cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies of the structure of freezing point-depressing glycoproteins from an Antarctic fish.

Abstract The structure and properties of the freezing point-depressing glycoproteins from a cold-adapted Antarctic fish, Trematomus borchgrevinki, were examined by means of chemical modifications and enzymatic and chemical degradations. Trypsin, α-chymotrypsin, almond emulsin, β-galactosidase, leucine aminopeptidase, and carboxypeptidase A did not hydrolyze the freezing point-depressing glycoproteins and had no effect on their activity. Subtilisin or fungal protease, however, destroyed the freezing point-depressing activity of the glycoproteins by cleavage of relatively few peptide bonds. Periodate oxidation of 80% of the galactose residues, β elimination of carbohydrate with 0.5 n NaOH, or acetylation of 35% of the carbohydrate hydroxyls with acetic anhydride in pyridine likewise destroyed the activity. Deacylation of the inactive acetyl glycoproteins with hydroxylamine resulted in complete restoration of the freezing point-depressing activity. β elimination with 0.5 n NaOH at 20° for 6 hours indicated that the reducing ends of the carbohydrate groups are linked O-glycosidically to the β carbon of threonine. As a result of β elimination, all of the threonines were converted to 2-amino-2-butenoic acid, and an equivalent amount of reducing groups appeared. Formation of the 2-amino-2-butenoic acid residues during β elimination was confirmed by converting the residues to α-aminobutyric acid or to 3-methylcysteic acid. Sequential periodate oxidation revealed that galactose is in the external position and that N-acetylgalactosamine is linked to threonine. Preliminary evidence indicated that the linkage of galactose to N-acetylgalactosamine is 1,4 or 1,3, rather than 1,6. The freezing point-depressing glycoproteins appear to have a peptide backbone of alanine and threonine, with di- or trisaccharides linked O-glycosidically to every threonine molecule.
Electroreceptors of a weakly electric fish

The hypothesis of an active electroreceptor filter, characterized by an underdamped, oscillatory impulse response, was tested indirectly by investigating the pattern of afferent discharges resulting from receptor excitation with electric field pulses. When stimulated with a single, high amplitude, short duration pulse the majority of afferents responded with bursts of two or three spikes having interspike intervals, in individual fish, correlated to the individual's electric organ discharge period, and, more importantly, with the best frequency of the corresponding receptor. Pulses causing current to flow into the receptor from the bath resulted in shorter response latencies and more spikes per burst than pulses of the opposite polarity. The polarity dependent latency shift was also correlated with the best frequency of the receptor and the electric organ discharge repetition rate of an individual, but it was much shorter than expected based on the prediction of a generator potential in the form of a classical underdamped oscillation. Because of this it is concluded that the generator potential oscillations increase in period for successive cycles. This was essentially confirmed by the form of the receptor organ excitability cycle which was measured by using a two pulse stimulus paradigm.
Distributed acoustic sensor data processing for target classification

The Acoustics Signal Processing Branch at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory has been investigating tracking and classification of military and civilian vehicles using acoustic sensors. Currently the target signals are modeled as a sum of harmonics and then they are classified using multivariate Gaussian classifier at each individual node. When multiple targets are present in the scene overall classification of the targets deteriorates as the signals from several targets are mixed together and determinations of individual target harmonics become difficult. This is true particularly for civilian vehicles. In order to improve the overall probability of correct classification a distributed classifier will be implemented. In a distributed processing each sensor node would broadcast the classification information, that is, probability of detection of various targets, to all the sensors within its vicinity. At each sensor node a distributed Bayesian classifier is used to determine the overall classification of each target. The distributed processing is robust to failures in sensor nodes unlike the centralized processing. Although the technique is known, it had been tested using only simulated data. In this paper we present the results of the algorithm on real data that was collected using several acoustic sensors using a mixture of military and civilian vehicles. This would identify how well the distributed processing works or its limitations in classifying multiple targets using acoustic data.
XP practices applied to grading

The grading of student work is of the utmost importance to a computer science educator. This paper examines the practices of eXtreme Programming (XP) and considers how they apply to the tasks of assigning grades to student work, even as those grades must both evaluate the student objectively and communicate with her personally.
Sadat and the Egyptian–Israeli Peace Revisited

With the resumption of the search for an Arab–Israeli settlement, analysts have been debating the factors that have frustrated it for so many years. The fact that one Arab country, namely Egypt, concluded a peace treaty with Israel almost a decade and a half ago led some to reexamine that case to see what made it possible. The available literature on Egypt's disengagement from the Arab–Israeli conflict has been voluminous, as many policy makers and analysts in Egypt, Israel, the rest of the Arab world, and the United States published their accounts of this development. Despite many ideological and political differences among these writers, they all concluded that this foreign-policy shift represented a radical alteration of Arab policies toward Israel and that with Egypt out of the war equation, the regional balance of power had changed dramatically. Many of them also emphasized the centrality of President Sadat's role in explaining Egypt's exit from the conflict with Israel. One or another of Sadat's personal characteristics has been singled out by his admirers and critics alike as being the main factor behind the Egyptian foreign-policy shift. It is not that they considered other factors such as socioeconomic variables and regional or global structures irrelevant. They simply assessed them as not decisive in terms of their relative explanatory power.
Between A Rock And A Hard Place: Understanding The Employer Mind-Set

Large and mid-size employers are "between a rock and hard place" when it comes to health benefits: They are both unable to manage their health care costs effectively or simply get out of offering these benefits entirely. Although there is considerable diversity in how employers approach health care, several goals underlie most of their decisions. It is unlikely that the current round of employer-based health initiatives will succeed at managing rising costs. As a result, employers are likely to become more interested than at any time in the past decade in exiting their roles as providers of health benefits.
Teaching Web Engineering using a project component

Web applications are an intricate part of the world today. Everything from banking to checking our Facebook status may now be done through the use of web applications. Todays students need to balance numerous concerns in order to create a web application that is robust, on time and on budget. At the Department of Software Engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology, we created a course called Web Engineering. As part of this course, we developed an innovative project component which focused on students following software engineering principles such as elicitation, requirements generation, testing and deployment.
Erikson’s Case of the Theological Student

This article focuses on Erik H. Erikson’s case of a theological student on the borderline of psychosis. The case, presented in a lecture published in Insight and Responsibility (1964, pp. 47–80), was important to Erikson for two important reasons: It enabled him to gain confidence in his capacity to help young adults and convinced him that he was not being disloyal to Freud by focusing on patients’ religious experiences. His presentation of the case focuses on an enigmatic dream image that caused the patient to believe that he was losing his mind but that, when interpreted, led to a breakthrough in his therapy and eventual recovery of his mental health. The springboard for his study of Martin Luther, this case illustrates the three primary religious images that Erikson identifies in Young Man Luther (1958): the maternal matrix, the paternal voice, and the pure self. It also illustrates how the timely appearance of a new person in one’s life may have enormous therapeutic value.
INSTRUMENTALITY MODEL OF AGE AND JOB SATISFACTION FOR MALES AND FEMALES

This study examines the relationship between age and job satisfaction for males and females. An instrumentality model dealing with age and job satisfaction is proposed and an empirical test of an hypothesis from this model is run. The predictions of the instrumentality model are supported. Job satisfaction increased with both age and tenure up to the pre-retirement period and then declined. Therefore, these results do not support Herzberg's U-shaped curve of the relationship between age and job satisfaction. In general, job satisfaction was lower for females than for males, particularly in pay and promotion. Implications of these results are discussed.
A girl with partial trisomy 12q24.31 inherited from her father and a possible novel syndrome transmitted from her mother.

We report on a familial partial trisomy 12q in a girl and her father both of whom have an unbalanced translocation, der(16)t(12;16)(q24.31;q24.3), resulting in trisomy 12q24.31 → qter and 16q subtelomere deletion. By comparing phenotypes of the girl and the father, we suggest that clinical features related to trisomy 12q24.31 → qter are mild development delays, mild mental retardation, broad forehead, simplified ear helices, small mouth, and thin lips. The mother who has a normal karyotype has moderate mental retardation and a facial appearance similar to the girl. Both the girl and the mother have distinctive short, curly, and kinky hair. We suspect a possible new syndrome in the maternal family with mental retardation and curly, kinky hair. Thus, this patient likely inherited two discreet conditions causing mental retardation. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Investigation of catastrophic degradation in high power multi-mode InGaAs strained quantum well single emitters

Multi-mode InGaAs strained quantum-well single emitters at 920-980nm have become indispensable as pump lasers for various applications. Most previous reports on these lasers have been focused on their performance characteristics with limited reports on failure mode analysis although understanding the physics of failure is crucial in developing a proper physics-based lifetime model. Our group recently reported accelerated lifetest results with accumulated test hours of over 6000 hours and identified catastrophic sudden failures as dominant failure modes. In this paper we report our investigation of catastrophically degraded high power multi-mode single emitters with various destructive and non-destructive techniques including high-resolution TEM. The lasers studied were broad-area strained InGaAs single QW lasers at 940-980nm with typical CW output powers of over 6W at an injection current of 7A with a wall plug efficiency of ~60%. An EBIC technique is employed to identify location of dark line defects in degraded lasers with different amounts of drop in optical output power. A FIB technique is then employed to prepare TEM samples from the DLD areas allowing cross-sectional HR-TEM analysis. This is to investigate generation and growth of defects and dislocations in multi-mode lasers catastrophically degraded under different accelerated stress conditions. Finally, we report our results on deep traps associated with degraded devices as well as with pristine devices using DLTS technique.
The Precise Measurement of Free-Form Surfaces

We outline a new procedure for measuring free-form curves and surfaces using implicit polynomial equations. Such equations have long been known to offer certain advantages over the more traditional parametric methods. However, the lack of general procedures for obtaining implicit polynomial models of higher degree, which precisely represent arbitrary 3-D shapes, have prevented their general use in many practical applications, including rapid and precise metrology. Recent mathematical advances obtained at Brown University, experimentally verified using a state-of-the-art Chameleon coordinate measuring machine, have demonstrated potential advantages of implicit methods for modeling and measuring a variety of manufactured objects.
An analytical framework for estimating fertilization bias and the fertilization set from multiple sperm-storage organs.

AbstractHow sperm from competing males are used to fertilize eggs is poorly understood yet has important implications for postcopulatory sexual selection. Sperm may be used in direct proportion to their numerical representation within the fertilization set or with a bias toward one male over another. Previous theoretical treatments have assumed a single sperm-storage organ, but many taxa possess multiple organs or store sperm within multiple regions of the reproductive tract. In Drosophila, females store sperm in two distinct storage organ types: the seminal receptacle (SR) and the paired spermathecae. Here, we expand previous “raffle” models to describe “fertilization bias” independently for sperm within the SR and the spermathecae and estimate the fertilization set based on the relative contribution of sperm from the different sperm-storage organ types. We apply this model to three closely related species to reveal rapid divergence in the fertilization set and the potential for female sperm choice.
Relationship between photically evoked after-discharge occurrence and hippocampal EEG rhythms in restrained and unrestrained albino rats.

Abstract The relationship between photically evoked after-discharge (PhAD) occurrence and dorsal hippocampal EEG patterns was examined in restrained and unrestrained albino rats during the presentation of 25 photic stimuli. Although the restrained and unrestrained conditions yielded significant differences in PhAD occurrence and type of hippocampal EEG pattern exhibited, it was determined that if the hippocampus displayed a rhythmical slow wave activity (RSA or theta) PhADs were not elicited. These hippocampal RSA periods were highly correlated with grid activity in the unrestrained condition. PhADs were elicited only during hippocampal EEG episodes that could be characterized as either large amplitude irregular slow waves or small amplitude irregular waves.
Autoradiography of [3H]β-endorphin binding in brain

The autoradiographic regional localization of [3H]beta-endorphin binding in rat brain differed from that of either [3H]dihydromorphine or [3H]D-Ala2-D-Leu5-enkephalin. Comparisons were made from sequential sections through 3 regions of rat brain: striatum, hypothalamus/thalamus, and brainstem. [3H]beta-endorphin labeled some clusters as well as the subcallosal streak in the striatum, the nucleus accumbens, lamina IV of the cortex, medial regions of the thalamus, hippocampus, inferior colliculus, dorsal raphe, median raphe and pontine nuclei. White matter regions had little binding. Although many of these structures were also labeled with either [3H]dihydromorphine or [3H]D-Ala2-D-Leu5-enkephalin, the overall pattern of [3H]beta-endorphin labeling appeared unique, consistent with the proposal of central epsilon receptors.
Physically-consistent broadband material models for transmission lines on FR-4

The creation of a physically-consistent broadband material model is necessary to ensure that measured permittivity values are causal. The Debye and Frohlich models are compared and evaluated for accuracy in the characterization of FR-4 material.
The Role of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α in Liver Toxicity, Inflammation, and Fibrosis Induced by Carbon Tetrachloride

Hepatic expression of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) occurs in many acute and chronic liver diseases, as well as following exposure to hepatotoxic chemicals, and is believed to help influence both the damage and repair processes that occur following these insults by regulating additional mediators. We examined the role of TNFalpha in transgenic mice deficient in TNF receptors (TNFR) utilizing carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) as a model hepatotoxic agent that allowed for the evaluation of necrosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Hepatocyte damage, as evident by local areas of liver necrosis and elevated levels of serum transaminase, occurred to a similar degree in wild-type and TNFR-deficient knockout (KO) mice following acute exposure to CCl(4). In contrast, the inflammatory response, manifested as an inflammatory cell influx, as well as induction of chemokines and adhesion molecules that occurred in wild-type mice following treatment with CCl(4), was not as evident in TNFR-KO mice. This response was associated primarily with type-1 (TNFR1) rather than type-2 (TNFR2) receptor responses. Liver fibrosis resulting from chronic CCl(4) exposure was also markedly dependent upon TNFalpha as demonstrated by almost a complete histological absence of fibrosis in TNFR-deficient mice. This was further supported by marked reductions in procollagen and transforming growth factor beta synthesis in TNFR-deficient mice. Taken together, these results indicate that TNFalpha is responsible for regulating products that induce inflammation and fibrosis but not direct hepatocyte damage in CCl(4)-induced hepatotoxicity.
The Center for Executive Development and My Experiences.

Since there is an increasing need for learning and relearning on the part of managers and executives, several business schools around the country have developed a program for offering seminars and workshops to the adult community for improving their level of supervisory, managerial, and executive performance. The purpose of this article is to lend assistance to those who are planning to embark upon this alternative higher education endeavor by sharing experiences from one institution.
Reconstruction of the pelvic floor with human acellular dermal matrix and omental flap following anterior pelvic exenteration

Pelvic floor reconstruction after pelvic exenteration is challenging, particularly with bacterial contamination and/or pelvic irradiation. Traditional regional myocutaneous flap options are not always avaliable, especially in the multiply operated patient. Human acellular dermal matrix (HADM) confers several advantages and is associated with less morbidity when compared to synthetic mesh used in these compromised wound beds. We report a clinical case of an elderly patient with an anterior pelvic floor defect, who underwent successful reconstruction with a combination of human acellular dermal matrix and an omental flap.
In Honor of Andrei Shleifer: Winner of the John Bates Clark Medal

Andrei Shleifer is the 1999 recipient of the John Bates Clark Medal, an award presented by the American Economic Association to an outstanding economist under the age of 40. The Clark medal citation singles out his contributions to three fields: corporate finance (corporate governance, law and finance), the economics of financial markets (deviations from efficient markets), and the economics of transition. One could add a fourth area, an early but then spurned love, macroeconomics (the role of increasing returns in cycles and growth). In each area that Andrei has touched, his contributions have shaped the basic paradigm and have triggered considerable follow-up research. The reason is that Andrei focuses on the big issues of economics. A recurring theme of his research is the respective role of markets, institutions, and governments. In his work, markets do not work perfectly and institutions are of the essence. But one should not trust governments always to do the right thing, be it in the design of institutions or in direct interventions. Governments are not perfect and sometimes they can be quite bad indeed. In the hands of others, such themes could lead to ideological blabber or to banal generalities. In Andrei’s hands, they don’t. In each case, Andrei focuses on a specific market, a specific institution, a specific mechanism. He writes down a simple model, very much in the old Chicago tradition, and uses it as a guide to the empirical evidence. He looks at the available evidence, often, as in his work on law and finance, assembling that evidence for the first time. The general lessons come from the accumulation of papers and evidence. This is why his work is so convincing, influential, and likely to endure.
Elastic constants and related properties of tetrahedrally bonded BN, AlN, GaN, and InN

The results of first-principles full-potential linear muffin-tin orbital calculations of the elastic constants and related structural and electronic properties of BN, AlN, GaN, and InN in both the zinc-blende and wurtzite structures are presented. The results include all of the equilibrium lattice constants, the bulk moduli, the TO-phonon frequencies at \ensuremath{\Gamma}, their mode Gr\"uneisen parameters, the full set of cubic elastic constants, and deformation potentials. The elastic constants for the wurtzite crystals are first obtained from those calculated for zinc blende by Martin's transformation method. The components related to strains along the c axis (${\mathit{C}}_{13}$ and ${\mathit{C}}_{33}$) are found to be less accurate than the others. An elaboration of Martin's approach utilizing first-principles calculation for distortions which maintains hexagonal symmetry but allows for a nonideal c/a ratio is implemented. As a byproduct of the relaxation calculations of the wurtzite internal parameter u we also obtain the ${\mathit{A}}_{1}$ and an estimate of the ${\mathit{E}}_{1}$ TO-phonon frequencies in the hexagonal materials. Good agreement is obtained with recent experimental results for the elastic constants of wurtzite AlN and GaN and zinc-blende BN as well as for the other properties mentioned above for all materials. Our results provide predictions for the remaining crystal structure materials combinations for which no direct experimental data are presently available. From these results and experimental LO-TO splittings, we determine the bond-stretching and bond-bending parameters \ensuremath{\alpha} and \ensuremath{\beta} of Keating's semiempirical valence-force-field model. We use this model to rationalize some of the observed trends in the behavior with the cation. The shift and splittings of the energy bands due to strains are used to obtain a complete set of deformation potentials for the zinc-blende crystals at symmetry points for several of the important eigenvalues. We also define deformation potentials for the valence-band maximum of the wurtzite structure and relate them to the corresponding [111] strain deformation and optical mode deformation potentials in zinc blende. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Evaluation of Health Physics Instrument Performance

Health physics instruments are used to control exposure to ionizing radiation and must provide an accurate reading under diverse conditions. In order to evaluate the practicality and applicability of a set of performance requirements, a representative set of instruments were tested against specific requirements listed in a draft ANSI standard, ANSI N42.17. The requirements include environmental, interfering responses, radiation response, electronic, mechanical and general requirements. Data are presented which summarize the performance of radiation survey instruments in comparison to criteria set forth in the standard. The methods used to perform the tests are also discussed.
The culture of inquiry

HISTORICISM AND KNOWLEDGE. By Robert D'Amico. New York: Routledge, 1989; pp. xiv + 174. Paper $12.95. SOCIAL EPISTEMOLOGY. By Steve Fuller. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1989; pp. xv + 316. $27.50. PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE AND ITS DISCONTENTS. By Steve Fuller. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1989; pp. x + 188. $32.95. CONTINGENCY, IRONY, AND SOLIDARITY. By Richard Rorty. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1989; pp. xvi + 201. Paper $10.95. THE AMERICAN EVASION OF PHILOSOPHY: A GENEALOGY OF PRAGMATISM. By Cornell West. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1989; pp. 279. $42.50; paper $18.50.
Intrinsic Ferromagnetism in Insulating Cobalt Doped Anatase TiO2

Using complementary experiments we show that the room temperature ferromagnetism observed in anatase $\mathrm{Co}\ensuremath{\mathbin:}{\mathrm{TiO}}_{2}$ films is not carrier mediated, but coexists with the dielectric state. TEM and x-ray absorption spectroscopy reveal a solid solution of Co in anatase, where Co is not metallic but in the $+2$ state substituting for Ti. Measurements at 300 K yield a ${M}_{\mathrm{S}}$ of $1.1\text{ }\text{ }{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\mathrm{B}}/\mathrm{Co}$ atom, while all films are highly insulating. The evidence of intrinsic ferromagnetism in the dielectric ground state of $\mathrm{Co}\ensuremath{\mathbin:}{\mathrm{TiO}}_{2}$ leads to new considerations for the origin of ferromagnetism in transition metal doped oxides.
A theoretical analysis and control study of open-circuit grinding

Abstract Regrinding is an essential step in many mineral processing flowsheets as a final preparatory step for mineral separation. It is normally carried out in open-circuit ball mills or rod mills. Wide fluctuations occurring in the hardness and size distribution of feed materials to regrinding mills result in a nonuniform product fineness and processing inefficiency. Using a previously developed regrinding model, this paper presents the dynamic analysis and design considerations of a control system for open-circuit grinding, using the traditional P-, PI-, and PID-control algorithms. This study shows the utility of simple analysis techniques in designing a mineral process control system with special attention given to the effect of sampling and analysis time on control system performance.
INVITED REVIEW POLYMERIC DELIVERY SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLED DRUG RELEASE

The use of polymers to provide controlled long-term delivery of drugs and other chemicals is a rapidly emerging field. This review focuses primarily on the applications of these polymeric systems, and their release mechanisms. Examples of applications include clinical, pharmaceutical, biological, agricultural, environmental, and household uses. Release mechanisms considered are diffusive (reservoirs, matrices), chemical (biocrosion, pendent chain), swelling, and magnetic control of drug release from polymers. Advantages and disadvantages of controlled-release technology, and approaches for developing and testing effective polymeric delivery systems arediscussed.
Ancylostoma duodenale: Maintenance through six generations in helminth-naive pups

Abstract An Indian strain of Ancylostoma duodenale with a known propensity for arrested development in man was passaged serially in 2-month-old, helminth-naive, male beagles. The sixth passage was initiated about 500 days after laboratory maintenance began. Experimental animals were infected by stomach tube with 1500 larvae each. These infections became patent in 22–31 days. In a line passaged in dogs without the use of a corticosteroid (prednisolone), adaptation, as judged by fecal egg count, increased through the first three generations and then declined sharply. This line appears destined for extinction. In another line passaged in prednisolone-treated pups, the strain's original viability is being maintained. Infections were long lived, frequently surviving for 90 days or more. Maximum egg output in terms of eggs per gram of feces (EPG) was highly variable between generations and between individuals within generations, but commonly exceeded 1500 EPG. In pups necropsied between 44 and 55 days, harboring fifth- and sixth-generation infections, adult worm burdens ranged from 47–146 and 34–128 in the nonprednisolone and prednisolone lines, respectively. Arrested larvae have been found in the same pups and apparently contribute to a turnover in the population of adult worms. Although A. duodenale has yet to be fully adapted to dogs in the sense that indefinite survival without prednisolone is assured, the present system yields a variety of life history stages in quantities suitable for many experimental purposes. Thus it provides a utilitarian laboratory model for the investigation of one of man's major hookworms.
Response to preoperative chemoradiation increases the use of sphincter‐preserving surgery in patients with locally advanced low rectal carcinoma

BACKGROUND Although controversial, some believe that preoperative chemoradiation increases the use of sphincter-preserving surgery in low rectal carcinoma patients. This article investigates the relationship between objective tumor response and sphincter preservation in low rectal carcinoma patients. METHODS The authors reviewed the records of 238 patients with T3 or T4 low rectal carcinoma (≤ 6 cm from the anal verge) who underwent preoperative pelvic chemoradiation (45 Gy/25 fractions/5 weeks, n = 182 or 52.5 Gy/30 fractions/5 weeks, n = 56 with continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil at 300 mg/m2, Monday to Friday) followed by mesorectal (n = 223) or local excision (n = 15). A logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influence of objective tumor response (defined as complete clinical response) and other prognostic factors on sphincter preservation. Because degrees of partial response could not be objectively defined retrospectively, the influence of partial response on sphincter preservation could not be evaluated. RESULTS Overall, 49% of patients (117 of 238) had sphincter-preserving surgery. The clinical complete response rate was 47%. Independent predictors of sphincter preservation included the year of surgery, tumor distance from the anal verge, circumferential tumor involvement, and response to chemoradiation. The sphincter preservation rate increased over the period of the study (from 28% [December 1989 to December 1992] to 44% [January 1993 to December 1996] to 67% [January 1997 to December 2000]). The difference in the rates of sphincter preservation according to response was most striking among patients with tumors 3 cm or less from the anal verge (44% vs. 22%, P = 0.01). The pelvic disease recurrence rate among patients undergoing sphincter-preserving surgery has been less than 10% since January 1993 and was not statistically different between the groups treated from January 1993 to December 1996 and from January 1997 to December 2000. CONCLUSIONS There has been an increase in the use of sphincter-preserving surgery without an increase in pelvic disease recurrence over the past decade. Although not necessary for sphincter preservation, clinical response to preoperative chemoradiation independently contributed to sphincter-preserving surgery, particularly in patients with low rectal tumors. Cancer 2003;97:517–24. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11075
Effect of growth rate on the surface morphology of MBE-grown GaAs(001)-(2 × 4)

Abstract Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) has been used to investigate the effect of the deposition rate on the resulting morphology of GaAs(001)-(2 × 4) surfaces grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Low deposition rates (0.2 microm/h) are found to create smooth surfaces and lead to anisotropic islanding with average length ratios of A steps to B steps which are measurably larger than those produced by standard deposition rates (0.7 microm/h). For each growth rate, the mean-square-height fluctuation function has been calculated in order to characterize the surface roughness observed with STM and the anisotropy associated with the roughness.
Exoplanets, 2003–2013

Cosmologists and philosophers had long suspected that our sun was a star, and that just like the sun, other stars were also orbited by planets. These and similar ideas led to Giordano Bruno being burned at the stake by the Roman Inquisition in 1600. It was not until 1989, however, that the first exoplanet – a planet outside the solar system – was discovered. While the rate of subsequent discoveries was slow, most of these were important milestones in the research on extrasolar planets, such as finding planets around a pulsar (a compact remnant of a collapsed star) and finding Jupiter-mass planets circling their stars on extremely short period orbits (in less than a few Earth-days). But the first decade of our millennium witnessed an explosion in the number of discovered exoplanets. To date, there are close to one thousand confirmed and three thousand candidate exoplanets. We now know that a large fraction of stars have planets, and that these planets show an enormous diversity, with masses ranging from th...
Affirmative action in American politics: Strength or weakness?

When Geraldine Ferraro was selected to be the Democratic Party's vice-presidential candidate, questions were raised about why she was chosen. Was her selection an outcome of affirmative action in the political arena? The research reported in this paper investigates whether the effect of Ferraro's candidacy on voting inclinations and behavior among college students was mediated by conceptions of the procedure of affirmative action. As predicted, conceptions of affirmative action (the difference between actual and threshold ratios) influenced changes in inclination to vote Democratic in response to the Ferraro candidacy. In turn, those inclinations affected voting behavior in the 1984 presidential election. The discussion focuses on the theoretical and practical importance of perceived procedural fairness in the political arena.
Adenyl cyclase hormone responses of certain human endocrine tumors.

The responses of the adenyl cyclase of human endocrine tumors to hormone stimulation have been examined. Among three parathyroid adenomas, two chief cell adenomas were stimulated by glucagon while an oxyphil adenoma was not stimulated by any hormone tested. A thyroid follicular carcinoma was stimulated by TSH. The cyclase of a chromophobe adenoma was responsive to ACTH. The pheochromocytomas from two patients were not stimulated by any hormone tested. In contrast each of the bilateral pheochromocytomas from a third patient was stimulated by glucagon as well as by ACTH and TSH. The results indicate that the adenyl cyclase of some, but not all, human endocrine tumors is susceptible to hormone stimulation. The tumor responses may resemble those of the parent gland, or may be inappropriate for the tissue of origin. Although it is generally recognized that some thyroid neoplasms are influenced by TSH, the present experiments raise the possibility that other endocrine tumors usually considered to be autonomous ...
New Freeze‐Casting Technique for Ceramics with Sublimable Vehicles

A new ceramic freeze-casting technique capable of manufacturing near room temperature with a sublimable vehicle was accomplished. Fluid-concentrated slurries of Al2O3 powder in molten camphene (C10H16) were prepared at 55°C. These slurries were quickly solidified (frozen) at room temperature to yield rigid solid green bodies, followed by frozen camphene removal by sublimation (freeze-drying) with negligible shrinkage. Sintering without any special binder burnout process yielded sintered bodies with over 98% theoretical density. The proposed advantages include (1) elimination of extremely cold temperatures, (2) elimination of troublesome binder burnout process, and (3) fast manufacturing cycle due to quick solidification.
Anti-inflammatory salicylate treatment alters the metabolic adaptations to lactation in dairy cattle

Adapting to the lactating state requires metabolic adjustments in multiple tissues, especially in the dairy cow, which must meet glucose demands that can exceed 5 kg/day in the face of negligible gastrointestinal glucose absorption. These challenges are met through the process of homeorhesis, the alteration of metabolic setpoints to adapt to a shift in physiological state. To investigate the role of inflammation-associated pathways in these homeorhetic adaptations, we treated cows with the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug sodium salicylate (SS) for the first 7 days of lactation. Administration of SS decreased liver TNF-α mRNA and marginally decreased plasma TNF-α concentration, but plasma eicosanoids and liver NF-κB activity were unaltered during treatment. Despite the mild impact on these inflammatory markers, SS clearly altered metabolic function. Plasma glucose concentration was decreased by SS, but this was not explained by a shift in hepatic gluconeogenic gene expression or by altered milk lactose secretion. Insulin concentrations decreased in SS-treated cows on day 7 compared with controls, which was consistent with the decline in plasma glucose concentration. The revised quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (RQUICKI) was then used to assess whether altered insulin sensitivity may have influenced glucose utilization rate with SS. The RQUICKI estimate of insulin sensitivity was significantly elevated by SS on day 7, coincident with the decline in plasma glucose concentration. Salicylate prevented postpartum insulin resistance, likely causing excessive glucose utilization in peripheral tissues and hypoglycemia. These results represent the first evidence that inflammation-associated pathways are involved in homeorhetic adaptations to lactation.
Analysis of the Radar Reflectivity of Aircraft Vortex Wakes

Radar has been proposed as a way to track wake vortices to reduce aircraft spacing and tests have revealed radar echoes from aircraft wakes in clear air. The results are always interpreted qualitatively using Tatarski's theory of weak scattering by isotropic atmospheric turbulence. The goal of the present work was to predict the value of the radar cross-section (RCS) using simpler models. This is accomplished in two steps. First, the refractive index is obtained. Since the structure of the aircraft wakes is different from atmospheric turbulence, three simple mechanisms specific to vortex wakes are considered: (1) Radial density gradient in a two-dimensional vortex, (2) three-dimensional fluctuations in the vortex cores, and (3) Adiabatic transport of the atmospheric fluid in a two-dimensional oval surrounding the pair of vortices. The index of refraction is obtained more precisely for the two-dimensional mechanisms than for the three-dimensional ones. In the second step, knowing the index of refraction, a scattering analysis is performed. Tatarski's weak scattering approximation is kept but the usual assumptions of a far-field and a uniform incident wave are dropped. Neither assumption is generally valid for a wake that is coherent across the radar beam. For analytical insight, a simpler approximation that invokes, in addition to weak scattering, the far-field and wide cylindrical beam assumptions, is also developed and compared with the more general analysis. The predicted RCS values for the oval surround the vortices (mechanism C) agree with the experiments of Bilson conducted over a wide range of frequencies. However, the predictions have a cut-off away from normal incidence which is not present in the measurements. Estimates suggest that this is due to turbulence in the baroclinic vorticity generated at the boundary of the oval. The reflectivity of a vortex itself (mechanism A) is comparable to that of the oval (mechanism C) but cuts-off at frequencies lower than those considered in all the experiments to date. The RCS of a vortex happens to peak at the frequency (about 49 MHz) where atmospheric radars (known as ST radars) operate and so the present prediction could be verified in the future. Finally , we suggest that hot engine exhaust could increase RCE by 40 db and reveal vortex circulation, provided its mixing with the surroundings is prevented in the laminarising flow of the vortices.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health: The Role of Lifestyle, Education, Income, and Wealth

Abstract This article addresses the persistent relationship between race/ethnicity, SES, health-related lifestyle behaviors, and self-reported health using data from the 1995 National Health Interview Survey and its topical supplements. Through a series of models, we found that both SES (education, income, home ownership, and house and business monetary value) and health-related lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, nutrition awareness, and smoking) contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in self-reported health. Further, the impact of education on smoking behavior and self-reported health differs by race/ethnicity, with non-Hispanic whites receiving greater health benefits from education than African Americans and Hispanics. Although SES and lifestyle behaviors are indirect paths through which race/ethnicity affects health, the relationship between SES and health also is shaped by racial/ethnic status.
X-ray sensitivity during the cell generation cycle of cultured Chinese hamster cells.

Our earlier reports (1–3) have provided a general, qualitative description of the X-ray sensitivity of Chinese hamster cells as a function of their age within the generation cycle. With a partially synchronized cell population and colony survival used as an assay, it was established that cells were least sensitive to X-rays in the latter part of the DNA synthetic period (S period) and appeared to be about equally sensitive in the pre-DNA synthetic period (G1) and post-DNA synthetic period (G2). The variations in sensitivity throughout the cycle seemed mainly but not exclusively due to variations in the threshold or shoulder of the survival curve. We were, however, aware of the fact that even a few resistant S cells present during stages we had designated as G1 or G2 could significantly alter the survival curve for G1 and G2 cells. Such S cells may be present not only because of inadequacies in the synchronization procedure but also because of differences in the rate of progression of cells through the cycle which tends to desynchronize the population. Even if the number of S cells present were known, their exact contribution to the survival curve would be difficult to estimate, especially if the sensitivity of S cells varied throughout the S period. To determine X-ray sensitivity more accurately at all stages, we have used lethal amounts of tritiated thymidine (HTdR) to inactivate the S cells. Furthermore, since the previous technique could not be used to obtain the sensitivity of mitotic (M) cells, we have modified our procedure so that this may be accomplished. Finally, in view of the possible association between X-ray resistance and DNA synthesis, it was important to find out whether cells in S had a constant or variable sensitivity throughout the synthetic period. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing: What Are We Talking About?

The term Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) genetic testing refers to many different categories of testing. This editorial addresses the issues related to DTC testing for large effect and small effect variants associated with disease. In particular, there are issues of clinical validity and utility, informativeness and residual risk. Genetic counselors are poised to address these issues because of their training in probability and statistical models. The authors suggest that genetic counselors can impact the general public’s understanding of DTC test results by: including evaluation of DTC concepts in graduate program curricula, holding AEC plenary sessions about emerging DTC concepts, and helping other professionals understand DTC concepts. Importantly, genetic counselors are advised to continue doing and promoting rigorous research on how people access and use DTC genetic testing and results, as well as gathering empirical data so that discussions of harms and benefits can go beyond theory. It is our hope that genetic counselors in practice will continue to critically evaluate claims made about emerging new tests, including those marketed DTC, in order to provide the best possible services to our patients.
The contact electrogram and its architectural determinants in atrial fibrillation

Abstract Background The basis for the contact electrogram, the basic unit of cardiac electrophysiology, is only partly understood, especially in atrial fibrillation, the commonest sustained cardiac arrhythmia. We aimed to characterise the determinants of electrogram formation by electrophysiological investigation and by tissue level substrate characterisation in human and rat atrial tachycardia (AT) and atrial fibrillation (AF) using high density epicardial electrode arrays. Methods Human intraoperative epicardial pacing was performed in nine patients from the right atrial wall using a high density AFocusII 20 electrode catheter at 500 ms and 200ms cycle lengths to assess AF inducibility. None of the patients had had atrial fibrillation and were operated on using cardiopulmonary bypass. Burst pacing was conducted and resulting electrograms recorded using BARD software in real time. Ten brown Norway rats and ten spontaneous hypertensive rats were culled at 12–14 weeks of age and hearts removed rapidly for ex-vivo Langendorff experiments. Bilateral epicardial atrial appendage electrograms were recorded with a high-density microelectrode array consisting of 32 50 μm electrodes at 300 μm spacing. 10 s burst pacing was performed from the right atrium using decreasing cycle lengths from 150 ms to 30 ms and atrial arrhythmia susceptibility, electrogram duration, and interatrial conduction time measured. Ventricular programmed electrical stimulation with an S1-S2 protocol was performed before tissue was frozen for histological analysis. Findings Human bipolar electrograms recorded intraoperatively were significantly prolonged with shortened cycle lengths of pacing but were no different between those who developed AF for more than 30 s (n=6) and those who did not (n=3). Rat atrial electrogram duration was no different between groups during intrinsic rhythm but mean conduction velocity was statistically significantly different between both species and right and left atrial appendages, as was interatrial conduction time. Brown Norway rats were significantly more likely to have a 30 s episode of AT or AF recorded than were spontaneous hypertensive rats, but no difference was seen in ventricular arrhythmias. The heart weight:body weight ratio confirmed that spontaneous hypertensive rats had cardiac sequelae of hypertension. Interpretation Local electrogram prolongation is witnessed in human AF, and AF induction using a standard pacing protocol confirmed those capable of developing arrhythmia. There is an overt electrophysiological phenotype of AF susceptibility in brown Norway rats compared with spontaneous hypertensive rats, which is unaccompanied by underlying changes in mean electrogram duration. Further work is required to investigate the underlying substrate for these findings, especially with respect to electrogram determination and formation. Funding British Heart Foundation.