cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Verification of predicted specimen-specific natural and implanted patellofemoral kinematics during simulated deep knee bend

Verified computational models represent an efficient method for studying the relationship between articular geometry, soft-tissue constraint, and patellofemoral (PF) mechanics. The current study was performed to evaluate an explicit finite element (FE) modeling approach for predicting PF kinematics in the natural and implanted knee. Experimental three-dimensional kinematic data were collected on four healthy cadaver specimens in their natural state and after total knee replacement in the Kansas knee simulator during a simulated deep knee bend activity. Specimen-specific FE models were created from medical images and CAD implant geometry, and included soft-tissue structures representing medial-lateral PF ligaments and the quadriceps tendon. Measured quadriceps loads and prescribed tibiofemoral kinematics were used to predict dynamic kinematics of an isolated PF joint between 10 degrees and 110 degrees femoral flexion. Model sensitivity analyses were performed to determine the effect of rigid or deformable patellar representations and perturbed PF ligament mechanical properties (pre-tension and stiffness) on model predictions and computational efficiency. Predicted PF kinematics from the deformable analyses showed average root mean square (RMS) differences for the natural and implanted states of less than 3.1 degrees and 1.7 mm for all rotations and translations. Kinematic predictions with rigid bodies increased average RMS values slightly to 3.7 degrees and 1.9 mm with a five-fold decrease in computational time. Two-fold increases and decreases in PF ligament initial strain and linear stiffness were found to most adversely affect kinematic predictions for flexion, internal-external tilt and inferior-superior translation in both natural and implanted states. The verified models could be used to further investigate the effects of component alignment or soft-tissue variability on natural and implant PF mechanics.
The psychological reality of word senses

This paper tests psychologists' frequent assumption that dictionaries are psychologically realistic models of polysemy in the mental lexicon. Psychologists have not often explored the nature of polysemy, and lexicographers' methods have not involved scientific sampling of usages or informants. It is argued, however, that the lexicographic technique of citation sorting is an effective way of discovering sense differences. Here this technique was used in three tasks involving usage samples for 24 high- and low-frequency nouns varying widely in degree of polysemy in the dictionary. Analyses of agreement within and between subjects showed that subjects consistently judged and substantially agreed upon the major senses of most nouns, but that few nouns in either frequency group were perceived to have more than three significant senses. Additionally, the possibility that larger usage samples will bias people to make more sense groupings was found not to be true, suggesting that the larger number of senses lexicographers create for high-frequency words are not artifacts of larger usage samples.
Soliciting weights or probabilities from experts for rule-based expert systems

Abstract Rule-based expert systems attach a weight to each rule in order to represent uncertainty or strength of association. There are a number of schemes that are used to represent uncertainty in expert systems. Some of these methods allow the system designer to solicit either the probabilities, used to compute the weights, or to solicit the weights directly, or both. This paper presents results that indicate that if the weights are gathered directly, rather than using probabilities, then the weights may not meet the underlying conditions of the mathematical model of uncertainty on which the weights are based or the weights may imply highly unusual behavior for the underlying probabilities and implicit utility function. In one system it is found that there were violations of the mathematical properties of the model in over forty percent of the weights on the rules of the system. If the weights do not meet the constraints of the underlying mathematical models then such violations may yield inappropriate parameterization of other weights in order to make the model work. Further, such violations can lead to an inappropriate estimation of the probabilities of events by the system and yield inappropriate inferred weights. In another case it was found that a system was dominated by weights that suggest highly unusual behavior for the underlying probabilities. From an operational perspective these inconsistencies indicate the importance of the method used in gathering the weights, e.g. indirectly through the probabilities or directly through the weights. It also indicates the importance of validating and verifying the weights to ensure that the weights meet the needs of the underlying theory and do not force unusual relationships onto the underlying probabilities.
Tidal Volume Requirement in Mechanically Ventilated Infants with Meconium Aspiration Syndrome.

Objective The aim of the study is to test the hypothesis that increased physiologic dead space and functional residual capacity seen in meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) results in higher tidal volume (VT) requirement to achieve adequate ventilation. Study Design Retrospective review of infants with MAS admitted to our hospital from 2000 to 2010 managed with conventional ventilation. Demographics, ventilator settings, VT, respiratory rate (RR), and blood gas values were recorded. Minute ventilation (MV) was calculated as RR × VT. Only VT values with corresponding partial pressure of carbon dioxide (Pa co 2) between 35 and 60 mm Hg were included. Mean VT/kg and MV/kg were calculated for each patient. Forty infants ventilated for lung disease other than MAS or pulmonary hypoplasia served as controls. Results Birth weights of the 28 MAS patients and 40 control infants were similar (3,330 ± 500 g and 3,300 ± 640 g). Two patients in each group required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Infants with MAS required 26% higher VT and 42% higher MV compared with controls to maintain equal Pa co 2. Conclusion Infants with MAS require larger VT and higher total MV to achieve similar alveolar ventilation, consistent with pathophysiology of MAS. Our findings provide the first reference data to guide selection of VT in infants with MAS.
The effects of the molecular environment on the kinetics of catalase reaction and its relevance to cell aging.

Abstract Catalase-mediated oxygen evolution from H2O2 was measured with a Clark electrode in a closed, buffered aqueous medium in a properly designed experimental model. Addition of various molecules (bovine serum albumin, egg albumin, dextrane, starch and PEG-8000) in increasing concentrations up to greater than 20% by volume decreased the rate of oxygen evolution in a linear fashion, although there were some quantitative differences between the effects of various components. The rotational correlation time of the spin label TMPN in BSA and egg albumin increased considerably in both protein solutions indicating a very significant increase of the microviscosity of these media. The results are interpreted in terms of the molecular enzyme kinetic model (MEKM) predicting that apart from microviscosity, the average mass distribution and the distance of the nearest two lattice points formed by components of the medium are also inversely proportional to both the forward and backward rate constants of the formation of the enzyme-substrate complex. These observations, on one hand, lend further experimental support to the MEKM and on the other one, are consistent with the membrane hypothesis of aging which explains the loss of cell functions by an age-dependent increase of intracellular density.
A manually operated ultra-high-vacuum water-cooled slit mechanism for the U13U wiggler/undulator spectroscopy branch line at the national synchrotron light source

Abstract We describe a manually operated ultra-high-vacuum water-cooled slit mechanism. The design, which is based on the use of rigid parallelograms, provides a continuously adjustable bilateral slit opening. The entire mechanism is mounted on an 8-in. Conflat flange with two bellows for cooling-water tubes and a linear feedthrough to control the size of the slit opening.
The Killer Group

This article is built around a series of incidents in a negotiation course. Starting in an experiential exercise, in which they adopted a predatory role, one group of students took on, maintained, and appeared to relish the label of "killer group." Their behavior generated a high level of energy within the class but also produced disquieting feelings for everyone involved. This example is used to raise several fundamental questions about experiential exercises and the responsibilities and risks that instructors assume in using them.
Approaches for Addressing MARSSIM Complications

The Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) was developed as a multi-agency framework for supporting radioactive site closure in the United States. MARSSIM provides a coherent, technically defensible process for establishing that exposed surfaces (soil or structure) satisfy site cleanup requirements. Site cleanup requirements are assumed to be dose or risk-derived. Unfortunately, many sites have complications that challenge a direct application of MARSSIM. Example complications include decision documents requirements that are not MARSSIM-friendly, the potential for subsurface contamination, and incomplete characterization information. These types of complications are typically the rule, rather than the exception, for sites undergoing radiologically-driven remediation and closure. This paper discusses approaches used to circumvent MARSSIM-related closure issues, while still providing a technically defensible closure protocol that is consistent with the spirit of MARSSIM and acceptable to the regulatory and broader stakeholder community.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Variable processing and presentation of HIV epitopes in dendritic cells and macrophages to CD8 T cells

Background Whether HIV-infectable subsets, such as CD4 T cells, monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs), have equivalent capacity to produce and present MHC-I restricted epitopes to HIV-specific CD8 T cells is unknown. MHC-I epitopes are processed by an intracellular degradation pathway involving multiple proteases. In this study we analyzed the effect of toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist-mediated maturation on the processing and presentation of HIV antigens in monocyte-derived DCs and macrophages.
Clostridium thermocellum: Adhesion and sporulation while adhered to cellulose and hemicellulose

During growth in the presence of fibers composed of cellulose or hemicellulose, various strains of the thermophilic soil bacterium Clostridium thermocellum and several newly isolated thermophilic anaerobic soil bacteria adhered to the fibers. Attachment occurred via a fibrous ruthenium red-staining material. C. thermocellum sporulated while attached to the fibers when the pH dropped below 6.4. It is postulated that the attachment is involved in cellulose breakdown and that C. thermocellum gaines an advantage by remaining attached to its insoluble substrates when the environment is not suitable for rapid growth. The tendency to adhere to cellulose fibers was used in the purification of thermophilic cellulolytic anaerobes.
Class-Dependent Sparse Representation Classifier for Robust Hyperspectral Image Classification

Sparse representation of signals for classification is an active research area. Signals can potentially have a compact representation as a linear combination of atoms in an overcomplete dictionary. Based on this observation, a sparse-representation-based classification (SRC) has been proposed for robust face recognition and has gained popularity for various classification tasks. It relies on the underlying assumption that a test sample can be linearly represented by a small number of training samples from the same class. However, SRC implementations ignore the Euclidean distance relationship between samples when learning the sparse representation of a test sample in the given dictionary. To overcome this drawback, we propose an alternate formulation that we assert is better suited for classification tasks. Specifically, class-dependent sparse representation classifier (cdSRC) is proposed for hyperspectral image classification, which effectively combines the ideas of SRC and $K$ -nearest neighbor classifier in a classwise manner to exploit both correlation and Euclidean distance relationship between test and training samples. Toward this goal, a unified class membership function is developed, which utilizes residual and Euclidean distance information simultaneously. Experimental results based on several real-world hyperspectral data sets have shown that cdSRC not only dramatically increases the classification performance over SRC but also outperforms other popular classifiers, such as support vector machine.
A semigroup perturbation theorem with application to a singular perturbation problem in nonlinear ordinary differential equations

LetB denote the infinitesimal operator of a strongly continuous semigroup S(t), with resolvent Rλ, on Banach space L. We define related operators P and V so that λRλf = Pf + λVf + o(λ), as λ → 0+. For α, η > 0 and possibly unbounded, linear operator A, we let Uα, η(t) represent a strongly continuous semigroup generated by αA + ηB. We show that under appropriate simultaneous convergence of α and η, Uα, η(t) converges strongly to a strongly continous semigroup U(t), having infinitesimal operator characterized through PA(VA)rf where r =min{j ⩾ 0, PA(VA)j ≠ 0}. We apply the abstract perturbation theorem to a singular perturbation initial-value problem, of Tihonov-type, for a non-linear system of ordinary differential equations.
A Q-modification neuroadaptive control architecture for discrete-time systems

This paper extends the new neuroadaptive control framework for continuous-time nonlinear uncertain dynamical systems based on a Q-modification architecture to discrete-time systems. As in the continuous-time case, the discrete-time update laws involve auxiliary terms, or Q-modification terms, predicated on an estimate of the unknown neural network weights which in turn involve a set of auxiliary equations characterizing a set of affine hyperplanes. In addition, we show that the Q-modification terms in the discrete-time update law are designed to minimize an error criterion involving a sum of squares of the distances between the update weights and the family of affine hyperplanes.
Independent Labels? The Power behind Environmental Information about Products and Companies

Power is a ubiquitous term in political science, and yet the discipline lacks a metric of power that can be applied to both formal and informal political contexts. Building on past work on power and power resources, this paper develops a method to estimate the power of different actors over an organization. It uses this method to analyze the power of the public, private, and civil sectors within an original dataset of 245 cases of product and corporate environmental evaluations, such as ENERGY STAR, LEED Certification, and Newsweek’s Greenest Company Rankings. These initiatives have received limited attention from the political science literature, but they have become an increasingly prominent political phenomenon. The paper finds that the private and civil sectors likely have more power over these information-based governance initiatives than the public sector. It also reveals their lack of transparency and hybrid accountability relationships, which complicate their legitimacy and effectiveness.
Disubstituted amino-, nitroso-, and nitrofluorenes: a physicochemical basis for structure-activity relationships in Salmonella typhimurium.

Twenty-nine derivatives of fluorene were tested for mutagenic potency in four strains of Salmonella typhimurium with and/or without S9 microsomal activation. The effects of a second functional group on the mutagenic activity of an amino-, nitroso-, and nitrofluorene were correlated with its physical and chemical properties. When the functional group is conjugated by resonance, both inductive and resonance effects are determinants of mutagenic potency. Electron-withdrawing groups such as the halogens (F, C1, Br, and I), nitro, nitroso, and cyano at C-7 increased the mutagenic potency of 2-nitrofluorene. Electron-donating substituents such as hydroxy and amino groups at C-7 decreased the mutagenic potency of 2-amino-, 2-nitroso-, and 2-nitrofluorene. Acetylation of a hydroxy or an amino group at C-7 increased the mutagenic potency of 2-nitrofluorene, presumably by decreasing the electron-donating properties of these groups. In contrast, acetylation of a nonresonance-conjugated amino group decreased mutagenic activity. The physical properties of a second functional group are expected to exert their effect(s) at three points in the metabolic activation of 2,7-disubstituted fluorene derivatives: 1) initial reduction of the nitro group (redox effect), 2) stabilization of the hydroxylamine (inductive effect), and 3) stabilization/destabilization of the nitrenium ion (resonance and inductive effects). The relationships between the physical properties of a second functional group and their effects on biological activities of nitro- and aminofluorenes in the Ames Salmonella assay may be of predictive value in a first approximation of both the mutagenic and carcinogenic potency of chemicals with comparable structures such as fluoranthene and biphenyl.
Melanophores in Damselfish Neurofibromatosis: Alterations in Morphology and Melanosome Aggregation Responses

Abstract Damselfish neurofibromatosis (DNF) is a neoplastic disease affecting bicolor damselfish Pornacentrus partitus on south Florida reefs. This disease exhibits many traits in common with neurofibromatosis type-1 in humans, including multiple plexiform neurofibromas and areas of hyperpigmentation. An important issue in understanding the pathogenesis of DNF is the relation between chromatophores and other cell types that give rise to tumors in this disease. Melanophores cultured from tumors of fish with DNF were compared in vitro with cells from normal skin of healthy fish to determine if these cells were morphologically or physiologically altered in this disease. Melanophores from tumors were significantly larger in cross-sectional perimeter and area than normal counterparts. Pigment translocation responses were measured by bath application of norepinephrine. At drug concentrations of 5 × 10-9 to 5 × 10-5 M, significantly fewer tumorderived cells than normal cells exhibited complete melanosome aggrega...
Speed and Endurance Of Thamnophis hammondii Are Not Affected By Consuming the Toxic Frog Xenopus laevis

Abstract Toxins of Xenopus laevis elicit gaping responses in some snakes, but introduced populations of this species in California provide an additional food source for Thamnophis hammondii with no observable ill effects to the snake. This study addresses the locomotor performance of T. hammondii after consuming this toxic frog. Endurance and speed of T. hammondii were measured along a 2-m long racetrack when subjects were not fed recently, when they were fed sunfish (Lepomis, a non-toxic prey), and when they were fed X. laevis. Snakes tended to be slower after eating, but ingestion of X. laevis did not affect either measure of locomotor performance in T. hammondii. Because performance of T. hammondii is not compromised, selective pressure against consumption of X. laevis probably is absent.
Electrical activity in visual cortex associated with combined auditory and visual stimulation in temporal sequences known to be associated with a visual illusion.

Abstract When a subject views a visual stimulus paired with a brief click, a second click occurring ∼80 ms later produces the hallucination of a second visual stimulus. We have used combinations of visual and sound stimuli to evoke cortical activity and have recorded the associated event-related potentials. We have recorded EPs in a conventional manner, and have calculated from multichannel recordings the Laplacian derivations to determine if the currents were generated in primary visual cortex. Clicks alone do not cause significant activity in V1, but if paired with pattern stimulation, modify the evoked potential. The timing of this extra activity almost certainly excludes “feed back” activation from higher centres, and can most simply be explained if sound-activated thalamo-cortical input can rapidly produce extra activity in ‘primed’ visual cortex. This finding has general implications for cortical function, for the generation of the hallucination and for ‘blindsight’.
A New Overcurrent Protection System for the DIII-D Field Shaping Coils

A new system has been developed to protect the 18 field shaping coils (F-coils) of the DIII-D tokamak from excessive currents. The new system removes the limitations of the original system and improves reliability. Coil currents are sensed in the new system by Rogowski coils wrapped around conductors feeding the F-coils. The Rogowski coil signals are routed to a remote electronics rack where the signals are integrated to yield voltages proportional to the F-coil currents. Comparators monitor the F-coil current signals and command the coil power supplies to turn off in the event of excessive currents. The F-coil current signals are also sampled by a dedicated data acquisition system for comparison to signals acquired elsewhere. The integrating electronics are interfaced to the DIII-D Integrator Calibration System, which verifies proper integrator operation once daily (typically) or on demand. The new over-current system also features a "self-test" function, which ensures that the Rogowski coils and their signal paths have not open-circuited. The test is performed during the preparatory "get ready" procedure of each DIII-D experiment "shot". A test voltage is momentarily applied to each sensor circuit (Rogowski coil and signal cable) to produce a simulated current signal, which is measured and integrated. The resulting signal is checked by a window comparator circuit to verify that the sensor circuit has continuity, that the integrator has the proper time constant, and that the test signal disconnects when the test is complete. If all these conditions are met (for all 18 F-coils), the "get-ready" procedure is allowed to continue. Otherwise, the procedure is halted and warnings are generated. LED lamps on the system's modules indicate statuses and results of the tests for each of the 18 channels. Design details of this new system are presented.
Oblate L=1 bands in 194,196–201Pb and 193Hg

Abstract Reports of recent experiments have included observations of regular and irregular bands in neutron deficient Pb isotopes with A =194, 196–201. The bands are populated strongly in (HI, xn ) reactions. The shared characteristics of the bands include: 1) bandhead energies of a few MeV; 2) high bandhead spin; 3) large alignments; 4) small dynamic moments of inertia, and 5) strong L =1 transitions and weaker L =2 crossover transitions, with B( M 1) B( E 2) ≈ 20 μ 2 e 2 b 2 . Lifetimes of band members in the 198 Pb regular band are B (M1) ≈ 1 W.u. and B (E2) ≈ 12 W.u. (with large errors). These observations are consistent with an interpretation of the regular structures as collective oblate bands with both proton and neutron excitations involved; the closed proton shell at Z =82 is broken, and coupled to v( i 13 2 ) −n excitations. The irregular structures may correspond to triaxial shapes, with similar orbits involved. A similar structure has been also found in 193 Hg.
Limits on the Magnetic Flux of a Pre-Main Sequence Star

We attempt to detect a magnetic field on the weak T Tauri star, TAP35, via the enhanced equivalent widths of Zeeman-broadened absorption lines. We synthesize 25 Fe I lines, having a range of Zeeman sensitivities, using an LTE Stokes line-transfer calculation. The oscillator strengths of all lines are empirically determined a priori using the same line-transfer code applied to the spectrum of the magnetically quiet star, τ Ceti. The Fe abundance of TAP35 was established by synthesizing lines that are insensitive to Zeeman splitting. We find that the equivalent widths, Weq, of Zeeman-sensitive lines in TAP35 are systematically enhanced relative to the Zeeman-insensitive lines, consistent with the presence of widespread, kilogauss fields. The excess Weq can be explained by a product of field strength and surface filling factor (B f) of 1 kiloGauss. A strong upper limit can be placed on the product of those two quantities, B f < 2 kG. This measurement bears on the physics of T Tauri coronae, chromospheres, dynamos, and accretion-disk boundary layers.
Effects of pest and soil management systems on potato diseases

Long-term cropping systems research is important in order to reduce production costs, to control crop pests, and to optimize the sustainability of agro-ecosystems. Soil amendment use, improved disease management practices, and careful cultivar choice are some of the potential components for improving potato production systems. This research was conducted in long-term cropping systems plots in order to evaluate the impact of soil amendments, pest management practices, and cultivar on foliar and soil-borne potato diseases and to assess the relationships of soil and pest management practices to disease levels and soil microbial activity. Fungicide applications for management of foliar diseases varied between the pest management systems (e.g., biological, reduced input, and conventional). Incidence of potato foliar diseases was quantified five times during the cropping season. The impact of soil amendment and pest management practices on soil microbial activity and tuber-borne diseases was also investigated. Low incidences of foliar and selected soil-borne diseases were recorded. Disease levels varied between years, cultivars, pest management, and soil amendments. Significant differences between cultivars were detected for early blight, white mold, and black dot. The cultivar Superior had higher incidence of white mold and black dot, while cv Atlantic had higher early blight incidence. Pest management system significantly affected foliar early blight incidence in 1998, but not in 1997. Pest management system did not affect late blight, white mold, or black dot incidence, or tuber disease incidence in either year. The addition of soil amendments significantly impacted tuber black dot incidences. Microbial activity responded to increasing temperature as the season progressed and was significantly enhanced by the addition of manure and compost soil amendments; however, lower disease incidence was not associated with increased microbial activity. While pest management practices were not major determinants of disease levels in these experiments, the results show that soil amendments can increase incidence of selected tuber diseases and microbial activity in soils.
Micronutrients and Dengue

Dengue virus infection is the most widespread mosquito-borne viral infection in humans and has emerged as a serious global health challenge. In the absence of effective treatment and vaccine, host factors including nutritional status, which may alter disease progression, need investigation. The interplay between nutrition and other infections is well-established, and modulation of nutritional status often presents a simple low-cost method of interrupting transmission, reducing susceptibility, and/or ameliorating disease severity. This review examines the evidence on the role of micronutrients in dengue virus infection. We found critical issues and often inconsistent results across studies; this finding along with the lack of sufficient literature in this field have limited our ability to make any recommendations. However, vitamins D and E have shown promise in small supplementation trials. In summary, the role of micronutrients in dengue virus infection is an exciting research area and needs to be examined in well-designed studies with larger samples.
Abstract 3210: pRb, but not p107 or p130, is required for full induction of p16INK4a in human mammary epithelial cells

Pocket family proteins pRb, p107 and p130 are important cell cycle regulators in mammalian cells. In addition to controlling G1 to S transition, they also participate in differentiation and senescence. While all three pocket proteins have similar structures and apparently overlapping functions, defects in only one, pRb, are associated with human cancers. In breast cancer, pRb loss is associated with triple negative (ER-, PR-, HER2-) tumors, which tend to be more aggressive. To explore possible functions of pRb that may be unique, we investigated relative contributions of pocket proteins to cellular senescence initiated by high levels of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p16INK4a. For this purpose, we silenced pRb, p107 and p130 expression individually with shRNA constructs and exposed MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines to tet-inducible p16. In both malignant lines, knockdown of any single pocket protein was insufficient to prevent p16-induced senescence, indicating the likely existence of compensatory activities of the three pocket proteins in mediating p16-induced senescence. However, our finding that the introduction of HPV E7 - which inactivates all three pocket proteins, prevented p16-induced senescence, is consistent with the hypothesis that as a group, pRb, p107 and p130 constitute essential mediators of p16-induced senescence. To examine the relative contributions of the pocket proteins to cellular senescence initiated by endogenous p16, we used cultured primary human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) from non-malignant breast tissues. These cells spontaneously induce endogenous p16 and undergo senescence. When we examined the relative contributions of pocket proteins to senescence associated with increased endogenous p16 levels in HMEC, we found that suppressing pRb alone abrogated p16-induced senescence, whereas suppressing p107 or p130 did not. Remarkably, HMEC in which pRb alone was knocked down showed reduced p16 expression and longer proliferative life spans than controls or HMEC in which p107 or p130 were knocked down. These results suggest that pRb, but not p107 or p130, is required for full induction of endogenous p16 in breast cells, and provide a possible explanation for the special tumor-suppressor role of pRb. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3210.
Dimensional analysis of the detergency process for systems containing multicomponent soils

Dimensional analysis of the detergency process has been extended from soil-surfactant systems which contain a single polar soil to those with binary and ternary component soils which contain a nonpolar ingredient. This was made possible by replacement of the soil dipole moment variable by the proportional square root of orientation polarization (Po) and by establishment of the validity of the empirical volume fraction additivity of the ingredient P0 values of binary polar—polar mixtures by using the classical dilute solution—solute (P2) extrapolation procedure with a chemical oscillometer.
Response: Mapping Nucleosome Positions Using ChIP-Seq Data

We have recently reported genome-wide maps of 20 histone lysine and arginine methylation marks as well as the histone variant H2A.Z, the insulator-binding protein CTCF, and RNA polymerase II (RNA POL II) in human CD4+ T cells. We obtained these data by sequencing the DNA samples obtained from chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) using the Solexa high-throughput sequencing technique, a method termed ChIP-Seq (Barski et al., 2007). We found that trimethylation of lysine 4 of histone H3 (H3K4me3) is greatly increased around the transcription start site (TSS) of genes and that the level of this mark correlates with transcriptional activity.
Disparity in orthodontic utilization and treatment need among high school students.

Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the disparity in utilization of orthodontic services among high school students and to measure and characterize the extent of unmet treatment needs among untreated students at the time of examination. Methods: The sample consisted of 2,808 tenth grade students enrolled in different public and private high schools. All subjects completed a dental survey that included questions on demographic, dental health, and orthodontic services, and assessment of smile using the visual analog scale. A subsample of dental study casts that were available for 561 untreated subjects were scored using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) to estimate unmet treatment need. Results: The orthodontic utilization rate was 37 percent. The odds of being orthodontically treated were 8.7 times greater among those with dental visits within the past year than among those without, and three times greater among Caucasians than among other ethnic groups. The DAI indicated that the unmet treatment need was 29 percent, with ethnic minority groups having 2.6 greater odds of needing treatment than Caucasians. Conclusion: Minority groups and infrequent dental attenders may experience disparities in unmet orthodontic treatment need.
Role of slope stability in cumulative impact assessment of hydropower development: North Cascades, Washington

Two environmental assessments considered the potential cumulative environmental impacts resulting from the development of eight proposed hydropower projects in the Nooksack River Basin and 11 proposed projects in the Skagit River Basin, North Cascades, Washington, respectively. While not identified as a target resource, slope stability and the alteration of sediment supply to creeks and river mainstems significantly affect other resources. The slope stability assessment emphasized the potential for cumulative impacts under disturbed conditions (e.g., road construction and timber harvesting) and a landslide-induced pipeline rupture scenario. In the case of smallscale slides, the sluicing action of ruptured pipeline water on the fresh landslide scarp was found to be capable of eroding significantly more material than the original landslide. For large-scale landslides, sluiced material was found to be a small increment of the original landslide. These results predicted that hypothetical accidental pipeline rupture by small-scale landslides may result in potential cumulative impacts for 12 of the 19 projects with pending license applications in both river basins.
Radioligand-Receptor Assay of Luteinizing Hormone and Chorionic Gonadotropin

The specific binding of labeled gonadotropin to subcellular fractions of the rat testis has been utilized in the development of a sensitive radioligand assay system for LH and HCG. The cell-free supernatant of the fragmented interstitial cell fraction was found to contain high affinity gonadotropin receptors, which showed rapid and specifically reversible binding of 125I-labeled LH and HCG. For binding assays, satisfactory results were also obtained with the fraction prepared by centrifugation at 1500 g after homogenization of the whole testis. Assays were performed by incubation of tracer hormone with standards or samples and binding fraction for 2 hr at 37 C, or 16 hr at 24 C. Separation of bound and free tracer was performed by centrifugation and washing of the particulate receptor fraction, followed by measurement of the bound radioactivity. Parallel dose-response curves were obtained with human pituitary LH (LER 907), human urinary LH, and human chorionic gonadotropin, while ovine, bovine, and rat LH...
In Memoriam: Charles J. Epstein, MD

The entire medical genetics community mourns the passing of Charles J. Epstein and joins his wife, Lois, their four children, and their grandchildren in honoring his memory. Charlie's training included a B.A. in Chemistry from Harvard (Phi Beta Kappa), an M.D. from Harvard Medical School (AOA), 2 years as an Internal Medicine resident at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, 2 years at the National Institutes of Health in the laboratory of Chris Anfinsen working on protein chemistry, and 1 year as a medical genetics fellow with Arno Motulsky in Seattle.
Neuroprotection in the PNS: Erythropoietin and Immunophilin Ligands

Many illnesses that affect the peripheral nervous system (PNS) lead to distal axonal degeneration rather than loss of neuronal cell bodies. Strategies aimed at promoting survival of injured neurons (i.e., preventing cell death) may not be applicable to many PNS illnesses. We have developed in vitro and in vivo animal models to study mechanisms of acquired peripheral neuropathies and used these models to evaluate the therapeutic potential of novel compounds. In recent years, erythropoietin (EPO) has been recognized as a novel neuroprotectant in the central nervous system. In the PNS, we recently showed that Schwann cell-derived EPO acts as an endogenous neuroprotectant and that it is most effective in preventing distal axonal degeneration seen in models of peripheral neuropathy. Similarly, we showed that immunophilin ligands are also neuroprotective in the PNS and prevent axonal degeneration seen in models of peripheral neuropathies. Both EPO and non-immunosuppressive immunophilin ligands are in early clinical development for the treatment of acquired peripheral neuropathies.
Internal browning of potato tubers: Varietal susceptibility as related to weather and cultural practices

Internal browning injury to potato tubers was more severe in varieties grown in 1954 under conditions of artificially maintained moisture supply than under drought conditions in 1953.
Imaging of the Dust Acoustic Wave to Explore Synchronization

A self-excited dust acoustic wave is synchronized by sinusoidal modulation of the ion density, and the wave is imaged by planar laser-light scattering. Space-time diagrams based on the images reveal how the nonlinearity of the plasma's response causes the wave's frequency to be synchronized to a multiple of 0.5, 1, 2, or 3 of the modulation frequency. Space-time diagrams also reveal wave front merging as is observed for a wide range of modulation frequencies.
On the Development and Use of Homogenized Climate Datasets

Abstract At the National Climatic Data Center, two basic approaches to making homogeneity adjustments to climate data have been developed. The first is based on the use of metadata (station history files) and is used in the adjustments made to the U.S. Historical Climatology Network monthly dataset. The second approach is non-metadata based and was developed for use with the Global Historical Climatology Network dataset, since there are not extensive station history files for most stations in the dataset. In this paper the two methodologies are reviewed and the adjustments made using each are compared, then the results are discussed. Last, some brief guidelines on the limitations and uses of these data are provided.
Clinical significance of improvement resulting from two behavioral marital therapy components

This study compared the effectiveness of behavioral marital therapy (BMT) to that of its major components—behavior exchange (BE) and communication/problem solving training (CPT)—each presented in isolation. In a previous manuscript, Jacobson (1984) reported the results for thirty-six couples. This manuscript presents data from an additional twenty-four couples and presents a thorough analysis of clinical significance of the results at both posttest and a 6-month follow-up. Between-groups comparisons were based on the proportions of couples improved in each condition. Criteria for improvement included both the clinical significance of the changes and whether or not the changes were statistically reliable. In terms of marital satisfaction, differences between groups began to emerge at the 6-month follow-up. BE couples deteriorated at very high rates, while couples receiving the complete treatment (CO) in particular tended to either maintain or enhance their progress. On a measure tapping desire for behavior change, the differences between groups were much less striking, although there remained a tendency for CO couples to show lower deterioration rates at follow-up time. Overall, the CO treatment produced the most enduring as well as the most consistent changes.
Multiple Regimes and Low-Frequency Variability in the Quasi-Adiabatic Overturning Circulation

AbstractWhen interior mixing is weak, the ocean can support an interhemispheric overturning circulation on isopycnals that outcrop in both the Northern Hemisphere and a high-latitude southern circumpolar channel. This overturning cell participates in a salt–advection feedback that counteracts the precipitation-induced surface freshening of the northern high latitudes. The net result is an increase in the range of isopycnals shared between the two hemispheres, which strengthens the overturning circulation. However, if precipitation in the Northern Hemisphere sufficiently exceeds that in the Southern Hemisphere, the overturning cell collapses and is replaced by a cell circulating in the opposite direction, whose southern end point is equatorward of the channel. This reversed cell is shallower and weaker than its forward counterpart and is maintained diffusively. For a limited range of parameters, freshwater hysteresis occurs and multiple overturning regimes are found for the same forcing. These multiple reg...
BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA CELL LINE VIABILITY AND MODULATION OF JM-27 BY DOXAZOSIN AND IBUPROFEN

ABSTRACT Purpose: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is among the most common diseases affecting quality of life in older men. Despise intense research efforts to our knowledge the genetic mechanisms underlying the BPH disease process and therapeutic markers needed to determine patient responsiveness to a particular form of pharmacological therapy are still not identified. This has slowed the development of new therapeutic agents for the treatment of BPH. Materials and Methods: We investigated the cellular effects of certain drugs on BPH. Besides doxazosin, which is the prevailing drug to treat BPH, the effect of ibuprofen was examined as a new therapeutic approach due to strong evidence of a correlation between BPH and inflammation. Results: This study showed that doxazosin as well as ibuprofen significantly decreases cell viability and induced apoptosis in 267 B1 cells as well as in BPH-1 cells. In addition, we observed that the administration of doxazosin and ibuprofen to BPH-1 cells decreased the expression of JM-27, a protein particularly expressed in prostate that is highly up-regulated in symptomatic BPH. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that ibuprofen may be a new therapeutic target for the treatment of BPH. Further research must be done to investigate the potential use of ibuprofen in patients with BPH and examine if JM-27 expression in patients with BPH may stratify individuals who may be most responsive to pharmacological treatment.
NeedFeed: taming change notifications by modeling code relevance

Most software development tools allow developers to subscribe to notifications about code checked-in by their team members in order to review changes to artifacts that they are responsible for. However, past user studies have indicated that this mechanism is counter-productive, as developers spend a significant amount of effort sifting through such feeds looking for items that are relevant to them. We present NeedFeed, a system that models code relevance by mining a project's software repository and highlights changes that a developer may need to review. We evaluate several techniques to model code relevance, from a naive TOUCH-based approach to generic HISTORY-based classifiers using temporal code metrics at file and method-level granularities, which are then improved by building developer-specific models using TEXT-based features from commit messages. NeedFeed reduces notification clutter by more than 90%, on average, with the best strategy giving an average precision and recall of more than 75%.
Numerical approach to simulating turbulent flow of a viscoelastic polymer solution

In this paper, we present two new numerical algorithms for updating the equations of motion for a viscoelastic fluid that can be described by the finite extensible nonlinear elastic polymer model with the closure proposed by Peterlin (so called FENE-P model) in a transient calculation. In particular, our algorithms address two difficulties found in earlier formulations. First, the polymer extension, represented by the trace of the conformation tensor, can numerically exceed the finite extensible length causing the restoring spring force to change sign and the calculation to rapidly diverge. In our formulations, we have redefined the conformation tensor so that this possibility no longer exists. Secondly, the conformation tensor must remain symmetric and positive definite at all times for the calculation to remain stable. The accumulation of numerical errors can cause loss of this property, leading to the growth of Hadamard instabilities [J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 60 (1995) 53]. We present two matrix decompositions that enable us to construct the conformational tensor in a manner that ensures positive definiteness. Numerical tests of the new algorithms show significant departures from other approaches that rely on filtering to remove the instabilities.
The ameliorating addict: An illusion reviewed

It is difficult to accommodate compulsive drug use that destroys regulation by consequences in a unitary framework of melioration or maximization, especially as both are strategies of behavioral regulation. The “contradiction” of addictive behavior despite aversive consequences is an illusory issue because consequences that do not decrease addictive behavior cannot be considered punishing.
Using Sun Glint to Check the Relative Calibration of Reflected Spectral Radiances

Abstract Observations of sunlight reflected from regions of sun glint are used to check the relative calibration of spectral radiances obtained with imaging radiometers. Reflectances at different wavelengths for sun-glint regions are linearly related. Provided that the atmosphere is reasonably transparent at the wavelengths, the aerosol burden is reasonably light, 0.64-μm optical depth less than 0.2; the particles constituting the aerosol are reasonably large, as is the case for marine aerosols; and the solar zenith angle is less than about 35°, the linear relationships between reflectances at different wavelengths are rather insensitive to the factors that govern the reflectances themselves. The relationships are remarkably insensitive to atmospheric composition, surface wind speed and direction, illumination, and viewing geometry. The slopes and offsets of the linear relationships are used to assess the relative accuracies of the calibrations of the different channels. Such assessments would appear to b...
A dynamical basis for the de Broglie phase wave

Using the kinematic equations of perturbative special relativity (PSR), which are valid in the limit of small momentum transfers, we derive the particle-wave velocity equationvw = c2, thereby providing a dynamical basis for the de Broglie phase wave. This same PSR calculation also demonstrates that 1) the phase wave is accurately planar, and 2) the quanta of the phase wave are tachyons.
High speed network issues in a distributed visualization application

The author examines the issues in creating an UltraNet TCP/IP socket-based distributed application. The visualization computation is performed on a Connection Machine, and the results are rendered using a Silicon Graphics 4D/320 VGX workstation. The UltraNet network facilitates high-bandwidth communication between the computers. Ideally, taking advantage of the UltraNet is no more complex than developing TCP/IP and UNIX BSD socket-type applications on a single machine. In practice, there are several problems in developing an application using the UltraNet. The author identifies potential problems and discusses techniques for overcoming them. The performance of UltraNet communication is measured and found to be 10 MB/s for SGI 4D/320 workstations. >