cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deafness and Hearing Loss.

People with hearing loss tend to use assistive and accessible technology differently from most other groups of people with disabilities, primarily due to the fact that their hearing loss influences their communication. As a result, their degree of hearing loss is but one of many aspects of their disability, which influences their preferred assistive or accessible technology. For example, for television programs, some viewers with hearing loss may prefer to turn up the volume, while others may prefer to read verbatim captions, and others prefer to follow the program with a sign language interpreter overlay. Because of these differences, designers and providers should strive to provide accessibility for people with hearing loss across multiple dimensions—hearing loss, legal requirements, communication and cultural preferences.
Should Routine (Prophylactic) Central Neck Dissection Be Performed for Clinically Node Negative Well-Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma?

The management of the N0 central neck in thyroid cancer is a hotly debated topic. Therapeutic options range from bilateral prophylactic central neck dissection to ipsilateral central neck dissection to no central neck surgery. Advantages and disadvantages exist for each of these approaches. Herein, we provide a review of the existing medical literature and possible management options, concluding with our recommendations to avoid prophylactic central neck dissection in T1 and T2 tumors.
Assessing streamflow sensitivity of forested headwater catchments to disturbance and climate change in the central Appalachian Mountains region, USA

Abstract Forest headwater catchments are critical sources of water, but climate change and disturbance may threaten their ability to produce reliable and abundant water supplies. Quantifying how climate change and forest disturbances individually and interactively alter streamflow provides important insights into the stability and availability of water derived from headwater catchments that are particularly sensitive to change. We used long-term water balance data, forest inventory measurements, and a multiple-methods approach using Budyko decomposition and paired catchment models to assess how climate change and forest disturbances interact to alter streamflow in five headwater catchments located along a disturbance gradient in the Appalachian Mountains, USA. We found that disturbance was the dominant driver of streamflow changes; disturbed catchments were more sensitive to climate change than the undisturbed catchment; and disturbance was an important factor for a catchment's sensitivity to climate change, principally through changes in species composition and xylem anatomy. Streamflow sensitivity to climate change increased with increasing proportion of diffuse porous species, suggesting that not all disturbances are equal when it comes to streamflow sensitivity to climate change. Climate change effects were masked by disturbance in catchments with high magnitude/low frequency disturbances and amplified in a catchment with low magnitude/high frequency disturbance. Furthermore, critical assumptions of Budyko decomposition were assessed to evaluate the efficacy of applying decomposition to the headwater scale. Our study demonstrates the efficacy and usefulness of applying decomposition to scales potentially useful to resource managers and decision makers. Our study contributes to a more thorough understanding about the impacts of climate change on disturbed headwater catchments that will help managers to better prepare for and adapt to future changes.
School-Based Interventions for Reducing Youths’ Racial and Ethnic Prejudice:

Minoritized youth encounter racial and ethnic prejudice and discrimination in a variety of settings, including schools. Prejudice refers to harboring negative attitudes and beliefs toward targeted ...
Deadly vasculitides and reversed racial/Ethnic disparity?

Steinberg and colleagues reported high but slowly declining U.S. mortality trends in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody–associated vasculitides. The editorialist discusses the fi...
The Potential of Videodisc Technology for the Hearing Impaired

The videodisc is a recently developed technology that combines the interactive, individualized qualities of the computer with the visual qualities of television, film, and filmstrips. The videodisc...
The Impact of Brexit on E.U. Security

As noted, the Brexit is taking place at a time when the E.U. is confronted with a variety of internal and external challenges related to its very own foundation as well as the security environment it is embedded in. Nonetheless, a set of shared values and geographical proximity suggest that both the U.K. and the remaining 27 E.U. members (that is the current twenty eight member states minus Britain) will have powerful reasons to continue cooperating on security issues after Brexit, and to limit the collateral damage to shared security interests. Thus, despite the possibility of the U.K. leaving the European Union as a consequence of the Brexit vote, we charge that it is not likely that the United Kingdom will leave European security per se, in spite of the strong political framing during the negotiations. Indeed, it is in its own (security) interest to keep and maintain a healthy relationship with the E.U.’s security institutions.
Harlem Pimps’ Accounts of Their Economic Pathways and Feelings of Insiderness and Outsiderness

This study analyzes semi-structured interviews with 85 pimps in New York City to explore how pimps discuss their economic pathways – i.e., how their pimping leads to distinct types of work outcomes and how they discuss their associated feelings and attitudes. We compare younger (18-23) to older (24-67) pimps, anticipating that younger participants would be more adaptive and produce discourse less entrenched in outsider thinking. Pimps’ movements between licit and illicit work worlds mirror those of drifters (Matza, 1964) and align with Murphy and Robinson’s (2008) concept of maximizers (i.e., economically benefiting from both work worlds simultaneously). Younger pimps, despite their at-risk status, boast of several distinct advantages in moving between worlds, such as flexibility and technological savvy. How pimps’ experiences in both worlds connect to insider (mainstream orientation) or outsider discourse (oppositional orientation) is also examined. Many older pimps who identify as ‘hustlers’ express oppositional discourse that aligns with Sandberg’s (2009) ‘gangster’ discourse. Those pimping to survive tend to express ‘oppression’ discourse. Despite their at-risk statuses, many younger pimps demonstrate a hybrid (insider/outsider) orientation, which is one of versatility where participants describe an ability to master both illicit and licit worlds or at least maximize their opportunities by participating in both worlds.
Forging beginnings: Commemorative cultures and the politics of the “First Aliyah”

This article argues that the “First Aliyah,” associated with the private agricultural colonies (moshavot) of the late nineteenth century and long studied primarily in its pre-World War I context, m...
Eu Commission Proposal: Regulatory Package on Crypto-Assets

On 24th September 2020, the EU Commission has published a package of legislative proposals with the aim to create an EU framework on markets in crypto-assets, tokenisation of traditional financial assets and the use of distributed ledger technology (DLT) in financial services1) as part of the EU digital finance strategy. It includesan addendum to the "MiFID II" Directive 2014/65/EU clarifying that the existing definition of "financial instruments" includes "instruments issued by means of distributed ledger technology";a proposal for a Regulation on Markets in Crypto-assets (MiCA) to cover crypto-assets falling outside existing EU financial services regulation, including "stablecoins" as well as e-money tokens;a proposal for a Regulation on a Pilot Regime for Market Infrastructures based on Distributed Ledger Technologyan "EU passport" for crypto-assets.Related legislative procedures are already on track including general recommendations and first specific motions for amendments of the Commission’s proposals by the European Parliament. It can be expected that the final outcome will be a comprehensive MiFID-type framework (MiCA) on markets in crypto-assets.Stichworter: Crypto-asset regulation, digitalisation, Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), DLT market infrastructure, e-money, EU Passport, MiCA, MiFID II, Pilot regime, Stable Coins, tokenisation, virtual currencies.JEL-Classification: G 29, K 23.https://doi.org/10.47782/oeba202102010201Am 24.9.2020 hat die EU-Kommission Entwurfe fur ein umfassendes Gesetzespaket veroffentlicht mit dem Ziel, ein EU-Rahmenwerk uber Markte fur Crypto-Assets, Tokenisation herkommlicher Finanzinstrumente und die Nutzung von Distributed Ledger Technologie (DLT) im Bereich der Finanzdienstleistungen zu schaffen. Folgende Komponenten sind vorgesehen:eine Erganzung der MiFID-II-Richtlinie 2014/65/EU mit der Klarstellung, dass die derzeitige Definition von "Finanzinstrumenten" auch dann anwendbar ist, wenn diese auf Basis von Distributed Ledger Technologie emittiert werden;eine VO uber Markte fur Crypto-Assets, die nicht unter das derzeitige EU-Regelwerk fur Finanzdienstleistungen fallen, unter Einschluss der sog. "Stablecoins" und e-Money Tokens;eine VO uber ein Pilot-Regime fur Markt-Infrastrukturen auf Basis von Distributed Ledger Technologieeinen "EU-Passport" fur Crypto-Assets.Der formliche Gesetzgebungsprozess ist bereits in die Wege geleitet, einschlieslich grundsatzlicher Empfehlungen und erster Anderungsantrage des EU-Parlaments. Es ist zu erwarten, dass das Endergebnis in einem umfassenden Rahmenwerk uber Markte fur Crypto-Assets nach dem Muster von MiFID II bestehen wird.
Wearable Loops for Unobtrusive Electromagnetic Detection of Joint Effusion

Joint effusion is associated with synovial fluid build-up in or around a joint. Current state-of-the-art medical imaging methods such as X-ray, ultrasound, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can provide high-resolution images but are resource-intensive and limited to specialized medical facilities, preventing them from being used for long-term, continuous and real-time monitoring. In this work, we propose an alternative, wearable method for detecting joint effusion which addresses these shortcomings. The method relies on monitoring changes in the transmission coefficient (S21) between two conducting loops placed around the limb near the joint region. Using electromagnetic simulations on a simplified arm-effusion model, a clear trend is presented between the magnitude/phase of S21 and effusion radius. Particularly, for the best design, 0.5-cm variations from 1 to 3 cm in spherical effusion radius can be detected with a minimum required S21 precision of 1.02 dB for magnitude or/and 13.50° for phase. Significance of this approach lies in early stage detection and ease of treatment for such medical conditions.
Bias? Who is Bias? Comments to Dellsén

(Dellsen, Philosophical Studies, 177(12), 3661–3678, 2020) argues that a positivistic defense of science’s objectivity is incoherent because bias in the generation of scientific theories (implies that the rational evaluation of theories will also be biased. Even though this is an idea easy to agree with, this approach is flawed for two different but related reasons. First, Dellsen’s notion of bias does not account for many ordinary biases. Second, Dellsen’s use of bias at the community-level is inconsistent. It shifts from individual scientists generating new theories and making decisions to scientific communities evaluating and accepting what theories are valid. This article offers a stronger response than Dellsen’s about aseptic objectivity in science by providing a more adequate account of bias, where psychological and behavioral aspects of individual scientists and community-level scientific practices are considered.
Purification and properties of porcine cardiac desmin and vascular smooth muscle vimentin

25 INTRODUCTION 25 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES 28 RESULTS 37 DISCUSSION 61 REFERENCES 67 SECTION II. PURIFICATION AND PARTIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF PORCINE VASCULAR SMOOTH MUSCLE VIMENTIN 72 SUMMARY 74 INTRODUCTION 75 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES 79 RESULTS 87 DISCUSSION 114 REFERENCES 119 FOOTNOTES 124
Frequency and cause of transient QT prolongation after surgery.

Patients undergoing surgery are often exposed to QT-inciting factors that may increase the risk for complications. We evaluated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with QTc ≥500 ms within the first 24 hours after surgery as identified by an institution-wide electrocardiogram alert system. From November 2010 to June 2011, 470 patients exhibited an electrocardiographically isolated QTc ≥500 ms. QT prolongation after surgery was the setting for >1 of every 10 QTc alerts (59 patients). We determined the presence of QT prolonging medical conditions, drugs, electrolyte abnormalities, and the surgical patient's clinical outcome. The average preoperative QTc of the 59 patients demonstrating perioperative QT prolongation was 463 ± 56 ms with a postoperative QTc increase of 54 ± 37 ms. Most patients (n = 48, 83%) had ≥1 known QT-inciting factor before surgery. Compared with presurgical findings, there was a significant increase in pro-QTc score after surgery (1.8 ± 1.5 vs 3.5 ± 2.0, p
Spatial market equilibria with flow-dependent supply and demand: The single commodity case

Abstract Existence and uniqueness of spatial price equilibria are analyzed for a single commodity market network in which supply and demand levels are allowed to depend on commodity flows as well as market prices. This framework makes possible the explicit incorporation of flow-dependent shipment costs into market supply and demand functions. Moreover, since many quantity signals are also expressible as flow-dependent variables, it is possible to incorporate a number of recent models of supply and demand behavior which allow for quantity signals as well as price signals. In this context, the main result of the paper is to establish the existence of spatial price equilibria for such market networks under quite general conditions. In addition, certain uniqueness results are established for the case of arc-generated networks.
Practical Considerations in Applying Compressed Sensing to Simulation Data

The move toward exascale computing for scientific simulations is placing new demands on compression techniques. It is expected that the I/O system will not be able to support the volume of data that will be written out. To enable quantitative analysis and scientific discovery, we need techniques that can compress high-dimensional simulation data with near-perfect reconstruction. In this work, we investigate Compressed Sensing (CS) to reduce the size of the data from a fusion simulation of a tokamak in 3 dimensions (Figure (a)). The computational domain of the simulation is a toroid, composed of 32 poloidal planes (shown in blue). Each plane has nearly 600,000 grid points, arranged irregularly, and distributed across multiple processors of a massively parallel system. Since these data are analyzed to understand the behavior of coherent structures (Figure (b)) over time, it is important that these structures remain unchanged after reconstruction using CS. We conducted several experiments to understand how best to apply CS to our data set. We used several metrics to investigate the effects of preprocessing, including scaling to improve the contrast in the data and thresholding to increase the sparsity. To determine the size of the compressed data that would enable near-perfect reconstruction, we evaluated the quality of reconstruction (shown in Figures (c) and (d) using the R2 metric) as we varied the percentage of compression (m/n) for various levels of sparsity (k/n) in the data. We found that a successful application of CS is bounded by the percentage of sparsity in the data - the data have to be sparse enough for compression using CS, but not so sparse that it is more cost effective to just write out the locations and values of the non-zero data points. Our experiments also indicated that scaling the data is very helpful and thresholding helps both with compression and the coherent structure analysis performed on the data.
Approximate Lasserre integrality gap for unique games

In this paper, we investigate whether a constant round Lasserre Semi-definite Programming (SDP) relaxation might give a good approximation to the Unique Games problem. We show that the answer is negative if the relaxation is insensitive to a sufficiently small perturbation of the constraints. Specifically, we construct an instance of Unique Games with k labels along with an approximate vector solution to t rounds of the Lasserre SDP relaxation. The SDP objective is at least 1 - e whereas the integral optimum is at most γ, and all SDP constraints are satisfied up to an accuracy of δ > 0. Here e, γ > 0 and t ∈ Z+ are arbitrary constants and k = k(e, γ) ∈ Z+. The accuracy parameter δ can bemade sufficiently small independent of parameters e, γ,t, k (but the size of the instance grows as δ gets smaller).
Conscience and Context: Attitudes Toward Abortion in Mexico†

Objective We seek to explain variation in attitudes toward legal abortion in Mexico, a nation in which the abortion issue has become quite salient. Methods Using data from the 2005 World Values Survey, we estimate an ordered logistic model to analyze the effects of different demographic and attitudinal variables on Mexican abortion attitudes. Results In general, the attitudinal and demographic predictors of abortion attitudes in Mexico are similar to those found in other Western democracies, such as the United States. In two areas, Mexican attitudes seem distinctive. First, contrary to expectations, opposition to legal abortion is not related to strong identification with the National Action Party (PAN), but support for legal abortion is positively related to strong support for the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD). Second, opposition to abortion is strongest among residents of the northern region, which we attribute to the region's proximity to the United States. Conclusion The effects of party identification and region on Mexican abortion attitudes provide distinctive national sources of abortion attitudes in Mexico. In other respects, the correlates of abortion attitudes closely resemble those of other nations.
Documenting Community Engagement Practices and Outcomes: Insights from Recipients of the 2010 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification

This study was performed to document the strategies and methods used by successful applicants for the 2010 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification and to document the cultural shifts connected with the application process and receipt of the Classification. Four major findings emerged: (1) Applicants benefited from a team approach; (2) Evidence of community engagement often already exists within an institution, but additional data will likely need to be gathered; (3) Successful applicants encountered obstacles or challenges related to data collection structures and resources, institution-wide understanding and involvement, and matching data to the application itself; and (4) Both performing the application process and receiving the Classification yielded institutional and cultural shifts: new or improved collaborations, greater institutionalization of community engagement, new or improved data-reporting structures, and better alignment of the institution’s mission with the goals of community engagement. This article also offers respondents’ recommendations to future Classification applicants.
SU-E-J-05: Use of a 6D Couch for Real-Time Full Translational and Rotational Head Motion Correction During Stereotactic Radiosurgery: A Feasibility Study

Purpose: This work presents a methodology for correcting full translational and rotational head motion deviations during frameless image-guided stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) procedures with a robotic 6D couch. The main objective is to design control algorithms which optimize the correction motion of a 6D couch when sub-millimeter/sub-degree accuracy requirements are necessary in SRS. Methods: The system includes 6D position tracking and a 6D couch with three serially connected platforms. The bottom platform controls yaw compensation (around the z axis), the middle one generates full 3D translational motion, and the top platform controls both pitch (around X) and roll (around Y) motion with two linear actuators. Based on the 6D position of the head and the couch at each moment, the desired 6D couch position for correction is calculated, with the required 6 actuator outputs computed by an inverse algorithm accordingly. To minimize their responsive motion, the actuators take action only after the head position deviates beyond certain predetermined thresholds, and for each action the head is returned to the center of desired 6D treatment position. Results: With computer simulation, head motion of an SRS patient was modeled and the simulated couch was used to compensate for this motion in real-time. For a 15-minute test with a 0.3 mm and 0.15 degree target position tolerance, the corrected 6D head position was within tolerance over 99.5% of the time. The actuators moved approximately 80 times during the simulation, and the total actuator motion for translational correction was around 205 mm. Conclusion: We investigated a control approach for full translational and rotational head motion correction with a 6D couch. The simulations demonstrated that with moderate correction motion of a 6D couch, the control performance meets real-time submillimeter and sub-degree accuracy requirement of frameless SRS. The research is funded by the American Cancer Society (ACS) grant. The grant name is: Frameless SRS Based on Robotic Head Motion Cancellation. The grant number is: RSG-13-313-01-CCE
A hybrid multiscale FDTD methodology for modeling fine features in body-centric communication systems

The authors use a hybrid FDTD scheme to analyze some fine featured geometries that are applicable to sensor networks occurring in body-centric communication system. This analysis has been carried out using a dipole moment concept and its hybridization with the FDTD algorithm.
Financial Misreporting and Executive Compensation: The Qui Tam Statute

A purported dark side to powerful equity-based incentives is that they may induce the manager to manipulate stock prices by distorting information. Recent theories predict that firms will grant more equity-based incentives to their managers when the detection of such information manipulation is more likely. We use the Qui Tam statute as an experimental setting to test this prediction. The Qui Tam statute gives whistle blowers in the healthcare industry large financial incentives to reveal corporate fraud, thus increasing the detection likelihood of information manipulation. Controlling for previously identified characteristics, we find that the extent of managerial equity-based incentives is around 9% higher in the healthcare industry than other industries. Further, as CFOs have the primary responsibility of the financial reporting process, we expect the effect of qui tam to be more pronounced for CFO incentives than for that of the other executives. Consistent with our prediction, we find that the healthcare industry’s effect on managerial incentives is the strongest for the CFO (13%), followed by the CEO (5%) and then by other executives. Using a difference-in-difference design, we find that the difference between CFO incentives and CEO incentives as well as the difference between CFO incentives and other executives’ incentives is larger in the healthcare industry than other industries. We also use the presence of a Big Five auditor as an alternate measure of the higher likelihood of detection of financial statement misrepresentation and find consistent evidence. Our collective evidence appears consistent with theories that predict that the detection likelihood of information manipulation affects the structure of executive compensation and in particular that of the CFO.
A petrified Glossopteris flora from Collinson Ridge, central Transantarctic Mountains: Late Permian or Early Triassic?

The Permian^Triassic boundary in Gondwana has traditionally been based on lithology and a change from the glossopterid-dominated flora in the Permian to the Dicroidium-dominated flora in the Triassic.There have, however, been a few reports of Glossopteris occurring in the Lower Triassic of Tasmania, Antarctica, South Africa and India, usually as a minor element in floras dominated by Dicroidium.The material described here was collected from a lens of silicified peat from Collinson Ridge in the central Transantarctic Mountains, Shackleton Glacier area of Antarctica.Based on lithology, this site appears to be in the lower part of the Fremouw Formation, which has previously been dated as Early Triassic.However, the discovery of a dominant Glossopteris flora, including petrified leaf fragments, Vertebraria and Araucarioxylon-type wood, along with the absence of Dicroidium, suggests a latest Permian age.5 2002 Elsevier Science B. All rights reserved.
Treatment strategies for peripheral artery disease

Peripheral arterial disease is an underecognized manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis associated with high rates of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The rationale of therapy is to reduce cardiovascular risk, improve symptoms of intermittent claudication, and prevent the development of critical limb ischemia and amputation. Exercise therapy and several pharmacologic agents have been shown to improve walking distance in patients with intermittent claudication. Patients with lifestyle-interfering symptoms despite exercise, or those who progress to critical limb ischemia, frequently undergo revascularization. Endovascular techniques are commonly used in these patients. Combined pharmacological and endovascular strategies will play an increasing role in management of these patients in the future.
Are volunteers substitute for paid labor in nonprofit organizations

Abstract This study asks whether nonprofit organizations that use volunteer labor are seen as substituting volunteers for paid labor. The study contributes to the literature on the demand for volunteer labor by utilizing current data on giving and volunteering and explicitly accounting for a state's minimum wage among its explanatory variables. We find a statistically significant positive relationship between the prevailing minimum wage in a state and the amount of volunteer labor offered by donors in each state—implying that organizations that use volunteers view them as substitutes to low-paid workers.
A microassay for elastin.

Abstract An assay for insoluble elastin is described. The procedure involves isolation of elastin by 5 m guanidine and autoclaving. The residue is solubilized with elastase and the protein released estimated colorimetrically. This assay method is sensitive in the range: 50–300 μg.
Portals: toward an application framework for interoperability

A common portal definition, universal client, and application-support infrastructure would turn the portal concept on its head, eventually shifting control from the information providers to the information consumers.
The digital camera in clinical practice.

The benefits of digital photography are certainly numerous and include rapid image production, easy and quick deletion of poor images, no need for film or its associated expenses, decreased costs for enlargements, ease of editing and image storage, effortless placement in presentations or publications. Many physicians believe that the benefits of digital images clearly outweigh any limitations that future technologic advances will minimize. Digital imaging allows for the seamless integration of all patient images (e.g., clinical, radiographic, pathologic) into the medical record. Additionally, manipulating these images with lighting, filters, of other processing techniques may encourage diagnostic advances (e.g., distinguishing between benign and malignant surface lesions). Some drawbacks, however, continue to exist, including cost of the hardware and software, continuously evolving technology, power consumption and battery usage, lower image resolution compared with 35-mm photography, and the need to have backup image files. With decreasing costs, improving resolutions, and enhanced capabilities, digital cameras will overcome these limitations rapidly.
Water budgets of montane-mesic and lowland-xeric populations of yellow-bellied marmots

Abstract 1. 1. Lowland-xeric (LX) marmots required significantly less total water than montane-mesic (MM) marmots. In the laboratory the major source of water for both populations was drinking (73–74% of total water); however, since marmots have never been observed drinking in the field, vegetation must be the major water source under natural conditions. 2. 2. Water output was primarily urinary loss; urine volume was lower and urine concentration higher in LX than MM marmots. Although water content of the feces was the same for both populations, fecal water loss was greater for MM marmots. Evaporative water loss was greater in the LX population. 3. 3. Water requirements can not be met through metabolic water since the amount of water lost through evaporation and feces exceeded metabolic water production for both populations. 4. 4. Conservation of water under restricted conditions resulted largely from reduced urinary and fecal losses for both MM and LX marmots. 5. 5. Lower water requirements of the LX marmots are adaptive for animals confronted with limited water availability.
Downstream processing of recombinant proteins from transgenic feedstock

The search for inexpensive production systems capable of producing large quantities of recombinant protein has resulted in the development of new technology platforms based on transgenic plants and animals. Over the past decade, these transgenic systems have been used to produce several products and potential therapeutic proteins. Improvements continue to be made, not only in how the proteins are expressed but also in how the end products are obtained. As improvements in expression are realized, cost-saving measures will increasingly focus on downstream processing.
Pathological spectrum of liver diseases in sickle cell disease

Most pathologic studies of liver disease in sickle cell anemia and its variants were performed retrospectively on autopsy specimens, and, because of the prominent histologic features of intrasinusoidal sickling and Kupffer cell erythrophagocytosis, hepatic dysfunction was attributed to the intrahepatic sickling of erythrocytes in this hemoglobinopathy. We compared the liver histology from 19 patients who had liver biopsies to the autopsy specimens from 32 patients who succumbed to the complications of the hemoglobinopathy. In the former, nine patients had histological evidence of viral hepatitis. Four of these patients had both serological and immunohistochemical evidence of hepatitis B surface antigen. The features of biliary tree obstruction were found in two cases and alcoholic cirrhosis and sarcoid granuloma in one case each. Only one patient, who had recovered from septic shock, showed ischemic necrosis. In five patients incidentally biopsied during cholecystectomy, no significant lesions were found. Fourteen of the autopsy specimens showed ischemic necrosis, a result which was significantly different from the biopsy group. Ten cases had no significant morphologic changes other than heavy iron deposits. There were two cases with chronic active hepatitis, two with diffuse fibrosis, and one case each of cirrhosis, acute viral hepatitis, cholestasis, and giant cell hepatitis. Intrahepatic sickling and erythrophagocytosis were seen in almost all specimens and did not correlate with liver disease or transaminase elevation. Other than the patient with septic shock, ischemic necrosis was found only in postmortem material. These histological features may represent red cell destruction rather than the etiology of liver disease in these patients.
Mapping the compaction and sintering response of tungsten-based materials into the nanoscale size range

Considerable knowledge exists on processing tungsten powders over a broad particle size range. Published data and processing models have been combined for tungsten powders ranging from 20 nm to 18 μm to build a response model for press-sinter processing. The model predicts apparent density, green density, green strength, sintered density, sintered grain size, and product properties such as strength, hardness, and wear resistance. Further, the model isolates several problems as particle size decreases that will require changes in how tungsten powders are handled, compacted, and sintered. Maps of strength versus processing conditions are generated from the model to direct future efforts toward improved properties using nanoscale tungsten powders. From these findings, new opportunities become evident for press-sinter consolidation of nanoscale powders.
Hydrogen transport in a machinable glass-ceramic☆

Abstract A commercial, machinable glass-ceramic (CGW-9658) has been found to change color from white to dark grey upon exposure to hydrogen isotopes at temperatures of 500°C and above. This process has been studied by optical microscopy and electron spin resonance as a function of temperature, gas pressure, and hydrogen isotope used. The results demonstrate a one-to-one correspondence between the diffusion-controlled reduction of ferric iron by hydrogen and the visually observed width of the reacted zone.
Three-dimensional structure of YaaE from Bacillus subtilis, a glutaminase implicated in pyridoxal-5'-phosphate biosynthesis.

The structure of YaaE from Bacillus subtilis was determined at 2.5-A resolution. YaaE is a member of the triad glutamine aminotransferase family and functions in a recently identified alternate pathway for the biosynthesis of vitamin B6. Proposed active residues include conserved Cys-79, His-170, and Glu-172. YaaE shows similarity to HisH, a glutaminase involved in histidine biosynthesis. YaaD associates with YaaE. A homology model of this protein was constructed. YaaD is predicted to be a (β/α)8 barrel on the basis of sequence comparisons. The predicted active site includes highly conserved residues 211–216 and 233–235. Finally, a homology model of a putative YaaD-YaaE complex was prepared using the structure of HisH-F as a model. This model predicts that the ammonia molecule generated by YaaE is channeled through the center of the YaaD barrel to the putative YaaD active site.
Optical properties of styrene-isoprene two-block copolymers

Abstract Four styrene-isoprene two-block copolymers of high molecular weight ( M w 5 × 10 5 –2.5 × 10 6 ) containing ∼50% polystyrene have been prepared in a high state of purity. Their optical properties were studied in solution by transmission and diffraction techniques. It is shown that these properties can be related to the sizes of the domains present due to phase separation.
Oral mucosal hyperpigmentation secondary to antimalarial drug therapy

Abstract A case of oral mucosal hyperpigmentation resulting from antimalarial drug therapy is presented. The patient reported a history of long-term quinacrine therapy and exhibited diffuse blue-gray pigmentation of the nail beds and the skin of the nasal ala. Microscopic examination of the involved mucosa showed macrophages, containing both melanin and ferric iron, scattered within the connective tissue adjacent to the epithelium. The clinical, historical, and microscopic features of antimalarial-induced pigmentation are discussed. Other causes of diffuse or multifocal oral pigmentation are also addressed. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2000;90:189-94)
A neighbor-interaction analysis of the hypochromism and spectra of DNA.

A mathematical method has been developed for analysis of the spectral changes associated with the helix → coil and helix → nucleotide transitions of DNA. The method depends upon a model in which hypochromism arises from the interaction of base pairs along the helix. It is shown that if the distribution of base pairs is random, the dependence of hypochromism upon base composition is quadratic, taking into account the pairwise interactions between each base pair and all others on the helix, no matter how far away. Two methods of analyzing thermal denaturation data by this method are given; either one leads to precise determination of the composition of the denaturing regions, and a crude measure of deviations of nucleotide sequences from randomness. One of these methods also leads to an explanation of the effectiveness of this and earlier methods in analyzing denaturation. Spectral data have been obtained for a large number of bacterial DNA's for evaluation of the necessary parameters in the new equations. It is shown that the helix → coil transition data are approximated reasonably well at most wavelengths by a linear equation (i.e. the quadratic term is small), but that the helix → nucleotide and coil → nucleotide data are not. The quadratic dependence upon base composition of helix → nucleotide and coil → nucleotide spectral changes indicates that the spectra of the helix and of fully denatured DNA are sensitive to the distribution of neighbors around each base pair. The new methods of spectral analysis may also be adapted readily for the determination of the base composition, concentration and extent of denaturation of an unknown DNA sample.
Can Western Monotheism Avoid Substance Dualism

The problem of divine agency and action is analogous to the problem of human agency and action: How is such agency possible in the absence of a dualistic causal interaction between disparate orders of being? This paper explores nondualistic accounts of divine agency that assert the following: (1) physical monism, (2) antireductionism, (3) physical realization, and (4) divine causal realism. I conclude that a robustly causal deity is incompatible with nonddualism's affirmation of physical monism. Specifically, I argue the incoherence of nondualistic strategies that advocate divine information transfer without energy transfer or the divine downward causation of physical events. Furthermore, I claim that the principle of explanatory exclusion makes any nondualistic, noninterventionist account of divine agency highly dubious. Finally, I suggest that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam can avoid a causally inert deity only if they are willing to deny the current presumption of the causal closure of the physical.
Wounding Induces Motility in Sheets of Corneal Epithelial Cells through Loss of Spatial Constraints ROLE OF HEPARIN-BINDING EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR SIGNALING

Cellular responses to wounding have often been studied at a molecular level after disrupting cell layers by mechanical means. This invariably results in damage to cells at the edges of the wounds, which has been suggested to be instrumental for initiating wound healing. To test this, we devised an alternative procedure to introduce gaps in layers of corneal epithelial cells by casting agarose strips on tissue culture plates. In contrast to mechanical wounding, removal of the strips did not lead to detectable membrane leakage or to activation of the stress-activated kinase JNK. Nonetheless, cells at the edge underwent the typical morphological transition to a highly motile phenotype, and the gaps closed at rates similar to those of mechanically induced wounds. To allow biochemical analysis of cell extracts, a procedure was devised that makes cell-free surface area acutely available to a large proportion of cells in culture. Rapid activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was detected by immunoblotting, and the addition of an EGFR-blocking antibody completely abolished wound healing. In addition, wound healing was inhibited by agents that block signaling by the heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF). Cells stimulated with cell-free tissue culture surface released a soluble factor that induced activation of the EGFR, which was distinct from HB-EGF. These studies suggest that the triggering event for the induction of motility in corneal epithelial cells is related to the sudden availability of permissive surface area rather than to mechanical damage, and they demonstrate a central role of signaling through HB-EGF.
Tie-dyed1 Encodes a Novel, Phloem-Expressed Transmembrane Protein that Functions in Carbohydrate Partitioning

Carbon is partitioned between export from the leaf and retention within the leaf, and this process is essential for all aspects of plant growth and development. In most plants, sucrose is loaded into the phloem of carbon-exporting leaves (sources), transported through the veins, and unloaded into carbon-importing tissues (sinks). We have taken a genetic approach to identify genes regulating carbon partitioning in maize (Zea mays). We identified a collection of mutants, called the tie-dyed (tdy) loci, that hyperaccumulate carbohydrates in regions of their leaves. To understand the molecular function of Tdy1, we cloned the gene. Tdy1 encodes a novel transmembrane protein present only in grasses, although two protein domains are conserved across angiosperms. We found that Tdy1 is expressed exclusively in phloem cells of both source and sink tissues, suggesting that Tdy1 may play a role in phloem loading and unloading processes. In addition, Tdy1 RNA accumulates in protophloem cells upon differentiation, suggesting that Tdy1 may function as soon as phloem cells become competent to transport assimilates. Monitoring the movement of a fluorescent, soluble dye showed that tdy1 leaves have retarded phloem loading. However, once the dye entered into the phloem, solute transport appeared equal in wild-type and tdy1 mutant plants, suggesting that tdy1 plants are not defective in phloem unloading. Therefore, even though Tdy1 RNA accumulates in source and sink tissues, we propose that TDY1 functions in carbon partitioning by promoting phloem loading. Possible roles for TDY1 are discussed.
Gender Inequality and Economic Growth in Rural China

Abstract This article joins the debate over the effect of market-driven economic development on women's work opportunities and household gender inequalities. It assesses women's opportunities for off-farm employment, the relative contributions of female off-farm workers to household income, and the distribution of power in families whose male members have left for off-farm jobs, leaving women behind in agricultural work. We find that women are not uniformly excluded from opportunities for off-farm employment and that economic development does not uniformly increase gender inequalities within Chinese households. Although men are more likely than women to obtain off-farm employment in China, women's opportunities for off-farm work improve significantly when the coexistence of local and regional marketization creates a shortage of male workers and compels employers to hire women. The relative size of contributions to household income for male and female nonfarm workers also narrows incrementally with increased marketization. In addition, women who are left in agricultural work are more likely to become heads of household, a position which brings greater household decision-making power to female family members.
Small Main-Belt Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey in the Near-Infrared

Abstract Near-infrared spectra (∼0.90 to ∼1.65 μm) are presented for 181 main-belt asteroids, more than half having diameters less than 20 km. These spectra were measured using a specialized grism at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility, where the near-infrared wavelength coverage is designed to complement visible wavelength CCD measurements for enhanced mineralogic interpretation. We have focused our analysis on asteroids that appear to have surfaces dominated by olivine or pyroxene since these objects can be best characterized with spectral coverage only out to 1.65 μm. Olivine-dominated A-type asteroids have distinctly redder slopes than olivine found in meteorites, possibly due to surface alteration effects such as micro-meteoroid bombardment simulated by laser irradiation laboratory experiments. K-type asteroids observed within the Eos family tend to be well matched by laboratory spectra of CO3 chondrites, while those independent of the Eos family have a variety of spectral properties. The revealed structure of the 1-μm band for 3628 Božněmcova appears to refute its previously proposed match to ordinary chondrite meteorites. Božněmcova displays a 1-μm band that is unlike that for any currently measured meteorite; however, spectra out to 2.5 μm are needed to conclusively argue that Božněmcova has a surface mineralogy different from that of ordinary chondrites. Extending the spectral coverage of Vestoids out to ∼1.65 μm continues to be consistent with the “genetic” relationship of almost all observed Vestoids with Vesta and the howardites, eucrites, and diogenites. Eucrites/howardites provide the best spectral matches to the observed Vestoids.
Antibodies to the buried N terminus of rhinovirus VP4 exhibit cross-serotypic neutralization

Development of a vaccine for the common cold has been thwarted by the fact that there are more than 100 serotypes of human rhinovirus (HRV). We previously demonstrated that the HRV14 capsid is dynamic and transiently displays the buried N termini of viral protein 1 (VP1) and VP4. Here, further evidence for this "breathing" phenomenon is presented, using antibodies to several peptides representing the N terminus of VP4. The antibodies form stable complexes with intact HRV14 virions and neutralize infectivity. Since this region of VP4 is highly conserved among all of the rhinoviruses, antiviral activity by these anti-VP4 antibodies is cross-serotypic. The antibodies inhibit HRV16 infectivity in a temperature- and time-dependent manner consistent with the breathing behavior. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies raised against the 30-residue peptide do not react with peptides shorter than 24 residues, suggesting that these peptides are adopting three-dimensional conformations that are highly dependent upon the length of the peptide. Furthermore, there is evidence that the N termini of VP4 are interacting with each other upon extrusion from the capsid. A Ser5Cys mutation in VP4 yields an infectious virus that forms cysteine cross-links in VP4 when the virus is incubated at room temperature but not at 4 degrees C. The fact that all of the VP4s are involved in this cross-linking process strongly suggests that VP4 forms specific oligomers upon extrusion. Together these results suggest that it may be possible to develop a pan-serotypic peptide vaccine to HRV, but its design will likely require details about the oligomeric structure of the exposed termini.
Closed-Form Inverse Kinematic Analysis of Variable-Geometry Truss Manipulators

A variety of applications for variable-geometry truss manipulators (VGTMs) have been demonstrated or proposed in the literature. Most of these applications require solution to the inverse kinematic problem, yet only a few isolated examples of closed-form solution methods have been presented to date. This paper provides an overview to the general problem of inverse kinematic analysis of variable-geometry truss manipulators and presents new closed-form solution techniques for problems of practical importance.