cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonlocal Aggregation Models: A Primer of Swarm Equilibria

Biological aggregations such as fish schools, bird flocks, bacterial colonies, and insect swarms have characteristic morphologies governed by the group members' intrinsic social interactions with e...
Well-Being and the Transition to Parenthood: An Identity Theory Approach

Research has suggested that one factor that affects individual and marital well-being among new parents is role congruence. In this article the relationship between role congruence and well-being is theoretically recast using recent developments in identity theory. From an identity theory perspective, role incongruence is problematic because it reflects the degree to which individuals can verify their identities. When meanings in the social environment are inconsistent with identity meanings (such as occurs with role incongruence), identity verification processes are disrupted and individuals evaluate themselves and their relationships less positively. Therefore, new parents who are unable to verify their parent identity should be more likely to experience a decline in individual and marital well-being. Consistent with previous research, results suggest that parenthood per se may not be detrimental to individual and marital well-being. Results are consistent with the idea that the ability to verify concep...
Abstract IA6: Elucidation of enhancer-like RNAs

Abstract Spatial and temporal regulation of gene expression is achieved through the instruction provided by the distal transcriptional regulatory elements known as enhancers. How enhancers transmit such information to their targets has been a subject of intense investigation. Recent advances in high throughput analysis of the mammalian transcriptome have revealed a surprising result indicating that a large number of enhancers are transcribed to non-coding RNAs. While long non-coding RNAs were initially shown to confer epigenetic transcriptional repression, recent studies have uncovered a role for a class of such transcripts in gene-specific activation often from distal genomic regions. We will discuss the recent findings on the role of long non-coding RNAs in transcriptional regulation with an emphasis on new developments on the functional links between long non-coding RNAs and enhancers. Citation Format: Ramin Shiekhattar. Elucidation of enhancer-like RNAs [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Noncoding RNAs and Cancer; 2012 Jan 8-11; Miami Beach, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(2 Suppl):Abstract nr IA6.
Promoter switching during development and the termination site of the sigma 43 operon of Bacillus subtilis.

Sequencing data indicated that the RNA polymerase (σ43) operon of Bacillus subtilis consisted of three genes, P23 (function unknown), dnaE (DNA primase), and rpoD (σ43) (Wang and Doi 1986a). S1 nuclease mapping experiments with RNA from various stages of growth demonstrated the presence of two overlapping σ43 promoters that controlled the expression of the operon during growth and a σ37 promoter that regulated the expression of the operon during the sporulation phase. This promoter switching mechanism ensured that this important operon would be expressed during different nutritional states of the cell and also illustrated a function for the minor RNA polymerase σ37 holoenzyme in the expression of genes which are normally expressed during the logarithmic phase of growth. The location of the transcription termination signal confirmed that the σ43 operon consists of three genes.
Future Chemoradiation Strategies in Pancreatic Cancer

Although not universally accepted, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemoradiation is considered a standard treatment for patients with localized pancreatic cancer. Randomized trials have indicated that chemoradiation improves median survival of both locally advanced and resected pancreatic cancer. While the use of adjuvant chemoradiation in pancreatic cancer has been called into question since the publication of the European Study Group for Pancreatic Cancer (ESPAC)-1 trial, this study has not changed standard practice in the United States. All randomized trials investigating adjuvant chemoradiation have reported significant local as well as distant disease control limitations, making the study of novel chemoradiation and adjuvant chemotherapy important. Selected centers are investigating neoadjuvant chemoradiation in radiographically resectable patients. Advantages of neoadjuvant chemoradiation compared to postoperative therapy include increased local control, increased access to therapy, addressing the systemic disease recurrence risk without delay, and optimal patient selection for pancreaticoduodenectomy through exclusion of patients with rapidly progressive metastatic disease. In the years since it was approved for use in pancreatic cancer, gemcitabine has stood the test of time as a systemic agent but has not been widely adopted as a radiosensitzer in pancreatic cancer. Single-arm clinical trials that initially explored gemcitabine as a radiosensitzer in locally advanced pancreatic cancer demonstrated the potential for significant toxicity without dramatic improvements in efficacy. Recent strategies for improving the efficacy of chemoradiation include improved chemoradiation sensitization through the concurrent incorporation of molecular targeted agents, and the use of new radiation technology such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and stereotactic radiotherapy. Herein, we discuss the relative merits of strategies that seek to improve outcome through these novel means and present recent data from novel strategies that will provide the background for future trials.
Aplicaciones clínicas de la microscopía confocal de reflectancia en el manejo de los tumores cutáneos

Reflectance confocal microscopy is a noninvasive tool that allows skin cells and structure to be imaged in real time. The technique has been used to assess benign and malignant lesions and has shown great potential in basic research and clinical dermatology. As might be expected, it also has great potential in longitudinal clinical studies and in the evaluation of dynamic processes such as those that occur after exposure to UV radiation or during the tumor response to noninvasive therapy. This article briefly describes the fundamental aspects and basic principles of reflectance confocal microscopy and discusses its clinical applications essentially in the management of cutaneous tumors. We also consider the limitations of the technique associated with the optical properties of the skin, with instrumentation, and with interpretation of the images.
Surrogacy: An Islamic Perspective

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5915/21-3-13364 From the scientific and technological point of view, we are living through a reproductive revolution in which alternative means of reproduction are now available. Surrogacy is one of these alternatives and takes on different forms. In Islam the only legitimate pregnancy is that which results from the union of sperm and ovum of a legally married couple. New 1ech11iques of implanting the fertilized ovut71, grown in vi1ro, in the u1erus of the wife is allowed if the sperm and the ovum are those of the husband and wife during their life span, i.e., within the frame of matrimonial legitimacy. Thus a child delivered of a surrogate mother is the product of an illegitimate relation. Based on Islamic argument, I believe that the surrogate mother who carries the fetus through pregnancy and who passes through the experience of delivery is the child's legitimate mother.
Changes in perception of active but not passive turning following stepping on the rotating treadmill.

The purpose of this work was to determine whether walking on a rotating disc would cause changes in perception of active and passive turning. Ten healthy control subjects wore a blindfold and earplugs while completing trials of active and passive turning. For active conditions, subjects were told the direction and amplitude of the desired turn and then attempted to turn in place the specified amount via actively stepping. For passive conditions, subjects were told that the disc they stood on would turn and they were to press a button when they had traveled the specified amplitude. Subjects completed active and passive trials to the left and right with amplitudes of 90, 180, 270, and 360°. Subjects then stepped in place for 15 min on a disc rotating clockwise at 90°/s, after which they repeated the trials of active and passive turning. Following rotating treadmill stimulation, subjects asked to turn in the direction opposite disc rotation (i.e., to the left) consistently and significantly overshot their targets in active trials. There were no changes in accuracy of active turning to the right or passive turning in either direction. This indicates that adaptation to the rotating treadmill is expressed even when subjects have a conscious intent to turn. The positive after-effects of the rotating treadmill add to the intended active turning in the direction of the after-effect but there is no decrement in active turning in the direction opposite the after-effect.
A probability constrained multi-objective optimization model for CCHP system operation decision support

Due to its capability to reduce carbon dioxide emission and to increase energy efficiency, the combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) system has attracted great attention during the last decade. A large number of deterministic and stochastic optimization models have been proposed to study the CCHP operation strategy. However, fewer studies have been conducted to optimize CCHP operation simultaneously with multiple objectives such as minimizing operational cost, primary energy consumption (PEC) and carbon dioxide emissions (CDE) considering the reliability of the CCHP operation strategy. In this research, we propose a stochastic multi-objective optimization model to optimize the CCHP operation strategy for different climate conditions based on operational cost, PEC and CDE. The probability constraints are added into the stochastic model to guarantee the optimized CCHP operation strategy is reliable to satisfy the stochastic energy demand. The study shows that a higher reliability level of the probability constraint will increase the operational cost, PEC and CDE. To assist the multi-objective decision analysis, we developed an incentive model for PEC and CDE reduction. The analysis results demonstrate how the incentive values for PEC and CDE reduction can be effectively determined using the proposed model for different climate locations.
Disclosure of allegedly illegal corporate activities and information risk

Abstract We investigate how the disclosure of allegedly illegal corporate activities such as the backdating of stock option grants affects the “information risk” of accused companies. This research provides evidence about the consequences of this risk change on equity values. We compare the earnings' response coefficients (ERC) for companies charged with backdating before and after it was revealed that these companies allegedly engaged in these activities. Our results show a U-shape pattern in ERC across post-backdating periods, suggesting a temporary decline in information risk. We also estimate the amount of company valuation losses that are based on the changes in the ERC. We find, on average, that a firm suffered approximately $26.2 million in valuation losses for four quarterly earnings announcements in the post-backdating period. Our economic significance analysis suggests that valuation losses related to changes in “information risk” provide some explanations for the subsequent market valuation consequences.
Arrhythmias in a long-term adult survivor with uncorrected tetralogy of Fallot: Case report and review of the literature ☆

We present a case of a middle-aged adult with uncorrected Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with pulmonary atresia who developed symptomatic supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. The lack of data regarding management of electrical and other complications in adults with uncorrected TOF is highlighted and emphasizes the need for a registry to better understand the medical management of long-standing adult survivors.
Vibrationally resolved cross sections and asymmetry parameters for the photoionization of N 2 with coupling between the (3 σ g ) − 1 and the (2 σ u ) − 1 channels

We have performed a vibrationally resolved two-state coupled-channel calculation using the Pad\'e-approximant C\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}-functional formalism for the \ensuremath{\nu}'=0\ensuremath{\leftarrow}\ensuremath{\nu}''=0, \ensuremath{\nu}'=1\ensuremath{\leftarrow}\ensuremath{\nu}''=0, and \ensuremath{\nu}'=2\ensuremath{\leftarrow}\ensuremath{\nu}''=0 vibrational transitions in the photoionization of ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ leading to the (3${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{g}$${)}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$${X}^{2}$${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}_{g}^{+}$ and (2${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{u}$${)}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$${B}^{2}$${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}_{u}^{+}$ states of ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$${\mathrm{}}^{+}$. We have found that both the vibrationally resolved \ensuremath{\nu}'=0\ensuremath{\leftarrow}\ensuremath{\nu}''=0 and the vibrationally averaged asymmetry parameters in the (2${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{u}$${)}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ channel are in good agreement with vibrationally unresolved experimental data. However, the theoretical results presented here do not resolve the apparent discrepancies between the vibrationally resolved and vibrationally unresolved experimental data. Coupled-channel photoelectron asymmetry parameters and photoionization cross sections in the (3${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{g}$${)}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ channel were not found to be substantially different from earlier single-channel results. The results presented here demonstrate the need for the inclusion of further electronic correlation effects in order to give a more quantitatively accurate description of the photoionization of ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$.
En)gendering sustainability

Abstract In this essay, I explore the usefulness of gender, in examining sustainability concerns about the future of the accounting academy. In doing so, I differentiate between gender as a biological variable and gender as a concept. Gender as a variable focuses our attention on demographic issues such as numbers of women. Gender as a concept directs our attention toward the institutional framework within which accounting academics (men and women) currently operate. Rather than assuming that increasing numbers of women can fundamentally change the academy, gender as a concept allows us to explore the over-emphasis upon the masculine in the gendering of the good academic accountant. This imbalance unduly limits the openness of the academy including its intellectual heterogeneity and the sorts of values that are promoted within it.
Cloning and Characterization of a Glucocorticoid-induced Diacylglycerol Kinase

Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) plays a key role in cellular processes by regulating the intracellular concentration of the second messenger diacylglycerol. We screened a hamster DDT1 smooth muscle cell library and isolated a unique, glucocorticoid-inducible cDNA with substantial homology to known DGKs. DGK activity was increased in lysates of insect cells infected with recombinant baculovirus containing this cDNA. Antibodies raised against expressed sequences recognized a glucocorticoid-inducible 130-140-kDa protein on immunoblots of DDT1 cell lysates. Thus, this sequence appears to be a new member of the DGK family that we refer to as DGKη. Homology to other DGKs was apparent in domains that are thought to be important for DGK function including the cysteine-rich motifs and potential catalytic domains. DGKη shares substantial homology with DGKδ including the N-terminal pleckstrin homology domain. The tissue distribution of DGKη message (determined by ribonuclease protection assays) and protein (determined by immunoblots) was broader than reported for other DGKs, indicating that DGKη may play a more general role in regulating cellular DG levels than other DGKs. Heterogeneity among DGK family members indicates that individual DGKs may have unique functions.
Seasonal Abundance and Distribution of Vibrio cholerae in Coastal Waters Quantified by a 16S-23S Intergenic Spacer Probe.

Vibrio cholerae is the causative agent of the severe diarrheal disease cholera and is indigenous to brackish waters. To advance our understanding of the ecology of this bacterium, we have developed a molecular probing method for detection of V. cholerae in coastal waters. Water samples from 7 locations in the Newport Bay watershed, California were sampled monthly for a whole year. V. cholerae concentrations were determined by membrane filtration-colony hybridization using an oligonucleotide probe targeting the 16S-23S intergenic spacer (ITS) region. In addition to V. cholerae concentrations, environmental parameters, including temperature, salinity, total bacterial direct counts, total viable counts, and chlorophyll a concentrations, were determined for each site. V. cholerae was detected year-round throughout the watershed. Regression analysis indicated that the concentration of V. cholerae inversely correlated with salinity (p < 0.001). The sampling sites located nearest to the Pacific Ocean had lower concentrations, whereas sites located along the brackish San Diego Creek (salinity 0-12‰) routinely had higher concentrations. V. cholerae concentrations also correlated with temperature (p < 0.01) in the watershed, with concentrations ranging from less than 1 CFU mL?1 to 2,930 CFU mL?1 of water. The results of this study indicate that the dynamics of V. cholerae is mainly influenced, out of the parameters measured, by the temperature and salinity of the environment. This information is valuable for understanding the ecology of V. cholerae.
THE COMPLEXITY OF RACIAL ATTITUDES: Continuing Progress or the Calm Before the Storm?

Carol M. Swain , The New White Nationalism in America: Its Challenge to Integration . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002, 526 pages, ISBN 0-521-80886-3, $30.00. Paul M. Kellstedt , The Mass Media and the Dynamics of American Racial Attitudes . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003, 174 pages, ISBN 0-521-82171-1, $60.00. Carol M. Swain's book, The New White Nationalism in American: Its Challenge to Integration , is an ambitious and, in many ways, novel blend of traditional social science and social advocacy. At the outset, Swain informs the reader that this book breaks with “… the tradition of impersonal, value-free social science insofar as I do not pretend to be neutral and do not hesitate to interject many personal observations and comments into the body of the text.” She does not disappoint on this score. This nearly 500-page book combines original interviews and survey and focus group data, with Swain's reflections on a range of topics including reparations, affirmative action, racial hate crimes, and the redemptive power of religion. To Swain's credit, she also steps outside her role as a (nominally) dispassionate social scientist to offer a range of policy prescriptions near the end of her book to combat what she views as the potentially alarming growth of the White power movement. In many ways, Swain's passion for her subject is refreshing, and even commendable. Unfortunately, her passion is also the source of the principal weakness of this book: its inability to match its uncompromising rhetoric with persuasive, or even plausible, supportive evidence for readers who do not already agree with her arguments.
Prostaglandin E2 Production and Cyclooxygenase-2 Induction in Human Urinary Tract Infections and Bladder Cancer

ABSTRACTPurpose: Increased prostaglandin production correlates positively with cancer risk and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, the inducible rate limiting enzyme for prostaglandin synthesis, is elevated in bladder cancer cases. Urinary prostaglandin levels and COX-2 expression in urine particulates may increase in urogenital cancer, including bladder cancer, and with infectious and inflammatory processes, including urinary tract infections and that resulting from bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) treatment for bladder cancer.Materials and Methods: Urinary prostaglandin E2 levels were measured in patients with a urinary tract infection before and after treatment, urogenital cancer (including bladder cancer), bladder cancer in remission and bladder cancer with BCG treatment. COX-1 and COX-2 mRNA and protein were assessed in the human ureter, in normal human bladder muscle and urothelium, and in urine particulates from patients with urinary tract infections, bladder cancer and bladder cancer with BCG treatment.Results:...
Limitations on the use of the concept of quantum efficiency in rhodopsin bleaching.

THE purpose of this communication is to discuss the extent to which the concept of quantum efficiency can be applied to the bleaching of rhodopsin. Quantum efficiency of bleaching, γ, is defined by:
Cardiac Arrhythmias and Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Recent Advances in Our Understanding of Mechanism

The purpose of this review is to consider our understanding of the mechanisms of action of cardiac antiarrhythmic drugs, as well as the status of our comprehension of arrhythmias and their therapy. The approach will be to review the basis for normal electric activity of the heart, the mechanisms for cardiac arrhythmias, and our understanding of the mechanisms of drug action, and to distill from these strategies for the future. Immediate strategies in the prevention and treatment of life-threatening arrhythmias will most likely continue to make use of catheter and electrically based therapy, but the longterm treatment of large populations of individuals will still require the search for, and testing and administration of, pharmacologic therapy. It is emphasized that simplistic approaches to the solution of the complex problem of arrhythmias and their management of probably continue to cause problems, and that only by mastering the complexities of pathophysiology may success be best assured.
Identification of quantitative trait loci for productive tiller number and its relationship to agronomic traits in spring wheat

Productive tiller number (PTN), defined as the number of tillers that produce spikes and seeds, is a key component of grain yield in wheat. Spring wheat cultivars in the northern Great Plains of North America differ in PTN. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the relationship of PTN to agronomic traits using recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations derived from crosses Reeder/Conan, McNeal/Thatcher and Reeder/McNeal grown under a range of environments, and (2) to identify and validate quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with high PTN. Correlation between PTN and plot weight ranged from r = 0.4–0.6 among the populations based on combined means over years, and was positive in every environment for all crosses (P < 0.05). A genetic map generated for the Reeder/Conan RIL allowed identification of a QTL for PTN consistent over environments, located on chromosome 6B. The QTL on chromosome 6B (QTn.mst-6B) explained 9–17% of the variation of PTN and co-segregated with a QTL for yield in the Reeder/Conan RIL. QTn.mst-6B was validated by single marker analysis in the McNeal/Thatcher RIL, McNeal/Reeder RIL, and a set of near isogenic line (NIL) developed for QTn.mst-6B. The allele for high PTN significantly increased PTN by 8.7, 4, and 13% in the McNeal/Reeder RIL, McNeal/Thatcher RIL and Choteau/Reeder NIL, respectively. The allele for high PTN also had a significant positive effect on plot weight in the McNeal/Reeder RIL. Our results suggest that high PTN, controlled to a significant extent by QTn.mst-6B, contributed to increased yield potential over a range of environmental conditions. QTn.mst-6B may be useful for improving spring wheat in the northern Great Plains of North America and similar environments.
Emergency medical services in the reconstruction phase following a major earthquake: a case study of the 1988 Armenia earthquake.

Study Objective:To use the clinical activities of an ambulance service as a tool to assess the residual and unmet medical need of a city in the aftermath of a major earthquake and to apply that assessment to the development of a training curriculum for the prehospital personnel.Methods:The researchers conducted structured interviews with health care workers at all levels of the emergency health care delivery system in Gyumrii, Armenia, and carried out a retrospective frequency analysis of 29,010 ambulance runs for an 11-month period from February through December 1992. Runs first were assigned into the broad categories of: 1) Adult Medical; 2) Pediatric Medical; or 3) Trauma, and then, according to diagnosis. The runs then were classified further as: 1) Primary Care; 2) Basic Life Support (BLS); or 3) Advanced Life Support (ALS).Results:Adult Medical calls represented 24,684 (85%), Pediatric Medical calls 459 (1.6%), and Trauma calls 3,867 (13%). Only 12% of all ambulance calls resulted in transport to a medical facility, although this percentage was higher in children. Thirty percent of Adult Medical patients were diagnosed by the emergency medical providers as having exclusively a psychiatric problem.Conclusion:In the late aftermath of a devastating earthquake, the ambulance service in Gyumrii, Armenia has been delivering a substantial proportion of non-emergency, primary care services. They have adopted this unconventional role to compensate for the deficit in health care facilities and personnel created by the disaster. The training program that the investigators developed reflected the actual work activities of the prehospital personnel demonstrated in their assessment.
Skin reflectance relationships with temperature and skinfolds

Skin reflectance measurements were taken with six filters at a site on the medial aspect of the upper arm (underarm) prior to and following topical application of a cold compress. Skinfolds were measured at the underarm and triceps sites. The experiment was designed to test for effects of skin surface temperature and subcutaneous fat variations on skin color as determined by reflectometry. Topical cold-induced erythema of the skin produced marked declines in % reflectance at the shorter visible wavelengths over the range of violet, blue, and green, and only slight declines in % reflectance at the longer visible wavelengths (red range). This is consistent with the observation from past work that there is little hemoglobin absorptance at the red end of the visible spectrum. A positive relationship between the change in % reflectance following topical cold application and underarm skinfold was recorded. Hence, the thickeness of fat deposits may contribute to variation in skin reflectance. Since only large temperature differences influenced skin reflectance measurements, the need is not great for fieldworkers to control for surface temperature at the underarm site during skin reflectance survey.
Do friends perform better than acquaintances? the interaction of friendship, conflict, and task

This article examines the influence of friendships among group members, intragroup conflict, and task on group performance. Previous research has found that friendships among group members (operationalized as group affinity, comraderie, or cohesion) has both positive and negative effects on performance. The effect of friendship on performance is contingent on many factors. The focus of this article is on the different types of conflict experienced by groups and on the type of task that the group is performing. The results indicate different interaction patterns and degrees of conflict (emotional, task content, and administrative conflict) in friend (strong relationship) groups and acquaintance (weak relationship) groups. Overall, the findings suggest that friend groups perform significantly better than acquaintance groups on both decision-making and motor tasks. Process data from transcripts of group discussions also suggest several mediating factors that may account for these performance differences.
Testing a Dual-Process Theory of Supportive Communication Outcomes: How Multiple Factors Influence Outcomes in Support Situations:

To test a recently proposed dual-process theory of supportive communication outcomes, participants (N = 328) assumed they had experienced a mildly or moderately problematic situation. They then evaluated supportive messages varying in person centeredness, purportedly provided by either an acquaintance or a friend. Participants’ perceived support availability (PSA) was also assessed. As predicted, the recipient factor (PSA) individually and in conjunction with the contextual factor (problem severity) moderated the effect of the message factor (message person centeredness) on helpfulness evaluations. Modest support was observed for the hypothesis that the source factor (friend vs. acquaintance) influences evaluations when messages are processed less extensively. Implications for the dual-process theory of supportive communication outcomes are discussed.
Role of perforin-mediated cell apoptosis in murine models of infusion-induced bone marrow failure.

Objective To investigate the role of perforin-mediated cell apoptosis in murine models of immune-mediated bone marrow (BM) failure. Materials and Methods We compared C57BL/6J (B6) mice carrying a perforin gene deletion ( Prf −/− ) with wild-type (WT) controls for cellular composition in lymphohematopoietic tissues. Lymph node (LN) cells from Prf −/− mice were coincubated with BM cells from B10-H2 b /LilMcdJ (C.B10) mice in an apoptosis assay in vitro. We then infused Prf −/− and WT B6 LN cells into sublethally irradiated C.B10 and CByB6F1 recipients with mismatches at the minor and major histocompatibility loci, respectively, in order to induce BM failure. Cellular composition was analyzed by flow cytometry. Results Prf −/− mice showed normal lymphoid cell composition, but Prf −/− LN cells had reduced ability to induce C.B10 BM cell apoptosis in vitro. Infusion of 5 to 10 × 10 6 Prf −/− LN cells produced obvious BM failure in C.B10 and CByB6F1 recipients; pancytopenia and BM hypocellularity were only slightly less severe than those caused by infusion of 5 × 10 6 WT B6 LN cells. Infused Prf −/− LN cells showed less T-cell expansion, normal T-cell activation, and higher proportions of T cells expressing γ-interferon, tissue necrosis factor−α, and Fas ligand CD178, in comparison to infused WT B6 LN cells. Fas expression was equally high in residual BM cells in recipient of both Prf −/− and B6 LN cells. Conclusion Perforin deficiency alters T-cell expansion but upregulates T-cell Fas ligand expression. Perforin-mediated cell death appears to play a minor role in mouse models of immune-mediated BM failure.
The case study of poly-silicon grain size and resistance

The grain size and sheet resistance relationship is discussed in this paper for high resistance failure analysis case study. In this case, the bad die resistance is much higher than that of the good die. After OBIRCH localization of the defect, different grain sizes were observed between good and bad dice by X-S and P-V TEM respectively at the hot spot site. From some papers studying, the inverse relationship between the resistance and the grain size of different material is revealed, and it also can de demonstrated in the case study.
Scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray fluorescence analysis of a polymer blend, glass fiber composite

This paper explores the possibility of using X-ray micro-analysis for studying the morphology of the polymer blend composite PPS(GF)/HDPE (glass-filled poly(phenylene sulfide)/high density polyethylene) system and the characterization of filler and polymer dispersion in the system.
Sex differences in finger tapping: a developmental study.

Abstract The development of serial order in a simple finger-tapping task was examined in normal school age boys and girls from 5 to 16 yr. Girls were consistently more accurate in adhering to the rate of an external entraining beat and in tapping to a steady rhythm. The right hand of all children was steadier than the left, and manual asymmetry for regularity of tapping was greater in girls than boys. The left hemisphere may be specialized for cortical functions controlling the serial organization of simple motor repetitions, and these functions mature earlier in girls than boys.
Effect of moisture content on the melting and subsequent physical aging of cornstarch

Differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis were used to study low moisture (10–50%) gelatinized cornstarch in order to understand the severe embrittlement on aging often seen in these systems. On aging at 22°C, gelatinized starch having 11–20% moisture (Tg = 112−30°C) developed endothermic differential scanning calorimetry peaks characteristic of enthalpy changes due to structural relaxation. The increase in area (enthalpy) of these peaks with time correlated well with decreases in ultimate elongation as measured by tensile tests of extruded starch-water ribbons. The rates of increase of enthalpy and decrease in elongation with time increased with moisture content. At moisture contents of 25% and above (Tg < 15°C), high temperature endotherms characteristic of the melting of recrystallized amylopectin and amylose appeared. These data indicate that embrittlement of gelatinized starch can occur as a result of free volume relaxation during sub-Tg aging as well as a result of plasticizer (water) loss by evaporation.
Intimate coupling of creatine phosphokinase and myofibrillar adenosinetriphosphatase.

Abstract ATPase and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) activities of isolated cardiac myofibrils were determined with 32 P γ-labeled ATP alone and with the addition of phosphorylcreatine (PC). With ATP and PC as substrates the label in the inorganic phosphate formed is greatly diluted indicating that the ATP formed by PC through CPK can reach the ATPase active site more readily than labeled ATP from the medium. The tight coupling of the ATPase and CPK activities further strengthens our view that PC serves an important role as high energy carrier between the energy producing sites (mitochondria) and the energy utilizing sites (myofibrils).
Polymeric Precursor Synthesis of the Superconducting Metal Boronitride La3Ni2B2N3

An efficient synthetic route to the superconducting La3Ni2B2N3 intermetallic has been developed based on the 1000 °C pyrolysis of lanthanum and nickel powders in polyborazylene, [B3N3H∼4]x. Elemental analyses, powder X-ray diffraction spectra, and ac susceptibility measurements confirm the formation of La3Ni2B2N3. This synthetic approach appears to be a general method for the preparation of a range of lanthanum metal boronitrides as is evidenced by its application to the synthesis of the previously unknown, nonsuperconducting La3Co2B2N3.
Facile collection of two-dimensional electronic spectra using femtosecond pulse-shaping technology

This letter reports a straightforward means of collecting two-dimensional electronic (2D-E) spectra using optical tools common to many research groups involved in ultrafast spectroscopy and quantum control. In our method a femtosecond pulse shaper is used to generate a pair of phase stable collinear laser pulses which are then incident on a gas or liquid sample. The pulse pair is followed by an ultrashort probe pulse that is spectrally resolved. The delay between the collinear pulses is incremented using phase and amplitude shaping and a 2D-E spectrum is generated following Fourier transformation. The partially collinear beam geometry results in perfectly phased absorptive spectra without phase twist. Our approach is much simpler to implement than standard non-collinear beam geometries, which are challenging to phase stabilize and require complicated calibrations. Using pulse shaping, many new experiments are now also possible in both 2D-E spectroscopy and coherent control.
Customisation with crossed-basis sub-segmentation

The paper proposes a cost-effective method of creating customised marketing contacts, and tests the method with a large field experiment. The firm should sub-segment its customers in different ways using complementary basis variables, and create marketing contacts that are comprised of content determined by the various sub-segments. A field experiment illustrates and evaluates our approach, showing that customisation improves response rates, but not basket sizes. The paper also tests the ‘labelling hypothesis’ for newer customers, which asserts that the firm is better off guessing (labelling) the segment membership of a newer customer (about whom little is known because of limited transaction history) than sending a generic offer. We find that customised offers outperform generic offers for newer customers.
Real-Time Verification Techniques for Untimed Systems

Abstract We show that verification techniques for timed automata based on the Alur and Dill region-graph construction can be applied to much more general kinds of systems, including asynchronous untimed systems over unbounded integer variables. We follow this approach in proving that the model-checking problem for the n-process Bakery algorithm is decidable, for any fixed n. We believe this is the first decidability proof for this problem to appear in the literature.
The Need for Nursing Education in the Care of Adults with Congenital Heart Defects

Background The population of adults with congenital heart defects is rapidly expanding. Formal and informal nursing education offers little if any training in the care of adults with congenital heart defects, creating a disparity between the growing need for care for these patients and the availability of knowledgeable providers. Methods A needs assessment survey was conducted to assess educational needs, use of available resources, and learning method preferences of nurses within a Midwestern community hospital (N = 800). The convenience sample included 269 responses (n = 269). A pilot survey was conducted with a subset of the population (n = 18). Results The results showed a poor understanding of adults with congenital heart defects, with findings similar to those of previous studies. Conclusion Providing education may help to prepare nurses to care for adults with congenital heart defects as these patients are seen in increasing numbers in all areas of health care.
Use of antibodies in the analysis of connexin 43 turnover and phosphorylation.

Abstract A series of antipeptide antibodies designed to recognize specific sequences of the gap junction protein connexin 43 (Cx43) were developed and characterized immunochemically and immunohistologically. These antibodies bound to gap junctions and, on Western blots, to 43-kDa (often resolved as a doublet) and 41-kDa proteins in samples from heart, leptomeningeal cells, and brain. Relatively little of the 41-kDa protein was detectable in heart homogenates. Cultured rat leptomeningeal cells expressed high levels of the gap junction protein Cx43 and were used to analyze its turnover and phosphorylation. Pulse–chase experiments in leptomeningeal cells with [35S]methionine indicated that the 41-kDa form of connexin 43 was the first immunoprecipitable translation product. Radiolabel subsequently appeared in the lower band of the doublet at 43 kDa, followed by a shift into the higher band and turnover of the protein with a t1/2 of 2.7 h. Pulse–chase labeling with [32P]Pi indicated that phosphorylation of connexin 43 was limited to the 43-kDa protein, with a t1/2 of 1.7 h. Treatment with alkaline phosphatase shifted the apparent molecular mass of the 43-kDa protein doublet such that it comigrated with the 41-kDa form. Hence, the 43-kDa protein observed on Western blots of both leptomeningeal cells and heart arises by phosphorylation of the 41 kDa precursor. Phosphorylation of serine residues accounts for most, if not all, of Cx43 phosphorylation in this system.
Capacitive sensors for in-vivo measurements of the dielectric properties of biological materials

Two open-ended coaxial sensors for in vivo measurements of the dielectric properties of biological tissues at low radio frequencies are described. The high fringing-field capacitance of these sensors allows accurate measurements of high-water-content tissues at frequencies as low as 10 kHz. Each sensor is represented by two capacitances, which are calculated using the method of moments. Theoretical and experimental results for experimental sensors terminating a standard 14-mm coaxial line with a GR900 connector are presented. >
A minority with diversity: the Shiʿi community in America

The twentieth century witnessed a dramatic increase in the migration of Muslims to the American shores. The increased presence and visibility of Muslims in America means that Islam is no longer to be characterized as a Middle Eastern or South Asian phenomenon. Given the fact that it is the fastest growing religion in America, Islam is now a very American phenomenon. Hence the familiar categorization of ‘Islam and the West’ should be reformulated to read ‘Islam in the West.’ Most scholars have focused on the experience of Sunni Muslims in America. They often postulate a monolithic Islam that expresses the ‘normative Islam.’ Hence any variant religious expression is perceived as an aberration that is to be ignored or discarded. This paper will outline the salient features that characterize the Shiʿi community in America. It will also examine the challenges the community encounters living as a minority within the broader Muslim community. The article will argue that divisions within the American Shiʿi commun...
An automated technique for identification and analysis of activation fronts in a two-dimensional electrogram array

Cardiac activation sequences are normally determined by (i) the detection and timing of local activations in cardiac electrograms, (ii) the grouping together of activations in different electrodes that are generated by the same activation fronts, and (iii) the construction by interpolation of isochronal maps showing the pathways of the activation fronts. This process is typically carried out by manual or semiautomated methods. These methods are usually adequate for stable, repeatable rhythms in normal hearts. However, in situations in which the electrograms are distorted, as in those recorded from abnormal myocardium, or the mapped rhythms are rapidly changing, as in ventricular fibrillation, they are tedious and time-consuming and yield results that are subjective and not repeatable from one investigator to another. Therefore, we developed a computer-based method for automating the identification and analysis of activation fronts recorded from a large array of electrodes. The electrodes are closely spaced (1 mm) so that interpolation is not required. Electrodes are identified as recording an activation when the temporal derivative of the potential is more negative than a user-specified value. Activations occurring less than a user-specified distance apart in time and space are identified as part of the same activation front. Characteristics of the activation fronts, such as their number, size, and the presence of reentry or collision, are then quantified. The differences between the results obtained by this automated method and those obtained by four human investigators was no greater than the differences in results among the four investigators themselves. Because the method is automated and algorithmic, it is both rapid and repeatable.
Degradation Mechanism Characterization and Remaining Life Prediction for NiCoCrAlY Coatings

The cyclic oxidation behaviors of two NiCoCrAlY coatings, which are PWA 286 and CT102 (GT33-like), were characterized using one-hour thermal cycles between ambient temperature and a peak temperature at either 1010°C or 1066°C. Weight change curves were generated as a function of thermal cycles. During cyclic oxidation testing, selected test specimens were removed and sectioned to characterize the coating degradation processes, such as oxidation attack, type and morphology of oxides, Al depletion, β-phase exhaustion, microstructural changes, and thermal fatigue crack formation. These experimental data were utilized in conjunction with a coating lifing model, called COATLIFE, to develop coating life diagrams that depicts the useful life of the coatings as a function of cycle time. Application of the COATLIFE approach and the coating life diagrams to predicting the remaining lives of GT33-like and PWA 286 coatings are demonstrated for turbine blades in land-based combustion gas turbines.© 2004 ASME
Photometry of the full solar disk at the San Fernando Observatory

Abstract Daily photometry of the full solar disk began at the San Fernando Observatory in mid-1985. At present, observations with two photometric telescopes produce images in the red, blue and CaII K -line. The smaller telescope obtains images that are 512 × 512 pixels. The larger one obtains images that are 1024 × 1024 pixels. In addition, the larger telescope produces images with a narrower K -line and an IR filter. Images are processed to determine a number of photometric quantities including sunspot deficits and facular/network excesses. These photometric quantities are highly correlated with fluctuations in the total solar irradiance (TSI) from spacecraft experiments.
Radiation force of a helicoidal Bessel beam on a sphere

The partial-wave series for the scattering of an acoustic helicoidal Bessel beam by a sphere centered on the axis of the beam is applied to the calculation of the acoustic radiation force by the beam on the sphere in an inviscid fluid. The term “helicoidal” refers to a type of beam having an axial amplitude null and an azimuthal phase gradient. Such a beam is known as an acoustic vortex and only the case of a vortex having a unit magnitude topological charge is considered. There is no monopole contribution to the radiation force. Radiation force examples are computed for a soft sphere, a fixed rigid sphere, a movable rigid sphere, an aluminum sphere in water, and an acrylic sphere in water. Beam parameters are found for the rigid sphere and the aluminum and acrylic cases in which the radiation force is directed opposite the propagation direction of the beam. Negative radiation forces appear to be associated with relatively weak scattering into the backward hemisphere. Some aspects of the low frequency scattering of plane waves and helicoidal Bessel beams are examined for movable rigid spheres.
Isolation of Hemicellulose from Corn Fiber by Alkaline Hydrogen Peroxide Extraction

ABSTRACT For the first time, alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) extraction conditions were used to isolate hemicellulose (arabinoxylan) from destarched corn fiber. Yields of the water-soluble hemicellulose B ranged from 35% (24 hr extraction at 25°C) to 42% (2 hr extraction at 60°C). The hemicellulose B resulting from the 2 hr extraction (pH 11.5) was off-white in color, and a very low proportion (1.7%) of water-insoluble hemicellulose A was extracted. AHP treatment caused delignification and facilitated the alkaline extraction of hemicellulose from the lignocellulosic fiber matrix. In the absence of H2O2, yields were reduced by more than one-third when using otherwise identical extraction conditions of time, temperature and pH. In the standard protocol, corn fiber, NaOH solution, and H2O2 were mixed in a 1:25:0.25 (w/v/w) ratio. Extractions were conducted at pH 11.5 at 25°C or 60°C. The pH was adjusted to 11.5 by addition of NaOH at ambient and elevated temperatures. The optimum hemicellulose yield (51.3%;...