cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous visible and ultraviolet spectroscopy of stellar wind variability in Zeta Puppis

Spectra of He II 4686 A and H-alpha in Zeta Pup were obtained simultaneously with Copernicus ultraviolet scans of several P Cygni profiles in this O4 If supergiant with strong mass loss. The visible-wavelength data show significant variations in the profiles of both lines, consisting of doubling of the emission over times of less than a day. Recent theoretical calculations show that the observed profile variations in 4686 A can be produced by significant fluctuations in the wind density. The Copernicus data show less variability, although in one scan of the 1400-A Si IV doublet there appears to be a significant enhancement of the emission which may be correlated with one of the doublings observed in 4686 A and H-alpha, as though a density enhancement formed at low levels and then moved outward in the wind.
Epididymal spermatozoa: recovery and subsequent improvements of mouse epididymal spermatozoa via the SpermPrep filtration method.

ZAVOS, P.M, CORREA, J.R. and ZARMAKOUPIS, P.N. Epididymal Spermatozoa: Recovery and Subsequent Improvements of Mouse Epididymal Spermatozoa via the SpermPrepTM Filtration Method. Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 1995, 175 (2), 101-109 -This study was designed to determine the effects of Sephadex filtration (SpermPrepTM method) on the separation of viable motile, morphologically normal mouse epididymal spermatozoa and to study the viability of the recovered spermatozoa over a 3 hr incubation period. Spermatozoa were harvested from the caudae epididymides (5 animals per run or replication; n=10) following bilateral testicular excision and incubated in 2-ml of Test-Yolk buffer (TYB) at 37°C for 15 min. The specimen was then split into 2 aliquots, with Alquot 1 as the control and Aliquot 2 used for filtration. SpermPrepTMI column was employed according to the manufacturer's specifications (ZBL, Inc., Lexington, KY, USA) using TYB. During filtration (10min), different fractions were obtained: first 5min (Sample 1) and second 5min (Sample 2). The filtered fractions were evaluated and incubated at 37°C and assessed for percentage and grade of motility (0-4) every 30min for 3 hr. Filtration resulted in a significant improvement in percentage and grade of motility (91.5% and 3.0 vs. 76.5% and 2.5, respectively). The results point out very clearly that the filtration via the SpermPrepTM method improved the percentage and grade of motility (p<0.05) but not the percentage normal morphology of the spermatozoa. Also the SpermPrepTMI enabled the recovery of 45% (8.3×106 spermatozoa) of the total spermatozoa processed in the control aliquot (18.4×106 spermatozoa) which is consistent with previous observations. Most importantly, filtered spermatozoa incubated for 3hr showed greater percentage and grade of motility than the control spermatozoa (63% and 1.66 vs. 39% and 0.82, respectively). This is of significant importance since the filtration via the SpermPrepTMI has selected not only greater quality spermatozoa but also spermatozoa with significantly long-term motility (longevity) during in vitro incubation.
Cold Environment Fogs And Measurements

For several years radiation fog field programs have been conducted at Albany, NY, with an emphasis on understanding the basic mechanisms leading to dense fog formation. This past year a cooperative effort ("Fog Project-1982") involved nine university, federal and private research laboratories, including NCAR staff and their remote system of 25 portable automated mesonet (PAM) weather stations. A number of comprehensive data sets (boundary layer meteorology and cloud physics variables) during the 14-16 hour nocturnal evolution of fog have been obtained. In particular, the extinction of light in the visible and infrared (10.6 pm wavelength), associated visibility, drop size distributions, liquid water content, and vertical tethered-balloon soundings provided new insights into the structure of fog. A CO2 laser transmissometer was developed that yielded direct information on fog density. During October of 1981 and 1982, a number of radiation fogs occurred that were super-cooled in their lowest 20-50 m. This posed certain troublesome to critical measurement problems with several instruments. Cold environment techniques were devised to overcome some of these instrumentation difficulties.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Emergency care in California: no emergency?

ABSTRACT: Glenn Melnick and colleagues' analysis of emergency department (ED) capacity and access in California is fatally flawed because the authors do not consider the operational constraints tha...
Recognition of speech in noise after application of time-frequency masks: Dependence on frequency and threshold parameters

Binary time-frequency (TF) masks can be applied to separate speech from noise. Previous studies have shown that with appropriate parameters, ideal TF masks can extract highly intelligible speech even at very low speech-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Two psychophysical experiments provided additional information about the dependence of intelligibility on the frequency resolution and threshold criteria that define the ideal TF mask. Listeners identified AzBio Sentences in noise, before and after application of TF masks. Masks generated with 8 or 16 frequency bands per octave supported nearly-perfect identification. Word recognition accuracy was slightly lower and more variable with 4 bands per octave. When TF masks were generated with a local threshold criterion of 0 dB SNR, the mean speech reception threshold was −9.5 dB SNR, compared to −5.7 dB for unprocessed sentences in noise. Speech reception thresholds decreased by about 1 dB per dB of additional decrease in the local threshold criterion. Information reported here about the dependence of speech intelligibility on frequency and level parameters has relevance for the development of non-ideal TF masks for clinical applications such as speech processing for hearing aids.
Apoptosis versus necrosis during cold storage and rewarming of human renal proximal tubular cells.

Background A recent clinical study demonstrated that in renal allografts preserved in the cold apoptosis occurred soon after reperfusion. The mode of cell death during cold storage is generally considered necrotic. Whether apoptosis occurs as a part of cold storage is uncertain. The objective was to determine in human renal tubular cells whether apoptosis is specific for rewarming or it also occurs during cold storage and whether it could be modified. Methods and results Cold storage (4 degrees C) of primary human renal proximal tubular epithelial (RPTE) in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution up to 48 hr caused a time-dependent increase in cell death measured by lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) release and vital dye exclusion methods. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrated that cell death in the cold was necrotic, involving considerable mitochondrial disruption, and was not apoptotic. The TUNEL assay that provides a specific, quantitative measure for apoptosis showed no increase in TUNEL-positivity during flow cytometry of cells stored in cold: 37 degrees C, 0.23+/-0.14%; 24 hr cold, 0.23+/-0.1%; 48 hr cold, 1.79+/-0.58%. Annexin-V staining, a sensitive method for detecting early apoptosis, similarly showed no increase in positively stained cells during cold storage. Addition of antioxidants 2-methyl aminochroman and deferoxamine to UW solution inhibited necrotic cell death and preserved mitochondrial structure. In contrast to cold storage alone, rewarming (37 degrees C for 24 hr) of cold stored cells, however, resulted in significant apoptosis (TUNEL positive: 48 hr cold: 2+/-0.6%, 48 hr cold and 24 hr rewarming: 54+/-17%), which was confirmed by the TEM based on typical apoptotic features. Addition of 2-MAC and DFO significantly inhibited rewarming-induced apoptotic cell death (plus 2-MAC: 3+/-1%, plus DFO: 3+/-2%). Conclusion Our study in human tubular cells provides evidence that cold storage per se does not result in apoptosis, but is primarily necrotic. However, rewarming is associated with significant apoptosis in the presence of ongoing necrosis, speculatively due to the activation of the apoptotic enzymic process of sublethally injured cells. Inclusion of antioxidants in the storage solution confers protection against both cold storage and rewarming-induced necrosis and apoptosis.
Approximate analysis of axisymmetric problems in fracture mechanics with application to a flat toroidal crack

The solution technique of Mossakovskii And Rybka is used to formulate an approximate solution for axisymmetric problems in fracture mechanics. The procedure is then used to determine the stress intensity factor in a flat toroidal crack subjected to internal pressure. The maximum stress intensity factor exists at the inner edge of flat toroidal crack and therefore the crack will always tend to grow into a penny-shaped crack.
The Preparation of High-Purity Cholesteryl Oleyl Carbonate

Abstract The preparation of high-purity cholesteryl oleyl carbonate for thermal radiography is described. Oleyl alcohol of 99.9% purity was obtained from olive oil via urea-adducts, acid soap crystallizations, fractional distillation, and subsequent reduction of methyl oleate with lithium aluminum hydride in tetrahydrofuran. The reaction of oleyl alcohol with cholesteryl chloroformate in the presence of pyridine in benzene at 0[ddot], followed by chromatography on silica gel, results in a cholesteryl oleyl carbonate with a maximum temperature coefficient of selective reflectance of about 13,000% per [ddot]C.
(169) Development of the Sensory Hypersensitivity Scale (SHS): a self-report tool for assessing sensitivity to sensory stimuli

Sensory hypersensitivity is one manifestation of the central sensitization that may underlie conditions such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. We conducted five studies designed to develop and validate the Sensory Hypersensitive Scale (SHS); a 25-item self-report measure of sensory hypersensitivity. The SHS assesses both general sensitivity and modality-specific sensitivity (e.g. touch, taste, and hearing). 1202 participants (157 individuals with chronic pain) completed the SHS, which demonstrated an adequate overall internal reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) of 0.81, suggesting the tool can be used as a cross-modality assessment of sensitivity. SHS scores demonstrated only modest correlations (Pearson’s r) with depressive symptoms (0.19) and anxiety (0.28), suggesting a low level of overlap with psychiatric complaints. Overall SHS scores showed significant but relatively modest correlations (Pearson’s r) with three measures of sensory testing: cold pain tolerance (−0.34); heat pain tolerance (−0.285); heat pain threshold (−0.271). Women reported significantly higher scores on the SHS than did men, although gender-based differences were small. In a chronic pain sample, individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome demonstrated significantly higher SHS scores than did individuals with osteoarthritis or back pain. The SHS appears suitable as a screening measure for sensory hypersensitivity, though additional research is warranted to determine its suitability as a proxy for central sensitization.
Continuous time control of the arrival process in an m/g/1 queue

Abstract The problem of continuously controlling the arrival process in an M/G/1 queue is studied. The control is exercised by keeping the facility open or closed for potential arrivals, and is based on the residual workload process. The reward structure includes a reward rate R when the server is busy, and a holding cost rate cx when the residual workload is x . The economic criterion used is long run average return. A control limit policy is shown to be optimal. An iterative method for calculating this control limit policy is suggested.
Vacuum Levels Needed to Simulate Internal Fatigue Crack Growth in Titanium Alloys and Nickel-Base Superalloys: Thermodynamic Considerations

Prior studies have examined fatigue growth of surface cracks in vacuum to simulate subsurface growth in Ti alloys and Ni-base superalloys. Even with the highest vacuum level attained using “state-of-the-art” pumps, it is unclear if conditions of internal crack growth are truly simulated. We consider thermodynamics of the oxidation process to help answer this question. This consideration helps explain a previously reported anomalous behavior of longer life in air than in vacuum under certain material/test conditions.
MOLECULAR SYSTEMATICS AND HISTORICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY OF THE ROCK-THRUSHES (MUSCICAPIDAE: MONTICOLA)

Abstract The genus Monticola consists of 13 putative species with distributions throughout Eurasia and the sub-Saharan region of Africa. As such, this genus provides an excellent model with which to explore historical intercontinental movements and forces driving speciation in southern Africa. To address these questions, we reconstructed a hypothesis of species relationships using the mitochondrial ND2 and cytochrome-b genes. Monticola forms a well-supported, monophyletic clade within the avian family Muscicapidae. Our results support previous studies suggesting that the Malagasy genus Pseudocossyphus be subsumed into Monticola, and suggest that several of the Malagasy species (notably M. bensoni and M. erythronotus) are not valid. Sequence data, along with morphological and distributional evidence, support the elevation of M. pretoriae to species status. Historical biogeographic analyses suggest an area of origin for Monticola in the arid region of northern Africa plus Saudi Peninsula or the African sava...
A soluble receptor for corticoids in the neural retina of the chick embryo.

Abstract A soluble cortisol-binding macromolecule has been demonstrated in the retina of the chick embryo. The receptor appears to be a protein that is specific for steroids which affect the induction of retinal glutamine synthetase.
Error at a Rectangular Corner in Relaxation Methods

IN “Relaxation Methods in Theoretical Physics” (R. V. Southwell, Clarendon Press, 1946, p. 133) results obtained by R. W. G. Gandy, using the method of relaxation, are given for the capacity C, per unit length, of a cylindrical condenser, the cross-section of which consists of concentric squares having sides in the ratio 2√2 : 1. Three cases are illustrated (Fig. 54) : (a) the two squares are diamondwise to each other ; (c) the sides are parallel; (b) an intermediate position.
Latent Trait Models in the Study of Intelligence.

Abstract This article examines the potential contribution of latent trait models to the study of intelligence. Nontechnical introductions to both unidimensional and multidimensional latent trait models are given, and possible research applications are considered. Latent trait models are shown to resolve several measurement problems in studies of intellectual change, including ability modification studies and life-span development studies. Furthermore, under certain conditions, latent trait models are found useful for construct validation research, since they can represent an individual differences model of cognitive processing on ability test items. Multidimensional latent trait models are shown to be especially useful as processing models, because they can be used to test alternative multiple component theories of test item processing. Furthermore, multidimensional models can be used to decompose test item difficulty into component contributions and estimate individual differences in processing abilities.
A Case Study of the Adoption and Use of Information Systems Technology in a Business-Format Franchise

This research identifies factors that influence technology use and adoption within the context of a growing international commercial and residential moving franchise system. This mixed method study explores differences in attitudes and expectations about technology between the franchisor and its franchisees. Franchise systems are different than other small or medium sized businesses because there are many individuals running their own relatively small business, yet they are still part of a larger whole. Running a successful business requires time, and individual franchisees tend to be more interested in spending that time on their day-to-day operation rather on addressing the information needs of the franchisor. As a result, franchisors often feel that the technologies they offer to facilitate information sharing are underutilized. A set of recommendations is provided for maximizing franchisees' acceptance and usage of the technologies.
Endovenous Thermal Ablation of Superficial Venous Insufficiency of the Lower Extremity: Single-Center Experience with 3000 Limbs Treated in a 7-Year Period:

Purpose:To demonstrate that endovenous thermal ablation is not only effective and safe but also a durable treatment in patients with symptomatic varicose veins.Methods:From February 2002 to February 2009, 2354 patients (1836 women; mean age 53 years, range 15–95) with symptomatic varicose veins in 3000 limbs underwent endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) or radiofrequency ablation (RFA). The majority of treated vessels were the great saphenous veins (GSV; 2619, 87.3%); 269 (8.9%) small saphenous veins (SSV) and 112 (3.8%) accessory saphenous veins (ASV) were also treated, all in outpatient procedures under local intra-compartmental anesthesia. An ultrasound evaluation was performed within 2 weeks of the procedure to evaluate vein occlusion, vein wall thickness, and clot extension into the deep vein. In a long-term evaluation involving the first 165 patients treated from February 2002 to January of 2003, 105 (64%) patients [126 (67%) of the 188 eligible limbs] were followed annually with clinical evaluation, d...
A protein interaction domain contacts RNA in the prespliceosome

SR proteins bind to exons and recruit the spliceosome via protein interactions mediated by an arginine-serine-rich (RS) domain. In this issue of Molecular Cell, Shen et al. (2004) demonstrate that the RS domain of SR proteins contacts the pre-mRNA branchpoint, indicating that these domains participate in both protein and RNA interactions.
Isozyme alterations, gene regulation and the neoplastic transformation

Studies of isozyme composition in the rat liver-hepatocellular carcinoma model system have revealed wide-ranging abnormalities of gene expression. Isozymes geared for adult liver function are lost in tumors to varying degrees, depending on growth rate and degree of tumor dedifferentiation; whereas isozymes low or absent in normal adult liver become predominant or sole forms in fast growing, poorly differentiated hepatic tumors. The prevailing pattern is a switch from the adult to fetal forms, thereby indicating that genes coding for adult isozymes are suppressed in liver neoplasms, while genes active in fetal stages but inactivated during normal embryonic development become re-activated in cancer. These isozyme alterations not only are a key to neoplastic behavior, but are a striking example, among many, of pervasive abnormalities of gene expression involving virtually every means of identification of gene products; for example, the expression in tumors of fetal antigens, growth factors, angiogenesis factors, membrane components, and ectopic polypeptide hormones. Most important is the recently discovered activation of normally silent host oncogenes associated with and probably causally related to viral or chemical carcinogenesis. Despite compelling evidence for somatic mutation, these findings argue for abnormal gene regulation in cancer rather than gene mutation. Uriel has proposed that retrodifferentiation to an embryonal stage is a normal response to cell injury, and is an essential step preceding normal re-ordering of gene regulation. Under the influence of a carcinogen, however, normal differentiation may be aborted before differentiation is complete and the resultant transformed cell would then not be subject to normal regulatory restraints. A similar hypothesis has been expressed by Potter in the aphorism "Oncogeny is blocked ontogeny." Evidence exists for a role of 5-methylcytosine as a regulatory site in gene transcription. Jonathan Nyce, in a Ph.D. thesis presented to the Biology Department of Temple University, has proposed a mechanism of chemical carcinogenesis, based on the loss of cytosine residues, and therefore of methylation sites, in DNA as a result either of mispairing of bases resulting from O6-alkylation of guanines in DNA: or by inhibition of cytosine methylation. This plausible proposal provides a molecular basis for the many aberrations of gene regulation in cancer.
Dietary patterns and the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Objective Previous studies examining the role of single foods or nutrients in the aetiology of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) have produced inconsistent findings. Few studies have examined associations for dietary patterns, which may more accurately reflect patterns of consumption and the complexity of dietary intake. The objective of the present study was to examine whether dietary patterns identified by factor analysis were associated with NHL risk. Design Case-control. Setting Population-based sample residing in Nebraska from 1999 to 2002. Subjects A total of 336 cases and 460 controls. Results Factor analysis identified two major dietary patterns: (i) a 'Meat, Fat and Sweets' dietary pattern characterized by high intakes of French fries, red meat, processed meat, pizza, salty snacks, sweets and desserts, and sweetened beverages; and (ii) a 'Fruit, Vegetables and Starch' dietary pattern characterized by high intakes of vegetables, fruit, fish, and cereals and starches. In multivariable logistic regression models, the 'Meat, Fat and Sweets' dietary pattern was associated with an increased risk of overall NHL (ORQ4 v. Q1 = 3·6, 95 % CI 1·9, 6·8; P trend = 0·0004), follicular lymphoma (ORQ4 v. Q1 = 3·1, 95 % CI 1·2, 8·0; P trend = 0·01), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (ORQ4 v. Q1 = 3·2, 95 % CI 1·1, 9·0; P trend = 0·09) and marginal zone lymphoma (ORQ4 v. Q1 = 8·2, 95 % CI 1·3, 51·2; P trend = 0·05). No association with overall or subtype-specific risk was detected for the 'Fruit, Vegetables and Starch' dietary pattern. No evidence of heterogeneity was detected across strata of age, sex, BMI, smoking status or alcohol consumption. Conclusions Our results suggest that a dietary pattern high in meats, fats and sweets may be associated with an increased risk of NHL.
Search for extinct146Sm, 1. The isotopic abundance of142Nd in the Juvinas meteorite

Abstract We have investigated the isotopic abundance of Nd in bulk rock samples and in mineral separates of the Juvinas meteorite as part of our search for evidence of extinct146Sm. We do not confirm the large anomalies in142Nd claimed by Notsu et al. (1973) in this meteorite. We can set an upper limit of 2 parts in 104 for this variation in mineral separates of Juvinas, corresponding to an upper limit of146Sm/144Sm= 0.013 at the time of solidification of Juvinas, 4.56 AE ago. This result rules against a chronology of β+ (p-process) nucleosynthesis which is significantly (more than 10%) spiked near the time of isolation of solar system matter (“last minute” spike).
Development Of New Gradient Index Glasses By Ion Exchange

ABSTRACT Two new families of gradient index glass are discussed with an emphasis on fabrication. Introduction: Gradient index optics has long been a topic of scientific interest. Some of the first seriouswork was done by Maxwell in 1854 with the introduction of the fish eye lens. This was laterfollowed by the work of Wood and Luneburg. Interest did not become widespread, however, untilthe development of index of refraction gradients by ion exchange in glass. This resurgence of interest in the early 1970's brought about several raytracing methods, aberration theory and some simple lens design with inhomogeneous materials. In the late 1970's and early 1980's gradient index materials were shown to be useful in more sophisticated imaging systems; forexample, binoculars, cameras, microscopes, etc.1 In spite of the advantages of gradient index -optical systems, very few systems have been fabricated and even fewer are commerically available. As Marchand states in his book, "These investigations indicate clearly that gradientsoffer the lens designer a powerful tool -the chief drawback seems to be that the techniques for
Understanding Mens Rea in Command Responsibility From Yamashita to Blaškić and Beyond

Despite 50 years of doctrinal evolution, the mens rea for command responsibility is still unclear. Four factors help explain this. First, international courts frequently borrow mens rea terminology from national legal systems without adequately understanding or explaining differences in how those terms are used. Second, courts and commentators often neglect to engage explicitly in an element-by-element analysis of mens rea requirements, simply (and wrongly) assuming that the same mental state must apply to each element of an offence. Third, courts sometimes react to evidentiary uncertainty by creating legal uncertainty. Finally, courts have responded to normative criticism of command responsibility doctrine in its more expansive versions, but have been unwilling to explore the normative arguments in favour of it. Normative arguments about command responsibility doctrine must take account of differences between ordinary municipal criminal law and international criminal law, including the origins of command responsibility in the laws of war, and the special factual contexts in which it is applied. The article argues that there is solid (though not incontrovertible) support in customary international law for holding superiors liable when they culpably fail to acquire knowledge of their subordinates’ misdeeds, and that there are strong retributive and utilitarian arguments for such an approach. International courts should adopt such a ‘duty of knowledge’ standard.
From continuum Fokker-Planck models to discrete kinetic models.

Two theoretical formalisms are widely used in modeling mechanochemical systems such as protein motors: continuum Fokker-Planck models and discrete kinetic models. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Here we present a “finite volume” procedure to solve Fokker-Planck equations. The procedure relates the continuum equations to a discrete mechanochemical kinetic model while retaining many of the features of the continuum formulation. The resulting numerical algorithm is a generalization of the algorithm developed previously by Fricks, Wang, and Elston through relaxing the local linearization approximation of the potential functions, and a more accurate treatment of chemical transitions. The new algorithm dramatically reduces the number of numerical cells required for a prescribed accuracy. The kinetic models constructed in this fashion retain some features of the continuum potentials, so that the algorithm provides a systematic and consistent treatment of mechanical-chemical responses such as load-velocity relations, which are difficult to capture with a priori kinetic models. Several numerical examples are given to illustrate the performance of the method.
Full-wavefield inversion of surface waves for mapping embedded low-velocity zones in permafrost

ABSTRACTSurface waves are advantageous for mapping seismic structures of permafrost, in which irregular velocity gradients are common and thus the effectiveness of refraction methods are limited. Nevertheless, the complex velocity structures that are common in permafrost environments often yield unusual dispersion spectra, in which higher-order and leaky modes are dominant. Such unusual dispersion spectra were prevalent in the multichannel surface-wave data acquired from our permafrost study site at Barrow, Alaska. Owing to the difficulties in picking and identifying dispersion curves from these dispersion spectra, conventional surface-wave inversion methods become problematic to apply. To overcome these difficulties, we adopted a full-wavefield method to invert for velocity models that can best fit the dispersion spectra instead of the dispersion curves. The inferred velocity models were consistent with collocated electric resistivity results and with subsequent confirmation cores, which indicated the re...
Broca's area and the discrimination of frequency transitions: a functional MRI study.

The left inferior frontal lobe has been traditionally viewed as a "language area," although its involvement in the discrimination of rapid nonverbal frequency changes has been also shown. Using functional MRI, we studied seven healthy adults during discrimination of relatively slow (200 ms) tonal frequency glides. Compared to a control task, in which subjects indiscriminately responded to white noise bursts, tonal discrimination was associated with bilateral superior and middle temporal and medial frontal activations. Inferior frontal activations were bilateral, but stronger on the left. Contrary to previous studies comparing discrimination of slow frequency changes to rest, our results suggest that such discriminations-when compared to an auditory control task-activate the left inferior frontal gyrus. Our findings are consistent with a participation of Broca's area in nonlinguistic processes besides its known roles in semantic, syntactic, and phonological functions.
Defect-mediated hydrogen-bond instability of poly(dG)-poly(dC).

A modified self-consistent phonon theory based on the complex Green's function is developed for a DNA polymer poly(dG)-poly(dC) which contains a defect (dG refers to repeating guanine bases on one strand and dC the repeating cytosine bases on the other strand). The defect simulates a fluctuation in which the hydrogen bonds which bridge the guanine and cytosine in one cell are broken. The theory is then used to analyze the possible instabilities that can arise in neighboring cells as a function of the temperature. A melting or hydrogen-bond instability does occur in the neighboring cells at 350 K. We find a directional effect around the defect when the instability begins to occur. This calculation has no parameters adjusted to fit melting data and is based on the potentials which are adjusted to fit data of the vibrational modes of the DNA homopolymer at room temperature (293 K).
Diversity gains in wireless systems with oscillating-beam smart antennas: an evaluaton via geometric-based stochastic channel models using point scatterers

A smart antenna with a carefully controlled time-varying beam pattern can create a channel with a small coherence time. This small channel coherence time can be used by the mobile station to achieve time diversity benefit, thereby enhancing performance. In this work, the coherence time induced by antenna arrays with time-varying beam-patterns is evaluated using the so-called geometric-based stochastic channel model (GSCM). Here, we assume a circular coverage area in an urban environment and we treat buildings (or parts of buildings) as point scatterers (dimensionless). We demonstrate a relationship between coherence time and antenna array control parameters, and show that 9-fold-time diversity can be created via time-varying beam patterns.
Near-Field Radiation Between a Sphere and Substrates of Different Materials

In order to measure the near-field radiative heat transfer between a microsphere and a substrate, we have developed a sensitive technique using a bi-material atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever. In this paper, we use this technique to measure the near-field radiation between a silica microsphere and substrates made of different materials (semiconductor, metal and polar dielectric materials). The resulting “Conductance-distance” curves show the presence of the near-field radiation enhancement caused by surface phonon-polaritons.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
PARTICLE-GAMMA ANGULAR CORRELATIONS FOLLOWING NUCLEAR REACTIONS.

Abstract The general theory of the b-γ angular correlation in the reaction sequence A(a, b)B(γ)C is reviewed with particular attention to the phase conventions being used. Some examples are given of the correlations predicted by direct interaction theory following the excitation of one-and two-phonon-like states in medium weight even nuclei by the inelastic scattering of protons.
Investigating the synthesis of unsymmetrical tetrathiafulvalene derivatives: Improved yields by the hidden equivalent method

Abstract An improved synthesis of unsymmetrical tetrathiafulvalenes (TTFs) ( 5 a-c, 5 f-g, 7 ) is presented which results in higher yields of unsymmetrical TTFs when compared to existing methods. The synthetic method consists of pre-equilibration of thiones containing electron withdrawing groups with P(OEt) 3 at the minimum temperature where a reaction occurs as determined by 31 P NMR, followed by the slow addition of the thiones to be coupled (typically containing electron donating substituents) and a second equivalent of P(OEt) 3 . The reaction is allowed to react for some time and a third equivalent of P(OEt) 3 is then added. It was also found that the purification of unsymmetrical TTF, 5a , can be greatly simplified by selective precipitation of the symmetrical TTF tetraester ( 5d ) allowing for the rapid synthesis of 5a in multigram quantities. In addition our studies have led to some mechanistic insights of the reaction.
Central versus Peripheral Tumor Location: Influence on Survival, Local Control, and Toxicity Following Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Primary Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Introduction Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has been increasingly utilized for medically inoperable early stage non–small-cell lung cancer. However, a lower biological equivalent dose (BED) is often used for central tumors given toxicity concerns, potentially leading to decreased local control (LC). We compared survival, LC, and toxicity outcomes for SBRT patients with centrally versus peripherally located tumors. Methods We included patients with primary cT1-2N0M0 non–small-cell lung cancer treated with SBRT at our institution from September 2007 to August 2013 with follow-up through August 2014. Central tumor location was defined as within 2 cm of the proximal bronchial tree, heart, great vessels, trachea, or other mediastinal structures. Kaplan–Meier analysis and multivariable Cox regression modeling were used for overall survival (OS) and LC, and the χ 2 test and multivariable logistic regression modeling were used for toxicity. Results We included 251 patients (111 central, 140 peripheral) with median follow-up of 31.2 months. Patients with central tumors were more likely to be older (mean 75.8 versus 73.5 years; p = 0.04), have larger tumors (mean 2.5 cm versus 1.9 cm; p p p = 0.02). Conclusions Central tumor location did not predict for inferior OS, LC, or toxicity following SBRT when a lower mean BED was utilized.
The effect of luteectomy-induced progesterone-withdrawal on the oxytocin and prostaglandin response of the first trimester pregnant human uterus.

Abstract In 9 normal first trimester pregnant patients strong stimulation with a single i.v. dose of 250 mU oxytocin, or 100 μg PG F2α, only provoked barely detectable and transient contractures, rather than advanced cyclic IUP. Evidently, the normal early pregnant human uterus is not an “inert” muscle organ, but is “refractory” to stimulants. Luteectomy-induced rapid and continued P-withdrawals in 5 of the 9 patients “converted” these “refractory” uteri to “responsive” organs. This “conversion” was revealed by advanced cyclic IUP during the OR and PGR within 24–48 hours after luteectomy. Abortion occurred in 60.6±7.6 hours. “Conversion” was delayed in those 2 patients whose P-withdrawal was slow and who only aborted after 140.5±13.5 hours. The remaining 2 patients, whose luteectomy induced P-withdrawal was moderate and transient showed no “conversion” and failed to abort. The rate and degree of P-withdrawal in these 3 groups of patients was a function of gestational age. Apparently the normal pregnant human uterus is a suppressed organ, refractory to stimulants. Continued P-withdrawal suspends suppression, lowers threshold and thus “converts” the refractory uterus to a reactive organ. Once “converted” the pregnant human uterus becomes spontaneously active under endogenous stimulation and expels its contents, a process which can be hastened by exogenous stimulants.
Hypertonic saline nasal provocation and acoustic rhinometry.

BACKGROUND Hypertonic saline (HTS) acts as an airway irritant in human nasal mucosa by stimulating nociceptive nerves and glandular secretion. HTS does not change vascular permeability. In asthma, HTS causes airflow obstruction. OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of HTS on mucosal swelling using acoustic rhinometry (AcRh). Potential vasodilator effects were controlled by maximally constricting mucosal vessels with oxymetazoline (Oxy). METHOD Normal subjects had AcRh before and 30 min after either 0.05% Oxy or saline (0.9% NaCl) nasal treatments. Nasal provocations followed immediately with five step-wise incremental escalating doses of HTS administered at 6-min intervals. AcRh was performed 1, 3 and 5 min after each HTS administration, and then after blowing the nose at 5 min. The minimum cross-sectional area (Amin), volume of the anterior 6 cm of nasal cavity (V6) and incremental changes from pre-drug treatment baseline levels (delta, mean +/- SEM) were calculated. RESULTS Oxy increased Amin by 46% (delta = 0.48 +/- 0.07 cm2, P = 0.0001) and V6 by 53% (Delta = 9.9 +/- 1.5 mL, P < 1 x 10-7) during the first 30 min. Saline (vehicle) treatment had no effect. The maximum HTS dose had no effect after 1 or 3 min. However, in the 4th and 5th minutes there were reductions in Amin (delta = 0.07 +/- 0.03 cm2, P = 0.035) and V6 (delta = 1.57 +/- 0.42 mL, P = 0.004) with an increase in the weight of secretions (delta = 700 +/- 100 mg, P < 0.05). Blowing the nose returned Amin and V6 towards baseline. Oxy had no effect on HTS-induced changes in Amin, V6, pain, rhinorrhea or weight of secretions. CONCLUSION HTS induced nociceptive nerve stimulation and mucus secretion, and reduced V6 and Amin. Oxy caused vasoconstriction but did not alter HTS-induced effects. HTS may stimulate neurogenic axon response-mediated glandular secretion that contributes to perceptions of nasal obstruction in normal subjects.
Hypersensitivity Reaction as a Harbinger of Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Cutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes comprise a broad spectrum of cutaneous reactions to an underlying malignancy. These dermatoses are not the result of metastatic spread to the skin, but rather a reaction to the presence of malignancy. Cutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes often precede the identification of a malignancy. We describe the case of a 79-year-old man with a six-month history of recalcitrant treatment- resistant dermatitis. A complete blood count test performed at the time of initial presentation was normal. The patient ultimately presented with erythroderma and was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The evolution of the dermatitis to erythroderma coincided with the clinical presentation of AML, and was therefore considered to be a paraneoplastic syndrome. The patient decided against therapy and died seven weeks after diagnosis. Physicians should consider a cutaneous paraneoplastic syndrome when faced with dynamic recalcitrant dermatoses that are difficult to treat and decide on laboratory testing accordingly. Patients should be evaluated regularly for two to three years after initial diagnosis with a physical exam and review of systems to monitor for signs and symptoms of malignancy.
Structural and functional analysis of the promoter region of the nerve growth factor gene.

Abstract Molecular clones containing the NGF gene promoter regions and exons I were isolated from mouse and rat genomic libraries with synthetic oligonucleotide hybridization probes that corresponded to the 5′ end of mouse submandibular gland NGF mRNA. The nucleotide sequences of the 5′ flanking regions and exons I were determined and compared. There was 95% similarity in exons I and the adjacent promoter regions between mouse and rat sequences. Further upstream, the similarity decreased to 76%. Both mouse and rat promoter regions were only 33% similar to the presumptive human NGF gene promoter region. Upstream from the capsite of submandibular gland NGF mRNA as determined by an S1-nuclease protection assay, two promoter-like TATA-boxes were found at positions −28 and −49, resp., and two CAAT-like boxes at −379 and −546, resp. Both promoter regions contained a cluster of conserved CpG dinucleotide sequences in a GC-rich island whereas less conserved upstream regions contained only one CpG sequence. The promoter regions were fused to the human growth hormone gene reporter function. Transient expression in L929 cells yielded appropriate fusion mRNAs and secretion of hGH, demonstrating that the cloned promoters are functional.
Monetary policy and presidential elections: A nonpartisan political cycle

This paper develops a Federal Reserve reaction function which relates policy intentions to forecasts of policy objectives. Pre- and postpresidential election estimates of this reaction function for the post-Accord period of 1953–1984 suggest two conclusions:
Rudimentary form of cellular vision

Abstract BHK cells were inoculated sparsely on one face ("sparse- or s-face") of a thin glass film whose opposite face was covered with a 2- to 3-day-old confluent layer of BHK cells ("confluent- or c-face"). After 7 hr of attaching and spreading in the absence of visible light, most of the cells on the s-face traversed with their long axes the direction of the whorls of the confluent cells on the c-face directly opposed. The effect was inhibited by a thin metal coating of the glass films. The results suggest that the cells were able to detect the orientation of others by signals that penetrated glass but not thin metallic films and, therefore, appeared to be carried by electromagnetic radiation. In contrast, the effect was not influenced by a thin coat of silicone on the glass, suggesting that the wavelength of this radiation is likely to be in the red to infrared range. The ability of cells to detect the direction of others by electromagnetic signals points to a rudimentary form of cellular "vision."
A Bayesian bivariate failure time regression model

In this paper, we model bivariate failure time data under the assumption that the two random quantities corresponding to each of the failure times are dependent. We extend the analysis from a bivariate Gumbel model by regressing the log marginal hazard rate against context-motivated covariates. Illustrative analyses using data from electrical treeing and cancer relapse times are exemplified using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods.
Requiem for Relativism in Anthropology

Cultural relativism was the subject of a panel presentation at the 2005 meetings of the American Anthropological Association. In 2007, three of the four presentations were published in Anthropological Quarterly. The present article comprises what was presented in the fourth panel presentation, my own, plus a critical realist critique of the other three papers and the discussant's introduction of them. The critical realist method of immanent critique, applied here, reveals the gaps, contradictions and non-sequiturs of cultural relativism, and suggests that the critical realist meta-philosophy of philosopher Roy Bhaskar, sociologist Margaret Archer, and others offers anthropologists a stronger theoretical paradigm from which to operate.
An Unnoticed Early Attestation of gringo ‘Foreigner’: Implications for Its Origin

While there is a plethora of largely unfounded popular etymologies for the term gringo, including several variants on the theme ‘green (coats) go (home)!’ in reference to the presence of American m...
Nanoparticle–protein interactions: Water is the key

Nanoparticle (NP) surface properties define how engineered nanomaterials interact with proteins. In aqueous systems, these interactions are driven by the binding of water to NPs and proteins. Understanding the true nature of this NP–water interface and its involvement in the properties of nanomaterials is a fundamental challenge in nanotechnology. Here, we review recent studies on the involvement of water molecules in the interaction of NPs with proteins. We first address the thermodynamic aspects of the NP–protein interaction and the means by which solvation shells can alter the nature of this phenomenon. We then discuss how the chemical nature of the NP surface affects the adsorption of water molecules and how this adsorption can either favor or inhibit protein–NP interactions.
The Verilog Procedural Interface for the Verilog Hardware Description Language

The Verilog Procedural Interface is a new C programming interface for the Verilog Hardware Description Language. Different Verilog HDL based tools such as simulators, synthesizers, timing analyzers, and parsers could support this interface for applications which extend the tool's functionality. VPI is part of the IEEE 1364 Programming Language Interface standard. VPI is considered to be the third generation procedural interface to Verilog HDL. The first two generations evolved in conjunction with Verilog-XL and the Verilog HDL. This process resulted in interfaces which lacked consistency and functionality for applications. VPI provides a consistent object-oriented access to the complete Verilog HDL language as described in the IEEE 2364 Language Reference Manual. VPI also provides a well defined interface for supporting Verilog-HDL based simulation. It is believed that this interface can be easily extended to meet future needs. A major portion of the VPI functionality is available in the Verilog-XL 2.2 simulator released in 9502. The complete VPI functionality will be available in the Verilog-XL 2.3 simulator to be released in 9504. The paper briefly discusses the evolution of the Verilog HDL programming language interfaces features of the VPI interface, and a set of possible powerful applications.
Carbon disulfide nephropathy

Abstract A 45-year-old nondiabetic man presented with features resembling diabetic triopathy. He worked in a rayon manufacturing plant and was exposed to toxic levels of carbon disulfide (CS 2 ). Clinical abnormalities included peripheral and central nervous system abnormalities as well as retinopathy, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and nephrotic syndrome. He later developed focal sclerosing glomerulonephritis. The latter has not previously been described in cases of CS 2 exposure. Terminally, he developed end-stage renal disease and progressive dementia, both of which were thought to be consequences of CS 2 exposure earlier in life.
Complementary optical and nuclear imaging of caspase-3 activity using combined activatable and radio-labeled multimodality molecular probe

Based on the capability of modulating fluorescence intensity by specific molecular events, we report a new multimodal optical-nuclear molecular probe with complementary reporting strategies. The molecular probe (LS498) consists of tetraazacyclododecanetetraacetic acid (DOTA) for chelating a radionuclide, a near-infrared fluorescent dye, and an efficient quencher dye. The two dyes are separated by a cleavable peptide substrate for caspase-3, a diagnostic enzyme that is upregulated in dying cells. LS498 is radiolabeled with (64)Cu, a radionuclide used in positron emission tomography. In the native form, LS498 fluorescence is quenched until caspase-3 cleavage of the peptide substrate. Enzyme kinetics assay shows that LS498 is readily cleaved by caspase-3, with excellent enzyme kinetic parameters k(cat) and K(M) of 0.55+/-0.01 s(-1) and 1.12+/-0.06 microM, respectively. In mice, the initial fluorescence of LS498 is ten-fold less than control. Using radiolabeled (64)Cu-LS498 in a controlled and localized in-vivo model of caspase-3 activation, a time-dependent five-fold NIR fluorescence enhancement is observed, but radioactivity remains identical in caspase-3 positive and negative controls. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using radionuclide imaging for localizing and quantifying the distribution of molecular probes and optical imaging for reporting the functional status of diagnostic enzymes.