cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flat mid-infrared composite plasmonic materials using lateral doping-patterned semiconductors

We demonstrate lateral control of carrier concentration in doped Si for mid-infrared plasmonic applications. Using commercially available spin-dopants, we show that doped silicon can act as a plasmonic material at mid-infrared wavelengths, and that control of the doping pattern allows for the development of flat, single-material plasmonic composites. Our materials are characterized by infrared spectroscopy and microscopy, surface profilometry and infrared emissivity measurements. We demonstrate the ability to fabricate subwavelength doped features and show distinct diffraction from one-dimensional arrays of ‘metal’ lines patterned in our material system.
Neonatal infection caused by adenovirus type 7

An infant was studied who developed signs of sepsis at 48 hours of age. Routine cultures failed to give evidence of bacterial infection. Viral cultures obtained during life indicated disseminated adenoviral infection. Postmortem study provided confirmative evidence of viral infection of lung, liver, and kidney and of overwhelming viral pneumonitis as a cause of death. Adenovirus type 7 was the agent isolated.
Silicon-induced enhancement in secondary ion emission from silicates

The systematics of secondary ion emission from silicates is studied in the binary silicate glass systems CaAl2O4SiO2 and MgAl2O4SiO2, using a primary beam of O− ions. It has been found that the emission of low-energy ions is enhanced for Mg, Ca and Al as a function of Si, resulting in a sharpening of the secondary ion energy distribution of these elements. The results are qualitatively consistent with those of Yu and Reuter [17,18] on binary alloys. A mechanism is proposed to explain the enhanced ionization and variation of ion energy distribution as a function of Si content, which involves a collisional exchange of charge and oxygen between sputtered neutral oxide molecules and Si+ ions. Linear relationships are obtained between the observed intensity ratio (against Si) and atomic ratio (against Si) for Ca and Al using high-energy (80±10 eV) ions: these are found to be directly applicable to natural silicate minerals. It is concluded that one of the major factors for the “matrix” effects of the major elements in silicates is Si-induced enhancement of ionization and can be adequately corrected for.
Distributed directory service in the Farsite file system

We present the design, implementation, and evaluation of a fully distributed directory service for Farsite, a logically centralized file system that is physically implemented on a loosely coupled network of desktop computers. Prior to this work, the Farsite system included distributed mechanisms for file content but centralized mechanisms for file metadata. Our distributed directory service introduces tree-structured file identifiers that support dynamically partitioning metadata at arbitrary granularity, recursive path leases for scalably maintaining name-space consistency, and a protocol for consistently performing operations on files managed by separate machines. It also mitigates metadata hotspots via file-field leases and the new mechanism of disjunctive leases. We experimentally show that Farsite can dynamically partition file-system metadata while maintaining full file-system semantics.
Force resultants for deep-water wave-excited offshore structures

Abstract Concepts are developed which lead to an improved understanding of the characteristics of the wave forces that act on deep-water, jacket-type offshore structures. These concepts are the result of comprehensive examinations of both the inertia and the drag force components of the wave excitation. It is shown that, under conditions which are of practical importance, the resultants of the inertia and drag force components can both be expressed in terms of the motion of the sea surface. Fundamental modal forces which govern fundamental modal responses for offshore structures are also examined, and the relationships between these modal forces and the resultants of the inertia and drag force components are established. The structural response itself is further examined, and valuable information is developed which is believed to be of practical importance.
Cell-Permeable β-Peptide Inhibitors of p53•hDM2 Complexation

Look at what the cat(ionic motif) dragged in! We report a general strategy to increase the cell permeability of beta(3)-peptides. Introduction of a minimal cationic motif within the folded structure of a high-affinity beta(3)-peptide ligand for hDM2 led to molecules with high 3(14)-helical structure, high hDM2 affinity and sufficient cell permeability to upregulate p53-dependent genes in live mammalian cells. Minimally cationic beta(3)-peptides represent the critical first step towards a class of protease-resistant peptidomimetics that might modulate intracellular biological pathways.
Development and application of a suite of non-pungency markers for the Pun1 gene in pepper (Capsicum spp.)

Pungency in peppers is due to the presence of capsaicinoid molecules, which are only produced in Capsicum species. The major gene Pun1 is required for the production of capsaicinoids. Three distinct mutant alleles of Pun1 have been found in three cultivated Capsicum species, one of which has been widely utilized by breeders. Although these mutations have been previously identified, a robust collection of molecular markers for the set of alleles is not available. This has been hindered by the existence of at least one paralogous locus that tends to amplify with Pun1. We present a suite of markers that can differentiate the four Pun1 alleles and test them on a diverse panel of pepper lines and in an F2 population segregating for pungency. These markers will be useful for pepper breeding, germplasm characterization, and seed purity testing.
Laser optoacoustic imaging of turbid media: determination of optical properties by comparison with diffusion theory and Monte Carlo simulation

Laser optoacoustic imaging based on time-resolved detection of laser-induced thermoelastic pressure waves can be potentially used in medicine as a diagnostic tool (tomography) and as means to measure tissue optical properties in vivo. Information on tissue optical properties in vivo is important for laser dosimetry and tissue characterization. Analysis of the profile and amplitude of laser-induced transient stress can provide direct information about absorbed energy distribution in irradiated volume. Pressure wave profiles exactly correspond to temperature distributions generated in tissues under irradiation conditions of temporal stress confinement. In this study we experimentally measured pressure wave profile and amplitude upon irradiation of highly scattering gel phantoms and aqueous solutions colored with potassium chromate and made turbid with polystyrene spheres. A wide-band lithium niobate acoustic transducer was used to detect laser-induced pressure waves. The experimentally measured laser-induced stress profiles and the results of a Monte Carlo simulation were in excellent agreement. Computer code was developed to calculate separately absorption and scattering coefficients from transient stress profiles. Our study has demonstrated feasibility of time-resolved detection of laser-induced acoustic transients as a method for tissue optical properties measurements in vivo.
Outcome of 19 dogs with parathyroid carcinoma after surgical excision

Parathyroid carcinoma (PTC) is rare in dogs and there is little information documenting its treatment and prognosis. The objective of this study was to describe the outcome of dogs with PTC treated with surgical excision. Medical records of 19 dogs undergoing surgical excision of PTC between 1990 and 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. Dogs were presented for clinical hypercalcaemia or incidental hypercalcaemia noted by referring veterinarians on routine serum chemistry profiles. A parathyroid nodule was identified with cervical ultrasound in 17/17 dogs. Hypercalcaemia resolved in 18/19 dogs within 4 days postoperatively. Nine developed hypocalcaemia. None were confirmed to develop recurrent or metastatic PTC. The only death associated with PTC was a dog that was euthanized for intractable hypocalcaemia 9 days after surgery. Estimated 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates were 72, 37 and 30%, respectively. Excision of PTC results in resolution of hypercalcaemia and excellent tumour control.
Noble gas abundance patterns in deep-sea basalts — Primordial gases from the mantle

Abstract Rapidly cooled portions of eleven samples of mid-ocean ridge tholeiitic basalt pillows have noble gas abundance patterns which resemble the solar rare gas pattern rather than the noble gas pattern of the terrestrial atmosphere. We conclude that these samples contain primordial noble gases. In contrast, holocrystalline samples and a sample from the interior of a basalt pillow have noble gas abundance patterns which resemble the sea water pattern. Whereas the quenched glossy margins of basalt pillows record a non-atmospheric gas reservoir, these slowly cooled samples apparently have undergone exchange of their noble gases with those dissolved in sea water.
Circadian studies of the spontaneous rotational behavior of the gerbil

Abstract Normal unoperated gerbils rotate or turn in circles spontaneously (i.e., without lesions or drugs). Two experiments were conducted to determine possible circadian patterns of spontaneous rotation. In Experiment 1, one hour testing indicated that rotational behavior during the light and dark portions of the diurnal cycle are not different. In Experiment 2, continuous monitoring of rotation for 6-day sessions revealed that gerbils maintain a steady baseline level of rotation throughout the diurnal cycle, unlike rats which spontaneously rotate only at night. Two-thirds of gerbils tested rotated in one direction during an initial phase of testing and then switched the direction of preferred rotation for the remainder of the test session. These shifts in direction of rotation by some gerbils may reflect the influence of arousal on lateralized behavior. Thus, the spontaneous rotational behavior of gerbils is characterized both by a distinct lack of circadian fluctuation and directional variability.
Enhancement of Solution NMR and MRI with Laser-Polarized Xenon

Optical pumping with laser light can be used to polarize the nuclear spins of gaseous xenon-129. When hyperpolarized xenon-129 is dissolved in liquids, a time-dependent departure of the proton spin polarization from its thermal equilibrium is observed. The variation of the magnetization is an unexpected manifestation of the nuclear Overhauser effect, a consequence of cross-relaxation between the spins of solution protons and dissolved xenon-129. Time-resolved magnetic resonance images of both nuclei in solution show that the proton magnetization is selectively perturbed in regions containing spin-polarized xenon-129. This effect could find use in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of surfaces and proteins and in magnetic resonance imaging.
The reachable workarea of a manipulator

Abstract The study of the workspaces of a manipulator is both valuable and difficult. As the number of links increases the resultant expressions get more and more cumbersome to manipulate as multi-parameter families. We consider here a manipulator with only revolute joints and an arbitrary number of links, and derive an outer boundary for the workvolume. In general manipulators will have at most six links, since this provides full flexibility, but it is not a requirement. This paper describes an algorithm for finding the boundary of the reachable volume of an arbitrary revolute joint manipulator, and applies it to some examples.
Bayesian centroid estimation for motif discovery

Biological sequences may contain patterns that signal important biomolecular functions; a classical example is regulation of gene expression by transcription factors that bind to specific patterns in genomic promoter regions. In motif discovery we are given a set of sequences that share a common motif and aim to identify not only the motif composition, but also the binding sites in each sequence of the set. We propose a new centroid estimator that arises from a refined and meaningful loss function for binding site inference. We discuss the main advantages of centroid estimation for motif discovery, including computational convenience, and how its principled derivation offers further insights about the posterior distribution of binding site configurations. We also illustrate, using simulated and real datasets, that the centroid estimator can differ from the traditional maximum a posteriori or maximum likelihood estimators.
Hypertrophied plasma cells in regional enteritis.

The intestinal mucosal inflammatory reaction of regional enteritis was found to be rich in plasma cells and poor in fibroblasts. Compared with ulcerative colitis or normal controls, these differences were statistically significant. Micrometric measurements of plasma cells in the lamina propria of 25 patients with regional enteritis and colonic diverticulitis also showed the plasma cells to be significantly larger in regional enteritis. The functional relations of the intestinal plasma cells to gamma-A-immunoglobulins are discussed in relation to the pathogenesis of regional enteritis.
The structure of PR toxin, a mycotoxin from Penicillium roqueforti

Abstract An earlier report from our laboratories described the isolation, partial characterization, and biological activity of a new mycotoxin from cultures of Penicillium roqueforti, and the name “PR toxin” was tentatively assigned to the compound. On the basis of further chemical and spectral evidence we propose that PR toxin has the structure shown in formula 1. 1
Problem-based learning and clinical practice: The nurse practitioners' perspective.

Summary This paper reports the findings of a phenomenological study which explored the lived experience of the nurse practitioner (NP) who had been educated through a problem-based learning (PBL) approach and the meaning of that education on the NPs current clinical practice. This was accomplished through the use of in-depth interviews to gather information from 13 practicing NPs. It was found that information obtained in the PBL classroom could be directly applied to professional practice providing the NP with the skills needed for clinical decision making with a holistic viewpoint and satisfaction in clinical practice. The analysis both supports and challenges the current research on perceptions, experiences, satisfaction, and outcomes related to PBL.
Viscous equilibrium computations using program LAURA

Modifications have been made to the Langley Aerothermodynamic Upwind Relaxation Algorithm (LAURA) that enable it to compute viscous airflows under the assumption of thermal and chemical equilibrium. Equilibrium thermodynamic and transport property information are input to the code via curve fits. The periodic updating of this information enables the equilibrium algorithm to perform at a computational rate that is only a small percentage larger than the rate associated with the perfect-gas algorithm. Presented in this article are the results of the initial validation of the modified code. Solutions for surface pressure and heating are presented for the flow over slender and blunt cones at realistic reentry conditions. LAURA solutions are compared with those produced by a viscous shock-layer method, and, for one case considered, with heat transfer data from a flight experiment. For both pressure and heating, the agreement is good. In general, differences in pressure of a few percent were noted, while differences in heating rates were in the 5-10 percent range.
Severe Obesity Is Associated with Symptomatic Presentation, Higher Parathyroid Hormone Levels, and Increased Gland Weight in Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Context: A relationship between primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and obesity has been observed but is incompletely understood. Furthermore, obesity has been associated with vitamin D deficiency, suggesting that the three conditions may be linked. Objective: We hypothesized that PHPT in morbidly obese patients is more severe and that the difference may be explained by vitamin D deficiency. Design and Setting, Participants, and Outcome Measures: Records of 196 patients with surgically treated PHPT and known body mass index (BMI) were examined. Patients were stratified into three BMI groups: group I (nonobese), BMI < 25 kg/m2 (n = 54); group II (non-severely obese), BMI 25–34 kg/m2 (n = 102); and group III (severely obese), BMI 35 kg/m2 or greater (n = 40). Results: Preoperative PTH levels were higher in group ΙΙΙ compared with group Ι (181 ± 153 vs. 140 ± 80 pg/ml, p = 0.04). Group III patients had larger tumors on average compared with group I (1.8 ± 1.5 vs. 1.04 ± 1.5 g, P = 0.0002). In group III, BMI p...
Assessment of wheat fibre reinforced cementitious matrix

The technology of using synthetic fibres in reinforced concrete structures continues to mature. This research is intended to address the use of natural fibres derived from wheat straws for reinforcing cementitious matrix specimens. In order to study the properties of the cementitious matrix reinforced with wheat fibres, 156 specimens were tested in uniaxial compression and flexure. The compression tests were conducted on 2 in (50.8 mm) cubes, while the flexural tests were conducted on 1.58 × 1.58 × 6.30 in (40 × 40 × 160 mm) prisms. Several lengths of fibres and percentages in the range of 0.5% to 5% by volume of the specimens were tested in order to determine which would yield the highest load and stiffness. Specimens reinforced with polypropylene fibres were tested in order to benchmark the results. The average uniaxial compression load of the specimens reinforced with 0.5% long wheat fibres exceeded that of their counterparts reinforced with 0.5% polypropylene fibres by 15%.
Microchannels as Models of Pathophysiological Blood Cell Adhesion (Keynote)

Microchannels have been used in the biomedical sciences to produce a well-defined shear field in the vicinity of a reactive planar boundary. In our laboratory, we have used such systems (h∼200 microns) to probe the affinity of circulating white blood cells, human blood platelets, and stem cells for various immobilized adhesion proteins. Computer simulations are used in conjunction with in vitro flow experiments to study the behavior of cells in the context of inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases. These simulations have been instrumental in demonstrating the collective physical phenomena that occur through cell-cell hydrodynamic interactions in dense suspensions of circulating cells. Recently, we have shown that microchannels with molecular micropatterned walls are much more effective at capturing flowing cells from the free stream than equivalent uniform surfaces. These systems have great potential for biotechnology applications such as high-throughput purification of bone marrow-derived stem cells. Finally, I discuss recent results characterizing the spatial patterns of leukocyte adhesion around branched microvessels (D<40 microns) in the live mouse microcirculation, which highlight the need for engineered microchannel systems for better understanding of the transport in these geometries.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Assessment and Good Teaching

. This article has three purposes. First, it makes the case for assessment as an educational practice that flows from the core concerns of a school, in this piece particularly seminaries and theological schools. Second, it describes practices that enable assessment to be a resource for achieving the quality everyone wants from an educational and formational program. Finally, it concludes with comments about building a “culture for assessment” so that it becomes a normative practice in how a school goes about the work of education and formation. This article will appear as a chapter in the forthcoming book Educating Leaders for Ministry, which is a collection of essays from the work of the 1996–2000 Keystone Conferences of Roman Catholic seminaries, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.
Two-Dimensional Infrared Spectroscopy and Electron Microscopy of Seeded and Non-Seeded Amyloid β Peptide Fibrils

Seeded and non-seeded fibrils from amyloid β 40-residue (Aβ40) peptides have been studied with two-dimensional infrared (2D-IR) spectroscopy and electron microscopy (EM). For the former, 13C=18O isotope labels were placed in various residues to probe residue-specific amide-I' vibrations of Aβ40 peptides. 2D-IR spectroscopy (2D-IR photon echo) of both kinds of fibrils shows distinct linear chain excitons of amide units due to the interamide vibrational coupling. Structural differences between the seeded and the non-seeded fibrils vary across the sequence. However, seeded fibrils tend to have a better aligned tertiary structure than non-seeded fibrils. Negatively stained EM images indicate that non-seeded fibrils had no discernible narrowing or nodes. In comparison, seeded fibrils tend to appear twisted like a ribbon, with periodic narrowing or nodes. The distances between nodes (the “internodal” distances) were relatively homogeneous distributions (∼75 nm) and the same in all isotopically labeled peptides. The apparent width of the fibrils in these images indicate that seeded fibrils are two kinds and that the width of the narrower fibrils is the same as the width of non-seeded fibrils. The mass-per-length evaluated from dark-field EM images indicates that the most prevalent number of filaments in seeded fibrils is 6, which is twice as many as the number in non-seeded fibrils (3 filaments per fibril). Overall, these results demonstrate that seeded and non-seeded fibrils have distinctly different tertiary structures.
Loss of ozone in the Arctic vortex for the winter of 1989

Measurements of ClO (Brune et al., 1990) acquired during the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition are used to infer concentrations of reactive chlorine (ClO + 2 x Cl2O2). Observed fields of potential temperature and potential vorticity are used to extrapolate in situ data to larger regions of the vortex. Calculated values of the loss rate of O3, based on estimates of reactive chlorine and measurements of BrO (Toohey et al., 1990), suggest that the loss of O3 was abut 12 pct for levels of the atmosphere with potential temperatures between 440 and 470 K over the 39 day duration of the ER-2 flights into the polar vortex. Calculated loss rates agree with observed rates of removal of O3, although significant uncertainties exist for each.
One State Closer to a National Crisis: A Report on Elementary Social Studies Education in North Carolina Schools

Abstract In response to the growing concern of the marginalization of social studies education, members of the North Carolina Professors of Social Studies Education (NCPSSE) organization began a longtitudinal study in 2003 to examine elementary social studies education. This study is part of a statewide initiative among six universities in the North Carolina University system. The participating universities include: UNC Charlotte, UNC Asheville, Appalachian State University, A & T State University, UNC Wilmington, and East Carolina University. The purpose of this research was to gather data from practicing elementary teachers in North Carolina to identify (a) how often social studies is being taught, (b) how decisions are made regarding how instructional time is used, (c) how satisfied teachers are with the amount of instructional time devoted to social studies instruction, and (d) what barriers exist that might inhibit the teaching of the social studies curriculum. This study documents the current status...
Magnetic random access memories, Brown's paradox and hysterons

A novel design for magnetic random access memory elements, called hysterons, is presented. It uses the interaction between two regions of magnetization. In one the process of reversal is almost uniform rotation of a magnetically hard system. In the other it is the reversible motion of a vortex that makes it a magnetically soft system. The magnetostatic interaction between the two regions is anisotropic and hysteretic. The magnetic softness permits using thicker elements that are more stable against temperature fluctations while having low switching fields.
Tariffs, foreign capital and immiserizing growth

For a small tariff-imposing country, within the standard two-commodity two-factor model of international trade, this paper reconsiders the implications of an inflow of capital from abroad. When the host country continues to import the capital-intensive good while remaining incompletely specialized, the analysis shows that the capital inflow must reduce host-country welfare, assuming that the foreign capital receives the full (untaxed) value of its marginal product. Under other circumstances considered, however, the inflow may have different consequences for welfare.
Reduction of the pectoral spine and girdle in domesticated Channel catfish is likely caused by changes in selection pressure.

Locked pectoral spines of the Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus more than double the fish's width and complicate ingestion by gape-limited predators. The spine mates with the pectoral girdle, a robust structure that anchors the spine. This study demonstrates that both spine and girdle exhibit negative allometric growth and that pectoral spines and girdles are lighter in domesticated than in wild Channel Catfish. This finding could be explained by changes in selection pressure for spine growth during domestication or by an epigenetic effect in which exposure to predators in wild fish stimulates pectoral growth. We tested the epigenetic hypothesis by exposing domesticated Channel Catfish fingerlings to Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides predators for 13 weeks. Spines and girdles grow isometrically in the fingerlings, and regression analysis indicates no difference in proportional pectoral growth between control and predator-exposed fish. Therefore a change in selection pressure likely accounts for smaller pectoral growth in domesticated Channel Catfish. Decreasing spine growth in older fish suggests anti-predator functions are most important in smaller fish. Additionally, growth of the appendicular and axial skeleton is controlled differentially, and mechanical properties of the spine and not just its length are an important component of this defensive adaptation.
Real-time classroom feedback via a computer network

Classroom feedback constitutes an important diagnostic tool for a learner-centered classroom environment. Student access to a networked computer in class is becoming more commonplace, and offers an additional communications channel between the student and the instructor. A software system has been developed which simultaneously collects text messages from all students in the classroom in response to a question posed by the instructor, and immediately displays the students' responses to the instructor The process is fast and paperless, and can provide a wealth of detail about the thought processes of each student. The system was implemented using the Perl scripting language, and was used to support the activities of a sophomore-level electrical systems course conducted in a classroom containing a networked MeXT workstation for each of the 23 students. The system was used to administer quizzes and collect results from in-class projects, but proved to be most useful for collecting responses to short concept-oriented problems designed to expose misconceptions. The students would type a short answer or multiple choice selection followed by an explanation of their reasoning. The short responses were used in class to assess the learning status of the class as a whole, while the explanations provided specific and individualized diagnostic information useful for tailoring subsequent class sessions.
To the Happy Few

I became a microbiologist in post-WWII Japan, working with Toshio Fukasawa on galactose metabolism in Salmonella. We characterized mutants defective in UDP-galactose 4-epimerase, which produced a defective lipopolysaccharide, and this opened doors for me to study lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, which I pursued in the United States, in the laboratory of Herman Kalckar. After I moved to Berkeley, California, in 1969, I became interested in the function of bacterial outer membranes, a line of work that led to the discovery and characterization of porins as well as the studies on the mycobacterial cell wall. In the early 1990s, it became clear that the outer membrane permeability barrier and the activity of periplasmic β-lactamase are not enough to explain the resistance of some strains to β-lactam antibiotics, and the search for the missing factor led to the discovery of RND family multidrug efflux pumps, subjects that continue to fascinate me to this day.
Ultraprecise thermal expansion measurements of seven low expansion materials

We summarize a large number of ultraprecise thermal expansion measurements made on seven different low expansivity materials. Expansion coefficients in the -150-300 C temperature range are shown for Owens-Illinois Cer-Vit C-101, Corning ULE 7971 (titanium silicate) and fused silica 7940, Heraeus-Schott Zerodur low-expansion material and Homosil fused silica, Universal Cyclops Invar LR-35, and Simonds Saw and Steel Super Invar.
Efficiency of Spin-Wave Bus for Information Transmission

We compare the transport parameters such as signal attenuation and signal velocity for a spin-wave bus and a conventional electronic transmission line. The spin-wave bus is inferior to the traditional metal interconnects in all figures-of-merit. The realization of integrated spin-wave-based logic circuits will require spin amplifiers to provide gain.
Through With the Flu: How Free Family and Caregiver Immunization Protects Sick Neonates:

Newborns represent the pediatric population most at risk for influenza-related morbidity and mortality, especially premature newborns and those with chronic disease. Compounding this problem is the fact that influenza immunizations are ineffective until 6 months of age. This article describes a successful program that follows the "cocoon" theory of immunization. Free influenza vaccines were given in the nursery to all family members, caregivers, and others living in the homes of discharged infants. Planning and implementation steps are described, along with lessons learned during implementation. The response to the program exceeded expectations, with 185 contacts immunized. Future plans include the expansion of the current program to include the H1N1 influenza vaccine and the Tdap vaccine. The described vaccination effort encourages and substantiates the benefits of cocoon immunization in other nurseries across the nation.
High-Level Expression of Human Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells and Characterization of the Purified Enzyme☆

Chinese hamster ovary cells were transfected with the human inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) cDNA under the control of the hCMV promoter. The NOS inhibitor, S-ethyl isothiourea, was utilized to minimize toxicity from NO production. Selected colonies were grown in the absence of S-ethyl isothiourea, after which nitrite levels in the medium were measured. NOS activities in cell lysates were determined, and 9 colonies had iNOS activities of over 1 nmol of citrulline formed/min/mg protein. iNOS expression was further increased by gene amplification and the use of sodium butyrate, resulting in two cell lines with stable activity of greater than 3 nmol/min/mg. The iNOS purified from these cells had a specific activity of over 500 nmol/min/mg, and its properties were similar to native iNOS purified from cytokine-induced DLD-1 cells. This is the most efficient expression system reported to date for iNOS.
Self-efficacy beliefs and the writing performance of entering high school students

Path analysis was used to test the influence of writing self-efficacy, writing apprehension, and writing aptitude on the essay-writing performance of 181 ninth-grade students. A model that also included gender accounted for 53% of the variance in performance. As hypothesized, both aptitude and students' self-efficacy beliefs had strong direct effects on performance. Aptitude also had a strong direct effect on self-efficacy, which largely mediated the indirect effect of aptitude on performance. Self-efficacy had a strong direct effect on apprehension, which, in turn, had a modest effect on performance. Girls and boys did not differ in aptitude or performance, but girls reported lower writing self-efficacy. Native English-speaking Hispanic students had lower aptitude and performance scores, lower self-efficacy, and higher apprehension. Results support the hypothesized role of self-efficacy in Bandura's (1986) social cognitive theory. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Analysis of simplified gradient adaptive lattice algorithms using power-of-two quantization

Two gradient adaptive lattice (GAL) algorithms that have been simplified by replacing multipliers and dividers with shifting operations using power-of-two quantization are presented and analyzed. A convergence model is developed for each algorithm, from which the convergence of the mean of the filter coefficients is analyzed. An expression for the asymptotic variance of the filter coefficients of the different algorithms is developed. Both an exact analysis under a Gaussian input assumption and an analysis using a linear approximation of the power-or-two quantizer are compared to simulation results. >
Increased prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome in albright hereditary osteodystrophy.

Context: Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by phenotypic abnormalities including brachydactyly/brachymetacarpia, short stature, and sc ossifications. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a chief complaint in many patients with AHO. Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the prevalence of CTS in patients with AHO. Design: This was a cross-sectional study. Setting: The study was conducted at the Clinical Research Center (Institute of Clinical and Translational Medicine), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Albright Clinic, Kennedy Krieger Institute. Participants: Thirty-three subjects with a diagnosis of AHO participated in the study. Main Outcome Measures: We assessed for the presence and location of hand tingling, numbness, pain, weakness, flick sign, difficulty with fine motor skills, severe hand or nail biting, and nocturnal symptoms in the setting of normocalcemia and a euthyroid state. Patients were considered to have CTS if they...
Errata and addendum: tensor products and Dunford¿Pettis sets

Ghenciu and Lewis introduced the notion of a strong Dunford?Pettis set and used this notion to study the presence or absence of isomorphic copies of c0 in Banach spaces. The authors asserted that they could obtain a fundamental result of J. Elton without resorting to Ramsey theory. While the stated theorems are correct, unfortunately there is a flaw in the proof of the first theorem in the paper which also affects subsequent corollaries and theorems. The difficulty is discussed, and Elton's results are employed to establish a Schauder basis proposition which leads to a quick proof of the theorem in question. Additional results where questions arise are discussed on an individual basis
Lighting up the brain's reward circuitry

The brain's reward circuit is critical for mediating natural reward behaviors including food, sex, and social interaction. Drugs of abuse take over this circuit and produce persistent molecular and cellular alterations in the brain regions and their neural circuitry that make up the reward pathway. Recent use of optogenetic technologies has provided novel insights into the functional and molecular role of the circuitry and cell subtypes within these circuits that constitute this pathway. This perspective will address the current and future use of light-activated proteins, including those involved in modulating neuronal activity, cellular signaling, and molecular properties in the neural circuitry mediating rewarding stimuli and maladaptive responses to drugs of abuse.
Chronic hypoxia alters the function of NOS nerves in cerebral arteries of near-term fetal and adult sheep.

In addition to adrenergic innervation, cerebral arteries also contain neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)-expressing nerves that augment adrenergic nerve function. We examined the impact of devel...
Reciprocal relations for transmission coefficients: theory and application

The authors present a rigorous proof of certain intuitively plausible reciprocal relations for time harmonic plane-wave transmission and reflection at the interface between a fluid and an anisotropic elastic solid. Precise forms of the reciprocity relations for the transmission coefficients and for the transmitted energy fluxes are derived, based on the reciprocity theorem of elastodynamics. It is shown that the reciprocity relations can be used in conjunction with measured values of peak amplitudes for transmission through a slab of the solid (water-solid-water) to obtain the water-solid coefficients. Experiments were performed for a slab of a unidirectional fiber-reinforced composite. Good agreement of the experimentally measured transmission coefficients with theoretical values was obtained. >
The Role of Transboundary Agreements in the Columbia River Basin

The historical development of the Columbia River Basin and its current reservoir operating policies has been strongly influenced by transbound-ary agreements between Canada and the United States, and particularly by the Columbia River Treaty (CRT) (1964) and adjunct agreements. Following this agreement, a number of major storage dams were built in Canada and the US, and an emphasis on flood control and winter hydro-power production became the dominant water resources objectives in the main stem of the Columbia. The development of the basin for these purposes (and extensive irrigation in some sub-basins) has resulted in pronounced changes in the natural flow regime in the river, and corresponding ecological problems associated with degraded instream habitat that have yet to be resolved. The basin’s operating policies are shown to more fully isolate human systems from climate variability than they do other uses of water in the basin, despite federal legislation calling for equal priority between hydropower and fish, and recent efforts to change the operating policies in the face of Endangered Species Act (ESA) listings of salmon and other endangered fish. Vulnerability of the current management system to low-flow conditions, inability to meet all objectives simultaneously in low-flow conditions, and the conflicting constraints of many existing agreements (among them the CRT), make changes to the basin’s operating policies problematic.
Differences in clinicopathologic features of prostate cancer between black and white patients treated in the 1990s and 2000s.

Abstract Objectives We have previously reported on the disparity in the clinicopathologic features of prostate cancer between black and white patients at our equal-access institution during the 1990s. The goal of this study was to determine whether the worse clinicopathologic features of prostate cancer in black patients have persisted in the 2000s. Methods We examined 362 men (224 black and 138 white) treated with radical prostatectomy at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in New York. We compared the clinicopathologic variables between 227 patients treated during the 1990s (group 1) and 135 treated in the 2000s (group 2). Results In group 1, black patients were significantly younger ( P P = 0.001), Gleason score ( P = 0.005), and stage ( P = 0.03) than white patients. In group 2, black patients continued to have significantly greater PSA levels ( P = 0.04) and Gleason scores ( P = 0.005) than white patients. Comparing only the black patients, those in group 2 had significantly lower PSA levels ( P P = 0.03), but had worse Gleason scores ( P = 0.03) than those in group 1. On multivariate analysis, black patients were significantly more likely to have a worse Gleason score ( P = 0.005) than white patients. Conclusions Our data have demonstrated a narrowing of the differences in pathologic stage between black and white patients in the 2000s. However, black men have continued to have worse Gleason scores and greater PSA levels than white patients. These findings suggest that there may be different patterns of molecular alterations in black men that may contribute to the poor tumor differentiation. Additional research is underway to better characterize these underlying molecular mechanisms.
Paediatric spinal trauma and associated injuries.

Summary Paediatric spinal injuries, although rare (1–2% of all paediatric fractures) are associated with the highest mortality rate of all orthopaedic injuries in children. The low incidence is due, not only to the plasticity of the paediatric spine, but also the difficulty of diagnosis and the usually severe if not fatal associated injuries. A 10-year (1995–2004) retrospective study was undertaken of all patients treated for a spinal injury at our institute, which functions as both an acute care centre and a tertiary referral centre for seriously injured children. The study was performed in order to highlight the unique features of spinal injuries in children, and to assess the incidence and pattern of associated injuries. A total of 40 patients had a documented diagnosis of spinal injury. The charts and radiographs of all patients were retrieved and reviewed. The median age was 10 years (range 2–15) and 25 were male. The causative factors were motor vehicle accidents in 16, falls in 14, sport injuries in 7 and assaults in 3. Over 65% of the children sustained one or more associated injuries, the mean injury severity score was 18.95. There were two deaths, both in patients with severe multiple trauma and associated spinal fracture. Treatment included closed reduction in two patients and posterior open reduction and stabilisation in two patients, with one of these also requiring decompression. Spinal injuries in children differ from adults due primarily to the biomechanical and anatomical features of the developing musculoskeletal system. When a spinal injury is identified on initial radiographic or clinical evaluation of an injured child, one should have a high index of suspicion that concurrent, potentially life-threatening injuries may be present.
Severe Human Metapneumovirus Infection in Hospitalized Children

Human metapneumovirus is a recently discovered pathogen that causes upper and lower respiratory tract disease in children. This study describes the course of illness in hospitalized children with this infection. During a 6-month period, 11 children were diagnosed with human metapneumovirus infection by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Oxygen supplementation was required for 82% of patients. Severe disease developed in 45%, and mechanical ventilation was required. An apparent life-threatening event was the indication for hospitalization of 27% of patients infected with human metapneumovirus. Children with underlying asthma or neuromuscular disease had a prolonged hospitalization.
F0 estimation for noisy speech based on exploring local time-frequency segment

In this paper, we propose a fundamental frequency (F0) estimation algorithm for noisy speech based on exploring the local time-frequency (TF) segment. Our algorithm is motivated by the fact that the full band speech signal is redundant for pitch perception. We assume that in the same time region, the TF segment least affected by noise interference is more reliable for F0 estimation than the full band spectrum. Our algorithm consists of two main stages. Firstly, the overall TF plane is divided into overlapped TF segments, and then the F0 candidates are estimated from each single TF segment. Secondly, the optimal F0 value is selected from F0 candidates based on signal to noise ratio (SNR) estimation and dynamic programming. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms several non-parametric state-of-the-art F0 estimation techniques.
Open-Market Stock Repurchase Behavior under Asymmetric Information, Theory and Empirical Evidence

Stock repurchase, one of the most important ways to distribute earnings to shareholders, is often interpreted as a signal of underpricing of the firm's stocks. However, two anomalies can be observed in the stock repurchase behavior: (1) Prices of repurchased stocks often do not increase as expected after stock repurchase announcement. (2) The actual number of shares repurchased is frequently smaller relative to firms' announced intentions. In this paper, a theory of explaining these anomaly behaviors is developed and empirically tested. The theory posits that stock repurchase announcement is not a guarantee of stock underpricing, the price movement of repurchased stocks and the amount of stocks repurchased are the results of interaction between the management of the firm and the market investors. The empirical evidence supports the theory.
Survival in COPD Patients with a Daytime PaO2 >60 mm Hg with and without Nocturnal Oxyhemoglobin Desaturation

There have been few studies examining the relationship between NOD and mortality in patients with COPD and none examining this relationship in those patients with a daytime PaO2 greater than 60 mm Hg. Is NOD related to early death, and if so, should nocturnal supplemental oxygen be considered as therapy for altering survival? We examined survival in 169 COPD subjects. Two definitions were used to classify subjects as NOD and non-NOD, one considering episodic desaturation associated mainly with REM sleep (definition 1) and one considering greater than 30 percent of time in bed spent below an SaO2 of 90 percent (definition 2) to be significant. Survival corrected for age was significantly better in non-NOD subjects. However, when stratified for supplemental oxygen use, survival remained better only in subjects separated by definition 1. There was a trend toward increased survival in 35 oxygen-treated vs 38 non-oxygen-treated NOD subjects (definition 1), but this difference was not statistically significant.
Operational Dynamics of Boko Haram's Terrorist Campaign Following Leadership Succession

Objective This article analyzes the operational dynamics of Boko Haram, the largest radical Islamist organization engaged in acts of terrorism in Nigeria. Method We analyze Boko Haram's terrorist campaign using information gathered from 1,086 successful attacks that occurred between July 2009 and December 2014. We examine the operational tempo of attacks on a monthly basis, identify the primary tactics employed in and targets of those attacks, and assess the outcome of each successful attack in terms of severity metrics. Results We find that despite leadership changes, Boko Haram has increased the frequency of attacks, gained international media attention, and continues to pose a serious threat to security in West Africa. Conclusions The analysis provides a series of insights into why Boko Haram was able to complete a leadership succession and achieve this success after its initial defeat despite internal and external factors that have undermined prior terrorist campaigns. Consequently, unless the internal and/or external dynamics are altered, Boko Haram is likely to continue to conduct attacks and remain a serious threat to Nigeria and to the security of adjoining countries in West Africa.
Analysis of Distribution, Frequency, and Duration of Naturalistic Lane Changes

This paper describes preliminary results of naturalistic lane change distribution, frequency, and duration data collected unobtrusively from 16 commuters using instrumented vehicles. The study was ...