cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Case of the Blue Finger - Achenbach Syndrome

Achenbach Syndrome is a self-limiting, benign condition that causes paroxysmal atraumatic hematomas in the volar aspects of fingers.1 It may be associated with burning, swelling, numbness, painful movement of hand joints, or a tingling sensation, often resembling serious vascular diseases that leads to extensive diagnostic testing. Despite the sometimes intriguing clinical picture, Achenbach Syndrome is self-resolving, and does not require diagnostic testing or treatment. We describe a case of Achenbach syndrome in a 77- year-old patient.
Artificial Intelligence: Legal Aspects, Risks: Are We Ready for Such Intelligent Autonomous Machines?

“Machine intelligence is the last invention that humanity will ever need to make” – Nick Bostrom. Most researchers agree that a super intelligent AI is unlikely to show human emotions like love or hate, and that there is no reason to expect AI to become intentionally compassionate or malicious. Privacy Issues are most significant apprehension with AI captivating possession of our data and a brain to function what to do by itself – AI a major hazard or goal towards better future? How can we certify safety for a technology that is coded to learn from its mistakes? Who will be liable for wrongs of AI – The Intelligent Autonomous Machines or Humans? We don’t see yet if it is even likely. I’m sceptical that we will be able to develop supercomputers that achieve true self-governing thought. The multifaceted communications of our brain functions with our functioning seem truly difficult to duplicate. In terms of computer applications, we will see snowballing application and acceptance of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. We already see this in shopping recommendations, games, and huge social networks. Voice assistants such as Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant use ML to perform natural dialectal dispensation and classification to respond appropriately. Such techniques will make intermingling with devices progressively seamless, which will ultimately make technology easier to use while making humans more effectual in discovery and handling information. Just like automation and the application of machine learning to industries and business processes, there are many openings to apply similar methods to government purposes. Conveyance, Community Utilities, and Community Fitness are all enormous public-sector purposes that could benefit from the application of ML and AI.
Evaluation of prediction and forecasting models for evapotranspiration of agricultural lands in the Midwest U.S

Abstract Evapotranspiration (ET) prediction and forecasting play a vital role in improving water use in agriculturally intensive areas. Metrological and biophysical predictors that drive ET in managed landscapes have complex nonlinear relationships. Deep learning and data-driven methods have shown promising performance for identifying the dependencies among variables. Here, we evaluated the potentials of random forest (RF) and long short-term memory (LSTM) neural networks to estimate and forecast daily ET for corn, soybeans, and potatoes in diverse agricultural farms during 2003–2019. The modeling framework was applied for nineteen fields where eddy covariance ET and meteorological observations in the Midwest USA for growing season (April-October) is available. In this study, we applied data-driven models (RF and LSTM) with 3 sets of predictors (5, 11, and 16 predictors). Results show that a 16 predictor RF model (RF_16 R2 = 0.7, Willmott’s skill score = 0.90) outperformed a process-based land surface model (LSM R2 = 0.57, Willmott’s skill score = 0.86) for predicting daily ET, while LSTM performance was lower (LSTM_16 R2 = 0.65, Willmott’s skill score = 0.89 and LSTM_11 R2 = 0.62, Willmott’s skill score = 0.86) than RF using the same sets of predictors. Vapor pressure and crop coefficients were identified as the most important predictors for irrigated crops, while short wave radiation and enhanced vegetation index were key predictors for non-irrigated crops. For certain crop types, such as corn and soybeans on fine-grained soils (silt loam), a simpler version RF, using only 11 drivers, can provide comparable results (R2 = 0.70 vs 0.69 and Willmott’s skill score = 0.90 vs 0.88). For short-term 3-day ET forecasting, LSTM is more sensitive to uncertainty in ensemble forecast meteorology than RF. ET forecasts were strongly sensitive to forecast uncertainty of vapor pressure. The proposed modeling architecture provides a field-scale, locally calibrated tool for accurate prediction and short-term forecasting of daily ET in areas where in situ ET, metrological, and biophysical data are lacking.
Evaluation of Hemoglobin Cutoff Levels to Define Anemia Among Healthy Individuals

Importance Anemia, defined as low hemoglobin (Hb) concentration insufficient to meet an individual’s physiological needs, is the most common blood condition worldwide. Objective To evaluate the current World Health Organization (WHO) Hb cutoffs for defining anemia among persons who are apparently healthy and to assess threshold validity with a biomarker of tissue iron deficiency and physiological indicator of erythropoiesis (soluble transferrin receptor [sTfR]) using multinational data. Design, Setting, and Participants In this cross-sectional study, data were collected and evaluated from 30 household, population-based nutrition surveys of preschool children aged 6 to 59 months and nonpregnant women aged 15 to 49 years during 2005 to 2016 across 25 countries. Data analysis was performed from March 2020 to April 2021. Exposure Anemia defined according to WHO Hb cutoffs. Main Outcomes and Measures To define the healthy population, persons with iron deficiency (ferritin 0.5 mg/dL or α-1-acid glycoprotein >1 g/L), or known malaria were excluded. Survey-specific, pooled Hb fifth percentile cutoffs were estimated. Among individuals with Hb and sTfR data, Hb-for-sTfR curve analysis was conducted to identify Hb inflection points that reflect tissue iron deficiency and increased erythropoiesis induced by anemia. Results A total of 79 950 individuals were included in the original surveys. The final healthy sample was 13 445 children (39.9% of the original sample of 33 699 children; 6750 boys [50.2%]; mean [SD] age 32.9 [16.0] months) and 25 880 women (56.0% of the original sample of 46 251 women; mean [SD] age, 31.0 [9.5] years). Survey-specific Hb fifth percentile among children ranged from 7.90 g/dL (95% CI, 7.54-8.26 g/dL in Pakistan) to 11.23 g/dL (95% CI, 11.14-11.33 g/dL in the US), and among women from 8.83 g/dL (95% CI, 7.77-9.88 g/dL in Gujarat, India) to 12.09 g/dL (95% CI, 12.00-12.17 g/dL in the US). Intersurvey variance around the Hb fifth percentile was low (3.5% for women and 3.6% for children). Pooled fifth percentile estimates were 9.65 g/dL (95% CI, 9.26-10.04 g/dL) for children and 10.81 g/dL (95% CI, 10.35-11.27 g/dL) for women. The Hb-for-sTfR curve demonstrated curvilinear associations with sTfR inflection points occurring at Hb of 9.61 g/dL (95% CI, 9.55-9.67 g/dL) among children and 11.01 g/dL (95% CI, 10.95-11.09 g/dL) among women. Conclusions and Relevance Current WHO cutoffs to define anemia are higher than the pooled fifth percentile of Hb among persons who are outwardly healthy and from nearly all survey-specific estimates. The lower proposed Hb cutoffs are statistically significant but also reflect compensatory increased erythropoiesis. More studies based on clinical outcomes could further confirm the validity of these Hb cutoffs for anemia.
Contemporary post-marketing adverse events and modes of failure related to VASCADE Vascular Closure System: The utility of the MAUDE database.

Objectives To analyze post-marketing surveillance data from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database for the VASCADE Vascular Closure System (Cardiva Medical Inc., Santa Clara, CA). Background The VASCADE Vascular Closure System is a closure device for femoral arterial and venous access-site closure that was approved by the FDA in 2013. However, post-marketing data and experience on the most commonly reported complications and modes of failure associated with the VASCADE Vascular Closure System are limited. Methods Post-marketing surveillance data from the FDA MAUDE database from October 2013 through March 2020 were analyzed, yielding 201 reports. Results Of the 201 reports of major complications involving VASCADE devices, 156 reports involved either injury (145) or death (11) related to the device. Of the 145 injury reports, bleeding was the most common adverse outcome described (85), followed by pseudoaneurysm (29) and pulselessness of an extremity (21). The device malfunction incidents (41 reports) were reported in three main categories, with deployment failure being the most commonly reported complication. Conclusions Our analysis of the MAUDE database demonstrates that in contemporary post-marketing practice, physicians should be well-trained and educated to use the VASCADE closure device because improper utilization is a common cause of device failure, and complications with the VASCADE device can have profound clinical implications.
Competing Risks Regression for Clustered Data via the Marginal Additive Subdistribution Hazard Model

A population-averaged additive subdistribution hazard model is proposed to assess the marginal effects of covariates on the cumulative incidence function to analyze correlated failure time data subject to competing risks. This approach extends the population-averaged additive hazard model by accommodating potentially dependent censoring due to competing events other than the event of interest. Assuming an independent working correlation structure, an estimating equations approach is considered to estimate the regression coefficients and a sandwich variance estimator is proposed. The sandwich variance estimator accounts for both the correlations between failure times as well as the those between the censoring times, and is robust to misspecification of the unknown dependency structure within each cluster. We further develop goodness-of-fit tests to assess the adequacy of the additive structure of the subdistribution hazard for each covariate, as well as for the overall model. Simulation studies are carried out to investigate the performance of the proposed methods in finite samples; and we illustrate our methods by analyzing the STrategies to Reduce Injuries and Develop confidence in Elders (STRIDE) study.
Impact of the date of diagnosis on the clinical course of children with primary ciliary dyskinesia

Objective: Up to now, little is known about the impact of the date of diagnosis on the clinical course of children with primary ciliary dyskinesia (pcd). Methods: Over a ten year period all paediatric patients with confirmed pcd in a tertiary centre who could be followed up for more than 12 months were retrospectively included in the study. Results: Out of 19 patients 63% had a situs inversus, the median age a diagnosis was 95 months. There was a significant correlation between the date of diagnosis and development of bronchiectasis (p=0,04), but no effect on lung function. 12 months after diagnosis 75% of patients received professional physiotherapy, 88% were on continuous antibiotic therapy, 50% on inhaled β2 agonists and 13% on inhaled corticosteroids. After starting the treatment, all patients improved clinically, the number of pulmonary complications decreased, especially pneumonias (p=0,03) and bronchitis (p=0,01). Chronic wet cough and rhinitis often persisted and lung function measurements did not improve permanently. Conclusions: Late diagnosis of pcd carries an increased risk for developing bronchiectasis. Pulmonary exacerbations decrease with appropriate treatment whereas there is no significant effect on lung function parameters.
The constrained hoop: an explanation of the overshoot in cell length during a shift-up of Escherichia coli.

This review presents an explanation of length overshoot in light of a recent explanation of cell wall synthesis during the division cycle. First, our current understanding of murein structure and synthesis in gram-negative bacteria will be described. This forms the basis of the explanation of how the cell wall increases in area during the division cycle. This will be followed by a discussion of the steady-state shapes of bacteria at different growth rates. Once the shapes and sizes of bacteria at different growth rates and how these shapes are produced during steady-state growth are understood, the length overshoot during a shift-up can be explained
Mitchell Receives 2013 Ronald Greeley Early Career Award in Planetary Science: Citation

The Greeley Early Career Award is named for pioneering planetary scientist Ronald Greeley. Ron was involved in nearly every major planetary mission from the 1970s until his death and was extraordinarily active in service to the planetary science community. Ron's greatest legacies, however, are those he mentored through the decades, and it is young scientists whose work and promise we seek to recognize. This year's Greeley award winner is Jonathan L. Mitchell, an assistant professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Jonathan received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, and after a postdoc at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, he joined the UCLA faculty, where he holds a joint appointment in Earth and space sciences and in atmospheric sciences.
Enhancement of Agrobacterium tumefaciens infectivity by mitomycin C.

The ability of Agrobacterium tumefaciens to induce pinto leaf tumors may be enhanced two- to threefold after treatment with mitomycin C. The enhancement may be obtained with either lethal or nonlethal concentrations. With 10-min treatments, an optimal response was obtained with 0.005 μg of mitomycin C per ml in the absence of any change in the number of viable cells. Both the tumor induction process and the tumors induced by treated cultures appear qualitatively the same as controls. To account for these results, the antibiotic must increase the proportion of viable cells that will subsequently initiate tumors. One, or at most a few, random lesions in the bacterial chromosome seem to be the necessary requirement for this promotion. At mitomycin concentrations of 1 and 5 μg/ml, the ability of A. tumefaciens to initiate tumors is rapidly lost, indicating that a fairly intact bacterial chromosome is one of the essentials for the tumor induction process.
Reading the past: Processual and systems approaches

In chapter 1 the question was posed: how do we infer cultural meanings in material remains from the past? In this and the following chapters various approaches to achieving this end will be discussed. The search is for an approach that takes adequate account of agency in an historical and cultural context. It is necessary first to make a distinction between two broad classes of approach followed by archaeologists, which we shall term materialist and idealist. We shall see later that these terms have numerous senses within different schools of thought; for the moment we wish to give them provisional but precise meanings. For Kohl (1981, p. 89) materialism ‘accords greater causal weight to a society's behaviour than to its thoughts, reflections, or justifications for its behaviour’. This kind of materialism is considered ‘vulgar’ because thoughts, reflections and justifications – the ‘superstructure’ – are said to be wholly determined by the productive economic behaviour that forms the ‘base’ of society. In the materialist scheme, productive capacity and behaviour is influenced only by technology and environmental limitations (see chapter 4 for other forms of materialism). This definition needs to be extended to include the nature of inference within materialist approaches. In this book we mean by materialist approaches those that infer cultural meanings from the relationships between people and their environment. Within such a framework the ideas in people's minds can be predicted from their economy, technology, social and material production.
The Relation between Dispersion in Analysts' Forecasts and Stock Returns: Optimism Versus Drift

This paper investigates the conclusion in Diether, Malloy, and Scherbina (2002) that dispersion in analysts' forecasts proxies for differences in investor beliefs, and that prices reflect the beliefs of optimistic investors when dispersion is high. If this is the case, we expect to find higher earnings response coefficients (ERCs), related to negative earnings surprises, for high versus low dispersion firms. This follows because the negative earnings surprises are less consistent with the beliefs of optimists. However, we find smaller ERCs, which calls into question the optimism argument in DMS. Further, we find that the relatively low future returns earned by high forecast dispersion firms, documented in DMS, are explained by the well known post-earnings-announcement drift phenomena. Specifically, after sorting observations based on prior period standardized unexpected earnings (SUEs), which are associated with drift, the difference between the future returns of high versus low dispersion firms is not statistically significant.
Sex and the human skeleton

The responsive nature of bone to internal programming by growth and sex hormones, as well as to functional pressures from outside of the body, provides a number of clues as to how to use bone to assess a wide variety of indicators of identity. Here an overview of the human skeleton as a sexually dimorphic biological tissue is provided. A summary of techniques used to estimate biological sex from human remains in both forensic and archaeological contexts is offered. Current issues in the fomentation of methods are discussed. Theoretical and methodological issues in the development and application of sex determination methods are reviewed. Finally, an overview of the ways in which skeletal sex estimation has been important to recent social science research is presented. Keywords: forensic anthropology; human skeleton; sex determination; sexual dimorphism
Bi’äñki's Ghost Dance Map: Thanatoptic Cartography and the Native American Spirit World

Cartography as a discipline has almost always been associated with the American cultural imagination. But perhaps only in the nineteenth century did map making and exploration become so much an obs...
Chapter 8 – Never say no to a challenge

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the biographical tale of the scientist, Karl O. Christe. After completing his PhD, he went to Stauffer, USA, a major producer of chlorinated hydrocarbons and HF and was in an excellent position to enter the fluorocarbon market. His major contributions were the development of novel processes for making freons using SiF4 and for introducing fluorine into aromatic rings. His 27 years at Rocketdyne were highly productive and gratifying as he had the pleasure of working with a tightly-knit group of friends, who respected, appreciated, and protected each other, and were absolutely dependable together. He overcame a bout with colon cancer with the support of his family and friends. He never said no to a challenge and fought for his principles. His cancer ordeal taught him that one should not waste time on trivia. He considered happiness as the major goal in life. According to him, one should always keep in mind that there is no permanent state of happiness, as one senses only changes but not steady states. Because upswings cannot last forever, we must learn to accept occasional depression as a prerequisite for happiness.
The Discursive Politics of Gender Equality: Stretching, Bending and Policymaking edited by Emanuela Lombardo, Petra Meier, and Mieke Verloo

Reflecting the constructivist turn in policy analysis in the United States to a certain degree, but mostly in Europe, The Discursive Politics of Gender Equality, brings together an impressive line-...
An increase in disease latency is associated with a host-dependent selection for recombinant murine leukemia viruses with substitutions in the p15E (TM) gene.

Abstract The genomes of recombinant murine leukemia viruses recovered from HRS/J (type I env recombinants) and CWD (type II env recombinants) mice have distinct envelope gene structures. To better understand the biologic significance of these differences, we examined the differences in the responses of HRS/J and CWD mice to inoculation with an oncogenic type II env recombinant. The CWD recombinant accelerated the onset of lymphoma in both strains, but the disease latency in the HRS/J mice was about 2 months longer. Analysis of the recombinant viruses in the HRS/J tumors revealed that the injected type II env recombinant had recombined in vivo with the endogenous ecotropic viruses to generate secondary recombinants with type I envelope genes. In another set of experiments, comparison of complete or partial DNA sequences of the envelope genes from six recombinant proviruses confirmed that the origins of the sequences that encode an amino-terminal region of the TM envelope protein, p15E, distinguish type I envelope genes from type II. Taken together with the results of previous studies, these observations suggest that the differences in the responses of HRS/J and CWD mice to the oncogenic type II env recombinant resulted from an interaction between the viral TM protein and a host factor expressed in HRS/J mice.
Elevated temperature aging of solder joints based on Sn-Ag-Cu: Effects on joint microstructure and shear strength

The shear strength behavior and microstructural effects after aging for 100 h and 1,000 h at 150°C are reported for near-eutectic Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) solder joints (joining to Cu) made from Sn-3.5Ag (wt.%) and a set of SAC alloys (including Co- and Fe-modified SAC alloys). All joints in the as-soldered and 100-h aged condition experienced shear failure in a ductile manner by either uniform shear of the solder matrix (in the strongest solders) or by a more localized shear of the solder matrix adjacent to the Cu6Sn5 interfacial layer, consistent with other observations. After 1,000 h of aging, a level of embrittlement of the Cu3Sn/Cu interface can be detected in some solder joints made with all of the SAC alloys and with Sn-3.5Ag, which can lead to partial debonding during shear testing. However, only ductile failure was observed in all solder joints made from the Co- and Fe-modified SAC alloys after aging for 1,000 h. Thus, the strategy of modifying a strong (high Cu content) SAC solder alloy with a substitutional alloy addition for Cu seems to be effective for producing a solder joint that retains both strength and ductility for extended isothermal aging at high temperatures.
Acute toxicity of silver to selected fish and invertebrates.

The toxicity of silver to aquatic organisms is examined. The following organisms were exposed to silver nitrate in acute toxicity tests: flagfish (Jordanella floridae), fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), scuds (Gammarus pseudolimnaeus), and parthenogenetic midges (Tanytarsus dissimilis Johannsen, 1937). Because Lake Superior test water used in the study was relatively soft (44.3 mg/L CaCO/sub 3/) and the concentrations of organic materials and particulates were also presumably low, the test water probably had a limited capacity for reducing silver toxicity by adsorption or complexation. The LC/sub 50/'s of the study would represent values obtained under conditions resulting in relatively sensitive estimates of toxicity. (JMT)
Increasing the punch of reduced-intensity transplants.

In this issue of Blood, Pagel and colleagues describe their experience in the pioneering use of a RIT-enhanced reduced-intensity preparative regimen for hematopoietic cell transplantation for older patients with advanced AML.
Reduced order modeling and dynamic optimization of multiscale PDE/kMC process systems

Abstract The problem of dynamic optimization for multiscale systems comprising of coupled continuum and discrete descriptions is considered. The solution of such problems is challenging owing to large computational requirements of the multiscale process model. This problem is addressed by developing a reduced multiscale model. This is achieved by combining order reduction techniques for dissipative partial-differential equations with adaptive tabulation of microscopic simulation data. The multiscale process optimization problem is subsequently solved using standard search algorithms. The proposed method is applied to two representative catalytic oxidation processes where optimal inlet concentration profiles are computed to guide the microscopic system from one stable stationary state to another stable stationary state.
Vocalization possibly initiated by the minor hemisphere.

NEUROLOGICAL evidence has favoured the view that language is a function of only one of the cerebral hemispheres, usually the left hemisphere in right handed people. This aspect of cerebral dominance has been studied in experiments in which it was possible to examine each hemisphere separately for its ability to comprehend language1–2. The subjects in these experiments were patients who had undergone forebrain commissurotomy during therapy for epilepsy3. After such surgery the inter-hemispheric transfer of highly structured visual information is abolished and each hemisphere is restricted to that gained through its primary projection pathways. These subjects were unable to give verbal reports of words presented tachistoscopically in the left visual half field—that is, when the relevant input was to the minor hemisphere. Objects corresponding to the words could be retrieved by touch with the left hand, however, so the minor hemisphere was capable of some measure of comprehension. It was suggested that the lateral specialization lies more in expressive function than in comprehension. After removal of the dominant left hemisphere, a patient has been reported4 to be able to comprehend simple instructions. He could also articulate words and simple phrases. This case may be an exception to the observation that the minor hemisphere is incapable of initiating speech, but, alternatively, the minor hemisphere may be prevented from doing so normally by the influence of the major. If so, speech could perhaps be elicited from the minor hemisphere of the commissurotomy patients in certain conditions. We have used long exposures in the left visual field to take advantage of the effects of temporal summation, while visual input to the major hemisphere is minimized.
Ectopia of both moieties of ureteral duplication anomalies

The upper pole ureter of a duplication anomaly can be orthotopic or associated with an ectopic insertion, a ureterocele, or even ureteropelvic junction obstruction. The lower pole ureter may terminate orthotopically or laterally on the trigone, resulting in varying grades of vesicoureteral reflux. It can also be associated with lower pole ureteropelvic junction obstruction. In this report, we describe 3 patients with ureteral duplication anomalies in whom both upper and lower ureters terminate ectopically outside the bladder. The mode of presentation, the diagnosis, and the management of this rare anomaly are described. In addition, a hypothesis is advanced to help understand the embryologic pathophysiology.
On the role of Transition-State Substrate Desolvation in Enzymatic Enantioselectivity in Aqueous-Organic Mixtures

We previously found that the observed solvent dependence of enzymatic enantioselectivity in organic media could be almost quantitatively explained on the basis of the energetics of substrate desolvation upon formation of enzyme-bound transition states. In the present study, we have expanded this thermodynamic treatment to predominantly aqueous media and analyzed two recent literature reports on the variation of lipase enantioselectivity by the addition of organic cosolvents. Our analysis has revealed that in neither case can the energetics of substrate desolvation significantly contribute to the experimentally observed changes in the enantioselectivity of lipases. Therefore other factors, e.g., cosolvent-induced conformational changes in enzyme molecules or differential solvent displacement from the enzyme active center by the substrate, must be at play.
Constitutive activation of the neuregulin-1/erbB signaling pathway promotes the proliferation of a human peripheral neuroepithelioma cell line.

Neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) proteins, acting through their erbB receptors, promote the differentiation, survival and/or proliferation of many cell types in the developing nervous system, including neural crest cells and neural crest-derived Schwann cells. We have recently found that the proliferation of a neoplastic Schwann cell line is dependent on constitutive activation of the NRG-1/erbB signaling pathway and that overexpression of NRG-1 in myelinating Schwann cells induces the formation of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. These observations suggested that NRG-1 might similarly promote mitogenesis in a variety of neural neoplasms including peripheral neuro-epitheliomas, aggressive neural crest-derived neoplasms that arise in nerves and soft tissues. To test this hypothesis, we examined the expression of NRG-1 and its erbB receptors in SK-N-MC neuroepithelioma cells. SK-N-MC cells expressed multiple NRG-1 proteins and mRNAs encoding several α and β isoforms from the sensory and motor neuron-derived factor NRG-1 subfamily as well as the NRG-1 receptor subunits erbB2, erbB3, and erbB4. The erbB receptors expressed by SK-N-MC cells were constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated and inhibiting these kinases with the erbB specific inhibitor PD158780 reduced SK-N-MC DNA synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. We conclude that constitutive activation of the NRG-1/erbB signaling pathway promotes the proliferation of SK-N-MC neuroepithelioma cells in vitro and hypothesize that NRG-1/erbB autocrine, paracrine or juxtacrine signaling may contribute to the development and/or progression of neuroepitheliomas in vivo.
HORMONAL BASIS OF SEX SKIN IN MALE RHESUS MONKEYS.

Abstract Observations of seasonal changes in sex skin of free-ranging male monkeys and the absence of adequate information on the hormonal basis of sex skin stimulated a study to determine which of the sex hormones could produce the changes noted, and to duplicate the changes seen in the field by experimental manipulation of dose levels. Castration causes a decline in sex skin coloration and edema. Both testosterone and estrogen produce the return of redness and edema sex skin produced by estrogen is female-like, sex skin produced by low doses of testosterone resembles the sex skin of nonbreeding males, and sex skin produced by high doses of testosterone resembles the sex skin seen during the breeding season.
Formation of epithelial basement membrane is restricted by scurvy in vitro and is stimulated by vitamin C.

ALTHOUGH scurvy was probably the first clearly defined nutritional disease and active antiscorbutic material was the first of all the vitamins to be crystallized and synthesized, the biochemical function of ascorbic acid in synthesis of collagen has only recently been identified. Some of the proline residues of the collagenous poly-peptide are hydroxylated to form hydroxyproline, and ascorbic acid is a co-factor for the hydroxylating enzyme1. Most pathological findings in scurvy can be attributed to a restriction in ability to synthesize collagen of bone, teeth and other connective tissues. Some manifestations occasionally found in infantile scurvy are more prominent in adult scurvy and are difficult to explain by a restriction in ability to synthesize collagen of connective tissues. For example, the cutaneous haemorrhages or “scorbutic spots” appearing spontaneously about hair follicles are one of the cardinal signs of adult scurvy2.
Developmental influences on interpersonal stress generation in depressed youth.

This research tested the hypothesis that the transition through adolescence, particularly undergoing puberty early relative to one's peers, would amplify the effect of depression on the subsequent generation of interpersonal stress. This hypothesis was examined in 158 youth (M age = 12.39 years, SD = 1.21) using semistructured interviews of depression and life stress. Three indexes of development—chronological age, pubertal status, and pubertal timing—were examined as possible moderators of the stress-generation effect. As anticipated, depression predicted interpersonal stress generation in early-maturing but not late-maturing youth. These findings provide an important developmental context for theory and research on stress generation.
Surface superconductivity of Nb and V

Abstract Surface superconductivity of Nb has been studied for several samples with widely varying electronic mean free path. As predicted by Hu and Korenman for the limit of long electronic mean free path, the most pure Nb sample shows H c3 values well above 1.695 H c2 at temperatures below 8.5 K. As the mean free path decreases, there is a regular depression of H c3 toward 1.695 H c2 . At temperatures above 8.5 K, the values of H c3 / H c2 break away from the theory and appear to approach 1.0 rather than 1.695. This aspect of the results occurs for all samples and seems to be relatively insensitive to purity. A vanadium sample with a resistivity ratio of 720 shows characteristics similar to niobium except that deviations from the theory occur at lower reduced temperatures.
Investigation of torsional shape memory alloy actuators

When a shape memory alloy rod or tube is pre-twisted then heated, part of the initial rotation is recovered as a result of shape memory effect. If the pre-twisted SMA rod or tube is constrained from rotating, an enormous blocking torque is generated. As a shape memory alloy rod is twisted the central region remains elastic while the outer layer undergoes martensitic transformation. This central elastic region can be thought of as an internal bias spring. Because of this self-biasing mechanism, a torsional SMA actuator can also exhibit an 'intrinsic' two-way effect. Since the maximum recoverable shear strain is 70% more than the maximum recoverable tensile strain for shape memory alloys, a torsional SMA actuator can provide large recovery torque at high rotation output while maintaining excellent repeatability. This paper discusses both theoretical modeling and experimental testing of torsion SMA actuators. The behavior of the torsional SMA actuators to be addressed includes stress/strain relations, controlled recovery behavior, blocked recovery, free-recovery, and actuator repeatability.
Assignment of the Ferriheme Resonances of the Low-Spin Complexes of Nitrophorins 1 and 4 by 1H and 13C NMR Spectroscopy: Comparison to Structural Data Obtained from X-ray Crystallography

In this work we report the assignment of the majority of the ferriheme resonances of low-spin nitrophorins (NP) 1 and 4 and compare them to those of NP2, published previously. It is found that the structure of the ferriheme complexes of NP1 and NP4, in terms of the orientation of the ligand(s), can be determined with good accuracy by NMR techniques in the low-spin forms and that angle plots proposed previously (Shokhirev, N. V.; Walker, F. A. J. Biol. Inorg. Chem. 1998, 3, 581-594) describe the angle of the effective nodal plane of the axial ligands in solution. The effective nodal plane of low-spin NP1, NP4, and NP2 complexes is in all cases of imidazole and histamine complexes quite similar to the average of the His-59 or -57 and the exogenous ligand angles seen in the X-ray crystal structures. For the cyanide complexes of the nitrophorins, however, the effective nodal plane of the axial ligand does not coincide with the actual histidine-imidazole plane orientation. This appears to be a result of the contribution of an additional source of asymmetry, the orientation of one of the zero-ruffling lines of the heme. Probably this effect exists for the imidazole and histamine complexes as well, but because the effect of asymmetry that occurs from planar exogenous axial ligands is much larger than the effect of heme ruffling the effect of the zero-ruffling line can only be detected for the cyanide complexes, where the only ligand plane is that of the proximal histidine. The three-dimensional structures of the three NP-CN complexes, including that of NP2-CN reported herein, confirm the high degree of ruffling of these complexes. There is an equilibrium between the two heme orientations (A and B) that depends on the heme cavity shape and changes somewhat with exogenous axial ligand. The A:B ratio can be much more accurately measured by NMR spectroscopy than by X-ray crystallography.
Simultaneous removal of nanosilver and fullerene in sequencing batch reactors for biological wastewater treatment.

Abstract Increasing use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) inevitably leads to their potential release to the sewer system. The co-removal of nano fullerenes (nC 60 ) and nanosilver as well as their impact on COD removal were studied in biological sequencing batch reactors (SBR) for a year. When dosing nC 60 at 0.07–2 mg L −1 , the SBR removed greater than 95% of nC 60 except for short-term interruptions occurred (i.e., dysfunction of bioreactor by nanosilver addition) when nC 60 and nanosilver were dosed simultaneously. During repeated 30-d periods of adding both 2 mg L −1 nC 60 and 2 mg L −1 nanosilver, short-term interruption of SBRs for 4 d was observed and accompanied by (1) reduced total suspended solids in the reactor, (2) poor COD removal rate as low as 22%, and (3) decreased nC 60 removal to 0%. After the short-term interruption, COD removal gradually returned to normal within one solids retention time. Except for during these “short-term interruptions”, the silver removal rate was above 90%. A series of bottle-point batch experiments was conducted to determine the distribution coefficients of nC 60 between liquid and biomass phases. A linear distribution model on nC 60 combined with a mass balance equation simulated well its removal rate at a range of 0.07–0.76 mg L −1 in SBRs. This paper illustrates the effect of “pulse” inputs (i.e., addition for a short period of time) of ENMs into biological reactors, demonstrates long-term capability of SBRs to remove ENMs and COD, and provides an example to predict the removal of ENMs in SBRs upon batch experiments.
Swelling of tritiated lithium hydride over the first 150 days

Abstract Compacts of equimolar Li(D, T) are measured for linear swelling and outgassing over the first 150 days from room temperature to 398 K. The percentage swelling is found to be independent of the initial percentage of theoretical density. Careful outgassing measurements in a monitored dry atmosphere are lower than previous values. Samples stored at 241 K and then placed at 348 K swell slightly less than fresh samples. The cold-stored samples outgas more and almost all the gas is 2 He. A pressure-density pressing curve is presented.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE RUSSIAN TRADITION OF STATE POWER

The first part of this evolutionary study of the persistence of the autocratic/oligarchic variety of personal rule in Russia provides a historical overview, followed by two theories explaining why it persisted, interrupted by brief “times of troubles,” for over 500 years. Edward Keenan, on the one hand, hypothesizes successful long-term adaptation to a demanding environment. Richard Hellie, on the other hand, develops a theory of service-class revolutions and a cyclical pattern based on the methods of Russian elites for overcoming relative backwardness. Neither theory takes a neo-Darwinian approach. The second part examines neo-Darwinian evolutionary approaches. In the cosmic perspective of Big History, the human species in its relatively brief existence has had an accelerating impact on other species and the earth's environment. Biologists modeling complex systems come to a similar conclusion. Agent-driven history, as modeled by demographer Noel Bonneuil, raises questions about the adequacy of the historian's traditional single-trajectory narrative approach to “the time of human history” and also critiques the biases built into the mathematical models of many evolutionary thinkers. An evolutionary approach to human history does not restrict itself to organic replication, but takes into account populations of evolving human skills and also group projects that act as evolutionary forces as well as units of selection, and outlive generations of organic populations. The third part applies this approach to the Russian tradition of state power by showing how group projects operate as evolutionary forces in a variety of modern power systems. The “parable of the tribes” avers that the aggressive agent in any given power system—ideological, economic, social, military, or political—dictates the dynamics of the system. The “braided stream” approach shows, however sketchily here, how agent-driven modern power systems interact, coevolve, and produce hybrid forms. The Russian tradition is highlighted in this evolutionary context.
The Bibliography of Dendrochronology and the Glossary of Dendrochronology: Two New Online Tools for Tree-Ring Research

Two new online products are available to the international tree-ring community. The Bibliography of Dendrochronology (published online in February 2003) currently has 10,000 references and is the world’s largest online bibliography specializing in tree-ring research. In March 2004, the Glossary of Dendrochronology was made available and is a searchable database of 351 terms and definitions in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. Both databases result from the collaboration of numerous treering scientists worldwide.
Fluorescence activated cell sorting of principal and intercalated cells of the renal collecting duct

A method is described for the isolation of homogeneous populations of principal and intercalated cells (PC and ICC) of the rabbit cortical collecting duct using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) in tandem with solid phase immunoadsorption. Three sorting strategies are described. In the first one the two cell types are separated based on the different intensities of their reaction with a monoclonal antibody. In the second and third strategies PC and ICC are tagged with cell-specific markers coupled to different fluorochromes and separated based on their green and red or green and blue fluorescence, respectively. These near homogeneous (∼99%) populations of PC and ICC can be obtained in numbers large enough to perform biochemical characterization, determination of hormonal sensitivity and initiation of cell cultures.
Connecting Biomass and Petroleum Processing with a Chemical Bridge

Petroleum is not only the primary feedstock for liquid fuels but also the basis for most of the chemicals and polymers that we use ( 1 , 2 ). Continuing questions about the longevity and stability of petroleum supplies, as well as the environmental impacts of its production and use, have driven the development of alternatives such as agricultural or woody biomass. Biomass could supplement petroleum as the main feedstock for fuel and chemical production ( 3 , 4 ), but it will be necessary to develop large-scale fermentation infrastructure for fuels, as well as new synthesis routes to chemicals that start with carbohydrates ( 5 – 7 ). If carbohydrates could be converted to compounds with fewer oxygenated groups that reacted more like petroleum, they could supply the petrochemical industry plants with a renewable feedstock. Two recent papers by Bond et al. ( 8 ) and Lange et al. ( 9 ) now suggest that levulinic acid (LA), a dehydration product of simple sugars like glucose, can meet this need (see the figure). Incorporation of LA as an intermediate allows use of catalytic conversion processes fully compatible with the infrastructure of the chemical industry.
PLS and dimension reduction for classification

Barker and Rayens (J Chemometrics 17:166---173, 2003) offered convincing arguments that partial least squares (PLS) is to be preferred over principal components analysis (PCA) when discrimination is the goal and dimension reduction is required, since at least with PLS as the dimension reduction tool, information involving group separation is directly involved in the structure extraction. In this paper the basic results in Barker and Rayens (J Chemometrics 17:166---173, 2003) are reviewed and some of their ideas and comparisons are illustrated on a real data set, something which Barker and Rayens did not do. More importantly, new results are introduced, including a formal proof for the superiority of PLS over PCA in the two-group case, as well as new connections between PLS for discrimination and an extended class of PLS-like techniques known as "oriented PLS" (OrPLS). In the latter case, a particularly simple subclass of OrPLS procedures, when used to achieve the dimension reduction, is shown to always produce a lower misclassification rate than when "ordinary" PLS is used for the same purpose.
A sampling theorem for space-variant systems

A sampling theorem applicable to that class of linear systems characterized by sufficiently slowly varying line-spread functions is developed. For band-limited inputs such systems can be exactly characterized with knowledge of the sampled system line-spread function and the corresponding sampled input. The desired sampling rate is shown to be determined by both the system and the input. The corresponding output is shown to be band limited. A discrete matrix representation of the specific system class is also presented. Applications to digital processing and coherent space-variant system representation are suggested.
Terrorism and resilience: adolescents' and teachers' responses to September 11, 2001

This study examined the impact of terrorism on adolescents, who may be resolving developmental issues regarding their vulnerability to death. Approximately 4 months after the September 11th attacks, a survey was given to 973 Upper Midwest adolescents and teachers. Quantitative analyses indicated that adolescents (especially girls) were frightened and upset but also used many coping strategies. Qualitative analyses suggested that adolescents were angry as well as tired of hearing about the events. Teachers discussed the attack's historical significance, student safety, and a desire to resume "normalcy." Adolescence resilience was seen by the making of a coherent narrative of September 11th and by focusing on their daily living.
Reversal of platelet aggregation by aortic microsomes.

The microsomal fraction of dog aortas inhibited human platelet aggregation induced by arachidonic acid, ADP, or thrombin. When aortic microsomes were added to a preparation of irreversibly aggregated platelets, the aggregates dispersed after 4–6 minutes. The fact that aortic microsomes inhibit platelet aggregation induced by ADP suggests that its effect is probably on the cellular function of platelets and not in direct competition against thromboxane A2.
Planning Imperatives for the Next Century: A Guest Essay.

Taking into consideration what has occurred with planning in American higher education over the past three decades and in light of the demands for institutional effectiveness, our planning efforts must be reinvigorated and recast. In the belief that different strategies are needed now, ten imperatives for planning are presented and explained so as to address this need.
Frequency-Dependent Dielectric Function of a Zero-Gap Semiconductor

The frequency-dependent dielectric function $\ensuremath{\epsilon}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ of an inherently zero-gap semiconductor, such as grey tin, has unusual properties at low temperatures. In undoped samples $\ensuremath{\epsilon}(\ensuremath{\omega})\ensuremath{\sim}{\ensuremath{\omega}}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}}$; in doped samples interband effects considerably modify the coefficient of the additional ${\ensuremath{\omega}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ term from its free-carrier value, the sign being reversed for $p$-type impurities. These properties should be observable in reflectance measurements.