cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vertebra plana: reappraisal of a contraindication to percutaneous vertebroplasty.

Abstract Purpose We evaluated the efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in treating symptomatic vertebra plana, which is considered a relative contraindication to the procedure. Methods Out of 540 levels treated in 260 patients, we treated 40 patients (mean age: 74 years) with vertebra plana between T6 and L3 (37 osteoporotic and 3 metastatic levels). In most cases, the vertebra was accessed with fluoroscopic guidance from a single, transpedicular approach. All patients underwent a preliminary MRI examination, an immediate, post-procedure radiological examination, and a follow-up examination (mean duration, 6 months). Results Both immediate and follow-up examinations showed that the mean pain and physical disability scores were significantly reduced compared to the scores before treatment ( p ≤ 0.001). No complications occurred during the procedures. In 23/40 cases, asymptomatic intradiscal cement leakage occurred. Posterior or perivertebral leakage never occurred. In most cases, an intravertebral cleft was present, and we filled it with polymethylmethacrylate, which healed the pseudarthrosis. Partial vertebral height was restored in 7 cases. In 6 cases, a new fracture occurred between 1 and 3 months at a different level from the treated level. Conclusion Our preliminary results showed that PVP was a safe, effective treatment for symptomatic vertebra plana; thus, it should not be discounted for this group of patients. In most cases, the procedure was favored by the presence of an intravertebral cleft that appeared to contribute to minimizing the risk of posterior cement leakage. Filling the cleft with polymethylmethacrylate allowed intravertebral stabilization.
Conservative voting and personality

The major purpose in the present investigation was to reconsider some of the research on the personality correlates of liberalism-conservatism (L-C) by employing a criterion-index measure of L-C, the Conservatism Index (CI). The CI was derived from the participants’ preferences for political candidates with liberal to conservative leanings. A total of 604 questionnaires were completed in 4 surveys. Questionnaires for each survey consisted of one or more inventories followed by a straw ballot representing the CI. The ballot included all announced candidates in the 1972 United States presidential primary campaign, plus Edward Kennedy. The CI correlated significantly with 2 conventional measures of L-C, and showed a similar pattern of correlates. Conservatism, especially as measured by the CI, also correlated significantly with low self concept, conformism, materialism, provincialism, intolerance for ambiguity, traditional family ideology, and authoritarianism. The conservative was not found to be less trustful of people, nor less socially responsible, as reported in previous research. The possibility of the CI serving as a substitute measure of L-C with advantages of brevity, currency, uniformity, and unobtrusiveness, is discussed.
A fast algorithm for computing the capacity of discrete memoryless channels

In this paper, we propose a fast algorithm for computing the capacity of an arbitrarily given discrete memoryless channel (DMC). The proposed algorithm is iterative and it is proved to be convergent for any given DMC. Numerical experiment shows that this new proposed algorithm works well for DMCs with tens of hundreds input and output symbols, while the Arimoto-Blahut algorithm appears to be slowly convergent in those cases.
New diphosphine systems

Abstract New bis-phosphines based on pamoic acid have been synthesised by the reaction of pamoic acid with PCl3. Alternatively new amides were synthesised from pamoic acid and n-butylamine, using N,N′-carbonyldiimidazole as an activation agent. The reaction of these amides with phosphorus trichloride in toluene leads easily to the highly sensitive chlorophosphines which react with trimethylsilylmorpholine to give the corresponding di-phosphines. The new compounds formed from the reactions have been characterised spectroscopically and in one case by X-ray crystallography.
GDP Dissociation Inhibitor Domain II Required for Rab GTPase Recycling

Rab GTPases are localized to distinct subsets of organelles within the cell, where they regulate SNARE-mediated membrane trafficking between organelles. One factor required for Rab localization and function is Rab GDP dissociation inhibitor (GDI), which is proposed to recycle Rab after vesicle fusion by extracting Rab from the membrane and loading Rab onto newly formed transport intermediates. GDI is composed of two domains; Rab binding is mediated by Domain I, and the function of Domain II is not known. In this study, Domain II of yeast GDI, encoded by the essential GDI1/SEC19gene, was targeted in a genetic screen to obtain mutants that might lend insight into the function of this domain. In onegdi1 mutant, the cytosolic pools of all Rabs tested were depleted, and Rab accumulated on membranes, suggesting that this mutant Gdi1 protein has a general defect in extraction of Rab from membranes. In a second gdi1 mutant, the endosomal/vacuolar Rabs Vps21/Ypt51p and Ypt7p accumulated in the cytosol bound to Gdi1p, but localization of Ypt1p and Sec4p were not significantly affected. Using an in vitro assay which reconstitutes Gdi1p-mediated membrane loading of Rab, this mutant Gdi1p was found to be defective in loading of Vps21p but not Ypt1p. Loading of Vps21p by loading-defective Gdi1p was restored when acceptor membranes prepared from a deletion strain lacking Vps21p were used. These results suggest that membrane-associated Rab may regulate recruitment of GDI-Rab from the cytosol, possibly by regulating a GDI-Rab receptor. We conclude that Domain II of Gdi1p is essential for Rab loading and Rab extraction, and confirm that each of these activities is required for Gdi1p functionin vivo.
Origins of mRNA identity: Capping enzymes bind to the phosphorylated C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II

The CTD, which is unique to pol II, consists of a tandem array of a heptapeptide repeat with the consensus sequence Tyr-Ser-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Ser. The mammalian pol II large subunit has 52 tandem repeats, whereas the Saccharomyces cerevisiae subunit has 27 copies. The IIA and IIO forms of pol II are interconvertible and functionally distinct. In vivo, …
Global Innovativeness and Consumer Susceptibility to Interpersonal Influence

Susceptibility to interpersonal influence is described as having two dimensions—normative and informational. We examined the effects of innovativeness and attention to social comparison information on these dimensions. We hypothesized that innovativeness would negatively affect both types of social influence and that attention to social comparison information would positively affect them. Data from 305 student participants were used in a structural equation model containing these hypotheses, which fit the data well. One surprise emerged from the analysis: innovativeness was positively related to informational influence. The findings suggest that innovativeness is associated with susceptibility to informational influence despite a resistance to normative influence.
Nordstrom--Robinson code and A7-geometry

The Nordstrom-Robinson code NR is a nonlinear binary code of length 16, with 2^8 codewords and minimum distance 6. Its automorphism group is a semidirect product of an elementary abelian group of order 16 and the alternating group A"7. This group and the corresponding action of A"7 is also at the origin of the sporadic A"7-geometry. We construct this geometry and derive the Nordstrom-Robinson code from it.
Beyond Phosphorylation Nuclear Export in Vascular Remodeling

The vasculature is composed of endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), fibroblasts, and immune cells with closely integrated functions. It is exposed to a variable environment of pulsatile flow and changing blood pressure, plus fluctuations in nutrient, oxidative, and cytokine stress. Adaptation to this changing environment is critical for sustained vascular health. VSMCs undergo a phenotype change in response to vascular injury, including migration, proliferation, and matrix production, also known as VSMC activation or phenotypic modulation. VSMC activation contributes to the progression of atherosclerosis and postangioplasty restenosis. Understanding the endogenous regulators of vascular plasticity and adaptation has revealed potential targets for pharmacological intervention to prevent vascular stenosis. For example, Ross established cAMP as a critical signaling pathway for the maintenance of VSMC quiescence.1 Since that time, agents that increase cAMP, such as phosphodiesterase inhibitors, have demonstrated usefulness as vasodilators, with clinical implications for pulmonary hypertension.2,3 Intracellular accumulation of cAMP signals to protein kinase A and the cAMP-responsive Rap1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor, Epac; simultaneous activation of both of these pathways by cAMP is essential for the antiproliferative impact on VSMCs.3,4 …
Technology development for the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM)-status and plans

Optical and infrared interferometry will open new vistas for astronomy over the next decade. Space based interferometers, operating unfettered by the Earth's atmosphere, will offer the greatest scientific payoff. They also present the greatest technological challenge: laser metrology systems must perform with sub-nanometer precision; mechanical vibrations must be controlled to nanometers requiring orders of magnitude disturbance rejection; a multitude of actuators and sensors must operate flawlessly and in concert. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory along with its industry partners, LMA and TRW, are addressing these challenges with a development program that plans to establish technology readiness for the Space Interferometry Mission by end of 2003.
Smiling, appeasement, and the silent bared-teeth display

Abstract Two field studies investigated the role of smiling in awkward or unpleasant social situations. In the first study, a confederate stood by the counter of a campus sundries shop, and waited on all control subjects who approached. He told approaching experimental subjects, however, that he did not work there, attempting to lead those subjects to think they had made a social mistake. In the second study, experimental subjects were led to believe that they had interrupted a conversation between two other individuals. Control subjects simply walked through a doorway on each side of which people were standing. In both studies more experimental than control subjects apologized and smiled, demonstrating that smiling does occur in at least some socially uncomfortable situations. The data also suggest that in some situations smiling may signal a desire to appease another, and that in this sense it can be behaviorally homologous to the silent bared teeth display of nonhuman primates.
Racial Geography, Economic Growth and Natural Disaster Resilience

National Response Plans have emphasized the need for interoperability of plans, systems, technology, and command structures. However, much less emphasis has been placed on equally important at-risk populations’ response to those plans. This study attempts to characterize the impact on resilience (recovery) of metropolitan areas by the presence (or absence) of separate small communities within a larger jurisdiction. We tested the hypothesis that urban areas composed of aggregation of smaller, self-contained communities experience slower recovery from natural disasters than more integrated communities as part of an overall effort to define and build resilience to natural disasters. A resilience index was created following the Political, Security, Economic, Social, Infrastructure, and Informational (PMESII) framework, and was tested using the socioeconomic data from Katrina-affected areas in Mississippi and Louisiana. A correlation analysis then investigated the relationship between racial geography, economic growth and natural disaster resilience. Results indicate the existence of segregated micro ethnic communities negatively correlates with resilience, and that economic capability correlates positively. The positive correlation coefficients of the total number of general-purpose government and the total general revenue per capita of county governments with the resilience indices suggest the importance of government involvement and government capacity in resilience construction. Neither the intergovernmental transferred revenue nor the general revenue from total tax significantly correlated with the resilience indices, implying that both the financial assistance from federal and state government and the fiscal revenue supported by the private economy are vital. The quantitative indicators of natural disaster resilience provide guidance for vulnerable communities to improve their processes. We hope to provide insights to improve future plans by policymakers developing comprehensive plans to build resilient communities and examine the relationship between racial geography, economic growth and restoration of essential socioeconomic activities.
View angle effects on relationships between MISR vegetation indices and leaf area index in a recently burned ponderosa pine forest

While nadir-viewing passive multispectral sensors have limited utility for characterizing the full dimensionality of forest canopies, multi-angle remote sensors such as the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) may improve detection of canopy architecture, canopy cover, and leaf area index (LAI) of forest canopy versus understory vegetation. Our objective was to determine whether data from the MISR sensor could improve estimates of LAI across a post-fire ponderosa pine forest located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We measured LAI during the 2002 and 2003 growing seasons and created continuous LAI maps using Landsat TM and ETM+ data (mean R 2 =0.81). We fit linear regression models of total and canopy LAI, using a series of MISR at-nadir and off-nadir or anisotropic vegetation indices as predictor variables, for each of five sampling periods. We found the best LAI model fits using either a new hotspot-adjusted normalized difference vegetation index, NDVIHS, NDVI calculated from the −60° view angle, or NDVI at-nadir and either the Hotspot–DarkSpot Index (HDS) or the normalized difference anisotrophic index (NDAX) (R 2 =0.56–0.91). However, differences in fits of these best models and those including NDVI at-nadir ranged from only 1 to 8%. Reflectance anisotropy patterns related strongly to understory vegetation phenology. We found that the relationships among NDVI or the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and canopy or total LAI showed little variation across view angles when the understory vegetation was senesced and significant anisotropy when understory green LAI was greatest. These findings demonstrate the value of multi-temporal measurements during periods of understory phenological change, even if the overstory LAI is relatively stable. We also evaluated the performance of the MISR LAI product and found moderate fits between the MISR LAI and our field- and Landsat-derived canopy LAI (R 2 =0.21–0.44).
Deriving wavelength spectra from fringe images from a fixed-gap single-etalon Fabry–Perot spectrometer

A new method is described for inferring wavelength spectra from two-dimensional images of Fabry-Perot interference fringes. This new method addresses the practical difficulties that have been previously encountered in determining the fringe image’s center, magnification, and distortions accurately enough to fully exploit the spectral resolution provided by the etalon. The method proceeds in two steps. First, the instrument’s mapping of image position to interference order is characterized by use of images of a scene illuminated uniformly by a highly monochromatic laser. Then this information is applied to resample two-dimensional images of unknown radiation sources down to sets of one or more one-dimensional wavelength spectra. Discrete cross-correlation techniques are used at both stages of analysis.
On the dynamics of canopy resistance: Generalized linear estimation and relationships with primary micrometeorological variables

[1] The 1-D and single layer combination-based energy balance Penman-Monteith (PM) model has limitations in practical application due to the lack of canopy resistance (rc) data for different vegetation surfaces. rc could be estimated by inversion of the PM model if the actual evapotranspiration (ETa) rate is known, but this approach has its own set of issues. Instead, an empirical method of estimating rc is suggested in this study. We investigated the relationships between primary micrometeorological parameters and rc and developed seven models to estimate rc for a nonstressed maize canopy on an hourly time step using a generalized-linear modeling approach. The most complex rc model uses net radiation (Rn), air temperature (Ta), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), relative humidity (RH), wind speed at 3 m (u3), aerodynamic resistance (ra), leaf area index (LAI), and solar zenith angle (Θ). The simplest model requires Rn, Ta, and RH. We present the practical implementation of all models via experimental validation using scaled up rc data obtained from the dynamic diffusion porometer-measured leaf stomatal resistance through an extensive field campaign in 2006. For further validation, we estimated ETa by solving the PM model using the modeled rc from all seven models and compared the PM ETa estimates with the Bowen ratio energy balance system (BREBS)-measured ETa for an independent data set in 2005. The relationships between hourly rc versus Ta, RH, VPD, Rn, incoming shortwave radiation (Rs), u3, wind direction, LAI, Θ, and ra were presented and discussed. We demonstrated the negative impact of exclusion of LAI when modeling rc, whereas exclusion of ra and Θ did not impact the performance of the rc models. Compared to the calibration results, the validation root mean square difference between observed and modeled rc increased by 5 s m−1 for all rc models developed, ranging from 9.9 s m−1 for the most complex model to 22.8 s m−1 for the simplest model, as compared with the observed rc. The validation r2 values were close to 0.70 for all models, and the modeling efficiency ranged from 0.61 for the most complex model to −1.09 for the simplest model. There was a strong agreement between the BREBS-measured and the PM-estimated ETa using modeled rc. These findings can aid in the selection of a suitable model based on the availability and quality of the input data to predict rc for one-step application of the PM model to estimate ETa for a nonstressed maize canopy.
A New Two-Moment Bulk Stratiform Cloud Microphysics Scheme in the Community Atmosphere Model, Version 3 (CAM3). Part II: Single-Column and Global Results

The global performance of a new two-moment cloud microphysics scheme for a general circulation model (GCM) is presented and evaluated relative to observations. The scheme produces reasonable representations of cloud particle size and number concentration when compared to observations, and it represents expected and observed spatial variations in cloud microphysical quantities. The scheme has smaller particles and higher number concentrations over land than the standard bulk microphysics in the GCM and is able to balance the top-of-atmosphere radiation budget with 60% the liquid water of the standard scheme, in better agreement with retrieved values. The new scheme diagnostically treats both the mixing ratio and number concentration of rain and snow, and it is therefore able to differentiate the two key regimes, consisting of drizzle in shallow, warm clouds and larger rain drops in deeper cloud systems. The modeled rain and snow size distributions are consistent with observations.
The role of follitropin and lutropin on the ovarian function in rats

Adult cycling female rats were treated with antisera to highly purified human follitropin and lutropin for eight days. The effect of this treatment on thein vitro steroidogenic response of the ovarian cells isolated from these rats to follitropin and lutropin has been investigated. Neutralisation of follitropin did not have significant effect on steroid production in response to lutropin. However, neutralisation of lutropin resulted in a very significant inhibition of response to both follitropin and lutropin.
Virtual communication, transformational leadership, and implicit leadership

This research was designed to test the theoretical relationship among personality, implicit leadership, and transformational leadership in a setting devoid of face-to-face communication, which we entitled virtual communication. Specifically, the study was designed to link, by using the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP), traits from the 5-factor model of personality (the Big 5) to followers' perception of the leadership style of a virtual leader on the basis of Bass and Avolio's MLQ-5X (1994). A voluntary sample consisted of undergraduate and graduate students from two universities in the south Texas area (N = 306). Respondents to the virtual communication rated Leader 1's communication, which used previously identified transformational language (Salter, Carmody-Bubb, Duncan, & Green, 2007), as significantly more transformational than Leader 2's communication, using words not associated with transformational leaders. Participants who scored high in the Big 5 personality traits of agreeableness, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and extraversion rated the leader as more transformational while those high in neuroticism rated the leader as less transformational.
The Market, the Firm, and Behavioral Antitrust

This chapter examines the main distinct concerns facing the application of empirical behavioral evidence to antitrust law and economics — also known as "behavioral antitrust." More than many (though not all) other legal fields, antitrust law is primarily concerned with the conduct of firms in markets rather than in individual behavior per se. Yet much of the empirical evidence that behavioral antitrust draws on concerns individual behavior outside the firm, often in non-market settings. Hence besides adducing additional, direct empirical evidence on behavioral phenomena within firms and markets, there is a need to determine when and how the behavioral evidence on human judgment and decision behavior more generally is informative for antitrust. To this end, the chapter considers the ways in which markets and firms shape behavior. Direct evidence and theoretical analysis both reveal these institutions variously to facilitate rationality and deviations from it. After illustrating the implications of the complex interaction among markets, firms, and the rationality of antitrust actors across different areas of the law and enforcement policy, the chapter concludes by sketching some important open questions and future research directions in behavioral antitrust.
“Todo se puede decir sabiéndolo decir”: maleabilidad en políticas de medios indigenistas

Desde 1979, el Estado mexicano ha instalado una red de 20 radiodifusoras en lenguas indigenas. Durante tres decadas, los objetivos de la radiodifusion indigenista han seguido lineamientos gubernamentales, pero cada radio ha podido negociar las politicas. Mediante el analisis de documentos oficiales primarios, entrevistas a profundidad con actores clave y observacion directa en seis radios indigenistas, este texto sugiere que el Estado intenta construir ciudadania entre los indigenas a traves de los medios, pero desconfia de sus propias radios. Las radiodifusoras han usado su afiliacion con el Estado para defenderse de intentos locales de cooptarlas, pero tambien para adaptar reglas en beneficio propio.
Pyogenic Granuloma (Lobular Capillary Hemangioma): A Clinicopathologic Study of 178 Cases

Pyogenic granuloma (lobular capillary hemangioma) is a common acquired vascular lesion of the skin and mucous membranes in the pediatric age group. This is a retrospective analysis of 178 patients, 17 years of age and younger (mean age 6.7 yrs). Forty-two percent of the lesions occurred in the first five years of life; only 12% appeared in infants less than 1 year old. The male:female ratio was 3:2. Most patients (74.2%) had no history of trauma or predisposing dermatologic condition. The mean lesional size was 6.5 mm and the mean duration at diagnosis was 3.8 months. The granulomas were most commonly located in the head and neck area (62.4%), followed in order of decreasing frequency by trunk (19.7%), upper extremity (12.9%), and lower extremity (5.0%). The preponderance (88.2%) occurred on the skin, the remaining ones involved the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and conjunctivae. Histologic examination demonstrated normal numbers of mast cells, in contrast to increased mast cells characteristic of proliferative phase hemangiomas. Most lesions (n = 149) were treated by full-thickness skin excision and linear closure; there were no recurrences in this group. The recurrence rate in 23 lesions treated by shave (intradermal) excision and cautery or cautery alone was 43.5%.
Investigation of seal purge flow effects on the hub flow field in a turbine stage using particle image velocimetry

In high temperature turbines, air from disk cavities is forced through the vane-rotor seal to prevents hot gas ingress into these cavities. This purge air plays a role in the effectiveness of platform film cooling as well as interacting with the formation of the horseshoe vortex on the downstream rotor. The objective of this work is to investigate and characterize the aerodynamic signature of this interaction thus comprising a first step towards deeper understanding of the effect on platform heat transfer and the formation of the horseshoe vortex. Toward this end an investigation is performed on the first stage of the Purdue Research Turbine using Particle Image Velocimetry (PFV). The flow field is interrogated in the near hub region of the intra-stage space downstream of the first vane row. Two dimensional (radial and axial) velocity data from a measurement spaced between vane wakes are acquired. The data acquired are phase-locked to rotor position, thus characterizing the effect of the rotor potential field on the emergent seal flow behavior. Results are presented for three seal flow rates, ranging over values typical for actual gas turbine engine rotor seals.
On the selective elimination of intramolecular vibrational redistribution using strong resonant laser fields

Abstract A method is proposed for the selective elimination of intramolecular vibrational redistribution (IVR) in polyatomic molecules by using a strong resonant laser excitation. When the Rabi frequency is larger than the frequency spread of an isolated group of molecular eigenstates, IVR processes are totally suppressed, and the molecule simply oscillates between the ground state and the doorway state. The method may have direct implications on laser-selective chemistry.
Discussion: Applications and Innovations in Spatial Econometrics

These article provide a discussion of studies presented in a session on spatial econometrics, focusing on the ability of spatial regression models to quantify the magnitude of spatial spillover impacts. Both articles presented argue that a proper modeling of spatial spillovers is required to truly understand the phenomena under study, in one case the impact of climate change on land values (or crop yields) and in the second the role of regional industry composition on regional business establishment growth.
Twenty-First Century Phox: Not Yet Ready for Widespread Screening

Unstable forms of oxygen are highly reactive and have been widely implicated in disease pathogenesis. Indeed, interest in detecting their formation extends beyond this planet.1 Given their intrinsic evanescence, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vivo has been inferred by the quantitation of products of their reaction with lipids,2 proteins,3 and DNA.4 Such data have implicated ROS in cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis5 6 7 8 and ischemia-reperfusion syndromes.9 10 Evidence consistent with increased ROS generation based on such methodology has emerged in individuals with cardiovascular risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia,11 12 cigarette smoking,13 14 and alcoholism.15 Despite this, the outcome of trials of antioxidants as protective agents in cardiovascular diseases have been contradictory.16 17 18 However, a limitation of these trials is that none of them have included an assessment of ROS generation, either as an entry criterion or as a basis for dose selection. As in model systems in vitro,19 the response of humans to exogenous antioxidants is highly conditioned by the extent to which endogenous antioxidant defenses are depleted.20 21 Thus, inclusion of phenotypically inappropriate patients in such trials may have undermined sample size calculations and, consequently, the basis of statistical inference. If the functional competence of the diverse enzymes that comprise our defense against ROS is a critical determinant of our capacity to respond to exogenous antioxidants, genetic variations in the activity or expression of such enzymes may contribute to interindividual differences in susceptibility to ROS-mediated diseases. Reduced activity of the superoxide dismutase expressed in endothelial cells has been reported in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and correlates with their degree of endothelial dysfunction.22 Similarly, serum levels of paraoxonase (PON) 1, an enzyme that protects low density lipoprotein from oxidative …
Reaper is regulated by IAP-mediated ubiquitination

In most cases, apoptotic cell death culminates in the activation of the caspase family of cysteine proteases, leading to the orderly dismantling and elimination of the cell. The IAPs (inhibitors of apoptosis) comprise a family of proteins that oppose caspases and thus act to raise the apoptotic threshold. Disruption of IAP-mediated caspase inhibition has been shown to be an important activity for pro-apoptotic proteins in Drosophila (Reaper, HID, and Grim) and in mammalian cells (Smac/DIABLO and Omi/HtrA2). In addition, in the case of the fly, these proteins are able to stimulate the ubiquitination and degradation of IAPs by a mechanism involving the ubiquitin ligase activity of the IAP itself. In this report, we show that the Drosophila RHG proteins (Reaper, HID, and Grim) are themselves substrates for IAP-mediated ubiquitination. This ubiquitination of Reaper requires IAP ubiquitin-ligase activity and a stable interaction between Reaper and the IAP. Additionally, degradation of Reaper can be blocked by mutating its potential ubiquitination sites. Most importantly, we also show that regulation of Reaper by ubiquitination is a significant factor in determining its biological activity. These data demonstrate a novel function for IAPs and suggest that IAPs and Reaper-like proteins mutually control each other's abundance.
Perforated Semiconductor Neutron Detector Modules for Detection of Spontaneous Fission Neutrons

Compact neutron detectors are being designed and tested for use as low-power real-time personnel dosimeters and for remote neutron sensing. The neutron detectors are pin diodes that are mass produced from high-purity Si wafers. Each detector has thousands of circular perforations etched vertically into the device. The perforations are backfilled with 6LiF to make the pin diodes sensitive to thermal neutrons. The prototype devices delivered over 3.8% thermal neutron detection efficiency while operating on only 15 volts. The highest efficiency devices thus far have delivered over 12% thermal neutron detection efficiency. Devices moderated with high density polyethylene (HDPE) can be used for fast neutron detection. Compact packages with or without remote readout electronics are under construction and characterization.
Renal Pathophysiologic Role of Cortical Tubular Inclusion Bodies

Renal tubular inclusion bodies are rarely associated with drug administration. The authors describe the finding of renal cortical tubular intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies associated with the oral administration of a norepinephrine/serotonin reuptake inhibitor (NSRI) test article in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Rats were given an NSRI daily for 4 weeks, and kidney histopathologic, ultrastructural pathology, and immunohistochemical examinations were performed. Round eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies were observed histologically in the tubular epithelial cells of the renal cortex in male and female SD rats given the NSRI compound. No evidence of degeneration or necrosis was noted in the inclusion-containing renal cells. By ultrastructural pathology, inclusion bodies consisted of finely granular, amorphous, and uniformly stained nonmembrane-bound material. By immunohistochemistry, inclusion bodies stained positive for D-amino acid oxidase (DAO) protein. In addition, similar inclusion bodies were noted in the cytoplasmic tubular epithelial compartment by ultrastructural and immunohistochemical examination. This is the first description of these renal inclusion bodies after an NSRI test article administration in SD rats. Such drug-induced renal inclusion bodies are rat-specific, do not represent an expression of nephrotoxicity, represent altered metabolism of D-amino acids, and are not relevant to human safety risk assessment.
Role of cyclooxygenase activation and prostaglandins in antigen-induced excitability changes of bronchial parasympathetic ganglia neurons.

In vitro antigen challenge has multiple effects on the excitability of guinea pig bronchial parasympathetic ganglion neurons, including depolarization, causing phasic neurons to fire with a repetit...
Housework as Non-Normative Gender Display Among Lesbians and Gay Men

I develop a theoretical extension of gender display through housework by incorporating a predicted aversion toward stereotypical gender displays with a tendency toward egalitarianism among lesbians and gay men. I hypothesized that women who express higher levels of stereotypically masculine traits would take on a smaller share of housework than women who express lower levels of masculinity, and that men with higher levels of stereotypically feminine traits would contribute a greater share of housework relative to men with lower levels of these traits, illustrating the display of non-normative gender. Among a sample of U.S. women (n = 116) and men (n = 128) in same-sex, co-residential relationships, the effect of stereotypically masculine traits on routine housework was negative and significant for women, but not men; the effect of stereotypically feminine traits was positive and significant for men, but not women, supporting both hypotheses. The findings provide preliminary evidence that those in same-sex relationships use routine housework for gender display, but only when expressing stereotypical, gendered traits not normatively associated with their sex. Overall, lesbians and gay men eschewed the normative alignment of sex, gender, and routine housework.
Are Synonymous Sites in Primates and Rodents Functionally Constrained

It has been claimed that synonymous sites in mammals are under selective constraint. Furthermore, in many studies the selective constraint at such sites in primates was claimed to be more stringent than that in rodents. Given the larger effective population sizes in rodents than in primates, the theoretical expectation is that selection in rodents would be more effective than that in primates. To resolve this contradiction between expectations and observations, we used processed pseudogenes as a model for strict neutral evolution, and estimated selective constraint on synonymous sites using the rate of substitution at pseudosynonymous and pseudononsynonymous sites in pseudogenes as the neutral expectation. After controlling for the effects of GC content, our results were similar to those from previous studies, i.e., synonymous sites in primates exhibited evidence for higher selective constraint that those in rodents. Specifically, our results indicated that in primates up to 24% of synonymous sites could be under purifying selection, while in rodents synonymous sites evolved neutrally. To further control for shifts in GC content, we estimated selective constraint at fourfold degenerate sites using a maximum parsimony approach. This allowed us to estimate selective constraint using mutational patterns that cause a shift in GC content (GT ↔ TG, CT ↔ TC, GA ↔ AG, and CA ↔ AC) and ones that do not (AT ↔ TA and CG ↔ GC). Using this approach, we found that synonymous sites evolve neutrally in both primates and rodents. Apparent deviations from neutrality were caused by a higher rate of C → A and C → T mutations in pseudogenes. Such differences are most likely caused by the shift in GC content experienced by pseudogenes. We conclude that previous estimates according to which 20-40% of synonymous sites in primates were under selective constraint were most likely artifacts of the biased pattern of mutation.
Molecular Fluorescence: Principles and Applications, Second Edition

Why do I highly recommend Molecular Fluorescence: Principles and Applications, Second Edition to the readers of the Journal of Biomedical Optics? While there are many books that purport to elucidate the principles of fluorescence spectroscopy and discuss the instrumentation and the plethora of applications of fluorescence techniques, this book is unique in its depth of physical and mathematical exposition.
Millenarian Movements in Southern Laos and North Eastern Siam (Thailand) at the Turn of the Twentieth Century: Reconsidering the Involvement of the Champassak Royal House

Interrelated holy men millenarian movements destabilized southern Laos and North East Siam (Isan) at the turn of the twentieth century. In con- trast to those who have interpreted these uprisings as purely anti-state, the author presents evidence to suggest that Champassak royals played crucial roles in supporting the revolts, even to the extent of masterminding rebellions against both the French and the Siamese in order to enhance their own power. The findings of this research illustrate the varying power structures that ex- isted within lowland states in mainland South East Asia at the beginning of the twentieth century, a point that has implications with regard to James Scott's (2009) arguments in The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia.
Problem analysis at tier 2: Using data to find the category of the problem

The current chapter discusses research regarding methods to focus reading and mathematics interventions at tier 2. A problem analysis model for reading that involves targeting the most fundamental skill is presented in which the student struggles by focusing on the broad categories of comprehension, fluency, decoding, and phonemic awareness. Data from the Path to Reading Excellence in School Sites Project are then presented in which he problem analysis framework was used to target interventions for 175 second- and third-grade students. The data suggested that targeting the intervention based on problem analysis of the four broad areas led to more growth than a comprehensive intervention that was implemented by the school, and more growth than students who were above fall benchmark standards (tier 1). However, these positive results were also dependent on effective grade-level teams to conduct the problem analysis, an easy-to-use data warehouse system, a data manager to facilitate the problem analysis, implementation integrity of the interventions, and quality core instruction.
Continual electric field stimulation preserves contractile function of adult ventricular myocytes in primary culture

To model with greater fidelity the electromechanical function of freshly isolated heart muscle cells in primary culture, we describe a technique for the continual electrical stimulation of adult my...
Separation of Powers: Interpretation Outside the Courts

Law reviews carry hundreds of articles that examine with micro­ scopic precision the various judicial rulings on separation of powers. The net result is a mixture of inconsistent and incoherent theories, ranging from functional and pragmatic approaches to those that at­ tempt a doctrinaire and purist formulation. The conscientious (and weary) reader of these rulings and articles is left with vague notions of what the framers intended and what is legally required for con­ temporary times. How does the federal government function in the face of this doc·· trinal confusion? The answer is that government does fairly well, thank you, because most of the principal disputes involving separa­ tion of powers are resolved outside the courts. The majority of these collisions never reach the courts or, if they do, are quickly pushed back to the executive and legislative branches for nonjudicial treat­ ment. These accommodations and informal agreements are crucial in understanding separation of powers, but law reviews provide scant attention on the ground that the resolutions are "political" rather than "constitutional" interpretations. In fact, they are both, and the student of separation of powers should be sensitive to the complex and delicate arrangements that are fashioned regularly outside the courtroom. •
Hepatobiliary Imaging by Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT)

Hepatobiliary imaging by computed tomography (CT) has advanced impressively since the introduction of multidetector CT (MDCT) scanners in the late 1990s. Over the last few years, the number of detector rows has increased progressively from four, to eight, to 16, and then up to 64. Two important advantages of MDCT are the routine use of thinner, submillimeter sections, which yield higher spatial resolution, along the Z-axis and decrease in gantry rotation time, which result in a significantly reduced scan time. Sixteen-, 32- and 64-slice scanners allow the acquisition of data sets with nearly isotropic voxels for multiplanar imaging (e.g., coronal and sagittal plane), which has similar spatial resolution compared with axial planes. These off-axis reformations are particularly helpful for evaluating the hepatic vascular anatomy, the biliary system, and the segmental distribution of hepatic lesions.
The Institutional Role of Railroad Abandonment in Designing Logistics Channels

The competitive position of a business firm is a function of many factors. One significant variable is the firm's logistics system. This research is exploring the role that transportation policy has upon the long-term investment and disinvestment decisions of the firms that comprise and utilize a logistics system. Specifically, the role of the historic abandonment procedure is being examined to identify economic incentives and the resulting behavior of the participants. The hypothesis is that the railroad abandonment procedure created incentives which generated an adversary environment in which shippers relied upon the legal system rather than the market to maintain service. And that in the long run, the interest of neither the rail carrier nor the shipper was served. This is a critical issue today because of the political pressures to "reregulate" the abandonment process. Following are several of the incentives.
Societal Factors and the Diffusion of EDI

The work reported in this chapter is part of a research stream to study the interaction between a nation’s societal factors and the introduction of information technology. It examines the influence of four societal factors — culture, economy, infrastructures and government policy— on the diffusion of electronic data interchange in the Netherlands. This single-case study involved conducting semi-structured interviews with participants and observers of the diffusion process in the Netherlands along with analyzing relevant policy documents. Technology stimulation programs at the national and European Union levels combined with infrastructure developments have helped to shape the introduction and use of EDI in a fashion that is consistent with economic and cultural factors in the Netherlands. The results of this study provide insight into the nature of the linkage between societal influences and information technology diffusion. Further research is needed to examine these societal factors in other countries and to identify additional societal factors which influence the development and use of information technology.
Optimum ISI-free DMT systems with arbitrary data rates and PSK modulation: when does orthonornmality suffice?

We consider the design of optimum ISI-free, discrete multitone transmission (DMT) systems designed to achieve a quality of service (QoS) requirement quantified by bit rate and symbol error rate specifications. The optimality is in the sense of minimizing the transmitted power given the QoS specifications subject to the knowledge of the channel and colored interference at the receiver input of the DMT system. In an earlier paper we had provided conditions on the underlying modulation schemes under which orthonormal transforms suffice for optimality, and the solution has an attractive modularity. In this paper we demonstrate that PSK satisfies these conditions.
Investigation of pediatric emergency status in Heilongjiang province

Objective Investigations regarding the status of pediatric emergency and relevant facilities distribution in our province represent a crucial prerequisite for further setting up emergency network and improving our first aid capabilities.Methods We had conducted relevant surveys on the medical institutions within our province,including lever 2 and lever 3 hospitals as well as maternal and child care service centers.Results The feedback from 151 institutions indicated that they had 4485 pediatric beds and treated 5 308 severe patients in 2010.Among all,38 hospitals had ventilators for children and 4 hospitals could perform pediatric blood purification treatment.However,no one had mastered the children ECMO technique.Conclusion There is an inadequacy of some emergency equipments and the development in emergency and first aid is uneven.There is a strong request to launch and develop the blood purification and bronchfiberscope techniques,in combination with improvements in the first aid capabilities and emergency network. Key words: First aid; Emergency equipment; First aid capability
A Body Divided: British Quakers, Patriotism and War, 1899–1919

Two-thirds of young Quaker men did not enlist during the First World War, an illustration of a wartime division within the British Society of Friends between the call of civic duty and adherence to historic peace principles. Those who chose to remain at home actively protested against the war and subsequently against implementation in 1916 of compulsory military service. Other Quakers were unable to decide which way to turn. Early on in the war, alternatives were made available to young Quaker men, such as the Friends’ Ambulance Unit, but imprisoned Quaker absolutists became the saintly heroes of the wartime Society of Friends, following, as they did, in the steps of early Friends who suffered imprisonment for conscience’ sake.
Electric-Field Assisted Assembly of Colloidal Particles into Ordered Nonclose-Packed Arrays

Nonclose-packed colloidal arrays have many potential applications ranging from plasmonic sensors, light trapping for photovoltaics, to transparent electrodes. However, scalable fabrication of those structures remains a challenge. In this Article, we investigate the robustness of an electric-field assisted approach systematically. A monolayer of nonclose-packed crystalline array is first created under a low-frequency alternating-current electric field in solution. We then apply a sequence of direct-current pulses to fix the particle array onto the substrate so that it remains intact even after both field removal and solvent evaporation. Key process parameters such as the alternating-current field strength, direct-current magnitude, particle concentration, and solvent-evaporation rate that affect both ordering and fixing of colloidal particles have been studied systematically. We find that direct currents with an intermediate magnitude induce electrophoretic motion of particles toward the substrate and faci...