cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rotor Bending Moments in Plane of Flapping

The present paper, a problem in autogiro rotor stress analysis, can be outlined as follows: 1. Calculation of the characteristics of a typical autogiro employed for illustrative purposes. 2. Derivation of formulas for bending moments in the plane of flapping taking into account the effects of the weight of the blade, centrifugal force, inertia forces in flapping and aerodynamic thrust. 3. Examination of the effect of the azimuth angle ^ on bending moments at a given point on the blade. 4. Effect of variations in /*, the tip speed ratio, on the bending moment a t a given point on the blade. 5. Examination of the effect of the ratio r/R on bending moments. 6. Formulas for the centrifugal relief of bending moments. 7. Comparison of bending moments obtained by the above methods with the bending moments obtained by the use of empirical formulas available hitherto. Certain simplifications have been employed. These are: (a) Only the first harmonic of the flapping motion is considered. (b) Terms of a higher order than A* are neglected. (c) The flow through the rotor disk is considered uniform. (d) Mass distribution along the span of the blade is uniform. (e) The product EI is uniform along the span of the blade. (f) Stalling effects that may occur at portions of the blade are neglected. (g) Periodic twisting of the blade is not taken into account. The underlying aerodynamic theory is well known to those interested in the autogiro and no presentation of such theory is made in the present paper.
CHAPTER 22 – Estuaries: Ecosystem Modeling and Restoration

Estuaries are arms of the sea, partly enclosed by land and with freshwater river input sufficient to provide a significant fresh-to-saltwater gradient. The rich food source provided by large numbers of fish, shrimp, crabs, bivalves, and aquatic birds has made estuaries a favored place of habitation for humans. Stable, well-developed estuaries typically range from tens to hundreds of miles in length. Simulating the dynamics of estuaries would seem an almost impossible task in the confines of microcosms and mesocosms. Many models were designed to simulate such systems. Examples are the Chesapeake Bay and Florida Everglades estuarine mesocosm. Estuarine systems should have an order of magnitude larger volume to accommodate plankton dynamics and need a biotic dimension for oceanic simulation. Other environmental requirements are wind and rain. Many human factors enter into estuarine degradation. Since estuaries often support ports and major cities, direct destruction of shorelines and wetlands is often an important factor. Rarely can this be turned around, and unless the estuary is small in relation to the ports, this in itself is not necessary for large-scale restoration. In other cases where commercial use is terminated, and primary, degrading elements are removed, some natural replacement of the original biota can occur naturally. Direct industrial pollution is certainly a major problem, but this tends to be point source, and in many cases has already been remediated.
MIDI music model

Computational music analysis has received extensive research attention in the recent decade. This study explores music as a statistical time series of notes to predict note events in the future given a music excerpt. Instead of using music theory to model the aesthetics of music, this study applies the Holt-Winter Model. The experiment result proves that musical components, such as notes and beats, are statistically related and can be fit by the Holt-Winter Model. The model also shows the ability to predict a specified number of future notes. Such research can be applied to assisting musicians encountering writer's block.
Bloopers: How (Mostly) Smart People Get Causal Inference Wrong

In these slides, prepared for a workshop on Research Design for Causal Inference, I review examples, drawn where possible from well known, well cited articles, often by top authors, where the authors got causal inference wrong. The examples illustrate what not to do and also what to do in research design, if the goal is credible estimates of causal effects.
The Development of a New Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children with Hearing Loss - The Impact of Hearing Loss on Children (IHL-C): Field Testing and Psychometric Evaluation

Purpose: To report the development of user-defined, multidimensional, psychometrically sound Quality of Life questionnaires – Impact of Hearing Loss on Children – IHL-C 69 and Brief IHL-C for children with hearing loss, in two languages - Tamil and English. Methods: 421 problem statements from previous qualitative studies were reduced to a 220-item questionnaire with 7 domains (educational implications, social integration, psycho-social well-being, speech, language and communication, family relationships, leisure time activities and general functioning). After field testing, the domain of leisure time activities was dropped, resulting in a 103-item self-administered questionnaire with 6 domains. This 103-item questionnaire was translated from Tamil to English, and self-administered by children with hearing loss (11-18 years of age) in Special schools (n=100) and Integrated schools (n=100), as well as by normal controls in Integrated schools (n=200). Standard methods were used for item reduction and to evaluate psychometric properties. Results: Psychometric item reduction produced the 69-item IHL-C69 (long version) and 48- item Brief IHL-C (brief version) questionnaires. Psychometric evaluation showed that all the domains of both the questionnaires had good acceptability, high internal consistency (alpha >0.80; intrinsic validity >0.80) and test-retest reliability (0.86). The questionnaires significantly discriminated between the children with hearing loss and the normal controls. The domains of both the questionnaires showed moderate evidence of convergent validity, and discriminant validity derived through hypotheses testing showed mixed results. The translation validity was also determined. Conclusion: The IHL-C 69 and Brief IHL-C are reliable and valid user-defined, multidimensional questionnaires, available for the first time in both Tamil and English languagesin Tamil Nadu, India. Designed to analyse the impact of hearing loss and to determine the quality of life of children with hearing loss, the questionnaires could be used to prioritise the goals for rehabilitation intervention for these children.
Aberrant Toll Receptor Expression and Endotoxin Hypersensitivity in Mice Lacking a Functional TGF-β1 Signaling Pathway

TGF-beta1 plays a central role in maintaining normal immune function and deficiency of this potent immunosuppressive molecule is linked to uncontrolled inflammation, cachexia, and multiorgan failure as seen in the TGF-beta1 null mouse. Infiltration of inflammatory cells into vital organs of the null mouse is accompanied by increased gene expression of inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-alpha and IL-1beta, as well as inducible NO synthase, each regulated by NF-kappaB. Treatment with the proteasome inhibitor MG132 to prevent NF-kappaB activation dramatically reduced NO production and expression of inflammatory cytokines. This inflammatory phenotype with NF-kappaB activation in the TGF-beta1 null mouse, in the absence of any identifiable pathogen, suggested activation of innate immune responses. Because Toll-like receptors (TLR) are essential in the activation of innate immunity, we examined inflamed tissue from TGF-beta1 null and wild-type mice for expression of TLR4, the receptor that interacts with bacterial cell wall LPS to initiate an NF-kappaB-dependent signaling pathway, leading to gene transcription of inflammatory mediators. Increased TLR4 mRNA expression observed in TGF-beta1 null mice as well as in mice lacking the TGF-beta transcription factor Smad3 was associated with LPS hyperresponsiveness leading to increased expression of inflammatory cytokines and NO and endotoxemia. Furthermore, mice lacking both TGF-beta1 and a functional TLR4 were resistant to endotoxin shock. Constitutive and/or environmental activation of TLR4 and downstream elements, in the absence of TGF-beta suppression, may impact on innate and adaptive immunity and contribute to massive uncontrolled inflammation.
Preoxidation cleaning optimization for crystalline silicon (solar cell manufacture)

A series of controlled experiments has been performed to evaluate the effect of various chemical surface treatments on the recombination lifetime of crystalline silicon solar cell wafers subjected to high temperature dry oxidation. From this series of experiments, a relatively simple, yet effective, cleaning sequence is deduced. Also evaluated is the effect of different chemical damage-removal etches for improving the recombination lifetime and surface smoothness of mechanically lapped wafers. The methodology used, the experimental results obtained, and the authors' experience using this process on a continuing basis over a period of many months are presented. >
Outcome results of endoscopic vs craniofacial resection of sinonasal malignancies: a systematic review and pooled-data analysis.

Background Endoscopic approaches of sinonasal malignancies are now being described. This study aims to conduct a systematic review with a pooled-data analysis to compare outcomes of endoscopic vs craniofacial resection of sinonasal malignancies. Methods A search was conducted of MEDLINE (1966–2008), EMBASE (1980–2008), Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials (CENTRAL), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, clinicaltrials.gov, and The National Guideline Clearinghouse databases and supplemented by references in retrieved articles. All authors used a detailed list of inclusion and exclusion criteria to determine articles eligible for final inclusion. The authors extracted data regarding study criteria appraisal, sinonasal malignancy characteristics, survival outcomes, and recurrence. Kaplan-Meier survival and locoregional control rates were calculated and compared using the log-rank test. Results Of the 2314 citations reviewed, the search yielded 15 case series with individual data on 226 patients. The most common malignancies were esthesioneuroblastoma (47%), adenocarcinoma (24%), and undifferentiated carcinoma (22%). The overall 5-year survival rate for the sample was 56.5% (standard error [SE] ± 3.8). Because of the paucity of data with endoscopic resection of high-stage malignancies, the outcome results were highly variable and no useful comparison could be made. Among low-stage malignancies (T1–2 or Kadish A-B), the endoscopic and open approaches demonstrated no statistically significant difference in outcome results. The 5-year overall survival was 87.4% (SE ± 5.3) in the endoscopic group vs 76.8% (SE ± 8.3) for open approaches (p = 0.351); disease-specific survival was 94.7% (SE ± 3.7) vs 87.7% (SE ± 6.7; p = 0.258); and locoregional control rate was 89.5% (SE ± 5.0) vs 77.2% (SE ± 10.4; p = 0.251). Conclusion Transnasal endoscopic resection appears to be a reasonable alternative to craniofacial resection in the management of low-stage sinonasal malignancies. © 2011 ARS-AAOA, LLC.
Carbon tetrachloride-induced changes in adrenal microsomal mixed-function oxidases and lipid peroxidation.

Abstract Studies were carried out to compare the effects of carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) in vivo and in vitro on adrenal and hepatic microsomal metabolism in guinea pigs. CCl 4 administration in vivo decreased adrenal and hepatic microsomal cytochrome P -450 concentrations and lowered benzphetamine (BZ) demethylase and benzo[ a ]pyrene (BP) hydroxylase activities in both tissues. NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity was decreased in hepatic but not in adrenal microsomes. Addition of CCl 4 to adrenal or hepatic microsomes in vitro produced a type I difference spectrum suggesting binding of CCl 4 to cytochrome(s) P -450; its magnitude was far greater in adrenal than in liver. Incubation of adrenal or hepatic microsomes in vitro with CCl 4 alone had little or no effect on mixed-function oxidase activity or on lipid peroxidation. However, when microsomes were incubated with CCl 4 + NADPH, the rates of BZ and BP metabolism were decreased, cytochrome P -450 concentrations were decreased, and lipid peroxidation was increased. The effects of CCl 4 + NADPH on enzyme activities were greater in adrenal than in hepatic microsomes. Addition of 1.0 m M EDTA or 0.1 m M MnCl 2 to the incubation medium blocked the effects of CCl 4 + NADPH on lipid peroxidation in adrenal and liver but had no effect on the decreases in mixed-function oxidase activities. The results indicate the following: (1) the adrenal cortex in the guinea pig is an active site of CCl 4 metabolism; (2) CCl 4 metabolism results in a loss of microsomal enzyme activities in the adrenal as well as liver; and (3) lipid peroxidation is not obligatory for the CCl 4 -mediated destruction of microsomal enzymes.
Clarifying the Differences between Training, Development, and Enrichment: The Role of Institutional Belief Constructs in Creating the Purpose of Faculty Learning Initiatives

Many training issues arise as a matter of course at colleges and universities that are intended to bring greater efficiencies and compliance with preestablished operational guidelines. While vital, these issues are distinctively different from the issues surrounding professional development of the faculty. This chapter addresses those differences.
Site of attack in the interaction of hydrated electrons and hydroxy radicals in the pulse radiolysis of arylalkylamines in aqueous solutions

Abstract The site of attack and the reaction rate constants of e-aq with various alkylarylaminesbenzylamine, α-methyl benzylamine, aminodiphenyl methane, N-methylbenzylamine, and N,N-dimethylbenzylamine have been determined by pulse radiolysis at different pH values taking into consideration the ionization constants of the amino group present in these molecules. The k values are influenced by the polar and steric effects brought out by the substituents and decrease with deprotonation of the NH+3 group. Reductive deamination is the major observation when the amino group is protonated while the molecule with unprotonated amino group forms a radical anion by the addition of e-aq to the aromatic nucleus. From the characteristic transient absorption spectra and extinction coefficients of the deaminated radicals, the extent of deamination is calculated. The ȮH radicals do not lead to any oxidative deamination nor abstract α-H atom, but only add to the aromatic ring. The kȮH+arylalkylamines are estimated to be in the range 5.2 to 6.9 × 109 M-1 s-1. On the other hand, the O- radicals give rise to substituted benzyl radical by the abstraction of α-H atoms from the aliphatic chain.
Antiproliferative effects of c-myc antisense oligonucleotide in prostate cancer cells: A novel therapy in prostate cancer

Abstract Objectives To explore the possibility of using antisense oligonucleotide therapy for prostate cancer, we investigated the effect of c-myc-antisense-oligonucleotide (c-myc-As-ODN ) in human prostate cancer cell lines such as LNCaP, PC3, and DU 145. Methods LNCaP, PC3, and DU145 cells were incubated in the presence of c-myc-As-ODN . Dose (0 to 10 μ M) and time dependent (1 to 6 days) effects on proliferation and viability were examined by [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation and MTT assay, respectively. Flow cytometry analysis was carried out to analyze cell cycle status by determining the DNA content in LNCaP cells. Control cultures received either c-myc-sense-ODN or scrambled (nonsense) nucleotides. Results Time- and dose-dependent decreases in DNA synthesis and cell viability were noted for all three prostate cancer cell lines after c-myc-As-ODN treatment. Further studies using LNCaP cells indicated that these changes were accompanied by an increase in the percentage of cells with less than 2N DNA content after c-myc-As-ODN treatment. The results suggest that c-myc-As-ODN induces cell death. Comparison of a c-myc-As-ODN -treated group with a group subjected to isoleucine deprivation revealed that thymidine incorporation was almost the same in c-myc-As-ODN -treated LNCaP cells and in LNCaP cells at early S phase. Conclusions These results suggest that c-myc-As-ODN inhibits prostate cancer cell growth and proliferation mainly by decreasing cell viability.
Learning, Experimentation, and the Optimal Output Decisions of a Competitive Firm

This paper considers the effect of learning from experience on the output decisions of a perfectly competitive firm faced with the demand uncertainty. Specifically, a Bayesian framework for expectations formation and demand forecasting by a perfectly competitive firm is presented. Focusing the analysis on the determination of optimal sequential output decisions, it is shown that through output experimentation, the experimenting firm will select a non-myopic sequential policy and will tend to overproduce. The exact magnitude of the overproduction and the economic value of experimentation are contingent upon model parameters and the length of the planning horizon.
Isoetharine Methanesulfonate with Phenylephrine Hydrochloride and Thenyldiamine (Bronkometer) in Hypertensive and Sympathomimetic Amine-Sensitive Asthmatic Patients

Twenty-one hypertensive asthmatic patients received two inhalations of isoetharine compound in pressurized aerosol form (from a Bronkometer). Fifteen minutes later, 17 had no change or had a drop in their systolic and diastolic pressures and pulses. One had a rise in all three, two a rise in one, and the other a rise in two of the three. All patients had improved maximum expiratory flow rates after using the aerosol. One developed a few extrasystoles. Three others with hypersensitivities to sympathicoamines all used the medication without difficulty. We believe that this form of treatment is a generally safe and effective method of management of hypertensive asthmatic patients.
AN ALGORITHM FOR MATCHING OCR-GENERATED TEXT STRINGS

When optical character recognition (OCR) devices process the same page image, they generate similar text strings. Differences are due to recognition errors. A page of text rarely contains long repeated substrings; therefore, N strings generated by OCR devices can be quickly matched by detecting long common substrings. An algorithm for matching an arbitrary number of strings based on this principle is presented. Although its worst-case performance is O(Nn2), its performance in practice has been observed to be O(Nn log n), where n is the length of a string. This algorithm has been successfully used to study OCR errors, to determine the accuracy of OCR devices, and to implement a voting algorithm.
The stability of a fluid layer with gas absorption

Abstract The stability of a fluid layer subjected to nonlinear time-dependent adverse density gradients has been studied both theoretically and experimentally. It has been found that the time-dependent equations when integrated starting from a specified set of initial conditions give a good description of the observed time of instability as well as the observed wavenumber. The case of a stochastically defined initial state has been considered and thermodynamic fluctuations studied. The experiments with various surface active materials present have revealed that the absolute value of the surface tension does not influence the onset of buoyancy driven instabilities. If a sufficient quantity of surface active impurity is added, the surface becomes rigid and this influences the observed behavior. Indeed, the critical time of a fixed surface is nearly twice that of a free surface for large Schmidt numbers.
Reconstituting bacterial RNA repair and modification in vitro

Ribotoxins kill cells by endonucleotically cleaving essential RNAs involved in protein translation. We report here that a stable heterotetramer composed of two bacterial proteins, Pnkp and Hen1, was able to repair transfer RNAs cleaved by ribotoxins in vitro. Before the broken RNAs were ligated by the heterotetramer, a methyl group was added to the 2'-OH group that participated in the original RNA cut. Because of the methylation, RNAs repaired by bacterial Pnkp/Hen1 heterotetramer could not be cleaved again by the ribotoxins. Thus, unlike eukaryotic Hen1 involved in RNA interference, the bacterial Hen1 is part of an RNA repair and modification system.
Bridging the Divide Between Community Organizing Efforts and Direct Services in Traditional Social Service Agencies: Lessons Learned from a Case Study

Social service agencies focus on direct services to individuals and families, which restricts their ability to support community organizing campaigns. Community organizing models have not historica...
Triosephosphate Isomerase Is Dispensable In Vitro yet Essential for Mycobacterium tuberculosis To Establish Infection

ABSTRACT Triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) catalyzes the interconversion of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P). This reaction is required for glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, and tpi has been predicted to be essential for growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, when studying a conditionally regulated tpi knockdown mutant, we noticed that depletion of TPI reduced growth of M. tuberculosis in media containing a single carbon source but not in media that contained both a glycolytic and a gluconeogenic carbon source. We used such two-carbon-source media to isolate a tpi deletion (Δ tpi ) mutant. The Δ tpi mutant did not survive with single carbon substrates but grew like wild-type (WT) M. tuberculosis in the presence of both a glycolytic and a gluconeogenic carbon source. 13 C metabolite tracing revealed the accumulation of TPI substrates in Δ tpi and the absence of alternative triosephosphate isomerases and metabolic bypass reactions, which confirmed the requirement of TPI for glycolysis and gluconeogenesis in M. tuberculosis. The Δ tpi strain was furthermore severely attenuated in the mouse model of tuberculosis, suggesting that M. tuberculosis cannot simultaneously access sufficient quantities of glycolytic and gluconeogenic carbon substrates to establish infection in mice. IMPORTANCE The importance of central carbon metabolism for the pathogenesis of M. tuberculosis has recently been recognized, but the consequences of depleting specific metabolic enzymes remain to be identified for many enzymes. We investigated triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) because it is central to both glycolysis and gluconeogenesis and had been predicted to be essential for growth of M. tuberculosis. This work identified metabolic conditions that make TPI dispensable for M. tuberculosis growth in culture and proved that M. tuberculosis relies on a single TPI enzyme and has no metabolic bypass for the TPI-dependent interconversion of dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. Finally, we demonstrate that TPI is essential for growth of the pathogen in mouse lungs.
Thermal desorption of interacting molecules from mixed adlayers

Abstract A Monte Carlo simulation method is used to study thermal desorption of gas molecules from mixed adlayers containing two species. The effects of lateral interactions among adatoms and initial surface coverage on the desorption spectra are examined. It is shown that attractive lateral interactions lead to sharper peaks and that desorption occurs at high temperatures, whereas repulsive interactions lead to multiple peak spectra. It is found that interactions between unlike molecules affect the spectra for species with lower desorption energy only, and that the two species desorb together only in certain cases. Lateral interactions also affect the desorption kinetics significantly and very different behavior for the two species may be obtained.
Cbl Promotes Ubiquitination of the T Cell Receptor ζ through an Adaptor Function of Zap-70

Triggering of the T cell antigen receptor (TCR).CD3 complex induces its ubiquitination. However, the molecular events that lead to ubiquitin conjugation to these cell surface molecules have not been defined. Here we report that Cbl, a RING-type E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase, promotes ubiquitination of TCR zeta chain, which requires its functional variant Src homology 2 domain and an intact RING finger. The tyrosine kinase Zap-70, which binds to both TCR zeta and Cbl, plays an adaptor role in these events. Mutations in TCR zeta, Zap-70, or Cbl that disrupt the interaction between TCR zeta and Zap-70 or between Zap-70 and Cbl reduce ubiquitination of TCR zeta. Our results suggest a novel mechanism by which Cbl negatively regulates T cell development and activation by inducing ubiquitination of the TCR.CD3 components.
Free-quark phases in dense stars

Abstract The possibility is examined that superdense matter can undergo a transition to a phase of free quarks within models which assume that the quark confinement potential is screened at high densities. The results imply that a phase of pure quarks of this type is unlikely to be found in stable stellar systems although they do not preclude the possible existence of a transition region which contains quarks and neutrons in equilibrium at the center of neutron stars.
Prohibiting consent: what are the costs of denying permanent contraception concurrent with abortion care?

Objective Oregon and federal laws prohibit giving informed consent for permanent contraception when presenting for an abortion. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the number of unintended pregnancies associated with this barrier to obtaining concurrent tubal occlusion and abortion, compared with the current policy, which limits women to obtaining interval tubal occlusion after abortion. The secondary objectives were to compare the financial costs, quality-adjusted life years, and the cost-effectiveness of these policies. Study Design We designed a decision-analytic model examining a theoretical population of women who requested tubal occlusion at time of abortion. Model inputs came from the literature. We examined the primary and secondary outcomes stratified by maternal age (>30 and Results For every 1000 women age Conclusion Prohibiting tubal occlusion at time of abortion resulted in an increased incidence of unintended pregnancy and increased public costs.
A filtering approach to improve deformation accuracy using large baseline, low coherence DInSAR phase images

Phase noise in an interferogram hinders the accuracy and reliability of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) measurements, including deformation estimation and topographic mapping. The Goldstein filter is one of the most commonly used interferogram filters to reduce the effects of phase noise. In this paper, we present a modification to the Goldstein interferogram filter such that the maximum value for the filtering parameter alpha is set to greater than 1 over less coherent areas so that aggressive filtering is implemented on incoherent areas. We also discuss the combined use of estimated coherences from linear and non-linear filters to deal with the coherence saturation due to the strong filtering, which is crucial in generating InSAR deformation products.
Perceived Risk, Trust, and the Politics of Nuclear Waste

The Department of Energy's program for disposing of high-level radioactive wastes has been impeded by overwhelming political opposition fueled by public perceptions of risk. Analysis of these perceptions shows them to be deeply rooted in images of fear and dread that have been present since the discovery of radioactivity. The development and use of nuclear weapons linked these images to reality and the mishandling of radioactive wastes from the nation's military weapons facilities has contributed toward creating a profound state of distrust that cannot be erased quickly or easily. Postponing the permanent repository and employing dry-cask storage of wastes on site would provide the time necessary for difficult social and political issues to be resolved.
The Role of α,β-Dicarbonyl Compounds in the Toxicity of Short Chain Sugars

The extent to which sugars serve as targets for superoxide was examined using glycolaldehyde as the simplest sugar and using superoxide dismutase (SOD)-replete and SOD-null strains growing under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Glycolaldehyde was more toxic to the SOD-null strain than to its SOD-replete parent, and this differential effect was oxygen-dependent. The product, glyoxal, could be trapped in the medium by 1,2-diaminobenzene and assayed as quinoxaline. The SOD-null strain produced more glyoxal and eliminated it more slowly than the SOD-replete parent strain. Glyoxal was approximately 10 times more toxic than glycolaldehyde and was more toxic to the SOD-null strain than to the parental strain. 1,2-Diaminobenzene protected against the toxicity of glycolaldehyde. These Escherichia coli strains contained the glutathione-dependent glyoxalases I and II, as well as the glutathione-independent glyoxalase III. Of these enzymes, glyoxalase III was most abundant, and it was inactivated within the aerobic SOD-null strain and also in extracts when exposed to the flux of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide imposed by the xanthine oxidase reaction. Thus, it appears that short chain sugars are oxidized by superoxide yielding toxic dicarbonyls. Moreover, the defensive glyoxalase III is also inactivated by the oxidative stress imposed by the lack of SOD, thereby exacerbating the deleterious effect of sugar oxidation.
Morphological and chemical characterization of bonding hydrophobic adhesive to dentin using ethanol wet bonding technique

Abstract Objective BisGMA, a widely used component in dentin adhesive has very good mechanical properties after curing, but is relatively hydrophobic and thus, does not adequately infiltrate the water wet demineralized dentin collagen. Developing techniques that would lead to optimum infiltration of the hydrophobic component into the demineralized dentin matrix is very important. The purpose of this study was to evaluate interfacial morphological and chemical characteristics of the resultant adhesive–dentin interface when the ethanol wet bonding technique is used with hydrophobic adhesives. Materials and methods The occlusal one-third of the crown was removed from six unerupted human third molars; a uniform smear layer was created with 600 grit SiC. The dentin surface was etched with 35% phosphoric acid for 15 s before applying BisGMA/HEMA model adhesive using either water wet or ethanol wet bonding technique. Five-micro-thick sections of adhesive/dentin interface specimens were cut and stained with Goldner's trichrome for light microscopy. Companion slabs were analyzed with SEM and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Results The presence of ethanol in the demineralized dentin increased adhesive collagen encapsulation as indicated by trichrome staining. The SEM results confirmed that the ethanol wet bonding improved the quality of the interface. Micro-Raman spectral analysis of the dentin/adhesive interface indicated there was a gradual decrease in penetration of BisGMA component for specimens using water wet bonding, while relatively homogeneous distribution of the hydrophobic BisGMA component was noted in the interface with ethanol wet bonding. Significance Wet bonding with ethanol instead of water permits better BisGMA infiltration improving the quality of interface. We speculate that the higher infiltration of hydrophobic BisGMA and better collagen encapsulation observed from the specimens using ethanol wet bonding would lead to more durable bonds because of improved resistance to hydrolytic attack.
Hemgn is a direct transcriptional target of HOXB4 and induces expansion of murine myeloid progenitor cells.

HOXB4, a member of the Homeobox transcription factor family, promotes expansion of hematopoietic stem cells and hematopoietic progenitor cells in vivo and ex vivo when overexpressed. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect are not well understood. To identify direct target genes of HOXB4 in primary murine hematopoietic progenitor cells, we induced HOXB4 function in lineage-negative murine bone marrow cells, using a tamoxifen-inducible HOXB4-ERT2 fusion protein. Using expression microarrays, 77 probe sets were identified with differentially changed expression in early response to HOXB4 induction. Among them, we show that Hemogen (Hemgn), encoding a hematopoietic-specific nuclear protein of unknown function, is a direct transcriptional target of HOXB4. We show that HOXB4 binds to the promoter region of Hemgn both ex vivo and in vivo. When we overexpressed Hemgn in bone marrow cells, we observed that Hemgn promoted cellular expansion in liquid cultures and increased self-renewal of myeloid colony-forming units in culture, partially recapitulating the effect of HOXB4 overexpression. Furthermore, down-regulation of Hemgn using an shRNA strategy proved that Hemgn contributes to HOXB4-mediated expansion in our myeloid progenitor assays. Our results identify a functionally relevant, direct transcriptional target of HOXB4 and identify other target genes that may also participate in the HOXB4 genetic network.
Assessing Potential Leaders of Private Equity Funded Ventures

When the risks are high and the outcomes uncertain, how can investors in start-up enterprises increase the odds of success? Many rely heavily on their management teams to master the competitive environment and motivate workers—but how best to select the managers? Researchers in clinical psychology have developed powerful tools to assess executives9 ability to function in stressful situations. By measuring the depth and consistency of an individual9s coping style, psychologists can help investors and board members identify those candidates most likely to succeed in leading their ventures.
Late cytomegalovirus infection after oral ganciclovir prophylaxis in renal transplant recipients

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively review our experience with a consecutive group of 41 renal transplant recipients (R) who received a kidney from a cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositive donor (D + ) and had 3 months of prophylaxis with oral ganciclovir. Patients were prospectively monitored clinically and with determinations of CMVantigenemia for at least 6 months. Patients were followed for a mean period of 247 ′ 16 days. CMV antigenemia developed in 51% of patients (53% D + R - , 47% D + R + ) after the transplant, but in no case was antigenemia seen during the period of oral ganciclovir therapy. Antigenemia developed at a median of 167 days post transplant (range 99-522 days) and peak antigen counts ranged from <1-3940, and tended to be higher in D + R - recipients. Infection was symptomatic in 67% of the antigenemic patients and symptoms tended to be more marked in the D + /R - than in the D + /R + group. All symptomatic patients were treated with intravenous ganciclovir (21 days) followed by 9 weeks of oral ganciclovir and responded with resolution of symptoms and antigenemia. No evidence of tissue-invasive disease was seen. Recurrence of antigenemia was observed exclusively in the D + R - group, occurred with less severe manifestations of CMV infection, and invariably responded to retreatment with ganciclovir. Our results suggest that oral ganciclovir prophylaxis is effective in preventing CMV infection during the 3-month period of prophylaxis, that a 3-month period of prophylaxis appears to be sufficient for D + R + recipients, but a longer period of oral ganciclovir prophylaxis may be needed in D + R - recipients. Clinicians caring for renal transplant recipients should be vigilant to the possibility of late CMV infection, especially in D + R - recipients.
Determination of mitochondrial/cytosolic metabolite gradients in isolated rat liver cells by cell disruption

Abstract A new technique is described for determining the distribution of metabolites between the cytosol and mitochondria. Rapid lysis of the cell plasma membrane is obtained by forcing isolated liver cells under high pressure through a small diameter needle. The cells, after disruption by the shearing forces generated during the turbulent flow through the needle, are exposed to mitochondrial anion transport inhibitors to prevent efflux of mitochondrial metabolites. Maximal release of cytosolic metabolites was obtained when release of lactate dehydrogenase was greater than 70%, which corresponded with minimal release of mitochondrial enzymes (5–9%). A measured Reynolds number between 7600 and 8000 was indicative of optimal disruption. Mitochondria in the disrupted cells were still functional, as shown by the ability of ADP to stimulate respiration when glutamate plus malate were provided as substrates. Measurement of the subcellular volumes yielded values of 2.0 and 0.2 ml/g dry wt, respectively, for the cytosol and mitochondria. Calculation of the mitochondrial ΔpH (pHin-pHout) in the isolated liver cell based on 22 individual measurements of mitochondria/cytosol gradients for citrate, isocitrate, α-ketoglutarate, malate, glutamate, and pyruvate yielded a value of 0.41 ±0.03. The excellent relationship of these gradients to a common ΔpH lends credence to the technique. Cytosolic and mitochondrial ATP ADP ratios were similar in liver cells isolated from starved and fed rats. Fed rat liver cells, however, had a higher cytosolic adenine nucleotide content (16.8 μmol/g dry wt) than those from starved rats (14.5 μmol/ g dry wt) whereas the mitochondrial content was the same (16 nmol/mg of mitochondrial protein). Data obtained by the disruption technique are compared with other previously published data obtained using either digitonin treatment of isolated hepatocytes or nonaqueous solvent extraction of lyophilized freeze-clamped perfused livers.
Mandatory Planning for Environmental Innovation: Evaluating Regulatory Mechanisms for Toxics Use Reduction

This paper analyzes the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA), evaluating what TURA has achieved, how it has been implemented, how it motivates firms to change and how its underlying principles might be strengthened to better support innovation for toxics use reduction. Through this analysis recent debates are engaged about the potentials and limitations of using regulation to promote innovation for the environment. The analysis here shows that TURA is distinct from existing regulatory programmes in how it requires firms to self‐evaluate and plan for process improvements, supports implementation through technical assistance and focuses on pollution prevention rather than control. Mandatory planning, new mechanisms of accountability and improved processes of learning have all been critical to TURA's success in motivating firms to innovate for the environment. Taken together, these factors have supported incremental innovations in industry that may point the way toward policies to support even great...
High-capacity neural networks on nonideal hardware

We present a new training-out algorithm for neural networks that permits good performance on nonideal hardware with limited analog neuron and weight accuracy. Optical neural networks are emphasized with the error sources including nonuniform beam illumination and nonlinear device characteristics. We compensate for processor nonidealities during gated learning (off-line training); thus our algorithm does not require real-time neural networks with adaptive weights. This permits use of high-accuracy nonadaptive weights and reduced hardware complexity. The specific neural network we consider is the Ho–Kashyap associative processor because it provides the largest storage capacity. Simulation results and optical laboratory data are provided. The storage measure we use is the ratio M/N of the number of vectors stored (M) to the dimensionality of the vectors stored (N). We show a storage capacity of M/N = 1.5 on our optical laboratory system with excellent recall accuracy, >95%. The theoretical maximum storage is M/N = 2 (as N approaches infinity), and thus the storage and performance we demonstrate are impressive considering the processor nonidealities we present. Our techniques can be applied to other neural network algorithms and other nonideal processing hardware.
Floating-point numbers in residue number systems

Abstract In this paper we introduce a new type of the residue number system (RNS), floating-point RNS, which can significantly increase the range of the numbers represented by RNS. The concept of the RNS floating-point arithmetics are presented, and the approaches to perform these arithmetic operations are proposed. The introduced methods are simple, efficient and easy to implement.
A Critical Interpretation of Correctional Bootcamps as Normalizing Institutions Discipline, Punishment, and the Military Model

Although the application of the military model in corrections is not entirely new, it has recently reemerged in the form of correctional bootcamps—a popular method of inflicting harsh punishment and discipline on young offenders. Despite criticisms from scholars, however, correctional bootcamps continue to gain the support of government officials and citizens. Drawing on the work of Michel Foucault, this article explores correctional bootcamps as normalizing institutions. In doing so, the meaning of the military model in corrections is critically examined vis-a-vis other normalizing institutions and disciplinary technologies.
Energy efficient code generation exploiting reduced bit-width instruction set architectures (rISA)

Energy consumption is emerging as a critical design concern for programmable embedded systems. Many Reduced Bit-width Instruction Set Architectures (rISA) (e.g., ARM Thumb) are being increasingly used to decrease code size. Previous work has explored energy savings in non-cached rISA architectures as a byproduct of code size reduction. In this paper we present an energy efficient code generation technique for rISA architectures, and furthermore explore energy savings for both cached and non-cached architectures. Our code generation technique uses profile information to find the most frequently executed parts of the program. By aggressively reducing code size on frequently executed parts, fewer fetches to instruction memory are incurred, thus reducing the power consumption of the instruction memory. We achieve an average 30% reduction in instruction memory energy consumption in cached systems, on a variety of benchmarks, as compared to non-rISA architectures.
Endoscopic treatment of middle fossa arachnoid cysts: a series of 40 patients treated endoscopically in two centres.

Middle fossa arachnoid cysts (MFAC) are a relatively common, benign pathology that pose a therapeutic challenge for both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The optimal surgical strategy and indication to treat are still debated by neurosurgeons. We reviewed our experience and results in a group of patients treated with endoscopic fenestration with the aim to assess indications to treat and clinical and neuroradiological results. The data on 40 patients operated with endoscopic fenestration for MFAC in two centres, “Anna Meyer” Children’s Hospital, Florence, Italy, and Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital “Alder Hey”, Liverpool, UK, between 2001 and 2007 were retrospectively reviewed with prospective follow-up. We analysed clinical and neuroradiological presentation, indications to treat, surgical technique, complications, and clinical and neuroradiological follow-up. There were 30 males and ten females: mean age, 7.8 years; mean follow-up, 21 months. The neuronavigation system was used in 12 patients in the English cohort. Thirty-seven patients (92.5%) had a satisfactory clinical outcome. The cyst was reduced in size or completely disappeared in 29 patients (72.5%). There was no death or significant morbidity associated with the procedure. Four patients required further surgical treatment. Four patients experienced a post-traumatic intracystic bleeding after surgery. Compared to microsurgical fenestration and cyst shunting, our experience with endoscopic fenestration was as effective and safe but less invasive. Each case must be assessed with its individual characteristics to define the optimal surgical strategy. Successful treatment may not reduce the risk of post-traumatic head injury haemorrhage.
LipidomeDB Data Calculation Environment: Online Processing of Direct-Infusion Mass Spectral Data for Lipid Profiles

LipidomeDB Data Calculation Environment (DCE) is a web application to quantify complex lipids by processing data acquired after direct infusion of a lipid-containing biological extract, to which a cocktail of internal standards has been added, into an electrospray source of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. LipidomeDB DCE is located on the public Internet at http://lipidome.bcf.ku.edu:9000/Lipidomics. LipidomeDB DCE supports targeted analyses; analyte information can be entered, or pre-formulated lists of typical plant or animal polar lipid analytes can be selected. LipidomeDB DCE performs isotopic deconvolution and quantification in comparison to internal standard spectral peaks. Multiple precursor or neutral loss spectra from up to 35 samples may be processed simultaneously with data input as Excel files and output as tables viewable on the web and exportable in Excel. The pre-formulated compound lists and web access, used with direct-infusion mass spectrometry, provide a simple approach to lipidomic analysis, particularly for new users.
Adsorption of rare gases on poly(vinyl chloride)

Abstract Adsorption of argon and krypton on a high area poly(vinyl chloride) adsorbent in the temperature range 65–75°K was investigated. Enthalpies, entropies and free energies of adsorption were evaluated from the isotherms. The enthalpy of adsorption of argon was found to be 1.94 kcal/mole at a coverage of 0.9 monolayer, a value higher than that found on fluorocarbons or unsubstitutes hydrocarbon polymers but lower than that for poly(methylmethacrylate). Several lines of evidence indicate that the adsorbent is highly heterogeneous with respect to adsorption energies. The spreading pressures indicate that high area polymeric adsorbents may have abnormally high surface free energies.
Crcadian pacemaker in theBursatella eye: Properties of the rhythm and its effect on locomotor behavior

The eye of the frilled sea hare,Bursatella leachi plei, expresses a circadian rhythm in the frequency of spontaneously occurring optic nerve impulses. The rhythm will free-run for at least 3 cycles in vitro (Fig. 2) and can be entrained by light cycles provided in vivo (Fig. 4 A). While bothBursatella andAplysia eyes contain circadian pacemakers the two rhythms differ in several respects: (1) the peak impulse frequency forBursatella eyes is only 96/h (±36 SD) compared with 247/h (±61 SD) forAplysia. (2) The ocular waveform of theBursatella rhythm exhibits a steep rise and fall from peak frequencies and lacks the delayed falling phase which creates a ‘shoulder’ on the ocular waveform inAplysia (Fig. 2). (3) The in vitro free-running period of theBursatella ocular rhythm is 21.2 h (±0.6 SD) compared with 24.3 h (±0.9 SD) for theAplysia rhythm (Fig. 2). (4) The steady state phase angle for entrainment differs withBursatella eyes showing a median activity peak at +3 Z.T. compared with a medianAplysia peak at −1 Z.T. (Fig. 4).