cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combining the socio-economic-cultural implications of community owned agroforestry: The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska

Agroforestry systems usually are examined for their biological components and somewhat for economic feasibility but rarely for their sociocultural merits. A relatively young agroforestry system was examined in view of sociocultural, biological, and economic factors through the use of decision matrices. Decision criteria were used to evaluate an agroforestry system against two alternative landuse options, a corn-soybean rotation and renting the land to an agricultural producer. Economic, sociocultural, environmental, and risk criteria were considered simultaneously with a scaled Z-statistic and then compared by using four weighting schemes. When all criteria were weighted equally, the agroforestry system had the greatest Z-score (3.4), indicating the better alternative. Placing weights on economic criteria resulted with renting the land being the best alternative (Z-score 6.6). When sociocultural factors were weighted alone, or when greater weights were placed on sociocultural factors along with moderate weights on economic and risk factors, or when community weighted objectives were used, the introduced agroforestry system had the greatest Z-scores (11.5, 6.3, and 1.1, respectively). Use of weighted decision criteria allowed for sensitivity analysis between alternatives to be explored. This is especially important when using techniques that have a greater emphasis on economic parameters that are not equally important or appropriate cross-culturally. Use of decision matrices provides a more comprehensive method for comparing the multiple, interactive, and long-term benefits of the agroforestry system and competing land uses.
When organizational politics matters: The effects of the perceived frequency and distance of experienced politics:

Drawing from literature linking organizational politics with effects of challenge or hindrance stressors, this study investigated the effects of the frequency and psychological distance of positive...
ATR-101 inhibits cholesterol efflux and cortisol secretion by ATP-binding cassette transporters, causing cytotoxic cholesterol accumulation in adrenocortical carcinoma cells

Background and purpose To further the development of new agents for the treatment of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), we characterized the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cytotoxicity by the adrenalytic compound ATR-101 (PD132301-02). Experimental approach We compared the effects of ATR-101, PD129337, and ABC transporter inhibitors on cholesterol accumulation and efflux, on cortisol secretion, on ATP levels, and on caspase activation in ACC-derived cell lines. We examined the effects of these compounds in combination with methyl-β-cyclodextrin or exogenous cholesterol to determine the roles of altered cholesterol levels in the effects of these compounds. Key results ATR-101 caused cholesterol accumulation, ATP depletion, and caspase activation within 30 minutes after addition to ACC-derived cells, whereas PD129337 did not. Suppression of cholesterol accumulation by methyl-β-cyclodextrin or exogenous cholesterol, prevented ATP depletion and caspase activation by ATR-101. ATR-101 blocked cholesterol efflux and cortisol secretion, suggesting that it inhibited ABCA1, ABCG1, and MDR1 transporters. Combinations of ABCA1, ABCG1, and MDR1 inhibitors were also cytotoxic. Combinations of ATR-101 with inhibitors of ABCG1, MDR1, or mitochondrial functions had increased cytotoxicity. Inhibitors of steroidogenesis reduced ATP depletion by ATR-101, whereas U18666A enhanced cholesterol accumulation and ATP depletion together with ATR-101. ATR-101 repressed ABCA1, ABCG1, and IDOL transcription by mechanisms that were distinct from the mechanisms that caused cholesterol accumulation. Conclusions and implications Inhibition of multiple ABC transporters and the consequent accumulation of cholesterol mediated the cytotoxicity of ATR-101. Compounds that replicate these effects in tumours are likely to be useful in the treatment of ACC.
Mammal Occurrence in Rock Outcrops in Shenandoah National Park: Ecological and Anthropogenic Factors Influencing Trap Success and Co-Occurrence

ABSTRACT: Montane rock outcrops are a sensitive habitat type throughout the Appalachian Mountains. These areas provide habitat for a variety of endemic or rare fauna and flora species assemblages. Our objective was to conduct a status survey of focal mammal species considered rare in the Appalachian region, including Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister), eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius), least weasel (Mustela nivalis), long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata), and fisher (Martes pennanti) at rock outcrops in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. From 7 May to 27 September 2015, we conducted camera surveys at 48 rock outcrop sites in the Park. Over 1,985 trap nights (TN), we obtained 2,572 images and detected 16 mammalian species. We quantified capture success, related success to a set of predefined landscape variables and determined co-occurrence patterns of various species. Allegheny woodrats had the highest capture success (10.7%; 212/1,985 TN); however, black bears (Ursus americanus) and raccoons (...
Cost-effectiveness analysis in cardiac surgery: A review of its concepts and methodologies.

Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) in cardiac surgery continues to grow in relevance with increasing health care expenditures, a greater emphasis on value-based care, the continuing development of costly surgical and noninvasive technologies, advances in cardiac devices, and changes in eligibility criteria over the past two decades. Although the rapidly evolving surgical technologies pose challenges to CEA, improvements in gathering and leveraging long-term economic and clinical data alongside trials and in cardiac surgery registries represent future opportunities for the field. As such, it is important for cardiac surgeons to understand CEA with respect to existing and future surgical therapies. Herein, we review the fundamental principles of cost-effectiveness analysis theory and discuss recent cost-effectiveness studies on cardiac surgery.
The Application of Empirically Supported Practices in Middle School Social Studies Classrooms

Material encountered in social studies has been shown to be challenging for students with reading difficulties, including those with disabilities. This study first examined the amount of time eight...
Microbial cells can cooperate to resist high-level chronic ionizing radiation

Understanding chronic ionizing radiation (CIR) effects is of utmost importance to protecting human health and the environment. Diverse bacteria and fungi inhabiting extremely radioactive waste and disaster sites (e.g. Hanford, Chernobyl, Fukushima) represent new targets of CIR research. We show that many microorganisms can grow under intense gamma-CIR dose rates of 13-126 Gy/h, with fungi identified as a particularly CIR-resistant group of eukaryotes: among 145 phylogenetically diverse strains tested, 78 grew under 36 Gy/h. Importantly, we demonstrate that CIR resistance can depend on cell concentration and that certain resistant microbial cells protect their neighbors (not only conspecifics, but even radiosensitive species from a different phylum), from high-level CIR. We apply a mechanistically-motivated mathematical model of CIR effects, based on accumulation/removal kinetics of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants, in bacteria (3 Escherichia coli strains and Deinococcus radiodurans) and in fungi (Candida parapsilosis, Kazachstania exigua, Pichia kudriavzevii, Rhodotorula lysinophila, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Trichosporon mucoides). We also show that correlations between responses to CIR and acute ionizing radiation (AIR) among studied microorganisms are weak. For example, in D. radiodurans, the best molecular correlate for CIR resistance is the antioxidant enzyme catalase, which is dispensable for AIR resistance; and numerous CIR-resistant fungi are not AIR-resistant. Our experimental findings and quantitative modeling thus demonstrate the importance of investigating CIR responses directly, rather than extrapolating from AIR. Protection of radiosensitive cell-types by radioresistant ones under high-level CIR is a potentially important new tool for bioremediation of radioactive sites and development of CIR-resistant microbiota as radioprotectors.
Thyroid Hormones: Effects and Binding

The effects of thyroid hormones on postnatal growth, differentiation, and metabolism are well known. It is also recognized that thyroid hormones and glucocorticoids have complementary, and sometimes synergistic, effects on specific enzymes in several organs. Given this background information, it is not surprising that thyroid hormones were evaluated for effects on lung maturation and function shortly after recognition of glucocorticoid action. In this chapter I review the action of thyroid hormones in fetal and postnatal lung, describe properties of pulmonary T3 receptors and the correlations between binding and effect, and discuss preliminary information regarding clinical application.
Ultrasonic Reflection from Rough Surfaces in Water

The use of ultrasound for immersion mode quantitative nondestructive evaluation depends on our ability to model the interaction of the incident beam with the water-solid interface. The effects of surface roughness on the inspection process may be crucial. For example, ultrasonic images of interior flaws will be degraded due to the random fluctuations in the wave front of the incident field [1,2]. Similarly, surface roughness also affects the characterization of porosity in solids from the ultrasonic attenuation [3] since the attenuation is commonly determined by comparing the reflection from the backsurface with that from the front surface of the part.
Novel Low Power FinFET SRAM Cell Design With Better Read and Writabilty For Cache Memory

In this paper, we have proposed a novel low power Finfet based Sram cell design which has different read access path and write access path. The proposed cell achieves better performance compared to conventional sram cell. Proposed cell achieves 78% for hold 1 and 67% for hold 0 static power reduction than conventional 8T and 6T Sram cell. The proposed sram cell achieves 69% and 58% for write performance in terms of power and delay. Read delay is also reduced by approximately 89% and read power is reduced by 87%. Compared to conventional 8T Sram Cell. The proposed cell is read SNM free and has better SNM for write compared to Conventional Sram Cell.
Towards scalable defense of information flow security for distributed systems

It is particularly challenging to defend common distributed systems against security vulnerabilities because of the complexity and their large sizes. However, traditional solutions, that attack the information flow security problem, often fail for large, complex real-world distributed systems due to scalability problems. The problem would be even exacerbated for the online defense of continuously-running systems. My proposed research consists of three connected themes. First, I have developed metrics to help users understand and analyze the security characteristics of distributed systems at runtime in relation to their coupling measures. Then, I have also developed a highly scalable, cost-effective dynamic information flow analysis approach for distributed systems. It can detect implicit dependencies and find real security vulnerabilities in industrial distributed systems with practical portability and scalability. In order to thoroughly solve the scalability problem in general scenarios, I am developing a self-adaptive dynamic dependency analysis framework to monitor security issues during continuous running. In this proposal, I outline the three projects in a related manner as to how they consistently target the central objective of my thesis research.
Impact of instituting hard-waiver on a student health insurance program at a public university

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of implementing hard-waiver on the student health insurance landscape at a major public university. Methods: Data from two years before (2013-2015) and after (2015-2017) the hard-waiver program was implemented were analyzed descriptively using the university data sources. Results: The university-sponsored insurance group pre-waiver was made up of 4,850 students, while this group included 9,002 students after the hard-waiver program was implemented. Approximately 62% of the waived insurance group were White, compared to 47% in the university-sponsored insurance group. The White population who waived the insurance plan was 20% greater than the minority population. The proportion of the White population having a university-sponsored insurance plan was 0.6 times that of the minority population. Conclusions: University-sponsored insurance enrollment increased markedly following the implementation of hard-waiver and impacted various student demographic groups differently.
Osteoclast Signal Transduction Pathways: The RANKL/RANK System

Abstract Binding of RANKL to its receptor, RANK, on osteoclast precursors recruits TNF receptor-associated factors, which are adaptor proteins and ubiquitin ligases that regulate NF-κB, JNK, c-Fos, NFATc1 ERK, p38, NFATc1 and AKT signaling to control osteoclast formation and activity in normal and pathologic bone resorption. RANKL/RANK signaling also regulates immune cell functions and has been implicated in the development of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes and can be inhibited by denosumab, a monoclonal antibody that binds to RANKL. Recent studies have indicated that RANK is expressed by osteoblast progenitors and that reverse signaling occurs through RANKL on osteoblastic cells can regulate osteoblast formation, raising the possibility that anabolic therapy might be possible through this pathway.
Globalization, Human Capital Development, and Cultural Ecology

This chapter presents an overview of what globalization theories are; and how globalization may have changed the world landscape. Using the human capital theory and cultural ecology theory as the conceptual framework, this chapter further examines how China, India, and the United States invest in early childhood care and education (ECCE) as a strategy in response to rising expectations and fierce competition for jobs, leadership of the future, and the ultimate superpower in the globalized world.
Review of Patrick Collier, Modern Print Artefacts: Textual Materiality and Literary Value in British Print Culture, 1890–1930s (2016)

Review of Patrick Collier, Modern Print Artefacts: Textual Materiality and Literary Value in British Print Culture, 1890–1930s (2016)
A Machine Learning Approach for Quality Assurance of SNOMED CT

Interoperability of health information has been declared as a national objective to be achieved using Electronic Health Records (EHRs). The HITECH Act of 2009 in the US helped facilitate the adoption of EHRs by authorizing incentive payments through Medicare and Medicaid to hospitals and clinicians for using EHRs to achieve improvements in health-care delivery. SNOMED CT, being a global standardized terminology and a requirement for the meaningful use of EHRs, will play an integral role in achieving widespread exchange of clinical information and decision support tools. However, quality issues with SNOMED CT may hinder the progress that we have seen with the adoption of EHRs at hospitals and clinics. Therefore, it becomes essential that efficient methods be formulated to assure the quality of SNOMED CT. This study presents a machine learning approach using a context-based, lexical method. The results show that such computational methods can effectively be used to identify problematic areas in SNOMED CT where the limited auditing resources could then be allocated.
It Takes Two to Tango

In the study by Jacquemin et al., the authors reported that ligands for NKG2D are upregulated in vitiligo perilesional skin and especially in patients with active disease. The reasons for the elevated expression of NKG2D ligands are unknown. This study, however, provides a framework for understanding vitiligo: Skin resident CD8 T cells recognize and kill melanocytes through NKG2D signaling. This event results in the increased production and release of cyto/chemokines and the development of long-lasting CD8 T cells, which in turn causes the recruitment of new T cells, thus perpetuating and disseminating the disease.
Microstrip Antenna with Narrow Patches for Wireless Power Transfer

Parallel plate capacitors are introduced for efficient wireless power transmission (WPT). The device is similar to a microstrip antenna except that the width of the patches is much smaller than that of a conventional microstrip antenna. In the proposed system, magnetic field plays an important role for coupling between transmitter and receiver. The proposed WPT device gives a good transmission efficiency with a compact structure in addition to an easy design/fabrication procedure.
On the matrix differentiation of the characteristic roots of matrices

This paper descriptionbes properties of matrix derivatives (Bargmann (1964)) of characteristic roots of square non-singular real matrices A(pxp). Definitions and notations are introduced in Section 1. The proof of a Theorem for the derivative of a characteristic root is presented in section 2. Section 3 studies the relationship to derivatives of elementary symmetric functions (Nel (1972) and de Waal (1973)). Use is made of the theorems to shorten proofs of some well-known results in Section 4.
A hierarchical matrix approach for computing hydrodynamic interactions

Abstract For simulations of large numbers of small, spherical particles in a Stokes flow, the long-range hydrodynamic interactions approximated by the Rotne–Prager–Yamakawa (RPY) kernel can be summed rapidly using, for example, the fast multipole method (FMM) or the particle-mesh Ewald (PME) method. In this paper, we develop new fast methods for computing these sums using the H 2 hierarchical matrix representation, for open and for periodic boundary conditions. To the best of our knowledge, the method for infinite periodic sums using the H 2 hierarchical matrix representation is the first such method developed. We also consider a more general RPY kernel that handles polydisperse particle radii, and show analytically and experimentally that the proxy surface method for efficiently constructing the H 2 hierarchical matrix representation remains effective in this case. Numerical tests demonstrate the well-controlled accuracy of the H 2 summation methods and their linear-scaling computation and storage cost. We find that the H 2 matrix approach has lower cost for computing the summations compared to FMM and PME, but higher precomputation cost (required for each particle configuration). This precomputation cost can be amortized over several summations when computing Brownian displacements or forces in Brownian and Stokesian dynamics simulations with very large numbers of particles.
MECHANISM OF CHEMICAL MUTAGENESIS IV. Reaction between Triethylene Melamine and Nucleic Acid Components

Lorkiewicz, Z. (University of Wisconsin, Madison), and Waclaw Szybalski. Mechanism of chemical mutagenesis. IV. Reaction between triethylene melamine and nucleic acid components. J. Bacteriol. 82: 195–201. 1961.—Triethylene melamine interacts primarily with phosphorylated intracellular deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) precursors and not with DNA. It was found by direct chemical and chromatographic analysis that only pyrimidine precursors of nucleic acids are attacked by triethylene melamine. In the course of the triethylene melamine-deoxycytidine reaction the mutagenicity of the reaction mixture is lost, but the mutagenicity of the triethylene melamine-thymidine reaction products significantly increases above that of the reaction substrates. Several steps are postulated to explain the mechanism of the triethylene melamine-initiated mutagenic reaction: (i) Reaction I, semireversible uptake of triethylene melamine; (ii) reaction II, chemical interaction between triethylene melamine and intracellular thymidine mono- or triphosphate with the production of a functional analogue of the latter; (iii) incorporation of this fraudulent analogue into the newly formed DNA strand; (iv) occurrence of self-perpetuating errors in the sequence of natural bases during subsequent rounds of replication of the analogue-containing DNA strand. It is postulated that the mechanism of mutagenic responses to different types of mutagens can fit either a simplified (mutagenic base analogues) or extended version (radiation) of this schema.
HACIA EL SISTEMA DE UNAMUNO

ABSTRACT: An effort to find criteria for a systematic ordering of Unamuno's texts. he essentially dealt with four themes: Spain, personal immortality, the constitution of the ego, and writing. One of these themes predominates respectively in each period of his evolution, except writing, on which he reflected throughout his entire life. For this reason, it cannot serve as a criterion for the characterization of any particular epoch. On the basis of the respective predominant theme I propose a classification of Unamuno's work in three epochs: 1884 to 1897 (Spain), 1897 to 1913 (immortality), 1913-1930 (personality). From his return from exile in 1930 until his death in 1936 Unamuno appears detached from his circumstances. This fin2t1 stage, therefore, is not defined by a theme but by an attitude. Using a semiological method, I have characterized each period by what I consicler its fundamental sign: background, abyss, agony, remembrance.
Radiofrequency Probe and Sharp Transection for Tenoscopic-Guided Desmotomy of the Accessory Ligament of the Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon.

Objective To compare intra and postoperative clinical features of desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor tendon (ALSDFT) using the Saber radiofrequency (SaberRF) electrosurgical probe versus sharp transection with a tenotomy knife. Study Design Randomized, controlled, blocked (horse) design. Animals Adult horses (n = 6). Methods Each horse received bilateral, tenoscopic-guided ALSDFT desmotomy with a SaberRF and tenotomy knife, randomly assigned to left, or right limb. The desmotomy duration and intraoperative hemorrhage grades were recorded. Postoperatively, the grades for surgical incision, carpal sheath effusion, carpal range of motion, flexion pain, and lameness were recorded. Light microscopy using hematoxylin and eosin, and viability staining were performed on the ALSDFT, flexor carpi radialis tendon, radial head of the deep digital flexor tendon, and the deep digital flexor tendon. Variables were compared between desmotomy methods with a paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, or a repeated measures mixed model. Statistical significance was set at P < .05. Results Desmotomy of the ALSDFT was completed in all horses. Only mild hemorrhage was observed and not different between methods (SaberRF 2/5 limbs; tenotomy knife 5/6 limbs, P = .078). Carpal sheath effusion was greater for SaberRF at Day 1 (P = .019) but not different from tenotomy knife at any later time. There was no significant difference between methods for viability staining or other measured outcomes. Conclusions Tenoscopic-guided ALSDFT desmotomy with the SaberRF probe showed no difference in measured outcomes to sharp transection with a tenotomy knife and minimal collateral tissue damage was observed.
Iron Chelation in Chemotherapy

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the way accumulation of excessive amounts of iron results in the loss of tissue and organ functions. Excessive iron in specific tissue sites promotes infection, neoplasia, cardiomyopathy, arthropathy, and an array of endocrine and neurodegenerative diseases. Overabundant iron can serve as a readily available nutrient for invading bacterial, fungal, and protozoan organisms, as well as for neoplastic cells. Heightened virulence is associated with the ability to acquire host iron. In iron-loaded tissue sites, even microbial strains that usually are not dangerous can cause illness. Cells of highly invasive neoplastic strains can procure host iron more adroitly than can cells of either less-malignant strains or normal-host cells. Healthy hosts maintain an iron-withholding defense system designed to prevent the accumulation of nonprotein-bound iron in extracellular fluids. Notable components of the scavenging arm of the system are transferrin (Tf) and lactoferrin (Lf). The chapter discusses the development of Tf and Lf as pharmaceuticals.
Long Term Evolution of Earth Orbiting Debris

The space environment is presently dominated by man-made debris, for particles larger than 1 mg. A comprehensive survey of the debris population from 1 mg to the larger sizes in view of the recent data from radar and optical observations, and from the analysis of materials retrived from space is given.
Swine as a Model for Influenza A Virus Infection and Immunity

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) infect a variety of hosts, including humans, swine, and various avian species. The annual influenza disease burden in the human population remains significant even with current vaccine usage, and much about the pathogenesis and transmission of influenza viruses in humans remains unclear. Thus, animal models are a fundamental tool for influenza research to understand mechanisms of virulence and to develop more efficacious vaccines and forms of prevention or treatment. The choice of experimental model to be used should be based on the species characteristics and similarities to humans, and how the limitations of each host interfere the least with the parameters studied. Influenza virus infection in swine has many similarities with that in humans: the same subtypes are endemic in both species, there has been repeated exchange of viruses between these hosts, the clinical manifestation and pathogenesis are similar, and there is a similar distribution of IAV receptors in the respiratory tract. Considering these common characteristics, and the similarities between humans and swine in terms of genetics, anatomy, and physiology, pigs represent an excellent yet often overlooked model for biomedical research and the study of IAV infection.
Immunological Accessory Molecules

Immunological accessory molecules are proteins expressed on the surface of immune cells that can modulate in a positive or negative manner the ability of the cell to develop or to perform one or more of its functions. Thus, accessory molecules are critical to the success or failure of controlling the immune response to foreign antigens such as infectious agents or organ transplants, the aberrant response to self-antigens as in the case of autoimmune disease or the response to tumours. Keywords: adhesion molecules; Fc receptors; tetraspanins; cytokine; chemokine; pattern recognition
Analysis of Ciliary Assembly and Function in Planaria

Planarians are free-living invertebrates that employ motile cilia for locomotion. Specifically, cilia that populate the ventral epithelium of the planarian body are highly conserved, with a 9+2 axoneme and a full complement of inner and outer arm dynein motors. The abundance of cilia on the planarian body, their unique accessibility, and high degree of conservation make this organism an attractive experimental model system for cilia biology. Moreover, planarians are genetically amenable and defects that compromise the function and structure of the cilia are not detrimental for their overall health, making them an ideal system for cilia gene loss-of-function studies. In this chapter, we provide information for introducing and maintaining planarians for experimental purposes in the laboratory and describe protocols for RNAi-induced gene knockdown studies. Furthermore, we elaborate on different imaging techniques used to analyze cilia physiology and structure, including live video microscopy, immunofluorescence analysis, and electron microscopy. Last, we provide assays for evaluating physical parameters of ciliary motility, including quantification of planarian gliding locomotion and measurement of ciliary beat frequency.
Response to Letters by Furlan, and Kohrmann and Schwab

Response: Drs Furlan, Kohrmann, and Schwab make compelling arguments. However, we still maintain that placebo-controlled trials of stroke therapy beyond 3 hours are ethical, and in fact necessary. First, our editorial was written before the results of ECASS 3. We now believe there is sufficient evidence from that study and the pooled analysis of all IV tPA data that further clinical trials of treatment in the 3- to 4.5-hour time window must allow IV tPA for all eligible patients. Of course, we are in the uncomfortable situation where, at least in the United States, data and evidence move faster than guidelines and regulatory approval. Individual physicians and patients may not treat with IV tPA in the absence of such gudielines/approval, but we do not believe that clinical trials should be organized that preclude offering such treatment. However, for patients who do not qualify for IV tPA, or cannot be treated within 4.5 hours of symptom onset, placebo arms can still be used. Second, Dr Furlan argues that such trials are not feasible, but the clear answer obtained from placebo-controlled trials beyond 3 hours such as ECASS 3 and PROACT (both positive), and the numerous neuroprotection trials and DIAS 2 (all neutral or negative) demonstrate that clear-cut answers can be obtained from such studies using existing clinical trial designs. …
Assessment of photo-activated adhesive workholding (PAW) technology for holding “hard-to-hold” workpieces for machining

Abstract Manufacturers often have to machine “hard-to-hold” metallic workpieces using conventional fixturing. In these special cases, machined feature quality typically suffers from set-up related errors, or set-up lead time suffers from the extra time necessary to check and correct for them. A technology that may alleviate both problems is photo-activated workholding (PAW) technology. This paper describes an investigation in which a photo-activated workholding (PAW) technology solution was created to hold a “hard-to-hold” bracket casting for low volume machining at a contract manufacturer. A comparison to the existing conventional solution revealed that the PAW technology yielded substantially better machined feature quality, machining lead time, and machining cost.
Cu(II) complexes of N,N-diethyl-2-picolinamine N-oxide

Abstract Cu(II) complexes have been prepared with N,N-diethyl-2-picolinamine N-oxide (DEA) employing the perchlorate, tetrafluoroborate, nitrate, chloride and bromide salts. A single unique solid was isolated for each Cu(II) salt with the following stoichiometries: Cu(DEA)2X2(XClO4 and BF4) and Cu(DEA)X2(XNO3, Cl and Br). Characterization has been accomplished primarily by IR, electronic and ESR spectral measurements of the solid state complexes. Significant, though not as great as with lighter ligands of the same series, changes occurred when spectral measurements of acetonitrile or nitromethane solutions were attempted. DEA was found to bind to Cu(II) exclusively as a bidentate ligand via the N-oxide oxygen and the amine nitrogen.
Mode of arrival does not predict myocardial infarction in patients who present to the ED with chest pain

This study aims to determine if patients who arrive by ambulance with a chief complaint of chest pain have a higher risk of myocardial infarction (MI) than those who arrive via alternate transportation. All patients ages 18–99 who presented to an urban academic ED between January 2006 and July 2006 with a chief complaint that included “chest pain” were eligible for retrospective analysis. Patients who were transferred or who left without being seen or against medical advice were excluded. Myocardial infarction was defined as patients who were admitted and who had elevated troponin I or went urgently to catheterization laboratory and had >90% occlusion of a vessel, with a final clinical impression of MI. There were 690 visits for chest pain during the study period, representing 4% of total ED census. A total of 39 visits met exclusion criteria, and 37 patients had 52 repeat visits, leaving 599 unique patients included for analysis. Mean age was 48.8 ± 1.4 years (SD 17.7), 44.6% were female, and 35 patients (5.8%) were diagnosed with MI. In all, 157 patients (26.2%) arrived via EMS. Patients who arrived by ambulance did not have a significant difference in rate of MI when compared with alternate transportation [7.0% vs. 5.4%, OR (95% CI) = 1.3 (0.6–2.7), p = 0.469]. Only 31.4% (11/35) of patients who ultimately were diagnosed with MI arrived by ambulance. We were unable to show a significant difference in rate of MI between patients who arrived via ambulance or private transportation. Equal consideration and urgency should be given to both types of patients when they arrive at the ED.
Lengthening Contractions Produce Strain-Dependent Regional Changes in the Passive Length-Tension Properties of Permeabilized Single Fibers

During forced lengthening of an activated skeletal muscle fiber (a “lengthening contraction”), the applied strain is not distributed uniformly along the length of the fiber. Instead, regions having the longest sarcomere lengths (Ls) prior to the stretch are strained the most during the stretch (Panchangam et al. Biophys. J. 95:1890-1901, 2008). These differences in regional strain result in differences in strain history that could influence the subsequent resting Ls of the regions. We hypothesized that the change in resting Ls of a region following a lengthening contraction correlates positively with the strain of the region during the lengthening contraction. This hypothesis was tested on permeabilized fibers (n=15) obtained from soleus muscles of adult rats (8-9 mo, n=5). A laser diffraction technique was used to make rapid measurements (500 s−1) of the Ls in 20 contiguous regions of fibers before, during, and after a single lengthening contraction (strain, 27 %; strain rate, 54 % s−1; temperature, 15°C). During steady-state activation prior to lengthening, fibers produced an isometric stress of 133±29 kPa at a mean Ls of 2.54±0.16 μm. The lengthening contractions resulted in a 19±9 % loss in isometric stress. For each of the 20 contiguous regions, the difference between the resting Ls 5 min before and 10 min after the lengthening contraction was plotted as a function of the increase in Ls at the peak of the lengthening contraction. The increase in resting Ls correlated positively (r=0.71) with the increase in Ls during lengthening contractions. We conclude that lengthening contractions produce regional changes in the passive length-tension properties of permeabilized single fibers and that these changes can be attributed to the recent strain history of the fiber regions. Support: NIH AG-13283; AG-015434.
One-dimensional groups over an o-minimal structure

Abstract In this paper we prove the following theorem: Any one-dimensional definably connected group G over an o-minimal structure is, as an abstract group, isomorphic to either ⊕ p ∈ P Z p ∞⊕⊕δ Q or ⊕δ Q
Detection of two species of antibody molecules with the same specificity.

Abstract Two types of anti-2,4 dinitrophenyl γ-G immunoglobulin molecules are characterized: those which can form dimer upon interaction with the divalent hapten, α-ϵ-dinitrophenyl lysine, and those which cannot form dimer. The two types of antibody molecules are separable by ultracentrifugation and by Sephadex G-200 chromatography. It is proposed that the two types of molecules result from two different orientations in space of the antigen combining sites.
Head scatter data for several linear accelerators (4-18 MV)

Measurements were made in air on the central axis of radiation beams from linear accelerators operating in the energy range from 4 to 18 MV, to determine the magnitude and source of head scattered radiation. Machines of several manufacturers were studied. The data indicate that, except for one unique collimator design, head scatter originates primarily in the flattening filter and is relatively independent of energy and machine.
Failure--Correction Decoding

Failure-correction decoding (FCD) is a decoding method that improves the performance of error-correction block codes by using reliability estimates of the received digit decisions. The FCD logic produces F failures by erasing the F digits of a received code character that are most probably in error. Since the number F is the code's erasure-correction capability, the decoding is always possible and will yield a correct character if the failures include all errors. FCD operation is evaluated for short block codes and the Rayleigh-fading, the Gaussian-noise, and the atmospheric-noise channels. Significantly lower error probabilities, in comparison to error-correction decoding, are obtained for the Rayleigh-fading and the atmospheric-noise channels, but only minor improvement is obtained for the Gaussian-noise channel. The optimum failure-selection criterion for the fast Rayeligh-fading channel and noncoherent detection is to select as failures the F digits with the least difference between the squared-envelope amplitudes from the two matched-filter outputs. For the atmospheric-noise channel, a good failure-selection criterion is to choose the F digits with the largest noise-envelope amplitude as measured in an adjacent frequency band.
Melting of clusters and melting

A model is presented for the melting and freezing behavior of finite clusters. The model has the property---and suggests that some real clusters may so behave---that the rigid, solidlike form is the only thermodynamically stable form below a "freezing" temperature ${T}_{f}$, that the solidlike form may coexist with a nonrigid, liquidlike form within a sharply-bounded range of temperatures between ${T}_{f}$ and a higher "melting" temperature ${T}_{m}$, and that above ${T}_{m}$, only the liquidlike form of cluster is thermodynamically stable. The temperatures ${T}_{f}$ and ${T}_{m}$ are functions of $N$, the number of particles in the cluster; it is suggested that the traditional melting point is the common temperature to which ${T}_{f}(N)$ and ${T}_{m}(N)$ converge as $N\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$.
Toxic and metabolic causes of seizures

Seizures are a relatively nonspecific response of the cerebral cortex to insult and can be caused by a variety of toxic or metabolic diseases. Seizure in response to extracranial disease are called reactive seizures. Toxins cause seizures by altering the balance of excitation and inhibition in the nervous system or interfering with energy metabolism. Many therapeutic or illicit drugs will cause seizures through similar mechanisms. Metabolic diseases can cause seizures by interfering with energy metabolism, changing osmolality, or producing endogenous toxins. In addition, metabolic disease may alter the pharmacokinetics of antiepileptic drugs or drugs that have the potential to cause seizures. While seizures represent a serious sign for many of these conditions, reactive epilepsy always carries the possibility that the seizures may be eliminated if the underlying cause is detected and corrected.
Temporal and heart-size effects in first-heart-sound spectra.

Heart-sound recording are taken from human and animal subjects. Spectral analysis of small time segments of the first heart sound is carried out by means of a spectrograph analyser. Temporal variations in the spectra are observed during the first major component of the first heart sound. Peak energy frequencies in the medium frequency range (50–140 Hz) are observed to increase in successive spectra during the first major component of the first-heart-sound, and also with the decrease in the size of the heart from which the recordings were made.
Quasi-classical trajectory simulations of intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution in HONO2 and DONO2.

By use of an analytic potential energy surface developed in this work for nitric acid, the quasi-classical trajectory method was used to simulate intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR). A method was developed for monitoring the average vibrational energy in the OH (or OD) mode that uses the mean-square displacement of the bond length calculated during the trajectories. This method is effective for both rotating and nonrotating molecules. The calculated IVR time constant for HONO2 decreases exponentially with increasing excitation energy, is almost independent of rotational temperature, and is in excellent agreement with the experimental determination (Bingemann, D.; Gorman, M. P.; King, A. M.; Crim, F. F. J. Chem. Phys. 1997, 107, 661). In DONO2, the IVR time constants show more complicated behavior with increasing excitation energy, apparently due to 2:1 Fermi-resonance coupling with lower frequency modes. This effect should be measurable in experiments.
Survival Rates and Productive Herd Life of Dairy Cattle in the United States

Survival rates and productive herd life were examined for 13.8 million US dairy cows that calved from January 1, 1980, through March 2, 2005. Cows that left the herd for dairy purposes or were from herds that discontinued Dairy Herd Improvement testing were excluded from any calculations to prevent underestimation of population longevity. Mean lactation length for cows without subsequently recorded lactations ranged from 205 to 235 d across breed-parity subsets and were 4 to 29 d longer for parities 2 through 7 than for parity 1. Mean survival rates were 73% to parity 2; 50% to parity 3; 32% to parity 4; and 19, 10, 5, and 2% to parities 5 through 8, respectively. The mean number of parities for Holsteins declined from 3.2 for those first calving in 1980 to 2.8 for those first calving in 1994. Mean numbers of parities for other breeds first calving in 1994 were 2.9 for Ayrshires and Brown Swiss, 2.4 for Guernseys, and 3.2 for Jerseys. Breed means for productive herd life (through parity 8) ranged from 28 to 36 mo. All regressions of mean number of parities or mean productive herd life on year were negative. The trend for decline of many of those indicators of longevity slowed or ended after the early 1990s. Between 31 (Jersey) and 39% (Guernsey) of herds were made up of first-calf heifers.
Estradiol and progesterone regulate neuronal structure and synaptic connectivity in adult as well as developing brain

Until recently, it has been widely believed that the adult brain does not undergo changes in its structure, particularly in relation to the actions of circulating hormones. It has now become clear that estradiol and progesterone have important effects on adult brain structure and function. Single section Golgi silver staining and electron microscopy have been used to analyze numbers of spines on dendrites and to count synapses on dendritic spines. In the adult female rat brain, we find that dendrites of neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus and CA1 region of the hippocampus sprout increased numbers of spines on dendrites and then lose them during the 4- or 5-day estrous cycle. Increased spine numbers are accompanied by increased numbers of synapses on spines. In the hippocampus, the loss of spines and spine synapses occurs during a 24-h period between the time of maximum sexual receptivity on the day of proestrus and the next day, the day of estrus. This loss is not due solely to the decline in estradiol; however, giving progesterone speeds up the decline, and administering the antiprogestin, Ru486, on proestrus blocks the natural decline of synapse density. The changes of synaptic density in the hypothalamus are responsible, at least in part, for the cyclicity of sexual behavior, whereas the cyclicity of synapses in the hippocampus may subserve functions related to spatial learning and memory. In human subjects, cyclic fluctuations in gonadal hormones are associated with cyclic changes in performance on a variety of cognitive and motor tasks.
The distresses of the indigent

When I consider the distresses of the indigent, I rather admire that the instances of their misconduct should …
Hepatic Failure in a Patient Taking Rosiglitazone

A 69-year-old man taking 4 g of rosiglitazone per day sustained hepatic failure. Other causes of hepatic failure, such as viruses and toxins, seem to have been excluded, although congestive heart f...
Expectancy Violations in Relationships with Friends and Media Figures

Expectancy violations can have damaging effects in social relationships, but their comparative effects on relationships with media figures has not been explored. A questionnaire was given to 125 undergraduates, measuring anticipated reductions in closeness to friends and media figures as a result of three expectancy violations: moral, trust, and social. For both relationships, trust and social violations resulted in greater reductions in closeness than moral violations. Compared to violations committed by other types of media figures, respondents expected greater reductions in closeness for major violations committed by athletes and social violations committed by TV hosts. Women anticipated greater reductions in closeness than men. These findings shed light on how mediated relationships evolve and how they intersect with interpersonal relationships.
Tissue expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase requires IFN-γ production by infiltrating splenic T cells: more evidence for immunosuppression by nitric oxide

Abstract The cause of increased severity of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) −/− or IFN-γ −/− mice remains unclear. Transient chimeras were generated to examine the source of iNOS-inducing IFN-γ in the central nervous system (CNS). IFNγ −/− donor cells induced severe EAE but no iNOS expression in the CNS of wild-type recipients upon their immunization. By contrast, milder EAE, but strong iNOS expression was induced in immunized recipients of wild-type donor spleen cells. These results demonstrate that IFN-γ secretion by infiltrating spleen cells is essential for iNOS expression during CNS inflammation. Furthermore, splenic NO is immunosuppressive.
The Multiple Unit Double Auction

The note outlines institutional features of an open outcry market that permit multiple unit or "block" trades. The purpose of the note is to introduce the process as a tool to be used in economics experiments. The detailed rules governing the multiple unit double auction (MUDA) are stated for the case where offers are tendered by voice as opposed to through a computer. The results of markets that use the rules are reported as a demonstration that convergence to equilibrium price traditionally observed in experimental markets remains with the use of the MUDA process.
Monophasic Action Potentials in Man

Monophasic action potentials with an amplitude of up to 70 mv were recorded with suction electrodes from the endocardial surface of the right atrium and both ventricles during diagnostic cardiac catheterization. The method was simple and safe. The monophasic action potential of human beings had the same shape and the same relation to the electrocardiogram as the transmembrane action potential of animals has. Also changes in heart rate and administration of calcium and digitalis had the same effect on the monophasic action potential of man as on the transmembrane action potential of animals. When injections of contrast material into the coronary arteries produced T-wave changes, the monophasic action potential from the ventricle perfused by the contrast medium lengthened, but the monophasic action potential from the other ventricle did not change. Our study suggests that the monophasic action potential may be helpful in estimating the refractory period at the site of recording and in explaining the pathoge...
Structure-function relationships of the thrombin-thrombomodulin interaction.

Thrombomodulin is an anticoagulant protein cofactor that modulates the substrate specificity of thrombin and promotes the cleavage of protein C. The structure-function relationships of the thrombin-th