cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The translational potential of research on the ethical, legal, and social implications of genomics

Federally funded research on the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genomics includes a programmatic charge to consider policy-relevant questions and to communicate findings in venues that help inform the policy-making process. In addressing this goal, investigators must consider the range of policies that are relevant to human genetics; how foundational research in bioethics, law, and the social sciences might inform those policies; and the potential professional issues that this translational imperative raises for ELSI investigators. We review these questions in light of experiences from a consortium of federally funded Centers of Excellence in ELSI Research, and offer a set of policy recommendations for program design and evaluation of ELSI research. We conclude that it would be a mistake to require that ELSI research programs demonstrate a direct impact on science or health policy; however, ELSI researchers can take steps to increase the relevance of their work to policy makers. Similarly, funders of ELSI research who are concerned with facilitating policy development can help by building cross-disciplinary translational research capacities, and universities can take steps to make policy-relevant research more rewarding for scholars in the humanities, social sciences, and law.
Advanced Data Systems for the Grand Tour

A data system technology is described which relies on standby redundancy, automated flexibility, and extensive use of LSI devices to achieve the desired mission results. The STAR computer is the heart of the system and is truly an advanced next-generation spacecraft computer. Extensive use of large-scale integrated circuits has made it possible to implement the needed complexity throughout the advanced data system for the Grand Tour mission.
A Controlled Composition Study of Calcium Carbonate Crystal Growth: The Influence of Scale Inhibitors

Abstract The precipitation of calcium carbonate is of considerable importance in a wide variety of scale forming situations since carbonate concentrations in the environment are usually quite appre...
The Function of Shelters for Women: Assistance or Social Control?

Emergency shelter is an important resource for women experiencing a housing crisis. However, the outcomes are uncertain for women served within programs intended to provide relief and safety in times of crises. Are shelters more a function of social control or a function of assisting women to secure housing and employment? This article presents the findings from a study of sheltering programs in Ohio. These shelters appear to reproduce and reinforce women's place in society by requiring compliance with rules and social services that strengthen the social control of women and restrict their choices and mobility for positive housing and employment.
Merry-Go-Round: A Return to Segregation and the Implications for Creating Democratic Schools

Current research suggests that schools in urban settings are experiencing increased instances of de facto segregation. This article explores the implications for creating democratic structures in schools that are segregated and includes a discussion of the desegregation efforts in Kansas City, Missouri, as a way to illustrate the reality of the return to segregation. The article further explores issues around identity and self, culture and schooling, and curriculum implications. Ultimately, the author suggests that de facto segregated schooling has become a reality that no longer seems an urgent problem in a country focused on school safety and standardized testing.
Location of motoneurons supplying individual muscles in normal and grafted supernumerary limbs of Xenopus laevis

The purpose of this study was to investigate innervation of transplanted supernumerary hindlimbs in the frog (Xenopus laevis). Motoneurons innervating identified muscles in normal and supernumerary limbs were located by the method of retrograde transport of HRP after intramuscular injection. In the lumbar spinal cord of normal Xenopus, motoneurons supplying medial hindlimb muscles, which are derived from the ventral muscle mass during development, are located at the medial end of the motor column; those innervating lateral, dorsally-derived muscles, lie at the lateral end of the motor column. In animals with supernumerary limbs, motoneurons supplying the transplant usually occupied the same mediolateral position as those supplying the same muscle in the normal limb. However, the rostrocaudal location of these motor pools exhibited greater flexibility. When the transplant was innervated by a rostral nerve of the lumbar plexus, motoneurons supplying gastrocnemius could be located in a region of the spinal cord whose motoneurons do not normally innervate this muscle. There is thus no rigid requirement that gastrocnemius motoneurons be located at specific segmental levels. Motoneurons supplying gastrocnemius in the normal limb on the experimental side showed normal rostrocaudal distributions, indicating little rearrangement of these motor pools. Dorsal root ganglion cells labeled after HRP injection could be concentrated in a ganglion which normally supplies little or no innervation to the injected muscle. The location of these cells confirmed the segmental source of sensory innervation of the extra limb; i.e., there was no stray innervation. Animals with supernumerary limbs exhibited little or no increase in the number of motoneurons on the extra limb side. In contrast, dorsal root ganglion cell populations exhibited a large increase on the experimental side.
Combining annual blood pressure measurements in childhood to improve prediction of young adult blood pressure.

Abstract Tracking correlations of blood pressure (BP) have been reported between levels measured in a single year during both childhood and adulthood. Because of the variability of BP, these correlations increase with the number of visits and measurements per visit in each year. It remains unclear, however, whether such correlations would improve further by combining BP data collected over several years. From 1978-1981, BP was measured annually in a cohort of 339 children in East Boston, MA, at four visits one week apart with three measurements per visit. Of this cohort, then aged 18-26 years, 316 were re-examined in 1989-1990 at three visits one week apart with three measures per visit. Tracking correlations were estimated from levels measured in a single year as well as means averaged over several years in childhood, adjusting for age, year of measurement, as well as smoking, alcohol and oral contraceptive use. Multivariate models were fit to estimate tracking correlations from childhood to young adulthood adjusting for within-person variability. Using a single year in childhood, these were 0.49 in boys and 0.59 in girls for systolic BP and 0.39 and 0.48 for diastolic BP (all p<0.001). Using the long-term average in childhood and adjusting for variability across years, these values were 0.55 in boys and 0.66 in girls for systolic BP and 0.47 and 0.57 for diastolic BP (all p<0.001). We observed concomitant increases in the predictive value of childhood BP for young adult BP. These results suggest that averaging BP over at least two years during childhood increases tracking correlations and improves the prediction of adult values from childhood levels.
Real-time multi-camera air surveillance system using a simultaneous estimation, filtering and rejection tracking algorithm

In this paper, we propose an aerial surveillance system utilizing a static camera and a PTZ camera. The static camera captures a wide angle view of the scene, while the PTZ camera is capable of zooming in to a region of interest (ROI) selected by the user and capturing a detailed image. The system consists of a novel tracking algorithm named Simultaneous Estimation, Filtering and Rejection (SEFAR) and a multi-camera apparatus accommodating real-time requirements. The SEFAR algorithm performs feature point detection, homography estimation and outlier rejection in a one-pass process, avoiding time consuming iterations. The multi-camera apparatus uses high-resolution cameras of different zoom factors with a rotatable mirror for faster PTZ movements. Experimental results show robust and efficient tracking performance of SEFAR, demonstrating its possible use in real aerial surveillance systems in the future.
Techniques Beyond Range of Motion for Analyzing Spinal Instrumentation Utilizing a CT Based Specimen Specific Solid Model

Motion preservation technology for the spine has specific design goals that differ dramatically from fixation technology. In order to accurately characterize motion preservation devices, new methods of biomechanical testing along with new metrics for comparison are needed. Devices designed to serve as an adjunct to fusion, i.e., spinal fixation instrumentation, have traditionally relied on arthrodesis to off load the implant over time as the fusion mass gains structural integrity. However, motion preservation devices are expected to function continuously for extended periods of time.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Intracellular mediators of peptide action in the intestine and airways: focus on ion transport function

36. Mazurek N, Pecht I, Teichburg VI, Blumberg S. The role of the N-terminal tetrapeptide in the histamine-releasing' action of substance P. Neuropharmacology 1981; 20:1025-7. 37. Payan DG, Brewster DR, Goetzl EJ. Specific stimulation of human TIymphocytes bysubstance P. J Immunol 1983; 131:1613-5. 38. StaniszAM, Befus D,Bienenstock J. Differentialeffects of vasoactive intestinal peptide, substance P, and somatostatin on immunoglobulinsynthesis and proliferation by lymphocytes from Peyer's patches, mesenteric lymphnodes, and spleen. J Immunol 1986; 136:152-6. 39. Irvine RF. The structure, metabolism, and analysisof inositol lipidsand inositolphosphates. In: Putney JW Jr., ed. Phosophoinositides and receptormechanisms.Vol 7. NewYork: Alan Liss, 1986; 89-107.
Toward adding knowledge to learning algorithms for indexing legal cases

Case-based reasoning systems have shown great promise for legal argumentation, but their development and wider availability are still slowed by the cost of manually representing cases. In this paper, we present our recent progress toward automatically indexing legal opinion texts for a CBR system. Our system SMILE uses a classification-based approach to find abstract fact situations in legal texts. To reduce the complexity inherent in legal texts, we take the individual sentences from a marked-up collection of case summaries as examples. We illustrate how integrating a legal thesaurus and linguistic information with a machine learning algorithm can help to overcome the difficulties created by legal language. The paper discusses results from a preliminary experiment with a decision tree learning algorithm. Experiments indicate that learning on the basis of sentences, rather than full documents, is effective. They also confirm that adding a legal thesaurus to the learning algorithm leads to improved performance for some, but not all, indexing concepts.
Subduction zone rheology

Rheological flow laws can be obtained from studies using multi-anvil high-pressure systems with synchrotron-based piezometers and strain metrics. The high flux X-ray source provides minute-scale time resolution with accurate measurement of diffraction patterns and direct sample images. Measurements of length changes with an accuracy of one part in 10 4 are being developed and will provide a new generation of rheological tools. Flow laws derived from peak broadening agree well with literature data for corundum, spinel, and olivine. Properties of several mantle phases are compared for the temperature and pressure regime appropriate to a subducting slab. Temperature dependence of these properties exhibits a strong, temperature insensitive low temperature region, a thermally softened region and a weak high temperature region. The middle of these could be related to the seismogenic zone of a subduction zone. The progression of the temperature for softening with mineral phase suggests that earthquakes deeper than 400 km correspond to higher temperatures than for olivine in the upper 400 km. Plastic instabilities are suggested by these data as the origin of deep earthquakes. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Divestment Decision-Making: The Role of Business Unit Size

This study reports exploratory empirical research regarding divestment decision-making, focusing especially on the role of business unit size in such decisions. Data from two related studies suggest that unit size has an important impact on divestment decision-making. Corporate strategists should devote more attention to the size variable when considering acquisitions, resource allocations, and managerial career paths.
Penile prostheses: Are they obsolete?

PURPOSE: The purpose of this review was to examine the role of penile prosthesis implantation in the era of multiple treatment options for erectile dysfunction (ED). METHODOLOGY: A literature search was performed to identify reports of three-piece inflatable penile prosthesis survival, free of mechanical failure in which results were given as Kaplan-Meier projections. Patient and partner satisfaction articles were also identified and reviewed. CONCLUSIONS: With multiple treatment options for ED, the percentage of men going on to penile prosthesis implantation is decreasing. However, because of the attractiveness of new treatment options and increased public awareness, more men with ED are presenting today for treatment. Penile prosthesis implantation is the only option which is applicable to nearly every man with ED and thus penile prosthesis implantation continues to play an important role in the management of ED. Patient and partner satisfaction with penile prosthesis implantation, particularly with three-piece inflatable devices, is higher than for any other treatment option.
Experimental investigation of branch flow ratio, angle, and Reynolds number effects on the pressure and flow fields in arterial branch models.

An experimental investigation was carried out to acquire an understanding of local pressure changes and flow along the main lumen of arterial branch models similar to the femoral artery of man with three different branch angles (30, 60, and 90 deg) and side branch to the main lumen diameter ratio of 0.4. Effects of branch to main lumen flow rate ratios and physiological Reynolds numbers were found to be significant on the local pressure changes, while that of branch angle was also found to be important. The flow visualization study revealed that the flow separated in the main lumen near the branch junction when the pressure rise coefficient along the main lumen was above a critical value (i.e., 0.35 - 0.46), which was observed to be a function of the Reynolds number. The critical value of the branch to main lumen flow rate ratio was found to be about 0.38 - 0.44 also depending on the Reynolds number. Time averaged pressure distributions for pulsatile flow were similar in trend to steady flow values although they differed somewhat in detail in the main lumen in the branch region.
A comparison of mutation induction at the tk and hprt loci in human lymphoblastoid cells; quantitative differences are due to an additional class of mutations at the autosomal tk locus

X-Rays, ethyl methanesulfonate and ICR-191 induced 2 classes of trifluorothymidine-resistant mutants at the autosomal tk locus in human lymphoblastoid cells. These classes were differentiated by their growth rates; some mutants grew with a normal doubling time of 14-18 h (tk-NG), while others grew much more slowly, with doubling times of 21-44 h (tk-SG). Only mutants with normal growth rates were observed at the X-linked hprt locus; the frequencies of mutations induced at hprt were equal to those induced for tk-NG mutants. Thus, more mutations overall (by up to a factor of 6) were induced at tk than at hprt. These results are discussed in relation to recent studies in rodent cells, in which much greater mutation frequencies were observed at autosomal loci.
A molecular thermodynamic model for adsorption equilibrium from supercritical fluids

Abstract Using, the Bragg-Williams approximation for interaction between the molecules of a lattice gas, a phenomenological two-parameter statistical-mechanical model is studied for adsorption of pure and multicomponent gases at low pressures on a variety of surfaces. The model is also used for the correlation and prediction of adsorption data from high-pressure, supercritical carbon dioxide in contact with octadecyl silica (ODS) and alumina (Alox-T), as stationary phases, respectively. The model appears to correlate and predict the data at both low and high pressures quite well, for the systems studied, and should be useful for engineering purposes. The low-pressure data were obtained from various sources in the literature while the high-pressure supercritical-fluid data came from our laboratory. The two parameters in the model characterize the adsorbate-adsorbent potential well-depth, and adsorbate-adsorbate interactions, respectively.
Electronic Transport in Semimetallic Cerium Sulfide

The electrical resistivity $\ensuremath{\rho}$ and Seebeck coefficient $S$ have been measured between 10 and 1000\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K in ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{3\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{S}}_{4}$ with values of $x$ ranging from 0 to 0.30. The electrical behavior is semimetallic and can be fitted, in large measure, to the equations of conventional transport theory for $S(T)$ and $\ensuremath{\rho}(T)$. However, examination of the electrostatic effects of the vacancies shows that they introduce large effective charges which are poorly screened. Consequently, there are wide fluctuations in potential in the crystal which cast doubt on a literal interpretation of the theoretical equations; at present, they must be regarded as providing a largely empirical description of the experimental results. There is a relatively large residual resistivity which indicates a very large cross section per vacancy in samples with small values of $x$. This can be accounted for by the abnormally large screening distance. In the temperature range below 100\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, anomalies are observed in $S(T)$ and $\ensuremath{\rho}(T)$ in samples with small vacancy concentrations. Anomalies in $S(T)$ seem to be caused by phonon drag. The cause of the resistivity anomalies is not yet clear; we consider the possibilities that they are caused by local lattice vibrations or by spin scattering by electrons in the $4f$ shell of the cerium ions.
A DISTRIBUTED AND ANONYMOUS KNOWLEDGE SHARING APPROACH TO SOFTWARE INTEROPERATION

The support for automatic interoperation of software components can reduce cost and provide greater functionality. This paper describes a novel approach to software interoperation based on specification sharing. Software components, called agents, provide machine processable descriptions of their capabilities and needs. Agents can be realized in different programming languages, and they can run in different processes on different machines. In addition, agents can be dynamic — at run time agents can join the system or leave. The system uses the declarative agent specifications to automatically coordinate their interoperation. The architecture supports anonymous interoperation of agents, where each agent has the illusion that the capabilities of all the other agents are provided directly by the system. The distinctive feature of this approach is the expressiveness of the declarative specification language, which enables sophisticated agent interoperation, e.g. decomposing complex requests into a collection of simpler requests, and translating between the interface of a requesting agent and the interface of an agent that can service the request. The agent-based interoperation scheme relies on a shared vocabulary, and it is our thesis that more effective software interoperation is made possible by agreeing to a shared declarative vocabulary, than by agreeing to procedural interface specifications that do not address the semantics of the software component (e.g. object interface specifications in an object-oriented programming environment).
Renin-Angiotensin System and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers in the Metabolic Syndrome

Activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) occurs in many cardiovascular disorders, and its modulation with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors is now established therapy for hypertension, left ventricular dysfunction, diabetic nephropathy, and atherosclerosis. More recently, angiotensin type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) have shown similar promise.1,2 Research is currently focused on the role of the RAS in the metabolic syndrome (MetS), a disorder characterized primarily by insulin resistance that has emerged as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.3 Here, we review how cross talk between angiotensin II (AII) and insulin signaling contributes to the pathophysiology of the MetS and raises the potential for therapeutic use of angiotensin antagonists in its management. The MetS, also known as syndrome X, is an intermediate state between normal metabolism and type 2 diabetes mellitus.3,4 It is characterized by a constellation of atherogenic risk factors that include dyslipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia; a susceptible genomic substrate; and superimposed proinflammatory and prothrombotic milieu. Although the underlying mechanisms for the MetS have not been entirely elucidated, resistance to the cellular actions of insulin is known to be a cardinal feature. The MetS is prevalent in nearly 20% of the adult US population; the likelihood of developing MetS increases with advancing age, higher body mass index, postmenopausal status, smoking, and physical inactivity.5 ### Insulin Resistance, Hyperinsulinemia, and Atherosclerosis Important organ systems involved in the MetS include the vasculature, heart, adipose tissue, liver, and skeletal muscle. Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance are both implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerosis (Figure). Pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease in MetS. AP-1 indicates activator protein-1; ICAM-1, intercellular adhesion molecule; oxLDL, oxidized LDL; and VCAM-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule. #### Insulin At physiological concentrations, insulin has vasodilator and antiinflammatory actions that are mediated in part through the release of nitric oxide (NO) and inhibition of the …
From stigma to identity politics: political activism among the physically disabled and former mental patients.

Abstract This paper deals with the sociological significance of the emerging political activism among the disabled and former mental patients. The concept of identity politics is used to refer to social movements which seek to alter the self conceptions and societal conceptions of their participants. Political activism among the handicapped and former mental patients is an assault upon taken-forgranted, popular conceptions of deviants as helpless and powerless. This activism also challenges several assumptions in prevailing sociological treatments of deviance. The social welfare model, labelling theory, and the dramaturgical model of the actor portray the deviant as individualistic, passive, and powerless. Political activism is contrasted with other responses to stigma, and the possible structural origins of identity politics are discussed. In contrast to other responses to disability, political activism seeks, in repudiating societal conceptions of disability, to elevate the self-conceptions of participants. The paper concludes with a discussion of the strategems of identity politics, drawing on the published statements of disabled activists. By lodging the sources of disability in an inequitable social structure, equating deviation with revolution, and rejecting euphemistic terminology, political activists attempt to create an identity for themselves and to propogate this newly-created sense of self to others.
Combined refraction and diffraction of short waves using the finite element method

Abstract A two-dimensional finite element numerical model is presented that calculates combined refraction and diffraction of short waves. The wave equation solved governs the propagation of periodic, small amplitude surface gravity waves over a variable depth seabed of mild slope. An efficient computational scheme is employed that allows the solution of practical problems that typically require large computational grids. Comparisons are presented between the finite element model calculations and an analytical solution, a two-dimensional numerical solution, a three-dimensional numerical solution, and measurements from a hydraulic model.
Hair cell generation by notch inhibition in the adult mammalian cristae.

Balance disorders caused by hair cell loss in the sensory organs of the vestibular system pose a significant health problem worldwide, particularly in the elderly. Currently, this hair cell loss is permanent as there is no effective treatment. This is in stark contrast to nonmammalian vertebrates who robustly regenerate hair cells after damage. This disparity in regenerative potential highlights the need for further manipulation in order to stimulate more robust hair cell regeneration in mammals. In the utricle, Notch signaling is required for maintaining the striolar support cell phenotype into the second postnatal week. Notch signaling has further been implicated in hair cell regeneration after damage in the mature utricle. Here, we investigate the role of Notch signaling in the mature mammalian cristae in order to characterize the Notch-mediated regenerative potential of these sensory organs. For these studies, we used the γ-secretase inhibitor, N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-l-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT), in conjunction with a method we developed to culture cristae in vitro. In postnatal and adult cristae, we found that 5 days of DAPT treatment resulted in a downregulation of the Notch effectors Hes1 and Hes5 and also an increase in the total number of Gfi1+ hair cells. Hes5, as reported by Hes5-GFP, was downregulated specifically in peripheral support cells. Using lineage tracing with proteolipid protein (PLP)/CreER;mTmG mice, we found that these hair cells arose through transdifferentiation of support cells in cristae explanted from mice up to 10 weeks of age. These transdifferentiated cells arose without proliferation and were capable of taking on a hair cell morphology, migrating to the correct cell layer, and assembling what appears to be a stereocilia bundle with a long kinocilium. Overall, these data show that Notch signaling is active in the mature cristae and suggest that it may be important in maintaining the support cell fate in a subset of peripheral support cells.
PTP1B: From the sidelines to the front lines!

Although initially viewed as housekeeping enzymes, research over the last 15 years has revealed that the protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are critical regulators of tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent signaling events and may represent novel targets for therapeutic intervention in a variety of human diseases. In this review I will describe some of the key advances in the characterization of the structure, regulation and function of the prototypic PTP, PTP1B, and illustrate how our understanding of the properties of this enzyme has revealed principles that apply to the PTP family as a whole.
Fast beam-ion instability. II. Effect of ion decoherence

The ionization of residual gas by an electron beam in an accelerator generates ions that can resonantly couple to the beam through a wave propagating in the beam-ion system. A beam-ion instability is studied for a multibunch train, taking into account the decoherence of ion oscillations due to the ion frequency spread. It is shown that while the decoherence does not completely suppress the instability, it makes the growth rate smaller. A comparison of analytical and numerical results indicates a good agreement with direct macroparticle simulation of the instability.
A review of recent advances in global optimization

This paper presents an overview of the research progress in deterministic global optimization during the last decade (1998---2008). It covers the areas of twice continuously differentiable nonlinear optimization, mixed-integer nonlinear optimization, optimization with differential-algebraic models, semi-infinite programming, optimization with grey box/nonfactorable models, and bilevel nonlinear optimization.
On some aspects of the transonic controversy

The flow of an inviscid, irrotational and compressible perfect gas in the upper half plane is used as a basis for consideration of the transonic controversy. The solution of the complete potential equation for the velocity potential $\phi ( x,y )$, with boundary condition $\phi + c\phi _y = U\sin x$ on $y = 0$, is developed as a regular perturbation series. Thirty-six terms of the series are determined by computer. The effective boundary condition is varied with the choice of c; for each of the velocity series, its nature and the location of the singularity nearest to the origin are investigated using the ratio method of Domb and Sykes, and Pade approximants. The result of the analysis shows that the phenomenon of shockless transonic flow is dependent on the imposed boundary condition, which for this example is mediated by the constant c. The relationship of series convergence to local sonic conditions shows no obvious pattern. Cases for which convergence lies below, above or is at criticality were found....
Characteristics of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in women infected with the human immunodeficiency virus

Objective: Our purpose was to compare characteristics of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in relation to human immunodeficiency virus infection among women referred to a public hospital colposcopy clinic with Papanicolaou smears showing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Study Design: An evaluation of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia severity, lesion size, and vulvovaginal lesions with respect to human immunodeficiency virus status was performed. Results: (1) Human immunodeficiency virus prevalence in 482 women with cytologic characteristics of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia was 13%. (2) In human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients, Papanicolaou smears were less adequate for evaluation and correlated less well with histologic findings than in uninfected patients ( p n = 47) had more advanced cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, larger cervical lesions, and more associated vulvovaginal lesions than human immunodeficiency virus-negative patients ( n = 161). In human immunodeficiency virus-positive women, the severity of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia was not associated with age, whereas in human immunodeficiency virus-negative women, increasing severity was significantly associated with increasing age. Conclusion: High rates of human immunodeficiency virus infection in inner-city colposcopy services and high-grade, extensive cervical lesions in infected women warrant special attention.
A TPNH Diaphorase from chloroplasts

Abstract 1. 1. An enzyme was isolated from spinach-leaf chloroplasts which catalyzes the reduction of dyes by TPNH. 2. 2. A 20-fold purification has been achieved over the initial chloroplast extract, or a 100-fold purification over the crude homogenate. 3. 3. Diaphorase activity was found to be widely distributed among higher plants. 4. 4. TPNH was the only electron donor found to be active. Several dyes can be used as electron acceptors, but cytochrome c will not be reduced. 5. 5. The pH optimum and the affinities of the enzyme have been determined. 6. 6. The enzyme is inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate, iodoacetate, and some heavy metals, but is insensitive to Versene, cyanide, azide, hydroxylamine, or o-phenanthroline. 7. 7. FAD has been shown to be associated with the enzyme. 8. 8. The relation of the enzyme to photosynthesis and the Hill reaction, and its possible use as an analytical tool, are discussed.
Multi-carrier signal transmission through HVAC ducts: experimental results for channel capacity

We report, for the first time, experimental results on the channel capacity of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) ducts based on a multi-carrier transmission technique and measured channel frequency responses in the 2.4 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band. Experiments using actual synthesized signals through a building HVAC duct system demonstrate the ability to transmit with a spectral efficiency of 3.74 bps/Hz, corresponding to over 300 Mbps transmission rate within the 2.4 GHz ISM band. The experimental results are within 80% of the theoretical maximums reported previously (see Xhafa, A.E. et al., Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Commun. (ICC'02), vol.2, p.936-9, 2002). For the transmission schemes employed, these results confirm the potential of using the HVAC duct channel for indoor wireless networks.
Cyanopyrenia japonica gen. et sp. nov., a peculiar pyrenocarpous cyanolichen from Japan

Abstract Cyanopyrenia japonica Harada, gen. et sp. nov. is described. It is characterized by having a coccoid cyanobiont, perithecia, sparsely branched paraphyses, thin-walled bitunicate asci, and simple hyaline spores. It resembles Verrucaria , Pyrenocollema , and some Lichinaceae in certain morphological respects, but has no clear affinities. It is known only from the type locality in Shikoku, southwestern Japan, where it grows on frequently submerged rocks in the main flow of a river.
Anesthesia for transfemoral aortic valve replacement in North America and Europe.

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine how the anesthestic approach to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) differs in North America and Europe. Design The study was a nonrandomized survey of 82 institutions in North America and Europe performing TAVR procedures. Setting This was an international multi-institutional survey of medical centers performing TAVR in North America and Europe. Participants Anesthesiologists. Interventions Participant anesthesiologists from 82 institutions contacted were asked by telephone and e-mail to describe their anesthetic approach to TAVRs. Measurements and Main Results The major finding of interest was if general anesthesia or sedation was used for TAVR cases. Conclusions General anesthesia is the predominant practice in North America and only 5% use sedation for TAVR cases, whereas sedation is more common in Europe.
Experimental tibial plateau fractures augmented with calcium phosphate cement or autologous bone graft.

Background: Depression fractures of the tibial plateau are often managed with use of internal fixation and autologous bone-grafting to maintain an anatomical reduction. Bone-grafting, however, provides only limited stability. As calcium phosphate cements have appropriate mechanical properties, they may provide a more suitable alternative. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of a calcium phosphate cement with that of impacted cancellous autograft for maintaining an anatomical reduction in an experimental model of a tibial plateau fracture. Methods: Standardized cylindrical subchondral defects that were 8 mm in diameter and 10 mm deep were created bilaterally beneath the subchondral bone of the articular cartilage in the lateral tibial plateau of goats. An osteotome was used to fracture the overlying subchondral plate and articular cartilage. The plateau fracture fragment was completely depressed into the subchondral defect and then was anatomically reduced. The defects were randomly filled with either calcium phosphate cement or cancellous autograft. No internal fixation was used. The tibiae were harvested at varying time-periods that ranged from twenty-four hours to eighteen months. The stiffness of the healing augmented plateau fractures was determined. Histological specimens were assigned a score for degenerative changes. Loss of anatomic reduction was demonstrated in photomicrographs, and the amount of subsidence of the osteochondral fragment was measured in whole-mount histological sections. Results: The prevalence and degree of fracture subsidence was significantly reduced at all time-points in the defects treated with calcium phosphate cement compared with those filled with autograft (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in fracture stiffness between the two treatment groups at any of the time-points examined. The calcium phosphate cement was rapidly resorbed, and the volume fraction of the calcium phosphate cement was decreased to 4% at six months. The trabecular bone volume in the defects was restored to that of the intact controls at six months in both treatment groups. Conclusions: Cancellous autograft did not maintain an anatomical reduction of the tibial plateau fractures in this model. In contrast, augmentation with calcium phosphate cement prevented subsidence of the fracture fragment and maintained articular congruency as the fracture healed. The improved articular congruency reduced the prevalence and severity of degenerative changes in the joint. Clinical Relevance: Reconstruction of intra-articular depression fractures of the tibial plateau is hampered by the loss of subchondral bone and the small fragment size. The use of calcium phosphate cement as a buttress in articular depression fractures may reduce the need for extensive internal fixation and allow earlier functional rehabilitation.
Inductively loaded millimeter-wave spiral array on silicon

Large amounts of worldwide unlicensed spectrum at 60 GHz may provide solutions for future short range very high speed wireless solutions. Based on our previous work, we have established antenna targets of 16 dB gain in an area of less than 25x25 mm2 while allowing for a large number of silicon amplifiers to be combined to achieve system performance.
THE NONLINEAR VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES OF PFSA MEMBRANES IN WATER-IMMERSED AND HUMID AIR CONDITIONS

Proton exchange membranes (PEM) in an automotive fuel cell stack can experience significant temperature and hydration changes as the stack responds to the demanding automotive duty cycle. Since mechanical stresses resulting from the hygrothermal cycles are believed to contribute to the loss of mechanical durability that are sometimes experienced in operating PEM fuel cells, it is important to characterize the mechanical behavior of PEMs over a wide range of hygrothermal conditions. In this study, the linear and nonlinear viscoelastic properties of PEMs equilibrated with both humidified air and liquid water are characterized using a custom-built multistation stress relaxation fixture. Specifically, relaxation data of a commercially available, perfluorosulfonic acid PEM was collected over a temperature range of 30-90°C and strain levels from less than 1% to over 20% or more. A comparison of immersed data to dry conditions and a range of humidity levels is presented in this paper. Significant nonlinearity is observed in the membrane, but becomes less pronounced at longer times. Cyclic tests with various strain levels were carried out on the membranes at 70o C in immersed conditions. The nonlinearity exhibited by the PEM under the larger strain levels was represented quite accurately with a Schapery unaxial hereditary single integral model. For this initial effort, material nonlinear parameters were chosen to simulate the stress output from larger strain levels. Complex loading profiles at various rates were used to validate the model and good agreement was achieved between experimental results and numerical predictions.
Using formative research to design a context-specific behaviour change strategy to improve infant and young child feeding practices and nutrition in Nepal

Global recommendations on strategies to improve infant feeding, care and nutrition are clear; however, there is limited literature that explains methods for tailoring these recommendations to the local context where programmes are implemented. This paper aims to: (1) highlight the individual, cultural and environmental factors revealed by formative research to affect infant and young child feeding and care practices in Baitadi district of Far Western Nepal; and (2) outline how both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used to design a context-specific behaviour change strategy to improve child nutrition. Quantitative data on 750 children aged 12-23 months and their families were collected via surveys administered to mothers. The participants were selected using a multistage cluster sampling technique. The survey asked about knowledge, attitude and behaviours relating to infant and young child feeding. Qualitative data on breastfeeding and complementary feeding beliefs and practices were also collected from a separate sample via focus group discussions with mothers, and key informant interviews with mothers-in-law and husbands. Key findings revealed gaps in knowledge among many informants resulting in suboptimal infant and young child feeding practices - particularly with relation to duration of exclusive breastfeeding and dietary diversity of comple- mentary foods. The findings from this research were then incorporated into a context-specific nutrition behav- iour change communication strategy.
Small Genomes and Sparse Metabolisms of Sediment-Associated Bacteria from Four Candidate Phyla

Cultivation-independent surveys of microbial diversity have revealed many bacterial phyla that lack cultured repre- sentatives. These lineages, referred to as candidate phyla, have been detected across many environments. Here, we deeply se- quenced microbial communities from acetate-stimulated aquifer sediment to recover the complete and essentially complete ge- nomes of single representatives of the candidate phyla SR1, WWE3, TM7, and OD1. All four of these genomes are very small, 0.7 to 1.2 Mbp, and have large inventories of novel proteins. Additionally, all lack identifiable biosynthetic pathways for several key metabolites. The SR1 genome uses the UGA codon to encode glycine, and the same codon is very rare in the OD1 genome, sug- gesting that the OD1 organism could also transition to alternate coding. Interestingly, the relative abundance of the members of SR1 increased with the appearance of sulfide in groundwater, a pattern mirrored by a member of the phylum Tenericutes. All four genomes encode type IV pili, which may be involved in interorganism interaction. On the basis of these results and other recently published research, metabolic dependence on other organisms may be widely distributed across multiple bacterial can- didate phyla. IMPORTANCE Few or no genomic sequences exist for members of the numerous bacterial phyla lacking cultivated representatives, making it difficult to assess their roles in the environment. This paper presents three complete and one essentially complete ge- nomes of members of four candidate phyla, documents consistently small genome size, and predicts metabolic capabilities on the basis of gene content. These metagenomic analyses expand our view of a lifestyle apparently common across these candidate phyla.
A scalable software-based self-test methodology for programmable processors

Software-based self-test (SBST) is an emerging approach to address the challenges of high-quality, at-speed test for complex programmable processors and systems-on chips (SoCs) that contain them. While early work on SBST has proposed several promising ideas, many challenges remain in applying SBST to realistic embedded processors. We propose a systematic scalable methodology for SBST that automates several key steps. The proposed methodology consists of (i) identifying test program templates that are well suited for test delivery to each module within the processor, (ii) extracting input/output mapping functions that capture the controllability/observability constraints imposed by a test program template for a specific module-under-test, (iii) generating module-level tests by representing the input/output mapping functions as virtual constraint circuits, and (iv) automatic synthesis of a software self-test program from the module-level tests. We propose novel RTL simulation-based techniques for template ranking and selection, and techniques based on the theory of statistical regression for extraction of input/output mapping functions. An important advantage of the proposed techniques is their scalability, which is necessitated by the significant and growing complexity of embedded processors. To demonstrate the utility of the proposed methodology, we have applied it to a commercial state-of-the-art embedded processor (Xtensa form Tensilica Inc.). We believe this is the first practical demonstration of software-based self-test on a processor of such complexity. Experimental results demonstrate that software self-test programs generated using the proposed methodology are able to detect most (95.2%) of the functionally testable faults, and achieve significant simultaneous improvements in fault coverage and test length compared with conventional functional test.
Effect of van der Waals Force on Air-Bearing Flying Characteristics at Ultra-Low Fly Height

In order to increase recording density for magnetic recording systems, the fly height of slider, as part of head-media magnetic spacing, has to remain ultra-low through proper air-bearing designs. At these ultra-low fly heights, the presence of interfacial forces, such as van der Waals (vdW) force, can significantly affect air-bearing flying characteristics. In this paper, one air-bearing design has been studied at ultra-low fly heights with a proprietary air-bearing simulation code, where a Lifshitz-theory-based fully retarded vdW force model was applied on the multilayered head-disk interface (HDI), in contrast to most studies with a "nonretarded" single-layer approach. This results in a lower static fly height and a higher touch down/take-off velocity, which clearly demonstrates the necessity of performing the fully retarded calculation on a realistic layered model of the HDI for accurate vdW force predictions. A further breakdown of the vdW force components shows a dominant pitch moment contribution. This is attributed to a nonuniform Hamaker function distribution, which is highly dependent on air-bearing designs
Computation of Member Stiffness in Bolted Connections

The member stiffness in a bolted connection has a direct influence upon safe design with regard to both static and fatigue loading, as well as in the prevention of separation in the connection. This work provides a simple technique for computing the member stiffness in many types of bolted connections. Finite element analyses are performed for joints having a range of materials and geometries, and the results are generalized by nondimensionalization. An exponential expression for the stiffness is determined, and the results are compared with those of some of the techniques currently used.
Performance of Propensity Score Calibration—A Simulation Study

Confounding can be a major source of bias in nonexperimental research. The authors recently introduced propensity score calibration (PSC), which combines propensity scores and regression calibration to address confounding by variables unobserved in the main study by using variables observed in a validation study. Here, the authors assess the performance of PSC using simulations in settings with and without violation of the key assumption of PSC: that the error-prone propensity score estimated in the main study is a surrogate for the gold-standard propensity score (i.e., it contains no additional information on the outcome). The assumption can be assessed if data on the outcome are available in the validation study. If data are simulated allowing for surrogacy to be violated, results depend largely on the extent of violation. If surrogacy holds, PSC leads to bias reduction between 32% and 106% (>100% representing overcorrection). If surrogacy is violated, PSC can lead to an increase in bias. Surrogacy is violated when the direction of confounding of the exposure-disease association caused by the unobserved variable(s) differs from that of the confounding due to observed variables. When surrogacy holds, PSC is a useful approach to adjust for unmeasured confounding using validation data.