cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new wide dynamic range fixed point ADC for FPAs

CMOS image sensor system has several clear advantages over CCD image sensor system: selective readout, low power, small size, high frame rate, on-chip functionality, and low cost. However CCD image system still dominates over digital camera market, because the CMOS image system has a poor dynamic range (DR) and peak signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In this paper, we propose a new enhanced DR and peak SNR CMOS image sensor with pixel level analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The proposed reset technique increases the well capacity of the imager. Consequently, DR and peak SNR are increased simultaneously while other DR enhancement schemes increase only DR. We designed and simulated the proposed circuit and achieved 12bit resolution with 1000frames/sec. Power consumption per each pixel is 50nW. DR is enhanced by 36dB and peak SNR is enhanced by 18dB.
Uncertainty in Dispersion Forecasting Using Meteorological Ensembles

The usefulness of dispersion forecasts depends on proper interpretation of results. Understanding the uncertainty in model predictions and the range of possible outcomes is critical for determining the optimal course of action in response to terrorist attacks. One of the objectives for the Modeling and Prediction initiative is creating tools for emergency planning for special events such as the upcoming the Olympics. Meteorological forecasts hours to days in advance are used to estimate the dispersion at the time of the event. However, there is uncertainty in any meteorological forecast, arising from both errors in the data (both initial conditions and boundary conditions) and from errors in the model. We use ensemble forecasts to estimate the uncertainty in the forecasts and the range of possible outcomes.
Hexamethylsilirane : I. Preparation, characterization and thermal decomposition

Abstract Hexamethylsilirane has been prepared by the action of magnesium on dimethyl-bis(α-bromoisopropyl)silane in tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution. It was found to be highly reactive toward atmospheric oxygen and moisture and to decompose when heated in solution at 60–75°C. Its decomposition results in the extrusion of dimethylsilylene which may add to the tetramethylethylene produced in the decomposition to regenerate the silirane, insert into the reactive SiC2 ring of the silirane to give octamethyl-1,2-disilacyclobutane or oligomerize to give (Me2Si)n oils. Dimethyldiisopropyl-, tetraisopropyl- and tert-butyltriisopropylsilane were prepared by catalytic hydrogenation of the corresponding isopropenylsilanes. Bromination of dimethyldiisopropylsilane at 65°C resulted in exclusive formation of dimethyl-bis(α-bromoisopropyl)silane.
A Survey of Ultrasound Training in U.S. and Canadian Chronic Pain Fellowship Programs

Objective To assess the current state of ultrasound training in U.S. and Canadian Chronic Pain Fellowship programs. Design U.S. as well as Canadian chronic pain fellowship programs were contacted via email and program directors were asked to complete a survey. The surveys were completed online using a questionnaire. Setting Questionnaire via email. Patients None. Interventions None. Outcome To assess the current state of ultrasound training in U.S. and Canadian Chronic Pain Fellowship programs. Measures Current teaching structure, types, and numbers of ultrasound-guided interventional pain procedures. Results Thirty-one responses (30.7%) from the 97 U.S. and four Canadian programs surveyed. Of the 31 programs that responded, 26 offered ultrasound training; five did not. These 31 programs averaged 4.1 fellows per year, majority 96.2% of the 26 programs taught ultrasound throughout the fellowship year. The type of ultrasound training varied, with the large majority 96.2% being patient based. Among 26 programs, 96.2% used ultrasound for peripheral nerve blocks, 76.9% used ultrasound for non-axial musculoskeletal injections, and 53.8% used ultrasound for axial nerve blocks. Conclusions Chronic pain fellowships were teaching ultrasound-guided procedures to their fellows. The majority of the fellowships offered ultrasound training throughout the fellowship year. A majority of training was accomplished via hands-on experience with patients. Chronic pain fellows were receiving a majority of ultrasound training for peripheral nerve blocks, followed by nonaxial musculoskeletal blocks, with few axial nerve blocks being taught.
Analysis of Nutrition Education in Osteopathic Medical Schools

Purpose. Describe nutrition education at US colleges of osteopathic medicine; determine if it meets recommended levels. Method. We surveyed 30 US colleges of osteopathic medicine (US COM) with a four-year curriculum about the amount and form of required nutrition education during the 2012/13 academic year. The online survey asked about hours of required nutrition across all 4 years and also in what types of courses this instruction occurred. We performed descriptive statistics to analyze the data. Results. Twenty-six institutions (87% response rate) completed the survey. Most responding US COM (22/26, 85%) do not meet the recommended minimum 25 hours of nutrition education; 8 (31%) provide less than half as much. Required nutrition instruction is largely confined to preclinical courses, with an average of 15.7 hours. Only 7 of the 26 responding schools report teaching clinical nutrition practice, providing on average 4.1 hours. Conclusions. Most US COM are inadequately preparing osteopathic physicians for the challenges they will face in practice addressing the nutritional concerns of their patients. Doctors of osteopathy cannot be expected to properly treat patients or guide the prevention of cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome if they are not trained to identify and modify the contributing lifestyle factors.
Characteristics that define high risk in carotid endarterectomy from the Vascular Study Group of New England

Objective The Stenting with Angioplasty and Protection in Patients at High Risk for Endarterectomy (SAPPHIRE) trial compared carotid endarterectomy (CEA) to carotid artery stenting (CAS) among high-risk patients using a model of risk that has not been validated by previous publications. The objective of our study was to determine the accuracy of this high-risk model and to determine the true risk factors that result in patients being at high risk for CEA. Methods Prospectively collected data for 3098 CEAs between 2003 and 2011 at 20 Vascular Surgery Group of New England (VSGNE) centers were used. SAPPHIRE general inclusion criteria and primary outcomes were assessed. Factors that were associated with the primary outcome by analysis of variance ( P Results The average patient age was 69.9 ± 9.5 years, 60% were male, and 45.7% were asymptomatic. The 1-year composite outcome event rate, defined as postoperative myocardial infarction and stroke or death, was 14.2%. Multivariate analysis ( P P P = .020), congestive heart failure (95% CI, 1.4-2.8; P P P P = .003), and contralateral internal carotid artery stenosis (95% CI, 1.0-1.2; P = .001). Three of the SAPPHIRE high-risk criteria—abnormal stress test, recurrent stenosis after CEA, and previous radiotherapy to the neck—were not independently associated with an adverse outcome. Independently significant risk factors not included in the SAPPHIRE criteria are inclusion of ages 13 points, representing adverse outcome rate of 22.5%. Conclusions SAPPHIRE and other previously reported high-risk CAS inclusion criteria do not include all of the factors found to be independently associated with outcomes. Further studies are required to determine whether CAS is inferior to CEA in high-risk patients using a validated model of risk. In addition, this preoperative assessment includes novel criteria that can be used to stratify risks.
Morgan—Lawyer, Ethnologist, and Intellectual

Thomas R. Trautmann. Lewis Henry Morgan and the Invention of Kinship. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1987. xiv. 290 pp.
Mechanical Response of Hollow Metallic Nanolattices: Combining Structural and Material Size Effects

Ordered cellular solids have higher compressive yield strength and stiffness compared to stochastic foams. The mechanical properties of cellular solids depend on their relative density and follow structural scaling laws. These scaling laws assume the mechanical properties of the constituent materials, like modulus and yield strength, to be constant and dictate that equivalent-density cellular solids made from the same material should have identical mechanical properties. We present the fabrication and mechanical properties of three-dimensional hollow gold nanolattices whose compressive responses demonstrate that strength and stiffness vary as a function of geometry and tube wall thickness. All nanolattices had octahedron geometry, a constant relative density, ρ ∼ 5%, a unit cell size of 5–20 μm, and a constant grain size in the Au film of 25–50 nm. Structural effects were explored by increasing the unit cell angle from 30 deg to 60 deg while keeping all other parameters constant; material size effects were probed by varying the tube wall thickness, t, from 200 nm to 635 nm, at a constant relative density and grain size. In situ uniaxial compression experiments revealed an order of magnitude increase in yield stress and modulus in nanolattices with greater lattice angles, and a 150% increase in the yield strength without a concomitant change in modulus in thicker-walled nanolattices for fixed lattice angles. These results imply that independent control of structural and material size effects enables tunability of mechanical properties of three-dimensional architected metamaterials and highlight the importance of material, geometric, and microstructural effects in small-scale mechanics.
Numerical simulation methods for rough surface scattering

Abstract Numerical methods are of great importance in the study of electromagnetic scattering from random rough surfaces. This review provides an overview of rough surface scattering and application areas of current interest, and surveys research in numerical simulation methods for both one- and two-dimensional surfaces. Approaches considered include numerical methods based on analytical scattering approximations, differential equation methods and surface integral equation methods. Emphasis is placed on recent advances such as rapidly converging iterative solvers for rough surface problems and fast methods for increasing the computational efficiency of integral equation solvers.
1.5-1.7 μm v.p.e. InGaAsP/InP c.w. lasers

Room temperature c.w. lasing operation has been achieved at 1.55 μm with InGaAsP/InP devices and at 1.65 μm with InGaAs/InP devices prepared via vapour-phase epitaxy. Lasing threshold currents vary as exp (T – 20)/T0 with 40<T0 <60°C.
Interest-driven STEM learning among youth through a social networking site

Engaging middle school youth in STEM curricula resulting in desired conceptual changes is challenging. Furthermore, social media are identified as platforms where youth naturally congregate for sustained interaction. Studio STEM was designed as an after school programme to engage learners (ages 11–15) in design-based science inquiry within a studio environment, enhanced by social media and digital tools. In the highlighted curriculum, Save the Penguins, youth performed scientific experiments and engineering practices to design an enclosure to protect penguin-shaped ice cubes from rising temperature. Researchers tracked attendee and facilitator interactions through the social networking site, Edmodo. Results assert that youth’s understanding of science concepts was enhanced through participation in Studio STEM, evidenced through their articulation of understanding through Edmodo. Articulation remained dependent upon the amount of prompting that facilitators used within the Edmodo site as well as the availability of time set aside for students to interact with Edmodo.
Evaluation of radiosurgery techniques with cumulative dose volume histograms in linac-based stereotactic external beam irradiation.

Abstract Radiosurgery at UCSF is performed with a 6-MV linear accelerator with tertiary collimation for improved small field definition. The dose delivery to the target relative to normal tissue is influenced by the number of arcs, the arc geometry, field size, and beam energy. The impact of are number, are geometry, and field size on the dose distribution from 6-MV X rays in a 16 cm spherical phantom has been evaluated through the use of cumulative dose volume histograms. Dose volume histograms were calculated for a) 1–5 and 10 arcs, and b) collimator sizes of 1.25, 2.0, and 3.0 cm. Differences between techniques were found at the 5–10% level for field sizes from 1.25 to 2.0 cm. It was shown that the finite dimension of the sphere and, by extension, head diminishes the differences between techniques for the larger field sizes. The effect of treating with two isocenters is also analyzed and an approach for improving the dose distribution is presented.
Immunoselection and culture of cortical collecting duct cells

A straightforward method is described for isolating and culturing cells from the renal cortical collecting duct. This method uses monoclonal antibodies and solid phase immunoadsorption to select for the targeted cell population. The large number of cells obtained with this method facilitates biochemical studies and initiation of cell cultures. Monolayers grown on permeable membranes can be used for studying mechanisms of ion transport and cell differentiation as well as their hormonal regulation.
Cold room thermoregulation, store consumption, and survival of Africanized and European honey bees (Apis mellifera L)

La possibilite pour les abeilles africanisees (A) de survivre dans des conditions hivernales ou de froid a ete evaluee dans une chambre froide en comparant l'aggregation, la temperature a l'interieur des grappes, la consommation de saccharose ou de miel et la survie des ouvrieres avec les memes donnees pour les abeilles europeennes (E). Quatre types d'experiences ont ete faites en chambre froide a Acarigua, Venezuela, en 1986 et 1987: 1) 40 g d'abeilles ouvrieres dans des cagettes maintenues a 15°C pendant 10 j; 2) 1,0 kg d'ouvrieres dans des cages grillagees maintenues durant 24 h a 20, 10, 5 et 0°C; 3) des colonies de 1,5 kg d'ouvrieres, depourvue de couvain et maintenues pendant 3 j aux temperatures ambiantes de 12,5 et −2,5°C; 4) des colonies avec du couvain maintenues a 0°C durant 10 semaines
Experimental and ab initio study of enhanced resistance to amorphization of nanocrystalline silicon carbide under electron irradiation

The crystalline-to-amorphous transition in nanocrystalline silicon carbide (ncSiC) has been studied using 1.25 MeV electron irradiation. When compared to literature values for single crystal silicon carbide under electron irradiation, an increase in the dose to amorphization (DTA) was observed, indicative of an increase in radiation resistance. Factors that contribute to this improvement are grain refinement, grain texture, and a high density of stacking faults (SFs) in this sample of ncSiC. To test the effect of SFs on the DTA, density functional theory simulations were conducted. It was found that SFs reduced the energy barriers for both Si interstitial migration and the rate-limiting defect recovery reaction, which may explain the increased DTA.
Engaging Teens and Parents in Collaborative Practice: Perspectives on Diabetes Self-Management

PurposeThe purpose of this exploratory focus group study was to describe the perspectives of teens and their parents about self-management knowledge, behaviors (including division of labor associated with T1D management), and resources used to manage T1D. The overall goal is to use this information to develop a teen–family transition clinic.MethodsThe self and family management behaviors framework undergirded the separate teen–parent focus groups that were conducted concurrently. Note-based qualitative content analysis was used, resulting in several important messages.ResultsFrom the teens’ perspective there was variation in interest in learning more about T1D and management. Those teens who had been diagnosed at a very young age reported not knowing anything else but diabetes, while those diagnosed later developmentally embraced the active learning process. Diabetes camp and peer group support were not seen as beneficial. All the teens were interested in “helping others” with diabetes. Parents shared the...
Evaluation of lopamidol and diatrizoate in excretory urography: a double-blind clinical study.

Image opacification, patients' tolerance, and clinical and laboratory findings were evaluated in patients having excretory urography at three centers. In a double-blind, parallel study, iopamidol was compared with diatrizoate (50-ml dose), and in an open-label trial, the administration of a 100-ml dose of iopamidol was evaluated. In the double-blind study, a total of 84 patients received 50 ml of either iopamidol or diatrizoate. In the open-label study, another 42 patients received a 100-ml dose of iopamidol. Image opacification scores after the administration of the 50-ml doses showed better opacification with iopamidol than with diatrizoate in the renal calices (p less than .05) and in the composite kidney (p less than .05). Opacification scores were higher for 100-ml doses of iopamidol than for 50-ml doses in all anatomic regions as well as in the composite kidney (p = .0001). Patients' tolerance to iopamidol was significantly better than their tolerance to diatrizoate (p less than .025). Investigators...
Measurement of Available Lysine Using the Guanidination Reaction

Available lysine with its free e-amino group can be chemically converted to homoarginine by means of a guanidination reaction using methylisourea (MIU). Various factors that can affect this reaction were investigated. For milk protein optimum conditions were found to be pH 10.8 for 96 hr at 20°C with a MIU concentration of 0.5M. Other protein sources had a different optimum pH for the guandination reaction. Addition of various carbohydrate sources and amounts did not interfere with the quantitation of available lysine.
Bands with an involution

Abstract A ∗ -regular semigroup is a semigroup with a unary operation satisfying the axioms x ∗∗ = x, (xy) ∗ = y ∗ x ∗ , and xx ∗ x = x . A ∗ -regular semigroup is orthodox if and only if it satisfies the additional axiom (xx ∗ yy ∗ zz ∗ ) 2 = xx ∗ yy ∗ zz ∗ . Consequently, the class of ∗ -orthodox semigroups forms a variety. Clearly, the lattice of subvarieties of ∗ -regular idempotent semigroups forms a sublattice of the lattice of all varieties of ∗ -orthodox semigroups. This paper completely describes the lattice of subvarieties of ∗ -regular idempotent semigroups.
More Evidence for the Relationship Between Holland's Personality Types and Personality Variables

This correlational study, using an adult sample of 175 men and 123 women, replicates the correlational patterns between the Self-Directed Search (SDS; Holland, 1985a) and the revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI/FFI; Costa & McCrae, 1989) observed in earlier investigations. The relationships between the SDS and the Personal Styles Inventory (PSI; Silver & Malone, 1993)—developed to measure six personality disorders or styles from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev.) (DSM-III-R; American Psychiatric Association, 1987)—were also explored. Canonical and simple correlational analyses indicate that the SDS is more closely related to the NEO PI/FFI than to the PSI. These analyses lend support to the formulation for some of Holland's Personality types.
Evaluation of memory endophenotypes for association with CLU, CR1, and PICALM variants in black and white subjects

Abstract Background Genetic variants at the CLU , CR1 , and PICALM loci associate with risk for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) in genomewide association studies. In this study, our aim was to determine whether the LOAD risk variants at these three loci influence memory endophenotypes in black and white subjects. Methods We pursued an association study between single nucleotide polymorphism genotypes at the CLU , CR1 , and PICALM loci and memory endophenotypes. We assessed black subjects (AA series: 44 with LOAD and 224 control subjects) recruited at Mayo Clinic Florida and whites recruited at Mayo Clinic Minnesota (RS series: 372 with LOAD and 1690 control subjects) and Florida (JS series: 60 with LOAD and 529 control subjects). Single nucleotide polymorphisms at the LOAD risk loci CLU (rs11136000), CR1 (rs6656401, rs3818361), and PICALM (rs3851179) were genotyped and tested for association with Logical Memory immediate recall, Logical Memory delayed recall, Logical Memory percent retention, Visual Reproduction immediate recall, Visual Reproduction delayed recall, and Visual Reproduction percent retention scores from the Wechsler Memory Scale–Revised using multivariable linear regression analysis, adjusting for age at exam, sex, education, and apolipoprotein E e4 dosage. Results We identified nominally significant or suggestive associations between the LOAD-risky CR1 variants and worse Logical Memory immediate recall scores in blacks ( P = .068–.046, β = −2.7 to −1.2). The LOAD-protective CLU variant is associated with better logical memory endophenotypes in white subjects ( P = .099–.027, β = 0.31–0.93). The CR1 associations persisted when the control subjects from the AA series were assessed separately. The CLU associations appeared to be driven by one of the white series (RS) and were also observed when the control subset from RS was analyzed. Conclusion These results suggest for the first time that LOAD risk variants at CR1 may influence memory endophenotypes in blacks. In addition, the CLU LOAD-protective variant may confer enhanced memory in whites. Although these results would not remain significant after stringent corrections for multiple testing, they need to be considered in the context of the LOAD associations with which they have biological consistency. They also provide estimates for effect sizes on memory endophenotypes that could guide future studies. The detection of memory effects for these variants in clinically normal subjects, implies that these LOAD risk loci might modify memory prior to clinical diagnosis of AD.
604: Antenatal screening for cystic fibrosis: Cost-effectiveness by ethnicity

ETHNICITY SARAH LITTLE, WILLIAM GROBMAN, ANTHONY ODIBO, DAVID STAMILIO, STEPHEN THUNG, AARON CAUGHEY, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of antenatal screening for cystic fibrosis carrier status by ethnic group. STUDY DESIGN: A design analytic model was created in Data TreeAge Pro. Cystic fibrosis carrier screening vs. no screening was compared for 5 different ethnic groups: white non-Jewish, Ashkenazi Jew, black, Hispanic and Asian. We allowed for both similar and dissimilar ethnic backgrounds amongst couples. Primary outcome was cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) from a societal perspective. Baseline assumptions included a prevalence of carrier frequency of 4.1%, 3.9%, 1.7%, 1.6%, and 1.1% amongst Jewish, white, Hispanic, black and Asian populations, respectively and a test sensitivity of 92.1%, 86.5%, 70.4%, 63.1%, and 47.9%, respectively. We estimated the utility of having a child with cystic fibrosis at 0.9 and a SAB or therapeutic abortion (TAB) at 0.76 for two years. As a baseline, we assumed a 100% rate of amniocentesis if both partners screen positive and that all couples would pursue a TAB if a fetus had CF. Univariate and multivariate sensitivity analysis was performed. RESULTS: For white and Jewish couples, carrier screening was the dominant (less expensive, more effective) option. This result was sensitive to the probability of choosing amniocentesis and TAB. Screening was only cost-effective for those couples at least 50% likely to abort an affected fetus. For black, Hispanic and Asian couples cystic fibrosis carrier screening was not cost-effective at 2.6, 1.8 and 10.5 million dollars per QALY, respectively. Even if the test sensitivity for black, Hispanic or Asian ethnicity reached 100%, screening would still not be cost-effective for these groups given their low prevalence of disease. CONCLUSION: Screening for cystic fibrosis carrier status is only cost-effective for white and Jewish couples, and only for those couples likely to abort an affected fetus.
The effect of tobacco mosaic virus biosynthesis on the nucleic acid content of tobacco leaf

Abstract The nucleic acid contents of various fractions of otherwise identical uninfected and TMV-infected tobacco leaf tissue cultured in nutrient were determined at intervals after inoculation. The effects of infection are restricted to the buffer-insoluble portion of leaf homogenates. Prior to the appearance of free TMV, the nucleic acid of this fraction in infected tissue exceeds the comparable value in uninfected tissue by an amount which is slightly in excess of the nucleic acid later found in the maximum amount of TMV formed by the tissue. As free TMV appears, this excess disappears and a deficiency in nucleic acid content develops. At the end of the infection process, the difference due to infection is nearly zero. When these effects are analyzed in terms of the separate nitrogen bases it is found that the excesses in uracil, cytosine, and adenine which precede the appearance of TMV are nearly equal to the amounts of these bases finally found in virus nucleic acid. On the other hand, the guanine excess is about twice that required for TMV formation. The results suggest that the excess nucleic acid which accumulates before TMV appears represents a precursor of TMV nucleic acid, but that other processes, including degradation of host nucleic acid are also involved in virus replication.
A program selection/resource allocation model for control of malaria and related parasitic diseases

Abstract Malaria and related parasitic diseases are in the midst of a severe resurgence world-wide. Due to a series of complex factors reflecting shifting economic and physical conditions and life styles, purely technical approaches to control of parasitic diseases are becoming less effective. An emerging theory calling for an integration of disease control efforts with socioeconomic development is now being proposed as essential to future success. This paper seeks to systematically identify and organize the basic tenets of this “integrated approach.” Based on the resulting analysis, a multiobjective planning and resource allocation model is formulated to help identify “most effective” program-based disease/development intervention strategies. Guidelines are offered for the quantification, sensitivity analysis, and solution of the model in real-world problem contexts. The model represents a first attempt to formally interface the major societal dimensions critical to control of parasitic diseases.
Replacement textures in CAI and implications regarding planetary metamorphism

Textural and chemical features of five coarse-grained, calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions from the Allende meteorite indicate that some of the melilite in these inclusions was formed by a secondary metamorphic event and not by primary crystallization from a melt or by a sequential nebular condensation process. These inclusions contain embayed pyroxene surrounded by melilite. Physically separated pyroxene crystals are often in optical continuity indicating that they were once part of larger single crystals that have been partly replaced by melilite. Other evidences of metamorphism include reaction textures between melilite and spinel, and metamorphic textures such as kink-band-like features, lobate sutured grain boundaries, and 120° triple-points. This type of metamorphic process requires the addition of Ca which we propose came from calcite or by introduction of a fluid phase. We believe that the most likely environment for this metamorphic process is on a small planetary body, and not in the solar nebula. The results of this study are compatible with oxygen isotopic heterogeneities within CAI, and provide a mechanism for producing lower temperature alteration phases and the rim phases found in these inclusions. We conclude that planetary processes must thus be considered in the formation history of CAI, and that it is necessary to reconsider the classification system of these objects in light of the replacement process proposed here.
Smad Transcriptional Corepressors in TGFβ Family Signaling

The known Smad transcriptional repressors appear to play multiple roles in modulating TGF beta-activated transcriptional responses. As detailed in Fig. 4, in the [figure: see text] absence of TGF beta signals, Ski/Sno prevent the activation of transcription by Smad proteins that find their way to the nucleus. Following TGF beta stimulation, the interaction with Ski/Sno is lost and these proteins are degraded. The free, activated Smad complex then enters the nucleus, where it can form two different kinds of transcriptional complexes: one involving interactions with general transcriptional coactivators, resulting in transcriptional activation, and the alternate complex, in which coactivators are displaced by a complex of corepressors recruited via a protein such as TGIF. The relative levels of these two complexes formed appear to be determined by the levels of available Smad coactivators and corepressors present within the cell. Once Smad transcriptional complexes have been formed, they can be further modulated by corepressors in at least two ways. TGF beta itself appears to upregulate SnoN expression, perhaps resulting in negative feedback on the activating Smad complexes. The balance between coactivators and corepressors within the cell can also be altered by other signaling inputs, and it appears that the stabilization of TGIF in response to activation of the MAP kinase pathway is able to shift the balance towards transcriptional repression. The scheme of action of Smad corepressors, represented in Fig. 4, is based on the initial analyses of these factors, and the challenge for the future is to more fully understand the precise physiological roles of Smad corepressors. Determining the roles they play in modulating responses to TGF beta family ligands during development, together with an analysis of the contributions of mutations that affect Smad corepressor function to genetic diseases such as HPE and to cancer will also be of great interest. Additionally, a better understanding of the events within the nucleus following BMP signaling may reveal the presence not only of more BMP-specific Smad recruiters, but also of BMP Smad-specific corepressors.
Effect of Acetyl-Salicylic Acid and Some Chemical Analogs on Chick Growth and Selected Biochemical Parameters

Abstract REID et al. (1964) showed that acetyl-salicylic acid (ASA) fed at dietary levels of from 0.005 to 0.08% for four weeks or at levels up to 0.075% for eight weeks failed to significantly effect growth or feed utilization of broiler chicks. They also showed that significantly increased egg production resulted when this drug was fed to laying hens. Thomas (1966) confirmed this observation and could not replicate any antibiotic property of ASA as an explanation for the observed increased egg production. Subsequently, Thomas (1966) studied various biochemical parameters in an attempt to explain the productive effects observed. These workers demonstrated several parametric differences, but could not correlate the biochemical results with reproductive observations. These studies were initiated to evaluate some of the biochemical effects of antipyretic drugs in broiler chicks, and to evaluate possible growth promoting properties of chemical analogs of ASA. EXPERIMENTAL Two experiments were conducted with New Hampshire . . .
New devices for scalp reduction. Intraoperative and prolonged scalp extension

BACKGROUND. Scalp reduction for male pattern and other extensive, permanent crown-vertex alopecias has been a beneficial, adjuvant procedure in hair replacement surgery and has been augmented by unsightly and sometimes painful intraoperative and chronic scalp expansion techniques. METHODS. Ten patients underwent scalp reduction for male pattern baldness utilizing intraoperative Sure-Closure, a skin-stretching device. Ten patients had Frechet Extenders placed under the scalp during their scalp reductions with subsequent removal 28 days later followed immediately by second reduction procedures. RESULTS. The skin-stretching device, Sure-Closure, allowed the excision of 20-30% more alopecic scalp during scalp reduction than what would have been possible with scalp reduction alone. The Frechet Extender when combined with a lazy S excision pattern for scalp reduction procedures generated between 25% and 50% more excision of alopecic scalp than with scalp reduction alone. CONCLUSION. Scalp reduction procedures can be more effectively performed with minimal complications and fewer reductions required per patient using either intraoperative scalp extension with the Sure-Closure device or chronic scalp extension with the Frechet Extender. Dermatol Surg 1995 ;21 :777-780.
Coronary constriction by leukotriene C4, D4, and E4 in the intact pig heart.

Leukotrienes are naturally occurring vasoactive metabolites of arachidonic acid that increase during inflammatory reactions and anaphylaxis. Coronary constriction and reduced myocardial contractility after leukotriene C4 and D4 administration were demonstrated in the isolated guinea pig heart. To explore the effects of leukotrienes in the in situ, blood-perfused heart, we administered leukotrienes C4, D4, and E4 into the coronary artery of the domestic pig. Increasing doses (0.1, 0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 μg) of leukotrienes C4, D4, and E4 were injected into the left anterior descending coronary artery of 8 openchest domestic pigs. Significant dose-related reduction in coronary blood flow was observed after each leukotriene administration. Three micrograms of each leukotriene produced the following maximal decreases (mean ± standard error): C4 = 80 ± 9%, p < 0.001; D4 = 81 ± 3%, p < 0.001; E4 = 64 ± 12%, p < 0.005. In several instances, surface electrograms recorded from the myocardial region exposed to leukotrienes showed signs of focal myocardial ischemia, sometimes accompanied by ventricular arrhythmia. Significant elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was observed after large doses (1 or 3 μg) of leukotrienes C4 and D4. Minimal (5 to 10%) decreases in mean arterial pressure and no change in heart rate were observed after leukotriene injection. We conclude that leukotrienes C4, D4, and E4 are extremely potent coronary constrictors in the in situ heart. The intensity of response and associated electrocardiographic signs of ischemia suggest that constriction is mainly due to a primary effect on vascular smooth muscle. However, coronary flow reduction may also reflect consequences of a primary negative inotropic action. Leukotrienes may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of a variety of cardiac disorders, particularly those associated with extensive inflammatory charges.
The evolution of disturbances in an Ekman boundary layer

A linear model of a wave packet in a laminar Ekman boundary layer is proposed for tracing the development of an initially localized pulsed perturbation at the boundary. The model disturbance was built up from a linear combination of growing modes summed numerically over all wavenumbers and frequencies. The input spectrum was assumed to be flat so that there was no biasing at any wavenumber or frequency and the evolution was calculated on the basis of linear-stability theory. The wave packet generated by the summation of modes developed uniformly downstream of the disturbance source location and, depending upon the choice of the Reynolds number, vividly displayed results representative of the different kinds of instabilities that are present in the Ekman layer. Outputs in the form of perspective plots are given in order to explain the evolution of the packet into either a single wave patch or a sum of individual wave patches.
The Life Review in Five Short Stories about Characters Facing Death.

Five modern short stories about people facing death illustrate and connect various observations of and theories about the dying process developed by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and Robert N. Butler. Kubler-Ross's observations of the fifth stage of the dying process–acceptance–are illustrated in the dying characters' desire to withdraw from their loved ones and to be left alone. Butler's concept of the life review is then applicable. In response to the imminence of their deaths, the characters survey their past, attempting to reintegrate their life's experiences. Their life reviews do not become a form of reminiscing to escape the pressures of physical pain, mental anguish, and/or confusion; rather, they take the form of reveries and selective memories of past incidents and events, pleasant and unpleasant, in the distant or recent past. Their reminiscences result in consequences for the main characters that are either positive, ambiguous, or self-destructive.
Effects of Thymectomy on the Resistance of Rats to Drowning and Histamine Stress

THE thymus has been proposed as a site of hormone production1. Bomskov et al.2 have reported that treatment of normal rats and guinea pigs with calf thymus extract distinctly diminished survival-time of animals exposed to chloroform–air mixtures.
Effect of biomaterial surface properties on fibronectin–α5β1 integrin interaction and cellular attachment

The ability of fibronectin (Fn) to mediate cell adhesion through binding to alpha(5)beta(1) integrins is dependent on the conditions of its adsorption to the surface. Using a model system of alkylsilane SAMs with different functional groups (X=OH, COOH, NH(2) and CH(3)) and an erythroleukemia cell line expressing a single integrin (alpha(5)beta(1)), the effect of surface properties on the cellular adhesion with adsorbed Fn layers was investigated. (125)I-labeled Fn, a modified biochemical cross-linking/extraction technique and a spinning disc apparatus were combined to quantify the Fn adsorption, integrin binding and adhesion strength, respectively. This methodology allows for a binding equilibrium analysis that more closely reflects cellular adhesion found in stable tissue constructs in vivo. Differences in detachment strength and integrin binding were explained in terms of changes in the adhesion constant (psi, related to affinity) and binding efficiency of the adsorbed Fn for the alpha(5)beta(1) integrins (CH(3) approximately NH(2)<COOH approximately OH) and the resulting average bond strength. Fn interacted more strongly with alpha(5)beta(1) integrins when adsorbed on COOH vs. OH surfaces suggesting that negative charge may be a critical component of inducing efficient cellular adhesion. As evident by the low psi values, Fn adsorbed on NH(2) and CH(3) surfaces interacted inefficiently with alpha(5)beta(1) integrins and also possessed significant non-specific components to adhesion. Lastly, comparison of cellular adhesion to Fn adsorbed onto smooth and rough surfaces showed that nano-scale roughness altered cellular adhesion by increasing the surface density of adsorbed Fn.
Reinforced concrete containment wall elements — development of strain and failure in tested specimens

Abstract Research conducted by the NRC Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research in seismic safety of reinforced concrete containment wall elements is reviewed for the purpose of emphasizing the significance of strain development in the last phase of loading, i.e., prior to failure. The tested specimens exhibited a height rate of strain-stress level close to failure. Determination of failure conditions is discussed.
2. Diffusion of Innovations in West Africa: A New Look at the Western Model

At the current level of development in the study area of Togo, several of the variable relationships consistently found in western research did not obtain. Education, for example, 1ed respondents away from agriculture to new areas of interest. It is felt that the path analysis model helped to explain the complex pattern of association and focus upon other variable relationships than those traditionally examined. It was thought that the adoption variable would correlate significantly with structural differentiation supporting the argument that adoption is a function of both the level and timing of societal development. This relationship may have been affected by the limited range in the adoption variable. The relationship was somewhat stronger between ownership and structural differentiation. It is suggested that further research be conducted to investigate the full adoption process and elaborate the present theoretical structure to discriminate among societies at different levels or times of social and economic development. In summary, it can be said that use of the western diffusion model in the study situation has resulted in unexpected and inconsistent findings. These inconsistencies may have been beneficial, however, in stimulating further development of the model and understanding diffusion as one aspect of the overall modernization process.
Work in progress: Using one-way communication delay for in-order arrival MPTCP scheduling

We use one-way communication delay of a TCP connection to design an MPTCP scheduler that transmits data out-of-order over multiple paths such that their arrival is in-order. Our Linux implementation shows our proposed scheduler can reduce receive buffer utilization, and increase overall throughput when a small receive buffer size results in receive buffer blocking.
A new ARMA spectral estimator

Recently, several researchers have proposed methods for estimating an autoregressive-moving average power spectral density without the need to determine the moving average parameters. However, these techniques do not guarantee a nonnegative spectral estimate and thus sometimes lead to invalid estimates. A simple procedure is proposed for obtaining a nonnegative spectral estimate given an estimate of the autoregressive parameters.
Jellium work function for all electron densities.

The work function and surface energy of jellium have been calculated for low (${r}_{s}$=12), metallic (2\ensuremath{\le}${r}_{s}$\ensuremath{\le}6), and high (0.5\ensuremath{\le}${r}_{s}$\ensuremath{\le}2) bulk electron densities. As the density increases, the work function peaks at 3.8 eV (${r}_{s}$=1.7), minimizes at 3.6 eV (${r}_{s}$=0.9, a density higher than that of metastable metallic hydrogen), peaks again at 3.7 eV (${r}_{s}$=0.6), and finally drops toward a high-density limit around 2.0 eV (${r}_{s}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0). The self-consistent calculations, which employ an accurate electron-gas exchange-correlation energy within the local-density approximation, are numerically challenging at high densities. Exchange-only calculations, which display the same double-peaked density dependence, are also reported. The high-density limits for the work function with and without correlation (2.0 and 1.0 eV, respectively) have been estimated in two ways: (1) from an extension of Peuckert's argument, and (2) from the Thomas-Fermi-Dirac-Gombas approximation.
Spurious-Free Dynamic Range in Photonic Integrated Circuit Filters With Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers

Among other advantages, radio-frequency (RF) signal processing in the optical domain using photonic integrated circuits (PICs) offers unprecedented bandwidth and tunability. However, modern RF-photonic link applications demand PICs with high spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR). The SFDR of active PICs integrating semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) is limited by amplified spontaneous emission noise and distortion caused by four-wave mixing. Here, we derive an analytical model for the SFDR of SOAs, and extend it to PICs with arbitrary transfer functions integrating many SOAs. The model is general and applicable to any photonic signal-processing circuit operating in the linear amplification regime below saturation. We show analytically the importance of SFDR-driven photonic design over noise-figure-driven design. Using this model, we explore the SFDR of coupled-ring bandpass filters integrated on a high saturation power integration platform and show SFDR as high as 117.0 dB·Hz2/3 for filters with bandwidths in the 1-2 GHz range. We show how the material parameters and PIC design determine the SFDR. Tradeoffs between SFDR and filter bandwidth, extinction, and stopband roll-off are investigated.
The revolution in breast cancer surgery: science or anecdotalism?

During the past 15 to 20 years, there have resulted revolutionary changes in the local/regional management of primary breast cancer. Why have those changes come about? Has science played a role or have they been entirely related to the experiences of a few who have “tampered with tradition” for some nebulous reason? This report traces the pathway of change from Halsted's time to the present and attempts to point out wherever possible the relation of these changes to science and/or to “anecdotalism.” It traces the origins of the Halstedian hypothesis of cancer management, the reasons for its perpetuation, and the clinical challenges to it which were really not challenges at all. A description of laboratory and clinical research in the 1960's which led to an alternative hypothesis is presented, as is a description of how clinical trials tested the alternative hypothesis. The results of those trials, recently reported, lend support to a concept of surgery for cancer which embodies biological principles rather than the mechanistic and anatomical principles of the past. A brief discussion is provided relative to how cancer surgery interrelates with other modalities and the article concludes with the author's concept of a surgical oncologist.
Voice Outcomes After Endoscopic Injection Laryngoplasty with Hyaluronic luronic Acid Stabilized Gel

Objective A variety of materials as well as approaches have been used to treat glottic insufficiency, but the ideal procedure has yet to be determined. The goal of this study was evaluate the safety and efficacy of cross-linked hyaluronic acid (Restylane) for office-based injection laryngoplasty for the treatment of vocal fold (VF) immobility. Study design Retrospective chart review. Methods Twenty-seven patients were with diagnosed VF immobility. Twenty-five received Restylane VF injections in the office setting via percutaneous, trans-thyrohyoid injection with distal chip endoscopic guidance. Two patients received injections using suspension microlaryngoscopy under general anesthesia. Voice outcomes were followed using the Voice-Related Quality of Life Survey and the Voice Outcome Survey. Results Four patients were lost to follow-up immediately after injection. 20 of 23 patients (87%) reported subjective improvement in voice. Analysis of subjective surveys from nine patients revealed a trend toward improvement of V-RQOL from 34 to 23 (P = 0.083) but did not reach significance. After compilation of all VOS questions, 69% of all follow-up responses noted improvement of symptoms, 24% were unchanged and 7% were worse. Conclusions Office-based injection laryngoplasty with Restylane appears to be a safe procedure that improves vocal function in patients with glottal insufficiency due to impaired VF mobility. Further studies are required to quantify the benefits and to compare the effects with other injectable materials.