cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of MRI Issues at 3 Tesla for a New Metallic Tissue Marker

Purpose. To assess the MRI issues at 3 Tesla for a metallic tissue marker used to localize removal areas of tissue abnormalities. Materials and Methods. A newly designed, metallic tissue marker (Achieve Marker, CareFusion, Vernon Hills, IL) used to mark biopsy sites, particularly in breasts, was assessed for MRI issues which included standardized tests to determine magnetic field interactions (i.e., translational attraction and torque), MRI-related heating, and artifacts at 3 Tesla. Temperature changes were determined for the marker using a gelled-saline-filled phantom. MRI was performed at a relatively high specific absorption rate (whole body averaged SAR, 2.9-W/kg). MRI artifacts were evaluated using T1-weighted, spin echo and gradient echo pulse sequences. Results. The marker displayed minimal magnetic field interactions (2-degree deflection angle and no torque). MRI-related heating was only 0.1°C above background heating (i.e., the heating without the tissue marker present). Artifacts seen as localized signal loss were relatively small in relation to the size and shape of the marker. Conclusions. Based on the findings, the new metallic tissue marker is acceptable or “MR Conditional” (using current labeling terminology) for a patient undergoing an MRI procedure at 3 Tesla or less.
Litigation and Legislation. Risk management strategies in orthodontics. Part 2: Administrative considerations.

Orthodontic practice results in relatively few patient challenges and litigations. This often leads to a false sense of security and encourages orthodontists to optimize practice management techniques that may be at odds with risk management considerations. Examples include excessive duty delegation to dental auxiliaries, office designs that invade patient privacy, and 1-visit consultations that have the potential to compromise the diagnosis and treatment planning process. Practitioners need to consciously balance risk management techniques against practice management initiatives. The strategies and opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the opinions of the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, the American Association of Orthodontists, the American Board of Orthodontics, or the College of Diplomates of the American Board of Orthodontics.
Trans-10, Cis-12 Conjugated Linoleic Acid Antagonizes Ligand-Dependent PPARγ Activity in Primary Cultures of Human Adipocytes

We previously demonstrated that trans-10, cis-12 (10,12) conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) causes human adipocyte delipidation, insulin resistance, and inflammation in part by attenuating PPARgamma target gene expression. We hypothesized that CLA antagonizes the activity of PPARgamma in an isomer-specific manner. 10,12 CLA, but not cis-9, trans-11 (9,11) CLA, suppressed ligand-stimulated activation of a peroxisome proliferator response element-luciferase reporter. This decreased activation of PPARgamma by 10,12 CLA was accompanied by an increase in PPARgamma and extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK)1/2 phosphorylation, followed by decreased PPARgamma protein levels. To investigate if 10,12 CLA-mediated delipidation was preventable with a PPARgamma ligand (BRL), cultures were treated for 1 wk with 10,12 CLA or 10,12 CLA + BRL and adipogenic gene and protein expression, glucose uptake, and triglyceride (TG) were measured. BRL cosupplementation completely prevented 10,12 CLA suppression of adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein, lipoprotein lipase, and perilipin mRNA levels without preventing reductions in PPARgamma or insulin-dependent glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) expression, glucose uptake, or TG. Lastly, we investigated the impact of CLA withdrawal in the absence or presence of BRL for 2 wk. CLA withdrawal did not rescue CLA-mediated reductions in adipogenic gene and protein expression. In contrast, BRL supplementation for 2 wk following CLA withdrawal rescued mRNA levels of PPARgamma target genes. However, the levels of PPARgamma and GLUT4 protein and TG were only partially rescued by BRL. Collectively, we demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, that 10,12 CLA antagonizes ligand-dependent PPARgamma activity, possibly via PPARgamma phosphorylation by ERK.
Estimating dose to implantable cardioverter-defibrillator outside the treatment fields using a skin QED diode, optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters, and LiF thermoluminescent dosimeters.

Abstract The purpose of this work was to determine the relative sensitivity of skin QED diodes, optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters (OSLDs) (microStar™ DOT, Landauer), and LiF thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) as a function of distance from a photon beam field edge when applied to measure dose at out-of-field points. These detectors have been used to estimate radiation dose to patients' implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) located outside the treatment field. The ICDs have a thin outer case made of 0.4- to 0.6-mm-thick titanium (∼2.4-mm tissue equivalent). A 5-mm bolus, being the equivalent depth of the devices under the patient's skin, was placed over the ICDs. Response per unit absorbed dose-to-water was measured for each of the dosimeters with and without bolus on the beam central axis (CAX) and at a distance up to 20 cm from the CAX. Doses were measured with an ionization chamber at various depths for 6- and 15-MV x-rays on a Varian Clinac-iX linear accelerator. Relative sensitivity of the detectors was determined as the ratio of the sensitivity at each off-axis distance to that at the CAX. The detector sensitivity as a function of the distance from the field edge changed by ± 3% (1–11%) for LiF TLD-700, decreased by 10% (5–21%) for OSLD, and increased by 16% (11–19%) for the skin QED diode (Sun Nuclear Corp.) at the equivalent depth of 5 mm for 6- or 15-MV photon energies. Our results showed that the use of bolus with proper thickness ( i.e. , ∼d max of the photon energy) on the top of the ICD would reduce the scattered dose to a lower level. Dosimeters should be calibrated out-of-field and preferably with bolus equal in thickness to the depth of interest. This can be readily performed in clinic.
Conservation and de novo acquisition of dosage compensation on newly evolved sex chromosomes in Drosophila

Dosage compensation has arisen in response to the evolution of distinct male (XY) and female (XX) karyotypes. In Drosophila melanogaster, the MSL complex increases male X transcription approximately twofold. X-specific targeting is thought to occur through sequence-dependent binding to chromatin entry sites (CESs), followed by spreading in cis to active genes. We tested this model by asking how newly evolving sex chromosome arms in Drosophila miranda acquired dosage compensation. We found evidence for the creation of new CESs, with the analogous sequence and spacing as in D. melanogaster, providing strong support for the spreading model in the establishment of dosage compensation.
Topoisomerase I inhibitors: selectivity and cellular resistance.

Abstract Topoisomerase I (top1) inhibitors (camptothecins and other structurally diverse compounds) are effective and promising anticancer agents. Determinants of selectivity toward cancer cells and resistance are multifactorial. These factors can be separated in three groups. The first is related to alterations in drug distribution and metabolism. The second group includes both quantitative and qualitative (mutations) differences in top I. The third group includes resistance and sensitivity factors downstream from the cleavage complexes. They include DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoints and apoptosis, and are probably key to the relative selectivity of camptothecins toward cancer cells and to clinical resistance.
Characterization of the metal receptor sites in Escherichia coli Zur, an ultrasensitive zinc(II) metalloregulatory protein.

The Escherichia coli Zur protein is a Fur homologue that regulates expression of Zn(II) uptake systems. The zinc-loaded form of Zur is proposed to bind DNA and repress transcription of the znuABC genes. Recent in vitro data indicate that the transcriptional activity of Zur is half-maximal when free Zn(II) concentrations are in the sub-femtomolar range, making it the most sensitive Zn(II) metalloregulatory protein reported to date. Previous results indicate that Zur binds at least one zinc; however, little else is known about Zn(II) binding. We have purified E. coli Zur to homogeneity and found that it has two Zn(II) binding sites per monomer with different coordination environments. Using Zn(II) binding assays, ICP-AES analysis, and Zn EXAFS analysis, we show that one zinc is tightly bound in an S3(N/O) coordination environment. Both Co(II) and Zn(II) were substituted into the second metal binding site and probed by EXAFS and UV−visible absorption spectroscopy. These studies indicate that Co(II) is bound ...
Convention for the Peaceful Adjustment of International Differences

The First Hague Conference had as its main object a consideration of a “ possible reduction of the excessive armaments which weigh upon all nations,” or, at least, a discussion of the possibility of “ putting an end to the progressive development of the present armaments.” The conference early realized that even a limitation of the increase of military and naval expenditure was impracticable at that time, and devoted its chief energies to the secondary purpose for which it was called, viz., to discuss and devise “ the most effectual means of insuring to all peoples the benefits of a real and durable peace.”
Differentiation of jaundice in infancy: an application of radionuclide biliary studies

Atresia and hypoplasia of the bile ducts are the most common congenital biliary anomalies of clinical importance. Surgical correction can help about 10% of these infants. However, surgery should be performed within the first month of life to avoid irreversible liver parenchymal changes. It is difficult to separate the surgical condition, biliary atresia, from conditions in which the trauma of laparotomy should be avoided, such as neonatal hepatitis and other clinically indistinguishable causes of obstructive jaundice. Radionuclide imaging with the 99mTc-labeled N-substituted iminodiacetic acids (HIDA, PIDIDA, DISIDA, etc) have been helpful in the differential diagnosis of biliary atresia.
Male Melancholia, Identity-Loss, and Religion

This essay posits a relationship between male melancholia, defined as a complicated form of grief that resists compensatory consolation, and experiences of identity-loss. I draw especially from pastoral psychologist Donald Capps’s views on male melancholia. Concurring with Capps’s claim that melancholic men seek relief from melancholia in religion, I also draw from the psychology of Erik H. Erikson to add this emphasis: that both the roots of melancholia and subsequent experiences of melancholic loss link with experiences of perceived threats to or loss of one’s identity. I also suggest how religious rituals may ameliorate melancholia.
Catalyst-Free GaN Nanorods Synthesized by Selective Area Growth

GaN nanorod formation on Ga-polar GaN by continuous mode metalorganic chemical vapor deposition selective area growth (MOCVD SAG) is achieved under a relatively Ga-rich condition. The Ga-rich condition, provided by applying a very low V/III ratio, alters the growth rates of various planes of the defined nanostructure by increasing relative growth rate of the semi-polar tilted m-plane {1–101} that usually is the slowest growing plane under continuous growth conditions. This increased growth rate relative to the non-polar m-plane {1–100} and even the c-plane (0001), permits the formation of GaN nanorods with nonpolar sidewalls. In addition, a new growth mode, called the NH3-pulsed mode, is introduced, utilizing the advantages of both the continuous mode and the lower growth rate pulsed mode to form nanorods. Finally, nanorods grown under the different growth modes are compared and discussed.
Binding energies and K-edge spectra of no chemisorbed on Ru(0001)

Abstract The electronic structures, adsorption energies and equilibrium geometries of chemisorbed NO on the Ru(0001) surface for several adsorption sites were determined using cluster models and employing the first principles, local density theory. Ground state one-electron eigenvalues and wave functions were obtained using the discrete variational method with numerical atomic bases. K-edge X-ray absorption spectra of both nitrogen and oxygen for each geometry were obtained using a scattered wave method. The effects of the surface on these spectra were studied by comparison with results from an isolated NO molecule and with the XPS and UPS experiments of Umbach et al. Both the NO and the NO-substrate vibration frequencies were calculated. Comparison between these theoretical results, recent electron energy loss spectra of Conrad et al. and early experiments of Thomas et al. suggests that NO is adsorbed only at threefold and top sites.
Performance of a Double-Beam Recording Infra-Red Spectrophotometer

The performance of the Perkin-Elmer Model 21 Recording Infra-Red Spectrophotometer has been tested by measuring known spectra under a wide variety of operating conditions. A complete infra-red spectrum in the rock salt region can be recorded as a graph of percent transmittance vs. wave-length in less than 10 minutes. At slower speeds resolving power can be varied from the normal of 30 percent to 40 percent up to about 60 percent of the Rayleigh limit. For extreme resolution or stability, the r.m.s. noise level of 10−9 volts or 2×10−10 watts at the fastest response speed can be reduced as far as 2×10−10 volts or 4×10−11 watts by increasing the response time. The extreme ranges of the operating conditions are: response time, 4.5 to 110 seconds for full scale; scanning rate, 0.5 to 400 minutes per micron; chart scale length, 1 to 50 inches per micron; slit width, to give constant energy levels between. 01 and 2 r.m.s. microvolts full scale. The effects of scattered light and atmospheric absorption bands are less than 3 percent throughout. Operation is automatic after the conditions are selected and the instrument turned on. These features are illustrated in photographic reproductions of original records with more detailed data on the independent performance of the instrument’s more critical parts.
The Commercialization of Social Welfare

Movements transforming the private sector of the social market have caused a blurring of the boundary between social and economic markets in the domain of social welfare. Increased federal expenditures for social welfare, a shift from cash benefits to in-kind benefits, and provision of social services to clients above the poverty level have encouraged commercial enterprises to penetrate the social market. This article discusses two movements-the growth of private practice among social welfare professionals and the influx offor-profit organizations into the field-and their implications. In evaluating these changes, the author predicts that social welfare will not soon return to the "liberal" welfare state or develop into a corporate welfare state, but will likely continue in the movement toward increasing privatization, resulting in decentralized production and delivery of services and increased competition among public, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. The author concludes that the most significan...
Modulation of higher-primate adrenal androgen secretion with estrogen-alone or estrogen-plus-progesterone intervention.

OBJECTIVE Circulating adrenal steroids rise during the menopausal transition in most middle-aged women and may contribute to differences in between-women symptoms and ultimate health outcomes. However, the mechanisms for this shift in adrenal steroid production in middle-aged women are not known. This study aims to determine whether hormone therapy (HT) for 1 year can modulate adrenal androgen production. METHODS Younger (9.8 [0.4] years, n = 20) and older (22.7 [0.4] years, n = 37) female laboratory macaques were ovariectomized, and each group was treated with different regimens of HT for up to 1 year. Changes in adrenal histology and circulating adrenal androgens were monitored after estrogen-alone (E) or estrogen plus progesterone (E + P) treatment, and these changes were compared with the same measures in similarly aged animals given vehicle. RESULTS Zona reticularis area, serum dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) were higher in younger vehicle-treated animals compared with older vehicle-treated animals (P < 0.02). Both E and E + P treatments decreased circulating DHEAS in the younger group (P < 0.05). Although E treatment also decreased DHEAS in the older group, this was not statistically significant. In contrast, E + P treatment in the older group resulted in a rise in DHEAS over vehicle, which was significantly higher than the results of E treatment (P < 0.01). Circulating concentrations of DHEA exhibited similar trends, but these changes did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that intervention with ovarian steroids can modulate adrenal androgen production in female higher primates and that both animal age and type of HT regimen determine adrenal response.
The association between microglia and myelin in silver-impregnated sections

The brains of monkey, cat, rabbit, rat, chinchilla and guinea pig were studied with a quadruple staining method whereby the microglia cell was stained with silver, the myelin sheath with luxol fast blue, the vascular wall with periodic acid-Schiff, and the neuronal basophil substance and the nuclear chromatin with hematoxylin. Considerable species differences in the stainability of microglia cells were noticeable; the rabbit was found to be most suited for these studies. The microglia cell processes touch or clasp the myelin sheath or end in a swelling on its surface. In both gray and white matter, myelin sheaths are situated adjacent to the microglia cell surface. Except for minor differences, the microglia cells in white matter and gray matter are of the same type; the same cell may attach to several neurons, myelin sheaths and blood vessels. No structural differences are noticeable with advancing age of the animal. The functional significance of the interdependence between microglia cells and myelin sheaths is not determined but appears to be less than for the neuron itself.
Organocuprate chemistry of vicinal epoxymesylates

Abstract Vicinal epoxymesylates are shown to react regiospecifically with higher order organocuprates in a stepwise manner allowing for the isolation of either mono- or bis-adducts.
Eigenstructure of eddy microfronts

Aircraft measurements of strong turbulence in a bora flow and in weak intermittent turbulence near the top of a nocturnal surface inversion layer are examined. An important feature of both types of turbulence are narrow zones of sharp gradients of velocity and temperature. These concentrated gradients, which are referred to as fronts in laboratory turbulence, are studied here by applying conditional sampling criteria and analyzing the eigenvectors of the resulting lagged multivariate covariance matrix. In addition, a new technique is developed which specifies a weighting function instead of specific selection criteria with cutoff values. The mathematics derived for the new technique leads to the usual eigenvalue problem for principal components except that the covariance matrix becomes transformed. The above analyses indicate that the eddy microfronts seem to be related to the relative horizontal motion of the drafts generated by vertical motions in shear flows. The horizontal gradients are sharpest at the upstream edge of the drafts where convergence occurs between the horizontal motion of the draft and the horizontal motion of the ambient air. For strong turbulence, the eigenstructures identify several stages of eddy transport consistent with shear-driven overturning and transverse vorticity. For intermittent turbulence in strongly stratified flow, the eigen structures indicate the predominance of two-dimensional modes which coexist with overturning eddies and gravity wave modes. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0870.1988.tb00410.x
LS-DYNA and the 8:1 differentially heated cavity

We present results computed using LS-DYNA's new incompressible flow solver for a differentially heated cavity with an 8:1 aspect ratio at a slightly super-critical Rayleigh number. Three Galerkin-based solution methods are applied to the 8:1 thermal cavity on a sequence of four grids. The solution methods include an explicit time-integration algorithm and two second-order projection methods-one semi-implicit and the other fully implicit. A series of ad hoc modifications to the basic Galerkin finite element method are shown to result in degraded solution quality with the most serious effects introduced by row-sum lumping the mass matrix
Degradation products of 2-tert-butylhydroquinone at frying temperature

Decomposed products of 2-tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) at frying temperature in model system were identified and characterized. An attempt was made to determine the functions of the decomposed compounds in foods using model system. Tert-butylbenzoquinone (TBBQ) was identified as the primary and major oxidation product of TBHQ. Interconversion between TBHQ and TBBQ was the most important role in antioxidant effectiveness and carry-through effect of TBHQ. Several types of dimers by ether linkage resulting from thermolysis at frying temperature were identified. In addition, significant reactivity of a phenolic antioxidant with the functional carboxyl group of a fatty acid, which might lower antioxidant effectiveness, was determined using a simple model system.
Histamine-induced actin polymerization in human eosinophils: an imaging approach for histamine H4 receptor.

Image-based screening, a new and flexible tool in the drug discovery cascade, is amenable to many different targets. This article describes a particular use of the Cellomics ArrayScan in developing a functional screen for histamine H4 receptor (H4R) antagonists that have potential utility in inflammatory diseases of the airways such as asthma, with H4R being expressed on a wide variety of immune cells including eosinophils. Exposure to histamine causes eosinophils to migrate from the bloodstream into the tissue where they contribute to inflammation. Migration is manifested through rearrangements of the actin cytoskeleton and phalloidin, a biological peptide, selectively binds F-actin over G-actin and can be used to detect these cytoskeletal changes mediating inflammatory function. A fluorescent conjugate of phalloidin was used to visualize histamine-induced actin polymerization in human eosinophils on the Cellomics ArrayScan. Inhibition of this phenomenon by commercially available histamine receptor antagonists was measured. The selective H4R antagonist JNJ7777120 inhibited histamine-induced actin polymerization in eosinophils most potently. This assay illustrates that this phenomenon is mediated through the H4R and that the image-based format has enhanced screening utility for identifying selective H4R antagonists over traditional flow cytometry methods. © 2007 International Society for Analytical Cytology.
Granulomatous Blepharitis as a Sign of Melkersson-Rosenthal Syndrome

Objective: The objective of our study was to describe the ophthalmic features and histologic eyelid findings of Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome. Design: Three patients with eyelid edema underwent eyelid biopsy to establish the diagnosis of Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome. Results: Of the three patients, only one patient manifest the classic triad of facial edema, facial paralysis, and furrowed tongue. Histoloppgically, the eyelid skin in all patients showed characteristic perilymphatic granulomas with marked dermal edema. Conclusions: The histopathologic features assist in establishing the diagnosis of Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome in oligo- and monosymptomatic patients. Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome should be considered in patients presenting with eyelid edema of unknown etiology and biopsy performed.
Interaction of dislocations with interfaces

Abstract The effect on mechanical behavior of a differential elastic modulus across an interface was investigated using single crystal composite specimens prepared in configurations which minimized the influence of other factors. Tensile specimens were prepared from thin copper single crystals and epitaxial metal films were grown on the surfaces by vapor deposition to provide desired interfaces. The principal material combinations studied were copper-nickel and copper-cobalt. In addition, copper films grown onto copper tensile specimens substrate were used to evaluate the influence of certain imperfections. The elastic modulus difference was found to provide the primary strengthening mechanism for Cu-Xi and Cu-Co interfaces. Surface and interfacial energy terms were also evaluated and found not significant compared to contributions from other interface factors. Crystal structure changes induced in cobalt coatings with deformation resulted in high work-hardening compared to that of the Cu-Ni systems.
Weak parity-nonconserving potentials and circular polarization of n − p capture gamma rays

Employing different models of the weak parity-violating vector-meson exchange potentials and three versions of the parity-conserving nucleon-nucleon potentials, namely Hamada-Johnston, Yale, and modified Yale, the circular polarization of the $n\ensuremath{-}p$ capture $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays is calculated and compared with the observed value.
The neural circuits and synaptic mechanisms underlying motor initiation in C. elegans

C. elegans is widely used to dissect how neural circuits and genes generate behavior. During locomotion, worms initiate backward movement to change locomotion direction spontaneously or in response to sensory cues; however, the underlying neural circuits are not well defined. We applied a multidisciplinary approach to map neural circuits in freely behaving worms by integrating functional imaging, optogenetic interrogation, genetic manipulation, laser ablation, and electrophysiology. We found that a disinhibitory circuit and a stimulatory circuit together promote initiation of backward movement and that circuitry dynamics is differentially regulated by sensory cues. Both circuits require glutamatergic transmission but depend on distinct glutamate receptors. This dual mode of motor initiation control is found in mammals, suggesting that distantly related organisms with anatomically distinct nervous systems may adopt similar strategies for motor control. Additionally, our studies illustrate how a multidisciplinary approach facilitates dissection of circuit and synaptic mechanisms underlying behavior in a genetic model organism.
Water vapor permeability properties of edible whey protein-lipid emulsion films

The water vapor permeability (WVP) of whey protein emulsion films was investigated. The exponential effect of relative humidity on the WVP of whey protein films was reduced through lipid incorporation. Film orientation had a significant effect on WVP due to emulsion separation during film formation. Heat denaturation of whey proteins lowered emulsion film WVP. Increasing fatty acid and fatty alcohol chainlengths significantly reduced WVP, as did increasing lipid concentration. The WVPs of fatty acids, fatty alcohols and beeswax were compared in whey protein-lipid emulsion films. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed the crystalline microstructure of lipid particles in emulsion films.
An exact solution for unsteady diffusion in a block copolymer with a highly oriented lamellar morphology

An exact, analytical solution is derived to the two-dimensional diffusion problem for mass transfer in a block copolymer with a highly oriented lamellar morphology. The solution is derived using a separation of variables approach with a spectral analysis of a self-adjoint operator and also by formal application of the Laplace transform method. A simple solution is also derived for films with high aspect ratios.
Ten Years in the Trenches Faculty Perspectives on Sustaining Service-Learning

This study reports the perceptions of faculty 10 years after participating and sustaining their involvement in academic service-learning. Issues explored include why participants became involved in...
On the multiple equilibrium shapes and stability of an interface pinned on a slot

Abstract The interface between two immiscible fluids, one of them within a slot, is pinned to the sharp, parallel edges of the slot and bounded at each end of the slot by a transverse, planar surface. The interface bounding the fluid within the slot meets the solid at right angles, and the effect of gravity is negligible. There are ranges of lengths and volumes of the fluid fillet in which multiple equilibrium shapes exist, one simply cylindrical and two dimensional, the others wavy and three dimensional. The onset of the wavy shapes is signaled by a change in relative stability of the cylindrical fillets. Stability of the cylindrical shapes is calculated with respect to perturbations in interface shape that hold constant either the pressure difference across the interface or the volume of liquid enclosed by the interface. The wavy shapes are analyzed by the finite-element method. The relationship to Majumdar and Michael's analysis of a long pendent fillet affected by gravity is discussed.
Web sites as weapons in the war on HIV: educational and prevention geared to the new at-risk populations

Summary The demographic profile of HIV infection has evolved just as the science of anti-HIV therapy has progressed. Rates of new infection are disproportionately rising within minority groups. Continued ignorance about HIV continues to take a grisly toll. The World-Wide Web, as a democratic information distribution system allowing privacy at point of access, may be the best medium available to improve prevention initiatives. This article evaluates a select list of HIV/AIDS education and prevention Web sites geared to the new at-risk populations. An Appendix provides an additional list of general interest HIV/AIDS education and prevention Web sites.
Educational Attainment and Sex Differentials in African American Communities

The authors review and analyze the educational progress made by African Americans, paying special attention to differences in the educational attainment of Black women and men. Increasingly, Black ...
Persistent nucleoli in animal cells following treatments with fluorodeoxyuridine and thymidine

Summary In three cell strains, one human, one mouse and one Chinese hamster, persistent nucleoli were induced in prometaphase and metaphase by inhibition of DNA synthesis with fluorodeoxyuridine followed by thymidine relief. From the human cells, the persistent nucleoli were seen to attach to the acrocentric chromosomes, the chromosomes that bear nucleolus organizers.
Fault-tolerant wafer-scale architectures for VLSI

The basic problem which limits both yields and chip sizes is the fact that circuits created using current design techniques will not function correctly in the presence of even a single flaw of sufficient size anywhere on the chip. In this work we examine the problem of constructing chips up to the size of a wafer which operate correctly despite the presence of such flaws. This can be accomplished by building on the wafer a nearest-neighbor network of small, independent, asynchronously communicating modules. A specific algorithm to be performed by the wafer is then mapped onto a fault-free subgraph of the network. We are interested in algorithms which map naturally onto a linear array of identical processors. Construction of fault-tolerant implementations of these algorithms is addressed in two contexts. First we consider the general problem of finding a fault-free subgraph of the host network which is isomorphic to the linear array required to solve a problem. We then examine ways to tailor a specific, known algorithm to the fault-tolerant context.
Coherent time-domain data storage with a spread spectrum generated by random biphase shifting

We report time-domain data storage of as much as 1.6 kbits at a rate of 40 Mbits/s in Eu3+:YOS. Use of a pseudorandom biphase shifting technique to spread the data spectrum proved to be of critical importance in preventing saturation of the transition by the long data pulse train. The experimentally inferred storage capacity, ≳ 5 × 104 bits/spatial spot, plus the competitive single-channel throughput rate, demonstrate the potential of this optical memory.
Enzyme replacement therapy with polyethylene glycol-adenosine deaminase in adenosine deaminase deficiency: overview and case reports of three patients, including two now receiving gene therapy

During the past 6 y, 29 adenosine deaminase (ADA)-deficient patients with combined immunodeficiency have been treated with polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified bovine ADA (PEG-ADA). We have monitored plasma ADA activity, metabolic effects of treatment, and the evolution of antibody to PEG-ADA in these patients, in collaboration with immunologists and clinicians in North America, Europe, and Australia, who have monitored immune function and clinical response to treatment. This article summarizes the current status of PEG-ADA therapy and provides recommendations for its use. Recovery of specific immune function during treatment with PEG-ADA is illustrated for three patients, who represent early, delayed, these patients have entered a trial of gene therapy, but continue to receive enzyme replacement.
The effects of some selected bacteria on embryos and larvae of the American oyster, Crassostrea virginica

Abstract An investigation was conducted to determine the effects of selected bacteria on healthy embryos and larvae of the American oyster, Crassostrea virginica . A total of 156 bacterial types were isolated from moribund larvae and particulate matter collected with a 36 μm Nitex screen. Most of the isolates were nonpigmented motile, gram-negative rods sensitive to chloramphenicol and neomycin, and were classified as Pseudomonas and Vibrio . Three oyster developmental stages were exposed to selected bacteria: embryos in the first 48 hr of development, 2-day-old larvae, and presetting, 10-day-old larvae. Twenty of the bacterial strains tested caused gross morphological abnormalities, decreased growth, and/or increased mortality for one or more of the three developmental stages. Neither culture filtrate nor heat-killed bacteria produced these effects.
Five years of carbon fluxes and inherent water-use efficiency at two semi-arid pine forests with different disturbance histories

Five years of eddy-covariance and other measurements at a mature ponderosa pine forest and a nearby young plantation are used to contrast the carbon fluxes for long-term averages, seasonal patterns, diel patterns and interannual variability, and to examine the differing responses to water-stress. The mature forest with larger leaf area and wetter and cooler soils has a net uptake of carbon 3.3 times that of the young plantation. In the spring, photosynthesis is larger at the mature site as expected based on the difference in leaf area, however, another important factor is the reduction in springtime respiration at the mature site due to lower soil temperatures because of more shade from the canopy. Patterns of photosynthesis, inherent water-use efficiency (IWUE) and tree transpiration indicate that the young plantation responds to the seasonal drought sooner and to a more severe degree. Lower sensitivity to seasonal drought at the mature site is likely due to higher soil moisture reserves year round and a deeper root system that can access more water. Outside the seasonal drought period, the IWUE is the same at both sites, suggesting a species-specific value. Larger interannual variability at the plantation is associated with water-year drought and aggrading. Keywords: carbon fluxes; net ecosystem exchange of carbon; eddy-covariance; water-stress; net ecosystem production; water-use efficiency (Published: 13 February 2012) Citation: TellusB 2012, 64 , 17159, DOI: 10.3402/tellusb.v64i0.17159
Reliable classification using neural networks: a genetic algorithm and backpropagation comparison

Abstract Although, the genetic algorithm (GA) has been shown to be a superior neural network (NN) training method on computer-generated problems, its performance — on real world classification data sets is untested. To gain confidence that this alternative training technique is suitable for classification problems, a collection of 10 benchmark real world data sets were used in an extensive Monte Carlo study that compares backpropagation (BP) with the GA for NN training. We find that the GA reliably outperforms the commonly used BP algorithm as an alternative NN training technique. While this does not prove that the GA will always dominate BP, this demonstrated reliability with real world problems enables managers to use NNs trained with GAs as decision support tools with a greater degree of confidence.
Rethinking the management of transboundary freshwater resources: a critical examination of modern international law and practice

Available freshwater stocks are being depleted and impaired on a widespread basis, with acute shortages an increasingly frequent condition in arid climates. In transboundary basins, water scarcity and pollution compound interstate tension and contribute to human suffering and ecological damage. This article provides theoretical perspectives on shared freshwater disputes and on the evolution of the international law of shared water resources. It argues that the UN Convention on the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (ratified by some countries, but not yet in force) is inadequate as a framework convention in terms of providing general obligations on the future parties or an institutional framework for future action. The paper suggests that three critical concepts be considered in future management of shared water resources: (1) the unitary character of watersheds (where the absence of extra-basin diversions allows); (2) joint or “communitarian” watershed management; and (3) the relevance of international trade to alleviating regional food stress, resulting from local water scarcity. Finally, it proposes the establishment of an international advisory body on shared water disputes, modelled after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), whose role is codified in the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Total body water estimations in healthy men and women using bioimpedance spectroscopy: a deuterium oxide comparison

Background Total body water (TBW) estimations have been used to estimate body composition, particularly fat-free mass, to aid in nutritional interventions, and to monitor hydration status. In the past, bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) devices have been used to estimate TBW. Previous investigations have examined the validity of the XiTRON 4000B (XiTRON Technologies) BIS device for estimating TBW. Recently, a new BIS device (Imp™ SFB7) has become available, claiming greater precision when estimating TBW. The Imp™ SFB7 (SFB7) is based on similar BIS principles, while offering increased portability and a greater range of frequencies when compared to older devices, such as the XiTRON 4000B (4000B). The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the SFB7 for estimating total body water in healthy college-age men and women compared to the 4000B and deuterium oxide (D2O).
Low temperature luminescence of inorganic solids.

The emission spectra of a representative group of inorganic solid phosphors have been measured at temperatures as low as 4°K. Of the phosphors investigated, only those having “edge” emission show a tendency to exhibit a line spectrum at low temperatures; the ordinary impurity activated materials show little or no change in emission below 100°K. It is improbable that the breadth of emission is due to the interaction of the luminescent center with impurities or lattice defects since neither cold work nor variation in concentrations of impurities affects the breadth of emission. Possible explanations of the broad band, low temperature emission are the existence of a zero-point vibrational energy of a nonphotoconducting luminescent center in its excited state; and, in the case of photoconducting phosphors, the distortion of exciton and conduction levels near the luminescent center.
Anomaly detection of turbopump vibration in Space Shuttle Main Engine using statistics and neural networks

The statistical and neural networks methods have been applied to investigate the feasibility in detecting anomalies in turbopump vibration of SSME. The anomalies are detected based on the amplitude of peaks of fundamental and harmonic frequencies in the power spectral density. These data are reduced to the proper format from sensor data measured by strain gauges and accelerometers. Both methods are feasible to detect the vibration anomalies. The statistical method requires sufficient data points to establish a reasonable statistical distribution data bank. This method is applicable for on-line operation. The neural networks method also needs to have enough data basis to train the neural networks. The testing procedure can be utilized at any time so long as the characteristics of components remain unchanged.
Quality of life measurement in testicular cancer patients

The linear-analogue self-assessment (LASA) technique was used to assess acute toxicity and other pertinent attributes relative to quality of life (QL) in patients with advanced testicular cancer who were entered into chemotherapy trials with either velban, Actinomycin-D, bleomycin, cisplatin, and cytoxan (VAB-6), etoposide and cisplatin (EP), or both regimens. Results showed significantly less nausea, vomiting, mucositis, and a earlier return to normal physical activity with EP versus VAB-6. The LASA method appears to be a valid measure of acute toxicity to chemotherapy in testicular cancer patients and provides objective QL information for patients entered into prospective clinical trials.
Mohajir women survivors in postcolonial Karachi: on grief

This article explores Mohajir women’s experiences and constructions of grief in the face of losses incurred during the 1985–1999 phase of armed conflict in Karachi, Pakistan. Survivors’ testimonies of grief, and their attempts to manage that grief, become points of entry to an understanding of the impact and contours of multiple types of violence, including the structural violence, within which the lives of poor women especially are embedded. Memories, historical as well as more recent, and identities, remain imbricated in women’s narratives of grief as they mourn individual and familial losses along with more collective sites of disenfranchisement. The totalizing violence in their lives and lifeworlds is mirrored by their totalizing grief. For many Mohajir women, being trapped in refugee or immigrant mode represents a layer of this totalizing grief. Bereaved and poor Mohajir women can only find some solace amongst women in similar circumstances. Women above fifty, women in their thirties and forties, and...
Use of EPS geofoam compressible inclusions for reducing the earthquake effects on yielding earth retaining structures

Abstract The effectiveness of EPS geofoam compressible inclusions in reducing both the seismic earth pressure and displacement increment (i.e., horizontal translation and rotation) of yielding, gravity type, earth retaining walls, was investigated by parametric numerical analyses. The 2-D finite element code PLAXIS was used for analyzing the seismic response of two gravity-type retaining walls (with heights equal to 4 m and 7.5 m) under harmonic excitation at the wall base of varying amplitude (0.1 g to 0.7 g) and frequency (0.3 Hz to 20 Hz). The isolation efficiency of the inclusions (defined as the ratio of displacement or pressure reduction, due to inclusion, to the corresponding values for a non-isolated wall) was studied as a function of the normalized – with respect to wall height – thickness of the inclusion and shaking intensity. The results of the analyses indicate that – as in the case of non-yielding walls – the isolation efficiency, in general, increases with increasing inclusion thickness and also depends on shaking intensity, wall height and excitation frequency. However, in contrast to the case of non-yielding walls, the isolation efficiency of yielding walls increases with inclusion thickness only up to a limiting value which cannot be exceeded with a further increase of inclusion thickness. For the case of EPS 100 (i.e., ρ EPS =20 kg/m 3 ) a compressible inclusion with a relative thickness of 15% to 20%, can reduce the seismic pressure by up to 20%, and the seismic displacement increment of a wall by up to 50%, depending on shaking intensity and height of wall. Finally, it was shown that the excitation frequency as well as its relative value, with respect to the natural frequency of the wall-backfill system, is an important parameter which affects the seismic isolation efficiency of EPS and its dependence on shaking intensity, and particularly the isolation against wall rotation. It is concluded that EPS compressible inclusions can provide an effective means for reducing the permanent seismic displacement and lateral thrust increments for new or existing seismically retrofitted yielding earth retaining structures.
Managing programming assignments in a RSTS/E account group

This article describes a multiprogramming situation in which one or more leaders must access sequences of normally protected accounts and files on a regular basis.The constraints of the situation, together with the peculiar advantages of the software available, led to what may be a novel, certainly a much appreciated bit of programming.
The Silicon Detector Concept

Abstract The Silicon Detector (SiD) is a collider detector concept based on all-silicon tracking and a silicon-tungsten sampling calorimeter, complemented by a powerful silicon pixel vertex detector, a hadronic calorimeter contained within the solenoidal magnet and an instrumented ﬂux return functioning as the muon system. Optimized forward detectors are deployed to ensure hermiticity and provide luminosity measurements. In order to meet the International Linear Collider (ILC) physics goals, we have designed a general purpose detector taking full advantage of the silicon technology. The silicon detector is performant, robust against machine-induced background and, by now, a mature concept.
Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum: A brief overview of management strategies and rationale

Abstract Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly characterized by complete obstruction of outflow from the right ventricle and pulmonary blood flow that is completely ductal dependent. Appropriate therapeutic decision making early in the neonatal period is crucial to immediate survival. Ultimately, definitive palliation or correction is very much dependent upon the adequacy of right-sided cardiac structures. This article will review management strategies designed to optimize both immediate and longer term survival.
A developmental study of maternal responsiveness in the rat

Abstract Male and female rats will retrieve and group rat pups as early as 24 days of age. Injections of testosterone propionate failed to inhibit the onset of this behavior in the male.