cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative crack layer analysis of fatigue and creep crack propagation in high density polyethylene

Abstract This paper presents a comparative analysis of crack propagation in high density polyethylene (HDPE) under fatigue and creep loading conditions. This analysis is focused on the issue of mechanistic similarity between creep and fatigue failure in this material. Demonstration of such similarity is a crucial step in establishing the validity of fatigue as an accelerated laboratory test for long-term field failure under creep conditions. The Crack Layer approach is utilized as the analytical tool of the present investigation. It is demonstrated that, within the limits of the current analysis, mechanistic similarity with creep failure is preserved when fatigue is used as an accelerating agent for HDPE crack propagation.
How much disability in rheumatoid arthritis is explained by rheumatoid arthritis

Objective To measure the proportion of disability explained by disease manifestations compared with nondisease factors in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods A hypothetical model of the disablement process specific for RA was constructed using the demographic, sociocultural, and clinical characteristics of a consecutive cohort of RA patients. Disability was measured with the modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (M-HAQ) and the physical function scale of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. Independent variables, grouped according to their position in the RA disablement process model, were sequentially entered in a series of hierarchical regression models. The proportion of variance in disability explained by each group of variables was measured by the group's incremental R2. Results The overall proportion of disability explained by the full model was 59%. Factors in the main disease–disability pathway explained 33%, of which 3% was explained by disease duration, 5% by the Westergren erythrocyte sedimentation rate, 14% by articular signs and symptoms, and 11% by performance-based functional limitations. External modifiers and contextual variables explained 26% of the variance in disability, of which age and sex accounted for 2%, formal education 4%, psychological status 17%, and symptoms of depression 3%. Conclusion Both the main disease–disability pathway and factors external to this pathway contribute significantly to disability in RA. These findings provide evidence of the relative influence of psychosocial factors, compared with disease manifestations, on the disability of patients with RA.
Studies on the generation of vesicular stomatitis virus (Indiana serotype) defective interfering particles

Abstract Using freshly cloned vesicular stomatis virus (Indiana serotype) (VSV IND ) serial undiluted high-multiplicity passage in four different cell lines has produced different size classes of defective interfering (DI) particles at different passage numbers. The same clonal isolates of VSV in a given cell type appear to produce identical patterns of particles, although different clonal isolates produce different size classes of DI particles. Thus, the classes of DI particles generated during serial passages appear to relate in some way to the clone of virus and to the type of host cell used. All the DI particles generated in different cell types are capable of homologous interference in any cell type. Oligonucleotide sequence analyses of five DI particle RNAs indicate that they are all generated from a specific region of the standard B virion genome and contain only negative-stranded genomic RNA.
Characteristics of purified cows' milk xanthine oxidase and its submolecular characteristics.

Xanthine oxidase (EC 1.2.3.2) was purified from fresh cows' milk by differential centrifugation and hydroxylapatite chromatography in the absence of reducing agents and proteases. The purified isolate possessed an absorbance at 280 nm:absorbance at 450 nm ratio of 4.84; an absorbance (1 cm at 280 nm 1%) of 11.9; an activity:absorbance at 450 nm of 141, a specific activity of 3.59 units/mg; and detectable dehydrogenase activity. The enzyme preparation was obtained in a reversible oxidase form that could be partially converted to xanthine dehydrogenase in the presence of 10mM dithiothreitol or 1% mercaptoethanol. Amino acid analyses revealed that the enzyme was hydrophobic in nature and that lysine constituted its N-terminal residue. The protein contained 22 disulfide and 38 sulfhydryl groups, four of which were detectable in the undenatured protein complex. Discontinuous PAGE in the presence of selected dissociation agents did not result in further resolution. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE of the purified enzyme revealed a sharp zone with a molecular weight of 151,000 +/- 4000 (i.e., monomer). The purified enzyme exhibited oxidase activity in the presence of 6 M urea and following limited proteolysis by trypsin, chymotrypsin, plasmin, pancreatin, pepsin, and papain. Proteolyzed xanthine oxidase migrated as a single zone in polyacrylamide gels in the presence and absence of dissociating agents such as 1% mercaptoethanol and 6 M urea. Restricted digestion of xanthine oxidase by proteases was indicated by the presence of three major zones with molecular weights ranging from 85,000 to 100,000, 30,000 to 35,000, and 18,000 to 20,000 commonly observed in SDS gels. Amino acid profiles of the principal peptidyl fragments of trypsin-cleaved xanthine oxidase indicated their hydrophobic nature and lysine as the N-terminal residue for all fragments.
Inhibition of Pitting Corrosion by Surfactants as a Function of Temperature

Abstract Pitting corrosion in many important industrial materials such as stainless steels (SS) and aluminum alloys causes significant damage in terms of material loss or resulting accidents. Organ...
A meta-analysis of serotonin metabolite 5-HIAA and antisocial behavior

During the past 25 years, researchers have examined the relationship between neurochemical variables and antisocial behavior in human adults, but none has been studied more intensely than the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). The goal of the current study was to employ meta-analytic procedures to quantitatively evaluate selected evidence on the relationship between 5-HIAA and antisocial behavior. It was expected that antisocial groups would show reduced cerebrospinal fluid 5-HIAA compared with non-antisocial groups. This study also aimed to assess moderators that could influence the relationship between 5-HIAA and antisociality. An electronic search and strict inclusion criteria identified 20 reports used in this meta-analysis. Results showed a significant overall mean effect size (ES = -.45,P lt .05) in the direction of lowered 5-HIAA in antisocial vs. non-antisocial groups. A significant moderating effect for age indicated that groups comprised of antisocial individuals younger than 30 years exhibited larger negative effect sizes (ES = -1.37,P lt .05) than groups with older subjects (ES = -.31, P lt .05). There were no moderating effects for gender, target of violence, history of suicide, and alcoholism. Age effects may help explain age-related declines in crime. The fact that effects did not differ based on other moderating variables supports models of reduced serotonin in antisocial individuals, regardless of type of crime or psychiatric problems.
Cobalt60 plaques in recurrent retinoblastoma

Abstract Cobalt 60 plaque irradiation is one treatment option for patients with recurrent retinoblastoma following conventional external beam irradiation (ERT). Tumorocidal doses can be delivered without excessive risk of normal tissue injury. In patients not considered candidates for xenon arc or cryotherapy, 60 Co is an alternative to enucleation. Between 1968 and 1987, 85 patients were treated with 60 Co plaques, 72 of whom had failed prior ERT. Age at diagnosis ranged from 1 week to 4 years. There are 37 males and 35 females. Seventy-one patients had bilateral disease and one had unilateral. Three patients had both eyes plaqued. Prior ERT ranged from 30 to 70 Gy (mean 4200 Gy). Time from initial therapy to failure ranged from 13 to 60 months. Cobalt plaques of 10 mm, 15 mm, or 10 × 15 mm were used depending on tumor size and location. Dose prescribed to the apex of the tumor ranged from 30 to 50 Gy (median 40 Gy) given over 3 to 8 days. Twelve patients had two plaque applications; three patients had three plaque applications. All patients were followed with routine ophthalmoscopic examinations. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 22 years (mean 8.7). Seven patients died of metastatic disease; 10 patients developed non-ocular second tumors. Thirty patients required enucleation. Twenty-two patients had clear tumor progression, two patients had radiation complications, and six patients had a combination of tumor growth and complications. Cobalt 60 can salvage eyes in retinoblastoma patients failing ERT. Currently, we are using I 125 in an attempt to spare normal ocular tissue and reduce subsequent complications.
Issues and concerns about global atmospheric Ozone

Abstract The ozone in the global troposphere and stratosphere plays several important roles in affecting humanity and other living organisms on Earth. Ozone is important as an absorber of solar ultraviolet radiation, preventing biologically harmful levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the Earth's surface. Ozone is also a greenhouse gas and its global distribution plays an important role in determining the Earth's climate. In recent years, it has become progressively clearer that human activities may be affecting the amount of ozone in the global atmosphere. Atmospheric measurements now indicate that the amount of ozone in the stratosphere is decreasing, while the amount of ozone in the global troposphere, the atmosphere below about 10 km altitude, appears to be increasing. Overall, the vertically integrated amount of ozone, referred to as the total ozone column, is decreasing. Understanding the changes occurring to ozone and determining the appropriate societal response present important challenges to scientists and to policymakers. In this paper, we review the current scientific understanding of global atmospheric ozone and the changes occurring in its distribution. We also examine the response that governments are making to the changes occurring in ozone.
Flow cytometric monitoring of hormone receptor expression in human solid tumors

Hormone receptor expression in human breast and prostate tumors is of diagnostic and therapeutic importance. With the availability of anti-estrogen, androgen and progesterone antibodies, immunohistochemistry has become a standard tool for determination of receptor expression in human tumor biopsies. However, this method is dependent on examination of a small number of cells under a microscope and the data obtained in most cases is not quantitative. As most of the commercially used anti-hormone antibodies have nuclear specificity, we have developed methods for isolation and antigen unmasking of nuclei from formalin fixed/paraffin embedded archival human tumors. After immunostaining with the antibodies and propidium iodide (for DNA content and cell cycle analysis), nuclei are analyzed by multiparametric laser flow cytometry for hormone receptor expression, DNA content, aneuploidy and cell cycle determination. These multiparametric methods are especially important for retrospective studies seeking to correlate hormone receptor expression with clinical response to anti-hormonal therapy of human breast and prostate tumors.
The Use of Gated and 4D CT Imaging in Planning for Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

The localization of treatment targets is of utmost importance for patients receiving stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), where the dose per fraction is large. While both setup or respiration-induced motion components affect the localization of the treatment volume, the purpose of this work is to describe our management of the intrafraction localization uncertainty induced by normal respiration. At our institution, we have implemented gated computed tomography (CT) acquisition with an active breathing control system (ABC), and 4-dimensional (4D) CT using a skin-based marker and retrospective respiration phase-based image sorting. During gated simulation, 3D CT images were acquired corresponding to end-inhalation and end-exhalation. For 4D CT imaging, 3D CT images were acquired corresponding to 8 phases of the respiratory cycle. In addition to gated or 4D CT images, we acquired a conventional free-breathing CT (FB). For both gated and 4D CT images, the target contours were registered to the FB scan in the planning system. These contours were then combined in the FB image set to form the internal target volume (ITV). Dynamic conformal arc treatment plans were generated for the ITV using the FB scan and the gated or 4D scans with an additional 7-mm margin for patient setup uncertainty. We have described our results for a pancreas and a lung tumor case. Plans were normalized so that the PTV received 95% of the prescription dose. The dose distribution for all the critical structures in the pancreas and lung tumor cases resulted in increased sparing when the ITV was defined using gated or 4D CT images than when the FB scan was used. Our results show that patient-specific target definition using gated or 4D CT scans lead to improved normal tissue sparing.
EST-SSR genetic maps for Citrus sinensis and Poncirus trifoliata

The segregation of 141 polymorphic expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers in an F1 intergeneric citrus population was studied to build the first extensive EST maps for the maternal sweet orange and paternal Poncirus genomes. Of these markers, 122 were found segregating in sweet orange, 59 in Poncirus, and 40 in both. Eleven linkage groups with 113 markers in sweet orange, 8 with 45 markers in Poncirus, and 13 with 123 markers in the cross pollinator (CP) consensus of both, were constructed. About 775.8 cM of sweet orange genome and 425.7 cM of Poncirus genome were covered. Through comparison of shared markers, three cases were found where two linkage groups in one map apparently were colinear with one group of the other map; Poncirus linkages Ar1a and Ar1b and consensus linkages CP1a and CP1b, were both collinear with one sweet orange linkage, Sa1, as were sweet orange Sa3a and Sa3b with Poncirus Ar3 and consensus CP3, and sweet orange Sa7a and Sa7b, and consensus CP7a and CP7b with Poncirus Ar7. These EST-SSR markers are particularly useful for constructing comparative framework maps for related genera because they amplify orthologous genes to provide anchor points across taxa. All SSR primers are freely available to the citrus community.
Rescripting a Troubled Past: John Brown's Family and the Harpers Ferry Conspiracy

The John Brown family was unique among famous nineteenth-century American families: it owed its public reputation largely to a single dramatic civil disturbance the Harpers Ferry crisis. That desperate effort to free the slaves cost the lives of John's sons Watson and Oliver and nearly that of their half brother, Owen, who escaped Virginia's justice. John Brown's raid, his trial, and his execution on December 2, 1859, gave his wife and children a notoriety reborn with each new tale of the Old Man's fanaticism and daring.' But the Browns remained in the public eye only as witnesses to his deeds, defenders of his cause, and bearers of his legacy. None ofJohn Brown's eight-surviving children or his score of grandchildren gained public attention in his or her own right. Unlike such celebrated American families as the Adamses, Byrds, Harrimans, Roosevelts, and Winthrops, the Browns could boast neither wealth nor learning nor conspicuous careers, apart from the brief tenure ofJohn himself as a guerrilla leader. And whereas the histories of other wellknown families begin with the success stories of the founders, the Browns' fame was rooted in spectacular failure. In a profound sense, the family was born anew in the heroic gesture that ended with the hanging of its founder. It is not the family's modest achievements, but its rebirtha remarkable mutation of consciousnessthat commends Brown's heirs to our attention. That transformation emerged gradually in their long struggle to come to terms with the troubled legacy of Harpers Ferry. It set new emotional and social parameters for their lives. To be sure, children of the famous must often learn to live with burdensome family traditions. But John Brown's sons were adults when their father suddenly became a martyr to the antislavery cause. All of them, and one of Brown's daughters, had played some part in his "war against slavery." The need to justify their own roles
The New Economy is dead, long live the information economy

The arrival of the 2001–2003 recession caused many to suppose that the so-called “New Economy” was now defunct. This article addresses a number of related issues, including the question of the durability and viability of business cycles in the face of the technological developments of the information age. It asks what went wrong with the New Economy and examines its characteristics as well as its remaining possibilities and prospects for the future. Finally, it considers the spread of the Information Economy to Europe, especially to Germany, the country that one might expect to be the leading European player, but which is not at present actually a strong competitor for that role.
Cocaine exposure during the brain growth spurt: Studies of neonatal survival, somatic growth, and brain development

Neonatal Sprague-Dawley rat pups were assigned to one of five groups. Three cocaine-treated groups were injected SC with either 40, 60, or 80 mg/kg/day of cocaine from postnatal day (PND) 4 through 9. Control groups were either injected with equivalent volumes of sterile dH2O (vehicle control) or received no injections (normal control) from PND 4 through 9. This early postnatal period, corresponding to the third trimester of pregnancy in humans, is characterized as a period of rapid development within the central nervous system (CNS), generally termed the brain growth spurt. The survival rate, somatic growth, and brain development in response to the various dosages of postnatal cocaine administration were assessed. There was a dose-dependent relationship between cocaine administration and survival rate. Furthermore, significantly reduced somatic growth, assessed in terms of body weight, was found in animals given 80 mg/kg cocaine daily, as compared with controls. With respect to brain weight, no significant differences were obtained among the various doses of cocaine-treated and control animals and there was no evidence of regional vulnerability (forebrain, cerebellum, or brainstem) to the cocaine insult. Additionally, neither an effect of gender, nor the interactions of gender with various doses of cocaine treatment was found on somatic growth and brain development. Taken together, the present results suggest that the brain exhibits a greater resistance to the cocaine insults than does somatic growth. Several possible explanations regarding the somatic growth retardation are discussed.
The economics of mental health services through 1986: Empirical studies

In the last ten years health economists have turned their attention to the field of mental health services delivery. In particular, the responsiveness of the demand for ambulatory mental health care relative to the price, the economic costs of mental disorder, and the effects of prospective payment systems have received major attention. This article reviews these studies and suggests areas for future development.
A rigorous approach to Debye screening in dilute classical coulomb systems

The existence and exponential clustering of correlation functions for a dilute classical coulomb system are proven using methods from constructive quantum field theory, the sine gordon transformation and the Glimm, Jaffe, Spencer expansion about mean field theory. This is a vindication of a belief, of long standing amongst physicists, known as Debye screening. This states that, because of special properties of the coulomb potential, the configurations of significant probability are those in which the long range parts ofr−1 are mostly cancelled, leaving an “effective” exponentially decaying potential acting between charge clouds.
Particulate pollutants and racial/ethnic disparity in feto-infant morbidity outcomes.

We sought to assess the association between air particulate pollutants and feto-infant morbidity outcomes across racial/ethnic subgroups. This is a retrospective cohort study from 2000 through 2007 based on three linked databases: (1) The Florida Hospital Discharge database; (2) The vital statistics records of singleton live births in Florida; (3) Air pollution and meteorological data from the Environmental Protection Agency. Using computerized mathematical modeling, we assigned exposure values of the air pollutants of interest (PM2.5, PM10 and the PM coarse fraction [PM10 − PM2.5]) to mothers over the period of pregnancy based on Euclidean minimum distance from the air pollution monitoring sites. The primary outcomes of interest were: low birth weight, very low birth weight, preterm birth, very preterm birth, and small for gestational age (SGA). We used adjusted odds ratios to approximate relative risks. We observed increased risk for overall feto-infant morbidity outcome in women exposed to any of the three particulate pollutants (values above the median). Exposed women had increased odds for low birth weight, very low birth weight and preterm birth with the greatest risk being that for very low birth weight (AOR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.08–1.49). Black women exposed to any particulate pollutant had the greatest odds for all the morbidity outcomes, most pronounced for very low birth weight (AOR = 3.32, 95% CI = 2.56–4.30). Environmental particulate pollutants are associated with adverse feto-infant outcomes among exposed women, especially blacks. Black–white disparity in adverse fetal outcomes is widened in the presence of these pollutants, which provide a target for intervention.
Silica Gel with Immobilized Chelating Groups as an Analytical Sampling Tool

Abstract Chelating functional groups have been immobilized on chromatographic grade silica gel using silylation reactions. The recovery of trace metals from solution by these materials is illustrated. The pH and time dependence upon batch extractions was studied. These materials offer potential for variation of functional groups for specific tasks.
GROWTH OF ANTIMONY DOPED ZnO FIBER AND ITS APPLICATION IN DYE SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS

Antimony doped ZnO (ZnO:Sb) fiber was grown by a simple thermal evaporation process of Zn powder and Sb2O3. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) shows that the grown fiber reaches more than 70 μm, which is the longest ZnO fiber reported in literature. Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) study indicates that this crystal is composed of three main phases: antimony doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Sb), ordonezite (ZnSb2O6) and zinc antimony oxide (Zn7Sb2O12). The current–voltage (I–V) characteristics demonstrate that the conversion efficiency of dye sensitized solar cell was greatly enhanced by ZnO:Sb fiber.
Infinite substructure lattices of models of Peano Arithmetic

Bounded lattices (that is lattices that are both lower bounded and upper bounded) form a large class of lattices that include all distributive lattices, many nondistributive finite lattices such as the pentagon lattice N 5 . and all lattices in any variety generated by a finite bounded lattice. Extending a theorem of Paris for distributive lattices, we prove that if L is an ℵ 0 -algebraic bounded lattice, then every countable nonstandard model of Peano Arithmetic has a cofinal elementary extension such that the interstructure lattice Lt( / ) is isomorphic to L .
Quasi-static crush behavior of aluminum honeycomb specimens under compression dominant combined loads

The influence of shear stress on the quasi-static crush behavior of aluminum honeycomb specimens under compression dominant combined loads is investigated by experiments. A test fixture was designed such that dominant compressive and shear loads with respect to the strongest material symmetry direction can be controlled and applied independently. Honeycomb specimens were also designed such that the secondary non-uniform stresses due to the stress-free boundary can be minimized. The experimental results indicate that the normal crush strengths under combined compressive and shear loads are lower than that under pure compressive loads. A phenomenological yield criterion for specimens with different in-plane orientation angles is proposed based on the experimental normal crush and shear strengths under combined loads. The experimental results suggest non-normality plastic flow based on the yield criterion. The non-normality flow behavior becomes more pronounced as the in-plane orientation angle increases. The experimental results also indicate that the energy absorption rate depends upon the ratio of the shear stress to the compressive stress and the in-plane orientation angle. In addition, specimens crushed under combined loads show inclined stacking patterns of folds due to the asymmetric location of horizontal plastic hinge lines and the rupture of aluminum cell walls along the adhesive lines. These experimental observations are useful to develop microscopic plasticity models of aluminum honeycombs under compression dominant combined loads.
Long-duration spike afterhyperpolarizations in neurons from the guinea pig superior cervical ganglion

Intracellular recordings from guinea pig superior cervical ganglia maintained in vitro have revealed a protracted spike afterhyperpolarization in approximately 18% of the principal neurons that is substantially longer (greater than 1 s duration) than those previously reported. This long afterhyperpolarization is distinct from shorter duration afterpotentials in these cells because it can be selectively and reversibly blocked by cooling and by bath applied histamine. Cellular excitability is increased when the long-duration afterhyperpolarization is abolished and thus it deserves consideration as a site for modulation of synaptic transmission through the superior cervical ganglion.
A transient electric birefringence study of the structure of specific IgG antibody

Abstract The three-dimensional structure of rabbit γ-globulin has been studied utilizing the technique of transient electric birefringence, a method which is sensitive to changes in electrical symmetry of a macromolecule. The birefringence of specific antibody elicited against the ϵ-dinitrophenyllysyl determinant was measured with 0, 1 and 2 moles of α-dinitrophenyl-glutamyl-aspartate bound per mole antibody, and was found to be essentially the same in all three cases. The results are not compatible with a rigid elongated rod as the average conformation of the antibody molecule, but are consistent with a more compact structure such as the flexible Y-model.
Effects of intrastriatal hormones on the dorsal immobility response in the rat.

Previous research has shown that the dorsal immobility response (DIR) changes significantly in duration across the estrous cycle. In order to test whether gonadal steroid hormones act directly on the striatum to modulate this behavior, ovariectomized female Long-Evans hooded rats were given bilateral intrastriatal implants of 17β-estradiol, 2-hydroxyestradiol, progesterone, or cholesterol. These implants were made at one-week intervals, each animal receiving each treatment in a Latin square design. Four hours after each hormone implant, the animals were tested for the DIR. Only rats receiving the intrastriatal 17β-estradiol implant were significantly different from those receiving cholesterol, and showed greatly potentiated DIR's.
A binuclear cadmium(II) hydroxide complex and its CO2 reaction product

A novel binuclear cadmium hydroxide complex has been isolated, structurally and spectroscopically characterized, and has been shown to undergo reaction with CO2 to yield a binuclear cadmium carbonate complex.
Interrill Soil Erosion and Slope Steepness Factors

Interrill erosion models assume a constant slope steepness term as a function of slope angle. To test the hypothesis that the slope steepness term varies with antecedent soil moisture and soil texture, we determined the effect of slope steepness on soil loss for five soils from clay to silt loam in texture with wet or dry antecedent soil water contents. Interrill sediment yield (wash), splash detachment, runoff, and sediment size were measured in laboratory erosion pans under simulated 90-min, 72 mm h -1 rainfall at 9 and 20% slopes. As slope steepness increased, splash decreased for three soil treatments and increased for the other five treatments. Splashed sediment and sediment yield were not correlated. Change in splash with increased slope steepness was correlated (r = 0.96) with change in sediment yield. Mean weight diameter (MWD) of splash was, on the average, about twice the MWD of wash. The MWD of both splash and wash was significantly (r = 0.0001) influenced by soil type and antecedent moisture, but MWD of splash and wash was uncorrelated with amount of splash and wash, respectively. The results emphasize the importance of quantifying terms in erosion equations in relation to specific erosion processes.
Working Class Feminism: a Consideration of the Consequences of Employment

The perception of working class women as especially traditional and domestic has tended to obscure the real currents of change within the working class. Their support for feminism has been underestimated because it has been assumed that they lack the personal discontent with traditional roles on which the movement is based. Working class women were surveyed to identify the factors conducive to the adoption of feminist attitudes. Employed women appear to be more feminist than full-time house wivea, even when they are working for reasons of financial exigency rather than personal interest. Some of this effect of employment may be due directly to the different social networks in which the employed women and the housewives participate; some of the effect of employment may also be indirect in that it provides a context in which dissatisfactions may be interpreted politically.
Dupin hypersurfaces with three principal curvatures

Using the method of moving frames, we prove that any locally irreducible Dupin hypersurface in Sn with three distinct principal curvatures is equivalent by Lie sphere transformation to an isoparametric hypersurface in Sn.
A mild method for the conversion of alcohols to methylthiomethyl ethers

Abstract Alcohols can be easily transformed to their corresponding methylthiomethyl ethers under mild conditions by treatment with methyl sulfide and benzoyl peroxide in acetonitrile.
Data mining techniques applied to predictive modeling of the knurling process

Knurls are designed into a product to provide the correct frictional force for easy assembly and maintenance and sometimes for decorative purposes. The literature to date has merely studied how to realize a good and consistent knurl, but no predictive models of the knurling process have been presented. This paper applies two competing data mining techniques, regression analysis and artificial neural networks, to develop a predictive model of the knurling process. Fractional factorial design of experiments is used to plan the experiments. Four criteria, namely the PRESS statistic, the adjusted R 2, the C p statistic, and the residual mean square s 2, are employed to select the best regression model. Hypothesis testing is conducted to test the effectiveness of each model, and to compare the two data mining schemes. This study demonstrates that for a reasonably large set of data from structurally designed experiments, the two methods produce comparable results in both model construction (or training) and mod...
System quasinormalizers in finite solvable groups

Abstract Let ∑ denote a Sylow system of the finite solvable group G. The system quasinormalizer of G, associated with ∑, is the subgroup of G generated by all elements x such that 〈x〉 permutes with each element of ∑. We show that the system quasinormalizers of G form a characteristic class of conjugate super-solvable subgroups in G. The system quasinormalizers are generally distinct from either supersolvable normalizers or projectors as given in the theory of formations.
Generation of ionospheric ducts by the HAARP HF heater

We report an investigation of ionospheric ducts having the shape of large plasma sheets, generated by vertically transmitted HAARP HF heater waves in several experiments conducted in Gakona, Alaska. Theory predicts that O-mode heater wave-created ionospheric ducts form parallel-plate waveguides within the meridional plane, and those generated by the X-mode heater waves are orthogonal to the meridional plane. Our theoretical prediction is supported by measurements of ionosonde data (namely ionograms), range–time–intensity (RTI) plots of UHF and HF backscatter radars, as well as magnetometer data analyses. When these plasma sheets experienced E×B drifts, they were intercepted by the HAARP UHF radar and seen as slanted stripes in the RTI plots. This striking feature was also observed in our earlier experiments using the Arecibo UHF radar.
Lessened insulin hypophosphatemia following N-sulfanilyl-N'-butylurea (BZ-55 or carbutamid).

SummaryInsulin tolerance tests in juvenile diabetics following administration of N-sulfanilyl-N'-butylurea (BZ-55 or Carbutamid) failed to show potentiation or prolongation of the usual insulin hypoglycemia and hypophosphatemia. Actually, the decrease in serum inorganic phosphorus which followed administration of insulin to juvenile diabetics was less pronounced, suggesting a diminution in anaerobic glycolysis, either as a result of interference with the usual action of insulin or as a consequence of a decreased glucose load. Both of these possibilities are compatible with decreased gluconeogenesis, increased glycogenation, or diminished glycogenolysis as factors in the decreased insulin requirement which follows administration of this agent to certain patients with diabetes mellitus.
Cultivating salt‐loving microbes on Mars

Some scientists suspect that life on Earth began in cold, salty waters around scorching hydrothermal vents deep beneath the ocean's surface. Others wonder whether similar conditions could exist on Mars. Indeed, they even wonder if liquid water, an essential ingredient for life, presently exists on Mars. The process by which salt absorbs water vapor from the atmosphere to create saline solutions on Earth would take much longer under the harsh, extremely cold, and dry Martian conditions. However, observations do suggest evidence of brine flows near the Martian equator and even the formation of small pools of liquid brines in polar regions.
Blunt trailing edge shear wake development with turbulent in-flow boundary layers

Experiments are conducted to explore the structural mechanisms involved in the post-separation evolution of a wall-bounded to a free-shear turbulent flow. At the upstream, both the boundary layers are turbulent. Experiments were conducted in a two-stream shear-layer tunnel, under a zero axial pressure gradient shear-wake configuration. A velocity ratio near 2 was explored. Profile data were collected with a single wire probe at various locations downstream of the blunt separation lip. With this set of measurements, mean profile, axial intensity and measures of profile evolution indicate that the predominant shift from turbulent boundary layer to free shear-layer like behavior occurs between the downstream locations x/Θ = 13.7 & 27.4, where Θ is the upstream momentum deficit thickness on the low-speed stream. The shear wake width is observed to be nominally constant with the downstream position. Axial velocity spectra show that the transition from boundary layer flow to shear flow occurs earlier in high-speed stream when compared to low speed stream. Strouhal number, St 0, of initial vortex rollup based on initial momentum thickness was found to be 0.034, which is in very good agreement with the existing literature. Other measures are in good agreement with linear stability considerations found in the literature.Copyright © 2005 by ASME.
Comparative activities of glycolytic enzymes in yeast and mycelial forms of Candida albicans

Through use of a synthetic defined medium which allows for the exclusive growth of yeast or mycelial forms of Candida albicans the activity of several major glycolytic enzymes in these forms were examined and compared. The results indicate vast metabolic differences between the forms. These data are discussed in relationship to the phenomenon of morphogenesis in C. albicans which in turn relates to problems in immunology and pathogenics of this important opportunistic organism.
Protein N-myristoylation in Escherichia coli: reconstitution of a eukaryotic protein modification in bacteria.

Protein N-myristoylation refers to the covalent attachment of a myristoyl group (C14:0), via amide linkage, to the NH2-terminal glycine residue of certain cellular and viral proteins. Myristoyl-CoA:protein N-myristoyltransferase (NMT) catalyzes this cotranslational modification. We have developed a system for studying the substrate requirements and biological effects of protein N-myristoylation as well as NMT structure-activity relationships. Expression of the yeast NMT1 gene in Escherichia coli, a bacterium that has no endogenous NMT activity, results in production of the intact 53-kDa NMT polypeptide as well as a truncated polypeptide derived from proteolytic removal of its NH2-terminal 39 amino acids. Each E. coli-synthesized NMT species has fatty acid and peptide substrate specificities that are indistinguishable from those of NMT recovered from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, suggesting that the NH2-terminal domain of this enzyme is not required for its catalytic activity. By using a dual plasmid system, N-myristoylation of a mammalian protein was reconstituted in E. coli by simultaneous expression of the yeast NMT1 gene and a murine cDNA encoding the catalytic (C) subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PK-A). The fatty acid specificity of N-myristoylation was preserved in this system: [9,10(n)-3H]myristate but not [9,10(n)3H]palmitate was efficiently linked to Gly-1 of the C subunit. [13,14(n)-3H]10-Propoxydecanoic acid, a heteroatom-containing analog of myristic acid with reduced hydrophobicity but similar chain length, was an effective alternative substrate for NMT that also could be incorporated into the C subunit of PK-A. Such analogs have recently been shown to inhibit replication of certain retroviruses that depend upon linkage of a myristoyl group to their gag polyprotein precursors (e.g., the Pr55gag of human immunodeficiency virus type 1). A major advantage of the bacterial system over eukaryotic systems is the absence of endogenous NMT and substrates, providing a more straightforward way of preparing myristoylated, analog-substituted, and nonmyristoylated forms of a given protein for comparison of their structural and functional properties. The system should facilitate screening of enzyme inhibitors as well as alternative NMT fatty acid substrates for their ability to be incorporated into a specific target protein. Our experimental system may prove useful for recapitulating other eukaryotic protein modifications in E. coli so that structure-activity relationships of modifying enzymes and their substrates can be more readily assessed.
Stopping cross section measurements with thin supported films

Abstract Elemental stopping cross sections, ϵ, can be determined by Rutherford backscattering either with thin-film or bulk targets. Both methods rely on approximations, which are met well for heavy elements. We present a modification of thin-film method which eliminates the need for approximations, but at the cost of precision. Results obtained for both light and heavy elements agree with those obtained by traditional methods. For Al, ϵ values are obtained which deviate from most published results, but agree with previously unexplained AlSi and AlAl 2 O 3 yield ratios.
Improved survival with pulmonary metastasectomy: an analysis of 1720 patients with pulmonary metastatic melanoma.

Objectives The outcomes of patients with metastatic melanoma are poor. Although prognostic models have been developed to predict the occurrence of pulmonary metastasis from cutaneous melanoma, few data exist to define the outcomes of these patients once metastasis has occurred. The objective of this study was to discriminate predictors of survival for patients with pulmonary metastatic melanoma. Methods We found 1720 patients with pulmonary metastasis listed in a prospective comprehensive cancer center database of 14,057 consecutive patients with melanoma (Jan 1, 1970–June 1, 2004). Demographic and histopathologic data, time and location of recurrences, number of pulmonary nodules, and subsequent therapies were collected. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify predictors of survival for patients with pulmonary metastatic melanoma. Results The median survival was 7.3 months after development of pulmonary metastasis. Significant predictors of survival from the multivariate model included nodular histologic type ( P = .033), disease-free interval ( P P = .012), presence of extrathoracic metastasis ( P P P P Conclusions When all other identified risk factors were controlled for mathematically, metastasectomy maintained a significant survival advantage for patients with pulmonary metastatic melanoma. These data support the role of surgery for a select subset of patients with pulmonary metastasis.
Interaction of electrons with acoustic phonons via the deformation potential in one dimension

We investigate the one-dimensional polaron in the case where the electron couples to the acoustic phonons via the deformation potential. In addition to the fact that this model may apply for some quasi-one-dimensional systems, it has several interesting features. The model exhibits the same type of divergence as the piezoelectric polaron but in a mathematically more tractable form. Realistic values of the deformation potential suggest that strong coupling applies. We show that in the strong-coupling limit the theory reduces to another polaron model that Gross has shown to be exactly solvable. We also obtain a soliton-like model for the moving polaron. The first correction to the strong-coupling limit has an ultraviolet divergence which is caused by the fact that the short-wavelength phonons follow the motion of the electron in its self-trapped state. This situation is also analogous to the piezoelectric polaron.
Governing China in the early 21st century: Provincial perspective

China is a country of provinces and provincial leaders are important players in Chinese politics. It is important to know who will be governing China’s provinces in the early 21st century and how they are going to govern them. This paper will attempt to address three critical issues related to governance of China’s provinces. First, it will describe the new provincial leadership of the early 21st century. It will identify significant changes in terms of personal characteristics of this new leadership compared to that of earlier years. Second, it will analyze political structural changes at the provincial level. It will look at the relationship among several important provincial institutions and identify significant historical changes. Third, it will assess public policy orientations of the new provincial leadership.
ASBESTOS-INDUCED ACTIVATION OF CELL SIGNALING PATHWAYS IN HUMAN BRONCHIAL EPITHELIAL CELLS

Using respiratory epithelial cells transfected with either superoxide dismutase (SOD) or catalase, the authors tested the hypothesis that the activation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor signal pathway after asbestos exposure involves an oxidative stress. Western blotting using phospho-specific antibodies demonstrated that the EGF receptor kinase inhibitor PD153035 decreased both the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 and its upstream signal pathway, including mitogen-activate protein kinase/ERK kinase (MEK)1/2. Similarly, the MEK1/2 kinase inhibitor PD98059 also demonstrated the ability to decrease phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Crocidolite-induced phosphorylation of EGF receptor, ERK1/2, and MEK1/2 was reduced by transfection of BEAS-2B cells with a catalase vector, supporting a participation of oxidative stress in this pathway. These results show that crocidolite can activate the phosphorylation of EGF receptor and its downstream cell signal pathway in BEAS-2B cells and this is associated with the oxidative stress presented by the fibers.
Radiographic techniques in renal parenchymal disease

In his or her practice, the nephrologist usually has a substantial number of patients on dialysis for chronic renal failure. The longer a patient remains on either peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis, the more at risk he or she is of developing acquired cystic disease of the kidney and renal cell carcinoma. Due to recent developments such as lower osmolar intravenous contrast media, sonography, and magnetic resonance imaging, the radiologist has the ability to assess the kidney in chronic renal failure with a growing number of less-invasive modalities. The lower osmolar agents appear to be less toxic to the kidney. Thus, they can be used when the benefit of the information obtained from a necessary procedure, eg, computed tomography or coronary arteriography, surpasses the risk. Duplex Doppler sonography can assess the pressure of flow in the arcuate vessels of the kidney with measurements of the resistive index. The resistive index is a proven tool for assessing rejection of the renal allograft--another newer application is in the diagnosis of obstruction. An elevated resistive index found in a kidney with a dilated collecting system confirms the diagnosis of obstruction. Studies are being made on its application in other renal disease processes as well.
Reduction in dissociation due to aging and cognitive deficit

Our objective was to investigate whether dissociative experiences occur less frequently in older psychiatric patients than in younger adult patients, and to examine the role of cognitive deficits in the frequency of dissociative events. Fifty-two outpatients 60 years and older were administered the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE). Their scores were compared with those of 50 outpatients 35 to 55 years old. Each group included patients sampled from the Mental Health Center (MHC) and University Medical Center clinics. Older patients showed significantly lower DES and MMSE median scores than younger patients. Cognitive deficit reflected by reduced MMSE scores also was associated with reduced DES scores for younger and older patients. Older patients with little or no cognitive deficit continued to show reduced DES scores. Decreases in dissociativity continue well beyond the fourth decade and do not rely on age-related cognitive deficit. Factors related to the aging process seem to mediate reductions in dissociativity independent of reductions mediated by cognitive deficit. The use of the DES for screening without adjusting for age and cognitive status is questioned.