cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cost Consciousness in Patient Care — What Is Medical Education's Responsibility?

One might imagine that medical educators have attempted to incorporate cost consciousness into their teaching, but such efforts have been remarkably few. Dr. Molly Cooke discusses how medical education can address the urgent issue of cost.
The survival motor neurons protein uses its ZPR for nuclear localization

Spinal muscular atrophy is caused by mutations in the survival motor neurons gene, SMN1. The SMN protein localizes to both the cytoplasm and the nuclear bodies. One hallmark of spinal muscular atrophy is the failure of SMN to localize within these nuclear bodies. A recent study has identified a protein called ZPR1 that is required for nuclear translocation of SMN.
Calculating the risk benefit equation for aggressive treatment of non-convulsive status epilepticus.

Objective To address the question: does non-convulsive status epilepticus warrant the same aggressive treatment as convulsive status epilepticus?
Current Approach to Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 80% of all primary liver cancers and ranks globally as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death. Partial hepatectomy remains the best treatment option for select patients with HCC without cirrhosis. Liver transplantation is well established as the gold standard for patients with HCC and cirrhosis in the absence of extrahepatic spread and macrovascular invasion. Local regional therapy is indicated in select patients who are not surgical candidates, and its role as adjuvant therapy remains to be clarified by prospective studies.
Acquisition of Fluoride in Vivo by Enamel from Repeated Topical Sodium Fluoride Applications in a Fluoridated Area: A Preliminary Report

Fluoride acquisition by deciduous enamel of 11- to 14-year-old children, living in a fluoridated area, was studied during repeated topical applications of acidulated phosphate fluoride gel drops in plastic mouthpieces. Enamel fluoride progressively increased as the number of treatments increased, reaching a concentration of 1,785 ppm at a depth of 5μ after an average of 56 treatments.
Notes on the nonlinearly elastic boussinessq problem

The nonlinearly elastic Boussinesq problem is to find the deformation produced in a homogeneous, isotropic, elastic half space by a point force normal to the undeformed boundary, using the exact equations of elasticity for an incompressible or compressible material. First we derive the governing equations from the Principle of Stationary Potential Energy and then we examine some of the implications of the conservation laws of elastostatics when applied to the entire half space, assuming that the well-known linear Boussinesq solution is valid at large distances from the point load. Next, we hypothesize asymptotic forms for the solutions near the point load and, finally, we seek solutions for two specific materials: an incompressible, generalized neo-Hookean (power-law) material introduced by Knowles and a compressible Blatz-Ko material. We find that the former, if sufficiently stiffer than the conventional neo-Hookean material, can support a finite deflection under the point load, but that the latter cannot.
Laboratory Studies of Conductor Vibration

The results of wind tunnel studies of the vibration in specimen lengths of 5 types of transmission line conductors are presented in this paper. Measurements of the frequency and amplitude of vibration for various wind velocities, power required to vibrate the conductor in still air, and amount of energy taken from the wind by the vibrating conductor are reported for various conditions.
Sum rules for molecular electronic spectra: Application to exact and reflection principle solutions

Abstract Sum rules for overlap integrals are presented which give the width and mean frequency of an electronic spectrum as a function of potential curves and internal energy. Exact quantum mechanical results are compared with both the traditional reflection principle and a modification of it which conserves momentum. Applications to real spectra, particularly continuous absorption spectra of small molecules, are discussed.
Modification of the simple model for the prediction of pulse-height spectra for gamma-ray energies greater than 1.5 MeV

Abstract The simple model for sodium iodide pulse-height spectra has been extended to gamma-ray energies above 1.5 MeV to account for pair-production interactions as well as Compton and photoelectric interactions.
Deep cerebellar neurons mirror the spinal cord’s gain to implement an inverse controller

Smooth and coordinated motion requires precisely timed muscle activation patterns, which due to biophysical limitations, must be predictive and executed in a feed-forward manner. In a previous study, we tested Kawato’s original proposition, that the cerebellum implements an inverse controller, by mapping a multizonal microcomplex’s (MZMC) biophysics to a joint’s inverse transfer function and showing that inferior olivary neuron may use their intrinsic oscillations to mirror a joint’s oscillatory dynamics. Here, to continue to validate our mapping, we propose that climbing fiber input into the deep cerebellar nucleus (DCN) triggers rebounds, primed by Purkinje cell inhibition, implementing gain on IO’s signal to mirror the spinal cord reflex’s gain thereby achieving inverse control. We used biophysical modeling to show that Purkinje cell inhibition and climbing fiber excitation interact in a multiplicative fashion to set DCN’s rebound strength; where the former primes the cell for rebound by deinactivating its T-type Ca2+ channels and the latter triggers the channels by rapidly depolarizing the cell. We combined this result with our control theory mapping to predict how experimentally injecting current into DCN will affect overall motor output performance, and found that injecting current will proportionally scale the output and unmask the joint’s natural response as observed by motor output ringing at the joint’s natural frequency. Experimental verification of this prediction will lend support to a MZMC as a joint’s inverse controller and the role we assigned underlying biophysical principles that enable it.
Abstract LB-493: Blocking the integrin αvβ3-CRAF axis with Cilengitide arrests glioblastoma cells in pro-metaphase

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most prevalent brain tumor subtype, with a particularly high mortality rate due to frequent recurrence and poor response to standard therapies. Improving outcome for these patients will require new therapies which target the unique features of this disease. One such approach is geared toward integrin αvβ3, as high-grade GBM tumors express both the extracellular matrix protein vitronectin and its receptor integrin αvβ3 which drive several key cell signaling pathways to promote cell invasion and survival. Blocking the function of integrin αvβ3 with the antagonist Cilengitide shows potent anti-tumor activity in preclinical models and is currently completing the first Phase III trial for newly-diagnosed GBM. Understanding the mechanisms of activity for Cilengitide will be critical as this drug nears FDA-approval for GBM. Since αvβ3 is highly expressed in both the brain tumor vasculature and on glioma cells, it is not clear whether Cilengitide exerts its effects by disrupting tumor angiogenesis, tumor cell invasion and survival, or other hallmark tumor traits. Focusing on GBM cells, we have made the novel observation that αvβ3 ligation leads to phosphorylation of CRAF on serine 338, an event which we have recently linked to cell survival and cell cycle progression. Pharmacological inhibition or knockdown of integrin αvβ3 reduces activated CRAF levels, causes tumor cells to arrest in pro-metaphase, and suppresses the growth of orthotopic GBM in mice. Activating this pathway by expression of a phospho-mimetic CRAF S338D mutant independently drives cell cycle progression in vitro, accelerates tumor growth in vivo, and renders tumors resistant to the effects of Cilengitide. These findings reveal a previously unappreciated mechanism of action for Cilengitide. In addition to its well-known anti-angiogenic function, it also directly induces cell cycle arrest in GBM cells. The clinical implications of this observation are two-fold as it: 1) provides important insight that could aid in the design of combination treatment regimes; and 2) points at integrin αvβ3 and phosphorylated CRAF S338 expression as potential biomarkers which could serve to help identify the patient populations most likely to benefit from Cilengitide. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-493. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-493
Restoration of anterior regeneration in a planarian with limited regenerative ability

Variability of regenerative potential among animals has long perplexed biologists. On the basis of their exceptional regenerative abilities, planarians have become important models for understanding the molecular basis of regeneration. However, planarian species with limited regenerative abilities are also found. Despite the importance of understanding the differences between closely related, regenerating and non-regenerating organisms, few studies have focused on the evolutionary loss of regeneration, and the molecular mechanisms leading to such regenerative loss remain obscure. Here we examine Procotyla fluviatilis, a planarian with restricted ability to replace missing tissues, using next-generation sequencing to define the gene expression programs active in regeneration-permissive and regeneration-deficient tissues. We found that Wnt signalling is aberrantly activated in regeneration-deficient tissues. Notably, downregulation of canonical Wnt signalling in regeneration-deficient regions restores regenerative abilities: blastemas form and new heads regenerate in tissues that normally never regenerate. This work reveals that manipulating a single signalling pathway can reverse the evolutionary loss of regenerative potential.
A control system retrofit for a GE Frame 5 turbine/generator unit

A turn-key retrofit for a combined cycle General Electric (GE) Frame 5 Fuel Regulator controlled turbine/generator unit is described. Retrofitting existing turbine/generators with a modern digital control system (DCS) increases the effectiveness of the present capacity by increasing the reliability of starts, increasing system availability. improving control performance, improving information display and data acquisition, and improving or replacing outdated fuel delivery systems. The retrofit's major impact was on the control and fuel systems of the turbine operating system and on the electrical control system of the generator operating system. >
Results of Brace Treatment of Scoliosis in Marfan Syndrome

Study design Retrospective review of a defined Marfan population with traditional indications for bracing. Objectives To determine the success rate of brace treatment in keeping curves from progressing by more than 5 degrees or exceeding 45 degrees. Summary of background data Few studies exist regarding brace treatment of Marfan syndrome, and they include many patients with curves of more than 45 degrees, as well as some who are near maturity. All of the prior studies risk the possibility of some selection bias. Methods Patients were selected from support groups and several institutions. Inclusion criteria were: Definite diagnosis of Marfan syndrome, curve of 45 degrees or less, Risser sign 2, 1, or 0 at inception of bracing, recommended wear of 18 hours or more per day, and follow-up until maturity or surgery (minimum, 2 years). Success was defined as curve progression of 5 degrees or less and final curve remaining 45 degrees or less. Failure was a final curve of more than 45 degrees. Twenty-four patients met the criteria. There were 15 girls and 9 boys. Twenty-two patients wore a brace as recommended. Two additional patients were unable to tolerate it. Results Mean age at inception of bracing was 8.7 years (range, 4-12 years). There were 14 double major, 6 thoracic, and 4 thoracolumbar curves with a mean size of 29 degrees at the beginning of bracing. The stated wearing time averaged 21 hours per day. Five patients had significant pain over bony prominences. Although correction of the curve in brace was good (45%), only 4 of the patients had success, and in 20 of the 24 treatment was considered a failure. Mean progression was 6 degrees +/- 8 degrees per year, for a final mean curve of 49 degrees. Sixteen of the patients had, or were advised to have, surgical correction. The difference in age and degree of curvature were not statistically significant between the success and nonsuccess groups. Conclusions The success rate for brace treatment of Marfan scoliosis is 17%, which is lower than that reported for idiopathic scoliosis. Possible reasons include increased progressive forces, altered transmission of corrective pressure to the spine, and younger age at inception of bracing. Because there was no control group, it is unknown whether bracing slowed curve progression. Physicians should understand that most patients with Marfan syndrome who have a curve of more than 25 degrees and a Risser sign of 2 or less will reach the surgical range, even with brace treatment.
Environmental attitude and commitment in relation to ad message credibility

The study examined how consumers responded to apparel advertisements with varying environmental claims. Respondents were 274 undergraduate students at a US university. Three attitudinal perceiver variables (environmental knowledge, concern and commitment) were analysed in relation to perceptions of credibility of environmental messages. Although significant differences in perceptions of credibility among certain types of environmental ad claims were found, results suggest that the sample of consumers did not respond more positively to advertisements with environmental messages. Environmental advertisement claims were not effective in generating more positive consumer response to apparel advertisements.
Congestion control in CSMA-based networks with inconsistent channel state

In this paper, we study the performance of utility maximization congestion control over multihop CSMA-based networks. We consider decoupled vs. joint design of congestion control and medium access and consider unmodified MAC protocols such as IEEE 802.11. Networks employing such MAC protocols incur flow starvation both without congestion control and with existing TCP-based congestion control. We develop a framework to study key issues in such networks that are not incorporated by prior models, yet are critical to the performance of congestion control algorithms. We study the role of data transmission capacity that is location dependent and, even more, unknown. We show that for the case of consistent channel state, a single globally optimal data transmission capacity does not exist. Moreover, for the case of inconsistent channel state that arises due to the carrier sense mechanism itself, a data transmission capacity that provides convergence to perfectly fair rates does not exist, i.e., the congestion control algorithm converges to incorrect rates. We study the impact of inter-node collaboration within a contention region, and show that collaboration can alleviate these problems and ensure convergence to fair rates. Finally, we compare the performance of congestion control in a collaborative network with the performance of TCP, and show that TCP starves some flows, whereas congestion control with collaboration removes starvation, provides significantly better fairness, and achieves 17% higher aggregate throughput.
γ -Ray burst observations from the UCB/LASL experiment on ISEE-3

The University of California at Berkeley (UCB)/Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) gamma-ray burst experiment on board ISEE-3 is described and initial results of the experiment are presented. The instrument consists of an X-ray spectrometer originally designed to monitor solar emission continuously over the energy range 4.8-1264 keV with additional electronics to record data from the intense, short-lived gamma ray bursts at a very high rate and with good timing accuracy. Since the launch of ISEE-3 into a heliocentric orbit at the inner Lagrangian point in August, 1978, the UCB/LASL experiment has detected and recorded 12 gamma-ray bursts, including the unusually intense burst of November 4, 1978, which exhibited most of the classical gamma-ray burst characteristics, the intense burst of November 19, 1978, with an atypical time history and an unusually hard spectrum, and the extended burst of March 7, 1979. The spectral and temporal data demonstrate the diverse nature of the gamma-ray burst phenomenon, and are currently being combined with those of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter and Venera 11 and 12 to obtain accurate burst locations.
Intramolecular triplex formation of the purine.purine.pyrimidine type.

Six octadecamers with hairpin motifs have been synthesized and investigated for possible intramolecular triplex formation. Electrophoretic, hypochromic, and CD evidence suggest that d(CCCCTTTGGGGTTTGGGG) and d(GGGGTTTGGGGTTTCCCC) can form G.G.C intramolecular triplexes via double hairpin formation in neutral solutions, presumably with the terminal G tract folding back along the groove of the hairpin duplex. In contrast, d(GGGGTTTCCCCTTTGGGG) and the three corresponding 18-mers containing one G and two C tracts each forms a single hairpin duplex with a dangling single strand. The design of the sequences has led to the conclusion that the two G tracts are antiparallel to each other in such a triplex. Magnesium chloride titrations indicate that Mg2+ is not essential for such an intramolecular triplex formation. The main advantage of our constructs when compared to the intermolecular triplex formation is that the shorter triplex stem can be formed in a much lower DNA concentration. The merit of G.G.C triplex, in contrast to that of C+.G.C, lies in the fact that acidic condition is not required in its formation and will, thus, greatly expand our repertoire in the triplex strategy for the recognition and cleavage of duplex DNA. Spectral binding studies with actinomycin D (ACTD) and chromomycin A3 (CHR) as well as fluorescence lifetime measurements with ethidium bromide (EB) suggest that although hairpin duplexes bind these drugs quite well, the intramolecular triplexes bind poorly. Interestingly, the binding densities for the strong-binding hairpins obtained from Scatchard plots are about one ACTD molecule per oligomeric strand, whereas more than two drug molecules are found in the case of CHR, in agreement with the recent NMR studies indicating that CHR binds to DNA in the form of a dimer.
Necessary Conditions at the Boundary for Minimizers in Finite Elasticity

In this paper we derive pointwise algebraic conditions on the elasticity tensor C(x, ∇f(x)) that are necessary for a deformation f to be a local minimizer of the energy of an elastic body that is subjected to dead loads. In particular we show that the Legendre-Hadamard condition, Agmon’s condition, and the new condition: if, for some vector e, $$e\; \otimes \;{n_{0}}\;\cdot \;{C_{0}}[e\; \otimes \;{n_{0}}] = 0{\text{ }}then{\text{ }}{C_{0}}[e\; \otimes \;{n_{0}}] = {\mathbf{0}}$$ (1.1) are necessary conditions. Here n 0 = n(x 0) is the outward unit normal to the boundary at any point x 0 where the deformation is not prescribed and C 0 = C(x 0, ∇f(x 0)) where C = ∂2 W/∂(∇f)2; the second derivative of the stored energy W.
What I Learned (and Re-Learned) When I Ran for Local Office

As political scientists, many of us en courage our students to get involved in community activities and local poli tics; and in fact many of our political science colleagues have run for state and local (and, less frequently, national) of fice. While the literature on parties, elec tions, and voting behavior may help provide us with some context when we (or our students) enter the political arena, there is a striking dearth of literature on voting behavior (and candidate behavior) in local elections. What Herson (1957) referred to as "the lost world of munici pal government" can still be so charac terized today, though a few recent studies have attempted to predict winners of mu nicipal races (for example, McGleneghan and Ragland 2002; Lieske 1989). This article analyzes my own education in local politics, which resulted from my candidacy for the Town Council of Ca zenovia, New York in November, 2005. I came to the experience of participating in a local campaign with expectations shaped by my teaching and research in American politics at the national level, and found that these expectations often gave way to the specifics of context. Jen nifer Lawless, a political scientist run ning for Congress in 2006, expressed this sentiment as: "Political science is all generalities. Politics is all individual cir cumstances" (Fischer 2006). My 2005 campaign broke a long tradi tion of uncontested elections with turn outs as low as 10%. Voter turnout reached 54%, and my friend and candi date for supervisor, Liz Moran, defeated the incumbent 54%-46%. I was one of two people elected to a seat on the five member Town Council.' In many ways, the results could be seen as a surprise. We ran as Democrats in a town with a 2-1 Republican registration advantage, and we were women candidates in a town which had elected one female town councilor and no female supervisors dur ing its 200-year history. But my running
The electron energy loss spectrum of isocyanic acid on the Pt(111) surface

Abstract High-resolution, electroh energy loss spectra (EELS) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) spectra show that isocyanic acid is molecularly adsorbed in multilayers on the Pt(111) surface at 100 K. Heating to 150 K desorbs the multilayers and shifts the asymmetric v a (NCO) vibrational frequency from 2270 to 2160 cm −1 , but the adsorption remains molecular. By 250 K, most of the isocyanic acid has decomposed on the platinum surface to form CO and nitrogen-containing surface fragments. No CO 2 , H 2 O, or HCN is found to desorb from the surface, and we find no evidence for cleavage of the bond between the carbon and oxygen atoms. The data indicate that an “isocyanate” species is unlikely to be stable on a platinum surface above room temperature under low-pressure conditions. Also, isocyanates on supported platinum catalysts are probably formed by the reaction of CO with a nitrogen species on the surface.
CYTOKININ-GIBBERELLIN REGULATION OF SHOOT DEVELOPMENT AND LEAF FORM IN TOBACCO PLANTLETS'

cytokinin 6-(3-methyl-2-butenylamino)purine (2iP). Increasing levels of both growth substances resulted in the production of greater amounts of both callus and shoot tissue. More buds were induced when the cytokinin level was increased, and this effect was counteracted by raising the GA.3/2iP ratio. Furthermore, the size and form of the shoots depended on the GA3/2iP ratio. High ratios resulted in tall, spindly plants with narrow leaves while low ratios resulted in short shoots with rounded leaves.
The Christ Child as Sacrifice: A Medieval Tradition and the Corpus Christi Plays

IN one of the most bizarre, yet very common miracles of the Middle Ages, the bread of the Eucharist is transformed between the very hands of the priest at Mass into a small living child, then slain and dismembered before the eyes of the congregation. Commentators identified the child as the Infant Jesus and often cited such miracles as proof that the Mass is an actual re-sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ. But why should He appear as a child rather than the adult who died on Calvary? This question is more than a minor doctrinal quibble, for it widens out immediately into a much larger issue the issue of just what impact the myriad pictorial and verbal images of the Christ Child had, or were expected to have, on a medieval popular audience. Works like the pseudoBonaventura's widely-read Meditationes Vitae Christi emphasize the Child's humanity. They seek to kindle a joyous form of devotion by bringing Him to life as a winsome infant and inviting the reader to a sentimental response. But the miracle of the host become child is based on a harsher parallel tradition. Medieval writings, from early Latin tracts to late English popularizations, persist in conflating the Incarnation and the Passion, in fusing the Babe of Bethlehem and the sacramental Victim of the Mass. Materials from this tradition regularly appear in the English Corpus Christi Cycles, but have been just as regularly ignored by critics.' It would be easy to overemphasize the sacramental motifs in English medieval drama, thus freezing a living art form into the rigidity of a theological treatise. But to bypass these themes entirely, however fleetingly they appear, is to miss subtle overtones which would reach any fifteenth-century viewer at all familiar with vernacular sermons and devotional manuals. The "Second Shepherds' Play" makes particularly skilled use of the child-host motif. By approaching the play through this tradition, we can more clearly recognize the artistry of the Wakefield Master and more fully appreciate the thematic unity which critics as recent as Eleanor Prosser have denied his work.2 The Vitae Patrum tells of an aged and saintly Egyptian monk who found himself unable to believe that the bread of the Sacrament is indeed the body of Christ. Two of his fellow monks expostulated with him in vain, then prayed for divine revelation and accompanied him to Mass. When the loaves were placed on the altar, it seemed to the three monks that a little Boy lay there. As the priest stretched out his hand to break the bread, an angel of God came down from heaven and stabbed the Child with a knife, catching His blood in a chalice. When
Argentina's Economic Growth and Recovery: The Economy in a Time of Default

Argentina's Economic Growth and Recovery: The Economy in a Time of Default Michael Cohen New York, Routledge, 2012, 288 pp., $140.00, hardcover, ISBN 978-0-415-59480 Economic historians have long d...
Function of the flexible periostracal hairs in Trichotropis cancellata (Mollusca, Gastropoda)

. The marine snail Trichotropis cancellata possesses hairy projections of periostracum (outer shell layer) whose function is unknown. Although rigid shell projections in molluscs have been studied extensively, the selective advantage of flexible extensions of periostracum is less clear. None of the functions proposed previously for periostracum (e.g., protection from erosion and boring) are promoted when it is drawn into hair-like projections. We investigated hypothetical functions that may be served by flexible periostracal hairs, including predator deterrence, alteration of flow vectors to promote feeding or affect turbulence dynamics during freefall, and providing a differential substratum for epibionts. Our laboratory results indicate that crabs, Cancer oregonensis, and sea stars, Pycnopodia helianthoides, consumed snails with the periostracum removed more often than snails with an intact hairy periostracum. However, in both predatory species, some individuals showed no significant preference, and another crab species (Cancer productus) did not strongly discriminate based on the shell periostracum. Field studies showed no difference in the rate of predation on hairy- versus smooth-shelled snails. The hairs did not alter flow around the shells consistently in laboratory flume experiments. Additionally, hairy- and smooth-shelled kleptoparasitic snails grew at rates that were statistically indistinguishable, while hairy, suspension-feeding snails grew more slowly. The hairs did not impact the orientation of a snail after a falling event or the time to righting after a fall. The presence of the hairs did deter settlement by barnacles. We conclude that the hairy periostracum acts as a slight deterrent to crab and sea star predators and as a stronger deterrent to the settlement of large calcareous epibionts, such as barnacles, that would increase the weight the snail must bear and potentially increase drag.
Recent developments in superstring theory.

There have been many remarkable developments in our understanding of superstring theory in the past few years, a period that has been described as “the second superstring revolution.” In particular, what once appeared to be five distinct theories are now recognized to be different manifestations of a single (unique) underlying theory. Some of the evidence for this, based on dualities and the appearance of an eleventh dimension, is presented. Also, a specific proposal for the underlying theory, called “Matrix Theory,” is described. The presentation is intended primarily for the benefit of nonexperts.
Are most short-period Cepheids overtone pulsators?

Data given and analyzed recently by Coulson et al. (1986) and Gieren (1982) provide a consistent set of Wesselink radii and Wesselink masses, for which the internal error bars appear to be small enough that a quantitative discussion appears to be warranted. When it is assumed that all Cepheids pulsate in the fundamental mode, a steep discontinuity in mass is found for periods around 6.5 days. When short-period Cepheids are interpreted as first-overtone pulsators as required theoretically (Christy, 1966; Stobie, 1969), the discontinuity disappears and the mass-period relation passes through the bump and beat masses for Cepheids.
Elastofibroma dorsi: a radiological diagnosis

Elastofibroma dorsi is a rarely made radiological diagnosis. The rarity of the condition, lack of a suitable imaging modality, and an inconsistent clinical approach in evaluating indeterminate soft tissue tumors has contributed to this failure. With magnetic resonance imaging now being recognized as the examination of choice for all indeterminate soft tissue tumors, a prebiopsy diagnosis can frequently be made by radiologists familiar with the characteristic periscapular location, predilection for elderly females, and short T2 on magnetic resonance imaging.
Electron multipactor discharge on a dielectric in a finite geometry

Summary form only given. Electron multipactor breakdown of the dielectric window separating vacuum from a gas in a high power microwave system is a common problem that limits the output power of the system. This study examines the impact of finite waveguide geometries and low and moderate pressure gases on electron multipactor growth and power deposition on the dielectric window. The spatial and temporal evolution of the power deposition, electron number density, and average electron energy in vacuum and in low and moderate pressure (<200 torr) electropositive and electronegative gases is discussed. Results of the simulation show that the multipactor discharge starts at the edge and moves to the center of the dielectric given a large enough field. In addition, electron multipactor results from 1-D, 2-D, & pseudo-3D particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations are compared. A large discrepancy is shown to exist in the number of electrons produced between the 1-D, 2-D and pseudo-3D simulations due to electrons being lost to the waveguide wall
On the Reversibility of the Transition Past Instability in Couette Flow

We have used a small rotating-cylinder viscometer in which the inner cylinder rotates to measure the torque transmitted by fluid flow in the laminar and supercritical range of speeds. We find that when the radii of the cylinders are nearly equal, the torque is a unique function of the Reynolds number of the flow regardless of the manner in which the flow is established, provided only that sufficient time is allowed for equilibrium to be reached. In particular we find that the critical speed for transition to cellular flow is identical with the speed at which cellular flow reverts to laminar flow. When the gap between the cylinders is large a small hysteresis in the torque near the critical speed is observed. Some observations are reported which suggest that the transitions in hydromagnetic and spiral flow between rotating cylinders are also reversible.
Rookie Mistakes: Preemptive Comments on Graduate Student Empirical Research Manuscripts

Political science graduate students need to develop strong skills in drafting empirical research manuscripts. Yet, many graduate student manuscripts contain similar shortcomings, which require student peers, faculty advisors, and journal referees to produce the same comments for multiple manuscripts. This article lists common comments on empirical research manuscripts, as a reference to help students revise their manuscripts before presentation to others for review, so that reviewers can focus on the more substantive elements of a manuscript, thus producing better manuscripts that are more likely to be published and thus contribute to knowledge about political phenomena.
A mass spectrometric study of the heterogeneity of the monomer subunit of Lumbricus terrestris hemoglobin

The subunits of the hemoglobin of Lumbricus terrestris consist of heme-binding globin chains, designated a, b, c, and d, and linker chains. The sequence of chain d, which is also referred to as a monomer subunit, has been reported by Shishikura et al. (Biol. Chem.1987, 262, 3123–3131). This subunit has been found to be heterogeneous and in this study three fractions were separated by C18 reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The major chain d1 with molecular weight 15,993. 5 ± 2. 1 u possesses S7 instead of G7, the partial sequence RDIIDD (33–38) instead of KGILRE, E instead of Q in positions 23 and 58, and T84 instead of A84. The C-terminus is K140 instead of D141I142. Chain d3 with molecular weight 15,963. 2 ± 1. 6 u showed high sequence homology with chain d1, differing apparently only in residue 84 where A84 replaces T84. Analysis of the third chromatographie fraction revealed two additional chains with molecular weights of 15,996. 1 ± 1. 4 and 15,937. 6 ± 1. 2 u. These are designated chains d2 and d4, respectively, but their sequence assignments are not yet certain.
Modulation of Platelet thromboxane A2 and arterial prostacyclin by dietary vitamin E.

Abstract Platelets from vitamin E-deficient and vitamin E-supplemented rats generate the same amount fo thromboxane A2 (TxA2) when they are incubated with unesterified arachidonic acid. Platelets from vitamin E-deficient rats produce more TxA2 than platelets from vitamin E-supplemented rats when the platelets are challenged with collagen. Arterial tissue from vitamin E-deficient rats generates less prostacyclin (PGI2) than arterial tissue from vitamin E-supplemented rats. The vitamin E effect with arterial tissue is observed when the tissue is incubated with and without added unesterified arachidonic acid. These data show that arterial prostacyclin synthesis is diminished in vitamin E-deficient rats. Vitamin E, in vivo , inhibits platelet aggregation both by lowering platelet TxA2 and by raising arterial PGI2.
Ion transport defects and hypertension. Where is the link

Most of the recent thinking on the role of ion transport defects in hypertension flows from the hypothesis that essential hypertension is due to the production of circulating Na + transport inhibitors acting on renal epithelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells
The Performance of a Far-Field-Steering Applebaum Array with a Finite Distance Signal Source

The effect of the finite distance of the signal source on the performance of a far-field-steering Applebaum type adaptive array is examined. The output Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) is expressed in terms of (1) the distance between the signal and the array center, (2) the input SNR, (3) the element number and locations, and (4) the signal direction. From that expression a rule of thumb is drawn to determine the distance between the signal source and the array center at which the degradation of the output SNR is ldB. That distance is in general much larger than the far-field range of a conventional beamforming array.
Exceptional integers of some ternary quadratic forms

The representability of numbers by a quadratic form f ( x 1 .... , xm) defined over an algebraic number field k is entirely a local question by virtue of the theorem of Hasse and Minkowski. There is an analogous result for the corresponding diophantine question of representing (algebraic) integers by integral quadratic forms f ; namely, when m/> 4 and f is indefinite (i.e., f ® kp is isotropic at some infinite prime spot p). This is a consequence of the strong approximat ion theorem for the spin group. However, in the ternary indefinite case the representation theory is more complicated. Although in such a situation local representability "more often than not" implies a global representation, the exceptional behaviours are as yet not fully understood. An integer c, if everywhere locally representable by f , is known to be either representable by every form or by precisely half of all the inequivalent forms in the genus g e n ( f ) o f f (the class number o f f here is a 2-power). In the latter case the genus is split into two c-half-genera ("Halbgeschlechter") . For details, see [6, 7, 2]. Such an integer c will be called an exceptional integer f o r g e n ( f ) . When the genus is split into two chalf-genera there remains still the finer question of whether or not c itself is representable by a specific form within the genus. We shall call e an exceptional integer f o r g, g ~ g e n ( f ) , if g belongs to the "bad" half-genus that fails to represent c; in other words, c is representable for some form in the genus but not by g itself. While the problem of describing exceptional integers for the genus is strictly local (see [12]), the question of excep-
Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery.

Atrial fibrillation frequently complicates cardiac surgery, but many cases can be prevented with appropriate prophylactic therapy. A strategy of rhythm management for symptomatic patients and rate ...
Tissue-Specific Proteolysis of Huntingtin (htt) in Human Brain: Evidence of Enhanced Levels of N- and C-Terminal htt Fragments in Huntington's Disease Striatum

Proteolysis of mutant huntingtin (htt) has been hypothesized to occur in Huntington's disease (HD) brains. Therefore, this in vivo study examined htt fragments in cortex and striatum of adult HD and control human brains by Western blots, using domain-specific anti-htt antibodies that recognize N- and C-terminal domains of htt (residues 181-810 and 2146-2541, respectively), as well as the 17 residues at the N terminus of htt. On the basis of the patterns of htt fragments observed, different "protease-susceptible domains" were identified for proteolysis of htt in cortex compared with striatum, suggesting that htt undergoes tissue-specific proteolysis. In cortex, htt proteolysis occurs within two different N-terminal domains, termed protease-susceptible domains "A" and "B." However, in striatum, a different pattern of fragments indicated that proteolysis of striatal htt occurred within a C-terminal domain termed "C," as well as within the N-terminal domain region designated "A". Importantly, striatum from HD brains showed elevated levels of 40-50 kDa N-terminal and 30-50 kDa C-terminal fragments compared with that of controls. Increased levels of these htt fragments may occur from a combination of enhanced production or retarded degradation of fragments. Results also demonstrated tissue-specific ubiquitination of certain htt N-terminal fragments in striatum compared with cortex. Moreover, expansions of the triplet-repeat domain of the IT15 gene encoding htt was confirmed for the HD tissue samples studied. Thus, regulated tissue-specific proteolysis and ubiquitination of htt occur in human HD brains. These results suggest that the role of huntingtin proteolysis should be explored in the pathogenic mechanisms of HD.
Parameterization of the Meridional Eddy Heat and Momentum Fluxes

Abstract Green’s eddy diffusive transfer representation is used to parameterize the meridional eddy heat flux. The structural function obtained by Branscome for the diagonal component Kyy in the tensor of the transfer coefficients is adopted. A least squares method that uses the observed data of eddy heat flux is proposed to evaluate the magnitude of Kyy and the structure of the nondiagonal component Kyz in the transfer coefficient tensor. The optimum motion characteristic at the steering level is used as a constraint for the relationship between Kyy and Kyz. The obtained magnitude of Kyy is two to three times larger than that of the Branscome’s, which is obtained in a linear analysis with the assumption of Kyz = 0. Green’s vertically integrated expression for the meridional eddy momentum flux is used to test the coefficients obtained in the eddy heat flux. In this parameterization, the eddy momentum flux is related to the eddy fluxes of two conserved quantities: potential vorticity and potential temperat...
Genetics and genomics of Drosophila mating behavior

The first steps of animal speciation are thought to be the development of sexual isolating mechanisms. In contrast to recent progress in understanding the genetic basis of postzygotic isolating mechanisms, little is known about the genetic architecture of sexual isolation. Here, we have subjected Drosophila melanogaster to 29 generations of replicated divergent artificial selection for mating speed. The phenotypic response to selection was highly asymmetrical in the direction of reduced mating speed, with estimates of realized heritability averaging 7%. The selection response was largely attributable to a reduction in female receptivity. We assessed the whole genome transcriptional response to selection for mating speed using Affymetrix GeneChips and a rigorous statistical analysis. Remarkably, >3,700 probe sets (21% of the array elements) exhibited a divergence in message levels between the Fast and Slow replicate lines. Genes with altered transcriptional abundance in response to selection fell into many different biological process and molecular function Gene Ontology categories, indicating substantial pleiotropy for this complex behavior. Future functional studies are necessary to test the extent to which transcript profiling of divergent selection lines accurately predicts genes that directly affect the selected trait.
Etiology Of Spontaneous Perirenal Hemorrhage: A Meta-Analysis

Purpose: We determine the most common etiology of spontaneous perirenal hemorrhage.Materials and Methods: A MEDLINE search of the English language literature from 1985 to 1999 revealed 47 publicati...
A System for in Vivo Measurement of Oxygen in Intraocular Tissue

The sensory retina of the eye is unique in that it is nourished by the two separate circulations between which it lies—the retinal vasculature supplying the inner retinal layers and the choroidal vasculature supplying primarily the outer layers. The extremely high metabolic rate of retinal tissue makes it susceptible to ischemic damage when the retinal blood supply is segmentally or totally disrupted; the effect of interrupted choroidal blood supply is currently less well documented. Consequently, the relationship between individual contributions of the retinal and choroidal circulations to retinal oxygenation is fundamental to a thorough understanding of the physiology associated with ischemic eye disease. A number of investigators interested in intraocular oxygen distributions have applied the technique of Polarographic oxygen measurements using microelec-trodes1,2,3..., and one has even coined the convenient term “ophtha lmopolarography”.4
Cis -regulatory element based targeted gene finding: genome-wide identification of abscisic acid- and abiotic stress-responsive genes in Arabidopsis thaliana

Motivation: A fundamental problem of computational genomics is identifying the genes that respond to certain endogenous cues and environmental stimuli. This problem can be referred to as targeted gene finding. Since gene regulation is mainly determined by the binding of transcription factors and cis-regulatory DNA sequences, most existing gene annotation methods, which exploit the conservation of open reading frames, are not effective in finding targetgenes. Results: A viable approach to targeted gene finding is to exploit the cis-regulatory elements that are known to be responsible for the transcription of target genes. Given such cis-elements, putative target genes whose promoters contain the elements can be identified. As a case study, we apply the above approach to predict the genes in model plant Arabidopsis thaliana which are inducible by a phytohormone, abscisic acid (ABA), and abiotic stress, such as drought, cold and salinity. We first construct and analyze two ABA specific cis-elements, ABA-responsive element (ABRE) and its coupling element (CE), in A.thaliana, based on their conservation in rice and other cereal plants. We then use the ABRE--CE module to identify putative ABA-responsive genes in A.thaliana. Based on RT--PCR verification and the results from literature, this method has an accuracy rate of 67.5% for the top 40 predictions. The cis-element based targeted gene finding approach is expected to be widely applicable since a large number of cis-elements in many species are available. Contact: zhang@cse.wustl.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data for this paper are available at Bioinformatics online.
Programming models and languages for SoC-implemented architectures

Summary form only given. Microsystems implemented on chips or SoCs provide new capabilities and alternatives not easily available to architects in the past, via ISA extensions, additional data-path elements, SIMD arrays and their short vector extensions, multigrain coprocessing etc. We can, given enough design resources, build such machines. Evidence of various combinations of architectural archetypes can be seen in a flood of new machine architectures for high definition video processing, though there are significant challenges in architectural exploration. However, a central question that seems to remain unanswered, is how will the programming for such machines can keep up without waiting for the god of programming to descend. Participants will take a crack at answering the questions either from architectural side (including implementation fabrics) or from their views of the advances in programming models and methods.
Smiley - an interactive tool for monitoring inter-module function calls

Applications running under modern operating systems obtain a significant portion of their functionality from code that is distributed in binary modules that are distinct from the application's own executable. This functionality is accessed by load- or run-time linkage from the application executable or by interprocess communication. Examples of such functionality include user interface management, file system access, process and thread creation and synchronization, and network communications. In the Windows NT operating system, an application obtains this functionality through calls on functions exported from shared libraries. Smiley is a monitoring program that can selectively log these calls as they are made by any application. It does so without any modification of the persistent executable images of either the application or the libraries. Logs of library calls provide insight into an application's implementation. By interactively selecting libraries and functions to monitor, an analyst gradually homes in on aspects of an implementation that are relevant to his objectives. Since it requires only the distributed binary form of the application, Smiley can be used as an aid in comprehending the implementation of COTS software.
Biases induced by coarse measurement scales

Equations for calculating the biases induced by coarse measurement scales are derived. Equations for the expected value, variance, covariance, correlation coefficient, and reliability coefficient are provided. The equations can be used to study the effects of measurement scale coarseness. Examples are given that illustrate that biases can vary depending on the mean and variance of the quantities being measured, the number of scale points, the rule for assigning quantities to scale points, and the number of items in a scale. Equations for the bias limits are also derived. Under some conditions, the biases disappear as the number of scale points increases. To avoid bias, it is recommended that graphic rating scales be used.