cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Degradation of porcine relaxin by glutathione-insulin transhydrogenase and a neutral peptidase.

Abstract The susceptibility of porcine relaxin and 125I-polytyrosyl-porcine relaxin to degradation by 3 purified senzymes involved in the degradation of insulin and proinsulin was examined. Rat liver glutathione-insulin transhydrogenase (GIT), which cleaves disulfide bonds in insulin, catalyzed a time- and concentration-dependent increase in trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-soluble radioactivity of relaxin. The Sephadex G-50 profile of the reaction products revealed conversion to the A- and B-chains. Relaxin competitively inhibited the degradation of insulin by GIT; however, kinetic analysis revealed insulin to be preferred over relaxin as a substrate. Rat liver cytosol neutral thiol peptidase (NTP) catalyzed a time- and concentration-dependent increase in the TCA solubility of relaxin and a shift in the Sephadex G-50 radioactivity profile to low molecular weight products. Kinetic analysis revealed that insulin and B-chain are preferred over relaxin as substrates for NTP. A third enzyme, rat kidney neutral metalloendopeptidase, which degrades proinsulin and insulin C-peptide but not insulin, also did not degrade porcine relaxin.
Object modeling in multiple-object 3D scene using deformable simplex meshes

The objective of this work is to model 3D objects in multiple-object scenes. Towards this objective, we employ deformable simplex meshes first developed by Delingette. These meshes have several convenient characteristics, including the fact that their deformation is controlled with simple geometric entities and is, therefore, computationally inexpensive. We begin with a cloud of 3D points that represents one or more object.s The cloud is then encapsulated with an initial simplex mesh to be subsequently deformed. During deformation, a breaking process enables the mesh to split into multiple meshes, one for each object. The breaking process is based on a 2D net approach introduced by Yoshino and laser refined by Bro-Nielsen. We model the arcs in the mesh as springs that break when their tension exceeds a threshold. This breaking process is additionally controlled by heuristics to prevent breaking on edges of the same object. Once the modeling process is complete, each object is separated from other objects and modeled with its own simplex mesh.
Pituitary diseases in pregnancy

Pituitary adenomas are the most common pituitary disorder affecting pregnancy, and prolactinomas are the most common of the hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas. Hyperprolactinemia must be corrected to allow ovulation and fertility. Bromocriptine has been shown to be safe for use during early gestation. There is less than a 2% risk of microprolactinoma enlargement during pregnancy but a greater than 15% risk of symptomatic enlargement of a macroprolactinoma. Treatment options for patients with macroadenomas include stopping bromocriptine when pregnancy is diagnosed and reinstituting with tumor enlargement, continuous bromocriptine throughout pregnancy, and prepregnancy tumor debulking by surgery. The diagnosis of acromegaly may be difficult to make during pregnancy and relies, in part, on the persistence of the normal pulsatile secretion of growth hormone and loss of this secretory characteristic with a tumor. The growth hormone oversecretion may exacerbate tendencies to gestational diabetes, fluid retention, and hypertension. Treatment for acromegaly and other tumors generally may be deferred until after delivery. There are rare reports of enlargement of clinically nonfunctioning and growth hormone secreting tumors during pregnancy, and surveillance is needed. Tumors may need to be differentiated from lymphocytic hypophysitis. Patients with chronic hypopituitarism usually will need treatment with gonadotropins or pulsatile GnRH to become pregnant and may need increased steroid coverage during labor and delivery. Hypopituitarism developing during pregnancy is usually caused by lymphocytic hypophysitis and usually also will require steroid replacement therapy. Hypopituitarism arising postpartum may be caused by either lymphocytic hypophysitis or Sheehan's syndrome, and the latter may present as an acute or chronic syndrome. Borderline diabetes insipidus may manifest during pregnancy because of increased vasopressin degradation caused by markedly increased levels of placental vasopressinase. Treatment with desmopressin usually is satisfactory. Patients presenting with either anterior or posterior pituitary insufficiency in the peripartum period should always be evaluated for function of the other portion of the pituitary.
Magnetization temperature dependence in iron nanoparticles

The temperature dependence of the saturation magnetization of iron nanoparticles protected from oxidation by a shell of either magnesium or magnesium fluoride is reported. For iron crystallite sizes ranging from 3 to 18 nm, Bloch's law is found to hold, but with nonbulk parameters dependent on both size and interface. The Bloch exponent decreases from the bulk value with decreasing size while the Bloch constant increases from the bulk value orders of magnitude with decreasing size. These size dependencies are different for the Mg and ${\mathrm{MgF}}_{2}$ coated samples to imply important interfacial effects.
Heat and Water Transport in a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Electrode

In the present scenario of a global initiative toward a sustainable energy future, the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) has emerged as one of the most promising alternative energy conversion devices for various applications. Despite tremendous progress in recent years, a pivotal performance limitation in the PEFC comes from liquid water transport and the resulting flooding phenomena. Liquid water blocks the open pore space in the electrode and the fibrous diffusion layer leading to hindered oxygen transport. The electrode is also the only component in the entire PEFC sandwich which produces waste heat from the electrochemical reaction. The cathode electrode, being the host to several competing transport mechanisms, plays a crucial role in the overall PEFC performance limitation. In this work, an electrode model is presented in order to elucidate the coupled heat and water transport mechanisms. Two scenarios are specifically considered: (1) conventional, Nafion® impregnated, three-phase electrode with the hydrated polymeric membrane phase as the conveyer of protons where local electro-neutrality prevails; and (2) ultra-thin, two-phase, nano-structured electrode without the presence of ionomeric phase where charge accumulation due to electro-statics in the vicinity of the membrane-CL interface becomes important. The electrode model includes a physical description of heat and water balance along with electrochemical performance analysis in order to study the influence of electro-statics/electro-migration and phase change on the PEFC electrode performance.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Near-field radiative energy transfer: Nanostructures feel the heat

The radiative heat exchange on the nanoscale can be tuned using polar dielectric nanostructures.
Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers with lateral carrier confinement

A novel method to reduce threshold currents in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) is proposed. By using selective quantum well intermixing, lateral heterobarriers are created that prevent carriers from diffusing away from the optical modes. Our devices show 40% reduction of threshold currents with the implementation of lateral carrier confinement.
Biotransformation of trichloroethene in a variety of subsurface materials

The abilities of three types of sediment to biotransform trichloroethene (TCE) were compared to determine the influence of environmental factors that differ among sediments of different composition. The results could suggest TCE behavior at spill sites in a variety of subsurface materials. Microcosms containing water and sediment ranging from predominantly organic material to calcareous rock were spiked to contain 5 mg/L of TCE and allowed to incubate in the dark at 25°C. TCE was completely transformed to cis-1,2-dichloroethene (CIS) in one year by a sandy organic sediment that was contaminated with TCE prior to microcosm construction. Microcosms prepared with crushed rock and water, which contained low microbial biomass, depleted all the TCE spike in 21 months of incubation; however, less than 10% of the depleted TCE was recovered as 1,2-dichloroethene. Sodium acetate was added to selected microcosms for the purpose of increasing active microbial populations; however, this had no effect on the depletion of TCE.
Intrabiliary growth of metastatic colonic adenocarcinoma: a pattern of intrahepatic spread easily confused with primary neoplasia of the biliary tract

Because of its propensity to spread along epithelial surfaces, colonic adenocarcinoma can mimic other neoplasms. For example, colonic adenocarcinoma can grow along the surface of the urinary bladder and can simulate primary bladder neoplasia, and metastatic colonic adenocarcinoma can grow along alveolar walls and can mimic primary lung neoplasia. Intraepithelial spread along bile ducts, however, is not a well-recognized behavior of hepatic metastases. Indeed, dysplastic change in the epithelium lining the biliary tract is sometimes used to discriminate primary biliary neoplasms from metastatic adenocarcinoma. We report on eight cases of colonic adenocarcinoma metastatic to the liver that demonstrated prominent spread throughout the biliary tree along intact basement membranes. Morphologically, this pattern closely resembled high-grade dysplasia (i.e., carcinoma in situ) of the extrahepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts. Clinically, two of the tumors were mistaken for primary biliary neoplasia because of the common radiologic finding of intrabiliary masses with distended bile ducts. A definite diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma was established by careful attention to the medical history, thorough evaluation of the morphologic features, and histologic comparison with the primary colon cancer. For patients with a history of colonic adenocarcinoma, consideration of a liver metastasis is appropriate even when certain histologic and radiographic features point to a neoplasm of biliary origin.
Multidisciplinary Placement Optimization of Heat Generating Electronic Components on Printed Circuit Board in Channel Flow Forced Convection Using Artificial Neural Networks

A multidisciplinary placement optimization methodology for heat generating electronic components on printed circuit boards (PCBs) in channel flow forced convection is presented. In this methodology, thermal, electrical, and placement criteria involving junction temperature, wiring density, line length for high frequency signals, and critical component location are optimized simultaneously using the genetic algorithm. A board-level thermal performance prediction methodology based on channel flow forced convection boundary conditions is developed. The methodology consists of a combination of artificial neural networks (ANNs) and a superposition method that is able to predict PCB surface and component junction temperatures in a much shorter calculation time than the existing numerical methods. Three ANNs are used for predicting temperature rise at the PCB surface caused by a single heat flux at an arbitrary location on the board, while temperature rise due to multiple heat flux is calculated using a superposition method. Compact thermal models are used for the electronic components thermal modeling. Using this optimization methodology, large calculation time reduction is achieved without losing accuracy. For thermal model validation, the present thermal methodology predicts junction temperatures with maximum error of 1.8°C comparing to the conjugate solid/ fluid heat transfer analysis result. The present thermal modeling takes 12 seconds, while the conjugate analysis takes 30 hours for the validation on the same computer. To demonstrate the capabilities of the present methodology, a test case of component placement on a PCB is presented.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Pharmacokinetics of lidocaine and its active metabolites in dogs

The pharmacokinetics of lidocaine in dogs were investigated following the intravenous and intramuscular administration of single doses of lidocaine hydrochloride. The mean elimination rate constant and the mean specific clearance determined for the intravenous portion of the study were 0.786 h-1 and 2.40 1/kg/h, respectively. Following intramuscular administration the mean absorption rate constant was 7.74 h-1. Absorption was nearly complete as the percentage of an intramuscular dose absorbed averaged 91.9%. Concentrations of two N-deethylated metabolites, determined following the administration of lidocaine suggest that monoethylglycinexylidide is eliminated rapidly while glycinexylidide is more slowly eliminated. The relative contribution of these metabolites to the therapeutic and toxic effects of lidocaine and the potential for glycinexylidide accumulation during lidocaine administration remain to be investigated.
Computer-Assisted Substance Abuse Treatment: An Interview With Richard Cloud, PhD

Due to the rapid evolution of technology, many industries including substance abuse treatment have incorporated the use of technology into their services and products. Much of the original developm...
An inner automorphism is only an inner automorphism, but an inner endomorphism can be something strange

The inner automorphisms of a group G can be characterized within the category of groups without reference to group elements: they are precisely those au- tomorphisms of G that can be extended, in a functorial manner, to all groups H given with homomorphisms G ! H: (Precise statement in x1.) The group of such extended systems of automorphisms, unlike the group of inner automorphisms of G itself, is always isomorphic to G: A similar characterization holds for inner automorphisms of an associative algebra R over a eld K; here the group of functorial systems of automorphisms is isomorphic to the group of units of R modulo the units of K: If one looks at the above functorial extendibility property for endomorphisms, rather than just automorphisms, then in the group case, the only additional example is the trivial endomorphism; but in the K-algebra case, a construction unfamiliar to ring theorists, but known to functional analysts, also arises. Systems of endomorphisms with the same functoriality property are examined in some other categories; other uses of the phrase \inner endomorphism" in the literature, some overlapping the one introduced here, are noted; the concept of an inner derivation of an associative or Lie algebra is looked at from the same point of view, and the dual concept of a \co-inner" endomorphism is briey examined. Several open questions are noted.
Microstructural changes of polycrystalline nickel during high-temperature deformation at ambient and high pressures

The microstructures of polycrystalline nickel, deformed in compression at temperatures of 1000–1500 K at high pressure (1500 MPa) and at ambient (0.1 MPa) pressure, were compared. Dynamic recrystallization and strain-induced grain growth were observed to occur during creep tests at both pressure levels. Our experimental results at ambient pressure are in good agreement with Sandstrom and Lagneborg's theory on dynamic recrystallization. However, high-pressure application considerably retarded recrystallization and grain-growth kinetics. This behaviour was attributed to an increase in the activation energy for grainboundary migration at high pressure.
Capital Investment and the Decline of Mass Transit in New York City, 1945-1981

Most published research suggests that the decline of urban mass transportation after World War II resulted from the growth of private automobile use, which diverted ridership and financial resources from transit systems. This interpretation is challenged by findings from a case study of the New York City subway system, which shows a significant relationship between the amount and composition of capital investment and service outcomes. The study demonstrates that efficient and effective mass transit service is possible within metropolitan transportation markets, even when private automobile use is more prevalent.
Determination of the equilibrium oxygen non-stoichiometry and the electrical conductivity of La0.5Sr0.5FeO3-x

Abstract Solid-state coulometric titration has been used to determine the oxygen non-stoichiometry of La 0.5 Sr 0.5 FeO 3- x at 800≤ T ≤1000 °C and 10 −16 ≤ p O 2 ≤0.5 atm. Above 900 °C, reproducible data were obtained on both increasing and decreasing p O 2 . At temperatures T ≤850 °C, a discontinuity appears in the variation of the oxygen non-stoichiometry with p O 2 indicative of two-phase behavior. The electrical conductivity of La 0.5 Sr 0.5 FeO 3- x was determined at 800 and 900 °C and 10 −14 ≤ p O 2 ≤0.3 atm by a FOUR-probe ac technique. Slow equilibration kinetics were observed in the intermediate p O 2 region (∼10 −5 atm) due to either short-range order of oxygen vacancies or phase separation between a perovskite phase and a vacancy ordered phase. The isotherms are reproducible, irrespective of the direction of the p O 2 change, provided long enough equilibration times are used. The criteria for equilibrium used in the experiments are discussed.
The increasing recalcitrance of smokers in clinical trials II: Pharmacotherapy trials.

Irvin and Brandon (Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2, 79-84, 2000) reported a significant decline in reported abstinence rates between 1977 and 1996 from clinical trials of cognitive-behavioral smoking cessation treatments based on coping skills training. The present study extends that approach to the analysis of pharmacotherapy trials. A literature search identified 59 studies, published between 1983 and 2000 and conducted in the U.S., that reported post-cessation abstinence rates after treatment with nicotine gum, nicotine patch or any type of placebo medication. Across all three types of treatment conditions and four post-cessation assessment points, negative correlations between publication year and abstinence rates were found. The strongest pattern of negative correlations was found for the placebo conditions. However, the correlations for placebo conditions could be accounted for by the simultaneous shift toward treatments offered in individual rather than group format. No other methodological or subject variable appeared to mediate the declining outcomes. Findings are discussed with respect to the theory that the population of remaining smokers is becoming progressively more dependent and difficult to treat.
Nanocomposites For magnetic Refrigeration

Upon the application of an external magnetic field, the magnetic spins in a material partially align with the field, thereby reducing the magnetic entropy of the spin system. When performed adiabatically, the specimen's temperature will rise. This temperature rise, δT, related to the entropy change by the heat capacity, is known as the magnetocaloric effect. Upon cycling the magnetic field, this effect can be used for transferring heat from one thermal reservoir to another, forming the basis for a magnetic refrigerator. Recently, NIST scientists predicted composite magnetic materials containing nanometer-size magnetic species could possess enhanced magnetocaloric effects [1-2], especially at high temperatures or low magnetic fields. Magnetic nanocomposites may be prepared in many different ways, and recent magnetocaloric effect data measured on Fe-doped gadolinium gallium garnets are presented to show both the effect of processing and a methodology for optimizing δT.
Theory of CP violation based on the charm and strangeness changing righthanded weak current

Abstract If the charged weak current contains the righthanded current ( c s) R , the quark mass term can be the origin of CP violation, which is then intimately related to the origin of the dominating |ΔI| = 1 2 and | ΔS | = 1 nonleptonic weak interaction. The electric dipole moment of the neutron is predicted to be of the order of 10 −25 ecm.
Successful surgical treatment of idiopathic colonic dysmotility: the role of preoperative evaluation of coloanal motor function

• Identification of patients with severe idiopathic colonic dysmotility who would benefit from surgery can be difficult. Colonic transit studies and anorectal manometry were applied to 12 women with severe constipation before subtotal colectomy. Delayed transit was noted in all patients with most exhibiting left-sided colonic arrest. Mean anal resting pressure and rectal capacity were similar to that in healthy controls. Pathologic examination results revealed decreased argyrophilic neurons in the colonic myenteric plexus. At 24 months postoperatively, all patients were satisfied with their results and mean ( ± SEM) weekly bowel movement frequency was 17 ± 3 (compared with 0.8 ± 0.2 preoperatively). Preoperative coloanal function studies therefore aid in the selection of patients who will be successfully treated by surgery. Subtotal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis is the preferred operation because dysmotility can originate from either side of the colon. (Arch Surg. 1989;124:947-951)
The hidden structure of neuropsychology: text mining of the journal Cortex: 1991--2001.

Abstract Background : The stated mission of Cortex is "the study of the inter-relations of the nervous system and behavior, particularly as these are reflected in the effects of brain lesions on cognitive functions." The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the stated mission and the executed mission as reflected by the characteristics of papers published in Cortex . In addition, we examine whether the results and conclusions of an analysis of this kind are affected by the level of description of the published papers. Objectives : A) Identify characteristics of contributors to Cortex ; B) Identify characteristics of those who cite Cortex ; C) Identify recurring themes; D) Identify the relationships among the recurring themes; E) Compare recurring themes and determine their relationships to the mission of Cortex ; F) Identify the sensitivity of these results to the level of description of the Cortex papers used as the source database. G) Compare Cortex characteristics with those of Neuropsychologia , another Europe-based international neuropsychology journal. Methods : Text mining (extraction of useful information from text) was used to generate the characteristics of the journal Cortex . Bibliometrics provided the Cortex contributor infrastructure (author/ organization/ country/ citation distributions), and computational linguistics identified the recurring technical themes and their inter-relationships. Citation mining (the integration of citation bibliometrics and text mining) was used to profile the research user community. Four levels of published article description were compared for the analysis: Full Text, Abstract, Title, Keywords. Results and Conclusions: Highly cited documents were compared among Cortex, Neuropsychologia, and Brain , and a number of interesting parametric trends were observed. The characteristics of the papers that cite Cortex papers were examined, and some interesting insights were generated. Finally, the document clustering taxonomy showed that papers in Cortex can be reasonably divided into four categories (papers in each category in parenthesis): Semantic Memory (151); Handedness (145); Amnesia (119); and Neglect (66). It is concluded that Cortex needs to take steps to attract a more diverse group of contributors outside its continental Western European base if it wishes to capture a greater share of seminal neuropsychology papers. Further investigation of the critical citation differences reported in the paper is recommended.
Comparison of chemical properties of purified plasma membranes and secretory vesicle membranes from the bovine adrenal medulla

A highly enriched fraction of plasma membranes from the bovine adrenal medulla has been isolated by differential and sucrose gradient centrifugation. The membranes were found to occur as 0.1–0.5μ diameter vesicles and to equilibrate at a density of 1.13–1.14 g/ml. This fraction was characterized by 4-fold elevated levels of adenylate cyclase and 20-fold elevated levels of 5′-nucleotidase. Secretory vesicle membranes, isolated by repeated hypotonie and hypertonic shocks of whole vesicles, were found to equilibrate between d = 1.08 and d = 1.12 on a sucrose density step gradient. These membranes were highly enriched in cytochrome b562 and dopamine-β-hydroxylase. Proteins in the two membranes were compared by SDS gel electrophoresis. All protein size classes found in the vesicle membrane fraction were also represented in the plasma membrane fraction, though in different proportions on the basis of staining intensity. The plasma membrane fraction contained prominent bands co-migrating with the α- and β-bands of tubulin, as well as a component co-migrating with actin. These bands were absent from the vesicle membranes. Fingerprint analysis of stained bands from the membrane fraction demonstrated that the components were indeed tubulin and actin. The plasma membranes contained twice as much sialic acid residues as did the chromaffin granule membranes, but had only half the cholesterol content on a weight basis. The cholesterol∶phospholipid ratio in the plasma membranes was 0.63, while in the secretory vesicle membranes it was 1.04. These results show that plasma membranes and secretory vesicle membranes are functionally and structurally different.
Intimate culture of families in the early socialization of literacy.

The intimate family culture for early literacy socialization was documented for a socioculturally heterogeneous sample of 66 children enrolled in pre-kindergarten through third grade at public elementary schools in a large U.S. city. Parents were interviewed about 3 types of indexes of their family’s intimate culture: the child’s engagement in various literacy-related activities at home, the parents’ orientation towards the significance of literacy for early child development, and the family’s routines of dinnertime, reading aloud, and doing homework for school. Basic reading competencies were assessed with the Woodcock–Johnson Psychoeducational Battery—Tests of Achievement, Revised (1989). Multiple regression analysis found that a significant proportion of variance in the children’s literacy development was predicted by each of the quantitative indexes of intimate family culture, leaving little or no additional variance that was due to family income or ethnicity. Theories of human development have increasingly sought to enrich their characterization of context beyond the notion of external stimulation, by conceptualizing it in terms of systems of social activity and cultural meaning (Serpell, 1993, 1999). According to Super and Harkness (1986, 1997), child development can be understood as adapted to the demands of a culturally structured “developmental niche.” Super and Harkness have suggested that the structure of physical and social settings to which the child is exposed, and the pattern of customs of child care and socialization, are organized by an interpretive scheme represented in the form of implicit psychological theories held by caregivers such as parents. These “cultural models” (Holland & Quinn, 1987), or “ethnotheories” (Harkness & Super, 1992), include beliefs about the timetable of child development (Goodnow & Collins, 1990), parental goals for the child’s development, and preferred strategies of intervention to cultivate the child’s appropriation of various valued, cultural practices (Serpell et al., 1997). A child’s engagement with the demands of the niche thus gives rise to a developmental process of participatory appropriation (Rogoff, 1993).
Is sex associated with the outcome of patients treated with radiation for nonsmall cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women, but the disease course differs between the sexes. To the authors' knowledge, sex-based differences in outcomes among the population of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving radiation have not been well defined. METHODS: Data for 831 patients (319 women and 512 men) with stage I to III NSCLC and treated with ≥45 Gray of radiation between March 1985 and November 2003 were retrospectively analyzed (grading determined according to the 1997 American Joint Committee on Cancer grading system). RESULTS: Women were more likely to have earlier stage disease, to have smoked <50 pack-years, and to have adenocarcinoma or large-cell carcinoma (all P ≤ .001). For each stage, treatment did not differ between women and men. Five-year survival rates were significantly better for women than for men: overall survival (OS), 28.6% versus 16.1% (P < .001); disease-free survival, 31.2% versus 20.1% (P = .02); and distant metastasis–free survival, 48.8% versus 37.6% (P < .02). Among patients with medically inoperable stage I NSCLC, women had improved 5-year OS compared with men (30.0% vs 13.1%; P = .004). On multivariate analysis, male sex, weight loss, age ≥65 years, and stage III disease were found to be associated with poorer OS (all P < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Although women are more likely to have earlier stage disease, among patients with medically inoperable stage I NSCLC, women still have a better OS. Along with known prognostic factors, including age, weight loss, and stage, sex remained significant on multivariate analysis of OS, suggesting that sex is a determinant of outcome in NSCLC patients receiving radiation. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Late and postglacial vegetational and paleoclimatic changes in subantarctic, temperate and arid environments in Argentina

Abstract A paleoclimatic chronology for southern South America is suggested by comparison of dated pollen records from Argentina (lat 32° to 34°S, 41°S and 51° to 54°S). The paleoenvironmental phases distinguished for the last 13,000 years are interpreted as paleoclimatic phases and explained as latitudinal shifts of atmospheric circulation anomalies by using the correlation of modern precipitation patterns with atmospheric circulation anomaly patterns over Argentina and Chile. The lateglacial type environment is characterized at all sites in the high southern latitudes by pollen assemblages of grasses, composites, sedges, and heath, suggesting climates as cold and wet as the modern Magellanic Moorland uniformly throughout Tierra del Fuego and southern Patagonia. At latitude 41°S the lateglacial pollen assemblages are dominated by rainforest types west of the Andes, suggesting cold and wet conditions, while east of the Andes grasses and herb pollen dominated the assemblages, suggesting conditions colder a...
Narrative Structures and the Analysis of Incest

Our approach to the past is informed by the central tenets of both the interactionist and narrative perspectives. Narrative structures are the cultural and structural contexts within which pasts are transacted. Accordingly, when narrative structures change, the storied characters of pasts are changed. We analyze incest and child abuse as a substantive site to illlustrate how the criteria of believability and proper tellings vary by context. We note that the bias of civility in the interactionist understanding of the reframing of pasts does not hold in the case of flashbacks.
Autism and vaccination-the current evidence.

PURPOSE. The purpose of this article is to review relevant background literature regarding the evidence linking thimerosal-containing vaccine and the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine to autism. CONCLUSIONS. Rigorous scientific studies have not identified links between autism and either thimerosal-containing vaccine or the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. Nurses are often in the position of providing advice regarding vaccines in their formal practice areas as well as in their daily lives. Families need current and credible evidence to make decisions for their children. Excellent vaccine information resources are available online.
The Pricing of When‐Issued Securities

The observed pricing of when-issued securities would seem to violate the law of one price in financial economics. Generally, when-issued shares sell at a premium over the original shares during the short time when both are traded. This paper examines whether this observed premium could be due to a nonsynchronous trading problem, to the intensity of trading, to the exchange on which the shares are traded, to whether the shares are traded pre-or-post -negotiable commissions, or to the nature of the demand for when-issued relative to the price setting of the specialist. Results indicate that most orders for when-issued securities are buys, that these orders typically take place at the specialist's ask price, and that accounting for this trading mechanism explains the positive premium on when-issued securities.
Modeling Transversely Loaded Metal-Matrix Composites

The motivation behind the present work is to model the response of a transversely loaded unidirectional metal–matrix composite (MMC), which constitutes thermal residual stresses, debond, and viscoplasticity. Based on experimental observation of transversely loaded MMC, debond causes reductions in the global stiffness. To capture the influence of debond on the MMC response, a mechanism, which models the debond characteristics including the debond damage, is required, and it is the focus of the present investigation. A reduced order model to investigate transversely loaded MMC is presented. Its formulation is based on modeling the unit cell as a finite number of strips where an averaged approach is used to compute the global response of the MMC. The governing equations for the strips are based on a uniaxial thermo-mechanical assumption. A special debond mechanism between the fiber and matrix is included in the formulation. The constitutive relations incorporated in the model are the unified Bodner–Partom vi...
Trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder among employees of New York City companies affected by the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.

OBJECTIVE: Several studies have provided prevalence estimates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to the September 11, 2001 (9/11) attacks in broadly affected populations, although without sufficiently addressing qualifying exposures required for assessing PTSD and estimating its prevalence. A premise that people throughout the New York City area were exposed to the attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) towers and are thus at risk for developing PTSD has important implications for both prevalence estimates and service provision. This premise has not, however, been tested with respect to DSM-IV-TR criteria for PTSD. This study examined associations between geographic distance from the 9/11 attacks on the WTC and reported 9/11 trauma exposures, and the role of specific trauma exposures in the development of PTSD. METHODS: Approximately 3 years after the attacks, 379 surviving employees (102 with direct exposures, including 65 in the towers, and 277 with varied exposures) recruited from 8 affected organizations were interviewed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule/Disaster Supplement and reassessed at 6 years. The estimated closest geographic distance from the WTC towers during the attacks and specific disaster exposures were compared with the development of 9/11-related PTSD as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. RESULTS: The direct exposure zone was largely concentrated within a radius of 0.1 mi and completely contained within 0.75 mi of the towers. PTSD symptom criteria at any time after the disaster were met by 35% of people directly exposed to danger, 20% of those exposed only through witnessed experiences, and 35% of those exposed only through a close associate's direct exposure. Outside these exposure groups, few possible sources of exposure were evident among the few who were symptomatic, most of whom had preexisting psychiatric illness. CONCLUSIONS: Exposures deserve careful consideration among widely affected populations after large terrorist attacks when conducting clinical assessments, estimating the magnitude of population PTSD burdens, and projecting needs for specific mental health interventions. Language: en
Parallel data resampling and Fourier inversion by the scan-line method

Fourier inversion is an efficient method for image reconstruction in a variety of applications, for example, in computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Fourier inversion normally consists of two steps, interpolation of data onto a rectilinear grid, if necessary, and inverse Fourier transformation. Here, the authors present interpolation by the scan-line method, in which the interpolation algorithm is implemented in a form consisting only of row operations and data transposes. The two-dimensional inverse Fourier transformation can also be implemented with only row operations and data transposes. Accordingly, Fourier inversion can easily be implemented on a parallel computer that supports row operations and data transposes on row distributed data. The conditions under which the scan-line implementations are algorithmically equivalent to the original serial computer implementation are described and methods for improving accuracy outside of those conditions are presented. The scan-line algorithm is implemented on the iWarp parallel computer using the Adapt language for parallel image processing. This implementation is applied to magnetic resonance data acquired along radial-lines and spiral trajectories through Fourier transform space. >
Younger age at onset of sporadic Parkinson's disease among subjects occupationally exposed to metals and pesticides.

An earlier age at onset of Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been reported to be associated with occupational exposures to manganese and hydrocarbon solvents suggesting that exposure to neurotoxic chemicals may hasten the progression of idiopathic PD. In this study the role of occupational exposure to metals and pesticides in the progression of idiopathic PD was assessed by looking at age at disease onset. The effects of heritable genetic risk factors, which may also influence age at onset, was minimized by including only sporadic cases of PD with no family history of the disease (n=58). Independent samples Student t-test revealed that subjects with occupational exposure to metals and/or pesticides (n=36) were significantly (p=0.013) younger than unexposed controls (n=22). These subjects were then divided into three groups [high (n=18), low (n=18), and unexposed (n=22)] to ascertain if duration of exposure further influenced age at onset of PD. One-way ANOVA revealed that subjects in the high exposure group were significantly (p=0.0121) younger (mean age: 50.33 years) than unexposed subjects (mean age: 60.45 years). Subjects were also stratified by exposure type (metals vs. pesticides). These results suggest that chronic exposure to metals and pesticides is associated with a younger age at onset of PD among patients with no family history of the disease and that duration of exposure is a factor in the magnitude of this effect.
Relationship between body size and prostate cancer in a sibling based case-control study.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Body size has been hypothesized to affect the risk of prostate cancer (PCa). However, previous studies have provided conflicting results, in that some show positive associations, whereas others indicate inverse associations or null findings. To further understand this we examined the effects of weight, height, body mass index and lean body mass (LBM) on PCa risk and aggressiveness in a sibling based case-control study.Materials and Methods: A total of 439 cases were recruited at major medical institutions in Cleveland, Ohio and Detroit, Michigan, and 479 unaffected brothers were recruited as controls. Conditional logistic regression with robust variance estimation was used to evaluate the association between body size and PCa.Results: Higher LBM was inversely associated with PCa, especially in men with more aggressive disease or a later age at onset. Comparing those above and below the 25th percentile showed an OR of 0.49 (95% CI 0.28 to 0.84) and 0.28 (95% CI 0.14, 0.56), respectively. S...
Resurrecting Thirty Years of Historical Insight About Kinesiology: A Supplement to “What is Kinesiology? Historical and Philosophical Insights”

Twietmeyer (2012) reviews the historical and contemporary state of kinesiology and appraises what he calls unexamined philosophical commitments. He begins with a historical and philosophical review of the foundations of kinesiology, beginning with Aristotle's ancient influences and Polanyi's and C. P. Snow's modern influences. He then focuses on Sputnik's and James Conant's influences on higher education in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and on Franklin Henry's (1964) claim for physical education in higher education as an academic discipline. Twietmeyer then asserts that three articles published by Karl Newell in Quest in 1990 “led to the widespread adoption of the name ‘kinesiology’” (p. 16). But Twietmeyer completely skips nearly 30 years––from the early1960s to 1990—of historical insights about kinesiology. These happen to be the most significant three decades in the development of kinesiology as a recognized academic discipline. To remedy Twietmeyer's omission, I undertake a brief resurrection of thi...
Modular Avionics System Architecture (MASA)-the impact of fault tolerance

The Air Force Modular Avionics System Architecture (MASA) program is defining how the advantages of modular avionics can be applied to upgrades of current aircraft. Life cycle cost (LCC) studies performed for the MASA program showed significant savings when a modular architecture was used to integrate at least two or three avionics functions. These studies also showed no significant LCC penalty for the modular implementation of a single function. Other advantages not quantified in the LCC analysis include increased competition, reduced time lag for technology insertion, and more effective implementation of integrated systems and fault tolerance. Some of the more interesting results were for fault-tolerant modular systems which could provide a high probability of full operational capability for a 30-day combat surge with no line maintenance. >
Discussion of “Design Method for Geogrid-Reinforced Unpaved Roads. I: Development of Design Method” by J. P. Giroud and Jie Han

A discussion of an article with the aforementioned title, published in this journal in August 2004 is presented with closure. The discussers mention several aspects of the paper, including the selection of aperture stability modulus for geogrid performance, the typical aggregate base course thickness for design method and other comparisons to unpaved road design methods. The authors respond with appropriate comments on the calibration of the design method, consensus standardized test method, the issue of departing from other design methods, the typical aggregate base thickness for design method development, installation damage and environmental factors, tensioned membrane effect, the base thickness obtained with different unpaved road design methods and current practices. They also comment on the Giroud and Noiray method.
The Osher scheme for non-equilibrium reacting flows

An extension of the Osher upwind scheme to nonequilibrium reacting flows is presented. Owing to the presence of source terms, the Riemann problem is no longer self-similar and therefore its approximate solution becomes tedious. With simplicity in mind, a linearized approach which avoids an iterative solution is used to define the intermediate states and sonic points. The source terms are treated explicitly. Numerical computations are presented to demonstrate the feasibility, efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method. The test problems include a ZND (Zeldovich-Neumann-Doring) detonation problem for which spurious numerical solutions which propagate at mesh speed have been observed on coarse grids. With the present method, a change of limiter causes the solution to change from the physically correct CJ detonation solution to the spurious weak detonation solution.
Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway

Wnts are secreted glycoproteins that act as ligands to stimulate receptor-mediated signal transduction pathways in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Activation of Wnt pathways can modulate cell proliferation, survival, cell behavior, and cell fate in both embryos and adults. The Wnt/beta-catenin pathway is the best understood Wnt signaling pathway, and its core components are highly conserved during evolution, although tissue-specific or species-specific modifiers of the pathway are likely. In the absence of a Wnt signal, cytoplasmic beta-catenin is phosphorylated and degraded in a complex of proteins. Wnt signaling through the Frizzled serpentine receptor and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-5 or -6 (LRP5 or 6) coreceptors activates the cytoplasmic phosphoprotein Dishevelled, which blocks the degradation of beta-catenin. As the amount of beta-catenin rises, it accumulates in the nucleus, where it interacts with specific transcription factors, leading to regulation of target genes. Inappropriate activation of the pathway in response to mutations is linked to a wide range of cancers, including colorectal cancer and melanoma. The pathway is linked to bone density syndromes and to neurodegenerative diseases, and the pathway may also be involved in the retinal disease familial exudative vitreoretinopathy.
Pessimal guesses may be optimal: a counterintuitive search result

A particular style of search is considered that is motivated by the problem of reconstructing the surface of three-dimensional objects given a collection of planar contours representing cross-sections through the objects. An improvement on the simple divide-and-conquer method is presented. The key idea is to locate bottlenecks (minimal separators), which markedly reduces the number of searches required but reduces other measures (e.g. nodes expanded) by only a constant factor. It is observed that for well-behaved search spaces, the search efficiency can be improved further by making 'pessimal guesses'. This suggests a style of search in which the region of the search space thought to be close to the optimal solution (on whatever grounds are available) is examined last, while the outlying regions (the pessimal guesses) are examined first. >
Vasoactive Effects of Ketamine on Isolated Rabbit Pulmonary Arteries

Ketamine has been used in patients with congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension with hypothetical controversy. Its direct effect on pulmonary arteries has not yet been clearly characterized. This in vitro study was performed to determine the direct vasoactive effects of ketamine on isolated rabbit pulmonary arteries. Responses of pulmonary artery rings from New Zealand white rabbits were assessed in the presence and absence of intact endothelium and with or without precontraction by norepinephrine (NE, 3×10 −6 M) or potassium chloride (KCl, 3×10 −2 M). Using a preparatory tissue bath, cumulative concentration response curves of ketamine were obtained at different concentrations (0.03, 0.1, 0.3, 1, 3 mM) after a period of stabilization. Ketamine caused a dose-related vasodilation on KCl-precontracted pulmonary arteries. It elicited almost 100% relaxation at a concentration of 3 mM. Ketamine also induced a dose-related vasodilation on NE-precontracted pulmonary arteries at a lesser degree. All of the effects were endothelium independent. In conclusion, ketamine has strong endothelium-independent, direct vasodilatory effects on isolated rabbit pulmonary arteries. Ketamine may act through Ca ++ channel-blocking effect as well as inhibition of Ca ++ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum.