cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robotic and human exploration/deflection mission design for asteroid 99942 Apophis

Abstract Design and analysis of a 2028–2029 human-piloted exploration mission to asteroid 99942 Apophis is studied in this paper. A fictional scenario is also examined in which Apophis is assumed to have passed through a keyhole in 2029, resulting in an Earth impact in 2036, is also examined. Several mission architectures are developed and analyzed for such a fictional scenario. Although Apophis currently has a very low impact probability estimated of approximately four-in-a-million, it is one of the most likely to impact the Earth, warranting further examination. Both human-piloted and robotic exploration missions are designed for missions prior to and after the April 13, 2029 Earth-Apophis close encounter.
Is a global nonmarket strategy possible? Economic integration in a multipolar world order

Abstract Technology has changed the underlying structure of the world economy, increasing the cost of autonomy and making devolution unlikely. On the other hand, the increasing number of players, a multipolar world system and the rise of non-liberal powers make multilateral agreements increasingly problematic. Thus, there is an asymmetry between the MNC's market environment (an integrated international economy) and its nonmarket environment (a fragmented international political system). This paper argues that a cross-border nonmarket strategy is inconsistent with a globally integrated strategy and argues that a global nonmarket environment requires multilaterally accepted norms and rules. Issue-based multilateralism is suggested as a way out of this dilemma.
Analysis and intervention with two topographies of challenging behavior exhibited by a young woman with autism

A functional analysis was conducted with a young woman who engaged in both self-injury and aggression. Self-injury functioned to access preferred stimuli while aggression served an escape function. Intervention, a package consisting of gradually increasing the delay to reinforcement (access or escape), mand training, and extinction was effective for decreasing self-injury. However, this intervention was less effective in reducing aggression. A modification of the intervention, in which the gradual delay procedure was eliminated, resulted in reductions in aggression. The findings are discussed in the context of assessment and intervention selection with individuals who engage in multiple topographies of challenging behavior.
Analysis of an inductively heated compression molding process

Compression molding of high viscosity polymeric powders is a characteristically slow processing method. This article analyzes direct induction heating of the compression molding die, instead of heating by conduction via the press platens. Applying heat directly to the die near the polymer, decreases the processing time significantly and, improves process control by reducing thermal mass and response time. Analysis of the electromagnetic field and transient infrared photography resulted in an understanding of the heating pattern of the die. These results were used in a finite element model of the process to predict the temperature history of the die and polymer. The parts made using this process were compared with parts made with conventional processing methods using thin-film tensile testing, density gradient column testing, and microstructural investigation of the degree of consolidation of the powder particles. The methods used to analyze this processing technique and tooling can provide process and mold designers with significant insight. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 17: 251–257, 1998
Ten Questions for Shakespeare

What questions could William Shakespeare answer for us in person? This essay begins by imagining that we could ask Shakespeare any ten questions we wished. Acknowledging the imperfect, always incomplete nature of writers’ relation to their works, this essay nonetheless poses questions that could clear up small mysteries concerning Shakespeare – while of course creating even other questions to ponder. Among the ten are queries concerning Hamlet, the Sonnets, and Shakespeare's early years.A rationale for each question is given, as well as comment on what the answers to these questions could tell us about Shakespeare's life, writings, and times. The essay closes with additional questions we may wish to have answered, and provides a list of suggested readings on a variety of topics connected with Shakespeare's life and art.
Shared Communications: Volume 1. A Summary and Literature Review

This paper provides a review of examples from the literature of shared communication resources and of agencies and/or organizations that share communication resources. The primary emphasis is on rural, intelligent transportation system communications involving transit. Citations will not be limited, however, to rural activities, or to ITS implementation, or even to transit. In addition, the term ''communication'' will be broadly applied to include all information resources. Literature references to issues that contribute to both successful and failed efforts at sharing communication resources are reviewed. The findings of this literature review indicate that: (1) The most frequently shared communication resources are information/data resources, (2) Telecommunications infrastructure and technologies are the next most frequently shared resources, (3) When resources are successfully shared, all parties benefit, (4) A few unsuccessful attempts of sharing resources have been recorded, along with lessons learned, (5) Impediments to sharing include security issues, concerns over system availability and reliability, service quality and performance, and institutional barriers, (6) Advantages of sharing include financial benefits to agencies from using shared resources and benefits to the public in terms of congestion mitigation, information transfer (e.g., traveler information systems), mobility (e.g., welfare-to-work paratransit), and safety (e.g., speed of incident response, incident avoidance),more » (7) Technology-based solutions exist to address technology-based concerns, and (8) Institutional issues can be addressed through leadership, enhanced knowledge and skills, open communication, responsiveness, and attractive pricing structures.« less
Racial Identity–Related Differential Attributions of Inadequate Responses to Hurricane Katrina: A Social Identity Perspective

This study examines the attribution of responsibility for the problematic response to Hurricane Katrina in the fall of 2005. Based on social identity theory, the study compared the attribution with racism and non-racism factors (situational vs. dispositional attributions) between African American and European American students (n = 505). As hypothesized, African American identity was related to greater racism attribution, even after controlling for demographics, faith factors, and cognitive-emotional reactions to the hurricanes. European American identity was associated with more executive-responsibility attributions, but the effect vanished after adjusting other factors. The study underscores the importance of acknowledging group identity rather than an overarching American identity in exploring the race effect after a national collective trauma. The consequential implications for disaster planning, future research investigation, and social service delivery are discussed.
DNA polymorphism in the 5' flanking region of the human carbonic anhydrase II gene on chromosome 8.

A restriction-fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) is described which is associated with the human carbonic anhydrase II gene (CA2) that codes for one of the three genetically distinct carbonic anhydrase isozymes, CA I, CA II, and CA III. The isolated DNA was cleaved with several restriction enzymes and subjected to Southern blot hybridization analysis using a DNA probe containing the 5′ end of the human CA II gene. A two allele RFLP which was detected with the restriction endonuclease, Taq I, is expressed phenotypically on Southern blots as either a 5.4 kilobase (kb) fragment or as 4.0 and 1.4 kb fragments. These fragments result from the presence or absence of a Taq I recognition site in the 5′ flanking region approximately 1.0kb from the initiation codon of the CA II gene. Segregation analysis showed that the alleles are inherited in a Mendelian fashion, with a frequency of 50%.
PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF THE PROLYL RNA SYNTHETASE OF ESCHERICHIA COLI.

Abstract A prolyl RNA synthetase isolated from sonic extracts of Escherichia coli 9723 has been purified approximately 20-fold using conventional enzyme purification techniques. The purified enzyme catalyzes both an l -proline-dependent adenosine triphosphate-inorganic pyrophosphate exchange and a transfer of l -proline-C 14 to soluble ribonucleic acid (sRNA). dl -3,4-Dehydroproline competitively inhibits the transfer of proline-C 14 to sRNA, but does not inhibit the proline-dependent ATP-PP i exchange. Rather, a 3,4-dehydroproline-dependent ATP-PP i exchange catalyzed by the prolyl RNA synthetase can be demonstrated. A 4-hydroxy- l -proline-dependent ATP-PP i exchange is also catalyzed by the enzyme when high concentrations of this imino acid are employed. Hydroxyproline at relatively high concentrations is not an effective inhibitor of the transfer of proline-C 14 to sRNA. Some of the properties and conditions for optimal activity of the purified enzyme are reported.
Serving Up Sermons Clients’ Reactions to Religious Elements at Congregation-Run Feeding Establishments

The authors use participant observation and interviews with homeless individuals to investigate two questions: How are religious elements that occur in congregation-based food programs integrated into service delivery? How are those elements, especially sermons, perceived by those who eat there? The authors find that regardless of their religious beliefs, two thirds of the homeless respondents reacted negatively to the sermons they heard at congregation-based food programs, characterizing them as coercive, hypocritical, condescending, and conflicting with their own beliefs. Observations at these programs shed light on the source of these negative reactions: The sermons tend to ignore the local knowledge and experience of clients, and they assume that the homeless individuals are responsible for their own troubles.
The relationship of conjunctival and arterial blood gas oxygen measurements

Conjunctival oxymetry (Cjo2) measures peripheral tissue oxygen at the conjunctival level. Cjo2 changes can indicate pulmonary or circulatory conditions leading to shock. Literature review does not define ‘normal’ Cjo2/ABG Pao2 ratios. We designed a study to measure these ratios. Twenty-two healthy patients undergoing cardiac catheterization had simultaneous Pcjo2 and Pao2 measurements completed. The range of conjunctival oxygen measurements was from 34 to 68 mmHg with a mean of 50.5 mmHg. The Pao2 readings ranged from 65 to 93 mmHg with a mean of 77.1 mmHg. The average Pcjo2Pao2 ratio was 0.656 with a range of 0.47–0.93. Thus the Pcjo2 is on average 66% of the arterial blood gas Pao2. This ratio of 0.66 can serve as a base for further clinical studies in which Pcjo2 is looked at in patients with pulmonary or circulatory illnesses or injuries.
Nerve Surgery: Where We Are and Where We Might Go

Operative surgery remains the major therapeutic modality for most serious nerve injuries, entrapments, and many nerve tumors. This article highlights the advancements that have been made in nerve surgery since World War I, including nerve action potential recording, MRI, timing of repair, grafts, tubes, end-to-side repair, replantation of plexus roots, transfers, entrapments, and tumors. Future needs in nerve surgery are identified, including the development of new methodologies and additional research and outcome studies.
Tissue characterization using an acoustic wave tactile sensor array

Tactile perception of different types of tissue is important in order for surgeons to perform procedures correctly and safely. This is especially true in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) where the surgeon must be able to locate the target tissue without a direct line of sight or direct finger touch. In this study, tissue characterization using an acoustic wave tactile sensor array was investigated. This type of tactile sensor array can detect the acoustic impedance change of target materials. Abnormal tissues can have different Young’s moduli and shear moduli caused by composition change compared to those of healthy tissues. This also leads to a difference in acoustic impedance which can be detected using our sensor array. The array was fabricated using a face-shear mode PMN-PT piezoelectric resonator which is highly sensitive to acoustic impedance load. Gelatin and water mixtures with weight concentration of 5 wt % - 30 wt % were prepared as tissue phantoms. The shear modulus of each phantom was measured using bulk face-shear mode crystal resonators, and it was found that shear modulus change from 120 kPa to 430 kPa resulted on 30 % electrical impedance shift from the resonator. Imaging display of elastic properties of prepared phantoms was also tested using the fabricated sensor array. The proposed tissue characterization technique is promising for the development of effective surgical procedures in minimally invasive surgery.
Cutaneous ultraviolet exposure and its relationship to the development of skin cancer

Skin cancer is becoming an increasingly important public health problem. Multiple studies have now demonstrated a relationship between ultraviolet exposure and increased risk of developing skin cancer. However, the specifics of that association are somewhat different for malignant melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. A better understanding of the mechanisms that allow cutaneous ultraviolet radiation to induce neoplasia will result in the development of better future sun-protection agents and strategies.
Heparan sulfate separation, sequencing, and isomeric differentiation: ion mobility spectrometry reveals specific iduronic and glucuronic acid-containing hexasaccharides.

We describe the resolution of heparan sulfate (HS) isomers by chromatographic methods and their subsequent differentiation by mass spectrometry (MS), ion mobility, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. The two purified hexasaccharide isomers produced nearly identical MS spectra, quantitative disaccharide profiles, and partial enzymatic digestions. However, both tandem spectrometry (MS2) and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) indicated structural differences existed. All data suggested the distinction between the two hexasaccharides resided in their uronic acid stereochemistries. Glucuronic (GlcA) and iduronic acids (IdoA) were subsequently defined by 1H NMR analysis completing the structural analysis and verifying the unique structures initially indicated by MS2 and IMS. Our results suggest that IMS may be a powerful tool in the rapid differentiation of GlcA and IdoA containing isomers in the absence of prior structural knowledge.
Selective attenuation of the extrinsic limb of the tissue factor-driven coagulation protease cascade by occupancy of a novel peptidyl docking site on tissue factor.

Tissue factor (TF), the receptor and cofactor for factor VIIa (VIIa) for cellular initiation of the coagulation protease cascade, drives thrombogenesis, inflammation, tumor cell metastasis, and the lethality of severe sepsis. To identify TF surface loci that can selectively inhibit substrate zymogen association and activation, TF1-218, the extracellular domain, was used as the target for the phage display search. This resulted in selection of 59 clones from a phage gpVIII surface protein-expressed library of constrained combinatorial peptides. Of these, one encoding the peptide Glu-Cys-Leu-Arg-Ser-Val-Val-Thr-Cys on gpVIII most avidly bound TF1-218, as did the synthetic peptide. Inhibition of binding was selective with an IC50 of 30 nM for proteolytic activation of factor X by the TF1-218−VIIa complex. In contrast, there was no inhibition of factor IX activation. The selective inhibition of only factor X association with TF1-218 will spare the intrinsic hemostatic pathway while attenuating the extrinsic t...
Representations for partially exchangeable arrays of random variables

Consider an array of random variables (Xi,j), 1 ≤ i,j < ∞, such that permutations of rows or of columns do not alter the distribution of the array. We show that such an array may be represented as functions f(α, ξi, ηj, λi,j) of underlying i.i.d, random variables. This result may be useful in characterizing arrays with additional structure. For example, we characterize random matrices whose distribution is invariant under orthogonal rotation, confirming a conjecture of Dawid.
Management of organic waste solvents: A case study of the university of Wisconsin‐Madison campus

Abstract The University of Wisconsin‐Madison generates approximately 16,000 gallons of radioactive and non‐radioactive waste solvents per year. This study was conducted to characterize the waste stream and identify managecent options. Water, chloroform, acetone and hexane constitute the primary compounds of the waste stream. Management options include on‐site incineration, shipment and incineration elsewhere, and reclamation. Source separation of chlorinated and non‐chlorinated waste is an easy and effective procedure in facilitating further disposal options.
Surface effects on stability of nanorings under uniform pressure

In this work, we study the effect of surface stress on the stability behavior of a circular ring with nano dimensions under uniform pressure. It is known that the surface elasticity and residual surface tension can have significant effects on the mechanical behavior of the nano-sized structures. Taking both effects into account, we present an analytical expression for the smallest critical radial load acting on the nanoring. It is shown that, depending on surface mechanical properties of the nanoring, these effects can stabilize or destabilize the nanoring under uniform pressure. The results, in this work, are expected to provide informative predictions on characterizing the stability behavior of nano elements used in nanostructured devices.
CHILDBIRTH CHILLS ARE THEY AN IMMUNOLOGICAL REACTION

Abstract The possibility that childbirth chills represent fœtal-maternal transfusions was examined in 224 parturients. Though caudal anaesthesia seems directly related to the occurrence of chills, and though a correlation between fœtal/maternal red-cell incompatibilities and chills was not established, there was a high degree of correlation between the occurrence of fœtal/maternal transfusions and chills.
T1rho MRI relaxation in knee OA subjects with varying sizes of cartilage lesions

Abstract Background The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the T1ρ relaxation times of articular cartilage surrounding focal defects in the tibiofemoral joint. Methods Quantitative cartilage assessment was performed using 3 T MRI with T1ρ mapping in 19 healthy individuals and 44 OA patients. Sagittal T2-weighted fast spin echo (FSE) images were acquired for lesion assessment. Differences were determined using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results Cartilage lesions were found in 37% of controls, and 93% of OA patients. Meniscal tears were found in 16% of controls and 57% of OA patients. We observed no difference in T1ρ relaxation times when comparing cartilage immediately surrounding a focal defect, and the remaining cartilage within that compartment. The medial femoral condyle (MFC) had the highest incidence of cartilage defects. MFC and medial meniscus posterior horn T1ρ were higher in subjects having multiple focal lesions (p = 0.048, pb0.001 respectively) and extensive full thickness lesions (p = 0.009, pb0.001 respectively) compared to subjects with no MFC defects. Significant elevations in T1ρ of the adjacent compartment (medial tibia) and medial meniscus were observed in subjects with MFC lesions. Conclusion Increased relaxation times in the involved compartment as well as the adjacent compartment and associated meniscus underscore the interdependence of these structures at bearing load. However, no differences in cartilage composition immediately surrounding a defect were noted. Finally, an association was observed between cartilage defects and meniscal damage in advanced disease. Clinical Relevance Cartilage defects were not associated with degeneration in the immediately adjacent cartilage.
Comment on 'Angle illusion on a picture's surface' by Hammad et al. (2008)

Hammad et al.'s (2008) conclusions as to the basis of angle illusions on a picture's surface are not justified by their data, which cannot in principle differentiate between their proposal and the proposed alternatives.
A cyclic time optimization approach to the study of 252Cf fission products

Abstract A K X-ray-beta particle coincidence technique has been investigated for the study of the beta decay of fission products from 252Cf. A fission-fragments transport system has been developed and its optimization curve used for the identification of the half-life associated with the K X-ray peak originating from the Mo → Tc decay high-resolution lithium-drifted silicon spectrometer and a plastic scintillation spectrometer were used in the analysis of the K X-rays and beta particles respectively. A half-life of (0.98 ± 0.03) min was associated with the K X-rays from technetium. A Kurie plot of the coincidence beta spectrum revealed at least three beta groups with end-point energies of (2.19 ± 0.19) MeV, (1.64 ± 0.14) MeV and (1.04 ± 0.10) MeV.
Partial base flipping is sufficient for strand slippage near DNA duplex termini.

Strand slippage is a structural mechanism by which insertion–deletion (indel) mutations are introduced during replication by polymerases. Three-dimensional atomic-resolution structural pathways are still not known for the decades-old template slippage description. The dynamic nature of the process and the higher energy intermediates involved increase the difficulty of studying these processes experimentally. In the present study, restrained and unrestrained molecular dynamics simulations, carried out using multiple nucleic acid force fields, are used to demonstrate that partial base-flipping can be sufficient for strand slippage at DNA duplex termini. Such strand slippage can occur in either strand, i.e. near either the 3′ or the 5′ terminus of a DNA strand, which suggests that similar structural flipping mechanisms can cause both primer and template slippage. In the repetitive mutation hot-spot sequence studied, non-canonical base-pairing with exposed DNA groove atoms of a neighboring G:C base-pair stabi...
Phytoplankton-Zooplankton Relationships in Arragansett BAY1

Zooplankton samples collected every other week in upper and lower Narraganset Bay, Rhode Island, were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The seasonal occurrence and abundance of the various species identified and enumerated in the present study are presented in tabular form. Analysis of the relative abundance of the principal grazers in the zooplankton population (Acartia tonsa, A. clausi, and Oithona spp.) and of the dominant phytoplankton species, Skeletonema costatum, upon which these copepods are believed to graze preferentially, shows that the seasonal changes in phytoplankton abundance are to a considerable extent attributable to differential grazing pressures. Concentrations of plant nutrients (nitrate, phosphate, and silicate) were compared with zooplankton numbers. It is believed that the large summer-fall zooplankton population contributes to the phosphate maximum and possibly indirectly to the nitrate maximum as well.
To what extent do orthographic units in print mirror phonological units in speech

Three experiments were performed to examine the degree to which the orthographic units in printed syllables reflect the phonological units in speech. Two of the experiments used a pronunciation decision task in which subjects had to determine whether a nonword sounded like a real word when pronounced. The third experiment used a lexical decision task. In all three experiments, evidence was obtained for orthographic units that correspond to onsets and rimes. The evidence was equivocal on whether the phonological category of the consonant that follows the vowel affects the internal structure of the orthographic rime as it does the structure of the phonological rime. The results are discussed in terms of the role of linguistic units in the processing of print.
Cardiovascular death in rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based study.

Objective To determine whether systemic inflammation confers any additional risk for cardiovascular death among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities. Methods Using the population-based data resources of the Rochester Epidemiology Project, we assembled an incidence cohort of all Rochester, Minnesota residents ages ≥18 years who first fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology 1987 criteria for RA between January 1, 1955 and January 1, 1995. All subjects were followed up longitudinally through their complete (inpatient, outpatient) medical records, beginning at age 18 years and continuing until death, migration, or January 1, 2001. Detailed information on the occurrence of various cardiovascular risk factors (personal history of coronary heart disease [CHD], congestive heart failure, smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, body mass index [BMI], diabetes mellitus, menopausal status) as well as indicators of systemic inflammation and RA disease severity (rheumatoid factor [RF] seropositivity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR], joint swelling, radiographic changes, RA nodules, RA complications, RA treatments, disease duration) and comorbidities were collected on all subjects. Causes of death were ascertained from death certificates and medical records. Cox regression models were used to estimate the independent predictors of cardiovascular death. Results This inception cohort comprised a total of 603 RA patients whose mean age was 58 years, of whom 73% were women. During a mean followup of 15 years, 354 patients died and cardiovascular disease was the primary cause of death in 176 patients. Personal history of CHD, smoking, hypertension, low BMI, and diabetes mellitus, as well as comorbidities, including peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic pulmonary disease, dementia, ulcers, malignancies, renal disease, liver disease, and history of alcoholism, were all significant risk factors for cardiovascular death (P < 0.01 for each). Multivariable Cox regression analyses, controlled for cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities, revealed that the risk of cardiovascular death was significantly higher among RA patients with at least 3 ESR values of ≥60 mm/hour (hazard ratio [HR] 2.03, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.45–2.83), RA vasculitis (HR 2.41, 95% CI 1.00–5.81), and RA lung disease (HR 2.32, 95% CI 1.11–4.84). Conclusion These results indicate that markers of systemic inflammation confer a statistically significant additional risk for cardiovascular death among patients with RA, even after controlling for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities.
Studies of the mechanisms involved in the fate of prostacyclin (PGI2) and 06-keto-PGF1α in the pulmonary circulation

Abstract We have investigated the metabolism of [3]H-prostaglandin (PG)I2 and its non-enzymatic breakdown product [3]H-6-keto-PGF1α by rat pulmonary tissue and their possible uptake and metabolism upon passage through the isolated perfused rat lung. When incubated with rat lung homogenate in the presence of β-NAD, [3]H-PGI2 was extensively degraded into at least one metabolite, while [3]H-6-keto-PGF1α was only minimally metabolized. However, on passage through isolated perfused rat lungs, neither [3]H-PGI2 nor [3]H-6-keto-PGF1α were removed from the circulation into the lung or degraded. This demonstration that PGI2 is not a substrate for the transport system for the removal of PGs from the circulation into the lung further illustrates that this system is a critical determinant for the pulmonary inactivation of circulating prostaglandins. The experimental findings are discussed in reference to the structure-activity requirements necessary for pulmonary transport and subsequent metabolism.
Molecular Basis for HLA-DQ Associations With IDDM

Autoimmune diabetes is the clinical end point for a sequential cascade of immunologic events that occur in a genetically susceptible individual. Structural and functional analysis of the HLA class II susceptibility genes in IDDM suggests likely molecular mechanisms for several of the key steps in this cascade of autoimmune events. We outline a pathway in which the HLA-DQ genes associated with IDDM bias the immunologic repertoire toward autoimmune specificities, creating an autoimmune-prone individual, followed by amplification and triggering events that promote subsequent immune activation. There are several direct links between genetics and autoimmune disease in this pathway: the developmental maturation of T-cells in a genetically susceptible individual occurs through molecular interactions between the T-cell receptor and the HLApeptide complex. Selection of T-cells with receptors likely to contribute to autoreactivity may preferentially occur in the context of specific HLA-DQ alleles that are diabetes prone, because of inefficiencies in the peptide-MHC structural interactions of these molecules. Subsequent activation of these T-cells in the context of recognizing islet-associated antigens can trigger a poorly regulated immune response that results in progressive islet destruction. These subsequent diabetes-specific events are also directed by specific HLA genes, most prominently by the binding of specific antigenic peptides by the disease-associated HLA molecules. In this sequential cascade, opportunities for environmental influences and modulation by non-HLA genes are identified that likely act in concert with the predominant genetic susceptibility contributed by the HLA molecules themselves. Clarification of the steps in this pathway extends our understanding of the prevailing role of HLA genes in IDDM pathogenesis and suggests opportunities to intervene at discrete initiating, disease-promoting, or regulatory steps in IDDM development.
Efficient implementation of the invariant imbedding T-matrix method and the separation of variables method applied to large nonspherical inhomogeneous particles

Abstract Three terms, “Waterman's T-matrix method”, “extended boundary condition method (EBCM)”, and “null field method”, have been interchangeable in the literature to indicate a method based on surface integral equations to calculate the T-matrix. Unlike the previous method, the invariant imbedding method (IIM) calculates the T-matrix by the use of a volume integral equation. In addition, the standard separation of variables method (SOV) can be applied to compute the T-matrix of a sphere centered at the origin of the coordinate system and having a maximal radius such that the sphere remains inscribed within a nonspherical particle. This study explores the feasibility of a numerical combination of the IIM and the SOV, hereafter referred to as the IIM+SOV method, for computing the single-scattering properties of nonspherical dielectric particles, which are, in general, inhomogeneous. The IIM+SOV method is shown to be capable of solving light-scattering problems for large nonspherical particles where the standard EBCM fails to converge. The IIM+SOV method is flexible and applicable to inhomogeneous particles and aggregated nonspherical particles (overlapped circumscribed spheres) representing a challenge to the standard superposition T-matrix method. The IIM+SOV computational program, developed in this study, is validated against EBCM simulated spheroid and cylinder cases with excellent numerical agreement (up to four decimal places). In addition, solutions for cylinders with large aspect ratios, inhomogeneous particles, and two-particle systems are compared with results from discrete dipole approximation (DDA) computations, and comparisons with the improved geometric-optics method (IGOM) are found to be quite encouraging.
Abstract B58: hnRNP H1, a novel coactivator of the androgen receptor implicated in progression and hormone resistance of prostate cancer in African Americans

The causes of ethnic disparity in the clinical manifestation and outcome of prostate cancer (CaP) are not well understood. African Americans (AA) have twice the incidence and mortality of CaP than Caucasian Americans (CA). We identified by a novel functional genomics approach, encompassing laser capture microdissection (LCM), suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH) and custom race-based CaPspecific cDNA array chips, selective expression of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H1 (hnRNP H1) in prostate tumor cells of AA in comparison to CA men. hnRNP H1 expression correlates with disease progression and score and poor prognosis in AA men. Subsequent functional studies demonstrate that hnRNP H1 up-regulates transcription, and physically interacts with, and confers hormone-dependent and independent transactivation of androgen receptor (AR) in CaP cells. In addition, hnRNP H1 enhances AR binding to its cognate DNA element on promoter and enhancer element of PSA gene and selective exonic domains of the AR gene. These findings support a model in which hnRNP H1 is an auxiliary coactivator for ligand-dependent and independent transactivation of AR in tumor cells. Furthermore, siRNA silencing of hnRNP H1 elicited growth arrest and enhanced cytotoxicity of antiandrogen bicalutamide in CaP cells. Our data support a new role for hnRNP H1 in ethnic disparity of CaP and further demonstrate a previously uncharacterized mechanism for AR-hnRNP H1 axis in disease progression and development of hormone refractory in AA men. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):B58.
A Colorful Laboratory Investigation of Hydrophobic Interactions, the Partition Coefficient, Gibbs Energy of Transfer, and the Effect of Hofmeister Salts.

Only a few pedagogical experiments have been published dealing specifically with the hydrophobic interaction though it plays a central role in biochemistry. A set of experiments is presented in which students partition a variety of colorful indicator dyes in biphasic water/organic solvent mixtures. Students monitor the partitioning visually and quantify it using inexpensive Spectronic 20 spectrophotometers. Through the experiments, the students explore the effects of charge, alkyl chain length, the presence of Hofmeister salts, and temperature on a variety of parameters related to hydrophobicity such as the partition coefficient, and the thermodynamic parameters of transfer of a molecule from the aqueous layer into the organic layer.
Physical aging of processed fragmented biopolymers

Abstract Low moistures foods containing starches exhibit a sub- T g endotherm (55–60 °C) when they are stored at constant temperatures. Although the origin of the endotherm is still debatable, it has been attributed to the water–hydroxyl group interactions and/or enthalpic associations between water and carbohydrates. In the present study, physical aging of the starch components of corn flakes prepared with two different levels of starch fragmentation was studied using thermal and rheological methods. A sub- T g endotherm was observed at temperatures around 50–60 °C by both DSC and Oscillatory Squeezing Flow measurements. An increase of 1.5% of moisture content was observed for both fragmented flakes during aging. The temperatures at which the sub- T g endotherms occurred were independent of aging and moisture content increase during storage, whilst enthalpy increased with both aging time and moisture content. Although the moisture content of the two types of flakes were different the aging time at which the first endotherm appeared and the rate at which the enthalpy increased were dependent only on the level of starch fragmentation. Corn flakes with a high level of starch fragmentation required a longer period of aging time before the presence of the endotherm could be detected and had a greater rate of increase in enthalpy. Overall, flakes having higher starch fragmentation absorbed more water, and the percent of water uptake decreased with aging time. Flakes with low starch fragmentation exhibited little to no change in water uptake during aging.
Operation of automorphisms on 1-tubes

Abstract This paper deals with the operation of ring authomorphisms of string algebras on the corresponding Auslander-Reiten quiver. Given an arbitrary ring automorphism, its action on each family of 1-tubes, when considered separately, is determined. In case that the string algebra is domestic, this yields a complete description of the simultaneous action of every ring automorphism on all finitely generated modules.
Discrimination between climate and human-induced dryland degradation.

In this study we present a technique to discriminate between climate or human-induced dryland degradation, based on evaluations of AVHRR NDVI data and rainfall data. Since dryland areas typically have high inter-annual rainfall variations and rainfall has a dominant role in determining vegetation growth, minor biomass trends imposed by human influences are difficult to verify. By performing many linear regression calculations between different periods of accumulated precipitation and the annual NDVImax, we identify the rainfall period that is best related to the NDVImax and by this the proportion of biomass triggered by rainfall. Positive or negative deviations in biomass from this relationship, expressed in the residuals, are interpreted as human-induced. We discuss several approaches that use either a temporally fixed NDVI peaking time or an absolute one, a best mean rainfall period for the entire drylands or the best rainfall period for each individual pixel. Advantages and disadvantages of either approach or one of its combinations for discriminating between climate and human-induced degradation are discussed. Depending on the particular land-use either method has advantages. To locate areas with a high likelihood of human-induced degradation we therefore recommend combining results from each approach.
Can magnetic resonance imaging be used to select patients for sentinel lymph node biopsy in prophylactic mastectomy

BACKGROUND Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in the setting of prophylactic mastectomy (PM) remains controversial. In the current study, recent experience with PM was described and the value of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was analyzed in selecting patients for PM with or without SLNB. METHODS Between January 1999 and January 2006, 529 patients underwent 613 PMs. Both preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and SLNB were performed selectively at the discretion of the surgeon. RESULTS Occult cancer was identified in 33 of 613 PMs (5%) (10 invasive and 23 ductal carcinoma in situ cases). PM with SLNB was performed in 393 of 529 patients (74%), 178 of whom underwent MRI. Of these, occult cancer was found in 6 of 178 patients (3%), all of whom had negative SLNB. Preoperative MRI was concordant with PM in 4 of 6 cases with occult carcinoma. The remaining 215 of 393 patients (55%) underwent PM with SLNB without MRI. Occult cancer was found in 18 of 215 patients (8%); 3 had positive SLNB. Overall, PM with SLNB spared 4 of 393 patients (1%) from axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Among 136 patients undergoing PM alone, 57 had preoperative MRI. MRI detected 5 cancers and PM revealed an additional 4 occult carcinomas not detected by MRI. Overall, 9 of 136 patients (7%) undergoing PM alone were found to have occult cancer, 3 of which were invasive, raising the decision of reoperation with ALND. CONCLUSIONS Occult cancer was identified in 5% of PMs. PM with or without SLNB spared only 4 of 393 patients (1%) from undergoing ALND, whereas PM alone identified unsuspected invasive disease in 3 of 136 patients (2%). When performed, MRI accurately ruled out the presence of an invasive cancer in the prophylactic breast, suggesting that MRI can be used to select patients for PM without SLNB. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Hormonal therapy: does it increase or decrease cardiovascular risk?

UNLABELLED The use of hormonal therapy (HT) has become one of the most controversial topics in the area of women's health. A particular area of confusion has been the issue of cardiovascular benefit versus cardiovascular risk for women using HT. Although years of observational data have suggested that women receiving HT have a lower incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and longer survival, several prospective, randomized controlled trials have brought this tenet into debate. This article provides a historical perspective on the role of HT and CAD. The Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study (HERS) and the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) data are analyzed in conjunction with newer data. Finally, an explanation will be provided as to how early initiation of HT could afford cardiovascular protection and not contradict the HERS and WHI. TARGET AUDIENCE Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians. LEARNING OBJECTIVES After completion of this article, the reader should be able to state that controversy still remains in the use of hormonal therapy (HT) for menopause, explain that there are conflicting data from both prospective and observational studies, and recall that a new look at prospective data may indicate that HT has beneficial cardiovascular effects.
Excited-state structure and dephasing of point defects in widegap semiconductors: ultrafast four-wave mixing spectroscopy of N-V centers in diamond

Pulsed laser spectroscopy has been applied to determine details of the excited state structure of the N-V center in diamond. Excited state splittings and dephasing behavior are reported.
E.s.r. spectroscopic study on the chemistry of coal oxidation

A better understanding of the mechanisms of pre-oxidation could lead to improved methods for prevention of coal weathering, which has a deleterious influence on liquid yield during pyrolysis. Previous Morgantown Energy Technology Center studies demonstrated that the extractable fractions of coal are more susceptible to oxidative weathering than the residue. To better understand the chemistry of coal weathering and the influence of pre-oxidation on subsequent devolatilization, in situ electron spin resonance (e.s.r.) spectroscopic studies were performed on coal, weathered coal and on the corresponding untreated and preoxidized fractions (extract and residue). In this technique, pyrolysis is performed in an e.s.r. cavity and the concentration of free radicals is followed as the sample is pyrolysed. Elemental analysis of the pre-oxidized and untreated samples indicated that HC ratio of the extract and the coal sample was reduced slightly during 48 h of oxidation at 150 °C in air whereas the HC ratio of the residue was essentially unchanged. The influence of pre-oxidation (48 h at 150 °C) was to increase the e.s.r. spin concentration of the weathered coal slightly compared to the raw coal when devolatilized at 460 °C. The e.s.r. experiments performed at 460 °C also showed that pre-oxidation significantly enhanced free radical concentration in the extract but had a lesser effect on the residue. The enhanced free radical formation of the pre-oxidized extract relative to the untreated extract implies that mild pre-oxidation affects hydrogen-rich components (extract) more than the primarily hydrogen-poor components (residue) of coal.
Evaluating Abridged Versions of the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices for Identifying Students with Academic Talent

The Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) has been recommended as a useful measure for identifying academic potential. Several abridged versions of the test, including Set I, have been develo...
Automatic target recognition system using wavelet transform and cluster analysis

Wavelet transform has received much attention in research and is widely applied for image coding, fractal analysis, speech synthesis, texture discrimination, etc. We have developed an automatic target recognition (ATR) system employing wavelet transforms to capture target signatures. Detection and segmentation stages efficiently differentiate the targets from background and write them as separate subimages. Segmented targets are subjected to wavelet decomposition. The feature vector that characterizes each target is a set of energy values calculated from the wavelet decomposed target images. The classification of the targets into several categories is performed using hierarchical cluster analysis. 117© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Frost heave in an instrumented soil column

Abstract Thermocouples, electrical resistivity gages and tensiometers were installed at various depths in a column of Fairbanks silt 100 cm long and about 14 cm in diameter. The water level was maintained at a depth of 45 cm below the surface and the volume of water taken up during the freezing process was monitored. Three freezing tests were conducted, two with a surcharge equivalent to about 35 cm of water pressure and one with a surcharge equivalent to about 350 cm of water. The upper 15 cm of soil was frozen at a rate of about 1 cm/day. The soil moisture tension increased (became more negative) throughout the length of the sample when the first ice was nucleated. All three samples exhibited a similar behavior. The amount of frost heave at the end of the tests was 6.0 and 2.1 cm for the two samples with the small surcharge and 3.2 cm for the sample with the higher surcharge. During freezing the two samples with the small surcharge took up 615 and 410 cm 3 of water while the sample with the larger surcharge took up 490 cm 3 of water.
Dinitrogen Fixation and Nitrogen Transfer in Birdsfoot Trefoil-Orchardgrass Communities

Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) is an important perennial forage legume used primarily for pasture. Despite its traditional usage as a source of nitrogen for cropping systems, little information is available on the amounts of atmospheric dinitrogen (N 2 ) that birdsfoot trefoil fixes or transfers to an associated grass during long-term stands. Field research was undertaken to compare N 2 fixation and N transfer potentials of three birdsfoot trefoil cultivars and one experimental line (hereafter referred to collectively as the birdsfoot trefoil cultivars). These were seeded in binary mixtures with orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.). Dinitrogen fixation and N transfer were estimated by 15 N isotope dilution, using orchardgrass pure stands as a reference [...]
Polymer dynamics of thin films and monolayers

Surface viscoelasticity of polymeric thin films and monolayers at the air/water interface can be deduced from the propagation characteristics of spontaneously generated capillary waves. The characteristics are probed by the technique of surface light scattering. It is shown that vinyl polymers with hydrophilic pendant groups and polyethers give rise to the predominantly elastic monolayers and thin films whereas those with relatively hydrophobic pendant groups the more viscous monolayers and thin films.
Voice and the young actor: a workbook and DVD

There is a creative exchange between student and voice teacher found within this very practical and fun guide for emerging actors to find their voices. In Voice and the Young Actor: A Workbook and ...
Comment on “Size matters: 3-mm sieves do not increase richness in a fishbone assemblage from Arrawarra I, an Aboriginal Australian shell midden on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, Australia” by Vale and Gargett

Abstract In this comment, the author argues that the conclusions reached by Vale and Gargett [Size matters: 3-mm sieves do not increase richness in a fishbone assemblage from Arrawarra I, an Aboriginal Australian shell midden on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, Australia, Journal of Archaeological Science 29 (2002) 57–63] are based on questionable methods and the conclusions regarding the use of fine mesh screens are unsupported.