cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asthmatics breathe easier when it's SNO-ing

A debilitating symptom of asthma is periodic airway constriction, which impairs breathing. In his Perspective, Gerard discusses the discovery of a dehyrogease that acts as a reductase for small molecules called S-nitrothiols or SNOs. Because the SNOs regulate smooth muscle tone and seem to result in airway relaxation, reduction of SNOs by this dehydrogenase promotes airway constriction. Thus, inhibition of the dehydrogenase could prove to be useful for treating this aspect of asthma.
Sets and Mappings

In this chapter, we have put together a number of definitions concerning the basic terminology of mathematics. The reader could reasonably start reading Chapter 1 immediately, and refer to the present chapter only when he comes across a word which he does not understand. Most concepts will in fact be familiar to most readers.
Interactions of the Drosophila gap gene giant with maternal and zygotic pattern-forming genes

The Drosophila gene giant (gt) is a segmentation gene that affects anterior head structures and abdominal segments A5-A7. Immunolocalization of the gt product shows that it is a nuclear protein whose expression is initially activated in an anterior and a posterior domain. Activation of the anterior domain is dependent on the maternal bicoid gradient while activation of the posterior domain requires maternal nanos gene product. Initial expression is not abolished by mutations in any of the zygotic gap genes. By cellular blastoderm, the initial pattern of expression has evolved into one posterior and three anterior stripes of expression. The evolution, position and width of these stripes are dependent on interactions between gt and the other gap genes. In turn, gt activity in these domains affects the expression of the other gap genes. These interactions, typical of the cross-regulation previously observed among gap genes, confirm that gt is a member of the gap gene class whose function is necessary to establish the overall pattern of gap gene expression. After cellular blastoderm, gt protein continues to be expressed in the head region in parts of the maxillary and mandibular segments as well as in the labrum. Expression is never detected in the labial or thoracic segment primordia but persists in certain head structures, including the ring gland, until the end of embryonic development.
And we are still not saved: critical race theory in education ten years later

In 1995, Teachers College Record published an article by Gloria Ladson‐Billings and William Tate entitled ‘Toward a critical race theory of education’. In this article, the authors proposed that critical race theory (CRT), a framework developed by legal scholars, could be employed to examine the role of race and racism in education. Within a few years of the publication of the article by Ladson‐Billings and Tate, several scholars in education had begun to describe their work as reflecting a CRT framework. In this article, we review the literature on CRT in education that has been published over the past ten years. We also assess how far we have come with respect to CRT in education and suggest where we might go from here.
Proliferation-dependent regulation of base excision repair in normal and SV-40 transformed human cells

The effect of SV-40 viral transformation of human cells on the proliferation-dependent regulation of base excision repair was examined. Normal human diploid WI-38 fibroblasts and SV-40 transformed WI-38 cells were used to examine whether the process of transformation perturbed the regulation of base excision repair. The regulation of excision repair enzymes in each cell type was examined by quantitating: the specific activities of the base excision repair enzymes uracil DNA glycosylase and hypoxanthine DNA glycosylase as a function of cell growth; and immunological analysis of the uracil DNA glycosylase using monoclonal antibodies to human uracil DNA glycosylase. In each cell type, both DNA glycosylase activities were increased as a function of cell proliferation; the extent of enhancement being greater in the transformed cells. As defined by ELISA and immunoblot analysis, the induced uracil DNA glycosylases in both cell types share the same determinants. Although other repair processes are altered upon SV-40 transformation, these results suggest that the proliferation-dependent regulation of these base excision repair enzymes is retained in SV-40 transformed human cells.
Carbohydrate metabolism in Rhiodopseudomonas capsulata: Enzyme titers, glucose metabolism, and polyglucose polymer synthesis

Abstract Rhodopseudomonas capsulata was grown under photoautotrophic conditions (on hydrogen-carbon dioxide), photoheterotrophic conditions (with glucose, malate, or pyruvate as carbon sources), and heterotrophic-aerobic conditions (with glucose, malate, pyruvate, acetate-bicarbonate, or acetate as carbon sources). Good growth was obtained with glucose as the sole carbon source on a minimal salts medium buffered with potassium phosphate (0.1 m ). Polyglucose polymer was synthesized under all growth conditions. This synthesis occurred as early as the middle of the logarithmic phase of growth. Glucose-grown cells accumulated the highest levels of this polymer. Higher levels of polyglucose polymer were synthesized in the light than in the dark. Two of the enzymes responsible for polyglucose polymer synthesis in bacteria, ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and ADP-glucose-α-1,4-glucan transferase, were found to be present under all growth conditions in Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. The specific activity of citrate synthase, a key enzyme of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, was the highest of any enzyme studied and varied according to the conditions of growth. A glucose-inducible Entner-Doudoroff pathway was found in this organism. In glucose-grown cells there was a 3- to 5-fold increase in the specific activity of glucose-6-P dehydrogenase, a 10- to 15-fold increase in the specific activity of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrase, and a 2-fold increase in the specific activity of 2-keto-3-deoxy gluconate. Very low levels of phosphofructokinase and of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were found. Radiorespirometric experiments with glucose labeled in specific carbon atoms, confirmed that glucose was metabolized exclusively via the Entner-Doudoroff pathway.
Indoor Air Quality in Energy Efficient Housing

Abstract Over the past decade, there has been an increasing effort to reduce leakage and air infiltration in new residential construction in order to improve energy efficiency. For example, California's Title 24 Residential Compliance Manual For California's 2005 Energy Efficiency Standards, which went into effect in October 2005, recognizes that air infiltration (leakage) is a “major component of heating and cooling loads,” and section 3 addresses measures to reduce infiltration, such as sealing around penetrations, installing air-retarding wrap, and meeting window performance standards. While reducing infiltration has a positive effect on energy efficiency, a lack of adequate ventilation can lead to poor indoor air quality. Airtight residences need to balance the desire for energy conservation with the need for high quality indoor air. Doing this requires an understanding of the factors which affect air quality in homes.
Identification of N(G)-methylarginine residues in human heterogeneous RNP protein A1: Phe/Gly-Gly-Gly-Arg-Gly-Gly-Gly/Phe is a preferred recognition motif.

Three sites of NG,NG-arginine methylation have been located at residues 205, 217, and 224 in the glycine-rich, COOH-terminal one-third of the HeLa A1 heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein. Together with ...
An Efficient Property-Based Attestation Scheme with Flexible Revocation Mechanisms

In order to solve the problem of platform configuration information leakage that caused by the traditional platform authentication in the distributed trusted computing environment, this paper proposes a novel property-based attestation scheme. This scheme has flexible checking mechanisms of property certificate status, efficient computation and is provable security in the random oracle model. This paper designs the framework of the scheme, defines the security model of the scheme, gives concrete construction of the scheme, and proves the security of this scheme in the random oracle model and that this scheme satisfies the correctness, attestation unforgeability, configuration privacy and non-frame ability. Finally, proposed scheme is compared with the existing PBA schemes on the computation cost and communication cost respectively. The results show that our scheme is more practical and efficient.
Dissociation of Hydroxylase and Lyase Activities by Site-Directed Mutagenesis of the Rat P45017α

Site-directed mutagenesis of the arginine-rich region within the putative active site of the rat testicular P45017 alpha (17 alpha-hydroxylase cytochrome P-450, the product of P450XVII gene) was performed to identify specific amino acids that contribute to either the hydroxylase or lyase activities catalyzed by this enzyme. The conversion of Arg346 to alanine differentially abolished lyase activity without affecting hydroxylase activity, resulting in an accumulation of the 17 alpha-hydroxylated intermediate, and partial lyase activity was recovered by conversion of this mutant to Lys346. Similar results were obtained with the conversion of Arg357 to alanine, although this mutant also diminished hydroxylase activity, and full lyase and hydroxylase activities were recovered with a lysine in this position. Major reductions in hydroxylase activity were apparent with the conversion of Arg363 to Ala, and this inhibition was reversed by a lysine at position 363. In contrast, differential effects were not observed with the mutants Arg361 Ala, Arg361 Lys, or Tyr334Phe. Both mutations at the Arg361 position resulted in a total loss of hydroxylase and lyase activities, and mutation at the Tyr334 position had no effect on either activity. The identification of specific amino acids that are essential for either the hydroxylase or lyase reaction indicates that the steroid substrate-protein interaction changes during the course of the two consecutive reactions and reveals the potential for separation of the two activities by chemical and biological modulators within the active site region of the P45017 alpha.
Surgical Site Infections Following Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The U.S. is experiencing a national epidemic of obesity. Currently 5 % of the population is considered morbidly obese (body mass index [BMI] >40 kg/m 2 ) and bariatric surgery has become popular as an effective therapy for morbid obesity. The term bariatric surgery encompasses a variety of surgical procedures and there is limited published infection data. Our institution established a Bariatric and Metabolic Institute in 2004 and surveillance for surgical site infections (SSI) and bloodstream infections (BSI) was initiated July 1, 2005. METHODS: Laparoscopic bariatric procedures were categorized as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB); gastric banding; and sleeve gastrectomy. CDC definitions were used for superficial, deep and organ space SSI, as well as for BSI. Case ascertainment was performed by rounding on the bariatric unit, review of laboratory culture reports and communication with the Bariatric Center. A laparoscopic procedure that during the course of surgery is changed to an open laparotomy is considered a conversion. RESULTS: 161 procedures were performed by 2 surgeons from July 1, through December 31, 2005. Of these 73% (117/161) were RYGB; 22% (35/161) were gastric banding; and 5% (9/161) sleeve gastrectomies. In the RYGB group there were a total of 5 SSIs with an overall infection incidence rate of 4.3%. Four infections were organ space and one superficial. Sixty percent of SSI cases were polymicrobial (3/5). Gram positive organisms constituted 63% of pathogens. Pathogens included Streptococcus milleri (2), Enterococcus (1), Streptococcus viridans (1), Escherichia coli (1), Bacteroides fragilis (1) and Lactobacillus (1). In one case no pathogen was identified. Of the 5 patients with SSI, 3 were male. The mean age was 46.6 years (range 35 - 53 years), with a mean BMI of 49.8 (range 38-66). The mean duration of surgery was 353 minutes (range of 260-464 minutes). Pre-operative Cefazolin was given within 60 minutes of incision time in all but one infected case. Routine antibiotic orders are for cefazolin 1 gram IV every eight hours for 24 hours. There was an anastomotic leak noted in 80% of SSIs. There were no infections in the gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy cases. The conversion rate for laparoscopic RYGB to open laparotomy was 0.9% (1/117). There were no BSIs. CONCLUSIONS: A six month summary of our bariatric surgical center data revealed a significant number of bariatric cases with RYGB the most commonly performed procedure. The SSI infection rate of 4.3% is within the range of 1-10% reported in the literature. The rate for Laparoscopic RYGB conversion to a laparotomy is 0.9%.
Illusory Correlation and the Maintenance of Sex Role Stereotypes in Children.

The present work tested the hypothesis that children would perceive illusory correlations leading to greater recall of events that confirm rather than disconfirm sex-stereotypic beliefs. In the study, 33 second graders and 34 fourth graders were shown slides of adult males and females engaged in traditional sex role activities, nontraditional activities, and gender-neutral activities. Frequency judgments of the occurrence of each Stimulus Type x Stimulus Sex category served as the dependent measure. In actuality there was no correlation between gender and activity type in the stimulus set. As expected, both age groups perceived illusory correlations, giving the highest frequency estimates to traditional stimuli and the lowest frequency estimates to nontraditional stimuli. Individual differences in level of stereotyped attitudes had no effect on this cognitive bias. Results are discussed in terms of gender schema theory and the maintenance of sex role stereotypes.
Receptor tyrosine phosphatase-dependent cytoskeletal remodeling by the hedgehog-responsive gene MIM/BEG4.

During development, dynamic remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton allows the precise placement and morphology of tissues. Morphogens such as Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and local cues such as receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs) mediate this process, but how they regulate the cytoskeleton is poorly understood. We previously identified Basal cell carcinoma–enriched gene 4 (BEG4)/Missing in Metastasis (MIM), a Shh-inducible, Wiskott-Aldrich homology 2 domain–containing protein that potentiates Gli transcription (Callahan, C.A., T. Ofstad, L. Horng, J.K. Wang, H.H. Zhen, P.A. Coulombe, and A.E. Oro. 2004. Genes Dev. 18:2724–2729). Here, we show that endogenous MIM is induced in a patched1-dependent manner and regulates the actin cytoskeleton. MIM functions by bundling F-actin, a process that requires self-association but is independent of G-actin binding. Cytoskeletal remodeling requires an activation domain distinct from sequences required for bundling in vitro. This domain associates with RPTPδ and, in turn, enhances RPTPδ membrane localization. MIM-dependent cytoskeletal changes can be inhibited using a soluble RPTPδ-D2 domain. Our data suggest that the hedgehog-responsive gene MIM cooperates with RPTP to induce cytoskeletal changes.
Family Involvement and Resident Psychosocial Status in Long-Term Care

Abstract While prior research has suggested that family involvement is key to the psychosocial adaptation of long-term care residents, few studies directly test this assertion. The current study interviewed 79 residents, their primary family members, primary staff persons, and administrators recruited from 5 nursing homes, 5 assisted living facilities, and 16 family care homes in Kentucky. Regression models indicated that facility family orientation and family involvement in care conferences were linked to greater resident well-being (i.e., sense of aesthetics, or ability to appreciate beauty in one's surroundings), while families who transported residents to appointments outside of facilities had relatives with a lower sense of aesthetics. The results imply that family involvement may be associated with both positive and negative resident psychosocial outcomes, and have important scientific and clinical implications in the promotion of family involvement in residential long-term care.
Radiation-Induced Defect Centers in Thermally Grown Oxide Films

Electron spin resonance and etch-back techniques have been employed to identify radiation-induced defect centers in thermally grown oxide films on SOS wafers and to determine their spatial distribution in the oxide film. The only defect identified was the E' center, which was found to be indistinguishable from E' centers in irradiated bulk fused silica samples. The distribution of E' centers in-oxide films irradiated to a dose of 108 rad (Si) was observed to consist of a uniform bulk distribution plus a concentration build-up near the Si-SiO2 interface. The application of a positive 10 volt bias to a 1.08kA gate oxide during gamma irradiation produced an order of magnitude increase in the E' center concentration.
Sparse extended information filters: insights into sparsification

Recently, there have been a number of variant simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms that have made substantial progress towards large-area scalability by parameterizing the SLAM posterior within the information (canonical/inverse covariance) form. Of these, probably the most well known and popular approach is the sparse extended information filter (SEIF) by Thrun et al. While SEIFs have been successfully implemented with a variety of challenging real world datasets and have led to new insights into scalable SLAM, open research questions remain regarding the approximate sparsification procedure and its effect on map error consistency. In this paper, we examine the constant time SEIF sparsification procedure in depth and offer new insight into issues of consistency. In particular, we show that exaggerated map inconsistency occurs within the global reference frame where estimation is performed, but that empirical testing shows that relative local map relationships are preserved. We then present a slightly modified version of their sparsification procedure, which is shown to preserve sparsity while also generating both local and global map estimates comparable to those obtained by the nonsparsified SLAM filter. While this modified approximation is no longer constant time, it does serve as a theoretical benchmark against which to compare SEIFs constant time results. We demonstrate our findings by benchmark comparison of the modified and original SEIF sparsification rule using simulation in the linear Gaussian SLAM case and real world experiments for a nonlinear dataset.
Age-related change in visual information processing: Toward a unified theory of aging and visual memory

Memory for semantic information is relatively preserved through the normal aging process. Visuospatial memory remains less intact. In the present article a theory is proposed that links this processing difference to normal age-related generalized cognitive slowing, and to the appearance of specific age-related differences in memory performance. Evidence for these suggestions is presented from work in four areas: mental rotation, spatial memory, paired-associates learning, and free recall. Cognitive performance in young and older respondents is shown to vary predictably with systematic variation of visuospatial and semantic stimulus factors consistent with these hypotheses. A further test of these ideas derives from the development of a clinically useful mnemonic system for older adults that is based on these principles. Taken together, this research indicates that much of the deficit observed in the memory performance of older adults may derive not from memory problems per se, but rather from the action of generalized cognitive slowing, which contributes to diminished abilities to represent and process visual images. This series of findings may provide a framework for understanding a wide variety of the processes involved in aging and visual memory, and for the creation of applications to aid the memory of older adults.
Electron spin resonance observations of chlorine and bromine atoms isolated at 22°K in X-irradiated alkali halide-alkali borate glasses

Abstract Alkali halide-alkali borate glasses have been X-irradiated at 22°K and the induced color centers studied by electron spin resonance (ESR) techniques at X-band frequencies (∼9 GHz). The complex ESR spectra have been analyzed as superpositions of spectra due to a number of previously elucidated species, plus two new centers which are demonstrated to be Cl° and Br° atoms isolated in the chloride- and bromide-containing glasses, respectively.
Modeling Lost Production in the Gulf of Mexico—I. Redevelopment Economics and Impact Assessment

Abstract The oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico has the greatest weather exposure in the world, and is vulnerable to a range of losses that include physical damage, destruction, business interruption, and pollution liability. During the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons, a number of offshore facilities, drilling rigs, and pipelines were destroyed and extensively damaged. In total, Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina, and Rita destroyed 122 structures and severely damaged 76 others. Owners of destroyed assets are faced with a difficult decision: Should the property be abandoned along with its remaining reserves or should the asset be redeveloped? The purpose of this three-part series is to examine the destroyed infrastructure from the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons and the likely contribution this collection of assets would have made to future production in the Gulf of Mexico. In Part 1, we describe the weather risk that operators encounter and review the factors that are involved in redevelopment decisions. T...
Conservative management of guidewire coronary artery perforation with pericardial effusion during angioplasty for acute inferior myocardial infarction

A wire perforation of a totally occluded right coronary artery was treated successfully with prolonged balloon inflation. This non-surgical management is preferred if physiologic and anatomic conditions are suitable.
Parallel computing in biomedical research

Scalable parallel computer architectures provide the computational performance needed for advanced biomedical computing problems. The National Institutes of Health have developed a number of parallel algorithms and techniques useful in determining biological structure and function. These applications include processing electron micrographs to determine the three-dimensional structure of viruses, calculating the solvent-accessible surface area of proteins to help predict the three-dimensional conformation of these molecules from their primary structures, and searching for homologous DNA or amino acid sequences in large biological databases. Timing results demonstrate substantial performance improvements with parallel implementations compared with conventional sequential systems.
NO reduction by propylene over Pt/SiO2 : An in situ FTIR study

Abstract The selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitric oxide (NO) by propylene (C 3 H 6 ) over a 1 wt.% Pt/SiO 2 catalyst was studied by the use of in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy at 250°C. At this temperature, introduction of NO to the catalyst did not result in the formation of any significant amounts of adsorbed NO x -type species on either the catalyst or the SiO 2 support. On the contrary, introduction of C 3 H 6 to the same catalyst resulted in the formation of surface carboxylates. Experiments conducted under reaction conditions resulted in the formation of a surface cyanide (−CN) species, and a gas phase/weakly adsorbed nitrous oxide (N 2 O) species. The surface cyanide is the product of the reaction between an oxygen-activated hydrocarbon derivative and NO and is reactive toward NO, NO 2 , and O 2 , resulting in the formation of N 2 and N 2 O. Its behavior, as observed in this study, is consistent with a role as a potential intermediate in the selective reduction of NO by propylene over the Pt/SiO 2 catalyst.
Electronic, vibrational, and ODMR studies of solid oxalyl halides

The lowest excited singlet and triplet states of the oxalyl halides, (COX)2 with X = F, Cl, and Br, have been investigated at ˇ- 4 K by optical and ODMR spectroscopy. The observed excited states are assigned as the 1, 3A u (nπ*) states of the planar trans isomers. A partial reassignment of the ground state fundamentals is presented, based on the ODMR activities in the vibronically resolved emission spectra. Variations seen in the kinetic parameters and fine structure splittings of the 3A u state in the series are interpreted in terms of oxygen- and halogen-centred spin-orbit interactions.
PHYLOGENY OF PRIMATES AND OTHER EUTHERIAN ORDERS: A CLADISTIC ANALYSIS USING AMINO ACID AND NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE DATA

Abstract— Genealogical reconstructions carried out by the parsimony method on protein amino acid and DNA nucleotide sequence data are providing fresh evidence on cladistic branching patterns at taxonomic levels from the classes of Vertebrata and orders of Eutheria to the genera of Hominoidea. Minimum length trees constructed from amino acid sequence data group Mammalia with Archosauria (i.e., Aves plus Crocodilia), Amniota with Amphibia, and Tetrapoda with Teleostei. Within Mammalia, Edentata and Paenungulata (e.g., Proboscidea) appear as the most anciently separated from other eutherians. Another superordinal eutherian clade consists of Artiodactyla, Cetacea, and Perissodactyla. A third consistently contains Primates, Lagomorpha, and Tupaia. The cladistic positions of such orders as Carnivora, Chiroptera, Insectivora, and Rodentia are not well resolved by the currently still sparse body of sequence data. However, recent dramatic progress in the technology of gene cloning and nucleotide sequencing has opened the way for so enlarging the body of sequence data that it should become possible to solve almost any problem concerning the phylogenetic systematice of extant mammals. An example is provided by hominoid genera. Minimum length trees constructed from mitochondrial DNA nucleotide sequence data very strongly group Pan, Homo, and Gorilla into Homininae and then join Homininae and Ponginae (pongo) into Hominidae as the sister family of Hylobatidae (Hylobates). Resolution of the hominine trichotomy into two dichotomous branchings should be forthcoming as kilobase sequencing of nuclear genes progresses.
Acoustically coupled gas bubbles in fluids: time-domain phenomena.

In previous work [C. Feuillade, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 98, 1178–1190 (1995)] a coupled oscillator formalism was introduced for describing collective resonances, scattering, and superresonances, of multiple gas bubbles in a fluid. Subsequently, time-domain investigations of the impulse response of coupled systems have disclosed the exact conditions which determine whether the ensemble scattering behavior should be described using: either (a), a multiple scattering; or (b), a self-consistent methodology. The determining factor is the Q of the individual scatterers, and their typical spatial separations in the medium. For highly damped or sparse systems, e.g., scattering from loose schools of swimbladder fish, or from a gassy seabed containing entrained bubbles, the multiple scatter counting approach should be applicable. For more strongly coupled systems, e.g., a dense cloud of resonating bubbles in the water column, energy exchange may be due primarily to radiative cycling rather than scattering, in which case a self-consistent approach is indicated. The result has implications for both volume and bottom scattering applications.
Constructing arrangements optimally in parallel

We give two optimal parallel algorithms for constructing the arrangement ofn lines in the plane. The first nethod is quite simple and runs inO(log2n) time usingO(n2) work, and the second method, which is more sophisticated, runs inO(logn) time usingO(n2) work. This second result solves a well-known open problem in parallel computational geometry, and involves the use of a new algorithmic technique, the construction of an ?-pseudocutting. Our results immediately imply that the arrangement ofn hyperplanes in ?d inO(logn) time usingO(nd) work, for fixedd, can be optimally constructed. Our algorithms are for the CREW PRAM.
CONDITIONAL INTENT AND MENS REA

There are many categories of action to which specific acts belong only if performed with some particular intention. Our commonsense concepts of types of action are sensitive to intent—think of the difference between lying and telling an untruth, for instance—but the law is replete with clear and unambiguous examples. Assault with intent to kill and possession of an illegal drug with intent to distribute are both much more serious crimes than mere assault and mere possession. A person is guilty of a crime of attempt—attempted murder, for instance, or attempted rape—only if that person had the intention to perform a crime. Under the federal carjacking law, an act of hijacking an automobile counts as carjacking only if performed with the intention to kill or inflict serious bodily harm on the driver of the car. In all of these cases, the question of whether or not a particular defendant had the precise intention necessary for the crime can make a huge difference, often a difference of years in prison, but sometimes literally a difference of life or death; sometimes whether the crime is one for which the death penalty can be given turns solely on the question of whether or not the actor had the relevant intention.
Password management using doodles

The average computer user needs to remember a large number of text username and password combinations for different applications, which places a large cognitive load on the user. Consequently users tend to write down passwords, use easy to remember (and guess) passwords, or use the same password for multiple applications, leading to security risks. This paper describes the use of personalized hand-drawn "doodles" for recall and management of password information. Since doodles can be easier to remember than text passwords, the cognitive load on the user is reduced. Our method involves recognizing doodles by matching them against stored prototypes using handwritten shape matching techniques. We have built a system which manages passwords for web applications through a web browser. In this system, the user logs into a web application by drawing a doodle using a touchpad or digitizing tablet attached to the computer. The user is automatically logged into the web application if the doodle matches the doodle drawn during enrollment. We also report accuracy results for our doodle recognition system, and conclude with a summary of next steps.
Everything I know I learned from my mother...Or not: perspectives of African-American and white women on decisions about tubal sterilization.

BACKGROUND African-American women have had higher rates of female sterilization compared to white women since its emergence as a contraceptive method. The reasons underlying this observed racial difference are unknown.
Technical issues for MRI examination of the posterior fossa

Examination of the posterior fossa by magnetic resonance imaging is discussed with respect to modern techniques and equipment, and including recent results of non-conventional studies in multiple sclerosis. Optimal protocol design will maximize resolution and signal strength while providing diagnostic contrast. Motion artifact from the sigmoid and transverse sinuses may appear as ghosting and can be mitigated with proper imaging parameter choices.
Origami Platonic solids

There's something very beautiful and elegant about the simple 3D shapes known as Platonic solids. By actually building these structures, the mind and body can work together to strengthen our intuition about them. In this article, I stick with a simple and popular description of origami: you start with a single sheet of paper, and you're only allowed to fold it. The only tools allowed are your own fingers-no pencils, measuring sticks, compasses, and so on. There is one variation. We'll create most of our models by assembling several different pieces together. The assembly must not require tape or glue, though for some of the flimsier models you may want to apply a few dabs of glue here and there so that the model doesn't completely unravel if you drop it.
Foreign body aspiration in children: Value of radiography and complications of bronchoscopy☆

Abstract Purpose: The authors undertook a 10-year review of bronchoscopies for airway foreign bodies in children to test assertions in previous reports that (1) characteristic abnormalities in chest radiographs are important indicators of the need for bronchoscopy and (2) experienced operators incur negligible complications. Methods: The medical records of 293 children who under-went bronchoscopies by experienced pediatric surgeons for suspected airway foreign bodies were reviewed for patient age, symptoms, duration of symptoms before bronchoscopy, prebronchoscopy radiographs, type of foreign body, anatomic location of foreign body, success of bronchoscopic removal, length of hospital stay, and complications. Results: Of the 293 bronchoscopies, 265 showed airway foreign bodies. A choking episode was recorded in 228 of the 265 patients with foreign bodies and 5 of the 28 with negative bronchoscopy. The surgeon thought that radiographs were normal at the time of bronchoscopy in 110 patients who had foreign bodies. Nine patients with foreign bodies had atypical radiographs; three had bilateral emphysema and six had upper lobe or bilateral atelectasis or pneumonia. There were three complications: one vocal cord injury requiring temporary tracheostomy, one tracheal laceration from removal of an aspirated tooth, and one severe postoperative subglottic edema requiring a 4-day hospital stay. The age of the patients, symptoms, types of foreign bodies, locations of foreign bodies, management, and outcomes were similar to those of previous reports. Conclusions: In children with airway foreign bodies, chest radiograph findings are frequently normal and can display abnormalities uncharacteristic for foreign body aspiration. Children witnessed to choke while having small particles in their mouths and noted subsequently to have raspy respiration, wheezing, or coughing should undergo prompt bronchoscopy regardless of radiographic findings. Complications of bronchoscopy for foreign body aspiration are uncommon but occur even in experienced hands.
Endoscopic Reconstruction of Large Anterior Skull Base Defects using Acellular Dermal Allograft

BackgroundEndoscopic repair of small- to medium-sized anterior skull base (ASB) defects using bone, cartilage, fascia, fibrin glue, lipolized dura, and, more recently, acellular dermal allograft ha...
Spatially-aware systems engineering design modeling applied to natural hazard vulnerability assessment

Human socio-technical systems are particularly vulnerable to natural and manmade disasters that project vast physical effects on interdependent functional infrastructure. Many disciplines are trying to understand the complex interactions between the physical world and the systems at risk within it. Systems engineering design is directly concerned with relationships between requirements, functions, and the physical architecture that implements functions. This paper explores the use and advantages of systems engineering design modeling that has been made sensitive to the spatial effects of the physical world by using a geographic information system (GIS) to represent elements of the physical architecture. The paper begins with a description of the spatial context and geographic information systems technology. We review how the spatial context is presently manifested in systems engineering and design modeling and then describe how we combined a geospatial model with a systems engineering design model and explored the unique views that the combined conceptual models introduce. We present a process approach developed for the natural hazard vulnerability domain and discuss our findings to date and the challenges that resulted from mixing models of greatly different fidelity. We conclude by suggesting future work that is needed to further investigate spatially-aware systems engineering conceptual models. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 10: 187–202, 2007
Fabrication of Silica Shell Photonic Crystals through Flexible Core Templates

We attached very small silica particles onto flexible monodisperse poly(N-isopropylacrylamide, PNIPAm) core particles synthesized by dispersion polymerization. These silica particles were attached to the partially swollen PNIPAm particles by the hydrolysis and condensation of tetraethoxysilane at 24 °C. The resulting silica particle-functionalized PNIPAm core particles show reversible swelling and shrinking as the temperature is cycled. These particles form close-packed-array photonic crystals (PCs) as the solvent evaporates; the cores shrink to form a silica shell around the pure PNIPAm dry core particles as they close pack. The PNIPAm cores were removed by calcination, leaving a PC composed of essentially pure continuous silica shells. These silica shell PCs Bragg diffract UV light at ∼310 nm. The close packed particle interstices are continuous and are easily filled by water. In contrast, the silica shells are impervious to water because the process of making them results in a continuous shell of silic...
The stability curve of bovine adenosine deaminase is bimodal.

We have determined the stability curve of bovine adenosine deaminase via titrations with guanidine hydrochloride at pH = 6.3 from 5 to 65° C. The data indicate that the enzyme undergoes an abrupt c...
Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis and the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a disease seen exclusively in patients with decreased renal function. The use of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) has a strong association with NSF. Linear non-ionic GBCAs that are more prone to release free gadolinium are the more likely to cause NSF. The number of reported cases has increased recently, and there are currently nine pediatric cases, the patients ranging in age from 8 years to 19 years, and the oldest adult patient is 87 years of age. The most successful treatment is improvement of renal function with renal transplantation or with recovery of acute kidney injury. NSF can be severely debilitating and even fatal. Avoidance of a GBCA in patients at risk, or limitation of the dose in the patients who need gadolinium enhancement, is recommended.
Experimental measure of arm stiffness during single reaching movements with a time-frequency analysis

We tested an innovative method to estimate joint stiffness and damping during multijoint unfettered arm movements. The technique employs impulsive perturbations and a time-frequency analysis to est...
Male territorial behaviour in the mason bee Hoplitis anthocopoides (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Abstract Male Hoplitis (Hoplitis) anthocopoides patrol territories defended against conspecific males. Each territory includes blooming Echium vulgare, sole food of females, and rocks or bare soil for resting perches. Dominant territorial males chase intruders, engage them in face-to-face hovers before chasing, and briefly grapple with them. Subordinate males disperse up to 0·5 km from emergence sites to establish territories. Territorial males may also chase heterospecific visitors to Echium. Females mate once, soon after emergence, when visiting Echium. Territoriality progressed in four stages: (1) A pre-Echium stage (4 days) before blooming, in which a few males patrolled large territories. (2) A maximum competition stage (7 days) in which 80 per cent of males and 20 per cent of females emerged but only a few Echium bloomed. Each territorial male patrolled only one Echium plant and was replaced by a competitor in a median of 2 days. (3) A mature territory stage (15 days) in which remaining bees emerged and remaining Echium bloomed. Males increased territorial size to a mean length of 5·3 m, encompassing several Echium plants, and remained a median of 16 days. Boundaries often overlapped and shifted during the day. (4) A senescent stage (28 days) in which males became scarce and patrolled greatly extended territories. Territoriality in H. anthocopoides may give a mating advantage to the males, disperse the subordinate males to new stands of the ephemeral E. vulgare where they might meet virgin females emigrating from unfavourable localities, and increase the probability of outcrossing among the bees. Male territorial behaviour in other megachilid bees is compared with that of H. anthocopoides.
Progress in turbulence detection via GNSS occultation data

The increased availability of radio occultation (RO) data offers the ability to detect and study turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere. An analysis of how RO data can be used to determine the strength and location of turbulent regions is presented. This includes the derivation of a model for the power spectrum of the log-amplitude and phase fluctuations of the permittivity (or index of refraction) field. The bulk of the paper is then concerned with the estimation of the model parameters. Parameter estimators are introduced and some of their statistical properties are studied. These estimators are then applied to simulated log-amplitude RO signals. This includes the analysis of global statistics derived from a large number of realizations, as well as case studies that illustrate various specific aspects of the problem. Improvements to the basic estimation methods are discussed, and their beneficial properties are illustrated. The estimation techniques are then applied to real occultation data. Only two cases are presented, but they illustrate some of the salient features inherent in real data.
The effect of laser pulse duration on ICP-MS signal intensity, elemental fractionation, and detection limits in fs-LA-ICP-MS

We investigated the role that pulse width has on the analytical capabilities of laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), specifically in the range of 40 fs to 300 ps. Three main results of LA-ICP-MS were examined: signal intensity or sensitivity, elemental fractionation or that the ablated aerosol is representative of the bulk, and detection limits of various elements in the samples. The samples used for this experiment were NIST glass standards, dielectrics that exhibit different ablation properties compared to metal targets. Our results demonstrate that in the range of 40 fs to 1 ps, negligible differences occur in signal intensity, elemental ratios, and detection limits. The U/Pb and U/Th ratios, which were examined to ensure limited fractionation, give comparable results at all pulse widths investigated.
Protein binding predictions from amino acid primary sequence hydrophobicity

Abstract A protein is composed of a linear chain of amino acids, called its primary structure. Each amino acid has a measured hydrophobicity that reflects its attraction to or repulsion from a water environment. Going along a protein's amino acid chain the hydrophobicity sequence is analogous to a discrete data series. We analyze this data series with several numerical methods. In this paper, we will focus on decomposing this data series into orthogonal modes and then calculate the power spectrum of these modes. We find that proteins that bind together possess the same distinguishing spectral features in their power spectrum.
Dimer ribbons in the three-dimensional structure of sarcoplasmic reticulum☆

The three-dimensional structure of scallop sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes has been determined from electron micrographs of two classes of stain-filled tubules by helical reconstruction methods. These structures are characterized by dimer ribbons of Ca2+-ATPase molecules running diagonally around the tube wall. Deep right-handed grooves separate the ribbons. The elongated, curved units of the dimer (approximately 95 A long in the radial direction; 60 to 70 A axially, and about 30 A wide) are displaced axially by approximately 34 A and are connected at their outer ends by a bridge running nearly parallel to the tube axis. The monomers make a second contact at their inner ends. Adjacent units with the same orientation form a strong contact that is responsible for the ribbon appearance. Comparison of tubules of different diameter shows that one set of connections between the dimer ribbons is conserved: the inner ends of axially displaced dimers appear to make contact along a left-handed path almost perpendicular to the major grooves. The lipid bilayer cannot be clearly identified. The two-dimensional map obtained from flattened tubules is consistent with the three-dimensional reconstruction in showing dimer ribbons connected by a weak contact across the grooves, strongly resembling the inter-dimer bond observed in three dimensions. The two-dimensional map shows a 2-fold axis relating units of the dimer, but the three-dimensional tubes show a slight axial polarity that may arise from the presence of proteins other than the Ca2+-ATPase.
Multinutrient Fertilization and Placement to Improve Yield and Nutrient Concentration of Tall Fescue

Although tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is one of the major cool-season grasses used for animal feed in the USA, it often is unfertilized or is top-dressed with N alone. Additional fertilizer nutrients applied with N may improve yield and quality. Subsurface placement of N has been shown to improve cool-season grass production, but data are limited regarding effects of placement of different fertilizer combinations on elemental composition and yield of tall fescue. Thus, a field study was conducted from 1984 to 1986 to determine the effects of multinutrient fertilization (N-only, NP, NPK, NPKSBZn, and PKSBZn without N) and placement method [broadcast, dribble (surface banding), and knifing (subsurface banding)] on nutrient concentrations and yield of tall fescue. Nitrogen was the primary nutrient limiting fescue growth. Adding N doubled yields of samples that estimated early-grazing potential and tripled yields of hay. Supplementing N fertilization with additional nutrients increased tissue concentrations of the added nutrient, but increases in yield were small and often not significant. Broadcasting fertilizers resulted in greater yields of early-grazing samples and higher P and K concentrations than knifing; however, by hay harvest, knifing resulted in about 10% greater yields and 20% greater N concentrations. Dribble applications generally resulted in responses intermediate between those of broadcast and knifing. Contribution no. 96-95-J, Kansas Agric. Exp. Stn. Research partially supported by grant funds from the Fluid Fertilizer Foundation.
Investigation of normal hexane and nitrogen adsorption onto soil constituents and constituent mixtures

Abstract Vapor-phase adsorption of normal hexane onto some common soil constituents and simple mixtures of these constituents at 27°C was studied. Experiments were conducted at zero relative humidity. The constituents can be classified as clays, organic matter and sand. Only the clays were significant adsorbents in both the pure constituent and mixture experiments. In all cases the adsorption isotherms had the Type II sigmoid shape. Adsorbent surface areas were estimated from the two-parameter BET adsorption model. Adsorption capacity, reflected by surface area, of the mixtures could be characterized almost completely by clay content alone. The clays, although possessing much different capacities to adsorb hexane when expressed on a mass basis, exhibited approximately equal adsorption capacities relative to their N2/BET surface areas. Accordingly, the various dry-clay adsorption isotherms when plotted as relative capacity (amount of hexane adsorbed divided by N2/BET surface area) versus normalized concentration were seen to collapse roughly upon one another for a large part of the concentration range. Furthermore, clay BET surface areas estimated from hexane adsorption at 27°C were consistently seen to be approximately 0.73 times that of the value from N2 adsorption.