cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Management of atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure.

Abstract Background There is a well-documented relationship and a complex interaction between atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure. The coexistence of these 2 clinical entities renders their management even more challenging. Methods and results We searched current literature to review the management of AF in patients with heart failure. The cornerstones of AF treatment are rate control, cardioversion, and maintenance of sinus rhythm (SR), and prevention of thromboembolism. The issue of rhythm versus rate control remains unresolved. Nonpharmacologic therapies such as radiofrequency catheter ablation of the atrioventricular node with permanent pacemaker implantation, curative catheter ablation of AF, and cardiac resynchronization therapy are emerging and may alter the management of these patients. Conclusion Treatment of atrial fibrillation in the setting of heart failure encompasses a variety of approaches including drugs, devices, and ablation. Larger randomized trials are required to clarify the management of such patients.
Numerical analysis of hardware architecture for header compression and packet aggregation on wireless networks

This paper proposes a numerical analysis model to predict the processing delay of a hardware architecture for robust header compression and packet aggregation on wireless mesh networks. The analysis model is composed of a series of queue systems such as G/M/1, M [K]/M/1, M/M/1, and M/M/� that are one-to-one mapped into the constructed hardware components to characterize the concurrent operations and interactional relationship between encoding and decoding paths. Based on the co-simulation method which integrates NS-2 and SystemC, we show the analysis model properly approximates the processing delay of the hardware architecture. Additionally, the variation of processing delay occurring when a part of hardware components are differently configured is suitably characterized by the proposed model, and the overall mesh network behaviors is predicted by applying the numerical results into NS-2 simulations.
Concerns based adoption model (CBAM): Basis for an elementary science methods course

This study assessed the effectiveness of conducting an elementary science methods course based on the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) upon the concerns and attitudes of pre-service elementary teachers (PSTs). PSTs were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups. The three groups included a traditional science methods course, a course based on the theoretical development of concerns, and a course based on the actual measured concerns about teaching an elementary science methods course. Hypotheses were tested to determine if the traditional or either concerns based science methods course was more effective in improving attitudes or advancing PST concerns about teaching science. Two instruments—; The Stages of Concern Questionnaire and the Science Teacher Attitude Scales—; were used to gather pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest data. Analysis of study results indicated that PST attitude toward science and science teaching improved and concerns about teaching science shifted from lower to higher stages of concern in all three treatment groups as predicted by Concerns Theory. However, none of the methods courses proved superior in affecting concerns or attitudes of pre-service teachers. The study concludes that either one semester is too short a time to affect the desired shifts in attitudes and concerns, or that the diagnostic instruments currently available to measure concerns and attitudes are not sensitive or specific enough to measure subtle changes of interest in a research study. The author suggests that research instruments be developed specifically for preservice teachers for this purpose.
Potential long-term growth gains from early clump thinning of coppice-regenerated oak stands

A study was established in the Missouri Ozarks to evaluate coppice regeneration of oak. Five years after a 32-year-old stand was clearcut and regenerated naturally through stump sprouts, the dominant sprout on each stump was identified based upon height. Treated plots were thinned to the single dominant sprout on each stump whereas control plots were not thinned. Twenty-five years later the largest 247, 371, 494, and 618 stems per ha were examined and height of the dominant sprout at age 5 was found to be strongly related to dbh at age 30 in both thinned and unthinned plots. However, in the thinned plots, the largest 494 stems per ha were on average 11%, 28%, and 58% greater, respectively, in height, dbh, and volume compared to similar dominant sprouts in unthinned plots. Logistic regression analysis was used to develop curves for the evaluation of potential gains from clump thinning. In this analysis, the average height of a stand at age 5 was used to estimate thinning gains at age 30.
An experimental investigation of a three-dimensional wall jet

One and two point statistical properties are measured in the flow fields of a coflowing turbulent jet. Two different confining surfaces (one flat, one with large curvature) are placed adjacent to the lip of the circular nozzle; and the resultant effects on the flow field are determined. The one point quantities measured include mean velocities, turbulent intensities, velocity and concentration autocorrelations and power spectral densities, and intermittencies. From the autocorrelation curves, the Taylor microscale and the integral length scale are calculated. Two point quantities measured include velocity and concentration space-time correlations and pressure velocity correlations. From the velocity space-time correlations, iso-correlation contours are constructed along with the lines of maximum maximorum. These lines allow a picture of the flow pattern to be determined. The pressures monitored in the pressure velocity correlations are measured both in the flow field and at the surface of the confining wall(s).
A note on goodness-of-fit statistics for probit and logit models

In the case of models designed to explain the choice among a finite set of alternatives, a number of goodness-of-fit statistics have been reported. This paper is primarily concerned with the properties of one of these statistics, the likelihood ratio index. By comparing the likelihood ratio index with some of the other statistics and by examining its mathematical properties, it is concluded that the index has desirable properties in binary and multinomial situations. However, the way in which the likelihood ratio index has been applied in many recent studies has led to results which are possibly unexpected. In these cases, the index was a measure of the extent to which a hypothesized model improved upon the explanatory power of a model with all coefficients, including the constant or the coefficients of alternative-specific dummies, equal to zero. It is shown that the minimum value of this likelihood ratio index depends on the relative proportions of sampled individuals selecting the various alternatives, contrary to the expectation of a zero minimum value. The dependence on the sampled proportions also prevents comparison of indices resulting from different samples. A simple adjustment alleviates these difficulties. This new definition makes the likelihood ratio index a measure of the extent to which the hypothesized model improves upon the explanatory of a model with only a constant or alternative-specific dummies. It is recommended that this index is more appropriate for assessing the value of choice models.
The effect of temperature on ESR signal intensities in aqueous solutions

Abstract The temperature dependence of the intensities of various paramagnetic species were studied Included are various solid samples, various biological substances labeled with spin labels, and 4-maleimido 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinoxyl dissolved in both cyclohexane and 0.05 M aqueous phosphate. All aqueous samples show an increase in intensity with temperature, while all solid samples and nonaqueous samples show the expected decrease in signal intensity. It is shown that the decrease in the dielectric constant of water at elevated temperature, which decreases the effective Q of the ESR cavity is the major factor responsible for the unexpected increase in intensity with temperature found for aqueous samples.
Brain-computer interface controlled functional electrical stimulation device for foot drop due to stroke

Gait impairment due to foot drop is a common outcome of stroke, and current physiotherapy provides only limited restoration of gait function. Gait function can also be aided by orthoses, but these devices may be cumbersome and their benefits disappear upon removal. Hence, new neuro-rehabilitative therapies are being sought to generate permanent improvements in motor function beyond those of conventional physiotherapies through positive neural plasticity processes. Here, the authors describe an electroencephalogram (EEG) based brain-computer interface (BCI) controlled functional electrical stimulation (FES) system that enabled a stroke subject with foot drop to re-establish foot dorsiflexion. To this end, a prediction model was generated from EEG data collected as the subject alternated between periods of idling and attempted foot dorsiflexion. This prediction model was then used to classify online EEG data into either “idling” or “dorsiflexion” states, and this information was subsequently used to control an FES device to elicit effective foot dorsiflexion. The performance of the system was assessed in online sessions, where the subject was prompted by a computer to alternate between periods of idling and dorsiflexion. The subject demonstrated purposeful operation of the BCI-FES system, with an average cross-correlation between instructional cues and BCI-FES response of 0.60 over 3 sessions. In addition, analysis of the prediction model indicated that non-classical brain areas were activated in the process, suggesting post-stroke cortical re-organization. In the future, these systems may be explored as a potential therapeutic tool that can help promote positive plasticity and neural repair in chronic stroke patients.
Hybrid silicon evanescent devices

Si photonics as an integration platform has recently been a focus of optoelectronics research because of the promise of low-cost manufacturing based on the ubiquitous electronics fabrication infrastructure. The key challenge for Si photonic systems is the realization of compact, electrically driven optical gain elements. We review our recent developments in hybrid Si evanescent devices. We have demonstrated electrically pumped lasers, amplifiers, and photodetectors that can provide a low-cost, scalable solution for hybrid integration on a Si platform by using a novel hybrid waveguide architecture, consisting of III-V quantum wells bonded to Si waveguides.
Adsorption and desorption of aliphatic amines, amino acids and acetate by clay minerals and marine sediments

Abstract The adsorption and desorption behavior of three aliphatic amines, three amino acids, and acetate by organic-free clay minerals (kaolinite and montmorillonite) and by marine sediment was studied in laboratory experiments using 14 C-labeled compounds. These compounds were chosen to represent basic, neutral, and acidic functional groups. Adsorption partition coefficients ranged from to 15 for monomethyl-, dimethyl- and trimethyl amine, and to 128 for alanine, glutamic acid and lysine. Single desorption experiments were conducted using these compounds to calculate desorption partition coefficients. Repetitive desorption experiments and a consecutive desorption model were used to calculate partition coefficients for the reversible and resistant components of desorption. Adsorption of the three positively-charged amines and lysine was mostly reversible, but glutamic acid, alanine and acetate exhibited irreversible association. This is most likely related to the different adsorption mechanisms caused by the different functional groups on these compounds. Ion exchange and electrostatic interactions are more important for the positively-charged compounds while chemical interactions with surface organic functional groups may be more important for the neutral and negatively-charged compounds. Adsorption of amines, amino acids and acetate is greater in sediments with a higher organic content although the acidic and neutral compounds were affected more than the basic compounds. Oxidation state of the sediments may also be an important factor in adsorption behavior.
Six-month, double-blind comparison of isoxicam with buffered aspirin in rheumatoid arthritis

The results of a six-month, double-blind comparison of isoxicam (Maxicam), 200 mg once a day, with buffered aspirin, 3,600 mg per day (900 mg four times a day), showed that isoxicam was statistically significantly better than aspirin in eight of 12 measures of efficacy. The study was carried out in 15 centers around the United States in 191 patients with classic or definite rheumatoid arthritis. The measures for which improvement with isoxicam was significantly better than aspirin were number of tender joints, sum of tenderness scores, number of swollen joints, sum of swelling scores, number of joints involved, grip strength, and overall assessment of the patient's condition by physician and patient. The measures for which the difference favoring isoxicam was not statistically significant were duration of morning stiffness, time to walk 50 feet, and global assessment of change in the patient's condition by physician and patient. The results indicate that 200 mg of isoxicam once daily is effective for treating rheumatoid arthritis. Compared with 3,600 mg of buffered aspirin daily, isoxicam is better in relief of symptoms and at least as effective regarding improvement in function.
The Ca2+-Activated K+ Channel KCa3.1 as a Potential New Target for the Prevention of Allograft Vasculopathy

Allograft vasculopathy (AV) remains one of the major challenges to the long-term functioning of solid organ transplants. Although its exact pathogenesis remains unclear, AV is characterized by both fibromuscular proliferation and infiltration of CD4(+) memory T cells. We here tested whether two experimental immunosuppressants targeting K(+) channels might be useful for preventing AV. PAP-1 inhibits the voltage-gated Kv1.3 channel, which is overexpressed on CCR7(-) memory T cells and we therefore hypothesize that it should suppress the memory T cell component of AV. Based on its previous efficacy in restenosis and kidney fibrosis we expected that the KCa3.1 blocker TRAM-34 would primarily affect smooth muscle and fibroblast proliferation and thus reduce intimal hyperplasia. Using immunohistochemistry we demonstrated the presence of Kv1.3 on infiltrating T cells and of KCa3.1 on lymphocytes as well as on proliferating neointimal smooth muscle cells in human vasculopathy samples and in a rat aorta transplant model developing chronic AV. Treatment of PVG rats receiving orthotopically transplanted aortas from ACI rats with TRAM-34 dose-dependently reduced aortic luminal occlusion, intimal hyperplasia, mononuclear cell infiltration and collagen deposition 120 days after transplantation. The Kv1.3 blocker PAP-1 in contrast did not reduce intima hyperplasia despite drastically reducing plasma IFN-γ levels and inhibiting lymphocyte infiltration. Our findings suggest that KCa3.1 channels play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic AV and constitute an attractive target for the prevention of arteriopathy.
Inhibition of typhus and spotted fever by intradermal inoculation of antiorgan or certain normal sera.

ConclusionAntiguinea pig rabbit immune sera, when injected intradermally into guinea pigs inhibited the clinical manifestations of typhus and spotted fever after' the infective material was inoculated at the site of the serum administration. Highly protective properties against typhus and spotted fever, previously absent in the serum of untreated rabbits, were demonstrated in the antisera of the same animals after their immunization with guinea pig spleen and bone marrow. However, an attenuation of typhus and spotted fevers occurred when serum of certain “normal” rabbits was used. The presence of Forssman antibodies in the rabbit immune sera and of sheep cell lysins in the “normal” sera seems of no significance. Among the factors involved in the observed phenomena, the barrier effect of the skin; and its modified permeability are probably decisive. The role of the spreading factor in the invasiveness of rickettsiae is under systematic experimental study.The authors make no suggestions as to the possibilit...
A cost-benefit mechanism for selecting problem-solving strategies: Some extensions and empirical tests

Abstract Beach and Mitchell (Academy of Management Review 1978, 3, 439–449) proposed a contingency model for the selection of decision strategies in which the decision maker selected that strategy expected to result in the greatest net benefit (i.e., selection is based on a cost-benefit analysis). The perceived costs and benefits associated with each strategy are affected by various situational variables. Christensen-Szalanski (Organizational Behavior and Human Performance 1978, 22, 307–323) developed the selection mechanism in greater detail. The present paper extends that selection mechanism by proposing a set of alternative assumptions underlying the mechanism and by proposing an expanded role for the variable time in the decision strategy selection process. In addition, the present paper presents the results of a study testing certain of the proposed extensions and the effects of time constraints, task complexity, and task significance on the selection of a decision strategy.
Indicator Approach for Assessing Climate Change Vulnerability in Transportation Infrastructure

From installing culverts with larger safety margins to instituting more frequent training for weather emergencies, transportation agencies around the world are adapting to extreme weather and climate change. An understanding of when and how to adapt (i.e., improve infrastructure preparedness) requires evaluating existing and future vulnerabilities to climate change and prioritizing adaptation efforts. A successful vulnerability assessment lays the groundwork for adaptation by building stakeholder relationships, spurring data collection, and prioritizing needs. One barrier faced by transportation agencies in conducting vulnerability assessments is a lack of financial and staff resources. The process of collecting climate and asset data can be particularly onerous for agencies struggling to meet daily operational needs. Two recent projects piloted a cost-effective screening method for highly vulnerable assets that used indicators developed from data already being collected by many state departments of trans...
Geometric Influence of a Molded Part on the Draw Direction Range and Parting Line Locations

This paper presents a methodology based on the geometry of the injection molded part to identify the draw direction range and parting line locations. These parameters are shown to be a function of the interaction of the outward normals of the surfaces that have been divided into concave and convex regions of the part. This approach can also be applied incrementally to determine these mold parameters for a part as design features are added. The designer can then select from the choices provided to find the optimum parting line location and draw direction using heuristic rules. An absence of an allowable draw direction indicates the presence of an undercut that complicates the mold by requiring a side action so that the mold cost increases. The designer can either redesign the part or accept the undercut by specifying a side core or cavity. Design examples are provided which illustrate the effectiveness of the developed approach.
Monitoring and mass budget for mercury in the everglades nutrient removal project

The Everglades Nutrient Removal Project (ENRP) is a 1,545-ha prototype wetland constructed to test a larger system of stormwater-treatment areas that is being used to remove agricultural nutrients and help restore the remnant Everglades. Concerns that the ENRP may lead to mercury bioaccumulation as observed in other newly created reservoirs resulted in an effort to construct a mercury mass budget and measure bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms. For the first 2 years of operation, total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in water decreased significantly a short distance into the ENRP, probably through particle settling. During both years, THg concentrations in largemouth bass were about 0.1 μg/g throughout the ENRP while the adjacent Water Conservation Area bass were at or above the state health advisory level of 0.5 μg/g. THg levels in mosquitofish were lower than levels found in bass, and mosquitofish mercury concentrations in the interior of the ENRP were significantly lower than the inflow and outflow sites. The major THg pool was the sediment while less than 1% the total mass was stored in vegetation, water, and fish. The major MeHg pool also was the sediment but vegetation, water, and fish were significant fractions. Mass budget estimates showed the inflow pump and rainfall to be the major sources of THg, while the outflow pump was the major output. The inflow pump was the major source of MeHg while the outflow pump was the major output. Evasion of elemental mercury estimated by the stagnant-film model indicated a minor loss, but field measurements over cattails suggested that evasion may be the major pathway. When all inputs and outputs were considered, the ENRP removed about 70% of the THg and MeHg masses in the first 2 years of operation.
The fontinalaceae in the Winona H. Welch Herbarium (DPU) and a list of Welch's collecting trips outside of Indiana.

The Fontinalaceae in the Welch Herbarium, now deposited in the New York Botanical Garden Herbarium (NY), consist of 8034 packets, 385 of which represent 118 types. Three appendices provide: a) a list of known Fontinalaceae types in the Welch Herbarium; b) a list of collectors of Fontinalaceae whose collections were studied by Welch after the publication of her monograph in 1960; and c) a list of Welch's collecting trips outside of Indiana.
Cost Effective Burn-In and Replacement Times

Bum-in and replacement policies have been used to reduce the cost of maintaining a system function. Existing solutions to the burn-in and the combined burn-in, replacement problems are typically difficult to apply. A simpler solution to this problem is given. The only distributional property required is the reliability function. Thus either parametric or nonparametric estimates of reliability can be used in the solution. The nonparametric solution is appealing in the case of a combined burn-in and replacement policy because the U shaped failure rate makes parametric estimation of reliability difficult.
The budding yeast Polo-like kinase Cdc5 is released from the nucleus during anaphase for timely mitotic exit

Polo-like kinases are important regulators of multiple mitotic events; however, how Polo-like kinases are spatially and temporally regulated to perform their many tasks is not well understood. Here, we examined the subcellular localization of the budding yeast Polo-like kinase Cdc5 using a functional Cdc5-GFP protein expressed from the endogenous locus. In addition to the well-described localization of Cdc5 at the spindle pole bodies (SPBs) and the bud neck, we found that Cdc5-GFP accumulates in the nucleus in early mitosis but is released to the cytoplasm in late mitosis in a manner dependent on the Cdc14 phosphatase. This Cdc5 release from the nucleus is important for mitotic exit because artificial sequestration of Cdc5 in the nucleus by addition of a strong nuclear localization signal (NLS) resulted in mitotic exit defects. We identified a key cytoplasmic target of Cdc5 as Bfa1, an inhibitor of mitotic exit. Our study revealed a novel layer of Cdc5 regulation and suggests the existence of a possible coordination between Cdc5 and Cdc14 activity.
Neuroscience networking: linking discovery to drugs.

Discoveries in the pre-clinical neurosciences have set the stage for bringing new therapies to patients affected by neurological disorders. The National lnstitute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is dedicated to promoting the development of new therapies through its funding programs that range from basic neuroscience to translational research and finally clinical research to test the most promising new therapies in patients. In an effort to accelerate the translation of new discoveries to clinical practice, NINDS is piloting novel organizational strategies. In translational research, NINDS is taking the lead on the establishment of a ‘virtual pharma' structure, through which researchers will partner with the NIH to accelerate the progress of drug development from early hit discovery through phase 1 clinical trials. In clinical research, the new Network for Excellence in Neuroscience Clinical Trials (NeuroNEXT) aims to promote the efficient implementation of scientifically sound, biomarker-informed phase 2 clinical trials that can be initiated by academic or industry investigators.
Adaptive Model Selection

Most model selection procedures use a fixed penalty penalizing an increase in the size of a model. These nonadaptive selection procedures perform well only in one type of situation. For instance, Bayesian information criterion (BIC) with a large penalty performs well for “small” models and poorly for “large” models, and Akaike's information criterion (AIC) does just the opposite. This article proposes an adaptive model selection procedure that uses a data-adaptive complexity penalty based on a concept of generalized degrees of freedom. The proposed procedure, combining the benefit of a class of nonadaptive procedures, approximates the best performance of this class of procedures across a variety of different situations. This class includes many well-known procedures, such as AIC, BIC, Mallows's Cp, and risk inflation criterion (RIC). The proposed procedure is applied to wavelet thresholding in nonparametric regression and variable selection in least squares regression. Simulation results and an asymptotic...
Parametric positioning of a continuous crystal PET detector with depth of interaction decoding

Here we demonstrate a parametric positioning method on a continuous crystal detector. Three different models for the light distribution were tested. Diagnosis of the residues showed that the parametric model fits the experimental data better than Gaussian and Cauchy models in our particular experimental setup. Based on the correlation between the spread and the peak value of the light distribution model with the depth of interaction (DOI), we were able to estimate the three-dimensional position of a scintillation event. On our continuous miniature crystal element (cMiCE) detector module with 8 mm thick LYSO crystal, the intrinsic spatial resolution is 1.06 mm at the center and 1.27 mm at the corner using a maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) method and the parametric model. The DOI resolution (full width at half maximum) is estimated to be ~3.24 mm. The positioning method using the parametric model outperformed the Gaussian and Cauchy models, in both MLE and weighted least-squares (WLS) fitting methods. The key feature of this technique is that it requires very little calibration of the detector, but still retains high resolution and high sensitivity.
Study on Influencing of Technological Parameter with Tools Wear during Turning Fluorophlogopite Glass-Ceramics

The characteristic of tools wear is analyzed through turning fluorophlogopite glass-ceramics. And the process of tools wear can be divided into three periods. Through single factor test, the influence of tools wear was discussed such as tool material, cooling conditions, cutting depth and feed speed. The study indicates, the tools material and cooling condition are major factors to affect tools wear. The high-speed steel tool is not suitable for turning fluorophlogopite. Because sustaining time of cutting is short and efficiency is low in machining, the tungsten-cobalt carbide tool is not perfect tool. And ceramics tool is better than the both. The tools wear rate can be decreased under cooling conditions. Influential curve of tools wear rate versus cutting depth is a part of parabola curve.
Degradation of CdTe Solar Cells: Simulation and Experiment

Time-dependent numerical modeling is employed in conjunction with experimental data to investigate degradation mechanisms in cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cells. Two mechanisms are tested against the data: 1) defect generation in the junction region caused by excess charge carriers and reactant defects and 2) back barrier increase. Junction effects result in stable $J_{{\rm sc}}$ with significant losses in $V_{{\rm oc}}$ and FF, in accordance with typical data for the type of light-soak stress conditions considered here. The back barrier increase causes additional FF loss. The results suggest that both mid-gap recombination centers and shallow acceptor-type defects form near the main junction as degradation proceeds. Our data reaffirm that the inclusion of copper in the back contact is associated with better initial performance and more rapid degradation. Correlations were observed between degradation rates and apparent doping hysteresis obtained from bidirectional capacitance–voltage (C–V) scans. Our time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) results show no correlation between light-soak-induced $V_{{\rm oc}}$ loss and PL lifetime.
Bifidobacterium bifidus var. Pennsylvanicus growth promoting activity of human milk casein and its derivatives

Abstract 1. 1. Bifidobacterium bifidus var. Penn, growth promoting activity of human milk and compounds derived therefrom can be expressed by a reciprocal plot, from which constants representing such activity can be derived. 2. 2. Human milk casein has microbial growth-promoting activity that apparently resides in its oligosac-charide moiety. 3. 3. Three types of oligosaccharides were demonstrated in the product of β-elimination reaction on human casein, and all had microbial growth promoting activities. 4. 4. Carbohydrate-free human casein was a competitive inhibitor of microbial growth in the presence and absence of human milk. 5. 5. Bovine milk casein and its corresponding derivatives had no effect on microbial growth. 6. 6. It is concluded that the title microorganism may possess growth promoter receptors on its surface, which can reversibly combine with carbohydrate-free human casein, and that human casein may contain a number of different oligosaccharide units.
Behavioral treatment of an adolescent female's bulimic anorexia: Modification of immediate consequences and antecedent conditions

Abstract In the present case study, a behavioral treatment was employed to modify an anorexic adolescent female's eating disturbance. Specifically, a contingency management package was introduced to eliminate chronic vomiting behavior; and communication skills training involving both client and her parents was used to modify family interactions. Identification of a reliable method for monitoring self‐induced vomiting independent of a client's self‐report is discussed.
Ultrastructural morphology of plasma cells in normal ovine hemal lymph nodes.

Summary The fine structure of plasma cells from the hemal lymph nodes of five healthy sheep was examined. The plasma cells showed many cytoplasmic processes, indicating motility and phagocytic activity. They were randomly located in the medullary cords of the hemal lymph nodes. Their perinuclear spaces were irregular and contained granular material similar in density to that of rough endoplasmic reticulum. Some of the plasma cells provided morphological evidence of erythrophagocytosis at different levels. Such a phenomenon was previously reported only in pathological conditions. The red blood cell being engulfed by the plasma cell appeared smaller than normal. Most of the examined plasma cells showed Russell's Bodies inside the cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum of the healthy hemal lymph nodes. Some of these Russell's Bodies had fuzzy borders. They were separated from the rough endoplasmic reticulum by evenly spaced halos. Many plasma cells showed physical contacts with mast cells in the form of cell junctions, and some showed cytoplasmic continuity between the two cells. Such relations have been discussed in this article.
Modification of silicon AFM cantilever tips with an oligo(ethylene glycol) derivative for resisting proteins and maintaining a small tip size for high-resolution imaging.

We demonstrate that silicon AFM tips can be modified by etching with 2% HF solution followed by reaction with an α,ω-oligo(ethylene glycol)alkene. Tips properly modified by this technique maintain a small tip size and effectively reduce the nonspecific interaction with fibrinogen and bovine serum albumin, resulting in greatly improved image resolution and contrast for high-coverage fibrinogen films.
An evaluation of skin painting studies as determinants of tumorigenesis potential following skin contact with carcinogens.

Abstract The literature was surveyed for reports of skin and systemic tumorigenesis following topical application of carcinogenic chemicals to test animals. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) monographs, Vols. 1–16 (1972–1978), have designated 247 chemicals as possessing some evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and/or animals. Our survey showed that 51 of these chemicals have been tested for tumorigenesis in animal skin painting studies, and that 36 of the 51 (71%) induced skin tumors in the test animals. Necropsies were performed in the studies of 20 of the 51 chemicals. For these 20 chemicals, 10 of theskin painting tests resulted in skin tumors, and 10 did not. Of the 10 chemicals that caused skin tumors, 5 also induced systemic tumors and 5 did not. Of the 10 chemicals that did not elicit skin tumors, 3 caused systemic tumors and 7 did not. These latter 7 chemicals were completely undetected as carcinogens in the animal skin painting tests, but were determined to be carcinogenic by IARC in studies that involved routes of administration other than the dermal route. Systemic tumor induction in skin painting tests could result in false positives because of oral ingestion by grooming. In conclusion, data in the literature indicate that animal skin painting tests, performed according to current protocols, cannot be conclusively relied upon to determine the potential carcinogenicity of applied chemicals.
Investigation of Cellular Contraction Forces in the Frequency Domain Using a PDMS Micropillar-Based Force Transducer

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) micropillar-based biotransducers are extensively used in cellular force measurements. The accuracy of these devices relies on the appropriate material characterization of PDMS and modeling to convert the micropillar deformations into the corresponding forces. Cellular contraction is often accompanied by oscillatory motion, the frequency of which ranges in several hertz. In this paper, we developed a methodology to calculate the cellular contraction forces in the frequency domain with improved accuracy. The contraction data were first expressed as a Fourier series. Subsequently, we measured the complex modulus of PDMS using a dynamic nanoindentation technique. An improved method for the measurement of complex modulus was developed with the use of a flat punch indenter. The instrument dynamics was characterized, and the full contact region was identified. By incorporating both the Fourier series of contraction data and the complex modulus function, the cellular contraction force was calculated by finite-element analysis (FEA). The difference between the Euler beam formula and the viscoelastic FEA was discussed. The methodology presented in this work is anticipated to benefit the material characterization of other soft polymers and complex biological behavior in the frequency domain.
Biotransformations of pituitary luteinizing hormone in serum and urine. I. Association with serum components.

In an effort to elucidate the nature of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the circulation, studies in adult male rats have been conducted using a highly purified and well-characterized tritiated and methylated ovine pituitary LH, a derivative which retains full biological activity. Following an intravenous injection of the radioactive hormone, serum chromatograms (molecular exclusion chromatography) are characterized by three radioactive components. The first one, a rapidly formed high molecular weight heterogeneous fraction, involves the non-covalent interaction of the hormone with one or more circulating proteins. These high molecular weight complexes are cleared rather slowly from the circulation, relative to the non-associated hormone. A second component co-chromatographs with control hormone and is rapidly cleared from the circulation. These two fractions retain full biological activity judged by their ability to stimulate testosterone production in Leydig cell suspensions. A third component is observed in...
THE EFFECTIVE USE OF ENACTMENTS INFAMILY THERAY: DISCOVERY‐ORIENTED PROCESS STUDY

In this investigation we examine the elements of enactments--in-session dialogues used to observe and modify family interactions in structural family therapy. Twenty-one videotaped segments of 18 therapy sessions with different families were used to compile detailed descriptions of therapist techniques and client responses. Enactments were analyzed as consisting of three distinct phases--initiation, facilitation, and closing--each of which required more numerous and complex interventions than are usually described in the clinical literature. Judges were able to reliably describe therapist interventions that led to successful enactments as well as what therapists did or failed to do that led to unproductive outcomes. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
Teaching design of experiments and statistical analysis of data through laboratory experiments

A new laboratory course at San Jose State University, Advanced Thin Film Processes, integrates fabrication of thin films with design of experiment and statistical analysis of data. In the laboratory section of this course, students work through six multi-week modules that increase in the complexity of design of experiment and statistical analysis of data. The six modules have been developed with a standard format that includes learning objectives, background on the specific thin film process, theory of design of experiment principles, instructor notes, dry lab exercises, experimental plan worksheets, and assessment tools. While the modules were developed for a semiconductor processing class, they can easily be implemented in other engineering classes. The modules have been developed with a robust framework that allows the instructor to teach design of experiments and statistical analysis of data along with the specific engineering principles related to their class.
Novikov Conjectures for Arithmetic Groups with Large Actions at Infinity

We construct a new compactification of a noncompact rank one globally symmetric space. The result is a nonmetrizable space which also compactifies the Borel-Serre enlargement of , contractible only in the appropriate ˇ Cech sense, and with the action of any arithmetic subgroup of the isometry group of on not being small at infinity. Nevertheless, we show that such a compacti- fication can be used in the approach to Novikov conjectures developed recently by G. Carlsson and E. K. Pedersen. In particular, we study the nontrivial instance of the phenomenon of bounded satura- tion in the boundary of and deduce that integral assembly maps split in the case of a torsion-free arithmetic subgroup of a semi-simple algebraic -group of real rank one or, in fact, the fundamental group of any pinched hyperbolic manifold. Using a similar construction we also split assembly maps for neat subgroups of Hilbert modular groups.
Averaging method for strongly non-linear oscillators with periodic excitations

Abstract An averaging method is developed to predict periodic solutions of strongly non-linear and harmonically forced oscillators. The analysis is restricted to the case of period-1 orbits. The original governing equation is transformed into an autonomous set of differential equations governing the energy and resonant phase variables. The form of the transformation is given by the unperturbed conservative orbits of the system. The scheme is applied to three examples, the non-linear pendulum, the single-well Duffing oscillator, and the canonical escape oscillator. For these examples, the analysis is performed by using Jacobian elliptic functions. These examples demonstrate the ability of the averaging method to predict both transient and steady-state behavior of the system. The method has been developed in view of studying the large excursions of the response of non-linear systems induced by random perturbations.
Response of the Asian summer monsoon to changes in El Niño properties

Diagnostics from observed precipitation and National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research re-analysis products reveal that after the 1976-77 climate shift in the Pacific there was a dramatic change in the response of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) to El Nino, particularly during the months of July and August. Based on 1950-75 (PRE76) and 1977-2001 (POST76) El Nino composites: the western North Pacific monsoon (WNPM) was stronger than normal in both periods; the ISM was weaker than normal during the entire monsoon season in PRE76, but in POST76 was weaker only during the onset and withdrawal phases. In terms of observed sea surface temperature (SST) during July-August, the major differences between the two periods are the presence of cold SST anomalies over the Indo-Pacific warm pool and the intensity of warm SST anomalies in the central Pacific in POST76. The effect of these differences on the ISM is investigated in a suite of experiments with an Atmospheric General Circulation Model (AGCM) that has a realistic monsoon precipitation climatology. Separate ten-member ensemble simulations with the AGCM were conducted for PRE76 and POST76 El Nino events with SST anomalies inserted as follows: (i) tropical Indo-Pacific (TIP), (ii) tropical Pacific only (TPO), and (iii) tropical Indian Ocean only (TIO). Qualitatively, TPO solutions reproduce the observed differences in the monsoon response in both periods. Specifically, during July-August of POST76 the cold SST anomalies in conjunction with remote subsidence suppress precipitation (3-5 mm day(-1)) over the maritime continent and equatorial central Indian Ocean. Inclusion of Indian Ocean SST anomalies in the TIP runs further suppresses precipitation over the entire equatorial Indian Ocean. The low-level anticyclonic circulation anomalies that develop as a Rossby-wave response to these convective anomalies increase the south-westerlies over the northern Indian Ocean, and favour a stronger ISM and WNPM. During PRE76 the non-occurrence of cold SST anomalies over the Indo-Pacific warm pool reinforces El Nino's suppression on the ISM. In contrast, TIO solutions show a reduced ISM during July-August of POST76; the solutions, however, show a significant effect on the WNPM during both PRE76 and POST76 periods. It is argued that SSTs over the entire tropical Indo-Pacific region need to be considered to understand the El Nino Southern Oscillation-monsoon linkage, and to make predictions of rainfall over India and the western North Pacific.
Pectoral fin coordination and gait transitions in steadily swimming juvenile reef fishes

A common feature of animal locomotion is its organization into gaits with distinct patterns of movement and propulsor use for specific speeds. In terrestrial vertebrates, limb gaits have been extensively studied in diverse taxa and gait transitions have been shown to provide efficient locomotion across a wide range of speeds. In contrast, examination of gaits in fishes has focused on axial gaits and the transition between synchronous paired fin locomotion and axial propulsion. Because many fishes use their pectoral fins as their primary propulsors, we aimed to examine more broadly the use of pectoral fin gaits in locomotion. We used juvenile reef fishes in these experiments because their swimming could be recorded readily across a wide range of Reynolds numbers, which we thought would promote gait diversity. Based on previous work in larval fishes, we hypothesized that juveniles have alternating pectoral fin movements rather than the synchronous, or in-phase, coordination pattern of adults. In flow tank swim studies, we found that juvenile sapphire damselfish Pomacentrus pavo used two fin gaits during steady swimming. Below approximately 3 BL s-1, P. pavo primarily swam with alternating fin strokes 180° out of phase with one another. At speeds in the range of 3-4 BL s-1, they performed a gait transition to synchronous fin coordination. Between approximately 4 and 8 BL s-1, P. pavo primarily beat their fins synchronously. At around 8 BL s-1 there was another gait transition to body-caudal fin swimming, in which the pectoral fins were tucked against the body. We suggest that the transition from alternating to synchronous fin coordination occurs due to mechanical limits of gait performance rather than to energy efficiency, stability or transitions in hydrodynamic regime. To determine whether this gait transition was species-specific, we surveyed pectoral fin locomotion in juveniles from 11 species in three reef fish families (Pomacentridae, Labridae and Scaridae). We found that this gait transition occurred in every species examined, suggesting that it may be a common behavior of juvenile reef fishes. Greater inclusion of early life history stages in the study of fin-based locomotion should significantly enhance and inform the growing body of work on these behaviors.
Microfinance in Africa: Experience and Lessons from Selected African Countries

Based on the experience of selected countries, this paper offers a critical presentation of the development of the microfinance sector in Africa. The paper supports the view that microfinance institutions, especially those engaged in full financial intermediation, complement effectively the banking sector in extending financial services and successfully draw on the rich experience of community-based development and preexisting informal methods of financial intermediation in Africa. Growing linkages between microfinance institutions and the banking system and the dissemination of good practices by nongovernment organizations contribute to the sound development of the sector, supported by regulation and supervision by local authorities.
Communication patterns and allocation strategies

Summary form only given. Motivated by observations about job runtimes on the CPlant system, we use a trace-driven microsimulator to begin characterizing the performance of different classes of allocation algorithms on jobs with different communication patterns in space-shared parallel systems with mesh topology. We show that relative performance varies considerably with communication pattern. The paging strategy using the Hilbert space-filling curve and the best fit heuristic performed best across several communication patterns.