cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validation of SAR ATR performance prediction using learned distortion models

Performance prediction of SAR ATR has been a challenging problem. In our previous work, we developed a statistical framework for predicting bounds on fundamental performance of vote-based SAR ATR using scattering centers. This framework considered data distortion factors such as uncertainty, occlusion and clutter, in addition to model similarity. In this paper, we present an initial study on learning the statistical distributions of these factors. We focus on the development of a method for learning the distribution of a parameter that encodes the combined effect of the occlusion and similarity factors on performance. The impact of incorporating such a distribution on the accuracy of the predicted bounds is demonstrated by comparing bounds obtained using it with those obtained assuming simplified distributions. The data used in the experiments are obtained from the MSTAR public domain under different configurations and depression angles.
Investigation of linear, extrinsic silicon carbide photo-conductive switch materials

Summary form only given. Semi-insulating, compensated silicon carbide (SiC) has been employed in the linear, extrinsic photo-conductive mode as a high power switch. The extrinsic mode is employed for the purpose of increasing the optical absorption depth and thus the area through current can flow. Thus, the dopant densities determine the maximum carrier density and thus the current density is limited to a maximum value in the absence of impact ionization. The extremely large dielectric strength of SiC (3 MV/cm) enables electrode spacing to be reduced to the point that the required optical closure energy is very reasonable. The first design of a very compact, high voltage, high current package with minimal optical closure energy has been completed and is used in this work. This paper discusses the modeling of vanadium compensated SiC switches in concert with experiment measurements as a means determining the density and recombination cross sections of the dopants in the band gap. In this work, two types of compensation structures have been identified and will be presented. The two compensation structures have markedly different recombination times in the semiconductor codes. The material used in this work is a shallow donor, deep acceptor (SDDA). This paper presents the methods used to determine the density of dopants in the semi-insulating SiC material, the simulated switch waveforms and match the experimental waveforms. Finally the future of the modeling program is discussed along with the potential for controlling maximum switch current density and the switch recombination time with doping
Three-dimensional metal-organic frameworks based on tetrahedral and square-planar building blocks: hydrogen sorption and dye uptake studies.

Two three-dimensional metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) with tetraphenylmethane-derived tetracarboxylate linkers and copper paddle-wheel secondary building units were synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallographic studies. The two MOFs show a similar 4,4-connectivity but very different homocrossing and interpenetrating PtS network topologies and exhibit permanent porosity as probed by gas adsorption and dye inclusion experiments.
Efficient Risk Sharing: The Last Frontier

When rational risk-averse agents must choose among and share monetary risks, it is known that efficient sharing is typically nonlinear, even with common beliefs. Wherever it is, the sharing rule may affect the choice, randomized choice may allow everyone to gain, and indeed a randomized choice between unacceptable risks may be acceptable. An important exception occurs if the agents' utility functions are all exponential, all logarithmic, or all the same power (HARA). Then choices should accord with a group utility function of the same form independent of the sharing rule, randomization never helps, and all efficient sharing rules are linear. This self-contained paper simplifies, refines, and completes earlier analyses, identifying all exceptions; they are the linear sharing rules that make the agents' utilities agree. Aside from HARA, this can only occur for precisely one linear sharing rule or, in periodic versions of HARA, countably many.
Royal Recreation: Ivan the Terrible Goes Hunting

Ivan the Terrible loved hunting but between 1548 and 1564 he seems not to have indulged his favorite pastime. An anonymous English account written 1556-1558 says that Ivan had given hunting up for religious reasons. Three Russian texts written between 1550 and 1563, an entry in the Nikon Chronicle for 1556-1557 which praises Ivan for abstaining from hunting to become a true pastor of his flock, the Domostroi, a book of household management, and two vitae in the Stepennaia kniga tsarskogo rodosloviia (Book of Degrees of Imperial Genealogy), contain diatribes against the cruelty and immorality of hunting. These texts echo a minority anti-hunting tradition in medieval and early modern Europe. As in Europe hunting continued unabated, but in Muscovy it is possible that the anti-hunting animus of these texts inspired at least one temporary convert, Ivan the Terrible himself.
DEVELOPING QC/QA SPECIFICATIONS FOR HOT MIX ASPHALT CONCRETE IN ILLINOIS

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has recently undertaken a quality management program to improve the quality of construction, allow more innovation, and reduce IDOTs management of industry construction programs. The Asphalt Concrete (AC) Quality Control/Quality Assurance (QC/QA) program is a significant part of this quality management program. IDOT accredits the success of the AC QC/QA program to gradual implementation and contractor and industry involvement. In 1991, four projects were constructed under a newly developed QC/QA specification. After reviewing and evaluating feedback from the contractors and IDOT personnel, the specification was revised for use on 1992 projects. In 1992, IDOT let 30 QC/QA projects, and in 1993, 65 QC/QA projects. In 1994 and 1995, most AC projects containing over 225 metric tons (250 tons) of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) were designated as QC/QA projects. In conjunction with this effort on AC quality, an aggregate certification program was implemented. The program ...
Incentives for early adoption of carbon capture technology

Abstract We analyze a policy proposal for regulating the next generation of baseload electricity generation facilities in the United States. The cornerstone of this regulation is a (hypothetical) EPA mandate for an emission standard of 80 kg of CO 2 per MWh of electricity generated. The mandate would go into effect at the end of 2027 for all power generating facilities that come into operation after 2017. Fossil-fuel power plants could meet the standard by capturing between 80 and 90% of their current CO 2 emissions. While the initial cost of complying with this standard is relatively high for first-of-a-kind facilities, learning effects are projected to reduce this cost substantially by the end of 2027, provided new facilities consistently adopt carbon capture technology in the intervening years. We identify a combination of investment- and production tax credits that provide the required incentives for new facilities to be willing to comply with the standard ahead of the mandate. Due to the anticipated learning effects, the incremental cost associated with the stricter emission limit is projected to about 1.2 ¢ per kWh of electricity in the long run.
Modeling internal colonialism: History and prospect

Abstract The study considers the history of the concept of internal colonialism, shows how it has been used in different ideological traditions, and offers a definition based on economic rather than ethnic processes. It compares two early quantitative models, that of Mihail Manoilescu for Rumania and that of Celso Furtado and Hans Singer for Brazil, relating them to previously- existing international trade theories. It concludes with the speculation that recent econometric evidence of a deterioration of primary commodities' terms of trade over the long term has implications for the internal colonial concept, and not only for states with a “cultural division of labor.”
Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility in weakly deformed red beds from the Wyoming salient, Sevier thrust belt: Relations to layer-parallel shortening and orogenic curvature

Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) and structural studies of red beds in the Wyoming salient were completed to evaluate relations of magnetic fabrics to layer-parallel shortening and vertical-axis rotation in curved fold-thrust systems. The red beds display cleavage, fractures, veins, minor folds, and minor faults that accommodated widespread early layer-parallel shortening and minor strike-parallel extension. Magnetic susceptibility is carried mostly by paramagnetic phyllosilicates and ferromagnetic hematite that have composite fabrics related to sedimentary deposition, diagenesis, and tectonic processes. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility fabrics range from distinctly oblate ellipsoids parallel to bedding that reflect dominant sedimentary fabrics (type 1), to moderately oblate ellipsoids with weak magnetic lineations roughly parallel to the intersection of weak layer-parallel shortening fabrics and bedding (type 2), to triaxial and prolate ellipsoids with distinct magnetic lineations parallel to the intersection of moderate layer-parallel shortening fabrics and bedding (type 3). Type 1 sites occur mostly in the central, frontal part of the salient where layer-parallel shortening is 15%. Magnetic lineations are subparallel to structural trend and exhibit a tangential pattern around curved fold-thrust systems. Regional patterns of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility are broadly similar to patterns of finite strain estimated from reduction spots. Combined with paleomagnetic data, anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility data indicate that early layer-parallel shortening fabrics started with minor primary curvature and then underwent significant vertical-axis rotation during large-scale thrusting. Correlations with finite strain, structural, and paleomagnetic data sets indicate that analysis of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility in weakly deformed red beds is useful for evaluating kinematic evolution of thrust systems.
Is it time for BRCA1/2 mutation screening in the general adult population?: impact of population characteristics

Is it time for BRCA1/2 mutation screening in the general adult population?: impact of population characteristics
Annealing-induced relief of compressive misfit strain in liquid phase epitaxial yttrium iron garnet films

Abstract Films of yttrium iron garnet were grown on (111) gadolinium gallium garnet by liquid phase epitaxy from a PbO-B2O3 flux. Incorporation of Pb as a substitutional impurity produced an increase in film lattice parameter which resulted in initial compressive misfit strains in the films. The initial strains were relieved by annealing in O2. The relief process was studied by X-ray double-crystal diffractometry and topography supplemented by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Strain relief was found to be associated with the occurrence of defects which were imaged in both film and substrate topographs. When the initial compressive misfit was sufficiently large, annealing eventually resulted in a tensile strain and the development of cracks which propagated through the films and into the substrates.
Colonization of a man-made gravel bar by Oligochaeta

Quantitative substrate samples were collected at a newly constructed gravel bar habitat in the Tombigbee River, Mississippi, to characterize oligochaete (naididae and tubificidae) species richness and community composition. A total of 28 species of naidid and tubificid worms were indentified during the three-year study; Nais pardalis, Dero nivea, D. obtusa, Pristina aequiseta (naididae), and Branchiura sowerbyi (Tubificidae) were dominant. In June, 1985, three months after construction, 30 samples yielded seven taxa of oligochaetes; naidid and tubificid densities (± standard deviation) were 12.9 (± 29.7) and 10.1m-2 (±39.6), respectively. In October, 1985, 20 taxa were identified, and naidid and tubificid densities were 387.9 (± 300.5 and 22.9m-2 (±50.7), respectively. Tubificid densities were highest in the spring, except during the first year, and naidid densities showed their highest densities in the fall during all years. Dominance changed from Nais pardalis and Dero nivea during the first year to Pristina aequiseta and D. nivea during the last year. The naididae, which typically inhabit gravel, exhibited more uniform colonization patterns than did the tubificidae. Comparatively low densities characterized the oligochaete community during the first year and high naidid densities during the last. Because this gravel bar is relatively isolated from similar substrates, and since oligochaetes disperse only via drift or crawling, colonization processes have been slow.
Temperature-dependent birefringence patterns in Xenopus rod outer segments

Results reported here show that the birefringence of disk membranes in Xenopus rod photoreceptors depends upon the temperature at which the disks were assembled. Portions of the outer segments produced by the assembly of new disks while frogs are exposed to constant darkness and an ambient temperature of 25°C have a higher birefringence than portions assembled at 18°C. The intensity of birefringence reflects molecular-level structure and macromolecular-level organization of the disk membranes. It has been shown previously that increasing the ambient temperature enhances the rate of assembly of disk membranes in Xenopus rod outer segments. It also has been shown that disk membranes are assembled most frequently in the hours following light onset, and that disks assembled in the light have a lower birefringence than disks assembled in the dark. Therefore, although light and increased temperature both enhance the rate of disk membrane assembly, they have opposite effects upon the birefringence of Xenopus rod outer segments.
Renal epithelial-cell-controlled solute transport across permeable membranes as the foundation for a bioartificial kidney.

: Despite the success of current blood purification techniques in allowing the survival of individuals with acute and chronic renal failure, the quality of life of people affected by end-stage renal disease remains unsatisfactory. Part of the reason is due to the nonphysiologic manner in which current blood purification techniques achieve homeostasis. Attempts to improve mechanical substitution of renal function by coupling the transport capability of living cells with conventional hemofiltration devices constitute the first step toward the development of an implantable bioartificial kidney.
Renal transplant in patients with Alport's syndrome.

We evaluated 52 renal grafts transplanted into 41 patients with a pretransplantation diagnosis of Alport's syndrome. Overall 1-, 5-, and 10-year patient and graft survival rates were 95.1%, 90.2%, and 80.5% and 86.8%, 66%, and 45.3%, respectively. Although 14% of renal graft biopsy specimens examined with immunofluorescent microscopy showed linear glomerular basement membrane (GBM) immunoglobulin G deposits, only 1 of 41 patients (2.4%) or 52 grafts (1.9%) developed posttransplantation anti-GBM disease. The incidence of anti-GBM disease was 3.1% (1 of 32 patients) in a subgroup of male transplant recipients. Our analysis suggests that the incidence of anti-GBM disease in transplant recipients with Alport's syndrome is less than previously reported. In addition, it does not appear that HLA-DR alleles, which predispose to the development of anti-GBM disease in native kidneys, have a role in transplant recipients with Alport's syndrome posttransplantation. However, immunosuppression level may have a pathophysiological role in the development of anti-GBM disease. The majority of grafts in transplant recipients with Alport's syndrome failed because of chronic allograft nephropathy (69% of grafts) and acute rejection (22% of grafts). A history of previous acute rejection was the only factor that significantly affected graft outcome.
Thromboembolic complications in primary endocardial fibroelastosis.

Thromboembolic phenomena, especially of the central nervous system, appear to be more common in primary endocardial fibroelastosis than is generally realized. Five new cases and examples from the literature are presented to illustrate this association. In addition, the possible influence of race and of anemia in this disorder is considered. Although serious, endocardial fibroelastosis with thromboembolic complications is not necessarily fatal.
A fast software one-way hash function

One way hash functions are an important cryptographic primitive, and can be used to solve a wide variety of problems involving authentication and integrity. It would be useful to adopt a standard one-way hash function for use in a wide variety of systems throughout the world. Such a standard one-way hash function should be easy to implement, use, and understand; resistant to cryptographic attack, and should be fast when implemented in software. We present a candidate one-way hash function which appears to have these desirable properties. Further analysis of its cryptographic security is required before it can be considered for widespread use.
Rotator cuff tears: pathology and repair

By virtue of its anatomy and function, the rotator cuff is vulnerable to considerable morbidity, often necessitating surgical intervention. The factors contributing to cuff disease can be divided into those extrinsic to the rotator cuff (most notably impingement) and those intrinsic to the cuff (age-related degeneration, hypovascularity and inflammation amongst others). In an era of emerging biologic interventions, our interventions are increasingly being modulated by our understanding of these core processes, many of which remain uncertain today. When we do intervene surgically, the techniques we employ are particularly challenging in the context of the tremendous pace of advancement. Several recent studies have shown that arthroscopic repair gives similar functional results to that of mini-open and open procedures, with all the benefits of minimally invasive surgery. However, the ‘best’ repair construct remains unknown, with wide variations in surgeon preference. Here we present a literature review encompassing recent developments in our understanding of basic science in rotator cuff disease as well as an up-to-date evidence-based comparison of different techniques available to the surgeon for cuff repair.
A preliminary investigation on derivative cyclic constant current voltammetry

Abstract A new electroanalytical method, Derivative Cyclic Constant Current Voltammetry (DCCCV), has been described. Its application to qualitative and quantitative analysis as well as to investigations of differential double layer capacitance has been discussed. A multipurpose instrument utilizing operational amplifiers has been described. The instrument can be used for conventional, current reversal, and cyclic chronopotentiometry as well as for the new method. In addition, the instrument can serve as a generator of square, triangular, and saw-tooth waves.
Electrochemical and spectroscopic investigations of oxime complexes of bis(bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)

Abstract A series of cis -[Ru(bpy) 2 (oxime)] 2+ complexes (where bpy=2,2′-bipyridine and oxime=cyclohexanedione dioxime (cyclodioxH 2 ), diphenylglyoxime (dpgH 2 ), difurilglyoxime (dfgH 2 ), and 2-acetylpyridine oxime (acetoxH)) have been synthesized and characterized. 1 H and 13 C NMR spectra indicate that the complexes are cis -configured. The vicinal dioxime complexes display solvent and pH-dependent electronic spectra as well as proton-coupled electron transfer, as determined by cyclic and differential pulse voltammetries. p K a determinations on the ruthenium complexes were conducted and correlated with electronic and NMR spectroscopic and electrochemical data. The energy of the visible region MLCT band correlates with the redox potential of the Ru(III/II) center.
Are we learning what actually goes on when the brain recognizes and controls

Drawing upon recent advances in neuroscience for examples, the thesis is defended that, in contrast to a Kuhnian view of progress by over-turning whole sciences, progress amounting to revolution in our understanding of nervous systems is happening by the accumulation of many discrete discoveries, and that this process may be expected to continue for a long time. Twelve propositions are put forward illustrative of ideas developed during and influenced by C. L. Prosser's career, all in the segment of neuroscience concerned with subsystem organization. They range from the generally accepted to the frankly polemical and the merely heuristic. 1 Ongoing background activity has different forms. 2 Codes, both spike and graded, are several. 3 Integrative variables in neuron function are several. 4 Identifiable cells may be widespread. 5 Neuronal circuits for behavior are known. 6 Redundancy is usually overlap. 7 Reliability can be high. 8 Recognition neurons may be common and complex. 9 Command neurons may be common and complex. 10 Pattern is often central in origin. 11 Hierarchies and switches may be common. 12 Subsystem function is an intellectual challenge. Each of these is briefly elaborated and its logical relation to the others suggested. The role of discrete discovery is thus illustrated — in the generation of new conceptual frameworks that gradually become interrelated and cumulatively change profoundly our picture of what's going on in the brain.
Distribution and characterization of apolipoproteins in Chrysemys picta plasma

Very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) (d 1.21) with similar electrophoretic mobility to vitellogenin.
Biochemical and molecular correlations in carnitine palmitoyltransferase II deficiency

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase II (CPT II) deficiency is the most common lipid myopathy in adults and is characterized by exercise-induced pain, stiffness, and myoglobinuria. Retrospective analysis of patients with CPT II deficiency has made it possible to correlate the presence of disease-causing mutations in the CPT2 gene with residual CPT activity in muscle. We present evidence that the ratio of CPT II activity to citrate synthase activity in the skeletal muscle of patients presumed to have CPT II deficiency is important for predicting whether the patient has one, two, or no mutations in the CPT2 gene. This finding will assist in the future correlation of the phenotype with the genotype and in identifying manifesting heterozygotes.
Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of 3-alkoxysubstituted indoles

Abstract Indoles having an electron-donating alkoxy-group in the 3-position were prepared from 1-(2-nitrophenyl)-1-alkoxyalkene derivatives via a palladium-catalyzed reductive N-heteroannulation using carbon monoxide as the ultimate reducing agent. The required starting materials were prepared by a Stille coupling of 2-halonitroarenes with tributyl(1-ethoxyethenyl)stannane or tributyl(3,4-dihydro-2 H -pyran-6-yl)stannane.
Avoiding the local-minimum problem in multi-agent systems with limited sensing and communication

In this paper, we consider a control problem for nonholonomic multi-agent systems in which agents and obstacles operate within a circular-shaped work area. We assume that agents only have limited sensing and communication ranges. We propose a novel control scheme using potential functions that drives agents from the initial to the goal configuration while avoiding collision with other agents, obstacles, and the boundary of the work area. The control scheme employs an avoidance strategy that ensures that the agents are never trapped at local minima that are typically encountered with most potential function-based approaches. A numerical simulation is presented to demonstrate the validity and effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Drugs that block tumour necrosis factor: Experience in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Three biological response modifiers that inhibit tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) are approved for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Etanercept is a fusion protein comprising two soluble human TNF-α receptors linked to the Fc fragment of human immunoglobulin G1. Infliximab is a chimeric (human/mouse) monoclonal antibody and adalimumab is a humanised monoclonal antibody. In placebo-controlled trials in established disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)-refractory RA, the anti-TNF-α agents have reduced disease activity, as monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate. In long-term, open-label studies with etanercept or adalimumab, clinical response was sustained for up to 5 years. In early RA, etanercept has similar efficacy to methotrexate. However, etanercept was more effective than methotrexate in preventing radiographic progression. Preventing or delaying disease progression and disability with etanercept therapy in early RA may reduce costs associated with long-term disease outcomes. Data also suggest a benefit of infliximab plus methotrexate or adalimumab plus methotrexate in early RA. All three agents have been shown to improve functionality as assessed by health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) disability scores. Health-related quality of life is also improved in terms of physical and mental health and vitality. Furthermore, etanercept and adalimumab are associated with a reduction in fatigue. Long-term etanercept or infliximab therapy is associated with increased job employment and etanercept also reduces healthcare utilisation. Mild, transient injection-site reactions occur in about 33% of patients treated with etanercept and 20% of patients treated with adalimumab. In patients treated with infliximab, 16–20% have infusion reactions. The incidence of serious infection associated with etanercept and infliximab was low, about 2–3% in etanercept studies of up to 5 years duration, and 5% in a survey of more than 10 infliximab trials. This paper reviews the evidence for efficacy, safety and effectiveness of anti-TNF-α agents in RA.
Citing musicality: Performance knowledge in the Gardzienice archive

This article draws on previously published multimedia documents to explore the notion of musicality in the work of Wlodzimierz Staniewski and the Gardzienice Centre for Theatre Practices. In addition to offering a close analysis of several documented moments – including performances, work demonstrations, expeditions and gatherings – it tests the ability of multimedia documentation to capture performance knowledge, arguing that the work of Gardzienice is a paradigmatic example of ‘practice as research’. Taking the archive as a crucial dimension of the dissemination of knowledge, the article uses multimedia citation to examine the specific contributions of Gardzienice in the context of musicality as a relation between the theatrical and the musical. The article demonstrates that the stability of the archive allows for a detailed explication of performance knowledge in a way that is not possible from live performance alone.
Ethnic and gender differences in risk for early adolescent substance use

This study examinedinterpersonal andintrapersonal risk for substance use in a sample of Caucasian and Hispanic early adolescents. A total of 1170 sixth and seventh graders, equally divided by gender, participated. Interpersonal risk was assessed by susceptibility to peer pressure, parental monitoring, peer substance use, parent-child involvement, and school adjustment. Intrapersonal risk was measured via self-efficacy, impulsivity, aggression, depression, and academic achievement. As expected, mean level of use did not differ between ethnic groups. Regression analyses indicated susceptibility to peer pressure and peer alcohol use were the best predictors of individual substance use. These findings were consistent across gender and ethnicity. In all groups, interpersonal variables accounted for more variance in predicting risk (49% for Hispanic males) than intrapersonal variables (0% for Hispanic females). Findings are discussed (1) in terms of examining mean levels vs. the underlying pattern predicting substance use, and (2) regarding implications for prevention efforts in early adolescence.
Self-Insured Employer Health Plans: Prevalence, Profile, Provisions, and Premiums

Abstract: Data from three recent surveys indicate that about 40 percent of workers with employment-based health insurance are enrolled in plans that their employers self-insure. Despite the conside...
Identification of Novel Mutations in RBM20 in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy

The genetic basis of most of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) cases remains unknown. A recent study indicated that mutations in a highly localized five amino acid hotspot in exon 9 of RBM20, a gene encoding a ribonucleic acid-binding protein, caused aggressive DCM. We undertook this study to confi rm and extend the nature of RBM20 mutations in another DCM cohort. Clinical cardiovascular data, family histories, and blood samples were collected from patients with idiopathic DCM. DNA from 312 DCM probands was sequenced for nucleotide alterations in exons 6 through 9 of RBM20, and additional family members as possible. We found six unique RBM20 rare variants in six unrelated probands (1.9%). Four mutations, two of which were novel (R634W and R636C) and two previously identified (R634Q and R636H), were identified in a five amino acid hotspot in exon 6. Two other novel variants (V535I in exon 6 and R716Q in exon 9) were outside of this hotspot. Age of onset and severity of heart failure were variable, as were arrhythmias and conduction system defects, but many subjects suffered severe heart failure resulting in early death or cardiac transplantation. This article concludes that DCM in patients with RBM20 mutations is associated with advanced disease.
Thermal and ion-induced dissociation of NiSi and NiSi2 in contact with nickel

Abstract The interaction of nickel with NiSi and NiSi 2 was investigated using backscattering spectrometry and glancing angle X-ray diffraction. With nickel films deposited onto NiSi or NiSi 2 , Ni 2 Si was formed at the original compound-nickel interface by the dissociation of the compounds on annealing at temperatures of about 300 °C. The dissociation of NiSi and NiSi 2 into Ni 2 Si has also been observed when the samples were irradiated with argon ions. We attribute similarities in the two processes to the presence of thermodynamic forces in ion-induced reactions and the dependence of the radiation-enhanced migration on the intrinsic diffusion properties in the system.
Role of TSG101 in uterine cervix cancer

Abstract Objective. TSG101 was first described as a possible tumor suppressor gene in breast cancer. To determine whether TSG101 might play a role in cervical carcinogenesis, we examined a panel of cervical cancer cell lines and primary tumor specimens for transcript abnormalities and mutations in TSG101. Methods. Total RNA was derived from cell line cultures or primary tumor specimens. We performed nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with eight overlapping primer sets, followed by single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis, to screen for mutations in the TSG101 open reading frame. Representative normal and shifted SSCP bands were sequenced. To identify abnormal-sized transcripts, we performed RT-PCR with primers flanking the open reading frame followed by gel electrophoresis. Results. Mutational analysis was performed on cDNAs from 20 primary cervical tumors and 8 cervical carcinoma cell lines. Two polymorphisms were identified, neither of which resulted in an altered amino acid sequence. Transcript analysis was performed on a subset of 16 primary cervix tumors and 6 cervix carcinoma cell lines. The wild-type transcript (1228 bp) was the dominant transcript expressed in all samples. A transcript measuring 330 bp was detected in 5 of 6 cell lines and 11 of 16 primary tumor specimens. Conclusion. Our results suggest that mutations in TSG101 rarely occur in carcinomas of the uterine cervix. However, the presence of minor aberrant TSG101 transcripts is a common feature. The relationship between aberrant transcription and carcinogenesis should be further investigated.
Follicular populations during the estrous cycle in heifers. I. Influence of day

Ovarian follicles ⩾ 2 mm were studied in 22 Holstein heifers by daily ultrasound examinations. There were significant differences (P 13 mm, and total number of follicles ⩾2 mm. Patterns of the mean profiles for all follicular endpoints except the number of follicles 4–6 mm and total number of follicles ⩾ 2 mm were bimodal. The days encompassed by the first and second portions, respectively, of the bimodal profiles were approximately: diameter of largest follicle, Days 0–14 and 15–21 (ovulation); diameter of second largest follicle, Days 0–7 and 8–20; number of follicles 2–3 mm, Days 1–11 and 12–20; number of follicles 7–10 mm, Days 0–6 and 7–18; number of follicles 11–13 mm, Days 0–8 and 9–20; and number of follicles > 13 mm, Days 2–14 and 16–21. Data for the various categories were recombined to demonstrate relationships between the numbers of follicles 2–3 mm and ⩾ 4 mm during the interovulatory interval. There were significant differences (P < 0.0001) among days in both 2–3 mm and ⩾ 4 mm follicular categories. Differences appeared due to periods of higher mean numbers of follicles 2–3 mm which began between Days 2 or 3 and Days 15 or 16 and reached maximum levels on Day 7 and Day 19, respectively. There was an inverse relationship between the number of follicles 2–3 mm vs ⩾ 4 mm and between the diameters of largest and second largest follicles. The process of selection of the follicle destined to ovulate appeared to become manifest as selective growth of the preovulatory follicle with concurrent decrease in diameter of the second largest follicle and regression of the other follicles in the various follicular categories. A similar process apparently occurred early in the interovulatory interval. There was apparently selective growth of a follicle to preovulatory size by Day 6, coincident decrease in diameter of the second largest follicle, and apparent regression of other follicles in the ultrasonically detectable pool. The only apparent difference was that the follicle which attained preovulatory diameter early in the interovulatory interval remained in the ovary for 5 or 6 days, then regressed, while the follicle which attained preovulatory diameter at approximately Day 18–20 ovulated.
The use of neutron beam therapy in the management of locally advanced nonresectable radioresistant tumors

Locally advanced nonresectable radioresistant tumors can often be ablated by external irradiation using high-energy fast neutrons. Long-term remission, with local control rates of 50 to 70 percent, have been reported in a number of very large osteogenic sarcomas, soft tissue sarcomas, melanomas, and adenocarcinomas of the alimentary tract. Malignant salivary gland tumors and prostate carcinomas respond well to neutron therapy, with high remission rates and significantly increased survival, even in locally advanced stages of the disease. Neutron beam therapy is a valuable adjunct in the management of nonresectable cancers that are resistant to conventional therapy.
Laparoscopic Pancreatic Resections

The last decade has seen an increase in the application of minimally invasive surgical procedures to the management of pancreatic disease. Laparoscopic pancreatic surgery is an advanced laparoscopic procedure with a significant learning curve. It should be considered only by surgeons with extensive experience in open pancreatic surgery who possess advanced laparoscopic 'skills. Early reports suggest that laparoscopic pancreatic surgery can be accomplished with acceptable morbidity and mortality for the resection of small benign and low-grade malignant lesions in the body and tail of the pancreas and for the internal drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts. Its role in the management of lesions in the head, neck, and uncinate process of the pancreas is yet to be determined.
The empirical basis of color perception.

Rationalizing the perceptual effects of spectral stimuli has been a major challenge in vision science for at least the last 200 years. Here we review evidence that this otherwise puzzling body of phenomenology is generated by an empirical strategy of perception in which the color an observer sees is entirely determined by the probability distribution of the possible sources of the stimulus. The rationale for this strategy in color vision, as in other visual perceptual domains, is the inherent ambiguity of the real-world origins of any spectral stimulus.
Individualized Developmental Care for Very Low‐Birth‐Weight Infants: A Critical Review

Developmental care has been widely accepted and implemented in neonatal intensive care units across the country. Its proponents suggest that individualized developmental care is effective in reducing infant morbidity and length of hospital stay and improving neurodevelopmental outcomes. Although individual components of developmental care have been researched in more depth, few studies have examined a total developmental care protocol. This article critically examines the research base on individualized developmental care and discusses implications for clinical practice and future research.
Neuropsychiatric aspects of epilepsy in children

Children with epilepsy are at increased risk of behavioral and emotional problems compared with both children from the general population and children with other chronic illnesses not involving the central nervous system. Risk factors are multiple and include additional neurological impairment, intractable seizures, and family dysfunction. The case of Peter is used to illustrate the neuropsychiatric aspects of epilepsy and to discuss possible interventions for the child with epilepsy and psychiatric problems.
Changes in absolute threshold with light-induced retinal damage

Albino rats were trained on a mixed signalled reinforcement procedure designed to yield repeated absolute visual thresholds within each session. After threshold stability animals were exposed 12 hours per night to 1000 lux of light froma cool-white fluorescent source. Log threshold rose as an approximate linear function of exposure time to a maximum of 2.0 log units above baseline after 36 cumulative hours of exposure. Light and electron microscopic analysis of the irradiated retinas revealed vesiculated photoreceptor outer segments, with varying degrees of vacuolation of the inner segments and pyknosis of photoreceptor nuclei depending on exposure time. The various combinations of retinal pathology suggests that damage to photoreceptor outer segments and inner segments interact to jointly affect psychophysical thresholds in light-induced retinal damage.
Psychiatric phenotype of the fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) in males: newly described fronto-subcortical dementia.

OBJECTIVE The authors describe and quantify the neuropsychiatric symptoms present in a cohort of males with the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) premutation allele who have developed fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). METHOD Fourteen male carriers of the FMR1 premutation who had clinical manifestations of the FXTAS syndrome and 14 age- and education-matched controls were assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), formal cognitive testing, and genetic analysis. RESULTS Males with FXTAS had significantly higher total NPI scores (p < .004) and significantly higher scores on the agitation/aggression (p < .004), depression (p < .004), apathy (p < .004), disinhibition (p < .004), and irritability (p < .004) scales, compared with controls. Cognitive performances on the Mini-Mental State Examination did not correlate with severity of symptoms on the NPI. CONCLUSIONS The neuropsychiatric manifestations of FXTAS, based on this preliminary report, appear to cluster as a fronto-subcortical dementia. Clinicians encountering patients with clinical dementia with motor symptoms suggesting FXTAS should consider genetic testing to determine whether the patient's dementia syndrome is secondary to a fragile X premutation carrier status.
A melatonin-free extract of bovine pineal with antigonadotropic activity

Abstract Aqueous extracts of 3.0 mg of defatted bovine pineal powder, containing an estimated 0.0035 μg of melatonin, were injected into young adult, Charles River CD-1 mice on the day of unilateral ovariectomy. This treatment resulted in inhibition of compensatory ovarian hypertrophy (COH) that was comparable to the antigonadotropic effects of 30.0 μg of crystalline melatonin injected in the same manner. The biological activity was separated from melatonin by serial ultrafiltration and gel-filtration on Sephadex G-25. Antigonadotropic activity was concentrated in the melatonin-free, MW 500–1000 fraction that was observed to block COH at three dose levels.
Scaling of surface-plasma reactors with a significantly increased energy density for NO conversion.

Comparative studies revealed that surface plasmas developing along a solid–gas interface are significantly more effective and energy efficient for remediation of toxic pollutants in air than conventional plasmas propagating in air. Scaling of the surface plasma reactors to large volumes by operating them in parallel suffers from a serious problem of adverse effects of the space charges generated at the dielectric surfaces of the neighboring discharge chambers. This study revealed that a conductive foil on the cathode potential placed between the dielectric plates as a shield not only decoupled the discharges, but also increased the electrical power deposited in the reactor by a factor of about forty over the electrical power level obtained without shielding and without loss of efficiency for NO removal. The shield had no negative effect on efficiency, which is verified by the fact that the energy costs for 50% NO removal were about 60 eV/molecule and the energy constant, kE, was about 0.02 L/J in both the shielded and unshielded cases.
Effect of adrenocorticotropin and other proopiomelanocortin-derived peptides on testosterone secretion by the in vitro perfused testis.

Several lines of evidence have demonstrated the presence of POMC-derived peptides in testicular tissue. Consequently, this study was designed to determine the effects of ACTH and other POMC-derived peptides on testosterone secretion by the in vitro perfused testis. Infusion of synthetic human ACTH-(l–24) at a concentration of 500 ng/ml increased (P < 0.01) testosterone secretion over that in nontreated controls by in vitro perfused rabbit and guinea pig testes, but not by rat, hamster, or dog testes. This increase in testosterone secretion after ACTH treatment, however, was less (P < 0.01) than that after the infusion of a maximally stimulating concentration of ovine LH (100 ng/ml). Using rabbit testes, the testosterone response to ACTH was demonstrated to be dose dependent and specific, since similar responses were observed after the infusion of synthetic human ACTH-(l–39) and purified porcine ACTH-(1–39) and since no response was observed after the infusion of a variety of ACTH fragments. Infusion of αM...
Correlation of Aggregate Test Parameters to Hot Mix Asphalt Pavement Performance in Hawaii

The long-term performance of HMA pavements is strongly dependent on the characteristics of the aggregate in the mixture. The set of aggregate specification tests currently in use by the Hawaii Department of Transportation was investigated in relation to long-term field raveling pavement performance. Additional tests were considered in an effort to optimize the quality standards for local basaltic aggregates, which in some regards are significantly different from those found elsewhere in the United States. Results indicate that the widely used Los Angeles abrasion test correlates poorly with performance and should be replaced, perhaps by the aggregate durability index test. Raveling degradation in Hawaii's harsh tropical environment is strongly influenced by chemical processes, with the magnesium sulfate soundness test showing a stronger correlation with performance than the sodium sulfate soundness test. These findings throw light on the relative importance of individual aggregate tests, but they should be viewed with caution due to a lack of historic data on additional factors affecting long-term field HMA pavement performance.
Effect of anti-calmodulin agents in vasopressin release in vitro to depolarization and calcium ionophore

Calmodulin has been implicated in transducing the effects of Ca2+ on synaptic transmission and hormone release, including osmotically-stimulated vasopressin (AVP) release. If the anti-calmodulin agents block AVP release secondary to inhibition of Ca2(+)-calmodulin interactions, these drugs should inhibit AVP release to stimuli increasing Ca2+ influx via different mechanisms. Hypothalamo-neurohypophysial complexes (HNC) were exposed to ionomycin, Bay K 8644, or veratridine either alone, with any one of three distinct chemical classes of anti-calmodulin agent, or with a Ca2+ channel antagonist. All the anti-calmodulin agents impaired AVP release to ionomycin, while Ca2+ channel blockade did not. Conversely, Ca2+ channel antagonism completely blocked AVP release in response to Bay K 8644, but the anti-calmodulin agents had no effect. None of the inhibitors prevented veratridine-induced AVP release. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the anti-calmodulin agents tested inhibit AVP release by their membrane stabilizing properties rather than by antagonizing Ca2(+)-calmodulin in HNC. Depolarization initiated by Na+ influx may stimulate Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange by a mechanism independent of slow Ca2+ channels as well.
Focal brain malformations: a spectrum of disorders along the mTOR cascade.

Abstract Focal cortical dysplasia with balloon cells (FCDIIB), hemimegalencephaly (HMEG), and ganglioglioma (GG) are sporadic focal malformations of cortical development that are highly associated with epilepsy. Histologically, all three malformations are characterized by disordered cortical lamination and the presence of markedly enlarged cell types known as balloon cells in FCDIIB and HMEG and atypical ganglion cells (AGCs) in GG. These cells are similar to giant cells in the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Recent work has shown that there is enhanced activation of the mTOR cascade in TSC, FCD, HMEG and GG, suggesting a common pathogenesis for these disorders. We propose that these malformation types reflect a spectrum of disorders along the mTOR cascade. The mTOR pathway is known to regulate cell growth and thus is an ideal candidate to study in malformations associated with aberrant cell size. We hypothesize that focal brain malformations form as a consequence of a somatic gene mutation occurring within a progenitor cell during brain development. Our work has implemented several strategies to investigate FCD, HMEG and GG. First, we use single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays and gene sequencing to identify mutations in candidate genes that would lead to activation of the mTOR cascade. Second, we are using gene and protein expression profile techniques to understand how mTOR activation affects the developing cortex.
Crystallization of a classical, one-component coulomb plasma

Abstract A calculation of the melting parameter φm introduced by Brush et al. is given which is exact within the uncertainties in the Lindemann constant. The calculated result is φm = 170 ± 10.