cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Objective assessment of burn scar vascularity, erythema, pliability, thickness, and planimetry.

Background There is currently a lack of objective methods to assess scars. Objectives The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the pattern of scar formation up to 24 months after a burn, compare clinical and photographic scar assessment, and determine what percentage of scars became hypertrophic after a major trauma and (2) replace each clinical parameter of a clinical scar scale by objective measurements. Methods Scars from 62 patients were evaluated from the acute phase up to 24 months after the burn, using photographs and clinical assessment during visits. Photographic planimetry helped estimate the percentage of scars that became hypertrophic. Thereafter, 69 patients had scars evaluated using clinical assessment and several instruments to evaluate pigmentation, erythema, pliability, thickness, and perfusion. The sensitivity and specificity of each instrument were determined regarding their ability to correlate with the parameters of hypertrophic and nonhypertrophic scars. Analysis of variance and Tukey's test were used in statistical analysis, with p < .05 indicating significance. Results Increased scar hypertrophy occurred between 6 and 12 months after the burn, and less than 30% of scars were hypertrophic at 18 to 24 months. Objective assessment of pliability and erythema, but not pigmentation, correlated significantly with clinical evaluation of hypertrophy. Hypertrophic scars had significantly higher perfusion than nonhypertrophic scars. A new scar rating system is proposed, based on the sensitivity and specificity of each instrument, to correlate with hypertrophic and nonhypertrophic scars. Conclusions Objective rating systems using reliable instruments can be used to replace subjective scar assessment. Larger multicenter prospective studies should test this new scale in scars due to other mechanisms of injury. GISELE V. OLIVEIRA, MD, MSC, DAVID CHINKES, PHD, CHARLES MITCHELL, RN, GLORIA OLIVERAS, MS, HAL K. HAWKINS, MD, PHD, AND DAVID N. HERNDON, MD, HAVE INDICATED NO SIGNIFICANT INTEREST WITH COMMERCIAL SUPPORTERS.
An in vitro model for evaluating peripheral regulation of growth in fish: Effects of 17β-estradiol and testosterone on the expression of growth hormone receptors, insulin-like growth factors, and insulin-like growth factor type 1 receptors in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

A central component of growth coordination in vertebrates is the growth hormone (GH)-insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) system. To date, most studies on the control of vertebrate growth have focused on regulation of pituitary GH production and release. In this study, we used liver, muscle, and gill tissue from sexually immature rainbow trout incubated in vitro to evaluate the extrapituitary effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) on mRNA and functional expression of growth hormone receptors (GHR), insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF-1, IGF-2), and type 1 IGF receptors (IGFR1). E2 significantly decreased steady-state levels of GHR1, GHR2, and IGF-1 mRNAs in liver as well as of GHR1 and GHR2 mRNAs in muscle and of IGF-1 and IGF-2 mRNAs in gill in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. E2 had no effect on levels of IGFR1 mRNAs in muscle or on GHR and IGFR1 mRNAs in gill. Functional expression of GHRs as assessed by (125)I-GH binding capacity was reduced by E2 in liver and muscle; however, E2 did not affect (125)I-IGF-1 binding capacity in muscle or (125)I-GH and (125)I-IGF-1 binding capacity in gill. By contrast, T increased steady-state levels of GHR1, GHR2, IGF-1, and IGF-2 mRNAs in liver, of GHR1, GHR2, IGFR1A, and IGFR1B in muscle, and of GHR1, GHR2, IGF-1, IGF-2, IGFR1A, and IGFR1B mRNAs in gill in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Binding capacity of (125)I-GH in liver and of (125)I-GH and (125)I-IGF-1 in both muscle and gill also was increased by T. These data indicate that E2 and T directly affect peripheral aspects of the GH-IGF system, and suggest, at least in immature rainbow trout, that E2 reduces hepatic sensitivity to GH as well as reduces peripheral production of IGFs and that T increases peripheral sensitivity to GH and IGF as well as increases peripheral production of IGFs.
Yeast surface display for screening combinatorial polypeptide libraries

Display on the yeast cell wall is well suited for engineering mammalian cell-surface and secreted proteins (e.g., antibodies, receptors, cytokines) that require endoplasmic reticulum-specific post-translational processing for efficient folding and activity. C-terminal fusion to the Aga2p mating adhesion receptor of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used for the selection of scFv antibody fragments with threefold decreased antigen dissociation rate from a randomly mutated library. A eukaryotic host should alleviate expression biases present in bacterially propagated combinatorial libraries. Quantitative flow cytometric analysis enables fine discrimination of kinetic parameters for protein binding to soluble ligands.
Rare-Earth Aluminogermanate Glasses

The present study is a comparison of the properties of rare-earth aluminogermanate and rare-earth aluminosilicate glasses. Several properties have been measured, including density, transformation temperature, softening point, thermal expansion, Vickers hardness, magnetic susceptibility, Verdet constant, and IR transmission. The property data are discussed in relationship to the structure of these glasses and the field strength of the rare-earth ions. The Vickers hardness numbers of the glasses are discussed using a unique theory of hardness which involves the relationship between hardness and atom/ion packing in material structures.
Minimum essential structural requirements for lactam antibiotic action.

A mechanism of action encompassing mono- and bicyclic β-lactams has been proposed previously, which stresses the importance of formation of an electron transfer (ET) entity (conjugated iminium) as a requirement for antibiotic activity, in association with enzyme inactivation. Additional evidence in support of this contention is now provided. Reduction potentials for several cephalosporins and pyrazolidinones, all of which contain an oximino functionality in the side chain, were observed in the range of - 0.6 to - 0.7 V. Comparison is made with related compounds lacking imine. Agents containing side chain hydrazone, oxamazins (mono β-lactams), and lactivicin are discussed based on the ET approach.
An extraskeletal chondrosarcoma of the maxilla: A case report

static renal cell carcinoma: A case report and literature review. J Urol 135:1005, 1986 24. Miyamoto R, Helmus C: Hypernephroma metastatic to the head and neck. Laryngoscope 83:898, 1973 25. Flocks RH, Kadesky MC: Malignant neoplasms of the kidney: An analysis of 353 patients followed five years or more. J Urol 79:196, 1958 26. Kent SE, Majumdar B: Metastatic tumours in the maxillary sinus: A report of two cases and a review of the literature. J Laryngol Otol 99:459, 1985 27. Talley RW, Moorhead EL, Tucker WG, et al: Treatment of Metastatic Hypernephroma. JAMA 207:322, 1969 28. Fujita T, Asano H, Naido Y, et al: Anti-tumor effects of human lymphoblastoid interferon on renal cell carcinoma. J Urol 139:256, 1988 29. Von Roemeling R, Rabatin JT, Fraley EE, et al: Progressive metastatic renal carcinoma controlled by continuous 5-ftnoro2-deoxyuridine infusion. J Urol 139:259, 1988 30. Meyer I, Shklar G: Malignant tumors metastatic to mouth and jaws. Oral Surg 20:350, 1965 31. Braun-Falco O, Lukas I: Hypernephrommetastasen der Haut und Ihre Behandlungsmoglichkeiten. Jautarzt 22:452, 1971 32. Debain JJ, Poulain H: Les metastases ethmoidales des cancers du rein. Nouv Presse Med 25:1716, 1972 33. Levine H: The sphenoid sinus: The neglected nasal sinus. Arch Otolaryngol 104:585, 1978 34. Barrs DM, McDonald TJ, Whisnant JP: Metastatic tumors to the sphenoid sinus. Laryngoscope 89:1239, 1979 35. Ferlito A, Recher G, Polidoro F: Nasal metastasis from primary cancer of the kidney. J Laryngol Otol 93:1115, 1979 36. Kathuria S, Molnar Z, Reyes CV: Renal cell carcinoma presenting as epistaxis. J Surg Oncol 14:153, 1980 37. Akdas A, Kirkali Z, Ruacan S, et al: Unusual metastases of renal cell carcinoma. Urol Int 42:316, 1987 38. Som PM, Norton KI, Shugar JMA, et al: Metastatic hypernephroma to the head and neck. AJNR 8:l 103, 1987 39. Seijas Rosales T, Estelles Ferriol E, Dalmau Galofre J: Maxilar superior como localizacion de metastasis tumoral: A proposito de un caso. Anales ORL Iber Am 16:357, 1989 40. Old RA, Malins T, Ward-Booth PR: Vascular metastatic renal carcinoma of the maxilla: Report of two cases. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 19:106, 1990 41. Kennel P, Piller P, Herman D, et al: Metastases orl des tumeurs de Grawitz. Ann Otolaryngol 108:126, 1991 42. Fandella A, Anselmo G, Maccatrozzo L, et al: Epistaxis in renal carcinoma. Scand J Urol Nephrol 26:89, 1992
Weak Galerkin finite element methods for Darcy flow: Anisotropy and heterogeneity

This paper presents a family of weak Galerkin finite element methods (WGFEMs) for Darcy flow computation. The WGFEMs are new numerical methods that rely on the novel concept of discrete weak gradients. The WGFEMs solve for pressure unknowns both in element interiors and on the mesh skeleton. The numerical velocity is then obtained from the discrete weak gradient of the numerical pressure. The new methods are quite different than many existing numerical methods in that they are locally conservative by design, the resulting discrete linear systems are symmetric and positive-definite, and there is no need for tuning problem-dependent penalty factors. We test the WGFEMs on benchmark problems to demonstrate the strong potential of these new methods in handling strong anisotropy and heterogeneity in Darcy flow.
Thermoluminescence mechanism in LiF (TLD-100) from 90 to 300K

The thermoluminescence (TL) of LiF (TLD-100) has been studied over the temperature range 90 to 300K. A total of nine glow peaks are observed in this temperature interval. The most intense peak is the one at 137K. Besides this, three other peaks at 149, 254 and 275K are well resolved and their growth with exposure could be followed. No supralinearity could be found in the response of any of these peaks. Similarly, a sensitisation effect is also not observed for any of the glow peaks. Emission spectra were recorded at several temperatures and found to be changing. Up to about 150K, three bands at approximately 250, approximately 305 and approximately 420 nm were observed. The 250 nm band then gradually disappeared and the 420 nm band gained in prominence. At temperatures above about 200K, the emission spectrum contained only the 420 nm band. Phototransferred TL (PTTL) could be obtained in samples irradiated at 90K, warmed up to 300K and then subjected to 254 nm light. The PTTL glow curve showed the repopulation of only two peaks, namely at 149 and at 275K. The emission spectrum of the 149K PTTL peak consists of two bands at approximately 315 and approximately 440 nm and that of the 275K peak only one band at approximately 450 nm. These observations show that the simultaneous recombination of modified VK mobile holes at two different sites is indicated and their recombination should result in 305/315 nm and 420/440 nm emissions. Optical repopulation studies further show that the two strongest low-temperature peaks have a distinctly different behaviour and may be associated with holes.
Boundary lubrication of titanium-titanium and tttanium-steel

Abstract The lubrication of titanium-titanium and titanium-steel interfaces has long been a problem because of titanium's poor wear resistance and its susceptibility to galling and seizure. A new class of boundary lubricants for titanium has been developed which obviates these problems. These lubricants are charge transfer complexes of iodine and aromatic compounds. The use of these compounds as boundary lubricants results in a marked reduction in the coefficient of friction and wear. They may also be used as additives to oil with the same beneficial results.
Poly(N-vinyl carbazole)-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes: Synthesis, characterization, and nanocomposite thin films

A poly(N-vinyl carbazole) (PVK) copolymer containing pendant hydroxyl groups was synthesized for the functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) under typical reaction conditions for the esterification of the nanotube-bound carboxylic acids. The functionalized nanotube samples, soluble in common organic solvents, were characterized by using optical absorption, Raman, and several microscopy techniques. The presence of ester linkages was supported by the results from chemical defunctionalization in hydrolysis that recovered insoluble SWNTs. The shared solubility of the functionalized nanotube samples with PVK enabled the wet-casting of high-quality PVK-SWNT nanocomposite thin films for an evaluation of their enhanced charge dissipation under illumination.
OPTICAL FIBER SENSORS FOR VEHICLE DETECTION

Optical fiber sensors, because of their small size, low weight, extremely high information carrying capability, and immunity to electromagnetic interference, provide numerous advantages over conventional electrically based sensors. Fiber-based sensors has found numerous applications in industry for process control, and more recently for monitoring the health of advanced civil structures. This paper presents an overview of optical fiber sensors for civil structure monitoring and emerging applications of optical fiber sensors for traffic monitoring. Vehicle flow, vehicle speed and weight-in-motion measurements using fiber-based sensors are discussed, and results from field tests are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of fiber sensors at determining traffic flow.
Denying the Suberogatory

Julia Driver has argued that there is a special set of actions, lodged between neutral actions and wrongful actions called suberogatory actions. These actions are not impermissible, according to Driver, but still strike us as troubling or bad, and are therefore worse than morally neutral (1992). Since this paper was written 20 years ago, many philosophers have utilized or alluded to this moral territory. The existence of some action-types that are not wrong but still carry some dis-value has become a staple in the realm of moral evaluation. However, Driver's argument for the existence of this moral territory amounts to three types of moral cases that, according to Driver, can only be explained by the existence of the suberogatory. In this short paper, I will respond by saying that we can account for these cases using our traditional notions of moral neutrality and moral wrongness. The temptation of invoking the suberogatory is that it can be used as a substitute for answering a variety of hard ethical questions. However appealing this substitute may be, we should resist it so long as the problem cases put forward to motivate the new evaluative realm can be handled, and handled well, by our traditional apparatus.
Penile torsion repair using dorsal dartos flap rotation.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Counterclockwise penile torsion is a frequently noted congenital deformity. Previously proposed techniques of torsion repair are ineffective or pose significant operative risks. We introduce a novel technique using dorsal dartos flap rotation.Materials and Methods: The penis is first degloved completely and a broad based dartos flap is mobilized from the dorsal penile skin. The flap is rotated around the right side of the penile shaft and attached to the ventral aspect, causing clockwise penile rotation. Final slight adjustments are made during skin closure. We applied this technique in 8 patients undergoing circumcision (2), chordee (4) or hypospadias (2) repair.Results: This technique was effective for correcting penile torsion in all patients. At a mean followup of 8.3 months the cosmetic outcome was satisfactory with the complete correction of penile torsion.Conclusions: Rotational repositioning of a dorsal dartos flap is an effective technique for correcting penile torsion and it is ...
Acoustic radiation from a submerged pile during pile driving

Pile driving with an impact hammer is inherently a transient process and can produce very high sound levels. It is shown that the underwater noise during pile driving is due to a radial expansion of the pile that propagates along the pile after impact. This structural wave produces a wave front cone in the water, and a downward moving wave that continues into the sediment. An upward moving wave front is produced in the sediment after the first reflection of the structural wave, which is subsequently transmitted into the water. This process is repeated to produce an acoustic field that consists of wave fronts with alternating positive and negative angles. Good agreement in the estimate of the angles was obtained between a finite element wave propagation model and measurements taken during a full scale pile driving study.
A New Class of Reconfigurable Microwave Bandpass Filters

A distributed network prototype is presented that enables the design of a new class of reconfigurable bandpass filters. The design procedure is based on the application of a classical synthesis technique. The passband of the filters are reconfigured by simply open or short circuiting the ends of its resonators. The filters exhibit constant bandwidth and passband shape as they are reconfigured. The performance of implemented filters agrees with the presented theory.
Relationship of serum phenylalanine levels and ability of phenylketonurics to hydroxylate tryptophan.

Summary1. Following a decrease in serum phenylalanine levels (induced by feeding of a low-phenylalanine diet) phenylketonurics excrete increased amounts of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. 2. The ratio ...
Nonalcoholic fatty liver sensitizes rats to carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity

This study tested whether hepatic steatosis sensitizes liver to toxicant-induced injury and investigated the potential mechanisms of hepatotoxic sensitivity. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a methionine- and choline-deficient diet for 31 days to induce steatosis. On the 32nd day, administration of a nonlethal dose of CCl4 (2 mL/kg, intraperitoneally) yielded 70% mortality in steatotic rats 12-72 hours after CCl4administration, whereas all nonsteatotic rats survived. Neither CYP2E1 levels nor covalent binding of [14C]CCl4-derived radiolabel differed between the groups, suggesting that increased bioactivation is not the mechanism for this amplified toxicity. Cell division and tissue repair, assessed by [3H]thymidine incorporation and proliferative cell nuclear antigen assay, were inhibited in the steatotic livers after CCl4administration and led to progressive expansion of liver injury culminating in mortality. The hypothesis that fatty hepatocytes undergo cell cycle arrest due to (1) an inability to replenish ATP due to overexpressed uncoupling protein-2 (UCP-2) or (2) induction of growth inhibitor p21 leading to G1/S phase arrest was tested. Steatotic livers showed 10-fold lower ATP levels due to upregulated UCP-2 throughout the time course after CCl4 administration, leading to sustained inhibition of cell division. Western blot analysis revealed an up-regulation of p21 due to overexpression of TGF β1 and p53 and down-regulation of transcription factor Foxm1b in steatotic livers leading to lower phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein. Thus, fatty hepatocytes fail to undergo compensatory cell division, rendering the liver susceptible to progression of liver injury. Conclusion: Impaired tissue repair sensitizes the steatotic livers to hepatotoxicity. (HEPATOLOGY 2007;45:391–403.)
Encore facilitates SCF-Ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent proteolysis during Drosophila oogenesis.

Exit from the cell cycle requires the downregulation of Cyclin/Cdk activity. In the ovary of Drosophila , Encore activity is necessary in the germline to exit the division program after four mitotic divisions. We find that in encore mutant germaria, Cyclin A persists longer than in wild type. In addition, Cyclin E expression is not downregulated after the fourth mitosis and accumulates in a polyubiquitinated form. Mutations in genes coding for components of the SCF pathway such as cul1, UbcD2 and effete enhance the extra division phenotype of encore . We show that Encore physically interacts with the proteasome, Cul1 and Cyclin E. The association of Cul1, phosphorylated Cyclin E and the proteasome 19S-RP subunit S1 with the fusome is affected in encore mutant germaria. We propose that in encore mutant germaria the proteolysis machinery is less efficient and, in addition, reduced association of Cul1 and S1 with the fusome may compromise Cyclin E destruction and consequently promote an extra round of mitosis.
Mecro-Economic Voting: Local Information and Micro-Perceptions of the Macro-Economy

We develop an incomplete-information theory of economic voting, where voters' perceptions of macro-economic performance are affected by economic conditions of people similar to themselves. Our theory alleviates two persistent issues in the literature: it shows how egotropic motivations can lead to behavior that appears sociotropic, and why relying exclusively on aggregate data may underestimate the amount of economic voting. We test our theory using both cross-sectional and time series data. We document new stylized facts in aggregate data: state-unemployment is robustly correlated with national economic evaluations and presidential support. A novel survey instrument that asks respondents their numerical assessment of the unemployment rate confirms that individuals' economic perceptions respond to the economic conditions of people similar to themselves. Further, these perceptions associate with individuals' vote choices.
On the number of maximum genus embeddings of almost all graphs

Abstract A lower bound for the number of maximum genus orientable embeddings of almost all graphs is provided. This bound is sufficiently strong to demonstrate that for those complete graphs that triangulate some orientable surface, the number of maximum genus embeddings far exceeds the number of minimum genus embeddings. The proof is achieved by performing an induction in the context of permutation-partition pairs.
Kindergarten predictors of mathematical growth in the primary grades: An investigation using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten cohort

This study examined longitudinal predictive relationships between young children's classroom behaviors and their growth in mathematics skills during the primary grades. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Kindergarten cohort, the authors tested a longitudinal model featuring positive (interpersonal skills and approaches to learning) and negative (internalizing and externalizing) behaviors at kindergarten entry as predictors of growth in mathematics achievement through 3rd grade. Results indicated that negative behaviors demonstrate negligible relationships with early development of mathematics skills. Interpersonal skills demonstrated a small negative relationship with mathematics growth when other positive behaviors were included as predictors in the model. In contrast, approaches to learning (goal-directed behavior, persistence, organization) demonstrated small positive relationships with growth in mathematical skills and may represent a skill domain for educators to consider in designing their instructional practices.
Desorption of hydrogen from InN(0001¯) observed by HREELS

Abstract The kinetics of isothermal desorption of hydrogen from InN ( 000 1 ¯ ) have been investigated using surface vibrational spectroscopy. Reductions in intensity of the N–H stretching and bending vibrations in high resolution electron energy loss spectra (HREELS) upon annealing indicated loss of surface hydrogen and was attributed to recombinative desorption. Hydrogen completely desorbs from the InN surface upon annealing for 900 s at 425 °C or upon annealing for 30 s at 500 °C. Surface hydrogen coverage was determined using the intensity of the N–H stretching vibrational loss peak. Fitting the coverage versus temperature for anneals of either 30 or 900 s indicated that the desorption was best described by second-order desorption kinetics with an activation energy and pre-exponential factor of 1.3 ± 0.2 eV and 10 –7.3±1.0 cm 2 /s, respectively. In addition to thermal desorption, an increase in the carrier concentration in the film was also observed upon annealing to 450 °C or higher as shown in HREELS by a shift of the conduction band plasmon excitation to higher energy.
Boundedness and convergence to zero of solutions of a forced second-order nonlinear differential equation

Abstract Sufficient conditions for continuability, boundedness, and convergence to zero of solutions of ( a ( t ) x ′)′ + h ( t , x , x ′) + q ( t ) f ( x ) g ( x ′) = e ( t , x , x ′) are given.
Migraine trigger factors in a non‐clinical Mexican‐American population in San Diego county: implications for etiology

We conducted an investigation of migraine headache in a general population of Mexican-Americans living in San Diego county. Specific headache triggers were reported and analyzed, the most frequently reported for females with migraine being missing meals (58.9%), weather changes (54.4%), menstruation (53.6%), post-crisis letdown (52.7%), and fatigue (51.8%). The most frequently reported trigger factors for migraines reported by males were fatigue (58.8%), sleep (as a precipitating factor) (56.3%), post-crisis letdown (41.2%), and weather changes (37.5%). Trigger factors were further evaluated using stratification by presence or absence of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP), menstrual migraine, family history of migraine, and by migraine type. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. These results suggest that subjects with migraine and RP (perhaps indicative of a systematic vascular tone disorder) and those with menstrual migraine (indicative of sensitivity to hormonal changes) may overall be more ...
Acute ascorbic acid and hindlimb skeletal muscle blood flow distribution in old rats: rest and exercise.

Excess reactive oxygen species are implicated in the impaired peripheral vascular function evident during exercise in older individuals. We tested the hypothesis that an acute infusion of the antio...
Wearable sensors for skin heating and electric field strength in harsh environments

ABSTRACT Two novel sensor technologies have been developed for the measurement of skin surface temperature and RF field strength in an RF environment. Such a sensor system would be particularly useful in the test and evaluation of directed energy systems. The sensors operate without being affected by the presence of RF fields and with minimal perturbation of the fields, therefore having a minimal effect on a test. The sensors are designed to be wearable and interface with a portable, battery powered electronics pack by optical fibers. The temperature sensor is based on the variation in fluorescence intensity of a sensor layer with temperature. The RF field sensors operate using a passive circuit that converts the RF field into an optical signal that is measured remotely. Both sensors have been demonstrated in high power microwave lab tests. RF sensor operability has been demonstrated for fields in the range of 0.4  8.9 W/cm 2 , while the temperature sensor has been demonstr ated over the 30  60oC temperature range. Keywords: RF sensor, temperature sensor, biological sensor, fiber sensor
Defending against eclipse attacks on overlay networks

Overlay networks are widely used to deploy functionality at edge nodes without changing network routers. Each node in an overlay network maintains pointers to a set of neighbor nodes. These pointers are used both to maintain the overlay and to implement application functionality, for example, to locate content stored by overlay nodes. If an attacker controls a large fraction of the neighbors of correct nodes, it can "eclipse" correct nodes and prevent correct overlay operation. This Eclipse attack is more general than the Sybil attack. Attackers can use a Sybil attack to launch an Eclipse attack by inventing a large number of seemingly distinct overlay nodes. However, defenses against Sybil attacks do not prevent Eclipse attacks because attackers may manipulate the overlay maintenance algorithm to mount an Eclipse attack. This paper discusses the impact of the Eclipse attack on several types of overlay and it proposes a novel defense that prevents the attack by bounding the degree of overlay nodes. Our defense can be applied to any overlay and it enables secure implementations of overlay optimizations that choose neighbors according to metrics like proximity. We present preliminary results that demonstrate the importance of defending against the Eclipse attack and show that our defense is effective.
Reduced dimensionality quantum calculations of resonances in H+H2

Abstract Reduced dimensionality quantum reaction probabilities are reported for the H+H 2 reaction using the ab initio potential surface of Liu, Siegbahn, Truhlar and Horowitz. Resonances are found for the ground and first two excited adiabatic bending states of H 3 . Comparison of the resonance energies with the new coupled states calculations of Colton and Schatz shows good agreement. Additional resonances are reported for energies greater than those considered in the coupled states studies.
Aerodymics of the Shuttle Orbiter at high altitudes

The high-altitude/high-Knudsen number aerodynamics of the Shuttle Orbiter are computed from Low-Earth Orbit down to 100 km using three-dimensional direct simulation Monte Carlo and free molecule codes. Results are compared with Blanchard's latest Shuttle aerodynamic model, which is based on in-flight accelerometer measurements, and bridging formula models. Good comparison is observed, except for the normal force and pitching moment coefficients. The present results were obtained for a generic Shuttle geometry configuration corresponding to a zero deflection for all control surfaces.
Sodium butyrate stimulation of HIV-1 gene expression: A novel mechanism of induction independent of NF-κB

Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) has been shown to play a central role in stimulating human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) long terminal repeat (LTR)-directed viral gene expression. We have previously described a cell line (TE671/RD) that fails to respond to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in terms of amplifying HIV-1 LTR-driven gene expression unless it is concurrently treated with sodium butyrate. It was not determined whether this lack of response stemmed from an inability of these cells to produce free NF-kappa B or from ineffectual interaction of this sequence-specific transcriptional factor with its target. We now show that these cells are in fact capable of inducing a free nuclear NF-kappa B-binding activity when stimulated with PMA but not when treated with sodium butyrate alone. Furthermore, we show that sodium butyrate alone is equally potent in stimulating HIV-1 LTR-directed gene expression in latently infected U1 and ACH-2 cells in the absence of induction of nuclear NF-kappa B, as compared with PMA, which induces NF-kappa B activation in these cells. We also show that stimulation of HIV-1 expression in U1 cells with sodium butyrate is not blocked by N-acetylcysteine, whereas that of PMA stimulation is blocked. These observations are discussed in the context of a model where chromatin structure participates in the maintenance of restricted HIV-1 viral gene expression in these cells.
Protecting your daily in-home activity information from a wireless snooping attack

In this paper, we first present a new privacy leak in residential wireless ubiquitous computing systems, and then we propose guidelines for designing future systems to prevent this problem. We show that we can observe private activities in the home such as cooking, showering, toileting, and sleeping by eavesdropping on the wireless transmissions of sensors in a home, even when all of the transmissions are encrypted. We call this the Fingerprint and Timing-based Snooping (FATS) attack. This attack can already be carried out on millions of homes today, and may become more important as ubiquitous computing environments such as smart homes and assisted living facilities become more prevalent. In this paper, we demonstrate and evaluate the FATS attack on eight different homes containing wireless sensors. We also propose and evaluate a set of privacy preserving design guidelines for future wireless ubiquitous systems and show how these guidelines can be used in a hybrid fashion to prevent against the FATS attack with low implementation costs.
Neurotoxicity of HIV-1 proteins gp120 and Tat in the rat striatum

HIV-associated dementia complex is a serious disabling disease characterized by cognitive, behavioral and motor dysfunction. Basal ganglia involvement in HIV-1 infection may be responsible for some of the psychomotor symptoms associated with HIV dementia. The objectives of the present study were to determine: (1) whether gp120 and Tat produce striatal toxicity, and (2) whether gp120 and Tat show synergistic toxicity in the striatum. In these studies, the recombinant proteins gp120, Tat, or saline (0.9%) were stereotaxically injected in the striatum of adult male rats. The striatal sections were evaluated for area of tissue loss (Cresyl-violet stained sections) and the number of GFAP immunoreactive cells 7 days after the injections. Doses of gp120 250 ng/microl or higher and Tat 5 microg/microl or higher produced a significant area of tissue loss and significantly increased the number of GFAP reactive cells. We found no toxicity in animals treated with immunoabsorbed gp120 or Tat. Combined gp120 (100 ng/microl)+Tat (1 microg/microl) injections into the rat striatum significantly increased the area of tissue loss and altered morphology and increased number of GFAP reactive cells, as compared to controls. Thus, the present results suggest the involvement of gp120 and Tat in striatal toxicity and provide a model for further studies to fully characterize their role in HIV-1 toxicity and to develop therapeutic strategies for HIV-1 associated dementia complex.
Paleoelevation Measurement on the Basis of Vesicular Basalts

The vesicles (bubbles) in basaltic lava flows can be used to determine paleoelevation at the time of eruption. In the repertoire of paleoelevation proxies presently available to the research community, it represents one of very few direct proxies of elevation. The technique is based on the sizes of vesicles at the tops and bottoms of lava flows. We assume that bubbles do not know a priori that they will reside in one part of the flow or another when they are erupted from a volcanic vent. As such, the mass of gas is evenly distributed throughout the flow. The volume of the bubbles will therefore depend on pressure, which at the top of the flow is just atmospheric pressure, and at the bottom is atmospheric plus hydrostatic pressure from lava overburden. Since lava thickness can be measured in the field, and bubble size distributions (most notably the modal size) can be measured in the lab, a simple relation can be solved for atmospheric pressure, and using the standard atmosphere, elevation can be determined. The key parameters that must be determined are lava flow thickness at the time of emplacement and cooling of the upper and lower parts of the flow, and the sizes of the vesicles. Each of these requires some analysis. Measured flow thickness in the field is not necessarily the same as that during solidification of the upper and lower several cm of the flow, as inflation and deflation of the flow could have occurred, thus changing the thickness from that which provided lava overburden to determine vesicles sizes in the lower part of the flow. Lava flows must be examined in cross-section in the field to ensure that the indications of inflation or deflation are absent. Either would alter the proper vesicularity profile as a function of stratigraphic position within the flow for a given flow thickness. Only flows displaying the correct vesicularity profile can be meaningfully sampled. Vesicle sizes can be measured in a number of ways, but the most accurate is Computed X-Ray Tomography, which provides 3D information regarding size, shape, distribution, and connectivity of vesicles in a sample. We have developed numerical routines for extracting quantitative size distributions from tomographic data. The basalt paleoaltimeter can be applied to any tectonic region in which basalts are present. We tested the method by measuring the elevation of Mauna Loa, Hawaii, and then as a first application to a tectonic issue, placed constraints on the timing of uplift of the Colorado Plateau. While further testing of this tool for paleoelevation analysis would always be helpful, the technique is sufficiently refined for general use by the geologic community, provided appropriate samples are collected from lavas demonstrating simple emplacement history, and vesicle sizes are measured with sufficient quantitative accuracy to resolve elevation to within a few hundred meters. As for any proxy, the best results can be obtained with multiple sampling, and when possible, multiple independent proxies for the most reliable determination of paleoelevation history.
Histatins 2 and 4 are autoproteolytic degradation products of human parotid saliva

Freshly collected human parotid saliva contains 8 cationic proteins, as demonstrated by capillary electrophoresis. These proteins include lysozyme, histatin 6 and the 6 salivary histidine-rich polypeptides (HRPs 1–6). Neither histatin 2 nor histatin 4 are present in native undegraded parotid saliva but appear only after auloproteolytic degradation of the saliva. Histatin 2 appears to arise through slow degradation of HRP-1, and histatin 4 is mainly produced as a rapid breakdown product of HRP-3.
Corrigendum to "Immunotoxicity and biodistribution analysis of arsenic trioxide in C57B1/6 mice following a 2-week inhalation exposure": [Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 241 (2009) 253-259].

On page 255, Fig. 1, the concentration of As detected in tissues and blood should reflect ng/g. The correct figure is shown here. Figure 1 Tissue analysis of total arsenic in tissues by ICP/MS immediately following the last nose-only inhalation exposure. There were five mice per group that received air only (Control), 50 μg/m3 ATO for 14 days (3 h per day). Results are expressed ...
Child soldiers: reintegration, pathways to recovery, and reflections from the field.

Wars are dramatically altering the lives of children around the world. UNICEF reports that conflicts in the last decade have killed an estimated 2 million children and have left another 6 million disabled and 20 million homeless.1 The changing tactics and technology of warfare today have magnified h
The expression of prodynorphin gene is down-regulated by activation with lipopolysaccharide in U-937 macrophage cells

Abstract Dynorphins are endogenous kappa opioid peptides widely distributed in the central nervous system. A number of recent reports have established their roles in modulating immunological functions. In this study, we investigated the expression of prodynorphin (PDYN) gene, which encodes the precursor of dynorphin peptides, in human macrophage U-937 cell line. PDYN mRNA was expressed at a detectable level, measured with a standard RT-PCR method in U-937 cells, but not in Jurkat and Raji cells, which are human T and B lymphocytes, respectively. Further analyses with RT-PCR assays by using primers covering each exon of the PDYN gene showed that U-937 cells expressed the adult brain-type PDYN mRNA. Most interestingly, activation of U-937 cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) led to a decrease in PDYN mRNA levels. This decrease was dependent on both the concentration of LPS and the duration of LPS treatment. In order to test the role of transcription in LPS-mediated down-regulation of PDYN gene expression in U937 cells, the proximal PDYN gene promoter with a length of either ∼300 base pairs or ∼900 base pairs was cloned and inserted upstream of luciferase reporter gene. Results from transient transfections and dual luciferase assays showed that PDYN gene promoter activity was decreased by LPS treatment. Taken together, our results suggested the U-937 cells expressed adult brain-type PDYN mRNA which was down-regulated by activation of the cells with LPS due to an inhibition of PDYN gene transcription.
Calculations of systematics in B2 structure 3d transition metal aluminides

Abstract An all-electron total energy local density functional approach was used to examine features in the electronic structure of B2 structure transition metal aluminides that are possible factors affecting brittleness in these intermetallics. Noting that iron, cobalt and nickel all form stable aluminides with nearly identical lattice parameters, yet manifest different physical properties, we compared calculated results for B2 FeAl, CoAl, NiAl and CuAl, with an eye toward elucidating those features that correlate with the observed physical properties. The first-principles calculations accurately reproduced the formation energies of these compounds. Detailed analyses of the results explicitly demonstrated that factors commonly associated with bonding and brittleness in intermetallics—valency, ionicity and directional bonding—cannot in fact be the critical factors governing the behavior of these materials.
TRACHELOMONAS HISPIDA VAR. CORONATA (EUGLENOPHYCEAE), II. ENVELOPE SUBSTRUCTURE1,2

Envelopes of the mineralizing protist, Trachelomonas hispida var. coronata Lemm., were examined by light and electron microscopy and by electron diffraction analysis. The ellipsoidal hollow envelope is made of mineralized strands of mucilage (muci-strands) that form a compact wall 0.2–4.0 μm thick, interspersed with numerous puncta 0.2–0.3 μm in diameter and, in some instances with tapered spines ca. 0.6 μm long and 0.7 μm wide at the base. The mucilage strands are cylindrical, anastomosing threads 20 nm thick. Electron-dense, needle-shaped mineral deposits form axial cores in the strands. Also, powdery granular mineral deposits are dispersed sparingly throughout the mucilage matrix. Micromicro-electron diffraction analyses verify the crystalline nature of the needle-shaped deposits, which are 4–9 nm thick and vary in length (20–100 nm). The mucilage strands and microcrystallites pervade the whole of the envelope matrix, including the spines, and may be preferentially oriented along the envelope surfaces.
Fullerene (C60) Films for Solid Lubrication

The advent of techniques for producing gram quantities of a new form of stable, pure, solid carbon, designated as fullerene, opens a profusion of possibilities to be explored in many disciplines including tribology. Fullerenes take the form of hollow, geodesic domes, which are formed from a network of pentagons and hexagons with covalently bonded carbon atoms. The C60 molecule has the highest possible symmetry (icosaliedral) and assumes the shape of a soccer ball. At room temperature, fullerene molecules pack in a face centered cubic (fee) lattice bonded with weak van der Waals attractions. Fullerenes can be dissolved in solvents such as toluene and benzene and are easily sublimed. The low surface energy, high chemical stability, spherical shape, weak intermolecular bonding, and high load bearing capacity of C60 molecules offer potential for various mechanical and tribological applications. This paper describes the crystal structure and properties of fullerenes and proposes a mechanism for self-lubricatin...
Composition Students Online: Database Searching in the Undergraduate Research Paper Course

Cet article developpe les pratiques d'utilisation de bases de donnees dans le cadre de cours sur la redaction d'articles de recherche, dans les universites americaines
Effect of thermal etching on silicon epitaxial growth by vacuum sublimation

Abstract Silicon epitaxial growth by vacuum sublimation was studied with emphasis on the effect of thermal etch of the substrate on the surface concentration of carbon. A calculation of surface concentration of carbon on a Si substrate during thermal etch in the vacuum system shows that prolonged thermal etch at a higher temperature progressively enhances a pile-up of involatile impurity on the substrate surface and formation of precipitates above solid solubility limits, which would cause generation of interfacial defects. This effect was experimentally confirmed with various temperatures and periods of thermal etch and with the use of LOPEX material. Experimentally optimized temperature and period of thermal etch with the use of LOPEX Si yielded a good quality epitaxial P / N junction; low defect density 0–100 over the area of 10 −4 cm −2 , low reverse saturation current of less than 1 × 10 −4 A / cm 2 at half of breakdown voltage of 90 V. Uniformity of multiplication factor M over the reverse biased P / N junction was measured with a laser probe. The variation around the average value over the area of a mesa junction structure 600 μm diam. was less than 10 per cent. Static I – V characteristics of PN junction, Schottky barrier NN + diodes and P + NN + diodes fabricated from grown layers by vacuum sublimation were also demonstrated.
Limited proteol ysis of coupling factor-latent ATPase from Mycobacterium phlei. Effects of different enzymes and modifying agents

Abstract The activation of the coupling factor-latent ATPase enzyme by tryptic proteolysis may resemble the activation of many proenzymes by limited proteolysis. The beta (53 000 dalton) subunit of solubilized coupling factor-latent ATPase from Mycobacterium phlei was selectively lost in some trypsin-treated samples. Since a concomitant loss of ATPase activity was not observed, the beta subunit may not be essential for ATPase catalytic activity. Treatment of solublized coupling factor with chymotrypsin rapidly produced an A′-type (61 000 dalton) species from the native alpha (64 000 dalton) subunits with partial activation of the ATPase enzyme. Secondary chymotryptic cleavage yielded an A″-type (58 000 dalton) species and a less-active enzyme. Storage of fresh coupling factor samples at −20°C in the presence of 4 mM MgCl 2 with several freeze-thaw cycles resulted in loss of ATPase activity without apparent change in alpha subunit structure. Storage at 4°C in the presence or absence of MgCl 2 both decreased ATPase activity and generated A′-type alpha subunit species. Since presence of phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride prevented these changes, an unknown protease was suspected. The peptide bonds first cleaved by trypsin, chymotrypsin, and the unknown protease are all apparently located within the same small segment of alpha subunit polypeptide chain.
Mobutu or Chaos?: The United States and Zaire, 1960-1990

Mobutu or Chaos? is the latest product of the Foreign Policy Research Institute's study on 'friendly tyrants.' Like its predecessors, it tackles the thorny question of how to deal with the pro-U.S. authoritarian regimes that have bedeviled U.S. foreign policy for the better part of forty years. The book chronicles the U.S. relations with Mobutu from their beginnings in the sixties when support for the ruler was justifiable by higher goals, through to the present when the degeneration of his regime into incompetence and severe brutality raises new questions both practical and moral as to the justification of continued relations. This volume is important to all those interested in Zaire, Africa, and the general workings of U.S. foreign policy. Co-published with the Foreign Policy Research Institute.
On some sets of permutation matrices

Abstract In [5], a class Σ of p×p circulant matrices was studied where p is a prime, and necessary and sufficient conditions were presented for the matrices in Σ to be commutative and to be closed with respect to matrix multiplication. Here we show that these properties also hold for n×n circulant matrices, where n is a positive integer, with an additional condition, namely, Σ contains an n-cycle.