cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conformational Changes of the Clamp of the Protein Translocation ATPase SecA.

Post-translational protein translocation across the bacterial plasma membrane is mediated by the interplay of the SecA ATPase and the protein-conducting SecY channel. SecA consists of several domains, including two nucleotide-binding domains (NBD1 and NBD2), a polypeptide cross-linking domain (PPXD), a helical scaffold domain (HSD), and a helical wing domain (HWD). PPXD, HSD, and NBD2 form a clamp that positions the polypeptide substrate above the channel so that it can be pushed into the channel by a two-helix finger of the HSD. How the substrate is accommodated in the clamp during translocation is unclear. Here, we report a crystal structure of Thermotoga maritima SecA at 1.9 A resolution. Structural analysis and free-energy calculations indicate that the new structure represents an intermediate state during the transition of the clamp from an open to a closed conformation. Molecular dynamics simulations show that closure of the clamp occurs in two phases, an initial movement of PPXD, HSD, and HWD as a unit, followed by a movement of PPXD alone toward NBD2. Simulations in the presence of a polypeptide chain show that the substrate associates with the back of the clamp by dynamic hydrogen bonding and that the clamp is laterally closed by a conserved loop of the PPXD. Mutational disruption of clamp opening or closure abolishes protein translocation. These results suggest how conformational changes of SecA allow substrate binding and movement during protein translocation.
Effect of simulated mastication on the surface roughness of three ceramic systems

Abstract Statement of problem Zirconia complete coverage crowns are being widely used as restorations because of their high strength and improved esthetics. Data are sparse about the change in surface roughness of this ceramic material after repeated mastication cycles of opposing enamel. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the surface roughness after being subjected to 3-body wear-opposing human enamel of 3 types of ceramics: dense sintered yttrium-stabilized zirconia (Z); lithium disilicate (L); and a conventional low-fusing feldspathic porcelain (P) treated to impart a rough, smooth, or glazed surface. Material and methods Twenty-four specimens of each of the Z and L ceramic were sectioned from computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing blocks into rectangular plates (15×12×2 mm). Twenty-four specimens of the feldspathic porcelain were formed into disks (12-mm diameter) from powders compressed in a silicone mold. All specimens (n=72) were prepared according to the manufacturers' recommendations. Specimens of each ceramic group were placed into 1 of 3 groups: group R, rough surface finish; group S, smooth surface finish; and group G, glazed surface finish. A total of 72 specimens (9 groups with 8 specimens each) was placed in a 3-body wear simulator, with standardized enamel specimens (n=72) acting as the substrate. The changes in surface roughness of the ceramic specimens were evaluated after 50 000 cycles. Data were analyzed by a repeated measures 3-way ANOVA mixed procedure with the Satterthwaite method for degrees of freedom and maximum likelihood estimation of the covariance parameters (α=.05). Results Data showed that the PS group exhibited the largest change in surface roughness, becoming significantly rougher ( P P =.012). Conclusions The surfaces of monolithic zirconia ceramic and lithium disilicate did not become as rough as the surface of conventional feldspathic porcelain after enamel wear.
Proper D-solutions of multiobjective programming problems with set functions

A special class of solutions for multiobjective programming problems with set functions is considered. A subset of nondominated solutions, called properD-solution set, with respect to a given domination structure is characterized under two situations, with and without inequality constraints.
Intramedullary goniometer can improve alignment in knee arthroplasty surgery

Fifty total knee arthroplasties were performed using an intraoperative intramedullary goniometer to measure the angle of the distal femoral cut. When deviations of 1 degree or more were found, angled cutting blocks ranging from 1 degree to 5 degrees were used to recut the distal femur. Revised femoral cuts were made it 25 knees (50%). Postoperative evaluation from weight-bearing long-standing anteroposterior radiographs revealed an average distal femoral angle deviation from preoperative planning of 0.64 degree (range, 0 degree-3 degrees). This was statistically significantly different from the value for a comparison group of 50 knees on which arthroplasties were performed without the intraoperative goniometer with an average femoral angle deviation of 1.44 degrees (range, 0 degree-4 degrees) (P < .05). In the control group, there were 7 knees (14%) that deviated by 3 degrees or more versus only 2 knees in the study group. The authors conclude that an intramedullary goniometer is fast, is simple to use, and leads to more accurate preparation of the distal femur in total knee arthroplasty.
The Sea Loan in Genoa in the Twelfth Century

Introductory: connection between the ancient Greek and Roman sea loan and the medieval Genoese type, 495. — Position of the sea loan before the Civil and Canon Law, 499. — The bona fide sea loan, 501. — Interest rates charged, 505. — Time and method of repayment, 507. — Security required, 508. — The pignus type of sea loan, 510. — Its importance as an addition to the credit machinery of Genoa, 511. — As a means of speculation, 518. — The usury-evasion type, 520. — Operation of the insurance principle, 523. — Relationship of medieval sea loan and modern bottomry bond, 526. — Conclusion, 528.
A comparison of primate, carnivoran and rodent limb bone cross-sectional properties: are primates really unique?

The cross-sectional properties of mammalian limb bones provide an important source of information about their loading history and locomotor adaptations. It has been suggested, for instance, that the cross-sectional strength of primate limb bones differs from that of other mammals as a consequence of living in a complex arboreal environment (Kimura, 1991, 1995). In order to test this hypothesis more rigorously, we have investigated cross-sectional properties in samples of humeri and femora of 71 primate species, 30 carnivorans and 59 rodents. Primates differ from carnivorans and rodents in having limb bones with greater cross-sectional strength than mammals of similar mass. This might imply that primates have stronger bones than carnivorans and rodents. However, primates also have longer proximal limb bones than other mammals. When cross-sectional dimensions are regressed against bone length, primates appear to have more gracile bones than other mammals. These two seemingly contradictory findings can be reconciled by recognizing that most limb bones experience bending as a predominant loading regime. After regressing cross-sectional strength against the product of body mass and bone length, a product which should be proportional to the bending moments applied to the limb, primates are found to overlap considerably with carnivorans and rodents. Consequently, primate humeri and femora are similar to those of nonprimates in their resistance to bending. Comparisons between arboreal and terrestrial species within the orders show that the bones of arboreal carnivorans have greater cross-sectional properties than those of terrestrial carnivorans, thus supporting Kimura's general notion. However, no differences were found between arboreal and terrestrial rodents. Among primates, the only significant difference was in humeral bending rigidity, which is higher in the terrestrial species. In summary, arboreal and terrestrial species do not show consistent differences in long bone reinforcement, and Kimura's conclusions must be modified to take into account the interaction of bone length and cross-sectional geometry.
Longitudinal distribution of ozone absorption in the lung: comparison of cigarette smokers and nonsmokers.

Abstract In nonsmokers, ozone (O 3 ) is removed primarily by the epithelial lining fluid (ELF) of the conducting airways. We hypothesized that cigarette smokers, whose ELF antioxidant capacity may be limited by smoking, would remove less O 3 from their conducting airways than nonsmokers. We recruited 29 nonsmokers (17M, 12F) and 30 smokers (19M, 11F, 4 ± 4 pack-years) with similar anthropometric characteristics and measured the longitudinal distribution of O 3 using the bolus inhalation method. We also assessed the physiological effect of this transient exposure regimen using forced spirometry and capnography. Contrary to our hypothesis, the penetration volume at which 50% of a bolus was absorbed was not different between smokers and nonsmokers (97.1 ± 5.4 mL versus 97.9 ± 5.8 mL, p = 0.92). However, smokers did experience an increase in the slope of the alveolar plateau of the capnogram ( S N ) (8.1 ± 3.2%, p = 0.02) and a small decrease in FEV 1 (− 1.3 ± 0.6%, p = 0.03), whereas nonsmokers did not (ΔFEV 1 − 0.1 ± 0.5% and Δ S N − 0.2 ± 2.5%, p > 0.10). Thus, smokers are more sensitive to inhaled O 3 boluses than nonsmokers, despite a similar internal dose distribution.
Principles of Field Extrication for Medical Personnel

In the United States, pre-hospital immediate care generally is practiced by paramedical personnel. These individuals are either firemen or civilians who have specific training in the assessment and management of acutely ill or injured patients outside the hospital. In most systems, once the initial evaluation of the patient is made, radio or telephone communication occurs between the pre-hospital team and a hospital-based physician or specially trained nurse. These hospital-based personnel are the responsible medical authority for the care delivered by the paramedical staff. Based on data reported by the field unit, the hospital team gives medical direction and specific therapeutic orders to the paramedics. This style of immediate care seems to work well for us in America although it is different in many ways from immediate care schemes elsewhere in the world, in that the physician or nurse is rarely on the scene, able to assess firsthand and provide medical care to the victims.
Multimodal sensory responses of nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis and the responses' relation to cortical and motor activation.

The connectivity of large neurons of the nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis (NRGc) in the medullary reticular formation potentially allows both for the integration of stimuli, in several modalities, that would demand immediate action, and for coordinated activation of cortical and motoric activity. We have simultaneously recorded cortical local field potentials, neck muscle electromyograph (EMG), and the neural activity of medullary NRGc neurons in unrestrained, unanesthetized rats to determine whether the activity of the NRGc is consistent with the modulation of general arousal. We observed excitatory responses of individual NRGc neurons to all modalities tested: tactile, visual, auditory, vestibular, and olfactory. Excitation was directly linked to increases in neck muscle EMG amplitude and corresponded with increases in the power of fast oscillations (30 to 80 Hz) of cortical activity and decreases in the power of slow oscillations (2 to 8 Hz). Because these reticular formation neurons can respond to broad ranges of stimuli with increased firing rates associated with the initiation of behavioral responses, we infer that they are part of an elementary “first responder” CNS arousal mechanism.
Disruption, Continuity, and the Social Lives of Things: Navajo Folk Art and/as Performance

Contemporary Navajo artworks bind together communicative competence, history, and affect within the commodity situation. Exploring the dynamic character of the object and its social trajectories, the author demonstrates how Navajo art objects are not static entities, but invested and infused with infinite performative powers. The object “speaks”; it animates relations of exchange even as it is, itself, animated.
Nucleation of Gold Nanoparticle Superclusters from Solution

Measurements of the solubility curve of a quasi-monodisperse gold nanoparticle solution are given. Temperature quenches from the one-phase to the two-phase regime yielded superclusters of the nanoparticle solid phase with sizes that depended on the quench depth. Classical nucleation theory was used to describe these sizes using a value of the surface tension for the nanoparticle solid phase of $0.042\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{erg}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$. This value is consistent with molecule size scaling of the surface tension. In total these results show that suspensions of nanoparticles act like molecular solutions.
GPU color space conversion

Tetrahedral interpolation is commonly used to implement continuous color space conversions from sparse 3D and 4D lookup tables. We investigate the implementation and optimization of tetrahedral interpolation algorithms for GPUs, and compare to the best known CPU implementations as well as to a well known GPU-based trilinear implementation. We show that a $500 NVIDIA GTX-580 GPU is 3x faster than a $1000 Intel Core i7 980X CPU for 3D interpolation, and 9x faster for 4D interpolation. Performance-relevant GPU attributes are explored including thread scheduling, local memory characteristics, global memory hierarchy, and cache behaviors. We consider existing tetrahedral interpolation algorithms and tune based on the structure and branching capabilities of current GPUs. Global memory performance is improved by reordering and expanding the lookup table to ensure optimal access behaviors. Per multiprocessor local memory is exploited to implement optimally coalesced global memory accesses, and local memory addressing is optimized to minimize bank conflicts. We explore the impacts of lookup table density upon computation and memory access costs. Also presented are CPU-based 3D and 4D interpolators, using SSE vector operations that are faster than any previously published solution.
Damage detection of fiber-reinforced polymer honeycomb sandwich beams

Abstract In a framework of developing a structural health monitoring for civil infrastructure, the damage identification procedure based on dynamic response for fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) sandwich composites is evaluated. In this paper, an experimental damage identification procedure based on structural dynamic responses and using smart sensors is conducted. Damage identification is estimated from comparison of dynamic responses of healthy and damaged FRP sandwich beams. Correspondingly, based on the relationship between the changes of mechanical properties and the related changes of dynamic responses (i.e., the curvature mode shapes in this study), damage magnitude is quantified. The composite sandwich beams are made of E-glass fiber and polyester resin, and the core consists of the corrugated cells in a sinusoidal configuration. Artificial damage is created between the interface of core and faceplate and also in the core of sandwich beam to simulate core–faceplate debonding and core crushing, respectively. Using piezoelectric smart sensors, dynamic responses data is collected and dynamic characteristics of the sandwich structure are extracted, from which the location and magnitude of the damage are evaluated. As demonstrated in this study, the present dynamic response-based procedure using smart sensors can be effectively used to assess damage and monitor structural health of FRP honeycomb sandwich structures.
Imitations of Libertarian Thought

Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery. Socially, the proposition may well be true. But in the world of ideas it is false: to the extent that two incompatible traditions use the same words or symbols to articulate different visions of legal or social organization, imitation begets confusion, not enlightenment. The effects of that confusion, moreover, are not confined to the world of ideas, but spill over into the world of politics and public affairs. Words are more than tools of description: they work also as tools of persuasion and transformation. Let a term have a favorable connotation in one context, and its imitative use can mislead people into thinking that a major departure from established practice is merely the extension or updating of an old principle to deal with new circumstances.
Feasibility of magnetic resonance spectroscopy for evaluating fetal lung maturity

Abstract Background/Purpose Amniocentesis is an invasive procedure with inherent risks. Magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy is a safe noninvasive way of measuring levels of choline-containing compounds (including surfactant) and other metabolites. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of assessing fetal lung maturity in vivo and ex vivo using MR spectroscopy to determine differences in amniotic fluid choline concentrations between the second and third trimesters. Methods Magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed on ex vivo samples of amniotic fluid from second- and third-trimester fetuses. In vivo MR spectroscopy was performed on amniotic fluid and fetal lungs in third-trimester fetuses. Spectral acquisition and analysis were performed by an attending radiologist in conjunction with an MR spectroscopist. Results Choline-containing compounds were observed from 3.20 to 3.25 ppm. Comparison of spectra from second- and third-trimester amniocentesis revealed a trend toward increased choline at later gestational ages. Spectra from amniotic fluid and lungs of a third-trimester fetus showed that choline can be detected in the in vivo setting. Conclusions Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a safe noninvasive procedure that enables measurement of choline-containing compounds in fetal lung and amniotic fluid. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy shows a trend toward an increased quantity of choline in third- vs second-trimester amniocentesis.
Role of SHP-2 tyrosine phosphatase in the DNA damage-induced cell death response.

SHP-2, a ubiquitously expressed Src hmology 2 (SH2) domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase, plays a critical role in the regulation of growth factor and cytokine signal transduction. Here we report a novel function of this phosphatase in DNA damage-induced cellular responses. Mutant embryonic fibroblast cells lacking functional SHP-2 showed significantly decreased apoptosis in response to DNA damage. Following cisplatin treatment, induction of p73 and its downstream effector p21Cip1 was essentially blocked in SHP-2 mutant cells. Further investigation revealed that activation of the nuclear tyrosine kinase c-Abl, an essential mediator in DNA damage induction of p73, was impaired in the mutant cells, suggesting a functional requirement of SHP-2 in c-Abl activation. Consistent with this observation, the effect of overexpression of c-Abl kinase in SHP-2 mutant cells on sensitizing the cells to DNA damage-induced death was abolished. Additionally, we found that in embryonic fibroblast cells 30–40% of SHP-2 was localized in the nuclei, and that a fraction of nuclear SHP-2 was constitutively associated with c-Abl via its SH3 domain. Phosphatase activity of nuclear but not cytoplasmic SHP-2 was significantly enhanced in response to DNA damage. These results together suggest a novel nuclear function for SHP-2 phosphatase in the regulation of DNA damage-induced apoptotic responses.
Monsieur Lazhar: the ideal immigrant in the neoliberal Québécois imagination

The ability of Canadian films to bring the immigrant experience to the centre of public debate is certainly impressive. Monsieur Lazhar (2011) depicts the life of one such immigrant without the blemishes of Hollywood's essentialist tropes. The film tells the story of an Algerian exile who physically escapes the violence of civil war in his native land, only to find himself trapped in a new psychological battle zone of a Quebec community torn apart by suicide and grief. As a substitute teacher, he ultimately becomes the surrogate cultural guardian and saviour of a cadre of Canadian children. This critique will examine the humanism of lead character Bachir Lazhar, his transformation from a French-speaking Algerian to a displaced francophone exile, and the characteristics that make him an admired and welcomed immigrant by francophone Canadians. Analysed within the context of postcolonial theory and identity politics, this article will expose the collapsing categories of identification which mandate that his ...
Nonlinear flap-lag axial equations of a rotating beam

It is possible to identify essentially four approaches by which analysts have established either the linear or nonlinear governing equations of motion for a particular problem related to the dynamics of rotating elastic bodies. The approaches include the effective applied load artifice in combination with a variational principle and the use of Newton's second law, written as D'Alembert's principle, applied to the deformed configuration. A third approach is a variational method in which nonlinear strain-displacement relations and a first-degree displacement field are used. The method introduced by Vigneron (1975) for deriving the linear flap-lag equations of a rotating beam constitutes the fourth approach. The reported investigation shows that all four approaches make use of the geometric nonlinear theory of elasticity. An alternative method for deriving the nonlinear coupled flap-lag-axial equations of motion is also discussed.
NMR chemical shifts of ice and liquid water: The effects of condensation

We report the results of ab initio density functional theory calculations of the NMR chemical shift of liquid water and hexagonal ice. Depending on the structural model used, the calculated isotrop...
Modeling of 3D Magnetostrictive Systems with Application to Galfenol and Terfenol-D Transducers

This work presents a unified approach to model three dimensional magnetostrictive transducers. Generalized procedures are developed for incorporating nonlinear coupled constitutive behavior of magnetostrictive materials into an electro-magneto-mechanical finite element modeling framework. The finite element model is based on weak forms of Maxwell's equations for electromagnetics and Navier's equations for mechanical systems. An implicit time integration scheme is implemented to obtain nonlinear dynamic system responses. The model is implemented into a finite element (FE) solver and applied to two case studies, a Galfenol unimorph actuator and a magnetohydraulic Terfenol-D actuator for active engine mounts. Model results are compared with experiments, and parametric analyses are conducted which provide guidelines for optimization of actuator design.
Potential integrals for uniform and linear source distributions on polygonal and polyhedral domains

Formulas for the potentials due to uniform and Linearly varying source distributions defined on simply shaped domains are systematically developed and presented. Domains considered are infinite planar strips, infinite cylinders of polygonal cross sections, planar surfaces with polygonal boundaries, and volumetric regions with polyhedral boundaries. The expressions obtained are compact in form and their application in the numerical solution of electromagnetics problems by the method of moments is illustrated.
Selective primary health care: strategies for control of disease in the developing world. II. Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis remains a major public health problem throughout the world. Practically all adults in developing countries are infected with the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but only about five percent suffer any ill effects. Morbidity and mortality are greatest during the economically and socially productive young adult years. Treatment requires multiple drugs and many months of compliance. Treatment both reduces transmission of the organism and allays suffering in the diseased individual. The efficacy of vaccination with BCG (bacille Calmette-Guerin) remains controversial, but several trials have demonstrated some reduction in clinical disease. At this point, the ideal disease control program entails several steps of epidemiologic assessment of the problem and resources, development of public health orientation in the professional community, treatment of infectious patients, and BCG vaccination of all those under 15-20 years of age. In most of the world, tuberculosis remains a major uncontrolled health problem. Half of the population of the world is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiologic agent. Morbidity and mortality are greatest during the economically and socially productive young adult years. Although mortality and new case rates are slowly declining worldwide and are expected to continue to decline, the rate of growth of the world population leads to projections of one to two million deaths from tuberculosis in the year 2000 [1]. Even in the developing world, where tuberculosis remains largely uncontrolled, the disease is not uniformly distributed; some countries show declining infection rates while others do not [2-6]. Since infection with M. tuberculosis is trans
Coal fires burning out of control around the world : Thermodynamic recipe for environmental catastrophe

Coal fires burning around the world are an environmental catastrophe characterized by the emission of noxious gases, particulate matter, and condensation by-products. Underground mine fires and burning culm banks ignited by natural causes or human error are responsible for atmospheric pollution, acid rain, perilous land subsidence, the destruction of floral and faunal habitats, human fatalities, and increased coronary and respiratory diseases. Some of the oldest and largest coal fires in the world occur in China, the United States, and India. Techniques used to fight coal fires include slurry and ash injection, surface and tunnel sealing, aqueous foam technology, remote sensing, and computer software. Elusive, unpredictable, or cost prohibitive coal fires may burn indefinitely, choking the life out of a community and its environs while consuming a valuable natural resource.
High-resolution vertical profiles of spectral absorption, attenuation, and scattering coefficients in highly stratified waters

Profiles of spectral attenuation and absorption were measured in situ with a WET Labs AC-9; scattering coefficients were calculated by difference. Closure of the absorption and scattering coefficients was obtained on this limited data set for in situ and discrete sample measurements. Centimeter-scale fine structures were observed in the vertical profiles. Total absorption coefficients were dominated by the phytoplankton component. Total attenuation coefficients were dominated by scattering although the effects of strong absorption were apparent in both the attenuation and scattering spectra. The vertical structure of absorption and scattering were not spatially coherent, nor were the vertical structures of phytoplankton and non- phytoplankton absorption. The strongest spatial coherence was observed between the non- phytoplanktonic component absorption and particle scattering coefficients. The spectral absorption coefficients of the in situ phytoplankton component exhibited decreasing blue to red absorption ratios as a function of depth and spectral flattening of the blue absorption peak indicative of photoadaptation.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Passengers' expectations of airport service quality

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the development of a conceptual model of service quality in airports by conducting an empirical investigation into passengers' expectations for this service industry.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a qualitative exploration of the airport experience from the passengers' perspective was combined with a review of relevant literature to identify variables, to clarify basic concepts and to generate a conceptual model of airport service quality expectations. The paper's quantitative research was used to develop a self‐report scale to measure passenger expectations of airport service quality, to test dimensionality and to evaluate scale reliability and validity.Findings – Qualitative and quantitative research on nearly 1,000 airport users provided results suggesting that passengers' expectations of airport service quality is a multidimensional, hierarchical construct that includes three key dimensions: function, interaction and diversion.Researc...
Continuous blood gas and pH monitoring during cardiovascular surgery.

Summary A system for continuous monitoring of pH, pCO 2 , and pO 2 has been described. Clinical use of this system has demonstrated that continuous monitoring of the blood oxygen tension has been most beneficial in patient care. Low pO 2 values have frequently been observed in patients unsuspected of having any respiratory difficulty. Blood pH and gas tension measurements have demonstrated the inadvisability of routine administration of alkalinizing agents during cardiac bypass or after release of aortic occlusion after resection of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Continuous monitoring by the equipment described has allowed more intensive and objective management of patients with acute and chronic respiratory failure. The benefits of this approach to monitoring in critically ill patients are discussed.
Modular automatic test equipment for commercial airlines

THE DC‐10 era is effecting subtle changes in the maintenance procedures. The basic objectives of maintaining safe equipment at a reasonable cost have not changed. The means of achieving the objectives are changing. Digital equipment, which has so much to offer in terms of reliability, capability, and cost, will require a new degree of sophistication on the part of maintenance people and equipment. Digital circuits operate on the basis of information transfer at a high cyclic rate. The control of this data transfer is the function of special purpose digital computers. Although the computer has cither serial or parallel arithmetic organisation, the output information is in a serial digital format at a reasonably high output rate. These system characteristics have resulted in maintenance people requiring a new type of electronics knowledge — the ability to work with digital logic diagrams, computer organisation and computer programs. The performance data cannot be readily evaluated by voltage measurements or analog traces on an XY recorder as has been accomplished in the past. At the same time that the equipment is becoming more difficult to understand and test, manual testing is becoming more lengthy and, in some respects, tedious because of the digital mechanisation of the functions. Airlines will not be able to afford to use their skilled maintenance technicians for routine tasks. They will be better utilised for troubleshooting problems. As a result, the relatively unsophisticated test benches of the past are becoming obsolete and are being replaced by either sophisticated manual test equipment or sophisticated automatic test equipment.
Buoyancy of ice in the CH4–N2 system

Abstract In an initial laboratory exploration of the CH 4 + N 2 system we demonstrate that under equilibrium conditions ice will float when the molar percentage abundance of N 2 in the liquid is ⩾∼15.
Critical evaluation of US on-road vehicle emission inventories

US Environmental Protection Agency estimates of on-road vehicle emissions are compared with ambient measurements and a fuel-based emission inventory. Several significant weaknesses and strengths are identified. (1) The emission estimates have varied considerably over the past 15 years and are not clearly converging to progressively more accurate and certain results. (2) The most recent emissions estimate accurately captures the rapid decrease in carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions, but overestimates the magnitude of CO emissions by about a factor of two. (3) The oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emission estimates for the mid to late 1990s are reasonably accurate, but NOx emissions have increased through that decade rather than decreased as indicated in emission estimates. (4) The most recent emissions estimate more accurately apportions NOx emissions between diesel and gasoline fueled vehicles than did earlier reports. (5) The ratio of two specific VOC species that has been characterized by ambient measurements suggests that the inventory speciation of the VOCs is inaccurate by factors of 3–4. These tests lead to the derivation of “inferred emissions” for CO and NOx from the US on-road vehicle fleet that are consistent with all information used in these tests. Finally, it is shown that the international picture of US emissions has significant inaccuracies and inconsistencies.
Causal webs, preventive brooms, and housekeepers

The concept of causal webs, which emphasises complex multiple causation of disease and injury, diverts attention and resources from preventive brooms that can sweep away the webs to reduce harm despite multiple causation. Epidemiologists who focus primarily on specification of causal paths in webs may overlook the modifiable necessary conditions for disease and injury. Necessary causes for disease and injury and necessary conditions for prevention are not always the same. Corporations and governments have the opportunity and means to reduce or eliminate many hazards to human health by changing products and processes that are hazardous. The arguments used to avoid doing so are often flawed and sometimes false. Public health scientists who focus on the behavior of corporations and government agencies that fail to employ preventive brooms of known effectiveness are more likely to contribute to harm reduction than those who focus on causal webs.
A scale of Black separatism.

Revision of the Black Power Sentiment Scale as a measure of black separatism is described. Reliability of the 24-item scale was .80 (Cronbach's alpha). A study based on responses of 257 Negro students supported the validity of the scale in identifying black separatist extremism of the Black Panther variety.
Projection display industry market and technology trends

The projection display industry is diverse, embracing a variety of technologies and applications. In recent years, there has been a high level of interest in projection displays, particularly those using LCD panels or light valves because of the difficulty in making large screen, direct view displays. Many developers feel that projection displays will be the wave of the future for large screen HDTV (high-definition television), penetrating the huge existing market for direct view CRT-based televisions. Projection displays can have the images projected onto a screen either from the rear or the front; the main characteristic is their ability to be viewed by more than one person. In addition to large screen home television receivers, there are numerous other uses for projection displays including conference room presentations, video conferences, closed circuit programming, computer-aided design, and military command/control. For any given application, the user can usually choose from several alternative technologies. These include CRT front or rear projectors, LCD front or rear projectors, LCD overhead projector plate monitors, various liquid or solid-state light valve projectors, or laser-addressed systems. The overall worldwide market for projection information displays of all types and for all applications, including home television, will top $DOL4.6 billion in 1995 and $DOL6.45 billion in 2001.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Robotic pyeloplasty: a critical appraisal.

Background Laparoscopic pyeolplasty has become a minimally invasive alternative to open pyeloplasty. Due to technical concerns with intracorporeal suturing, robotic pyeloplasty has become an emerging alternative. Methods The literature was reviewed for reports and outcomes on robotic pyeloplasty. Results Reports of robotic pyeloplasty are increasing, and outcomes appear excellent. Conclusions Robotic pyeloplasty is feasible with excellent outcomes. Challenges remain in making the procedure cost effective. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Middle atmosphere processes revealed by satellite observations

Abstract Detailed satellite observations of the middle atmosphere began nearly a decade ago. Initially, these consisted of radiance measurements, closely related to temperatures in the lower stratosphere. Since then temperature determinations have been extended to above the mesopause, and distributions of ozone have been obtained. These data have provided a wealth of detail on chemical, dynamical, energy balance and transport processes. Not only has the observational base been extended, but information to test photochemical and dynamical theories has been obtained. There is a promise of rapid increase in the quality and quantity of these data in the future, and a consequent increase in their usefulness for detailed studies to improve our theoretical understanding of the middle atmosphere.
Assessing the Integrity of Web Sites Providing Data and Information on Corporate Behavior.

A significant trend in higher education evolving from the wide accessibility to the Internet is the availability of an ever-increasing supply of data on Web sites for use by professors, students, and researchers. As this usage by a wider variety of users grows, the ability to judge the integrity of the data, the related findings, and the Web site is becoming increasingly important. This article lays the groundwork for developing a set of Generally Accepted Standards of Data Integrity to guide users in evaluating data and information available on Internet Web sites.
Burst kinetics of single calcium‐activated potassium channels in cultured rat muscle.

Burst kinetics of single Ca-activated K channels in excised patches of surface membrane from cultured rat muscle were studied using the patch-clamp technique. Channel activity was separated into bursts using a calculated gap derived from the distribution of shut intervals. Shut intervals greater than the calculated gap were taken as gaps between bursts. The distribution of burst duration was described as the sum of two exponentials with mean durations of about 0.8 and 24 msec (1 microM-Cai, + 20 mV), suggesting two classes of bursts (short and long). The composition of short and long bursts was determined from comparisons of the distributions of open intervals, unit bursts (bursts of single openings), and openings/burst. Short bursts consisted mainly of single openings to the open channel state of short mean lifetime. Long bursts consisted of one or more openings to the (compound) open-channel state of long mean lifetime, plus, in fewer than 70% of the long bursts, one or more openings to the short open-channel state. The frequency of occurrence of bursts from each class first increased and then decreased with increasing [Ca]i, with the number of long bursts increasing at a greater rate than the number of short bursts. The number of openings/short burst was relatively independent of [Ca]i, while the number of openings/long burst increased, often more than linearly, with increasing [Ca]i. This increase arose almost entirely from an increase in openings to the long open state. These results suggest that openings to the long open state typically require the binding of three or more Ca ions, and openings to the short open state typically require the binding of at least one Ca ion. This is the case whether the openings occur in isolation as bursts of single openings or in bursts composed of both types of openings. An obvious burst of channel activity would occur when the channel opens and closes several times without losing all its bound Ca. The power relationship between [Ca]i and the percentage of time spent in the open state is accounted for in terms of the effects of [Ca]i upon mean channel open time, openings/burst, and burst rate. A model is presented that describes quantitatively many features of the burst kinetics of the Ca-activated K channel for constant [Ca]i.
“People Don't Understand That It Is Not Easy Being a Cancer Survivor”: Communicating and Negotiating Identity Throughout Cancer Survivorship

Identity challenges among people coping with illness have been widely recognized in the literature and much of this work specifically highlights the changing nature of patients’ identities throughout an illness experience. The current study bolsters research on identity in illness by focusing on how cancer survivors and their partners communicate about identity after treatment completion. Exploring individuals’ experiences with identity after cancer treatment provides a unique context in which to study how illness-related identities may shift even after illness is out of the body. One-on-one interviews with 35 cancer survivors and 25 partners were conducted. Participants reported having three potentially different identities that may shift throughout survivorship: old (precancer) identity, patient (during treatment) identity, and new (postcancer) identity. Survivors also described a number of challenges and strategies relating to their identity-related conversations with social network members. Results ar...
Evaluation of linear and nonlinear sediment transport equations using hillslope morphology

Abstract Although some simple erosive processes like soil creep or tillage redistribution may be satisfactorily described by linear diffusive equations, the complexity of erosion phenomena requires the use of more complete nonlinear equations. Roering et al. [Roering, J.J., Kichner, J.W., Dietrich, W.E., 1999. Evidence for nonlinear, diffusive transport on hillslopes and implications for landscape morphology. Water Resour. Res., 35 853–870.] have proposed a single test, based on the relationship between the curvature and gradient of a hillslope, rather then using a linear diffusion equation. Nevertheless this test, based on steady state conditions, is not complete as it is shown in this work with a counter-example. The hillslope profile used by Roering et al. [Roering, J.J., Kichner, J.W., Dietrich, W.E., 1999. Evidence for nonlinear, diffusive transport on hillslopes and implications for landscape morphology. Water Resour. Res., 35 853–870.], (Fig. 2) can be generated either by a linear diffusion equation under transient conditions or a nonlinear diffusion equation under steady state conditions. Additional information on the soil profile changes would give a more complete interpretation of the hillslope evolution.
Scaffold Proteins and the Regeneration of Visual Pigments

Abstract CRALBP, cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein, is a retinoid-binding protein necessary for efficient regeneration of rod and cone visual pigments. The C terminus of CRALBP binds to the PDZ domains of EBP50/NHERF-1, which in turn bind to ezrin and actin, proteins localized to the apical processes of the retinal pigment epithelium. In this study, we examined structural features associated with the interaction of the two proteins. The C-terminal amino-acid sequence of 11 orthologous CRALBPs is either ENTAL, ENTAF or EDTAL. Peptides ending in each of these sequences inhibited the interaction of CRALBP and EBP50/NHERF-1 with the use of an overlay assay. Molecular modeling showed that both NTAL and NTAF formed similar networks of H bonds with PDZ1 of EBP50/NHERF-1, and the side chains of both C-terminal Leu and Phe fit into the peptide-binding groove of PDZ1. CRALBP·11-cis-retinal and EBP50/NHERF-1 migrated as single components when analyzed individually by gel filtration and as a complex when mixed t...
PMD-induced reduction of nonlinear penalties in terrestrial optical fiber transmission

We simulated optical fiber transmission with large PMD using realistic parameters. We found that nonlinearly-induced chirp coupled to second-order PMD tan lead to a penalty reduction.
Advances in Mapping Loci Conferring Resistance to Rice Sheath Blight and Mining Rhizoctonia solani Resistant Resources

Sheath blight (SB) caused by Rhizoctonia solani is one of the three major diseases of rice, and now has become the most severe disease causing rice yield loss in China. Breeding and use of varieties resistant to SB is crucial in controlling the disease, but the advances achieved have been limited due to the lack of highly SB-resistant rice germplasm. Genetic analysis revealed that the SB resistance in rice was a typical quantitative trait controlled by multi-genes. Although many QTLs conferring resistance to SB have been identified in recent years, most of the QTLs only showed small effects and few of them have been evaluated for utilization potential. Many R. solani-resistant resources have been found in wild rice species, microorganisms and other plant species. It is already known that the SB-resistance could be improved in transgenic rice plants by genetic transformation. This paper reviewed the genetic mapping of loci associated with resistance to rice SB, the evaluation of the potential of resistance QTLs, and the resistant resources found in various organisms besides rice. To develop SB-resistant rice varieties, it is important to develop and explore new resistant rice germplasms, fine map and evaluate resistance QTLs, and also to pay attention to various bio-resources showing resistance to R. solani.
Nanostructure characterization and performance evaluation of perovskite sensor composed of multi-elements.

+ -modified Ca0.35Pb0.65TiO3 (LCPT) Nanosensor Relative humidity Nanostructure characterization Lattice distortion abstract A multi-element perovskite nanoscale film composed of Li + cation incorporated into Ca 2+ -doped PbTiO3 (LCPT) was derived via colloidal chemistry, sol-gel (SG) method followed by heat-treatment. The mor- phology, chemical composition and structure of the LCPT nanofilms were investigated by advanced instrumentation (microscopy and spectroscopy) techniques. The characterization indicates formation of a tetragonal crystalline ceramic after sintering. The humidity sensing performances of LCPT nanofilms with various formulations were evaluated as a function of lattice distortion. The LCPT sensor doped with Li (0.5-0.1 mol%) possessed the distortion of 1.041-1.046 and displayed rapid sensitivity (current changes from 1.5 × 10 −3
Cyclooxygenase-2 dependent and independent antitumor effects induced by celecoxib in urinary bladder cancer cells.

Transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is the second most common genitourinary malignancy in people in the United States. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is overexpressed in bladder cancer. COX-2 inhibitors have had antitumor activity against bladder cancer, but the mechanisms of action are unclear. Clinically relevant concentrations of COX-2 inhibitors fail to inhibit proliferation in standard in vitro assays. In pilot experiments, different culture conditions [standard monolayer, modified monolayer, soft agar, collagen, and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)–coated plates] were assessed to determine conditions suitable for the study of COX inhibitor growth-inhibitory effects. This was followed by studies of the effects of clinically relevant concentrations of a selective COX-2 inhibitor (celecoxib) on urinary bladder cancer cell lines (HT1376, TCCSUP, and UMUC3). Celecoxib (≤5 μmol/L) inhibited proliferation of COX-2–expressing HT1376 cells in soft agar and modified monolayer cell culture conditions in a COX-2–dependent manner. COX-2 expression, however, did not always correlate with response to celecoxib. TCCSUP cells that express COX-2 were minimally affected by celecoxib, and UMUC3 cells that lack COX-2 expression were modestly inhibited by the drug. When UMUC3Cox-2/Tet cells overexpressing COX-2 under the control of tetracycline-inducible promoter were treated with celecoxib in modified monolayer cell culture, growth inhibition was found to be associated with changes in the expression of pRb. Not surprisingly, the proliferation of all cell lines was inhibited by excessively high concentrations of celecoxib. In conclusion, the modified culture conditions allowed detection of COX-2–dependent and COX-2–independent growth-inhibitory activity of celecoxib in urinary bladder cancer cells. [Mol Cancer Ther 2008;7(4):897–904]