cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EFFECT OF RAPID COOLING ON THE GROWTH AND PENETRATION OF SALMONELLA ENTERITIDIS INTO EGG CONTENTS

Shell eggs were inoculated internally with approximately 10 cells of Salmonella enterica serovar enteritidis (S. enteritidis) and subjected to three different cooling treatments. Eggs were cooled from an initial temperature of 27C to approximately 7.2C. After cooling, eggs were stored at approximately 7.2C for 36 days, or stored at 5. 7-9.5C for 30 days plus 6 days at 37C to simulate temperature abuse. Rapid cooling and subsequent storage of eggs at approximately 7.2C inhibited the growth of S. enteritidis in eggs. Slow cooling, and/or temperature abuse promoted growth of S. enteritidis in eggs. The penetration study indicated that rapid cooling and subsequent storage at 7.2C for 30 days did not affect the penetration of S. enteritidis into egg contents. The S. enteritidis isolated from the eggshell with shell membranes was significantly higher (P < 0. 05) than from the internal egg contents, indicating that most of the S. enteritidis cells were trapped within the shell pores and/or shell membranes.
Inflammation is More Persistent in Type 1 Diabetic Mice

Whether diabetes enhances or diminishes the host response to bacteria has been controversial. To determine how diabetes alters the inflammatory response, we inoculated P. gingivalis into the scalps of mice rendered diabetic with multiple low-dose streptozotocin treatment. On day 1, a moderate to severe inflammatory infiltrate was noted in both the diabetic and normoglycemic mice. After 3 days, the inflammatory infiltrate was significantly higher in the diabetic compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein-2 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 was strongly and similarly induced 3 hrs and 1 day post-inoculation. By day 3, the levels were reduced in normoglycemic mice but remained significantly higher in the diabetic group (P < 0.05). To determine whether persistent inflammation was specific for the streptozotocin-induced diabetic model, we directly compared the expression of TNF-alpha in streptozotocin-induced and db/db diabetic mice, which developed type 2 diabetes. Both exhibited prolonged TNF-alpha expression compared with controls. These results suggest that diabetes alters bacteria-host interactions by prolonging the inflammatory response.
Image Analysis Using Hit-Or-Miss Transforms With Resolution Pyramids

The hit-or-miss transform forms the basis of Serra's mathematical morphology in image analysis. It has many applications, including texture enhancement and object isolation. A resolution pyramid is a sequence of images of decreasing size and resolution derived from a single, relatively high-resolution image. The combination of hit-or-miss transforms with resolution pyramids is a useful technique for representing and ordering structural information in digital images. In this paper we define a mask-driven, mask-generating hit-or-miss transform that can isolate image features and order them hierarchically with respect to size and relative brightness. We show how this mask-driven transform, either alone or in conjunction with a resolution pyramid, can generate a sequence of nonlinear approximations to the original image. We show applications to blob detection, data compression, contour mapping, and image complexity measurement.
Not Complements, But Substitutes: Fixed Exchange Rate Commitments, Central Bank Independence, and External Currency Stability

This paper explores whether fixed exchange rate commitments and central bank independence have functioned more as institutional complements or as substitutes in achieving exchange rate stability. Focusing on the advanced industrial democracies in the post-Bretton Woods era, it argues that these two monetary institutions should have functioned in a non-complementary, but substitutable, manner with regards to this external policy goal. This argument is tested statistically using different measures of exchange rate variability and de facto exchange rate fixity. Finally, given evidence that fixed exchange rate commitments and central bank independence have not functioned as complementary institutions, this paper discusses why certain OECD (governments that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) governments nonetheless made fixed exchange rate commitments when their central bank was legally independent.
Postnatal development of auditory callosal connections in the kitten

Tritiatedproline or horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected into the middle ectosylvian auditory cortex (AI) of one hemisphere in kittens during the first few weeks postpartum. Survival time was 24–96 hours. The tetra-methylbenzidine (TMB) (Mesulam '78) method was used to process the HRP material. By the first postnatal day (PND 1) most neurons retrogradely filled in the contralateral auditory cortex form a densely packed, continuous band that presumably represents mainly layer III. This continuous pattern is in contrast to that seen in the adult cat where callosal neurons tend to aggregate in clusters. Other retrogradely labelled cells are more sparsely distributed in deeper layers with the greatest accumulation being in layer VI. At this time callosal neurons are elongated, with their long axes parallel to radial cell columns. In autoradiographs on PND 2, silver grains are seen throughout the thickness of the cortex, indicating that callosal axons have reached the upper layers of the gray matter. Neither the alternating vertical columns nor the laminar bands of callosal afferents that characterize this projection in the adult are clearly seen in kittens of this age. By PND 8–12 the segregation of callosal afferents into vertical bands is evident in the gray matter; by PND 18 this pattern is well developed. On the other hand, the somata of callosal neurons of layer III retain their juvenile distribution well into the seventh postnatal week and show adultlike aggregations sometime around the 14th week after birth. Projections to the medial geniculate body, inferior colliculus, putamen, caudate nucleus, and pons are clearly evident early in the first postnatal week.
Retailing in the 21st century: reflections and prologue to research

Abstract Retailing in the 21st century will no doubt be very different from retailing in the 20th century, just as retailing in the 20th century was very different from retailing in the 19th century. To understand and explain current retailing phenomena and retailing-related phenomena, and accurately predict such phenomena, it is necessary to have a coherent and consistent definition of retailing as well as comprehensive retailing theories based on this definition. This introduction to the special issue argues for such a definition and related comprehensive theories.
Spinoza and Jeffers on man in nature

Western society has been diverted from the goal of spiritual freedom and autonomy as expressed in the ancient Pythagorean ‘theory of the cosmos’. Indeed, following Heidegger's analysis, it can be seen that modern Western society has arrived at the opposite pole of anthropocentric ‘absolute subjectivism’ in which the entire non‐human world is seen as a material resource to be consumed in the satisfaction of our egoistic passive desires. It is further argued that Spinozism is actually a modern version of the ‘theory of the cosmos’ which, when supplemented by a vision of man's identity with the ecological world, would provide us with the only adequate portrayal of the God/Nature/Man relationship.
Total reaction cross section from the difference of the Rutherford and measured elastic cross sections

A model independent method of obtaining the total reaction cross section as a difference between integrals over solid angle of the Rutherford and measured elastic cross sections is proposed and discussed. The conditions for validity of the method are first that the measured differential cross section be Rutherford within experimental error at forward angles, and second, that the projectile be highly absorbed. Both conditions are fulfilled in a variety of experiments with complex projectiles. The method is applied to $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle scattering by $^{197}\mathrm{Au}$, $^{206,208}\mathrm{Pb}$, and $^{209}\mathrm{Bi}$. Limitations of the method, comparison with transmission, charge collection, and optical model methods, and applications to heavy ion scattering are discussed.
Reliability of Bridge Decks in Wisconsin

An accurate reliability model for bridge decks is important for effective long-term bridge deck management. The main objectives of this paper are to identify the most suitable reliability model for bridge decks in Wisconsin, and to utilize that model for detailed analyzes of bridge deck reliability and failure rates. The 2005 National Bridge Inventory (NBI) data for the State of Wisconsin were used. In this paper, the hypertabastic, Weibull, log logistic, and lognormal distributions are investigated. The end of service life is defined as the age of deck when rehabilitation or replacement is required (herein defined as a deck rating of between 4 and 5). The effects on NBI deck rating of average daily traffic (ADT), type of bridge superstructure (steel or concrete), and the deck surface area were considered. Based on the Akaike information criteria, the hypertabastic accelerated failure time model was selected as the most appropriate model for this study. Results show that deck area, type of superstructure ...
Ion Pairing as a Mechanism of Action of Additives in Electrodeposition

It was demonstrated that the principles of ion pairing could be used to predict the effect of a quaternary ammonium salt on the rate of electrodeposition of several metals. In agreement with prediction the cationic surfactant, in general, appreciably increased the limiting current, the current efficiency, and the percentage composition in alloys of metals deposited from negative ions in solution while decreasing slightly the same factors for metals deposited from positive ions in solution. It was also shown that there are predictable situations in which the ion paired acceleration would not be observed when expected. Those situations are: (1) processes not limited by the rate of adsorption; (2) processes in which the rate is limited by reaction with a species different from the predominant negatively charged species; and (3) processes in which a film is formed on the electrode.
Rash, drug hypersensitivity, and autoimmunity in a 20-year-old woman.

HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS A 20-year-old, previously healthy Hispanic woman presented with a generalized, macular, nonpruritic rash, which began 1 day before she was seen in the emergency department. The rash began on her lower extremities and spread to her upper extremities and the remainder of her body. The patient stated that at the time the rash began she had a temperature of 103°F. Eight days before the onset of the rash, she received amoxicillin for presumed streptococcal pharyngitis. Two days before the onset of the rash, celecoxib was prescribed for arthralgia and myalgia. Joint and muscle pains were described as generalized, bilateral, and progressive. No additional complaints were elicited, and a history of joint swelling or edema was obtained.
Alcoholism as a medical disorder.

Abstract This report is based upon a long-term study from the Washington University Psychiatry Clinic. The study began with a systematic clinical evaluation of 500 patients, which was followed by a "blind" study of first-degree relatives and a "blind" follow-up of the index subjects. The present report deals with the diagnosis of alcoholism at index, at follow-up, and among the first-degree relatives. The results indicate that the criteria used for the diagnosis of alcoholism select patients who show a satisfactory degree of diagnostic consistency over many years. Furthermore, the diagnostic criteria select cases associated with a significant increase in the familial risk of alcoholism. Alcoholism was the only psychiatric disorder found to be increased among first-degree relatives of alcoholic probands. On the other hand, alcoholism in the probands was found to be associated with secondary depression, secondary mania, antisocial personality, Briquet's Syndrome, and drug dependence. None of these disorders, however, was found at an increased prevalence among the first-degree relatives of the alcoholics, suggesting that these associated disorders may play a significant role in the seeking of psychiatric care by patients with alcoholism.
The Effect of Cultural Orientation on Consumer Responses to Personalization

While marketing activities increasingly involve personalizing product offers to individually elicited preferences, these unique specifications may not be universally important for product choice. Providing evidence of the limits of treating each customer differently, three experiments show that individuals who exhibit interdependent or collectivistic tendencies tend to be more receptive to recommendations that are not personalized to their own preferences, but instead to the collective preferences of relevant in-groups. However, we find that cultural orientation affects responses to personalized recommendations for only those products whose consumption or choice decision is subject to public scrutiny. We further demonstrate that the favorability of thoughts elicited by ads offering targeted versus personalized offers mediates the effect of cultural orientation on responses to personalization. Lastly, both individualistic and collectivistic consumers respond more favorably to offers of targeted recommendations when they believe relevant others share their preferences and when their level of expertise is relatively low.
EXAMPLES OF FCR-ALGEBRAS

If g is a semisimple Lie algebra in characteristic zero then the universal enveloping algebra U(g) has two important properties. First, as shown by H. Weyl, every nite dimensional representation of U(g) is completely reducible (this property characterizes nite dimensional semisimple Lie algebras in characteristic zero). Second, as shown by Harish-Chandra, there are enough nite dimensional representations, in the sense that the intersection of the kernels of all the nite dimensional representations of U(g) is zero. H.P. Kraft and L.W. Small [1] call an algebra A over a eld k an FCR-algebra (FCR coming from \Finite dimensional modules are Completely Reducible") if A satis es the two properties below:
ULTRATHIN FILM TUNNEL JUNCTIONS.

Abstract Current-voltage characteristics of Al/Al 2 O 3 /Bi tunnel junctions were obtained for extremely thin Bi films by recording the characteristics as the film was condensed. The energy gap in Bi was shown to decrease with thickness below 40 A.
Management of hyperkalaemia in chronic kidney disease

Hyperkalaemia is common in patients with chronic kidney disease and is associated with adverse outcomes. Here, Csaba Kovesdy gives an overview of the mechanisms underlying hyperkalaemia and its clinical consequences in this patient population, and discusses current treatment regimens, as well as emerging therapies that might enable the more-liberal use of beneficial therapeutics in specific populations of patients at risk of hyperkalaemia. Hyperkalaemia is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), in part because of the effects of kidney dysfunction on potassium homeostasis and in part because of the cluster of comorbidities (and their associated treatments) that occur in patients with CKD. Owing to its electrophysiological effects, severe hyperkalaemia represents a medical emergency that usually requires prompt intervention, whereas the prevention of hazardous hyperkalaemic episodes in at-risk patients requires measures aimed at the long-term normalization of potassium homeostasis. The options for effective and safe medical interventions to restore chronic potassium balance are few, and long-term management of hyperkalaemia is primarily limited to the correction of modifiable exacerbating factors. This situation can result in a difficult trade-off in patients with CKD, because drugs that are beneficial to these patients (for example, renin–angiotensin–aldosterone-system antagonists) are often the most prominent cause of their hyperkalaemia. Maintaining the use of these beneficial medications while implementing various strategies to control potassium balance is desirable; however, discontinuation rates remain high. The emergence of new medications that specifically target hyperkalaemia could lead to a therapeutic paradigm shift, emphasizing preventive management over ad hoc treatment of incidentally discovered elevations in serum potassium levels.
Experimentation and simulation of high current density surface coated electro-explosive fuses

The primary objective of the research discussed in this paper is to develop a compact electro-explosive fuse (EEF) for a flux compression generator (FCG) power conditioning system, capable of rapidly obtaining and maintaining high impedance. It was observed that significant gains in EEF performance are introduced with the application of an insulating coating to the surface of the EEF wire. A 2 kA small scale test bed has been designed to provide a single wire EEF with similar current density (∼107 A/cm2), voltage gradient (∼7 kV/cm), and timescale (∼8 μs) as to what is seen by and EEF utilized in a HPM generating FCG system. With the small scale test bed EEF performance data was rapidly obtained at a significantly lower cost than equivalent full scale FCG experiments. A one-dimensional finite difference model coupled with the Los Alamos National Laboratory SESAME Equation-of-State database was utilized to simulate the resistive behavior of the single wire EEFs. Further, a large scale test bed, designed to provide a similar current action as to what is provided by a FCG is used to test 18 wire EEF arrays at the 40 kA level.
Theory of chemisorption on metallic surfaces: Role of intra-adsorbate Coulomb correlation and surface structure

A theory of chemisorption on metallic surfaces is formulated in the site representation. The influence of the intra-adsorbate Coulomb correlations is investigated and is found to lead to significant changes in the single-particle spectral function as compared to the Hartree-Fock result. Comparison with spectroscopic data is shown to imply the existence of large upwards shift in the adsorbate ionization potential due to screening effects arising from the adsorbate-substrate $e$-$e$ interaction. Thus the relative importance of screening and polarization effects and the intra-adsorbate Coulomb correlation is for the first time extracted unambiguously from spectroscopic data. The use of the site representation allows for a natural introduction of the concept of a "surface cluster" without any need for detaching it from the rest of the metallic substrate. Thus the issue of rebonding the surface cluster to the "indented surface" does not arise, the entire system being treated on the same footing self-consistently. We are able to explicitly exhibit the local nature of bonding and incorporate the influence of the surface geometry without disregard of the important screening and polarization effects characteristic of the substrate. The theory is generalized to take account of the nonorthogonality of the adsorbate-substrate wave functions.
Phlegmonous gastritis: successful treatment with antibiotics and resolution documented by EUS.

Phlegmonous gastritis is a rare condition caused by a suppurative bacterial infection of the gastric wall. The mortality rate remains extremely high despite therapy with antibiotics. Definitive diagnosis has usually been made, in the past, at postmortem examination or at laparotomy for a presumed acute surgical abdomen. This is a case of presumed phlegmonous gastritis in which early recognition was facilitated by finding a thickened gastric wall on contrasted abdominal CT. EUS was used to document the changes in wall thickness that followed effective treatment with antibiotics.
Kinetics and Mechanism of the Epoxidation of Allylic Alcohols by Hydrogen Peroxide with Methyltrioxorhenium as Catalyst.

The title reaction was carried out in aqueous acetonitrile (5% and 20% water) and in nitromethane. Provided acid was not added, the product was mostly the epoxide, accompanied by small amounts of the triol that results from acid-catalyzed ring opening of the epoxide. With added acid, only the triol was detected. The kinetic study afforded a striking result: only the diperoxorhenium compound was an epoxidation catalyst; the monoperoxo compound CH3Re(O)2(η2-O2) was inactive; no other substrates, including nonallylic alkenes, show that reactivity difference. This, together with the realization of high diastereoselectivity for 2-cyclohexen-1-ol in chloroform, suggests a particular mode of hydrogen bonding: an O atom of one peroxo group engages in oxygen transfer, in a transition state that is stabilized by hydrogen bonding between the allylic OH group and O atom of the other peroxo group. Calculations supported that conclusion.
Using the Informant for searching for analytical chemistry information on the World Wide Web

For someone wanting to find what information is available on the WWW in the area of anlytical chemistry, The Informant is a quick and easy way to get started. As this facility improves, and others like it are developed, these personal search agent engines will become more prevalent. While not a real alternative to the commercial databases for chemical information, these are a cheap and easy way to get started. They are also a good way to learn how to create and modify search profiles. This notion of using the Internet as a first step in a search process is not new, but it has not yet come to chemistry. With a little effort on the part of journal publishers, good intelligent agents, and an informed community of users, this process may well become one of the really practical and useful aspects of the Internet
ARES: an anti-jamming reinforcement system for 802.11 networks

Dense, unmanaged 802.11 deployments tempt saboteurs into launching jamming attacks by injecting malicious interference. Nowadays, jammers can be portable devices that transmit intermittently at low power in order to conserve energy. In this paper, we first conduct extensive experiments on an indoor 802.11 network to assess the ability of two physical layer functions, rate adaptation and power control, in mitigating jamming. In the presence of a jammer we find that: (a) the use of popular rate adaptation algorithms can significantly degrade network performance and, (b) appropriate tuning of the carrier sensing threshold allows a transmitter to send packets even when being jammed and enables a receiver capture the desired signal. Based on our findings, we build ARES, an Anti-jamming REinforcement System, which tunes the parameters of rate adaptation and power control to improve the performance in the presence of jammers. ARES ensures that operations under benign conditions are unaffected. To demonstrate the effectiveness and generality of ARES, we evaluate it in three wireless testbeds: (a) an 802.11n WLAN with MIMO nodes, (b) an 802.11a/g mesh network with mobile jammers and (c) an 802.11a WLAN with TCP traffic. We observe that ARES improves the network throughput across all testbeds by up to 150%.
Prevention of early onset group B streptococcal sepsis in the newborn

: There is an urgent need for strategies to prevent early onset group B streptococcal sepsis in the newborn. The most effective mechanism is the identification of maternal carriers of the organism and interruption of transmission during labour. Vaginal culture is currently the most reliable method for the identification of carriers. Antibiotic prophylaxis for known carriers in labour has been demonstrated to be effective as standard management practice in a number of Australian institutions and is the best available strategy at this stage.
Conservation of structure and expression of the trithorax gene between Drosophila virilis and Drosophila melanogaster.

Abstract The Drosophila melanogaster trithorax gene encodes several large RNAs which are expressed in complex patterns in the embryo. The D. virilis trithorax gene was isolated and sequenced. It produces a similar to D. melanogaster set of transcripts, and it encodes a protein that shows sequence similarity in several domains which are also conserved in the human homologue, ALL-1 HRX . Previous experiments have suggested that a distinct expression domain of trithorax in the posterior region of the embryo is required to maintain expression of the BX-C genes (Sedkov et al., 1994, Development 120, 1907–1917). At cellular blastoderm, trithorax RNA expression in D. virilis embryos is also confined to the posterior portion of the presumptive mesoderm. This finding supports the idea that the specific BX-C-related expression domain is an essential feature of the trithorax gene.
Scaling properties of eden clusters in three and four dimensions

We study the scaling properties of noise reduced Eden clusters in three and four dimensions for variant B in the strip geometry. We find that the width W for large times behaves as a(s)g(Lsd−1), where L is the width of the strip, s the noise reduction parameter, d the dimension of space, and a(s) a decreasing function of s, g is a scaling function with the property g(u)→12 as u→0 and g(u)∼ux as u→∞, where χ is the roughness exponent. This scaling result leads to a new way of determining χ. In 3 dimensions, our numerical values for χ support a recent conjecture by Kim and Kosterlitz: χ = 2(d + 2), and contradict all the former analytical conjectures. In 4 dimensions, we cannot distinguish between the conjectures of Kim and Kosterlitz and the conjecture of Wolf and Kertesz, because large crossovers and finite size effects make the measurement of the exponents difficult.
The mechanism of oxidation of a basaltic glass: Chemical diffusion of network-modifying cations

Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, in conjunction with optical and scanning electron microscopy, has been used to characterize the oxidation process in a homogeneous, well-annealed glass prepared from a nepheline-normative olivine basalt. Initially melted and annealed at an oxygen fugacity substantially below the quartz-fayalite-magnetite (QFM) buffer, the glasses were oxidized in air under the time and temperature ranges 1–100 h and 550–600°C, respectively. Oxidation causes (1) formation of crystalline CaO and MgO that partially covers the free surface of the glass and (2) an internal reaction zone that is depleted of Ca2+ and Mg2+ but enriched in Na+ The reaction morphology is uniquely consistent with a model in which oxidation occurs by the outward diffusion (to the free surface) of Ca2+ and Mg2+ that is charge compensated by an inward flux of electron holes (polarons): oxidation of the glass occurs as the oxygen/cation ratio increases, not by addition of oxygen, but rather by removal of cations. The flux of Na+ from depth in the glass to the oxidizing region, which is also charge compensated by a counterflux of electron holes, is a response to the thermodynamic driving force seeking to stabilize Fe3+ as a network former, consistent with equilibrium thermodynamic and spectroscopic studies. Growth of the oxidized/transformed glass follows parabolic (chemical-diffusion-limited) kinetics. Using a first-order, Wagnerian approach, the diffusion coefficient and driving force terms of the parabolic reaction-rate constant are separated, giving an average divalent cation diffusion coefficient of DA2+(cm2·s−1) = 9.9 × 10−2exp−210kJ·mol−1RT . The oxidation mechanism seen for the glass, that is, one dominated by diffusion of network modifying cations and not an oxygen species, is anticipated to also occur in iron-bearing aluminosilicate melts: the discrepancy between the kinetics of redox reactions and of oxygen tracer diffusion noted in the literature for melts is most likely explained in this way.
Synthesis and spin trapping chemistry of a novel bicyclic nitrone: 1,3,3-trimethyl-6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-6-ene-N-oxide (Trazon)

Abstract Oxygen-centered and carbon-centered radicals are interesting possible intermediates within chemical and biological systems. In this communication the synthesis and use of a novel bicyclic nitrone 1,3,3-trimethyl-6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-6-ene-N-oxide (Trazon) as a spin trapping compound is proposed. Trazon is a stable, crystalline solid with an excellent shelf life. The EPR spectra of Trazon spin adducts have similar EPR parameters as compared to 5-membered ring nitrones but there is extra information present in the form of hyperfine splitting from two β-hydrogens and two γ-hydrogens.
The dynamic field of a growing plane elliptical shear crack

Abstract The radiation for a three-dimensional problem of brittle fracture is investigated. A crack is presumed to nucleate at a point in an infinite pre-stressed elastic medium, and the crack subsequently grows steadily with subsonic rupture velocities, maintaining the shape of an ellipse. Shear stresses are relieved by the crack, and exact solutions are derived for the acceleration and stress-rate (at every point of the medium) in terms of single integrals and algebraic expressions. The solutions are evaluated analytically at wavefronts and singularities, and numerically, at different points in the medium, for different growth rates of the crack.
Comparison of Several Diffusion Equations in the Calculation of Viscosity and its Relation to Dissolution Rate

The viscosity of polymeric solutions as measured by a rotational viscometer may not be the viscosity of the environment through which a solute molecule diffuses. By use of the Stokes-Einstein equation a viscosity, which is not affected by the mechanics of the viscometer, may be calculated if the size and diffusivity of the solute molecule are determined. The values of such viscosity calculated by using several diffusion equations compare favorably with the value calculated with the Stokes-Einstein equation. The dissolution rates of benzoic acid in aqueous solutions of three non-ionic suspending agents is related to the viscosity.
Risk factors associated with diabetic macular edema

Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the most common cause of vision loss in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Glycemic control, hypertension, and dyslipidemia are known to be important risks factors for DME. In addition, nephropathy, anemia, sleep apnea, glitazone usage, and pregnancy are also important modifiable risk factors. It is important for physicians of different subspecialties to work together and understand multiple aspects of DME and diabetic healthcare.
Kinetic mechanism of fully activated S6K1 protein kinase.

S6K1 is a member of the AGC subfamily of serine-threonine protein kinases, whereby catalytic activation requires dual phosphorylation of critical residues in the conserved T-loop (Thr-229) and hydrophobic motif (Thr-389). Previously, we described production of the fully activated catalytic kinase domain construct, His6-S6K1αII(ΔAID)-T389E. Now, we report its kinetic mechanism for catalyzing phosphorylation of a model peptide substrate (Tide, RRRLSSLRA). First, two-substrate steady-state kinetics and product inhibition patterns indicated a Steady-State Ordered Bi Bi mechanism, whereby initial high affinity binding of ATP KdATP = 5-6μM was followed by low affinity binding of Tide KdTide=180μM, and values of KmATP=5-6μM and KmTide=4-5μM were expressed in the active ternary complex. Global curve-fitting analysis of ATP, Tide, and ADP titrations of pre-steady-state burst kinetics yielded microscopic rate constants for substrate binding, rapid chemical phosphorylation, and rate-limiting product release. Catalytic trapping experiments confirmed rate-limiting steps involving release of ADP. Pre-steady-state kinetic and catalytic trapping experiments showed osmotic pressure to increase the rate of ADP release; and direct binding experiments showed osmotic pressure to correspondingly weaken the affinity of the enzyme for both ADP and ATP, indicating a less hydrated conformational form of the free enzyme.
"Club Fed" in Japan? Incarceration Experiences of Japanese Embezzlers:

This paper analyzes the incarceration experiences of embezzlers in one prison in Japan. Data were gathered with a self-administered survey, unstructured interviews with inmates, and informal talks with prison officials. Findings indicate that embezzlers who serve time in Japanese prisons are treated more like street offenders than is the case in the United States. The "Club Fed" phenomenon observed in the United States is not characteristic of Japanese corrections.
Analysis of the Cytoplasmic Domains of Salmonella FlhA and Interactions with Components of the Flagellar Export Machinery

Most flagellar proteins are exported via a type III export apparatus which, in part, consists of the membrane proteins FlhA, FlhB, FliO, FliP, FliQ, and FliR and is housed within the membrane-supramembrane ring formed by FliF subunits. Salmonella FlhA is a 692-residue integral membrane protein with eight predicted transmembrane spans. Its function is not understood, but it is necessary for flagellar export. We have created mutants in which potentially important sequences were deleted. FlhA lacking the amino-terminal sequence prior to the first transmembrane span failed to complement and was dominant negative, suggesting that the sequence is required for function. Similar effects were seen in a variant lacking a highly conserved domain (FHIPEP) within a putative cytoplasmic loop. Scanning deletion analysis of the cytoplasmic domain (FlhAc) demonstrated that substantially all of FlhAc is required for efficient function. Affinity blotting showed that FlhA interacts with several other export apparatus membrane proteins. The implications of these findings are discussed, and a model of FlhA within the export apparatus is presented.
Vascularized bone grafting for scaphoid nonunions

Scaphoid nonunions remain a challenging problem for hand surgeons. While standard approaches have reasonably high success rates, the potential for devascularization of a portion of the scaphoid after fracture remains a problem. The use of pedicled vascularized bone grafts offers a potential remedy for these problems. This article discusses the options for vascularized bone grafting from distal radial sites and the techniques utilized.
Fracture Mechanics Parameters for Small Fatigue Cracks

This paper presents a review of some common small-crack test specimens, the underlying causes of the small-crack effect, and the fracture-mechanics parameters that have been used to correlate or predict their growth behavior. This review concentrates on continuum mechanics concepts and on the nonlinear behavior of small cracks. The paper reviews some stress-intensity factor solutions for small-crack test specimens and develops some simple elastic-plastic J integral and cyclic J integral expressions that include the influence of crack-closure. These parameters were applied to small-crack growth data on two aluminum alloys, and a fatigue life prediction methodology is demonstrated. For these materials, the crack-closure transient from the plastic wake was found to be the major factor in causing the small-crack effect.
Testosterone dose-response relationships in healthy young men

Testosterone increases muscle mass and strength and regulates other physiological processes, but we do not know whether testosterone effects are dose dependent and whether dose requirements for maintaining various androgen-dependent processes are similar. To determine the effects of graded doses of testosterone on body composition, muscle size, strength, power, sexual and cognitive functions, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), plasma lipids, hemoglobin, and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels, 61 eugonadal men, 18-35 yr, were randomized to one of five groups to receive monthly injections of a long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist, to suppress endogenous testosterone secretion, and weekly injections of 25, 50, 125, 300, or 600 mg of testosterone enanthate for 20 wk. Energy and protein intakes were standardized. The administration of the GnRH agonist plus graded doses of testosterone resulted in mean nadir testosterone concentrations of 253, 306, 542, 1,345, and 2,370 ng/dl at the 25-, 50-, 125-, 300-, and 600-mg doses, respectively. Fat-free mass increased dose dependently in men receiving 125, 300, or 600 mg of testosterone weekly (change +3.4, 5.2, and 7.9 kg, respectively). The changes in fat-free mass were highly dependent on testosterone dose (P = 0.0001) and correlated with log testosterone concentrations (r = 0.73, P = 0.0001). Changes in leg press strength, leg power, thigh and quadriceps muscle volumes, hemoglobin, and IGF-I were positively correlated with testosterone concentrations, whereas changes in fat mass and plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were negatively correlated. Sexual function, visual-spatial cognition and mood, and PSA levels did not change significantly at any dose. We conclude that changes in circulating testosterone concentrations, induced by GnRH agonist and testosterone administration, are associated with testosterone dose- and concentration-dependent changes in fat-free mass, muscle size, strength and power, fat mass, hemoglobin, HDL cholesterol, and IGF-I levels, in conformity with a single linear dose-response relationship. However, different androgen-dependent processes have different testosterone dose-response relationships.
Reconfiguring the connectivity of a multiprotein complex: Fusions of yeast TATA-binding protein with Brf1, and the function of transcription factor IIIB

Transcription factor (TF) IIIB, the central transcription initiation factor of RNA polymerase III (pol III), is composed of three subunits, Bdp1, Brf1 and TATA-binding protein (TBP), all essential for normal function in vivo and in vitro. Brf1 is a modular protein: Its N-proximal half is related to TFIIB and binds similarly to the C-terminal stirrup of TBP; its C-proximal one-third provides most of the affinity for TBP by binding along the entire length of the convex surface and N-terminal lateral face of TBP. A structure-informed triple fusion protein, with TBP core placed between the N- and C-proximal domains of Brf1, has been constructed. The Brf1-TBP triple fusion protein effectively replaces both Brf1 and TBP in TFIIIC-dependent and -independent transcription in vitro, and forms extremely stable TFIIIB–DNA complexes that are indistinguishable from wild-type TFIIIB–DNA complexes by chemical nuclease footprinting. Unlike Brf1 and TBP, the triple fusion protein is able to recruit pol III for TATA box-directed transcription of linear and supercoiled DNA in the absence of Bdp1. The Brf1-TBP triple fusion protein also effectively replaces Brf1 function in vivo as the intact protein, creating a TBP paralogue in yeast that is privatized for pol III transcription.
INTRONIC AND FLANKING SEQUENCES ARE REQUIRED TO SILENCE ENHANCEMENT OF AN EMBRYONIC BETA -TYPE GLOBIN GENE

In the course of studying regulatory elements that affect avian embryonic rho-globin gene expression, the multipotential hematopoietic cell line K562 was transiently transfected with various rho-globin gene constructs containing or lacking an avian erythroid enhancer element. Enhanced levels of rho gene expression were seen from those constructs containing an enhancer element and minimal 5' or 3' flanking rho sequences but were not seen from enhancer-containing constructs that included extensive 5' and 3' flanking sequences. Deletion analysis localized 5' and 3' "enhancer-silencing elements" to -2140 to -2000 and +1865 to +2180 relative to the mRNA cap site. A third element required for enhancer silencing was identified within the second intron of the rho gene. The treatment of K562 cells with hemin, which induces erythroid differentiation, partially alleviated the enhancer-silencing effect. The silencer elements were able to block enhancement from a murine erythroid enhancer, but not from a nonerythroid enhancer. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that the transcription factor YY1 is able to bind both the 5' and 3' enhancer silencer elements; a point mutation of the single overlapping YY1/NF-Y binding site in the 3' element completely abolished the enhancer-silencing effect. These results demonstrate a complex enhancer silencer that requires 5' flanking, intronic, and 3' flanking sequences for a single regulatory effect on a eukaryotic gene.
Performance analysis of optimum combining in wireless communications with Rayleigh fading and cochannel interference

Optimum combining for space diversity reception is studied in digital cellular mobile radio communication systems with Rayleigh fading and multiple cochannel interferers. This paper considers binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) modulation in a flat Rayleigh-fading environment when the number of interferences L is no less than the number of antenna elements N(L/spl ges/N). The approach of this paper and its main contribution is to carry out the analysis in a multivariate framework. Using this approach and with the assumption of equal-power interferers, it is shown that the probability density function of the maximum signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) at the output of the optimum combiner has a Hotelling T/sup 2/ distribution. Closed form expressions using hypergeometric functions are derived for the outage probability and the average probability of bit error. Theoretical results are demonstrated by Monte Carlo simulations.
Piecewise-linear timing delay modeling for digital CMOS circuits

A simple and accurate timing delay characterization algorithm for digital complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuits is presented. To reflect various nonlinear effects in metal-oxide-semiconductor circuits, the author uses reliable circuit simulations and measurements to generate various timing data for the most typical subcircuit structures with various driving and loading conditions. The huge data set is curve-fitted into simple piecewise-linear functions, which are stored in a timing library. Great efficiency and reliable accuracy are achieved on an experimental simulator based on the precharacterized timing library. >
Factors Affecting the Distribution of Populus balsamifera on the North Slope of Alaska, U.S.A

Abstract Balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) groves occur north of the Brooks Range and treeline in arctic Alaska in a region of continuous permafrost and tundra vegetation. A poplar grove near the Ivishak River (69°06′N, 147°53′W) that we studied in detail contains 11 clones within 350 m of the river. Individual clones range from 600 to 4500 m2 in size and 90 to 200 yr in age. Poplar trees are larger in diameter in clones within 100 m of the river and less dense in clones away from the river. Unique soil thermal, moisture, and nutrient conditions may limit the expansion of poplar groves to only a few hundred meters from the river channel, including a “thaw bulb,” or depression in the permafrost table; lithologic discontinuities that concentrate moisture in the rooting zone; and accumulation of Ca-enriched precipitates from aufeis deposits. We prepared a map showing the distribution of poplar groves on the North Slope from published reports, satellite images, topographic maps, and observations of a bush p...
Vibrational spectra and dynamics of electronically excited semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Femtosecond mid-infrared spectroscopy was applied to study the vibrational spectra and dynamics in the electronic excited states of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The experiments were performed by exciting SWNTs dispersed individually in polymethylmethacrylate and polyvinyl alcohol polymer films with 40 fs laser pulses at 800 nm, and the resulting responses were monitored with broadband midinfrared pulses ranging from 1510 to 1670 cm -1 . The structured spectra observed show vibrational bands with up-shifted frequencies by ∼10-50 cm -1 with respect to their ground-state counterparts. The observation provides direct evidence for the theoretically predicted lattice distortions in the electronic excited state. Analysis of the kinetics probed in the mid- and near-infrared regions provide an estimate of the time scales for the vibrational relaxation.
Quantum/classical studies of photodissociation and reaction dynamics in clusters

In this paper, a multiple configurational time-dependent self-consistent field (TDSCF) approach for studying photodissociation and reaction dynamics is described. This approach has been applied to studies of several benchmark systems and is found to provide an accurate description of the reactions. The focus of the present work is on investigations of processes in cluster environments. Specifically, the dynamics of the O(3P) + HCl reaction and H2O photodissociation dynamics in isolation and in Van der Waals complexes with one argon atom are compared. The nature and importance of quantum mechanical effects in these systems are investigated through an analysis of the results of the quantum/classical simulations and a comparison of these results with those obtained from previously reported experimental and classical studies on these systems. It is found that, although the effects of complexation are subtle, they are not negligible. In addition, most of them can be understood in terms of kinematic and steric factors, although electronic effects cannot be dismissed.
COMPARING AND CONTRASTING FEARS OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EVALUATION AS FACETS OF SOCIAL ANXIETY

Cognitive-behavioral theorists have proposed that fear of negative evaluation (FNE) is the core feature of social anxiety (Clark & Wells, 1995; Rapee & Heimberg, 1997). However, emerging evidence supports the notion that fear of evaluation in general is important in social anxiety, including fear of positive evaluation (FPE) as well as negative evaluation (e.g., see Weeks, Heimberg, & Rodebaugh, 2008; Weeks, Heimberg, Rodebaugh, & Norton, 2008). The purposes of the present study were to test several new hypotheses related to this expanded conceptualization of social anxiety, as well as to replicate the two-factor structural model consisting of separate factors for fears of positive and negative evaluation originally reported by Weeks, Heimberg, and Rodebaugh, et al. (2008). The present findings further support FPE and FNE as distinct latent constructs. FPE and FNE related similarly to social anxiety but demonstrated unique relationships with several social anxiety-related constructs and emerged as distinc...
Er:YAG laser skin resurfacing

During the past 15 years, safer and more predictable techniques have been introduced to rejuvenate the skin, and the field of skin resurfacing is still being refined. Laser skin resurfacing is frequently performed despite a recent reduction in demand. Laser resurfacing induces a controlled skin injury, with removal of the epidermis and variable portions of the dermis. Associated dermal heating results in collagen shrinkage and collagen remodeling. This dermal tightening and the associated reepithelialization lead to a more youthful appearance and improved skin texture. The most common indications for skin resurfacing are photoaging (including elastosis, rhytides, and lentigines) and acne scarring. Laser resurfacing can predictably improve clinical evidence of photodamage and reverse the histologic changes of photoaging. Acne scarring can be improved with skin resurfacing alone or in combination with other surgical modalities (e.g., punch excision, punch grafting, or dermabrasion). The high-energy, short-pulsed carbon dioxide (CO2) laser has been successfully used for skin resurfacing since its inception more than a decade ago. 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 15, 38, 42, 57, 61 Full-face and regional facial resurfacing have been performed with this modality. These impressive results are not without their drawbacks. A complex postoperative course, frequently associated with prolonged erythema, and the significant potential for delayed-onset permanent hypopigmentation (in up to 16% of pa