cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The significance of fission-track ages of apatite in relation to the tectonic history of the Front and Sawatch Ranges, Colorado

Fission-track ages of apatite in the Mount Evans area of the Front Range show that the Late Cretaceous 100 °C isotherm, which was 4 km below the sea floor, is now at an altitude of 3.5 km. Assuming a geothermal gradient of 25 °C per kilometre, the projected level of the latest Cretaceous sea floor, represented by the Fox Hills Sandstone, is at an altitude of 7.5 km, about 3.2 km above the top of Mount Evans, and the structural relief from that projection of the Fox Hills on the crest of the Front Range uplift to the deepest part of the Denver Basin to the east is 6.5 km. Ages of apatite in Precambrian rock along the Elkhorn fault on the west margin of the Front Range uplift show that in the area of maximum stratigraphic displacement the fault must have a very low dip and that the east margin of the Paleocene South Park basin must have been nearby. Ages in the Sawatch Range suggest that significant uplift occurred during or after Eocene time. Ages on the east side of the range reflect development of the Arkansas Valley graben and concomitant uplift of the east margin of the modern Sawatch Range in Miocene time.
Effects of disorder on voltage coherence in a modified linear Josephson array

We report numerical simulations on the effect of disorder in parallel-biased series of arrays of overdamped Josephson junctions. Our arrays feature additional parallel-conected ‘shunt’ junctions which provide strong local coupling between pairs of junctions along the series-connected ‘backbone’. We find that series arrays of 20 junctions have phase-locked and phase-coherent dynamical modes which are tolerant of more than 50% spread in critical currents,IC, and plaquette area, S. The arrays, however, show moderate tolerance to (10% spread) disorder in bias currents,IB. This tolerance to disorder in array parameters implies that practical RF sources might be possible using these arrays.
Ontogeny of hepatic nuclear triiodothyronine receptor isoforms in the rat.

We have determined the contribution of the thyroid hormone receptor (TR) isoforms TR alpha 1 and TR beta 1 to the postnatal rise in rat hepatic nuclear T3-binding capacity. In agreement with previous studies, total hepatic nuclear binding capacity rose by about 8-fold from the 19th day of gestation to young adulthood at 2 months of age (0.10 +/- 0.03 to 0.86 +/- 0.17 pmol/mg DNA). The levels of specific TR species were measured by immunoprecipitation of T3-binding activity from hepatic extracts using a panel of antisera directed against specific regions of the TR isoforms. The difference between receptor immunoprecipitated with antibody against TR beta 1 and that precipitated with an antibody against an identical region in both TR beta 1 and TR alpha 1 was tentatively assumed to represent TR alpha 1. TR alpha 1 accounted for virtually all T3-binding activity in fetal liver on gestational day 19 (G19), increased by 2-fold shortly after birth, and remained constant thereafter. TR alpha 1 mRNA, on the other ...
Parsing Coordinates and Ellipsis: Copy α

In this paper we argue that the human parsing mechanism has available two distinct methods of building syntactic structure. One mechanism, which has been studied extensively, involves building structure in response to the input in a step-by-step, inference-by-inference manner. Building more structure by this means involves more processing cost than building less structure. The second mechanism, proposed here, involves essentially cost-free copying of the structure of an antecedent clause. Building more structure by this means (copying) does not necessarily impose a greater cost than building (copying) less structure. The results of several sentence processing studies are presented in support of the proposal.
Two-photon resonance-enhanced refractive-index change and self-focusing in a dye-solution-filled hollow fiber system

The general behavior of two-photon absorption-enhanced refractive-index change in a third-order nonlinear optical medium is briefly described. The nonlinear medium was the solution of a new dye, trans-4-[p-(N-hydroxyethyl-N-methylamino)styryl]-N-methyl pyridinium iodide (ASPI) in dimethyl sulfoxide as the solvent, that was poured into a 20-cm-long quartz hollow fiber of 100-µm internal diameter. This dye solution has a strong two-photon absorption and subsequent upconversion fluorescence emission when excited with 1064-nm laser radiation. When the input peak intensity reached 500–1500-MW/cm2 levels, obvious changes in beam profiles of the output IR laser beam were observed due to a self-focusing or self-trapping process occurring inside the fiber system. As a result of this process, highly directional frequency-upconverted superradiant lasing output was obtained with a beam size ∼5 times smaller than that of a linearly transmitted He–Ne probe laser beam. The demonstrated mechanism can be useful for fiber laser–amplifier and fiber–integrated optics devices.
Live tweeting in medicine: ‘Tweeting the meeting’

Medical conferences create an opportunity for lifelong learning for healthcare practitioners. The use of Twitter at such conferences continues to expand. This article focuses on how Twitter can be used by physicians and other healthcare providers at regional, national and international conferences, and also at local conferences, such as grand rounds. It also addresses the potential utility of Twitter chats and journal clubs in the promotion of lifelong learning. The impact of Twitter use in healthcare in general, and specifically at conferences, and how it can be measured, is discussed.
Molecular recognition of a peptide by the nickel(II) complex of 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-2,9-dione

The nickel(II) complex of the macrocycle 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-2,9-dione (dota) was found to be efficient in the recognition of the dipeptide, glycyl-glycine (Gly-Gly) in aqueous solution. This (dota)NiII complex serves as a targeting molecule to form a stable ternary complex with the dipeptide at pH 8.3 in aqueous solution. The recognition constant (log K=19.20) and the recognition mechanism were investigated based on the potentiometric method. The single-crystal of a six-coordinated (dota)2NiII complex is also reported.
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Links Obesity, Insulin Action, and Type 2 Diabetes

Obesity contributes to the development of type 2 diabetes, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Using cell culture and mouse models, we show that obesity causes endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. This stress in turn leads to suppression of insulin receptor signaling through hyperactivation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and subsequent serine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1). Mice deficient in X-box-binding protein-1 (XBP-1), a transcription factor that modulates the ER stress response, develop insulin resistance. These findings demonstrate that ER stress is a central feature of peripheral insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. Pharmacologic manipulation of this pathway may offer novel opportunities for treating these common diseases.
A theory of message transport in nerves

Abstract It is known that the electric polarization and associated sodium ion concentration gradient on either side of a nerve membrane undergo great changes during the passage of a nerve impulse. Why this happens and what triggers the change is not known. In this paper I present a theory which accounts for the role played by the sodium ion diffusion in impulse transmission. The theory presented accounts for the following: the nature and use of the sodium diffusion; the necessity of a critical current; and, finally, the reason for the lack of attenuation of the impulse current during its passage. The action of the sodium pump is to store energy in the nerve system. This stored energy, when released, is used in the activation of microscopic charge transfer of message charges between molecular sites in the nerve. The message current depends on the concentration of message charges and on the concentration of sodium ions. It is argued in this paper that the rate of message charge transfer owes its “all-or-none” character to a condition analogous to a thermal explosion.
Modelling of microwave emission and scattering from snow and soil

In the past a snow layer has been modeled as a homogeneous layer embedded with sparsely populated Rayleigh scatterers above an irregular ground surface. The effect of the ground surface can be ignored if the layer is sufficiently lossy due to wetness in the snow. The top surface of the snow layer may be treated as plane or irregular depending upon its actual shape and its wetness condition. For a dry snow condition where the electromagnetic wave can penetrate easily one can ignore the air-snow interface. As a result a variety of emission and scattering models exist. An improvement to the existing scattering or emission model would consist of an irregular layer with densely populated correlated scatterers. The development of this model and its application to scattering and emission from a snow layer are discussed. Also disucssed is a surface scattering model for a soil surface.
Seasonality and host usage of trichomycetes in larval black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) of southern Alabama, USA

Abstract Larval black flies were collected monthly from streams in southern Alabama and assayed for the presence of gut fungi (trichomycetes). Eight trichomycete species were found, each showing seasonality and specific host usage. Trichomycete taxa collected were Genistellospora homothallica, Harpella melusinae, Harpella sp. 1, Pennella hovassi, Pennella simulii, Pennella sp. 1, Simuliomyces microsporus, and Smittium brasiliense, from the hosts Simulium decorum, Simulium jonsei, Simulium tribulatum, and Simulium ubiquitum. Seven trichomycete species were collected in the spring, summer (4), fall (2), and winter (4). S. ubiquitum hosted all 8 species of trichomycetes, S. jonsei (3), S. decorum (3) and S. tribulatum (2). Our results indicate that trichomycetes occupy a restricted subset of potential hosts and vary in prevalence according to season, independent of host prevalence.
An improved method for purifying bacterial genomic DNAs for direct sequencing by capillary automated sequencer

Since the first publication of the dideoxy sequencing method (Ref. [1] ), technologies have developed for both labeling and separating molecules. Fluorescent dye labels, among others, have enabled automated sequencing with increased capacity and throughput. In addition, the enhanced sensitivity conferred by energy-transfer dyes like BigDye (PE Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA) and DYEnamic ET (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, Buckinghamshire, UK) raises the possibility of sequencing directly from very large plasmids such as BACs, PACs and P1s, and even from bacterial genomes (Ref. [2] ). This would provide a means of closing gaps between contigs generated by a whole genome shotgun approach, and of identifying transposon insertion sites without any intermediate PCR step. For successful direct sequencing, however, high-quality genomic DNA is necessary, requiring time-consuming proteinase K digestion and subsequent phenol–chloroform extraction. Here, I present a simple and reliable method for preparing bacterial genomic templates for direct sequencing. This method uses a chaotropic reagent and silica matrix for purifying needle-sheared DNA. It can be used for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and DNA sequences can be determined using a capillary sequencing machine [e.g. 310 Genetic Analyzer (PE Biosystems)].
Tunable gaps and enhanced mobilities in strain-engineered silicane

The recent demonstration of single-atom thick, sp3-hybridized group 14 analogues of graphene enables the creation of materials with electronic structures that are manipulated by the nature of the covalently bound substituents above and below the sheet. These analogues can be electronically derived from isolated (111) layers of the bulk diamond lattice. Here, we perform systematic Density Functional Theory calculations to understand how the band dispersions, effective masses, and band gaps change as the bulk silicon (111) layers are continuously separated from each other until they are electronically isolated, and then passivated with hydrogen. High-level calculations based on HSE06 hybrid functionals were performed on each endpoint to compare directly with experimental values. We find that the change in the electronic structure due to variations in the Si-H bond length, Si-Si-Si bond angle, and most significantly the Si-Si bond length can tune the nature of the band gap from indirect to direct with dramatic effects on the transport properties. First-principles calculations of the phonon-limited electron mobility predict a value of 464 cm2/Vs for relaxed indirect band gap Si-H monolayers at room temperature. However, for 1.6% tensile strain, the band gap becomes direct, which increases the mobility significantly (8 551 cm2/Vs at 4% tensile strain). In total, this analysis of Si-based monolayers suggests that strain can change the nature of the band gap from indirect to direct and increase the electron mobility more than 18-fold.
Interleukin-1 and Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Signaling Is Not Required for Bacteria-Induced Osteoclastogenesis and Bone Loss but Is Essential for Protecting the Host from a Mixed Anaerobic Infection

Bacterial infection causes significant morbidity, mediated in part by the up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines. Cytokine induction is thought to stimulate osteolysis in conditions such as periodontal disease and otitis media. To establish the relative importance of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in mediating the response to a mixed anaerobic infection, we used an in vivo model in which the dental pulp was inoculated with six anaerobic pathogens, in mice with functional deletions of receptors to IL-1 (IL-1RI−/−), TNF (TNFRp55−/−-p75−/−), or both (TNFRp55−/−-IL-1RI−/−). Polymorphonuclear and mononuclear phagocyte recruitment occurred to the greatest extent in TNFRp55−/−-IL-1RI−/− mice, and to a lesser extent in IL-1RI−/− or TNFRp55−/−-p75−/− mice, and the least in wild-type mice, demonstrating that recruitment of these phagocytes is not dependent on IL-1 or TNF receptor signaling. A similar pattern was observed for bacterial penetration into host tissue. Because it had recently been reported that TNF played a critical role in mediating lipopolysaccharide-induced bone loss, we anticipated that mice with targeted deletions of TNFRp55−/− would have reduced osteoclastogenesis. Surprisingly, osteolytic lesion formation was greatest in animals lacking TNF and/or IL-1 receptors. These results indicate that IL-1 or TNF receptor signaling is not required for bacteria-induced osteoclastogenesis and bone loss, but does play a critical role in protecting the host against mixed anaerobic infections.
Test for two-variable local positivity with applications

A procedure for determining whether or not a polynomial V(x 1 ,x 2 ) is positive in the region defined by a ≤ x 1 ≤ b and c ≤ x 2 ≤ d, is discussed, where x 1 and x 2 are real variables and a, b, c, d are arbitrary real constants. Two physically motivated examples are given to illustrate the procedure.
Distributed Binary Quantizers for Communication Constrained Large-scale Sensor Networks

We consider in this paper local sensor quantizer design for large-scale bandwidth and/or energy constrained wireless sensor networks (WSNs) operating in fading channels. In particular, under the Neyman-Pears on framework, we address the design of binary local sensor quantizers for a binary hypothesis problem in the asymptotic regime where the number of sensors is large. Motivated by the sensor censoring idea for reduced communication rate, each sensor either transmits `1' to a fusion center or remains silent. By adopting energy detector as the fusion rule, we develop a procedure to obtain local sensor threshold that maximizes the Kullback-Leibler distance of the distributions of the fusion statistic under the two hypotheses. The proposed quantizer design is well suited for the emerging large scale resource-constrained WSNs applications. Numerical results based on Gaussian and exponential observations are presented to demonstrate the design procedure
Equilibrium studies of the cyclic AMP receptor protein-DNA interaction

The binding of the Escherichia coli cyclic AMP receptor protein (CAP) to restriction fragments containing the lac promoter-operator region has been investigated as a function of cAMP concentration, using a sensitive gel electrophoresis assay. Under standard conditions (13 mM ionic strength), the equilibrium constant for CAP binding to its primary site on a 203 base-pair lac promoter fragment is 6.3 X 10(8) M-1 at 0.2 microM-cAMP, and increases to 8.4 X 10(10) M-1 at 5.0 microM-cAMP. The latter is about 10(5) times larger than the equilibrium constant for binding to an isolated, non-specific site. The L8 mutation, which renders the lac promoter unresponsive to CAP in vivo, lowers this binding affinity by five- to tenfold. Analysis of the cAMP dependency of binding over the concentration range of 0.2 microM to 10 microM reveals that uptake of a single equivalent of cAMP is required for site-specific binding. Similarly, the transfer of CAP from a non-specific DNA site to a specific site requires the net uptake of a single molecule of cAMP. In contrast, co-operative non-specific binding to DNA was found to be independent of cAMP concentration with an equilibrium binding constant of 6 X 10(6) M-1. We conclude that the cAMP affinity of the two CAP subunits in the specific promoter complex is not equal, and that the complex structure therefore deviates significantly from twofold symmetry. A model for the regulation of the lac promoter by the intracellular cAMP concentration is proposed on the basis of the equilibrium binding results.
X-ray Crystal Structures of Silver Based Molecules Containing 5,5′-Dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine and 2,2′-bipyridine

The reaction of AgBF4 with 5,5′-dimethy-2,2′-bipyridine and 2,2′-bipyridine yields three previously unreported compounds. The molecular structures of these compounds were obtained by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Crystallization of 1 occurs in the centrosymmetric triclinic space group P-1 (No. 2) with a = 13.0069(6), b = 13.5903(6), c = 13.9489(6); and α = 95.677(2), β = 98.995(2), γ = 101.716(2) and Z = 6. Crystallization of 2 occurs in the centrosymmetric monoclinic space group C2/c (No. 15) with a = 23.413(3), b = 11.2116(13), c = 13.0653(13) and β = 123.074(3), and Z = 4. Crystallization of 3 occurs in the centrosymmetric triclinic space group P-1 (No. 2) with a = 12.6843(12), b = 12.8834(13), c = 12.9887(13), and α = 96.172(5), β = 95.149(5), γ = 98.051(6) and Z = 2. Details of the synthesis and the structural characterization of the title compounds are presented and discussed. The organic ligands 5,5′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine and 2,2′-bipyridine, were used to synthesize three new complexes with AgBF4, whose structures are dependent on the type of solvent used in the reaction as well as solvent of crystallization.
Surgical Treatment of Tarsal Navicular Stress Fractures

The tarsal navicular is part of the medial column of the foot. It articulates with the talus as well as the cuneiforms. The navicular can be injured with repetitive loading, such as in an athlete, resulting in a stress fracture. Patients complain of pain over the medial midfoot, especially with axial load. Plain radiographs may be normal, and MRI, CT or bone scan may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Nonoperative management can be successful with cast immobilization. For competitive athletes with delayed union or nonunion, surgical repair may be indicated. This is accomplished with interfragmentary screws and autogenous cancellous bone graft. Cast immobilization is important to prevent motion at the fracture site during the postoperative healing period. Nonweightbearing restrictions are used for eight to twelve weeks, or until radiographic bony union is verified. Using a comprehensive rehabilitative program, full motion and strength can be expected with eventual return to full athletic activity.
Analysis of non‐enzymatically glycated peptides: neutral‐loss‐triggered MS3 versus multi‐stage activation tandem mass spectrometry

Non-enzymatic glycation of tissue proteins has important implications in the development of complications of diabetes mellitus. While electron transfer dissociation (ETD) has been shown to outperform collision-induced dissociation (CID) in sequencing glycated peptides by tandem mass spectrometry, ETD instrumentation is not yet available in all laboratories. In this study, we evaluated different advanced CID techniques (i.e., neutral-loss triggered MS3 and multi-stage activation) during LC-MSn analyses of Amadori-modified peptides enriched from human serum glycated in vitro. During neutral-loss triggered MS3 experiments, MS3 scans triggered by neutral-losses of 3 H2O or 3 H2O + HCHO produced similar results in terms of glycated peptide identifications. However, neutral losses of 3 H2O resulted in significantly more glycated peptide identifications during multi-stage activation experiments. Overall, the multi-stage activation approach produced more glycated peptide identifications, while the neutral-loss triggered MS3 approach resulted in much higher specificity. Both techniques offer a viable alternative to ETD for identifying glycated peptides when that method is unavailable.
Maximum likelihood detectors for generalized code-multiplexing ultra-wideband systems

Generalized code-multiplexing (GCM) systems have been recently proposed for non-coherent ultra-wideband communications for their simple receiver structure. By simply correlating the outputs of energy integrators with decoding codes, the GCM receiver detects information symbols without the need of delay components for transmitted reference or analog carriers for frequency-shifted reference. In addition, the GCM systems subsume existing code-multiplexing designs such as code-multiplexed transmitted reference (CM-TR) and code-shifted reference (CSR) and could even provide better error performance and/or higher data rate. However, the existing GCM receiver is generally not a maximum likelihood detector (MLD). In this paper, we propose MLDs for GCM systems based on the statistics of the signals of GCM receivers. With the aid of the statistics, the MLDs for GCM systems inherit the simple non-coherent structure of GCM receivers and further improve the error performance. Extensive simulations are conducted to show the considerable performance gain of the proposed MLDs compared to the GCM receivers for both CSR codes and optimal GCM codes.
Bubble-Induced Unsteadiness on A Wind Turbine Airfoil

The effect of laminar separation bubbles on the surface pressure distribution and aerodynamic force characteristics of two quite different airfoils is studied numerically. The low-Reynolds-number Eppler E387 airfoil is analyzed at a chord Reynolds number of 1.0×105 whereas the NREL S809 airfoil for horizontal-axis wind turbines is analyzed at 1.0×106 . For all cases in the present study, bubble induced vortex shedding is observed. This flow phenomenon causes significant oscillations in the airfoil surface pressures and, hence, airfoil generated aerodynamic forces. The computed time-averaged pressures compare favorably with wind-tunnel measurements for both airfoils.Copyright © 2002 by Mayda, van Dam, Duque, and ASME
Molecular interaction of acrylonitrile and potassium cyanide with rat blood.

Abstract The interaction of acrylonitrile (VCN) with rat blood has been investigated at the molecular level in an attempt to understand the possible mechanism of its toxicity. The results obtained were compared to those with potassium cyanide (KCN), a compound known to liberate cyanide (CN − ) in biologic conditions. The radioactivity derived from K 14 CN was eliminated faster than that from [1- 14 C]VCN. Up to a maximum of 94% of 14 C from VCN in erythrocytes was detected covalently bound to cytoplasmic and membrane proteins, whereas 90% of the radioactivity from KCN in erythrocytes was found in the heme fraction of hemoglobin. Determination of specific activity showed that binding occurred more in vivo than in vitro which indicated that the VCN molecule was bioactivated inside erythrocytes. These results indicate that KCN interacts mainly through CN − liberation and binding to heme, whereas VCN, which binds to cytoplasmic and membrane proteins, may cause damage to red cells by mechanisms other than release of CN − .
Testing the Equivalence of Generalized Variances in Multivariate Bioequivalence

For the purpose of assessing the equivalence of variabilities in multivariate bioequivalence problems, equivalence testing of the generalized variances of the associated covariance matrices is investigated. Even though similar problems have been studied in the context of univariate bioequivalence testing, the problem has not been formulated or investigated in the multivariate case. For carrying out the test in the multivariate case, an exact p-value is derived in the bivariate case, and an approximation is suggested for higher dimensions. The procedure is illustrated using an example in multivariate bioequivalence.
A Multicontextual Model of Counseling: Bridging Brevity and Diversity

Practice trends in counseling have emphasized the values of brevity and diversity in the delivery of services. In this article the author reviews central elements of brief therapy and multicultural counseling, highlighting the tension created by their differing developmental assumptions. Drawing on recent science and practice literature, the article outlines and illustrates an integrative, multicontextual model of counseling that bridges these important trends by intervening at the interface between individuals and their physical, social, and cultural contexts.
DAF-2 and ERK couple nutrient availability to meiotic progression during Caenorhabditis elegans oogenesis.

Coupling the production of mature gametes and fertilized zygotes to favorable nutritional conditions improves reproductive success. In invertebrates, the proliferation of female germline stem cells is regulated by nutritional status. However, in mammals, the number of female germline stem cells is set early in development, with oocytes progressing through meiosis later in life. Mechanisms that couple later steps of oogenesis to environmental conditions remain largely undefined. We show that, in the presence of food, the DAF-2 insulin-like receptor signals through the RAS-ERK pathway to drive meiotic prophase I progression and oogenesis; in the absence of food, the resultant inactivation of insulin-like signaling leads to downregulation of the RAS-ERK pathway, and oogenesis is stalled. Thus, the insulin-like signaling pathway couples nutrient sensing to meiotic I progression and oocyte production in C. elegans, ensuring that oocytes are only produced under conditions favorable for the survival of the resulting zygotes.
Coherent (phased array) and wavelength (spectral) beam combining compared (Invited Paper)

Significant progress has been recently reported on beam combining of arrays of fiber and semiconductor lasers using both coherent (phased array) and wavelength (spectral) techniques. The choice between these two classes of beam-combining techniques has implications for the degree of control required on the array elements and on the optical system that is using the beam-combined array. Coherent beam combining imposes more stringent requirements on array-element control (spectrum, phase, amplitude, and polarization) than wavelength combining. Also, wavelength-combined systems should degrade more gracefully than coherent systems and require fewer changes to optical systems as the number of elements is varied.
Cultural Considerations in Assessing and Treating African Americans Who Stutter

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to provide speech-language pathologists with information that addresses cultural perceptions about stuttering and suggestions for assessment and treatment of s...
A review of model selection procedures relevant to the weibull distribution

A number of goodness-of-fit and model selection procedures related to the Weibull distribution are reviewed. These procedures include probability plotting, correlation type goodness-of-fit tests, and chi-square goodness-of-fit tests. Also the Kolmogorow-Smirniv, Kuiper, and Cramer-Von Mises test statistics for completely specified hypothesis based on censored data are reviewed, and these test statistics based on complete samples for the unspecified parameters case are considered. Goodness-of-fit tests based on sample spacings, and a goodness-of-fit test for the Weibull process, is also discussed. Model selection procedures for selecting between a Weibull and gamma model, a Weibull and lognormal model, and for selecting from among all three models are considered. Also tests of exponential versus Weibull and Weibull versus generalized gamma are mentioned.
Quantitative Determination of Drug Bioavailability and Biokinetic Behavior from Pharmacological Data for Ophthalmic and Oral Administrations of a Mydriatic Drug

A theoretical basis is developed for the performance of drug-absorption analysis from data obtained from the observation of the time course of pharmacological response intensity following a single dose of drug by any route of administration. The results of such analyses permit an evaluation of the physiological availability characteristics of drugs from pharmaceutical dosage forms and the elucidation of the kinetics and mechanisms operative in the passage of drugs across in vivo biological barriers. It is demonstrated that through the suitable use of intravenous dose—effect curves, the postulation of hypothetical models for pharmacon—receptor site interaction is obviated. The dose—effect curve graphically provides the relationship between the quantity of drug in body compartments (biophase) and the observed intensity of drug response. The use of pharmacological data, in contrast to the use of time course of drug level in body fluid data, has the advantage, in addition to not requiring a method of direct assay for the drug, of being applicable to cases where the drug first penetrates from a local site of administration to a vicinal site of action prior to reaching the systemic circulation. In the present study, kinetic pharmacological data for tridihexethyl chloride were transformed to obtain the temporal variation of biophasic drug levels, which in turn provided the input for least-squares fits to the linear two- and three-compartment models studied. Digital computer programs, employing an iterative systematized guessing method, were designed to aid in fitting the mathematical models. A triexponential fit was found to be the best with the constraints imposed on the model parameters. The method is further exemplified by its application to the determination of drug absorption following oral and ophthalmic administration.
ROTATIONAL VELOCITIES OF LATE-TYPE STARS

A calibration based on the results of Gray has been used to determine projected rotational velocities for 133 bright stars with spectral types of F, G, or K, most of which appear in {The Bright Star Catalogue}. The vast majority have {v} sin {i} ≤q 10 km s-1 and, thus, are slow rotators. With the new calibration, projected rotational velocities have been determined for a sample of 111 late-type stars, most of which are chromospherically active. Some of the stars have had their rotational velocities measured for the first time.
Noise-induced Temporary Threshold Shifts: The Effects of Anticipatory Stress and Coping Strategies

Abstract Temporary Threshold Shifts were assessed in five groups from before to after 5-minute exposure to 110 dB SPL white noise and in one additional group without noise exposure. In each group the baseline conditions were designed to elevate psychological stress via anticipation of the noise and venipuncture procedures. In the three experimental groups, procedures to reduce psychological stress were employed: Information, Relaxation, and Behavioral Avoidance. Manipulation checks supported the effectiveness of these arousal-reducing interventions. Temporary threshold shifts were considerably greater in two of the experimental conditions than in the noise-exposed control conditions.
The relative importance of strength and balance in chair rise by functionally impaired older individuals

OBJECTIVE: The ability to stand independently and safely from the seated position is essential for independent function. This investigation determined the relative contributions of measures of lower extremity strength and measures of balance control in explaining the performance characteristics of sitting-to-standing. Variables analyzed included those related to success of the activity (e.g., time to rise, lowest chair height) and to biomechanical characteristics of performance (e.g., how fast specific body segments moved). SETTING: Durham Veteran's Affairs Medical Center motion analysis laboratory. DESIGN: Cross-sectional correlational study. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-eight men and women aged 66 to 96 (mean = 77) with functional limitations. MEASUREMENTS: Predictor variables were lower extremity strength (isometric) and balance (functional reach and sway). The outcome variable, chair rise performance, was quantified by: lowest successful chair height (chairs at 33 to 58 cm); time to rise; maximum hip flexion angular velocity; and the maximum horizontal and vertical velocities of the motion of the body center of mass (COM). Covariates were lower extremity range of motion and sensory status. RESULTS: With bivariate analysis, lower extremity strength demonstrated relationships with the lowest chair height (r = −0.639) and maximum vertical velocity of the COM (r = .389); functional reach was associated with three variables (lowest chair height r = .374; time to rise r = .297; and maximum horizontal velocity of the COM r = .251). Using a multivariate regression analysis (including lower extremity strength, functional reach, sensory loss, and lower extremity range of motion), the model accounted for 47% of the variance in lowest chair height; lower extremity strength was the only significant predictor (P < .001). The model also accounted for 20% of the variance in maximum horizontal velocity of the COM; lower extremity strength was a significant predictor (P = .006). CONCLUSIONS: Lower extremity strength and balance control both play a role in performance of chair rise; lower extremity strength is the stronger predictor of success for functionally impaired older adults.
An almost perfect heuristic for the N nonattacking queens problem

Abstract We present a heuristic technique for finding solutions to the N nonattacking queens problem that is almost perfect in the sense that it finds a first solution without any backtracks in most cases. In addition to previously known variable-ordering heuristics and their extensions, it uses a value-ordering heuristic, which contributes dramatically to its success. Using these heuristics, solutions have been found for all values of N between 4 and 1000.
Doxorubicin-Mediated Bone Loss in Breast Cancer Bone Metastases Is Driven by an Interplay between Oxidative Stress and Induction of TGFβ

Breast cancer patients, who are already at increased risk of developing bone metastases and osteolytic bone damage, are often treated with doxorubicin. Unfortunately, doxorubicin has been reported to induce damage to bone. Moreover, we have previously reported that doxorubicin treatment increases circulating levels of TGFβ in murine pre-clinical models. TGFβ has been implicated in promoting osteolytic bone damage, a consequence of increased osteoclast-mediated resorption and suppression of osteoblast differentiation. Therefore, we hypothesized that in a preclinical breast cancer bone metastasis model, administration of doxorubicin would accelerate bone loss in a TGFβ-mediated manner. Administration of doxorubicin to 4T1 tumor-bearing mice produced an eightfold increase in osteolytic lesion areas compared untreated tumor-bearing mice (P = 0.002) and an almost 50% decrease in trabecular bone volume expressed in BV/TV (P = 0.0005), both of which were rescued by anti-TGFβ antibody (1D11). Doxorubicin, which is a known inducer of oxidative stress, decreased osteoblast survival and differentiation, which was rescued by N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). Furthermore, doxorubicin treatment decreased Cu-ZnSOD (SOD1) expression and enzyme activity in vitro, and treatment with anti-TGFβ antibody was able to rescue both. In conclusion, a combination therapy using doxorubicin and anti-TGFβ antibody might be beneficial for preventing therapy-related bone loss in cancer patients.
An Evaluation of Antiglobulin Control Cells: Inability to Detect Errors in the Antiglobulin Test

Hemagglutination of antiglobulin control cells from several manufacturers, as well as cells sensitized in our own laboratory, was demonstrated in the presence of bovine albumin, normal human serum, and neutralized anti-human serum. Macroscopic hemagglutination was inconsistently enhanced by the addition of active anti-human serum. This protean reactivity of the reagent cells invalidates any conclusion derived from a positive antiglobulin control.
Adenosine nucleotides and the regulation of GRP94-client protein interactions.

The molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) serves essential roles in the regulation of signaling protein function, trafficking, and turnover. Hsp90 function is intimately linked to intrinsic ATP binding and hydrolysis activities, the latter of which is under the regulatory control of accessory factors. Glucose-regulated protein of 94 kDa (GRP94), the endoplasmic reticulum Hsp90, is highly homologous to cytosolic Hsp90. However, neither accessory factors nor adenosine nucleotides have been clearly implicated in the regulation of GRP94−client protein interactions. In the current study, the structural and regulatory consequences of adenosine nucleotide binding to GRP94 were investigated. We report that apo-GRP94 undergoes a time- and temperature-dependent tertiary conformational change that exposes a site(s) of protein−protein interaction; ATP, ADP, and radicicol markedly suppress this conformational change. In concert with these findings, ATP and ADP act identically to suppress GRP94 homooligomer...
Update on appendicitis: diagnosis and presurgical management.

Purpose of review Practitioners who see pediatric patients with acute complaints are commonly faced with making the diagnosis of appendicitis. While sometimes the history and physical examination are sufficient, frequently some diagnostic confirmation will be necessary. While diagnostic imaging is frequently useful, it may not be easily obtained. Blood tests are more readily available, with less cost and risk, but unclear diagnostic accuracy. Other questions for the initial examiner are when to consult the surgeon and if analgesia administration will obscure the diagnosis. Recent findings Abdominal computed tomography scans and ultrasound scans have been shown to be accurate in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. The literature has begun to focus on which patients should undergo imaging studies. Several clinical decision rules that may be helpful in identifying low-risk patients have been derived. Analgesia given before establishing a diagnosis does not appear to change outcomes. Summary A careful history and physical examination will identify a minority of pediatric appendicitis cases. When diagnostic testing is needed, computed tomography scanning has the best test performance, but also carries the risk of radiation. Elimination of a portion of low-risk patients may reduce unnecessary imaging.
Immunomicrospheres: reagents for cell labeling and separation

Immunomicrospheres are specially designed microscopic particles that have antibodies or similar molecules chemically bound to their surfaces. The antibody-coated microspheres react in a highly specific way with target cells, viruses, or other antigenic agents. Immunomicropheres may be synthesized so that they incorporate compounds that are highly radioactive, intensely fluorescent, magnetic, electron opaque, highly colored, or pharmacologically active. These various types of microspheres may be coated with pure, highly specific monoclonal antibodies obtained by the new hybridoma cell cloning techniques or with conventional antibody preparations. Some of the many present and potential applications for these new reagents are (i) new types of radioimmune or immunofluorescent assays, (ii) improved fluorescence microscopy, (iii) separation of cells on the basis of the fluorescent, electrophoretic, or magnetic properties of bound immunomicrospheres, (iv) markers for use in several types of electron or standard light microscopy, and (v) delivery of lethal compounds to specific undesirable living cells. The combination of the various new types of synthetic microspheres and the newly available homogeneous antibodies offers new opportunities in research, diagnosis, and therapy.
Evaluation of various wavelet bases for use in wavelet-based multiresolution expectation maximization image reconstruction algorithm for PET

Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimation based Expectation Maximization (EM) reconstruction algorithm has shown to provide good quality reconstruction for PET. Our previous work introduced the multigrid EM (MGEM) and multiresolution (MREM) and Wavelet based Multiresolution EM (WMREM) algorithm for PET image reconstruction. This paper investigates the use of various wavelets in the new Wavelet based Multiresolution EM (WMREM) algorithm. The wavelets are used to construct a multiresolution data space, which is then used in the estimation process. The beauty of the wavelet transform to provide localized frequency-space representation of the data allows us to perform the estimation using these decomposed components. The advantage of this method lies with the fact that the noise in the acquired data becomes localized in the high-high or diagonal frequency bands and not using these bands for estimation at coarser resolution helps speed up the recovery of various frequency components with reduced noise estimation. Different wavelet bases result in different reconstructions. Custom wavelets are designed for the reconstruction process and these wavelets provide better results than the commonly known wavelets. The WMREM reconstruction algorithm is implemented to reconstruct simulated phantom data and real data.
Volunteer Youth Sport Coaches' Perspectives of Coaching Education/certification and Parental Codes of Conduct

The vast majority of youth sport programs in the United States relies primarily on parent volunteers to serve as coaches. Unfortunately, most of these volunteer coaches have not received formal training to prepare them adequately for the role of youth sport coach. To exacerbate the issue, according to the popular media, parents and other adults can commit belligerent and even violent acts around, and often resulting from, poorly managed youth sport events. Although some efforts have been made to standardize curricula, provide training for coaches, and contain or prevent inappropriate parent behaviors, few efforts have been directed at investigating the self-described needs and concerns of the coaches from their perspectives. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the concerns and issues of youth sport coaches related to coaching and parental education. Five focus group interviews with 25 volunteer youth sport coaches were conducted to investigate these issues. Results were organized around four higher order themes that emerged from inductive content analyses: (a) coaching education content areas of need, (b) barriers and problems of offering coaching education, (c) coaching education format recommendations, and (d) efficacy of parental codes of conduct. Results were discussed in terms of the potential impact administrators, coaches, and parents could have in implementing formal coaching education programs and developing their coaching education practices.
Electromagnetic Interaction of the Neutral K Meson

The electromagnetic interaction of a spinless neutral particle, which is different from its antiparticle, is discussed. It is shown that while such particles cannot emit a free photon, or be scattered by an electromagnetic field, their extended charge distribution will undergo a contact interaction with charged particles. The case of the neutral $K$ meson (${K}^{0}$) is considered as an example. The charge distribution arises from virtual dissociation into charged baryons. One contribution to the interaction is calculated. The interaction leads to a scattering of ${K}^{0}'\mathrm{s}$ by charged particles. The form of this scattering is quite similar to that of the nuclear scattering of the $K$ mesons, while its magnitude is much less, which implies that it will be difficult to detect. Possible other means of detecting the interaction are discussed.
Putting Queer to Work: Examining Empire and Education.

Using Stuart Hall’s concept of articulation, which sutures seemingly incongruent analytics, this article juxtaposes queer theorizing and postcolonial projects in order to contribute to the examinations of empire, education and decolonization. It foregrounds the queer approaches of working within, through and beyond the framework of sexuality to investigate the themes of exclusion, normalization, and subject position and agency. It offers a review of the scholarly literature in queer, postcolonial and education studies, and engages the author’s initial research formulations on Filipino/a schooling and United States imperialism in the early twentieth century. By interrogating and bringing together theoretical perspectives, empirical findings and political movements, the article aims to open discursive and structural spaces for revolutionary solidarities and interventions.
Whitman on "The Black Question": A New Manuscript

Presents "Of the black question," a previously unpublished Whitman manuscript owned by Whitman collector William Kurry, and offers a close reading of the text (in typographic translation) relating the manuscript to Whitman's attitudes toward race and racial politics.
Tangent methods for nonlinear equations

Equation-solving methods that utilize alternate function and derivative values are developed. The procedures are similar to the secant or to Muller's method, and are especially competitive when the derivative is simpler to obtain than the function itself. Related hybrid methods are also found to be attractive.
BarleyBase—an expression profiling database for plant genomics

BarleyBase (BB) (www.barleybase.org) is an online database for plant microarrays with integrated tools for data visualization and statistical analysis. BB houses raw and normalized expression data from the two publicly available Affymetrix genome arrays, Barley1 and Arabidopsis ATH1 with plans to include the new Affymetrix 61K wheat, maize, soybean and rice arrays, as they become available. BB contains a broad set of query and display options at all data levels, ranging from experiments to individual hybridizations to probe sets down to individual probes. Users can perform cross-experiment queries on probe sets based on observed expression profiles and/or based on known biological information. Probe set queries are integrated with visualization and analysis tools such as the R statistical toolbox, data filters and a large variety of plot types. Controlled vocabularies for gene and plant ontologies, as well as interconnecting links to physical or genetic map and other genomic data in PlantGDB, Gramene and GrainGenes, allow users to perform EST alignments and gene function prediction using Barley1 exemplar sequences, thus, enhancing cross-species comparison.