cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of Microbes in the Smectite-to-Illite Reaction

Temperature, pressure, and time have been thought to control the smectite-to-illite (S-I) reaction, an important diagenetic process used for petroleum exploration. We demonstrated that microorganisms can promote the S-I reaction by dissolving smectite through reduction of structural Fe(III) at room temperature and 1 atmosphere within 14 days. This reaction typically requires conditions of 300 degrees to 350 degrees C, 100 megapascals, and 4 to 5 months in the absence of microbial activity. These results challenge the conventional concept of the S-I reaction and of reaction kinetic models.
Twin-to-Twin Transfusion: Part 3. Mortality and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Following Intervention

The high morbidity and mortality rates of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) generally are related to sequelae of cardiovascular dysfunction or vascular disruption. Neurologic sequelae associated with TTTS are emerging concerns for survivors. A variety of clinical interventions, including amnioreduction, microseptostomy of the inter-twin membrane, and fetoscopic laser photocoagulation of placental anastomoses, have been used alone or in sequence to reduce the rates of mortality and morbidity. Because many of these specialized interventional procedures are performed at select centers in the United States, women may be treated at considerable distance from their primary obstetric care institutions and later return to deliver at their local facilities. Neonatologists may be unfamiliar with the relative efficacies and outcomes of the interventional procedures. In this review, we present a focused summary of the neurodevelopmental outcomes associated with these antenatal treatments.
Civilian Spontaneous Pneumothorax: Treatment Options and Long-term Results

The treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax in the civilian population can be influenced by the age of the patient and the presence of associated pulmonary disease. The medical records of 130 patients who presented with 168 occurrences of SP were reviewed during an 11-year period (1973 to 1984). Follow-up was from a minimum of 30 months to 13 years (mean 6.3 years). The therapeutic options included observation alone (40 occurrences), thoracentesis (6 occurrences), chest tube thoracostomy (102 occurrences), and thoracotomy (20 occurrences). Treatment of SP should be prompt with the objective of complete re-expansion of the lung and prevention of recurrent pneumothorax. This should be accomplished by the use of chest tube thoracostomy with early addition of thoracotomy as necessary. Selected use of thoracentesis can be effective. The use of observation alone can be dangerous and is associated with a higher recurrence rate.
Thrombospondin (TSP) and Transforming Growth Factor β 1 (TGF-β) Promote Human A549 Lung Carcinoma Cell Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor Type 1 (Pal-1) Production and Stimulate Tumor Cell Attachment in Vitro

Abstract A growing body of evidence has recently implicated TSP and TGF-β in the process of malignancy, such as tumor cell proliferation, tumor angiogenesis, and metastasis. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate potential mechanisms of TSP and TGF-β in tumor cell attachment and invasion. Our results indicate that both TSP and TGF-β promoted tumor cell attachment and spreading in the presence of plasminogen. The mechanism for these effects appeared to be due, in part, to the capacity of TSP and TGF-β to induce tumor cell production of (PAI-1). PAI-1, which is a natural inhibitor of tumor-cell associated urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) activity, inhibited activation of plasminogen to plasmin in the growth media,thereby preventing plasmin-induced detachment of cells. The TSP-promoted production of PAI-1 could be inhibited not only by anti-TSP antibodies but also by a neutralizing antibody against TGF-β. These results suggest that TSP by a mechanism involving TGF-β can promote cell adhesion through stimulation of tumor cell secretion of PAI-1. These data provide evidence that TSP not only has the capacity of functioning as a matrix protein to directly promote cell-substratum adhesion but that TSP can also stimulate cell adhesion and spreading by modulating cell surface protease expression through stimulation of tumor-associated production of PAI-1.
Nitrogen removal by streams and rivers of the Upper Mississippi River basin

We used stream chemistry and hydrogeomorphology data from 549 stream and 447 river sites to estimate NO3–N removal in the Upper Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio Rivers. We used two N removal models to predict NO3–N input and removal. NO3–N input ranged from 0.01 to 338 kg km−1 d−1 in the Upper Mississippi River to <0.01–54 kg km−1 d−1 in the Missouri River. Cumulative river network NO3–N input was 98700–101676 Mg year−1 in the Ohio River, 85961–89288 Mg year−1 in the Upper Mississippi River, and 59463–61541 Mg year−1 in the Missouri River. NO3–N output was highest in the Upper Mississippi River (0.01–329 kg km−1 d−1), followed by the Ohio and Missouri Rivers (<0.01–236 kg km−1 d−1) sub-basins. Cumulative river network NO3–N output was 97499 Mg year−1 for the Ohio River, 84361 Mg year−1 for the Upper Mississippi River, and 59200 Mg year−1 for the Missouri River. Proportional NO3–N removal (PNR) based on the two models ranged from <0.01 to 0.28. NO3–N removal was inversely correlated with stream order, and ranged from <0.01 to 8.57 kg km−1 d−1 in the Upper Mississippi River to <0.001–1.43 kg km−1 d−1 in the Missouri River. Cumulative river network NO3–N removal predicted by the two models was: Upper Mississippi River 4152 and 4152 Mg year−1, Ohio River 3743 and 378 Mg year−1, and Missouri River 2277 and 197 Mg year−1. PNR removal was negatively correlated with both stream order (r = −0.80–0.87) and the percent of the catchment in agriculture (r = −0.38–0.76).
Cost Effectiveness of Percutaneous Closure Versus Medical Therapy for Cryptogenic Stroke in Patients With a Patent Foramen Ovale

In patients with patent foramen ovales (PFOs) and cryptogenic stroke, observational studies have demonstrated reductions in recurrent neurologic events with transcatheter PFO closure compared with medical therapy. Randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses have shown a trend toward benefit with device closure. The cost-effectiveness of PFO closure has not been described. Therefore, a detailed cost analysis was performed using pooled weighted outcome and complication rates from published randomized controlled trials, Medicare cost tables, and wholesale medication prices. Incremental cost per life-year gained and per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained by PFO closure was calculated. The commonly accepted cost-effectiveness threshold of <$50,000/quality-adjusted life-year gained was used. At 2.6 years (the mean duration of randomized controlled trial follow-up), PFO closure was more costly ($16,213, 95% confidence interval [CI] $15,753 to $16,749) per patient, with a cost of $103,607 (95% CI $5,826 to $2,544,750) per life-year gained. The expenditure to prevent 1 combined end point (transient ischemic attack, stroke, and death) at 2.6 years was $1.09 million (95% CI $1.04 million to $1.20 million). Modeling the costs of medical treatment prospectively, PFO closure reached cost-effectiveness (<$50,000/quality-adjusted life-year gained) at 2.6 years (95% CI 1.5 to 44.2). At 30.2 years (95% CI 28.2 to 36.2), the per patient mean cost of medical therapy exceeded that of PFO closure. In conclusion, PFO closure is associated with higher expenditures related to procedural costs; however, this increase may be offset over time by reduced event rates and costs of long-term medical treatment in patients who undergo transcatheter PFO closure. In younger patients typical of cryptogenic stroke, PFO closure may be cost effective in the long term.
Modulation of BK Channel by MicroRNA-9 in Neurons After Exposure to HIV and Methamphetamine

MicroRNAs (miR) regulate phenotype and function of neurons by binding to miR-response elements (MRE) in the 3' untranslated regions (3'UTR) of various messenger RNAs to inhibit translation. MiR expression can be induced or inhibited by environmental factors like drug exposure and viral infection, leading to changes in cellular physiology. We hypothesized that the effects of methamphetamine (MA) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection in the brain will induce changes in miR expression, and have downstream regulatory consequences in neurons. We first used a PCR-based array to screen for differential expression of 380 miRs in frontal cortex autopsy tissues of HIV-positive MA abusers and matched controls. These results showed significantly increased expression of the neuron-specific miR-9. In vitro, we used SH-SY5Y cells, an experimental system for dopaminergic studies, to determine miR expression by quantitative PCR after exposure to MA in the presence or absence of conditioned media from HIV-infected macrophages. Again, we found that miR-9 was significantly increased compared to controls. We also examined the inwardly rectifying potassium channel, KCNMA1, which has alternative splice variants that contain an MRE to miR-9. We identified alternate 3'UTRs of KCNMA1 both in vitro and in the autopsy specimens and found differential splice variant expression of KCNMA1, operating via the increased miR-9. Our results suggest that HIV and MA -induced elevated miR-9, leading to suppression of MRE-containing splice variants of KCNMA1, which may affect neurotransmitter release in dopaminergic neurons.
Stereochemistry of palladium-mediated synthesis of PAMP-BH3: retention of configuration at P in formation of Pd-P and P-C bonds.

Treatment of Pd((S,S)-Chiraphos)(o-An)(I) (3, o-An = o-MeOC6H4) with either enantiomer of highly enantioenriched PH(Me)(Ph)(BH3) (1) gave the phosphido-borane complex Pd((S,S)-Chiraphos)(o-An)(P(Me)(Ph)(BH3)) (4) with retention of configuration at phosphorus, as shown by X-ray crystal structure determinations for both diastereomers of 4. Heating either diastereomer of 4 with diphenylacetylene gave Pd((S,S)-Chiraphos)(PhC⋮CPh) (5) and P(o-An)(Me)(Ph)(BH3) (2) with retention of configuration at phosphorus.
Non-contact fluorescence optical tomography with scanning patterned illumination

This article describes a novel non-contact fluorescence optical tomography scheme which utilizes multiple area illumination patterns, to reduce the ill-posedness of the inverse problem involved in recovering interior fluorescence yield distributions in biological tissue from boundary fluorescence measurements. The image reconstruction is posed as an optimization problem which seeks a tissue optical property distribution minimizing, for all illumination patterns simultaneously, a regularized difference between the observed boundary measurements of light distribution, and the boundary measurements predicted from a physical model. Multiple excitation source illumination patterns are described by line and Gaussian sources scanning the simulated tissue phantom surface and by employing diffractive optics-generated patterns. Multiple measurement data sets generated by scanning excitation sources are processed simultaneously to generate the interior fluorescence distribution in tissue by implementing the fluorescence tomography algorithm in a parallel framework suitable for multiprocessor computers. Image reconstructions for single and multiple fluorescent targets (5mm diameter) embedded in a 512ml simulated tissue phantom are demonstrated, with depths of the fluorescent targets from the illumination plane between 1cm to 2cm. We show both qualitative and quantitative improvements of our algorithm over reconstructions from only a single measurement.
Thiamylal‐Sparing Effect of Midazolam for Canine Endotracheal Intubation A Clinical Study of 118 Dogs

One hundred eighteen dogs were studied at three veterinary teaching hospitals after the administration of midazolam (0.1 mg/kg, intravenously [IV]) or a placebo. Midazolam and placebo treatments were randomized and blinded to the investigators. The dose of thiamylal required for tracheal intubation 3 to 5 minutes after midazolam or placebo was calculated. The dose of thiamylal at the three hospitals was 10.6, 9.8, and 10.1 mg/kg i.v. after midazolam, and 12.1, 11.2, and 11.6 mg/kg i.v. after placebo. Pooled data from the three hospitals yielded a significant (p < .001) decrease in mean IV thiamylal dose after midazolam (10.2 mg/kg) compared with placebo (11.6 mg/kg). Overall, there was a 12% decrease in the dose of thiamylal required for tracheal intubation after midazolam compared to that after the placebo. The thiamylal dose was significantly (p < .001) decreased after midazolam compared with placebo for dogs weighing more than 15 kg but not for dogs weighing less than 15 kg.
A study of airborne metals in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana using the lichens, Parmelia praesorediosa and Ramalina stenospora

Two common species of lichens from southwestern Louisiana, Parmelia praesorediosa and Ramalina stenospora, were analyzed thrice over a period of 9 mo. Samples were analyzed for Th, Cs, Se, Hg, Cr, Ir, Ce, Sc, Rb, Fe, Zn, Co, Ta, Eu, K, and Sb. No statistical differences in concentration over the time interval studied were seen. However, discriminant analysis showed a significant (>90%) difference between elemental content and species. The data could be separated into two geographical areas that were statistically different. Highest concentrations were observed within a 10.8-km radius of the industrial/urban zone.
Biases in Ion Transmission Through an Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry Capillary Inlet

A heated capillary inlet for an electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) interface was compared with shorter versions of the inlet to determine the effects on transmission and ionization efficiencies for low-flow (nano) electrosprays. Five different inlet lengths were studied, ranging from 6.4 to 1.3 cm. As expected, the electrospray current transmission efficiency increased with decreasing capillary length due to reduced losses to the inside walls of the capillary. This increase in transmission efficiency with shorter inlets was coupled with reduced desolvation of electrosprayed droplets. Surprisingly, as the inlet length was decreased, some analytes showed little or no increase in sensitivity, while others showed as much as a 15-fold gain. The variation was shown to be at least partially correlated with analyte mobilities, with the largest gains observed for higher mobility species, but also affected by solution conductivity, flow rate, and inlet temperature. Strategies for maximizing sensitivity while minimizing biases in ion transmission through the heated capillary interface are proposed.
Measurement of Horizontal Sediment Transport in Green Bay, May-October, 1989

Abstract Time series measurements of water transparency were made at stations located in the passages on either side of Chambers Island from May through October, 1989. These data were combined with the current measurements of Miller and Saylor (1993) to determine the sediment transport into and out of southern Green Bay. The data show that the sediment flux past Chambers Island is driven primarily by the non-tidal circulation in the two channels; both tidal and storm effects are of secondary importance. The cumulative sediment flux is southward through the western channel and northward in the eastern channel with a small net transport of sediment into the southern bay. Since the sediment load from tributaries to the bay is much greater than the transport in the channels, this excess sediment must be stored in the southern bay.
Low cycle fatigue behavior of Ti-Mn alloys: Fatigue life

The effect of morphology, particle size, β grain size and volume fraction of β, from 0.025 to 1.0, on the low cycle fatigue life of α-β Ti-Mn alloys, have been studied under total strain control. In general, Widmanstatten plus grain boundary (W+GB) α structures show shorter fatigue lives than equiaxed (E) α structures, and this has been ascribed to the formation of much larger surface cracks and ease of transfer of slip from α to β. For Eα structures, fatigue life increases with decreasing α particle size and when the alloy is single phase β fatigue life increases with decreasing grain size. At high total strains the nearly all α alloy had the longest fatigue life and at lower strains the β alloy, with the higher yield strength, had the longest fatigue life. Fatigue life was correlated with strain hardening. The nearly all α alloy which had the highest strain hardening, over the plastic strains encountered, had the highest fatigue life, while the β alloy, with the lowest strain hardening, had the lowest fatigue life. For a portion of the fatigue life curves, it was found that as the average Baushinger strain (ABS) increased, the Coffin-Manson exponentc decreased. The results are discussed.
Teaching basic econometric concepts using Monte Carlo simulations in Excel

Abstract Monte Carlo experiments can be a valuable pedagogical tool for undergraduate econometrics courses. Today this tool can be used in the classroom without the need to acquire any specialized econometrics software. This paper argues that Microsoft Excel, which is already available at many office and home computer stations, offers the opportunity to run meaningful Monte Carlo simulations and to successfully teach students basic econometric concepts. The reader is guided, step-by-step, through two different exercises. The first one is a repeated sampling exercise showing that least squares estimators are unbiased. The second one expands on the first to explain the true meaning of confidence interval estimates of least squares estimators.
Using the concept of risk to plan drug use intervention programs.

The concept of risk is integral to the field of epidemiology. Risk can be defined as the probability of an event (including drug use) occurring in a population of interest. If drug prevention and intervention programs are to be successful, they must be targeted at high-risk population groups. This article proposes a two-step, multilevel, multivariate analysis strategy to estimate high-risk population groups in high-risk geographic areas. Its successful use could result in better data for decision makers to make informed judgments about developing intervention programs.
Mycobacterium-Induced Transmesothelial Migration of Monocytes into Pleural Space: Role of Intercellular Adhesion Molecule—1 in Tuberculous Pleurisy

The pleural mesothelium is a dynamic cellular membrane with multiple key functions. It plays a pivotal role in pleural inflammation through its release of several cytokines and the expression of cell-surface molecules. The expression of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 in the pleural mesothelium of patients with active pleural tuberculosis and the role of ICAM-1 in monocyte transmigration across pleural mesothelium during tuberculous inflammation was investigated. Results indicate pleural mesothelial cells (PMCs) express ICAM-1 in tuberculous pleuritis. When PMCs were stimulated with bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) in vitro, they expressed ICAM-1 in a time-dependent manner. Monocyte transmigration was higher across PMC monolayers that had been stimulated with BCG. Blocking ICAM-1 on BCG-activated PMC monolayers inhibited monocyte transmigration against chemotactic gradient generated by macrophage inflammatory protein 1-alpha or monocyte chemotactic protein-1. These results indicate that ICAM-1 expression in PMCs facilitates monocyte transmigration during tuberculous pleural inflammation.
Biosynthesis of juvenile hormone in the Cecropia moth. Labelling pattern from 1-[14C]-propionate through degradation to single carbon atom derivatives.

In the adult made cecropia moth, 1-[14C]-propionate is incorporated specifically into juvenile hormone I (1). By chemical degradation it was found that only C(7) and C(11) are labelled, each carbon atom bearing 50% of the radioactivity originally present in JH-I. It is concluded that propionate serves as a precursor of homomevalonate, which in turn is a precursor for JH-I. Application of 2-[14C]-propionate and 3-[14C]-propionate leads to extensive randomization of the label. Apparently propionate is metabolized such that C(2) and C(3) can be reused as smaller fragments–probably acetate–while C(1) is either highly diluted or removed from the propionate in a metabolically inactive form.
Selecting a monomial basis for sums of squares programming over a quotient ring

In this paper we describe a method for choosing a “good” monomial basis for a sums of squares (SOS) program formulated over a quotient ring. It is known that the monomial basis need only include standard monomials with respect to a Groebner basis. We show that in many cases it is possible to use a reduced subset of standard monomials by combining Groebner basis techniques with the well-known Newton polytope reduction. This reduced subset of standard monomials yields a smaller semidefinite program for obtaining a certificate of non-negativity of a polynomial on an algebraic variety.
An Approach to Characterizing Single-Subunit Mutations in the Anthrax Protective Antigen Prepore and Pore

Heptameric pores formed by the Protective Antigen (PA) moiety of anthrax toxin translocate the intracellular effector moieties of the toxin across the endosomal membrane to the cytosol. To elucidate the effects of selected mutations in PA, we devised a protocol for characterizing heptameric pore precursors (prepores) and pores containing an inhibitory mutation in only one subunit. We prepared monomeric PA containing two mutations: the test mutation and an innocuous Cys-replacement mutation (K563C) at an external site on the prepore. The introduced Cys was derivatized with a biotinylating reagent, and the mutated protein was allowed to cooligomerize with a 20-fold excess of wild-type PA. Finally, the biotinylated prepores were purified by avidin affinity chromatography and characterized in various assays. We used this protocol to examine mutations at D425 and F427, two residues where mutations are known to have strong inhibitory effects. The D425A mutation caused an inhibition by >104 of pore formation and a corresponding abrogation of transport activity. The F427A mutation caused ∼100-fold inhibition of translocation across planar bilayers and smaller effects on pore formation and ligand affinity. These results show definitively that the protein transport activity of PA may be abrogated by altering a single residue in one subunit of the heptameric prepore, explaining the dominant-negative phenotype. The protocol described may be applied to the detailed characterization of various mutations in PA and other homooligomeric systems.
Preoperative transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) for cirrhotic patients undergoing abdominal and pelvic surgeries

Surgery for patients with cirrhosis is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Perioperative complications including hemorrhage, wound dehiscence, and peritonitis result from underlying portal hypertension. Perioperative control of portal hypertension could decrease the risk of such complications. This study aimed to describe the authors’ experience with the placement of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) in patients with cirrhosis to improve surgical outcomes. A retrospective chart review was performed for seven patients who underwent TIPS placement before elective abdominal or pelvic surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center from 1998 to 2006. The TIPS indication for each patient was to minimize perioperative complications. The seven patients in this study underwent their planned surgical procedure within a mean of 13 days from the time of TIPS placement. Two patients required a blood transfusion of two units or less. Three patients experienced a total of four postoperative complications including wound infection, peritonitis, pneumonia, and new ascites. One patient died of liver failure 14 months after surgery. The preparation of patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension for elective surgery using preoperative portal decompression may decrease the risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality.
Fine Structure of the Sporogonic Stages of Nosema parkeri

SYNOPSIS The fine structure of sporogonic stages of Nosema parkeri Krinsky, a microsporidan from the argasid tick, Ornithodoros parkeri Cooley, is described. Developmental changes in the spore coat and cytoplasmic organelles are discussed. As a sporoblast transforms into a spore, the organelles become more compact and the membranes surrounding them appear to become more taut. It is suggested that the polaroplast complex is involved in fluid transport during development of the spore. Organelles in the mature spore include 2 contiguous nuclei enveloped in a lattice containing ribosome-like particles, a polaroplast complex composed of laminar and saccular regions, and a coiled tubular polar filament attached to a polar sac. Sporogonic stages do not appear to have mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, or a posterior vacuole. The fine structure of the spore of N. parkeri is very similar to that of species of Nosema found in insects, crustaceans, and trematodes.
Linker rectifiers for covalent attachment of transition-metal catalysts to metal-oxide surfaces.

Linkers that favor rectification of interfacial electron transfer are likely to be required for efficient photo-driven catalysis of multi-electron reactions at electrode surfaces. Design principles are discussed, together with the synthesis and characterization of a specific pair of molecular linkers, related by inversion of the direction of an amide bond in the heart of the molecule. The linkers have a terpyridyl group that can covalently bind Mn as in a well-known water oxidation catalyst and an acetylacetonate group that allows attachment to TiO2 surfaces. The appropriate choice of the sense of the amide linkage yields directionality of interfacial electron transfer, essential to enhance electron injection and slow back-electron transfer. Support comes from electron paramagnetic resonance and terahertz spectroscopic measurements, as well as computational modeling characterizing the asymmetry of electron transfer properties.
Low-dimensional lattices. II. Subgroups of GL(n, ℤ)

The maximal finite irreducible groups of n x n integers for n = 4, 5, . . . , 9, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23 were determined by Dade, Ryskov, Bulow, Plesken & Pohst and Plesken, as the automorphism groups of certain quadratic forms. This paper presents a geometric description of the corresponding n -dimensional lattices, and gives coordinates which display their symmetries and minimal vectors. Some very interesting lattices appear.
Deaf Adults and the Comprehension of Miranda

The Miranda Warning and Waiver ASL (MWWT-ASL) is a bilingual test constructed and administered to three groups of deaf adults in postsecondary education (n = 34) who differed on bilingual (ASL/English) proficiency, IQ, and number of years using sign language. The deaf adults read the MWW in English print and viewed it on a DVD as the Miranda was translated into ASL by a certified legal interpreter. Participants' retelling tasks were videotaped. The videotapes were then transcribed and back-translated into English, compared to the Miranda rights in English, and scored on a five-point scale (0–4). Age, IQ, reported years of using sign language, and English-reading grade level were found to be strongly and positively correlated to retelling scores on the MWWT-ASL. Further, findings revealed that deaf adults who are reading at the eighth-grade level or below would be linguistically incompetent to understand the Miranda warning and waiver even if it is presented in both ASL and English.
An implementation of the SIGITE model curriculum

This paper describes the process used by Computer Information Technology Department at Purdue Calumet University (PUC) during a major curriculum review and revision to implement the curriculum model developed by the SIGITE Curriculum Committee. The process was based on the learning outcomes set forth by the SIGITE curriculum model and the result is a structure that could be used to build IT majors around the recommended IT core courses with the individual majors, which could be highly customizable and highly flexible. The curriculum allows for a primary track and a complementary secondary track built during the third and the forth years of the student's study. This is a flexible and easy to maintain curriculum, which allows changes without major curriculum overhaul.
Parametric integral representations of renormalized feynman amplitudes

Abstract A parametric integral representation for the amplitudes of renormalized perturbation theory is developed. The result is a closed, well-defined and unique renormalized amplitude to be associated with an arbitrary Feynman graph. By unique we mean that the renormalized amplitude is explicitly independent of the initial choice of independent integration momenta and the routing of external momenta through the graph. Our prescription is applicable to conventionally unrenormalizable as well as renormalizable theories. It is shown that for renormalizable theories, our representation is formally equivalent to the usual recursive subtraction formula for writing renormalized amplitudes and hence can be interpreted in terms of mass and coupling constant renormalization. To investigate the practical advantages of this formalism, a calculation of the fourth order vacuum polarization in Quantum Electro-dynamics is carried out.
More from the Moon

Planetary Science: A Lunar Perspective. By Stuart Ross Taylor Pp.481. ISBN 0-942862-00-7. (Lunar & Planetary Institute, Houston, Texas: 1982.) $42.95 (US), $54.95 (elsewhere).
Elective Nodal Irradiation (ENI) doesn't appear to provide a clear benefit for patients with unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Elective nodal irradiation (ENI) is the irradiation of clinically uninvolved lymph node to account for microscopic tumor invasion of these lymph nodes. Dr. Belderbos et al., under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency, have compiled a very thorough summary of the literature regarding ENI for non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Their major conclusion was, ‘‘The clinical value of ENI is uncertain.’’ However, it is my opinion that the evidence suggests that purposeful elective nodal irradiation is unlikely to improve patient outcomes and can increase toxicity. Thus suggesting that ENI is not beneficial. Additionally, the purposeful inclusion of ENI may hinder progress in treating NSCLC because it is likely to make the safe escalation of RT dose more challenging. This discussion will focus primarily on Stage III NSCLC because that is situation with which radiation oncologists are most often faced. The argument against the use of ENI may be summarized as follows. First, failure is uncommon in nodal regions that are neither clinically involved nor specifically targeted. Belderbos et al. published the result of a trial that is an excellent example. This study included both positron emission tomography and computed tomography scanning, which is consistent with modern state-of-the-art, noninvasive staging. This radiation therapy (RT) dose-escalation trial prospectively evaluated the incidence of isolated nodal failure with omission of the ENI (1). Only the metabolic active lymph nodes were included in the gross target volume. Positron emission tomography scans were obtained shortly before the RT in treatment position. Two (3%) of the 67 positron emission tomography–staged patients developed isolated nodal failures. These results are quite similar to other published reports (2, 3). Second, it appears that a dose greater than the conventional 60–70 Gy is required to cure a larger fraction of NSCLC patients. Le Chevalieret al. reported the results of a randomized
Rap-GEF/Rap signaling restricts the formation of supernumerary spermathecae in Drosophila melanogaster

Sperm storage in the female is a key factor for reproductive success in a variety of organisms, including Drosophila melanogaster. The spermathecae (SP) are the Drosophila organs for long-term storage. While wild-type female flies have two SP, occasionally, three or four SP have been observed in mutant flies. However, the molecular mechanism of SP formation is unknown. Here we show that loss of function of a Drosophila Rap-GEF (GEF26) result in an occurrence of the supernumerary SP; females have three SP (varies from 11 to 62% in different allele combinations) instead of the normal two SP. In addition, the Gef26 mutant flies also have ectopic wing veins and extra mechanosensory organs. The supernumerary SP phenotype of the Gef26 mutation can be enhanced by the Drosophila Rap mutations and rescued by overexpressing the cell adhesion molecule DE-cadherin. These data suggest that the Rap-GEF/Rap signaling controls the formation of supernumerary spermathecae through modulating cell adhesion in Drosophila.
Relationship of Selected Measures of Acting Body Levers to Ball-Throwing Velocities

Abstract The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between selected measures of body levers contributing to throwing and the ball velocities achieved in the overhand and underhand throws. Motion picture data were obtained of the throwing performance of 42 high school girls, arranged in three groups on the basis of differences in initial throwing velocity achievement. Structure length and moment-arm measures of acting body levers for trunk rotation, medial rotation and flexion of the arm, and flexion of the wrist were studied. These subjects demonstrated a pattern of acting lever length contribution to overhand throwing velocity. Moment-arm measures of acting levers were found to have considerable predictive power relative to the overhand throwing velocity achieved. A similar relationship was not found between structure-length measures and overhand throwing velocity. Results with the underhand throws indicated that neither length of body segments nor the position of the acting lever at the...
Adaptive scalar quantization for perceptual coding in the wavelet domain

A generic transform/wavelet compression system is illustrated in Figure 1. In this system, a transform such as the DCT or a wavelet decomposition is first applied to the image. The resulting transform/wavelet coefficients are then quantized and coded to produce the compressed bitstream. The goal of perceptual image coding is not to achieve the best SNR but to produce an image with the best visual fidelity at the target bitrate. To accomplish this goal, the quantizer need to be both frequency and spatially adaptive. As an example of frequency adaptation, DCT based compression systems such as JPEG use a frequency weighted table, Q-table, to adjust the relative value of the quantization stepsizes. The weights typically increase with respect to the frequency to better match the noise masking property of the human visual system (HVS). Similarly, perceptual weighting has also been successfully applied to wavelet based coders, where the frequency bands are weighted based on a wavelet Q-table. As an example of spatial adaptation, the JPEG-Part3 and MPEG allows the Q-table to be scaled by a factor on a block by block basis. Spatial adaptation by scale factor modulation plays two important roles. First it allows the encoder to adaptively quantize each block based on the local spatial characteristics such as edge, texture, flat region, etc. Second it allows the encoder to achieve the target bitrate in a single pass, which is a very desirable feature in a practical coder. In light of this, the wavelet Q-table should also be allowed to change spatially in order to better reflect the HVS's response to various coefficient type, edge, texture, etc. This paper describes how spatial and frequency adaptive scalar quantization can be used in a wavelet coding framework, both embedded and non-embedded, to achieve perceptual coding and single-pass rate-control. The proposed quantization strategy can be easily supported syntactically, yet if offers a powerful tool to optimize wavelet coders.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Quality control in flow cytometry for diagnostic pathology: II. A conspectus of reference ranges for lymphocyte immunophenotyping

Immunophenotyping, as many other clinical assays, is interpreted only in the context of reference values obtained from healthy control individuals. While the use of these reference values, or ranges, has been commonplace in the clinical flow cytometry laboratory for well over a decade, there has been little consensus in standardizing how these values should be obtained, analyzed, or expressed. This report reviews the variables to be considered in establishing reference ranges and statistical methods which can be used. Additionally, examples are given of previously published reference ranges for a variety of specimens often submitted for immunophenotyping. D 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Key terms: Immunophenotyping, reference ranges, flow cytometry quality control
Genetic Deficiencies of Complement

Genetic deficiencies of proteins of the complement system are associated with diverse clinical phenotypes. These clinical manifestations vary as a function of the specific component that is missing. Molecular and cellular biological methods, coupled with more intensive clinical studies, have defined the pathophysiological basis for this set of genetic disorders. Insights into the normal function of complement and its role in immunopathology have been derived from the extensive work in this field during the past few years.
Measurement of phonon-assisted migration of localized excitons in GaAs/AlGaAs multiple-quantum-well structures

We report high-resolution nonlinear-laser-spectroscopy measurements of relaxation of lowest-energy heavy-hole excitons in GaAs multiple-quantum-well structures. We show that excitons below the absorption line center are spatially localized, and migrate among localization sites with a time scale of order 100 ps. The measurements give the resultant quasiequilibrium energy distribution of the scattered excitons and, based on the temperature dependence of the migration rate, confirm the theoretical model for phonon-assisted migration.
Application of Canonical Discriminant Analysis for the Assessment of Genetic Variation in Tall Fescue

Tall fescue pastures are perennial in habit and are continually exposed to intensive natural selective forces. Therefore, the genetic composition of tall fescue cultivars changes with time and the selection is cumulative. The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of tall fescue cultivars and age groups within cultivars in response to natural selective forces using a multivariate statistical method, canonical discriminant analysis. Ungrazed survivors from four cultivars (GA-5 EF, GA-5 El, Johnstone, and KY-31) were collected randomly from four 1-yr-old paddocks. These paddocks were then grazed at 2.50, 3.75, 5.00, and 6.25 Angus yearling steers ha -1 for 2 yr, and grazed survivors were collected in a similar fashion as that of ungrazed survivors. The ungrazed and grazed groups were compared in a 2-yr study along with plants grown directly from the original seed lots. Significant genetic diversity was noticed among these four tall fescue cultivars and clearly depicted the relationship of cultivars by ancestry and endophyte status. Significant genetic diversity between GA-5 EF and GA-5 El indicated that the removal of endophyte resulted in a different cultivar with altered morphological and agronomic characteristics. Significant genetic diversity was observed among the age groups in GA-5 EF, GA-5 El, and Johnstone. The age groups of KY-31 were stable in terms of genetic variation. These results indicated that changes in genetic variation occurred in a short period of time, that is, 3-yr old paddocks of GA-5 EF, GA-5 El, and Johnstone.
THE NONLINEAR FILTERING PROBLEM FOR THE UNBOUNDED CASE

Abstract The finitely additive nonlinear filtering problem for the model y t = h t ( X t )+ e t is solved when the function h is unbounded and satisfies no growth conditions whatever.
High power, continuous-wave, quantum cascade lasers for MWIR and LWIR applications

Over the past several years, our group has endeavored to develop high power quantum cascade lasers for a variety of remote and high sensitivity infrared applications. The systematic optimization of laser performance has allowed for demonstration of high power, continuous-wave quantum cascade lasers operating above room temperature. Since 2002, the power levels for individual devices have jumped from 600 mW. Expanding on this development, we have able to demonstrate continuous wave operation at many wavelengths throughout the mid- and far-infrared spectral range, and have now achieved >100 mW output in the 4.0<λ<9.5 μm range.
Theories of Statistical Equilibrium in Electron- Positron Colliding-Beam Storage Rings*

In this lecture I introduce you to some recent theoretical work that represents a significant and long overdue departure from the mainstream of ideas on the physics of colliding- beam storage rings. The goal of the work in question is to understand analytically - without recourse to computer simulation - the role that dissipation and noise play in the observed colliding-beam behavior of electron-positron storage rings.
Primary mucinous carcinoma of the periocular region: successful management with local resections over 30 years

Primary mucinous carcinoma of the skin is a rare malignant neoplasm, often with periocular involvement, believed to originate from eccrine sweat glands. It is slow growing and locally destructive, at times forming tumour satellites. We present a case with six local recurrences treated with surgical resections over a period of 30 years. We have not been able to find longer follow-up in the literature, and believe this case may offer insight into the management of these uniquely indolent malignancies.
The Trouble With Medication Adherence After Emergency Care

prescription faxing and social services or medical librarian contacts) would improve medication adherence. The trial identified medication use patterns, using a 1-week telephone interview. Among 3,386 patients who completed follow-up, 89% filled their prescription and 48% received at least 85% of prescribed doses, with no effect of printed drug information or practical services. These results are sobering, given the pragmatism and effort involved in conducting the study. So why did the interventions not work? Overall, the intervention has strong face validity—in chronic conditions, patients who reported better and more discussions with their physicians about prescription medications were more adherent than those who reported receiving less information. 10 We cannot determine the failure here because we do not know why patients stopped receiving the medications or missed doses. It may be that this educational effort and aid was simply not ideal, or it could be that many prescriptions (analgesics and antibiotics) are seemingly familiar to patients, limiting the added benefit of more medication information. More broadly, educational interventions alone may be inadequate for improving adherence to health treatments. 11 Education is one
Active Control of Transpiration Boundary Conditions for Drag Minimization with an Euler CFD Solver

The induced drag on wings is reduced at off-design cruise conditions with simulated active conformal control surface deflections modeled through transpiration boundary conditions with an Euler CFD program, the Air Vehicles Unstructured Solver (AVUS). An inverse optimization technique is used to manipulate the spanwise lift distribution resulting in the minimization of the induced drag. The method is demonstrated on a high aspect ratio rectangular wing at a subsonic and transonic flight conditions. The control surfaces deflections are calibrated to determine the extent to which their effect can be matched by a transpiration boundary condition. The CoNstrained MiNimization(CONMIN) program is used to minimize a squared error objective function. It is determined that the use of transpiration boundary conditions can drastically reduce the grid requirements and complexity associated with grid motion and deformation.
Generalization of independent faults for transition faults

Independent faults were shown to he effective in computing small test sets for stuck-at faults. An efficient procedure for computing a maximal set of independent stuck-at faults is proposed. The notion of independent faults is then extended to other fault models, specifically, transition faults, that require two-pattern tests. Experimental results are presented to show that the computation of independent faults can be practically performed. >
Bayesian Analysis of the Effect of Horizontal Curvature on Truck Crashes Using Training and Validation Data Sets

The research on the effects of roadway geometry on truck crashes is relatively limited in comparison with predictive models developed for total vehicle crashes. The most common predictive models currently used are Poisson and negative binomial models. This study uses a negative binomial model but applies the full Bayes' methods for improving model performance. To use Bayes' methods successfully, a learning process was used to develop a final model, which was then compared with a separate validation data set to verify its accuracy. The data set used for this study is based on rural two-lane collector and arterial horizontal curves in Ohio, comprising 15,390 observations from crash records between 2002 through 2006. Specific areas of interest in this study include the impact of shoulder width, horizontal curve radius, curve length, and other traffic parameters. The final results indicate a significant increase in truck crashes due to both horizontal curvature and passenger vehicle volumes. The final model's predictions were improved compared with the initial model, indicating that the learning process is a viable tool for future crash model development.
What Is Special About Pediatric Psychology

Editor's Note: Gary Mesibov received the 1990 Distinguished Service Award from the Society of Pediatric Psychology at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Boston in recognition of his contributions to the profession and organization. He served as a member-at-large of the Executive Committee of the Society ( 1979198 I ) and as President ( 1983). He was the Associate Editor of the Jourr~nl of Perliotric P.vyc.holo,qy ( 1976-82). This article is based on the award address.
Permuting data on random-access block storage

Permutation is a fundamental operator for array data, with applications in, for example, changing matrix layouts and reorganizing data cubes. We consider the problem of permuting large quantities of data stored on secondary storage that supports fast random block accesses, such as solid state drives and distributed key-value stores. Faster random accesses open up interesting new opportunities for permutation. While external merge sort has often been used for permutation, it is an overkill that fails to exploit the property of permutation fully and carries unnecessary overhead in storing and comparing keys. We propose faster algorithms with lower memory requirements for a large, useful class of permutations. We also tackle practical challenges that traditional permutation algorithms have not dealt with, such as exploiting random block accesses more aggressively, considering the cost asymmetry between reads and writes, and handling arbitrary data dimension sizes (as opposed to perfect powers often assumed by previous work). As a result, our algorithms are faster and more broadly applicable.