
Synthesis and Characterization of Dihydrogen Complexes of Tetracarbonylbromomanganese(I) and Tetracarbonylchloromanganese(I) in Argon Matrices

When argon matrices of MnX(CO)5, X = Br and Cl, containing dihydrogen are photolyzed with either visible light or light of 254 nm, a new species is formed which is MnX(η2-H2)(CO)4. The compounds have been characterized by infrared and Raman spectroscopies, and an energy-factored force field has been fit to the carbonyl modes. The structures can be thought of as arising from an octahedron with no halide and dihydrogen occupying cis-positions. While the H−H stretching vibration was not observed, the symmetric metal−hydrogen stretches have been observed at 788.6, 665.2, and 588.5 cm-1 for the adducts of H2, HD, and D2 and MnBr(CO)4, respectively. The same mode occurs at 764 cm-1 for MnCl(H2)(CO)4; hence, H2 is not strongly bound to the metal. An analysis of the carbonyl stretching force constants supports the view that H2 is not as strong of a π-acid as CO. The spectra of MnX(CO)4 have been re-examined, and it is clear that the features that had been previously assigned to MnX(CO)4 of C2v symmetry actually b...
Conceptual and methodological issues in social problem-solving assessment

Several promising instruments are currently available to researchers and clinicians who require a reliable and valid measure of social problem-solving abilities. However, all of these measures have shortcomings and none has definitive, unequivocal support for its construct validity at the present time. The conceptual and methodological issues that are most directly related to the validity of social problem-solving measures were discussed. The strengths and weaknesses of the major current instruments were examined with respect to these issues. Empirical evidence related to convergent and discriminant validity was also reviewed. Recommendations were made for the improvement of these measures as well as the future development of new and better measures of social problem-solving processes and outcomes.
Satisfaction of search errors detecting subtle fractures diminish in the presence of more serious injuries

ABSTRACT Satisfaction of search (SOS) occurs wh en an abnormality is missed because another abnormality has been detected in radiology examinations. This research includes our study of whether the severity of a detected fracture determines whether subsequent fractures are overlooked. Each of 70 simulated multitrauma patients presented radiographs of three anatomic areas. Readers evaluated each patient under two experi mental conditions: when the images of the first anatomic area included a severe fracture (the SOS condition), and when it did not (the control condition). The SOS effect was measured on detection accuracy for subtle test fractures presented on examinations of the second or third anatomic areas. SOS reduction in ROC area for detecting subtle test fractures with the addition of a ma jor fracture to the first radiograph was not observed. The same absence of SOS that had been observed when high-morbidity added fractures were presented on CT was replicated with the high-morbidity added fractures presented on radiographs. This finding rules out the possibility that there was no SOS in the prior study with CT because SOS effects do not extend from one imaging modality to another. Taken together, the evidence rejects the hypothesis that the seve rity of a detected fracture determines the SOS for subs equently viewed fractures. Key Words . Diagnostic radiology; observer performance; images, interpretation; quality assurance.
The Effect of Morphology Changes on Polymer Photodegradation Efficiencies: A Study of Time-Dependent Morphology and Stress-Induced Crystallinity

The effects of time-dependent morphology changes on the photochemical degradation efficiencies of polymers were investigated using the segmented polyurethane 1. A segmented polyurethane was chosen for this study because segmented polyurethanes have distinct hard (crystalline) and soft (amorphous) morphologies in the solid-state. It is known that, as these polymers cure, the hard and soft domains expand in the days and weeks following preparation. Experiments showed that the quantum yields for degradation of thin films of polymer 1 decreased over a period of about 30 days following preparation of the polymer films. Infrared spectroscopy showed an increase in crystallinity in the polymer during this curing period. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the rate of photodegradation in polymer systems is controlled by the separation rate of the photogenerated radical pair relative to the rate of radical-radical recombination (Scheme 3). An important factor that controls the ratio of these two rates is the crystallinity of the polymer; an increase in crystallinity favors the radical-radical recombination reaction. The effect of tensile stress on photodegradation efficiencies was also studied. Two samples of the same polymer, one more crystalline than the other, were examined. The quantum yields for degradation of the more crystalline sample were less affected by tensile stress than the less crystalline sample. Tensile stress is known to order polymer chains and the results are again interpreted as being consistent with the idea that crystallinity is an important factor in controlling the efficiency of polymer photodegradation.
Photo-Induced Current Transient Spectroscopy of Semi-insulating Single Crystal Cs2Hg6S7

The ternary compound Cs2Hg6S7 has shown considerable promise as a wide gap semiconductor for hard radiation detection at room temperature. We report on the measurement of defect levels in Cs2Hg6S7 using photo-induced current transient spectroscopy. We observe a series of defect levels with mean activation energies of 0.053, 0.052, 0.34, 0.35, and 0.46 eV. The defects are attributed to Cs vacancies and Cs and Hg antisite defects. Defect capture cross-sections are in the range 10−20–10−15 cm2.
Bone cancer pain: from mechanism to therapy.

Purpose of Review To review how common cancers such as breast, lung, and prostate cancers drive significant and frequently life altering pain when the cells metastasize to bones.
The effects of perceived mortality risk on habitat selection in a terrestrial salamander

Animals select microhabitats based on food availability, physiological cost, and mortality risk relative to other available habitats. The best habitat selection models take into account a trade-off between predation risk and foraging success. We investigated the effect of simulated predation on microhabitat use in light of differences in prey availability in Plethodon cinereus, a small terrestrial salamander which displays nighttime plant-climbing behavior. We tested the hypothesis that plant climbing is a predator avoidance behavior in P. cinereus by causing autotomization of salamanders’ tails to simulate attempted predation and subsequently tracking them with fluorescent powder. We found that, on average, simulated predation increased the maximum height climbed. To ensure that salamanders were not climbing to access greater numbers of prey, we measured prey abundance on and above the ground and found more prey on the ground than on plants. Finally, we conducted observations of unmanipulated individuals of P. cinereus and found that weather variables affected the height climbed and males climbed higher than females, perhaps due to lower energetic costs in males. We conclude that salamanders use the plant habitat as a refuge from predation despite reduced foraging potential and increased physiological cost.
Rate distortion analysis of subband motion compensation for video spatial scalability

In this paper, we derive the rate distortion performance lower bound of the subband motion compensation technique which exploits both the inter-layer spatial and intra-layer temporal redundancies for video spatial scalability. The lower bound is derived by rate distortion theory for stationary Gaussian signals where mean square error (MSE) is used as the distortion criteria. Assuming that the base layer is encoded by an optimal non-scalable video coder, the rate distortion function derived for the enhancement layer depends on only the power spectral density (PSD) of the input signal, the motion prediction error probability density function (p.d.f.) and the base layer encoding parameter. Our evaluations will show that, if base layer is encoded at a relatively high quality, subband method is expected to outperform simulcast, where spatial layers are encoded independently, in terms of rate distortion efficiency.
MDCT of acute appendicitis: Value of coronal reformations

Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of abdominal pain requiring urgent surgery in the United States. The clinical diagnosis can be difficult in patients with atypical presentations and, over the past several decades, computed tomography (CT) has been increasingly utilized to improve diagnostic accuracy. Helical CT has proven to be an excellent tool in the work-up of acute abdominal pain with a diagnostic accuracy for acute appendicitis of 93-99%. However, occasionally there are equivocal or false positive or negative cases, often due to non-visualization of the appendix. The development of multi-detector row CT and recent advancements in reconstruction software has allowed rapid, high-resolution imaging of the entire abdomen and pelvis resulting in multiplanar reformations (MPR) with a spatial resolution similar to that of the axial plane. This article reviews the utility of CT in suspected acute appendicitis and the potential added diagnostic value of coronal reformations in confirming or excluding the diagnosis.
Dispersion coefficients for highly excited molecular states of K 2

We report results of theoretical calculations for the dispersion coefficients associated with the long-range interaction of two ${}^{39}$K atoms in the states ${}^{39}$K$(4s)$-${}^{39}$K$(5d,6d,7s)$. These results have been found by Wang et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 4173 (1997)] to be in a good agreement with their measurements.
Intrinsic optical bistability with squeezed vacuum.

Intrinsic optical bistability due to dipole-dipole interactions among interacting two-level atoms shows strong phase dependence in the presence of a squeezed vacuum. We show that by varying the relative phase between the squeezed vacuum and the incident field, it is possible to excite the system of two-level atoms from the lower to upper branch of the bistable curve. On this basis, an optical switch that utilizes this phase dependence for intrinsic optical bistability is proposed.
Bone indentation recovery time correlates with bond reforming time.

Despite centuries of work, dating back to Galileo1, the molecular basis of bone's toughness and strength remains largely a mystery. A great deal is known about bone microsctructure2,3,4,5 and the microcracks6,7 that are precursors to its fracture, but little is known about the basic mechanism for dissipating the energy of an impact to keep the bone from fracturing. Bone is a nanocomposite of hydroxyapatite crystals and an organic matrix. Because rigid crystals such as the hydroxyapatite crystals cannot dissipate much energy, the organic matrix, which is mainly collagen, must be involved. A reduction in the number of collagen cross links has been associated with reduced bone strength8,9,10 and collagen is molecularly elongated (‘pulled’) when bovine tendon is strained11. Using an atomic force microscope12,13,14,15,16, a molecular mechanistic origin for the remarkable toughness of another biocomposite material, abalone nacre, has been found12. Here we report that bone, like abalone nacre, contains polymers with ‘sacrificial bonds’ that both protect the polymer backbone and dissipate energy. The time needed for these sacrificial bonds to reform after pulling correlates with the time needed for bone to recover its toughness as measured by atomic force microscope indentation testing. We suggest that the sacrificial bonds found within or between collagen molecules may be partially responsible for the toughness of bone.
Factors influencing the cost-effectiveness of community health center dental programs in the U.S.A.

The community health center has been viewed by many Americans as an important mechanism for the improvement of health of the urban poor. The millions of dollars allocated for a relatively small percentage of the population, however, has led to some criticisms of the concept. This paper deals with factors influencing the cost of dental services in a community health center and an analysis of several existing programs. The major factors affecting the cost effectiveness of the clinics appear to be the (1) broken appointment rate, (2) age distribution of the population served, (3) mixture of services rendered, and (4) additional community services rendered. Programs which have low broken appointment rates and which treat both adults and children seem to maintain a higher revenue-cost ratio. This ratio was in the range of 0.78 to 1.10 for the three dental programs studied.
Linking Plant Disease Risk and Precipitation Drivers: A Dynamical Systems Framework

Abstract Plant pathogens often respond sensitively to changes in their environmental conditions and consequently represent a potentially important ecological response to global change. Although several studies have considered the effects of increased temperature and CO2 concentrations on plant pathogen risk, the effects of changing precipitation regimes have drawn less attention. Many classes of plant pathogen, however, are sensitive to changes in the water potential of their local environment. This study applied existing ecohydrological frameworks to connect precipitation, soil, and host properties with scenarios of pathogen risk, focusing on two water-sensitive pathogens: Phytophthora cinnamomi and Botryosphaeria doithidea. Simple models were developed to link the dynamics of these pathogens to water potentials. Model results demonstrated that the risk of host plants being colonized by the pathogens varied sensitively with soil and climate. The model was used to predict the distribution of Phytophthora ...
Design of modern rigid endoscope lenses

Rigid Endoscopes like celioscopes have been finding their widespread use in the medical diagnosis and micro-operations, because they have long optical path and small diameter and then can be inserted into such parts of human body as vagina, bladder, and abdomen. The optical designs of them are keys to their quality and manufacturing techincs. The optical design method ofa new rigid endoscope lens is introduced in this paper.
Late Quaternary glaciation of Costa Rica

The highest peaks of Costa Rica (9°15′– 9°36′N) were glaciated during the late Quaternary, attesting to a significantly cooler climate in Central America than today. During the last local glacial maximum (LLGM), an ice cap ∼35 km2 in extent covered the highest peaks of the Cordillera de Talamanca around Cerro Chirripo, and around Cerros de la Muerte and Kamuk, ∼5 and 2 km2 of ice existed, respectively. In Chirripo National Park, three moraine groups define three glacial stages. The Talamanca Stage extends to 3040 m and represents the last local glacial maximum. Chirripo Stage moraines reach elevations of 3300 m, and Talari Stage moraines formed at ∼3300 and 3420 m. Former equilibrium- line altitudes (ELAs) were ∼3500 m, ∼3600 m, and ∼3620 m, respectively. Cirque-floor elevations of 3260 m at Cerro Kamuk suggest a lower (pre-?)LLGM ELA. Radiosonde data from San Jose place the modern 0 °C isotherm at ∼5000 m, which suggests a late Quaternary ELA depression of ∼1500 m, which is consistent with a temperature reduction at Chirripo of 8–9 °C during the LLGM. Some of this cooling may be attributable to a steeper lapse rate associated with a drier atmosphere, possibly due to a more restricted position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, decreased yearly convection, or more frequent incursion of polar air masses.
The Welfare State, Turnout, and the Economy: A Comparative Analysis

While the economic voting literature is voluminous, comparatively little attention has been paid to the question of how—or whether—the economy affects turnout. I address this issue by examining national elections in 29 countries. Using time series data, the initial findings are replicated by a case study of American presidential and midterm elections since 1896. It is argued that the effect of economic adversity depends upon the degree of welfare state development. This relationship is argued to be nonlinear, so that mobilization occurs at either extreme while withdrawal obtains in the middle range. The importance to democratic theory, the study of elections, and the politics of welfare policy are discussed.
Rate of stuttering adaptation under two electro-shock conditions

Abstract The rate of stuttering adaptation under three conditions was studied. Eighteen college-age stutterers read three different passages five consecutive times. Electro-shock was administered during each moment of stuttering in one experimental condition and immediately following each stuttered word in the second experimental condition. The third condition served as a control with no electro-shock administered. No significant differences were found between the three conditions with respect to the rate of stuttering adaptation, although less stuttering behavior was found in the experimental conditions.
Influenza virus hemagglutinin-specific antibodies isolated from a combinatorial expression library are closely related to the immune response of the donor.

Abstract Antibodies specific for the influenza virus hemagglutinin have been isolated from a combinatorial expression library generated using mRNA obtained from an immunized donor mouse. Sequence analysis indicates that the antibody heavy chain variable regions were derived from members of an expanded hemagglutinin-specific B-cell clone, in conjunction with one of two light chain variable regions. Moreover, the most frequently identified heavy chain variable/light chain variable combination is extremely similar to a heavy chain variable/light chain variable combination that has previously been identified among hemagglutinin-specific hybridoma antibodies. The results, therefore, demonstrate that these antibodies bear a close relationship to the immune status of the donor mouse and suggest that simple adaptations of this procedure might allow evaluation of the immune responses of species, such as man, in which conventional hybridoma techniques have to date proven ineffective.
Molecular Structure and Orientation: Concepts from Femtosecond Dynamics

In this article, we are concerned with the basic concepts of molecular orientation, its dynamics on the femtosecond and picosecond time scales, and the direct relationship of the foregoing to determination of molecular structures. Our aim is to present a unified picture for the dynamics in different phases: coherent inertial in isolated molecules, partially coherent in dense fluids, and reaching the diffusive limit in liquids. We compare theory and experiment for reactive and nonreactive systems, with examples of studies from this laboratory in molecular beams, dense fluids, liquids, proteins, and micelles. We discuss the high precision achieved in molecular structural determination for large isolated molecules. Important to molecular orientation in space is the time scale, and we present here the two limits: quantum-state orientation (long time or continuous wave experiment) and classical-like orientation achieved with femtosecond resolution.
Vitamins in psychiatry. Do they have a role

Deficiencies of specific vitamins produce consistent symptoms of psychiatric disorder. Thiamine deficiency, which is common in alcoholism, can produce confusion and psychotic symptoms, in addition to neurological signs. Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency may contribute symptoms of disorientation, depression or psychosis; their measurement is a part of routine dementia work-ups. Pyridoxine deficiency results in seizures, although the effects of exogenously administered pyridoxine are not clearly understood in depression and anxiety — the disorders in which it is most frequently used clinically.
Effect of lipid source on probiotic bacteria and conjugated linoleic acid formation in milk model systems

The objective of this research was to study the effects of probiotic bacteria, lipid source, and fermentation time on the CLA content of a milk model system. The evaluation of 11 probiotic bacteria showed that they were able to produce CLA from linoleic acid in a model system containing hydrolyzed soy oil (1%) emulsified in milk, but not in model systems of unhydrolyzed oil (1%) emulsified in milk or 1% fat milk. Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii 56, P. freudenreichii subsp. shermanii 51, and P. freudenreichii subsp. freudenreichii 23 demonstrated the greatest increase in CLA content. Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii 51, produced the highest cis-9,trans-11 CLA content and also produced the greatest increase in trans-10,cis-12 CLA content as fermentation time was increased from 24 to 48 h. The fermentation of probiotic bacteria for 24 h was often most effective in increasing the CLA content. Viable counts of probiotic bacteria increased significantly from 0 to 24 h. These results demonstrated that the content of CLA during fermentation was primarily dependent on the strain of probiotic bacteria and the lipid source in the milk model system. This research suggests an efficient approach to produce CLA-enriched cultured dairy products.
Structural basis for a ribofuranosyl binding protein: insights into the furanose specific transport.

The ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABC-transporters) are members of one of the largest protein superfamilies, with representatives in all extant phyla1. These integral membrane proteins utilize the energy of ATP hydrolysis to carry out certain biological processes, including translocation of various substrates across membranes and non-transport related processes such as translation of RNA and DNA repair2. Typically, such transport systems in bacteria consist of an ATP binding component, a transmembrane permease, and a periplasmic receptor or binding protein. Soluble proteins found in the periplasm of gram-negative bacteria serve as the primary receptors for transport of many compounds, such as sugars, small peptides, and some ions. Ligand binding activates these periplasmic components, permitting recognition by the membrane spanning domain, which supports for transport and, in some cases, chemotaxis3-5. Transport and chemotaxis processes appear to be independent of one another, and a few mutants of bifunctional periplasmic components reveal the absence of one or the other function6. Previously published high-resolution X-ray structures of various periplasmic ligand binding proteins include Arabinose binding protein (ABP)7, Allose binding protein (ALBP)8, Glucose-galactose binding protein (GBP)9,10 and Ribose binding protein (RBP)11. Each of these proteins consists of two structurally similar domains connected by a three-stranded hinge region, with ligand buried between the domains. Upon ligand binding and release, various conformational changes have been observed12-14. For RBP, open (apo)15 and closed (ligand bound)14, 11 conformations have been reported and so for MBP16. The closed/active form of the protein interacts with the integral membrane component of the system in both transport and chemotaxis17. Herein, we report 1.9A resolution X-ray structure of the RfBP periplasmic component of an ABC-type sugar transport system from Hahella chejuensis (UniProt Id {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"Q2S7D2","term_id":"123530140","term_text":"Q2S7D2"}}Q2S7D2) bound to the unusual furanose form of ribose.
Oxygen isotopic-hydrographic relationships among recent planktonic Foraminifera from the Indian Ocean

The stable isotopic composition of fossil Foraminifera has become an increasingly important tool in palaeoecological and stratigraphic studies of marine sediments1–3, prompting several studies of the factors governing the isotopic composition of living and recent Foraminifera. Many studies have documented the good agreement between the inferred depth of growth from oxygen isotopic data4–8 and the depth stratification found in plankton tows9–11. Although results have suggested disequilibrium in some species12–14, especially among the benthic species15–16, recent data from Sargasso Sea plankton tows17–19 and Indian Ocean core top sediments20,21 suggest that oxygen isotopic equilibrium is nearly achieved in many ecologically important species. In the present study, oxygen isotopic data on as many as eight species and subspecies of planktonic Foraminifera from 52 Indian Ocean core top samples permit a comprehensive comparison of the isotopic–temperature trends across the major oceanographie regions of the Indian Ocean (Table 1). Several shallow-dwelling species (Globigerinoides ruber, G. sacculifer and Orbulina universa) were used as a measure of the upper 50–100 m of the water column (the mixed surface layer). Several deep-dwelling species (G. truncatulinoides (left and right coiling varieties), G. inflata, G. scitula and G. hirsuta) were used for comparison with hydrographie data from 200 to 300m depths. The results show that the isotopic difference between the shallow and deep-dwelling species is directly related to the temperature difference between the surface waters and the depth of the permanent thermocline. This isotopic–temperature relationship suggests that isotopic analyses of species which inhabit different water depths may be used to determine the thermal gradient in the upper water column during the Cenozoic.
Inverse Scattering Transform for Systems with Rational Spectral Dependence

Abstract We characterize a class of first-order systems for which the inverse scattering problems can be formulated as matrix Riemann-Hilbert problems. For this class complete direct and inverse scattering results are obtained.
Towards Linkage Analysis with Markers in Linkage Disequilibrium by Graphical Modelling

We review recent developments of MCMC integration methods for computations on graphical models for two applications in statistical genetics: modelling allelic association and pedigree based linkage an
Preparation and properties of aligned poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)/cellulose nanowhiskers composites.

Abstract In this study a unidirectionally aligned cellulose nanowhisker (CNW) composite was developed. CNW in poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) matrix was aligned using an external electric field and the morphology and mechanical properties of the resultant anisotropic composites were studied. PHBV films with 1.5–7 wt% of CNWs were manufactured using solution casting. A DC electric field of 56.25 kV/m was applied during solvent evaporation. Both microstructural and mechanical analyses were performed to study the orientation of CNWs in the films. Mechanical properties of the samples were tested at 0°, 15°, 30°, 45° and 90° with respect to electric field direction by a dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA). DMA results showed that CNW concentration has a strong influence on the degree of CNW alignment. The electric field was effective in aligning CNWs up to 4 wt% CNW concentration. The samples with higher concentrations showed virtually isotropic behavior, due to significantly enhanced restraints on CNW mobility. The restrains were attributed to CNW/CNW and CNW/polymer interactions. Rheological results confirmed the enhance restraints.
Incidence of workers compensation indemnity claims across socio-demographic and job characteristics

Background We hypothesized that low socioeconomic status, employer-provided health insurance, low wages, and overtime were predictors of reporting workers compensation indemnity claims. We also tested for gender and race disparities. Methods Responses from 17,190 (person-years) Americans participating in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 1997–2005, were analyzed with logistic regressions. The dependent variable indicated whether the subject collected benefits from a claim. Results Odds ratios for men and African-Americans were relatively large and strongly significant predictors of claims; significance for Hispanics was moderate and confounded by education. Odds ratios for variables measuring education were the largest for all statistically significant covariates. Neither low wages nor employer-provided health insurance was a consistent predictor. Due to confounding from the “not salaried” variable, overtime was not a consistently significant predictor. Conclusion Few studies use nationally representative longitudinal data to consider which demographic and job characteristics predict reporting workers compensation indemnity cases. This study did and tested some common hypotheses about predictors. Am. J. Ind. Med. 54:758–770, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Polyaniline/PPD-T fibers

Abstract Composite fiber of poly(paraphenylenediamine) (PPD)-terephthalic acid (T), the polymer for Kevlar ®+ aramid, and emeraldine salt (ES) of polyaniline was prepared by mixing emeraldine base polymer in PPD-T/H 2 SO 4 spin dope and extruding it into fibers. The typical fiber diameter is ∼ 25 microns. The fibers contain 1.0 percent emeraldine polymer. They are green, reflecting the emeraldine salt state of the polyaniline component. The initial modules of the fibers is 62GPa with tensile strength at break of 2.8GPa. This compares with the 76 GPa and 3GPa, respectively, for PPD-T fiber alone. Temperature dependent electron spin resonance studies show that the emeraldine salt polymer within the PPD-T composite has a significant component in the polaron electronic structure with a temperature dependent localization comparable to what is observed in emeraldine hydrochloride for x  [Cl]/[N] ⩽ 0.2. The localization observed is in accord with expectations for charge motion on isolated chains with an insignificant interchain transition rate.
Effect of bilayer curvature on vibrational Raman spectroscopic behavior of phospholipid-water assemblies

In order to clarify the effect of bilayer curvature upon phospholipid conformation, vibrational Raman spectra were recorded for dipalmitoyl and dimyristroyl phosphatidylcholine in the gel state for both multilayer and single-wall vesicle assemblies. An intensity comparison, based upon a nonperturbing internal standard, between the two classes of bilayer systems reflected a decrease in peak height intensity for the observed hydrocarbon chain transitions in the single shell vesicle form. No intensity change between bilayer form was detected, however, for the two observed head group modes. Trends in the peak height intensity ratios for the 1100 cm−1 carbon-carbon stretching vibrations indicated an increase in hydrocarbon chain transgauche isomerization for the vesicle in comparison to the multilayer arrangements. The sensitivity of the methylene carbon-hydrogen stretching modes to interchain interactions was demonstrated by comparisons of the intensity patterns in the 2900 cm−1 region to the intensity characteristics of the carbon-carbon stretching region for polycrystalline, multilayer and vesicle materials. Examination of various carbon-carbon stretching mode intensity ratios for cholesterol doped dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine bilayers indicated that while 25 mol% cholesterol increased the transgauche acyl chain isomerization in multilayers, no comparable effect was observed for the vesicle forms. In contrast, the methylene twisting/methylene deformation intensity ratios for the cholesterol containing systems suggested that some further type of interchain perturbation occurs in the vesicle aggregations.
Finite extension and torsion of a cylindrical solid-fluid mixture featuring a rigid core

In this work, the finite extension and torsion of a swollen elastic cylinder bonded to an inner rigid cylindrical core are investigated in the context of the theory of interacting continua. The boundary value problem is solved numerically in order to determine the variation of the stretch-ratios, the stresses and also the volume fraction of the solid. The results of these investigations not only demonstrate significant gradients in the stretch ratios and severe stress concentrations but also stress reversals under certain conditions. These stress reversals which occur in the neighborhood of the interface of the inner and outer cylinders can have a significant impact on damage studies pertaining to fiber/matrix debonding in fiber-reinforced composites, for example.
“The Rising Tide of War”: Cambodian Bombings and the Discourses of American Military Power in Time

During the Vietnam War, American planes dropped more bombs on Cambodia than had fallen in all of Europe during World War II. The event marks a key moment in the secretive expansion of U.S. military power, and this article looks at how mainstream journalism helped create the discursive conditions that abetted this expansion. After an explication of the historical and theoretical rationales for studying the relation between journalism and U.S. military power, this article analyzes Time magazine's coverage of Cambodia from 1969 to 1973 and finds that the American press at the time was not discursively configured to critique the U.S. military-diplomatic apparatus. The article analyzes the depiction of Cambodia as a theater of war and argues that most critiques of the bombing were limited to President Richard Nixon's quality of character, providing a locus that prevented more systemic critiques from emerging.
Mechanisms of indomethacin and nimesulide on inhibition of calcium rises in human uterine myocytes

Abstract Objective: Indomethacin, an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 (COX-1,2), and nimesulide, a COX-2 selective inhibitor, are both well known inhibitors of prostaglandin (PG) production. It has been assumed that the tocolytic mechanism of nimesulide and indomethacin is only through decreased PG production. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that nimesulide and/or indomethacin have a mechanism of action on human myocytes other than inhibition of PG production. Methods: Human uterine myometrium was obtained from consented patients during cesarean deliveries. Myocytes were cultured, plated, and loaded with the calcium-dependent fluorescent dye, calcium green-1. The relative concentrations of intracellular free calcium were determined by measurement of time-dependent fluorescence changes using a video-fluorimeter. In all experiments, cells were stimulated with 30 μmol/L prostaglandin F2-alpha (PGF 2α ). Experiments were performed without pretreatment (control) or with pretreatment with 10 μmol/L indomethacin or 30 μmol/L nimesulide. The percentage of cells demonstrating calcium rises were counted and compared using Fisher’s exact test. A P value of 0.05 was considered significant. Results: After PGF 2α exposure, 33% of cells showed an increase in intracellular calcium. When pretreated with nimesulide, 39% of cells responded to PGF 2α ( P = 0.59). When pretreated with indomethacin, only 16% of cells responded to PGF 2α ( P = 0.019) Conclusions: Pretreatment with nimesulide failed to reduce the fraction of cells that responded to PGF 2α . In contrast, pretreatment with indomethacin significantly reduced the fraction of responding cells. These data suggest that indomethacin exhibits a mechanism of tocolysis other than inhibition of PG synthesis.
Access to molecular biology databases

The LiMB database was created to catalogue and begin coordinating access to the rapidly proliferating databases relevant to molecular biology. LiMB contains information about these databases and is currently implemented in a relational database management system that allows for complex, multiconditional queries. We present an overview of LiMB, a description of its current implementation, and a discussion of the role of LiMB in developing strategies for automated access to distributed, heterogeneous databases.
Analysis of Algorithms for Multi-Modal Communications in Underwater Sensor Networks

Acoustic communication typically dominates the power usage in underwater sensor networks. To balance the conflicting needs of communication and power usage, we utilize a sensor network platform with underwater acoustic communication, surface level radio communication, and a depth adjustment system to switch between them. We focus on determining which nodes should surface to create a radio communication route for situations where, for the message size, it is more energy efficient to transmit via radio yet acoustic messaging and the depth adjustment system still dominate the overall energy usage. For a given path in 2D or 3D, we develop and examine a set of eight algorithms to select these nodes while taking energy usage and packet loss into account. We perform an analysis of the algorithms and show that a decentralized approach where nodes know their two-hop neighbors provides the most energy efficient method.
Ultrasound-guided lumbar transforaminal injections: feasibility and validation study.

STUDY DESIGN Preclinical feasibility study. OBJECTIVE Evaluation and validation of ultrasound-guided lumbar transforaminal injections. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Lumbar transforaminal injections are routinely implemented in the interventional management of spinal radicular pain. Typically, these injections are administered under fluoroscopy or computed tomography. Although radiological guidance provides anatomical precision and accuracy, it is associated with radiation exposure and cannot be performed during outpatient visits or at bedside. Ultrasound-guided techniques have been previously described; however, the methodological generalizability remained unknown and validation against routine fluoroscopy has never been conducted on multiple spinal levels. METHODS We addressed the procedural accuracy of ultrasound-guided lumbar transforaminal injections and proposed anatomically sound approach. Fluoroscopic validation was performed. RESULTS Of the 50 planned injections, 46 procedures were performed. L5/S1 foraminal access was impossible in 4 cases (8%). Fluoroscopy confirmed the correct foraminal placement in all 46 injections (100%). The contrast-spread pattern was intraforaminal in 42 cases (91.3%) and extraforaminal (nerve root) in 4 cases (8.7%). When intraforaminal pattern was detected on anteroposterior image, lateral fluoroscopy demonstrated ventral epidural flow in all occasions. In 3 cases, intravascular injection was detected (6.5%). CONCLUSION Ultrasound-guided lumbar transforaminal injections are accurate and feasible in the preclinical setting.
Endothelial progenitor cells: precursors for angiogenesis.

The presence of endothelial progenitor cells has been demonstrated in the bone marrow and systemic circulation of adults, thus raising the possibility of a novel strategy to induce therapeutic angiogenesis for ischemic arterial disease. Successful incorporation into sites of actively occurring angiogenesis in numerous animal models has accelerated the enthusiasm for exploiting their therapeutic capacity in humans and has led to the recent use of putative endothelial precursor cells in phase I feasibility and safety studies. However, key biological issues remain ill defined. The relative contribution of these cells to postnatal physiological and pathological neovascularization has not been fully characterized. Furthermore, the molecular phenotype of the putative endothelial progenitor cell and the processes leading to their mobilization from the bone marrow and homing to sites of angiogenesis have yet to be elucidated. This review addresses these fundamental issues that warrant further basic investigation before the full therapeutic potential of these cells can be achieved within appropriate target patients. © 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Lipid-Linked Oligosaccharide in Membrane Bilayers

Lipid-linked oligosaccharides (LLO) are intermediates in glycosylation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. An LLO is composed of a lipid molecule joined by diphosphate to a sugar chain. However, the structure, dynamics, and orientation (with respect to bilayers) of LLO within biological membranes have not been explored previously. Using the recent CHARMM carbohydrate and general force fields, we have constructed two types of LLO: one based on the lipid molecule dolichol (DOL), which is found ubiquitously in eukaryotes, and one based on undecaprenol (UND), which is found in bacteria. We have simulated each LLO type in four different pure bilayer types with different hydrophobic thicknesses and saturations: DLPC (dilauroylphosphatidylcholine), DMPC (dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine), DOPC (dioleoylphosphatidylcholine), and SAPC (stearoylarachidonylcholine). The simulation results of each system will be discussed in terms of density distribution of each component along the membrane normal, RMSD and RMSF of oligosaccharides, oligosaccharides’ conformations, DOL and UND conformations, orientations of oligosaccharides with respect to the bilayer normal, and interactions of oligosaccharide with the bilayer.