cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
China's Soft Power: A New York Times Introduction of the Confucius Institute

The Chinese government and its U.S. partners have established more than 70 Confucius Institutes in the United States since 2004. This study focuses on how the New York Times coverage of Confucius Institutes functioned as a narrative of introduction of the institute in the U.S. press. The culturological construction of news that this analysis reveals is one of reportage generated in a culturally charged context of politically constructed discourse. Neither communicating the symbolic significance of an emerging China narrative nor analyzing its Western and global implications was evidenced as the New York Times relied on a 20th-century journalistic paradigm and its anti-communist discourse. The news leader told an American audience of the coming of the Confucius Institute through a continuance of a narrative situated in the existing “China Frame,” enabled by the paper's reliance on tradition, mythology, and the journalistic practices of a bygone news culture.
Return of the Leith-Upatnieks transmission hologram

ABSTRACT TWO fundamental problems have prevented the jpfljk5ranjgr!2 (JffH) from popular public display enjoyed by reflection holograms: (1) a laser light source is needed for illumination, which should notexceed five milliwatts in output for the sake of eye safety; and (2) much space is needed behind thc hologram forthe reconstruction beam. Herein we discuss methods for creating a LUTh display system which is arbitrarily thinregardless oftbe size ofthe hologram and arbitrarily bright without safety problems. 1. INTRODUCTION The most commonly seen holograms are illuminated by incandescent light. These reflection or "rainbow"holograms range from embossed foils used for security applications, to baseball cards, to beautiflul works of art.The advantages are well known: white light is readily available and is relatively inexpensive. However, reflectionholograms have limited depth offield and "rainbow" holograms generally have no vertical parallax.On the other hand, a Leitb-jpatnieks transmission hologram LUTIO has practically unlimited depth offleld andfull parallax. Bragg diffraction allows full color capabilities ifthe hologram is recorded in sufficiently thickemulsions. However, LUTH requires laser light for illumination and space behind to accommodate it. For safetyreasons, lasers with outputs exceeding five milliwatts (Class lila) are generally not allowed to be used in public.Thus, large format LUTHs cannot be displayed effectively.Numerous attempts" have been made to minimize the space requirement for the lighting. In all cases, the spacerequirement for display is proportional to the size of the hologram, i.e., the larger the hologram, the farther theilluminating source must be located from it. Furthermore, the angle and distance between the hologram and thelighting must be accurately set.All these limitations have prevented high quality LUTHs from gaining public acceptance. Herein we propose anew method for display holography that solves all of the above problems.
Genetic manipulation of African trypanosomes as a tool to dissect the immunobiology of infection.

SUMMARY The variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) coat of African trypanosomes exhibits immunobiological functions distinct from its prominent role as a variant surface antigen. In order to address questions regarding immune stealth effects of VSG switch-variant coats, and the innate immune system activating effects of shed VSG substituents, several groups have genetically modified the ability of trypanosomes to express or release VSG during infection of the mammalian host. The role of mosaic surface coats expressed by VSG switch-variants (VSG double-expressors) in escaping early immune detection, and the role of VSG glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor substituents in regulating host immunity have been revealed, respectively, by stable co-expression of an exogenous VSG gene in trypanosomes expressing an endogenous VSG gene, and by knocking out the genetic locus for GPI-phospholipase C (PLC) that releases VSG from the membrane. Both approaches to genetic modification of African trypanosomes have suggested interesting and unexpected immunobiological effects associated with surface coat molecules.
Molt-cycle correlated patterns of synthesis of integumentary proteins in the land crab Gecarcinus lateralis

Abstract We describe here an in vitro investigation of the formation and dissolution of the crustacean exoskeleton by the integumentary tissues of the Bermuda land crab Gecarcinus lateralis . We focus on the synthesis of proteins during the formation of a new exoskeleton and the degradation of an old one. Tissues of animals at different stages of the molt cycle were labeled in vitro with radioamino acids following which proteins were analyzed by a number of methods. From their patterns of synthesis, crab integumentary proteins (CIPs) may be classified into five groups. Group I CIPs include many over a wide range of molecular weights that are synthesized at a relatively constant rate throughout the molt cycle and are designated “housekeeping” proteins. The synthesis of a subset of such housekeeping CIPs (Group II) increases from two- to fivefold during proecdysis when formation of the epicuticle and exocuticle of the new exoskeleton is in progress. Group III CIPs are synthesized intermittently from very early proecdysis, when degradation of the old exoskeleton begins, and throughout the remainder of proecdysis. Groups IV and V first appear at stages in the molt cycle that suggest that they may be structural components of the new exoskeleton. Group IV CIPs, which are synthesized at the time of epi- and exocuticle formation, have a wide range of sizes. Group V CIPs, which comprise several very large proteins, are synthesized in stage B of metecdysis at the time when the formation of the endocuticle begins. A number of CIPs cross-react strongly with polyclonal antibodies to cuticle proteins of pupae and larvae of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta , indicating that exoskeletal/cuticle proteins of these two classes of arthropods, the Insecta and Crustacea, share epitopes. Whether the common epitopes relate to amino acid sequences or structural properties remains to be determined.
Observations on the interaction between a premixed flame kernel and a vortex of different equivalence ratio

Charge stratification by direct local injection has been actively studied as a technology for spark-ignitedlean-burn engines. Local mixture enrichment by direct injection in the vicinity of the spark plug at the time of ignition can significantly affect flame kernel development and extend the lean flammability limit of a given fuel/air mixture. The interaction between a lean premixed spark-ignited flame kernel and a laminar vortex toroid containing a different fuel/air mixture was experimentally investigated to gain an understanding of the effect of “turbulent” bulk transport of material into the growing flame kernel. In this study, flame kernels were ignited in a lean premixed methane/air mixture with equivalence ratio of 0.6, while the equivalence ratio of the vortex core fluid was varied between zero and infinity. Chemiluminescence images from CH* of the kernel-vortex interaction were captured using either a single-shot ICCD camera or a high-speed intensified camera. Results of the flame kernel-vortex interactions for six test cases are presented and discussed. It was observed that vortices composed of fluid outside the traditional flammability limits were completely consumed inside the growing flame kernel. Due to entrainment of ambient fluid as the vortex propagates toward the kernel, the equivalence ratio of the vortex is not constant. The Lewis number of the vortex mixture determines if the vortex is consumed as a single pocket or breaks up into multiple pockets before being consumed. Pure fuel vortices were observed to have both a very diffuse reaction zone as well as a region at the upper rim of the kernel-vortex interface of intense chemiluminescence.
Child Survival and Development Revolution

As many pediatricians are aware (indeed, many of you are responsible!), the lives of significantly more than a million young children were saved last year as a direct result of specific primary health care measures singled out as the Child Survival and Development Revolution (CSDR). If fully applied on a worldwide scale, the CSDR has the potential to cut in half the toll of 40, 000 young lives lost each day to the most mundane and preventable of causes, and it could likewise halve the even larger number of youths who grow into adulthood bearing the crippling disabilities of childhood diseases.
Exact Linearization with Configuration Optimization

In this paper, we study the exact linearization and control of a MIMO nonlinear system which consists of chains of integrators. In such a system, if the number of outputs is greater than number of chains and control inputs, the linearized system will have less number of states than that of the original system. In this case, a subsystem (called zero dynamics) is created by the state feedback. As shown in the paper, this zero dynamics affects the I/O system in an implicit way. We propose a scheme that linearizes the I/O system and, at the same time, controls the zero dynamics to follow a gradient flow so that a desirable condition on the overall system can be reached. Applications of this theory include the control of redundant manipulator and multiple-joint space robot.
Photoaffinity labeling of the β-adrenergic receptor in synaptic membranes of rat cerebral cortex and cerebellum

The beta-adrenergic receptor polypeptides in synaptic membranes of rat cerebral cortex and cerebellum have been identified using the photoaffinity label [125I]iodoazidobenzylpindolol. The major receptor polypeptides possess apparent molecular weights of 62,000 and 49,000 (cerebral cortex) or 59,000 and 46,000 (cerebellum). Treatment of the membranes with endoglycosidase F caused the receptor polypeptides from both tissues to exhibit lower apparent molecular weight (51,000) on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels, indicating that beta-adrenergic receptors in mammalian brain are glycoproteins as are the receptors in peripheral tissues.
Tactile sensing and compliance in MicroStressBot assemblies

Microassembly is one of the applications successfully implemented by group of individually-controllable MEMS microrobots (MicroStressBots). Although the robots are controlled using a centralized optical closed-loop control systems, i.e., a camera mounted on top of a microscope, compliance and self-alignment were used to successfully reduce the control error and permit precise assembly of planar structures. In this work, we further explore the possibility of using compliance to facilitate docking between MicroStressBots. The forces generated by the docking surfaces create a local attractor (pre-image of the goal configuration) that facilitates alignment between the two structures. Through this interaction the robot senses and aligns its position to match the desired configuration. Specifically, in this work we examine two cases: a) docking of two microrobots with straight front edges that promote sliding, and b) docking of two microrobots with patterned edges that restricted sliding between the two robots. In the former case, the robots are engaged in mutual alignment, which is akin to pairwise Self Assembly (SA). This allows generation of highly accurate seed-shapes for further assembly. In the latter case, the robots with matching pattern edges can dock and successfully align. Here, the patterned edge functions as a lock-and-key mechanism, and is akin to the selective affinity in SA-systems. The difference however between a system of MicroStressBots and SA is that MicroStressBots contain active on-board propulsion compared with passive SA systems.
Determination of the Kinetic Parameters for the Crystallization of Paracetamol from Water Using Metastable Zone Width Experiments

A new approach for the estimation of kinetic parameters of crystallization from data obtained during the determination of metastable zone width is presented. The method is based on a simplified dynamic model of the system, which combines the population balance and mass balance, as well as information provided by concentration and particle size distribution measurements using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and laser backscattering to determine simultaneously the nucleation and growth parameters from the experimental data. The application of the proposed approach is illustrated for the cooling crystallization of paracetamol from water. The technique is compared to existing approaches for the determination of nucleation parameters from metastable zone width experiments and is used to corroborate the assumptions used in the classical approaches. The key conclusion is that the assumptions made in the existing approaches, which simplifies the parameters' estimation procedure, can result in substantial error in the nucle...
Time-Derivative Preconditioning Methods for Multicomponent Flows-Part II: Two-Dimensional Applications

A time-derivative preconditioned system of equations suitable for the numerical simulation of multicomponent/multiphase inviscid flows at all speeds was described in Part I of this paper. The system was shown to be hyperbolic in time and remain well conditioned in the incompressible limit, allowing time marching numerical methods to remain an efficient solution strategy. Application of conservative numerical methods to multicomponent flows containing sharp fluid interfaces was shown to generate nonphysical pressure and velocity oscillations across the contact surface, which separates the fluid components. It was demonstrated using the one-dimensional Riemann problem that these oscillations may lead to stability problems when the interface separates fluids with large density ratios, such as water and air. The effect of which leads to the requirement of small physical time steps and slow subiteration convergence for the implicit time marching numerical method. Alternatively, the nonconservative and hybrid formulations developed by the present authors were shown to eliminate this nonphysical behavior. While the nonconservative method did not converge to the correct weak solution for flow containing shocks, the hybrid method was able to capture the physically correct entropy solution and converge to the exact solution of the Riemann problem as the grid is refined. In Part II of this paper, the conservative, nonconservative, and hybrid formulations described in Part I are implemented within a two-dimensional structured body-fitted overset grid solver, and a study of two unsteady flow applications is reported. In the first application, a multiphase cavitating flow around a NACA0015 hydrofoil contained in a channel is solved, and sensitivity to the cavitation number and the spatial order of accuracy of the discretization are discussed. Next, the interaction of a shock moving in air with a cylindrical bubble of another fluid is analyzed. In the first case, the cylindrical bubble is filled with helium gas, and both the conservative and hybrid approaches perform similarly. In the second case, the bubble is filled with water and the conservative method fails to maintain numerical stability. The performance of the hybrid method is shown to be unchanged when the gas is replaced with a liquid, demonstrating the robustness and accuracy of the hybrid approach.
Spectroscopic Properties of WO3 Thin Films: Polarized FT-IR/ATR, X-Ray Diffraction, and Electronic Absorption

The Fourier transform infrared/micro-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR/mATR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electronic absorption properties of thin tungsten oxide films are characterized. Thin films of tungsten oxide (100-500A) deposited on SiO2 exhibit a different orientation or structure than thicker films. A p-polarized longitudinal optical (LO) mode at 970 cm-1 occurs in all ATR spectra of WO3 thin films and is one of the strongest IR bands in the spectra. The spectroscopic properties of tungsten oxide films are characterized as a function of substrate and heat treatment.
Structures, Intramolecular Rotation Barriers, and Thermochemical Properties of Methyl Ethyl, Methyl Isopropyl, and Methyl tert-Butyl Ethers and the Corresponding Radicals

Structures and thermochemical properties, S°(T), and Cp(T) (50 ≤ T/K ≤ 5000) of three ethers and the corresponding radicals were determined by ab initio and density functional calculations. Molecul...
α-Fetoprotein levels in amniotic fluid between 11 and 15 weeks

Abstract We have shown that α-fetoprotein levels in amniotic fluid peak at 13 weeks and then fall by about 10% a week until 20 weeks. Use of cutoff levels obtained by extrapolation backward from medians at later dates gives results that are too high and could cause diagnostic errors. The ability to monitor α-fetoprotein levels accurately provides an advantage to this method of early prenatal diagnosis. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1989;160:1204-6.)
[6N]METHYL ADENINE IN THE NUCLEAR DNA OF A EUCARYOTE, TETRAHYMENA PYRIFORMIS

DNA isolated from macronuclei of the ciliate, Tetrahymena pyriformis, has been found to contain [6N]methyl adenine (MeAde); this represents the first clear demonstration of significant amounts of MeAde in the DNA of a eucaryote. The amounts of macronuclear MeAde differed slightly between different strains of Tetrahymena, with approximately 0.65–0.80% of the adenine bases being methylated. The MeAde content of macronuclear DNA did not seem to vary in different physiological states. The level of MeAde in DNA isolated from micronuclei, on the other hand, was quite low (at least tenfold lower than in macronuclear DNA).
Nebulette: A 107 kD nebulin‐like protein in cardiac muscle

A 107-kD protein has been identified in primary cultures of chicken embryonic cardiomyocytes by immunoprecipitations with certain anti-nebulin monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). These mAbs, prepared against a fragment of human skeletal muscle nebulin located near the carboxyl terminus, detect a 107-kD protein in extracts of adult chicken heart, adult mouse heart, and adult rabbit heart by immunoblot analysis. A partial cDNA corresponding to this protein has been isolated by immunological screening of a chicken heart cDNA expression vector library. The partial cDNA encodes a 380-amino acid open reading frame composed entirely of nebulin-like 35-residue modules marked by the highly conserved sequence motifs: SXXXYK and TPD. The open reading frame exhibits 60-85% homology with skeletal muscle nebulins from a variety of species. This cDNA recognizes an approximately 8-kb transcript in cardiac RNA and does not hybridize to skeletal muscle RNAs by northern analysis. Immunofluorescence localization of this nebulin-like protein in primary cultures of chicken cardiomyocytes and embryonic chicken cardiac myofibrils indicates that the protein is localized to the I-Z-I complex of the myofibrils, extending approximately 25% of the thin filament length. Comparisons of the distribution of this protein relative to actin, myosin, and titin in spreading cardiomyocytes suggest that the cardiac nebulin-like protein becomes aligned with the nascent myofibrils early during myofibrillogenesis. To distinguish this petite nebulin-like protein from the 600-900 kD skeletal muscle nebulin, we have named it nebulette.
Diterpenoids from Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Abstract Three new furanoditerpenoids of the caesalpin-type have been isolated from the roots of Caesalpinia pulcherrima . The structures of these compounds, vouacapen-5α-ol, 6β-cinnamoyl-7β-hydroxy-vouacapen-5α-ol and 8,9,11,14-didehydrovouacapen-5α-ol, were elucidated through interpretation of their spectral data. Sitosterol was also obtained.
EFFECTS OF SERIAL INBREEDING ON FITNESS COMPONENTS IN IMPATIENS CAPENSIS.

Studies of inbreeding depression in wild plants customarily compare the fitness of outcrossed progeny to progeny derived from one generation of self-pollination. We compare levels of inbreeding depression in a greenhouse in two populations of jewelweed using progeny derived from random outcrosses, one generation of self-pollination, and three generations of selling. The progeny have expected inbreeding coefficients of, respectively, 0, 0.5, and 0.875. Seedling survivorship declined linearly with the level of inbreeding in both populations. Inbreeding also increased the variability of emergence date. Maternal family membership affected early seedling performance and often interacted significantly with the level of inbreeding. In contrast, path analyses reveal that inbreeding had both negative linear and positive quadratic direct effects on seed and final plant weight, causing the highly inbred progeny to outperform progeny derived from one generation of selfing. These results suggest either the rapid purging of deleterious alleles or diminishing epistasis among the loci affecting these characters. It is not clear why the loci affecting survival responded differently.
The rules of language

We all share some basic information about our native language but we are not conscious of ever having learned or worked out the principles involved. For example, we “know” upon hearing them that certain sound sequences could not be words in our language although we have never been taught the principles that govern English word structure. In addition, we possess information about language which could not plausibly be attributed to learning. This unlearned knowledge as well as the knowledge acquired without overt teaching is attributed to innate mechanisms-the consequence of the genetic endowment that differentiates between humans and other species.
Cyclic AMP levels in Phycomyces during a response to light.

ONE of the many metabolic functions attributed to adenosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) is that of a mediator in the responses of living organisms to light stimulation. It has been associated with dopaminergic synaptic activities and also with the primary visual process in the retina. In the rod outer segments of the frog, Rana pipiens, cyclic AMP concentrations are diminished by illumination. Regulation is through the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase1. In addition, an adenyl cyclase has been isolated from retina which is activated by the catecholamine dopamine; dopamine is thought to be an important neurotransmitter in the retina2. The exact relationship between the initial transduction of the light signal and the attenuation in the levels of cyclic AMP is unknown. One reason for this is the complexity of the tissue and the difficulty of isolating clean fractions. I describe here a simpler system in which levels of cyclic AMP decrease in response to light stimulation much as in retina and where all the transduction occurs within a single cell.
An active power control strategy for large-scale clusters of photovoltaic power stations

To tackle the active power control problems of large-scale photovoltaic(PV) power stations, a coordination control strategy for PV station clusters was developed in this paper. This method proposed concept of PV station clusters according to the substation in which they connect together. Meanwhile, the power dispatch order would be allocated to PV station clusters by considering ultra-short-term forecasting power from each cluster. The principle of allocation is based on the percentage of forecasting power and combined with fairness. And then, Haixi grid integrating large-scale photovoltaic power stations is introduced as an example. PV stations in this area were partitioned into five clusters and the case of ultra-short-term forecasting power exceeds dispatch power order was studied. The simulation results show that the strategy can allocate power optimally according to the ultra-short-term forecasting, and ensure the PV generation power of Haixi area does not exceed the dispatch constraint.
Accuracy of colonoscopic localization

Background The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of preoperative colonoscopic localization of colonic lesions. Localization of the colonic lesion plays a key role in determining the type of operation a patient may require. Inaccurate localization may result in removal of the wrong segment of colon and/or a change in the operation performed.
Integrity Testing for Personnel Selection

Psychological Association, Questionnaires Used in the Prediction of Trustworthiness in Pre-Employ ment Selection Decisions: An APA Task Force Re port (Author, Washington, DC, 1991); R.M. O'Ban non, L.A. Goldinger, and G.S. Appleby, Honesty and Integrity Testing: A Practical Guide (Applied In formation Resources, Atlanta, 1989). 5. D.S. Ones, C. Viswesvaran, and F.L. Schmidt, Comprehensive meta-analysis of integrity test validities: Findings and implications for person nel selection and theories of job performance, jour nal of Applied Psychology, 78, 679-703 (1993); J.M. Collins and F.L. Schmidt, Personality, integrity, and white collar crime: A construct validity study, Personnel Psychology, 46, 295-312 (1993). 6. Sackett et al., note 4; J. Hogan and R. Hogan, How to measure employee reliability, Jour nal of Applied Psychology, 74, 273-279 (1989). 7. Sackett et al., note 4; O'Bannon et al., note 4. 8. See U.S. Congress (1990), note 1; American Psychological Association, note 4. 9. U.S. Congress (1990), note 1, p. 10. 10. See Saxe, note 3; H. Sigall and E.E. Jones, The bogus pipeline: A new paradigm for measuring affect and attitude, Psychological Bulletin, 76, 349 364(1971). 11. D.T. Lykken, The lie detector controversy: An alternative solution, in Advances in Psychophys iology, j.R. Jennings, P.K. Ackles, and M.G.H. Coles, Eds. (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London, 1991). 12. L. Farwell and E. Donchin, The truth will out: Interrogative polygraph ("lie detection") with even-related potentials, Psychophysiology, 28, 531 (1991).
“Blaming the victim” and other ways business men and women account for questionable behavior

Impression management refers to behaviors used by individuals to control the impressions they make on audiences. This study demonstrated that business men and women were more likely to defend their questionable behavior by using excuses and justifications than to openly concede errors of judgment and behavior. Three hundred and sixty two participants received a scenario in which they had allegedly engaged in questionable behavior. The participants then wrote a position paper explaining their actions. Results indicated that people in business attempt to avoid being associated with potentially negative interpretations of their behavior primarily through the use of justifications and excuses. In general, the types of responses were relatively consistent across work experience, educational and occupational levels. However, in some instances the specific explanations used depended on gender and age.
Absolute infrared band strength measurement of the ClO radical by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

High-resolution (0.005/cm) FTIR spectra of the X2Pi(i)-X2Pi(i) (1-0) rovibrational bands of (C-35)(O-16) and (Cl-37)(O-16) were obtained in 1 torr of helium carrier gas. After measuring the strengths of approximately 830 individual IR lines from several spectra, a total band strength of 13.1 + or - 1.1/sq cm atm and a first Herman-Wallis coefficient of (4.12 + or - 0.62) x 10 to the -3rd were determined.
Role of the divalent metal ion in the NAD:malic enzyme reaction: An ESEEM determination of the ground state conformation of malate in the E:Mn: Malate complex

The conformation of L-malate bound at the active site of Ascaris suum malic enzyme has been investigated by electron spin echo envelope modulation spectroscopy. Dipolar interactions between Mn2+ bound to the enzyme active site and deuterium specifically placed at the 2-position, the 3R-position, and the 3S-position of L-malate were observed. The intensities of these interactions are related to the distance between each deuterium and Mn2+. Several models of possible Mn-malate complexes were constructed using molecular graphics techniques, and conformational searches were conducted to identify conformers of malate that meet the distance criteria defined by the spectroscopic measurements. These searches suggest that L-malate binds to the enzyme active site in the trans conformation, which would be expected to be the most stable conformer in solution, not in the gauche conformer, which would be more similar to the conformation required for oxidative decarboxylation of oxalacetate formed from L-malate at the active site of the enzyme.
Limits on radio continuum emission from a sample of candidate contracting starless cores

We have used the NRAO Very Large Array to search for 3.6 cm continuum emission from embedded protostars in a sample of eight nearby "starless" cores that show spectroscopic evidence for infalling motions in molecular emission lines. We detect a total of 13 compact sources in the eight observed fields to 5 σ limiting flux levels of typically 0.09 mJy. None of these sources lie within 1' of the central positions of the cores, and they are all likely background objects. Based on an extrapolation of the empirical correlation between the bolometric luminosity and 3.6 cm luminosity for the youngest protostars, these null detections place upper limits of ~0.1 L⊙ (d/140 pc)2 on the luminosities of protostellar sources embedded within these cores. These limits, together with the extended nature of the inward motions inferred from molecular line mapping, are inconsistent with the inside-out collapse model of singular isothermal spheres and suggest a less centrally condensed phase of core evolution during the earliest stages of star formation.
Maintaining Sibling Relationships for Children in Foster and Adoptive Placements

To better understand the nature of sibling relationships among children in foster or adoptive placement and the challenges and processes involved in maintaining these relationships, we conducted an exploratory analysis of data collected from semi-structured interviews with caregivers of 14 foster and adopted children in San Diego County. We identified three patterns of placement histories and living situations which appeared to impact the degree of contact maintained with siblings: (1) children who had never lived together and were not currently placed together; (2) children who at some point lived with or were placed together with their siblings, but were now separated from them; and (3) children who had lived with their siblings all their life and were placed together with at least some of their siblings at the time of the interview. Children's current living situations and placement histories, caregivers' experiences and perceptions of feasibility and desirability of sibling contact, and the sibling relationship itself are primary determinants in the development and maintenance of contact between siblings. Implications for child welfare policy and practice are discussed.
The influence of epidermal growth factor on cat corneal endothelial wound healing

Using standardized freeze wounds in cat corneas, we tested the efficacy of human recombinant Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) to promote endothelial healing when solubilized in either phosphate buffered saline (PBS), 1% methylcellulose (MC), or sodium hyaluronate (NaHA), in final intraocular doses ranging from 2 micrograms to 100 micrograms of EGF. After 6 or 7 days' healing, animals were humanely sacrificed and corneal tissues were fixed and stained for light microscopy and computation of remaining wound areas. EGF in NaHA in final intraocular doses of 2 and 10 micrograms prompted significantly more complete healing of transcorneal freeze wounds to endothelium compared with endothelium of eyes treated with NaHA control solution alone. EGF in PBS or in MC in doses ranging from 2-100 micrograms/eye did not promote more complete wound healing than that seen in eyes treated with their respective vehicle solutions alone. All vehicle solutions were associated with similar degrees of wound healing, implying that they have no intrinsic healing properties.
Abnormalities of the corpus callosum in nonpsychotic children with chromosome 22q11 deletion syndrome

Chromosome 22q11 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is associated with elevated rates of schizophrenia and other psychoses in adulthood. Childhood morphologic brain abnormalities are frequently reported, but the significance of these and their relationship to the development of schizophrenia are unclear. We sought to delineate midline neuroanatomical abnormalities in nonpsychotic children with 22q11DS and their age- and sex-matched controls and compare these to those reported in individuals with schizophrenia. On qualitative analysis, we found a high incidence of midline developmental abnormalities (cavum septum pellucidum, or CSP). On quantitative analysis, the total corpus callosum (CC) area was significantly increased in the patient group and among the subregions, the patients had a significantly larger isthmus. These findings of an increased area of the corpus callosum, specifically the isthmus, have not been reported before in individuals with 22q11DS. We also found a relative lack of the age-related increase in the size of the corpus callosum in the children with 22q11DS. There were no differences in cerebellar vermis measurements between the patient and control groups. Our findings are indicative of frequent midline brain anomalies, including dysgenesis of the corpus callosum, in nonpsychotic children with 22q11DS. Although the increased size of the corpus callosum in our 22q11DS patients is in direct contrast to the decrease seen in schizophrenia, the high frequency of structural midline abnormalities in these nonpsychotic children with 22q11DS is similar to that seen in schizophrenia. Further longitudinal studies on these children will help determine which of these structural abnormalities is/are pertinent to the development of psychosis.
Short Communication: A numerical method for diffusive transport with moving boundaries and discontinuous material properties

A method for the numerical simulation of diffusive transport with moving boundaries is developed and tested. The variable domain is mapped onto a fixed region, which introduces a term of convective form to the transformed governing equation. The resulting convection/diffusion equation is solved by a finite-difference method. An 'Immersed Interface' Method (IIM) is introduced in order to retain second-order accuracy near discontinuities in material properties, where the solution is not smooth. The method performs well in benchmark calculations against an analytical solution. The IIM scheme is capable of treating a strong discontinuity in the gradient, and it is readily extended to two or three dimensions. The methods are illustrated through a calculation for the temperature profile in a growing continental ice sheet, in which the thermal properties are discontinuous at the rock/ice interface.
Differential Degradation of the Three Fibrinogen Chains by Proteasomes: Involvement of Sec61p and Cytosolic Hsp70

Abstract HepG2 cells, which synthesize and secrete fibrinogen, accumulate surplus Aα and γ chains. The nonsecreted fibrinogen chains are degraded both by proteasomes and lysosomes, with unassembled chains primarily degraded by proteasomes and an Aα–γ complex by lysosomes. To further determine the mechanisms by which unassembled fibrinogen chains are degraded, and to explain the pools of Aα and γ chains that occur in HepG2 cells, the association of fibrinogen chains with Sec61β, a component of the translocon, and with a cytosol chaperone, Hsp70, was studied in both HepG2 cells and COS cells expressing single fibrinogen chains. Retrotranslocation from the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum was shown by treatment with MG132, a proteasome inhibitor. MG132 caused glycosylated Bβ to accumulate on Sec61β in COS cells expressing Bβ and acted similarly with all three fibrinogen chains in HepG2 cells. In HepG2 cells, Bβ was associated with Sec61β ahead of Aα and γ chains, suggesting that pools of Aα and γ chains may be caused by unequal rates of retrotranslocation. In COS cells, retrotranslocation into the cytoplasm was demonstrated by the ATP-sensitive association of ubiquitinylated Aα, Bβ, and γ chains bound to Hsp70. More Aα and γ than Bβ accumulated on Hsp70 of HepG2 cells, consistent with more rapid degradation of Bβ. Overexpression of Hsp70 in HepG2 cells resulted in decreased secretion, but not synthesis, of fibrinogen. Decreased secretion may be due to enhanced degradation of unassembled fibrinogen chains, indicating that proteolysis by proteasomes might regulate both the intracellular pools of fibrinogen chains and fibrinogen secretion.
Friction and wear of titanium alloys sliding against metal, polymer, and ceramic counterfaces

Abstract Recent advances in lower-cost processing of titanium, coupled with its potential use as a light weight material in engines and brakes has renewed interest in the tribological behavior of titanium alloys. To help establish a baseline for further studies on the tribology of titanium against various classes of counterface materials, pin-on-disk sliding friction and wear experiments were conducted on two different titanium alloys (Ti–6Al–4V and Ti–6Al–2Sn–4Zr–2Mo). Disks of these alloys were slid against fixed bearing balls composed of 440C stainless steel, silicon nitride, alumina, and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) at two speeds: 0.3 and 1.0 m/s. The friction coefficient and wear rate were lower at the higher sliding speed. Ceramic sliders suffered unexpectedly higher wear than the steel slider. The wear rates, ranked from the highest to the lowest, were alumina, silicon nitride, and steel, respectively. This trend is inversely related to their hardness, but corresponds to their relative fracture toughness. Comparative tests on a Type 304 stainless steel disk supported the fracture toughness dependency. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirmed the tendency of Ti alloys to transfer material to their counterfaces and suggested possible tribochemical reactions between the ceramic sliders and Ti alloy disks. These reaction products, which adhere to the ceramic sliders, may degrade the mechanical properties of the contact areas and result in high wear. The tribochemical reactions along with the fracture toughness dependency helped explain the high wear on the ceramic sliders.
Screening asymptomatic diabetic patients for coronary artery disease prior to renal transplantation

Background. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a significant contributor to excess mortality in renal transplant candidates with diabetes mellitus (DM). Prior studies relating to risk stratification for significant CAD in diabetics are confined to Caucasian type 1 DM patients. Methods. To assess the prevalence of clinically silent CAD and to identify variables that are associated with CAD, we retrospectively analyzed the cardiac catheterization data of 97 asymptomatic type 1 and 2 DM kidney and kidney-pancreas transplant candidates. Results. Thirty-three percent of type 1 and 48% of type 2 DM patients had significant stenosis (≥70%) in 1 or more coronary arteries. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, body mass index (BMI) >25 was significantly associated with CAD (relative risk = 4.8, P = 0.002). The age of the patient (7% increase in risk/year, P = 0.01; or relative risk = 3.0 if age >47 years, P = 0.032) and smoking history (2% increase in risk/pack-year of smoking, P = 0.10) were also associated with CAD. African American patients, who comprised 30% of the sample, had a 71% lower risk compared with Caucasian patients (P = 0.03). Factors that were not significantly associated with CAD included gender, type of diabetes, and whether dialyzed for >6 months prior to catheterization. Conclusions. We conclude that a notable proportion (approximately one-third to one-half) of asymptomatic type 1 and type 2 diabetic renal transplant candidates have significant CAD. Additionally, young African American DM patients with no smoking history and a BMI ≤25 are at reduced risk, and invasive tests may not be necessary in this group.
Correlation of dynamic cartilage contact stress aberrations with severity of instability in ankle incongruity.

Joint instability is presumed to cause abnormality in cartilage contact mechanics, which accumulatively damages articular surface over years, leading to osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of instability on dynamic cartilage contact mechanics. Using human ankle cadaver specimens, potentially unstable ankles were modeled by introducing a coronally-directed step-off incongruity of the anterior tibial surface and/or by transecting the anterior talofibular ligament. Specimens were subjected to a duty cycle with quasi-physiologic stance-phase motion and loading. AP tibial forces were modulated, causing a controlled, quantifiable ankle subluxation during the duty cycle. Instantaneous changes in local articular contact stresses in the ankle were continuously measured using a thin and flexible pressure transducer. Tests were repeated while varying the tibial surface condition (anatomic, 1mm step-off, and 2mm step-off), both before/after transection of the anterior talofibular ligament, with various AP force magnitudes, so that situations of various degrees of instability were created for each specimen. Instability events occurred in ankles when the step-off incongruity was introduced, with the abnormality in joint kinematics being greater after ligament transection. Contact stress data revealed that these instability events involved distinctly abrupt increases/decreases in local articular contact stresses, and that the degree of abruptness was correlated very nearly linearly with the abnormality in joint kinematics. The severity of cartilage contact stress aberration appeared to be correlated closely with the degree of instability. Given this linear relationship, even small instability events presumably involve appreciable abnormality in dynamic joint contact mechanics.
Tail-Flicking, Tail-Flagging, and Tail Position in Ungulates with Special Reference to Black-Tailed Deer

Testing the functional significance of antipredator behaviors is exceedingly difficult given their potential dual functions (i.e., conspecific warning and pursuit deterrence), and this task is made even more difficult when the same term is used to describe different behavioral patterns by different authors. Tail movements and rump patch exposure in ungulates are well-documented phenomena, but the functional significance of each has remained elusive. I discuss the confusion in the literature regarding the definition of tail movements, redefine two behavioral patterns and three tail positions, and examine their performance in Columbian black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) in response to an approaching human. ‘Tail-flicking’, the brief swaying of the tail to one side or the other, was most commonly associated with feeding behavior, and ‘tail-flagging’, the lateral side-to-side movement of the tail in rapid succession, was common during both feeding and alert behaviors. Tail-flicking and tail-flagging: (i) were performed by both calm/foraging deer and alarmed deer; (ii) probably lack naturally selected antipredator function but may have the benefit of providing public information to conspecifics about potential danger, and (iii) likely lay at opposite ends of a continuum of tail movements that are the result of agitation and motor reflexes involved in locomotion, where flagging indicates greater agitation than flicking. Deer held their tail ‘erect’ during bouts of rapid flight, including stotting and trotting, and erected their tails sooner after flight during more threatening approaches. Tail erection as a behavioral pattern is an antigravity reflex performed when preparing for locomotion and probably lacks antipredator function. However, tail erection likely facilitated the evolution of bright rump patches in ungulates, which were probably shaped by natural selection to serve multiple antipredator or thermoregulatory functions.
The response of GABAergic and cholinergic neurons to transient cerebral ischemia

Abstract The vulnerability of striatal and hippocampal neurons to ischemia was studied by measuring the activity of neurotransmitter-related enzymes after transient forebrain ischemia in rats. Activities of glutamic acid decar☐ylase (GAD) and choline acetyltransferase (CAT) were measured 6 h to 8 days after 20, 30 or 40 min of forebrain ischemia, as markers for GABAergic and cholinergic neurons respectively. Transient forebrain ischemia resulted in depression of striatal GAD activity while striatal CAT and hippocampal GAD activities were unaffected. Striatal GAD activity progressively decreased during the first 24 h postischemia and remained depressed 5–8 days later, suggesting irreversible damage to this population of neurons. The stability of striatal CAT and hippocampal GAD activity indicates that these cells were resistant to the present ischemic conditions.
Crack Detection with Wireless Inductively-Coupled Transducers

In earlier work we developed inductive coupling for surface-mounted Lamb wave transducers operating at relatively low frequencies, such as 300 kHz. We now report on similar inductively-coupled transducers at higher (multiple MHz) frequencies. Our investigation was motivated by a particular application, to examine a box girder top flange, using transducers mounted along the flange edge. We employ a pair of transducers in pitch-catch mode, offset to create a diagonal path, and show that a shadow is detected when the path is intercepted by a through-thickness crack. We compare results obtained using conventionally wired transducers and using inductively-coupled transducers, showing that effective performance can be achieved with wireless (inductively-coupled) operation. Superior performance is obtained if plexiglas wedges are used to direct the beam along the diagonal path. Reflection from the crack is evident, as is the shadow effect along the direct diagonal path.
Postoperative complications and health care use in children undergoing surgery for ulcerative colitis

Abstract Objectives Medical and surgical approaches toward children with ulcerative colitis (UC) vary and have differing implications for health care use. The goal of this study was to define hospital use and complications for children with UC before and after staged restorative proctocolectomy. Patients and Methods A retrospective study of the California Patient Discharge Dataset from 1999 to 2007 of children aged 2 to 18 years with UC who underwent colectomy was performed (N = 218). Surgical staging was determined alongside hospital type (children's vs non-children's) and surgical case volume. Postoperative complications and hospital length of stay were analyzed using multivariate regression. Results The cohort was mostly male (56%) and white (80%), had private insurance (78%), and underwent colectomy at a children's hospital (62%). Overall, 65% required a separate hospital admission before admission for colectomy. Single-, 2-, and 3-stage procedures were performed in 19 (9%), 144 (66%), and 38 (17%) children. The mean admissions per patient were 1.8 ± 2.4 before colectomy and 0.7 ± 1.6 after surgical completion. Surgical complications occurred in 100 (49%) children, with 39% being attributed to postoperative infection. Children with public insurance (odds ratio, 2.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-4.85) and those who underwent colectomy at a non–children's hospital (odds ratio, 2.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-6.37) had increased likelihood of surgical complications. Finally, nonwhite race, surgical staging, and undergoing colectomy at a low- or medium-volume hospital resulted in prolonged hospitalization ( P Conclusions Children with UC who undergo colectomy use a large number of hospital resources before surgery and exhibit decreased hospital use after surgical completion. Children undergoing colectomy at children's and high-volume hospitals experience fewer surgical complications and shorter hospitalization.