cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sequential growths of AlN and GaN layers on as-polished 6H–SiC(0001) substrates

Abstract Microstructures of surfaces and defects generated during initial and subsequent growths via metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy of AlN(0001) films on 6H–SiC(0001) substrates and GaN(0001) films on AlN/SiC(0001) substrates have been investigated using atomic force microscopy and cross-sectional and plan-view transmission electron microscopy. Scratches present on the SiC surfaces did not appear to bias the nucleation of AlN. The lateral growth rate of AlN was greater than the vertical growth rate, leading to almost planar layers at 15 and 100 nm thicknesses. Partially coalesced islands were observed after nominally ∼15 nm of growth. Increasing the thickness to 100 nm resulted in complete island coalescence, formation of undulating films from the polishing scratches in the SiC substrate, a surface microstructure containing steps, terraces and small pits, and a reduced dislocation density relative to the 15 nm layers. The AlN/SiC interfaces contained steps and complex dislocation networks. GaN islands nucleated and grew on the AlN films. Complete coalescence of these islands occurred at thicknesses less than 100 nm. Dislocation density in the GaN films was reduced by increasing the thickness of either the AlN and or the GaN. Arguments are developed to account for these observations.
Abrogation of airway hyperresponsiveness but not inflammation by rho kinase insufficiency

Background Major features of allergic asthma include airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), eosinophilic inflammation, and goblet cell metaplasia. Rho kinase (ROCK) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that regulates the actin cytoskeleton. By doing so, it can modulate airway smooth muscle cell contraction and leukocyte migration and proliferation. This study was designed to determine the contributions of the two ROCK isoforms, ROCK1 and ROCK2, to AHR, inflammation and goblet cell metaplasia in a mast-cell dependent model of allergic airways disease.
The role of the leucine zipper in the fos–jun interaction

Mutagenesis of the fos protein supports the hypothesis that a heptad repeat of leucine residues stabilizes the interaction between the fos and jun proteins. We show that the complex between fos and jun can bind to DNA more tightly than either protein alone and that basic residues adjacent to the leucine repeat offos contribute to the DNA-binding potential of the complex.
Histological Changes in the Combs and Ear Lobes of Chickens Treated with Methylcholanthrene

Abstract NUMEROUS experiments have been carried out during the past 25 years to determine the susceptibility of a wide variety of animal species to the initiating action of carcinogens. It is well known, now, that over 400 chemical substances are potent carcinogens when applied to the skin of small rodents (Hartwell, 1951). Both cytological and histological changes in the skin of the mouse treated with polycyclic hydrocarbons have been ably discussed by Page (1938), Orr (1938), Cramer and Stowell (1942), Carruthers (1950) and others. In our laboratory we attempted to extend the scope of experimental carcinogenesis in the bird by investigating the histological changes in the combs and ear lobes of White Silkie bantams and White Leghorn chickens following treatment with methylcholanthrene. Further, the tremendous populations of melanocytes in the tissues of the White Silkie bantam provided an ideal situation for an attempt to alter the populations of these cells and …
Frequency of stress-induced thallium-201 defects in patients with patent internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending coronary artery graft.

Abstract Coronary artery revascularization with the internal mammary artery (IMA) was proposed 25 years ago. Initial enthusiasm was tempered by reports pointing to the higher absolute flow and better flow characteristics of venous grafts. However, long-term follow-up of several large cohorts of patients proved IMA superior to venous grafts, with a lower incidence of cardiac events and better actuarial patient survival.1 The role of myocardial perfusion imaging in the follow-up of patients with IMA grafts has not been defined.
Stability of Fetal Calcium Levels and Bone Metabolism After Maternal Administration of Thyrocalcitonin

The effect of porcine thyrocalcitonin (TCT) upon fetal calcium metabolism was studied in pregnant rats. Pregnant and nonpregnant rats received 75 μCi 47Ca (0.45 mg Ca) intravenously followed by intramuscular administration of 25.4 MRC units TCT (Armour) 5½ hr later. The disappearance curve of the isotope from the maternal plasma and the alterations in plasma specific activity (SA) within an 8-hr period were determined. Those pregnant rats receiving 47Ca plus TCT showed an acute elevation in the plasma SA of 47Ca within 1 hr and a decrease in total plasma calcium from 10.31 ± 0.10 to 7.62 ± 0.70 mg/100 ml, while nonpregnant rats were only mildly responsive to TCT. It is suggested that the high rate of bone resorption during pregnancy potentiates the response to TCT. Isotope disappearance rates for pregnant rats at 20 days of gestation were nearly identical with those for nonpregnant females. Disappearance of 47Ca from fetal plasma and amniotic fluid was not altered by maternal administration of TCT. Howeve...
Severe chronic EBV infection associated with specific EBV immunodeficiency and an EBNA+ T-cell lymphoma containing linear, EBV DNA.

Abstract A patient with severe chronic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection (CEBVI) of 6 years duration developed an EBV + T-cell lymphoma. To determine whether the development of the T-cell tumor was linked to EBV, we studied this patient's EBV-specific immune response and her T-cell tumor tissue for evidence of EBV infection. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from this patient were systematically studied for immune function and response to EBV. Tumor tissue was examined for EBV genome and for evidence of EBV replication. This patient failed to develop anti-EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA) antibodies and had decreased mitogen responsiveness. Her T-cells showed a broad suppression of both autologous and allogeneic B-cells, which was coincident with clinical hypoimmunoglobulinemia. A selective cytotoxic T-cell defect toward autologous EBV-infected B lymphoblasts, which could not be corrected by the addition of lymphokine-mediated T-cell help, was also documented. A lymph node biopsy taken 5 years after her clinical presentation revealed lymph node architecture completely effaced by a diffuse CD3+, CD4+, Ia+, CR2+ T-cell lymphoma containing EBNA and linear, replicating EBV DNA. Select CEBVI patients with humoral and combined cellular aberrations in the immune response to EBV may be predisposed to the development of EBV + T-cell tumors.
Intracavitary brachytherapy for carcinoma of the esophagus.

Local control of unresectable esophageal carcinomas remains a significant problem in spite of aggressive treatments. External beam radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and combined modality treatment have all been employed with limited success. Here we review the existing literature and our own experience with external beam radiation followed by low-dose-rate or high-dose-rate intracavitary radiation for carcinoma of esophagus. The addition of intracavitary brachytherapy to external beam irradiation is well tolerated, causes no significant toxicity, and improves local control. Low-dose-rate intracavitary boost compared to high-dose-rate intracavitary boost has the advantage of a greater margin of safety, requires a single application, does not require highly sophisticated computerized technology, and is accompanied with fewer high-grade toxicities. Combined modality therapy consisting of concomitant infusional chemotherapy, external beam irradiation, and low-dose-rate intracavitary boost needs to be investigated. Semin. Surg. Oncol. 13:185–189, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Properties of technical efficiency estimators in the stochastic frontier model

This paper considers the disturbance specification E = u - a of the stochastic frontier model. For u distributed zero-mean normal and II half normal or exponential, we evaluate the population correlation coefficients between u and three estimators of u, E(ule) and two linear estimators, for various values of the signal-to-noise ratio. The estimation of frontier cost and production functions has been given impetus by the introduction of the stochastic frontier.’ This model is distinguished by a disturbance term composed of two parts - a one-sided component, non-positive for production functions and non-negative for cost functions, representing the degree of inefficiency, and a symmetric component representing the usual statistical noise (reporting and measurement error, for example) that characterizes any relationship. This formulation has proven to alleviate some of the statistical and practical shortcomings of earlier attempts at measuring frontiers, such as linear programming methods. A serious drawback of this procedure is the inability to measure individual effects. This was the original motivation for the introduction of production isoquants in the pioneering work of Farrell (1957). Instead, all that is available is an estimate of the overall or industry level of inefficiency. In an attempt to rectify this shortcoming, Jondrow et al. (1982) proposed estimating the firmlevel inefficiency with an estimate of the conditional expectation of the one-sided component conditional on the total disturbance. This is an interesting suggestion for an estimator, but the account of its statistical properties is limited to the observation that the sampling error disappears asymptotically. Since the total disturbance contains only imperfect information regarding the one-sided disturbance, the proposed estimator has a certain ‘intrinsic’ variability [Jondrow et al. (1982, p. 235)].
Antiplane Shear Deformations for Homogeneous and Inhomogeneous Anisotropic Linearly Elastic Solids

We consider infinitesimal antiplane shear deformations of an inhomogeneous anisotropic linearly elastic cylinder subject to prescribed surface tractions on its lateral boundary whose only nonzero component is axial and which does not vary in the axial direction. In the absence of body forces, not all arbitrary anisotropic cylinders will sustain an antiplane shear deformation under such tractions. Necessary and sufficient conditions on the elastic moduli are obtained which do allow an antiplane shear. The resulting boundary value problems governing the axial displacement are formulated. Applications to the issue of assessing the influence of anisotropy and inhomogeneity on the decay of Saint Venant end effects are described
Building a Community‐Academic Partnership to Improve Health Outcomes in an Underserved Community

East Garfield Park, IL, is an impoverished community with 59.7% of residents falling below twice the poverty level and 42.6% of its children in poverty. In 2001, the leading causes of hospitalizations were heart disease (10.3%), diabetes (2%), and asthma (3.9%), all of which occur at frequencies 33% greater than the Chicago average. Finally, a review of the health care facilities in the community suggests that there is a need for accessible primary health care services in the area. The purpose of this project was to improve health outcomes in an impoverished, underserved community with documented health care needs and lack of adequate health care services by creating a community-academic partnership to provide on-site, interdisciplinary, health care services within an established and trusted community-based social service agency, Marillac House. The short-term objectives for this project included creating a community-academic partnership between Marillac House and Colleges of Nursing, Medicine, and Health Sciences; providing comprehensive health care services; and developing an innovative clinical education model for interdisciplinary care across specialties. Long-term objectives included providing preventative services; evidenced-based management of acute and chronic illness; evaluating client's health outcomes; and creating a sustainability plan for the long-term success of the health center.
Tuning of single fibers in the cochlear nerve of the alligator lizard: Relation to receptor morphology

(1) The general anatomy of the peripheral portion of the cochlear nerve in the alligator lizard is described. (2) Spike discharges of single units were recorded with micropipets placed in the peripheral portion of the cochlear nerve of anesthetized lizards. (3) In response to tone bursts, each unit is maximally sensitive to a charactertistic frequency (CF). There are two distinct populations of units having different CFs: a low CF population (CF in the range 0.2-0.8 kHz) recorded in the portion of the nerve that enters the apical region of the basilar papilla and a high CF population (CF in the range 0.9-4.0 kHz) recorded in the portion of the nerve that enters the basal region. The low CF units are more sharply tuned than the high CF units. (4) Comparison of cochlear nerve units of the alligator lizard with those of mammals shows that the tuning of low CF units resembles that of mammalian units of the same CF. The tuning of high CF lizard units differs significantly from mammalian units. (5) The distinct differences in tuning of low and high CF units are correlated with distinct differences in the structure of the basilar papilla in the apical and basal regions rather than with differences in the width of the basilar membrane.
Plutonium-related work and cause-specific mortality at the United States Department of Energy Hanford Site

Background Health effects of working with plutonium remain unclear. Plutonium workers at the United States Department of Energy (US-DOE) Hanford Site in Washington State, USA were evaluated for increased risks of cancer and non-cancer mortality. Methods Periods of employment in jobs with routine or non-routine potential for plutonium exposure were identified for 26,389 workers hired between 1944 and 1978. Life table regression was used to examine associations of length of employment in plutonium jobs with confirmed plutonium deposition and with cause specific mortality through 1994. Results Incidence of confirmed internal plutonium deposition in all plutonium workers was 15.4 times greater than in other Hanford jobs. Plutonium workers had low death rates compared to other workers, particularly for cancer causes. Mortality for several causes was positively associated with length of employment in routine plutonium jobs, especially for employment at older ages. At ages 50 and above, death rates for nonexternal causes of death, all cancers, cancers of tissues where plutonium deposits, and lung cancer, increased 2.0+/-1.1%, 2.6+/-2.0%, 4.9+/-3.3%, and 7.1+/-3.4% (+/-SE) per year of employment in routine plutonium jobs, respectively. Conclusions Workers employed in jobs with routine potential for plutonium exposure have low mortality rates compared to other Hanford workers even with adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic, and employment factors. This may be due, in part, to medical screening. Associations between duration of employment in jobs with routine potential for plutonium exposure and mortality may indicate occupational exposure effects.
Genomic imprinting and kinship: how good is the evidence?

▪ Abstract The kinship theory of genomic imprinting proposes that parent-specific gene expression evolves at a locus because a gene's level of expression in one individual has fitness effects on other individuals who have different probabilities of carrying the maternal and paternal alleles of the individual in which the gene is expressed. Therefore, natural selection favors different levels of expression depending on an allele's sex-of-origin in the previous generation. This review considers the strength of evidence in support of this hypothesis for imprinted genes in four “clusters,” associated with the imprinted loci Igf2, Igf2r, callipyge, and Gnas. The clusters associated with Igf2 and Igf2r both contain paternally expressed transcripts that act as enhancers of prenatal growth and maternally expressed transcripts that act as inhibitors of prenatal growth. This is consistent with predictions of the kinship theory. However, the clusters also contain imprinted genes whose phenotypes as yet remain unexpl...
Evolution, systems of interdependence, and social values†

Human social behavior is strongly conditioned by the interdependence relationships that actors, be they individuals or groups, share, as well as the outcomes or values they pursue for self and/or for interdependent others. The economist Kenneth Boulding (1978) has recently set forth a theory of human social behavior that considers the role of biological and cultural evolution in the development and functioning of three major systems of human interdependence. The present paper first briefly describes Boulding's theory in terms of his characterization of the evolution of threat, exchange, and integrative systems of relationship. Subsequently, social values are conceptually defined in terms of actors' preferences for differing distributions of resources for self and/or others. An evaluation is made of threat, exchange, and integrative systems, first in terms of the relative dominance of the particular values that are observed within particular interdependence systems, and second in regard to how cultural norms evolve to control the expression of values within each system. Then, the ways in which various social and behavioral scientists have conceptualized the structures and processes of interdependence are summarized. Finally, two examples are used to illustrate the kinds of issues that emerge when one considers the possible relationships that may obtain among evolution, systems of interdependence, and social values.
A procedure for isolation of single-spore cultures of certain endomycorrhizal fungi

Summary A procedure for the isolation of single-spore cultures of endomycorrhizal fungi is described. A single spore is placed on plant roots with a Pasteur pipette by use of a binocular microscope, and the plant is transplanted into sand in a 50 ml growth tube. Plants are incubated for 6 to 8 weeks in a greenhouse and are continuously subirrigated by capillarity with dilute (5 to 10%) Hoagland's solution. Forty to 80% of plants inoculated by this technique with single spores of Glomus macrocarpus, G. etunicatus and G. caledonius became infected. Cultures of G. constrictus and G. microcarpus were not obtained. Hoagland's solutions of up to 25% were equally effective for isolating G. macrocarpus, but limiting plant size by using only 5 or 10% Hoagland's solution was advantageous. The presence of spores on living root systems was the most reliable indicator of fungal development. Non-inoculated control plants incubated in a common Hoagland's solution reservoir with inoculated plants never became mycorrhizal. The procedure uses readily available materials, is easy to use in the laboratory and conserves greenhouse space and labour.
Reductionism Redux: Computing the Embryo

This paper argues that the consensus physicalist antireductionism in the philosophy of biology cannot accommodate the research strategy or indeed the recent findings of molecular developmental biology. After describing Wolpert's programmatic claims on its behalf, and recent work by Gehring and others to identify the molecular determinants of development, the paper attempts to identify the relationship between evolutionary and developmental biology by reconciling two apparently conflicting accounts of bio-function - Wright's and Nagel's (as elaborated by Cummins). Finally, the paper seeks a way of defending the two central theses of physicalist antireductionism in the light of the research program of molecular developmental biology, by sharply reducing their metaphysical force. 1. The consensus anti-reductionist position in the philosophy of biology The consensus anti-reductionist position in the philosophy of biology begins with a close study of the relationship of Classical genetics (Mendelism and its successors), to the molecular biology of the nucleic acids, and their immediate protein products. This study reveals that there are in fact no laws of Mendelian genetics to be reduced to laws of molecular biology, and no distinctive laws in molecular biology to reduce laws of Mendelian genetics, that the kind terms of the two theories cannot be linked in general statements of manageable length that would systematically connect the two bodies of theory; and that neverthe- less, biologists continue to accord explanatory power to Mendelian genetics, while accepting that Mendelian genes and their properties are "nothing but" nucleic acids and their properties. The first three of these observations serve to completely undermine the thesis once held in the philosophy of biology that Mendelian genetics smoothly reduces to molecular genetics in accordance with some revision of the post-positivist account of reduction. The last two observations have been joined together as "physicalist antireductionism" - so called because
A reconfigurable optical bus structure for shared memory multiprocessors with improved performance

A shared bus can provide only limited bandwidth, a fact that limits its usability. We propose a methodology to reuse part of the bandwidth available from temporal and spectral bandwidth expansion with none or minimum buffering delay, resulting in significant performance improvement in both the effective throughput and response time (communication latency) of a slotted bus. The proposed method entails the design and analysis of a reconfigurable bus structure with both temporal and spectral bandwidth expansion and a polynomial time algorithm for optimal configurations for given traffic conditions. We have compared the performance of our reconfigured bus with that of the traditional slotted bus for uniform and localized traffic pattern and found that the reconfigured bus outperforms the traditional slotted bus substantially in many practical scenarios.
Utilization of a portable microchip gas chromatograph to identify and reduce fugitive emissions at a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant

Eli Lilly and Company utilizes a mass balance procedure to track solvent usage at its manufacturing and pilot plant locations. Although the mass balance procedure provides accurate usage information, it is not useful as a tool for rapid identification and quantitation of fugitive volatile organic compounds (VOCs). As government regulations and permitting requirements demanded more specific information, it became obvious that a system was needed for rapid identification and quantitation of fugitive VOCs. In 1991, Eli Lilly and Company investigated both technology and methodology which would identify and quantitate specific VOCs. The objective was to reduce fugitive VOC emissions by understanding both the sources of emissions and the operating parameters that allowed their occurrence. After reviewing existing technologies such as FT-IR, mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography, the company purchased five portable microchip gas chromatographs. These instruments were incorporated into a routine monitoring program that profiled various production facilities and tank farms for specific VOC emissions. Once baseline emissions were established, the instruments were strategically located to monitor the effect of various improvement activities. The result of using portable gas chromatographs to establish an emission profile was an 86% reduction in fugitive VOC emissions over a 2-year period. This article presents a portable gas chromatograph and sample interface that quantitates methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, acetone, acetonitrile, ethyl acetate, methylene chloride, and toluene in 2 minutes. A typical linear range for these compounds is 5 ppm to 1%. The philosophy of incorporating this technology into routine manufacturing processes will also be discussed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Field Analyt Chem Technol 1:367–374, 1997
Driver's view and vehicle surround estimation using omnidirectional video stream

Our research is focused on the development of novel machine vision based telematic systems, which provide non-intrusive probing of the state of the driver and driving conditions. In this paper we present a system which allows simultaneous capture of the driver's head pose, driving view, and surroundings of the vehicle. The integrated machine vision system utilizes a video stream of full 360 degree panoramic field of view. The processing modules include perspective transformation, feature extraction, head detection, head pose estimation, driving view synthesis, and motion segmentation. The paper presents a multi-state statistical decision models with Kalman filtering based tracking for head pose detection and face orientation estimation. The basic feasibility and robustness of the approach is demonstrated with a series of systematic experimental studies.
Syntactic representations in agrammatic aphasia: the case of prepositions.

The focus of this paper is the syntactic deficit in agrammatic aphasia. The specific issue is the extent to which prepositions are impaired in this syndrome. This category is of particular interest because of the unique role its members play in the grammar. This is the organization of the paper: First, several descriptive generalizations are examined critically, and arguments against them are advanced. Then, a new hypothesis is formulated, stated in terms of current linguistic theory. This hypothesis views the deficit as being partial from a syntactic point of view. The relevant notion to account for the data (i.e., partitioning the impaired from preserved prepositions) is Government, a structural relation that must hold between the preposition at issue and the verb. The consequences of this hypothesis are derived, and an experiment that was conducted to test them is reported. The findings of this experiment not only support the hypothesis, but also suggest that the impairment is unique to agrammatic aphasic patients, since the performance of a control group of fluent aphasics was different. Finally, several theoretical issues are discussed in light of the findings and of the proposed description of the agrammatic deficit.
Father–Daughter Parentification and Young Adult Romantic Relationships Among College Women:

The present study examined the association between retrospective reports of paternal parentification and self-reports of romantic relationship satisfaction and insecurity among a sample of 542 college women (mean age = 19.29 years). Results indicated that paternal parentification is negatively associated with romantic relationship satisfaction and positively associated with romantic relationship insecurity among undergraduate women, after controlling for levels of maternal parentification. These direct relationships were mediated by insecure adult attachment styles, including attachment-related avoidance and anxiety. Finally, consistent with past research of contextual variables, paternal health moderated the indirect effect of avoidant attachment style; the relation between paternal parentification and avoidant attachment was not significant for women who reported their fathers were ill when they were growing up. These results extend the current literature on parentification by focusing on data regarding...
Electroless Nanoparticle Film Deposition Compatible with Photolithography, Microcontact Printing, and Dip-Pen Nanolithography Patterning Technologies

Nanoparticles of Au, Pd, and Pt form spontaneously as thin, morphologically complex metallic films upon various semiconducting or metal substrates such as Ge(100), Cu, Zn, and Sn, via galvanic displacement from aqueous metal salt solutions. Patterning of these high surface area metal films into ordered structures utilizing photolithography, microcontact printing (μ-CP), and dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) is demonstrated on flat Ge(100), and (for μ-CP) on rough Zn foil.
Program of African Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston

African studies at Northwestern University will enter a new phase of their history in September 1964, when Professor Gwendolen M. Carter takes up her post as director of the Program and Herskovits Professor of African Studies. The new appointment coincides with an expanding intellectual involvement of the faculty with the developing countries of the world, which have been somewhat neglected by scholarship, and the future goals of the Program are closely related to this wider academic development. First, however, a note on the background.
Neuroendocrine regulation by the Agouti/Agrp-melanocortin system.

(2000). Neuroendocrine Regulation by the Agouti/Agrp-Melanocortin System. Endocrine Research: Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 571-571.
Cost-effectiveness of prospective red blood cell antigen matching to prevent alloimmunization among sickle cell patients.

Background Sickle cell disease is associated with extensive health care utilization; estimated lifetime costs exceed $460,000 per patient. Approximately 30% of chronically transfused sickle cell patients become alloimmunized to red blood cell antigens, but these patients cannot be identified a priori. Prospective antigen matching can prevent alloimmunization, but is costly and may not benefit most patients. Study design and methods A Markov-based model was constructed to compare the health and financial implications of four alternative antigen-matching strategies for chronically transfused sickle cell patients. The strategies varied by the group of patients receiving matched blood (all patients prophylactically or only patients with a history of alloimmunization [history-based]), and by the extent of antigen matching (limited to C, E, and K, or extended to 11 antigens). Direct medical costs and alloimmunization events were assessed over 10- and 20-year periods, for a hypothetical cohort of initially transfusion-naive patients and for a dynamic population. Results Within a hypothetical cohort of initially transfusion-naive patients, implementing prophylactic limited matching for all chronically transfused patients instead of history-based limited matching is expected to cost an additional $765.56 million over 10 years, but result in 2072 fewer alloimmunization events. Within the same cohort, implementing prospective extensive matching is expected to cost $1.86 billion more than history-based extensive matching, but result in 2424 fewer alloimmunization events. Averting a single alloimmunization event using prospective matching would cost $369,482 to $769,284. Among a dynamic population over 10 years, prospective limited matching is expected to cost $358.34 million more than history-based limited matching. Conclusions While prospective matching for all transfused patients would reduce alloimmunization, this strategy requires considerable expenditure.
Simultaneous Bayesian Inference for Longitudinal Data with Asymmetry, Left-censoring and Covariates Measured with Errors

It is a common practice to analyze complex longitudinal data using flexible nonlinear mixed-effects (NLME) models with normality assumption. However, a serious departure of normality may cause lack of robustness and subsequently lead to invalid inference and unreasonable estimates. Covariates are usually introduced in such models to partially explain inter-subject variations, but some covariates may be often measured with substantial errors. Moreover, the response observations may be subject to left-censoring due to a detection limit. Inferential procedures can be complicated dramatically when data with asymmetric (skewed) characteristics, leftcensoring and measurement errors are observed. In the literature, there has been considerable interest in accommodating either skewness, censoring or covariate measurement errors in such models, but there is relatively little work concerning all of the three features simultaneously. In this article, we jointly investigate a skew-t NLME model for response (with left-censoring) process and a skew-t nonparametric mixedeffects model for covariate (with measurement errors) process. We propose a robust skew-t Bayesian modeling approach in a general form to analyze data in capturing the effects of skewness, censoring and measurement errors in covariates simultaneously. A real data example is offered to illustrate the methodologies. The proposed modeling alternative offers important advantages in the sense that the model can be easily fitted in freely available software and the computational effort for the model with a skew-t distribution is almost equivalent to that of the model with a standard normal distribution.
Control of Arabidopsis Root Development

The Arabidopsis root has been the subject of intense research over the past decades. This research has led to significantly improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying root development. Key insights into the specification of individual cell types, cell patterning, growth and differentiation, branching of the primary root, and responses of the root to the environment have been achieved. Transcription factors and plant hormones play key regulatory roles. Recently, mechanisms involving protein movement and the oscillation of gene expression have also been uncovered. Root gene regulatory networks controlling root development have been reconstructed from genome-wide profiling experiments, revealing novel molecular connections and models. Future refinement of these models will lead to a more complete description of the complex molecular interactions that give rise to a simple growing root.
Dynamic allocation of reconfigurable resources ina two-stage Tandem queueing system with reliability considerations

Consider a two-stage tandem queueing system, with dedicated machines in each stage. Additional reconfigurable resources can be assigned to one of these two stations without setup cost and time. In a clearing system (without external arrivals) both with and without machine failures, we show the existence of an optimal monotone policy. Moreover, when all of the machines are reliable, the switching curve defined by this policy has slope greater than or equal to -1. This continues to hold true when the holding cost rate is higher at the first stage and machine failures are considered.
Scintillating-nanoparticle-induced enhancement of absorbed radiation dose

Cerium-doped lanthanum fluoride colloidal nanocrystals offer a way to improve external radiation therapy through the enhanced absorption of high energy photons, as well as through the emission of UV light in the presence of radiation, providing a second cell killing mechanism. Lanthanum fluoride nanocrystals doped with 10% cerium were anhydrously synthesized in methanol as platelets 10-12 nm in diameter and 4-6 nm thick. The nanocrystals were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and by steady state UV-visible optical absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Using an incoming gamma flux from a 137 Cs source and a Fricke dosimeter solution to measure absorbed energy, a 55% enhancement of absorbed dose was measured for a 1.2 mg/ml loading of nanocrystals over exposure range from one to four kiloroentgens.
Cerebrospinal fluid homovanillic acid and parkinsonism in Huntington's disease

In Huntington's disease (HD), normal or Decemberreased levels of homovanillic acid (HVA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been reported but have not been analyzed with respect to severity of parkinsonism, which in certain cases may be a predominant feature of the illness. We obtained CSF by lumbar puncture from four groups of nonmedicated subjects: (1) those with HD in the earliest stages of illness (n = 51), (2) those with parkinsonism, including idiopathic (n = 10) and atypical forms (n = 4), (3) those with nonparkinsonian movement disorders (n = 19), and (4) normal volunteers (n = 4). HVA was determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, and motor signs were assessed in standardized fashion. The parkinsonian group had reduced levels of CSF HVA, but the other groups showed no significant differences. For those with HD, no correlation was found between HVA level and severity of parkinsonism, and there were no differences in HVA level between those subjects with (n = 14) of without (n = 37) prominent parkinsonism or between subjects whose age at illness onset was 30 years or less (n = 16) and those whose age at onset was over 30 (n = 35). Our findings indicate that in early, untreated HD, CSF HVA is in the normal range and does not correlate with the severity of parkinsonism. This observation supports neuropathological findings suggesting that parkinsonian features in HD are largely related to the loss of postsynaptic striatal dopamine receptors rather than to presynaptic nigral degeneration.
Control of an industrial robot subjected to base mobility

To remove the cell size limitation and to make cellular manufacturing systems more flexible, research has been conducted in which an industrial robot has been given base mobility via an air pallet base and use of existing joint actuators and strategically located, compliant posts. For investigating this new approach of robot mobility within a cell, an appropriate control system has been designed and implemented that interfaces with the standard industrial controller. This paper is a presentation of the resulting control system consisting of multiple-sensor integration into its hierarchical levels. Using the concept of logical sensors, experimental verification is presented for each of the logical sensor subsystems and its successful integration with the existing industrial controller. Experimental results obtained for the fully integrated robot controller illustrate the effectiveness of the multiple-sensor, hierarchical controller for self-propelled mobile robots operating within a manufacturing cell. >
Resuscitation with Diaspirin Crosslinked Hemoglobin in a pig model of hemorrhagic shock.

The efficacy of Diaspirin Crosslinked Hemoglobin (DCLHbTM) as a resuscitative fluid in hemorrhagic shock was compared to another colloid solution (human serum albumin, HSA) and a crystalloid solution (Lactated Ringer's, LR). Hemorrhage (35 mL/kg) was followed by isovolemic exchange then volume replacement. This modeled the clinical situation where resuscitative fluids are administered prior to stopping the hemorrhage, the hemorrhage is stopped, then blood volume is restored. Four combinations of resuscitative fluids were evaluated during isovolemic exchange: volume replacement: DCLHb:LR, HSA:LR, HSA:HSA and LR:LR. All doses were 10 mL/kg:35 mL/kg except LR:LR which was 10 mL/kg: 125 mL/kg. Volume replacement was followed by a stabilization period and reinfusion of shed blood (35 mL/kg). MAP increased most rapidly using DCLHb (from 48 to 102 mmHg after 10 min. of isovolemic exchange) and was maintained for at least 2 hours. Arterial oxygen content and acid-base status were significantly improved after resu...
DYSTROPHIC CALCIFICATION AND MINERALIZATION DURING BONE INDUCTION: BIOCHEMICAL DIFFERENCES

The calcification of implants of glutaraldehyde-cross linked collagenous tissues and collagen was studied in young and old rats and compared to bone induction by non-crosslinked osteogenically active demineralized bone matrix (DBM). Glutaraldehyde-crosslinked implants of DBM, tendon, and cartilage calcified in young but not in old animals and accumulated only trace amounts of BGP (Bone Gla protein, osteocalcin). Alkaline phosphatase activity and BGP was high in implants of DBM and undetectable in crosslinked implants. To try and understand why bone formation is so significantly reduced in older Fischer 344 rats, we developed a system which consists of cylinders of DBM sealed at the ends with a Millipore filter. Cells originating from 20 day old embryo donors were introduced into the chambers prior to subcutaneousmplantation. After 4 weeks of implantation in 26 month old rats, the cylinders containing embryonic calvaria or muscle cells were found to be full of bone and/or cartilage.
Diet and risk of endometriosis in a population-based case–control study

Diet plausibly has a role in the aetiology of endometriosis through effects on steroid hormone levels; however, few published studies have examined the diet and endometriosis risk. We evaluated dietary risk factors for endometriosis in a population-based case-control study. Cases were 284 Group Health (GH) enrollees aged 18-49 years with newly diagnosed, surgically confirmed endometriosis between 1996 and 2001. Controls were 660 randomly selected age-matched female GH enrollees without a history of endometriosis. Nutrients and selected food groups were assessed using the Women's Health Initiative FFQ. OR of endometriosis risk associated with dietary exposures were estimated using unconditional logistic regression and adjusted for identified covariates. Increased total fat consumption was associated with decreased endometriosis risk (fourth quartile v. lowest: OR 0·5, 95% CI 0·2, 1·0, P-trend = 0·12). Increased β-carotene consumption and servings/d of fruit were associated with increased risk (β-carotene third quartile v. lowest: OR 1·7, 95% CI 1·1, 2·6; fourth quartile v. lowest: OR 1·6, 95% CI 1·0, 2·5, P-trend 0·16; fruit >2 servings/d v. 2 servings/d v. ≤ 1: OR 0·7), but this association was not statistically significant for the highest tertile. The present study suggests that specific dietary components may be associated with endometriosis risk.
G Protein–Coupled Receptor Kinase 5 Exploring Its Hype in Cardiac Hypertrophy

It is an established dogma that G-protein–coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) classically direct the desensitization and internalization of their eponymous receptors through direct phosphorylation. Yet, it is the noncanonical action of GRKs that has increasingly attracted the interest of groups seeking novel insight into vexing pathophysiological questions. Among the 7 GRK isoforms, several findings suggest that GRK5 may have particular relevance to the development of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure (HF). Beyond its classical function, GRK5 contains a DNA-binding nuclear localization sequence1 and has recently been reported to modify myocardial gene transcription through histone deacetylase kinase activity.2 Furthermore, GRK5 expression is elevated in the ventricles of patients with HF,3 and transgenic cardiac-specific GRK5 overexpression produced pronounced hypertrophy and accelerated HF progression upon pressure-overload challenge in mice.2 Article, see p 1048 To date, the question remains whether endogenous GRK5 is a prerequisite for hypertrophy and HF development in the face of cardiac stress. In this issue of Circulation Research , Gold et al4 have begun to address this issue by using global and cardiac-restricted GRK5 knockout mice. They report that when subjected to transverse aortic constriction, both the global and cardiac-restricted GRK5 …
Synthesis of the Chemical Elements

The origin of the chemical elements in nature is understood in terms of nuclear reactions which occur in a variety of cosmological settings. In order to develop a self-consistent explanation of these processes, extensive information from many diverse fields of science is required. First, one must know the characteristic abundances of the elements and their isotopes in the universe, for it is these values that any successful theory of nucleosynthesis must reproduce. Second, it is necessary to investigate all possible nuclear processes that might give rise to these abundances. Finally, an appropriate cosmological environment must be found which is capable of generating the essential nuclear reactions. The major sources of element production will be reviewed. These include: 1) Cosmological processes associated with the big bang 2) Nucleosynthesis in stars during stellar evolution from main sequence stars through the supernova stage 3) Formation of elements via interactions of galactic cosmic rays with the interstellar medium
Structure, function, and expression of SEL-1, a negative regulator of LIN-12 and GLP-1 in C. elegans

Previous work indicated that sel-1 functions as a negative regulator of lin-12 activity, and predicted that SEL-1 is a secreted or membrane associated protein. In this study, we describe cell ablation experiments that suggest sel-1 mutations elevate lin-12 activity cell autonomously. We also use transgenic approaches to demonstrate that the predicted signal sequence of SEL-1 can direct secretion and is important for function, while a C-terminal hydrophobic region is not required for SEL-1 function. In addition, by analyzing SEL-1 localization using specific antisera we find that SEL-1 is localized intracellularly, with a punctate staining pattern suggestive of membrane bound vesicles. We incorporate these observations, and new information about a related yeast gene, into a proposal for a possible mechanism for SEL-1 function in LIN-12 turnover.
Adolescent chronic stress causes hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical hypo-responsiveness and depression-like behavior in adult female rats.

Adolescence is a period of substantial neuroplasticity in stress regulatory neurocircuits. Chronic stress exposure during this period leads to long-lasting changes in neuroendocrine function and emotional behaviors, suggesting adolescence may be a critical period for development of stress vulnerability. This study investigated the effects of exposure to 14 days of chronic variable stress (CVS) in late-adolescent (pnd 45–58) female rats on neuroendocrine function, neuropeptide mRNA expression and depressive-like behavior in adolescence (pnd 59) and in adulthood (pnd 101). Adult females exposed to CVS in adolescence have a blunted hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis in response to a novel stressor and increased immobility in the forced swim test. Blunted HPA axis responses were accompanied by reduced vasopressin mRNA expression in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), suggesting decreased central drive. Adolescent females tested immediately after CVS did not exhibit differences in stress reactivity or immobility in the forced swim test, despite evidence for enhanced central HPA axis drive (increased CRH mRNA expression in PVN). Overall, our study demonstrates that exposure to chronic stress in adolescence is sufficient to induce lasting changes in neuroendocrine drive and behavior, potentially altering the developmental trajectory of stress circuits as female rats age into adulthood.
Low-Income Immigrant Hispanic Mothers' Concerns and Perceptions of Their Young Child's Weight.

Objectives To describe how low-income Hispanic immigrant mothers' concerns and perceptions of her child's health, along with her concerns for herself becoming overweight, relate to her (a) concerns that her child will become overweight and (b) underestimation of her child's weight status. Design and Sample Cross-sectional survey and direct body composition assessments were collected among 96 low-income Hispanic mothers and their young children from Houston-area community centers. Measures Data were collected on maternal concerns and perceptions of child's weight and health, concerns about her own weight, demographic characteristics, and measured child's height and weight. Results Fifty-four percent of mothers with an overweight/obese child perceived their child was “about the right weight.” Mothers concerned with becoming overweight themselves had 3 times higher odds of being concerned that her child would become overweight (OR = 3.01, p < .01). Mothers who perceived their child as less healthy had approximately 2 times higher odds of underestimating their child's weight (OR = 1.86, p < .01). Conclusions Short screeners that focus on maternal concerns about herself and her child becoming overweight, along with perceptions of her child's health and weight status, may assist nurses in effectively tailoring their health message at point of care.