cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Gravlee Jet Washer: Can it replace the diagnostic curettage?☆☆☆

Abstract Two hundred and twenty-five patients over 40 years of age with abnormal uterine bleeding underwent a Gravlee Jet Washer test plus histologic confirmation by endometrial biopsy, curettage, and/or hysterectomy. Thirty cases were diagnosed as adenocarcinoma of the endometrium, and 4, as atypical endometrial hyperplasia. The Jet Washer test was reported “negative” in only one of these patients whereas the endometrial biopsy missed 6. The Papanicolaou smear revealed an abnormality in only 18 per cent. The authors concluded that the Gravlee Jet Washer test can safely replace many diagnostic curettages; however, if abnormal bleeding persists, a curettage must be performed.
Cox, Gertrude Mary

This article has no abstract. Keywords: biometrics; statistical pioneer; experimental design
Correlation and support vector machine based motion artifacts mitigation in 3D computer tomography

Head motion during Computer Tomographic (CT) studies can adversely affects the reconstructed image through distortion and other artifacts such as blurring and doubling, thereby contributing to misdiagnosis of diseases. In this paper, we propose a method to detect and mitigate motion artifacts in three-dimensional (3D) cone-beam CT system. Motion detection is achieved by comparing the correlation coefficient between the adjacent x-ray projections. Artifacts, caused by motion, are mitigated either by replacing motion corrupted projections with their counterpart 180° apart projections under certain conditions, or by estimating motion corrupted projections using Least Square Support Vector Machine (LS-SVM) based time series prediction. The method has been evaluated on 3D Shepp-Logan phantom. In this research, Feldkamp-David-Kress (FDK) based back-projection algorithm is used for 3D reconstruction process. Computer simulation validates the motion detection and artifacts elimination mechanism.
Inactivation of the nucleus reuniens/rhomboid causes a delay-dependent impairment of spatial working memory

Inactivation of the rodent medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus or disconnection of the hippocampus from the mPFC produces deficits in spatial working memory tasks. Previous studies have shown that delay length determines the extent to which mPFC and hippocampus functionally interact, with both structures being necessary for tasks with longer delays and either structure being sufficient for tasks with shorter delays. In addition, inactivation of the nucleus reuniens (Re)/rhomboid nucleus (Rh) of the thalamus, which has bidirectional connections with the mPFC and hippocampus, also produces deficits in these tasks. However, it is unknown how delay duration relates to the function of Re/Rh. If Re/Rh are critical in modulating mPFC-hippocampus interactions, inactivation of the RE/Rh should produce a delay-dependent impairment in spatial working memory performance. To investigate this question, groups of rats were trained on one of three different spatial working memory tasks: continuous alternation (CA), delayed alternation with a five-second delay (DA5), or with a thirty-second delay (DA30). The Re/Rh were inactivated with muscimol infusions prior to testing. The results demonstrate that inactivation of RE/Rh produces a deficit only on the two DA tasks, supporting the notion that the Re/Rh is a critical orchestrator of mPFC-HC interactions.
More than E, P and a in Semantic Differential Scales

Abstract The present study demonstrates the separation of affective and denotative meaning systems in the semantic space by a new factor analytic technique. The data used were collected in Brazil and Hungary following standard pan-cultural procedures (Osgood et al.,1975) for semantic differential ratings on 100 heterogeneous concepts against 60 indigenous scales elicited from teen-age males in the respective language/culture communities. Results from both cultures provided evidence for dominance of affective Evaluation, Potency and Activity (E, P, A) in the indigenous factor structures. The dimensions in the “other” (Denotation) space, orthogonal to Affect, are also clearly interpretable affect-free semantic features of concepts. The simultaneous salience of these two semantic systems for most scales highlights the importance of cultural meanings of scales for each indigenous culture under study.
Culture of early somite mouse embryos during organogenesis

Early somite (2-4) mouse embryos were explanted and then maintained in culture for 24 or 48 h intervals. Various types of media were tested and it was determined that rat serum supported normal growth over a period of 48 h, based on total protein analysis and histological comparisons with in vivo specimens. Other media including fetal calf serum and fetal calf serum and Waymouth's (1:1) supported some growth, but did not equal the success of using rat serum alone. During the 48 h culture period in rat serum, embryos developed to stages indistinguishable from embryos maintained for a similar time in vivo.
Economic and policy issues of U.S. agricultural pesticide use trends.

BACKGROUND This paper discusses U.S. agricultural pesticide use trends from 1964 to 2010 based on estimates developed from USDA surveys, and the influence of economic factors, agricultural policy, and pesticide regulation on aggregate quantities and mix of pesticides used. RESULTS Synthetic organic pesticide use grew dramatically from the 1960s to the early 1980s, as farmers treated more and more acreage. Use then stabilized, with herbicides applied to about 95% of corn, cotton, and soybean acres, annually. Subsequently, major factors affecting trends were: (1) changes in crop acreage and other economic factors, (2) use of new pesticides that reduced per-acre application rates and/or met more rigorous health and environmental standards, and (3) adoption of genetically engineered insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant crops. CONCLUSION The use of pesticides and other control practices responded to economic factors such as input and output markets and agricultural policies. Changing societal values toward pesticide risks and benefits profoundly affected pesticide policy, influencing the pesticides available for use, but only indirectly affecting aggregate quantities used. While the current pesticide regulatory process might have economic inefficiencies, it might be consistent with policy preferences held by much of the public—to reduce pesticide hazards rather than minimize regulatory costs. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Printed lotus antenna for wideband phased array systems

A novel printed antenna fed by a microstrip line is designed for wideband applications in the X-band. The antenna provides a wide bandwidth of over 60% relative to -10 dB, stable far field radiation characteristics in the entire operating band with relatively high gain, low cross polarization, wide beamwidth and good front-to-back ratio.
Off-plane x-ray reflection grating fabrication

Off-plane X-ray diffraction gratings with precision groove profiles at the submicron scale will be used in next generation X-ray spectrometers. Such gratings will be used on a current NASA suborbital rocket mission, the Off-plane Grating Rocket Experiment (OGRE), and have application for future grating missions. The fabrication of these gratings does not come without challenges. High performance off-plane gratings must be fabricated with precise radial grating patterns, optically at surfaces, and specific facet angles. Such gratings can be made using a series of common micro-fabrication techniques. The resulting process is highly customizable, making it useful for a variety of different mission architectures. In this paper, we detail the fabrication method used to produce high performance off-plane gratings and report the results of a preliminary qualification test of a grating fabricated in this manner. The grating was tested in the off-plane `Littrow' configuration, for which the grating is most efficient for a given diffraction order, and found to achieve 42% relative efficiency in the blaze order with respect to all diffracted light.
Ethnicity, Sleep Hygiene Knowledge, and Sleep Hygiene Practices

We tested the mean differences in scores on Sleep Hygiene Knowledge and on Sleep Hygiene Practices among four ethnic groups of university students (N = 963). We computed significant main effects for ethnicity for both of these variables. Primarily the results reflect that the Euro-American students scored significantly higher on both scales than each of the other three groups.
Antibody Responses to the Fucosylated LacdiNAc Glycan Antigen in Schistosoma mansoni-Infected Mice and Expression of the Glycan among Schistosomes

Abstract Nyame, A. K., Leppanen, A. M., Bogitsh, B. J., and Cummings, R. D. 2000. Antibody responses to the fucosylated LacdiNAc glycan antigen in schistosoma mansoni -infected mice and expression of the glycan among schistosomes. Experimental Parasitology 96, 202–212. Infections of animals with parasitic worms, such as Schistosoma mansoni , induce humoral immune responses to carbohydrate antigens, raising the possibility that such antigens might be useful targets for the development of vaccines and new diagnostic approaches. Here we describe the identification of fucosylated LacdiNAc (LDNF) [GalNAcβ1-4(Fucα1-3)GlcNAc-R] as a new carbohydrate antigen in S. mansoni that induces humoral immune responses in infected mice. The presence of antibodies was determined by ELISA using a neoglycoconjugate synthesized to express LDNF sequences. Sera from S. mansoni -infected, but not uninfected, mice contain IgM, IgG, IgA, and IgE antibodies to LDNF. The IgG antibodies are primarily of the IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses, with no detectable levels of the complement-fixing IgG2a and IgG2b isotypes. An IgM monoclonal antibody, designated SMLDNF1, was generated from the spleens of S. mansoni -infected mice, and the antibody exhibits specific recognition of LDNF sequences, but not other fucosylated glycans tested. Immunocytochemical analysis demonstrates that LDNF antigens are localized on the tegumental surface of adult S. mansoni . Western blot analysis indicates that LDNF sequences are expressed on numerous high-molecular-weight glycoproteins from the three major human schistosome species, as well as the bird schistosome Trichobilharzia ocellata . The identification of LDNF antigen on the tegumental glycoproteins of schistosomes and the ability to synthesize LDNF conjugates should aid in the development of glycan-based vaccines and immunodiagnostic tests for schistosomiasis and in determining the role(s) of the glycans in worm development and pathogenesis.
7-ketocholesterol accumulates in ocular tissues as a consequence of aging and is present in high levels in drusen

Abstract We analyzed by LCMS lipid extracts of lens, retina (MNR) and RPE/Choroid (MPEC) from macaque monkeys 2–25 yr in age to determine their content of 7-ketocholesterol (7KCh) as function of age. In addition we also analyzed drusen capped with retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), RPE, and neural retina from human donors age 72–95 yr. The lowest 7KCh levels were found in monkey lens ( 60 pmol/nmol). Despite individual variability all three tissues demonstrated a strong age-related increase. In older human donors 7KCh levels were significantly higher. The levels in human neural retina ranged from 8 to 20 pmol/nmol, similar to the oldest monkeys, but 7-KCh levels in RPE ranged from 200 to 17,000 pmol/nmol, and in RPE-capped drusen from 200 to 2000 pmol/nmol, levels that would be lethal in most cultured cell systems. Most of the 7KCh is sequestered and not readily available to the surrounding tissue, based on published histochemical evidence that extracellular cholesterol (Ch) and cholesteryl fatty acid esters (CEs) are highly concentrated in Bruch's membrane and drusen. However, adjacent tissues, especially RPE but also choriocapillaris endothelium, could be chronically inflamed and in peril of receiving a lethal exposure. Implications for initiation and progression of age-related macular degeneration are discussed.
Enhancement of the discriminative stimulus effects of phencyclidine by the tetracycline antibiotics doxycycline and minocycline in rats.

Rationale: Tetracycline antibiotics share some neuroprotective and CNS effects with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists. Objectives: The acute effects of two tetracycline antibiotics were compared to those of the prototypic NMDA antagonist phencyclidine (PCP). Methods: The effects of minocycline (10–56 mg/kg) and doxycycline (10–56 mg/kg) were evaluated in Sprague-Dawley rats trained to discriminate 2.0 mg/kg IP of PCP from saline under a fixed ratio schedule of food presentation. Results: Even though minocycline and doxycycline did not substitute for PCP, pretreatment with 32 mg/kg of either drug produced leftward shifts in the PCP dose-response curve. The 32 mg/kg dose of minocycline also produced a leftward shift in the dose-response curve for dizocilpine (MK-801), another NMDA channel blocker, in the same subjects. Conclusions: Tetracycline antibiotics may interact either directly or indirectly with NMDA receptors. This suggests that they might be utilized in treatment of brain disorders in which NMDA receptor over-activation has been implicated.
Correcting Bias Caused by Missing Data in the Estimate of the Effect of Apolipoprotein ε4 on Cognitive Decline.

Longitudinal administration of neuropsychological instruments are often used to assess age-related changes in cognition. Informative loss to follow-up may bias the results of these studies. Herein, we use auxiliary data to adjust for informative loss to follow-up. In the Einstein Aging Study, memory was assessed annually in a community sample of adults age 70+, free of dementia at baseline, using the free recall from the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test, and via telephone using the Memory Impairment Screen for Telephone (the auxiliary data). Joint linear mixed models were used to assess how the effect of the APOE e4 genotype may be affected by informative missingness in the in-person data. A total of 620 EAS participants contributed 2085 person years of follow-up to the analyses. Memory decline rates estimated in joint models were 19% greater in e4 negative participants and 27% greater in e4 positive participants compared to traditional approaches; the effect of APOE e4 on memory decline was 37% greater. Joint modeling methods can help address bias caused by informative missing data in the estimation of the effect of risk factors on cognitive change, and may be applicable to a broader range of outcomes in longitudinal aging studies. (JINS, 2014, 20, 1–6)
Mid-Infrared Resolution of a 3 AU Radius Debris Disk around ζ Leporis*

We present subarcsecond-resolution mid-infrared images of the debris disk surrounding the 230 Myr old A star ζ Lep. Our data obtained with T-ReCS at Gemini South show the source to be unresolved at 10.4 μm but clearly extended at 18.3 μm. Quadratic subtraction of the PSF profile from that of ζ Lep implies a characteristic radius for the dust disk of 3 AU, which is comparable in size to our solar system's asteroid belt. Simple models suggest that the 18 μm flux is well approximated by two contiguous annuli of mid-infrared-emitting dust from 2-4 and 4-8 AU with a 3 : 1 flux ratio for the annuli, respectively. We consider two scenarios for the collisions that must be resupplying the dust population: (1) continuous "steady state" grinding of planetesimals and (2) an isolated cataclysmic collision. We determine that radiation pressure and subsequent collisions are the dominant determinants of the disk morphology in either case and that Poynting-Robertson drag is comparatively insignificant.
Hydrogen evolution during directional solidification and its effect on porosity formation in aluminum alloys

Most of the models for predicting porosity formation in aluminum alloy castings use a simple mass balance, such as the lever rule, to track hydrogen enrichment in the interdendritic liquid. However, the hydrogen concentration predicted by the lever rule is typically too low to satisfy the threshold concentration for pore nucleation based on classical nucleation and growth theory. As a result, important features of microporosity such as the size and spacing of pores cannot be treated properly. In this article, the hydrogen concentration during the directional solidification of an Al-4.5 pct Cu alloy is calculated, assuming hydrogen rejection during solidification and diffusion in the mushy zone. The calculation shows that the use of the lever rule greatly underestimates the hydrogen concentration at the eutectic front. This is due to the fact that the eutectic front also rejects hydrogen and that this is not considered in the use of the lever rule. Results of numerical simulations that consider hydrogen rejection and diffusion are compared with results obtained using the lever rule. The comparison indicates that actual hydrogen concentrations may be orders of magnitude higher than that predicted by the lever rule. It is suggested that the lever rule should not be used in predicting porosity nucleation. The model outlined in this article is used to propose and explain the formation of a wavelike distribution of pores during directional solidification.
Control of cell cycle-dependent degradation of c-Ski proto-oncoprotein by Cdc34

It is known that excess amounts of Ski, or any member of its proto-oncoprotein family, causes disruption of the transforming growth factor beta signal transduction pathway, thus causing oncogenic transformation of cells. Previous studies indicate that Ski is a relatively unstable protein whose expression levels can be regulated by ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. Here, we investigate the mechanism by which the stability of Ski is regulated. We show that the steady-state levels of Ski protein are controlled post-translationally by cell cycle-dependent proteolysis, wherein Ski is degraded during the interphase of the cell cycle but is relatively stable during mitosis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme Cdc34 mediates cell cycle-dependent Ski degradation both in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of dominant-negative Cdc34 stabilizes Ski and enhances its ability to antagonize TGF-β signaling. Our data suggest that regulated proteolysis of Ski is one of the key mechanisms that control the threshold levels of this proto-oncoprotein, and thus prevents epithelial cells from becoming TGF-β resistant.
One-step room-temperature synthesis of fibrous polyimide aerogels from anhydrides and isocyanates and conversion to isomorphic carbons

Monolithic polyimide aerogels (PI-ISOs) have been prepared by drying wet-gels synthesized via a rather underutilized room-temperature reaction of pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) with 4,4′-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). The reaction is followed up to the gelation point by liquid 13C-NMR in DMSO-d6 and it proceeds through a seven-member ring intermediate that collapses to the imide by expelling CO2. PI-ISOs are characterized comparatively with aerogels referred to as PI-AMNs, obtained via the classic reaction of PMDA and 4,4′-methylenedianiline (MDA). The two materials are chemically identical, they show similar degrees of crystallinity (30–45%, by XRD) and they both consist of similarly sized primary particles (6.1–7.5 nm, by SANS). By N2-sorption porosimetry they contain both meso- and macroporosity and they have similar BET surface areas (300–400 m2 g−1). Their major difference, however, is that PI-AMNs are particulate while PI-ISOs are fibrous. The different morphology has been attributed to the rigidity of the seven-member ring intermediate of PI-ISOs. PI-AMNs shrink significantly during processing (up to 40% in linear dimensions), but mechanically are much stronger materials than PI-ISOs of the same density. Upon pyrolysis at 800 °C both PI-ISO and PI-AMN are converted to porous carbons; PI-AMNs loose their nanomorphology and more than 2/3 of their surface area, as opposed to PI-ISOs, which retain both. Etching with CO2 at 1000 °C increases the BET surface area of both PI-AMN (to 417 m2 g−1) and PI-ISO (to 1010 m2 g−1), and improves the electrical conductivity of the latter by a factor of 70.
Flute an Expert Floor Planner for Full-Custom VLSI Design

Flute is a heuristic floorplanner that operates as part of Cadre, a system of cooperating expert agents for converting a hierarchical structural description into full-custom VLSI layout. Flute is modeled on the human floorplanning process and uses a mixture of rule-based programming, state control, and algorithmic operators. Initially, a topological plan is generated by placing modules on a grid graph. From this plan, a constraint graph is prepared. This graph is solved to add geometric size and placement information to the floorplan. Though Flute handles a fairly small number of submodules at a time, it can construct a floorplan of complex VLSI layout using a hierarchical structure of ICs. Flute is implemented in Zeta-lisp on Symbolics Lisp machines.
The changing paradigm of stress echocardiography: risk stratification, prognosis, and future directions.

The use of stress echocardiography has undergone considerable evolution in the past 3 decades. Although stress echocardiography was first introduced as a noninvasive diagnostic tool for determining the presence or absence of coronary artery disease (CAD), it later served a prognostic role as well. The importance of stress echocardiography in risk stratification and prognosis is substantially undervalued by clinicians. The identification of patients at risk for future cardiac events has become a primary objective in noninvasive evaluation of patients with suspected or known CAD. In particular, the ability of stress echocardiography to identify patients at low ( 5%) risk for future cardiac events is essential to decision making in patient management. Moreover, previous studies have conclusively demonstrated the incremental prognostic value of stress echocardiography over clinical and treadmill exercise data in predicting future cardiac events. This article presents a primarily single-center experience of retrospective and observational studies that address the current role of stress echocardiography and summarize its use for risk stratification, prognosis, and determining clinical outcomes, as well as cost-effective integration of such information in patient management decision making.
Give Us the Tools and We Will Finish the Job

This article is a summary of a course that Anthony J. Gittins, CSSp. and Dianne Bergant, CSA gave in 2000 in Kiribati in the Central Pacific. In a first section, the course is summarized; in a second section some of the dynamics of the course are explored. The course aims at giving local peoples the tools to become a theologizing community, and so develop the confidence and expertise to create a local theology for and by themselves.
The effects of inhibitors of cell wall synthesis on tobacco protoplast development

The effect of 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (DB) and coumarin on tobacco protoplast development has been studied using a combination of flow microfluorimetry and quantitative fluorescence microscopy. The results indicated that, over the initial period of culture, DB largely inhibited cellulose production at the cell surface, but did not inhibit DNA synthesis or protein accumulation by the protoplasts. Continuous culture of protoplasts in DB resulted in the accumulation of an increased capacity for cellulose synthesis as expressed following the removal of inhibitor. The possible sites of the specific inhibitory action of DB are discussed.
Activity and thermoregulation during food deprivation in the rat

Abstract Subcutaneous temperatures and wheel running of albino rats housed at a high environmental temperature (31°) were monitored continuously during ad libitum and food deprivation conditions. Food deprivation did not produce hypothermia, but did produce a marked increment in running. The results were interpreted as inconsistent with the hypothesis that increased running during deprivation is a thermoregulatory mechanism.
Temperature and salinity tolerances and preferences of red king crab larvae

Survival and molting success was measured for zoeae of red king crab, Paralithodes camtschatica, for 96h in 50 temperature‐salinity combinations. Movement of zoeae in horizontal and vertical temperature gradients and vertical salinity gradients were measured to compare preferences with tolerances. Survival was highly significantly affected by temperature, salinity and zoeal stage (ANOVA, P<0.001). Survival of stage I zoeae was uniformly high (≥85%) for 96hr in temperature/salinity combinations having salinities of 20 ppt or higher and temperatures of 15°C or less. Stage II zoeae had lower 96h survival at temperatures above 3°C and salinities below 25 ppt. In salinity gradients, zoeae passively sank through low salinity water until reaching higher salinity, when they resumed and maintained swimming activities. A preference for significantly higher salinity by stage II zoeae (29.4 ppt) in comparison to stage I zoeae (27.5 ppt) agreed with tolerance experiments and provides support for ontogenetic changes in...
Evaluation and Verification of Automated Covert Channel Modeling Using a Real Network Platform

In this paper we introduce and verify our Automated Covert Channel Modeling (ACCM) framework for evaluating and modeling covert channel algorithms. This work continues our efforts we reported at MILCOM 2013. Our ACCM framework is defined based on two different use cases: ACCM-Sim is designed to model covert channel algorithms in a simulation environment, whereas our ACCM-Net can be utilized to evaluate these algorithms in real network environments. In this paper we implement one of the most well-known and oft-cited Covert Timing Channel (CTC) algorithms, using the ACCM-Net and ACCM-Sim frameworks: N-bit to L-packet CTC. We introduce additional descriptor blocks that are incorporated into our previous ACCM-Sim and ACCM-Net framework library and verify their functionality and reliability to rapidly build a covert channel for simulation as well as for evaluation over real networks. Moreover, we demonstrate that the accuracy of covert data capacity obtained by the ACCM-Sim and ACCM-Net implementation is matching the expected theoretical values very closely. This proves that our ACCM framework is a general and reliable modeling tool for analyzing and evaluating covert channel algorithms.
Geochemical analyses of air from an ancient debris-covered glacier, Antarctica

We examined air trapped in ancient ice from three shallow cores (<35 m deep) recovered from stagnant portions of the Mullins glacier, an 8 km long debris-covered alpine glacier in the McMurdo Dry Valleys that is overlain by several in-situ volcanic ash-fall deposits. Previously reported 40Ar/39Ar dates on ash-fall in the vicinity of the core sites average 4.0 Ma, and underlying ice is presumably as old in some areas. We analyzed the elemental and isotopic composition of O2, N2, and Ar and total air content of the glacial ice. We also dated the trapped air directly to an uncertainty of ±220 kyr (1σ) by measuring its 40Ar/36Ar and 38Ar/36Ar ratios. Our results suggest that the air analyzed is likely a mixture of ancient atmosphere trapped at the time of ice formation and more recent air introduced via cracks in the ice that penetrate to at least 33 m. The isotopic signatures of gases have been complicated by gas loss, as well as a mixture of thermal and gravitational fractionation. The oldest age estimated for the trapped air dates to 1.6 Ma, indicating that the original air is at least as old as 1.6 ± 0.2 Ma. A convergence to older ice ages with increasing depth in the deepest core analyzed (33 m) hints at the possibility that pristine air might be recovered at greater depths. Minor interstitial debris present in the glacial ice (<1%), along with geochemical evidence for in-situ microbial respiration, prohibit direct analysis of CO2. We measured the triple isotopic composition of O2 as a proxy for CO2 and infer that, in the air represented in our ice samples, CO2 concentrations are within the range observed over the last 800 ka.
Understanding family, community, immigration, and acculturation issues in psychodynamic psychotherapy with Asian Americans.

The authors discuss the importance of issues related to family, community, immigration, and acculturation in providing psychodynamic psychotherapy for Asian Americans. Despite differences between specific sub-ethnic groups of Asian Americans, many of these groups share an emphasis on group connectedness and family unity that can have important implications for individual development and can influence the course of psychotherapy with these patients. The authors first review the effects of immigration and dislocation (e.g., culture shock, mourning for the loss of family, friends, and familiar cultural environment) on Asian Americans, and then describe the types of changes and stresses the acculturation process can produce. These include guilt at leaving family behind in the country of origin and intergenerational conflict between parents and their more Westernized children, especially concerning social life, dating, and marriage. The authors then use Asian Indian family structure and community life to illustrate the types of effects family organization and roles and community context have on Asian American individuals. In the second half of the article, the authors discuss how these cultural factors can influence the process of psychotherapy and describe techniques that may improve the chances of successful therapy (e.g., being sensitive to patients' reluctance to discuss personal issues outside the family, being more willing to involve family members in the therapy process). (Journal of Psychiatric Practice 2000;6:69-76)
Coordinated control of a wind turbine array for power maximization

Wind turbines are currently operated at their peak power extraction efficiency without consideration of the aerodynamic coupling between neighboring turbines. This mode of operation leads to inefficient, sub-optimal power capture at the wind farm level. By explicitly accounting for the aerodynamic wake interactions between neighboring wind turbines within a farm, we aim to characterize optimal control policies that maximize the power captured by a collection of wind turbines operating in quasi-steady wind flow conditions. In this paper, we consider two wake interaction models, termed near-field and far-field, describing wake propagation under densely and sparsely spaced turbine arrays, respectively. Under the near-field model, we derive a closed form expression for the optimal control policy maximizing power capture for a one-dimensional array of wind turbines. Moreover, we show that the optimal control policy is both static and independent of the free stream wind velocity, being thus amenable to a decentralized implementation. We also formulate and solve numerically the problem of jointly optimizing over the control policy and placement of turbines in a one dimensional 3-turbine array under the far-field model.
Developmentally Regulated, Alternative RNA Splicing-generated Pectoral Muscle-specific Troponin T Isoforms and Role of the NH2-terminal Hypervariable Region in the Tolerance to Acidosis

The structure-function relationship of the alternative RNA splicing-generated NH2-terminal variable region of troponin T (TnT) is essential for understanding the physiological significance of developmental or muscle-specific TnT isoforms. Representing the hypervariable nature of the NH2-terminal region, a repeating transition metal-binding sequence (H(E/A)EAH)4-7 (Tx) has been found in chicken fast skeletal muscle TnT. In the present study, the developmentally regulated pectoral muscle-specific expression of this novel TnT isoform has been characterized. It was found that the variable amino terminus determined the isoelectric points of the TnT isoforms expressed, and the adult muscle-specific inclusion of the Tx sequence resulted in pectoralis TnTs, which were significantly more acidic in their NH2-terminal segment versus gastrocnemius TnTs. Experiments testing the effect of pH on TnT interaction with troponin I and tropomyosin indicated that although the interaction of acidic TnT isoforms with troponin I was less sensitive to the decrease of pH than the basic TnTs, the binding affinity of acidic TnT isoforms with tropomyosin was minimally affected by the decreased pH in contrast to basic TnT isoforms. Given that the majority of adult skeletal muscles express basic fast TnT isoforms, the switching between acidic and basic TnT isoforms may play a role in the functional adaptation of muscle to acidosis.
Righting the balance: Gender diversity in the geosciences

The blatant barriers are down. Women are now routinely chief scientists on major cruises, lead field parties to all continents, and have risen to leadership positions in professional organizations, academic departments, and funding agencies. Nonetheless, barriers remain. Women continue to be under-represented in the Earth, ocean, and atmospheric sciences. Let's do the numbers: As of 1997, women received 41% of all Ph.D.s in science and engineering, but only 29% of the doctorates in the Earth, atmospheric, and oceanographic sciences [NSF, 1999a]. Women were 23% of employed Ph.D.s across all fields of science, but only accounted for 13% in the geosciences. Women's salaries also lag: the median salary for all Ph.D. geoscientists was $60,000; for women, the figure is $47,000 [NSF, 1999b]. The growing number of women students is a step in the right direction, but only a step.
Transvaginal sonography and sonohysterography as screening tools for postmenopausal bleeding

Abstract The number of postmenopausal women in the United States is rapidly increasing, and the benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the prevention of menopausal syndromes such as osteoporosis, coronary heart disease, and urogenital atrophy are documented. Accordingly, the number of patients using HRT constitutes an increasing percentage of obstetrician/gynecologist and other primary care physician practices. The risk of estrogen-stimulated endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma in postmenopausal women with uteri in situ using HRT is effectively counteracted by progesterone, thereby making combined estrogen-progesterone HRT regimens safer than estrogen-only regimens. Bleeding, however, continues to be a common complaint among postmenopausal HRT users and nonusers. Despite recent research on the use of transvaginal sonography (TVS), with and without sonohysterography, as a screening tool for the diagnosis of the causes of postmenopausal bleeding, practitioners continue to rely on aspiration endometrial biopsy, hysteroscopy, and dilatation and curettage as the primary methods of evaluating such postmenopausal bleeding. This article evaluates the advantages of TVS, with and without saline infusion sonohysterography (SIS), as a screening tool for postmenopausal bleeding in HRT users and nonusers. Also, the potential of TVS, with and without SIS, to decrease the number of invasive procedures performed is explored.
Attracted to Crime: Exploration of Criminal Motivation Among Respondents in Three European Cities

Using data from samples of randomly selected adults in three major cities in Greece, Russia, and Ukraine, several issues concerning criminal motivation are addressed. First, contrary to assumptions...
A microstructural study of oriented polymer-zinc diethyldithiocarbamate thin films

Abstract Thin oriented films were prepared from solutions in xylene of polyethylene or polybutene-1 and zinc diethyldithiocarbamate. The different morphologies were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis of X-rays. It was observed that different morphologies of the polymers strongly influenced the arrangement of the zinc compound crystals in the films. Possible film formation mechanisms are discussed.
Does your (genetic) alphabet soup spell “runner”?

low aerobic capacity [i.e., low maximum oxygen consumption (Vo2max)] has been recognized as a significant predictor of disease (e.g., cardiovascular disease) risk, as well as mortality, for more than two decades ([3][1]). This is one of the important relationships supporting the impetus for
MELANIN PIGMENTATION IN BOVINE PINEAL GLAND AND ITS POSSIBLE CORRELATION WITH GONADAL FUNCTION

The incidence of melanin in the bovine pineal gland was studied in 880 glands. Spectrophotometric analysis and chemical and cytochemical methods identified the black pigment present in the bovine p...
Use of power spectral density (PSD) functions in specifying optics for the National Ignition Facility

In the second half of the 1990's, LLNL and others will be designing and beginning construction of the National Ignition Facility. This new laser will be capable of producing the worlds first controlled fusion ignition and burn, completing a vital milestone on the path of Fusion Energy. This facility will use more than 7,000 optical components, most of which have a rectangular aperture, which measure greater than 600 mm on the diagonal. In order to optimize the performance versus cost of the laser system, we have determined that specifications based on the Power Spectral Density (PSD) functions are the most effective for controlling mid-spatial wavelength errors. The draft optics specifications based on a combination of PSD and conventional roughness and P-V requirements are presented, with a discussion of their origins. The emphasis is on the application of a PSD function for transmitted wavefront optical specifications, and the benefits thereof. The PSD function is the most appropriate way to characterize transmitted wavefront errors with spatial frequencies ranging from several centimeters to a few hundred nanometers, with amplitudes in the (lambda) /100 regime. Such errors are commonly generated by cost effective, deterministic finishing technologies, and can be damaging to the laser, as well as causing unnecessary energy loss and inability to focus, in a high energy laser application. In addition, periodic errors can occur as a result of errors at other steps in the fabrication process, such as machine vibration in a fixed abrasive step, or material homogeneity ripple. The control of such errors will be essential to the construction of future high energy lasers.
Neuronal network structuring induces greater neuronal activity through enhanced astroglial development

The confluence of micropatterning, microfabricated multielectrode arrays, and low-density neuronal culture techniques make possible the growth of patterned neuronal circuits overlying multielectrode arrays. Previous studies have shown synaptic interaction within patterned cultures which was more active on average than random cultures. In our present study, we found patterned cultures to have up to five times more astrocytes and three times more neurons than random cultures. In addition, faster development of synapses is also seen in patterned cultures. Together, this yielded greater overall neuronal activity as evaluated by the number of active electrodes. Our finding of astrocytic proliferation within serum-free culture is also novel.
Preliminary crystallographic studies on glutamine synthetase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The etiologic agent of tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has been shown to secrete the enzyme glutamine synthetase (TB-GS) which is apparently essential for infection. Four crystal forms of a recombinant TB-GS were grown. The one chosen for synchrotron X-­ray data collection belongs to space group P212121 with unit-cell dimensions 208 × 258 × 274 A, yielding 2.4 A resolution data. A Matthews number of 2.89 A3 Da−1 is found, corresponding to 24 subunits of molecular mass 1300 kDa in the asymmetric unit. From earlier work, the structure of Salmonella typhimurium GS, which is 51% identical in sequence to TB-GS, is known to be dodecameric with 622 symmetry. Self-rotation calculations on the TB-GS X-ray data reveal only one set of sixfold and twofold axes of symmetry. A Patterson map calculated from the native X-ray data confirms that there are two dodecamers in the asymmetric unit, having both their sixfold and twofold axes parallel to one another.
Insulin antibodies in diabetic children before treatment: a marker for islet B-cell destruction?

Insulin antibodies were measured in the sera of 28 newly diagnosed diabetic children (age 8.0 ± 4.0 (±SD) years) prior to insulin therapy and after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. The levels at diagnosis and after 12 months were compared to endogenous insulin production at onset and after 12 to 14 months. Endogenous insulin production was evaluated through the measurement of 24-h urinary C-peptide excretion, fasting plasma C-peptide levels and plasma C-peptide levels after glucagon stimulation. Insulin antibodies were detected in 29 % of the patients (8 out of 28). In all but one patient antibodies binding porcine and human insulin were detected. No relationship was found between the presence of antibodies binding human or porcine insulin at diagnosis and age. After 1 year 27 out of 28 patients presented insulin antibodies. No relationship was found between the presence of insulin antibodies before therapy and 1 year after therapy. Insulin antibodies prior to diagnosis showed no relationship with the urinary C-peptide excretion at diagnosis (with antibodies 67 ± 27 %, without antibodies 76 ± 11 %). However, after 1 year significantly lower urinary C-peptide excretions were found in patients with insulin antibodies prior to therapy (with antibodies, 17 ± 7 %, without antibodies, 31 ± 5 %, p<0.02). Peak plasma C-peptide levels after 1 year were possibly lower in patients with insulin antibodies before treatment (with antibodies 0.17 ± 0.06 nmol/l, without antibodies 0.26 ± 0.04 nmol/l, p<0.1). Fasting C-peptide levels did not differ significantly between the two groups after 1 year of therapy (with antibodies 0.11 ± 0.03 nmol/l, without antibodies 0.14 ± 0.02 nmol/l). Thus, insulin auto-antibodies may be a marker for islet B-cell destruction in Type 1 diabetes.
Remote sensing communities “break the ice” at Flagstaff Workshop

Water plays a unique role in our solar system. Its presence in liquid form is a prerequisite for the development of life. In solid form, it is ubiquitous, occurring on many planetary bodies from Mercury to Pluto. On Earth, variations in polar and snow-covered regions are related to processes of global change and climate trends. Snow-covered areas control land surface albedo and thus radiation balance and are a major contributor to water resources in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. In space, spectacular images of Europa suggest the crust of that moon was once mobile with blocks of ice rafting over an internal ocean that may or may not still be present. Ice on Mars plays a central role in climate history and its abundance is critical in the assessment of the water inventory of that planet.
Notes on the Cyclops of Euripides

The plural is inapposite, since ωμος applied to a band of revellers is a collective noun and, however many times the band accompanied Dionysus, it is still the same ωμος and not a plurality of ωμοι. Dobree's and Bothe's κώμοις must face the same objection, unless it is understood as ‘songs’ (as at 492–3 ), in which case it becomes a feeble anticipation of οιδᾶις in 40. Florens Christianus' κμοί is negligible. Porson suggested κώμωι but left it unclear whether he interpreted Bακχίωι as adjective or noun. Bάκχιος is used adjectivally not more than once or twice in over thirty Euripidean examples (eight in this play), and the satyrs cannot be said to have accompanied a Bacchic ωμος, for the ωμος was constituted of the satyrs themselves. And yet Bακχίωι interpreted as a noun would produce an intolerably unstylish collocation of independent datives. Unimpeachable sense and style, and a strong candidate for corruption, would be furnished by ωμος ( , ‘serving alongside Bacchus as his revelling train’).
Dynamics of pharmaceutical amorphous solids: The study of enthalpy relaxation by isothermal microcalorimetry

The structural relaxation time is a measure of the molecular mobility involved in enthalpy relaxation, and thus, is a measure of the dynamics of amorphous (glassy) pharmaceutical solids that determines physicochemical properties and reactivity of drugs in amorphous formulations. In this article we describe a novel method for characterization of structural relaxation using isothermal microcalorimetry, which directly measures the rate of heat release during the relaxation processes. The structural relaxation time is then obtained from a fit of the power data to the derivative version of the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts (KWW) equation. The relaxation times of quenched and lyophilized samples of saccharides were studied using an isothermal microcalorimeter, the Thermal Activity Monitor (TAM). In addition to the KWW derivative function, a derivative equation of the modified stretched exponential function (MSE) was employed to evaluate TAM data. The later (MSE) appeared to have numerical advantages over the KWW equation. The data demonstrate, as expected, that structural relaxation times of amorphous solids depend on a number of variables, including nature of material, temperature, moisture content, thermal history, etc. Isothermal microcalorimetry with the TAM provides a very fast and reliable way to characterize the dynamics of glassy materials, which in many respects is superior to the conventional DSC approach. To the extent stability and structural relaxation dynamics in the glass are correlated, structural relaxation parameters derived by isothermal microcalorimetry may provide data useful for rational development of stable peptide and protein formulations and for the control of their processing.
Water flux from partial-thickness skin wounds: Comparative study of the effects of Er:YAG and Ho:YAG lasers

Background and Objective : The clinical use of lasers to cut and coagulate tissue necessitates a better understanding of how the residual thermal damage affects healing. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of varying degrees of thermal damage on the healing process. Study Design, Materials and Methods : Partial-thickness lesions were created in guinea pig skin using an Er :YAG laser, a Ho :YAG laser, and a scalpel. To monitor recovery of the stratum corneum, water flux from the wound sites was quantified and histological data obtained for approximately one week. Results : The data indicate an exponential water loss pattern from all wounds. Water flux from the scalpel- and the Er :YAG laser-induced wounds was initially high but decreased rapidly with decay rates (mean ± SE) of 0.46 ± 0.01 day -1 and 0.38 ± 0.01 day -1 , respectively. The Ho :YAG laser-induced wounds demonstrated a different pattern of decay with lower water flux values initially and a decay rate of only 0.13 ± 0.01 day -1 . Conclusion : Histological and water flux data reveal that Er :YAG laser-induced wounds achieve epidermal integrity only slightly after scalpel-induced lesions, and Ho :YAG laser-induced wounds heal substantially slower and contain more granulation tissue.