cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Io: Volcanic thermal sources and global heat flow

Abstract We have examined thermal emission from 240 active or recently-active volcanic features on Io and quantified the magnitude and distribution of their volcanic heat flow during the Galileo epoch. We use spacecraft data and a geological map of Io to derive an estimate of the maximum possible contribution from small dark areas not detected as thermally active but which nevertheless appear to be sites of recent volcanic activity. We utilize a trend analysis to extrapolate from the smallest detectable volcanic heat sources to these smallest mapped dark areas. Including the additional heat from estimates for “outburst” eruptions and for a multitude of very small (“myriad”) hot spots, we account for ∼62 × 10 12 W (∼59 ± 7% of Io’s total thermal emission). Loki Patera contributes, on average, 9.6 × 10 12 W (∼9.1 ± 1%). All dark paterae contribute 45.3 × 10 12 W (∼43 ± 5%). Although dark flow fields cover a much larger area than dark paterae, they contribute only 5.6 × 10 12 W (∼5.3 ± 0.6%). Bright paterae contribute ∼2.6 × 10 12 W (∼2.5 ± 0.3%). Outburst eruption phases and very small hot spots contribute no more than ∼4% of Io’s total thermal emission: this is probably a maximum value. About 50% of Io’s volcanic heat flow emanates from only 1.2% of Io’s surface. Of Io’s heat flow, 41 ± 7.0% remains unaccounted for in terms of identified sources. Globally, volcanic heat flow is not uniformly distributed. Power output per unit surface area is slightly biased towards mid-latitudes, although there is a stronger bias toward the northern hemisphere when Loki Patera is included. There is a slight favoring of the northern hemisphere for outbursts where locations were well constrained. Globally, we find peaks in thermal emission at ∼315°W and ∼105°W (using 30° bins). There is a minimum in thermal emission at around 200°W (almost at the anti-jovian longitude) which is a significant regional difference. These peaks and troughs suggest a shift to the east from predicted global heat flow patterns resulting from tidal heating in an asthenosphere. Global volcanic heat flow is dominated by thermal emission from paterae, especially from Loki Patera (312°W, 12°N). Thermal emission from dark flows maximises between 165°W and 225°W. Finally, it is possible that a multitude of very small hot spots, smaller than the present angular resolution detection limits, and/or cooler, secondary volcanic processes involving sulphurous compounds, may be responsible for at least part of the heat flow that is not associated with known sources. Such activity should be sought out during the next mission to Io.
Characterization of Rigor Mortis Development in Four Broiler Muscles

Abstract Three experiments were conducted to characterize the development of rigor mortis by broiler muscles containing different muscle fiber types. In the first experiment, isotonic shortening was used to detect the development of rigor mortis. Two homogeneous fiber-type muscles were used to model the behavior of red, aerobic, and white anaerobic muscle fibers and two heterogeneous fiber-type muscles were used to evaluate the contribution of these fiber types within a muscle. Rigor mortis development in predominantly red, aerobic muscles was significantly more rapid (P In the second and third experiments the same four test muscles were removed from broilers at .33, .67, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 h post-mortem and analyzed for R value and for glycogen and lactic acid. The aerobic muscles showed no change in any biochemical parameters tested after 2 h post-mortem. The anaerobic muscles showed continued metabolic activity beyond 2 h post-mortem and the Pectoralis superficialis exhibited substantial R value and lactic acid increases up to 8 h post-mortem. The rigor mortis development times from the isotonic shortening experiment did not coincide with changes in the monitored biochemical parameters. These results led to the conclusions that rigor mortis development in broiler muscles was more rapid in red fibers than in white fibers, was slowed by chilling only in red fibers, and could not be accurately predicted from biochemical changes.
Religion, Nationalism, History, and Politics in Hungary’s New Constitution

Positive and negative factors in Hungary’s history, politics, and society contribute to controversies over the new Constitution. Hungarians in Budapest conversed with the author about religion and secularism, nationalism and authoritarianism, the legacy of 1956 and 1989, and the work of the Constitutional Court.
Measuring the effects of human likeness and eeriness on empathetic associations with a primed categorization task

The uncanny valley phenomenon [15] is the tendency to perceive human-looking characters with nonhuman features as eerie. One of its attributed symptoms is a loss of emotional empathy. To investigate this, participants completed an affective priming task with video primes of computer-generated characters subjected to either a harmless or harmful event followed by a word categorization. Participants concluded by rating the characters on humanness, eeriness, warmth, and pleasure to self indices. Harmful events befalling more humanlike or less eerie characters were reported as less pleasant. Although a similar result was observed in the affective priming task, the results did not reach significance.
Complex ray analysis of beam transmission through two-dimensional radomes

Assessment of the radiation characteristics of certain types of radome covered antennas poses the problem of transmission of amplitude tapered large-aperture fields through a curved dielectric layer. Modeling the amplitude taper by a Gaussian, the incident illumination can be generated by a source at a complex coordinate location. The radome problem is then addressed by tracing complex ray fields from the complex source point through the complex extension of the radome configuration to the real location of the observer. No integrations over equivalent apertures are required here. The complex ray tracing has been performed for conventional complex geometric trajectories as well as more accurate trajectories with lateral shifts at the radome interfaces, and takes into account multiple reflections inside the radome. As previously for real rays, the multiple internally reflected complex rays can be combined into a "collective ray" that is weighted with a curvature and (or) taper corrected slab transmission coefficient. Numerical calculations for various two-dimensional circular cylindrical and wedge-tapered prototypes and various beam illuminations demonstrate the feasibility of the complex ray method, the efficiency of the collective ray concept, and the adequacy of the ray model without lateral shifts for the radome application.
Tellurium‐induced demyelination: An electrophysiological and morphological study

Tellurium (Te) is a naturally occurring element with many industrial uses. Microinjection of 0.3 micrograms of potassium tellurite [K(2)TeO(3)] into the endoneurial space of rat tibial nerve causes a rapidly progressing focal conduction block as measured by the disappearance of the evoked compound muscle action potential (CMAP) of the intrinsic foot muscles following stimulation proximal to the injection site. Conduction block was fully established within 6 hours and persisted for approximately 7 days, followed by the appearance of low amplitude, long latency, temporally dispersed potentials. The proximal CMAPs increased in amplitude and decreased in latency and temporal dispersion until normalization by 28 days after injection. The distal CMAP showed a minimal decline in amplitude. Morphological observations showed splitting of myelin, especially in the paranodal regions, followed by accumulation of myelin debris in Schwann cells and macrophages. Although the exact mechanism remains unknown, this in vivo model provides a unique opportunity to study the electrophysiological and morphological correlates of an acutely evolving demyelinative process.
Influence of heating rate on measurement of time to thermal maximum in trout

Thermal tolerance in fish is commonly assessed by exposing experimental animals to conditions of controlled temperature increase and by measuring the temperature and time period at which they reach loss of equilibrium (LE). To better understand how the rate of temperature increase might influence the sensitivity of a thermal tolerance test, we conducted a series of trials on juvenile rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and brown trout Salmo trutta in a common experimental tank exposed to water heated at rates of 2, 4, 8 or 24 °C/day. Analysis of variance of rank-transformed data for time to LE indicated that at 2, 4 and 8 °C/day, differences between species were all significant. The brook trout were the first to reach LE, then rainbow trout and lastly the brown trout, although the differences between species tended to be less dramatic with an increase in heating rate. In two trials conducted at 24 °C/day, the brown trout were again the most tolerant. In one of these trials, the rainbow trout and brook trout were not significantly different, and in the other, the rainbow trout reached LE significantly sooner than the brook trout. Regression analyses indicated no consistent effect of fish size (length and weight) nor condition factor on time to LE within the ranges tested. Of the four heating rates, the slowest (2 °C/day) appeared to provide the greatest sensitivity for detecting differences in thermal maximum. We have adopted 2 °C/day as the heating rate for continued research on relative thermal tolerance in trout, in the perspective that the test might prove useful in efforts to selectively breed for increased tolerance among trout strains for commercial culture.
Evidence for bioturbation of luminescence signals in eolian sand on upland ridgetops, southeastern Minnesota, USA

Abstract This study sought to identify the age of eolian sand on narrow ridges in the Root River valley of southeastern Minnesota. The ridges in the region are cored by Ordovician dolomite and Cambrian sandstone, but the ridge tops are typically covered with Late Wisconsin Peoria and older loess units. In some locations Peoria loess is absent and the ridgetops are covered with up to 3 m of eolian sand that was likely sourced from local river valleys and transported to the uplands by sand ramps. We studied nine ridgetop soil profiles and collected seventeen OSL samples from eolian sand at depths ranging from 0.3 to 2.6 m below the present ground surface. All OSL samples were analysed using small aliquots where 90–150 μm quartz grains were applied to the inner 2 mm of 10 mm aluminum disks. The OSL ages ranged from 12.3 to 1.5 ka indicating a significant amount of age variability, and potentially suggesting nearly continual eolian deposition throughout the Holocene. However, several key differences were identified between those samples taken from within 1 m of the ground surface compared with samples that were more deeply buried. Those samples collected from depths of greater than 1 m yielded ages that were tightly clustered between 12.3 and 10.3 ka, while samples taken from depths of less than 1 m showed ages with much higher spread that ranged from 1.5 to 10.1 ka. The samples collected from within 1 m of the present ground surface also commonly showed higher spread in their equivalent dose distributions and higher overdispersion values relative to the samples that were more deeply buried. This suggests the luminescence signals from the upper portions of these deposits were reset after burial, most likely by bioturbation, and that the OSL ages are not depositional ages. This interpretation is supported by evidence from a core sample collected from one of our sites that shows primary eolian lamina are preserved below 1.4 m depth but not above this depth. Presumably, the bioturbation agents were effective at both resetting the luminescence signal and disturbing the primary bedding to depths of at least 1 m. If bioturbation occurred below this threshold it apparently did not impact either of these indicators. Our findings suggest the upper 1 m of these profiles were impacted by bioturbation and that all of the eolian sand on these ridgetops was likely deposited prior to 10.1 ka.
Radial and ulnar artery repairs: Assessing patency rates with color Doppler ultrasonographic imaging

This study was undertaken to evaluate the patency rate of radial and ulnar artery repairs performed with use of the magnification afforded by the operative microscope. Color Doppler ultrasonographic imaging was chosen as a reproducible, noninvasive technique to evaluate patency and graphically display vascular flow characteristics. Twenty-eight consecutive patients with 35 arterial injuries form the study group. Twenty-four patients with 31 arterial lacerations were available for enrollment in the protocol. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 40 months (average, 10 months). Eighteen male and six female patients sustained 13 radial and 18 ulnar artery lacerations, all sharp. Four patients required interposition vein grafting. Overall patency after repair was found to be 84%, with 82% of single vessels and 86% of double vessels patent. The patency of single vessels repaired without the use of vein grafts was 100%. These results indicate that microscope-assisted repairs of the radial and ulnar arteries remain patent at a higher rate than is commonly cited.
A numerical study of the combined effects of microsegregation, mushy zone permeability and fllow, caused by volume contraction and thermosolutal convection, on macrosegregation and eutectic formation in binary alloy solidification

Abstract Numerical simulations of the columnar dendritic solidification of a Pb-20 wt% Sn alloy in a square cavity cooled from one side and fed by a rectangular riser are reported. Overall macrosegregation patterns predicted using Scheil and lever-rule type microsegregation models are found to be similar, although the predicted eutectic fraction is significantly higher with the Scheil-type model. The choice of mushy zone permeability function significantly affects the predicted number, length and orientation of segregated channels. The inclusion of shrinkage-driven flow leads to the prediction of the well-known inverse macrosegregation pattern. However, macrosegregation caused by thermosolutal convection readily masks the inverse segregation. The microsegregation models predict different solid concentrations and eutectic fractions, leading to different solid density distributions which, in turn, cause differences in the extent of contraction-driven flow.
Estrogen and Progesterone Production by Granulosa Cell Monolayers Derived from in Vitro Fertilization Procedures: Lack of Evidence for Modulation by Androgen*

The role(s) of androgens in the steroidogenic regulation of human granulosa cell production of estrogen and progesterone during monolayer culture was studied. These cells were exposed in vivo to human menopausal gonadotropin and hCG gonadotropin with or without clomiphene citrate. Steroid production rates were compared between cells cultured in control medium and those cultured in medium containing a nonaromatizable androgen [dihydrotestosterone (DHT)] or an aromatizable androgen [androstenedione (A'D)]. Some cultures received A'D from 3-12 days; other cultures received DHT alone for 3, 6, or 9 days before the addition of A'D for 3 days. The effect on steroid production during the culture interval before the addition of A'D also was evaluated. Exposure to A'D increased estrogen production over 50-fold compared with that in control cells or those treated with DHT (P less than 0.001). DHT also failed to alter estrogen production when A'D was added to cultures. Furthermore, the delay in introducing A'D to the cultures for up to 9 days did not decrease subsequent estrogen production compared with that in cultures continually exposed to A'D or DHT plus A'D. Progesterone production was substantial for at least 12 days of culture and was unaffected by the presence of androgen. These results do not confirm previous studies using murine or porcine granulosa cells, which suggested that androgen receptor-dependent mechanisms were involved in increasing estrogen and/or progesterone production in vitro. Rather, they indicate that androgen may not be required to maintain aromatase capability per se in human granulosa-luteal cells previously exposed to ovulation-inducing quantities of gonadotropin.
Bifurcation and Modal Interaction in a Simplified Model of Bending-Torsion Vibrations of the Thin Elastica

This paper presents a numerical study of bifurcation and modal interaction in a system of partial differential equations first proposed as a simplified model for bending-torsion vibrations of a thin elastic beam. A system of seven ordinary differential equations obtained using the first six bending and first torsional normal modes is studied, and Floquet theory is used to locate regions in the forcing frequency, forcing amplitude parameter plane where “planar” (i.e., zero torsion) motions are unstable. Numerical branch following and symmetry considerations show that the initial instability arises from a subcritical pitchfork bifurcation. The subsequent nonplanar chaotic attractor is part of a branch of 2-frequency quasiperiodic orbits which undergoes torus-doubling bifurcations. A new statistical technique which identifies interacting modes and the average stability properties of the associated subspaces is presented. The technique employs the Lyapunov vectors used in the calculation of the Lyapunov exponents. We show how this method can be used to split the modes into active and passive sets: active modes interact to contain the attractor, whereas passive modes behave like isolated driven oscillators. In particular, large amplitude modes may simply serve as conduits through which energy is supplied to the active modes.
Blood Pressure, Systolic and Diastolic, and Cardiovascular Risks: US Population Data

The National High Blood Pressure Education Program (NHBPEP) was launched 20 years ago based on data from population studies and clinical trials that showed high blood pressure (HBP) was a major unsolved—but soluble—mass public health problem. The present review summarizes recent data from US prospective population studies on blood pressure—systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP)—and cardiovascular risk. The outcome variables include blood pressure-related risks, primarily incidence and mortality from coronary heart disease, stroke, other and all cardiovascular diseases (CVD); also cardiac abnormalites (roentgenographic, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic); also, all-cause mortality and life expectancy. Data accrued during the past 20 years confirm that SBP and DBP have continuous, graded, strong, independent, etiologically significant relationships to the outcome variables. These relationships are documented for young, middle-aged, and older men and for middle-aged and older women of varying socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicity. Among persons aged 35 years or more, most have SBP/DBP above optimal ( (Arch Intern Med. 1993;153:598-615)
Purging autologous bone marrow with monoclonal antibodies for transplantation in acute myelogenous leukemia

Myeloablative chemotherapy followed by allogeneic bone marrow rescue is considered curative therapy and offers an alternative approach to consolidate patients with acute myelogenous leukemia who achieve a first complete remission after standard induction chemotherapy. In patients transplanted during second or third complete remission, allogeneic transplantation can also be curative, although there is lower relapse-free survival. Despite the success of this treatment modality, only 10-20% of patients will be eligible to receive an allogeneic transplantation due to advanced age or lack of an HLA-matched donor. In this situation, autologous bone marrow transplantation allows therapy of comparable intensity to be administered with less morbidity and mortality due to the lack of graft-versus-host disease. In contrast to allografts, remission autografts may harbor residual occult malignant cells unable to be grossly detected. The infusion of these malignant cells following myeloablative therapy can contribute to leukemia relapse. Various in vitro approaches to 'purge' occult malignant leukemia cells from remission marrows have been developed. The two techniques that have been studied in preclinical and clinical trials include pharmacological and monoclonal antibody-mediated methods. The efficacy of using the latter to purge autografts compared with the use of unpurged autografts in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation is currently the focus of a prospective multicenter trial.
Resonant coherent excitation of channeled ions

The hydrogenlike ions ${\mathrm{B}}^{4+}$, ${\mathrm{C}}^{5+}$, ${\mathrm{N}}^{6+}$, ${\mathrm{O}}^{7+}$, and ${\mathrm{F}}^{8+}$, and the heliumlike ion ${\mathrm{F}}^{7+}$ have been shown to exhibit resonant coherent excitation from the atomic level $n=1$ to $n=2$, caused by the periodic potential oscillations which occur as the ion moves in axial and nearly axial planar channels in thin crystals of Au and Ag. Various harmonics of the lattice-string periodicity are effective, at certain critical ion velocities, in reducing the number of one-electron ions which survive passage through the crystal without electron loss. Resonances, appearing as minima in the one-electron charge-state fraction versus velocity, have been found for several axial channels and for several different harmonics of the string frequencies. In some cases the resonances can be split by small crystal tilts which produce sidebands upon the string frequency. Certain harmonics have been shown to produce tilt-insensitive double minima which measure Stark splittings of the $n=2$ levels.
Characterization of the Human COP9 Signalosome Complex Using Affinity Purification and Mass Spectrometry

The COP9 signalosome (CSN) is a multiprotein complex that plays a critical role in diverse cellular and developmental processes in various eukaryotic organisms. Despite of its significance, current understanding of the biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of the CSN complex is still very limited. To unravel these molecular mechanisms, we have performed a comprehensive proteomic analysis of the human CSN complex using a new purification method and quantitative mass spectrometry. Purification of the human CSN complex from a stable 293 cell line expressing N-terminal HBTH-tagged CSN5 subunit was achieved by high-affinity streptavidin binding with TEV cleavage elution. Mass spectrometric analysis of the purified CSN complex has revealed the identity of its composition as well as N-terminal modification and phosphorylation of the CSN subunits. N-terminal modifications were determined for seven subunits, six of which have not been reported previously, and six novel phosphorylation sites were also identified. Additionally, we have applied the newly developed MAP-SILAC and PAM-SILAC methods to decipher the dynamics of the human CSN interacting proteins. A total of 52 putative human CSN interacting proteins were identified, most of which are reported for the first time. In comparison to PAM-SILAC results, 20 proteins were classified as stable interactors, whereas 20 proteins were identified as dynamic ones. This work presents the first comprehensive characterization of the human CSN complex by mass spectrometry-based proteomic approach, providing valuable information for further understanding of CSN complex structure and biological functions.
A Tale of Two Experts: Thalidomide and Political Engagement in the United States and West Germany

The physicians, Widukind Lenz and Frances Kelsey, played crucial roles in the thalidomide drama of the early 1960s. Widespread use of the drug in West Germany was only halted when the paediatrician, Lenz, publicized its association with the birth of nearly 4,000 children exhibiting abnormal limb growth. Few cases were reported in the United States because Kelsey, a medical officer at the US Food and Drug Administration, repeatedly delayed thalidomide's marketing approval. Experts in both countries were expected to demonstrate publicly the professional 'objectivity' of medicine and the institutional 'disinterestedness' of regulatory bodies. These norms were invoked both by industry representatives seeking to undermine the two experts and by critics desiring stronger regulatory controls. Comparing Lenz and Kelsey demonstrates how institutional structures shape an expert's social and scientific roles. While the United States provided important protection from external pressure for Kelsey through her regulatory position at the FDA, Lenz was open to sharp criticism, especially when giving expert testimony during a lengthy court trial. The degree of exposure to politically motivated attacks differed for these two experts; they nevertheless faced similar threats to their professional credibility and personal integrity when they publicized links between thalidomide and birth defects.
Phylogenetic Relationships of Solanum Series Conicibaccata and Related Species in Solanum Section Petota Inferred from Five Conserved Ortholog Sequences

Abstract Solanum series Conicibaccata is the second largest series in section Petota, containing 40 species widely distributed from southern Mexico to central Bolivia. It contains diploids (2n = 2x = 24), tetraploids (2 = 4x = 48) and hexaploids (2n = 6x = 72), and the limited number of species examined have been shown to be allopolyploids. Previous morphological and molecular studies using plastid DNA failed to discriminate clear species boundaries. Conserved orthologous nuclear DNA sequences (COSII) were used to compare the relationships among 72 accessions from 22 species from series Conicibaccata and 42 additional accessions from related series. The results supported previous studies showing the diploid members of series Conicibaccata to be related to other South American “clade 4” species, and showed all of the polyploids to be allopolyploids among members of clade 4 and other South American species of “clade 3” (series Piurana and related species). Low bootstrap support values and morphological simi...
The Mechanisms behind the Therapeutic Activity of BET Bromodomain Inhibition

The bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) protein Brd4 recruits transcriptional regulatory complexes to acetylated chromatin. While Brd4 is considered to be a general transcriptional regulator, pharmacological inhibition of BET proteins shows therapeutic activity in a variety of different pathologies, particularly in models of cancer and inflammation. Such effects have been attributed to a specific set of downstream target genes whose expression is disproportionately sensitive to pharmacological targeting of BET proteins. Emerging evidence links the transcriptional consequences of BET inhibition to the association of Brd4 with enhancer elements, which tend to be involved in lineage-specific gene regulation. Furthermore, Brd4 engages in direct regulatory interactions with several DNA-binding transcription factors to influence their disease-relevant functions. Here we review the current understanding of molecular mechanisms that underlie the promising therapeutic effects of BET bromodomain inhibition.
Stimulation of rat liver phenylalanine hydroxylase activity by derivatives of vitamin E

Abstract The phenylalanine hydroxylase activity of rat liver preparations is enhanced by α-tocopheryl phosphate, α-tocopheryl succinate, and sodium dodecyl sulfate in vitro at 30°C and pH 7.4. The stimulation by α-tocopheryl phosphate (0.02 mM) is accompanied by a significant decrease in the Michaelis constant for phenylalanine and increases in the Michaelis constant for a synthetic pteridine cofactor and in the maximum velocity of the reaction. The possible relevance of these observations to phenylketonuria is discussed.
Comparison of Laboratory Test Frequency and Test Results Between African-Americans and Caucasians With Diabetes: Opportunity for Improvement: Findings from a large urban health maintenance organization

OBJECTIVE To compare African-American and Caucasian patients with preexisting diabetes in a health maintenance organization (HMO) on: 1) frequency with which they received a subset of recommended laboratory tests according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) consensus guidelines and 2) the results of laboratory test values (glycosylated hemoglobin, cholesterol, and creatinine). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A cross-sectional study of 2,312 HMO members with diabetes continuously enrolled during 1991 was conducted using computerized medical record and billing data. Receipt of the ADA recommended tests for glycosylated hemoglobin, cholesterol, and creatinine was compared between African-Americans and Caucasians, stratified by insulin requirements. In addition, group comparisons were made based on the laboratory test results. RESULTS Less than 20 percent of all subjects received the recommended number of ADA tests. This did not differ by race except for creatinine and cholesterol testing in insulin users only, where African-Americans had more tests. On average, after adjusting for covariates, African-Americans had significantly higher glycosylated hemoglobin and creatinine laboratory values. Both groups had elevated cholesterol values. CONCLUSIONS The opportunity exists to improve the process of care for both African-Americans and Caucasians with diabetes in an HMO setting. The need to improve glycosylated hemoglobin results and subsequently limit complications is especially pressing among the African-American population.
Power costs of bituminous coal mines

THE TRENDS and amount of elecric power use and cost at bituminous coal mines are of interest to the executive, the operating man, and the engineer alike. A study of the data based on a single year, or even a few years, could result in misleading conclusions; but the data from over 400 representative mines for the past 26 years make it possible to determine the trends quite accurately. These trends, illustrated by graphs and tables, are discussed in this article.
Thinking Fast and Slow About Causality Response to Palinkas

Larry Palinkas advances the developing science of social work by providing an explanation of how social science research methods, both qualitative and quantitative, can improve our capacity to draw...
Accelerometer placement in active flutter suppression systems

An elementary study of the placement of accelerometers when used as sensors in active flutter suppression systems is presented. The model analyzed is a two-dimensional typical section with various combinations of leading- and trailing-edge controllers. The relationship between the control surface placement and accelerometer placement is examined. The results for the numerical examples presented show that accelerometers must be on the same side of the center of gravity as the control surface or right half-plane transmission zeros will arise. The detrimental effects of the right half-plane zeros are discussed in the context of linear-quadratic-regulator plus loop-transfer-recovered observer designs.
Influence of a viscoelastic foundation on the stability of Beck's column: An exact analysis

Abstract The stability of Beck's column supported by three different viscoelastic foundations, viz., the standard linear solid, the Maxwell and the Kelvin-Voigt, is investigated. Closed form stability criteria are obtained for the entire range of system parameters through an exact dynamic analysis for each foundation model. The results for the Kelvin-Voigt model show that for a given stiffness parameter of the foundation the critical load increases with an increase in damping and reaches a limiting value for large damping. Unlike the case of conservative loading, the Maxwell foundation is shown to have a positive influence on the stability of this non-conservative problem. Furthermore, for this model, an optimum combination of foundation parameters exists to yield the maximum flutter load. The standard linear solid foundation combines the characteristics of Maxwell and Kelvin-Voigt models, as expected.
Multidomain STS/TULA proteins are novel cellular regulators.

Proteins of the STS/TULA family recently emerged as important regulators of cellular functions. They exhibit a unique domain architecture, featuring at least three interactive/functional domains. Despite a significant degree of homology between the two members of this family, there are considerable functional differences between them. Thus, one of them is ubiquitously expressed in mammalian tissues and exhibits high phosphatase activity, whereas the other one is expressed in lymphocytes only and exhibits very low phosphatase activity, but is capable of promoting apoptosis, an activity unique for this family member. Among several functions reported for STS/TULA proteins, the most characterized one is the regulation of protein tyrosine kinase-mediated signaling. Interestingly, gene deletion of neither family member results in a discernible phenotype, whereas simultaneous deletion of both members causes hyperreactivity of T cells. Despite their apparent importance, the physiological role and the molecular basis of the effects of STS/TULA proteins remain poorly understood. This brief review summarizes what is currently known about the STS/TULA family and outlines the unresolved questions in this area. © 2008 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 60(4): 224–231, 2008
Asymptotic channel versus composite state descriptions of direct interactions

Abstract The matrix equation formulation which stresses the asymptotic channel is compared with the usual coupled reaction channel approach which emphasizes the composite states in the interaction region. The importance of the matrix form of the equations is pointed out, and the channel mixing is shown to cause a collapse of the equations to a single component theory of coupled reaction channels. Improved approximation procedures for solving the matrix equations are then suggested.
Lactate dehydrogenase-catalyzed regeneration of NAD from NADH for use in enzyme-catalyzed synthesis

Abstract Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, rabbit muscle, EC 1.1.1.27), coupled with pyruvic and glyoxylic acids as oxidants, regenerates NAD in situ for enzyme-catalyzed oxidations. The use of LDH has advantages of convenience, stability of the regenerating system, and economy. Pyruvate and glyoxylate differ in their advantages and disadvantages as oxidants. Pyruvate analogs, monomethyl oxalate and S -methyl thiooxalate, were examined as possible oxidants but were not substrates of lactate dehydrogenase.
An investigation of the MC‐SIMEX method with application to measurement error in periodontal outcomes

Measurement error is pervasive in medical research. In periodontal research studies, one measure of disease status is the probed pocket depth (PPD), the depth of the space between a tooth and the surrounding gum. In larger studies, these assessments are made by multiple examiners, each having distinct measurement error characteristics. Because PPD is recorded in whole millimeters, it may be regarded as discrete and its associated error as misclassification error. This study investigates the impact of this measurement error when evaluating the effect of periodontal disease status on levels of inflammatory markers in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). The marker readings are either left or right censored, due to quantities that are either too small to be reliably quantified or so large that they saturate the detector. Additionally, marker readings from multiple periodontal sites within a subject's mouth are correlated. These considerations give rise to a clustered survival model for the marker readings in which the discrete predictor of interest is misclassified. Associations between the GCF markers and periodontal assessments are corrected for misclassification error using the MC-SIMEX method. Simulation studies reveal the impact of varying degrees of misclassification error on associations of interest. Analysis of pilot data from a periodontal study, for which examiner misclassification rates are estimated from calibration studies, further illustrates the approach.
Identification and quantification of para-phenylenediamine in a temporary black henna tattoo.

Background: Temporary black henna tattoos are very popular as body adornment. Although contact allergy to natural henna is unusual, the inclusion of hair dye, p-phenylenediamine (PPD), increases the risk of contact sensitization. Objective: This study was performed to identify the presence and concentration of PPD in a black henna tattoo mixture to which our patient developed contact allergy. Methods: The presence of PPD in a black henna tattoo mixture, various samples of commercially available henna powders, and several hair dye products was qualitatively and quantitatively detected using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: This study demonstrated that PPD was present in the black henna tattoo mixture at a concentration of 15.7%, which is significantly higher than commercial hair dye preparations. Conclusion: The presence of PPD in black henna tattoo mixtures in high concentration poses a health hazard and a risk of allergic contact sensitization with potential long-term consequences.
The Effect of Gang Perpetrated Crime on the Likelihood of Non-Lethal Victim Injury

Studies consistently find that gang members are involved in a disproportionately high rate of violence. The association between gangs and violence is largely based on the legal definition of violence, however. The current study moves beyond the legal definition of gang violence by examining the relationship between non-lethal gang involved incidents and the likelihood of victim injury, using pooled data (1992–2005) from the National Crime Victimization Survey. Overall, results reveal that gang members are not more likely than are non-gang members to injure their victims. When analyses are restricted to incidents involving injury, or incidents involving weapons, gang members are no more likely to more severely injure their victims than non-gang members. Strengths and limitations of the study are discussed.
Command modification using input shaping for Automated highway systems with heavy trucks

This paper presents a new method for maintaining and improving string stability by preventing actuator saturation in automated vehicles on highways. Instead of relying on feed-back controllers to deal with the issue of actuator saturation after the fact, reference commands are feed through an FIR filter called an input shaper so that harmful components in the reference commands are reduced or removed. Two methods (zero-placement and convex optimization) are compared for designing input shapers. In addition, a linear model of a 3-vehicle platoon is derived and analyzed explicitly from the standpoint of actuator saturation. A relatively short input shaper is designed and shown to prevent actuator saturation in exchange for a small delay in system response.
Effect of Emergency Medical Technician–Placed Combitubes on Outcomes After Out-of-Hospital Cardiopulmonary Arrest

Objective. While emergency medical technicians–basic (EMT-Bs) in select emergency medical services (EMS) agencies use the Esophageal Tracheal Combitube (ETC) for the airway management of out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrests, the effect of this intervention on patient outcomes is not known. We compared the associations between initial EMT ETC placement and initial paramedic endotracheal intubation (ETI) on patient survival after out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest. Methods. We utilized data on adult (age > 21 years), out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrests from a large, urban, county-based, two-tiered (EMT-B first responder, paramedic ambulance) EMS system for the years 1997–2005. EMT-Bs placed an ETC on cardiopulmonary arrest patients if they arrived before paramedics. Paramedics managed the airway primarily using ETI. We included cases in which rescuers accomplished ETC insertion or ETI on the first airway effort. We excluded cases in which an invasive airway was not used. We excluded cases with fa...
Enhancing the acquisition efficiency of fast magnetic resonance imaging via broadband encoding of signal content

Current efficient magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods such as parallel-imaging and k-t methods encode MR signals using a set of effective encoding functions other than the Fourier basis. This work revisits the proposition of directly manipulating the set of effective encoding functions at the radiofrequency excitation step in order to increase MRI efficiency. This approach, often termed "broadband encoding," enables the application of algebraic matrix factorization technologies to extract efficiency by representing and encoding MR signal content in a compacted form. Broadband imaging equivalents of fast multiecho, parallel and k-t MRI are developed and analyzed. The potential of these techniques to increase the time efficiency of data acquisition is experimentally verified on a commercial MRI scanner using simple spin-echo imaging. A three-dimensional gradient-echo dynamic imaging application that demonstrates the potential benefits of this approach compared to the present state of the art for certain applications is also presented.
A new trace fossil from the Middle Cambrian of the Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA

An unusual trace fossil from the Middle Cambrian Bright Angel Shale Formation of the Grand Canyon, Arizona, consisting of two rows of biserially opposed circular or oval depressions, with alternating symmetry, is described as Bicavichnites martini ichnogen. et ichnosp. nov. While specimens of this trace may represent the surface expression of a complex treptichnid-like burrow system, it is more likely that they are the walking traces of a bilaterally symmetrical benthic animal. The large variation in external width within the trackways is inconsistent with an arthropod producer. The trackway morphology and presence of limb spur marks suggest that the trace maker may have been a lobopodian, a Cambrian relative of modern onychophorans.
Expression of Elongation Factor-1α and S1 in Young and Old Human Skeletal Muscle

Previous research has indicated that reduced expression of elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1 alpha) may be an important determinant of the reduced rate of protein synthesis in senescent animals and cultured cells. The present study examined whether expression of EF-1 alpha or S1, a homologous protein found exclusively in postmitotic tissues, is reduced in senescent human skeletal muscle. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis muscles of healthy young (22-31 yr old) and old (61-74 yr old) subjects. As reported previously, myofibrillar protein synthesis was approximately 40% slower in the older muscle (p < .001) as determined by incorporation of a stable isotope. Immunoblotting revealed no difference in the concentration of EF-1 alpha + S1 between younger and older muscle. RT-PCR assays indicated that S1 mRNA was much more abundant than EF-1 alpha mRNA in muscles of both age groups, with no reduction in either EF-1 alpha or S1 mRNA abundance in older muscles. We conclude that expression of EF-1 alpha and S1 is not diminished in older muscles and does not explain the age-related slowing of protein synthesis in human skeletal muscle. However, we cannot exclude the possibility that the activity of these proteins declines during senescence due to post-translational modifications.
Efficient radiation from an electrically small antenna: control of higher order modes

The time domain Poynting theorem is used to develop a complex Poynting vector that is applicable to all electromagnetic radiation fields. We find that the traditional complex Poynting vector applies to fields generated by either solenoidal, TE, or irrotational, TM, sources but not both; most antennas generate one or the other. A direct result is that the commonly accepted proof that Q of electrically small antennas is large and increases precipitously with decreasing size breaks down with mixed TE and TM modes. A compound antenna generating mixed TE and TM modes is analyzed and it is determined that the input impedance is purely resistive and independent of the electrical size; Q increases with decreasing size but not as rapidly as previously believed to be required. There is reasonable hope of obtaining an electrically small, efficient radiator of electromagnetic radiation. Difficulties in the implementation of compound antennas include control of unwanted higher order modes and the large differences between the input impedances of TE and TM sources. The significance and control of higher order modes for TE and TM radiators are discussed.
Importance of life cycle events in the population dynamics of Gonyaulax tamarensis

Life cycle changes that allow populations of the toxic dinoflagellate Gonyaulax tamarensis Lebour to inhabit the benthos and the plankton alternately are important factors regulationg the initiation and decline of blooms in restricted embavments. When the dynamics of these estuarine populations were monitored during “bloom” and “non bloom” years, it was shown that: (1) each year, germination of benthie cysts inoculated the overlying waters during the vernal warming period, but a large residual population remained in the sediments throughout the blooms; (2) the resulting planktonic population began growth under suboptimal temperature conditions; (3) the populations developed from this inoculum through asexual reproduction until sexuality (and cyst formation) were induced; (4) encystment was not linked to any obvious environmental cue and occurred under apparently optimal conditions; and (5) an increase in the number of non-mitotic swimming cells (planozygotes, the precursors to dormant cysts) accompanied the rapid decline of the planktonic population. Thus encystment, in combination with hypothesized losses due to advection and grazing, contributed substantiatly to the decline of the vegetative cell population. We conclude that the encystment/excystment cycle temporally restricts the occurrence of the vegetative population and may not be optimized for rapid or sustained vegetative growth and bloom formation in shallow embayments. The factors that distinguish “bloom” from “non-bloom” years thus appear to be operating on the growth of the planktonic population.
Measurement of varus/valgus alignment in obese individuals with knee osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE Frontal plane knee malalignment may increase progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA) and hasten functional decline. An accurate nonradiographic measure of knee alignment is necessary because the gold standard measure, the long-leg radiograph, is costly and often unavailable. Moreover, nonradiographic measures of knee alignment have not been validated in an obese population, where knee OA is common. The purpose of this study was to develop and assess the concurrent validity and reliability of a nonradiographic measure of frontal plane knee alignment and demonstrate the accuracy of the measure in an obese population. METHODS Fifty-five subjects (41 women, 14 men; mean +/- SD age 62.9 +/- 10.3 years) with knee OA were examined. A nonradiographic measure (umbilical method) of frontal plane alignment, using the landmarks of the umbilicus, knee, and ankle, was compared with the radiograph gold standard. Statistical significance was accepted at P < 0.05. RESULTS Eighty-nine percent of the participants had a body mass index (BMI) placing them in the overweight or obese category (mean +/- SD BMI for all subjects 31.3 +/- 6.1 kg/m(2)). Radiographic measures of alignment ranged from 9.1 degrees valgus to 14.3 degrees varus (76% of the participants had varus alignment, 12% had valgus alignment, and 2% had neutral alignment). Umbilical measures ranged from 1 degrees valgus to 21 degrees varus. The umbilical measure was significantly correlated with the radiographic method (r = 0.75, P < 0.001). The error of the umbilical measure was not significantly correlated with the BMI (r = -0.21, P = 0.13). CONCLUSION The umbilical method of assessing frontal plane knee alignment is a valid surrogate for the radiographic gold standard and retains its accuracy in an obese population.