cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Growth factor effects on costal chondrocytes for tissue engineering fibrocartilage.

Tissue-engineered fibrocartilage could become a feasible option for replacing tissues such as the knee meniscus or temporomandibular joint disc. This study employed five growth factors (insulin-like growth factor-I, transforming growth factor-β1, epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, and basic fibroblast growth factor) in a scaffoldless approach with costal chondrocytes, attempting to improve biochemical and mechanical properties of engineered constructs. Samples were quantitatively assessed for total collagen, glycosaminoglycans, collagen type I, collagen type II, cells, compressive properties, and tensile properties at two time points. Most treated constructs had lower biomechanical and biochemical properties than the controls with no growth factors, suggesting a detrimental effect, but the treatment with insulin-like growth factor-I tended to improve the constructs. Additionally, the 6-week time point was consistently better than that at 3 weeks, with total collagen, glycosaminoglycans, and aggregate modulus doubling during this time. Further optimization of the time in culture and exogenous stimuli will be important in making a more functional replacement tissue.
Why the crime of aggression will not reduce the practice of aggression

The new crime of aggression in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court poses a puzzle for constructivism. Although the norm against aggression has the support of a critical mass of states for it to cascade, the crime against aggression is predicted to have no significant effect. The reason is that the crime is overbroad; it makes no provision for humanitarian intervention and other quasi-legal but arguably legitimate operations. Despite the intent of the crime’s drafters, the statutory safeguards that prevent prosecutions for such operations are actually illusory. The crime as codified chills such quasi-legal but necessary operations, therefore it will not garner the support of a critical mass of frequent users of force that would be necessary for this norm to cascade also. Furthermore, the history of double-standards in other UN political and judicial bodies erodes confidence in the crime’s impartial application.
Continuous wave operation of distributed feedback quantum cascade lasers with low threshold voltage and low power consumption

We demonstrated the room temperature continuous wave (CW) operation of mid-infrared distributed feedback (DFB) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) made of strain balanced GaInAs/AlInAs material on InP substrates for sensing CO2 isotope and N2O gas for potential applications that need battery powered portable devices in a sensor network. For the former device at 4.35 μm wavelength, we demonstrated a low threshold voltage of less than 8 V for battery operation and a near circular far field pattern with small divergent angles of 33 by 28 degrees full width at half maximum (FWHM) in vertical and horizontal directions, respectively, for easy collimation. For the latter device at 4.5 μm wavelength, we demonstrated a low CW threshold power consumption of 0.7 W at 20 °C. A side mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of 30 dB was achieved within the whole operating current and temperature ranges for both lasers.
The kindergarten-path effect: studying on-line sentence processing in young children.

A great deal of psycholinguistic research has focused on the question of how adults interpret language in real time. This work has revealed a complex and interactive language processing system capable of rapidly coordinating linguistic properties of the message with information from the context or situation (e.g. Altmann & Steedman, 1988; Britt, 1994; Tanenhaus, Spivey-Knowlton, Eberhard & Sedivy, 1995; Trueswell & Tanenhaus, 1991). In the study of language acquisition, however, surprisingly little is known about how children process language in real time and whether they coordinate multiple sources of information during interpretation. The lack of child research is due in part to the fact that most existing techniques for studying language processing have relied upon the skill of reading, an ability that young children do not have or are only beginning to acquire. We present here results from a new method for studying children's moment-by-moment language processing abilities, in which a head-mounted eye-tracking system was used to monitor eye movements as participants responded to spoken instructions. The results revealed systematic differences in how children and adults process spoken language: Five Year Olds did not take into account relevant discourse/pragmatic principles when resolving temporary syntactic ambiguities, and showed little or no ability to revise initial parsing commitments. Adults showed sensitivity to these discourse constraints at the earliest possible stages of processing, and were capable of revising incorrect parsing commitments. Implications for current models of sentence processing are discussed.
PLASTID PROMOTER UTILIZATION IN A RICE EMBRYOGENIC CELL CULTURE

Plastid promoter utilization was characterized in rice by mapping transcript 5′-ends in samples derived from leaves and cultured embryogenic cells. We have found that rbcL, atpB and the rRNA operon are transcribed by the plastid-encoded plastid RNA polymerase (PEP), while clpP is transcribed by the nucleus-encoded plastid RNA polymerase (NEP) in both chloroplasts and the non-green plastids of embryogenic cultured cells. This finding is in contrast to reports on BY2 tobacco, in which NEP promoter activity in cultured cells was enhanced relative to leaves, facilitating identification of NEP promoters which are undetectable in chloroplasts. Therefore, it appears that activation of plastid NEP promoters in rice is not essential for adaptation to cell culture.
1125 CEREBRAL OLIGODENDROGLIOMAS OF CHILDHOOD

Oligodendrogliomas are rare in children. In 40 years (1935-1974), 12 histologically verified cases of oligodendroglioma in persons <20 years of age were reported to the Connecticut Tumor Registry, constituting 1-2% of all intracranial neoplasms in Connecticut children. Eleven occurred in the cerebral hemispheres; these cases were reviewed and the available slides were analyzed. The male to female ratio was 2.7:1; the age range was from 2 to 19 years with a mean age of 13.5 years. The chronicity of the process was evidenced by a mean duration of 50 months from the inset of symptoms to diagnosis. Seizures (64%), nausea/vomiting (55%), headache (45%), and cranial nerve palsies (45%) were the most common presenting symptoms while papilledema (45%) and paresis (27%) were the most frequent physical findings. A normal neurological exam was found at diagnosis in 36% of the children. Ten patients were operated upon; 7 of these also received radiation. One patient died before diagnosis. The mean survival with cerebral oligodendrogliomas was 61 months. Comparison of those treated with operation alone and those also treated with radiation revealed no statistically significant difference in survival Six patients survived longer than 5 years, and the functional status of these longer term survivors was determined: one has no neurologic deficit; one has a quadrantanopsia; one has a hemiparesis; two have seizures; and one has psychiatric disease and seizures.
Optical rotatory dispersion of egg proteins. I. Ovalbumin, conalbumin, ovomucoid, and lysozyme

Optical rotatory dispersions (ORD) of ovalbumin, conalbumin, ovomucoid, and lysozyme (muramidase) were measured in aqueous solution over a wavelength range of 195–600 mμ. The dispersion curves obeyed a one-term Drude equation above 300 mμ. The strong Cotton effects in the ultraviolet showed peaks and troughs at about the same wavelength for all four proteins, but the crossover point for the 225 mμ Cotton effect for ovomucoid was appreciably lower than for the other proteins. Helical contents calculated by using the Moffitt equation, the trough value of the 225 mμ Cotton effect, and the expressions for helical content recently proposed by Schechter and Blout ranged from 5 to 34%. Except for ovomucoid, the trough value of the 225 mμ Cotton effect gave the lowest helical content.
Signal Delay in General RC Networks

Based upon the delay of Elmore, a single value of delay is derived for any node in a general RC network. The effects of parallel connections and stored charge are properly taken into consideration. A technique called tree decomposition and load redistribution is introduced that is capable of dealing with general RC networks without sacrificing a number of desirable properties of tree networks. An experimental simulator called SDS (Signal Delay Simulator) has been developed. For all the examples tested so far, this simulator runs two to three orders of magnitude faster than SPICE, and detects all transitions and glitches at approximately the correct time.
Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Polycrystalline Phospholipid Monolayer Shells: Novel Solid Microparticles

A polycrystalline phospholipid monolayer self-assembled at the surface of an air microbubble in aqueous solution represents a novel material structure: in essence, a solid shell of wax with micrometer-scale dimensions and a thickness of only a single molecule. Micropipet manipulation of these microparticles revealed the dependence of the mechanical properties of the lipid shells, specifically, yield shear and shear viscosity, on the composition, grain microstructure, and thermal processing of the material, in particular the cooling rate of the shells from the melt. Properties were measured as a function of the (1) lipid composition at a fixed cooling rate and (2) cooling rate at a fixed lipid composition. Epifluorescent microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the morphology of the 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine monolayer microstructure, which develops upon freezing from the melt, is dependent on the cooling rate through the lipid transition temperature Tm, with larg...
A dynamic, nonstationary inventory problem for a price/quantity setting firm

A dynamic and nonstationary model is formulated for a firm which attempts to minimize total expected costs over a finite planning horizon. The control variables are price and production. The price p and the demand ζ are linked through the relationship ζ = g(p) + η, where g(p) is the riskless demand curve and η is a random variable. The general model allows for proportional ordering costs, convex holding and stockout costs, downward sloping riskless demand curve, backlogging, partial backlogging, lost sales, partial spoilage of inventory, and two modes of collecting revenue. Sufficient conditions are developed for this problem to have an optimal policy which resembles the single critical number policy known from stochastic inventory theory. It is also shown what set of parameters will satisfy these sufficiency conditions.
Biologic agent use varies inversely with age at diagnosis in Crohn's disease.

For patients with Crohn’s disease, age at onset is known to influence the clinical course of the illness. The aim of this study is to seek an association between age at onset of Crohn’s disease and use of biologic agents for its treatment. We reviewed the medical records of 127 veteran patients with Crohn’s disease treated at our hospital, and compared differences in age at disease onset between patients who had received biologics and those who had not. The mean age of our patients was 54.9 ± 15.4 years, and 34% were currently receiving or had previously received treatment with a biologic agent. For those with biologic use, average age at time of diagnosis of Crohn’s disease was 32.3 ± 12.2 years, compared with 43.7 ± 16.3 years for those who had not received biologics (P = 0.005). This relationship remained significant even after controlling for disease severity. The frequency of use of biologic agents varied inversely with age at diagnosis. For patients diagnosed before age 21 years, 55.5% had used biologics, whereas no patient >70 years of age at time of diagnosis had used biologics. We found no significant correlation between biologic use and duration of disease, smoking or ethnicity. Perianal disease and concomitant arthritis were both significantly associated with use of biologics. In our veteran patients with Crohn’s disease, frequency of treatment with a biologic agent varied inversely with age at disease onset.
Hand Gesture Recognition in Real-Time for Automotive Interfaces: A Multimodal Vision-based Approach and Evaluations

In this paper, we develop a vision-based system that employs a combined RGB and depth descriptor to classify hand gestures. The method is studied for a human-machine interface application in the car. Two interconnected modules are employed: one that detects a hand in the region of interaction and performs user classification, and another that performs gesture recognition. The feasibility of the system is demonstrated using a challenging RGBD hand gesture data set collected under settings of common illumination variation and occlusion.
Generation, detection, and applications of quantum hyper-entangled and entangled states

Methods of generating N00N, M&N, linear combinations of M&N states as well as more complicated quantum entangled and quantum hyper-entangled states will be considered. Quantum hyper-entanglement refers to quantum entanglement in more than one degree of freedom, e.g. energy-time, polarization, orbital angular momentum, etc. Internal noise and loss within the entanglement or hyper-entanglement generators and external noise and loss due to atmospheric effects and detectors are modeled. Analysis related to the devices that generate these entangled or hyperentangled states will be provided. The following will be derived: closed form expressions for wave function normalization, wave function, density operator, reduced density operator, phase error bound, the symmetrized logarithmic derivative, the quantum Fisher information, the quantum Cramer-Rao lower bound, the relevant projection operators and the related probability of detection expressions. Generation and detection of the entangled or hyperentangled states will be considered. The entanglement generators will use linear and nonlinear optical devices. Optimization criteria for the quantum states, generation and detection schemes and designs optimal with respect to the criteria will be discussed. Applications of the generated states for producing super sensitivity and super resolution will be discussed. The fundamental role of coincidence measurement for generating entanglement is included. Hyperentanglement offers N times classical resolution, where N is a quantum number associated with the system.
Physical habitat quality and interspecific competition interact to influence territory settlement and reproductive success in a cavity nesting bird

Determining how to best measure habitat quality is essential for many conservation plans and basic ecological questions. Territory quality is thought to be a product of physical habitat characteristics (i.e. habitat quality) and the density of competitors yet these relationships are rarely demonstrated. Occupancy rates, or how often a territory has been used since its establishment, are often used as a proxy for habitat quality. We tested the utility of occupancy rates as a proxy of habitat quality by comparing it with reproductive output in eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis). We then tested the extent to which occupancy rates are influenced by physical habitat quality (land cover via remote sensing), aggressive interspecific competition with tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), and the individual quality of the breeding birds. We found that occupancy was the best predictor of reproductive output although female age and habitat openness also contributed to reproductive success. Habitat openness and competition with tree swallows best predicted site occupancy. Bluebirds appeared to avoid settling in areas of higher interspecific competition with tree swallows, but when bluebirds settled in areas of higher interspecific competition, physical (spatial) habitat quality was a good predictor of settlement location. Thus, our results suggest that although historical occupancy of territories is an accurate and easy-to-measure proxy of reproductive output, the realized habitat quality is a product of the tradeoffs between spatial habitat quality and interspecific competition. Here, we show that aggressive interspecific competition interacts with spatial habitat to influence settlement. A better understanding of how these variables influence settlement and productivity may better enable the management of source, rather than sink, habitats.
Carotene Utilization in the Newborn Calf

Summary Experiments were conducted with 18 newborn dairy calves to study carotene utilization. Holstein, Guernsey, and Jersey male calves were fed a skim milk-low carotene ration from birth without having received colostrum. Crystalline carotene in peanut oil or lard, alfalfa leaf meal and a commercial carotene concentrate were used as sources of carotene. Blood plasma levels and liver storage of carotene and vitamin A, growth and general well-being were used as criteria of carotene utilization. The onset of infection and scours shortly after birth reduced the absorption and utilization of carotene regardless of the amounts fed. Alfalfa leaf meal and laboratory preparations of crystalline carotene in peanut oil or lard were unsatisfactory as sources of carotene for the newborn calf. Satisfactory prevention and control of scours was obtained in most cases by oral administration of 4 to 8 grams of sulfathalidine daily for the first week. When scours were controlled, newborn calves were able to utilize the carotene in a commercial concentrate at a rate sufficient to provide for satisfactory growth and some storage in vitamin A in the liver.
Factors affecting renal function after open partial nephrectomy-a comparison of clampless and clamped warm ischemic technique.

Objective To analyze factors impacting postoperative renal function after open partial nephrectomy using both the clampless and clamped warm-ischemic technique. Methods We studied a cohort of patients who underwent clamped partial nephrectomy (n = 164) and clampless partial nephrectomy (n = 64) from March 2002 to March 2009 with ≥12-months follow-up. Clamped partial nephrectomy used hilar occlusion before resection. Clampless partial nephrectomy used focal radio frequency coagulation to facilitate hemostasis before resection, nonischemic dissection/resection with hydro-dissection, or sharp resection after local compression. Demographics, tumor characteristics/RENAL nephrometry scores, perioperative variables, and complications were compared between the two methods. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify factors predicting de novo estimated glomerular filtration rate Results Patient characteristics were similar between groups. Mean RENAL score was greater in clamped (6.9) vs clampless (6.4, P = .026); complications ( P = .430) and urine leaks (clampless partial nephrectomy 3.1% vs clamped-PN 7.3%, P = .360) were similar. Mean warm ischemia time (min) was 24.5 for clamped partial nephrectomy. De novo estimated glomerular filtration rate P = .071). Multivariable analysis of the entire cohort revealed increasing body mass index (OR 1.1, P = .042) and RENAL score (OR 1.71, P = .002) as being independently associated with development of postoperative de novo estimated glomerular filtration rate P = .028), RENAL score (OR 1.56, P = .010), and ischemia time (OR 1.15, P = .042) as independent factors associated with de novo estimated glomerular filtration rate Conclusion Body mass index and RENAL score were factors predictive of development of de novo estimated glomerular filtration rate
The morphology of ultrafine particles on and near major freeways

Abstract The morphology of ultrafine particles (UFPs; diameter 90%) electron-opaque particles were surrounded by an electron-transparent material. This suggests that much of these particles were heterogeneously internally mixed. The fraction of UFPs in a given morphology class collected on and at increasing downwind distance from the I-405 freeway was compared. The fraction of aggregates measured 90 m downwind of I-405 was significantly less than the fraction measured on the freeway ( p -value p -value
Histone gene expression: progeny of isolated early blastomeres in culture make the same change as in the embryo

Stage-specific changes in histone synthesis during sea urchin development reflect the expression of different sets of genes. The three kinds of blastomeres formed at the 16-cell stage are the earliest "determined" cells and fall into three distinct size classes. At this stage that cells synthesize only "early" histones. Such blastomeres can survive and divide in culture after being separated from the embryo, whether or not they are permitted to aggregate. With or without reaggregation, cultured progeny cells of each type of isolated blastomere perform the same changeover of histone synthesis as takes place in the intact embryo, that is, they begin spontaneously to synthesize a new set, the "late" histone variants. Normal contact relations among cells of the embryo are, therefore, not required for this programmed change in gene expression.
High pressure infrared spectroscopy of lipid bilayers: new tests for interdigitation.

Abstract High-pressure infrared spectroscopy is used to compare the barotropic behaviour of various interdigitated lipid bilayer systems (1,2-di-O-hexadecyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, 1,3-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-2-phosphocholine and 1-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) with non-interdigitated bilayers of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. In the pressure range between 0 and 20 kbar, we have monitored the pressure dependence of the relative peak height intensity ratio of the chain methylene scissoring band, δCH2, and its correlation field component band, δ′CH2. We demonstrate that this parameter, in conjunction with a visual inspection of the pressure-induced correlation field splittings of the methylene scissoring and rocking mode bands, can provide reliable indications of chain interdigitation.
Improving Accuracy and Performance Through Automatic Model Generation for Gate-Level Circuit PDES with Reverse Computation

Gate-level circuit simulation is an important step in the design and validation of complex circuits. This step of the process relies on existing libraries for gate specifications. We start with a generic gate model for Rensselaer's Optimistic Simulation System (ROSS), a parallel discrete-event simulation framework. This generic model encompasses all functionality needed by optimistic simulation using reverse computation. We then describe a parser system which uses a standardized gate library to create a specific model for simulation. The generated model is comprised of several function including those needed for an accurate model of timing behavior. To quantify the improvements that an automatically generated model can have over a hand written model we compare two gate library models: an automatically generated LSI-10K library model and a previously investigated, handwritten, simplified GTECH library model. We conclude that the automatically generated model is a more accurate model of actual hardware. The generated model also represents the timing behavior with an approximately 50 times higher degree of fidelity. In comparison to previous results, we find that the automatically generated model is able to achieve better optimistic simulation performance when measured against conservative simulation. We identify peak optimistic performance when using 128 MPI-Ranks on eight nodes of an IBM Blue Gene/Q machine.
How product–cause fit and donation quantifier interact in cause-related marketing (CRM) settings: evidence of the cue congruency effect

We are the first to examine the joint impact of product–cause fit and donation quantifier in the cause-related marketing (CRM) domain. We show that these two CRM cues interact in a unique manner, reflecting the cue congruency effect. Specifically, congruent combinations of these two cues result in high purchase intentions when the cues individually have positive effects. In all other cases, however, purchase intentions are low. Furthermore, we identify moderators of the above cue congruency effect. In Study 1, we show that the cue congruency effect is moderated by product-type, evidencing only in more hedonic product contexts. In Study 2, we show that the above cue congruency effect is moderated by purchase-type, evidencing in planned purchase contexts, but reversing in impulse purchase contexts. We discuss the process mechanism driving these effects, specify the contribution of this research for CRM, cue congruency and impulse purchases, and outline implications for practice.
CARD: a contact-based architecture for resource discovery in wireless ad hoc networks

Traditional protocols for routing in ad hoc networks attempt to obtain optimal or shortest paths, and in doing so may incur significant route discovery overhead. Such approaches may be appropriate for routing long-lived transfers where the initial cost of route discovery may be amortized over the life of the connection. For short-lived connections, however, such as resource discovery and small transfers, traditional shortest path approaches may be quite inefficient. In this paper we propose a novel architecture, CARD, for resource discovery in large-scale wireless ad hoc networks. Our mechanism is suitable for resource discovery as well as routing very small data transfers or transactions in which the cost of data transfer is much smaller than the cost of route discovery. Our architecture avoids expensive mechanisms such as global flooding and complex hierarchy formation and does not require any location information. In CARD resources within the vicinity of a node, up to a limited number of hops, are discovered using a proactive scheme. For resources beyond the vicinity, each node maintains a few distant nodes called contacts. Contacts help in creating a small world in the network and provide an efficient way to query for distant resources. Using contacts, the network view (or reachability) of the nodes increases, reducing the discovery overhead and increasing the success rate. On the other hand, increasing the number of contacts also increases control overhead. We study such trade-off in depth and present mechanisms for contact selection and maintenance that attempt to increase reachability with reduced overhead. Our schemes adapt gracefully to network dynamics and mobility using soft-state periodic mechanisms to validate and recover paths to contacts. Our simulation results show that CARD is scalable and can be configured to provide desirable performance for various network sizes. Comparisons with other schemes show overhead savings reaching over 93% (vs. flooding) and 80% (vs. bordercasting or zone routing) for high query rates in large-scale networks.
HIGHER EDUCATIONAL IMPACT ON STUDENT OBJECTIVES: Longitudinal Change in Clark-Trow "Educational Philosophies"

This study explores the impact of higher education on 3,942 arts and sciences students as measured by change in their freshman and senior ratings of four ClarkTrow "educational philosophies": vocational, academic, collegiate, and nonconformist (Clark and Trow, 1966). A repeated measures analysis of variance was applied to each of the four philosophies, controlling for sex, entering year, major, parents' educational background, scholastic aptitude, and academic motivation. As expected from Clark-Trow theory, students showed significant increases in academic and nonconformist philosophies, and decreases in vocational and collegiate philosophies. Relationships between independent variables and freshman-senior change suggested post hoc reinterpretation of the dimensions underlying the Clark-Trow "phenotypes": i.e., from "identification with the college" and "involvement with ideas" to "social interests" and "academic interests" (the latter suggested by Terenzini and Pascarella, 1977).
Working Hours and Life Satisfaction: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Latin America and the United States

This paper compares the life satisfaction and working hours of Latin Americans and U.S. Americans using the AmericasBarometer and General Social Survey. While there are many common determinants of happiness, hours worked is not among them. Differences in cultural values, especially the distinction between collectivism (familism) and individualism that has long been a foundation of social development theory, may be why married Latin American males are less happy than married U.S. American males when working longer hours. The distinction is not apparent among females or the unmarried.
An efficient training algorithm for dynamic synapse neural networks using trust region methods

We formulate the dynamic synapse neural network from the averaged activity of local population of neurons perspective. We have applied the trust region nonlinear optimization approach to train the network and show the new learning method effectiveness in comparison to the genetic algorithms by optimizing large-scale networks.
Time dependent behavior of ferroelectric materials undergoing changes in their material properties with electric field and temperature

Abstract This paper presents a time dependent polarization constitutive model suitable for predicting nonlinear polarization and electro-mechanical strain responses of ferroelectric materials subject to various histories of electric fields. The constitutive model is derived based on a single integral form with nonlinear (electric field and temperature dependent) integrand. The total polarization consists of the time-dependent and residual components. The residual component of the polarization is due to polarization switching in the ferroelectric materials. We use an ‘internal clock’ concept to incorporate the effect of electric field on the rate of polarization. The corresponding strain response is determined through the use of third order piezoelectric constant and/or fourth order electrostrictive constant that vary with polarization stage. It is assumed that in absence of polarization, both piezoelectric and electrostrictive constants are zero. To incorporate the effect of temperature on the overall polarization behavior all material parameters in the constitutive model are allowed to change with the ambient temperature. We present numerical studies on the effect of time, temperature, and electric field on the response of ferroelectric material followed by verification of the constitutive model. Experimental data on lead zirconate titanate (PZT) materials available in the literature are used to verify the model.
Comparison of three methods for genotyping the UGT1A1 (TA)n repeat polymorphism.

Abstract Objectives: The UGT1A1 promoter contains a (TA) n repeat polymorphism. The 7 repeat allele is associated with decreased enzyme activity and patients homozygous for this allele treated with irinotecan may experience life-threatening toxicity. Here, we have compared three methods [DNA sequencing, fragment analysis, and the Invader® assay (Third Wave Technologies)] for genotyping this polymorphism. Results: All of the DNA samples ( n = 119) had concordant genotype calls between the sequencing and size-based methods. The Invader® method was also concordant if the genotypes were 6/6, 6/7, or 7/7. Both the size-based method and the Invader® method had straightforward data analysis, while interpretation of the sequencing results was occasionally more challenging. The Invader® method required more concentrated DNA for analysis, was more expensive, and had a limited genotyping spectrum. Conclusion: All three methods were valuable for genotyping the UGT1A1 (TA) n repeat, with the sequencing and size-based assays having the fewest drawbacks.
Integrating multidimensional imaging, multimodality registration, and multimedia database for epilepsy diagnosis

This paper describes the architecture and capabilities of a compute-aided neurodiagnosis workstation prototype developed to integrate a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), automated image registration, and volumetric visualization to aid the non-invasive workups of epilepsy patients. This new approach of marrying volume visualization and image registration with a large scale PACS archive would make significant potential contribution to neurological diagnoses and pre-operative planning. This medical workstation can access and analyze multimodal brain images and patient records archived in the standardized PACS. Brain imaging modalities currently under study include magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and magnetoencephalography. The graphical user interface (GUI) is written on top of the popular X-window environment. It enables the physician to extract functional and structural information from multimedia patient data stored in PACS and textual information systems, as well as archiving them into a remote database server for future image indexing.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Evaluation of the transgenic p53+/− mouse for detecting genotoxic liver carcinogens in a short-term bioassay

The transgenic p53-deficient heterozygous (p53+/-) mouse is prone to both spontaneous and induced tumors and has been proposed for use in a sensitive, short-term (6 months) assay for identifying genotoxic, multispecies carcinogens. It is not clear, however, if a short-term assay with p53+/- mice detects agents that target certain organs, in particular, the liver. In this study, we treated neonatal male p53+/- and p53+/+ mice with the genotoxic carcinogens dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), and 6-nitrochrysene (6-NC). In keeping with the methodology of the proposed short-term assay, the p53+/- mice were evaluated for tumors 7 months after treatment. Wild-type neonatal mice treated with genotoxic carcinogens are known to develop tumors within 1 year; hence, the p53+/+ animals used as controls were subjected to pathological examination at 1 year of age. Our results showed that PhIP was not tumorigenic in either group of mice. Liver tumor incidence increased significantly in the p53+/+ mice treated with DMN and 6-NC, indicating that the conditions of the bioassay were conducive to the promotion of liver tumorigenesis. On the other hand, these two chemicals failed to induce a significant increase in liver tumors in the p53+/- mice by seven months. This result suggests that a deficiency in the amount of p53 protein does not lead to accelerated liver tumorigenesis in mice, and contrasts with previous reports that show a decreased latency of tumors in non-liver targets.
Suitability in fuzzy topological spaces

Abstract An L -fuzzy topological space is said to be suitable if it possesses a nontrivial crisp closed subset. Basic properties of and sufficient conditions for suitable spaces are derived. Characterizations of the suitable subspaces of the fuzzy unit interval, the fuzzy open unit interval, and the fuzzy real line are obtained. Suitability is L -fuzzy productive; nondegenerate 1 ∗ -Hausdorff spaces are suitable; the fuzzy unit interval, the fuzzy open unit interval, and the fuzzy real line are not suitable; and no suitable subspace of the fuzzy unit interval, the fuzzy open unit interval, or the fuzzy real line is a fuzzy retract of the fuzzy unit interval, the fuzzy open unit interval, or the fuzzy real line, respectively. Without restrictions there cannot be a fuzzy extension theorem.
A vibrational analysis with Fermi resonances for methoxy adsorption on Cu(111) using ab initio cluster calculations

An analysis of the vibrational frequencies observed with high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) and reflection adsorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) for methoxy adsorbed at the threefold sites on the Cu(111) surface has been performed using ab initio cluster calculations. The OC stretch and the CH3 bending and rock modes can readily be assigned with the computed harmonic vibrational frequencies, but the three-peak structure experimentally observed in the CH stretching region is more challenging. The frequencies of the first overtone for the CH3 bending modes are found to be very close to the fundamental CH stretching frequencies suggesting that a Fermi resonance between the two types of modes might take place. We verify this origin for the three-peak structure in the CH stretching region by using a simple numerical differentiation procedure to estimate the energy third derivatives, which should be the principal cause of the coupling between the CH stretching fundamentals and the bending overtones. Using this procedure we compute three dipole active modes in the CH stretching region with a relative intensity pattern very similar to that observed in the HREELS and RAIRS. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 77: 350–357, 2000
Developing Trends and Issues in U.S. Outdoor and Adventure-Based Programming

This paper explores trends and issues in outdoor and adventure-based programming in the United States. Many of the trends and issues hold valuable lessons for practitioners and scholars worldwide. The trends and issues included were gathered through interviews with a panel of professionals, checked throughout multiple regional, national and international conferences over a two-year period and supported from the literature. The specific trends and issues discussed are: a) cultural diversity and changing demographics; b) nature-deficit disorder; c) older adult participation; d) public land access; e) professionalization of outdoor leaders, and f) program outcome accountability through evidence-based research.
Inactivation of esterases by impurities isolated from technical malathion.

Abstract Compounds previously identified as contaminants of technical malathion were found to diminish the activity of serum malathion carboxylesterase, liver malathion carboxylesterase, and serum cholinesterase in vitro and in vivo . The compounds tested were, in increasing order of potency, O,O,S -trimethyl phosphorodithioate, O,O,S -trimethyl phosphorothioate, O,S,S -trimethyl phosphorodithioate, and O,S -dimethyl S -(1,2-dicarboethoxy)ethyl phosphorodithioate. In vivo , the diminutions of serum esterase activity caused by these compounds were transient, with the exception of the diminutions caused by O,O,S -trimethyl phosphorothioate, which persisted for at least 54 hr. The most potent of these esterase inactivators, also known as isomalathion, is of particular interest as a possible contributor to an epidemic of malathion poisonings among malaria workers in Pakistan.
Structural changes in the proximal tubule of kidneys from hypophysectomized rats.

The present study was undertaken to determine what structural changes hypophysectomy would cause in the rat kidney. Proximal convoluted tubule cells from hypophysectomized rats were smaller and their length was decreased when compared to kidneys from control animals of approximately the same weight as the hypophysectomized animals. Electron microscopic observation of the kidneys from the hypophysectomized rats revealed that the cells of the proximal convoluted tubules had (1) an increase in size and number of dense bodies (type II cytosome); (2) a decrease in smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER); (3) a decrease in basilar infoldings; (4) an increase in the frequency of mitochondria cristae aligned in their longitudinal axis and (5) a change in the character of the profiles of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) related to microbodies (type I cytosome) from a vesicular to tubular arrangement. The changes noted in the cells of the proximal convoluted tubules of hypophysectomized rats were similar to previously described changes observed in tubular atrophy.
Morphological alterations in mammalian neurons in vitro in response to hypertonic solutions

Neurons in cultures of central nervous tissue exhibited marked structural changes when exposed to hypertonic solutions. Cellular reactions were described in living neurons as well as after fixation and staining in preparations observed with both the light and electron microscope. The structures involved in these changes were mainly the nucleolus, the nucleus and the Nissl substance. In living neurons, observed with phase contrast optics, the nucleolus became invisible in hypertonic medium. This change occurred within a few seconds, and it was reversible when the cells were brought back to isotonic solutions. Fixation of the cells while exposed to hypertonic solution caused the nucleolus to reappear as a granular body. In stained preparations it appeared as a more irregular body in contrast to the smoothly outlined nucleolus in normal cells. In electron microscopic preparations of neurons which were fixed while exposed to hypertonic solutions the nucleolus was visible only as “nucleolar shadow”, overlaid by a few small irregular bodies of higher electron density than other nuclear contents. The nuclear membrane of living neurons exposed to hypertonic media lost much of its sharp definition and became rather hazy in outline. The nuclear diameter increased about 10% in hypertonic medium, and the nuclear space became somewhat denser when observed with the phase contrast microscope. In Nissl stained preparations the nuclear space was filled with many small granular or rod-shaped bodies in contrast to the clear vesicular appearance of the nuclei of untreated cells. In electron microscopic preparations the nuclear space exhibited a spotty appearance due to the presence of electron dense and light areas. In living neurons immersed in hypertonic solutions the Nissl substance showed a slight increase in phase density, especially after repeated changes between hypertonic and isotonic solutions. Sometimes a distinct striation in the Nissl substance appeared. In Nissl stained preparations there was no marked change observed in comparison with normal cells. However, in the electron microscope, the Nissl substance of hypertonically treated cells exhibited a marked structural change. The membrane-bound spaces of the endoplasmic reticulum assumed a rather precise orientation parallel to the cell membrane so that in extreme cases a concentric arrangement of endoplasmic cisternae was observed. The normal arrangement of ribosomal granules in rosettes and clusters became disturbed and the granules were more uniformly distributed. The cells as whole units showed a distinct shrinkage in hypertonic solution which may account for the more crowded appearance of various organelles such as mitochondria and Golgi complexes. There was also a marked increase in agranular reticulum profiles and small membrane bound vesicles in treated cells. Vacuoles appeared frequently in the cytoplasm of treated cells; they disappeared upon re-immersion in isotonic medium.
Arbitrary $N$-vortex solutions to the first order Ginzburg-Landau equations

We prove that a set ofN not necessarily distinct points in the plane determine a unique, real analytic solution to the first order Ginzburg-Landau equations with vortex numberN. This solution has the property that the Higgs field vanishes only at the points in the set and the order of vanishing at a given point is determined by the multiplicity of that point in the set. We prove further that these are the onlyC∞ solutions to the first order Ginzburg-Landau equations.
Beyond polling alone: The quest for an informed public

Abstract Converse's seminal 1964 article explored three crucial limitations of public opinion as it is revealed in conventional polls: information levels, belief systems, and nonattitudes. These limitations are significant from the standpoint of democratic theory, but it is possible to design forms of public consultation and of social‐science research that will reveal what public opinion might be like if these limitations were somehow overcome. Deliberative Polling is an effort to explore the contours of such a counterfactual public opinion—one that is more informed and engaged than is the mass public. Doing so requires going beyond “polling alone.”
Health status and medical care utilization.

The focus of private and public interest in the nations health care enterprise has been, increasingly, on its cost. Less attention has been paid, except perhaps in research circles, to the status of the nations health and medical care utilization. The data below seeks to provide readers with the highlights of the latest information available on health status and medical care utilization in the United States.
Incidence and management of seroma after arteriovenous graft placement.

Background Perigraft seromas are rare complications of insertion of PTFE hemodialysis grafts. They are often difficult to treat and recurrence is common. This study evaluates the incidence, potential etiologic variables, and management strategies for seromas after prosthetic arteriovenous graft (AVG) placement. Study design A retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing AVG placement between August 2002 and December 2005 was performed to identify all patients diagnosed with seroma requiring surgical intervention. Multiple variables were analyzed to determine potential risk factors for seroma formation and outcomes of various forms of surgical management. Results In this interval, 535 AVG were inserted in 427 patients. Ten patients presented with a seroma and underwent surgical treatment. Overall incidence of seroma formation was 1.7%. There was no significant difference in seroma formation based on gender, age, diabetes, lower extremity versus upper extremity placement, or loop forearm versus straight forearm grafts. A statistically significant difference was found between upper arm (p = 0.007) and lower arm grafts (p = 0.04), with upper arm grafts more prone to seroma formation. Patients undergoing bypass of the seromatous segment of graft have not had a recurrence, compared with those who were simply evacuated and have had a mean patency of 402 days. Conclusions Seroma complications after AVG insertion are higher in patients with upper arm grafts. To minimize this complication, meticulous operative technique is required. If a seroma develops, the graft might still be salvageable with aggressive management, including bypass of the involved segment.
Electron-Precise/Deficient La5-xCaxGe4 (3.4 ≤ x ≤ 3.8) and Ce5-xCaxGe4 (3.0 ≤ x ≤ 3.3): Probing Low-Valence Electron Concentrations in Metal-Rich Gd5Si4-type Germanides

We report for the first time the syntheses of electron-precise/deficient alloys, Ln5-xCaxGe4 (Ln = La, Ce; x = 3.37, 3.66, 3.82 for La; x = 3.00, 3.20, 3.26 for Ce), in the metal-rich R5Tt4 Zintl system (R = rare earth metal; Tt = Si, Ge). The new alloys extend the phase width from electron-rich to open-shell electron-deficient region in the metal-rich Zintl system and demonstrate possible occurrence of varied electron deficiencies in Zintl phases without structural changes, as a result of other existing structure-forming factors.
Coherently Controlled Multidimensional Optical Spectroscopy

Multidimensional optical spectroscopy of potassium dimer is demonstrated using a 2D femtosecond pulse shaper with excellent phase stability. Coherent control of intramolecular dynamics is achieved by introducing specific pulse sequences and chirps.