cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Search for effects on neutron transmission due to multiple reflection by glass capillary walls

We have performed two separate experiments using glass capillary fibers to transport (1) polarized neutrons, and (2) cold neutrons with the fiber at high temperature. The same type of capillary fibers has been used to construct neutron and x-ray focusing lenses. The purpose was to observe whether multiple glancing angle collisions during transport could change either the polarizations or the transmission and exit divergence. In the first case, polarized 0.235 nm neutrons were transmitted through a bent glass capillary fiber, and the spin states of the emergent neutrons were measured. In the second experiment, 0.5 nm neutrons were passed through a glass capillary fiber heated to 200 degrees Celsius, and transmission and divergence were compared to the values at room temperature. The negative result for the first experiment indicates that capillary fibers can be used to transmit polarized neutrons. The heating experiment demonstrated that thermal vibrations of the capillary walls or collisions with heated air molecules did not significantly affect fiber properties; however, some mechanical shifting took place at high temperature.
Language Deficiencies in Inner-City Children With Learning and Behavioral Problems

The language skills of 27 learning disabled (LD), 27 behaviorally disordered (BD), and 26 normal achieving (NA) 6- to 9-year-old children were compared on the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundam...
Convergent activation dynamics in continuous time networks

Abstract The activation dynamics of nets are considered from a rigorous mathematical point of view. A net is identified with the dynamical system defined by a continuously differentiable vector field on the space of activation vectors, with fixed weights, biases, and inputs. Chaotic and oscillatory nets are briefly discussed, but the main goal is to find conditions guaranteeing that the trajectory of every (or almost every) initial activation state converges to an equilibrium. Several new results of this type are proved. These are illustrated with applications to additive nets. Cascades of nets are considered and a cascade decomposition theorem is proved. An extension of the Cohen-Grossberg convergence theorem is proved for certain nets with nonsymmetric weight matrices.
The Diffusion of Regime Contention in European Democratization, 1830-1940:

This article goes beyond the established literature’s focus on domestic conditions by examining the impact of external impulses on European democratization from 1830 to 1940. Specifically, it analyzes the diffusion of regime conflict that arose from the cross-national spread of situational judgments about the feasibility of political change: Striking precedents of regime collapse, such as the overthrow of French kings in 1830 and 1848, tended to produce dramatic waves of political contention across Europe. But because the actual distribution of power in polities that experienced such externally stimulated episodes of regime contention often differed from the front-runner, these conflicts produced various types of results. The article distinguishes four outcomes of diffusion, namely (a) successful replication, (b) preemptive reform, (c) abortive replication, and (d) blockage of replication efforts. The latter two outcomes help explain why in European history, not only did political liberalism and democracy...
Incorporation of amino acids into phage-like particles in cell-free systems of Escherichia coli.

Abstract Cell-free systems from Escherichia coli were stimulated by phage RNA to incorporate radioactive amino acids into particles with the same buoyant density and sedimentation behavior as authentic phage particles. Radioactivity was also found in incomplete particles. The radioactive protein extracted from labeled particles was indistinguishable from authentic coat protein by acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Systems capable of labeling phage-like particles on stimulation with phage RNA were (a) S-30 extracts from fr-infected (but not from uninfected) cells and (b) a purified amino acid incorporating system derived from uninfected cells. In the case of S-30 extracts from fr-infected cells, the stimulating effect of fr and of MS2 RNA on the labeling of the phage-like particles was similar, but Qβ RNA was in-effective.
The risk for cancer or dysplasia in ulcerative colitis patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis.

The risk for cancer or dysplasia in ulcerative colitis patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis
Synthesis and Assembly of Self-Complementary Cavitands

Cavitands with self-complementary shapes (3 and 4) were prepared by the covalent attachment of adamantane guest molecules to the upper rim of the host structures. Relatives of the “self-folding” cavitands 2, these new structures possess a seam of intramolecular hydrogen bonds that stabilize the folded conformation. Their self-complementary shapes result in the formation of noncovalent dimers of considerable kinetic and thermodynamic stability (−ΔG295 = 4.5 kcal/mol for 3a and 6.5 kcal/mol for 4a in p-xylene-d10). The dimerization of cavitands 3 and 4 is reversible and subject to control by solvent and temperature. The dimerization process is enthalpically favored and entropy opposed and occurs with significant enthalpy−entropy compensation.
Vibration confinement of flexible structures using piezoceramic actuators

A vibration confinement is the act of restricting the vibration of a structure to a certain region on the structure. Confinement or restriction of vibrations to relatively unimportant areas helps in isolating vibration-sensitive components from vibratory disturbances and mitigating the damage of the components. In this research, an active vibration confinement technique based on full state feedback strategy, which was proposed by previous authors, is experimentally implemented and verified. The algorithm constructs a square matrix of the closed-loop eigenvectors and a rectangular matrix of the corresponding control vectors. Then, the control gain is uniquely determined by right-multiplying the inverse of the eigenvector matrix to the control vector matrix. The experiment is conducted for a pinned-pinned aluminum beam with two piezoelectric film sensors and two piezoceramic actuators bonded symmetrically along the beam. The vibration of the beam is estimated using an observer and the control actuation is realized using two piezoceramic patch actuators. Experimental results show that active vibration confinement can actually be realized for a lightly damped system with piezoceramic patch actuators.
Divergent responses to a common past: Transitional justice in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

This article addresses the question of why, despite having shared a communist regime and a revolution against it, the Czechs and Slovaks have dealt differently with that regime's former high officials and secret police agents, files, and collaborators. I argue that this divergence challenges theories of transitional justice put forward by such scholars as Samuel Huntington and John P. Moran, who respectively identify transition type and levels of regime repression as the key factors shaping a new regime's response to its predecessor. I propose that a stronger influencing factor is the level of the preceding regime's legitimacy, as indicated during the communist period by levels of societal cooptation, opposition, or internal exile, and during the post-communist period by levels of elite re-legitimization and public interest in “decommunization.” In drawing this link between past and more recent developments, I also argue that struggles over transitional justice issues should not be considered exclusively as the “politics of the present.” Finally, I examine the cases of Poland, Hungary, and Romania to assess the broader applicability and limits of my theory.
Common Ground: Risk, Scarcity, and Shared Resources in Goan Agriculture

In the Indian state of Goa, communally owned agricultural land has persisted through indigenous state rule, colonial occupation and postcolonial liberation. We show that in Goa, and indeed elsewhere in the world, communally owned land provides protection against scarcity, risk, and state revenue demands in wet rice agriculture. When wet rice agriculture is the primary agricultural activity, communally owned land is an effective way to utilize resources. These findings add to the literature that challenges the inevitability of the tragedy of commonly owned resources.
On a double minimum vibrational potential

Abstract The FORMAC program used to generate the matrix elements of a harmonic oscillator perturbed by a Gaussian is presented, and the resultant expressions validated by comparison with pencil and paper results, and by direct quantum-mechanical computations of relevant energy levels in the ammonia case.
A procedure for the determination of attribute access probabilities

Various procedures have been developed to select efficient storage structures; all of these procedures, however, require certain statistics to describe the use of attributes by problem programs. A very practical problem faced by anyone attempting to use any of these selection techniques is the determination of values for the attribute use statistics. This paper reports on one method which has been empirically tested for determination of attribute access probabilities. Central to this method is recognition of five kinds of statistic collection biases which are systematically considered by the proposed method but which do confound collection by previously developed methods. Finally, experimental results are reported which indicate specific comparative advantages of the proposed method over ones used by the DP staff of a medium-sized manufacturer.
The Role of a Visible/Visual Disability in the Clinical Dyad: Issues of Visibility/Invisibility for the Client and Clinician

This article discusses disability as a neglected aspect of cultural competency in the diversity literature. It identifies some of the sociocultural concepts that contribute to the avoidance of people with disabilities in the general population, the psychodynamic and psychoanalytic profession, literature, and discourse. Personal and cultural aspects of unanalyzed countertransference and transference are examined. The impact of those internalized sociocultural concepts on the clinical dyad is also explored. Through anecdote, parallel processing, and the literature, it will be shown how some of the transference issues toward the disabled clinician can become assets in the therapeutic alliance.
Behavior of strange particle cross sections in π−p collisions up to 25 GeV/c

Abstract Strange particle production in π−p collisions at 25 GeV/c is 4.0 ± 0.3 mb, approximately one event in every six. The size of this cross section implies significant exchange of particles with a mass equal to or less than ∼ 500 MeV/c2. About 3 4 of the cross section is due to K-pairs, and about half of these pairs have a net charge (e.g. K±Ko pairs). Copious production ofan I = 1 resonance which decays into K-pairs could account for this. Since no such resonance is seen in the K1oK1o mass spectrum, its G-parity would have to be even.
Variables affecting perceptions of social aspects of the communicative competence of an adult AAC user

This study examined the effects of aided message length, partner reauditorization, and observer background experience on ratings of social aspects of the communicative competence of an adult augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system user. Two groups of subjects participated: adults with minimal exposure to nonspeaking individuals and speechlanguage pathologists currently working with AAC users. After each viewing of a videotaped, scripted conversation between an individual simulating an AAC user and his normal-speaking partner, subjects responded to a questionnaire that included 13 statements pertaining to social aspects of the AAC user's communicative competence. Results of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) performed on these responses indicated that aided message length affected subjects' ratings of the AAC user's amount of participation, management of partner attention, and degree of social ease, while reauditorization had no effect on these or any other items. Group differences ...
Identification and modeling of fatigue crack growth mechanisms in a die-cast AM50 magnesium alloy

Abstract We experimentally identified the fatigue crack growth micromechanisms operating near the limit plasticity regime in a commercial high-pressure die-cast AM50 alloy with a critical review of the available literature. An existing multistage fatigue model was modified to subsequently recognize these micromechanisms in a threefold fatigue crack growth regime. The formation of the main fatigue crack occurred almost exclusively at shrinkage pores and to a lesser extent at large Mn-rich particles. At shrinkage pores, several adjacent cracks typically incubated at the edge of flat interdendritic pores, propagated along the α-Mg dendrite cells/Al-rich eutectic interface, and rapidly coalesced into a main physically small fatigue crack that advanced through the Al-rich eutectic. In the long crack regime, the crack advanced in a mixed transdendritic–interdendritic mode along persistent slip bands spreading over several tens of dendrite cells. The model predicts well the fatigue life compared to the experimental data when these observed mechanisms are accounted for.
Deformed nuclei in the Lipkin-Nogami approach

The Lipkin-Nogami version of the spherical BCS method is extended to study the effects of pairing correlations on the ground-state properties of nuclei with permanent deformation. The Kuo-Brown effective interaction is used to study the even-even nuclei in the 2p-1f shell. Considerable changes in the pairing energies compared with the deformed BCS and full Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov methods are obtained. The neutron-pair separation energies and the projected spectra show improved agreement with the data.
Elastic Moduli of (Ni,Cu)3Sn4 Ternary Alloys from First-Principles Calculations

Based on first-principles calculations, the effect of Cu solubility on the elastic moduli of Ni3Sn4-based intermetallic compound (IMC) is investigated. It is found that the stiffness tensor of a (Ni,Cu)3Sn4 single crystal is anisotropic, and the presence of Cu in the crystal compound reduces the moduli of (Ni,Cu)3Sn4 due to reduced hybridization between Ni and Sn states. Furthermore, our results show that higher Cu concentration in the (Ni,Cu)3Sn4-based IMCs leads to thermodynamically less stable compounds. Based on the single-crystal results, the elastic properties of polycrystalline (Ni,Cu)3Sn4 are also obtained.
Fractionated radiosurgical management of intramedullary spinal cord metastasis: A case report and review of the literature.

Abstract Objective and importance Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis (ISCM) comprises 8.5% of central nervous system metastases and confers significant morbidity. Radioresistant histologies such renal cell carcinoma and melanoma are not generally amenable to long-term palliation with conventional radiotherapy while surgery has often been found to be technically challenging and frequently morbid. In this report, we present a patient with a C5 ISCM from renal cell carcinoma treated with fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery. Clinical presentation A 50-year-old gentleman with metastatic renal cell carcinoma presented with profound bilateral shoulder pain and upper extremity paresthesias. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an intramedullary lesion at the level of fifth cervical vertebra (C5). Medical management and chiropractic manipulation proved to be ineffective. The patient was then treated with external beam radiation therapy, but continued to experience severe pain, paresthesias, and progressive, profound neurologic symptoms. Intervention The patient was referred to radiation oncology and neurosurgery for evaluation. Consideration was given to cordotomy and resection but the location and procedure was deemed to be high-risk and therefore was deferred. The decision was made to treat with fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery. A dose of 15 Gy was successfully delivered in 3 fractions to the 80% isodose line without complication or adverse effects. Twenty-six months following treatment, the patient was still alive, fully functional, and reported no pain and rare of paresthesias. Conclusion Fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery is a feasible, safe, and effective modality for the treatment of ICSM and should be carefully considered in the management of this difficult to treat condition.
The theory of probability: A key element in Keynes' revolution

Keynes believed that the "general theory" would create a revolution in economics. The extent to which his prophesy was realized, in part, depends on the definition of "key elements" in the general theory itself. This paper presents one of the key elements that led Keynes to believe the general theory might indeed create such a revolution. This key element is his theory of probability. Keynes' theory of probability evolved over time and resulted in his employing two distinctly different theories of probability in the general theory—one, implicitly, the other, explicitly. The first was an objective degree of belief theory of probability that was implicitly employed in the general theory. The second was a subjective degree of belief theory of probability that Keynes explicitly developed in the general theory.
The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity of granular metals

Abstract A simple percolation model of the hopping conduction in granular metals is proposed. The separation between the grains, in this model, is a random variable uncorrelated with the activation energy, the latter being dominated by the intragrain level splitting. The model is capable of reproducing the resistivity exp ( T 0 T ) 1 2 law over a wide temperature range, in spite of the narrow range of the grain diameters, explaining the recent observations of Choi et al.
Evaluating sense disambiguation across diverse parameter spaces

This paper presents a comprehensive empirical exploration and evaluation of a diverse range of data characteristics which influence word sense disambiguation performance. It focuses on a set of six core supervised algorithms, including three variants of Bayesian classifiers, a cosine model, non-hierarchical decision lists, and an extension of the transformation-based learning model. Performance is investigated in detail with respect to the following parameters: (a) target language (English, Spanish, Swedish and Basque); (b) part of speech; (c) sense granularity; (d) inclusion and exclusion of major feature classes; (e) variable context width (further broken down by part-of-speech of keyword); (f) number of training examples; (g) baseline probability of the most likely sense; (h) sense distributional entropy; (i) number of senses per keyword; (j) divergence between training and test data; (k) degree of (artificially introduced) noise in the training data; (l) the effectiveness of an algorithm's confidence rankings; and (m) a full keyword breakdown of the performance of each algorithm. The paper concludes with a brief analysis of similarities, differences, strengths and weaknesses of the algorithms and a hierarchical clustering of these algorithms based on agreement of sense classification behavior. Collectively, the paper constitutes the most comprehensive survey of evaluation measures and tests yet applied to sense disambiguation algorithms. And it does so over a diverse range of supervised algorithms, languages and parameter spaces in single unified experimental framework.
Characterization of wake-up delay versus sleep mode power consumption and sleep/active mode transition energy overhead tradeoffs in MTCMOS circuits

Multi-threshold voltage CMOS (MTCMOS) is an effective technique for reducing the leakage energy consumption of idle circuits. The MTCMOS circuits, however, suffer from high energy overhead during the transitions between the active and standby modes. The trade-offs between the mode transition energy overhead, the wake-up delay, and the standby mode power consumption of the MTCMOS circuits are evaluated in this paper. The short-circuit power consumed by an MTCMOS circuit during a wake-up event is characterized. Appropriate sleep signal buffer sizing guidelines to achieve sleep-to-active mode transitions with low energy overhead are provided. An optimum range of sleep transistor buffer sizes is identified for a 32-bit Brent-Kung MTCMOS adder in a 65 nm CMOS technology. It is shown that reducing the buffer size below the lower boundary of this optimum region is not effective for lowering the overall energy overhead and standby mode power consumption while causing a significant degradation in the wake-up speed.
Isotopic composition of carbon and oxygen in desert fauna: investigations into the effects of diet, physiology, and seasonality

Abstract Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios of bone apatite were measured in 14 endothermic and ectothermic vertebrates native to the Chihuahuan Desert and collected in June and July of 1999 and 2000. The δ 8 O values of most reptiles were very high, up to 44‰ (standard mean ocean water (SMOW), some of the highest δ 18 O values ever measured for an animal. The δ 18 O values of rodents and birds were lower (∼32±5‰ vSMOW), and the earless lizard Holbrookia maculata were the lowest of all species analysed (∼25‰). Omnivorous grasshopper mice ( Onychomys torridus ) had lower δ 18 O values than granivorous rodents. Results from oxygen analysis likely reflect variation in diet and body water flux differences between endotherms and ectotherms. Carbon isotope analysis revealed a dramatic shift in diet from C 3 plants in 1999 to C 4 plants in 2000 in most rodents and birds. Kangaroo rats and reptiles did not change, having a constant δ 13 C value indicative of a C 3 -based diet in both years. This suggests reliance on winter annual plant seed caches for kangaroo rats, but not other rodents. The carbon isotope data can be explained in terms of seasonal differences within and between years in the timing and intensity of the seasonal rainfall events, and the productivity of summer and winter annual plants. This study illustrates that stable isotope analysis is a powerful method for tracking dietary change and feeding behavior in desert vertebrates.
Detection of Soluble P-Glycoprotein in Culture Media and Extracellular Fluids

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a unique phenomenon in cancer patients and is commonly associated with an overexpression of the human MDR gene mdr1, which encodes an energy-dependent Mr 180 kDa membrane bound protein, known as P-glycoprotein. P-glycoprotein serves as a membrane efflux to pump the drugs out of the cancer cells. Western blot analysis, using a newly generated monoclonal antibody F4 which recognizes specifically an extracellular epitope of human MDR1 P-glycoprotein, reveals that soluble P-glycoprotein is detected in the cultured media of viable adriamycin-resistant human ovarian carcinoma 2780AD cells, whereas those of the drug-sensitive parent A2780 cells contain no detectable level of soluble P-glycoprotein. Soluble P-glycoprotein also is detected in extracellular fluids of cancer patients, such as malignant ascites and serum, and is not detectable in serum samples of normal healthy individuals. The Mr of soluble P-glycoprotein is the same as that of membrane bound P-glycoprotein. The presence of soluble P-glycoprotein in extracellular fluids may provide the basis for its use as a quantitative parameter of MDR and as a means to lessen or reverse MDR.
Anti-Genes: siRNA, Ribozymes and Antisense

Scientists have been working on strategies to selectively turn off specific genes in diseased tissues for the past thirty years. In the 1980's, oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) with unique chemistries were tested with model systems both in vitro and in vivo with varying degrees of success. In the 1990's, ribozymes with both antisense and catalytic properties were successfully introduced to the field. Ribozymes were shown to selectively knock down targeted genes in human tumors grown in mice but delivery issues for these therapeutic anti-genes limited their clinical utility. Short interfering RNA (siRNA) is currently the fastest growing sector of this anti-gene field for target validation and therapeutic applications. The siRNA field may have an opportunity to impact the clinic faster than antisense and ribozymes if the scientists can overcome the previous anti-gene limitations. Fortuitously, there have been a several developments involving the expansion of our genomic knowledge coupled with the rapid dissemination of disease genes by the digital revolution. This convergence of the knowledge of the human genome with the speed of digital communication will help facilitate swift changes in the detection and treatment of human illnesses. The anti-gene field is positioned to exploit this timely union of two distinct technologies. Anti-gene molecules have an opportunity to become a successful technology in understanding the human genome, as well as, enabling the development of efficacious gene therapy for human diseases in the near future. This review will characterize the advances in this field and address the challenges to the success of for the anti-gene technology.
Biomarker Discovery and Validation

Currently available biomarkers, such as those used to diagnose myocardial infarction (e.g., cardiac troponins), were identified in the course of targeted physiologic studies. Similarly, basic investigation of diseases has largely been characterized by studies of isolated molecules in cellular systems. Advances in genomics technologies, however, are beginning to permit characterization of global alterations associated with disease conditions and, in the process, identification of novel biomarkers and pathways. Laterza et al.(1) used such a global survey, and in this issue of Clinical Chemistry they describe their discovery of potential new markers related specifically to brain injury. Now begins the long road toward validation of these markers in clinically relevant human cohorts. Although no serum biomarkers of brain injury for conditions such as stroke are in clinical use, they could ultimately prove to be of enormous clinical usefulness to complement physical and radiologic examinations, both of which can be ambiguous during acute presentations. Of the multiple genomics applications, perhaps none has garnered more recent attention for biomarker discovery than proteomics. Proteomics offers unique insight into disease because proteins and their bioenzymatic functions largely determine the phenotypic diversity that can arise from a set of common genes. Posttranslational modifications help regulate structure, function, localization, maturation, and turnover of proteins. Because the entire complement of expressed proteins in their various forms can rapidly change in response to environmental cues, the proteome represents the unique ensemble of proteins that reflects the state of the cell or group of cells at a given time, in a particular context under particular stimuli. Thus, the proteome is highly dynamic, in contrast to the stability of the genome. The one gene–one protein dictum, now no longer tenable, had led few to anticipate the immense magnitude and complexity of the resulting proteome. This complexity, however, is the basis of …
Optimal scheduling and power control for tdma based point to multipoint wireless networks

In TDMA-based point-to-multipoint rural wireless deployments, co-located base station radios and sector antennas are used to increase base station capacity. To achieve maximum capacity with limited availability of non-overlapping wireless channels, we need to operate as many radios as possible from different sectors on the same channel. However, operating co-located radios on the same channel can result in substantial interference especially with the current practice of operating all radios at maximum power. We investigate techniques that increase network throughput by eliminating this interference.To this end we formulate an LP optimization problem that maximizes throughput by computing optimal transmit schedules, optimal allocation of clients to base station radios, and optimal radio power levels. Our results suggest that there is a large gap between currently-used and optimal strategies, creating opportunities for simple, practical algorithms to address these issues. Our techniques are equally applicable to both WiFi based networks as well as other point-to-multipoint technologies such as WiMax.
Citizens' Attitudes Toward Environmental Issues: Selfish or Selfless?

Environmental issues have emerged recently as a new dimension on the political agenda of advanced industrial democracies. The most prominent explanations for this issue concern have been psychological models of postindustrial value change. These models, however, neglect to link environmental concerns to the true state of ecological affairs. This research examines the degree to which psychological dimensions and the perceived ecological problems contribute to the rise of environmentalism in Western Europe. For this purpose, we employ Inglehart's model of postmaterial values, a self-interest model, and a sociotropic model. The self-interest model holds that citizens favor strict environmental regulations if their local environment is polluted. In the sociotropic model, citizens evaluate ecological problems as national issues. We approach the research questions cross-nationally using a Eurobarometer on ecological issues. We find that psychological factors and the perceived degree of national pollution proble...
Organellar Proteomics Analysis of Pancreatic Zymogen Granule Membranes

The zymogen granule (ZG) is the specialized organelle in pancreatic acinar cells for digestive enzyme storage and regulated secretion and has been a model for studying secretory granule functions. In an initial effort to comprehensively understand the functions of this organelle, we conducted a proteomic study to identify proteins from highly purified ZG membranes. By combining two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and two-dimensional LC with tandem mass spectrometry, 101 proteins were identified from purified ZG membranes including 28 known ZG proteins and 73 previously unknown proteins, including SNAP29, Rab27B, Rab11A, Rab6, Rap1, and myosin Vc. Moreover several hypothetical proteins were identified that represent potential novel proteins. The ZG localization of nine of these proteins was further confirmed by immunocytochemistry. To distinguish intrinsic membrane proteins from soluble and peripheral membrane proteins, a quantitative proteomic strategy was used to measure the enrichment of intrinsic membrane proteins through the purification process. The iTRAQ™ ratios correlated well with known or Transmembrane Hidden Markov Model-predicted soluble or membrane proteins. By combining subcellular fractionation with high resolution separation and comprehensive identification of proteins, we have begun to elucidate zymogen granule functions through proteomic and subsequent functional analysis of its membrane components.
Relationships of Frontal Offset Crash Test Results to Real-World Driver Fatality Rates

In a study of the relationship between Insurance Institute for Highway Safety frontal offset crash test ratings and real-world fatality rates, there was a clear trend for better-rated vehicles to have lower driver fatality risk, although the correlation was not uniform across all vehicle groups or statistically significant in all cases. For all types of crashes combined, fatality rates per registered vehicle were generally lower for vehicles rated good than for vehicles rated poor, but rates for acceptable and marginal vehicles were not always within this range. A more precise examination of fatality risk was accomplished by comparing driver outcomes in fatal two-vehicle crashes. When a rated vehicle collided with a nonrated vehicle, the fatality risk for the rated vehicle driver was highest for poorly rated vehicles, then progressively smaller for vehicles with marginal, acceptable, or good ratings. For two-vehicle crashes of similar vehicles rated good and poor, the odds of driver fatality was 34 percent lower for the good vehicle than for the poor vehicle, but this estimate was not statistically significant. Finally, in head-on crashes of rated vehicles, the estimated odds of driver fatality was approximately 74 percent lower for the good vehicle than for the poor vehicle, with confidence limits ranging from 28 to 91 percent.
Influence of Tribochemical Reaction Products on Friction and Wear of Silicon Nitride at Elevated Temperatures in Reactive Environments

Friction coefficients and wear rates of hot-pressed Si 3 N 4 have been measured in a ball-on-flat linear-sliding geometry at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 1273 K in Ar and air containing up to 63% H 2 O. In inert environments, the friction coefficients (ranging between 0.6 and 0.7) are independent of temperature, and wear rates increase with temperature. In oxidizing environments, the friction and wear are reduced by the presence of tribochemical reaction products. Friction coefficients and wear rates are lowered when the wear debris spontaneously forms into rolls, oriented perpendicular to the direction of relative motion, at high H 2 O levels in the temperature range of 873 to 1073 K.
Quantification of the Environmental Benefits of Ultrafine/Nanotitanium Dioxide Photocatalyst Coatings for Concrete Pavement Using Hybrid Life-Cycle Assessment

The use of titanium dioxide ( TiO2 ) ultrafine particulates as coating for concrete pavement have received considerable attention in recent years as these coatings can trap and absorb organic and inorganic air pollutants by a photocatalytic process. Despite these promising benefits, the promotion of TiO2 coatings based on a single factor such as air quality does not provide a complete evaluation of this technology and may omit critical environmental factors that should be considered in the selection of sustainable materials. The objective of this study was to determine the life-cycle assessment of TiO2 coating technology based on a hybrid life-cycle methodology. To achieve this objective, a life-cycle inventory that quantifies the energy, abiotic raw material inputs, and emission of TiO2 coatings from cradle to grave were developed. Based on this inventory, life-cycle impact assessment of TiO2 coatings for concrete pavement was conducted using the BEES impact assessment model. The use of titanium dioxide ...
The Dynamic Relationship between Context, Curriculum, and Student Learning: A Case for Inclusive Education as a Research-Based Practice

This article used theory, historical records, and empirical research to make a case that inclusive education, in which students experience significant proportions of their day in the age-appropriat...
A new T2*-weighting technique for magnetic resonance imaging.

This paper describes a method that prepares the longitudinal magnetization with T 2 * weighting for subsequent acquisition. The main advantage of our technique is its insensitivity to static field inhomogeneity. We have combined this approach with an ultrafast gradient-echo (Turbo-FlaSH) sequence and conducted experiments on phantoms and volunteers to demonstrate its capability and utility. With such a technique a T 2 * -weighted image can be generated in less than a second. In the paper, the detail of the technique and experimental results are presented
PolyMAPr: Programs for polymorphism database mining, annotation, and functional analysis

Pharmacogenomic and disease-association studies rely on identifying a comprehensive set of polymorphisms within candidate genes. Public SNP databases are a rich source of polymorphism data, but mining them effectively requires overcoming at least four challenges: ensuring accurate annotations for genes and polymorphisms, eliminating both inter- and intra-database redundancy, integrating data from multiple public sources with data generated locally, and prioritizing the variants for further study. PolyMAPr (Polymorphism Mining and Annotation Programs)' was developed to overcome these challenges and to improve the efficiency of database mining and polymorphism annotation. PolyMAPr takes as input a file containing a list of genes to be processed and files containing each annotated gene sequence. Polymorphic sequences obtained from public databases (dbSNP, CGAP, and JSNP) or through local SNP discovery efforts, as well as oligonucleotide sequences (e.g., PCR primers), are mapped to the annotated gene sequences and named according to suggested nomenclature guidelines. The functional effects of nonsynonymous coding-region SNPs (cSNPs) and any variants that might alter exon splicing enhancer (ESE) sites, putative transcription factor binding sites, or intron–exon splice sites are predicted. The output files are accessible though a browser interface. In addition, the results are also provided in Extensible Markup Language (XML) format to facilitate uploading them into a local relational database. PolyMAPr increases the efficiency of mining public databases for genetic variants within candidate genes and provides a mechanism by which data from multiple sources (both public and private) can be uniformly integrated, thereby significantly reducing the effort required to obtain a comprehensive set of polymorphisms for pharmacogenomic and disease-association studies. PolyMAPr can be obtained from http://pharmacogenomics.wustl.edu. Hum Mutat 25:110–117, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Interaction of antibodies with ErbB receptor extracellular regions

Antibodies to the extracellular region of the ErbB receptors have played key roles in the development of a mechanistic understanding of this family of receptor tyrosine kinases. An extensively studied class of such antibodies inhibits activation of ErbB receptors, and these antibodies have been the focus of intense development as anti-cancer agents. In this review we consider the properties of ErbB receptors antibodies in light of the current structure-based model for ErbB receptor homo- and hetero-dimerization and activation. Crystal structures of the Fab fragments from five different inhibitory antibodies in complex with the extracellular regions of EGFR and ErbB2 have been determined. These structures highlight several different modes of binding and mechanisms of receptor inhibition. Information about antibody interactions with the structurally well-characterized soluble extracellular regions of ErbB receptors can be combined with the rich knowledge of the effects of these antibodies in cultured cells, and in vivo, to provide insights into the conformation and activation of ErbB receptors at the cell surface.
Liquid Ventilation: Current Status

1. Thomas H. Shaffer, PhD* 2. Marla R. Wolfson, PhD† 3. Jay S. Greenspan, MD‡ 1. 2. *Professor of Physiology and Pediatrics; Director, Respiratory Physiology Section, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA. 3. 4. †Associate Professor of Physiology and Pediatrics, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA. 5. ‡Professor of Pediatrics; Director, Section of Neonatology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA. After reading this article, the reader should be able to: 1. List the potential medical applications of liquid-assisted ventilation (LAV). 2. Describe the properties of perfluorochemical liquids that are important for their use in liquid ventilation. 3. Describe the potential benefits of LAV in respiratory distress syndrome, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and aspiration syndromes. 4. Delineate specific nonrespiratory applications of LAV. With the advent of modern technology and the evolution of intensive care units, the ability to treat respiratory problems has improved remarkably. This accomplishment is particularly remarkable with respect to the 40,000 preterm infants born each year of whom thousands have severe respiratory problems. Fortunately, the number of smaller and more immature infants who are treated, survive respiratory distress, and recover uneventfully is increasing. However, the overall success of treating neonatal respiratory distress remains limited by the inherent problems of surfactant deficiency and structural immaturity of the lung. Consequently, infants delivered preterm who have respiratory insufficiency experience diminished lung distensibility that results in progressive atelectasis and respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. Currently, many of these infants improve over time when their ventilation is supported mechanically and surfactant is introduced into their lungs. However, as many as 37% of these severely impaired infants are left with bronchopulmonary dysplasia related to damage of pulmonary tissues and structures from conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV). Of equal importance, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to trauma, aspiration, or infection strikes more than 100,000 adults in the United States annually. Despite aggressive therapeutic procedures, 60% to 70% of these patients die, and as in infants, many suffer complications associated with CMV. Although structural damage in adults or immaturity in infants cannot be altered acutely, current advances, such as exogenous surfactant replacement therapy to reduce alveolar interfacial surface tension and subsequent inflation pressures, have allowed clinical improvement …
Resource utilisation patterns of third-year medical students.

Summary Background: In spite of published learning objectives for generally accepted clinical competencies, little evidence-based data exist regarding how clerkship students achieve them. We queried how clerkship students’ learning resource use correlates with clerkship outcomes. However, little evidence-based data exist regarding how to accomplish these goals. We queried how clerkship students’ learning resource use correlates with clerkship outcomes. Methods: We surveyed 130 students at the end of their in-patient internal medicine clerkship. Questionnaires investigated resource utilisation, study methods and knowledge acquisition goals, using 1–5 Likert scale (1 = never; 5 = always). Results: Most students used UpToDate to prepare for attending physician rounds and to admit patients (64 and 67%, respectively), but not for exam preparation. Using question books for exam preparation was associated with a significant improvement in scores (77 versus 72%, p < 0.01). Discussion: Students’ resource utilisation varies by clinical situation and knowledge acquisition goals. Students using question books had better examination performances.
Composition and age of Lau Basin and Ridge volcanic rocks: Implications for evolution of an interarc basin and remnant arc

The Tonga-Kermadec Ridge, Lau Basin, and Lau-Colville Ridge are, respectively, a frontal arc, interarc basin, and remnant arc at the Australian-Pacific plate boundary. Basement rocks of the Lau-Colville Ridge (Lau Volcanics) are 9- to 6-m.y.-old basaltic andesites to dacites with 55 to 66 percent SiO 2 , K 60 = 1.0 to 1.5 percent, little Fe enrichment, Sr 87 /Sr 86 = 0.7030 to 0.7034, and enrichment in light rare-earth elements. Westward increases in K, Rb, Th, and U suggest that subducted lithosphere was un-derthrust from the east. Variations in rock composition are consistent qualitatively with derivation from basalt by low-pressure crystal-liquid fractionation involving removal of phenocryst phases: plagioclase + clinopyroxene + orthopyroxene + magnetite. Volcaniclastic turbidites of the same age and derived from western sources are found in Tonga. These andesitic vol-canogenic recks are overlain on both ridges by Pliocene limestones, which are capped on the Lau-Colville Ridge by 3.9- to 3.5-m.y.-old olivine + hypersthene normative tholeiites (Korombasanga Volcanics) having minor 56 to 60 percent SiO 2 andesitic differentiates. Lau Basin basalts are transitional between ocean-floor and island-arc tholeiites, sharing with the latter their higher Rb, Ba, light rare-earth element, and Sr 87 contents and lower Ti, Zr, and Hf contents. These data support Karig9s idea that the Lau and Tonga Ridges represent a once-united island arc now dismembered by rifting, which has formed the intervening Lau Basin. This rifting began about 5 m.y. B.P. The change in volcanism on the Lau-Colville Ridge reflects its removal from a subduction site.
Statins Reduce the Risk of Lung Cancer in Humans: A Large Case-Control Study of US Veterans

Background Statins are commonly used cholesterol-lowering agents that are noted to suppress tumor cell growth in several in vitro and animal models. Methods We studied the association of lung cancer and the use of statins in patients enrolled in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System. A retrospective case-control study nested in a cohort study was conducted using prospectively collected data from the Veterans Integrated Service Networks 16 VA database from 1998 to 2004. We analyzed data on 483,733 patients from eight states located in south central United States. The primary variables of interest were lung cancer and the use of statins prior to the diagnosis of lung cancer. Multiple logistic regression analysis was done to adjust for covariates including age, sex, body mass index, smoking, diabetes, and race. Statistical software was used for statistical computing. Results Of the 483,733 patients in the study, 163,662 patients (33.8%) were receiving statins and 7,280 patients (1.5%) had a primary diagnosis of lung cancer. Statin use > 6 months was associated with a risk reduction of lung cancer of 55% (adjusted odds ratio, 0.45; 95% confidence interval, 0.42 to 0.48; p Conclusions Statins appear to be protective against the development of lung cancer, and further studies need to be done to define the clinical utility of statins as chemo protective agents.
Scattering of partially coherent electromagnetic beams by water droplets and ice crystals

The conventional Lorenz–Mie theory is generalized for a case when the light source is partially spatially coherent. The influence of the degree of coherence of the incident field on the generalized Mueller matrix and the spectral degree of coherence of the scattered light is analytically studied by using the vector field instead of the scalar field to extend previous results on the angular intensity distribution. The results are compared with the Mueller matrix obtained from the Discrete Dipole Approximation (DDA) method, which is an average over an ensemble of stochastic incident beams. Special attention is paid to the Mueller matrix elements in the backward direction, and the results show some Mueller matrix elements, such as P22, depend monotonically on the coherence length of the incident beam. Therefore, detecting back scattering Mueller matrix elements may be a promising method to measure the degree of coherence. The new formalism is applied to cases of large spherical droplets in water clouds and hexagonal ice crystals in cirrus clouds. The corona and glory phenomena due to spheres and halos associated with hexagonal ice crystals are found to disappear if the incident light tends to be highly incoherent.
Stabilization of Cox1p intermediates by the Cox14p–Coa3p complex

Cox14p and Coa3p have been shown to regulate translation of the mitochondrial COX1 mRNA and to be required for assembly of cytochrome oxidase. We present evidence that Cox14p and Coa3p stabilize previously identified Cox1p intermediates and that in the absence of either protein, Cox1p aggregates with itself and other mitochondrial gene products, including cytochrome b, Var1p and Cox2p. Our evidence suggests that Cox1p assembly intermediates are in close proximity to other mitochondrially translated proteins and that an important function of Cox14p and Coa3p is to prevent Cox1 from entering into unproductive aggregation pathways.