cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the absolute photon sensitivity of gold cathode photoelectric detectors

The responses of gold cathode photoelectric detectors to photons in the 3 to 7.5 keV energy band have been measured using synchrotron radiation. The photoelectron detectors under study have cathodes with a conical configurations. Their sensitivities with respect to position on the cathode are nearly uniform (within 30 percent) over approximately 65 percent of the cone surface. The responses fall rapidly near the outer edges. Sensitivities with respect to the photon angle of incidence are proportional to (sin θ)-1. In the photon energy band covered, the measured response of the detectors are approximately 20 percent lower than the responses measured with conventional x-ray sources. These differences are due to differences in the geometries of the two calibrations.
Correlation of Prenatal Renal Pelvic Anteroposterior Diameter with Outcome in Infancy

AbstractPurpose: We attempted to correlate prenatal renal pelvic anteroposterior diameter with outcome in infancy.Materials and Methods: Between May 1992 and March 1994 we identified 27 cases of fetal hydronephrosis in which renal pelvic anteroposterior diameter was 4 mm. or greater before 33 weeks of gestation and 7 mm. or greater at or after 33 weeks of gestation.Results: Hydronephrosis was bilateral in 18 fetuses and unilateral in 9. Shortly after birth radiological assessment revealed vesicoureteral reflux in 6 neonates, ureteropelvic junction obstruction in 6, extrarenal pelves in 3 and persistent nonobstructive hydronephrosis in 4. Radiological evaluation was normal in 8 newborns.Conclusions: When these screening criteria for hydronephrosis are met prenatally a complete radiological assessment should be done following birth.
Specificity and mechanism analysis of hepatitis C virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.

Abstract The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase encoded by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5B gene has been expressed as a nonfusion protein in bacterial cells and purified to homogeneity using sequential chromatographic columns. The purified NS5B protein exhibited RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity using poly(A) template and the K m and V max were determined as 8.4 μM and 1976 pmol/mg-min, respectively. This full-length NS5B protein exhibited much stronger binding affinity toward the 30-mer poly(G) than other homopolymeric RNAs of the same size. For the first time, we demonstrate that the HCV NS5B was able to bind various ribonucleotides. Using a panel of oligonucleotides varying in length, we studied the NS5B catalytic efficiency and proposed the size of the NS5B active site to be 8–10 nucleotides. The multifunctional nature of NS5B protein is also discussed and compared with other viral RNA polymerases.
Assessing Public Ground-Water Supplies in Illinois

Illinois aquifers furnish approximately 233 mgd (10.2 m3/s) of water to 677 public-water supplies outside the six-county area of northeastern Illinois. Ground water is usually obtained from sand-and-gravel deposits in the glacial drift or from limestone or sandstone formations in the underlying bedrock. The most favorable ground-water conditions are found in the northern third and the southern tip of the State, while, elsewhere, major aquifers are sand-and-gravel deposits of the Mississippi, Illinois, buried Mahomet, Wabash, Ohio, Kaskaskia, and Embarrass valleys. A brief review was made of data and information in the State Water Survey files for each public ground-water supply, and an assessment was given as adequate, marginal, or deficient, in terms of present demands. Twenty-four supplies were studied in greater detail, including calculations of aquifer sustained yields. The study indicated that 39 supplies were marginal and four were judged deficient in meeting current demands. The majority of the marginal and deficient supplies are located in the central third of the State; but so are most of the supplies (outside of north-eastern Illinois). The study represents the first of a three-part plan to: (1) define problem areas and determine priorities for studies in greater detail, (2) conduct regional studies, including test drilling, in problem areas to determine how great the water resource is, and (3) determine the water resource alternatives available to public ground-water supplies that are found to be inadequate.
Direct reimbursement to nurse practitioners: the importance of the Federal Employees Health Care Freedom of Choice Act (H.R. 382).

This article discusses H.R. 382: The Federal Employees Health Care Freedom of Choice Act, first introduced to Congress in 1987. This act would directly reimburse nurses, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, family and marriage therapists, and chiropractors under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Few third-party payers currently directly reimburse nurse practitioners. Passage of H.R. 382 is important because it would increase health care availability, make provisions for cost-effective care and increase provider choice. Direct reimbursement to nurse practitioners would not increase health insurance premiums, according to the Office of Personnel Management and the Congressional Budget Office. Suggested strategies for nurse practitioners to lobby for the bill are discussed.
PDC study of ordering effects due to nitrous oxide in a model membrane.

Abstract The gamma-gamma perturbed angular correlation technique has been used to measure the relative motion of lipid molecules in synthetic phospholipid bilayers perfused with the anesthetic gas nitrous oxide. Time-integrated anisotropies for 111 In, attached to the lipid headgroups, were determined above and below the order-fluid transition temperature. Compared to results with the pure bilayer, the data showed a three-fold decrease above and a four-fold decrease below the phase transition, suggesting a more ordered state of the membrane in the presence of the anesthetic.
Interaction of the conceptus and endometrium to establish pregnancy in mammals: role of interleukin 1β

Implantation and the establishment of pregnancy in mammals involves an intricate interplay of hormones, cytokines, growth factors, proteins, lipids, ions and the extracellular matrix between the uterine epithelium, stroma, immune cells and the conceptus trophectoderm. The divergent nature of implantation in the mouse, human and pig provides not only an interesting contrast in the establishment of pregnancy and early embryonic development but also intriguing similarities with regard to early endometrial-conceptus signaling. An interesting pro-inflammatory cytokine expressed in a number of mammalian species during the period of implantation is interleukin-1β (IL1B). The presence of IL1B might be involved with immunotolerance at the maternal-placental interface and has been proposed as one of the mediators in placental viviparity. The production of IL1B and other proinflammatory cytokines might play a role in establishing pregnancy through modulation of the nuclear factor kappa-B (NFKB) system in a number of species. A model for the regulation of cellular progesterone receptor expression and NFKB activation for endometrial receptivity and conceptus attachment is continuing to evolve and is discussed in the present review.
Trade Agreements and Incentives for Environmental Quality: A Western Hemisphere Example

Future bi- and multilateral trade and investment agreements are likely to include provisions for strengthening environmental standards. The re- cently negotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), for example, contains sev- eral environmental provisions that call for the sig- natories to work together to enhance the protection of human, animal, and plant life, and health. Further negotiations are anticipated be- tween the United States and Latin American na- tions, possibly setting the stage for a bargain between groups in “the North” representing envi- ronmental objectives and groups in “the South” representing trade expansion objectives. Groups in the United States call for environmen- tal actions in their less-affluent trading partners in the context of trade agreements for several rea- sons, including:
Brownian dynamics simulations of polymer behavior in nanofluidic and microfluidic systems

Brownian dynamics (BD) is a stochastic simulation method that can quantitatively describe the non-equilibrium behavior of long polymers (∼1 micron contour length) over long time scales (∼1 s). With the increasing use of nanofluidic and microfluidic devices for the handling of biopolymers such as DNA, BD has the potential to be a powerful design tool for the separation and transport processes carried out in these devices. As a coarse-grained simulation method, BD also serves as a natural bridge between atomistic and continuum modeling. In this talk, an introduction to the Brownian dynamics simulation method will be given along with simulation results for some applications of current interest. The introduction will review basic molecular models for polymers (bead-rod, bead-spring) and the stochastic differential equations used to describe their dynamics. The applications will focus on polyelectrolyte adsorption and electrophoresis.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Religiousness, Spiritual Seeking, and Authoritarianism: Findings from a Longitudinal Study

We use long-term longitudinal data from a sample (N = 155) of older age mainline Protestants, Catholics, and a small number of conservative Protestants to investigate the relations among church-centered religiousness, spiritual seeking, and authoritarianism. In late adulthood, religiousness was related positively, and spiritual seeking was related negatively, to authoritarianism; these relations held even after excluding conservative Protestants and controlling for education, gender, age cohort, and personal flexibility. We find a similar pattern using measures of religiousness, spiritual seeking, and control variables scored in early adulthood, a time interval of close to 40 years.
The application of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS) to the structural characterization of natural organic matter

Abstract This report describes the application of electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry to the structural characterization of soil organic material, a critical component of environmental processes and the global carbon cycle. Quadrupole time-of-flight (QqTOF) mass spectrometry provided a routine screening of aqueous ions in humic and fulvic acid mixtures and MS/MS capabilities for selected ions. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT–ICR) mass spectrometry required longer analysis time but achieved resolving powers >80,000 and mass accuracies of
Neighbor–neighbor interactions in single‐strand polynucleotides: Optical rotatory dispersion studies of the ribonucleotide ApApCp

The neighbor–neighbor interactions in the small ribotrinucleotide ApApCp were investigated with the aid of optical rotatory dispersion measurements. This trinucleotide shows a Cotton effect between 220 and 325 mμ, in the region of its maximum ultraviolet absorption. The specific rotation of the trinucleotide is independent of concentration while the magnitude of the Cotton effect (levorotation) decreases markedly with increasing temperature. Such effects were not observed with the component nucleotides alone, in a simulated hydrolysis mixture, nor with the hydrolyzed trinucleotide. The Cotton effect is attributed to perturbation of the nucleotide base chromophores by neighbor–neighbor intramolecular interaction (stacking), without any hydrogen bonding being involved; this interaction decreases with increasing temperature because of increased internal rotational freedom about the single bonds of the backbone chain with an accompanying disruption of the neighbor–neighbor interaction between the bases. This explanation is supported by a statistical mechanical theory of neighbor-neighbor interactions in polynucleotides, involving the forces between the bases. Application of this technique to further studies of polynucleotides and polypeptides is discussed.
The rapid and decremental change in haem oxygenase mRNA during erythroid differentiation of murine erythroleukaemia cells

Changes in mRNA for haem oxygenase (HO), the rate-limiting enzyme for haem catabolism, were examined in murine Friend-virus transformed erythroleukaemia (MEL) cells while they were induced to undergo erythroid cell differentiation by treatment with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). When MEL cells were treated with 1.5% (v/v) DMSO, a rapid decrease in HO mRNA content was observed (less than 12 h) which reached the lowest value at 18 h (18% of the untreated control). HO mRNA levels remained at substantially lower levels (approximately 50%) than those in untreated controls thereafter. A rapid decline in HO mRNA may be involved in the cellular events that determine the onset of erythroid differentiation.
Synthesis and properties of cellulose furoates. Nucleophilic displacement reactions of bromo-substituted cellulose furoates with tertiary amines☆

Abstract Cellulose furoates were prepared by the reaction of purified cotton cellulose with 2-furoyl chloride, 5-bromo-2-furoyl chloride, 5-methyl-2-furoyl chloride, and 2-furanacryloyl chloride in pyridine as the acid scavenger, with N,N-dimethylformamide as the diluent. The bromo-substituted cellulose furoates underwent nucleophilic displacement reactions with pyridine, N,N-dimethylcyclohexylamine, and triethylamine to give the corresponding quaternary salts. Infared spectra and physical properties of the fibrous cellulose furoates are reported. The mechanism of the nucleophilic displacement reaction is discussed.
Lipopolysaccharide Is a Potent Monocyte/Macrophage-specific Stimulator of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Expression

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) potently stimulates human immunodeficiency virus type 1-long terminal repeat (HIV-1-LTR) CAT constructs transfected into monocyte/macrophage-like cell lines but not a T cell line. This effect appears to be mediated through the induction of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B). Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrate that LPS induces a DNA binding activity indistinguishable from NF-kappa B in U937 and THP-1 cells. LPS is also shown to dramatically increase HIV-1 production from a chronically infected monocyte/macrophage-like cloned cell line, U1, which produces very low levels of HIV-1 at baseline. The stimulation of viral production from this cell line occurs only if these cells are treated with granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) before treatment with LPS. This stimulation of HIV-1 production is correlated with an increase in the level of HIV-1 RNA and and activation of NF-kappa B. LPS is not able to induce HIV-1 production in a cloned T cell line. The effect of LPS on HIV-1 replication occurs at picogram per milliliter concentrations and may be clinically significant in understanding the variability of the natural history of HIV-1 infection.
Eosinophilic Granulocytes as a Possible Source of Vitamin B12-Binding Protein

Leucocyte B12 and B12-binding capacity were measured by Simultrac radioassay in eosinophilic granulocytes, neutrophilic granulocytes and leucocytes obtained from patients with chronic granulocytic and lymphocytic leukaemia. It is shown that (a) eosinophils are a possible source of B12-binding protein similar to neutrophils and (b) granulocytes in myeloproliferative disorders and normal neutrophils have similar B12 and B12-binding capacity indicating that increased B12 and B12-binding capacity in myeloproliferative disorders arise from an increase in myeloid cell turnover.
A multi-center population-based case–control study of ovarian cancer in African-American women: the African American Cancer Epidemiology Study (AACES)

Ovarian cancer (OVCA) is the leading cause of death from gynecological cancer, with poorer survival for African American (AA) women compared to whites. However, little is known about risk factors for OVCA in AA. To study the epidemiology of OVCA in this population, we started a collaborative effort in 10 sites in the US. Here we describe the study and highlight the challenges of conducting a study of a lethal disease in a minority population. The African American Cancer Epidemiology Study (AACES) is an ongoing, population-based case–control study of OVCA in AA in 10 geographic locations, aiming to recruit 850 women with invasive epithelial OVCA and 850 controls age- and geographically-matched to cases. Rapid case ascertainment and random-digit-dialing systems are in place to ascertain cases and controls, respectively. A telephone survey focuses on risk factors as well as factors of particular relevance for AAs. Food-frequency questionnaires, follow-up surveys, biospecimens and medical records are also obtained. Current accrual of 403 AA OVCA cases and 639 controls exceeds that of any existing study to date. We observed a high proportion (15%) of deceased non-responders among the cases that in part is explained by advanced stage at diagnosis. A logistic regression model did not support that socio-economic status was a factor in advanced stage at diagnosis. Most risk factor associations were in the expected direction and magnitude. High BMI was associated with ovarian cancer risk, with multivariable adjusted ORs and 95% CIs of 1.50 (0.99-2.27) for obese and 1.27 (0.85- 1.91) for morbidly obese women compared to normal/underweight women. AACES targets a rare tumor in AAs and addresses issues most relevant to this population. The importance of the study is accentuated by the high proportion of OVCA cases ascertained as deceased. Our analyses indicated that obesity, highly prevalent in this population (>60% of the cases), was associated with increased OVCA risk. While these findings need to be replicated, they suggest the potential for an effective intervention on the risk in AAs. Upon completion of enrollment, AACES will be the largest epidemiologic study of OVCA in AA women.
Role of graphitic carbon particles in radiative transfer in the arctic haze

Large concentrations of combustion-generated graphitic carbon particles have been identified at ground level and at altitude in the Arctic atmosphere. Concentrations of these particles during certain times of year and at certain altitudes are comparable to those in urban centers in the United States. These graphitic particles, which have a structure similar to carbon black, have been identified on a molecular level using Raman spectroscopy at sites in the Alaskan, Canadian, and Norwegian Arctic. The black particles are very effective absorbers of solar radiation and can lead to significant heating effects, depending primarily on their distribution in time and space. Recent measurements from an airplane indicate that high concentrations of graphitic particles occur throughout the Arctic troposphere, and at certain altitudes the concentrations can be significantly higher than at ground level. The implications of these results to radiative transfer will be discussed.
Approximation by translates of refinable functions

The functions\(f_1(x), \dots, f_r(x)\) are refinable if they are combinations of the rescaled and translated functions\(f_i(2x-k)\) . This is very common in scientific computing on a regular mesh. The space \(V_0\) of approximating functions with meshwidth\(h=1\) is a subspace of \(V_1\) with meshwidth\(h=1/2\) . These refinable spaces have refinable basis functions. The accuracy of the computations depends on \(p\), the order of approximation, which is determined by the degree of polynomials\(1, x, \dots, x^{p-1}\) that lie in \(V_0\). Most refinable functions (such as scaling functions in the theory of wavelets) have no simple formulas. The functions\(f_i(x)\) are known only through the coefficients\(c_k\) in the refinement equation – scalars in the traditional case,\(r \times r\) matrices for multiwavelets. The scalar "sum rules" that determine\(p\) are well known. We find the conditions on the matrices\(c_k\) that yield approximation of order\(p\) from \(V_0\). These are equivalent to the Strang–Fix conditions on the Fourier transforms\(\hat f_i(\omega)\) , but for refinable functions they can be explicitly verified from the \(c_k\).
Looking Inside the Labor Market: A Review Article

When unemployed workers are available, why don't firms cut wages until the excess supply is eliminated? In his book, Why Wages Don't Fall During a Recession, Truman F. Bewley concludes, based on interviews with managers and labor leaders, that the most important factor inhibiting wage cuts is the psychological factor of morale. Bewley's field research has made an outstanding contribution to our knowledge of labor markets, by providing a close-up view of exactly what happens from the vantage point of the participants.
Revisiting the Nuclear ‘War Scare’ of 1983: Lessons Retro- and Prospectively

Between 1979 and 1983, relations between the United States and NATO and the Soviet Union deteriorated gradually due to disagreements and controversies growing out of Cold War rivalry. Some Soviet leaders apparently convinced themselves that there was a nontrivial likelihood of a US or NATO nuclear first use or first strike in the near future, and Soviet intelligence agencies were tasked to anticipate it. A NATO exercise in the autumn of 1983 taking place in this hothouse atmosphere possibly lent itself to misperceptions of American and NATO intentions on account of its realism and some Soviet mind sets. The following discussion revisits the 1983 ‘war scare’ episode by: (1) reviewing high water marks in the political context leading up to the 1983 ‘war scare’ situation; (2) considering quantitative evidence on US and Soviet strategic nuclear force structures and possible operational performances; and (3) deriving from this analysis certain conclusions about the ‘war scare’ of 1983 and its wider significance.
Insights into morphogenesis from a simple developmental system.

We are only starting to understand the molecular mechanisms that underlie cell and tissue movements during morphogenesis in metazoans. Dictyostelium discoideum provides a valuable model system for understanding these events — as it has for chemotaxis — despite the many differences that exist between this social amoeba and more complex organisms. Genetic and genomic studies, combined with real-time imaging, have identified key pathways that regulate morphogenesis in D. discoideum, and which are likely to have similar roles in metazoans.
High-performance sensor platform based on electroactive polymers

The performance of new biosensor design - Micro-ElectroMechanical Diaphragm (MEMD) - made from PVDF piezoelectric polymer is reported. The resonant frequencies changing with featured size of MEMD are characterized. The resonant behavior in liquid media shows that the damping effect of MEMD is lower than that of MC. Yeast cell detection demonstrated the feasibility of using this platform as biosensor in real time detection. Finally, the preliminary study on microelectronic fabrication of MEMD is presented.
Positive vibrational entropy of chemical ordering in FeV.

Inelastic neutron scattering and nuclear resonant inelastic x-ray scattering were used to measure phonon spectra of FeV as a B2 ordered compound and as a bcc solid solution. The two data sets were combined to give an accurate phonon density of states, and the phonon partial densities of states for V and Fe atoms. Contrary to the behavior of ordering alloys studied to date, the phonons in the B2 ordered phase are softer than in the solid solution. Ordering increases the vibrational entropy by +0.22±0.03k_B/atom, which stabilizes the ordered phase to higher temperatures. First-principles calculations show that the number of electronic states at the Fermi level increases upon ordering, enhancing the screening between ions, and reducing the interatomic force constants. The effect of screening is larger at the V atomic sites than at the Fe atomic sites.
Metallsalze von Diazoamidobenzol

1. Mercuridiazoamidobenzol kann hergestellt werden durch Verruhren von metallischem Quecksilber mit einer Losung von Diazoamidobenzol in einfachen Alkoholen oder Benzol. Diese Reaktion geht nur in Gegenwart von Sauerstoff vor sich.
Sensing with prism-based near-infrared surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy on nanohole array platforms.

Nanohole arrays exhibit unique surface plasmon resonance (SPR) characteristics according to hole periodicity, diameter, and excitation wavelength (λSPR). This contribution investigates the SPR characteristics and surface sensitivity of various nanohole arrays with the aim of tuning the parameters for optimal sensing capability. Both the Bragg surface plasmons (SPs) arising from diffraction by the periodic holes and the traditional propagating SPs are characterized with emphasis on sensing capability of the propagating SPs. Several trends in bulk sensitivity and penetration depth were established, and the surface sensitivity was calculated from bulk sensitivity and penetration depth of the SPs for different analyte thicknesses. Increased accuracy and precision in penetration depth values were achieved by incorporating adsorbate effects on substrate permittivity. The optimal nanohole array conditions for highest surface sensitivity were determined (820 nm periodicity, 0.27 diameter/periodicity, and λSPR = 1...
Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics in Engineering and Science

The field of nonequilibrium thermodynamics has been a popular one outside the United States, especially in Europe, and scientists there from various disciplines have published extensively on the use of nonequilibrium thermodynamics in a large variety of biological, chemical, and mechanical engineering applications. In contrast, the number of publications from North America has been relatively modest. Here, we review the field of nonequilibrium thermodynamics to assess its utility and impact in engineering and science. We find that developments in the fields thermodynamic optimality of processes, dissipative structures, coupled transport and rate processes, and biological systems suggest that in some circumstances nonequilibrium thermodynamics can be quite useful.
Cancer cell traffic from the lungs to the liver: an example of metastatic inefficiency.

It is probable that metastasis is an inefficient process in terms of cancer cells. One cause of this inefficiency may be that cancer cells temporarily arrested in one organ are «processed» by it, so that they die before or shortly after arrival in another organ. In the present experiments, the lung-to-liver traffic of [125I]dUrd-labelled W-256 cancer cells is examined over the course of 27 h in tumor-bearing and non-tumor-bearing rats, following injection into, and sampling from, various points in the cardiovascular system. Following tail-vein injections, W-256 are temporarily arrested in the lungs and slowly released; some of the released cells are then temporarily arrested in the liver. Two percent of the cells detected in the lungs are non-viable compared with approximately half of those in the liver; these measurements of viability correlate with a higher (10:I) incidence of lung transplants over liver transplants, and with the observation that extrapulmonary metastases are uncommon with this tumor. Direct injections of cancer cells into the liver indicate that the reduced viability of cancer cells at this site is not due to an inherently hostile hepatic environment. Injections into and sampling from, other sites indicate that only small proportions of cells were killed on their way to the lungs, during their arrest in the pulmonary capillaries and arterioles, or between the left ventricle, aorta, hepatic artery and liver. Pretreatment of W-256 cells with neuraminidase, which is expected to make them more deformable, did not affect the viability of cells in the liver, thereby arguing against «processing» occurring during transit in the pulmonary circulation distal to the initial arrest sites. By a process of elimination it is concluded that a significant amount of trauma resulting in cancer cell death occurs during the events culminating in their release from temporary arrest sites at the pulmonary vascular endothelium. As the lungs are commonly the first organ encountered by circulating tumor cells, it is suggested that the low viability of cells released from the lungs contributes to metatastic inefficiency.
Can we freeze the gallbladder safely? Percutaneous cryoablation of hepatic masses adjacent to the gallbladder

Purpose To report our 10-year experience of image-guided percutaneous cryoablation of hepatic tumors near the gallbladder. Materials and Methods Twenty-one cryoablation procedures were performed to treat 19 hepatic tumors adjacent to the gallbladder in 17 patients (11 male, mean age: 59.2 years, range: 40-82) under CT or MR guidance in this IRB approved, HIPPA compliant retrospective study. All tumors (mean size 2.67 cm, range 1.0 - 5.0 cm) were within 1cm of the gallbladder (mean 0.4 cm), with 7 (33%) tumors contiguous with the gallbladder. Variables analyzed included tumor size and distance to the gallbladder on preablation MRI, and ice ball propagation through the gallbladder wall on intraprocedural CT (n=15) or MRI (n=6). Complication rate, technical success, and technique effectiveness were assessed. Results In 19 (90%) of 21 procedures, monitoring scans revealed iceball extension into the lumen of the gallbladder. Complications occurred in 6 (29%) of 21 procedures, of which 1 (5%) was major (DIC). None of the complications were related to the gallbladder. The most common post-procedure gallbladder abnormalities at 24-hour imaging were mild focal wall edema or thickening after 9 (42%) of 21 procedures. Technical success was achieved in 19 (90%) of 21 sessions. Of the 17 patients with 3-month follow-up, no local recurrence was observed. Conclusion Hepatic tumors adjacent to the gallbladder can be treated safely and effectively with image-guided percutaneous cryoablation even when the iceball extends into the gallbladder lumen.
CO2-induced growth enhancements of co-occurring tree species decline at different rates.

To elucidate how enriched CO2 atmospheres, soil fertility, and light availability interact to influence the long-term growth of tree seedlings, six co-occurring members of temperate forest communities including ash (Fraxinus americana L.), gray birch (Betula populifolia), red maple (Acer rubrum), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum), and red oak (Quercus rubra L.) were raised in a glasshouse for three years in a complete factorial design. After three years of growth, plants growing in elevated CO2 atmospheres were generally larger than those in ambient CO2 atmospheres, however, magnitudes of CO2-induced growth enhancements were contingent on the availability of nitrogen and light, as well as species identity. For all species, magnitudes of CO2-induced growth enhancements after one year of growth were greater than after three years of growth, though species' growth enhancements over the three years declined at different rates. These results suggest that CO2-induced enhancements in forest productivity may not be sustained for long periods of time. Additionally, species' differential growth responses to elevated CO2 may indirectly influence forest productivity via long-term species compositional changes in forests.
Chlorophyll a fluorescence in marine centric diatoms: Responses of chloroplasts to light and nutrient stress

Observations at sea of large variations in the cellular fluorescence of phytoplankton prompted a study of the fluorescence responses in marine diatoms to light and nutrient stress. When older cultures of Lauderia borealis were exposed to intense light, the in vivo fluorescence of chlorophyll a declined within the first 2 min of exposure. This initial response to light stress appeared to be correlated with a contraction of the chloroplasts. Continued exposure led to a second decline in fluorescence, which required 30 to 60 min for completion. A movement of chloroplasts to the valvar ends of the cell caused this secondary response. Both the contraction and intracellular movement of chloroplasts appeared to be related to both photoinhibition of photosynthesis and diel fluctuations in cellular fluorescence. An investigation of continuous cultures of Cyclotella nana showed that in vivo chlorophyll a fluoresced more strongly in nitrogen-starved cells than in enriched ones. Photoinhibition of cellular fluorescence also increased with the cell's state of nitrogen deficiency.
Normal sleep, disturbed sleep, transient and persistent insomnia.

There are three fundamental principles for understanding sleep; (1) the sleeping brain is not a resting brain, (2) the sleeping brain functions in a different manner from the waking brain and (3) the activity and work of the sleeping brain are purposeful. The sleeping brain does fail and this failure is mainfest in a variety of clinical symptoms; all sleep complaints should be taken seriously and investigated. Transient insomnia is uniformly associated with objective sleep disturbances which have been documented following phase shifts of the major sleep period such as that caused by transmeridian travel. However, the degree to which the individual responds to these factors is variable. There is a consensus that sleep medications are indicated for transient and short-term insomnia. Benzodiazepine hypnotics are commonly used to induce and maintain sleep, and improve daytime alertness.
Segmentation of range images as the search for geometric parametric models

Segmentation of range images has long been considered in computer vision as an important but extremely difficult problem. In this paper we present a new paradigm for the segmentation of range images into piecewise continuous surfaces. Data aggregation is performed via model recovery in terms of variable-order bi-variate polynomials using iterative regression. Model recovery is initiated independently in regularly placed seed regions in the image. All the recovered models are potential candidates for the final description of the data. Selection of the models is defined as a quadratic Boolean problem, and the solution is sought by the WTA (winner-takes-all) technique, which turns out to be a good compromise between the speed of computation and the accuracy of the solution. The overall efficiency of the method is achieved by combining model recovery and model selection in an iterative way. Partial recovery of the models is followed by the selection (optimization) procedure and only the “best” models are allowed to develop further. The major novelty of the approach lies in an effective combination of simple component algorithms, which stands in contrast to methods which attempt to solve the problem in a single processing step using sophisticated means. We present the results on several real range images.
Up-regulation of Glucosylceramide Synthase Expression and Activity during Human Keratinocyte Differentiation

During keratinocyte differentiation, the glycolipid, glucosylceramide (GlcCer), is thought to be synthesized, stored in intracellular lamellar granules and eventually extruded into the intercellular space where GlcCer is hydrolyzed to ceramide, a major component of the epidermal permeability barrier. Previous studies showed that GlcCer synthase (GCS) activity increases during keratinocyte differentiation; however, the mechanism by which GCS activity is regulated was not established. In the present study, we prepared anti-peptide antibodies and amplified cDNA probes based on the cDNA sequence for human GCS (Ichikawa, S., Sakiyama, H., Suzuki, G., Hidari, K. I.-P. J., and Hirabayashi, Y. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A.93, 4638–4643) in order to study GCS expression during keratinocyte differentiation. Confluent human keratinocytes in culture were induced to terminally differentiate by elevation of Ca+2 in the medium without exogenous hormones or growth factors. GlcCer synthesis assayed in situ using a fluorescent ceramide analog increased ∼5-fold during keratinocyte differentiation, peaking at day 6. Fluorescence microscopy studies of living keratinocytes showed that fluorescent ceramide and/or its metabolites accumulated in the Golgi in undifferentiated cells but targeted to unique vesicular structures that may be derived from the trans-Golgi region. Expression of both GCS mRNA, a ∼3.8-kilobase transcript on Northern blots, and GCS protein, a ∼38-kDa polypeptide detected by Western blotting, increased dramatically (∼5-fold) during differentiation, reaching a maximum at about day 8. These results suggest that GCS is up-regulated at the transcriptional level during keratinocyte differentiation and provide the first direct evidence for GCS up-regulation in any cell type.
Secure Auctions without an Auctioneer via Verifiable Secret Sharing

Combinatorial auctions are a research hot spot. They impact people's daily lives in many applications such as spectrum auctions held by the FCC. In such auctions, bidders may want to submit bids for combinations of goods. The challenge is how to protect the privacy of bidding prices and ensure data security in these auctions?To tackle this challenge, we present an approach based on verifiable secret sharing. The approach is to represent the price in the degree of a polynomial; thus the maximum/sum of the degree of two polynomials can be obtained by the degree of the sum/product of the two polynomials based on secret sharing. This protocol hides the information of bidders (bidding price) from the auction servers. The auctioneers can obtain their secret shares from bidders without a secure channel. Since it doesn't need a secure channel, this scheme is more practical and applicable to more scenarios. This scheme provides resistance to collusion attacks, conspiracy attacks, passive attacks and so on. Compared to [11, 12], our proposed scheme provides authentication without increasing the communication cost.
The significance of best‐friend relationships in adolescence

Research is summarized that documents the nature of the best-friend process in adolescence. Similarities and differences between the sexes are detailed. Female relationships are described as more intense, demonstrative, exciusive, and nurturant than male. Females depend heavily on the friend as a confidante with whom to process their mutual experiences and psychological reactions, apparently in an effort to understand and develop their own personalities. While males also confide at an intimate level, male relationships are more likely to be based on enjoyable companionship and similarity in attitudes, with less emphasis on continual analysis of experience. For both sexes, but especially for females, the relationship is important enough to development that lack of a close friend should be viewed as a deficit that responsible adults should help a student to remedy. Resources are cited that may be utilized by school personnel in helping the unfriended to make more effective contact with potential friends.
Phenomenal consciousness and what it's like

Even if A-consciousness and P-consciousness were conceptually distinct, it is no fallacy for researchers relying on a suitable theory to infer one from the other. But P-consciousness conceptually implies A-consciousness – unless one or the other is mere ersatz consciousness. And we can best explain mental states' being conscious, in any intuitively natural sense, by appeal to higher-order thoughts.
Lysophosphatidylcholine Inhibits Relaxation of Rabbit Abdominal Aorta Mediated by Endothelium-Derived Nitric Oxide and Endothelium-Derived Hyperpolarizing Factor Independent of Protein Kinase C Activation

Abstract Hypercholesterolemia is associated with increased oxidized LDL and impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR). An inhibitory component of oxidized LDL is lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC). To determine the effect and mechanism(s) of action of LPC on EDR mediated by endothelium-derived nitric oxide (EDNO) and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF), rabbit abdominal aortic rings were suspended for measurement of isometric tension and studied under three conditions: control; with 25 mmol/L K + buffer to isolate relaxation mediated by EDNO; and in rings treated with N ω -nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 30 μmol/L) to isolate relaxation mediated by EDHF. Incubation with LPC (10 and 30 μmol/L) for 30 minutes inhibited EDR in a concentration-dependent manner. LPC (30 μmol/L) significantly inhibited maximal relaxation to acetylcholine in control, 25 mmol/L K + –, and L-NAME–treated rings (77.1±7.8%, 42.1±8.9%, and 3.4±7.7%) compared with untreated rings (99.0±0.9%, 90.9±2.2%, and 54.7±4.7%, P
Longitudinal dispersion control for the Keck interferometer nuller

The control of longitudinal dispersion, which determines the position of the null fringe as a function of wavelength, is central to the problem of producing deep broadband interferometric nulls. The dispersion is the sum of terms due to environmental factors such as the dry-air and water-vapor atmospheric seeing, the unbalanced air column due to the unequal delay-line paths between the telescopes the combiner, and to the distance from the central fringe. The difference between an achromatic nuller and a normal constructive combiner operating at its first (chromatic) null can be thought of as an added longitudinal dispersion, which for the case of the Keck Interferometer is smaller than the environmental terms. We demonstrate that the sum of these effects can be adequately compensated by an appropriate thickness of ZnSe combined with an additional achromatic pathlength. The Keck Interferometer nulling combiners take advantage of this result. They are intrinsically constructive combiners made to produce achromatic nulls by inserting a ZnSe dispersion corrector into each of the four input beams. We describe the null fringe stabilization control algorithm and present calculations of the required loop bandwidth and precision. A potentially important advantage of the present approach is that the system will be able to function as either a destructive or constructive combiner, depending on the value of a single control-loop parameter (the target fringe phase).
Temporal and spatial variability of an invasive toxigenic protist in a North American subtropical reservoir

The toxigenic marine flagellate Prymnesium parvum was first recorded in Lake Texoma, OK-TX, USA, an impoundment of the Red and Washita Rivers, following a massive fish kill in January 2004. Results of a 4.5-year monitoring program, spanning five bloom periods, revealed that Prymnesium abundances in the lake were temporally and spatially variable—densities were higher in winter, near-shore, and in Red River-associated sampling sites; the largest blooms were in Lebanon Pool, a large backwater basin often disconnected from the main reservoir. Prymnesium blooms appeared to have been fueled by high nutrient concentrations, and winter-spring densities were positively correlated with chlorophyll a, conductivity, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, and microzooplankton biomass, and negatively correlated with molar total nitrogen:total phosphorus and cladoceran and total crustacean zooplankton biomass. Comparison of Prymnesium densities with hydrological data suggested that Prymnesium blooms in Lebanon Pool were highest when the pool was disconnected from the main reservoir; no bloom occurred in the winter of 2004–2005, the only year since the 2003–2004 invasion in which Lebanon Pool and Lake Texoma were connected during the winter months.
Additive Processes for Semiconductors and Dielectric Materials

This chapter presents an overview of the key methods and process recipes commonly employed in the deposition of semiconductor and dielectric thin films used in the fabrication of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). These methods include chemical vapor deposition, epitaxy, physical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, and spin-on techniques. The materials featured in this chapter include silicon and its oxide, nitride, and carbide derivatives, silicon–germanium, diamond and diamondlike carbon, III-V semiconductors, aluminum oxide, and other notable semiconductor and dielectric materials used as structural, sacrificial, and passivation layers. The process recipes presented in this chapter largely come from publications that report not only processing details, but also key material properties of importance to MEMS that result from the reported processes. Whenever possible, the references included in this chapter are papers that are readily available via commonly used electronic databases such as IEEE Xplore™ and ScienceDirect™ so as to aid the reader in gathering more detailed information than can be practically presented herein. Furthermore, the processes selected for inclusion in this chapter were, for the most part, successfully used in the fabrication of MEMS structures or components, thus verifying their utility in MEMS technology. For select materials, case studies are included to provide process-related details that cannot easily be tabulated but are nonetheless of critical importance to successful usage of the process.
Enhancement of boiling heat transfer using highly wetting liquids with pressed-on fins at low contact forces

In many cooling situations, permanent attachment of fins to heat dissipating devices is undesirable yet large mechanical loads, important in reduction of thermal contact resistance, are not permitted. This work considers the interface between a low-force pressed-on fin and a heat source in boiling heat transfer; the thermal contact resistance and how the interface region may be used to promote early nucleation and gradual boiling spread. Tests were run in saturated FC-72 and FC-87 in atmospheric pressure at a range of contact pressures much lower than conventional studies and on the order of those allowable in electronic cooling. Results showed that the effect of contact pressure on contact resistance, at such low pressures, is small and that significant boiling enhancement is possible using pressed-on fins with small loads. Dissipation of up to 85 W cm−2 of heater surface using a non-optimized cylindrical fin at low force is demonstrated. This heat flux represents about a four-fold increase in critical heat flux (CHF) over that for a bare surface. The pressed contact fin offers the advantage of a small crevice at the fin base. Highly-wetting fluids are able to penetrate this region, superheat and nucleate earlier than with a solderedon fin. A means of numerically modeling the boiling heat transfer from a fin is also presented. Experiments show that the nucleate boiling heat transfer coefficient is independent of the surface orientation with respect to gravity.
Determination of Hemoglobin Saturation in Patients With Acute Sickle Chest Syndrome: A Comparison of Arterial Blood Gases and Pulse Oximetry

Study objectives To evaluate three different methods of measuring oxygen saturation in patients suffering from acute sickle chest syndrome. Design A prospective, descriptive study of 9 months’ duration. Setting A tertiary care university hospital. Patients Adult patients with acute sickle chest syndrome scheduled to undergo RBC exchange transfusion. Interventions None. Measurements Baseline hemoglobin oxygen saturation was determined simultaneously by (1) calculation based on Pa o 2 and an oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve algorithm, (2) co-oximetry, and (3) pulse oximetry. These same measures were repeated after exchange transfusion. Baseline and postexchange hemoglobin electrophoresis was performed in all patients. Results Baseline calculated saturation overestimated true saturation (determined by co-oximetry) with a baseline mean bias (co-oximetry minus calculated saturation) of −6.78 ± 2.63% (95% confidence interval for bias: −8.37% to −5.19%). Pulse oximetry was not different than co-oximetry at baseline with a baseline bias of+ 1.86 ± 3.25% (95% confidence interval: −0.1% to 3.82%). After exchange transfusion, there was no bias between either co-oximetry and calculated saturation (mean difference: −0.17 ± 1.31% [95% confidence interval: −0.95% to 0.61%]), or co-oximetry and pulse oximetry (mean difference: +0.3 ± 1.53% [95% confidence interval:− 0.62% to 1.22%]). Conclusions Calculated saturation overestimates true saturation during acute sickle chest syndrome. This discrepancy abates after exchange transfusion. Pulse oximetry more closely follows co-oximetry than does calculated saturation during acute sickle chest syndrome.