cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fluorophore-labelled RNA aptamers to common protein tags as super-resolution imaging reagents.

Developing labelling methods that densely and specifically label targeted cellular structures is critically important for centroid localization-based super-resolution microscopy. Being easy and inexpensive to produce in the laboratory and of relatively small size, RNA aptamers have potential as a substitute for conventional antibody labelling. By using aptamers selected against common protein tags - GFP (green fluorescent protein) in this case - we demonstrate labelling methods using dSTORM-compatible fluorophores for STORM and hybridizable imager strands for DNA-PAINT super-resolution optical imaging of any cellular proteins fused to the aptamer binding target. We show that we can label both extracellular and intracellular proteins for super-resolution imaging, and that the method in particular, offers some interesting advantages for live cell super-resolution imaging of plasma membrane proteins. KEY POINTSO_LIA simple to use RNA aptamer method for super-resolution STORM and PAINT imaging in cells expressing common protein tags. C_LIO_LIThe method has a number of unique advantages for live cell imaging at the nanometer scale. C_LIO_LIProvides a means to quantify the number of proteins being trafficked on the plasma membrane. C_LI
Safety and efficacy of a novel oral chewable combination tablet containing sarolaner, moxidectin and pyrantel (Simparica Trio™) against natural flea infestations in client-owned dogs in the USA

One randomized, controlled clinical field study was conducted in 18 general veterinary practices throughout the USA to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel oral chewable combination tablet, Simparica Trio™, containing sarolaner, moxidectin and pyrantel for the treatment and prevention of fleas on dogs. Client-owned dogs, from households of three or fewer dogs were eligible for enrollment. Four hundred and twenty-two dogs from 251 households were enrolled. Households were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to treatment with either Simparica Trio™ at the minimum label dose of 1.2 mg/kg sarolaner, 24 µg/kg moxidectin and 5 mg/kg pyrantel (as pamoate salt) or afoxolaner (NexGard®, Boehringer-Ingelheim) at the label dose. One dog per household was selected as the primary dog for efficacy evaluations. Treatments were dispensed and dogs were dosed in their home environment on Day 0 and on approximately Day 30. Flea counts and examination for clinical signs of flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) were performed at the initial visit the day before or on Day 0 prior to treatment and on Days 30 and 60. Additionally, all dogs were examined for general health at each visit and blood and urine were collected for clinical pathology at screening and Day 60. Simparica Trio™ reduced geometric mean live flea counts by 99.0% by Day 30 and by 99.7% by Day 60. As a result of the rapid reduction in flea infestations, clinical signs associated with FAD substantially improved following treatment. Simparica Trio™ was well-tolerated and a diverse range of concomitant medications were administered to dogs during the course of the study. Simparica Trio™ chewable tablets were well-accepted by dogs, with the majority of flavored chewable tablets (91.9%) voluntarily consumed by free choice without, or when offered in food. Simparica Trio™ administered orally once monthly for two consecutive treatments was safe and effective against natural flea infestations and substantially improved clinical signs associated with FAD in client-owned dogs in a field study conducted in the USA.
Controls on major ion chemistry and metals in a suburban pond fed by municipal water and treated stormwater

Abstract The quality of surface and ground water is threatened by stormwater runoff, which often contains heavy metals (such as copper, lead, and zinc), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), fertilizers, and pesticides. In this study, we evaluated the effects of treated stormwater from a bioinfiltration swale on the dissolved metal load in a suburban park pond in Spokane, Washington. This pond, which has a porous bed, also receives a continuous flow of municipal water (sourced from local groundwater) to maintain a constant water level. Water samples were collected from the pond and the municipal water source every two weeks from January to August, 2016. Snow and road dust were collected in January, 2016. The results indicated that snow and dust from the roadway had elevated concentrations of major ions and heavy metals relative to their counterparts in local parks. However, the treated stormwater had a negligible impact on the dissolved load of the receiving pond for several reasons. First, heavy metal concentrations were significantly lower in the treated stormwater than the original runoff indicating successful removal by the bioinfiltration swales. Secondly, the dissolved major ion concentrations in the pond water tended to mimic the temporal fluctuations in the dissolved load of the municipal water. This can be attributed to the large volume of municipal water added to the pond (~86–97%) which dilutes the treated stormwater. Furthermore, the average residence of water in the pond is short (~39 days) such that the municipal water continuously flushes the pond. These findings establish a baseline for the dissolved load of this receiving pond and suggest that a decrease in municipal water input be carefully evaluated before implementation to prevent any adverse effects on the aquatic community. Moreover, we recommend that the heavy metal loading of the bioinfiltration swale media, and composition of treated stormwater, be monitored to ensure that metal mobilization from the swales does not occur especially during de-icing events.
Engineered nanomaterials in the environment: bioaccumulation, biomagnification and biotransformation

Engineered nanomaterial manufacturing and usage have been increasing in commercial products. There were 1814 nanotechnological consumer products available in the market in March 2015. Nanomaterials can accumulate, transform and increase in concentrations in biological systems. Nanomaterials offer many benefits over traditional materials, yet their small size also increases their toxicity. Bioaccumulation of nanomaterials begins with nanoparticle accumulation in the organism, then biomagnification follows in the predatory organism. Biotransformation is the last stage, whereby the chemical concentration of toxins in the organism exceeds that in the environment. Here, we review the interaction of nanomaterials with biological substances. It has been observed that the effects of nanomaterials begin at the bottom of the food chain and move all the way through the human body. We have summarized the mechanisms of interaction between engineered nanomaterials and the environment.
Here’s the pitch: the amazing, true, new, and improved story of baseball and advertising: by Roberta J. Newman, Lincoln, NE, University of Nebraska Press, 2019. xvii, 319 pp., $34.95

Roberta Newman’s book chronicles the relationship between baseball and advertising. The author, a Master Professor at New York University, has previously written on the business aspects of black ba...
Classical double copy of nonsingular black holes

We apply the classical double-copy procedure to a class of regular, nonsingular black hole solutions. We give several examples, paying particular attention to a string-theory-corrected black hole solution emerging from T-duality. Nonperturbative stringy corrections introduce an ultraviolet (UV) zero-point length cutoff which results in nonsingular black hole spacetimes. Apart from the UV regulator, the solution is equivalent to the Bardeen black hole spacetime. We extend this solution to include an asymptotic de Sitter background. All Yang-Mills field theory quantities associated with the double copy are well-behaved and finite for all values of parameters. We present a thorough analysis of the black hole horizon structure, additionally uncovering a simple yet new connection between horizons on the gravity side and electric fields on the gauge theory side of the double copy.
Corynebacterium Comparative Genomics Reveals a Role for Cobamide Sharing in the Skin Microbiome

ABSTRACT The human skin microbiome is a key player in human health, with diverse functions ranging from defense against pathogens to education of the immune system. Recent studies have begun unraveling the complex interactions within skin microbial communities, shedding light on the invaluable role that skin microorganisms have in maintaining a healthy skin barrier. While the Corynebacterium genus is a dominant taxon of the skin microbiome, relatively little is known how skin-associated Corynebacteria contribute to microbe-microbe and microbe-host interactions on the skin. Here, we performed a comparative genomics analysis of 71 Corynebacterium species from diverse ecosystems, which revealed functional differences between host- and environment-associated species. In particular, host-associated species were enriched for de novo biosynthesis of cobamides, which are a class of cofactor essential for metabolism in organisms across the tree of life but are produced by a limited number of prokaryotes. Because cobamides have been hypothesized to mediate community dynamics within microbial communities, we analyzed skin metagenomes for Corynebacterium cobamide producers, which revealed a positive correlation between cobamide producer abundance and microbiome diversity, a trait associated with skin health. We also provide the first metagenome-based assessment of cobamide biosynthesis and utilization in the skin microbiome, showing that both dominant and low abundant skin taxa encode for the de novo biosynthesis pathway and that cobamide-dependent enzymes are encoded by phylogenetically diverse taxa across the major bacterial phyla on the skin. Taken together, our results support a role for cobamide sharing within skin microbial communities, which we hypothesize mediates community dynamics.
Flexure of functionally graded soft material rectangular beams into circular arcs

Abstract Soft materials like tissues, prosthetics, gels and rubber are usually modeled as incompressible and hyperelastic. The use of these materials in soft robotics and surgical implants necessitates analysis of their finite deformations . We study here plane-strain flexural deformations of functionally graded, isotropic and incompressible Mooney-Rivlin rectangular beams into circular arcs by using a member of Ericksen’s family of universal solutions to describe large deformations from the reference to the current configuration that satisfies the Euler-Bernoulli hypothesis of vanishing transverse shear strain. We account for both material and all geometric nonlinearities , and assume an arbitrary continuous variation of material properties in the thickness direction. Analytical solutions are provided for a beam bent into a nearly complete circle that help determine residual stresses in the beam. It is found that material gradations remarkably affect magnitudes of the required bending moment and of the radial and the hoop stresses . By suitably grading material parameters, the through-the-thickness stress distributions can be modified to have the maximum magnitude of the hoop stress occur at an interior point rather than at the outer/inner surfaces. Thus, one can control the location where the first failure occurs in the beam by appropriately tailoring the material gradation.
The Effects of Kinect-Enhanced Lymphatic Exercise Intervention on Lymphatic Pain, Swelling, and Lymph Fluid Level:

Background:The-Optimal-Lymph-Flow (TOLF) intervention aims to promote lymph flow through therapeutic lymphatic exercises to relieve lymphatic pain, swelling, lymphedema symptoms, and to decrease ly...
Static and Dynamic Analyses of Programs with Implicit Control Flow

Although object-oriented languages can improve programming practices, their characteristics may introduce new problems for software engineers. One important problem is the presence of implicit control flow caused by exception handling and polymorphism. Implicit control flow causes complex interactions in programs, and can thus complicate software-engineering tasks. In this talk, I will present an approach for supporting these tasks, based the static and dynamic analyses of constructs that cause implicit control flow. The approach provides software engineers with information for supporting and guiding development and maintenance tasks. In the talk, I will also present empirical results to illustrate the potential usefulness of the approach. The studies show that, for the subjects considered, complex implicit control flow is always present, causes coding patterns that are difficult to understand and maintain, and providing interactions that are not often well tested. Mary Jean Harrold is the NSF ADVANCE Professor of Computing at Georgia Tech. Her research interests are in analysis and testing of large, evolving software systems, development of trustworthy software, fault-localization using statistical analysis and visualization, monitoring of deployed software to improve quality, and software selfawareness through real-time assessment and response. Professor Harrold is a recipient of the National Science Foundation’s National Young Investigator Award and was named an ACM Fellow. She served on the editorial boards of IEEE Transactions on Software engineering and the Empirical Software Engineering Journal, and is currently serving on the editorial board of ACM Transactions on Programming Languages and Systems. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Computing Research Association, and currently serves as Vice Chair of ACM SIGSOFT. She is serving as co-chair of the Computing Research Association’s Committee on the Status of Women in Computing (CRA-W) and a member of the Leadership Team of the National Center for Women and Information Technology. She received the PhD from the University of Pittsburgh.
Isoelectric focusing of interacting systems: II. PH-dependent conformational transitions

Transient and equilibrium isoelectric focusing patterns have been computed for pH-dependent conformational transitions in the limits of complete cooperativity and instantaneous chemical equilibration. Transitions induced by the binding of a relatively large number of hydrogen ions by the macromolecule give well resolved bimodal equilibrium patterns, provided that the resulting conformer has the lower isoelectric point. The corresponding transient patterns may be either bimodal or virtually unimodal for practical times of operation depending upon the point of insertion of the sample into the pH gradient and the stoichiometry of the interaction. A macromolecule undergoing sequential transitions can give multimodal isoelectric focussing patterns.
The Trojan Horse of the 21st Century: Immigrants, Foreign Campaign Contributions and International Politics

Immigrants9 use of political and economic resources to influence the policies of their new homeland, in favor of their ancestral homeland, is nothing new.1 This is especially true for open democracies such as the United States.2 For years, ethnic groups, largely composed of first or second generation immigrants, have legally contributed millions of dollars into political systems.3 The influence of the foreign campaign contribution scandals of the 1996 and 1998 elections have brought this growing trend to the forefront of American politics.4 The globalization of national interest is forcing elected legislators to craft prohibitions on foreign influence in campaigns, in order to maintain national security interest, while delineating the terms of legally acceptable campaign donations of citizens and noncitizens alike.5 This trend will continue to expand as economic globalization moves people across borders. The blending of ideas, opinions, and loyalties results in conflict between ethnic interest groups and national policymaking. The exchange of citizenship does not necessarily change an immigrant's loyalty to his or her homeland.6 Immigrants' loyalties to their homelands provide a legal opportunity
Synthetic studies of didemnins. III

Abstract The stereoselectivity of the reduction of β-keto ester precursors leading to several stereoisomers of statine and isostatine was investigated. As a result, a short and highly stereoselective route to the isomar of isostatine found in the didemnins, (3S,4R,5S)-isostaline, was devised.
Compressibility of n-hexane

Although a considerable amount of work has been done on the compressibility of n-hexane, it has been impossible until now to compare or evaluate the work of the various investigators. There has also been a serious lack of information in the region above the critical temperature. It is the purpose of this work to make an extensive study of temperatures of 240° to 300°C. and of pressures up to 225 atm. in order to provide the lacking information and to overlap with the work of other investigators so that a proper evaluation of their work may be made.
A high-power-density wide-input-voltage-range isolated dc-dc converter having a MultiTrack architecture

This paper proposes a MultiTrack power conversion architecture that represent a new way of combining switched-capacitor circuits and magnetics. The MultiTrack architecture reduces the voltage ratings on devices, reduces the voltage regulation stress of the system, improves the component utilization, and reduces the sizes of passive components. This architecture is suitable for power conversion applications that require both isolation and wide voltage conversion range. An 18 V to 80 V input, 5 V, 15 A output, 800 kHz, 0.93 inch2 (1/16 brick equivalent) isolated dc-dc converter has been built and tested to verify the effectiveness of this architecture. By utilizing GaN switches, operating at higher frequency, and employing the MultiTrack architecture, the prototype converter achieves a power density of 453 W/inch3 and a peak efficiency of 91.3%. This power density is 3x higher than the power density of the state-of-the-art commercial converters with comparable efficiency performance across the wide operation range.
Axillary–Femoral Bypass May Provide Inadequate Distal Perfusion Compared with In-Line Large Diameter Aortic Reconstruction

Axillary-femoral bypass is sometimes performed for complex aortoiliac occlusive disease in patients unfit for aortic surgery or in those with aortic infection. Typically, older patients with medical comorbidities that commonly accompany atherosclerotic or aneurysmal disease are involved and can tolerate the theoretic risk of limited flow volume associated with long, small diameter, axillary-femoral grafts. However, a subset of younger, healthier, more vigorous patients outside the typical atherosclerotic or aneurysmal demographic occasionally come to axillary-femoral bypass and may experience symptoms of distal hypoperfusion if flow volumes cannot meet demand. We present a series of patients with primary aortic infection treated with aortic ligation and axillary-femoral bypass, who then progressed to symptoms of visceral, spinal, or extremity ischemia from inadequate distal perfusion.
Influences of peptide side chains on the metal ion binding site in metal ion-cationized peptides: Participation of aromatic rings in metal chelation

Aromatic side chains on amino acids influence the fragmentations of cationic complexes of doubly charged metal ions and singly deprotonated peptides. The metal ion interacts with an aromatic side chain and binds to adjacent amide nitrogens. When fragmentation occurs, this bonding leads to the formation of abundant metal-containing a-type ions by reactions that occur at the sites of amino acids that contain the aromatic side chain. Furthermore, formation of metal-containing immonium ions of the amino acids that contain the aromatic side chain also are formed. The abundant a-type ions may be useful in interpretation strategies in which it is necessary to locate in a peptide the position of an amino acid that bears an aromatic side chain.
Improved Toboggan Segmentation Algorithm for Magnetic Resonance Images

The precise segmentation of magnetic resonance images (MRI) is an important subject in both medical and computer science communities. The intrinsic complexity of the images and their relative lack of systematics have brought to develop different approaches to segment the different parts of human head. This paper investigates a novel feature extraction approach to MRI segmentation based on feed-back pulse coupled neural network in conjunction with toboggan theory. Due to the dynamics of the FPCNN, multiple unconnected groups of neurons will often pulse at the same time, calling for further processing to identify distinct regions. We locate the object's label by FPCNN. Finally, toboggan automatically partitions the MRI image. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm performs well compared to the traditional algorithms.
Thin-layer Chromatographic (TLC) Separations and Bioassays of Plant Extracts to Identify Antimicrobial Compounds

A common screen for plant antimicrobial compounds consists of separating plant extracts by paper or thin-layer chromatography (PC or TLC), exposing the chromatograms to microbial suspensions (e.g. fungi or bacteria in broth or agar), allowing time for the microbes to grow in a humid environment, and visualizing zones with no microbial growth. The effectiveness of this screening method, known as bioautography, depends on both the quality of the chromatographic separation and the care taken with microbial culture conditions. This paper describes standard protocols for TLC and contact bioautography with a novel application to amino acid-fermenting bacteria. The extract is separated on flexible (aluminum-backed) silica TLC plates, and bands are visualized under ultraviolet (UV) light. Zones are cut out and incubated face down onto agar inoculated with the test microorganism. Inhibitory bands are visualized by staining the agar plates with tetrazolium red. The method is applied to the separation of red clover (Trifolium pratense cv. Kenland) phenolic compounds and their screening for activity against Clostridium sticklandii, a hyper ammonia-producing bacterium (HAB) that is native to the bovine rumen. The TLC methods apply to many types of plant extracts and other bacterial species (aerobic or anaerobic), as well as fungi, can be used as test organisms if culture conditions are modified to fit the growth requirements of the species.
Synthesis of hydrocarbons from CO and H2 over silica-supported Ru: Reaction rate measurements and infrared spectra of adsorbed species

The synthesis of hydrocarbons from CO and H2 was studied on a silica-supported Ru catalyst, and the species present on the catalyst surface were characterized by infrared spectroscopy. Initial rates of methane formation were correlated by the expression NCH4 = 5.6 × 106 exp (−24,000/RT)PH21.5PCO0.6. The synthesis of ethane, propylene, and propane, the principle products observed in addition to methane, was favored at high CO partial pressures, low H2CO ratios, and low temperatures. The primary feature observed in the infrared spectra was a band at 2030 cm−1, associated with chemisorbed CO. Neither the position nor intensity of this band was affected by the CO partial pressure or the H2CO ratio. The CO band intensity did decrease with increasing temperature due to a decrease in CO surface coverage. Bands were also observed at 2950, 2910, and 2845 cm−1 and were assigned to hydrocarbon structures surrounded by chemisorbed CO. These structures could be removed from the catalyst surface by hydrogenation, but do not appear to be intermediates in the synthesis of stable products. Reduction of the catalyst following steady-state reaction revealed that the working catalyst maintains a reservoir of carbon several Ru monolayers in magnitude. Carbon deposition mechanisms and the role of carbon in the synthesis of hydrocarbons are discussed.
Localization of retina/pineal-expressed sequences: identification of novel candidate genes for inherited retinal disorders.

More than 100 genes causing inherited retinal diseases have been mapped to chromosomal locations, but less than half of these genes have been cloned. Mutations in many retina/pineal-specific genes are known to cause inherited retinal diseases. Examples include mutations in arrestin, rhodopsin kinase, and the cone-rod homeobox gene, CRX. To identify additional candidate genes for inherited retinal disorders, novel retina/pineal-expressed EST clusters were identified from the TIGR Human Gene Index database and mapped to specific chromosomal sites. After known human gene sequences were excluded, and repeat sequences were masked, 26 novel retina and pineal gland cDNA clusters were identified. The retinal expression of each novel EST cluster was confirmed by PCR assay of a retinal cDNA library, and each cluster was localized in the genome using the GeneBridge 4.0 radiation hybrid panel. In silico expression data from the TIGR database suggest that these EST clusters are retina/pineal-specific or predominantly expressed in these tissues. This combination of database analysis and laboratory investigation has localized several EST clusters that are potential candidates for genes causing inherited retinopathy.
Truth, morality, and what differences make a difference

L'A. denonce l'opinion commune selon laquelle une action droite (ou mauvaise) resulte de raisons droites (ou mauvaises) alleguees par l'agent moral, et qui consiste en un traitement atomique de l'action considerant ses raisons et ses consequences comme des identites independantes, par analogie avec le processus de verite-correspondance; il s'agit donc de mettre en lumiere la difference qui existe entre la realite du monde et ce que nous croyons vrai, comme celle qui distingue les consequences benefiques de l'action moralement bonne
Engaging High School Students in Research on Smoking Behavior

Increasingly, scientists use information and communications technology to analyze large repositories of existing data. Engaging students in database investigations has great potential for providing authentic research experiences that are low cost and reflect contemporary science practice. Through a collaboration between Genome Sciences and the Institute for Science and Math Education at the University of Washington (UW), we developed Exploring Databases, a high school inquiry-based research project combining neurobiology, epidemiology, statistics, genetics, and database research to answer the question, “Why do some people smoke, and others don't?”
Central Control of Circadian Phase in Arousal-Promoting Neurons

Cells of the dorsomedial/lateral hypothalamus (DMH/LH) that produce hypocretin (HCRT) promote arousal in part by activation of cells of the locus coeruleus (LC) which express tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) drives endogenous daily rhythms, including those of sleep and wakefulness. These circadian oscillations are generated by a transcriptional-translational feedback loop in which the Period (Per) genes constitute critical components. This cell-autonomous molecular clock operates not only within the SCN but also in neurons of other brain regions. However, the phenotype of such neurons and the nature of the phase controlling signal from the pacemaker are largely unknown. We used dual fluorescent in situ hybridization to assess clock function in vasopressin, HCRT and TH cells of the SCN, DMH/LH and LC, respectively, of male Syrian hamsters. In the first experiment, we found that Per1 expression in HCRT and TH oscillated in animals held in constant darkness with a peak phase that lagged that in AVP cells of the SCN by several hours. In the second experiment, hamsters induced to split their locomotor rhythms by exposure to constant light had asymmetric Per1 expression within cells of the middle SCN at 6 h before activity onset (AO) and in HCRT cells 9 h before and at AO. We did not observe evidence of lateralization of Per1 expression in the LC. We conclude that the SCN communicates circadian phase to HCRT cells via lateralized neural projections, and suggests that Per1 expression in the LC may be regulated by signals of a global or bilateral nature.
The effect of averaging time on velocity variances

Based on recent spectral models, relations have been proposed between the variances of vertical and lateral velocities and averaging time. A few observations agree reasonably well with the models. The popular 0.2 power law for standard deviations is valid only for the lateral velocity under unstable conditions, particularly for short periods. For periods exceedings five minutes or so, the variation becomes slower unless the winds are very light and the boundary layer is thick. For neutral and slightly stable conditions the variation of standard deviation, with averaging time from five minutes to sixteen minutes, is so slow that it can be neglected for practical applications. The same is generally true for vertical velocity fluctuations.
IC Design Capability Conversion from Mainframe to Workstation Environment

Over the last eighteen months, Sandia National Laboratories has converted its IC design facility from a mainframe to a workstation environment. Although workstations were advertised as turnkey systems, augmentation of vendor software with Sandia-developed software greatly enhanced Sandia's specific IC design capabilities. This article examines advantages of the workstation approach for sophisticated CAD tool users, discussing complete hardware, software, and networking capacities and capabilities.
Endourethral injection of bulking agents for urinary incontinence in children

Objective To assess the early and late outcome of endourethral injection with bulking agents in children with urinary incontinence (a neuropathic bladder or exstrophy-epispadias complex), by reviewing our experience over a 5-year period. Patients and methods The records of 15 children (10 boys) were reviewed retrospectively; 10 had spina bifida and a neurogenic bladder, four had a neurogenic bladder from other causes and one had epispadias. All children had a stable low-pressure detrusor and a compliant bladder with sphincteric weakness on preoperative urodynamic testing. Four children had undergone previous enterocystoplasty with a Mitrofanoff stoma, with concomitant urethral lengthening in two and a Goretex™ bladder neck sling in two. Three children voided spontaneously while 12 depended on intermittent catheterization. The agent was injected under general anaesthesia in all patients but one, with an endourethral submucosal injection of the bulking agent into four or more points at the junction of the bladder neck and proximal urethra, aiming to obtain visual occlusion of the urethra. The median (range) number of injections was 2 (1–3); five children had one injection, seven had two and three had three. There were no procedure-related complications and most were day-case procedures. Initially PTFE paste was used as the bulking agent, being replaced by bovine collagen or polydimethylsiloxane in the latter half of the series. Results At a median (range) follow-up of 28 (11–65) months three children were completely dry after a single injection; there was no change in four and a short-term improvement (median 25 months, range 4 days to 37 months) in eight. After this period all children deteriorated to their original incontinence grade; hence the overall cure rate was three of 15. Conclusion This experience with a long-term follow-up differs from previously reported high success rates for the endourethral injection of bulking agents for urinary incontinence in children. Despite a short-term benefit, in the long-term this technique was unreliable and often ineffective. Patients and their carers should be given a realistic and guarded prognosis.
The Futures of South Africa

The key to explaining and predicting changes in South African society lies in the fact that a cutting point can be defined on the dimension of power-authority-ability to make or influence decisions affecting the life chances of the whole population-that comes very near dividing "whites" from "nonwhites." If (1) the dominant issue is the distribution of powerauthority and (2) "the South African problem" is viewed as a two-party conflict with racially defined parties, then there are eight possible resolutions of the conflict, classifiable as annihilative, integrationist and separatist. The available evidence indicates that from least to most likely are annihilative, integrationist and separatist resolutions. Within the separatist category, secessionist resolutions appear less likely than a segregationist resolution-specifically a form of segregation clearly leading to a federal structure. Analysis of the South African case suggests for comparative research generalizations about intrasocietal racial conflicts.
Children's discourse competence: An evaluation of the development of inferential processes

Children's discourse competence is assessed in three story tasks designed to evaluate the inferential processes necessary to construct sequences of events to confirm a given consequence and those processes necessary to infer consequences from premise information. The use of pictured story elements minimized memory and expository skill factors and allowed us to study the discourse competence of children as young as four years of age. The data suggest that even the youngest children use systematic strategies in ordering the elements of a story based on causal and temporal relationships.
Sex steroid receptor expression and localization in benign prostatic hyperplasia varies with tissue compartment

Androgens and estrogens, acting via their respective receptors, are important in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The goals of this study were to quantitatively characterize the tissue distribution and staining intensity of androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα), and assess cells expressing both AR and ERα, in human BPH compared to normal prostate. A tissue microarray composed of normal prostate and BPH tissue was used and multiplexed immunohistochemistry was performed to detect AR and ERα. We used a multispectral imaging platform for automated scanning, tissue and cell segmentation and marker quantification. BPH specimens had an increased number of epithelial and stromal cells and increased percentage of epithelium. In both stroma and epithelium, the mean nuclear area was decreased in BPH relative to normal prostate. AR expression and staining intensity in epithelial and stromal cells was significantly increased in BPH compared to normal prostate. ERα expression was increased in BPH epithelium. However, stromal ERα expression and staining intensity was decreased in BPH compared to normal prostate. Double positive (AR and ERα) epithelial cells were more prevalent in BPH, and fewer double negative (AR and ERα) stromal and epithelial negative cells were observed in BPH. These data underscore the importance of tissue layer localization and expression of steroid hormone receptors in the prostate. Understanding the tissue-specific hormone action of androgens and estrogens will lead to a better understanding of mechanisms of pathogenesis in the prostate and may lead to better treatment for BPH.
The distribution of support for the radiation of spherical modes on the surface of small antennas

The expression of antenna radiation in terms of spherical mode expansions (SME), was introduced long ago (J. S. Stratton, Electromagnetic Theory, 1941, Mcgraw-Hill, Chap. VII), (L. J. Chu, “Physical Limitations of Omni-directional Antennas,” Tech. Rept. 64. Lab. Of Electronics, MIT, 1948) but has only occasionally been applied to a practical application (T. Simpson and Y. Chen, “Radiation pattern analysis of arbitrary wire antennas using spherical mode expansions with vector coefficients,” IEEE Trans. Antennas and Propagation, vol. Ap- 39, pp. 1716–1721, Dec. 1991). More recently, it was shown (Ted Simpson, “Influence of Shape on the Bandwidth of a Rotationally Symmetric Monopole,” IEEE APS/URSI Symposium, 2010) that the pattern variation with frequency was closely related to the width of the SME spectral response. In this paper a method is introduced to determine the strength and location of the contributions to the coefficients of the SME; this is called the mode support distribution (MSD).
Systems For Spectrum Forensics

Historically, spectrum allocations were assigned to a single user by regulation and spectrum interference was relatively easy to identify. Enforcement was simplified by having a small set of known licensees. Spectrum regulation is increasingly moving toward dynamic spectrum access mediated by databases, exclusion zones, sensors and other methods intended to improve spectrum efficiency. To have meaning, these spectrum sharing mechanisms must have some form of enforcement. While the spectrum policy community has consider ex-post (preventative) and ex-ante (punitive) enforcement mechanisms, enforcement will rely on spectrum forensics -- the scientific gathering of information to inform an enforcement action.In this paper, we initiate exploration of a system for spectrum forensics that combines crowd-sourced interference detection, fixed sensors and aerial measurement as well as a system for minimizing the data that needs to be collected. As part of a multi-tiered approach, the highest tier will be enabled by the equivalent of an "SDR in the sky" for self-directed localization and identification of interference sources.
Application of frequency domain ARX models and extreme value statistics to damage detection

In this study, the applicability of an auto-regressive model with exogenous inputs (ARX) in the frequency domain to structural health monitoring (SHM) is explored. Damage sensitive features that explicitly consider the nonlinear system input/output relationships produced by damage are extracted from the ARX model. Furthermore, because of the non-Gaussian nature of the extracted features, Extreme Value Statistics (EVS) is employed to develop a robust damage classifier. EVS is useful in this case because the data of interest are in the tails (extremes) of the damage sensitive feature distribution. The suitability of the ARX model, combined with EVS, to nonlinear damage detection is demonstrated using vibration data obtained from a laboratory experiment of a three-story building model. It is found that the current method, while able to discern when damage is present in the structure, is unable to localize the damage to a particular joint. An impedance-based method using piezoelectric (PZT) material as both an actuator and a sensor is then proposed as a possible solution to the problem of damage localization.
Some empirical tests in the arbitrage pricing theory: Macro variables vs. derived factors

Abstract This study investigates the ability of two models based on the Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT) to predict portfolio returns over the period 1971–1986 The difference between the two models lies in the factors used In the factor loading model (FLM), the factors are produced by factor analysis and are thus unspecified In the macroeconomic variable model (MVM), the factors are defined as innovations in a set of macrovariables. The two approaches are compared in several different ways Observed differences in test results between the two models are generally relatively small Given some attractive features of the MVM, such as economically interpretable factors, this finding is encouraging and suggests that factor analysis may be unnecessary in implementing the APT.
Isolation of dihydroilludin M from Clitocybe illudens

Abstract Dihydroilludin M (Ia) has been isolated from culture liquids of Clitocybe illudens . This metabolite differs from the dihydroilludin M obtained by borohydride reduction of illudin M, only in the configuration at C-7, one of three asymmetric centers in the molecule.
Renormalization, unstable manifolds, and the fractal structure of mode locking.

The apparent universality of the fractal dimension of the set of quasiperiodic windings at the onset of chaos in a wide class of circle maps is described by construction of a universal one-parameter family of maps which lies along the unstable manifold of the renormalization group. The manifold generates a universal ``devil's staircase'' whose dimension agrees with direct numerical calculations. Applications to experiments are discussed.
Ionospheric sporadic-E backscatter return from land versus sea

Under the conditions of this experiment backscatter returns via the sporadic-E layer are the same for land and sea.
Adequacy of well-child care and immunizations in US infants born in 1988

Objective. —To determine adequacy of preventive care for US infants, including both well-child care visits and immunizations, and to identify risk factors for inadequate receipt of care. Design. —Analysis of the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey of the National Center for Health Statistics. Sample. —Nationally representative sample of all US children born in 1988. Participants. —A total of 7035 infants from a live-birth subsample who were at least 8 months of age and living with their mothers at the time of the survey. Main Outcome Measures. —Percentage of children receiving both adequate well-child visits and adequate immunizations by 8 months of age. Results. —Adequate visits were received by 82% of white infants and 75% of black infants; adequate immunizations were received by 46% and 34%, respectively. Forty-two percent of white infants and 29% of black infants received both. Sixty percent of infants who did not have adequate immunizations by 8 months of age had at least three well-baby visits. With adjustment for maternal education level, poor white children had a relative risk of 1.5 of receiving inadequate care compared with infants in families with income greater than 185% of the federal poverty level. Infants with Medicaid or other government assistance had significantly lower levels of adequate care than did infants with private insurance. Conclusions. —This study demonstrates a wide gap between actual immunization coverage levels and recommended levels among US infants born in 1988. Public health agencies, Medicaid programs, and primary care providers should explore ways to take better advantage of well-child visits that are already occurring to achieve appropriate levels of immunization coverage. (JAMA. 1994;272:1111-1115)
The impact of multiculturalism versus color-blindness on racial bias

The present study examined the influence of different interethnic ideologies on automatic and explicit forms of racial prejudice. White American college students were exposed to a message advocating either a color-blind or a multicultural ideological approach to reducing interethnic tension and then completed explicit racial attitude measures, as well as a reaction time measure of automatic evaluations of racial groups. Results suggested that, relative to the multicultural perspective, the color-blind perspective generated greater racial attitude bias measured both explicitly and on the more unobtrusive reaction time measure. The findings of the present study add to previous research advocating a multicultural or dual-identity model of intergroup relations as the more promising route to interracial harmony.
Minimum uncorrelated unit noise in state-space digital filtering

For the class of digital filters described by the state equations, new expressions for the roundoff noise and the dynamic-range constraint equation have been established. Then, minimization of the roundoff noise subject to the l 2 norm dynamic-range constraint is considered. Using the polar decomposition of a nonsingular matrix, the effects of an equivalent transformation on the noise are analyzed, then, a lower bound and the global minimum of the unit noise, i.e., the noise generated-under the assumption that each state equation contains exactly one noise source, is obtained. A method of realizing the minimum unit noise filter is given, and possible further optimization of the filter is discussed. A numerical example is given to illustrate the computational procedure.
Super-resolution variable-dose imaging in digital radiography: quality and dose reduction with a fluoroscopic flat-panel detector.

Purpose Super-resolution (SR) image processing produces a high-resolution image from a series of low-resolution images. The aim of this study was to evaluate SR-images based on fluoroscopic flat-detector (FD) acquisition at different frame rates.
Transient Computational Analysis of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells During Load Change and Non-Isothermal Start-Up

An investigation of the transient performance characteristics of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) undergoing load change and during above freezing low-temperature start-ups are presented. A transient, non-isothermal, three dimensional, single phase computational fluid dynamics based model is developed to describe the transient processes of a PEMFC with conventional channels in co-flow configuration. The model equations are solved using a multi-domain approach incorporating water transport through membrane and multi-component species transport through porous diffusion layer. The dynamic response of the characteristic parameters such as membrane hydration, species concentration, cell voltage and temperature are simulated undergoing step changes in operating current density and also during start up and the results are discussed in detail. Accumulation of water in the polymer electrolyte seems to control the response time for load response and also start-up times along with the temperature of the cell. Steady state and transient simulations are compared. Steady state predictions are compared with benchmark experimental data from literature and the species concentration distributions were found to be in good agreement.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
SU‐E‐T‐470: Monte Carlo Simulation of Fast Neutron Treatments for Head and Neck Cancers

Purpose: To quantify the physical characteristics of a therapeutic fast neutron beam at the University of Washington (UW) using a Monte Carlo model validated against measured percentage depth‐dose (PDD) and lateral profiles. Methods: MCNPX modeling and simulation of the UW neutron therapy system's treatment head is divided into three stages. In Stage I, 50.5 MeV protons are directed at a Be target. Neutrons produced in the target pass through the primary collimator and flattening filter; photons and neutrons produced in Stage I are saved to a 100×100 cm2 phase space file located just below the flattening filter. In Stage II, neutrons and photons are transported through the MLC and saved to a second phase space file. Automatic adjustment of the 40 individual MLC to create regular or irregular field shapes with or without a wedge is controlled by an in‐house developed python script. In Stage III, neutral particles are transported from the phase space file at the bottom of the MLC into a 40×40×40 cm3 water phantom (150 cm source to surface distance). PDD curves and lateral dose profiles are computed from dose tallies in rectangular (0.1 cm3) volumes. Results: PDD simulation for an open 10.4×10.3 cm2 field agrees with measurement to within 4% up to 17 cm and within 8% up to 30 cm. A lateral dose profile at a depth of 1.7 cm matches well the overall shape of the profile. A representative simulation (1011 source particles) requires about 150 hours of CPU time on a dual, 2.4 GHz 8‐core Intel Xeon server. Conclusion: The developed MCNPX model is capable of reproducing measured data with sufficient accuracy for clinical applications. Efforts to improve agreement in the penumbra of lateral profiles are underway as well as tests of the model for various sizes of open and wedged fields.