cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can VEPTR® Control Progression of Early-onset Kyphoscoliosis?: A Cohort Study of VEPTR® Patients With Severe Kyphoscoliosis

Background Kyphoscoliosis is considered a relative contraindication to treatment with the Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib (VEPTR®; Synthes Inc, Paoli, PA). Nevertheless, patients do present with early-onset kyphoscoliosis and thoracic insufficiency syndrome, and no suitable alternative treatments are currently available. However, it is unclear whether VEPTR® is reasonable for treating patients with kyphoscoliosis.
Poland under "Solidarity" Rule

The coalition cabinet in which Solidarity played a leading role, but which also included Communists and their allies, won Parliamentary approval on September 12, 1989. This coalition inherited from the Communists an economy in deep crisis: inflation was raging, shortages of virtually all goods were rampant, and the black market was all-pervasive. The new government pledged to restore the market economy. This paper discusses the economy under Solidarity rule, focusing on stabilization and the restoration of private enterprise.
Bone Marrow Transplantation for Aplastic Anemia Following Hepatitis

The fatal outcome of aplastic anemia following hepatitis is well documented. Therefore bone marrow (BM) transplantation was performed in a 12-year-old girl who developed pancytopenia following mild hepatitis. Repeated BN aspirations revealed absent megakaryocytes, and erythroid and mycloid precursors. Despite prednisolone and oxymethylone therapy the pancytopenia progressed and oxymethylone therapy the pancytopenia progressed (hg 6.4%, WBC 100/mm3, platelets 10,000/mm3). Staphylococcal sepsis following a finger infection and gram-negative sepsis following a perirectal abscess were treated with multiple antibiotics. Thawed frozen red cell and platelet transfusions were given as required. Because the clinical course was one of progressive deterioration without evidence of BM regeneration, BM transplantation was performed. The patient was pretreated with transperformed. The patient was pretreated with transfused donor buffy coat cells followed by cyclophosphamide 60 mg/kg for 3 days. 505 ml of HLA matched BM from an uncle were given. On the 8–10th day following transplantation reticulocytes were seen and the WBC rose to 2,200/mm3. BM revealed megakaryocytes and clusters of mycloid and crythroid cells. Chromosomal analysis revealed XY pattern. Concurrently the patient developed periodbital edema and desquamating erythematous rash, purpura, abdominal pain, gross bleeding from the bowel and low factors II, V, VII and VIII with elevated factor I suggesting a consumption coagulopathy. She died 10 days following BM transplantation. Postmortem revealed regenerating marrow and extensive plasmacytoid cell proliferation in lymph nodes, spleen, lungs and skin consistent with graft versus host syndrome. A successful marrow graft in posthepatitis aplasia can be achieved.
Maximum torque per ampere control of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines

Optimal waveforms for maximum torque per ampere control of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines were explored via numerical techniques in the past. This paper introduces an analytical approach for computation of the optimal stator excitation in Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines including surface mount and interior permanent magnet configurations. Furthermore, a unified solution for optimal current excitation of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines and Synchronous Reluctance machines are presented. The developed analytical solutions enable the online calculation of optimal excitation for minimum copper loss. It also provides guideline for multi-objective optimization when efficiency is of interest. Simulation results are provided for validation.
Admissible large perturbations in structural redesign

A new algorithm for structural redesign by perturbation is developed. It allows for large changes between baseline and objective structures and can satisfy both modal and static displacement objectives. It is faster and more accurate than previously developed perturbation resizing methods because it advances incrementally to the objective structure using large admissible perturbations. The computer code developed is used as postprocessor to general or special purpose finite element codes, to improve upon the design of structures with unacceptable modal and/or static displacement response. Depending on the relation betweem the number of redesign goals, allowable structural changes, and admissibility constraints, the desired redesign may be feasible - either locally optimal or unique - or may not exist. In the latter case, a minimum-error inadmissible design is produced. Several numerical examples are used to study the effects of definition and relaxation of the redesign admissible domain and demonstrate the accuracy of the new redesign algorithm. An offshore tower with repeated eigen-values and 192 degrees of freedom is also redesigned subject to frequency, static displacement goals, and admissibility constraints. 22 refs.
Poster abstract: Exploiting human mobility trajectory information in indoor device-free passive tracking

Device-free passive (DfP) localization is proposed to localize human subjects indoors by observing how the subject disturbs the pattern of the radio signals without having the subject wear a tag. In our previous work, we have proposed a probabilistic classification based DfP technique, which we call PC-DfP in short, and demonstrated that PC-DfP can classify which cell (32 cells in total) is occupied by the stationary subject with an accuracy as high as 97.2% in a one-bedroom apartment. In this poster, we focus on extending PC-DfP to track a mobile subject in indoor environments by taking into consideration that a human subject's locations should form a continuous trajectory. Through experiments in a 10 × 15 meters open plan office, we show that we can achieve better accuracies by exploiting the property of continuous mobility trajectories.
The use of the sequence F n (z) = f n f 1 (z) in computing fixed points of continued fractions, products, and series

Abstract The basic convergence behavior of the sequence {Fn} where F1=f1 and Fn(z)=fn(Fn−1(z)) is described when each fn is analytic in a region S, S⊃fn(S), and the fixed points of {fn} converge. The sequence {Fn} is then used as a process to efficiently compute the attractive fixed points of functions defined by certain continued fractions, infinite products, and series.
Chronic stress, daily stressors, and circulating inflammatory markers.

The chronic stress of caregiving for a loved one with dementia has been associated with a state of immune dysregulation evidenced by weakened control over the expression of latent herpes viruses, impaired wound healing, poorer responses to vaccines, and a state of chronic low-grade elevations in circulating inflammatory markers (Gouin, Hantsoo, & Kiecolt-Glaser, 2008). Elevations in systemic IL-6 and CRP levels have been related to greater incidence of depression, cardiovascular disorder, diabetes, certain cancers, autoimmune diseases, frailty, and mortality (Maggio, Guralnik, Longo, & Ferrucci, 2006), providing a plausible physiological pathway via which chronic stress may lead to poor health. Acute laboratory stressors lead to transient increases in circulating IL-1β, IL-6, and CRP (Steptoe, Hamer, & Chida, 2007). Stress-induced elevations in IL-6 have been observed up to 22 hours following exposure to laboratory social stressor (Kiecolt-Glaser, et al., 2005). Furthermore, in a daily diary study greater interpersonal stress during a 2-week period was related to higher CRP (Fuligni, et al., 2009), suggesting that recent stressors can impact circulating inflammatory markers. Family dementia caregivers experience numerous daily stressors. These daily hassles can lead to repeated and sustained activation of the stress system. The occurrence of recurring daily stressors may then fuel chronic or sustained elevations in circulating markers of inflammation. Two main models can explain the relationship between daily and chronic stressors (Almeida, 2005). The exposure model suggests that the experience of a large number of daily stressors has a cumulative, detrimental impact on health. The reactivity model stipulates that chronic stress impacts health by increasing psychological and physiological reactivity to daily events. The goals of this study were to investigate whether greater exposure and reactivity to daily stressors may fuel overproduction of inflammatory biomarkers among family dementia caregivers. The hypotheses were 1) caregivers will report more daily stressors than controls; 2) the number of daily stressors will be associated with IL-6 and CRP; 3) caregivers will display a stronger association between daily stressors and IL-6 and CRP levels than controls.
Finite nearest particle systems

Finite nearest particle systems are certain continuous time Markov chains on the collection of finite subsets ofZ1. In this paper, we give a sufficient condition for such a system to survive, in the sense that the probability of absorption at 0 is less than one. This theorem generalizes earlier results for the one-dimensional contact process.
Power Transition Theory and the Rise of China

(2003). Power Transition Theory and the Rise of China. International Interactions: Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 269-271.
Endothelial injury following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats: effects on brain blood flow.

Background: The leading cause of death and disability in patients suffering from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is cerebral vasospasm, a persistent, progressive, and often irreversible constriction of cerebral arteries. A wide array of pathological changes occur in cerebral arteries following SAH, with endothelial injury being the earliest and most consistent one. Since intact endothelium modulates many reflexes that influence vascular tone, damage to them may represent a significant contributor to cerebral vasospasm. Methods: Changes in local cerebellar blood flow (LCBF) and pathological alterations in major cerebral arteries were studied and compared in rats at various time intervals following SAH. SAH induced by the subarachnoid injection of 0.3 ml of whole blood. Sham rats received a subarachnoid injection of 0.3 ml of isotonic saline. Results: Except for an immediate but transient decrease, LCBF remained unchanged over a 3 day period following saline injection. Likewise, there were no pathological alterations in cerebral arteries of saline-injected rats. In contrast, the subarachnoid injection of whole blood produced significant changes in both LCBF and cerebral arteries. Within 30 minutes postblood injection, LCBF became significantly decreased and remained so for 4 hours. However, within 24 hours, LCBF had returned to control levels where it remained for 3 days. Endothelial injury was observed in the basilar and middle cerebral arteries from 30 minutes through 4 hours, the same periods in which LCBF was significantly reduced. Within 24 hours, the time period in which LCBF had rebounded to control ranges, cerebral arteries showed no evidence of endothelial damage and resembled control cells. Conclusion: The results indicate a direct correlation between changes in LCBF and the structural integrity of endothelial cells in the early stages following SAH. The lack of chronically depressed LCBF (after 1 day) may be related to the quick structural repair of endothelium. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Broadband dielectric spectroscopy of nanostructured maleated polypropylene/polycarbonate blends prepared by in situ polymerization and compatibilization

Abstract The miscibility and molecular dynamics of nanostructured maleated polypropylene (mPP)/polycarbonate (PC) blends prepared by in situ polymerization of macrocyclic carbonates with polypropylene modified with 0.5 wt% of maleic anhydride-reactive groups were investigated over a wide range of frequencies (10−2–0.5 × 107 Hz) at different constant temperatures using broadband dielectric spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). The molecular dynamics of the glass relaxation process of the blend (α-relaxation process) appeared at a lower temperature range compared with that of the pure PC. This shift in the molecular relaxation process is attributed to the partial miscibility of the two polymer components in the blends as previously confirmed by the morphology via STEM. Nanoscale morphologies with average domain diameters as small as 50 nm were obtained for the different blend compositions studied. The STEM photographs show that the graft mPP-g-PC prefers to locate at the interfaces as previously reported. The relaxation spectrum of pure PC and mPP/PC blends was resolved into α- and β-relaxation processes using the Havriliak–Negami equation and ionic conductivity. The dielectric relaxation parameters, such as relaxation peak broadness, maximum frequency, fmax, and dielectric strength, Δɛ (for the α- and β-relaxation processes), were found to be blend composition dependent. The kinetics of the α-relaxation processes of the blends were well described by Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann (VFT) equation. The local process of PC was resolved into two relaxation processes β1 and β2, associated with the carbonyl groups' motion and the combined motions of carbonyl and phenylene groups, respectively. Only β2 shifted to lower frequency in the blend while β1 was relatively not affected by blending. The electric modulus of the blends was used to get a sufficient resolution of the different relaxation processes in the samples, i.e., α-, β-relaxation processes, ionic conductivity, and interfacial polarization. In addition, the blending method used was found to increase the d.c. conductivity without affecting the charge carrier transport mechanism, making it possible to develop novel polymer blends with tunable dielectric properties and morphology from existing polymers.
Magical thinking: reason and emotion in some recent literature on Verdi and politics

Abstract Beginning from a survey of recent scholarly writing on Italian opera in the nineteenth century, the paper asks what constitutes political significance within the world of operatic composition and performance. Scholars implicitly use very different definitions of political engagement – from private interest in the events of the Risorgimento, as expressed in personal letters, to internalist arguments about homologies between opera plots and contemporary events, to anecdotes of operatic music sparking revolts or uniting crowds, to broad arguments about opera houses as places of assembly in an otherwise atomized culture. Once myths and sentimental attachments are dispelled, what kinds of evidence remain? One answer may be economic: as an almost unique way for writers and intellectuals to earn income, even in exile, operatic production drew together a wide array of progressive thinkers in shared expressive activity.
The role of perceived control and preference for control in adherence to a chronic medical regimen

Background: Poor patient adherence is a widespread problem among patients undergoing hemodialysisfor end-stage renal disease.Purpose: The goal of this study was to examine the joint role of perceived restriction of control and individual differences in preference for control in predicting adherence to the hemodialysis regimen.Methods: Participants were 49 patients recruited from five hemodialysis centers affiliated with the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Preference for control in the health care context was assessed using the Preference for Information and Preference for Behavioral Involvement subscales of the Krantz Health Opinion Survey, and perceived control was assessed using six items written for this study. Adherence was assessed by examining patients’ interdialysis session weight gains (IWG).Results: Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the interaction between preference for information and perceived control over dialysis context explained a significant proportion of variance in IWG values, change in R2 = .09, F(1, 43) = 5.26, p > .05, standardized β = −32. Among patients with lower levels of perceived control in the dialysis setting, a higher preference for information concerning one’s own health care was associated with increasingly poorer adherence. IWG levels in these individuals reflected clinically problematic nonadherence with fluid-in-take restrictions. Among patients with a higher level of perceived control, preference for information had little effect on adherence. No main or interactive effects were found involving differences in patients’ preference for behavioral involvement in their own health care or for the items reflecting perceived control outside the dialysis treatment setting.Conclusions: These data suggest that assessing and examining the interactive effects of patients’ preferences for control andperceived control may, in some cases, be useful in identifying those individuals at risk for difficulty in adhering to the complex behavioral restrictions associated with chronic medical regimens.
Compressible Flow Simulations on a Massively Parallel Computer

This paper describes model development and computations of multidimensional, highly compressible, time-dependent reacting on a Connection Machine (CM). We briefly discuss computational timings compared to a Cray YMP speed, optimal use of the hardware and software available, treatment of boundary conditions, and parallel solution of terms representing chemical reactions. In addition, we show the practical use of the system for large-scale reacting and nonreacting flows.
Ultrastructure of proteoglycans in human renal arteries from end stage renal disease.

Abstract Although glycosaminoglycans, particularly proteoglycans, have been characterized biochemically in normal and diseased arteries, little is known regarding their ultrastructural characteristics in human arteries. The observations reported here were made in renal arteries from nephrectomy specimens from patients with endstage kidney disease and hypertension. By light microscopy, the diffusely thick intima is characterized by small, slender smooth muscle cells embedded in a finely fibrillar, strongly alcian-blue positive, intercellular matrix. Ultrastructurally, there is a loose meshwork of collagen fibrils, elastic units and abundant fibrillogranular units staining strongly with ruthenium red and identified as proteoglycans. These consist of ovoid or diamond-shaped electron-dense granules about 300–500 A in diameter, having fine filamentous processes.
Perioperative pharmacology in elderly patients

Purpose of review Populations across the world are getting older and requiring more surgery. Elderly patients present unique challenges to the anesthesiologist and anesthesia-care team. This review addresses some concerns when caring for an elderly patient. Specifically, we discuss postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) and postoperative delirium, perioperative beta-blockade and use of newer drugs, as well as older drugs. Recent findings POCD has emerged as a new concern for anesthesiologists and their older patients. Several recent studies indicate that POCD is common after noncardiac surgery, with an incidence approaching 30-40% at discharge, although this incidence declines at 3 months. Some data suggest that POCD imparts risk for death. However, there is conflicting evidence. With regard to beta-blocker therapy, there has been growing concern about widespread use of beta-blocker therapy in the perioperative period, especially because such therapy might increase the risk for stroke. Summary Elderly patients require focused diligent care. They are particularly sensitive to the many drugs that are administered in the perioperative period. Recent data suggest that POCD is a real concern, but it is unclear what, if anything, can be done to prevent this complication. Beta-blocker therapy is beneficial in select patients but its widespread use cannot be supported.
New structural invariants of linear multivariate systems

Abstract Several sets (e.g. lists of integers, polynomials, etc.) which remain invariant under a group of transformations including static output feedback control of a linear dynamic system are identified. A nested feedback look decomposition of any given system is given which not only identifies the new invariants but also gives an algorithmic procedure of computing them. As is known, structural invariants such as the ones introduced here, play important roles in many theoretical studies of control theory. To show one such case, here an upper bound to the minimum order of a dynamic output feedback compensator required to stabilize a given system is calculated in terms of the newly identified invariants. This paper can be considered as an extension of the work of Morse who identified structural invariants under static-state feedback, where, as this paper identifies, there are structural invariants under static output feedback.
Calcium channels put synapses in their place

Synapse density and patterning must be tightly regulated to ensure proper circuit formation and function. A new report finds that postsynaptic L-type calcium channels control the pattern and differentiation of developing synapses.
Alkyne-linked 2,2-disubstituted-indolin-3-one oligomers as extended β-strand mimetics

The design, synthesis, and structural analysis of a new foldamer that mimics an extended β-sheet are presented. The nonpeptidic mimetic is based on a series of 2,2-disubstituted-indolin-3-one group...
Risky Food Safety Behaviors Are Associated with Higher Bmi and Lower Healthy Eating Self-Efficacy and Intentions among African American Churchgoers in Baltimore

Background There are an estimated 9.4 million cases of foodborne illness each year. Consumers have a key role in preventing foodborne illness, but differences in the practice of food safety behaviors exist, increasing risk for certain groups in the population. Identifying groups who are more likely to practice risky food safety behaviors can assist in development of interventions to reduce the disease burden of foodborne illnesses. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationships of health indicators and psychosocial factors with self-reported food safety behaviors.
A Novel Technique for Treatment of Intractable Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension: Lumbar Dural Reduction Surgery

Background and Objective.— Spontaneous intracranial hypotension has become a well-described cause of headache particularly among young and middle-aged individuals. Treatment of the underlying spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is effective in relieving symptoms in the vast majority of patients but symptoms may become refractory. The author describes a novel surgical technique to treat intractable spontaneous intracranial hypotension. Methods.— A lumbar laminectomy is performed, a strip of dura is resected, and the dural defect is closed. The resulting decrease in lumbar CSF volume is believed to increase intracranial CSF volume and pressure. Results.— The technique was utilized in a patient who suffered with intractable positional headaches because of a spinal CSF leak for 6 years in spite of numerous surgical and nonsurgical therapies. Significant improvement of symptoms was sustained during a 1-year period of follow-up. Conclusion.— Dural reduction surgery may be considered in carefully selected patients with intracranial hypotension.
Classification and annotation of digital photos using optical context data

Other than the pixel information, a digital photo of today has a host of other information regarding the photo shooting event. These information are captured by different sensors present on the camera and are stored as metadata. In this paper we exploit this meta information and derive useful semantics about the digital photo. We also compare our results with classical relevance models used for automatic photo annotation. We create a dataset of digital photos containing all information and report results on it. We also make the dataset available to the community for further experiments.
Sol–gel synthesis of erbium-doped yttrium silicate glass–ceramics

Abstract Yttrium silicate glasses and glass–ceramics were prepared by the sol–gel process. Yttrium nitrate was added to tetraethyl orthosilicate in amounts representing between 0.2 and 20 mol%, as well as amounts corresponding to the disilicate composition. Some samples were doped with erbium acetate. The solutions underwent gellation in 2–7 days and were dried for 2 weeks. Differential thermal analysis was used to design a multi-step heat treatment to 1000 °C to densify samples to transparent or translucent monoliths. Above 1000 °C, samples crystallized to yttrium disilicate and cristobalite. Phase separation before crystallization influenced the formation of the crystal phases.
Love’s subtle magic: an Indian Islamic literary tradition, 1379–1545, by Aditya Behl

Aditya Behl’s life’s work, which he tragically did not live to see published, centred on understanding and acquainting others with Hindavi Sufi romance literature. Called premakhyan (lit. ‘love-sto...
Black Milwaukee, Proletarianization, and the Making of Black Working-Class History

A pioneering effort to understand working-class African Americans as historical agents, Black Milwaukee situated the Great Migration within an ongoing debate over workers' ability to shape the tran...
Abstract A10: Antiangiogenic therapy (VEGF‐R1–3 and PDGFR inhibitor) increases tumor hemoglobin saturation and decreases interstitial pressure, and microvessel density

Methods: We evaluate the effects of pazopanib, a novel multi‐targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, by examining its effects on tumor oxygenation, interstitial pressure (IFP), and vascularity as compared to an untreated control group. Nude mice (n=35) were injected with A‐549 NSCLC tumor cells. Tumors reached an average volume of 650 mm3 before treatment with pazobanib 100mg/kg/day, Pazobanib 30mg/kg/day. or Vehicle (Control). Animals were treated daily for 14 days. Spectroscopic Measurements: A novel Skinskan spectrofluorometer was used to obtain non‐invasive measurements of hemoglobin saturation (Hbsat) and total Hb for each tumor. Measurements were performed every other day, starting the day of treatment. These values were analyzed by a custom MATLAB program. IFP Measurements: IFP was measured on the last day of treatment(day 14), prior to sacrifice. Immunohistochemical staining: The number of vessels, determined by positive CD31 staining, was averaged over 6–8 image fields to obtain microvessel density (MVD). Results: Optical Spectroscopy: A significant increase in Hbsat was observed at day 8 for the low and high pazopanib dose groups, compared to control (p=0.0109, p=0.0290, respectively). After the 8th treatment day, Hbsat trended downward toward baseline. Tumor IFP: Tumor IFP for animals treated with pazopanib 100mg/kg was significantly reduced, compared to control (p=0.0026). Treatment with pazopanib 30mg/kg also demonstrated a strong trend towards IFP reduction, compared to control (p=0.0645). MVD: MVD was significantly reduced in mice treated with low and high dose pazopanib, compared to control (p=0.0271, p=0.0107, respectively). Conclusions: Treatment with pazopanib lead to a significant reduction in IFP, MVD, and increase in tumor Hb sat. This result demonstrates that pazopanib enhances efficiency of tumor perfusion which could lead to better drug distribution into the tumor, and increased of tumor Hb saturation would correlate with better oxygenation and predicts better response to radiotherapy. Work supported by a grant from GlaxoSmithKline. Citation Information: Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(12 Suppl):A10.
How Do Uncertainties in the Surface Chemical Composition of the Sun Affect the Predicted Solar Neutrino Fluxes

We show that uncertainties in the values of the surface heavy-element abundances of the Sun are the largest source of the theoretical uncertainty in calculating the p-p, pep, 8B, 13N, 15O, and 17F solar neutrino fluxes. Our results focus attention on the necessity of improving the measurement of heavy-element abundances, while at the same time reducing the estimated uncertainties in the predicted solar neutrino fluxes due to abundance errors. We evaluate for the first time the sensitivity (partial derivative) of each solar neutrino flux with respect to the surface abundance of each element. We then calculate the uncertainties in each neutrino flux using the preferred "conservative" (based on changes of measured values with time) and "optimistic" (current values) estimates for the uncertainties in the element abundances. The total conservative (optimistic) composition uncertainty in the predicted 8B neutrino flux is 11.6% (5.0%) when sensitivities to individual element abundances are used. The traditional method that lumps all abundances into a single quantity (total heavy element-to-hydrogen ratio, Z/X) yields a larger uncertainty, 20%. The uncertainties in the carbon, oxygen, neon, silicon, sulphur, and iron abundances all make significant contributions to the uncertainties in calculating solar neutrino fluxes; the uncertainties of different elements are most important for different neutrino fluxes. The uncertainty in the iron abundance is the largest source of the estimated composition uncertainties of the important 7Be and 8B solar neutrinos. Carbon is the largest contributor to the uncertainty in the calculation of the p-p, 13N, and 15O neutrino fluxes. However, for all neutrino fluxes, several elements contribute comparable amounts to the total composition uncertainty.
The 1970 Clean Air Act and termination of rainfall suppression in a U.S. urban area

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to determine the impact of reduced atmospheric particulate resulting from the Clean Air Act of 1970 on changes in summer rainfall in the Atlanta, Georgia USA region. In order to determine if rainfall at nine candidate stations in the metropolitan area was influenced by changes in particulate concentrations within the 1948–2009 period, predicted rainfall characteristics were derived from rainfall frequencies at nine reference stations located more than 80 km from downtown Atlanta. Both parametric and non-parametric tests were used to test for significant differences between observed values and predicted values within 34 overlapping 30-year periods. For the country as a whole, emissions of PM10 (i.e. particulates with a diameter less than or equal to 10 μm) decreased by approximately 40% from 1970 to 1975. The reduction in emissions caused a rapid rebound in summer rainfall in the Atlanta region. There was suppression of rainfall over and downwind of the Atlanta urbanized area during 30-yr periods that comprise all or portions of the decades of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. This suppression occurred even while urban-related factors that promote rainfall enhancement were present. During the 1948–1977 suppression period, there was a decrease in rainfall of at least 40 mm at affected locales, which is substantial given that the mean seasonal rainfall was approximately 300 mm. The rainfall suppression involved a decrease of heavy-rainfall days. Atlanta is most likely not a unique case; therefore, particulate-induced rainfall suppression might have occurred over and downwind of other U.S. urban areas prior to the late 1970s.
Return to play following exercise-induced bronchoconstriction

Objective To review evidence-based support for return to play criteria following acute exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Data sources Electronic databases Ovid Medline and PubMed were searched for papers relating to exercise related asthma and bronchoconstriction and return to play criteria. Additional references from the bibliographies of retrieved articles were also reviewed. Data synthesis There is clear evidence that exercise-induced airways narrowing is increasing in prevalence among athletes from school children to Olympians to professionals, yet there have been no studies specifically addressing return to play criteria. Although deaths from exercise associated bronchoconstriction were previously thought to be rare, recent reports of such deaths call for increased awareness by physicians, athletic trainers, and coaches of the potential fatal consequences of unrecognized episodes or of inadequate treatment. Conclusions No agreed-upon protocol for safe return to play following an acute episode of exercise induced bronchoconstriction has been published. A specific detailed protocol for return to play would assist physicians and other heath professionals to determine with greater confidence that an athlete is fully recovered and can safely return to play.
Verisimilitude or Advertising? Brand Appearances on Prime-Time Television

This paper outlines the policy debate surrounding the commercial practice of product placement and documents brand appearances on prime-time television using 112 hours of programming from four major networks. A content analysis is used to explore the manifest and latent aspects of brand portrayal. Results indicate that brands are prolific in this medium, with the majority appearing in coverage of live or topical events. The majority of brands appearing in scripted programs suitable for passive persuasion are subtly displayed. Those prominently displayed are reinforced by character interaction and inextricably intertwined with the story line. Future research directions and public policy implications are explored.
Cloning, expression, and characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis dihydrofolate reductase.

The gene for dihydrofolate reductase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain genomic DNA. The protein was expressed in inclusion bodies in high yield in Escherichia coli under the control of the T7 promoter. Active enzyme was obtained by refolding from guanidine HCl and after a single chromatography step the sample was >99% homogeneous with a specific activity of ∼15.5 μmol min−1 mg−1. Mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the expected mass of 17.6 kDa. Gel filtration of the enzyme indicated that it was a monomer. Steady-state kinetic parameters were determined and the effect of pH and KCl on the enzyme examined. Methotrexate and trimethoprim inhibited the enzyme.
Toward an Affective Neuroscience Account of Financial Risk Taking

To explain human financial risk taking, economic, and finance theories typically refer to the mathematical properties of financial options, whereas psychological theories have emphasized the influence of emotion and cognition on choice. From a neuroscience perspective, choice emanates from a dynamic multicomponential process. Recent technological advances in neuroimaging have made it possible for researchers to separately visualize perceptual input, intermediate processing, and motor output. An affective neuroscience account of financial risk taking thus might illuminate affective mediators that bridge the gap between statistical input and choice output. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a quantitative meta-analysis (via activation likelihood estimate or ALE) of functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments that focused on neural responses to financial options with varying statistical moments (i.e., mean, variance, skewness). Results suggested that different statistical moments elicit both common and distinct patterns of neural activity. Across studies, high versus low mean had the highest probability of increasing ventral striatal activity, but high versus low variance had the highest probability of increasing anterior insula activity. Further, high versus low skewness had the highest probability of increasing ventral striatal activity. Since ventral striatal activity has been associated with positive aroused affect (e.g., excitement), whereas anterior insular activity has been associated with negative aroused affect (e.g., anxiety) or general arousal, these findings are consistent with the notion that statistical input influences choice output by eliciting anticipatory affect. The findings also imply that neural activity can be used to predict financial risk taking – both when it conforms to and violates traditional models of choice.
Shot-noise suppression in resonant tunneling

Substantial shot-noise suppression has been observed in a series of asymmetric double-barrier resonant-tunneling diodes. The suppression is only seeen in the voltage range where the peak resonant-tunneling transmission coefficient is near unity and where there is a large charge buildup in the quantum well; in other voltage ranges, full shot noise is observed.
ras Mutations and expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

Mutational activation and overexpression of the family of ras proto-oncogenes have been associated with many human tumors. The role of mutations of H-ras, K-ras, and N-ras, as well as expression of the respective protein products (p21s) in normal mucosa, dysplastic mucosa, and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of the head and neck has not been fully described. In our study, 51 tumors (40 paraffin embedded and 11 fresh frozen) were examined to determine if mutational activation of ras is an important molecular event in head and neck SCC. Analyses of codons 12, 13, and 61 of H-ras, K-ras, and N-ras revealed no mutations, suggesting that mutational activation of ras is not important in the majority of head and neck SCCs. Immunocytochemistry (ICC) was used to define the expression of H-ras, K-ras, and N-ras in normal mucosa, dysplastic mucosa, and SCC of the head and neck and to determine if expression of ras family members correlated with early or late events in the development of SCC. Expression of p21N-ras in nine samples of histologically normal head and neck mucosa revealed moderate staining in the basal proliferative layers with progressively less staining as cells matured. The most superficial layers of normal mucosa failed to express p21N-ras. A low level of p21H-ras was expressed in all layers of normal mucosa while K-ras was not expressed. ICC of SCC tumor sections revealed cytoplasmic expression of N-ras in nine of nine tumors, H-ras in five of nine tumors, and K-ras in one of nine tumors. Expression of H-ras, K-ras, and N-ras in head and neck SCC was not related to histologic differentiation or TNM staging; however, p21N-ras was overexpressed in seven of nine tumors. Furthermore, the pattern of N-ras expression in dysplastic lesions revealed expression in all layers of the mucosa in contrast to normal mucosa, which expresses p21N-ras primarily in the basal proliferative layer. The change in p21N-ras expression pattern in dysplastic mucosa and its overexpression in the majority of tumors suggest that loss of control of N-ras expression may be an early step in carcinogenesis of head and neck SCC.
The Basics of Maxillofacial Cone Beam Computed Tomography

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is an imaging modality that is being more frequently applied to orthodontic assessment. With the rapid 180° or more rotation (most frequently 360°) of an x-ray tube and digital detector, CBCT provides essentially immediate and accurate two- and three-dimensional radiographic images of an anatomical structure, limited only by the system's innate or selected field of view. Although CBCT equipment has existed for a quarter of a century, only over the past decade has it become possible to produce clinical systems that are both inexpensive and small enough to be used in the orthodontist's office. Technological and application-specific factors converging to make this possible include: the development of compact, relatively low cost, high quality, large, flat-panel detector arrays; the availability of low cost computers with processing power sufficient for cone-beam image reconstruction; the fabrication of highly efficient x-ray tubes capable of multiple exposures necessary for cone beam scanning at prices lower than those currently used for fan-beam computerized tomography; and limited volume scanning (eg, head and neck) eliminating the need for subsecond gantry rotation speeds. CBCT provides three-dimensional images that facilitate the transition of orthodontic imaging from initial diagnosis to image guidance throughout the treatment phase. This technology provides increased precision, lower doses, and lower costs when compared with medical fan-beam computerized tomography. It provides the third dimension in orthodontic and dental imaging and is extending dental imaging from diagnosis to image guidance.
What Do We Learn about Difference from the Scholarship on Gender

What can the scholarship on gender teach us about studying difference and dealing with diversity in our professional and personal lives? Here, I first describe the expansion of research on gender over the last 30 years. This research has grown not only in its representation in our journals, but also in the types of differences it considers - between women and men, among women (and among men), and across national boundaries. Next, I discuss some of the lessons we learn from this research: to study difference in its own context, make real comparisons, look for similarities as well as differences, examine variation within as well as between groups, investigate exceptions, note failure to find effects, allow for equifinality, and move up a level in abstraction to go beyond gender as a category per se. These lessons about moving between the specific and the general can help us understand processes creating inequality. Finally, I illustrate how we can apply these lessons in our teaching and service.
Characterization of eight polymorphic microsatellite loci for the California spiny lobster, Panulirus interruptus and cross-amplification in other achelate lobsters

Microsatellite sequences were isolated from both non-enriched and enriched genomic libraries of California spiny lobster, Panulirus interruptus. Eight consistently amplifying, scorable and polymorphic loci were characterized for 79 individuals collected at Santa Cruz and San Clemente Islands, California, and tested for cross-species amplification in four closely related Panulirus spp., as well as four other species of the order Achelata. The number of alleles observed per locus ranged from three to 54 and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.57 to 0.98. Quality control testing shows that all loci were reliably scorable, independently segregating, inherited in Mendelian ratios, and had low to moderate (≤14.4%) frequencies of null alleles and high statistical power for detecting fine scale genetic structure.
Particle spectroscopy of supersymmetric SO(10) with nonuniversal gaugino masses

We examine the low scale particle spectroscopy of an SO(10) [or equivalently SU(5)] inspired supersymmetric model with nonuniversal gaugino masses. The model assumes minimal supergravity and contains the same number of fundamental parameters as the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model. Realistic solutions compatible with dark matter and other applicable experimental constraints are shown to exist for both positive and negative signs of the minimal supersymmetric standard model parameter $\ensuremath{\mu}$. We present several benchmark points which will be tested at the LHC and by the ongoing direct and indirect dark matter detection experiments.
A high-throughput framework to detect synapses in electron microscopy images

Motivation: Synaptic connections underlie learning and memory in the brain and are dynamically formed and eliminated during development and in response to stimuli. Quantifying changes in overall density and strength of synapses is an important pre-requisite for studying connectivity and plasticity in these cases or in diseased conditions. Unfortunately, most techniques to detect such changes are either low-throughput (e.g. electrophysiology), prone to error and difficult to automate (e.g. standard electron microscopy) or too coarse (e.g. magnetic resonance imaging) to provide accurate and large-scale measurements. Results: To facilitate high-throughput analyses, we used a 50-year-old experimental technique to selectively stain for synapses in electron microscopy images, and we developed a machine-learning framework to automatically detect synapses in these images. To validate our method, we experimentally imaged brain tissue of the somatosensory cortex in six mice. We detected thousands of synapses in these images and demonstrate the accuracy of our approach using crossvalidation with manually labeled data and by comparing against existing algorithms and against tools that process standard electron microscopy images. We also used a semi-supervised algorithm that leverages unlabeled data to overcome sample heterogeneity and improve performance. Our algorithms are highly efficient and scalable and are freely available for others to use. Availability: Code is available at http://www.cs.cmu.edu/ � saketn/detect_synapses/
Themistocles' speech before Salamis: the interpretation of Herodotus 8.83.1

With the dawn of the day of the Battle of Salamis in ch. 83 of Book 8, Herodotus heightens the tone of his language. An unfortunate result of his more elaborately worked writing has been failure to understand his words, and hence much misplaced editorial intervention. In particular, the words at 8.83.1, προηγρeνe eῢ ἒΧοντα μν κ πντων Θeμιστοκλης, have regularly been mistranslated. Powell even wanted to rewrite the Greek here to read: ἠγρeυe μν πρo πντων Θeμιστοκλης (‘And Themistocles was chosen to pronounce the exhortation’). Few would wish to follow such a drastic and arbitrary alteration of the transmitted text, but the conjectural emendation highlights the difficulty of understanding Herodotus' words at this point.
The archaeology of Mauritius

The archaeology of Atlantic slavery has been widely studied in recent years, but less attention has been paid to the post-slavery system of indenture that transported contract labourers from South Asia, China and Africa to new lands. Colonial Mauritius has left abundant archaeological remains, not least the cemetery for slaves and freed slaves established at Le Morne in the nineteenth century. Analysis of aDNA has demonstrated that individuals buried at Le Morne were of Madagascan and East African (probably Mozambican) origin, testifying to the long-distance movement of slave labour.
Carrier dilution in TiSe2 based intergrowth compounds for enhanced thermoelectric performance

Synthesis and electrical properties of kinetically stabilized (PbSe)1+δ(TiSe2)n thin-film intergrowths are reported for 1 ≤ n ≤ 18. A linear increase in the c-lattice parameter of the intergrowth is observed as n is increased and the slope is consistent with the inclusion of an additional TiSe2 structural unit as n is incremented by 1 and the observed intercept is consistent with the expected thickness of a PbSe bilayer. The charge donated to the TiSe2 constituent from the PbSe is diluted across more layers as n is increased, leading to a systematic increase in the Seebeck coefficient. The room temperature resistivity values of the reported compounds are all on the order of 10−5 Ω m and depend on defect densities that affect the mobility, making the magnitude of the resistivity less sensitive to n. The temperature dependence is metallic for large n, with a slight upturn at low temperatures due to localization of carriers for small n values. The power factor increases with n, including the highest reported for chalcogenide misfit layered and related compounds, showing that nanostructuring and modulation doping are an effective means of tuning the power factor of thermoelectric intergrowth materials. Since these compounds have very low thermal conductivity due to structural anisotropy and misregistration between intergrowth constituents, this suggests that varying their nanoarchitecture is a promising approach to obtain high values of zT.