cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Clinical Review of Slipping Rib Syndrome.

ABSTRACT Slipping rib syndrome is pain created at the lower, anterior border of the rib cage when performing upper-extremity activities, coughing, laughing, or leaning over. Defects in the costal cartilage of ribs 8 to 10 result in increased movement of the ribs, impinging soft tissue and intercostal nerves. Advancements have been made in the diagnosis of slipping rib syndrome by dynamic ultrasound. Ultrasound can identify abnormalities in the rib and cartilage anatomy, as well as soft tissue swelling. Although the mainstays of treatment continue to be reassurance, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, intercostal nerve injections, osteopathic manipulative treatment, surgery for refractory pain, and botulinum toxin injections have been attempted, and there may be a role for prolotherapy in treatment. Surgical techniques are being examined secondary to recurrence of pain following resection. The hooking maneuver and surgery remain important for identification and treatment, respectively.
Research on Optimal Coordination and Algorithms of Microprocessor-based Inverse Time Backup Protection

Backup protection plays an important role in the safe operation of power grid, and it has important research value in the field of power system relay protection. Firstly, the research status and development opportunities of inverse time limit protection are analyzed, and then the best cooperation between inverse time limit protection and distance protection is discussed theoretically. According to the time constraint relationship in the protection range, an objective function satisfying the selectivity and speed is proposed. Secondly, in view of the difficulty in calculating the inverse time characteristic curve, a processing algorithm combining Taylor expansion method and look-up table method is proposed. Finally, the effectiveness and practicability of the method are verified by simulation experiments.
The effects of CO2 laser treatment on a digital velvet printing

This research combines two digital technologies for customizing textile substrates: carbon dioxide (CO2) laser treatment and digital textile printing. The objective is to determine if creating pile...
The effect of statins on RyR and RyR-associated disease.

We sought to review the effects of statins on the ryanodine receptor (RyR) and on RyR-associated diseases, with an emphasis on catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT). Statins ...
Collisional excitation kinetics for O ( 3 s S o 5 ) and O ( 3 p P 3 5 ) states using laser absorption spectroscopy in shock-heated weakly ionized O 2 -Ar mixture

Collisional excitation kinetics for atomic oxygen is studied behind reflected shock waves in $1%\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}/\mathrm{Ar}$ mixtures over 10 000--11 000K using laser absorption spectroscopy of the O($3s^{5}S^{o}$) to $\mathrm{O}(3p\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{5}P_{3}$) transition at 777 nm and the $\mathrm{O}(3p\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{5}P_{3}$) to O($3d ^{5}D_{2,3,4}^{\mathrm{o}}$) transitions at 926 nm. Four time histories are inferred simultaneously from the absorbance of the two transitions: the population density of level 4 of atomic oxygen, i.e., the O($3s ^{5}S^{o}$) state, ${n}_{4}$; the population density of level 6 of atomic oxygen, i.e., the $\mathrm{O}(3p\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{5}P_{3}$) state, ${n}_{6}$; the electron number density, ${n}_{e}$; and the heavy-particle translational temperature, ${T}_{\text{tr}}$. Atomic oxygen in the levels 4 and 6 are not in equilibrium with the ground-state atomic oxygen as the measurements of ${n}_{4}$ and ${n}_{6}$ are generally 3--20 times smaller than the corresponding values under Boltzmann equilibrium at ${T}_{\text{tr}}$. However, these two states are close to partial equilibrium with each other within the test time, indicating strong heavy-particle cross coupling between levels 4 and 6 of atomic oxygen. A simplified two-temperature collisional-radiative (CR) model is developed to study the thermal and chemical nonequilibrium of atomic oxygen following shock heating. The four measured time histories are used to optimize the 12 collisional rate constants in the CR model using a stochastic gradient descent (SGD) algorithm. The time-history results, diagnostic methods, and collisional-radiative model presented in the current study are potentially useful in studies of high-enthalpy air, plasma processing, or other applications involving weakly ionized oxygen.
Transfer of macromolecules into living adult cardiomyocytes by microinjection.

Among techniques commonly used to deliver bioactive molecules into living cells, microinjection is a very efficient method. Microinjection has been used extensively for gene transfer into different cell types. We applied the microinjection technique to the adult rat ventricular cardiac muscle cells (AVC) in primary culture and optimized microinjection parameters and the appropriate cell culture conditions. We also optimized the use of particular agents (i.e. 2,3-butanedione monoxime, verapamil) for the prevention of the cell damage caused by the micropuncture. We obtained the expression of a CMV-β-galactosidase reporter gene in up to 20% of the injected cells with efficient maintenance of long term cell viability. Under our experimental conditions direct microinjection is a very advantageous technique to transfer macromolecules into living adult cardiac muscle cells and a powerful system to study and manipulate the biochemistry and molecular biology of the cardiac myocyte. (Mol Cell Biochem 172: 103–109, 1997)
Locating Sites of Negations and Denegating "Negative Essentializing": Rereading Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own

This essay examines how Virginia Woolf uses writing as a tool to locate sites of negations, such as women’s exclusion from places of power and knowledge, and to expose negative essentializing that permeates patriarchal structure in A Room of One’s Own . Whereas scholarship on the book has explored a wide range of issues including sex, gender, and history, Locating offers a new perspective to the book as an example of “dewriting,” where Woolf confronts the stereotypical images of women, challenges gender and sexual ideologies, and restores dignity to women, thereby constructing a counter-narrative to misogynist masculine aesthetics.
A mixed-method study of the effects of guanxi between salespersons and buyers on retailer-supplier relationships in China

The social network and relationship marketing literatures urge firms to cultivate social ties to form favorable relationships with other business partners. We question the universality of this recommendation by examining the influence of guanxi (i.e., interpersonal social ties) between supplier salespersons and retail buyers in the retail industry in China. Using a mixed-method study combining both qualitative and quantitative stages, we find that guanxi between supplier salespersons and retail buyers may not enhance retailer–supplier relationship quality. Furthermore, our results show that guanxi between supplier salespersons and retail buyers may weaken the positive effect of supplier role performance on retailer satisfaction.
Number of prostate cancer risk alleles may identify possibly 'insignificant' disease.

Study Type – Prognosis (case series) Level of Evidence 4 OBJECTIVE To determine whether the cumulative effects of five prostate cancer risk alleles (three single-nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] on chromosome 8Q24 and two SNPs on chromosome 17a) could help to identify possibly ‘insignificant’ disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS We genotyped 629 men of European ancestry who underwent radical prostatectomy at our institution between 2002 and 2007. Possibly ‘insignificant’ CaP was defined using the Ohori criteria (organ-confined, tumour volume <0.5 mL, Gleason pattern ≤4). Statistical analysis was used to compare patients with ‘insignificant’ and all other ‘significant’ cancer based upon genotype. Carrier status for the 5 SNPs were compared between patients with ‘insignificant’ disease and a separate population of 801 controls without CaP. RESULTS Overall, 38 (6.0%) patients with CaP met the Ohori criteria for ‘insignificant’ disease. Men with ‘significant’ cancer had a greater frequency of any of the five risk alleles than either patients with ‘insignificant’ disease or controls. None of the individual alleles genotyped on chromosomes 8 or 17 distinguished between ‘significant’ and ‘insignificant’ CaP. However, carriers of two or more risk alleles were more likely to have ‘significant’ disease. CONCLUSIONS Although no single risk allele distinguished ‘insignificant’ CaP, ‘insignificant’ disease was nearly three times as likely among carriers of ≤ one risk allele. Future studies are needed to further elucidate the cumulative relationship between CaP risk alleles and CaP aggressiveness.
Immune Responses to Indwelling Medical Devices

Implanted medical devices have offered clinical hope to patients who either have critical illnesses or have more chronic problems such as joint destruction. No doubt, these devices have saved many lives and improved the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of people. Indeed, the use of indwelling devices has reached epic proportions in human medicine over the last three decades. One of the unintended consequences has been an accompanying rise in the infection rate in patients, which is directly related to the presence of these devices in humans. This is problematic because the devices are colonized by communities of microorganisms, termed biofilms, that are highly resistant to antimicrobial challenge and to destruction from the human host and its defenses. Over the past decade, there has been much progress on understanding how and why these communities are less susceptible to antimicrobial agents. However, many questions regarding the resistance of these communities to human host defenses are still unanswered. This chapter discusses the current knowledge of how the human immune system responds not only to the presence of indwelling medical devices, but also to the communities that colonize them.
Annulate lamellae and single pore complexes in normal, SV40-transformed and tumor cells in vitro. A semiquantitative analysis.

Abstract The frequency with which annulate lamellae (AL) and single cytoplasmic pore complexes appeared in selected groups (normal cell lines, SV40-, Rous sarcoma-, and 6 94 virus-infected cell lines, SV40-transformed cell lines, and both human and mouse tumor cell lines) was observed during standard electron microscopy techniques. All cell lines tested contained single pore complexes in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). Further, it was found that at early passages WI38 cells have more single pore complexes than at later passages. In SV40-infected CV1 cells, the number of pore complexes increased during the infectious cycle, which indicates that the formation of these complexes may not be dependent on nuclear membrane remnants from mitosis. No pore complexes were found during mitosis, i.e., the formation of cytoplasmic pore complexes is by new synthesis or reformation. We speculate that all proliferating cells and germ cells generate pore complexes (similar to nuclear pore complexes) in their cytoplasmic membrane systems. With respect to annulate lamellae, it was found that: 1. (1) In cell lines where AL could be observed, not all cells exhibited AL stacks. 2. (2) “Normal” cells—such as human fetal lung (WI38) and monkey kidney (CV1) cells, mouse macrophages and fibroblasts, and cells from chicken explants—did not have AL stacks, but AL stacks could be induced by exposure to vinblastine. 3. (3) SV40-infected cells did not generate stacks of AL in the cell lines tested. 4. (4) SV40-transformed cells had AL stacks in a few cells or in many, depending on the cell line. 5. (5) The introduction of the SV40-containing chromosome 7 of human transformed LN-SV cells into a cell type that did not express AL formation caused it to form AL. 6. (6) AL were present up to 48 h after enucleation of mouse L cells, that is until the cells show signs of degeneration (which indicates that cellular upkeep of AL may not be dependent on the presence of the nucleus, as was suggested by the simultaneous disappearance of AL at mitosis). 7. (7) All tumor cell lines investigated were found to have AL stacks.
Nanotechnology‐Based Biomarker Detection

Recent developments in genetics, proteomics, and nanotechnology have produced a large number of nanoparticle-based biomarker detection systems, including nanoparticles, quantum dots, nanowires, nanocantilever, and nanoarrays. They are being used to address various challenges faced in the detection of biomarkers, such as multiplexing ability, specificity, and label-free detection. This article focuses on nanoparticles and nanodevices currently being developed for the enhanced detection of biomarkers and reviews nanotoxicology issues and other challenges that nanotechnology will present to the biomarker field. Keywords: nanotechnology; biomarker; nanoparticles; quantum dots; nanowires; nanocantilever; nanoarrays
ELECTION-DAY REGISTRATION AND TURNOUT INEQUALITY

Many researchers blame voter registration requirements for inequalities in turnout rates across various groups in U.S. society. The number of states with election-day registration (EDR) of voters doubled between the 1990 and 1994 elections, providing a unique opportunity to examine its impact on turnout inequality across demographic groups. The adoption of EDR is found to be associated with large and significant improvements in the turnout rates of young persons relative to older persons, and of recent movers relative to nonmovers. Turnout inequality by income class also declines with EDR adoption, but not by a significant amount in multivariate tests. The adoption of EDR does not improve equality of representation across educational levels.
Highly Space Efficient Counters for Perl Compatible Regular Expressions in FPGAs

Signature based network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) rely on an underlying string matching engine that inspects each network packet against a known malicious pattern database. Traditional static pattern descriptions may not efficiently represent sophisticated attack signatures. Recently, most NIDSs have adopted regular expressions such as Perl compatible regular expressions (PCREs) to describe an attack signature, especially for polymorphic worms. PCRE is a superset of traditional regular expression, in which no counters are involved. However, this overloads the performance of software-based NIDSs, causing a big portion of their execution time to be dedicated to pattern matching. Over the past decade, hardware acceleration for the pattern matching has been studied extensively and a marginal performance has been achieved. Among hardware approaches, FPGA-based acceleration engines provide great flexibility because new signatures can be compiled and programmed into their reconfigurable architecture. As more and more malicious signatures are discovered, it becomes harder to map a complete set of malicious signatures specified in PCREs to an FPGA chip. Even worse is that the counters used in PCREs typically take a great deal of hardware resources. Therefore, we propose a space efficient SelectRAM counter for PCREs that involve counting. The design takes advantage of components that consist of a configurable logic block, and thus optimizes space usage. A set of PCRE blocks has been built in hardware to implement PCREs used in Snort/Bro. Experimental results show that the proposed sheme outperforms existing designs by at least 5-fold. Performance results are reported in this paper.
Remarks Concerning Graphical Models for Time Series and Point Processes

A statistical network is a collection of nodes representing random variables and a set of edges that connect the nodes. A probabilistic model for such is called a graphical modeL These models, graphs and networks are particularly useful for examining statistical dependencies based on conditioning as often occurs in economics and statistics. In this paper the nodal random variables will be time series or point processes. The cases of undirected and directed graphs are focussed on.
Effects of Tempo, Musical Experience, and Listening Modes on Tempo Modulation Perception.

In this study, I investigated the effects of tempo direction, listening mode, and level of subjects' musical experience on speed and accuracy in tempo change detection abilities. Tempo-change and d...
Synthesis, mechanism of action, and QSAR of herbicidal 3‐substituted‐2‐aryl‐4,5,6,7‐tetrahydroindazoles

A factorially designed set of 3-substituted 2-aryl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindazoles was synthesized and their herbicidal properties were evaluated using regression analysis. For optimal activity, the substituent at position 3 should be neither strongly hydrophobic nor hydrophilic and should have a small minimum radius. A study of the mechanism of action indicated that the tetrahydroindazoles are inhibitors of the enzyme protoporphyrinogen oxidase.
Hamiltonian theory based coordinated nonlinear control of generator excitation and STATCOMs

A coordinated controller for generator excitation and STATCOMs is studied based on the Hamiltonian function method. The Hamiltonian realization structure for multimachine power systems including STATCOMs is developed leading to a proposed coordinated scheme of excitation control and STAT-COM control. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
Cytochrome P-450 dependent metabolism of testosterone in rat skin.

Abstract The incubation of microsomes of whole skin, dermis and epidermis with 14 C testosterone in the presence of NADPH resulted in the formation of 6β-, 7α- and 16α-testosterone. Maximum enzyme activity occurred in epidermal microsomes followed by dermis and whole skin. Epidermal testosterone hydroxylase activity required NADPH and oxygen and was found to be inhibited by SKF 525A and metyrapone. Our data strongly suggest that testosterone is metabolized by the cytochrome P-450 dependent monooxygenase in skin and provides the first evidence for an endogenous substrate for cytochrome P-450 in this tissue. The formation of several hydroxylated products further suggests the existence of multiple isozymes of cytochrome P-450 in rat skin. These studies provide additional evidence that target tissues may modulate their hormone levels by enzyme pathways that are locally regulated.
Life-systems ethics and physician-engineer interactions.

Surgery is a narrowly focused discipline. For some microsurgical operations, the tolerance for focus is only a few tens of microns. But even for those routine procedures done with the naked eye, cholecystectomy, for example, millimeters are important. When I cannulate the cystic duct for an intraoperative cholangiogram, a few millimeters can make the difference in whether I see bile or a great deal of blood.
Streptococcus-related glomerulonephritis.

A vast array of experimental, pathological and immunological data on human glomerulonephritis leads to the conclusion that the disease process is primarily immunologic in nature [1]. However, with few exceptions, our knowledge of the involved antigens and the mechanisms of injury is still quite nebulous. This is particularly true of streptococcus- related glomerulonephritis. In this review we will examine the evidence for a role for the streptococcus in human glomerulonephritis. Our discussion will be divided into two sections, as the pathological processes in the acute and the chronic progressive forms of the disease appear to be dissimilar.
Ulva Lactuca L. Negatively Affects Balanus Balanoides (L.) (Cirripedia Thoracica) in Tidepools

L'algue Ulva lactuca a ete un facteur defavorable et a cause la mort de la balane Balanus balanoides dans des aquarium marins a maree artificielle. Il semble que la mortalite soit plus elevee quand l'algue vient en contact physique avec le Balanus. La mortalite est plus faible quand l'algue est presente, mais non en contact avec les balanes. Il est probable que Ulva lactuca produit une matiere toxique a l'egard de Balanus balanoides.
Exploiting the Interplay between Memory and Flash Storage in Embedded Sensor Devices

Although memory is an important constraint in embedded sensor nodes, existing embedded applications and systems are typically designed to work under the memory constraints of a single platform and do not consider the interplay between memory and flash storage. In this paper, we present the design of a memory-adaptive flash-based embedded sensor system that allows an application to exploit the presence of flash and adapt to different amounts of RAM on the embedded device. We describe how such a system can be exploited by data-centric sensor applications. Our design involves several novel features: flash and memory-efficient storage and indexing, techniques for efficient storage reclamation, and intelligent buffer management to maximize write coalescing. Our results show that our system is highly energy-efficient under different workloads, and can be configured for embedded sensor platforms with memory constraints ranging from a few kilobytes to hundreds of kilobytes.
SURFACE FIELDS AND RADIATION PATTERNS OF A VERTICAL ELECTRIC DIPOLE OVER A RADIAL-WIRE GROUND SYSTEM

SUMMARY EM propagation over and radiation from radially varying ground systems are numerically modeled using the compensation theorem integral formulation. The source is taken to be a vertical electric dipole (VED) situated either on or above an azimuthally symmetric plane ground system having an assumed surface impedance profile which can vary arbitrarily in the radial direction. Because the formulation is based on the surface impedance concept, it can be applied to a variety of ground system configurations having a radius greater then about one wavelength. Particular attention is given to conventional HF radial-wire systems laid on both well and poorly conducting earth. For simple radial-wire ground systems, the radiation patterns were found to be independent of increasing radial length if the magnitude of the composite surface impedance is within 90percnt of the surface impedance of the underlying ground. It is also found that the radially varying feature tends to suppress high-angle lobes which are ot...
Assessing the performance characteristics and clinical forces in simulated shape memory bone staple surgical procedure

This work is focused on the detailed computer simulation of the key stages involved in a shape memory alloy (SMA) osteosynthesis bone stapling procedure. To this end, a recently developed three-dimensional constitutive SMA material model was characterized from test data of three simple uniaxial-isothermal-tension experiments for powder metallurgically processed nickel-rich NiTi (PM/NiTi-P) material. The calibrated model was subsequently used under the complex, thermomechanical loading conditions involved in the surgical procedure using the body-temperature-activated PM/NiTi-P bone staple. Our aim here is to assess the immediate and post-surgical performance characteristics of the stapling operation using the material model. From this study: (1) it was found that adequate compressive forces were developed by the PM/NiTi-P bone staple, with the tendency of this force to even increase under sustained thermal loading due to the intrinsic "inverse relaxation phenomena" in the SMA material, (2) the simulation results correlated well with those from experimental measurements, (3) the body-temperature-activated PM/NiTi-P staple was proved to be clinically viable, providing a stable clamping force needed for speedy coaptation of the fractured bones, and (4) these realistic assessments crucially depend on the use of suitable and comprehensive SMA material models. A powder metallurgically processed NiTi material was calibrated for the bone staple.Pre/post-surgical performance is studied for a body-temperature-activated SMA staple.Generated staple forces tended to increase under sustained thermal loading.The simulation results correlated well with the experimental measurements.The thermal activation scheme of the SMA staple was proved to be clinically viable.
Multiple‐roles and women’s health: a multi‐linear model

Focuses specifically on women’s multiple roles and how this can have a bearing on health and fitness. Looks at how effects of variable dynamics are crystallized in terms of coping strategies, counselling and other, related, research. Discusses various areas where women come under extra stress in multiple roles including: home life; ethnic and racial tensions at work; and various other negative stressors such as: maternal role vulnerability; work vulnerability; perceived quality of role demands and role conflict; influence of personal resources; and stress management. Finishes by listing out recommendations for clinical practice, policy implications and recommends directions for future research to aid in this area.
Rb-Sr age of granitic rocks of southeastern massachusetts and the age of the lower cambrian at Hoppin Hill

Abstract Rb-Sr whole-rock analysis of granitic rocks in southeastern Massachusetts gives isochron ages and initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr as follows: Dedham - 591 ± 28 m.y., 0.7054 ± 0.0010; Northbridge - 569 ± 4 m.y., 0.7058 ± 0.0005; Hoppin Hill - 514 ± 17 m.y., 0.7128 ± 0.0067. All errors are computed for two standard deviations; the decay constant λ Rb = 1.39 × 10 −11 yr −1 . The small Hoppin Hill exposure, near the much more extensive Dedham granodiorite, lies unconformably beneath Lower Cambrian quartzite and slate, the latter containing a characteristic Obolella fauna. All three igneous bodies are believed to be co-magmatic and late Proterozoic. We are of the opinion, based on evaluation of errors in the three isochrons, plus possible effects of weathering in the Hoppin Hill samples, that 570 ± 20 m.y. is the best present estimate of the age. The initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios are in the range which we attribute to magma generated in a subsialic source. Although the actual age of the Lower Cambrian at Hoppin Hill is conjectural, we believe that 20 m.y. may be adequate for the time between emplacement of the underlying magma and deposition of Lower Cambrian sediments. This would give 550 m.y. for the base of the Cambrian and, using the current time scale for the Paleozoic, allow 50 m.y. for the entire Cambrian. For the New England area, we propose to designate the late Proterozoic igneous event, dated provisionally at 570 ± 20 m.y., as the Neponset.
A Microprocessor Controlled Near-Infrared Circular Dichroism Spectrophotometer

A near-infrared circular dichrometer was constructed to cover the wavelength range 0.5 to 2.1 μm. The instrument employed a commercial photoelastic modulator with an infrasil quartz optical element to provide quarter-wave modulation throughout the range of the instrument. An indium antimonide [In(Sb)] doped photovoltaic detector was used at λ > 1 μm, and a near-IR sensitive photomultiplier detector was used at λ < 1 μm. Phase- and frequency-sensitive detection was employed and an automatic normalization circuit was used to extract the circular dichroism from the detector signal. The level of artifactual signals was reduced by the use of a passive depolarizing element. The instrument was interfaced with a microprocessor system which provided experimental control and signal enhancement capability. Data were transferred to a minicomputer system which provided bulk storage and both numeric and graphic hard copy output. The instrument, with its computer control capabilities, represents a significant improvement over previously existing instruments operating in this wavelength range in its facility for digital signal enhancement and data analysis.
Marine Biodiversity Budget

Ecosystem protection is a crucial strategy for conserving biological diversity ([1][1]), but the Clinton Administration's fiscal year 1998 budget proposal reveals a striking disparity between U.S. spending on protected areas on land and in the sea. It asks Congress for $1.6 billion for the National Park Service to manage 374 units totaling 344,000 square kilometers of land and $3.1 billion for the Forest Service to manage 159 units totaling 772,000 square kilometers of land. But its budget request for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Sanctuaries Program is only $13.2 million—two orders of magnitude less—for 12 units totaling 47,000 square kilometers of sea. Funding for terrestrial protected areas is inadequate, but resources dedicated to marine protected areas are so meager that the commitment of the United States to protecting marine biodiversity deserves a fundamental reevaluation before the next federal budget goes to Congress. 1. 1.[↵][2] 1. E. A. Norse, 2. R. E. McManus , Environmental Quality 1980 (Council on Environmental Quality, Washington, DC, 1980), pp. 31-80; 1. G. K. Meffe, 2. C. R. Carroll , Eds., Principles of Conservation Biology (Sinauer, Sunderland, MA, 1994). [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1. in text"
DNA hybridization as a guide to phylogeny: Relations of the Hominoidea

Abstract A widely cited study by Sibley & Ahlquist (1984, 1987) used DNA hybridization and denaturation (or melting) to study hominoid phylogeny, and concluded that humans and chimpanzees are more closely related than chimpanzees and gorillas. We herein illustrate the primary nature of such DNA hybridization data, and discuss methodological limitations and possible sources of error in the technique. We then analyze a subset of the Sibley-Ahlquist data. These data, which have not been previously made public, do not establish a human-chimpanzee clade with the gorilla as a sister group. From our calculations, it appears that the specific experimental results were subjected to analytical procedures which have been inadequately described. We conclude that the Sibley-Ahlquist study does not provide documentation or controls adequate to establish a secure linkage between Pan and Homo to the exclusion of Gorilla .
Tissue specific depletion of L-carnitine in rat heart and skeletal muscle by D-carnitine.

Abstract L-carnitine deficiency in heart and skeletal muscle was induced by intraperitoneal injection of D-carnitine into starved or fed rats. Carnitine levels in kidney were slightly lowered, but liver, brain and plasma were unaffected. L-carnitine deficient hearts were unable to maintain normal cardiac function when perfused in an isolated working heart apparatus with palmitate as the only perfused substrate. These findings indicate that tissue levels of carnitine in heart and skeletal muscle are maintained in vivo by an exchange transport mechanism. It is postulated that the depletion of L-carnitine from these tissues occurs by an exchange of the D- and L-isomer across the cell membrane. The technique may be useful for estimating the levels of carnitine required for fatty acid oxidation and normal cardiac and skeletal muscle function; however, interpretation of such tests may be complicated by the inhibitory effects of the D-isomer upon carnitine transferase enzymes.
Stability of antibody-conjugated gold nanoparticles in the endolysosomal nanoenvironment: implications for noninvasive radiofrequency-based cancer therapy

Abstract The use of noninvasive radiofrequency (RF) electric fields as an energy source for thermal activation of nanoparticles within cancer cells could be a valuable addition to the emerging field of nano-mediated cancer therapies. Based on investigations of cell death through hyperthermia, and offering the ability for total-body penetration by RF fields, this technique is thought to complement and possibly outperform existing nano-heat treatments that utilize alternative heat production via optical or magnetic stimuli. However, it remains a challenge to understand fully the complex RF-nanoparticle-intracellular interactions before full system optimization can be engineered. Herein we have shown that liver cancer cells can selectively internalize antibody-conjugated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) through receptor-mediated endocytosis, with the nanoparticles predominantly accumulating and aggregating within cytoplasmic endolysosomes. After exposure to an external RF field, nonaggregated AuNPs absorbed and dissipated energy as heat, causing thermal damage to the targeted cancer cells. We also observed that RF absorption and heat dissipation is dependent on solubility of AuNPs in the colloid, which is pH dependent. Furthermore, by modulating endolysosomal pH it is possible to prevent intracellular AuNP aggregation and enhance thermal cytotoxicity in hepatocellular cancer cells. From the Clinical Editor Gold nanoparticles absorb energy from RF fields and can exert hyperthermic effects leading to cell death. Combining this known effect with antibody-based targeting of the nanoparticles, selective cancer specific hyperthermia induced cell death therapies can be designed, as demonstrated in this article.
When Shape Information from a Foveal Nontarget Affects Gap Detection Accuracy in a Parafoveal Target

Abstract Effects on gap detection accuracy of information at fixation concerning a parafoveally presented target form's global shape were determined in three experiments. Shape information was not directly relevant to the correct response regarding the presence of the gap. Tests were conducted to determine whether costs and benefits were associated with shape information, whether the effectiveness of shape information was sensitive to spatial attention, and whether subjects could volitionally suppress the nontarget information if it became apparent from preattentive analysis that it would not be helpful. Results were positive in all instances. Conclusions were that the foveal information was subject to early selection and that therefore it was not processed automatically.
Multivariate exponential survival trees and their application to tooth prognosis

This paper is concerned with developing rules for assignment of tooth prognosis based on actual tooth loss in the VA Dental Longitudinal Study. It is also of interest to rank the relative importance of various clinical factors for tooth loss. A multivariate survival tree procedure is proposed. The procedure is built on a parametric exponential frailty model, which leads to greater computational efficiency. We adopted the goodness-of-split pruning algorithm of [LeBlanc, M., Crowley, J., 1993. Survival trees by goodness of split. Journal of the American Statistical Association 88, 457-467] to determine the best tree size. In addition, the variable importance method is extended to trees grown by goodness-of-fit using an algorithm similar to the random forest procedure in [Breiman, L., 2001. Random forests. Machine Learning 45, 5-32]. Simulation studies for assessing the proposed tree and variable importance methods are presented. To limit the final number of meaningful prognostic groups, an amalgamation algorithm is employed to merge terminal nodes that are homogeneous in tooth survival. The resulting prognosis rules and variable importance rankings seem to offer simple yet clear and insightful interpretations.
New approximation results for the maximum scatter TSP

We consider the following maximum scatter traveling salesperson problem (TSP): given an edge-weighted complete graph ${\cal G}=(S,E)$, find a Hamiltonian path or cycle such that the length of a shortest edge is maximized. In other words, the goal is to have each point far away (most “scattered”) from the points that are visited just before or just after it in the path/cycle. This is also referred to as the max-min 1-neighbor TSP. More generally, in the max-min m-neighbor TSP problem, the goal is to maximize the minimum distance between any point and all of its ”m-neighbors” along the path/cycle. An m-neighbor of p is a point that is at most m points away from p in the path/cycle. These problems are closely related to the bottleneck TSP, and are motivated by applications in manufacturing (e.g., sequencing of rivet operations) and medical imaging. In this paper we give O(n2.5)-time approximation algorithms for the max-min 2-neighbor TSP with the triangle inequality. We achieve an approximation factor of 12 for the path version, and a factor of 18 for the cycle version of the problem, improving the previous best factors of 32 and 64, respectively, for all cases of n. Moreover, we present an O(mn2.5)-time algorithm that achieves a constant approximation factor of 16 for the path version of the max-min m-neighbor TSP with the triangle inequality when n = (m+1)k or when n = (m + 1)k + m, where $m \in (2,n)$ is part of the input. This significantly improves the previous best approximation factor of $4\cdot 8^{\lceil m/2 \rceil}$, from exponential in m to a small constant.
The Theory-Practice Conundrum of Learning Portfolios: A Response to Jane Leach

This article is an invited response to Jane Leach et al. It discusses the use of portfolios in theological education contexts, highlighting issues of theory-practice and ethics.
Muricatacin: A simple biologically active acetogenin derivative from the seeds of annona muricata (annonaceae)

Abstract A biologically active constituent, bearing similarities to the annonacin group of Annonaceous acetogenins, has been isolated from the seeds of Annona muricata. The absolute configuration about the tetrahydrofuran ring of annonacin, which was also isolated, is proposed.
Ultrafast intramolecular exciton splitting dynamics in isolated low-band-gap polymers and their implications in photovoltaic materials design.

Record-setting organic photovoltaic cells with PTB polymers have recently achieved ∼8% power conversion efficiencies (PCE). A subset of these polymers, the PTBF series, has a common conjugated backbone with alternating thieno[3,4-b]thiophene and benzodithiophene moieties but differs by the number and position of pendant fluorine atoms attached to the backbone. These electron-withdrawing pendant fluorine atoms fine tune the energetics of the polymers and result in device PCE variations of 2–8%. Using near-IR, ultrafast optical transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy combined with steady-state electrochemical methods we were able to obtain TA signatures not only for the exciton and charge-separated states but also for an intramolecular (“pseudo”) charge-transfer state in isolated PTBF polymers in solution, in the absence of the acceptor phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) molecules. This led to the discovery of branched pathways for intramolecular, ultrafast exciton splitting to populate (a) the char...
Stress-controlled shear waves in a saturated granular medium

We study plane shear waves in a continuum model for a saturated soil, assuming a hypoplastic flow rule. Following an earlier paper on velocity-controlled waves [1], we now specify a time- periodic stress disturbance on the boundary of a semi-infinite medium. As before, the stress saturates, tending at large times to a position-independent value, away from the boundary. By contrast, the dependence of this asymptotic state on the boundary data is strikingly different: in the previous case, this dependence was wildly discontinuous, while here it is very simple and smooth.
Structural and Magnetic Characterization of MOCVD Grown GaMnN and GaFeN Nanostructures

The growth of Ga1-xMnxN and Ga1-xFexN nanostructures was carried out by MOCVD. Introduction of transition metals (TM) Mn and Fe in GaN nanostructures enhanced the nucleation of the nanostructures resulting in reduced lateral dimensions and increased nanostructure density. The Ga1-xMnxN nanostructures showed hysteresis behavior at 5K. Room temperature ferromagnetism was obtained in the Ga1-xFexN nanostructures unlike its bulk counterpart. This paper presents the growth and magnetization study of Ga1-xTMxN nanostructures. These structures could be used to enhance the efficiency of spintronic devices.
Anomalous color vision in three Mexican populations.

Color vision was tested as part of a study of micro-evolution in three historically-related populations in Mexico. The frequencies of color vision anomalies fall within the range observed for contemporary Latin American populations. The present findings do not support the previously proposed hypothesis concerning the relaxation of selective forces in agricultural and urban populations.
Phase behavior and viscoelastic properties of entangled block copolymer gels

Triblock copolymers in midblock-selective solvents can form physical gels. However, at low triblock contents (near the percolation threshold), the bridging of chains between micelles can lead to macrophase separation. Adding a styrene–isoprene diblock to a styrene–isoprene–styrene triblock copolymer in squalane can eliminate macrophase separation, yielding a wide range of stable, single-phase gels with a disordered arrangement of micelles. The plateau modulus of these triblock gels scales with the 2.2 power of polymer content, indicating the importance of entanglements in dictating the modulus. Comparing gels made from the midblock-saturated derivative of the same polymer [styrene-(ethylene-alt-propylene)-styrene] in squalane reveals that the modulus differences in the gels are a direct consequence of the difference in the entanglement molecular weight of the midblock homopolymer in bulk. Finally, the broad relaxation spectrum of these triblocks is well-described by a recent theory for the dynamics of entangled star polymers, with the breadth of the relaxation spectrum dictated by the number of entanglements per midblock in the gel. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 2183–2197, 2001
Spatial and temporal dynamics at manakin leks: reconciling lek traditionality with male turnover

Leks, display grounds where males congregate and females visit to copulate, are typically traditional in location, despite often high turnover of individual males. How leks can persist in face of male turnover is not well understood, in part due to a lack of detailed field data allowing for a clear understanding of lek dynamics. We followed the fate of individual males at 11 to 15 leks of the blue-crowned manakin Lepidothrix coronata across four breeding seasons to gain insights on how leks are formed and changed in space and time. Between years, leks were traditional in location despite changes in territory ownership due to male disappearance and recruitment. New males were equally likely to recruit by taking over existing territories or by establishing new territories. Recruitment was influenced by age, as recruits were more likely to be adults than subadults. Lek size did not affect the probabilities of a male recruiting or persisting at a territory, and vocalization rate, a correlate of mating success in this population, did not affect male persistence. We used our field data to model changes in lek size and composition over longer periods of time (100 years) to understand how lek traditionality can be reconciled with high male turnover. Our simulations showed that leks in our population rapidly stabilize in size despite changes in territory ownership and that rates of male recruitment and disappearance compensate each other, such that leks have the potential to persist for several decades after the original males have disappeared from them.
The 5' ends of LINE1 repeats in rabbit DNA define subfamilies and reveal a short sequence conserved between rabbits and humans.

The 5′ ends of five full-length LINE1 (L1) repeats from the rabbit genome (L1Oc) were mapped and their nucleotide sequences determined. Computer-generated alignments showed that these five L1Oc repeats can be divided into subfamilies, each of which has a characteristic sequence upstream of the first open reading frame (ORF1). These five L1Ocs range in size from 6.5 to 7.3 kb, with 5′ ends located 76 to 1125 bp upstream of ORF1. Two of these subfamilies appear to have diverged from a common ancestor at least 66 million years ago. Comparisons of the 5′ ends of L1s from rabbit, human, mouse, and rat show no common sequence 5′ to ORF1, except for a 22-bp sequence that is found near the beginning of all characterized full-length L1s from rabbit and human. A statistical analysis indicates that this 22-bp aligned block is highly significant. Part of this 22-bp sequence matches the μ E1 binding site in immunoglobulin gene enhancers. This strong conservation suggests that the μ E1 binding site may be part of a transcriptional regulatory element at the 5′ ends of rabbit and human L1 repeats.
Grid integration of distributed renewables through coordinated demand response

There is a growing interest in developing solutions to facilitate large scale integration of distributed renewable energy resources and, in particular, contain the adverse effects of their volatility. In this paper, we introduce a neighborhood-level demand response program that aims at coordinating the Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) of residential customers in order to opportunistically consume spikes of locally generated renewable energy. We refer to this technique as Coordinated Home Energy Management (CoHEM). Our model predictive control technique modulates the aggregate load to follow a dynamically forecasted generation supply. Both centralized and decentralized deployments of CoHEM are considered. The decentralized version requires a more demanding communication backbone to connect individual HEMS but, it is more resilient to failures of individual computational units or communication links and, compared to the centralized model, it preserves consumers privacy. In our numerical results section, we compare the scenario where individual HEMS optimize their energy use selfishly, under a hypothetical dynamic pricing program, to the performance of the centralized and decentralized versions of our proposed CoHEM architecture. The results highlight the advantages of using the CoHEM model in absorbing the fluctuations in the generation output of distributed renewables.
Development of a Graduate-Level MIS Program: A Case Study

Abstract A relatively small, private liberal arts college located in the metropolitan Chicago area surveyed its strengths and weaknesses, as well as the market, and identified an opportunity to develop a new graduate-level professional degree program, the Masters in Management Information Systems. The school, which is not accredited by the AACSB but is regionally accredited, has a good reputation among its constituencies for its business and computer science programs. The college has offered undergraduate degrees in business and computer science for over 20 years and has a well-established MBA program. This case study demonstrates the process and procedures used by the faculty and administration of the college to develop the proposal and get it approved by the college governance bodies. The article also examines the reasoning behind the development of the program and briefly follows up on its implementation in 1986. This case study article was written by a participating faculty member.