cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clonal dominance detected in metastases but not primary tumors of retrovirally marked human breast carcinoma injected into nude mice.

Human breast cancer cell lines which grow in athymic (nude) mice provide a model of tumor cell growth and metastasis. Marking transplanted tumor cell populations with retroviral vectors provides a means of studying the dynamics of tumor cell growthin vivo. We evaluated three human breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-435, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, and found the cells were highly susceptible to retroviral gene transfer after a single 2-h exposure (90.9%, 62.7% and 72.3%, respectively). MDA-MB-435 cells (5×105) marked with a retroviral vector containing theβ-galactosidase gene (approximately 104 uniquely marked clones) were injected into the mammary fat pad of athymic mice to study clonal dominance. Primary tumors resected 10 weeks after injection expressedβ-galactosidase, demonstrating persistent vector expressionin vivo. Southern blot analysis did not reveal clonal dominance in the primary tumors of the five mice studied. In contrast, pulmonary metastases in each animal were monoclonal or biclonal. These results demonstrate clonal dominance in pulmonary metastases but not primary tumors of retrovirally marked MDA-MB-435 cells. Our findings suggest that this model may also be used to introduce retroviral vectors expressing oncogenes, and anti-sense oncogenes, to determine their effect on tumor cell proliferation and metastasisin vivo.
Design of a Climate Chamber to Study Transient Performance of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell at Near Freezing Temperatures

Freezing temperature startup of fuel cells is a serious issue for smaller applications such as auxiliary or backup power units. To accurately test and examine this problem, a laboratory climate chamber is required which can accurately represent possible environments. This research designed a climate chamber using thermoelectric (peltier) heat pumps to provide temperatures down up to −10 degrees Celsius. The internal heat absorption from air utilized forced convection while heat emitted by the thermoelectric device was removed by flowing water channels. A copper plate was used to provide separation between the heat absorbing plate and the thermoelectric heat pump. The unit showed accurate temperature control and successful operation at sub-zero temperatures. Two proton exchange membrane fuel cells with 117 Nafion membrane and 212 Nafion membrane were tested in the climate chamber under various operating conditions. The startup performance was examined under both freezing and non-freezing temperatures. Heated and humidified feed gasses were shown to greatly improve the steady state time of the 117 setup by over 30%.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Human B creatine kinase gene expression in C2C12 cells is regulated by protein interactions involving the first exon.

Abstract While the activation of muscle specific genes is well characterized, the mechanism mediating the regulation during muscle development of embryonic genes is poorly understood. To begin to investigate this area, the transcriptional regulation of the human brain creatine kinase (BCK) gene was characterized during in vitro myogenesis of C 2 C 12 muscle cells. Initial analyses identified the first exon as important for high level expression in general and for the decrease in expression in response to C 2 C 12 differentiation. In vivo competition confirmed the functional importance of the first exon. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays using portions of the exon showed that two separate proteins bound to sequences +1 to +27 and +25 to +57, respectively. The +1 to +27 interacting factor is present in skeletal but not cardiac muscle and thus may function as a skeletal muscle determining factor. The +25 to +57 interacting factor functions as a positive effector in myoblasts. This region also imparts the differentiation dependent decrease in expression via either modification of the myoblast factor or due to the presence of an additional factor. Site directed mutagenesis show that base pair +26 is critical for appropriate down regulation of BCK.
Effects of activation pattern on human skeletal muscle fatigue.

Variable-frequency stimulation trains (VFTs) that take advantage of the catchlike property of skeletal muscle have been shown to augment the force production of fatigued muscles compared with constant-frequency trains (CFTs). The present study is the first to report the force augmentation produced by VFTs after fatiguing the muscle with VFTs versus fatiguing the muscle with CFTs. Data were obtained from the human quadriceps femoris muscles of 12 healthy subjects. Each subject participated in three experimental sessions. Each session fatigued the muscle with one of three protocols: CFTs with 70-ms interpulse intervals (CFT70); CFTs with 55.5-ms interpulse intervals (CFT55.5); or VFTs. Following each fatiguing protocol the muscles were tested with all three stimulation patterns (i.e., CFT55.5, CFT70, and VFT). At the end of the fatiguing protocol the VFT produced force-time integrals and peak forces approximately 18% and 32% greater than the CFT70, respectively. The testing trains showed that the VFT produced approximately 25-35% greater force-time integrals than either CFT and approximately 35-47% greater peak forces than the CFT70. For each testing train, approximately 10-15% greater force-time integrals were seen when the muscles were fatigued with the CFTs than when fatigued with the VFTs. These results support suggestions that VFTs may be useful during clinical applications of electrical stimulation.
Synthesis and properties of regioregular poly(dialkyl [2,2'-bithiophene]-5,5'-diyl-4,4'-dicarboxylates)

Abstract Regioregular (HH-TT) polythiophenes with electron withdrawing ester groups attached directly to the ring, namely poly-dihexyl and dioctyl [2,2′-bithiophene]-5,5′-diyl-4,4′-dicarboxylate) ( 2a and 2b ) have been prepared via the Ullmann reaction of 3a and 3b with copper in DMF, Number average molecular weights (GPC/polystyrene standards) of 7,900 and 11,000 respectively were obtained. Cast films of 2a and 2b were yellow in color and showed UV-vis absorption at 377 and 381 nm respectively, about 55–80 nm blue shifted compared with regiorandom poly(alkyl thiophene-3-carboxylates). Quantum mechanical calculations showed that the head-to-head dyads induce regular interruption of the coplanarity of the polymer backbone. Both polymers showed bright fluorescence and electroluminescence with emission of yellow light. External electroluminescence efficiencies were 8.5 and 4.7 × 10 −3 %, respectively.
Characterization of metastable crystalline phases in the AlGe alloy system

Abstract Metastable crystalline phases have been produced in Al-Ge alloys by melt spinning liquid alloys and by rapidly heating thin films which are initially amorphous. The structures and compositions of these nonequilibrium phases have been characterized using convergent beam electron diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results of these studies are compared directly with those of previous authors in order to resolve the controversy which has existed in the literature concerning the identity of the metastable phases which form in Al-Ge alloys when processed by novel techniques such as rapid solidification.
Renal salvage through autotransplantation

Abstract In a case of carcinoma involving a solitary kidney renal salvage was accomplished with bench surgery and autotransplantation. This method should have clinical application in a variety of urologic problems.
Entangled-Photon Virtual-State Spectroscopy

Since two-photon absorption was first described by Maria Goppert-Mayer in 1931 [1], two-photon spectroscopy has become an invaluable tool in the armamentarium of spectroscopic techniques [2]. In this Letter we show that the use of a nonclassical light source comprising entangled-photon pairs empowers two-photon spectroscopy in a remarkable and unanticipated way: It permits the extraction of information about the virtual states that contribute to the two-photon excitation, including states whose energies exceed that of the initial-to-final state transition. Another salutatory feature
Zeolite-Supported Ni and Mo Catalysts for Hydrotreatments: II. HRTEM Observations

Calcined and sulfided Ni–Mo catalysts supported on ultrastable Y zeolite (USY), NaY zeolite, mordenite, and ZSM-5 were studied by high-resolution electron transmission microscopy (HRTEM) with selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Ni and Mo oxide aggregates were rarely observed in the USY-supported Ni–Mo catalyst, indicating that most of Ni and Mo may be incorporated into USY, e.g., supercavities and possibly sodalite cages. However, there were a large number of α-NiMoO4 aggregates of different particle sizes in NaY-, mordenite-, and ZSM-5-supported catalysts, and the mordenite-supported catalyst also contained MoO3 crystals. The α-NiMoO4 may be attached to the surface of substrates as individual particles or needle aggregates, it may be disseminated into mordenite particles, or it may even form an isolated sphere (in Ni–Mo/NaY) or a needle (in Ni–Mo/ZSM-5) aggregates. Thus, most of Ni and Mo in NaY-, mordenite-, and ZSM-5-supported catalysts preferentially formed aggregates, although some Mo may have been incorporated into NaY and ZSM-5. After sulfidation, small MoS2 aggregates containing some Ni were rarely but occasionally found on the surface of USY zeolite; however, there were a large number of such MoS2 aggregates on the surface of NaY. Separate and intergrown MoS2 and Ni sulfides aggregates were observed on the surface of mordenite and ZSM-5. The Ni sulfide might be identified by SAED and high-magnification images as troilite-like NiS and/or Ni9S8, but definitely not as NiS with millerite structure or Ni3S2. These results indicated that sulfidation does not extensively affect Ni and Mo that have been incorporated into the supercavity and/or sodalite cage of USY in calcined Ni–Mo/USY. After sulfidation, Ni–Mo sulfide species may have formed in the supercavity and possibly in the sodalite cage of the USY zeolite. However, in NaY-, mordenite-, and ZSM-5-supported Ni–Mo catalysts, Ni and Mo may have predominantly formed Ni–Mo sulfides or even separate Mo and Ni sulfide phases on the surface of the substrates. Thus, the USY-supported Ni–Mo catalyst had a much higher hydrodesulfurization (HDS) activity than the other zeolite-supported catalysts, which is attributed to both the highly dispersed Ni and/or Mo sulfide species in supercavities and possibly in sodalite cages of a USY zeolite, and the presence of Bronsted acidity in a USY zeolite we have demonstrated previously (Li, Dien, Nishijima, A., and Morris, D. E., J. Catal. 182, 339 (1999)).
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Caulobacter crescentus

Abstract Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase ( d -glucose-6-phosphate: NADP oxido-reductase, EC 1.1.1.49) has been partially purified from Caulobacter crescentus. The enzyme is induced 10-fold when the organism is grown in complex or minimal salts medium containing glucose. Three molecular forms of the enzyme can be demonstrated in crude extracts or in purified preparations using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Three peaks of enzymatic activity can be separated from each other by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography. However, only one sedimenting peak of enzymatic activity with an apparent molecular weight of 190 000 can be detected on a 5–20% linear sucrose density gradient. Substrate saturation curves for glucose 6-phosphate and NADP or NAD as electron acceptors are of the Michaelis-Menten type. Of the possible effector compounds tested, only phosphoenolpyruvate has been shown to exert a negative allosteric effect.
Patient-provider interactions in the management of chronic pain: current findings within the context of shared medical decision making.

Objective. This article reviews the literature on patient–provider interactions among patients with chronic pain conditions with an emphasis on shared medical decision making. Results. Key findings suggest that: 1) patients with chronic pain and health care providers are likely to have opposing attitudes and goals, with patients seeking “to be understood as individuals” and struggling to have their pain concerns legitimized while their health care providers may place a greater focus on diagnosis and treatment than quality of life concerns; and 2) female patients may face additional challenges when communicating their pain concerns with providers. Increased emphasis on communication training and efforts to promote a shared decision making process are proposed as possible mechanisms to improve patient–provider interactions. Conclusions. Treatment of chronic pain is often complex and may be further complicated when patients and health care providers have differing goals and attitudes concerning treatment. Difficulties in engaging in collaborative treatment decision making may result. Efforts to enhance patient–provider communication as well as to systematically examine nonspecific treatment factors are likely to promote effective management of chronic pain.
Exploring the Control Circuit of Cell Migration by Mathematical Modeling

We have developed a top-down, rule-based mathematical model to explore the basic principles that coordinate mechanochemical events during animal cell migration, particularly the local-stimulation-global-inhibition model suggested originally for chemotaxis. Cells were modeled as a shape machine that protrudes or retracts in response to a combination of local protrusion and global retraction signals. Using an optimization algorithm to identify parameters that generate specific shapes and migration patterns, we show that the mechanism of local stimulation global inhibition can readily account for the behavior of Dictyostelium under a large collection of conditions. Within this collection, some parameters showed strong correlation, indicating that a normal phenotype may be maintained by complementation among functional modules. In addition, comparison of parameters for control and nocodazole-treated Dictyostelium identified the most prominent effect of microtubules as regulating the rates of retraction and protrusion signal decay, and the extent of global inhibition. Other changes in parameters can lead to profound transformations from amoeboid cells into cells mimicking keratocytes, neurons, or fibroblasts. Thus, a simple circuit of local stimulation-global inhibition can account for a wide range of cell behaviors. A similar top-down approach may be applied to other complex problems and combined with molecular manipulations to define specific protein functions.
Frederick Law Olmsted, Green Infrastructure, and the Evolving City:

Over the past decade, green infrastructure has emerged as a subject of significant interest in city and regional planning; yet, this discussion is not entirely new. Significant elements can be traced to the work of Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., in the nineteenth century, and the roots of the urban planning and landscape architecture professions. As evidence, this article frames three aspects of Olmsted’s work within contemporary green infrastructure theory and practice: ecosystem services and human well-being; environmental restoration; and comprehensive planning. The article then addresses Olmsted’s philosophy regarding the civilizing influence of urbanism and concludes that green infrastructure may be integral to the evolution of the twenty-first century city.
Reactor irradiation PbTe, Bi2Te3 and ZnSb

Abstract Comparison of pre- and post-irradiation thermoelectric properties of n- and p-type PbTe and Bi2Te3 has shown that the damage incurred in a nuclear reactor environment is due principally to fast neutrons. This result has been obtained by comparing changes in properties of pairs of specimens irradiated with and without cadmium shields at 60° ± 20°C to neutron doses of 1·6 × 10−2 c m−2 fast (energies greater than 1 MeV) and 1·5 × 1020 cm−2 thermal. Room temperature electrical resistivities and Seebeck coefficients were observed to increase in magnitude, except in the case of p-type Bi2Te3, where the Seebeck coefficient reversed in sign. The largest resistivity increase observed was a factor of about 25 in the case of p-type PbTe. In the case of the n-type PbTe, Hall coefficient measurements showed that the increase in Seebeck coefficient and the major part of the resistivity increase could be accounted for by a factor 4 decrease in carrier concentration, attributed to trapping by fast neutron induced defects. For all specimens for which the measurements could be made, the thermoelectric properties were essentially restored to their pre-irradiation values by annealing at temperatures ranging from 150 to 190°C. Other specimens of these materials are being irradiated to higher dose levels. Gamma ray spectroscopy was performed on a set of specimens removed from the Engineering Test Reactor after an integrated neutron dose of 6 × 1019 cm−2 fast and 6 × 1020 cm−2 thermal in order to search for long-lived neutron reaction products, particularly those which might result from high energy neutron cross sections whose values are unknown. The only gamma ray lines observed were from expected thermal neutron reaction products, principally iodine and tellurium isotopes. An in-pile instrumented irradiation experiment has been carried out with n-type PbTe and Bi2Te3 and p-type ZnSb. Electrical resistance, Seebeck e.m.f.'s and temperatures were monitored by means of thermocouples and probes welded to each sample. The changes in thermoelectric properties observed as the reactor first went to power could be accounted for, to within experimental errors, by the rise in specimen temperatures due to gamma ray heating. The accumulated neutron dose for this experiment reached an estimated 1·2 × 1020 cm−2 fast and 6 × 1020 cm−2 thermal before successive thermocouple failures precluded further monitoring of specimen temperatures. The Seebeck coefficients of Bi2Te3 and ZnSb were observed to increase approximately 15 per cent as a result of the irradiation. In addition to the smooth increases in electrical resistances as the experiment proceeded, discontinuous increases were observed following the numerous reactor “scrams” which occurred during the irradiation. Auxiliary experiments suggest that these step increases are due to effects of thermal stress in the specimens. Most of the smooth increase in electrical resistance occurred before an integrated fast neutron dose of about 5 × 1019 cm−2. The largest increase in resistance observed was a factor of 25 in the case of the PbTe.
Can subjects maintain a constant criterion in a memory task

In two recognition memory experiments, subjects rated how certain they were that a given test item had been shown previously. Subjects either received standard instructions about their rating criteria or were explicitly instructed to maintain criteria defined in the manner of Healy and Jones (1973) or along the lines of signal detection theory. When a priori probability varied, subjects in all instruction groups held constant the criteria defined by signal detection theory at the expense of shifting the criteria proposed by Healy and Jones. The results were taken as evidence for the psychological validity of recognition memory analyses based on signal detection theory.
EFFECT OF SOME ANDROGENIC STEROIDS ON THE ADRENAL CORTEX OF HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED RATS1

MAINTENANCE and stimulation of the adrenal cortex of hypophysectomized animals by hormones from sources other than the pituitary gland have been reported. Testosterone propionate decreased the rate of adrenal cortical atrophy which normally follows hypophysectomy in the young male rat (Cutuly, Cutuly, and McCullagh, 1938), (Leonard, 1942), (Leatham).2 Thyroxin, insulin and non-hormonal toxic agents stimulated the adrenal cortex of hypophysectomized pigeons (Miller and Riddle, 1942) and the gonadotrophic principle from pregnant mare serum stimulated the adrenals of hypophysectomized ground squirrels (Zalesky, Wells, and Overholser, 1942). In view of these findings, the effects of androgens on the adrenals of hypophysectomized rats were investigated. This report is concerned with (a) the effects of different dosages of testosterone propionate and other androgens on the maintenance of adrenal weight in hypophysectomized rats, and (b) the nature of this stimulation of the adrenal cortical cells. Long-Evans ra...
Screening of Inherited Metabolic Disorders in Infants with Infantile Spasms

The objective of this study is to explore the incidence of inherited metabolic disorders (IMD) in infants with infantile spasms (IS), with an attempt to improve the early diagnosis and etiological and symptomatic treatment. Urine and blood samples were collected from 60 IS patients and analyzed for the quantification of amino acids, organic acids, and fatty acids by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrum. Routine urine tests, hepatic function tests, blood biochemistry, brain imaging, as well as examinations of the brain stem auditory/visual evoked potentials were also examined. In addition to antiepileptic therapy, etiological and symptomatic treatments were also conducted in infants with confirmed IMD and the follow-up lasted for 6 months in these pediatric patients. Metabolic disorders were found in 28 (46.67 %) of 60 IS infants, among them 13 (21.67 %) were confirmed to be with IMD. Twelve of these 13 IS patients with definite IMD diagnoses (92.31 %) experienced varying degrees of delayed development of intelligence and motor function, 8 patients (61.54 %) had abnormal cranial CT or MRI findings, 11 patients (84.61 %) had abnormal brain stem evoked potentials, 4 patients (30.77 %) had abnormal hepatic functions, 3 patients (23.07 %) had abnormal blood biochemistry, 2 patients (15.38 %) had positive (+ to ++) results for routine urine ketones, and 2 patients (15.38 %) had skin lesions. After treatment in children who were diagnosed IMD, the well controlled epileptic seizures and the satisfactory developments in mental and motor were found in 4 cases of methylmalonic acidemia, 2 cases of classical phenylketonuria, and one case of biotin deficiency disease, glutaric acidemia type I, and 4-hydroxybutyric aciduria in each. IMD is a key biological cause in IS. Early screening for IMD is warranted in IS infants to facilitate the improvement for the prognosis and an early etiological treatment.
Do American and Italian pigeons rely on different homing mechanisms

In an attempt to explain the discrepancy between the results obtained by American and Italian investigators with reference to the role of olfaction in pigeon navigation, 5 series of homing experiments, most of which had already been performed on Italian pigeons, were conducted with Ithaca birds. 1. Application of an odorant (α-pinene) to the birds' beaks and nostrils did not produce consistent differences in initial orientation. The experimental birds were somewhat slower in homing. 2. Elimination of olfactory information during the outward journey did not result in different initial orientation. However, the experimental birds had poorer homing performances. 3. The initial orientation was significantly influenced by one out of 3 sorts of outward journey detours; the positive results from the effective detour could be repeated. 4. Pigeons made anosmatic by inserting plastic tubes in their nostrils were tested from familiar and unfamiliar release sites. At the familiar sites, the control bearings were randomly distributed and not homeward oriented; the experimentals, which were non-random in one site but random in the other, always were homeward oriented. At the unfamiliar site, all the groups were non-randomly oriented. The control birds were homeward directed; the clustering of the experimental bearings around the home direction was not significant or at the boundaries of the significance. Homing performances were very different, the controls performing normally, the experimentals being mostly lost. 5. Pigeons subjected to unilateral sectioning of the olfactory nerve and to plugging of one nostril — the ipsilateral in the control and the contralateral in the experimental birds — were tested from two unfamiliar sites. The orientation of the two treatments was nearly identical at both sites. At one site there was a major difference in homing performance, the controls returning well and the experimentals very poorly; at the other site there was no significant difference in homing performance.
Tribbles 2 (Trib2) is a novel regulator of toll-like receptor 5 signaling†

Background: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are expressed by a variety of cells, including intestinal epithelia. However, the full spectrum of regulators modulating innate responses via TLRs has not been delineated. Tribbles (Trib) have been identified as a highly conserved family of kinase-like proteins. We sought to clarify the role of Trib2 in the TLR signaling pathway. Methods: Trib2 mRNA and protein levels were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blot, respectively. Immunohistochemical staining was used to determine the expression of Trib2 in human tissue. Involvement of Trib2 in nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathways was assessed in epithelial cells by NF-κB reporter assay. Proteins that interacted with Trib2 were identified by mass spectrometry and confirmed by immunoprecipitation. The domain essential for Trib2 function was mapped using truncated constructs. Results: Trib2 expression is decreased in active inflamed tissue from patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Trib2 is expressed in human and mouse colonic epithelium as well as immune cells, and its expression in epithelium is inducible in a ligand-dependent manner by TLR5 ligand stimulation. Trib2 inhibits TLR5-mediated activation of NF-κB downstream of TRAF6. Trib2 selectively modulates mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways p38 and Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) but not p44/p42 (ERK1/2). NF-κB2 (p100) was identified as a Trib2 binding partner in regulating the TLR5 signaling pathway that leads to inhibition of NF-κB activity. Residues 158–177 in the Trib2 kinase-like domain are required for Trib2 function. Conclusions: These observations indicate that Trib2 is a novel regulator in the TLR5 signaling pathway and altered expression of Trib2 may play a role in IBD. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2012;)
Initial Crack Extension in Two Intermediate-Strength Aluminum Alloys

Three-point bend tests were conducted to examine the geometry dependence of JIc in two intermediate-strength aluminum alloys, 2024-T351 and 7005-T6351. The amounts of crack growth at selected points on the load-versus-deflection curves were delineated using a heat tinting technique. Resistance curves of J-versus-crack extension were constructed to facilitate determination of JIc at incipient crack movement. The through-thickness variation in fracture toughness of a 7.6-cm-thick plate of 7005 aluminum was determined and correlated with fractographic and metallographic observations. The current JIc measurements from subsized specimens of 7005 aluminum are compared with previous KIc characterizations using linear-elastic, full-thickness specimens.
The impact of hospital obstetric volume on maternal outcomes in term, non–low-birthweight pregnancies

Objective The impact of hospital obstetric volume specifically on maternal outcomes remains under studied. We examined the impact of hospital obstetric volume on maternal outcomes in low-risk women who delivered non–low-birthweight infants at term. Study Design We conducted a retrospective cohort study of term singleton, non–low-birthweight live births from 2007-2008 in California. Deliveries were categorized by hospital obstetric volume categories and separately for nonrural hospitals (category 1: 50-1199 deliveries per year; category 2: 1200-2399; category 3: 2400-3599, and category 4: ≥3600) and rural hospitals (category R1: 50-599 births per year; category R2: 600-1699; category R3: ≥1700). Maternal outcomes were compared with the use of the chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression. Results There were 736,643 births in 267 hospitals that met study criteria. After adjustment for confounders, there were higher rates of postpartum hemorrhage in the lowest-volume rural hospitals (category R1 adjusted odds ratio, 3.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.51–6.23). Rates of chorioamnionitis, endometritis, severe perineal lacerations, and wound infection did not differ between volume categories. Longer lengths of stay were observed after maternal complications (eg, chorioamnionitis) in the lowest-volume hospitals (16.9% prolonged length of stay in category 1 hospitals vs 10.5% in category 4 hospitals; adjusted odds ratio, 1.91; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–3.61). Conclusion After confounder adjustment, few maternal outcomes differed by hospital obstetric volume. However, elevated odds of postpartum hemorrhage in low-volume rural hospitals raises the possibility that maternal outcomes may differ by hospital volume and geography. Further research is needed on maternal outcomes in hospitals of different obstetric volumes.
The Use of 222Rn as a Flow Path Monitor for Studies of Radionuclide Transport in Fissures

A technique has been developed using 222 Rn as a flow path monitor. Its principle advantage over other radiotracers or dyes is that while the Kd of Rn gas in water solution is zero and hence follows the water path, its 210 Pb daughter is retained strongly by rock. The immobilized 210 Pb is not subject to diffusion, an important consideration in the proposed Nevada Field Test. To evaluate the technique, a series of laboratory scale experiments have been performed. Artificial fissures consisting of glass plates and prepared flat surfaces were coupled to insure well characterized fissures. Water solutions of radiotracer were metered through these fissures and the discharge monitored to produce breakthrough curves as a function of flow rate. The rock surfaces were analysed for radionuclide concentration and the rock sectioned for diffusion profile into the rock.
Sensor selection techniques in device monitoring

For complex systems with large sensor complements, the authors develop a selective monitoring strategy to avoid information overload on system operators. They describe an approach to determining from moment to moment which subset of the available sensor data for a system is most informative about the state of the system and about interactions occurring within the system. They term this process sensor selection. The approach draws on concepts from causal reasoning and information theory. After describing the NASA test domain, they conclude with a report on the status of the implementation of the SELMON system. >
A sorbent regenerator simulation model in copper oxide flue gas cleanup processes

Sorbent regeneration is an important step in copper oxide flue gas cleanup processes because poor regeneration performance could require higher sorbent circulation rate and inventory, resulting in increased process costs. An advantage of the copper oxide processes is the simultaneous removal of SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x}. The sorbent absorbs SO{sub 2} and acts as catalyst in reduction reactions for high NO{sub x} removal. Therefore, CuO processes have the potential to offer a more efficient and economical way to reduce both SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} emissions as compared to other flue gas cleanup processes, which use two separate processes to curtail SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x}. The moving-bed process is capable of simultaneously removing 99% SO{sub 2} and 95% NO{sub x} from coal-fired combustor flue gas. This article describes a countercurrent moving-bed regenerator model using natural gas as the reducing agent. The model incorporates several aspects important for predicting the regenerator performance, such as gas expansion effects, deviation from first-order kinetics with respect to copper sulfate, and mass transfer limitations. The sorbent residence time predicted by this model is in good agreement with data obtained from the life-cycle test system at the Federal Energy Technology Center. The tests conductedmore » include effects of reactor temperature, the methane to copper sulfate feed ratio, and sorbent residence time, on sorbent regeneration. The regenerator modeling also details the impact of gas velocity on the reactor performance.« less
Placement of logic schematics and topological via minimization

Traditionally placement and via minimization are considered separately, with via minimization following placement. We integrate the two problems, and propose a new objective function for the placement of logic schematics, i.e. topological via minimization. We use a graph theoretic approach and present an algorithm of time complexity O(kn/sup 3/) for arbitrary schematics, here k is the fan-in/fan-out of the schematic. For a schematic consisting of a union of zero or more C/sub n/, P/sub r/ and K/sub p,q/ we present an optimal algorithm of time complexity O(n) for sparse schematics and O(n/sub 3/) for dense schematics. >
FUNDING LOCAL PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PENSIONS: ONE CITY'S TALE

This paper discusses the pension funding problem that currently faces the City of Los Angeles' fire and police pension plan. Past policies and practices which have contributed to the funding problem are reviewed. These include: full cost-of-living adjustments, questionable actuarial assumptions and poor investment performance. In addition to the mechanical causes of the funding problem, the political forces underlying the funding problems are examined. Policy changes designed to rectify these problems are outlined and the political dynamics making them possible are discussed.
Dynamic buckling of thin thermoviscoplastic cylindrical shell under radial impulsive loading

The dynamic plastic buckling of a homogeneous and isotropic thin thermoviscoplastic cylindrical shell loaded radially is studied analytically by analyzing the stability of its stressed/deformed configuration under superimposed infinitesimal perturbations. The wave number of the perturbation that maximizes its initial growth rate is assumed to determine the buckling mode. Cubic algebraic equations are obtained for both the maximum initial growth rate of perturbation and the corresponding wave number. The buckled shape of a cylindrical shell is found to match well with that observed experimentally. The sensitivity of the buckled shape to the impact velocity, the hardening modulus, and the material viscosity has been delineated. For axially restrained shells, it is found that for materials exhibiting strain rate hardening only the maximum initial growth rate of the perturbation and the corresponding wave number vary as ð¯ 0 =rbÞ 1=3 h � 2=3 and ðr=¯ s 0 Þ 1=6 Rb � 1=3 h � 2=3 , respectively. For axially unrestrained cylindrical shells made of strain hardening only
A Range-Only Multiple Target Particle Filter Tracker

We propose a particle filter tracker to track multiple maneuvering targets using a batch of range measurements. The state update is formulated through a locally linear motion model and the observability of the state vector is proved using geometrical arguments. The data likelihood treats the range observations as an image using template models derived from the state update equation, and incorporates the possibility of missing data as well as spurious range observations. The particle filter handles multiple targets, using a partitioned state-vector approach. The filter proposal function uses a Gaussian approximation of the full-posterior to cope with target maneuvers for improved efficiency. By treating the range measurements as images and using smoothness constraints, the particle filter is able to avoid the data association problems. Computer simulations demonstrate the performance of the tracking algorithm.
A Homolog of the Vaccinia Virus D13L Rifampicin Resistance Gene is in the Entomopoxvirus of the Parasitic wasp, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata

Abstract The parasitic wasp, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), introduces an entomopoxvirus (DlEPV) into its Caribbean fruit fly host, Anastrepha suspensa. (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae), during oviposition. DlEPV has a 250–300 kb unipartite dsDNA genome, that replicates in the cytoplasm of the host's hemocytes, and inhibits the host's encapsulation response. The putative proteins encoded by several DlEPV genes are highly homologous with those of poxviruses, while others appear to be DlEPV specific. Here, a 2.34 kb sequence containing a 1.64 kb DlEPV open reading frame within a cloned 4.5 kb EcoR1 fragment (designated R1–1) is described from a DlEPV EcoRI genomic library. This open reading frame is a homolog of the vaccinia virus rifampicin resistance (rif) gene, D13L, and encodes a putative 546 amino acid protein. The DlEPV rif contains two EcoRV, two HindIII, one XbaI, and one DraII restriction sites, and upstream of the open reading frame the fragment also contains EcoRV,...
The avoidance and treatment of scalp flap complications in cochlear implant surgery

Successful cochlear implantation produces a durable, reaction-free surgical site that allows the patient to use his/her implant system comfortably with a cosmetically acceptable appearance. The most frequently reported major and minor complications after cochlear implantation are those related to the incision and postauricular scalp flap. Ideal flap design that considers vascularity of the postauricular area, skull anatomy, device design, and proper surgical principles will prevent most complications from occurring. When complications do occur, treatment requires thoughtful and aggressive therapy to avoid further patient discomfort, morbidity, surgery, and dreaded device explantation. It cannot be stressed enough that prevention is the key.
On the melting behavior of a thermotropic rigid random copolyester based on terephthalic acid and substituted hydroquinones

Thermotropic liquid crystalline random copolyesters, based on terephthalic acid and substituted hydroquinones, display an unusually large heat for the crystal-nematic transition; this phenomenon is related to their highly ordered structures. To modify the structures, annealing was carried out in the solid state at different temperatures over different times. As the annealing time or temperature is increased, the melting peaks shift to higher temperatures, whereas the heat of fusion shows no significant change or is lowered, respectively. An explanation is offered in terms of crystal perfection and a molecular weight increase. No evidence for a random-to-block conversion on annealing is found.
Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others

This article explores the ethics of the current "War on Terrorism, asking whether anthropology, the discipline devoted to understanding and dealing with cultural difference, can provide us with critical purchase on the justifications made for American intervention in Afghanistan in terms of liberating, or saving, Afghan women. I look first at the dangers of reifying culture, apparent in the tendencies to plaster neat cultural icons like the Muslim woman over messy historical and political dynamics. Then, calling attention to the resonances of contemporary discourses on equality, freedom, and rights with earlier colonial and missionary rhetoric on Muslim women, I argue that we need to develop, instead, a serious appreciation of differences among women in the world—as products of different histories, expressions of different circumstances, and manifestations of differently structured desires. Further, I argue that rather than seeking to "save" others (with the superiority it implies and the violences it would entail) we might better think in terms of (1) working with them in situations that we recognize as always subject to historical transformation and (2) considering our own larger responsibilities to address the forms of global injustice that are powerful shapers of the worlds in which they find themselves. I develop many of these arguments about the limits of "cultural relativism" through a consideration of the burqa and the many meanings of veiling in the Muslim world. [Keywords: cultural relativism, Muslim women, Afghanistan war, freedom, global injustice, colonialism]
Evolutionary convergence in Otx expression in the pentameral adult rudiment in direct-developing sea urchins

Convergence is a significant evolutionary phenomenon. Arrival at similar morphologies from different starting points indicates a strong role for natural selection in shaping morphological phenotypes. There is no evidence yet of convergence in the developmental mechanisms that underlie the evolution of convergent developmental phenotypes. Here we report the expression domains in sea urchins of two important developmental regulatory genes (Orthodenticle and Runt), and show evidence of molecular convergence in the evolution of direct-developing sea urchins. Indirect development is ancestral in sea urchins. Evolutionary loss of the feeding pluteus stage and precocious formation of the radially symmetric juvenile has evolved independently in numerous sea urchin lineages, thus direct development is an evolutionary convergence. Indirect-developing species do not express Otx during the formation of their five primordial tube feet, the ancestral condition. However, each direct-developing urchin examined does express Otx in the tube feet. Otx expression in the radial arms of direct-developing sea urchins is thus convergent, and may indicate a specific need for Otx use in direct development, a constraint that would make direct development less able to evolve than if there were multiple molecular means for it to evolve. In contrast, Runt is expressed in tube feet in both direct- and indirect-developing species. Because echinoderms are closely related to chordates and postdate the protostome/deuterostome divergence, they must have evolved from bilaterally symmetrical ancestors. Arthropods and chordates use Otx in patterning their anterior axis, and Runt has multiple roles including embryonic patterning in arthropods, and blood and bone cell differentiation in vertebrates. Runt has apparently been co-opted in echinoderms for patterning of pentamery, and Otx in pentameral patterning among direct-developing echinoids. The surprisingly dynamic nature of Otx evolution reinvigorates debate on the role of natural selection vs shared ancestry in the evolution of novel features.
In Vitro Evaluation of a New Quinolone Antibacterial

Abstract The activity of R-802, a quinolone antibacterial agent, was studied in vitro and found to be active against Enterobacteriaceae; less than 4 μg of drug per ml was required to inhibit most isolates. The majority of Pseudomonas aeruginosa grew in a concentration of 256 μg of R-802 per ml when studied in broth against an inoculum of 108 organisms per ml.
A Fuzzy Description Logic

Description. Logics (DLs, for short) allow reasoning about mdlvlduals and concepts, i.e. set of individuals with common properties. Typically, DLs are limited to dealing with crisp, well defined concepts. That is, concepts for which the problem whether an individual is an instance of it is a yes/no question. More often than not, the concepts encountered in the real world do not have a precisely defined criteria of membership: we may say that an individual is an instance of a concept only to a certain degree, depending on the individual's properties. Concepts of this kind are rather vague than precise. As fuzzy logic directly deals with the notion of vagueness and imprecision, it offers an appealing foundation for a generalisation of DLs to vague concepts.In this paper we present a general fuzzy DL, which combines fuzzy logic with DLs. We define its syntax, semantics and present constraint propagation calculi for reasoning in it.
Transform-limited-bandwidth injection locking of an XeF laser with an Ar-ion laser at 3511 A.

We report attainment of transform-limited bandwidth in an XeF laser by injection locking a positive-branch confocal unstable resonator with 1 W of power from an Ar-ion laser at 3511 A. A diffraction-limited beam of >2-MW power, with a bandwidth of ~50 MHz (~1 × 10−4 A), is generated. We find that since the XeF UV emission lines start from different upper vibrational levels of the B state, ~40% of the B → X energy is not available to be channeled into the locked line.
Effect of urea on Poria weirii and soil microbes in an artificial system

Abstract Poria weirii (Murr.) Murr. (an important root-infecting fungus of conifers in western North America) grown in alder stem sections and buried in soil at 15°C survived better when urea was not added to the soil. Survival over a 32 week period was inversely related to rate of urea applied. Fungus populations were greatest at 4 weeks after which numbers of Trichoderma began to increase. This corresponded with decreased survival of P. weirii ; Trichoderma was the fungus isolated almost exclusively from alder sections when P. weirii was not. Increasing soil populations of actinomycetes with time may have had some effect on survival as well.
Breeding software test cases for complex systems

The potential cost savings from handling software errors within a development cycle, rather than subsequent cycles, has been estimated at 38.3 billion dollars. Such figures emphasize that current testing methods are inadequate, and that helping reduce software bugs and errors is an important area of research with a substantial payoff. This paper reports on research using genetic algorithms for test case generation for systems level testing, building on past work at the unit testing level. The goals of the paper are to explore the use of genetic algorithms for testing complex distributed systems, as well as to develop a framework or vocabulary of important environmental attributes that characterize complex systems failures. In addition, preliminary visualization techniques that might help software developers to understand and uncover complex systems failures are explored.
Disrupted by violence: children's well-being and families' economic, social, and cultural capital in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

Since 2008, Ciudad Juarez (Chihuahua, Mexico) has been undergoing a wave of violence due to a drug war, making the city a difficult environment in which to raise a family. This study uses qualitative methodology that incorporates 16 in-depth interviews with parents of children ages 0-5 years and 9 sets of photos from a subset of interviewed parents. The study explores how families' economic, social, and cultural capital has been disrupted by the violence and how it affects children's well-being. Social and economic capital declined significantly because of the violence as families experienced crime, had increased difficulty finding and maintaining employment, and decreased their interactions outside the home. Interviews also suggested that opportunities to gain cultural capital decreased because of this isolation. Understanding the detrimental effects of violence on families' capital can contribute to understanding children's well-being in violence-stricken communities.