cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gender differences in depressive symptomatology: The role played by “anxious somatic depression” associated with gender-related achievement concerns

In the studies reported here, females were more likely than males to report high levels of depression accompanied by anxiety and somatic symptomatology such as disordered eating and headache, but not more likely to report depression unaccompanied by these symptoms. This gender difference in depression prevalence and the symptomatology associated with depression was due to a subgroup of females who scored high on scales comprised of items measuring concerns about the limitations placed on their achievement (sample item: “More people would pay attention to my ideas if I were male”) or on their mothers (sample: “When you were growing up, how much did your mother feel limited by being female?”) due to responses to their gender.
Eknāth in context: the literary, social, and political milieus of an early modern saint-poet1

This article attempts to envision the sixteenth-century brahman saint-poet, Eknāth of Paiṭhaṇ, in his historical context by plotting what is known about him over against recent scholarship on early modern India. Conventional scholarship classifies Eknāth as a bhakti poet. This label actually conceals more than it reveals, because the definition of bhakti is deceptively familiar, uncritically understood, and historiographically overburdened. Avoiding the term forces us to conceptualize Eknāth’s activities and significance in new ways. Exploration of his literary milieu shows how his Marathi compositions position themselves over against Sanskrit and reveals the disputed status of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa as a religious authority. Within his social milieu, stories of Eknāth’s caste boundary transgression are considered alongside recent scholarship on dharmasabhās and brahman migration patterns from the Deccan to Banaras. The political milieu section envisions Eknāth and his vernacular commitment in relation to t...
Worker Perspectives on the Private Financing of Government-Sponsored Dislocated Worker Programs

This study analyzes worker perspectives on the financing responsibilities of businesses, workers and government for dislocated worker programs that provide job search and retraining assistance to unemployed workers. It is based on a survey of 1,555 experienced workers in Illinois. Joint business and worker financing approaches were the most favored and least polarizing financing alternative. In contrast, the government grant approach was extremely polarizing with significant support but strong negative reaction among higher-income, white, and college-educated workers. Surprisingly strong negative reaction was also found among lower-income, blue-collar workers. The results are consistent with related research on the conservative attitudes of American workers toward social welfare programs.
Biological and Clinical Implications of Heat Shock Protein 27000 (Hsp27): a Review

Heat shock and other environmental and pathophysiologic stresses stimulate synthesis of heat shock proteins (Hsps). These proteins enable the cell to survive and recover from stressful conditions by as yet uncompletely understood mechanisms. Hsp27 is an important small Hsp (molecular weight, 27,000) found in human cells--both cancer cells and normal cells. This protein, besides its putative role in thermotolerance, is of special clinical interest because of recent data suggesting it may also play a role in drug resistance. In adults, Hsp27 is found particularly in several cell types such as breast, uterus, cervix, placenta, skin, and platelets. Although low-molecular-weight (small) Hsps have been found to be involved in embryogenesis of Xenopus and Drosophila, they have not been detected in human fetal organs. Regulation of expression of the Hsp gene (also known as HSPB1) has been considered a paradigm of gene regulation and is actively being studied in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In prokaryotes, the major Hsp genes are transcriptionally regulated by positively and negatively acting transcription factors. In eukaryotes, the genes encoding Hsps contain a regulatory DNA motif (inverted repeats of the pentameric sequence nGAAn) known as the heat shock element. Hsp27 may function as a molecular chaperone and in signal transduction pathways of different cell regulators, and Hsp27 and other Hsps may be active in development of resistance to stressful conditions and agents including cytotoxic drugs. Study findings indicate that some but not all estrogen-positive breast cancers express Hsp27, and overexpression of Hsp27 has been associated with both good and poor prognosis. In endometrial carcinomas, the presence of Hsp27 is correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation as well as with the presence of estrogen and progesterone receptors. Studies suggest, however, that detection of Hsp27 should not be considered to be a method for identifying hormone-responsive tumors or detecting estrogen receptors. Hsp27 seems to be a biochemical marker of estrogenic endometrial response. In patients with cervical cancer, Hsp27 is predominantly expressed in well-differentiated and moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinomas. In addition, expression of Hsp27 seems to be a negative prognostic factor for gastric cancer. Different isoforms of Hsp27 have been found in lymphoid tissue of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and the protein has also been associated with viral infections. These aspects are summarized and discussed in the present review.
Political Control versus Bureaucratic Values: Reframing the Debate

The literature on political control of bureaucracy reveals that bureaucracies are highly responsive to political forces. This paper argues that the political control literature misses evidence from other academic literature that bears directly on this phenomenon. Specifically, researchers need to consider the values of the bureaucracy in any effort to assess the degree of political control. An empirical test is presented using a data set from public education. Results show bureaucratic values to be far more influential in explaining bureaucratic outputs and outcomes than political factors. These findings suggest that a reinterpretation of previous empirical research is urgently in order.
A new method to determine viscosity of liquids using vibration principles

A new method for determining viscosity of liquids is examined. The method employs the principles of vibration and measures the viscous damping due to the motion of a liquid placed in a cylindrical tube. The apparatus and the test liquid are treated as a dynamic system and the measured mechanical impedances are used to calculate energy dissipation due to the viscous damping. The newly designed apparatus is able to generate shear deformations in the liquid without using moving solid surfaces. A harmonic varying force with a frequency close to the resonance frequency of the system is applied through a piston and the resulting velocities of the oscillations generated in the system are measured. Liquids with higher viscosities result in lower velocities due to the higher damping. Analytical equations are provided to relate the viscous damping of the dynamic system to the viscosity of the liquids. The viscosities obtained from the proposed method are in good agreement with the ones obtained from standard rotational viscometry using a cone and plate geometry.
Drug use and hypnotic susceptibility.

Abstract 47 undergraduate male volunteers were asked 2 questions relating to their use of marijuana and/or psychedelic drugs (e.g., LSD, mescaline, psilocybin) and were administered the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A). The HGSHS:A scores of Ss who had, at some time, taken any of these drugs averaged 2 points higher than scores of Ss who had not. Further research is needed to determine whether or not the relationship between drug use and hypnotizability is a causal one.
Identification and characterization of estrogen receptor variants in prostate cancer cell lines.

Abstract A sensitive semi-nested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification was performed to evaluate estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) mRNA expression in prostate cancer cell lines. We demonstrated the presence of wild-type ER-α (wt ER-α) and five ER-α variants, designated ER-αA, B, C, D, and E. Unlike ER-αA and D, ER-αB, C, and E were not previously reported in normal or cancerous mammalian cells. DNA sequencing analysis of these ER-α variants revealed the genetic changes to be either in-frame or out-of-frame deletions. The expression of each ER-α variant differs significantly depending on the androgen responsiveness, tumorigenic and metastatic potentials of each prostate cancer cell line. The potential functional significance of ER-α variants was assessed in yeast two-hybrid and ERE promoter-reporter mammalian transcription assay systems. The results of these studies indicated that none of the ER-α variants can form homo- or heterodimers either with wt ER-α or among themselves in vivo, and that these ER-α variants have no demonstrable transcriptional or dominant-negative activity, as assessed in vitro.
Postreplication gaps at UV lesions are signals for checkpoint activation.

Exposure of eukaryotic cells to UV light induces a checkpoint response that delays cell-cycle progression after cells enter S phase. It has been hypothesized that this checkpoint response provides time for repair by signaling the presence of structures generated when the replication fork encounters UV-induced DNA damage. To gain insight into the nature of the signaling structures, we used time-lapse microscopy to determine the effects of deficiencies in translesion DNA polymerases on the checkpoint response of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We found that disruption of the genes encoding translesion DNA polymerases Polκ and Polη significantly prolonged the checkpoint response, indicating that the substrates of these enzymes are signals for checkpoint activation. Surprisingly, we found no evidence that the translesion polymerases Rev1 and Polζ repair structures that are recognized by the checkpoint despite their role in maintaining viability after UV irradiation. Quantitative flow cytometry revealed that cells lacking translesion polymerases replicate UV-damaged DNA at the same rate at WT cells, indicating that the enhanced checkpoint response of cells lacking Polκ and Polη is not the result of stalled replication forks. These observations support a model in which postreplication DNA gaps with unrepaired UV lesions in the template strand act both as substrates for translesion polymerases and as signals for checkpoint activation.
Clio Meets the Boys: Robert E. Sherwood on The Road to Rome*

In American drama of the first half of the twentieth century, three names stand out among playwrights whose work was greatly influenced by Classical Greek and Roman literature and thought. These are Eugene O'Neill, Maxwell Anderson, and Robert E. Sherwood. Many of O'Neill's plays continue to be performed today. However, An derson's and Sherwood's works have unfortunately fallen out of favor with modern audiences. Both are important for an understanding of the Classical tradition in the twentieth century. In this paper, I provide the first extended literary analysis of Sher wood's The Road to Rome, which was a hit on the Broadway stage in 1927.1 illustrate how the major characters of the play embody social and ethical conflicts being played out in New York in the 1920s. I then demonstrate that the play is constructed in ac cordance with the major principles of Aristotelian dramaturgy, laid out in Aristotle's Poetics. Finally, I show how the play exemplifies what Maxwell Anderson, beginning from Aristotle's idea of tragic recognition, called "discovery."
Stability analysis using compressible viscoelastic formulation

Abstract Compressible viscoelastic formulation (CVF) is used to perform stability analysis of planar and curvilinear flows. Incompressible eigensolutions are recovered from CVF in the limit of small compressibility. CVF allows for the derivation of a simple eigenvalue problem for stability analysis as compared to a generalized eigenvalue problem (GEVP) that results from the incompressible flow equations. Hence computational cost can be significantly reduced. A minimal CVF useful for multi-dimensional flows is presented.
Ethiopian orthodox visual culture in the age of mechanical reproduction: a research note

ABSTRACTThis paper explores contemporary visual imagery associated with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, focusing on the tension between innovation and conservatism deriving from traditions that straddle the realms of religion and commerce. Specifically, it considers the circulation of popular mass-produced chromolithographic prints and the contexts in which this imagery has been integrated into Orthodox religious practice. These prints today may be found displayed in churches where they serve as objects of devotion and as models for paintings produced by local artists. The paper argues that the current phenomenon is in fact a latter day manifestation of a process that has been practiced for centuries in the highlands of Ethiopia.
An asymptotic model of two-dimensional convection in the limit of low Prandtl number

An approximate solution of two-dimensional convection in the limit of low Prandtl number is presented in which the buoyancy force is balanced by the inertial terms. The results indicate that inertial convection becomes possible when the Rayleigh number exceeds a critical value of about 7 × 103. Beyond this value the velocity and temperature fields become independent of the Prandtl number except in thin boundary layers. The convective heat transport approaches the law Nu = 0·175 R¼ for the Nusselt number Nu. These results are in reasonably close agreement with the numerical results described in the preceding paper by Clever & Busse (1980).
Differences in Food Preparation by Race and Ethnicity: Evidence from the American Time Use Survey

This paper examines factors that influence individuals’ time use decisions regarding food preparation. Using American Time Use Survey data, Tobit estimates confirm that time spent on food preparation differs by race, ethnicity and socio-economic status. In general, hours worked, age, and education are negatively associated with time spent preparing food-cooked-at-home, while family care and leisure time are positively associated with it. Time spent purchasing prepared-food, on the other hand, has a positive relation to hours worked, family care, leisure time, education, and income, although its effects significantly differ by race and ethnicity. Estimates further show a positive relationship between time spent preparing food-cooked-at-home and family size, supporting the Barten theory of scale economies in home production.
Very Late Thrombosis of a Pipeline Embolization Device Construct: Case Report

Background The Pipeline embolization device (PED) is a new endoluminal construct designed to exclude aneurysms from the parent cerebrovasculature. We report the very late (>1 year) thrombosis of a PED construct placed for the treatment of a left vertebral aneurysm. Clinical presentation A patient with an occluded right vertebral artery and a large, fusiform intracranial left vertebral artery aneurysm was treated with PED and coil reconstruction. A durable, complete occlusion of the aneurysm was confirmed with control angiography at 1 year. The patient remained neurologically normal for 23 months until he experienced a transient visual disturbance followed weeks later by a minor brainstem stroke. Intervention Imaging evaluation showed thrombosis of the PED construct with complete occlusion of the left vertebral artery. After this stroke, he was initially treated with dual antiplatelet therapy and was then converted to warfarin. The patient remained neurologically stable for 5 months until he experienced progressive basilar thrombosis that ultimately resulted in a fatal stroke. Conclusion The PED represents a promising new endovascular technology for the treatment of cerebral aneurysms; however, as an investigational device, long-term follow-up data are sparse at this point. The etiology of the very late thrombosis of the PED construct in this case remains unknown; however, this report underscores the need for a continued, careful systematic evaluation and close long-term follow-up of treated patients.
Preparation and Electrochemical Characterization of Conical and Hemispherical Ultramicroelectrodes

Abstract : We describe a new ultramicroelectrode fabrication technique wh ich has allowed the preparation of conical and hemispherical platinum-iridium ultramicroelectrodes with radii of 0.5 micro m-10 micro m. These electrodes have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The smallest radii electrodes (r < 2 micro m) exhibited diffusional behavior in accord with a hemispherical geometry, while larger radii electrodes exhibited conical diffusion behavior. A first order mathematical approach to diffusion at conical surfaces has been developed to explain the results for these electrodes. Conical, Hemispherical ultramicroelectrodes, Construction, and Characterization.
Optimal spacing and capacitance padding for general clock structures

Clock-tuning has been classified as an important but tough task due to the non-convex nature caused by the skew requirements. As a result, all existing mathematical programming approaches are often trapped at local minimum and have no guarantee of obtaining global optimal solution. In this paper, we present optimal clock tuning algorithms which effectively apply capacitance-padding to reduce clock skew, power, and delay for general clock topologies. Capacitance-padding can be achieved by wire-spacing, wire-splitting, wire-padding and transistor-padding. We show that under the Elmore delay model, capacitance-padding can be formulated as a linear programming problem and solved with great efficiency. Capacitance-padding can also be used as a post processing step for any non zero-skew clock tree or mesh structure to achieve timing closure. Experiment results on several practical industry examples show that our algorithms are extremely efficient. Problems with over 6000 variables can be optimally tuned within 1 minute on a PC with 500-MHZ Intel Pentium III processor.
Recent results with the coupled opto-electronic oscillator

We present experimental results of coupled opto-electronic oscillators (COEO) constructed with a semiconductor optical amplifier based ring laser, a semiconductor Fabry-Perot laser, and a semiconductor colliding pulse mode-locked laser. Each COEO can simultaneously generate short optical pulses and spectrally pure RF signals. With these devices, we obtained optical pulses as short as 6 picoseconds and RF signals as high in frequency as 18 GHz with a spectral purity comparable with a HP8561B synthesizer. These experiments demonstrate that COEOs are promising compact sources for generating low jitter optical pulses and low phase noise RF/millimeter wave signals.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Glucose-Sensitive Inverse Opal Hydrogels: Analysis of Optical Diffraction Response

A glucose-sensitive inverse opal hydrogel was synthesized through photopolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and 3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid within the interstitial space of a dried poly(styrene) colloidal crystal template, followed by template removal. Charged complex formation between the phenylboronic acid functional group and the 1,2-cis-diol glucose resulted in reversible swelling of the inverse opal hydrogel, which was observed through shifts in the optical diffraction wavelength. The hydrogel was sensitive to glucose at physiological concentrations and ionic strength. The effects of phenylboronic acid concentration, ionic strength, and buffer pH on the equilibrium hydrogel swelling were also studied. The kinetics of hydrogel swelling was also examined, and it was found that the rate of diffraction shift matched well with diffusion-limited kinetics. Additionally, the diffraction response was compared with simulations using the scalar wave approximation and transfer matrix method.
Distortion of homogeneous turbulence by axisymmetric strain and dilatation

Rapid distortion theory is applied to study distortion of homogeneous turbulence subject to two different axisymmetric strain modes: the axisymmetric contraction (AC, nozzle-type flow), and the axisymmetric expansion (AE, diffuser-type flow). The paper explores the differences in effects of the two axisymmetric strain modes on the anisotropy of correlations and structures of turbulence; examines the effect of dilatation on the distortion of turbulence; and provides a theoretical background for turbulence model development. It is found that velocity and vorticity fluctuations are enhanced more efficiently by contraction than by expansion; contraction produces much higher anisotropy in velocity and vorticity than expansion; root-mean-square pressure is slightly reduced during contraction, whereas it increases rapidly during expansion; and vortical structures of rodlike shape develop in a contraction flow, while disklike structures develop in an expansion flow. A simple model that reflects the dependence of turbulence evolution on structural parameters such as the Reynolds-stress anisotropy and total strain is proposed, and is shown to outperform all other models for all cases examined, regardless of the mean strain rate.
Complementary Labor Regulation: The Uncoordinated Combination of State and Private Regulators in the Dominican Republic

Although the ultimate success of labor regulation in many economic sectors depends on a combination of state and private actors, to date, researchers have not studied the interaction between state and private regulation. What happens when these forms of regulation meet on the factory floor? Based on a case study of labor inspection and code of conduct implementation in the Dominican Republic, this paper argues that the comparative advantages of state and private actors can drive complementary state–private regulation. These findings suggest that private-voluntary initiatives can reinforce, rather than displace, state regulation.
Studies of Organic Semiconductors for 40 Years—VI

Abstract Although isolated studies of organic semiconductors and photoconductors were made starting from the beginning of this century, there was no comprehensive theory to rationalize the results. The publication of the book by Mott and Gurney1 explaining the electronic properties of ionic crystals in quantum mechanical terms played a significant role in establishing the latter part of 1940 as the beginning of modern studies of organic semiconductors.
Template Synthesis and Characterization of Layered Al− and Mg−Silsesquioxanes

A series of new layered inorganic−organic nanocomposites, with organic functionalities directly bonded to an inorganic framework via the Si−C bond, were prepared by a template sol−gel synthesis. These layered Al− and Mg−silsesquioxanes were precipitated at room temperature by addition of aqueous base to an alcohol solution containing a mixture of AlCl3 or MgCl2 and a trialkoxysilane with a n-dodecyl, n-octyl, n-pentyl, 3-methacryloxypropyl, isobutyl, or phenyl functionality. The Si/Al and Si/Mg ratios of the reaction mixtures were 2:1 and 4:3, respectively, and were chosen to match the composition of clay mineral pyrophyllite (layered aluminosilicate) and talc (layered magnesiosilicate). X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy show that the products are crystalline with a layered structure. A comparison of basal spacings and length of the organic functionalities is consistent with a ∼10 A inorganic layer and a bilayer arrangement of R groups for Al−silsesquioxanes and an interpenetrating arrangement of ...
Influence of Sb incorporation on InGaAs(Sb)N/GaAs band alignment

We have investigated the influence of Sb incorporation on the effective band gaps and band offsets at InGaAs(Sb)N/GaAs interfaces grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. Cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy reveal 1.2 eV (1.1 eV) effective band gaps of InGaAs(Sb)N alloys. At the InGaAsN/GaAs (InGaAsSbN/GaAs) interfaces, type II (type I) band offsets are observed. We discuss the relative influences of strain-induced splitting of the valence band and the incorporation of Sb on the band gaps and band offsets at InGaAsN/GaAs and InGaAsSbN/GaAs interfaces.
A Functionally–Aware Product Schematic Clustering Algorithm

The formation of modules is an important step in establishing a product’s architecture. This paper proposes a clustering algorithm that creates functionally cohesive and loosely coupled modules in a product’s architecture. The algorithm seeks to group together product elements to form functionally similar and loosely-coupled modules. The algorithm also has the advantage of not requiring any user-defined starting parameters that are necessary in some other clustering algorithms. The proposed algorithm is demonstrated on a laser printer and the results are compared to the results from an existing algorithm.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
IL-21R signaling suppresses IL-17+ gamma delta T cell responses and production of IL-17 related cytokines in the lung at steady state and after Influenza A virus infection

Influenza A virus (IAV) infection of the respiratory tract elicits a robust immune response, which is required for efficient virus clearance but at the same time can contribute to lung damage and enhanced morbidity. IL-21 is a member of the type I cytokine family and has many different immune-modulatory functions during acute and chronic virus infections, although its role in IAV infection has not been fully evaluated. In this report we evaluated the contributions of IL-21/IL-21 receptor (IL-21R) signaling to host defense in a mouse model of primary IAV infection using IL-21R knock out (KO) mice. We found that lack of IL-21R signaling had no significant impact on virus clearance, adaptive T cell responses, or myeloid cell accumulations in the respiratory tract. However, a subset of inflammatory cytokines were elevated in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of IL-21R KO mice, including IL-17. Although there was only a small increase in Th17 cells in the lungs of IL-21R KO mice, we observed a dramatic increase in gamma delta (γδ) T cells capable of producing IL-17 both after IAV infection and at steady state in the respiratory tract. Finally, we found that IL-21R signaling suppressed the accumulation of IL-17+ γδ T cells in the respiratory tract intrinsically. Thus, our study reveals a previously unrecognized role of IL-21R signaling in regulating IL-17 production by γδ T cells.
Item Difficulty, Discrimination, and the Confidence-Frequency Effect in a Categorical Judgment Task

Abstract Three experiments are presented to examine the role of discrimination abilities in the relationship between confidence and performance across items that vary in difficulty. The studies also test the confidence-frequency effect, predicted in the theory of probabilistic mental models (Gigerenzer, Hoffrage, & Kleinbolting, 1991), by investigating the relationship between performance estimates provided as confidence judgments and as estimates of the frequency of correct responding. The categorical judgment task involved predicting whether a handwriting sample, generated using naturalistic sampling, had been written by a female or male. The results suggest that, when outcome variability is taken into account, discrimination ability differs drastically between easy, medium, and hard items. Discriminability is greatest for easy items and decreases until it disappears for hard items. There was also evidence of a confidence-frequency effect, with mean confidence judgments showing a slight tendency toward overconfidence and frequency estimates showing a slight tendency to underestimate performance.
Addiction to the inhalation of gasoline fumes in a child

G AS OLINE inhalation and intoxication is a well-known condition in industry. Workers in rubber and gasoline plants no t inf requent ly suffer f rom inhalation of volatile hydrocarbons. The mental symptoms depend to a great extent upon the acuteness of onset and size of dosage. They probably vary also according to the personali ty pa t tern of the individual. Many instances of "naphtha jags" in rubber plant workers have been reported wherein the fumes of toxic hydrocarbon solvents are inhaled voluntar i ly to achieve a pleasm'able feeling. The reaction is not always one of hilarity. The victim may show irr i ta t ion and belligerence. Machle 1 reviews the literature in detail and discusses the syruptomatology, the toxicology, and the pathological findings. The volatil i ty of gasoline makes the effect a t ransient one, although repeated inhalation of a high concentration of fumes may cause damage to the central nervous system. I t is difficult to ascertain to what extent lead poisoning occurs following inhalation of the fumes from gasoline t reated with te t rae thyl lead, but difeet contact with this product is known to be a source of lead intoxication. Mention is also made of the fact tha t children are known to inhale gasoline oc-
Three Ontologies to Define Phenotype Measurement Data

There is an increasing need to integrate phenotype measurement data across studies for both human studies and those involving model organisms. Current practices allow researchers to access only those data involved in a single experiment or multiple experiments utilizing the same protocol. To standardize the elements of phenotype measurement records, three ontologies were created: Clinical Measurement Ontology, Measurement Method Ontology and Experimental Condition Ontology. These ontologies provide the framework for integration of rat phenotype data from multiple studies into a single resource as well as facilitate data integration from multiple human epidemiological studies into a centralized repository. An ontology based framework for phenotype measurement data affords the ability to successfully integrate vital phenotype data into critical resources, regardless of underlying technological structures allowing the user to easily query and retrieve data from multiple studies.
Cold spot mapping inferred from MRI at time of failure predicts biopsy-proven local failure after permanent seed brachytherapy in prostate cancer patients: Implications for focal salvage brachytherapy

Abstract Background and purpose (1) To establish a method to evaluate dosimetry at the time of primary prostate permanent implant (pPPI) using MRI of the shrunken prostate at the time of failure ( t f ). (2) To compare cold spot mapping with sextant-biopsy mapping at t f . Material and methods Twenty-four patients were referred for biopsy-proven local failure (LF) after pPPI. Multiparametric MRI and combined-sextant biopsy with a central review of the pathology at t f were systematically performed. A model of the shrinking pattern was defined as a Volumetric Change Factor (VCF) as a function of time from time of pPPI ( t 0 ). An isotropic expansion to both prostate volume (PV) and seed position (SP) coordinates determined at t f was performed using a validated algorithm using the VCF. Results pPPI CT-based evaluation (at 4weeks) vs. MR-based evaluation: Mean D90% was 145.23±19.16Gy [100.0–167.5] vs. 85.28±27.36Gy [39–139] ( p =0.001), respectively. Mean V100% was 91.6±7.9% [70–100%] vs. 73.1±13.8% [55–98%] ( p =0.0006), respectively. Seventy-seven per cent of the pathologically positive sextants were classified as cold. Conclusions Patients with biopsy-proven LF had poorer implantation quality when evaluated by MRI several years after implantation. There is a strong relationship between microscopic involvement at t f and cold spots.
Cytochrome P450 2B1 mediates complement-dependent sublytic injury in a model of membranous nephropathy

Membranous nephropathy is a disease that affects the filtering units of the kidney, the glomeruli, and results in proteinuria accompanied by loss of kidney function. Passive Heymann nephritis is an experimental model that mimics membranous nephropathy in humans, wherein the glomerular epithelial cell (GEC) injury induced by complement C5b-9 leads to proteinuria. We examined the role of cytochrome P450 2B1 (CYP2B1) in this complement-mediated sublytic injury. Overexpression of CYP2B1 in GECs significantly increased the formation of reactive oxygen species, cytotoxicity, and collapse of the actin cytoskeleton following treatment with anti-tubular brush-border antiserum (anti-Fx1A). In contrast, silencing of CYP2B1 markedly attenuated anti-Fx1A-induced reactive oxygen species generation and cytotoxicity with preservation of the actin cytoskeleton. Gelsolin, which maintains an organized actin cytoskeleton, was significantly decreased by complement C5b-9-mediated injury but was preserved in CYP2B1-silenced cells. In rats injected with anti-Fx1A, the cytochrome P450 inhibitor cimetidine blocked an increase in catalytic iron and ROS generation, reduced the formation of malondialdehyde adducts, maintained a normal distribution of nephrin in the glomeruli, and provided significant protection at the onset of proteinuria. Thus, GEC CYP2B1 contributes to complement C5b-9-mediated injury and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of passive Heymann nephritis.
The effect of nicotine on DNA repair in adult myocytes.

Recent findings have demonstrated that terminally differentiated adult ventricular myocytes are capable of repairing DNA that has been damaged by exposure to oxygen free radicals. Despite the potential importance of DNA repair in cells that may survive many decades after injury, little is known about the mechanisms or regulation of repair. Since tobacco use has a well-defined role in the epidemiology and pathophysiology of heart disease, we tested the effects of nicotine on repair of free radical damaged plasmids by whole-cell protein extracts from adult myocytes. Exposure to a concentration of 25 microM nicotine increased incorporation of (32P)dCTP into damaged plasmids by 16%, and 50 or 100 microM nicotine increased incorporation by 32%. Nicotine did not alter the rate or amount of poly (ADP-ribose) on the major protein acceptor of molecular weight 113-116 kDa. Inhibition of DNA polymerase activity with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate revealed greater plasmid degradation in the presence of nicotine. We conclude that nicotine enhances DNA degradation and the increased repair is a consequence of this greater degradation.
The scapholunate ligament

The effects of scapholunate ligament sectioning on scaphoid and lunate bone three-dimensional kinematics were analyzed using a sonic digitizer method. Carpal bone motions were described using a screw displacement axis concept. After scapholunate ligament sectioning, few significant kinematic changes were observed in the orientation of the screw displacement axes or in carpal bone rotation about the screw displacement axes. The angles between the screw displacement axes of the scaphoid and lunate bones were only minimally affected, indicating that the two bones continued to track well relative to each other. The results indicate that sectioning of the scapholunate ligament does not result in a major disturbance of scaphoid and lunate bone motions.
The Mescal Cave Fauna (San Bernardino County, California) and testing assumptions of habitat fidelity in the Quaternary fossil record

Abstract The late Pleistocene and Holocene vertebrate fossil record for the northern Mojave Desert (southwestern USA) is known primarily from five sites. Until now, only two of these have been radiometrically dated, and temporal placement of the others has been based on stratigraphic or biostratigraphic correlation, leading to circular interpretations of mammal extirpations in the Mojave. Here, I report a revised and complete faunal list for Mescal Cave, along with 22 AMS radiocarbon dates from 5 vertebrate taxa recovered from its deposits. The results reported here demonstrate time-averaging in Mescal Cave encompassing around ~ 34 ka, a maximum age 14 ka older and minimum age 10 ka younger than previously thought. Furthermore, radiocarbon analyses suggest local extirpation of Marmota flaviventris around 3.6 cal ka BP, considerably younger than expected based on regional patterns of warming and aridification in the Mojave. Conversely, radiocarbon dates from another presumably boreal species, Neotoma cinerea, are considerably older than expected, suggesting either that climate change at this site did not directly mirror regional patterns, that habitat requirements for these two species are not strictly boreal or cool/mesic as has often been assumed, or that local edaphic conditions and/or competitive interactions overrode the regional climatic controls on theses species' distribution.
Materials Property Profiles for Actively Cooled Panels: An Illustration for Scramjet Applications

A scheme for identifying and visualizing the material properties that limit the performance of candidate materials for actively cooled aerospace propulsion components is presented and illustrated for combustor panels for Mach 7 hypersonic vehicles. The method provides a framework for exploring the nonlinear interactions between design and materials optimization. By probing the active constraints along the border of feasible design space, the limiting properties have been elucidated for a representative group of candidate materials. Property vectors that enhance design options have also been determined. For one of the promising candidate alloys (the Ni-based superalloy, INCONEL X-750), the possibilities of reclaiming design space and lowering optimal combustor panel weight by tailoring its strength properties are assessed.
On the kinetic distinction of ordered and random bireactant enzyme systems.

Abstract It is shown that under certain conditions it could be difficult to distinguish kinetically between an ordered or random addition of two substrates to an enzyme. An ordered mechanism in which substrate binding steps are in rapid equilibrium and which includes the formation of an inactive enzyme-second substrate complex from both directions is indistinguishable by initial velocity, product inhibition, or alternate substrate kinetic studies from a mechanism involving random addition of substrates with ternary complex interconversion as the rate limiting step.
Concurrent simulation for ordinal comparison

Recent research has demonstrated that ordinal comparison, i.e., comparing relative orders of performance measures of different designs, is efficient in the comparison and selection of designs for discrete event dynamic systems. This paper is concerned with comparison and selection in concurrent simulation where a large number of sample paths under different designs are generated efficiently. Particularly, effect of correlation among simulation processes on the convergence of ordinal comparison is investigated. By using a concept of indicator process, bounds on the rate of convergence of ordinal comparison are obtained. Such bounds imply that perturbation analysis, a powerful technique for performance analysis of discrete event dynamic systems, can be advantageous for ordinal comparison. Simulation examples show that appropriate correlation can significantly increase the convergence of ordinal comparison. Furthermore, it is shown that positive quadrant dependence provides guaranteed acceleration of the convergence of ordinal comparison compared with independent simulations.
Integrating aptamers and microfluidics for biological manipulation and sensing

We present an overview of our efforts to integrate aptamers and microfluidic devices, including manipulation of biomolecules and cells using aptamers, and isolation of target-binding nucleic acids. The aptamer-based devices for target manipulation are capable of specific analyte extraction and enrichment as well as isocratic elution, and can be coupled to biodetection systems for highly sensitive analyte detection. The microfluidic devices for isolation of target-binding nucleic acids demonstrate the potential for integrated selection of aptamers having predefined binding characteristics against a broad spectrum of practically important biological analytes.
Grating-coupled multimode fiber optics for filtering and chemical-sensing applications

Abstract A multimode fiber optic coupled to a planar diffraction grating offer a very compact and sensitive sensing method to detect and monitor chemicals and their reactions. Starting with dispersion studies of the fiber/grating system, we proceed to show its applications in detecting refractive index of liquids. We show that two different types of sensors result, depending on the coupling arrangements between the fiber and the grating. In the first arrangement, the fiber cladding is removed and the fiber core is pressed against the planar grating. In the second type, the fiber is located directly above the grating at a certain angle. In both cases, the fiber optic acts as a slit permitting only a certain range of the wavelengths to be transmitted between the fiber and the grating. In both cases, the fiber-optic signal shows an asymmetric spectrum, which extends more gradually into shorter wavelengths and diminishes abruptly in the longer-wavelength portion of the spectrum. These phenomena are explained by using the well-known diffraction equations. Furthermore, applications of these devices as narrowband filters and chemical or gas sensors are discussed.
Direct solution of the equation of transfer using frequency- and angle-averaged photon escape probabilities, with application to a multistage, multilevel aluminum plasma.

Abstract A formalism is developed which permits direct steady-state solution of the transfer equation using escape probabilities averaged over angle and frequency. A matrix of probability-based coupling coefficients, which are related to the kernel function K 1 , is used to obtain the source function for a Doppler profile in plane-parallel geometry. Comparison is made with exact solutions, establishing the high accuracy of the technique. The method is extendable to different physical situations by simply modifying the coupling coefficients. As an example of a more realistic application of the formalism, we have solved for the ionization-excitation state of a planar aluminum plasma at 600 eV in collisional-radiative equilibrium. The results agree well with those obtained from the conventional multifrequency-multiangle formalism. Additionally, we have used the technique to gauge the effects of transport of lines connecting excited states with each other.
Structure-Selective Synthesis of Mesostructured/Mesoporous Silica Nanofibers

Well-ordered mesostructured/mesoporous silica nanofibers have been synthesized in a quiescent dilute aqueous cationic surfactant/silica precursor reaction mixture under strong acidic conditions. These nanofibers have diameters ranging from 50 to 300 nm and lengths up to millimeters. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies show that the nanofibers exhibit either a circular architecture with the pore channels running in a circular direction around the fiber axis or a longitudinal architecture with the pore channels running parallel to the fiber axis. The pore channels in both arrangements are hexagonally packed. The circular or longitudinal architecture can be selectively obtained during synthesis by varying reaction temperature or using inorganic salts as additives.
Anopheles culicifacies Giles: a release-recapture experiment with cohorts of known age with implications for malaria epidemiology and genetical control in Pakistan

Abstract A mark-release-recapture experiment with the progeny of wild collected Anopheles culicifacies was performed during the monsoon season of 1978 at the village of Khano-Harni, a malarious area situated in Lahore District, Punjab Province, Pakistan. The recapture rates of males and females released at breeding and resting sites were statistically comparable and totalled 8·0% for females and 5·9% for males collected resting in houses and cattle sheds. Mating occurred mostly on the night following the evening of release when the females were about two days old. Insemination rates for females released at resting and breeding sites were statistically comparable. The initial gonotrophic cycle required four days; subsequent cycles occurred at two-day intervals with re-feeding on the same night as oviposition. Constant daily survivorship estimated from the decline in recaptures per day was 0·568 for females and 0·676 for males. Female survivorship estimated by vertical age grading methods ranged from 0·472 to 0·820. Horizontal life tables were calculated from the decline in recaptures and from vertical age-grading techniques and indicated that female or male life expectancy at emergence was less than 2·5 days. Population size was calculated using the Lincoln Index, Jackson's positive and negative methods and Ito's modification of Jackson's positive method and averaged from 1045·5 to 1049·6 females and from 449·1 to 1323·7 males. The relationship of these results to malaria transmission and genetical control is discussed.
1674 CEREBRAL INFARCTION IN UTERO PRESENTING AS NEONATAL SEIZURES

Neonatal cerebral infarction (CI) is usually associated with risk factors such as birth trauma, asphyxia or coagulopathy, but there are reports of “idiopathic” infarctions without apparent risk factors. We have seen 2 cases of left middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction presenting with seizures by one day of age in infants with “moderate” risk factors (meconium staining in case #1; variable/late decelerations, vacuum extraction, nuchal cord x 1 in case #2). In both infants, CT scans within 24 hours of age showed CI in the left MCA distribution, and, in both cases, these changes appeared to be subacute (i.e: infarction occurred in utero). Case #1 demonstrated asymmetric cortical atrophy, ipsilateral optic nerve atrophy and absent nasal retinal vessels. This infant's seizures are well controlled with anticonvulsants, but by 6 months he has major developmental delays, spasticity and decreasing head growth. In case #2, the infant at 15 months has normal development with no physical or neurologic residua. On CT there is minimal residual evidence of CI with “islands” of normal brain tissue in the previous area of encephalomalacia. This infant is seizure free off medication. These cases are similar in presentation but remarkably different in outcome. CI can result in devastating permanent sequlae, but outcome may also be entirely normal. Prognosis in CI may be more dependent on severity of associated risk factors than simply on occurance of the lesion itself.
Some effects of dietary aluminum and silicon on broiler chickens.

Abstract Experiments were conducted to determine whether dietary silicon will reduce the toxic effects of dietary aluminum on broiler chickens. The parameters measured were weight gain, feed efficiency, percentage bone ash, tibial dyschondroplasia, and the retention of calcium, phosphorus, and phytin phosphorus. Experiments 1 and 2 were conducted with casein and gelatin-based purified diets and Experiments 3 and 4 with corn and soybean meal-based practical diets. All experiments used day-old broiler cockerels and lasted 16 days. Aluminum significantly reduced weight gain, feed efficiency, and percentage bone ash in all four experiments. Aluminum supplementation reduced the incidence and severity of tibial dyschondroplasia, but this effect was associated with a reduction in weight gain. Increasing dietary aluminum reduced the retention of phosphorus and phytin phosphorus. Silicon did not alleviate the effects of aluminum toxicity on any of the parameters measured but did independently increase growth rate in Experiments 1 and 2. Supplementary dietary silicon does not appear to reduce aluminum toxicity in broiler chickens. Aluminum appears to exert its toxic effect on chickens by reducing the retention of phosphorus and phytin phosphorus.