cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incomplete Combustion: One of the World’s Biggest Killers

Abstract A growing scientific evidence base shows that exposure to the products of poor combustion, particularly small particles, is responsible for as many as 12 million premature deaths in the world annually. Most well known is the impact of people putting burning material into their mouths—incomplete combustion of tobacco—which is responsible for about half this total. Only relatively recently, however, has the full impact of other sources of incomplete combustion become documented. Based on large international reviews of the evidence coming out this year, it is estimated that outdoor air pollution, primarily combustion-related particles, is responsible for nearly 3 million premature deaths around the world. Although people have traditionally thought of outdoor pollution as an urban phenomenon, recent studies using satellites as well as ground-level monitoring show that rural outdoor air pollution is also a serious problem in many poor countries, including much of Asia. It is also now understood that t...
Malignant Odontogenic Tumors: An Update on Selected Tumors

This is an update on selected odontogenic malignancies. The article deals with aspects of recognized odontogenic carcinomas, odontogenic sarcoma and a yet unrecognized entity, sclerosing odontogenic carcinoma. Odontogenic malignancies are exceedingly rare, complicating a thorough understanding of the biologic behavior, reproducible standardized diagnostic criteria, appropriate classification and clinical management. Without the knowledge of the tumor’s biologic behavior, adequate clinical management is difficult and patient outcomes uncertain. The histopathologic features are emphasized as well as the more recent biomarker findings. These recent advances may facilitate further understanding of this group of malignancies and provide useful stratification to guide patient management.
Restatement of conventional electronic wave function determination as a density functional procedure

It is shown how any conventional ground‐state electronic wave function determination starting from a basis set of orthonormal spatial orbitals fk may be restated as a density functional procedure. Write fk=(ρ/N)1/2exp(iθk), with ρ the total electron density, N the number of electrons, and θk a function which may have complex as well as real parts. All matrix elements then are expressible as functionals of ρ and the θk. Orthonormalization gives ∫ρ exp[−i(θ*k−θl)]dτ=Nδkl. With these conditions imposed as constraints, the variational process for determining the energy is equivalent to a procedure for starting from a guessed ρ, determining the θk, determining ρ again, and iterating, with the energy decreasing at each stage. The equations are given and discussed in detail for the four‐electron Hartree–Fock problem for which the two orbitals are φ1=(ρ/4)1/2exp(iθ) and φ2=(ρ/4)1/2exp(−iθ), with θ real. A graph of θ is given for the atom Be.
Suprathreshold asymmetries in human motion perception.

Detection of asymmetries has been a mainstay of using vestibular reflexes to assess semicircular canal function. However, there has been relatively little work on how vestibular stimuli are perceived. Suprathreshold vestibular perception was measured in 13 normal healthy controls by having them compare the relative sizes of two yaw (vertical-axis rotation) or sway (right–left translation) stimuli. Both stimuli were 1.5 s in duration with a staircase used to adjust the relative size of the stimuli to find a pair of stimuli perceived as equal. Motion stimuli were delivered in darkness using a hexapod motion platform, and visual stimuli simulating motion were presented on a screen in the absence of platform motion. Both same direction (SD) and opposite direction (OD) stimuli were delivered in separate runs. After a two-interval stimulus, subjects reported which movement they perceived as larger. Cumulative distribution functions were fit to the responses so that the relative magnitudes of the two stimuli perceived as equal could be determined. For OD trial blocks, a directional asymmetry index was calculated to compare the relative size of perceived rightward and leftward motion. For all trial blocks, a temporal asymmetry index (TAI) was used to compare the relative size of the first and second intervals. Motion OD stimuli were perceived as equal in all subjects in yaw and all but one in sway. For visual OD stimuli, two subjects had slightly asymmetric responses for both sway and yaw. The TAI demonstrated asymmetry in 54 % in yaw, in which the second interval was perceived to be larger in all but one subject who had an asymmetry. For sway, only two subjects had a significant asymmetry. Visual stimuli produced a similar rate of asymmetry. The direction and magnitude of these asymmetries were not significantly correlated with those seen for motion stimuli. Asymmetries were found in a fraction with the TAI in SD stimuli for motion in yaw (42 %) and sway (33 %), as well as for vision in yaw (60 %) and sway (43 %). The precision at discriminating SD motion stimuli decreased significantly with age, but there was no difference in OD motion or visual stimuli.
Knowledge Activation, Integration, and Validation during Narrative Text Comprehension.

Previous text comprehension studies using the contradiction paradigm primarily tested assumptions of the activation mechanism involved in reading. However, the nature of the contradiction in such studies relied on validation of information in readers' general world knowledge. We directly tested this validation process by varying the strength of the relation between information presented in a narrative and information in general world knowledge. In Experiment 1, we found that the strength and timing of the inconsistency effect depended on the strength of this relation. Experiments 2 and 3 demonstrated that this was due to differences in the rates at which readers activated, integrated, and validated information in the high- and low-related conditions. The results are explained within the context of a view of reading that incorporates resonance (R), integration (I), and validation (Val) processes during reading—the RI-Val view of comprehension.
Degrees of Freedom of Rank-Deficient MIMO Interference Channels

We characterize the degrees of freedom (DoF) of multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) interference channels with rank-deficient channel matrices. For the two-user rank-deficient MIMO interference channel, we provide a tight outer bound to show that the previously known achievable DoF in the symmetric case is optimal and generalize the result to fully asymmetric settings. For the K-user rank-deficient interference channel, we improve the previously known achievable DoF and provide a tight outer bound to establish optimality in symmetric settings. In particular, we show that for the K-user rank-deficient interference channel, when all nodes have M antennas, all direct channels have rank D 0 , all cross channels are of rank D, and the channels are otherwise generic, the optimal DoF value per user is min(D 0 , M - (min(M, (K - 1)D)/2)). Notably for interference channels, the rank-deficiency of direct channels does not help and the rank deficiency of cross-channels does not hurt. The main technical challenge is to account for the spatial dependences introduced by rank deficiencies in the interference alignment schemes that typically rely on the independence of channel coefficients.
Family Reminiscing Style: Parent Gender and Emotional Focus in Relation to Child Well-Being

Family reminiscing is a critical part of family interaction related to child outcome. In this study, we extended previous research by examining both mothers and fathers, in two-parent racially diverse middle-class families, reminiscing with their 9- to 12-year-old children about both the facts and the emotional aspects of shared positive and negative events. Mothers were more elaborative than fathers, and both mothers and fathers elaborated and evaluated more about the facts of positive than negative events, but there were no differences in parental reminiscing about the emotional aspects of these events. Fathers showed a more consistent reminiscing style across event and information type, whereas mothers seem to show a more nuanced style differentiated by topic. Most interesting, maternal elaborations and evaluations about the facts of negative events were related to higher child well-being, whereas paternal elaborations and evaluations about the emotional aspects of both positive and negative events were related to lower child well-being. Implications for the gendered nature of reminiscing are discussed.
Intercomparison of microchemical evolution under various types of particle irradiation

The problem of irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (L4SCC) in reactor cores is currently being addressed using different types of particle irradiation (electrons, heavy and light ions) to study the effect of neutron damage. Differences among the types of irradiation include particle type, temperature, dose and dose rate. In using different types of particle irradiation, the issue becomes how to determine whether a particular irradiation experiment produces the same effect as neutron irradiation in terms of a measurable quantity such as the amount of grain boundary depletion of chromium in 304 (Fe-2OCr-9Fe) stainless steel. Results of computer modeling experiments indicate that the expected amount of segregation is a strong function of displacement efficiency (particle type) and dose rate at constant dose. Charged particle irradiation has a higher efficiency than neutron irradiation and is generally conducted at a higher displacement rate requiring larger doses to achieve the same measure of radiation effect. The expected amount of segregation is also a sensitive function of the proximity to steady state.
Constructing novel materials with DNA

DNA, apart from being a natural biological information carrier, has also been recognized as a useful building material in the field of nanotechnology. Its miniature scale, geometric properties, and molecular recognition capacity make DNA an appealing candidate for the construction of novel nanomaterials. Here we summarize the latest developments and describe the challenges and emerging applications of this field.
Segregation of global and local motion processing in primate middle temporal visual area

THE early stages of primate visual processing appear to be divided up into several component parts so that, for example, colour, form and motion are analysed by anatomically distinct streams1–3. We have found that further subspecialization occurs within the motion processing stream. Neurons representing two different kinds of information about visual motion are segregated in columnar fashion within the middle temporal area of the owl monkey. These columns can be distinguished by labelling with 2-deoxyglucose in response to large-field random-dot patterns. Neurons in lightly labelled interbands have receptive fields with antagonistic surrounds: the response to a centrally placed moving stimulus is suppressed by motion in the surround. Neurons in more densely labelled bands have surrounds that reinforce the centre response so that they integrate motion cues over large areas of the visual field. Interband cells carry information about local motion contrast that may be used to detect motion boundaries or to indicate retinal slip during visual tracking. Band cells encode information about global motion that might be useful for orienting the animal in its environment.
Effects of amino acids on expression of enterococcal vancomycin resistance.

The effects of various amino acids on vancomycin MICs obtained with resistant enterococci was investigated by using broth dilution testing. For both the type A (i.e., possessing transferable resistance to teicoplanin and vancomycin) and the type B (i.e., possessing teicoplanin susceptibility and nontransferable vancomycin resistance) resistant strains, vancomycin MICs in the presence of glycine were substantially lower than those in unsupplemented broth (range of MIC decrease, 8- to 128-fold). No such effect was seen with Enterococcus gallinarum AIB-39 or with the susceptible control Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212. Further testing of two type B strains (E. faecalis V583 and V583-2) showed that certain other amino acids (i.e., D-methionine, D-serine, D-alanine, and D-phenylalanine) had effects similar to that of glycine. Results of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with membrane preparations from these strains revealed the production of vancomycin-inducible proteins of sizes comparable to those describe for other enterococcal isolates that exhibit acquired vancomycin resistance. Even in the presence of 0.2 M glycine, the inducible proteins were produced. These results indicate that certain amino acids specifically interfere with the mechanism(s) of acquired vancomycin resistance in enterococci and that the nature of interference probably involves inhibition or circumvention of the inducible proteins' functions.
The wisconsin epidemiological study of diabetic retinopathy: A review

The WESDR has provided precise estimates of the prevalence, and 4-year incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy. It has provided evidence of a possible causal relationship between specific risk factors, such as hyperglycemia and the development and progression of retinopathy. Our data support current recommendations for ophthalmologic examinations for people with diabetes. In 1990 we will reexamine the cohort to determine the 10-year incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, and visual impairment.
Parties under pressure: Challenges to ‘established’ French parties

This article seeks to analyse recent trends in party politics in France that point to two complementary phenomena, electoral demobilisation and volatility. Four indicators are presented that demonstrate the extent of them in contemporary France; (1) the rise of ‘new politics’ organisations, (2) the emergence of small parties and protest movements, (3) the haemorrhage of party members, and (4) the growth of electoral dissidence. Various institutional and environmental explanations are proposed. The article concludes that established parties in France today are experiencing a major challenge to their hegemony.
SMILE: an immersive learning game for deaf and hearing children

This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of the second iteration of SMILE (Science and Math in an Immersive Learning Environment), an immersive learning game that employs a fantasy 3D virtual environment to engage deaf and hearing children in math and science-based educational tasks. In this second iteration we (1) combine strategies used in commercial computer games with lessons from educational research on learning and motivation in order to increase the effectiveness of the application and the fun of its use, and (2) assess usability and appeal through a user study. To our knowledge, SMILE is the first bilingual immersive VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) for deaf and hearing students combining key elements of successful computer games, emotionally appealing graphics, and realistic real-time 3D signing, with goal-oriented, standards-based learning activities that are grounded in research on effective pedagogy.
Homicide offender recidivism: A review of the literature

While there exists an abundance of research on the criminal histories of homicide offenders, little is known about their future criminal behavior. This review outlines the current state of knowledge regarding recidivism among homicide offenders. It addresses the dominant theories found within the literature in this field and the prevalence of recidivism among both general and subgroups of homicide offenders. In this literary review, several shortcomings are revealed which point to potential directions for future research.
The effects of tetraethyl lead on behavior in the rat

Abstract The behavioral effects on rats of various doses of tetraethyl lead, administered intragastrically, were measured on the following: bar press responding for food, two-choice discrimination under negative reinforcement, and emotional responses in the open field. Bar press response rates were drastically curtailed following administration of high doses of lead. Both trials to criterion and mean latency to criterion were detrimentally affected by administration of single doses of lead prior to acquisition of the discrimination. Lead had similar effects on these same measures in reversal of the original discrimination and in retention of the reversal. The performance deficits were not attributable to the tetraethyl radical; control injections of tetraethyl silane were without effect on all behavioral measures in the discrimination task. In addition, the results did not appear to be a function of emotional factors as lead did not influence trials to avoidance criterion or open field behavior. It was concluded that lead given intragastrically can impair learning and memory in the rat.
Olivine Compositions and Cooling Rates of Pallasitic Meteorites

Olivine and metal compositions of pallasitic meteorites by electron microprobe measurements, obtaining cooling rates
A Dual-Primal FETI method for incompressible Stokes equations

In this paper, a dual-primal FETI method is developed for incompressible Stokes equations approximated by mixed finite elements with discontinuous pressures. The domain of the problem is decomposed into nonoverlapping subdomains, and the continuity of the velocity across the subdomain interface is enforced by introducing Lagrange multipliers. By a Schur complement procedure, the solution of an indefinite Stokes problem is reduced to solving a symmetric positive definite problem for the dual variables, i.e., the Lagrange multipliers. This dual problem is solved by the conjugate gradient method with a Dirichlet preconditioner. In each iteration step, both subdomain problems and a coarse level problem are solved by a direct method. It is proved that the condition number of this preconditioned dual problem is independent of the number of subdomains and bounded from above by the square of the product of the inverse of the inf-sup constant of the discrete problem and the logarithm of the number of unknowns in the individual subdomains. Numerical experiments demonstrate the scalability of this new method.
Actionness Ranking with Lattice Conditional Ordinal Random Fields

Action analysis in image and video has been attracting more and more attention in computer vision. Recognizing specific actions in video clips has been the main focus. We move in a new, more general direction in this paper and ask the critical fundamental question: what is action, how is action different from motion, and in a given image or video where is the action? We study the philosophical and visual characteristics of action, which lead us to define actionness: intentional bodily movement of biological agents (people, animals). To solve the general problem, we propose the lattice conditional ordinal random field model that incorporates local evidence as well as neighboring order agreement. We implement the new model in the continuous domain and apply it to scoring actionness in both image and video datasets. Our experiments demonstrate not only that our new model can outperform the popular ranking SVM but also that indeed action is distinct from motion.
SYNTHESIS AND REACTIVITY OF CATIONIC GROUP 4 TROPOCORONAND COMPLEXES

The tropocoronand complexes [M(TC-3,3)(CH2Ph)2] (M = Zr, Hf) react with either oxidants or protic reagents to afford the five-coordinate cations [M(TC-3,3)(CH2Ph)]+, in which the benzyl ligand interacts weakly in an η2 manner with the group 4 metal center. Isocyanides react with the resulting cations to afford ketenimine complexes, whereas benzophenone inserts into the M−C bond to yield [M(TC-3,3){η1-OCPh2(CH2Ph)}]+. These properties reflect the greater electron-releasing character of the tropocoronand ligands compared to cationic zirconium complexes of other tetraaza macrocyclic ligands and to zirconocenes.
Sq and L variations

There has been a great increase in knowledge and understanding of solar quiet (Sq) and lunar (L) daily geomagnetic variations during the past four years. Large amounts of data for both geomagnetic fields and related upper atmospheric phenomena have been obtained by various techniques, and intensive efforts have been made in analyzing and interpreting the data with advanced computers. Matsushita [1967a, 1968a] summarized major studies of Sq and L variations and their equivalent current systems obtained up to 1967. Gupta [1967] discussed the relative importance of solar radiation and gravitational tides in causing geomagnetic variations, and Gupta and Chapman [1969] presented solar and lunar harmonics at 54 stations by spectral analyses. Malin and Chapman [1970] discussed the determination of lunar daily geophysical variations by the Chapman-Miller method and presented a useful computer program for the calculation. Campbell et al. [1971] found a galactic component of the geomagnetic field for quiet nighttime hours at Honolulu and San Juan after subtracting Sq and L fields.
Reaction cells and collision cells for ICP-MS: a tutorial review

Abstract This paper reviews the literature published to September 2001 relating to the history, design, operation and application of linear radio-frequency (r.f.)-driven multipole collision cells and reaction cells in combination with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The available material is supplemented with original experimental data that demonstrates the principles presented. The relation of these devices to collision cells for organic mass spectrometry and to the three-dimensional ion trap is discussed in its historical context. A general tutorial on the fundamentals of ion collision and reaction, including thermochemistry, energy transfer and reaction kinetics, is given. Consideration is given to some of the fundamental aspects of operation and design of linear r.f. devices. This historical and fundamental framework then allows the tutorial to focus on the promotion and control of ion–molecule chemistry in linear r.f.-multipole cells for elemental analysis. Vacuum requirements are considered in some detail, and deal in particular with the issue of contamination of the reaction gas. Special attention is paid to the thermal characteristics of the ions in the cell, as this has important implications for the application of the available databases of thermochemical and thermal kinetic data to the development of analytical methods. Calculation and experimental validation of the efficiency of the ion–molecule chemistry leads to the recognition that secondary, sequential chemistry can play a limiting role in the realization of the potential of the cell method. The two principal means of controlling the analytical impact of the secondary chemistry, through post-cell kinetic energy discrimination and through in-cell mass-bandpassing are discussed and contrasted through spectral data acquired for different reaction gas types and pressures. The available literature on the application of collision cells and reaction cells for the analysis of samples of high purity, environmental, geological and biological materials is critically reviewed.
From Disjunctive Programs to Abduction

The purpose of this work is to clarify the relationship between three approaches to representing incomplete information in logic programming. Classical negation and epistemic disjunction are used in the first of these approaches, abductive logic programs with classical negation in the second, and a simpler form of abductive logic programming — without classical negation — in the third. In the literature, these ideas have been illustrated with examples related to properties of actions, and in this paper we consider an action domain also. We formalize this domain as a disjunctive program with classical negation, and then show how two abductive formalizations can be obtained from that program by a series of simple syntactic transformations. The three approaches under consideration turn out to be parts of a whole spectrum of different, but equivalent, ways of representing incomplete information.
Atypical chemokine receptor 1 deficiency reduces atherogenesis in ApoE-knockout mice

Aims Atypical chemokine receptor 1 (Ackr1; previously known as the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines or Darc) is thought to regulate acute inflammatory responses in part by scavenging inflammatory CC and CXC chemokines; however, evidence for a role in chronic inflammation has been lacking. Here we investigated the role of Ackr1 in chronic inflammation, in particular in the setting of atherogenesis, using the apolipoprotein E-deficient ( ApoE−/− ) mouse model. Methods and results Ackr1−/−ApoE−/− and Ackr1+/+ApoE−/− littermates were obtained by crossing ApoE−/− mice and Ackr1−/− mice on a C57BL/6J background. Ackr1 +/+ApoE−/− mice fed a Western diet up-regulated Ackr1 expression in the aorta and had markedly increased atherosclerotic lesion size compared with Ackr1−/−ApoE−/− mice. This difference was observed in both the whole aorta and the aortic root in both early and late stages of the model. Ackr1 deficiency did not affect serum cholesterol levels or macrophage, collagen or smooth muscle cell content in atherosclerotic plaques, but significantly reduced the expression of Ccl2 and Cxcl1 in the whole aorta of ApoE−/− mice. In addition, Ackr1 deficiency resulted in a modest decrease in T cell subset frequency and inflammatory mononuclear phagocyte content in aorta and blood in the model. Conclusions Ackr1 deficiency appears to be protective in the ApoE knockout model of atherogenesis, but it is associated with only modest changes in cytokine and chemokine expression as well as T-cell subset frequency and inflammatory macrophage content.
LIGHT ACTIVATION OF BOVINE ROD PHOSPHODIESTERASE BY NON-PHYSIOLOGICAL VISUAL PIGMENTS

The direct linkage between the bleaching of the visual pigment rhodopsin and the control of such visual processes as excitation and adaptation is not known. Hence, it has been difficult to design a good biochemical/physiological test for the ability of modi- fied visual pigments to substitute for native pigments. One criterion is to see if non-physiological pigments lose their color after irradiation, i.e., bleach. However, this test is inadequate because the bleaching of the pigment does not insure the ability to initiate a phys- iological event. Another approach is the creation of non-physiological pigments in the retina by regenera- tion of bleached opsin in situ with exogeneously applied chromophores [ 1,2]. With this method, one can ask if the pigments formed can help to restore the threshold of receptor potential, which was raised by the bleaching. Although this technique is a very promising one, it is not clear if all modified chro- mophores could pass across the rod plasma membrane so as to form the pigment in situ and the experiments are restricted to a single type of the opsin. A new approach to test for the ability of non-physiological pigments to evoke the triggering action of bleached rhodopsin has been opened up by the discovery that light can mediate the activity of enzymes in the retina. These enzymes, a phosphodiesterase and a GTPase operating in close conjuction [3-51, can control cyclic nucleotide concentrations. Exactly what cyclic nucleotides do in vision is still not understood. Never- theless, there is widespread agreement that they have an important role because of the enormous biochem- ical machinery that has been devoted to the control of nucleotide concentrations in photoreceptor cells and because it is light that controls these levels [4]. The presence of these light-activated enzymes provides the possibility for a simple test to see if any artificial or non-physiological rhodopsin is physiologically active, i.e., can light absorbed by the pigment lead to the activation of the phosphodiesterase? 2.
Accounting for Anovulation and Vaginal Thinning During Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Use

© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e‐mail: journals.permissions@oup.com. Accounting for anovulation and vaginal thinning on DMPA Jessica Atrio Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA Corresponding author: Tel. (917) 721-6155; Email address: jessicaatrio@gmail.com
Neuronal Rho GEFs in Synaptic Physiology and Behavior

In the mammalian brain, the majority of excitatory synapses are housed in micron-sized dendritic protrusions called spines, which can undergo rapid changes in shape and number in response to increased or decreased synaptic activity. These dynamic alterations in dendritic spines require precise control of the actin cytoskeleton. Within spines, multidomain Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors (Rho GEFs) coordinate activation of their target Rho GTPases by a variety of pathways. In this review, we focus on the handful of disease-related Rho GEFs (Kalirin; Trio; Tiam1; P-Rex1,2; RasGRF1,2; Collybistin) localized at synapses and known to affect electrophysiology, spine morphology, and animal behavior. The goal is to integrate structure/function studies with measurements of synaptic function and behavioral phenotypes in animal models.
Local Terrain Mapping for a Walking Planetary Rover by Means of Stereovision

This paper presents a new approach to maintaining a current terrain map for a rover walking over uneven terrain. A detailed terrain map is essential for the rover to be able to select and execute safe foot placements. This approach to mapping relies on the depth information gathered from a stereo video camera. The depth information from each frame is projected into a height map. Multiple height maps are merged, osetting older maps to account for the motion of the rover as it moves. The project has not yet been completed, but it does show promise to be an economical, lightweight, and suciently accurate alternative to lidar mapping.
Pulse length control in an X-ray FEL by using wakefields

Abstract For the users of the high-brightness radiation sources of free-electron lasers it is desirable to reduce the FEL pulse length to 10 fs and below for time-resolving pump and probe experiments. Although it can be achieved by conventional compression methods for the electron beam or the chirped FEL pulse, the technical realization is demanding. In this presentation we study the impact of longitudinal wakefields in the undulator and how their properties can be used to reduce the amplifying part of the bunch to the desired length. Methods of actively controlling the wakefields are presented.
Temporal Phases in Apoptosis Defined by the Actions of Src Homology 2 Domains, Ceramide, Bcl-2, Interleukin-1β Converting Enzyme Family Proteases, and a Dense Membrane Fraction

We have begun to explore the mechanisms of apoptosis using a cell-free system based on extracts from Xenopus eggs. Nuclei assembled or placed in these extracts undergo the morphological changes typical of apoptosis and eventually disintegrate. We used this system to investigate the potential involvement in apoptosis of proteins containing Src homology 2 (SH2) domains, which are known to interact with specific tyrosine-phosphorylated ligands. SH2 domains from a number of signaling proteins, including Lck, Src, and Abl, inhibited apoptosis when present at concentrations of 10–100 nM. The inhibition was dependent on specific interaction with endogenous tyrosine-phosphorylated ligands. A synthetic peptide ligand for Src family SH2 domains also inhibited apoptosis in a phosphotyrosine-dependent manner. Kinetic analysis defined three phases in the apoptotic process occurring in this cell-free system. SH2 domains and ceramide act throughout the first 60–90 min of the process (the “initiation” phase). Next, Bcl-2, interleukin-1β converting enzyme family(CPP32-like) proteases, and the heavy membrane fraction act in a period occurring ∼90–120 min after the start of incubation (the “sentencing” phase). In the final phase (“execution”), the process of active nuclear destruction ensues.
Impact of resident well-being and empathy on assessments of faculty physicians

Background Teaching effectiveness is an important criterion for promoting clinician-educators. However, the relationship between residents’ psychological characteristics and their assessments of faculty physicians is unknown.
Avoiding the Swamp of Unmet Expectations

The immediate post-HIV testing world of blood banking was a challenging time.1 Public concerns over blood safety fueled a tremendously powerful dynamic within the community to adopt testing and screening measures to deal with progressively more remote risks of transfusion-transmitted illnesses. Indeed, it was reasonable for patients to expect to receive untainted blood products in our hospitals. The result of this dynamic is now a safety profile for transfusion that begins to approach that of other low-risk activities of daily living, such as driving to the store or flying on a major airline.1,2 The firestorm of discussion and debate over each new risk, test, or screening method during the height of that era created a workable process by which to engage in this discussion, and has made the community keenly aware of the need to monitor for new risks. We are now generally more able to decide how, when, or if we should implement additional testing or screening measures to deal with those risks. That is not to say that this has come without considerable and even continuing controversy, but it has brought both the public and providers together to engage on the matter of expectations.1 The lessons learned from this era in blood banking should be studied and carefully considered as scrutiny of other aspects of medical care, and in particular laboratory testing and its risks (safety issues), come to light. Best practices, whether they are business models, software, or hardware tools, will rapidly become the standard of care, driven by a combination of legal, liability, regulatory, public perception, and payer pressures. Just as there was a race to adopt HIV antigen and then nucleic acid based testing (NAT) in the blood banking industry, there must be a rush to adopt a host of …
The Concept 'Merit Good': The Ethical Dimension in Economic Theory and the History of Economic Thought or the Transformation of Economics into Socio-Economics (French)

In this paper, I point out that economists feel epistemologically obliged to introduce a concept in their science that demonstrates the unavoidability of ethical considerations in economic theory. It is the concept of "merit good." The concept of merit good refers to economic activities in which the state disregards the preferences of consumers (obligatory education, prohibition of smoking). Such activities cannot be justified by the "value-free" principle of "Pareto-efficiency," according to which changes in the economy are unambiguously better if some people are better off and nobody is worse off. I object to attempts by economists to reduce the concept of merit good to that of public good, which is conceptualized as obeying the Pareto-principle. Instead, I demonstrate with the help of the history of economic thought (e.g., Adam Smith, Henry Simons), that for the economy to work, to work efficiently, and to work justly a series of institutional arrangements must be imposed. These institutional arrangements fit, in my opinion, the definition of merit good, because they are imposed against the self-interests of some and intend to do so. However, giving the state the right to impose institutional arrangements on the economy, unavoidably raises ethical questions. With Kantian arguments I demonstrate, first, the instrumental necessity of some institutional arrangements (e.g., property rights) and then end with pointing to the categorical necessity of other institutional arrangements (some forms of public education and some measures of the social welfare state). The paper does not so much provide ethical arguments for specific governmental actions, as it articulates a series of governmental actions (institutional arrangements) that are either instrumentally or categorically necessary for the economy. Whether they are instrumentally or categorically necessary, the governmental actions raise ethical questions, some of which I briefly address. The paper makes it clear that, contrary to the thesis of Milton Friedman, a value-free economic theory is technically impossible.
Discontinuity in the Delivery of Public Service: Analyzing the Police Strike

Police strikes are studied as social events, albeit stressful, having "natural histories. " Using this perspective, four stages of the strike are identified: the decision to strike, the breakdown offormal and informal social control, the replacement of the striking police, and the resolution of the strike. A model of the police strike is developed that temporally orders the variables that may be operative during the various stages.
The science, technology, and applications of Terawatt-class pulsed power drivers at Sandia National Laboratories

There has been significant progress in the past few years in the development and application of Terawatt-class pulsed power generators. Sandia's flagship is the Z facility, which was recently refurbished to improve its energy, power (∼100 TWe), reliability, and precision. We are now routinely performing one shot per day, obtaining load currents as high as 26 MA to create high magnetic fields (> 1000 Tesla) and pressures (10s of Mbar). In a z-pinch configuration, the magnetic pressure (Lorentz Force) supersonically implodes a plasma created from a cylindrical wire array or liner, which at stagnation generates a plasma with energy densities as high as 10 MJ/cm3 and temperatures exceeding 1 keV at 0.1% of solid density. These plasma implosions can produce over 2 MJ of x-ray energy at powers greater than 200 TW for Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF), radiation hydrodynamics, radiation-material interaction, Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE), and astrophysics experiments. In an alternate configuration, the large magnetic pressure is used to directly drive Isentropic Compression Experiments (ICE) to pressures greater than 6 Mbar or accelerate flyer plates to velocities as high as 45 km/s for equation of state experiments at pressures as high as 20 Mbar. This research and development is performed in collaboration with many other research groups from large laboratories and universities around the world. This paper summarizes research performed with Z and more recently with the refurbished Z facility, advances in high-photon-energy radiography, derivative applications of the pulsed power program, and advances in the science of pulsed power that could revolutionize the next-generation facilities.
An Introduction to Peach (Prunus persica)

When considering a broad cross section of climates and growing regions, the peach (Prunus persica (L) Batsch) is the most prevalent of the stonefruits, rivaling apple in terms of adaptation. The broad distribution reflects its extensive cultivation, as its prized fruits drove its rapid dissemination and selection for adaptation to new areas. The relatively short juvenility period and ease of making controlled crosses have made the peach the most successfully bred tree fruit crop. Today more Mendelian transmitted traits are understood in peach than in any other tree (Scorza and Sherman, 1996). These facets, in conjunction with a small genome size have made peach a desirable system for breeders and bench scientists focused on the common goal of tree fruit improvement. Peach is a member of the family Rosaceae, subfamily Prunoidae. It is a member of the subgenus Amygdalus, that contains peaches, peach relatives and almond relatives. The most closely related species to peach are P. mira Koehne, P. kansuensis Rehd., and P. davidiana (Carr.) Franch. Members of this subgenus are sexually compatible and produce viable and fertile F1 hybrids (Martinez-Gomez et al., 2003). These species have been used to extend the genetic pool in peach and serve as sources of insect, pathogen, and nematode resistance for breeding of peach scions and rootstocks (Martinez-Gomez et al., 2003). Peach evolved in a more mesic environment than the almonds and are typically characterized by a fleshy fruit that does not dehisce, in contrast to almonds (Martinez-Gomez et al., 2003). Peach is represented in the wild as P. persica subsp. ferganensis in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan (Okie and Rieger, 2003) and may also be represented by Mao Tao (hairy peach) type peaches of China. Clearly defined wild peach populations have not been reported in China and the Mao Tao peach is probably the most primitive (ancestral) form. Wild species have been cultivated near the Chinese center of origin for at least four thousand years (Rieger,
Building a Global Police Studies Community

Policing has become decentered from the state as substate and transnational developments have shifted some of the roles and authority for policing to new social and international groups and agencies. At the international level, a number of regime communities (e.g., scholars, nongovernmental organizations, police leaders, transnational policy makers, and policy think tanks) have actively promoted the emergence of a democratic, international policing regime and its adoption by states and police forces in transitional, failed, and developed countries. Recent developments are described, and their implications for the practices and the study of policing are assessed.
Characterization of the heavy products of coal pyrolysis

In order to obtain information about the production mechanism of large molecules in coal pyrolysis, a subbituminous and two bituminous coals were heated at 500° C for 30s under vacuum. The heavy products were dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and analysed by ^1H n.m.r. spectroscopy and gel-permeation chromatography in an atmospheric-pressure column. Parallel GPC, ^1H n.m.r. and ^(13)C n.m.r. studies were conducted with THF extracts of the same coals. The results are combined with elemental analysis data to obtain structural parameters of the extracts and pyrolysates.
Investigation of diamond films for electronic devices

Direct dependence of secondary electron emission (SEE) from diamond films due to surface hydrogen has been observed. High secondary yields (14–27) have been achieved in polycrystalline diamond films on molybdenum substrates by varying the hydrogen content on the surface. This was accomplished by driving hydrogen from the bulk by heating the sample, or by adsorption of hydrogen onto the surface from direct hydrogen exposure. However, exposure to an electron beam depleted the surface of hydrogen as a function of current dosage in the energy range 300 eV-3 keV, thereby reducing the secondary yield to a value as low as 3. Recovery of the secondary yield in the as-deposited samples was facilitated by saturating the surface with hydrogen, as mentioned, and the recovery time has been characterized. The partial pressure of hydrogen could be adjusted so that the high secondary yield remained stable during beam exposure. The unique properties of these diamond films make them potentially useful as secondary emitters in electronic component designs. A special sample-holder assembly has been constructed to test the feasibility of using these polycrystalline diamond films as dynodes in an electron amplifier. Actual gain at a hydrogen partial pressure of 1.0 × 10−T Torr was measured to be 2.4 × 104. The maximum gain expected was 2.4 × 105.
Microscopic investigation of the structure characteristics and wave functions of the five-body hypernucleus Heλ5

The Parentage Scheme of Summarization to the N-body symmetrized basis construction (1), necessary for the description of the structural characteristics and decay reactions of the hypernuclear and nuclear systems with arbitrary amount of particles, is applied to the solution of five-body problem in hypernuclear physics. Hypernucleus �� � � as a system of four nucleons and one hyperon is investigated by the use of the Hyperspherical Function Method in momentum space. The dependence of the structure characteristics and wave functions on the types of nucleon-nucleon and hyperon-nucleon interaction potentials is studied. Mean square�� � − � � �and�� − � distances and the binding energies for the �� and ��� � � are obtained.
Strengthening of a reinforced concrete bridge with externally bonded steel reinforced polymer (SRP)

This paper introduces steel reinforced polymer (SRP) as a way to strengthen civil structures. This technique consists of cords formed by interwoven high-strength steel wires embedded within a polymeric resin. A comprehensive study addressing analysis, design, installation, load rating and monitoring of a bridge strengthened with this technology is reported. The SRP system was easily installed, demonstrating its similarity to more traditional fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) strengthening techniques. Load tests were performed to evaluate the bridge structural behavior prior and after the strengthening in accordance with AASHTO specifications, showing that the rehabilitation performed as predicted and therefore created the possibility to remove the bridge load posting.
Digital computer analysis of aperture antennas

Digital computer predictions of aperture antenna patterns are shown to be far more complete, in terms of information concerning the field vectors over virtually unrestricted angular sectors and even at short distances, when vector rather than scalar diffraction theory is applied.
Image reconstruction using a generalized natural pixel basis

The solution q of the imaging equation Mq=FGq=p (F is the projector and G is a generalized backprojector) is determined using least squares, thus various basis functions can be used as an expansion for the reconstructed image. Here, a generalized natural pixel basis is chosen to allow flexibility in formulating the vector space for the solution q. The singular value decomposition (SVD) method is used to solve for q, and the final image is obtained by backprojecting q: /spl rho/=Gq, and sampling /spl rho/ at a discrete array of points. Truncated parallel and non-truncated fan beam projection measurements were used to demonstrate that the solution q to Mq=FGq=p can be defined wherein, for example, if F is a fan beam projection operator, G can be a parallel backprojection operator defined base upon natural pixels. It is demonstrated that different backprojection geometries can give almost equivalent reconstructions of non-truncated projections. For truncated projections the estimation of q that covers the entire projection of the object is effective in reducing ring artifacts; however, using more projection bins is much more effective in preserving the resolution than is increasing the projection bin width. Also, a generalized natural pixel basis better models the geometric response of a collimator used in SPECT, therefore reconstructions of fan beam projections using generalized natural pixels are shown to have better resolution than those that use the filtered backprojection algorithm.
Comparison of Distributions of Key Predictor Variables in CIREN and NASS-CDS Cases Meeting CIREN Inclusion Criteria

Objective: The Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) database contains data from occupants who are seriously injured in motor vehicle crashes. Because of the number of injured occupants and the level of detail in CIREN, a number of previous studies have attempted to use CIREN data to estimate injury risk or relative risk by comparing the frequencies of CIREN occupants with an injury of interest to those without that injury. However, these comparisons provide little useful information because CIREN case occupants cannot provide the control and exposure information that is needed to appropriately estimate injury risk. One potential source of exposure/control information for CIREN is the database established by the National Automotive Sampling System-Crashworthiness Data System (NASS-CDS). However, using NASS-CDS for this purpose requires that NASS-CDS and CIREN cases are drawn from the same source population. The objective of this article is to assess whether this requirement is met. Methods...