cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ALIGN: A System for Automating Analog Layout

Editor’s note: This article describes a correct by construction approach to synthesize electrically and designs compliant design. By taking advantage of layout hierarchies they are able to apply this to an interesting class of circuits. — Sherief Reda, Brown University — Leon Stock, IBM — Pierre-Emmanuel Gaillardon, University of Utah
CT Fluoroscopy for Image-Guided Procedures: Physician Radiation Dose During Full-Rotation and Partial-Angle CT Scanning.

PURPOSE To determine physician radiation exposure when using partial-angle computed tomography (CT) fluoroscopy (PACT) vs conventional full-rotation CT and whether there is an optimal tube/detector position at which physician dose is minimized. MATERIALS AND METHODS Physician radiation dose (entrance air kerma) was measured for full-rotation CT (360°) and PACT (240°) at all tube/detector positions using a human-mimicking phantom placed in a 64-channel multidetector CT. Parameters included 120 kV, 20- and 40-mm collimation, and 100 mA. The mean, standard deviation, and increase/decrease in physician dose compared with a full-rotation scan were reported. RESULTS Physician radiation exposure during CT fluoroscopy with PACT was highly dependent on the position of the tube/detector during scanning. The lowest PACT physician dose was when the physician was on the detector side (center view angle 116°; -35% decreased dose vs full-angle CT). The highest PACT physician dose was with the physician on the tube side (center view angle 298°; +34% increased dose vs full-angle CT), all doses P <.05 vs full-rotation CT. CONCLUSIONS Partial-angle CT has the potential to both significantly increase or decrease physician radiation dose during CT fluoroscopy-guided procedures. The detector/tube position has a profound effect on physician dose. The lowest dose during PACT was achieved when the physician was located on the detector side (ie, distant from the tube). This data could be used to optimize CT fluoroscopy parameters to reduce physician radiation exposure for PACT-capable scanners.
The Influence of Visual Impairment on Physical Fitness Test Performance

The Project UNIQUE Physical Fitness Test was administered to 686 normally sighted and 484 visually impaired subjects in the 10-17 age range. Significant differences favoring the normally sighted we...
An Alternative to ‘Distributive’ Marxism: Further Thoughts on Roemer, Cohen and Exploitation*

G. A. Cohen and John Roemer, two of the most influential of the ‘Analytic Marxists,’ have argued convincingly that the Marxian concept of exploitation must include injustice as part of its definition. ‘Exploitation’ is more like ‘murder’ which includes injustice in its very meaning, than like ‘killing’ which describes a fact which is often unjust but need not be. ‘Forced extraction of unpaid or surplus labor,’ then, is not sufficient for exploitation. The extraction must be unjust to be exploitative. Otherwise we would have to call it exploitation if people were forced to labor without pay as just punishment, or if people-selected by lottery-were drafted to fight a defensive war and provided no more than subsistence for their trouble, or if initiators of an unjust war were forced to labor to repair the damages they had caused.
Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Micro Level: Individuals and Families

While social work policy can be considered the what, and practice, the how, the study of human behavior is concerned with why. Why do people do the things they do? Why do individuals behave differently in groups than when alone? Why do some people become the victims of their lives while others who have endured tragedy become life's heroes? Resilience across the life span is a new major theme of the second edition of the bestselling Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Micro Level. In an elegant and accessible manner, Katherine van Wormer explores the nuances of the biological, psychological, cultural, and spiritual dimensions of our social lives from an ecosystems and empowerment-based perspective. Drawing on examples from social work, psychology, literature, philosophy, and current events, vignettes highlight the turning points in our lives and invite students to explore the contradictions between how we mean to be and how others view us. The result is an essential book that bridges theory and practice, providing extraordinary insight into our drives and motivations, and revealing the myriad patterns and paradoxes of our behavior in the social context. * Integrates new research findings and recent census and global health data * Revised with augmented discussions of multiculturalism, Latino/Latina identity issues, and late adulthood to reflect demographic changes in the United States * Outlines theoretical concepts and practice implications in each chapter * Places unique emphasis on biology's influence on human behavior, employing the latest empirical data in discussions of matters such as gender differences, genetics, and mental disorders * Focuses on evidence-based theory and research * Teaches from a global, cross-cultural, perspective, highlighting themes of empowerment and social justice * Features dynamic readings, personal narratives, and photographs that highlight each chapter's topic * Accompanied by an online instructor's manual with lecture presentations, chapter summaries, key terms, suggested classroom activities, and a test bank with essay and multiple choice questions at www.oup.com/us/HBSE/ Don't miss the companion volume, Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Macro Level, Second Edition written with Fred H. Besthorn, which develops a sophisticated and original view of the cultural, global, spiritual, and natural worlds that people inhabit, and the impact of these worlds on human behavior.
The Co-Evolution of the Internet, (Un)Civil Society & Authoritarianism in China

This paper extends Guobin Yang’s 2003 seminal article on the co-evolution of the Internet and civil society in China. It argues the Internet has both facilitated the growth of civic spaces and empowered authoritarianism. Not only has the Internet amplified civic discourses and group formations, it also has augmented the influence of the authoritarian state as well as uncivil interactions online, leading to a greater degree of fragmentation and cynicism of public opinion. Although social media platforms such as the Twitter-like Sina Weibo can serve as a critical space for expressing and channeling public opinion, especially during times of crisis, they are unlikely to be the ultimate game changer.
Creating an SVM to play strong poker

We present a support vector machine that plays strong poker based on training on data from a proven player. This approach allows us to create an agent without having to use and implement expert rules. We tested our support vector machine by having it play against several opponents. It did not perform as well as expected, but did show some promise.
A Democratic Theory of Amicus Advocacy

Amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) participation in litigation has flourished in recent years as many groups and individuals seek to influence the outcome of litigation. Amicus filers are not parties and judges have wide discretion to reject amicus briefs if they believe that the amicus participation does not add anything to the briefs already filed by the parties. In three recent cases, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Richard Posner has rejected amicus filings and promised to closely scrutinize applications to file amicus briefs in the future. Judge Posner’s influence has led an increasing number of judges, primarily at the district court level, to deny leave to file amicus briefs. This Article argues for the importance of amicus participation in a democratic system. The Article proposes changes to the federal appellate standards for granting leave to file amicus briefs. Currently, court rules generally require that amicus briefs add something new to the arguments already made by the parties. This Article argues that the standards for sanctions under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure should determine whether amicus briefs should be accepted for filing. This standard might increase the number of amicus briefs that are accepted for filing, but would also increase democratic participation in the court system. While placing some limits on amicus participation is important to the proper functioning of the judicial system, this Article argues that limits on amicus participation should be minimal in light of the democratic and constitutional values that amicus participation furthers.
Characterizing the Low-Frequency QPO behavior of the X-ray Nova XTE J1550-564

For all 209 RXTE observations of the 7-Crab X-ray nova XTE J1550-564, we analyzed the X-ray power spectra, phase lags, and coherence functions. These observations cover the entire 250 day outburst cycle of the source and are the most complete and arguably the richest data set for any black hole X-ray nova. We find that there are three fundamental types of QPO behavior--one more than reported by Wijnands, Homan, & van der Klis (1999, ApJ, 526, 33). The new type occurred during the first half of the outburst. These three types of QPO behavior can be grouped according to the relative contributions of the disk and power-law components to the total flux.
Results from the Second EUVE Source Catalog

We present the results of the Second EUVE Source Catalog, including all detections from the EUVE all-sky survey, the EUVE deep survey, and sources detected during dedicated instrument pointings. Where available, we furnish identifications of these objects and statistics with regard to type of stellar or extragalactic object.
Quantifying Vocal Fatigue Recovery: Dynamic Vocal Recovery Trajectories after a Vocal Loading Exercise:

ObjectivesWe quantified the recovery of voice following a 2-hour vocal loading exercise (oral reading).MethodsEighty-six adult participants tracked their voice recovery using short vocal tasks and perceptual ratings after an initial vocal loading exercise and for the following 2 days.ResultsShort-term recovery was apparent, with 90% recovery within 4 to 6 hours and full recovery at 12 to 18 hours. Recovery was shown to be similar to a dermal wound healing trajectory.ConclusionsThe new recovery trajectory highlighted by the vocal loading exercise in the current study is called a vocal recovery trajectory. By comparing vocal fatigue to dermal wound healing, this trajectory is parallel to a chronic wound healing trajectory (as opposed to an acute wound healing trajectory). This parallel suggests that vocal fatigue from the daily use of the voice could be treated as a chronic wound, with the healing and repair mechanisms in a state of constant repair. In addition, there is likely a vocal fatigue threshold at ...
Allelism, Complementation, and Pseudoallelism at the Dumpy Locus in Drosophila Melanogaster.

Four, and probably at least seven, subloci are present in Drosophila in the dumpy region. The difference between the effects of the cis and trans combinations of these mutants does not seem to be directly related to the linear distance between subloci within the dumpy region nor to the exchange of products between paired homologous chromosomes. Pseudoallelic subloci expressing a recessive lethal effect in the dumpy region are suggested. Recombination has thus far not resolved the pleiotropic effects of individual subloci into finer subunits. No suggestive evidence of gene conversion-'' or aberrant recombination for this region has thus far been obtained. Heterochromatic position effects associated with the dumpy region can be uniquely distinguished and demonstrated. Mutation rates of the various mutant types differ considerably, with multiple effect phenotypes more common than single effect phenotypes. Each mutant in the nest can be demonstrated to show at least a weak expression of the other remaining characteristics of this series by means of special modifiers and other genetic techniqucs. The developmental processes resulting in the oblique, lethal, and vortex expressions of the dumpy series are separate in time. A single Rene model seems to provide a possible basis for this series, although featuresmore » are to be found in it (evidence for subgenes) that do not seem to be present in bacteriophage cistrons. Whether the dumpy subgenes arose by duplication from one another is still an open question. ( auth)« less
Field Placement Schools and Instructional Effectiveness.

Student teaching has long been considered a cornerstone of teacher preparation. One dimension thought to affect student teacher learning is the kinds of schools in which these experiences occur. Dr...
Aportaciones teóricas para los estudios urbanos y regionales

The necessity of recuperating the exercise of reflection and theoretical discussion so as to sustain the investigation process in the field of urban an regional studies, enables us to present, within this paper, an analytic reconstruction of the former as well as the new theoretical contributions. Such contributions provide territorial elements which help understand the complexity of the recent and regional
Addressing node failures in all-optical networks

We investigate the effectiveness of link-protection schemes in terms of their ability to handle node failures in all-optical networks. We focus on node recovery, using a ring-based scheme (double-cycle cover; DCC) and generalized loopback. Comparisons are made by introduction of metrics that measure a protection scheme’s effectiveness in handling node failures. We also introduce measures that quantify failure impact, the degree to which a network is left vulnerable to a failure after a previous failure has been successfully recovered. Comparison with DCC for five sample networks shows that generalized loopback is more robust against node failures and can provide the same level of reliability while using 16% less capacity on average over five sample networks.
Early versus delayed feeding with an immune-enhancing diet in patients with severe head injuries.

Background: Although early enteral feeding clearly reduces septic morbidity after blunt and penetrating trauma, data for head-injured patients are conflicting. This study examines the effects of early us delayed enteral feedings on outcome in patients with severe closed-head injuries with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score greater than 3 and less than 11. Methods: Thirty patients were prospectively randomized to receive an immune-enhancing diet (Impact with fiber) early (initiated < 72 hours after trauma) delivered via an endoscopically placed nasoenteric tube (Stay-Put) or late (administered after gastric ileus resolved). This formula was continued for 14 days or until the patient tolerated oral feeding. Goal rate of nutrition was 21 nonprotein cal/kg/d and 0.3 g N/kg/d. Results: Two patients in the early group were excluded due to inability to place the tube, and one patient in the late group died before 72 hours. Five of the remaining 27 died, 1 in the early group and 4 in the late group. There were no s...
Effective Diffusivities in Zeolites: 2. Experimental Appraisal of Effective Shape-Selective Diffusivity in ZSM-5 Catalysis

Abstract A method is described for experimentally probing the molecular shape-sensitive diffusivity of a molecular species effective during the steady-state process of catalysis in a zeolite. It does not require the use of catalyst samples of differing and known particle (i.e., crystallite) sizes but with otherwise identical properties. It can be carried out on a single catalyst sample. The method makes use of hydrogen-deuterium transfer as the catalytic reaction. Instead of comparing reaction rates on different crystallite sizes, it makes use of altering the magnitude of a pseudo-first-order reaction rate constant to probe for the effect of diffusion inhibition. The method is used here to examine the magnitude of the catalytically effective diffusivity of ortho -xylene is ZSM-5, in comparison to the "uptake diffusivity" derived from sorption measurements.
Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthetase fromEscherichia coliDoes Not Catalyze the Dehydration of Bicarbonate to Carbon Dioxide

Abstract The reaction catalyzed by carbamoyl phosphate synthetase (CPS) from Escherichia coli was examined for the formation of several transient intermediates. The chemical mechanism for CPS has been previously postulated to involve the formation of carboxy phosphate and carbamate as transient intermediates. However, it is uncertain whether the carbamate arises from the reaction of ammonia with the carboxy phosphate intermediate or whether the carboxy phosphate must first dissociate to carbon dioxide prior to the attack by ammonia. A spectrophotometric pH indicator assay was used to show that during the bicarbonate-dependent ATPase partial reaction, the initial rate of H + production is linear and equivalent to the rate of ADP formation. The time course for H + production is consistent with a mechanism in which carboxy phosphate, but not CO 2 , is formed and released from the enzyme. No 13 C-NMR signal is observed for CO 2 during the ATPase reaction at either low or high concentration of CPS. Isotope exchange experiments using [γ- 18 O 4 ] ATP as the initial substrate in the ATPase reaction produced P i without the detectable loss of 18-oxygen, which is inconsistent with the formation of CO 2 during the bicarbonate-dependent ATPase reaction. For the partial back reaction catalyzed by CPS, a pH indicator assay was utilized to test for the initial production of carbamate and ATP from carbamoyl phosphate and ADP. When the rate of ATP synthesis was made relatively fast, the time course for H + production was biphasic. These results are consistent with the rapid uptake of H + during the breakdown of carbamate to CO 2 and NH + 4 , followed by the slower release of protons during the nonenzymatic hydration of CO 2 . Overall, these results are consistent with the formation of carbamate during the partial back reaction of CPS but no evidence could be obtained for the intermediacy of CO 2 during the bicarbonate-dependent ATPase reaction.
An evaluation of the signal and noise characteristics of four CCD‐based film digitizers

Film digitizers are common devices in radiology departments involved with picture archive and communication systems (PACS) and teleradiology. In this paper, we studied the performance of film digitizers based on charge-coupled devicedetectors(CCD digitizers), and compared this with the performance of a laser digitizer (the de facto standard). Our focus was on the assessment of signal, noise and useful optical density range performance. A function (L * ΔD) derived from the Rose model was used to evaluate these parameters in absolute terms, based their predicted ability to detect objects of specific size and optical density difference with respect to background. We studied CCD digitizers from four different vendors and found that none was able to reliably operate up to the maximum density of 3.0 required to digitize plain radiographs, while the laser digitizer was capable of this task. Our analysis also indicated that two of the four CCD digitizers were adequate for digitizing laser-printed cross-sectional images in certain cases. Finally, our analysis indicated that digitization of SMPTE pattern films along with visual assessment of the 5% and 95% contrast patches was not sufficient for determining the utility of film digitizers for clinical tasks. Computation of the L * ΔD function provides a useful means of assessing the performance of film digitizers (e.g., for acceptance testing and quality control), and this technique may be adaptable for evaluation of other digital imaging modalities.
Human Rights Publishing Under Threat

: Shannon Speed is contributing editor of “Human Rights Forum,” the AAA Committee for Human Rights column in Anthropology News.
Computational Investigation of Gurney Flap Effects on Rotors in Forward Flight

A hybrid Navier-Stokes/free-wake solver has been employed to investigate the performance of a rotor equipped with a Gurney flap in steady level flight and in descent. A scaled model of the BO-105 rotor was studied. The calculations were coupled to a comprehensive analysis to properly account for the effects of the elastic deformations on the aerodynamic loads and to account for trim. Fixed and dynamically deployed Gurney flaps were considered. In forward flight, it was found that a properly chosen azimuthal deployment schedule of the Gurney flaps may reduce the peak-to-peak variations in hub loads, potentially reducing vibrations. In descent flight, it was found that the deployment of a fixed Gurney flap decreased the descent rate needed to maintain autorotation.
A new species of Platychoerops (Plesiadapiformes, Mammalia) from the latest Palaeocene of the Paris, London and Belgian Basins

Abstract A new species of Platychoerops, P. georgei, is described on the basis of isolated incisors and cheek teeth from the Marnes de Dormans at Try (Marne), France; the Suffolk Pebble Beds at Ferry Cliff, Suffolk, England; the Sables d'Erquelinnes at Erquelinnes, Belgium; and the Dormaal Sand Member, Landen Formation, at Dormaal, Brabant, Belgium. The upper incisor of this species shows a special modification of the trilobation typical of more primitive plesiadapids, in particular Plesiadapis tricuspidens Gervais. The molars show dilambdodonty typical of Platychoerops, but the premolars are nonmolariform. The species co-occurs with the primitive equoid Cymbalophus cuniculus ( Owen ) at Try, Ferry Cliff and Erquelinnes, and with the rodent Microparamys nanus ( Teilhard ) at Ferry Cliff and Dormaal. Together, these three species mark the earliest known “Sparnacian” mammal fauna of the North Sea Basin area, which probably occurred shortly before the Palaeocene-Eocene boundary as recognised from planktonic foraminiferal (base P6b) or from calcareous nannoplankton (base NP10) biozonations.
Investigating the potential impacts of chlorophenols on the lake baikal (Siberia, russia) food web by employing daphnia grazing bioassays and a chlorella growth bioassay

A grazing bioassay was employed to assess the impacts of chlorophenols on Daphnia magna and Daphnia pulex. The effects of two chlorophenols, pentachlorophenol (PCP) and 4-chlorophenol, were investigated at concentrations of 0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 mg · L−1 over a 96-h period. All tests were conducted in water from the southern basin of Lake Baikal (Siberia). For D. magna, grazing rates were significantly depressed after exposure to 0.001 mg · L−1 of PCP for 48 h or to 0.01 mg · L−1 of 4-chlorophenol for 96 h. However, neither chemical continued to depress filtering rates as either dose or time increased, thus effective concentrations (EC50s) could not be determined. This prevents the use of this bioassay as a tool for assessing exposure to chlorophenols, but it is still useful in that it provides insight into potential ecological effects. In the case of D. pulex, depressed rates were also found at 0.001 mg · L−1 of PCP after 48 h; due to problems with the control, no conclusions were drawn for the effect of 4-chlorophenol on this species. The growth rates of Daphnia's prey, Chlorella vulgaris, were also investigated in the presence of these chemicals; no observable effects were found at any concentration during the 96-h period, implying that ecosystem effects may be limited to higher trophic levels.
A dynamical theory of elastic electrical conductors

Abstract Using the first and second laws of thermodynamics and certain requirements of invariance under rigid body motions, the author is able to deduce the equations of motion of an elastic electrical conductor under the influence of an electromagnetic field, valid for speeds which are small in comparison with the speed of light. Certain constitutive relationships are also deduced.
Food deprivation level alters the effects of morphine on pigeons' key pecking

Four pigeons pecked response keys under a multiple fixed-ratio 30 fixed-interval 5-min schedule of food presentation. Components alternated separated by 15-s timeouts; each was presented six times. Pigeons were maintained at 70%, 85%, and greater than 90% of their free-feeding weights across experimental conditions. When response rates were stable, the effects of morphine (0.56 to 10.0 mg/kg) and saline were investigated. Morphine reduced response rates in a dose-dependent manner under the fixed-ratio schedule and at high doses under the fixed-interval schedule. In some cases, low doses of morphine increased rates under the fixed-interval schedule. When pigeons were less food deprived, reductions in pecking rates occurred at lower doses under both schedules for 3 of 4 birds compared to when they were more food deprived. When pigeons were more food deprived, low doses of morphine increased rates of pecking in the initial portions of fixed intervals by a greater magnitude. Thus, food-deprivation levels altered both the rate-decreasing and rate-increasing effects of morphine. These effects may share a common mechanism with increased locomotor activity produced by drugs and with increased drug self-administration under conditions of more severe food deprivation.
Donor-acceptor pair decay and evaluation of the recombination constant and the Bohr radii of shallow impurities in ZnSe

Abstract The recombination constant ( W 0 ) and the Bohr radii of Na interstitial donors ( a D ) and substitutional Na acceptors ( a A ) in Na doped ZnSe have been determined from the time decay of the close donor-acceptor pairs. The results are W 0 = 6 x 10 8 s -1 , a D = 37A˚, and a A = 5.6A˚. The measured Bohr radii are in excellent agreement with the v alues derived from scaled effective mass theory.
Visual nesting impacts approximate number system estimation

The approximate number system (ANS) allows people to quickly but inaccurately enumerate large sets without counting. One popular account of the ANS is known as the accumulator model. This model posits that the ANS acts analogously to a graduated cylinder to which one “cup” is added for each item in the set, with set numerosity read from the “height” of the cylinder. Under this model, one would predict that if all the to-be-enumerated items were not collected into the accumulator, either the sets would be underestimated, or the misses would need to be corrected by a subsequent process, leading to longer reaction times. In this experiment, we tested whether such miss effects occur. Fifty participants judged numerosities of briefly presented sets of circles. In some conditions, circles were arranged such that some were inside others. This circle nesting was expected to increase the miss rate, since previous research had indicated that items in nested configurations cannot be preattentively individuated in parallel. Logically, items in a set that cannot be simultaneously individuated cannot be simultaneously added to an accumulator. Participants’ response times were longer and their estimations were lower for sets whose configurations yielded greater levels of nesting. The level of nesting in a display influenced estimation independently of the total number of items present. This indicates that miss effects, predicted by the accumulator model, are indeed seen in ANS estimation. We speculate that ANS biases might, in turn, influence cognition and behavior, perhaps by influencing which kinds of sets are spontaneously counted.
Role of a conserved pore residue in the formation of a prehydrolytic high substrate affinity state in the AAA+ chaperone ClpA.

The AAA+ protease ClpAP, consisting of the ClpA chaperone and the ClpP protease, processively unfolds and translocates its substrates into its proteolytic core, where they are cleaved. Unfolding and efficient translocation require ATP-dependent conformational changes in ClpA’s D2 loop, where the conserved GYVG motif resides. To explore the role of the essential tyrosine of this motif, we investigated how two mutations at this residue (Y540C and Y540A) affect the rate at which the enzyme processes unstructured substrates. The mutations decrease ClpA’s ability to process unfolded or unstable protein substrates but have only mild effects on the rates of ATP hydrolysis or hydrolysis of small peptide substrates. The mutants’ substrate binding properties were also characterized, using single molecule fluorescence microscopy. The single-molecule studies demonstrate that the conserved tyrosine is essential for the formation of the prehydrolytic, high substrate affinity conformation observed in wild-type ClpA. Tog...
Free intracellular Ca2+ regulates bacterial lipopolysaccharide induction of iNOS in human macrophages

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) reaction is of enormous significance in innate immune protective response of host to microbial challenges. We speculate that microbial challenges, by virtue of their lipopolysaccharide (LPS) content, exert an effect on intracellular free Ca(2+) levels ([Ca(2+)]i), which evokes cellular signaling in a manner that depends on LPS type. In this study, we investigated the effect of LPS from heterogeneous sources (Chlamydia pneumoniae [cLPS], Pseudomonas aeruginosa [pLPS], and Salmonella typhimurium [sLPS]) on nitric oxide (NO) release and iNOS expression in THP-1- and U937-derived macrophages, and determined the role of free [Ca(2+)]i on LPS-mediated generation of NO and iNOS expression in these cell types. The role of free [Ca(2+)]i oscillation and the probable input of extracellular Ca(2+) influx on Ca(2+)-signals was monitored in relation to iNOS expression in LPS-stimulated macrophages. There was a significant difference in the time course release of NO in both macrophage types when stimulated with cLPS, or pLPS, or sLPS. In all instances, LPS induced a significant release of NO compared with interferon-gamma. There was a difference in the pattern of basal iNOS reaction leading to NO release compared to iNOS expression observed at 24h post-stimulation. While a biphasic pattern was observed in the manner in which free [Ca(2+)]i affected iNOS expression, inhibition of extracellular Ca(2+) influx resulted in a steady increase in iNOS expression. The implications of these findings are: moderate free [Ca(2+)]i affects macrophage release of NO and iNOS expression during LPS stimulation; also, LPS of heterogeneous sources differentially evokes macrophage iNOS reactions irrespective of macrophage types.
Perceived Partner Adaptation and Psychosocial Outcomes for Newly Diagnosed Stage I and Stage II Breast Cancer Patients

The current study examines the relationship between a woman's perception of her partner's emotional, behavioral, and intimate adaptation to her breast cancer and her levels of distress, well-being, and social support. Sixty-six women diagnosed with Stage I or II breast cancer within the previous year completed distress, well-being and social support measures and answered open-ended questions describing their partners' adaptation to their cancer. Women whose partners' intimate adaptation is positive had significantly lower distress, and positive emotional and intimate adaptation was related to higher well-being and social support. These results suggest that efforts to address women's psychosocial needs during their initial treatment of breast cancer should include a focus on their relationships and, possibly, interventions aimed at assisting the adjustment of their spouse or significant other.
Statistical Mechanics-Inspired Modeling of Heterogeneous Packet Transmission in Communication Networks

This paper presents the qualitative nature of communication network operations as abstraction of typical thermodynamic parameters (e.g., order parameter, temperature, and pressure). Specifically, statistical mechanics-inspired models of critical phenomena (e.g., phase transitions and size scaling) for heterogeneous packet transmission are developed in terms of multiple intensive parameters, namely, the external packet load on the network system and the packet transmission probabilities of heterogeneous packet types. Network phase diagrams are constructed based on these traffic parameters, and decision and control strategies are formulated for heterogeneous packet transmission in the network system. In this context, decision functions and control objectives are derived in closed forms, and the pertinent results of test and validation on a simulated network system are presented.
On reachability sets that are groups

We provide a general theorem concerning situations in which the teachability set of a group machine is a group.
GaN, GaAlN, and AlN for use in UV detectors for astrophysics: an update

In SPIE Proceeding 2397 we demonstrated that there is a large payoff still to be gained by further improvements in the performance of solar blind UV detectors for astronomical purposes. We suggested that a particularly promising future technology is one based on the ability of investigators to produce high-quality films made of wide bandgap III-IV semiconductors. Here we report on significant progress we have made over the past year to fabricate and test single-pixel devices. The next step will be to measure and improve detective efficiency, measure the solar blindness over a larger dynamic range, and begin developing multiple-pixel designs.
Key Observations of Liquefied Natural Gas Vapor Dispersion Field Test with Expansion Foam Application

Expansion foam has been recommended as one of the safety provisions for mitigating accidental liquefied natural gas (LNG) releases. However, the effectiveness of foam in achieving this objective has not been sufficiently reported in outdoor field tests. This paper investigates the effects of expansion foam application on LNG vapor dispersion in field experiments, which were performed at the Brayton Fire Training Field. Specifically, this study aimed to obtain key parameters such as temperature changes of methane and foam, and the extent reduction of vapor concentration for evaluating the use of foam to control the vapor hazard from spilled LNG. In addition, the underlying mechanisms of foam when it contacts with an LNG pool and foam breaking rates were also investigated. Results showed that expansion foam was effective in increasing the buoyancy of LNG vapor by raising the temperature of the vapor permeated through the foam layer, and ultimately decreasing the methane concentrations in the downwind direct...
Allosteric Effects of a Monoclonal Antibody against Thrombin Exosite II

We previously isolated a monoclonal antithrombin IgG from a patient with multiple myeloma [Colwell et al. (1997) Br. J. Haematol. 97, 219-226]. Using a panel of 55 surface mutants of recombinant thrombin, we now show that the epitope for the IgG most likely includes Arg-101, Arg-233, and Lys-236 in exosite II. The IgG affects the rate at which thrombin cleaves various peptide p-nitroanilide substrates with arginine in the P1 position, increasing the kcat for substrates with a P2 glycine residue but generally decreasing the kcat for substrates with a P2 proline. The allosteric effect of the IgG is altered by deletion of Pro-60b, Pro-60c, and Trp-60d from the 60-loop of thrombin, which lies between exosite II and the catalytic triad. The effect of the IgG, however, does not depend on the presence or absence of sodium ions, a known allosteric regulator of thrombin. The IgG does not affect the conformation of thrombin exosite I as determined by binding of a fluorescent derivative of hirudin54-65. These results provide evidence for a direct allosteric linkage between exosite II and the catalytic site of thrombin.
Dense-packed arrays on surfaces of constant negative curvature

Dense-packed assemblies of hard spheres are standard models of disorder in metallic glasses. Such packings are difficult to obtain with identical disks on flat two-dimensional surfaces because triangular packing units are easily incorporated into a hexagonal close-packed lattice. By packing disks on a two-dimensional manifold of constant negative curvature, however, one can study packing problems quite similar to those found in three-dimensional flat space.
Early Stages for Parkinson’s Development: α-Synuclein Misfolding and Aggregation

Misfolding and aggregation of proteins are common threads linking a number of important human health problems, including various neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease in particular. The first and perhaps most important elements in most neurodegenerative processes are misfolding and aggregation of specific proteins. Despite the crucial importance of protein misfolding and abnormal interactions, very little is currently known about the molecular mechanism underlying these processes. Factors that lead to protein misfolding and aggregation in vitro are poorly understood, in addition to the complexities involved in the formation of protein nanoparticles with different morphologies (e.g. nanopores and other species) in vivo. A clear understanding of the molecular mechanisms of misfolding and aggregation will facilitate rational approaches to prevent protein misfolding mediated pathologies. To accomplish this goal and to elucidate the mechanism of protein misfolding, we developed a novel nanotechnology tool capable of detecting protein misfolding. We applied single molecule probing technique to characterize misfolding and self-assembly of α-synuclein dimers, which is the very first step of the aggregation process. Using AFM force spectroscopy approach, we were able to detect protein misfolding via enhanced interprotein interaction. Moreover, such an important characteristic as the lifetime of dimers formed by misfolded α-synuclein was measured. These data suggest that compared to highly dynamic monomeric forms, α-synuclein dimers are practically static and thus can play a role of aggregation nuclei for the formation of aggregates. Importantly, two different dissociation channels were detected suggesting that aggregation process can follow different pathways. The application of these findings for understanding of the aggregation phenomenon and the development of the disease is discussed.
Tightness of knots in a polymer chain.

It was predicted recently that sufficiently complex knots on a linear wormlike chain can have a metastable size, preventing their spontaneous expansion. We tested this prediction via computer simulations for ${7}_{1}$ and ${10}_{151}$ knots. We calculated the equilibrium distributions of knot size $S$ for both knots. By using the umbrella sampling, we were able to obtain the distributions over a wide range of $S$ values. The distributions were converted into the dependencies of the free energy on the knot size. The obtained free energy profiles have no pronounced local minima, so there are no metastable knot sizes for these knots. We also performed Brownian dynamics simulation of ${7}_{1}$ knot relaxation that started from a very tight knot conformation. The simulation showed that knot expansion is a fast process compared to knot displacement along the chain contour by diffusion.
Severity of depression and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation: identification of contributing factors

Severity of depression, as reflected by total scores on depression rating scales, has been established as one of several major sources of variance associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation in patients with major depressive disorder. To determine which of the symptoms comprising clinically defined severity of illness contribute most to this relationship, we studied the associations between postdexamethasone plasma cortisol levels and components of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) in 114 patients with major depressive disorder. At pretreatment baseline, severity of depression was modestly but significantly correlated with postdexamethasone plasma cortisol; a large part of this relationship was associated with the anxiety components of the HRSD. When relationships between postdexamethasone plasma cortisol and severity measures were studied longitudinally during treatment, this contribution of the anxiety items persisted. The anxiety associated with depression appears to be a major clinical factor associated with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation in major depressive disorder.
Exclusion of uniparental inheritance of chromosome 15 in a fetus with a familial dicentric (Y;15) translocation

We present a prenatal case with a 45,X,dic(Y;15) (q11.23;p11.1) karyotype and describe the inheritance pattern of the chromosome 15s. Chromosome 15 has an imprinted region and inheritance of both chromosome 15 from one parent results in either Angelman syndrome (AS) (paternal inheritance) or Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) (maternal inheritance). Parental chromosome studies revealed that the father carried the same dicentric (Y;15) translocation. Since familial chromosome rearrangements can result in aberrant chromosomal segregation during meiosis, we wanted to exclude paternal uniparental inheritance of chromosome 15. By using DNA microsatellite markers at several 15q11q13 loci, we determined that the fetus had inherited his normal non-translocated chromosome 15 from his mother. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Clonal divergence and genetic heterogeneity in clear cell renal cell carcinomas with sarcomatoid transformation.

BACKGROUND Approximately 5% of clear cell renal cell carcinomas contain components with sarcomatoid differentiation. It has been suggested that the sarcomatoid elements arise from the clear cell tumors as a consequence of clonal expansions of neoplastic cells with progressively more genetic alterations. Analysis of the pattern of allelic loss and X-chromosome inactivation in both the clear cell and sarcomatoid components of the same tumor allows assessment of the genetic relationship of these tumor elements. METHODS The authors of the current study examined the pattern of allelic loss in clear cell and sarcomatoid components of renal cell carcinomas from 22 patients who had tumors with both components. DNA samples were prepared from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded renal tissue sections using laser-capture microdissection. Five microsatellite polymorphic markers for putative tumor suppressor genes on 5 different chromosomes were analyzed. These included D3S1300 (3p14), D7S522 (7q31), D8S261 (8p21), D9S171 (9p21), and TP53 (17p13). In addition, X-chromosome inactivation analysis was performed in 14 tumors from female patients. RESULTS The clear cell components showed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the D3S1300, D7S522, D8S261, D9S171, and TP53 loci in 18% (4/22), 18% (4/22), 50% (10/20), 15% (3/20), and 20% (4/20) of informative cases, respectively. LOH in the sarcomatoid components was seen at the D3S1300, D7S522, D8S261, D9S171, and TP53 loci in 18% (4/22), 41% (9/22), 70% (14/20), 35% (7/20), and 20% (4/20) of informative cases, respectively. Six cases demonstrated an LOH pattern in the clear cell component that was not seen in the sarcomatoid component. Different patterns of allelic loss were seen in the clear cell and sarcomatoid components in 15 cases. Clonality analysis showed the same pattern of nonrandom X-chromosome inactivation in both clear cell and sarcomatoid components in 13 of the 14 cases studied. One case showed a random pattern of X-chromosome inactivation. CONCLUSION X-chromosome inactivation analysis data suggest that both clear cell and sarcomatoid components of renal cell carcinomas are derived from the same progenitor cell. Different patterns of allelic loss in multiple chromosomal regions were observed in clear cell and sarcomatoid components from the same patient. This genetic heterogeneity indicates genetic divergence during the clonal evolution of renal cell carcinoma. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
A production management information model for discrete manufacturing

Abstract The Manufacturing Systems Integration (MSI) project at the National Institute of Standards and Technology is developing a system architecture that incorporates an integrated production planning and control environment. The development of this architecture includes the definition of information models describing the information which needs to be shared among production management systems (production planning, scheduling and control systems) in order to achieve the integration of manufacturing systems. This paper presents the production management information model within the MSI project. The main focus of the model is to identify and characterize the relationships between orders and workpieces, to identify the information necessary to achieve workpiece tracking and to identify the information necessary to achieve resource requirements specifications for process plans.
Risk Factors for Early Infection of Central Venous Catheters in Pediatric Patients

Abstract Background: In an effort to avoid infections that can lead to the premature removal of indwelling central venous catheters (CVCs), the surgical technique and host factors present in pediatric recipients of permanent CVCs were reviewed. Study Design: All patients receiving CVCs over a 17-month period were identified. Those patients with fever and positive blood cultures drawn through the CVC within 45 days of line placement were labeled as having early infection. A case-control design was used to select two control patients for each infected patient. Charts from both the infection and control groups were reviewed for several factors present at the time of CVC placement, including fever, neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count [ANC] Results: Among the 473 CVCs placed, early infections developed in 53 patients (12%). The control group consisted of 106 patients. Neutropenia was present in 16 of 53 infected patients versus 8 of 106 controls (p = 0.004, OR=5.30). Perioperative antibiotics were given to 25 of 53 infected patients versus 72 of 106 controls (p = 0.02, OR=0.42). Fever was present in 12 of 53 infected patients versus 14 of 106 controls (p = 0.19, OR=1.92). Factors that were equally prevalent between the groups and that did not appear to influence the CVC infection rate included a diagnosis of malignancy, CVC type, and site of placement. Of the 53 infected catheters, 16 (30%) could not be cleared of infection and were removed. Conclusions: This study documents that neutropenia and failure to administer prophylactic antibiotics are risk factors for the development of early CVC infection in pediatric patients. To avoid early infection and possible premature CVC removal, we recommend that placement of permanent CVCs be postponed until the ANC is > 1,000. Perioperative antibiotics should be given. A trend toward higher infection rates was seen in patients with preoperative fever.
Cenozoic thrust emplacement of a Devonian batholith, northeastern Brooks Range: Involvement of crystalline rocks in a foreland fold-and-thrust belt

Involvement of crystalline rocks in thrusting near the foreland basin of a fold-and-thrust belt is relatively uncommon. In the northeastern Brooks Range, the Devonian Okpilak batholith was thrust northward and structurally elevated above adjacent foreland basin deposits during Cenozoic fold-and-thrust deformation. The batholith may have acted initially as a regional structural buttress, but a drop in the basal detachment surface to greater depth south of the batholith resulted in northward transport of the batholith. Shortening within the batholith was accommodated by (1) the development of discrete thrust slices bounded by ductile shear zones, (2) simple shear and development of penetrative mesoscopic and microscopic fabrics throughout the batholith, or both. The Mississippian Kayak Shale, a regional detachment horizon at the base of the overlying cover sequence, is depositionally thin or absent adjacent to the batholith. Thus, most of the cover sequence remained structurally coupled to the batholith during thrusting and was shortened by the development of penetrative structures.