cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FUNDAMENTAL TWO-PHASE-FLOW MODELS OF COMBUSTION IN POROUS ENERGETIC MATERIALS

ABSTRACT Deflagrations in porous energetic materials are characterized by regions of two-phase flow where significant velocity and temperature differences between the gaseous and condensed phases act to modify the structure and propagation velocity of the combustion wave. In the present work, recent models that describe propagating deflagrations under varying degrees of confinement, as represented by the pressure difference (or overpressure) between the burned and unburned regions, are reviewed. It is shown how the structure, propagation speed, and final temperature of the combustion wave depend on the porosity and local pressure in the two-phase regions, even in the unconfined limit corresponding to zero overpressures. For the more general confined problem, however, exhibiting the burning-rate response as a function of overpressure is shown to additionally predict the well-known transition from conductive to convective burning associated with the preheating of the unburned material by the burned gases. I...
Early and late surgery in craniofacial dysostosis: A longitudinal cephalometric study

Abstract Longitudinal clinical and cephalometric case studies are presented for two groups of patients with craniofacial dysostosis. The first sample includes two infants who underwent an extensive stripping procedure that was extended inferiorly to involve not only the coronal, but also the sphenozygomatic suture. The second sample includes two adolescents with midfacial hypoplasia who underwent a fronto-orbital-maxillary advancement. The extensive cranial stripping procedure had a favorable impact upon growth and development of the craniofacial structures, and longitudinal studies suggest the importance of promoting the growth potential of the bones contiguous to the affected sutures. Craniofacial surgery performed on adolescents results in a dramatic translocation of the skeletal and soft-tissue structures of the face. In contrast to early surgical intervention in infants in whom growth of the affected areas essential to the development of face and cranium was crucial, late surgery appeared to have little, if any, impact upon the development of the craniofacial skeletal structures that had been operated on.
Viscometric properties of poly(dimethylsiloxane) filled with spherical silica particles

The shear viscosity and primary normal stress coefficient were measured for colloidal dispersions of monodisperse silica spheres in poly(dimethylsiloxane). The viscometric properties of the dispersions were a function of the shear rate, particle diameter, and the volume fraction of particles. Dimensional analysis of rheological properties of colloidal dispersions of spherical particles in a second-order fluid was performed, and the experimental data were analyzed in terms of the appropriate dimensionless groups. The reduced shear viscosity of the colloidal dispersions was a function of the volume fraction of particles and the reduced shear stress (or reduced shear rate). The reduced primary normal stress coefficient was a function of the volume fraction of particles, the reduced shear rate, and the Weissenberg number.
FIVE NEW RECORDS AND NOTES ON CANADIAN ACRIDIDAE FROM THE HIGDON RANCH, SOUTHEASTERN ALBERTA

For a number of years the writer has awaited an opportunity to collect in the southeastern corner of Alberta with the expectation of finding there certain Acridids not previously recorded from Canada. That opportunity came on July 16, 1938, when the writer, accompanied by his brother, went into the Higdon Ranch, via Warner, Foremost, Orion and Manyberries and again on September 14, went into the same ranch via Havre, Wild Horse and Comrey.
Quantification and Minimization of Crosstalk Sensitivity in Networks

Crosstalk is defined as the set of unwanted interactions among the different entities of a network. Crosstalk is present in various degrees in every system where information is transmitted through a means that is accessible by all the individual units of the network. Using concepts from graph theory, we introduce a quantifiable measure for sensitivity to crosstalk, and analytically derive the structure of the networks in which it is minimized. It is shown that networks with an inhomogeneous degree distribution are more robust to crosstalk than corresponding homogeneous networks. We provide a method to construct the graph with the minimum possible sensitivity to crosstalk, given its order and size. Finally, for networks with a fixed degree sequence, we present an algorithm to find the optimal interconnection structure among their vertices.
True confessions?: Alumni's retrospective reports on undergraduate cheating behaviors

College cheating is prevalent, with rates ranging widely from 9 to 95% (Whitley, 1998). Research has been exclusively conducted with enrolled college students. This study examined the prevalence of cheating in a sample of college alumni, who risk less in disclosing academic dishonesty than current students. A total of 273 alumni reported on their prevalence and perceived severity of 19 cheating behaviors. The vast majority of participants (81.7%) report having engaged in some form of cheating during their undergraduate career. The most common forms of cheating were “copying from another student's assignment” and “allowing others to copy from your assignment.” More students reported cheating in classes for their major than other classes. Males and females cheated at the same rates in classes for their major, and males reported higher rates of cheating than females in nonmajor classes. Respondents reported that their top reasons for cheating were “lack of time” and “to help a friend.”
The corrupt organization

This article explores the psychic meaning of corruption understood as an attack on norms of conduct in organizations. The primary focus is on why individuals fail to become securely attached to norms, and on the part played in this failure by certain key features of corruption: greed, arrogance, a sense of personal entitlement, the idea of virtue as personal loyalty, and the inability to distinguish between organizational and personal ends. The essay considers the moral dimension of the problem and suggests that conduct normally interpreted as corrupt often expresses a powerful attachment to primitive moral thinking rather than a rejection of morality.
Mutation of cyclin/cdk phosphorylation sites in HsCdc6 disrupts a late step in initiation of DNA replication in human cells.

Cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdk) are essential for promoting the initiation of DNA replication, presumably by phosphorylating key regulatory proteins that are involved in triggering the G1/S transiti...
Thermal Conductivity of Plasma‐Sprayed Aluminum Oxide—Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Composites

Aluminum oxide nanocomposites reinforced with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) were prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying of blended and spray-dried powders. Thermal conductivity was measured using the laser flash technique for temperatures between 251 and 3001C. An aluminum oxide—4 wt% MWNT nanocomposite prepared from the blended powder showed the highest conductivity, followed by aluminum oxide without nanotubes, 8 and 4 wt% MWNT composite prepared from spray-dried powder in that order. The thermal conductivity values obtained are rationalized taking into account the crystallite size, porosity, MWNT content, microstructure, and the interfaces and metastable c-Al2O3 content present in the nanocomposite.
Increased density of tumor associated macrophages is associated with decreased survival in advanced thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancers are infiltrated with tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), yet their role in cancer progression is not known. The objectives of this study were to characterize the density of TAMs in well-differentiated (WDTC), poorly differentiated (PDTC), and anaplastic thyroid cancers (ATC) and to correlate TAM density with clinicopathologic parameters. Immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue microarray sections from WDTC (n=33), PDTC (n=37), and ATC (n=20) using macrophage-specific markers. Electronic medical records were used to gather clinical and pathologic data. Follow-up information of PDTC patients was available for 0-12 years. In total, 9 out of 33 WDTC (27%), 20 out of 37 PDTC (54%), and 19 out of 20 ATC (95%) had an increased density of CD68(+) TAMs (> or = 10 per 0.28 mm(2); WDTC versus PDTC, P=0.03; WDTC versus ATC, P<0.0001; PDTC versus ATC, P<0.002). Increased TAMs in PDTC was associated with capsular invasion (P=0.034), extrathyroidal extension (P=0.009), and decreased cancer-related survival (P=0.009) compared with PDTC with a low density of TAMs. In conclusion, the density of TAMs is increased in advanced thyroid cancers. The presence of a high density of TAMs in PDTC correlates with invasion and decreased cancer-related survival. These results suggest that TAMs may facilitate tumor progression. As novel therapies directed against thyroid tumor cell-specific targets are being tested, the potential role of TAMs as potential modulators of the thyroid cancer behavior will need to be considered.
The Adaptor Protein Paxillin Is Essential for Normal Development in the Mouse and Is a Critical Transducer of Fibronectin Signaling

ABSTRACT The integrin family of cell adhesion receptors are important for a diverse set of biological responses during development. Although many integrins have been shown to engage a similar set of cytoplasmic effector proteins in vitro, the importance of these proteins in the biological events mediated by different integrin receptors and ligands is uncertain. We have examined the role of one of the best-characterized integrin effectors, the focal adhesion protein paxillin, by disruption of the paxillin gene in mice. Paxillin was found to be critically involved in regulating the development of mesodermally derived structures such as heart and somites. The phenotype of the paxillin−/− mice closely resembles that of fibronectin−/− mice, suggesting that paxillin is a critical transducer of signals from fibronectin receptors during early development. Paxillin was also found to play a critical role in fibronectin receptor biology ex vivo since cultured paxillin-null fibroblasts display abnormal focal adhesions, reduced cell migration, inefficient localization of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and reduced fibronectin-induced phosphorylation of FAK, Cas, and mitogen-activated protein kinase. In addition, we found that paxillin-null fibroblasts show some defects in the cortical cytoskeleton and cell spreading on fibronectin, raising the possibility that paxillin could play a role in structures distinct from focal adhesions. Thus, paxillin and fibronectin regulate some common embryonic developmental events, possibly due to paxillin modulation of fibronectin-regulated focal adhesion dynamics and organization of the membrane cytoskeletal structures that regulate cell migration and spreading.
Canopy and leaf level 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol fluxes from a ponderosa pine plantation

Abstract Canopy and leaf level 2-methyl-3-butene-2-ol (methylbutenol, MBO) emissions were measured from a ponderosa pine plantation in the Sierra Nevada mountains from July to October 1998. Canopy scale fluxes were measured using a gradient approach, leaf level fluxes used a flow-through chamber. Emissions were dependent on ambient light and temperature levels and showed a diurnal cycle very similar to isoprene in deciduous forests. Maximum fluxes occurred between 1000 and 1700 h with an average of 2 mg C m −2 h −1 in July and August, which equaled approximately 0.3–0.5% of the simultaneously measured gross carbon uptake. MBO mixing ratios and fluxes over the pine plantation were also measured with a relaxed eddy accumulation (REA) system operated during part of our measurement campaign ( Baker et al., 1999 Journal of Geophysical Research, in press). Mixing ratios measured by both systems were in good agreement but the gradient approach estimated MBO fluxes twice as high than the REA approach. Leaf level investigations revealed a seasonal cycle in basal emission rate (emissions at 1000 μmol m −2 s −1 PAR and 30°C) with a maximum in August, decreasing towards the end of the season. We developed an emission model to scale MBO fluxes from the leaf level to the ecosystem level based on the well-known isoprene algorithm. The model estimates are substantially lower than our gradient flux measurements, and match better with the REA flux measurements, and we conclude that the gradient approach overestimated MBO fluxes at this site. Comparing seasonal changes of measured with modeled fluxes showed a pattern of basal emission rates similar to those observed at the leaf level, and the basal emission rate was related to daytime air temperatures. While MBO contributes substantially to local photochemistry and its oxidation contributes significantly to the regional acetone budget, the latter probably does not represent a significant global source of atmospheric acetone.
Antiviral and Cellular Metabolism Interactions between Dexelvucitabine and Lamivudine

Studies on cellular drug interactions with antiretroviral agents prior to clinical trials are critical to detect possible drug interactions. Herein, we demonstrated that two 2'-deoxycytidine antiretroviral agents, dexelvucitabine (known as beta-d-2',3'-didehydro-2',3'-dideoxy-5-fluorocytidine, DFC, d-d4FC, or RVT) and lamivudine (3TC), combined in primary human peripheral blood mononuclear (PBM) cells infected with human immunodeficiency virus 1 strain LAI (HIV-1(LAI)), resulted in additive-to-synergistic effects. The cellular metabolism of DFC and 3TC was studied in human T-cell lymphoma (CEM) and in primary human PBM cells to determine whether this combination caused any reduction in active nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) levels, which could decrease with their antiviral potency. Competition studies were conducted by coincubation of either radiolabeled DFC with different concentrations of 3TC or radiolabeled 3TC with different concentrations of DFC. Coincubation of radiolabeled 3TC with DFC at concentrations up to 33.3 microM did not cause any marked reduction in 3TC-triphosphate (TP) or any 3TC metabolites. However, a reduction in the level of DFC metabolites was noted at high concentrations of 3TC with radiolabeled DFC. DFC-TP levels in CEM and primary human PBM cells decreased by 88% and 94%, respectively, when high concentrations of 3TC (33.3 and 100 microM) were added, which may influence the effectiveness of DFC-5'-TP on the HIV-1 polymerase. The NTP levels remained well above the median (50%) inhibitory concentration for HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. These results suggest that both beta-d- and beta-l-2'-deoxycytidine analogs, DFC and 3TC, respectively, substrates of 2'-deoxycytidine kinase, could be used in a combined therapeutic modality. However, it may be necessary to decrease the dose of 3TC for this combination to prove effective.
Children read normal and reversed letters: A simple test of reading skill

Above- and below-average readers in grades 3, 5 and 7 named letters under two conditions. In one condition, letters were presented in normal orientation. In the other condition, letters were presented in left-right mirror image orientation. The ratio of (1) naming time on normal letters to (2) naming time on mirror image letters was calculated for each child. Good readers had lower ratios than poor readers. This was due primarily to the faster naming of normal letters by good readers. Good and poor readers named mirror image letters at similar speeds. Two possible explanations for the results are discussed. One explanation is that the skilled readers have a better memory for the normal orientation of the letter shapes. A second explanation is that skilled readers process more peripheral information, when naming, than their less skilled counterparts, but that this peripheral processing is curtailed when transformed text is presented.
Structure–Activity Correlations in a Nickel–Borate Oxygen Evolution Catalyst

An oxygen evolution catalyst that forms as a thin film from Ni(aq)2+ solutions containing borate electrolyte (Ni–Bi) has been studied by in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy. A dramatic increase in catalytic rate, induced by anodic activation of the electrodeposited films, is accompanied by structure and oxidation state changes. Coulometric measurements correlated with X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectra of the active catalyst show that the nickel centers in activated films possess an average oxidation state of +3.6, indicating that a substantial proportion of nickel centers exist in a formal oxidation state of Ni(IV). In contrast, nickel centers in nonactivated films exist predominantly as Ni(III). Extended X-ray absorption fine structure reveals that activated catalyst films comprise bis-oxo/hydroxo-bridged nickel centers organized into sheets of edge-sharing NiO6 octahedra. Diminished long-range ordering in catalyst films is due to their ostensibly amorphous nature. Nonactivated films display...
Integrating information across eye movements

Abstract A series of experiments was conducted in which a word initially appeared in parafoveal vision, followed by the subject's eye movement to the stimulus. During the eye movement, the initially displayed word was replaced by a word which the subject read. Under certain conditions, the prior parafoveal word facilitated naming the foveal word. Three alternative hypotheses were explored concerning the nature of the facilitation. The verbalization hypothesis suggests that information acquired from the parafoveal word permits the subject to begin to form the speech musculature properly for saying the word. The visual features integration hypothesis suggests that visual information obtained from the parafoveal word is integrated with foveal information after the saccade. The preliminary letter identification hypothesis suggests that some abstract code about the letters of the parafoveal word is stored and integrated with information available in the fovea after the saccade. The results of the experiments supported the latter hypothesis in that information about the beginning letters of words was facilitatory in the task. The other two hypotheses were disconfirmed by the results of the experiments.
On the estimation of surface gravity waves from subsurface pressure records for estuarine basins

Abstract According to small-amplitude theory, the surface gravity-wave spectrum can be estimated from a subsurface pressure-fluctuation spectrum by applying a factor ( K ) that compensates for the attenuation of surface-wave amplitude as the depth below the water surface and the wave frequency increase. There are a number of factors, however, that cause K to be inaccurate over a large portion of the spectrum's frequency range. Numerous attempts have been made to derive an empirical correction factor ( n ) that could be applied to K to provide a better estimate of the surface-wave spectrum. This paper evaluates some of these empirical factors, specifically for use in an estuarine environment, and recommends Graces' (1978) equation for n as a function of the non-dimensional frequency parameter kh (where k = 2π L is the local wavenumber, h the local depth and L the wavelength). The paper also evaluates the maximum limit ( K max ) on the magnitude of K suggested by Esteva & Harris (1970) , where relative depth d h ( d is the pressure transducer height above the bottom) and k o h (a parameter directly related for large values of kh to wave frequency by the dispersion relation) are the independent variables. The choice of K max may be made unimportant if d is selected beforehand using an equation (Knowles, 1981a) for the minimum d h limit affected by the choice of K max .
Estimable Functions in Log-Linear Models

Since Goodman's introduction of log-linear models to social scientists in 1972, the technique has become a basic tool. Applications have been limited, however, by a serious misunderstanding of the interpretation of parameters in log-linear models. The problem arises from attempts to interpret the parameters as though they are similar to regression coefficients, rather than as similar to ANOVA coefficients. More technically, the problem arises from a failure to understand the concept of estimability and its application to log-linear analysis. This article defines the concept of estimability for log-linear models, indicates the implications of this concept for the interpretation of parameters in log-linear models, and provides rules for determining the estimability of linear functions of parameters.
The Hantavirus Nucleocapsid Protein Recognizes Specific Features of the Viral RNA Panhandle and Is Altered in Conformation upon RNA Binding

Hantaviruses are tripartite negative-sense RNA viruses and members of the Bunyaviridae family. The nucleocapsid (N) protein is the principal structural component of the viral capsid. N forms a stable trimer that specifically recognizes the panhandle structure formed by the viral RNA termini. We used trimeric glutathione S-transferase (GST)-N protein and small RNA panhandles to examine the requirements for specific recognition by Sin Nombre hantavirus N. Trimeric GST-N recognizes the panhandles of the three viral RNAs (S, M, and L) with high affinity, whereas the corresponding plus-strand panhandles of the complementary RNA are recognized with lower affinity. Based on analysis of nucleotide substitutions that alter either the higher-order structure of the panhandle or the primary sequence of the panhandle, both secondary structure and primary sequence are necessary for stable interaction with N. A panhandle 23 nucleotides long is necessary and sufficient for high-affinity binding by N, and stoichiometry calculations indicate that a single N trimer interacts with a single panhandle. Surprisingly, displacement of the panhandle structure away from the terminus does not eliminate recognition by N. The binding of N to the panhandle is an entropy-driven process resulting in initial stable N-RNA interaction followed by a conformational change in N. Taken together, these data provide insight into the molecular events that take place during interaction of N with the panhandle and suggest that specific high-affinity interaction between an RNA binding domain of trimeric N and the panhandle is required for encapsidation of the three viral RNAs.
Does screening for disease save lives in asymptomatic adults? Systematic review of meta-analyses and randomized trials

Background Several popular screening tests, such as mammography and prostate-specific antigen, have met with wide controversy and/or have lost their endorsement recently. We systematically evaluated evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as to whether screening decreases mortality from diseases where death is a common outcome. Methods We searched three sources: United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and PubMed. We extracted recommendation status, category of evidence and RCT availability on mortality for screening tests for diseases on asymptomatic adults (excluding pregnant women and children) from USPSTF. We identified meta-analyses and individual RCTs on screening and mortality from Cochrane and PubMed. Results We selected 19 diseases (39 tests) out of 50 diseases/disorders for which USPSTF provides screening evaluation. Screening is recommended for 6 diseases (12 tests) out of the 19. We assessed 9 non-overlapping meta-analyses and 48 individual trials for these 19 diseases. Among the results of the meta-analyses, reductions where the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) excluded the null occurred for four disease-specific mortality estimates (ultrasound for abdominal aortic aneurysm in men; mammography for breast cancer; fecal occult blood test and flexible sigmoidoscopy for colorectal cancer) and for none of the all-cause mortality estimates. Among individual RCTs, reductions in disease-specific and all-cause mortality where the 95% CIs excluded the null occurred in 30% and 11% of the estimates, respectively. Conclusions Among currently available screening tests for diseases where death is a common outcome, reductions in disease-specific mortality are uncommon and reductions in all-cause mortality are very rare or non-existent.
Acute native lung hyperinflation is not associated with poor outcomes after single lung transplant for emphysema.

Abstract Background Single-lung transplantation for emphysema may be complicated by acute native lung hyperinflation (ANLH) with hemodynamic and ventilatory compromise. Some groups advocate the routine use of independent lung ventilation, double-lung transplant, or right-lung transplant with or without contralateral lung volume reduction surgery in high-risk patients. The goal of this study was to determine the incidence of ANLH and identify its potential predictors. Methods We reviewed 51 consecutive single-lung transplants for emphysema. Symptomatic ANLH was defined as mediastinal shift and diaphragmatic flattening on chest x-ray with hemodynamic or respiratory failure requiring cardiopressor agents or independent lung ventilation. Preoperative and postoperative physiologic and hemodynamic data were analyzed from both recipients and donors. Results Sixteen patients developed radiographic ANLH; 8 were symptomatic, 2 severely so. We could not identify high-risk patients before transplant by pulmonary function tests, predicted donor total lung capacity (TLC)/actual recipient TLC ratio, pulmonary artery pressures, or the side transplanted. There was a trend toward an increased incidence of symptomatic ANLH in patients with bullous emphysema on chest computed tomography, but this was accounted for primarily by patients with α 1 -antitrypsin deficiency (4/13 vs 4/38 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, P = 0.10). No patient required cardiopulmonary bypass or inhaled nitric oxide intraoperatively. Patients with acute native lung hyperinflation did not have increased reperfusion edema as measured by chest x-ray score or PaO 2 /F I O 2 ratio. Compared to patients without ANLH, symptomatic patients had longer ventilator times (64.9 ± 14.6 hours vs 40.4 ± 3.9, P = 0.02, ANOVA) and longer lengths of stay (19.3 ± 2.1 days vs 13.7 ± 1.3, P = 0.07), but 30-day survival was 100%. Two symptomatic patients required independent lung ventilation or inhaled nitric oxide; the others were managed with decreased minute ventilation, early extubation, and cardiopressor agents. No patient required early lung volume reduction surgery or retransplantation. Acute native lung hyperinflation had no effect on FEV 1 or 6-minute walk results at 1 year; survival at 1, 2, or 3 years; or the rate of acute rejection, infection, or bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome greater than grade 2. Conclusion Acute native lung hyperinflation is common radiographically but is rarely clinically severe. Although there was a trend toward an increase in symptomatic ANLH in patients with bullous emphysema, a high-risk group could not be identified preoperatively. Our results do not support the routine use of bilateral lung transplant, the exclusive use of right single-lung transplant, simultaneous lung volume reduction surgery, or independent lung ventilation for patients with emphysema. Management strategies should be employed that limit overdistension of the native lung and lead to early extubation.
Malarial parasites as geographical markers in migratory birds

We tested the hypothesis that malarial parasites (Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) of black-throated blue warblers (Dendroica caerulescens) provide sufficient geographical signal to track population movements between the warbler's breeding and wintering habitats in North America. Our results from 1083 warblers sampled across the species' breeding range indicate that parasite lineages are geographically widespread and do not provide site-specific information. The wide distribution of malarial parasites probably reflects postnatal dispersal of their hosts as well as mixing of breeding populations on the wintering range. When compared to geographically structured parasites of sedentary Caribbean songbirds, patterns of malarial infections in black-throated blue warblers suggest that host–malaria dynamics of migratory and sedentary bird populations may be subject to contrasting selection pressures.
RGS inhibition at Gαi2 selectively potentiates 5-HT1A–mediated antidepressant effects

Elevating serotonin (5-HT) levels with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is the most widely used treatment for depression. However, current therapies are ineffective, have delayed benefit, or cause side effects in many patients. Here, we define a mechanism downstream of 5-HT1A receptors that mediates antidepressant-like behavior and is profoundly and selectively enhanced by genetic disruption of regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) activity at Gαi2. Animals rendered insensitive to RGS protein regulation through a mutation in Gαi2 (G184S) exhibited spontaneous antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like behaviors. Mice expressing RGS-insensitive Gαi2 also exhibited increased cortical and hippocampal phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β, a constitutively active proapoptotic kinase that is inhibited through phosphorylation in response to serotonin, SSRIs, and 5-HT1 receptor agonists. Both behavioral and biochemical phenotypes were blocked by treatment with WAY 100635, a 5-HT1A–selective antagonist. RGS-insensitive mice were also 5–10 times more responsive to the antidepressant-like effects of the SSRI fluvoxamine and 5-HT1A–selective agonist 8-hydroxy-2-dipropylaminotetralin. In contrast, the antidepressant potency of agents acting through nonserotonergic mechanisms was unchanged as was 5-HT1A action on body temperature. The findings point to a critical role for endogenous RGS proteins to suppress the antidepressant-like effects of 5-HT1A receptor activation. By selectively enhancing the beneficial effects of serotonin, inhibition of RGS proteins represents a therapeutic approach for the treatment of mood disorders.
Commentary: Update on Animal Models for NTP Studies

Based on recommendations of participants at the National Toxicology Program (NTP) workshop ‘‘Animal Models for the NTP Cancer Bioassay: Strains and Stocks—Should We Switch?’’ some modifications to the NTP rodent cancer bioassay were made. The B6C3F1 remains the mouse model used in the cancer bioassay. The use of multiple strains of mice will be explored through a new branch within the NTP, the Host Susceptibility Branch. Several rat models were evaluated; the Harlan Sprague Dawley rat is currently being used in the NTP studies.
High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Human Cochlea†

Objectives High-resolution MRI (MRI) of human inner ear structures provides several advantages over other imaging modalities. High-resolution visualization of inner ear ultrastructure in a noninvasive manner may provide important information about inner ear disease that is not obtainable in other ways. The study was performed to demonstrate the capabilities of MRI at high resolution on the human cochlea, vestibular structures, and facial nerve. Comparative analyses of MRI anatomy with that seen on histological dissection were made. The aim of the study was to define the anatomy of human cadaveric cochlea using a 9.4-Tesla magnetic resonance scanner, currently the most powerful magnetic resonance magnet available. Study Design Experimental pilot study of cadaveric human cochleae. Methods Serial scanning using a 9.4-Tesla magnetic resonance imager on normal preserved and fresh cadaveric inner ears was performed in different planes. Results The images revealed detailed anatomy of the modiolus, utricle, saccule, semicircular canals, and facial nerve. Specifically, identifiable structures within the cochlea included the osseous spiral lamina, Reissner's membrane, membranous spiral lamina, spiral ligament, and others. Conclusions Data established through the acquisition of images from cadaver cochlea, facial nerve, and vestibular complex provide a foundation for developing steps for testing temporal bones and, eventually, patients with Meniere's disease and other inner ear disease. The present ongoing project will provide information on baseline images of the inner ear using high-resolution MRI.
An Ultra Low Power System Architecture for Sensor Network Applications

Recent years have seen a burgeoning interest in embedded wireless sensor networks with applications ranging from habitat monitoring to medical applications. Wireless sensor networks have several important attributes that require special attention to device design. These include the need for inexpensive, long-lasting, highly reliable devices coupled with very low performance requirements. Ultimately, the "holy grail" of this design space is a truly untethered device that operates off of energy scavenged from the ambient environment. In this paper, we describe an application-driven approach to the architectural design and implementation of a wireless sensor device that recognizes the event-driven nature of many sensor-network workloads. We have developed a full-system simulator for our sensor node design to verify and explore our architecture. Our simulation results suggest one to two orders of magnitude reduction in power dissipation over existing commodity-based systems for an important class of sensor network applications. We are currently in the implementation stage of design, and plan to tape out the first version of our system within the next year.
Physical and biological mechanisms of plasma interaction with living tissue

Non-thermal plasmas are already well-known for their sterilization ability; however the mechanisms of this sterilization are under debate. Short and long living active species and radicals produced by plasma, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, local thermal effects, and bombardment by charges particles are all listed as potential candidates for sterilization of various surfaces. In this work, biochemical and physical mechanisms of plasma interaction with biological materials will be discussed. Direct interaction where a surface of a microorganism is used as one of the plasma-generating electrodes is compared with indirect interaction where plasma is generated elsewhere and the plasma-treated gas is carried off to a remote location for microorganism treatment. Under these conditions, the authors show that: a) direct treatment by plasma is orders of magnitude faster than indirect treatment; and b) interaction of a microorganism with charged particles is the primary inactivation mechanism. Microorganisms selected for this study were Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Yeast, and E. coli. Samples were treated by dielectric barrier discharge system in either continuous- wave (sinusoidal, 4-20 kHz), microsecond pulse (100 mus pulse duration, 0.1-1 kHz repetition rate), or nanosecond pulse modes (3 kV/ns rise time, 10-40 ns pulse duration, 0.1- 1 kHz repetition rate). Microorganisms were either treated directly by plasma or plasma afterglow was utilized.
The Geology of Asbestos in the United States and Its Practical Applications

Recently, naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) has drawn the attention of numerous health and regulatory agencies and citizen groups. NOA can be released airborne by (1) the disturbance of asbestos-bearing bedrocks through human activities or natural weathering, and (2) the mining and milling of some mineral deposits in which asbestos occurs as an accessory mineral(s). Because asbestos forms in specific rock types and geologic conditions, this information can be used to focus on areas with the potential to contain asbestos, rather than devoting effort to areas with minimal NOA potential. All asbestos minerals contain magnesium, silica, and water as essential constituents, and some also contain major iron and/or calcium. Predictably, the geologic environments that host asbestos are enriched in these components. Most asbestos deposits form by metasomatic replacement of magnesium-rich rocks. Asbestos-forming environments typically display shear or evidence for a significant influx of silica-rich hydrothermal fluids. Asbestos-forming processes can be driven by regional metamorphism, contact metamorphism, or magmatic hydrothermal systems. Thus, asbestos deposits of all sizes and styles are typically hosted by magnesium-rich rocks (often also iron-rich) that were altered by a metamorphic or magmatic process. Rock types known to host asbestos include serpentinites, altered ultramafic and some mafic rocks, dolomitic marbles and metamorphosed dolostones, metamorphosed iron formations, and alkalic intrusions and carbonatites. Other rock types appear unlikely to contain asbestos. These geologic insights can be used by the mining industry, regulators, land managers, and others to focus attention on the critical locales most likely to contain asbestos.
Evidence of Emergent Silver-Resistance in Clinical Bacteria: A Major Implication for Wound Care and the use of Silver-Dressings

Concerns of emergent widespread silver resistance in clinical bacteria have been raised due to the increased utilization of inorganic silver in wound dressings. Although the molecular basis for silver-resistance has been previously characterized, to date, phenotypic expression of these genes has not been observed in clinical settings. Here we identified the first strains of clinical bacteria expressing silver-resistance at a level that could significantly impact wound care and the use of silver-dressings. After IRB approval, preliminary screening of 859 isolates identified 67 samples potentially harboring silver-resistant genes. Colony PCR confirmed 31 isolates had at least 1 silver-resistant gene. Next, we investigated whether the bacteria possessing silver-resistant genes expressed this trait phenotypically. Despite carrying silver-resistant genes, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing revealed that most of the bacteria displayed little or no increase in resistance to ionic silver (200 - 300μM Ag+). However, 2 isolates (Klebsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter cloacae) were capable of luxuriant growth at exceedingly high silver concentrations with MIC values reaching 5,500μM Ag+. An examination of the extracellular DNA of these two strains revealed small cryptic plasmids roughly sized 1.5, 2, and 2.5kb which were not present in the other bacteria with lower MIC values. We hypothesize these unanticipated DNA products are potential promoters for phenotypic expression of silver-resistance. Scanning Electron Microscopy images revealed the presence of silver nanoparticles embedded in the extracellular polymeric substance of both isolates. This finding suggested the isolates may neutralize ionic silver via reduction to elemental silver. Additional antimicrobial testing revealed these isolates to be at least 1,000 times more resistant to many commercially-available silver dressings when compared to control bacteria. Taken together, these findings provide the first evidence of emergent silver-resistance in clinical bacteria. The development of acute silver-resistance would have significant consequences on wound care and patient outcomes.
Wartime and the Early Postwar Years: Bust and Boom at the MDIBL

The Second World War brought declining attendance and revenues to the MDIBL, so by the summer of 1942 nearly the entire Laboratory was rented by Homer Smith’s group from NYU for pharmacological and toxicological studies of nitrogen mustards and “other war gases”, under contract from the US Office of Scientific Research and Development. The Laboratory was empty the next two summers, but Roy Forster returned in the summer of 1945 to continue his studies on diuresis and raised some $3000 from local friends of the Laboratory to rebuild the Laboratory’s dock. Research returned to near normal after that, with various groups restarting their pre-war research efforts. And a new course was initiated, taught by Philip White, on the techniques of tissue culture. By 1947, Roy Forster had described his isolated kidney tubule technique, which allowed the quantitative study of renal tubular transport and provided the basis for the micropuncture and stop-flow techniques of the next three decades in kidney research. Most importantly, the Laboratory’s balance sheet in the 1950s was strengthened by grants from the American Philosophical Society, the National Heart Institute (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and various pharmaceutical companies, which provided funds for capital equipment and physical plant upgrades. Changes to the MDIBL’s infrastructure included the construction of new, leasehold cottages on the western shore of Spruce Point and at the head of Emery Cove (just to the west of Laboratory Cove), three cottages on Laboratory Cove, as well as a small Director’s Office and Library (which subsequently became the Forster Laboratory).
Integrating Research into Healthcare

![Figure][1] It gives me great pleasure to serve as guest editor for this issue of Clinical Researcher , and to engage our focus on a topic of great interest not just to me, but to a growing extent of professionals across our field: namely, the ever-developing relationship between clinical
The Performance of the TCS 670-B Turbine in the Closed Cycle Test Facility at Fort Belvoir, Virginia

The design of the first compact AK Process Nuclear system in the United States was performed under the auspices of the Corps of Engineers. U. S. Army, Fort Belvoir, Va. Taking into account that there was virtually nothing on the shelf that could be used, and realizing that the feasibility of such a system first had to be established, demonstration models were built for the various subsystem components which were to eventually go into the complete system. The last and final turbine-compressor set tested as a backup unit for this program was the TCS 670-B. This paper reports the turbine performance obtained from this machine when tested in the Closed Cycle Test Facility (APCEF) at Fort Belvoir, Va.. in 1969. The compressor performance is not included.Copyright © 1971 by ASME
Lignin Cross-Links with Cysteine- and Tyrosine-Containing Peptides under Biomimetic Conditions

The work presented here investigates the cross-linking of various nucleophilic amino acids with lignin under aqueous conditions, thus providing insight as to which amino acids might cross-link with lignin in planta. Lignin dehydrogenation polymer (DHP) was prepared in aqueous solutions that contained tripeptides with the general structure XGG, where X represents an amino acid with a nucleophilic side chain. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that peptides containing cysteine and tyrosine were incorporated into the DHP to form DHP-CGG and DHP-YGG adducts, whereas peptides containing other nucleophilic amino acids were not incorporated. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the physical morphology of DHP was altered by the presence of peptides in the aqueous solution, regardless of peptide incorporation into the DHP. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy showed that cysteine-containing peptide cross-linked with lignin at the lignin α-position, whereas in the case of the lignin-tyrosine adduct the exact cross-linking pathway could not be determined. This is the first study to use NMR to confirm cross-linking between lignin and peptides under biomimetic conditions. The results of this study may indicate the potential for lignin-protein linkage formation in planta, particularly between lignin and cysteine- and/or tyrosine-rich proteins.
Acute Postoperative Bisphosphonate-Associated Atypical Periprosthetic Femoral Fracture: A Case Report.

Periprosthetic bisphosphonate-associated atypical femoral fractures (AFFs) are rare1,2. Recent reports illustrate the need to consider AFF as a cause of hip pain in osteoporotic patients who have been treated with bisphosphonates and have undergone total hip arthroplasty1,3. We report the case of an atraumatic nondisplaced bisphosphonate-associated AFF that manifested three weeks after primary total hip arthroplasty. Retrospective review of the preoperative images showed subtle cortical hypertrophy at the lateral subtrochanteric cortex. By the three-week postoperative visit, the lesion had rapidly progressed to a unicortical fracture. This was treated with immediate femoral revision with a long-stemmed component that achieved fixation distal to the fracture. The patient was informed that data concerning the case would be submitted for publication, and she provided consent. A seventy-four-year-old woman with postmenopausal osteoporosis had presented with severe chronic groin pain, reproducible on physical examination of the hip, and radiographic evidence of severe osteoarthritis of the left hip. An intra-articular cortisone injection three months prior to presentation had resulted in short-term pain resolution. The patient had undergone elective total hip arthroplasty, which was performed through a modified Hardinge approach, with use of a cementless proximally fitting tapered stem. Postoperatively, the patient had walked well with a rolling walker during physical therapy sessions, and she had required only intermittent oral opioids for pain control. At the three-week follow-up visit, she reported progressively worsening left thigh pain with weight-bearing. Radiographs demonstrated anterolateral femoral cortical thickening with transverse lucency at the distal third of an otherwise stable femoral prosthesis (Fig. 1). Retrospective review of the preoperative and immediate postoperative radiographs revealed subtle anterolateral subtrochanteric femoral cortical thickening without transverse lucency, which had previously been unrecognized (Figs. 2-A and 2-B). Fig. 1 Three-week postoperative anteroposterior left hip radiograph showing the thickened lateral diaphyseal cortex …
Screening for sickle cell disease in newborns

Case study: E.C. is a 28-year-old black woman. She and her husband arrive for their three-day-old son’s appointment. The infant, L.C., was born at home with a lay midwife after an uncomplicated pregnancy.
Body surface area misconceptions

In this letter to the editor, the author discusses methods that have been used to measure body surface area and some of the assumptions which have been made in the measurements. Proposals for interspecies extrapolation formulas that rely on surface area measurements make two assumptions: that the surface area is relevant and that the surface area has been measured accurately and correctly. The author proposes that there is insufficient evidence that surface area has ever been measured accurately; the methods have not taken into account the possibility that the skin is of fractal dimension nor have the microscopic features of the skin been measured that account for a substantial part of the surface area. The author states that the justification for relying on surface area for interspecies extrapolation is weak and surface area has not been well measured. Therefore, it would be best to rely on empirical evidence (toxicity and/or metabolic measurements) which are not dependent upon surface area. 23 refs.
Theory and Practice of Cooperation: Focusing on the Reputed Agent

In this chapter, the main contributions to the scientific study of reputation will be shown to focus on the target, i.e., the agent who is ill- or well-reputed. This target-oriented perspective is found mainly in the game-theoretic approach to cooperation and collective action. After a short summary of the game theoretic expectations about the occurrence of cooperative behaviours in 2- and n-person games, the main cognitive psychological experiments testing such expectations against human agents’ behaviours will be reviewed. As shown from these data, human agents systematically diverge from the predictions allowed by game theory. A creditable interpretation of this divergence, proposed by Ostrom (1998), identifies in trust and reputation the essential conditions for reciprocity, and therefore the essential ingredients of human cooperation and collective action. Given their impact on cooperation, trust and reputation, seen as properties of the target agent, are intertwined with other aspects of social action and are automatically exported and applied by human agents in experimental settings.