cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in rapidly transported proteins in the auditory nerve after hair cell loss

In an effort to further characterize the proteins of the auditory nerve, the effects of hair cell loss on rapidly transported proteins of the auditory nerve were studied. The effects were studied in the waltzing guinea pig, a genetically deaf animal which displays an age-dependent loss of sensory cells, and in normal guinea pigs treated with neomycin. In both cases hair cell loss is followed by a slow degeneration of spiral ganglion cells and corresponding auditory nerve fibers. Rapidly transported proteins in the cochlear nucleus were analyzed by two dimensional electrofocusing/electrophoresis 3 h after cochlear injection of [35S]methionine. In both the waltzing guinea pig and the neomycin-treated animals, a significant increase in labeling of two series of polypeptides (average molecular weights of 27,000 and 36,000 daltons) was apparent. Quantitation of the 36,000 dalton protein by extracting from dried gels showed a 2-fold increase in the 10-day-old waltzing guinea pig and a 6-fold increase in the 80-day-old waltzing guinea pig. Further analysis shows these proteins to be membrane-associated glycoproteins.
The Voronoi Formula for GL(n, ℝ)

A Voronoi formula is an identity A = B where A is a weighted sum over Fourier coefficients of an automorphic form and B is another weighted sum involving the Fourier coefficients of the dual automorphic form. The weights in A are additive characters multiplied by a test function while the weights in B are Kloosterman sums multiplied by a suitable transform of the test function. We derive an explicit Voronoi formula for even Maass forms in ℒ2(SL(n,ℤ)\GL(n,ℝ)/O(n,ℝ)·ℝ×) for all n ≥ 3.
Fetal fibronectin testing in patients with short cervix in the midtrimester: can it identify optimal candidates for ultrasound-indicated cerclage?

Objective The objective of the study was to determine the relationship between fetal fibronectin (fFN) testing prior to ultrasound-indicated cerclage and obstetric outcome. Study Design Singleton pregnancies between 18 and 24 weeks' gestation with an ultrasound-diagnosed short cervix ( 25%) of the chorioamniotic membranes into the endocervical canal were analyzed. The fFN testing was performed and patients were randomized to cerclage or no-cerclage. Groups were stratified by fFN result. Cerclage patients were compared with no-cerclage patients. The primary outcome was delivery prior to 35 weeks' gestation. Results Spontaneous preterm birth prior to 35 weeks' gestation occurred in 15 (44.1%) fFN-positive-cerclage patients and 16 (55.2%) fFN-positive no-cerclage patients ( P = .45). Similarly, it occurred in 16 (17.8%) fFN-negative cerclage patients and 11 (17%) fFN-no-cerclage patients ( P = .99). Conclusion fFN did not identify optimal candidates for cerclage. However, fFN testing before an ultrasound-indicated cerclage aids in counseling patients, anticipating the outcome of pregnancies complicated by cervical shortening.
Reimbursement cuts and changes in urologist use of androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer

Background: We examined the impact of urologist academic affiliation on use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer before and after major reimbursement cuts for ADT in hopes of better understanding the influence of financial incentives on its use. In particular, we hypothesized that if financial incentive was the predominant factor driving use, we should see a narrowing in the previously documented gap of ADT use between non-academic and academic urologists following the reimbursement cuts. Methods: With the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End-Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database we examined use of ADT for potentially inappropriate indications (primary therapy of localized, lower risk tumors) among patients of 2214 urologists over the period 2000–2002 and 2004–2007, representing eras before and after reimbursement cuts. Multi-level logistic regression models were used to estimate the likelihood of ADT use adjusted for patient, tumor and urologist characteristics (academic affiliation, board certification, years in practice and patient panel size). Results: Overall, ADT use peaked in 2002 at 46.6% of patients, but dropped dramatically in 2005, with a slow continued decrease through 2007 to 31.1%. A similar pattern was evident within most strata of urologist characteristics, including academic affiliation. In the multilevel model, patients of non-academic urologists had a 30% higher odds of receiving ADT than those of acade mic urologists in both the eras before and after the reimbursement cuts. Conclusion: A similar proportionate drop in use of ADT among both academic and non-academic urologists following reimbursement cuts suggests that factors other than financial incentives may have played a role.
The Rural Consumer: Attitudes Toward Imports

A national probability sample of rural and non-rural consumers is compared in relationship to their attitudes toward imports. Results of analysis of variance tests and Scheffe post-hoc comparisons revealed that rural consumers were more likely than non-rural consumers to have negative attitudes toward imported products and positive attitudes toward U.S.-made products. Theoretical implications in terms of value theory are discussed, as well as suggestions for ways in which retailers who sell to rural consumers can incorporate these findings into their strategic plans.
Velocity plateaus in traveling-wave electrophoresis

One-dimensional models are used to study traveling-wave electrophoresis, a tunable method for separating charged analytes. A traveling-electrode model reveals the mechanism for longitudinal oscillations. A stationary-electrode model explains the origin of mode-locked plateaus in the average velocity, predicts devil's staircases with nested Farey sequences, and reduces to a continuum sinusoidal model in the high electrode-density limit.
Exact Results for Two- and Three-Dimensional Ising and Potts Models

The exact transition temperature, as well as some of the critical exponents, of certain three-dimensional Ising and Potts models is presented. With the analytic results supplemented by assumptions concerning the validity of universality, the critical point is identified as a Liftshitz point. On the basis of hyperscaling, the dynamic exponent $z$ for two-dimensional Ising and Potts model is predicted to be given by $z\ensuremath{\nu}=2+\ensuremath{\alpha}$.
New Method for the Production of Ions from Nonconductors for Analysis by Solid-Source Mass Spectrography

In recent years, the mass spectrograph has become an important tool for the chemical analysis of conductors, semiconductors, and nonconductors. Dempster1 first applied the radiofrequency (rf) spark to the analysis of nonconductors during the Manhattan Project of the early 1940’s as a means of prospecting for uranium and its isotopes in minerals; and in the early 1950’s, Hannay and Ahearn2 extended the technique to the analysis of semiconductors. The vacuum-vibrator source (also referred to as the dc vibrator arc) was also first used by Dempster,3,4 in the 1930’s. Since 1950, its development into an analytical tool for conductors has been carried forward through the work of Preston,5 Herzog,6 Venkatasubramanian,7 and Schuy,8,9 among others. To the best knowledge of the authors, the vibrator has not been successfully used for the ionization and analysis of nonconducting materials until now.
Is there a thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy in children

We measured left ventricular ejection fraction by radionuclide angiocardiography at rest and duringgraded exercise in eight thyrotoxic children. Five patients were reassessed after return to a clinically euthyroid state. In the thyrotoxic state the left ventricular ejection fraction was 69%±8% at rest, and increased normally by 7% to 10% during exercise in four patients but did not change significantly or decreased by as much as 8% in the other four patients. The change in left ventricular ejection fraction during exercise correlated inversely with serum concentrations of thyroxine (r=−0.82, P
Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis of polypeptide models of the elastic network phase of wool fibers: Defining Cys‐residues capable of serving as a crosslinking agent

A polymer network structure of the matrix phase of wool fibers was modeled by polypeptide systems containing fragments of high sulfur (HS) proteins with Cys-residues oxidized in pairs to form a network. Our previous studies have shown that Cys-residues belonging to the two characteristic repeats (dipeptide and pentapeptide) from HS proteins of the matrix have a low propensity to serve as crosslinks of the matrix. This study reveals that Cys-residues located outside the two repeats have a higher propensity to serve as crosslinks of the network than Cys-residues belonging to the repeats. Effective crosslinking by the nonrepeat Cys-residues, on the one hand, and formation of intrarepeat loops by the residues of the repeats, on the other hand, can explain well-known macroscopic properties of the matrix phase, such as its elasticity and ability to swell in solvents. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 1824–1828, 2001
Main-Stem Extrasystoles

Extrasystoles arising in the main stem of the bundle of His are generally regarded as very rare; only 7 examples have been published since their original description by Lewis in 1911 and 2 of these fail to satisfy rigid criteria for diagnosis. Four further examples, encountered in a relatively small series of tracings, are here presented and it is concluded that such extrasystoles are not so much rare as they are overlooked.
Function-oriented synthesis: studies aimed at the synthesis and mode of action of 1alpha-alkyldaphnane analogues.

An efficient synthetic route to the ABC tricyclic core of 1α-alkyldaphnanes has been developed. The conformational bias imparted by the C6−C9 oxo-bridge of BC-ring system 12 was used to elaborate t...
Algorithmic Self-Assembly of DNA

Summary form only given. Nucleic acids have proven to be remarkably versatile as an engineering material for chemical tasks including the storage of information, catalyzing reactions creating and breaking bonds, mechanical manipulation using molecular motors, and constructing supramolecular structures. This talk will focus particularly on molecular self-assembly, giving examples of engineered DNA "tiles" that crystallize into two-dimensional sheets, one-dimensional tubes and ribbons, and information-guided patterns such as a Sierpinski triangle and a binary counter. A theme is how cooperative binding can be used to control nucleation and direct selective tile attachment. Such "algorithmic" self-assembly may provide a bottom-up fabrication method for creating complex, well-defined supramolecular structures that can be used as scaffolds or templates for applications such as arranging molecular electronic components into active circuits
Exploration of Rough Sets Theory Use for Manufacturing Process Monitoring

AbstractThe ability to automate and implement active prediction of a degradation process and potential failures of critical machine components is a pressing concern in modern manufacturing. The increasing prediction reliability and significant cost savings potential have stimulated the introduction of numerous artificial intelligence techniques into the manufacturing arena. The need to explore and understand the capacities of these new methods is extremely important to define their suitable application. This paper explores use of a classifier based on rough sets theory (RST). The results show very good performance over several criteria in a cutting tool wear monitoring application.
Inflated Test Score Gains: Is the Problem Old Norms or Teaching the Test?

What explanations have been provided for spurious test score gains? Are states and districts narrowing the curriculum and teaching the test? What effect does teaching the test have on the norms themselves? What alternatives must be sought to protect the integrity of instruction and the validity of scores?
Voluntary neuromuscular activation is enhanced when paired with a mechanical stimulus to human plantar soles

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if the location and the timing relative to muscle activation onset, of a mechanical stimulus applied to the soles impacted the neuromuscular activation associated with a voluntary movement. The subjects completed a series of dorsiflexion or plantarflexion movements during which a stimulus was applied to either the heel or ball of the foot at one of three time periods relative to the initiation of the agonist muscle. Surface electromyography from the tibialis anterior and soleus was collected during the movements. The results show that if the stimulus was applied shortly before agonist muscle activation, regardless of stimulation site, the neuromuscular activity associated with the movement was greatly increased.
Spectral Analysis of Some Graphs with Infinite Rays

We perform a detailed spectral analysis of countable graphs formed by joining semibounded infinite chains to vertices of a finite graph. The spectrum of a self-adjoint operator generated by the adjacency matrix of the graph is characterized, the spectral measure is constructed, the eigenvectors are presented in the explicit form, and the spectral expansion in eigenvectors is obtained.
Genetic amniocentesis in multiple gestations

Thirty-one genetic amniocenteses involving multiple gestations were performed in the genetics unit between 1976 and 1982. Three sets of triplets were included. Precise locations of the sacs were determined using real-time ultrasonography and successful sampling of all sacs was accomplished. Spontaneous abortions occurred in two normal twins and one normal triplet gestation. Two therapeutic abortions were performed for fetal abnormalities. Two cases of discordance for trisomy 21 (one twin and one triplet) were allowed to continue; the twin case terminated at 25 weeks' gestation with neonatal deaths and the triplets are alive and well.
Influence of mithramycin on RNA synthesis and renal function in the canine kidney--a trial study.

The influence of mithramycin on RNA synthesis and on various renal functions in the canine kidney has been studied. A significant decrease in RNA synthesis was observed in renal cortex when assayed 3½ hr after administration of mithramycin. Statistically significant decreases in urine volume, sodium excretion, and PAH clearance, and increases in urinary potassium and the plasma glucose were observed concomitantly. The exact reason for these alterations in renal function remains undefined, but it would appear to be a tubular effect and may be related to inhibition of RNA synthesis with secondary inhibition of synthesis of various enzymes involved in tubular transport.
A Survey of Some Recent Contributions to Computer Arithmetic

This paper surveys some recent contributions to computer arithmetic. The survey includes floating-point arithmetic, nonstandard number systems, and the generation of elementary functions. The design objective for these areas is computation that is both accurate and fast.
Pathology of oral tonsils

Abstract The present clinical and histologic study is based on an analysis of fifty-two cases which presented as enlargements of oral tonsils. The majority of these enlargements were caused by benign hyperplasia of the lymphoid tissue, while a minority were due to the formation of a pseudocyst or traumatically induced hyperemia. It was suggested that in some cases regression begins in 2 weeks, but if it does not surgical excision is curative. Recurrences do not occur. This study showed that the so-called branchial cyst, branchiogenic cyst, or lymphoepithelial cyst of the oral mucosa is in reality an oral tonsil in which the crypt opening becomes plugged, with ensuing enlargement.
The Growth of Ranchettes in La Plata County, Colorado, 1988–2008

Ranchettes are low-density, rural parcels typically from thirty-five to seventy acres that have proliferated across the Rocky Mountain West. They consume large amounts of land and increase fragmentation, leading to potentially negative impacts on the ecology and cultural identity of local places. Although many anecdotal accounts decry the rise in ranchettes, few studies measure their prevalence or spatial patterns. We use archival and contemporary land ownership data to measure ranchette development in La Plata County, Colorado, an amenity-rich county popular for recreation, retirement, and ranchettes. Results show continual yet slowing growth across the decades with patterns of growth spreading in a contagious effect around initial nodes of development.
Optimizing isothermal titration calorimetry protocols for the study of 1:1 binding: Keeping it simple.

Abstract Background Successful ITC experiments require conversion of cell reagent (titrand M) to product and production or consumption of heat. These conditions are quantified for 1:1 binding, M + X ⇔ MX. Methods Nonlinear least squares is used in error-propagation mode to predict the precisions with which the key quantities — binding constant K , reaction enthalpy Δ H °, and stoichiometry number n — can be estimated over a wide range of the dimensionless quantity that governs isotherm shape, c = K [M] 0 . The measurement precision σ q is estimated from analysis of water–water blanks. Results When the product conversion exceeds 90%, the parameter relative standard errors are proportional to σ q / q tot , where the total heat q tot ≈ Δ H ° [M] 0 V 0 . Specifically, σ K / K × q tot /σ q ≈ 25 for c = 10 − 3 − 10, ≈ 11 c 1/3 for c = 10 − 10 4 . For c > 1, n and Δ H ° are more precise than K ; this holds also at smaller c for the product n × Δ H ° and for Δ H ° when n can be held fixed. Use of as few as 10 titrant injections can outperform the customary 20–40 while also improving productivity. Conclusion These principles are illustrated in experiment design using the program ITC-PLANNER15. General significance Simple quantitative guidelines replace the “ c rules” that have dominated the literature for decades. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Microcalorimetry in the BioSciences — Principles and Applications, edited by Fadi Bou-Abdallah.
Functional and structural changes in a canine model of hereditary primary angle-closure glaucoma.

Glaucoma is characterized as a progressive optic neuropathy with characteristic optic disc changes and progressive visual field deficits.1 Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is considered a primary risk factor for the initiation and progression of glaucomatous neuropathy.1,2 However, in many patients, despite adequate control of the IOP, the loss of vision continues to progress, which necessitates further identification of molecular mechanisms responsible for the glaucomatous neurodegeneration and development of novel therapeutic modalities that directly target disease-affected retinal ganglion cells (RGCs).2–4 Despite new discoveries, the underlying genetic abnormalities and environmental factors that may contribute to the development and progression of glaucoma have not been clearly defined.5,6 Glaucoma in humans is typically a chronic and slowly progressive disease that may cause significant damage to the optic nerve before any symptoms of the disease are recognized. The gradual and often silent progression of the disease creates difficulties in early diagnosis and understanding of early changes in glaucomatous eyes. To better understand early glaucomatous changes and to develop effective diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, it is essential to create animal models that recapitulate the silent and slow development of the disease characterized by a progressive loss of RGC function. Numerous inducible animal models of glaucoma have been used successfully to test different therapeutic strategies and to evaluate molecular mechanisms of RGC damage resulting from chronic elevation of IOP.2,7,8 However, the major obstacles in many of these models is a very high elevation of IOP immediately after glaucoma induction surgery,9–11 the inability to sustain elevated IOP longer than a period of a several months,12–17 and the size of the eye, which is dramatically smaller than the human eye, posing a problem for effective translation of therapeutic options to the human patients.18,19 Spontaneously occurring animal models of glaucoma in mice and dogs have also been described and have provided important information about the structural and molecular events occurring during the development of glaucomatous optic neuropathy.20–26 Spontaneously occurring large animal models of glaucoma offer a unique opportunity to collect data by using instrumentation identical to that used in human patients with glaucoma. They are an excellent tool for the rapid development and translation of novel medical and surgical therapies from animals to human patients, and they provide interesting data correlating morphologic or biochemical findings to functional parameters. The principal purpose of this manuscript was to describe the morphologic and functional changes in a canine model of hereditary primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG). We hope this model will further advance our understanding of early functional, structural, and molecular changes in glaucomatous eyes.
Physical contributions to the heat capacity of nickel

Abstract Heat capacity data for solid nickel have been re-evaluated and analyzed into physical contributions, 0–1726 K. Two new sets of measurements of C p (Ni), 333–1500 K, have been combined with literature data to produce an evaluated data set with uncertainty ⩽ ± 2%. These smoothed data have been analyzed into vibrational harmonic, electronic, magnetic and dilatational contributions with the aid of auxiliary measurements of expansion coefficient, compressibility, vibrational and electronic densities of states, elastic constants, and magnetic exchange integral and susceptibility obtained from the literature. The vibrational harmonic term is interpreted in terms of a θ D -vs- T curve in accord with predictions of the density-of-states distribution. The electronic contribution is smaller than predicted by free-electron theory due to a large electron-phonon effect. The electronic term for paramagnetic nickel is in good agreement with that predicted from band calculations. The magnetic contribution yields a magnetic entropy in accord with theoretical predictions, and a magnetic internal energy and critical-point behavior in agreement with the isotropic Heisenberg model. The experimental heat capacity can be accounted for without reference to vibrational anharmonic and vacancy contributions, in accord with recent calculations.
An Experimental Evaluation of the Parallel I/O Systems of the IBM SP and Intel Paragon Using a Production Application

We present the results of an experimental evaluation of the parallel I/O systems of the IBM SP and Intel Paragon using a real three-dimensional parallel application code. This application, developed by scientists at the University of Chicago, simulates the gravitational collapse of self-gravitating gaseous clouds. It performs parallel I/O by using library routines that we developed and optimized separately for the SP and Paragon. The I/O routines perform two-phase I/O and use the parallel file systems PIOFS on the SP and PFS on the Paragon. We studied the I/O performance for two different sizes of the application. In the small case, we found that I/O was much faster on the SP. In the large case, open, close, and read operations were only slightly faster, and seeks were significantly faster, on the SP; whereas, writes were slightly faster on the Paragon. The communication required within our I/O routines was faster on the Paragon in both cases. The highest read bandwidth obtained was 48 Mbytes/sec., and the highest write bandwidth obtained was 31.6 Mbytes/sec., both on the SP.
Decrees and Drachmas at Thessalonica: An Illegal Assembly in Jason's House (Acts 17.1–10a)

Those who have identified the specific charges of the judicial proceedings in Thessalonica according to Acts 17.6–9 have generally taken one of two routes. The traditional view is that Paul and Silas were accused of treason (maiestas). Just over three decades ago, however, E. A. Judge put forth an alternative hypothesis that the decrees of Caesar in Acts 17.7 referred to imperial laws against predicting the change of ruler. After challenging these two explanations, this essay puts forward a fresh proposal – that both the charges and the seizure of payment in this judicial episode relate to the imperial laws repressing Graeco-Roman voluntary associations.
A communication model to aid knowledge-based design systems

Conceptual model for communication in automated interactive design and demonstrates how the model can be employed as a knowledge engineering tool to facilitate the acquisition and organization of domain expertise. Both the process architecture and semantic modeling aspects of the communication problem are considered. An example is included which illustrates the use of the model in formulating an automated integrated engineering system in the domain of floor and equipment layout and design for industrial facilities
Exploring the Validity of the Problem-Solving Inventory With Mexican American High School Students:

The Problem-Solving Inventory (PSI; Heppner & Petersen, 1982) was developed to assess perceived problem-solving abilities. Using confirmatory factor analysis, results supported a bilevel model of P...
Sequencing diurnal air flow patterns for ozone exposure assessment around Houston, Texas

Abstract Understanding the human health impacts of ground level ozone requires detailed knowledge of its spatial–temporal distribution beyond that provided by surface monitoring networks. Here, a novel methodology based on unsupervised multivariate statistical techniques has been developed and used to identify the transport and dispersion patterns of tropospheric ozone. The hierarchical clustering method is used to visualize air flow patterns at two time scales relevant for ozone buildup. Sequentially executed statistical methods consider hourly 1-h surface wind field measurements. First, clustering is performed at the hourly time scale to identify 1-h surface flow patterns. Then, sequencing is performed at the daily time scale to identify groups of days sharing similar diurnal cycles for the surface flow. Selection of appropriate numbers of air flow patterns allows inference of regional transport and dispersion patterns for understanding population exposure to ozone. The methods are applied to the Houston, Galveston, and Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX study domain. Representative hourly wind field patterns are determined for the entire 2004 ozone season. Then, sequencing is performed for the 32 days in exceedance of the NAAQS for 8-h ozone. Four diurnal flow patterns capturing different ozone exceedance scenarios are isolated; each scenario is associated with a distinct spatial distribution for atmospheric pollutants.
Pleural effusions due to dasatinib.

Purpose of reviewDasatinib is a novel tyrosine-kinase inhibitor approved for treatment of BCR-ABL positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) after imatinib failure. Use of dasatinib is frequently complicated by pleural effusions. T
The risk of assaultive violence and alcohol availability in Los Angeles County.

OBJECTIVES. Although there is considerable evidence that alcohol consumption facilitates assaultive violence, the extent to which alcohol outlets in a community influence assaultive violence remains controversial. METHODS. To assess the geographic association between city-specific rates of assaultive violence and alcohol-outlet density, an ecologic analysis of the 74 larger cities in Los Angeles County was conducted for the 1990 reporting year. RESULTS. Sociodemographic factors alone accounted for 70% (R2 = .70) of the variance in the rate of assaultive violence in a multiple regression model. Adding the variable for alcohol-outlet density to the model yielded a significant positive slope. The magnitude of this relation indicates that in a typical Los Angeles County city (50,000 residents, 100 outlets, 570 offenses per year), one outlet was associated with 3.4 additional assaultive violence offenses in 1990. CONCLUSIONS. These findings indicate that higher levels of alcohol-outlet density are geographically associated with higher rates of assaultive violence. This association is independent of measured confounders, including city-level measures of unemployment, ethnic/racial makeup, income, age structure, city size, household size, and female-headed households.
Estimates of the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) for Vermont, Chittenden County and Burlington, from 1950 to 2000

The Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), a version of the Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW), is a significantly more comprehensive approach to assessing economic progress than conventional measures like gross domestic product (GDP). GPI adjusts for income distribution effects, the value of household and volunteer work, costs of mobility and pollution, and the depletion of social and natural capital. ISEW or GPI have been estimated for several countries around the world and a few Canadian provinces, but we report here on the first multi-scale application at the city, county and state levels in Vermont, USA. We show that it is feasible to apply the GPI approach at these smaller scales and to compare across scales and with the national average. Data limitations and problems still exist, but potential solutions to these problems also exist. All three Vermont scales had significantly higher GPI per capita since 1980 than the national average, indicating the major differences that can exist within countries. The GPI per capita for all Vermont scales was similar to the national average in the 1950–1980 period, but more than twice the national average by 2000. The main factors explaining this difference had to do with Vermont’s much better environmental performance than the national average in the post-1980 period. D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Anonymous trust: digital rights management using broadcast encryption

Broadcast encryption is an active area of cryptographic research. Originally defined by Fiat and Naor, broadcast encryption refers to key management schemes that operate when the participating parties do not have a two-way communication path. We contrast that with public-key cryptography: all known public-key protocols require a handshake to establish a common key. We extend the use of broadcast encryption to solve problems that have been traditionally addressed by public-key cryptography: we discuss the xCP cluster protocol, a proposed digital rights management (DRM) system for the home entertainment network, and we illustrate a broadcast-encryption-based content distribution system, which can work without requiring any secrets in the DRM client.
Results of Use of the Pyrolytic Carbon Tilting Disc Bjork-Shiley Aortic Prosthesis*

Replacement of the aortic valve with a new BjorkShiley prosthesis was performed in 110 patients during the period from November, 1971 to July, 1973. The previously reported Delrin-disc Bjork-Shiley valve had a built-in valvular leak of up to 10 percent due to .003" clearance. The new pyrolite-disc prosthesis is machined to a clearance of .001". Excellent clinical results have been achieved in 99 of the survivors (90 percent), with followup from 3 to 20 months. There was no systolic ejection gradient across the prosthesis in 16 patients studied. There were three early and five late deaths. None of the early deaths (2.7 percent) was related to the prosthesis. However, one late death was due to a thrombotic prosthesis. A significant fact was the low incidence of thromboembolic phenomenon and hemolysis. Three paravalvular leaks occurred. Treadmill exercise tests demonstrated significant improvement. A new technique of insertion with continuous suture was used in selected patients. This technique reduces the bypass time and eliminates the need for coronary perfusion.
The Surgical Apgar Score in esophagectomy

Abstract Objective The Surgical Apgar Score is a validated prognostic tool that is based on select intraoperative variables (heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and blood loss). It has been shown to be a strong predictor of morbidity and mortality in a variety of surgical populations. Esophagectomy for malignancy represents a unique subset of patients at high risk for postoperative complications. This study assessed the ability of a modified esophagectomy Surgical Apgar Score (eSAS) to predict 30-day major morbidity. Methods A retrospective review included 168 patients who underwent elective esophagectomy for malignant disease at the University of Wisconsin from January 2009 through July 2013. Preoperative patient characteristics, intraoperative details, and short-term outcomes were recorded. Primary outcome was 30-day major morbidity. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine associations between predictive variables, eSAS, and major morbidity. Results Major morbidity occurred in 35% of cases. Univariate analysis showed that eSAS of 6 or less was strongly associated with major morbidity (unadjusted odds ratio, 2.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.32-4.91; P = .005). Other risk factors included transhiatal technique, body mass index less than 20 or greater than 35 kg/m 2 , and history of diabetes mellitus. In multivariate analysis, eSAS of 6 or less remained a strong predictor of postoperative complications (adjusted odds ratio, 3.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.70-8.26; P = .001). Conclusions The eSAS was strongly associated with 30-day major morbidity after esophagectomy. Prospective studies are needed to determine whether improved outcomes can be achieved with the eSAS for risk-stratified triage and postoperative care modification.
Accurate Estimation of SRAM Dynamic Stability

In this paper, an accurate approach for estimating SRAM dynamic stability is proposed. The conventional methods of SRAM stability estimation suffer from two major drawbacks: 1) using static failure criteria, such as static noise margin (SNM), which does not capture the transient and dynamic behavior of SRAM operation and 2) using quasi-Monte Carlo simulation, which approximates the failure distribution, resulting in large errors at the tails where the desired failure probabilities exist. These drawbacks are eliminated by employing a new distribution-independent, most-probable-failure-point search technique for accurate probability calculation along with accurate simulation-based dynamic failure criteria. Compared to previously published techniques, the proposed technique offers orders of magnitude improvement in accuracy. Furthermore, the proposed technique enables the correct evaluation of stability in real operation conditions and for different dynamic circuit techniques, such as dynamic write-back, where the conventional methods are not applicable.
Total Synthesis of Trioxacarcin DC‐45‐A2

An enantioselective total synthesis of trioxacarcin DC-45-A2 (1) featuring a novel Lewis acid-induced cascade rearrangement of epoxyketone 6 to forge the polyoxygenated 2,7-dioxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane core of the molecule is described.
Wind power & transportation - a bridge to energy security: Part I - The model

A sustainable policy is proposed for solving the U.S. oil and energy problems. The main idea is speedy deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) that are fueled by wind power. To quantify the effectiveness of such a policy, we develop a leader-follower gaming model to simulate the price movements of the world oil markets, as described in Part I of the joint papers. It is a 2-level model where the market leaders in Level-1 play the Cournot-Nash games and the followers in Level-2 maximize individual profits.
Assisting manual literature curation for protein-protein interactions using BioQRator.

The time-consuming nature of manual curation and the rapid growth of biomedical literature severely limit the number of articles that database curators can scrutinize and annotate. Hence, semi-automatic tools can be a valid support to increase annotation throughput. Although a handful of curation assistant tools are already available, to date, little has been done to formally evaluate their benefit to biocuration. Moreover, most curation tools are designed for specific problems. Thus, it is not easy to apply an annotation tool for multiple tasks. BioQRator is a publicly available web-based tool for annotating biomedical literature. It was designed to support general tasks, i.e. any task annotating entities and relationships. In the BioCreative IV edition, BioQRator was tailored for protein‐protein interaction (PPI) annotation by migrating information from PIE the search. The results obtained from six curators showed that the precision on the top 10 documents doubled with PIE the search compared with PubMed search results. It was also observed that the annotation time for a full PPI annotation task decreased for a beginner-intermediate level annotator. This finding is encouraging because text-mining techniques were not directly involved in the full annotation task and BioQRator can be easily integrated with any text-mining resources. Database URL: http://www.bioqrator.org/
High School Value Climate as Related to Preferential Treatment of Athletes.

Abstract This paper focuses on the importance of the high school value climate as a mediating variable in the analysis of behavior associated with sport participation. The findings suggest that athletes are accorded preferential treatment in those schools where sport is an important prestige-granting activity. In addition, the findings showed that the athletes were somewhat more conventional than the nonathletes; however, this conventionality was not associated with the school value climate.
Reaching the Hard to Reach: Mobile Development Screening Van to the Rescue

Currently more than 15% of children have an emotional, behavioral, or developmental concern. In spite of recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct universal developmental surveillance and screening with children at 9, 18, and 24 months of age, fewer than 30% of children under 6 years of age ever receive a developmental screening. Children in low-income and diverse communities are even less likely to be screened by a medical provider and/or referred for further diagnostic evaluation when predictive concerns are identified. As part of a cross-agency collaborative effort involving a family resource center, a child care resource and referral agency, a regional center for developmental disabilities, and a masterâ€™s degree program in early childhood education, the Mobile Developmental Screening Van Project conducted outreach to provide free developmental screening with families of children 0-8 years of age in diverse and low-income communities within the greater Los Angeles County. Using the Parent Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) screening tool, 94 children were screened over the course of 6 months, with 33% showing 2 or more predictive concerns that resulted in referrals for further diagnostic evaluation. The feasibility of reaching families in hard to reach communities using a mobile screening van, as well as study limitations and recommendations for next steps, are discussed.
Role of Nanoparticles and Relaxation on Strain-Induced Crystallization Behavior in Uniaxially Stretched Polyethylene Naphthalate Films: A Mechano-Optical Study

The effects of nanoparticle concentration and processing conditions on the relaxation behavior of PEN nanocomposites are investigated using mechano optical techniques where birefringence, true stress and true strain are measured while subjecting the polymer films to uniaxial deformation followed by relaxation. For this purpose, two different stretching temperatures were employed to stretch the films containing 0.5 and 2 wt % nanoparticles: one above and the other below the Tll (liquid–liquid transition). Increasing the temperature as well as the addition of nanoparticles suppresses the spontaneous deformation processes leading to sharp increase in true strain. An instantaneous stress drop is observed during relaxation below the Tll corresponding to the initial glassy component observed in the stress-optical behavior during stretching. This stress is attributed to the presence of segmental rigid correlations that were not broken during the stretching stage. This behavior was found to be absent above the li...
Learning from Peers around the Globe without Leaving Campus

This article describes an undergraduate course that gives students first-hand experience with a variety of cultures using video conferencing and online instant messaging. Learning about psychology and culture is brought to life as American college students develop personal relationships with peers residing in Europe, Latin America, Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, northern Africa, and the Middle East. Students explored cultural differences in education, human development, religious beliefs, attitudes, and stereotypes via readings and synchronous interaction with international peers.
A Barrier Holder for the Hebb-Williams Maze

A simple, reliable, trouble-free, stainless-steel barrier holder, for use in the Hebb-Williams maze, is pictured and described.
Stable human-powered ground effect machine which satisfies the requirements for human-powered helicopter flight

The search for human-powered flight has been around for hundreds of years, with proposed designs being sketched by Leonardo da Vinci in the late 1400's. The concept of human-powered flight has revealed itself to be a challenging problem From the time of da Vinci's dream, over 500 years passed without success. Finally, in 1977, the Gossamer Condor became the first human-powered airplane. The next challenge in the quest for human-powered flight was the human-powered helicopter. However a successful helicopter design that meets the requirements as set forth by the American Helicopter Society, based on the powered generated by its pilot, has not yet been achieved. The problems associated with this challenge are twofold. First, the rotor area of previous designs has been many times greater than the exhaust area available in hover. Therefore, the center part of the rotor stalls. Second, the distance between the rotor center of lift and the assembly center of gravity is too short for natural stability, thus the pilot must have controls to maneuver the rotor level. In this project, a design using a shrouding concept was proposed. By shrouding the propeller, the size required of the propeller could be greatly reduced and no part of the rotor Copyright © 2001 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 AIAA Student Member would stall. Pressure would build and cause an upward force on the shroud because of ground effect. This would make the moment arm between the center of gravity and this point of pressure long, generating stability. Once this concept was formed, data was reduced to calculate specific parameters manifested in the theory. Finally, to test the accuracy of the theory, a scaled 1:55 test model was constructed using a 2-foot base diameter and the same techniques used to theoretically design the full-sized machine.
Function and regulation of TRPP2 ion channel revealed by a gain-of-function mutant

Mutations in polycystin-1 and transient receptor potential polycystin 2 (TRPP2) account for almost all clinically identified cases of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), one of the most common human genetic diseases. TRPP2 functions as a cation channel in its homomeric complex and in the TRPP2/polycystin-1 receptor/ion channel complex. The activation mechanism of TRPP2 is unknown, which significantly limits the study of its function and regulation. Here, we generated a constitutively active gain-of-function (GOF) mutant of TRPP2 by applying a mutagenesis scan on the S4–S5 linker and the S5 transmembrane domain, and studied functional properties of the GOF TRPP2 channel. We found that extracellular divalent ions, including Ca2+, inhibit the permeation of monovalent ions by directly blocking the TRPP2 channel pore. We also found that D643, a negatively charged amino acid in the pore, is crucial for channel permeability. By introducing single-point ADPKD pathogenic mutations into the GOF TRPP2, we showed that different mutations could have completely different effects on channel activity. The in vivo function of the GOF TRPP2 was investigated in zebrafish embryos. The results indicate that, compared with wild type (WT), GOF TRPP2 more efficiently rescued morphological abnormalities, including curly tail and cyst formation in the pronephric kidney, caused by down-regulation of endogenous TRPP2 expression. Thus, we established a GOF TRPP2 channel that can serve as a powerful tool for studying the function and regulation of TRPP2. The GOF channel may also have potential application for developing new therapeutic strategies for ADPKD.
Economic gains stimulate negative evaluations of corporate sustainability initiatives

Businesses are increasingly undertaking initiatives that increase profit and provide environmental benefits. They risk backlash, however, as people are shown to respond negatively to the notion of a business profiting from such initiatives.
The Structure and Uses of Genetically Homogeneous Lines of Animals

The uses and advantages of genetically homogeneous lines of animals in teratological studies have not to my knowledge been fully explored in print previously. To discuss this question fruitfully it is necessary to remember that, like the phenomena teratologists explore, the purposes of teratological studies are many and varied. The means of attaining these purposes must therefore also be diverse.
Mitochondrial DNA Phylogeographic Differentiation among Avian Populations and the Evolutionary Significance of Subspecies

ABsTRAcr.-Phylogeographic population structures revealed by restriction analyses of mitochondrial (mt) DNA were assessed within each of six avian species with continentwide distributions in North America. The magnitude and geographic pattern of mtDNA variation differed considerably among species. The Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) and Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) exhibited little mtDNA polymorphism and a shallow phylogeographic structure. The Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) and Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) showed somewhat higher nucleotide diversity, but no evidence of long-standing population separations. For each of these four species, evolutionary effective sizes of female populations estimated from mtDNA were substantially smaller than population sizes at the present time, suggesting historical demographic constraints on the numbers of females through which mtDNA lineages successfully have been transmitted. In contrast, the Rufous-sided Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) and Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) showed relatively deep mtDNA separations (mean nucleotide sequence divergence p = 0.008 and p = 0.012, respectively) between populations in Washington versus those in the central and eastern states. In the case of the Rufous-sided Towhee, the mtDNA clades may correspond to morphological and behavioral differences distinguishing the western "Spotted Towhee," which was formerly recognized as a distinct species. Overall, however, most of the taxonomic subspecies currently recognized within the six assayed species were genetically very close, and showed no obvious mtDNA differences. These results raise questions concerning the population-genetic and evolutionary significance of current subspecies designations in ornithology. Received 5 June 1991, accepted 23 February 1992.