cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Porphyria Diagnostics—Part 1: A Brief Overview of the Porphyrias

Porphyria diseases are a group of metabolic disorders caused by abnormal functioning of heme biosynthesis enzymes and characterized by excessive accumulation and excretion of porphyrins and their precursors. Precisely which of these chemicals builds up depends on the type of porphyria. Porphyria is not a single disease but a group of nine disorders: acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), hereditary coproporphyria (HCP), variegate porphyria (VP), δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase deficiency porphyria (ADP), porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT), hepatoerythropoietic porphyria (HEP), congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP), erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), and X-linked protoporphyria (XLP). Each porphyria results from overproduction of heme precursors secondary to partial deficiency or, in XLP, increased activity of one of the enzymes of heme biosynthesis. Taken together, all forms of porphyria afflict fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. Based on European studies, the most common porphyria, PCT, has a prevalence of 1 in 10,000, the most common acute porphyria, AlP, has a prevalence of ∼1 in 20,000, and the most common erythropoietic porphyria, EPP, is estimated at 1 in 50,000 to 75,000. CEP is extremely rare, with prevalence estimates of 1 in 1,000,000 or less. Only six cases of ADP are documented. The current porphyria literature is very exhaustive and a brief overview of porphyria diseases is essential in order for the reader to better appreciate the relevance of this area of research prior to undertaking biochemical diagnostics procedures. This unit summarizes the current knowledge on the classification, clinical features, etiology, pathogenesis, and genetics of porphyria diseases.
Risk Classification’s Big Data (R)evolution

Insurers can no longer ignore the promise that the algorithms driving big data will offer greater predictive accuracy than traditional statistical analysis alone. Big data represents a natural evolutionary advancement of insurers trying to price their products to increase their profits, mitigate additional moral hazard, and better combat adverse selection. But these big data promises are not free. Using big data could lead to inefficient social and private investments, undermine important risk-spreading goals of insurance, and invade policyholder privacy. These dangers are present in any change to risk classification. Using algorithms to classify risk by parsing new and complex data sets raises two additional, unique problems.First, this machine-driven classification may yield unexpected correlations with risk that unintentionally burden suspect or vulnerable groups with higher prices. The higher rates may not reinforce negative stereotypes and cause dignitary harms, because the algorithms obscure who is being charged more for coverage and for what reason. Nonetheless, there may be reasons to be concerned about which groups are burdened by having to pay more for coverage.Second, big data raises novel privacy concerns. Insurers classifying risk with big data will harvest and use personal information indirectly, without asking the policyholders for permission. This may cause certain privacy invasions unanticipated by current regulatory regimes. Further, the predictive power of big data may allow insurers to determine personally identifiable information about policyholders without asking them directly.Thus, while big data may be a natural next step in risk classification, it may require a revolutionary approach to regulation. Regulators are going to have to be more thoughtful about when price discrimination matters and what information can be kept private. The former, in particular, will require regulators to determine whether it will be acceptable to charge risky groups more for coverage regardless of the social context in which those risks materialize. Further, for both price discrimination and privacy issues, regulators will have to increase their capacity to analyze the data inputs, algorithms, and outputs of the classification schemes.
Progressive damage analysis as a design tool for composite bonded joints

Abstract This paper discusses the application of progressive damage analysis (PDA) methods as a design tool. Two case studies are presented in which the effects of changing design features on the strength of bonded composite joints are evaluated. It is shown that the trends of parametric evaluations performed with full-featured PDA models can be unintuitive and the trends can be opposite to those obtained with traditional design criteria. The joint configurations that were tested exhibit multiple damage modes, requiring several different PDA tools to accurately predict the structural peak loads. For damage tolerant structures that exhibit complex sequences of multiple failure mechanisms, traditional failure prediction tools are insufficient. Parametric PDA models encompassing a bonded joint specimen's design space have the potential to reveal unintuitive and advantageous design changes.
Levels of fatigue and distress in senior prostate cancer survivors enrolled in a 12-week randomized controlled trial of Qigong

Purpose Fatigue is a commonly reported symptom by prostate cancer survivors and is associated with significant distress and declines in quality of life. Qigong is a mind–body activity that consists of both physical activity and meditative aspects. This 12-week randomized controlled trial examined the feasibility and efficacy of a Qigong intervention for improving older prostate cancer survivors' levels of fatigue and distress.
Establishing a Conceptual Framework for Handoffs Using Communication Theory

Background A significant consequence of the 2003 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty hour restrictions has been the dramatic increase in patient care handoffs. Ineffective handoffs have been identified as the third most common cause of medical error. However, research into health care handoffs lacks a unifying foundational structure. We sought to identify a conceptual framework that could be used to critically analyze handoffs. Methods A scholarly review focusing on communication theory as a possible conceptual framework for handoffs was conducted. A PubMed search of published handoff research was also performed, and the literature was analyzed and matched to the most relevant theory for health care handoff models. Results The Shannon-Weaver Linear Model of Communication was identified as the most appropriate conceptual framework for health care handoffs. The Linear Model describes communication as a linear process. A source encodes a message into a signal, the signal is sent through a channel, and the signal is decoded back into a message at the destination, all in the presence of internal and external noise. The Linear Model identifies 3 separate instances in handoff communication where error occurs: the transmitter (message encoding), channel, and receiver (signal decoding). Conclusions The Linear Model of Communication is a suitable conceptual framework for handoff research and provides a structured approach for describing handoff variables. We propose the Linear Model should be used as a foundation for further research into interventions to improve health care handoffs.
An Automatic Brain Alignment Tool

The location, size and shape of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) lesions are often used to diagnose and track disease progression. In order to effectively compare lesions in MRI stacks for the same patient imaged at intervals, these stacks must be aligned. This automatic alignment method was designed to minimize modification of segmented pixel values. The aligned lesion stacks can be browsed independently or in tandem. This should provide a valuable tool for computer-aided diagnosis and disease tracking.
Double knockouts in human embryonic stem cells

Gene targeting is the method of precise genome modification that utilizes the innate DNA repair mechanism in cells, known as homologous recombination. At its genesis, gene targeting in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells was a breakthrough for genetics and developmental biology. Its application has enhanced researchers' ability to study gene function and model human disease, which was recognized by the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2007.
Calcium signalling by the high affinity macrophage Fcγ receptor requires the cytosolic domain

Abstract Hematopoietic cells express multiple receptors which bind the Fc domain of IgG. We utilized transfection of COS-1 cells, a cell line which lacks endogenous Fc receptors, to study the expression and function of FcγRI, the high affinity Fcγ receptor in the absence of other Fcγ receptors. FcγRI was efficiently expressed in transiently transfected COS-1 cells as measured by flow cytometry and the binding of IgG sensitized RBCs (EA). In addition, analysis at the single cell level demonstrated that individually transfected COS-1 cells release cytosolic free Ca 2+ [(Ca 2+ ) i ] upon activation with anti-FcγRI antibody. The calcium response required FcγRI cross-linking. COS-1 cells transfected with mutant FcγRI lacking the cytosolic domain expressed Fcγ receptors and bound EA as well as wild type receptors, but failed to induce an increase in [Ca 2+ ] i . These data indicate that FcγRI in the absence of other Fcγ receptors mediates a calcium signal and that the cytoplasmic domain of FcγRI contains the elements required for calcium dependent signal transduction.
An invariant of type N spaces

An invariant of type N spacetimes is derived, and its relation to the invariant of Bicak and Pravda is examined.
Response of Porcine Carotid Arteries to Independent Control of Medial Tensile Stresses and Shear Stress

Remodeling plays an important role in normal arterial physiology and in the genesis and progression of vascular pathologies. Arteries respond to changes in their global mechanical environment, characterized by blood flow rate, arterial pressure, and longitudinal stretch by changing geometry, structure and composition. Remodeling results from altered vascular cell activity caused by perturbed local stresses and strains and, in general, tends to restore the local mechanical parameters to their baseline values. To date, experimental investigations in vivo and in organ culture have focused on remodeling responses initiated by controlled sustained changes in one global mechanical parameter while keeping the others at baseline values.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Fine Structure of Microgametocytes and Macrogametes of Eimeria nieschulzi

SYNOPSIS. An electron microscope study of microgametocytes and macrogametes of Eimeria nieschulzi Dieben, 1924 revealed that they lie within vacuoles bounded by a host unit membrane. The vacuole surrounding the microgametocyte contains granular material. The vacuole around the macrogamete is narrower and contains vesicles and membranes. Micropores were seen on the surface of the plasma membrane of microgametocytes and macrogametes. Microtubules were seen in macrogametes. Young microgametocytes and macrogametes have a similar cytoplasmic matrix, mitochondria and nuclei. Glycogen granules apparently develop around vacuoles in both microgametocytes and macrogametes. Glycogen granules were also seen along the margins of parallel bundles of fibers in microgametocytes. As nuclei of the microgametocyte divide, they move to the periphery of the parasite. Three basal bodies, each with 9 fibers in triplet form, develop in association with each nucleus. Microgametes have 2 free flagella and a central short, attached flagellum. Basal granules lie along the outer fibers of the central flagellum. Each microgamete has an elongate mitochondrion in close contact with the nucleus. In macrogametes wall-forming bodies develop in lacunae in the cytoplasm. Smaller dark bodies with areas of low density were also seen. Wall-forming bodies and dark bodies move to the periphery of mature macrogametes.
Urodynamic assessment of detrusor denervation and areflexia

Detrusor areflexia (DA) must be defined with reference to cystometric conditions. DA occurs in approximately 30% of normal individuals. Therefore, supplementary techniques are required to determine whether DA is due to a neurologic lesion. These techniques are based on (1) physical stimulation of the detrusor, (2) pharmacological stimulation or blockade, and (3) electrophysiologic measurements. Physical stimulation includes provocative cystometry and rapid fill cystometry. The bethanechol supersensitivity test (BST) remains the cornerstone in the diagnosis of neurogenic DA. The various factors which may produce false-positive and false-negative BST are reviewed. Electrophysiologic studies include perineal electromyography, sacral-evoked response and genitocerebral-evoked response. These tests are valuable in assessing the integrity of the somatic sacral reflex but do not directly test the motor innervation of the detrusor. The clinical approach to the patient with DA is discussed in terms of test selection and interpretation.
S-nitrosohemoglobin in the fetal circulation may represent a cycle for blood pressure regulation.

It has recently been demonstrated, in rats, that hemoglobin transports nitric oxide (NO), as S-nitrosocysteine, from the lungs to the peripheral tissues. This cycle may be involved in the regulation of blood pressure and efficient delivery of oxygen in adult animals. We sought to determine whether this model was applicable to the human fetus. Umbilical cord blood was obtained from deliveries between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation (n=19). NO, released from erythrocyte s-nitrosohemoglobin (SNO-Hb), was determined by the Saville reaction and total plasma NO was determined by the Greiss reaction. SNO-Hb levels were found to be higher in the umbilical vein, [SNO]/[Hb] = 2.19 ± 1.22 (X10−3), than in the artery, [SNO]/[Hb] = 1.45 ± 0.66 (X10−3) (P < 0.001, Wilcoxon Signed Rank test). This supports the hypothesis that fetal blood pressure may be regulated by erythrocytes acting via a hemoglobin-based mechanism.
The Thermodynamics of One-Component and Two-Component Elastic Systems

The thermodynamic analysis of stress in one-component, one-phase elastic systems is reviewed, and it is suggested that the stress be evaluated in terms of entropy and enthalpy contributions. The analysis is then extended to two-component, two-phase systems, and the necessary equations are derived. By so doing, the temperature effect on swelling is taken into account. In addition, the basic hypotheses of the kinetic theory of rubber elasticity are shown to lead to conclusions which are thermodynamically impossible.
Captive sample reactor for kinetic studies of coal pyrolysis and hydropyrolysis on short time scales

An apparatus has been designed for kinetic studies of coal devolatilization under closely controlled heating rates, temperatures, and ambient pressures over a wide range of solids reaction time. The system features a wire-mesh pyrolysis furnace driven by an electronically controlled power supply to ensure uniform heating rates and precise crossover to a variable length isothermal period. A gas stream flowing across the support eliminates secondary product degradation and a novel quenching scheme permits resolution in 0.1 second time intervals, extending the sensitivity of kinetic measurements from the first increments of pyrolysis through completion of primary devolatilization. Time-resolved kinetic studies on a bituminous coal at 0.1 Torr and 0.22 MPa are presented to illustrate the operation of the device.
Lovastatin and other HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors

Revue concentrant toutes les donnees recentes concernant la pharmacologie, la pharmacocinetique et l'efficacite clinique ainsi que les effets indesirables de la levastatine, la provastatine et la simvastatine chez l'animal et l'homme
Distributed Teams and Distributed Memory

The nature of teams is changing in that the implementation of distributed teams as a definable organizational unit has substantially increased. In this paper we discuss a portion of the cognitive processes potentially impacting distributed team performance. We elaborate on how team opacity arising from distributed interaction can impact team cognition, with an emphasis on the critical memory components that are foundational to the development and implementation of shared mental models.
HOMA and Matsuda indices of insulin sensitivity: poor correlation with minimal model-based estimates of insulin sensitivity in longitudinal settings

Aims/hypothesis Little is known about the performance of surrogates in assessing changes in insulin sensitivity over time. This report compared updated HOMA of insulin sensitivity (HOMA2-%S) and the Matsuda index from OGTTs with minimal model-based estimates of insulin sensitivity (SI) from frequently sampled IVGTTs (FSIGTs) in longitudinal settings and cross-sectional settings.
Modulation of ATP-Dependent Chromatin-Remodeling Complexes by Inositol Polyphosphates

Eukaryotes use adenosine triphosphate (ATP)–dependent chromatin-remodeling complexes to regulate gene expression. Here, we show that inositol polyphosphates can modulate the activities of several chromatin-remodeling complexes in vitro. Inositol hexakisphosphate (IP 6 ) inhibits nucleosome mobilization by NURF, ISW2, and INO80 complexes. In contrast, nucleosome mobilization by the yeast SWI/SNF complex is stimulated by inositol tetrakisphosphate (IP 4 ) and inositol pentakisphosphate (IP 5 ). We demonstrate that mutations in genes encoding inositol polyphosphate kinases that produce IP 4 , IP 5 , and IP 6 impair transcription in vivo. These results provide a link between inositol polyphosphates, chromatin remodeling, and gene expression.
Precipitation of Nd-Ca carbonate solid solution at 25°C

The formation of a Nd-Ca carbonate solid solution was studied by monitoring the reactions of calcite with aqueous Nd, orthorhombic NdOHCO3(s) with aqueous Ca, and calcite with hexagonal Nd-carbonate solid phase as a function of time at 25°C and controlled pCO2(g). All experiments reached steady state after 200 h of reaction. The dominant mechanism controlling the formation of the solid solution was precipitation of a Nd-Ca carbonate phase from the bulk solution as individual crystals or at the orthorhombic NdOHCO3(s)-solution interface. The lack of Nd adsorption or solid solution at the calcite-solution interface suggests that the solid solution was orthorhombic and may be modeled as a mixture of orthorhombic NdOHCO3(s) and aragonite. Orthorhombic NdOHCO3(s) was determined to be the stable Nd-carbonate phase in the Nd-CO2H2O system at pCO2(g) 0.1 and 1.0 atmospheres at 25°C. The equilibrium constant corrected to zero ionic strength for orthorhombic NdOHCO3(s) solubility is 1010.41(±0.29) for the following: NdOHCO3(s) + 3H+ = Nd3+ + CO2(g) + H2O .
The ecology of privacy and mood in a shared living group

Abstract The present study demonstrates that social, physical, and behavioral aspects of context contribute to the experience of privacy regulation and mood in a shared living group. The study tracked social contacts, physical settings, activities, privacy regulation, and mood at random times over one week in a ten-student shared living facility. Results showed that solitude was a frequent experience even when students were in the shared residential facility. Past research has shown solitude to be an aversive state. This finding is confirmed, with a caveat: the most aversively experienced solitude occurred when students desired to be alone. Thus, aversive experiences when alone did not signal times of desired but unattained contact. Within shared living quarters, participants were not socially overloaded—they were frequently alone and often desired greater intimacy. Yet they also reported positive experiences of place attachment in both the family home and the private apartments, but not in the shared living spaces outside the apartments. The study also proposes that experience sampling methodology (ESM) provides a good technique for researchers interested in using environment and behavior frameworks such as transactional world views and behavior setting theory.
Political Science and Political Philosophy: Return to the Classics—No, Not Those!

gee scholars challenged their American colleagues in at least three important ways. They dared political scientists to be more morally conscientious, to focus on matters of real importance, and to develop a more refined historical sensibility. These authors suggested that the fact/value distinction at the center of the social scientific enterprise was indicative of a moral decay at the center of Western civilization. This
p21WAF1/CIP1 and cancer: A shifting paradigm?

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(WAF1/CIP1) is a key mediator of p53-dependent cell cycle arrest and may play the role of a tumor suppressor in cancer. However, it has been shown that p21 may also act as an oncogene, because it inhibits apoptosis and may promote cell proliferation in some tumors. These data point out to "antagonistic duality" of p21, because it possesses anticancer and procancer properties at the same time. New data suggest that more and more proteins also may play contradictory roles in cancer thus challenging current paradigm of established oncogenes and tumor suppressors. (c) 2009 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
Hypnotic Susceptibility and Eye Movement during Rest

Abstract Proposing that eye movement is an indicator of contralateral hemispheric activity, attempts have been to predict hypnotic susceptibility by measuring eye movement. Before answering simple questions, highly susceptible subjects tend to glance to the left while subjects low in susceptibility glance to the right. Since the type of questions asked of subjects has been shown to influence eye movement, measurements in this study were taken while subjects rested unoccupied. One-minute sessions were video recorded for each subject. Highly susceptible subjects made more initial eye movements to the right. They also spent less time looking to the center than did subjects low in susceptibility. These findings might suggest that when no other demands are placed on subjects high in hypnotic susceptibility their preferred mode of thought is left hemispheric. Possible explanations for these results are discussed.
Time Restriction and the Linkage between Subcomponent Efficiency and Algebraic Inequality Success.

The compensatory-encoding theory (C-ET) of reading specifies how the efficiency of performance subcomponents affects comprehension under diverse task conditions. It maintains that readers can overcome weak skills through compensatory processes. To test whether C-ET captures more general principles underlying scholastic performance, the authors applied the theory to algebra: 140 undergraduates were asked to resolve algebraic inequalities under time pressure or under no time pressure. Participants were also assessed on the efficiency of the subcomponents required to execute the criterion algebraic inequality task (e.g., number identification, computation latency). Strong linkages were observed between subcomponent efficiency and algebraic inequality accuracy under time pressure, whereas weaker linkages were observed under no time pressure. Under no time pressure, rate of performance was unrelated to accuracy, all consistent with C-ET. Educational implications for helping struggling math problem solvers and for understanding standardized test results are considered.
OCS Environmental Research Technology in Ice-Covered Waters

The presence of ice for nine to ten months each year over the continental shelves in the Arctic requires new methods and technology in environmental assessment programs. As part of the BLM/NOAA Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program in Alaska, biological and physical research is now carried out routinely throughout the year, by landing helicopters on the pack ice and lowering equipment through holes cut in the ice. Moored current meters have been designed for use under perennial ice, from which data can be transmitted acoustically on command. A number of ice buoys have been developed which are routinely interrogated by the Nimbus-6 satellite. These and other new developments have made it possible to conduct research in the coastal arctic marine environment year round; in the past, practically all existing environmental data were taken there during the brief summer only.
Structural relationships among members of the mammalian sulfotransferase gene family

Sulfotransferases constitute a superfamily of related enzymes that play critical roles in the regulation of steroid hormone action, neurotransmitter function, detoxification, and carcinogenesis. Understanding the functional relationships among these enzymes has so far been difficult due to their overlapping substrate specificities. To help clarify these relationships, we conducted a thorough and comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analysis of 25 different mammalian sulfotransferase cDNA and gene (St) sequences using maximum parsimony and distance matrix methods. This analysis suggested five distinct gene families: an alcohol/androgen/hydroxysteroid/dehydroepiandrosterone (Std) family, an aryl/minoxidil/phenol (Stp) family, an estrone/estrogen (Ste) family, a thyroid hormone family (St1b1), and a family (St1c1) defined so far only on the basis of its specificity for the carcinogen N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene. New insights obtained through this study include (1) a bootstrap analysis supporting the reliability of family subgroupings, (2) identification of an insertion that appears to be characteristic of the St1b1 and Stlc1 families, (3) identification of sequences likely to represent paralogs of multigene families, and (4) identification of species likely to contain, or not contain, orthologous multigene families and thus their specialized functions.
Polarization-Based 43 Gb/s RZ-DQPSK Receiver Design Employing a Single Delay-Line Interferometer

We demonstrate a non-coherent receiver design requiring only a single delay-line interferometer. Demodulation of 43-Gb/s RZ-DQPSK is experimentally demonstrated with no penalty when compared to a traditional DQPSK receiver using two interferometers. Receiver alignment tolerances are quantified via simulation.
Absolute coverage measurements: CO and oxygen on the (110) plane of tungsten

Abstract An effusion source, calibrated with a vibrating quartz microbalance, has been used to determine absolute coverages of CO and of oxygen adsorbed on a tungsten (110) plane by an extension of the field emitter detector method: The amount of gas reflected from the substrate is measured as a function of the absolute amount impinged per unit area; maximum coverage in the chemisorbed layer can be obtained very directly from this information. Work function increments vs. absolute coverages were measured in the same apparatus by the vibrating condenser method. Results were as follows: For virgin CO, adsorbed at 100 K, the maximum coverage obtained was CO/W = 0.71 ; this leads to a maximum coverage for beta or beta-precursor CO of CO/W = 0.28. The maximum work function increment for virgin CO was 0.8 eV. For oxygen, adsorption at 100 or 300 K a decrease in sticking coefficient by several orders of magnitude occurs when the coverage is O/W = 0.5. Adsorption at 20 K leads to the molecular precursor noted by Leung and Gomer, which converts to atomic oxygen at
Isotopic Studies of Methane Oxidation Pathways on PdO Catalysts

Abstract Mechanistic details of CH 4 oxidation were examined on PdO/ZrO 2 catalysts using isotopic tracer methods and measurements of kinetic isotope effects. Normal kinetic isotope effects were observed using CH 4 /O 2 and CD 4 /O 2 reactant mixtures. The ( k H / k D ) ratio was between 2.6 and 2.5, and it decreased slightly as the reaction temperature increased from 527 to 586 K. These kinetic isotope effects reflect a combination of kinetic and thermodynamic effects, and the measured values are consistent with rate-determining C–H bond activation steps on surfaces predominantly covered with OH groups. Isotopic equilibration rates for CH 4 /CD 4 /O 2 mixtures were much lower than methane combustion rates, suggesting that C–H bond activation steps are irreversible on PdO at 473–600 K. Reactions of CH 4 / 18 O 2 mixtures on Pd 16 O–Zr 16 O 2 led to the initial formation of C 16 O 2 , followed by a gradual increase in the concentration of other CO 2 isotopomers as lattice 16 O atoms are replaced by 18 O from 18 O 2 . The involvement of lattice oxygens in C–H bond activation steps is consistent with a Mars–van Krevelen redox mechanism. Reactions of CH 4 / 16 O 2 / 18 O 2 mixtures lead to all CO 2 isotopomers without the concurrent formation of 16 O 18 O. Thus, dissociative oxygen chemisorption is also irreversible during methane combustion. Oxygen atoms in C 16 O 2 exchange with Pd 18 O–Zr 18 O 2 catalysts at temperatures lower than those required for methane combustion, suggesting that CO 2 desorption is quasi-equilibrated. These mechanistic conclusions are consistent with the measured dependence of CH 4 oxidation rates on O 2 , CH 4 , H 2 O, and CO 2 concentrations. The resemblance between the reaction kinetics on PdO/ZrO 2 and on other supported PdO catalysts suggests that the mechanistic conclusions reached in this study are generally valid for methane combustion catalysts based on PdO.
Frost-weathering on Mars: Experimental evidence for peroxide formation

A laboratory study of the interaction of H2O frost with samples of the minerals olivine (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 and pyroxene (Mg,Fe)SiO3 at −11°C to −22°C revealed that an acidic oxidant was produced. Exposure of the frost-treated minerals to liquid H2O produced a sudden drop in pH and resulted in the production of copious O2(g) (as much as ~ 1020 molecules g−1). Exposure of frost-treated samples to 5 ml of 0.1M HCOONa solution resulted in the rapid oxidation of up to 43% of the formate to CO2(g). These reactions were qualitatively similar to the chemical activity observed during the active cycles of the Viking lander Gas Exchange and Labeled Release Biology experiments. Attempts to identify the oxidant by chemical indicators were inconclusive, but they tentatively suggested that chemisorbed hydrogen peroxide may have formed. The formation of chemisorbed peroxide could be explained as a byproduct of the chemical reduction of the mineral. The following model was proposed. Hc was incorporated into the mineral from surface frost. This would have left behind a residual of excess OH−(ads) (relative to surface H+). Electrons were then stripped from the surface OH−(ads) (due to the large repulsive potential between neighboring OH−(ads)) and incorporated into the crystal to restore charge balance and produce a chemical reduction of the mineral. The resultant surface hydroxyl radicals could then have combined to form the more stable chemisorbed hydrogen peroxide species. While the chemisorbed peroxide should be relatively stable at low temperatures, it should tend to decay to O(ads) + H2O(g) at higher temperatures with an activation energy of ≳ 34 kcal mole−1. This is consistent with the long-term storage and sterilization behavior of the Viking soil oxidants. It is possible that as little as 0.1–1% frost-weathered material in the Martian soil could have produced the unusual chemical activity that occurred during the Viking Gas Exchange and Labeled Release experiments.
Instrumentation of the infected and unstable spine: a review of 17 cases from the thoracic and lumbar spine with pyogenic infections.

Summary A retrospective review of 17 consecutive cases of spinal instrumentation for pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis (PVO) with follow-up of > 2 years was undertaken, to describe the clinical course and outcomes in patients with instrumentation of actively infected spines. In 17 patients with PVO, instrumentation of the spine was performed during the period of clinical infection. Twelve of 17 patients were immunocompromised because of systemic or iatrogenic factors. Five patients had a history of malignancy and four had had spinal irradiation. In all 17 cases, the infection appeared to clinically be controlled after instrumentation. All patients were mobilized directly after instrumentation. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate returned to normal in 15 patients without rheumatic disease and decreased by more than half in two patients with inflammatory arthritis. Four patients had died at follow-up, and none of these had signs of persistent infection. Eight cases had significant postoperative complications (47%), including two instrumentation failures and one wound dehiscence. Spinal instrumentation in selected cases of PVO allows early mobilization and did not seem to compromise the ability to clear infection. In certain recalcitrant cases, stabilization seemed to promote clinical resolution of the infection.
Reheating an inflationary universe

A numerical analysis of the evolution of the Higgs expectation value and the temperature of the universe during the symmetry-breaking phase transition in an SU(5) theory with radiatively induced symmetry breaking is presented. It is shown that there is sufficient inflation (exponential expansion) to explain the cosmological homogeneity, isotropy, flatness, and monopole puzzles, and also that the universe reheats to a temperature $O({10}^{14} \mathrm{GeV})$ so that the usual scheme for baryogenesis can proceed.
Measurement of Service Area for Television Broadcasting

It is proposed that the present definition of television service in terms of iso-probability contours be abandoned. A new definition of service area, first proposed by Norton and Gainen in 1950, is recommended in its place. This provides a much more useful measure of service and makes the estimating techniques more tractable.
Preservation of turkey spermatozoa by the use of emulsions and supercooling methods.

Techniques are described for the emulsification and supercooling of turkey spermatozoa. Selection of an appropriate emulsification medium was carried out after tests for spermicidal properties and droplet stability were performed. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) studies were employed to measure the temperatures of spontaneous nucleation of the suspended semen droplets during cooling. During the fertility trial it was shown that the entrapment of spermatozoa in Dow 230 carrying fluid reduced the fertility (P < 0.05) from 91.6 to 81.2%. Additional significant reductions were observed for 1 hr at −21 °C (64.9%) and during the separation of the carrying fluid and semen via centrifugation (57.2%). This indicates that the separation of the Dow 230 from the semen is not necessary and the semen can be artificially inseminated in its emulsified form. The decline in fertility of the emulsified semen stored at −21 °C for 1 hr could be attributed to possible damage during freezing of some suspended semen droplets as seen in thermograms of emulsified semen. Additional work in this area should be directed toward elucidating the controlling factors of supercooling as they relate to possible in vitro cryopreservation.
Diagnosis, treatment and outcome of orbital neoplasia in dogs: a retrospective study of 44 cases

Forty-four dogs with confirmed orbital neoplasia were studied. Eighteen tumour types were represented and 95 per cent of the neoplasms were classified as malignant. The tumour types most commonly diagnosed were osteosarcoma, fibrosarcoma and nasal adenocarcinoma. Thirty-six per cent of the dogs had at least one clinical sign that was compatible with a diagnosis of orbital abscessation or cellulitis. Fifty-six per cent of the dogs, where follow-up information was available, were euthanased or had died within six months of diagnosis, while 19 per cent of the total were still alive after one year post-diagnosis. Cytological examination was diagnostic for orbital neoplasia in 49 per cent of the fine needle aspirates of the retrobulbar space. In contrast, 56 per cent of the non-surgical biopsies were diagnostic for orbital neoplasia. Of those dogs that had died or been euthanased within six months of diagnosis, only 22 per cent had undergone some form of therapy for orbital neoplasia. In comparison, 86 per cent of dogs surviving longer than six months post-diagnosis had undergone such therapy.
Too hot to handle? Synchrotron X-ray damage of lipid membranes and mesophases

The call for brighter synchrotron X-radiation sources for use in structural biology research is barely audible as we enter the new millennium. Our brightest sources are already creating havoc when used at design specifications because of radiation damage. The time is long overdue to take stock of where we are and where we wish to go with regards to using existing sources and to designing new ones. The problem of radiation damage is particularly acute in studies involving kinetics and mechanisms where cryo-techniques are not always viable. Accordingly, we need to understand the very nature of radiation damage and to devise means of minimizing it. This is the thrust of the current report as applied to lipid membranes and mesophases. The experiments were performed at the most brilliant beamlines at CHESS, the APS and the ESRF. Two very different types of radiation damage are reported here. One involves a dramatic phase transformation and the other a disordering of lamellar stacking. How beam energy and dose rate affect damage is also discussed. The work highlights the free-radical-mediated nature of the damage process and the need for additional studies if the most efficient use is to be made of an important resource, synchrotron radiation.
Acquired von Willebrand Disease

Acquired von Willebrand disease (AvWD) is a relatively rare acquired bleeding disorder that usually occurs in elderly patients, in whom its recognition may be delayed. Patients usually present predominantly with mucocutaneous bleeding, with no previous history of bleeding abnormalities and no clinically meaningful family history. Various underlying diseases have been associated with AvWD, most commonly hematoproliferative disorders, including monoclonal gammopathies, lymphoproliferative disorders, and myeloproliferative disorders. The pathogenesis of AvWD remains incompletely understood but includes autoantibodies directed against the von Willebrand factor (vWF), leading to a more rapid clearance from the circulation or interference with its function, adsorption of vWF by tumor cells, and nonimmunologic mechanisms of destruction. Laboratory evaluation usually reveals a pattern of prolonged bleeding time and decreased levels of vWF antigen, ristocetin cofactor activity, and factor VIII coagulant activity consistent with a diagnosis of vWD. Acquired vWD is distinguished from the congenital form by age at presentation, absence of a personal and family history of bleeding disorders, and, often, presence of a hematoproliferative or autoimmune disorder. The severity of the bleeding varies considerably among patients. Therapeutic options include desmopressin and certain factor VIII concentrates that also contain vWF. Successful treatment of the associated illness can reverse the clinical and laboratory manifestations. Intravenous immunoglobulins have also shown some efficacy in the management of AvWD, especially cases associated with monoclonal gammopathies. Awareness of AvWD is essential for diagnosis and appropriate management.
Biomarker discovery and compound evaluation using two-hybrid proteomic systems.

Many proteomic technologies require a heavy investment in expertise and technology, which place these approaches beyond many labs and small companies. However, proteomic approaches are ideal for pilot experiments, identifying relevant biomarkers and protein pathways for development or analysis of therapeutic compounds. The two-hybrid proteomic systems are available and affordable to most researchers, requiring little more than standard microbiological equipment. The screens rapidly generate data, identifying protein interactions that can be used to construct small local protein networks. Using data from large-scale projects, these small local protein networks can be used to identify the larger cellular pathways that are being affected by therapeutic compounds in the screen. The foundation for the two-hybrid proteomic systems are commercially available, as are high quality cDNA libraries. The straightforwardness of the two-hybrid proteomic system allows smaller groups to focus their resources on critical c...
Controlling factors of Region 2 field-aligned current and its relationship to the ring current: Model results

Abstract One essential component of magnetosphere and ionosphere coupling is the closure of the ring current through Region 2 field-aligned current (FAC). Using the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM), which includes magnetosphere and ionosphere coupling by solving the kinetic equation of ring current particles and the closure of the electric currents between the two regions, we have investigated the effects of high latitude potential, ionospheric conductivity, plasma sheet density and different magnetic field models on the development of Region 2 field-aligned currents, and the relationship between R2 FACs and the ring current. It is shown that an increase in high latitude potential, ionospheric conductivity or plasma sheet density generally results in an increase in Region 2 FACs’ intensity, but R2 FACs display different local time and latitudinal distributions for changes in each parameter due to the different mechanisms involved. Our simulation results show that the magnetic field configuration of the inner magnetosphere is also an important factor in the development of Region 2 field-aligned current. More numerical experiments and observational results are needed in further our understanding of the complex relationship of the two current systems.
MATURITY, STAGNATION AND CONSUMER DEBT: A STEINDLIAN APPROACH

This paper extends a Steindlian model of growth and income distribution to incorporate borrowing by consumers. It shows that borrowing by consumers can improve growth prospects in the short run by increasing consumer demand. However, in the longer run the effects of increasing consumer borrowing are ambiguous because, by increasing consumer debt, it redistributes income towards the rich who have a higher propensity to save, thereby possibly depressing aggregate demand and growth despite the borrowing-induced expansion. The problem may be exacerbated by financial considerations involving the increase of the interest rate due to greater borrowing, but these considerations are not necessary for it. The problem is more likely to occur when autonomous investment demand is weak, i.e. when borrowing-induced consumption increases are most required to counter tendencies towards stagnation.
Low noise linear voltage regulator for use as an on-chip PLL supply in microprocessors

A novel on-chip linear voltage regulator (VR), for use as PLL power supply is described. This voltage regulator exhibits a Power Supply Rejection Ratio (PSRR) of > 40dB and low thermal noise. Accurate current control enables optimized power and performance. These properties enable the VR to be utilized in PLL's without adding any deterministic and random jitter. The VR has been designed and characterized in Intel's recent leading-edge purely digital process.
Generalized synchronization of chaos in directionally coupled chaotic systems

Synchronization of chaotic systems is frequently taken to mean actual equality of the variables of the coupled systems as they evolve in time. We explore a generalization of this condition, which equates dynamical variables from one subsystem with a function of the variables of another subsystem. This means that synchronization implies a collapse of the overall evolution onto a subspace of the system attractor in full space. We explore this idea in systems where a response system [bold y]([ital t]) is driven with the output of a driving system [bold x]([ital t]), but there is no feedback to the driver. We lose generality but gain tractability with this restriction. To investigate the existence of the synchronization condition [bold y]([ital t])=[phi]([bold x]([ital t])) we introduce the idea of mutual false nearest neighbors to determine when closeness in response space implies closeness in driving space. The synchronization condition also implies that the response dynamics is determined by the drive alone, and we provide tests for this as well. Examples are drawn from computer simulations on various known cases of synchronization and on data from nonlinear electrical circuits. Determining the presence of generalized synchronization will be quite important when one has only scalarmore » observations from the drive and from the response systems since the use of time delay (or other) embedding methods will produce imperfect'' coordinates in which strict equality of the synchronized variables is unlikely to transpire.« less
Aggressive behavior during the breeding season of adult female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

The aggressive behavior of eight adult female rhesus living in a captive social group was studied prior to and during a breeding season extended by vasectomizing all the adult males in the group. Female reproductive status was ascertained by: recording all adult female-adult male copulations; detecting menstruation by vaginal swabbing; and analyzing serum progesterone levels by radioimmunoassay. Females showed more non-contact aggression during the breeding season, but wounding did not increase. Individual cycling females directed more frequent aggression to: particular adult males subordinate to them, subordinate females also in estrus, and (in a few cases) juveniles and infants.
Characteristics of methane diffusion flame in a reacting vortex ring

Direct numerical simulations of non-premixed methane flame-vortex ring interactions are performed. The methane combustion was modelled using a detailed kinetic mechanism which consists of 36 specie...
Rapid Visual Assessment to Determine Sex in Brook Trout

Abstract Although sex-specific processes play a considerable role in the ecology of many fishes, nonlethal tools to determine sex in most species outside of the spawning season are lacking. We identified a suite of sexual characteristics in Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis by surveying the available literature, consulting biologists, and reviewing images of known-sex individuals. Using pretraining and posttraining testing of fisheries professionals, we assessed the utility of color and morphology for sexing fish across a length gradient (110–251 mm TL) by presenting images of mature fish collected during the spawning season. Rapid visual assessment proved to be an effective approach for determining the sex of Brook Trout. Average accuracy significantly improved from 71.5% before training to 92% after training, and the proportion of fish scored as unknown was reduced (from 9.5% before to 2.0% after training). We found a small yet significant positive relationship between TL and the proportion of fish that...
Signal reconstruction using sparse tree representations

Recent studies in linear inverse problems have recognized the sparse representation of unknown signal in a certain basis as an useful and effective prior information to solve those problems. In many multiscale bases (e.g. wavelets), signals of interest (e.g. piecewise-smooth signals) not only have few significant coefficients, but also those significant coefficients are well-organized in trees. We propose to exploit the tree-structured sparse representation as additional prior information for linear inverse problems with limited numbers of measurements. We present numerical results showing that exploiting the sparse tree representations lead to better reconstruction while requiring less time compared to methods that only assume sparse representations.
Aqueous trifluoroacetic acid—an efficient reagent for exclusively cleaving the 5′-end of 3′,5′-TIPDS protected ribonucleosides

Abstract The 5′-silyl ethers of 3′,5′-TIPDS protected nucleosides can be selectively cleaved in excellent yields (95–99%) by treatment with TFA–H 2 O–THF (1:1:4) at 0°C.