cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: advances since 2005.

Purpose of review To provide an update of recent studies relevant to robot-assisted radical prostatectomy, highlighting technical modifications and associated functional outcomes, mid-term oncologic results and patient perception and satisfaction. Recent findings Several recent studies have investigated methods of further reducing the morbidities associated with prostatectomy, namely erectile dysfunction and incontinence. These studies provide important anatomic insights into additional mechanisms responsible for potency and incontinence and measures for preserving both. Mid-term oncologic outcomes have also been reported; further substantiating the role of robotics in the treatment of clinically localized prostate cancer. Summary The technique of robotic prostatectomy has evolved over the last decade with significant efforts in improving functional outcomes following surgery. However, aggressive-marketing campaigns and lack of regulation of hospital websites may be contributing to unrealistic expectations in patients who choose to undergo robotic prostatectomy, resulting in dissatisfaction for some patients. National interests in this topic will likely result in the mandate for more stringent studies to assess the comparative effectiveness of robot-assisted prostatectomy with other competing therapies for clinically localized prostate cancer.
Role of test activity in ethanol-induced disruption of place preference expression in mice

Reduced expression of a drug-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) may reflect a decrease in the drug’s conditioned rewarding effects. However, CPP is also open to disruption by processes unrelated to the underlying motivation. In unpublished studies, we previously observed that ethanol pretreatment before testing disrupted expression of ethanol-induced CPP in DBA/2J mice. We hypothesized that this interference effect was due to large ethanol-induced increases in activity. The present studies were designed to examine the relationship between test activity and expression of ethanol-induced CPP both in the presence and absence of ethanol. To assess the generality of this relationship, we examined these effects both in DBA/2J (which are highly activated by ethanol) and in NZB/B1NJ mice (which show similar CPP, but less ethanol-induced activation). In separate experiments, inbred mice from each strain underwent ethanol (2 g/kg) place conditioning. Saline or ethanol was then administered immediately before the test. Ethanol, given immediately before the test, blocked the expression of ethanol CPP in DBA/2J, but not in NZB/B1NJ mice. Moreover, ethanol significantly increased test activity levels in DBA/2J and to a much lesser degree in NZB/B1NJ mice. Correlation analyses showed an inverse phenotypic relationship between preference and test activity, reflecting stronger preferences in less active mice. Disruption of ethanol-CPP observed in DBA/2J mice may be a consequence of high ethanol-induced activity levels. More generally, these studies suggest that competing behaviors can affect expression of a drug-induced CPP independent of affecting the conditioned rewarding effects of the drug.
Dynamic Modeling of Knee Mechanics

It is widely accepted that the mechanical environment within the knee, or more specifically, increased or altered stresses or strains generated within the cartilage, is a leading cause of knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, a significant unfulfilled technological challenge in musculoskeletal biomechanics and OA research has been determining the dynamic mechanical environment of the cartilage (and other components) resulting from routine and non-routine physical movements. There are two methods of investigating musculoskeletal joint mechanics that have been used to date: 1) forward and inverse multibody dynamic simulations of human movement and 2) detailed quasi-static finite element modeling of individual joints. The overwhelming majority of work has been focused on musculoskeletal multibody dynamics modeling. This method, in combination with experimental motion capture and analysis, has been integral to understanding torques, muscle and ligament forces, and reaction forces occurring at the joint during activities such as walking, running, squatting, and jumping as well as providing key insights into musculoskeletal motor control schemes. However, multibody dynamics simulations do not allow for the detailed continuum level analysis of the mechanical environment of the cartilage and other knee joint structures (meniscus, ligaments, and underlying bone) within the knee during physical activities. This is a critical technology gap that is required to understand the relationship between functional or injurious loading of the knee and cartilage degradation. We have developed a detailed neuromuscularly activated dynamic finite element model of the human lower body and have used this model to simultaneously determine the dynamic muscle forces, joint kinematics, contact forces, and detailed (e.g., continuum) stresses and strains within the knee (cartilage, meniscus, ligaments, and bone) during several increasingly complex neuromuscularly controlled and actuated lower limb movements. Motion at each joint is controlled explicitly via deformable cartilage-to-cartilage surface contact at each articular surface (rather than idealized as simple revolute or ball and socket joints). The major muscles activating the lower limb are explicitly modeled with Hill-type active force generating springs using anatomical muscle insertion points and geometric wrapping. Muscle activation dynamics were determined via a constrained optimization scheme to minimize muscle activation energy. Time histories of the mechanical environment of all soft tissues within the knee are determined for a simulated leg extension.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Endoscopy: insertion versus withdrawal phases for polyp detection.

Detection of polyps by colonoscopy is commonly performed during slow withdrawal of the colonoscope, after its rapid insertion. The authors of a new study found that considerably more polyps were identified during endoscope insertion, rather than withdrawal, and suggest that further investigation of polyp inspection during the insertion phase is warranted.
UV Resonance Raman Finds Peptide Bond-Arg Side Chain Electronic Interactions.

We measured the UV resonance Raman excitation profiles and Raman depolarization ratios of the arginine (Arg) vibrations of the amino acid monomer as well as Arg in the 21-residue predominantly alanine peptide AAAAA(AAARA)3A (AP) between 194 and 218 nm. Excitation within the π → π* peptide bond electronic transitions result in UVRR spectra dominated by amide peptide bond vibrations. The Raman cross sections and excitation profiles indicate that the Arg side chain electronic transitions mix with the AP peptide bond electronic transitions. The Arg Raman bands in AP exhibit Raman excitation profiles similar to those of the amide bands in AP which are conformation specific. These Arg excitation profiles distinctly differ from the Arg monomer. The Raman depolarization ratios of Arg in monomeric solution are quite simple with ρ = 0.33 indicating enhancement by a single electronic transition. In contrast, we see very complex depolarization ratios of Arg in AP that indicate that the Arg residues are resonance enha...
An Adaptive M-Estimator and Its Application to a Selection Problem

A robust adaptive estimation procedure for location estimation problems is developed. Classification in this procedure is done on the basis of skewness and tailweight, using two statistics that are ratios of linear functions of sample order statistics. The associated estimators are of the general type known as M-estimators, Following the development of the adaptive location estimation procedure, an application to the k population selection problem is given. Monte Carlo results show the superiority of the adaptive procedure to the sample means procedure, the rank sum procedure, and the previously developed adaptive procedure of Randles, Ramberg, and Hogg.
Synthesis and characterization of octakis(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)cyclotetrasiloxane (I), octakis[tridecafluoro-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-2,5-disilatridecanoxy]cyclotetrasiloxane (II) and octakis(7-pentafluorophenyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-2,5-disilaheptanoxy)cyclotetrasiloxane (III)

Abstract Octakis(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)cyclotetrasiloxane ( I ), octakis[tridecafluoro-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-2,5-disilatridecanoxy]cyclotetrasiloxane ( II ), and octakis(7-pentafluorophenyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-2,5-disilaheptanoxy)cyclotetrasiloxane ( III ) have been prepared and characterized. Reaction of octakis[chloro calcium oxy]cyclotetrasiloxane (Ca 8 Si 4 O 12 Cl 8 ) with 3,3,3-trifluoroproyldimethylchlorosilane yields I , II , and III , on the other hand, have been prepared by platinum catalyzed hydrosilylation reactions of octakis(vinyldimethylsiloxy)cyclotetrasiloxane with tridecafluoro-1H,1H,2H,2H-octyldimethylsilane and 2-pentafluorophenyl-1H,1H,2H,2H-ethyldimethylsilane, respectively.
A C-based graphics library for CS1

This paper describes a simple graphics library designed for a CS 1 course using ANSI C as its programming language. The library can be implemented easily on a variety of hardware platforms, providing a reasonable level of portability. Implementation currently exist for compilers on the Apple Macintosh, the IBM PC, and Unix workstations; the source code for each of these implementations is publicly available by anonymous FTP from the Roberts.C.CS1 area on host aw.com. In addition, the public distribution includes a fully standard implementation that generates a PostScript representation of the graphical image.
Absence of Cellular Localization of Antigen in Delayed Hypersensitivity

SummaryDelayed hypersensitivity reactions were produced in the skin and striated muscle of guinea pigs sensitized to ferritin, vaccinia virus, or tuberculin. Biopsies of the lesions were examined with the electron microscope in an effort to determine the localization of these antigens at the site of tissue reactivity. Neither ferritin nor vaccinia virus, both of which have a characteristic appearance in the electron microscope, could be identified within the mononuclear cells which form the predominant and characteristic cell of the delayed reaction. Although these cells often showed degenerative changes in the ferritin and vaccinia lesions, such alterations were rare in the tuberculin lesions and there was no association of antigen with the degenerating cells. These observations suggest that frequent direct anatomical interactions between specific antigen and sensitized cell do not occur in delayed hypersensitivity.
The Planet Venus

Venus has long been referred to as Earth's sister planet. Shrouded in clouds, mystery, and myth,Venus has defied exploration up until the latter half of the 20th century when the planet was assaulted by an armada of spacecraft sent by the inhabitants of Earth. The Planet Venus by Mikhail Ya. Marov and David Grinspoon, both of whom are well known in the planetary community, is a chronological, technical account about mankind's exploration of Venus. It reviews various ideas and theories that have been developed about Venus, from the time of the earliest telescopic observations to the age of interplanetary missions.
Mind bomb 1 regulation of cFLIP interactions

Mind bomb 1 (Mib1) is a multidomain E3 ligase that directs ubiquitination of the Notch ligands Delta and Jagged to promote their endocytosis. Here we examine Notch-independent functions of Mib1 and find that its activities are linked to the initiation of the extrinsic cell death pathway. Expression of Mib1 induces a spontaneous, caspase-dependent cell death. Consistent with this, depletion of endogenous Mib1 decreases tumor-necrosis factor (TNF)-induced cell death. Mib1 was found to bind to cellular Fas-associated death domain (FADD)-like IL-1b converting enzyme (FLICE)-like inhibitory proteins (cFLIP-L and cFLIP-S), whereas only cFLIP-s can inhibit Mib1-induced cell death. The interaction between Mib1 and cFLIP decreases the association of caspase-8 with cFLIP, which activates caspase-8 and induces cell death. Collectively, these results suggest that in addition to a central role in Notch signaling, Mib1 has an important role in regulating the extrinsic cell death pathway.
Feasibility of spectral-domain phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography for middle ear vibrometry.

We describe a novel application of spectral-domain phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography (SD PS-OCT) to detect the tiny motions of the middle ear structures, such as the tympanic membrane and ossicular chain, and their morphological features for differential diagnosis of CHL. This technique has the potential to provide meaningful vibration of ossicles with a vibration sensitivity of ∼ 0.5 nm at 1 kHz of acoustic stimulation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of depth-resolved vibration imaging of ossicles with a PS-OCT system at a nanometer scale.
Studies of the transition-region between lunar and turbulent flow in open channels

It is generally recognized in the many fluid-motion occurrences that the flow-conditions vary greatly between the conditions of laminar and complete turbulence. This is, of course, true for flow through pipes, coarse-grained granular materials, and open channels of various types. Considerable importance is attached to such variations in flow. A more or less empirical approach is necessary to define the relation of bulk-velocity of flow to resistance to flow.
Single-Metal Nanoscale Thermocouples

We study the generation of thermoelectricity by nanoscale thermocouples (TCs) formed from a single layer of metal with cross-sectional discontinuity. Typically, a TC is formed when a second conductor is inserted between two sections of a first conductor forming two junctions situated at different temperatures. Here, we investigate the behavior of TCs formed not of two conductors but rather nanowires of the same metal of two cross-sectional areas. Monometallic TCs were constructed from a lithographically defined nanowire having one abrupt variation in width along its length, and tested at room temperature; these structures exploit a change in Seebeck coefficient that is present at these size scales. To investigate the thermoelectric properties of such “shape-engineered” TCs, nanoscale heaters were employed to set the local temperatures. Temperature profiles at the hot and cold junctions of the TCs were determined both by simulations and experiments. Results demonstrate that the magnitude of the open-circuit voltage, and hence the relative Seebeck coefficient, is a function of the parameters of the variations in the segment widths. The fabrication complexity of such shape-engineered monometallic nanowire TCs is greatly reduced compared to that of conventional bimetallic TCs, and could be mass-produced using simpler manufacturing techniques.
On the interdependence of reliability and security in Networked Control Systems

This paper studies player incentives to invest in network reliability and security. We consider heterogeneous networked control system (NCS) - also called players - facing a class of problems involving discrete interdependent risks. We formulate the problem of security choices of the individual NCS as a non-cooperative two-stage game, in which players make they security and control decisions, respectively. We characterize equilibria of the game, thus determining the individually optimal security levels. The presence of interdependent security causes a negative externality, and the individual players tend to under invest in security relative to the social optimum. From our results, security and reliability decisions are tightly coupled, and should be considered jointly to improve efficiency.
Pseudotachylyte-bearing strike-slip duplex structures in the Fort Foster Brittle Zone, S. Maine

Abstract Detailed (1:60 scale) mapping of the Fort Foster Brittle Zone in the mylonitic Rye Formation of southernmost Maine has revealed the intricate internal duplex structure of a system of probable Paleozoic-age dextral strike-slip faults that have produced abundant pseudotachylyte and minor breccia. The internal configuration of this brittle zone consists of a mosaic of individual pseudotachylyte generation zones as slab-duplex structures. Individual duplex zones are up to 100 m in length and 1 m or less in width and are defined by pairs of layer-parallel slip surfaces along which frictional melts were produced. These slab-duplex structures are interpreted as zones of displacement transfer between long, overlapping, layer-parallel en echelon strike-slip fault surfaces. Contractional duplexes develop layer-parallel compressional structures that tend to shorten and thicken the fault-bounded slabs by the formation of lateral ramps and conjugate faults, kinks and asymmetric folds. Extensional duplexes develop layer-parallel stretching and thinning by the formation of oblique dextral shears, high-angle conjugate pairs and localized fault breccias. The production of pseudotachylyte by friction melting along layer-parallel fault surfaces in these exposures is attributed to rapid slip during paleoseismic events. The rupture structures developed during these events may be characteristic of fault structure and mechanics at near-focal depths in a strike-slip seismogenic zone.
The invention of radical reactions. Part XXXI. Diphenylsilane: a reagent for deoxygenation of alcohols via their thiocarbonyl derivatives, deamination via isonitriles, and dehalogenation of bromo- and iodo- compounds by radical chain chemistry

Abstract Various thionocarbonates and xanthates of alcohols and bis -xanthates of vic -diols are readily deoxygenated to the corresponding hydrocarbons or olefins, while bromides and iodides are dehalogenated with diphenylphenylsilane in good yield.
Crop Yield and Nitrogen Accumulation Response to Tillage of a Coastal Plain Soil

Delineation of the benefit derived from either surface or subsoil tillage is important for the advancement of soil-conserving crop production systems in the Coastal Plain. The objective of this experiment was to measure the impact of surface and subsoil tillage of a sandy Coastal Plain soil (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic Typic Kandiudult) on grain yield and nitrogen accumulation for a 2-yr rotation of corn (Zea mays) and wheat-double-cropped soybean {(Triticum aestivum L.) and [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]]. Soils of the experimental plots initially possessed different surface residue and organic matter characteristics because they had received in-row subsoiling with either surface-disking tillage or no surface tillage for the previous 18-consecutive years. The current experiment was conducted from 1997 to 2001, which was an exceptionally dry period. Thus, results of this experiment provide insight into how these cropping and tillage treatments performed during one of the driest 5-yr periods of the last half century. In each year, both phases of the crop rotation were grown in plots with the following tillage treatments: (i) neither surface nor subsoil tillage, (ii) paratill subsoiling without surface tillage, (iii) surface tillage without subsoiling, and (iv) both surface tillage and paratill subsoiling. Soybean was not significantly affected by any tillage treatment. With subsoiling, corn grain yields (4-yr means) were not significantly different with surface-disking tillage versus no surface tillage (4.98 and 4.92 Mg ha -1 , respectively). Without subsoiling, corn yields were higher with no surface tillage (4.24 Mg ha -1 ) than with surface-disking tillage (3.51 Mg ha -1 ). Likewise, with subsoiling, wheat grain yields (5-yr means) were not significantly different with surface-disking tillage versus no surface tillage (3.12 and 3.24 Mg ha -1 , respectively). Without subsoiling, wheat grain yields were higher with no surface tillage (2.80 Mg ha -1 ) than with surface-disking tillage (2.59 Mg ha -1 ). Nitrogen accumulations in both shoot dry matter and grain generally followed the treatment responses of grain yield. Thus, during this dry period, surface no-till and the associated accumulation of organic matter could only somewhat compensate for the need to subsoil. With or without surface tillage, paratill subsoiling was very beneficial for corn and wheat yields.
Partial oxidation reactions of methane and oxygen

In considering the typical experimental conditions used for studies of methane oxidation to oxygenates or hydrocarbons in the presence of catalysts, it is clear that a significant potential exists for the appearance of non-catalyzed, thermally activated gas-phase reactions of methane and oxygen. In order to identify and describe the contribution of the gas phase processes during catalyzed reactions, a chemical kinetic model (HCT) developed at this Laboratory has been employed to describe these homogeneous gas phase reactions. Overall, the model predicts very well the trends and steady state results observed when tested against a series of experimental reactions comparing the effects of various reaction parameters such as residence time, temperature, and gas composition. The ability to accurately predict the magnitude of these background reactions should provide a means to begin to dissect the contributions of thermal gas phase chemistry from those of solely catalytic action. New catalysts materials containing niobium and lanthanum have been synthesized. It is observed that niobium alone at high loading levels is an oxidation catalyst facilitating the production of carbon dioxide. This behavior is modified when lanthanum is incorporated into the catalyst material. In that case, improved selectivity to oxidative coupling products of methane is observed.more » 20 refs., 7 figs.« less
Synergistic interactions with a high intraoperative expander fill volume increase the risk for mastectomy flap necrosis.

Purpose: Prosthetic-based breast reconstruction is performed with increasing frequency in the United States. Major mastectomy skin flap necrosis is a significant complication with outcomes ranging from poor aesthetic appearance to reconstructive failure. The present study aimed to explore the interactions between intraoperative fill and other risk factors on the incidence of flap necrosis in patients undergoing mastectomy with imme diate expander/implant-based reconstruction. Methods: A retrospective review of 966 consecutive patients (1,409 breasts) who underwent skin or nipple sparing mastectomy with immediate tissue expander reconstruction at a single institution was conducted. Age, body mass index, hypertension, smoking status, premastectomy and postmastectomy radiation, acellular dermal matrix use, and application of the tumescent mastectomy technique were analyzed as potential predictors of flap necrosis both independently and as synergistic variables with high intraoperative fill. The following three measures of interaction were calcu lated: relative excess risk due to interaction, attributable proportion of risk due to interaction, and synergy index (SI). Results: Intraoperative tissue expander fill volume was high (≥ 66.7% of the maximum volume) in 40.9% (576 of 1,409 breasts) of cases. The unadjusted flap necrosis rate was greater in the high intraopera tive fill cohort than in the low fill cohort (10.4% vs. 7.1%, p= 0.027). Multivariate logistic regression did not identify high intraoperative fill volume as an independent risk factor for flap necro sis (odds ratio 1.442, 95% confidence interval 0.973-2.137, p= 0.068). However, four risk factors were identified that interacted significantly with intraoperative fill volume, namely tumescence, age, hypertension, and obesity. The SI, or the departure from additive risks, was largest for tumescence (SI, 25.3), followed by hypertension (SI, 2.39), obesity (SI, 2.28), and age older than 50 years (SI, 1.17). Conclusion: In the postmastectomy, hypovascular milieu, multiple risk factors decreasing flap perfusion interact with high intraoperative fill volume to cross a threshold and syn ergistically increase the risk of flap necrosis.
Insights into the Genetic Architecture of Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a devastating complication of type 1 and type 2 diabetes and leads to increased morbidity and premature mortality. Susceptibility to DN has an inherent genetic basis as evidenced by familial aggregation and ethnic-specific prevalence rates. Progress in identifying the underlying genetic architecture has been arduous with the realization that a single locus of large effect does not exist, unlike in predisposition to non-diabetic nephropathy in individuals with African ancestry. Numerous risk variants have been identified, each with a nominal effect, and they collectively contribute to disease. These results have identified loci targeting novel pathways for disease susceptibility. With continued technological advances and development of new analytic methods, additional genetic variants and mechanisms (e.g., epigenetic variation) will be identified and help to elucidate the pathogenesis of DN. These advances will lead to early detection and development of novel therapeutic strategies to decrease the incidence of disease.
Comprehensive software suite for the operation, maintenance, and evaluation of an ion mobility spectrometer

Scientific applications of Ion Mobility Spectrometry require the ability to easily compare data between different laboratories. Reduced mobility values attempt to provide this functionality, but no standard exists for the collection and manipulation of the raw data obtained during an IMS experiment. We have created a comprehensive software suite based on the LabVIEW programming language that can be used to collect and interpret IMS data. The software may be used to collect data from a stand-alone IMS cell, a voltage sweep IMS cell, or a coupled chromatography-IMS system, and this framework may be adapted to incorporate mass spectral data analysis as well. This software is provided under an open source license for the benefit of the IMS community.
Analysis of cost savings from networking pipelines in CCS infrastructure systems

Abstract The success of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in reducing CO2 emissions on a large scale will depend on effectively deploying CCS infrastructure. Key decisions will include where to build new capture-ready power plants or retrofit existing facilities, how to construct an integrated and robust CO2 pipeline network, and which geologic reservoirs offer the best and safest storage potential. Critically, the capture, transportation, and storage components are highly interdependent and must be considered simultaneously. In previous work, we have developed and applied a CCS system optimization model that simultaneously optimizes the investments in, and operation of, the source capture facilities, the pipeline network, and the geologic sinks. The simCCS model combines GIS and operations research techniques to optimize seven sets of decisions simultaneously: source capture investment; source capture amounts; pipeline network configuration; pipeline diameters; routing of CO2 amounts through the pipeline; sink injection investment; and sink injection amounts. In choosing the corridors for the pipelines, the model considers geographic factors such as steep topography, protected lands, urban areas, and rivers and roads. SimCCS develops a fully integrated and networked CO2 pipeline network in which pipelines can merge and branch to create trunk lines that reduce the overall network length and tak advantage of cost savings through economies of scale and high capacity utilization. In this paper, we demonstrate the cost savings of using a model like simCCS to optimize simultaneously the seven key CCS decisions. Using a case study of the Midwest USA consisting of eight coal-fired power plants and seven depleted oil fields as potential sources and sinks, we use simCCS to optimize a networked CCS infrastructure system with trunk and feeder pipelines. We then compare those results to constrained runs of simCCS in which the pipeline branching capability is restricted to allow only direct pipelines between single sources and single sinks. For small amounts of CO2 captured, the optimal networks are the same, but as soon as the system requires more than one source and sink, the advantages of networking the pipelines begin to emerge. For systems involving more than one source and sink, total costs average 6.5% lower for networked systems than for direct systems, based on savings of 2% on source costs, 34% on transport costs, and 22% on sink costs. The source and sink savings are generated in the model by connecting the less expensive sources and sinks to the pipeline network. The total length of pipelines for the networked system is on average 43% lower, and pipeline capacity utilization is 12% higher. This analysis helps to demonstrate why comprehensive infrastructure modeling is important to the financial success of CCS.
Salvaging Decency: Mobile Home Residents’ Strategies of Managing the Stigma of “Trailer” Living

This paper is based on 45 ethnographic interviews conducted with residents of mobile home communities in West Central Florida between 2005 and 2008. It investigates their strategies of managing the stigma that is commonly associated with living in a mobile home. Informants routinely encounter negative stereotypes regarding their “trailer” home, community, and lifestyle in public discourse and personal interactions, and consequently have developed ways of salvaging their decency. My analysis of these strategies particularly emphasizes two versions of distancing, here called “bordering” and “fencing,” as examples of symbolic boundary work. Other techniques discussed include ignoring, passing, humoring, resisting, normalizing, upstaging, and blaming. Throughout the paper, I argue that mobile home residents’ ways of salvaging decency are both similar and different compared to how other disparaged groups deal with stigmatization. The conclusion discusses broader sociological implications of the research in enhancing our understanding of the experience of stigmatization, folk conceptions of decency, symbolic and social differentiation, as well as race and class dynamics.
Alteration in cellular morphology, density and distribution in rat vocal fold mucosa following injury

The vocal fold mucosa plays an important role in voice production. Its cellular composition and density frequently change under various pathological conditions, often contributing to altered extracellular matrix production, tissue viscoelasticity, and voice quality. In this study, cellular changes in the rat mucosa following a unilateral stripping injury were investigated and analyzed semi-quantitatively. Distinctive and sequential changes in cellular morphology, composition, and density were observed in the mucosa post-injury. Cellular recruitment was a major event during the early stage of injury and reached its peak level by day 5 post-injury. Several types of cells, including neutrophil-like cells, epithelial cells, and fibroblast-like cells, were sequentially recruited. The sequential emergence of reactive cell populations following injury and subsequent reconstruction of the mucosa suggests their involvement in vocal fold tissue repair and scar formation processes.
Current Challenges With Supply‐Chain Integrity and the Threat to the Quality of Marketed Drugs

Counterfeits, illegal diversion, cargo thefts, and substandard drugs infiltrate pharmaceutical supply chains. This has been prevalent on a global basis but is now a growing problem in the United States. Manufacturers play a pivotal role in addressing this issue. However, while they are already required to ensure the integrity of the components used in their products, they must also work with trading partners to strengthen distribution channels. This paper is intended to make readers aware of some of these efforts. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2011) 89 2, 316–319. doi:10.1038/clpt.2010.288
Microstructure and elastic properties of individual components of C/C composites

Carbon fiber reinforced carbon matrix (C/C) composites are often used for structural and frictional applications at a wide range of temperatures due to their excellent mechanical and thermal properties. Tailoring of mechanical properties through optimization of microstructure is critical for achieving maximum composite performance. This article addresses the evolution of the fiber and matrix microstructure and related nano-mechanical properties in two different C/C composites after being subjected to heat treatment at temperatures between 1800 and 2400!C. Microstructure and corresponding nano-mechanical properties of C/C composites were studied using Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM), HighResolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) and nanoindentation techniques. Increased heat treatment temperature (HTT) led to formation of a better-organized microstructure of fiber and matrix and also to formation of thermal cracks. The elastic modulus of rough laminar CVI pyrocarbon decreased from 18 to 12 GPa with increased HTT. In contrast, the isotropic CVI pyrocarbon and charred resin matrix displayed only a slight change of elastic modulus. The elastic modulus of PAN fiber increased from 18 to 34 GPa, indicating the development of a better-organized microstructure in the fiber-axial direction. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Improved layered mixed transition metal oxides for Li-ion batteries

Recent work in our laboratory has been directed towards development of mixed layered transition metal oxides with general composition Li[Ni, Co, M, Mn]O 2 (M=Al, Ti) for Li ion battery cathodes. Compounds such as Li[Ni 1/3 Co 1/3 Mn 1/3 ]O 2 (often called NMCs) are currently being commercialized for use in consumer electronic batteries, but the high cobalt content makes them too expensive for vehicular applications such as electric vehicles (EV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). To reduce materials costs, we have explored partial or full substitution of Co with Al, Ti, and Fe. Fe substitution generally decreases capacity and results in poorer rate and cycling behavior. Interestingly, low levels of substitution with Al or Ti improve aspects of performance with minimal impact on energy densities, for some formulations. High levels of Al substitution compromise specific capacity, however, so further improvements require that the Ni and Mn content be increased and Co correspondingly decreased. Low levels of Al or Ti substitution can then be used offset negative effects induced by the higher Ni content. The structural and electrochemical characterization of substituted NMCs is presented in this paper.
Evaluating the effectiveness of a telephone medicine curriculum

Telephone interactions between physicians and patients are an important part of the practice of modern medicine, particularly in primary care. Telephone contacts as a proportion of all inpatient and outpatient encounters average 13% for primary care physicians.' These patient encounters involve new problem assessment, administrative issues, the prescribing of a variety of medications, and decision making regarding clinical management.2-4 The quality of care provided by physicians over the telephone has been shown to vary considerably. Frequently, inadequate data are collected, premature conclusions are drawn, and communication is unclear.5'6 After-hour patient contacts, an important facet of service in primary care residency programs, consist mostly of telephone calls. Approximately 70% of these contacts are managed on the telephone alone.7 Although educational programs to train health professionals in telephone medicine skills have been devised in response to the needs outlined above, evaluation has been logistically difficult.8 At the University of North Carolina, structured educational strategies were developed to improve tele-
The effect of otitis media with effusion on infants' detection of sound

The purpose of this study was to obtain a preliminary estimate of how otitis media with effusion affects the hearing sensitivity of infants. An observer-based method was used to estimate detection thresholds for 1000- or 4000-Hz tones for infants diagnosed with otitis media by a physician and for control infants. These preliminary results suggest that otitis media with effusion produces a mild to moderate hearing impairment in infants and that it may affect the developmental course of auditory sensitivity in the first year of life.
Slice-adaptive histogram for improvement of anatomical structure extraction in volume data

The slice-adaptive histogramming method for improving coarse segmentation of structures from volume data (especially extraction of anatomical structures in the lower torso from computerized tomography data) is introduced. The method uses a series of local histograms to enable a final segmentation that can adapt to slice-to-slice intensity variations.
On the Pressure in the Corona Discharge

Theory of Pressure Effects Due to the Corona Discharge, in Terms of Ionic Mobility.---The characteristic pressure effect is an excess pressure of from 1 to 3 cm. of water inside a tube concentric with the discharge wire. Assuming that the momentum given the ions by the electric field is transferred to the gas, the author shows that the excess pressure is $\frac{i}{4\ensuremath{\pi}u}$, where $i$ is the current per unit length of wire and $u$ is the mobility. Using this expression, the positive mobilities in ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$, C${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ and N${\mathrm{H}}_{3}$ are computed from the observed pressure differences, and come out respectively 1.51, 0.50, 0.16, 0.23 and 0.31 times ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ cm./sec. per volt/cm. The first three values are about half those measured by Hess in the wind of ions from radioactive substances, while the value for ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ is only one eighth, the low value being perhaps due to ozone. The results so far refer to the mean mobility. Assuming that there are two types of ions, the percentage of heavy ions comes out about 13 for ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$. The time for the pressure to rise to its limiting value is computed and comes out in rough agreement with the measurements of Fazel; and an explanation is suggested for the form of the pressure curves obtained by Fazel with A.C. discharges.
Improving net energy gain in fermentative biohydrogen production from glucose

Abstract Our previous studies had demonstrated enhanced fermentative hydrogen production from sucrose in batch reactors with dairy manure as a supplement providing nutrients, buffering, and hydrogen-producing organisms. In this study, manure leachate is evaluated as a supplement in glucose fermentation in batch and continuous flow reactors at 25 °C without any nutrient supplements, initial pH adjustments, buffering, or stirring. Hydrogen yields found in this study are comparable to or better than those reported at higher temperatures. When the heat energy expended to maintain the test temperatures is considered, positive net energy gain of ∼10 kJ/L of reactor volume was achieved while most literature reports translated to negative net energy gain. Anaerobic digestion (AD) and microbial fuel cells (MFC) were evaluated as follow-up processes to extract additional energy from the end products of dark fermentation (DF). This evaluation showed that DF followed by MFCs to produce electricity to be a more energy-efficient approach.
The contribution of bone loss to postmenopausal osteoporosis

We have addressed the relative importance of peak bone mass and subsequent rate of loss in determining postmenopausal women's bone mass in old age, by examining longitudinal measurements of radial mid-shaft bone mass on various samples of healthy white postmenopausal women. Using both the variance estimate of age-specific rates of bone loss and the population variance in bone mass, we determined that rates of loss could contribute importantly to future bone mass. However, since we found a small negative correlation between initial bone mass and rate of loss, it was necessary to estimate the effect of bone loss as the complement of the contribution of initial bone mass. We found that the influence of bone loss (relative to initial bone mass) increases as the women age, such that by about age 70, the contribution of initial bone mass and rate of loss approached equality. However, estimated rates of bone loss were not very stable over time, so it was difficult to identify long-term ‘fast-losers’. We conclude that the rate of postmenopausal bone loss is an important contributor to osteoporosis at old age, but it is difficult to identify long-term fast-losers, thereby reducing the clinical value of assessments of rates of change in bone mass early in the postmenopause.
BACTERIOPHAGE TESTS ON THE MECONIUM OF ABORTED FETUSES.

The theory that tissue cells are the source of bacteriophage was objected to by d'Herelle on the grounds that bacteriophage in the intestinal contents could penetrate the intestinal mucosa and migrate throughout the body and that any demonstration of its presence within the body fluids was in accordance with this phenomenon. The present work sought to overcome this objection by using tissues which had been exposed to but a single organism,—Bacillus abortus. Filtrates of meconium from six aborted bovine fetuses were tested against several strains of Bacillus abortus, but no evidence of a lytic principle could be demonstrated. Neither could it be shown that they contained a substance which would initiate lysis when tested against numerous strains of bovine colon bacilli.
MAORI IDENTITY IN THE SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND: ETHNIC IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT IN A MIGRATION CONTEXT

The migration of people between and within nations is well known as one of the important larger contexts of ethnic identity development and maintenance. Often, migration can also be the cause of considerable ethnic change, as peoples involved adapt to a newly complex social and political environment, to the disruption of a long stable one, and so on. In the South Island of New Zealand, migration has been present as a contributor to identity formation over a long period of time and through a complex of events. On the one hand, there has been a series of internal migrations by New Zealand's indigenous Maori population into the South Island from the nearby North Island; on the other hand, there have been in-migrations of non-Maoris, notably Europeans and other Polynesians. Among the outcomes have been major changes in identity relations between Maori and non-Maori as well as between Maori and Maori. In this paper1 I document the changes through focus on the intra-Maori sphere and look at what has happened to the identity termed 'South Island Maori'. The migration context also invites inquiry into what can be learned about the nature of ethnicity and ethnic identity. This paper will address one of the basic themes in anthropological approaches to ethnicity by examining the South Island context for insights into the interplay of cultural and social factors in ethnic identity development and use.
β-tubulin genes of Trichomonas vaginalis

Microtubules, formed by polymerization of alpha and beta-tubulins, are major structural components of the mitotic spindle, cytoskeleton, and flagella, and are also an important target for the antiparasitic benzimidazole drugs. Trichomonas vaginalis, a flagellated protozoan responsible for urogenital tract infections in humans, is highly sensitive to certain benzimidazoles in vitro. As a first step towards defining the roles of microtubules in this organism, the regulation of their expression, and the basis for their benzimidazole sensitivity, we have characterized the genes encoding T. vaginalis beta-tubulin. A combination of genomic DNA cloning using bacteriophage lambda and PCR amplification using conserved beta-tubulin gene primers was employed. Southern blots of DNA from two different T. vaginalis strains suggest there are 6-7 beta-tubulin gene copies. Sequencing identified three distinct genes: btub1, btub2, and btub3. Amplification of cDNA with gene-specific primers indicated that the relative expression of RNA transcripts was btub1 > btub2 >> btub3. The promoter region from btub1 includes a 15-bp repeat also found (with 1-bp difference) upstream of the T. vaginalis ferredoxin gene. Primer extension suggests the 5' leader of the mRNA transcribed from btub1 is only 10 nucleotides long, similar to the lengths found in other anaerobic protozoa. In 152 residues examined by PCR, btub2 and btub3 differed by 1 and 12 amino acids, respectively, from btub1. All three sequences, however, have diverged considerably (20-24%) from beta-tubulins of other protozoa. T. vaginalis beta-tubulins include residues Tyr167 and Phe200, previously implicated in resistance and sensitivity, respectively, to the benzimidazole derivative benomyl.
On System Design

The general, multiple attribute system design problem is formulated in total quality space which includes all of the microeconomic factors that influence the net value of a product to society. A hypothetical system design task—the development of improved system specifications and new subsystem requirements for the redesign of an automobile—is used to illustrate the approach. A new format is also given for describing design of experiment arrays which facilitates their use in spreadsheet calculations.
Early Growth Response Gene 1 Modulates Androgen Receptor Signaling in Prostate Carcinoma Cells

The transcription factor early growth response gene 1 (EGR1) has been implicated in diverse roles in the regulation of cell growth, apoptosis, and differentiation. Previous studies suggest that the effects of EGR1 on tumorigenesis are critically dependent on the cellular context. In a majority of prostate cancers, EGR1 is overexpressed and promotes prostate tumor progression. In contrast, in other tumor types such as breast cancers and glioblastomas, EGR1 is expressed at low levels and when overexpressed can inhibit tumor growth. To explore the role of EGR1 in prostate tumorigenesis, we examined the impact of EGR1 expression on the androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway. We show here that EGR1 binds to the AR in prostate carcinoma cells, and an EGR1-AR complex can be detected by chromatin immunoprecipitation at the enhancer of an endogenous AR target gene. Overexpression of EGR1 enhanced AR-mediated transactivation, whereas EGR1 knockdown by small interfering RNA inhibited AR signaling pathway activity. Furthermore, Western blot and immunocytochemical analyses showed that constitutive overexpression of EGR1 promotes the translocation of AR from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. These results indicate that EGR1 may promote prostate cancer development by modulating the androgen receptor signaling pathway.
A new single-phase inverter with D-STATCOM capability for grid-connected small wind turbines

This paper presents the design of a novel multi-level D-STATCOM inverter for renewable energy systems using modular multi-level converter (MMC) topology. The aim of the work is to design a new type of inverter with FACTS capabilities to provide utilities with more knowledge about the distribution systems, specifically on end points. The inverter is placed between the renewable energy source, specifically a wind turbine, and the distribution grid in order to regulate the active and reactive power required by the grid. This inverter is capable of controlling active and reactive power by controlling its phase angle and modulation index, respectively. The unique contribution of the proposed work is to combine the two concepts of inverter and D-STATCOM using a novel voltage source converter (VSC) multi-level topology in a single unit without any additional cost. Simulations of the proposed inverter, with 5 levels, have been completed in Matlab/Simulink. The simulation results validate the performance of the proposed control strategy.