cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Remarks on a one-parameter family of singular matrices

This short article will present to the reader a family of matrices that form an algebra over the reals. This presentation provides both current and former students of modern abstract algebra a better illustration of the concepts of rings, fields, and algebra itself. In addition, this article relates eigenspaces of 3×3 matrices with the arithmetic–geometric mean equality, an attribute that teachers might enjoy utilizing as a teaching tool in their classes.
Rheology of wood plastics melt. Part 1. Capillary rheometry of HDPE filled with maple

Shear and extensional flow properties of the melts of high-density polyethylene (HDPE)-maple composites were studied with capillary rheometry to understand the effects of the wood content, particle size, and maleated polyethylene (MAPE). The viscosity data were compared with the values for neat matrix resin for reference. The effects of commercial wood particle size grades were examined at 60% by weight of wood loading. It was found that both shear and extensional viscosities increase with wood content but the filler content dependence is not as significant as for suspensions of inorganic fillers at similar filler loadings. Commercial wood particle size grades were found to result in less change in viscosity than wood content. The Mooney analyses conducted on the lower branch of the capillary shear flow data revealed a significant contribution of wall slip and confirmed the presence of a yield stress at higher filler contents. The internal lubrication role of MAPE was also illustrated in detail through the changes in both shear and extensional flow. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 45:549 –559, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers
Particle Simulation of Plasmas: Review and Advances

Particle simulation of plasmas, employed since the 1960s, provides a self-consistent, fully kinetic representation of general plasmas. Early incarnations looked for fundamental plasma effects in one-dimensional systems with ~102–103 particles in periodic electrostatic systems on computers with 100 kB memory. Recent advances model boundary conditions, such as external circuits to wave launchers, collisions and effects of particle–surface impact, all in fully relativistic three-dimensional electromagnetic systems using ~106–1010 particles on massively parallel computers. While particle codes still enjoy prominance in a number of basic physics areas, they are now often used for engineering devices as well.
Resistant and test-based outlier rejection: effects on Gaussian one- and two-sample inference

Resistant and sequential test-based procedures for the detection of multiple outliers are compared in Gaussian one- and two-sample problems. Subsequent to statistical rejection of putative outliers, operating characteristics of hypothesis tests applied to samples that are outlier-free may differ from their nominal values. Outlier rejection rules may be calibrated, however, to control the rate of erroneous outlier labeling in pure Gaussian samples. The small-sample behavior of resistant location and scale estimators used in outlier detection is examined through simulation, yielding new formulas for calibration of boxplot-based and shorth-based outlier-rejection rules. Effects of different outlier criteria and calibration rubrics on postrejection hypothesis tests are compared in a variety of contamination settings and real-world examples. Tests conducted subsequent to calibrated rejection have approximately nominal operating characteristics whether or not outliers are present. The selection of an outlier cr...
Multiple linked mouse chromosome 7 loci influence body fat mass

BACKGROUND: Congenic mouse strains contain donor mouse strain DNA in genomes otherwise identical to a background strain. They can be used to identify defined chromosomal regions containing obesity genes with small effects. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to discover congenic strains containing genes that influence body fat in mice and to examine interactions between these genes. DESIGN: A survey of congenic strains showed that the B6.C-Tyrc H1b Hbbd/By (B6.C-H1) congenic strain, with a 24 centiMorgan (cM) donor region from strain BALB/cBy on chromosome 7, had 50% less fat than background C57BL/6By (B6By) mice. The congenic donor region was then divided into 11 smaller overlapping subcongenic regions. Genotype effects on obesity traits in the subcongenics were determined by breeding heterozygotes for each line and comparing phenotypes of littermates with different donor genotypes. RESULTS: At least three subcongenic strains, two with overlapping donor regions and one with a nonoverlapping donor strain region, were found to exhibit significant influences of donor region genotype on obesity. A cross of the two overlapping subcongenics demonstrated that a single gene in the overlap region could not account for the observed obesity effects. We also observed significant obesity differences between genetically identical progeny that were contingent on the genotype of their subcongenic mothers. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the existence of at least three genes influencing obesity in three subcongenic strains with donor strain chromosomal regions whose size ranges from 0.5 to 5 cM. A maternal effect gene influencing obesity may be present in some subcongenic strains.
Health-care workers positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. Are their contacts at risk?

Abstract To assess the hepatitis risk to patients exposed to HBs Ag-positive health-care workers, 228 contacts were followed prospectively for six to nine months. Health workers included two physicians with chronic hepatitis, a chronic asymptomatic carrier nurse, a food handler with acute HBs Ag-positive hepatitis and a physician who was HBs Ag-positive for 25 days before the onset of acute hepatitis. Controls (167) consisted of identically followed patients who had not been exposed to an HBs Ag-positive health worker. No exposed or control patient acquired clinical hepatitis or HBs Ag. Isolated elevations in serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase occurred equally in both groups and did not correlate with serologic evidence for hepatitis B infection. One exposed patient demonstrated antibody seroconversion (anti-HBs), as did two of the controls. These data do not demonstrate hepatitis B transmission from HBs Ag-positive health workers to their patients. Restriction of such carriers is not warranted at presen...
The impact of pre-radiotherapy surgery on radiation-induced lung injury

Abstract Aims The use of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) is predicated by an assessment of the potential benefits and risks, including radiation-induced lung injury. In this study, the risk of radiation-induced lung injury is assessed in patients who received PORT, and compared with a group of patients who received radiation without prior surgery, to determine if surgery increases the risk of radiation pneumonitis. Materials and methods From 1991 to 2003, 251 patients with lung cancer were enrolled into a prospective study to assess radiation-induced lung injury. All patients received three-dimensional-planned, external-beam radiotherapy. One hundred and seventy-seven patients with over 6-months follow-up were eligible. For the current analysis, 49 patients (28%) had surgical intervention before radiotherapy. The rates of Grade 2 symptomatic pneumonitis in subgroups, based on the type of pre-radiation surgery, were computed and compared using Fisher's Exact Test. To consider the confounding factor of irradiated lung volume, patient subgroups were further defined on the basis of the mean lung dose. Results Surgical procedures included pneumonectomy ( n =9), lobectomy ( n =16), wedge resection ( n =8) and exploration without resection ( n =16). Radiation-induced lung injury occurred in 33 out of 177 (19%) patients, including 18% of the surgical group and 19% of the non-surgical group. Additionally, no statistically significant difference was found in the rate of radiation-induced lung injury based on the extent of resection. Conclusions The incidence of pneumonitis is similar in the surgical and non-surgical groups. Thus, PORT may be safely given to selected patients after surgical exploration or resection.
Ice Caps on Venus

The data on Venus obtained by Mariner V and Venera 4 are interpreted as evidence of giant polar ice caps holding the water that must have come out of the volcanoes with the observed carbon dioxide, on the assumption that Earth and Venus are of similar composition and volcanic history. The measurements by Venera 4 of the equatorial surface temperature indicate that the microwave readings were high, so that the polar ice caps may be allowed to exist in the face of the 10-centimeter readings of polar temperature. Life seems to be distinctly possible at the edges of the ice sheets.
Evaluation of Ta, Ti and TiW encapsulations for corrosion and diffusion protection of Cu interconnects

Abstract Using Auger electron spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and sheet resistance measurements the properties of sputtered thin film Ta, Ti and TiW as humidity-induced corrosion barriers for Cu substrates have been evaluated. Ta/Cu/Ta, Ti/Cu/TiN and TiW/Cu/TiW sandwich structures processed on SiO2 substrates were thermally stressed in 100% relative humidity (2 atm) at 120 °C for 72 h. While Ta and Ti films made excellent humidity-induced corrosion barriers, with smooth surfaces, TiW was destroyed, transforming Cu to Cu2O and CuO. A comparative study showed Ta and TiW to be good diffusion barriers for Cu. Titanium broke down as a diffusion barrier by reacting with Cu at about 300 °C.
The maintenance of a differentiated state in cultured mouse epidermal cells

Abstract Previous attempts to malignantly transform epithelial cultures of mouse epidermal cells yielded continuous lines that had lost most of the morphological characteristics of the primary cultures. These lines were classified as epidermal in origin because they arose from pure epidermal cultures, had intermediate junctions (but not true desmosomes), and if tumorigenic formed undifferentiated carcinomas (not fibrosarcomas). A major drawback to these studies was that keratinizing squamous cell carcinomas were not routinely produced. In our ongoing efforts to produce tumorigenic epidermal lines that retain their differentiation, we examined several culture modifications for their effects on mouse epidermal cells. Using an enriched Waymouth's medium, we found a set of conditions that (1) allows finite mouse epidermal cells to be subcultured and (2) yields continuous lines that retain many differentiated epidermal traits. Critical conditions are a BALB/c 3T3 Clone A31 feeder layer and incubation at 31 °C.
Dynamic etching of silicon for solar cell applications

If porous silicon (PSi) is going to be seriously considered for antireflection (AR) applications in the solar cell industry, it must not only offer superior AR properties, but must also prove minimally disruptive to the current manufacturing process. This limits its application to the final (backend) fabrication steps, after p-n junction formation. Since typical commercial junction depths are on the order of 350 nm, the PSi etching process must only consume a portion of this emitter layer if the electrical properties of these devices are to be maintained. In this study, we have focused on the development of a dynamic etching process to form thin (<120 nm) graded index PSi layers with excellent broadband AR properties.
Applications of EcR Gene Switch Technology in Functional Genomics

Genetic engineering of plants using transgenic technology is targeted to enhance agronomic performance or improved quality traits in a wide variety of plant species, and has become a fundamental tool for basic research in plant biotechnology. Constitutive promoters are presently the primary means used to express transgenes in plants. However, inducible gene regulation systems based on specific chemicals have many potential applications in agriculture and for enhancing the basic understanding of gene function. As a result, several gene switches have been developed. The ecdysone receptor gene switch is one of the best inducible gene regulation systems available, because the chemical, methoxyfenozide, required for its regulation is registered for field use. An EcR gene switch with a potential for use in large-scale field applications has been developed by adopting a two-hybrid format. In a two-hybrid switch format, the GAL4 DNA binding domain (GAL4 DBD) was fused to the ligand binding domain (LBD) of the Choristoneura fumiferana ecdysone receptor (CfEcR); and, the VP16 activation domain (VP16 AD) was fused to the LBD of Locust migratoria retinoid X receptor (LmRXR). The sensitivity of the CfEcR gene switch was improved from micromolar to nanomolar concentrations of ligand by using the CfEcR:LmRXR two-hybrid switch. In this report, we demonstrate the utility of CfEcR:LmRXR two-hybrid gene switch in functional genomics applications for regulating the expression of a Superman-like single zinc finger protein 11 (ZFP11) gene in both Arabidopsis and tobacco transgenic plants. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 65:164–179, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Preparation of Biomorphic SiC by Reactive Infiltration of Gaseous Si into Carbonized Millet

Biomorphic silicon carbide (bioSiC) was prepared at 1800 oC by reactive infiltration of gaseous silicon into a carbon template derived from millet. The pyrolysis process of millet was measured by thermogravimetric analysis. The morphology and microstructures of carbon template and purified bioSiC samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The phase composition of bioSiC was analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The results suggest that the bioSiC consists of major cubic s-SiC and a few α-SiC, and principally replicates the shape and microstructure of the carbon template.
Electron microscopic study of the interaction of oral microorganisms with polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Abstract A variety of Gram-positive plaque bacteria can trigger lysosomal enzyme release from rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in vitro . This electron microscopic study was undertaken to assess the correlation between phagocytic activity by PMNs and lysosome release to Streptococcus mutons 6715, Streptococcus sanguis G9B, and Actinomyces viscosus T14. PMN phagocytic activity was quantitated by determining the percentage of cells showing evidence of phagocytosis (phagocytic index) and the number of bacteria within the PMNs (avidity index). High phagocytic activity was accompanied by vigorous PMN lysosomal enzyme release. On the other hand, when PMNs exhibited low phagocytic activity lysosomal enzyme release was minimal. For example, Streptococcus mutans grown in brain-heart infusion broth did not induce significant lysosome release or demonstrable phagocytic activity by PMNs. In contrast, Strep. mutans grown in BHI containing sucrose or pre-incubated with anti- Strep. mutans antibodies acted as potent triggers of lysosome release and PMN phagocytosis. Our results indicate that various species of oral Gram-positive bacteria trigger different responses from PMNs and that phagocytic activity of PMNs correlates well with the ability of these microorganisms to stimulate lysosomal enzyme release.
Estimation of errors in the fault analysis of six phase transmission lines using transposed models

Fault analysis of power systems represented by transposed line models result in errors that are less tolerable in high phase order systems than in 3-phase systems. Concepts of vector and matrix norm theory are applied to estimate such errors in 6-phase systems without actually making exhaustive fault studies. Error estimates are compared to actual values in typical 3-phase and 6-phase systems. >
Neuroimaging in Pediatric Epilepsy

Neuroimaging techniques have advanced the diagnosis, management, and understanding of the pathophysiology underlying the epilepsies. High-resolution ultrasound is an important and useful technique in the investigation of prematures and neonates with seizures. Computed tomography (CT) scans have a diminishing role in the investigation of patients with epilepsy, but in the absence of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT may detect gross structural pathology. MRI is the technique of choice for investigation of patients with seizure disorders. MRI provides excellent anatomic information and tissue contrast, resulting in high sensitivity. MRI studies should be customized to answer the appropriate clinical question. Functional imaging techniques including single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and functional MRI are becoming increasingly important in the investigation and management of patients with seizures. These techniques permit noninvasive assessment of the epileptic substrate, functional status, ictal activity, blood flow changes, metabolism, and neuroreceptors. Application of these new techniques promises to advance our understanding and treatment of seizures in children.
Mechanisms of interaction of amino acids with phospholipid bilayers during freezing.

In this study we compare the ability of various amino acids to protect small unilamellar vesicles against damage during freeze/thaw. Liposomes were composed of 75% palmitoyloleoyl phosphatidylcholine and 25% phosphatidylserine. Damage to liposomes frozen in liquid nitrogen and thawed at 20 degrees C was assessed by resonance energy transfer. Cryoprotection by numerous amino acids was compared in the presence and absence of 350 mM NaCl. The majority of amino acids with hydrocarbon side chains increased membrane damage during freeze/thaw regardless of the presence of salt. However, amino acids with hydrocarbon side chains of less than three carbons long, e.g. glycine, alanine, and 2-aminobutyric acid, were cryoprotective only in the presence of salt. We suggest that NaCl selectively increases the solubility of such amino acids, allowing them to act as cryoprotectants. In contrast, amino acids with side chains containing charged amine groups were cryoprotective regardless of the presence of salt. The degree of charge on the second amine group is shown to be important for cryoprotection by these molecules. We present evidence that suggests an interaction between the positively charged, second amine group of the amino acid, and the negatively charged phospholipid headgroup.
A synergetic model for human gait transitions

Abstract Gait transitions have been considered as bifurcations between states (e.g. walking or running modes) of a nonlinear dynamical system. A top-down synergetic approach to model gait transitions has been adapted from Frank et al. (2009) and applied to two sets of empirical observations. In this approach, it is assumed that the amplitudes of the spatio-temporal modes of locomotion satisfy a generic form of evolution equations that are known to hold for animate and inanimate self-organizing systems. The presented experimental results focus on hysteresis in human walk-to-run and run-to-walk transitions on a treadmill as a function of treadmill inclination and acceleration, the rate at which speed was increased or decreased during experimental trials. The bi-stability in the synergetic model is assumed to account for the hysteretic transitions. Accordingly, the relevant parameters of the model were estimated from the empirical data and the model’s efficacy in predicting the observed hysteresis effects was evaluated.
Martensite plate arrangements in 01 tool steel

In a commercial 01 tool steel austenitized at 1200°C, martensite plates form in small clusters within austenite which has been partitioned by grain boundaries and preexisting martensite plates. But the surface of martensite plate mid-planes increases only about one fourth as rapidly and the plates are about six times as long as would be expected from random formation in austenite randomly partitioned by preexisting plates. Martensite plates maintain a constant thickness until their radius is restricted to approximately the distance which is tip affected, about 10 μm. The plate thickness to radius ratio is not constant.
The Effect of Misinformation, Partial Information, and Guessing on Expected Multiple-Choice Test Item Scores

Six response/scoring methods for multiple-choice tests are analyzed with respect to expected item scores under various levels of information and mis information. It is shown that misinformation alw...
A comparative analysis of 3D-IC partitioning schemes for asynchronous circuits

In an attempt to further extend Moore's Law, circuit designers are turning to three-dimensional integrated circuit (3D-IC) design. However, stacking active devices presents new design challenges, the most notable being thermal dissipation. When paired with a delay-insensitive asynchronous circuit design technique such as NULL Convention Logic (NCL), the two technologies unite to solve the inherent weaknesses of each other. As part of the 3D-IC design process, a circuit must be partitioned evenly between the stacked wafers. This study presents three strategies to split an NCL circuit into two die, in an attempt to discover the optimal partitioning method for asynchronous circuits. Analysis is done on total interconnect length, number of thru-silicon vias required, and circuit area.
Hedonic scales are a better predictor than just-about-right scales of optimal sweetness in lemonade

A comparison of hedonic scales and just-about-right (JAR) scales is needed because data in previous studies using JAR scales suggest that predicted optimum levels of ingredients often are not the same as the levels in products that currently are sold successfully. Thus, in this research, consumers tested lemonade varying in sugar concentration from 6% to 14%, using (1) a JAR scale formed by boxes or a line and (2) a hedonic box-type scale. Predicted “optimum” levels of sweetness for the lemonade and differences in liking for the formulations were determined. The JAR line and box scales gave similar predicted optimal results (9.2% and 9.4% sucrose, respectively), which were significantly lower than the hedonic scale results (10.3% sucrose). In a preference test, consumers significantly preferred the 10.3% sugar lemonade over the 9.3% concentration, indicating that, based on paired preference testing, the hedonic scale resulted in better prediction of optimal sweetness than the JAR scale.
Structured Voluntary Youth Activities and Positive Outcomes in Adulthood: An Exploratory Study of Involvement in Scouting and Subjective Well-Being

This study explores whether youth involvement in Scouting has positive consequences later in life. We examine whether the number of years of participation in Scouting is positively associated with human and social capital and recreational lifestyles in adulthood, and whether these are linked to subjective well-being: relational, emotional, and physical health. To explore this potential relationship, we estimated a structural equation model, analyzing data from a national sample of adult males. We found that youth involvement in Scouting is positively related to subjective well-being indirectly via the positive adult outcomes.
Prophylactic clarithromycin to treat mycobacterium avium in HIV patients receiving zidovudine may significantly increase mortality by suppressing lymphopoiesis and hematopoiesis.

The increased mortality observed when human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals are treated with clarithromycin (CLA) as prophylaxis for disseminated infection with organisms of the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) suggests that CLA might possess immunosuppressive activities. To test this possibility, we assessed the immunological response of BALB/c mice following subchronic (28 days) oral administration of CLA alone or in combination with zidovudine (ZDV). Because normal hematopoiesis is needed to maintain the immune system, we also examined the effect of these drugs given individually or in combination on several hematological parameters. The major effect of administration of 500 mg/kg CLA was a marked decrease in the lymphocyte/neutrophil ratio, and the only evidence of hematotoxicity in mice treated with 240 mg/kg ZDV alone was mild macrocytic anemia. However, treatment with a combination of CLA and ZDV resulted in severe hematotoxicity, evidenced by a significant (p<0.01) decrease in the number of circulating erythrocytes, neutrophils, and lymphocytes and a 67% drop in splenic cellularity (p<0.01). Treatment with CLA or ZDV alone or both drugs in combination had no effect on lymphocyte function, determined by measuring the ex vivo proliferative activity of splenocytes in response to alloantigens or a B cell mitogen, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). However, because of the cellular depletion in the spleen, overall immune responses in this organ decreased significantly (p<0.05) in mice treated with CLA plus ZDV. These data suggest that interactions between CLA and ZDV warrant further evaluation because these drugs are given in combination to persons with advanced HIV infection.
Substituted poly(silylenemethylene)s with short range interactions that induce a preference for the same local conformation in unperturbed atactic, isotactic, and syndiotactic chains

Abstract A rotational isomeric state model has been developed for the poly(silylenemethylenes) with repeating sequence [Si(CH 3 )R–CH 2 ] x , R=–O(CH 2 ) N OC 6 H 4 C 6 H 5 . The model incorporates all first- and second-order interactions, as well as higher order interactions that are mandatory in some of the conformations. Chains with all possible stereochemical sequences prefer a local conformation that is a run of trans states at the C–Si bonds in the backbone. This preference arises from an attractive second-order interaction of the first methylene group in the side-chain bonded to chain atom i with the silicon atoms indexed i ±2. Unperturbed chains have larger dimensions than the simpler chain in which R is merely a methyl group. The temperature coefficients of the unperturbed dimensions are large and negative. The preference of unperturbed atactic, isotactic, and syndiotactic chains for the same local conformation may contribute to the facile formation of smectic phases by the presumably atactic chain, as reported by Park et al. [Macromolecules 35 (2002) 2776].
Gender, College Major Selections, Classifications Within Majors, And Its Relationship With Locus Of Control: An Empirical Evidence For Counseling Educators

To help counselors develop strategies to enhance students’ social, personal, and psychological well-being, this research provides an understanding of how students perceive their environment. Specifically examining graduate and undergraduate students, the researcher was concerned with ascertaining the effect of the college-major variable (Business Administration versus Health Care Administration) and classification (graduate versus undergraduate) of the internal versus external Locus of Control orientations. Employed in this investigation was a parametric procedure, which was the t-Test of independent samples. One hundred twenty-five (125) graduate and undergraduate students were selected to participate in this empirical study. The Social Reaction Inventory Questionnaire was used to collect the data regarding the internal versus external orientations of the college students. The investigative instrument had a split-half reliability coefficient of .82 for the test as a whole and was deemed to have excellent construct v alidity. The study concluded that Business and Health Care Administration students have similar overall Locus of Control orientation scores, graduate students have similar overall Locus of Control orientation scores, and counselors and other concerned individuals in the helping profession should be cognizant of the characteristics and traits of internally and externally oriented students.
Laser acceleration of electrons to giga-electron-volt energies using highly charged ions.

The recent proposal to use highly charged ions as sources of electrons for laser acceleration [S. X. Hu and A. F. Starace, Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 245003 (2002)] is investigated here in detail by means of three-dimensional, relativistic Monte Carlo simulations for a variety of system parameters, such as laser pulse duration, ionic charge state, and laser focusing spot size. Realistic laser focusing effects---e.g., the existence of longitudinal laser field components---are taken into account. Results of spatial averaging over the laser focus are also presented. These numerical simulations show that the proposed scheme for laser acceleration of electrons from highly charged ions is feasible with current or near-future experimental conditions and that electrons with GeV energies can be obtained in such experiments.
Second-Law Limitations on Particle Size Distribution Functions

The size distribution of particles in dispersions is an important property that is usually measured. In many cases, however, theoretical or semi-empirical models are developed to predict these distributions. The models, none the less, come with subtle constraints that limit the regimes of their applicability. At present, there is no systematic approach for identifying these limitations, which, if ignored, can lead to serious flaws. In this work we introduce an entropy-related property of the dispersion, and demonstrate th at this property, which is intensive, and, therefore, independent of system size and configuration, can be used to pinpoint where these limitations lie.
Discovery of protein–DNA interactions by penalized multivariate regression

Discovering which regulatory proteins, especially transcription factors (TFs), are active under certain experimental conditions and identifying the corresponding binding motifs is essential for understanding the regulatory circuits that control cellular programs. The experimental methods used for this purpose are laborious. Computational methods have been proven extremely effective in identifying TF-binding motifs (TFBMs). In this article, we propose a novel computational method called MotifExpress for discovering active TFBMs. Unlike existing methods, which either use only DNA sequence information or integrate sequence information with a single-sample measurement of gene expression, MotifExpress integrates DNA sequence information with gene expression measured in multiple samples. By selecting TFBMs that are significantly associated with gene expression, we can identify active TFBMs under specific experimental conditions and thus provide clues for the construction of regulatory networks. Compared with existing methods, MotifExpress substantially reduces the number of spurious results. Statistically, MotifExpress uses a penalized multivariate regression approach with a composite absolute penalty, which is highly stable and can effectively find the globally optimal set of active motifs. We demonstrate the excellent performance of MotifExpress by applying it to synthetic data and real examples of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Motif Express is available at http://www.stat.illinois.edu/ ~pingma/MotifExpress.htm.
Chloroprocaine may not affect epidural morphine for postcesarean delivery analgesia

Abstract Study Objective The purpose of this study is to assess the independent effect of epidural chloroprocaine on morphine used for pain relief after cesarean delivery. Design We used a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial. Setting The study took place at the labor and delivery ward of an academic medical center. Patients Forty pregnant women undergoing elective cesarean delivery under spinal-epidural anesthesia. Interventions Patients were randomized to receive either 150 mg of 3% chloroprocaine or placebo, followed by 3 mg of epidural morphine. Measurements The primary outcome for this investigation was the duration of pain relief after morphine administration, defined as the time at first use of supplemental opioids for analgesia. Secondary outcomes included pain scores, blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, anesthetic sensory level, nausea and vomiting, pruritus, supplemental use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, and satisfaction. Main Results The groups were similar in demographics and duration of spinal anesthesia. Using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of the duration of morphine analgesia, we found no difference between the groups (chloroprocaine, 1191 minutes, vs placebo, 1267 minutes, P = 0.52). There was no difference in pain scores or the need for supplemental analgesics. Side effects of epidural morphine were similar between the groups. Conclusions We found that epidural chloroprocaine did not reduce the duration or effectiveness of postoperative analgesia from epidural morphine.
Reconstruction of nasal alar defects.

Objective To evaluate aesthetic and functional results of reconstruction of the nasal alar subunit using free cartilage grafts with an interpolated cheek or forehead flap and a vascularized mucosal flap when required. Setting University-based facial plastic surgery practice. Patients A case series of 50 patients with primary alar defects undergoing nasal alar reconstruction. Main Outcome Measures Observer's and patient's rating of the final results, patient's rating of breathing and level of self-consciousness, and medical record review of complications. Results Most aesthetic outcomes were excellent to good. Breathing from the reconstructed side can be returned to preoperative status in most of these patients. Conclusion Staged reconstruction of the nasal ala using free cartilage grafts, interpolated cheek or forehead and mucosal flaps when necessary, result in a highly aesthetic and functional outcome in most patients.
Effects of anti-I-A and anti-I-E monoclonal antibodies on the induction and expression of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis in mice.

Susceptibility to experimental autoimrnune thyroiditis (EAT) in mice is linked to the I-A subregion of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). The present study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of anti-I-Ak monoclonal antibody (MAb) 10–2.16 in preventing or arresting the development of EAT. Spleen cells from CBA/J or (CBA/J x Balb/c) Fl mice given 10–2.16 prior to sensitization with mouse thyro-globulin (MTg) and adjuvant could not transfer EAT to normal recipients, and cells from these mice did not proliferate in vitro to MTg. Donor CBA/J mice given 10–2.16 before immunization and recipients of cells from such mice produced little MTg-specific lgGl or IgG2b antibody but did produce nearly as much IgG2a as controls. The effects of in vivo treatment with 10–2. 16 appear to be due to elimination of Ia + cells rather than to modulation of Ia or induction of suppressor T cells. When 10–2.16 was added to in vitro cultures it also prevented the proliferation and activation of sensitized CBA/J or F...
The Collision of Economics and Politics in Medicaid Managed Care: Reflections on the Course of Reform in Maryland

One of the most dynamic areas of health policy is the transition of Medicaid programs to managed care and market competition. Maryland has been a leader in this trend, initiating three different systems of managed care for the Medicaid population during the 1990s as it searched for an ideal plan. The Maryland experience illustrates the complex new demands that policy makers are facing. Health plans are expected not only to deliver budgetary savings, but also to improve the quality of their services and guarantee a place for safety-net providers in their delivery systems. As a result, there is a sizable gap between the original savings projected for the new Maryland system and its actual capacity for cost containment. The apparent collision between economic assumptions and political realities, however, may point the way to a constructive synthesis—a form of managed care that balances economy with important community, professional, and personal values.
The Impact of Captions On Hearing-Impaired Children's Affective Reactions To Television:

An assessment was made of the impact of captions on hearing-impaired students' affective reactions to a version of a popular children's television program, Shazam. Forty-two hearing-impaired children ranging in age from 8 to 12 years old were randomly divided into 2 groups; 1 group viewed the program without captions and the other viewed it with captions at a very simple language level. During and following the presentation the children rated their perception of the characters' emotions and personality traits. They also indicated their liking of various program scenes, and gave their predictions concerning how characters would behave in new but similar situations. Results indicated that captions seemed to enhance hearing-impaired children's abilities to perceive the emotional complexity of presented information. The implications are discussed in the following review.
Fast optical response to electrical activation in peripheral nerves

Complex neuronal structures and interactions make studying fast optical signals associated with brain activation difficult, especially in non-invasive measurements that are further complicated by the filtering effect of the scalp and skull. We have chosen to study fast optical signals in the peripheral nervous system to look at a more simplified biological neuronal structure and a system that is more accessible to non-invasive optical studies. In this study, we recorded spatially resolved electrical and optical responses of the human sural nerve to electrical stimulation. A 0.1 ms electrical stimulation was used to activate the sural nerve. Electrical signals were collected by an electromyogram machine and results showed an electrical response spanning a distance of 8 mm across the nerve. Optical signals were collected by a two-wavelength (690 and 830 nm) near-infrared spectrometer and displayed a characteristic decrease in intensity at both wavelengths. Data were taken at multiple positions and then reproduced five times. The average optical data over the five trials showed an optical signal that was spatially consistent with the electrical response to sural nerve stimulation.
Indolent lymphoma: follicular lymphoma and the microenvironment—insights from the microscope

Follicular lymphomas (FLs) are neoplasms of germinal center (GC) B cells, which retain many of the morphologic, immunophenotypic, genetic, and functional features of normal GC B cells. Both normal GCs and neoplastic follicles of FL also contain non-neoplastic cells (microenvironment) that influence and are influenced by the GC and FL B cells and are likely important for tumor cell survival. Many insights into the nature of the GC/FL microenvironment have come from morphologic and immunophenotypic analysis, both before and after the discoveries from gene expression profiling. This chapter reviews what we have learned from the microscope and highlights the pitfalls involved in trying to enumerate cells in the microenvironment for clinical prognostication.
On Social Death: Ostracism and the Accessibility of Death Thoughts

Being rejected, excluded, or simply ignored is a painful experience. Ostracism researchers have shown its powerful negative consequences (Williams, 2007), and sociologists have referred to such experiences as social death (Bauman, 1992). Is this is just a metaphor or does being ostracized make death more salient in people's minds? An experiment was conducted in which participants experienced ostracism or inclusion using the Cyberball manipulation, and the accessibility of death-related thoughts was measured via a word-stem completion puzzle. Results showed enhanced death-thought accessibility in the ostracism condition, as well as a negative effect of dispositional self-esteem on the accessibility of death-related thoughts.
On the Coupling between Vibrational Relaxation and Molecular Electronic Transitions.

Vibrational relaxation of a harmonic molecule in contact with its surrounding medium is studied, and its effect on the electronic relaxation rate in such molecules is examined. Results of earlier works which considered harmonic phonon models for the medium are extended to the case of a general thermal bath. The formal expression for the vibrational relaxation rate is modified but the general form of the final results for the electronic and vibrational time evolution is shown to remain intact.
Populus CEN/TFL1 regulates first onset of flowering, axillary meristem identity and dormancy release in Populus

Members of the CENTRORADIALIS (CEN)/TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1) subfamily control shoot meristem identity, and loss-of-function mutations in both monopodial and sympodial herbaceous plants result in dramatic changes in plant architecture. We studied the degree of conservation between herbaceous and woody perennial plants in shoot system regulation by overexpression and RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated suppression of poplar orthologs of CEN, and the related gene MOTHER OF FT AND TFL 1 (MFT). Field study of transgenic poplars (Populus spp.) for over 6 years showed that downregulation of PopCEN1 and its close paralog, PopCEN2, accelerated the onset of mature tree characteristics, including age of first flowering, number of inflorescences and proportion of short shoots. Surprisingly, terminal vegetative meristems remained indeterminate in PopCEN1-RNAi trees, suggesting the possibility that florigen signals are transported to axillary mersitems rather than the shoot apex. However, the axillary inflorescences (catkins) of PopCEN1-RNAi trees contained fewer flowers than did wild-type catkins, suggesting a possible role in maintaining the indeterminacy of the inflorescence apex. Expression of PopCEN1 was significantly correlated with delayed spring bud flush in multiple years, and in controlled environment experiments, 35S::PopCEN1 and RNAi transgenics required different chilling times to release dormancy. Considered together, these results indicate that PopCEN1/PopCEN2 help to integrate shoot developmental transitions that recur during each seasonal cycle with the age-related changes that occur over years of growth.
A Risk-based Input–Output Methodology for Measuring the Effects of the August 2003 Northeast Blackout

The 2003 Northeast Blackout revealed vulnerabilities within the US electric power-grid system. With the economy so dependent on electric power for most aspects of life, a power-grid failure can have far-reaching higher-order effects and can impair the operability of other critical infrastructures. An inoperability of the power sector can result from different types of disasters (e.g., accidents, natural catastrophe, or willful attacks). This paper demonstrates the Inoperability Input-Output Model (IIM) to measure the financial and inoperability effects of the Northeast Blackout. The case study uses information from sources such as the US input–output tables and sector-specific reports to quantify losses for specific inoperability levels. The IIM estimated losses of the same magnitude as other published reports; however, with a detailed accounting of all affected economic sectors. Finally, a risk management framework is proposed to extend the IIM's capability for evaluating investment options in terms of t...
Pulmonary endarterectomy: Part II. Operation, anesthetic management, and postoperative care

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) results from recurrent or incomplete resolution of pulmonary embolism. CTEPH is much more common than generally appreciated. Although pulmonary embolism (PE) affects a large number of Americans, chronic pulmonary thromboembolic hypertension remains underdiagnosed. It is imperative that all patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) be screened for the presence of CTEPH since this form of PH is potentially curable with pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) surgery. The success of this procedure depends greatly on the collaboration of a multidisciplinary team approach that includes pulmonary medicine, cardiothoracic surgery, and cardiac anesthesiology. This review, based on the experience of more than 3000 pulmonary endarterectomy surgeries, is divided into 2 parts. Part I focuses on the clinical history and pathophysiology, diagnostic workup, and intraoperative echocardiography. Part II focuses on the surgical approach, anesthetic management, postoperative care, and complications.
The benefits of load sharing when dimensioning networks

With third and fourth generation (4G) wireless technology, operators may manage multiple wireless networks, including cellular networks of different generations, frequencies and cell sizes; potentially multiple wireless LAN networks operating at different data rates, and possibly satellite and other networks. Architectural studies on integrated heterogeneous networks propose that a common radio resource manager allocate sessions to wireless networks, based on service requirements and loading. This idea has merit: distributed operating systems has shown that distributing jobs across computer systems can lead to increased throughput, performance, modularity, survivability, and accessibility. This study investigates how the increased modularity and performance offered by load shared networks can translate into lower deployment costs in cellular networks, as in distributed systems.
Information Content of Exoplanetary Transit Spectra: An Initial Look

It has been shown that spectroscopy of transiting extrasolar planets can potentially provide a wealth of information about their atmospheres. Herein, we set up the inverse problem in spectroscopic retrieval. We use nonlinear optimal estimation to retrieve the atmospheric state (pioneered for Earth sounding by Rodgers). The formulation quantifies the degrees of freedom and information content of the spectrum with respect to geophysical parameters; herein, we focus specifically on temperature and composition. First, we apply the technique to synthetic near-infrared spectra and explore the influence of spectral signal-to-noise ratio and resolution (the two important parameters when designing a future instrument) on the information content of the data. As expected, we find that the number of retrievable parameters increases with increasing signal-to-noise ratio and resolution, although the gains quickly level off for large values. Second, we apply the methods to the previously studied dayside near-infrared emission spectrum of HD 189733b and compare the results of our retrieval with those obtained by others.
The JNK Pathway Is a Key Mediator of Anopheles gambiae Antiplasmodial Immunity

The innate immune system of Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes limits Plasmodium infection through multiple molecular mechanisms. For example, midgut invasion by the parasite triggers an epithelial nitration response that promotes activation of the complement-like system. We found that suppression of the JNK pathway, by silencing either Hep, JNK, Jun or Fos expression, greatly enhanced Plasmodium infection; while overactivating this cascade, by silencing the suppressor Puckered, had the opposite effect. The JNK pathway limits infection via two coordinated responses. It induces the expression of two enzymes (HPx2 and NOX5) that potentiate midgut epithelial nitration in response to Plasmodium infection and regulates expression of two key hemocyte-derived immune effectors (TEP1 and FBN9). Furthermore, the An. gambiae L3–5 strain that has been genetically selected to be refractory (R) to Plasmodium infection exhibits constitutive overexpression of genes from the JNK pathway, as well as midgut and hemocyte effector genes. Silencing experiments confirmed that this cascade mediates, to a large extent, the drastic parasite elimination phenotype characteristic of this mosquito strain. In sum, these studies revealed the JNK pathway as a key regulator of the ability of An. gambiae mosquitoes to limit Plasmodium infection and identified several effector genes mediating these responses.
Maximum energy principle of multiple transforms in data compression

A novel approach in signal decomposition and data compression is proposed based on the maximum energy principle (MEP) of multiple transforms (MEPOMT). The complementary property of the discrete cosine transform (DCT) and wavelet transform (WT) in signal decomposition makes MEPOMT an efficient data compression method for signals containing both narrowband and wideband components.