cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular analysis of a partial deletion of 22q in a central nervous system rhabdoid tumor

We previously reported the non-random occurrence of monosomy 22 in rhabdoid or atypical teratoid tumors of the brain in three young children. We now present cytogenetic and molecular studies of an additional rhabdoid tumor with the karyotype 46,XX,-9,-22,+i(1q),+der(22)t(9;22)(p13;q11)/45,XX,-9,-10,- 22,+i(1q),+der(22)t(9;22)(p13;q11). These studies further demonstrate the involvement of chromosome 22, and they begin to define the critical region containing a gene or genes involved in the development or progression of rhabdoid tumors of the brain.
And Now for Something Completely Different: Improving Crowdsourcing Workflows with Micro-Diversions

Crowdsourcing has become a popular and indispensable component of many problem-solving pipelines in the research literature, with crowd workers often treated as computational resources that can reliably solve problems that computers have trouble with, such as image labeling/classification, natural language processing, or document writing. Yet, obviously crowd workers are human, and long sequences of the same monotonous tasks might intuitively reduce the amount of good quality work done by the workers. Here we propose an investigation into how we can use diversions containing small amounts of entertainment to improve crowd workers' experiences. We call these small period of entertainment ``micro-diversions", which we hypothesize to provide timely relief to workers during long sequences of micro-tasks. We hope to improve productivity by retaining workers to work on our tasks longer and to either improve or retain the quality of work. We experimentally test micro-diversions on Amazon's Mechanical Turk, a large paid-crowdsourcing platform. We find that micro-diversions can significantly improve worker retention rate while retaining the same work quality.
Detrimental effects of electrical fields on cardiac muscle

The use of controlled electrical shock as a therapy to manage cardiac arrhythmia is a practice commonly used today. High intensity electrical fields are generated near the shock electrodes, and if the electrodes are placed directly on or inside the heart as is often the case, tissue injury and dysfunction may result if the shock intensity is too high. Many factors influence the degree of dysfunction, including the intensity of the shock poise, duration of the pulse, waveform shape, size and position of the electrodes, and physiological state of the heart. One of the most immediate indications of aberrant cardiac function is an abnormality in the electrocardiogram, which results from field-induced changes in cellular electrophysiology. This article reviews results obtained primarily from animal experiments which delineate the intensities of electrical field that produce electrical dysfunction at various structural levels of the heart. Possible mechanisms underlying the detrimental effects of electrical fields are presented with the main focus on electroporation of the cell membrane. Other mechanisms that are described include formation of oxygen-derived free radicals, conformational damage to ionic pumps/channels, barotrauma, and hyperthermia. Differences between cathodal and anodal shock effects, as well as factors which may ameliorate electrical field-induced cardiac dysfunction, are also discussed.
Discrete dislocation dynamics simulations to interpret plasticity size and surface effects in freestanding FCC thin films

Strong size effects have been experimentally observed when microstructural features approach the geometric dimensions of the sample. In this work experimental investigations and discrete dislocation analyses of plastic deformation in metallic thin films have been performed. Columnar grains representative of the film microstructure are here considered. Simulations are based on the assumptions that sources are scarcely available in geometrically confined systems and nucleation sites are mainly located at grain boundaries. Especially, we investigated the influence on the mesoscopic constitutive response of the two characteristic length scales, i.e., film thickness and grain size. The simulated plastic response qualitatively reproduces the experimentally observed size effects while the main deformation mechanisms appear to be in agreement with TEM analyses of tested samples. A new interpretation of size scale plasticity is here proposed based on the probability of activating grain boundary dislocation sources. Moreover, the key role of a parameter such as the grain aspect ratio is highlighted. Finally, the unloading behavior has been investigated and a strong size dependent Bauschinger effect has been found. An interpretation of these phenomena is proposed based on the analysis of the back stress distribution within the samples.
Dynamic mixed mode fracture of concrete

Abstract The transient moire fringe patterns surrounding a rapidly propagating crack in an impacted three-point bend concrete specimen with an offset precrack were recorded by two IMACON 790 ultra-high speed framing cameras. The fracture parameters associated with this mixed mode fracture event were determined by driving a dynamic finite element model of the concrete specimen in its application mode with the recorded load and the crack propagation histories. The fracture process zone (FPZ), which trails the rapidly propagating crack, was characterized and the mixed modes I and lI dynamic stress intensity factors were determined. The fracture energy dissipated at the FPZ increased with crack extension and reached a constant dissipation rate toward the final phase of fracture. Under mixed mode loading, the crack kinked and propagated according to the Ramulu—Kobayashi criterion.
Single-walled carbon nanotube pillars: a superhydrophobic surface.

A series of SWNT arrays have been constructed by disproportionation of carbon monoxide on Co−Mo catalyst films deposited on flat Si wafer substrates. The arrays include a two-dimensional SWNT thin ...
Factors associated with employment among methadone patients.

Abstract We examined the patient characteristics of 340 subjects in methadone treatment to determine if these characteristics could differentiate among three “stages” of work during the past year (stable unemployment, intermittent work, and stable employment). A multiple discriminant function analysis was able to classify correctly 14% of the cases beyond chance. Results of these analyses found lower depression scores, cocaine abstinence, education, and marital status correlated with stable employment conditions. Interventions designed to change these characteristics may improve employment conditions among methadone patients.
Anatomic and Pathologic Studies in Ventricular Septal Defect

In a necropsy study of 50 cases of ventricular septal defects, the anatomic position and relations of ventricular septal defects, the causes of and ages at death, and association of ventricular septal defects with other cardiovascular malformations were determined. The present availability of surgical closure of ventricular septal defects makes this information of practical significance.
Structure-enhanced MOSFET degradation due to hot-electron injection

Device degradation due to channel hot-electron injection in several nonconventional MOSFET structures including minimum-overlap gate, offset gate, graded drain, and lightly doped drain (LDD) structures are evaluated. In these nonconventional structures the device degradation is much faster than that in conventional devices when biased with the same amount of hot electrons in the channel. This faster degradation rate is proposed to be due to external channel pinchoff at the more lightly doped drain edge. This behavior implies even more severe constraints on the operating regime for these nonconventional device structures at submicrometer gatelengths to maintain adequate reliability margins.
Influence of surface pretreatment and electrocoating parameters on the adhesion of cathodic electrocoat to the Al alloy surfaces

Abstract Adhesion of cathodic electrocoat films to the aluminum alloys 2024-T3 bare and Alclad 2024-T3 with different pretreatments and with different cathodic electrocoat process parameters was investigated. The pretreatments studied were acetone wipe and alkaline cleaning. The cathodic electrocoat process parameters studied include variation of cathodic electrocoating voltage and time. Adhesion performance was evaluated by measuring the delamination time and percent delamination of the electrocoat from the alloy surface by placing the small specimen of the sample in the N-methyl pyrrolidinone (NMP) solution at 60°C until the film lifts off or for 2 h whichever comes first. NMP times for electrodeposited film delamination from alkaline cleaned surfaces were found to be higher than the acetone wiped and or those of as-supplied metal surfaces. There was not much effect of acetone cleaning of these alloy surfaces on the adhesion performance of the cathodic electrocoat. The voltage–current (of cathodic electrocoating process) relationships for alkaline cleaned surfaces were also found to be significantly different from the other two types of surfaces. The NMP times of cathodic electrocoat delamination at lower cathodic electrocoating voltage and lower electrocoating times were higher than those at higher cathodic electrocoating voltage and electrocoating times for alkaline cleaned 2024 bare surfaces. Electrocoat thickness developed on the surfaces during the electrodeposition process increased with increasing electrodeposition voltage and time as anticipated.
16.1 A 340mV-to-0.9V 20.2Tb/s source-synchronous hybrid packet/circuit-switched 16×16 network-on-chip in 22nm tri-gate CMOS

Energy-efficient networks-on-chip (NoCs) are key enablers for exa-scale computation by shifting power budget from communication toward computation. As core counts scale into the 100s, on-chip interconnect fabrics must support increasing heterogeneity and voltage/clock domains. Synchronous NoCs require either a single clock distributed globally or clock-crossing data FIFOs between clock domains [1]. A global clock requires costly full-chip margining and significant power and area for clock distribution, while synchronizing data FIFOs add power, performance, and area overhead per clock crossing. Source-synchronous NoCs mitigate these penalties by forwarding a local clock along with each packet, but still suffer from high data storage power due to packet switching. Circuit switching removes intra-route data storage, but suffers from low network utilization due to serialized channel setup and data transfer [2]. Hybrid packet/circuit switching parallelizes these operations for higher network utilization. A 16×16 mesh, 112b data, 256 voltage/clock domain NoC with source-synchronous operation, hybrid packet/circuit-switched flow control, and ultra-low-voltage optimizations is fabricated in 22nm tri-gate CMOS [3] to enable: i) 20.2Tb/s total throughput at 0.9V, 25°C, ii) a 2.7× increase in bisection bandwidth to 2.8Tb/s and 93% reduction in circuit-switched latency at 407ps/hop through source-synchronous operation, iii) a 62% latency improvement and 55% increase in energy efficiency to 7.0Tb/s/W through circuit switching, iv) a peak energy efficiency of 18.3Tb/s/W for near-threshold operation at 430mV, 25°C, and v) ultra-low-voltage operation down to 340mV with router power scaling to 363μW.
Endodontic treatment for a Bengal tiger.

Tebore, an almost 500 pound Bengal tiger (subspecies of the Siberian tiger) is a star attraction at a small, private children’s zoo in Visalia, California. This beautiful tiger, with its characteristic bright coloured fur is frequently taken on ‘field trips’ to primary schools where he is petted and hugged by children, including mentally-retarded children. Although Tebore is quite domesticated, his owner was concerned that he might snap at a child. To minimize a potential puncture-tear injury from the canines, the owner and the zoo’s veterinarian requested that the four ‘fangs’ be reduced in length and root canal treatment for the remaining tooth structure completed. Root treatment was preferred to extraction because the animal is also used to make television commercials when i t has to look ferocious. By keeping the roots of the canines it would be possible to construct plastic ‘fangs’ which would be attached to
Shape of a drop in an electric field

The shape of an axisymmetric dielectric drop in a uniform electric field is computed numerically. The problem is formulated as a nonlinear integro‐differential system of equations. They are discretized and the resulting algebraic system is solved by Newton’s method. The results show that when the dielectric constant e is larger than a critical value ec, the drop develops two obtuse‐angled conical points at its ends for a certain field strength. For e<ec, the drop elongates and retains its original nearly prolate spheroidal shape without developing conical points as the field is increased. The numerical results are in good agreement with the moment and two‐point approximations. The energy, volume, and area of the drop are computed, and the two‐dimensional case is also treated.
Simulation of solitary waves in a monodisperse granular chain using COMSOL multiphysics: localized plastic deformation as a dissipation mechanism

Solitary wave propagation in a monodisperse granular chain was simulated using the finite element method. The model was built to address a discrepancy between numerical and experimental results from Lazaridi and Nesterenko (J Appl Mech Tech Phys 26(3):405–408 1985). In their work, solitary waves were generated in a chain of particles through impact of a piston, and results were quantified by comparing the chains’ reactions to a rigid wall. Their numerical calculations resulted in a solitary wave with a force amplitude of 83 N, while it was measured experimentally to be 71 N. In the present work, the configuration of the granular chain and piston was duplicated from Lazaridi and Nesterenko (J Appl Mech Tech Phys 26(3):405–408, 1985). Qualitatively similar solitary waves were produced, and von Mises stress values indicated that localized plastic deformation is possible, even at low piston impact velocities. These results show that localized plastic deformation was a likely source of dissipation in experiments performed by Lazaridi and Nesterenko.
An approach to geometric reasoning in robotics

Anticipating the use of knowledge-based expert systems for robot task planning, a geometric reasoning is envisioned for the representation and manipulation of geometric information in a manner uniform with other knowledge. The general requirements for such a reasoner are outlined and a proposed architecture is described, built on four concepts: a class structure of spatial sets, features as subsets of those spatial sets, geometric abstractions as partial representations of features, and constraints as a mechanism for reasoning. An example implementation is built in an object-oriented environment and uses an underlying solids modeler, transparent to the end user. >
Chrono-coherent imaging for medicine

Imaging inside the body with optical wavelengths encounters problems due to light scattering of tissues and other optical distortions. A description is given of chrono-coherent imaging (CCI), a new method for imaging with visible and near-infrared light that uses coherent image formation and subpicosecond timing to remove the time-delayed scattered light. With CCI it is possible to form images in the presence of the overwhelming amount of scattered light that blocks conventional image formation. The coherent image formation process allows the use of long-duration, high-total-energy, and modest-peak-power pulses to overcome scattering losses. CCI is an extension of light-in-flight holography, which combines the properties of short-duration pulses and hologaphy for various measurements of objects and optical wavefronts. >
A New Upper-Bound Method for Analysis of Some Steady-State Plastic Deformation Processes

A method of obtaining admissible velocity fields without velocity discontinuities is described, and applied to plane-strain extrusion, tube extrusion, and axisymmetric piercing. In plane-strain extrusion, the flow lines, grid distortions, and extrusion pressures were obtained and the values were compared with those found in previous solutions. For tube extrusion and axisymmetric piercing, the solutions are presented as examples in terms of flow lines and velocity component distributions; these solutions await experimental confirmation.
Undergraduate Aeroelasticity: The Typical Section Idealization Re-Examined:

A simple typical section approach to aircraft wing bending-torsion divergence and flutter is presented. The approach can be used to illustrate the significant effects of wing sweep and material orthotropy in response to either steady or a simplified unsteady aerodynamic loading. This paper proposes that the typical section model, despite its well known deficiencies as a predictive tool, is appropriate as a learning device at the undergraduate level. The influences of wing sweep, material orthotropy and aerodynamic damping can be sequentially introduced with the aid of a single model. Indeed, the typical section approach outlined herein can be the unifying model that complements existing textbook presentations. Divergence and flutter velocities for a graphite-epoxy wing configuration are shown; the solution spans all angles of sweep and fiber orientations. Further, the approach is implemented in an MS Excel spreadsheet. The graphical user interface uses a notional wing geometry to aid in illustration and v...
334 POTASSIUM MODULATES FETAL AND NEWBORN ALDOSTERONE SECRETION

The role of serum potassium (K+) in modulation of serum aldosterone concentration (Aldo) during development was studied in chronically-catheterized fetal (134–144 days gestation) and newborn (10–14 days of age) lambs. Dexamethasone phosphate was given to fetuses (0.1 mg/kg/dose) and ewes (5 mg) or newborn lambs (0.1 mg/kg/dose) at 12 hours and 2 hours prior to potassium infusion (KCL) to suppress adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) secretion. Data are expressed as mean ± SD. KCl (1.2±0.4 mEq/kg) in fetuses increased K+ from 4.0±0.5 to 5.4±0.6 mEq/L (p 0.05). Maternal K+ and Aldo also did not change significantly. Similar KCl infusion (1.8±0.1 mEq/kg) in newborns increased K+ in similar fashion (from 3.8±0.1 to 5.5±0.4 mEq/L, p<0.001) but induced a greater increase in Aldo (from 22.6±11.8 to 97.3±46.6 pg/ml, p<0.01). PRA and A-II did not change significantly. If fetuses were given higher dosages of KCl (3.8±0.3 mEq/kg) to increase K+ further (up to 8.2±1.3 mEq/L), Aldo increased proportionately (up to 101±33 pg/ml). Newborns given high dose KCl (4.3±0.3 mEq/kg) increased K+ (to 10.3±2.6 mEq/L) with only slight increment in Aldo (to 125.0±87.8 ng/ml) suggesting near-maximal stimulation. These results suggest that after ACTH suppression, KCl induces increase in Aldo in both fetuses and newborns, but the fetal adrenal is less sensitive to such stimulation.
Oral self-administration of cocaine: chronic excessive intake by schedule induction.

Abstract Rats were exposed to daily 3-hr schedule-induced polydipsia sessions (fixed-time 1 min food-pellet delivery) with a cocaine hydrochloride solution as the available session fluid. Cocaine intake level ( mg kg ) was a direct function of solution concentration (0.02–0.2 mg ml ). In a second experiment with 0.15 mg ml cocaine solution available, mean daily session cocaine intake remianed constant at about 40 mg kg over the 5-week period of the experiment. Post-session serum samples of animals drinking either 0.15 or 0.2 mg ml cocaine solution yielded serum cocaine values that were similar to those producing subjective “highs” in coca-leaf chewers and experienced users of cocaine. The schedule-induction technique can be used to induce the intake of drug solutions, including those which perhaps taste bitter, so that chronic and pharmacologically significant consequences ensue.
altVerto: using intervention and community to promote alternative transportation

We seek to motivate drivers who regularly use web-based local and mapping services and have access to viable alternative transit methods - such as public transportation, carpooling, walking or bicycling - to use these alternatives instead of driving alone. altVerto works with users' existing habits to intervene during trip planning, and then sustains long-term positive behavior through progress tracking and community-building around alternatives to driving. Our study investigates how computer-mediated intervention at decision making moments and online transit-related community motivates and sustains the use of alternative transit methods.
Identification of novel RNA-binding proteins that interact in the coding region of protein D sense RNA in vitro

Ultraviolet (UV)-cross-linking and sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic (PAGE) analysis were used to identify proteins of nuclear and cytosolic (S100) origin that specifically bind to an in vitro transcribed mRNA sequence for protein D. The coding region of the protein D cDNA was subcloned, in vitro transcribed to [32P]RNA, and incubated with nuclear and cytosolic extracts of enzymatically dispersed epididymal cells. As revealed by UV-cross-linking and SDS-PAGE analysis, two proteins exhibiting a molecular weight mass of approximately 2.5 and approximately 35 Kd that specifically recognize and bind to the in vitro transcribed mRNA sequence for protein D. Our findings suggest that the regulation of protein D gene expression in the rat epididymis may involve novel RNA-binding proteins.
Mechanism of carrier generation and recombination in conjugated polymers

Abstract Transient excited-state absorption measurements in the spectral region spanning the infrared active vibrational active (IRAV) modes in prototypical luminescent polymers, poly(phenylene vinylene) (PPV), and poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethyl-hexyloxy)-(phenylene vinylene)] (MEH-PPV), reveal charge carrier generation within 100 fs after photoexcitation. The photocarrier quantum efficiency in MEH-PPV is φ 0 ≈0.1 in zero applied electric field. There is no correlation between the temporal behavior of the photoinduced IRAV signals and the exciton lifetime. Thus, carriers are photoexcited directly and not generated via a secondary process from exciton annihilation. Our data indicate that the carrier recombination rate is sensitive to the strength of the interchain interaction.
Cathepsin B and D activity in stimulated peritoneal macrophages.

Highly sensitive and specific synthetic substrates were used to quantitate cathepsin B and D activity in peritoneal macrophages in response to stimulation in vivo with mineral oil and thioglycollate. After intraperitoneal instillation of mineral oil the activity of cathepsin B increased significantly (to 15 300 units/mg protein versus 7 340 in saline controls), reaching values approaching those found in alveolar macrophages (18 400 units/mg protein). Significantly greater stimulation of enzyme activity was obtained after intraperitoneal instillation of thioglycollate (23 600 units/mg protein). Cathepsin D activity also increased significantly after both mineral oil and thioglycollate. However, the increase was moderate (from 806 to about 1 200 units/mg protein), remaining still more than six times lower-than in alveolar macrophages. The data are the first to demonstrate that cathepsin B activity can be stimulated in vivo in peritoneal macrophages by instillation of agents that induce acute inflammation. They also point to a differential control of expression of cathepsin B and D activity in both peritoneal and alveolar macrophages in spite of the common lysosomal origin of the two enzymes.
Welding characteristics of different albumin species with and without fatty acids

Background and Objective Albumin solders from different species have been used for laser tissue welding without a complete understanding of possible differences between them. The breaking strength of four different species of serum albumin (human, bovine, porcine, and canine), both fatty acid containing (FAC) and fatty acid free (FAF), was determined to evaluate the welding ability of each type of albumin. Study Design/Materials and Methods Acute breaking strengths were determined on canine small bowel by using 50% albumin (FAF and FAC) from human, bovine (BSA), porcine, and canine species. Results BSA-FAC and BSA-FAF had a significantly higher (P < 0.05) breaking strength than all other groups; furthermore, BSA-FAC was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than BSA-FAF. There was no significant difference in breaking strength when FAF albumin was compared with FAC albumin from humans, pigs, or dogs. Conclusion These experimental results show that species-specific and fatty acid–specific differences exist when these albumin solders are used for laser tissue welding. This finding suggests that modifications in albumin could be used to improve results through decreased thermal damage and increased weld strength. Lasers Surg. Med. 27:82–86, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Measurement of the bit-error rate of an adaptive optics, free-space laser communications system, part 2: multichannel configuration, aberration characterization, and closed-loop results

We describe an experiment where we made a direct measurement of the bit-error rate of a high-order adaptive optics laser communications system. We describe a quantitative characterization of a repeatable atmospheric turbulence aberration generator and both static and dynamic characterizations of a 19-channel adaptive optics system. We show a reduction of the bit-error rate by a factor of 41.5 under specific laboratory conditions.
Privacy versus accessibility: The impact of situationally conditioned belief

The information age we are living in and the technology that supports it, raises new ethical concerns. Among these concerns are privacy — the rights of individuals to withold information they consider sensitive, and accessibility — the rights of individuals to obtain information that is relevant to the decisions they must make. Arguments about potential impacts of information technology on privacy and accessibility mask and underlying conflict — that one person's beliefs about their right to relevant information is likely to conflict with another person's belief's about their right to withold information they consider sensitive. This paper proposes that the conflict is likely to be a function of the role the individuals plays in the decision making situation — situationally conditioned belief(SCB) — rather than a function of the person's underlying ethical values.
Health professional advice for smoking and weight in adults with and without diabetes: findings from BRFSS

Health risk behaviors including smoking and weight-gain can cause and exacerbate chronic diseases like diabetes. Brief provider advice is an effective intervention to reduce risk from these behaviors. However, behavioral advice is provided more often to those who already have a chronic illness when compared with those who are at risk. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the frequency of provider advice for smoking cessation and weight loss varies between overweight or obese smokers with and without diabetes. BRFSS data from a subset of overweight and obese smokers with (n = 848) and without (n = 6,279) diabetes were analyzed to determine differences in reported provider advice. Overweight and obese smokers with diabetes reported receiving more advice for both weight (46.4% vs. 23.4%, P < 0.001) and smoking (84.5% vs. 72.8%, P < 0.001) compared to those without diabetes. Advice for smoking cessation was reported two to three times more often than advice for weight. Nearly a quarter of those with diabetes and almost half of those without reported no receipt of advice about weight. Results indicate that providers are not adequately addressing overweight and obesity in patients with and at risk for diabetes.
Kinetics of growth of platelike precipitates

Abstract In order to resolve existing difficulties in the interpretation of the lengthening and thickening kinetics of platelike precipitates, these kinetics have been measured on θ' and η plates in Al-4 % Cu alloy and Al-0.2% Au alloy respectively, in conjunction with extensive observations of the ledge and misfit dislocation structures at the broad faces of the plates. Thickening has been found, in agreement with a well established theory of morphology, to occur by a ledge mechanism, where the migration rates of the ledges were diffusion controlled. Surprisingly, the lengthening rates of coherent plates were found to be much greater than those of the same kinds of plates when semicoherent. In the latter condition, lengthening rates approximate those to be expected on the basis of volume diffusion control. This result is explained by the role of the broad face coherency strain field which accelerates the lengthening. Thus a previous suggestion that such accelerated kinetics are due to diffusional short circuit is shown to be invalid.
Thermoelectric power of two-dimensional Pd and Pd-Au films

We have studied the effects of two-dimensional electron localization on the temperature dependence of the resistivity and thermoelectric power of palladium and palladium-gold alloy thin films. All "metallic" (${R}_{\ensuremath{\square}}l30$ k\ensuremath{\Omega}/\ensuremath{\square}) samples have a small material specific thermopower which tends to zero as $T\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$. Samples whose resistivity increases above 30 000 \ensuremath{\Omega}/\ensuremath{\square} have thermopowers which increase as $T\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$. Thus the density of states for the electronic transport is zero at the Fermi energy for high-resistivity films.
Trace elements in shergottite meteorites: Implications for the origins of planets

The average concentrations of 19 siderophile and volatile elements in shergottite meteorites differ from those in terrestrial basalts by less than a factor of ten. This observation undermines claims that the abundances of siderophile and volatile elements in the Earth's upper mantle are uniquely terrestrial. Claims that similarities in the Moon's siderophile element pattern imply a terrestrial origin for the Moon are also weakened. The implication that basalt source regions on the asteroidal parent body of the shergottites resembled the terrestrial upper mantle constrains models of planetary formation and evolution. Heterogeneous accretion models may explain many of the similarities between these planets. Alternatively, separation of sulfide from basaltic magmas or their source regions on the Earth and the shergottite parent body may explain some of these similarities.
Fast model-based migration velocity analysis and reflector shape estimation

Migration velocity analysis can be made more efficient by preselecting the traces that contribute to a series of common-reflection-point (CRP) gathers and migrating only those traces. The data traces that contribute to a CRP for one reflection point on one layer are defined in a two-step procedure. First, poststack parsimonious Kirchhoff depth migration of zero-offset (or stacked) traces defines approximate reflector positions and orientations. Then, ray tracing from the reflection points for nonzero reflection angles defines the source and receiver locations of the data traces in the CRP gather. These traces are then prestack depth migrated, and the interval velocity model adjustment is obtained by fitting the velocity that maximizes the stack amplitude over the predicted (nonhyperbolic) moveout. A small number (2–3) of iterations converge to a 2D model of layer shape and interval velocity. Further efficiency is obtained by implementing layer stripping. The computation time is greatly reduced by combinin...
Bank mergers and components of risk: An evaluation

The present study empirically examines the contribution of the acquired banks in only the nonconglomerate types of mergers (i.e., banks with banks), where the bulk of the payment is in the form of equity to the acquiring bank and finds overwhelmingly statistically significant evidence that nonconglomerate types of mergers definitely reduce the total as well as the unsystematic risk while having no statistically significant effect on systematic risk. Therefore, it seems that diversification may be a possible motive for bank mergers.
Intermediate to long-term outcomes of the STAR Total Ankle Replacement: the patient perspective.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to document the patient self-reported improvements in quality of life, function, and overall impairment scores, as well as the improvement in the clinically derived outcome scores, following a Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement (STAR) arthroplasty performed for the treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis. Methods: All patients who underwent a Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement arthroplasty from July 1998 through February 2008 were prospectively followed and retrospectively reviewed. All surgical procedures were performed by a single surgeon. Preoperatively and at subsequent follow-up visits, patients were assessed with (1) a visual analog scale (VAS) score for pain, (2) the Short Form-36 (SF-36) quality-of-life scale, (3) the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot scale and subscales, (4) the Buechel-Pappas pain and function scores, and (5) the ankle range of motion. Additional measures that were recorded included (1) concomitant surgical procedures during the initial ankle replacement, (2) revision surgery during the follow-up period, and (3) any additional surgical procedures. Revision was defined as failure of either the tibial or the talar metallic component that required removal of a metallic implant for any reason. Results: Eighty-two consecutive patients were evaluated. The duration of follow-up ranged from twenty-four to 108 months (mean, sixty-one months; median, sixty months). During the follow-up period, three patients died and six patients moved out of the region. The latter six patients were followed by another surgeon group, and their data were included. Eight patients were lost to follow-up after twelve months. There were significant improvements in all outcome categories between the preoperative and postoperative evaluations. The most compelling finding of the present study involved the marked improvement in terms of the self-reported measures of impairments, quality of life, pain, and function. Conclusions: Total ankle arthroplasty with the Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement prosthesis was associated with significant improvements in terms of pain, function, and quality of life after intermediate to long-term follow-up. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Primary cutaneous T-cell rich B-cell lymphoma : clinically distinct from its nodal counterpart?

The cases of two patients with Stage IE primary cutaneous T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma (TCRBCL) are described. In both, the lesion showed a dense infiltrate by numerous small T lymphocytes with scattered histiocytes and large atypical B-lymphoid cells. Polymerase chain reaction assays demonstrated that the B cells were monoclonal, with immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene rearrangement. No clonal rearrangements of the T-cell receptor gamma gene were observed. Both patients were disease-free at 4 months and at 5 years after therapy, respectively. Although rare, primary cutaneous T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma appears to have a better prognosis than its nodal counterpart, with or without skin involvement.
Utilization of hydroxyapatite by Cyanobacteria as their sole source of phosphate and calcium

Two species of Cyanobacteria, (one Nostoc, one Anabaena) are described which are able to grow utilizing hydroxyapatite as their sole source of phosphate and calcium at pH=7.6.
The Effect of Founding Team Human-Capital and Power Structure on Technological Exploration

How and under what conditions does founding team-human capital effect successful technological exploration? On the basis of a longitudinal study examining the composition of founding teams of 494 U...
Bayesian inference in geomagnetism

The inverse problem in empirical geomagnetic modeling is investigated, with critical examination of recently published studies. Particular attention is given to the use of Bayesian inference (BI) to select the damping parameter lambda in the uniqueness portion of the inverse problem. The mathematical bases of BI and stochastic inversion are explored, with consideration of bound-softening problems and resolution in linear Gaussian BI. The problem of estimating the radial magnetic field B(r) at the earth core-mantle boundary from surface and satellite measurements is then analyzed in detail, with specific attention to the selection of lambda in the studies of Gubbins (1983) and Gubbins and Bloxham (1985). It is argued that the selection method is inappropriate and leads to lambda values much larger than those that would result if a reasonable bound on the heat flow at the CMB were assumed.
Typical and behaviourally disruptive children's understanding of the emotional consequences of socio-moral events

Twenty-four behaviourally disruptive (BD) and 24 typical 6- to 12-year-old children were given two interviews in which they judged the emotional outcomes and provided rationales for emotions resulting from inhibitory moral, conventional, prosocial, and personal socio-moral events. Children's emotional expectancies varied with the socio-moral rule system and event participant (actor vs. recipient) being assessed. In addition, BD and typical children differed in some of the emotions and rationales they anticipated as outcomes. Group differences were most pronounced for inhibitory (victimization) and prosocial morality. Compared to their peers, BD children minimized the fear associated with victimization, and explained victimizers' emotions with more references to desirable material and psychological consequences, and fewer references to the loss, harm, and unfairness that victimizers had created. BD children were also more likely to attribute prosocial actors' emotions to the harm, loss, and unfairness that had been avoided, and to provide fewer references to the beneficial outcomes created for recipients. Overall, BD children were also more likely than typical children to select sadness as an emotional outcome. Discussion focused on the potential role of atypical emotional expectancies in perpetuating BD children's maladaptive patterns of socio-moral behaviour.
A Reform Proposal in Need of Reform: A Critique of Thomas Pogge's Proposal for How to Incentivize Research and Development of Essential Drugs

In two recent essays, Thomas Pogge addresses the question of how research and development of essential drugs should be incentivized. Essential drugs are drugs for diseases that ruin human lives. The current incentivizing scheme for such drugs is, according to Pogge, a significant causal factor in bringing about a state of affairs in which millions of people die or suffer from lack of access to essential drugs. Pogge, therefore, suggests a reform plan for how to incentivize research and development of these drugs, and he is of the opinion that implementation of this plan will have a significant positive impact on the global disease burden. This paper is a critical examination of Pogge's reform plan. In the first part of the paper, Pogge's reasons for being dissatisfied with the current incentivizing scheme are spelled out. The reform plan is then presented, and in the final part of the paper, it is argued that the reform plan is flawed at a number of levels.
Induction and Maintenance of Gonadotropin and Lactogen Receptors in Hypoprolactinemic Rats

The effect of 2-bromo-alpha-ergocriptine (BR)-induced hypoprolactinemia on the induction and maintenance of testicular gonadotropin and lactogen receptors was studied in 60-day-old rats after receptor regulation by a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist analog [[D-Ser-(tBu)6]des-Gly10-GnRH N-ethylamide (GnRH-A)] and in young animals during sexual maturation. In adult animals, BR treatment delayed the reappearance of LH binding in the testis after GnRH-A injection, but had no effect on the recovery of lactogen binding. BR treatment also inhibited the increase of LH binding that occurred in control animals during the experimental period, but did not affect lactogen binding. Furthermore, BR potentiated the effect of GnRH-A on the decrease of Leydig cell testosterone synthesis observed 2 days later in vitro. Eight days after GnRH-A injection, concomitant BR treatment significantly inhibited the recovery of Leydig cell cAMP production. In peripubertal (25- to 46-day-old) animals, BR diminished the normal rise in testicular LH receptors, but did not affect the increase in lactogen receptors. Serum testosterone levels and other features of pubertal development, such as balano-preputial separation and spermatogenesis, were unaffected by hypoprolactinemia. In neonatal female animals, significant lactogen binding was detected at 3 days of age, whereas hCG binding was not demonstrable until 9 days after birth. These findings indicate that the expression of lactogen receptors precedes that of LH receptors in the developing gonad, and that the increase of LH binding in the testis during pubertal development requires normal circulating PRL levels. In adult animals, hypoprolactinemia potentiates GnRH-A-induced desensitization of steroidogenesis and cAMP formation, as well as LH receptor down-regulation, delaying the recovery of these phenomena. Although decreased serum PRL levels were associated with a marked reduction in testicular LH receptors both during development and in adult life, the absence of changes in lactogen receptors indicates that the latter sites are largely independent of the circulating PRL concentration.
Integrated Decision Support for Roadway Safety Analysis

This paper presents an integrated decision-support framework that helps public agencies identify high-crash locations and develop cost-effective safety improvement projects. State-of-the-art safety concepts, such as safety performance functions, empirical Bayesian method, and potential for safety improvements, are incorporated to identify hazardous highway locations. Cost-effective safety projects are prioritized based on life-cycle safety benefit evaluation and optimal resource allocation models. An efficient solution algorithm to the optimization model is also proposed. The models are implemented in an internet-based, geographic information system (GIS) software tool that builds on state-of-the-art information technologies, graphical interfaces, and customized GIS algorithms such as spatial analysis with buffering operations.
Excitatory amino acid receptors in schizophrenia

Growing evidence suggests an involvement of excitatory amino acid (EAA) systems in schizophrenia. Precedent exists for changes in binding to kainate, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid, N-methyl-D-aspartate subtypes of EAA receptors. Current evidence indicates that in schizophrenia, EAA receptor levels can be decreased, unchanged, or even increased in certain brain regions and certain cases. It is likely that variability may arise from different drug histories of patients, other coexistent and undetected disease states, and the inherent heterogeneity of schizophrenia. On the other hand, it is possible that schizophrenia reflects a pattern of imbalances, not a simple unidirectional change. If so, even subtle changes may contribute significantly to the overall status of ongoing circuitry function in key brain areas implicated in schizophrenia. Together with other neurotransmitter systems, for example, dopaminergic, the net effect of EAA receptor imbalances may be greater than changes in the individual receptors and their neurotransmitters.
Complex Renal Artery Reconstruction: Surgical Techniques

We analized the techniques and results of 28 complex renal artery recon structions. The techniques employed for reconstruction included patch angio plasty of renal artery aneurysms, right iliac to right renal artery bypass for redo revascularization, renal artery reimplantation and renal artery bypass simulta neous with the surgical treatment of associated aortic, visceral or peripheral arterial lesions. Of the 28 reconstructions, 2 (7%) failed requiring revision. There was no hospital mortality and only 1 late death. With proper patient selection, operative exposure, renal protection and ingenuity, most complex re nal lesions can be treated successfully in situ and concomitant with other associ ated arterial problems.
Relationship of viability and apoptosis to taxol production in Taxus sp suspension cultures elicited with methyl jasmonate

Taxus cuspidata P991 in plant cell suspension culture is capable of producing the important anticancer agent Taxol (paclitaxel) and related taxanes. High-level production is obtained by elicitation with methyl jasmonate, but successful elicitation leads to loss of cell viability that cannot be recovered by subculture. Here, we test whether the loss of viability is due to a direct effect of methyl jasmonate. Upon subculture, the reduced viability continued in methyl jasmonate elicited cultures, but not in nonelicited control cultures. The growth reduction in elicited T. cuspidata P991 suspension cultures was evaluated by viability reduction measurements using phenosafranin and fluorescein diacetate. The viability reduction does not appear to be related to apoptosis based on DNA laddering analysis because it occurred very late (at day 35) in the culture period. DNA laddering was also found only after day 28 in T. canadensis C93AD (a Taxol-producing cell line) elicited with methyl jasmonate, implying that apoptosis is not the major death mechanism after elicitation. As compared to Taxol-producing cell lines, the viability of a nonproducing cell line, T. canadensis CO93D, was not severely affected by methyl jasmonate, indicating that methyl jasmonate itself is not the primary factor for viability reduction. Based on Northern analysis of taxadiene synthase mRNA from both elicited and nonelicited T. cuspidata P991, methyl jasmonate directly induces the production of this enzyme, which is the first committed step in the biosynthetic pathway for Taxol. As a result, both viability reduction and growth reduction appear related to a high production level of Taxol (and related taxanes) upon methyl jasmonate elicitation, rather than to the direct effect of methyl jasmonate.
Structure, properties and fracture of friction stir welds in a high-temperature Al-8.5Fe-1.3V–1.7Si alloy (AA-8009)

Friction stir welds produced in a rapidly-solidified, powder metallurgy Al-8.5Fe-1.3 V-1.7 Si (wt.%) alloy were characterized in order to investigate the effects of deformation during welding on the weld zone microstructure, hardness, tensile properties, and fracture behavior. A weld produced using a tool rotational speed of 1200 rpm and a traversing rate of 4.3 mm/s exhibited a repetitive pattern of dispersoid-depleted bands that were attributed to the intense deformation that occurred in the vicinity of the tool. The significant softening associated with these regions, and the presence of occasional, irregularly-shaped voids near the boundary between the base metal and the weld zone on the advancing side of the weld, promoted a weld tensile strength of 60–70% of the base metal. The application of a lower tool rotational speed of 428 rpm and a lower traversing rate of 1.9 mm/s promoted fewer bands and a more uniform dispersoid distribution throughout the weld zone, and an absence of defects along the weld zone/base metal interface. Tensile strength of these welds approached 90% of the base metal. Fracture of the transverse-weld oriented tensile specimens for both weld types consistently occurred near the boundary between the weld zone and the base metal on the advancing side of the weld zone, with tensile specimen ductilities appreciably lower than that of the base metal.