cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estrogen receptor alpha: Molecular mechanisms and emerging insights

Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is a cellular receptor for the female sex hormone estrogen and other natural and synthetic ligands and play critical roles in normal development and physiology and in the etiology and treatment of endocrine-related diseases. ERα is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors and regulates target gene expression in a ligand-dependent manner. It has also been shown to interact with G-protein coupled receptors and associated signaling molecules in the cytoplasm. Transcriptionally, ERα either binds DNA directly through conserved estrogen response element sequence motifs or indirectly by tethering to other interacting transcription factors and nucleate transcriptional regulatory complexes which include an array of co-regulator proteins. Genome-scale studies of ERα transcriptional activity and localization have revealed mechanistic complexity and insights including novel interactions with several transcription factors, including FOXA1, AP-2g, GATA3, and RUNX1, which function as pioneering, collaborative, or tethering factors. The major challenge and exciting prospect moving forward is the comprehensive definition and integration of ERα complexes and mechanisms and their tissue-specific roles in normal physiology and in human diseases.
Molecular Organization of Lipids in Escherichia coli Membranes: II. EFFECT OF PHOSPHOLIPIDS ON SUCCINIC-UBIQUINONE REDUCTASE ACTIVITY

Abstract When membranes isolated from an unsaturated fatty acid auxotroph of Escherichia coli grown on oleate were treated with aqueous acetone, approximately 50% of the phospholipids were removed and 70% of the succinic-dichloroindophenol (DCI) reductase activity was lost. Preliminary incubation with total lipids isolated from cells grown on oleate or elaidate restored the reductase activity to the acetone-treated membrane. An Arrhenius plot of the activity remaining in oleate membranes after delipidation showed no discontinuity between 12–37°. When the same membrane preparation was previously incubated with dispersions of lipids, the Arrhenius plot of succinic-DCI reductase activity showed a discontinuity at 19° when oleate lipids were used, and at 28° when elaidate lipids were used. Total cell lipids could be replaced with phospholipids plus coenzyme Q6. However, neither of these alone had a significant stimulatory effect. The Arrhenius plot of succinic-ubiquinone reductase activity of either oleate acetone-extracted membranes or elaidate acetone-extracted membranes gave transitions between 27–29° after preliminary incubation with elaidate phospholipids plus Q6, and between 17–19° after prior incubation with oleate phospholipids plus Q6. The data indicate that the presence of a transition in Arrhenius plot of succinic dehydrogenase (measured by DCI reduction) in the membranes of this mutant is dependent on the phospholipids, and that the temperature at which this transition occurs is determined by the nature of the apolar group of the lipid.
Stability of Vertex Fixed Points and Applications

Abstract In the Infinite Population Simple Genetic Algorithm, stability of fixed points is considered when mutation is zero. The analysis is based on the spectrum of the differential of the mapping which defines the transition from one generation to the next. Based on a simple formula for this spectrum, fully nondeceptive functions having exponentially many non-optimal fixed points are constructed.
Distribution of Gut Peptides

The sections in this article are: 1 Distribution of Neuropeptides in the Gastrointestinal Tract 1.1 Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide 1.2 Substance P 1.3 Methionine5-Enkephalin 1.4 Bombesin-like Immunoreactive Peptides 1.5 Peptide Histidine Isoleucine 1.6 Other Neuropeptides 2 Distribution of Endocrine Peptides in the Gastrointestinal Tract 2.1 Gastrin 2.2 Cholecystokinin 2.3 Secretin 2.4 Gastric Inhibitory Peptide 2.5 Motilin 2.6 Neurotensin 2.7 Enteroglucagon 2.8 Peptide YY 2.9 Somatostatin 3 Distribution of Neuropeptides in the Brain 3.1 Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide 3.2 Cholecystokinin 3.3 Neurotensin 3.4 Substance P 4 Distribution of Neuropeptides in the Spinal Cord 4.1 Neurotensin 4.2 Substance P 4.3 Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide 4.4 Cholecystokinin 5 Distribution of Neuropeptides in Other Tissues 5.1 Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide in Coronary Arteries 5.2 Substance P in Coronary Arteries 6 Summary
Investigation of Lanthanum Silicate Conditions on 4H-SiC MOSFET Characteristics

The lanthanum silicate interface engineering has been shown to dramatically improve the mobility of 4H-silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs. We studied the impact of post deposition annealing (PDA) conditions and the initial lanthanum oxide (La2O3) thickness on the MOSFET performance. The combination of 900 °C PDA and 1 nm La2O3 leads to highest field-effect mobility. Higher PDA temperature leads to mobility reduction due to lower lanthanum concentration at the SiC/dielectric interface. The peak mobility and threshold voltage show strong dependence on the initial La2O3 thickness.
Handel-C for rapid prototyping of VLSI coprocessors for real time systems

The current maturity of modern reconfigurable hardware elements such as field programable gate arrays now makes it possible to utilize application-specific reconfigurable coprocessor logic as part of real time system design. Such logic has great potential to improve both the level of performance and run time determinism of the system. It also gives the real time system designer the capability of performing nonintrusive high-speed monitoring operations such as the missed deadline detection and external bus I/O activity analysis that can be directly utilized by the system scheduler to dynamically adapt to changing process load conditions. In most cases, though, designers of real time systems are software development practitioners, not hardware developers. They know much more about traditional software high-level programming languages such as C and C++ than hardware description languages such as VHDL and Verilog. New hardware description languages such as Handel-C are now becoming available to make the hardware design process more accessible to these software developers. In this paper, we investigate the effectiveness of using Handel-C, in an academic setting, to develop real time embedded systems in environments that incorporates the reconfigurable FPGA based co-processor logic.
Expressed gene sequence of bovine IL23A and IL23R

The cloning and characterization of bovine IL23A and IL23 receptor cDNA from total RNA of PBMC and the genomic organization of the coding sequences are reported. The IL23A partial coding region was found to be 578 nucleotides coded for in 4 exons and shared 84% and 76% identity with human and mouse sequences, respectively. The IL23R complete coding region had 1890 nucleotides coded for in 10 exons and shared 87% and 73% homology with the human and mouse sequences, respectively. Both bovine sequences were more closely related to the human sequences than were mouse sequence. This work was done as part of the U.S. Veterinary Immune Reagent Network whose goal is to develop reagents for investigating diseases in livestock species, poultry and fish.
Elastic analysis of radial cracks emanating from the outer and inner surfaces of a circular ring

Abstract The elastic solution for one to four radial cracks emanating from either the inner or outer surface of a circular ring is considered. For cracks emanating from the outer surface, internal pressure is considered, while for cracks emanating from the inner surface, the loading is uniform external tension. The technique used for the solution is the modified mapping-collocation approach. Data is presented for two wall ratios for each geometry.
Maternal perception of decreased fetal movement as an indication for antepartum testing in a low-risk population

Maternal perception of decreased fetal movement has traditionally been used as an indication for fetal testing in high-risk patients. Two hundred ninety-two low-risk patients who presented with a complaint of decreased fetal movement were studied to determine the incidence of adverse outcome and need for further testing. Initial testing included a nonstress test and ultrasonographic examination. Five (1.7%) of the study group had fetal death on initial examination and 4.4% of patients required immediate delivery because of abnormal maternal or fetal evaluation. An additional 5.8% had abnormal fetal heart rate tracings that necessitated follow-up. Fifty-two percent of patients with normal initial evaluations underwent additional testing. There were no significant differences between patients undergoing additional testing, patients having no additional testing, and a low-risk nontested group with regard to adverse outcome. Fetal surveillance is indicated in low-risk patients with decreased fetal movement. Additional testing of patients with a normal initial evaluation and no further complaint of decreased fetal movement may not be necessary.
Nutritional Limitation on Growth and Development of Horn Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Larvae

Abstract. Aging of bovine dung for 3–5 years under refrigeration resulted in smaller sizes of horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), pupae. Growth of horn fly larvae in mixtures of aged and fresh dung resulted in production of larvae and pupae stunted in proportion to the relative amount of aged dung. Reduction of size of pupae produced in aged dung was because of nutrient limitation, which was partially reversible by supplementation with a bacteriological medium or yeast extract that increased the numbers of bacteria for consumption by horn fly larvae. Similar stunting of growth and development of horn fly larvae was produced by crowding larvae in fresh bovine dung. Stunting was dependent on the amount of larval crowding, with greater larval densities resulting in smaller individuals but greater aggregate pupal weight, suggesting that stunting at great larval density resulted from phagoinhibition rather than depletion of nutrients in the fresh dung. Successful eclosion of adult horn flies was dependent (0.9...
Efficient generation of high-power quasi-single-cycle terahertz pulses from a single infrared beam in a second-order nonlinear medium

It is shown that the coherence lengths for terahertz (THz) generation based on difference-frequency generation within an ultrafast infrared pulse can be sufficiently long for a wide bandwidth about each phase-matching wavelength owing to a slight dispersion in the THz region. As a result, quasi-single-cycle THz pulses can be efficiently generated. An efficient conversion for the parametric process is made possible not only by use of the wide phase-matching bandwidth but also by optimization of the pulse width for each peak THz frequency. I have investigated the strong-pump regime and found the limits to the conversion efficiencies to generate high peak intensities efficiently for THz waves with which to explore nonlinear regimes of the THz interactions.
Total synthesis of kapakahine E and F.

The total synthesis of the cyclic peptides kapakahine E and F using bromopyrroloindoline heterodimerization reactions, indoline to α-carboline rearrangements, and Negishi coupling reactions is described.
Exact likelihood ratio test of independence of binary responses within clusters

We consider the exact likelihood ratio test of independence of binary responses within clusters developed by George and Kodell (J. Amer. Statist. Assoc., 1996, 91, 1602{1611) conditional on the sucient statistics for the nuisance parameter under the null hypothesis. Only an exchangeability of responses within clusters is assumed for the distribution of the observed vector. Two formulas for the exact P-values are obtained. An algorithm is proposed to avoid unnecessary enumeration when the cluster size is two. We compare the exact and asymptotic P-values in several cases. c 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Steady-State Solutions to Soil Salinity Optimization Problems

This paper is concerned with the profit-maximizing choice of water quantities given the choice of crop and water quality but taking into account the dynamics of salt accumulation over time. The optimization model formulated in this paper is based on a detailed representation of the salt transport process in soils but assumes known or average rainfall levels. Optimal water quantities and soil salinities in steady state were calculated for navel oranges in two areas of California. Water applications sufficient to maintain maximum yields were found to be optimal in many cases.
Accommodating intergenerational contact: A critique and theoretical model

Abstract Over the last 25 years, there have been over 50 studies examining the attitudinal effects of contact between older and younger people. Comprehensive reviews of these intergenerational contact studies are rare. This article critiques a large sample of these investigations pointing to a wide range of crucial methodological and theoretical inadequacies. Our intergroup approach explores the motivations and communicative behaviors likely occurring during intergenerational contact and a new model is formulated amalgamating and elaborating intergroup contact and communication accommodation theories. This framework not only enhances our understanding of why outcome inconsistencies between studies are evident, but also sets the stage for a new era of theoretically-driven, communication-oriented studies and intergenerational programs.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Proteins Modulate Suppressors of Cytokine Signaling 1 and 3 and the Type I Interferon Response to Infection by a Toll-Like Receptor Pathway

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of repeat infections throughout life and potentially severe lower respiratory tract illness in infants, young children, and the elderly. RSV proteins have been shown to contribute to immune evasion by several means, including modification of cytokine and chemokine responses whose expression is negatively regulated by suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins. In this study, we examine the role of SOCS1 and SOCS3 regulation of the type I interferon (IFN) response in normal fully-differentiated human bronchial epithelial cells infected with RSV or with an RSV mutant virus lacking the G gene. The results show that RSV G protein modulates SOCS expression to inhibit type I IFN and interferon-stimulated gene (ISG)-15 expression very early as well as late in infection, and that SOCS induction is linked to toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling by RSV F protein, as indicated by interferon-regulatory factor (IRF)-3 activation and nuclear translocation. These findings indicate that RSV surface proteins signal through the TLR pathway, suggesting that this may be an important mechanism to reduce type I IFN expression to aid virus replication.
Early uses of outpatient.

Excerpt To the editor: I have often wondered the derivation of the word "outpatient" and thought perhaps I had discovered it in an article in your journal (1). In a paper about Dr. Benjamin Waterho...
Development of irrigation scheduling tools for the humid, high-rainfall environment of the Lower Mississippi Delta

Irrigation in hot, humid areas is particularly challenging because irrigation must be applied in a timely manner to prevent yield loss due to crop water stress, yet avoid flooding should a rain event follow irrigation. Moreover, it is difficult to detect the onset of crop water stress under environmental conditions that limit evaporative cooling. The goal of this project is to develop reliable, easy to use irrigation scheduling tools that integrate crop monitoring and accurate weather predictions to improve the timing and application of irrigation in humid, high rainfall environments for better water management. The irrigation decision support system is based on calculations of crop water use from weather data collected from weather stations throughout Mississippi using crop coefficients developed from weighing lysimeters and other sources. A water balance approach is used to indicate when supplemental irrigation is needed based on available water and crop water use. This is integrated with other publicly available, spatially registered farm and soil databases to develop specific irrigation scheduling recommendations. A web-based interface is being developed to deliver the irrigation decision support system to producers through an easy to use and readily accessible format. Training materials will be developed and presented to producers through on-site training and other standard Extension mechanisms.
Mechanisms of maculopathy.

Abstract This article will review the cellular constituents of the macula and speculate on their contribution to the pathogenesis of macular disease. The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) has been implicated in senile macular degeneration (SMD). Over time, RPE dysfunction and death may result from the cumulative effect of light and free radical damage. Inherited metabolic abnormalities or the degree of uveal pigmentation could increase the RPE's susceptibility to environmental stress. In exudative SMD, the excessive production of extracellular matrix material by the RPE may contribute to sub-RPE neovascularization and disciform scar formation. Macular edema reflects a breakdown in the blood-retinal barrier. Inflammatory mediators produced in the anterior segment may cause aphakic cystoid macular edema (CME). Recent observations suggest that Muller cell dysfunction is important in CME. Vascular imcompetence, as well as capillary occlusion characterize diabetic retinopathy. Angiogenic factors elaborated by ischemic retina are thought to be the stimulus for neovascularization. Diabetic tractional macular detachment results from neovascular proliferation on the partially detached vitreous. Posterior vitreous detachment predisposes to epiretinal gliosis. Endogenous infections and metastatic neoplasms have a predilection for the macula, reflecting the region's high blood flow.
The regulation of forebrain dopamine transmission: relevance to the pathophysiology and psychopathology of schizophrenia

Since the discovery that the therapeutic efficacy of antipsychotic drugs was significantly correlated to their ability to block dopamine D2 receptors, abnormal dopamine transmission in the forebrain has been postulated to underlie psychosis in schizophrenia. In the past 15 years, an impressive amount of clinical and basic research aimed at the study of schizophrenia has indicated that prefrontal and temporal cortical abnormalities may be more important in the etiology of many of the symptoms of schizophrenia, including psychosis. However, the cortical systems that appear to have structural and/or metabolic abnormalities in schizophrenia patients potently regulate forebrain dopamine transmission through a number of mechanisms. In turn, dopamine modulates excitatory transmission mediated by frontal and temporal cortical projections to the basal ganglia and other regions. The present review summarizes the multiple interactions between forebrain DA systems and frontal and temporal corticostriatal transmission. It then examines the role of these interactions in normal behaviors and the psychopathology of schizophrenia.
Visual and verbal modes of information processing and their relation to the effectiveness of cognitively-based anxiety-reduction techniques.

Abstract This study examined the interaction between preferred modes of information processing (visual and verbal) and two cognitively-based anxiety-reduction techniques. One technique was based on the use of images as a coping strategy while the other employed a self-instructional approach. Thirty-six subjects reporting high levels of dental fear were assigned to one of three groups (two types of treatment and a no-treatment control). One-half of the subjects in each group had been identified as preferring the visual mode of information processing while for the other half the verbal mode was preferred. After treatment, subjects viewed an anxiety-inducing videotape depicting a visit to the dentist. Results indicated that, while both treatments were significantly effective in reducing self-reports of discomfort while viewing the videotape, there was no significant interaction between the type of treatment and preferred cognitive mode. The results were interpreted as indicating that treatment may override individual cognitive styles. Furthermore, the data suggested that the normal individual has the ability to adapt to divergent and non-preferred forms of information processing.
Coarsening kinetics of CuAl2 in aluminum

Abstract The coarsening kinetics of cylindrical rodshaped θ particles in aluminum were measured at 450°C. The average radius r of the cylinders followed the Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner (LSW) treatment of diffusion-controlled coarsening in that, after an initial transient, r −3 is proportional to t. An interfacial energy of 0.7 J m−2 was computed, suggesting that the cylindrical interface is incoherent. When the specimens had been aged at 313°C after an initial transient, little change was found in the r versus t plots in agreement with the coarsening rate computed from the LSW theory using a σ value of 0.7 J m−2. The global properties Sv and Vnv were also measured and a plot of Sv−3 versus t also obeyed the LSW theory. The σ value computed from this slope represents an average for the θ particles rather than the value for the incoherent cylindrical surface.
Images galore: multimedia at Arizona State University

The Multimedia Information Systems Group at Arizona State University is an interdisciplinary research group within the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The group members' research interests cover the entire spectrum of multimedia information systems, from acquisition and coding to storage and retrieval, as well as related issues such as analysis, visualization, and transport. We present an overview of three complementary projects relating to images: motion analysis in digital video; biomedical imaging and modeling; and image processing methods for understanding computer and organic vision. >
Short-range splash discharge of peridioles in Nidularia.

Abstract The distinctive shapes of basidiomata in the bird's nest fungi reflect differences in the mechanism of splash discharge. In the present study, peridiole discharge was examined in Nidularia pulvinata using high-speed video. Nidularia pulvinata produces globose basidiomata that split open at maturity to expose 100 or more peridioles within a gelatinous matrix. Each peridiole contains an estimated 7 million spores. The impact of water drops splashed the peridioles horizontally from the fruit body, along with globs of mucilage, at a mean velocity of 1.2 m s−1. Discharged peridioles travelled for a maximum horizontal distance of 1.5 cm. This launch process contrasts with the faster vertical splashes of peridioles over distances of up to one metre from the flute-shaped fruit bodies of bird's nest fungi in the genera Crucibulum and Cyathus. Peridioles in these genera are equipped with a funicular cord that attaches them to vegetation, placing them in an ideal location for ingestion by browsing herbivores. The absence of cords in N. pulvinata and its use of a sloppy discharge mechanism suggest that it is more likely to be dispersed by animals feeding on the forest floor.
Preparation of polyamides, polyurethanes, polysulfonamides, and polyesters by low temperature solution polycondensation

Solution polycondensation was used to prepare four classes of polymers. Polymers in each class were obtained with molecular weights high enough for formation into flexible, tough structures. In all instances the molecular weights were not as high as could be obtained from the same reactants by the interfacial polycondensation process. Many of the polyamides from aliphatic diamines were highly branched through diacylation of the amino groups. On the other hand, polysulfonamides were linear. Despite some limitations, as indicated above, the solution polycondensation process provides another route to forming condensation polymers and should be of special advantage in use with hydrolytically unstable intermediates, with water-insoluble diamines and diols, and for forming uniform or block copolymers.
Isoscalar giant monopole in a macroscopic-microscopic approach

We present an approach to study the interplay between the surface and volume vibrations of nuclei with application to the isoscalar giant monopole resonance. The main ingredients are the well-known properties of the mean field and the curvatures of the liquid-drop energy surface. No specific form of a two-body force is assumed. The single-particle continuum is treated exactly. First results, obtained using a local Woods-Saxon potential, are discussed.
Factors predicting survival in peripheral T-cell lymphoma in the USA: a population-based analysis of 8802 patients in the modern era.

Summary Current prognostic models for peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) have multiple limitations, and questions exist regarding applicability to current patients. We utilized the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-18 database to evaluate factors affecting overall survival (OS) of PTCL in the modern era and identified 8802 patients between 2000–2010. Most subtypes of PTCL increased in incidence during the study period. In univariate analyses, age >55 years, black race, advanced stage, absence of extra-nodal disease, omission of radiation therapy (RT) and high-risk histology each predicted inferior OS (P 15 (P ≤ 00001) for death. Further, age ≥55 years, black race and advanced stage maintained their significance in the MVA (P < 00001 each). Based on the significant factors, a prognostic model was constructed and subsequently validated in an independent cohort. The new model incorporated age, stage, histology and race, with an OS ranging from 9 months (highest risk group) to 120 months (lowest risk group). In summary, this is the largest study of PTCL patients in the modern era that provides risk stratification utilizing a new prognostic model that can be incorporated into future prospective clinical trials.
Hypertension in patients with chronic kidney disease

Hypertension is very common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD); it causes early loss of kidney function and accelerated cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. African American patients with hypertension and genetic disposition are at an even higher risk for renal disease and ultimately renal failure. Hypertensive patients with CKD should aim for stringent blood pressure (BP) control (target < 130/80 mm Hg) requiring more than one drug with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade as a component of therapy targeting both hyper tension and proteinuria. Management of hypertension in the dialysis population should focus on ambulatory measurements of BP and the use of longer-acting antihypertensive drugs, with their dosage and timing adjusted according to their dialytic clearances. Hypertension is also common among kidney transplant recipients and contributes to graft loss and premature death. The target BP in transplant recipients is the same as in the CKD population, with no preference for one drug group over another. Unless contraindicated, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors remain the drugs of choice for hypertension in patients with autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease, in whom diastolic cardiac dysfunction is a prominent feature.
How embedded journalists in Iraq viewed the arrest of Al-Jazeera reporter Taysir Alouni

Studies suggest that US reporters, who enjoy the protection of the First Amendment, are strong supporters of freedom of the press. However, studies also suggest that the press rarely challenges the...
Coupled local facilitation and global hydrologic inhibition drive landscape geometry in a patterned peatland

Self-organized landscape patterning can arise in response to multiple processes. Discriminating among alternative patterning mechanisms, particularly where experimental manipulations are untenable, requires process-based models. Previous modeling studies have attributed patterning in the Everglades (Florida, USA) to sediment redistribution and anisotropic soil hydraulic properties. In this work, we tested an alternate theory, the self-organizing-canal (SOC) hypothesis, by developing a cellular automata model that simulates pattern evolution via local positive feedbacks (i.e., facilitation) coupled with a global negative feedback based on hydrology. The model is forced by global hydroperiod that drives stochastic transitions between two patch types: ridge (higher elevation) and slough (lower elevation). We evaluated model performance using multiple criteria based on six statistical and geostatistical properties observed in reference portions of the Everglades landscape: patch density, patch anisotropy, semivariogram ranges, power-law scaling of ridge areas, perimeter area fractal dimension, and characteristic pattern wavelength. Model results showed strong statistical agreement with reference landscapes, but only when anisotropically acting local facilitation was coupled with hydrologic global feedback, for which several plausible mechanisms exist. Critically, the model correctly generated fractal landscapes that had no characteristic pattern wavelength, supporting the invocation of global rather than scale-specific negative feedbacks.
Assessing the rate of technological progress using hazard rate models of R&D communities

This paper describes the use of hazard rate models for assessing emerging technologies. It suggests that on a global scale the decisions of researchers, in terms of their entrance, continuance, and exit from a field, can serve as an indicator of the rate of progress in the emergence of a new technology. The approach is demonstrated using the literature on magnetic bubble memory technology as a source of data to determine the contribution-spans of researchers. Survival and hazard functions are estimated based upon the experience of more than seventeen-hundred researchers contributing to the field over two decades. The author is indebted to Professor Raghu Garud (New York University) and Dr. Koenraad Debackere (Gent University) for their help in developing this avenue of research, and Professors Thomas Allen and Edward Roberts (MIT) for their support and encouragement.
Failure of right precordial electrocardiography during stress testing to identify coronary artery disease

It has been reported that the use of right precordial leads results in the same diagnostic accuracy as thallium-201 exercise scintigraphy for the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of right precordial leads in the detection of CAD. We evaluated 900 consecutive patients (514 men, 386 women) ranging in age from 39 to 84 years (mean ± SD, 64 ± 11 years). Seven hundred forty patients underwent treadmill exercise testing, and 160 underwent pharmacologic stress testing for the diagnosis of chest pain or dyspnea. All received either Tl-201 or technetium-99m sestamibi during stress. During stress testing, the ECG was recorded every minute with 12 limb and left precordial leads and 3 right precordial leads (V3R, V4R, and V5R). The electrocardiogram was considered positive when the ST segment was either elevated or depressed by at least 0.1 mV at 80 ms after the J point, and results were also compared with single photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging results. Of the 900 patients, 158 had significant positive changes in the limb or left precordial leads. Only 4 patients had positive changes in the right precordial leads (Fisher exact test, P < .001). Of the patients who had positive electrocardiographic changes, 95 (60%) had abnormal myocardial perfusion scans, with 91 in patients with normal right precordial leads. All 4 patients with ischemic changes in the right precordial leads had abnormal scans, but the left leads were also positive. Three hundred seventy-three of 900 patients (41%) had abnormal scans with no electrocardiographic evidence of ischemia. Our experience is far different than that published and suggests that the use of right precordial leads during stress testing fails to provide the same diagnostic accuracy as either the standard left-sided electrocardiography or myocardial perfusion imaging for the detection of CAD.
Effect of metallic melt on the viscosity of peridotite

Abstract To examine the dependence of viscosity of a partially molten peridotite on the wetting nature of the melt phase, we combine previously published measurements of diffusion creep on samples of olivine + MORB with new results from our creep experiments on samples of olivine + Fe–S and samples of olivine + Au. For these three partially molten systems, the melt-solid dihedral angle varies from θ = 38° for olivine + MORB to θ = 90° for olivine + Fe–S to θ = 150° for olivine + Au. In each case, the viscosity, η , decreases with increasing melt fraction, ϕ , according to the relation η ∝ exp(− αϕ ). Our results reveal a substantial change in the value of the material-dependent parameter α , from α = 21 for MORB in an olivine aggregate (with θ α = 4 ± 1 for the two metallic melts in polycrystalline olivine (both with θ > 60°). For a melt fraction of 0.05, this difference in α corresponds to more than a factor of two higher viscosity for samples composed of olivine + a metallic melt relative to the viscosity of samples of olivine + MORB. This difference in viscosity can be attributed to two factors: (i) The enhancement of grain-scale stress due to the presence of melt is smaller for the metallic melt than for the basaltic melt because the melt-solid contact area decreases with increasing θ , and (ii) the flux of olivine through the metallic melt is small due to the low solubility of olivine in the non-silicate melts.
Asymptotic properties of data compression and suffix trees

Recently, Wyner and Ziv (see ibid., vol.35, p.1250-8, 1989) have proved that the typical length of a repeated subword found within the first n positions of a stationary ergodic sequence is (1/h) log n in probability where h is the entropy of the alphabet. This finding was used to obtain several insights into certain universal data compression schemes, most notably the Lempel-Ziv data compression algorithm. Wyner and Ziv have also conjectured that their result can be extended to a stronger almost sure convergence. In this paper, we settle this conjecture in the negative in the so called right domain asymptotic, that is, during a dynamic phase of expanding the data base. We prove-under an additional assumption involving mixing conditions-that the length of a typical repeated subword oscillates almost surely (a.s.) between (1/h/sub 1/)log n and (1/h/sub 2/)log n where D >
Cumulative Probability of HIV Infection: A Summary Risk Measure for HIV Prevention Intervention Studies

Choosing outcome measures for HIV prevention intervention studies is difficult because of the multiplicity of behavioral and epidemiologic factors that affect HIV transmission. In attempts to address some of these factors, summary risk indices have been proposed as outcome measures for some intervention studies. These summary risk indices have suffered from a number of methodological difficulties (e.g., some indices are not expressed in meaningful units). We present six criteria that can be used to judge the soundness of summary risk indices. Further, we illustrate that the central equation from a (Bernoullian) mathematical model of HIV transmission can be used as a summary risk index, and that it meets these six criteria.
Rapid Recent Human Evolution and the Accumulation of Balanced Genetic Polymorphisms

All evolutionary change can be traced to alterations in allele frequencies in populations over time. DNA sequencing on a massive scale now permits us to follow the genetic consequences as our species has diverged from our close relatives and as we have colonized different parts of the world and adapted to them. But it has been difficult to disentangle natural selection from many other factors that alter frequencies. These factors include mutation and intragenic reciprocal recombination, gene conversion, segregation distortion, random drift, and gene flow between populations (these last two are greatly influenced by splits and coalescences of populations over time). The first part of this review examines recent studies that have had some success in dissecting out the role of natural selection, especially in humans and Drosophila. Among many examples, these studies include those that have followed the rapid evolution of traits that may permit adaptation to high altitude in Tibetan and Andean populations. In some cases, directional selection has been so strong that it may have swept alleles close to fixation in the span of a few thousand years, a rapidity of change that is also sometimes encountered in other organisms. The second part of the review summarizes data showing that remarkably few alleles have been carried completely to fixation during our recent evolution. Some of the alleles that have not reached fixation may be approaching new internal equilibria, which would indicate polymorphisms that are maintained by balancing selection. Finally, the review briefly examines why genetic polymorphisms, particularly those that are maintained by negative frequency dependence, are likely to have played an important role in the evolution of our species. A method is suggested for measuring the contribution of these polymorphisms to our gene pool. Such polymorphisms may add to the ability of our species to adapt to our increasingly complex and challenging environment.
A photonumeric scale for the assessment of cutaneous photodamage.

† Background and Design.— The assessment of the severity of cutaneous photodamage and its response to treatment is an impractical consideration for most practitioners without extensive experience or recourse to high-quality, standardized, baseline photographs. To address this problem, a ninepoint photonumeric standard scale was developed using photographs of subjects representing grades of photodamage from none to severe. This scale was formally tested in a side-by-side comparison with a conventional and widely used written descriptive scale. A panel of seven graders used both scales to score two sets of 25 photographs of photodamaged individuals, and the intergrader agreement and repeatability for the scales were calculated. Results.— The photonumeric scale demonstrated significantly greater agreement between graders than did the descriptive scale (chance-corrected agreements of 0.31 and 0.11, respectively, P Conclusions.— This study demonstrates that the photonumeric standard scale is superior to existing methodology in the accurate assessment of cutaneous photodamage and would be a useful adjunct to studies of the efficacy of skin repair agents for this indication. ( Arch Dermatol. 1992;128:347-351)
The predecessor attack: An analysis of a threat to anonymous communications systems

There have been a number of protocols proposed for anonymous network communication. In this paper, we investigate attacks by corrupt group members that degrade the anonymity of each protocol over time. We prove that when a particular initiator continues communication with a particular responder across path reformations, existing protocols are subject to the attack. We use this result to place an upper bound on how long existing protocols, including Crowds, Onion Routing, Hordes, Web Mixes, and DC-Net, can maintain anonymity in the face of the attacks described. This provides a basis for comparing these protocols against each other. Our results show that fully connected DC-Net is the most resilient to these attacks, but it suffers from scalability issues that keep anonymity group sizes small. We also show through simulation that the underlying topography of the DC-Net affects the resilience of the protocol: as the number of neighbors a node has increases the strength of the protocol increases, at the cost of higher communication overhead.
Rotor Shape Investigation and Optimization of Double Stator Switched Reluctance Machine

This paper presents an optimal design for the rotor of a double stator switched reluctance machine. The effect of the rotor shape on the torque profile is analyzed first. Due to the nonlinearity of magnetic core and complex geometry, an iterative approach is developed to automatically shape the rotor geometry using static finite element method. The rotor of a 12/8/12 prototype is optimized. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the optimal design.
RFID Tag Cost Sharing in the Retail Supply Chain

In this research, we study some of the operational benefits of item-level radio frequency identification (RFID), and how these benefits may affect the dynamics of the retailer-manufacturer interaction. We describe a retail operation with backroom and shelf stock under the assumption of multiple replenishment and sales periods, where backroom stock is replenished according to a periodic review order-up to policy and shelf stock is replenished continually from the backroom. In this environment, retail shelves are outfitted with RFID readers to continually monitor the remaining stock on the shelves and issue low-stock and replenishment alerts to store personnel so that shelves can be replenished from the store backroom before actual sales are lost at the shelf. We are interested in the dynamics between retailer and manufacturer with respect to the cost of item-level tagging the products. Of interest is the way in which the cost of tagging the product is divided among the two supply chain partners. To do this...
Study on CO2 laser irradiation-induced mode coupling for development of miniaturized interferometric sensors

There is a range of ways to couple light in a single mode fiber (SMF) from core mode to cladding modes, which can be applied in some fiber sensors. Recently, a very simple method using CO 2 laser irradiation is put forward. By coupling core mode to cladding mode in the first irritation point and re-coupling in the second one, in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MFI) and Michelson interferometer(MI) sensors have be demonstrated. To understand the mechanism underneath this coupling phenomenon, several parameters (laser power, laser lasting time, etc) tests are investigated. With bigger laser power and longer lasting time, one can obtain higher mode coupling, which is potential for greater sensitivity sensor. Combined with a long period fiber grating (LPFG), the cladding modes promoted in fiber cladding are studied. In some big power conditions, permanent deformation can be met on the irradiation points of the fiber. Although higher loss is induced, there is also other advantage, such like high temperature stability. The sensitivity and stability of temperature are discussed based on these sensors' configuration and mechanism. The experiences verify our laser irritation sensors can survive in very high temperature. When coating with some gas absorption film such like zeolite film, one reliable high sensitivity gas sensor is successfully demonstrated in low ppm vapor level.
Rapid isolation of terminal sequences from cloned plant DNA fragments

The isolation of DNA clone termini is an important step in the development of DNA contigs utilized for a range of applications, including physical mapping, genetic map-based cloning, insertion mutagenesis cloning, and isolation of complete gene sequences. We describe a rapid PCR-based method for the isolation of vector-insert junctions, or insert terminal sequences, of cloned plant DNA fragments. PCR amplification is performed using a vector-specific primer and a nonspecific primer, originally designed for use in animal systems, containing degenerative bases that we have shown can also anneal to plant insert DNA. Using this method we have successfully isolated end-terminal sequences from plant genomic clones harbored in YAC, BAC, and bacteriophage λ vectors. Termini of genomic clones from both tomato andArabidopsis were isolated demonstrating the utility of this technique among a range of plant species.
SU‐E‐T‐271: A Variable Target Comparison of Whole Breast and Partial Breast Irradiation Fractionation Regimens. Do the Current Margins Make Sense?

Purpose: A novel, variable target approach is used in this study to establish equivalence, in a radiobiological sense, between whole breast and partial breast irradiation schemes. We are questioning the meaning of margins, as they are currently used to create planning target volumes. Ultra‐short fractionation regimens have been recently proposed for APBI, reducing the number of fractions from 10 to as few as two. This work addresses the concept of 'equivalence' between the currently accepted regimens (both WBI and APBI) and the newly proposed ones. Methods: Four early stage breast cancer patients were included. Two patients were treated with interstitial BT and two patients with balloon BT. Three regimens for WBI were simulated by creating uniform doses for all targets. EUBED and gBEUD were computed and the parameter ‘a’ identified based on equivalence of standard WBI with interstitial APBI. The equivalence of new proposed ultra‐short regimens in balloon BT namely (7Gy × 4fx), (8.25Gy × 3fx) and (10.25Gy × 2 fx) was then compared with the 'traditional' APBI. Results: a=‐1 was identified from WBI and APBI equivalence. At GTV+1.0 cm margin, we find gBEUD's for ultra‐short regimens to be 20% or higher than current standard fractionation scheme. Conclusions: Somehow unexpected is that despite a larger margin (15mm), the interstitial implants seem to be equivalent, within the validity of the radiobiological model considered, for significantly smaller targets than the one the treatment was planned for. For the balloon BT, the planned margin of 1cm around the balloon, seemed a lot more consistent with the ‘true’ target for which the WBI and APBI would be equivalent. When the new, ultra‐short regimens were compared with the traditional (3.4Gy × 10fx), we find that their equivalent targets are larger than the 1cm planning margin, even when compared with the standard WBI regimen.
Exciton photoluminescence in strained and unstrained ZnSe under hydrostatic pressure.

Near-band-gap photoluminescence (PL) from exciton recombination in bulk crystalline ZnSe and in strained and strain-relaxed ZnSe epilayers grown on GaAs substrates is examined for pressures up to 80 kbar at 9 K in a diamond-anvil cell. The small sublinear dependence of PL energy with pressure for bulk ZnSe is attributed to the pressure dependence of the bulk modulus. In the strained ZnSe film, the change in biaxial strain with pressure is seen by the changing separation of the heavy- and light-hole exciton peaks. The heavy-hole exciton energy goes from being 12.5 meV below that of the light hole (1 bar), to the same energy as the light hole (\ensuremath{\sim}29 kbar), to relatively higher enegy (g29 kbar) as pressure is increased, which shows that the strain in the ZnSe film has been tuned from being compressive to tensile. In contrast, PL suggests that strain-relaxed films slip when pressure is applied. The hydrostatic deformation potential for near-band-gap transitions in ZnSe is a=-4.37 eV, while \ensuremath{\Vert}a\ensuremath{\Vert} is unexpectedly larger for transitions associated with deep levels. There is evidence that the tetragonal deformation potential b is a function of either volume deformation or strain.
Delineating functionally important regions and residues in the cathepsin B propeptide for inhibitory activity.

Abstract Synthetic peptides derived from the proregion of rat cathepsin B were used to identify functionally important regions and residues for cathepsin B inhibition. Successive 5 amino acid deletions of a 56 amino acid propeptide from both the N- and C-termini has allowed the identification of two regions important for inhibitory activity: the NTTWQ (residues 21p–25p) and CGTVL (42p–46p) regions. Alanine scanning of residues within these two regions indicates that Trp-24p and Cys-42p contribute strongly to inhibition, their replacement by Ala resulting in 160- and 140-fold increases in Ki, respectively.