cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Base mispair extension kinetics. Comparison of DNA polymerase alpha and reverse transcriptase.

A polyacrylamide gel assay is used to measure the kinetics of adding a single deoxyribonucleotide onto either a correctly matched or mismatched primer 3' terminus (on M13 template) for all possible DNA base pairs and mispairs using Drosophila melanogaster DNA polymerase alpha (Pol alpha) and avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase. The reverse transcriptase catalyzes chain extension from transition mispairs (Pur.Pyr and Pyr.Pur, where Pur is purine and Pyr is pyrimidine) more efficiently than polymerase alpha. Reverse transcriptase extends G(primer).T almost 20% as efficiently as it extends A.T, while Pol alpha's G.T extension efficiency is less than 1%. For transversion mispairs (Pur.Pur and Pyr.Pyr), reverse transcriptase extends C.T and T.T with greater efficiency than polymerase alpha, while polymerase alpha is more efficient at extending A.G and G.G mispairs. Reverse transcriptase and polymerase alpha extend the G.G mispair at an efficiency of only 10(-6) and 10(-5), respectively, compared with G.C extension. The extension data for the two polymerases are compared with previously reported nucleotide misinsertion data for the same enzymes (Mendelman, L. V., Boosalis, M. S., Petruska, J., and Goodman, M. F. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 14415-14423). While the results obtained with reverse transcriptase and Pol alpha differ in detail, some general rules are indicated: (a) Pur.Pyr and Pyr.Pur mispairs, especially G.T and T.G, are easy to insert and even easier to extend; (b) Pyr.Pyr mispairs, especially C.C, are difficult to insert and slightly easier to extend; (c) Pur.Pur mispairs, notably G.G, are harder to extend than to insert. The comparison also shows that reverse transcriptase extends almost all mismatches more efficiently than it forms them, G.G being the only mismatch having a significantly lower efficiency of extension than insertion. Polymerase alpha inserts A.A mismatches most efficiently, but extends them inefficiently, thereby reducing the probability that such transversion mutations will occur in vivo. We show theoretically that when mispaired primers compete with properly matched primers for extension by polymerase, the relative velocities of extension depend on the concentration of the next correct dNTP substrate. The extension velocities depart from Michaelis-Menten kinetics by exhibiting positive cooperativity with respect to substrate concentration.
Synovial chondromatosis of the temporomandibular joint with extension to the middle cranial fossa

A rare case of synovial chondromatosis with extension to the middle cranial fossa is reported. Synovial chondromatosis, a benign disorder characterized by multiple cartilaginous, free-floating nodules that originate from the synovial membrane is not exclusive to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This condition is commonly seen in the axial skeleton and can involve multiple joints. In this case, synovial chondromatosis of the TMJ led to complete bony erosion of the glenoid fossa extending into the middle cranial fossa. Although plain radiographs showed the involvement of the joint, Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) provided more detailed information about the lesion in all three dimensions. This case demonstrates the value of CT and MRI in both the diagnosis and treatment planning. A review of previously reported cases of synovial chondromatosis with cranial extensions is included.
Rapid Rotational/Translational Maneuvering Experiments of a Flexible Steel Beam

Future space manipulators may need translational base motion to expand the access region of a manipulator. The objective of this experiment is to demonstrate slewing of flexible structures with coupled rotational and translational axes while simultaneously suppressing vibrational motion during the maneuver. A flexible steel beam carried by a translational cart is maneuvered by an active controller to perform position control tasks. Several experimental results are presented to show how the flexibility of the steel beam influences the multi-input and multi-output feedback controller.
Effect of Polyions on the Infectivity of Rabies Virus in Tissue Culture: Construction of a Single-Cycle Growth Curve

The infectivity of fixed rabies virus in a number of cell lines has been shown to be markedly enhanced by the addition of protamine or diethylaminoethyl dextran to the virus inoculum. The polycations appear to exert their influence at a very early stage (adsorption or penetration or both) of virus-cell interaction. Immune globulin blocked infection completely when added up to 5 min after exposure and almost completely when added 5 to 15 min after infection. Antibody had no effect on adsorption and penetration when added to the inoculum 30 min or more after cells were exposed to the virus. Irradiation of BHK/21 cell monolayers with ultraviolet light increased their sensitivity to rabies virus. The events occurring after synchronous infection of cells in both irradiated and nonirradiated cell monolayers were followed by means of fluorescent-antibody staining and by intracerebral titration in mice. Virus-specific fluorescent antigen first appeared between 8 and 9 hr after infection, and in irradiated cultures there was a further lag period of 3 hr before infectious virus was produced intracellularly. Virus was first detected in the medium 12 to 15 hr after infection, and maximal yield of infectious virus was observed 48 hr after exposure. In nonirradiated cultures, formation of infectious virus was delayed, and the final yield of virus was also reduced.
Probing the Nucleon's Transversity Via Two-Meson Production in Polarized Nucleon-Nucleon Collisions

We explore the possibility of probing the nucleon's transversity distribution $\delta q(x)$ through the final state interaction between two mesons ($\pi^+\pi^-$, $\pi K$, or $K\bar K$) produced in transversely polarized nucleon-nucleon collisions. We present a single spin asymmetry and estimate its magnitude under some assumptions for the transversity distribution function and the unknown interference fragmentation function.
Electrical characterization of AlxGa1-xN for UV photodetector applications

Ultraviolet photodetectors have many military and commercial applications. However, for many of these applications, the photodetectors must be solar blind. This means that the photodetectors must have a cutoff wavelength of less than about 270 nm. Semiconductor based devices would then need energy gaps of over 4.6 eV. In the AlxGa1-xN system, the aluminum mole fraction, x, required is over 40%. As the energy gap is increased, doping becomes much more difficult, especially p-type doping. This report is a study of the electrical properties of AlxGa1-xN to enable better control of the doping. Magnesium doped p-type AlxGa1- xN has been studied using high-temperature Hall effect measurements. The acceptor ionization energy has been found to increase substantially with the aluminum content. Short-period superlattices consisting of alternating layers of GaN:Mg and AlGaN:Mg were also grown by low-pressure organometallic vapor phase epitaxy. The electrical properties of these superlattices were measured as a function of temperature and compared to conventional AlGaN:Mg layers. It is shown that the optical absorption edge can be shifted to shorter wavelengths while lowering the acceptor ionization energy by using short- period superlattice structures instead of bulk-like AlGaN:Mg. Silicon doped n-type films have also been studied.
Incipient Workplace Democracy among United States Clerical Workers

We begin by defining workplace democracy and by arguing that the rate and degree of change taking place in clerical work makes workplace democratization particularly relevant today. Focussing on the work process, we explore examples of incipient workplace democracy in four clerical settings: a data entry pool, a payroll office, ward secretaries in a hospital and secretaries in a university department. The unique aspects of clerical work — its femaleness, place in organizations and varying degrees of interaction with managers, professionals and clients — are analyzed to show how they have influenced the development of more democratic work organization in each setting.
Prediction of Structural Crack Growth Behavior under Fatigue Loading

Structural components which undergo operational fatigue cycles have historically been designed for fatigue resistance based upon crack initiation data generated on smooth and notched laboratory specimens. More recently, reliability has been improved by using linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) to assure that flaws, even if present, cannot grow to a dangerous size during service. The methodology and input data utilized for LEFM evaluation are described, and the impact of variations in key input parameters are discussed in detail. Specifically, the paper describes the sensitivity to (1) loading parameters: applied cyclic stresses, mean stresses, residual stresses, load spectrum, and stress distributions, (2) local crack driving force: crack size, shape, orientation, growth, and growth mode, (3) materials properties: crack growth rate constants, crack growth threshold, and response to spectrum overloads, and (4) initial flaw size, with and without nondestructive inspection. Presently, LEFM analyses are often deterministic and utilize conservative (worst-case) assumptions for all input parameters which are not known. The assumptions that all worst-case conditions occur simultaneously lead to extremely conservative designs which may be economically unacceptable. Probabilistic fracture mechanics methods have been developed which incorporate the statistical variations or uncertainties that actually exist and establish a more realistic quantitative basis for design allowables and accept/reject criteria, which optimize the cost/risk trade-offs that must be made.
Space solar cell technology development - A perspective

The developmental history of photovoltaics is examined as a basis for predicting further advances to the year 2000. Transistor technology was the precursor of solar cell development. Terrestrial cells were modified for space through changes in geometry and size, as well as the use of Ag-Ti contacts and manufacture of a p-type base. The violet cell was produced for Comsat, and involved shallow junctions, new contacts, and an enhanced antireflection coating for better radiation tolerance. The driving force was the desire by private companies to reduce cost and weight for commercial satellite power supplies. Liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) GaAs cells are the latest advancement, having a 4 sq cm area and increased efficiency. GaAs cells are expected to be flight ready in the 1980s. Testing is still necessary to verify production techniques and the resistance to electron and photon damage. Research will continue in CVD cell technology, new panel technology, and ultrathin Si cells.
Status of the mdm-2 and waf-1 genes in mouse epidermal jb6 variants harboring wild-type p53 - a p53-independent induction of waf-1

Mutational inactivation of the p53 tumor suppressor gene has been found not to be involved in preneoplastic-to-neoplastic progression in mouse JB6 variants. To examine the role of an inactivated p53 pathway in this tumor promotion/progression model, we have studied the possible alteration of the MDM-2 oncogene, a gene whose product binds to and inactivates p53, and WAF-1 tumor suppressor gene, a gene transcriptionally controlled by p53 that mediates p53 tumor suppression. Alteration of either of these two genes might mimic p53 inactivation in cells expressing wild-type p53. Northern analysis revealed that MDM-2 expression was, in general, upregulated in neoplastic JB6 cells as compared with preneoplastic cells. This higher expression was not due to the gene amplification. Mutational analysis of WAF-1 revealed a) no point mutation in neoplastic cells; b) two polymorphic sites; and c) three nucleotide disagreements with the published sequence. Expression of the WAF-1 gene was also found to be, in general, higher in neoplastic cells, and induced by TPA and/or TNF-alpha in a p53-independent manner. The overall induced level of WAF-1 mRNA was higher in apoptosis sensitive cells after TPA/TNF-alpha treatment, suggesting a role of WAF-1 in mediating apoptosis. We conclude from this study that a) there is no evidence for mutational inactivation of WAF-1 that might mimic p53 inactivation in the JB6 model; b) elevated expression of MDM-2 and/or WAF-1 might be involved in neoplastic progression; and c) there is a p53-independent pathway controlling WAF-1 expression which may mediate p53-independent apoptosis.
Alternative splicing of insulin-like growth factor I mRNA is developmentally regulated in the rat and mouse with preferential exon 2 usage in the mouse

Summary The synthesis of an IGF-I complementary RNA (cRNA) standard containing the primer sequences for each of the four IGF-I mRNA alternative transcript forms (class 1Ea, 1Eb, 2Ea and 2Eb) and a polyA + tail allowed the determination of the absolute abundance of each form in growing rats and mice by quantitative RT-PCR. In rat liver, class 1Ea mRNA was the most abundant form representing 90% of the total IGF-I mRNA. Though the relative proportion was maintained, the absolute abundance was maximal at 4 weeks of age and had declined by 6 weeks. In contrast, class 2Ea mRNA was the predominant transcript in mouse liver (70% of total IGF-I mRNA) and the 2Eb mRNA form was also 10-fold higher than that detected in rat liver. These results suggest that rats and mice differ both in their transcription initiation at two leader exons and in their alternative splicing activities for exon 5.
Celebrating the centenaries of Sir John Summerson and Henry-Russell Hitchcock: finding a historiography for the architect-historian

Just as the ‘great makers’ of twentieth century architecture were said to be four in number, so it has been said that the historian ‘makers’ were also four: Reyner Banham, Henry-Russell Hitchcock, Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, and Sir John Summerson.1 The greatness of Hitchcock (1903–1987) and Summerson (1904–1992) was the premise for a June 2004 symposium entitled Sir John Summerson and Henry-Russell Hitchcock: A Centenary Conference on Aspects of Architectural Historiography in the Twentieth Century. According to the symposium organisers, they were ‘two of the greatest architectural historians writing in English in the century in which the discipline itself emerged and became established’. The symposium's distinguished double sponsorship by The Paul Mellon Center for Studies in British Art and the Society of Architectural Historians (USA), and its inclusion in a series of planned collaborations between the American organisation and its sister foreign institutions, made the case ipso facto that their stature as ...
Transcriptional activation of indoleamine dioxygenase by interleukin 1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha in interferon-treated epithelial cells.

Interferon (IFN)-gamma-induced indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) activity is enhanced synergistically by interleukin (IL-)1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and LPS in IFN-treated macrophages by increasing IDO mRNA concentration. These studies demonstrate that IFN-treated HeLa cells also exhibit dose-dependent enhancement of IDO induction by TNF-alpha and IL-1, with maximal effects at concentrations of 5 ng/ml and 3 ng/ml, respectively. Furthermore, with sub-optimal IFN concentrations, cells treated with maximally effective concentrations of TNF-alpha or IL-1alpha required 3-5 times less IFN to induce the same level of IDO activity as that observed with IFN alone. To detect changes in transcriptional activation of the IDO gene, HeLa cells were transfected with a plasmid containing the IDO 5' regulatory region upstream of a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene. In transfected cells, IFN induced both IDO activity and GFP that was detected by flow cytometry. When cell-sorted, transfected cells were stimulated with IFN in combination with TNF-alpha or IL-1 but not LPS, increased GFP was detected in comparison to transfected cells treated with IFN alone. Furthermore, increases in GFP expression correlated with IDO enzymatic activity, indicating that combinations of IFN with IL-1 or TNF-alpha increase the transcriptional activity of the IDO promoter region.
Renormalization-group improved calculation of the $B\to X_s\gamma$ branching ratio

Using results on soft-collinear factorization for inclusive B-meson decay distributions, a systematic study of the partial $B\to X_s\gamma$ decay rate with a cut $E_\gamma\ge E_0$ on photon energy is performed. For values of E 0 below about 1.9 GeV, the rate can be calculated without reference to shape functions using a multi-scale operator product expansion (MSOPE). The transition from the shape-function region to the MSOPE region is studied analytically. The resulting prediction for the $B\to X_s\gamma$ branching ratio depends on three large scales: m b , $\sqrt{m_b\Delta}$ , and $\Delta = m_b-2E_0$ . Logarithms associated with these scales are resummed at next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic order. While power corrections in $\Lambda_{\mathrm {QCD}}/\Delta$ turn out to be small, the sensitivity to the scale $\Delta\approx 1.1$ GeV (for $E_0\approx 1.8$ GeV) introduces significant perturbative uncertainties, which so far have been ignored. The new theoretical prediction for the $B\to X_s\gamma$ branching ratio with $E_\gamma\ge 1.8$ GeV is $\mbox{Br}(B\to X_s\gamma) = \smash{(3.38_{ -0.42}^{ + 0.31}\pm 0.31)}\times 10^{-4}$ , where the first error is an estimate of perturbative uncertainties and the second one reflects uncertainties in input parameters. With this cut $\smash{(89_{ -7}^{ + 6} \pm 1)}\%$ of all events are contained. When this fraction is combined with the previously best prediction for the total decay rate, one obtains $\mbox{Br}(B\to X_s\gamma) = (3.30_{ -0.35}^{ + 0.31}\pm 0.17)\times 10^{-4}$ , with a somewhat less conservative estimate of parametric uncertainties. The implications of larger theory uncertainties for new physics searches are briefly explored with the example of the type-II two-Higgs-doublet model, for which the lower bound on the charged-Higgs mass is reduced compared with previous estimates to approximately 200 GeV at 95% confidence level.
Storage and detection of single flux quantum in Josephson junction devices

It is shown both by computer simulations and experimentally that a single Josephson junction has memory and can therefore be used for information storage. Means of reading-out the information content of such a memory element are demonstrated. Finally, memory operation, writing and reading, is described as a direct application of these concepts.
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy With Dose Painting to Treat Rhabdomyosarcoma

Purpose To examine local control and patterns of failure in rhabdomyosarcoma patients treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (RT) with dose painting (DP-IMRT). Patients and Methods A total of 41 patients underwent DP-IMRT with chemotherapy for definitive treatment. Nineteen also underwent surgery with or without intraoperative RT. Fifty-six percent had alveolar histologic features. The median interval from beginning chemotherapy to RT was 17 weeks (range, 4-25). Very young children who underwent second-look procedures with or without intraoperative RT received reduced doses of 24-36 Gy in 1.4-1.8-Gy fractions. Young adults received 50.4 Gy to the primary tumor and lower doses of 36 Gy in 1.8-Gy fractions to at-risk lymph node chains. Results With 22 months of median follow-up, the actuarial local control rate was 90%. Patients aged ≤7 years who received reduced overall and fractional doses had 100% local control, and young adults had 79% ( P =.07) local control. Three local failures were identified in young adults whose primary target volumes had received 50.4 Gy in 1.8-Gy fractions. Conclusions DP-IMRT with lower fractional and cumulative doses is feasible for very young children after second-look procedures with or without intraoperative RT. DP-IMRT is also feasible in adolescents and young adults with aggressive disease who would benefit from prophylactic RT to high-risk lymph node chains, although dose escalation might be warranted for improved local control. With limited follow-up, it appears that DP-IMRT produces local control rates comparable to those of sequential IMRT in patients with rhabdomyosarcoma.
Mechanobiology of initial pseudarthrosis formation with oblique fractures.

Abstract Mechanical stresses play an important role in regulating tissue differentiation in a variety of contexts during skeletal development and regeneration. It has been shown that some intermittent loading at a fracture site can accelerate secondary fracture healing. However, it has not been shown how the stress and strain histories resulting from mechanical loading of a fracture might, in some cases, inhibit normal fracture healing and induce pseudarthrosis formation. In this study, finite element analysis is used to calculate hydrostatic stress and maximum principal tensile strain patterns in regenerating tissue around the site of an oblique fracture. Using a mechanobiologic view on tissue differentiation, we compared calculated stress and strain patterns within the fracture callus to the histomorphology of a typical oblique pseudarthrosis. Tissue differentiation predictions were consistent with the characteristic histomorphology of oblique pseudarthrosis: in the interfragmentary gap, tensile strains led to “cleavage” of the callus; at the ends of both fracture fragments, hydrostatic pressure and tensile strain caused fibrocartilage formation; and, at discrete locations of the periosteum at the oblique fracture ends, mild hydrostatic tension caused bone formation. We also found that discrete regions of high hydrostatic pressure correlated with locations of periosteal bone resorption. When previous findings with distraction osteogenesis are considered with these observations, it appears that low levels of hydrostatic pressure may be conducive to periosteal cartilage formation but high hydrostatic pressure may induce periosteal bone resorption during bone healing. We concluded that tissue differentiation in pseudarthrosis formation is consistent with concepts previously presented for understanding fracture healing, distraction osteogenesis, and joint formation.
Closure of families of languages under substitution operators

@ is the universal family). The study is based on the concept of a full AFL, and in section one considerable effort is devoted to a novel approach to the subject. A full AFL is taken to be a family of languages closed under finite-state transducer mappings and substitution into regular sets. By replacing the family of regular sets with more general families we obtain some broad results about canonical forms for derivations of languages from other languages using transducers and substitution. These forms yield several known forms as special cases, and provide tools needed for the study of full AFL's in section two.
Milk production, wet weight, dry weight, potassium, and nucleic acid measurements of cows' udders.

Abstract Udders were from 15 dry and 35 lactating cows of several dairy breeds. After trimming, udders were weighed and 39-potassium, 40-potassium, dry fat-free tissue weight, deoxyribonucleic acid, and ribonucleic acid were determined. Simple correlation coefficients and linear regression coefficients were calculated for all 50 udders and for the 35 lactating udders, giving a total of 60 comparisons. The highest correlation was between wet weight and 39-potassium at .98 for all 50 udders while the correlation between deoxyribonucleic acid and milk production for the 35 lactating udders was only .22. For all udders deoxyribonucleic acid related highest to dry fat-free tissue weight with a correlation of .86. Milk production related highest to 39-potassium and ribonucleic acid with correlations of .70 in both comparisons. For every gram increase in udder 39-potassium, there was a 1.11kg increase in milk production. While deoxyribonucleic acid in lactating udders was 2.42 g/kg wet weight and 3.51 g/kg wet weight in dry udders, total deoxyribonucleic acid in lactating udders was 28.7g and only 16.0g in dry udders.
The implementation of the Priority Ceiling Protocol in Ada-2005

Ada 2005 is an even safer and more agile language than its predecessors, with all of the efficiency that is a hallmark of the Ada language design. It still has a strong focus on real-time response, multi-tasking, and sound engineering. It is the only international standard for object-oriented real-time distributed programming. High-integrity systems rarely make use of high-level language features such as Ada Protected Objects. Protected Types provide a passive mechanism for communication and synchronization between tasks. In this paper, we present some of these features, which are implemented using the Priority Ceiling Protocol (PCP). PCP is an extension of the Priority Inheritance Protocol (PIP), with the added features of preventing deadlocks and priority inversions. Priority inversion occurs when a high priority task is blocked for an unbounded time by lower priority tasks. Unfortunately though, PCP is not known to be supported by any operating systems. This article describes an implementation of PCP in Ada-2005. A detailed discussion of this protocol, and other related issues, are presented.
Flowing Toward Understanding: Suffering, Humility, and Compassion in Literacy Coaching

Literacy coaches are in the business of helping to create some kind of change—change in teaching practice, change in school policy, change in curriculum, or change in teachers and children themselves. But the social interactions necessary for change to happen, such as in-classroom consultations conducted by a literacy coach, are often fraught with the challenges embedded in all social interactions. These challenges can include unequal status, differing priorities, and other situations that produce what we call power relations in social interactions. In this article, we present findings from a research project on literacy coaches' interactions with teachers, and we use 3 distinct theoretical orientations toward power (poststructuralism, Bourdieu's sociology, and Eastern philosophies) to (a) conduct nuanced analyses of power and interaction in the data and (b) suggest that analyses of power can lead to compassion and humility in the practice of literacy coaches.
Vibrational circular dichroism spectroscopy of selected oligopeptide conformations.

Abstract Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) has been shown to be a useful technique for characterization of the qualitative secondary structure type for linear polypeptides and oligopeptides. A brief review of characteristic spectral responses and applications is given. Since VCD is dependent on relatively short range interactions, it detects residual structure in such oligomers even if long range order is lost. VCD studies presented here for Lys oligomers as well as Lys and Glu polymers as a function of length, salt added and temperature, confirm residual local order in these ‘random coils’. Comparison to results with Pro oligomers, supports an interpretation that these extended structures have a left handed twist conformation. The ‘coil’ VCD is shown to be significantly reduced in intensity by temperature increase and by decrease in peptide length. By contrast, for partially α-helical Ac-(AAKAA) 3 GY-NH 2 oligomers, the spectrum changes to the high temperature Lys n shape on heating, first losing then gaining intensity, indicating an equilibrium shift between structured states, from helix to coil (locally ordered) forms. VCD is shown to be a useful technique for monitoring local order in otherwise random coil structures.
Interactions between Upper and Lower Tropospheric Gravity Waves on Squall Line Structure and Maintenance

Abstract Using a simplified thermodynamic sounding, and variable vertical wind shear, we investigate the role of gravity waves on the structure and propagation of a simulated two-dimensional squall line. Based on an observed squall line environment, the modeled troposphere has been divided into three distinct thermodynamic layers. These consist of an absolutely stable atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), an elevated well-mixed layer, and an upper tropospheric layer of intermediate stability. We find the mixed layer to have a dual role; it has a reduced stability and thus provides abundant buoyancy for the convective scale updrafts, and it provides an ideal layer to trap mesoβ-scale (20–200 km) wave energy generated in the stable layers. The generated waves thus have a significant and lasting impact on the simulation. We also find this thermodynamic structure to be conducive to both strong surface wind perturbations and long-lived squall lines. Experiments that vary the vertical wind shear profile demonstrate...
Update on lower urinary tract symptoms.

Abstract Management of incontinence is forever changing, evolving as our understanding of the pathophysiology improves. It sometimes feels like a sand castle, as the principles of therapy of yesterday are replaced by new modalities, without leaving a trace of treatments in which we so firmly believed. This special issue of TheScientificWorldJOURNAL: TSW Urology was aimed at new treatments, including terminology, the assessment of symptoms and need for urodynamics, pharmacologic therapy in the elderly, use of injectable materials, biomaterials to correct pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence, clinical experiences including the costs involved in trying to reduce morbidity, the application of techniques to improve long-term outcomes, the use of robotics, and neuromodulation of bladder over activity. It is never easy to project what will be new and exciting, yet have clinical relevance, as well as some evidence of success to put together this special issue on incontinence that offers meaningful information.
Effect of modulating macrophage phenotype on peripheral nerve repair

Peripheral nerve repair across long gaps remains clinically challenging despite progress made with autograft transplantation. While scaffolds that present trophic factors and extracellular matrix molecules have been designed, matching the performance of autograft-induced repair has been challenging. In this study, we explored the effect of cytokine mediated 'biasing' of macrophage phenotypes on Schwann cell (SC) migration and axonal regeneration in vitro and in vivo. Macrophage phenotype was successfully modulated by local delivery of either Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) or Interleukin-4 (IL-4) within polymeric nerve guidance channels, polarizing them toward pro-inflammatory (M1) or pro-healing (M2a and M2c) phenotypes, respectively. The initial polarization of macrophages to M2a and M2c phenotype results in enhanced SC infiltration and substantially faster axonal growth in a critically-sized rat sciatic nerve gap model (15 mm). The ratio of pro-healing to pro-inflammatory population of macrophages (CD206+/CCR7+), defined as regenerative bias, demonstrates a linear relationship with the number of axons at the distal end of the nerve scaffolds. The present results clearly suggest that rather than the extent of macrophage presence, their specific phenotype at the site of injury regulates the regenerative outcomes.
Parallel implementation of a sparse simplex algorithm on MIMD distributed memory computers

Parallelizing sparse Simplex algorithms is one of the most challenging problems in computational science. We implemented the revised Simplex algorithm with LU decomposition on the Touchstone Delta and the iPSC/2. Because of very sparse matrices and very heavy communication, the ratio of computation to communication is extremely low. It becomes necessary to carefully select parallel algorithms, partitioning patterns, and communication optimization to achieve a reasonable speedup. Satisfactory performance has been obtained for a class of LP problems with high n/m ratios.
Investigation of the Intrinsic Spatial Resolution of an Intensified EMCCD Scintillation Camera

In this paper, we present an experimental and Monte Carlo investigation of the intrinsic spatial resolution that can be achieved with the intensified electron-multiplying charge-coupled device (I-EMCCD) gamma camera . This detector has a very low readout noise, an ultra-high spatial resolution and a large active area of ~ 80 mm diameter, which is well-suited for small animal imaging applications. The intrinsic detector resolutions achieved with different scintillators and under different experimental conditions were compared. In this study, the simple centroiding method was compared with two model-fitting approaches for finding the locations of gamma ray interactions. The results from Monte Carlo simulation have demonstrated that with an appropriate detector configuration, it is possible to achieve an intrinsic resolution of ~ 30 mum FWHM for detecting 27-35 keV gamma rays. The I-EMCCD scintillation camera offers a promising candidate for future ultra-high resolution SPECT imaging applications.
Histopathologic changes in the aging human cricoarytenoid joint

Detrimental effects of the natural aging process on the human cricoarytenoid joint have been hypothesized as a possible etiology for the voice changes seen in the aging population. Cellular events occurring at the histologic level, such as cricoarytenoid joint erosion or arthritis may lead to alterations in laryngeal structure which ultimately affect its function and performance. Seven normal human larynges of varying ages ranging from 29 to 69 years of age were examined histopathologically for changes in the cricoarytenoid joint. The synovium, joint space, periarticular muscle, and respiratory epithelium were evaluated for the presence of inflammatory changes or edema and degree of vascularity. The location and amount of ossification, elastin, and collagen formation were also noted. There were no appreciable changes noted in the synovium or joint space itself with increasing age. No differences were observed in the degree of elastin or collagen formation. However, there was progressive cricoid and arytenoid ossification and periarticular muscular atrophy and fibrosis. These findings suggest that other laryngeal changes may play a greater role in determining senescent vocal quality rather than changes within the cricoarytenoid joint itself.
An ecological view of psychological trauma and trauma recovery

This paper presents an ecological view of psychological trauma and trauma recovery. Individual differences in posttraumatic response and recovery are the result of complex interactions among person, event, and environmental factors. These interactions define the interrelationship of individual and community and together may foster or impede individual recovery. The ecological model proposes a multidimensional definition of trauma recovery and suggests that the efficacy of trauma-focused interventions depends on the degree to which they enhance the person-community relationship and achieve “ecological fit” within individually varied recovery contexts. In attending to the social, cultural and political context of victimization and acknowledging that survivors of traumatic experiences may recover without benefit of clinical intervention, the model highlights the phenomenon of resiliency, and the relevance of community intervention efforts.
Electroless copper films deposited onto laser-activated aluminum nitride and alumina

Metallization of ceramic substrates by laser activation and subsequent electroless deposition has been demonstrated recently in aluminum nitride and alumina. However, the bond strength between the electroless copper and the ceiamic substrate is weak (less than 14 MPa). Low temperature annealing of electroless copper films deposited on substrates activated at low laser energies strongly increases the adhesion strength. The effectiveness of the annealing for improving the metal-ceramic bonding is dependent upon the laser treatment performed on the substrate prior to deposition. Faster deposition kinetics are obtained for both substrates by increasing the laser energy density. On the other hand, an increase in the laser energy density leads to poor adhesion strengths. The dislocation microstructure produced during laser irradiation in aluminum nitride is analyzed as a possible cause of laser activation. Free aluminum produced by laser irradiation of aluminum nitride and of alumina is discussed as another factor of laser activation. The chemical and microstructural changes taking place in the near-surface region as a consequence of laser-induced processes are correlated with adhesion enhancement promoted by the annealing treatment.
Recent Advances in Energy Harvesting Technologies for Structural Health Monitoring Applications

This paper reviews recent developments in energy harvesting technologies for structural health monitoring applications. Many industries have a great deal of interest in obtaining technology that can be used to monitor the health of machinery and structures. In particular, the need for autonomous monitoring of structures has been ever-increasing in recent years. Autonomous SHM systems typically include embedded sensors, data acquisition, wireless communication, and energy harvesting systems. Among all of these components, this paper focuses on the energy harvesting technologies. Since low-power sensors and wireless communications are used in newer SHM systems, a number of researchers have recently investigated techniques to extract energy from the local environment to power these stand-alone systems. Ambient energy sources include vibration, thermal gradients, solar, wind, pressure, etc. If the structure has a rich enough loading, then it may be possible to extract the needed power directly from the structure itself. Harvesting energy using piezoelectric materials by converting applied stress to electricity is most common. Other methods to harvest energy such as electromagnetic, magnetostrictive, or thermoelectric generator are also reviewed. Lastly, an energy harvester with frequency tuning capability is demonstrated.
Acute aortic dissections with pregnancy in women with ACTA2 mutations

Mutations in ACTA2 predispose to thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissection as well as coronary artery and cerebrovascular disease. Here we examined the risk of aortic dissections, stroke and myocardial infarct with pregnancy in women with ACTA2 mutations. Of the 53 women who had a total of 137 pregnancies, eight had aortic dissections in the third trimester or the postpartum period (6% of pregnancies). One woman also had a myocardial infarct that occurred during pregnancy that was independent of her aortic dissection. Compared to the population-based frequency of peripartum aortic dissections of 0.6%, the rate of peripartum aortic dissections in women with ACTA2 mutations is much higher (8 out of 39; 20%). Six of these dissections initiated in the ascending aorta (Stanford type A), three were fatal. Three women had ascending aortic dissections at diameters less that 5.0 cm (range 3.8-4.7 cm). Aortic pathology showed mild to moderate medial degeneration of the aorta in three women. Of note, five of the women had hypertension either during or before the pregnancy. In summary, the majority of women with ACTA2 mutations did not have aortic or other vascular complications with pregnancy. However, these findings show that pregnancy is associated with significant risk for aortic dissection in women with ACTA2 mutations. Women with ACTA2 mutations who are planning to get pregnant should be counseled about this risk of aortic dissection, and proper clinical management should be initiated to reduce this risk.
Augmented annotation and orthologue analysis for Oryctolagus cuniculus : Better Bunny

Background The rabbit is an important model organism used in a wide range of biomedical research. However, the rabbit genome is still sparsely annotated, thus prohibiting extensive functional analysis of gene sets derived from whole-genome experiments. We developed a web-based application that provides augmented annotation and orthologue analysis for rabbit genes. Importantly, the application allows comprehensive functional analysis through the use of orthologous relationships.
Future Directions In Air Defense

The development of the Mission Area Analysis process by the Army to critically assess future needs has become instrumental in focusing technology in a timely manner on realistic problems. Despite the massive modernization the Army air defenses are experiencing, threat issues such as the attack helicopter and improved low altitude performance make the force sensitive to diverse attack plans. Technology opportunities in command, control and communications, weapon system performance and family survivability are identified and thrust areas are suggested.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Space charge neutralization by suspended graphene in nanoscale vacuum electronic devices

Graphene possesses many fascinating properties originating from the manifold potential for interactions at electronic, atomic, or molecular levels. Being a two-dimensional atomic crystal, graphene is transmissive to impinging electrons while being impermeable to atoms and molecules. Harboring a 2D electron system, graphene can be highly conductive in in-plane transport and is expected to be interactive with out-of-plane incident electrons as well.
Increase in cell-surface N-acetylglucosaminide β(1→4)galactosyltransferase activity with retinoic acid-induced differentiation of F9 embryonal carcinoma cells

Exposure of F9 cells to all-trans-retinoic acid over a period of 6 days resulted in 4-fold induction of cell surface N-acetylglucosaminide β(1→4)galactosyltransferase (GT) activity. The retinoic acid-induced GT activity was further enhanced by treatment of the cells with 8-bromo cyclic AMP. The ability of retinoic acid alone, or retinoic acid in combination with 8-bromo cyclic AMP, to induce GT activity was inhibited by both actinomycin D and cycloheximide. These findings indicate that the induction of galactosyltransferase activity noted with differentiation of F9 cells involves de novo synthesis of new enzyme protein.
Repairing the sickle cell mutation. I. Specific covalent binding of a photoreactive third strand to the mutated base pair.

Abstract A DNA third strand with a 3′-psoralen substituent was designed to form a triplex with the sequence downstream of the T·A mutant base pair of the human sickle cell β-globin gene. Triplex-mediated psoralen modification of the mutant T residue was sought as an approach to gene repair. The 24-nucleotide purine-rich target sequence switches from one strand to the other and has four pyrimidine interruptions. Therefore, a third strand sequence favorable to two triplex motifs was used, one parallel and the other antiparallel to it. To cope with the pyrimidine interruptions, which weaken third strand binding, 5-methylcytosine and 5-propynyluracil were used in the third strand. Further, a six residue “hook” complementary to an overhang of a linear duplex target was added to the 5′-end of the third strand via a T4 linker. In binding to the overhang by Watson-Crick pairing, the hook facilitates triplex formation. This third strand also binds specifically to the target within a supercoiled plasmid. The psoralen moiety at the 3′-end of the third strand forms photoadducts to the targeted T with high efficiency. Such monoadducts are known to preferentially trigger reversion of the mutation by DNA repair enzymes.
Coup and Anti-Coup

Abstract Protecting allied Third World regimes against the ever growing threat of coups d'etat is a role for which the United States should be adequately prepared.
Cultural models of care in teaching: a case study of one pre-service secondary teacher

Abstract In this paper, we present a theorized case study of one pre-service teacher's understanding and practices of care in teaching. We argue that the notion of care can be used as a lens through which to explore relationships between and among teachers and students, as well as the cultural, institutional, and societal contexts in which these relations exist. The paper analyzes data from a longitudinal study with one pre-service secondary teacher over the four semesters of her teacher education program as well as key participants in that program. We draw on a cultural models framework and tools of narrative inquiry to analyze the participant's changing understandings of care in teaching, focusing both on her cultural models of care, and some key dilemmas she wrestled with in her experiences as a student teacher.
Singular root distribution problem for delta-operator based real polynomials

Efficient zero location tests for the delta-operator-based polynomials have been a recent topic of interest. These tests not only provide the needed efficient tests for the delta-operator formulated systems, control, and signal processing problems, which are numerically better behaved than the traditional shift-operator based tests for fast sampling, they also provide missing links between classical tests in the z-domain and the s-domain such as the Schur-Cohn test (SCT) and the Routh test (RT). These will also be accomplished in this paper, but for the singular cases. Specifically, the recently developed singular case I Schur-Cohn test by Pal and Kailath (1994) is modified and transformed into the delta-domain. As the sampling interval vanishes this new algorithm converges to an s-domain singular case I test associated with the recently developed s-domain SCT. Singular case II is also considered and the difference between the traditional approaches in the z-domain and the s-domain reconciled. Numerical examples are given to illustrate better numerical properties of the new test over Pal-Kailath recursion for fast sampling.
A market model of analysts’ opinions to explain changes in the dispersion of opinions

The demand for and supply of analysts’ opinions in this model yield an equilibrium that demonstrates how the information content of the opinions reacts to changes in exogenous parameters. The model also shows how changes in the parameters make analysts’ opinions more or less dispersed; for example, a decline in investor risk aversion, a decrease in market volatility, and an increase in information costs can lead to analysts’ opinions becoming more similar. Recognizing how exogenous factors can affect the supply and demand of analysts’ opinions gives additional insights into questions concerning what may appear to be herd behavior by analysts and also the relationship between forecast dispersion and information content. (JEL: G29, C71)
Altruism as a source of self-interested behavior

It is well-known in economics that the assumption of self-interest can lead to cooperative and altruistic behavior. This paper shows the less well-known converse, that altruism can lead to behavior which appears based on self-interest. This approach leads to a distinction between small groups and large groups which has a number of implications. One which the paper explores is a way of thinking which may help explain why free-rider problems are sometimes not as severe as normal economic assumptions predict.
Overview of Supportive Care in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy: Antiemetics, Pain Management, Anemia, and Neutropenia

With advancements in the field of oncology, more and more people are living with cancer. The prevalence of invasive cancer in the United States is estimated to be almost 12 million. The treatment of cancer as well as the malignancy itself can cause an immense number of side effects and other complications. This article explores the fundamentals of supportive care in patients receiving chemotherapy and radiation treatment including prevention of nausea and vomiting, pain management, treatment of anemia and neutropenia. Proper supportive care can help improve clinical outcomes, reduce medical costs, and help patients with cancer live longer, happier, and healthier lives. For these reasons, it is important for pharmacists to possess a solid understanding of how to prevent and treat the adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment.