cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Liver morphology in guinea pigs fed pyrolysis products of a polychlorinated biphenyl transformer fluid continuously for 90 days.

Abstract After a fire involving a transformer, the State Office Building in Binghamton, New York, was contaminated with soot containing polychlorinated biphenyls, biphenylenes, naphthalenes, dioxins, and dibenzofurans. The toxicity of the soot and its effect on liver morphology after prolonged (subchronic) exposure were determined for both sexes of Hartley guinea pigs, which were fed soot continuously for 90 days. By light microscopy the observed alterations of the liver were predominantly centrilobular; they included hepatocyte hypertrophy, steatosis, increased glycogen and iron, focal necrosis, and bile duct proliferation with fibrosis. Cytoplasmic vacuoles and acidophilic hyalin-like bodies were observed. Electron microscopy of hepatocytes showed proliferated smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER), cytoplasmic vacuoles, concentric membrane arrays (CMAs), glycogen bodies, and microdroplets of fat, often without limiting membranes. The vacuoles frequently contained membrane fragments and had a halo-like periphery composed of proliferated membranes. Cell debris, membrane fragments, and small CMAs were observed in the sinusoids. Membrane fragments were also observed in the bile canaliculi and bile ducts. Intoxicated bile duct cells contained more cytoplasmic myelin whorls and altered mitochondria. In contrast to the previously reported study of a single dose, these liver alterations showed a strong dose dependence, emphasizing the importance of time and method of administration. The cytoplasmic vacuoles, which were not pronounced in the previous study, are here a prominent alteration, probably originating from outpouchings of canaliculi and sinusoidal membranes. A hypothesis for the mechanism of hepatocyte detoxification based on the proliferated SER and ejection of membrane fragments is proposed.
A finite element simulation of resin transfer molding based on partial nodal saturation and implicit time integration

Abstract A finite element (FEM) approach using an implicit time integration algorithm has been developed to simulate isothermal resin transfer molding process. The finite element formulation is based on the concept of partial saturation at the flow front. The discretized equation is essentially the same as is obtained by a finite element/control volume formulation. The FEM approach is easier to implement for different types of elements. Unlike the explicit time integration schemes, the proposed implicit algorithm uses fixed time steps and allows the flow to advance farther than a layer of flow front elements in a single time step. The resulting code RTMSIM has been validated by comparing its predictions with closed-form solutions for flat plates. A wicking analysis is provided to show the code's ability to deal with the effect of capillary pressure. Several other simulations are provided to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the code.
Laparoscopic major hepatectomy: pure laparoscopic approach versus hand-assisted technique

Laparoscopic liver resections are being performed with increasing frequency, with several groups having reported minimally invasive approaches for major anatomic hepatic resections. Some surgeons favor a pure laparoscopic approach, while others prefer a hand-assisted approach for major laparoscopic liver resections. There are clear advantages and disadvantages to a hand-assisted technique. The purpose of this study is to summarize the literature comparing pure laparoscopic and hand-assisted approaches for minimally invasive hepatic resection, and to describe our approach in 432 laparoscopic liver resections.
Small angel grain boundaries formed in InP films grown on faceted (0001)CdS substrates and in CdS films grown on faceted (111)InP substrates

Abstract It is shown that small angle grain boundaries are formed parallel to the intersection of a nonbasal and the basal plane, the intersection of a nonbasal and a prismatic plane and the intersection of adjacent nonbasal planes when an InP film grows on a faceted (0001)CdS substrate and when a CdS film grows in a faceted (111)InP substrate. These grain boundaries can be described by tilt boundaries, and the magnitude of the tilt is determined as a function of the angle between a nonbasal and the basal planes. The dislocation densities of dislocations with reasonably short Burgers vectors that can be used to describe the tilt boundary, and their associated dangling bond types and densities, are calculated. It is shown that the dislocation density can be as large as 1.7 × 10 5 cm -1 and the associated dangling bond density can be as large as 5.1 × 10 12 cm -2 .
Cognitive Development and Children's Solutions to Verbal Arithmetic Problems.

As any first-grade teacher can attest, beginning schoolchildren differ in their ability to solve basic mathematics problems. Some children advance their arithmetic skills with apparent ease, whereas others struggle to grasp certain concepts and, even with prolonged instruction, experience some confusion. The purpose of this study was to examine one of the factors that may account for individual differences in the acquisition of arithmetic concepts and skills-the presence of more general cognitive developmental abilities that may be prerequisites for mastering the arithmetic operations. Specifically, the study was designed to investigate the relationship between several Piagetian abilities and an information processing capacity, and first-grade children's performance on verbal addition and subtraction problems.
Ankle Syndesmosis Injuries: Anatomy, Biomechanics, Mechanism of Injury, and Clinical Guidelines for Diagnosis and Intervention

Syndesmosis injuries are rare, but very debilitating and frequently misdiagnosed. The purpose of this clinical commentary is to review the mechanisms of syndesmotic injuries, clinical examination methods, diagnosis, and management of the injuries. Cadaveric studies of the syndesmosis and deltoid ligaments are also reviewed for further understanding of stress transmission and the roles of different structures in stabilizing the distal syndesmosis. External rotation and excessive dorsiflexion of the foot on the leg have been reported as the most common mechanisms of injury. The injury is most often incurred by individuals who participate in skiing, football, soccer, and other sport activities played on turf. The external rotation and squeeze tests are reliable tests to detect this injury. The ability of imaging studies to assist in an accurate diagnosis may depend on the severity of the injury. The results of cadaveric studies indicate the importance of the deltoid ligament in maintaining stability of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis and the congruency of the ankle mortise. Intervention programs with early rigid immobilization and pain relief strategies, followed by strengthening and balance training are recommended. Heel lift and posterior splint intervention can be used to avoid separation of the distal syndesmosis induced by excessive dorsiflexion of the ankle joint. Application of a rigid external device should be used with caution to prevent medial-lateral compression of the leg superior to the ankle mortise, thereby inducing separation of the distal syndesmosis articulation. Surgical intervention is an option when a complete tear of the syndesmotic ligaments is present or when fractures are observed.
Mechanical behavior of ultrafine-grained cryomilled Al 5083 at elevated temperature

The mechanical behavior of cryomilled and consolidated Al 5083 with a duplex ultrafine-grained microstructure is described for compression testing at different temperatures and strain rates. The relationship among flow stress, strain rate, and testing temperature provides an initial hotworking guide for finegrained cryomilled aluminum alloys. The ultrafine-grained material exhibits similar deformation characteristics, such as strain-rate sensitivity, which would be expected in a conventional aluminum alloy. These findings are discussed in the context of recent empirical and theoretical models for the deformation of materials with grain sizes between 100 and 1000 nm.
Transformation of a landscape in the upper mid-west, USA: The history of the lower St. Croix river valley, 1830 to present

Abstract Learning the history of a landscape is critical to understanding present land-use patterns. We document the history of landscape change in the lower St. Croix River valley from 1830 to the present. Significant changes in land use and cover have occurred during this time. Because of the convergence of prairie, savanna and forest vegetation in this area, and because of the proximity of the St. Croix River valley to metropolitan Minneapolis/St. Paul (MN), the region is ecologically and culturally very important. A variety of information sources was used to reconstruct the lower St. Croix landscape over time. The primary sources of material were federal census records, records of lumber and agricultural production, descriptive accounts by early settlers and historians, scientific reports, the General Land Office land survey records, maps and photographs. Two periods of rapid change were identified. Change was rapid from 1850 to 1880 as first loggers and then farmers converted a lightly populated landscape of oak savanna, prairie, mixed hardwood and conifer forests and wetlands, maintained by frequent fires, into a largely deforested agricultural landscape. A second period of rapid change was from 1940 to the present as the urban area has expanded outward. Urbanization has further fragmented the remaining areas of natural habitat and has the potential to accelerate soil erosion, stream sediment transport, and oxidation of organic matter. The results of this study illustrate how landscape change can have significant impacts on ecological systems. Understanding the history of landscape change in the lower St. Croix River valley provides an analogue to help understand how other mid-western US landscapes have changed over time.
Uniqueness of polymorphic equilibria under soft selection

Abstract Any two allele polymorphic equilibrium of a subdivided haploid population subject to soft selection is stable. This provides that for a two allele system in a subdivided haploid population there is a globally attracting equilibrium which is polymorphic if a polymorphic equilibrium exists, otherwise monomorphic. These results extend to diploid populations if within each habitat the heterozygote viability is greater than or equal to the geometric mean of the homozygote viabilities.
Owl's eye appearance of a thyroid cyst.

A scintigraphic owl's eye sign has been described in benign autonomous nodules and papillary carcinoma of the thyroid gland. In this case, a thyroid cyst produced a striking owl's eye appearance on a Tc-99m pertechnetate thyroid scan
Long-Term Potentiation Is Reduced in Mice That Are Doubly Mutant in Endothelial and Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase

Nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated in hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), but LTP is normal in mice with a targeted mutation in the neuronal form of NO synthase (nNOS-). LTP was also normal in mice with a targeted mutation in endothelial NOS (eNOS-), but LTP in stratum radiatum of CA1 was significantly reduced in doubly mutant mice (nNOS-/eNOS-). By contrast, LTP in stratum oriens was normal in the doubly mutant mice. These results provide the first genetic evidence that NOS is involved in LTP in stratum radiatum and suggest that the neuronal and endothelial forms can compensate for each other in mice with a single mutation. They further suggest that there is also a NOS-independent component of LTP in stratum radiatum and that LTP in stratum oriens is largely NOS independent.
Acoustic Radiation Force Optical Coherence Elastography For Assessing

We developed a confocal acoustic radiation force (ARF) associated optical coherence elastography (OCE) system using a phase-resolved method to evaluate the mechanical properties of the artery tissue using a ring ultrasound transducer
Avoiding permanent atrial fibrillation: treatment approaches to prevent disease progression

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia and a major global public health problem due to its associated morbidity, including stroke and heart failure, diminished quality of life, and increased mortality. AF often presents initially in a paroxysmal form and may progress to a more sustained form over time. Evidence from randomized controlled trials suggests that there may be no mortality benefit to using a rhythm control approach in comparison with rate control of AF. Nevertheless, sustained forms of AF may be associated with increased symptoms and cardiovascular morbidity, and consequently they remain an additional target for therapy. The present review evaluates the clinical correlates of arrhythmia progression and risk stratification techniques available to assess probability of AF progression. Further, currently available management options for arrhythmia control in AF are evaluated and their therapeutic effect and efficacy on disease progression are explored.
Phenomenal Properties as Dummy Properties

Can the physicalist consistently hold that representational content is all there is to sensory experience and yet that two perceivers could have inverted phenomenal spectra? Yes, if he holds that the phenomenal properties the inverts experience are dummy properties, not instantiated in the physical objects being perceived nor in the perceivers’ experiences. In fact, he should probably hold that phenomenal properties don’t exist at all. All there are, as far as phenomenal properties go, are phenomenal property experiences.
BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and female fertility.

Purpose of review To review recent publications examining BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and their relationship with female fertility. Recent findings Eight relevant studies of female fertility, five of which were published since January 2010 and the remainder in the preceding decade. Several mechanisms suggest that reproduction will be adversely affected among BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, with one study finding lower oocyte production, another reporting fewer births, and a third showing lower rates of pregnancies. Four articles reported no significant difference in the number of children ever born between carriers and noncarriers whereas a 2012 study showed elevated natural fertility among mutation carriers. Summary This review shows that for most articles there are adverse or no fertility effects of being a BRCA1/2 mutation carrier. When no differences were detected for children-ever-born, those studies relied on current populations in which women had access to contraception. The sole analysis reporting elevated fertility was based on an historic population in which family planning methods were unavailable. Predictions that BRCA1/2 mutations adversely affect embryogenesis and genome integrity were not supported. The idea that BRCA1/2 mutations have antagonistic pleiotropic effects (enhancing fertility while reducing survival) was supported in the natural fertility study.
Simple classical model for Fano statistics in radiation detectors

Abstract A simple classical model that captures the essential statistics of energy partitioning processes involved in the creation of information carriers (ICs) in radiation detectors is presented. The model pictures IC formation from a fixed amount of deposited energy in terms of the statistically analogous process of successively sampling water from a large, finite-volume container (“bathtub”) with a small dipping implement (“shot or whiskey glass”). The model exhibits sub-Poisson variance in the distribution of the number of ICs generated (the “Fano effect”). Elementary statistical analysis of the model clarifies the role of energy conservation in producing the Fano effect and yields Fano's prescription for computing the relative variance of the IC number distribution in terms of the mean and variance of the underlying, single-IC energy distribution. The partitioning model is applied to the development of the impact ionization cascade in semiconductor radiation detectors. It is shown that, in tandem with simple assumptions regarding the distribution of energies required to create an (electron, hole) pair, the model yields an energy-independent Fano factor of 0.083, in accord with the lower end of the range of literature values reported for silicon and high-purity germanium. The utility of this simple picture as a diagnostic tool for guiding or constraining more detailed, “microscopic” physical models of detector material response to ionizing radiation is discussed.
Maximal subalgebras of simple modular Lie algebras

Abstract The maximal graded subalgebras of the restricted simple Lie algebras of Cartan type W n , S n , H n , and K n are studied. The notion of an R-subalgebra and that of an S-subalgebra are introduced for maximal subalgebras. All maximal R-subalgebras are described completely. The number of conjugacy classes, representatives of conjugacy classes and the dimensions of all R-subalgebras are found. An invariant description of graded S-subalgebras is also obtained.
Treatment of painful sensory neuropathy with tiagabine: a pilot study.

To evaluate the effect of tiagabine hydrochloride in painful neuropathy in a pilot, open-label study. Painful neuropathy is characterized by preferential involvement of small sensory and autonomic fibers. Tiagabine increases γ-aminobutyric acid and might enhance the central pain-control mechanisms. Seventeen patients (10 men, 7 women; mean age 51.4±7.7 y) with chronic painful neuropathy (>6 months) were enrolled in this study. Week 0:All pain medications were discontinued. Weeks 1–4: Dose of tiagabine was increased weekly by 4 mg orally up to 16 mg in week 4. Quantitative sensory testing for vibration, cooling, and heat-pain, and quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test (QSART) were done at week 0 and week 4. The McGill Pain Questionnaire was administered weekly.
Neutron induced recoil protons of restricted energy and range and biological effectiveness

Low energy neutrons (<2 MeV), those of principal concern in radiation protection, principally initiate recoil protons in biological tissues. The recoil protons from monoenergetic neutrons form rectangular distributions with energy. Monoenergetic neutrons of different energies (<2 MeV) will then produce overlapping recoil proton spectra. By overlapping the effects of individual deposition events, determined microdosimetrically for cell nuclear dimensions, from such neutron beams the biological effectiveness of recoil protons within defined energy and range bounds can be determined. Here chromosomal aberrations per cell have been quantified following irradiation of Vicia faba cells with monoenergetic neutrons of 230, 320, 430, and 1,910 keV. Aberration frequencies from cells from part of the cell cycle, thereby limiting nuclear dimensions, were linearly related to dose and to the frequency of proton recoils per nucleus. The 320 keV neutrons were the most biologically effective per unit absorbed dose and 430 keV neutrons most effective per recoil proton, with 21% of recoils inducing aberrations. After extraction of effectiveness per proton recoil within each energy and range bounds (0-230, 230-320, 320-430, and 430-1,910 keV), it was concluded that recoil protons with energies of about 200-300 keV, traveling 2.5-4 μm and depositing energy at about 80 keV μm -1 , are more efficient at aberration induction than those recoil protons of lesser range though near equivalent LET and those of greater range through lesser LET. This approach allows for assessment of the biological effectiveness of individual energy deposition events from low energy neutrons, the lowest dose a cell can receive, and provides an alternative to considerations of relative biological effectiveness.
Combinatorial equivalence of (0, 1) circulant matrices

In this paper various properties of (0, 1) square matrices are investigated, and in particular, circulant matrices are considered. If r is a (0, 1) vector or code word of length n and contains exactly K one elements, then let A(r) be the corresponding circulant matrix having r as its first row. In particular, if in r the K one elements are in the first K positions, then we say that A(r) is a canonical matrix with parameters (K, n). Two matrices A and A' are said to be in the same equivalence class if there exist permutation matrices P and P' such that A'=PAP', and we write A=A'. We assume that no matrix A being considered is equivalent to a matrix A' of the form The main results of this paper deal with obtaining necessary and sufficient conditions on A in order to ensure the existence of P and P' so that A is equivalent to the canonical matrix with parameters (K, n), where A need not be circulant. These conditions are very simple to check for. If A is equivalent to the canonical matrix with parameters (K, n), we say it has property (C, K, n). One elementary but important result is that there is only one equivalence class of (0, 1)nxn matrices A in which each row and column is unique and has exactly two one elements. From the results we can construct all those r such that A(r) has property (C, K, n), for any given K and n. If A(r) has property (C, K, n), then r cannot be a periodically repeating vector. We can therefore count the number of distinct matrices having property (C, K, n), and in some cases we can determine the number of equivalent classes of circulant matrices for a given K and n. The results obtained have applications to coding theory and in particular to cycliccodes and shift registers. The particular matrices studied were chosen because they are encountered in many engineering problems, such as the Quine matrix found in the simplification of Boolean functions and in the general formulation of the covering problem as a linear program.
First principles total energy calculations for the honeycomb model of the √3 × √3 Ag/Si(111) surface

Abstract The structural and electronic properties of √3 × √3 Ag/Si(111) are determined for the honeycomb model ( 2 3 ML Ag) by first-principles total energy calculations. The Ag atoms are found to occupy three-fold hollow sites above the Si surface. The surface is metallic but can be made semiconducting by negatively charging by one electron per surface unit cell.
Bone Architectural and Structural Properties after 56Fe26+ Radiation-Induced Changes in Body Mass

Abstract Willey, J. S., Grilly, L. G., Howard, S. H., Pecaut, M. J., Obenaus, A., Gridley, D. S., Nelson, G. A. and Bateman, T. A. Bone Architectural and Structural Properties after 56Fe26+ Radiation-Induced Changes in Body Mass. Radiat. Res. 170, 201– 207 (2008). High-energy, high-charge (HZE) radiation, including iron ions (56Fe26+), is a component of the space environment. We recently observed a profound loss of trabecular bone in mice after whole-body HZE irradiation. The goal of this study was to examine morphology in bones that were excluded from a 56Fe26+ beam used to irradiate the body. Using 10-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats and excluding the hind limbs and pelvis, we irradiated animals with 0, 1, 2 and 4 Gy 56Fe26+ ions and killed them humanely after 9 months. Animals grew throughout the experiment. Trabecular bone volume, connectivity and thickness within the proximal tibiae were significantly lower than control in a dose-dependent manner. Irradiated animals generally had less body mass than...
Commonalities and differences in correlates of depressive symptoms in men and women with heart failure

Objective:(i) To compare the prevalence and severity of depressive symptoms between men and women enrolled in a large heart failure (HF) registry. (ii) To determine gender differences in predictors of depressive symptoms from demographic, behavioral, clinical, and psychosocial factors in HF patients.Methods:In 622 HF patients (70% male, 61 ± 13 years, 59% NYHA class III/IV), depressive symptoms were assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Potential correlates were age, ethnicity, education, marital and financial status, smoking, exercise, body mass index (BMI), HF etiology, NYHA class, comorbidities, functional capacity, anxiety, and perceived control. To identify gender-specific correlates of depressive symptoms, separate logistic regression models were built by gender.Results:Correlates of depressive symptoms in men were financial status (p = 0.027), NYHA (p = 0.001); functional capacity (p < 0.001); health perception (p = 0.043); perceived control (p = 0.002) and anxiety (p < 0.001). Corr...
Structured lattice codes for 2×2×2 MIMO interference channel

We consider the 2 × 2 × 2 multiple-input multiple-output interference channel where two source-destination pairs wish to communicate with the aid of two intermediate relays. In this paper we present a novel lattice strategy called Precoded Compute-and-Forward (PCoF) with Channel Integer Alignment (CIA). This scheme consists of two phases: 1) Using the CoF framework based on CIA we convert the Gaussian network into a deterministic finite-field network. 2) Using linear precoding (over finite-field) we eliminate the end-to-end interference in the finite-field domain. Further, we exploit the algebraic structure of lattices to enhance the performance at finite SNR, such that beyond a degree of freedom result (also achievable by other means). We can also show that PCoF with CIA outperforms timesharing in a range of reasonably moderate SNR, with increasing gain as SNR increases.
The submarine flanks of Anatahan Volcano, commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Abstract The submarine flanks of Anatahan volcano were surveyed comprehensively for the first time in 2003 and 2004 with multibeam and sidescan sonar systems. A geologic map based on the new bathymetry and backscatter data shows that 67% of the volcano's submarine flanks are covered with volcaniclastic debris and 26% is lava flows, cones, and bedrock outcrops. The island of Anatahan is only 1% of the volume of the entire volcano, which has a height from its submarine base of 3700 m and an average diameter of ∼35 km. NE Anatahan is a prominent satellite volcano located 10 km NE of the island, but it is only 6% of Anatahan's volume (40 km 3 vs. 620 km 3 ). Seventy-eight submarine eruptive vents are mapped associated with lava flows and cones between depths of 350 and 2950 m, and 80% of these vents are located in a cluster on the east flank of the volcano. The distribution of cones and lava flows vs. depth suggests a possible change in eruptive style from explosive to effusive between 1500 and 2000 m. Eruptive vents below 2000 m have produced mostly lava flows. There is no evidence of major landslides on the submarine flanks of Anatahan volcano, in contrast to many basaltic islands and seamounts, suggesting that mass wasting at felsic oceanic arc volcanoes may be characterized by sediment flows of unconsolidated volcaniclastic debris instead of mass movements of relatively large intact blocks.
Recent Psychological Literature on Driving Behaviour: What, Where, and by Whom?

This study analysed the listings in PsycINFO dealing with "Driving Behaviour". PsycINFO is an international database of psychological literature that, at the time of this analysis, contained 1,015,997 items published since 1967. The analysis examined all items dated 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989 and 1994. The following information was coded for each item: year of publication, source, country of the primary author, number of authors, main topic (e.g. primarily related to the driver, the vehicle, or the environment), subtopic (e.g. alcohol, decision making), and approach (e.g. experimental, methodological, theoretical). The article highlights both the current state of, and the main developments in, the literature over the last 25 years.
2009 Special Issue: Methods for estimating neural firing rates, and their application to brain-machine interfaces

Neural spike trains present analytical challenges due to their noisy, spiking nature. Many studies of neuroscientific and neural prosthetic importance rely on a smoothed, denoised estimate of a spike train's underlying firing rate. Numerous methods for estimating neural firing rates have been developed in recent years, but to date no systematic comparison has been made between them. In this study, we review both classic and current firing rate estimation techniques. We compare the advantages and drawbacks of these methods. Then, in an effort to understand their relevance to the field of neural prostheses, we also apply these estimators to experimentally gathered neural data from a prosthetic arm-reaching paradigm. Using these estimates of firing rate, we apply standard prosthetic decoding algorithms to compare the performance of the different firing rate estimators, and, perhaps surprisingly, we find minimal differences. This study serves as a review of available spike train smoothers and a first quantitative comparison of their performance for brain-machine interfaces.
Acidity functions of some organophosphorus acids in dimethylsulphoxide and ethylene glycol

Abstract An acidity function scale (DMSOH0) has been set up in dimethyl sulphoxide solvent using primary aniline indicators. H0 and DMSOH0 values of several organophosphorus acids of the general formula (X)(Y)PO2H (where X and/or Y may be phenoxyl, hydrogen, cyclo-hexoxyl, hydroxyl, phenyl or cyclohexyl) have been determined in ethylene glycol and dimethyl sulphoxide respectively. A linear free energy relationship between the DMSOH0 value of a 0·200 M (X)(Y)PO2H in dimethyl sulphoxide solution and the X and Y substituents is described by the equation DMSO H O = DMSO H O(H)(H)P o −∑d where d is the substituent constant and is defined as zero for H; and DMSOH0(H)(H)P0 is the theoretical DMSOH0 value for the dihydrogen substituted acid, H2PO2H, and is found to have a value of 2·73 from a least squares plot.
Characterization of the role of IL-6 in the progression of prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND. We recently identified IL-6, a pleiotropic cytokine implicated in the neoplastic process of a variety of neoplasms, as a mediator of prostate cancer morbidity. In the present study, we investigated the expression of members of the IL-6 supergene family and related cytokines and the potential role of IL-6 in prostate cancer growth regulation. METHODS. Five established human prostate cancer cell lines were screened by ELISA for production of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), oncostatin M (OSM), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Expression of the ligand-binding component of the IL-6 receptor, IL-6Rp80, was evaluated by ELISA and RT-PCR. Sequential immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting were performed to assay for expression of the signal-transducing component of the IL-6 receptor, gp130. The effects of IL-6 on cell growth were assessed by MTT assays. RESULTS. The three hormone-refractory cell lines, DU-145, TSU, and PC-3, secreted distinct combinations of cytokines (DU-145: IL-6, GM-CSF; TSU: IL-6, LIF; PC-3: IL-6, G-CSF, LIF, IL-1, GM-CSF), each uniformly expressing IL-6. In contrast, neither of the two hormone-dependent cell lines, LNCaP-ATCC and LNCaP-GW, secreted significant quantities of any of the cytokines analyzed. None of the cell lines secreted detectable quantities of OSM, CNTF, or TNF. All cell lines, irrespective of hormone status, expressed both Il-6Rp80 and gp130. Addition of IL-6 in vitro inhibited growth of hormone-dependent cells, but had no effect on hormone-refractory lines. Anti-IL-6 neutralizing antibody inhibited growth of hormone-refractory cells. CONCLUSIONS. IL-6 appears to undergo a functional transition from paracrine growth inhibitor to autocrine growth stimulator during progression of prostate cancer to the hormone-refractory phenotype.
Investigation of Moisture Susceptibility of Warm-Mix Asphalt Mixes Through Laboratory Mechanical Testing

Moisture can lead to serious damage and failures in hot-mix asphalt concrete pavements. This is an even greater concern for warm-mix asphalt because the much lower production temperatures may not completely dry the aggregates. In this Maine Department of Transportation study, the use of fracture energy parameters was evaluated to determine the influence of incomplete drying of mixes on their mechanical properties. Fracture energy-based parameters [energy ratio (ER); ratio of energy ratio (RER)] were determined from the following testing of mixes with fully and partially dried aggregates, some of which were subjected to moisture conditioning: resilient modulus, creep compliance, and indirect tensile strength (ITS) at 5°C. The results indicate that (a) resilient modulus, creep compliance, and ITS were all affected by the presence of moisture in mixes; (b) the trend and the degree of influence of moisture for different mechanical parameters were different; (c) the moisture conditioning process caused larger ...
Biological integrity in urban streams: Toward resolving multiple dimensions of urbanization

Most studies of urban streams have relied on single variables to characterize the degree of urbanization, which may not reflect interactions among features of urban landscapes adequately. We report on an approach to the characterization of urbanization effects on streams that used principal components analysis and multiple regression to explore the combined, interactive effects of land use/land cover, human population demography, and stream habitat quality on an index of biological integrity (IBI) of fish communities. Applied to a substantially urbanized region in northeast OH, USA, the analysis demonstrated the interactive nature of urbanization effects. Urban land use and stream habitat quality were significant predictors of IBI, but were no better than and, in some cases, poorer predictors than other gradients and interactions among gradients. High integrity sites were characterized by low forest cover and high grassland cover at sub-catchment scale, but high forest cover within a 500 m radius local zone of the sample point, conditions often found in protected parklands in the region. The analysis also indicated that variability in stream habitat quality was unrelated to landscape or demographic features, a result we attribute to the interaction between the geological and urbanization histories of the region. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Playing on the typewriter, typing on the piano: manipulation knowledge of objects

Two experiments investigated sensory/motor-based functional knowledge of man-made objects: manipulation features associated with the actual usage of objects. In Experiment 1, a series of prime-target pairs was presented auditorily, and participants were asked to make a lexical decision on the target word. Participants made a significantly faster decision about the target word (e.g. 'typewriter') following a related prime that shared manipulation features with the target (e.g. 'piano') than an unrelated prime (e.g. 'blanket'). In Experiment 2, participants' eye movements were monitored when they viewed a visual display on a computer screen while listening to a concurrent auditory input. Participants were instructed to simply identify the auditory input and touch the corresponding object on the computer display. Participants fixated an object picture (e.g. "typewriter") related to a target word (e.g. 'piano') significantly more often than an unrelated object picture (e.g. "bucket") as well as a visually matched control (e.g. "couch"). Results of the two experiments suggest that manipulation knowledge of words is retrieved without conscious effort and that manipulation knowledge constitutes a part of the lexical-semantic representation of objects.
The net worth of an object-oriented pattern: practical implications of Java RMI

Debugging distributed applications in their run-time environment is notoriously hard and development and testing of application logic must be completed ahead of this step. Using Java RMI allows a developer to separate the two stages (development of the application logic from the deployment of the application in its distributed run-time environment) but the developer must acknowledge a specific pattern from the outset. We present this pattern below: it allows for a stage of fully carried out development of the application in an isolated run-time environment (no network) and makes the switch to a true networked run-time environment completely transparent.
Policy Implications Relating to Inmate Mothers and their Children: Will the Past be Prologue?:

Mandatory sentencing guidelines and gender-neutral sentencing policies are largely responsible for the dramatic increase and repetitive incarcerations of female prisoners. Not surprisingly, these sentencing policies have also resulted in the further deterioration of the inmate mother-child relationship as well as an increase in the social, emotional, and criminal problems of the children. This article presents data from a study conducted at three Montana female correctional facilities and interviews with guardians ad litem. The most compelling finding of this study is the reality that the majority of the inmate mothers will be reunited with their children, and many will not be able to succeed in living crime-free and drug-free lives or maintaining stable relationships with their children. Thus, the purpose of this article is to present data that support recommendations for policy changes that other states should consider to prevent further incarcerations and facilitate a positive mother-child relationship.
Ghanaian (Akan) women’s experiences of widowhood and property rights violations: An ethnographic inquiry

This study, part of a larger ethnography, explores the interaction of national inheritance laws and local culture in the everyday lives of Ghanaian (Akan) women who have been widowed. Property ownership is fundamental to women’s economic survival, empowerment, and liberation from abusive relationships. Yet millions of women around the world, especially those in developing nations lose their rights to own, inherit, and manage property following the deaths of their husbands. This research took place in two cities and two villages each in the Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo regions. Methods included participant observation conducted over a four-month period in and around the homes of women who had been widowed and focused observations of women’s interactions with family members in the home. In-depth interviews conducted in Twi with 20 widows, five from each site, focused on women’s experiences of widowhood. Thirteen women described property rights violations occurring when they were vulnerable due to bereavement and/or widowhood rites, and resulting in long-term economic challenges for them and their children. Their experiences suggest that local, customary laws have constrained the implementation of national, progressive laws to eliminate gender discrimination in inheritance. Women also described their sources of resilience including social support from family and friends, spirituality, and their own advocacy for other women. We discuss implications for international social work,
Recent results using synchrotron radiation for energy‐dispersive x‐ray fluorescence analysis

Results obtained using synchrotron radiation as an excitation source for energy-dispersive analysis are reviewed. Practical experience gained in the use of tunable, monochromatic excitation for trace analysis of various types of samples is discussed. Advantages and limitations associated with specific synchrotron radiation properties are evaluated. In particular, the influence of multiple inelastic scattering and resonant Raman scattering on limiting the degree of detectability improvements associated with energy tuning is demonstrated. A scanning x-ray microprobe employing multilayer mirrors as focusing elements is described. Measurements performed with this system have demonstrated the capability of detecting femtogram quantities of trace elements in a 10 × 10 μm area.
Mercury partitioning in a power plant plume and its influence on atmospheric removal mechanisms

Abstract Air samples were collected isokinetically in the plume of a major coal-fired power plant during helicopter flights. The dominant form of mercury in the plume was elemental Hg vapor, ranging from 92 to 99% of the total Hg concentration in air. There was no evidence of significant gas to particle conversion during plume aging. The predominance of the vapor form is conducive to long-range transport and removal by precipitation scavenging.
GIDM: globally-indexed distributed memory

In applications where a large array is distributed over multiple machines, the programming task is simplified if a common global indexing structure is used on all nodes. Distributed Shared Memory (DSM) can be used to achieve this. However most implementations of DSM are too general and too inefficient for this task. We present a special form of DSM, targeted specifically at numerical distributed applications. This technique decouples the two aspects of DSM systems: the global view and the consistency protocols. The global view allows a program to access each element using its global index even if only a partition of an array is allocated locally. The consistency protocol allows two copies to be synchronized, but leaves the decision of when to synchronize up to the programmer using explicit export/import primitives. The two mechanisms can be used separately or together The technique provides the advantages of easier programming, flexibility, scalability, and good performance.
Microwave diagnostics of a repetitive, short-pulse-sustained, weakly ionized, air plasma under the influence of a magnetic field

A microwave-transmission-based diagnostic method is presented here, applicable to plasmas having electron collision frequencies up to about twice their electron plasma frequency, and under the influence of an applied magnetic field. This technique is capable of measuring both electron number density and collision frequency. By varying the intensity of the applied magnetic field, the frequency of the upper hybrid resonance for transmission of extraordinary waves, as predicted by the Asher-Appleton-Hartree dispersion relation, is scanned through the microwave diagnostic frequency. Qualitatively, the zero transmission location of the resonant band depends on the electron number density, and the existence of the band depends on the collision frequency. Because there is essentially zero transmission through the resonant band, the measurement is accomplished by determining the ranges of microwave frequencies and magnetic field intensities that yield no transmission. In contrast to more standard techniques, the results presented here do not rely on accurate measurement of the transmission fraction or phase shift. The technique relies instead on measuring the applied field strengths and diagnostic frequencies that yield an opaque plasma. The opacity of the plasma can be robust with respect to the refraction, diffraction, multiple reflections, and impedance matching that can plague accurate measurements of microwave transmission fraction and phase shift, particularly in the case of small plasmas with near field geometries
Lack of Global Dosage Compensation in Schistosoma mansoni, a Female-Heterogametic Parasite

Many species have morphologically and genetically differentiated sex chromosomes, such as the XY pair of mammals. Y chromosomes are often highly degenerated and carry few functional genes, so that XY males have only one copy of most X-linked genes (whereas females have two). As a result, chromosome-wide mechanisms of dosage compensation, such as the mammalian X-inactivation, often evolve to reestablish expression balance. A similar phenomenon is expected in female-heterogametic species, where ZW females should suffer from imbalances due to W-chromosome degeneration. However, no global dosage compensation mechanisms have been detected in the two independent ZW systems that have been studied systematically (birds and silkworm), leading to the suggestion that lack of global dosage compensation may be a general feature of female-heterogametic species. However, analyses of other independently evolved ZW systems are required to test if this is the case. In this study, we use published genomic and expression data to test for the presence of global dosage compensation in Schistosoma mansoni, a trematode parasite that causes schistosomiasis in humans. We find that Z-linked expression is reduced relative to autosomal expression in females but not males, consistent with incomplete or localized dosage compensation. This gives further support to the theory that female-heterogametic species may not require global mechanisms of dosage compensation.
Malea Fashion District: A New Way to Learn Managerial Accounting Antonio Davila and Daniel Oyon

Malea Fashion District: A New Way to Learn Managerial Accounting Antonio Davila and Daniel Oyon Barcelona: Vease Ediciones, 2009, 258 pp., ISBN: 978-84-612-8317-0 Many textbooks are available to he...
Stellate ganglion block

Abstract The stellate ganglion consists of sympathetic fibers that predominate the upper extremity face and intracranial vault. It lies anterior to the C7 tubercle and T1 transverse process. The stellate ganglion can be blocked by a variety of approaches, most commonly an approach at C6 Chassaignac's tubercle is used. Block of the stellate ganglion can be for both diagnostic and/or therapeutic purposes. Patients who derive relief after stellate ganglion block are felt to have sympathetically mediated pain processes. Located anesthetics are most commonly used in the performance of a stellate ganglion block. This report details the indications, techniques, different approaches, side effects and complications of a stellate ganglion block. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company
Evaluation of Methodology in Analyzing Compost for Erosion Control

Preventing erosion has been considered an important, pressing issue for decades. The latest techniques in conventional erosion control near wetlands use hay bales and silt fences. Although these conventional methods may reduce the amount of erosion, their effectiveness is infrequently reliable. Such methods are considered the standard means of erosion prevention in Massachusetts. Research from other states demonstrates growing interest in the use of compost for erosion control. The purpose of research was to determine the environmental acceptability of wood wastes and composted materials from various locations throughout Massachusetts to control erosion. Specific validation was done on the methodology constructed to test compost for individual analytes. Nutrient measurements consisted of total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. Testing for microbial growth included enterococci and E. coli. The pH was also measured. Further assessment included a statistical analysis of the data, conducte...
Association Test for X-Linked QTL in Family-Based Designs

Family-based association methods for detecting quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been developed primarily for autosomes, and comparable methods for X-linked QTL have received less attention. We have developed a family-based association test for quantitative traits, named XQTL, which uses X-linked markers in a nuclear family design. XQTL adopts the framework of the orthogonal model implemented in the QTDT program, modifying the sex-specific score for X-linked genotypes. XQTL also takes into account the dosage effect due to female X chromosome inactivation. Restricted maximum likelihood (REML) and Fisher's scoring method are used to estimate variance components of random effects. Fixed effects, derived from the phenotypic differences among and within families, are estimated by the least-squares method. Our proposed XQTL can perform allelic and two-locus haplotypic association tests and can provide estimates of additive genetic effects and variance components. Simulation studies show correct type I error rates under the null hypothesis and robust statistical power under alternative scenarios. The loss of power observed when parental genotypes are missing can be compensated by an increase of offspring number. By treating age at onset of Parkinson disease as a quantitative trait, we illustrate our method, using MAO polymorphisms in 780 families.