cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
National assessment of availability, awareness, and utilization of supervised exercise therapy for peripheral artery disease patients with intermittent claudication.

Abstract Background Supervised exercise therapy (SET) is an inexpensive, low-risk, and effective option when compared with invasive therapies for the treatment of patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and intermittent claudication. Randomized, controlled trials have demonstrated the benefits of SET in improving maximum walking distance in intermittent claudication patients, and society guidelines recommend SET as first-line therapy. In 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) added coverage of SET. We aimed to evaluate the availability and use of SET programs, determine the awareness of SET CMS coverage in the United States, and gauge the academic interest in SET in the vascular community. Methods An eight-question online survey regarding SET coverage, reimbursement, barriers to prescription, and SET use was sent to 900 vascular surgeons, cardiologists, and vascular medicine physicians across the United States. The most recent 2-year programs for the Vascular Annual Meeting, Midwestern Vascular Society, Eastern Vascular Society, and Western Vascular Society were reviewed to identify SET-related abstracts and gauge academic interest and awareness for SET within the vascular surgery community. Results We received 135 physician responses (15%) to the survey. All 50 states were represented. The majority of responders (54%) stated that there was no SET program at their facility, and 5% did not know if there was a SET program available. Of those who did have a SET program available, 81% were associated with cardiac rehabilitation and 19% had a PAD-specific program. A significant number of physicians (49%) had never referred a patient for SET. Twenty-six percent were not aware that CMS covered SET sessions. Of the physicians who were aware of CMS reimbursement, 36% had never referred a patient to a SET program. Of all surveyed, 98% indicated they would refer patients to a SET program if one was available. Top barriers to use of a SET program included (1) no SET center availability and (2) significant cost or travel expense to the patient. A review of major vascular surgery meeting programs for the last 2 years yielded no identification of a SET-related abstract. Conclusions There is a lack of both availability and use of SET for patients with PAD with claudication, despite guideline recommendations and CMS reimbursement for SET sessions in the United States. When SET is offered, it is typically through cardiac rehabilitation programs which is not focused on PAD. Travel distance, lack of SET program availability, and low reimbursement rates are primary areas that could be addressed to improve use.
Why Reinvent the Wheel?: Restructuring Italy's Debt Using the Euro-CAC and Maturity Extension

The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) Treaty requires that all bonds issued in the euro area after January 1, 2013, with maturity greater than one year include a standardized collective action clause (“Euro CAC”). Italy implemented the Euro CAC through a legislative decree. In the event of an Italian debt crisis when the country cannot borrow at acceptable rates to meet its financing needs, we recommend that the ESM use the Euro CAC included in Italy’s post-2013 bonds to restructure them. Even after excluding debt held by the European Central Bank (ECB) and accounting for potential changes in creditor composition after a restructuring announcement, Italy can still persuade enough creditors to participate in a CAC operation to restore its debt sustainability. At the same time, Italy will impose a maturity extension on debt held by non-participating creditors, which it is legally authorized to do. In other words, this plan gives creditors two options: getting paid less but on time under mutually agreed terms (by participating in a CAC restructuring), or getting paid later (under a maturity extension, which may precede a subsequent restructuring anyway). Compared to alternatives, this plan reduces holdout incentive, minimizes litigation risks, and can be implemented quickly.
Loose Party Times: The Political Crisis of the 1850s in Westchester County, New York

On November 7, 1848 William H. Robertson rose early and rushed to the post office in Bedford, a town in Westchester County, New York. The young lawyer was brimming with excitement because two weeks earlier, the Whigs in the county?s northern section had nominated him as their candidate for the New York State Assembly. Only twenty-four years old and a rising legal star, Robertson hoped that holding political office would launch his nascent career. After casting his ballot at the Bedford Post Office, Robertson paid a visit to Sheriff James M. Bates, his political manager, to await the election results. Robertson?s intelligence, collected a week before Election Day, that “news from every part of the district is favorable,” proved accurate. The Whig attorney heard later that evening that he had defeated his Democratic opponent, with 57% of the vote. To celebrate, Robertson and Bates feasted on “chickens, turkeys, oysters, and Champaign” before retiring around midnight at Philer Betts? Hotel. The following afternoon, they boarded the 3:00 PM train from Bedford to the county seat of White Plains, seventeen miles south. There, the two triumphant Whigs gossiped and caught up with their counterparts from Westchester?s usually Democratic southern section. Hearing of their friends? overwhelming victories surprised Robertson, leading him to exclaim, “The Whigs have carried almost everything!” Indeed, the Whigs had swept every elective office in Westchester County. [excerpt]
Cascade Citizens Wildlife Monitoring Project

Wildlife tracking can make an excellent service-learning activity for engaging anthropology, biology and environmental science/studies students in their local communities and ecosystems. This project describes an advanced project for a well-developed field school as well as possible entry-level activities that would be easier to integrate into a wide variety of courses. The Cascade Citizens Wildlife Monitoring Project (CCWMP) is a service-learning activity through which students in the Learn and Serve Environmental Anthropology Field (LEAF) School draw upon traditional ecological knowledge and observation skills to help solve a modern problem. The LEAF School employs service-learning as a form of participant observation through which students can come to better understand their own community, its subcultures and its interconnectedness within an ecosystem. In the winter students assist the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition with documentation of wildlife presence and movements along the primary east-west route across the Cascade Mountains. During the spring, summer and fall students collaborate with Conservation Northwest and Wilderness Awareness School to set up remote cameras to document the presence of rare carnivores in the Cascades. The 2009 LEAF School students are helping to place, set up and check cameras targeted for documentation of reported wolf sounds and sightings in the vicinity of Manastash (south of Cle Elum, WA). The data collected by students is shared with government officials, environmental organizations and land managers to help guide the protection of wildlife corridors and the placement of freeway crossings.
Treatment of Idiopathic Scoliosis With Vertebral Body Stapling.

Abstract Study Design Retrospective cohort. Objectives Identify the effectiveness of vertebral body stapling (VBS) in children with idiopathic scoliosis. Summary of Background Data VBS has been proposed as an alternative to bracing moderate curves in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) although a clear picture of comparative efficacy and safety remains to be established. Methods Ten skeletally immature patients with AIS and curves between 25° and 35° underwent anterior VBS by a single surgeon from 2008 to 2018. Indications included strong family history, high ScoliScore, curve progression despite bracing, or as an alternative for patients/families refusing bracing. Patients with thoracic kyphosis greater than 40°, curvature with a level above T4 or below L4, and double major curves were contraindicated. Patients with hybrid surgical plans or those who failed to reach skeletal maturity were excluded. Age, gender, levels stapled, pre- and postoperative radiographs, and incidence of secondary surgical intervention were evaluated. Outcomes were also compared with untreated and braced subjects from the BrAIST study. Results Ten patients met the inclusion criteria. Average age at VBS was 11.8 (9.7–13.5) with an average major Cobb angle of 30.9° (26°–35°). Average duration of follow-up was 6.4 years. All patients demonstrated curve correction at their first postoperative visit. At final follow-up, 50% of patients experienced curve progression greater than 5°, whereas the remaining 50% either remained stable or corrected over time. The five patients whose curves progressed underwent VBS at a significantly younger age (10.8 vs. 12.8; p value .003). Four of these patients required additional surgical intervention for worsening scoliosis. Conclusions Although early outcomes after VBS appear to parallel the results of bracing, stapling does not affect the percentage of patients ultimately requiring PSIF. Initial curve correction degraded over time in younger patients with significant growth remaining, and high rates of progression in this group, even with bracing, merits investigation into more efficacious treatment strategies. Level of Evidence Level III.
The multiscale physics of cilia and flagella

Cilia and flagella are fundamental units of motion in cellular biology. These beating, hair-like organelles share a common basic structure but maintain widely varying functions in systems ranging from the isolated flagella of swimming algae to the dense ciliary carpets that pump fluid in the brains of mammals. Experiments and models have begun to elucidate the inner workings of single cilia as complex nonlinear oscillators, and the variety of hydrodynamical phenomena that result from beating dynamics. These results have shed light on complex locomotion strategies observed in single-celled microorganisms and collective phenomena observed in microbial suspensions. In animal systems, dense ciliary arrays exhibit a variety of emergent phenomena, including active filtration, noise robustness and metachronal waves. Surprising phenomena have been observed in neuronally controlled ciliary arrays, demonstrating the need for new physical models of cilia that include central control, defect dynamics and topology. We review the emergent physics of cilia across scales, starting from the microscale dynamics of single cilia, and then proceeding to microorganisms and animal systems. Cilia are hair-like organelles that enable cellular locomotion. This Review considers cilia from a dynamical systems perspective, discussing the nonlinear oscillations seen in the single cilia of microorganisms and the emergent topological phenomena seen in the ciliary arrays of animals.
Failure of the MacWilliams identities for the Lee weight enumerator over Zm, m⩾5

Abstract In this paper we show the nonexistence of any version of the MacWilliams identities for Lee weight enumerators over Z m , m ⩾ 5 .
Contrasting Transition Complexity Between El Niño and La Niña: Observations and CMIP5/6 Models

Author(s): Fang, SW; Yu, JY | Abstract: The observed El Nino and La Nina exhibit different complexities in their event-to-event transition patterns. The El Nino is dominated in order by episodic, cyclic, and multiyear transitions, but the reversed order is found in the La Nina. A subtropical Pacific onset mechanism is used to explain this difference. This mechanism triggers El Nino/La Nina events via subtropical processes and is responsible for producing multiyear and episodic transitions. Its nonlinear responses to the tropical Pacific mean state result in more multiyear transitions for La Nina than El Nino and more episodic transitions for El Nino than La Nina. The CMIP5/6 models realistically simulate the observed transition complexity of El Nino but fail to simulate the transition complexity of La Nina. This deficiency in CMIP5 models arises from a weaker than observed subtropical onset mechanism and a cold bias in the tropical Pacific mean sea surface temperatures in the models.
Government Mandated Consent Dramatically Reduces Pediatric Urologist Opioid Utilization for Outpatient and Minor Emergency Surgeries.

Purpose:Postoperative opioids are overprescribed in the United States. In November 2016 the State of Pennsylvania required an opioid consent for minors. Our hypothesis is that this mandate decrease...
Long term outcomes with linear accelerator stereotactic radiosurgery for treatment of jugulotympanic paragangliomas.

Background Data supporting linear accelerator (linac) stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for jugulotympanic paragangliomas (JTPs) come from small series with minimal follow-up. Herein, we report a large series of JTPs with extended follow-up after frameless linac-based SRS. Methods JTPs treated with linac-based SRS from 2002 to 2019 with 1+ follow-up image were reviewed for treatment failure (radiographic or clinical progression, or persistent symptoms after SRS requiring intervention) and late toxicities (CTCAE v5.0). Results Forty JTPs were identified; 30 were treated with a multifraction regimen. Median clinical and radiographic follow-up was 79.7 (interquartile range [IQR] 31.7-156.9) and 54.4 months (IQR 17.9-105.1), respectively, with a median 4.5 follow-up scans (IQR 2-9). Seven-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 97.0% (95% confidence interval 91.1%-100.0%). PFS was similar between single- and multifraction regimens (log rank P = .99). Toxicity was seen in 7.7% (no grade III). Conclusions With extended clinical and radiographic follow-up, frameless linac-based SRS provides excellent local control with mild toxicity
Requirement of Bccip for the Regeneration of Intestinal Progenitors.

BCCIP was originally identified as a BRCA2 and CDKN1A/p21 interaction protein. Although a partial loss of BCCIP function is sufficient to trigger genomic instability and tumorigenesis, complete deletion of BCCIP is lethal to cells. Using Rosa26-CreERT2 mouse models, we found that induced Bccip deletion in adult mice caused an acute intestinal epithelial denudation that cannot be relieved by co-deletion of Trp53. The critical role of Bccip in intestine epithelial renewal was verified with a Villin-CreERT2 mouse model. The epithelium degeneration was associated with a rapid loss of the proliferative capability of the crypt progenitor cells in vivo, lack of crypt base columnar stem cell markers, and a failure of in vitro crypt organoid growth. RNA-Seq analysis of freshly isolated intestinal crypt cells showed that Bccip deletion caused an overwhelming down-regulation of genes involved in mitotic cell division but an up-regulation of genes involved in apoptosis and stress response to microbiomes. Our data not only indicate that intestinal epithelium is the most sensitive tissue to whole-body deletion of Bccip but also point to Bccip as a novel and critical factor for the proliferation of the intestinal progenitors. These findings have significant implications for understanding why a hypomorphic loss of BCCIP functions is more relevant to tumorigenesis.
Third Amendment to the Chinese Copyright Law

Since July 2011, China has actively explored ways to upgrade its copyright law. Although the law was already amended the year before, only two changes were made at that time. The last time Chinese copyright law undertook a major overhaul was more than two decades ago—in October 2001, two months before the country became the 143rd member of the WTO. On November 11, 2020, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China finally approved the Third Amendment to the Chinese Copyright Law. Covering a wide range of issues from eligibility to ownership and from enforcement to anti-circumvention protection, the new changes took effect on June 1, 2021. To foster a deeper understanding of the changes brought about by the Third Amendment, the Journal of the Copyright Society of the U.S.A. brings together leading Chinese copyright law experts in a forthcoming special issue. As an introduction to this issue, the present article provides a brief but critical appraisal of the recent legislative changes. It begins by identifying the major highlights of the Third Amendment. The article then explores the strengths of this Amendment. It concludes by noting the limitations of the latest round of copyright law reform.
Broad-Spectrum Antibiotic Use and Disease Progression in Early-Stage Melanoma Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Animal studies and a few clinical studies have reported mixed findings on the association between antibiotics and cancer incidence. Antibiotics may inhibit tumor cell growth, but could also alter the gut-microbiome-modulated immune system and increase the risk of cancer. Studies that assess how antibiotics affect the progression of cancer are limited. We evaluated the association between broad-spectrum antibiotic use and melanoma progression. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus data (2008-2018). We identified patients with malignant melanoma who underwent wide local excision or Mohs micrographic surgery within 90 days of first diagnosis. Surgery date was the index date. Patients were excluded if they had any other cancer diagnosis or autoimmune disorders in 1 year before the index date ("baseline"). Exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics was identified in three time windows using three cohorts: 3 months prior to the index date, 1 month after the index date, and 3 months after the index date. The covariates were patients' demographic and clinical characteristics identified in the 1-year baseline period. The patients were followed from the index date until cancer progression, loss of enrollment, or the end of 2 years after the index date. Progression was defined as: (i) any hospice care after surgery, (ii) a new round of treatment for melanoma (surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, or radiotherapy) 180 days after prior treatment, or (iii) a metastasis diagnosis or a diagnosis of a new nonmelanoma primary cancer at least 180 days after first melanoma diagnosis or prior treatment. A high-dimensional propensity score approach with inverse weighting was used to adjust for the patients' baseline differences. Cox proportional hazard regression was used for estimating the association. The final samples included 3930, 3831, and 3587 patients (mean age: 56 years). Exposure to antibiotics was 16% in the prior-3-months, 22% in the post-1-month, and 22% in the post-3-months. In the pre-3-months analysis, 9% of the exposed group and 9% of the unexposed group had progressed. Antibiotic use was not associated with melanoma progression (HR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.57-1.14). However, antibiotic use in subsequent 1 month and subsequent 3 months was associated with 31% reduction (HR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.51-0.92) and 32% reduction (HR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.51-0.91) in progression, respectively. In this cohort of patients with likely early-stage melanoma cancer, antibiotic use in 1 month and 3 months after melanoma surgery was associated with a lower risk of melanoma progression. Future studies are warranted to validate the findings.
Sensing via Collisions: a Smart Cage for Quadrotors with Applications to Self-Localization

Applications of micro unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are gradually expanding into complex urban and natural environments. Despite noticeable progress, flying robots in obstacle-rich environments is still challenging. On-board processing for detecting and avoiding obstacles is possible, but at a significant computational expense, and with significant limitations (e.g., for obstacles with small cross sections, such as wires). A low-cost alternative is to mitigate physical contacts through a cage or other similar protective devices. In this paper, we propose to transform these passive protective devices into functional sensors: we introduce a suspended rim combined with a central base measuring the relative displacement of the rim; we provide a full mechanical design, and derive solutions to the inverse kinematics for recovering the collision direction in real time. As a proof of concept, we show the benefits of this novel form of sensing by embedding it in a traditional particle filter for self-localization in a known environment; our experiments show that localization is possible with a minimal sacrifice in payload capacity.
A Data-Driven Approach to Feature Construction

This paper presents a general scheme for feature construction and its application to decision trees. In this scheme, a higher level attribute is constructed from two lower level ones under the guidance of the distributions of the examples from different classes. It can be used with different selective induction algorithms such as decision tree learning, rule learning and instance-based learning. A simple prototype has been implemented and integrated into a decision tree learning system. The experimental results empirically show that our approach outperforms the standard decision tree learning algorithm on three domains tested.
DEBT SUSTAINABILITY IN EMERGING MARKET COUNTRIES: A "FAN-CHART" APPROACH

The paper by Debrun, Celasun and Ostry focuses on the assessment of debt sustainability and stresses the need to overcome one of the main drawbacks of debt sustainability analysis, i.e. the fact that it is usually based on a deterministic approach in which uncertainty is dealt with by simulating alternative scenarios in which only one key variable at a time is hit by an adverse shock. The paper proposes a methodology that improves the understanding of the risks surrounding debt dynamics and acknowledges the probabilistic nature of debt sustainability analysis exercises. The approach, which preserves a certain degree of standardization while allowing for country-specific risk factors, uses estimates of the joint probability distributions of economic shocks to construct a large number of scenarios capturing covariances among disturbances and the dynamic response of the economy. The methodology provides for fiscal policy to adjust to shocks according to a pattern observed in emerging market economies and to be itself a source of risk. The proposed assessment of debt sustainability is probabilistic and can help policy makers to: capture country-specific features relevant for debt dynamics; have clearer signals of the risks from delaying fiscal adjustment or undertaking fiscal expansions; and improve medium-term fiscal planning given the more complete information on the debt risk profile.
Nicotinamide Deamidase from Rabbit Liver

Abstract The nicotinamide deamidase of rabbit liver microsomes has been solubilized by the autolytic extraction of microsomal acetone powders. The enzyme has been partially purified and the products of the reaction have been characterized. An inhibitory material associated with the microsomes was largely removed in the preparation of the acetone powder. The nature of the interaction of the enzyme with the naturally occurring inhibitor was found to be very complex, primarily involving changes in Vmax and a shift in pH optimum from pH 8.5 to 8.9 to pH 7.5 to 7.9. The enzyme was also inhibited by detergents and thyroxine.
Using Energetic Particles to Probe the Magnetic Topology of Ejecta

Observations of energetic particles over a wide range of rigidities can provide information on the presence of ejecta, and their structure. A large fraction of ejecta produce a local, few percent depression of the cosmic ray density. The depression typically extends over the ejecta region as determined from a range of ejecta signatures, in particular plasma with abnormally low proton temperatures. At lower rigidities (less than 0.5 GV, E proton <100 MeV), the depression can be greater than 70%. These observations suggest that ejecta are predominantly closed magnetic structures. The bidirectional particle flows present in regions of some ejecta are consistent with particle circulation/reflection within closed structures. The observation of solar particle event onsets inside some ejecta suggests that field lines in these ejecta are rooted at the Sun. These particles arrive from a range of directions, including from the east. The observations are consistent with the presence of looped magnetic field lines rooted at the Sun in many ejecta, although recent observations from the WIND spacecraft suggest that ejecta may be more complex and include regions of field lines both connected to and disconnected from the Sun. At high heliolatitudes, Ulysses observations suggest that energetic particle signatures of ejecta are slightly different. In particular, low energy (∼MeV) particle enhancements, rather than depressions, are found in ejecta, apparently because ejecta guide particles to high latitudes where the ambient particle intensity is lower than near the ecliptic.
Regulation of motility, invasion, and metastatic potential of squamous cell carcinoma by 1α,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol.

BACKGROUND: The active metabolite of vitamin D 1α,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25D3) has exhibited broad-spectrum antitumor activity in xenograft animal models. However, its activity against metastatic disease has not been extensively investigated. METHODS: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or 1,25D3-resistant variant SCC-DR cells were treated with 1,25D3. Actin organization was examined by immunofluorescence assay. Cell migration was assessed by “wound” healing and chemotactic migration assays. Cell invasion was assessed by a Matrigel-based invasion assay and in situ zymography. Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 expression and secretion were examined by immunoblot analysis and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. E-cadherin expression was assessed by flow cytometry, immunoblot analysis, and immunohistochemistry. Knockdown of E-cadherin was achieved by small interfering RNA. An experimental metastasis mouse model was created by intravenous injection of tumor cells; and lung tumor development in the mice was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging, gross observation, and histology. RESULTS: SCC cellular morphology and actin organization were altered by 10 nM 1,25D3. 1,25D3 inhibited SCC cell motility and invasion, which were associated with reduced expression and secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9, and 1,25D3 promoted the expression of E-cadherin. These findings were not observed in SCC-DR cells. Knock down of E-cadherin rescued 1,25D3-inhibited cell migration. Intravenous injection of SCC or SCC-DR cells resulted in the establishment of extensive pulmonary lesions in saline-treated C3H mice. Treatment with 1,25D3 resulted in a marked reduction in the formation of lung tumor colonies in mice that were injected with SCC cells, but not in mice that were injected with SCC-DR cells. CONCLUSIONS: 1,25D3 suppressed SCC cell motility, invasion, and metastasis, partially through the promotion of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion. Cancer 2013. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Soft decision feedback equalization for pre-coded FIR-MIMO systems

In this paper, it is demonstrated that decision feedback equalization (DFE) based on soft-decisions is able to outperform hard-decision DFE, with an attractive computational cost that is polynomial in the number of symbols to be recovered. A group of soft-decision feedback equalizers (SDFE) with probabilistic data association are developed for multi-input multi-output (MIMO) wireless communication systems operating in time dispersive channels. Block transmissions with zero-padded precoding are employed to guarantee channel identifiability. Computer simulations indicate that SDFE offers close-to-optimal error probability performance without incurring exponential complexity. Further improvements on these SDFE schemes promise enhanced performance at a reduced computational cost.
Formal definition of a simple on-line teleprocessor in VDL

This paper presents a definition in VDL (the Vienna Definition Language) of a simple message processing system using a polling algorithm. It illustrates an application of VDL in a new area and by defining extensions and changes to the original system demonstrates the flexibility of VDL as a formal definition tool.
The Impact of Digital and Electronic Technology in Education

AbstractThis paper argues that, while identifying some of the reasons for the glacial pace of the impact of instructional technology in education, Cuban’s (1998) recent commentary about instructional technology fails to consider the full range of diversity of viewpoints about education and about effective uses of technology in education. As a result, his paper presents arguments that fail to be convincing under close scrutiny. In this paper, I argue that technological availability as well as differences in values and cultural perspectives about education contribute to the use or non-use of instructional technology. I identify several additional factors that contribute to the rate of technology adoption and to the impact of technology in education.
Phytosterols, triterpene alcohols, and phospholipids in seed oil from white lupin

This study was conducted to determine effects of genotypes and growing environment on phytosterols, triterpene alcohols, and phospholipids (PL) in lupin (Lupinus albus L.) oil from seven genotypes grown in Maine and Virginia. The unsaponifiable lipid (UNSAP) and phospholipid (PL) fractions ranged from 2.1 to 2.8% and from 2.6 to 2.8% of oil, respectively. UNSAP in lupin oil contained 19.9 to 28.7% sterols and 17.3 to 22.0% triterpene alcohols. Growing location significantly affected contents of total PL, PS, phosphatidylglycerol, β-sitosterol, campesterol, and β-amyrin. Genotypic effects were significant for stigmasterol. PC (32.6 to 46.3% of PL), PE (21.6 to 32% of PL), and PS (11.2 to 17.9% of PL) were the major PL in lupin oil. The concentration of PL classes in lupin oil were in the following descending order: PC>PE>PS>PI>phosphatidic acid > lysophosphatidylcholine > phosphatidylglycerol > diphosphatidylglycerol. In descending order of abundance, the sterols present in lupin oil were: β-sitosterol > campesterol > stigmasterol > Δ5-avenasterol > Δ7-stigmastenol Lupeol was the most prominent triterpene alcohol in lupin seed oil. In general, growing environment had a much greater influence on lupin oil characteristics than the genotypes.
The incredible shrinking human genome.

Abstract Oncogenomics: dissecting cancer through genome research. The meeting was held in Tucson, Arizona from 25 to 27 January 2001 (http://www.nhgri.nih.gov/CONF/Oncogenomics).
Laplace-transform analytic element solution of transient flow in porous media

Abstract A Laplace-transform analytic element method (LT-AEM) is described for the solution of transient flow problems in porous media. Following Laplace transformation of the original flow problem, the analytic element method (AEM) is used to solve the resultant time-independent modified Helmholtz equation, and the solution is inverted numerically back into the time domain. The solution is entirely general, retaining the mathematical elegance and computational efficiency of the AEM while being amenable to parallel computation. It is especially well suited for problems in which a solution is required at a limited number of points in space–time, and for problems involving materials with sharply contrasting hydraulic properties. We illustrate the LT-AEM on transient flow through a uniform confined aquifer with a circular inclusion of contrasting hydraulic conductivity and specific storage. Our results compare well with published analytical solutions in the special case of radial flow.
Performance Modeling of the NIF Neutron Imaging System

Summary form only given. The Neutron Imaging System (MS) for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is currently under development. The system should be able to record hot-spot (13-15 MeV) and cold-fuel (6-10 MeV) images with a resolution of 10 microns and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 10 at the 20% contour. This diagnostic is valuable because lower energy neutrons reveal the distribution of the non-burning DT fuel surrounding the hot-spot, providing key information in the case of a failed implosion. An End-to-End model of the system has been developed to study the performance of different designs with respect to the resolution and SNR requirements. The model includes accurate source distributions of a failed implosion, five aperture geometries (ring, penumbral, square pinhole, small penumbral pinhole and triangular wedge), their associated point spread functions, and a pixelated plastic scintillator detector array. The simulated recorded images are deconvolved using a modified regularization algorithm, producing overall simulations of the expected source images.
Fibroblasts are critical determinants in prostatic cancer growth and dissemination.

Fibroblasts are important contributors to both benign and malignant growth of prostate epithelial cells in vivo. In the human prostate cancer model that we have established, we can grow human LNCaP tumors reproducibly in athymic mice by coinoculating the animals with human LNCaP epithelial cells puls fibroblasts derived from either the prostate or bone; human lung, normal rat kidney, and embryonic mouse fibroblasts were inactive. We have delivered conditioned medium isolated from competent fibroblasts directly to sites where the tumor cells were injected and found that the conditioned medium alone confers tumorigenicity. Further studies of the mechanism of fibroblast-epithelial interaction have indicated that close metabolic cooperation between fibroblast and epithelial cells, involving the production of growth factors by the epithelial cells and the production of extracellular matrices and growth factors by the fibroblasts (assayed in vitro), is important in promoting prostate tumor growth in vivo.
Optogalvanic and pseudosonic wave spectroscopies in oscillating d.c. discharges

Abstract The conditions under which spontaneously oscillating d.c. discharges may be formed are described, and two different experimental configurations with distinct operating properties are presented. Using these discharges, optogalvanic and pseudosonic wave frequency spectroscopies are performed in neon. Signal magnitude in both techniques is discussed in terms of the change in the discharge power spectra caused by laser excitation of an atomic neon transition. Both methods are used to observe H in a binary mixture of H2 and Ne.
Approche originale du traitement d'un anévrysme aortique abdominal inflammatoire associé à une ectopie rénale croisée avec fusion

Objectifs L'ectopie renale croisee avec fusion est une anomalie rare qui constitue un defi therapeutique des anevrysmes aortiques abdominaux (AAAs). Les defis incluent la conservation du flux sanguin renal avec des arteres renales anormales multiples et des anomalies ureterales. Plusieurs approches chirurgicales a ce dilemme, y compris l'utilisation des techniques chirurgicales traditionnelles, ont ete decrites dans la litterature. Nous decrivons une approche originale pour traiter un AAA inflammatoire de de 7 cm associe a une ectopie renale croisee avec fusion. Methodes Pendant la surveillance habituelle par angioscanner (CTA) chez un homme de 63 ans, un AAA augmentant rapidement avec de nouveaux signes inflammatoires a ete detecte. L'anevrysme avait augmente de 4,8 a 7 cm en 6 mois. Le malade etait hemodynamiquement stable. Les resultats des examens de laboratoire a l'admission etaient normaux, avec un taux de filtration glomerulaire de base de 91,2 mL/min et une creatinine a 1. Le CTA montrait l'epaississement significatif de la paroi aortique, suggestif de l'inflammation aortique, la presence d'une ectopie renale croisee avec fusion, et de nombreuses arteres renales anormales. Il existait deux arteres renales droites naissant du sac anevrysmal proximal et trois arteres renales gauches naissant des arteres iliaques communes. Etant donne l'inflammation aortique, une approche de traitement ouvert etait consideree a haut risque comparee au traitement endovasculaire de l'anevrysme (EVAR). Cependant, compte tenu de l'anatomie arterielle non caracteristique, une option chirurgicale et endovasculaire a ete choisie. Nous avons effectue un debranchement aortique et une revascularisation d'artere renale, suivis d'un EVAR. Resultats Nous avons preserve la fonction renale et avons exclu l'anevrysme. Le patient est sorti au 6eme jour postoperatoire sans complications. Un CTA etait fait a 1 6 mois de suivi. Ceci montrait une endofuite de type 2, qui etait confirmee par l'angio-IRM. Cependant, le diametre de l'anevrysme avait diminue de 7 a 6,3 cm en 1 mois, et de 6,3 a 5,5 cm en 6 mois. Aucune intervention supplementaire n'a ete effectuee. Conclusion Les AAAs inflammatoires associes a une ectopie renale croisee avec fusion peut etre traites avec succes par debranchement aortique et revascularisation d'artere renale suivis d'un EVAR. Ceci souligne le role croissant des therapies endovasculaires associees aux techniques chirurgicales ouvertes.
889 ERYTHROCYTE PROTOPORPHYRIN (EP): THE RATIO OF FREE EP TO ZINC-COMPLEXED EP IN NORMAL CHILDREN

889 ERYTHROCYTE PROTOPORPHYRIN (EP): THE RATIO OF FREE EP TO ZINC-COMPLEXED EP IN NORMAL CHILDREN
Year-round use of thermography in house doctoring

There have been many presentations of thermographic residential building analyses at the past ThermosInse conferences. A number of these papers have dealt with evaluation of insulation voids and more recently a few have described air leakage detection 2,3 during the colder winter months. This paper will focus on the thermographic application in the House Doctor instrumented energy analysis approach as developed by Princeton University. The central theme will be the application to a year-round research or commercial activity. Some of the conditions that could create thermographic problems, as well as techniques that may be used to lessen these difficulties, thereby extending the thermographic "season" is discussed. Our experiences in summer thermography with and without the use of a building pressurization system is also covered.
The spectral picture of (LA, RB)

Abstract Let A and B be commuting n -tuples of operators on a Hilbert space H , and let ( L A , R B ) be the (2 n )-tuple of left and right multiplications induced by A and B on L(H) . We show that σ T ((L A ,R B ), L(H)) = σ T (A,H) × σ T (B,H) , σ Te ((L A ,R B ), L(H)) = [σ Te (A,H) × σ T (B,H)]∪[σ T (A,H) × σ Te (B,H)] , and ind( L A , R B ) = (−1) n ind( A )ind( B ), whenever A and B are Fredholm. Similar results hold for the restrictions of ( L A , R B ) to norm ideals in L(H) , giving in particular the spectral picture of ( A ⊗ I , I ⊗ B ) on H ⊗ H . A. S. Fainstein, working independently, has announced versions of these results for Banach spaces.
Simulation of susceptibility-induced distortions in fMRI

It has been recently proposed that computer-simulated phantom images can be used to evaluate methods for fMRI preprocessing. It is widely recognized that Gradient-Echo Echo Planar Imaging (EPI), the most often used technique for fMRI, is strongly affected by field inhomogeneities. Accurate and realistic phantom images for use by the fMRI community for software evaluation and training must incorporate these distortions and account for the effects of head motion and respiration on the distortions. A method to generate realistic distortions caused by field inhomogeneity for the generation of an fMRI phantom is presented in this paper. Changes in field inhomogeneity due to motion are studied by means of adding motions to the brain model and calculating the induced field map numerically rather than measuring it experimentally. A fast analytic version of an MR simulation is used to generate distorted EPI images based on the calculated field maps. The new generated fMRI phantoms can be used to evaluate processing algorithms for fMRI study more accurately. We can appreciate the importance of distortions for fMRI phantom generation by simulating a distortion-free image and adding distortions afterwards. Validations are performed by comparing the calculated field maps with measured ones. In addition, we show the similarities between a simulated fMRI phantom and real EPI image from our MR scanner.
Project-based introduction to aerospace engineering course: A model rocket

Abstract In this paper, a model rocket project suitable for sophomore aerospace engineering students is described. This project encompasses elements of drag estimation, thrust determination and analysis using digital data acquisition, statistical analysis of data, computer aided drafting, programming, team work and written communication skills. The student built rockets are launched in the university baseball field with the objective of carrying a specific amount of payload so that the rocket achieves a specific altitude before the parachute is deployed. During the course of the project, the students are introduced to real-world engineering practice through written report submission of their designs. Over the years, the project has proven to enhance the learning objectives, yet cost effective and has provided good outcome measures.
Sem, auger spectroscopy and ion backscattering techniques applied to analyses of Au/refractory metallizations

The concurrent application of the SEM, AES, X-ray diffractometry and Rutherford Backscattering (RBS) techniques to Au/refractory metallizations is analyzed with respect to the study of thin film interdiffusion, intermetallic formation, microcracking and oxidation phenomena. The SEM in the backscatter electron image mode was used for resolution of intermetallic compounds and interdiffusion products, while AES and RBS analyses were used to obtain depth-composition profiles. The metallizations studied were Ta/Pt/Ta/Au and W/Au. The combination of Ta/Pt/Ta and Ti/Pt have been shown to be effective barriers to gold-silicon interdiffusion. Defects in the tungsten barrier were found to result in silicon migration to the front surface and gold migration toward the substrate at temperatures between 550°C-700°C . The diffusion constants for Au-Ta and Au-Pt interdiffusion have been determined from the AES data.
Multiple Aflatoxin B1Binding Proteins Exist in Rat Liver Cytosol

AbstractThe in vitro binding of aflatoxin B1 to rat liver cytosolic proteins was investigated. Aflatoxin B1 binding activity was assayed with protein purified by gel permeation chromatography, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Twenty-five percent of the total binding activity was associated with proteins eluted by 0 and 0.1 M NaCl. Over 50% of the total binding activity was associated with protein present in the 0.2 M NaCl fraction. Glutathione S-transferase activity was also monitored and found only in the low salt (< 0.2 M NaCl) fractions. The proteins eluted by 0.2 M NaCl were further purified by hydroxylapatite column chromatography and binding was found predominantly in a single fraction. The protein purification steps resulted in a 20-fold increase in the specific binding activity over that initially observed in the cytosol. These results indicate that multiple proteins are capable of binding aflatoxin B1 in rat liver cytosol.
Triaxial Tests on Compacted Clays for Consolidated-Undrained Conditions

Consolidated-undrained tests must be performed on compacted soils to provide undrained soil properties for embankment design scenarios, such as rapid drawdown. These soils are subject to anisotropic consolidation under field conditions. Laboratory testing of compacted clays must consider the effects of the consolidation stress system as well as the subtleties involved in testing initially unsaturated clay specimens. This study considers the effects of anisotropic consolidation on the undrained strength of a compacted lean clay. Strengths were measured using isotropically and anisotropically consolidated undrained triaxial compression tests. It was found that anisotropic consolidation has little effect on the undrained strength of compacted clay at vertical effective consolidation stresses below 50 kPa. As the consolidation stress increased, anisotropic consolidation was shown to decrease the undrained strength by 30 % at vertical effective consolidation stress of 300 kPa. It was also found that undrained strengths can increase by 50 % of more due to increases in relative compaction of a few %. Recommendations are presented for addressing the challenges of performing consolidated-undrained tests on compacted clays.
Adsorptive and Optical Properties of Fly Ash from Coal and Petroleum Coke Co-firing

Eight commercial fly ash samples including two from petroleum coke/coal co-firing were characterized to determine the origin, structure, and properties of the unburned carbon. Because of its relevance to ash utilization, the characterization included measurements of adsorptivity toward concrete surfactants, and its dependence on carbon form, particle size, and contact time. The coal/coke co-firing ashes are observed to possess unique optical and adsorptive properties which are related to the size, density, and internal porosity of the coke-derived residual char.
Genetic analysis of tonic immobility in young Japanese quail (Coturnix cotunix japonica)

Data were obtained on tonic immobility from 10th-generation matings of replicated lines of Japanese quail. These lines had been selected for high and low mating ability and included the random-bred control population from which the selected lines originated. At 6, and again at 12 days of age, each bird was subjected to uniform procedures of immobilization and was given two scores, one indicating the number of trials required to induce immobility, another the duration of induced immobility. Although there were no differences between sexes, lines were significantly different for duration and percentage incidence to the immobility response at both ages. Individuals that responded faster also exhibited longer durations of immobility, suggesting a high degree of susceptibility. Heritability estimates indicate that the additive genetic variation effecting tonic immobility is low to moderate in magnitude. These results, when taken in an evolutionary context, suggest prior natural selection for tonic immobility and indicate that this trait is associated with fitness.
HERMITIAN-EINSTEIN INEQUALITIES AND HARDER-NARASIMHAN FILTRATIONS

Unstable holomorphic bundles can be described algebraically by Harder-Narasimhan filtrations. In this note we show how such filtrations correspond to the existence of special metrics defined by Hermitian-Einstein inequalities.