cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mitotic Variations of the Stem Cell and Its Renewal in the Chinese Hamster Cricetulus Griseus During Spermatogenesis: A Morphological Study

The stem cell As in the testicular tubule of the Chinese hamster has been identified morphologically in its proliferation and in its transitional variations up to the formation of the primary spermatocyte by means of hypotonics alone. An extensive study of nuclei in their telophase has allowed us to trace the transition of mitosis into meiosis in several steps. The presence of nuclei in an apparent inactive or "resting" stage strongly supported the renewal of the As stem cell and gave a clue to the presence of an inherent factor in the tubule that regulates the timing of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium.
Audio Range Dynamic Models and Controllability of Linear Motion Terfenol Actuators

Fourth and sixth order models for the audio range response of a dynamically continuous, linear motion magnetostric tive terfenol actuator are formulated from physical considerations and presented. Values of model parameters are derived from mate rial values (if the values are a priori known) or measured. The actuator involves a continuous rod of terfenol that extends and con tracts, vibrates in modes, and contains internal physical feedback loops due to inverse magnetostrictive effect and back emf. Motions of the right end of the magnetostrictive rod with respect to the left end are described in terms of lumped dynamic models. Methods for extracting a priori unknown dynamic parameters in the pres ence of the internal physical feedback are outlined. For audio range operation, theory and experiment compare well. It is also shown that interactions between the first and second vibration modes of the continuous rod give rise to nonminimum phase zeroes in the sixth order transfer function, which under condition...
Function testing for chemical brain damage: a review.

Testing of neurobehavioral functions for evaluation of the effects of chemicals on the human brain from community (i.e., environmental) exposures is logical and may be a preferred initial step. Sensitivity is improved (1) by adjusting individual tests for influential factors, found by regression modeling and by retaining significant coefficients; and (2) by the calculation of predicted values for each test for each subject. This two-part approach allows for adjustments in age, sex, educational level, and other factors before comparisons are made. Visual fields, color discrimination, reaction time, balance, and digit symbol are the most sensitive tests, followed by 6 sensitive psychological tests and less-discriminating physiological measurements. Hydrogen sulfide, polychlorinated biphenyls, and arsenic are the most toxic chemicals, followed by chlorine, chlorpyrifos, formaldehyde, nickel carbonyl, and ammonia. The least toxic chemicals, which are hydrochloric acid and chlorine, were determined 7 wk following a community spill. The least toxic chemical among those identified herein is methyl ter butyl ether.
The End of the Beagle

WITH reference to the letter in NATURE of June 1, the following particulars of what I know upon the subject may be of interest.
How Smart and Tough Are Democracies?: Reassessing Theories of Democratic Victory in War

Proponents of the selection effects argument claim that because democratic leaders run a higher risk of losing office than autocratic leaders if they fail to win wars, they are more careful than their authoritarian counterparts in choosing which wars to initiate. The robust marketplace of ideas in democracies also weeds out self-serving or ill-conceived policies and allows democratic leaders to better estimate the chances of victory. Democracies, according to this logic, tend to pick on weak or vulnerable opponents and thus win a disproportionate number of the wars they start. Both quantitative and qualitative evidence, however, challenges this conclusion. The statistical correlation between democracy and victory is not robust to reasonable alternative choices for analyzing the data. In particular, including draws as a war outcome renders statistically insignificant the finding that democratic initiators and targets are more likely to win. In addition, democratic leaders who initiate wars should be optimistic that they will win, but process tracing of the decision by Lyndon Johnson’s administration to escalate the Vietnam War (one of these omitted draws) reveals that top officials knew at the time that escalation promised a costly, protracted stalemate, yet they chose to fight anyway. Moreover, domestic politics, if anything, contributed to Johnson’s decision to fight in Vietnam despite the poor odds of victory because he believed that pulling out would spark a backlash and destroy his Great Society legislative program. The results of this combined analysis raise doubts about the democracy and victory thesis, and should prompt interest in other explanatory variables for military effectiveness.
Granulomatous interstitial nephritis

Granulomatous interstitial nephritis is a rare condition whose pathogenesis is poorly understood. Of 203 renal biopsies performed between 1974 to 1994 in which interstitial nephritis was the predominant change, granulomata occurred in 12. The authors reviewed the records of these patients and performed immunopathologic and immunohistochemical studies in their biopsies to characterize the phenotype of infiltrating cells. The authors used markers for T cells, B cells, and macrophages, and determined whether they were activated through assessment of upregulation of HLA-DR molecules. Additionally, the authors attempted to delineate whether or not tubules contributed to giant cell formation through assessment of intermediate filament for keratins and macrophage markers in epithelioid cells. Drug (aspirin, gentamycin, or combination of drugs), infection (Echerichia coli or various organisms), and sarcoidosis accounted for granulomatous inflammation in three patients each, Wegener's granulomatosis and oxalosis resulting from intestinal bypass in one patient each, and in one patient the possible cause could not be determined. Except for biopsies of granulomatous inflammation resulting from infection, in which neutrophils predominated, in all other biopsies, T cells and macrophages made up most of the inflammatory cell infiltrate. HLA-DR was upregulated in mononuclear cells infiltrating the interstitium and was expressed in proximal tubular cells and endothelial cells in all but biopsies of patients with sarcoidosis. In no instance was there evidence that tubules contributed epithelial cells to giant cell formation. These findings are consistent with the notion that granulomatous interstitial nephritis is a cell-mediated form of tissue injury in which T cell-macrophage seem to play a major role.
Performance Comparison for Routing Protocols in Multi-Radio Multi-Channel Multi-Hop Wireless Networks

In this paper, we consider a TDMA-based wireless network and address two major issues, fading and interference, existing in wireless networks since fading will lead to low quality links and interference may lead to unfair channel allocation. Because channel allocation selects the proper channel for each logical link and routing determines through which logical links the packets should be forwarded, there is strong interaction between MAC layer and network layer. In this paper, we seek for the performance trend with more channels allocated and further compare the performances of Bellman-Ford and AODV routing protocols based on the Packet Deliver Rate (PDR) to MAC layer in multi-radio multi-channel multi-hop wireless networks. Numerical results are given and discussions as well as insights into performance aspects for multi-radio multi-channel deployment are provided.
The current role of infarct avid imaging

Tc-99m pyrophosphate is the grandfather of infarct avid agents. Its value is its clinical availability and ease of use. However, its shortcomings are the delay of 2 to 3 days for reliable interpretation in nonreperfused myocardial infarction (MI) and the overarching bone activity. Antimyosin provides exquisie specificity for the detection of myocardial necrosis irrespective of the cause of the injury. Therefore, diagnosis of equivocal MI or confirmation of diffuse myocardial necrosis would benefit from the availability of In-111 labeled antimyosin Fab. The drawback of antimyosin, like that of Tc-99m pyrophosphate, is the delay, in this case because of the protracted blood clearance of the antibody protein macromolecules. Tc-99m glucaric acid, on the other hand, may fulfill the original role envisioned for antimyosin, which was to enable early, rapid diagnosis of acute MI. However, the window for the use of Tc-99m glucaric acid appears to be limited to within the first day of the acute event. Therefore, there is a potential use of both Tc-99m glucaric acid and In-111 antimyosin in tandem with Tc-99m glucaric acid, which would not only facilitate early detection and diagnosis of acute MI and diagnosis of equivocal MI, but also may permit stratification of the infarct age.
Agnogenic myeloid metaplasia

Agnogenic myeloid metaplasia , Agnogenic myeloid metaplasia , کتابخانه مرکزی دانشگاه علوم پزشکی ایران
Embedded Real-Time Linux for Cable Robot Control

Linux is a version of the Unix operating system distributed according to the open source model. Programmers are free to adapt the source code for their purposes, but are required to make their modifications or enhancements available as open source software as well. This model has fostered the widespread adoption of Linux for typical Unix server and workstation roles, and also in more arcane applications such as embedded or real-time computing. Embedded applications typically run in small physical and computing footprints, usually without fragile peripherals like hard disk drives. Special configurations are required to support these limited environments. Real-time applications require guarantees that tasks will execute within their deadlines, something not possible in general with the normal Linux scheduler. Real-time extensions to Linux enable deterministic scheduling, at task periods at tens of microseconds. This paper describes embedded and real-time Linux, and an application for distributed control of a Stewart Platform cable robot. Special Linux configuration requirements are detailed, and the architecture for teleoperated control of the cable robot is presented, with emphasis on the resolved-rate control of the suspended platform.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Carbon dioxide laser vaporization of recalcitrant symptomatic plaques of Hailey-Hailey disease and Darier's disease

Carbon dioxide laser vaporization of localized, recalcitrant intertriginous plaques was done in two patients with Hailey-Hailey disease and two patients with Darier's disease. After treatment, only one patient had recurrence in one treatment site. All patients had significant clinical and symptomatic improvement. Destructive treatment must include the follicular infundibulum in Darier's disease, because histologically this was the focus of recurrent disease at one treated site. We suggest carbon dioxide laser vaporization for the treatment of chronic, localized, symptomatic plaques of Hailey-Hailey or Darier's disease, if medical therapy has been ineffective.
Notes on the 1965 Taal Volcanic eruptions

Neutron activation analyses were performed on samples of olivine-bearing basalt, of volcanic bomb, of volcanic ashes, of residues of water from the old crater lake, of residues of bubbling waters taken near the cinder cone, and of residue of rainwater collected at Parc, Diliman, Quezon City, all of which were volcanic products of the 1965 Taal eruption. The analysis was performed to determine the approximate ratios of important minor and trace elements in the volcanic products, in order to better understand the geochemical processes involved in the 1965 eruption of the Taal Volcano.
Management of erectile impotence Use of implantable inflatable prosthesis

Abstract A completely implantable erectile prosthesis for the treatment of erectile organic impotence has been developed in conjunction with an artificial prosthetic urinary sphincter' Five patients have undergone successful surgical implantation of this device, two of these patients have had sufficient postoperative follow-up to achieve successful vaginal penetration for sexual intercourse.
The trapping of A1(XII) and (XIII) resonance lines in a laser-heated plasma

Abstract Effects of radiative trapping and quenching processes that may be important on a time scale of tens of picoseconds are examined in connection with the escape of A1(XII) and (XIII) resonance-line photons from a laser-heated aluminum plasma. For the A1(XII) line, radiative trapping by itself would introduce significant delays on this time scale. However, collisional ionization from the excited state is more important and dominates the transfer of this line. Unless the effective optical depth is reduced by rapid internal motions, the time dependence of the A1(XII) line will reflect the source distribution near the surface, rather than the state of the plasma in the interior. For the A1(XIII) line, the delay due to radiative trapping is smaller and collisional ionization is competitive, but does not completely dominate.
Children's comprehension and memory for stories☆

Abstract Sixteen 4-year-olds and sixteen 6-year-olds were shown four picture stories consisting of 15 to 18 pictures without text. The stories were well structured, consisting of two or more causally and temporally related episodes. The children were asked to describe each picture, and, after seeing all the pictures of a story, to recall the story without pictures. The pictures were either presented in their normal order or in scrambled order. The data analysis concentrated upon the comparison between the responses in the normal condition when the children were telling a story and in the scrambled condition, when they were merely responding to the pictures as such without the story context. The results showed that even the 4-year-olds, but especially the older children, were interpreting the pictures as stories in the normal condition and that their knowledge about stories, i.e., the story schema, determined the nature of their responses. Even in the scrambled condition the 6-year-olds tried to make sense of the pictures in terms of a story by making inferences, attributing thoughts and emotions to the characters, and using narrative conventions, while the 4-year-olds often reverted to a simple labeling strategy. In recall all of these trends were emphasized. Those parts of the descriptions that were best integrated into a story were recalled best, while nonintegrated descriptions tended to be forgotten.
3.5-W output, diode-pumped Q-switched 532-nm laser

Three 10-W fiber-coupled diode lasers were used to pump a single Nd:YAG laser crystal. Average output powers exceeding 11 W of continuous-wave 1064 nm, and 3.5 W of 532-nm at 50 kHz pulse repetition frequency were achieved. An L- shaped cavity which compensated for thermal lensing in the laser crystal was utilized. The Nd:YAG rod and an acousto-optical Q-switcher were located in one arm of the cavity while a frequency-doubler was in the other arm. The 532 output beam quality (M2) was 1.5.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Proposed figures of merit for staring focal planes

This work reflects the methodology used at Rockwell International in the radiometric evaluation of IR/CCD focal plane elements. It is intended as an input which, when combined with inputs from other industrial and government groups, will result in standardized procedures for the evaluation of detector/charge-coupled devices similar to the procedures prepared by DOD for the evaluation of infrared detectors. Specifically, data collection, data reduction, and data formats are discussed, as well as proposed figures of merit for quantum yield and device noise.
Predator-prey interactions in two schooling fishes, Caranx ignobilis and Stolephorus purpureus☆

Abstract Interactions between the jack, Caranx ignobilis, a facultative schooling species, and the Hawaiian anchovy, Stolephorus purpureus, an obligate schooler were studied within an enclosure in the field in Hawaii. Single predators were the most successful at capturing isolated (individual) prey, and relatively unsuccessful at capturing individuals in schools. Grouped (schooled) predators were the most successful at capturing schooled prey. The leading, or first, predator was the most successful member of a group or school at capturing isolated or schooled prey. Following predators tended to make it possible to catch more prey earlier in the experiments. Larger predator groups were able to break up schools of prey quickly, resulting in increased numbers of prey becoming isolated. These prey were captured before they could reform or join other schools. As the initial size of the prey school increased, the per cent of individuals captured declined. Schooling in prey reduces the time a visually orienting predator has to align himself with an individual prey. Schooling in predators may have co-evolved as an adaptation, making it possible for predators to break up and isolate schooled prey. Larger prey schools may have co-evolved to satiate or swamp the feeding capacity of a finite number of schooled predators and decrease the probability that a specific given individual would be captured.
Raman imaging for two-dimensional chemical analysis

Raman chemical imaging offers selectivity, contrast, and information content that is unparalleled in conventional optical imaging. Advances in dispersive optical elements have allowed Raman imaging to become a stand-alone instruments capable of acquiring images with high spatial and spectral resolution. This paper reviews recent advances in instrumentation and briefly discusses general applications of Raman imaging.
Simplex Optimization of the Alternating-Current Plasma Detector for Gas Chromatography

Several operating parameters for the alternating-current plasma detector for gas chromatography were optimized on the basis of maximization of the peak area response of the detector towards ethylmercury (II) chloride by the modified simplex algorithm. The parameters included in the study were the ac power output, helium make-up flow rate, column flow rate, PMT voltage, and slit width. Univariant values of the optimum were equivalent to most simplex optimum values in this study. Detector evaluation was based on the new optimized response and a new detector interface design and is compared to previous values obtained for this detector. Lower detection limits of 1.10 pg/s were realized, coupled with a relative standard deviation between 1 and 5%. Detector linearity extended over three orders of magnitude.
Darwinian Agriculture: How Understanding Evolution Can Improve Agriculture

R. Ford Denison proposes major hypotheses for improving agriculture early and forcefully in Darwinian Agriculture: “people looking for agricultural inspiration in nature… need to pay more attention...
Energy Drinks and Youth Self-Reported Hyperactivity/Inattention Symptoms

Objective To describe patterns in sweetened beverage consumption by race/ethnicity and sex, documenting both the amount and types of sweetened beverages consumed; and to examine the association of sweetened beverage consumption with hyperactivity/inattention symptoms among middle school students in a single urban school district. Methods Middle school students (n = 1649; 47% Hispanic and 38% black, non-Hispanic) from 12 schools, randomly selected out of 27 district schools, completed health behavior surveys in fall 2011. Students reported quantity and types of sweetened beverages consumed in the past 24 hours and completed the 5-item Hyperactivity/Inattention subscale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to measure symptoms. Results Amount and variety of reported sweetened beverage consumption (including energy drinks) were greater among boys versus girls and among black and Hispanic versus white students. Risk of hyperactivity/inattention increased by 14% for each additional sweetened beverage consumed, adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, sex, school lunch eligibility, family structure, and sugary food consumption. Students reporting consumption of energy drinks were 66% more likely to be at risk for hyperactivity/inattention after adjusting for number of drinks, other types of drinks consumed, and other potential confounders. Conclusions Results support recommendations to limit consumption of sweetened beverages and to avoid consumption of energy drinks among children. Interventions to reduce sweetened beverage consumption should explicitly focus on energy drinks and other emerging sweetened beverages such as sports and sweetened coffee drinks. More research is needed to understand the direction of effects and the mechanisms behind the association between sweetened beverages and hyperactivity/inattention symptoms.
Dieldrin, effect on the ion transport activities in liver tissues

The results of a survey on the effects of dieldrin upon the rat liver systems showed that this chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide markedly affects Na+ and Ca++ ion transport mechanisms in the liver. Transport mechanisms for other ions appeared to be only moderately affected. The situation resembles that which occurs in the nerve cells under dieldrin influencein vivo (7). The eventual results of such a physiological modification is excitation of liver cells due to the effect of accumulated sodium and depletion of calcium ions.
Living kidney donors and their family caregivers: developing an evidence-based educational and social support website

ContextAlthough graft and patient survival rates for living kidney donation are improved, some healthcare providers question whether volunteer donors and their informal caregivers are fully informed of the donation process and the risks involved. Donors and their family caregivers have reported that they receive limited information about the predonation and donor recovery process. Offering web-based information and social support is one way to address this gap.StrategyLiving kidney donor candidates and their family caregivers participating in the Living Donor Information Network for Caregiving (LINC) have access to a variety of online informational resources and a social support discussion forum throughout their living kidney donation experience. Strategies in the development and implementation of an online information and social-support resource are presented.ConclusionsUse of the LINC website for information and support may assist health care providers in identifying potential barriers in the current do...
A Model for Growth, Development, and Diet Selection by the Invertebrate Predator Bythotrephes cederstroemi

Abstract A growth model is developed to predict C content, respiration, and rates of both embryonic and post-embryonic development by the invertebrate predator Bythotrephes . The model incorporates temperature dependent rates of embryonic and postembryonic development as well as respiration and variations in body mass. Estimated growth efficiencies indicate that this invertebrate predator converts about 25% of its prey biomass into predator mass, thus reducing potential resource availability to plank-tivorous fish. The physiological economics of Bythotrephes with respect to both P and C indicate that copepods can be only a minor component of the predator's diet, owing to the high C:P composition of copepod tissues. Mass balance constraints dictate that field-collected populations of Bythotrephes in Lake Michigan consume a prey mixture with bulk tissue stoichiometries less than about 40:1 C:P by mass. The requisite stoichiometry correponds with the elemental composition of Cladocera, particularly Daphnia , which are the dominant Cladocera in offshore regions. Thus an analysis based on conservative elemental budgets of P and C points to Daphnia as the dominant prey of Bythotrephes in Lake Michigan.
Reorientational and configurational fluctuations in water observed on molecular length scales

Polarization-selective pump-probe and echo experiments on the OH vibration of HOD in ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ with $45\text{\ensuremath{-}}\text{femtosecond}$ (fs) infrared pulses are analyzed self-consistently to reveal the time scales for vibrational relaxation, dephasing, and molecular reorientation. Librational motion and hydrogen bond fluctuations on 50- and $180\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{fs}$ time scales precede picosecond collective reorganization.
The effect of plasticizers on transport and electrochemical properties of PEO-based electrolytes for lithium rechargeable batteries

Abstract The effect of plasticizers (or solvent additives) on the transport and electrochemical properties of polymer electrolytes has been examined. First, the mobility of cations and anions of LiN(CF3SO2)2 (LiTFSI) was increased by doping the PEO-based electrolytes with ethylene carbonate and poly(ethylene glycol dimethyl) ether. However, the cation mobility in PEO-based electrolytes doped with propylene carbonate was suppressed resulting in a lower cation transference number. Nevertheless, all the plasticized electrolytes have higher bulk conductivity than the non-plasticized, even in the case the cation transference number decreased. This is due to increased ion mobilities and/or higher degree of ion dissociation upon the introduction of plasticizers. A study of the electrochemical stability of the electrolytes, by linear sweep voltammetry, shows that the plasticizers have a negligible effect on the electrolyte stability windows. Finally, the electrolyte/lithium metal electrode interfacial impedance was monitored by A.C. impedance as a function of storage time. The formation and growth rate of the passivation layer was diminished in the presence of the plasticizers.
Identification of Genetic Modifiers of TDP-43 Neurotoxicity in Drosophila

Cytosolic aggregation of the nuclear RNA-binding protein TDP-43 is a histopathologic signature of degenerating neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and mutations in the TARDBP gene encoding TDP-43 cause dominantly inherited forms of this condition. To understand the relationship between TDP-43 misregulation and neurotoxicity, we and others have used Drosophila as a model system, in which overexpression of either wild-type TDP-43 or its ALS-associated mutants in neurons is sufficient to induce neurotoxicity, paralysis, and early death. Using microarrays, we have examined gene expression patterns that accompany TDP-43-induced neurotoxicity in the fly system. Constitutive expression of TDP-43 in the Drosophila compound eye elicited widespread gene expression changes, with strong upregulation of cell cycle regulatory genes and genes functioning in the Notch intercellular communication pathway. Inducible expression of TDP-43 specifically in neurons elicited significant expression differences in a more restricted set of genes. Genes that were upregulated in both paradigms included SpindleB and the Notch target Hey, which appeared to be a direct TDP-43 target. Mutations that diminished activity of Notch or disrupted the function of downstream Notch target genes extended the lifespan of TDP-43 transgenic flies, suggesting that Notch activation was deleterious in this model. Finally, we showed that mutation of the nucleoporin Nup50 increased the lifespan of TDP-43 transgenic flies, suggesting that nuclear events contribute to TDP-43-dependent neurotoxicity. The combined findings identified pathways whose deregulation might contribute to TDP-43-induced neurotoxicity in Drosophila.
Effects of diet and exercise interventions on control and quality of life in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Evidence suggests that diet and exercise are associated with improved glucose tolerance for patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Seventy-six volunteer adult patients with NIDDM were each assigned to one of four programs: 1) diet, 2) exercise, 3) diet plus exercise, or 4) education (control). Each program required ten weekly meetings. Detailed evaluations were completed prior to the program and after three, six, 12, and 18 months. Evaluations included various psychosocial measures, measures of the quality of life, and fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and relative weight determinations. Of the 76 original participants, 70 completed the 18-month follow-up study. At 18 months, the combination diet-and-exercise group had achieved the greatest reductions in glycosylated hemoglobin measures. In addition, this group showed significant improvements on a general quality of life measure. These improvements were largely uncorrelated with changes in weight. The authors conclude that the combination of dietary change and physical conditioning benefits NIDDM patients, and that the benefits may be independent of substantial weight loss.
Supermassive black hole formation by direct collapse: keeping protogalactic gas H2 free in dark matter haloes with virial temperatures Tvir > rsim 104 K

In the absence of H 2 molecules, the primordial gas in early dark matter haloes with virial temperatures just above T vir ≳ 10 4 K cools by collisional excitation of atomic H. Although it cools efficiently, this gas remains relatively hot, at a temperature near T ∼ 8000 K, and consequently might be able to avoid fragmentation and collapse directly into a supermassive black hole. In order for H 2 formation and cooling to be strongly suppressed, the gas must be irradiated by a sufficiently intense ultraviolet (UV) flux. We performed a suite of three-dimensional hydrodynamical adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) simulations of gas collapse in three different protogalactic haloes with T vir ≳ 10 4 K, irradiated by a UV flux with various intensities and spectra. We determined the critical specific intensity, J crit 21 , required to suppress H 2 cooling in each of the three haloes. For a hard spectrum representative of metal-free stars, we find (in units of 10 ―21 erg s ―1 Hz ―1 sr ―1 cm ―2 ) 10 4 < J crit 21 < 10 5 , while for a softer spectrum, which is characteristic of a normal stellar population, and for which H ― dissociation is important, we find 30 < J crit 21 < 300. These values are a factor of 3-10 lower than previous estimates. We attribute the difference to the higher, more accurate H 2 collisional dissociation rate we adopted. The reduction in J crit 21 exponentially increases the number of rare haloes exposed to supercritical radiation. When H 2 cooling is suppressed, gas collapse starts with a delay, but it ultimately proceeds more rapidly. The infall velocity is near the increased sound speed, and an object as massive as M ∼ 10 5 M ⊙ may form at the centre of these haloes, compared to the M ∼ 10 2 M ⊙ stars forming when H 2 cooling is efficient.
Visual interaction design: special interest area meeting

The Visual Interaction Design Special Interest Area (VIDSIA) meeting provides a place for visual design practitioners, educators, and supporters to gather informally and share ideas and work. VIDSIA was formed at CHI 92 and has met at CHI since. We created VISUAL-L, a popular electronic distibution list for those interested in visual aspects of interaction design, and the VIDSIA column of the SIGCHI Bulletin.
Academic Benchmarks for Otolaryngology Leaders

Objective:This study aimed to characterize current benchmarks for academic otolaryngologists serving in positions of leadership and identify factors potentially associated with promotion to these positions.Methods:Information regarding chairs (or division chiefs), vice chairs, and residency program directors was obtained from faculty listings and organized by degree(s) obtained, academic rank, fellowship training status, sex, and experience. Research productivity was characterized by (a) successful procurement of active grants from the National Institutes of Health and prior grants from the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation Centralized Otolaryngology Research Efforts program and (b) scholarly impact, as measured by the h-index.Results:Chairs had the greatest amount of experience (32.4 years) and were the least likely to have multiple degrees, with 75.8% having an MD degree only. Program directors were the most likely to be fellowship trained (84.8%). Women represented 16%...
What Hackers Learn that the Rest of Us Don't: Notes on Hacker Curriculum

To learn security skills, students and developers must be able to switch from their traditional conditioning to the attacker's way of thinking. Exposure to the hacker culture through hacker conferences such as Defcon and others, Phrack and similar publications, and to comprehensive collections such as Packet Storm helps provide the necessary culture slunk or "a-ha" moment and should be integral to every in-depth security curriculum. Recipes for preventing particular kinds of exploits are only a small part of the value these materials provide. The primary and much underappreciated value of these sources lies in facilitating a deeper understanding of the underlying systems by exposing their designers' implicit assumptions and concentrating the students' and developers' attention on the bigger picture of the system and its environment, especially on issues typically glossed over.
Resolving Apparent Contradictions in Equilibrium Measurements for Clathrate Hydrates in Porous Media

A conceptual model for hydrate equilibrium in media with broad pore-size distributions is used to interpret methane hydrate equilibrium experiments in silica gel pores with nominal radii of 2, 5, and 7.5 nm. While the hydrate equilibrium pressure is an intensive property, it is demonstrated that the presence of a broad pore-size distribution in a porous medium causes the experimental pressures to appear extensive. It is observed that the sample size, the headspace volume, the temperature at which the experiments are started, and the amount of hydrate allowed to dissociate to establish equilibrium at this initial temperature all affect the observed pressure at any given temperature. The pore-volume distribution of the porous medium (not the nominal pore radius) and the percent conversion of pore-water to hydrate also affect the measured equilibrium pressures. As a result, measured equilibrium pressures at a specific temperature for identical media can be significantly different, while those for different m...
Linear ac response of a depinned charge-density wave

We calculate the linear ac response of a depinned charge-density wave (CDW) in samples with size on the order of a Fukuyama-Lee-Rice coherence length. At dc fields near threshold the ac conductivity displays strong resonant structure at the narrow-band noise frequency ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}$ and its harmonics. At larger dc fields we also find a broad inductive dip in the real part of the ac conductivity, \ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\omega}), near ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}$. All these features in \ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\omega}) vary substantially in width and shape as the dc bias is increased. The sharp resonances near threshold reflect the periodic potential in which the CDW moves, while the inductive dip is a result of frequency-dependent damping. Implications for experiments on larger samples are discussed.
Risk for Colorectal Adenocarcinoma in Pernicious Anemia: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Study objective To determine the long-term risk for colorectal cancer among patients with pernicious anemia. Design Historical cohort study. Setting Population-based inception cohort of Rochester, Minnesota, residents. Patients and methods We identified 150 Rochester residents who had the onset of pernicious anemia during the 30-year period from 1950 through 1979, and we followed this cohort for 1664 person-years of observation. The observed risk for subsequent colorectal cancer in the cohort was compared with that expected based on incidence rates of colon and rectal cancer for the local population. Measurements and main results There were 14 cases of colorectal cancer among the 150 patients with pernicious anemia (where 10.5 cases were expected), and 9 of these cases were found after the diagnosis of pernicious anemia was established (where 5.1 cases were expected). The relative risk for colon cancer at any time after the diagnosis of pernicious anemia was 1.8 (CI, 0.8 to 3.3). The relative risk was greatest (4.1; CI, 1.7 to 8.7) in the 5-year period immediately after the diagnosis of pernicious anemia; during this period, 7 cases of colon cancers were observed but only 1.7 were expected (P less than 0.0001). Conclusion Although the overall risk does not achieve statistical significance, patients with pernicious anemia may have an increased risk for colorectal adenocarcinoma in the 5 years after diagnosis.
Management of Bronchopleural Fistula with a Variable-Resistance Valve and a Single Ventilator

Independent lung ventilation with two ventilators is sometimes used in the management of bronchopleural fistula (BPF). We describe a patient in whom gas flow through a large BPF was initially reduced, and subsequently eliminated, during differential lung ventilation using a single ventilator and a variable-resistance valve attached to one lumen of a bifurcated endotracheal tube.
Design and Component Specification for High Average Power Laser Optical Systems

Laser imaging and transport systems are considered in the regime where laser-induced damage and/or thermal distortion have significant design implications. System design and component specifications are discussed and quantified in terms of the net system transport efficiency and phase budget. Optical substrate materials, figure, surface roughness, coatings, and sizing are considered in the context of visible and near-IR optical systems that have been developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for laser isotope separation applications. In specific examples of general applicability, details of the bulk and/or surface absorption, peak and/or average power damage threshold, coating characteristics and function, substrate properties, or environmental factors will be shown to drive the component size, placement, and shape in high-power systems. To avoid overstressing commercial fabrication capabilities or component design specifications, procedures will be discussed for compensating for aberration buildup, using a few carefully placed adjustable mirrors. By coupling an aggressive measurements program on substrates and coatings to the design effort, an effective technique has been established to project high-power system performance realistically and, in the process, drive technology developments to improve performance or lower cost in large-scale laser optical systems.
Process Review Under Way for AGU Fellows Program

A new task force has been appointed and work is now under way to review and suggest improvements for the AGU Union Fellows Program. The work plan will review both the process and practices for the AGU Fellows program with over-arching goals of assuring fairness and transparency while retaining program prestige. Selection as a Fellow is one of AGU's highest honors.
Are there serotonergic projections from raphe and retrotrapezoid nuclei to the ventral respiratory group in the rat

The relationship of serotonergic neurons in raphe and ventrolateral medullary regions to neurons projecting to the rostral ventral respiratory group in the rat were investigated using combined immunohistochemical and retrograde labeling techniques. Serotonergic and non-serotonergic neurons retrogradely labeled with rhodamine beads were found intermingled in the larger population of serotonin-immunoreactive neurons in raphe pallidus, obscurus and magnus. In addition, a cell group analogous to the retrotrapezoid nucleus in the cat was identified in the rat ventrolateral medulla. Retrotrapezoid neurons, which exhibited exclusively ipsilateral projections to the ventral respiratory group, were located lateral to clusters of serotonergic cells near the ventral surface, but were not serotonin immunoreactive.
A self-tuning ultrasonic sensor based powder injection molding process

Ultrasonic sensors show great promise in defect detection and classification when monitoring the powder injection molding (PIM) manufacturing process. To date, however, these sensors are not used in a closed-loop control system. A simplex method is developed that automatically tunes a manufacturing system operating conditions on the basis of in situ ultrasonic sensor readings. Potential applications for this system include the initial set-up of optimal manufacturing conditions and also tracking of the optimum conditions in situ during long-term operation.
Asymptotic distribution of a unit root process under double truncation

Abstract We prove that a doubly-truncated random walk process asymptotically converges to a uniform distribution. The result is then extended for a general unit root process with a stationary ARMA error term. We show how this property can be applied for diagnosing unit root behavior of the time series within upper and lower limits. As an example we use Russian ruble–U.K. pound exchange rate constrained within the bounds of gold points for the period 1897–1904.
Beliefs and expectations of women under 50 years old regarding screening mammography: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: Because shared decision making has been recommended for screening mammography by women under age 50, we studied women’s decision-making process regarding the procedure.
Probing structure–activity relationships in bactericidal peptide βpep-25

Cationic peptides, known to disrupt bacterial membranes, are being developed as promising agents for therapeutic intervention against infectious disease. In the present study, we investigate structure-activity relationships in the bacterial membrane disruptor betapep-25, a peptide 33-mer. For insight into which amino acid residues are functionally important, we synthesized alanine-scanning variants of betapep-25 and assessed their ability to kill bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus) and to neutralize LPS (lipopolysaccharide). Activity profiles were found to vary with the bacterial strain examined. Specific cationic and smaller hydrophobic alkyl residues were crucial to optimal bactericidal activity against the Gram-negative bacteria, whereas larger hydrophobic and cationic residues mediated optimal activity against Gram-positive Staph. aureus. Lysine-substituted norleucine (n-butyl group) variants demonstrated that both charge and alkyl chain length mediate optimal activity. In terms of LPS neutralization, activity profiles were essentially the same against four species of LPS (E. coli 055 and 0111, Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium and Klebsiella pneumoniae), and different for two others (Ps. aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens), with specific hydrophobic, cationic and, surprisingly, anionic residues being functionally important. Furthermore, disulfide-bridged analogues demonstrated that an anti parallel beta-sheet structure is the bioactive conformation of betapep-25 in terms of its bactericidal, but not LPS endotoxin neutralizing, activity. Moreover, betapep-25 variants, like the parent peptide, do not lyse eukaryotic cells. This research contributes to the development and design of novel antibiotics.
Does the effect of PM10 on mortality depend on PM nickel and vanadium content? A reanalysis of the NMMAPS data.

BackgroundLack of knowledge regarding particulate matter (PM) characteristics associated with toxicity is a crucial research gap. Short-term effects of PM can vary by location, possibly reflecting ...
Characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates from Patients in Houston, Texas, by Spoligotyping

Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates ( n = 1,429) from 1,283 patients collected as part of an ongoing population-based tuberculosis epidemiology study in Houston, Texas, were analyzed by spoligotyping and IS 6110 profiling. The isolates were also assigned to one of three major genetic groups on the basis of nucleotide polymorphisms located at codons 463 and 95 in the genes ( katG and gyrA ) encoding catalase-peroxidase and the A subunit of DNA gyrase, respectively. A total of 225 spoligotypes were identified in the 1,429 isolates. There were 54 spoligotypes identified among 713 isolates ( n = 623 patients) assigned to 73 IS 6110 clusters. In addition, among 716 isolates ( n = 660 patients) with unique IS 6110 profiles, 200 spoligotypes were identified. No changes were observed either in the IS 6110 profile or in the spoligotype for the 281 isolates collected sequentially from 133 patients. Five instances in which isolates with slightly different spoligotypes had the same IS 6110 profile were identified, suggesting that in rare cases isolates with different spoligotypes can be clonally related. Spoligotypes correlated extremely well with major genetic group designations. Only three very similar spoligotypes were shared by isolates from genetic groups 2 and 3, and none was shared by group 1 and group 2 organisms or by group 1 and group 3 organisms. All organisms belonging to genetic groups 2 and 3 failed to hybridize with spacer probes 33 to 36. Taken together, the results support the existence of three distinct genetic groups of M. tuberculosis organisms and provide new information about the relationship between IS 6110 profiles, spoligotypes, and major genetic groups of M. tuberculosis .
Wind speed measurement using forward scattered GPS signals

Instrumentation and retrieval algorithms are described which use the forward scattered range-coded signals from the global positioning system (GPS) radio navigation system for the measurement of sea surface roughness. This roughness has long been known to be dependent upon the surface wind speed. Experiments were conducted from aircraft along the TOPEX ground track and over experimental surface truth buoys. These flights used a receiver capable of recording the cross-correlation power in the reflected signal. The shape of this power distribution was then compared against analytical models, which employ a geometric optics approach. Two techniques for matching these functions were studied. The first recognized the most significant information content in the reflected signal is contained in the trailing edge slope of the waveform. The second attempted to match the complete shape of the waveform by approximating it as a series expansion and obtaining the nonlinear least squares estimate. Discussion is also presented on anomalies in the receiver operation and their identification and correction.
Graft-versus-host disease after liver and small bowel transplantation in a child

An 8-month-old child with an immunodeficiency disorder characterized by abnormal lymphocyte function and by low IgG and IgA levels had combined liver and small bowel transplantation under tacrolimus and steroid immunosuppression for the treatment of short gut syndrome and hepatic cirrhosis. The patient developed an early postoperative episode of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and a subsequent surgical complication, prompting discontinuance of tacrolimus. A skin rash eventually shown to be graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) developed in the flank on the 12th post-transplant day and gradually became generalized. Peritonitis, sepsis, multisystem organ failure including the liver allograft led to death on the 23rd post-operative day. The mechanisms leading to post-transplant GVHD under the specific circumstances in this case are discussed.