cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THz absorption spectrum of Bacillus subtilis spores

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) was used to measure the far-infrared absorption spectra of some important biological materials such as Bacillus subtilis spores and dipicolinic acid in the frequency region of 0.2 to 2.0 THz (6.7-67 cm- 1 ). A distinct absorption peak at 1.538 THz was observed in the B. subtilis spores. A dominate absorption mode at 1.54 THz was also observed in DPA powder.
Copper bonded layers analysis and effects of copper surface conditions on bonding quality for three-dimensional integration

In order to achieve copper wafer bonding with good quality, surface conditions of copper films are important factors. In this work, the effects of surface conditions, such as surface roughness and oxide formation on the bond strength, were investigated under different bonding conditions. Prior to bonding, copper film surfaces were kept in the atmosphere for less than 1 min, 3 days, and 7 days, respectively, to form different thicknesses of oxide on the surface. Some copper wafers were cleaned using HCl before bonding in order to remove the surface oxide. Surface roughness of copper films with and without HCl cleaning was examined. Since surface cleaning before bonding removes oxides but creates surface roughness, it is important to study the corresponding bond strength under different bonding conditions. These results offer the required information for the process design of copper wafer bonding in three-dimensional integration applications.
Myocardial perfusion imaging by contrast echocardiography with use of intracoronary sonicated albumin in humans.

Abstract Sonicated albumin has been proposed as a near ideal echocardiographic contrast agent with little myocardial toxicity or hemodynamic effect. Its use has not yet been reported in humans, partly because of difficulties in preparation. With use of the newly modified sonication method, 10 ml of 5% albumin was sonicated for 75 s with a 5.0 ml slow infusion of air. This resulted in microbubbles with a mean diameter (±1 SD) of 53 μm. Fourteen patients undergoing routine coronary angiography were studied. One patient had normal coronary arteries; the other 13 had significant coronary artery disease. In a subgroup of nine patients, sonicated albumin and sonicated diatrizoate meglumine sodium (microbubble diameter 9 ± μm) were injected several minutes apart, using the same technique. Videodensity-time curves were obtained from a region of interest in the myocardium. Corrected peak contrast intensity (baseline contrast intensity subtracted from peak contrast intensity, gray scale U/pixel) for sonicated albumin and for sonicated diatrizoate meglumine sodium was 5126 and 5219, respectively (p = 0.89). Washout half-time (TI/2) for the two agents was 5.5 ± 4.5 and 16.0 ± 12.2 s, respectively (p = 0.01). One patient with unstable angina experienced transient chest pain after repeated albumin injections. No electrocardiographic changes, blood pressure changes or wall motion abnormalities were observed. Administered by intracoronary injection, sonicated 5% albumin is a safe and effective echocardiographic contrast agent for myocardial perfusion imaging, yielding excellent myocardial contrast with physiologic washout time.
Constraints on dephasing widths and shifts in three-level quantum systems

It is shown that the density matrix equations for a three-level quantum system interacting with external radiation fields can lead to negative populations if arbitrary dephasing rates and shifts are included in these equations. To guarantee non-negative populations, the equations themselves impose certain restrictions on the dephasing widths and shifts. The constraints on the widths are shown to be identical to those that can be derived from a model of Markovian dephasing events, independent of any atom-field interaction.
Clinical presentation and surgical management of intramedullary spinal cord cavernous malformations

Object Intramedullary cavernous malformation (CM) is a rare entity, accounting for 5% of all intraspinal lesions. The objective in this study was to define the clinical characteristics of this disease, detail the surgical approach and technique, and present the clinical outcome. Methods Retrospective chart review was performed in 22 patients with histologically confirmed CMs. The authors used a laminectomy approach for midline dorsal lesions, with unilateral radical facetectomy and dentate ligament resection for laterally or ventrally located lesions. Patient profiles, operative indications, surgical approaches, operative findings, complications, and long-term follow-up were reviewed. Results The average age of patients in the cohort was 43 ± 14 years, the average duration of symptoms was 7 ± 7 months, and the average follow-up was 6 ± 4 years. The average size of the lesion was 1 ± 0.4 cm, the average surgical time was 4 ± 0.96 hours, and the average estimated blood loss was 350 ± 131 ml. The rate of com...
Theoretical grain-size thresholds and their application to accurate methods for paleointensity determination

Improved values of critical grain-size thresholds for magnetite and Fe have been obtained using a rigorous theoretical approach. The temperature dependence of these thresholds is interesting in that it indicates the existence of certain grains which, when cooled from above their blocking temperature, pass sequentially through the following magnetization states: superparamagnetic to single-domain to nonuniform magnetization. Such grains will yield correct paleointensities by the Wilson (1961) or Shaw (1974) method but not by the well-known method due to Thellier and Thellier (1959).
Forcing of the Wintertime Antarctic Boundary Layer Winds from the NCEP-NCAR Global Reanalysis

Antarctica is noted for strong and persistent winds in the lower atmosphere. The wind directions are controlled by the underlying ice terrain and are deflected in general 20 8‐508 to the left of the fall line. The Antarctic surface wind regime is thought to be the result of the dual influences of diabatic cooling of the terrain, responsible for the infamous katabatic winds, and the synoptic pressure gradient force in the free atmosphere. The relative importance of pressure gradients associated with katabatic and synoptic processes in forcing the wintertime Antarctic boundary layer winds is evaluated using output from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction‐ National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP‐NCAR) global reanalysis program for June, July, and August of 1997. Both katabatic and synoptic forces are found to be significant in shaping the near-surface winter winds over the Antarctic ice slopes. Analyses show that the synoptic force is influenced by the underlying ice terrain such that the net force over Antarctica is directed primarily downslope. This result reflects the adjustment of the large-scale ambient pressure gradient to the continental orography. The synoptic force over Antarctica thus differs significantly in both magnitude and direction from that found over the oceanic regions to the north. The adjustment of the synoptic force over the ice sheets enable even the nonwinter Antarctic winds to attain a high directional constancy and resemble a gravity-driven flow. This process also suggests that direction alone is insufficient in classifying Antarctic flows as katabatic.
The financial crisis in the USSR: A comment

(1980). The financial crisis in the USSR: A comment. Soviet Studies: Vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 583-585.
Packing cylinders on a cylinder with contact constraints

The problem of cylinder packing is investigated. The specific problem is to determine the maximum number of congruent cylinders that can be packed around a core cylinder of arbitrary dimensions. The constraint is that their circular face must keep in contact with the core cylinder and there may be no overlapping. Only right circular cylinders are considered. Mathematically, a lower and upper bound is determined. A quantitative result is also found using a modified genetic algorithm. The algorithm was found to reproduce the published results for the top and bottom circular faces of the core which reduces to the problem of packing congruent circles within a circle. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
On Tl-1212 superconductor single crystals: Structure and magnetism changes on annealing

Abstract The complete crystal structure of several single crystals with nominal stoichiometry TlBa 2 CaCu 2 O 7 (Tl-1212) has been determined by least-squares refinement of Mo K α X-ray diffraction data before and after sequential anneals in flowing argon and/or oxygen. Prior work, primarily on TlBa 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O x , suggested that both Tl 1+ and Tl 3+ are present in the charge reservoir Tl-O layer(s). The relative amounts could be reversibly altered by mild oxidation or reduction anneals without significant changes in the superconducting onset temperature, T c , consistent with maintaining a hole concentration near the optimum doping. These anneals produced small reversible atomic displacements within the unit cell. In contrast, the atomic positional changes in the Tl-1212 crystals upon such annealing are just at the detectability level, and although all the crystals studied belong to this structure type, the mean values in some of these parameters grouped by starting growth compositions result in differences at the 95% confidence level. Meissner data show sharpening of the transition of the as-grown crystals with annealing, but T c changes are much smaller than observed in Tl-1212 powders.
Dexamethasone Induces IL-10-Producing Monocyte- Derived Dendritic Cells with Durable Immaturity

It is highly desirable that immature dendritic cells (DC) used for tolerance induction maintain steady immature state with predominant interleukin (IL)-10 production. In this study, we attempted to develop DC with durable immaturity and other tolerogenic features by using dexamethasone (Dex). We found DC derived from human monocytes in the presence of 10(-7) m Dex were negative for CD1a. Compared with control transduced DC (Ctrl-DC), Dex-DC expressed lower CD40, CD80 and CD86 but equivalent human leucocyte antigen-DR. Both immature Dex- and Ctrl-DC did not express CD83. Nevertheless, upon stimulation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or CD40 ligand, the expression of CD40, CD80, CD83 and CD86 was upregulated on Ctrl-DC but not on Dex-DC. The immaturity of Dex-DC was durable following Dex removal. Interestingly, Dex-DC maintained production of large amount of IL-10 and little IL-12 five days after Dex removed. Further study indicated that high-level IL-10 production by Dex-DC was associated with high-level phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) as blockade of this enzyme markedly attenuated IL-10 production. Furthermore, Dex-DC sustained the capability of high phosphorylation of ERK and IL-10 production 5 days after Dex removal. In addition, Dex-DC had significantly lower activity in stimulating T-cell proliferation. Neutralization of IL-10, to some extent, promoted DC maturation activated by LPS, as well as T-cell stimulatory activity of Dex-DC. The above findings suggest that IL-10-producing Dex-DC with durable immaturity are potentially useful for induction of immune tolerance.
Power frequency fields and people

For as long as human beings have been using electricity, there have been worries about its safety. There has been growing public concern about possible health effects of electric and magnetic fields produced by electricity generation, transmission and use. This concern is increasingly affecting electricity utilities; engineers cannot afford to ignore it. However, much of the concern is based on misunderstandings. This paper looks first at the various sources of power-frequency fields, then surveys the various effects such fields may have.
Efficient computation of optimal space-time performance curves for memory hierarchies☆

Abstract The problem of determining the best possible space-time performance for a given program executing in a two-level memory hierarchy for a given access time ratio is known to be computationally expensive. That one often wishes to determine such optimal performance across a broad range of access time ratios changes an expensive computational task into one which is often not feasible. We present a technique by which, given an acceptable error bound, a piecewise linear approximation to the actual space-time vs. access time ratio curve may be efficiently derived. That approximation is shown to deviate from the actual curve by no more than specified by the error bound. Such curves are useful in performance evaluation studies for memory management schemes in which the allocation of real memory is dynamically varied.
Duke–UNC–JMEWS Conference: Marketing Muslim Women

National and international scholars, activists, and interested members of the public convened at Duke University for an international conference on Marketing Muslim Women, April 10–12, 2008. Th e conference aimed to provide a forum to explore how gender is constructed and contested in Islamic tradition and how certain images circulate both within and beyond Muslim cultures; to bring Islamic studies scholars into conversation with those in other fi elds whose work may not focus on Islam or the Muslim world but who share research interests in gender, culture, and power; and to appeal to faculty, students, and community members and off er them opportunities for diff erent levels and styles of engagement with these issues. According to conference coordinator miriam cooke, the three-day gathering brought together “participants from the U.S., Canada, Kuwait, Jordan, Japan, and England [to] examine the cultural, political, and economic forces that manufacture Muslim women’s images for consumption and how women both produce and consume these images.” Organized by cooke and Ellen McLarney at Duke, Banu Gokariksel at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, and the Journal of Middle East Women’s Studies, the conference was cosponsored by multiple organizations at Duke and UNC–CH. Th e broad scope of the event was shaped by four keynote speakers: publisher Tayyibah Taylor spoke on “Azizah: Media from the Muslimah Perspective,” author Nawal El Saadawi on “Muslim Women in the Mar-
Are US mothers meeting the Healthy People 2010 breastfeeding targets for initiation, duration, and exclusivity? The 2003 and 2004 National Immunization Surveys.

Using data from the National Immunization Surveys (2003 and 2004), the authors model the influence of child, maternal, and state- or metropolitan-level factors on the initiation, duration, and exclusivity of breastfeeding to determine the characteristics of groups meeting the Healthy People 2010 targets. Analyses indicate that only children of college graduates meet the targets for breastfeeding at initiation, 6 months, and 12 months; no groups meet the target for exclusive breastfeeding. Results indicate a low prevalence of breastfeeding among children of single mothers, less educated mothers, participants in the Women, Children, and Infants program, and those living in nonwestern states and in areas of high newborn risk. Hispanic children, children of college graduates, and children living in the West consistently have higher odds of breastfeeding. Only the prevalence of breastfeeding early postpartum is near the Healthy People 2010 target of 75%, the percentages for 6 or 12 months and exclusive breastf...
Another Look at Moral Foundations Theory: Do Authoritarianism and Social Dominance Orientation Explain Liberal-Conservative Differences in “Moral” Intuitions?

Moral foundations theorists propose that the moral domain should include not only “liberal” ethics of justice and care but also ostensibly “conservative” concerns about the virtues of ingroup loyalty, obedience to authority, and enforcement of purity standards. This proposal clashes with decades of research in political psychology connecting the latter set of characteristics to “the authoritarian personality.” We demonstrate that liberal-conservative differences in moral intuitions are statistically mediated by authoritarianism and social dominance orientation, so that conservatives’ greater valuation of ingroup, authority, and purity concerns is attributable to higher levels of authoritarianism, whereas liberals’ greater valuation of fairness and harm avoidance is attributable to lower levels of social dominance. We also find that ingroup, authority, and purity concerns are positively associated with intergroup hostility and support for discrimination, whereas concerns about fairness and harm avoidance are negatively associated with these variables. These findings might lead some to question the wisdom and appropriateness of efforts to “broaden” scientific conceptions of morality in such a way that preferences based on authoritarianism and social dominance are treated as moral—rather than amoral or even immoral—and suggest that the explicit goal of incorporating conservative ideology into the study of moral psychology (in order to increase ideological diversity) may lead researchers astray.
Pretransplantation C-Peptide Level Predicts Early Posttransplantation Diabetes Mellitus and Has an Impact on Survival after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Posttransplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a frequent complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT), important for its negative impact on cardiovascular health. Risk factors for PTDM are not well defined. We conducted a prospective study to investigate the risk factors and incidence for PTDM in the first 100 days after allo-SCT. A total of 84 patients completed the study, 60% of whom developed PTDM. In a multivariate logistic regression model, pretransplantation c-peptide level (>3.6 ng/mL; odds ratio [OR], 5.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.77-20.22; P = .004), unrelated donor allo-SCT (OR, 4.3; 95% CI, 1.34-14.2; P = .014), and peak steroid dose >1 mg/kg/day (OR, 5.09; 95% CI, 1.19-23.2; P = .035) were identified as independent predictors of PTDM. In addition, overall survival (OS) was inferior in patients with PTDM compared with those without PTDM (mean survival, 2.26 years vs 2.7 years; P = .021). Pretransplantation c-peptide level greater than the cohort median (>3.6 ng/mL) also was associated with inferior OS (mean, 1.7 years vs 2.9 years; P = .012). In a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, high-risk disease (hazard ratio [HR], 2.34; 95% CI, 1.09-5.28; P = .029) and pretransplantation c-peptide level >3.6 ng/mL (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.09; P = .013) were independent predictors of OS when adjusted for systemic steroids and regimen intensity. We suspect that diabetes mellitus in the immediate posttransplantation period may be mediated via an inflammatory pathway that contributes to insulin resistance in the host adipose tissue. Our study is the first to report the risk factors of early PTDM in patients undergoing allo-SCT and identifies pretransplantation c-peptide as an independent predictor of diabetes and survival.
Purification and properties of certain glutamic acid-metabolizing enzymes from cockroach-muscle mitochondria☆

Three glutamic acid-metabolizing enzymes have been identified and partially purified from cockroach thoracic muscle mitochondria. The enzymes are glutamic dehydrogenase, glutamic-aspartic transaminase and glutamic-alanine transaminase. The glutamic dehydrogenase appears to be NAD+ specific, while the two transaminases require pyridoxal phosphate. Substrate specificity, pH optima, and several other characteristics of each enzyme have been determined.
Duration of urinary leakage after open non-stented dismembered pyeloplasty in pediatric patients

Abstract Objective We aimed to determine the duration and associated complications of postoperative urinary leakage in pediatric patients undergoing open, non-stented dismembered pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Methods A retrospective review of 100 patients who underwent an open non-stented dismembered pyeloplasty between 2003 and 2008 was performed. Duration of urinary leakage and postoperative complications were tabulated. Patients were considered to have a dry anastomosis if the Penrose drain was removed within one week of surgery. Results Duration of leakage ranged from 0 to 27 days. 86% had Penrose drain removal within 7 days of surgery and were considered dry.14 patients demonstrated a persistent urinary leakage (PUL) ranging from 7 to 27 days. Complications of any type were significantly more likely in the group with prolonged drainage ( p = .0126). UTI and obstruction were not significantly more likely to occur in patients with PUL ( p = .0931 and p = .2616 respectively). Only one patient with PUL required placement of a ureteral stent. Conclusion We demonstrate that stentless dismembered pyeloplasty is feasible with a low rate of urinary drainage beyond one week. The character and quality of the slightly increased complications in those that demonstrated PUL were not great and not bothersome enough to warrant routine stenting.
Cytologically benign endometrial cells in the papanicolaou smears of postmenopausal women.

Abstract Objective. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical significance of the presence of benign endometrial cells in the Pap smears of postmenopausal women. Methods. A retrospective analysis of the clinical outcome of 297 postmenopausal women containing benign endometrial cells in their Pap smears was performed. All patients had subsequent endometrial biopsies or routine follow-up for 1–5 years. In addition, Pap smears of 253 of the patients were reviewed with particular reference to the morphology and type of the endometrial cells. Immunohistochemical staining with CD68 was performed in 15 selected cases to determine the origin of the stromal cells. Results. One hundred thirty-two (44%) women had endometrial biopsies while the remaining 165 (56%) were followed up by routine gynecologic examinations and repeat Pap smears. Endometrial lesions were detected in 14 patients of whom only 3 had significant lesions (2 atypical hyperplasias and 1 adenocarcinoma). Review of the Pap smears revealed benign superficial endometrial stromal cells in most cases (73%). Stromal cells showed CD68 positivity indicating a histiocytic origin. Glandular cells were present in 27%, either alone or in association with stromal cells. Statistical analysis revealed that the presence of endometrial glandular cells in Pap smears was associated with five times the likelihood of significant endometrial disease than found in women with normal Pap smears, although sensitivity and positive predictive value were very low (7.14 and 2.94%, respectively). Superficial endometrial stromal cells were not useful in predicting endometrial pathology. Conclusion. Significant endometrial lesions were present in 1% of postmenopausal women containing morphologically benign endometrial cells in the Pap smears. In the majority, the endometrial cells were of the superficial stromal type, which were demonstrated immunohistochemically to be histiocytes. The presence of endometrial glandular cells correlated significantly with endometrial pathology. Such an association was not observed in cases with stromal cells only.
The influence of progesterone on the conversion of 17-hydroxyprogesterone to testosterone in the mouse testis.

Progesterone-3H and 17-hydroxyprogesterone- 14C were incubated with mouse testis homogenates and the distribution of each isotope in 17-hydroxyprogesterone,2 androstenedione and testosterone when the two precursors were present in various ratios were compared with the amounts when each precursor was present alone. The presence of equal amounts of progesterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone caused a small but significant reduction in 17-hydroxylase activity. The rate at which 17-hydroxyprogesterone, or 17- oxy radical formed from progesterone, was converted to C19 steroids was essentially unaffected by the presence of added 17-hydroxyprogesterone, probably because of the close association of active sites of the 17-hydroxylase and lyase. The rate of splitting of the added 17-hydroxyprogesterone, however, was markedly inhibited by the presence of progesterone. The inhibition was probably competitive as previously reported for rat testes. The results indicated that the active site of the 17β-dehydrogenase was not...
Effect of chronic ethanol consumption on the fine structure of the dentate gyrus in long-sleep and short-sleep mice

Abstract The effect of short-and long-term chronic ethanol consumption on the fine structure of the dentate gyrus was examined in two lines of mice selected for their differential sensitivity to acute ethanol administration. Quantitative electron microscopic analysis of dendritic spines, axon terminals, and synaptic appositions revealed significant differences between the long-sleep and short-sleep mice. In control preparations, long-sleep mice were found to have larger spine areas and perimeters, larger axon terminals, and longer synaptic appositions than short-sleep mice. In addition, the shape of dendritic spines in the long-sleep mice was significantly more complex than those of short-sleep mice. Ethanol tended to increase this complexity in long-sleep mice only. Ethanol had only a limited effect on the other anatomical measures. The results provide evidence for ultrastructural differences between the nervous systems of these lines of mice which may have a role in their differential sensitivity to acute ethanol administration.
Isolation, stages of differentiation, and long term maintenance of adult rat myocytes

Abstract Although a variety of techniques have been developed to isolate myocytes from adult hearts, the long term viability of such cells has only recently been investigated. In addition, relatively little is known about the stages of differentiation such cells proceed through following isolation. In the present study myocytes were isolated using two techniques, one involving retrograde perfusion via the aorta, and the other involving mechanical “shearing.” In addition, several modifications were made to minimize the trauma normal associated with isolating myocytes from adult hearts. Both techniques yielded a high percentage of rod-shaped, quiescent myocytes, although myocytes isolated using the “shearing” method were less likely to remain viable for more than 24 hours. With both techniques those cells which remained viable for more than 24 hours proceeded through an identical pattern of differentiation leading to stable, attached cells which remained viable for up to four weeks. These results demonstrate that with the appropriate isolation techniques it is possible to maintain adult myocardial cells in culture for lengthy periods of time.
Thrombosis Incidence in Unilateral vs. Simultaneous Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty with Compression Device Prophylaxis

This study compares the incidence of venous thromboembolic event (VTE) in 55 patients (110 knees) undergoing simultaneous bilateral TKA with 287 patients (287 knees) undergoing unilateral TKA using a mobile compression device as monotherapy prophylaxis in both groups. All patients were clinically evaluated 3months after surgery with symptomatic confirmed VTE as an endpoint. Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) was documented by duplex ultrasound and pulmonary embolism (PE) was documented by spiral CT. The simultaneous bilateral TKA group had 6 VTEs (10.9%) with 2 PEs (3.6%). The unilateral TKA group had 9 VTEs (3.1%), and 0 PE. Patients undergoing simultaneous bilateral TKA yielded more than twice the rate of VTE compared with patients undergoing unilateral TKA using a mobile compression device as sole thromboprophylactic modality.
Automated Computation of Cardiac Output and Shunts from Indicator Dilution Curves

A method for automatic computation of cardiac outputs using a digital computer program written in FORTRAN IV is presented. The program also computes the ratio of pulmonary to systemic flows so that the dye curve may be used for shunt detection and quantification as well.
Distortions in the photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin at moderate dehydration

The photoreaction of bacteriorhodopsin was studied in moderately dehydrated films (relative humidities between 100 and 65%). Time-resolved difference spectra from a gated optical multichannel analyzer, between 100 ns and 100 ms after photoexcitation, were decomposed into sums of difference spectra of the intermediates K, L, M, N, and O, and the kinetics obtained were fitted to various alternative schemes. The data confirm the model of a single reaction sequence with reversible reactions we proposed recently for purple membrane suspensions (Varo, G., and J. K. Lanyi. Biochemistry. 1990. 29:2241–2250) but including reversibility also for the reaction K in equilibrium with L in addition to L in equilibrium with M, M in equilibrium with N, and N in equilibrium with O. With increasing dehydration the kinetics were increasingly dominated by the reverse reactions. As before, fitting the data required the existence of two M species in series: L in equilibrium with M1 in equilibrium with M2 in equilibrium with N. The M1 in equilibrium with M2 reaction was greatly slowed at lower humidities. This step might be the switch for the unidirectional transfer of protons. With increasing dehydration recovery of BR occurred less and less via the N intermediate and increasingly via direct shunts from the two M species. As indicated earlier by electrical measurements with similarly dried bacteriorhodopsin films (Varo, G., and L. Keszthelyi, 1983. Biophys. J. 43:47–51). The latter are pathways not necessarily associated with net proton translocation.
Human alkyladenine DNA glycosylase uses acid-base catalysis for selective excision of damaged purines

Human alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (AAG) protects against alkylative and oxidative DNA damage, flipping damaged nucleotides out of double-stranded DNA and catalyzing the hydrolytic cleavage of the ...
A strategy for fine-structure functional analysis of a 6- to 11-centimorgan region of mouse chromosome 7 by high-efficiency mutagenesis.

Abstract A refined functional map of a 6- to 11-centimorgan region surrounding the albino (c) locus in mouse chromosome 7 is being generated by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (EtNU) "saturation" mutagenesis of stem-cell spermatogonia. In the first phase of an experiment that will eventually test at least 3000 gametes, we screened 972 mutagenized gametes for the induction of both lethal and visible mutations with a two-cross breeding protocol. Thirteen mutations mapping within the limits of a segment corresponding to the cytologically visible Df(c Mod-2 sh-1)26DVT deletion were recovered. They represented three phenotypic groups: prenatal lethality (six mutations); a fitness/runting syndrome (three mutations, provisionally designated as fit variants); and a neurological/balance-defect abnormality (four mutations). Complementation analysis provided evidence for a true repeat mutation at the sh-1 (shaker-1) locus (for the neurological mutations) and another at the here defined fit-1 (fitness-1) locus. In addition, four complementation groups were defined by induced lethal mutations; the two other lethal mutations were each part of a cluster. The recovery of the repeat mutations suggests that the EtNU-induced mutation rate, estimated from specific-locus tests, should make it possible to achieve saturation mutagenesis of a chromosomal region. This experiment is providing basic logistical and statistical information on which to base strategies for expanding the functional map of larger segments of the mouse genome by experimental mutagenesis. It is also yielding additional mutations useful in dissecting the functional and molecular complexity of this segment of chromosome 7.
The effects of indomethacin on edema and gas exchange in canine acid aspiration.

Previous studies have suggested that prostaglandin synthesis inhibition might alter lung water accumulation in low pressure pulmonary edema. Therefore we studied the effects of indomethacin administration on edema formation, hemodynamics, and gas exchange in canine acid aspiration. Fourteen pentobarbital anesthetized dogs received 1 ml/kg of 0.1 N HCl intratracheally and then 7 received indomethacin (5 mg/kg) and 7 served as time controls. Lung liquid was measured in vivo by a double indicator technique and at the end of the experiment by gravimetric determinations. Following HCl administration, venous admixture (Qva/Qt) increased in both groups. Over the succeeding 4 h Qva/Qt decreased after indomethacin administration by 4.1 ± 14.2%, but increased in the control group by 10.9 ± 11.5% (P < 0.05). Cardiac index remained constant in the control group but decreased after indomethacin from 232 ± 89 ml · kg−1 to 167 ± 75 ml · kg−1 · min−1. Lung liquid accumulation, however, was similar between both groups. We believe that the changes in Qva/Qt associated with indomethacin can be explained by the known observations that decreases in cardiac output are associated with decreases in intrapulmonary shunt.
Velocity inversion for changes in crack aspect ratio spectra during heat treatment of Berea sandstone

Summary This paper presents an analysis of a heat treatment study conducted on Berea sandstone samples that employs the theoretical Cheng-Toksoz inversion model for the porecrack aspect ratio spectra. A modified velocity inversion using a differential effective medium (DEM) theory is developed that yields a spectrum of pore-crack aspect ratios. These spectra are derived from a joint inversion of dry P- and S-velocities pressure dependencies. The backcalculated and measured velocities match each other very well with an average error of less than 5%. The model is applied to a suite of twelve Berea sandstone samples which have been subjected to treatment temperatures of 300°C and 600°C. The velocities show little changes after samples are heat treated to 300°C but drop significantly, about 10%, after heat treated to 600°C. The velocity inversion model predicts an increase in concentration of small aspect ratio cracks as a rock is heat treated to progressively higher temperatures. Examples showing changes in porosity, density, NMR spectra, mercury injection spectra and thin section analysis strongly support the creation of thin cracks as samples are heat-treated to high temperatures. Independent documentation of thin crack formation due to thermal treatment is consistent with the velocity inversions, lending credence to the use of velocity inversions for microstructural characterization.
Gender issues in US science and technology policy: equality of what?

Fairness in evaluation processes for women in science and engineering is only one of a set of issues that need to be addressed to reach gender equality. This article uses concepts from Amartya Sen’s work on inequality to frame gender issues in science and technology policy. Programs that focus on increasing the number of women in science and engineering careers have not generally addressed a broader set of circumstances that intersect with gender at various economic levels and stages of life. The agendas in research and innovation policies also need to reflect these issues, and fair allocation of resources within both science and technology needs to be on the agenda. Getting women into high-level positions is not enough. Articulating the full research and innovation agendas for women will require broader participatory processes.
Combined Fixing, Staining and Mounting Media

A number of non-volatile, water-soluble substances can be added to the usual aceto-cannine fixing fluids. These inert substances do not alter the fixation image and serve as mounting media when the volatile ingredients of the mixture evaporate. Formulae are given for solutions containing dextrin, dextrose, gelatin, pectin, sorbitol, and sucrose. Gum arabic can be incorporated in a formic-acid-carmine fixative. The limiting factor in the use of such mounting media in fixing fluids is the osmotic value they give the solution; with certain precautions, however, they can be used in place of the usual aceto-carmine treatment. The indices of refraction of these media are not as high as those of the natural balsams and the fixation images which the mixtures produce have the characteristic limitations of those secured by the aceto-carmine technic. Some of the natural balsams (Canada balsam, sandarac and Venetion turpentine) can also be incorporated in fixing fluids. These fixatives are able to hold balsam and wat...
Surface Layer Modifications in Co-Cr-Mo Biomedical Alloy from Cryogenic Burnishing

Abstract Severe plastic deformation (SPD) processes have been used to modify the surface integrity properties of many materials by generating ultrafine or even nanometer-sized grains in the surface and subsurface region. These fine grained materials created by SPD and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) usually have higher hardness and frequently exhibit enhanced mechanical properties (wear resistance, corrosion resistance, fatigue life, etc.). A novel burnishing SPD process, cryogenic burnishing, was used to improve the surface integrity of a Co-Cr-Mo biomedical alloy. Results show that grain refinement in the surface region was achieved through burnishing-induced SPD and DRX. The SPD layer thickness was shown to be increased by over 170% with the application of liquid nitrogen compared to the equivalent dry burnished workpiece. Microstructure refinement with a final grain size of 300 nm was obtained from cryogenic burnishing, which reflects a reduction from an initial grain size of about 80 μm. Microhardness measurements indicate that the hardness in the small grained SPD layer created by cryogenic burnishing was increased by 87% relative to the bulk value. Current results show that cryogenic burnishing could be an effective processing method to modify the surface integrity of Co-Cr-Mo biomedical alloy.
The vacuum ultraviolet spectra of fluorine chlorine substituted trivalent phosphorus

Abstract The vapor phase absorption spectra of PF3, PF2Cl, PFCl2, and PCl3 are reported in the vacuum ultraviolet spectral region 2400—1200 A. These results are compared with information obtained from photoelectron spectra. A brief discussion of the spectra in terms of analogous absorption regions and results from CNDO/2 calculations are given.
Tobacco smoking and risk of recurrence for squamous cell cancer of the anus.

Abstract Objective : Squamous cell cancer of the anus is associated with multiple risk factors, including infection with human papillomavirus, immunosuppression, chronic inflammation, and tobacco smoking, although there is little data on these factors for the prediction of recurrent disease. Here, we evaluated the risk of recurrence and mortality of anal carcinoma in association with tobacco smoking. Methods : We conducted a retrospective review of cases of anal carcinoma from two local hospitals. We obtained information on treatment response and cancer recurrence, as well as tobacco usage from medical records. Results : We identified 64 patients with squamous cell cancer of the anus, and 34 of these (53%) had a tobacco smoking history. Current smokers had higher carcinoma recurrence rates (11/34, 32%) than non-smokers (6/30, 20%). Overall mortality was 33% (21/64), and cancer-related mortality was 23% (15/64). Smokers were more likely to die from recurrence than non-smokers, with 45% of smokers dead compared to only 20% of non-smokers by 5 years after treatment. Conclusion : Tobacco smoking appears to be associated with anal carcinoma disease recurrence, and is related to increased mortality. This data suggests that patients should be cautioned about tobacco smoking once a diagnosis of anal carcinoma is made in attempt to improve their long-term outcome.
EEG analysis using neural networks for seizure detection

This study introduces an integrated algorithm for the purpose of discriminating between EEG channels (electrodes) leading or not to an ictal state, using interictal subdural EEG data. The importance of this study is in determining among all of these channels, all containing interictal spikes, why some electrodes eventually lead to seizure while others do not. A first finding in the development process of the algorithm is that these interictal spikes had to be asynchronous and should be located in different regions of the brain, before any consequential interpretations of EEG behavioral patterns are possible. A singular merit of the proposed approach is that even when the EEG data is randomly selected (independent of the onset of seizure), we are able to classify those channels that lead to seizure from those that do not. It is also revealed that the region of ictal activity does not necessarily evolve from the tissue located at the channels that present interictal activity, as commonly believed. The contributions of this study emanates from (a) the choice made on the discriminating parameters used in the implementation, (b) the unique feature space that was used to optimize the delineation process of these two type of electrodes, (c) the development of back-propagation neural network that automated the decision making process, and (d) the establishment of mathematical functions that elicited the reasons for this delineation process.
Ionization, luminosity, and heating of the upper atmosphere of Mars

A model based upon Viking data is constructed of the Martian atmosphere, and a comprehensive quantitative discussion is given of the measurements of the ultraviolet dayglow. A detailed assessment is made of the heating of the neutral and ionized components of the atmosphere arising from the absorption of ultraviolet solar radiation.
The incidence of urinary tract injury during hysterectomy: a prospective analysis based on universal cystoscopy.

Objective To evaluate the incidence of urinary tract injury due to hysterectomy for benign disease. Study design Patients were enrolled prospectively from 3 sites. All patients undergoing abdominal, vaginal, or laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign disease underwent diagnostic cystourethroscopy. Results Four hundred seventy-one patients participated. Ninety-six percent (24/25) of urinary tract injuries were detected intraoperatively. There were 8 cases of ureteral injury (1.7%) and 17 cases of bladder injury (3.6%). Ureteral injury was associated with concurrent prolapse surgery (7.3% vs 1.2%; P =.025). Bladder injury was associated with concurrent anti-incontinence procedures (12.5% vs 3.1%; P =.049). Abdominal hysterectomy was associated with a higher incidence of ureteral injury (2.2% vs 1.2%) but this was not significant. Only 12.5% of ureteral injuries and 35.3% of bladder injuries were detected before cystoscopy. Conclusion The incidence of urinary tract injury during hysterectomy is 4.8%. Surgery for prolapse or incontinence increases the risk. Routine use of cystoscopy during hysterectomy should be considered.
Guaranteeing BGP Stability with a Few Extra Paths

Policy autonomy exercised by Autonomous Systems (ASes) on the Internet can result in persistent oscillations in Border Gateway Protocol, the Internet's inter-domain routing protocol. Current solutions either rely on globally consistent policy assignments, or require significant deviations from locally assigned policies, resulting in significant loss of autonomy of ASes. In this paper, we take a different approach that guarantees stability with less restrictive policies. Namely, we propose multipath routing to find a better trade-off between AS policy autonomy and system stability. We design an algorithm, Stable Path(s) Assignment (SPA), that provably detects persistent oscillations and eliminates these oscillations by assigning multiple paths to some ASes in the network. Such an assignment allows each AS to use its most-preferred available path, while requiring very few ASes to carry transit traffic along additional paths in order to break oscillations. We design a distributed protocol for SPA and present tight bounds on the number of paths assigned to the ASes in the network. Using simulations on the AS graph, we show that in presence of oscillations, SPA assigns at most two paths to any AS in the network (in 99.9% of the instances), with an extremely small fraction of ASes assigned the extra path.
The Impact of Additional Electronic Word-of-Mouth on Sales of Digital Micro-products over Time: A Longitudinal Analysis of Amazon Shorts

The purpose of this research was to conduct a longitudinal study of the impacts of additional reviews on sales of digital micro-products. Following daily sales of 121 digital micro-products - Amazon's Shorts - over a period of five months, we performed individual time series analyses and aggregated our individual findings with logistic regression. We have found that not all reviews impact sales. Shorts with high brand and complementary goods reputations are more likely to have the time series of their sales impacted by the addition of a review. Perhaps the most intriguing discovery is that Shorts with high (low) brand and complementary goods reputations are more (less) likely to have reviews posted to them in the future
A Validity Index for Prototype-Based Clustering of Data Sets With Complex Cluster Structures

Evaluation of how well the extracted clusters fit the true partitions of a data set is one of the fundamental challenges in unsupervised clustering because the data structure and the number of clusters are unknown a priori. Cluster validity indices are commonly used to select the best partitioning from different clustering results; however, they are often inadequate unless clusters are well separated or have parametrical shapes. Prototype-based clustering (finding of clusters by grouping the prototypes obtained by vector quantization of the data), which is becoming increasingly important for its effectiveness in the analysis of large high-dimensional data sets, adds another dimension to this challenge. For validity assessment of prototype-based clusterings, previously proposed indexes-mostly devised for the evaluation of point-based clusterings-usually perform poorly. The poor performance is made worse when the validity indexes are applied to large data sets with complicated cluster structure. In this paper, we propose a new index, Conn_Index, which can be applied to data sets with a wide variety of clusters of different shapes, sizes, densities, or overlaps. We construct Conn_Index based on inter- and intra-cluster connectivities of prototypes. Connectivities are defined through a “connectivity matrix”, which is a weighted Delaunay graph where the weights indicate the local data distribution. Experiments on synthetic and real data indicate that Conn_Index outperforms existing validity indices, used in this paper, for the evaluation of prototype-based clustering results.
Triply resonant broadband transducers

The Navy's current emphasis on broadband sonar signal processing and frequency agility has prompted the need for new classes of broadband sonar transducers that can transmit these complex signals. The design approaches used are based on the longitudinal vibrator tonpilz type double resonant sonar transducer development that began with the "Rodrigo" type design (named after the pioneer of such design) also commonly referred to as "double head mass" transducer by the British naval community. This design is a series mechanical arrangement of an inactive compliant material such as aluminum or composite polymer material that is sandwiched between a central mass and head mass (radiating piston) and active driver material such as piezoelectric ceramic stack or magnetostrictive rod sandwiched between the central mass and a tail mass. This method creates a double resonant three-degree-of-freedom (i.e. mass-spring-mass-spring-mass system) transducer, which offers greater bandwidth than conventional tonpilz transducer designs. These designs can be expanded by the addition of other series resonators (mass-spring) to produce triple resonant transducer (TRT) or higher order multiple resonant transducer (MRT) devices. Several prototype transducer elements designs were fabricated at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center that demonstrated proof of concept by generating three resonances at 15, 25 and 35 kHz. The theory of operation, modeling approaches, fabrication technique and test results will be presented.