cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bifurcation of Cell Migratory and Proliferative Signaling by the Adaptor Protein Shc

Cytokines and extracellular matrix proteins initiate signaling cascades that regulate cell migration and proliferation. Evidence is provided that the adaptor protein Shc can differentially regulate these processes. Specifically, under growth factor–limiting conditions, Shc stimulates haptotactic cell migration without affecting anchorage-dependent proliferation. However, when growth factors are present, Shc no longer influences cell migration; rather, Shc is crucial for DNA synthesis. Mutational analysis of Shc demonstrates that, while tyrosine phosphorylation is required for both DNA synthesis and cell migration, the switch in Shc signaling is associated with differential use of Shc's phosphotyrosine interacting domains; the PTB domain regulates haptotaxis, while the SH2 domain is selectively required for proliferation.
Do many hones dull the bilingual whetstone

In her acknowledgments Valian (2014) speculates that some of her colleagues may agree with at least some of her conclusions. I agree with most. These include that bilingualism is inconsistently correlated with superior executive function, that the overall benefits of bilingualism reported in some experiments may signify benefits unrelated to executive function (EF), that all speakers have non-linguistic ways of improving EF, and that tests for bilingual advantages should be aimed at specific mechanisms of bilingual experience and their corresponding components of EF. The remainder of my 1,000 words will be devoted to rather subtle points of disagreement.
Staged surgical repair of large omphaloceles and gastroschisis

Abstract The sine que non for a successful repair of large omphaloceles, gastroschisis, and large ventral hernias is the gradual replacement of the viscera into the contracted abdominal cavity. A satisfactory method is a staged surgical approach using dacron reinforced Silastic sheets. The experimental and clinical uses of these sheets are described.
Les nouvelles pistes de la chirurgie robotique en urologie

Resume La chirurgie robotique est un domaine en expansion. Les avancees recentes de la navigation chirurgicale et des nouvelles voies d’abord mini invasives ouvrent de nouvelles perspectives d’application de la robotique en urologie. La chirurgie par trocart unique (single-port) et orifices naturels elargit les applications du robot DaVinci®. Les nouvelles technologies, comme les instruments articules, la vision tridimensionnelle, les lasers et les approches mini invasives se combinent astucieusement avec la robotique. Le developpement de porte-aiguille robotise, d’ureteroscopes robotiques ainsi que d’instruments « intelligents » multifonctions ouvrent une nouvelle aire chirurgicale. Le concept de biochirurgie et de microrobotique va dans le sens de la miniaturisation.
A comparative study of the reaction dynamics of several potential energy surfaces of O(3P)+H2→OH+H. I

Two new potential energy surfaces for th O+H2→OH+H reaction are presented, and a detailed comparision of the saddle point properties and thermal rate constants of these and of six other O+H2 surfaces is made. The two new surfaces are (1) an extended BEBO surface and (2) a rotated‐Morse‐oscillator‐spine (RMOS) fit to the accurate ab initio POLCI surface of Walch and Dunning. In the BEBO surface, an improved end atom repulsive potential is used which leads to a much more accurate barrier estimate (11.52 kcal/mol) than with the usual anti‐Morse expression. The POLCI–RMOS surface is an essentially quantitative fit to the ab initio points, and has a barrier of 12.58 kcal/mole. The other O+H2 surfaces examined include the LEPS surface of Westenberg and de Haas (LEPS‐WDH) and of Johnson and Winter (LEPS‐JW), the diatomics‐in‐molecules (DIM) surface of Whitlock, Muckerman, and Fisher, the ab initio surface of Howard, McLean, and Lester (HML), and a fit to HML’s surface by Schinke and Lester (SL). For the LEPS‐JW ...
Effect of glycerol and glucose additions on lipogenesis from acetate in rat and cow mammary tissue

Abstract 1. 1. Fatty acid synthesis in cow and rat mammary tissue was compared utilizing tissue slice incubations. 2. 2. Lipogenesis occurred in cow tissue with acetate as the only substrate, but was negligible in rat tissue. 3. 3. Glucose additions stimulated lipogenesis from acetate 3-fold in cow and 115-fold in rat tissue. 4. 4. In the presence of glycerol, acetate incorporation into fatty acids represented 63 and 2 per cent of the rate found with glucose additions for cow and rat, respectively. 5. 5. Species differences noted were consistent with ruminant mammary tissue having alternate means of generating a portion of NADPH from acetate, presumably via NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase.
Cross-dimensional interaction and texture segregation

revision accepted for publication October 2, 1987. How do different dimensions (e.g., color and form) interact when the visual system locates boundaries in surfaces? Seven experiments are reported in which subjects located a target “singleton” element that was unique in a given dimension. Minimal interference occurred when another dimension, known to be irrelevant, was varied randomly, even if the specific identity of the target feature was unknown (Experiments 1–4). These results argue against the hypothesis of a single difference-detection process that operates on multidimensional representations. However, performance was also little affected by whether the subjects knew in advance which dimension contained the singleton (Experiment 5), so an attentional set to suppress the irrelevant dimension was not implicated. On the other hand, singletons in the (prespecified) irrelevant dimension did produce major interference when the target was unspecified (Experiments 6 and 7), which indicates that texture boundaries of similar types cannot be accessed completely independently for separable dimensions. Together, the results suggest that boundaries may be registered by detectors that respond to specific types and locations of boundaries specified by variation within a particular dimension; selection by boundary type is effective, but selection or suppression by dimension is relatively ineffective. Parallels with some recent neurophysiological findings are noted.
Innovative Interfaces' Electronic Resources Management System: A Survey on the State of Implementation and Usage

This paper presents the results of a survey on Innovative Interfaces' Electronic Resource Management System (III's ERM). The authors distributed the survey to III ERM users through LISTSERVS in November 2009 and received sixty-one responses. The survey contained seventeen questions that focused on three themes: satisfaction with implementation, impact on workflow, and impact on patrons. The results indicated that difficulty with implementation caused some dissatisfaction with staff workflow, although a majority of informants indicated that III's ERM improved staff workflow to some degree. The major benefits of III's ERM were listed in terms of the product's impact on patrons.
The function of the spleen in adults after ligation of the splenic artery of the traumatized spleen in childhood.

Abstract Background. Ligation of the splenic artery (LSA) has been successfully used as a spleen-saving procedure in rare cases of splenic trauma in children in which management with splenorrhaphy or partial splenectomy alone was not possible. There are no data regarding the long-term effects of the procedure on the functional status of the spleen. The purpose of this study is to present and discuss our clinical and laboratory findings in adults who underwent LSA in childhood. Methods. Our first 2 patients in whom LSA was done at ages 4 and 2 years in 1977 underwent the following examinations in the year 2000: 1, imaging of the spleen; 2, immunologic studies; and 3, peripheral blood tests. Their ages at reexamination were 27 and 25 years, respectively. Results. Results were as follows: triplex ultrasound revealed normal size and echomorphology; Doppler techniques revealed normal vasculature; 99mTc-Tin colloid scanning revealed normal uptake. Immunoglobulins (IgG1 to IgG4, IgA, IgM, IgE), complement fraction (C3, C4), antibodies response to vaccinations, and peripheral blood tests all had normal results. No Howell-Jolly bodies were found. Conclusion. Laboratory investigations in adults with LSA during childhood disclosed undisturbed function of the spleen. LSA can be used as an adjunct to splenorrhaphy in children with rare splenic injuries involving major hilar vessels. (Surgery 2003;133:583-5.)
We've Come a Long Way, Maybe

Despite all the major AI successes, when it comes to really understanding the human mind, we still know very little.
Graduate orthodontic education: the residents' perspective.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to identify current demographic trends of orthodontic residents, their goals for the future, and their perspectives on orthodontic training. Methods: A 26-item survey was conducted at the Graduate Orthodontic Residency Program (GORP) at Harvard University in August 2003. Questionnaires were distributed to residents representing 51 orthodontic programs (of 58 in the United States). Surveys were sent to 5 of the 7 programs whose residents did not attend GORP. Results: Of the 380 questionnaires distributed, 295 were completed and returned at the meeting for a 77% response rate. Additionally, 35 of the 50 mailed questionnaires were completed and returned, for a total response rate of 77% (330 completed/430 distributed). Most residents stated that clinical education was the most important factor when choosing a residency. Most residents planned to publish their research, complete American Board of Orthodontics certification requirements, and work 4 days a week after program completion. Conclusions: Several trends were identified since orthodontic residents were last surveyed in 1992. The most significant change reported was an increase in the number of those who plan to complete American Board of Orthodontics certification requirements.
Absorption by nonaxially excited layers of dielectric thin film helicoidal bianisotropic mediums

The spectral signatures of non-axially excited, absorbing TFHBM layers are determined. The dispersive properties of the medium are described using a single-resonance Lorentzian model. Special emphasis is placed on the effect of absorption in the Bragg wavelength-zones, wherein the circular Bragg phenomenon occurs. Optical phenomena such as the optical rotation, circular dichroism and ellipticity transformation absorbing TFHBM layers are investigated. The effect of absorption on the functionality of TFHBM-based devices, such as multi-notch filters, are noted.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Women in NATO militaries—A conference report

Abstract From April 9–12, 1981 seventeen women convened in Amsterdam to describe and analyze women in militaries, with our special focus on women being recruited into the militaries allied in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The workshop, ‘Women in NATO Militaries’, was sponsored by the Feminism and Socialism Project of the Transnational Institute (TNI). Women activists and researchers came from Norway, Canada, Britain, West Germany, Holland and the United States. In addition, though Israel is not a member of NATO, an Israeli participant was invited because so many of the presumptions about how and when women are included within a government's regular armed forces derive from the perceived experience of the Israeli military.
Parasite load and brightness in lizards: an interspecific test of the Hamilton and Zuk hypothesis

Hamilton & Zuk (1982) hypothesized a positive correlation between a species' sexual showiness and its level of parasitic infection. We tested the hypothesis in 26 species of lizards, members of a class of vertebrates never before used to test the model. The prevalence of parasites was determined using published lists of parasites found in wild lizard populations. An index of showiness (brightness) was derived by scoring photographs of lizards in natural settings. Contrary to expectations of Hamilton & Zuk (1982), we found an inverse correlation between a lizard species' brightness and parasite prevalence. No correlation was found between a species' brightness and the number of parasite genera, species, or percentage of individual infecting parasite taxa. These results are discussed in relation to other interspecific tests of the hypothesis.
Differential effects of central and peripheral administration of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor on hypothalamic GH-releasing hormone and somatostatin gene expression in GH-deficient dwarf rats.

The roles of GH and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in the regulation of hypothalamic GH-releasing hormone (GRH) and somatostatin (SRIH) gene expression were investigated in the GH-deficient dwarf (dw) rat, in which endogenous feedback signals are lacking. Adult male and female dw rats were treated with GH or IGF-I by systemic (sc) administration or intracerebroventricular (icv) infusion, and hypothalamic GRH and SRIH mRNA were determined by Northern blotting and densitometric analysis. Systemic sc injection of rGH (75 micrograms every 12 h for 3 days) decreased GRH mRNA levels in both sexes. However, systemic sc injection of human IGF-I (150 micrograms every 12 h for 3 days) did not affect GRH mRNA levels in either sex despite significant stimulation of body weight gain. The use of a continuous sc infusion, which normalized serum IGF-I levels, and prolongation of the treatment period to 7 days also failed to change GRH mRNA levels. SRIH mRNA was unaffected by systemic administration of either GH or ...
Localized construction of aggregation trees in sensor networks

Sensor networks are fast-emerging as a powerful technology for many distributed surveillance and monitoring applications. The crux of these applications lies in being able to compute various global characteristics, like contour, trajectory, direction, velocity etc., of mobile phenomena. In this paper, we present algorithms based on in-network aggregation to efficiently compute these global characteristics of phenomena by representing them as functions amenable to in-network processing, at a very low communication cost. We present two versions of these algorithms; one for post-event querying and the other for real-time warnings and include simulation results for all our algorithms.
The Expected Length of a Minimal Spanning Tree of a Cylinder Graph

A cylinder graph is the graph Cartesian product of a path and a cycle. In this paper we investigate the length of a minimal spanning tree of a cylinder graph whose edges are assigned random lengths according to independent and uniformly distributed random variables. Our work was inspired by a formula of J. Michael Steele which shows that the expected length of a minimal spanning tree of a connected graph can be calculated through the Tutte polynomial of the graph. First, using transfer matrices, we show how to calculate the Tutte polynomials of cylinder graphs. Second, using Steele's formula, we tabulate the expected lengths of the minimal spanning trees for some cylinder graphs. Third, for a fixed cycle length, we show that the ratio of the expected length of a minimal spanning tree of a cylinder graph to the length of the cylinder graph converges to a constant; this constant is described in terms of the Perron–Frobenius eigenvalue of the accompanying transfer matrix. Finally, we show that the length of a minimal spanning tree of a cylinder graph satisfies a strong law of large numbers.
Theory of plasma contactors used in the ionosphere

The use of plasma contactors has been proposed as a means of enhancing the current flow through an electrodynamic tether. A simple isothermal spherical model of the plasma cloud around a contactor is outlined for a plasma contactor which is biased positively with respect to the ambient plasma and hence collects electrons. It is shown that for significant current amplification to occur, the plasma cloud must be turbulent. The amount of current amplification is obtained as a function of the ion current through the contactor. For ion currents of several amperes amplification factors of 2-6 can be obtained for potential drops in the range 100-500 V. For smaller ion currents, much larger amplification factors can be obtained.
Identification of 2-ethyl-2-methyl-3-hydroxysuccinimide as a major metabolite of ethosuximide in humans

A previously unreported major urinary metabolite of the antiepileptic drug ethosuximide (I) was isolated from a patient suffering from petit mal epilepsy. The metabolite was identified as the ring-hydroxylated ethosuximide, 2-ethyl-2-methyl-3-hydroxysuccinimide (II), by GLC, low- and high-resolution electron-impact mass spectrometry, and proton NMR spectroscopy of its N-methyl derivative.
Improving BSN Students' Performance in Recognizing and Responding to Clinical Deterioration

Background: To ensure that Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students are prepared with the knowledge and skill to work with deteriorating patients, it is critical for nursing schools to prepare students to manage clinical deterioration. Methods: A quasi-experimental, one-group, repeated-measures design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured education curriculum with simulation training in improving students’ performance in managing clinical deterioration. Results: Significant increases were shown in time to chest compressions, bag-valve-mask ventilation with high-flow oxygen, electrical intervention, and patient survival outcomes. Conclusion: Findings support that the use of combined teaching strategies is effective in improving students’ performance in managing clinical deterioration.
Farm-level impacts of prolonged drought: is a multiyear event more than the sum of its parts?

A multiyear discrete stochastic programming model with uncertain water supplies and inter-year crop dynamics is developed to determine: (i) whether a multiyear drought’s impact can be more than the sum of its parts, and (ii) whether optimal response to 1 year of drought can increase a producer’s vulnerability in subsequent years of drought. A farm system that has inter-year crop dynamics, but lacks inter-annual water storage capabilities, is used as a case study to demonstrate that dynamics unrelated to large reservoirs or groundwater can necessitate a multiyear model to estimate drought’s impact. Results demonstrate the importance of analysing individual years of drought in the context of previous and future years of drought.
Characterization of Ultimate Sensing Capability of Optical Ring Resonator Biosensors

The sensing capability of the optofluidic ring resonator in bulk refractive index detection and label-free small molecule detection is experimentally investigated near its detection limit. The results set the benchmark for ring resonator biosensors.
The effect of oral cimetidine on total and unbound serum lidocaine concentrations in patients with suspected myocardial infarction

In this study, we prospectively evaluated the effect of oral cimetidine on serum lidocaine concentrations in 6 patients with suspected myocardial infarction. Compared to baseline lidocaine levels, total lidocaine concentrations increased by 8.2 +/- 7.8% at 6 hours, 16.4 +/- 9.0% at 12 hours and 27.9 +/- 9.4% at 24 hours after two doses of oral cimetidine. Unbound lidocaine concentrations increased by 14.3 +/- 4.1% at 6 hours, and 18.3 +/- 10.3% at 24 hours after cimetidine. In patients with myocardial infarction (3), total lidocaine concentrations increased by 24.2 +/- 10.4%, whereas unbound lidocaine increased by 8.9 +/- 10.2% at 24 hours. Therefore, increases in total lidocaine concentrations after cimetidine administration were considerably less than those previously reported and empiric dosage reductions of lidocaine in patients receiving cimetidine may not be appropriate.
Continuous resources allocation in Internet data centers

Internet data centers (IDCs) perform multi-customer hosting on a virtualized collection of resources while grid computing generalizes distributed computing by focusing on large scale resource sharing (I. Foster et al., 2001). When we consider the problem of resource allocation, the connection between grid and IDC is obvious. Indeed, both systems use similar resource reservation patterns. Mainly, service level agreement for IDC, and advanced resource reservation in grid systems (J. MacLaren, 2003). In each world, those reservation patterns are deemed to precisely represent resource requirements. This work presents an autonomous system for online resource allocations. The simulated architecture represents some IDC but our problem solving concepts are applicable to grid infrastructures. Our system takes advantage of monitoring information to reconsider its mathematical modelling of the components. This results in a continuous adaptation of the allocated resources.
Selective Mutism: Causes and Interventions.

Selective mutism is characterized by a persistent lack of speech in some social situations but not in others. One of the most common settings where selective mutism occurs is the school. This artic...
Molecular genetic diagnosis of sickle cell disease using dried blood specimens on blotters used for newborn screening.

The protein-based technologies used to screen newborns for sickle cell disease require confirmation with a liquid blood specimen. We have developed a strategy for rapid and specific genotypic diagnosis using DNA extracted from a dried blood spot on the filter paper blotter used to screen newborns. DNA could be microextracted from a specimen as small as a 1/8 inch diameter punched disc representing the dried equivalent of approximately 3 μl of whole blood. We utilized the DNA from a 1/4 inch diameter specimen (12 μl equivalent) for polymerase chain reaction amplification of the β-globin region spanning the sickle cell mutation with detection by allele-specific oligonucleotide probes. Molecular confirmation of genotype from the original blotter would reduce the personnel costs associated with obtaining follow-up liquid blood specimens and would provide information to the family in a more timely and less equivocal manner.
53-Year-old man with fever, malaise and dyspnoea.

The patient is a 53-year-old man with 2 weeks of fever, sore throat, malaise, intermittent vomiting and diarrhoea. He had developed dyspnoea 2 days prior to presentation to the emergency department. He denied rashes, cough, abdominal pain, insect bites and chest pain. Figure 1 ECG of the patient. The patient history is significant for coronary artery disease, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis and hyperlipidaemia. The patient denied previous episodes of presyncope or syncope. Medications included amlodipine 5 mg daily. The patient had travelled to Connecticut within 1 week of developing the febrile illness. Physical examination revealed temperature …
Rapid Communication: Nerve Growth Factor Increases the Transcriptional Activity of the Rat Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor β4 Subunit Promoter in Transfected PC12 Cells

Neuronal nicotine acetylcholine receptors play a key role in synaptic transmission in the nervous system. Although complementary DNA clones encoding a family of acetylcholine receptor subunits have been isolated and subsequent anatomical studies indicate differences in the temporal and spatially restricted patterns of expression of each gene, the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling the expression of these genes are unknown. As part of a long-term goal to elucidate these mechanisms, we have been identifying and characterizing regions of the receptor subunit genes involved in transcriptional regulation. Here, we report the localization of the transcription initiation site of the rat beta 4 subunit gene, demonstrate using transient transfection analysis of PC12 cells that sequences upstream of this site are capable of activating transcription of a heterologous gene, and show that this transcriptional activity is enhanced in PC12 cells by treatment with nerve growth factor.
Density, Coefficient of Thermal Expansion, and Entropy of Compression of Liquid Helium-3 under Pressure below 1.2°K

The method of dielectric-constant measurement has been used to determine the density of liquid ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ under pressure between 0.07 and 1.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. It consists of measuring the resonant frequency of a tunnel-diode oscillator, the $\mathrm{LC}$ tank circuit of which includes a capacitor filled with the liquid ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$. The tunnel-diode oscillator is kept at low temperature and is described and analyzed in detail. A description is given of the system necessary to keep the pressure of the ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ constant. From the density measurements, the coefficient of thermal expansion and the entropy of compression are derived. The results are compared with earlier work. They are found to be thermodynamically consistent with the data obtained by other methods.
Characterization of domain boundaries in Ni4Mo by convergent beam electron diffraction

The alloy Ni-20 at.% Mo (Ni{sub 4}Mo) is disordered ({alpha}) above 868 C and ordered {beta} below this temperature. Upon the formation of {beta} from the {alpha}, a variety of interfaces between the ordered domains is formed. Characterizing the domain interfaces by using conventional selected-area diffraction can be difficult since, in some orientations, superlattice diffraction spots are identical with those of the {alpha}-phase. However, convergent beam electron diffraction can be used to examine the higher-order Laue zone patterns, in which superlattice spots can be revealed. Also this technique produces the diffraction pattern from a very small analysis area. The authors have used this method to identify some of the characteristics of domain boundaries in the ordered Ni{sub 4}Mo alloy.
Stable carbon isotope fractionation by methanogens growing on different Mars regolith analogs

In order to characterize stable carbon (13C/12C) isotope fractionation of metabolically produced methane by methanogens in martian settings, Methanothermobacter wolfeii, Methanosarcina barkeri, and Methanobacterium formicicum were cultured on four different Mars regolith analogs – JSC Mars-1, Artificial Mars Simulant, montmorillonite, and Mojave Mars Simulant – and also in their growth supporting media. These chemoautotrophic methanogens utilize CO2 for their carbon source and H2 for their energy source. When compared to the carbon isotope signature of methane when grown on their respective growth media, M. wolfeii and M. barkeri demonstrated variability in carbon isotope fractionation values during methanogenesis on the Mars analogs, while M. formicicum showed subtle or negligible difference in carbon isotope fractionation values. Interestingly, M. wolfeii and M. barkeri have shown relatively consistent enriched values of 12C on montmorillonite, a kind of clay found on Mars, compared to other Mars regolith analogs. In general, M. barkeri showed large carbon isotope fractionation compared to M. wolfeii and M. formicicum during methanognesis on various kinds of analogs. Stable carbon isotope fractionation is one of the techniques used to infer different origins, environments, and pathways of methanogensis. The results obtained in this novel research can provide clues to determine ambiguous sources of methane on Mars.
R)Evolutionary Considerations in Hematopoietic Development

: Evolutionary aspects of three characteristics of the mammalian hematopoietic system are considered in the context of both established and recent data. First, the lineage relationships among early members of the hematopoietic hierarchy are reconsidered in a tripartite model proposing lineage segregation based on vascular function, innate immunity, and acquired immunity on an evolutionary time scale. Second, the observation of two stem cell populations that differ in cell cycle status is considered as an evolved mechanism to enhance survival of the species in response to exposure to environmental toxins. Finally, the mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells into the peripheral circulation is proposed to be a mechanism for rapid dissemination of myeloid function during acute bacterial infections. These revolutionary hypotheses challenge some conventional concepts of stem cell biology, and provide an evolutionary context for considering mammalian hematopoiesis.
VASSAR: Value assessment of system architectures using rules

A key step of the mission development process is the selection of a system architecture, i.e., the layout of the major high-level system design decisions. This step typically involves the identification of a set of candidate architectures and a cost-benefit analysis to compare them. Computational tools have been used in the past to bring rigor and consistency into this process. These tools can automatically generate architectures by enumerating different combinations of decisions and options. They can also evaluate these architectures by applying cost models and simplified performance models.
Antroduodenal manometry in pediatrics: usefulness in diagnosing post-viral gastroparesis syndromes

Antroduodenal manometry in pediatrics: usefulness in diagnosing post-viral gastroparesis syndromes
Smart material actuators for airfoil morphing applications

This paper outlines the testing of a piezoelectric ultrasonic motor (PUSM). The authors propose the use of a pseudoelastic NiTi thin film layer to replace the traditional fiber reinforced polymer contact layer. In accordance with this goal, a literature review of reported accomplishments in the area of the tribology of NiTi, both shape memory and pseudoelastic, is provided. The results of the baseline testing of the commercially acquired PUSMs are presented. The motors were baseline tested using a dead-weight force system, then disassembled and a 10 μm thick layer of NiTi was deposited on the rotor using a dc magnetron sputtering process. The motors were then reassembled and tested again. A comparison of the initial results is presented and discussed.
Pharmacokinetics of gentamicin in mares in late pregnancy and early lactation.

The disposition of drugs may differ between pregnant and nonpregnant animals, necessitating a change in dosage. We hypothesized that volume of distribution or clearance may be different for aminoglycoside antibiotics in pregnant mares vs. nonpregnant lactating mares. To examine this hypothesis, we administered gentamicin sulfate to seven Thoroughbred and Quarterhorse mares on two occasions, followed by plasma drug gentamicin assay and pharmacokinetic analysis. The first dose was administered 1-4 weeks before parturition (mean weight 578 kg) and the second dose was administered in the period 1-4 weeks after parturition (mean weight 518 kg). The dose administered at each time was approximately 6.6 mg/kg, intravenously (i.v.). Plasma gentamicin concentrations were determined using fluorescence polarization immunoassay and pharmacokinetic analysis was performed using a two-compartment open model. The plasma concentration vs. time profiles and total area-under-the-curve were almost identical for mares at late gestation vs. early lactation. Mean volume of distribution at steady-state was 0.15 (+/-0.02) and 0.16 (+/-0.03) L/kg, systemic clearance was 1.06 (+/-0.17) and 1.11 (+/-0.17) mL/kg/min, and mean (harmonic) elimination half-life was 2.2 and 2.1 h, for pregnant and nonpregnant mares, respectively. We concluded that there were no differences in drug distribution and clearance between pregnant and nonpregnant lactating mares. Gentamicin was also assayed in plasma of newborn foals after an injection of 6.6 mg/kg to three of the mares within 60 min of parturition. Gentamicin was undetectable in plasma samples from these foals and, therefore, apparently does not cross the placenta of mares at term.
Neuroblastoma cells inhibit the immunostimulatory function of dendritic cells

Abstract Purpose Dendritic cells (DC) are critical for induction of antitumor immunity. Recent studies suggest that tumors may avoid immune destruction by inhibiting DC function. The authors investigated the effect of neuroblastoma (NB) on surface antigen expression and T cell activation by DCs. Methods DCs were generated in the presence of granulocyte and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin 4 (IL-4) from peripheral blood of healthy donors. On day 6 of culture, DCs were exposed to human NB cells and were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results The proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) failed to upregulate the expression of HLA-DR and costimulatory molecule CD86 by DCs that were cultured with NB. Conversely, upregulation was preserved when DCs were cultured in the absence of NB. Exposure to NB also led to apoptosis of DCs as shown by 2-fold increase in surface phosphatidylserine. It appears that direct contact was required to inhibit DC maturation, because DCs separated from NB cells using a transwell insert did not suppress surface antigen expression. Finally, DCs exposed to NB inhibited the proliferation of allogeneic T cells in mixed lymphocyte reactions. Conclusions These findings have significant implications for tumor-pulsed DC vaccines in the treatment of NB and suggest a mechanism by which NB escape rejection.
A conceptual framework for improving information retrieval in folksonomy using Library of Congress subject headings

Social tagging or collaborative tagging is a new trend in the organization, management, and discovery of digital information. Folksonomy, a collection of tags assigned to online information by all participants of social tagging systems, has many advantages as an information organization tool. As an information retrieval tool, however, folksonomy lacks the capability of discerning the relevancy of information. We propose a conceptual framework of IR for folksonomy on the basis of Library of Congress Subject Headings. Algorithms for constructing the conceptual framework are described, and values of the framework are also discussed.
Initial electron-beam characterizations for the Los Alamos APEX facility

The ongoing upgrade of the Los Alamos Free-Electron Laser (FEL) Facility involves the addition of a photoelectric injector (PEI) and acceleration capability to about 40 MeV. The electron-beam and high-speed diagnostics provide key measurements of charge, beam position and profile, divergence emittance, energy (centroid, spread, slew, and extraction efficiency), micropulse duration, and phase stability. Preliminary results on the facility include optical transition radiation interferometer measurements of divergence (1 to 2 mrad), FEL extraction efficiency (0.6 {plus_minus} 0.2%), and drive laser phase stability (< 2 ps [rms]). 10 refs.
Mechanical Properties of Microcapsules Used in a Self-Healing Polymer

The elastic modulus and failure behavior of poly(urea-formaldehyde) shelled microcapsules were determined through single-capsule compression tests. Capsules were tested both dry and immersed in a fluid isotonic with the encapsulent. The testing of capsules immersed in a fluid had little influence on mechanical behavior in the elastic regime. Elastic modulus of the capsule shell wall was extracted by comparison with a shell theory model for the compression of a fluid filled microcapsule. Average capsule shell wall modulus was 3.7 GPa, regardless of whether the capsule was tested immersed or dry. Microcapsule diameter was found to have a significant effect on failure strength, with smaller capsules sustaining higher loads before failure. Capsule size had no effect on the modulus value determined from comparison with theory.
The precipitation of precursor tRNA in high salt.

The tRNA precursor molecules from HeLa cells are 50% precipitable in two molar NaCl, while the mature tRNAs are almost completely (greater than 95%) soluble. This provides a simple and rapid method for the preparation of pre-tRNA molecules relatively free of their mature tRNA products.
The variation of the elastic constants of lithium with temperature and pressure

The elastic constants C′ = (C11 – C12)/2, C and C = C – C′ + C44 of lithium single crystals were measured in the temperature interval 85 to 300°K and the pressure interval 0.001 to 3.5 kbar. Of special interest is the behavior of C′ near the martensitic transformation (which at 1 bar occurs near 78°K) to determine the applicability of either a bulk or a microscopic instability criteria to the transformation. A pulsed ultrasonic interferometer was employed to measure the transit times of the lithium samples from which the elastic constants were calculated. The resulting data indicate that the elastic constants do not change in any drastic manner and are continuously increasing as the temperature is lowered. In addition, all pressure derivatives remain positive to the lowest temperatures and highest pressures studied. Comparisons of the presently reported quantities with those previously measured and theoretically calculated are made. Die elastischen Konstanten C′ = (C11 –; C12)/2, C und C = C – C′ + C44 von Lithium-Einkristallen wurden im Temperaturbereich von 85 bis 300°K und im Druckintervall von 0,001 bis 3,5 kbar gemessen. Von besonderem Interesse ist das Verhalten von C′ in der Nahe des Martensitubergangs (der bei 1 bar in der Nahe von 78°K auftritt), um die Anwendbarkeit von entweder Volumen- oder mikroskopischen Instabilitatskriterien fur den Ubergang zu bestimmen. Fur die Messung der Ubergangszeit der Lithiumproben, von denen die elastischen Konstanten berechnet wurden, wurde ein Ultraschall-Impulsinterferometer benutzt. Die erhaltenen Ergebnisse zeigen, das die elastischen Konstanten sich in keiner Weise drastisch andern und das sie kontinuierlich ansteigen, wenn die Temperatur erniedrigt wird. Daruber hinaus bleiben alle Druckableitungen positiv bis zu den niedrigsten untersuchten Temperaturen und hochsten Drucken. Es wird ein Vergleich der publizierten Werte mit fruher gemessenen und theoretisch berechneten durchgefuhrt.
A tale of three cities: Crime and displacement after Hurricane Katrina

Abstract When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in August 2005, it greatly disrupted both the physical and social structures of that community. One consequence of the hurricane was the displacement of large numbers of New Orleans residents to other cities, including Houston, San Antonio, and Phoenix. There has been media speculation that such a grand-scale population displacement led to increased crime in communities that were recipient of large numbers of displaced New Orleans residents. This study was a case study of three cities with somewhat different experiences with Katrina's diaspora. Time series analysis was used to examine the pre- and post-Katrina trends in six Part I offenses (murder, robbery, aggravated assault, rape, burglary, and auto theft) to assess any impact of such large-scale population shifts on crime in host communities. Contrary to much popular speculation, only modest effects were found on crime. Social disorganization theory was used to frame both the analysis and the interpretation of these results.
Early visual cortex: Smarter than you think

A recent study has provided elegant evidence that the early visual area V2 plays an important role in image segmentation, piecing together parts of an object with the help of stereoscopic clues.
The Moral Arguments and the Traditions of Religious Ethics

What have religious traditions to do with military research and action? The relation is both important and problematic. To ignore it is foolish. For many people, ethics is an integral part of religious belief. Even the nonreligious or irreligious must recognize that some people and societies, probably a majority of people around the world, understand their ethics as part of their religion. A glance at the world today quickly shows the importance of religious traditions, for better and worse, in international conflicts. But the problems in the relationship are immense. Both the significance and the confusions of the relationship rise out of the nature of religious ethics. Religious morality involves claims with a transcendent dimension. The transcendent dimension is conceptualized in many ways. It may refer to a God, who is creator and judge of humankind. It may affirm a spiritual realm that infuses the natural. It may describe a universal loyalty that encompasses particularistic loyalties of individuals, tribes, or nations. In one way or another, a religious morality completes and often overrides common, prudential considerations. That transcendent reference is frequently corrupted by the claim of transcendent and universal justification for partisan demands. Rather than subordinate such demands to a higher judgment, individuals or groups often identify their own interests with transcendent norms. This habit is known in the biblical tradition as idolatry.
Chloroplast genome rearrangements and the evolution of giant lobelias from herbaceous ancestors

Phylogenetic relationships among 16 species of Lobelia and single representatives of Monopsis and Sclerotheca (Lobeliaceae) were assessed by mapping restriction sites and major structural rearrangements (deletions and inversions) in the large single-copy region of the chloroplast genome. Eleven inversions and five different gene arrangements were found. A deletion involving 0RF5 12 is associated with many of the inversions, and all inversion endpoints are located in intergenic spacer regions. Analysis of 132 phylogenetically informative restriction sites produced three equally parsimonious trees of 2 19 steps, with a consistency index of 0.60. The restriction-site and inversion data yield congruent trees, indicating that the giant lobelias from around the world are derived from diploid herbaceous ancestors. The giant lobelias consist of a Chilean hexaploid group and a pantropical tetraploid group. The woody genus Sclerotheca is clearly derived from a giant Lobelia ancestor, while the herbaceous Monopsis is probably derived from herbaceous lobelias. The giant lobelias from eastern Africa are weakly supported as monophyletic with the inclusion of the Brazilian L. organensis. Relationships among the Pacific and Asian giant lobelias are not fully resolved and await more detailed study.
Evaluation of Filtered Air Hatching on Broiler Performance

Abstract A comparison between two experimental hatching machines, a filtered air hatcher and a non-filtered hatcher, was conducted to determine effects on broiler performance. Eighteen day old embryonated eggs in the bottom tray of each hatcher were treated with a suspension of chick-pathogenic E. coli which had a chromosomal antibiotic marker. Chicks from each hatcher were started in a broiler house where they were reared under standard management practices. Three hatches were grown out. Hatch of fertile eggs was significantly greater in the filtered hatcher. Broilers from the filtered hatcher were significantly heavier at four weeks of age than chicks from the control hatcher. Mortality was significantly lower in birds from the filtered hatcher. There was a greater recovery rate of the test organism from dead chicks hatched from the non-filtered hatcher compared to the filtered hatcher.
The impact of charter schools on the efficiency of traditional public schools: Evidence from Michigan

Abstract This paper examines the competitive effects of charter schools on the efficiency of traditional public schools. The analysis utilizes a statewide school-level longitudinal dataset of Michigan schools from 1994 to 2004. Fixed effect and two alternative estimation methods are employed. Overall, the results suggest that charter competition had a negative impact on student achievement and school efficiency in Michigan's traditional public schools. The effect is small or negligible in the short run, but becomes more substantial in the long run.
Discussion note on logic for group decisions

A group decision support system uses a knowledge base created by the active participation of the group members. Uncertainties can be introduced in such a group knowledge base from at least two sources: hard uncertainties can result from a lack of knowledge on the part of every group member about some state of affairs in the world, and soft uncertainties can result from a lack of consensus among the group members. A logical infrastructure is necessary to support query processing and drawing inferences from a group knowledge base. It is shown that a natural formulation of logic in this case leads to a many-valued logic that has significant differences from traditional logic. Some basic operations in this logic are derived. >
Making Art Matter: Alberto Burri's Sacchi*

"Form and Space! Form and Space! The end. There is nothing else. Form and Space!"1 This intractable statement was made by Italian artist Alberto Burri in an effort to sum up the logic of his lifelong aesthetic ambitions in a rare interview at the end of his life in 1994. It was not a new mantra, but one that he had been repeating for decades. To his friend and interlocutor Stefano Zorzi, he once again reiterated vehemently that despite the sometimes shocking diversity and associational content of the material and processes he employed throughout his career, his artistic project had been a fundamentally formalist one: to achieve harmony and balance through the purest material expression of form and space. But the exclamatory nature of his statement ("Form and Space!"), as he looked back at a career of unusual materials and processes, hints that this mantra was more than just a positive affirmation of his passion for modernist painting tenets. It was also a defiant negation of any social or psychological meaning that had been or could be read into his artwork and method ("There is nothing else"). He insisted, for example, that there were no intentional metaphors in his stitching
On Splitting Stationary Subsets of Large Cardinals

Let κ denote a regular uncountable cardinal and NS the normal ideal of nonstationary subsets of κ. Our results concern the well-known open question whether NS fails to be κ+-saturated, i.e., are there κ+ stationary subsets of κ with pairwise intersections nonstationary? Our first observation is:Theorem. NS isκ+-saturated iff for every normal ideal J on κ there is a stationary set A ⊆ κsuch that J = NS∣A = {X ⊆ κ: X ∩ A ∈ NS}.Turning our attention to large cardinals, we extend the usual (weak) Mahlo hierarchy to define “greatly Mahlo” cardinals and obtain the following:Theorem. If κ is greatly Mahlo then NS is notκ+-saturated.Theorem. If κ is ordinal Π11-indescribable (e.g., weakly compact), ethereal (e.g., subtle), or carries aκ-saturated ideal, thenκis greatly Mahlo. Moreover, there is a stationary set of greatly Mahlo cardinals below any ordinal Π11-indescribable cardinal.These methods apply to other normal ideals as well; e.g., the subtle ideal on an ineffable cardinal κ is not κ+-saturated.
Tubulanus riceae new species (Nemertea: Anopla: Palaeonemertea: Tubulanidae), from South Florida, Belize and Panama

Specimens of Tubulanus riceae new species (Nemertea: Palaeonemertea) were collected from a Phragmatopoma worm reef in the surf zone at Fort Pierce (Florida, USA) and from sublittoral rubble at Carrie Bow Cay (Belize) and Bocas del Toro (Panama). They have well-developed lateral sensory organs, form a cellophane-like tube and appear to have ocelli-like structures. The latter, if confirmed as ocelli, would be the first reported for a tubulanid. The new species is characterized by a unique color pattern, resembling that of Tubulanus rhabdotus, but it is distinctive in its milky-tan ground color with annular bands of brown pigment bounded by white margins and in having up to six to eight dorsal, longitudinal, but broken, reflective white stripes.
Measuring the faint glow of the Earth's thin exosphere

There is no “edge of space,” no sharp demarcation where the Earth's atmosphere ends and outer space begins. Instead, there is the fuzzy, progressively thinning exosphere, a region filled mostly by neutral hydrogen atoms that stretches from an altitude of 500 kilometers to hundreds of thousands of kilometers above the Earth's surface. So far, the outer detectable limit of the exosphere is around 15.5 Earth radii—roughly half the distance between the Earth and the Moon.