cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection of nitric oxide production in mice by spin-trapping electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy.

We describe here a spin-trapping method combined with X-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy for ex vivo measurement of nitric oxide (.NO) levels in the urine of both normal and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced shock mice. Normal or LPS-treated mice were injected subcutaneously with a metal-chelator complex, N-methyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate-ferrous iron, [(MGD)2/Fe], which binds to .NO and forms a water-soluble [(MGD)2/Fe-NO] complex. At 2 h after injection of the [(MGD)2/Fe] complex, a three-line EPR signal characteristic of the [(MGD)2/Fe-NO] complex was detected in the urine of either normal or LPS-treated mice. It is estimated that the concentrations of the [(MGD)2/Fe-NO] complex in normal and LPS-treated mouse urine were 1.3 and 35 microM, respectively. This 25-fold increase in .NO levels in the LPS-treated mouse urine provides the direct evidence that LPS challenge induces the overproduction of .NO in mice. Administration of N-monomethyl-L-arginine (NMMA; 50 mg/kg) inhibited the ex vivo signal intensities of the [(MGD)2/Fe-NO] complex in the urine of either normal or LPS-treated mouse urine. Furthermore, after injection of 15N-arginine (10 mg per mouse), a composite EPR spectrum, consisting of a three-line spectrum of the [(MGD)2/Fe-14NO] complex and a two-line spectrum of the [(MGD)2/Fe-15NO] complex, was detected in the urine. These isotopic tracer experiments further confirm that the detected .NO levels in the mouse urine are produced via the arginine-nitric oxide pathway. This ex vivo spin-trapping method should readily be adapted to experiments on larger animals and provide a noninvasive way of measuring both constitutive and inducible .NO synthase activities in living animals under physiological as well as pathophysiological conditions where .NO is overproduced.
Considering Prison in Context: The Case of the People's Republic of China

Despite some evidence to the contrary, imprisonment in the People's Republic of China has been characterized as generally humane and rehabilitation-oriented. Cross-cultural comparisons, however, make conclusions tenuous because prison may not have the same precise meaning across national boundaries. This paper describes imprisonment in China and attempts to examine some of the contexts in which it can be considered. Along with humane and treatment-oriented prisons, the Chinese employ a variety of interventions including harsh detention practices, nonjural punishments, and the death penalty. The frequency with which these alternatives are used makes comparisons with American prisons difficult. Understanding is also complicated by the fact that social control practices in China have been shaped by the unique combination of Confucian and socialist ideology and practice. The study of Chinese social control can provide insight into the general problems of conducting cross-cultural research.
Issues in Software Maintenance

Abstract : Up to a few years ago the area of software maintenance was largely ignored. Interest has increased in the last few years due to several factors. First, the increased volume of enhancement and maintenance with more systems from that of ten years ago has restricted resources available for new development. Second, there has been a growing awareness that tools and aids which assist development of information systems may have little effect on operational systems. Third, the management of information systems has come under increasing scrutiny. In this report we highlight some of the major issues that surfaced during several extensive operational software studies. These sources have pointed to significant questions that must be addressed concerning the roles of the users in operations and maintenance, the management of maintenance, and the types of tools and techniques that are needed in maintenance. (Author)
Professional development in emergent literacy: A design experiment of Teacher Study Groups

Abstract This study features a design experiment of a teacher study group model of professional development. Our goal was to support teachers’ development of the knowledge and practices that promote children's emergent literacy in the preschool classroom. Three sequential cohorts involving a total of 19 teachers in a district serving a high-need, under-resourced community participated in a year-long intervention; child outcomes were examined for 101 randomly selected preschool children. Consistent with previous research, teachers demonstrated low initial levels of knowledge of phonological awareness, and phonological awareness activities in classrooms were of low quantity and quality. Pre- and post-test analyses revealed significant changes in teachers’ phonological awareness ability, content knowledge, and pedagogical knowledge. Increases were also seen in the quantity and quality of phonological awareness activities in the classroom. Finally, the children in our sample demonstrated significant gains on a measure of their phonological awareness skills and made more progress in this area over the course of the study than would be expected based on national norms of same-aged children. This work offers initial support for the use of relationship-based models of professional development as a means to address many of the challenges inherent in the current early childhood education landscape. Teacher study groups offer a promising means of developing a qualified, competent, confident workforce that is well equipped to meet the needs of the children they serve.
Spectroscopy of the Cataclysmic Binaries CY Lyrae, TW Trianguli, and VW Vulpeculae

From Ha radial velocities taken in quiescence we find orbital periods of days, 0.1591 0.0004
Apparent size-dependent growth in aggregating crystallizers

Population balance equations for steady-state crystallizers with nucleation, growth, and aggregation were solved using a sectional method with modified shapes for the distribution functions within the sections that accounted for the particle dynamics. The system of number balances were generated using section shapes that were decaying exponentials with modified residence times and growth rates consistent with fluxes due to particle deposition, and solved with a modified Newton's method. The solutions obtained satisfied the number, volume, and sixth moment balances, and had minimal discontinuities at the section boundaries for five forms of the aggregation kernel (size-independent, linear, quadratic, cubic in size, and Brownian), with growth parameters that are easily derived with a high level of confidence. Each kernel had unique characteristics, and showed different kinds of size-dependent growth. Simulations were compared with a distribution obtained for the continuous crystallization of an alum salt, and showed that the linear kernel compared well. Incorporating aggregation provides a physically supportable alternative to fitting models of size-dependent growth (SGD) or growth rate dispersion (GRD).
Cold and ultracold molecules: Spotlight on orbiting resonances

There is great interest in the production of cold molecules, at temperatures below 1 K, and ultracold molecules, at temperatures below 1 mK. Such molecules have potential applications in areas ranging from precision measurement to quantum information storage and processing, and quantum gases of ultracold polar molecules are expected to exhibit novel quantum phases. In addition, cold molecules open up a new domain for collision physics, dominated by long-range forces and scattering resonances. There have been major recent advances both in cooling molecules from room temperature and in forming molecules in ultracold atomic gases. As these techniques mature, and cold and ultracold samples are more accessible, collision studies at previously unavailable energies will be possible. This spotlight article will highlight some of the background and motivation for studying collisions at low energies and will direct readers to recent articles on the recent experimental advancements.
Land-cover classification and estimation of terrain attributes using synthetic aperture radar

Abstract This paper presents progress toward a geophysical and biophysical information processor for synthetic aperture radar (SAR). This processor operates in a sequential fashion to first classify terrain according to structural attributes and then apply class-specific retrievals for geophysical and biophysical properties. Structural and electrical attributes control the radar backscattering from terrain. Experimental data and theoretical results illustrate the sensitivity of synthetic aperture radar to structural properties, such as surface roughness and canopy architecture, to soil moisture and to the aboveground biomass of vegetation and its moisture status. Accurate land-cover classification is of great value in many types of regional- to global-scale modeling, and is also an essential precursor to many techniques for extracting geophysical and biophysical information from SAR data. The sensitivity of SAR to the structural features of terrain leads to landcover classification into simple and easily interpreted structural classes. Knowledge-based, hierarchical classifiers require no a priori information or statistical understanding of a local scene, and are found to yield overall accuracy in excess of 90%. Classification using existing data from the orbital ERS-1 and JERS-1 SARs yield unambiguous land-cover categorizations at greater accuracy and resolution than that afforded by an unsupervised classification of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index as derived from multitemporal AVHRR data. Level I of the SAR terrain classifier differentiates three structural classes; surfaces, short vegetation, and tall vegetation. These classes can be quantized, averaged over the appropriate grid scale and used directly as roughness inputs to general circulation models. Level II of the classifier differentiates vegetation classes on the basis of growth form and leaf type. This level of structural classification is essential in order to improve the performance of semi-empirical approaches for retrieving near-surface soil moisture and aboveground biomass.
Economic aspects of configuring cellular networks

This paper addresses economic aspects of configuring cellular networks. Major components of costs and revenues and the major stakeholders are identified and a model is developed to determine the system configuration (e.g. cell size, number of channels, etc.) which will maximize the annual expected net revenues to the system operator. Key properties relating the various parameters of interest are derived. The results of computational experiments are presented and their implications are discussed. The computational results show that the optimal net revenue curves have a saw-tooth structure with two types of teeth; Large ones that come from switching between cellular technologies, and smaller jumps come the discretenes of base stations. The importance of capturing a high fraction of potential users, in early stages of cellular system introduction is investigated. Finally, the cost of competition and its implications for the regulatory agency and the cellular service providers are analyzed. It is shown that by dividing the available frequency spectrum between too many system operators, the overall value of the cellular system is reduced when compared to an approach which uses division of the overall service area into a larger number of service areas, each with only two system operatos. The above results have profound implications on public policies for frequency spectrum allocation.
Threshold considerations in distributed detection in a network of sensors

We consider the problem of distributed sensing and detection using a network of sensor nodes, and the challenges that arise in fusing disparate data. Multiple sensors make local inferences on the state of nature (e.g., the presence of a signal), and those observations are then transmitted to a regional fusion center. The fusion center is tasked to make improved decisions. We develop methods to optimize those decisions. Interoperability between disparate sensor nodes can be addressed by combining similar types of parameters (e.g., direction of arrival and location estimates to better infer location), albeit with varying qualities. As an initial problem, we consider the case where each sensor makes a binary decision on the presence of a signal source and the fusion node combines these to make a more accurate decision. We consider a lossy medium in which signals undergo a range-dependent propagation loss. We determine local thresholds that optimize a performance metric, including both constrained global detection performance and asymptotic error performance. We study the eect sensor node density on detection performance under a network load constraint. The asymptotic performance metrics provide indicators of the amount of value that each sensor contributes to the fusion task.
Race-based districting: does it help or hinder legislative representation? ☆

Abstract This paper assesses the impact of using race-based districts on membership diversity of the US Congress and state legislative chambers as well as on electoral competition and voter participation in US Congressional and state legislative elections. In the 1990s membership diversity has increased in the US House of Representatives and state legislative chambers due to increased reliance on the use of race and ethnicity in drawing Congressional and legislative districts. But anecdotal evidence suggests that the creation of more homogeneous districts may lead to a decline in electoral competition, and thus a decline in voter participation in elections held within those districts. Uncompetitive Congressional or state legislative districts are posited to reduce the incentives for candidates or parties to mobilize voters and to restrict the electorate to habitual voters only. A lack of incentives to vote in district elections may diminish overall participation and have consequences in elections for statewide offices. I examine electoral competition and voter participation in recent Congressional and state legislative elections to determine whether electoral competition and voter participation have decreased, and whether that decrease can be linked to changes in the homogeneity of districts. I conclude by suggesting that bodies who adopt districting plans as well as those charged with a review of such plans take into account how line drawing affects electoral competition and voter participation as well as membership diversity.
Pre-manufacture safety analysis: Battery cell responses to simulated pack and system impact loading

Mechanical tests on cells such as the ones described can be used to augment FEA modeling of battery pack designs to better predict impact damage to the pack cells, and also to refine the FEA models. Additionally, the susceptibility of cells to damage can be assessed over a range of pressure and deformation scales for the different predicted damage locations. Thus, prior to delivery of a full system it is possible to evaluate the robustness of a systempsilas battery pack with respect to mechanical damage.
ETIOLOGY OF OROYA FEVER : I. CULTIVATION OF BARTONELLA BACILLIFORMIS.

A pure culture of a microorganism resembling in morphology and pathogenic action Bartonella bacilliformis has been obtained from blood taken during life from a case of Oroya fever which ended fatally. The blood taken at Lima into citrate solution and transported to New York at refrigerator temperature yielded positive cultures 28 days after its withdrawal from the patient. The strain of Bartonella bacilliformis thus isolated grows well on the semisolid leptospira medium, and also on slant agar containing animal blood. The initial growth is not readily recognizable to the naked eye, but the presence of the organisms can be determined by means of the dark-field microscope and by Giemsa and Gram staining methods. No growth has been obtained on the more ordinary culture media. The organism is an obligate aerobe, is Gram-negative, and under certain cultural conditions motile. All the forms which have been described as occurring in human red corpuscles may be found in the cultures, and in addition many granular and coarsely irregular forms have been met with. The inoculation of cultures of Bartonella bacilliformis into Macacus rhesus produces infection and gives rise to effects which differ with the mode of inoculation. The intravenous injection of the culture into young macaques induces a prolonged irregularly remittent fever. The organism can be cultivated from the blood over a long period, and it has been detected within the red corpuscles of the monkeys, reproducing the precise appearances observed in human cases of Oroya fever. The intradermal injection of the culture into the eyebrow of young macaques gives rise to nodular formations rich in new blood vessels and showing the bacilliform organism within the endothelial cells. From the experimentally induced nodules cultures of the organism are readily recovered.
Angular dependence of critical currents of high temperature superconducting films in high magnetic fields prepared by metalorganic deposition

Abstract Critical current measurements have been obtained as a function of angle of the magnetic field to the plane of the thin film metelorganic deposited YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7- x (YBCO). In the present measurements the current flowed in the a , b plane and was always perpendicular to the applied field. In contrast to the usual observations that show a maximum critical current for H | a , b and a minimum with H | c these new measurements of films with a high critical current density show a secondary maximum with this latter field orientation. Adaptation of a model for angular torque dependence gives a qualitative understanding of the results.
Convective heat transfer for cold tube bundles with ice formations in a stream of water at steady state

Abstract Experiments were conducted on cold-tube banks subjected to a cross-flow of water. The tubes were internally cooled below the freezing temperature and became enveloped in ice. The resulting ice shapes, which formed on the outside surfaces of the tubes, were allowed to stabilize, and their impact on the total steady-state rate of energy exchange between the tubes and the flowing water was investigated. Both in-line and staggered tube-bank geometries were considered, with tests conducted in the low to moderate Reynolds number range (Re d = 100−2,000) and for cooling-temperature ratio variations of 0.5 Θ The ice shapes that formed around the tubes were described by one of three distinct categories: ice formutions with no linkage occurring between any adjacent tubes; ice formations with partial linkage of some adjacent tubes; and, for the staggered tube bank, a complete linkage of a majority of the tubes. The experiments showed that the ice formations dramatically affected the convective heat transfer rate of the tube banks (when compared to nonicing tube banks at the same Re d ) and that the change in heat transfer rate is dependent on the tube-bank geometry. In the no-link category, the ice formations were found to either increase or decrease the tube-bank heat transfer rate depending on the amount of ice-build accumulation, the staggered configuration showing a greater overall rise with Θ than the in-line geometry. Ice linkage between adjacent tubes was found to be detrimental to the heat transfer rate of the staggered bank; however, the same phenomenon on the in-line tube bank did not seriously impede its heat transfer rate. Correlations expressing the heat transfer behavior of both in-line and staggered tube banks with ice formations at steady state have been developed.
The relationship between alcohol consumption and earnings.

Objective: Previous studies of the relation between alcohol consumption and earnings have yielded contradictory results. Some studies have shown that drinking reduces income while others have shown it has no effect or increases earnings. This study uses medical findings concerning the relation between alcohol consumption and coronary artery disease to help resolve this contradiction and to establish the relationship between the two. Method: Regression analysis is used to estimate the effects on earnings of various traditional variables such as age, education and other socioeconomic variables. Using medical findings, a concave quadratic relation between earnings and alcohol consumption is tested. This specification is based on the medical finding of the curvilinear relation between coronary artery disease (CAD) and alcohol, and the notion that CAD will result in lower earnings. The estimates are made from three large data sets. Results: The results show that alcohol consumption has a significant effect on ...
Mapping the Functional Domains of Yeast NMD3, the Nuclear Export Adapter for the 60 S Ribosomal Subunit

Nuclear export of the large ribosomal subunit requires the adapter protein Nmd3p to provide a leucine-rich nuclear export signal that is recognized by the export receptor Crm1. Nmd3p binds to the pre-60 S subunit in the nucleus. After export to the cytoplasm, the release of Nmd3p depends on the ribosomal protein Rpl10p and the GTPase Lsg1p. Here, we have carried out a mutational analysis of Nmd3 to better define the domains responsible for nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and ribosome binding. We show that mutations in two regions of Nmd3p affect 60 S binding, suggesting that its binding to the subunit is multivalent.
Use of 1H, 13C, and 19F-NMR Spectroscopy and Computational Modeling To Explore Chemoselectivity in the Formation of a Grignard Reagent

A discovery-based Grignard experiment for a second-year undergraduate organic chemistry course is described. The exclusive Grignard reagent formed by the reaction of 1-bromo-4-fluorobenzene (1) with Mg is 4-fluorophenylmagnesium bromide (2), which is treated with either benzophenone or CO2 to produce the corresponding fluorinated alcohol (3) or benzoic acid (4), respectively. The use of a dihalogenated Grignard reagent requires students to discern its reactivity for synthesis. Students predict the chemoselectivity of Grignard reagent formation based on the C–X bond energies of 1 and investigate their predictions by analysis of 1H, 13C, and 19F NMR, EI–MS, and IR data of 3 and 4. Empirical parameters and DFT calculations are used to predict the 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts of 4 and the hypothetical brominated analogue.
Long-term Effects of Alcohol Consumption in Male and Female Rats

Discrepancies exist regarding potential sex differences in the effects of ethanol on the myocardium. Therefore, the aims of this study were to determine if long-term ethanol consumption was associated with the development of a dilated cardiomyopathy (CM) in female rats and, second, to determine if the absence of ovarian hormones modulated this effect. Adult male and female (n = 6–8/group) sham-operated and ovariectomized (OVX) Sprague–Dawley rats received the Lieber DeCarli ethanol-containing (8% vol/vol) or control liquid diet for 8 months. All ethanol groups showed echocardiographic evidence of a cardiomyopathy; however, more significant ethanol-elicited differences were found in the male ethanol group than in either the female or female OVX groups. In addition, the male ethanol group had significant reductions in in vivo measures of contractility, such as the maximum derivative of change in systolic pressure and preload recruitable stroke work. Sex differences were also apparent in the pattern and degree of posterior and septal wall thickness changes, in that the male ethanol group had more posterior and septal wall thinning. In conclusion, similar to male rats long-term ethanol consumption in gonad-intact and OVX female rats is associated with the development of a dilated cardiomyopathy.
Unbreak My Heart: Targeting Mitochondrial Autophagy in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

Abstract Significance: Diabetes is strongly associated with increased incidence of heart disease and mortality due to development of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Even in the absence of cardiovascular disease, cardiomyopathy frequently arises in diabetic patients. Current treatment options for cardiomyopathy in diabetic patients are the same as for nondiabetic patients and do not address the causes underlying the loss of contractility. Recent Advances: Although there are numerous distinctions between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, recent evidence suggests that the two disease states converge on mitochondria as an epicenter for cardiomyocyte damage. Critical Issues: Accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria contributes to cardiac tissue injury in both acute and chronic conditions. Removal of damaged mitochondria by macroautophagy, termed “mitophagy,” is critical for maintaining cardiomyocyte health and contractility both under normal conditions and during stress. However, very little is known about the involvemen...
From maieutics to metanoia: Levinas's understanding of the philosophical task

L'A. examine chez Levinas dans quelle mesure la relation a autrui peut etre le fondement de la connaissance, a l'oppose d'une conception cartesienne qui le voit dans son propre «je». Des lors s'esquisse le chemin de la connaissance et la tâche de la philosophie
A measurement of the gravitational acceleration of the antiproton: An experimental overview

Abstract An ambitious experiment is being developed to measure the force of the antiproton due to the gravitational field of the earth. The technique consists in obtaining antiprotons of the lowest energy possible from the LEAR facility at CERN, decelerating them further in an external beam line, trapping and cooling them to ultralow energy, and measuring their gravitational acceleration by time-of-flight methods. The experiment has been granted CERN approval (PS-200). Present plans and initial development efforts are described.
SYNTHESIS OF POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE)—CLAY NANOCOMPOSITES

Abstract Poly(methyl methacrylate)/clay nanocomposites were synthesized via in situ free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of functionalized clay. Montmoril-lonite (MMT), a smectic type of clay, was treated with a commercial cationic surfactant, benzalkonium chloride (BAC), and a synthesized zwitterionic surfactant, octadecyldimethyl betaine (CI8DMB) Functionalized MMT was prepared via an ion exchange between Na,ions in the clay and the surfactant cations in aqueous medium. The intercalation of the surfactant in the clay galleries was determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The interlayer spacing for C18DMB was 2.03nm, higher than 1.86nm observed for BAC. This is due to longer chain length of C18DMB. Both organophilic clays formed a viscous gel when dispersed in the monomer, MMA. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposites were obtained by polymerizing the dispersions. XRD and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicate predominant exfoliation of the silicate la...
Strategic game playing in children through the windows task

Recently, the ‘windows task’ was devised to explore preschoolers' capacity for strategic deception (Russell, Mauthner, Sharpe & Tidswell, 1991). The windows task required a child to point at an empty box to obtain a second box which contained a desired object (a chocolate). Russell et al. (1991) found that, unlike older children, 3-year-olds consistently failed to adopt a strategy which would help them win the chocolates. A majority of their 3-year-old subjects perseverated on the wrong response across all trials of their experiment. Two experiments were devised to investigate why 3-year-olds consistently failed the windows task. Experiment 1 included five versions of this task, four of which modified Russell et al.'s instructions to see whether simplified task demands would affect the children's responses, and the fifth attempted to replicate the original wording of Russell et al. (1991). Children in all groups performed well, failing to replicate the perseveration witnessed in that experiment. Performance on the task was found to be unrelated to performance on standard theory of mind tasks. Experiment 2 was devised to replicate exactly the conditions of the Russell et al. (1991) experiment. Again, children had little difficulty solving the task. The present experiments provide evidence that children as young as 3 years can override their desire to reach or point to an object if they need to make a contrary response to obtain the object. These results indicate that executive control limitations as measured by this task cannot sufficiently explain preschoolers' failure on theory of mind tasks.
Epidemiology of vaginitis

Vaginitis is one of the most common problems in clinical medicine, and it is the reason cited most often for visits to obstetricians and gynecologists. This article reviews the epidemiology in the United States and Scandinavia for the three major causes of vaginitis: candidiasis, trichomoniasis, and bacterial vaginosis. The incidence of candidiasis has increased dramatically during the past decade, with an increase in the percentage of non-albicans Candida strains. However, in Scandinavia the incidence of candidiasis has been relatively stable, between 10% and 30%, during the past 5 years. The incidence of Trichomonas has decreased dramatically in both the United States and Scandinavia during the past 15 years, partly attributable to the advent of metronidazole. In the United States bacterial vaginosis continues to be the leading variety of vaginal infection, affecting a broader spectrum of women than gonorrhea. The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in Scandinavia is about 30%, and this percentage increases with age according to studies of patients at sexually transmitted disease clinics.
Role of inoculum preparation and density on the bioremediation of 2,4-D-contaminated soil by bioaugmentation

The effect of inoculum preparation and density on the efficiency of remediation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) by bioaugmentation was studied in non-sterile soil. A 2,4-D-degrading Pseudomonas cepacia strain (designated BRI6001) was used initially in liquid culture to determine the effects of pre-growth induction and of inoculum density. The time for complete 2,4-D degradation was reduced by 0.5 day for each log increase of inoculum density. In mixed (BRI6001 and soil bacteria) liquid cultures, a competition effect for 2,4-D became apparent at low inoculum levels (less than 10 105 cfu/ml BRI6001 for 108 cfu/ml soil bacteria) but only when the soil bacteria included indigenous 2,4-D degraders. In static non-sterile soil, the effect of inoculum density on 2,4-D degradation was comparable to that in liquid culture but only at high inoculation levels. At lower levels, a biological effect for 2,4-D degradation became apparent, as was observed in mixed liquid cultures, whereas at intermediate levels, a combination of biological, physical and chemical factors decreased the efficiency of bioaugmentation. The acclimation period for 2,4-D degradation in soil bioaugmented with BRI6001 reflected mainly the time required for cell induction and, presumably, for overcoming the physical limitation of diffusion of both 2,4-D and added bacteria in the soil matrix.
Adsorption of 1-Octanethiol on the GaN(0001) Surface

Abstract : The chemisorption of 1-octanethiol [CH3(CH2)6CH2SH] from the vapor phase on the GaN(0001)-(1 x 1) surface has been studied using X-ray photoemission, ultraviolet photoemission, and X-ray-excited Auger electron spectroscopies. Quantitative analysis of relative peak intensities indicates that the molecule adsorbs via the thiol group with a saturation coverage of 0.28 monolayers and with the alkyl chain lying essentially parallel to the surface. Upon annealing, most of the alkyl C desorbs by 350 C, but most of the S remains. Little or no indication of X-ray-induced damage in the adsorbed thiol layer is seen during data collection.
High-affinity androgen binding proteins in syringeal tissues of songbirds

The vocal organ of birds is the syrinx. In zebra finches, Poephila guttata, and canaries, Serinus canarius, song is normally restricted to males and amount of singing is influenced by testosterone (T). We here report that the syringeal muscles of these two oscine songibrds have specific high-affinity androgen binding proteins. The levels of binding present in syrinxes from female and castrate male zebra finches (40–50 fmol/mg protein) are far in excess of those demonstrated to exist in any other striated muscle and are within the range of values observed for classical androgen-sensitive tissues such as the mouse kidney. Canaries do most of their singing via the left syringeal half, but both right and left syringeal halves show a comparable concentration of high-affinity androgen binding proteins. Clearly the L-R asymmetry in syringeal function is not related to an asymmetric concentration of T receptors.
Vesicular glutamate transporter‐1 colocalizes with endogenous opioid peptides in axon terminals of the rat locus coeruleus

We have previously shown that a subset of axon terminals in the locus coeruleus (LC) containing methionine5-enkephalin (ENK) forms type I (asymmetric-type) synaptic specializations that are characteristic of excitatory-type transmitters. In addition, we previously provided ultrastructural evidence showing that ENK is colocalized with glutamate using a combination of pre- and postembedding immunohistochemistry. To examine cellular substrates for interactions between glutamate and other endogenous opioid peptides in the LC, we examined the localization of the vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1), a transporter protein involved in the accumulation of the transmitter glutamate into synaptic vesicles, with either ENK or preprodynorphin (ppDYN). Dual-immunofluorescence and electron microscopy showed prominent coexistence of VGLUT1 and ENK in varicose processes of the LC, confirming our previous report using postembedding immunolabeling for glutamate. Likewise, VGLUT1 and ppDYN were identified in common varicose processes in the LC using confocal fluorescence microscopy. Immunoelectron microscopy using gold-silver labeling for VGLUT1 and peroxidase labeling for ppDYN established that this endogenous opioid peptide also colocalizes with glutamate transporters. The majority of these formed asymmetric-type synapses. Taken together, these results demonstrate that excitatory LC afferents are enriched with endogenous opioid peptides and are positioned to modulate LC neuronal activity dually. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Risk of moderate to advanced kidney disease in patients with psoriasis: population based cohort study

Objective To determine the risk of chronic kidney disease in patients with psoriasis. Design Population based cohort study and nested cross sectional study. Setting Electronic medical records database based in United Kingdom. Participants Cohort study: patients with psoriasis aged 18-90 each matched to up to five patients without psoriasis based on age, practice, and time of visit. Nested study: patients with psoriasis aged 25-64 with confirmed data on psoriasis severity, each matched to up to 10 patients without psoriasis based on age and practice. Main outcome measures Cohort study: incident moderate to advanced (stage 3 through 5) chronic kidney disease. Nested study: baseline prevalence of chronic kidney disease. Results 136 529 patients with mild psoriasis and 7354 patients with severe psoriasis based on treatment patterns were matched to 689 702 unaffected patients. The adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for incident chronic kidney disease were 1.05 (1.02 to 1.07), 0.99 (0.97 to 1.02), and 1.93 (1.79 to 2.08) in the overall, mild, and severe psoriasis groups, respectively. Age was a significant effect modifier in the severe psoriasis group, with age specific adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 3.82 (3.15 to 4.64) and 2.00 (1.86 to 2.17) for patients aged 30 and 60, respectively. In the nested analysis of 8731 patients with psoriasis with measurements of affected body surface area matched to 87 310 patients without psoriasis, the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for chronic kidney disease were 0.89 (0.72 to 1.10), 1.36 (1.06 to 1.74), and 1.58 (1.07 to 2.34) in the mild, moderate, and severe psoriasis groups, respectively. Conclusions Moderate to severe psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of chronic kidney disease independent of traditional risk factors.
Studies on chelates of selected pyrazylmethyl ketones

Several pyrazylmethyl ketones have been investigated in regard to their potential analytical utility as chelating agents for metal ions. Proton dissociation constants of the ligands and metal chelate formation constants were calculated from potentiometric data using the method of Irving and Rossotti. Chelate formation constants obtained in this study allow comparisons to be made between pyrazylmethyl ketones and other chelating agents possessing similar structures. The potential analytical utility of the title compounds is discussed.
Wearable Conductive Fiber Sensors for Continuous Joint Movement Monitoring

This paper describes a technique that uses conductive fibers as part of a wearable sensor for continuous monitoring of joint movements. Conductive fibers are incorporated into flexible, skin-tight fabrics that are comfortable and acceptable for long-term wear in everyday settings. Continuous monitoring of single or multi-axis joint movement is therefore possible, even when not in the presence of a therapist. A brief overview of the sensor design is presented, including functional requirements and important design parameters. Misalignment errors that may be created every time the subject takes off and puts on the wearable sensor are accounted for by incorporating an array of fiber sensors around the joint and analyzing each sensor’s sensitivity to joint movement during use. This eliminates any need for re-calibration after an initial calibration.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Genome-wide expression monitoring in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The genomic sequence of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used to design and synthesize high-density oligonucleotide arrays for monitoring the expression levels of nearly all yeast genes. This direct and highly parallel approach involves the hybridization of total mRNA populations to a set of four arrays that contain a total of more than 260,000 specifically chosen oligonucleotides synthesized in situ using light-directed combinatorial chemistry. The measurements are quantitative, sensitive, specific, and reproducible. Expression levels ranging from less than 0.1 copies to several hundred copies per cell have been measured for cells grown in rich and minimal media. Nearly 90% of all yeast mRNAs are observed to be present under both conditions, with approximately 50% present at levels between 0.1 and 1 copy per cell. Many of the genes observed to be differentially expressed under these conditions are expected, but large differences are also observed for many previously uncharacterized genes.
DETECTION OF FUNGEMIA IN A PEDIATRIC POPULATION

Abstract Fungemia is an important cause of morbidity in compromised hosts and in children who have indwelling vascular catheters. Several new systems for culturing blood have been introduced during the past few years. To assess the need for a separate blood culture system for the recovery of fungi, we reviewed the results of all blood cultures performed during a 24-month period. A total of 17,428 blood samples were cultured: 15,855 using the Septi-Chek system and 1573 using the Isolator system. Seventy-four fungal isolates were recovered from 72 samples; 38 were considered clinically significant. In 47 cases, both blood culture systems were inoculated; both systems showed positive results in 14 of 18 episodes of clinically significant fungemia. Contaminants were recovered more frequently from samples processed using the Isolator system. In our laboratory and with our patient population, the Septi-Chek system was equivalent to the Isolator in detecting fungemia, while Septi-Chek had the advantage of allowing growth of fewer contaminants.
Shellfish-Associated Enteric Virus Illness in the United States, 1934-1984

The regulation of shellfish and their growing waters is based on total and fecal coliform standards. Application of these standards has reduced the incidence of shellfish-borne bacterial illnesses in humans, but outbreaks of viral diseases, such as hepatitis A, Norwalk illness, and viral gastroenteritis, prevail. Hepatitis A virus contributed to 1,395 cases of shellfish-associated illness since 1961. An additional 6,049 cases of shellfish-associated gastroenteritis were reported over the past 50 years, 75% of which (4,609 cases) occurred since 1980. The alarming rate of disease outbreaks during the past 5 years may further increase as better reporting practices are initiated by health professionals and state and federal agencies. Actions necessary to reduce the incidence of shellfish-associated viral illness include development of methods for detecting viral pathogens in shellfish and harvest waters, correlation of levels of viral pathogens with potential viral and bacterial indicators, and acceleration of field monitoring and enforcement efforts.
Invariant measure and turbulent pinch in tokamaks.

It is shown that electron transport due to a generic low-frequency electrostatic turbulence in tokamak geometry results in the relaxation to a peaked, self-sustained plasma density profile ${n}_{0}(r)$, rather than to a diffusion-induced flat distribution. The relaxed density profile depends on the magnetic geometry and the distribution of turbulence. The associated inward pinch velocity ${\mathbf{V}}_{r}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}D\mathbf{\ensuremath{\nabla}}\mathrm{ln}{n}_{0}$ results from the competition of the turbulent diffusion of trapped electrons over the poloidal magnetic flux coordinate $\ensuremath{\psi}$ and the collisional relaxation toward a Maxwellian distribution function.
Procedural results and late clinical outcomes after percutaneous interventions using long (≥25 mm) versus short (<20 mm) stents

Abstract OBJECTIVES To evaluate clinical outcomes after the use of long coronary stents. BACKGROUND The use of long slotted-tube stents has been recently approved in the U.S. to treat long lesions or dissections. Procedural success and long-term outcomes of long versus short stents have not been established. METHODS We evaluated procedural success, major in-hospital complications, target lesion revascularization and long-term (one year) clinical outcomes in 1,226 consecutive patients (1,259 native coronary lesions) who underwent a single vessel intervention using a single long (≥25 mm, 116 patients) or short ( RESULTS Patients treated with long stents had more diffuse (>10 mm length) lesions (63% vs. 28%, p = 0.001). The mean stent length was 28 ± 5 mm versus 15 ± 2 mm for long versus short stent groups (p = 0.001). Overall procedural success was similar in the long versus short stent groups (96% vs. 98%, p = 0.08). However, major in-hospital complications tended to occur more frequently in patients treated with longer stents (3.4% vs. 1.0%, p = 0.04). The rate of periprocedural non-Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI) (creatine kinase-MB ≥5 times normal) was notably higher after long stent implantation (23% vs. 11%, p = 0.001). Target lesion revascularization at one year was 14.5% vs. 13.8% (p = 0.69), and target vessel revascularization rate was 19.6% vs. 17.3% (p = 0.41) in the long versus short stent group, respectively. There was no difference in one year mortality (2.5% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.49) or Q-wave MI (2.7% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.48), and the overall cardiac event-free survival was similar for the two groups (81%). CONCLUSIONS The use of single coronary long (≥25 mm) versus short (
Measurement and control of the drill point grinding process

Abstract The accuracy of the drill point grinding is a problem of concern to the drill user, the drill manufacturer and the manufacturer of the drill point grinder. In this paper, an algorithm is developed to check and control the drill point grinding operation based upon the mathematical model and is illustrated using the conical, hyperboloidal, and ellipsoidal drills. The discrepancies of the drill point geometry estimated from the designed geometry, due to the errors of the estimation are investigated to evaluate the performance of the grinding process and to indicate where adjustments might be made. The coordinate system for the measurement of the drill flank configuration, the objective function, the initial guess values, the number of observations and the parameter for specifying the radial direction of the drill with the curvilinear cutting edges are discussed.
Survivor buddy and SciGirls: affect, outreach, and questions

This paper describes the Survivor Buddy human-robot interaction project and how it was used by four middle-school girls to illustrate the scientific process for an episode of "SciGirls", a Public Broadcast System science reality show. Survivor Buddy is a four degree of freedom robot head, with the face being a MIMO 740 multi-media touch screen monitor. It is being used to explore consistency and trust in the use of robots as social mediums, where robots serve as intermediaries between dependents (e.g., trapped survivors) and the outside world (doctors, rescuers, family members). While the SciGirl experimentation was neither statistically significant nor rigorously controlled, the experience makes three contributions. It introduces the Survivor Buddy project and social medium role, it illustrates that human-robot interaction is an appealing way to make robotics more accessible to the general public, and raises interesting questions about the existence of a minimum set of degrees of freedom for sufficient expressiveness, the relative importance of voice versus non-verbal affect, and the range and intensity of robot motions.
Sensor replacement using mobile robots

Sensor replacement is important for sensor networks to provide continuous sensing services. Upon sensor node failures, holes (uncovered areas) may appear in the sensing coverage. Existing approaches relocate redundant nodes to fill the holes and require all or most sensor nodes to have mobility. However, mobility equipment is expensive while technology trends are scaling sensors to be smaller and cheaper. In this paper, we propose to use a small number of mobile robots to replace failed sensors for a large-scale static sensor network. We study algorithms for detecting and reporting sensor failures and coordinating the movement of robots that minimize the motion energy of mobile robots and the messaging overhead incurred to the sensor network. A manager receives failure reports and determines which robot to handle a failure. We study three algorithms: a centralized manager algorithm, a fixed distributed manager algorithm, and a dynamic distributed manager algorithm. Our analysis and simulations show that: (a) the centralized and the dynamic distributed algorithms have lower motion overhead than the fixed distributed algorithm; (b) the centralized algorithm is less scalable than the two distributed manager algorithms, and (c) the two distributed algorithms have higher messaging cost than the centralized algorithm. Hence, the optimal choice of the coordination algorithm depends on the specific scenarios and objectives being optimized.
OVARIAN AND ADRENAL FUNCTION IN POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the prototypic form of chronic hyperandrogenic anovulation. The basis of the hyperandrogenism has been a mystery until recently. New research data indicate that PCOS results from a previously unrecognized type of disturbance of androgen secretion, abnormal regulation (dysregulation) of steroidogenesis. As a background for understanding ovarian and adrenal function in PCOS, this article reviews normal androgen physiology. The nature of the ovarian and adrenal dysfunction of PCOS is then discussed, with a focus on the common type of PCOS (primary PCOS) and not that secondary to disorders, such as extreme insulin resistance syndromes or congenital adrenal hyperplasia.