cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhanced low temperature toughness of Al2O3-ZrO2 nano/nano composites

Abstract There are reports in the literature that dense nanocrystalline ceramics may be ductile at room temperature, leading to enhanced processibility and reliability. However, in spite of vigorous scientific and commercial developments in the field for the last decade, there is still controversy regarding enhanced low temperature toughness in dense ceramics with nanocrystalline grain size. This is due to lack of control over static and dynamic grain growth at high sintering temperatures as well as proper testing methods. In this paper we report that it is possible to obtain enhanced room temperature toughness in dense Al2O3-ZrO2 nanolnano composites without any contribution from phase transformation toughening. Nanolnano in situ mixed composite powders in the Al2O3-ZrO2 binary system were produced with a homogeneous distribution of the two phases utilizing the “Combustion1 Synthesis” or “Auto Ignition” process. The microstructure was stable even at a temperature of 1200 °C because of the homogeneous distribution of two phases. Therefore, the powders could be hot isostatically pressed at that temperature to 98% of the theoretical density. The average room temperature hardness value was 4.45 GPa, which is one quarter of the value of a comparable conventional material. The average toughness value, as determined using the indentation method, was 8.38 MPa.m 1 2 . Since we could not detect any evidence of phase transformation in ZrO2, the present results are interpreted as evidence of enhanced ductility. In view of these results, it is believed that in some nanoceramics, it may be possible to have enhanced toughness at the room temperature.
The Social Context of Obesity Research: Another Perspective on Its Place in the Field of Social Psychology

Most research by social psychologists on behavioral correlates of obesity has been interpreted from the perspective that obese are more sensitive than normals to external environmental stimuli and less sensitive to internal cues. In the present paper, evidence is reviewed which indicates that obese individuals, as deviants in society, are subjected to cultural and social pressures which exert strong influences on their behavior in both laboratory and life. It is suggested that a considerable amount of "external responsiveness" reflects attempts by obese subjects to engage in situationally-appropriate behavior. Rather than absorbing all behavioral characteristics of obese under the internal-external metaphor, it would be theoretically and practically useful to pay more attention to the social context of this research.
Oligomer desorption during heterogeneous catalytic synthesis of polymers

Abstract Product desorption is the final step in all heterogeneous catalytic processes but is rarely the rate-limiting step. There are, however, exceptions, such as heterogeneous polymerization reactions in which desorption of high molecular weight products can influence the overall reaction rate. In such cases, the apparent activation barrier to desorption, Δ E des ‡ , increases with increasing polymer chain length, however, the relationship between the desorption barrier and the desorption energy, ΔEdes, is not straightforward and the scaling of Δ E des ‡ with chain length is not necessarily linear. Desorption of a series of alkanes, polyethyleneglycol dimethylethers and polyethylene glycols from the surface of graphite has been studied both experimentally and theoretically in order to shed light on the scaling of Δ E des ‡ with oligomer chain length and on the mechanism of oligomer desorption. In all three cases, the measured values of Δ E des ‡ are non-linear in the chain length. A model has been developed that accurately describes the scaling of Δ E des ‡ with chain length and shows that the origin of the observed non-linearity is the conformational entropy of the adsorbed oligomers. At elevated temperatures, some fraction of the oligomer segments are detached from the surface and thus do not contribute to the Δ E des ‡ measured at that temperature. One of the consequences of this effect is that the measured value of Δ E des ‡ is dependent on the temperature at which the measurement is made. This effect must introduce a complex temperature dependence into the kinetics and selectivity of heterogeneous catalytic synthesis of long chain polymers.
Coronary Vasodilator Properties of Purine and Pyrimidine Derivatives

The vasodilator potency of the adenine nucleotides has been quantitated. Adenosine and AMP were found to be of equal potency and approximately one fourth as effective as ADP and ATP in increasing coronary blood flow. With the exception of UTP, which was also one fourth as potent as ATP, the derivatives of the hypoxanthine, guanine, cytosine and uracil bases lacked vasodilator properties. An increase in myocardial oxygen consumption was observed during infusion of ATP and UTP. However, the elevation in coronary blood flow was greater than that necessary to meet the increased oxygen requirements of the myocardium.
Structural distortions and phase transformations in Sm2Zr2O7 pyrochlore at high pressures

Abstract The structural characteristics of Sm2Zr2O7, an ordered pyrochlore, were studied by angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman scattering methods with increasing pressure. A structural distortion was observed at low pressures; but the distortion disappeared at pressures above 13.5 GPa. Above 18 GPa, the pyrochlore structure is unstable and a pressure-induced phase transition occurred. The high-pressure phase is a distorted fluorite structure in which the cations and anion vacancies are disordered. The disordered structure is accompanied by the formation of partially amorphous domains. With the release of pressure, the high-pressure phase partially transforms to the amorphous state.
Elevation of Mid-ocean Ridges and the Evolution of the South-west Indian Ridge

THE distinctive pattern of linear magnetic anomalies parallel to the crests of active spreading centres has been correlated with reversals in the Earth's magnetic field1 in a manner now universally accepted and used to predict the age of the ocean floor away from the crest of active ridges2. The original age correlation, which was made on the assumption of constant spreading on the mid-Atlantic ridge at 20° S, has been strikingly confirmed by the age of the sediments recovered at the base of JOIDES deep sea sediment cores taken along the same profile3.
Inhibition of globin chain initiation in reticulocyte lysates by pactamycin: Accumulation of methionyl-valine

Abstract In a globin synthesizing system containing reticulocyte lysate and [ 35 S] met-tRNA f , low levels of pactamycin cause an accumulation of radioactivity on the monosomes and small oligosomes concomitant with the breakdown of polysomes. About 50% of the ribosome-bound radioactivity corresponds to methionyl-valine, the initial dipeptide of globin chains, with negligible amounts of tri- or other oligopeptides. This suggests that the site of its action is after the formation of the first peptide bond. The ribosome-bound radioactivity in the presence of sparsomycin, an inhibitor of chain elongation, is in di-, tri- and oligopeptides. Sparsomycin levels (10 −5 M) that cause almost complete inhibition of polypeptide synthesis have only a small inhibitory effect on the pactamycin-induced accumulation of methionyl-valine. Fusidic acid and chlortetracycline do not cause accumulation of any significant amounts of methionyl-valine.
“Chasms” in agrifood systems: rethinking how we can contribute

The reaction to conventional agriculture and food systems has generated a host of alternative social movements in the past several decades. Many progressive agrifood researchers have researched these movements, exploring their strengths, weaknesses, and failures. Most such research is abstracted from the movements themselves. This paper proposes a new way of self-organization that, while fulfilling traditional university demands on researchers, will provide research support for progressive agrifood movements by transcending the boundaries of disciplines and individual universities.
Penetration of non-electrolytes through animal integuments.

The rates of penetration were studied of three non-electrolytes (DDT, Famphur, dimethoate) through the integuments of six animals (Tenebrio molitor, the meal worm adult; Gryllus domesticus, the house cricket; Periplaneta americana, the cockroach; Bufo woodhousei, the garden toad; Anolis carolinensis, the Carolina chameleon; and Phrynsoma cornutum, the Mexican horned toad). The non-electrolytes were selected with the intention of varying the polarity widely. The olive oil-water partition coefficients of the above compounds were 199, 19.2 and 0.593. The compounds were applied in 1 μl drops of acetone. In all cases, an initial very brief period of extremely rapid penetration was followed by a long period of much slower penetration. Penetration during the period of rapid penetration was too fast to be resolved by the method used. Penetration during the slower period always followed first order kinetics. During the second slower period, the greater the polarity of a compound, the more rapidly it penetrated into every animal studied but Gryllus domesticus.
Covert communications using empirical mode decomposition

A covert communication technique based on the principle of signal overlay is presented here. This technique in its basic form involves a covert transmitter transmitting a message signal that is weak, in relation to, and shares the same frequency band as an existing cover signal. The fact that the two signals overlap in time as well as frequency renders ordinary signal detection techniques ineffective in detecting the presence of the covert signal. The covert receiver uses the empirical mode decomposition technique to extract the signal. This new communication technique is described and its performance studied in this paper.
Phase II trial of gallium nitrate in previously treated patients with small cell lung cancer.

Gallium nitrate is a group IIIa metal that was found to be active in animal species [1]. Gallium nitrate exerts its antitumor effects via a transferrin binding mechanism [2]. This agent is of interest in small cell lung cancer since 26 of 27 small cell carcinoma cell lines tested had increased levels of transferrin receptors [3]. In a phase I study using a continuous infusion, the dose limiting toxicity was nausea when gallium nitrate was given at doses of 400 mg/m2/day. Other effects included elevations of serum creatinine, hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, decreased hearing and paresthesias [4]. Activity has been seen in pretreated patients with malignant lymphoma, bladder carcinoma and small numbers of patients with small cell lung carcinoma [4, 5]. To determine the activity of continuous infusion gallium nitrate, this phase II trial was undertaken in patients with small cell lung cancer previously treated with chemotherapy.
A histological basis to explain constant differences in action-current response from certain points on the retina of the horned toad, Phrynosoma cornutum

The retina of Phrynosoma cornutum bears fovea, pecten, and many varieties of cones. The light band visible in fresh retinae beneath the slit of the eyelid corresponds to a zone of action current responses characterized by a low ‘B’ rise (negative response of Chaffee.) The lack of response from pecten and fovea is due to leakage and failure to tap ganglionic fibers. Relief maps for ‘on’ and ‘off’ effects of the ‘B’ rise were prepared. Diagrams of retinal response in cross-sections were compared with corresponding curves showing density of cone distribution. In general, the height of response is inversely proportional to the density of cone distribution. The potential change due to photochemical reaction in the average rod is on the order of 23 billionths of a volt for the ‘on’ effect and 11 billionths of a volt for the ‘off’ effect.
A Study of the Immunologic Aspects of Chronic Berylliosis

The pathogenesis of lung disease in chronic berylliosis is poorly understood; however, immunologic mechanisms have been suggested to play an important role in this disease. The previous immunologic evidence has been largely indirect, from studies on skin tests with beryllium salts. We have investigated the role of cellular immune mechanisms in this disease by studying the blast transformation of lymphocytes of these patients (35) in the presence of beryllium sulfate (BeSO 4 ) in tissue culture. The control groups included beryllium industry workers without disease (30), normal, healthy subjects (22) and patients with other lung diseases (12). The degree of blast transformation was graded (1+ to 4+) on the basis of morphologic counting of blast cells and, in some cases, also, by the uptake of tritiated thymidine. Circulating serum immunoglobulin levels were also measured. Of the 35 patients with chronic berylliosis, 18 demonstrated a blast transformation of 4+, three showed 3+, four showed 1+ and 10 were negative. There was also a good correlation between the severity of the clinical disease and the degree of blast transformation. The incidence of positive results in the control groups was extremely low. The serum IgA level was significantly elevated in 17 patients with berylliosis. At the time of testing, all patients with berylliosis were being treated with varying doses of prednisone, and since steroids usually inhibit the blast transformation response, our finding of a positive reaction in 71 percent of the patients (25 out of 35) lends strong evidence for the role of cellular immune mechanisms in this disease.
Receptor cell biology: receptor-mediated endocytosis

Receptor-mediated endocytosis (RME) provides one major pathway for the trafficking of extracellular molecules into the cell. This involves the binding of a ligand to a specific cell surface receptor, clustering of the ligand-receptor complexes in coated pits, invagination and pinching off of the coated pits to form coated vesicles, and delivery of coated vesicles to discrete membrane-limited cytoplasmic sorting organelles, endosomes. Within these endosomes, ligands and receptors are each targeted to their appropriate cellular destination (e.g., lysosome, cytoplasm, opposite cell surface). The cell and molecular biologic basis for such a tightly regulated process is now beginning to be understood and is reviewed herein.
Amphotericin B stimulates γδ T and NK cells, and enhances protection from Salmonella infection:

Amphotericin B (AmB) is a commonly used antifungal drug, with well-documented effects on cellular immune responses. We determined that AmB-stimulated γδ T-cell activation and proliferation in vitro at very low concentrations. AmB also enhanced IFN-γ production by NK cells in combination with IL-18. AmB had a greater effect on IFN-γ production in cells isolated from very young animals. Although innate immunostimulatory aspects of AmB have been defined, AmB has not been extensively applied in non-fungal infection settings. Given that γδ T cells are increased and activated in Salmonella infection in cattle, we assessed the effects of AmB in protection from Salmonella enterocolitis in calves. One injection of AmB, at approximately one-tenth of the concentration used in human patients to counter fungal infection, or saline control, was delivered intravenously to calves prior to infection with Salmonella. This single injection caused no adverse effects, reduced disease symptoms from Salmonella enterocolitis and...
Nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) plays a role in SV40 infection.

Abstract Recent evidence highlighted a role for the transcription factor, nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT), in the transcription of the human polyomavirus JCV. Here we show that NFAT is also important in the transcriptional control of the related polyomavirus, Simian Virus 40 (SV40). Inhibition of NFAT activity reduced SV40 infection of Vero, 293A, and HeLa cells, and this block occurred at the stage of viral transcription. Both NFAT3 and NFAT4 bound to the SV40 promoter through κB sites located within the 72 bp repeated enhancer region. In Vero cells, NFAT was involved in late transcription, but in HeLa and 293A cells both early and late viral transcription required NFAT activity. SV40 large T-Ag was found to increase NFAT activity and provided a positive feedback loop to transactivate the SV40 promoter.
Human plasma phospholipid transfer protein specific activity is correlated with HDL size: implications for lipoprotein physiology.

To gain further insights into the relationship between plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) and lipoprotein particles, PLTP mass and phospholipid transfer activity were measured, and their associations with the level and size of lipoprotein particles examined in 39 healthy adult subjects. No bivariate correlation was observed between PLTP activity and mass. PLTP activity was positively associated with cholesterol, triglyceride, apo B and VLDL particle level (rs=0.40–0.56, p≤0.01) while PLTP mass was positively associated with HDL-C, large HDL particles, and mean LDL and HDL particle sizes (rs=0.44–0.52, p<0.01). Importantly, plasma PLTP specific activity (SA) was significantly associated with specific lipoprotein classes, positively with VLDL, IDL, and small LDL particles (rs=0.42–0.62, p≤0.01) and inversely with large LDL, large HDL, and mean LDL and HDL particle size (rs=−0.42 to −0.70, p≤0.01). After controlling for triglyceride levels, the correlation between PLTP mass or SA and HDL size remained significant. In linear models, HDL size explained 45% of the variability of plasma PLTP SA while triglyceride explained 34% of the PLTP activity. Thus, in healthy adults a significant relationship exists between HDL size and plasma PLTP SA (rs=−0.70), implying that HDL particle size may modulate PLTP SA in the vascular compartment.
3-T breast diffusion-weighted MRI by echo-planar imaging with spectral spatial excitation or with additional spectral inversion recovery: an in vivo comparison of image quality.

Objective To compare conventional diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with spectral spatial excitation (cDWI) and an enhanced DWI with additional adiabatic spectral inversion recovery (eDWI) for 3-T breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods Twenty-four patients were enrolled in the study with both cDWI and eDWI. Three breast radiologists scored cDWI and eDWI images of each patient for fat-suppression quality, geometric distortion, visibility of normal structure and biopsy-proven lesions, and overall image quality. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for evaluable tissues were measured. Statistical tests were performed for qualitative and quantitative comparisons. Results Diffusion-weighted imaging with spectral spatial excitation yielded significantly higher CNR and SNR on a lesion basis, and higher glandular CNR and SNR and muscle SNR on a patient basis. Enhanced DWI also yielded significantly higher qualitative scores in all categories. No significant difference was found in ADC values. Conclusions Enhanced DWI provided superior image quality and higher CNR and SNR on a lesion basis. Enhanced DWI can replace cDWI for 3-T breast DWI.
The representation of module interfaces

Modular design issues are receiving increased attention from companies interested in reducing the costs from carrying large numbers of components while, at the same time, increasing product quality and providing customers with greater product variety. Existing research has focused mainly on optimising product platforms and product offerings, with little attention being given to the interfaces between modules. This research presents an investigation into how module interfaces are best represented in a Computer-Aided Design/Product Data Management (CAD/PDM) environment. The representation decisions are identified and the advantages and limitations for each option are presented. Representation decisions revolve around issues such as the use of higher abstraction models, the use of ports, and referencing interface components in interface definitions. We conclude that higher abstraction models are necessary, ports should be represented explicitly and interface hardware should not be included directly with the interfaces. The research considers a large number of components from representative products offered by a home appliance manufacturer.
Pre- and postweaning indices of neurotoxicity in rats: Effects of triethyltin (TET)

Abstract Pre- and postweaning measures of learning and locomotor activity were used as indices of CNS function after early pernatal neurotoxic insult. Triethyltin (0.0, 3.0, or 6.0 mg/kg, ip) administered on Postnatal Day 5 (PND5) was used as the neurotoxicant. Learning deficits and alterations in locomotor activity were observed during both the pre- and postweaning periods. Preweaning learning ability was evaluated with an appetitive alleyway paradigm, while an automated radial-arm maze (RAM) was used to assess juvenile learning. Preweaning open-field locomotion was evaluated in the presence and absence of homecage litter while postweaning activity was measured in an automated device, the Motron, or as a component of performance in the RAM. The 6.0-mg/kg TET-exposed animals required more trials to acquire the alleyway task. RAM subjects receiving 6.0 mg/kg of TET were less accurate than those given 3.0 mg/kg or vehicle control. TET did not affect open-field activity on PND10; low levels of spontaneous locomotion occurred regardless of treatment. On PND13, there was a dose-related decrease in locomotion over home-cage litter while all groups exhibited equivalent low rates of locomotion in the absence of home-cage cues. All treatment groups were more active when tested over litter than over no litter. In contrast, on PND21 and throughout the RAM testing period, TET-exposed subjects exhibited dose-related increases in activity. TET produced treatment-related decreases in wet weight of whole brain, hippocampus, and cerebellum in both developing (PND23) and adult (PND200) animals with the hippocampus being most affected on a percentage basis. In contrast, no treatment-related body weight differences were observed at these times. The neurotoxicity of TET can be demonstrated during the preweaning period whether a commonly used endpoint in assessing CNS function (locomotor activity) is monitored or a more complex endpoint (learning) is evaluated provided (1) the method used to monitor locomotor activity incorporates both the normally low levels of preweaning locomotion and the more elevated levels induced by home-cage cues and (2) the learning paradigms utilized are appropriate for the capabilities of the animal.
Stimulation of Fire Research in the United States After 1940 (A Historical Account)

Abstract A limited historical account of fire research development in the United States is presented, starting in 1941. Incendiary bomb development activities in World War II are related in some detail. There followed a post-war organization of a Committee on Fire Research, operating under the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council. The activity of Dr. Howard Emmons and the author in that Committee, which played a significant role in the creation of the National Bureau of Standards' Center for Fire Research, is recorded. The narrative stops as the Center gets under way.
Investigating the Mechanisms of Non-Random Sphingolipid Organization in the Plasma Membranes of Fibroblast Cells

Sphingolipids and their metabolites are not only structural components in the plasma membrane, but also bioactive signaling molecules that modulate fundamental cellular functions. Though segregation of the sphingolipids into distinct membrane domains is likely essential for cellular function, the sphingolipid distribution within the plasma membrane and the mechanisms that regulate it are not well understood. To address this issue, we have combined metabolic stable isotope incorporation and high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to image the distributions of stable isotope-labeled sphingolipids in the plasma membrane with ∼90 nm lateral resolution. We have previously used this approach to show that sphingolipids are enriched within distinct domains in the plasma membranes of fibroblast cells. We have also used this approach to investigate the dependency of the sphingolipid domains on cholesterol-sphingolipid interactions, and the cytoskeleton and its associated membrane proteins. This talk will focus on our recent work in which we have assessed whether the sphingolipid domains are co-localized with influenza hemagglutinin within the plasma membrane.
Integrating Comparative Risk Assessment with Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis to Manage Contaminated Sediments: An Example for the New York/New Jersey Harbor

ABSTRACT Current environmental challenges involve complex assessment and analysis of tradeoffs among differing criteria, expectations, and levels of certainty. Using multi-criteria decision analysis in combination with comparative risk assessment, a systematic and transparent framework can be created to integrate different types and sources of decision-relevant information. Although examples of decision analysis abound in the literature and academic efforts, its use within the practice of risk assessment and environmental management is still being established. This article provides an example of the use of decision analysis study that builds on a previous screening-level, comparative risk assessment of contaminated sediment from the New York/New Jersey harbor area. Using multi-criteria decision analysis, we explored the effect of different criteria weights, utility functions, and cost estimates on the ranking of seven contaminated sediment management alternatives. Values used in weighting decision criteri...
Recovering a Woman's Head With Prophetic Authority: a Pentecostal Interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11.3-16

Early Pentecostals defended the ministry of women by using passages in Acts 2.16-17 and 1 Cor. 11.3-16 to show that the Holy Spirit had empowered women to prophesy. But in Pentecostal churches today, some of the same biblical passages are now used to argue for significant restrictions on the ministry of women. This shift is especially apparent in the interpretation of 1 Cor. 11.3-16.These contemporary Pentecostals do not seem to realize that the hermeneutic that is used to interpret 1 Cor. 11.3-16 as a passage which limits the ministry of women is the same hermeneutic which is often used to discredit the doctrine of Spirit-baptism. Pentecostal interpreters need to reject this non-Pentecostal hermeneutic and reclaim 1 Cor. 11.3-16 as part of the Pentecostal defense of Spirit-empowered ministries of women. What is at stake is not just the prophetic ministry of women but the fundamental Pentecostal belief that all believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit for ministry.
Identification of genes contributing to the obese yellow Avy phenotype: caloric restriction, genotype, diet × genotype interactions

The incidence and severity of obesity and type 2 diabetes are increasing in Western societies. The progression of obesity to type 2 diabetes is gradual with overlapping symptoms of insulin resistan...
Recipients, agents, or partners? The contradictions of teacher participation in Mexican secondary education reform

The countries of Latin America have been no exception to global calls for educational transformation and teacher professionalization at the secondary level. One of the newest of these reforms is Mexico’s Reforma de la Educacion Secundaria (RS) (Reform of Secondary Education), launched in 2006. This article examines portrayals by various actors of the nature and extent of the participation of both teachers and the teachers’ union in the different phases of the RS, beginning with the initial formulation of the reform through the implementation and the “follow-up.” Findings indicate that in spite of efforts to provide more transparency and opportunities for teacher participation, for the most part secondary teachers in Mexico neither felt like agents nor partners in the RS, nor did they function as such in the reform process. As in previous reform efforts, teachers mostly felt that they were recipients of plans formulated by government officials, and as a result many have evidenced neither complete compliance nor full commitment to the reform. The national teachers’ union, meanwhile, claims to represent teachers’ voices and thus a form of teacher participation, but this claim is denied in the findings. The discussion and conclusions emphasize the multiple significations of teacher “participation” and the need to overcome system-wide contradictions, while drawing on theory about the conditioned state, bureaucracy, and democratizing civil society to help situate and explain the findings.
Do undergraduate student research participants read psychological research consent forms? examining memory effects, condition effects, and individual differences

While research has examined factors influencing understanding of informed consent in biomedical and forensic research, less is known about participants' attention to details in consent documents in psychological survey research. The present study used a randomized experimental design and found the majority of participants were unable to recall information from the consent form in both in-person and online formats. Participants were also relatively poor at recognizing important aspects of the consent form including risks to participants and confidentiality procedures. Memory effects and individual difference characteristics also appeared to influence recall and recognition of consent form information.
Lateral nonuniformities and the MOSFET mobility step near threshold

The reduction in extracted conductance mobility is explained in terms of an increased drain-to-source channel resistance because of lateral nonuniformities at the Si-SiO/sub 2/ interface. The effects of the nonuniformities in the inversion regime are best characterized by a quasiuniform model. C-V measurements are used to obtain independently the statistical distribution of flat-band voltages in the quasiuniform model. This information is used to simulate the two-dimensional current flow in the nonuniform inversion layer by a resistor network. The simulations are compared with accurate mobility measurements over a wide carrier-density range. The results show that the step in extracted room-temperature conductance mobility can be attributed to nonuniformities while no reduction occurs in the microscopic mobility. >
Chemical cocktails in aquatic systems: pesticide effects on the response and recovery of >20 animal taxa.

Natural systems are often exposed to individual insecticides or combinations of multiple insecticides. Using an additive and substitutive design, we examined how populations and communities containing >20 animal taxa are affected by four insecticides applied individually and as a mixture for 18 wks in aquatic mesocosms. The four insecticides had distinct lethal effects on the response and recovery of cladocerans, copepods, amphipods, isopods, and amphibians but not snails. The lethal effect on cladocerans and copepods induced trophic cascades that facilitated algal blooms and abiotic changes (higher pH and dissolved oxygen, but lower light transmission). Exposure to endosulfan resulted in a lag effect reducing cladocerans and spring-breeding amphibian abundance. The reduction in spring-breeding amphibian abundance led to cascading indirect effects on summer-breeding amphibians. Finally, the mixture treatment had lethal effects throughout the community that led to long-term effects on amphibian mass and unique indirect consequences on phytoplankton and abiotic variables.
Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma to the Sinonasal Cavity: A Case Series

Objectives To describe the presentation, work-up, and management of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to the sinonasal cavity and skull base, and to describe our current treatment algorithm of endoscopic surgical resection followed by radiation therapy. Design Retrospective review of two recent cases from our institution over a 1-year period, with a relevant review of the literature. Setting A large regional tertiary care facility. Participants Consecutive cases of RCC with metastases to the sinonasal cavity presenting to our institution. Main Outcome Measures Preoperative and postoperative sinonasal outcome test (SNOT)-22 scores, duration of hospital stay, complications, and local disease control Results Patients in this series underwent preoperative embolization followed by endoscopic resection without complication. Postoperatively they were treated with radiation therapy. They experienced improvement in their SNOT-22 scores and are currently free of local disease. Conclusion Metastatic RCC to the sinonasal cavity can be safely treated with preoperative embolization followed by endoscopic surgical resection and radiation therapy, which can result in improvement in sinonasal quality of life and is a potential adjunct for local control of disease.
Polymorphic crystalline structure of fish otoliths

Although most otoliths of teleost fishes contain aragonite, a detailed survey of the otoliths of serveral species confirms that other crystalline forms of calcium carbonate occur. Otoliths of Hoplostethus atlanticus, Pagrus major, Macruronus novaezelandiae, Merluccius australis, Congiopodus coriaceus, Kathetostoma giganteum, Argentina elongata, Rhomobosolea tapirina, Neophrynichthys latus, Coelorinchus aspercephalus, Paranothothenia microlepidota, and Gonorhynchus gonorhynchus contained the aragonite, calcite, and vaterite morphs of calcium carbonate in varying proportions. Aragonitic otoliths of Allocyttus niger, Hoplostethus altlanticus, and Pagrus major contained sequences of calcite-like crystals. The surface of the vateritic otolith of Acipenser brevirostrum is shown in detail. Three classes of information are stored in the crystalline structure of the otolith: shape conservation, coexisting crystal morphs, and consecutive changes in crystal morph. Analysis of this crystalline information supports the hypothesis of control of growth of the otolith by proteins from the sensory epithelium or macula. Protein variation involved may be genetic in origin, or non-genetic arising from “stuttering” of the translation process. Proteins extracted from vateric and aragonitic morphs of the otolith of Macruronus novaezelandiae showed differences in infared absorption spectra that were consistent with two different amino acid sequences. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
SPIN-IT: a data centric routing protocol for image retrieval in wireless networks

We propose and analyze a routing protocol for mobile ad hoc networks that supports efficient image retrieval based on metadata queries. In digital photography, metadata describes captured information about an image and provides the key element needed for advanced techniques for sharing pictures. Our goal was to find an efficient way to utilize metadata to retrieve images in a wireless network of imaging devices. Building on the SPIN (sensor protocols for information via negotiation) protocol for metadata negotiation, we designed SPIN-IT (SPIN-image transfer), a protocol where wireless imaging devices use metadata queries to retrieve desired pictures. This protocol provides low bandwidth query-based communication prior to the transfer of image data to set up routes to desired data rather than routes to specific nodes. We compare SPIN-IT to a centralized approach and discuss the advantages of each design for different picture-sharing scenarios.
Semi-insulating silicon for microwave integrated circuits

In silicon many of the transition metals have states near the center of the gap and so can be used to form semi-insulating wafers. In this paper calculated and measured resistivities of silicon as a function of substrate doping for gold doped n-type and silver doped p-type silicon are presented. Arrhenius plots of the effective diffusion coefficient of gold in Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/ diffusion barriers are also measured. A structure for forming semi-insulating silicon with an upper conductive layer using a wafer bonding technique is developed.
Rap Phosphatase of Virulence Plasmid pXO1 Inhibits Bacillus anthracis Sporulation

This study shows that the Bacillus anthracis pXO1 virulence plasmid carries a Rap-Phr system, BXA0205, which regulates sporulation initiation in this organism. The BXA0205Rap protein was shown to dephosphorylate the Spo0F response regulator intermediate of the phosphorelay signal transduction system that regulates the initiation of the developmental pathway in response to environmental, metabolic, and cell cycle signals. The activity of the Rap protein was shown to be inhibited by the carboxy-terminal pentapeptide generated through an export-import processing pathway from the associated BXA0205Phr protein. Deregulation of the Rap activity by either overexpression or lack of the Phr pentapeptide resulted in severe inhibition of sporulation. Five additional Rap-Phr encoding systems were identified on the chromosome of B. anthracis, one of which, BA3790-3791, also affected sporulation initiation. The results suggest that the plasmid-borne Rap-Phr system may provide a selective advantage to the virulence of B. anthracis.
How young can children reliably and validly self-report their health-related quality of life?: An analysis of 8,591 children across age subgroups with the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales

The last decade has evidenced a dramatic increase in the development and utilization of pediatric health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures in an effort to improve pediatric patient health and well-being and determine the value of healthcare services. The emerging paradigm shift toward patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in clinical trials has provided the opportunity to further emphasize the value and essential need for pediatric patient self-reported outcomes measurement. Data from the PedsQL™ DatabaseSM were utilized to test the hypothesis that children as young as 5 years of age can reliably and validly report their HRQOL. The sample analyzed represented child self-report age data on 8,591 children ages 5 to 16 years from the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales DatabaseSM. Participants were recruited from general pediatric clinics, subspecialty clinics, and hospitals in which children were being seen for well-child checks, mild acute illness, or chronic illness care (n = 2,603, 30.3%), and from a State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in California (n = 5,988, 69.7%). Items on the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales had minimal missing responses for children as young as 5 years old, supporting feasibility. The majority of the child self-report scales across the age subgroups, including for children as young as 5 years, exceeded the minimum internal consistency reliability standard of 0.70 required for group comparisons, while the Total Scale Scores across the age subgroups approached or exceeded the reliability criterion of 0.90 recommended for analyzing individual patient scale scores. Construct validity was demonstrated utilizing the known groups approach. For each PedsQL™ scale and summary score, across age subgroups, including children as young as 5 years, healthy children demonstrated a statistically significant difference in HRQOL (better HRQOL) than children with a known chronic health condition, with most effect sizes in the medium to large effect size range. The results demonstrate that children as young as the 5 year old age subgroup can reliably and validly self-report their HRQOL when given the opportunity to do so with an age-appropriate instrument. These analyses are consistent with recent FDA guidelines which require instrument development and validation testing for children and adolescents within fairly narrow age groupings and which determine the lower age limit at which children can provide reliable and valid responses across age categories.
In vivo peripheral nervous system insulin signaling

Alterations in peripheral nervous system (PNS) insulin support may contribute to diabetic neuropathy (DN); yet, PNS insulin signaling is not fully defined. Here, we investigated in vivo insulin signaling in the PNS and compared the insulin responsiveness to that of muscle, liver, and adipose. Non-diabetic mice were administered increasing doses of insulin to define a dose-response relationship between insulin and Akt activation in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and sciatic nerve. Resulting EC50 doses were used to characterize the PNS insulin signaling time course and make comparisons between insulin signaling in the PNS and other peripheral tissues (i.e., muscle, liver, and adipose). The results demonstrate that the PNS is responsive to insulin and that differences in insulin signaling pathway activation exist between PNS compartments. At a therapeutically relevant dose, Akt was activated in the muscle, liver, and adipose at 30 min, correlating with the changes in blood glucose levels. Interestingly, the sciatic nerve showed a similar signaling profile as insulin-sensitive tissues; however, there was not a comparable activation in the DRG or spinal cord. These results present new evidence regarding PNS insulin signaling pathways in vivo and provide a baseline for studies investigating the contribution of disrupted PNS insulin signaling to DN pathogenesis.
Use of Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample 1999 to 2004

Study objective The aim of this study is to characterize hospital and patient characteristics associated with administration of thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke patients in the United States. Methods This retrospective, observational, cohort study used data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, an administrative discharge database. A total of 366,194 hospitalizations admitted through the emergency department with a primary diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke were selected for analysis. The primary outcome considered in this study is whether the patient received thrombolytic therapy on hospital day 0 or 1. Results Thrombolysis was used in 1.12% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95% to 1.32%) of ischemic stroke hospitalizations. Most hospitals (69.5%; 95% CI 68.4% to 70.6%) treating ischemic stroke patients did not use thrombolysis during the study period. For the hospitals that used thrombolysis, the mean annual number of patients treated with thrombolysis per hospital was 3.06 (95% CI 2.68 to 3.44). In the binary logistic regression analysis, hospital characteristics associated with high use of thrombolysis were teaching hospital status and increasing number of stroke patients treated annually. Patient characteristics associated with higher use of thrombolysis were age younger than 55 years, male sex, and low comorbidity as measured by the modified Charlson Index; white race; and private self-pay health insurance. Conclusion Use of thrombolysis for ischemic stroke in the United States from 1999 to 2004 was infrequent and showed significant differences, depending on hospital and patient demographic characteristics.
A comprehensive framework for global patterns in biodiversity

The present study proposes to reconcile the different spatial and temporal scales of regional species production and local constraint on species richness. Although interactions between populations rapidly achieve equilibrium and limit membership in ecological communities locally, these interactions occur over heterogeneous environments within large regions, where the populations of species are stably regulated through competition and habitat selection. Consequently, exclusion of species from a region depends on long-term regional-scale environmental change or evolutionary change among interacting populations, bringing species production and extinction onto the same scale and establishing a link between local and regional processes.
Experimental Considerations for Indentation-Induced Adhesion Measurement of Multilayered Thin Films

Nanoindentation of thin films is an especially attractive technique for the quantitative assessment of the adhesion energy of thin films, in that the film can be measured in the asprocessed condition with almost no sample preparation. Linear elastic fracture mechanics calibrations have been previously developed to quantify the strain energy release rate as a function of film properties, film residual stress and indentation volume. However, this test is limited by the practical difficulty of producing a suitable delamination for either strong interfaces or ductile films. Modified mechanics suitable for a multilayer film have recently been developed. One particularly useful application of this calibration is discussed, namely the use of a highly stressed refractory superlayer that acts to promote delamination of the underlying film (assuming said interface is the weaker). Delamination is ensured by triggering the fracture process through nanoindentation. Such superlayers can be deposited over the as-processed film of interest, producing no significant changes in that film's microstructure or interfacial character. Experimental results using this method are reviewed with particular attention to experimental consideration, along with recent results using copper and tungsten thin films on SiO 2 .
Architecture and evaluation of an unplanned 802.11b mesh network

This paper evaluates the ability of a wireless mesh architecture to provide high performance Internet access while demanding little deployment planning or operational management. The architecture considered in this paper has unplanned node placement (rather than planned topology), omni-directional antennas (rather than directional links), and multi-hop routing (rather than single-hop base stations). These design decisions contribute to ease of deployment, an important requirement for community wireless networks. However, this architecture carries the risk that lack of planning might render the network's performance unusably low. For example, it might be necessary to place nodes carefully to ensure connectivity; the omni-directional antennas might provide uselessly short radio ranges; or the inefficiency of multi-hop forwarding might leave some users effectively disconnected.The paper evaluates this unplanned mesh architecture with a case study of the Roofnet 802.11b mesh network. Roofnet consists of 37 nodes spread over four square kilometers of an urban area. The network provides users with usable performance despite lack of planning: the average inter-node throughput is 627 kbits/second, even though the average route has three hops.The paper evaluates multiple aspects of the architecture: the effect of node density on connectivity and throughput; the characteristics of the links that the routing protocol elects to use; the usefulness of the highly connected mesh afforded by omni-directional antennas for robustness and throughput; and the potential performance of a single-hop network using the same nodes as Roofnet.
Rights Talk: The Opinion Dynamics of Rights Framing

Objective A classic statement about rights talks in American politics argues they are a divisive force, limiting discussion and creating zero-sum questions. While we agree that rights talk has become ubiquitous, we disagree about its effects on the mass public. Rights frames are a way to provide publicly accessible reasons that should lead to perceptions of the source as less extreme, which enables discourse rather than cuts it off. We hypothesize that framing conservative issue positions in the language of “rights” (as opposed to morality) will lead to perceptions of the candidate as less conservative and less religious, enabling liberals to increase their support for the source. Methods Using a simple experimental design, we compare the effects of varying issue frames on beliefs about and attitudes toward a source across a wide variety of issues: abortion, the death penalty, gay rights, healthcare, and education. Results Our results support our hypothesis, though with some variation across issues that accords with the credibility of framing a conservative position in terms of rights. Conclusion Contrary to prominent democratic theories, rights-based frames promote discourse and perceptions of political moderation, particularly among younger Americans.