cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
3D NMR Studies of DAB-16 Dendrimer

The HMQC-TOCSY 3D NMR technique has been used to study the DAB-16 [poly(propyleneimine)] dendrimer (the third generation) on a 750 MHz spectrometer. In the HMQC-TOCSY 3D NMR spectrum, it is possible to disperse 1H signals based on the well-resolved 13C chemical shifts and to obtain both one-bond 1H−13C connectivities and multibond 1H−13C connectivities by tracing the correlations within the same proton spin system from the HMQC-TOCSY slices. The overlapping 1H resonances for core, interior, and exterior methylenes can be clearly resolved and assigned from the 3D NMR.
Federated Search and the Library Web Site: A Study of Association of Research Libraries Member Web Sites

The purpose of this study was to investigate how federated search engines are incorporated into the Web sites of libraries in the Association of Research Libraries. In 2009, information was gathered for each library in the Association of Research Libraries with a federated search engine. This included the name of the federated search service and the presence, placement, and context of federated search boxes and links on library home pages, secondary pages, electronic resource lists, research guides, and course pages. Information was also gathered to compare whether the context of the federated search engine matched the resources included. During this study, a number of Web site redesigns affected how federated search engines were incorporated. A few of these site changes are described to illustrate the evolving nature of federated search engines on library Web sites. Building on a previous study, this study identified an increase in the number of libraries in the Association of Research Libraries with fed...
Computer aided planning and execution of craniofacial surgical procedures

In 1983 we began clinical evaluation of a surgical simulation program based on a three-dimensionalization of a cephalogram (Cutting et al. 1986a). Two orthogonal X-ray views are used to locate 34 points on the face. A simple wire frame visual representation was used to perform an interactive three-dimensional surgical simulation. As a large database of such X-rays already existed (Grayson 1988 et al), results could be compared with an age, race and sex appropriated normal form. Optimization routines were added which had been created. Numerical printouts specified the movements of each piece. The surgeon could use these "surgical blueprints" in the operating room.
Carcinoma of the endometrium: Review of experience at a community hospital, 1971–1977

Abstract A clinical pathologic study of 159 patients with endometrial cancer from a community hospital during 1971 to 1977 revealed that those women who developed cancer following long-term use of exogenous estrogens had more localized and better differentiated tumors than patients who had not used estrogens. However, estrogen use was significantly more common among younger women, and independent analysis of these factors showed that younger patients had more confined, differentiated cancers, regardless of estrogen use. Of the carcinomas 15.7% were of the adenosquamous variety, but no relationship was observed between estrogen use and this type of cancer. Ten asymptomatic women were first detected with endometrial cancers through routine cervicovaginal cytology. Diabetes mellitus, obesity, thyroid disorders, and personal and family histories of neoplastic disease were found frequently in the patients with endometrial carcinomas. Intensive screening efforts should be directed to highrisk groups to detect these lesions at the earliest opportunity.
Near-infrared Raman spectroscopy of solid C60. Raman activation of silent modes by 13C and sample disorder

Abstract High-resolution Raman spectra excited from 1.45 to 1.75 eV are presented for solid C 60 films and crystals prepared by four methods. Intersample comparison shows that imperfections introduced in sample preparation can lower symmetries sufficiently to activate silent modes, while oxygen has no observable effect. Unusual resonance and broadening effects observed near 1.6 eV indicate the existence of a weak electronic transition. Explicit calculations for C 60 molecules having one or two 13 C atoms reproduce the observe spectra and show that isotopic symmetry lowering is manifested in lifting of H g degeneracies and activation of silent modes through mixing with nearly Raman-active modes.
Chemotherapy for localized, high-risk prostate cancer.

Chemotherapy for prostate cancer currently has an established role in the treatment of hormone refractory prostate cancer. In addition, there is strong evidence that androgen ablation in addition to radiotherapy provides a benefit above and beyond radiotherapy alone in patients with a poor prognosis, perhaps because of an effect of androgen ablation on subclinical distant disease. There are currently several clinical trials that are investigating whether the addition of chemotherapy with known efficacy in the hormone-refractory setting can provide a survival advantage when used adjunctly. The role of chemotherapy in the nonmetastatic prostate, hormone-naive prostate cancer patient will be discussed.
Quantum mechanical simulation of liquids

It is possible, in principle, to derive all of the macroscopic properties of matter from the laws that govern the behavior of its elementary constituents. These laws are embodied in quantum mechanics. In contrast to simulating classical systems, however, the quantum mechanical nature of the electrons must be taken into account. A similar but even more ambitious project is to avoid introducing the interaction potential completely and to calculate directly the properties of the entire collection of electrons and nuclei that comprise the molecules of the system. Here the question of whether the Monte Carlo method can also solve this and other problems in quantum many-body statistical mechanics is addressed. 8 references, 5 figures.
Leveraging puma DF wafer inspection to characterize root cause of yield loss on an advanced 32 nm HKMG SOI technology device

This paper presents a systematic methodology to enable Puma double dark field wafer inspection tool to detect key yield related defect that causes micro-masking defects in the Gate module/sector of an advanced 32nm High-K Metal Gate (HKMG) SOI technology device. Two approaches were adapted to detect the source of the micro-masking defect, namely (i) Patterned wafer inspection in High K metal Gate module to understand the initial findings (ii) Collaborative work with other advanced fabs (Partners) that led to a systematic partitioning approach through the Front End of the Line (FEOL) sectors to exactly pinpoint the root cause of the yield loss in Gate sector. Based on the above systematic partitioning approach, the source of the embedded defect that causes yield loss in gate sector was successfully identified. This methodology has also enabled a process fix to be put in place for reducing the addition of embedded defects in the FEOL sector and has directly helped in improving the yield in FEOL sector. This paper also discusses the advantage of collaborating with different wafer manufacturing companies (IBM partners) in being able to successfully identify root cause of key yield limiting issues.
A Robust Signal Preprocessing Chain for Small-Footprint Waveform LiDAR

The extraction of structural object metrics from a next-generation remote sensing modality, namely waveform Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), has garnered increasing interest from the remote sensing research community. However, the raw incoming (received) LiDAR waveform typically exhibits a stretched, misaligned, and relatively distorted character. In other words, the LiDAR signal is smeared and the effective temporal (vertical) resolution decreases, which is attributed to a fixed time span allocated for detection, the sensor's variable outgoing pulse signal, off-nadir scanning, the receiver impulse response impacts, and system noise. Theoretically, such a loss of resolution and increased data ambiguity can be remediated by using proven signal preprocessing approaches. In this paper, we present a robust signal preprocessing chain for waveform LiDAR calibration, which includes noise reduction, deconvolution, waveform registration, and angular rectification. This preprocessing chain was initially validated using simulated waveform data, which were derived via the digital imaging and remote sensing image generation modeling environment. We also verified the approach using real small-footprint waveform LiDAR data collected by the Carnegie Airborne Observatory in a savanna region of South Africa and specifically in terms of modeling woody biomass in this region. Metrics, including the spectral angle for cross-section recovery assessment and goodness-of-fit (R2) statistics, along with the root-mean-squared error for woody biomass estimation, were used to provide a comprehensive quantitative evaluation of the performance of this preprocessing chain. Results showed that our approach significantly increased our ability to recover the temporal signal resolution, improved geometric rectification of raw waveform LiDAR, and resulted in improved waveform-based woody biomass estimation. This preprocessing chain has the potential to be applied across the board for high fidelity processing of small-footprint waveform LiDAR data, thereby facilitating the extraction of valid and useful structural metrics from ground objects.
Heart transplantation outcomes in patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist device-related complications.

Background Device-related complications (DRC) can develop in patients supported with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs). We studied the heart transplant (HTx) outcomes of United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) Status 1A patients supported with CF-LVADs with (+) or without (–) DRCs. Methods UNOS data (2006 to 2012) for patients listed under Status 1A with CF-LVADs at the time of HTx were analyzed. Outcomes were compared between the DRC+ and DRC– groups. The DRC+ group was further analyzed under 5 UNOS categories: B1 to B5. Results Of the 6,799 patients who received HTx under 1A listing, 2,113 (31%) were supported with CF-LVADs. From 2006 to 2012, patients supported with CF-LVADs under the 1A listing increased from 11.4% to 41.5% ( p = 0.0001). The DRC+ group (45%) compared with the DRC– group (55%) had longer waiting times (330 ± 323 days vs 168 ± 298 days), more patients with blood group O (57% vs 40%), and a higher body mass index (29 ± 5.5 kg/m 2 vs 27 ± 5 kg/m 2 ). Most of the DRCs were in the B2 category (54%). Post-HTx survival for the DRC+ group was significantly reduced compared with the DRC– group at 1 year (85.6% vs 89.9%, p = 0.01) and at 3 years (78% vs 82.7%, p = 0.01), primarily due to B2 category. Conclusions An increasing number of patients receiving HTx under 1A listing are supported with CF-LVADs. DRCs are steadily increasing, with most of them from the B2 category. Post-HTx survival in DRC+ group is inferior, primarily for the B2 category. The benefits of CF-LVADs for patients awaiting HTx need to be weighed against the development of DRCs with subsequently inferior post-HTx survival.
Rapid, Direct Analysis of Cholesterol by Charge Labeling in Reactive Desorption Electrospray Ionization

Direct and rapid analysis of cholesterol was accomplished in the ambient environment using reactive desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) mass spectrometry. This was achieved by electrospraying reagent solutions in the form of high velocity charged droplets at surfaces such as dried serum samples and animal tissue sections. Betaine aldehyde, incorporated into the spray solvent, reacts selectively and rapidly with the alcohol group of cholesterol by nucleophilic addition, forming a hemiacetal salt. Limits of detection for pure cholesterol and related compounds were ∼1 ng when a solution of cholesterol of 1 μg/mL was spotted onto the surface. Quantitative analysis of free cholesterol in serum using reactive DESI was demonstrated using cholesterol-d7 as internal standard. High throughput analysis of small volumes of serum spotted onto a suitable substrate was achieved at an analysis rate of ∼14 s per sample, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of ca. 6%. Use of reactive DESI in the imaging mode allo...
CD8+ suppressor and cytotoxic T cells recognize the same human leukocyte antigen-A2 restricted cytomegalovirus peptide.

Abstract We explored the possibility that antigen-specific human CD8 + T cells, which display cytotoxic or suppressor function, can recognize the same peptide epitope. Using the human leukocyte antigen-A0201 restricted immunodominant cytomegalovirus epitope pp65-NLVPMVATV for pulsing either mature/immunogenic or ILT3 high ILT4 high tolerogenic dendritic cells (DC), we generated cytotoxic and suppressor CD8 + T-cell lines, respectively. Our data indicate that modulating the functional state of DC is crucial to the development of tolerogenic or immunogeneic peptide-specific vaccines.
Resource-constrained project scheduling with concave processing rate functions

In this paper, we address a resource-constrained project scheduling problem involving a single resource. The resource can be applied at varying consumption rates to the activities of the project. The duration of each activity is defined by a convex, non-increasing time-resource trade-off function. In addition, activities are not preemptable (ie, the resource consumption rate of an activity cannot be altered while the activity is being processed). We explicitly consider variation of the rate at which an activity is performed with variation in resource consumption rate. We designate the number of units (amount of an activity) performed per unit time with variation in resource consumption rate as the processing rate function, and assume this function to be concave. We present a tree-search-based method in concert with the solution of a nonlinear program and the use of dominance properties to determine: (i) the sequence in which to perform the activities of the project, and (ii) the resource consumption rate to allocate to each activity so as to minimize the project duration (makespan). We also present results of an experimental investigation that reveal the efficacy of the proposed methodology. Finally, we present an application of this methodology to a practical setting.
Forest community composition and dynamics of the Ossipee Pine Barrens, New Hampshire1

Abstract In New Hampshire, the Ossipee Pine Barrens is the largest and best example of a Pinus rigida-Quercus ilicifolia dominated ecosystem remaining in the state. Because of long-term fire suppression in the 20th century, we hypothesized that undisturbed stands may be undergoing succession to more shade-tolerant Pinus strobus and hardwoods. To test this hypothesis, we sampled 41 sites within the barrens covering the range of soils, landforms, stand age, and vegetational variation present in the barrens. Current (2002) tree (≥ 10 cm dbh) and sapling (taller than 1 m, < 10 cm dbh) densities were measured by quadrat sampling. Past (1952) vegetation was reconstructed using reverse-growth equations derived from increment cores from trees alive in 2002 and forensic evidence such as stumps. Future (2052) vegetation was estimated using a simple transition model based on 1952–2002 compositional changes. Community types were classified using cluster analysis of 80 communities based on the 2002 and back-casted 195...
Meniscal-Bearing Knee Arthroplasty

Human joint replacements have been developed with the specific bioengineering requirements to provide normal kinematics, maintain fixation and minimize wear. Lowering contact stresses to within the reported medical load limit of 5 MP (22) while allowing kinematically acceptable motion provides a meniscal bearing surface that is resistant to fatigue wear and has demonstrated normal abrasive wear behavior over a 20 year period as seen in both clinical, simulator, and retrieval studies, (17, 18, 27, 33, 44).
Next generation V2O5 cathode materials for Li rechargeable batteries

We report on investigations of vanadium oxide thin film cathodes prepared by three different synthesis techniques. Our experimental results on PLD-grown, textured V 2 O 5 crystalline films concur with reports in the literature that there is a voltage threshold above which, cycling appears to be completely reversible and below which, cycling appears to be irreversible. Crystalline films discharged beyond the threshold to 2.0 V exhibited an immediate and continuous fade in capacity as well as a nearly 90% decrease in XRD peak intensity and a similar decrease in Raman signal intensity in as few as ten cycles. PLD-grown amorphous films show capacity loss of < 2% over 200 cycles. Amorphous plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) films have capacities as high as 1.5 Li/V with excellent stability over 3000 cycles. Solution-grown nanoparticles (< 100 nm) of VO 2 were spray-deposited and sintered at relatively low temperatures to produce nanoporous films. Cycling properties along with structural investigations by XRD and Raman scattering will be presented.
Connecting Mindfulness and Meaning in Life: Exploring the Role of Authenticity

Using self-determination theory as a guiding framework, the purpose of this study was to investigate if mindfulness and meaning in life were correlated and if the four components of authenticity (i.e., awareness, unbiased processing, behavior, and relational orientation) mediated this relation. We tested this with a multiple mediator model using bootstrapped estimates. Supporting our hypotheses, mindfulness positively correlated with meaning in life, but this relation was no longer significant once the four components of authenticity were included in the model. Contrary to study predictions, only the awareness component of authenticity positively mediated the relation between mindfulness and meaning in life. Although unbiased processing also mediated the relation, it did so inversely, suggesting that after controlling for other aspects of authenticity, unbiased processing had a negative relation with meaning in life. Relational orientation and behavior were not significant mediators. The authors conclude that increased self-awareness may explain the positive relation between mindfulness and meaning in life. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.
Epithelioid gastric stromal tumors (leiomyoblastomas): a study of fifty-five cases.

Background Epithelioid gastric stromal tumors form a distinct histologic subset of gastric tumors whose malignant potential and prognosis are controversial. Methods. Fifty-five patients with epithelioid gastric stromal tumors accounted for 11.5% of patients undergoing definitive operations for gastric stromal tumors from 1960 to 1986. Medical records and pathology slides were reviewed, and immunohistochemical staining and flow cytometry were performed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival. Survival curves were compared with log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazards model. Results. Of the 55 tumors, 40 were benign and 15 (27%) were malignant. Mean follow-up was 10.5 years. Ten patients died of their disease. No patient with a benign tumor had recurrence or metastasis, but all patients with high-grade malignancy had died of disease within 3 years after diagnosis. Seventy-five percent of proximal tumors were malignant. Extent of resection had no impact on survival (p=0.5). Conclusions. The best determinant of tumor behavior was histologic grade. Twenty-seven percent of patients had malignant tumors, and 67% of these died of disease. Other significant prognostic factors included a mitotic count greater than 5/10 high-power fields, size larger than 6 cm, aneuploidy, and higher S-phase fraction (p
Collyriclum Faba as a Parasite of Poultry

Abstract The monostome flukes belonging to the genus Collyriclum have the peculiar characteristic of forming bullet-like cysts in the skin of the ventral surface and particularly about the anus of birds. In these cysts the mature worms occur in pairs. Meissner (1819) first noted these growths in the skin of an European finch, Fringilla spinus, but it remained for Bremser (1831) to describe and figure the contained flukes, under the name Monostomum faba, the specific name referring to their resemblance to a coffee bean. Kossack (1911) established for it the new genus Collyriclum. From Bremser’s time on, there appeared in the European literature scattered references to the occurrence of the parasite. In 1917, Jegen, on the basis of the literature and his own observations, was able to list sixteen species of hosts, all of them passerine birds. In 1911, Cole reported its occurrence in English sparrows at Madison and at Ripon, . . .
Frequency and significance of coronary arterial dominance in isolated aortic stenosis

Myocardial infarction during aortic valve replacement has previously been reported to result from obstruction of a branch of the left main coronary artery by the perfusion cannula. Patients with a dominant left coronary arterial system may be at greater risk. To assess the frequency and significance of a dominant left coronary arterial system the coronary angiograms of 75 consecutive patients more than 34 years of age with isolated aortic stenosis were studied and compared with those of a control group of 150 patients. Among the patients with aortic stenosis, 19 (25 percent) had left dominance, 9 (12 percent) a balanced circulation and 47 (63 percent) a dominant right coronary arterial system. Among control patients, 14 (9 percent) had left dominance 18 (12 percent) a balanced system and 118 (79 percent) right dominance. The increased prevalence of left dominance in patients with aortic stenosis was significant ( P P P The increased prevalence of a dominant left coronary arterial system in aortic stenosis suggests that this may be part of a developmental complex. Patients with left dominance have a shorter left main coronary artery than patients with right dominance. They also have an increased risk of perioperative myocardial infarction if there is associated obstructive coronary artery disease. Preoperative information about the coronary arterial anatomy and extent of coronary artery disease may be helpful in planning the use of coronary perfusion and other myocardial preservation techniques during surgery in order to reduce the incidence of myocardial infarction.
Benzene-Copper(I) Coordination in a Bimetallic Chain Complex.

The solvothermal reaction of CuCl and ZrCl(4) in benzene yields ((bz)CuCl(3))(2)Zr (1) (bz = eta(2)-benzene), which has been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction with a = 6.1206(4) A, b = 11.1242(4) A, c = 13.6222(6) A, beta = 93.675(3) degrees in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/m, Z = 2. 1 adopts a one-dimensional chain structure constructed from zirconium chloride octahedra and [(bz)CuCl(3)](2)(-) tetrahedra. The [(bz)CuCl(3)](2)(-) units are shown to be metal halide analogues of the phosphonate unit [RPO(3)](2)(-). Interchain interactions link chains of 1 along the crystallographic c direction via an edge-to-face pi-stacking of the coordinated benzene molecules. The crystal packing forces influence dramatic second-order Jahn-Teller distortions, making each of the two ((bz)CuCl(3))(2)(-) units distinct. These interactions further result in ligand-to-metal and metal-to-ligand charge transfers that cause an activation of the benzene ligands.
Bacteriophage phi29 Translocates DNA Along A Left-Handed Helical Path During Packaging

Bacteriophage phi29 employs a homomeric ring of RecA-like ATPases in order to package its dsDNA genome into the capsid at near-crystalline density. Previous single-molecule measurements of packaging have revealed the coordination of motor subunits, the step size of the motor, and the sensitivity of the motor to substrate modifications, thereby suggesting structural and kinetic models for the mechanism of translocation. However, traditional single-molecule experiments measure only the projection of the motor's motion onto the DNA longitudinal axis.We directly observe that phi29 translocates DNA along a left-handed helical path by monitoring rotation of a bead attached to the side of the substrate DNA in a laser tweezers. Simultaneously, the response to applied torque is measured. This novel experiment probes the details of force and torque generation by the packaging motor. Combining these measurements with angstrom-scale laser tweezers observations of motor stepping suggests specific geometric models for the interaction of the motor and DNA during translocation.The rotor bead technique introduced here allows tracking of the complete three-dimensional trajectory of a dsDNA translocase in action. It also permits the application of torque in a laser tweezers apparatus using commercially-available microspheres.
Control and Counter-Control of TGF-β Activity through FAST and Runx (CBFa) Transcriptional Elements in Osteoblasts

FAST and Runx (CBFa) transcription factors, which are expressed during specific phases of embryogenesis and tissue patterning, bind directly to Smad proteins and integrate effects induced by various TGF-β gene family members. The DNA binding sequences for FAST and Runx differ only minimally. The isoform Runx2 (previously termed CBFa1) is highly expressed by osteoblasts and regulates expression of the TGF-β receptor I in these cells. Here we show that FAST-dependent transcription is endogenously restricted in osteoblasts but can be significantly enhanced by disruption of Runx2 expression. Native and synthetic Runx2 bind to both Runx and FAST binding sequences, whereas FAST-1 efficiently binds only to the FAST binding sequence. However, overexpression of FAST-1 potently suppresses TGF-β receptor I gene expression in osteoblasts and thereby reduces TGF-β activity independently of competing for Runx2 at the level of DNA binding. These results provide a new example of how nuclear factors associated with specif...
Vitamin D insufficiency in pregnant and nonpregnant women of childbearing age in the United States

Objective We evaluated vitamin D insufficiency in a nationally representative sample of women and assessed the role of vitamin supplementation. Study Design We conducted secondary analysis of 928 pregnant and 5173 nonpregnant women aged 13-44 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2006. Results The mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) level was 65 nmol/L for pregnant women and 59 nmol/L for nonpregnant women. The prevalence of 25(OH)D Conclusion Adolescent and adult women of childbearing age have a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency. Current prenatal multivitamins (400 IU vitamin D) helped to raise serum 25(OH)D levels, but higher doses and longer duration may be required.
History of Abuse and Current Suicidal Ideation: Results from a Population Based Survey

The relationship between a history of physical or sexual abuse and current suicidal ideation was examined in the current study based on data from the Washington state 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Out of the total sample of 4081, 1058 indicated they had experienced either physical or sexual abuse before the age of 18, 52 indicated they had experienced physical abuse in the past 12 months, and 210 indicated they had been forced to have sex since the age of 18. Additionally, 106 indicated they had seriously considered committing suicide in the past year. After controlling for such factors as age, gender, income, education, race, employment and marital status and the interactions between different abuse risk factors using multivariate logistic regression, results showed that a history of childhood physical (OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.364, 3.90) or sexual (OR = 2.72, 95% CI = 1.58, 4.67) abuse and adult physical (OR = 27.30, 95% CI = 11.64, 64.01) or sexual (OR = 5.87, 95% CI = 3.24, 10.63) abuse all were related to current suicidal ideation. Implications for future research are discussed.
Molecular and genetic aspects of aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss

Along with their therapeutic action, aminoglycoside antibiotics confer ototoxic side effects, chiefly from the loss of hair cells in the cochlea and vestibular organ. Genetic predisposition to aminoglycoside ototoxicity has been demonstrated, and reactive oxygen species appear to be an upstream catalyst of damage. Avoidance of aminoglycoside ototoxicity is possible through genetic testing, and protection against aminoglycoside ototoxicity has been accomplished recently with antioxidants in a clinical study.
Guggulsterone antagonizes farnesoid X receptor induction of bile salt export pump but activates pregnane X receptor to inhibit cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase gene

Bile acids activate a nuclear receptor, farnesoid X receptor (FXR), that induces bile salt export pump (BSEP) but inhibits cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) gene transcription in the liver. Guggulsterone, a plant sterol that lowers serum cholesterol, has been shown to antagonize FXR activated genes. Transient transfection assay of a human BSEP/luciferase reporter in HepG2 cells transfected with FXR reveals that guggulsterone strongly antagonizes bile acid induction of the BSEP gene. On the other hand, guggulsterone has no effect on FXR inhibition of the CYP7A1 gene, but strongly inhibits the human CYP7A1 gene by activation of pregnane X receptor (PXR). These results suggest that guggulsterone inhibits bile acid secretion from hepatocytes into bile and activates PXR to inhibit bile acid synthesis in the liver. Reduced conversion of cholesterol and bile acid excretion may lead to an increase of hepatic cholesterol and decrease of intestinal cholesterol absorption, and results in lowering serum cholesterol.
Vapor-phase and fine particulate matter concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons measured during the winter months in a northern Rocky Mountain urban airshed.

Abstract A fine particulate matter (PM2.5) sampling program was conducted in Missoula, MT, to investigate both the particle and vapor phases of PM2.5-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) found in a northern Rocky Mountain urban airshed. Twenty-four-hour samples were collected during the cold winter months of January through April 2002, when many of the more volatile organic components of PM2.5 were expected to be found in the condensed particle form. To meet analytical detection limits, each of the 12 individual sample days were aggregated into four total filter and polyurethane foam (PUF) samples, respectively, with each aggregate containing 3 sample days. Quartz filter (particle-phase PAHs) and PUF (vapor-phase PAHs) aggregates were analyzed separately for 18 individual PAHs and phenolics by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results showed that 87% of the PM2.5-associated phenolics and PAHs measured in this study were found in the vapor phase. PM2.5-associated gas/particle partition co...
Guidelines for Assessing Corrosion Associated With Welds

Factors that create important property and stress-field differences between welds and base metal have been reviewed as have a variety of seam and girth weld field failures and laboratory tests to define considerations that must be address in adapting corrosion assessment criteria for the pipe body to weld seams. Thereafter, guidelines for the use of such criteria in applications to weld seams were developed in terms of metrics that include mechanical and fracture properties, the pipeline’s loadings and service conditions, and the nature of the corrosion. A flowchart was developed to implement these metrics. The guidelines were validated by comparison of their predicted outcome against results for full-scale tests, laboratory tests, and in-service failures involving corrosion on weld seams, for both girth welds and longitudinal seams. For some applications, the one-size-fits-all approach adopted in formulating these guidelines can lead to conservative results.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Additional Records of Haplosporangium parvum in Mammals in Britain

THE presence of a pulmonary fungus, Haplosporangium parvum Emmons and Ashburn1, has been reported recently by McDiarmid and Austwick2 in moles, Talpa europaea, in England. The identity of large spherules, 100–390 microns in diameter, found in the lungs was confirmed by culture. These findings are of particular interest to me as they help solve a parasitological enigma encountered in Britain in 1945.
Open-Shell Singlet Character of Cyclacenes and Short Zigzag Nanotubes

The electronic ground states of [n]cyclacenes, as well as short-zigzag nanotubes, computed at unrestricted broken spin-symmetry density functional theory (UBS-DFT), were found to be open-shell singlets, rather than triplets. Computations for [6]cyclacene at complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and multireference perturbation theory (MRMP2) levels support this conclusion. Along with strain, the radical character of the open-shell singlet with antiferromagnetically coupled electron spins may contribute to the difficulties in synthesizing [n]cyclacenes.
Spin waves, vortices, fermions, and duality in the Ising and Baxter models

Abstract Field-theoretic methods are applied to a number of two-dimensional lattice models with Abelian symmetry groups. It is shown, using a vortex + spin-wave decomposition, that the Zp− Villain models are related to a class of continuum field theories with analogous duality properties. Fermion operators for these field theories are discussed. In the case of the Ising model, the vortices and spin-waves conspire to produce a free, massive Majorana field theory in the continuum limit. The continuum limit of the Baxter model is also studied, and the recent results of Kadanoff and Brown are rederived and extended.
Cholinergic neurotransmission in rotifers

The presence of acetylcholinesterase and choline acetyltransferase, enzymes involved in acetylcholine metabolism, has been shown in twelve species of rotifers. Both enzymes have been visualized by histochemical staining in live animals, and acetylcholinesterase was also isolated by acrylamide gel electrophoresis. All the known ganglia of rotifers as well as some sensory nerve endings have been found to contain these enzymes. Preliminary experiments aimed at the detection of norepinephrine and tyrosinase, an enzyme involved in catecholamine metabolism, were unsuccessful.
Turning to the Goddess: Anachronism, Secularity, and the Late Style of Tyeb Mehta and K. G. Subramanyan

At nearly the same late-1980s moment, two of the most important artists of India's twentieth century, Tyeb Mehta (1925–2009) and K. G. Subramanyan (b. 1924), turned to the goddess as a subject for painting. Although Mehta and Subramanyan represented different strands of Indian modernism, they had both hitherto largely limited themselves to secular subject matter. This essay accounts for the significance of their goddess turn by discussing it as an example of late style, as theorized by Edward Said. It finds in these paintings the intransigence, anachronism, and negative intervention championed by Said, but also a critique of the secularism that he argued was the root of late style. Mehta and Subramanyan's intervention came at a crucial moment in Indian art history, as modernism began to be undermined by a rising group of narrative painters supported by the critic Geeta Kapur. The older artists’ embrace of the religious image sits uneasily in Kapur's influential narration of post-colonial Indian art history.
Thermoacoustic modeling and uncertainty analysis of two-dimensional conductive membranes

A model for two-dimensional graphene-based thermoacoustic membranes is investigated analytically and numerically validated using Bayesian statistics in this study. The temperature and the pressure variables are first analytically determined in one-dimension by noticing that the magnitude of the pressure time derivative is small in the heat transfer equations and by taking advantage of the large disparity between the length scales. The one-dimensional findings are then extended to three-dimensions, where pressure fluctuation produced by the surface temperature variation is determined using an acoustic piston model. Through the one and three-dimensional model analysis, the dependence of acoustic pressure as a function of frequency is studied. The acoustic response with respect to the frequency shows different characteristics when assuming Dirichlet (temperature) or Neumann (heat flux) boundary conditions. The thermoacoustic model is validated with a graphene-on-paper loudspeaker using Bayesian statistical methods and a Delayed Rejection Adaptive Metropolis algorithm to identify model parameters and their uncertainty. The findings provide insights into the heat transport mechanisms associated with sound generation from thermally cycling thin conductive membranes at high frequencies.
Rat adrenal zona fasciculata cell electrophysiological responses to ACTH and γ-MSH vary with age

Abstract A comparison was made of the resting membrane potential (MP) as well as the MP responses to K+, ACTH and γ-MSH of superfused adrenocortical, zona fasciculata cells from young (Y) and old (O) male rats. The resting MP of these cells did not vary with age. However, the MP responses to altered extracellular [K+] varied significantly with age. A prolonged biphasic depolarization was observed following ACTH administration; these responses were significantly reduced in O cells. In contrast, stimulation with γ-MSH did not consistently elicit depolarization in the Y but caused a consistent and prominent depolarization in O cells. These findings suggest that aging is associated with changes in primary membrane events which could explain the reduced ACTH-stimulated steroidogenesis associated with age. Elevated cellular responses to γ-MSH may contribute to a maintenance of, or increase in, circulating corticosterone levels in aged rats.
A Randomized Comparison of Transcervical Foley Catheter to Intravaginal Misoprostol for Preinduction Cervical Ripening

Objective: To compare the efficacy of intravaginal misoprostol tablets with transcervical Foley catheter for preinduction cervical ripening. Methods: Pregnant women who presented for induction of labor with unfavorable cervices (Bishop score less than 6) were assigned randomly to intravaginal misoprostol (50 μg tablet every 4 hours for a maximum of six doses) or 30-mL Foley catheter placed transcervically with maintenance of traction. Results: Among 111 women, 53 were allocated to misoprostol and 58 to Foley bulb. Contractile abnormalities were more frequent in the misoprostol group (20.4%) than the Foley group (0%) (P < .001). No statistically significant differences were noted between groups in change in Bishop score, preinduction cervical ripening times, and total induction times. There were no statistically significant differences in mode of delivery or adverse neonatal outcomes. Uterine rupture occurred in one woman with two previous cesarean deliveries in the misoprostol group. Conclusion: Intravaginal misoprostol and transcervical Foley catheter are equivalent for cervical ripening. Uterine contractile abnormalities and meconium passage are more common with misoprostol.
Fundamentals course for 1st-year radiology residents

Rationale and Objectives. The authors set out to provide 1st-year residents with basic knowledge to make conferences more useful, to make their knowledge more uniform, and to assess their competency to begin night call. Materials and Methods. Faculty taught three afternoon sessions a week in subspecialty areas of radiology, including physics, during the 1st 6 months of residency. Material selected was believed to be essential for the understanding of that subspecialty's didactic lecture series. Emphasis was also placed on diagnoses residents would be expected to make once they began taking night call. Material was presented through lectures, images, and unknown cases. An examination was administered at the end of the course. Residents were allowed to begin night call only after completing the course and passing the final examination. Results. All 1st-year residents completed the course and passed the examination. Their scores ranged from 70% to 83.3%. Conclusion. Residents liked the course and reported feeling ready to begin call. Faculty reported the residents who completed the course were more knowledgeable prior to formal rotations than residents from previous years who had not taken the course.
Analysis of labor efforts and their impact factors to solve server incidents in datacenters

A company's IT infrastructure delivers the basic hardware, networking, operating system, and middleware support to the business' applications. IT service providers perform incident and problem resolution, as well as user administration and change implementation required to maintain the availability and service provided for the business. As a result, they become increasingly challenged with delivering better, faster, and cheaper services to their customers. With the variety of incident tickets reported on a daily basis, understanding where and how much effort is spent to resolve them is critical. Moreover, analyzing the effort data identifies opportunities for self-service and automation, as well as what modernization strategies businesses should implement to reduce incident volumes and, by association, labor effort. In this paper, we conduct a large scale study on the incident and server factors that affect technician effort and quantify their impact. We show that the nature of the incidents and their complexity, the assigned support groups, as well as the underlying OS type play a major role in how much labor effort is spent towards resolving such tickets.
Functional Organic-Inorganic Colloids Modified by Iodoxybenzoic Acid

A simple strategy for the modification of polymers having hydroxyl or amino groups on their surfaces by o-iodoxybenzoyl (IBX) groups is described. The synthetic route involves modification of 5-hydroxy-2-iodobenzoic acid with 3-isocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane in nonaqueous solvent followed by conjugation of the resulting triethoxysilanylpropylcarbamoyloxyiodobenzoic acid with the −OH groups of the polymers via sol–gel reaction in the presence of water. The formation of silica conjugated to the polymer creates organic–inorganic particles. The iodobenzoic groups on the particle surfaces are further oxidized by Oxone tetrabutylammonium salt into IBX. The IBX-modified poly(vinyl alcohol) and microcrystalline cellulose were shown to be capable of hydrolyzing diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), an analogue of sarin and soman, at pH 7.4 with the apparent second-order rate constants (k′′) of 4.6 × 10−2 and 2.7 × 10−2 M−1 s−1, respectively. The IBX−cellulose and IBX−PVA suspensions accelerated chlorpyrifos degradat...
Separation of Pituitary Mammotrophs from the Female Rat by Velocity Sedimentation at Unit Gravity

Pituitary mammotrophs were separated by velocity sedimentation at unit gravity. Results from morphological studies showed a) that peak fractions contained prolactin-producing cells to a purity of 70% and b) that the cells retained their ultrastructural integrity during dissociation and separation. The distribution of immunoassayable prolactin in the gradients paralleled that of the mammotrophs, indicating that the cells retained hormone during dissociation and separation. Addition of dopamine (0.10–50.0 μg/ml) to the trypsinization medium and gradient solutions increased cellular prolactin levels by 25–75% and decreased hormone secretion from the cells by ∼ 40%.The sedimentation behavior of the mammotrophs reflected the previous physiologic history of the cell. Cells from estrogen-primed animals sedimented further into the gradient than those prepared from ovariectomized animals. Mammotrophs from lactating rats whose pups were removed 10 hr prior to kill sedimented further than those prepared from rats wi...
Concurrency control in graph protocols by using edge locks

A large number of locking protocols use precedence relations among data items to ensure the serializability of the database system. These protocols have extended the semantics of the exclusive lock from prohibiting access to a data item to prohibiting access to an entire subgraph. In this paper we argue that combining the use of exclusive locks for these different purposes is ill conceived. We present a general theory on how these two distinct functions can be separated into the traditional locks operating on the individual data items, and a corresponding set operating on the edges of graph. This is illustrated by a general transformation from a given graph protocol to the new edge protocol which preserves the major properties of the original protocol. We then give a characterization for a large class of edge lock protocols within a database system, which includes most previous locking protocols defined on databases organized as graphs. We show how this separation increases concurrency, and generalizes previously unrelated concepts, such as using deadlock avoidance locks in general locking protocols.
Directed ridge regression techniques in cases of multicollinearity

Abstract In the presence of multicollinearity ridge regression techniques result in estimated coefficients that are biased but have a smaller variance than ordinary least squares (OLS) estimators and may, therefore, have a smaller mean square error. The directed ridge estimator (DRE) suggested here alters only diagonal elements corresponding to relatively small eigenvalues. The advantage of our method is that the resulting estimates may be less biased than in other ridge regression methods that alter all diagonal elements. A set of experiments indicate that various ridge estimators result in reduced mean square error in the coefficient estimates relative to OLS and that DRE performs well relative to the others.
The Effects Of Disease Treatment On Nitrification In Closed System Aquaculture

The generally accepted method for disease treatment and control is the addition of therapeutic agents to the diet or the water within the culture system. If agents are to be added to a recirculating unit it is necessary to have a knowledge of the effect of these agents upon the nitrifying bacteria. A rapid and simple method has been developed to screen therapeutic agents to determine their short term effects upon nitrification. The results of testing a group of commonly accepted therapeutic agents are listed. The procedure will show the feasibility of using various agents in conjunction with nitrification in a recirculating system.
DNA lesions derived from the site selective oxidation of Guanine by carbonate radical anions.

Carbonate radical anions are potentially important oxidants of nucleic acids in physiological environments. However, the mechanisms of action are poorly understood, and the end products of oxidation of DNA by carbonate radicals have not been characterized. These oxidation pathways were explored in this work, starting from the laser pulse-induced generation of the primary radical species to the identification of the stable oxidative modifications (lesions). The cascade of events was initiated by utilizing 308 nm XeCl excimer laser pulses to generate carbonate radical anions on submicrosecond time scales. This laser flash photolysis method involved the photodissociation of persulfate to sulfate radical anions and the one electron oxidation of bicarbonate anions by the sulfate radicals to yield the carbonate radical anions. The latter were monitored by their characteristic transient absorption band at 600 nm. The rate constants of reactions of carbonate radicals with oligonucleotides increase in the ascendin...