cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Erratum to: Separation and Characterization of Epithelial and Mesenchymal-like Murine Mammary Tumor Cells Reveals Epithelial Cell Differentiation Plasticity and Enhanced Tumorigenicity of Epithelial-enriched Tumor Cells

Tumors are composed of heterogeneous populations of cells including tumor-initiating cells (TICs) and metastatic precursors. While the origin of these cells is unknown, there is evidence that tumor cells can transdifferentiate from an epithelial to a mesenchymal phenotype, a property referred to as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This cellular plasticity may explain the heterogeneous nature of tumors and differences in the tumorigenic and invasive properties of cells. Understanding the origin of these cells and the contribution of external factors that influence the acquisition of cellular properties is critical for the development of therapeutics to eradicate cancer. In this study, we show that primary murine tumor cells harvested from FVB/N Tg (MMTV/Neu) spontaneous mammary tumors possess differentiation plasticity and can be enriched to be epithelial or mesenchymal-like using selected culture media conditions, and we show evidence of EMT in a clonal population of primary epithelial tumor cells when cultured in fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1) or transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). We also determined that in contrast to the identification of mesenchymal-like tumor cells as TICs in orthotopic xenograph models of tumorigenicity, epithelial-enriched murine mammary tumor cells were more tumorigenic as compared to mesenchymal-enriched cells when transplanted back subcutaneously into syngeneic immune competent mice. Together, these data suggest that EMT plasticity can be induced in primary murine mammary tumor cells, and that tumorigenicity of epithelial or mesenchymal-like cells may be influenced by factors such as the site of tumor inoculation or the immune state of the host (xenogenic immune compromised versus syngeneic immune competent).
STRUCTURE AND MODE OF ACTION OF A VOLTAGE DEPENDENT ANION-SELECTIVE CHANNEL (VDAC) LOCATED IN THE OUTER MITOCHONDRIAL MEMBRANE DEPENDENT ANION-SELECTIVE CHANNEL (VDAC)*

VDAC is a channel-forming protein, located in the outer mitochondrial membrane, whose properties are consistent with the known permeability behavior of that membrane. When extracted with Triton X-100, VDAC exists as a 110,000 molecular weight glycoprotein complex which is a prepackaged channel. When inserted into liposomes, the permeability increase to non-electrolytes is consistent with a pore radius of 20. In a planar lipid bilayer, VDAC is anion selective and voltage gatable. This suggests that the permeability pathway in the outer mitochondrial membrane might be under physiological control. Many of VDAC's properties are qualitatively very similar, although quantitatively different, to those of porin, the channel responsible for the permeability of the outer membrane of at least some gram negative bacteria.
Binding of porphyrins to tubulin heterodimers.

We have investigated the binding of two porphyrins, meso-tetrakis (p-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (TSPP) and protoporphyrin IX (PPIX), to tubulin α,β-heterodimers. TSPP had been shown to directly target microtubules in cells. A comparative study between TSPP and PPIX was carried out because the latter is used in clinical applications and is hydrophobic, in comparison with the water soluble TSPP. The results presented in this manuscript show that both porphyrins bind tubulin with nearly identical stoichiometry but with different affinity (1.76 × 105 M−1 for PPIX; 1.1 × 106 M−1 for TSPP). The combination of spectroscopic data and molecular simulations suggests that both porphyrins bind as monomers and that their binding site is in proximity of one (or more) Trp residues but do not overlap with the binding site of other well characterized ligands. Molecular simulations also show that the sites that yield the lower energy minima place the porphyrins near the surface of the protein. In the case of TSPP, binding ...
Habitat patchiness promotes invasion by alien grasses on serpentine soil

Abstract Serpentine soils are considerably less invaded by alien species than nonserpentine soils in California’s North Coast Ranges. However, alien species are significantly more prevalent on small patches of serpentine ( 100 m from edges) of very large ones (>1 km2). We studied reasons for this pattern, focusing on the Mediterranean annual grasses Avena fatua L. and Bromus hordeaceus L. Using field transects, we found that both Avena and Bromus were more common at the edges of large patches than in large-patch interiors, even though soils from edges were not significantly different from soils in interiors. Using a growth experiment, we found that soils from small patches did not support better growth of either grass than soils from large-patch interiors. We conclude that the observed pattern is probably caused by small patches and large-patch edges receiving a higher flow of propagules from the nonserpentine matrix, and not by differences in habitat suitability. In both species, populations from small serpentine patches outperformed nonserpentine populations when grown on small-patch soil. This suggests that small serpentine patches may promote the evolution of serpentine-tolerant ecotypes of these alien grasses.
Optomechanical Dark Mode

Thermal mechanical motion hinders the use of a mechanical system in applications such as quantum information processing. Whereas the thermal motion can be overcome by cooling a mechanical oscillator to its motional ground state, an alternative approach is to exploit the use of a mechanically dark mode that can protect the system from mechanical dissipation. We have realized such a dark mode by coupling two optical modes in a silica resonator to one of its mechanical breathing modes in the regime of weak optomechanical coupling. The dark mode, which is a superposition of the two optical modes and is decoupled from the mechanical oscillator, can still mediate an effective optomechanical coupling between the two optical modes. We show that the formation of the dark mode enables the transfer of optical fields between the two optical modes. Optomechanical dark mode opens the possibility of using mechanically mediated coupling in quantum applications without cooling the mechanical oscillator to its motional ground state.
Optimal placement of FACTs devices in deregulated systems considering line losses

This paper reviews the current status on the optimal placement of flexible AC transmission systems (FACTs) devices and reasons that one-shot (instantaneous) models may lead to sub-optimal solutions. The paper proposes an alternative model that can optimize the placement of FACTs devices based on multiple time periods with losses considered. Demands are modeled as functions of prices to reflect the operating principle of deregulated power markets. Several simplifications are suggested to reduce the problem size without much degradation of the solution quality. Numerical results show that the welfare gain from the multiple period model is significant.
Construction of surrogate chemical mechanisms (schemes) for atmospheric photochemical systems

During the past several years it has become apparent that homogeneous gas-phase reactions of pollutants in the troposphere, i.e., the formation of photochemical smog and the oxidation of SO/sub 2/, occur to a great extent by elementary reactions involving chain carrying free-radicals (HO, HO/sub 2/, RO, RO/sub 2/, RCOO/sub 2/) whose concentrations are governed by the concentrations of trace molecular constituents including NO, NO/sub 2/, CO, O/sub 3/, and organics, as well as sunlight. For the purpose of modeling chemical transformations in the ambient atmosphere, which requires incorporating a reaction mechanism within an atmospheric transport model, it is necessary to develop a mechanism that includes a minimum number of chemical species, since the computational time and cost involved in solving the set of partial differential equations describing the diffusion-advection-reaction problem increases dramatically with the number of species modeled. Although photochemicl mechanisms employing fewer than 15 species have been developed previously for use within urban airshed models, those reduced, or surrogate, mechanisms do not include sulfur chemistry and do not appear applicable to the more widely varying conditions possible as gases become chemically depleted while being transported away from emission sources. Therefore, in order to meet the time and cost constraintsmore » of an atmospheric transport model, we have constructed a 12-species Surrogate CHEmical MEchanism (SCHEME) incorporating reactions for the homogeneous gas-phase oxidation of SO/sub 2/. A preliminary but much more detailed and comprehensive ATmospheric Model for Sulfur (ATMOS) has been used to generate SCHEME and test its applicability to a broad range of chemical conditions.« less
Power of Tests in Binary Response Models: Comment

SAVIN AND WURTZ (1999) ADDRESSES a peculiar feature of binary response models. Consider the single covariate, slope-intercept model conditional on a finite number of observations on the strictly positive covariate. Given any value of the slope coefficient, including zero, the intercept may be chosen to make the probability of all outcomes zero, or all outcomes one, arbitrarily close to unity. A sample of all outcomes zero or all outcomes one is therefore in the nonrejection region of any nonrandomized test of the hypothesis that the slope coefficient is zero. Given any value of the intercept, the slope coefficient may be chosen sufficiently large (small) to make the probability of all outcomes one (zero) arbitrarily close to unity. Hence the power of the test is arbitrarily close to zero for values of the slope coefficient sufficiently large in absolute value. Savin and Wurtz (1999) extends this argument to a vector of nuisance parameters and a vector of parameters of interest. A critical part of the argument is the notion of a perfect classifier-a sample for which there exist parameter values that make the probability of that sample arbitrarily close to unity. The essence of the argument is to set forth conditions under which perfect classifiers for the same sample exist under both the null and alternative hypothesis. Power against the alternatives must be arbitrarily close to zero. For the econometrician using a binary response model, Savin and Wurtz (1999) leaves unanswered an important question: do these hypothesis tests have low power only against alternatives for which the probability of a perfect classifier is very high? Suppose the answer to this question is "yes," and the econometrician's sample is not a perfect classifier. The econometrician will correctly rule out (with high probability) those configurations of parameters under the alternative hypothesis for which power is low. Such ex post reasoning is characteristic of the sensible application of ex ante econometric theory. While the answer to this question is not known, in general, it is easy to investigate for the specific example taken up in Savin and Wurtz (1999). Begin by distinguishing three cases of samples that could be available. In Case I, all of the values are "0" or "1." In
Heat capacities of aqueous KCl from 325 to 600 K at 17.9 MPa

Abstract A differential flow heat-capacity calorimeter has been used to measure the heat capacity of KCl(aq) at molalities from 0.10 to 3.0 mol · kg−1, temperatures from 325 to 600 K, and a pressure near 17.9 MPa. The results show very large and negative apparent molar heat capacities at high temperatures and low molalities as found for NaCl(aq), NaBr(aq), and CaCl2(aq).
Microstructure and RRA treatment of LFEC 7075 aluminum alloy extruded bars

The microstructures after casting and extruding, the mechanical properties and electrical conductivity after RRA treatment of conventional DC casting and low frequency electromagnetic casting (LFEC) 7075 aluminum alloy were investigated. The results showed that finer grains which distributed more homogeneously was obtained in LFEC ingots compared with those conventional DC ingots. The extruded bars of LFEC alloy kept its fine grain features of original as-cast structure. In the RRA treatment, with the extension of second aging time, the tensile strength and hardness of alloy decreased, but the electrical conductivity increased. Meanwhile, as the second aging temperature raised, the phase change rate in precipitation also increased. Under the same conditions, extruded bars of LFEC alloy had better performance than that of conventional DC cast alloy. The optimum RRA heat treatment process was 120 °C/24 h+180 °C/30 min+120 °C/24 h. The LFEC extruded bars acquired tensile strength 676.64 MPa, hardness 198.18, and electrical conductivity 35.7% IACS respectively, which were higher than that in the T6 temper, indicating that a notable RRA response takes place in LFEC extruded bars, whose second-step retrogression time was 30 min, and it was suitable for mass production.
Transsphenoidal microsurgical therapy of prolactinomas: initial outcomes and long-term results.

OBJECTIVE: Prolactinomas are frequently treated primarily with dopamine agonists; however, these agents have disadvantages and require life-long therapy. We therefore reassessed transsphenoidal microsurgery as an alternative therapy. METHODS: We reviewed the data for 121 female patients treated surgically for prolactinomas between 1976 and 1979 (Group 1) and 98 patients treated between 1988 and 1992 (Group 2). RESULTS: Of 219 women, 92% with preoperative prolactin (PRL) values of ≤100 ng/ml and 91% with intrasellar microadenomas experienced initial remission; 80 to 88% of patients with intrasellar macroadenomas or macroadenomas showing moderate suprasellar extension or focal sphenoid sinus invasion experienced remission. Women with PRL values of >200 ng/ml and those with larger and more invasive adenomas experienced poorer outcomes (37-41% remission). Lower preoperative PRL values and adenoma stage were the best predictors of initial surgical outcomes. At the most recent evaluations, 89% of women who experienced initial remission continued to experience clinical remission; 85% exhibited normal PRL values, and 5% demonstrated mild, asymptomatic, recurrent hyperprolactinemia (PRL values of <34 ng/ml). In Group 1, 84% of patients continued to experience remission (82% with normal PRL values) after a median follow-up period of 15.6 years. In Group 2, 97% of patients continued to experience remission (88% with normal PRL values) after a median follow-up period of 3.2 years. Lower postoperative PRL values were the best predictors of long-term remission. CONCLUSION: Transsphenoidal microsurgery is an effective alternative to long-term medical therapy for selected patients with prolactinomas. Successful outcomes and long-term remission were achieved in patients with microadenomas and noninvasive macroadenomas.
Effects of Aerosol on Cloud Water Path: Statistical Method a Potential Source for Divergence in Observation-based Correlative Studies

Studies show a divergence in correlation between aerosol and cloud proxies, which has been thought of in the past as the results of varying physical mechanisms. Though modeling studies have supported this idea, from an observational standpoint it is difficult to attribute with confidence the correlations to specific physical mechanisms. We explore a methodology to assess the correlation between cloud water path and aerosol optical depth using Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Aqua retrieved aerosol and cloud properties for absorbing and non-absorbing aerosol types over land and over the Atlantic Ocean for various meteorological conditions. The data covers a three-month period, June through August, during which different aerosol types are predominant in specific regions. Our approach eliminates outliers; sorts the data into aerosol bins; and the mean Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) value for each bin and the corresponding mean Cloud Water Path (CWP) value are determined. The mean CWP is plotted against the mean AOD. The response curve for all aerosol types shows a peak CWP value corresponding to an aerosol loading value AODpeak. The peak is used to divide the total range of aerosol loading into two sub ranges. For AOD value below AODpeak, mean CWP and mean AOD are positively correlated. The correlation between mean CWP and mean AOD is negative for aerosol loading above AODpeak. Irrespective of aerosol type, atmospheric water vapor content and lower tropospheric static stability, the peak observed for each aerosol type seems to describe a universal feature that calls for further investigation. It has been observed for a variety of geographical locations and different seasons.
Evaluation of Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Asphalt Pavement Rehabilitations Utilizing LTPP Data

AbstractThis paper analyzed the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of several asphalt pavement rehabilitations by investigating the long-term pavement performance (LTPP) database. The multiple regression method was employed to evaluate the influence of overlay thickness, pavement thickness, traffic volume, and preoverlay pavement conditions on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. The international roughness index (IRI) was selected as an indicator of pavement performance. The postrehabilitation IRI, IRI drop, roughness increase after rehabilitation, and the “benefit” were used as measures of treatment effectiveness. The results of the presented analyses indicated that thicker overlay and milling reduced the roughness after rehabilitation. Thin overlay, high traffic level, and poor prerehabilitation pavement condition increased the deterioration rate of new overlay. Using reclaimed asphalt material did not influence the treatment performance but was cost-effective in reducing the roughness of new ov...
Monitoring the Resuscitation of Preterm Infants in the Delivery Room Using Pulse Oximetry

The first few minutes after birth are a critical time of adaptation of the newborn infant to extrauterine life. The adequacy of that adaptation has been evaluated by means of the summed Apgar score. In preterm infants, Apgar score may correlate less with adequacy of cardiopulmonary function because of developmental immaturity. Measurement of arterial oxygen saturation by means of pulse oximetry offers a physiologic, real time method of monitoring the progress of cardiopulmonary adaptation by which the clinician can evaluate the need for and success of resuscitative efforts. Four preterm infants are reported in whom pulse oximetry was useful in assessing the changes in oxygen saturation during resuscitation.
Energy efficiency analysis of an RLS-based adaptive signal processing algorithm for energy aware sensor networks

A joint source coding and RLS-based adaptive signal processing approach that exploits the inherent correlations among the sensor data, in order to improve energy efficiency of low-power wireless sensor networks is proposed. The energy efficiency is achieved by reducing the transmission requirements from sensors. A semi-analytical technique is presented in order to determine the energy-efficiency of the proposed scheme taking into account both communications and circuit power consumptions. The numerical results obtained with real sensor data show that the proposed scheme offers significant energy savings compared to previously proposed schemes.
Theories and implications of hierarchical fragmentation

Interstellar cloud complexes contain multiply nested substructure covering about four orders of magnitude in size. Various theoretical ideas for the origin of this structure from the interplay of gravitational instability, rotation, magnetic fields, and turbulence are reviewed. Available numerical collapse calculations, limited to one fragmentation stage by lack of spatial resolution, do suggest the likelihood of repeated fragmentation, at least for non-magnetic models, but do not support the predictions of fragmentation scenarios based on linear stability analysis or the virial theorem as applied to stationary initial states. Specifically, the relevance of the thermal or magnetic Jeans mass to fragmentation is questioned. A number of simplified examples are used to show how the rate, efficiency, and mass spectrum of star formation, as well as protostellar angular momentum and other properties, may depend sensitively on the hierarchical fragmentation structure. Some of the implications of recent results concerning the fractal nature of cloud shapes are briefly summarized.
Probability matrices, chain dimensions and statistical thermodynamics for semicrystalline macromolecules

In a previous paper the end-to-end dimensions of semicrystalline macromolecules were computed by the Markoff chain method, by use of a normalized probability matrix with two probability parameters α and p. The values of these parameters that actually obtain may result from kinetic conditions (as in rapidly quenched specimens) or the values may in some cases be equilibrium values that can be determined by statistical mechanical considerations. In this paper we calculate the overall partition function Q of a semicrystalline macromolecule by a method similar to that employed by Zimm and Bragg for polypeptide chains. Q is computed in terms of segment partition functions fr, fh, and fk. By working out the consequences of this Ising-type model, we are able to relate α and p to fr, fh, and fk. In an appendix we show that the phenomenon of ceiling and floor temperatures in equilibrium polymerization can be regarded from the same mathematical point of view as the helix–coil transition. Moreover, the mathematical results from this approach can be correlated with the results previously obtained by Tobolsky and Eisenberg by direct application of the law of mass action.
Persistent Airway Inflammation and Emphysema Progression on CT Scan in Ex-Smokers Observed for 4 Years

Background Tobacco smoking is a principal cause of COPD-emphysema (COPD-E). Whether discontinuing smoking for at least 4 years halts airway inflammation and progression of COPD-E in prior smokers is unknown. In this study we investigated whether discontinuing smoking for approximately 4 years in ex-smokers with GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Lung Disease) stage IIb (moderately severe) COPD-E stopped airway inflammation (ie, sputum biomarkers) and halted the progression of COPD-E on chest CT scan. Methods Ten ex-smokers with COPD-E who had quit smoking underwent chest CT scans to document the extent of COPD-E, assessment of lung function (FEV 1 and diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide), sputum induction for biomarkers of inflammation (measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), and blood cotinine levels at baseline and approximately 4 years later. Normal healthy subjects (n = 7) and normal current smokers with no CT scan evidence of COPD-E (n = 8) served as sputum biomarker comparison groups. Results After approximately 4 years of not smoking (documented by cotinine levels), ex-smokers with COPD-E had persistent increased levels of mediators of inflammation in sputum (myeloperoxidase, leukotriene B4, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, matrix metalloprotease-9), which was associated with significant progression of COPD-E on chest CT scan. Conclusions Cessation of tobacco smoking in heavy smokers with moderately severe COPD-E is associated with evidence of persistent airway inflammation and progression of COPD-E on CT scan 4 years later. Discontinuing smoking may slow the rate of progression of moderate severity COPD-E, but it does not prevent persistent airway inflammation and significant progression of COPD-E on CT scan.
A probabilistic method for the detection and genotyping of small indels from population-scale sequence data

Motivation: High-throughput sequencing technologies have made population-scale studies of human genetic variation possible. Accurate and comprehensive detection of DNA sequence variants is crucial for the success of these studies. Small insertions and deletions represent the second most frequent class of variation in the human genome after single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Although several alignment tools for the gapped alignment of sequence reads to a reference genome are available, computational methods for discriminating indels from sequencing errors and genotyping indels directly from sequence reads are needed. Results: We describe a probabilistic method for the accurate detection and genotyping of short indels from population-scale sequence data. In this approach, aligned sequence reads from a population of individuals are used to automatically account for context-specific sequencing errors associated with indels. We applied this approach to population sequence datasets from the 1000 Genomes exon pilot project generated using the Roche 454 and Illumina sequencing platforms, and were able to detect a significantly greater number of indels than reported previously. Comparison to indels identified in the 1000 Genomes pilot project demonstrated the sensitivity of our method. The consistency in the number of indels and the fraction of indels whose length is a multiple of three across different human populations and two different sequencing platforms indicated that our method has a low false discovery rate. Finally, the method represents a general approach for the detection and genotyping of small-scale DNA sequence variants for population-scale sequencing projects. Availability: A program implementing this method is available at http://polymorphism.scripps.edu/~vbansal/software/piCALL/ Contact: vbansal@scripps.edu Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A clinical comparison of a bovine-derived xenograft used alone and in combination with enamel matrix derivative for the treatment of periodontal osseous defects in humans

Background: Enamel matrix protein derivative (EMD) and particulate anorganic cancellous bovinederived bone xenograft (BDX) have both shown favorable clinical results in reducing intrabony periodontal defects as compared to open flap debridement alone. These materials have shown results comparable to those obtained with guided tissue regeneration. The primary aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of EMD combined with BDX as compared to BDX alone, with a secondary aim to compare the treatment outcomes of the 2 modalities. Methods: Seventeen patients with paired intrabony defects and probing depths measuring ≥5 mm who were being treated for chronic periodontitis were selected for this controlled, blinded, split-mouth study. Following non-surgical periodontal therapy, sites were randomly selected to receive either a combination of EMD and BDX (test group) or BDX alone (positive control group). Baseline and 6-month surgical reentry measurements were taken by a calibrated examiner blinded t...
Failure to normalize lymphopenia following trauma is associated with increased mortality, independent of the leukocytosis pattern

Introduction: Following trauma and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), the typical response is an elevation of the total complete blood count (CBC) and a reduction of the lymphocyte count. This leukocytosis typically returns to normal within 48 hours. The persistence of a leukocytosis following trauma is associated with adverse outcomes. Although lymphocyte anergy and dysfunction following trauma is associated with increased risk for infection and sepsis, there is a paucity of data regarding the impact of a persistence of a low lymphocyte count in trauma patients. Methods: This is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data from trauma patients collected over the 5 years of September 2003 to September 2008. Patients were included if the injury severity score (ISS) was >/=15, and they survived at least 3 days. Demographic data, mechanism and injury severity score, mortality, and length of stay were collected from the medical record. Laboratory values for the first 4 hospital days were collected. Leukocyte, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts were extracted from the daily complete blood count (CBC). Patients were then grouped based on response (elevation/depression) of each component of the CBC, and their return, or failure thereof, to normal. Proportional hazards regression with time-varying covariates as well as Kaplan-Meier curves were used to predict risk of death, time to death and time to healthy discharge based on fluctuations of the individual components of the CBC. Results: There were 2448 patients admitted over the 5 years included in the analysis. When adjusting for age, gender and ISS the relative risk of death was elevated with a persistent leukocytosis (2.501 (95% CI = 1.477-4.235)) or failure to normalize lymphopenia (1.639 (95% CI = 10.17-2.643)) within the first 4 days following admission. Similar results were seen when Kaplan-Meier curves were created. Persistent lymphopenia was associated with shortest time to death. Paradoxically in survivors persistent lymphopenia was associated with the shortest time to discharge. Conclusions: Persistently abnormal CBC responses are associated with a higher mortality following trauma. This is the first report noting that a failure to normalize lymphopenia in severely injured patients is associated with significantly higher mortality.
Caliceal diverticula in children: natural history and management.

Purpose: The natural history of caliceal diverticula in children is unknown. We review our series of children with caliceal diverticula to examine the presentation, natural history and management.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 22 children presenting with caliceal diverticula between 1983 and 2006. All pertinent clinical data were recorded, including demographics, imaging studies, treatment and clinical outcome.Results: A total of 22 children had 23 caliceal diverticula. There were 14 girls and 8 boys who presented at a mean age of 5.4 ± 3.1 years (range 0.2 to 12). At clinical presentation 10 patients had febrile urinary tract infection, 2 had hematuria, 2 had abdominal pain, 1 had flank pain and 8 were asymptomatic. Mean diameter of all caliceal diverticula was 2.2 ± 1.7 cm. All patients underwent voiding cystourethrogram. Two patients (9%) had concomitant ipsilateral caliceal diverticula and vesicoureteral reflux. A total of 10 patients with caliceal diverticula (43%) ...
Beyond Ecological Success of Corridors: Integrating Land Use History and Demographic Change to Provide a Whole Landscape Perspective

The performance of corridors has often been measured through ecological attributes, or the progress towards restoration of a notionally intact section of landscape. A corridor’s ability to reconnect fragmented landscapes is of critical importance for biodiversity conservation. However, what remains understudied is how these corridors within protected area systems fit into the park-people rubric. It is important to learn from older corridors to provide baseline comparisons in terms of restoration, land use and conservation policy, and park-people dynamics. We present an analysis of the landscape of Kibale National Park in western Uganda, which has maintained a corridor with Queen Elizabeth National Park to the south since 1926. The purpose and use of this corridor region has varied over time, from hunting, to biodiversity conservation, to extractive use, to farming. We examined the history of politics and demography both in and around this corridor and used satellite imagery to describe forest cover and conversion in this corridor, prior to and after park establishment. This analysis is useful not only to understand Kibale within a domesticated landscape, but also as a lens into the future of corridors and their larger landscapes in the East African Albertine Rift.
Asymptotic analysis of large cooperative relay networks using random matrix theory

Cooperative transmission is an emerging communication technology that takes advantage of the broadcast nature of wireless channels. In cooperative transmission, the use of relays can create a virtual antenna array so that multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) techniques can be employed. Most existing work in this area has focused on the situation in which there are a small number of sources and relays and a destination. In this paper, cooperative relay networks with large numbers of nodes are analyzed, and in particular the asymptotic performance improvement of cooperative transmission over direction transmission and relay transmission is analyzed using random matrix theory. The key idea is to investigate the eigenvalue distributions related to channel capacity and to analyze the moments of this distribution in large wireless networks. A performance upper bound is derived, the performance in the low signal-to-noise-ratio regime is analyzed, and two approximations are obtained for high and low relay-to-destination link qualities, respectively. Finally, simulations are provided to validate the accuracy of the analytical results. The analysis in this paper provides important tools for the understanding and the design of large cooperative wireless networks.
Optimization and Configuration of SQUID Sensor Arrays for a MEG-MRI System

The idea of using a large-scale superconducting quantum interference device array for simultaneous detection of both magneto-encephalography (MEG) and magnetic resonance images of the brain at ultra-low field (ULF MRI) is extremely attractive. It could reasonably improve the superposition of images from the two different modalities. Adding a ULF MRI capability to MEG implies the addition of coils for generation of fields and gradients. In addition there is a difference between the optimization criteria for pickup coils. MEG pick-up coils should be small enough to avoid smoothing of spatially sharp field distributions. In the case of ULF MRI the spatial resolution is defined by the applied gradients and the voxel signal-to-noise ratio but not by the pick-up coil diameter. Thus, ULF MRI systems may need fewer pick-up coils of larger size to cover the same area of interest. One approach is a hybrid design with different sizes and quantities of pick-up coils for recording of MEG and MRI signals. We describe a configuration of the 80-channel SQUID array that consists of 64 MEG and 16 MRI magnetometers. We also describe performance of gradiometers in comparison with magnetometers.
Progress in pulsed power sciences at sandia national laboratories

Summary form only given. Pulsed power has enabled many recent advances at Sandia National Laboratories. Dynamic hohlraum target experiments for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) on the Z accelerator have produced D-D neutron yields up to 8times1010, which is approximately a factor of 10 higher than that achieved by any other indirect-drive experiments. This significant advance has stimulated innovative concepts for cost-effective sources of X-rays for a high-yield fusion capability and for z-pinch-driven fusion energy. Isentropic compression experiments on Z have expanded the accessible parameter space for measuring dynamic material properties. Equation-of-state measurements up to 2.7 Mbar have been achieved and flyer plates have been accelerated above 20 km/s. Sandia is also pursuing a phased approach to adding multikilojoule petawatt capability to the existing Z-Beamlet laser to extend and enhance high energy density physics experiments on Z. The ZR refurbishment of the Z accelerator, scheduled for commissioning in 2006, is on schedule and will increase the current to 26 MA and the power to 330 TW. Three-dimensional, fully electromagnetic computational tools are being developed to model large scale and complex pulsed power accelerators with high fidelity. These tools utilize state-of-the-art numerical techniques, are optimized for massively-parallel cluster-type computers, and are being used in the design of the ZR accelerator and for the design and qualification of defense hardware. Russian Linear Transformer Technology (LTD) is being investigated for various applications including a 1-MV, 150 kA, 50 ns module for flash radiography and a 1 MV, 1 MA, 100-ns module for next-generation z-pinch drivers. Exciting progress has been made in pulsed power applications including development towards a 200 MW multisecond electron beam accelerator system for hypersonic ground test facilities and a revolutionary wiring diagnostic for detection of defects in aging electrical wiring systems
Transition from microemulsion to emulsion polymerization: Mechanism and final properties

Microemulsion and emulsion polymerization can have some similarities in starting conditions and polymerization mechanisms, but the resulting latices are unalike in particle size and molecular weight. Here we show that polymerizations can be formulated that display the characteristics often separately associated with microemulsion or emulsion polymerization. Kinetic modeling and particle size measurements show that emulsion polymerizations with initial concentrations close to the microemulsion-emulsion phase boundary demonstrate relatively fast consumption of monomer droplets and produce smaller particles. Because of their high surfactant concentrations, none of the emulsion polymerizations examined demonstrate the classical Smith-Ewart kinetics usually associated with emulsion polymerization. Instead these emulsion polymerizations have a long period of particle nucleation that subsides only after the disappearance of monomer droplets.
Open standards: A call for change

Digital communication is both pervasive and vital across society. This creates a growing public interest in the technical standards that proscribe public communications. The public is demanding open standards. The rallying cry "open standards" means different things to different groups. This article reviews the different needs of specific groups of society and develops ten different requirements for open standards. To implement these requirements, changes to the rules and procedures of standardization organizations, international bodies (e.g., WIPO, WTO), and national patent office rules are proposed. Interestingly, technical changes, in the form of new standardized protocols, rather than legal or policy changes, appear to be the most important changes to meet the requirements of open standards.
Compound Sequential Decisions Against the Well-Informed Antagonist

We consider causally estimating (filtering) the components of a noise-corrupted sequence relative to a reference class of filters. The noiseless sequence to be filtered is designed by a "well-informed antagonist", meaning it may evolve according to an arbitrary law, unknown to the filter, based, among other things, on past noisy sequence components. We show that this formulation is more challenging than that of an individual noiseless sequence (aka the "semi-stochastic" setting) in the sense that any deterministic filter, even one guaranteed to do well on every noiseless individual sequence, fails under some well-informed antagonist. On the other hand, we constructively establish the existence of a randomized filter which successfully competes with an arbitrary given finite reference class of filters, under every antagonist. Our noise model allows for channels whose noisy output depends on the l past channel outputs (in addition to the noiseless input symbol). Memoryless channels are obtained as a special case of our model by taking l = 0. In this case, our scheme coincides with one that was recently shown to compete with an arbitrary reference class in the semi-stochastic setting. Hence, our results show that the latter scheme is universal also under the well-informed antagonist.
The paradigm of consumer-driven and responsive supply chains: An integrated project approach

SummaryThis paper describes an integrated project approach that forms the basis of the studies on consumer-driven innovative and responsive supply chains in ISAFRUIT Pillar 1. This integrated approach leads to a wide range of in-depth results on trends, preferences, and innovativeness of the European consumer in the context of fruit, and on product innovation, chain innovativeness, and transition strategies for the European fruit industry. Differences in, for instance, preferences for different fresh, prepared, and processed fruit products across consumers and across consumption situations, and differences in consumer innovativeness in the context of novel fruit products, lead towards a cross-cultural European segmentation and a variety of consumer-driven fruit chain strategies to valorise the added value of fruit products. Inputs from social, natural, and technical sciences are combined to optimise true consumer-driven innovativeness.
The Anterior Cruciate Ligament in Controlling Axial Rotation An Evaluation of Its Effect

Changes in axial tibial rotation after anterior cruciate ligament sectioning were evaluated in 14 fresh human knee joints. Simulation of vertical stance in a quadriceps-stabilized knee was performed. Internal and external rotational torques were applied before and after anterior cruciate ligament sectioning. Pivot shift tests were done in the intact and anterior cruciate ligament sectioned knee. Results of pivot shift tests were all negative before sectioning and positive after isolated sectioning. No significant change in axial ro tation occurred between the intact and sectioned knee for external rotation (P = 0.24) or internal rotation (P = 0.12). Presence of a load at the femoral housing in both the intact and ligament-sectioned knees caused a significant change in external rotation (P < 0.0001). No significant change was noted in internal rotation between loaded and unloaded states (P = 0.70). Total tibial rotation in the intact knee was noted to vary between 31 ° at 0° of flexion and 42° at 60° of fl...
Quality of Life Measures for Acne Patients

Acne vulgaris affects most adolescents and two-thirds of adults and is associated with substantial psychosocial burden. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for patients with acne is an important factor of patient care, and several dermatologic and acne-specific measures have been created to assist in acne research, management, and care. This review describes several skin disease and acne-specific HRQOL measures and their applications in clinical care or research. The ideal HRQOL measure for the management of patients with acne is a concise questionnaire that places minimal burden on respondents and allows physicians to track improvement in HRQOL with successful treatment.
Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma in a 15-Year-Old Girl

This report describes a 15-year-oldfemale from Venezuela who has bronchioalveolar carcinoma. She is one of the youngest patients with this particular diagnosis reported in the literature. The postulated age of onset in this case was 13 years, when the first lesion was noted. Bronchioalveolar carcinoma is an extremely rare diagnosis in the pediatric population. The paucity of symptoms in this disease can lead to a delay in diagnosis. Malignancy should be considered in all cases of pediatric pulmonary lesions. Bronchoscopy and transbronchial biopsy in cases of alveolar carcinoma are not particularly useful because of the peripheral location of the lesions.
MAKING SENSE OF SOUL AND SABBATH BRAIN PROCESSES AND MAKING OF MEANING

. Making sense of soul and Sabbath necessitates understanding these phenomena experientially and then suggesting “biochemical” or empirical analogues. Soul, which is defined as the core or essence of a person (or group), includes a working memory of personally purposeful behavior. The states of the soul are reflected in the states of the mind and their physiological correlates-the states of the brain. Such uniqueness appears similar to the biblical cycle of creation-Sabbath-consciousness and its analogue in the biorhythm of brain-mind-that is, waking and work, sleeping and rest, dreaming (rapid eye movement [REM]) and the reorganization-integration process that is ever making sense of our senses by synthesizing what they mean to us. Working memory and biorhythm, therefore, are crucial for the making of meaning, and meaning is the making of soul.
Cervical cerclage in delayed interval delivery in a multifetal pregnancy: a review of seven case series.

Objective: To examine whether cervical cerclage after the first delivery prolongs the inter-delivery interval in delayed interval deliveries. Study design: We identified 66 case reports and case series of delayed interval delivery published between 1880 and 2002. We selected seven case series that identified all cases of delayed interval delivery in their institutions during a specified period. Results: Despite routine use of broad-spectrum prophylactic antibiotics, the average incidence of clinical intrauterine infection after the first delivery was 36% (95% confidence interval (CI): 26–46%). The incidence of maternal sepsis was 4.9% (95% CI: 0.2–9.6%). Studies in which cerclage was infrequently used reported a shorter inter-delivery interval compared to studies where cerclage was used in all cases (median is equal to 9 days versus 26 days, respectively, P<0.001) despite similar gestational ages at the first delivery, types of antibiotics, tocolytics, and incidence of infection. After controlling for other factors, the use of cerclage did not significantly increase the risk of intrauterine infection (adjusted relative risk=1.1, 95% CI: 0.4–3.5). Conclusion: Cervical cerclage after the first delivery is associated with a longer inter-delivery interval without increasing the risk of intrauterine infection.
Social Context and Adolescent Behavior: The Impact of Community on the Transition to Sexual Activity

This study explores the role of community characteristics in determining two critical features of adolescent nonmarital sexual activity: the timing of first intercourse and contraceptive use at that event. We specify a conceptual model describing the mechanisms by which the community context affects adolescent behaviors, focusing on the influence of community social and economic characteristics on teenagers' expectations about their adult lives. We test hypotheses derived from this model using a multilevel strategy incorporating both aggregate- and individual-level data for a national sample of white women. The results suggest that the behaviors of adolescents are shaped by the local opportunity structure and normative environment. Social disintegration, socioeconomic status, and the availability of employment opportunities for women emerged as particularly important influences on young women's reproductive choices. In the contemporary United States, the adolescent years represent a key transitional period during which individuals first confront choices that have implications for their roles and statuses later in the life course. It is during this period, for example, that young people make their initial decisions regarding education and work interests - decisions that will likely influence their status attainment as adults. Research widely recognizes that these choices, and the outcomes they influence, reflect both family background and the individual's own attributes. A well-developed body of empirical work describes the linkage
A novel wearable antenna array for 2.45 GHz WLAN application

A three-element wearable antenna array is introduced for operation at 2.45 GHz. Using varactor controlled parasitic elements near a driven folded dipole a scanning angular range of 95° can be achieved in the azimuth plane. Simulation results confirm that the peak gain of the array is 6.9 dBi when it is placed at 20 mm above the chest of a heterogeneous anatomical human body model. Almost 30% improvement in radiation efficiency is obtained with the parasitic array compared to a single resonant antenna. Also the new antenna array results in much lower specific absorption rate (SAR) compared to a conventional resonant λ/2 dipole antenna.