cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of seeding sterile triticale on a native plant community after wildfire in a pinyon pine-mountain mahogany woodland.

Post-fire seeding with grasses is a common practice for emergency rehabilitation of burned woodlands. However, most post-seeding monitoring does not address consequences to native flora. In November 2004, the US Forest Service hand-seeded triticale (×Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus), a sterile wheat–rye hybrid, on a small burned area in the Spring Mountains of southern Nevada, United States. A monitoring project using paired plots was designed to quantify the effects of seeding triticale on density and species richness of native annual and perennial plants, cover of perennial plants, and aboveground production of annual plants. We did not find any effects of triticale seeding on annual plant species or most responses of perennial plants. However, the density of woody perennial seedlings was significantly lower 2 years after triticale was added. Although we found a smaller impact from seeding with exotic grass than other studies, quantifiable costs to native vegetation were observed. We caution against the use of non-native grass for seeding in areas with naturally low perennial recruitment.
Neodymium Glass Lasers - A Status Report

AbstractProgress on high peak power short pulse glass lasers has been rapid. Prospects for reaching the 1013 - 1014 watt level required for laser fusion appear reasonable. Progress in the control of the onsetself- focusing effects offers the hope of the realization in the near future of laser systems which operateat output intensities of 30 CW/cm4 at overall efficiencies approaching 0.1 %.Very high peak power lasers are needed forlaser fusion compared to what exists at present. Presentsolid state and gas laser systems operate with well controlled beams at power levels of 1011 - 1012 watts per beam. Laser fusion has been estimated to require the symmetric irradiation of targets by pulses of1013 - 1014 watts for a breakeven experiment(1). Even higher laser powers may be required for a fusionreactor, but here the real problem will be that high high efficiency is also necessary.A first reaction to the gap between present technology and the peak power requirement might be todismiss the idea out of hand, as simply too difficult to achieve especially when other projected require-ment on a breakeven experiment such as a precise pulse shape and very uniform illumination are considered.This is too simplistic an attitude. The benefits of fusion power if it can be harnessed are so enormousthat the question of whether such lasers can be built deserves the closest and most intensive study.This is likely to be money well spent as high peak power lasers will have many other uses even if fusionproves impractical by this route. Examples of this exist now; experiments at NRL on laser and electronbeam targets have provided a wealth of atomic physics data on the spectra of highly ionized atoms. These"laboratory astrophysics" experiments are being used to analyze the solar flare data obtained from theSkylab space station.The real question involves how possible it is to achieve the desired output powers and how soon.This depends on where on the "learning curve" for a particular technology we are at a given time. Thisconcept is useful because historical knowledge provides useful insight as to whether innovation orengineering will advance the technology. Figure 1 shows the achieved peak power vs time for solidstate laser systems, and gas lasers. Clearly any projections before 1967 were likely to be in error sinceat that point we were still on the exponentially rising part of the curve for both technologies. At thispoint in time however we are on a much more slowly rising portion of the curve for solid state lasersystems and we can hope to project future progress more exactly. This unscientific exercise would lead usto project peak powers of '
Data Errors in Small Data Sets Can Determine Empirical Findings

This paper provides an example of a model that yields widely divergent estimates when different stock market indexes are used to calculate two independent variables in Romer's [1990] model. Her model sought to explain consumer durable good production before the Great Crash (31 observations). She used the Cowles Commissions Series P Stock Price Index to calculate two independent variables. However, when this paper uses the S&P Index to calculate these variables, its estimates completely contradict Romer's findings. It discovered that one incorrect monthly observation in the S&P Index is responsible for this difference. It also found that robustness techniques serve to limit the impact of the errant observation, illustrating the importance of using robustness techniques in small data sets.
THE SEPARATION AND PARTIAL PURIFICATION OF AMINOACYL-RNA SYNTHETASES FROM ESCHERICHIA COLI.

Abstract A simple method for the separation and partial purification of aminoacyl-RNA synthetases (aminoacid-RNA ligases, EC class 6.1.1) specific for tryptophan, tyrosine, methionine, isoleucine, cysteine, valine and leucine from Escherichia coli is described. The separations are achieved by chromatography of particle-free bacterial extracts on substituted polysaccharide resins.
Role of adipose tissue in determining muscle mass in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Objective Malnutrition is a powerful predictor of mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, its etiology is unclear. We hypothesized that the adipocyte-derived proteins leptin and adiponectin, inflammation (as measured by C-reactive protein, CRP), and insulin resistance (as measured by homeostasis model assessment, HOMA), implicated in the malnutrition-inflammation complex syndrome commonly seen in maintenance dialysis patients, would be associated with the loss of muscle mass in earlier stages of CKD. Arm muscle area was used as an indicator of muscle mass. Patients and Setting The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study cohort of people with CKD stages 3 and 4 was used for analysis (N = 780). Main Outcome Measures Regression models were carried out to examine the relationships of leptin, adiponectin, CRP, and HOMA with arm muscle area (the main study outcome). Results Arm muscle area was 39 ± 15 cm 2 (mean ± SD), and adiponectin levels were 13 ± 7 μg/mL. Median and interquartile range (IQR) concentrations were: 9.0 (13.6) ng/mL for leptin, 2.3 (4.9) mg/L for CRP, and 2.4 (2.0) for HOMA. Higher leptin (beta coefficient and 95% confidence interval, −6.9 [−8.7 to −5.1], P P P = .07), but no association with HOMA ( P = .80). Conclusion Leptin and CRP were associated with lower muscle mass in subjects with CKD at stages 3 and 4. Further studies are needed to understand the mechanisms underlying these associations, and to develop targeted interventions for this patient population.
Induction of DNA synthesis and apoptosis in cardiac myocytes by E1A oncoprotein

Beginning during the second half of gestation, increasing numbers of cardiac myocytes withdraw from the cell cycle such that DNA synthesis is no longer detectable in these cells by neonatal day 17 in vivo. The mechanisms that exclude these and other terminally differentiated cells from the cell division cycle are poorly understood. To begin to explore the molecular basis of the barrier to G1/S progression in cardiac myocytes, we used adenoviruses to express wild-type and mutant E1A proteins in primary cultures from embryonic day 20 rats. While most of these cardiac myocytes are ordinarily refractory to DNA synthesis, even in the presence of serum growth factors, expression of wild-type E1A stimulates DNA synthesis in up to 94% or almost all successfully transduced cells. Rather than complete the cell cycle, however, these cells undergo apoptosis. Apoptosis is limited to those cells that engage in DNA synthesis, and the kinetics of the two processes suggest that DNA synthesis precedes apoptosis. Mutations in E1A that disable it from binding Rb and related pocket proteins have little effect on its ability to stimulate DNA synthesis in cardiac myocytes. In contrast, mutants that are defective in binding the cellular protein p300 stimulate DNA synthesis 2.4-4.1-fold less efficiently, even in the context of retained E1A pocket protein binding. In the absence of ElA pocket protein binding, the usual situation in the cell, loss of p300 binding severely decreases the ability of ElA to stimulate DNA synthesis. These results suggest that the barrier to G1/S progression in cardiac myocytes is mediated. at least in part, by the same molecules that gate the G1/S transition in actively cycling cells, and that p300 or related family members play an important role in this process.
An optically detected magnetic resonance study of Mn4+ in Cs2GeF6 and K2GeF6

Abstract The photoexcitation and photoluminescence spectra (2E ↔ 4A2) of MnF62− diluted in Cs2GeF6 and K2GeF6 host lattices have been recorded at liquid helium temperature. The manganese coordination geometry is Oh in Cs2GeF6 and D3d in K2GeF6. Optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) has been employed to determine the g value of the 2E state in both coordination geometries. The trigonal distortion has a pronounced effect on the g value and produces a measurable splitting in the optical spectrum, but exerts relatively little effect on the radiative lifetime. The g value in the Oh site (g(2E) = 2.0) is as predicted theoretically; however, the value obtained for the D3d site is unexpectedly large (g(2 E ) = 2.95). The data obtained are compared with theoretical predictions and the results of similar studies of d3 ions in a variety of lattices. The differences are shown to arise, in part, from the relative magnitude of the spin-orbit coupling and the trigonal field splitting.
Analysis of a corrugated horn with the use of the BOR-FDTD method

The derivation of the body-of-revolution finite-difference–time-domain (BOR-FDTD) technique is presented and used to determine the return loss and radiation patterns of a corrugated horn. The perfectly matched layer (PML) absorbing boundary conditions are used for the computation. The source excitation is a sine-modulated Gaussian pulse, spatially weighted with the cylindrical TE11 mode fields. The results for the return loss and radiation patterns are compared with those obtained using a commercial package based on a mode- matching/method-of-moments technique. The results show excellent agreement. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 33: 452–457, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10348
Field response of soil physical properties to sewage sludge

An anaerobically digested sewage sludge was applied to a Miamian silt loam (fine, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludalfs) at rates of 0, 7.5, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 188, 225, and 300 Mg/ha. Surface soils (0-15) cm were sampled 4 yr after sludge application and analyzed for bulk density, particle density, porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, moisture retention, aggregate stability, shrinkage, liquid and plastic limits, and total C. Bulk density significantly decreased, and porosity, moisture retention at 5.9 kPa, 33 kPa, and 1.5 MPa, percentage water stable aggregates, mean weight diameter of aggregates, and liquid and plastic limits increased with increasing sludge application. Sludge application had no significant effect on particle density, available water, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and shrinkage. Physical property responses to sludge application were linear except aggregate stability and mean weight diameter of aggregates that showed a maximum effect at 60 Mg/ha sludge application rate. Organic C increased linearly with sludge application, and 4 yr after application there was three times as much C in the 300 Mg/ha plots as in the zero sludge control plots. It is likely that many of the observed differences in soil physical properties are due to effects of added organic matter and these effects have persisted for at least 4 yr.
Origin of differentiated lavas at Kilauea volcano, Hawaii: Implications from the 1955 eruption

Kilauea's 1955 eruption was the first major eruption (longer than 2 days) on its east rift zone in 115 years. It lasted 88 days during which 108 × 106 m3 of lava was erupted along a discontinuous, 15-km-long system of fissures. A wide compositional range of lavas was erupted including the most differentiated lavas (5.0 wt% MgO) from a historic Kilauea eruption. Lavas from the first half of the eruption are strongly differentiated (5.0–5.7 wt% MgO); later lavas are weakly to moderately differentiated (6.2–6.7 wt% MgO). Previous studies using only major-element compositions invoked either crystal fractionation (Macdonald and Eaton 1964) or magma mixing (Wright and Fiske 1971) as models to explain the wide compositional variation in the lavas. To further evaluate these models detailed petrographic, mineralogical, and whole-rock, major, and trace element XRF analyses were made of the 1955 lavas. Plagioclase and clinopyroxene in the early and late lavas show no petrographic evidence for magma mixing. Olivines from both the early and late lavas show minor resorption, which is typical of tholeiitic lavas with low MgO contents. Core-to-rim microprobe analyses across olivine, augite, and plagioclase mineral grains give no evidence of disequilibrium features related to mixing. Instead, plots of An/Ab vs distance from the core (D) and %Fo vs (D)4.5 generated essentially linear trends indicative of simple crystal fractionation. Least-squares, mass-balance calculations for major- and trace-element data using observed mineral compositions yield excellent results for crystal fractionation (sum of residuals squared <0.01 for major elements, and <5% for trace elements); magma mixing produced less satisfactory results especially for Cr. Furthermore, trace-element plots of Zr vs Sr, Cr, and A12O3 generate curved trends indicative of crystal fractionation processes. There is no evidence that mixing occurred in the 1955 lavas. Instead, the data are best explained by crystal fractionation involving a reservoir that extends at least 15 km along Kilauea's east rift zone. A dike was intruded into the rift zone from the summit reservoir eight days after the eruption started. Instead of causing magma mixing, the dike probably acted as a hydraulic plunger forcing more of the stored magma to be erupted.
Sirolimus and Cardiac Transplantation Is It the “Magic Bullet”?

The Holy Grail of transplantation has been the hope to achieve lifelong tolerance to a transplanted organ without the need for nonspecific immunosuppression and its attendant side effects; the “magic bullet” is the means to achieve graft tolerance while avoiding complications. The biological and clinical complexities that have now emerged with solid organ transplantation have raised questions as to the relevance of a magic bullet. However, the article in this issue of Circulation by Raichlin and colleagues1 suggests that we now need to revisit and perhaps redesign current long-term immunosuppressive strategies. Article p 2726 The Registry of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation presents a unique opportunity to understand the evolution of heart transplantation. It characterizes the care and complexities of >100 000 worldwide heart transplantations during the past 24 years.2 Recent analysis suggests that the major improvements in survival have occurred within the first year of transplantation; this reflects the use of induction protocols with antithymocyte antibody or interleukin-2 antibody therapy and standardized initial immunosuppressant therapy. There has been a gradual improvement in the half-life of graft survival, but causes of long-term morbidity and mortality after cardiac transplantation have not changed in a decade.2 By 8 years after transplantation, virtually all patients have hypertension, 40% have diabetes, and 40% have angiographic cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV); renal insufficiency is common, with long-term dialysis required in 10% of patients. The 3 leading causes of mortality and morbidity remain the same. CAV and unexplained graft failure (that may represent undetected CAV) account for 30% of mortality; malignancy accounts for 22% of mortality; and renal failure is the third cause of long-term morbidity. Infectious complications, acute rejection, and cytomegalovirus infections are germane in the first year after transplantation but not relevant to long-term follow-up, and noncytomegalovirus infection accounts …
Mitral valve repair with aortic valve replacement is superior to double valve replacement

Abstract Objectives Double valve replacement has been advocated for patients with combined aortic and mitral valve disease. This study investigated the alternative that, when feasible, mitral valve repair with aortic valve replacement is superior. Patients and methods From 1975 to 1998, 813 patients underwent aortic valve replacement with either mitral valve replacement (n = 518) or mitral valve repair (n = 295). Mitral valve disease was rheumatic in 71% and degenerative in 20%. Mitral valve replacement was more common in patients with severe mitral stenosis ( P = .0009), atrial fibrillation ( P = .0006), and in patients receiving a mechanical aortic prosthesis ( P = .0002). These differences were used for propensity-matched multivariable comparisons. Follow-up extended reliably to 16 years, mean 6.9 ± 5.9 years. Results Hospital mortality rate was 5.4% for mitral valve repair and 7.0% for replacement ( P = .4). Survivals at 5, 10, and 15 years were 79%, 63%, and 46%, respectively, after mitral valve repair versus 72%, 52%, and 34%, respectively, after replacement ( P = .01). Late survival was increased by mitral valve repair rather than replacement ( P = .03) in all subsets of patients, including those with severe mitral valve stenosis. After repair of nonrheumatic mitral valves, 5-, 10-, and 15-year freedom from valve replacement was 91%, 88%, and 86%, respectively; in contrast, after repair of rheumatic valves, it was 97%, 89%, and 75% at these intervals. Conclusions In patients with double valve disease, aortic valve replacement and mitral valve repair (1) are feasible in many, (2) improve late survival rates, and (3) are the preferred strategy when mitral valve repair is possible.
The Emergence of the American University: An International Perspective

In 1979, fourteen years after publishing his landmark work, The Emergence of the American University, Laurence R. Veysey wrote a forward-looking article for the American Quarterly titled "The Autonomy of American History Reconsidered." In this article, he suggested that the time had come to rewrite American history from a more international point of view. "The increasing global awareness of our age enables us to view national differences with a new sophistication," he observed in terms that now seem remarkably prescient:
The ring of familiarity: False familiarity due to rhyming primes in item and associative recognition

Abstract The current study investigated false recognition within a paradigm ( Whittlesea & Williams, 2001a ) that manipulates fluency of test item processing by presenting test items at recognition in the context of a rhyming or nonrhyming nonword prime. Experiment 1 attempted to lower the salience of the role of primes at test by presenting items with primes at study. This produced a much greater bias to respond “old” to recognition test items preceded by rhyming primes, but only when those primes were old. Experiment 2 ruled out a cohort activation account of this large bias. Experiments 3 and 4 demonstrated that the bias to call rhyming test items “old” is partially mediated by attributions of fluent processing to past experience and partially mediated by the use of familiarity for the pair on an item recognition test. Taken together, these data illustrate how relations between elements in the test context can be mistaken for episodic familiarity.
Atmospheric Hydrocarbon Emissions and Concentrations in the Barnett Shale Natural Gas Production Region

Hourly ambient hydrocarbon concentration data were collected, in the Barnett Shale Natural Gas Production Region, using automated gas chromatography (auto-GC), for the period from April 2010 to December 2011. Data for three sites were compared: a site in the geographical center of the natural gas production region (Eagle Mountain Lake (EML)); a rural/suburban site at the periphery of the production region (Flower Mound Shiloh), and an urban site (Hinton). The dominant hydrocarbon species observed in the Barnett Shale region were light alkanes. Analyses of daily, monthly, and hourly patterns showed little variation in relative composition. Observed concentrations were compared to concentrations predicted using a dispersion model (AERMOD) and a spatially resolved inventory of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions from natural gas production (Barnett Shale Special Emissions Inventory) prepared by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and other emissions information. The predicted concent...
Assessment of Family Functioning in Caucasian and Hispanic Americans: Reliability, Validity, and Factor Structure of the Family Assessment Device

The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Family Assessment Device (FAD) among a national sample of Caucasian and Hispanic American families receiving public sector mental health services. A confirmatory factor analysis conducted to test model fit yielded equivocal findings. With few exceptions, indices of model fit, reliability, and validity were poorer for Hispanic Americans compared with Caucasian Americans. Contrary to our expectation, an exploratory factor analysis did not result in a better fitting model of family functioning. Without stronger evidence supporting a reformulation of the FAD, we recommend against such a course of action. Findings highlight the need for additional research on the role of culture in measurement of family functioning.
Producer Ability to Forecast Harvest Corn and Soybean Prices

Harvest-price expectations for corn and soybeans were obtained in January and February each year from 1991–1998. Producer expectations on average missed actualcorn and soybean prices by $0.41 and $0.67 per bushel, respectively. Producer price expectations each year had a range of over $1.00 per bushelfor both crops. Producer price distributions were skewed toward higher prices, and they consistently underestimated the probability of large price changes from January until harvest.
Innocent Diastolic Murmurs

About 10 percent of children, adolescents, or adults with an innocent systolic murmur also have an “innocent” diastolic murmur, which may be either low pitched and apical, or high-pitched and basal. Tentative explanations are advanced.
p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Stimulates Estrogen-Mediated Transcription and Proliferation through the Phosphorylation and Potentiation of the p160 Coactivator Glucocorticoid Receptor-Interacting Protein 1

Nuclear hormone receptors, such as the estrogen receptors (ERs), are regulated by specific kinase signaling pathways. Here, we demonstrate that the p38 MAPK stimulates both ERα- and ERβ-mediated transcription in MCF-7 breast carcinoma, Ishikawa endometrial adenocarcinoma, and human embryonic kidney 293 cells. Inhibition of this potentiation using the p38 inhibitor, RWJ67657, blocked estrogen-mediated transcription and proliferation. Activated ERs promote gene expression in part through the recruitment of the p160 class of coactivators. Because no direct p38 phosphorylation sites have been determined on either ERα or β, we hypothesized that p38 could target the p160 class of coactivators. We show for the first time using pharmacological and molecular techniques that the p160 coactivator glucocorticoid receptor-interacting protein 1 (GRIP1) is phosphorylated and potentiated by the p38 MAPK signaling cascade in vitro and in vivo. S736 was identified as a necessary site for p38 induction of GRIP1 transcriptio...
Characterization of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit gene Mdalpha2 from the house fly, Musca domestica.

A nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunit gene, Mdα2, was isolated and characterized from the house fly, Musca domestica. This is the first nAChR family member cloned from house flies. Mdα2 had a cDNA of 2,607 bp, which included a 696 bp 5′-untranslated region (UTR), an open reading frame of 1,692 bp, and a 219 bp 3′-UTR. Its deduced amino acid sequence possesses the typical characteristics of nAChRs. Mdα2 genomic sequence was 11.2 kb in length in the aabys strain and 10.9 kb in the OCR strain, including eight exons and seven introns. Based on the deduced amino acid sequence, Mdα2 had the closest phylogenetic relationship to the Drosophila melanogaster Dα2 and Anopheles gambiae Agamα2, and a similar genomic structure to Dα2. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that Mdα2 is expressed in the head and the thorax at 150- and 8.5-fold higher levels than in the abdomen. Linkage analysis of a Mdα2 polymorphism indicates this gene is on autosome 2. The importance of these results in understanding the diversity and phylogenetic relationships of insect nAChRs, the physiology of nAChRs in the house fly, and the utility of nAChR sequences in resistance detection/monitoring is discussed. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 64:30–42, 2007. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Enzymatic hydrolysis of prolyl- and hydroxyprolylnaphthylamides.

Abstract 1. 1. Two chromogenic iminopeptides, l -prolyl- and hydroxy- l -prolyl-β-naphthylamides, were prepared, and the kinetics of hydrolysis of the prolyl compound were investigated. 2. 2. Attempts to employ these substrates histochemically with frozen-dried tissues were unsuccessful. 3. 3. Under the present experimental conditions, these peptides were not hydrolyzed by human serum or urine, or by parotid or submaxillary salivas. 4. 4. These peptides were hydrolyzed by certain animal tissues as well as by whole saliva.
Ab initio study of H2SO4 rotamers

Abstract This work uses ab initio calculations to obtain harmonic frequencies and anharmonic constants for the O–H symmetric and asymmetric stretches of H2SO4 in its C2, Cs, C1a, and C1b configurations. In addition, a high-resolution potential energy surface is calculated as a function of both OS–O–H dihedral angles in order to accurately obtain minimum and saddle point energies. The resulting peak positions and Boltzmann populations are compared to experimental frequencies and intensities and provide evidence for the assignment of rotamers in H2SO4 as suggested in recent work.
Proprotein convertases play an important role in regulating PKGI endoproteolytic cleavage and nuclear transport

Nitric oxide and cGMP modulate vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotype by regulating cell differentiation and proliferation. Recent studies suggest that cGMP-dependent protein kinase I (PKGI) c...
Survey of Molds and Mycotoxins for Their Ability to Cause Feed Refusal in Chickens

Abstract The cause of feed refusal by poultry is an important problem that has not been established. T-2 toxin, a culture filtrate of Fusarium roseum NRRL 1181 containing a high concentration of diacetoxyscirpenol, and a filtrate of Penicillium citrinum containing an unknown factor produced refusal activity in week-old chickens. Citrinin stimulated water consumption while aflatoxin did not affect feed consumption. Detection of refusal activity was more sensitive when the refusal factor was presented in the drinking water than in the feed. The experimental model used here was sensitive, and, with appropriate controls, would appear suitable for the isolation and study of new factors capable of causing feed refusal in poultry.
BRAF V600E Maintains Proliferation, Transformation, and Tumorigenicity of BRAF-Mutant Papillary Thyroid Cancer Cells

Context: Although the BRAF V600E mutant can initiate the formation of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), it is unclear whether it is required to maintain cell proliferation, transformation, and tumor growth of BRAF mutation-harboring PTC. Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate whether BRAF V600E is required for the proliferation, transformation, and tumorigenicity of BRAF mutation-harboring PTC cells. Design: We addressed this issue using BRAF small interference RNA (siRNA) to transfect stably several BRAF mutation-harboring PTC cell lines, isolated clones with stable suppression of BRAF, and assessed their ability to proliferate, transform, and grow xenograft tumors in nude mice. Results: PTC cell proliferation and transformation were suppressed in specific BRAF siRNA clones, but not in control scrambled siRNA clones. Specifically, taking the advantage of stable BRAF knockdown, we were able to show continued suppression of PTC cell proliferation and transformation, or anchorage-independent colon...
Coefficient of variation calculated from the range for skewed distributions.

In this research a coefficient of variation (CVShigh-low) is developed that is calculated from the highest and lowest values in a set of data for samples from skewed distributions. A correction factor is determined such that CVShigh-low is a close estimate of the population coefficient of variation when sampling from three skewed χ2 distributions and three skewed empirical distributions. The empirical distributions are from “real-world” data sets in psychology and education.
Multi-products location–routing problem integrated with inventory under stochastic demand

The location–routing problem (LRP) deals with simultaneously selecting (locating) one or more facilities from a set of potential facilities (locations), and assigning customers to the selected facilities. Since LRP and inventory decisions are inter-related, integrating them can lead to a more efficient supply chain. Therefore, to improve the operation of the supply chain process, this paper presents a model that integrates inventory control, as a tactical decision, with the LRP. The presented model considers the multiproduct network under the fixed order interval inventory policy with stochastic demands for products. Moreover, third-party logistics offers excess space for selected warehouses if needed. This paper also presents a solution approach based on simulated annealing that solves problems with the size of 40 products and 350 customers in reasonable run time.
Addendum to `A hypergeometric transformation associated with the Appell function F4'

The hypergeometric transformation formulae (6) and the one that follows on p. 766 in my paper ( 1 ) should be read as and respectively, where 2 F 1 [ a , b ; c ; z ] denotes Gauss's hypergeometric function, and ((2), p. 211) with, as usual, the conditions of convergence for the double series being
Sleep switch dual threshold Voltage domino logic with reduced standby leakage current

A circuit technique is presented for reducing the subthreshold leakage energy consumption of domino logic circuits. Sleep switch transistors are proposed to place an idle dual threshold voltage domino logic circuit into a low leakage state. The circuit technique enhances the effectiveness of a dual threshold voltage CMOS technology to reduce the subthreshold leakage current by strongly turning off all of the high threshold voltage transistors. The sleep switch circuit technique significantly reduces the subthreshold leakage energy as compared to both standard low-threshold voltage and dual threshold voltage domino logic circuits. A domino adder enters and leaves a low leakage sleep mode within a single clock cycle. The energy overhead of the circuit technique is low, justifying the activation of the proposed sleep scheme by providing a net savings in total power consumption during short idle periods.
Virilization of Young Children After Topical Androgen Use by Their Parents

Children were virilized by contact with adults using cutaneous steroid preparations. Parents were unaware of the dangers of passive transfer. Laboratory data were consistent with exogenous androgen exposure. Each child had opportunity for passive exposure, and discontinuation of contact resulted in a decrease of androgen levels or regression of symptoms.
Scaling and remote monitoring of tidal lung volumes of young gray whales, Eschrichtius robustus

This study was undertaken as part of a broader effort to evaluate the metabolic activities of gray whale calves (Eschrichtius robustus) during their first few months of life when they are entirely dependent on their mothers for all their energy requirements. The purposes of this study were to evaluate measurable variables that may influence tidal lung volume (VT) of young gray whales, and to compare field audio and video monitoring methods for remotely estimating VT on a breath-by-breath basis to improve our ability to evaluate the energetic demands that nursing gray whale calves make on their fasting mothers (see Table 1 for a summary of acronym definitions used in this paper). Although VT measurements of active animals are important components in calculating field metabolic rates and daily energy requirements, direct measures of VT of large, unrestrained cetaceans are logistically impossible. Mean VT should scale approximately to body volume (and to the cube of body length, L3; Stahl 1967). However, this has not been confirmed for any mysticete cetacean. Although allometrically useful, such scaling does not provide a mean for measuring inherent variability in VT expressed by different animals or differing activity states. Here we describe two simple and cost-effective remote methods for assessing VT of individual animals in field conditions. The few available direct measures of VT for gray whales have been reported by Wahrenbrock et al. (1974), Kooyman et al. (1975; summarized by Sumich 1986), and by Sumich (2001). All these studies were conducted on captive or restrained whales, and were not designed to provide a basis for estimating typical VT values of gray whales functioning in normal environmental and natural behavioral settings. Because opportunities to access captive or even temporarily restrained gray whales are extremely rare, we have attempted to find an approach to relate these few direct measures of VT to estimators of VT that can be easily obtained from free-ranging
Improved inapproximability results for MaxClique, chromatic number and approximate graph coloring

The author presents improved inapproximability results for three problems: the problem of finding the maximum clique size in a graph, the problem of finding the chromatic number of a graph, and the problem of coloring a graph with a small chromatic number with a small number of colors. J. Hastad's (1996) result shows that the maximum clique size in a graph with n vertices is inapproximable in polynomial time within a factor n/sup 1-/spl epsi// or arbitrarily small constant /spl epsi/>0 unless NP=ZPP. We aim at getting the best subconstant value of /spl epsi/ in Hastad's result. We prove that clique size is inapproximable within a factor n/2((log n))/sup 1-y/ corresponding to /spl epsi/=1/(log n)/sup /spl gamma// for some constant /spl gamma/>0 unless NP/spl sube/ZPTIME(2((log n))/sup O(1)/). This improves the previous best inapproximability factor of n/2/sup O(log n//spl radic/log log n)/ (corresponding to /spl epsi/=O(1//spl radic/log log n)) due to L. Engebretsen and J. Holmerin (2000). A similar result is obtained for the problem of approximating chromatic number of a graph. We also present a new hardness result for approximate graph coloring. We show that for all sufficiently large constants k, it is NP-hard to color a k-colorable graph with k/sup 1/25 (log k)/ colors. This improves a result of M. Furer (1995) that for arbitrarily small constant /spl epsi/>0, for sufficiently large constants k, it is hard to color a k-colorable graph with k/sup 3/2-/spl epsi// colors.
Technology for Medical Education, Research, and Disease Screening by Exploitation of Biomarkers in a Large Collection of Uterine Cervix Images

The Communications Engineering Branch of the National Library of Medicine is collaborating with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in developing applications for medical education, research, and disease screening for precancer detection in the uterine cervix. These applications include (1) expert marking/labeling of tissue regions, (2) Web viewing/ interpretation of histology images, (3) image database/retrieval, and (4) training/testing in clinical image interpretation. Initial NCI studies have been conducted in expert cervicography marking and histology evaluation. We are working toward making cervix images searchable by content-based image retrieval (CBIR). Image pre-processing to remove specular reflection artifacts has achieved 90% success (120 images). Similar results have been obtained for automated location of cervix regions, using Gaussian Mixture Modeling (GMM) with Lab color and one geometric feature. We describe initial classification experiments to discriminate clinically significant tissue, using RGB, HSV, Lab, and YCbCr color models, texture measures, and GMM, Fuzzy C-means, and deterministic annealing algorithms.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN FOSTER CARE: IMPEDED OR IMPROVED?

Foster care's impact on academic development was investigated for 392 students reentering foster care. Psychoeducational evaluation was performed at initial and return placements. Average achievement increased .22 points between placements. Students reentering care did not show differences in achievement or IQ compared to control students with a single placement. Although average achievement showed a small increase between placements, some students showed large changes. Declining achievement was directly related to above-average initial achievement ( p < .001), and indirectly related to not being in special education ( p < .001) and nonminority race ( p < .02). Results provide evidence that overall academic development appears neither enhanced nor hindered by foster care placement, but specific groups may be at risk for poor gains. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 527–535, 2004.
Differences in Exposure and Metabolic Response of Infants and Adults to Lead, Cadmium and Zinc

Substantial differences exist between infants and adults in their exposures to lead, camium and zinc and in the sources of these exposures. In addition, metabolic responses of infants and children to environmental levels of these metals are different from those of adults. The toxicity of lead and cadmium to all age groups has been recognized for a number of years. Nonindustrial lead toxicity occurs principally among young children, whereas the toxic effects of cadmium in bone and kidney are throught to be manifested only after decades of exposure have produced a substantial body burden of cadium. In contrast, zinc deficiency has been reported to occur among infants and children far more commonly than has zinc toxicity. Despite differences in the likelihood that modern human populations will develop toxicity or deficiency of these metals, several general physiological and behavioral characteristics converge to modify metal exposure during infancy and early childhood.
Yield From Stool Testing of Pediatric Inpatients

Objectives: To quantify the yield from stool testing in pediatric inpatients and to identify criteria to test stool more deliberately without sacrificing diagnostic sensitivity. Design: A retrospective review was performed of all stool cultures, ova and parasite examinations, and Clostridia difficile toxin assays performed on pediatric inpatients, aged 3 days to 18 years, at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa, for 1 year. Medical records were reviewed for positive cases, each with 2 controls matched for age and test type. For this study, the term admission refers to the interval between the times each patient was admitted to and discharged from the hospital. Some patients had multiple stool tests sent to the laboratory during a single admission; some patients had more than 1 admission during the study period. Statistical analysis was performed using χ 2 analysis and the Student 2-tailed t test with a commercially available statistical software package (Statworks, Cricket Software, Philadelphia). Results: Of 250 patient admissions to the hospital for which stool was cultured, 7 cultures (2.8%) were positive. Of 63 patient admissions having ova and parasite testing, 1 (2%) had a positive result. Clostridia difficile toxin assays were performed on 40 patient admissions to the hospital, and 7 (18%) had a positive result. Only 18 (3.0%) of 598 of all test results reviewed were positive. Costs of negative test results totaled $26 084. More patients (71%) with positive stool cultures than control patients (21%) had a temperature higher than or equal to 38°C (χ 2 , P C difficile toxin assay results and any of the above characteristics. Clostrida difficile was the most common pathogen identified (6 of 9) in patients developing gastrointestinal symptoms after admission; however, Salmonella enteritidis and Shigella sonnei were also significant causes (3 of 9). Conclusions: There is low yield from stool testing of pediatric inpatients; C difficile toxin assay has the highest yield. Clostridia difficile testing is most valuable for children with nosocomial gastrointestinal symptoms, although other bacterial pathogens do cause nosocomial symptoms in children. More selective stool testing could help us be more efficient with our patient care resources. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1997;151:142-145
Influence of micro-cracking on the composite resistivity of Engineered Cementitious Composites

Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECCs) are structural materials known for their excellent tensile ductility and damage tolerance. Previous experimental studies have shown a strong dependence of electrical resistivity of ECC on applied mechanical tensile strain (piezoresistive behavior), which can be potentially utilized for self-sensing mechanical damage for structural health monitoring. In this paper, the influence of micro-cracks on the composite electrical response of ECC under direct tension is investigated experimentally as well as analytically. For this purpose, the electrical–mechanical properties of two ECCs with different crack patterns are compared at macro (composite) and meso (single-crack) scales. An analytical model linking single-crack electrical response and crack pattern of an ECC to its composite electrical behavior is proposed in this study, and verified for both ECCs with experimental observations. Thus, a fundamental understanding of crack patterns and their effects on piezoresistivity of ECC is developed in this study.
Selective gene-expression profiling of migratory tumor cells in vivo predicts clinical outcome in breast cancer patients

Introduction: Metastasis of breast cancer is the main cause of death in patients. Previous genome-wide studies have identified gene-expression patterns correlated with cancer patient outcome. However, these were derived mostly from whole tissue without respect to cell heterogeneity. In reality, only a small subpopulation of invasive cells inside the primary tumor is responsible for escaping and initiating dissemination and metastasis. When whole tissue is used for molecular profiling, the expression pattern of these cells is masked by the majority of the noninvasive tumor cells. Therefore, little information is available about the crucial early steps of the metastatic cascade: migration, invasion, and entry of tumor cells into the systemic circulation. Methods: In the past, we developed an in vivo invasion assay that can capture specifically the highly motile tumor cells in the act of migrating inside living tumors. Here, we used this assay in orthotopic xenografts of human MDAMB-231 breast cancer cells to isolate selectively the migratory cell subpopulation of the primary tumor for geneexpression profiling. In this way, we derived a gene signature specific to breast cancer migration and invasion, which we call the Human Invasion Signature (HIS). Results: Unsupervised analysis of the HIS shows that the most significant upregulated gene networks in the migratory breast tumor cells include genes regulating embryonic and tissue development, cellular movement, and DNA replication and repair. We confirmed that genes involved in these functions are upregulated in the migratory tumor cells with independent biological repeats. We also demonstrate that specific genes are functionally required for in vivo invasion and hematogenous dissemination in MDA-MB-231, as well as in patient-derived breast tumors. Finally, we used statistical analysis to show that the signature can significantly predict risk of breast cancer metastasis in large patient cohorts, independent of well-established prognostic parameters. Conclusions: Our data provide novel insights into, and reveal previously unknown mediators of, the metastatic steps of invasion and dissemination in human breast tumors in vivo. Because migration and invasion are the early steps of metastatic progression, the novel markers that we identified here might become valuable prognostic tools or therapeutic targets in breast cancer.
On the Concavity of Rate Regions for Lossless Source Coding in Networks

For a family of network source coding problems, we prove that the lossless rate region is concave in the distribution of sources. While the proof of concavity is straightforward for the few examples where a single-letter characterization of the lossless source coding region is known, it is more difficult for the vast majority of networks where the lossless source coding region remains unsolved. The class of networks that we investigate includes both solved and unsolved examples. We further conjecture that the same property applies more widely and sketch an avenue for investigating that conjecture.
Implementation and evaluation of an array of chemical solvers in the Global Chemical Transport Model GEOS-Chem

Abstract. This paper discusses the implementation and performance of an array of gas-phase chemistry solvers for the state-of-the-science GEOS-Chem global chemical transport model. The implementation is based on the Kinetic PreProcessor (KPP). Two perl parsers automatically generate the needed interfaces between GEOS-Chem and KPP, and allow access to the chemical simulation code without any additional programming effort. This work illustrates the potential of KPP to positively impact global chemical transport modeling by providing additional functionality as follows. (1) The user can select a highly efficient numerical integration method from an array of solvers available in the KPP library. (2) KPP offers a wide variety of user options for studies that involve changing the chemical mechanism (e.g., a set of additional reactions is automatically translated into efficient code and incorporated into a modified global model). (3) This work provides access to tangent linear, continuous adjoint, and discrete adjoint chemical models, with applications to sensitivity analysis and data assimilation.
Analysis of Nonlinear Characteristics and Transient Response of IMPATT Amplifiers

Nonlinear characteristics, large-signal effects, and transient response of IMPATT amplifiers are analyzed leading to clear understanding of various nonlinear and large-signal phenomena which are often observed experimentally on IMPATT diodes operated as stable (linear) amplifiers or injection-locked oscillators. Effects of bandwidth on transient response of the IMPATT amplifiers as applied to phase-modulated signals and amplitude-modulated signals are investigated in detail. The relationship between the transition (switching) time and the amplifier bandwidth is derived. Capabilities and limitations of IMPATT diodes operated as stable amplifiers or injection-locked oscillators are discussed.