cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strain differences in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity and stress ulcer

Strain differences in stress responsiveness have been previously described, but specific components of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responsible for stress hypo- or hyperactivity have not yet been characterized. This study proposed to analyze the effect of restraint stress on different measures of HPA function and stress ulcer in stress-ulcer prone Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Fisher 344 (F-344) rats and in the ulcer-resistant Wistar strain. Adult male rats of these strains were sham adrenalectomized, adrenalectomized, and adrenalectomized-replaced with corticosterone pellet. Ten days after surgery, animals were subjected to the 2-h ulcerogenic water-restraint stress and killed 2 h later. Intact WKY rats had dramatically more ulcers and higher anterior pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and proopiomelanocortin mRNA levels than the other two strains. In WKY rats, adrenalectomy increased ulcer incidence but did not affect thymus weight, ACTH content, or hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor mRNA levels, in contrast to the profound effects of adrenalectomy on these parameters in the other strains. Furthermore, corticosterone replacement was either without effect or enhanced the effect of adrenalectomy on these parameters in WKY rats, while it reversed the effects of adrenalectomy in the other strains. These data imply that WKY rats respond to stress with enhanced and prolonged changes in peripheral functions that are regulated by glucocorticoids, suggesting the presence of impaired efficacy of the glucocorticoid negative feedback on HPA function.
Imacs And Radiology: Defining The Problems

Knowledge of how radiology relates to general medicine is vital to understanding both the problems that Image Management and Communication Systems (IMAcs) may solve and those that IMACS may create. For such understanding, one must also know something of the pressures for change that bear universally upon the current form of health care delivery. To simplify problem study, this paper will first examine the present; second, the coming period of change; and finally, the future. Current problems will be illustrated and examined in terms of processes tending to undermine stability. The issue of problems created by solutions and solution processes will be discussed. Finally, the prospect that IMACS may contribute to a shift of paradigm for medical practice will be raised.
Cost and the calculus of voting

Downs's (1957) theory of voting maintains that individuals balance the costs of voting against anticipated benefits in deciding whether to vote. However, most empirical tests of his theory have concluded that costs play little role in individuals' decisions to vote or abstain, and that benefits are the determining factor. Unfortunately, the existing empirical tests of the theory have been inadequate, especially in regard to the measurement of the cost of voting. Using data from the Comparative State Elections Project, we develop an improved indicator of the cost of voting. When this measure of cost is used in a test of Down's theory, we find, contrary to most earlier research, that the cost of voting seems to be a more important determinant of participation than the factors associated with voting benefits in Downs's model.
Dynamics of the reaction of methyl radicals with iodine molecules

Abstract The CH 3 + I 2 reaction is studied by classical trajectory procedures. The majority of reactive collisions occur on a subpicosecond scale near the collinear configuration of CţdI-I, showing an anisotropic dependence on the initial orientation of I 2 and significant excitation of the H 3 CI vibration. The collision involves two periods: the period from the start of collision to the impact (0.2–0.4 ps), where the early release of the exoergicity and energy buildup in the I 2 vibration occur: and the period from the impact to the end of collision (0.3–0.5 ps), during which the C⋯I interaction converts the exoergicity into the H 3 CI vibration.
An atlas of the regional and laminar distribution of choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity in rat cerebral cortex

The distribution of cholinergic fibers in rat cortex was investigated using choline acetyl-transferase immunohistochemistry. Previous studies have either shown differences in distribution, but have been limited to selected areas, or have shown no discernable differences between different cortical areas. In our study, we examined all areas of rat cortex and found that there are striking interareal and interlaminar differences in cholinergic fiber distribution. We have found that certain functionally similar cortical areas (e.g. sensory, motor, etc.) have similar patterns of cholinergic innervation and we have designated 13 general patterns of cortical cholinergic innervation. We have also compared, on an area-by-area basis, the pattern of acetylcholinesterase reactivity to that of choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity, since acetylcholinesterase has been used for many years as a putative cholinergic marker. We found that in most cortical areas, the distribution of acetylcholinesterase-positive fibers paralleled that of choline acetyltransferase-immunoreactive fibers; however, there were some striking differences, notably primary somatosensory (the "barrelfield"), retrosplenial and cingulate cortices. In some areas, a revised concept of rat cortical organization, using cytoarchitectonics, was required. The results of this study provide a comprehensive microscopic analysis of cholinergic fiber innervation of the rat cortex. These results are discussed in relation to previous anatomical, physiological and pharmacological studies of cortical cholinergic innervation. The possible sources of this innervation are also discussed.
Implications of marginal and conditional detection parameters for the separabilities and independence of perceptual dimensions

Abstract Ashby and Townsend developed a theory and related methodology for assessing various types of perceptual independence within recognition accuracy experiments. A special case of considerable import was the General Gaussian Recognition model based on multivariate normal distributions with arbitrary covariance matrices across stimuli. The General Recognition model can also be viewed as a multidimensional extension of signal detection theory and thereby yields two sets of signal detection analyses, macro- and microanalyses, introduced ealier by Townsend and his colleagues. The present work develops logical relationships among these two sets of signal detection parameters and the various concepts of “perceptual independence,” including perceptual and decisional separability, marginal response invariance, sampling independence, and perceptual independence. These relationships lead to new tests of the varieties of independence and permit a qualitative construction of the underlying perceptual space.
Survival of larvae of Boophilus annulatus, Boophilus microplus, and Boophilus hybrids (acari: ixodidae) in different temperature and humidity regimes in the laboratory

Abstract The survival period for larvae of Boophilus annulatus (Say), Boophilus microplus (Canestrini) and hybridized Boophilus ticks was determined by exposure to various combinations of temperature (20, 25, 30 and 35°C) and relative humidity (32, 63, 75, 84 and 97% RH) in the laboratory. Results indicated that within a given temperature and RH regime, there was no difference ( P > 0.05) in larval survival among the three species tested, indicating that these ticks respond similarly over a wide range of temperature and RH combinations. Larval survival in all three species was longest ( P P P > 0.05) was observed among the treatment regimes included. Results suggest that at a RH of 75% and more, the temperature is the determining factor in larval survival, whereas at a RH of 63% and less the RH is the determining factor in larval survival, regardless of temperature.
Discovery that a melanocortin regulates sexual functions in male and female humans

Melanocortins (MCs) are multifunctional peptide hormones that regulate a diversity of physiological functions. MCs have been implicated in sexual function in animals. We document here that a MC analog, Melanotan II (MTII), can enhance sexual function in human males (erectile activity) and females (increased levels of sexual desire and genital arousal). Unlike other sexual-enhancement drugs, MTII works at the level of the brain, thus eliciting a rather natural sexual response with minimal or no undesirable side effects. The actions of the peptide were discovered accidentally while studying the effects of the peptide and related analogs on human skin pigmentation (tanning).
Coronary aneurysms in a patient with atypical Kawasaki syndrome and a streptococcal infection

We report a patient who presented with a prolonged febrile illness and evidence of an acute streptococcal infection. The development of thrombocytosis led to the suspicion of Kawasaki syndrome despite the fact he did not fulfill the usual clinical criteria. A two-dimensional echocardiogram demonstrated bilateral coronary artery aneurysms.
Exposure to violence among inner-city youth

Interpersonal violence is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among adolescents and young adults. In this study, 246 inner city, predominantly black youth (ages 14-23 years) were surveyed regarding their exposure to, and participation in, violent acts. An in-depth psychological interview was also completed. A total of 44% reported they could access a gun within one day, 42% have seen someone shot or knifed, and 22% have seen someone killed. In the preceding 3 months, 18% reported carrying a gun, and 32% had been in a physical fight; 34 subjects were rated by the psychologists as a high risk for involvement in violent acts. Those subjects were more likely to be of lower socioeconomic status (p < 0.01) and to have been physically abused (p < 0.001) but no more likely to be a witness to violent events. Inner-city youth are frequently exposed to violence. Those at risk for perpetration of violence were more likely to be at high risk for most other health-risk behaviors.
Additional evidence on equity ownership and corporate value

Abstract We investigate the relation between Tobin's Q and the structure of equity ownership for a sample of 1,173 firms for 1976 and 1,093 firms for 1986. We find a significant curvilinear relation between Q and the fraction of common stock owned by corporate insiders. The curve slopes upward until insider ownership reaches approximately 40% to 50% and then slopes slightly downward. We also find a significant positive relation between Q and the fraction of shares owned by institutional investors. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that corporate value is a function of the structure of equity ownership.
An improved method for the reconstruction of a distributed force acting on a vibrating structure

Indirectly reconstructing distributed forces from measured structural response is necessary when the direct measurement of these dynamic forces is not possible. An improved method for reconstructing distributed forces is developed in this paper. Unlike the traditional modal method for force reconstruction, the forcing spatial function is decomposed only over the known forcing region. Numerical simulations illustrate that when compared with the traditional modal method, this new method tends to obtain better reconstruction results while requiring fewer basis functions. A theoretical proof is provided to reveal the applicability and limitations of this new method. It turns out that this approach, like other inverse methods, can also be an ill-posed method. To address this issue, a regularization process is introduced to increase the inverse stability. Numerical results show that when the regularization process is applied to simulated response measurements that include noise, the new method is able to reconstruct spatially distributed external forces with improved accuracy.
Dimensional regularization and mass singularities

How the continuous-dimension method can be employed to simultaneously regularize infrared photonic divergences and electron mass singularities (i.e., terms which diverge in the limit m/sube/ $Yields$ 0) is demonstrated. Using this technique, a photon mass need not be introduced and the electron mass can be set equal to zero from the start, thereby simplifying radiative-corrections calculations. Transition rates obtained in this approach are functions of the regularizing parameter n (the dimension of space-time). To determine which of these rates are finite in the limit n $Yields$ 4, the theorem on the cancellation of mass singularities is used. Even for transition rates which contain residual mass singularities, this method is useful for extracting leading logarithmic corrections. The formalism of this approach is illustrated for the decay of a charged intermediate vector boson. (AIP)
Effects of temperature on the reproductive life history of the black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus

Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is one of the most serious pests of horticultural crops but despite this, the effects of temperature on its reproduction are not fully understood. This study investigates the effects of temperature on the full set of reproductive traits of O. sulcatus at nine temperatures between 11 and 36 degrees C and develops descriptive models for each trait. Cohorts of newly eclosed adults were subjected to these temperatures and fed on Rhododendron spec, leaves. Adults oviposited at temperatures from 11 to 27 degrees C. Significant differences among treatments were found in the preoviposition period, oviposition period, longevity, per capita egg production, and egg viability. The preoviposition period was the shortest at 24 degrees C and the longest at 11 degrees C. With a non-linear model fitted to the data across the full range of experimental temperatures, the lower and upper threshold temperatures and optimum temperature for reproductive maturation were estimated to be 6.8, 30.0, and 22.7 degrees C, respectively. The developmental threshold and calculated thermal constant were estimated to be 6.7 degrees C and 505.0 degree-days, respectively, using a linear model at temperatures between 11 and 21 degrees C. Maximum per capita egg production (1094.1 eggs) and highest egg viability (90.1%) were both observed at 21 degrees C. The median longevity of O. sulcatus adults in the 18-36 degrees C range decreased linearly as temperatures increased. At 27 degrees C or above, the reproductive success of O. sulcatus was substantially impaired, and the optimum temperature range was 21-22 degrees C. Production of viable eggs in relation to temperature and weevil age was simulated by incorporating four models of life history traits, including egg production, egg viability, cumulative pattern of egg production, and adult survival. Overall, the present study demonstrates that temperature is a key factor in determining the reproductive success of O. sulcatus adults. We hypothesize that temperature may influence the phenology and geographic distribution of O. sulcatus populations.
The effect of daylength on the pineal melatonin rhythm of the lizard Anolis carolinensis

Abstract 1. 1. The pineal melatonin rhythm of Anolis shows a systematic change as the length of the photoperiod decreases; for example, melatonin levels peak before dusk on LD 18:6, around mid-dark on LD 12:12, and late in the dark on LD 6:18. 2. 2. The duration of the elevated pineal melatonin levels, and the total amount of melatonin produced, is less on short photoperiods (LD 6:18 and LD 8:16) as compared to longer photoperiods. 3. 3. The effects of photoperiod duration on the pineal melatonin rhythm in Anolis are in contrast to those observed in higher vertebrates.
Time-Ordered Green's Functions and Electromagnetic Interactions

In the present paper we study various aspects of the Ward-Takahashi equations. In perturbation theory the equivalence between this set of equations and the requirement of gauge invariance is shown. It is then shown that these equations are valid for composite particles as well as for elementary particles. Based on our new formulation the definition of composite particles is given, and then we show with the aid of the Ward-Takahashi equations that the photon is an elementary particle.
Experimental studies of equilibrium iron isotope fractionation in ferric aquo–chloro complexes

Abstract Here we compare new experimental studies with theoretical predictions of equilibrium iron isotopic fractionation among aqueous ferric chloride complexes (Fe(H 2 O) 6 3+ , FeCl(H 2 O) 5 2+ , FeCl 2 (H 2 O) 4 + , FeCl 3 (H 2 O) 3 , and FeCl 4 – ), using the Fe–Cl–H 2 O system as a simple, easily-modeled example of the larger variety of iron–ligand compounds, such as chlorides, sulfides, simple organic acids, and siderophores. Isotopic fractionation ( 56 Fe/ 54 Fe) among naturally occuring iron-bearing species at Earth surface temperatures (up to ∼3‰) is usually attributed to redox effects in the environment. However, theoretical modeling of reduced isotopic partition functions among iron-bearing species in solution also predicts fractionations of similar magnitude due to non-redox changes in speciation (i.e., ligand bond strength and coordination number). In the present study, fractionations are measured in a series of low pH ([H + ] = 5 M) solutions of ferric chloride (total Fe = 0.0749 mol/L) at chlorinities ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 mol/L. Advantage is taken of the unique solubility of FeCl 4 – in immiscible diethyl ether to create a separate spectator phase, used to monitor changing fractionation in the aqueous solution. Δ 56 Fe aq-eth = δ 56 Fe (total Fe remaining in aqueous phase)−δ 56 Fe (FeCl 4 – in ether phase) is determined for each solution via MC-ICPMS analysis. Both experiments and theoretical calculations of Δ 56 Fe aq-eth show a downward trend with increasing chlorinity: Δ 56 Fe aq-eth is greatest at low chlorinity, where FeCl 2 (H 2 O) 4 + is the dominant species, and smallest at high chlorinity where FeCl 3 (H 2 O) 3 is dominant. The experimental Δ 56 Fe aq-eth ranges from 0.8‰ at [Cl – ] = 0.5 M to 0.0‰ at [Cl – ] = 5.0 M, a decrease in aqueous–ether fractionation of 0.8‰. This is very close to the theoretically predicted decreases in Δ 56 Fe aq-eth , which range from 1.0 to 0.7‰, depending on the ab initio model. The rate of isotopic exchange and attainment of equilibrium are shown using spiked reversal experiments in conjunction with the two-phase aqueous–ether system. Equilibrium under the experimental conditions is established within 30 min. The general agreement between theoretical predictions and experimental results points to substantial equilibrium isotopic fractionation among aqueous ferric chloride complexes and a decrease in 56 Fe/ 54 Fe as the Cl – /Fe 3+ ion ratio increases. The effects on isotopic fractionation shown by the modeling of this simple iron–ligand system imply that ligands present in an aqueous environment are potentially important drivers of fractionation, are indicative of possible fractionation effects due to other speciation effects (such as iron–sulfide systems or iron bonding with organic ligands), and must be considered when interpreting iron isotope fractionation in the geological record.
Secure Provenance Transmission for Streaming Data

Many application domains, such as real-time financial analysis, e-healthcare systems, sensor networks, are characterized by continuous data streaming from multiple sources and through intermediate processing by multiple aggregators. Keeping track of data provenance in such highly dynamic context is an important requirement, since data provenance is a key factor in assessing data trustworthiness which is crucial for many applications. Provenance management for streaming data requires addressing several challenges, including the assurance of high processing throughput, low bandwidth consumption, storage efficiency and secure transmission. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to securely transmit provenance for streaming data (focusing on sensor network) by embedding provenance into the interpacket timing domain while addressing the above mentioned issues. As provenance is hidden in another host-medium, our solution can be conceptualized as watermarking technique. However, unlike traditional watermarking approaches, we embed provenance over the interpacket delays (IPDs) rather than in the sensor data themselves, hence avoiding the problem of data degradation due to watermarking. Provenance is extracted by the data receiver utilizing an optimal threshold-based mechanism which minimizes the probability of provenance decoding errors. The resiliency of the scheme against outside and inside attackers is established through an extensive security analysis. Experiments show that our technique can recover provenance up to a certain level against perturbations to inter-packet timing characteristics.
Stationary and non-stationary occurrences of miniature end plate potentials are well described as stationary and non-stationary Poisson processes in the mollusc Navanax inermis

Protractor muscles in the gastropod mollusc Navanax inermis exhibit typical spontaneous miniature end plate potentials with mean amplitude 1.71 +/- 1.19 (standard deviation) mV. The evoked end plate potential is quantized, with a quantum equal to the miniature end plate potential amplitude. When their rate is stationary, occurrence of miniature end plate potentials is a random, Poisson process. When non-stationary, spontaneous miniature end plate potential occurrence is a non-stationary Poisson process, a Poisson process with the mean frequency changing with time. This extends the random Poisson model for miniature end plate potentials to the frequently observed non-stationary occurrence. Reported deviations from a Poisson process can sometimes be accounted for by the non-stationary Poisson process and more complex models, such as clustered release, are not always needed.
Ultrafast Studies of Exciton Migration and Polaron Formation in Sequentially Solution-Processed Conjugated Polymer/Fullerene Quasi-Bilayer Photovoltaics.

We examine the ultrafast dynamics of exciton migration and polaron production in sequentially processed ‘quasi-bilayer’ and preblended ‘bulk heterojunction’ (BHJ) solar cells based on conjugated polymer films that contain the same total amount of fullerene. We find that even though the polaron yields are similar, the dynamics of polaron production are significantly slower in quasi-bilayers than BHJs. We argue that the different polaron production dynamics result from the fact that (1) there is significantly less fullerene inside the polymer in quasi-bilayers than in BHJs and (2) sequential processing yields polymer layers that are significantly more ordered than BHJs. We also argue that thermal annealing improves the performance of quasi-bilayer solar cells not because annealing drives additional fullerene into the polymer but because annealing improves the fullerene crystallinity. All of the results suggest that sequential processing remains a viable alternative for producing polymer/fullerene solar cell...
NMR spectroscopy of recombinant chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in a packed bed reactor

Several clones of CHO cells, including recombinant cell lines expressing Hepatitis B surface antigen, were grown in macroporous collagen microspheres. These provided sufficient cell density in a packed bed recirculation system for phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic estimation of metabolite concentration. Intracellular nucleoside triphosphate as well as nucleoside tri- plus diphosphate levels were higher in the methotrexate-selected clones compared to the dhfr− cell line.
Endoscopic approach to the infratemporal fossa

The infratemporal fossa is a deeply situated region that can give rise to a range of benign and malignant tumors. The endoscopic endonasal approach provides an alternative to open surgical approaches and may obviate the need for facial nerve transposition, middle ear obliteration, and brain retraction. A transmaxillary corridor with transpterygoid dissection is used to expose the pterygopalatine fossa. Further removal of the posterior wall of the maxillary sinus transgresses the pterygomaxillary fossa to provide access to the infratemporal fossa. The extradural nature of most pathology is associated with low rates of cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Understanding of the complex neurovascular anatomy of this region is essential to achieving successful resection and preventing complications.
Simultaneous aortic reconstruction and renal revascularization: risk factors and late results in eighty-nine patients.

Abstract From 1973 through 1984, graft replacement of infrarenal aortic aneurysms (N = 56) or occlusive disease (N = 33) was performed in conjunction with simultaneous renal revascularization in 89 patients. Isolated renal artery stenosis was corrected by unilateral reconstruction in 56 patients (63%), but the remaining 33 (37%) had diffuse involvement that required either bilateral renal artery grafts or unilateral revascularization of solitary kidneys. The incidence of hypertension (greater than 180/90 mm Hg) refractory to preoperative medical therapy (88%), severe coronary disease documented by angiography (40%), and postoperative azotemia (33%) or oliguric renal failure (15%) was significantly higher among patients with bilateral renal artery disease (p
Who Benefits from Distributive Politics? How the Outcome One Studies Affects the Answer One Gets

Papers in the burgeoning empirical literature on distributive politics often focus their analysis on the pattern of distribution of a single patronage good - for example, cash transfers, roads, education spending, electrification, or targeted grants. Yet because governments can favor constituencies through the targeting of multiple public and private goods, drawing general conclusions about distributive politics by investigating just one (or even a few) good(s) can be misleading. We demonstrate the severity of this problem by investigating patterns of ethnic favoritism by presidents in three African countries - Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia. We use data from the Demographic and Health Surveys to study ethnic favoritism with respect to five different outcomes: infant mortality, childhood vaccinations, educational attainment, access to improved water sources, and household electrification. We find compelling evidence that the conclusions one draws about who benefits from distributive politics can vary markedly depending on the outcome one studies.
Electrically Active Polyelectrolyte Membranes

SEVERAL lipid membranes1,2 have been described as models for neuronal and other cell membranes, usually based on the lipid bilayer concept of Davson and Danielli3. Such membrane models have the characteristics of insulators with a high specific resistivity and dielectricstrength. They can, however, be changed with certain protein additives, notably the excitability inducing materials of Rudin and Mueller4 to produce membranes with some biological properties. Thus either the protein alone or the protein lipid complex is the important factor for converting the insulator properties of lipids to those resembling biological membranes. This paper describes the preparation and properties of specially prepared polyelectrolyte membranes, containing no lipids, which under a d.c. electric field can spontaneously generate transients with time constants and amplitudes analogous to the spike potentials of neuronal membranes.
Conservative management of placenta increta with selective arterial embolization preserves future fertility and results in a favorable outcome in subsequent pregnancies

Objective To present a case of selective arterial embolization for the treatment of placenta increta in a patient with subsequent pregnancy. Design Case report and literature review. Setting Community-based hospital. Patient(s) A 31-year-old G2P1 woman with placenta increta presenting with delayed postpartum hemorrhage. Intervention(s) Selective uterine artery embolization. Main Outcome Measure(s) Cessation of uterine hemorrhage, future pregnancy. Result(s) The patient's uterine bleeding immediately resolved. She subsequently delivered a healthy neonate at term without recurrence of abnormal placentation. Conclusion(s) Arterial embolization is effective for treating placenta increta in women who wish to preserve fertility. A review of the literature demonstrates a 76.9% success rate and an 11% complication rate.
Engaging Participatory Literacy through Science Zines

Fostering science literacy by engaging students as active participants and communicators of scientific ideas can enhance learning as well as a sense of personal investment. Science “zine” projects can be an effective way to structure this kind of participatory science literacy and flexibly build on specific course content as well as skills in the research, conceptualization, and communication of scientific ideas. When students are engaged as media producers and educators, their role and responsibility in the “ecology of scientific information” becomes more apparent and potentially more rewarding.
Density estimation using asymmetric kernels and Bayes bandwidths with censored data

We propose a modification to the regular kernel density estimation method that use asymmetric kernels to circumvent the spill over problem for densities with positive support. First a pivoting method is introduced for placement of the data relative to the kernel function. This yields a strongly consistent density estimator that integrates to one for each fixed bandwidth in contrast to most density estimators based on asymmetric kernels proposed in the literature. Then a data-driven Bayesian local bandwidth selection method is presented and lognormal, gamma, Weibull and inverse Gaussian kernels are discussed as useful special cases. Simulation results and a real-data example illustrate the advantages of the new methodology.
Numerical modeling of wave runup on coastal structures and beaches

The quantitative understanding of regular and irregular wave runup on inclined coastal structures and beaches has improved considerably for the last decade owing to the improved laboratory and field experimental capabilities followed by the development of time-dependent numerical models. Numerical models based on the finite-amplitude shallow-water equations including the effects of bottom friction have been verified fairly extensively using laboratory and field data. The capabilities and limitations of the models are summarized so that marine engineers and scientists may be able to apply them effectively. The existing models are practically limited to normally incident waves on coastal structures and beaches of alongshore uniformity. The extension of these models to directional random waves on coastal structures and beaches of arbitrary three-dimensional geometry will be challenging numerically.
Propionibacterium acnes infection after shoulder arthroplasty: A diagnostic challenge

Hypothesis This study reviewed a series of patients diagnosed with Propionibacterium acnes infection after shoulder arthroplasty in order to describe its clinical presentation, the means of diagnosis, and provide options for treatment. Materials and methods From 2002 to 2006, 11 patients diagnosed with P acnes infection after shoulder arthroplasty were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed for (1) clinical diagnosis; (2) laboratory data, including white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP); (3) fever; (4) number of days for laboratory growth of P acnes; (5) organism sensitivities; (6) antibiotic regimen and length of treatment; and (7) surgical management. Infection was diagnosed by 2 positive cultures. Results Five patients had an initial diagnosis of infection and underwent implant removal, placement of an antibiotic spacer, and staged reimplantation after a course of intravenous antibiotics. In the remaining 6 patients, surgical treatment varied according to the clinical diagnosis. When infection was recognized by intraoperative cultures, antibiotics were initiated. The average initial ESR and CRP values were 33 mm/h and 2 mg/dL, respectively. The average number of days from collection to a positive culture was 9. All cultures were sensitive to penicillin and clindamycin and universally resistant to metronidazole. Discussion Prosthetic joint infection secondary to P acnes is relatively rare; yet, when present, is an important cause of clinical implant failure. Successful treatment is hampered because clinical findings may be subtle, many of the traditional signs of infection are not present, and cultures may not be positive for as long as 2 weeks.
Boundary conditions for condensing mappings

On etudie la condition limite F(x)¬=λx (λ≥0) pour des applications condensantes. On considere la situation 0≤λ≤1
Expressive and Extensible Parameter Passing for Distributed Object Systems

In modern distributed object systems, reference parameters to a remote method are passed according to their runtime type. This design choice limits the expressiveness, readability, and maintainability of distributed applications. Further, to extend the built-in set of parameter passing semantics of a distributed object system, the programmer has to understand and modify the underlying middleware implementation. To address these design shortcomings, this article presents (i) a declarative and extensible approach to remote parameter passing that decouples parameter passing semantics from parameter types, and (ii) a plugin-based framework, DeXteR, which enables the programmer to extend the built-in set of remote parameter passing semantics, without having to understand or modify the underlying middleware implementation. DeXteR treats remote parameter passing as a distributed cross-cutting concern and uses aspect-oriented and generative techniques. DeXteR enables the implementation of different parameter passing semantics as reusable application-level plugins, applicable to application, system, and third-party library classes. The expressiveness, flexibility, and extensibility of the approach is validated by adding several nontrivial remote parameter passing semantics (i.e., copy-restore, lazy, streaming) to Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI) as DeXteR plugins.
Formal analysis of a systolic system for finite element stiffness matrices

Abstract An abstract systolic model, suggested in a previous paper, is extended to include computational cells with memories and multiplexing capabilities, and to specify formally the pipelining of computations through systolic networks. The basic idea is to represent the data item appearing on any communication link of a systolic network by a data sequence and to specify the operation on each cell by a set of equations using operators on sequences. The model is then applied successfully to a complex system that we suggest for pipelining the computation of the elemental stiffness matrices for finite element analysis.
Readability of Patient Education Materials on the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Website

AbstractBackground: The recommended readability of patient education materials by the American Medical Association (AMA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) should be no greater than a sixth-grade reading level. However, online resources may be too complex for some patients to understand, and poor health literacy predicts inferior health–related quality of life outcomes. Aim: This study evaluated whether the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) website's patient education materials meet recommended readability guidelines for medical information. We hypothesized that the readability of these online materials would have a Flesch-Kincaid formula grade above the sixth grade. Methods: All 65 patient education entries of the AOSSM website were analyzed for grade level readability using the Flesch-Kincaid formula, a widely used and validated tool to evaluate the text reading level. Results: The average (standard deviation) readability of all 65 articles was grade level 10.03 (1.44); 64 ar...
Manipulating Interfaces through Surface Confinement of Poly(glycidyl methacrylate)-block-poly(vinyldimethylazlactone), a Dually Reactive Block Copolymer

The assembly of dually reactive, well-defined diblock copolymers incorporating the chemoselective/functional monomer, 4,4-dimethyl-2-vinylazlactone (VDMA) and the surface-reactive monomer glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) is examined to understand how competition between surface attachment and microphase segregation influences interfacial structure. Reaction of the PGMA block with surface hydroxyl groups not only anchors the copolymer to the surface, but limits chain mobility, creating brush-like structures comprising PVDMA blocks, which contain reactive azlactone groups. The block copolymers are spin coated at various solution concentrations and annealed at elevated temperature to optimize film deposition to achieve a molecularly uniform layer. The thickness and structure of the polymer thin films are investigated by ellipsometry, infrared spectroscopy, and neutron reflectometry. The results show that deposition of PGMA-b-PVDMA provides a useful route to control film thickness while preserving azlactone groups...
Do depressive symptoms in male and female adolescents predict unintended births in emerging adulthood

Unintended birth and mental health are major public health problems in the United States. To date, little research has examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and unintended births, and no research has examined this relationship among men. Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (N = 14,271) were used to examine the relationship between depressive symptoms among females and males in adolescence and unintended first birth in emerging adulthood. Respondents who reported higher levels of depressive symptoms in adolescence were more likely to report an unintended birth (OR 1.93, p < 0.001) compared with respondents who did not have children. They were also more likely to report an unintended birth compared with respondents who had an intended birth (OR 1.28, p < 0.05). The relationship between adolescent depressive symptoms and unintended birth remained significant, controlling for background variables, and it did not differ by gender. Adolescent depressive symptoms are associated with unintended birth in emerging adulthood. Thus, policies designed to treat depressive symptoms in adolescence may be effective in reducing unintended pregnancy among young adults.
GE Transportation: A Case Study of the Potential to Improve Performance

This case study uses Thomas Gilbert's second leisurely theorem as a theoretical framework to evaluate the potential to improve performance at GE Transportation, a small but important sector of General Electric. The author concludes that GE Transportation's potential to improve performance of 1.044 will be difficult for the company to maintain during its ongoing global expansion as a result of emergent labor- and infrastructure-related issues.
On reliability of systems with periodic maintenance under rare failures of its elements

There is investigated a model of a system with the highly reliable elements, in which the periods of functioning are changed by the periods of maintenance. The system must be operational only in the periods of functioning although the restoration in these periods is not produced. The system is completely restored in the nearest period of maintenance. Since the elements of system are highly reliable, the reserve of system is rarely exhausted during each period of functioning. Therefore it is possible to use the results, obtained for the systems with fast restoration, for the reliability assessment of system, which is not restorable in the periods of the functioning. The estimations of indices of failure-free performance and maintainability of such systems are obtained.
On comparing several straight lines under heteroscedasticity and robustness with respect to departure from normality

This article considers the problem of testing slopes in k straight lines with'heterogeneous variances. The statistic Fβ is proposed and the null and non-null distributions of Fβ derived under normality assumption. The power function values are then approximated by Laguerre polynomial expansion for normal and non-normal universes. For the example given in Graybill ‘1976, p. 295’, it is shown that the Satterthwaite approximation provides a close approximation to the null and non-null distributions in all the cases; it is also shown that the Fβ test is quite robust with respect to departure from normality in the case of mixtures of two normals.
Trans allele methylation and paramutation-like effects in mice

In mammals, imprinted genes have parent-of-origin–specific patterns of DNA methylation that cause allele-specific expression. At Rasgrf1 (encoding RAS protein-specific guanine nucleotide-releasing factor 1), a repeated DNA element is needed to establish methylation and expression of the active paternal allele1. At Igf2r (encoding insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor), a sequence called region 2 is needed for methylation of the active maternal allele2,3. Here we show that replacing the Rasgrf1 repeats on the paternal allele with region 2 allows both methylation and expression of the paternal copy of Rasgrf1, indicating that sequences that control methylation can function ectopically. Paternal transmission of the mutated allele also induced methylation and expression in trans of the normally unmethylated and silent wild-type maternal allele. Once activated, the wild-type maternal Rasgrf1 allele maintained its activated state in the next generation independently of the paternal allele. These results recapitulate in mice several features in common with paramutation described in plants4.
Nondestructive Testing of Ropes Using the Transverse Impulse Vibration Method

Rope consists of a group of strands of fibers or wires, twisted or braided together in various constructions and sizes [1,2]. Fibers used for fabrication of synthetic ropes are made of various polymers including nylon, aramid, polyester, and polyethylene. Wires used for fabrication of wire ropes are typically made of carbon steel. Other metals such as stainless steel and monel are also used for wire materials.
Agency and the Rhetoric of Medicine: Biomedical Brain Scans and the Ontology of Fibromyalgia

Recent agency scholarship has provided compelling accounts of how individuals can strategically occupy authoritative positions, in order to instantiate change. This article explores the discursive mechanisms of this type of agency in the legitimization of disease. Drawing on ethnographic research, this article investigates how a non-human agent (brain scans) contributed to fibromyalgia's acceptance within the highly regulated discourses of western biomedicine.
Severed molecules functionally define the boundaries of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator's NH2-terminal nucleotide binding domain

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator is a Cl(-) channel that belongs to the family of ATP-binding cassette proteins. The CFTR polypeptide comprises two transmembrane domains, two nucleotide binding domains (NBD1 and NBD2), and a regulatory (R) domain. Gating of the channel is controlled by kinase-mediated phosphorylation of the R domain and by ATP binding, and, likely, hydrolysis at the NBDs. Exon 13 of the CFTR gene encodes amino acids (aa's) 590-830, which were originally ascribed to the R domain. In this study, CFTR channels were severed near likely NH(2)- or COOH-terminal boundaries of NBD1. CFTR channel activity, assayed using two-microelectrode voltage clamp and excised patch recordings, provided a sensitive measure of successful assembly of each pair of channel segments as the sever point was systematically shifted along the primary sequence. Substantial channel activity was taken as an indication that NBD1 was functionally intact. This approach revealed that the COOH terminus of NBD1 extends beyond aa 590 and lies between aa's 622 and 634, while the NH(2) terminus of NBD1 lies between aa's 432 and 449. To facilitate biochemical studies of the expressed proteins, a Flag epitope was added to the NH(2) termini of full length CFTR, and of CFTR segments truncated before the normal COOH terminus (aa 1480). The functionally identified NBD1 boundaries are supported by Western blotting, coimmunoprecipitation, and deglycosylation studies, which showed that an NH(2)-terminal segment representing aa's 3-622 (Flag3-622) or 3-633 (Flag3-633) could physically associate with a COOH-terminal fragment representing aa's 634-1480 (634-1480); however, the latter fragment was glycosylated to the mature form only in the presence of Flag3-633. Similarly, 433-1480 could physically associate with Flag3-432 and was glycosylated to the mature form; however, 449-1480 protein seemed unstable and could hardly be detected even when expressed with Flag3-432. In excised-patch recordings, all functional severed CFTR channels displayed the hallmark characteristics of CFTR, including the requirement of phosphorylation and exposure to MgATP for gating, ability to be locked open by pyrophosphate or AMP-PNP, small single channel conductances, and high apparent affinity of channel opening by MgATP. Our definitions of the boundaries of the NBD1 domain in CFTR are supported by comparison with the solved NBD structures of HisP and RbsA.
Language friction and partner selection in cross-border R&D alliance formation

How does language friction affect alliance formation? Language friction is a form of cultural friction arising from structural differences in the respective languages used by potential partners to reason and solve problems together. A little language friction may prompt partners to rethink solutions, thereby enhancing collaboration, but excessive friction may impede collaboration. We develop a Language Friction Index (LFI) to quantify relative differences in linguistic structure for any language pair. Utilizing a unique data set of semiconductor design activities (1988–2001), our empirical analysis finds an inverted U-shaped relationship between partners’ LFI and the likelihood of cross-border research and development (RD (2) the effects of language friction are economically significant and strategically consequential; (3) certain aspects of language friction occur independent of language proficiency and persist despite the use of lingua franca to reduce language barriers; (4) linguistic diversity is an indirect marker of cognitive diversity, which is useful in boosting creativity, especially in first-time collaborations; (5) beyond R&D alliances, language friction may also influence other types of strategic interactions and organizational processes.