cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
To upgrade my ATE or not to upgrade

In electronics today one thing stays constant, change. It seems that every day somebody is pushing the limits of what to expect next out of the phone we talk on, the computer we use to do our day job, the equipment our soldier are protecting us with. As electronic system technology becomes more complex, it becomes more difficult to assure customer satisfaction. Carefully planned instrumentation migration and modernization can maximize test-system efficiency, performance and quality—and provide meaningful cost savings. There are certainly risks associated with test program set (TPS) migration and modernization. The decision to forego modernization also carries a variety of risks. Ultimately, the decision to refresh outdated technology can provide meaningful cost reductions in areas such as the number of test sets, system throughput, and calibration, maintenance and repair. This paper will explore ways you can mitigate the risks of migration by applying proven success factors.
Tritium labelled (±)‐10‐[2‐(1‐methyl‐2‐piperidinyl)ethyl]‐2‐(methyl‐mercapto)‐[3‐3H(n)]phenothiazine (thioridazine)

The antipsychotic drug, thioridazine, differs from more classical antipsychotic drugs with respect to both some atypical psychopharmacological characteristics and to the critical involvement of active metabolites in its pharmacology. Tritium labelled thioridazine has been prepared in our laboratory by palladium catalyzed reduction of an aryl brominated precursor using carrier free tritium gas in THF. The product is labelled in the 3-position of the phenothiazine ring system and a specifie activity of 12 Ci/mmole was obtained.
Preparing High-Quality Teachers for Urbanized Schools A Program Evaluation of a Partnership Model

The Professional Immersion Master of Arts in Teaching (ProMAT) program is a cooperative venture between Johns Hopkins University and Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools, a large school district that has experienced increased urbanization. This graduate-level teacher preparation program provides candidates with extensive internship experiences, a high degree of supervisory support, and significant financial assistance. The school district provides tuition assistance in return for a multiyear commitment by candidates to teach in the district. Data from an exit survey indicate candidate satisfaction with the program. A comparison of Praxis II Pedagogy examination scores with state minimum passing scores shows that in two thirds of the ProMAT certification areas, candidates score significantly higher than the state’s required passing scores.
Characterization of Germanium Nanowires-Flexible Substrate Assemblies Integrated via Direct Synthesis Methods

Nanowires are successfully synthesized directly on two types of flexible substrates, Kapton and silicone, to yield integrated compliant assemblies. Reduced temperature catalyst-assisted chemical vapor deposition techniques enable the direct integration processes. The mechanical properties of these assemblies are evaluated using bending tests where tensile or compressive strains are applied to the samples. Crack formation in the form of channeling or debonding, typical of thin films on substrates, is observed. The allowable strain prior to mechanical failure is assessed.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A novel “coral” carbon microprobe with and without N2 incorporation

Abstract “Coral”-type microstructure carbon films, with and without N 2 incorporation, were grown on sharpened tungsten microprobes by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using H 2 /CH 4 /N 2 and H 2 /CH 4 gas mixtures, respectively. The electrochemical behaviors of the coral-type carbon coated tungsten microprobe, characterized by various concentrations of ferrocyanide in a background of 0.1 M KCl, show excellent structural stability with similar microstructure before and after prolonged analysis without the need of surface pretreatment. The microprobes exhibit quasi-reversible kinetics with high signal-to-noise S / B ratio. The N 2 incorporated microprobe shows a slightly wider potential window, no surface adsorption of the analyte and higher sensitivity as compared to the sample without nitrogen incorporation. Furthermore, the wide potential window of ∼ 3 V is very good as compared to boron-doped diamond electrodes which are ∼ 3.5 V. This well behaved; broad electrochemical behavior and the simple fabrication method make the “coral” carbon film microprobe an excellent candidate for electrochemical sensing.
The role of PIP2 and the IP3/DAG pathway in intracellular calcium release and cell survival during nanosecond electric pulse exposures

Phosphatidylinositol4,5-biphosphate (PIP2) is a membrane phospholipid of particular importance in cell-signaling pathways. Hydrolysis of PIP2 releases inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) from the membrane, activating IP3 receptors on the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and facilitating a release of intracellular calcium stores and activation of protein kinase C (PKC). Recent studies suggest that nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF) cause depletion of PIP2 in the cellular membrane, activating the IP3 signaling pathway. However, the exact mechanism(s) causing this observed depletion of PIP2 are unknown. Complicating the matter, nsPEF create nanopores in the plasma membrane, allowing calcium to enter the cell and thus causing an increase in intracellular calcium. While elevated intracellular calcium can cause activation of phospholipase C (PLC) (a known catalyst of PIP2 hydrolysis), PIP2 depletion has been shown to occur in the absence of both extracellular and intracellular calcium. These observations have led to the hypothesis that the high electric field itself may be playing a direct role in the hydrolysis of PIP2 from the plasma membrane. To support this hypothesis, we used edelfosine to block PLC and prevent activation of the IP3/DAG pathway in Chinese Hamster Ovarian (CHO) cells prior to applying nsPEF. Fluorescence microscopy was used to monitor intracellular calcium bursts during nsPEF, while MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) survivability assays were utilized to determine whether edelfosine improved cell survival during nsPEF exposure. This work is critical to refine the role of PIP2 in the cellular response to nsPEF, and also to determine the fundamental biological effects of high electric field exposures.
The impact of degree field on the earnings of male and female college graduates

Since the gender demographics across majors have dramatically changed over the last few decades, a re-examination of the relationship between gender, undergraduate major selection, and compensation levels once in the workforce is important. This article will focus on how the salaries of college graduates have changed over the last decade. The analyses will explore the extent to which undergraduate major selection contributes to any male-female salary gap. A comparison of regression models for 1993 and 2001 describes the extent to which the selection of major remains a significant factor among those individuals who have entered the workforce.
Competition between learned reward and error outcome predictions in anterior cingulate cortex

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is implicated in performance monitoring and cognitive control. Non-human primate studies of ACC show prominent reward signals, but these are elusive in human studies, which instead show mainly conflict and error effects. Here we demonstrate distinct appetitive and aversive activity in human ACC. The error likelihood hypothesis suggests that ACC activity increases in proportion to the likelihood of an error, and ACC is also sensitive to the consequence magnitude of the predicted error. Previous work further showed that error likelihood effects reach a ceiling as the potential consequences of an error increase, possibly due to reductions in the average reward. We explored this issue by independently manipulating reward magnitude of task responses and error likelihood while controlling for potential error consequences in an Incentive Change Signal Task. The fMRI results ruled out a modulatory effect of expected reward on error likelihood effects in favor of a competition effect between expected reward and error likelihood. Dynamic causal modeling showed that error likelihood and expected reward signals are intrinsic to the ACC rather than received from elsewhere. These findings agree with interpretations of ACC activity as signaling both perceptions of risk and predicted reward.
Intrinsic and light induced gap states in a-Si:H materials and solar cells?effects of microstructure

The effects of microstructure on the gap states of hydrogen diluted and undiluted hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin film materials and their solar cells have been investigated. In characterizing the films the commonly used methodology of relating just the magnitudes of photocurrents and subgap absorption, α(E), was expanded to take into account states other than those due to dangling bond defects. The electron mobility-lifetime products were characterized as a function of carrier generation rates and analysis was carried out of the entire α(E) spectra and their evolution with light induced degradation. Two distinctly different defect states at 1.0 and 1.2 eV from the conduction band and their contributions to carrier recombination were identified and their respective evolution under 1 sun illumination characterized. Direct correlations were obtained between the recombination in thin films with that of corresponding solar cells. The effects of the difference in microstructure on the changes in these two gap states in films and solar cells were also identified. It is found that improved stability of protocrystalline Si:H can in part be attributed to the reduction of the 1.2 eV defects. It is also shown that ignoring the presence of multiple defects leads to erroneous conclusions being drawn about the stability of a-Si:H and SWE.
Alanine Scan of [l-Dap2]Ramoplanin A2 Aglycon: Assessment of the Importance of Each Residue

In efforts that define the importance of each residue and that identify key regions of the molecule, an alanine scan of the ramoplanin A2 aglycon, a potent antibiotic that inhibits bacterial cell wall biosynthesis, is detailed. As a consequence of both its increased stability (lactam vs lactone) and its “relative” ease of synthesis, the alanine scan was conducted on [Dap2]ramoplanin A2 aglycon, which possesses antimicrobial activity equal to or slightly more potent than that of ramoplanin A2 or its aglycon. Thus, 14 key analogues of the ramoplanin A2 aglycon, representing a scan of residues 3−13, 15, and 17, were prepared enlisting a convergent solution-phase total synthesis that consolidated the effort to a manageable level. The antimicrobial activity of the resulting library of analogues provides insight into the importance and potential role of each residue of this complex glycopeptide antibiotic.
Partner choice creates competitive altruism in humans.

Reciprocal altruism has been the backbone of research on the evolution of altruistic behaviour towards non-kin, but recent research has begun to apply costly signalling theory to this problem. In addition to signalling resources or abilities, public generosity could function as a costly signal of cooperative intent, benefiting altruists in terms of (i) better access to cooperative relationships and (ii) greater cooperation within those relationships. When future interaction partners can choose with whom they wish to interact, this could lead to competition to be more generous than others. Little empirical work has tested for the possible existence of this ‘competitive altruism’. Using a cooperative monetary game with and without opportunities for partner choice and signalling cooperative intent, we show here that people actively compete to be more generous than others when they can benefit from being chosen for cooperative partnerships, and the most generous people are correspondingly chosen more often as cooperative partners. We also found evidence for increased scepticism of altruistic signals when the potential reputational benefits for dishonest signalling were high. Thus, this work supports the hypothesis that public generosity can be a signal of cooperative intent, which people sometimes ‘fake’ when conditions permit it.
Managing poor surgical candidacy: communication problems for plastic surgeons

When plastic surgeons meet with new cosmetic surgery clients, they routinely try to get patients to `sign up' for elective surgery without forcing or pressuring them to do it. On rare occasions, they face a prospective client who, in the course of interaction, signals possible legal or medical risks, thereby calling on the surgeon to screen the client more vigilantly to determine whether embarking on cosmetic surgery will be reasonable. Grounded against nine-month field work at a cosmetic surgery center, combined with 30+ hours of videotaped data of initial consultations, this article investigates a unique situation in which a 74-year-old woman seeking rhinoplasty and rhytidectomy is perceived as a difficult customer. Why this moment was interpreted and emerged as difficult is the analytic focus of the article. Using action-implicative discourse analysis (e.g. Tracy, 2001, 2005), the analysis describes five communication challenges the plastic surgeon faced in the course of the 60-minute encounter. In the...
The role of oil seepage in fatigue crack growth of lubricated wearing systems

Abstract Lubricated rolling/sliding systems routinely undergo significant repair and replacement with substantial associated cost, due to cracking and pitting damages. While it is understood that these damages could be related to the effect of lubricating oil seepage inside cracks, to date no proper analytical solution for this special liquid–solid interaction problem has been presented. This paper discusses the role of oil seepage in fatigue crack growth of a lubricated sliding wear system. The problem of contact with asperities and pre-existing surface crack perpendicular to the contact surface in sliding wear, is analyzed by finite element method. In calculations, the incompressibility of the working fluid was assumed to determine the hydrostatic pressure between the crack faces during contact wearing. A parametric study is performed to investigate the effect of the length of each contacting asperity relative to the crack length, coefficient of friction and number of asperities between the contact surfaces, on the stress intensity factor KI and the oil pressure inside the crack. It is found that the lubricating oil seepage can significantly excite and accelerate the fatigue crack growth in wearing systems. From the results of this study, the effect of the lubricating oil seepage on pitting phenomenon can be clearly explained.
Effect of Ionizing Radiation on Moist Air Systems

The radiation chemistry of nitrogen/oxygen/water systems is reviewed. General radiolytic effects in dry nitrogen/oxygen systems are relatively well characterized. Irradiation results in the formation of steady state concentrations of ozone, nitrous oxide and nitrogen dioxide. In closed systems, the concentration observed depends on the total dose, temperature and initial gas composition. Only three studies have been published that focus on the radiation chemistry of nitrogen/oxygen/water homogeneous gas systems. Mixed phase work that is relevant to the gaseous system is also summarized. The presence of water vapor results in the formation of nitric acid and significantly changes the chemistry observed in dry air systems. Mechanistic evidence from the studies reviewed are summarized and discussed in relation to characterizing the gas phase during the containment period of a repository in tuff.
Multisite Phosphorylation and the Countdown to S Phase

Remarkably, SCF(Cdc4) ubiquitin ligase binds and ubiquitinates Sic1 decorated with six, but not five, phosphates. This numerical wizardry suggests how analog inputs can be rectified to digital outputs. Unraveling the counting mechanism promises to generate new insights into the architecture of protein nanoprocessors.
Performance Evaluation of a High-Freqency Borehole Seismic Source

A simple, arc-discharge seismic source for application to the borehole environment is described. Test results from a performance evaluation in sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous sections are presented. These results demonstrate repeatability of seismic signatures in a variety of geologic settings for a waveform with a dominant period of about 1.5 kHz and a half-power bandwidth in excess of 1 kHz. The ability of the sparker to operate in a borehole under hydrostatic heads in excess of 400 m, at lateral ranges in excess of 100 m, and at angular ranges in the vertical plane to 70 degrees is demonstrated.
Is RNase V a manifestation of RNase II

Abstract The relationship between RNase II and RNase V activities in Escherichia coli was investigated. The experiments suggest the possibility that the activity named RNase V was due to residual RNase II activity or a related enzyme on ribosomes.
Estimation of International Demand Behaviour for Use with Input-Output Based Data

The making of projections often requires an economy-wide perspective, and the estimation of consumer demands at the international level. In this paper, an implicit, directly additive demand system (AIDADS) is estimated using cross- country data on consumer expenditures from two different sources: the International Comparison Programme (ICP), and the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP). The two data sets are found to produce results that are quite consistent despite their differing origins, and the fact that the former is based on consumer goods that embody wholesale/retail margins, while margin demands are treated separately in GTAP. Given the similarity of the results, the estimation based on GTAP data is favoured for economy-wide projection purposes because it can be readily matched to input-output based production and trade data. An additional benefit of the GTAP-based estimates is that they provide direct evidence concerning how aggregate margin expenditures vary with per capita income.
Lattice-Mismatched 0.7-eV GaInAs Solar Cells Grown on GaAs Using GaInP Compositionally Graded Buffers

The three-junction 1.8/1.4/1.0-eV inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cell can be extended to four junctions by adding another lattice-mismatched GaInAs junction with a bandgap of 0.7 eV. However, this requires a significant amount of mismatch to GaAs substrates, i.e., 3.8%, which is difficult to obtain while maintaining high-quality material. In this paper, we perform an in-depth investigation of a GaInP compositionally graded buffer varying in composition between Ga 0.5In 0.5P and InP in order to identify limitations to dislocation glide and sources of excess dislocation formation. In situ wafer curvature, cathodoluminescence, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are used to analyze dislocation glide; transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscope, and XRD are used to analyze material structural properties. Composition nonuniformities and roughness are observed, and a region in the compositionally graded buffer where a significant number of excess dislocations are formed is identified. The formation of these dislocations is related to atomic ordering, which has a large influence on the dislocation behavior. Adding thickness to the region in the buffer where dislocations are formed reduces the threading dislocation density an order of magnitude. Metamorphic 0.74 eV solar cells grown on this template have internal quantum efficiency > 90% and Voc > 0.3 V with Jsc set to 13 mA/cm2, which is the expected current in a multijunction device. These results are compared with lattice-matched GaInAs/InP solar cells to evaluate the loss associated with the lattice-mismatch.
Suggestions to Popularize French

Author's summary.— In an effort to raise the student's interest in French and to emphasize its present day value, Stephens College has launched a successful program including trips, a project week, reading diaries, correlation with other departments, festivities, audition room assignments and other activities.
ON THE VALIDITY OF THE PERCEIVED UNDERSTANDING INSTRUMENT

20 married couples completed the relationship version of the Perceived Understanding Instrument, four face-valid items written to assess perceived understanding, and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Pearson correlations indicated that scores on the Perceived Understanding Instrument were as highly related to those on the four subscales of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale as to the sum of the four face-valid items. These findings suggest that the Perceived Understanding Instrument lacks discriminant validity and may be confounded with other factors such as relationship satisfaction. A more thorough review of its validity is thus needed.
Spironucleus vortens N. Sp. from the Freshwater Angelfish Pterophyllum scalare: Morphology and Culture

ABSTRACT. A new diplomonad flagellate, Spironucleus vortens n. sp., is described from the intestinal lumen of the freshwater angelfish, (Pterophyllum scalare), bred in Florida. Live organisms are pyriform, and measure 12.5–20.5 μm long by 5.0–11.2 um wide. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the trophozoite bears two compound lateral longitudinal ridges, each originating posterior to three emerging anterior flagella, and continuing posteriorly to the emergence of the posterior flagellum. Each ridge comprises a broad central part, surrounded by a peripheral ridge. At the opening of the flagellar pocket, the broader right peripheral ridge crosses to the other side of the body, and then back again. The posterior end of the body bears two papillae. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the compound lateral ridges are supported by microtubules, and bear microfibrillar structures in discrete longitudinal plaques. The serendipitous growth of S. vortens in a culture system with lip tumor tissue, facilitated axenic cultivation in a modified TYM medium (trypticase, yeast extract, maltose). The flagellate is now routinely maintained in an axenic TYI-S-33 medium (trypticase, yeast extract, iron serum), and is stabilized in the cryopreserved state. Spironucleus vortens is an aerotolerant anaerobe that can be cultured at 25° C, 28° C and 30° C.
Unbiased Mutagenesis of MHV68 LANA Reveals a DNA-Binding Domain Required for LANA Function In Vitro and In Vivo

The Latency-Associated Nuclear Antigen (LANA), encoded by ORF73, is a conserved gene among the γ2-herpesviruses (rhadinoviruses). The Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) LANA is consistently expressed in KSHV-associated malignancies. In the case of the rodent γ2-herpesvirus, murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68), the LANA homolog (mLANA) is required for efficient virus replication, reactivation from latency and immortalization of murine fetal liver-derived B cells. To gain insights into mLANA function(s), knowing that KSHV LANA binds DNA and can modulate transcription of a variety of promoters, we sought out and identified a mLANA-responsive promoter which maps to the terminal repeat (TR) of MHV68. Notably, mLANA strongly repressed activity from this promoter. We extended these analyses to demonstrate direct, sequence-specific binding of recombinant mLANA to TR DNA by DNase I footprinting. To assess whether the DNA-binding and/or transcription modulating function is important in the known mLANA phenotypes, we generated an unbiased library of mLANA point mutants using error-prone PCR, and screened a large panel of mutants for repression of the mLANA-responsive promoter to identify loss of function mutants. Notably, among the mutant mLANA proteins recovered, many of the mutations are in a predicted EBNA-1-like DNA-binding domain. Consistent with this prediction, those tested displayed loss of DNA binding activity. We engineered six of these mLANA mutants into the MHV68 genome and tested the resulting mutant viruses for: (i) replication fitness; (ii) efficiency of latency establishment; and (iii) reactivation from latency. Interestingly, each of these mLANA-mutant viruses exhibited phenotypes similar to the mLANA-null mutant virus, indicating that DNA-binding is critical for mLANA function.
Delayed chest wall pain due to sternal wire sutures

This report describes 18 patients with disabling chest wall pain due to one or more sternal wire sutures. The pain occurred from 2 to 84 months after a median sternotomy. The pain was described either as sharp and stabbing or as a deep-seated ache. The involved wires had an exaggerated fibrous tissue reaction surrounding the twisted portion. The adjacent noninvolved wires had minimal reaction. In the last 7 patients, serial sections of the fibrous tissue revealed entrapment of one or more sensory nerve fibers. In 6 of the 7 electrical potentials were measured and found to be elevated, indicating wire damage during twisting. Ferroxyl tests confirmed the collection of iron ions at this anodic point as a result of corrosion. Removal of the involved wires and the fibrous tissue surrounding this anodic point relieved the symptoms of pain and tenderness resulting from entrapped sensory nerves.
An industry proof-of-concept demonstration of automated combinatorial test

Studies have found that the largest single cost and schedule component of safety-critical, embedded system development is software rework: locating and fixing software defects found during test. In many such systems these defects are the result of interactions among no more than 6 variables, suggesting that 6-way combinatorial testing would be sufficient to trigger and detect them. The National Institute of Standards and Technology developed an approach to automatically generating, executing, and analyzing such tests. This paper describes an industry proof-of-concept demonstration of automated unit and integration testing using this approach. The goal was to see if it might cost-effectively reduce rework by reducing the number of software defects escaping into system test -- if it was adequately accurate, scalable, mature, easy to learn, and easy to use and still was able to achieve the required level of structural coverage. Results were positive -- e.g., 2775 test input vectors were generated in 6 seconds, expected outputs were generated in 60 minutes, and executing and analyzing them took 8 minutes. Tests detected all seeded defects and in the proof-of-concept demonstration achieved nearly 100% structural coverage.
Multidetector CT and three-dimensional imaging of the pancreas: state of the art.

In the year 2001, state-of-the-art CT scanning of the pancreas includes dual-phase acquisition during the arterial and venous phase of enhancement, water as oral contrast medium, thin collimation (1 mm), a good intravenous contrast bolus, and the addition of three-dimensional imaging to better visualize the primary tumor and to improve staging. As these scanners have only been in clinical use for a little more than a year, good prospective studies have not yet been performed. These will likely demonstrate the improved detection and staging of tumors as a result of the increased resolution, thinner collimation, and better three-dimensional imaging available today.
Molecular phylogeny of short-tailed shrews, Blarina (Insectivora: Soricidae).

Phylogenetic relationships among the three described species of short-tailed shrews (genus Blarina) were inferred based on mitochondrial DNA sequences of 16S rRNA (506 bp) and cytochrome b (1137 bp) from 38 specimens representing B. brevicauda, B. hylophaga, and B. carolinensis, from across their range in North America. Phylogenetic analyses of both data sets combined followed tests showing lack of incongruence between these fragments. Analysis of substitution patterns indicated saturation of transitions at third codon positions in cytochrome b when Blarina sequences were compared to those of Sorex and Cryptotis, used as outgroups. Maximum-likelihood and weighted parsimony supported the monophyly of the genus and placed B. hylophaga as its basal branch, sister to B. brevicauda + B. carolinensis. Phylogeographic analysis revealed a significant partition between eastern and western populations of B. carolinensis and B. brevicauda, on either side of the Mississippi basin. These results are discussed in relation to cytogenetic, morphological, and fossil data.
Experimental Metastasis Assay

Metastasis is the leading cause of death in cancer patients. To understand the mechanism of metastasis, an experimental metastasis assay was established using immunodeficient mice. This article delineates the procedures involved in this assay, including sample preparation, intravenous injection, and culturing cells from lung metastases. Briefly, a pre-determined number of human cancer cells were prepared in vitro and directly injected into the circulation of immunodeficient mice through their tail veins. A small number of cells survive the turbulence in the circulation and grow as metastases in internal organs, such as lung. The injected mice are dissected after a certain period. The tissue distribution of metastases is determined under a dissecting microscope. The number of metastases in a specific tissue is counted and it directly correlates with the metastatic ability of the injected cancer cells. The arisen metastases are isolated and cultured in vitro as cell lines, which often show enhanced metastatic abilities than the parental line when injected again into immunodeficient mice. These highly metastatic derivatives become useful tools for identifying genes or molecular pathways that regulate metastatic progression.
Anatomy of mitral insufficiency.

Summary The causes of mitral insufficiency are primarily considered from an anatomic point of view. Mitral insufficiency may result from anatomic alteration of the papillary muscles, the chordae tendineae, the valve leaflets and/or the commissures. Left ventricular enlargement may contribute to mitral insufficiency by (1) enlargement of the valvular orifice and (2) alteration of the relationships between the valve leaflets, on one hand, and the chordae and papillary muscles, on the other. Left atrial dilatation resulting from one of the foregoing reasons for mitral insufficiency may displace the posterior leaflet and accentuate the degree of mitral insufficiency. Specific problems concerned with persistent common atrioventricular canal are also considered.
Adolescent Vaccination: Physician Challenges and Solutions

Abstract As additional vaccines for adolescents come to market, physicians are confronted with multiple barriers to providing immunizations, including vaccine costs, concerns about safety, attitudes and/or knowledge, and obtaining adolescent consent. Immunization rates in adolescents could be improved by increasing providers' knowledge about recommended vaccines, providing information about vaccine safety to parents and patients, and taking care not to miss any vaccination opportunities.
Twin method: Defense of a critical assumption

Since Galton's time, critics of the twin method have rejected the evidence of genetic differences in human behavior, because the twin method assumes that identical and fraternal pairs have equally similar environments. Twins whose genetic similarity is misperceived by themselves and others provide a critical test of the adequacy of this assumption. The relative effects of perceived and actual genetic similarity on cotwin differences in cognitive, personality, and physical development were assessed in a sample of young, adolescent twins whose genetic similarity was often misperceived. Twins' responses to questions about their own and others' judgments about their zygosity and physical similarity, and the ratings of similarity by eight judges, were used to estimate the perceived similarity of the twins. Actual zygosity was established by matching cotwins on 12 or more blood group loci. Perceived zygosity and perceived similarity by self and others were found to be insignificant biases in the twin study method.
Mucosal immunization with filamentous hemagglutinin protects against Bordetella pertussis respiratory infection.

Mucosal immunization ofmicewithpurified BordeteUla pertussis filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), byeither therespiratory orthegutroute, was foundtoprotect against B.pertussis infection ofthetrachea andlungs. Intranasal immunization ofBALB/cand(C57BL/6 x C3H/HeN)Fl adultfemale micewithFHA prior toB. pertussis aerosol challenge resulted ina2to3logreduction innumberofbacteria recovered fromthelungs and thetracheas ofimmunized miceincomparison tounimmunized controls. Intraduodenal immunization ofadult micewithFEIAbefore infection also resulted inapproximately a2logreduction intherecoveryofbacteria from thelungs andthetracheas ofimmunized miceincomparison tounimmunized controls. Immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin G anti-FHA were bothdetected inbronchoalveolar lavage fluids ofmucosally immunized mice. Limiting dilution analysis revealed a 60-fold increase inthefrequency ofFHA-specific B cells isolated fromthelungs ofmiceimmunized intranasally withFHA incomparison tounimmunized control mice. These datasuggest that bothgutandrespiratory mucosal immunization withamajoradhesin ofB.pertussis generates a specific immuneresponseintherespiratory tract that may serveasone means ofmitigating subsequent B. pertussis respiratory infection. Pertussis isa highly contagious humanrespiratory disease,typified byepisodes ofparoxysmal coughing, thatis caused bythegram-negative bacillus Bordetella pertussis. B. pertussis infects viainhalation ofaerosol droplets andpreferentially associates withthecilia oftherespiratory epitheliumlining thenasopharynx, trachea, andbronchial tree. During thecourseofdisease, B.pertussis infection remains localized totherespiratory tractanddoesnotprogressto bacteremia ormeningitis (4,6).
Inference of historical migration rates via haplotype sharing

Summary: Pairs of individuals from a study cohort will often share long-range haplotypes identical-by-descent. Such haplotypes are transmitted from common ancestors that lived tens to hundreds of generations in the past, and they can now be efficiently detected in high-resolution genomic datasets, providing a novel source of information in several domains of genetic analysis. Recently, haplotype sharing distributions were studied in the context of demographic inference, and they were used to reconstruct recent demographic events in several populations. We here extend the framework to handle demographic models that contain multiple demes interacting through migration. We extensively test our formulation in several demographic scenarios, compare our approach with methods based on ancestry deconvolution and use this method to analyze Masai samples from the HapMap 3 dataset. Availability: DoRIS, a Java implementation of the proposed method, and its source code are freely available at http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~pier/doris. Contact: ude.aibmuloc.sc@kisti
Effect of stimulus force on perioral direction discrimination: clinical implications

Clinicians have used the same instrument (viz, Semmes-Weinstein pressure aesthesiometers [Research Design, Inc, Houston, TX] or "von Frey hairs") for tests of both contact detection and direction discrimination. However, patients' ability to discriminate direction may be underestimated by barely detectable moving stimuli. To determine whether the aesthesiometers underestimate direction discrimination, we evaluated the capacity of 13 normal subjects to distinguish opposing directions provided by 10 different hairs. The hairs were selected to deliver forces below and above the contact-detection threshold. Each was stroked over 1.0 cm of perioral skin at the velocity at which the subject was predicted to best discriminate direction of motion. It was found that valid estimates of perioral direction discrimination can be obtained with appropriately selected aesthesiometers. Specifically, the least stiff hair whose handle displays a manufacturer's marking two units greater than that of the contact-detection "threshold hair" should be used to deliver the moving stimuli. The resultant force applied by this hair will exceed 10 times the subject's contact-detection threshold force. If a less-stiff hair is used, the capacity to distinguish direction may be underestimated.
Diabetes mellitus as a modulating factor of endodontic infections

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease with serious health consequences. The association between diabetes and periodontal disease is well documented. However, the progression and healing of endodontic infections in diabetic patients has not been adequately studied. In this review, diabetes mellitus is explored as a potential modulating factor of endodontic pathosis. Recent data on the relationship between the clinical presentation of pulpal and periradicular disease, as well as the outcome of endodontic treatment in diabetic and nondiabetic patients, are presented. Diabetics who present for endodontic treatment, particularly those with periradicular pathosis, may have increased perioperative symptoms. Cases with preoperative periradicular lesions are less likely to be determined successful two years or longer postoperatively if the patient reports a history of diabetes. Studies examining the pathogenesis of periradicular lesions in mouse models with uncontrolled type 1 diabetes suggest that the lesion size may be increased and the animals have increased serious sequelae. Preliminary findings suggest that some bacterial species may be more prevalent in necrotic pulp of diabetic than nondiabetic patients. More studies are needed to further explore the microbiology of endodontic infections and to determine effective treatment strategies in both diabetic and nondiabetic patients.
Facial features detection on uneven illumination images

Summary form only given. Facial feature detection and segmentation have gained many interests in recent technologies. There are many variations on facial images, such as shadow, occultation, and uneven illumination. All these side effects can influence the segmentation results. In this paper, we propose an efficient algorithm to effectively and accurately extract the desired facial features from the uneven illumination images.
The role of the NAC protein in the nitrogen regulation of Klebsiella aerogenes

The NAC (nitrogen assimilation control) protein from Klebsiella aerogenes is a LysR-like regulator for transcription of several operons involved in nitrogen metabolism, and couples the transcription of these sigma 70-dependent operons to regulation by the sigma 54-dependent NTR system. NAC activates expression of operons (e.g. histidine utilization, hut), allowing use of poor nitrogen sources, and represses expression of operons (e.g. glutamate dehydrogenase, gdh) allowing assimilation of the preferred nitrogen source, ammonium. NAC is both necessary and sufficient to activate transcription, but the expression of the nac gene is totally dependent on the central nitrogen regulatory system (NTR) and RNA polymerase carrying the sigma 54 sigma factor (RNAP sigma 54). Nitrogen starvation signals the NTR system to transcribe nac, and NAC activates the transcription of hut, put (proline utilization), and urease. NAC does not affect the transcription of RNAP sigma 54-dependent operons like ginA or nifLA, which respond directly to the NTR system, but activates transcription of RNAP sigma 70-dependent operons. Thus NAC acts as a bridge between RNAP sigma 70-dependent operons like hut and the RNAP sigma 54-dependent NTR system. The activation of operons like hut by NAC in response to nitrogen starvation is at least superficially similar to their activation by CAP-cAMP in response to carbon and energy starvation.
The Mixed Heritage of the Chief: Revisiting the Problem of Manhood in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Dans le film « Vol au dessus d'un nid de coucou » mettant en scene des personnages en institution psychiatrique, le personnage du Chef Indien incarne un double probleme issu de son heritage mixte de pere Indien et de mere Blanche. La fracture identitaire qu'il manifeste a travers son discours schizophrenique ramene a une interrogation en ces termes : quelle construction identitaire, et notamment par rapport aux roles sexuels, lorsque le pere, membre d'une minorite ethnique, a ete marginalise par la mere, membre de la culture dominante ?
Elevated vaginal pH and neutrophils are associated with early preterm premature rupture of membranes

401 402 ELEVATED VAGINAL PH AND NEUTROPHILS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EARLY PRETERM PREMATURE RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES HYAGRIV SIMHAN, STEVE CARITIS, MARIJANE KROHN, SHARON HILLIER, University of Pittsburgh, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Pittsburgh, PA OBJECTIVE: We have previously demonstrated a relationship between the concomitant presence of vaginal pH $ 5.0 & vaginal polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) >5 and early spontaneous preterm birth after preterm labor with intact membranes. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the association of these markers with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). STUDY DESIGN: This is a secondary analysis of a seven-center cohort originally studied from 11/84 to 3/89. The cohort for this analysis is comprised of 13,917 women enrolled between 23 and 26 weeks’ gestation. All women had history; cervical swabs obtained for Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Trichomonas vaginalis (TV); & had vaginal swabs obtained for pH and Gram stain for diagnosis of PMNs and bacterial vaginosis (BV) using bacterial morphotypes evaluated by the Nugent 10 point scoring system. The association between vaginal pH $5.0 & vaginal PMNs >5 per oil-field with PPROM overall & in two gestational age strata was determined using logistic regression. Variables considered as possible confounders or effect modifiers include BV score, TV, NG, CT, race, age, recent antibiotic use, smoking, & obstetric history. RESULTS: In this cohort of 13,917 women, 169 (1.2%) had PPROM from 24 to 26 weeks’, 5,751 (41.3%) had vaginal PMNs >5 per oil-field, and 2500 (18.0%) had vaginal pH$5.0. Both elevated vaginal pH & vaginal PMNs were present in 1149 women (8.3%). The Table below depicts the strength of the relationship between both markers together & PPROM overall & in both gestational age strata. CONCLUSION: The concomitant presence of both elevated vaginal pH & vaginal neutrophils is associated with PPROM from 24 to 32 weeks’. These two markers are most strongly associated with the earliest PPROM that is most likely related to infection.
Uniform Boundedness of Feedback Error Learning for a Class of Stochastic Nonlinear Systems

In this paper we analyze stochastic stability and boundedness of the neurophysiologically inspired Feedback Error Learning (FEL) paradigm, a control algorithm that uses an inverse model of the plant to maximize tracking performance under uncertain conditions. FEL is analyzed in the framework of an adaptive state feedback controller. An inverse model of the plant is adaptively learned by a neural network based on basis functions, while the output of the feedback controller is used as the training signal. The nonlinear plant under consideration is described as a multidimensional SISO stochastic differential equation. The tracking error was shown to be uniformly bounded in the case where the variance of the noise on the parameter update rule was constant and the variance of the noise on the state variables was a function of the tracking error. When the system was allowed to have only noise on the states variables, with variance linear to the tracking error, then FEL was shown to be stochastically stable.
Continuous caudal anesthesia for inguinal hernia repair in former pretern infants

Abstract Study Objective: To determine the feasibility of continuous caudal anesthesia with 2-chloroprocaine in conscious former preterm infants undergoing inguinal hernia repair. Design: Prospective study. Setting: University-affiliated children's hospital. Patients: Ten former preterm infants, ASA physical status II and III, who were 35 to 49.5 weeks postconceptional age at the time of surgery. Interventions: Caudal anesthesia was administerd via an indwelling catheter using a loading dose of 1 mllkg (30 mglkg) of 3% 2-chloroprocaine, followed by incremental doses of 0.3 ml/kg (9 mg/kg) to achieve a level of T4 to T2. The block was maintained by a minimum infusion rate of 30 mg/kg/hr (1 mllkglhr) of the same local anesthetic solution. Measurements and Main Results: The mean cumulative dose of 2-chloroprocaine was 2.8 ± 1.0 mllkglhr (84 ± 30 mg/kg/hr) infused over a mean duration of 95 ± 35 minutes. Serum cholinesterase concentration and plasma 2-chloroprocaine concentration were measured in five infants. Conclusions: Three percent 2-chloroprocaine can be used effectively for continuous caudal anesthesia in conscious, former preterm infants for inguinal hernia and penoscrotal surgical procedures lasting 85 to 170 minutes.
Speciation on a local geographic scale: the evolution of a rare rock outcrop specialist in Mimulus

Speciation can occur on both large and small geographical scales. In plants, local speciation, where small populations split off from a large-ranged progenitor species, is thought to be the dominant mode, yet there are still few examples to verify speciation has occurred in this manner. A recently described morphological species in the yellow monkey flowers, Mimulus filicifolius, is an excellent candidate for local speciation because of its highly restricted geographical range. Mimulus filicifolius was formerly identified as a population of M. laciniatus due to similar lobed leaf morphology and rocky outcrop habitat. To investigate whether M. filicifolius is genetically divergent and reproductively isolated from M. laciniatus, we examined patterns of genetic diversity in ten nuclear and eight microsatellite loci, and hybrid fertility in M. filicifolius and its purported close relatives: M. laciniatus, M. guttatus and M. nasutus. We found that M. filicifolius is genetically divergent from the other species and strongly reproductively isolated from M. laciniatus. We conclude that M. filicifolius is an independent rock outcrop specialist despite being morphologically and ecologically similar to M. laciniatus, and that its small geographical range nested within other wide-ranging members of the M. guttatus species complex is consistent with local speciation.
The politics of memory: contesting the “Convention Night” version of this historic day

To the degree that the American press corps serves as the creator of the first draft of history, it is in a privileged position of shaping not only what we remember but also how we remember it. This article presents a case study of a political advertisement that aired during the 2008 U.S. presidential election. The mainstream media’s uncritical consideration of the ad invoking Martin Luther King Jr.’s memory in representing Barack Obama’s achievements suggests not only an uncontested version of racial achievements in America but also the power granted to political ads in narrating a naturalized version of memory. As political advertising increasingly drives news coverage in the U.S., the journalistic failure to scrutinize a political message beyond its face value illustrated by this case becomes all the more alarming and is indicative of a concerning disservice to the public interest.
Mitigating Scoring Errors in Microsatellite Data from Wild Populations

Microsatellite data are widely used to test ecological and evolutionary hypotheses in wild populations. In this paper, we consider three typical sources of scoring errors capable of biasing biological conclusions: stuttering, large-allele dropout and null alleles. We describe methods to detect errors and propose conventions to mitigate scoring errors and report error rates in studies of wild populations. Finally, we discuss potential bias in ecological or evolutionary conclusions based on data sets containing these scoring errors.